Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

RENEE's POV

As I drove home from the therapist's office, still seething, my mind drifted to Bella, as usual.

I'm not an idiot. I can see how much she loves Edward, how close she is to Alice. I know what it's like to be in love. But I also know what it's like to lose love.

When Phil died it felt like my whole world had shattered around me. The only thing keeping me going was Bella. I knew she needed me so I tried to keep going, for her.

But I would always find myself alone. Bella would leave in the morning before school to go to the Cullen's and she would go to school with them. Then she would come home with them, and usually stay at their house for dinner, not coming home until she wanted to sleep. And I would be at home the whole time. Alone. Waiting.

She just kept getting further and further away from me, closer and closer to the Cullen's. I could tell she loved Esme and Carlisle like they were her own parents. But they're not. I am.

And then she gets kidnapped and raped. I was devastated and I could tell she was too. I thought that maybe this would bring us closer, that I could help her get through this. But all it did was distance us even more. She became closer and closer to Edward, cutting off all contact with everyone else. It was like she didn't even love me anymore. She just loved Edward.

It was unhealthy. I understand that what she went through was horrible. And he saved her; he found her in time and helped her stay alive. And I understand that would make her want to be around him more, to protect her.

I had a best friend when I was younger, Becky, and she was raped. She would constantly stay with her boyfriend, would never leave his side since she was so scared. She drove to school with him, ate lunch with him, sat through all of his sports practices just so she would never be away from him. She was completely and utterly in love with him and she thought if he left, the person who raped her would come back and kill her.

She would have panic attacks at night when he couldn't be with her. She was on countless anxiety pills and antidepressants. She would sneak out at night to be with him because she couldn't bear to be alone.

And he couldn't take it anymore. He stayed with her for a month or so after it happened. But he got tired of her constant need and her clinginess. He loved her, but she had changed and he couldn't deal with constantly having to take care of her. So he broke up with her.

She was crushed. He was her entire life. And now, to her, it seemed like her life was gone. So she felt no reason to live, no reason to exist.

Becky killed herself the day after he broke up with her. She took her whole bottle of antidepressants and overdosed. Her parents walked into her bedroom the next day to find her dead and they could never bring her back. She was gone forever, because the love of her life, the man she depended on the most, wouldn't have her.

I couldn't let that happen to Bella. Sure it seemed like Edward loved her now and I'm sure he does. But after a while he's going to do the same thing; he is going to get tired of being her caretaker and he is going to separate himself from her so he could get back to his regular life.

And I'm scared. I'm scared that Bella would do the same thing Becky did. That she would hurt herself or kill herself if he did that. And I couldn't lose Bella. I already lost Phil; Bella is all I have left. She is my everything, my reason for living.

A lot of people may think it's mean that I'm separating Bella from the boy she loves but I am just doing it to protect her. He says he won't hurt her now. He loves her and cares for her and he doesn't want to hurt her. But who's to say in a few weeks when he starts playing hockey again he won't get tired of Bella. She would want to be with him but he would have practices and games and wouldn't have much free time. And why would he want to spend his limited time with his needy, clingy girlfriend?

I had to protect Bella from that pain. She was depending on Edward too much, so much, that the pain of losing him could probably kill her. I couldn't lose her. She's my life now. Without her, I would be all alone.

She may be hurting now. I'm not blind and I'm not oblivious. I know she's hurting. But this is much healthier for her. If she distances herself from him now, it will save her pain later. And this way, she will know that he loved her until the end of their relationship. She wouldn't feel like she wasn't good enough for him or like she was a burden. She can get through this.

And when that therapist wanted Edward to come back! I couldn't tell her what happened with my old friend; I couldn't tell anyone. They would just try and convince me it's not the same thing. But it is. History would repeat itself.

And a small, selfish part of me also wanted my Bella back. My happy, loving, kind, bookworm Bella. I never saw her smile anymore or read, not even her favorites. She didn't bother with manners. She was hurting.

Bella was like an empty shell. Little things that used to make her happy, don't affect her anymore. Like when she used to dance around her room, singing and listening to the radio. I never even heard music coming from her room anymore. Just silence. Or sobs.

And a knew it was only a matter of time before Bella told me what happened. She was still scared right now, still in pain from the whole ordeal. But eventually, she would heal. And then she would tell me. And maybe, once she heals, she could go back to Edward. Because then it would be healthier. She wouldn't be so dependant on him and they would be able to have a healthy, loving relationship. Although they might have moved on by that time.

I just wanted my Bella healed. I wanted her to get better, to get over this whole thing. And I wanted to be the one to help her heal, to help her get better and get her life back to normal.

Bella was and is my best friend. I don't really relate well to other adults. But Bella always stood by me. And I was losing her to Edward. It was like losing my best friend all over again.

I wanted to tell Bella all of this of course. But she would just say she would never hurt herself. She would tell me she was fine so she could go back to Edward. But then, if he hurt her, she would feel the pain that I am trying so hard to keep her from. And poor Bella wouldn't know how to deal with that pain. And I don't want to lose her. I love her.

So I would keep her away from Edward.

And I know what you're thinking. Why keep her from the rest of them, from Alice and Rosalie? And the answer is because it would be too hard for her.

They are all friends with Edward. Alice is even his sister for goodness sake! Bella would have to see Edward everyday to hang out with her other friends. And I knew she would want to go back to him. And once they were back together, he would hurt her, I just know it.

So I distance her from all of them. A clean break. Sure, she'll see them in school sometimes, at neighborhood picnics and such. But they didn't need to mingle. Bella could stay safe by my side and she would get over this.

I will help Bella through this. She will heal and be normal again. She will be my Bella again.

Because if she's not the Bella I know how can I continue to be the Renee I am?

A/N: Okay I know this is really short but I wanted to give everyone a peek into Renee's mind. Now you know why she's keeping Bella away from the Cullen's and Hale's. I bet now you don't hate her as much. She just doesn't see how truly Edward loves Bella. And happy 4th of July!! REVIEW!!