A/N: I would have posted this 3 days ago but I kept getting an error msg.

But you, dear reader, may have benefited from that glitch b/c I took the extra time to go back and fill out the chapter.

I think the chapter is better for it.

Doubt

"That's preposterous," Edward said, "Alice and I have never had a physical relationship."

"Until today," Bella said.

He exhaled, annoyed at himself for misspeaking. "Alice and I… we've always shared a special bond since the two of us both have gifts."

"Jasper does." She looked at him, her expression hurt. "I do."

He pressed his lips together then scrubbed his hands through his hair. "Fine. You want the truth?"

She looked scared, uncertain, but nodded anyway.

"It was after Jasper left. Alice asked me to—"

"He left her?" Bella scrunched her eyebrows together. She hadn't heard this story from Alice and they were best friends, sisters. "When was this?"

Edward frowned at her interruption. "About a year after they'd joined our family. Jasper was drinking human blood again, almost nightly, and Carlisle gave him the choice to go to Alaska or to leave."

Bella chewed on her lip. Her mind was telling her that Carlisle would never hand down an ultimatum masquerading as a choice, but Edward had been there, not her, so she nodded dumbly.

"He ran away soon after we'd left him in Alaska—"

"Alice didn't go with him?" Bella raised her eyebrows.

"No," Edward snapped.

"Why are you angry?" Bella narrowed her eyes and jutted out her chin. "You're the one who had sex with someone else, not me!"

Edward closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He opened them again as he exhaled. "I never wanted to tell anyone this," he said more softly, "because I'm deeply shamed by my action, my lack of control."

He gave Bella a pointed look.

"I feel so… empty. Do you mind holding me for a little while?"

"No, I don't mind."

She lay down on the bed. He looked at her outstretched arms and then glanced back at the closed door. "What are they going to think if they come back and see the two of us wrapped in each others' arms?"

She smiled up at him. "They won't."

He lay down next to her and she scooted close to him, pressing her body into his.

She closed her eyes and nestled her face against his chest.

He closed his own eyes and watched the dizzying chaos in Alice's mind, the fragments of various futures flipping swiftly then slowing until one image resolved itself and he saw the two of them kissing eagerly.

He snapped open his eyes and saw she was looking up at him.

Have you ever kissed a girl before?

"No."

Alice touched her lips to his, softly at first, then more insistently.

Open your mouth.

He did and felt her tongue gliding along his bottom lip, the roof of his mouth and then caressing his tongue.

She slid her leg across his hip until her pelvis was flush with his and he felt something like an electric shock arc through him.

He involuntarily bucked into her and groaned into her mouth when she ground back against him. He rolled until she was on her back.

No… like this.

Edward studied the ground.

"The moment she showed me how Jasper did it, I was no longer in control of myself…I was biting down on her neck and positioning myself behind her to, you know, and when Esme walked in—"

Bella's eyes widened. "She caught the two of you—"

He gave Bella a horrified look. "No! I didn't know what I was doing. I hadn't gotten that far, and I was off the bed before she even opened the door.

But, when I saw on Esme's face that she doubted me when I told her that nothing had happened," he pulled his ringing cell phone from his pocket, "I felt dirty…like some mindless rutting animal."

He slid open his phone. "Yes Carlisle. Yes. I'm on my way."

Jasper closed the back door; he hesitated, his hand still wrapped around the doorknob.

He could dart through the door now. Be at the cottage before Alice or Esme realized it. Carlisle was injured. And Rosalie would probably be on his side.

That left Emmett.

But how likely would he be to step in to defend Edward with Rosalie watching? And could he find it within himself to tear Edward apart in front of Carlisle?

No, he didn't think he would be able to do it, and Carlisle certainly would not allow it to just happen; he might actually lose the arm this time, and what would Esme think of him then?

He followed a few paces behind Alice as Esme led them to the living room.

"Reneesme, please go upstairs to your room."

"Why?" She had just plopped down onto the sofa.

"Because Jasper, Alice, and I have adult matters to discuss, and because I told you to."

Reneesme stood up and stomped up the stairs, muttering, "What difference does it make? I can still hear you in my room."

"Try not to," Esme called over her shoulder.

Esme pulled Alice into a hug. "Are you all right?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, I'm fine." She knew how much Edward meant to Esme, but she also knew how much more fierce Esme's protectiveness was when it came to Jasper and his feelings.

She wanted to assure Esme that everything would work out, but she couldn't speak so bluntly in front of Jasper. Not yet.

"I'm at a loss for words… I never thought Edward capable of doing something like this."

"Well he did," Jasper said, not looking at Esme, but glaring at the back wall.

Esme reached out her hand and placed it on his arm. "Jasper, you had every right to react the way you did, but I wish you would reconsider your actions."

Jasper clenched his jaw and shook his head slowly, unable to meet her gaze as he quietly denied her request.

Esme exhaled. "I don't want to see anybody else to get hurt."

He pulled back from her touch and Esme immediately felt guilt wash over her. "Jasper, I wasn't blaming you," she said softly. "That was an accident, but what you want—

Rosalie marched into the main house, her nostrils flaring and said, "You should kill him."

"Rosalie!" Esme gasped. "Jasper has no intention of doing such a thing!"

Emmett reached for Rosalie's hand and stroked her palm lightly with his thumb. "Babe, maybe you shouldn't get Jasper all worked up again."

"Fine," she snapped, ignoring Emmett, "Alice, I'll help you."

"And neither does Alice," Esme said, fixing Rosalie with a stern expression.

"What is wrong with the two of you?" Rosalie shouted. "Edward raped Alice! He shouldn't be allowed to get away with that! And you know he will.

He's talking to Carlisle right now and he'll weasel his way out of it. You know he will. He's Carlisle's favorite. There is no way in hell Carlisle is going to let any harm come to his perfect Edward!"

"Rosalie, that is quite enough," Esme said, glancing at Jasper to gauge his reaction.

Alice glanced at Jasper as well.

He was shaking with the effort to contain his fury and she knew Rosalie's words and her anger would surely cause him to boil over.

Alice grabbed Jasper's hand but he pulled his hand from her grasp before she could drag him from the room. "I am not a child!"

"I never said you were," Alice said softly.

Jasper took one look at Alice's hurt expression and pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't take my anger and frustration out on you." He glanced at Rosalie then looked Esme in the eye. "And Rosalie's right. I am going to kill him."

Alice lifted her head from his chest and said, "Jasper, no!"

"Do you doubt me?"

Alice'e eyes glazed over and she watched all the ways Jasper had conceived of to get Edward alone and vulnerable.

Edward sat on the sofa across from Carlisle, who had moved to one of the chairs.

"Do you think that… human blood… might help you heal more quickly?"

Edward.

He grinned at the reproving tone of Carlisle's thought. "I meant the bagged blood."

"Perhaps." However, I'm not confident that it would be wise for me to fully ingest human blood—donated or otherwise. Not after three centuries from abstaining…

Edward nodded then asked, "Can you feel anything?"

I'm not experiencing any pain or discomfort.

"I meant do you have any sensation?"

"Edward, let us discuss the matter at hand."

Carlisle's evasiveness was answer enough. Edward leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs and hissed, "This is all Jasper's fault."

Carlisle crossed his legs. "How so?"

He sat back. "If he wasn't such a hothead this," he gestured at Carlisle's arm, "wouldn't have happened."

"You did sleep with his wife, Edward." Can you blame him for feeling a little put out?

"A little put out?" He leaned forward slightly, his expression angry and incredulous. "He manipulated Emmett's emotions so he could use him against me, he was the one who lit the fireplace, the one you fell into, the same fireplace he

tossed my head at, and you ask me if I can blame him?"

Carlisle studied Edward then asked, "What made you decide to have sex with Alice?"

Edward leaned back fully against the sofa. "I didn't decide. She would have seen that."

I thought you said it was consensual.

Edward sat in silence for a long moment, watching Carlisle's impassive expression as he quietly awaited Edward's answer.

He glanced at his hands, idly stroking the four fingers Jasper had torn off, the same four Alice had rescued from being tossed into the fire. Finally he said, "She was thinking about me."

"In what manner?"

"You know what manner." He knew his sulky tone probably made him sound like a petulant child.

"I see." Emmett seems to think the act was not consensual.

"Oh, what does he know?" he growled, abruptly standing up and walking away from Carlisle. "He peeped in for less than a millisecond."

If that's true then why the severe reaction to what Emmett thinks?

Edward let his shoulders sag. "Why won't you believe me?"

"I never said that I don't believe you, Edward." I want to.

"Then do!" He turned and fixed Carlisle with a desperate, but hopeful expression.

I want to… with every fiber of my being, but—

Edward bent on one knee next to Carlisle and cupped his face with right hand. He fixed his eyes on Carlisle's. "I cannot bear it, the thought of you doubting my word, my intent, the deed—"

Edward," Carlisle growled in warning, pulling Edward's hand away from his face with his uninjured hand. That was a lifetime ago…and I will thank you not to throw my words back in my face…

He moved closer, cradled Carlisle's face between his hands, and pressed his forehead against Carlisle's. "I was jealous… so jealous… you have no idea how mad with jealousy I was."

"Edward, I don't understand… " you rejected Rosalie… refused to have anything to do with her romantically. What would you have had me do? I told you… I was protecting you… when I realized—

she would have sought you out and I knew you would not be able to handle her… not in the state she was in, not with your inexperience and her newborn strength still lingering—

"No, not you." Edward grinned suddenly and shook his head. "I was jealous of her."

Surprise flickered across Carlisle's face before he composed his expression. "I see."

"Do you?" Edward searched Carlisle's eyes for understanding but he saw none.

"Edward, I—"

"It tortured me to see you in her mind…you on bent knee… in your office…your face buried in her—"

"Edward!" Carlisle's eyes widened. He'd taken care to ban all thoughts of Rosalie from his mind whenever Edward was around. Apparently Rosalie had not been as discreet.

He ran his thumb across Carlisle's lips. "I was your first. Not her." The petulant child had returned, but this time he didn't care. He wanted Carlisle to know he was hurt.

Edward, this is unacceptable. You know this is unacceptable. I am the head of this household, no coven leader. Stop treating me like one.

He smiled at Carlisle and leaned in, but Carlisle quickly lifted his chin and turned his head aside.

Edward placed a firm, open-mouth kiss on his neck then used his teeth like he'd seen Esme do in Carlisle's thoughts.

Carlisle was able to stifle his moan but was not capable of repressing the immediate erection Edward's mouth and teeth on the front his neck had caused.

He felt Edward's hand cup then squeeze his crotch. "Edward, that is enough!" He gripped Edward by the neck and pushed him with enough force to send him and the sofa toppling backward and sliding into the wall.

He'd never had the opportunity to witness Carlisle asserting his strength or power in a physical manner, so he was taken aback at how easily he had thrown him off.

Carlisle wrapped his hand around Edward's throat and slammed his head against the wall the moment Edward had stood up. Edward, are you listening to me?

Edward nodded. "Yes, Carlisle," he answered meekly, and this seemed to help soften the furious look so out of place on Carlisle's face.

"I understand that you cannot help what you see and what hear in other people's minds, but that does not give you the right to use that information for your benefit."

He released Edward. You disappoint me, son.

Edward grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. "Carlisle, I didn't realize—"

"You should have. I'm certain that you've seen Esme do it to me enough times." Carlisle pried Edward's fingers from his damaged arm and walked toward the front door.

Just know that you've taken that from us. And you've made me feel tainted.

He turned and looked at Edward. "I suggest that you tell Bella the two of you will be joining Tanya and her family in Denali for an unspecified amount of time."

"What about Reneesme?"

"She will remain with us."

A/N: Okay, so that concludes Ch 14. Moving on to Ch 15 (and hopefully some closure in this century!)