A/N- Sorry guys, don't know what happened with this update... Here is Chapter 14... Enjoy :)

"Alice." Edward hissed.

Alice's pale face went a deep shade of pink. "I'm sorry Edward, I…" She started.

"Oh come on E, what did you think? She wouldn't notice you were gone and life would continue on as if you had never left?" Emmett interrupted.

Edward looked like he was about to throttle Emmett.

"My decisions are my decisions Emmett, and they have nothing to do with her," He said, venom dripping from every word.

The table went quiet, the way I saw it, it was now or never if I wanted to talk to Edward. I didn't think I would get another chance, not if he had anything to say about it. I sat a little straighter in my chair, trying to find courage, before turning toward him.

"Look Edward, I know you're mad at me, I get that. But I do care about you, I never stopped. I would have liked to have known you weren't returning to college, but I also understand that you are quite mad at me," I said in a strong voice. The next words out of my mouth surprised even me, "If you don't want me in your life anymore, please just say the word and I will try to distance myself from you as much as possible,"

He looked dumbfounded, everyone did. Alice was cracking her knuckles, Jasper stared at me with wide eyes, Rose was biting her nails, and Emmett sat there with his mouth open full of food.

"Well then, let's not prolong this awkward lunch any longer than, now that we've got that sorted." Edward said, standing up and walking away from the table, throwing his credit card at the cashier.

"Edward," Rosalie pleaded, as he walked out the door.

The rest of lunch was quiet, I felt horrible for what had just happened, I had never meant for Edward to get up and leave. As we were leaving the restaurant Alice suggested that Emmett and Jasper should check on Edward while her and Rosalie helped me pack, they were adamant that I wasn't going to stay in my hotel alone, instead I would get a room at their hotel and leave for Washington tomorrow afternoon – after Alice had done all the touristy things.

-x-x-x-

Rosalie was sitting on my bed picking at the ends of her hair while Alice was downstairs on the phone arranging our flights for tomorrow. It didn't take me too long to pack, seeing as I didn't bring too much with me. To be perfectly honest I had no idea where any of my things that I had brought to college were.

"They're in your room at mom and dads." Rose said, as if should read my thoughts.

"Thanks." I whispered. I sat down on the bed next to her.

Another moments silence passed us; it was beginning to get quite awkward.

"Why?" Rose asked, breaking the silence between us. "Why did you just leave?"

I didn't know what to say to her, only that she needed to know the truth.

"I needed to be strong on my own." I told her.

"Bella! You don't need to do everything by yourself, how many times do I need to tell you that?" She contested.

"I know Rose. But for years I had thought that I was happy, that I had everything I needed to live a full life. But I was wrong, and I didn't realise that until everything I truly loved was taken away, and it was my fault. The truth is I can't be happy around others until I am happy by myself." I told her with sincerity.

"So are you happy?" She asked.

"Yes and no."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She looked at me quizzically.

Just as I was about to answer Alice strode into the room with a grin on her face. "Well the flights are all sorted, and I have a little surprise in store for everyone tomorrow, just to lighten the mood a little." She said plopping herself into a desk chair. "Are you ready to go yet Bella?" she asked.

"All packed yes, umm just give me a couple of minutes, I need to call someone," I told them, stepping out into the hall.

I dialled an all too familiar number, and was quite surprised that my call was answered.

"Charlie Swan," The voice on the other end of the line answered.

"Hi daddy," I whispered back.

"Bells, is that you?" My dad answered.

"Yeah, it is." I said.

"How are you? Your mother told me you had taken a vacation, that's why you never came home for the summer. To be perfectly honest I am a little happy that you didn't come back, it hasn't been the nicest summer, what with the divorce finally coming to an end. It wasn't something I would want you around for, it would just hurt you even more that it already has. Although I am quite upset that I haven't seen you since, what, last Christmas? Bells, a father should see their baby girl more than that, don't you think?" Dad rambled on.

I swallowed that lump that had formed in my throat before answering him. "I'm sorry dad, I really am. I'll be back before you know it though," I assured him. "Look daddy, I'm calling for a reason though. I need to ask a favour."

"Sure baby girl, anything."

"The new semester is starting again soon, and I have lived my compulsory year on campus, but it's not healthy for me there. There are too many distractions, you know? Anyway, I just wanted to know if I could live off campus for the rest of my time at college." I asked sheepishly.

"Bells," Dad started.

"Nothing too big, I'll get a job, I'll pay rent, please?" I pleaded.

"Bells, you don't need to pay rent, I'm your dad, and I am not taking your money. I just don't like the idea of you living on your own." He told me. "Why don't you ask your girlfriends if they would like to live with you? I'll call the realtor and get back to you tonight, okay?"

I couldn't believe my luck, I thought I would have to grovel a little more. "Okay daddy, thank you!" I practically squealed.

"Okay, Bells, ask your friends, I'll talk to you later." He told me. "I love you baby girl,"

"I love you too daddy," I replied before hanging up.

The thing about my dad and me was that we had a different kind of relationship. If I asked for something I got it, but I never asked for much. I gathered myself before walking back into my hotel room.

Alice and Rose were lying on the bed watching TV, eating minibar chocolates.

"That's going to cost me a fortune," I scolded.

"You'll get over it and live; besides we had nothing else to do." Alice squeaked, standing up from the bed.

"Ready?" Rose asked.

"Yep, umm… but can I ask you girls something first?" I asked, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.

"Shoot." Alice said.

"Okay, well I just got off the phone with my dad, and like I mentioned before I can't live on campus anymore, and my dad just agreed to buy me a place. But he doesn't like the idea of me living alone, and he suggested I ask if you two if you would like to live with me." I said slowly. "I mean you don't have to I just thought I'd ask. Think about it, talk to Esme and Carlisle, and then you can get back to me." I blurted out.

Rose climbed of the bed, grabbed her handbag and made her way to the door. "What a stupid question." She muttered. "As if you even need to ask, I'll talk to mom and dad tonight." She said as she wrenched open the door.

"Come on Bella! We'll talk more about it tonight, let's go!" Alice chimed in, taking hold of my suitcase.

After checking out of my hotel, and paying $25 for the two cans of coke and two chocolate bars that Rose and Alice devoured, we made our way across town to The Empire Hotel. Alice insisted the three of us girls share a room as the boys were going to spend the night with Edward.

We spent the afternoon lying around the room watching movies, Rosalie called Esme and Carlisle and after no convincing at all they agreed to let Rose live with Alice and I, under the proviso that Esme was allowed to decorate. Seeing as the semester was starting soon we didn't have any objections to that. A little after six my dad called me back.

"Hey Bells." He chortled.

"Hi Daddy, did you have any luck?"

"Yes I did, look I don't have much time, I am at the airport and my flight is starting to board. I've found you a new house close to U-Dub; I'm heading to Seattle to sign the papers." He told me.

"Really? I didn't think it would be that quick." I said, almost speechless.

"Well honey, I know semester is starting soon and I didn't want you to have to worry about accommodation until we found you a place. Now, did you speak to your friends, and their parents?" He asked.

"Yes Dad, Rose and Alice are going to move in with me, and Esme, Rosalie's mom, agreed to help us decorate," I smiled.

"That's great baby! Listen, would you send through Esme's phone number, and I'll drop the keys off to them, because I don't think I will be in town by the time you get back," He said.

I gave him the Cullen's phone number, before saying good bye. Half an hour later Alice ordered Chinese, we sat on the floor eating and chatting about our new house. But there was an elephant in the room, and I needed to confront it.

"Rose, where's he going?" I asked.

"He's going to kill me for telling you," She started.

"She needs to know though," Alice interrupted, shoving Teriyaki Chicken into her mouth.

"I know Al," Rose said before turning to me. "Bella, he's joined the Army, his enlistment date is a week after semester starts."

I was speechless. Had Edward changed just as much as I had over the past six months? I couldn't imagine going back to College and not having Edward around. Despite the animosity between us, mostly on his part, I never wanted to drive him away.

"He wanted to be a doctor," I said, merely pointing out a fact.

"He's going to be a medic now; he's still going to do what he wanted." Rose said quietly. "I'm sorry Bella, I wish he'd be the one to tell you, but he's still pretty pissed off at you. My brother knows how to hold a grudge."

I was quiet for the rest of the night, falling asleep fairly early just to escape from my thoughts. I wish Edward had told me, hell, if wishes were coming true, I wish he didn't have to leave and he didn't hate me anymore. I fell into a restless slumber only to be woken up at sparrows fart by Alice complaining that we would be late, especially if we wanted breakfast.

After a quick shower, and dressing in denim cut off shorts, an old Led Zeppelin t-shirt and my trusty converses, we met the boys at the hotel restaurant for a buffet breakfast where Alice was quick to let us all know of our itinerary for the day. Emmett and Jasper had convinced Edward to 'play nice' for the day, and by play nice I mean keep all sarcastic comments intended for me to himself.

The day had gone off without a hitch, we managed to get into the Empire State Building quickly, the view of Manhattan was spectacular and nothing I had ever experienced before. As we were making our way to our next destination, Emmett became hungry, after all 10.45am was lunch time to Emmett. Emmett and Jasper decided that we couldn't leave New York without having a hot dog from a hot dog vendor, Rose was very hesitant in eating hers as, and I quote, she was not going to eat something that was served by a man with two teeth missing. Eventually she succumbed to hunger and ate it any way, the look on her face was priceless, and thankfully we were able to capture it on video and message it to Esme and Carlisle to enjoy.

Around noon we arrived at Ground Zero, I had never anticipated the overwhelming surge of sorrow that I felt when we stood there reading the names of the people who had lost their lives. Looking back now, going to Ground Zero was a turning point in my life, it was the very moment that I made a conscious decision to change and become a better person, before then I was riddled with doubt. But being there gave me a new found respect for life.

Alice, Jasper, Rose and Emmett were off being all 'lovey' and 'coupley', Edward was standing by the remnants of the second tower. I took a deep breath and made my way over to him.

He didn't move away, nor did he make a snide remark, instead he stood there focused on the names in front of him.

"Rose told me about the army," I said in a small voice.

He was silent for a moment, drawing in a breath before speaking. "You were quite happy to harm yourself, and potentially kill yourself. But these people had no choice, they were taken." He whispered.

"I was weak," It was the truth. "But I am trying." My voice cracking as the words came out.

We stood in silence, after what felt like hours, although it was probably only a couple of minutes, Edward broke the silence.

"I loved you," He said in a low voice.

I didn't know what to say to him, I never knew he felt that strongly for me.

"Please don't go. We can try to fix this, please." I pleaded.

Edward turned to face me, he looked broken.

"I need to leave, and you need to be strong, continue with your degree and become a wildly successful author." He told me.

"Why? Why do you need to leave?"

"I need to forge my own path in life. College was never an option for me; that was until I realised that it wasn't what I wanted."

"What am I going to do without you?" I asked as tears slid down my face.

"I won't be gone forever. I have three months training, and then I could get stationed anywhere after that. Besides, you won't be alone; I would never leave if I knew you wouldn't have someone there for you. Rose and Alice will be there, and as much as it doesn't seem like it sometimes, but Jazz and Emmett would take a bullet for you. They were the ones that managed to get us all out here; Rose was just going to keep trying to call your cell." He said, wiping away the tears that were dampening my face.

"I wasn't lying when I said I loved you Bella. We just can't be together at the moment."

There were a million and one thoughts that were running through my head, things I wanted to say to him, but words just wouldn't form. Instead I nodded a small nod before he took me in his arms.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur; Rose insisted we stop at Saks Fifth Avenue before we checked out of our hotel. Alice made us all stop for an early dinner of New York Pizza – another thing she wouldn't let us leave the city before trying. Before I knew it we were sitting on the plane bound for Port Angeles, with a short stopover in Seattle.

A/N- What did you think? Leave a review and let me know... I am already halfway done writing Chapter 15. :)