Stephenie Meyer owns any Twilight characters and Twilight plot lines that may appear in this story. The remainder is my original work. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization. Don't steal, it isn't polite.

-x-x-x-x-

***EPOV***

Time passes in an ebb and flow of obscurity when you're faced with the unknown. Minutes and hours held no merit any longer. Just the shadows in her eyes as she gazed out my bedroom window, and the stillness of my family as they contemplated our next step from the lower level of the house. My eyes absolutely refused to tear away from my human girl.

I still had her warm, succulent taste in my mouth. It made me feel guilty, but more alive and alert than ever. She had begged for my teeth in her body, and who was I to deny her? Anything to calm her…anything to reiterate the fact that she belonged to me, and no matter what, we would make it through this situation unscathed.

I took a deep breath and ran my tongue along my bottom teeth, searching for more of her sweet crimson to sustain myself with. Drinking my human girl was like the perfect drug, but seeing the contentment in her eyes was far more addictive.

I would do anything to make her remember that her rightful place was beside me. And so I did whatever she asked of me. She shifted in my arms and I pressed my nose into her hair, inhaling her deeply as her breathing fluttered. She was fucking everything to me, and we had found ourselves in a very precarious situation. It didn't matter…she was still mine.

As she finally began drifting off to sleep, I let my mind wander over the past few hours of my life.

-x-

I had never seen her so broken.

It took her until we left the hospital for her to respond to me. She was in pain, groggy from lack of sleep and medication, immobilized by her cast and sling; with huge tears in her eyes, all she wanted was me.

I wrapped her in my arms and held her as she sobbed, careful not to jostle the arm that Jacob impaired. I was murderous that he had harmed one hair on my girl's head. His anger was understandable, but how dare he be so careless with his restraint? How could he be foolish enough to phase so close to Bella? Here I was, expected to be hopeful for peace when all I wanted to do was start my own war for the sake of Bella's well-being.

But for now, it seemed as though everything was at a standstill.

Carlisle, Bella and I had driven silently from the hospital back to our home, with Bella clinging to me desperately in my lap. Carlisle's thoughts were jumbled and unending in his mind. He struggled with himself to keep them guarded in order to give Bella and I some semblance of peace, but I knew he had so much he wanted to say. It could wait, because my human girl was falling apart in my arms, and that was all that mattered to me. Only one phrase seemed to calm her trembling body.

"I love you."

I said it so many times that the words began to meld together and finally, she managed to calm down. "Take me home," she begged me.

And I knew exactly where she wanted to go.

I carried her from the car just as the late morning sun began peeking out between the filtered clouds. I saw nothing but her small fingers tracing the glistening facets of my skin until we were in the confinements of the house. I walked up the stairs and shut the bedroom door softly behind us, setting her on the edge of my bed. Trailing my hands up and down her thighs, I knelt in front of her. Her whole body exuded defeat. "Talk to me, Bella."

She shook her head from side to side as more liquid seeped from her swollen eyes. She grabbed my hand with her good one and linked our fingers. "Talking hurts. Everything hurts."

I delicately scooped her up and sat her in my lap, letting my body wrap around her entire frame. "Your arm or your heart, love?"

"Both."

I winced because her pain was palpable and it stung me like a fire. I remained silent because I knew she needed it. Before long, her quiet words were ghosting the air.

"Look what I've done to you and your family."

I hummed in acknowledgment, attempting to bring a little levity to the moment. "Indeed, Bella. What an unspeakable act, showing me what it's like to be in love and completing a family that could never quite get their shit together until you came along."

I heard her chuckle shortly and I smiled as she tried to twist my nipple. "Sarcasm is very unbecoming," she murmured.

I kissed her face until the fallen tears were gone, and gazed at her with only a fraction of the love I had for her. Raw emotion such as this couldn't be defined by a simple look. "Bella?"

"I have fucked everything up so royally," she whispered.

I shook my head adamantly. "There's no point in beating yourself up over what happened last night, love. They would have found out eventually, it's really just a matter of bad timing. It won't change anything. We both knew that this was a sacrifice we would have to make in order to be together forever. You can't torture yourself over what's already in the past."

A sob built deep in her chest. "That's just it, Edward…I'm not."

I looked at her questioningly and she finally found her voice, her words pouring out of her faster than she could speak them. "I mean, I feel bad for betraying Jake after everything he's sacrificed for us, and I'm pissed off at myself for having no verbal filter while intoxicated. But being with you is a decision I will never regret, and therefore, besides the shitty timing, I don't really feel guilty about lying to the boys. It sucks that my big mouth has put us in this situation at the worst possible time, but I'm more concerned about what it means for us rather than how I've hurt Jake and the others. I can't be remorseful over the path we take to get to our forever Edward, no matter the destruction we may cause along the way. Nothing will keep me from being with you for eternity."

I watched my human girl for one long, studious moment, from the pain etched in her eyes to the feminine curve of her jaw to her soft pouty lips. And then I searched deeper. Months ago when she yearned for me in such a primal way that it seemed to go beyond human need, when she first showed me how she loved tasting her blood on my tongue, and the way she blended so naturally with my family. I'd known all along that she was meant for this. There was never any question.

I kissed her through my words because I couldn't suppress the need to feel her against my skin. Like every other moment in my very long existence, my need for her consumed me entirely. "Bella, don't you realize that you are so far beyond capable of merely looking at this situation from a human perspective? For months now you've shown me how similar you are to me, how ready you are to abandon your human life in order to enter the one you belong in. You shouldn't feel guilty about this. Even if you've made the innocent mistake of revealing our plans before we'd hoped to, it still isn't going to change our fate. You'll be mine forever and there won't be a damn thing anyone can do to prevent it. Jacob may feel betrayed now, but it would have only been a matter of time before he figured out our intentions. The timing has changed, beloved, but the end result will never be."

She reciprocated with her tongue sliding along my bottom lip before sweeping it along my own. It only reiterated the fact that nothing mattered but this. "I love you," she whispered, shifting in my lap until she was straddling me. Every movement she made was one that I calculated. I wouldn't let her arm become more damaged than it already had been.

She parted from me with one chaste kiss, and I watched the pain in her eyes fighting to break through the calmness we felt when we were together. "Tell me, Bella."

She fumbled with the collar of my shirt as she spoke. "It's going to take me a little while to come to terms with what I've done to the boys. But putting the whole "wolf" thing aside, the truth is that I can barely stand myself because of the situation I've put us in. Rosalie was right, I've only ever caused problems for your family since I've been here."

"Honestly Bella…do you really believe that?" I heard the iciness in my tone and it was enough to startle her. No matter if we were in a heated debate or I was demanding that she ride my cock, I'd never used such a heartless tone with her. But how could she say something like that to me?

She looked up at me with wide eyes and they immediately filled with tears. I cursed beneath my breath and kissed her forehead, feeling like the scum of the earth for being the cause of them. I wasn't used to her being so emotionally delicate.

"After last night, I do feel that way. And I know the source of every piece of drama I've brought into this family. The wolves. I have no one but myself to blame for that."

My voice lowered as my lips brushed against her temple. "Your intentions have only ever been noble, beloved. No one can fault you for that. We all understood what you were trying to do. It's the same thing that Carlisle has been fighting for throughout his many years on this earth. To bring peace, to go above the stereotype and prove that we can be something other than bloodthirsty killers. So we've had some trouble along the way…all that's waiting for us is an infinite amount of years to forget it. It's so minimal in the grand scheme of things."

"Yeah?" she whispered timidly.

I smiled and kissed her lips tenderly, running my fingers along her bite mark. "I wouldn't lie to you, beautiful girl."

She shook her head, seeming to try and work through her frustrations. "Everything is so clear now, Edward. It was a nice idea to attempt to make vampires and werewolves be civil, even social with one another. And last night, it was working for a while. But when it comes down to it, it's just too unnatural for either one of you to exist together. You don't necessarily need to rip each other's throats out or anything, but trying to merge our two families into one was inevitably impossible and a childish notion on my part. I'm sorry I tried to push them onto you and your family. Permanently separating myself from the boys is just like every other thing I'm leaving behind. They are just another chapter to be closed, and I'm ready to do it. I'm ready to let them go."

I smiled at my sweet girl and pressed my lips to her forehead, letting them rest there as I stroked the skin around her offending cast. "It was a nice idea, Bella. And everyone made the effort to get to know the Quileutes because they were once a big part of your life. No one could possibly look down on you for trying. And Rosalie is nothing more than a jealous shrew who doesn't know what the hell she's talking about."

I bit back my smirk as I heard a distant growl from the level below us. This caused Bella's lips to turn into a smile, a flood of warmth washing over my body in the process. We were going to be all right.

She shifted in my arms, pressing her forehead into my neck as she sighed deeply. "The last twenty-four hours have been such a wake-up call for me, Edward. One that I think I needed. I've always known what I'll be leaving behind, and essentially what lays waiting for me in the future. But I'm always so far lost in you, baby, and this is the determining factor of my life. I need to try and find a way to balance my need for you with all the aspects of my change."

My arms tightened around her. "This is a monumental thing to come to terms with. Of course you're going to need time to think about the life you're leaving behind, and especially the one you're entering into. All this time I should have been preparing you, but I can never quite seem to focus on anything other than the need I feel for you, beloved. It's difficult when we love each other like this. It's nearly impossible to let anything else in."

She nodded solemnly. "I know…you're right. We've both been too distracted with one another to focus on the big picture." My eyes fluttered closed as she stroked my cheek lovingly. "I still plan on being distracted by you thoroughly and often, but maybe we can spend a little more time talking about what we'll be heading into. I want everything about my change to be something we experience together, even the elements I'm leaving behind."

My fingertips trailed down her body, sliding beneath her shirt until I was rubbing her back languidly. "We just need to slow it down, sweet girl. Take it one step at a time and just breathe. We'll get through this, and in the end, every bit of heartache caused by us will have been worth it."

"Yeah…but apart from all that, I've still put each one of us in danger. We can't pretend that things are going to be sunshine and fucking daisies from here on out, Edward. We have no idea what the wolves are going to do with this information. We haven't broken the treaty yet, but maybe that won't matter anymore. We may have to leave tomorrow."

"How do you feel about that?" I questioned hesitantly.

Her deep eyes met mine and I saw nothing but honesty in them. "Just let me grab my favorite pajamas and a picture of my parents and we're gone, baby. The only thing I'll ever need is in this room with me. Everything else just falls into the background."

I trailed my fingers slowly across her throat. "We may have to take drastic measures in order to protect our family, Bella. Do you understand that?"

There was fire in her eyes as she gazed up at me, her fingers sliding through my hair before they wrapped around the back of my neck, holding me firmly. "Edward, if they even attempt to cause anyone in this family harm, I'll kill them myself. No matter how hurt Jacob is over this entire situation, it's really none of his business. He needs to realize that."

"I don't want you to worry about that right now, beloved. You need rest." I ran my hand across the plaster that covered her mangled arm, a strong wave of guilt washing over me as I did so. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm furious with myself for not moving you out of the way in time. My job is to protect you, and I've failed again."

"Please don't," she begged me. "Seeing all that pain in your eyes hurts so much more than any broken bone, Edward. Please…"

I cradled her carefully and settled us in the center of my bed, our bodies pressed chest to chest. "Try not to think about the Quileutes, Bella. We'll figure it out in due time. Get some sleep, I won't leave you."

I felt her body begin to tremble as she tightened her hold on me. "I think I'm going to be somewhat of a basket case for awhile, Edward."

"You mean you haven't been this entire time?"

She glared and smirked at me simultaneously; it sent me soaring. Every moment I could replace the unease in her eyes with happiness was a moment I cherished. "No, jackass," she smiled softly. "I'm just saying that I'm going to be in my head a lot. I have to figure out a way to compartmentalize all this."

"Will you talk to me about it?"

She nodded. "I promise I will. But my guilt over what I've done isn't going to just disappear. I still feel like shit. I still feel remorse over betraying Jake and I still feel like I'm ruining everything for our family. I know you don't want me to feel like that, but for now I need it. I need to feel like I've done something wrong, because I have. I can't pretend that I haven't."

I felt a growl start to rumble in my chest. Immediately her hand slid beneath my shirt and rubbed my skin where it was forming. "Just let me feel it for awhile."

I looked at her for a long moment, disparagement etching every one of my features as she spoke again. "I know it's got to hurt, to know that I'm letting myself feel this way. If the tables were turned, it would drive me crazy. But I need it now. I just need a little time to spend with the pain I've caused before I can let it all go. Can't you understand that?"

I rolled my eyes. Of course I could. No one could brood in their own self-pity like I could. It didn't mean that I wanted her doing it.

My thumb trailed slowly along her bottom lip as my expression softened. "Don't let it take you under."

"I won't, I've got you to pull me back," she whispered, smiling softly. It fell just as quickly, replaced with the furrow of her brow as she pushed herself closer to me. "Can you do something for me?"

"I'll do anything for you, Bella."

She shifted until we were face to face, our lips nothing more than a whisper apart.

"Make me feel like I belong to you, Edward. I need to feel connected because right now I feel like I'm falling apart." Her words trailed off into a sob and my face contorted. Her emotions were so up and down and I begrudgingly understood her need to stew in the mistakes she had made. I would have handled it in the same exact fashion. But I'd be here to save her from her own misery, and I'd do everything in my power to make her realize that she would never, ever be alone.

The atmosphere around us suddenly became stifling, her eyes were lidded and my fingers were trembling against her skin. Her body told me what she had in mind before her lips had the chance.

I sat up the moment she shifted in my arms and crawled into my lap. She pulled me by the back of my neck until my mouth was at her pulse point. "Tether me to your world, baby. Bring me home. Show me where I belong…please, I need to feel you." Her tears burned me like drops of lava as they fell onto my skin, and I knew there was no way I could ever fathom denying her this.

I took one slow, thick pass along her bite mark with my tongue, closing my eyes as her sweet flavor assaulted my taste buds. She moaned in approval, her hands fisting in my shirt as she attempted to pull me closer. Even in the face of the unknown, it took literally nothing for me to become consumed in the anticipation of her blood in my body, and desperate for that first immaculate taste. Drinking from her was the closest I'd ever come to a purely spiritual experience, and somehow she craved it as much as I did. My mouth was watering and my eyes were dark as night as I prepared to satiate our need to be connected. All she wanted was to feel like she belonged.

And she would always belong to me.

Bella shifted until she was seated farther up in my lap, bringing her hot center into contact with my throbbing cock. I froze as she winced as a result of her sudden move, her eyes closing tightly as she rested her injured arm heavier against me. With slow, calculated movements, I lifted her until she was lying flat on her back, a pillow nestled beneath her broken limb. I knelt on either side of her legs, staring down at her in concern as I rubbed her sides slowly. "I feel your pain more intensely than I've ever felt my own," I whispered sadly.

She shook her head and motioned for me to come closer. I hovered over her body, letting our eyes connect as she ran her palm up and down my cheek. "You take it all away, baby," she breathed.

I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against hers, letting out a shaky breath as our noses slid together. "God, I love you, Bella…"

I barely finished speaking the words before her lips were moving rapidly with mine, one hand sneaking beneath my shirt as I gently pinned her down. "Don't move," I demanded gently. "We can't do this if it causes you pain…I won't be able to stand it."

"I won't," she nodded dutifully, licking her parted lips as she gazed up at me in anticipation.

I was about to lean down and taste my human girl, but a precipitous change in her deep eyes stopped me. Suddenly I was desperate to know. "What are you thinking about, beloved?"

She chuckled breathlessly and looked away for a moment before meeting my eyes once more. "I'm thinking that I crave this so badly it scares me sometimes. That I fucked up beyond the point of return last night but all I can think about is your teeth in my body. That I love you and I don't want to be in this life anymore. I want my skin to feel like yours and I want you to let go of your restraint when your hands are on me and I want…I just want this to be over with. My change won't fix the majority of our problems…but being a vampire with you will make us whole."

"One step at a time, my beautiful girl. We'll get there. And everything you want…I want just as badly." My lips ghosted back and forth over hers before sliding down her chin and across her jaw until they were pushing against her bite mark. I felt her blood vibrating against my tongue as it slipped out, and with one final reminder that this girl was my purpose and my light, I sunk my teeth effortlessly into her silken flesh.

"I love you, Bella," I moaned against the flowing crimson, kissing her skin through the laps I took of her blood. "I love you…"

And I was home.

-x-

She mumbled softly, breaking me from the rampant thoughts in my mind. I probably should have been contemplating our next step, but all I could think about was her blood on my tongue.

"I need to call Charlie," she muttered.

I kissed the back of her neck, letting my lips move against her skin as I spoke. "You wanted to wait, love. In the car you said you weren't ready."

She turned in my arms and nestled her forehead against my neck. "I know, but I can't keep putting it off. Besides, I have to go home tonight."

My stomach clenched uncomfortably. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy being in her small room, engulfed in her scent. But my bedroom had become our safe haven. I was becoming accustomed to having her in my bed with me. But as always, I would take her anywhere I could have her. "I know, Bella. Just tell me when you'd like to call him."

"I need to call Jake, too."

I tensed up as soon as his name left her lips. "So now you feel as if it's your responsibility to mend what's been broken?"

She looked up at me with a furrowed brow; even I could hear the bite in my tone. "Edward, we need to figure out what the hell they've got planned. I doubt he'll even talk to me, but I've got to try to smooth things over before they come over here and attack us."

"We've done nothing wrong."

"That might not matter anymore," she whispered quietly. "Why are you all snippy about me calling Jake?"

I studied our linked fingers as I shook my head. "He hurt you, Bella. I don't care if it was an accident, or how angry he was. He broke you. You shouldn't be expected to go crawling back to him, groveling for forgiveness."

"Hey," she murmured, squeezing my hand harder until I met her gaze. "It's not going to be as much about me making amends with Jake as it will be covering our asses. We need to find out where we stand, and I'm the best way to do that at this point. It's just a phone call, baby. He can't crawl through the connection and go angry-wolf on me."

My lips twitched in an attempt at a smile, but I wouldn't allow it. "Let's go downstairs, Bella. We need to talk to the others before you decide to contact anyone."

Her eyes widened before she shook her head. "What…right now?"

I narrowed my eyes in confusion, helping her sit up from the bed. "Yes, I suppose so?"

Her body noticeably began shaking as she turned her head, looking out the window as tears welled in her eyes. I was at her side immediately. "What is it, love?"

"They must be furious over the danger I've put them in."

I knew there was no point in arguing with her, given the self-deprecating state she was in. Instead, I kissed her forehead and took her hand. "I think that's ridiculous….and there's only one way to find out. Come on."

-x-

***BPOV***

-x-

Edward gazed at me with such confidence, as if there were never any doubt that his family would welcome me with open arms after I had destroyed everything around them.

I wasn't so sure.

That morning at the hospital Carlisle had told me that I was lucky. That with my type of fracture, there was a high risk of infection that typically led to surgery. I was in pain, but I was lucky.

He kept saying it and smiling at me. I saw the concern in his eyes and I watched him as he forced himself to be cheerful in a highly stressful situation. But there was something else buried within Carlisle's caring eyes, and I was terrified to know what that something was. Because if the most compassionate man in the family was pissed at me, I never stood a chance with the rest.

I was lucky…

But all I felt was remorse and embarrassment, because what I had done that night was out of pure stupidity. Watching Jake as he processed my words, as he let the betrayal sink into his mind was something I'd never forget. His pain was caused by me and my lies, my deception.

Jake, support my decision to love your immortal enemy. Like him and his family. Become their friend. Go against your band of brothers for me and the sake of what I want, just so I can fuck you over in the end.

That's what I should have said. I owed it to him to be upfront this entire time, and instead I was full of deceit. And still, I felt bad for causing him grief. But it was the same kind of sorrow I felt for leaving my father behind, or ditching my friends. It was just another necessary step in order to become what I was destined to be.

His.

But putting Edward's family in this predicament was something that plagued me more severely than all else. Esme had always told me that I was the missing piece. That I completed her children and their lives. Edward and Carlisle spoke like that as well. But how could someone like me bring them completion? Since day one I'd ruffled Rosalie's feathers and as a result, drove a wedge into the family. I'd attracted negative attention from the ghosts of Edward's past, forced their immortal enemies on them so we could play "party time with the shape-shifters and vampires" and opened my big fucking mouth to the wolves I encouraged them to accept. It had been nothing but fucking drama since the moment I walked through their front door.

And they still wanted me?

I couldn't understand why.

"They must be furious over the danger I've put them in," I whispered to the one constant in my life. My veins still burned like a soothing, rich inferno from when he drank me slowly, his love for me seeping into my skin as his hands ran over my entire body. I felt a constant sharp, tingling feeling now, for hours after his teeth had been inside me. Each time it was stronger. Each time I needed more. I never wanted these new sensations to end.

I wanted him to drink me and love me in order to ignore the realities of life that I so ardently wanted to hide from. Even though Edward had the power to take away the pain, I knew I had to face my fate sooner or later.

He smiled at me calmly and took my hand, staring at me with the utmost confidence. "Well I think that's ridiculous…and there's only one way to find out. Come on."

And I followed my vamp boy, because God help me, I would follow him anywhere.

We took the stairs at a sluggish pace. He was so attuned to my every movement, waiting for the pain to show, and conscious of every sound of discomfort I made.

There weren't words to describe what it felt like to have your bone bust through your skin. Nor were there words to describe the realization that you'd single-handedly destroyed nearly all the people you cared about. Two different pains that were both wreaking havoc on my body. I learned quickly that if you succumb to the constant ache instead of fight it, it slowly becomes a part of you. I wore it as a heavy weight on my shoulders now, reminding me that I'm not invincible, and that for every action, there is a consequence.

I was just so terrified of being rejected by the family that I had come to love as my own.

Edward held my hand tightly and kissed my temple as we rounded the last set of stairs, whispering words of encouragement. "Nothing in this world would turn them against you, beloved."

I prayed that he was right.

We walked into the kitchen where each one of them was seated around the table and the center island. None of them moved as we approached, just studied me with an array of expressions on their faces. The silence was deafening.

Before I knew what was happening, I burst into tears. I hated feeling so vulnerable. I hated feeling like the meek little girl that needed to be reassured and comforted and dependent on others. I was supposed to exude confidence and have an overzealous attitude. When the bad shit arose, I prided myself on keeping a level head and handling it the best I knew how. But now, when it felt like the whole world was crumbling around me, I needed to be that weak person. I needed to know that I still had a place in this family, or if I would succeed in tearing them apart even further. Because Edward would never leave me, and I knew that. If his family abandoned me, they'd abandon him as well. I didn't know if I was capable of shouldering that kind of guilt.

My waterlogged eyes barely made out Esme's blurred figure as she rushed to my side, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and holding onto me as if I were made of nothing but eggshells. Edward's fingers disentangled with mine and I felt his absence immediately; I turned to search for him almost frantically, needing his strength in that moment.

He nodded in encouragement and gazed at me with an expression so full of love that it nearly made me fall to my knees. I would never get used to the power we had over one another. Never.

I turned away from my vampire and let the overwhelming emotions take me under, sobbing as I pleaded with Esme. I hugged her as tightly as I could with my good arm, and begged for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, please…I'm so sorry I did this to you..."

She was crying too. No tears fell from her eyes, but my mother - my mother - was sobbing along with me. After everything she saw me through, the dark abyss she pulled me out of when Edward had left me to save Victoria, no one could tell me she wasn't mine. "Stop, Bella. Stop begging me like this when you have nothing to apologize for. Nothing. You're ours now, and we'll get through this just like we've gotten through everything else. Just calm down, sweetheart."

I felt the presence of the remaining family members as they gathered around us, and I began mumbling to them into Esme's shoulder. "I didn't mean to tell the guys. I was just having fun and I wanted him to put me down and…and I just said it. I didn't even realize it until it was too late. Please know I'd never do anything intentionally to hurt any of you. You're all my family and I love you. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Esme began rocking me from side to side and, before long, I felt a cold pair of lips press against the top of my head. "Enough, Bella," Carlisle spoke softly, wrapping his arm around his wife and smoothing my hair in a comforting gesture. "Just because you've made a mistake doesn't mean that we love you any less. I want you to try to calm down so we can talk about this, all right? Can you take a few deep breaths for me?"

I did as I was instructed, recognizing the doctor as well as the caretaker of this family shining through. Once I settled down and my tears stopped falling, I slowly pulled away from Esme and Carlisle. Edward was immediately behind me, pressing my back against his chest as he kissed my ear. "I love you, sweet girl," he whispered.

Esme never let go of my hand, and I still couldn't figure out how I could feel so fucking warm with all these cold bodies surrounding me. And then I realized that the love inside of them was far stronger than any impermeable, frigid skin.

I looked over at Alice, who walked over swiftly and kissed me directly on the lips. "If I hug you right now, I'll squeeze you too hard. Just know I love you, and that I'll always have your back, because that's what sisters do."

I smiled and nodded, fighting off the tears as they threatened to fall once more. Emmett walked towards me with nothing but concern on his face, before taking my chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Hey…remember last night how I said I liked you better intoxicated? Maybe we'll just have you lay off the liquor for awhile, Miss Swan."

He smiled brightly, his dimples indenting his cheeks. I recognized his attempt to make me laugh and was thankful for it; no one could lighten the mood like Emmett could. I chuckled softly and rolled my eyes, agreeing that it was probably a good idea.

Jasper remained some distance away, but his deep eyes connected with mine for several moments. "Have you ever heard the phrase 'This Too Shall Pass,' Bella?"

"Yeah," I sniffed.

His lips twisted into a crooked grin and he winked at me. "Well then, you best embrace it. We're not letting you go now that you've come all this way."

"Thanks, Jazz," I whispered, leaning farther back into Edward.

"Why don't we go into the living room and talk?" Carlisle suggested.

We began walking into the other room when I noticed Rosalie standing in the archway with her arms folded over her chest. Her expression was neutral, as it usually was.

I watched her for a moment, wondering what she would say and knowing it couldn't be good.

Finally she rolled her eyes and huffed. "Well it's not like you take a dog out back and shoot it when it shits on the floor."

I couldn't help it…I laughed. "Um, is that some sort of messed up way of telling me that you aren't entirely pissed at me?"

"Well yeah I'm pissed at you…I'm always pissed at you. But it's not like you're going anywhere. If you don't like my metaphor, then stop begging for my approval with your sad little puppy eyes." Her words were harsh but she was smirking, and I knew this would be the best I would get from Rosalie.

I'd certainly take it, regardless.

Now that I knew I had the support of Edward's family, I was ready to dive into the discussion ahead, and figure out what our next step would be.

-x-x-

Three days had passed.

Jake never answered his phone.

Charlie seldom left my sight, convinced that my lack of coordination now had the potential to kill me, considering it was "responsible" for maiming my arm. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

I had never felt more connected to the Cullens after what took place on Sunday. It started out with a remorseful trip to the hospital and ended with the promise that regardless of the situation, the eight of us were unwaveringly united.

I still wasn't back to normal. I'd cry at night, I was quiet and soft spoken, and I wore sweat pants and hoodies to school. All I wanted was comfort…and Edward. I stopped taking pain meds for my arm because I liked the burn. I liked how it reminded me of my mistakes, and pushed me to be more conscious and aware of my actions.

On Sunday night when we discussed what our next step would be after the unfortunate events of Saturday night, it was decided that for now, all we could do was wait. The last thing Carlisle wanted was a confrontation. Everyone agreed, even though the boys were reluctant. Edward wanted revenge on Jacob for injuring me, and Emmett and Jasper were always ready for a fight. But we agreed that it wouldn't be worth it, especially with the wolves' numbers on the rise.

We would be ready to depart at a moment's notice, and none of the Cullens would stray too far from the others. Their best bet was to remain together in the event of a confrontation with the wolf pack, so it was vital that they stuck close by. Carlisle would be at the hospital as usual during the day, while Esme would remain at the museum she occasionally volunteered at. The rest would attend school because it was highly doubtful that the Quileutes would try anything in public. At night they'd come home and stay together…apart from Edward, of course.

He refused to leave my side. But as long as he was in my house, I knew he would be safe. And if for some reason the wolves attacked his family when he wasn't with them, he was confident that Alice would lose her visions and contact him in enough time for him to be there for the confrontation.

The family agreed that I should attempt to get ahold of Jacob, but to not go any further than that. Edward still wasn't thrilled about the idea, but he reluctantly concluded that he could see where we were coming from. Carlisle said that there would be no point in putting myself in additional danger for the sake of this situation. Nothing would change the fact that we betrayed the wolf pack, and nothing would stop me from becoming a vampire.

So we would wait. Alice would watch diligently, waiting for the first sign of dark clouds to erase her visions. And then we would do what we had to in order to stay together.

We would go immediately, and worry about the repercussions later.

I tried not to think about what would happen if we had to leave suddenly. There would be no doubt that I would go with them. Edward and I had attempted to distance ourselves in the past, and it wasn't something that either one of us could bear.

Leaving with them suddenly meant I'd have to cook up a story for my father, and from there we'd have to fake our deaths. All of us, some of us, just me...nothing had been worked out yet. But if something happened this week, we had the Alaska trip for our cover.

If no trouble arose and we were able to find out where the wolves stood, the Cullens still wouldn't be traveling to Alaska. Leaving Edward and I behind while the rest of them went to Victoria's party was out of the question at this point.

Needless to say, the tension was high for every one of us. Not knowing what tomorrow would bring was incredibly stressful. I just wanted to know what would happen and when.

Wednesday found us at our lunch table, quieter than normal as the rest of the kids rambled on around us. The occupants of my old table had decided that we should start sitting together after they were invited to my birthday party. It was nice to have them there to distract us from the situation I had put us in, even if the majority of them were douche bags.

I rested my head on Edward's shoulder and linked my good arm with his, not saying a word. Angela kept flashing me worried looks, but Ben took up most of her time these days. Not that I minded. She was really happy with him once she took that first step, and there was no point in getting attached to her when I more than likely wouldn't be around for much longer.

Edward wordlessly picked up the fork from my tray, urging me to take it and eat the slop that this school called food. I just wasn't hungry. All I could do was think.

Edward sighed and wrapped his arm around my waist, bringing our bodies closer together. I snuggled further into him when he laid his cheek on top of my head. "I wish you'd come back to me, beloved."

I lifted my head and we looked at each other for a moment before I pressed my lips to his. "I'm here, baby. I'm only ever with you."

I knew that wasn't what he meant, but I didn't feel like dealing with it at that moment.

"Second thoughts?" he murmured so quietly I barely heard him. He was looking down at the table top, his brow furrowed.

I yanked on his hand until he looked at me. "Never, Edward. I know what I want. You have to trust me."

"I do, Bella. I just need you to be sure, especially now."

I ran my fingers through his hair, grabbing a handful until our foreheads were pressed together. "No matter what, okay? No matter what…"

He sighed and took my top lip between his, kissing me delicately. But there was something so erotic about it that I had to suppress my moan. Edward and I hadn't been together since the night of my party. We'd both wanted to, but any sudden movements with my arm caused me a lot more pain than I cared to admit. There really wasn't a way for me to remain stationary when we were connected like that, so for now, we'd love each other with sweet words and gentle touches.

But I still felt empty without him inside me.

I made up for that emptiness with his teeth in my body. Ever since the first night we had spoken in the woods and we had given into our need for one another for the first time, I'd been addicted to the feel of him drinking me. I knew that with giving up my humanity meant I'd be giving up that aspect of our connection, which was obviously worth it to me. I'd miss it, but it didn't define who we were as a couple. But now, with the guilt weighing down on me and not knowing how much longer I would be human, I needed it even more.

He'd tasted me every night since I'd broken my arm. I knew he was worried about taking too much, but I also knew that he was so attuned to my body. We both recognized at what point he needed to stop, so it wasn't even an issue for us.

The way he looked at me when I asked him to drink me…there were no words. He just loved me so fucking much that it was difficult for me to breathe. This beautiful, desolate vampire had once upon a time told me that he didn't know how to feel, or how much of himself he could give me. And here he was, giving me everything.

When he drank from me, it was just as intimate as sex, if not more so. It was the ultimate connection for us. I trusted him, he worshipped me, and with heavy breaths and sweet touches, we merged together just as meaningfully as if we were making love.

I had always hated that phrase. It was sappy and whimsical and just not my style. But there was no other way to describe it, because that was just what my vamp boy and I did.

We were love.

I lived for the moments after he had taken as much blood as he could and we found ourselves curled up together in the darkened room. It was like having the very essence of Edward whirling through my veins, and mine in his. His venom made my skin tingle, but the effect it had as it infiltrated my body was unlike any other. Oftentimes I cursed the fact that his venom was sterile and that he couldn't be the one to change me. But look how much we had gained from his one flaw. It was beautiful, and I wouldn't have changed it for anything in the world.

Especially when it made me feel like this. I couldn't deny the way his venom left his mark on my body in every area, as if millions of tiny pieces of glass had been pushed into my skin at all at once. But underneath the sharp sting of pain was this miraculous, numbing smoothness that made me feel like I was so much more than this feeble human being. I was his…and eventually, it would be forever.

I broke away from my thoughts and gave him one last chaste kiss before smiling brightly. "That was hot."

He chuckled, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "You're just hard up. Now will you eat something, Bella?"

I looked up at him from beneath my lashes. "You could feed me, and I might consider it."

He looked at me exasperatedly.

"With your teeth," I added, bumping his shoulder playfully.

"I think we would make a spectacle of ourselves, love," he murmured, kissing the top of my head.

"Yeah, you guys are already all over each other enough as it is," Jessica grumbled from across the table.

"Jealous?" I questioned, smiling arrogantly.

She rolled her eyes and smirked. Jessica was a bitch but she wouldn't mess with me. Ever since she was invited to the Cullens house via my birthday invitation, she considered me one of the 'cool kids.'

It was too bad, because I sort of enjoyed starting shit with her.

I began picking at my food, earning me a crooked, smoldering smile from my vampire, which did nothing for the ache between my legs. I wanted him, but the pain was too much to bear, even for me.

I just looked up to ask Alice a question when two things happened simultaneously. Alice's eyes glossed over and she gasped, immediately meeting my gaze. Secondly, my phone beeped, indicating that I had a text.

I slowly looked down at my phone and read the incoming message.

Billt and Jaake r comn 4 diner 2nighte. Ill by pizza u donot hafta do anythinh.

My heart stopped, but I still couldn't help but smile at Charlie's texting skills. It took me three hours just to get him that far.

I looked up at my family surrounding the table, remembering that we had an audience. "I just got a text from my dad saying that Billy and Jake are coming over for dinner tonight. That should be interesting. And my dad totally blows at texting. Look at this, baby," I smiled, handing my phone to Edward.

He hummed and nodded, meeting my eyes instantly. His entire body tensed against me and I instantly took his hand in mind, attempting to calm him down. "Easy," I murmured quietly.

His growl was soft but menacing. "I won't be far."

"Jake will smell you."

"I don't fucking care," he whispered frantically.

I wrapped my arm around his neck, hugging him so I could whisper directly into his ear. I knew the vampires at the table were more than capable of hearing me. "What if this is a trick? What if he sends the rest of the wolves to your house? He'll know that you'll be with me."

Just then the bell rang and we reluctantly broke our embrace. "We'll talk about this later, love," he smiled, kissing me as he stood from the table.

I gave Alice a one armed hug and she kissed my cheek. "After school, parking lot. We'll figure it out."

I nodded, taking Edward's hand as he dumped our trays and we began walking to Biology. My blood was pumping quickly through my veins, and as worried as I was about tonight, I was happy that there was something happening. "Is it wrong that I'm kind of excited about this? That makes me a horrible person, right?"

Edward smiled warmly and leaned down to kiss my forehead. "No, beloved. That makes you a vampire."

-x-x-

My palms were sweating as I sat in the living room with my father, staring at the clock on the wall. He had just returned with the take-out pizza, which meant that the arrival of the Blacks was mere minutes away.

I wondered what was going on in Jake's mind at that moment. Did he stage this whole thing so the rest of the wolves could destroy my family? Did Charlie convince them to come here and hang out, not giving them a choice in the matter? Was it another reason entirely? Apparently it didn't matter, but I had a feeling I'd find out soon enough.

My phone rang, indicating a text message and I jumped a foot in the air, wincing as a sharp pain shot up my arm. "Damnit," I muttered, reaching for the phone that had fallen to the floor.

"You all right, Bells?" Charlie questioned, muting the TV to assess my pain. He had been so goddamn accommodating ever since I had broken my arm. It scared him and I knew it, which made me hug him even longer every second I got the chance. I was ready to leave him, but it didn't make me love him any less.

I hate being away from you right now, Bella. I'm losing my mind. Call me if you need anything, do you understand me? I never should have left your fucking side. I love you.

Edward was freaking the fuck out.

After school we had assembled in the parking lot, Esme and Carlisle on speaker phone as we recounted what had happened at lunch. I stressed the fact that Edward needed to be home with them in case Jake was setting us up. There was no way Jacob would do anything to me with both of our fathers sitting right there. Everyone readily agreed, apart from Edward.

I understood where he was coming from. His place was beside me and I knew that, but at that moment, he needed to be there to protect his family. I wasn't in any immediate danger, but the rest of them possibly were. He finally conceded, but didn't like it one bit. So much so that his precious Volvo no longer had a rear-view mirror.

If I didn't feel so badly about Edward's frustration, I would have laughed.

I quickly typed out a reply.

I'll be fine, vamp boy. Just keep everyone safe for me. I'll keep you posted, and stop worrying! I love you too. So much…

As I hit the send button, the unmistakable rumble of Billy's old truck began barreling down our driveway, and I knew that it was time.

"There they are," Charlie sighed, finishing off his beer and standing from the couch with a grunt. "Good thing, the pizza's probably gonna get cold here pretty quick."

I nodded distantly and walked out behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He turned around. "You okay, kid?"

"Yeah, Daddy," I nodded, smiling. "I'm just…happy to be spending time with you."

His cheeks turned rosy red and he smiled, throwing an arm around my shoulder. "Come on, Nemo."

I chuckled at the recent nickname he'd given me, considering I had a gimpy fin and all. Who even knew my dad watched Disney movies? When I had asked him about it, he just grumbled something about catching it on ABC Family when there wasn't anything else on.

Imagining my father jamming out to Dory singing Just Keep Swimming was enough to have me in hysterics. My dad was pretty cute for a gruff, middle-aged fisherman. I prayed he'd find a good woman so he didn't have to spend the rest of his years by himself. But even if he didn't, my dad was just the kind of guy who was content in being alone. I envied that about him.

I watched through the parted doorway as Jake pulled Billy's chair out of the back of the truck and helped him in it. He looked pretty pissed off to be here, so I was hoping he was just dragged here by his dad and that he wasn't plotting against us.

They reached the door and Billy and Charlie bumped knuckles. "Hey Bella girl. Your old man told me that you broke your arm. I told him it reminded me of the time you fell out of the boat and hit your head on the side." His voice lacked enthusiasm, and the way his dark eyes watched me carefully told me that he knew exactly what was going on. Obviously he would.

I rolled my eyes at myself. "Yeah, I'm a klutz." I looked up at Jake who was staring at the ground like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. "Hey Jake."

"Bella," he said shortly.

"You two in a fight or something?" Charlie questioned. "It's just like you're twelve again. Watch out Jake, Bella's got a mean left hook."

"Yeah, that's all I've got," I mumbled, gesturing towards my left arm that was immobilized by the cast.

Jake looked at my arm and I saw the remorse in his eyes, but it was immediately replaced with anger as he focused on the ground once more.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my yoga pants as Charlie and I stepped aside so they could enter. I felt like my entire future was riding on this night. With my phone firmly clenched in my hand, I prepared myself for dinner with the person who could potentially destroy everything - thanks to me.

It couldn't get any more complicated if I tried.

-x-x-

Nearly an hour had gone by and so far, nothing much had changed. I had no messages from Edward, indicating that all was well on his side of the fence. Jake wouldn't look at me let alone talk to me, so that wasn't going anywhere. All we could do was eat pizza and ignore each other as our dad's talked animatedly to one another.

"Yeah, Bella's going up to Alaska this weekend with her boyfriend's family for some birthday party. She's gotten pretty comfortable with this kid - she's lucky I like him." Charlie winked at me playfully as I felt the blood drain from my face.

Billy and Jacob looked absolutely horrified and outraged at this piece of information. I let myself cringe for a moment before sitting up a little straighter in my chair. "Yeah, Edward's great. There's no better proof of that than having my gun-carrying, over-protective father give his seal of approval."

I stared down both men sitting across from me, and I didn't back down for a fucking second. "Well hopefully the old man hasn't lost his touch," Billy concluded.

"He hasn't," I assured him.

Charlie sighed and rested his arm on the back of my chair. "Yeah, I hate to admit it, but they're downright smitten with each other and Edward's a great kid. No one's gonna be good enough for my daughter, but I can't ask for anyone better for her than the Cullen boy."

I silently cheered my father on.

Almost instantly after that, Billy stated that they ought to get going. We stood from the table and I felt a mixture of emotions. On one hand, I was glad they were leaving. On the other, I still needed to talk to Jake and see where the hell we stood. I decided that he wasn't leaving without hashing this shit out with me.

Luckily, Charlie was on the ball tonight. "Billy I'll get you set up in the truck. Why don't we let our kids kiss and make up. I hate seeing them all pissed off at each other."

Billy nodded, eyeing Jacob wearily. "Don't be too long, son."

Jake nodded and just like that, we were alone. I wasn't afraid. He was still my friend regardless of the recent events, and with our fathers outside, I knew he wouldn't do anything to me.

I started talking before I lost the opportunity. "Look Jake, I'm sorry about Saturday night. Actually I'm sorry about every single fucking thing leading up to Saturday. I never should have been hiding my intentions with Edward, especially after everything you've done for us. I just - "

My words were cut off when he stepped so close to me that I could feel the heat radiating off of his body. His heightened breathing sent my hair fluttering around my face, and the rage in his eyes was only overshadowed by his pain. His hand came down hard against the wall beside my head, causing me to shiver as I stared up at him.

"You listen to me right now. You fucked me over, and that was something I never thought you'd do. As far as I'm concerned, you're a selfish little bitch who thinks of no one but herself and her fucking vampire," he spat, his fists shaking in the exertion to stay calm. "I'll tell you one goddamn time, and don't you ever come near me again. You've made me the laughing stock of my tribe, and there's only one thing left for us to do about it. I won't be made a fool of again."

I immediately began to scramble for the right words to say. "Don't attack them, Jake. They haven't done anything wrong!"

"I don't give a shit what they have or haven't done, Bella." He leaned down closer until his scorching mouth was pressed against my ear. "Tell them to get the fuck out by this weekend. They can go to Alaska, and you can fucking disappear with them for all I care. Just get the fuck out of my town, my state, my life. Take the fucking bloodsuckers that you chose to betray your goddamn family for and leave - forever. And realize just how much fucking better I am than you. I'm still looking out for your spoiled ass after you've beat me into the ground and never looked back. Fuck you, Bella…you make me sick."

His words stung so viciously that I fell to my knees, the tears streaming steadily down my cheeks as I struggled to catch my breath. "It's where I belong, Jake. I know it in my heart and you can't fault me for fighting to be with my soul mate. People tell you that you shouldn't be with Leah because you haven't imprinted with her, but you don't listen to them. Just like I can't listen to you when you declare that I shouldn't be the same as the love of my life!"

The anger in his eyes faltered for just a moment before it came back in full force. Only this time, it was joined with tears. "Whatever, Bella. It doesn't matter, I didn't even want to come over here to begin with. You didn't trust me enough to tell me the fucking truth. Maybe things could have been different if you hadn't been lying to me since day fucking one. But now there's no fixing the damage you've created. Just get the fuck out of town before it's too late, and say thank you for yet another fucking favor I'm doing you."

My sobs were louder and more hysterical as my body shook uncontrollably. "Thank you…and I'm sorry."

His tears were falling steadily down his face, his fist connecting with the wall hard enough to leave an indent before he fell to his knees in front of me. "God damnit, Bella!"

He scooped me up in his arms and hugged me tightly, sobbing into my hair as I cried into his shoulder. He was squeezing me too hard and it hurt like hell, but it didn't matter. I needed this.

We were two friends saying goodbye.

"You're my best friend, I never meant to screw you over."

"It doesn't matter, B. You fucking did it anyway."

"I'm sorry," I wailed once more, pulling myself against his overheated body and begging him for forgiveness. "We would have told you eventually. It just wasn't the right time."

"Yeah, well, it never fucking would have been." He sniffed once, then wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve before letting go of me and standing.

"Just tell them to leave, because if they don't..." he paused, his jaw clenching as his hands began to tremble. "…Just make sure they leave before the weekend. I'm sorry I hurt your arm, but you hurt me too, Bella. Far worse than any fucking flesh wound. I hope you don't regret this decision and I hope you don't kill people. We're done, B. If you value your precious vampires at all, then tell them to get. The fuck. Out."

The last thing I saw before closing my eyes was Jake's retreating form as he walked permanently out of my life.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to think rationally. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but he had confirmed my biggest fear - they were going to attempt to kill my family. But Jacob had given me the heads up. I realized right then and there that Jacob Black was the most noble fucking person I had ever met in my life…and I would always love him as a friend and a brother.

It made me wish that I could be a better person than I was.

I heard Billy's truck fire up and I immediately stood from the ground, walking up the stairs as quickly as I could. I dialed Edward's number as soon as I had my bedroom door closed behind me, pacing frantically as I waited for the call to connect. He answered it after one ring, and I finally released all the panic I felt collecting deep inside of me since the moment I exposed our situation to the shape-shifters.

"Edward…"

"What's wrong, Bella?" My vampire hastily demanded.

I closed my eyes and held my phone tightly, speaking my words very slowly and clearly.

"We've got to leave before the weekend. We've got to go."

I barely had the words out before I was met with a disconnected call, and I was relieved to know that he was currently on his way towards me. I needed him so badly, and I knew that if I weren't careful I'd fall apart at the seams.

Because this was happening now. We were leaving…I was leaving.

And there was no going back.

-x-

-x-

-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Changes are on the horizon, it should get interesting!

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