IM SO SORRY!

Its been a crazy month. here is the next chapter. Thanks to Angels of Twilight for checking my work so fast. She is a freaking editing machine. im sorry i made all of you wait so long. i hope this chapter makes up for it. next chapter is what ive been waiting for the most so im excited to finally get to it. please dont give up on my story, i know it takes me some time to update it but i wont stop writting it until im done telling the story, or until you tell me its not worth reading anymore.

enjoy this chapter and ill post the next one as soon as i can.

Stupid. That's what I was; I had no doubt about it. I had the most magnificent man on earth in front of me, clearly in love with me, and I didn't see it until an old lady told me. I really should have kicked myself for that. How could I not see that I was head over heels for this man? He only had to smile and I was happy. His words made me calm, and one touch was all I needed to have my world finally be at peace.

After I woke up, I had a horrible headache, and I couldn't concentrate on anything they asked me. I thought part of it was that they made Edward move so Carlisle could check on me, something neither him nor I was happy about. Once they finally got it out of me that my head was hurting, Carlisle gave me a pill that did nothing. Human medicine did nothing for me. Carlisle didn't know what to do, and my headache was getting worse by the minute.

Finally, Edward came and took my head in his hands, tilting me head and looking into my eyes. The moment he did that, the pain completely went away. The combination of his cold skin and the feeling I would get when he touched me was all I needed to feel better. I looked at his face and he had a soft smile on his lips. It was like he knew what he was doing all along. Was this what Ely meant by saying we would know what to do naturally? So, here I sat on the same sofa I woke up on, with my head tucked into Edward's neck and his arm wrapped around me. Everyone was still there with us, but it felt like we were in our own little bubble. Every now and then, Carlisle would come and check on me, and Charlie would ask questions, but other than that, they tried to talk in hushed tones, just in case my head was still hurting.

It was getting dark, and my grandmother decided it was time for her to go. I asked her to be careful on what she took from now on, especially coming from my father. I could tell the thought upset her. The last thing she would want was for her oldest son to be involved with dark magic. Especially knowing that he was her true blood son, I felt bad for her; all she ever wanted was a strong family that could protect all of those in need. After she spoke to Charlie privately, she left with promises of coming back to check on me soon.

Esme went into the kitchen to make me something to eat. She said I needed it to gain my energy back. Rosalie and Alice left with her to help. Apparently, Rosalie liked to cook because it made her feel just a bit like a human. Alice went because she wanted to plan a shopping trip with all the girls. Emmett and Jasper had gone hunting, and, much to Charlie's displeasure, he had to go work. He was on the night shift, but he didn't leave until both Avan and Edward promised to keep him up to date with me.

"So are you two going to stay glued to each other all night?" said Avan from the other side of the room where he was sitting reading a book on medicinal herbs. His eyes sparked with mischief while Edward stiffened a bit next to me.

"Um . . ." was all I could say.

"If it helps her feel better, then, yes, as long as she needs me to stay." His voice was calm but cold at the same time. "If you have any better idea of how to make her feel better, please feel free to share that information."

Avan didn't say anything; he just looked at both of us and then went back to reading his book. Esme came in at that time with a plate of chicken soup. It smelled delicious, and my stomach actually started growling from how hungry I was. Esme gently placed the plate of soup in front of me, and in my haste to get it, I spilled it all over my skirt. I was lucky that the skirt was big enough to not get anything on myself. Edward quickly helped me get up and took the plate away from me.

"Well, I'm going to change now. I'm sorry I spilled the soup, Esme." I was so embarrassed. I knew I would do something stupid at some point.

"Oh, don't worry, dear. You go get changed and meet me at the kitchen. That should be safer," Esme said with a small giggle. I turned around to go to my room only to get stopped by Edward.

"How's your head? Are you going to be okay?" He looked so concerned, and it looked like he was trying to figure out a way to come with me.

"I'll be fine, Edward. I barely feel the headache anymore, but thank you for looking out for me." With a small smile, I leaned in and gave him a small kiss on the cheek before I walked away. I honestly couldn't get the smile off my face. Who would have thought that I would ever be in love? I wanted to scream it to the world.

I was at the bottom of the stairs when it happened. Now, it wasn't the first time I had an attack like this, but it was the first time people I cared about besides Avan were going to witness it. It took all the strength I had to not scream out loud. All I could do was fall to the floor in pain. I got these attacks every now and then. It was basically my body getting used to the power that was about to come. The older I got, the stronger the attacks got. I knew that the final one would be strong enough to kill me if I was not ready. As hard as I was trying, I still made a few sounds and next thing I knew, Avan was by my side, telling me to relax and that it would be over soon. But it all sounded so far away. All I wanted to do was beg him to kill me. There was a lot of commotion around me, but the pain was so intense that I couldn't focus on anything else.

Next thing I knew, I heard a scream as if someone else could feel the pain I was in. I looked to my side to see Edward on the floor next to me. It was in that moment that I saw his hand on my shoulder. I couldn't believe Avan let him touch me. If someone touched me while I was like that, they would feel the pain I was in. Avan learned this the hard way, and I was shocked he let Edward touch me. With a loud scream, I moved away from him, but moving made the pain just get stronger. With an even louder scream, I felt something snap, not only inside of me, but around me. I remembered Avan telling Emmett to help Edward, but next thing I knew, the blackness overtook me for the second time that day.

The only thing going over and over in my head was the look of pain Edward had on his face and that scream. That sound would haunt me until the day I died. To know that I had caused him that pain just made me feel even worse. I never wanted to hurt him; maybe having him in my life wasn't a great decision. Realization hit me then. As much as I loved him, having him in my life was impossible. I knew what I had to do, and I was not looking forward to it.

I could feel my body start to awaken with the decision I had just made. I had to get moving if I wanted to protect the people I loved the most. Slowly, I opened my eyes to see the ceiling of my room, but what surprised me the most was the movement next to me. I turned around and came face to face with my personal angel. Holding back tears that were quickly forming from what I was about to do and the mental image of Edward in pain, I put on a brave face to get me through the next few hours.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him in a tone barely above a whisper.

With a soft laugh and shake of his head, he answered, "I feel like I should be the one asking that, but I feel fine, better now that you are finally awake. How are you?" The concern is evident in his tone.

"I'm . . . used to it. I can't really say I particularly like that experience, but it's life. I'm sorry you felt it. I wish I could make you forget." As I was saying this, it was impossible to look him in the eyes. All I could do was look at the nonexistent pattern on my sheets.

"Bella, please look at me." I couldn't get myself to look up. All I could think about was Edward on the floor in pain. "Bella, please, just please look at me," he said, bringing his hand to my chin and tilting my head up, but I stubbornly kept my eyes down. "Isabella, look at me." Slowly, I looked him in the eyes with tears streaming down my face.

"This wasn't your fault; I was the one who didn't listen not only to Charlie, but also Avan and Alice. They all warned me of what was going to happen, but the sight of you like that . . . I was thinking that maybe my touch would help you like it did the headache. I just wanted to do something to help." He was wiping away my tears with his thumbs, but more just kept coming out.

"I just . . . I've never seen someone like that. I've never caused anyone that much pain. I know you wanted to help, but I hate the fact that you get hurt just because you are around me. I can stop it when someone else is trying to hurt you, but I can't help you if I'm the one hurting you. I can never hurt you again. That's why I must leave immediately." I didn't even finish saying the last word before he was out of the bed and standing next to me.

"What? Why do you say that? Have you gone mad?" He was almost screaming. He looked completely terrified and shocked. "And where the hell do you think you are going? What makes you think I would just let you go like that? Why do you want to leave us, leave me?" He was frantically pacing the room now. I felt bad, but it was what was best for him.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but it's what's best. I can't be here around you. My life . . . it's too complicated. I can't have you or anyone around me risking their lives just because I want you close. I refuse to let that happen." I had to be strong, no matter what. "I've made up my mind. I'm going back to live with my grandmother in the wizard world. Once this is all over, I'll be back, but I won't risk any of you. My grandmother can stay here, or I'll find a place to stay by myself, somewhere isolated where no one is in danger from me." As I said those words, I mentally prepared myself to make them come true.

"Fine, but I'm coming with you," was all he said.

"What? No, absolutely not," I said, jumping out of bed. Getting up so fast made me dizzy, so I stumbled a bit, but Edward was there to prevent me from falling.

"Why not? Are you forgetting that I'm immortal? I can survive anything. You are not a danger to me, so if you don't want to stay here, I'll go with you. I have nothing holding me here, Isabella. I want to be where you are, and if it's not here, I'll go anywhere you want to." He suddenly looked sad and said, "Unless you don't want me to come. Is that what it is? You don't want to be near me anymore?"

"How can you say you have nothing holding you here? What about your family, Edward? How can you leave them behind? It's not that I don't want you near me. I do. There is nothing I want more than to keep not only you, but everyone with me, but that's impossible." I was nearly screaming now, but I couldn't help it.

"They would understand if I wanted to leave with you. Heck, they would probably want to come, too. Don't you see that we don't want to leave you any less than you want to leave us? Like it or not, you are stuck with us from now on."

"That you are, dear," said Esme, walking through the door followed by everyone else.

"You wound me, Isabella Marie! How can you not believe in me? I know what's going to happen, and let me tell you that no one gets hurt. And if there ever was a reason for someone to get hurt, I can see it before it happens and we can fix it," said Alice from the door with a smug look on her face. She knew she had me there.

"But that doesn't . . ."

"No, Isabella, you listen to me. There is no way on earth you are going anywhere, and if you go, we are coming with you. We are a family now, and family sticks together," said Esme, cutting me off with fierceness in her voice. For a second there, I was scared.

"What is it with the 'Isabella?' I feel like a child being scolded for stealing cookies out of the cookie jar," I said, sitting down on the bed and crossing my arms with a huff. It was sad how quickly they could change my mind. I heard Emmett laugh out loud and everyone else chuckle.

"I'll stop scolding you when you stop speaking like a crazy person. Now, you are coming with me downstairs and eating your soup, and stop with all the crazy leaving stuff. Understand?" Esme was by my side pulling me to the door the second she started speaking.

"Fine, but no more 'Isabella.' I'll be good. I still think I'm dangerous, but I guess we can give it a try," I said, giving up.

"You are not dangerous, Bells. I can take you any time, and I can sure as hell handle anything you throw at us," said Emmett with a huge smirk. I turned around and, like the mature person I was, I rolled my eyes and threw the closest thing I got a hold of, which was a candle off a table. He caught it with no problem and got everyone laughing again. The Cullens were crazy, but I loved them just like that. After all, they were my family.

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