A/N: This chapter took me awhile to conceive – between other stories, ideas, and writer's block. About a month ago, everything up to Hope's part was done. And recently, I finished up the second part. And with this chapter, I have three song suggestions: "Suffocate" by J. Holiday, "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys, and "No Air" by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown. "Suffocate" was more like an idea-maker, but it too mature for Hope and William. "If I Ain't Got You" is to be introduced when Hope starts to play. "No Air" is like the background of the whole chapter, starting from William's first POV and throughout; it's the "theme song." I don't know if that made any sense…but got it? Good.

Natural…

BELLA

I had my child in my hands again. My Hope. And she and William came to our rescue. But the real angel was Jacob. Without him, none of us would have made it out alive.

I don't know how he did or what happened, but I will once Edward comes home.

Right now, my main objective was to get Hope and William inside from this awful night. We slipped into the house through the back and headed into the sitting room. I looked over at Hope who was on the bordering on sleep.

"Hope, why don't you go back to bed," I suggested, while pulling her into a hug.

She shook her head lethargically while she spoke, "I'm…" – yawn – "not sleepy. I'm just tired. I will be okay."

"Are you sure?" William asked, taking her right hand in his. "You can get some rest. It has been a long night."

"No. I want to stay up so I don't miss anything. Mom?" she whispered to me. "Tell Dad I love him and could you make me so coffee?"

"Yes, hon," I smiled. I got up from the couch with Rosalie, Alice, and Esme following my lead, leaving William and Hope alone. She was stubborn just like me.

"What do you think happened?" Esme asked as I grinded coffee beans.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Alice, do you have any idea?"

Alice leaned on the counter, while narrowing her eyes. Then, she twisted her mouth to one side. "Nope."

I sighed as I finished the cup (at vampire speed) and brought it out to the sitting room. William was stroking Hope's hair as she breathed heavily against his chest.

"She's asleep," he whispered.

I should have known that she would be asleep when we returned. I placed the mug on the coffee table while taking a seat next to William and Hope, again. "So, what are you going to do, William?" I asked.

He was quiet while he continued to concentrate on Hope. I could see that she was smiling in her sleep. But finally he spoke, "I don't know. I have been contemplating whether to go back with the Volturi or not. I mean, I don't want to leave her, but I won't have a life after this. Mildred and Constantine will be gone, so I don't know what will happen to the house or with Jeffery. At first, I was trying to avoid it. That's was one of the reasons while I offered to stay with the Volturi. I didn't have a future. Except the one with Hope.

"Then, I felt it. I felt Hope losing me. I don't know how to explain it, but I knew it was happening. Something terrible was going to happen. I explained to Aro that I needed to get some things straightened out at home and he let me leave. I came back and found out what my parents where doing, but I couldn't protect all of you by myself.

"Finally, I realized that Hope took off her necklace. I put it back on her, but it was no use. But let's forget about that." He was scowling for a minute, but then he smiled. "I know Hope wants me to be here for her Sweet Sixteen. And I do, but what will I do to take care of myself. I don't even know who I am."

I reached out and took his hand. "William, you mean so much more to us. You could stay with us for awhile. Just until you graduate. Then, you can live wherever. Edward and I can take care of you."

"Thank you, Bella. But are you sure? I don't want to be a hassle."

I laughed. "You being a hassle? If we can take care of Hope, I am sure you will be no problem. Hope has moved back home with her real father, but I am sure she will be more likely to visit when she finds out you will be here."

"Don't tell her," he pleaded. I looked in his eyes, and could see a tear was nestled in the corner of his eye. "I'm making her life harder than it has to be. We're complicating things. I mean, vampires, werewolves –"

"You know about all of that?" I cut in.

He smiled and chuckled. "A lot more than you think. But I don't want to ruin her life. I think it would be easier if she just forgot about me. Maybe she could have a semi-normal life and marry a Quiluete boy. I know Sam would love that."

Outside, I was giggling because that was the only thing keeping my insides from ripping open with the pain that I felt so long ago. "Stop right there," I commanded. "Don't do that. You already left her. Do you want her to feel that again?"

"No," he sighed.

"Then, don't do it. I know exactly how she would feel if you do. She won't be whole. And she won't forget and she won't marry a Quiluete boy. She would be stubborn and forget about men and become a spinster if you do that."

William smiled down at the slumbering girl under him. "I won't leave her," he vowed. "Do you mind if I take her up to her room?"

"No, go ahead. And there are spare bedrooms upstairs if you want to rest your mind." I didn't expect him to even use them. If he was anything like Edward, he would stay with her all night.

"Thank you, again." He bowed his head once, and then picked up Hope and walked upstairs.

WILLIAM

It was calming, yet nerve-racking to be home, to be with Hope. As I walked up the stairs with Hope in my hands – She stirred once, but otherwise was sound asleep – I couldn't help but feel I was being unfair to her. I couldn't help but feel guilty for letting her love me. She shouldn't have let me love her. I am undeserving of her heart.

I understood that I hurt her. Deeply.

And she was so vulnerable. We were both young.

Already, she has had a enough heartache to last her a lifetime.

I opened up a door to her bedroom and quietly walked towards her bed still in disarray. Slowly, I pressed Hope's head onto her pillow, letting her body sink into the soft sheets. But Hope had slinked her arms around my shoulder, locking behind my neck. Gently, I glided my hands over her smooth warm skin, finding her fingers at the nape of my neck. Removing her arms from around me, I placed them on her chest before I pulled her covers over her.

She was still smiling, probably dreaming peacefully. I knew I would dream of her. I delicately laid my lips on her exposed cheek and whispered "I love you" in her ear.

She shifted, but her eyes didn't open. Instead she whispered, "That sounds nice. I love you, too, William. I need you. Please, don't leave me."

When she spoke, I had no choice but to stay. She could have been talking her sleep, but it didn't matter. She didn't want me to leave, so I wouldn't. I unlaced my shoes, placing them at the foot of her bed, and sat beside her, being careful not to wake her. Ever so gently, I slide my arm around waist, holding her carefully.

I knew right then and there, I should leave her. I knew I was pushing the boundaries. I should leave her and let her think whatever she wanted about what happened tonight. I wanted to stay with her, but I was bound to the Volturi. Her real mother warned me to stay. So, did my heart. Though, my brain was telling me to let her be, my heart was drawing me closer and closer to her warmth – my own personal sunshine in my winter of discontent.

She was complaining about my iciness earlier. Figures she would notice. But I wasn't a vampire, though Aro desperately wanted me to be. I had spent so much time with the vampires that my skin started to adapt to their chilly body temperatures. That thought made me want to hold on to her tighter. But before I could, Hope turned onto her other side, rolling right into my arms. She was smiling in her sleep. I was glad that she was finally at peace. When I saw her sleeping earlier, she looked pained as she scrunched up her nose and fought against the air. I will have to ask her what that was about.

However, I was happy with just the way things were. Hope's family was safe. Mildred and Constantine would never hurt anyone every again. Hope was secure in my arms. All was right in the world, even if only lasted for a moment. Then, I thought of something. What if Hope grew to realize she didn't love as she used to. What if she realized that that guy was worth the time, though I highly doubt he was?

"I won't leave you," I whispered, answering her earlier comment. "But if you leave me, I would die."

"Me too," she spoke wearily. Hope snuggled closer to my chest as she continued onto say, "But you did leave, so is this heaven?"

"No," I smiled, looking down at her slumbering, seraphic figure. "But it feels like it."

HOPE

I could feel the rays of the sun shining on my skin, though I officially haven't gotten up yet. I must have fallen asleep, because I knew I was in my room by the softness of my sheets. But I could feel something else. I could hear something else.

What was it?

Gradually, I let my eyes flutter open to see my angel in front of me. How did…? What? I must have turned over in my sleep.

"Is it over?" I rushed out. "Are Mildred and Constantine –?" As soon as I said it, I wanted to go back in time three seconds. I could have started with something witty or sexy or…anything other than 'is it over?'

"Shh," he hushed me, placing his finger on my lips. "Everything is all right now," he grinned. His voice was silky and casual, but his eyes were glowing.

"What happened last night?" I asked.

"Nothing none of us need to worry about."

"What happened with us?"

"You slept after we came back."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and then you sleepwalked and jumped on a table, dancing," he joked.

I giggled. "How funny. But I can't believe you're actually here and not a figment of my imagination." I wrapped my arms tighter around him.

"I can," he whispered before kissing me. This was the kiss I wanted, something I could lose myself in. And I did. Though, Uncle Jacob (I'm trying to get back to the pretenses) might not approve to making out with my boyfriend in my room, let alone in my bed; I didn't care. I was lost in emotions. Bliss. Passion. Joy.

William pulled away, first, sitting up in my bed. He whispered my name in the air between us, letting it charge the ether.

My head remained on my pillow as I sighed, "William, I am so sorry for everything."

"There is nothing to be sorry about Hope," he said. "Everything happened for a reason. I'm glad I found out about Mildred and Constantine before it was too late for either of us. It was great to know I had your family to fall back on. Whatever happens happens. So, now all I want to do is put the past behind me and start enjoying the present so I can live for the future."

"Are you here…to stay?" I asked timidly.

Once the question was said, William's eyes distanced their gaze from mine. I could see he was thinking of the right way to answer. But instead, he just didn't say anything.

"Are you?" I demanded.

"Hope," he smiled unhappily, "let's not worry about that right now."

I shot up out of my bed, throwing my covers in his direction. "I can't believe this. You come back and make me feel all different, only to leave me again. You are the worst ever, William. I hate you."

William got up from bed to follow me. "Hope," he pleaded, reaching for my hands. "It isn't my decision. I made the choice to stay with the Volturi, so I must go back. I have no other options."

"Yes, you do," I whispered, pulling him into a hug. "You do. You can stay with me. You can be with me. Please stay."

"I want to," he murmured, holding me tightly. "I want to, but I can't. I have to go back."

"No," I cried. "No, you don't have to go back to that place with the creepy, old man. You don't have to go back to the dungeon. You don't have to go back to Italy. You can live here. You can stay with Bella and Edward. Just don't leave me, again. Please don't leave me again.…" I just gripped William's waist forcefully, not wanting an inch to separate us. I didn't even want oxygen to get in between, so I roughly kissed him. I knew it was unjust to behave so irrationally, but I couldn't deal with the pain he would cause if he left me again.

He didn't try to fight my belligerent behavior. He seemed just as tortured as I was about everything. My lungs were burning, but I didn't want to breathe anything but William. If I was going to die – something inevitable, unless I follow the mystical path of family – I wanted to suffocate in his arms while he was kissing me. Yeah, I know. It is a little melodramatic, but how else was I to deal with this. I would never tell him this because it might freak him out.

Realizing my time wasn't up, I pushed myself away from him and rushed out of my room, leaving William with himself.

As I bounded down the stairs, I managed not to trip while I headed towards the garage.

"Hope?" Uncle Edward called. I ignored him pointedly while I snatched up Uncle Edward's key and went out to his Volvo. I got into his car and locked the door as he stood in the entryway. His voice was muffled as he called out my name several times. But I was too wound up. I jammed key into the ignition and cranked it up. With the familiar roar of the engine, I backed out, while Uncle Edward trailed me on foot. "Hope, get out of that car. You are not to drive alone."

Hmm…good point. However, I was skilled enough to know how to control this car. As soon as I was in the driveway, I floored it down the private road. Uncle Edward stood down the drive as if he was contemplating whether to come after me or not. Whether he volunteered to leave me alone, he didn't come running.

EDWARD

Her scent stirred around me as she breezed through the room. "Hope?" I called, noting how visibly upset she was. I wasn't paying attention to the exchange she had with William – trying to follow the privacy and staying out of people's thoughts rule. I saw her snatch up my keys as she stalked into the garage. That all equaled one thing: she was taking a car. "Hope," I said again. But I could see from her fierce determination that she was ignoring me. "Hope."

Once I was in the garage with her, she had already started the car. She didn't have a license and she could end up killing herself with her emotional state being at fault. I couldn't let her leave. "Hope, get out that car. You are not to drive alone," I reminded her. Both of her hands were on the steering wheel when she froze for a brief second. Good, she was coming to her senses. No, I thought to soon. She already had the car in reverse and was backing out.

I followed her into the driveway, trying to talk some sense into her. But before I could yell any reason to her, she floored down the road. In my car. I couldn't decide if running after or not would produce the right results when I heard someone call my name.

"It's my problem, let me fix it," William said to me as he came out to the garage.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"I told her the truth and –"

"It wasn't the truth she wanted?" I finished up.

William smiled. "How did you know?"

"Son," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder in an avuncular manner. "And I use the term loosely. Essentially, the game is the same, it just has new players. The same thing you are going through is something that I went through with Bella, just a different problem. It is our job to make amends, or they will forever hold it against you. Got me?"

He laughed. "Got you. But what do you do to make them not hate you…or hate you less?"

"You tell the real truth. The truth that you would never express to anyone even if they threatened to cut off your tongue. You got to tell her exactly how you feel about her. Understand I am speaking to you as a man and not as her uncle. If her uncle was talking I would say, ' Tough luck, kid. Better luck next time.'" I laughed this time, imagining that exchange. "Anyway, son, you got yourself a hurt girl, and only you can make her better. And she better not get physically hurt over this or you will pay," I said gravely. "And I mean it."

"I understand, sir," he answered. "And thank you."

I ran in the house and came back with a set of keys. "Come on, we can take my wife's car."

HOPE

The trees whizzed by, fading behind me as I concentrated on what to do, let alone where to go. Did I have anywhere to go? Here I was with two sets of parents and lots of crazy family, but I felt like an orphan who had no where to turn. After all that drama with Mildred and Constantine, I thought my life would go back to normal. I didn't. It was still the same. I was still struggling with William.

It would be easier if we were both normal, or would it? I thought about this as I turned off my street and went right, not caring to where I headed. If William and I were normal, would we even be together? He was going to be graduating soon, which would leave me back in high school. That sucked.

But we weren't normal, so did that give us the extra edge to make it or were we destined to fail by fate? If William and I parted, I would just…die emotionally. That sucked too.

So, was there any way for us to win?

I came to another private drive and turned on it absentmindedly. It was just more trees. But a mile or two down, I came to a familiar gate monogrammed with CCM. Because it was opened, I rode the car inside, along the brick pavement. I came to William's own home and I stopped in front. I walked up the steps and hesitated to try the door. I was more afraid to find it unlock than not. I placed my hand on the door handle, huffing out one breath before pressing down on it.

Locked.

I sighed and backed away from it when out of nowhere, Jeffery appeared. "Oh," I gasped. "You scared me."

"I am sorry to inform you that Master William is not residing at this dwelling at this time. Is there anything I could assist you in?"

"Uh…could you let me in?" I smiled. "William is staying at my home right now and he asked me to pick up a couple things. But he forgot to give me his key…" Why was I lying? "…he had a fight with his parents – a horrible mess. Now, he is with me. So, could you?"

"Miss Uley, what do you know about Mr. and Mrs. Carrington?" Jeffery asked, not attempting for the door.

"They…adopted William when he was baby and he had a brother named James? His parents came to my house, but we haven't seen them since."

"They are gone," he whispered under his breath. "They really were defeated."

Okay. The butler was really creeping me out. "Excuse me?" I asked.

Jeffery smiled. "Miss Uley, I would like to thank you, personally, for what your family has done for me. Because of you, I am now free. Please pass to Master William that I am forever his loyal servant if he shall have any need for me." By the time he was done with his speaking, he had the door opened. Had it been unlocked the whole time?

"I will…" I smiled sheepishly, heading inside William's residential suite, untouched since that fateful night. The eight-ball remained in the corner pocket. I grabbed a pool stick, took the ball, and arranged it on the table. After I had my shot, I positioned myself to shoot. I rocked the stick back and forth until it shot forward, knocking against the eight-ball which flew across the table. It sunk into a side pocket.

Content with my success, I went up to the dayroom which housed William's piano. I cautiously took a seat on the bench and stretched out my fingers. Lightly, my fingers touched the slightly dusty keys, striking a chord. I smiled because the piano was still in tuned, so I struck another set of keys. With my eyes close, my fingers kissed against the keys, gently showing affection to every key that brushed underneath my fingertips. Hums accompanied the notes that reverberated around the room. While I stroked out a melody, a delicate hand fell on my shoulder. I stopped playing and opened my eyes to see William, lips drawn up in one corner, with his hand still on my shoulder.

"We need to talk," he said softly.

My eyes averted from his as I played my notes on his piano. I was playing up the scale when he interrupted my hand motion.

"Seriously, Hope, we need to talk."

"I don't want to," I whispered back. "I don't want words to get in the way."

"Get in the way of what?" he murmured.

I let my hands fall back into my lap as I looked into his hazel eyes. They were glossed over. "William, had you been…crying?"

He chuckled softly. "I would say yes, but actually, it's just allergies. But you didn't answer my question."

I sighed, trying to gather my thoughts. "Okay. I love you…" I started, not really sure where to go from there. "…and…I just feel hurt that you want to go back with the Volturi. I lived without you and it's not the same. Life is…meaningless without you here. When I woke up in the morning, it was with the hope that you would come back. Now, that you are all right, life has returned to me. I know I can live without you, but it's just that I don't want to live without you.

"I know only time will tell about our relationship. I am young, yes. And I am still trying to figure this love thing out, but I know what can handle, and I can't handle you being away from me. So, I don't want you to give me a pep talk about me being able to make it. I don't want to make it if you are not here with me. So, if you had anything along those lines to say, don't utter them. Don't even hint at them."

"Hope," he smiled. "I love you. And I never really felt this way about anyone before. I am older than you and have a little more…experience in life, but none of it compares to the adventure I have been on with you. Every moment we spent together has been special and important to me. I know not to take any second that we have for granted. From the day I spoke to you, you captured my attention. I haven't thought of another person except you. Constantly, you cross my mind. At times, I wrote letters to you with no intentions to send them. I just needed the comfort of writing down what I felt. You are my life. Even if we don't make it as a couple, you will still be in my thoughts as the person who made me grow, who made me see.

"You are an extraordinary talented person who deserves so much more than I can give you. And you are surrounded by a family that loves you. You brightened up my dark nights as if you were the full moon. You shine like the sun on days when I am feeling cloudy. You brighten up my life. I don't want to leave you, again. I couldn't imagine hurting you anymore than I have. Every night since we separated, I felt with the agony of knowing that your tears were over me. I didn't want you to cry. I wanted you to live your life. Live a happy life that I could only dream of having." He paused, sighing as if this was hard for him to express. "I guess what I am trying to say is, I never meant to upset you. I never meant to get your hopes up. I came back to save the most important thing to you – your family. If it wasn't for Bella, I would have left without you acknowledging that I had really came back. And that would have been selfish on my part. I'm sorry."

I took his left hand in mine, trying to bring him so comfort. "So, this is goodbye again?"

"I don't know," he answered. "But I will be here for your Sweet Sixteen. You can count on that."

"Really?" I smiled.

"Yes, I read your letter. I will be part of one of the biggest celebrations of your life."

"I have a question for you, William," I whispered.

"Go ahead."

"Do you…do you ever think…it was a mistake to…fall in love with…me," I broke out. The question had been bothering me for awhile. "Do you ever wish that you could just go back in time and maybe ask Ashley or Nicole to the party?"

"Hope," he said sternly. I didn't look at his expression, afraid of what I might see – guilt. When I didn't meet his face, William fingered my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his. I didn't see guilt, but instead saw anger. "Do you really believe for a second that I made a mistake in loving you?!" he asked, outraged. "Do you?!"

"Well, yeah."

"That is most ludicrous notion ever, Hope. How could ever think that? I love you. I loved since I met you and knew that you were different. I loved you when your uncle set the sprinklers on us. I loved you when I ate a piece of your chocolate cake. I loved you when I opened up about my family. I loved when I filled out your father's application, when I kissed, when I saved you and your family from my deranged parents. I loved you when I sacrificed my freedom so your family stayed home. My whole being is drawn to you, Hope. Loving you is as natural as breathing. If I stopped loving, I would die, just like if I inhaling."

I started crying.

"Hope, please don't cry." He drew me into a hug. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

A gurgled laugh escaped from my throat. "I'm not crying because I am upset. I'm crying because that is exactly how I feel about you. Knowing you love me is like drinking a cool, glass of water – refreshing after standing out in the sun." Yeah, my clever remark of the day and I was crying and wearing the same clothes as yesterday.

William chuckled. "Oh, Hope. I love you so much."

"I love you more," I smiled, while the salty moisture ran down my cheeks.

"I beg to differ," he challenged.

I shook my head, laughing. "Just kiss me," I ordered lightly. And he did.