A/N: Hi again. I know updates are super long waits. I'm sorry. It's march break now though so i should update quite a bit. Don't forget about my poll & review please, it makes me want to write! :)

Bella's POV

"I'm not human anymore Edward, I'll be fine." I said softly.

"It's hard to adjust to." He replied just as softly. His hand brushed along my cheek bone and my lips moved to his.

"Isabella Swan!"

Edward's lips pulled roughly away from mine and my eyes widened,

"Mom?" I said quietly, just loud enough for her to hear.

I turned to face her. She was livid. I couldn't help to see a bit of worry in her eyes though, i didn't understand, that didn't make sense.

"Bella." She said, her voice was stern, angry.

"Wha -" I cut myself off. "Why -" I cut myself off again, not sure what to say.

"We need to talk." She said simply.

I nodded in agreement. "Lets talk then."

"Alone."

"Anything you can say to me you can say to Edward."

She glowered at me. "Fine."

"I want you to come home. I don't think you should be living here anymore. You're too young to be in such a serious relationship and i don't approve."

I stared at my mother blankly. "I won't go." I told her simply.

"You're only seventeen Bella. It doesn't actually matter what you want to do. I'm your mother, if i feel the need to bring you home, you come home. Charlie won't have custody for much longer."

"What if i tell them to give him custody. Then i can stay here."

"He'll be in jail Bella, you'd have to come with me because he can't take care of you anymore."

"I don't want to go." My eyes were still wide, panicked. "Don't make me leave." I was pleading now.

My hand grasped Edward's, i knew i could hurt him, i was a newborn, but i didn't think he would mind that much, not under the circumstances.

"I think it's best for you."

"I can't go, mom you don't understand!"

"Bella, i married young, i made a mistake, I don't want you to make the same one."

"I know what I'm doing mother." I stated coldly.

"No, no Bella you don't. You have no idea. You're seventeen, not even an adult, you have no clue what you're doing."

"I do!" I nearly screamed back. I was sobbing dryly now.

Carlisle peeked his head in the door.

"I'm sorry Renee, but this seems to be very stressful on Bella, and i don't think she should be dealing with that after the incident."

Renee nodded. "We have our ticket booked for Tuesday, we were lucky to get another seat on the flight."

"Get out." I said icily.

I hurt Renee with my words, i could see that much. But she did as i asked and left.

I waited until i heard the click of her bedroom door before moving. I looked towards Edward, not knowing what to say.

"I know love." He told me, it was as if he could read my mind, even though i knew he couldn't.

"She can't." i paused. "I won't. Help me." I looked deep into his amber eyes. He was torn, there was no way to keep me here. He had no control over my mother.

"I'm sorry." He whispered almost silently.

"I thought you loved me. You said you loved me!" I was nearing hysterics now, i could hear it in my voice, I could do nothing to control it though, "I need you."

"I know, i know, i need you too Bella trust me. I love you."

"Then fix this!" I was sobbing dryly, fighting to get my words out. "I won't leave you again."

"I wish i could do something."

"I loved you."

He made movement to respond, until her heard the use of past tense in my sentence. He looked at me blankly before taking my hands in his. "I love you." He told me, his eyes were fierce, he was fighting, fighting to keep me.

"I'm sorry." I told him softly. "I love you, i always will."

There was a long pause, i was still dryly sobbing into Edward's shoulder. He softly cooed in my ear and rubbed my back comfortingly.

"I'll come with you." He said finally. "Renee can control you, but me, she can't control."

"Thank you." I said softly. "But we both know thats not a realistic option. We wouldn't be able to go outside unless it was night. It's not an option."

He paused, thinking. "You can't go either then, you can't go outside in the sun."

"I know that." I told him. "I can't go with her. I don't know what to do."

"We'll come up with something, we always do."

I nodded.

Carlisle peeked his head in.

"I couldn't help but overhear the end part of the conversation." I smiled at Carlisle and i could tell Edward was too.

"And?" Edward asked curiously.

"Well, i don't know what you would think of this option Bella, but in these circumstances i don't see many other options."

"Just spit it out Carlisle." Edward said, knowing already what he was going to suggest.

"You could get emancipated from your mother." Carlisle stated

I gaped at him, i had to process this possibility.

"She needs to think about it." Edward told Carlisle, reading my facial expressions."

Carlisle nodded, "of course." Then he left the room.

"Emancipated." I said softly. "She wouldn't have control over me, i would be making my decisions, i would have legal independence. i wouldn't have to live under her household. I could stay here."

"She will probably be upset with you at first though." Edward warned me.

"But she can't stay mad forever." I mused. "I'm her daughter, she'd still love me right?"

"Of course, How could someone not love you?" Edward said, caressing my cheek.

I smiled. "Maybe that would be for the best." I was still thinking over the idea, it was a big decision.

"Think about it, you don't have to decide yet."

I nodded. "Okay, we should probably get ready to go."

"My thoughts exactly." He replied, smiling at me, his eyes boring into mine. "You're stunning." He whispered so softly i could barely hear it.

I smiled again and buried my head into his chest. Not feeling the need to move, only wishing i could stay like this for a longer time.

"Bella!" Alice called loudly. I sighed loudly. "We have to go!" She called out.

"Fine." I muttered. I carefully slipped the crutches under my arms and made my way to the staircase.

I stopped trying to think of i way i could get down the stairs while still using the crutches. I heard Edward let a little chuckle escape and he swept me off my feet.

"Oh!" I gasped as he walked slowly down the staircase. He had the crutches laid on top of me. I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." i told him as he set me down.

"Think nothing of it." He said courteously.

I made my way out into the silver Volvo taking my place in the front seat. My crutches strewn across the back seat.

Edward had one hand on the steering wheel and one hand holding my hand.

He stopped in the parking lot and walked quickly around to the other side of the Volvo. He quickly snatched my crutches out of the backseat and then proceeded to open my door.

He then took my hand and helped my carefully out of the car. I put the crutches into place and began to move towards the building.

"Careful Bella, You can't put too much pressure on your right wrist. Make it seem pained."

"Oh, right." I adjusted the way i moved

"Much better." Edward said with a smile. "Are you ready?" He asked, his voice much softer now, lined with concern, and care. "I'll be okay."

His eyes burned with distress, because he knew as well as I did that i didn't want to do this, I just wanted to go home, I wasn't ready to face him again.

I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and continued to make my way into the building.

Soon we were seated inside the building, i had my mom on one side and Edward on the other. Edward had my right hand and my mom had my left.

The trial began. Charlie was asked how he pleaded. He pleaded not guilty. Edward tensed, his hand gripped mine tightly. He was having trouble controlling himself. I looked over to him, staring him straight in the eyes and waited for him to relax again. He took a deep breath and his grip on my hand loosened.

"You'll be okay." I whispered so only he could hear.

He nodded and took another breath.

I could feel my mothers eyes watching us, watching our movements and how we interacted, but i ignored the eyes, the way she was looking at me and returned my attention to the court.

The prosecution was now giving their case, stating what Charlie was accused of. They called a witness. My mother was first. They had three of us, my mom, Edward and I. They could have had more but believed three was all they would need. Surely if they needed more there were people here that would testify.

They asked mom to swear an oath on the bible, she was to state she would only tell the truth.

"Now, Mrs. Dwyer, Can you tell us what happened the day you received your injuries."

Mom took a deep breath in. "I was visiting my daughter here in Forks. We were at her boyfriends house, where she's staying temporarily." I glowered at the word temporarily, "We were just in the porch when the defendant knocked on the door and came in, we were cautious as we had heard of him being violent before but we let him come in, he said he needed to talk to us, Bella and I. We allowed ourselves to be alone with him, and..." Mom paused. Her eyes were watering and she took another deep breath trying to continue.

"Just after we got in there he started talking, petty things, and then he, he just jumped up and slammed me against the wall, letting me crash to the floor. I couldn't comprehend what was going on, i couldn't make myself scream and then, then he moved to Bella, and hurt Bella, bad, she was hurt so bad." Mom was sobbing now. Edward squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Then he threatened us, saying he would be back. He knew the boys were just outside the door and he took of through the back door before the boys could get in to us."

"Thank you Mrs. Dwyer, for retelling that story to the court."

Mom nodded and the bailiff helped her down and back to her seat.

"We would now like to call to the stand Isabella Swan."

I bit down on my lip, mom stood up and off to the side and Edward helped me up to a standing position. He slipped the crutches underneath my arms.

"Thanks." I said quietly, giving him a quick kiss. He nodded and sat back down in his seat.

I made my way to the witness box and took my seat.

The made my swear on the bible to tell the truth, and i did.

"Isabella,"

"Bella." I corrected him.

"Bella then, can you tell us how you received these injuries?"

"The defendant."

"Can you show us your palm Bella?"

I paused for a minute and remember Alice putting some make-up on my hand, i didn't take notice to it earlier, i didn't even think about it, now i understood.

I slowly turned my hand over and held it out to him. The judge peeked over to look at it.

"And how did you receive this clearly painful burn?"

"The defendant." I said softly.

"Could you give us a little more detail?"

I paused, "He took my hand and held it to the bottom of a hot pan."

The courtroom made and ouu noise. I sniffed and pretended to hold back tears.

"So the night you and your mother were," he paused looking for the right word. "Attacked, wasn't the fight time you'd been hurt by the defendant?"

"No." I told them, my voice shaking.

"Thank you Miss Swan. No further questions."

I stood trying to regain my balance.

"We'd like to permission to cross-examine."

"Granted." The judge said.

I sat back in my seat.

"You look nervous Bella."

I shrugged.

"What reason would you have to be nervous if you were to be telling the truth?"

I looked at him, outrage clear on my face.

"Because thats my father sitting there!" I said loudly. "Yes I'm nervous, I'm only seventeen, were you in court when you were seventeen sir? I don't believe you were, and I'm almost positive it wasn't to testify AGAINST your father. So yes, I'm nervous, but that doesn't mean I'm lying, because i most certainly are not lying."

He looked at me, shocked at the response he had gotten.

"I'm seventeen, I'm still a child, but i have an opinion, and i have a voice."

He nodded. "No further questions," He paused to look at me. "Thank you." He said finally.

I raised my head slightly and then set it back to where it was, just showing that i had heard what he said. I then stood up from my seat and regained my balance. The bailiff helped me down and gave me my crutches and i made my way back to my seat.

I sat down letting out a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, almost silently.

"Yes." I whispered back.

"I'm proud of you." He told me, giving my hang a squeeze.

I smiled.

"The court will take a short recess and then the verdict will be given." The judge slammed the gavel down and left the room.

The wait was going to be a long one, no matter what amount of time had actually passed.