"You have done nothing wrong." I said sternly. He shook his head in denial as he slowly pulled himself from the ground.

"I wasn't strong enough." He stated and stepped back as I tried to comfort him. His self-loathing was getting in the way of his logic and trying to coddle him into seeing the reality of the situation wasn't going to work.

"Do you think me weak?" I demanded angrily as I glared at him and Jasper looked perplexed.

"I was going to kill her. I was prepared to spring and would have if you hadn't beaten me to it. The only thing that stopped me was when Edward and Emmett both moved to stop you. Instinct told me to aid you and it distracted me long enough for Rose to get her arms around me." I stepped closer, bringing us within inches of each other as I demanded answers from him.

"Answer me, Jasper! Do you see me as weak because I couldn't fight my instincts? Am I weak because it took so much less to make me break? I didn't have to feel the desire or the fear or the panic of everyone else in the room yet I broke just the same. Do you see me as less for it?" I shouted, shoving my hands against Jasper's chest. His hands caught mine and held them to prevent any further violence.

"I don't think less of you." He said and I could see his resolve.

"Why not? If you were to hold me to the same standards you hold yourself, you'd consider me weak." I demanded.

"I'd never have and never will consider you weak, Abilene."

"Then hold yourself to the standards you hold me. Don't hold yourself to the standards Carlisle holds himself to, his standards have been forged from 300 years of abstinence. Don't hold yourself to the standards of Edward, his standards are forged from pride and pride alone. That girl bled in front of us tonight and she lives to tell the tale. How many other humans can say the same?" My anger was strong, both at Jasper's dismissal of his own strength and at the Cullens for festering it for so long.

"Tell me, of the eight of us, how many can say they weren't the least bit tempted?" I demanded. Jasper still held himself rigidly, I knew he still felt guilt though I could no longer feel it, but his eyes showed he was no longer beating himself up, the pain that had shown there was gone and was replaced with a new resolve.

"One." I answered without giving him a chance.

"Only Carlisle could stay behind, the others may not have shown their desire for the blood, but we know they too desired it. We served as their distraction, their excuse to leave, to save face when their restraint too was waning. We are not weak." I said pointedly and Jasper pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. We stood there for several long moments before Jasper eased his grasp.

"Let's hunt." He said, taking my hand and leading me deeper into the forest. We came across a herd of deer and took down our fill before heading back to the house. The glass and blood had been cleaned and the smell of bleach was still thick in the air when we got back. Visibly there was no reminder of the failed party, Edward and Bella were gone, the glass bowls of roses had been removed and the tables had been put away, it was almost as if it had never happened, the bleach smell the only indicator that it hadn't been a vivid daydream.

Jasper and I followed the low voices of the others to the dining room. Carlisle and Esme were sitting at the head of the table while Emmett and Alice were in their seats on the other end and Rose was standing against the wall with her arms crossed. Alice's eyes were glazed as she stayed locked in a vision though the pain on her face was unmistakable. There would have been tears running down her face if her body had been capable of producing them. The tension in the room was high and it was already putting me on edge; I didn't like it.

"Have a seat. Edward will be back any moment." Carlisle said grimly. I hesitated, thinking about retreating back outside till Jasper's hand fell to the small of my back and led me to my chair. He pulled the chair out for me and stood behind me, resting his hand on my shoulder. The cause of the meeting was obvious, but what exactly was going to be decided was a mystery to me. I tried to think of a way to ask what this was about without it being misconstrued as playing naive.

The tension in the room became almost suffocating as the sound of Edward's hurried foot steps could be heard as he got closer to the house. His steps slowed as he reached the porch and came through the door. There was an odd expression on his face when he appeared in the doorway. It wasn't angry or scornful as I had expected or as we had experienced before when someone slipped. Instead he looked to be carefully controlling his expression, trying to appear impassive and calm though the slight furrow of his brow, pinched lips and determined gaze ruined the attempt.

Edward didn't take a seat at the table, instead choosing to stand at the end across from Carlisle. His hand started to reach for the back of the chair in front of him but he seemed to think better of it and put his hands behind his back, almost an imitation of a soldier standing for inspection. His jaw clenched and unclenched while the rest of us waited for him to speak.

"I think it's time we leave." Edward stated simply and I was caught be surprise.

"What?" I started though it was impossible to decipher with the protests that were coming from my siblings and Esme.

"Enough." Carlisle raised his voice just loud enough to bring the room back to silence before nodding to Edward.

"In the Spring when we first discussed the possibility of leaving, it was stated that we could always reconsider the necessity of leaving at a later date. I think that time is now. It's been proven that Bella won't say anything and the safety of our family is no longer at risk. Though after tonight's events I cannot say the same for Bella. I believe it would be safer for Bella if we left." Edward said and I wanted to continue my protests but was stopped by Jasper's hand tightening on my shoulder. Instead I looked down the table to Carlisle, trying to gauge his reaction.

Carlisle didn't seem to know what to say. We all knew he had become as fond of Bella as Esme. There was a part of him that wanted to protest as much as the rest of us though he had a tighter hold on his composure. There was also the part that understood where Edward was coming from, the part that knew the risk of a human associating with vampires over a length of time, a risk that could no longer be ignored.

"Are you sure that you can handle this, son?" Carlisle still looked conflicted, no doubt unable to come up with a placating statement in these circumstances.

"Yes." Edward said with a nod. We could all see the resolve in his eyes, a resolve that any mated pair was willing to challenge. I could see the doubt on the faces of the other couples around the table. We'd all heard Edward's declarations of love to Bella, seen it with our own eyes. I couldn't imagine myself in Edward's shoes. Couldn't imagine leaving Jasper behind, I knew too well the ache in my chest when he went on hunting trips while I remained behind. If Edward and Bella loved each other as they claimed, separation was going to be physically debilitating.

I saw as Edward's eyes flickered to me for the barest of a moment, saw the flicker of emotion in his eyes that was gone before I could find a name for it. He had heard my thoughts, he thought he understood what he was signing himself up for, but hearing it and feeling it for yourself were two completely different things. Nothing would be able to prepare him for what he was going to feel if he went through with this.

"What about Victoria?" Jasper asked and I looked to Edward with the reminder of the red headed woman that had accompanied James, from what Edward and Jasper had gleaned from her and James, the two had been romantic. With his death there was no doubt that she was going to become a problem eventually, the pain and anger would drive her to revenge before she could seek death. Edward didn't look as worried about the woman as I had expected him to.

"I plan to accompany the family to wherever we decide to move and then I plan to hunt her down. Bella deserves the chance to live a full human life without the risk Victoria presents." Edward responded. I looked to Jasper and he looked as doubtful as I expected myself to look. Glancing to Carlisle, he still looked as conflicted as before. Esme sat beside Carlisle with her face a mirror of Alice's, I could imagine all too easily tears falling from her eyes as she looked to Edward with such devastation. Carlisle looked around the table before giving a heavy sigh.

"I feel that if this is what you want, then it should be you that decides, Edward." Edward opened his mouth but Carlisle raised his hand before Edward could speak.

"But I want you to think this through very carefully. While the rest of us will be impacted, it will be you that feels the brunt of this decision." Carlisle said carefully and let his hand drop to rest on the top of the table.

"I'm sure of my decision, Carlisle. I believe this will be best." Edward said and though Carlisle looked like he wanted to disagree, he nodded and slowly rose from his seat.

"Then we will get to work making the preparations for our departure." Carlisle gently took Esme's hand and lead her out of the room as the first of her sobs over took her.