Bella managed to hold the tears at bay until the Mercedes had turned out of the Cullen's lane. Carlisle glanced at Bella with anguish in his eyes and pulled to the side of the road once the house was a few miles behind them. He pulled his youngest daughter into his arms and simply held her as she poured her pain out through the tears. He held her as tightly as he dared – willing Bella to feel his love. For he knew this latest blow to Bella had not only been severe – it had come from the one she trusted above all others and therefore would have cut the deepest. Yet it was beyond his abilities as a doctor to heal. He also knew it had come too soon after Bella had so graciously, and simply, forgiven them for their abandonment.

As she clung to Carlisle for all she was worth, Bella remembered how her epiphany of Edward's love for her had been erased under his cutting accusations. During his latest attempt to convince her to delay her change to his kind, the conversation had escalated into an argument. His hurtful words continued to repeat inside her mind. How he labeled her 'stupid human' and 'just a young child'. He had only gathered steam to fuel his rant from there. By the time Edward realized what he had said; Bella was convinced she had finally heard the truth of Edward's feelings for her.

As her tears subsided, Carlisle smoothed his hand down his daughter's hair. Carlisle attempted to find the words to mend the damage to her heart. "Bella, sweetheart… after all you have been through with this family, after all Edward has put you through… I have no doubt that you took his words for truth. But, honey, I need you to believe me when I tell you that Edward truly loves you. What he said was harsh, uncalled for, and wholly untruthful. It doesn't excuse him, but Edward was only venting the stress he's under to protect you. In his mind, that includes your humanity."

Bella listened to Carlisle speak, but couldn't see truth in his words. She straightened herself up, and attempted to dry her eyes. "Carlisle, I…I don't see how that can be. Edward has never wanted my change. He couldn't even bring himself to promise it when Aro gave him the chance to save me. Instead, he forced Aro to order my death and then fought to keep Felix from following that command." Carlisle sucked his breath in and held Bella to him. With this revelation, he knew only time could convince Bella of the truth. "Carlisle, would you ask the others to keep their distance for a few days? I need to think things through. I'll be by when I'm ready." "Certainly Bella, though we will continue to keep watch over you. You only have to call out if you want to talk - we will always be there for you."


Bella was finally ready to head to the Cullen house. After Carlisle had left her at Charlie's house two days ago, she had run the gamut of emotions: grief, disbelief, anger, humiliation, acceptance and finally determination. Bella had taken her time thinking over her past with Edward. She thought about the things Edward had yelled at her, thought about the conversation in the forest before he left, about his refusal to see her change even to save her from the Volturi. She gave equal consideration to the things Carlisle had said to her. Though she didn't believe so, a small part of Bella wanted to think Carlisle might have the right of things. Either way, she came to the same conclusion. Bella would gladly spend an eternity with an Edward who loved her dearly but not risk spending it with (or without) an Edward who did not. To find out which of these was the truth meant she needed the one thing she didn't have. Time.

Though Bella knew what she would have to do, she avoided thinking past this step. The last thing she wanted was Alice experiencing a vision that could only cause the pixie vampire agony. Nor did she want to give the Cullen's a chance to out maneuver her. She dearly loved her vampire family and would do whatever it took to protect them from the consequences of her forthcoming decision. Taking one last long look at Charlie's favorite armchair, Bella plucked her truck keys from the table, threw her purse over her shoulder and headed out to her truck.