Chapter 10

Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and New Moon.

I couldn't run back to Bella's house. My feet wouldn't let me. They seemed heavy and hard. I could only walk. Please don't hurt Lacey. Bella's voice was in my head. What if I did? What if I made the same mistake with Lacey as I did with Bella? Could I really risk breaking another person I loved for my own selfish reasons? No.

I fought with myself, taking ally ways and side streets until the afternoon light turned to black. I couldn't decide if I would go back or not. If I left now, would I hurt anyone? Would be able to leave and not come back? This time everything seemed unbalanced. It seemed simple with Bella because I thought it was what she wanted. Now, knowing otherwise, I couldn't tell what right and wrong was.

I decided to go back. Leaving without goodbye was a horrible way to end something, in the human world at least.

I didn't realize the time until I saw the house was dark. I quietly crept through the kitchen and moved towards and couch. I went to sit down, noticing a shadow lying across the couch. It was Lacey. Her perfect, small frame seemed to comforting to me. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight. Just like her mother. Apples and trees. I laughed silently to myself. I could never hurt Lacey. Not the way I had with Bella. Never. I quietly sat in the chair and watched her sleep. The chair creaked a little and her eyes fluttered open.

"Edward?" She whispered.

"I'm here," I replied. "You should sleep." She ignored my comment and sat up, staring at me sleepily.

"Where were you?"

"Walking...thinking..." I trailed off.

"About what?" She smiled lazily.

"Do you still want to meet my family?"

"Of course!" She said a little to loudly.

"Shh. Alright, then. I've "okayed" it with your mother." She seemed content and was about to say something when her eyes closed and her head lolled. I chuckled and helped her lie back down. She settled in and rolled over so her back was to me.

I spent the rest of the night just looking at her. Intently watching her sleep. Wishing I could hold her. Whisper in her ear. Tell her how beautiful she was. How much like Bella she was. How I swore to never ever leave her side, unless she wanted me to. I'd be there for her, never missing a second.

I kept making silent promises to her while the sun rose. When the light woke her, I didn't see. I was daydreaming out the window.

"Good morning," Her hair was all over the place.

"How was your sleep?" I suppressed a laugh.

"Fine, thank you," She stretched and yawned and made her way out to the kitchen. I followed and placed myself in my regular chair.

"So...I was thinking...and when do you want to leave?" She asked. Leave? Why? Then I realized what she meant.

"Bright and early Saturday, we can make it before noon if we run." Running that far a distance with a human...I wasn't sure if that was a good idea. But, if it didn't make her sick...and it was the fastest way.

"Run? You know I can't run as fast as you, right?" She looked at me like I was insane.

"No, I'd run and you'd...well, we can try a practice run today. What day is it?" I had lost track of the time.

"Friday," Tomorrow. She'd meet my family tomorrow.

"Would you rather drive?" I had to give her options.

"Let's see how I deal with 'running'" She made quotation marks with her fingers. She didn't consider it running as much as a way of fast travel.

"Alright, then," Someone gasped as I said that. It was Bella. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had been crying. I wondered what for. She ran to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"I thought you'd left," She whispered.

"I will stay, this time. I promise," And it was true. Leaving wasn't an option this time.

After Bella pulled away and was calm, she decided to skip breakfast and go get ready for the day. My eyes never left hers until she was gone.

"I have a practice this afternoon, after school. How about we try running afterwards?" Lacey interrupted my thoughts.

"It's a date," I said. She smiled. And when she left, she took part of me with her.