Edward's POV:

I felt like I was dying inside. I couldn't breathe. Not that I needed to, but it was uncomfortable not to, and now, even when I tried to breather in the wonderful scent of Bella's blood, I couldn't.
The vivid memory of Carlisle biting into Bella's otherwise flawless skin haunted my every thought. I couldn't blink without seeing it replay itself over and over again.

I screamed to Bella telling her I loved her and I was right next to her, but she couldn't hear a thing. My own words came back to me and hit me like a stone square in the face. It will be as if I never existed.
I ran around the room panicking more and more at every scream and every movement Bella made. I tried to break the wall that separated us so many times. My shoulder was aching from running into it so many times.

I heard her talking to Carlisle who seemed to be looking straight at me. I would move, and his eyes would almost follow me. But I knew he couldn't see me. I was breaking down, inside and out, trying to get him to tell Bella that I love her. That I know it wasn't her fault. Carlisle was a broken man, too. He would barely lift his head to look at Bella anymore. As though he was ashamed at what he'd done to her. Which he was.

How could I have let this happen? I wouldn't feel so terrible if Edward had been here to give me the okay. But where is that child when you need him? Edward? Is that you? Oh, it's Alice. Alice! "Alice?!" Oh, god, I knew they would come. Why had it taken them so long though? "Alice, is Edward with you? Alice!"

I heard Alice in the hallway talking to Marcus. "Alice!" She seemed to be unable to hear either of us. They did a good job with these rooms. As though they had them built for this specific occasion. One extremely large and soundproof room, split into thirds. One wall made of shatterproof Plexiglas, soundproof to the waves moving in only one direction. The other wall, just a simple glass that Carlisle didn't even try to break, so I couldn't tell if it was unbreakable or not. But I did know that Bella could hear him talk to her. I wish they would have put us in opposite rooms. Then, as soon as they locked me up, I could at least talk to Bella and she would be able to see me. But for now, I'm invisible.

Edward. I know you're in one of those rooms. I know it's soundproof, but I also know you can hear me. I need to ask you a question. But I need to see you so I can hear your answer. Edward, is Bella alive? Aro won't tell me and I can't get anything on her anymore. Edward!

"She's not. She's dead. Like us. Alice!! She's changed!" I yelled hoping that by some crazy chance she could hear me. "It's over..." I whispered. I smacked my head against the door and leaned against the wall. I slid down to the floor with a soft thud.

"Look at her... my sweet innocent Bella has become a vicious monster. And it's my fault."

If I could cry, I would have been. I'd never felt the urge to cry until Bella stepped into my life. Now, every time I hurt her, and even some of the times I watched her cry, I wanted to. Because I knew that every time she was crying, it was because I hurt her. And Now I've done the ultimate damage. I couldn't have caused her more pain if I wanted to.
I hung my head in exasperation until I heard someone unlocking the door. Aro and several of his guards walked in. I merely looked up for half a second and returned to my state of wallowing.

"Edward, how are you doing, my boy?" Aro asked with a little excitement in his voice. No doubt, he had already seen and spoken with Bella. I couldn't even look into her room anymore without feeling the urge to kill someone. I mumbled him an answer that I hoped would get him to leave, "How's it look?"

"Well, if you're going to sit there in your own despair, I guess I shall leave you. I just cam to tell you that if you haven't noticed, Bella is one of us and she is marvelously beautiful. When you are done... wallowing, you may speak with her." He took only two steps before I was in front of him; an eager look on my face.

"That's what I thought. Come."

I walked next to him, trying not to overstep him, and as we turned a few corners, I realized that Bella had been moved.

Edward? Is that you coming? I hear footsteps in the hall. Bella is beautiful, more than we ever imagined. She's spectacular. You must see her. Edward? I wish I could read your mind. I have no idea if you can hear me. Edward? I heard Alice thinking and she sounded pretty close.

One of Aro's guards opened a door several yards ahead of us and I sprinted to it. I stopped instantly when I looked in.

There was a beautiful red velvet couch facing a wall covered from top to bottom with books. I saw the backs of two heads, one belonging to Alice, who turned around as soon as the door had been opened, and the other head seemed to be focusing on a book in front of her. I assumed it was Bella and I ran around the couch to face her.

"Bella..." I whispered. I knew she could hear me and she looked up instantly.

I didn't even have time to note the color of her eyes before she was thrown onto me with her arms strangling my neck and her legs crunching my waist. I didn't feel any pain though; I just wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her as tight as I could. I knew she wouldn't be hurt.

She pulled her head from my shoulder as I ran my fingers through her hair and she looked at me with a penetrating stare. Her eyes were a deep burgundy, from her body consuming her own blood. But before I could notice anything else, she smiled and crushed her lips against mine. This time, I knew we could share a real kiss without a chance of my hurting Bella. Her lips parted, and I took the invitation as soon as it was offered. I felt her face lift into a smile and her hands, which were lost in my hair, tightened up as she pushed the back of my head closer to her face.

This was better than anything I could have ever dreamed of experiencing. I did miss Bella's heart pounding and the warmth of her face, but I wouldn't have traded them for this feeling. A feeling of acceptance, and a love greater than anything imaginable. I couldn't deny for a second that Bella didn't love me and I hoped she couldn't either.

After a few minutes, we fell onto the couch and continued our charade from there. I had completely forgotten that there were people in the room until Alice tapped my shoulder and said Marcus walked in and saw you two. He's fuming. Aro said that this was just the reaction he had expected, but I can see that he is very annoyed about something Caius said to him. Please, don't do this now, not here. Home. We'll be leaving soon. Just get up.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from Bella and she seemed both glad for the break, and upset that I stopped us from going any further.
"We can't go too far anymore." She reached up for me and I kissed her hand as I pulled her up to stand next to me. She had just realized that we had an audience and looked at the ground with her eyes wide and a slight grin on her face. If she had blood, her whole face would have been red. But she just grabbed my hand squeezing and then looked up at me.

"I love you, Edward."

"And I love you, Bella."

We looked over to Aro and I couldn't quite understand the jumble of thoughts that were crossing through his mind. Too many at once. I caught bits and pieces of several thoughts, but not enough of one to put it together to make sense.

The next thing I knew, Alice was on the left side of Bella, growling a low, but penetrating growl. She knew something I didn't and as soon as I read through her tangled thoughts, I was in her same position, blocking Bella.

"Oh, did Alice have a vision? That ruins everything." Aro's anger died and was replaced with disappointment.