Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters; they are all Stephenie Meyer's.

Chapter 3

Edward's Point Of View

Although my body was rigid I could feel myself trembling. I could hear Alice's thoughts and see the same vision she had – of the beautiful girl's blood covering my face, down my shirt and on my tongue. It pained me to see how I nearly let my animal instincts to control my human façade. She began to breathe properly but I could not; afraid that I may catch that scent and have no choice but to hunt the thing I wanted most. Human blood. Funny; how humans have no other qualities that we desire. Their food is dissatisfying and the essence of this flows in their veins. Their minds are strange. Their personalities are dull. Yet their blood – that is something else. I never thought I could want something, anything so badly. Usually what I wanted, I got.

I knew Alice could see the murderous glint in my eyes.

"We need to see Carlisle. Now."

On our way to the hospital in my Volvo, which she was driving, she kept chancing sideways glances in my direction.

"What?" I finally snapped.

"You really were going to kill her, weren't you?"

"I couldn't have" I lied convincingly; however that quality was wasted on Alice who knew the truth.

"Edward I saw it. I saw it and it made my mouth water." She seemed disturbed by this, "Because you wanted her I did too." I continued to stare blankly at the road disappearing beneath the tyres of the car.

"How could you? You couldn't even smell her blood."

"I thought I could. It was like being inside your mind. For a change" she added.

"But I didn't smell her blood." I began to think about this for the first time. I remember her falling; I remember catching her and being was close enough for me to catch the fragrance of her skin and the scent of her hair. That was too much for me and I held my breath before the worst happened. Her skin split like paper being torn, but silently. How could Alice smell something that I could not? Even in her visions she could not create something new – only see what had already been decided. My sister looked quite confused but dismissed it.

I stepped out of the car first and headed towards the main entrance; searching for Carlisle 'voice' above the hundreds of human thoughts. Someone called me and I spun around. It was an irritating vampire's concerns, unspoken to everyone but me.

Edward! Are you going to be able to go inside? You've already had one near fatal attack today. Shouldn't we get Carlisle here instead, where you can't drink anybody dry?

That thought had crossed my mind but I had lasted decades without killing any people, I think I could manage half an hour. Alice had no faith in me whatsoever and today's events would not help that situation. I continued making my way towards the door and Alice skipped along by my side loyally, yet smiling cheekily. When the automatic doors opened I filled my lungs with oxygen and did not release the carbon dioxide that I should have whilst respiring. She knew too much for her own good.

We found Carlisle in his office; he looked up surprised to see us, but still glad even though he must have sensed what was going on.

"Have you got a minute?" I asked sheepishly. When I told him, he would be most disappointed in me I could feel that already.

Edward, son. You cannot help your needs. And you did the right thing by walking away from her. That must have been very difficult to do.

Carlisle's fatherly calmness was infuriating. I needed him to yell at me – to tell me I was stupid for going into school today. Shout at me for being weak. Even to tell me I couldn't stay here any longer as I was a risk to our way life. Nonetheless he was proud of me for not massacring the whole school. I waited to give him my response as someone was approaching the office. Two short knocks sounded and a nurse appeared around the edge of the door.

"Sorry to disturb you Doctor Cullen, there's another one for you." She seemed almost apologetic that my father could not sit around and chat to us all day when he was supposed to be working.

"Thank you Sylvia, I will be there in a moment. By the way this is Alice and Edward, my youngest." He gestured towards us with affection and again, pride, almost like showing off a new car. She gave us a kind look and left us alone.

"We'll have to finish this discussion later I'm afraid." He got up and walked around his desk. Angrily I followed him, becoming more agitated with every step I took.

"What if I had done what Alice saw?"

"I would forgive you. You are my son and I know that you would have tried your hardest to do the right thing." We went through a set of doors and Alice stopped abruptly. I didn't have time for another one her 'moments'.

"What if I hadn't been able to stop there?" I was desperate for a real response. My father raised his eyebrows as if saying that I didn't need to ask that question as I already knew the answer. It wouldn't have mattered to him - or so he said.

"How could you just forgive me? You'd have to move. Change jobs. Start again. There's nowhere else where we could have a lifestyle like this. Esme would lose the only house she's ever loved." Surely this would provoke him. He went first through yet another set of doors and turned around to bid me goodbye.

"I'm sorry that I am neither annoyed nor about to force you out of our family for something you didn't even do, but right now I have a patient I need to see to. Have a pleasant day."

I hadn't even noticed Alice grabbing my arm. I moved my head up slightly. Then as one we all halted to a stop. Alice already knew, but Carlisle had enough sense to guess that the patient he was going to see was in fact the one I had nearly bitten. In his mind I heard her name Isabella Swan.

Fortunately my lungs were still full and I was able to turn and walk away, but the rage building inside me escaped in a low snarl and I allowed Alice to pull me away from another potential disaster.

Author's Note

Another chapter that I hope has fulfilled expectations. I'm now at the same place as I am in my other story 'What If…' and so I can now begin the story properly. I am always grateful for the reviews that I get and every time I check my e-mail there's list of people who've added to favourites/subscribed to my stories. I am extremely appreciative as this gives me a purpose to carry on writing. Although if no-one read it I would probably still write! Thank you for reading it means a lot.

Again if you get the time, I would love any reviews, comments, constructive criticism, corrections and ideas as I have no beta! Thanks! (coolbeaniostwilightrules7)