I'm so sorry guys. There's flooding and fires here in Australia, if you don't know. There was no internet and no phones for a while. I live in a freakin' desert and its raining whenever it damn well feels like, instead of the usual four or five times a year. It's crazy. Thanks to those who followed and added Painful Beauty to their favourites. All I need now is reviews… ?

Thanks to the amazing SparklyWarlock for working her magic.

I do not own any characters recognisable from the works of Stephanie Meyer.

As you were… (:

…..…..….Continued…

EPOV

She was so beautiful. Her hair gently waved to the middle of her back, the light in the room highlighting the red throughout the brown. Her creamy skin contrasting with the chocolate of her eyes. The small, painful smile on her face was enough to make me catch my breath. There was pain reflected in her eyes, but it was definitely better the emptiness I had seen these past couple of years. She leaned over the bed talking quietly with Isabella. There was a flash of anger and then her eyes returned to the empty emotionless state that we had all been used to. Then she looked up at me, her eyes growing wide as if it were the first time she had seen me. And it was. Despite the fact that we all talked to her every day, she looked straight through us. She never heard nor saw. She was lost.

"She looks like him." She whispered.

My eyes flickered to the now sleeping form of Isabella, and then back to hers. I nodded and smiled hesitantly. She sighed sadly and stood, wrapping her little hand around mine. I smiled at the familiar warmth and spark, I had missed it so much. I had missed her so much. She took me out to the dining room, where we sat at the table. I looked at her questionably.

"What have I missed?" She asked.

And suddenly, I wasn't happy to see her. I wasn't thinking of how much I missed her, how much I loved her. Because I loved my family too and she had just shut down, when we needed her most, she wasn't there. And now she wanted to know what was going on? Fourteen years after the time that we really needed her? That was bullshit.

"What have you missed? Let's see. The girls found their mates, Sabbath, Michael and Caleb. They're perfect for each other and they're damn well lucky they have each other, because the one they all depended on just fucking left when they needed you most. Anna doesn't trust anyone, she's a damn mess. Madi doubts herself, she can't do anything now. If it weren't for Sabbath she's be dead by now. And Paige? She's human now, because she saved your ass and she's dying. My family left me because they said that I needed to be there for you, for my MATE and you never even fucking saw me! You were too busy wallowing in your own self-pity to notice that everyone was hurting, not just you. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED ISABELLA!?" I was screaming at her, and the pain was back in her eyes but I didn't care, this needed to get through to her.

"Jacob died, Edward. My Jacob, I loved him." She looked down.

"I know you loved him. I let you choose him over me, because I loved you that fucking much that I let you go for what you wanted. And I waited, I waited in the sidelines for you to realise what you already knew. You know I'm your fucking mate Isabella, you fucking know! But you were so stubborn. Even when Jacob brought you to meet his wife, his very pregnant wife, you chose him. You always chose him, every fucking time, do you know how much that hurt? So yes, I fucking know you loved him and I know he's dead." I slammed my hands on the table and looked up at her.

She looked straight through me, again. I growled and pinned her against the wall, my hand at her throat and the chair laying broken on the ground.

"LISTEN TO ME! Jacob's dead. Get over it. You sat for fourteen fucking years looking straight through us while we kept you alive. You've made it pretty damn clear that you don't care about me but I fucking love you Isabella, so you listen. Your sisters miss you, so fucking much. Two of them are dying, because of you. The other is losing herself. That girl in there is the last part of Jacob there is, and I got her for you. So you could remember the man you loved. And now, you need to get the fuck over yourself and go save you sisters, like they did for you fourteen years ago." I dropped her, watching her slide down to the ground.

"Edward?" The voice was tiny and fragile.

I turned to see Paige staring at me questionably. She was twenty-six now, having been turned when she was twelve and she had changed so much. She hadn't gotten any taller but she had the body of a woman now, and she was so frail. Her skin a sickly white clinging to her bones, making the blue swirls and patterns that covered her skin stand out. Her hair was dry, hanging down her back and her dark eyes were sunken. Not far behind her was Michael, his arms around her waist protectively. His blue eyes flashed to Bella, lying on the ground and back to me. I walked forward, kissing Paige on the forehead.

"Happy Birthday Paigeey." And then I left.

I wasn't too surprised to find Anna and Madi standing on the other side of the door, waiting for me. They were both beautiful girls, all of them were. Anna, taller than me, with her blue eyes and golden hair. And Madi with her blue eyes and her crazy rainbow streaked hair, with sparkles. You couldn't forget the sparkles. They both smiled at me, touching my arms softly before moving into the dining room. I briefly wondered where their mates were as I made my way to little Isabella's room. She looked up at me as the door closed behind me.

"Edward, I was wondering where you were." She smiled at me.

I couldn't help but smile back, she had an easy smile, and it was beautiful. She was so strong.

"Thank you." She said softly.

I looked up at her, not realising I had been staring at the ground.

"For what?" I asked.

"For saving me." She replied.

I shrugged and moved to sit at the edge of the bed. There was silence for a couple of minutes before she spoke again.

"Edward, that night, you said I was going to save her. Can I ask you something about that?" She asked.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Did you mean that I was to save Bella, or that I was to save you?" Her voice was soft, her eyes searching mine.

"I don't know who I'm trying to save anymore. I just don't know." I sighed.

….….. .Continued….

Okay so that one was just a filler. Your thoughts so far? You can tell me in reviews. (;
Thanks again to my amazing beta SparklyWarlock, and to those who are still with me. I love you all, and you can return my love in reviews….. Until next time. (:

Mwaah! xox.

~Ashleey Grey.