I was going to wait a week or so to post this, figuring everyone was reading Breaking Dawn but I decided why not? Most of you are probably done by now.

I was really disappointed by the book. There were some really great parts and then some wtf? parts. All I could say at the end was, "What happened?" If any of you have finished reading it and want to discuss, PM me. Thank God we have 3 books to work with- I'm ignoring the 4th.

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Thanks for the reviews- keep them up. They help me a lot.

I tried to clear my throat to speak but I couldn't.

I looked up at the vampires who stood staring at me. Emmett's mouth was open in shock. Jasper eyed me pitifully and Alice was sobbing. Esme held onto Carlisle for support and stared at me like I was a ghost. Carlisle's face was calm and serene, but I could detect a hidden layer of surprise. I let my eyes skim over to Rosalie who looked angry. She probably blamed this all on me. I didn't fault her for that.

I finally let myself look at him.

Edward stood back behind his family members, gaping at the sight of me. I couldn't blame him; I knew I looked a mess. The blood that now flew freely from my face must have been painful for him to ignore. The tortured expression on his face told me it was. He still looked as beautiful as the first day I saw him.

I swallowed and looked away.

"Bella?" Alice whispered, kneeling down so that her face was level with mine. "Bella, please talk to us!"

I couldn't look at her. I knew I was being immature but I couldn't help it. I wanted nothing more than to jump up and throw my arms around her, around all of them, but I couldn't. I wasn't even sure if they were really here. What if this all was one sweet dream amongst a terrible nightmare? Didn't the Cullen family occupy all of my dreams?

Those thoughts were crushed immediately when Paul walked in and I remembered this was all too real. He eyed the family curiously and even grinned. Edward growled, likely reading his thoughts.

I decided to focus my attention on the blood-stained floor.

"Carlisle!" Aro called out, running over with enthusiasm. "I'm so pleased you could join us!"

"The pleasure is all mine," Carlisle responded dryly.

"Aren't you all pleased to see Bella?" Aro asked pleasantly. I looked up at him and was immediately sucked into his probing eyes.

"Surely there was a better way of bringing her here," Carlisle said softly.

"Hmm,yes," Aro said distractedly.

He walked over to me and slowly brought his pale hands to my face. Gently, he stroked the blood. For some reason, I didn't even flinch. I heard some growls from the Cullens but I ignored it. In a swift motion, he brought his fingers to his mouth and tasted my blood.

Edward flew over and stood next to me.

"Get away from her," he snarled. The danger in his voice made me shiver.

"Relax," Aro smiled, "I'm not going to harm the human."

"Yet," added one member of the trio from across the room.

"Won't you all sit down?" Aro asked, pointing to chairs that had mysteriously appeared.

The family reluctantly sat down, each set of eyes focused on me.

"I suppose you'd all like some alone time. I'll just go speak with my brothers for the time being." Aro politely bowed and left us.

"Bella," Carlisle called firmly. I looked over at him and met his eyes. "How did this happen?"

I licked my bloody lips and caught Jasper's wistful expression. I said nothing.

"Bella!" Alice pleaded. Edward leant over and whispered something in her ear too softly and quickly for me to hear. She pouted and crossed her arms but cast a pleading look in my direction anyway.

I stared back at her. Words would not formulate in my mind.

"Shall I be your spokesperson, Isabella?" a voice purred. I looked up to see Paul's smirking face.

His eyes flashed and suddenly words came to my tongue.

"I'd rather be dead than have you speak for me."

I heard Emmett chuckle quietly. Alice gasped and Edward groaned.

Paul knelt down and moved his face close to mine. I saw Alice place a restraining hand on Edward's shoulder out of the corner of my eye.

"You know, Isabella… that could be arranged."

I laughed mirthlessly. The sound surprised me and seemed to even shock the Cullens. "You don't scare me."

He moved his face even closer. His eyes were just a few inches away. I thought I could almost make out flickers of fire in them. "Are you positive about that?"

Edward hunched forward in his seat but Carlisle spun his head to cast him a forbidding look.

Paul stood and looked over at Edward. "Trying to defend her now, Edward? How sweet. It's a little too late for that, however." Edward growled but said nothing. I could feel his eyes on me but I refused to meet them. Paul sighed and stretched. "You all should have seen what a pathetic corpse Isabella's been all these months. She looks bad now but, believe it or not, it's an improvement. She's been dead all these months. Dead. Would you like to see some images, Edward?"

Edward shot up and nearly leapt over to Paul but stopped in his tracks. Alice was telling him something in her mind, clearly, and so he reluctantly sat down. His eyes flicked over at me again but I quickly looked away.

"Your sister is wise, Edward." Paul looked down at me and smiled. I resisted the urge to cringe. "Where were we? Ah, yes. We were talking about your pathetic existence. Should we tell them how you could barely say their names?"

I refused to look away from his eyes that burned into mine. "You can tell them if you like. You're still not scaring me."

I thought I heard Rosalie chuckle but I couldn't be sure.

"Yes, Isabella, you should keep up the brave front. It's very admirable. But I know that deep down, you're terrified."

I smiled sweetly at him. "You can ask Jasper my emotions. I think you'll find that you're wrong."

I saw Carlisle fight a smile.

Without warning, Paul's hard fist smacked into my cheek bone. I flew off the chair and skidded into the wall. I heard shouts but I ignored them and somehow regained my footing on my own.

I saw Edward battling Paul but he was distracted, constantly casting worried looks at me. I walked over calmly and crossed my arms. "Stop."

Surprisingly enough, they did. Emmett stoof to restrain Edward and pulled him back, away from Paul.

I looked at Edward directly for the first time. When my eyes met his, the familiar electrical jolts shot out from his body and tingled inside of mine. For a moment, I forgot entirely where I was and all that had happened. Luckily, I managed to regain control of my thoughts and ignore the delicious sensations.

"Sit down, Edward."

He opened his mouth to protest but I could tell he was too shocked to say anything.

"You're making things worse."

He looked hurt, then, and for a moment I felt a pang of remorse. I quickly told myself I didn't care. He'd hurt me immensely, hadn't he? And I was right; if he made a spectacle, things would only spiral out of control.

He sat down dejectedly and threw off Alice's comforting hand.

"Sit," Paul spat out, pointing at my vacated chair.

I looked down at it and back up at him. "No."

"Sit in the damn chair, Bella," Edward's velvet voice implored harshly. It was the first time he'd spoken. I ignored him.

"Ah," a voice sang, "we meet again."

I looked up to see Victoria smirking at the family. Growls erupted loudly from all of them but I ignored it and plopped down in the seat.

Victoria's eyes settled on me and somehow she managed to pool up enough hatred in them to nearly make me afraid. But I was past all emotions now; I was a numb, empty vessel. The Cullens had seen to that.

"Isabella," she cooed, "I heard you saying you weren't scared of Paul. Are you sure you aren't scared of me?"

I smiled back at her and grinned even wider when I noticed it startled her.

"What happened to her?" Emmett asked Carlisle under his breath.

"I've been asking her the same question," Paul laughed wickedly. "Apparently, you all did."

Edward moaned and put his head in his hands. For a moment, I nearly ran over to comfort him.

"Don't you have someplace else to be?" I asked Paul bitterly.

"Hmm, this is much more interesting."

I looked back at Carlisle and decided I could finally speak to him now. I had found my voice.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, desperately trying to take out any anger from my tone.

"We were summoned here," he explained. "It seems we've broken a law."

On cue, Aro hovered over to us.

"Hopefully you all are acquainted once again!" he laughed. He clapped his hands joyously and looked around the room. "Ah, so where shall I begin?"

He looked over at me and giggled. "We'll begin with you, Bella!"

Edward started to speak but Aro held out a palm. "You don't want to make things more difficult, do you, Edward?"

Aro didn't wait for a response. He held out his hand to me again and led me over to an elaborately decorated chair. He sat across from me. I was seated closely to Edward and I found myself trembling.

"Don't be frightened, child," Aro said in what I suspected was supposed to be a comforting tone.

"I'm not. I'm cold."

He laughed hysterically as though I'd said the funniest thing in the whole world. I could feel all of the Cullens' eyes on me but I did my best to keep mine on Aro.

"Now, can you please tell me how you came to know this family?"

I cleared my throat. "I went to school with them."

He nodded and motioned with his hands to continue.

"I became friends with them."

"Bella," he said in a disapproving tone, "please don't insult my intelligence."

"I followed them around curiously until I found out what they were. When they found out what I knew, they kept me around to keep me from talking."

I forced myself not to look surprised; I had no idea where the lie had come from. I heard Carlisle and Rosalie gasp. The others were too shocked to say anything. I hoped that Aro would take that as a surprise I admitted that rather than a surprise at my lie.

"Really?" Aro asked suspiciously. "And what about Edward? Victoria was under the impression you two were mates."

"She was wrong," I said simply, though the words burst open the hole in my chest. I had to focus on getting through this without getting anyone hurt. I couldn't allow myself to start hyperventilating.

"Hmm," he nodded. "But you said before Edward had stopped loving you. Surely there was something between the two of you."

I heard a strangled sound come from his chest but I didn't dare look over.

I swallowed and forced my heart to stop beating so loudly. "I was a passing amusement. A distraction. Nothing more."

"Bella," Edward moaned, "I-"

I snapped my head at him. The intensity in my eyes silenced him; he closed his mouth but still continued to stare at me pitifully.

Slowly, I brought my eyes back to Aro. "He still feels guilty about it but that doesn't mean anything."

"Bella, one of my brothers has the ability to sense the power of relationships. He told me that the love you and Edward share is unbelievably potent. You're either lying or you're gravely mistaken."

"The love must be entirely on my side, then," I protested calmly. I could see by the spark in his eyes that he was beginning to believe me. "I love him with my entire existence."

Aro watched me for a few moments, seemingly fascinated by me. Finally, he said, "You're amazing, Bella. I've never seen anything like it. You're faced with death because of vampires that deserted you, leaving you unprotected, and yet here you sit, defending them."

"I'm not defending them," I replied flatly. "I'm just telling the truth."

The truth was, I had no idea why I was defending them. Maybe I just wanted to finally die and be rid of all the emotions that floored me on a daily basis. Maybe it was because I still loved Edward. Maybe it was because I still loved all of them, even Rosalie. They had been my family, my friends. I couldn't let them die because I'd wiggled my way into their world. I'd rather sacrifice myself.

He nodded and stood. "I'll return shortly."

He went over to his brothers and whispered to them. They all looked over at me and then exited the room. Paul and Victoria followed them. We were left with just one vampire who was guarding over us suspiciously.

I said nothing. I looked down at my bruised and cut hands, wondering how all of these vampires were able to resist attacking me. I was bleeding all over the place.

"We need to speak with you, Bella," Carlisle began. "What you are doing is very noble but-"

"It's not noble. It's the truth."

"No it isn't," Edward cried out. "It isn't at all." He turned to Carlisle. "Carlisle, please. We have to figure out a way to save her."

I looked up and saw Carlisle's expression. It was full of pity and sadness. He looked over at me and his ancient eyes told me all I needed to know. No matter what, I was going to die. There was no way out.

"I saw their thoughts, Carlisle. They want her. They don't plan on waiting for very long."

"There's nothing we can do," Carlisle responded quietly.

"I'll be damned if I risk my life for some little-"

Edward spun around and glared at Rosalie. "Don't even say it or I'll make you regret the words forever!"

She shut her mouth but glared angrily over at me. I refused to look away from her; for the first time since I'd met her, I refused to let her make me feel small. She looked surprised but didn't lessen the hatred that was clearly written on her face.

"I don't blame you for hating me," I told Rosalie. My voice sounded sad, even to my own ears. "I've put you all in danger from the very first second I met you. Most of all you," I turned to Edward. "Especially you." He opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it.

I looked back at Rosalie and smiled ruefully. "You never wanted to be a part of all this and I understand. I've threatened your family enough. But for the remainder of my life, which clearly shouldn't be long now, do you think that you could keep your thoughts and words to yourself?"

Her eyes widened with shock. I nearly smiled; I finally put Rosalie in her place.