Author's note: Warning - extreme angst, drama, and viciousness ahead. But I promise things won't stay that way forever. Still, any great reward is worth the pain the journey may bring.

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~Edward,~ came the whisper-soft words in his mind. He opened his eyes and was startled to see Caralla at the foot of the bed.

~Holy - I didn't hear you come in!~ he thought, shock coloring his tone. She smiled wearily.

~I seem to be getting that a lot lately.~ She moved to stand on Bella's other side, reaching out to gently caress the sleeping girl's hand. ~I came in to tell you that we're calling Carlisle back. I'll be going into his mind as I did Bella's, which will be easier as he's got no natural defenses, but harder because he'll be awake the entire time. I wanted to let you know that, no matter what happens, you are not to let Bella leave this bed. She's going to get very agitated. She may even say hurtful things, or try to fight you - ignore it all. Just keep her here.~

~When will it be safe?~ She looked him dead in the eye.

~Whenever your darling Bella no longer wants to kill you for restraining her.~ Her tone softened then. ~It's going to be fine, Edward. The damage isn't as bad as I feared it would be - it's actually a lot easier than I anticipated.~

~Which is, of course, why you look like hell,~ he thought wryly, his smile letting her know he meant no offense. ~I'd hate to see what you'd be like if it were severe.~ He watched, stunned, as she shuddered before straightening up.

~The last time I had to do this, it nearly killed me, the couple involved...and an entire family who had the misfortune to be in the same house. As it is, the man never recovered, and I was forced to - well, to hibernate and recover for the better part of a century. This is much easier.~ Leaving him reeling, she eschewed the stairs entirely and simply dropped off of the platform. A moment later he heard the click as the door shut, then the thunk as the bolt dropped into place. He curled himself back around his beloved.

"Come back to me, Bella," he murmured into her hair. "I love you. I need you. God, I miss you. Come back." He lay there with her and waited for the worst.

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They stood amongst the trees, waiting for him. Caralla found them easily, as they'd made no effort to hide. ~That's for the best. Then he won't be aware of anything but a welcoming party.~

"So we, what, just grab him?" Rosalie sounded almost perturbed, and Caralla chuckled to herself.

"Well, I'd like to say that we'll be able to talk to him, but I can't be definite. Certainly talking is our first option, but the closer he gets to the house the more his mind will drive him towards Bella, so by the time he arrives he may not be...well, the Carlisle we all know." She did laugh this time, causing all eyes to turn to her.

"Something funny?" asked Rose, a bit of acid in her voice.

"A little. I just thought how odd it was that Carlisle, of all people, would end up so deeply bonded that he'd lose control. You have to admit, the thought is...slightly odd." Grudgingly Rosalie conceded the point. After a moment, Esme's head snapped up, her eyes wide.

"He's on his way. He's almost here." She turned to Caralla, her eyes full of hope and worry. "It's going to be okay, right?" Caralla nodded, and the younger ones seemed to take some comfort from it. After a period of silence, Caralla stepped forward.

"Carlisle," she said slowly, careful not to move too quickly as he stepped towards them. She heard a tiny gasp from Alice and some muttering behind her as they took in his appearance. To anyone's sight, he looked the same as ever - a golden-haired beauty with compassionate eyes. But those eyes were wide now, the compassion equally balanced with a wildness that none of them had ever seen before. Caralla had, and she knew she didn't have much time.

"Caralla," he said, his voice a low rumble. "And you are here why?"

"To help you."

"And why do I need help?" She could sense his family wanting to say something, but she made a small gesture to keep them quiet.

"Because if I don't mute the turmoil in your mind, you will end up hurting someone." He laughed, the rich sound somewhat out of place and a little creepy, standing as they all were in the pitch-blackness of the forest.

"They're all immortal. I can't hurt them. And I never would - I love my family."

"But Bella's human!" came Alice's small voice, and everything stopped for a brief second. Caralla barely had time to gather herself, mentally cursing the pixie's big mouth.

"Grab him!" she yelled, watching in a bit of distracted fascination as he bolted past her and directly into the arms of his family.

"I have to get to Bella!" he snarled, snapping at Emmett. True to his nature, though, the big guy just dodged and grabbed Carlisle from behind, pinning his arms with help from Jasper. Rose, Esme, and Alice held his legs. "Caralla, you bitch!" he spat, causing more than one of the Cullens to gasp in shock. The vampire in question didn't even flinch.

"Come now, Carlisle, do you want to hurt her? Hurt the one you care so much for?" A brief flash of sanity returned, and he hung his head for a moment before raising his gaze to her.

"Do what you have to, Caralla - I won't be a party to anything that hurts Bella." As his lips formed her name, however, his eyes glazed over and he redoubled his struggles. Caralla walked forward calmly and leaned close, looking up into his face as she rested a hand on either temple before closing her own eyes.

"Hold him tight now. This may take a little while." And then, as they all watched in stunned confusion, her eyes reopened to focus on his. All trace of the red-gold in their depths was gone, leaving only a liquid obsidian that seemed to swirl and pulsate.

"What the hell?" gasped Rosalie in surprise. No one else commented, as she'd spoken for all of them. Instead, they concentrated on holding Carlisle and hoping for a happy ending.

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Bella leapt almost completely out of bed before Edward caught her, pulling her back to him. Her struggles weren't anything to contend with. In fact, he had to make sure he wasn't holding her tight enough to injure her. What was hardest to bear were the words she was muttering.

"Edward, let me go! I have to go to him - he needs me!" He said nothing, steeling himself against the pain he knew was coming. Somehow, he'd not doubted Caralla when she said it would be hard.

"Let me go, you sadistic bastard! You're hurting me!" Her voice was almost a whine, nearly convincing...were it not for the fact that he could feel the tension in her limbs, readying her to spring as soon as he relaxed his grip.

"Bella, love..." he began, but she cut him off.

"Love? If you loved me you'd let me go!"

"It's because I love you that I can't!" he retorted.

"But what if I don't love you? Let me go, Edward, or I swear I will hate you forever!" He closed his eyes, fighting the hurt, fighting the pain, until he'd pushed it all inside a corner of his soul he never knew he possessed. After a moment he was in complete control of himself. He turned her head until she was facing him, his voice quiet and firm.

"Hate me forever if you want, but I'd rather you hate me for loving you than love me for letting you die."