A/N: Sorry, again, guys! You know the drill . . . no excuses *bows her head in shame* . . . I've been working on a new story and trying to overcome intense writer's block with this one! I'm really sorry, I'll be better! I just dread the day when I have no new chapters to put up! Let's hope I get back in the . . . . groove, so to speak. Thanks for stickin' with me! Xoxoxoxoxo!

We ran for about four minutes, until we reached the cozy cottage. I knelt on the floor and shook violently for a few moments, and then I was able to gain some control over my body.

"I'm so sorry," I gasped. Alice smiled.

"I'm so proud of you, Bree!" she said, giving me a hug. Jasper nodded in agreement.

"I've never seen a newborn retain control for so long. That was really impressive." I smiled, an apology still in my eyes.

"Don't be sorry. We'll be back in a couple of hours to get you. Until then, feel free to entertain yourself," Alice said, motioning to an enormous, plasma screen tv against one wall. I thanked them as they stepped out and watched as they ran.

I could not believe I had done it. It seemed unreal. Two months of vigorous training really did pay off.

I scanned the DVD collection against one wall and chose some satirical comedy that I only partly paid attention to. I was still amazed by my own performance at the wedding, and I was surprised when the movie ended some time later; I had nearly forgotten it was still running.

I was just about to take it out and put it away when there was a loud knock on the door.

"Hello? Anybody in there?" someone asked. It was a man, most likely in his fifties. I had no sooner heard his voice than I smelled him. I doubled over and fell to my hands and knees, trying to remember what I had been taught. It was too hard. The smell was overwhelming. I could hear his wet, juicy heart, beating rhythmically on the other side of the door.

I began shaking furiously as I resisted the urge. It began to cause me intense physical pain, and I had to keep from screaming in case the man tried to come in.

"Hello?" he called again. I fell to the ground on my side, writhing and shaking in agony.

"Just leave," I moaned quietly, too soft for him to hear. I began tearing up the wooden floor with my fingernails, and tried to control my thoughts. It was too powerful.

I turned over and leaped up onto my feet, into a crouch. I leapt over and broke down the door, landing on the man. Then, I tossed the door to the side and gazed unforgivingly on his abhorred face.

"BREE!" I could hear Jasper calling from the trees. I pretended not to hear him. I crouched down again and let a low growl rip from my throat. Before I knew it, Jasper's arms were around my body, a sense of sudden calm about me. However, I still wanted the man's blood. I struggled against him as he carried me away.

I finally came to my senses a couple miles later.

"What did I do?" I whispered to myself. Jasper said nothing. All of a sudden, Alice met us from behind. "I didn't know you were here," I commented. She, too, said nothing. We ran in silence until we reached the house, and the entire family was sitting in the front room.

The smell of humans still lingered, but I knew it was useless to look for them. They had left for home hours ago. Esme was sitting on the couch, looking restless and uneasy, with Carlisle standing next to her, his arms crossed sternly. Rosalie and Emmett were standing a distance behind them.

I was set down in front of the jury of vampires, and Alice and Jasper walked over to stand by the other wall. Nothing was said for a long while.

"I'm very sorry," I said sincerely. I don't know that I had ever been so sorry in my life (human and vampire). Rosalie looked disbelieving.

"You put this entire family in danger tonight, Bree!" she exclaimed, her words cutting into me like knives.

"Rosalie, it's a wonder she didn't kill that man," Esme said in my defense. I had never been so grateful to her in my life.

"She could have exposed us!" Rosalie cried, gesturing at me with her hand. Emmett held her other arm and glanced at Jasper anxiously, no doubt wondering if he was doing anything to change the tense mood in the room.

"Trial-and-error, Rose," Carlisle told her. "Now she knows. It'll not happen again, I assume?" he asked. I could only frantically shake my head. "We'll continue to work with her. We're not about to give up. You can't deny that she has been making progress no one ever expected." The room sat in silence again. I silently thanked all of them and made a silent vow to never attack any human being, ever.

A/N: A longer chapter for y'all this time . . . I figured I owed you! Hopefully I'll have some free time to post the next one in the next couple of days! Thanks again for hanging in there. ~Munkin93