Chapter 8

Edward had Carlisle by the throat. Growling and hissing, he was in such a blind rage. With his onyx eyes, we were all alarmed. No one had ever seen Edward behave in such a manner, especially towards his own father.

Carlisle was attempting to keep Edward at arms length but was barely succeeding.

"Edward! What are you doing?" I screamed. Emmett and Jasper ran to pull Edward off but Edward's hand was firmly attached to Carlisle's throat, bringing them both crashing into the opposing wall. Looking Edward in his eyes, I try to reason with him.

"Edward, calm down. Carlisle is doing anything he shouldn't or that I don't want him to. Now, you made your choice and so did I."

Finally fed up, Carlisle quits holding back and throws Edward off of him. Falling into what used to be the family table, Edward wastes no time getting back up. Now both Carlisle and Edward are snarling ferociously at each other.

I feel Jasper's empathy finally taking its effect on everyone in the room. Edward straightens out and takes a few breaths, trying to check his temper.

"I'm sorry Carlisle. I just lost it seeing my girlfriend with you." Edward spoke possessively. Tilting my head, I can't believe what I heard him say.

"Excuse me, girlfriend?" I question. Walking closer I try to wrap my mind around what was going on actually. Edward gripped my shoulders gently and stared intently into my eyes. Turns out he still has the same effect on me after everything he put me through.

"If you'll take me back Bella. I was a fool to think I didn't need you, you're my essence Bella. Please forgive me, I know you love me just like I love you." His words were set afire with passion and what felt like honesty.

What was I supposed to say? Of course I love him, Edward was my first love. I put all of me in that relationship and it meant everything to me. This is what I dreamed of, Edward running back to me and telling me it was all one big misunderstanding. I dreamed of him holding me, of our perfect fairytale reunion. And this was supposed to be it, yet nothing felt right. It was like substitute sugar instead of pure cane.

But that was in the past, and Carlisle is my present and my future. Breaking his strong gaze, I turn to Carlisle. I can tell he is pained right now. Everyone is surely expecting me to melt into Edward's warm embrace and Carlisle has never looked so defeated. A sad sigh escapes his throat as he prepares to look at me one final time. Our eyes meet and I smile reassuringly at him before reaching for Edward's arms around me.

"I don't understand this Edward. You were so sure and dead set on not being with me. And the moment you find me with Carlisle, you want me back? Well, Carlisle wasn't some rebound for me. Far from it, and I'm glad now that you broke up with me. If you didn't I would never have found out how much I really loved him. I'm sorry Edward but you can't have everything and you can't have me." I stood next to Carlisle and felt his hand wrap around my waist. Edward just stood there looking completely crushed. Looking like a mirror image of myself when he left me.

"Son, we shouldn't fight. At the end of the day, we're all still family. A family that I'd like to believe still loves one another. I hope that in time you can accept Bella and I together." Leave it to Carlisle to try and mend fences. Especially with one who just tried to kill him practically.

"I don't know when I'll be able to accept it, but I owe everyone here to at least try. And I'm sorry for what I did to you Bella, for being so cruel." Edward's face was still downcast. The feelings I still had for him, though not the same love that I once harbored, rushed to the surface and I couldn't bare seeing him in such pain.

"Edward, I hate seeing you like this. I'd really like it if we could be friends one day." I was debating on whether I should hug him, but that would most likely give him the wrong idea.

"Yeah, I'd like that too Bella." A small, sad smile crept on his face. "I'm just going to be upstairs listening to music if anyone needs me."

The following days and weeks followed a routine. Edward's depression was felt by all but there was little that could be done about it. Eventually he learned how to cope with it and while I can't say he grew happy, he became content. We finally were able to be friends, and he was even going to be the best man at Carlisle and I's wedding. It looked like time did heal all wounds as best as possible.

((AN: FINISHED! I know this was a horrible end. HORRIBLE! I'm just so uninspired to write it anymore. The story sounded better in my mind that when I actually started writing it. Review if you want, not that this chapter was review-worthy. :( Well….till next time, 3 SweetXSacrifice!))