Chapter 4

The endless beep from the ECG was shouting at me, telling me he was gone. This can't happen now, he can't be dead.

Could I perform CPR? Call a nurse and try to bring him back. I placed my hands over his heart and started to press. 1..2..3..4..5…

I only needed his heart to start beating, just to keep pumping…

6..7..8..9..10..

I looked up to the machine. His body didn't have it's own control yet.

There was another thing I could do. Something that quickly crossed my mind but would mean he would be alive. Just one bite. But would it be possible?

My hand kept pounding on his heart, to try and bring him back. I heard a rib crack beneath the skin. I slowly bent down, considering my options, when a firm hand clamped against my shoulder. I turned around to see the face that I least expected, but wanted in this time of need.

Edward looked deep into my eyes, his face reflected the pain I felt that moment. I moved quickly into his arms and let him hold me in his embrace. His hands moved and wrapped it around me, holding me in hug. I buried my face into his chest and kept on sobbing. He lent his head down and kissed my hair. My arms wrapped around his waist, and held him tighter. My legs collapsed beneath me, but Edward held me up. He slowly sunk to the floor and cradled me.

"It wouldn't have been possible," he said and I looked up to him, "for him to become one of us. I'm so sorry Bella."

"I just want to go home." I whispered. Edward rubbed his arm up and down my back and answered, "Ok, let's go home." He helped me up and led me to the door. But I pulled away.

"Let me just have one more minute." He nodded and walked out the door. I walked back towards to Charlie's corpse. I placed my hand on his head, then brushed his eyes closed. I gently pulled the cover over his head. "Sleep well dad." I looked up to the table next to him and looked at a photo of me and him when I had came to live with him in Forks. I reached to the photo and held it to my chest. I turned and left.

Edward drove us home. I sat there silently, my head rested on the chair, staring aimlessly out of the window, watching the trees fly past us. Edward sat there totally focused on the road. "How are you feeling?" He asked me. In ways I guess he was fortunate he wasn't there when his parents died, wasn't at their side when they passed.

I was to sad to speak, so instead I lifted my hand and reached towards his face, then concentrated. It seemed easy now to let my shield out. Let Edward know what I was feeling. I thought about Charlie and his final words. I heard Edward let out a quiet sob. I had never really seen this side to him. But he had known Charlie personally as well, he was his father-in-law. I took my hand off his face.

"I'm so sorry Bella. I was trying to be strong for you." I turned my body to face him, feeling quite harsh on making him see that. "Erm...Bella, the others, they don't know about Charlie, Alice has set up a surprise party for you, for your birthday."

"It's alright Hun," I turned back around to stare outside the window. "You never know, it might brighten up my mood."

The journey took less than 10 minutes from there. I stepped out the door, and effortlessly closed it and walked at human pace towards the door. Edward walked beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist. "Don't say anything Edward, not yet, I'll put on my best face, I just don't want Nessie to-"

"I understand." He lent down and kissed my cheek, and we opened the front door. We stood there waiting. The lights were off. Alice.

"Surprise!" The lights beamed on and everyone jumped out from secret hiding places from around the room. I laughed at the effort Alice had made for a party. 3 balloons were tied to a chair, next to a table with a birthday cake with 58 candles squeezed on. "Alice the cake…"

"The cake is for me." Jacob interrupted, a rumble growled from his stomach. Nessie hugged him and he bent down and kissed her. Edward let out a cough and they smiled and stopped.

"So are we gonna sing to the birthday girl?" Emmett came out from the couch and jumped on the seat. "I would have if it would have made her blush" He started laughing to himself.

"You say that every year, she'll get tired of it some time." Alice said, then turned towards me, "So, can we?"

"No," I begged, "no singing please, the balloons were perfect enough for me thanks." Alice looked disappointed, then looked into my eyes. "My God Bella, your eyes are so black, did you go hunting when you were gone?" I went to say no, then winced at remembering why I had stopped. I saw Edward nod behind me. I looked at him facing Carlisle. He hung his head and shut his eyes. It was quite obvious what he had asked. I ignored the thought and looked around, "well at least you didn't get me any presents." I smiled and saw Edward smile back.

"That's not completely true," Alice grinned. "I decided to do your closet again. But it's for future fashion styles as well." She tapped her head.

"Well Bella, what do you want to do?" Carlisle lifted his head and looked at me.

"If it's alright, I just want to go to our house, if that's alright. I'll blow out the candles first though." I smiled to Alice and she clapped her hands. Carlisle nodded once, understanding my needs.

I blew out the candles, with a large cheer erupting from behind me. I gave the cake to Jacob who dug into it without haste, Nessie feeding a piece into his mouth, and Jacob doing the same to her. I smiled at the two of them, happy that they were happy. I didn't have to bring someone's death on her now. I looked away from them to Edward standing by the back door. "Shall we?" He placed his hand out, and I placed mine in his and we left. Running through the forest, the wind blowing against our faces. We reached our little home. Esme had probably renovated more than a dozen houses for Edward and I to have for ourselves. I reached the door first and entered, heading to the mantelpiece above the fireplace we had.

"So is there anything you want to do birthday girl?" Edward hinted. I stood by the fireplace, and pulled out a picture frame from my bag, and placed it onto the mantelpiece. My fingers brushed lightly over the memorable face. "Not tonight, I just need someone to comfort me." I looked to the photo and started to sob again. Edward appeared behind me and hugged me. He lifted me up and carried me to our room, my head buried in his chest. He laid me on the bed and I curled up. He lay next to me, and wrapped his arm around me. I concentrated and let my shield out. "I don't want you hear this…but…" I turned around and Edward kissed me lightly on my lips, then pulled away and hugged me.

I carried on crying. It was going to be a long night.