Chapter 16

Edward's POV

Thankfully I don't have a beating heart anymore, because right now it would have been racing.

I was nervous. I couldn't really understand why I felt like this, nervous with a mixture of excitement and longing. I wanted this. I wanted to do this, and Bella wanted it for me too. It was too late now to turn back. So why do I feel so unnerved about this?

It has been almost over ninety years since I last saw or spoke to my real, human parents. I have survived without them this long but that was only because until now I never had this opportunity to see them one last time. Now I had this uncontrollable and somewhat inconceivable urge to just be in their presence and embrace them one last time. To have a clear, un-pained memory of them.

It was unlike me to me taking such a huge risk. Bella was right, this was dangerous. I understood that this could go drastically wrong, but my craving made the pros somehow outweigh the cons.

I was completely still, still even for a vampire as Bella and I hid behind the kitchen door I had left purposely ajar.

I heard the thoughts of my mother and father upstairs. I had stupidly woken them up by making too much noise when breaking in through the window. My father was coming down the stairs to check what was going on. Their minds were breathtaking. They were happy. I was glad that, that was something I could take with me, that they loved each other and were content in their too short lives.

As my father continued down the stairs I decided to sweep through their minds again but suddenly I noticed something else, or should I say someone else. They were dreaming, obviously asleep.

My eyes widened when realisation struck.

It was me. I was reading my own mind. Well, the sixteen year old version of me. It was strange yet curious though all the while uncomfortable.

My attention was brought quickly back to my father as he passed the door. He entered the living room across the way. He was turned away from me so I had not seen his face yet. He was confused. He stepped forward and closed the window I had idiotically left open. Simultaneously, I heard my mother's thoughts on deciding to come downstairs.

I looked down to Bella, her attention was as fixated as mine on the scene that was playing out in front of us. I would have to find someway to thank her later to show how I truly appreciated the fact that she was here with me.

My mother passed the door, following my father into the living room. Thankfully she didn't notice Bella and I as she passed.

She was facing away from me as well. Why wouldn't they just turn around?! I wanted to run out there and speak to them though I knew that would be a completely idiotic thing to do. I ran the different scenarios through my head of what would happen if I did expose myself to them. I wish Alice was here she would know what would happen if I did. I wondered how they would react. Would they even recognise me?

My train of thought was interrupted as I noticed my mother's thoughts. She was concerned for my father. "Are you alright love? It wasn't a thief was it?" she asked him.

So that's where I got 'love' from. I had always wondered about that.

As my father began to reply I heard my sixteen year old self become restless upstairs- he was waking up. After the few seconds it takes every human to register their surroundings after being asleep, through his mind I saw him sit up and reach over to his bedside table, picking up and looking at a watch.

I remembered that watch. It was my most favourite one ever. It went missing the day I moved into the hospital. Of all the silly little things for me to remember. A slight smirk broke my face as I secretly laughed at myself.

Suddenly my smirk turned into a frown. Bella gasped.

Reflexively I placed my hand over her mouth to stop her from making any more noise. I quickly realised why she gasped. My mother had turned around.

She was facing us. Why had I not noticed quicker? Stupid watch…

I could see her face clearly. If I wasn't on such a high alert I probably would have gasped too. She was beautiful. Even more so than I could remember. I now had a clear image of her that I could keep with me for ever. Now if only my father would turn around so I could see his face too.

My wish was answered, though he turned quickly and looked at my mother. They were both anxious yet extremely suspicious. They had heard Bella gasp. They took a step towards us.

I was about to grab Bella an run when I heard movement on the stairs. My sixteen year old self was wondering what was going on down here at this late hour.

A slight panic began to set in. This had gone horribly wrong. I quickly scanned the room. I found a large window above the sink. With our speed we would make it out quickly, before they even saw us. I took my arm from Bella's waist and pulled on her arm gesturing for her to follow. It was like she didn't even register it.

She was frozen to her spot, but she was trembling. Her face even looked disorientated with her eyes wide. Was she growling?

"Bella, are you alright?" I asked with concern but too low for my human family to hear. She didn't respond. She wasn't paying any attention to me.

"Bella?" I repeated, this time a little louder. Still no response. I noticed her eyes where pitch black. Then I realised. I understood exactly what was wrong with her.

She was thirsty and by the looks of it very thirsty. I knew we should have gone hunting earlier when we had the chance. Though this didn't seem right, there must be something else going on. I've seen Bella thirsty a countless number of times and even when she was a few hours old newborn she didn't even act like this.

Her growls rumbled, deeper in her chest, erupting louder then ever before. As I went to wrap my arms around her and drag her out of here if that was necessary, she sprung from her from her position, literally ripping the door off its hinges and throwing it across the kitchen, smashing it into the stove with a loud crash.

I was slightly shocked at Bella's behaviour. Her self-control was always perfect, just as good, if not better then Carlisle's. I tried to restrain her but she was too fast for me.

My eyes widened as I realised she was headed towards my family. They were completely stunned, paralysed with fear. There thoughts screamed with confusion and fright though with no sound escaping from their lips.

"NO! Bella! Don't!!!" I yelled but it was of little use as she continued toward my family who were huddled together, my father with is arms wrapped protectively around my mother.

Everything was happening so quickly.

I jumped in front of Bella, directly in her path. I knew I probably wouldn't have been able to catch her so I crouched down, protectively instead. Ready to pounce on her if necessary.

She rammed into me, the force of our impact sent me flying across the room. I smashed into the upright piano, breaking it literally into pieces. I groaned as memories of my father teaching me my first notes on this piano came flooding back to me.

Bella was frozen in the middle of the room, her eyes shifting from me picking myself up from the rubble on the floor to my sixteen year old self. She looked at me in concern. She was worried.

At a time like this, I wish she had her shield down so I could know what was going on in her head. It was like she was fighting over herself as to whether or not she should come over to me or continue towards my family.

She growled while inhaling and sniffing the air around her. She turned her head towards my whimpering family, staring intently at my human self. She tilted her head slightly sideways and a devilish smile starched across her face. This was not my Bella. A pang of guilt re-engulfed my system. I was all my fault that she was like this. A monster. I still blamed myself everyday. Though I wanted nothing more then to spend eternity with her, I never ever wanted her to have to go through this.

She began to run towards them and I ran as fast as I could to try and stop her again.

Abruptly and somewhat unexpectedly, she stopped. She was a step away from the human me. I stopped directly behind her, observing every detail of her actions. Oh, how I wish she would let her shield down.

I was cautious, ready to take action at any second.

Bella stepped even closer to my human self. He was quivering and breathing heavily as Bella buried her head in his chest inhaling. Her nose then trailed up his neck before stopping just below his right ear, absorbing every bit of his scent she could.

Suddenly her expression changed and her mouth stretched open to reveal all her sharp teeth. She was about to clamp down on his neck.

I realised quick enough what she was about to do so I pulled myself in-between them. Pushing my human self out of the way. I accidentally knocked him to the floor and hoped that I didn't hurt him. I felt a strange sensation when I touched him. Though it was brief it felt like an electric shock, but not like the way it feels when I touch Bella. This was different, uncomfortable, painful even.

I quickly swerved, grabbing Bella. I wrapped my arms tightly around her as she squirmed under my grip, kicking and screaming. Begging. Trying to break free from my hold. I pulled her arms behind her back as if she was about to be handcuffed while I turned her to face me.

Suddenly she went limp in my arms. She began dry sobbing into my chest.

"I'm so sorry Edward. I couldn't help it," she cried.

"Shush, its okay. I've got you," I whispered into her hair as I rested my head on top of hers. I freed one of my hands that I was using to hold her down and instead of grasping her I began rubbing soothing circles into her back trying to calm her down.

All of a sudden a cacophony of screams and people running came from outside.

The attention from my family that was on Bella and I was deviated. Their stares left us.

Their faces were incredulous. Their thoughts full of confusion mixed with pure unadulterated fear.

I followed the direction of their gaze. They were focused on the spot Bella, my human self and I once stood only a few moments ago.

My eyes widened.

What had we done?…