.A/N: THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TOTALLY AWESOME REVIEWS!!! THEY MAKE ME SQUEAL!!!!

I have the worst cold in the history of bad colds. I can barely concentrate but I have to write this chappy. It's giving me a headache and since I already have one, so I have to get it out of my poor head.

I had to give you EPOV of the last BPOV. I just had to. You could skip it if you want, but I felt that it had to be written.

Hope you like it. Enjoy!

Recap:

He stared at me for a moment then sighed. "Fine, I'll drag him away if I have to"

I nodded, took a deep breath and let go of his hand. Setting him free to go get Carlisle, "Thank you, Damien"

5. Hopes and Apologies

"I never meant to bring you to my world
Now, you sitting in the corner crying
And now it's my fault my fault

Stop crying I don't hate you.

The worlds not against you

I'm sorry"

EPOV

I sat with my head bowed and my fingers fidgeting as I heard her laugh. I lifted my eyes a bit to see her smile. Her laugh filled my ears, and her smile just carved itself in my inner skull. I smiled a little sad smile, happy to see her that way and sad to know that I didn't deserve to hear her laugh or see her smile. I started to like this Damien for treating Bella like she should be treated.

I listened to their conversations, just happy to hear her voice, even though it was raspy. I figured it was from the screaming and I cringed.

I watched her intently when I noticed the change in her heart's rate and breathing. I furrowed my eyebrows and felt myself lean involuntary towards her window.

When she whispered, "C……Could you get me……C…Carlisle?" My mind jumped to the worst. Was she in pain? Did she need more medical care? Was she going to have another seizure? Should I call Carlisle now?

Thankfully Damien summed what was roaming in my head and asked her.

When she told him that she needed to apologize I felt my jaw drop. Apologize? For what? Who should be apologizing to who?

After all, all she knew was that we all left her, she had no idea that I was the one who forced my family to leave. She thought it was our decision not just mine. So shouldn't she be expecting apology from our side?

"No, I do. I must have hurt him. A…and he's a…always been n…nice to me. Not…to mention that I can't treat his family that way"

I gulped. She still loved Carlisle enough to care for his pain. And she wanted to do this for both him and………me………

I closed my eyes, trying to will time to take me back to the moment of my mistake.

"Bella…you know…… I could always get him for you……see what his problem is…." I heard Damien tell her quietly. I opened my eyes and stared at him. Was he really offering her that? Weren't they in love? Or did I misread the signs? I stared at his face and it only proved the sincerity of his words. He really meant them. And for one fleeting moment I wished for her approval. I needed someone to drag me to her. I was too much of a coward to go face her pain on my own. And maybe if I talked to him, he would understand.

I waited impatiently for her answer, but then I saw the flash of pain and anger that flashed in her eyes.

"No! What do you think I want from him? His pity? His sorrow? His regret? No Damien. Of course, I do wish for him to love me again, but he doesn't and I'll just have to deal with that. Don't you ever think that way again. He's gone forever. Even for my heart" I paled and flinched back from the severity of her voice.

Even for my heart. Even for my heart. Even for my heart. Her words repeated themselves in my head.

She doesn't love me anymore. She doesn't love me anymore. I killed her love. Just like I killed my heart. I felt my knees weaken and my hands shaking.

Suddenly I was falling. I wasn't strong enough to hold on to the branch. I wasn't even strong enough to hold myself up as I hit the floor. Once she was cut from my view I allowed my sobs to break free as I shook violently. She's gone. Her love is gone. Her warmth is gone. Everything's gone.

"Are you happy now?!!" I shouted at myself, feeling insane.

Sighs. Sure, even for her heart! Pathetic! The lie in that rings like a stupid school bell.. I heard Damien's mental sarcasm, and I looked up at the window.

"Lie?" I whispered in a small voice. Could there actually be hope that I haven't lost everything? That I haven't lost …her? Was I mistaken? Or was he?

And I couldn't care less. I allowed myself to cling to the only hope I had for now. Praying that Damien was right and I was wrong. I prayed that he would knew her enough to tell if that was a lie.

I sat there just staring up at her window, helplessly. Clinging to the only hope I had, and trying not to think of how it would affect me if that was a false hope. I'd die.

I heard as he calmed her, and how she told him that she didn't want Carlisle to be aware of her……situation. I heard her plead with Damien to save Carlisle from watching the scene of her seizure. I didn't understand why, but I pursed my lips. Should Carlisle be kept in the dark when it came to something this……significant? I decided to think it through. Maybe I'd end up telling Carlisle myself.

When I heard Damien's footsteps departing the room to fetch Carlisle, I pushed myself up on my still shaking legs. I had to see her while she talked to Carlisle. Watch her expressions carefully.

I swiftly climbed the tree again and sat in the same spot. I watched her as she struggled to regulate her breathing. She looked so weak. So small. So fragile.

Damien came back in, he quickly to his place beside Bella. He took her hand again and tried to soothe her.

"He's coming" he told her quietly. She just nodded and leaned her head back against the headboard, releasing a small shaky sigh. I considered calling Carlisle and telling him not to come, to save her all the trouble but then I quickly pushed that thought away. She would feel rejected if Carlisle didn't come. And that would only be proving to her that she didn't matter to us anymore. I didn't want that vile thought in her head. So I just waited.

A faint knock on the door made her head snap away from the headboard.

"Come in" She whispered.

The door opened slowly and Carlisle appeared. He looked calm and serene.

Then he caught the scent before he entered.

Vampire scent? He questioned in confusion. He entered the room and looked in the direction of Bella's bed. His eyes fell on Damien first and he furrowed his eyebrows. He kept staring at him for a few minutes before remembering that Bella was there. He averted his gaze and met her fear struck eyes. I now knew better than to think it was fear of Carlisle.

"You're really here" She whispered slowly, mostly to herself. Her eyes wide.

Carlisle gave her a calm smile, "Hello Bella. It's nice to see you again" he told her sincerely. He thought about extending his hand to shake hers but he decided against. Not wanting to scare her away. Damien just sat there watching the scene.

"Carlisle…" She whispered, she looked like who was in a trance. It was clear that she hasn't said his name in a while. She was trying to prove to herself that he was here. I swallowed loudly.

"Yes Bella, I am here" He told her slowly, looking into her eyes intently. Willing her to believe.

And she looked so much like a child who was given back the toy her mom had forbade her from having. She slowly extended her small weak hand to Carlisle. Her left hand. Meaning, she didn't want to shake his hand. No, she wanted to hold it.

Carlisle walked to her slowly, not wanting to frighten her. He slowly reached out his hand and took hers in his.

"I missed you" she whispered, her eyes never leaving him.

He smiled and put his other hand over theirs. "I've missed you too……my daughter" He told her kindly.

"Daughter" She whispered and closed her eyes. I smiled sadly at the simple but touching reunion. How did I ever manage to take away Carlisle from her? He was like a father to her. And she was like a daughter to him. How did I ever separate those two?

"How are you?" Carlisle whispered to her. And we all knew that the real question was 'How are you coping?' .

She got the meaning and opened her eyes with a small sad smile, "I'm alive" she said simply. I winced.

"I'm sorry Carlisle. I didn't mean to treat you…you know…I would never…" She struggled for words but Carlisle just squeezed her hand and said,

"You don't need to apologize Bella. I understand" He told her quietly. She smiled at him, and it was a little more than a sad smile.

I leaned my head against the hard branch and watched this heart felting scene. A reunion of a father and his daughter. I feel the love that erupted from both of them. It made my throat tight with emotion.

Why didn't I see that before? And if that was how she felt towards Carlisle then it was a lot more for Esme. She was truly a mother. And I knew Bella loved her. But seeing how she loved Carlisle. How she truly missed him. How she looked so relaxed and elated to see him again. I realized I never really understood how much she loved Carlisle. That only means that I didn't understand how she loved Esme either.

I could see how happy it made her, and it gave me a taste of happiness too. So I decided to give her what made her happy. What she wanted.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the number. She answered on the first ring.

"Edward?" her soft motherly voice answered. I smiled.

"Esme, could you please do me a favor?" I whispered.

"Of course Edward" she replied at once. My heart squeezed.

"Would you come meet Bella tonight?"

"Are you sure?" She said and I could hear the happiness in her voice, it made me smile.

"Yes" I said and then looked back at the scene, and my smile grew a little when I saw her smile again, "She'd like that"

"Very well then. I'll be there. And Edward…" she added before I could hang up.

"Yes?"

"Thank you" she whispered before she hung up. And I just stared at the phone in my hand. I wasn't only giving Bella what she wanted, I was giving Carlisle and Esme their daughter back. I was giving them permission to love her again.

"Oh I almost forgot" I heard Bella say. I looked at her again. She looked at Damien and gave him an apologetic smile.

"This is Damien" She introduced him simply. Damien smiled at Carlisle politely.

"Hello Dr. Cullen" He said formally.

Carlisle smiled and held back his question, "Hello Damien. Please call me Carlisle"

"Carlisle" He said with a nod.

When Bella didn't speak, Carlisle decided to ask.

And he finally asked the question that I had been itching for it's answer.

"So would you give me the privilege of knowing who you are, Damien?"

A/N: Oh no! I didn't just stop here. Sorry, looks like I did. Told ya future cliffies would be big. Hehe. I had to stop anyway, seeing that my concentration is subsiding. I hope my cold didn't mess up the chappy.

Review reply for Anon.:

Rosalie123456: Thank you, I'm so happy to hear (actually read) that. And thank you for telling me. I thought it was spelled that way :D

Tania Nesbeth: Thank you so much! Hope you liked this one too.

Alex: :D Thank you, hope you get more computer access. But I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Note for anon. reviewers: could you please leave your email or sth so that I could send you a quote??

Thank you guys,

Love

Mai