Time: 11:18PM (PST)

Sorry this took so long. I started to Sookie Stackhouse series (I'm on the 8th one now, I started last week. Lol.) and I was INSTANTLY hooked! I recommend it! But seriously if you are under 18 you should not be reading it… just think of it as gruesome and x-rated. Lol. And I don't want to be held responsible if your parents so happen to flip through it and read some things that… well… you know are inappropriate… Lol. Other than that… it's GREAT. Lol.

Well….. Enjoy!

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"Rose you have to!" Alice exclaimed as she stomped her foot childishly.

"I don't have to do anything," I said calmly as I picked up after Emmett's clutter all over our bedroom.

"Please Rose! Please!"

I sighed, "is this the only thing I have to do, for this whole stupid thing?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Alice grinned.

"I suppose I can buy her a new stereo system for her truck," I said finally giving into Alice's stupid determination for me to buy Bella a birthday present.

"That sounds fine to me," Alice chimed.

"When's her birthday?"

"Tomorrow."

* * *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA!" everyone, except me, announced.

Bella blushed furiously as she watched everyone beam at her.

I didn't beam, I didn't even glare.

"It's time for presents!" Alice was hopping up and down as she thrust a perfectly wrapped box in Bella's face.

Emmett gently nudged me, he quietly left the room and I followed.

* * *

"Why does Bella drive this piece of crap?" I wondered out loud as I began to install her brand new stereo.

"I don't know," Emmett shrugged, "I told Alice we would just buy her a new one. But she insisted that that would make Bella unhappy."

"It's a new car… how can that make anyone unhappy."

"Beats me… are you almost done?"

"Yup," I simply said, "all finished."

* * *

We made it back just as Bella was opening her last present.

She sighed as Alice handed her the box.

I watched as she ripped open the wrapping paper.

"Shoot," she said as she dropped the gift.

She grabbed hold of her finger as a thick, dark liquid began to ooze out of the small cut she must have received.

"No!" Edward roared.

It all happened very quickly then.

Edward threw himself in front of Bella, flinging her behind him a bit to roughly. The table containing the plates, flowers and cake came crashing to the floor, followed by Bella. She landed in the shattered mess.

Jasper threw himself towards Bella, his eyes were black with thirst.

His body slammed into Edward's, causing a deafening crackling noise.

Jasper and Edward crouched in front of each other, growls ripping from deep within their chests. These noises were nothing like when they would play around.

Jasper was just about to launch himself passed Edward, but mid-air Emmett caught him by the throat and slammed him onto the floor.

Jasper began struggling in Emmett's steel grip.

"C'mon bro! Calm down!" Emmett said, but it was no use.

"I want her!" Jasper continued to struggle as he watched Bella look at him in terror.

"Emmett, get him out of here," Carlisle said calmly.

As odd as it sounds I felt strangely smug. It was pretty demented of me to find entertainment in Bella's near death experience.

* * *

It wasn't long till everyone evacuated the house, leaving Carlisle to stitch up Bella.

Emmett had Jasper in a sturdy bear hug as he continued to struggle.

I leaned against Carlisle's Mercedes and folded my arms and just observed as Emmett and Esme tried to calm my brother.

Edward was angry and bitter and sulking in some dark corner of our driveway somewhere. Alice's body language was a bit harder to read, at first she seemed embarrassed, then worried, then soon after upset. But, other than that she didn't say a word.

Right now her face was blank and emotionless as she watched her husband and fought with her emotions deciding which one was more appropriate.

Besides Alice, Jasper was always the closest to me, between all my other siblings, he and I related on so many different levels. So I could understand what he must be feeling right now as the demons inside of him were causing such a riot (only because I had my own, very different demons, but generally the same).

Esme sighed and stepped away from her deranged son.

"What can we do?" she said helplessly.

No one seemed to make any suggestions.

To be honest I would have just suggested to let him go and see how this all played out. But, when I received a cold glare from that dark corner in our driveway, I decided against that idea.

I pushed off the car and made my way towards my brother, arms still folded.

"You need to calm down… you're embarrassing yourself," I said matter-of-factly.

"Fuck you!"

I gaped for a fraction of a second and felt a twinge of outrage. I couldn't get mad, he wasn't himself.

"Well," I shrugged, "I tried." I let my arms fall to my side rather loudly as I made my way back to my original spot.

Alice after all this time finally moved in front of Jasper.

"You're upsetting me," she said quietly.

Oh well, I guess she decided on upset being the proper feeling…

That seemed to do it. After a moment or two, Jasper's body seemed to settled down as he looked down at the ground ashamed.

"I'm sorry," he said just as quietly as Alice had done.

Emmett let him go and Jasper just stood there with slumped shoulders, not daring to look any of us in the eye.

Alice took his hand, "let's go hunt."

* * *

I sat in the living room alone, reading a book.

Alice and Jasper haven't returned yet, Edward was bringing Bella home, and everyone else was off doing there own little thing.

I seemed to be the only one unfazed by this whole thing… And well if you know me this was no big surprise.

I heard the front door open and close, which only meant Edward was back.

He walked into the living room and plopped down into the arm chair, which was directly across from mine.

He sighed.

I put my book down and met his gaze.

"What do I do Rose?"

I was slightly surprised he asked my opinion.

"What do you feel you should do?" I asked calmly.

He paused for a moment, "I think…" another pause, "we should leave."

My brow raised in astonishment.

"Seems like a bold move… do you think running away will fix what happened tonight?" my voice was completely neutral, none of my prejudices for Bella had any presence in this conversation, not this time.

"I'm not running!" he snapped, but then he seemed to realize my non-threatening approach and calmed down. "I'm not running…" he whispered looking down at his hands.

"Then why leave?"

"To protect her…"

Valid answer.

"I know I'm not the most supporting sister in the world," I started, "but if you feel this is the right thing to do, I won't fight you on this. And neither will the rest of the family."

He looked into my eyes and for the first time in a very long time, he actually seemed tormented by the idea.

"So? What's it going to be?"

Edward closed his eyes, his face was twisted in such an anguished way I thought he was going to cry.

I took that as my answer.

"You're going to have to give us a day to pack everything up," I told him, "I'll call Tanya tonight and tell her we'll be staying in Denali."

"I can't tell her the truth…" he said looking at the ground.

"That's understandable," I agreed.

"So what then?"

I rose from my seat and stood by his side putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

My face was still in it's neutral blank demeanor, "you break her heart."

Edward's head snapped up so fast to look at me I almost didn't see it.

He was wide eyed, like he didn't hear what I said.

"But-" he first started to say, "I don't think… I can."

I gave him a slight smile.

"You are the best liar I know," I said hoping he caught my drift.

His brow was drawn together causing his forehead to form frowning crease lines.

I kissed the top of my head and headed for the staircase.

"Rose," he called after me.

I turned around.

"Thank you."

I shook my head, "you don't mean that."

He looked confused again.

"You're not thankful that I just gave you the perfect plan to leave the one person you have ever truly loved. You're thanking me out of reflex, you think you have to thank me," I told him, "but really… inside… you hate me so much right now that you don't even realize it."

My once neutral behavior was now dead serious.

"And for that," I continued, "I am truly and deeply sorry."

He nodded in understanding, "Then rose…"

I remained silent waiting for him to continue.

"… I hate you."

I shrugged, "well, what are you going to do?"

I smiled half-heartedly and continued my way up the stairs.