Chapter 10

From the start

Cullen Family POV

Bella drew in an unnecessary breath. She looked everywhere but at Edward she was determined to not look at his face. No matter how much she wanted to she would not look.

"Well when you left I spent two years as a zombie no pun intended, I ate, slept, went to school, and repeat the process. I only answered direct questions, I never thought about the questions or my replies. Then I realized that Edwa… HE broke his promise to always love me and never hurt me. So I realized that I too was now allowed to break my own promises to not do anything dangerous." Bella began. Looking at the family or at least almost all the family, she could tell when she stumbled over HIS name that they all noted it. And all were angry Jasper didn't even try to calm anyone down and he was glaring death glares at Edwa… HIM. So Bella took another deep breath to continue. Bella told the family how she had come back to their home on a few occasions to sit and think and hope that she might see one of them had come back or that maybe they had changed their minds and they did love her and want her around after all.

At this confession Esme hugged Bella tightly to her side and was whispering apologies and telling Bella that they had never stopped loving her not even Edward. At the mention of Edward's name Bella visibly flinched. Jasper calmed himself and sent a wave of calm toward Bella. Jasper could not only feel but see how much she was hurting, the emotions coming from Bella were hurt, confusion, abandonment, and hope all mingling making poor Jasper wish again and again that he had been stronger at Bella's disastrous 18th Birthday party. Jasper loved his human sister and never would want to hurt her but that had not stopped him from trying to drink her blood on her birthday 32 years ago. Now with Bella's emotions Jasper felt even guiltier from what had been his fault for them leaving poor Bella. Esme dragged Bella lightly over to their white couch and sat her down. Taking a seat next to her on either side was Esme and Carlisle. Hugging Bella tightly afraid of somehow losing her again.

Bella smiled a small smile that didn't reach her eyes but it was a forgiving smile that made the tension ease a little through out the room. Jasper smiled a grateful smile at her. Bella sighed as she continued telling her story about how she had started to drown in the river and how Victoria saved her but had accidentally bit after smelling her blood and being unable to resist its call, causing the change to occur. But how after the change Victoria had become Bella's closest friend and how they had lived together for 30 years. During the time Bella was talking of Victoria Edward started to growl and immediately Bella snarled at him. The room had gone silent; not expecting Bella to act the way she had. From the time Bella had come through the door she had made little to no eye contact with Edward and even tried not to use his name when she could. The fact that she was snarling at him now while glaring at him could only show how close she had been with Victoria and how hurt she was at what Edward had done.

If looks could kill Edward would be six feet under by now and Bella may have went as far as to dance on his grave if she could have. Esme patted her shoulder slightly drawing Bella attention away from Edward. Bella clamed down with no help from Jasper and continued her story. Bella fascinated us with the stories she told. She made Carlisle so happy when she told him about how she had been head surgeon at a prestigious hospital in a very rainy town in Illinois.

"But didn't the blood bother you?" Esme asked a little concerned. Bella smiled a grin that light up her whole face. "No not at all I can smell human blood but it doesn't smell good enough to me to make me thirsty, I guess you could say that I am immune to it." Bella said proudly. Carlisle was now interested with what else she did after being head surgeon for 10 years. Bella sighed she had to move on earlier than she had wanted because she had looked so young she had not been back to high school yet but she always started over a freshman in college so far. To find out what she like the best. After another five years in school Bella had become a nurse in a children's hospital and moved up to an OBGYN in the nursery and delivery rooms; And once again to soon for her to like she had to move on after another 10 years. That was after she and Victoria had met Matt Victoria's true mate. They had then moved to Maine where Bella went to college again and this time went away from the medical field and studied to become a wedding planner and graduated in two years. And after only three years she had found out about Charlie's recent death and decided to come home back to Forks.

"Matt has a very unusual power he has the power of suggestion and influence, any Nascar, horse race, Football game, real estate, or stocks he told Victoria and myself to put our money into we did without question, and now if any of us wanted to we wouldn't have to work anymore for the next 2oo years. But after I read every classical, medical, nonfiction, and sheet music book in four different languages I decided to continue to work and make new hobbies." Bella sheepishly admitted. Before turning to smile at Rosalie, "I even bought a few mechanics books to understand why you like cars so much." Rosalie's face light up at this and stole Bella's attention for the next 10 minutes talking at a vampire speed that no human ever could have followed. They talked about engines and the like till Esme interrupted them again. "Bella love I have missed my daughter for so long please stay with us please?" Esme was begging and Bella seemed trapped she didn't want to disappoint her, she loved Esme as we all did she was our mother. "Please Bella you can have the other room on the third floor I'm sure between Alice and I we could remodel it to be to your liking it would only take a day or so." Bella shot a worried look at Edward before sighing in defeat. "Alright Esme I'll move in with you."

Alice leaped away from Jaspers arms and ran over to Bella before hugging her tightly. "Yay Rose, you and I are going on a shopping trip in a couple of hours thank you Bella for agreeing. I already know that you will say yes." Alice added all but jumping up and down in excitement, before Bella could even come up with an argument. Bella sighed and then smiled. "That's perfect Alice I will have Emmett help me while your gone and her room will be done when you girls get back." Esme exclaimed in delight. "Bella dear where do you need us to send the mover's truck to get your things"? Esme asked still grinning from ear to ear. Bella handed a piece of paper with the address of a hotel in Seattle, Along with a room number over without a fight. Esme practically danced to the phone to make calls to the movers.

Bella stretched out her arms before getting up "I'm going to go to the hotel to get a change of clothes and my violin I really want to play it for Charlie." Bella said before getting up ready to leave. With a wave to the family and promises that she would return Bella dashed out the door and was gone, heading toward Seattle.

EPOV (Edwards)

I stormed up to my room as soon as I could without causing too much suspicion. I turned on my music loud enough so that the rest of the family even the ones right down the hall from my room could not hear me. I growled venomously. I had tried so hard to let Bella have a normal life and she became a vampire any way. Damn it why did Victoria have to stay near Forks after we left. Why did she have to take a personal interest in my poor sweet Bella? Damn it all to hell why did Bella take Victoria's side she growled at me! If I wouldn't have known better I would have sworn that Bella would have attacked me if I had not controlled my anger towards Victoria. What the hell was going on couldn't Bella see that I had been trying to keep her safe? Didn't she realize that I loved her with every fiber of my being? Didn't she realize that I had never stopped loving her not even for a moment? Damn it how was I going to prove my love to Bella when she won't even look at me? Bella can read thoughts so why doesn't she read my mind and see that she was never a distraction and that I was every bit as broken as she was after I had left Forks and my beloved Bella behind? I growled again I had been pacing back and forth through my room for over an hour. I would have to find her and talk to her before Bella returned to the house so that I could make her see that I loved her and that there was no reason not to be together again. But oddly enough I still could not hear her thoughts, not one whisper. I knew from the encounter from the wolves that she could hear thoughts as well did it work like mine or did she have a way to turn it off? I grumbled to myself some more before going back downstairs. I mumbled something about going out to hunt. As soon as I was far away from the house that no one would know I ran towards the graveyard. When I got close to the graveyard the most beautiful sound I had ever heard drifted towards me through the night air. The closer I listened I realized that I heard a violin being played. The sound almost pulled my still heart from my chest. The mournful cry pined through the night almost as if it too wished it could find the person it was without. As I got closer I saw Bella she was breath taking. Her still form glowed pale under the moons light rays. She stood in front of Charlie's grave serenading the night sky and stars. If I could have cried I would have the melody she played was its own harmony there were no words beautiful enough to describe the sound. The song was of pain, joy, and loss. It cried deep into the night making even the animals that knew there was a predator close even come out of hiding to see what made such a lovely sound mourn its loss. I couldn't speak my throat was tight and my chest felt like a gapping hole was being slowly pulled apart. Bella swayed so very slightly as she played her mournful song, Her long luscious hair gently swishing against her back, sending her scent dancing on the gentle breeze; Bella's skirt softly touching her creamy thighs in time with her swaying from hip to hip as she played her heart and soul out to the night. Her beauty going unnoticed by the sleeping humans nearby. I could no longer take to listen to the song's beauty, as I felt horrible for almost ruining Bella's private moment with her father. I ran and ran as fast as I could away from Bella she was no longer mine I had given up that claim when I had left her.

I would have to beg for her forgiveness for the rest of my existence, I wanted to make her happy again to make her laugh, smile and most of all I wanted to make her feel that she no longer her to express her heart and soul's sorrow with her violin. I wanted her to play for me and me alone I wanted to turn her mournful song into one of joy and contentedness. And more than that I wanted her to be my Bella again I wanted to lie next to her and hold her close. I wanted to make her love me again, and share our meadow and even more I wanted for us to play our souls' songs together. Her violin and my piano would be a perfect harmony if only I could make it up to her I would never shut her out again. It was in times like these I wished I could read her thoughts, if I couldn't I wish I could have Jasper's gift and feel all her emotions. And be able to share mine with her. I didn't bother to hunt tonight I ran until I got to the house and locked myself away in my room I would have to talk to Alice later and see if there was anything I could do, I would do anything to have Bella back with me. I had been so foolish and now I wished I could go back and fix all the pain I had caused. I would some how I had to.