Darkness was all I could see.

After seeing my father get shot multiple times then fall onto the table we had eaten from, I couldn't stand it any longer.

My body gave up and sank into unconsciousness.

I felt like a blob floating and I could hear the voices all around me yelling and screaming. Footsteps were another I could hear too; running and panicky like their lives were the only ones that were important.

My eyes were closed but my mind was alive. I couldn't move nor speak- I could just hear.

"Bella!" I heard Edward yell as a pair of strong arms caught me.

Renee was crying and I could hear Esme on the phone.

"He's been shot multiple times," her shaky voice said, "There's blood everywhere and I can't see where he's been shot."

"We have a doctor with us," she continued, "Please hurry."

"Edward!" Carlisle yelled, "Take Bella upstairs and stay there. Jasper and Gabe, you two come with me. Sami and Alice, please hold my wife and Renee together- don't let them panic too much."

It's too late Carlisle, I said to myself.

My father, my flesh and blood, will die. I couldn't hide it. It looked like he'd been shot so many times.

Renee will be devastated and so will I. But I couldn't help but think of a small hope that Charlie might live.

The last I heard was the sound of a door closing and I felt something soft underneath me. Then, there was nothing.

The light was pouring in from an open window in an unfamiliar bedroom.

I heard the door open and the footsteps of three people come in.

"Edward, is she awake?" Alice asked.

His velvet voice replied, "I don't know. She's been out cold since the shooting."

"Bella, love, can you wake up now?" I felt his arms shake me a bit and I opened my eyes to see Alice, Sami, and Edward at the foot of my bed.

"It was real wasn't it…" I softly said.

Sami nodded, her eyes blotched from crying. All three of them looked so tired.

"Where is he?" I said quietly.

"In the hospital," Alice said as she took my hand.

I began to sit up but Edward stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said protectively.

"To see my dying father," and without any concern for them, I stood up from the bed and walked towards the door.

Alice whispered, but I could still hear, "How'd she figure that out?"

I turned around and before I could stop myself, I yelled at them, "I was directly across from him, Alice! I heard and saw the gunshots! I know exactly where they fucking penetrated and I saw all the shit headed blood spread out in front of me before he fell on the dumbass table!"

I began to shake and I found myself on the floor crying.

Alice came up to me and softly placed her hand on mine. She was crying too.

"I'm sorry if I caused you an outrage, Bella. I don't know how much it hurts for you right now but can you please eat? You haven't eaten since dinner last night," she said to me.

I nodded and Edward helped me up.

He kissed my forehead before leading me into the small dining room.

Breakfast was a quiet event before a chauffeur drove us to the hospital where Charlie was in.

"Bella!" my mother ran to me from the waiting room. We hugged each other tightly, tears spilling out of our eyes.

"How is he?" I asked my mom.

She bowed her head, "I don't know, sweetheart. He's still in surgery. Seven gun shot wounds- I'm so surprised he's not gone yet," she sobbed.

We both headed to the waiting room where everyone else was.

Suddenly, a doctor walked in wearing scrubs and holding a clipboard.

"Renee, Bella, may I speak with you in private?" he asked us.

He led us to a small corner outside of the room and with a sad look on his face he told us his news.

"I know this has been hard on all of you but we did everything we could," he said with a grave tone.

I felt my eyes begin to grow warm, and moisture was seeping through my eyelids.

"The surgery was neither a success nor a failure. The wounds are very, very deep and Charlie will be in critical condition."

"Is there any hope doctor?" my mother asked in between sobs.

"The next few days…will be his last. He probably won't awaken but we can never know for sure. All we know is he can't last any longer than five days," and with those words he left my mother and I to cry in the deep sad depths of the hospital.

After half an hour or so, we went back into the waiting room to find everyone staring at us.

All I could do was shake my head in defeat and remain in Edward's arms for the rest of the day.

"Bella, do you wanna go down to get some food?" Sami asked as she shook me awake.

I opened my eyes and nodded groggily. My stomach had been growling for the past three hours.

The walk down was quiet and silent. We both crossed the street to a nearby subway and ordered our sandwiched.

Taking a corner table, we began to eat.

Sami broke the silence by saying, "Bella, I have something to tell you."

I looked up at her red eyes and nodded.

"Gabe…he wants to move to England with me. Moving, meaning he's gonna attend London International. He thinks with all these things happening, I should be protected by someone who cares about me all the time. His parents have been notified and they're allowing him to," she said with her eyes on the table.

I noticed her nervous actions and I asked her, "What's going on? You're not happy about it?"

"It's just that, in order for him to settle in, he needs to be there a week before the second semester starts. And the second semester starts next week," she looked up at me.

"You're leaving?!" I was outraged.

"Bella, you have to understand, this is only for the best. You know I would never leave unless it were something important."

I yelled, "How can you? The time when I need you the most is when you give me up for some guy?"

She countered, "He's not some guy, Bella. He cared for me which is why he's moving to another school for me! Edward would do the same thing for you and you'd be fine with it. I can't believe you're overreacting to all of this!"

"Our father is dying and you're going to leave, Samantha! You have no idea how much that is unacceptable!" I sobbed.

"He's dying, I know that! I saw my father die and his body had been mangled. Yes, I have an idea of what this feels like! I don't want to go through it again; I will never ever again want to see that pain again. I feel it and I love Charlie but right now, I can't watch another person I love die," she slammed her fist on the table and stood up.

Hovering over me, she said, "I'm leaving tomorrow. I told Renee and she understands. I hope you do too, Bella."

She stood up and left, leaving me with all my thoughts and tears.

I walked back to the hospital in silence and once I entered the waiting room, all of their heads looked up at me.

"Sweetheart," Renee said as she and Edward put their hands on each of my shoulders, "Let's go see Charlie. He's not awake but its better to see him before he…leaves."

Edward held me together as Renee led us to the room where my father was at.

The door opened to reveal a sleeping man on a hospital bed. His eyes were closed and purple and half of his head had been shaved off.

Slowly, he was breathing but I couldn't help but cry once I saw all the bandages.

"Dad!" I let go of Edward and ran towards my father. Stopping at the side, I knelt down beside him.

"Edward, you can leave for awhile. I need to speak to my daughter," my mother tried to state politely.

Once I heard Edward leave, my mother was at my side. She led me to the room's corner and motioned for me to sit down on the small chaise.

Another talk? Great.

"Bella," she said with tears in her eyes, "Charlie won't be here tomorrow. The doctors say there's nothing else to do and we can't do anything either. He's showing signs of …weakness and by this time tomorrow, he will no longer be with us."

I buried my face in my hands and cried.

"But your father loved you Bella. He loved you, he loved me, and he loved your little sibling inside of me," she said as she patted her growing belly, "but I can't stay here, Bells."

I looked up at her in confusion.

"I have to leave, sweetie."

"You're gonna leave me?" my voice cracked. First, Sami and now my mom? I couldn't believe it…my entire family was leaving me behind.

She hugged me, "Bella, I won't leave you honey. No one is. I just want to consult you before I make this final. I want us to move to England…"

"England?"

"I know it's far and new. But we'll manage. I've found a lovely new country mansion and you can visit in the summer. Sami and you can go to school in London International and I'll be able to raise your little sibling," she said as tears went down her face.

"But why? Why would you want to drag us away from our lives here?" I asked not being able to speak anymore.

She continued, "Because, sweetheart, our home in Los Angeles will remind me of how much pain we all went through even if we had good memories there, too."

"And you don't want to remember them?" I said.

She rubbed my back, "I do. I really want to remember them. But it hurts me enough to stay here in Las Vegas. How much more when we get home?"

I stayed silent.

"I want to remember everything your father and I have done together in this country but when I reminisce, I see this," she motioned her hand to my dying father.

And still, I kept quiet.

"I love Charlie. I love Sami. I love your brother or sister. And I love you, Bella. No matter what happens," she said as she kissed my forehead.

I said to her, "So I have no choice? I have to leave? What about Edward? Alice…mom, my friends who are practically family."

"I never said I'd force you to move, Bella. You can stay with you grandma in the San Fernando Valley. If you stay, I'll still leave but we'll see each other every holiday," she said.

I dwelled in my thoughts for a minute then said, "So I can choose?"

"Yes. Either you stay here or we leave," she said.

My eyes began to get wet, "How long do I have to choose?"

"Until tomorrow."

We're driving slow through the snow
On fifth avenue
And right now radio is
All that we can hear

Man we ain't talked since we left
It's so overdue
It's cold outside
But between us
It's worse in here

The world slows down but my heart beats fast right now
I know this is the part where the end starts

I can't take it any longer
Thought that we were stronger
All we do is linger
Slipping through our fingers
I don't want to try now
All that's left is goodbye to
Find a way that I can tell you
I hate this part right here
I hate this part right here
I just can't take your tears
I hate this part right here

Everyday seven takes of the same old scene
Seems we're bound by the laws of the same routine
Gotta talk to you now 'fore we go to sleep
But will we sleep once I tell you what's hurting me

The world slows down but my heart beats fast right now
I know this is the part where the end starts
I can't take it any longer
Thought that we were stronger
All we do is linger
Slipping through our fingers
I don't want to try now
All that's left is goodbye to
Find a way that I can tell you
I hate this part right here
I hate this part right here
I just can't take your tears
I hate this part right here

I know you'll ask me to hold on
And carry on like nothing is wrong
But there is no more time for lies
Cause I see sun set in your eyes

I can't take it any longer
Thought that we were stronger
All we do is linger
Slipping through our fingers
I don't want to try now
All that's left is goodbye to
Find a way that I can tell you

But I gotta do this
I gotta do it
I gotta do it
I hate this part

I gotta do it
I gotta do it
I gotta do it

I hate this part right here
I hate this part right here
I just can't take these tears
I hate this part right here

I'd make my choice tonight, I said to myself. Touching the Tiffany necklace Edward gave to me, I laid back and listened to my thoughts.

I'd leave something behind and I'd find something new.

If I decide to stay…how will I survive? I can't be away from my family too long, especially now that my father will have passed.

But if I leave…I'd break Edward's heart. Heck, I'd break everyone else's. I'd even break mine.

Both choices shattered my heart to pieces. But which choice can rebuild it over time?

DUN DUN DUN

Hallo, kids. Second update for today ! (:

So, which will Bella choose?

Stay in sunny Cali?

Or move to London?

Take a guess.

Yes, Charlie will die. I'm sorry but he had to? Oh well, his death is part of the story line.

I know, lots of drama regarding this chapter. And the whole Bella and Sami argument. No, Sami is not wrong for making that choice, I mean it hurts to watch someone you love die after all. And she ain't evil, after all she is based off one of my best buds (:

Renee, in short, wants to leave because she honestly doesn't want to remember the sadness she suffered while Charlie dies.

Bella, on the other hand, is confused.

So, take a guess which choice she makes and REVIEW ! :]