I DON'T OWN ANYTHING TWILIGHT RELATED.

EDWARD'S TALE.

Chapter Twenty-four.

Bella's POV.

After several hours, we had finally been able to calm Edward down. Emmett and Carlisle had helped him up and changed him into new clothing and Alice and Jasper had gone to get a supply of blood for him. Marcus and Volturi were busy strengthening security while Jacob and Seth sat with me as I tried to grasp what was going on.

Edward was back but he was no longer Edward. He was broken and abused; only a shattered portrait of the man who he once was and all I could think was the simple yet complex question of what happened.

I was pulled out of my musing when all the Cullens re entered the room and like a wounded child, Edward whimpered his way into Esme's side and placed his head on her lap.

With tears in her eyes, she gently began to stoke his hair. Alice sat next to them on the floor and slowly placed a straw to his lips in order for him to drink the blood. Greedily, like a man starved, he began to take long pulls from the thermos.

The sight broke my heart.

Seeing my obvious hurt and discomfort, Emmett made his way to my side and pulled me into his lap. Jacob and Seth remained on either side of me; both remaining in a rigid protective posture that I knew was going no where anytime soon.

After several minutes, his lips released the straw and he turned his head towards Esme's stomach as fresh sobs broke through.

"Edward dear, what is it?" Esme asked soothingly even though we all knew her heart was breaking.

"She……..She made me drink from humans. She forced me to drink human blood. She made me a killer once again. I'm a killer." He sobbed bring for a new wave of winces and tears from all the Cullens present. Even the wolves looked sympathetic.

"Bella," he called.

Automatically I was at his side.

"Edward, I'm here. What do you need? Huh?" I said as quietly as I could while placing a hand on his cheek.

"Forgiveness." He whispered. "I wasn't strong enough to fight her of. Her power was too strong for me to fight of. I was weak and as a result you got hurt. I'm sorry. So sorry."

His word broke me and all the feelings that I had buried resurfaced again but one remained at bay and for that I was thankful.

"Edward, there is nothing to forgive."

"Yes there is but for that we need to talk. I need to come clean but I am afraid." He admitted.

Edward's vulnerability and weakness had us shocked.

"What are you afraid of Edward?" Carlisle asked with real concern in his voice.

"I'm afraid the truth will damage this family even more."

"What is so terrible with the truth that could do anything worst?" Jacob asked sarcastically.

"Simply that it could have been prevented." Edward replied closing his eyes.

"WHAT?" I roared, "HOW?"

"Alice knew. Alice knew about Rosalie's plan since they moved in we us."

It was then that I allowed the darkness to take me.