A/N: I'm back! Dun-dun-duuun! Just kidding.

So I promised you guys a new chapter and here it is. Don't ever say I don't follow through on my promises. I wrote this all on the plane ride out to Denver. I also have another chapter for you guys that I wrote on the plane ride back from Denver. But that might take a little while to get up because I have some tweaking I want to do.

As always, reviews are highly appreciated. I want to thank all you guys who review on a consistent basis. They really do make an author feel good about themselves, unless they're flames. But I haven't had any real problem with those yet. I hope I never have to.

Don't forget, Read, Review, and Pass it on!

-Wish

Chapter 43: Consequences

The consequences from the accident at Bella's party were almost immediate. Jasper didn't return to the house until the next morning. He was a mess, physically and emotionally. Blood spattered his nice clothing from the party. Obviously he'd been hunting, a lot. His hair was ragged and he was muddy. He had a wild look in his eye. I could tell, inside, he was tearing himself apart. He was kicking himself over and over again, cursing his lack of control.

"I can't risk staying," he said. "I have to work on my control."

"Jasper." Esme's voice broke as he addressed us, the morning before Edward and Alice were to go to school. Everyone had been quiet and pensive since last night, Edward in particular. He spoke up as Esme began to plead with Jasper.

"No, Jazz," he said. "It's not just you leaving. It's all of us."

I was stunned. We all were. It wasn't the first time this had come up; we'd moved countless times before. But this was the first time anyone had brought up the possibility of us leaving Forks since Bella moved into town last March. After Edward fell in love with her, it wasn't an option anymore. None of us expected him to bring it up.

"Edward," I managed to break the silence. "Don't you feel that is unnecessary? You and Alice still have senior year, and Bella—"

"Almost died twice because of what we are!"

Jasper winced at Edward's strong emotion and his words.

"Edward," I tried again, but he stopped me.

"It's time to move on, Carlisle, you know it is. People will start getting suspicious. How old are you claiming?"

I sighed. "Thirty-three," I muttered. Esme and I had started older than we usually did so that I could use more of my credentials.

"And that's pushing it. Face it," he challenged, looking around to each of us, "It's time to move on. And we should do it now, before anything more happens to Bella. We can make a clean break, no prolonged goodbyes or anything. It will be as if we weren't even there, and she'll move on…"

His voice trailed off as he ended up staring out the window wall of the living room. All of us were silent, still stunned at Edward's unexpected solution. It was Esme, who finally stood and embraced Edward.

"She might move on, Edward," Esme said gently, "but will you? You've waited so long for someone like Bella. She's changed you. I don't know if you'll mend as she may."

Edward looked away from the window and down at my angel. His expression softened only an instant, before returning to the serious, distant mask he'd adopted since the accident. "It's better for her this way. Bella will be safer without me, without us."

It pained me to see all the turmoil this was causing. Jasper was upset at what he'd done, Edward was convinced Bella would be better off without him (which I didn't truly believe myself), and Alice seemed stunned as she looked to the future. I was reminded that Alice would be losing a best friend in this move also.

Edward, this seems a little rash. Shouldn't we give this time? I thought.

"More time for something to happen to her?" Edward asked. He sighed and took a step towards me, facing me head-on. "Carlisle, this is the only way Bella can be safe. We have to leave, now."

Edward wasn't budging on his view. I looked to the rest of the family. Rosalie and Emmett were leaving again anyway. They had spoken of a second honeymoon in Europe. Jasper was set on leaving, whether we did or not. Alice would more than likely go with him. Bella was her friend, but Jasper was her other half. She wouldn't leave him. Esme simply wanted her family to remain together, and it seemed the only way to do that would be to leave Forks.

I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to give up the hope that Edward and Bella would work out. I'd seen the change in Edward that Esme had spoken of. We all had. He was happier with Bella. Leaving her, I wasn't sure what would happen to him. I didn't want him returning to how he was before, or falling even farther. I wanted him to stay happy. I wanted my family to stay happy. But it seemed I had no other choice. The only way to keep the family together, was to move.

I nodded. "Alright. We'll pack up and leave tonight," I announced. Edward nodded once and turned to go upstairs, but I stopped him.

Edward, I said, silently, you need to stay for a day or so. You need to explain to Bella and to say goodbye. She deserves that much.

"Carlisle, I'm not sure that's a good idea," he whispered, too low for anyone else to hear. They were already packing the few personal items we would take.

Edward, I've taught you better than that, I scolded. You will not run away. We leave now because you asked us to go without saying goodbye. I respect that wish, but I will request that you settle things with Bella.

I couldn't make him stay behind. But I did request it, and Edward took the few requests I made of him into deep consideration. He was silent for a while, before nodding once.

"I'll stay, Carlisle," he agreed.

"Good." I nodded once and then left upstairs to begin the process of moving all over again.

The official story would be, I got a sudden offer from a hospital in LA. We'd move without a big production, and Edward would stay behind only a day or so to say goodbye. I think I'd move the family east again. We needed to get away from the memories on the west coast. We'd start anew in New England.

I started looking for a house and a job on the east coast. I found both in New York. It was a nice, two-story house just north of Ithaca. It was remote, in the woods, and it was a historic home, one Esme could restore. It would take her mind off events here.

I ended up interviewing over the phone for a position as a night-shift doctor in Ithaca. New England wasn't as rainy and constantly cloudy as the Olympic Peninsula. Night-shift would be easier.

Then it was a matter of sending my resignation to the hospital in Forks. This, I would do in person, today before my evening shift, so they could get someone to fill my space tonight. I drafted my letter and printed it out, signing it like I had many times before. Then it was a matter of packing the personal things from my office. Esme would get the King James Bible and other things from our bedroom.

I pulled out the boxes from the last move and began taking down the photos and paintings that had hung in every house we've lived in. I had a sort of ritual for taking them down and putting them up. I put them up in order, always beginning with the Waggoner painting of London. And then, when it came time to move again, I took them down in reverse order, ending with the London of my childhood. It was a pattern I repeated at every house. I'd performed it countless times before, but it took longer and longer each time.

This time, I started with the most recent. It was a picture Esme had taken this summer. I doubted any of the kids had known it was taken.

We were in the field, playing baseball again. Alice was pitching; I was up to bat with Edward behind me, catching. Jasper was beyond Alice, at shortstop, and Emmett was in the outfield. Just behind Edward, swinging a bat in practice, was Rosalie. A little ways back, perched on a good-sized rock, was Bella. Her leg was still in a cast and her crutches were propped to one side. Her hands were up and she looked to be in mid-clap.

Based on the presence of Rosalie and Emmett, and the fact that Bella's leg was still in a cast, I assumed the picture had been taken fairly early on in the summer, before Rose and Emmett had left for "college". Esme must've been on one of the hills beyond the clearing to get the shot.

I fished out some bubble-wrap and wrapped the photo gingerly, before placing it in the box. One down.

It took an hour or so to pack all the pictures. I finished tapping up the last box with the Waggoner as my office clock read 7:39. I should turn in my resignation. I could finish packing when I got home.

I tucked the letter in my jacket pocket and picked up a few of the boxes I'd just packed. I didn't see any of the others as I made my way downstairs, balancing two boxes in my left hand and one under my arm. Vampire strength and speed did make moving a bit easier. I could hear evidence of the others packing as I passed their doors on my way downstairs. I walked outside and placed the boxes in the trunk of my Mercedes before climbing in and leaving for the hospital.