I'm so sorry for the delay...really sorry. I feel bad :( but I've had – actually still have a really bad viral illness. It really is effecting my stomach, pain like a bitch; I mean, I am crippled over my computer right now, moaning and groaning, trying to write this for you.

So I am thinking – while laying on the couch or my bed for my ENTIRE day – this chapter will be EPOV because I have been thinking a lot about Edward in this story so I think I have a very nice process going from now for this mighty fine man. I want – keyword, WANT – to write a filler chapter next in...dun-nun-nun-nahhhhh...RENEE'S POV. Yeah, I know its scaring me too.

Just tell me...is this what you guys want?

Ah, and one more thing. In addition to the review of a faithful person, review the circumstances in the last chapter if your floating the same boat of discount to said circumstances. In these certain circumstances, the police fully believe that there is no danger, she is overreacting, and to let her wait it out. Now, I'm not saying that if your parents leave you to not even bother calling the police, I'm just saying. I am aware that the police must respond to calls made into 911 – whisper: she didn't call 911! hehe – because my father is a police officer, which is why I know how to hand someone's ass to them.

Thanks for reading my rambling, onto the chapter. :S

EPOV

"D-don't let t-the twins near the s-s-s-...near the stairs. And...I...don't leave...don't leave them. P-pay attention."

She's so incoherent. "Bella, calm down, please," I pleaded. Dealing with a crying girl is one thing, but a girl having a panic attack? That's when I became completely clueless. All the tears and sobbing and stuttering and...a bunch of things that happen when you have a panic attack! Is there some kind of protocol to this shit? "Just take deep breaths."

Bella clutched her pillow, breathing hard into it and I just vaguely heard her mumble for me to leave. I quietly closed the door behind me and even by the time I was down the stairs, I could still hear her. The story was so confusing and all I really understood was that Caitlyn was gone. And if that wasn't already obvious enough...

Clearly it wasn't Melly I saw being pulled into the car; it was Caitlyn. And some weird part of me wanted to bash my fucking face in for being meters away and not even realize what was happening.

Emma pushed some weird colourful toy thing past me and into the kitchen. That thing made way too much noise. Sophie was perched on a blanket, eyes wide as she watched the TV, and I sat on the couch beside Melly who still had tears.

"Caitlyn's gone," she whispered.

"She'll be back," I replied immediately. "She's just going away for awhile."

"When'll she be back?"

Such a curious kid. "Not for awhile." I watched her face fall, feeling a wave of guilt. "Bella's working on it," I quickly added, "so Caitlyn can come home sooner." I kind of felt bad lying but it also didn't feel to go to know that Bella didn't even have a clue what she was going to do.

I didn't know what I was going to do?

This was actually the first time I ever babysit anyone other than my siblings and knew I never wanted to do it alone again. They just didn't stop! It was one thing after another, Emma and Sophie didn't stop talking, if that's what you could call it. They whined and cried when one stole a toy from the other, and looked at me to reinforce this. How do you stop eighteen-month-olds from fighting over some toy?

So I took it away from both of them. Immature, yes.

When it came to that chorus of "we're hungry," I knew I was screwed. Deciding against waking Bella up with this new crisis, I went to the kitchen with a parade of little girls behind me. "Uh, what do you want?" I asked dumbly. Uh, yeah, a stupid fucking question. An infant is totally going to answer me. Only in another world.

"Cackers!" Or, apparently, this world.

"What the – what's a 'cacker?'" I turned to Melly, pleading. Pleading with a four year old and talking to two year olds. I love my life. "Melly?"

She pointed to a cupboard. "Crackers," she replied in a duh tone. I raised my eyebrows. "We want crackers!" she nearly yelled.

"Okay!" I scowled. "No need to be so mean," I muttered, turning around and going to the cupboard she indicated. I had no idea that four year olds could be so know-it-all, knew they could be rude and bossy, but not this. Bella wasn't like this, not that I knew of.

Maybe she would be different if she didn't have all this responsibility.

I got the "cackers" – I mentally thanked God no one was there that could remember this, as no one would let me live this down – and gave the box to Melly. And just like that it was the ultimate chase. Should I have put them in the high-chairs? Or do you put the crackers in a bowl on the floor? Shit, they're not dogs! I think this is the moment that I realized I was not ready for kids.

By the time I succumbed to the offer to play dress up with Melly, refereed fights between the girls and gave two time-outs, I was exhausted. When would she get up? It was one thing to deal with the girls with Bella's help but a whole other to do it by yourself; I had a whole new respect for my mom. And even more for Bella.

Sprawled across the couch, I closed my eyes as the sounds of Super Why dulled out. Apparently, Melly wasn't having that.

"Let's play!"

I gently pulled my hand from hers. "No, its nap time," I mumbled. I opened my eyes at the sound of a loud scream and saw Emma's face was red, while Sophie was shouting a long "no." I grinned. "I meant for me. Feel free to...have fun or something."

Melly's eyebrows crinkled. "I wanna play now!" she whined.

For a second, I paused. Did Bella let them whine like this? If not, then how did she stop them? What was I even supposed to do? Yes, I didn't know what the hell I was doing or how to take care of children all that well, but child abuse was never the answer, not the mention that Bella wouldn't even go there. She was firm. However, I was way too flexible with deal with kids.

The training with my siblings must have already slipped my mind.

"Just play by yourself," I suggested lightly. "Wake me up in twenty minutes." Just as I closed my eyes, a door slammed from upstairs and I immediately opened them again as Bella's words played in my head: Pay attention.

Bella started down the stairs looking every bit of the walking dead, skin pale in contrast to the dark hair and red circles around her eyes. Her jeans were replaced with sweats and a baggy T-shirt. She held a Kleenex in her hand, dabbing at her nose. Then came that need to do something, but what? How many times did I console her by hugging? Too many that it definitely had to be getting old.

I watched silently as she sat down on the floor next to Sophie – who didn't move the entire time – and kissed the top of her head. It was one of those moments where you just knew there was so much love there and yet it felt like it was a goodbye kiss. I turned away to where Melly was sitting on the couch, fairly close to me, with more tears running down her face, probably remembering earlier.

After Emma got her sad kiss, Bella sat down beside Melly, dabbed her nose with the Kleenex and wiped her eyes on her arm. Tears were in them again.

"Melinda, I'm really worry about earlier when I yelled at you," Bella said, voice wavering. "I was just so frustrated – I still am, but that was no excuse for raising my voice like I did." Her hands wringed in front of her, nervous and sad. "I'm really sorry, baby." The little girl leaned into Bella as she wrapped her arms around her.

I looked away to give them some privacy.

"Melly, can you go play now?" Bella asked. "I need to talk to Edward."

My first instinct was to say that I didn't do it.

Melly slid off the couch and picked up a teddy bear from the floor, sitting down to watch TV. I drummed my fingers on the arm of the couch, waiting for Bella to begin. Why was I so nervous anyway?
"The officer said Charlie went on leave with Renee," Bella said calmly. "They think there's nothing wrong here, that they're going to be back. They won't even investigate it."

The drumming of my fingers got more intense. "Are you sure they didn't just suddenly decide to take her to Wonderland or something?" I tried, but knew it was foul. They were definitely gone.

"Charlie said they weren't coming back!" she snapped defensively. "I know what they said, and they won't be making another appearance!" The calmness she'd had earlier was fading now to the point that it was almost nonexistent, and maybe even endues another panic attack. I slid over the single cushion on the couch to where I was sitting beside her and put my arm over her shoulders, when she leaned into my embrace. "What am I going to do?"

"I..." Shit. "I don't know, Bella."

She nodded, lips pressed together, just like she expected this. "I knew it."

"Give me time," I added quickly. I was determined to help her in some way, but I really didn't expect this. How could I help her? It wasn't like she would give up the girls to have a better life, that just wasn't her, but Bella didn't even have a job that I knew of; how were they going to stay here? Soon they would run out of all those necessities that every human being needs, before they just didn't have anything.

"I don't have time," Bella insisted. "I need a plan now. I'm not even ready to live on my own and support kids. Soon I won't be able to buy food and pay the babysitter and pay the bills to keep this house and—"

"Shh!" I interrupted. "Let me think of something, okay? I'll have an idea for you tomorrow."

She looked up, sceptical. "Hurry though, Edward. Otherwise, I'm going to have to move to be with some relatives..." She drifted with a look of disgust, that I couldn't quite understand. Then realization dawned on me.

"They don't like you much, do they?"

She shrugged, sighing. "They think I take and take and never give back. But that doesn't matter. If it means there is a chance for us all to have a future than I will move with the girls."

I tried to ignore that nagging feeling of knowing that she couldn't just leave Forks. That she couldn't just leave me now.

Aw, Edward's not as good with the kids as we thought! One more time, terribly sorry about the delay. I was also on a HORRIBLE vacation, so. Um, let's see... I want everyone to review and tell me what you thought.

Please review if you want RENEE POV next chapter! If you don't review (imagine a snotty, bitchy voice here) than I'll just do a regular update.

Lovvvvveeeeee Glitter