Disclaimer: I hold no ownership over the Characters of Twilight or New Moon all rights belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Summary: Edward leaves Bella alone in the woods after telling her he didn't want her any more. As she is lying on the cold forest floor; Bella remembers three important things. Edward made a promise not to leave her, and Edward never broke a promise, and third it was her body, her heart, what right did he have to decide what was good for her? All in all Bella realizes that Edward was covering up his true feeling about her. Bella goes to bring Edward home.

Last time:

Bella POV

I had expected him to get up and walk out on me, but he didn't. He stayed by my side. Edward gently took my right hand in his and brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"I have waited a century to find you. I have suffered in agony over my decision to leave you, dwelling on the very edge of insanity for months. I believe I can wait however long it takes you to forgive my callousness."

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on my forehead.

"I will never part from your side again."

My hand slid up to again hold the silver heart resting on my chest. Finding it hidden under the floor boards had restored my hope, and I was not giving up on that. That tiny part of me knew each one of his words held a merit of truth behind it, but part of me just couldn't accept them, not yet.

Chapter 9: Living & Forgiveness

Alice POV

They were both broken and wounded now. One question remained, how do you remove a lunar eclipse?

With time – I answered my own question. Only in time would we see if Bella and Edward could heal their emotional scars.

However, for Bella, there was still a long road to her physical healing. They would have to see to that first.

Taking note of the date on the calendar that read December 22, I made a list of things I wanted to do for our first Christmas with Bella.

Soon Carlisle and Esme appeared in the doorway of my room.

"Alice…"

"Don't worry, Carlisle, I already know what you're going to say. I will reign myself in this time, I promise."

Even though I knew that Carlisle and Esme were right, it was going to be tough not to go all out for Christmas. Yet if I was honest with myself, I knew I was only trying to distract myself from the words I overheard Bella speak several days ago.

"My best friend left me there too. Her brother told her to leave me alone and she just did what he told her to do, not what I needed."

The sound of those words dug deep inside of me. However, there was no way for me to deny them. Bella was right. No one controlled me. I could have stayed with her. My choice had been to follow my family and at the same time I had been torn. Being away from Bella was worse than having my no-limit credit card cut in half.

"We're leaving Forks; it's the only way to protect her, Alice." Edward's voice had been cold yet full of pain.

"How do you know that, Edward? Since when were you granted the gift of foresight?" I fumed.

Edward didn't even fully turn to face me as he spoke.

"I just know. I seem to be her source of danger. She'll be safer if I'm not here -- if we all weren't here. And don't go looking for her future either, Alice."

Bella was my family too. She was the little sister I couldn't remember and the one I have always wanted. Leaving her was the hardest thing for me to do.

Blinking, I shook the thoughts of my past regrets from my head. Focusing on what the styles for the New Year would be, I tiptoed down the hall to peek in on Edward and Bella. Her heart was beating a slow, even rhythm signaling that she was sleeping. I quickly took note of the IV Carlisle and Edward had persuaded Bella into having. It would gave her the fluid and nutrients her human body needed.

I took in Edward appearance next. He sat forward in the chair next to the Bella's bed; his hands folded under his chin and his elbows resting on his legs.

He heard me.

"Go away, Alice." He spoke in a whispery voice without removing his gaze from Bella.

"Edward you should eat."

"I will later, Alice."

I wasn't so sure about that.

"You said that two days ago, Edward. Carlisle said that Bella will wake up when her body is ready. It's using this time to heal."

"I know that," was the only response I got in return.

He had been sitting in that same spot for the last three days! In his posed stillness, he reminded me of the Thinker that sat in the Rodin Museum in Paris.

I knew he was taking his promise to Bella that he'd be there when she woke up very seriously. That was Edward – so extreme. First he leaves her and then he is practically chained to her side. Surely, Bella would want him to hunt instead of slowing staving at her bedside.

"Then get up and go hunting, you need the blood," I replied back to him in a firm voice.

He decisively set his jaw in place and remained seated.

His stubbornness aggravated me. I just wanted him to do something!

Maybe it was because I was angry at myself for leaving Bella behind. I wanted Edward to get mad at me and yell at me. Most of all I wanted him to act alive again.

Jasper appeared behind me.

"What are you up to, Alice? I've never felt so many things pouring off you at once."

Pushing my guilty feelings aside, I smiled at him.

"Edward is going to turn to stone if he doesn't move soon. I've got an idea."

I headed over to where we kept the car keys with my intrigued husband in tow. Taking Edward's keys in hand, I made my way to his car.

Edward didn't love his Volvo more than Bella, but he did love it.

'Edward, if you don't come down here right now and hunt, I'll total your Volvo.'

The only thing that greeted me at first was silence.

Edward then spoke, "No, you won't. It's not in your nature to hurt a car on purpose."

Well, he had me there, because I couldn't do it. Opening the door I slid in and started the engine.

Edward's stern voice sounded from his bedroom window.

"Alice."

'You're right it's not in me. I could, however, trade it in for a stylish yellow Porsche.'

"You wouldn't," was Edward's reply.

Pulling his car out of the garage, I looked up to his window to see him glaring down at me. I just smiled at him.

"Try me, Edward."

Stepping on the gas the silver car sped down the winding driveway. If I was right he should be appearing about….

Edward was suddenly standing in the driveway in front of the car.

"Get out of my car, Alice."

"No," was my smug remark. 'Yesterday you didn't care if I totaled your car. You told me you'd just buy a new one. What's so different about today?'

After a few seconds I understood.

"Carlisle said no to you buying a new one, didn't he?"

Edward narrowed his onyx eyes at me.

"Either get out, Alice or put it back," he replied through gritted teeth.

He then turned around to leave. That was the crack that broke the heel on the Jimmy Choos. Getting out of the car with speed Wonder Woman would marvel at, I stood in Edward's path.

"That's it, Edward, I can't take it any more! You're moping around is not helping any of us. Bella is here and she's alive, so could you at least pretend to be alive too. She's going to wake up Edward; you just have to give her a chance too. Your hovering isn't going to make her wake up any faster."

At my last statement Edward looked away from me. I reached out to put a hand on his shoulder; he made no move to flinch out of my touch.

"Edward, please if you won't go hunting for us, will you do it for Bella? You wouldn't want her to see you like this?"

My questions were only answered by silence as Edward must have been examining himself through my mind's eye. At last he spoke.

"No. I don't want her to see me like this."

As if on cue, Emmett, Rosalie and Jazz appeared at his side. Jazz seemed to be the voice of reason, mostly because he was influencing Edward just a little bit.

"Come on, Edward, Alice is right. Come hunting with the three of us. Bella couldn't be in better hands then Carlisle's."

"All right, I'll go hunting, even though you're cheating, Jasper." Edward grated as he tried not to smile.

"My deepest apologizes, Edward, it's for your own good."

I smiled slightly as the four of them headed off into the woods just as a vision took hold -- a good one. Edward was laughing and joking with Emmett, Jasper and even Rosalie. I knew what I saw was going to be temporary but at least for a while we had Edward back.

Heading back to the house, I made my way to Edward and Bella's room. It seemed so right, and at the same time it felt a little strange to be saying at this point. Now that Edward was gone I could clean Bella up without Edward being underfoot.

The smell of green tea and acai berry with a swirl of cinnamon greeted my senses before I reached the door. It was a telltale sign that Carlisle was with Bella at the moment.

Knowing that, I paused outside the bedroom door until Carlisle's voice called me forward.

"You may come in, Alice."

Peeking around the corner, I made my way into the room.

"How's Bella doing?" I asked in a strained voice.

I knew the answer; I just wanted to hear Carlisle say it. The sound of Carlisle's voice always made me feel better.

"She's doing quite well considering things."

"Do you have any idea when she might wake up?"

Carlisle's face fell at my question.

"That Alice, I'm afraid, is completely up to Bella."

A happy ending for Edward and Bella--that's all we had wanted. Fate was more than cruel, it played dirty. Just as it looked like Edward and Bella were reaching an understanding, Bella had slipped into a deep sleep. Carlisle assured us this was Bella's body's way of self healing. Her body had been pressed to its human limits and this almost coma-like state would help her heal not only from the physical trauma her body had been through but the emotional trauma as well.

Carlisle didn't excuse himself from my presence yet. He stood there studying me before speaking.

"Esme and I both knew the pull between the two of them. We could see it when they were together. Yet we did nothing to deter him from leaving her. We are just as much at fault."

It hurt me to watch as Carlisle blamed himself for the events that led to this current situation.

"Carlisle, it's not your fault you know. Like I've said before we're all to blame. We thought we were doing the right thing – thinking this was between Bella and Edward and we should stay out of it. But in the end, his decision had consequences for all of us; we just couldn't see that at the time."

Walking over to Bella's bed I looked down at her unconscious form. Thankfully her alabaster skin was starting to regain some color, hopefully indicating she would wake up soon.

I had seen Bella waking up from her unconscious state, the when part however had been eluding me. There was one other thing I was sure of as well, one day Bella would be one of us. Fate had decided what path Bella was going to travel on the day she was born. Bella had embraced that fate – how much more will it take before Edward accepts his role in her destiny?

The sound of Carlisle's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Well then, Alice, I will leave the rest of Bella's needs to you."

I put on one of my biggest grins for Carlisle.

"Yep, you bet, Carlisle. It'll be nice to tend to Bella without Edward's constant hovering."

Carlisle gave me a small smile and a nod as he excused himself from the room, closing the door behind him. A few seconds later, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Thanks Esme."

At the sound of my words the door opened slowly and Esme poked her head into the room.

"I brought some lavender bath soap too. Edward makes giving Bella a proper sponge bath almost impossible, doesn't he?"

Despite the heartache of the situation that now lay before us, I laughed lightly at Esme's words.

"That he does."

As I gently washed the side of Bella's face, I took note of how the bruise on the side of her face was now a purplish yellow. The stitches near her hairline remained, but all of the butterfly bandages had been removed. Bella's left wrist remain in a brace, as did her right knee.

Esme was silent as we went along with our loving chore. As I was slipping a light blue flannel nightgown on Bella, laying her gently back in the bed, I stifled a gasp of happiness as Bella's eyes started to flutter open. Esme called out for Carlisle.

At the sound of Esme's slightly panicked voice, Carlisle hurried into the room.

"Esme, dear what is it? What happened?"

There was no containing my excitement.

"It's Bella -- she's waking up."

At the sight of Bella's fluttering eyelashes, Carlisle moved to Bella's bedside.

"Bella, it's Carlisle. How are you feeling? "

Bella seemed to be a little confused by Carlisle's words as she yawned lightly.

"Good, kind of like I've been asleep all day. I didn't die again did I?"

Carlisle chuckled softly at Bella's question.

"No, no you didn't, Bella. You have however been asleep for three days now. You gave us all quite a scare."

"Edward?" Bella's eyes darted around the room looking for him.

I moved to the other side of the bed, giving her a gentle hug, before I answered her question.

"I'm so happy to see you awake. As for Edward, he's fine, Bella. He hasn't left your side since you went to sleep. I had to get a little dirty today to get him to go hunting."

"You mean you had Jasper get dirty for you."

I was taken by surprise at the sound of Edward's voice. I hadn't seen him coming back yet. What was going on with me? Was I losing my touch?

"So, Edward, how was your hunt?" I asked, though I knew the answer just by looking at his face.

His eyes were bright gold in color and the dark bruises under his eyes were gone. It was apparent that Edward had stuffed himself in a similar fashion of my Jazz. Jasper's reason for gorging was so it would be safer for him to be around Bella. Edward's was so he wouldn't have to leave Bella's side.

There was an awkward silence and I could feel the shameful guilt that hung in the air. Edward wasn't completely forgiven and neither was I.

"Carlisle, would it be okay for me to have some water and some crackers? You know to start me out on?"

Carlisle smiled at Bella before speaking.

"I take it that you're feeling hunger, then?"

"Is that a bad thing?"

Carlisle chuckled again like he had earlier.

"No, not at all Bella, it's a very good sign."

Bella looked to her left at Edward and me.

"Um, I need a human moment."

Edward moved to lift Bella from the bed only to be stopped.

"Would it be okay if Alice did it?"

Hurt at Bella's request flickered within Edward's eyes for a second before disappearing.

"Of course, Bella love."

Once I had helped Bella get settled on the toilet, she reached out and took hold of the sleeve of my shirt.

"Alice, how's Jasper doing?"

"He's fine, but wouldn't you rather hear it from him."

Bella nodded her head, "You're right."

Smiling at my best friend I asked, "All done?"

Bella nodded her response. As I helped her to her feet, Bella asked me something I thought I would never hear.

"Alice, would you buy me a couple of new outfits?"

I stood there for a few seconds just staring at her before I squealed, "Do you really mean it, Bella?"

Her response was thoughtful as she spoke.

"Well, I'm going to need a few things if I'm going to be staying here. The four sets of clothes I brought with me won't last long."

This was Bella's way of telling me she had forgiven me. But then her face fell.

"I can stay here, can't I? You're not going to send me away?"

As I was about to answer her, Edward spoke from the other room.

"No one here is going to send you away, love."

Just as I was about to lift Bella up into my arms she stopped me.

"I want to try a few steps on my own. How can I get stronger if you guys carry me everywhere?"

I was greeted by an anxious Edward as I opened the bathroom door.

"May I, Bella?" he asked, hope coated each word.

Bella just nodded to him. So I handed her over.

Edward slipped his arms gently under her arms holding them outward as he did so. I smiled as I noticed that Edward was wearing the smoke colored long-sleeved thermal shirt I had laid out earlier under his light grey t-shirt. Bella tentatively placed her hands on Edward's arms.

"You're not exactly warm, but you're not cold either. Just comfortable," Bella's voice whispered.

'See Edward, isn't it a good thing you put it on.'

"Yes, Alice, thank you."

I looked at Edward and winked before giving Bella my attention.

"Well, Bella, if you don't need me I think I have some shopping to do."

Placing a kiss on Bella's cheek, I danced the rest of the way down the hall. The sound of Jasper's voice made me twirl on my toes.

"Well, now you're excited about something, darlin'."

Jasper was right -- I was beaming.

"And why shouldn't I be? Our family is whole again. Bella is going to recover and she gave me permission to go shopping for her!"

Jasper smiled at me as he shook his head.

"I should have known your excitement had to do something with clothes."

Smiling I let Jasper pull me into his arms as I placed my lips to his.

"Shopping is my second passion, Jazzy. You're my first."

Grinning at me, Jasper deepened our kiss before pulling away.

"Go and enjoy your chance to shop for Bella."

Knowing that Carlisle would say yes, I snatched up the keys to his Mercedes and called to him as I moved toward the door.

"Carlisle, I'm going to borrow your car."

"That will be fine, Alice," his response just as I had predicted.

Popping the door open I was getting ready to climb in when a vision hit, shaking me to my core. I stifled a cry as the images assaulted my mind.

The images were foggy at first and then they started to clear revealing four figures cloaked in darkness moving out of the fog.

"Demetri, I thought you said he was here?"

"He was Jane, but now he's gone."

"Find him! Edward Cullen is to be judged by Master Aro."

The image then changed and crimson-eyed newborns replaced them. They were terrorizing the city of Seattle and the town of Forks. I cried out as blood splattered and sprayed in front of me. Immobilized by the horrific sight, I watched as the Volturi guard gathered all of the newborns up like cattle into an open field. My eyes widened as I took in the faces of three of the Newborns. I knew them. I know I did, but the fog was making it impossible to see clearly.

"Alice, what has you so upset, what are you seeing?"

Alerted by my sudden shift in emotion, Jasper had appeared at my side. The sound of his soothing voice was pulling me out of my vision. I couldn't seem to find my voice at first to answer Jasper's question.

"The Volturi are searching for Edward so he can be judged. Then the images changed and I saw an army of Newborns wreaking havoc on Seattle before moving into Forks. All the humans they killed...."

My eyes locked with Edward's as he stood wide-eyed on the porch.

'Edward, I knew three of the newborns in my vision. Could you see who they were?'

Edward's reply left me frozen.

"No, I couldn't make it out either."

A/N: Sorry for the long wait Alice was not being helpful. I hope you enjoyed. The next installment is in Emoward Ch. 10: Changing Course.

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TaintedDarkInuShemeeko