Disclaimer: I have no claim on any of the characters from Twilight or New Moon all rights go 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. All in all Bella goes to bring Edward home.

Last time:

Alice POV

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.

Chapter 10: Changing Course

Edward POV

No matter what happened, it always felt like fate was laughing in our faces. Getting Bella to rest had been a struggle and I gave a sigh of relief when she finally fell asleep. I remained by her side as she slept. As the light of morning stained the sky pink and orange erasing the deep blue grey of night, I gave Bella's unwillingness to wake up little thought. She had been through so much over the last couple of days, maybe this was to be expected.

As the day wore on she still hadn't stirred from her slumber. My concern for her started to grow. Carlisle had assured me that Bella's vitals were normal. It wasn't enough to keep me from calling out to him.

"Carlisle."

'I'll be right there, Edward.'

His thoughts to my request were simple. Since my return everyone seemed to be walking on egg shells around me. Before I could give it any more consideration, Carlisle appeared in the door way of my room.

"Carlisle, shouldn't Bella have woken up by now?"

'Her body has been through so much. It's possible the head injury was more than I thought but…'

Carlisle's thoughts trail off as he continued to watch me cautiously. I responded to him before he could finish.

"I've all ready thought of that and I agree with you."

His ocher eyes continued to watch me as he warily made his way over to Bella's side, almost as if he was afraid of me. His thoughts, however, were now shielded from me.

"Carlisle, what is it?"

"I apologize, Edward, you haven't been yourself these last couple of days."

Once again I tried to get a glimpse of what Carlisle was thinking. The only thing I could get a hold on was his deep worry for Bella.

'Edward, need I remind you of the limits of the human body? Bella's has been through a lot. Not just physically. I have no doubt emotionally as well.'

I was very well aware what Carlisle was referring to. Even though he didn't press me, I couldn't help but think he was throwing it in my face as if it wasn't evident whenever I took in Bella's frail form.

"Yes, Carlisle, I'm very much aware of the physical, not to mention emotional trauma Bella has suffered because of me!"

'Edward, son, you know I didn't mean to imply that you weren't aware. I was merely trying to reassure you that given time, Bella will awake up again. There is nothing to say that she won't.'

Hearing Carlisle's thoughts to my response, I became appalled by my outburst.

"Carlisle, I'm-I didn't – mean to…" My words trailed off without giving me a chance to finish my sentence.

I was so lost in my thoughts and guilt I hadn't noticed that Carlisle had moved to stand next to me until I felt his steady hand resting on my shoulder.

"There is nothing you need to apologize for. You have been through a lot as well."

Although he said there was nothing I needed to apologize for, I couldn't help but think how wrong he was. I was guilty of so many things.

I was guilty of not just hurting Bella but breaking her as well. Then there was the pain and agony I had put my family through, especially Carlisle and Esme. I had ask for their forgiveness after I disappeared on them once before only to do it again. Shutting myself down to Carlisle's mind, I allowed my thoughts to wander. Carlisle's voice broke through my flashbacks.

"Edward, are you listening, son? Even though Bella is in a deep sleep, her vitals are stable. She'll wake up when her body is ready. You have to trust in that as well as her love for you."

I had no doubt in how much Bella loved me. I just didn't know why. No matter how I looked at it, I could find no sound reason for why she loved a creature like me.

As I sat forward in the chair next to the Bella's bed, I folded my hands under my chin and braced my elbows on my legs. I then caught a glimpse of Alice's thoughts.

"Go away, Alice." I spoke in a whispery voice without removing my eyes from Bella.

"Edward, you should eat," Alice replied softly.

"I will later, Alice." She was aware that it was an empty promise.

"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." Her tone was filled with annoyance.

"I know that." There was no hiding the irritation that coated my words.

Alice, being Alice, didn't stop there.

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

I decisively set my jaw in place and remained where I was seated.

Jasper appeared behind Alice as she walked out of the room. I heard Jasper question her.

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

Once the two of them moved down the stairwell, I didn't care to hear what they were saying but Alice giggled.

I remained seated at my vigil at Bella's bedside. The outside world held no interest to me as long as Bella lay here. A few seconds later, I heard Alice's thoughts in my head.

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

She was bluffing, she had to be. I also knew that Alice was trying to push my buttons. So I spoke in a voice that I knew Alice would hear outside as well.

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

The door to my Volvo clicked open and closed, the sound of the engine revving made me get up and go to the window. I slid it open and glared towards the garage.

"Alice."

The sound of her bell-like voice danced in my head as I read her next thought.

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

"You wouldn't," was my daring reply.

Alice backed my car out of the garage, and looked up towards my bedroom window. She just smiled at me as I continued to glare at her.

"Try me, Edward," came Alice's challenging reply.

She was serious. Alice was really going to drive off and trade in my car for a Porsche. The thought of leaving Bella, for even a second, caused panic to build up inside of me. I was then reminded that Bella would not be alone. Esme was here, and Carlisle as well. Sparing Bella one more glance, I sped from the room.

Alice was already aware of my choice and she was expecting me to stop her. So I planted myself a few inches in front of the car making Alice bring the car to an abrupt stop.

"Get out of my car, Alice."

"No," was her 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?'

She seemed to be giving my actions a lot of thought and then the answer came to her.

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

I narrowed my onyx eyes at her.

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

As I turned around to leave, my decision seemed to make Alice see red, causing her get out of the car with speed that almost mirrored my own, in order to stand in my way.

'How can someone your age be so dumb?'

The anger that was in her head was soon pouring from her mouth.

"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 to. Your hovering isn't going to make her wake up any faster."

At Alice's last statement I looked away from her. Alice then reached out to put a hand on my shoulder; I made no move to flinch out of her touch. Why? Because I knew she was right. My constant hovering wasn't going to bring Bella back to me. No matter how hard I tried to fight it, fear continued to hold me captive.

"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?"

At Alice's last question, I took a moment to see myself as Alice saw me. I first noticed the dark purple circles under my eyes, which only made the darkness of my eyes more pronounced. How many weeks had it been since I fed last? I couldn't recall. I was still wearing the same shirt that Alice had laid out for me the day that I had returned home.

My voice seemed gone at first and then I managed to find it at last.

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

As if on cue, Emmett, Rosalie and Jazz appeared beside me. Jazz had assumed the role of mediator, due to the fact that he was influencing my mood.

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

I folded at last, and gave in to Alice and the rest of my family.

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

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

I wanted to argue with him and say that staying with Bella was for my own good. But at this point, I was at Jasper's mercy. Emmett suddenly shoved his shoulder into mine, irritation started to build within me towards him. Jasper sensed the slight change in my mood, and I soon found myself bumping Emmett back in return.

A laugh escaped me as he tried the action again. Before long we were all laughing as if Emmett had said something stupid even though I wanted to brood and feel guilty. Every time I did, Jasper would wash it away with a wave of joy.

'Come on, Edward, stop being so difficult. You agreed to come hunting with us, so why won't you let go for awhile?'

"Why should I?"

'You're not the only one here that feels guilty over what happened that night. Not to mention, what it led to in the end.'

I understood Jasper's guilt, but what did Emmett and Rosalie have to be guilty about? My expression of anger and confusion didn't go unmissed by Jasper.

'Edward, why are you confused about Emmett and Rosalie feeling guilty? Where is this anger coming from? Emmett, feels like it was his fault just as you feel it's yours. He feels like he acted to late.'

'As for Rosalie, she feels like she should have tried to be Bella's friend. Those are the things they feel guilty over. Then again if you've read their thoughts, you'd already know that.'

As much as a part of me hated to admit it, Jasper was right. If I had taken the time to pay their thoughts any mind, I would have seen their guilt as well. As I scanned their minds, there was one thing in their thoughts that haunted me: the sound Bella's body made as it was lifted off the bed with each charge.

The sound of her heart beat echoed inside of my head. The rhythmic sound of it made me want to turn and run home to my Sleeping Beauty.

"Edward?"

The sound of Jasper's voice brought me back to my senses. When I looked around I realized that Emmett and Rosalie were no longer with us. Emmett had sensed a herd of deer. I could hear their rapidly beating hearts off in the distance. There however was only one beating heart that was calling to me, Bella's.

'Edward, Edward! You promised you'd hunt. Don't go make me do something rash.'

I didn't care what Jasper did to me. Nor, did the images of myself with dark purple circles under my eyes, eyes that were black from hunger, bother me any longer.

Jasper then spoke out into the forest, "Emmett, time for plans B and C."

Plan B I quickly learned was to assault me with the memory that had shattered not just my heart, but the heart of my love as well as my family's.

Bella rolled her eyes at us, as she slid her finger under the paper. She then jumped slightly, "Ouch, paper cut."

One drop of blood rolled out of the cut and dropped to the floor. The second Bella's sweet scent had filled the air; I threw myself in front of Bella.

"No!"

In my effort to protect Bella, I knocked her backwards. Flowers, cake, presents and plates scattered in her wake. The sound of Jasper slamming into me was like two large boulders crashing into one another during a rock slide.

Snarling and snapping inches from my face, Jasper tried to shove past me. Even Emmett and Carlisle together struggled to hold him back. There was no sanity in his eyes as he zeroed in on Bella. His eyes were dark with wanting. He hadn't fed in a few days, and with Bella's intoxicating blood exposed, the bloodlust became too much. The calm and gentle Jasper my family had come to know had just given into the monster that dwelt deep within us all.

Just the thought of how sweet her blood was made the monster within me pull at its chains. But I knew he was well-restrained – Bella's love was slowly taming it. It was Bella's love that called to me now, not her blood.

"That was unfair, Jasper; I need no reminders of that night."

'Don't you, Edward? You've seen what you look like. Stop torturing yourself as well as your family. Bella is angry but she doesn't hate us.'

My steps faltered as Jasper continued to speak to me through his thoughts. I knew he was right, but how did one remove self hated for one's own self?

'Two deer, Edward, that's all we're asking. Emmett will do the hunting if you would like.'

Jasper caught hold of my confusion again.

'What has you so confused, Edward? Talk to me.'

"How do you rid yourself of your self-hate?"

'You do what you can to remind yourself that you are what you are, or you find another outlet.'

Another outlet? Then it clicked inside my head, that was plan C. "No, Jasper, I won't do it."

We both knew, however, that Jasper could make me do what he wanted just by tweaking my emotions.

'There is a small part of you that is angry with me and you know it.'

"No, you're wrong," I said through gritted teeth.

My jaw clinched as Jasper continued to push and pull at the anger I had buried; before throwing a little bloodlust at me.

"Jas-per…"

The chain that had me tethered to sanity snapped. I lunged at Jasper, causing the two of us to slam into a tree. Bark snapped and the old tree groaned under our weight. It took me a full minute to get a hold of myself.

"Damn it, Jazz!"

The anger was easier to shake off than the bloodlust. With my senses heightened, I heard them, barely a mile away to the east of the woods. Four hearts pounded wildly as a fifth thumping heart chased after them. I sped off toward the sounds. As I raced off, I caught Jasper's questioning voice in my head.

'Edward?'

The sound of Emmett and Rosalie questions barely registered in my ears.

"Where the hell did Edward go? I thought the two of you were fighting?"

Jasper's voice soon followed.

"No not really, I was just influencing him a bit. Then he heard a herd of deer. "

"Well damn, and here I brought him back dinner," Emmett said in a playful tone.

I let their voices fade as I let the bloodlust Jasper had brought to the surface take over. My prey was merely inches away from me. Breaking into a small clearing the deer scattered as I went straight between them. The mountain lion that was hot on their trail skidded on the forest floor as it tried to avoid me.

It failed and my marble arms wrapped themselves around its body. Its soft fur brushed against my marble skin as I tightened my grip. It screamed and struggled to escape from my grasp which only caused me to tighten my arms around him, compressing his lungs until he could no longer breathe.

Once the lion gave up on fighting back, the beast within me took over as I bit into its jugular vein. There was nothing in this world that could compare to the sweetness of Bella's blood. Today however, the lion was cutting it pretty close. How long had it been since I last fed?

Six days, it seemed impossible that I would be so starved in such a short time. I had fed only twice since learning Bella's whereabouts: once on my way back to Forks, the second time was when I was getting ready to leave Forks in search of Bella; only to have Laurent stop me.

I dropped the lion in my arms just as the last drop of its blood fell against my lips. I was sated but not full. So I set out to find another herd of deer. I was finishing up my third deer; when suddenly, I felt a strong pull to return to the house immediately.

When I returned to the house I was greeted by joy-filled thoughts of Bella. Slipping up the stairs and into my room, glancing down at my bed I saw the change of clothes Alice had laid out for me. While I was changing, I heard Alice talking excitedly to Bella.

"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."

I used this moment to make my presence known to my sister.

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

Alice's face and thoughts gave away her surprise.

'What Edward, what are you doing back already?'

She then quickly took the spotlight off of herself and moved on to me.

"So, Edward, how was your hunt?" she asked me.

She knew the answer. My eyes were bright gold in color and the dark bruises under them were gone. I had stuffed myself in a similar fashion Jazz had.

There was an awkward silence and I could feel the shameful guilt that hung in the air. Alice wasn't completely forgiven and neither was I. Staying off to the side in the shadows, a smile came to my lips as I watched the interaction between Carlisle and Bella.

"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.

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

Bella, then looked to her left at Alice and me.

"Um, I need a human moment."

I came out of the shadows and moved to lift Bella from the bed only to be stopped.

"Would it be okay if Alice did it?"

I felt as if I had been slapped at Bella's request. I couldn't bring myself to be mad at her; I had brought this on myself.

"Of course, Bella love." I said while keeping my true feelings hidden from her.

I remain in the bedroom, carefully but discreetly listening in on what they where talking about in the bathroom.

"Alice, how's Jasper doing?" Bella asked.

"He's fine, but wouldn't you rather hear it from him?" Alice questioned in return.

Bella reply was soft, "You're right."

Alice then asked her next question, "All done?"

"Alice, would you buy me a couple of new outfits?" Bella spoke slowly has if the words tasted bad.

Hearing Alice squeal, "Do you really mean it, Bella?"

I quickly did my best to turn my attention else where. There was however no way for me to not hear what Bella was saying.

"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."

She was here to stay and the shopping trip for Alice meant that she was at least ready to forgive my sister. What Bella asked next almost had me falling out of my seat on the bed in disbelief.

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

Knowing what Alice was going to say, I said it before her.

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

Hearing the two of them moving themselves around in the bathroom, I planted myself right outside the door as it opened.

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

Bella just nodded at me. Alice gently handed her over.

I slipped my arms gently under her arms holding them outward as I did so. Alice smiled as she noticed that I was now wearing the smoke colored long-sleeved thermal shirt she had laid out earlier under my light grey t-shirt. Bella tentatively placed her hands on my marble like 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.' Alice asked me.

"Yes, Alice, thank you," was my only reply.

She looked at me and winked before giving Bella her attention.

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

I watched as Alice placed a kiss on Bella's cheek, before disappearing out the door. After which Alice's thoughts were consumed by thought of clothes and Jasper. Turning my focus on Bella, I smiled at her as I spoke.

"You made it to the doorway, love. I think that's enough for the first day."

Slightly out of breath, Bella replied, "Sounds good to me."

Lifting her lovingly into my arms I carried Bella the rest of the way to the bed. Laying her gently in the bed, I then brought the blanket up to cover her.

"You're not going to tell me to get some sleep are you?" she questioned.

I chuckled softly at this, "No, love, I'm definitely not."

"Good," was her subtle reply.

"I thought maybe we could read for a little while. I have one of your favorites."

I handed Bella the hardcover 2nd edition of Wuthering Heights I had purchased. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. I smiled as she dove into the book with such vigor one wouldn't have known that Bella was injured.

Just as I was about to sit down with my own book, the organized thoughts that made up Alice's mind became chaos.

Alice was having a vision. The images I saw caused me to suck in a quick breath. The Volturi were looking for me. I had broken one of their rules by allowing Bella to know what I was. Somehow, the Volturi had found out about my little coup.

Seconds later, images of a dozen or more newborns flashed inside my head. As I tried to sort out the chaos of images from Alice's mind, I could hear Bella's soft voice calling out to me.

"Ed-ward, what is it? Edward what's wrong?"

As my mind worked on processing Alice's vision, three faces I had seen in her vision seemed to be mocking me.

"No, it can't be. Not them, no, not them..."

Please God, don't let it come to be.

A/N: Wow- go me! This chapter was longer then the last chapter. Ch. 10 is 4,372 words.

Ok so I've working on my video for Lunar Eclipse, but I'm just not sure I have the right song. If you know of a song that would fit Lunar Eclipse perfectly let me know.

Thanks for reading and don't be shy leave a review.

Playlist fun facts: Bring me to Life by Evanescence, and Meet Me on the Equinox by Death Cab for Cutie were the songs I was listening to while writing this chapter.

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