A/N: Endless thanks to my PTB betas HohoCullen and Drummer110010101 for spotting all the bits I missed. Again, this chapter flows a lot more easily with your help. And thanks HohoCullen for your kind words about this story!! They mean a lot to me :)

"Purposeless survival
Now there's nothing left to die for
So don't struggle to recognise
Now they call it "Heart-felt suicide"

Can't you see it's over?
Because you're the god of a shrinking universe"

– Muse, "Shrinking Universe".

I collapsed on the couch. Dr. Gerandy had just left. He'd been going on about catatonia and need for medical treatment. I'd quite literally shut the door on his face.

My poor baby was in so much pain already, and I was absolutely adrift here. I couldn't figure out what to do. I could hardly think straight these days.

I knew I didn't want her to go. But then, I didn't want her to remain here, at the scene of the crime. I grimaced at my choice of words.

Either way, we would all suffer. But maybe, if she left, she'd have some hope of recovering. If she wasn't here all the time, living among ghosts. She should go somewhere else, somewhere sunny. Somewhere miles away from this wretched town that had done her nothing but wrong.

I'd done it all wrong. I hadn't protected my girl. I hadn't paid attention to the signs until it was too late. I'd let her go too far, get in too deep. She'd fallen in love with that bastard of Cullen. And he'd moved on with his life and left her behind, like I'd feared he would…

My hand actually hovered over my gun. But there was no one here to shoot. There was no one here I could blame for the state Bella was in. No one but myself.

She'd lived with Renée for sixteen years. Sixteen perfectly happy years. I'd only had her for twelve months, and I'd let her life go to ruin.

I could do nothing for my daughter now. If being away from Forks – away from me – made her okay again, then I would at least give her that. I'd call Renée, tell her to come take Bella away.

I actually started towards the kitchen.

Then I heard the screaming. I froze mid-step. My heart stopped for one long second. My brain struggled to understand.

Bella.

Bella was the source of the screeching. Goosebumps erupted along my arms.

It was a ghoulish, unearthly kind of sound. The sound someone would make if their soul was being painfully ripped from their body.

I dashed for the stairs.