Esme

"Violetta, wait." I said quietly from a few metres behind her. She stopped, to my surprise.

I walked forwards and stepped in front of her. "Look, I know that Carlisle and I didn't approach it in the best way, but I've been where you are. Not in the exact same circumstances, but similar basics. I know that you don't want to leave. I don't need Edward to tell me that. You're leaving because you're trying to keep yourself at a safe distance. You don't want to get attached again in fear that he'll leave again. You already feel like you've gotten too close to Jasper, and you're afraid that he will leave too. Trust me when I say this sweetheart, you need to take the chance. You've been alone for a long time, and I'm sure that hadn't helped you mentally. You need to be around others, others who love you. We're not going anywhere, Vi. If the Volturi find out you're with us, and they decide to come, then we will fight them. We've got connections all around the world. We've got the pack. We've got you…"

I didn't say anything.

"Just please, let us help you. Give us a chance. Carlisle will try his hardest to keep you happy. He'll do anything he can to keep you smiling, and laughing. He's the only reason I'm still here right now."

"Why?"

"He knows me better than I know myself. He knows when I'm upset before I do. He makes me smile and laugh all the time. If he weren't able to do that, I wouldn't be here. I would be dead. He saved my life twice. My point is, he'll know when you're having a bad day, and he will do everything in his power to keep you happy. You just need to let him."

"You love him." She said.

I nodded, "I do. More than anything else in this world."

She looked down at the frost below her feet, "Keep him happy for me." She walked passed me.

"I can't." I said. She stopped walking again, "Not after this. He'll break. He's been through so much, and I've barely cut it. Nothing will take him out of this if you leave."

"Are you trying to make me stay out of guilt?"

"No, I'm just being honest with you. I mean, I'll try to make him smile, but he doesn't laugh much anymore. He's been the happiest than I have seen him in decades since you came back with me."

"I can't stay here."

"Do you want to?"

She hesitated before nodding, "But I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'm not…okay. I can't even handle myself. I don't think any of you will be able to."

"I couldn't handle myself either. Then Carlisle, he just, did it. He stayed, he did everything he could, and now I only have rare days where I can't deal with anything. He stabilised me."

She was silent again. She looked down the driveway towards the road.

"I'm not telling you you have to stay; I'm telling you that you don't have to leave because of your mental health. You don't have to let it control you, define you. Don't let it win."

I could see she was getting upset, and a very sharp pain spread through my body. I couldn't think of anything except the pain. I dropped to the ground and screamed.

My eyes blurred slightly, and the last thing I saw before they completely unfocused was Carlisle's face. "Violetta! Please stop!" I heard him yell. It was aggressive, it was desperate.

The pain faded, my body felt numb. I couldn't move for a few seconds. Then the feeling came back to me. I rolled onto my side and Carlisle grabbed my hand. He pulled me up and I stumbled.

Emmett was hissing at Violetta.

"I am so sorry Esme, I didn't mean it." She took a few steps back.

"I know." I managed, "Emmett, stop." I put my hand on his shoulder. He stopped hissing, but his body stayed ready to attack.

"Emmett. It's okay." I assured. He still didn't move.

Violetta looked so guilty. She looked like she was in pain. She took another few steps back before she turned around and ran down the driveway. I went to follow, but Carlisle held me too tight in his arms. "No." He said, "Esme, she's dangerous."

I stared at him, "She's your daughter."

"I'll go, but stay here."

"No. I was getting through to her before I upset her too much."

"Esme—"

"I'm coming." I said more sternly.

"Bella, you're not completely invincible to it, but can you please come and shield Esme? Maybe it won't hurt her as much if it happens again." Carlisle asked.

Bella nodded and left Edward's side. I hadn't noticed the wolves had shifted into their animalistic forms until now.

I tried to step away from him but he still held me, "Carlisle. I'll be okay." I pressed my hand to his cheek. He looked into my eyes and I saw him give in to my reassuring smile.

His arms loosened and I held his hand. I pulled him with me and we followed her scent. Jasper had come with us, despite Carlisle's disagreement. She trusted him more than anyone else. I wondered why that was. It wasn't just because of his gift, was it?

He was the better tracker, so he was ahead of us by a step or two. Bella was on the other side of me.

Edward and Alice were hesitant to let them come without them, but Carlisle said they had to stay home. Edward because she didn't really like him, and Alice because her presence alone would rip Violetta apart with the vibe she gave off. The invincible, "I love life" vibe.

"Letty?" Carlisle said quietly as we entered the small clearing where she sat. She had her back to us, and I don't think she registered our presence, or Carlisle's voice.

There was a quiet painful hiss escape her. At first, I thought it was aimed at us, but she was crying. She was in pain. But from what?

Bella took a step to the side and looked at her from the side. Her eyes widened and she bolted forwards, grabbing Violetta's arm. "Stop!" She said to her.

Bella hissed in pain and jolted back. He held her hand in the other.

"I'm sorry…" Violetta said quietly.

"No, it's okay." Bella crouched down beside her and motioned to her wrist, as if asking permission to touch her. Violetta nodded and Bella gently held her wrist. She turned it and looked at the burn mark across it, forming the shape of her hand. I only saw it briefly before I looked away.

I looked at Carlisle, whose mouth had fallen open in shock. "How did you do that?" He asked.

Violetta turned her head and looked back at us. She was crying, her face had a burn on it too. "I don't know. I thought I always could…"

"Did you use your hand?" He asked, walking towards her slowly.

She nodded and looked at Bella, "Sorry again. It won't scar."

Bella nodded.

"I can radiate extreme heat through my hands. It burns our skin." She said, "But it only leaves a mark for up to 4 hours at the most."

Carlisle examined her wrist and Bella's burnt hand. Then he looked at her cheek. He brushed his finger over it and she pulled away. Carlisle looked up to me.

"You can control that?" I asked.

She nodded, "I decide when to burn something. Sometimes it takes a second to cool down, that's why it burnt Bella." She apologised to her again.

"Don't worry about it."

"Violetta, please come home." Jasper said.

She dropped her head into her hands, "I don't want to hurt anyone else."

"We'll help you learn to take complete control over it." Jasper said.

She looked over at me with guilty eyes. "I'm fine." I assured her.

"Come home and we'll talk about it, okay?" Carlisle asked her.

She gave up fighting it and sobbed. Carlisle hugged her and she cried into his chest. After a few minutes, he lifted her up and walked back towards the house. I picked up her bag and looked at Bella's hand as we walked.

Jasper made a joke about it to try and lighten the mood but she slapped his arm.