Prologue-

Carlisle’s P.O.V.

I sat in my study, enjoying the peace and quiet throughout the house. It is rare to have these moments anymore. Since the battle with the newborns and Victoria’s death I felt a strange shift in my family. Things have changed so much, and yet I don’t think they realize it. I remember coming home that night after Edward killed Victoria. That was the night that changed the course of all our lives.

We met Edward and Bella back at the house. When they came in, Edward excused himself and asked Bella if she could wait down stairs for him to come back, that he needed a few minutes to himself. Jasper said Edward was disgusted with himself for allowing Bella to see him like that. Bella stood there and watched Edward retreat up the stairs at a slow human pace with his head down. Bella sighed and sat on the couch. Emmett and Rosalie retreated upstairs, but they didn’t seem to be talking. Esme said she would be in her office and disappeared upstairs as well. Alice and Jasper were debating over what to do. I heard Alice tell Jasper to just comfort her if she needed it and that she was going to see what was wrong with Edward. Jasper nodded and went to sit next to Bella.

She looked up at him with her big eyes full of tears she was trying not shed. In one quick move Jasper had her on his lap and she was sobbing into his chest. That was a sight to see. Bella and Jasper never had much of a relationship, aside from the usual greetings. He held her gently and ran his fingers through her hair and just let her cry. He didn’t try to manipulate her feelings, he just let her be. I nodded to him silently as to not disturb Bella and made my way to my study. I saw Alice sitting on Edward’s bed and he was sitting on the floor with his head leaned against her lap, while she too ran her fingers through his hair, allowing him to wallow.

That was the first night of a routine that would continue until today. Edward and Bella began to fight much more and about everything from the wedding to Bella becoming a vampire to what Bella was eating or wearing. It was that just a few months prior they were both so happy in love. I watched day after day as Bella and Jasper’s friendship began to blossom. I had never seen Jasper so carefree and happy. I don’t ever think I saw Jasper more than just smile when something was funny. Now he was laughing and joking with Bella, It’s also hard to believe that a year ago he was lunging for throat and now he was sitting with her, holding her, joking with her, going on runs with her on his back. Even Bella was different around Jasper. Actually, I think she was more herself when she was around him.

Edward. Ahh Edward. I knew he loved Bella. She brought him to life. But fighting with her constantly and resisting her advances was taking a toll on him. He and Alice had always been close, but lately they were different together. I saw them laughing and joking together. I saw how they would gravitate toward each other without even noticing it themselves. They complemented each other rather nicely. They lived together for over 80 years and never once did I notice that their relationship ran so deep.

Rosalie became more hostile after Victoria’s death, not towards Bella, but towards Emmett. I didn’t understand what was going on with her. They had always been so in love and after 4 days of no intimacy between them, we all started to get worried. Emmett became more detached and quiet. One day we had gone to Port Angeles for a day get away.

Rosalie and Emmett declined the invitation and decided to stay home. We thought maybe they just wanted to be alone and were going to start working things out. On our way home Alice screamed for us to hurry up that Rose had attacked Emmett. We were only five minutes away, I accelerated and we were there in minutes. In the front yard Emmett had Rosalie pinned on the ground, holding her arms behind her back as she let out a sting of profanities. We ran to go separate them when Edward told us to stop.

“Are you done?!” Emmett yelled to Rosalie. She struggled under his weight. “This shit needs to stop Rose. What the hell is wrong with you?” he continued. Bella walked towards Emmett and both Jasper and Edward tried to stop her.

“Please let me go,” she calmly and sternly asked both of them.

“Let her,“ Alice said quietly, and they released her.

She slowly walked towards Emmett. She placed her hand his arm. “Emmett? Emmett, c’mon. Let her go.” He turned to glare at her, his eyes black with rage, but she stood her ground. “Please Emmett, you don’t want to hurt her.” Emmett was Bella’s big brother in every sense of the word. She hated to see him in pain and wouldn’t want him to do anything he would regret later. She stared at him, her eyes pleading with him. I ran to their side, to help Rosalie, so she wouldn’t try to attack him again. Emmett’s eyes softened and he released Rose’s arms and stood up slowly. Bella slow pushed him back and into the house. The big window was shattered. When they got inside Emmett fell to his knees. Jasper told the others to just give him a moment, that he was sad, hurt and confused. We saw Bella lean down and held Emmett. Rosalie sat up and sobbed into my chest. The others disappeared into the forest giving them space. As I sat there holding Rosalie. I realized I might lose one of children.

After that day Rosalie and Emmett rarely spoke to each other, and when they did, there where usually major repairs to be done to the house afterwards. They filled for divorce after three months. They both stayed in the house, but it was awkward. They didn’t speak to anyone, not wanting to make anyone choose sides. Bella was the only one to talk to both of them regularly, without judgment or favoring one over the other.

Esme, my love, she began to drown herself in work, constantly leaving town and staying gone for weeks at a time. We rarely spoke, and her calls stopped coming at all. She stopped asking about our children and I knew what was coming. I was waiting for the day when Jenks called to tell me that I had divorce papers to go sign. I knew one of these trips she would just not come home.

Now three weeks before Edward and Bella’s wedding, I sit here wondering if they’ll make it.