Reading for the first time I think I would have remembered if I read before. Very clever the way you go back and forth between past and present and alternate points of view but glad you kept the present throughout to progress the story. I choose to believe they ended up together. Thanks for writing this and continuing to share your stories.

The more I think about it, the more it strikes me that if the roles of Rosalie and Edward were reversed, it would be considered sexual assault. Why is it not? She did not ask for consent. She actually ignored his plea to stop and then took advantage of him when he was drunk and depressed and had biological reactions. It was mentioned a few times that she was drinking but not as drunk, and she had set off for it. She even kept trying for a while after. I know this story is complete, and I'm hoping that this will come up, but if not, I will leave it here that it should.

Wonderfully written, thank you very much!

I’m not gonna lie… this story so far is giving Rose assaulted/ took advantage of Edward. Like if the genders were reversed..? Anyway i’ll keep reading until the end

Good but so sad I haven't cried so much in a long time.

so good, so heartfelt

Everytime i read this story, it makes me bawl like a baby. I dont know how you’ve managed to write something this raw and heartbreaking. Absolutely fantastic! Gut wrenching but fantastic. Some of your lines will stay with me forever 3

Wow.. even though I hate many characters in it, I really appreciate the author for writing this story

So we’re just going to ignore Rosalie raped edward?

I truly cannot stand Alice in this story. The worst friend with the worst, “get over it” attitude. I hate how everyone paints Bella as lacking growth simply because she doesn’t forgive or want anything to do with Edward and Rosalie. That’s her right. and i don’t think if you don’t forgive someone that that gives them some sort of power over you. You don’t need to forgive someone in order to move on, and moving on could look like: Bella wanting nothing to do with Edward and thinking Rosalie is a terrible person. Emmett making light of Bella’s feelings is also wild to me. Rosalie could’ve shown growth in maybe even trying to approach Bella. Yeah everyone sucks here.

I still love this, still wish it was part of a longer story.

I've read this story many times it never fails to make me cry. It's very well written. In all honesty the few parts that really get me are Rosalie getting away with what was essentially a premeditated sexual assault. It's not that I'm not blaming Edward also. His repeated need to go to parties without his girlfriend and to drink so much put him in a vulnerable position. But he was drunk. He was impaired and Rosalie knew damn well he would never have cheated on his girlfriend sober. That is the definition of rape. She was 18, and an adult who should have been charged. Like it so often happens, especially with males, he took all the blame. I am also disappointed in his parents. They should have gotten to the bottom of what happened. They apparently did not see Bella as a daughter like they claimed. I would never, ever, have watched my child's lifelong friendship and love with someone I saw as family explode and not do everything I could to find out what happened and help BOTH kids. Carlisle's talk with Edward was equally shallow. Didn't he know his son well enough to dig deeper. He cheated. That was out of character. I wouldn't have let it go until I had the full story. Not only that' he was dead wrong in his advice. Edward was the immature one in the relationship. I feel like the adults dropped the ball by leaps and bounds. Even if Bella and Edward had not been able to get back together, if the truth about all if it had been brought to light Edward would not have spent years drowning in guilt and Bella may have found some small bit of forgiveness years earlier. Alice would have likely explained what she knew also. I understand this is likely how it would gave gone in real life with many families. But, I just can't fathom good parents ignoring the anguish of these kids. Even Charlie knew Edward better, but I understand him being more worried about Bella and being jaded by Renee.

I would adore an outtake where after an evening of being around Edward and Bella, Rosalie gets drunks and outs herself to Emmett or even within hearing range of any of the family. It would be nice if she finally has to pay for her behavior. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth that the family embraces her after what she did and Edward and Bella have to live with that forever if they are together. Even if she eventually redeems herself she deserves to pay and they all deserve the truth.

I'm rereading this...familiar, but new enough again. I don't even know if I commented last time, but all I want to say now is how I know that Edward was the one tasked with protecting and loving Bella, and I 100% do not dispute that and hold him accountable. But why does no one seem to want to hold Rosalie accountable? She knowingly, willingly, brazenly went after a boy who was spoken for. Regardless of whether he rebuffed her or gave in, why doesn't anyone seem to hold her responsible, too? Think about it - if she never HAD made advances, things would have been different.

I wonder if she went through a similar inward-looking journey to come correct with herself, too, especially after meeting Emmett. And deep down, I don't care how much the initial spark might have shone for them, I think she should never have put herself in a place to get to know Emmett. I'm an adult, but that's still a whole lot of ick between brothers.

Thank you for a wonderful story. A hope for their future is what I am wishing for. XO

This is the reason I contonue to read fanfics. Gems like this. The powerful story, the development, the characters who evolve. The way you had me bawling my eyes out from the first chapter, and it never stopped except for when I had to heave and catch my breath.

Thank you for sharing. My eyes are red and sore, but it was completely worth it.