He walked cautiously down the hall; the pressure in his hands slowly building with him fear. None of the family had gone hunting for weeks, but it wasn't the burning thirst that worried him. Eleazer knew why, but only because he saw the power that not even Carlisle knew about.

"You can create ice?" Eleazer had asked him.

"Yes," Edward replied. "I had hoped I wouldn't have the power anymore after I was told I was a vampire..."

"But no such luck?"

"No," Edward hung his head. "But Carlisle is unaware I harbour such a power, so don't tell him."

Eleazer smiled gently. "No, of course I won't."

Now they were staying in Denali again. Edward and Eleazer had gone hunting together some months before and Eleazer had finally witnessed his power. In a moment of rage at Emmett and Jasper Edward had snapped, throwing his hands forward, and consequently shards of ice.

Luckily, Jasper and Emmett were not around; they had run from Edward and Eleazer in search of some prey not a minute before. Eleazer's first reaction was amazement, which quickly turned to shock when he looked up at the man who had caused the ice. "My friend," He had breathed. "Your hair..."

"Is white," Edward finished with a scowl. "Yes, I know. The fact my hair turns white makes it infinitely harder for me to hide it if I freeze something accidentally. After an outburst like that... I have about five minutes before it goes back to normal again."

He continued walking down the hall. Bella smiled at him from the other end; Renesmee, now fifteen years old, but seventeen in appearance, standing beside her. Edward smiled weakly, keeping his hands against his chest. If he moved them at all... He didn't want to know what would happen.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked him as they entered the cafeteria. "You seem nervous."

He smiled, again it was weak and shaky. "I'm fine, love." She didn't look convinced.

"Hey Eddie!" Emmett exclaimed just as he sat down. "What took you so long?"

"Nothing," Edward replied, keeping his temper under wraps. If he snapped now he would not only expose himself to his family, but to hundreds of humans too.

For a while now, Edward had suspected the power was growing stronger. Or maybe it had always been growing stronger, and regular use kept it controllable. Since Bella becoming a vampire and Nessie being born he had been hunting it less, and in turn using his power less. With this realisation his fear spiked, and Jasper gave him a strange look.

"Edward," He whispered. "Do you need to hunt now? We could cover for you if you need to leave."

Sending a wave of gratitude to his brother, Edward stood and left the cafeteria. Instead of going hunting, however, he went home instead. Esme was in the garden, Carlisle in the kitchen, Eleazer, Carmen and the two sisters sitting in the lounge. He ran past all of them though, sprinting up the stairs.

Shutting himself in his and Bella's room, he ran his hands through his hair, the former of which quickly froze under the latter. Cursing to himself, he moved his hands down and began pacing. "Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know."

He repeated the sentence over and over again, not even realising his steps were slowly freezing the floor, every movement of his hands were slowly freezing the walls and furniture. It was only when he looked up and saw fragments of ice floating around him did he realise what he had done.

Collapsing, he gasped for breath. He couldn't control it anymore. The power was too strong. Why had he been cursed enough to have been born with this?

"Edward?" Esme's soft voice sounded through the door. "May I come in?"

"No!" Edward cried and a strangled voice. Ice still surrounded him; his hair was still white. "Don't come in!"

"Son?" Carlisle, this time. "Are you okay?"

"Don't come in!" He repeated. "Go away! Please, leave me alone." The last part came out breathy and defeated, and he quickly turned to ensure the dark curtains were closed so his siblings wouldn't be able to see into his room when they returned.

"Edward?" It was Eleazer. "Are you okay? Are you in control?"

Carlisle and Esme would assume he was talking about his thirst. But Edward knew he was talking about the ice; the snow; the power. "No," He sobbed. "Leave me alone."

"Edward, honey," Esme murmured through the door. "We're all aloud to have a moment of weakness, please let us in." The door started opening slightly, and he jumped up to slam it closed. his parents cried out in shock on the other side.

"Please," Edward sobbed. "Go."

He fell against the door just as a car rumbled up the drive. Only seconds later his siblings, wife and daughter were laughing as they entered the house. "Edward's here?" Emmett said, concerned. "What's happening?"

"He won't come out of his room," Carlisle explained. "He says he isn't control."

"Edward?" Bella's soft voice sounded through the door, "Are you okay?"

"No," He choked out.

"Can I come in?"

"No."

There was a moment of silence where everyone stood shocked that he didn't even trust his wife, the love of his life, with him now. "Jasper..." Carlisle's said. "I wouldn't normally ask but..."

"Fear," Jasper replied immediately, his voice quiet and muffled by the door. "Panic. But mostly fear, and a whole lot of it. Worse than when we were facing the Volturi with Nessie. Much, much worse."

Someone sighed, and two others gasped quietly. "Dad," Nessie whispered. "You're allowed to be afraid. Please, just come outside."

"I can't, sweetheart." His voice was more controlled now, gaining strength from his family's love for him. "Not right now."

The ice was slowly melting, evaporating in the heat. Raising his trembling hands, his raised the remaining ice from the floor, walls and furniture, separating it into sparkling crystals across the ceiling, watching as they disappeared. The room was once again normal, but his hair was still white.

For the next ten minutes he watched as every single strand of his hair deepened in colour. Edward slowly took control of his breathing, and felt an extra wave of calm wash over him. "Thank you, Jasper," He whispered.

"You're welcome," His brother answered.

Slowly, Edward opened the door to see Jasper the only one sitting outside. He thanked him again before following him downstairs. "Edward..." Carlisle breathed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay, now. Thank you."

"Good," Esme smiled, pulling him into a hug. He half raised to his hands to hug her back but changed his mind, fearing he would freeze the shirt on her back. When she pulled away she looked slightly hurt, but recovered quickly.

No one questioned it anymore as he went to sit next to his wife and daughter. But not an hour later, Emmett began talking. "Eddie... What happened up there?"

"Nothing, Emmett, let it go," Edward replied, trying to keep his anger under control.

"No," Emmett said firmly. "What happened? You're in control now, but you haven't even gone hunting! What the Hell happened?!"

"Shut up," Edward snapped.

Emmett growled, his anger spiking. "No, Eddie. What the Hell happened?! Were you just trying to scare us for no reason?! What happened?!"

"Shut up!" Edward roared, throwing his hands forward in frustration as he stood. Spikes and shards of ice shot up from the ground at his feet, directed at his brother, who's eyes widened as he shot up from his seat.

Edward stared at his hands in anguish for a moment before looking at his family and the Denalis. He was horrified to see the males had taken protective stances in front of the girls, who were looking at him with pure fear. Looking behind him, he saw Bella taking a protective stance in front of their daughter.

Breathing heavily as his fear spiked, he made a dash for the door, only for his path to be blocked by his brothers, Eleazer and Carlisle. "Move," He ordered, fighting to keep his voice steady.

"My friend," Eleazer began. "It is okay. You knew this day was coming."

Carlisle stared at Eleazer in realisation and shock. "You knew about this?"

"Ever since I first laid eyes on him."

Carlisle turned to his son in shock. "How long have you had these powers?"

"Since the day I was born," Edward replied, his voice remaining steady against the fear building inside. Jasper gave him a sympathetic yet warning look.

"Edward..." Jasper said quietly. "You don't need to be afraid. We can help you." Edward stared at him in shock, even Emmett, who the ice had been directed at, was nodding in agreement.

He shook his head. "You can't help me," He whispered in anguish. "It's just growing stronger by the day... If I can't control it... I don't want any of you to be around for that." He looked back at his wife and daughter as he spoke. Both looked at the point of tears.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Bella whispered, wanting badly to reach out to her husband in his time of need. However, she knew any comforting gestures would be rejected. "Why did you hide it?"

"It can hurt people," He admitted. "I once hit my friend with it, when I was about eleven. They were dead within twenty four hours. I thought I wouldn't have it anymore after Carlisle told me I was a vampire."

A collective gasp went around the room at his admission. No one had ever thought that perfect Edward, who had only been changed because he was an orphan dying of an illness, had ever been burdened with anything in his human life, let alone man slaughter. "Please," Edward whispered after a moment, letting his fear show. "Let me go."

Eleazer urged them to move. Jasper and Emmett complied, but Carlisle held his ground. "Carlisle," Edward choked out, feeling the pressure building in his hands again. "Move. I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm not just going to let you go, son," Carlisle said firmly.

"I'll come back."

"Can you promise that?"

Silence.

Carlisle was right, Edward couldn't promise he'd ever be back. He would be in constant pain having left his wife and family, but he could do it to keep them safe. "You didn't succeed before," Alice reminded him, seeing his plan. "You'll die without her, without us."

"We can help you," His father repeated, reaching out to him. "You have stayed strong enough until now. Now, with help, you can stay strong."

"I can't," Edward sobbed, letting his fear show for a moment. "I can't be strong while the power grows stronger. I know it will be like before, exactly like before, but I can handle it."

What none of the Cullens knew was that Edward had left last time because, as he threw Bella behind him to protect her from Jasper, he had frozen the front of Bella's shirt. So little power had been used that his hair was white for mere seconds, and everyone was so focused on Jasper and Bella that no one noticed. The ice on Bella's shirt had melted due to her body heat and the water quickly been hidden by her blood. No one noticed.

But he had to hide his reason to leave in Jasper's slip. He had to drag his family with them. Then he left them in the pretense of tracking Victoria, when really he was trying to control his power. Many lonely days were spent in run down hotel rooms trying to thaw the sparkling ice encasing the furniture.

The pressure built in his hands to an unbearable point. He had to leave. Now. "Carlisle," He growled. "Move. Now."

As his father continued to stand still, Edward panicked. If he didn't move soon... "Move!" He implored. "I need to leave."

"No, son, you don't need to," Carlisle stated firmly. He was wrong.

"I do!" Edward screamed. "Move!"

"No," Carlisle replied, leaning against the door.

"I said, move!" Shouted Edward, throwing his hands forward slightly. Light blue and white ice shot out from his palms, and straight into Carlisle's heart.