"It's not slipping to protect yourself."






Did he just use Carlisle's words on Carlisle?
And at so many decades past do they still count only as his.

How many other members had they said it to. There were differences. Between a mistaken death, and protection of self, of the family. And death was a hazy area of choices (and or mistakes. A word he hated.) For Esme. For Rosalie. For Emmett. For Jasper.

For the family as a unit, against a world against them.

He still means the words even with his thoughts.