Chapter 1
BPOV
August 13. I couldn't believe it. It was my wedding day, and after all that talk about me leaving him at the alter, that's what he was doing to me. I just couldn't believe it. Yesterday was horrible. I had been expecting Alice to enforce the twenty-four hour rule, since she had enforced every other silly tradition that had to do with weddings, but that's not what happened. I woke up that morning and Alice seemed really gloomy. I chocked it up to her thinking about the things that she had to accomplish that day. I had stayed the night at the Cullens', since I was going to be living there permanently in just a few days, and Edward seemed even more subdued than Alice. Jitters? Possibly. Not about getting married, no not about that, but about the demand that hew would finally fulfill after the wedding. He just didn't want to hurt me. He left shortly after I awoke to let me get dressed, and then he came in and suggested that all of us go on a picnic. That was unusual since I was the only one who actually ate. But I agreed. Maybe it was one of those human experiences he was trying to cram into me before the big day.
But when I got to the picnic spot, I immediately knew something was wrong. Nobody looked happy. Emmett didn't even laugh when I tripped over something, probably my own two feet. Alice looked almost angry. Rosalie looked smug and jealous, and Esme looked like she would be crying if that were possible. And Jasper, Jasper was the worst. He looked almost like he was in physical pain from all the emotion he was feeling. Yet it was clear on every face that they didn't want him to do anything about it. They wanted to feel what they were feeling, for whatever reason they were feeling it. Then Edward and I sad down and I braced myself for whatever it was that was going on. Whatever it was, it wasn't good. I was sure of it. Was I suddenly on another hit list? As far as I knew I was only on the Volturi's and that would be taken care of soon enough. So what was it?
After what seemed like forever, Edward finally spoke up. "Bella, I'm so sorry." He said, "I'm so sorry."
"For what?" I asked more than a little confused.
"For doing this to you again. But, I'm doing it differently this time. Not so clean…"
"What? What are you doing?" I interrupted. "What's going on?"
"We're leaving again Bella."
I understood what he meant this time. Not all of us, just them. They were leaving me behind. Again. I started to hyperventilate.
"What? Why? We're finally getting everything we wanted. It's all working out. I can't live without you."
"No it's not Bella." He said. "You're not getting what you want. Not really. You've been talking in you sleep again Bella. You're not happy. Jasper can feel it. Alice can't always see your future like she used to be able to. Even though you haven't make the conscious decision yourself. You miss Jacob. You want Jacob Black."
"No Edward. I want you. I want all of you." I said gesturing towards the rest of the family. "For eternity."
"In your sleep, Bella, you don't say that. You say that you love Jacob. You say that he's your air. That you were the way it should've been."
"But that's not how I really feel. I just miss Jake, that's all."
"I don't think so Bella. That's not it. You really love Jacob. And it's not the way you love a brother or Charlie."
"But I love you more."
"And I love you too, Bella, but you could go to Jacob and have the kind of life that you should. You could get married, have children, and be truly happy."
"But, I wouldn't be truly happy without you. And what about you? What about that shell of a person you said you become?"
"You would be happy Bella. You would be happy with Jacob. And there's more than one reason I'm doing the break differently this time. I won't allow myself to be that way again, and you shouldn't all yourself to be that way either."
"Please don't Edward. Please, all of you." I pleaded over his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Bella, but it has to be this way. The kind of change you are about to make cannot be undone, and no matter how much we talk about it, I can't make myself think it's the right thing to do. With Jacob you can have a normal life. Well, as normal as can be considering he's a werewolf. But he can protect you just as much as I can. He can make you happy. Bye, Bella. I will always love you, but I doubt I'll be back." He said as he turned to walk away.
Just then I thought of something. "Wait, what about the Volturi?"
"Don't worry, Carlisle went to see them and they have agreed not to harm you. It was easy to persuade them, Aro is very fond of Carlisle." Alice replied tightly.
"How do you know that they're not just saying that?" I asked Edward who had paused at the edge of the clearing.
"Alice would've seen that, and if they did come you would still be protected. They know we are leaving you. Aro heard it in Carlisle's thoughts. They would only send one or two after you, and the wolves could easily handle them." He replied. "We would not leave you if you were not safe."
I turned to face the rest of the group. "Do you guys really agree with this? Do you really think its best if you leave me?"
"This time we all do, Bella," Answered Esme. "We are going to miss you tremendously, but this time you are going to have someone to go to. This life Bella, this life you cannot go back on. Jacob is who you should be with."
"Bella, you have a chance to have children with someone you love and someone who loves you. You can't give up that chance just so you can become a monster." Rosalie spoke up just as the others got up to leave.
"W won't try to make you forget this time. Remember us, but remember us happily. The heart on your bracelet, keep it. For my heart will always be your." Edward said with one last kiss on the forehead.
And then they were gone.
I didn't know what I was going to do yet. But, I couldn't let myself cry like I wanted to. I had a wedding to cancel. I had people to uninvited. As for Jacob, I didn't know about him, I hoped he had imprinted by now, because I wasn't going to be running to him. I wouldn't let him see me broken like that. I wouldn't let him see me cry.