A/N: This takes place after New Moon, where Bella decides to protect everyone she loves by doing the most drastic thing. A one shot! Hope you like it! R&R

Bella's POV

I blinked back hot tears as I walked up the familiar driveway to Edward's house. I had to do this, to protect everyone I have ever loved-Edward, Jacob, Charlie, Alice, Emmett, the rest of the Cullen family. How could I ever let anyone get hurt on my account?

It had taken a few days after I had returned home for that fact to sink in. but after that, it was all I could ever think about.

I gripped the letters tightly in my hand. One was addressed to Edward, the other for Carlisle to give to Charlie once I had gone. It was too painful to leave it for him by myself.

The question of my transformation was fast becoming a huge problem.

If I changed, Jacob and his pack would come after me.

If I didn't, the Volturi would.

And either choice I made, Victoria would still try to kill me.

I decided to solve the problem the easier way. What I didn't count on was meeting Alice at the front door.

"Hi Bella! What are you doing here? Isn't Edward at your house..." she trailed off as her eyes became unfocused and she started having one of her visions.

"No."

"No no no! You cant do it Bella, you can't!"

I dropped the letters at her feet and turned to run back to the cab that was waiting for me. I turned back with tear-filled eyes as I saw Alice clutching at her head and crying out loud in pain.

Edward's POV

Where was Bella?

Her window was closed. The first time I had ever seen this.

I sat in the tree outside her window, too high up for anybody to see me and waited for the sound of Bella opening the door.

But what I heard however, shocked me into falling out of the tree.

EDWARD!

Alice's 'voice' burst into my mind in a frenzy.

What? I'm busy right...

You have to stop Bella! Right now!

What? Where is she?

Find her! She's going to the Volturi herself!

That stopped me cold.

Bells? Going to the Volturi? But why?

To prevent the Volturi from coming here, I realised, and to stop the future war that would happen between us and the La Push gang.

She was protecting everybody but sacrificing herself.

NO! I dashed to my car, leapt in and sped off to my house. Alice had already assembled the rest of the family, who were standing next to their respective cars, the Mercedes, the BMW and the Porsche I had gotten Alice.

Carlisle took charge the moment I stepped out of the Volvo.

"Alice, Jasper, take your car into Forks. See if she's there, taking memories of Forks with her."

"Rosalie, Emmett, Esme and I will go ask the werewolves for help to find Bella. They care about her as much as we do."

My heart twisted at this statement, they were the ones partly at fault for this situation.

"Edward, just...", Carlisle hesitated, " you know Bella the best, just go."

I nodded the barest of nods and was in my car speeding off before any of them could wish me good luck.

I searched the minds of those nearest to see if anybody had seen her truck, all the while, reading the letter that Alice had passed to me.

Bella.

Why?

Bella's POV

I headed into Seattle, wiping the tears that were soaking my shirt.

Directing the driver, I passed the place where Edward had saved me from the gang and I cried harder, missing the sense of security that his presence usually brought me.

I passed the restaurant where Edward had brought me and remembered his crooked smile which had brought me so much joy and his mouth-watering scent which I breathed in like an air-starved being.

Edward. I'm sorry.

I recalled the letter that I had written to him...

My dearest Edward,

I'm sorry. This is just like the whole James situation again. I cannot let anybody get hurt because of me. I love you, never doubt that but it is because of my love for you and your family that I absolutely refuse to let you all get hurt, whether by the Volturi, by Jacob's pack or by Victoria. Please do not look for me, I do not want you to go back to that horrible place again. Do not worry about me, I will watch over you from heaven and please promise that you will never, ever do anything to try and 'kill' yourself. Promise me.

I love you forever.

Bella

I leaned my head back into the seat as I stared out the window, heading for the airport that would take me to Volterra, hoping against hope that I would get there before they could.

I thought of Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Esme and Carlise. The family that I would never had, that I almost had but gave up to protect them.

I wiped away the traces of my remaining tears and took a deep breath.

Enough of crying.

I needed all my strength and determination to get through the hours ahead.

I love you Edward.

Forever.

Edward's POV

I drove the fastest I could, never bothering to slow down around the bends. I pushed the car as far as it would go, knowing that she could not have gone too far.

I followed that faint freesia scent of hers, hoping that this would not be the last time that I would be able to smell it.

I won't let it be.

I followed it into Seattle, seeing the route Bella had taken. Past the places where we had memories together. And I knew that this time, Bella really was serious about sacrificing herself. It was not on an adrenaline filled system that she made her decision, like how she had faced James, this time, she had thought it through.

Snapping out of my memories, I saw Bella's face in a passerby's mind. The human was wondering why a pretty girl like her was passing through, crying and crying as she went on.

Bella was here!

I pushed the speedometer further right and raced towards the airport.

Scanning the parking lot, I parked in front of the drop-off point and dashed into the airport.

However, I spotted her at the entrance, just sitting there with no luggage at all, just her purse on the bench beside her and her tears for company.

I grabbed her by the wrist and led her behind the airport, to a place where no one would see us.

Bella's POV

NO!

How did he get here so fast. Even with his crazy driving, I should have been on the plane but the time they tracked me down. The plane was taking off in 15 mins!

He dragged me behind the airport and spun me around to face him, his eyes already changing to black, the blackest I have ever seen.

"Just what do you think you were doing, Isabella Marie Swan?" he thundered angrily.

"Don't you know that you're going to hurt us all by doing this, we can't lose you again!"

I have to do this. Can't he see why?

I prepared my heart for the anguish that was going to come from the next few words I was going to say.

"Who ever asked you to follow me? Always doing what you want! Can't you let people just do what they want you controlling vampire!" I screamed, half from the pain in my heart and half from the frenzied emotions within me.

He took a step back, shocked at my anger. It struck me then that our situation was so alike to the day Edward left me, except that our roles had been reversed.

"Do you hate me Bella?" he asked quietly "I might as well follow you to Volterra and expose myself like what I did a few weeks ago."

I stared at him, shocked. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

And then he surprised me.

He reached out with his right hand and wound it round my waist and drew me to him. With his left hand, he cupped my check and brought my face to him. I pushed at his hands with my own, I couldn't handle this now.

But his strength was, as always too great and he crushed my hands against his chest and he finally brought my lips to meet his. And when that happened, I gave up any hope of resisting. He tangled his hand in my hair while drawing me closer, deepening the kiss.

My tears started anew.

I love you Edward.

Edward's POV

I broke away and pressed her beautiful head to my shoulder.

"Bella. I won't go and die so easily. I thought I understood how you think Bella. Bells, sacrificing yourself will not solve anything. The wolves will still come after us anyway. Don't do this to me Bella. Please don't."

I held her sobbing body as I stroked her hair.

She pulled away, hiccupping.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, Edward, you ruiner."

I laughed. She was my Bella again.I slowly pulled her onto my back as we walked back to the car.

"It wasn't my fault you know. Alice had the vision."

I slowly contacted the rest of the family to tell them that she was okay.

As I gently placed her onto the passenger seat of my car and got in at the other side, I softened at the sight of having her back again.

"Bella, I love you. Even if the Volturi comes for us, I will still love you and I know you love me too. We will face our troubles, together forever."

I leaned over to gently kiss her forehead.

Bella's POV

Edward was right. Together forever. To the death.