Chapter One

It has been a very long time it seemed to be an eternity.

Eternity. Yes, it will be an eternity for me.

It was twenty-two years ago when I left her after her 18th birthday. It really hurts, but I want to, for her own good. I and my kind had caused her so much trouble and it was all my fault.

I have been hunting Victoria for twenty-two years, too, and after two decades, I was able to kill her. No harm for Bella anymore. I believe I can show myself to her now.

"Edward, don't," a voice behind me cautioned. It was Alice, my sister who have a gift for looking into the future.

"What are you seeing this time?" I asked in an even tone. I have always been like that, before Bella arrived into my life and after she left. No, after I left her.

"I…I'm not seeing anything," Her voice was somewhat hesitant, but I know she was speaking of the truth. "Its been a long time I haven't seen Bella in my visions. But when you decided seconds ago… Of course you know already, the moment you decided, I saw you going to her and everything went dark."

"You think its dangerous?"

"Edward, its twenty-two years you haven't seen her and you haven't smelled her for a very long time. Maybe if you'll smell her again, you will not be able to contain it now and you'll- please Edward, don't. I love Bella, okay?" Alice's golden eyes were pleading. What she saw a long time ago, most of it never came true because I altered it, yet, she still cared for the girl.

"I'm still going, anyway," I said after the long silence. "I will not show my face, I just want to see her…for the last time."

"Be sure." There was warning in her voice.

"Good luck," Emmet called out. He was watching a baseball game, and I remembered Bella's father.

Rosalie raised her perfect eyebrows, but inside her mind, she was also wishing me luck.

It was a miracle that Rosalie had soften to me, to my lovelife particularly. But she didn't show it to others, only to me by her thoughts that I can read.

Jasper looked somber. For years, he condemned himself as the main reason why I have to leave Bella, until now he was still blaming himself.

"You're not the main reason, Jasper," I said. "Its never your fault."

Its because of me that you were never happy, Edward.

"I have never been happy," I told him casually.

Four voices rang in my mind, at the same time, and with the same thoughts. You are. When you're with her.

I sighed in resignation. I couldn't argue with them about it.

"Tell Carlisle I went to Forks," I said, my back turned to them. Esme was upstairs and I know she heard our conversation. I turned to Alice, "Is Bella still there? At Charlie's house?"

"What do you expect? I cannot see her for almost twenty years for unknown reasons. Maybe she is not there anymore," Alice answered. After leaving Bella and telling her to not try to see Bella, Alice never talked to me the way she did before. She must really like the girl.

I sighed. I just have to try my luck.

Forks was not too far away from where we were, and I couldn't imagine how much of self-control I have to exert to stop myself from going there and see Bella. It was a very hard thing to do, and hunting Victoria helped by being a distraction. But now that Victoria was gone…

I anticipated how Bella would react if she would see me again. I know that she was old now- like what she dreaded- forty years old to be exact. Maybe she already had a family, a child…or children. But no matter how she looked now, Bella will always be my Bella.

A twinge of pain seared in me when I thought of her having a family. But she had a life, I reminded myself, and she deserved to be happy. I'll just show myself and say goodbye for the last time, then I will go to the Volturi…

No, I will not let her see me. I will see her but not the other way around. I just have to watch her for the last time and then die.

I laughed to myself. I was beginning to think like a human again. Never satisfied for what they already have. Looking for something that was not there. Many humans were looking for immortality, while I, an immortal, am looking a way for death.

It was midnight and everything was quiet. There was a dim light in Charlie's house, and hope rushed into my body. But what would I expect for twenty-two years, anyway? That Bella would still be there, living with Charlie all this time? How pathetic can I get.

The window of Bella's room was easy to climb and I felt excitement. Her room's light was open but surely she was sleeping now…or is someone with her?

I opened the window silently and I was taken by surprise. I cannot move.