"Alice, I am not going." Edward's voice sounded dead as he lay on the floor of his room. The tiny female vampire glared down at him.
"Edward, you need to," Alice said stubbornly, crossing her arms.
"No."
"Edward, I've already seen you there."
This was a lie. Alice hadn't had any vision. She focused all her energy on an image she made up of Edward and Bella hugging. She glanced at her bronze-haired brother. He seemed to believe her.
"Oh, Edward!" Alice gasped. A real vision came, Edward and Bella on the floor of a strange room, sobbing. Bella had a strange, peaceful smile on her face through her tears.
Her brother, despite his inner turmoil, smiled. He was going to see Bella. His one true love; his personal angel.
"Now, get some fresh clothes on! What will Bella think?" Alice commanded, gesturing to the wrinkled clothes Edward was wearing. A small smile played on Edward's lips as he stood fluidly, gliding to the closet and looking for something to wear.
"Oh, this is going to be brilliant!" Alice squealed, hurrying out of her room to pack a suitcase... or four.
"I did some digging," Alice said as she flipped through a fashion magazine on the plane. Edward sat fidgeting nervously next to her. "Bella moved to Jacksonville about a month or two after you left. She turned twenty-five last year."
"What if she hates me?" Edward said in a small voice. Alice glanced at him. His eyes were finally topaz again; he had finally hunted before going to see Bella.
"She won't hate you," Alice said firmly. "She's Bella."
"But I hurt her! I hurt her terribly," Edward moaned, his voice laced with remorse and pain.
"She's Bella," Alice repeated. "She won't hate you."
"But how do you know?" Edward pressed. Alice groaned and showed him the vision she had. Bella and Edward in each others' arms, Bella smiling.
"Thanks, Alice," Edward sighed, pacified.
The rest of the ride was silent.
It was night, and the Florida air was thick and muggy. Alice complained the whole way to Renee Dwyer's house, where Bella currently resided.
"I am never living in Florida. The air is all thick and disgusting," she growled, sitting in a large tree next to the window of Bella's room. Edward crouched next to her and rolled his eyes at why she really hated Florida. She couldn't go out during the day and all the stores closed at night.
Alice felt waves of anticipation rolling off of Edward as he watched Renee tuck Bella in like a child.
"Leave the window open, Mom," Bella said, her voice hoarse. Was she sick?
"I remember, sweetie," Renee said soothingly, stroking Bella's tangled hair. My poor baby, she thought. She strode towards the window and opened it about halfway.
"He'll be coming," Bella said matter of factly. "He always comes."
Edward's eyebrows scrunched together. Who was Bella talking about?
"Of course, darling," Renee cooed. She kissed Bella's forehead and closed the white, peeling door of Bella's room.
"Now?" Alice asked, leaning ever so slightly toward the open window.
"If you don't mind Alice, I'd prefer to do this alone," Edward said. Alice pouted. "You can see her tomorrow."
Alice flashed him a winning smile and leaped out of the tree.
"I'll just hunt then," she grinned and sped off.
Edward gripped the tree's branches and breathed a deep, steadying breath. It was time to see Bella.
Renee and Phil were sound asleep, but Bella sat awake in her bed, staring fixedly at the open window.
Edward opened it further and crawled in.
She was as lovely as ever with her wonderful ivory skin, full lips and beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Her long dark hair was tangled and fell almost to her waist. Bella's whole face lit up, when she saw Edward, (which made his long still heart seemingly flutter) but she glanced at the clock and frowned.
"You're late," she croaked.
"What?" Edward asked, his brow furrowing.
"You're late," Bella repeated, staring at the clock. "You usually come at eight, but you didn't. I wonder why that is," she mused. Her eyes unfocused as she stared into space, but then she blinked and her eyes refocused on Edward. He stood there awkwardly, waiting for Bella to give him some hint on what to do.
"I'm sorry," she said brightly, looking animatedly at a spot on her wall. "I know you wouldn't like me doing those things, but it was the only way."
"What are you talking about?" Edward inquired, trying to make sense of what Bella was saying.
"Aren't you going to yell at me?" Bella frowned, her dark chocolate eyes focusing on Edward again.
"Why on earth would I yell at you, love?" Now Edward was thoroughly confused. What he wouldn't give to read Bella's mind!
"For the motorcycles." Edward froze, and Bella smiled. "There we go. That's more like it."
"You... rode... motorcycles?" Edward choked, and Bella laughed.
"And the cliff diving, and the meadow. I tried to keep my promise, Edward, but this was the only way!" Bella looked on the verge of hysterics. "I needed you, and it was the only way! That way, it didn't hurt!"
"What on earth are you talking about, love?" Edward demanded gently, crossing over to Bella's bed and sitting down on the edge. He deliberated on taking her hands, but decided against it. Who knew how she would react.
"To hear your voice, silly!" Bella giggled, falling back onto her pillow.
"You... risked your life... to hear..." Edward choked on his words again, and Bella frowned.
"You're not mad?" Bella looked confused again, but her eyes glazed over and she hummed something under her breath.
"Charlie was mad," she mused. "He hated you, a lot. He blames you for everything, but of course, it isn't your fault. You couldn't help it. Renee cried, but I think she might like it that I'm here. I don't know about Phil, though. The daytime is sad. You can't come during the day, because of the sun," she babbled, while Edward stared at her, still confused. "I like the nighttime. No one bothers me, except for you," she added, "but you never bothered me. I like it when you come."
"Bella, this is the first time I've been here," Edward said. Bella ignored him, but she giggled again.
"You know, Renee tried to take me to a doctor last week," Bella laughed. "Or was it last year? Anyway, he said I was mad, but I don't think so. I was more sad than mad." She giggled again and picked at her fingernails.
Edward stopped breathing. He took a second look at Bella's appearance. Her eyes had deep, dark circles under them, and her face wasn't a gorgeous ivory anymore. It was chalky and sickly. She looked like she had lost a lot of weight, and her eyes had a vacant look in them.
She was mad.
It was all his fault.
Edward's confusion and hope left him. Bella was insane. The Cullen's departure hadn't helped her at all. They had broken her.
A dry sob came from Edward and he lay his head in Bella's lap. She inhaled sharply and her heart rate fluttered.
"Shh... it's okay..." she said soothingly. "I don't blame you."
Of course she didn't. Bella was an angel, forgiving and trusting and loving.
"Bella," Edward moaned. "It is my fault. If I'd never left... you would be fine and safe. Oh, Bella!"
A hand came to stroke the back of Edward's head.
"That's strange," Bella murmured. "I've never touched you before."
Her fingers stroked his hair, cautiously.
"Are you going to leave again?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.
"No!" Edward vowed fiercely, raising his head. "I will never, ever leave you again!"
Edward's poor, broken angel gasped.
"But..." she began, looking at her hands again.
Then an idea hit Edward.
He could change her.
Everything would be perfect. Bella would be fine and they would be together, forever.
"Bella," Edward said, slowly smiling, his feeble hope returning. "How would you like to come to my house?"
"Your house?" Bella repeated. "In Forks? But it's broken."
"Broken?" Edward asked, distracted. "How is it broken?"
"It's broken like me, cause you're gone," Bella said matter of factly. She began humming again, under her breath.
"Bella," Edward said, trying to regain her attention. "What are you humming?"
"Huh?"
"Nevermind." Edward reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Carlisle. The vampire doctor answered on the first ring.
"Edward! Son, is everything okay?" his voice came from the other end.
"No," Edward whispered, and explained the situation.
Carlisle was silent for a long moment.
"So you're planning to kidnap her, run with her all the way to Alaska and change her for a slim chance that she might be okay?" Carlisle recapped, his voice sad.
"She will be okay," Edward growled, but his voice was uncertain. He glanced at Bella, who was smiling fixedly at the wall, humming again.
"I have to try Carlisle," Edward said in a small, pained voice.
"Son, I know whatever I say will have no effect on your decision, but will you be able to handle... things if it gets out of hand?"
"What do you mean?" Edward said, confused. His hand was beginning to shake.
"Bella... isn't stable," Carlisle made out, "So if the venom doesn't repair her mind..."
"She'll be an insane vampire..." Edward finished in a whisper.
Dangerous. Edward's Bella would be dangerous.
He looked at the girl laying on her bed, examining a strand of her hair. Edward shut the phone and took the girl in his arms, barely remembering to be gentle.
They held each other then; two broken beings.
This idea came to me at night, while I was trying to fall asleep. I was thinking I would keep it a one-shot, but If enough people ask me to continue, I might make a whole story out of it.
Thanks for reading!
xxB.A.