I always wondered why Bella didn't try to disappear when Alice's vision of Victoria's Newborn Crew came to light.

This one-shot is my idea of how Bella would have tried to save the ones she cared about from fighting and possibly dying.

I don't own Twilight.

Eclipse excerpt:

"Alice, " I mouthed her name. "I have to go, I have to get away from here."

"That won't help. It's not like we're dealing with a tracker. They'll still come looking here first.

"Then I have to go to meet them!" If my voice hadn't been so hoarse and strained, it might have been a shriek. "If they find what they're looking for, maybe they'll go away and not hurt anyone else!"

"Bella!" Alice protested

"You look pale, " Alice stated.

I couldn't think. Fear pulsed through me. Not only fear for myself but fear for everyone who was putting their life on the line for me.

"I need to go to the bathroom, splash some water on my face, " I said, pushing my way past her.

I shut the door to the small room that the Cullens didn't even use, but still was in immaculate condition to keep up appearances. This room will probably be used tonight, I thought randomly, as I took in the seriousness of the situation.

I turned on the faucet and waved my hands under the water, then up towards my face.

I turned off the water and stared at myself in the mirror.

I need to get out of here. But how?

Jake.

I opened the door and walked out of the room. Jake was standing the opposite side of the door against the wall, waiting for me to come out.

"Come with me," I whispered.

"Where are we going?" He shouted back.

"Shh... we're leaving."

I yanked on his arm through the crowd to follow me and headed towards the front door.

"Bella! What are you doing?"

"Everyone will die, Jake. Everyone will die, because of me. I need to go. And you need to come with me. Alice won't see… she won't see me leaving if you are with me. Let's go!" I was afraid I spoke too loudly for fear that Edward or any other Cullen would hear me.

Jake didn't protest, we walked to the Rabbit and got in.

My wishes were falling on the ears of someone who would not argue. I'm sure Jacob was excited to escort me through the front doors away from Edward.

"Where should we go?" He asked.

"Let's just get out of here."

"Don't you want to tell Ed-"

"No! Do you actually think he'd let me leave? I'll be hurting him and his family if I stay. I can't do that to them… I'm just me… just Bella! Let's go!"

I didn't have to ask Jake twice. He fired up the Rabbit, and the sound of the engine fueled my decision.

This is right. I can't allow this to happen to them.

I looked over at Jake and saw a look of amusement on his face. I have a feeling he fantasized about taking me from the Cullen home. He didn't ask any more questions. We descended the long and curvy road that was their driveway.

"What's the plan, Bella?" He asked me as we pulled onto the highway.

"I don't know Jake. But it won't take long for them to figure out I've left, and that you've left with me. I'm sure they will put two and two together soon, if not already."

Moments passed in silence. I didn't have anything to offer, because I was still trying to figure out what to do.

I should probably go home first, get some things.

"Wait, what about Quil and Embry?" I hadn't even thought about them.

"They'll be fine. They know their way home."

"Take me home."

"Why would I do that Bella? They've already been there."

"I need to get a few things, I have to make sure Charlie is okay."

"Okay, but I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Yes, Jake you'll have to."

"No!"

"Are you kidding me? Do you think I'll let you commit suicide?"

"Won't it be better if they get what they want! I don't want anyone to die because of me! I'm sick of this, Jake, I can't take it anymore."

"You'll hurt him…" Jake said softly, pulling out that card.

"Don't pretend you care about Edward's feelings. You are only saying that to talk me out of this."

"But I do care. If I were him and you left me like this… to go somewhere I couldn't protect you… do you know how mad I'd be?"

"I love him, that's why I have to leave."

He should understand that.

We pulled into the driveway and I jumped out of the car.

"Bella!" Jake screamed from the opposite side of the car.

"I'm going in. Go home, Jake."

"No!"

I ignored him. I wasn't interested in his heroics. He was using Edward's feelings against me. And I knew he didn't care about those.

"I'm not going to let you out of my sight." He screamed to my back.

I had enough. Too many people would get hurt because of me.

"No Jake! I need to go on my own," I shouted at him making my way to the front door. "Don't follow me!"

"Bella – this tough act won't work, y'know. You have too many people who care about what happens to you."

"Yes, I do. And I care about them, too."

I opened the front door and shut it in his face.

"Bells! What are you doing home? I thought you'd still be at the party."

"I know, Dad, actually, I just came back to get my truck."

"Your truck?"

"Yeah…"

Charlie was looking for me to explain why, but I didn't have anything. I stomped up the stairs and walked towards my bedroom door.

I stopped to see if Charlie was following me. He wasn't. Apparently he didn't seem too worried why I showed up a little earlier than expected, claiming my truck.

My hand lingered on the doorknob. This was too easy. I would leave and Charlie wouldn't know. He wouldn't know that when I said goodbye to him, it would be the last time. He wasn't asking the questions I didn't have the answers to. It would hurt me say goodbye for the last time and he wouldn't understand why.

But I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him: Edward. I had to admit to myself, I longed for his touch. A part of me wanted him to save me, to stop me from this, but I couldn't risk the lives of the pack, his family, his life.

I turned the knob on my bedroom door and opened it. I walked right to my closet to grab a bag.

"What are you doing?" I heard the voice that I had on my mind, only a moment ago. But this voice was strained, angry.

"I was trying to avoid this," I answered it. Maybe not the best answer, but the only honest one I could come up with at the moment.

"Why?" The voice asked hoarsely.

"Edward, I can't put so many lives at risk, because of me."

I still couldn't turn to connect the beautiful face to the voice. It would break me. I continued to my closet to grab a bag out of my closet, but my arm was immobile, frozen, by the sudden cold, stiff hand prohibiting it to move.

"I took Jake with me, I was hoping that you wouldn't see," I still couldn't turn to meet his eyes.

"It didn't take long for me to figure out where your first stop would be. I've been waiting for you."

"You won't let me go will you?" I asked him, knowing the answer.

"Of course not."

"Edward, I-"

"Stop! Did you actually think you could get away with this?" His voice was animated now, louder, angrier.

It sparked my defense mechanism.

Now, I was on auto-pilot.

"You should know a thing or two about leaving… to protect…"

Cheap shot…

I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me. And I regretted my words. I didn't want to hurt him. I just wanted him to understand.

"I won't let you leave. I know you are doing this because you love me, my family, Jake and the pack. But this won't solve anything."

"Yes it will, it will mean that you remain alive."

"But you won't. And I can't allow that to happen."

"Edward, please…" I turned into him, my face on his chest. "It can't be because of me. All these people will die."

"No, they won't, " he said unexpectedly softly, letting out a breath, wrapping his arms around me. "Why would you do this, Bella? Why would you risk your life… and… leave me?"

I started to sob. My soul was in tune with his thoughts. I knew what it felt like to have your heart torn from your chest and your beat kick into auto-pilot; to pretend the time you'd spent together meant nothing, when all the while, it was what defined you.

"I just thought… I thought it was the right thing to do," I looked up at him wet eyes and all. "Edward, I had to try…"

"What's right is to stay with us, with me," He whispered, pushing the tears away from my face. "Why would you do that? Why would you risk us? Don't you think we've been though enough?"

I dug my cheek into his chest. He was right. What was I thinking?

I stood there in his arms and I felt the unconditional warmth of his love. It was the love that felt like home to me. I couldn't live without it.

"I'm sorry."

"C'mon. Let's go back, before everyone starts to worry, " He shrugged off the incident as if he understood.

And a large part of me, larger than I'd like to admit, was glad he was in my bedroom waiting for me.

Who was I kidding? I couldn't live without him.

But my intentions were all for him…