"Edward calm down." Carlisle told me again and again. Right. Calm down. I was so anxious to see Bella I would kill the pilot just so I could drive this plane faster. Bella. Her name lingered on my tongue silently as I thought about her. That last kiss I had given to her.
God I missed her. Her blush. Her soft hair. Her soft lips. Her smile. Her angel of a face and body. The thought of her sent me crazy making my foot tap again. Emmett looked at me like I was losing my mind. Maybe I was. If it were Emmett in this situation he would do the exact same.
A vampire was stalking my girlfriend, no, not girlfriend, my soul mate. Yeah a vampire was tracking my soul mate and I was away from her not there to protect her for myself. I trusted Alice and Jasper to protect her but I didn't fully believe they could protect her like I could. Like I would. They didn't know exactly how much she meant to me. Bella was my whole world and I knew losing her would be losing me too. That only went on way though because though Bella loved me, she didn't love me near as much as I loved her.
"Were almost their. Three minutes." Carlisle said under his breathe. I read his thoughts to realize what he was seeing. Edward release your hand. He ordered and I was surprised. Release my hand? I looked down at my hand and saw what he meant. My right hand was clinging on the seat fabric and material lightly but in a power enough to tear it off.
"Sorry." I muttered under my breathe to fast and low for any humans to hear. I put my hands in my lap trying to ignore what they craved.
They craved for Bella's hand. They craved to have her hand in my. Her face in my hand. They craved for her so badly, now my hands were twitching. I put it in a tight fist taking a deep breathe. The plain was filled with humans causing my thirst to go wild. I hadn't hunted since the last time I saw Bella, though that wasn't long ago, I suddenly felt stupid.
I should have hunted. The way Bella's scent had an affect on me. I should have. I would have to control myself around her. I closed my eyes and pictured our reunion wanting it to be real so badly. So badly.
I pictured myself moving through the crowd being able to block out everyone's thoughts and faces but hers. I would see her glorious face, certainly a miracle from God, and take it in my hands. I would life her body of the floor and crush her against me kissing her in a way that would not be polite for the audience. I would hold her like that for at least a minute not wanting to let go and when I did let go I would stare in her eyes and melt in the chocolate depths of them.
"Were here." Emmett said eyeing me. Don't run in public, bro. She's safe with Jasper. His never lost a fight plus Alice would see anything weird. So she's fine. You'll get to her even if you walk. Emmett thought in his head. It's true.
I would have ran if it wasn't for the warning. Maybe I would still run. No. I would have to walk. Damn. It felt like the world was trying to keep Bella and I apart. I took a deep breathe and waited for the plain to land.
Bella…Bella…Bella…Bella…Bella…Bella…. Her name kept on repeating itself in my head with the image of her smile. I closed my eyes tuning out all the thoughts that seemed to be trying to take that image away from me. While I remembered the day I had first shown her my sparkling skin in the sun light smiling when she said she wasn't frightened, the plane somehow landed. Yes! Was the only thought on my mind.
"Let's go." I hissed as people started getting off. I rushed through the small isle of people trying to get their luggage of the top. I knew Carlisle and Emmett were following behind quietly. I had still tuned them out. We rushed out the plane and I started walking as fast as I could in a human speed.
People turned to stare as I walked but I didn't care. Bella…Bella…Bella, I love you. I thought in my mind. How many times had I told her that? A million times? I truly loved her. More than my own life.
I was looking for Jasper and Alice's thoughts. I knew exactly where they were. I smiled to myself knowing I would get closer to Bella soon yet Jasper's thoughts stopped that.
Edward is gong to kill me! Stupid! How could I do that to him! Jasper was yelling to himself. I searched his vision to see where Bella was but I couldn't see him. Instead I saw what Jasper remembered. Bella had gone in the bathroom and didn't return.
No! This was not true. I felt my legs buckle and felt a rush of air come out of me. I tried to control my emotions but couldn't. My hands gripped my hair hard and I froze in place.
NO! No, no, no, no! Bella somewhere out their alone and James was stalking her every step. If he found her…I shuddered at the thought.
"No." I said underneath my breath.
"Edward what the-" Emmett started to say but I was running towards Alice. Not running in vampire speed, though I was dying to, I was running in human speed.
Edward. I'm so sorry! Alice was yelling in her head when I was their. She was looking at Jasper with disbelief yet with pain in her eyes. I didn't see it coming! I swear! It was a quick decision. I don't know where she is yet!
"No." I said low again. They had lost her! How does a vampire lose a human? No! Please! No, no, no, no! Bella…NO! I couldn't lose her! I should have stayed with her. I should have known her plan wouldn't have work. She must have had something else planned behind it! I fell on my knees sobbing tearless sobs.
"Where's Bella?" Carlisle asked looking at me but asking Alice. I could feel people staring but I didn't care! I had or at least was about to lose my Bella. My life. My heart. My…other half. My reason to even exist.
"She's gone Carlisle." Alice answered putting a hand behind my back.
"No! She's not gone! No, no!" I yelled. Humans weren't near us and probably couldn't hear me with the rest of the noisy airport. "Please! Tell me this is a joke! Please." I begged sobbing again. I was praying this was a joke! Bella…I love you. I should have stayed. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I apologized silently in my head as if my apology would get to her.
I felt stupid. I felt empty. This had been the biggest mistake of my life. Listening to her. Why her? Why did this danger that kept on stalking her not stop?
I stayed on my knees praying that whoever was Bella's real guardian angel wouldn't leave her now. Please, help my Bella. Please. Don't let her be hurt. Don't scare her. Please. She's everything to me. Please. I begged in my head. She was everything to me. I was nothing without Bella. It would be like the sun without the fire. Nothing.
"Edward I'm so sorry. I should have listened carefully for her footsteps when she was in their. She ran out the other exist." Jasper apologized. Where had she gone? It suddenly hit me.
This time I stopped breathing and I lost my vision. I lost feeling of my body. I lost feeling of my mind except for one thought.
She had gone to meet him. Bella had gone to meet James.
My head was spinning with pain and anger. Why! Why Bella! Why! Did she not know what she meant to me? Why couldn't' she wait for me! Was she trying to protect me? I wasn't the one who needed protection she was.
"She's with him." I told the rest of them after I could finally find my mouth again. I did really believe she was with him. Or at least going to be. There was only one place she could have gone without Alice and Jasper and that was to meet James.
My eyes closed again and my hands formed into hard balls. NO! This gave me no chance at all to try to stop her! Where had she gone to meet her? I needed to know now! Maybe I could still save her! Maybe I could! There was still hope.
"I'm going to follow her scent." I told them all. I started to rush through the crowd inhaling in Bella's sweet scent. I missed it. I followed her scent stopping when it stopped in front of the little girl's room. I felt the rest of my worried family follow.
Nobodies in. Run in quickly and we'll go around. Alice thought. She mentioned for the others to follow her while I listened for a heartbeat in the bathroom. None. Good. I rushed in quickly and followed her scent running out the other side. I opened the door and ran out quickly knowing nobody would catch me. I started to follow where her scent led only to find it went to the end of the exist door. I followed it down the street to where her scent disappeared. No! Where did she go? A cab perhaps? Of course a cab. Dang.
I heard Emmett's footsteps behind me and I turned around wondering if Bella had left any clues at all by accident o Alice. Wondering if Alice had seen anything off.
"Alice. Tell me exactly when Bella decided to meet James. Where? When?" I rushed through my words desperate. I got up and was aware of my watching brothers.
"I don't now. She didn't do anything unusual until she had gotten that phone call. And Then she had decided to write a note so that I could give to her mother." Alice rushed through her words the same I had. The note! I don't actually think it's to her mother Edward. It might be but do you want to check?
I nodded quickly desperate to read this note. Desperate to see Bella's handwriting. A memory of her. I needed anything right now that reminded me of her. I needed to calm down. I could still save her. I would still save her. She was still alive. I tried to stick that fact in my head but it wouldn't stick. It kept on slipping in the doubt section.
I ripped the note open and read it quickly. It wasn't to her mother. It was to me. It read:
Edward. I love you. I am so sorry. He has my mom, and I have to try. I know it may not work. I am so very, very sorry.
Don't be angry with Alice and Jasper. Tell them thank you for me. Alice especially, please.
And please, please, don't come after him. That's what he wants, I think. I can't bear it if anyone has to be hurt because of me, especially you. Please, this is the only thing I can ask you now. For me.
I love you. Forgive me.
Bella.
NO! What was she thinking! If she thought she couldn't bear it if we got hurt then she knew nothing about herself! We weren't going to get her. And she was asking for me to not come after her? Certainly Bella was insane. Certainly. That was a ridiculous request that would never happen.
"Alice. What happened before she gave you the note?" I asked quickly. We didn't have much time left. "What happened after the phone call?" I remember her saying something about it.
She looked kind of pained. I didn't think anything of it. I thought she missed you and then I saw a vision of her and him. In the mirror room…I don't know anything about that room. I'm sorry Edward-her thoughts cut of as a knew thought occurred. Bella said it was her ballet studio! She said it looked like it. Could it be? I don't know. We should go check. It's right down the street from her mother's house!
Yes! The information I wanted to hear. Right away I was running towards the Airport vehicle section looking to steal a car. I needed something fast. I ran around the huge lot looking when I spotted a Mercedes Benz Slr. I smiled widely to myself and rushed to the car. The rest of them followed me hopping in the back. I broke in the car and right away we were speeding out of the parking lot.
Bella…Bella. I'm coming. Stay alive for me! Please! I'm coming! The car sped down the street. I drove in pain silently as I remember my driving bothered Bella. This would really kill her because right now at 180 mile per hour, the car was going fast to her.
If I didn't find Bella then what would I do? If I had lost her forever what would I do? Certainly I couldn't kill myself. Vampires can't commit suicide on their own and I knew for sure Emmett and Jasper would be as much help as an ant trying to life a human. How would I do it?
The Volturi! That's how! I would go to Volterra and provoke them. I would ask them to kill me. I wanted death if Bella died. If she died then I died. If she lived, then I lived. If she smiled then I smiled.
I still had hope she was alive though I planned how I would make it to Italy without Alice seeing what I was going to do. She would certainly stop me. They would lock me if they had to. The thoughts of James snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Would you like to rethink your last request?" he asked her. She was still alive! In his eyes she was still alive! Yes! I still had a chance. And then I saw her. James nudged Bella's toe which in his eyes was already hurt. Bella was crumpled on the floor reaching for her. NO! Don't' you dare touch her! I growled in the car and I knew the others could hear it too. We were that close. Just a little bit further.
Poor girl. I wish he would come and find her. That would be a lot more fun. James thought. He had no idea what was coming for him. No idea.
"Wouldn't you rather have Edward try to find me?" he asked. I was coming! I found you! I'm coming Bella. Breathe for me. Just a bit longer. Stall him. Please!
"NO! No, Edward, don't-" the picture in his head hurt me so badly the car stopped for a fraction of a second before speeding down again. He had smashed her with his hand throwing her into the broke glass.
NO! I started to cry tearless cries again. But more than pain. I was angry. NO! James would pay for this. Every second he tortured my Bella some more he would pay! Could he not see she was human! Only human! She wasn't a super hero.
Bella's blood started to spread all over the floor in his eyes. The red replacing the white shirt she wore. She started to closer her eyes and I remembered her nausea to blood. She closed her eyes and put her hand out in front of her face.
Blood…blood…blood! James was completely hypnotized in her blood. We were there. He was NOT going to bite her. I ran in the door quickly and ran straight towards where James was pushing him with all my strength taking him by surprise. I ran after him and threw him across the wall when I heard Emmett's thoughts. He had gotten James from behind. James was now growling with anger.
Bella. I thought. I ran to her side quickly while Jasper and Emmett started tearing James apart. Her eyes were closed and her heart was slowing. No!
"Oh, no, Bella, no!" I screamed. Please answer me. Please! I'm desperate Bella. I love you! Please!
"Bell, please! Bella, listen to me, please, please, Bella, please!" I begged. Why wouldn't she talk? My sweet angel looked dead on the floor. She was still breathing yet she wasn't talking. Was she injured so much she was mentally ill? I didn't care if she got infected, I just wanted her to talk to me! I wanted to hear her voice. I heard Carlisle coming into the scene with Alice behind him rushing in the room.
"Carlisle!" I yelled in pain. Please save my Bella. Please! I turned back to her broken body with blood all over it. The blood didn't bother me now. I didn't care. My Bella was hurt. NO! NO! Please! "Bella, Bella, no, oh please, no, no!" I started to sob. Please. If their was a God out their I prayed that he would save my Bella. Please. I put my hand to my face and sobbed. NO! Please! No, no, no!
Carlisle put his hand to her head and Bella cried out gasping for pain. She was alive! Yes!
She's going to be fine. "She's lost some blood, but the head wound isn't deep." Carlisle confirmed me making my day. Yes. She would live. "Watch out for her leg, it's broken."
A howled in pain. Why her! Why! Did the world hate me that much to want to torture her!
"Some ribs, too, I think." Carlisle continued.
"Edward." Bella breathed. She was talking! I wanted to answer her. I wanted to tell her everything would be all right. I wanted to tell her that I loved her and needed her. I needed her to keep on breathing just for a little bit longer. If she could keep her heart moving for a little while, everything would be fine. We would be in the hospital and she would be treated.
"Bella, you're going to be fine. Can you hear me, Bella? I love you." I said passionately. Surely she knew that. Even hurt she must know I love her. I loved her more than I've ever loved anymore.
"Edward." Bella breathed again. Was she trying to tell me something? Her voice was clearer. Easier to understand.
"Yes, I'm here." I assured here. I would always be here, as long as she wanted me. She had said that would be forever. I certainly hoped so.
"It hurts." she groaned. Looking at her broken body I knew it hurt. I hated to see her in pain. Please give me the pain! Take it out on me. Let her be happy and painless. Please! Release it on me! Bella didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve pain. She deserved happiness and life. Please.
"I know, Bella, I know." I told her. I turned away from her and looked at Carlisle my face broken. "Can't you do anything?" I asked him in pain.
"My bag, please….Hold your breath, Alice, it will help." Carlisle told Alice who was still standing by the doorway watching.
"Alice?" Bella groaned. She was fine. She was going to be fine.
"She's here, she knew where to find you." I answered her. I would anything for her voice. Anything.
"My hand hurts." Bella said. What? Her hand hurt. It didn't look hurt. I suppose the fact that she had been pushed against the mirror it must have hurt.
"I know, Bella. Carlisle will give you something, it will stop." Soon I hoped. Soon.
"My hand is burning!" she burst out screaming. Her eyes flittered open and looked at me. My face was shocked. What? Her hand was burning. What had he done!
"Bella?" I asked frightened. Please tell me he didn't. Please tell me he didn't.
"The fire! Someone stop the fire!" she yelled. NO!
"Carlisle! Her hand!" I yelled at him hoping it was nothing more than just pain. Nothing more than normal human pain.
"He bit her." Carlisle answered my supscious. NO! Damn! No! Could this day get any worst! NO! Why would James do that! No! I catched my breath in horror trying to hold back my anger.
"Edward, you have to do it." Alice said. She was telling me to let Bella become a vampire. To let the venom spread out her body. What the heck? Were they not their the hundred of times I had said I wouldn't do that! I had made this decision a long time ago when I said Bella wouldn't be damn to what I had to live with. Not if I could help it.
"No." I yelled. No. Never.
"Alice." Bella groaned. Would she be listening to this conversation.
"There may be a chance." Carlisle said. A chance? What chance? What was he talking about. In his mind he was thinking nothing but trying to stop the bleeding.
"What?" I asked him desperately. What was he talking about!
"See if you can suck the venom back out. The wound is fairly clean." Carlisle said gently touching Bella's forehead. What! No! He knew I couldn't do that! He knew it! He knew it more than I did! I would kill her if I started. Carlisle could do it! He could save her.
"Will that work?" Alice hesitated as if thinking the best choice would be to let Bella become one of us. NO! That was not the best choice. That was the stupid, selfish choice. I would never make that choice for Bella. For me…well I wouldn't be selfish.
"Carlisle, I…I don't know if I can do it." I couldn't do it! He knew that. I loved Bella and I didn't want to kill her.
"It's your decision, Edward, either way. I can't help you. I have to get this bleeding stopped here if you're going to be taking blood from her hand." Carlisle responded.
"Edward!" Bella screamed and her eyes fluttered again. She stared at me and I stared at her. She was still beautiful though she was crumpled on the floor here. Almost dead. I couldn't let her live this life. What I was leaving was death. She would not be a vampire but would I stop it? How? How?
I pictured Bella a vampire and the monster in me was suddenly back. The selfish monster in me wanted me to let that happen. To let her be damned in this life so I wouldn't' lose her. I hated that monster though it was what I wanted. I wanted Bella to be a vampire. For me.
For her. I wanted her to be human. I wanted so many more things to her. I wanted her to have a life. To be with a human boy. To be able to have kids. To live her life and die old. I didn't' want to change my Bella. She was perfect the way she was. I would save her. I had to save her.
"Alice, get me something to brace her leg! Edward, you must do it now, or it will be too late." Carlisle told us.
No. It would not be too late. I stared in her eyes and decided. I would stop. I had to stop. Carlisle would stop me if I didn't . He had to. I put my hands firmly on Bella's hand holding it in place and prayed quickly before biting into her hand.
Her blood was what I would call heaven. The taste of it was better than anything I had tasted before! The bloodlust in me came back and the monster that I had been with since the first day I saw Bella came back.
Keep drinking Edward. You know it's good. Keep drinking. It told me in my head. I kept drinking pulling back the venom James had released. Her sweet blood flooded in my mouth something I had waiting for. I sucked out the venom leaving her blood alone. I didn't swallow it. I stopped after a while when her blood was clean. I pulled away amazed at myself. I was strong enough! I was strong enough!
"Edward." Bella whispered. I heard her voice and stared at her. I had saved her. She would stay human.
"He's right here, Bella." Alice responded smiling down at her.
"Stay, Edward, stay with me…." Bella managed to say. Forever. I added in my head with a smile. She was safe. Everything was fine.
"I will." I said happy. She was hurt yet she'd be fun. She'd be back to my normal loving Bella in no time.
"Is it all out?" Carlisle asked.
"Her blood tastes clean." I answered. And tasty. "I can taste the morphine." I told Carlisle.
"Bella?" Carlisle called out to her.
"Mmmmm?" She looked tired.
"Is the fire gone?"
"Yes. Thank, you Edward." Bella said towards me. Anything. Anytime.
"I love you." I whispered. I loved her and always will. She was what I needed, what I wanted and what I would have whether it was good for her or not.
"I know" she breathed. Her eyes were closed and she already looked asleep. I laughed in relief to know she was okay. She would fall asleep and not have to deal with this pain for a while.
"Bella?" Carlisle asked.
"What?" Bella asked a little grumpily. I held back my laughter. Hurt yet, still my stubborn Bella.
"Where is your mother?"
"In Florida. He tricked me Edward. He watched our videos." she told me. I already knew that by now. Alice had been able to put everything together while we were fixing Bella up.
"Alice. Alice, the video-he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from." Bella stopped short and her nose sucked in the air. "I smell gasoline." she said.
Was she really human? I loved her truly. Dearly. I adored her. I wanted her. I desired her. I begged her.
"It's time to move her." Carlisle decided.
"No, I want to sleep." she complained. She need to sleep anyway.
"You can sleep, sweetheart, I'll carry you." I whispered in her ear silkily. I would be her superman in this situation. I just wanted her in my arms again. That's all I wanted.
I took her in my hands and pulled her against my chest breathing in relief. She cradled against my chest seeming to be completely out.
"Sleep, now Bella." I encouraged. "I love you. " I love you." I whispered in her ear not sure if she heard me. She looked asleep and so I guess she was. Everything would be okay. Bella would be okay. That's all that mattered.