Chapter 1 - Impossible

Today, I woke up to the cloudy sunrise, like I have done every day. The school year was winding down. My graduation was in 6 weeks. My midterms were 2 weeks ago. Two weeks ago when my life was in danger, again. More danger still, because he, they were not here to defend me. The thoughts of those days still send shivers through my body. I was laying in this very bed, when I woke up from my nightmare, but this time I wasn't screaming. That was odd. I went to sit by my window, trying to see a silhouette of a running wolf. I knew it was pointless to try to see any of the wolves, in the night. They were too fast for my eyes. Alice, I'm scared. Why haven't you seen any of this? Maybe you have and you don't care anymore. No, that wasn't true. Alice was my best friend. Unlike him, I knew she would always care.

Something flashed through the trees that caught my eye. Even in this dark night, I saw it was a flash of color. A color that was familiar. I shook my head and went to bed. Tomorrow would be a great relief. Jacob was finally going to take me cliff-diving. I sat in the middle of the bed, looking out the dark window. This was bringing a familiar feeling. It finally hit me and I pulled my covers of my body. I pinched my eyes closed, trying to push the memory back to the recesses of my mind. My mind wondered as I fell asleep. The image would not fade away without a fight, so I conceded and let it rip through me. I sat in the middle of this very bed, looking out that same window. It was the beginning of summer and my leg was still in a cast.

I couldn't sleep, not without cool arms around me. My fingers ran through my hair as my window opened. "Why are you still awake?" I smiled in the dark, knowing he could still see me clearly. "I was waiting for you." He smiled, his teeth catching the faint light from outside. He walked over to my bedside, taking me up in his arms, "You need your rest." I leaned my face into his neck, inhaling at the sweet scent of his skin. His cool lips pressed into my cheek as he sat down in the bed. I nestled into his chest as he began to hum my song. My eyes opened to faint sunlight. The hole in my chest shocked me as reality began to set in. Why did I get up in the middle of the night?

Looking out the window, Charlie's cruiser was gone. Once again, I was alone. The pain was my only companion. I had to get out of my bedroom to escape the scene that did not want to disappear. After eating breakfast, I went out to my truck and drove to La Push. I told Jake I would meet him at the cliffs where we saw Sam and the others diving. I walked along the cliffs, examining them for myself. He said there was a lower point where we could jump. I stood at the edge of the cliff, looking into the dark waters below. "Bella, it's been too long." I froze. The bell voice rang with familiarity. I turned and saw the face of my nightmares. Victoria stood a few feet away from me. "Seeing Laurent's mistakes, I now see you are difficult to get to." She stared at me, her body completely still. Bella, don't move. My hallucination cautioned me. She smiled, "Now, while the dogs are away, I can play. Your Edward," I listened to my hallucination and did not flinch at the sound of his name, "killed James. Now, to only be fair, you must die."

I let out a staggered breath, "Laurent told me. Get on with it." Bella, No! Edward, it's ok. This way, my pain would be over. Bella, you can't. She leaned into a crouch and I closed my eyes, repeating the same line I said that day in the meadow, Edward, I love you. A cool, hard hand clamped down on my throat and I felt the cool breath on my cheek. Taking my hand, her fingernail cut into my skin. My arm flinched as it realized the pain. I felt a sharp pain beginning to press into my arm. I opened my eyes and saw Victoria's teeth exposed about to press into the same scar left by James. I gasped and she looked up at me. "Fine, that was too easy anyway." She threw me down to the ground and stalked me. My bleeding hand was opened on the ground and she pressed the heel of her foot into it, holding me down. Mud matted my hair as a gust of wind blew through the cliff. She inhaled, "No, not now!" My ear was against the ground and I could hear rumbling and it was getting louder. Her head turned and then she looked down at me. "No time," she spoke through her teeth. She looked down and bared her teeth. My eyes widened, "No!" I screamed as Victoria's teeth came closer. My eyes closed tightly waiting for the pain. I felt her hands come down on either side of my face. She lifted my head up in her hands. Victoria slowed turned my head to one side. She was going to break my neck. A tear fell from my eye, Goodbye Edward. As I finished uttering his name, her hands flew from my face. My body fell back to the ground. I opened my eyes as a large brown wolf standing by my head.

I got up on my knees and it nudged me with its nose. Its head turned into the direction of the village. He wanted me to follow him. I looked back in the direction the glimpse I caught of the other wolves. The massive wolf shook its head and pressed its nose into my back, nudging me to get up. Walking alongside the massive wolf, I couldn't stand the silence, "Jared, what's going on?" He shook his head. "Oh, you can't tell me," I guessed. Jared suddenly stopped and snarled at the trees. "What?" Jared looked back at me. Pushing his nose into my torso, I fell to the ground. He pressed his paw on my shoulder and nodded its massive head. "All right, I'll wait here." I watched as Jared ran off into the trees. Trying to keep myself calm, I thought about how I was able to communicate with them in wolf form. My hand, the one that didn't throb with pain was pressed into the ground and I felt the same rumbling. Flashing pass me, I saw Sam, Paul and Embry run pass me. I wanted to stand, but I was too engulfed in fear to move. Where was Jacob? Coming out last, Jacob trotted over to me. I closed my eyes in relief. I stood and wrapped my arm around his neck. Jacob inhaled deeply, then shrugged out of my hold. "What?" Jacob ran into the trees and I was alone again.

Jacob came back in another minute, as a human, "Sorry, you smile like her. Too sweet. In my wolf nose, it practically burns." I rolled my eyes, "What happened with Victoria? And where did the others go?" He sighed, "She's gone. We finally got her. The others were coming back, when Jared picked up the scent of another one. That's why he made you stay here. Sam said to take you back to the village and the others will get the bloodsucker." "Ohh, so Victoria is dead?" Jake held my hand, "Yes. You're finally safe." I sighed in the complete euphoria that it was over. "But what about the other one?" He shrugged, "Just some random one that was in the area. Nothing to worry about." "Ohh." The wind whipped through the trees and I shivered. "So much for cliff diving today, a storm is coming. Come on, let's get back to my house." I nodded, "What about my truck?" He looked back, as a howl ripped through the air, "Paul will bring it." Underneath Jake's arm, my shivering stopped until we reached his house. Billy was there and Jacob told us how they destroyed Victoria.

I smiled at the memory of that day. It was the most relief I have had in months. Victoria was gone. She was no longer hunting me. Jacob said they would still come across the rogue vampire and the pack would hunt them. I looked out the window and I realized my cheek was burning. Holding it, it felt warmer than my entire body. I looked at my clock and saw I was going to be late for school. I jumped out of bed. I was so lost in my mind, that time got away from me. I dressed in my blue blouse, something I hadn't worn in months. The pain could rip through me later and it will. Grabbing my jacket, I ran out to my truck and pushed it as fast as it could go. I pulled into the parking lot with a few minutes to spare. I saw Jessica and Angela staring at me as I got out of the truck. They both wore faces of complete worry. Angela shocked me, but Jessica scared me. She hadn't spoken to me much since that night in Port Angeles when my hallucinations began. "Hi," I spoke timidly. They looked at each, then to me. "What's wrong?" Angela shook her head and Jessica patted my shoulder, "Are you okay?" My eyebrows furrowed, "Yes. I overslept a little, but other than that, I'm fine." Angela half-smiled, "Ok. Umm, let's get to class." They tugged at my arms and I walked with them. "Bella, is everything ok, really?" I looked at her, "Yes, why wouldn't it be." Angela and Jessica shared a glance, "Seriously?" I stopped, "Ok, what is going on here?" Jessica bit her lip, "Nothing. You say everything is fine. Then everything is fine. I mean you seem to be handling it pretty well." I raised an eyebrow, "Handling what?" We were under the cafeteria awning now when they stood in their tracks. "Bella," Angela looked at me, "you don't know? You haven't heard."

My eyebrows rose, "Heard what?" Jessica stepped into my line of sight, "Your dad didn't tell you?" I looked at her, "Tell me what? I was away all weekend with my friend, Emily." They looked at each other. "You know. My friend, Emily Young on the reservation. I got home late last night. Charlie was already asleep when I got home. And he was gone when I got up. Now, what is going on?" Angela looked over my shoulder, "Ok. This is it…. umm." Angela began to speak, when someone interrupted her. "Bella!" My back straightened and my bag slipped down my arm. Before I turned around completely, I was being tugged downward by my neck. Pale arms were around my neck and my chin was pressed into a cold, hard shoulder. I looked out of corner my eyes and saw jet-black spiky hair. My nose was filled with such a sweet scent. I gasped and my arms responded back by hugging her back. She pulled back and I saw her face, "Alice!" She smiled brightly, "Oh, I've missed you so much." Alice hugged me again. She pulled back, "Ang, Jess!" I stared at her back, then I bent down to pick up my bag.

Throwing it over my shoulder, "Alice, what are you doing here?" She looked back at me and her smile faltered. As I was about to ask her what was wrong, another voice came from behind me. "Bella." My mouth fell open. My body froze. I closed my eyes, as I turned. I saw his hands. My eyes moved up until I saw his face. His pale face, his gold eyes, his bronze hair. His eyes stared into mine as his face lit up into a smile, "Bella." He whispered my name again. My eyes closed, but they wouldn't open. My breath let out slowly and my legs detached from my body. "Bella!" Several people called my name and more hands were holding my body. It felt like they were holding me down, keeping me from floating away. I was dreaming. This was a dream. I was still in bed. Alice wasn't here. He wasn't here. Soon I would wake up and feel the painful blow of reality.