My heart went into overdrive as Carlisle and Edward burst through the door and into their living room. A few seconds behind them a forlorn looking Emmett trundled aimlessly over the threshold, his hands clasping tightly on to Jasper's hunched shoulders. He appeared to be both propping him up and manoeuvring him all at the same time, because Jasper's eyes were swimming in guilt and horror and it didn't seem as though he knew anything apart from what he had done.

However, that was not what made me cry out loud. Jasper's mouth was drenched in blood. It was smeared across his face as if someone had attempted to scrub it off, but it still looked just as terrifying. The sharp contrast between the crimson of the blood and Jasper's whiter than white skin only added to the shock and it was at this point at which I realised I was hyperventilating. I clutched at the arm of the couch I had somehow landed on, hoping that everything was not as bad as it seemed.

Hearing my short bursts of breath, Edward crossed the room in no time at all to my side, cradling me in his arms as I struggled to remain conscious. His presence should have comforted me, but my ribcage felt an increase in constriction as I noticed Edward's perfected poker face making an unwelcome appearance. Oh god, I thought, oh god, oh god. Please let everyone be alive, please.

As I lay helpless in Edward's arms, Carlisle and Edward huddled into a corner, their speech a soft hum, their eyes a blur as they flicked around the room and into each others eyes. Slamming my eyes shut, I buried my face into Edward's hard shoulder and prepared myself for the worst, but before I could begin, Esme and Rosalie entered the room, their arms folded around Alice's tiny frame. Her head was hung low as she concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other, blanking out all others around her.

"Edward," I breathed. "Edward, what happened? Is everyone all right? Please, tell me no one's hurt!"

"Bella."

Edward's reply was a whisper, barely loud enough for me to register. And then, for a small instant, his pretence was broken and the sorrow he had been hiding so well leaked through. In that moment, I knew someone was lost.

"Oh god," I repeated and I began rocking unsteadily back and forth, hugging my knees to my chest as my eyes filled with salted tears. "Who?"

A white-hot flash of anger screamed through me as Edward stared to the floor, his eyes avoiding mine at all costs.

"Who?!"

All faces turned toward me as I felt my grasp on self-control beginning to slide. My anger mounted as they continued to stare.

"Emily."

No.

No, no, no, no, no, no. This couldn't be happening. Not sweet, loving Emily, the absolute love of Sam's life and mother to the pack. Fragile Emily, whose scarred face went ignored by those around her as a mark of respect; all apart from Sam, who saw it as a constant reminder of what he had done to her, but who loved her more then life itself.

I will not accept this. It cannot be true.

My fingers dug savagely into the cushions of the sofa and I found myself grinding my teeth together, in attempt to distract myself from what horror was taking place in the real world. On a whim, my eyes found Jasper's collapsed form. Emmett was huddled over him, as he sat shaking with his head in his hands, rocking abrasively whilst incomprehensible mutterings tumbled from his mouth.

"We have to go. Sam doesn't know yet, but Jacob does. He-" Edward took a moment. "He's giving us a head start."

I lifted my head in surprise.

"What?"

"I very much doubt it's for Jasper's benefit, more for yours, but he's allowed us time nonetheless. Now, we have to move," Edward scooped me up into his arms, still avoiding my eye contact and carried me to the garage.

"Jasper-"

Realising I didn't know what I wanted to say, I cut myself off. I knew I should have been angry with him, I knew I should have wanted to rip him to shreds, but all I could think of was the grief that would be tearing Jasper up inside, unrestrained and terrible. All it would have taken was for Emily to have given herself something as minor as a paper cut and he would have sensed it. Oh, Emily.

"We'll talk when we're in the car and moving. Not now."

A soft sob escaped my lips as Edward placed me in the back of the car and strapped me in, carefully. I barely noticed as Alice slid in next to me, dragging Jasper in after her. My thoughts were no longer coherent as the tears began to fall relentlessly. Jacob. He had let us go. I was never going to see him again. Charlie. I was the one person left in his life and now he's alone all over again.

Edward's hand found mine and I jumped pathetically, the shock of reality hitting me for the second time. He was in the front passenger seat, but even so he was facing me, providing what comfort he could offer. Alice held my other hand firmly whilst curling up to her beloved, whispering small comforts into his ear and smoothing back his hair. I glanced at Jasper whose eyes were unfocused and yet appeared to be fixed to the back of the chair. They were tinted red.

Suddenly, his head jerked up and his eyes found mine for a second. As he realised I was looking at him, he turned away again and I could feel the pain coursing through him.

"Stop the car."

It was not a request. My scratchy voice was only just audible, but I had no doubts that they could all hear me. From the corner of my eye, I could see Carlisle in the driver's seat, his head turning slightly toward me.

"Stop. the. car."

Before the BMW had stopped, my hand found the door handle and I fell from the inside in a tangle of limbs. Without taking any time to process what I was doing, I flung myself round to the other side of the car and threw the door open. Alice was staring at me incredulously, but I didn't care. At that moment, all I cared about was Jasper. Hiccoughing, I pressed his chest to mine and clung to him in a death grip which would not be broken.

Unashamedly, I sobbed into his shoulder and after what seemed like an eternity, he wound his arms around me, returning the hold I had on him, clutching onto me as if his very life depended on it. Jasper and I had never been entirely close, but I supposed there would be a life long connection between us from now on. That is, if we manage to haul Jasper away from Sam in time.

We were moving again; somehow Alice had managed to pull us into the car. Marvelling at her magnificence, I gazed at Alice gratefully and she stroked my cheek lovingly, tucking a lone stand of hair behind my ears. What would I do without the Cullen's? I'd probably be permanently disabled by now or something of the like. But I knew I would have to be there for them too, now, especially for Jasper. This was going to take some time to get over and I would do everything in my power to help. It was the least I could do. They had done so much for me.

Carlisle's pseudo-calm voice floated across the air and through the thick silence, somehow spreading an instant of peace throughout. He was probably calling ahead to book some flight tickets. Goodness knows, they probably had him on caller ID the amount of planes this family had taken.

I broke out of my protective trance as Alice suddenly released a colossal gasp of air, her beautiful face contorted with panic.

"Alice, what is it?" Carlisle questioned, looking at her through the rear-view mirror.

"Move!!" she screamed.

The blood drained from my face.

"Faster, Carlisle! Put your foot down, they're coming!"