Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or New Moon although I wish I did! It is my hope that I could be as good of a writer like Stephenie Myer one day. Although if she were to give me the rights to her amazing books. . . I definitely wouldn't complain! (Hint, Hint Stephenie!)

Challenges of the Mind

Chapter One

I was crying and I didn't care who knew it. Charlie had yelled at me for not coming home, I had mumbled something about something. I don't quite remember what I said, for all I know I told him the truth. I was in a state of shock for the first time in my life.

I had just finished walking up the stairs when the cell phone Edward gave me for me began to ring. I had used my numb fingers to attempt to quickly open the phone. It was Edward, I sighed in relief. "Hello?"

"Oh, thank God, Bella. Are you ok? Are you hurt? Did those dogs harm you? I'll kill them!"

I let out a hesitant laugh. Same old Edward. "Edward? I'm fine, just fine, physically at least. Mentally? I'm not so sure about."

"What do you mean Bella?" He asked sharply. Wow, he could be so dense sometimes.

"Well, for starters, YOU"RE GONE!!" I exclaimed. Then I started to whin, "And I saw Sam naked, and Jake–"

"YOU WHAT?!" He yelled. Obviously Alice didn't see that little tid-bit, or she didn't just didn't fill him.

"Not important at the this time Eddiekins." The only reason I called him this is because it's then he seeps in anger and actually shuts up. "As I was saying, Jake was being an ass, and I really, really want you back here with me." I started to cry again. "Please Edward, find a way that we can see each other again!"

"Bella, Bella, Bella, its ok. Our family is talking about right now, we will co–" He cut off and started arguing with someone. He sighed, "Bella? Alice wants to talk to you, in fact she wearing off my ears right now. I love you Bella, and I will talk to you soon."

"I love you to Edward." I could practically hear his smile over the phone. The phone was then passed to a different pair of hands.

"Bella!!" Alice squealed, "I miss you! We are doing everything we can to get back to you! Emmett and Rosalie came back and are helping us also. Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie are all furious. Edward is being, well, Edward. Emmett is being the usual hot head. Rosalie is so mad though. She is over here ranting, saying how they, the pack, have no right to split up two people in love. I guess she loves you after all! Aaah! I got to go, I'm getting a Rosalie death glare. I guess she didn't want you to know that. Ow! Ok, ok, Rose, I am getting off the phone now!" She sighed, "I guess I will talk to you later. Ooh! When we get back, we can go shopping, and give you a make over! Yay! Until then, bye!" The phone clicked.

What just happened? In one single paragraph, Alice had somehow managed to condemn me to shopping and being a barbie. God help us all!

Even though it was still pretty early, I went and had my human minute. While I was taking my shower, I allowed the hot water to massage away all of the tension my muscles were feeling. After awhile the hot water began to run out, so I quickly grabbed my strawberry shampoo and massaged it into my hair. I rinsed out all of the grit that had made it's way into my scalp during my adventure of the day. I stepped out of the shower and got dressed.

As I made my way to my bedroom, I half expected to see Edward lying on my bed with a crooked smile inhabiting his face. But, of course, he wasn't. I slowly walked up to my bed and lied down. I could still smell my Adonis look alike on my blanket, I held it up to my nose and breathed in deeply.

I was really tired so I went to sleep with my lullaby playing in my CD player. While I was sleeping, I had the most horrific dream.

Edward, Jacob, and I were in a hotel parking lot. Edward was snarling at Jake, who was shaking uncontrollably. "Bella, here is the key, the room number is on it, go in there and don't come out." Edward handed me a plastic hotel key and pushed me towards the entrance, I hadn't gone five steps when I heard the sound of ripping fabric, I twirled around in time to see Jacob exploding in a mass of fur. "Bella, GO!" I could see Edward yelling at me, but I couldn't hear hi. I couldn't move either. Damn it, Bella run!" Ok that I heard, but I still didn't move, I stared transfixed at the sight in front of me. I swallowed. Why wasn't I moving? Move! I screamed at myself. All of a sudden, Jake lunged at Edward, hitting him in the chest. I began to scream. .

I woke up screaming. Charlie came running in with his gun. "Bella! What's wrong?" I shook my head.

"Just a nightmare dad. Ugh. Please put that gone away before you hurt someone."

He looked at me in concern, his forehead crumpling, "Are you sure your ok Bells? You were screaming like someone was being attacked." I let out a hollow laugh, he didn't know how right he was. Good thing I don't have prophetic dreams, right?

"Sorry dad, I didn't mean to scare you. It was just a very vivid dream, that enjoy quite that much.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head, he wouldn't understand. "Well, if your sure. . ." He stood up and walked away. As soon as he shut the door, my cell began to vibrate in my pocket. I swiftly took the phone out and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Bella, are you ok? Alice had a vision of you screaming in fear, and Charlie coming in with a gun! What happened? Are you ok? Bella, answer me!"

"Edward, I'm fine. I just had a nightmare, it's fine. Although it would be better if you were here to comfort me." I said pouting.

"I know, I know Bella. Speaking of being together, we need you to go downstairs and tell Charlie you want to go to Phoenix to see some old friends, then you need to go to the airport and ask for tickets reserved for Isabella Swan. You will then ride first class down to Phoenix, and Alice and I will pick you up at the airport. And don't worry, this plan will work, Alice saw it in her vision. So go ahead and pack your bags up Bella. You need to be at the airport for your flight in two hours so have Charlie take the cruiser, or else you will never make it. Ok?"

I was jumping for joy. "Ok. I will go down and talk to Charlie now! Bye!" I hung up on him. I laughed imagining the shock on his face when he realized I was no longer on the phone. I ran down the stairs yelling, "Dad! Dad!" I reached the bottom of the stairs and ran into the living room to see Charlie watching the game with none other than Billy Black, who was in his unneeded wheelchair. I glared at him, then turned to Charlie and said in my most stricken voice, "Dad, I was wondering if I could go down to Phoenix to see Lizzy. She just called and said that her mom had another stroke, and that she really wants me to be there. She already bought the plane tickets and I need to be at the airport in two hours." I began to cry, "Please daddy let me go, you know how much her mom mean to me." I began to sob. Charlie had looked shocked ever since the word daddy. He nodded his head and said, "Of course Bella, just go get packed, and I will drive you to the airport."

"Thank you daddy!" I hugged him and before I ran up the steps again, I stole a glance a Billy, who was looking at me suspiciously. I gave him a triumphant look and raced up the stairs. I quickly packed my bag, and ran down the stairs again. It's amazing how I haven't fell down the stairs once isn't it? When I got into the livingroom Charlie wasn't there. I looked questioningly at Billy.

"He is in the car waiting for you Bella. I hope you know that I don't trust you. Your off visiting the Cullens and I know it. If you remember , you were forbidden to ever see them again!"

I narrowed my eyes, "Uh. . . wrong! You said they could never come to Washington again, and I have you know, Lizzy's mom really did have a stroke and wants me to come down and visit her mom." It was all true, I just wasn't speaking of a recent stroke.

I left Billy and rushed out to the cruiser. I jumped into the car and said, "Hurry dad! We have to get their in an hour and a half." Charlie nodded and pushed down on the pedal, he started the siren so he wouldn't get pulled over. Hah! Can you imagine the irony in that, Charlie Swan, Chief of Police, gets pulled over for speeding. The ride over to the airport was quite humorous, people kept pulling over thinking they were speeding or something. One car even drove off of the highway and headed towards a service road speeding. I giggled, I wonder what they did.

Eventually we got to the airport, I quickly kissed Charlie's cheek and rushed into the airport. I looked at my watch, twelve minutes left. As soon as I looked up I groaned, Lines. All of the ticket people had extremely long lines. I raced up to the front of the shortest line. In the second spot was a guy my age, waiting patiently for his turn. "Excuse me sir? I was wondering if I could somehow cut in front of you, I have to catch my plane in exactly ten minutes and thirty-two seconds. Please it's an emergency! I have to catch this flight! My mom had a serious stroke and she is in ICU, the next flight isn't until tomorrow at three! Please!" He looked at me with sympathy and nodded. I quickly reached up and hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed. Hah! I thought only I did that.

"Next." I blew out some air and rushed to woman in charge. I was breathing heavily from all of my running and adrenalin rushing through my veins, but I somehow managed to gasp out, "One ticket to Phoenix, Arizona, reserved for Isabella Swan." She nodded and said, "Identification?" I had already thrown my driver licence before she had even finished the word. She inspected it, nodded, and walked off after giving my licence back to me. I glanced at my watch, four minutes and forty-one seconds. She finally came back, handed me my ticket and said, "I hope you have a nice flight Ms. Swan." I was already gone looking for terminal 36B. I glanced up, 32B and 36B was right ahead of me. The speaker above me said, "Last call for flight 3345 headed towards Phoenix, Arizona."

I stopped at the flight attendant and handed her my ticket. She smiled warmly and said, "Hope you enjoy your flight. Just hand this ticket stub to the lady at the plane entrance and she will take you to your seat in first class. I nodded and raced down the tunnel. First class? I thought as I was running. Who said anything about first class? Edward, I growled inside my head.

I handed the stub to the lady, and she took me through a red curtain. She took me to my seat. As soon as I sat down, I blew air out of my lungs finally able to attempt to slow my heart down.

It was a short flight, but it was extremely annoying, flight attendants kept coming up and asking if I wanted anything. I would always say no, but they kept coming back! Finally, the pilot spoke saying that we were about to land . I sighed in relief. All of this stress wasn't good for the mind! The plane landed with a jolt. As soon as the pilot said we were free to leave, I was up and out of my seat in two seconds flat. As soon as I came out of the tunnel, I was wrapped in a familiar pair of arms. Edward. He kissed the top of my head, then stiffened. He growled. I turned around to see what he was growling at. I grimaced. The pack had come to Arizona, and they did not look happy.