A/N: This is the break-up scene from the book but with a twist.

Prologue

"Come for a walk with me"

he suggested in an unemotional voice, taking my hand. I didn't answer. I couldn't think of a way to protest, but I also knew I didn't want to. I simply waited for other shoe to drop.

But he didn't wait for an answer. He pulled me along toward the east side of the yard, where the forest encroached. I followed willingly, rolling mentally my eyes at his theatrinism. It was what I wanted, I reminded myself. We'd gone only a few steps into the trees when he stopped. We were barely on the trail–I could still see the house.

Some walk.

Edward leaned against a tree and stared at me, his expression unreadable.

"Okay, let's talk,"

I said. It sounded brave and not sarcastic. Contrary to popular belief I'm a good actress.

"Bella, we're leaving."

No kidding? Really? I so didn't see that one coming. I shook my head to conceal the smile that had formed on my lips so I could keep up the charade.

"Why now? Another year–"

"Bella, it's time. How much longer could we stay in Forks, after all? Carlisle can barely pass for thirty, and he's claiming thirty-three now. We'd have to start over soon regardless."

His answer confused me. I thought the point of leaving was to let his family live in peace. Why did they moved in the beginning of the school year? I stared at him, trying to understand what he meant. He stared back coldly. Suddenly I realized what he meant.

"When you say we–,"

"I mean my family and myself."

Each word separate and distinct. I shook my head back and forth mechanically. He waited without any sign of impatience. How long were we going to play this game?

"Okay, I'll come with you."

Let's see how you'll play now.

"You can't, Bella. Where we're going… It's not the right place for you."

"Where you are is the right place for me."

"I'm no good for you, Bella."

"Don't be ridiculous."

I had to bite my cheek to manage not to sound as angry as I felt and it just sounded like I was begging. Perfect!

"You're the very best part of my life."

"My world is not for you," he said grimly.

No kidding!

"What happened with Jasper – that was nothing, Edward! Nothing!"

"You're right," he agreed. "It was exactly what was to be expected."

"You promised! In Phoenix, you promised that you would stay–"

"As long as that was best for you," he interrupted to correct me.

"No! This is about my soul, isn't it?"

I really wanted to know. Not that I cared but I wanted to know, after all I played the part for almost 8 months now, didn't I deserve any answers?

"Carlisle told me about that, and I don't care, Edward. I don't care! You can have my soul. I don't want it without you–it's yours already!"

I answered theatrically. Isn't this what I was supposed to say?

He took a deep breath and stared, unseeingly, at the ground for a long moment. His mouth twisted the tiniest bit. When he finally looked up, his eyes were different, harder–like the liquid gold had frozen solid.

"Bella, I don't want you to come with me."

He spoke the words slowly and precisely, his cold eyes on my face, watching as I absorbed what he was really saying. There was a pause as I repeated the words in my head a few times, sifting through them for their real intent.

"You… don't… want me?"

"No."

I stared, uncomprehending, into his eyes. He stared back without apology. His eyes were like topaz–hard and clear and very deep. I felt like I could see into them for miles and miles, yet nowhere in their bottomless depths could I see a contradiction to the word he'd spoken.

So why did you breath down my neck for the past 8 months? So you could feel better when you didn't eat me? Anger flared at me but I managed to keep it down.

"Well, that changes things."

I was surprised by how calm and reasonable my voice sounded. He looked away into the trees as he spoke again.

"Of course, I'll always love you… in a way."

Bullshit!

"But what happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change. Because I'm… tired of pretending to be something I'm not, Bella. I am not human."

Oh did you just figure that out now? What did you do, realize you dont have a pulse? In cue he looked back, and the icy planes of his perfect face were not human.

"I've let this go on much too long, and I'm sorry for that."

"Don't."

My voice was icy and I knew I slipped.

"Don't do this."

He just stared at me, and I could see from his eyes that my words were far harser and full of the disgyust I felt. I repeated

"Don't do this"

In a much more subdued and heartbroken tone.

"You're not good for me, Bella."

Don't you have that backwards there buddy? However he had turned his earlier words around, and so I had no argument. Not that I was looking for one but anyway. I opened my mouth to say something, and then closed it again. He waited patiently, his face wiped clean of all emotion. I tried again.

"If… that's what you want."

He nodded once. My whole body went numb. I couldn't feel anything below the neck. I was holding myself far to tight. I had no idea how more I could do this.

"I would like to ask one favor, though, if that's not too much,"

he said. I wonder what he saw on my face, because something flickered across his own face in response. But, before I could identify it, he'd composed his features into the same serene mask.

"Anything,"

I vowed, my voice faintly stronger than before. As I watched, his frozen eyes melted. The gold became liquid again, molten, burning down into mine with an intensity that was overwhelming.

"Don't do anything reckless or stupid,"

he ordered, no longer detached.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I nodded keeping my face in a helpless mask. His eyes cooled, the distance returned.

"I'm thinking of Charlie, of course. He needs you. Take care of yourself–for him."

I nodded again.

"I will"

I whispered & He seemed to relax just a little.

"And I'll make you a promise in return," he said. "I promise that this will be the last time you'll see me. I won't come back. I won't put you through anything like this again. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me. It will be as if I'd never existed."

Can you swear for me? I really don't wanna see you in again.

My knees must have started to shake, because the trees were suddenly wobbling. I could hear the blood pounding faster than normal behind my ears. His voice sounded farther away. He smiled gently.

"Don't worry. You're human–your memory is no more than a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind."

"And your memories?"

I asked. Like before I honestly wanted to know. What did he gain from this? What was his kink? My voice sounded like there was something stuck in my throat, like I was choking.

"Well"–he hesitated for a short second–"I won't forget. But my kind… we're very easily distracted."

He smiled; the smile was tranquil and it did not touch his eyes. He took a step away from me.

"That's everything, I suppose. We won't bother you again."

The plural caught my attention. That surprised me;

"Alice isn't coming back"

I realized. Thankfully my voice was still choked. He shook his head slowly, always watching my face.

"No. They're all gone. I stayed behind to tell you goodbye."

"Alice is gone?"

Please tell me she took all her ugly clothes from my closet as well.

"She wanted to say goodbye, but I convinced her that a clean break would be better for you. Goodbye, Bella"

He leaned down, and pressed his lips very lightly to my forehead for the briefest instant. My eyes closed.

"Take care of yourself," he breathed, cool against my skin.

There was a light, unnatural breeze. My eyes flashed open. The leaves on a small vine maple shuddered with the gentle wind of his passage.

He was gone.

I leaned against a nearby tree and counted slowly to five hundred. Then I let the helpless mask fall and I smiled.

"Finally! Good riddance. And the Oscar goes to ... me"

I shook my head at the stupid vampire and laughed. I always believed that a great poker player is not the one with the emotionless mask but the one that can control their face muscles and portrait emotions at will. I looked my watch and saw it was still early but...

"Shoot. I need to walk Jake"

I took running back home hoping against hope that my patio furniture would be whole still