AN: Here's the first chapter! This is after Eclipse. I'm just making this story up as I go, so if it seems sucky, that's why. Hope you like it!
BPOV:
I got up from my bed and looked out my window for the billionth time that night. Wuthering Heights lay neglected on my tearstained pillow, started in a half-hearted attempt to distract myself from terrifying thoughts. But even the seemingly large problems in Heathcliff and Catherine's relationship couldn't distract me from the horrible imaginings of what was happening tonight.
There was another case of spontaneous vampire generation in Mexico City that looked very similar to what had happened only a couple weeks ago here in Forks. The entire Cullen family had been needed down there to prevent the problem from getting any bigger—as long as we wanted the Volturi to stay away.
I hadn't been able to do much of anything during the weekend Edward had been gone. I knew if there was anything that he could have done that would've let him stay with me and kept the Volturi away at the same time, Edward would have done it. But him going with the rest of his family had been the only way to, in the long run, keep us safe. I kept telling myself that, but it didn't ease the pain and worry his absence caused me.
Why couldn't I keep from worrying? After all, his time away would be "Just like another hunting trip." So he said. But it wasn't 'Just like another hunting trip.' Or if it was, the prey was way more lethal. I was positive there wasn't a mountain lion on the planet that could even scratch Edward, but an army of newborns almost twice the size of what he had just faced? They could do a lot more than scratching. Another difference between a hunting trip and—this—was that with a hunting trip, I was sure he'd be coming home. I was positive that he'd go to whatever mountain, have a little fun, and come back safe and well fed. But with this—I had no way of knowing what was happening in Mexico City. No way of knowing if he'd ever come back.
I gasped for breath, and felt tears run down my streaked face. I was surprised that I had any left this night. But I did not wrap my arms around me, trying to hold myself together. That was what I did when I thought Edward had left me because he didn't love me anymore. That was what I did when I was convinced that I had driven him out of my life forever. I would save the eternal separation gesture for when I saw the purple smoke from Edward's torn body going up in flames. I started to shudder at the thought but then steeled myself. I couldn't let myself act as if he was already gone. I'd never make it through the night.
For a moment, I was envious of Charlie downstairs, watching another game on tv. He didn't have to worry if his vampire boyfriend and beloved family was being slaughtered south of the border. His biggest worry right now was probably high cholestorol.
Instead of brooding more on what might be happening in Mexico City, I walked quickly back over to my bed and picked back up Wuthering Heights. I promised myself I wouldn't look over at the window again until Edward climbed through it. Had he? My eyes flicked up to it. Whoops. Okay, starting…now—I wouldn't look at the window until Edward climbed through it. Already my eyes were being drawn back towards it.
I focused my gaze on the book and started to read. Almost ten seconds later I placed the shut book on my covers. How quickly I had forgotten Catherine's husband was named Edgar. Too close to the object of my heart's desire.
I needed something that would get Edward off of my mind, if that was even possible. Reading was definitely out. And so was homework, since I had graduated. All I could come up with was a shower. So I grabbed my toiletries and marched off to the bathroom, resolutely staring anywhere but the window.
I was in and out of the shower in ten minutes. The suspense of not knowing if Edward was in my room that very second was killing me.
I had dressed in my pajamas in the bathroom just in case he was in my bedroom when I got back. Ignoring my unbrushed hair, I sprinted shamelessly to my bedroom door and yanked it open. No one was in there.
"Edward?" I whispered hopefully. No vampire materialized. Sighing, I set my things down on my dresser and started to walk towards my bed, but on the way, something I glimpsed through the window caught my eye.
Completely disregarding my previous oath, I ran over to the window and stared out into the darkness as hard as I could. The fact that it was raining heavily did not help my vision.
My eyes were frantically and hopefully searching my yard for anything of interest until they settled upon something. It was a figure of some sort, and the best color I could make out was brown. This didn't worry me, only disappointed me, as I assumed this brown thing was Jacob.
Even after I had told him my decision, he still protected me. I didn't want him to come, I thought it'd be too painful for the both of us, but of course, Edward wouldn't leave me without some protection.
I was gazing wistfully out at Jacob when something else caught my eye. Something that made my heart rise into my throat. It was a glimpse of white, just a flash running from one side of my vision to the other, but enough to make me start thinking about how I'd react when Edward came in the window. Hug him? Kiss him? Bombard him with questions?
But before I could think of more options, a thought occurred to me: Why did Edward pass by my house? I should have been in his arms by now. I strained my eyes, looking for that glimpse of white again, and I found it—tangling itself with the brown form which was now struggling.
They had gotten in a fight! How could they? I felt no anger at their pigheadedness, only fear at what would happen to the non-indestructible wolf. My fear skyrocketed even more when I saw that the brown form had now become a brown lump, lying motionless on the ground. I swear I almost jumped out of the window, but I knew I couldn't help Jacob if I couldn't walk, and that Edward wouldn't let me get to Jacob if he had harmed him in the first place. Why did Edward hurt Jacob? Where was the rest of the pack? Why wasn't Jacob moving! He had to move. He had to!
The white form had disappeared while I was lamenting over what might've happened to Jacob. I had to see if he was all right! I grabbed my jacket from where it was hanging over the arm of my rocking chair, and struggled to put it on while opening my bedroom door.
I forgot about the jacket completely when I heard Charlie's terrified screams from downstaris.
I yanked open the door and bolted down the stairs, tripping on the last few steps—I'm sure I'd be amazed that that was all I had tripped on later—and frantically tried to get to Charlie, my eyes already inhabited with tears.
I saw Charlie on the floor next to the couch, obviously having fallen off, with his hands clenching his head and tears streaming down his face and tortured nonsense coming out of his mouth. I didn't see Edward anywhere. I'd deal with that later.
I raced over to Charlie and knelt down beside him.
"Charlie! Charlie! What happened?" he just clutched his head harder with his hands and started moaning. "Charlie! What's the matter?" He wouldn't say anything only clutch his head and moan. "Charlie!" My voice was exasperated. I didn't know what to do! I didn't know how I could help him.
"Why did you do this, Edward?" I shouted. I honestly didn't know how he could be this heartless. I was in pain just like Charlie, knowing that Edward would hurt him. And Jake. Jake! I hd to check on him! But I couldn't just leave Charlie here! I had no idea what was happening to him, or what would happen if I left him. But Jake was probably dying. He may even already be dead. I heaved at the thought.
Caught in between two that I loved, I couldn't think of how to help them.
"Edward!" I said again. "How could you do this!" I didn't honestly believe that Edward would do something like this, but I couldn't think of any other explanation. I was almost shaking wih sobs.
"Edward didn't do this." The sickly sweet voice stopped me mid-sob, and froze my body in its position. I knew who it belonged to, but I didn't want to believe that they were in my home, when all the Cullens were gone.
Slowly, shifting Charlie's body so that I could move more freely, I turned my rigid body around to face the source of the voice.
"Only I have the ability to hurt your human the way I did. Don't go giving the credit to your boyfriend. I don't like being cheated out of well-deserved praise." And then Jane giggled. She giggled. I don't know what I was feeling more of. Fear, rage, or disgust. Jane's eyes glinted. Definitely fear.
"What—what do you want?" I was surprised I had found my voice.
Jane just stared at me with cold eyes as if the answer was obvious. Of course it was. Me. I started to shake. She looked as though she enjoyed it. I'm sure she did.
"No." I said, my voice trembling. There was no way that I was going to go with Jane. Even if she couldn't hurt my mind, she would still be able to maim me physically, not to mention that I'd be going to the Volturi.
Jane merely raised an eyebrow at my objection—the same time Charlie started to scream, louder than ever.
"No! Stop it! I'll go with you, just stop it!" My screams joined Charlie's. Jane kept Charlie screaming a few moments longer, and then ceased her powers—for a while, at least. The look in her eyes told me she had enjoyed Charlie's screams.
After a moment's silence, she spoke.
"Stand up." Her voice was sharp.
I did, making sure I didn't accidentally trip over Charlie's now unconscious body on the way up. Of course, I was crying, just now realizing what I'd be leaving behind…again. I'd never even know if Edward was alive still.
I kept eye contact with Jane as I rose slowly to my full height. Once fully standing, the edge's of Janes mouth tilted upward slightly. This was the last thing I saw before I felt an icy-cold grip around my neck, and then blackness.
