Thank you to everyone who decided that my story may be worth a bit of their time. I truly am so excited to write this fan fiction. Enjoy! I will try to post a new chapter as quickly as possible. ~ Lexi Teal
Disclaimer: All Twilight-related content is property of Stephanie Meyer. I am borrowing these characters throughout my story to (hopefully) entertain you and let her story continue even though the saga has come to an end.
Chapter 1 (EPoV)
The Pilot's voice crackled overhead as he reported the landing time of our flight. The minds around me began to stir and several of them proceeded to check for everything that they had hauled onto the plane with them. But all I cared about was the girl finally sleeping soundly in the window seat next to me, and Alice too, of course. She was curled up on my left side, eyes closed as if she was asleep, but I knew better. Vampires never sleep. I whispered to her, too low for the humans around us to hear, "Any visions yet?" She grimaced, eyes still closed, and shook her head, a fraction of an inch. No. I sighed and looked down lovingly at my Bella.
I knew I would have to wake her soon, from the pilot's thoughts we would be landing in about five minutes. Placing my cold hand on her shoulder, I tapped lightly twice and she began to stir. "Charlie...?" she mumbled, still half asleep. My hand reached around and cupped her chin, "No love," I murmured to her softly as her eyes flickered open, "it's me."
"Is this a dream?" she looked down at her hands as if she were about to cry. My dead heart sank. I never should have left her. All I wanted was for her to live a normal, happy life free from the dangers of the supernatural. That didn't happen. "Bella it's really me, it's not a dream," I told her lovingly as I tucked a strand of her soft brown hair behind her ear. She frowned and then her eyes met mine and I could see that they were brimming with tears. "Oh Bella..." I breathed and enveloped her in a hug. I felt her warm tears scald my shirt. Wincing, I buried my face in her hair, taking in her strawberry shampoo scent. I'd missed her so much.
"I guess this isn't a dream," she mumbled through my shirt, "Don't leave me!" she whimpered. "Never," I promised her. I would never leave her like that again. When I had left it was torture for me to be without my Bella... I had no idea she was also in the same pain... for months. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again. My lips gently brushed her forehead and she sighed softly in contentment. "The plane is about to land, love," I told her, coaxing her to sit up once again. Alice had already reached up in the overhead compartments and taken Bella's backpack from above us.
As the three of us waited for the landing I listened to the rest of the passengers on the plane. Behind us, several girls were giggling and daring each other to come up and talk to me. I put my arm over Bella's shoulders as I read their thoughts. The tiny one in the middle seat was shoved out into the aisle and nudged forward by her two friends. She was about Alice's height and had mousy, blonde hair. Her cheeks flamed and I looked up at her questioningly. Of course, I already knew what this was about, but she wouldn't know that. Her thoughts became jumbled. Oh my gosh! He's gorgeous!... Is my hair okay?... Do I just look like a complete idiot right now?... Her thoughts just kept tumbling around and I tried not to smile. I smelled the blood that had risen to her cheeks when she first saw me and it reminded me that I hadn't hunted in a long time. It had been... three weeks? The girl gave a slight cough, and he turned his attention back to the little girl standing in the aisle, Alice pretending to be asleep again.
"Umm... My friend in the green shirt behind you, she thinks you're hot and she wondered if you would give her your number?" she rambled in a hurry, her voice catching at the end. Then she saw my arm wrapped around Bella and she took a step back, "Oh, is... is that your girlfriend?" she asked in disappointment. I nodded and looked at her, seeing through her eyes that mine were completely black. Her heart picked up the pace and she froze like a deer caught in the headlights. Her instincts told her that I was dangerous. And I was. She quickly mumbled an apology and ducked her head, sliding back into the seat behind us. Alice chuckled softly in her 'sleep'. Rolling my eyes, I look back to Bella who had completely missed the whole conversation. She had been looking out the window as we began to descend, passing through a cloud on the way down. By now, the ground was already visible to the passengers of the plane and many of them were now looking out too. Being a vampire, he could see the ground the whole time.
As everyone was anticipating the landing, some with fingers in their ears, others still with their cell phones out despite the warnings, Alice froze. Her eyes became distant and I was bombarded with the vision: A red-headed vampire racing through the dessert somewhere, then it flashed to her in the forest... in Forks. My fist, that wasn't resting on Bella's arm, clenched so tight that it would have broken the armrest had I grabbed it. Alice placed a hand on my shoulder and I looked to her anxiously. Not here. We will discuss this with the family when we're back at the house. I gave a stiff nod and slowly loosened my fist. Bella looked up into my eyes with a questioning, weary expression. I mouthed 'later' and she just nodded and hesitantly rested her head on my right shoulder.
With a small thud the wheels of the plane met the runway and we began to lose what little momentum we had left. Finally coming to a full stop, the Pilot's voice returned overhead, "Please wait until the seatbelt lights have been turned on before getting out of your seats. Have a wonderful day." There was a lot of bustling as the people around us slowly unbuckled and stretched, grabbing for their luggage. I shot up out of my seat, not too quickly of course, but Alice still gave me a warning look. Bella stood and I took her hand in mine and led her off of the plane as fast as I could at a human speed, Alice right on my heels.
When we were back inside the airport itself we walked right past the baggage return and headed for the front entrance. People around us stopped and marveled, but we didn't have time to worry about that right now. We needed to get home. Fast.
After what seemed like forever going at too slow a pace, the three of us approached the front doors. Squeezing my hand, Bella stepped forward to open the door but I got there first. I pulled it open and we walked through as she gave a playful huff. She knew I didn't mind. I kinda borrowed a guy's car when I was trying to get Bella and I to Italy so... we don't have a car. Alice thought to me. Right as she said that however, a familiar black Mercedes pulled around in front of the sidewalk. Bella's face lit up as she saw Carlisle drive towards us. "And I thought Alice was the one who could see into the future!" she laughed and I couldn't help but smile.
Edward, your Volvo is in the next parking lot. Esme drove it over here... We figured you guys would be back by this afternoon. It's good to see you safe, son. Carlisle told me through his thoughts. I smiled gratefully at him, then gently tugged on Bella's hand and lead her to where my car sat waiting with Esme leaning against it. I've missed you so much, Edward! She enveloped me in a tight hug. "I've missed you too, Esme," I murmured. I hadn't seen most of my family for a month. For a while, I thought it was best to just take off on my own. I couldn't stand to be around three couples while I couldn't be with my Bella... it was unbearable. Esme gave the others a hug, Bella gasping in surprise, and pulled back with a smile.
Carlisle pulled up and Esme hopped in on the passenger side. Looking back to Alice and Bella I opened the side door for my sister and then proceeded to open the passenger's door for Bella. As she climbed in and I heard the quiet click of her seatbelt, I raced to the other side of the car and was in the driver's seat before she could even lift her head. I smiled guiltily at her and stepped on the gas. We took a well-hidden back road to Forks, driving probably somewhere around two hundred miles an hour. It was enough to set Bella on edge like always. I chuckled at that.
We pulled into our long driveway less than a half-hour later. Nothing was said much on the way there and Alice was shifting nervously in the back seat, something vampires didn't usually do. Edward, what are we going to tell them? Victoria... what are we going to do? I can't see any more visions of what she may be doing so close to Forks... it's unnerving. I grimaced as I parked the Volvo in the giant garage. "We'll find a way to keep Bella safe. Nothing will touch her," I hissed fiercely, imperceptible for anyone else but Alice to hear. And with that I turned the car off and helped Bella to her feet on the other side. We were home at last.
Please take the time to read and review the chapter. I shall hopefully be posting the following chapter tomorrow evening.