The Angel

I was too late, I knew I was. It didn't matter that I was as fast as a bullet; I'd need to have wings to get there on time. The fact that I had to take the back, deserted roads and run through the trees, so I wasn't spotted, to get to her didn't help at all. As I ran, a thousand thoughts went through my mind. I imagined Bella lying on the ground of that ballet studio, broken . . . And dead. I shuddered at the thought and had an awful nauseous feeling in my empty stomach. I ran faster than I ever had before, the trees and buildings flying past me at an inhuman speed. No matter how fast I went, though, I didn't feel I was getting anywhere. I started to think I was going round in circles. I wasn't going to make it on time . . .

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As soon as I had escaped from the gate at the airport, I was searching for her. I was sifting through the minds of all the people there, listening for Alice. I heard Carlisle calling to me, telling me to slow down, people would notice, but I ignored him. Nothing could slow me now, I had to get to Bella. My mind eventually focused on a young man thinking about that small, pale, unbelievably beautiful girl standing at arrivals,

"She looks anxious," He thought, "Maybe I should go over, make sure she's okay . . . Although, that guy with her looks kinda scary . . . Maybe if I . . "

His voice faded out as I zeroed in on Alice instead,

"Come on, come on, Edward! Where are you?!" She thought frantically.

I grew more and more nervous as I listened to the panic in her voice. My eyes searched through the crowd, looking for one face in particular. I knew that the thoughts in my head of her would not have done her justice. Bella is, without doubt, the most beautiful thing in my world. I knew that she was the only thing that could make my breathing easy again. So, when I seen the shock of spiky black hair belonging to my sister, I sighed a great sigh of relief. A huge grin spread across my face and I felt the hole in my chest, that Bella had taken to Phoenix with her, begin to heal. Until I heard Alice again,

"Edward, thank god!" She thought, her voice shrill with alarm, "She's gone, Edward! She ran off to meet him!" She screamed at me.

I stopped dead, the smile slipping from my face. People cried out when they slammed into my rock hard back, but I paid them no attention. My wide eyes finally met Alice's questioning.

"We don't have time for me to explain, just go! We'll follow!" She rattled off the address and I spun on my heels immediately.

I didn't look back at my family as I bolted through the airport. Just as I turned the corner to the stairs, I heard Alice say in a broken whisper,

"I'm so sorry."

So, now, here I was, running with all my power to save my life. And not because I, myself, was in danger. But because the reason for my existence was. My Bella. Our lives were tied now; she was the most important thing I had, so to lose her would mean losing my own life. I knew it was a one hundred to one shot of me getting to her on time, but I was doing everything I could. As I got closer, my breathing got faster and, although I thought it impossible, I pushed myself even faster. I broke through the last speed barrier I had as I whirled around the corner onto Cactus. There it was; the ballet studio. I ripped open the door, leaving it hanging awkwardly, and I flew through the door into the dark lobby. I froze instantly. I heard the most horrific and heartbreaking sound, the only sound that could threaten to shatter my frozen heart. It was a bloodcurdling, agony filled shriek reverberating around the giant mirrored room beyond the door. I took a deep breath and inhaled the most mouthwateringly delicious scent that could only belong to Bella's blood. I took one more deep breath, feeling the flames rip up my throat, and pulled open the last door. Had only one second passed since I ran through the first door? It felt like an eternity.

As my sharp eyes took a fraction of a second to scan the room, I heard the feral snarl of the monster, James. And there she was. Bella was, as I had imagined, lying crumpled on the floor, with James leaning over her. He glanced up at the sound of me and smirked and evil, sneer. Half a second had passed since I had opened the door and another half second went by before I was at his side. I let rip a wild, ferocious snarl that shook my entire body. My roar got louder as I crashed into James, with such force that he flew across the room and collided with a mirror on the opposite wall. I turned to Bella, lying in an unconscious heap on the floor. In the background I, I heard my family smash through the door and rush to James. There was a lot of muffled snapping and a horrific high pitched keening which cut off abruptly. I barely heard any of it.

"Oh no, Bella, no!" I cried in horror at Bella's bloody form.

My hands touched her face, her neck, her shoulders, everywhere I thought would not cause her pain.

"Bella, please! Bella, listen to me, please, please, Bella, please!" I begged her. She didn't respond.

"Carlisle!" I called over to him, "Bella, no, oh please, no, no!" I cried again. My voice broke off into tearless sobs.

Carlisle flashed to my side and pressed his hand against the gash on her head. Finally, Bella cried out. My breath caught in my throat.

"Bella!" I cried, my whole body shaking with relief.

"She's lost some blood, but the head wound isn't deep," Carlisle told me in a calm voice, "Watch out for her leg, it's broken."

I snarled a howl of rage and glanced back at the others, who were now unceremoniously tearing apart the vile beast who had done this to her.

"Some ribs, too, I think." Carlisle continued as though I had made no sound.

Bella groaned as Carlisle touched her wounds and felt around for more injuries. She mumbled incoherently and I leaned down to whisper into her ear,

"Bella, you're going to be fine. Can you hear me, Bella? I love you."

"Edward," She breathed back. My breath caught again at the sound of her voice.

"Yes, I'm here." I told her.

"It hurts." She whimpered.

"I know, Bella, I know." I said, then I turned to Carlisle, "Can't you do anything?"

Alice appeared at his other side and he turned to her,

"My bag please . . . Hold your breath, Alice, it will help." He told her.

"Alice?" Bella muttered.

"She's here." I told her softly, "She knew where to find you."

"My hand hurts." Bella tried to tell me. It came out a little garbled.

"I know, Bella. Carlisle will give you something, it will stop."

But she screamed out almost before I had finished,

"My hand is burning!" Her eyes fluttered open and they wheeled around, searching, finding nothing.

"Bella?" I cried out in alarm.

"The fire!" She screeched, "Someone stop the fire!"

My eyes dropped to her hand and bulged. No, he hadn't!

"Carlisle," I yelled, "Her hand!"

Carlisle's face went even whiter than usual and his expression was horrified,

"He bit her." He whispered.

"Edward," Alice said quietly, "You have to do it."

"No!" I roared back at her, my eyes still on Bella's face.

"Alice. . ." Bella moaned.

"There may be a chance," Carlisle began.

"What?" I cried. Anything but what Alice was saying.

"See if you can suck the venom back out," He went on, "The wound is fairly clean." As he spoke, he began to fix up the gash in Bella's head.

"Will that work?" Alice choked out.

"I don't know," Carlisle said, "But we have to hurry."

My head was spinning, "Carlisle, I . . . " I hesitated, "I don't know if I can do that."

"It's your decision, Edward, either way. I can't help you." He told me softly, "I have to get this bleeding stopped here if you're going to be taking blood from her hand." He patted my shoulder once in reassurance.

"Edward!" Bella screamed, writhing in pain. The sound was painful to me, it caused me actual blistering agony.

Her eyes searched again until they locked with mine. I stared back at her, my mind whirring through my choices. In a second, I made my decision and I filled myself with a steely determination. I shook my head to clear it a little then tightened my icy fingers around her hand, holding it still. I held my breath, then lowered my lips to press them to her skin. As soon as my teeth touched the bite, Bella screamed in agony and she thrashed around wildly, trying to get out of my grip. I held her arm, firmly but gently, as I tasted the venom that was in her blood. After a second, the venom faded then disappeared, and all that was left was the unbelievably delicious flavor of Bella's blood. Since the first time I caught her scent, I had wondered inwardly how she would taste. And now that I could taste it, I didn't know how I was ever going to stop. Her blood was more delicious than I had ever imagined it would be. I gripped tighter on her arm, willing myself to stop, but unable to take my mouth from her skin. I felt a restraining hand on my shoulder and heard Alice breathe in my ear,

"Enough, Edward. You have to stop."

With one last taste, sensing the morphine seeping through, I drew my mouth away and licked over the wound to seal it. Bella stopped struggling as the fire seemed to fade from her hand,

"Edward," She mumbled.

"He's right here, Bella." Carlisle told her.

"Stay," She pleaded in a whisper, "Edward, stay with me . . ."

"I will." I promised her and she sighed.

"Is it all out?" Carlisle asked me.

"Her blood tastes clean," I told him, "I could taste the morphine." Carlisle grinned at me.

"Bella?" He called to her.

"Mmmmm?" She mumbled.

"Is the fire gone?"

"Yes," She sighed, "Thanks you, Edward."

I chuckled silently and Carlisle and Alice grinned.

"I love you." I answered.

"I know." She breathed and I laughed again, louder this time with relief.

"Bella?" Carlisle called to her again.

Her face slipped into a frown, "What?" She groaned sleepily.

"Where is your mother?"

"In Florida," She sighed, "He tricked me, Edward. He watched our videos." The anger in her voice wasn't as impressive as I'm sure she intended it to be.

I was about to tell her not to worry about it now; Renee was fine and it was all over. But she opened her mouth to speak again,

"Alice," She breathed, her eyes flickering, "Alice, the videos -- he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from." Her voice was thick with exhaustion, "I smell gasoline." She added, her eyebrows raising a little in surprise. I chuckled silently again.

"It's time to move her." Carlisle told me.

"No," She moaned weakly, "I want to sleep."

"You can sleep, sweetheart," I soothed her, "I'll carry you."

And then I lifted her into my arms and cradled her against my chest.

"Sleep now, Bella." I whispered to her.

Her eyes fluttered one last time, and then her breathing slowed. She was asleep instantly, her face cupped in my hand. I pressed my lips to her bandaged forehead.

"That's right, sleep now." I kissed her warm lips once, softly, "I love you, my Bella."

I held her tightly to me as we walked from the, now burning, ballet studio. This was the most horrific night of my life. I had feared I would be too late, that I wouldn't have gotten there quick enough to save her. But, now I had her, safe in my arms. I thought about what would have happened if I had been too late, if we hadn't gotten there on time. I would have let myself burn in that building with the monster who was ablaze in there just now. I would not have gone on living without her. I would not have survived through another day. But, we did reach her. She was alive, and in saving her, my own life was saved, too. I couldn't live without her now. I wouldn't. She is my life, my soul and my all. My life is nothing without her. She is my everything.

And she is safe.