Summary: This is an AU about what would happen if Edward had stayed away when he first ran into Bella in Biology during Twilight. Things are quite different. Edward finds love in another. But what happens when Bella comes back into his life. Who does he choose?

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Twilight.

Running

I was running.

I knew that much was true. Where I was running to was also another easy answer. I was going to go to the Denali coven until I could figure this out. I was currently on the eight and nearing the coven's home. I turned off the highway as I rethought the question I had been asking my self since 29 hours ago. Why her? Why now? Why?

It was nearing ten in the evening when I pulled into their driveway. It was late by human standards, but being as I am not human the time was irrelevant. Only a monster would be able to walk eternity without the bliss of being able to get away from reality and go to a world of dreams and surrealism. That was my existence. There was no life in me. No heart that pumped blood through my venom coated veins. No need to take in the oxygen that I inhaled merely out of habit. I just went day by day, going through the motions I had been going through for almost a century now.

I followed this train of thought as I realized I had parked out front of their home. My thoughts were driving me crazy. They were keeping me from paying attention. I quickly pulled myself together and stepped out of the car. I tried to look normal, but could feel the furrow of my brow crushed into a worried line across my forehead. I took one last deep breath in before I knocked.

I immediately heard people talking, both outwardly and in my mind. I was too engrailed in my own thoughts though to really care much so I just tuned them out. Soon enough the door was opened and I received a hug from someone and once they pulled away I saw that it was Carmen, the mother figure of the Denali coven. Standing behind her with a grin on his face was her mate Eleazar.

"Oh Edward! Carlisle called to say you were coming, I hope everything is alright! Come in, come in! Kate! Irina! Tanya! Edward is here, come say hello." Carmen called just above her normal speaking voice. She spoke very quickly and excitedly, it was hard not to grin at the outlandishness of her personality.

The three girls ran down the stairs and stopped just behind Carmen, all smiling wide.

Now I remembered why I had stayed away so long. The three of them had been competing over me for the past forty fifty odd years. But they were all too dense and I didn't need a companion. I was fine in myself.

Suddenly I wasn't so sure. I doubted myself, but I had no idea why. I was sure that I did not have feelings for any of these woman. And I had not met anybody new…

I was brought out of my reverie by the speaking of one of the girls, I looked up to see that it was Tanya, "Oh Edward, we have missed you. Why didn't you come back and visit like you promised?" She whined to me. It took everything in my being to keep from rolling my eyes, turning around and walking back to my car. I guess I would have to deal with the three pining for my attention again. It was something that drove me to my room for days and weeks at a time until I had to come out to hunt.

But instead of rolling my eyes and leaving, I smiled as sweetly as I could and said, "Tanya, I've only been gone for what? 2 years?" There, that was a neutral answer that would keep them from pursuing it more and kept me from being rude.

"Come," Carmen said to me, "let us sit in the family room and talk. We are all curious as to why you have come." I looked around me and did not need to read there minds to know that they indeed were all intrigued as to what I had been doing and why I had mysteriously ran from my family, my home, my 'life', to come here.

Eleazar took Carmen's hand and led her to the family room, Tanya, Kate, and Irina, waited for me to walk by them down the hall before following to the family room. The place was just as I had remembered it. Vast and open, bright and the hard wooden floors looked as if they had never seen a speck of dirt.

We entered the large family room and I sat in the only lone chair, no need to get them riled up over who would get to sit next to me on the "love" seat. The girls saw where I sat and all looked slightly sad, but recovered by taking the seat directly across from me, each staring intently at me in a way where I felt very uncomfortable. I was glad I had decided to block out the thoughts of the coven members. My mind was already in utter chaos, and the thoughts of three crushing girls and other curious and worried minds was not something I needed at the moment.

"SO Edward, tell us why you have come." Carmen asked as soon as everyone was present and sitting. She wore a reassuring smile, she reminded me of my mother. The way they smiled with love. I suddenly felt horrible for the way I was probably worrying Esme to 'death'. But there was no turning back. I could not go back to her.

But now I had to decide. Do I tell them the truth or do I tell them a lie? If I tell them the truth would they think me weak? Think me incapable of handling a simple human girl? Which brought me to the next thought, how could this common, ordinary, and strange girl drive me from my home and family members? I still had the scent of her in my mind, the way her blood called to me, as if it were singing me a lullaby and willing me to drink from her pale thin skin.

But back to prior matters, the questioned at hand, the truth or a falsity? I was never one to be untruthful. But there was nothing wrong with a little subterfuge. I would just simply tell them enough, and maybe even perhaps make things work a little in my favor.

So with that in mind, I answered Carmen's question, "I met a girl." I answered shortly and dauntlessly. I opened my mind then, to see how they would take the inveracity. I started with the most annoying, the three girls.

What?! A girl? A human girl or a vampire girl? I hope it isn't serious, I think I may have a chance this time. Kate's thoughts made he corners of my lips twitch.

What?! NO! No, no, no, no! Irina's thought's kept repeating over and over again.

That is SO not fair. I wonder why he wants us to believe him. Tanya swiftly reminded me of her power.

Tanya had a power kind of like mine, but was different. She could not read the minds of anyone, and could not read directly. Instead she could read what your wants and greatest desires were at the given time. I would have to be careful.

Oh dear, I hope he is alright. Was she of romantic importance? Carmen's thoughts were just what I expected.

Of course, it's always a woman. Eleazar thought and grinned at me while pulling his wife closer.

"Was she human?" Irina asked with curiosity.

"Were you romantic?" Carmen asked.

"Did she break your heart?" Kate asked.

"Do you love her?" Tanya asked while leaning forward, resting her elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand.

I thought of all the questions, and could not help the slight grin on my face, but wiped it off quickly to hide my secret.

"She was human, we were romantic in an unromantic way," when I came to last I tried to think of what to say. For some reason I wanted to say that I did love her. To say I had an adoration to her. And so I did, whether it was true or not. "And I loved her."

By the time I had finished all the girls were staring at me with intensity and fevered curiosity as to who this human female could be.

She must be one special girl. I bet she's beautiful; god is she a lucky chick. Kate thought abstracted.

"I think Edward has answered enough questions. You remember where your room was correct?" Eleazar had saved me from the females and the new round of questioning they were aiming to cast upon me. I gave a smile of appreciation and nodded.

I left the room with thoughts of adoration from the females of the room following me as I ascended the stairs to the confines of my room. The only place I could think properly about anything.

And the only place I could think properly about her. And as I thought that I realized I did not want to simply call her, her. She had a name, so from then on I had decided I would call her by it.

That evening was the fist time I day dreamed about Bella Swan.

A/N: Yes, I know. This had a different first chapter. I like this one more, and since Stephenie already posted the actual first chapter, I decided it was redundant to have my own version. So here is the new first chapter. And to those that are Fate Always Wins fans, I am sorry that I have not been able to update. writers block is a big jerk! But I have so many ideas for THIS story I am about to explode: let me know what you think of this story.