Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters no matter how much I wish I did. Oh, and I don't own the chapter title either. I'm not quite sure who does since Robert Frost is dead, but it certainly isn't me.
Miles to go Before I Sleep
Each mile that I put between Forks and myself is not just another layer of protection for Bella Swan, but for my family as well.
In the last few hours those words had become my mantra. Two solid reasons that would keep me from destroying everything.
This girl hasn't done a thing that would warrant being brutally murdered, I reminded myself, and my family hasn't done a thing to deserve the potential repercussions of my actions.
I knew they wouldn't be happy with me, Esme's reaction was particularly painful to picture, but it really was for their benefit that I was doing all this. Thankfully, Carlisle had understood my motivation and I knew that he'd try to make the others understand too.
Still, I could look forward to an angry phone call from at least one of them when I reached my destination. I wouldn't have to wait much longer, each mile, each layer of protection, was bringing me closer to Denali. I'd be there soon enough, breathing the fresh mountain air that, hopefully, would wash away the memory of Bella's stirring scent. Part of me felt that there was nothing that could dispel her fragrance from my thoughts. Nothing at all that could make me forget such a delicious scent. I could recall with perfect clarity the way it had wafted from her skin and wrapped me in a heady cloud that I could not escape and could barely resist….
Merely thinking about that torturous hour was enough to make my control slip and I was startled to discover that I had wrenched the wheel around and the car was dutifully following suit.
Each mile that I put between Forks and myself is not just another layer of protection for Bella Swan, but for my family as well.
I forced myself to not correct the wheel, allowing it to spin a full 360 degrees before straightening out. I revved the engine, urging the car to move forward faster, as if to prove that I had not been so tempted to return to Forks.
Each mile means that an innocent girl is safe. Each mile means that my family is safe.