Right...here goes the 2nd chapter. Please R&R. Xxxxxxx
1 week earlier...
Living amidst the mountains and rivers was bliss. But of course, Alice had to drag Bella out of the haven and plonk her right in the middle of a crowded shopping mall on her lovely Saturday afternoon. She'd spent all day dragging her through shop after shop until now, here they were, driving home in Bella's flashy Bugatti Veyron that was filled with shopping bags and Bella was having trouble driving in the way too skinny jeans and the way too high heels. Still, they didn't stop her from speeding off toward the familiar mountains that were visible in the distance.
"Sheesh, insultingly exited for this trip to end hugh?" Alice grumbled. Bella giggled. Nearly there.
As the neared the turnoff toward their home, Bella's face broke into a huge grin. Her lullaby was being played. She was being welcomed home. As the trees thinned and the houses came into view she saw that only one house of the four had the lights on, it was the biggest house, Esme and Carlisle's house. It had come to be like the common place to be during the day for them. She realised that her lullaby had morphed into a different song and saw the reason why standing in the doorway. Edward had come to the door and so it must have been Renesmee playing.
Jasper was standing behind Edward and they were both smiling at the girls as they got out of the car.
"Good trip?" Jasper asked as he enveloped Alice in a hug.
"The best" Alice sang as they both disappeared inside.
"Hell." Bella clarified when she and Edward were alone on the porch. Edward chuckled before placing a kiss on her lips.
They too went into the house where, as Bella had predicted, her seventeen year old looking daughter was playing the piano. She turned around when she heard the door and gave her mother a dazzling smile before changing the song subtly to be one of Bella's favourites.
They went to sit down with the others on the sofa. Emmet was engrossed in a game that was showing on the wall sized 3D television while Rose read her magazine. Esme and Carlisle were sitting talking to Jasper who had his arms around... a wide eyed, still as a statue Alice.
This was no big thing. To humans Alice must seem like the most committed day dreamer ever. Bella no longer thought anything of it. Things were well. For a long time now no one had been plotting against them, which is why it surprised her when Edward had disappeared from Bella's side to crouch by his sister, gripping her arm while the horrified look on his face got more and more intense.
Bella waited. This was not a completely strange occurrence. But it was very worrying because it had been a long time since anyone that could sense or see the visions reacted with such horror.
Edward was suddenly at her side, holding her by the upper arms. Something was wrong.
"Edward?" She said in a shaky voice.
"It's your mother." He said, pain over Bella lining his voice and expression.
Bella pushed at her shield. What is happening to my mother Edward?"
"She's dying Bella. She's going to die."
When? Bella didn't trust her voice.
"Three days."
Three minutes later, the flight was booked, the bags were packed and Bella and Edward were pulling away from the drive way and skidding down the drive.
They were heading for sunny Jacksonville. Bella had swapped her light cardigan for one of Edward's big black hoodies and shoved a pair of sunglasses into the pocket, in an attempt to hide her skin from the sun once they got there.
"Bella..." Edward began.
"There's nothing you can say Edward." She said. She put her hand in his and he squeezed it reassuringly. "Just be with me through this and you'll do fine." She tried to smile, but failed miserably.
At the airport they ran through customs and shoved their tickets at the attendants.
"Ahh, going to Jacksonville I see. How nice. Get some colour into that lovely skin of yours" Said the man behind the desk as he studied Bella's ticket for a little longer than he should have needed to. "May I just say-". He stopped talking abruptly when he saw Edwards's expression.
"Right, well. On you get, enjoy your vacation." He stammered as Bella and Edward shoved through the door.
"You're sure about this now?" Edward asked as they jogged.
Bella stared at him with raised eyebrows.
"What I mean is that it's going to be difficult. You'll have to explain-"
"Edward, I have to do this. I have to say goodbye to my mother."