Chapter 2. Resolution

Marble-white granite flew inches past my face. I had no idea whose flesh it was, but watching colossal Jacob tear into fragile-looking Alice was way too much.

"Stop!" it didn't sound much like a command, but more an unintelligible, inhuman shriek. They knew what I meant and a second later, Jacob had jumped back and landed on his toes, Edward was on the floor in the opposite direction, the earth beneath him gouged by the force of his landing, and Alice had bounced lithely to a branch just over Edward's head, ready to pounce at the first sign of Jacob's attack.

"Stop." this time it was a pathetic sob, "Edward…I'm sorry. You can stop fighting for me. I've ruined everything. I'm sorry."

He grimaced. He knew that I didn't want him to comfort me, and that I couldn't comfort him.

"I don't understand, Bella. I love you. I thought you loved me."

"I do. I did. A lot has changed, Edward. It's different. It's…difficult." I replied, but it was hardly a murmur. "I didn't…I never realised how many people would get hurt because of me. And not just emotionally, Edward. Twenty one people are going to have died because of me by the end of tonight. It's not fair." I thought of all the bodies that had been found, all the people who had gone missing and the families that had been torn apart. "It's not fair." I repeated.

"Bella…you'll be the death of me. Really. I have waited for you…for ninety years. Bella, I need you," he said it to the floor, "I'm not giving you up. Not for a mongrel."

"Well you're going to have to give up aren't you, bloodsucker, because otherwise, I'm gonna have to tear you to shreds and incinerate you like the rest of your heartless friends!" Snarled Jacob, obviously excited by the thought of tearing Edward apart and burning what remained.

"Nobody is tearing anybody apart!" I cried. Except, hopefully, the vampires who wanted me dead.

"Trust me Bella, if he won't, I'll make sure somebody does." He was threatening me with the Volturi, from whom I rushed all the way to Denali with Alice last year to save him. I wouldn't save him again. If he couldn't live without me, so be it.

He sensed this, and bit back a sob. I had never seen him cry before. He had no tears, his liquid-topaz eyes didn't redden. His perfect, god-like face remained blotch free.

"Fine. I guess you leave me no choice. Bella, if I have a soul, it will love you forever, even when you have puppies. I guess…I'll see you in hell. Again, that's if I have a soul." And with that he was gone. The hero of our story had disappeared, and Alice stood glaring at me.

"Bella, you bitch! What have you done! You foolish, pathetic child!" She shrieked, fighting back her resolve to kill me right there and then. She would let Victoria do that. And she would close her eyes and watch with pleasure. "You've killed him!" she screamed. And then she disappeared. Doubtless, she had witnessed the moment Edward had been destroyed in Denali and had gone to tell the rest of the Cullen family. To stop fighting.