A/N: This is the second chapter to a story by Hope. Flies ht tp:/w fiction.n et/s/4093501/1/Choices She has kindly given me permission to continue it, since she cannot. I'm trying to re-write the first seven chapters so that they work a little better with my plan for the story. This chapter encompasses most of the third chapter from the original story.

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine…ever…well, except the writing, and only if the reviews are good ;3

Chapter 2

"Bella." Alice's voice, even filled with displeasure, sounds like wind chimes in a breeze. I can't believe how much I've missed it. I just want to throw myself into her stone body for a hug, but there are so many questions. Alice beats me to it though.

"Bella, why did you try to kill yourself? I saw you. I saw you standing at the edge of the cliff. Thank goodness you stepped back, but how could you be so reckless!"

Unbelievable. She has the nerve to come here, in my house, and lecture me? I'm not the one with the explaining to do. So I respond with a few questions of my own. "Why were you spying on me? What do you care? Haven't you ever heard that spies rarely see anything they like?"

Alice looks confused by my reaction, and hurt, but she's the one confusing me. A small, hopeful voice in my head starts to wonder if it could be possible everything was just a ruse, that they really do care about me. I squish the voice down though. Hope is dangerous.

"Bella, of course I care," and her face seems to match her words, a concern that I'd missed etched in her features.

I shake my head. I won't be pulled in. Not again. I stumble as I try to take a few steps backward. Charlie catches me and at the same time, the phone rings. I stare at it as if it were an alien before picking it up on the third ring.

"Hello?" I ask the receiver.

"Bella! Oh thank goodness!"

All the breath in my lungs left with a whoosh. I dropped the phone on the floor, and I could feel my knees crumpling, my vision going blurry. I was going to black out for the second time in one night! I managed to breathe a one-word explanation to Charlie: "Edward."

Speak of the devil and he will appear. I wake up in my own bed, and I remember what sent me there. How could I not when his pale face is hovering just a few feet above my own. I reach up to touch him. The lines of concern are etched into his marble skin, and I trace them with my finger. He holds my hand to his face and the coldness is familiar and yet alien. I remember a time when the cold was comforting, but now it unsettles me. I snatch my hand away and sit up, which is when I notice Charlie hovering in my doorway. His fingers are twitching toward his gun holster, but someone had the presence of mind to remove the gun.

"Edward, what are you doing here?" I'm impressed with how calm I sound. I want to scream at him. How dare he and his family do this to me!

He looked nervous, sitting at the edge of my bed. I was still waiting for a response, but none seemed forthcoming. I just continued to look at him. His face…after all this time. It was still mesmerizing, but I no longer enjoyed the feeling. The feeling was like losing control, and I was only just re-gaining control of my life. The longer I looked at him, the more that look became a glare and the more nervous he got.

"Bella, we need to talk," he finally whispers, quiet enough so only I hear. He barely moved his lips. He didn't want Charlie hearing. Rightly so. Charlie would go ballistic. I look at Charlie, standing there in my doorway, and a rush of appreciation causes me to smile a little. As much as I appreciate his presence, Edward is right. This conversation is not something Charlie needs to witness, but it does have to happen, but I won't hurt Charlie so Edward and I can be alone to have it.

I decide to tread delicately. "Dad, I'm okay," I sound convincing because I know I will be this time. "I think that I would like to catch up."

Charlie looks at me incredulously, concerned, and I know why. He thinks it's a bad idea. So do I.

"Dad, I'll be fine. I'm going to the Cullens'. Dr. Cullen, I'm sure, has missed me, and it's been forever since Alice and I had a good chat," I glare at her with the last word to emphasize that I have no intention of chatting with her. Charlie seems to recognize something is going on, and in true Charlie-fashion, he nods then leaves without a word.

"Okay, Edward. Talk." I spit as Alice goes downstairs to the Volvo.

"Not here Bella."

I glare and open my mouth to tell him not to boss me when he interjects with a good point. "You already told Charlie you'll be coming to my house. I don't want to upset him."

My glare feels venomous to me, so I can only hope it's getting the message across to him. I don't want to go there, see all the people who let me go…gave me up like some old toy.

"We don't have to go to my house, but we can't stay here."

I just nod my head. It's the most I can manage. I insist on driving my truck though. I won't let him take over.

"Maybe we should go to our meadow?" he suggests, but I can tell it's more than a suggestion. He expects me to follow.

"Our meadow," I spit it out like sour milk. "Your meadow is just a dream. My meadow if you'd like to see it is a dead zone." I fling the words in his face. He doesn't even know! He wasn't here! That meadow has become the home of nightmares both real and imagined. Why would I go back? My meadow is a nightmare. It long since stopped being ours.

"Look Bella, it's one of the few truly private places we can go to talk that's not my house," he pleads with his eyes, "Do you remember the way?"

I roll my eyes, but old habits die hard, and he's right. I can't think of a better place to have our last conversation. The meadow is already haunted with so many hurts, what's one more? Hopefully, this time the hurt will not be mine alone.

When we make it to the spot, I jump out and start to hike, but it doesn't take long before I'm tripping all over myself. Edward can tell I don't want to climb on his back, but he wants me to. Finally, he entreats me one final time with his eyes and I nod. He picks me up effortlessly and slings me across his back. Something inside me is irked that after all this time, we can still communicate without words. It's not fair. I don't want this anymore. I can't handle it.

We're at the meadow before I can get too worked up though. Edward sets me down gingerly, looking for all the world like he still cares and still loves me, but I just can't swallow it. "Okay, now talk."

"Bella, I'm so sorry," he ignores my huffing. "I didn't want to hurt you, but I can see that I have. Rosalie told me about Alice's vision, and when you fainted on the phone…I knew I needed to come back. I've already been making my way back to you for months now anyway. I never should have left you," he takes one of my hands, looking at it, stroking it. It feels like it used to except for one thing: it's no longer welcome. He pouts his lip as I try to pull my hand away, and he uses his eyes on me, "Please, Bella. Please forgive me. I thought I was protecting you." His eyes look haunted, almost like this ordeal has hurt him as much as it wounded me. I yank my hand away violently before the thought can go too far. He's hypnotizing me again.

"No."

The look on Edward's face is pure torture. It hurts to look at, so I look away. I won't be swayed…not again. I fell for his act once. I need to be stronger this time. At that thought, the other voice speaks up. Just one word: Jacob. I parrot it, repeating it over and over in my head. I just have to remember, Jacob is putting me back together. I am going to be okay. I need to take control of my life, and that means no more Edward or gnawing chest wound in the metaphorical driver's seat.

"I can't trust you anymore. That's not just going to go away."

It was as if I invited him to fight for me with those words. I realize my mistake as he moves closer. He starts spouting off at the mouth, how sorry he is, how he will prove his loyalty. I shake my head. I can't allow this. I don't want him to fight for me. I want him to go away and let me heal.

"NO!" That stops him. "Edward, I don't love you anymore." It is a borderline lie, but it's the only thing that will do the trick, and we both know it.