Author's note: This was and extremely hard chapter for me to write. I was trying to really feel what it would have felt for Alice and Edward: the complete and total loss. Oh, it was awful! I got a little teary-eyed a few times! But anyhow, please review. It is always so helpful and I love getting feedback! That's what I write for! I need to know if you guys think I should continue to write with the whole reunion or just call it quits for now. Thanks!

Carlisle was fluttering around his office downstairs when I knocked. "Come in." It was barely a whisper, but I twisted the doorknob. "What's going on, Alice?" His forehead wrinkled as he urged me to hear what I had to say.

"I'm worried about him." I spoke. My voice didn't sound like my own. It was uneasy and full of questions.

He exhaled and folded his hands across the desk. "We all are, Alice. I have to ask though, are you worried for Edward more or are you going insane over the thought of losing Bella?" That struck a chord.

Of course it was about Edward – right? He was, after all, my closest family member that I confided in the most. I sighed.

"I can't even picture my life without her, let alone his." I confessed.

"Funny. I can't either. Edward is going to do what he has to do, even if it hurts him. That's what I find most admirable about him. He is devoted to her safety, even if it means letting his own happiness rot away." Carlisle looked up at me with a reassuring grin. "We'll be alright."

"She won't. She'll be a mess. Why isn't anyone thinking of this? She'll be lost without him, without us. I'm honestly scared for her, Carlisle. Can't you just stop him? He's not thinking clearly and you know that!" I nearly shouted these words as my vision of Edward gliding down the stairs silenced me.

He burst into the room, as I had predicted, and I rolled my eyes.

"That's enough, Alice." He stood close to my face with dark, hungry eyes. I wanted to reach up and touch his face, to calm him down, and tell him that he didn't have to leave her. I wanted to soothe him, and let him think through everything so he would make a rational decision. He didn't have to push his only source of hope away from him. He was drowning in his agony already. He was completely submerged under with no way of kicking to the top. I wanted to embrace him and let him know that I was here for him. He would probably push me away at an instance. It was the thought that counts, and he would know.

I could see him running to her house and climbing the wall into her bedroom. Pushing the covers down and I could feel the warmness of her skin in my vision. He cradled her in his arms and kissed her cheeks frantically and traced her collarbone with his fingertips. She would gasp in delight and pull herself to leave no gap between any body parts. Her eyes would tear up and she would faintly call his name in his ear and it would drive him absolutely crazy. But as soon as the vision became dominant, it went completely black.

"Can I talk to you? Alone." He grabbed my arm and rushed me out of Carlisle's office, out the back door, and into the thick of the wooded area around our house; just far enough for the others to not hear our mumbles. "You don't get it. I think I need to explain myself more clearly."

We sat down in the leaves as they covered my legs. I stared at him intently waiting for him to begin. His look of frustration made my cold, hard heart shatter into pieces. He was completely broken.

"I can't do this with you not backing me up. You have no idea how hard it is for me to even dream up a way to tell her that I'm leaving and not coming back." He sighed and let his head droop to his chest.

Edward.... "I'm sorry." I sighed. I couldn't let him be alone. No matter what I stood for, or whatever I wanted the future to hold…it wasn't my decision to make. I could fight him no longer and we both knew this. It was one way or another now. He would leave, or he would forever feel as a menace in her life.

"Thank you." He brushed his hair back and clenched his jaw. "Last year, I would never have thought I would even be in a situation like this. I'm only mad at myself of course, I could never be mad at her for such things. It was always frustrating to me, the whole silent mind thing. Not anymore, I wouldn't do anything to take back the past 6 months, except take the pain away from her. I can't imagine not seeing her blushing cheeks or feeling her skin burning against mine. I may very well lose my mind."

"I know." What else was there to say? I knew he'd lose his mind, and he would never forgive himself for what he was about to do. He'd never forgive himself for the tears that she would shed for him, or the days she'd spend in bed with the blinds closed. He shivered at my thoughts.

"So that's it then? I can never see my best friend again?"

"Alice, I'm sorry. I can't have you coming to school today. You have to understand that a clean break would be best in this situation." He said.

"You're wrong, but I respect you. I'll see you when I see you then. I guess I'll be heading toward Denali to catch up with Jasper. He'll be interested to hear what you have decided." I got up and brushed off my jeans and combed my fingers through my pixie cut.

"Tell him that it was nothing that he did, will you?" He got up as well and we headed toward the house.

"Of course." I steered off into a different direction. He gave me a stern look. She won't even know I'm there, but I have to see her one last time.

I ran until the woods started to thin and her house was now into my view. I leaped gracefully into her window and landed with a small sound and held my breath. Nothing. She looked so vulnerable in the shadows that were cast by the moon. Her hair was covering half of her face as she inhaled and exhaled, in a deep sleep. I sat very lightly on the edge of her bed and pushed the hair behind her ear. This was the only goodbye I was going to get and she had no idea what was to be expected for the new day.

"Bella." I whispered so faintly that no one but a vampire would be able to hear me. "Bella, I'm going to miss you. You'll always be my best friend and my sister. I will always love you. Take care of yourself, and Charlie. He'll need you to be strong." I bent down and gave her a light peck on the cheek. Her heart fluttered a little and I had one last glance of her peaceful face, as I glided out the window and back toward the house.