Chapter 3 - Saving….
"So, how long can you stay?" We hadn't talked much about anything, because we'd focused so much on projecting in the beginning, so it startled me when Kate spoke. "A couple centuries would be nice, you know. These things take time…" Kate was obviously getting ahead of herself. I only wanted to know how to practice, so I could do it myself, back home… away from all this supernatural stuff.
"Um, I have to go back to Phoenix in four days at least."
"FOUR DAYS?" Kate screamed in exasperation.
"Well, my mother doesn't really know that I came here to look for you."
"But FOUR days! And you have to sleep too! Oh this is so frustrating, what do you expect me to teach you in four days? We don't even have proper incentive, ugh!" She was overreacting a bit, but I liked it. It reminded me of Alice. Alice, I hadn't even met Alice. There was a loud, resigned sigh.
"I suppose, since you're human, you are tied down… but still four days. Ugh, well we might as well keep practicing. Why are you going to Phoenix anyways, what happened to Forks?"
"Forks? Why would I go to Forks?" The Cullens weren't there, hell I hadn't even met the Cullens yet. And my father, we had such a strange relationship. And what was I going to do about Jacob? But Kate didn't know all of that… why was she asking about Forks? Had the Cullens already decided to move there sometime in the future?
"Well, aren't you going to go back to Forks? How did you meet Alice and Edward then?"
I gave her a confused expression, how did she know that I knew about…
"Oh," she said, catching on to my expression, "We have wonderful hearing, you know. I was listening…"
"Oh… but… the Cullens aren't in Forks yet, how did you know that -"
"What are you talking about Bella? They've been living in Forks for a few months now. Isn't that how you met them? Otherwise why would you suddenly be coming over here and -"
"WHAT?!"
"What? I thought -"
"They're in Forks?!" This was bad, so very bad. Not because the Cullens were there, but because the wolves were there as well. Jacob, and his brothers. Sam. Leah. Emily. Emily's face was going to be destroyed because the Cullens had moved there. Leah's heart was going to be broken because the Cullens had moved there. Sam was going to have that cold, hard mask on his face for life because the Cullens had moved there. Everything was going to be ruined. This must be something that I was supposed to fix. And I had realized it too late. The Books had said that they'd moved to Forks two years earlier than I had. I'd forgotten, so conveniently forgotten. Jake, Jake was going to pay. No, I had to go… now.
Kate was still confused. "Bella. Bella? Are you okay? Did I say something?"
"No, no. It's, I have to go. I'm so sorry."
"Go?" I looked at her, my new friend. My new vampire friend. She was the only Denali who'd really accepted me completely. Tanya was reserved, Irina flat out hated me. Eleazar disapproved. And Carmen, well Carmen was quiet. I couldn't tell how she felt. I looked up into Kate's kind face and saw the blue eyes that should have replaced the honey golden ones that I really saw. They were caring, they were playful, they were disarming. She was becoming my cousin too, my sister. If I was going to be a Cullen, we would be family. Family, that sounded nice. I couldn't keep leaving her hanging like this, not explaining anything. I knew she was curious. I mean, who wouldn't be curious? I'd just come barging into her home like I owned everything, knew everything, and had to be given everything. I had to tell her something. But not now. Now was not the time. I had to go, Jacob. Jacob didn't want to be a werewolf. And sometimes things were set in motion, and they couldn't be changed. Sometimes, it could be too late. But I couldn't be too late. This was what I was supposed to change. I had to go.
"Kate…I have to go now. I don't have time to explain. But thank you for being so hospitable, and please call Carlisle. Tell him, not to let Edward out of the house for the next 24 hours, and keep a close watch on him. Tell him, not to let Edward get at me. Please don't ask what I mean. I need to go. Bye." I dashed to the guest room to get my things.
"Bella…" Kate put a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry, please." I looked up into her eyes, trying to make her understand. Her hand fell.
"All right."
"Thank you." I dashed out the door without a backward glance, counting money. It seemed a flight to Port Angeles was in order.
***
"CARLISLE? CARLISLE?" I was frantic. It had taken too long to get a flight to Port Angeles. There had been so many delays, it had cost so much. I was nearly broke now. There were so many taxis that passed me by when I so badly needed a ride to Forks, and I'd spent so many hours just freaking out. But luck had been on my side when the taxi drove right past a break in the trees, and I knew instantly that I'd found the way to the Cullens' home. I paid the man and got out. It was 5:00 in the afternoon. The Cullens had to be home. Perhaps it was dumb of me to be calling for Carlisle, he'd be at work.
"ALICE? ALICE ARE YOU THERE? EMMET? ROSALIE?" I needn't yell. They'd hear me, they probably heard the taxi stop and the car door slam after I got out. But they weren't coming out. They were probably confused. It was no use. I started walking very slowly down the path to the house, it was a long way to be sure, but Edward was the fastest.
"EDWARD? DON'T BREATHE!" Please don't kill me Edward, I want to get to know you. Please don't breathe. Please. I want to love you, I want to marry you.
I could hear the flowing of water now, I must be getting close.
"Edward, don't breathe, don't breathe, don't breathe. Alice, hold him back, Jasper, Emmet, hold him back. I don't want to die… please."
And there was the house. It shouldn't have looked so familiar to me. I shouldn't have been able to look at it and feel like it was home. But it did, it felt like home. It felt like love and family and happiness. And for a moment I felt like I was going to ruin it all by being here. But I had to, I had to save Jake. I walked up the steps, knowing they could hear every resounding echo of my footsteps. I came up to the door, and stopped. I didn't pause this time. I just knocked. There was no response. I knocked again.
"Alice, I know you're confused, but I'm all right, I'm not crazy. Please let me in. I'll explain everything… Esme? Esme, please open the door."
And the door opened, it was Jasper.
