He stopped in shock, standing in the woods, unable to move forward. They were here…HERE…in Forks.
Alice suddenly appeared beside him, "Edward, you really are rather distracted aren't you? Couldn't even hear me coming." Her smile was easy and inviting.
"Alice, what are you doing here?" he demanded.
"I saw you coming back and besides," she pouted, " I miss Bella."
"Stay away from her," he roared, "we've interfered enough in her life."
She rolled her eyes, "Edward, you've come back, why shouldn't I get to play with Bella too?"
"I'm not going to speak to her, or even get near her."
Alice looked him straight in the eye, seemingly straight through to his soul, "Edward, don't lie to me…and don't lie to yourself."
He saw her mind flash toward a future, a future where he saw himself with Bella, where he saw himself begging Bella to take him back, to love him again…but there was something wrong…with Bella. She was in the hospital…she was sick.
"What-" he started and then he was resolved, "I have to leave, I have to get out of here," He turned to run, he couldn't let that future pass, he couldn't let Bella get hurt and that was what would happen if he stayed.
"Sorry, Edward, we can't let you do that," Edward found himself staring into Emmet's massive grin, "didn't even hear me coming," he chuckled and grabbed Edward to keep him from leaving.
Edward struggled against the bonds, "Emmett," he growled.
Alice flitted up next to them and placed her hand on Edward's arm, "Edward, Laurent came back for Bella."
Edward stopped his struggling and stared at Alice, horrorstruck, "Laurent…," it was too horrible to think about, his beautiful, sweet Bella who had done nothing, had hurt no one, in such danger, and him, her sworn protector, not here to help her. He felt as if his world had collapsed, he felt such despair. When he left, he thought he could feel nothing worse than being away from her, but this…this was pure torture, to think that he not only put her in danger but then abandoned her to the consequences. He was a monster, of the very worst vein.
He resolved himself, "Emmett, let me go," he yelled, "I have to get to Laurent,"
Alice spoke, "Laurent is dead, Edward, its Victoria that we must worry about now."
"Dead? How?," Edward was flabbergasted.
Alice and Emmett exchanged a look before Alice explained, "Edward, Bella made some…friends while you were gone."
This hit him extremely hard, she had moved on, and rightly so, he was the worst creature on the planet, it was only fair that she found someone else. Still…he felt completely wretched knowing it was so.
Alice continued, "Edward, it's not what you think, "he looked up toward her, "she never stopped loving you, but she was…destroyed when you left. She started hanging out with Jacob Black…Edward, "Alice looked down toward him. The name clicked, Ephraim Black's descendent. Was he..? Could he be…? "He's a werewolf Edward," Alice provided the blank, "…a newborn one."
"What?!?" Edward roared, breaking Emmett's grip on him, overturning trees as he raged around the clearing they were in. "She promised," he continued raving, "she promised to keep herself safe and then what does she do, she makes friends with a werewolf, a newborn werewolf. What was she thinking? Typical Bella, can't keep herself safe, she'll need to be looked after her entire life, can't manage it herself."
He stopped, realizing what he just said and how it made him feel….it was a good feeling, he decided, it felt as if a weight had lifted off of his shoulders. He was decided, he couldn't leave her, not now, not ever. He just had to hope that she would take him back.
Alice smiled, "There, much better, everything is coming together, not at all twisting anymore."
