APOV

We had met up with Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie. Splitting off in different directions, we tried to find any sign of Bella, Laurent or Victoria. Suddenly, an image flashed in my head…it was Bella…She was in pain…in a dark, room…chains… I shuddered.

Esme grabbed my arm and gave me a concerned look. "What is it, Alice?"

"Well, she's alive," I assured her. "…for now," I added, gravely.

JPOV

I heard her. She was giving herself a death sentence. It didn't make sense. She could go home! Here we are in front of tons of humans and she is not attacking anyone. Why wont she go home? Why did she say I was coming back? I couldn't leave her alone? Out in the middle of nowhere!

"It's time, Jacob…You need to go home," she said, looking directly into my eyes. I stared back at her, defiant. I clenched my jaw. "No way in hell, Bella." She gave me a pleading look, but I was not giving in. This was non-negotiable. I grabbed her by the arm and pulled us towards the road. Back to the cabin.

"Jacob," she said, softly. I grunted. I didn't want to look at her. I was too mad. "Jacob," She tried again.

"What," I snapped at her.

"I can't…risk…I can't be sure that I wont…snap. I can't put Charlie in that kind of danger. I can't put YOU in any kind of danger like that," She began. I opened my mouth to argue but she pulled us to a stop and looked intently into my eyes. "Listen to me. Say I DO go back, then what? I would have to leave again in a year or two. That would kill Charlie. I need to step away now, let him recover. I need a clean break," She stopped talking. Her face went blank and she starred aimlessly past me. It looked like she saw a ghost.

BPOV

It hit me, just like that. I understood Edward now. I understood why he had wanted me to stay away in the first place. I thought about Jasper. I had been around him for months and then in that one instant, one paper cut sent him into a blind fury. Even the most controlled monster could lose control. I would never forgive myself if I harmed Charlie in any way. I had already hurt him enough in that phone call. It made me feel better to think he might be able to start to heal…I was understanding Edward and the Cullen's choice to leave a little better. I can see even more how Edward, dealing with that constant fear, would start to resent me.

"Bells, what is it," Jacob was shaking me out of my thoughts. I flashed him a shy smile and he relaxed.

"Nothing. I just realized how lucky I am to have you," I confessed. I knew my time with Jacob was getting shorter, even if he didn't know it. I wanted to make sure I made the best of it. He looked surprised by my response. I punched him in the shoulder, playfully. "Race ya," I exclaimed and took off into the trees. He passed me in a flash. The forest echoed with the sound of our laughter.

EPOV

I sat in the bank of a river, watching the moon reflect off of the water. I had been days since I talked to anyone in my family. Every conversation, they begged for me to come back. I couldn't. I couldn't begin to pretend to go back to the way things were. I ached for Bella with all of my being. My whole world had crumbled and I laid under the debris. It was crushing me. I replayed the look on Bella's face when I told her…When I told her I didn't love her. It took everything I had not to fall on my knees in front of her and take it back. I would take it all back.

I took my mind back to my family and knew they must hate me, too. I deserved their hate. I was losing my sanity. I knew I needed to talk to someone. Jasper seemed like a good choice. He was not over emotional and wouldn't beg like the others had. He would be understanding.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and turned the power back on. Right away, it beeped, telling me I had voice mail. That seemed odd. I clicked the to listen to my messages.

"23 new messages," the robotic voice told me. That seemed excessive…

"First message, 'Edward? This is Alice…I'm on my way to Forks," Anger built up in me. She KNEW I wanted her to stay away! "…You need to get here, too…It's Victoria…Bella is in danger."

The next think I know, my cell phone was in pieces in my hand. Damn, I thought. Damn, damn, damn! I got up and started running as fast as humanly possible. As I entered the tree line, I tore off as fast as I could.