A/N: You people BLOW ME AWAY with your reviews! THANK YOU! I am SO glad that you're enjoying the story! Seriously! xoxox So, something about this chapter spooked me, so now I am worried you'll all run for the hills laughing at me as you go! But, I hope not!

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

SM owns the characters, I just play in the sandbox.

Four hours. It took four goddamn hours to get seen in the ER. I guess what they say about Cape Fear Valley being the busiest ER in the state is true. Probably doesn't help that it's also Saturday. Another hour and a half after they finally called my name, I left the proud owner of twenty-seven stitches across the top of my hand and knuckles and a prescription for pain pills. Fun times.

I'm mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted by the time I pull into the driveway. My hand burns like it's on fire at the slightest movement, now that the anesthesia they used to numb it has worn off. It's pretty intense, but I welcome the distraction.

It's close to midnight, and I have nothing left to give. I'm not hungry, but since I have to take pain pills; I know I need to eat. I grab an apple from the fruit bowl in the kitchen and a bottle of water from the fridge. It's gonna have to do for now. I head upstairs; avoid looking at our photos on the wall, and go straight to our bedroom. An uneasy feeling runs through my blood as I cross the threshold.

I have so many more unanswered questions and I don't even begin to know how to process them. I set the water on my bedside table and run my fingers through my hair, grasping at the roots as I scan the bed. I'm tired, but somehow I doubt I'll sleep. I just can't even fathom sleeping in this bed without her. My eyes roam the room and lock on the doorway to the bathroom. I feel my heart rate speed up again. Facing the inevitable, I slowly walk over and flip on the light.

Holy shit.

It looks like a crime scene with broken glass; blood everywhere, a bloody towel and that box. Stepping further in, I try to block out everything and at least clean it up. Might as well, sleep is the last thing I will be able to do right now. As best I can with one hand, I clean out her sink and wipe down the counter with bleach. The mirror taunts me and I am more than a little pissed at myself for that stupid outburst. I toss the towels in the basket under the counter and turn to face the floor.

Goddamn box.

I squat down, pick up the plastic bag and crumple it up into a ball; all the while my eyes are focused on the box. Suck it up asshole. I tentatively reach for it and let my fingers trace the contours. Holding it in my grasp, I read over the label. I am fully aware of what it is, but I do it simply because…well, I don't know, maybe I am hoping it is a figment of my imagination? I turn it upright; slide my fingers thru the open flap to peek inside and then flip the box entirely, shaking out its contents. A single, foil-wrapped package lands on the floor at my feet. I sigh and shake my head as I reach for it. I'm so utterly confused at this moment, and it really does nothing to help the heartache as well. It only adds to it.

Is she? If she is, then why would she leave? Why wouldn't she tell me? Are things that bad? Am I so bad that she can't even picture me being ok with this? Does she even want me to be ok with it? If she's not, is this the reality Renee was talking about? A close call of some sorts that helped her make up her mind?

The simple fact that either way, she doesn't want me kills me. Chest ripped wide open, heart ripped out, kills me. As I slide it back inside the box, and place it on the counter, my phone chimes with a text message.

This late? Who the hell?

She was here. Gone now. – Emmett

What the fuck? Why didn't you call me? – E

Sorry. Rosie hid all the phones in the house. Wasn't good E. – Emmett

Where is she? What happened? – E

A few minutes pass, and I am ready to rip all my hair out as I wait for a response. Suddenly the phone rings, scaring the shit out of me, and I almost drop it.

"Where is she?" I demand.

"It's Rose. Listen, I know I was being a bitch earlier. I own that, but you deserved it." She states firmly.

"Rose, please." I'm so exhausted; it's more of a squeak. I walk to the bed, sit on the edge and rest my elbows on my knees.

"Edward," she sighs, "for some reason that girl still loves you. She shouldn't, she should just cut ties and keep walking away after the way that you have been treating her, but she does." This makes both my heart flutter and my stomach twist.

"I know, Rose." I respond softly.

"No, you really don't know Edward. I've been the one that has been there for her time and again over the last year, when she's called me crying her damn eyes out for you. I'm the one that has stood by and tried to be supportive of her, because I know she loves you. But right now Edward, my heart is fucking breaking for her because you have been too goddamn blind to see what's been right in front of your face. Emmett was right, he had to stop me from driving down there today, but I'm glad that he did, or I wouldn't have been here when she absolutely needed me the most."

I sigh, really because I don't know what to say, and I just take it.

"Now, I would never betray her trust, so I am not going to tell you everything that I think you should know. Believe me, I want to tell you, simply for the fact that I want you to hurt as bad as you've hurt her, but I won't. I will say this, either get your head out of your ass and fix this, or let her go. She is probably…no, she is the most compassionate, understanding, logical and passionate person I know. She doesn't deserve to be treated like anything less than a fucking queen Edward." She sighs again and I close my eyes while grasping firmly on my hair.

"She had to make a really hard decision today, and it wasn't irrational, you need to understand that much. We both know how she tends to think and over thinks things. But this…this was the hardest thing she's ever had to do." She pauses as I take in everything she's said.

How the hell could I have been so blind?

"So, now it's your turn Edward. What's it gonna be?" she huffs. "You either make this better, or you leave her alone."

"Rose…I don't even know where to begin to try and fix this anymore. She won't talk to me; no one will tell me where she is or where she's going so I can get to her. And then today…" I pause and look back towards the bathroom. I let out a deep breath. "I love her more than I have ever loved anyone or anything in my life. There is no life for me without her in it. I'm now starting to realize that things weren't as I thought they were. So yea, you're right. I have been blind. But my eyes are wide fucking open now, and I want more than anything to fix it…fix it all." I swallow the huge lump that has formed in my throat.

"That's what I wanted to hear." And she fucking hangs up on me again.

What the fuck? So that was just a torture phone call? Made to make me feel like even more of an ass, and still give me no answers? Dammit Rosalie!

I toss my phone on the bedside table, stand up and undress. As I slide beneath the cool sheets, my chest squeezes and I feel claustrophobic. This bed is entirely too big without her in it. I flip onto my back and stare blankly at the ceiling. Sleep evades me.

xxx

It's been two days since she left. Two days of begging and pleading with Rose to no avail. She says she won't tell me anything unless she's given permission to. Renee still isn't telling me anything either, and most of the time she doesn't even answer my phone calls. It's been two days of driving around town seeking out people we know, checking hotels, bed and breakfasts, and places she likes to visit. Two days of dead end roads. Worst of all, two nights of virtually no sleep.

It's midday on Monday. I had tried to go into my study today and look over the Hunter files, but it just made me feel like shit. I couldn't focus on the case in the least. So, here I sit on the beach under Johnnie Mercer's pier, watching the waves roll in and the families enjoying the sun and surf. Usually the ocean calms me; today I'm just numb. I know it's too soon to give up, and I don't want to, but with nothing to go on I feel helpless. The feeling sucks.

I stand to walk back towards our house when the sound of giggling and laughing catches my attention. It sounds so much like her, that I am momentarily frozen on the spot. A young couple runs past me as he grabs her around the waist and spins her to face him. He plants a deep heavy kiss on her lips as she wraps her arms around his neck and I have to turn away.

She whips her towel out in front of her and gingerly sets it on the sand before grabbing a bottle of sunscreen from our bag.

"Baby, can you put some lotion on my back?" she asks with a coy smile. Just the sight of her alone is enough to tighten my shorts, but add in her white string bikini and her hair in a messy bun, and yea, I'm pitching a tent.

She moves to stand in front of me and turns her back to me. I squirt lotion into my hands and then rub them together before sliding them along her silky smooth shoulders. She shutters and I smirk and as I move my hands lower down her spine. I'm mesmerized at how tiny she is under my hands. Her skin is like velvet and delicate, spotted here and there with a freckle or two. I move my hands down along her ribs and her head lulls back. I take the opportunity to press my lips to the juncture of her neck and shoulder and wrap my arms around her waist.

"Mmm" she softly moans as I kiss up the side of her neck and nibble on her ear.

"You better stop before I have my way with you, and we're arrested for indecent exposure." She says breathlessly.

I softly chuckle. "Then maybe you should try harder not to be to damn tempting." I whisper in her ear while sliding my thumbs into the strings at her hips. She shutters again.

Just as I am about to spin her to face me, she bolts from my arms and rushes towards the ocean. I'm in a lust trance as I watch her ass sway when she runs. Fucking beautiful. I take off after her and catch her just as she's knee deep in the water. I grab her from behind, wrapping my arms firmly around her waist and lift her up, her feet kicking out in front of her while she squeals and laughs.

"Edward! Put me down!" she demands while squirming and giggling.

"Nope." I keep walking, feeling the waves hit me at the waist.

"Edward!" she squeals again. "Put me down, PLEASE!"

This time I relent and drop her. Her feet plant on the ocean bottom just as a wave washes over her head and hits me in the chest. She sputters and wipes the water from her face, glaring at me. I can't help laughing at my fierce little wet kitten.

She smacks me in the chest and I lift her up, pulling her to me. She feigns annoyance, but then wraps her arms and legs around me with a small smile.

"Mean." She huffs.

"Aww, baby. I'm sorry. You looked hot. I thought maybe you wanted to cool off." I tease, squeezing her a little.

She sticks her little tongue out at me and I chuckle at her. I press my nose to her collarbone, "Ok, you definitely looked hot, so I needed to cool off." I whisper pressing my lips to her salty, wet skin.

She sighs and then rolls her hips, feeling exactly how turned on she made me. I lift my head up and catch her gaze, as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. I buck my hips into hers and her eyes widen slightly before glazing over.

She presses her lips to mine and I open willingly, feeling her soft tongue meet mine. Soft and sweet I hold her tighter to me as our passion for one another takes over. She pulls back suddenly and breaks from my embrace. I watch her as she dives under the water and swims back towards the shore. I slowly follow behind her and once she's knee deep in the water she turns to me, winks and then sprints back to the beach.

Vixen.

I kick the dry sand under my feet and shove my hands into my pockets as I head back to our house. The lack of sleep combined with my emotional state is taking its toll. My mind is a fog and even though I want to, I can't seem to cry anymore. The stinging sensation is still there, but nothing ever comes. My body feels like it's been rolled around in a rock tumbler and spit out.

Just as I make it to the split in the dunes that will take me out to the main road, my cell rings. I pull it out of my pocket to see that it's my baby sister. Alice is a force all her own, so this conversation, if she knows, is sure to be interesting to say the least. She and her husband Jasper recently moved to Paris, France. She's the lead fashion designer for Gucci and has had the privilege of living in Milan, Tokyo, New York City, LA and now Paris. She's living her dream. I smile at her face on my phone, thinking of how much I miss her and answer.

"EDWARD ANTHONY CULLEN! If I weren't across the Atlantic Ocean from you right now! I swear I'd…." she screams at me over the line. "Would you mind explaining to me why I just got off the phone with the sobbing mess that is your girlfriend, telling me she left your sorry ass?"

Shit. I forget how scary pissed off Pixie is.

"Alice." I try.

"For some ungodly reason, that girl loves you, and you have completely ripped her heart out! What the fuck are you doing Edward? God, your such an idiot!"

"Alice." I try again, a little more firm.

"Do you have any idea how pissed I am at you right now? Your job? Your JOB, Edward? Really? When have you ever put work first? When? Huh? And why now? Why when you could have the best possible life with the woman who was made for you? And not only that Edward, but now she's…" she was starting to screech. Getting to that decibel level that causes glass to explode, high pitched screeching.

Jesus Christ.

"Alice, listen…"

"No, you listen, and you listen good big brother. You should feel damn lucky that I can't get to you right now. I want to kick you in the balls, punch you in the face and hug your neck all at the same time. You need to fix this, Edward. Like, really need to fix this. Do you understand me?"

"MARY ALICE WHITLOCK!" and she finally shut the fuck up.

I hear her huff. "God, I'm so mad at you right now. How did you manage to fuck up the single best thing that has ever happened to you?" She states softly, and then I hear her choke up.

"I know Alice. I'm mad at me too. I will fix this. I want to fix this. But no one will tell me where she is, and she won't answer her phone. What else can I do? I'm at a fucking loss here. It's been almost three days, and I don't know what else to do."

"She's…well…she um…I think…" she's hesitating. Alice has the biggest mouth on the planet. She's a thousand times worse than Emmett, and if you add it to the fact that she and I are closer than her and Em, well…you see where this is going.

"What Alice? What do you know?" I ask firmly.

"Edwarrrrd! I can't, I promised I-" she whines. Good, she's breaking.

"Goddammit Alice! Tell me where she is!" I roar.

"She went home Edward." She says in a sad, quiet almost whisper.

"What? Home? Alice, she's not ho-" Oh. OH!

Fuck!

End Notes: Dun, dun, dunnnnnn...

Well? We're getting closer! Next chap...BPOV! xoxoxo

Oh yea...and at the suggestion of my fab-o Beta, I got me a Twitter. Not sure how interesting I am, but...lol If you wanna follow me, it's MarieCullen07 :)