Chapter 4: The Escape
"Ok, we don't know where the pack is, but we know nothing else will bother us?" Emmett asked.
"Pretty much, but I can't promise anything." Alice replied.
"Well, um… we are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place." He said with a little laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" Edward said with Bella still unconscious in his hands.
"Because we are hard like rocks. Do you get it?"
"No not really. This is a serious matter Emmett, we all have to focus." Jasper announced seriously.
"I am focused. I make jokes when I'm focused."
"Emmett will you please stop! You're embarrassing me." Rosalie whispered.
"Fine. Lets hurry up and get out of here before something does bother us." Emmett announced annoyed.
At the end of Emmett's sentence Edward began to run towards the south, to First Beach, without saying a word. He led the group about half way back to the beach when something caught his eye. A small shard of mirror shined in the moonlight. The shard of mirror had ornately carved depictions of mythical creatures as its border. For a moment he was mesmerized by the beautiful designs, but he pressed on because he new his first priority was getting Bella to a safe place.
He led the group safely to First Beach without any other distractions. Alice noticed his distraction but said nothing. She was hoping that he would not notice her thoughts because he would be more focused on the thoughts
"Why did he suddenly slow his pace?" She thought to herself.
"Alice what do you mean?" Edward asked after hearing her thoughts.
"Nothing." She thought to herself.
"Ok." He said, but he knew that she was worried.
"Let's get back across the line before something bad happens." Rosalie called from ahead of the rest of the group.
Once again Edward started to run without any type of notice. All of the Cullens followed as before. Each of them noticed that there was something running along side them in the woods. All of them kept an eye on the forest and on the road a head of them. By the way the tension slowly eased off of their faces each one knew that the line was soon approaching.
Something was standing in their way. Three wolves were standing between the Cullens and their ticket home. As the Vampires approached the line where their world began, each wolf regained their human form. The one wolf they expected to see was not present. Sam, Paul, and Embry stood about six feet apart, down the line that separated the Werewolf world from the Vampire world.
"Hello Cullen Family." Sam said.
"Sam." Edward said unenthused.
"So I see that you Bloodsuckers have rescued the damsel in distress." Paul commented.
"Shut up, Paul." Embry said in very strong tone.
The Cullens remained quiet.
"We are sorry for what Jacob has done. It will music to your ears to hear that he will be punished for his rash and hasty actions." Sam announced ignoring the tension between Paul and Embry.
"We do not wish that he is punished; if that is how you Werewolves run things then so be it. He just wanted what we all want; Bella to be safe and happy." Edward replied.
More silence followed what Edward said.
"Um…I'm sorry to interrupt the whole stare off thing, but we kind of need to get across the line so we can get Bella to the hospital." Emmett said.
"Fine but when you cross that line do not cross it again. Your free range on our land is over. Get her to a hospital." Sam responded.
Sam, Paul, and Embry all transformed back into their wolf alter egos and bounded back into the woods. The Cullens ran across the line. They ran with no distractions until they reached the house in which they lived. When Edward entered the house Esme was waiting for them to get home.
"Edward what happened we were worried. One second you were here and in another you were gone. Oh my…what happened to her."
"I'll explain after Carlisle takes a look at her. She has been unconscious from the time we found her, but I don't know for how long before hand."
"I heard you needed me." Carlisle said as he walked down the spiraling staircase.
"Yes Bella's unconscious." Edward said with urgency in his voice.
"Ok Edward just calm down. She is going to be alright."
"I can't calm down until she is alright."
"Ok we are going to have to go to the hospital, so put her in your car and meet me there."
Without a word Edward scooped Bella in his arms again. He ran out of the front door and into the garage. He set Bella in the passenger seat of his silver Volvo. He slid into the driver seat and started the car. There was a loud screeching sound as he exited the garage and sped down the driveway. He sped towards the hospital. His Volvo reached speeds that topped at one hundred twenty-five miles per hour. Once they reached the hospital Edward pulled into a parking spot, pulled Bella out of the passenger seat and ran into the hospital, at human speed. He met Carlisle in room 123.
"Something is on your mind." Carlisle commented as he tended Bella.
"Why do you say that?" Edward asked sounding a little antsy.
"Because you're making yourself focus which you don't normally do."
"I'm focused all the time."
"That maybe true, but your mind is somewhere else."
Edward said nothing for several minutes. He leaned against the door jam and stared at Bella.
"Go." Carlisle urged, "We will take care of her here. Go…ease your mind."
"I can't leave. I have to stay here." He said motioning towards Bella.
"She will be fine. Nothing is going to hurt her while she is here."
"Fine, but if anything happens while I am gone call me and I will rush over."