A/N: You guys have been amazing! Thank you so much to the new follows and favorites. Some of you feel that Edward isn't fully understanding how bad off he left Bella. Trust me, he's about to learn...

I don't own the Twilight Saga, but man I wish I did! (Don't worry, I'd still share!)

"And yet, I found I could survive. I was alert, I felt the pain - the aching loss that radiated out from my chest, sending wracking waves of hurt through my limbs and head - but it was manageable. I could live through it. I didn't feel like the pain had weakened over time rather that I'd grown strong enough to bear it."
Stephenie Meyer, New Moon

BPOV

Once we landed in Atlanta, there was the matter of renting the car. I knew this could have gone one of two ways: Alice could go to the car rental line and I have a complete meltdown in an airport in a city nearly 3,000 miles from home; or Alice would have Edward go rent the car and help keep my sanity for another 72 hours.

"Edward, could you be a dear and handle the rental? I'm going to take Bella outside for some fresh air," Alice said sweetly.

"Of course, I'll meet you both outside then," Edward said with a nod. He tried to make eye contact with me, but I ducked my head down. I still couldn't look at him without feeling that I would get into a fit of rage or burst into tears. Alice and I walked to the area of the airport where you could wait for a rental.

"I was going to grab the rental myself, but I had a vision of you getting hysterical and needing to be dragged out by security," Alice grimaced. I missed this little clairvoyant vampire.

"Thank you, Alice. I'm really not ready to face him just yet," I admitted. "I honestly don't know how I'm going to make it being cooped up in a car with him for 2 days."

"My visions of you have been a little spotty lately, but you do fall asleep about 5 times on the road," Alice told me. "And for the time's you're awake, I bought you this," she said to me handing me an iPod out of her bag. "I filled it with some songs that I figured would help boost your spirits."

"Thank you, Alice," I said hugging my friend. I really did miss her and that just made me frustrated again. At that point, Edward pulled up in a Ford Escape. Thank God it wasn't anything reminiscent of anything the Cullens would drive, I thought to myself. Alice and I went around to the passenger's side and got in the truck.

"Okay, it's 5:45 A.M. now. With your lead foot, where will we be in 12 hours?" Alice asked Edward as he began to drive towards the highway.

"Somewhere in the middle of Nebraska, I think," Edward answered.

"Did you see something, Alice?" I asked her.

"You'll want to stop to grab something to eat around then and then be ready to check into a hotel," Alice informed me. "Around 4 A.M tomorrow, you'll be ready to hit the road again and we should be back in Forks by 5 in the afternoon."

I nodded to show my understanding and plugged the headphones in to make use of Alice's present. I went to check my phone to see if there were any messages for me. Three voicemails from Charlie and three texts from Jake.

Bells, it's not too late! Please don't go, I don't want you to ruin your life or worse…

Bells, think of what this will do to Charlie! You're going to break his heart again if you get hurt…

Bella, you're probably halfway to wherever this Volterra is. I should have known I couldn't stop you when it comes to HIM. Please just stay safe and come home. I'll still be waiting in the wings, Bells.

I put the headphones in my ears and just before I started the music, I texted Jake back.

Jake, I'm okay. We made it out and on our way to Forks. We should be there tomorrow afternoon. Can we talk the day after?

Sure, sure. Glad you're okay. Talk to u soon

I smiled to myself at how fast Jake answered his text; he must not have been on guard duty today. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Edward trying to watch my reactions. I just wanted to get back home in peace, so I sat with my back to the window on his side and turned on the iPod.

EPOV

Who could have made her smile like that? I wondered to myself. It had been nearly 27 hours since we had seen each other again in nearly seven months and I hadn't seen a hint of a smile from her.

"Alice, have you seen Bella with anyone else?" I quietly ask my sister.

"No, Edward, I haven't," Alice answered with a roll of her eyes. "Even if I had, do you think I would have told you?"

"Well, why wouldn't you?" I questioned.

"You can't promise a girl that she'll never see you again, then turn around and ask your clairvoyant sister if she's dating anyone else," Alice replied. "It doesn't work like that."

I sighed to myself.

"Even if you explain why you did what you did, it's going to fall on deaf ears Edward," Alice said quietly. "She's been mourning a future that she wanted for nearly seven months. Now that future doesn't get to be her choice anymore; I would be pretty pissed off too."

"How bad was it, Alice?" I asked her.

"She was basically a fucking zombie up until February," Alice answered.

"And I guess that's when Jacob Black swoops in to save the fucking day, right?" I ask sarcastically.

"You did this to yourself, Edward," Alice scoffed at me. "Don't expect any sympathy from me."

We sat in silence after that for the next 11 hours. Alice texted Jazz on and off; Bella slept on and off. Just as I predicted, around 5:45 P.M. we entered a small town in Nebraska. Alice put gas in the rental, while she had me ask about any diners close by so that Bella could eat something and the nearest hotel. The nearest diner was about five miles from the gas station and the nearest hotel two more miles after that. While Alice got Bella fed, I drove up the extra two miles to get the two rooms we would need; granted I could have sat in the car all night, but then I might look like a deranged killer.

By 7 o' clock, the girls claimed their room at the hotel, leaving me to sit and read. Around 8:30, there was a knock on my door.

Don't get your hopes up, Alice thought as I opened the door.

"Everything okay?" I asked my sister.

"Yeah, I'm just going to the outlet to grab all of us some more clothes before we hit the road again," Alice said. "I need the keys to the truck."

I handed Alice the keys and sat in the chair near the dividing wall of the room. I could hear Bella settling on one of the mattresses in the room and listen to her check her voicemail.

Bells, how the hell can you just leave especially at a time like this?! I know you're 18 and everything, but with the way you've been acting you have me worried kid! Call me.

Bella, I hope you're not ignoring me. Sweetheart, please just let your old man know that you're alright. I love you kid, I don't want you to get hurt again.

Isabella, you have until midnight tonight to call me or I'm calling in a national search party. I know you're supposed to be with Alice, but you could have checked your phone somewhere in that time period.

That message came shortly after we landed in Atlanta, so she still had some time to call him.

"Dad?" I heard her say timidly.

"Bells, thank God! Where are you young lady?"

"We're someway outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. I guess someone heard about me going cliff diving with Jake; they must be friends with the Cullens because Edward thought I was hurt. Alice and I drove to Atlanta to let him know that I was okay and we're on our way back to Forks now," Bella told her father.

"Hm, if he were that worried, he should've got his ass on a plane and flew in to check on you himself. Grovel and beg for your forgiveness while he's at it," Charlie said in a displeased tone.

"Well, you're not wrong," Bella agreed with him.

It's hard to beg forgiveness when the person you're trying to ask won't make eye contact with you.

"We should be home late tomorrow night or earlier the next day," Bella assured Charlie.

"Okay, we'll talk more when you get home. Love you kid," Charlie said preparing to end the call.

"Love you too, dad. See you soon," Bella responded and hung up the phone. I heard her sigh one more time and settle into bed.

I half-watch the news on the t.v. and hear my sister come back around 11:15. I also hear Bella start to whimper in her sleep. I come out of my room just as my sister comes down the hall. "What's the matter?" Alice asks in a panic.

"I don't know," I answered. "I just started hearing her whimper in her sleep."

"Go back to you room. I'll handle it," Alice said as Bella's cries became a little louder.

"No, no please! Don't do this," I heard Bella wail.

"Bella, sweetie, you have to wake up!" I heard Alice plea.

"No!" I heard Bella gasp loudly.

"Bella, are you okay?" Alice asked.

"Alice? Alice, where are we?" Bella asked.

"We're in Nebraska. We're all driving back home to Forks remember?" Alice answered.

"We went to Italy to save Edward," Bella said in a monotone voice.

"Yes. Bella, what were you dreaming about?" Alice asked.

"I started dreaming about the night Edward left again," Bella replied in a small voice.

Wait, AGAIN? Oh, God; Bella, what did I do to you?

Oh, Edward...you don't know the half of it!

Please leave me your reviews. Bella's big rant is coming next chapter!

xoxo