A/N: This chapter follows on from Chapter 1. I have changed it a little since the last chapter has been posted.

The new chronological order of the story goes: Chapter 1; Chapter 3; Chapter 4 [not been posted yet]; Prologue; Chapter 2.

Sorry if this is confusing anybody. It wasn't until I started to post the story did I realise just how complicated it actually was.

If you have any queries feel free to leave a comment of PM me and I will get back to you.

Musings of a Shaken Mind: wouldn't be here without her.


BOPV

I struggled to keep my lips in a straight line. Every time I saw that smile on his face, it made me smile. It was like we mirrored one another; whatever he did, I did as well, automatically. He stopped laughing and looked me straight in the eye, those topaz irises sending me into a trance. It took me a minute to snap out of it, a minute before I could breathe again.

'What are we going to do today?' I asked, trying not to get lost in his eyes.

'Well, actually, Jasper and Emmett have asked me to go along with them to hunt. We haven't seen much of each other since I got back.'

Knowing that he would be leaving me for a while upset him as much as it did me.

'Alice is up for taking you shopping, like a girly day out, and I'm sure Rosalie would go along with you as well, more for the sake of getting something 'nice' for Emmett rather than spending some quality time with you.' He smiled apologetically at the last, as I shrugged it off. I was used to it, by now.

But I frowned then, considering the idea. He knew I hated shopping, especially with Alice—who often made me try on everything that she saw, all of it designer and ridiculously expensive.

'You could pay me with everything you own, and I still would not go shopping with your sister,' I informed him cheerfully.

He looked amused. 'Bella, love, do you really imagine that you'll have any choice?'

'What if I can come up with an idea of somewhere else to go?' I looked at him hopefully, as he cocked his head to one side.

'That would depend on where that place was. If, for example, you told me that you were planning on running away to Vegas and becoming a show girl, I might have something to say about that…' He smiled suddenly, as if he had an idea of his own. Before I could answer, he spoke. 'Although, if that was what you wanted, chances are I wouldn't deny you… would you like me to book some tickets? For two, of course—I wouldn't dream of letting you go alone…'

'Stop right there, Cullen. I was thinking more La Push, you know, where my friends are. I would just be hanging out at Jacob's place, with Emily, Sam and the rest of the pack…'

He growled at the mention of Jacob's name—a knee-jerk reaction. Honestly, considering that they were older and wiser than the entire population of Forks, they were awfully dramatic. He just stood there, he hands clamped into fists. He spoke through his teeth this time, attempting to hide his anger from me. 'You are not going there!'

'Yes I am, and don't even bother coming after me. I will be fine, so don't worry.'

'Bella, please? Don't go th..'

I had already picked up my jacket, and was out the door slamming it shut behind me before he had finished his sentence. I stomped down the stairs, walked through the kitchen and picked up my keys before heading out the door. I pulled it shut with more force than necessary but didn't care. I walked over to my truck, and opened the door to the driver side. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Edward was sitting in the seat.

'Get in' he said, pointing to the passenger seat. I groaned. Edward driving my truck was something I did not appreciate. There was only so much speeding that my geriatric truck could deal with—none at all, as a matter of fact. I thought about protesting, but the look on Edward's face changed my mind. I made my way around the front of the truck, and slowly got in the passenger side. I fastened myself in, and before I knew it we were speeding down the road in the direction of La Push Reservation.

When we pulled up outside Jacob's house, Edward leaned across and opened the door for me. I turned to thank him, but he just sat there staring ahead, his lips in a thin line. I saw his hand slip into his pocket and pull out a very expensive-looking, ultra-thin silver rectangle. He handed it to me, and only then did I realise that it was a cell phone.

'What's this for? I'm sure Jacob has a house phone!' He didn't find my remark funny. In fact, he ignored it altogether.

'Call me when you need picked up. I'll be here as soon I can,' he spoke in a toneless voice. He still wouldn't look at me.

'Edward,' I informed him loudly, 'I love you, but you have got to let me see my friends. I will call you the minute I want or need you.' He didn't say anything as my speech came to an end. I groaned, and jumped out of the truck, slamming the door behind me to let him know I was angry. I walked quickly round the back of the truck and headed up the path towards Jacob's front door. Before I even took one step closer to the house, I felt Edward's arms wrapped round me in a tight hold. I could see the apology and pain in his eyes. I kissed him on the lips, wrapping my arms around his neck, my fingers curling through his hair, holding him closer to me. He let out an involuntary moan, but pulled my face away from his. He eyes looked over at the door, where Jacob stood waiting for me. He had obviously heard my truck when we pulled up. I kissed Edward on the cheek once more before releasing myself from his embrace and walked over to Jacob. I hugged Jacob lightly, who grinned in response, and heard a growl come from behind me. But ignoring his childishness, I walked in to the house behind Jacob.


EPOV

Leaving her alone was painful enough; leaving her there with him was agonizing. His thoughts of Bella and him being together forever, her in a white dress, and her in other, less honourable images were excruciating. If it weren't for Bella, I would be back there, killing him. But I sighed, defeated.

As I pulled into our drive, I could hear everyone's thoughts around me. Alice was saying the alphabet in different languages, whilst Emmett and Rosalie were thinking of things, which as a brother, I didn't need to hear. Carlisle, Jasper and Esme on the other hand, were thinking of absolutely nothing. They were definitely hiding something, and I didn't need to be en empath like Jazz to feel the defeat coming from all of them the minute I walked through the door.

Esme came up to me first, and gave me a tight hug, whispering an apology into my ear. She lost me. Had I missed something? The moment I thought that, Alice sent me images from a vision she had seen. I went into lockdown on seeing high-definition images of a motorbike skidding across the ground, with someone flying through the sky, before landing on the handle of the bike. I stood there in silence, watching the same picture over and over again. It wasn't till about the third time round of watching the image that I realised it was Bella. I froze on the spot, watching the picture once more. I gasped, and before I knew it, was in my Volvo speeding down the highway in the direction of La Push.

My car screeched to a halt outside the Blacks' house. Normally, I'd have been more concerned about my tyres, but, now Bella was in danger? I did not care in the least. I flew from the car, slamming the door behind me, and sprinting away into the woods. I heard Alice coming behind me, running twice as fast as normal to keep up with me. Within seconds we were at the edge of the clearing where Bella, Jacob and the rest of their friends were messing about. I came to a halt right at the edge. Alice stopped to, turning to look at me.

'Why have you stopped?' she thought quickly.

'Look.' I pointed over to the crowd of people standing together, laughing. Alice followed my line of vision, and gasped. There, stood in the middle of the group, was Bella.

'But it was definitely her on that bike. Wasn't it?'

'Yes it was. I saw it myself. But if she is there, then who is that on the bike over there?'

This time Alice froze as I did. Her visions flew into my mind. It wasn't Bella. It was him. Alice and I both looked at each other, and after a moment of thought, Alice ran out towards Bella screaming at her because of the way she was dressed. I wondered at first what she was doing, until it hit me. She was distracting Bella from what was about to happen next.

At the same moment that Bella turned to look at Alice, the crash happened. The bike skidded across the ground, sending the driver into the air, and crashed back down. His helmeted head smashed sickeningly off of the handlebars. In that next second, I was beside Bella comforting her. Her face was even paler than usual, eyes widened in utter shock. Others screamed, some running off towards the houses to get help, but all I could see was her, her shell-shocked face. The smell of blood hit me and Alice after a few moments, and we were struggling to keep ourselves together. I pulled out my phone, dialled the number necessary and waited. Within the first ring, Carlisle had picked up. I spoke at vampire speed, not wanting Bella to hear the detail of what had happened, and listened to his answer in return. But I was caught off guard when he asked me the simplest of questions: Who was it that was injured?

'It was..it was..' I hesitated to say the name. 'It was Jacob Black.'