Author's Note: This is just a "for fun" chapter. I wrote specifically for the reader's enjoyment. This is strictly what I would have loved to have had happen. :D I might post more if I get a good response *ahem reviews* And I might incorporate it into the story. :O *gasp* ;)
Time.
It seems so infantine but then reality comes crashing back down. It was just a fleeting thing—time. One moment Edward was there, his smooth glassy lips numbing the hot skin on my cheeks. I can still smell his scent and in that moment it seemed like time froze.
Edward was still frozen to my cheek. I pulled away and saw his lips didn't leave the space where my cheek was supposed to be. Strange, but I dismissed it. I got up off of the table and moved to the door that faced a long corridor. Turning the knob on the door I saw Carlisle and Esme embraced outside there bedroom door. Esme's head was tucked inside Carlisle's neck. His arms wound around her back in a gesture that was pure comfort.
Guilt flooded me. I had made Esme very upset. But, then again, I didn't lie to her. I needed her. When I realized they were all going to leave me, I knew I would lose every one of them—my family.
One moment they would be there, smiling, reassuring me, and then the next moment — poof gone.
I made my way past them and down the long decent of stairs. After the million stairs I saw Jasper and Alice on the long sofa in the family room. Alice's eyes were upward as if she could see directly through the ceiling. I moved closer and knew I needed her to know I loved her. My hand brushed her cheek. I saw her frame shudder and ripple. It was almost like I had touched water.
Her eyes fluttered violently and she gasped. Her head snapped up to mine and she took in our surroundings. Alice's eyes grew wide when she saw no one was moving.
"Alice," I whispered, "I know this is confusing." Boy was that an understatement. "But I need you to chill for a second and not freak out okay?"
Alice nodded her head at me and held her tongue.
"I don't know how this is happening but I'm thankful." I sighed, "I believe time is giving me a chance to say my… goodbyes." I chocked out the last word.
I could see Alice's eyes fill with sadness.
"Would you really leave me this easily?" My eyes filled with tears.
Alice looked like she would cry. "Oh, Bella Edward made me. I would never leave you purposely."
"But you're going to." I whispered.
She frowned at me. "It is for the best."
"Alice." I sighed, "Is it really? Leaving me here—is that really going to solve anything?"
She considered that for a moment.
"Did you realize what you would be doing to me?" I whispered painfully. "Me, Alice," I repeated, "Your sister. Did you realize how much I would hurt when you leave me?"
She sprang up from the couch and hugged me tightly, "Bella please don't make me feel bad."
"I'm sorry…But Alice…"I buried my face into her pixie like hair, "I need you."
Her grip tightened on me slightly. "Promise me Alice," I begged her, "Promise me you will come back for me."
She pulled back to study me tear-streaked face. Her eyes looked deeply into mine and I knew she could see the mess I was becoming just from this.
"Alice," I whispered her name again, "I won't recover from this."
She started to protest but I cut her off, "I won't."
I stared her dead in the eye.
"Edward, Alice to me, he's Jasper to you. Could you live without Jasper for the rest of your life?"
Alice's eyebrows puckered upwards and I knew she would feel what I was now feeling.
She sighed, "No, but Bella what will it matter if I can come back or not?"
"You promised me something once." I murmured to her, "You promised me you considered changing me yourself when we were in the hotel in Phoenix."
She eyed me like I was insane.
I reminded her, "You would be able to buy me shopping clothes for the rest of my life and drag me out whenever you wanted a weekend getaway for shopping."
Her face twisted in debate. "You make a good argument."
I smiled, "I love you and I want to stay in this life. Alice you guys are my family. If you leave who do I have? No one. Alice I will be all alone when Charlie dies. I will always remember Edward and I will never find anyone else to love."
She looked me in the eye for a long time. Finally she spoke, "Give me a minuet." And she sat back down next to the frozen Jasper.
Alice kept switching her gaze from me to Jasper back and forth and the finally she sighed and stood back up.
"I will come back." She stated desolately. "Not for a while though, I don't want Edward to get suspicious; maybe, two weeks — a month at most."
"You will?" Hope rose in my dead chest.
She nodded, and I could have sworn I saw a tear welling in her eye.
I hugged her for what seemed like days before we finally broke apart.
"Where will you be?" I asked.
She sat back down on the sofa and I let myself curl up on the carpet.
"Probably Denali, that's in Alaska."
"Why?"
"Oh, that's where Tanya's family lives. You know the other family."
"What will you do while you're gone?"
She sighed, yet again, "Probably go look up my history. Since your occurrence with James I've been dying to know more."
I nodded in agreement and finally I knew I could put it off no longer. I sat up and hugged her.
My eyes filled with tears, "Goodbye… Alice" I chocked.
"Bye Bella." She whispered back.
"Love you."
"Love you too." She almost smiled. And I ran my hand back over her cheek and her dark amber eyes froze looking directly into mine. I regretted the moment when she instantly froze again.
I knew Alice would tell Jasper, but I also knew he would not tell Emmett and Rosalie if Alice didn't permit him too. Knowing, Alice she wouldn't.
I made my way back up the stair silently saying goodbye to the rest. I leapt back up on the cool metal of the hospital table and stared into Edwards's eyes. Suddenly I remembered one more thing I needed before he left.
I brushed my fingertips against his cheek biting my lip and his frame too shuddered and he became alive.
