Dread

APOV

When I have finally calmed down, I tell Jasper to abandon breakfast and go get dressed. We have to go see Bella's Dad, Charlie. He knows where she is, and if she has any friends or relatives around her he'll know how to contact them. Even through the panic I'm still feeling I'm somewhat nervous though. The last time I spoke to Charlie we got into a huge fight.

I burst through the Swan's front door, nearly taking it off its hinges. I'm seriously pissed. Bella has been avoiding my calls for three months now and I want to know why. There isn't anything in the world that she can't confide in me about. I'm her best friend. I'll understand no matter what.

"Alice!" Charlie shouts. "What the hell do you think you're doing barging into my home like this?!"

Until a short while ago I used to think of this as a second home. Charlie had always really liked me, and when Bella first stopped talking to me I had understood his position. No matter how much he liked me, Bella was his daughter and he wouldn't betray her wishes. But I'm just so angry and hurt. It's obvious that Charlie misses having Bella around just as much as I do, but at least he gets to talk to her.

"I want to know why she's avoiding me!" I demand angrily. Charlie takes a step back. Even for the height of me I am scary when I'm angry. A look of sorrow passes across his features and I know it's for me. He hates that Bella and I aren't talking just as much as I do.

He has almost as many memories of Bella and I together as I have. Not including the ones of us doing stuff that the Police Chief of Forks would never approve of, of course. Nothing too bad, just trying our hand at drinking, smoking and maybe a motorcycle ride once in a while with the La Push boys. Nothing Charlie needed to know about.

"Alice, you know I can't tell you that," Ugh! This is so annoying. Bella and I are as good as sisters and Charlie knows that. Hell we were so close that I even called Charlie Dad once in while as a joke!

I begin the big rant I have been working my way up to on the ride over here. I don't even know what I'm saying and I'm rambling I know, but I don't care. I need to take my frustrations out on someone.

My grand exit is a big show of storming to the door, yelling once more and slamming it behind me, then getting into my car and speeding off at about 100mph, just because I know Charlie is watching from the window.

Charlie had come to my wedding of course a few years later, but it had been awkward. He sat at the back of the church and when he congratulated us, we barely said more than a few words. And this was to the man I used to look up to as a second father.

Jasper and I pull up to the house in my yellow Porsche. Jasper called the station on the drive over and one of Charlie's deputies told us that work was slow and Charlie has taken the day off. I could tell Charlie what I know over the phone but it doesn't seem right. This is something he should be told in person.

I rap on the door harshly three times. I'm not sure what I'm going to say when Charlie answers the door. It will be awkward but I barely think about that because with every second that passes, Bella could be dying.

Charlie answers the door in a pair of sweat pants and an old shirt.

"Alice!" He exclaims, surprised.

"Hey Charlie," I say, "We really need to talk." Oh jeez, I sound like I'm gonna break up with him or something. I have my serious voice on. I walk straight past him into the house and plop down on the worn old sofa. I look around. The house hasn't changed a bit since Bella left, except for a more modern TV and a fresh coat of paint on the walls.

"Alice, if this is about why Bella isn't talking to you again..." He starts but I cut him off mid-sentence.

"I think Bella's been in an accident."

He shuts up immediately. Silent tears start to make their way down my cheeks again.

"I called her and she answered. And then she went all quiet and I could hear a car accident on the other end and the call got cut off so I called the station and a lot of other people but they said there's nothing we can do." I take a deep breath and feel somewhat better.

I glance at Charlie who has fallen into the ratty armchair across from me. His face has lost all its colour and I don't think I've ever seen him look so old and afraid. But years of working as a cop have taught him to digest information quickly and react. Without another word he's pulling out his phone and searching through the contacts.

His hands shake slightly.

Charlie puts the phone up to his ear and I can hear the dial tone. The first number he dials, obviously Bella's, there's no answer.

He searches through his contacts again and puts the phone to his ear.

I can hear a woman's voice on the other end but I can't quite make out her end of the conversation.

"Rose," Charlie says gruffly, "A friend of Bella's is here with me. She says she was speaking to her on the phone earlier and she thinks she heard an accident in the background. I need you to check that Bella's okay for me," his voice wavers slightly at the end.

I glance at the old wooden carriage clock on the wall. It's been at least half an hour now since I heard the accident. Bella's bound to have gotten help by now. I turn my attention back to Charlie's phone call.

"Okay, call me back as soon as you find out." And he hangs up, his thin face looking weary and drawn.

Charlie ignores me as he makes another call, and it doesn't take me long to realise that he's booking a flight.

I jump up and stand in front of me. "Book me a seat too," I say, getting ready to fight my corner.

He looks at me and doesn't say anything, and I think he's just going to ignore me but when the salesperson for the airline asks in a chirpy voice what she can help him with today, he tells her he needs two seats on the next flight out from Washington to Alaska.

"The next flight leaves in a couple hours. Give me ten minutes to pack some things and then we'll swing by your place so you can grab whatever you need."

"Grab your stuff and then pick me up. I'll meet you out front, Jasper's still outside, he'll take me home."

Charlie nods, "I'll be there in a half hour."

He heads upstairs, talking on his phone again to the station, barking orders at his underlings to look for any recent reports in the university area of Juneau.

I rush out and hop into the car, explaining to Jasper on the drive home what's happening. He hasn't exactly approved of Bella's treatment of me over the years but he understands my need to see her and make sure she's alright.

I don't need to call my work. I own my own clothing line and have contracts with several boutiques in Port Angeles and Seattle. My work is fairly flexible.

We speed home and I hurry to our bedroom and start throwing random articles of clothing into a carry-on suitcase. I don't have to worry about my usual excess packing. I'm too worried and time is of the essence.

When Charlie pulls up out front in his police cruiser I'm reminded of how horrified Bella would be anytime she had to travel in the spaz-mobile, as she had dubbed it when we were sixteen. If we took my Porsche it would probably be faster, but Charlie's cruiser will be able to get us through traffic and parking easier.

"I'll call you when I can. I love you." I tell Jasper giving him a kiss, then run and jump into the cruiser before Charlie can start honking at me.

Charlie speeds off and I watch the love of my life and the house we share together get smaller and smaller behind me, until we round a corner and I can't see anymore.

We drive in silence for an hour, until Charlie's phone rings and even though he's a cop and he should know better he answers.

I can tell it's the same woman from earlier, only now I can hear that she's crying.

When Charlie hangs up, he doesn't say a word, but the car speeds up considerably.