Chapter 10

They push and pull till it breaks in half
I never trust a guy with a nervous laugh
Worried 'bout the smallest things
While the world is coming crashing in
I can't figure you out...

-Gin Blossoms

The second Edwards phone rings he knows something is wrong. Call it intuition or just being pessimistic, but when he opens the phone and sees Alice's number he just knows.

"Edward. You need to get here fast." He knows in an instant she is royally pissed, which means she most likely fucked up.

"Bella?"

"She's gone." With those words he closes the phone. He glances at Carlisle who waits for an opening. Edward nods, and the two immediately leave to meet the others at the house. They part ways in the parking lot, Carlisle chooses to drive; Edward breathes a sigh of relief. It is odd being with Carlisle again and he can't help but be a little happy that they have something other than the past three years, hell the past 90 years to occupy their thoughts.

When Carlisle first saw him in the hallway, Edward wanted nothing more than to change his mind and run in the opposite direction, but when he heard Carlisle's relief at seeing him he just couldn't do it to him. Every thought in Carlisle's head was filled with thanks and worry for Edward, he was not angry, just confused and happy, and Edward needed, needs, his help.

For the forty minutes he was in the room they never once mentioned Edwards separation from the family, it was all strictly business. They were partners, affiliates. They ignored anything personal, well personal as in the history between the two of them, and focused solely on James and Bella. Edward shared his theories with Carlisle and the two analyzed the possibilities together. Edward had to admit he was impressed with Carlisle, but he normally was. Still, it was unnerving to see the way in which Carlisle was able to take in the information so easily, and while processing it he was still being able to add a fresh perspective that Edward never thought about before. When Edward finally admitted to the feelings he had while he was around Victoria, Carlisle agreed with him and the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together more clearly.

There were moments, when Carlisle thought Edward was too engrossed in the issue at hand that he slipped and reflected on his 'son' coming back home. But they were done with pride, with wonder, and with reverence to Bella. Somehow Carlisle thought it was the influence of her love that made him seek out love in all the other forms he had not appreciated before. Edward internally snorted at that, if only Carlisle knew his love was unrequited and that a truer gauge of Bella's feeling would lean towards disgust and revulsion. Still, pushing the overly optimistic theories aside it was a nice, awkward, strange, yet healing forty minutes that makes him hope perhaps there is something salvageable of their relationship after all.

Edward arrives at the house ahead of Carlisle, Esme stands by the front door, her thoughts are completely unrestrained joy of his homecoming. As he approaches her, she wraps her arms around him, locking him in a truly loving embrace that he cannot deny he's missed. "Esme." He breathes into her hair, and tries to pull away; she holds him closer for one second then pushes him in the direction of the living room and thinks, "They're waiting for you. Go easy on her."

Edward walks into the dining room. Each person is seated at the table; Alice is bent over drawing an image for the others. It is of Bella bound and gagged in the center of a room lined with mirrors. A line of blood falling from the corner of her mouth.

"A dance studio." Rose says. Edward watches Jasper as he immediately begins scouting locations in Port Angeles and Seattle. He divides it in half handing Esme and Rose one section, leaving the other in his hand.

We're going to spilt up. Emmet and I will search these, Esme and Rose will take the others in Seattle. It's probably more likely they are in Port Angeles, so you, Alice and Carlisle search there. Is that okay? Jasper thinks and Edward shakes his head, thankful to Jasper for his training and his gift. He knows it is the only reason he is this calm.

Edward watches everyone pass Carlisle as they leave; only Jasper stops to talk to Carlisle to catch him up. Edward is now alone in the room with Alice and they both seem to realize this at exactly the same moment. She looks at him and he knows if she were able to cry she would be right now. "Edward I am so sorry. I followed her out to convince her to leave with me, and she wouldn't. I was trying to talk sense into her…" She trails off and he sees the scene play out in her mind.

James and Victoria double teamed her, and with all of her focus on Bella at that moment she hadn't seen it coming.

"It's okay Alice." He offers, and the corner of his mouth tilts up in a half ass smile; and he finds it really is. Alice is trying her best, and he knows how hard it is to protect and guard someone who doesn't want your attentions. Doesn't appreciate your attentions. And if only Bella wasn't such a fucking dumbass, and ran into the school rather than away from it they wouldn't be here right now.

His hand traces over the crude drawing Alice made. The deep lines guide his finger, and he keeps replaying Alice's vision in his head. Bella bound, gagged, sitting there with James and Victoria watching over her, toying with her like a cat with a ball of yarn.

"It's a trap Edward." Carlisle says.

"I know. I am going anyway."

"I figured you might. I should go in first; it will undoubtedly be Victoria who attacks first. If what we talked about today is true then James will only fight if we harm her, you and he are equal strengths. Alice will enter and take Bella while we are fighting." Edward considers this option, no one has ever fought Victoria before, her strength and skill is uncertain. Couple that with the power they believe she has, it is almost impossible to say if Carlisle will come out the victor.

"I can't see." Alice thinks.

Edward looks at Carlisle, the man he has known for so long, and knows that he wants to do this; he wants to fight for his son, protect his son, and even some random human girl he has never met before. Edward hates being thought of as a child, they are both over a century old and have seen the best and worst of humanity, but the pureness of Carlisle's love for him, the self-sacrificing, unconditional love, that Carlisle is showing him now, and always has makes Edward believe that maybe the term son isn't mocking or infantilizing him. Maybe….

"We aim to kill." Edward states out loud and the relief in Carlisle's thought is evident. He's letting me in.

James too? Carlisle thinks.

"If we must." Edward answers the unspoken question. The three begin their journey to Port Angeles. This time they run within a few paces of the other, they have yet to receive a phone call from anyone, which means it is most likely she is here. So close he thinks. As they approach a break in the trees, he watches Alice's newest vision.

"Don't, please don't" Bella whispers.

"Are you going to beg?" Victoria asks her eyes alight with delight, "I love this part. Go on then, beg."

"I'm not going to beg. I just have a better idea. If you want to crush Edward it would be better to keep me human. I have refused to be with Edward every time he has asked; if I were to go with you willingly it would crush him beyond much worse than changing me unwillingly. He wouldn't fight for me anymore. After all you really don't want to share me with James do you?"

Victoria glances at James who is standing beside her, shoulder to shoulder, and back at Bella. "And if you betray us?"

"Well then I suppose you would have to revert to your original plan and change me, no harm done." Victoria smiles and Bella exhales.

"She's pure evil this girl of yours," Alice laughs and Edward has to agree. Bella Swan is still a puzzle to him, and one, he is finally accepting, he might never be able to solve. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want to be there to try.

They pick up James' scent immediately, too easy Carlisle thinks, but finding her was always meant to be easy. They want him to find her, to watch her die, to watch her become theirs. This game has nothing to do with Bella, only him, James and Victoria.

"Careful Edward, remember the plan." Carlisle looks at him and moves slightly ahead leading them.

Edward, Alice whispers and places her hand on his shoulder. "I'm not sure how this will end but you might have to" … change her. She will hate you for that, she thinks.

"I know Alice, I… I can't let her die." He removes her hand and runs to catch up with Carlisle.

Alice lifts her head in a silent plea to whatever god there might be to make this all work out for the better then moves forward to catch up.