A/N Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement intended.

March 2006

~ Carlisle~

On the top shelf of a book case in her study, she kept a small wooden cigar box. A human probably wouldn't be able to smell the trace of tobacco that still lingered in the exposed grain, but to a vampire, the odor was still detectable when the lid was opened and its contents were shifted. She rarely opened the box; I've known her to look in it just a handful of times in the last 70 years. I only knew when she looked in it because afterward she had that faint aroma from the General Cigar Company briefly stuck to her finger tips. I have never told her I knew that. The box was hers and hers alone.

She took it down yesterday. In over 7 decades, it's the first time she has looked at in my presence. She told me its story.

She remembered her father smoking after supper in their sitting room. Her mother would sit opposite her father and keep up with quiet household chores – knitting a scarf for winter, darning a sock, cross stitching a wedding gift – while my future mate would sit at a small secretary desk to complete her studies or read bible passages. The box, like the things in it, marked the points in time that have sealed her fate and directed her life onto a particular path.

The box spoke of betrayal.

This box was just like the one from which her father offered her ex-husband a cigar when they arranged her marriage to the man who would beat her.

She remembered her father pulling out a cigar when he refused to let her choose a life as a school teacher over the life of a house wife.

She remembered her father smoking when he refused to let her back into his home, when she was pregnant and feared her husband would also beat her child.

The box spoke of loss.

A tiny tarnished silver bracelet. She applied the smallest amount of pressure with her vampire skin, and the band began to gleam in its original warm silvery shade. On the bracelet his name was inscribed: David. David did not have a chance to wear the tiny silver band before he died. She had this in her pocket when she flung her body off a cliff.

The box speaks of change.

One black button. While she was burning in her change, she pulled it from my sleeve as I embraced her through the pain. It landed in the palm of her hand, and although she was thrashing and screaming and oblivious to the world, she cradled the button gently in her hand, even when her skin and strength could have easily crushed it into a fine dust. She told me that she could feel the button in her hand as she changed. She knew the button came from someone on earth, and she thought that so long as she could hold onto it, the button served as a sign that she wasn't yet in hell.

The box spoke of family.

A sliver of ivory from a piano key in our cabin, in Wisconsin. While Esme was a raging newborn, her son would play until her emotions settled.

A brass button. From the torn jacket of her broken daughter, writhing in a new form of hell after her life was ripped apart by others.

A scrap of blue flannel shirt. A burr stuck in it, which housed a tiny fiber of bear fur.

A red ribbon. Placed in the palm of her hand by her raven-haired daughter after her and her blonde mate knocked on our door.

A pink school eraser. A heart carefully drawn in blue ink, with the words, "Edward loves Bella" printed in flowing script.

The box spoke of heartbreak.

A torn section of gift wrap. The blood soaked into the paper at the edges before it dried to a muddy brown shade.

But the box, ever changing, also speaks of determination.

Tonight, Esme brought down the box with intent. I had a feeling that she only ever brought out this box with purpose. She only referred to the objects hidden there when she could see that fate has taken a turn that will change the course of her life, for better or for worse. If the box was symbolic of all the ways in which Esme has been steered from her intended course, then Esme decided that it was not only fate that got to choose which path she took.

Esme slipped a rectangle of cardstock into the box. On the front was a glossy swatch of perfect azure sky, a range of mountains in the background, and clouds mirrored in still waters of the salt plains. On the back, a postage stamp from Bolivia, with a time delivery mark that is 7 days older than the date printed on the back of the postcard. The handwritten date was followed by a short note from Edward: I'll call when I can. I love you. Don't come looking for me, you'll never find me way out here anyway.

Esme didn't believe that Edward was there. Esme believed that he wanted to be found.

Spending decades working rounds in emergency rooms I have heard and experienced unbelievable stories of mothers whose instincts outshine all professional and expert opinions. Mothers who follow their gut, and know their children won't die even when they've been told they probably will. Mothers with no medical experience who have insisted upon a diagnosis, and have been right. Mothers who sat by their children waiting for them to wake up, just because "they knew" that they will. There is no school that can teach what a mother possesses. There is no study that can quantify and calculate the impact of her love.

Edward is Esme's child.

Esme twirled the cardstock between her thumb and index fingers, looked at me and said, "I know where he is. He's in Rio de Janeiro. That's where we'll find him."

I must have looked surprised when she surmised that Edward was in Rio although he sent us a postcard from Bolivia, with a Bolivian stamp, sent from a Bolivian post office. Esme chuckled, looked at me and handed me the remaining postcard, "Smell this," she commanded.

I smelled the card. "What do you smell?" She enquired.

I crinkled my brow, "Jet engine fuel."

"Yes," she nodded, "what else?"

I sniffed again, taking in a deeper breath. Sea water?"

"Yes. Bolivia is landlocked." My mate turned the card over in my hand, "Look at the stamp."

"It's from Bolivia."

"Look harder."

I studied the stamp, the image, the price noted in the corner, the scalloped edges –

"There's sand lodged in the edges of the stamp." I remarked.

"Yes, there is. You know that sand."

"I do?"

"Yes. We've walked through that sand. Before heading to Isle Esme."

I inspected the stamp, smelled the post card. This postcard was stamped and sent from Bolivia, but Edward would know that if he sent it from where he intended to stay, we might come for him.

"Well, maybe he wrote it in Rio and sent it in Bolivia." I theorized,

"Would he go to Bolivia to get a postcard and a stamp, run to a beach in Rio to write it and then go back to Bolivia to mail it?" Esme countered.

"Maybe?" I didn't know his mind, perhaps I never did. I couldn't relate to his pain at that moment. Perhaps he would have done that.

"He left me a message that he sent me a postcard. Five days before it left the Bolivian post office. Carlisle, with all my being I am certain that Edward wants to be found, whether he knows it or not. It's time to go get our son."

"You are certain of this."

"I am. Carlisle?"

"Yes?"

"Where is this sand from?

"It's definitely from Rio."

"Where would you find this sand, along with the odor of Jet engine fuel?

"Well, I supposed it must be near an airport. There's an airport not far from the marina we leave from when heading to Isle Esme. Not far from there is Praia Flamengo. They are both part of the Parque Brigadeiro de…Eduardo…Gomes." I stopped briefly to wonder if Esme was right, if Edward was really trying to tell us something.

I shook my head. I had no more room in my heart for presumptuous optimism. "Edward made a choice, my love."

"And I'm unmaking it. I should have done this six months ago. Why it took me so long, I don't know. We have to get him. I know my children, Carlisle."

"Maybe we should get Alice to look and see how this will –"

"I KNOW MY CHILDREN CARLISLE."

I stared in shock.

She had never before raised her voice to me like that.

Esme softened her voice and her eyes, "I know my children, Carlisle. They need each other, and right now, Edward needs us to bring him home. I can feel it."

"Do you think we are the right people to go? Edward and I don't always agree on these things."

Esme considered this, wrinkling her brow, and tapping her index finger to her bottom lip, "I think we should all go. We may need Jasper's skills, and Emmett's strength. Alice will know if Edward moves or changes his mind."

"And Rosalie?" I was concerned that her presence and direct manner may just scare him off. Plus, she didn't always like Bella.

"Rosalie has come a long way with this. She hasn't always been crazy about Bella being in our life, but she has come to realize how important she is to Edward. And despite their differences, she loves her brother. She loves him more than she cares to admit sometimes. Although they were never meant to be mated, Edward was very compassionate with her after her change. He is the only person who has seen what happened to Rosalie, through her thoughts. She admired Edward for walking away from Bella to protect her, yes. But she knows now that this was not the right choice. Edward's behavior has proven to her that this was more than just a passing crush or strange fascination with a human."

"Then we should all go." I trusted my wife. And even if I hadn't trusted her in that moment, I realized there was no changing her mind.

"Let's tell the others and pack our bags."

I rose from my chair and turned and reached for my cell phone. I didn't realize it had been turned off. As I flicked it on, it rang immediately. Certainly Alice just saw the decisions we made.

"Alice,"

"Carlisle! I've been trying to get a hold of you for days! Don't you check your voicemail anymore?

"I do, Alice. We've been uh, busy. Listen, Esme and I were just discussing something important."

"I know, and I am sorry, but this is important too. You need to come to Massachusetts."

"Massachusetts? What are you doing there?"

"Bella's been hurt, apparently by werewolves. I'm going there with friends of hers, but I think you could possibly be of assistance."

"Werewo – what?" I wrapped Esme in my embrace as she gasped, "In Massachusetts? I don't understand."

"No, at La Push. Bella was on the reservation. She has some very good friends here that got her out, but not without some significant damage."

I closed my eyes and calmed my voice, "Did you do something to break the treaty, Alice?"

"Uh, no. Bella's friends. They went in and rescued Bella. They're vampires, Carlisle."

My mind and body froze at the thought. I didn't know which idea was worse, that Alice broke the treaty, that Bella was gallivanting around with werewolves, or that some strange vampires had found her. "I'm on my way." At a loss for any advice, I could only respond to her request.

"Why Massachusetts Alice?"

"The wound from her attack isn't healing, Carlisle. Bella's…friends have tried almost every option available, but nothing was working. They have a contact in western Massachusetts that can be of assistance. They haven't really given me details, but I can tell from my visions that this will help. Your skills will be of further assistance, I believe."

I looked to my wife. I couldn't choose between Bella and Edward. "Bella's been hurt. She needs my skills."

The look on Esme's face was torturous. "Edward still needs us. Carlisle, go with Alice, the rest of us are going to Brazil. Alice can still help us from afar." I opened my mouth to protest, but my wife knew me too well, "I'll be fine. I'll be with everyone else. You need to go to Alice. You need to go help Bella."

~O~

~ Alice ~

Technically, I didn't lie when I told Bella that she'd be fine. I knew she would be, eventually. I just wasn't sure how far in the future.

I don't think she realized I was real. Realizing that was just a little more than heartbreaking and I was embarrassed to admit that I was angry at Bella at first, for not having faith in my unconditional friendship. That was until I reminded myself that I was not a part of her life for quite a few months. I was certainly her friend in spirit, although it was more obvious now than ever what our physical absence had on her.

I wondered if she trusted me. I wondered if she would ever trust us again. I had no vision whether that would happen, because she hadn't decided. I could only hope and believe that she would. I didn't know if she realized how much we had broken her trust. Maybe when she figured that out, when she discovered how much we had broken her, then she would be able predict whether the bridge we burned was worth rebuilding.

I was with Jasper in our room when I had the vision of Bella being carried by yet another strange vampire, bleeding and torn at the waist. I was fairly certain that he didn't do that to her – it didn't look like a vampire thing – but I wasn't sure if he was going to drink her either. I had no clue, so you can imagine how distressed I became. Poor Jasper was beside himself as I trembled and carried on louder than I had in months. Since being banned from Bella's future, any glimpses I have stolen have been in solitude. After what I have labeled The Christmas Incident which resulted in the replacement of a floor, I hadn't had any accidental ones, either.

When I saw Bella bleeding, I was forced to break my vow of silence to tell Carlisle. If I did look in on her future, and didn't make sure there was someone to help her, I would have never forgiven myself. I also knew that if I kept silent, Carlisle wouldn't have forgiven himself either.

I tried to phone Carlisle, but he was on a hunting trip with Esme in the Northwest Territories. Their cell phones were turned off, so I was forced to leave an urgent message telling him to contact me ASAP. I immediately set off for Forks after that, knowing that I would need to intercept this strange vampire at a certain point. It was funny, you know. The vision started just as the Quileute treaty line. Was this vampire on Reservation land? Why do I not see anything before that point?

I ran through several scenarios to find the best way to approach this strange vampire without causing more damage to Bella. And I hated to admit I was also a danger while Bella was in that state. I couldn't let myself arrive until Bella's wounds had been tended too. All that blood would be too much to handle, even if I held my breath.

Fortunately it was fairly set into stone exactly where he would be taking her. There is a little cottage outside Elwha, near Port Angeles, and I have found a way to approach them so that Bella was not further harmed. By the time I had come to this conclusion, I could see that he had no intention of hurting Bella, but I was clueless to his intention beyond that, or the relationship that he has with her.

Never before was I gladder that Edward was not here. With his temper along with the aforementioned unknowns, this could have been messy. And I was now certain that if I approached this situation in a very specific way, I would be invited into the home as a guest and be able to touch, see, and be near my best friend again.

Two hours after seeing the vision I was on a plane for Seattle. I wished with all my heart that I could have arrived before the accident happened, and I will always wonder if I would have seen it earlier if I had been looking more closely. The best I could do was meet her after this attack happened. I factored in landing, baggage claim, picking up rented car, and I figured I wouldn't have enough time to stop by the Forks house before making my approach at the right time. The flight was excruciating, my vision played over and over, and I couldn't see the beginning. There was a big black gaping hole in my vision of Bella and I didn't know why. I could see her clear as day, driving in her truck. She glanced at her phone, but didn't dial. Then she disappeared. When she reappeared, she was being carried by a strange vampire bleeding here there and everywhere.

Finally, I made it into Sea-Tac and found my rental. A nice little yellow Porsche. When Edward finds out about the lengths I've gone to help Bella, he was so going to owe me one of these for Christmas. It was fabulous.

I arrived at a small laneway and parked my car near the highway. As I walked up the lane, a dark haired female vampire approached me, but didn't seem to be defensive. I was hopeful that Bella had described me well enough to know I was friendly, but I was still not certain that this wasn't a trap. Vampires are usually more cautious, even around our own kind. Fights for territories are common, and more often result in death than compromise. I could tell though that she had decided to welcome me into her home.

Beyond being a vegetarian, this small woman was different from most vampires. She seemed very calm and collected. She had dark hair just like Bella's and a warm smile with just a bit of mischief around the eyes. I knew right away that I would like her.

"I'm Bridgette," she stated simply. "You must be Alice. I remember seeing your face. You were the one who ripped James' head off." And then she calmly motioned for me to follow her toward the house.

What. The. Fuck. ?

"Uh…hi, yes I'm Alice. Pleased to meet you. Were you…expecting me?"

"No…" She tilted her head at me, "Was I supposed to be?"

"Uh, no. I was just wondering if Bella…I didn't tell her I was coming, I wasn't planning on it until…It's hard to explain. How did you know I killed James?"

"My sister and I…we have our ways. It's a long story, but it's also how we know Bella. Please, come in. Bella is upstairs at the moment. My sister is upstairs caring for her."

I walked into the modest cottage. The blue siding on the outside contracted with the dark wood décor of the inside. The house was furnished with furniture that was outdated, but well-taken care of. Bridgette showed me into a small sitting room with a sofa, two armchairs and a fireplace. The mantle was adorned with some candles, a photo of herself and supposedly her sister, and the male vampire of my visions. The walls were painted a blue that was similar to the exterior of the cottage, but appeared muted and duller in the dim light.

"She is your biological sister? You look like twins." I stated, motioning to the photograph on the mantle.

"Yes, we are identical twins. We are very lucky to have each other. Liza, my sister, is upstairs, tending to Bella." Bridgette's face looked mournful and worried, "Alex has gone to get some supplies from the hospital in Port Angeles. Hopefully he'll be back soon."

"Bella will be available in about six minutes, though she'll be asleep." I hadn't intended on saying that out loud. Without thinking, I just gave away awareness of my gift to a strange vampire. Stupid, stupid me.

"Are you talented?" Bridgette asked.

I nodded, but didn't answer verbally. I didn't want to give anything else away.

"Bridgette answered carefully, "We can sense things."

So she was talented too. "Is that how you found Bella?"

"Yes. That's how we knew to find Bella, when she was hurt at La Push. She was supposed to call us, and didn't. We went looking for her." Bridgette's face took on a darker look.

"I…have visions." I was hesitant to reveal too much too soon to a near stranger. "I had a vision of her picking up her phone and then putting it back on her truck seat. But then my vision went black. I usually see Bella quite clearly, but lately I've been getting empty spaces in which she doesn't seem to exist. It's been frustrating."

"My sister and I, Liza, have a similar problem. When Bella goes to La Push, our sense of her is shadowy, and voices are muffled. We knew that the reservation was protected, but now we think we know why. We think it's the ones who can shape shift. Could it be that for you too?"

I sat down on the sofa in their antiquated sitting room, "That makes sense. My father Carlisle has dealt with the werewolves in the past. They exist to protect humans from vampires, so I can see that they would also be able to block some abilities. Our family has a treaty with them: We don't go on our lands, we don't bite humans, and they won't expose us."

"Bella told me you weren't allowed on their land, but she didn't say anything else. We had to go on their land to save Bella. I hope that doesn't complicate things for your family."

"Even if it did, it's worth it. You saved my sister's life."

Bridgette sat down beside me, and took one of my hands in both of hers, "I would like to be honest with you Alice, may I?" Bridgette tilted her head as she looked in my eyes, and I nodded in assent, "I saw what your family did to protect her from James. It was clear to me that you care for her deeply."

I nodded yes emphatically, "We do…she's my best friend. I have missed her every day that I've left her. Our family just isn't the same. And my brother…" I trailed off, as I became too emotional with that part of the story.

"Then why did you all leave her on her own?" Bridgette questioned, "This I don't understand. There are many things I'm not clear on, like Edward's feelings toward her, and can't figure out the family situation."

I was nervous to answer this, because I have been trying to understand it myself over the past few months, but since talking about Bella was painful for everyone, we tended to skirt around our feelings for her. At that moment, I could only offer Bridgette assumptions.

At that moment Alex entered the house with a box. I could smell the plastic, medicinal smell of hospital supplies. I turned slowly in my seat. Alex didn't look unfriendly, but he did seem cautious toward me, as expected.

"Hello, my name is Alice. I'm a friend of Bella's."

Alex tipped his head to me in greeting, "I'm sure Bella will be happy to have another friend here." Alex then turned and headed up the stairs.

To distract Bridgette, I asked what happened at La push.

Bridgette turned her head back to me, "I'd like to do that, and also tell you more about the shadows we see in La Push, since you seem to be affected as well. Liza and I were out hunting on this past Tuesday afternoon when we stopped and leaned against each other's backs, as is our custom. We need to be touching each other for our gift to work, you see." I nodded thoughtfully.

"That's when we saw the shadow figures of the wolves, sniffing and grunting just at the perimeter of our property. This also happened a few weeks back, when we sensed Bella arguing at her friend Jacob's house in La Push. She was arguing with a man that she later identified as Paul." Strange indeed.

"When we first picked up our vision of Bella being abandoned by Edward in the forest and then collapsing in the cold, we realize that the same shadow descended upon the vision as she was discovered and brought home."

I gasped at this, and my chest ached. By the manner in which this woman was referring to Edward as 'abandoning' Bella, I realized that what we thought Edward had done to leave Bella, and what actually happened were not the same thing. When Bridgette eyed me quizzically, I motioned for her to continue. I needed time to think about this.

"So, when we saw a strange shadow wrap around the people with whom Bella argued with on that Saturday afternoon, and then saw it again as we scanned our area, we grew concerned. Bella said that her friend Jacob lived in La Push. I remember hearing Carlisle refer a treaty with that place while you were rescuing Bella in that Ballet studio, so we had good reason to suspect the folks on that reservation know of vampires in some way or another.

For someone who reads people's futures without shame, it felt funny to know we'd been spied on when James was killed and Bella was hurt. I sure was getting a taste of my own medicine.

"The shadows bothered us. As much as Liza and I try to hear and see past this barrier, we only become more mentally strained with no better results. We asked Bella to call if she went to La Push, we also checked up on her more frequently after we saw the wolves. If the shadows could move in wolf form and leave their land, they could go to Bella. I had no doubt in my mind that the angry man, the shadows and the large wolves were all connected.

"Today, we are again sitting back to back, when we saw Bella in shadows. She was knocking on the door of a house, and the man inside who seemed to open the door while sitting, used a pleading urgent voice and asked her to go. His voice was not unkind, but also not very welcoming. Bella refused to leave. Then we heard the angry voice from behind Bella's form. We shifted our eyes to see a group of shadows standing too close for our comfort. We knew time it was then time to do something.

"Alex, our brother happened to be stopping in for a visit, and he turned out to have very good timing. Alex joined us as Liza and I headed towards La Push. We watched closely as Paul moved closer to Bella, his muffled voice becoming louder, more strained, more animalistic.

"We had a good feeling that we would not be welcome there. We were fairly sure that whatever force was upon the reservation was formidable, and would not take our intrusion lightly. Having said that, we also could not sit back and watch like passive spectators as Bella was harmed.

"We decided that the best way to help Bella would involve no bloodshed. I had a good feeling by what Bella told me, that your contract was tenuous at best, and I didn't want to make it more difficult for your family. It's never good to make enemies, and Bella cares for you."

I never felt so ashamed to leave Bella as I did now. As much as it was nice that Bridgette confirmed that Bella cared about us, I can't imagine how Bella felt to have us all leave and never contact her.

"We were just a few miles from the reservation border, when the shadow began to shake and fold and grow into an amorphous creature about twice Bella's height. She froze, hunching over into herself, and my gut clenched to watch the scene helplessly. We had decided to enter La Push and create a diversion, while Alex hung back by a few seconds to snatch up Bella. It was a risk. Bella didn't know Alex, but he is the fastest runner among us.

"As we came upon the scene, I was slightly relieved to see that these wolves are not as large as their European brethren. These wolves seemed more rational though, save the slobbering beast that was facing Bella. Odd that he seemed stuck in his tracks.

As I left the tree line behind the house, the largest wolf in the centre caught my scent, and all the other wolves automatically followed like they were under mind control. In that instant, the angry wolf stuck out a paw and caught Bella's side just as she was about to turn and run. Bella collapsed on the ground, blood quickly soaking through the sweatshirt she was wearing.

"Alex and sped toward Bella while Liza and I jumped in front of the wolves. We didn't want to fight them, although I wouldn't have minded roughing up that Paul wolf had I the chance. So we stayed on the ground long enough to get their attention, and then as they pounced, we took to a tree. At first, they didn't know how to get us down, yelping and scratching at the bark. Then as their combined weight pushed on the tree, they realized they could uproot it and take the tree down. Liza and I balanced up there as long as we could, and at the last minute we leapt to another tree. By that time, Alex and Bella had taken off and the wolves had not noticed, they were so focused on killing us.

Alexander ran home with Bella, while Liza and I swung through the trees. Those wolves are fast, and I think they can communicate silently with one another, but we had an advantage. My sister and I have been living with one another for almost 200 years now, and our ability to synchronize our movements is almost second hand. Plus, we hedged our bets that the wolves didn't understand Punjabi, so we were able to communicate that way as well.

We theorized that these giant wolves wouldn't like to be seen by the townsfolk anymore than we'd like to be caught on the beach on a sunny day, so we headed for town. As soon as we got there, we immediately swung down, and the wolves were forced to hang back in the tree line so they wouldn't be seen. We ran as fast as we could without being conspicuous, and hotwired the first car we found. By the time the wolves had morphed into human form, we were gone. I wasn't sure if they knew where our house was, but I suppose it won't be long until they find us. I am sure they'll be able to pick up Alex and Bella's combined scent from La Push to this house."

I sat for a brief moment, and then took Bridgette's hands in my own. "On behalf of my family, I want to thank you for taking care of Bella. Our leaving was a grave mistake in so many ways, many of which I am beginning to realize I wasn't aware of, nor was the rest of my family. I can't say too much at this moment, as parts of this story are not mine to tell, but we thought that the best way to protect Bella was to let her live a happy, human life without the interference of our world any longer."

Bridgette eyes me carefully, "I can appreciate why you would think that. I am not sure why you left without telling her that, though. Did she not have a right to know?"

"She did, and though I tried to convince my family otherwise, there are key persons that were not able or willing to listen to my rationale."

"Edward, you mean?"

"Yes. When it comes to Bella, his reactions can be, shall we say, irrational. He lives to protect her, even at the cost of his own heart. He is highly influenced by his emotions, and he can make rash decisions. But he does have the best of intentions. He would never want to see her hurt."

"I assume you mean physically hurt." I knew she tried to hide it, but the bitter edge to Bridgette's words was detectable.

"Edward would never intentionally hurt her emotionally either. He doesn't think that she can return his love to the depth that he loves her. He doesn't think he's worth it. He thought that she would move on soon enough and continue her life as normal."

"Alice, I've been working with Bella for about 3 months now. I can't say much, as I value the confidence she has given me, but as a vampire, I will tell you this." Bridgette closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath.

I tried to wait patiently for her to continue, I really did. But I had already seen what she was going to say, and I was so, so excited to hear her say it. I had to help her continue on. "Yes, Bridgette?"

"I think," Bridgette continued tentatively, "based on the symptoms I've seen from Bella, and what she has told me about Edward, that she is meant to be his mate. Does he realize this?"

"I don't think he does. I think if you asked him if she were his mate, he would answer yes and then hate himself for thinking it. It's not that he doesn't want her. He loves her about as much as he hates himself…"

"She may need his presence as much as he needs hers."

"Edward has not been himself since he left Bella. It's been bad for our whole family, but I've never seen him in such pain. It's almost physical. He thinks he is a curse in Bella's life, and that he was selfish to pursue her."

"I think Bella would disagree." Bridgette responded.

"I know she would, and she has. He has a moody temperament to begin with, and when it comes to Bella, he's hopeless."

Bridgette nodded and looked into the distance, and continued with other important matters. "Bella's wound is not healing as it should."

I froze in place at her sudden statement, but I was finally able to shake my head, encouraging her to continue.

"We've tried almost everything." Bridgette stated, fanning her hands out in front of her, "My sister has been to medical school, and although she prefers to work as a midwife or a nurse, she is very knowledgeable at what she does. We've been giving Bella some of the strongest antibiotics available, but the wound won't close. At first it looked infected, but the outer edges of the wound now look necrotic. We believe it is a toxin, possibly from the wolf's saliva. We aren't sure. But we know it's not getting better."

I quickly scanned the future. I saw Bella, laying bed, pale curled inward with a pained expression on her face. I saw Bridgette tending to her wound while Bella gasped in pain. I couldn't find Bella healed.

"You said you have tried almost everything. What haven't you tried?"

"It's a bit hard to explain…"

I suddenly saw her telling me more than she planned, and then I saw a healed Bella sitting on a bed in a strange home, overlooking some low mountains.

"Please, understand that you can trust me. I believe that the more you tell me, the bigger chance that Bella will get better, quicker."

Bridgette stared at me for a moment, looking into my eyes, deliberating. I kept my expression honest and open. I wanted the best for Bella, even if it meant the risk of telling some secrets on both our ends. "I see the future Bridgette, but it changed based on what people decide to do. If you decide to tell me, I can help. Bella will get better quicker."

The vampire in front of me relented at those words, "We have a contact in Massachusetts. A neighbor. She officially a botanist, but her real work is natural healing and herbalism. She is very well trained, and has experience in working with…mythical cases, if you catch my drift. I can give away my secrets, but I can't give away hers. I hope you understand that. I have contacted her with Bella's case, but she is unable to come here. We would need to bring Bella to her."

I looked into the future. I saw Bella being transported via private jet, I saw her settling into a home in the woods…

"Your friends are human?"

"Yes."

"How…how do they…?" I wasn't sure if I wanted to know how they knew.

"That's something you'd have to ask them yourself. Not my secret to tell." Bridgette eyed me directly, showing me her honesty that revealing their identities was out of her hands. "I can promise you though, that if anyone can help with a case like this, it's Miriam."

I then had a flash of a human woman, middle-aged. She had salt and pepper hair pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck with a set of glasses carelessly perched on her head. She was leaning over Bella's wound, carefully inspecting it and applying a strange substance. She was backed by a stalky young man, and a young willowy woman who looked mythical in her own right. I then got the image of Bella again, sitting in a smaller home, looking healthier and alert.

"I see that this will help her. Who are the folks who are with Miriam?"

Bridgette smirked, "I'm getting a sense of how your talent works. They're family, but that's all I can tell you."

"My father can help. He's a doctor, Carlisle Cullen."

Bridgette tensed at his name, but her facial features quickly relaxed, "If there is anyway he can help at this moment, I am sure Liza would appreciate a colleague."

A question came to my mind, "Why haven't you ever tried to contact us? I would think that as a vegetarian, you would want to find some like-minded vampires, like us."

"That's a good question," Bridgette began, "We have heard of you, but we didn't know where you lived, for one. Also, we were living in an extremely remote part of the planet until approximately five years ago. I've told you a bit about the gift that my sister and I share, and as trustworthy as you sound, I know that no one can keep anything from Aro. Our gift, you can imagine would be highly sought after by the Volturi."

As I began to question what they would offer the Volturi, Bridgette answered me in deciding what she would reveal.

"No, I've heard of Demetri, but have never met him." I answered her unspoken question.

Bridgette chuckled, "Our gift is not like his, but not dissimilar either. Not only that, because my sister and I are very much attached, we are afraid the Volturi could easily separate us and use the other as leverage to lure us into servitude. This is not something we wish to do. Very, very few people know exactly how our gift works. The only reason I chance to tell you this much now, is that I have a gut feeling that you ought to know."

"You aren't going to tell me how your gift works are you?"

"I cannot make the decision to tell you on my own. It's not only my gift or my life I am jeopardizing"

I thought about this. Although my family seemed to disregard my talent when it came to Edward and Bella, I knew that what I do helps them tremendously in daily life. I also know that by exposing myself too much, I could place Edward and Jasper in risky circumstances. "I understand exactly what you mean." I responded.

Alex appeared from upstairs. "I apologize my curt behavior before, Madame Alice, but I had an important delivery to complete for Liza and her patient."

Alex was a tall vampire, with long light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. As tall as Emmett, he didn't have the same bulky build as my jovial brother, but seemed more muscular than both Jasper and Edward. He certainly looked like he could be a heartbreaker, especially with his soft baritone voice and slight Irish accent.

"No trouble," I answered him, "It's pleased to meet you Alex. As I said before, I'm Alice."

"My pleasure, Alice. I am Alexender, but you can call me Alex, as my sisters do. I hear you are a good friend to Bella. My sisters have told me of her. She seems like a sweet, brave girl." Alex's voice took on a bit of an emotional tenor to it, and his eyes softened when he spoke of Bella.

"This is the first time you've met Bella, correct?"

"Indeed, it is. Bella has known of me for a while now, and my sisters told me about her. You can say that she…very much reminds me of someone who was important to me. It's nice to have finally met her. I have been anticipating it for some time." I didn't see Alex being anything more than a friend to Bella in the future, and I certainly hoped that I was right.

Liza called down and broke the tension that I felt building inside of me, "Bridgette, Alice, Bella is sleeping now. You can come and see her if you like."

I felt like a lead weight flipped over in my stomach. It had been so long since I had seen Bella, and I had waited until these awful circumstances occurred. I climbed the stairs and hoped that when she finally awoke, she would forgive me.

At the top of the stairs, I met Liza. I nodded to her quietly, and she motioned for me to enter Bella's room.

Bella was indeed still asleep. I had seen that she would stay asleep, but I couldn't have accounted for the crack of thunder outside her window to momentarily jar her awake. I don't think she really thought I was there, although she knew it was me. I told her she would be OK. I hoped I was right.

~O~

The wolves arrived three days later. At first, they were extremely defensive, demanding that we release Bella, that we had no right to kill or change a human. We quickly assured them that killing Bella was not our intention, and that we had actually saved her from death from one of their own. Sam, the pack leader, said he never intended for Paul to be able to strike, and that he had told Paul not to move in Alpha command. Apparently when Sam uses this command, the pack member in question physically cannot disobey him. I wished I had alpha command.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Sam used a command, but after a few moments, Paul found a way around it. Sam told Paul to "stay right where you are". For all intents and purposes, Paul did just that. He stayed where he was when he lashed out at Bella with his big sharp claws. Bella paid the price.

Guilt was written all over Sam's face. He explained that Paul was a new wolf, and that his emotions were erratic. Sam tried to assuage his own guilt by blaming Bella, saying that she threatened to come between Paul and his imprint Rebecca. After questioning Sam, he admitted that Bella didn't know what an imprint was. She also didn't know that they turned to wolves, or that their emotions could flare so easily.

Sam also harbored anger. He was angry that he had become a wolf. He was angry for all the young boys that were phasing because of the presence of vampires. He said he was tired of all their "choices" being taken from them, and said that the phasing didn't just hurt the boys, but destroyed love and families. He blamed our family, stating that allowing a human to become involved with us caused more vampires to move into the area.

Last but certainly not least, Sam could have knocked me over with a feather when he told us that his pack has been dealing with Victoria. My poor, stupid-in-love, self-loathing brother has been in fucking South America looking for her, and she has been in Washington all this time, circling Bella like a shark. Now I know one of the reasons I haven't been able to see Victoria – she has been interacting with the wolves, testing their patrol, trying to reach Bella all this time. Sam said that Victoria considered Bella to be Edward's mate, and that she wanted retribution for her mate being killed. "Mate for mate," she named it. Sam wanted to protect Bella, but he said that Paul's aggressive nature was influencing others in the pack. He said that they were becoming restless in protecting someone who was attracting vampires to the area. Sam's only solution was to invite Bella to live at La Push, so long as she cut all ties with vampires. We told Sam that we would give her the choice, but that we didn't think she would go for it. We didn't want to tell Sam that we had plans to ask Bella to leave for the east coast, lest the idea got back to her father.

Sam gave us an ultimatum: Bella lives at La Push, or receives no protection from the pack at all.

We countered his offer. I told him that I and some of my family members would stay with her in Forks, and Bridgette, Liza and Alex would move on. Sam said that he would consider this a temporary option, but reminded us that it wouldn't stop the boys in La Push from phasing. This was something he desperately wanted to end.

As alpha wolf and technically the tribal chief, Sam considered the treaty null and void. There were already 8 who had phased into wolves at La Push. We would be outnumbered 2 to 1 if we stayed and risked being attacked.

Sam had painted us into a corner to relieve himself of the guilt. He wanted to blame everyone – anyone – so that he wouldn't have to admit that his bad command caused Bella harm. He wanted to be the authority, even though he wasn't yet prepared to lead his people or his pack.

There was something else he wanted relief from, but I couldn't figure out what. I wished Jasper were here, and not just so he could read the emotions.

Sam gave Bridgette, Liza and Alex two days to leave before the pack attacked. He gave our family one month.

Sam wanted to speak with Bella. We wanted to give her the option before bringing a wolf around her.

We asked Sam for an extension – let Bella wake up, and be well enough so that she isn't on morphine before she makes her choices. It's not fair to ask her these things when she is afraid, in pain and not in her right mind. Sam didn't know that we would be asking Bella to leave for a very different reason.

Sam agreed.

~O~

One week after being attacked, Bella was able to stay awake without the drugs for about an hour before the pain was too much. In this time, we became reacquainted. The first time she saw me, she pointed at me and said, "I wasn't crazy, was I? You were here!" I nodded, and my fragile friend burst into a round of heartbreaking tears. For the rest of the day, I couldn't bear to leave her side. I cradled her against me while she cried, slept, ate, looked off into the distance. Once while she was half-asleep, her face scrunched up in pain, and she said, "Can you sit in the chair? Your body makes me think of Edward." My dead heart split into two.

Her reactions to us were sad. Every time we left the room, her voice became high and panicked, asking us to not go too far. When we went hunting, I could hear her crying from the second floor, and whispering, "Please don't leave me" over and over. I wished Jasper could have been here, but I wasn't sure how comfortable Bella would feel around Jasper or Jasper around Bella what with her heightened emotions.

After the first week, we moved everyone to the home in Forks. I took residence in my old room, and Bridgette, Liza and Alex used Rosalie and Emmett's room to store items and change clothes.

Bella used the guest bedroom.

No one went into Edward's room.

We explained the extenuating circumstances to Bella and we also filled her in that Victoria had been trying to reach her for some time. I swear I will never meet a soul as forgiving as Bella Swan. The first thing she said was, "Those wolves aren't all bad, are they? Paul may have hurt me, but I think there were others trying to protect me. And now I found out they stopped me from becoming Victoria's mid-day snack."

Bella had to make a cover story for her father. Bridgette had previously phoned Bella's dad and told her she had been accepted into a week-long workshop in Seattle that taught meditation strategies that would be helpful for her symptoms. Charlie questioned why Bella wasn't phoning him, but Bridgette had told him that the workshop was very exclusive and Bella had received a spot at the last minute and the workshop right away. Liza got into Bella's account and sent an email to Charlie, explaining everything so that her dad wouldn't worry, and then started sending text messages regularly. It seemed to have worked in the short-term.

Bella agreed to go to Massachusetts, so long as she could go home for a week or two to see Charlie. We came up with a fairly convincing story that Bella had come down with a bad flu from the workshop she had attended in Seattle, and would need to spend her time recuperating in bed. She would then receive a letter in the mail inviting her to participate in a summer pre-college internship with the highly acclaimed botanist Dr. Miriam Courtnage. Bella said that Charlie would be thrilled as it would increase her chances of getting a college scholarship, but he would worry and her parents may insist on visiting. Bridgette and Liza assured her that a visit wouldn't be problem, and that the internship opportunity was indeed officical, as Bella would be able to site her experience with Dr. Courtnage on her college applications.

Bella was also relieved to hear that we received confirmation from Sam that Charlie would be protected from Victoria by the wolves. As a citizen of Forks and as Billy Black's best friend he would be guarded and kept safe.

As Bella was feeling indebted for the lengths we were going to help Bella heal, there was nothing we could do to keep her from apologizing for the events that took place. She was constantly on edge that we would decide she wasn't worth it, that when she got better we would leave. It was difficult to say the least, because I knew that my family was in part responsible for her reaction. I also had times in which I raged in jealousy when Bridgette and Liza's presence seemed to calm her when mind didn't. Though I knew intellectually that they had never left her, and had actually traveled cross country when she needed them, I couldn't help but feel somewhat spurned by Bella's reaction. When I spoke with Carlisle, he understood my feelings, but showed that it just proved how much Bella needs us, and that we should never leave again unless we are asked to go.

Bella also started becoming very good friends with Alex. I still can't place my finger on how he acts around her. It isn't brotherly, nor is it romantic. I have seen human women who are good friends with gay men, and it kind of felt like that. Not that he's necessarily gay, it just seemed that there was some lack of sexual tension, but he was also much more intimate and caring with her than either Emmett or Jasper ever were. I missed Jasper.

Bella asked us to try and contact someone named Jacob at La Push. She said that he wasn't there was she was attacked, and she felt that he would want to talk to her. We tried to contact Jacob through the number given by Bella, but the man on the other end of the line refused to let him speak with us or her. We didn't know if Jacob ever knew that Bella was trying to call him. Each failed attempt to call him made Bella look more and more broken.

We did manage to contact Jacob's sister Rebecca, and this was the one bright spot in Bella's first two weeks at our home. Rebecca had assured Bella that there were no hard feelings that Bella had spoken about her to Paul. Rebecca told her that she knew Paul could shape shift, but she was obliged to keep it a secret. Bella related to this, of course. She also said that it was healing for her to speak to Bella. Rebecca explained the imprinting process and that although Paul had imprinted on her, she did have a choice in the end whether to continue a relationship with him. Bella encouraged her to "follow her heart" and not to let Bella's injury or Paul's nature interfere with the choice she had to make. It was lovely and sad to hear Bella relate to Rebecca, talking to her about what it was like to be with a man who could be dangerous, and still love him in the end. I knew that Bella was thinking about Edward and the emotional pain he inflicted upon her. After that conversation, we took turns holding Bella as she cried through out the night.

Bella's wound was still causing pain and prevented her from moving very far from bed. One week and three days after the attack, Bella went home to spend the week with her father. She was able to pick up some schoolwork, but during the week she spoke with a school counselor over the phone about her internship with Miriam. The counselor assisted Bella in signing up for online courses to finish her senior year, as Miriam's internship began at the end of April.

Bella was still receiving counseling sessions from Bridgette, which she seemed to need, especially after the attack. Bridgette's presence really seemed to calm Bella, and I tried hard not to be jealous of that. I had to keep reminding myself that I am not a therapist, and that I was never meant to be one. One day, Bella was having a particularly difficult time accepting the wound, the attack, and the changes it would mean for her. We all heard their conversation as we stood idly in the living room. Though it felt like a breach of trust, we were all at a lost to help and comfort Bella, and we all felt ourselves grappling for something – anything- that allowed us to help her.

"I can feel myself slipping back in, Bridgette. I can't control it."

"Back to your icy lake?"

"Yes. I want it so bad. I want to feel nothing. I should never have gone to La Push, I should have phoned you, I shouldn't have –"

"Don't do this to yourself Bella."

"What else is there to do?"

"We are all here to help you move forward, everyone in this house cares about you, but we can't help you if you go back to that place, we can't reach you there. You know that."

"I don't know what else to do. It's too painful up here. Before, I had lost Edward, I lost a family. Now I feel like I've lost my whole life. I can't even get out of bed without pain. I lost Jacob. I can't see my dad."

"Just remember Bella, it's only been just over a week. Healing takes time."

"I'm not stupid Bridgette; I know I'm not healing."

"We're all working on a way to help you get better. That's why we're going to Massachusetts. I know it's difficult to trust right now, but I'm going to ask that of you.

Silence.

Bridgette continued, "Have you tried the meditations…going to that place on purpose, and then coming back?"

Bella's voice became tiny and hollow, "I'm scared I won't come back. I'm scared that I won't want to. It's too good in there, feeling nothing. It calls to me. The numbness, the dark, the cold. No one there to hurt me."

"You can and will come back Bella, that place is yours. Use your icy lake, and know that above the surface you have people who are waiting and are caring for you."

"What if I come back up and no one's there? What if everyone decides I'm too much trouble?" Bella's voice cracked on the last question.

"That's where the trust comes in Bella. I have never left you, and I never will."

I couldn't listen anymore. I announced that I needed to hunt and then sped off into the night.

I wasn't really hungry. After running for a time, I spotted a doe, but I had no appetite. I decided to call Jasper to get an update on where they were. I had not had any specific visions, so I assumed they were still looking for Edward.

"Alice, darlin'. I miss you."

"I miss you Jasper, more than I can say. I feel like half of me is gone."

"Not gone hon, just scouring the favelas of Rio."

"I wish I could help you more. All I see in Edward's future is blackness. Everything around him is so dark."

"Is he OK?"

"He hasn't been OK for months. But if you are asking if he is alive, then yes. Hungry, but alive. How is Esme? Carlisle said that she's a woman on a mission."

"That she is. She's more optimistic than the rest of us. She says she knows he's here, somewhere."

"Haven't you found a scent trail?"

"We found one off of a marina. We are wondering if he took a boat somewhere."

"Hmm…have you thought of looking underwater? That might explain the darkness that I see."

"We have, and tried. It's very difficult without a scent trail and the chaos of the ocean floor."

"If he's under there, then he's deep, I think. All I see it black."

"We aren't giving up yet Alice. How's Bella?"

"In pain. Sad. Quiet. I wish you were here to tell us what she was feeling."

"Me too. I don't know if she'd want to see me though, maybe all I would sense it fear from her."

"She forgave you Jazz, a long time ago. She told me so."

"I wanted to kill her."

"She knows that. Her words, and I quote were, 'at least he didn't tell me he loved me, and then abandon me'."

"Do you see anything Alice? I mean, if Edward came back, would she…would she reject him, hate him?"

"She will take him back, but it won't be easy. She said she still loves all of us, but it's hard for her to trust right now. She still asks me not to go far when I leave the room. If she knows I'll be gone, I tell her where I'm going and when I'll be back. This seems to make her calmer. That's one of the reasons I'm out here right now. I told everyone I was hunting, but I just had to get away from the house. I could stand to hear her sad."

"You left her there?"

"No. That other vampire, the therapist was with her, talking. Bella was bringing up all sorts of personal things. Things that are really our fault, because we left her."

"Do you think it will work out? Does she even want us a part of her life?"

"I have to believe it will work out, or my sanity is at stake Jasper. And yes, I think she wants us in her life. She's just terrified that we will leave again."

"I love you. I hope I'll see you soon."

"I love you too Jazz. I'll keep you updated.

"Likewise. Bye darling'."

"Goodbye."

I closed my phone and crumpled to the forest floor. I felt exhausted, and I felt like I had no right to be. I should be back at the house, comforting Bella, curling up beside her and telling her bright visions of the future. I should be her friend right now.

"I wish I could be there too, but I can't right now."

My head snapped up, and there was Liza behind me. I must have just spoken my thoughts out loud.

"Liza, do you know you just snuck up on a psychic?"

"I do. I wish it were under better circumstances so I could gloat about it in the future."

"Me too. This is harder than I thought it would be."

"It is. The emotions and her physical state."

I got up and brushed myself off, and repositioned myself on a thick tree branch about 10 feet from the ground. Liza leapt up beside me, our legs swinging off the edge of the branch. "How are her wounds?"

"Her wounds are…confusing. It's nothing that I've ever seen. The best theory that I can come up with is that the toxin in the wolf saliva is not meant to touch humans. It's meant to maim vampires, to cause pain. On Bella, it started to kills the cells around the site of the wound. She also started developing a fever, and I was really worried for a while that it would affect her blood. Luckily it hasn't, but she can't live her whole life with an unsealed wound."

Liza looked off into the distance. She looked…weary, like someone's who has had a long day, and it anticipating a long day tomorrow. It suddenly felt strange that my family's life felt like it was in limbo for so many months, and then all of a sudden walls come crashing down and we are spread across the Americas trying to piece us back together. I wonder if Bridgette, Liza, and Alex felt the same way.

Liza brought my back from my musings, "How's Jasper? He's is your mate, correct?"

I stared at her in shock and Liza confessed, "I have better than average vampire hearing. I wasn't intending to eavesdrop, I'm sorry."

"No, it's OK. I lived with a telepath for almost 60 years; I've given up on privacy." I giggled, "My family is looking for Edward. They have one faint lead at a Marina in Rio. I suggested they look underwater."

Liza looked at me, and tilted her head in thought. She suddenly snapped to attention, "Bridgette and I can find him."

"But how…we don't know where he is, you've never met him, I don't understand."

"We'll need his scent. We have his name, and seeing a photo would help."

This was the best news I'd had in months. Without thinking, jumped up on the branch and began hopping up and down while clapping my hands. Liza chuckled as she braced herself against a tree, "Down girl, let's take this one step at a time. Can you get me his scent?"

"I think I can…in his room. There must be something. It could be faint though."

"Let's go find out."

Before I had a chance to sit down, my eyesight blurred and me vaguely felt Liza's hand on my arm steadying me, as I was gripped by a vision.

Edward running, green, tropical plants, thick and lush. Edward diving under water. The water is warm blue, salty. The water cools down. Darkness. Clouds. A different kind of rainforest. Sitka trees, Cedars, mountains, white peaks. Bella's little white house, Edward climbs the wall. It's empty, Edward arrives at our house. Sees strange vampires, finds out Bella is there and is hurt. Edward loses control. Destruction, damage. Edward finds out it was a wolf. Edward breaks the treaty…

"Edward's leaving Rio. He's decided to come back to Forks, back to Bella."

"Are you sure? This is good though, right?" Liza looked shocked, and a bit calculating.

"If he comes back now, he's going to go to her house first, then ours. He'll find she's been hurt by a wolf. He'll break the treaty Liza; it will be bad, so bad for Edward. Bad for all of us. Bad, bad, bad." I couldn't help but shake my head back and forth, willing the vision to be untrue.

Liza sat pensively, "What if we found his location, and then your family tried to cut him off somewhere, before he gets here?"

I ran through that scenario in a couple of different ways, "It will need to be specific. We'll need to find Edward ASAP, and they will have to restrain him until he calms down. If he arrives in Forks and he's not calm, he will be hell-bent on slaughtering the wolves. He won't think Liza, he'll cross the treaty line…there are too many of them for him to fight. He won't wait or listen to us. They will have to find a way to detain him in an isolated area. It doesn't matter where they catch him, there will be major destruction. Better a swath of forest than a city, right?"

"Right." Liza agreed with me, and then began strategizing, "We need to contact your folks in Rio. When do you see this happening, Alice?"

"He's going to leave tomorrow night, about 7pm his local time. Fortunately he's deciding to run/swim rather than taking a flight."

"Where can we cut him off?"

"This is harder to determine. He is going to be avoiding all sizeable populations, so I am just seeing a lot of green before he jumps into the ocean. They have to catch him before he goes in the water though. By the time he surfaces, he'll be in Washington."

Liza nodded, "If you can get me his scent, Bridgette and I can help you find him. Maybe together we can help lead your family to the right place to cut him off. It's probably better that they're there ahead of time to meet him.

"Yes, they'll need to arrive there before him to prepare. He's a very fast runner. I'm on it. I'll get you what you need and call Jasper." I was halfway home before I finished my response.

When I arrived home, I could hear the deep breaths and steady heartbeat of Bella as she slept. I found Bridgette and Alex in the Living room. I raced over to tell them of our plans.

"Hi guys, I was just speaking to Liza in the woods, when I got a vision that Edward is coming back to Forks to find Bella. He can't live without her anymore, and he's giving up to come back to her and beg her forgiveness." Bridgette's smile lit up her face, and Alex chuckled under his breath. I swear I heard him say, 'It's about time'.

"The problem is, if he arrives here and finds Bella hurt by the wolves, we will have war on our hands, and not a good one. Edward will go nuts; he will break the treaty to get to Paul, and could possibly get himself killed. If that doesn't happen, the wolves will attack for sure. We have to stop him. Bridgette, Liza said that you and she would be able to help."

Liza walked in at that moment, "Go find his scent Alice, I'll fill these two in."

"Sure, I think it's also a good idea that we tell Bella when she awakes. She was often kept out of the loop by my brother, as he sought to protect her, but I know that it hurts her to be left out."

"I think you're right. We'll tell her when she wakes up." Bridgette agreed.

I walked up to the third floor and slowly opened the door to Edward's room. It was exactly as he had left it. At his request, we only packed the essential to bring to Ithaca.

Shelves that were once full of neatly organized music lay strewn and broken on the floor. Edward's entertainment system was smashed, and his sofa lay in pieces on the opposite end of the room. The only things that were missing were most of his clothes, and his mementos from his human life. Edward had requested that his human artifacts stay, but always the rational one, Carlisle quietly gathered them up before we left for Alaska.

I swallowed hard and tried not to think of the night that this took place. When Edward came home from dropping Bella off at her home, Jasper and I were hundreds of miles into the forest. We didn't want to upset Edward further. When we returned home, his room was in shambles.

I peaked into his closet, but his scent was faint. I looked in a few of his drawers, and I found some shirts that had a slightly stronger aroma. I pulled out one of those, and a plastic bag fell out.

I recognized what was in the bag immediately, and I would have tipped over laughing were it not the situation we were in right now. When did he do this? Why did I not see this?

I opened the bag and let the contents spill into my hand. As soon as they did though, I dropped them on the floor. Edward! I was thoroughly disgusted.

A royal blue bra and panty set lay at my feet. Bella and I had a taken a trip to Port Angeles in the summer, and I bought it for her. The reason that it was in a plastic bag in Edward's drawer was obvious. I could smell him all over it. I mean him. His arousal. You know, spooge, cum, semen, fluids. Edward was a naughty boy with these.

By the stories that Bella has told me, and the state in which I found the lingerie, I was pretty sure Bella wasn't anywhere near this set when the act took place. I wonder if she knew. I carefully dropped the evidence back into the bag. Bella was going to get her bra and panties back.

I picked up the t-shirt, and took one last look around the room. I silently declared that this would be the end of this Edward, the end of our family being split in grief and guilt. For Bella's sake, for everyone's sake, we were getting Edward back, turning a new leaf, and reuniting Bella and Edward so they are together as they should be.

E/N I apologize for the long wait for an update. This chapter was difficult to write – it was hard to place the characters where they ought to be so that they followed through with what they need to do. It's also longer than most chapters will be, as it was difficult to find the right place to cut it off.

So…Bella's not getting better yet, and has to leave. The wolves are confused and angry and guilty and really just want all the vampires that they aren't allowed to kill to go away. Edward's running back to Forks at exactly the worst time and he's going to have to be stopped. Luckily Bridgette and Liza will be able to track him.

Next chapter – We'll be in Massachusetts, Bella will meet Miriam and her family, and get her wound healed, and then some, and We will find out how the Cullen family manages to reign in Edward before he destroys every last canine at La Push. Stay tuned.

Reviews are always welcome, even if you disagree with how I've written it. I enjoy constructive criticism.

The description of the postcard was taken from the real thing. I'll be posting the link on my profile. I am also posting a photo that inspired Bella's shirt in chapter 8, "Desired".

The locations described in Rio are as accurate as I could make them, and I've never been there. I apologize for any inaccuracies.