AN: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Tonnes of family stuff going on at the moment. I still have this story in the back of my mind all the time. Loads of ideas and more fun stuff to come.
ALICE'S POV
I tried my hardest to focus on Edwards future while he was outside with Bella. I wanted more than anything for them to be together. Once upon a time I had seen a spectacular life for the two of them. A wedding, a little house in the forest, even Bella as a vampire. In the last few months, those visions have changed so many times. Even now they were changing. The vision I had had earlier that day that included Charlie had changed almost immediately after I called Edward, triggered perhaps by the phone call and Edward's decision to go home.
The visions were not always completely clear and now I knew why. Bella had Jacob in the forefront of her mind every single day. I had never had clear visions while the wolves were interfering and this was no exception.
The visions I was having now indicated that Edward and Bella were over for good. I hoped that I was wrong and searched every possible avenue to find an alternative future, but there was none to be found. Edward would remain heartbroken for eternity.
As I brought myself out of the vision, I focused on the present company. Jacob was pacing. I was tempted to spit an insult at him, but held my tongue. There was no use creating a fuss with the dog, so I turned my attention to trying to hear what was being said outside.
It was all so confusing. I wondered why Edward wasn't trying harder. He seemed to be giving in. He had been so possessive of Bella, I struggled to think of a single thing that would make him just walk away.
As I heard Edwards footsteps approach, I braced myself for some kind of fury. As he walked through the doors, there was no fury, only pain. I found myself feeling grateful that Jasper wasn't here. I didn't have his abilities but I could tell when someone was in pain. I pressed the call button on the lift, guessing that he would be in no mood to climb several flights of stairs. He looked up at me and smiled a half smile, as he came and stood next to me.
"Congratulations, Jacob, you've won" he said, in an almost whisper.
"It's not about winning, it's about making Bella happy" Jacob responded. Hmm, I thought to myself, he is right. "And I'll do my best to keep her that way" he continued when he saw the look of realisation on both of our faces.
Edward just nodded as the doors to the lift opened. We entered the lift as Jacob walked out the main doors and on to the street where Bella stood, tears streaming down her face. If I could cry, this may have pushed me over the edge.
The lift ascended to the top floor and I couldn't contain my thoughts anymore, so I said out loud the thing I was thinking.
"You just let her go?"
"I had to, Alice" he said
"But why? I don't understand. Why don't you fight for her? I thought you loved her?" I asked.
"It's because I love her that I'm letting her go. He did the same thing after the battle and at first, I didn't understand it. But now I do. If I fight for her and win, I will always compete with the memory of Jacob and her thoughts about 'what if'. I know that I am walking away, but at least we gave it a go" he said. He let out a sigh that had nothing to do with breathing. He was exhausted.
"I don't think she ever actually loved me. Not really" he continued.
"Don't be ridiculous" I said as the lift opened. We walked in to the apartment and began picking up boxes.
"It's true. She said it herself. She was lured by me. By my scent, my looks, everything about me. I drew her in and she was captivated, obsessed, addicted!" he said, anger, sadness and frustration building inside of him.
"It doesn't mean you have to let her go" I pleaded. I was almost as saddened to let go of Bella as he was. She was like a sister to me.
"Of course it does, Alice. I can't stay with her, knowing that there's even the slightest chance it's all false. Even though I could quite easily convince her to change her mind, I know that it would be purely selfish. I only want Bella to be happy" he replied.
This isn't right. Edward and Bella belonged together. I saw it. If it wasn't love, if it was his essence that had drawn her in, lured her there, I would not have seen a future where they were both vampires. I was certain that she loved him, that there was more to it than just some supernatural attraction. There had to be. Didn't there? Or was it all false?
Was Bella drawn only to Edward's supernatural attributes and blind to it all, thinking she truly loved him? Maybe my visions had been based on what Bella had intended at that particular moment? When I had visions of her as a vampire, it was at the height of their relationship. They had been spending so much time together, totally enthralled by each other. Now that they had more time apart, she must have been noticing a change in her feelings as she had been drawn to him less and less. And that is what caused this change in decision that sparked my vision.
He was right. As much as I knew he loved her, I knew he needed to let her go. For her sake.
"She may come back… someday" I offered. His face just looked even sadder, if that was possible. I wanted to do something to help him but I couldn't think of anything. I searched his future for some hope of happiness but found none. He would roam this world, sad and alone for the rest of his days.
BELLA'S POV
I sat on the bench in the street with tears streaming down my face. Edward had given up, he realised what had been happening all along & he understood. I was crying tears of sadness at realising the life I had just given up but joy as well at the thought of being free to be with Jake.
Edward and I had been through a lot together and now it was all over it was like I could breathe now.
Jake walked out of the building and came and sat next to me, putting his arm around me. He was so warm. Amazingly warm. This was where I belonged. Here, in the arms of my sun, my own personal sun. I knew things would never be perfect, as long as I lived, bit I knew that while I was with Jake, everything would be OK.
"He left me the apartment" I said to Jake with a laugh. I couldn't work out why he would have done that. I didn't want anything from him except his understanding.
"I can't live there" I continued "it's not me. You can see that, right?"
"yeah" he said. "we'll sort all that out later".
Jake turned to look at me and slowly wiped my tears with his thumb. He leant closer and kissed me softly on the lips.
"This is it now Bella, it's over. You're free" he said
"I am" I said in an almost whisper.
"So I guess there's something I need to ask you" he said. I froze, scared that he would ask me to marry him. I had just escaped marriage before my 20s with Edward and saying no to him was hard enough. There was no way, after everything, that I could hurt Jake by say no. I just hoped that he wasn't about to ask me. I bit my lip as my forehead creased into a frown.
He must have noticed the look on my face because he hesitated before continuing,
"Bella Swan..." he said, as I gulped. "Will you be my... Girlfriend?" he said with a grin.
I smiled, totally surprised by this formality. I guess I just assumed that once Edward was over, we'd automatically be boyfriend & girlfriend. It seemed such a childish concept for two people who had been through so much, but k would take it, nonetheless.
I nodded and flung my arms around him.
"Of course I will" I said. He smelt like the earth and the sun. He smelt like my Jake.
"I thought you were going to propose" I said into his neck.
"What would you have said, if I did?" he asked with a chuckle, as we untangled our arms.
"I probably would have run off down the street" I said back.
"That would be something to see". Jake laughed at the idea of me running anywhere, let alone away from a marriage proposal.
We sat for a while, watching the people walk along the street and it wasn't long before Edward & Alice pulled out of the underground car park and drove off, into the night. I doubted whether I'd see either of them.
...
I opened the door to the apartment and walked in with Jacob holding my hand. There were very few tell-tale signs of Edwards departure. Everything was still neatly in its place, but the more I looked, the more I noticed his absence. I felt lighter, freer and suddenly, completely like myself.
The events of the night had given me a headache so I wandered into the kitchen to have some water. On the bench, I noticed Edward had signed some documents to transfer the apartment and an amount of money over into my name.
This isn't what I wanted. I didn't care about the apartment or the money or any of that. I just wanted to be with Jake. Jake looked down at the document in front of me and shook his head.
"I can't accept this from him" I said. "it's too much". Jake wrapped me in his arms around me and held on to me, just the way I needed him to. I didn't have to ask, plead or insinuate that I needed his comfort, he seemed to be driven by instinct to just be whatever I needed him to be.
"How about I run you a bath Bells", he said, interrupting my thoughts.
"sure" I said in a whisper.