Chapter 10 - Bella's Disappearance

Edward's Point of View

The last year of school passed so quickly and soon graduation was staring us in the face. I had agreed to Bella that she would be changed after graduation, against my will. Alice was totally ecstatic while I dreaded it. I had only asked Bella one thing before I changed her. I replayed that fateful day.

"Bella," I said as she walked over to join me on the couch.

"Yes?" She replied.

"There is something I want to ask you," I continued. Bella stopped walking,

"What is it?" She asked, wary now. I instantly became sidetracked and it amazed me at how Bella thought that I would be able to leave her again, I shook my head and I got up and stood in front of her.

"I agreed to damn you to an eternal darkness against my will. I think it's only fair that I make one request of my own," I said. I held her hands in mine and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Could she already guess what I was going to say?

"And what might that be?" She asked, her breathing was unsteady and I cracked a smile at how her heart reacted. I slid down onto one knee and she instantly understood. "Oh no." She mouthed and she tried to pull her hands free of mine, I wondered why she was reacting this way, but I only tightened my grip around her hands.

"Isabella Swan?" I looked at her with pleading eyes. She stopped trying to pull free from my grip and looked at me, "Bella, I love you so much and I promise that I will stick by your side for the rest of eternity and I will love you for the rest of my life time. Will you make me one of the happiest men alive and become my wife?" I asked. I held my breath waiting for her answer, she didn't answer for a moment and I could tell that she had stopped breathing too. The suspense was killing me, it was eating away on my insides as I waited for her to say something and then finally she nodded and whispered,

"Yes," I jumped up then and hugged her close to me and I kissed her with as much passion as I felt for her.

Bella had accepted and I was rather glad about that, I had given her a ring, but she said she wouldn't wear it around school and that I would have to wait until after graduation before she started to wear it.

I'm glad that Edward has found someone to be with, how happy I am for him! I heard Esme thinking.

I'm going to get a little sister! Awesome! Emmett was thinking. I laughed at his thoughts and then I heard Alice's thoughts.

Oh! Yay! She said yes…as I knew she would! Ooh…we are going to have SO much fun planning their wedding! I wonder if she will let me plan it for her? I walked downstairs and nearly fell down when Alice crashed into me.

"Please, please, please, let me plan your wedding…or at least help you with the plans!" Alice squealed. Everyone laughed, including me.

"I'll have to check with Bella first, and so will you." I said. Alice grimaced and went to sit by Jasper.

"Ready?" Esme asked. I nodded and looked at Alice. She sighed.

"Another graduation. Yay!" I laughed at her mock tone of excitement. We had been through so many graduations that it wasn't funny and this was just another one, but this time I was excited because I was graduating with Bella, my love, my fiancée and my life. We drove in the Volvo in silence and I was wondering when Bella would arrive with her father. When we got there, Alice and I headed to the back of the gym and I searched for my Bella, but I couldn't see her anywhere. I frowned, I was curious as to when she was going to arrive, she couldn't just skip graduation.

"Over there Mr. Cullen," Mr. Banner informed me to go and stand with the C's. I followed Alice and stood behind her, I looked for Bella the whole time we were standing there until it was time to go inside. Bella still hadn't arrived; once we had taken our seats I didn't listen to the principle rattle on about unimportant things about this year's graduation students. So instead, I searched for Charlie within the audience but he was nowhere to be found. So I gave up and listened to the principle until the movement of the gym entrance caught my eye. I turned my head in that direction and I saw Charlie walk in, I sighed in relief; Bella was here and was probably sitting behind me. The principle started calling out the names of students and soon he reached the C's.

"Alice Cullen," he called and she rose to get her certificate. He gave it to her and she went to join the line,

"Edward Cullen," he called and I rose and thanked him as I left the stage to join Alice. After about twenty minutes he finally reached the S's.

"Jessica Stanley," he called and I perked my head, knowing that Bella would be called next. Jessica rose and walked across the stage smiling at the principle as he handed her the certificate.

"Isabella Swan," the principle called. I craned my neck to see her, but I didn't.

"Isabella Swan?' He called again and shrugged and moved on. Bella wasn't here but her father was, I looked among the crowd and spotted Charlie with a rather confused look on his face.

What? Where is Bella? I drove her here and she went to the back of the gym? Why is she not here? I heard Charlie panicking. So Bella had come, but then where was she now. I nudged Alice with my arm and she knew what I wanted.

I haven't seen anything. Is Charlie here? She asked in her thoughts I nodded. She wrinkled her nose. Sorry, but nothing has come to me. I don't know what's happened. She apologized in her thoughts. I began to panic. Bella wasn't here as she should be. What had happened, I needed to know. Finally the graduation ceremony was over, I heard Carlisle call to me in his thoughts.

Edward, I'm going to speak to Charlie and see if he can tell us anything about Bella. Get over here with Alice. I nodded and tugged on Alice's arm.

"Carlisle wants us," I whispered in a low voice. Alice nodded and we both headed in the direction of Charlie, Carlisle and Esme.

"Where was Bella?" Carlisle asked Charlie. I spotted Charlie and saw the confused expression on his face; Alice and I finally reached them and were standing behind Esme and Carlisle. Charlie shook his head.

"I have no idea. We were late because Jacob had called and then she rushed off to the back of the gym hoping that she wouldn't be noticed if she entered and I came through the normal entrance." He said. So he had seen Bella but he didn't know what had happened to her. Carlisle nodded,

"We'll help you look for her," Carlisle said. Charlie nodded, clearly grateful.

"She could be outside, you know. Maybe she was too nervous to enter." Esme suggested. Charlie shrugged and we headed outside and then Alice gasped. I stopped while Esme, Carlisle and Charlie proceeded outside.

"What, Alice?" I asked. Alice looked at me with wide eyes.

"She's not outside, Edward." She whispered and then I saw the vision in her head. A vampire had taken her away and was planning on changing her; I saw her running and screaming in terror from the vampire who was about to change her. I let out a small growl.

"We have to tell Carlisle," Alice said and we rushed off to Esme and Carlisle.

"Sorry, Charlie. We'll keep looking for her, though." I heard Carlisle say, Charlie nodded and walked away.

How could this happen? Where could she have gone? Charlie was questioning himself.

Sorry, Edward. Truly. Esme thought softly. I nodded and spoke to Carlisle.

"Alice saw something," I stated, Carlisle looked at her with wide eyes.

"I only just saw it, Bella was running…from a vampire…" She paused and her eyes flickered to me for the shortest moment, "It vanishes then and I can't see anything so I have no idea where she is." She looked down at the floor.

I'm so sorry, Edward. She apologized. I shook my head.

"Don't be sorry, Alice. We'll find her," I assured her. Carlisle nodded in agreement.

"Of course, let's go home and tell the others." Carlisle suggested and we headed back to the Volvo. I couldn't think straight, a vampire had changed her and from Alice's vision, he looked vaguely familiar. I struggled to think of where I had seen him, it wasn't Laurent and it wasn't one of the male vampires from Tanya's coven in Denali, so who was it?