Alrighty, this chapter is from Edward's point of view. Let me know what you think, and please continue to answer the questions I posted at the beginning of the last chapter!

Enjoy :D

Chapter 10: Theory

"Goodnight, my Bella," I whispered softly as she waved goodbye. I stayed just long enough to see her unlock the front door, and then gunned it out of the driveway, heading home for another sleepless night.

The trees zoomed past me as I navigated the winding turns easily. Glancing at the speedometer, I noticed that the needle hovering just above ninety-five. I chuckled—I would have to be careful to keep under the speed limit when I picked up Bella in the morning. Unless, of course, I wanted her to jump out of the car again. I grimaced and hit the brake.

I was nearly home anyway. I pulled into the hidden driveway and concentrated on keeping my speed at what might be considered normal. I ground my teeth, but resisted the urge to hit the gas. It was maddening, going this slowly. It took me four whole minutes to reach the big white house at the end of the twisting road. I was used to it taking about forty-five seconds.

All the lights in the house were on, as usual. As I pulled into our large garage and shut off the engine, I could hear six distinct sets of thoughts floating towards me from inside.

"Go, Go, GO!!!! Dammit! Aw, Rose, did you see that?" Emmett was watching a football game on the flatscreen. He was so loud that I didn't even have to read this thoughts.

Rosalie was sitting beside him, not paying attention to the question. She was seething about something. Rose's thoughts always had an edge to them. I tried to tune her out as much as possible.

Esme and Carlisle's minds were calm and relaxed, as usual. They were discussing some new renovations Esme had planned. When they heard my car pull up, both their thoughts drifted to this afternoon's events at the hospital. My mother and father were debating whether to scold me or not.

Jasper was reading a newspaper. There was nothing interesting in it, but I could feel that he was uncomfortable.

The closest set of thoughts came from the doorway leading from the kitchen into the garage. Judging by the sheer displeasure emanating from them, I was sure that they belonged to Rosalie. I looked up, and was surprised to find tiny Alice staring at me, he mouth set in a deep frown and her tiny fists clenched at her sides.

"Do you know what I've been seeing all day, Edward?" She snapped. I checked her thoughts quickly. Blurs dotted her visions, obscuring large chunks of them.

"It's the same as before?" I asked. Alice had experienced these types of visions right before I had come home last night. Everyone else was worried about what they might mean, especially Carlisle. Alice was just annoyed.

"Not the same scenes, but definitely the same play," She muttered.

"Why do you think it's happening?"

"I might ask you the same question! It was your future I was searching for when it happened. Who were you with today, Edward?" She demanded.

The pieces started to fall into place as soon as she said it. I took an unnecessary breath. The smells of gasoline and car wax filled my nostrils.

"The only person I was with today was Bella Swan, Alice." I said slowly.

She hissed and stepped into the garage, closing the door behind her. No doubt the rest of the family had been listening.

"That new girl you've been gushing over?" She accused.

"I don't think 'gushing' is the correct term for…"

"It's the only term for what you were doing. It was almost as bad as Emmett and Rosalie." I cringed. That bad?

I saw flashbacks of the school day in her mind. My face when I'd caught her scent, watching her run from the cafeteria, me following. I had to admit that, at least from her point of view, I looked completely absorbed by the girl. I wondered if Bella had noticed, too.

"Anyway, what does Bella have to do with this?" I already knew where she was going with this.

"I know you see it, Edward. That girl is the one that's all hazy in my visions. She has to be." She bit her lip.

"I know, Alice." I said grudgingly.

"I know how you feel about her, Edward. Jasper told me everything." She looked down as she spoke. "But the fact is that she could be dangerous. Dangerous to you, dangerous to the whole family."

I knew she was right of course, but I didn't want to accept that fact. My reality had been completely turned upside down when it came to Bella—my Bella, as I'd taken to calling her in my head. She seemed so fragile and in need of protecting. Yet, this was obviously not the case. The very thought that she could be anything dangerous was almost too much to bear.

"We should tell Carlisle about all…this. He got the chance to examine her today."

Alice nodded, and turned to open the door. We walked slowly—at least by our standards—through the kitchen towards the great room.

They had obviously heard most, if not all, of our conversation. I tried to block the barrage of thoughts coming at me as we entered. Even so, the expression of worry on almost everyone's face—Emmett was still entirely focused on the game—were enough to make me feel uncomfortable.

"Welcome home, Edward." Esme tried to mask the uncertainty in her voice. I smiled slightly in her direction.

"Alice, Edward, what's this all about?" Carlisle asked carefully.

"We've figured out what's causing the distortions in my visions." Alice started. "Or rather, whom." She shot me a tentative look.

"Whom?" Carlisle asked gravely.

"Yes. It seems that today when I was with Bella…" I began.

"That girl?" Rosalie interjected, a half-snarl erupting from her throat. "That girl is the cause of this? I told you there was something off about her, Edward!"

"Rose, please." Carlisle commanded. Her voice quieted, but her thoughts were venomous.

"We think that Bella is the source of the gaps." I continued. Everyone's eyes were on me now.

"I see." Carlisle answered thoughtfully.

"We were hoping you could tell us your thoughts, Carlisle. Since you had the chance to look her over." Alice asked.

"Ah, yes, of course. The young lady was definitely unique. I tried to draw some blood, but the needle was unable to pierce her skin." He began.

"One of us?" I hadn't noticed Jasper's presence at the edge of the room. His expression looked concerned.

"No, Jasper, I don't believe so. Despite having an exterior much like our own—you must have witnessed her beauty for yourselves today—there are several fundamental differences. Her heart beats, and blood runs in her veins."

"Impossible." Jasper's thoughts became uneasy.

"I would have said the same thing, had I not seen it for myself." Carlisle shrugged.

"What is she then? Obviously not human…"

"I'm not certain, but the facts point at something…in-between." Carlisle's face was that of the eager scientist now. I knew he would never cause Bella any harm, but my instincts yearned to protect her all the same.

"In-between? Carlisle, you know as well as any of us that that just isn't possible. Either she's changed or not." Jasper's tone was indignant.

Carlisle ignored Jasper's comment.

"Bella told me that the chief and his wife adopted her when she was a baby. She wandered onto their doorstep from the nearby forest. They assumed she was abandoned, and her biological parents were never located."

"Just come out and say it, Carlisle. What's your theory?" I couldn't take much more of this speculating.

He waited for a moment, choosing his words carefully.

"I believe that Bella is half-vampire, half-human. Given her symptoms, it's the only conclusion that makes sense. Though, as I said, I cannot know for certain."

Rosalie and Jasper hissed. Alice and Esme's eyes widened. Emmett finally broke his gaze with the television.

After a moment, Jasper spoke.

"Let's just assume that she is what you say." The thought was obviously very difficult for him to accept. "How does that explain Alice's visions?"

"That, I'm afraid, I do not know." Carlisle shook his head.

"Well then, I guess there's only one solution to all of this." Alice's voice brightened suspiciously.

"I'll just have to meet her myself." She smiled wide in my direction. Jasper stiffened.

"I won't allow it, Alice. She could be dangerous."

"Oh, I'll be fine, Jazz. That much I know. Besides, I think we're going to have a good time. Of course, everything isn't completely clear—it's definitely her doing, by the way—but that's the feeling I'm getting. Besides, Edward will be there too." She smiled, her teeth sparkling.

I groaned.

"It's the only way, Edward. I have to see her face-to-face." She pouted.

"Fine." I said tersely. Alice always got what she wanted in the end, so there was no use fighting it.

"Great! I'll ride with you two in the morning." She danced towards the stairs.

"Alice, no. I don't think that's a good idea. You can sit with us at lunch." Had I told her I was picking Bella up for school?

"No, Edward. Trust me, it's going to be much better this way," She was at the top of the stairs now.

"Oh, I'm sure." I mumbled.

"I know just the thing to wear!" She squealed. Why was she happy about this? One minute, Bella was a danger, the next she was somebody that had to be impressed.

"See you at eight A.M. sharp." She called, disappearing down the upstairs hallway.

"I told her we'd…I'd be there at seven forty-five. Some psychic you are." I taunted.

"Trust me. Eight." She tapped her temple and disappeared again before I could say anything.

With Alice gone, the tension in the room was a little much for me. Rose wouldn't stop glaring at me. I decided to head up to my room for the night, though since I didn't need to sleep I wasn't sure what exactly I'd do for the better part of ten hours.

Shutting the door behind me, I went straight to my favorite wall of music. I searched for the CD I was looking for. It was easy to find. I placed it in my stereo tray and hit play, adjusting the volume so it was barely audible. The soft piano melody filled my ears, but the relaxation I had been hoping for did not come.

I laid down on the only piece of furniture in the room and breathed in the familiar scent of leather.

My mind was racing with questions that I knew couldn't be answered. At least not yet; not until I talked to Bella, got to know her. Even then, I was sure she had no idea what she was. All we had to work with was conjecture. As far as we knew, there was no precedent for Carlisle's theory. Nobody knew where this was going, and that bothered me deeply.