AN: Absolutely love the great response I've gotten for this story. You guys warm my heart. Big thanks to Yenny for beta reading for me. I couldn't do it without her.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
Chapter Eleven BPOV
Esme and I sat together in silence for a long while. Suddenly a thought hit me and I started to chuckle. "Man your good," I muttered as I sat up and wiped my face dry. "I had no intention of talking to you about any of this."
She gave me a knowing look and a little smile. "I know that, dear. But don't you feel better now?"
"I still don't know what to do, though," I said with a little sigh.
"Well, most people your age either go to college or get a job."
I shook my head, a little embarrassed. "I never finished high school," I said meekly. "I was in custody when school started this year, and when I was released I just took off. I couldn't face anyone at school once they knew…well, you know."
"Would you like to finish high school?" she asked.
I nodded yes and she smiled.
"See, Bella. You just figured out what you want to do." Her eyes lit up as she smiled widely at me and I had to laugh at her excitement. "I'll take you in tomorrow and get you registered. You're only a couple of months behind. I'm sure they will let you catch up. And of course you can stay with us until you graduate."
"That would be wonderful, Esme. But I would like to get a part time job to pay for my own expenses, if that's okay."
"That's a great idea. We can get some applications tomorrow after we register you for school." She patted my knee and stood, walking to the door.
"Thank you so much, Esme."
"Anytime, dear. Anytime."
After she left I took a deep breath and smiled to myself. I had a plan. I always felt better when I had a plan. I couldn't wait to tell Edward.
I couldn't help the little bounce in my step as I went down to the kitchen to make myself a sandwich. I was just finishing off my potato chips when Alice came in, practically jumping up and down in her excitement.
"Bella! This is great! You're going to school with us!" She was all smiles as she grabbed me up in a hug.
"Yeah," I started.
"We need to go shopping! I'll go change. Are you wearing that?"
I looked down at my clothes. "Uh, yeah. Wait, what? Shopping? No! Why?" I was all kinds of confused.
"You'll need school supplies, silly. Some new clothes, a laptop. I'll be right back!" And she was gone. Upstairs to change her clothes, I guess.
"I have a whole closet full of clothes. Why do I need new ones?" I asked to no one in particular.
"Never turn down new clothes, Bella," Rose laughed.
I had already figured out that when Alice gets something in her mind, there really isn't any changing it. So I went along on the shopping trip with little fuss. I would almost dare to say I had a good time. The clothes shopping was tedious, because quite frankly, I look terrible no matter what I'm wearing. But I did find some jeans and some long sleeve shirts I could layer and stay warm. And a nice heavy winter coat, which my wardrobe was lacking to begin with.
The school supply shopping was my favorite, though. I swear I could spend hours in Staples, looking at notebooks and pens and highlighters. I know, I'm weird. Alice and Rose both pointed that out more than once. I wouldn't let them buy me a laptop, though. School supplies are one thing, but that was way over the top. Plus there was a perfectly good computer sitting in my room at the house. Why would I need two of them?
It was getting pretty late when we hit the McDonald's drive thru and headed home. As I ordered my cheeseburger and fries, I noticed that Alice had a weird, glassy look in her eyes. I didn't ask what was up, but the atmosphere in the car changed. Instead of talking and laughing like we had done all evening, an uncomfortable silence settled over the car. In the pit of my stomach I knew something was wrong.
Back at the house we unloaded the car. Emmett and Jasper were playing PS3. Carlisle was reading and Esme was quilting.
"Where's Edward?" I asked casually. I hadn't seen him since this morning, when he had run out as fast as he could to get away from me.
They all stopped what they were doing and exchanged glances. The feeling of dread in my stomach grew in intensity. Something was definitely wrong.
"He's not back yet, dear," Esme said quietly.
"Oh," He had been gone all day. He had ran away from me. He wasn't coming back. I could feel the dread turning into panic, but I clenched down hard on it. And I forced a smile. "I'm just going to take this stuff upstairs and probably go to bed. It's been a pretty long day."
Rose helped me carry my bags upstairs. I took my time looking through my purchases. I put everything in my new messenger bag that I would need for school. I took all the tags off the new clothes and tried them on. Alice had insisted at the store that they would fit, but I wanted to see how they looked on me anyway.
I kept my thoughts focused on the task at hand. I refused to think about Edward.
He would be back.
He had to be back.
EPOV
Random thoughts tumbled through my mind as I ran.
Bella…
I paid no attention to where I was going. Time had no meaning for me. I just ran.
She was in my every thought. In every fiber of my being.
When did I lose my focus?
I had to regain control.
I must maintain control.
I found myself in a city. No idea which one.
I was in an alley, crouched low in the shadows.
To my back was a seedy bar, full of humans.
The scenario was so familiar. Hundreds of times I'd sat in alleys just like this.
I listened, waiting, knowing that what I was looking for was somewhere in that building. Finally I heard it. The vile thoughts of an evil man. I concentrated, focused on the thoughts until I found the originator.
I didn't have to wait long. He left only minutes later with another man. I followed, stalking my prey, waiting for my moment.
Three blocks later the other man turned off, leaving him alone. I stuck to the shadows, waiting until there wasn't another soul around.
When he stopped to light a cigarette, it was time. I stepped out of the shadows in front of him and he jumped, startled.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I said smoothly.
"Yeah right," he mumbled. "Nice try kid. You picked the wrong asshole tonight."
I raised my eyebrows. "Can I get one of those?" I asked, motioning to his cigarette.
"Sure kid," he handed me the pack and his lighter. He was good. His actions did nothing to betray the thoughts running through his head. "Cute. Nice ass. Big hands."
"I've been trying to quit," I told him. "But there's just something relaxing about it. I think it's just knowing that in this one thing, I am in complete control, but at the same time I don't have to deny my instincts. I can just let myself go and enjoy it."
He nodded in agreement, not really paying any attention to what I was telling him. After all, he was to busy trying to figure out how to get me to his house.
In a heartbeat I was behind him. I grabbed him by the shoulders and sank my teeth into his soft flesh, deep into his vein before he had realized that I'd moved. He didn't even have a chance to scream before the venom paralyzed him.
BPOV
I tossed and turned, trying to get to sleep, but it evaded me. Finally around one o'clock I decided to just get up. I could use something to drink anyway.
I found Emmett and Jasper in the living room playing video games. Still.
"Hey Bells," Emmett said without taking his eyes off the screen. "Awfully early to be getting ready for school, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I couldn't sleep. Where are Alice and Rose?"
They exchanged a glance.
"Out," Jasper said.
"Oh. Okay. Carlisle and Esme?"
"Out," Emmett said.
"Edward?" I held my breath, but I knew the answer already. He hadn't been back yet.
There was that glance again.
"Let me guess. Out."
"Yeah," Jasper said. "Out."
I rolled my eyes and went to the kitchen, grabbing a can of Mt. Dew out of the refrigerator. I turned around and almost ran right in to Jasper.
"What the fuck, Jasper?" I yelled. "You all have got to learn to make some freaking noise before sneaking up on me!" I could hear Emmett laughing in the other room. "It's not funny, Emmett!" I yelled in his general direction.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," he said in that southern twang of his. There was a little smile in the corner of his mouth and I could tell he was trying not to laugh.
"So why are you scaring the shit out of me?" I sidestepped him and walked back in the living room, curling up on the couch.
"Do you know what my special ability is, Bella?" he asked quietly.
"You can sense emotions or something like that," I shrugged my shoulders. "Why?"
"Not just emotions," he said. "I can feel whatever it is you are feeling."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, right now you're anxious. But you aren't letting yourself feel that anxiety. You're blocking it somehow."
I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. He was right.
"So?" I asked him.
"Why are you anxious, Bells?" Emmett asked, sitting next to me on the couch.
"Something isn't right," I shrugged my shoulders. "Edward ran off earlier, literally. Alice was acting weird in the car. And now everyone is gone except you two, left behind to babysit me, no doubt. So yeah, I'm anxious. Nervous as hell, really. But breaking down and having a panic attack right now would not change the situation or help at all. So what's the point?"
"Amazing," Jasper muttered.
"So when you say you can feel whatever I feel," I talked quietly, staring at my pop can and refusing to make eye contact. "Does that mean if I'm hurting or something, you can feel it, too?" I glanced up and met his gaze.
"Yes."
"I'm sorry, Jasper," I whispered. "I didn't know."
None of us spoke for a few moments. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. Emmett looked confused, but didn't ask. Finally, I broke the silence.
"Don't tell Edward," I said softly, staring at my hands. "He worries about me to much already."
"Maybe he has good reason to."
"Maybe," I conceded as I shrugged my shoulder.
Emmett started flipping through channels on the TV. Jasper watched me for a few minutes longer, and then he picked up a book and started reading. Emmett settled on Law and Order, which was fine with me. I could watch that for hours on end.
We were halfway through the second episode when both Emmett and Jasper sat up straighter and turned towards the front door.
"I always wanted a guard dog," I chuckled.
The front door opened and closed. I glanced up to see who had come in. Edward stepped into the room slowly, almost sheepishly, his eyes focused on the floor and his hands in his pockets.
I vaguely registered the growl that came out of Emmett's throat as I stood and took a tentative step towards him.
"Edward," I whispered. He had come back. He was okay. The anxiety I had been trying to suppress dissipated as relief flooded through my body. He lifted his eyes from the floor and my gaze met his. His red eyes were apologetic and sad.
Jasper and Emmett both growled. I ignored them, took four quick steps and threw my arms around Edward's neck. He stood still, frozen, for two heartbeats. Then his arms encircled my waist and pulled me close.
"I was so scared that you wouldn't come back," I whispered, clinging to him.
He held me tightly.
"Don't worry, Bella, love," he muttered. "I am much too weak to stay away." He ran his fingers through my hair and leaned down, kissing my forehead gently.
"I think we need to talk," Emmett said roughly from behind me.
Edward ignored him. He tilted my chin up so I was looking in his eyes again. "I hear you're starting school tomorrow. Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"Probably. I couldn't sleep." His eyes searched mine. I'm not sure what he found there but he leaned down and kissed me. The kiss started soft and slow, but it built in intensity until I broke away, gasping for air.
"Come on. Let's get you to bed." He motioned to the staircase, and then he looked pointedly at Emmett and Jasper. "We'll talk later."
"You're absolutely amazing, you know that?" he asked as I pulled the covers up over my legs.
"Why is that?"
"You forgave me, no questions asked." He sat next to me on the bed and fiddled with the edge of the blanket.
"I hope you can forgive me as easily," I said quietly. I patted the bed and he laid down next to me, putting his arm around my waist and pulling me to him.
"For what?" he asked.
"For being so stubborn and not accepting your help. I want to talk to Carlisle. To see if he can help with my headaches and stuff."
His lips found mine in the dark and he kissed me deeply.
"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that," he said before kissing me one more time.
Lying in his arms, I fell asleep quickly and slept deeply the rest of the night.
AN: Review please!