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: : : : : Throws up image of Fail Whale : : : : :
Yes, I know that I have been a major fail at updates lately. No, I'm not giving up on my stories, but I do have a real life, as crappy as it's been lately. I've been trying to piece back together the shamble of my marriage, which is extremely hard to do when it feels like I'm the only one trying. But, I digress.
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That's not to say that I haven't been writing, I just haven't been writing on this story. I haven't been in the right frame of mind to write this story the way I want it, which probably shows in this chapter that I forced out. I had meant for this story to be mostly easygoing and humorous but, well, shit happens.
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Special thanks to my boo and to all of you who have stuck with me through the long waits, I am totally in awe of all the positive reviews and well-wishes that I've received. You all are the reason that I write in the first place so, again, I say thanks.
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..Alice POV..
The moment the phone disconnected, I jumped to my feet and rushed to retrieve my cell phone, ignoring the astonished gasps coming from my family. I flipped the phone open and dialed the number of the only person who could help me at this point.
"I'm calling in my favor. I need you here before morning." There was a long pause.
"I'm kind of in the middle of something," a soft voice replied. "Is there any way that it can wait a few days?"
"Only if you wish to see your mate ripped to pieces before your eyes, after which the same treatment would be given to you. Only Aro won't be so kind as to toss all your pieces into the flames. How do you feel about spending the rest of eternity as a severed head? One phone call will make it happen. Never forget the debt that you owe me," I growled, turning away from the shocked faces of my family. I wouldn't feel bad about this. I would do anything to protect my family.
"I'll be there before morning," she whispered meekly. I felt the arms of my husband surround me, and smiled as he placed a soft kiss upon my neck. He would always support me, no matter the circumstances. He understood that sometimes hard choices had to be made.
"I hope for your sake that you are, Chelsea." I shut the phone and turned to face my family.
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..Edward POV..
If I had been paying more attention, it never would've happened. After all, I am a mind-reader. My only excuse for my inattention was my distraught state-of-mind at the time. That is why I'm currently pinned to the floor by two of my own family members, trying to ignore the pitiful cries for forgiveness from my sister.
My body started to relax without my permission, muscles loosening as my growls died down to nothing. I turned my head and shot a weak glare at the one who was responsible, the one who was also restraining the left side of my body. Jasper grimaced and looked away.
"I'm so sorry, Edward," Alice whispered walking over to me and kneeling by my face. "This was the only way. You have to believe me!"
"Only way for what, exactly?" I let out a growl as Alice's mental singing failed for a moment and a thought of Bella slipped through.
"This was the only way to save you," she said softly. My disbelief must have clearly showed on my face, because Alice shook her head sadly at me and said, "Will you please just trust me on this?"
Another image of Bella floated through her mind, only this time the word 'cancer' was there as well.
"What are you keeping from me? Is Bella sick?" I asked, franticly renewing my struggle to get loose. I froze in shock at the next words out of Alice's mouth.
"I'm so sorry, Edward...Bella is dead." All the fight left me and I slumped to the floor. Bella...my beautiful, kind Bella was...dead?
"How?" I choked out, staring up at my sister through blurry eyes filled with tears that would never fall.
"I decided to check on her. I-I just missed her so much and I figured that it wouldn't hurt just to check on her. I couldn't find her though, no matter how hard I looked. I had hoped that it was just because I hadn't seen her in so long, that maybe I was out of tune with her..."
Her words trailed off, but I continued to watch the scenes play out in her head. Alice hacking into the hospital's computer system, finding out that Bella had been admitted due to anemia and then referred to a specialist for more tests. Alice hacking into the specialist's computers and finding out that Bella had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor three months ago and had denied any radiation or chemo treatments. Hours of frantic research using Carlisle's medical journals. And finally, the decision to call Charlie and check on her.
"I ended up calling her, only Charlie didn't answer the phone. I asked to speak to Charlie and was told me that he had been killed by a bear. After getting over my shock, I told him that I was a cancer specialist and that I thought I could help Bella...only to be told that it was too late to help her because she was gone, too."
I never thought that any pain could be worse than the pain of the change, but I was proven wrong in that moment. I let out a grief-filled scream as I realized that I would never see my beautiful Bella's face again, never get to hold her fragile form in my arms. How could I ever live in a world without her?
I quieted down as I came to the realization that I wouldn't...couldn't. I could not live in a world without her. I felt a sort-of peaceful resolve settle over me as I made the only decision that I could. Soon, I would join my Bella in the afterlife. My mind immediately started running over scenarios, quickly dismissing the crazier ones until I was left with only one choice. The Volturi.
"I'm sorry, Edward, but I can't allow you to do that to yourself," Alice said softly. I snapped my head up and stared at her as a hundred visions of my death danced through her head. I gasped as another vision played, one of me and the family sometime in the future.
"My gift is both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes decisions have to be made that not everyone will agree with. In the end, I always do what is best for my family. You may not agree with me right now, Edward, but in time you will come to see that I am only doing this because I love you. I'm only doing what's best for us all."
"You didn't..." I murmured in disbelief, even as I picked up a new mental signature making its way towards the house.
"Two months ago she called me begging me to help her. Aro had finally had enough of Afton's attitude and ordered Demetri to dispose of him during the next mission and to report it back that he had died in battle. Luckily for Afton, Chelsea overheard Aro's plans and called me to help her make plans of her own." Alice stopped at that, but it didn't matter as the memories were playing through the new arrivals mind. Demetri was dead and Aro had no way of tracking either Afton or Chelsea.
"And now I'm repaying the debt," Chelsea said, walking into the room.
"No. NO! Don't do this, Alice, please!" I cried out, finally realizing Alice's plan and just what Chelsea was here to do.
"Bonds are created and destroyed every day, Edward. You will still have your memories of her, this will simply take away the pain associated with them," Chelsea murmured as she kneeled down and held her small hand inches away from my face. I renewed my struggles to try and get up but it was no use.
"I'm sorry," Alice whispered as Chelsea closed her eyes and lowered her hand to my face.
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Yeah, so this didn't turn out how I envisioned it. Meh. It is what it is and all that jazz.
