Disclaimer: This is a work of fan-fiction based on Stephenie Meyers' Twilight Series. (No copyright infringement intended).



Emmett, Carlisle and I immediately headed north in the Jeep. The tracker was following us, just as Alice had predicted. Esme and Rosalie were headed west in Bella's truck. Victoria was following them. Again, just as Alice had predicted. Alice and Jasper were headed safely south towards Phoenix. Everything was going according to plan.

"Carlisle, I'm truly sorry it has come to this", I said to my father.

I loved my father dearly and I knew how hard he had worked to maintain his morality and ours. Emmett and Rosalie were always up for a fight – it was in their nature. Carlisle and Esme were different. They avoided conflict and confrontation. They wanted peace and harmony, with everyone. I knew Carlisle was doing this…hunting, for me and for Bella. If it were solely up to him, he would have let James go on his way.

"Edward, son, this is not your fault." He spoke in a comforting tone. I could not remember my real father's voice, or his face, just vague memories in which he was nothing more than a shadow. Carlisle was the only father I could remember and he had always treated me as though I was his son by birth, not creation. "These turn of events could not have been foreseen and the course we must now take was unavoidable. It is unfortunate, true, but I also understand this is the only way."

I hung my head in shame, wishing, hoping that there was something I could have done to have prevented this. "I wanted to run away, with Bella…to protect her myself. I never meant for…"

"We're family, Edward", Emmett cut me off, slapping me on the shoulder, playing the big brother role as he had for so long. "One for all, and all for one."

I chuckled under my breath at Emmett quoting The Three Musketeers and how ironic that was, at this moment, in the Jeep with him and Carlisle.

"Edward, we all know how much you love Bella. We can see the change in you. You are…happy. Esme is over the moon seeing you so content. We all are…"

Except Rose…Emmett's thoughts interrupted. I don't understand why. I think Bella is pretty cool.

"Regardless of the fact that Bella is a human girl, she is your choice and therefore, is part of our family now and we protect our family. Charlie is her family and Renee is her family. If they are in danger, we protect them as well," Carlisle continued.

"Thank you," I muttered. It hardly seemed enough to merely thank them for putting their lives and our families' lives in danger.

"There is no 'thank you' necessary, Edward. It is the same you would do for any of us." Carlisle said.

We then drove in silence for a long time, until the sun came up over the horizon, leaving me to think of my Bella.

Even in my human life I don't remember ever feeling about anyone, the way I felt about her. All of the things a human man would think and feel I found myself experiencing, as unlikely as it seemed.

Where my heart once was, something raced when I was near her. Where the adrenaline once pulsed through my veins there was now an electric current, running through me whenever I was close to her. I could hear, feel, taste, see and smell so much more vividly than ever before. It was as though I was living a Monet painting. Bella was the brush and I was her canvas.

I missed her so much already that I ached. I knew Jasper and Alice would take care of her. At least Alice had her visions and Jasper would be able to calm and comfort her with his presence.

But I was envious. I wanted to hold her and protect her and comfort her. I wanted to be holed-up in the hotel room with her, watching her sleep. I wanted to cover her with a blanket if she was cold. I wanted to lie next to her if she had a nightmare. I knew I needed to be here, but I wanted to be there.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to pull in what little of her scent that still remained in the Jeep. I breathed deep enough that a touch of her floral smell entered my lungs and burned. I couldn't have been happier. I imagined myself nestling my face in her neck, with her hair falling, surrounding me as my lips softly caressed her throat. I let out a deep sigh and Carlisle and Emmett both looked at me with sympathy.

"Alice's vision said the tracker would follow us and the female would follow Esme and Rosalie. We haven't received any calls from her telling us otherwise", Carlisle spoke, breaking my train of thought. "Therefore, I think we continue driving, towards Vancouver. Hopefully we will either cross paths with James or get a phone call from Alice telling us what course to take."

"This is difficult", I added, "not being able to get close enough to him to hear his thoughts."

"Yes, Edward, but if you took that chance, then he could hear us and our whole plan would be destroyed," Emmett reminded.

Nothing about this pursuit or game of hide-and-seek was normal. It was wrought with risks. One slight move in the wrong direction, one slip of the tongue, one stone un-turned and we lost control.

Because we could not follow James closely enough to listen to his thoughts we had to go on instinct, hoping everything was going the way we wanted it to since Alice hadn't called. That also meant that Bella was safe. Ultimately, that was the most important item, regardless of how long our hunt was to us.

Emmett was getting antsy. He could hardly stay still in his seat. He was constantly moving from one side of the back seat to the other, scanning the forest and mountains that surrounded us, hoping for a sighting of James – one that would allow him to act.

I knew Bella would be on pins and needles, trapped in her hotel room with no word from us. I hoped Alice would explain to her that that only meant we had no new information.

Esme had not called us either. We took that to mean she was back in Forks, protecting Charlie. She would not take a chance of using the cell phone and Victoria over-hearing. Everything was still going to plan.

By this time we were in Vancouver. We hoped that James believed it was where I would take Bella – to a large city where she would be more difficult to find and far away from Phoenix.

I sensed that, as much as I was avoiding close proximity to him, he was doing the same. I felt he was watching us closely, seeing if there were any chinks in our armor. It was a classic game of cat and mouse, only in this instance it was vampire vs. vampire.

We found a hotel in Vancouver where we could hole-up during the day and search for James by night. When we were in the room we strategized about the possible what-if's of the situation.

"What if we have lost the tracker, Edward?" Carlisle asked. "Since you aren't close enough to hear his thoughts we don't know if he is still with us or has changed his course."

"Alice would have called us if she had seen that", I reassured, knowing my sister would be watching for any visions of James.

There was a long silence while I pondered the events. "I have a feeling…" Carlisle an Emmett hung on my every word. I hardly ever had feelings. "I have a feeling that he grew suspicious of our rouse, having not seen Bella with us yet, although you know he is looking. I think he got on a plane – a plane for Phoenix. I feel that he has figured out, for one reason or another that Bella actually went where she said and he is on a fast-path to get to her before I do."

"How strong is this feeling, Edward?" Carlisle asked. He was intrigued by this new 'gift' I had attained.

"It's not a gift, Carlisle. I think I have become so attuned to Bella and James and our surroundings that puzzle pieces are just falling in place, making sense."

"Then what should we do, Edward?" Carlisle asked.

I paused and thought strongly about deviating from our original plan but it seemed to be the way to go.

"I think we need to head back towards Seattle and get out on a flight from there – the first one to Phoenix. Of course we need to call Alice and let her know of the change of plans", I said.

Carlisle picked up the cell phone and dialed Alice's number. He didn't give her a chance to speak first.

"Alice. There is a change in plans," he explained.

"Carlisle," Alice responded breathlessly.

"First, I have to ask, is Bella safe and with you?"

Carlisle waited for the answer, then nodded to me that she was safe and accounted for.

I could tell by Carlisle's reactions to Alice's story, we were right. He had gotten on a plane and headed for the room with windows and mirrors in Alice's visions. We just didn't know where that was at.

I reached for the phone, which Carlisle politely handed to me, "Alice?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Let me speak to Bella," I commanded. I had to hear her voice for myself, to know everything was alright.

"Bella?" Alice called out.

"Hello?" Bella breathed, not sure who was on the other line and what information they held.

"Bella," I said softly to her.

"Oh, Edward! I was so worried." Her voice went up a few octaves. She was truly ecstatic to hear my voice, to know we were still alive. But that only meant we hadn't killed James.

"Bella," I sighed in frustration, "I told you not to worry about anything but yourself." Hearing her voice brought peace to my being. It was like a mother stroking a child's head to comfort them when they were ill. Bella's words stroked my pain and soothed it.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"We're outside of Vancouver. Bella, I'm sorry – we lost him. He seems suspicious of us – he's careful to stay just far enough away that I can't hear what he's thinking. But he's gone now – it looks like he got on a plane. We think he is headed back to Forks to start over," I explained.

"I know," Bella said. "Alice saw him get away. She was about to call you when the phone rang and it was Carlisle."

I assured her that while the female had been in her house, Charlie had been at work and Esme and Rosalie had kept a close eye on her as she searched the town for clues. She had been to the high school, the airport, and the entrance and exit ramps to the freeway. "She's digging, Bella, but there's nothing to find."

"And you're sure Charlie is safe?" she asked.

"Yes, Esme won't let him out of her sight. And we'll be there soon. If the tracker gets anywhere near Forks, we'll have him."

"I miss you," she whispered into the phone.

"I know, Bella. Believe me, I know. It's like you've taken half of me away with you."

"Come and get it then," she said forcefully. She wanted the same thing I wanted – to be together.

"Soon, as soon as I possibly can. I will make you safe first." I said this in a hard voice that reflected my determination to resolve the situation and my desire to be with her, in her arms.

"I love you," she said, as if she needed to remind me.

"Could you believe, that, despite everything I've put you through, I love you, too?"

"Yes, I can, actually," she responded softly.

"I'll come for you soon." I promised.

"I'll be waiting," she assured me.

Speaking to her had raised my hopes and breathed life into me that had been gone since I left her, but the moment we hung up the phone, I realized there was still much work to be done to reach Bella.

Carlisle, Emmett and I hopped back in the Jeep and headed south, towards Seattle.

Soon enough I would be in Phoenix to protect Bella myself. I could see her, hold her, and smell her again. Jasper and Alice would keep her safe until I arrived. Then I would take her someplace safe while the rest of the family continued to hunt the tracker and his mate.

Just before we reached Seattle my cell phone rang. It was Alice.

"Edward, I had another vision," she said in abject panic.

"What was it Alice?" I asked, suddenly filled with fear. I could tell by her voice it could not have been good.

"I had a vision and when I started drawing it out on paper, Bella recognized it. It was her house in Phoenix. The tracker is at her house, or will be soon."

"Alice, pack up Bella's things and meet us at the airport. We are taking the first flight out. We are scheduled to land at 9:45 in Phoenix. Meet us at the terminal and we will take Bella someplace safe. Then you and Jasper can stay on the tracker's trail." The words came quickly and with disgust that I was not already there to protect her. "Keep her safe Alice and don't let her out of your sight."

She softly replied, "I will, Edward. I promise"


A/N: Can't wait to hear what you think!