A/N: I am so sorry for not uploading in a long time, I have been very busy with my first college class! Also, my very first college exam is tomorrow and even though I should be studying, some procrastination couldn't hurt. ;) Anyway, SPOILER ALERT!warning, a lot of chapters after this is going to angst. I will put in some comic relief, but sadly there is a lot of depression awaiting. Although, there will be a completely different ending later, one that will maybe put a smile on your faces, there will have to be some sadness. Thank you so much for reading and giving me a chance, and I promise, if you stick to the end, you will not be disappointed. "We will walk through this journey with tears and cries, but at the end, we will be left with a smile full of hope." -Anonymous. Please review and favorite! These characters are not mine, as they belong to SM. Thanks again!
Edward's eyes were frenzied and worried. The usual warm fire was replaced by stone. I needed to calm him down before he got out of control. I walked over to him and enveloped my hand in his. He slowly turned his head to face mine as he felt my warmth soothe him. He was about to speak when I took my finger and put it on his lips.
"It's okay, Edward. We'll get through this. I love you." As I said this, I couldn't hold back anymore and a stray tear escaped. He took his thumb and wiped it away. He leaned in, not taking his eyes off of mine, and kissed me softly.
"I love you too, my Bella. Let's go." He put me on his back and carefully took my hand and gently kissed it.
"Close your eyes." He said softly. I followed his order and I soon felt a gust of wind which blowed my hair around. I was too scared to open my eyes but soon the wind stopped. He told me to open them and once I did, I saw that we were outside his house. How was that possible? I scrunched my eyebrows, trying to figure out how we got there so fast.
"I run pretty fast." He managed to chuckle and put me down. We started to walk in when the rest of the family came. I noticed that Jasper was there too. We went inside and I sat down while Edward started to pace around. Emmett came and jumped on the couch, he scooted over to me and put his arm on my shoulder. Esme came and brushed the hair out of my face and gave me a reassuring smile. I had started to think of her as a loving mother and all of her actions represented it. Jasper didn't even try to calm everyone's emotion as he didn't have any in him. Carlisle fixed his hair and put his hand on Edward's back and he stopped pacing.
"We need to plan, son," I could see that Carlisle was worried for Edward. They were saying that I could stay with Esme and Rosalie while the others tracked him down. Edward kept on yelling and saying that he was not going to leave me. It had been twenty minutes and they had not agreed to anything yet. I intervened.
"Stop!" Everyone turned at looked at me.
"Edward, he's expecting that you'll be with me, so you and the others will go and track him. Esme, Alice, and Rosalie will take me somewhere far away, where they won't suspect I will be there. You guys will distract him by wearing my clothes and carrying my scent. By the time he figures out what actually happened, you will have found him." Edward started to shake his head when Alice interrupted and said that it will work. Edward sank on the couch and covered his eyes with his hand. Esme, Rosalie, and Alice took my hands and brought me upstairs, where they gave me new clothes and bagged the ones I was wearing. They told me that we were probably going to go to Alaska and stay with the Denalis, their vegetarian friends. They packed me clothes when I remembered Charlie. I decided that I was going to call him and tell him that Edward was taking me out of town for my birthday. He was reluctant but he didn't force me to stay. Edward put me in the car when reality hit me, hard. I realized that my eyes were streaming with tears I couldn't control. He looked me in the eyes.
"Bella, my love, my life, I am going to keep you safe, I promise, but I must ask of you one thing. You have to keep yourself away from danger, as much as you can. Do not do anything reckless and be careful, for me, please." I nodded incapable of saying coherent words.
"I love you. See you soon." He winked and kissed me passionately. I was at a loss for breath and it was me who pulled back this time. I managed to let out a laugh which sounded like a mangled cry. The car drove away and I found myself letting go of the string which held me to the ground. I sobbed uncontrollably into Esme's shoulder, which ended being sopping wet. What had I done to deserve this?
Throughout the ride, which took two days, I did not succumb to sleep at all. When Alice would stop at the gas station, so I could have my human moment and eat, I did not put a single bit of food in my mouth. I ended up having dark rings under my eyes and a sallow color.
After a long time of crying nonstop, I realized that I was not able to produce tears anymore. I just lay my head on Esme's shoulder and thought about Edward. I thought about James and the smirk he had on his face as well as Victoria and her flaming hair. I thought of Laurent and the way he mocked me and the hungry look in his eyes. I thought about my life and how it could end very soon. Lastly, I thought of Edward, the sole purpose of my life.
I was extremely worried for Edward. What if he got hurt? What if they got to him when he was alone, like he said he was really fast. After thinking about the endless possibilities, I decided that if anything should happen to Edward, I would end my own life. I didn't think too much of it, because it would be an easy decision. A life without Edward, wouldn't be a life at all.
When we arrived, Esme had to hold on to me, so I wouldn't collapse. Once we started to walk up the icy path to the mansion, two people opened the door. I briefly looked up from my intense concentration of the snow on the floor. The snow sparkled a million colors, just like Edward had in the meadow. I barely heard anything that they were saying and I honestly didn't care. Esme took me upstairs and to the bathroom, where she bathed me, combed my hair, and brushed me teeth. She then helped me into my clothes and tucked me into bed. I wasn't paying attention to what she was doing at all. I hadn't even noticed what had happened until after she shook my shoulder after putting me in bed. I slowly rose my head to look into her concerned eyes. I forced myself to concentrate on her voice to understand what she was saying.
"Bella, please, this isn't good for you. You are safe, I promise you." I cocked my head at her. Did she think I was worrying about myself? All of my anxiety was stemming for Edward, his fiery hair and the gentle flame of his eyes, his crooked smile, his melodic laugh, his sparkling skin, and his angelic grin. I thought about him every second. I was trying to memorize him, just in case. I finally pulled myself out of my own thoughts, swirling in my head trying to take me under, and nodded. I would fake sleep and try to force some food into my stomach as to not upset Esme. I would try to do that for her. She smiled smally and kissed my forehead. Whenever Esme or Alice would come to check on me during the night, I would close my eyelids until they left. They probably wouldn't notice since there was no emotion on my face. The next morning I walked out of the room, almost collapsing and crying after realizing that Edward was not there waiting for me. I proceeded to go over to Esme, who held me in her steady arms. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine that the cold and hard hands holding me were Edward's. Alice brought me a plate of scrambled eggs to eat, and the very idea repulsed me. Still, I had to put on a show for Esme. I carefully picked up the fork and stabbed the egg, then put it in my mouth. I tried to not taste and to not feel as it went down my throat. I managed to eat a little after pushing it away.
A shrill ring of the phone pulled me out of my personal hell, as I looked up suddenly above the water that was tying me down. Esme picked it up and started to talk with the other line. Her eyes flickered to me, but not long enough for me to be sure. She turned off the phone and moved her head to face me.
"Bella, sweetie, I'm so sorry, but it seems like they have lost them. We need you to be extra close, just in case." Unexpectedly, I let out the breath that I was holding. At least, Edward would be safe, even if I wasn't. A minute had not passed when the phone rang again. Esme picked it up and then soon after motioned to me that it was my mother. She then, handed the phone over to me. What was I going to say? With a shaky breath I picked up the phone and put it to my ear.
"Hello? Mom?" I said weakly, barely coherent. It was her panicked and tortured voice that set me off edge. My face grew contorted with pain as I heard my own mother's blood curdling scream.
"Bella!" It was the last I heard of my mother as a deeper voice spoke to me. What had happened to my mother? My sweet, innocent, wacky mother.
"Hello, Isabella." The voice was thick with Italian accent. I was about to cry out when the voice spoke again.
"Now, I don't want you to say anything unless I tell you to. Is there anyone near you or in the same room as you?" I don't know how, but I managed to respond.
"Yes." I looked across the room and I saw Esme washing the dishes while Alice was talking to her. They were both preoccupied.
"Well, then I want you to go to the bathroom and while you are walking say 'I'm fine, mom.' Can you do that?" At this point, I was mentally void and like a mindless zombie, followed orders. I did what he asked and neither Alice nor Esme looked up or acknowledged my departure.
"Now that we are more comfortable, I would like to propose something. As you know, your mother is with me and we have certainly gotten to know each other." He chuckled and I knew that sound would be forever engrained in my mind. The sound of a killer laughing over torturing my own mother and possibly me.
"Getting to the point, I need you to leave your family for a while. Specifically, I need you to go outside and walk to the back of the house and into the woods. I will wait for you there, tonight. Oh, and if you tell anybody or bring anyone I will have no trouble to cut my chatting with your mother short. I can't wait to see you, Isabella." After being hit with the weight of reality, I heaved over the toilet and emptied the remains of my stomach, including the scrambled eggs.
Esme rushed over to help and cleaned me up. She asked if I was okay and I simply nodded. In truth, I knew after those last words that exited his mouth on the phone, I was never going to be okay.