well, here you go. told you i'd keep my promise.
Chapter 11…
EPOV:
I looked at Bella wide-eyed. This couldn't be over just as soon as it had started. There was too much I wanted to say, to hear from her. Bella practically mirrored my expression, which surprised me. She looked…sympathetic; upset this was over before it began. But here eyes—beginning to become dark, out of anger or hunger I didn't know—were gleaming with the knowledge of what she'd do next.
"You should go," bells said, barely audible. Then she looked at the door once more. "Actually, I should."
I didn't know what to say.
She grabbed my hand and stroked it with her thumb once. Then she got up and headed for the window.
Whoever was outside the room stilled and walked in the opposite direction. They were here for Bella, obviously. But I couldn't just let them take her away from me like that. I'll never get a chance like this with her again.
"Bella?" I looked over at the window just in time to see her leave, jumping gracefully right out of the window.
BPOV:
I quickly hopped out of the window before Edward could stop me—of course he would try, forty years have past and he's still the same—and sprinted to the closest shaded alley I could find.
Felix leaned against the wall with a small, knowing smirk on his face. I walked slowly toward him, deeper into the alley. When I stopped just a few feet away from him, he shrugged off the wall. His smirk became a full blown venomous grin. I stilled, bracing myself.
Then, I felt the impact of his foot against my chest and I hit the wall on the other side of the alley. All the air in my lungs whooshed out of me and I slid down the wall, breathless already.
I kept my eyes closed and waited as I listened to Felix's footsteps come closer and closer. When he finally stopped so close to my body, I heard the sound of his foot kicking back. I braced myself for my inevitable punishment.
But I never heard the sound of his foot coming towards me. instead, I heard the sound of stone hitting stone and my eyes shot open. And there he was.
Edward.
I jumped up with a jolt of fear and anxiety and, as soon as Felix's was down, I ran to Edward's side.
I pushed him a little when he looked at me, worried.
"Are you stupid? Why did you—" I scolded but was abruptly interrupted. Edward looked over my shoulder. I didn't even look behind myself. Instead, I studied his face. His eyes were colored with anguish and defeat. He briefly gave me a wistful look before grabbing my hand and swinging me behind him.
"Hey, I can take care of myse—" I began but quickly shut up when I saw what Edward had been staring at.
Jane, Demetri, and Heidi stood at the entrance of the alleyway, wearing black hoods and triumphant smiles.
Felix laughed heartily from his spot on the floor behind me. "I told you you'd pay." I heard him get up and I quickly jumped around. Edward and I stood back to back, watching the others close in on us.
"Why, did you follow?" I asked quickly and softly as I watched Felix crouch down to pounce.
"Because I—" Edward never got to finish. Suddenly, Edward dropped to the ground and his hands—now in fists—went to his head.
It was then that Felix came at me. he grabbed my wrists but I swung him off and kicked him right in the face. He slammed against the wall.
I looked at Heidi and Demetri coming towards me. Jane stayed behind smiling at Edward's crumpled figure. And that threw me off the edge. Rage fired my blood. Just as Demetri was going to take a hit at me, everything froze for the slightest of seconds. Then, Felix, Demetri, Heidi and Jane were in the air above me.
"Stop it," I said through clenched teeth. I glanced over at Edward, his face still crumpled in pain, and I stared back at Jane, my eyes a blazed. "Leave. Him. Alone."—she smiled—"I said stop it!" I yelled. Jane stopped smiling, and all of their faces grew paler than usual.
I looked back at Edward. He panted on his hands and kness, struggling to get up. I walked over to him and gave offered my hand. He took it gratefully. I pulled him up and leaned in towards his ear.
"Why?" I whispered in a voice so low that the others hadn't the slightest hope of hearing.
He put his hand on the smalls of my back and I stumbled into his chest. My whole body tingled with the pleasure of memories past. My breathing became uneven and my my legs felt as if they'd give way soon—incredible he could still do this to me—but I tried my best to keep my concentration on the others.
I could feel his icy breath linger on my ear and when he spoke, he spoke just as quietly as I had. "Because I love you."
EPOV:
Bella stilled against me. the others hit the wall of the alley and slid down so fast that when they hit the floor, the sound hurt my ears. The glass shattered on the building windows above us. It suddenly felt a lot darker. Dead silence filled the space between everyone.
Bella finally took a step back. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. We simply looked at each other. We wore worrisome like a mask. What were we supposed to do now?
And then Demetri got up and hit Bella right in the face. She fell to the ground, her fingers grazed the place where Demetri had hit her.
Pure instinct kicked in as I saw Felix coming towards her. I punched him and shoved him so hard against a wall that it seemed to wake Bella up. she jumped and kicked Demetri in the back when he wasn't looking.
And then we were both fighting our own battles, occasionally switching places and throwing worried glances over each other's shoulders.
But soon, we were both defeated. Jane released her power on me full on and I sat against the wall, silently being tortured. Bella was being held by Felix and Demetri. She struggled her hardest but began to grow wary and stopped struggling as hard. They all looked at Bella with smug smile faces, almost as if they had accomplished something great.
Suddenly, the pain subsided and all heads turned towards the alleyway entrance. There, Aro stood with a friendly smile. With a few strides, he was right in the middle of everything. There were a few small bows of respect.
Aro looked at Bella and clasped his hands together. "You've found our Isabella!" Bella gave him a dirty look through her lashes but kept quiet. "We've been looking all over for you, my darling. We've just missed you so much back home."
Demetri rolled his eyes. Felix snorted. Bella tried getting free again but Felix twisted her arm back a little and she stopped. She obviously had no choice but to go.
"You weren't thinking…" Aro continued. "That we'd just let you go, did you?"
Bella looked at him sarcastically but I could see past her expressions. Her eyes…they showed the hurt girl I had left behind so many years ago. The one that I had hurt. The one that I had loved. The one that I still loved.
"Please," I said. "Leave her alone. If she doesn't want to go, she shouldn't have to."
Aro turned to me and gave me a look like it was the first time he had noticed me here. He then looked at me thoughtfully for a moment longer.
"So, it's the boy whose corrupted you," Aro said with a smile, turning back to Bella. I growled lowly. Bella's eyes flickered to me momentarily. "Hmph, well of course Bella wants to come back. We're her family—her only family—"
"No," I said. "She has a family…with me. Let her come with me. my family will watch her, we'll—"
"We saved her," Aro continued as if he'd never heard me. " She made a deal. Why would she want to leave us? Actually, you should have been taken care of already, Mr. Cullen. Heidi? —"
"Don't," Bella finally spoke. "I'll go. Just leave him alone. Let him go."
"But—"
"No," Bella insisted. "I'm not going anywhere unless you let him go…at least for now."
Aro sighed and thought it over for a while. "Fine."
"Bella," I breathed. She looked at me and shook her head.
Demetri and Felix began pulling Bella back down the alley and she stumbled behind them. I sat up and watched her leave. When they were out of view, I stood up and slumped against the wall. She was gone…already. How did this happen?
I heard someone running toward me and before I knew it Bella was in my arms. I pressed my face into the space between her shoulder and neck, breathing in her heavenly scent. We heard the others running towards us but we still held onto each other. A small sob erupted from her chest.
"I'll come for you," I breathed. She shook her head against my shoulder.
"They'll kill you," she said.
"I love you," I reminded her.
"I know," she whispered just as someone pulled her from me.
I looked down, trying not to watch her leave me. Then she said my name. I looked up.
"Edward." Her hand reached out for mine. I took her hand and she passed me something. I looked down at it. It was the necklace I'd given her nearly forty years ago. The word 'forever' flooded my mind.
"I'd stay with you," she said.
if you're confused about that last line i recommend re-reading chapter 10.
this chapter is dedicated to all my fans who threatened if i didnt update by the end of the week, all the jonas brothers would drop dead. (thanks for scaring me to death!) and its also dedicated to the jonas brothers...for still being alive...
xoxo,
Sasha
