Chapter Thirteen

"Alice! Wait up!" Bella ran after Alice. They were in a sunny place full of sun but Alice didn't seem to care. Alice had stopped to turn around and laughed as Bella almost tripped over her own feet. Bella had caught up to her and pouted at her. "You're my best friend, Bella!" Alice laughed as she swung her white arm around her neck. She wasn't going to hurt her but bring her into a hug. Bella giggled as she hugged her back by the waist.

A gasp escaped my lips but I was too shocked by the vision. I stared at Alice in shock but everyone stared at us, waiting. "I know you love me, Jasper but I would want her to live. Edward's serious and I don't want you two to fight. Also, she is going to be my friend. At least, she's going to be." Alice said. The vision was rock solid but the time was unsure.

"But… Alice…"Jasper gasped. I couldn't tear away from Alice's mind to hear his.
"I'm going to be her best friend one day. I'll be very put off if she dies.". She looked into the future again. "Ah," She said, "See? Bella's not going to speak. There's nothing to worry about." She said. The way she said her name… sounded as they were already best friends…

"Alice," I choked out, "What… does this…?"
"I told you there was going to be a change, Edward." Alice locked her jaw. She was keeping something from us, and it would be important. Her mind was focused on Jasper so she would not think about it. She was definitely hiding something.
"Alice! What are you hiding?" I demanded. I heard Emmett grumble. He hated these kind of conversations that Alice and I do. She shook her head to keep me out.
"Is it about the girl? Is it about Bella?"

When I spoke Bella's name, she slipped. Her slip didn't last long but I long enough so I could see. "NO!" I yelled. I heard my chair fall backwards and then I had realized I was on my feet.
"Edward!" Carlisle was also on his feet and he had his hand on my shoulder. I didn't realise he was there.
"It's solidifying," Alice whispered, "Every minute, you're more decided. It's one or the other, Edward." I couldn't accept it.
"No," I said in denial. My legs were shaking in fear and I had to hold onto the table so I wouldn't run off.
"Will someone please let the rest of us on in the mystery!" Emmett yelled.
"I have to leave," I muttered.
"Edward, we've just been through it! If you go, she talks!" Emmett said loudly.
"I don't see you leaving. I don't think you can leave." Alice leaned back on her chair. Think about it, she added silently, think about leaving.

I saw what she had meant. Yes, it had pained me to think about leaving her.
If you leave, Jasper would-
"Stop! He isn't thinking that!". Jasper didn't want to do anything that would hurt Alice so he wouldn't hurt Bella.
Not right now but will you risk her life? Leave her undefended?
"Why are you doing this to me?" I whispered and my head fell into my hands. I was not Bella's protector. I was the opposite! Couldn't she see it with the crossroaded vision?
I love her, too. Or I will. It's not the same but I still want her around.
"Love her, too?" My eye twitched. She sighed.

Are you that blind, Eddie? Can't you see where you're headed? It's as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow! See what I see…

I shook my head. "No," I said. I tried to shut out the vision she was showing me. I almost put my hands over my ears and yelled 'la la la!'. "I don't have to follow any of those courses! I'll leave! I'll change the future!"

"You can try," Her voice was doubtful.
"Oh, come on!" Emmett groaned.
"Pay attention!" Rose hissed at him, "Alice sees him falling for a human! That's so Edward!" She made a gagging sound.
"What?" Emmett blinked in surprise. His booming laugh filled in the silence. "Is that what's been going on? Tough break, Eddie!" He had his hand on my shoulder. I shook it off.
"Stop calling me that!" I groaned.
"Fall for the girl? The one he saved today? Fall in love with her?" Esme asked.
"What do you see, Alice? Exactly?" Jasper asked. She turned to face him but I kept my eye on her still.
"It all depends on whether he is strong enough or not. Either he would kill her-" She glared at me-"which would really irritate me, Edward. It would also make a huge impact on you, Edward." She faced back to Jasper, "Or she'll be one of us, someday."
Someone gasped but I didn't dare look for who it was.
"That's not going to happen!" I yelled again, "Either one!".
"It all depends on how strong he is. He might not kill her but it would be so close. It would an amazing amount of self control," She mused, "More than Carlisle's. The only thing he's not strong enough to do is to stay away from her. That's a lost cause.". I couldn't find my voice and no one else could, either.

I stared at Alice and I could see my horrified face in five different points of views. After a long moment, Carlisle sighed. "Well, this… complicates thing."
"I'll say," Emmett agreed. His voice was really close to laughter. Trust Emmett to find a joke in the destruction of my life.
"I suppose the plans remain the same, though," Carlisle said thoughtfully, "We'll stay. Watch. No one would hurt the girl."

I stiffened.
"No," Jasper said quietly, "I can agree to that. If Alice sees-"
""NO!" My voice was not a shout or a growl or a cry of despair. I think it was all of the three. "NO!". I had to leave, to be away from their thoughts. The worst thing of all of this was that Esme was happy for me. I stalked out of the room. Esme touched my arm as I passed but I didn't acknowledge it. I was running before I left the house. I raced into the forest and the rain was back- how cliché. It was falling so heavily I got drenched in a matter of moments. I liked the rain- it made a wall between me and the world. It let me be alone. I ran east. Past all the obstacles in my way. I had found Seattle. I had stopped at the border of the civilization. I reflected at what I had done. I had humiliated my future. First, Alice's vision of them being the best of friends. Bella's eyes still had secrets within them but happy ones. She was not scared of Alice's cool touch. What did it mean? Did she know? What did she think of me? And the other image. It was so similar but shocking. Her eyes were red-she was a newborn-and her skin was pale. They were so much alike in the image. Her face was happy and immortal. I shuddered. What did this mean? How did it happen? What did she think of me in that moment? I could answer the last one. I had brought her into the undead and immortality. Surely, she would hate. But there was another horrible image. I was there with my red eyes after feasting on Bella. Her body was in my arms, motionless. Lifeless. I couldn't bare it. I tried to banish it from my mind. The monster in me cried with glee that the likelihood of it winning was pretty high. It sickened me. There had to be another way. I didn't want Alice's vision direct me. I could choose another path. There's always another choice. There had to be.