(A/N: Hmm… I think I'll switch POV's for this chapter… I won't do this too terribly much, but an Edward's POV chapter may pop up a few more times. If you guys don't like this, please let me know. If you'd rather me stick to Bella's POV completely, please tell me. I'd really like some feedback because I've not gotten much on the past two or three chapters. –hint hint- Actual criticisms, remarks and comments are extremely appreciated.)

IMPORTANT: This story has undergone a title change. It was called The Hunted. Now, as you can see, it is called Clinging To Humanity. I changed it because when I started this story back in September, it was originally Forever And For Always, but I changed it because someone told me in a review that their title was similar, and not wanting to copy, I changed it to The Hunted. At the time the title fit, but as its progressed both here and in my head, I've discovered that it doesn't fit as much. So this is its new title. :D I hope you like it.

Chapter Fourteen
Breaking A Promise

EDWARD'S POV

I couldn't help but laugh as my Bella was buffeted by Alice's ideas and requests. I knew Alice meant well and was only being herself, but I wished that she'd calm down just a bit, just enough for Bella to stop being so jumpy and anxious. But every time Alice would become hyper, I noticed that Bella would ignore her and turn her attention to my mother's ring on her finger. Bella had no idea how happy she'd made me by finally accepting that ring and agreeing to go ahead with the marriage. It seemed as if tonight, this very moment, had made my entire existence before worthwhile. It made it seem like my life before Bella had been a long and dark tunnel, and she was the light I'd discovered at the end. She was the warm, funny, and amazingly wonderful light that I'd been waiting for.

I looked at my fiancé with adoration as she endured Alice's torture. I didn't think that she could have been any more beautiful when she was human, but she was now. She'd only undergone subtle changes really, but it was enough to make a world of difference to me. I couldn't wait until she was out of this newborn stage so that we could really begin our lives together. This first year or so would be really taxing for all of us, I could tell. But I was extremely surprised at how well she was handling it, given the circumstances. Most newborns forgot a lot of their memories as a human, but it seemed as if Bella's memories were relatively intact, except for those of the dogs and of her life before Forks, really, which was actually impressive in itself. Carlisle had been thinking earlier that she was able do so because her mind had been so protected as a human that she was able to retain a lot of that information after the change. I agreed, seeing it as the only explanation for her vast undamaged reservoir of memories.

Also her bloodlust was nowhere as bad as it should have been. That amazed me more than anything. She shouldn't even be able to act as normal as she does. In most circumstances, she'd be jumpy and on edge at every moment, always wanting to feed, always wanting to slake her thirst. But so far she'd shown incredible stamina when it came to how often her desire to feed came to its unbearable peak. When actually faced with blood, though, it became a different story entirely. When she fed for the first time, and when we were in the meadow, with the wolf, she was… normal. Well, as normal as our kind could possibly be. I'd halfway hoped that her thirst would be affected in that sense too. But unfortunately it wasn't. She was just as wild and crazed as all newborns should be when she knew that her prey was within reach. It pained me to watch as she fed, knowing that with every kill she made, my old Bella was slipping away.

It pained me because, for one, I'd never wanted this for her. She'd only wanted it to be with me anyway, and now she had to keep convincing herself that being a monster was okay as long as she was a monster with me. I knew that I should have left Forks before I'd gotten in too deep, gotten too involved with her. I should have left when leaving wasn't a danger to her well-being. But I couldn't. I grew to love her too much than I thought possible. Now she was just as condemned as I was, as condemned as my whole family.

But she was still my Bella, only a little different. I still loved her tremendously with all of my being and I would be there for her every step of the way. Even with this turbulence that'll be coming our way, I will be there for her. With every heartache and mistake, I will be there. With every joy and every sorrow, I'll be there.

And so, as I sat there upon the couch, watching with a grin upon my face as she was assuaged by dear, little Alice, I knew that even though things didn't turn out as I'd wanted them to, I was still happy nonetheless because I had Bella. And that was enough for me.

"Edward," Carlisle said from beside me. I was taken from my musings as Carlisle came to stand behind me.

I looked up and him and raised an eyebrow. Let's go up to my office for a minute, if you don't mind. I nodded and wordlessly followed my progenitor up the stairs, slightly cringing because I was away from Bella.

Carlisle shut the door behind him and went to sit at the chair behind his desk while I took a seat on the couch that was placed on the far wall opposite his desk. He was looking off into a space for a while, absentmindedly stroking his chin. He may have been hesitant to tell me, but I could hear what he was thinking.

How should I put this… He probably won't agree to it however I put it…

"What is it, Carlisle?" I asked, slightly annoyed at his reluctance to tell me whatever it was he was pondering over. It must have been big or else he wouldn't have been thinking on how to say it as much.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit that I did in times of frustration as well. He looked at me sadly and began speaking in such low tones that those downstairs couldn't possibly hear unless they were next to the door. "Edward, I've been thinking about all of this. It's important that we get out of Forks as fast as we can. With the Quileutes on one side and the Volturi on the other, we're running out of options."

"I'm aware of that," I replied just as quietly. "But what can we do about it? I thought we decided to cross that path when we came to it?"

"Yes, I know, but I'd feel much more secure with some sort of plan. I don't like to be unprepared, you know that."

I nodded slowly, looking at a spot on the floor as I took in his words. "Well, do you have a plan, then?"

He sighed again. "To an extent, yes. But I don't think that you'll agree to it."

"And why won't I? If it helps to keep Bella safe and to get her away from here, then I'll do whatever you need me to do." I stared in Carlisle's eyes, not backing down, showing him that I was serious. I would do whatever it took to keep Bella safe. I'd already messed up once with letting Victoria get at her like that, and I wasn't about to make another mistake with her welfare.

"It'll involve you leaving Bella for a little while."

I stiffened and my eyes instinctively squinted in anger. "Why," I hissed. "What can I do away from her that I can't do with her?"

Carlisle shook his head. I knew he wouldn't like this.

"You're right I don't like this!" My voice rose in its volume enough for those downstairs to hear and to become quiet. I heard Alice think, Uh-oh, Carlisle's telling him about what he needs Edward to do.

Emmett thought, This can't be good.

"Edward, please listen to me. Getting away from here is of the utmost importance right now. We need to conclude the search for the two of you as fast as we can. If we don't do something, I fear Charlie will want to keep on searching far longer than I would like." Carlisle had resumed the near silent tone we'd been using before I'd gotten a bit too loud.

"Well what do you propose I do? Go tell Charlie, 'Oh, she's alive sort of, but she's currently unable to go see you because you'll probably kill you, but it's important that we leave right now, so goodbye?' Like that will be much of a help." I wasn't normally this malicious and angry towards Carlisle, but what he was asking of me was too much. I'd promised Bella that I wouldn't leave her again and I was determined to fulfill that promise. To leave her now would be the worst thing I could do. Even being in another room pained me!

"Be reasonable! You don't even know what I want you to do yet!" Carlisle glared at me, unhappy with my rash behavior. "Will you at least listen to what I ask of you, and then you can decide which is more important: being with Bella or protecting her from the Volturi and the wolves."

My jaw hung slightly open at his words. They stung like pins and needles and cause my insides to twist and turn. I couldn't think of anything to say to this. Of course I wanted to protect her. I wanted to keep her safe more than anything. But as much as I wanted to protect her, the selfish side of me, my more dominant side, wanted to stay with her, thinking that I could protect her just as well that way too. I put my head in my hands and let out a frustrated sigh, annoyed with myself for acting this way with Carlisle and for being so selfish.

When I looked up, I remorsefully looked at Carlisle, who looked calm as if nothing had been said, and asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"It would be very helpful if we could end this search for the two of you as soon as possible. The only way that that could be done would be if one of you were to be found." Dawning raced across my face as what he was implying clicked in my head. "Tomorrow, if you'll agree to it, I'd like you to get found on the beach and pretend to be dying. I want Charlie to be around when you're found, and I want you to say something to let Charlie know that Bella died. We need him to know that to search anymore would be useless. And then you could die, so to speak, and then we could get the funerals underway quickly. This means that you'd probably have to lie in a casket during the service, but only for a while. If you agree, we can be gone within three or four days. And as you know, Alice's vision didn't really reveal a date as to when the Volturi will come, but we know its soon, so we need to do something quickly."

He stared at me quietly, respectfully, with his hands folded together on top of his desk like a businessman who'd made an intriguing proposition. And indeed it was. I definitely wouldn't like having to be away from Bella that long, and having to keep up the façade of being dead for so long would be bothersome, but it definitely would speed things up. After all, we couldn't very well leave Bella on the beach for Charlie to find. There were too many risks involved with that idea. But me…

"I'll do it," I said with a determined voice. "If it will help, then I'll do it."

Carlisle smiled with relief. The tension quickly melted and Carlisle leaned back into his chair casually. "I'm glad to hear that. So, tomorrow, you'll come with us to the beach and stay in the cars until its safe to come out. Make sure no one sees you. Then play your part. Someone else can stay with Bella."

I nodded. "We might as well tell them now. They're probably wondering what we've been arguing over." I dreaded to see Bella's reaction. She wouldn't like this at all. But not as much as me. So when Carlisle beckoned everyone to come upstairs, I didn't look at Bella when she came in. I made it a point to stare at a painting on the wall. I flinched when Alice thought that I was being childish with how I was acting. No doubt she already knew what Carlisle and I had talked about.

Carlisle explained everything and I tried to block out all the thoughts around me. They were all thinking about how hard it would be for me to do this, and how hard it would be for Bella. I didn't need any reminders. So I stared at my painting and ignored everything else around me. It helped a little when I felt a calming sensation slowly creep over me. I smiled a fraction of an amount, knowing that Jasper was looking at me and that he saw my miniscule gesture. It'll all turn out okay, he thought. I tilted my head down a bit to represent a nod. Emmett and I can stay with her if you like. I covertly nodded again. It would be best if the two of them did it. Emmett could probably almost match her strength and Jasper could calm her down if she got out of control. I found myself thinking, They can handle things. …Right?

"Emmett and I will stay and watch Bella," Jasper said once he'd gotten my approval.

Emmett and agreed and Carlisle consented as well. But Bella didn't. I heard her moan a little and I could tell that she didn't like the thoughts of being away from me. I understood how she felt more than she could imagine.

"So it's settled then?" Everyone nodded their approval of the plan. "Okay then. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

I finally turned my attention to everyone else in the room, knowing I'd have to face Bella about breaking my promise eventually. When I met her dark crimson eyes, I could see the hurt in them, but still I could tell that she understood. I was about to get up and go to her when I saw a flash of one of Alice's visions in my head.

As soon as it was over, Alice and I glanced at each other warily. That's not good, Alice thought as we stared at each other.

"Edward, what is it?" Bella asked as she came over to me and looked up apprehensively into my face. "What?"

I looked down at her and smiled, wanting to reassure her that it was no big deal. "It's nothing, really. It's just that Charlie's on his way over here…"