A/N:

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS, WE ALL KNOW THIS

BPOV

"I told you I don't know where Edward is. I haven't talked to him all day," Kyle told me for the umpteenth time in the same damn ridiculous monotone voice. I don't know what the hell all happened while I was in Forks, but Kyle sure as shit didn't trust me for anything. I'm surprised he even opened the door when I knocked for all the help he was giving me.

"Kyle, just fucking stop it. You know more than you're saying. Tell me where Edward is," I glared back at him blinking back my tears for frustration. I'd spent the entire day jumping from bus to bus trying my damnedest to get back to town as quickly as possible, and here he was acting like he barely even knew me.

"Why should I Bella. You're the one that disappeared without so much as a phone call," he snipped condescendingly narrowing his eyes at me. "Why don't you explain to me what the hell happened to make you leave, and then maybe I'll think about answering your questions."

"That's not true. I left Edward a note," I responded, cringing when I thought about the vague note I'd left for him on the nightstand.

Kyle scoffed in response. "Must have been some fucking note then because he went completely apeshit the morning you left. I've never seen Edward lose his fuckin' cool before so why don't you do a little rewind for me and tell me what the fuck happened that night," He seethed clenching his jaw. I'd barely said five words to Kyle before tonight, and if it weren't for the fact that I knew how close he was with Edward, he would have scared the shit out of me. "You better start talking Bella, because as far as I'm concerned, I don't owe you shit for answers about Edward."

One thing was for damn sure, and that's that Kyle is one hell of a friend to Edward. As much as I hated him for acting that way, I also had to respect the hell out of him for doing so.

"Thursday night I walked in on Jasper and Alice snorting coke. We got in a huge fight. It started with me decking Jasper, and ended with Alice and I rolling around on the floor trying to beat the shit out of each other. Oh, and I'm nearly forgetting the highlight of the night….apparently both Jasper and Edward are drug dealers,and everyone has been lying to me about it," I sneered looking directly at Kyle's face for a reaction. I knew damn well by that point that Kyle and Mandy were included in the list of people that had lied to me. "So I ran. Fucking sue me."

His eyes were tight and guarded. His jaw clenched in an effort to not reveal his emotions behind his mask. His nostrils flared as he drew in a long breath. He didn't move or speak, probably calculating how to respond to my tirade which pissed me off something fierce.

"I don't understand why everyone is so intent on keeping this shit from me like it's some big secret," I yelled, waiving my hands around like a lunatic because I was beyond fed up with all of the lies and secrecy. "Jasper showed me his bag and all the drugs he was carrying around in it. I'm not stupid so stop pretending like something you do or say is going to change my mind. I know he's a dealer Kyle so drop the act and answer the damn question. Where's Edward?"

Several silent minutes passed as Kyle paced in front of me. Apparently he was one of those 'move while you think' people. As much as I just wanted jump into his path, grab him by his shoulders, and shake him until he blurted out what he knew about Edward, I forced myself to hold back. Pissing him off even further wasn't going to get me anywhere.

Finally he came to a stop in front of me. "Look Bella, maybe I've been a little hard on you about the whole running away thing. I'm sorry. It's just…" he paused, groaning as if it pained him to explain anything further. He cleared his throat once again, shaking his head as if trying to clear it of something. "You leaving like that…it really did a number on him."

I nodded and swallowed hard before responding. "It's okay Kyle. I get it," I replied, offering a shrug and a smile of sorts in understanding.

"No, I'm not sure you really do. Come on inside," he offered, holding the door open for me as he nodded his head in the direction of the living room. "We need to talk."

As it turns out, all of my worst fears were confirmed…and then some.

Not only was Edward not taking my calls, but he wasn't taking any one else's either. The last time anyone had seen him was when he had come by the apartment Friday morning acting eerily calm and simply asking if I'd been there.

The calm before the storm, according to Kyle.

The fact that Edward had stopped answering his pager is what had him so on edge. Before I came on the scene Edward had always been a pretty mysterious guy, hopping from place to place, never spending more than a night or two before moving on. It wasn't unusual for Kyle to not hear from him for weeks only to have him suddenly show up at their door for another few days visit, but in all that time not once would Edward ever ignore a page. He'd always gotten back to him within the hour. For Edward to be ignoring not only Kyle's page, but the page of every single one of his customers as well…that could only mean one thing.

Kyle never actually came right out and said it, but it was obvious what he was implying. Edward had disappeared with a bag full of drugs. He was going on a binge.

A drug binge with drugs that belonged to his boss.

A boss he would eventually have to pay back, one way or another.

It was obvious we needed to find him and find him fast.

We spent the remainder of the evening going over names and numbers of every person we knew on the scene, separating them into two different lists. One list of people that could be kept up with on solely phone calls, and the other list for people who we'd have to track down in person. Not everyone was very forthcoming in admitting that they knew Edward so face to face contact might be the only way to get any possible information out of them. Also, there were several people I had met during our many stops that Kyle and Mandy weren't familiar with so that gave us something more to go on as well.

A few hours later we had a plan.

Kyle couldn't afford to take time off of work so he was in charge of keeping up on the phone calls whenever he could fit them in during his work breaks.

During the day, Mandy and I would be taking the car and driving around town, physically looking for him at all of the places on the list as well as any local hang outs he typically frequented. As for the people on my list, I didn't know any direct addresses but I would be able to recognize general neighborhoods so we would just have to drive around town until something I saw clicked. We would also try to stop by the places of anyone on Kyle's list that he couldn't reach by phone.

Sadly the first name on that list was Alice. You would think with the news of the disappearance of her own brother that she could find it within herself to actually give a shit and help us look for him. Or at the very least at return a phone call. But no. Apparently that was too much to ask of a coke addict.

Jessica had been the one to inform Kyle of Alice and Jasper's whereabouts. Apparently they were going to be crashing with her indefinitely, having worked out some sort of a "deal" with Jasper. There was no question as to what kind of a deal they were referring to.

At night, we would have to start working the party scenes. Kyle seemed hopeful that, at some point, Edward would show up to one of them, but if not, it at least gave us the ability to find out if any of the people there had either seen or heard from him recently. I really wasn't looking forward to being in those kinds of environments again, especially not after the things I'd seen at Felix's place, but if it got us any closer to finding Edward...it'd be worth it. Someone, somewhere, had to know something for crying out loud.

As much as I didn't want to face Jasper, I knew the best place to start in the morning would be to stop by Jessica's. Kyle said that based on Edward's swollen bloody knuckles when he'd knocked on the door that he'd obviously been in a fight. It had to have been with Jasper which meant that he most likely knew or was the cause of what made Edward run. I just prayed that I would be able to get the information we needed out of him without losing it on him all over again.

By the time we finished discussing our plans it was getting pretty late so I gave Mandy one last hug before heading down the hall toward the guest room.

I dolefully crawled into the same bed that I'd vacated not seventy-two hours ago. So much had had changed since then. More than anything I wished I was crawling back into bed beside him. I never should have ignored him. And I most definitely shouldn't have left him.

I grabbed the pillow that laid on his side of the bed, pulled it to my chest, and inhaled. I could still smell him. His scent gave me hope. Hope that I would find him before it was too late.

I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him.

If I was being completely honest with myself it wasn't just that. I couldn't live without him, period.

I couldn't believe that I hadn't realized the depths of my feelings for Edward until just then. But apparently I'm an idiot, and it took a catastrophe like losing him completely before my stupid ass could wrap my head around the fact that I was completely in love with him. I had been for a while. That special connection I'd always felt but never had a word for? It was love. I'd been falling in love with him all along and never knew it.

God I'm such an nitwit.

Tomorrow I was going find him. When I did, I was going to tell him how I felt, and maybe - just maybe - he might feel it too.

I woke early the next morning to a knock on the door. Mandy was taking Kyle to work so we could have the car for the day and would be back within the hour to pick me up. I stumbled into the bathroom, stretching my arms painfully over my head. Every muscle in my body was stiff and sore. I took a long shower, allowing the heat of the water the opportunity to sooth my weary muscles.

Mandy had left a clean set of clothes on the guest bed for me to borrow since my bag was still back at Garrett's place, or at least I hoped it still would be there. By the time I had my shoe laces tied, Mandy was pulling back into the parking lot. I quickly locked the door behind me before running down the steps and hopping into the car beside her.

Mandy mentioned Kyle hadn't had any more luck with his phone calls, but other than that she remained quite on the drive over. I was grateful for the lack of mindless chit chat because I was so high strung at that point, I probably would have ended up snapping at her.

My leg was bouncing a mile a minute while my fingers drummed on the arm rest beside me. I nibbled on the skin of my lower lip, not caring if it was chapped or bleeding. I wanted to do something, anything to speed up the process to get us to the end result of finding him.

I glared at the speedometer, willing it to move up a bar knowing that would mean we would arrive at Jessica's faster, even if it was just by a few seconds or minutes at most. To my surprise the needle moved from 45 up over 50. I raised a brow at Mandy beside me, but her eyes were locked on the road . However, when her hand reached over the middle console to grab a hold of mine, I knew the change in speed was for my benefit. I couldn't help but smile a little before staring back out the window beside me, continuing my search for that shiny silver Volvo that carried a piece of my heart.

When we pulled up at Jess's house it was only a little after eight o'clock in the morning. I really shouldn't have been surprised that there were still people milling about inside. When I heard the steady beat of the stereo pounding as I walked up the porch steps, I decided to not even bother knocking on the door. I waltzed right in.

Sure enough there were people sitting around the couches, cards laid out on the coffee table between them. Imagine my surprise when I saw Jasper with a joint between his lips as he dealt out what looked to be the next round in a game of blackjack…or should I say his surprise.

When his eyes locked with mine the joint slipped out from between his lips and landed on the table below him. He didn't even notice as he stood up and awkwardly brushed at his clothing before climbing over the table, couch, and random bodies on the floor to meet me in the foyer.

I gasped at the sight in front of me. Now that Jasper had moved into the daylight, I could clearly make out several, greenish, yellowing bruises that littered his face. His nose was swollen with dark purple bruising under his eyes, an obvious sign of it having been broken not long ago. I was right about a fight with Edward, that was for damn sure.

He made a point of leaning around me to look out the door behind me, looking for the source of my transportation no doubt, before settling in front of me.

"What brings you back around, Bella?" he sneered crossing his arms across his chest glaring down at me. Obviously our time apart hadn't done a thing towards mending our relationship.

"What the fuck happened to your face Jasper?" I growled back, not the least bit intimidated. I refused to let him bully me today. I wanted answers, and he was going to give them to me.

His hand raised to his jaw, rubbing mindlessly along his scruffy chin as he stared me down, refusing to answer my question just as I had his. After several moments of silence he finally broke.

"What the fuck are you even doing here Bella? Shouldn't you be off living the good life with Oma or some shit?" he scoffed, waving his hand aimlessly above him. I knew right then and there that I had him. Not only did he just allude to the fact that he knew I wasn't with Edward any longer, but also the random hand gestures while talking was a huge signal of discomfort for Jasper. He had something to hide. I ignored his question completely and started in on my own.

"Why do you look like you got the ever living shit beat out of you Jasper? Trouble in paradise already or a drug deal gone sour?" I asked, a small smile playing on my lips. I had learned a very valuable lesson three nights before. Pissed off Jasper tends to run his mouth.

"Business is booming, thanks for asking," he smirked sarcastically, amusement dancing behind his eyes. Now that response I couldn't figure out…what was that supposed to mean? Why would he be entertained…oh fuck.

Edward hadn't been answering his pager, so obviously sales would be up for Jasper. His arrogance and obvious enjoyment of that fact made bile raise in my throat. I quickly swallowed it, refusing to let him get the upper hand.

"Is there something else you wanted before you high tail it back to the other side of the tracks?" he asked sweetly, tilting his head to the side, even throwing in a smile for my added discomfort.

He fucking knew something had happened to Edward. It was obvious that shit had gone down between the two of them, and I wanted to know what. Unfortunately he also seemed to be fully aware of the fact that I was no longer with Edward and was clearly more than pleased with that revelation.

"What the fuck did you say to him Jazz?" I sputtered through clenched teeth. I was going to kill him…after he answered me. I needed any bit of information I could get. I didn't have a leg to stand on when it came to theories of where Edward might have disappeared to. I needed him, damn it all.

"What's wrong Bells? Trouble in paradise?" he asked mimicking my light tone from earlier before his eyes darkened, narrowing dangerously in my direction. "I told you the fuckhead was no good for you weeks ago, but you just didn't want to listen, did ya," he scolded me as if I were a child. This overprotective big brother shit was way out of hand.

"God damn it! Tell me what the hell you said to make him leave," I screamed, no longer able to control the emotion behind my voice. He was getting some sort of sick pleasure of breaking Edward and I up, and it was pissing me the fuck off.

Fucker. God, if I didn't know any better I would have said he planned this shit. In fact, I didn't know him anymore…

"You sick fuck…you planned this shit, didn't you? You brought up all that shit about our childhood and Charlie, then threw the drugs in my face knowing I would run didn't you? You bastard!" I shrieked slapping him across the face, not feeling the slightest bit amount of remorse when I saw my red handprint atop his already bruised cheek. I shook my hand at my side, painful tingles prickling my palm from the force of the hit, resisting the urge to hit him over and over again.

"Fuck Bella! Stop being a stupid bitch for like five seconds, would ya? Lay off the face," he groused, grimacing as he lightly prodding at the apple of his cheek which was already starting to swell. It would leave a fresh bruise no doubt.

"You fucking deserved it asshole. How could you? What did he ever…what did I ever do to piss you off so fucking bad to deserve this?" I choked out, trying desperately to hold onto my rage, knowing all that laid beneath it was a heart wrenching sob threatening to break through. He hadn't admitted to anything, but the fact that he didn't deny having planned it spoke volumes. I couldn't believe that after eight fucking years this is what my friendship with Jasper had come down to.

"This isn't about him," he laughed humorlessly, shaking his head as a sneer made it's way across his face. "I couldn't give a flying fuck about him - douchbag deserved to have his heart trampled on when you walked out on him. Good riddance fucker," he snarled as if remembering having said the same words once before, his obvious hatred for Edward coming through in his voice.

"I saw the game he was playing on you. He was getting to you - him and his fucking sad story of daddy didn't love me. He doesn't know shit about unloving parents…" he trailed off, his bloodshot eyes momentarily wandering off towards the corner of the wall behind me before they suddenly snapped back to mine, his hardened mask back in place "I had to put a stop to that shit. He didn't even deserve to breath the same fucking air as you. You're better than him Bella. You're better than all of us. Better than this whole fucked up world."

"You think this is what I wanted for you," he mused spreading his arms wide on either side of him. "To live in a sick, twisted world revolving around nothing except for booze, drugs, and sex? To live day to day where the only thought to cross your brain is where's the next party at? Fuck that shit, you were better off on the streets," he spat, slowly closing the distance between us, lowering his head so he could look me in the eye before he started to speak again.

"You don't fucking belong here. I did what I had to do to make sure that fucker didn't have a chance to sink his claws into you and drag you under along with him," he growled, placing an arm on my shoulder and shoving me towards the door.

"Leave Bella," he hissed in my ear from behind me. "Get the fuck out of here. Forget about me, and forget you ever met a boy named Edward."

How fucking DARE he…

I spun on my heel, whirling back around to face him, and slammed my palm against the door before he could close it.

I allowed myself one last look right into his pathetic dilated, bloodshot eyes. There wasn't a trace of hazel left in them, just as there was no longer a trace left of my best friend in the man that stood before me.

"You know what...fuck you. I'm going to find him, and then we are going to get out of this shithole together while you rot away in it. Go to hell Jasper." I growled my parting words before storming off down the porch steps.

I meant what I said to him. I wasn't giving up on Edward. If I had to search every inch of the city, country, or world for him...I would.

What started out feeling like it would take an eternity, ended up taking exactly eight days and thirteen hours. That's when Kyle came storming into the apartment and said "Bella, get your coat and sneakers...I know where Edward is."

?POV

"Tell me you have something for me," he growled into the receiver. The reports thus far had been less than satisfactory.

"Still no sign of Cullen. Nobody's seen him for over a fucking week," the caller spat through clenched teeth. He was damn good at his job, but this boy was impossible to find.

"Someone has to know something! Do what you're goddamn paid to do!" he bellowed, slamming his fist down onto his desk. His patience with the man's obvious incompetence was wearing thin.

"Chill...we'll find him," he answered defensively upon hearing the raw fury in his boss's voice. Being on the boss's shit list was not a place you wanted to be. "Besides, Jay's been keepin' tabs on the sidekick."

"Well he damn well better be," he sneered, wondering if this man was really worth all money he was paying him. "What's the status of the sidekick?"

"Laying low but still active and accounted for." Thank god for that. If they'd lost track them both, heads would roll.

"Tell Jay to up the surveillance, he may lead us to our missing boy." After all, they'd never been apart for long before.