A/N: I'm really sorry about the wait, but school work makes it tough too write, don't worry though because there's only four weeks left of school before summer ;). This chapter was hard to write, but I finally finished. Its the return of Bella's POV for all those who have been waiting for it

Enjoy the chapter! R&R!

Chapter Nineteen-

So close.

Their scent permeated the air, the surrounding forest filled with the familiar smells of my old family. I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt, that it didn't bring back painful memories, but none of that mattered now.

Jamie was dead and it was all their fault.

For the past seven months we've been searching for them, running into a few complications on the way. At times I felt as if I would crack under all of the stress, but my brothers were there to help me through it.

They were my family now.

The Volturi's visit had taxed all of us and Jane's presence filled my brothers with unease. Personally, it was Demetri that I detested the most. He made me feel as if I were a piece of meat to be ogled at. I wasn't the only one who had a problem with that. I believe that was the first time the Volturi have ever been intimidated; my brothers could be overprotective if they wanted to.

Another complication.

They hadn't taken the news too well when I told them my story- the whole story that is. Anthony knocked over a few trees in his rage while the others were hardly any better. I had thought that telling them would have complicated everything more than it already was. However, the opposite effect had brought our family closer together and if anything they were more determined than before to help me find the Cullens.

And now, that we were so close to our goal, to avenge Jamie- my stupid heart decided to get involved. No matter how much I may hate them, the truth will always remain that I love them.

Now him that is a different matter entirely.

"We're getting closer." I called over my shoulder to my brothers.

"Are you sure you're ready for this Bella?" Christopher asked from beside me as I slowed my pace to match theirs.

Was I ready?

I had been asking myself the same question. Was I ready to face them? My old family? My past? I thought I had been, but now that we were near, I wasn't so sure. Although it shouldn't matter how they react to my presence because this wasn't a social visit.

I was coming to fight.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He nodded his head and we said no more.

We were running purely on instinct. Like hounds following the scent of a fox in the hunt, we were relying on our senses to lead us towards the Cullen's home. The trees were a blur as the forest flew by. Their scent was becoming stronger with each step we took and I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to face them. To face him.

"Wait!"

The distressed voice came from somewhere to the left of us and the face of whom it belonged came to my mind almost instantly.

Alice.

My steps faltered and for the first time since my change, I tripped.

"Oomph." I mumbled as I skidded a few feet forward in the dirt. Anthony snickered quietly while helping me up to my feet. My other brothers had managed to stop more gracefully than I and were now looking at me for instructions.

I dusted myself off and turned towards the direction of her voice, motioning for my brothers to remain silent and to follow me. We stalked silently through the trees until a clearing came into view and I stopped abruptly behind the bushes when I heard their voices chime out like bells into the night.

"Look what you did!" Alice cried hysterically. We weren't close enough to see them, but I could picture her with one hand on her hip pointing an accusatory finger in the direction of whoever managed to upset her.

"Alice-" Jasper began, perhaps attempting to calm his wife.

"No! Don't try to defend him, this is all his fault!" She hissed. "If he hadn't of blown up at her she wouldn't have run away!" I heard someone let out a loud sigh but I wasn't sure who it was.

"Well I for one am glad she's gone." Came the irritated reply that could only belong to Rosalie.

"How can you say that?" Alice cried. "She's been with us for months and if anything else she is a key link to finding-" Whatever Alice was about to say was cut off by Carlisle's commanding voice.

"Enough!" There was a long silence in which I imagined everyone tried to reign in their shocked expressions. Carlisle was always calm. "Now, we need to decide where to go from here. She is obviously upset and we can do nothing if we don't find her, because I find it highly unlikely that she will come back on her own."

"I'll do it." I froze when I heard his voice. Daniel placed a calming hand on my shoulder.

Rosalie snorted. "Like she will consent to going anywhere with you Edward. Out of everyone she hates you the most."

"It doesn't matter; I'm going." I heard a quick rushing sound and then silence. I assumed he had left and I let out an inaudible breath I didn't know I'd been holding. I clearly wasn't ready to face him.

"Well that's just great!" Rosalie huffed.

"Maybe he'll find her, Rose." Emmett's boisterous voice was unusually soft as he spoke to his wife.

"And then what Em? They hate each other; hell she hates all of us! I don't blame her! I would hate us too if I had been ripped away from my life by a ravenous vampire just because I had nice smelling blood!" My head snapped up and if they hadn't had my complete attention before, they did now.

"Rosalie." Alice growled in warning.

She ignored her sister. "No Alice, Jamie has every right to hate us, especially if she really had known Bella!"

I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my mouth and everything was suddenly silent.

"Who's there?" Emmett demanded.

"Great job." Matthew sighed but I ignored him. Jamie was alive.

"Stall them." I whispered to my brothers as I began to move away from the clearing and back towards the forest. If I could catch Edward's scent…

"What about the fight?" Anthony questioned.

"Change of plans!" I called over my shoulder as I followed Edward's scent and left my brothers to deal with the Cullens. That could be an awkward conversation.

I couldn't wrap my mind around it. My little sister was alive! The possibility hadn't even occurred to me that she might have been changed. It wasn't what I had wanted for her, but that doesn't matter at the moment. I would deal with the Cullens later. I raced through the trees, following Edward's scent, which was accompanied by a slightly familiar smell.

A loud crash from somewhere ahead of me followed by yelling made me push my legs faster. I caught snippets of their argument as I came closer.

"What? Now that you know I knew Bella I'm suddenly worth your time?" The voice sounded like wind chimes, but there was no denying that it was Jamie's.

"That's not what I meant!" Edward shouted and I barely repressed a growl. If he had hurt her…

"It's exactly what you meant! For the past seven months you've been nothing short of an Ass to me, glaring whenever I entered a room mocking everything I say, but now that you find out Bella spent time with me, we are suddenly best friends? Well forget it! I'm not telling you anything!"

"You don't understand!" He roared and I pushed myself as fast as I could.

"I understand perfectly! You left her! You left heartbroken and miserable, but I won't let you hurt her anymore!" Jamie's voice was deadly and I prayed that they wouldn't fight.

I was at the edge of another clearing when I caught sight of her. She looked more mature than when I had last seen her, although that was due to the change, but other than her furious black eyes, she looked like she always had. Although this time, she was deadly. She was crouched as if she were ready to pounce at any moment and snarls were ripping from her throat.

They had done this to her. I hadn't wanted her to have to live like this and because of them she was taken from her father, from her friends, and from me. They would pay for this, but for the moment, I just wanted to see my best friend.

I took a step forward into the clearing. "Jamie?"

Review!