Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

BPOV:

I was sitting on the couch next to Alice, still waiting for Jasper, when I felt her stiffen.

"Alice?" I called cautiously.

I could tell from her dazed expression that she was having a vision.

"Alice!" Jasper exclaimed.

Perfect timing Jazz I thought using a nickname I heard Alice calling him earlier. He zipped to her side and was crouched by her legs rubbing her back and holding one of her hands.

"What do you see?" he asked her.

"Bella," she whispered turning her face toward him.

"What did you see Alice?" I asked carefully, thinking she may have seen me escape in her vision.

"Nothing, just Bella and Edward," she replied calmly. I've been lied to enough in the past to know that she wasn't being honest at all.

I could also tell she wanted me out of the room so she could tell Jasper what she saw. I decided to let her have her time and I went into the bedroom to listen to my I-pod. All American Rejects started playing as I laid down to carefully drown myself in the music.

After awhile Alice came in and told me it was time to go. I sat in the back of the Mercedes staring out the tinted windows. The scenery almost wasn't visible with both my sunglasses and the tinted glass.

"Bella?" Alice called from the passenger seat.

"Yes," I turned my face toward her.

"Why do you always were those glasses?" she asked carefully.

I froze. Jasper was looking at me curiously through the rearview mirror obviously wondering the same thing.

I gulped, "I…," why was this so hard I've told this lie many times before. "My eyes are super sensitive to any kind of light."

They both gave me looks that said they didn't buy that excuse, but they heard in the tone of my voice that I wouldn't discuss it further.

"Alice?" I called, curiosity leaking into my voice.

"Yes, Bella?" she responded warily.

"How does it work? Your, visions… Edward said that they weren't always definite," I asked her.

"Yes, things change. Some things are more certain than other things… like the weather. People are more difficult, I only see the path they're on while they're on it. If they change their mind even slightly the whole future changes," she answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," I replied. "Can you control them? I mean can you like summon them or do they always have to come to you?"

She gave me a suspicious look, "I can summon them yes but sometimes they just come to me."

Her visions sounded nothing like mine. Oh, well I shrugged.

We arrived at the airport. I was in luck; Edward's plane was landing in the largest terminal. That meant it would be slightly harder to find me through all the people and even harder to get to me once I was spotted.

I sat impatiently waiting for the perfect moment to make my escape. All morning Alice had been asking if I wanted breakfast and every time she asked I would politely decline. Breakfast, as odd as it seemed was a key point in my great escape. I had to admit it was kind of fun doing all this planning and plotting. I felt like I was a secret agent or something… which is probably why my evil subconscious wouldn't stop humming the mission impossible them song. I finally realized how insane I was when I started bobbing my head to the tune.

About twenty minutes before Edward's plane landed I decided I had no more time.

"I think I'm ready to eat now," I announced.

"I'll come with you," Alice said, calmly standing up from her seat.

"Do you mind if Jasper comes with me?" I asked thinking about things that made me feel anxious.

Alice hesitated not understanding why it mattered, but Jasper stood putting a hand on her shoulder giving her a soft smile to assure her that it was fine.

Jasper walked quietly beside me, his arm hung loosely around my shoulder, a brotherly gesture.

I pretended I wasn't interested in any of the cafés we walked by, silently searching for the ladies room. My eyes finally landed on what I was looking for. I looked back at Alice's direction. Perfect the ladies room wasn't in her line of vision.

"Do you mind?" I asked Jasper as we walked by, "I won't take long."

"I'll wait here," he replied.

As soon as the door shut behind me I was sprinting. This was one of those confusing bathrooms with two exits and the far exit was close to the doors that were my ticket out of here. If Jasper stayed were he said he would he wouldn't see me leave.

I rounded the corner running out of the bathroom and into the sea of people going in all different directions. I dashed toward the exit. Slamming into the doors, I bolted outside. The Phoenix sun was blazing above me as I sighed with pleasure as I felt the warm air float around me. Then I started running again realizing at any given moment Jasper or Alice could realize I was no longer in the bathroom.

I looked for a cab, unsuccessfully. I had no time left. Alice and Jasper were either just figuring out I was missing or already knew.

Behind me a shuttle to Hyatt was just closing its doors.

"Wait!" I called, dashing over to it.

"This is the shuttle to Hyatt," the driver said, looking confused.

"Yeah, that's where I'm going," I breathed, out of breath from all the running.

He looked suspicious since I had no luggage with me but shrugged and motioned for me to get on.

I sat in an empty seat in the back staring out the window through the tinted lenses of my glasses. I couldn't help but imagine Edward's reaction to all this. How hurt he would be that I left, how much anguish and self-loathing he would feel since he would undoubtedly blame all this on himself, how crushed he'd be when he realized he never got to say goodbye. I know to him and to others it didn't seem like I knew how deep his feelings were for me, and I didn't, not exactly. I knew him though and I knew he had a habit of somehow making everything his fault. I also knew he had an extremely guilty conscious.

The only thing I didn't know how he would react to is me showing up on his doorstep three weeks after I was found dead.

I shuddered at the thought, and then sighed if I kept thinking about him I was going to cry, and I HATE crying.

EPOV:

"ALICE!" I growled, as Jasper put a protective arm around his lover. "How could you let this happen?"

"Edward, calm down," Carlisle's firm voice interrupted my rant.

I couldn't calm down I was furious at Alice and myself for letting this happen and terrified of what might be happening to Bella right now.

"I can't believe you didn't see this!" I hissed at Alice, her eyes filling with tears that would never fall.

"Edward, yelling at Alice isn't going to help us find Bella any sooner," Carlisle said calmly placing a restraining hand on my shoulder. He said the magic word, Bella.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath… it didn't help much. I gave Jasper a desperate look and soon felt a wave of calm wash over me.

"I'm sorry Alice, but do have any idea where she could be?" I asked, urgently.

She started to replay a scene from the hotel room in her head.

"Alice, if I wrote Renee a letter would you give it to her for me?" Bella asked, in her inhumanly beautiful voice.

"Of course, Bella," Alice replied.

Bella stood gracefully then grabbed a notebook and pen off the coffee table. She walked to what I assumed was the bedroom, her hips swaying effortlessly. She closed the door silently behind her.

That where it ended. I felt a stab of pain jolt through me when I realized Bella might be nothing but beautiful memory soon. I shook my head. No I couldn't think like that, she was still alive and I was going to keep her that way.

"The letter," Alice gasped, pulling me out of my depressing thoughts.

She silently slipped an envelope out of her duffle bag. She ripped it open, then handed it to me.

I took the letter from her hands and read it carefully.

Edward, I immediately recognized Bella's neat handwriting.

I love you. My dead heart swelled at the thought.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you about any of this but you wouldn't let me go if I did. This just seemed like the best thing to do. My heart broke with every word.

Don't throw a hissy fit at Alice and/or Jasper like I know you plan on, it's not their fault I have amazing skills. I smiled faintly, it was so like Bella to boast about her 'skills' though she was a little late on the hissy fit part.

Oh, and for the love of god, please don't come after me. I'm doing this so no one gets hurt so if you do come I would die for absolutely no reason what so ever. I huffed I'd like to see anyone stop me from saving her, and what was that supposed to mean 'so no one gets hurt' she'll get hurt so she was already walking to her death for no reason.

Love you and see you later, Bella. I love you, too Bella more than you will ever imagine.

"It doesn't say anything about where she is," I growled frustrated again.

"She's at the ballet studio Edward, or at least that's where she's going. I just thought you should read that first," Alice said softly.

"Well then what are we waiting for let's go," I growled, putting the letter in my pocket.

BPOV:

I was in a cab heading back to Renee's house now. I was bouncing up and down in my seat, anxious. I wanted to get this over with so I could go back to Edward and everything would be normal again… that is if he wanted me back.

"Here we are," the cab driver's voice called, slicing through my depressing thoughts.

"Thanks," I smiled, throwing eighty dollars over the seat.

The minute I was out of the car the cab driver sped away, probably hoping I wouldn't ask for change.

I walked up the steps to the front door, slipping the spare key out from under the welcome mat. I walked in and walked straight over to the phone quickly dialing the number on a post-it note right next to it.

"Hello, Bella," James's smooth voice answered after the first ring. "That was fast, I'm impressed."

"Hey, James," I smirked, "How's Renee doing?"

"She's perfectly fine and she'll stay that way unless you bring a friend."

"I'm alone."

"Excellent, do you know the ballet studio around the corner from your house?"

"Unfortunately yes," I grimaced remembering how torturous ballet class was.

"Well that's where I'll be waiting."

"Nice talking to you. You're dinner will arrive shortly," I smirked before hanging up. I knew he wanted me to be scared but I also knew that that wasn't going to happen.

I then bolted out the door really wishing I could have super cool vampire speed. I ran around the corner stopping in front of the studio, catching my breath before I walked in.

The lobby was cool and dark, eerie in a way. I looked around trying to figure out exactly where he was supposed to be waiting. Then I froze faintly hearing Renee's voice.

"Bella? Bella?" her voice was panicked as I ran toward it.

"Bella you scared me! Don't you ever do something like that again," I looked around the high-ceilinged dance studio trying to find where her voice was.

I heard her laugh then whirled around. There she was on a TV screen hugging me tightly. I remembered that video from when we went to California.

Then the screen went blue. James walked around me and set the remote on top of the TV then turned to me as I watched him closely.

"Sorry, about that Bella but isn't it best if your mother wasn't involved?" he asked.

"Yes," I growled angry that I fell for his stupid little trick.

"Are angry that I tricked you?" he asked, smirking.

"Yeah, only at myself for not realizing it sooner but I'll get over it," I smirked back.

He stood a few feet away from me examining me like a sculpture in a museum. He was wearing a black, long-sleeved button up shirt and faded ripped jeans with a black belt and matching black tennis shoes.

"I suppose your going to tell me that your boyfriend will avenge you?"

"Oh, god I hope not. That would add so much more stress to this situation," I groaned. He looked at me strangely not expecting that answer.

"Well I hope he does because this was all just too easy," he sighed, disappointed.

"Well, depending on how you handle this I might just make it a little bit harder for you," I smirked.

"Well incase you don't I hope you don't mind me sending Edward a little letter of my own," he smirked back.

He walked over to the table touching a small palm sized video camera; the red light shined brightly indicating it was filming.

I froze. Rage flooded through my body at the thought of Edward seeing what was to be filmed.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think he'll be able to resist once he sees this," he smirked again while I tried so hard not to start throwing fireballs at him in front of the camera.

"Now before we begin I would like to rub it in just a little bit," he grinned.

I sighed and dropped to the floor sitting cross-legged already bored with his story.

"The answer was there the entire time and I was worried Edward would notice that and ruin my fun. It happened a very long time ago the only time my pray ever escaped me."

He was about to go on but I cut him off, "So when you rub it in you decide to talk about the time one of your victims escaped you?" I scoffed, "Amateur."

He glared at me then continued, "You see, the vampire that was stupidly fond of this victim, made the decision Edward was to weak to make. When he found out I was after his little friend he stole her from the asylum that he worked at and as soon as he freed her he made her safe. Poor thing didn't even notice the pain. She'd been stuck in that black hole of a cell for too long. A hundred years earlier and she would have been burned at the stake for her visions. So she became a vampire and was no longer appealing so I just destroyed her creator out of vengeance."

"Alice!" I cried snapping my fingers together finally understanding his gloating.

"I was quite surprised to see her in the clearing. I guess her coven ought to get some comfort from this. I get you, and they get her. Well let's get on with the show so I can call your friends and tell them where you and my message are."

I hopped up from my sitting position. My eyes watched his hands as we both slowly sunk into a crouch; in the movies and books they always watched the threat's eye which is absurd eyes never hurt anyone. Hands have.

Before I even knew what hit me I was flying through the air and slamming into one of the mirrors, I heard a crack as the back of my head smacked into the wood floor.

"God damn vampire speed, this why I at least need super strength," I grumbled to myself sitting up against the wall picking pieces of mirror out of my hair while he walked slowly toward me.

When he reached me I leaned my head back so I could look at his face. I was about to get up when his hand shot out at my leg. I heard my bone snap.

"OW! You bastard! Asshole! Holy shit, that hurts more than I remember!" I cried along with every profanity I could think of even making up my own when I ran out.

"Are you sure you don't want Edward to come after me?"

"Yes! You… you… I'm out of words!"

"It was nice meeting you Bella," James said as he grabbed my arm in his steel like grip, slowly lowering his lips to my wrist before taking a large bite.

I heard a low growl from across the room. Both our heads snapped to a dark corner where a very, very large creature was stepping out of the shadows. James gasped and backed away his expression showed shock and fear.

Out of the shadows came a huge wolf. Its fur was blacker than night as it stalked across the studio.

It was about six feet away from James when it lunged. Its large paws slammed into James's chest. James was laying on the ground staring horrified at the large canine. I know hoe you feel my evil subconscious thought bitterly.

Then in one swift movement James's head was ripped from his body and was soaring across the room. The wolf quickly dismembered the rest of him and put his body in a pile.

The wolf walked slowly toward me and my breath hitched. Was I next? This wasn't fair I was already crippled! It stopped when out noses were a mere in apart, forcing me to stare into his two ice blue eyes. In those eyes I saw no hostility only concern and love. Before I could search deeper he moved back into his dark corner.

A few minutes later Luke emerged his hair covering one eye again. He was wearing a long-sleeved navy blue sweater with ripped jeans and dark brown boots. He jogged back over to me and picked me up bridal stile.

"I can hobble just fine you know," I scowled.

"You sure haven't changed much," he smirked as he sat me down on the large table the TV was on. His eyes raked over my body, checking over all my injuries… I think.

"You need to go to a hospital," he frowned.

"No hospitals," I groaned.

"Yes hospitals," he grinned just as the Cullens came rushing into the room.

A/N: SO what did you think? Was the James scene good enough for you?