Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine. Don't sue. Twilight, et all, are property of Stephenie Meyer (who, ironically, is being sued. Go figure.)

A/N: Another slight short chapter - it's longer than the last one though. We're definitely in the home stretch for this fic. I'm estimating 2 more chapters and an epilogue at the very least (it might be longer, if all the chapters keep being as short as this one). I don't like to switch POV's mid chapter while I'm writing (it throws me off), so I'm posting one POV at a time. The next chapter will be Jacob POV - we'll get back to Miss Bella eventually. :)

Don't forget to check out my playlist!

http://slayerkitty(dot)livejournal(dot)com/ Don't forget to replace the dot's with periods!

Chapter 21: Fear

EPOV

Alice sat down next to me on the couch. She surveyed my room; eyeing the stereo which had been playing Debussy on repeat for the last few hours.

I was brooding.

It's your own fault, you know.

I made a face at her. I didn't want to hear 'I told you so.'

You should have listened to her, Edward. I tried to tell you.

"Can't you go bug your husband?" I snapped.

He's not here. He went to go keep watch on Bella.

"You left her alone!?" I exclaimed. "Alice!"

"Relax, Edward." She said. "Charlie was home, and it's daylight. Victoria's not going to do anything in the ten minutes Bella is by herself."

Stop trying to change the subject.

"That is the subject." I sighed. "All that matters now is her safety."

What about her happiness? Doesn't that matter?

"Of course." I nearly growled. "I want that more than anything – and she'll have it, with the dog."

What are you talking about?

"He's in love with her, and she – I'm sure she feels the same. She chose him." I explained, my heart breaking all over again.

Did she actually say that to you?

"She didn't have to."

You're insane. I glared at her. If she's so set on her course, why can I still see her? Why do I still see this?

She showed me the vision of Bella, red-eyed, hugging Alice with a beautiful smile on her face.

Hope blossomed with in me.

Had I been wrong?

Could Bella still want me?

I was just about to get up - the intent to relieve Jasper, and keep watch over Bella myself – when Alice gasped. Her vision flooded my mind.

Bella, her hair wet, stood in her backyard, looking around. She had a nervous, but determined expression on her face.

"Edward?" She called.

She tentatively took a step forward, closer to the forest.

"Edward?" She called again, before stepping into the trees. A flash of red hair appeared, and she followed it, calling my name.

And so it went until suddenly, Bella stopped. A look of realization set in. She could see that she'd fallen for a trap. Victoria appeared behind her, and then the vision went black.

"No!" I shouted, on my feet now. My chest heaved as I met Alice's gaze with panic filled eyes. "We have to go – we have to stop it!"

"There's no time, Edward!" Alice exclaimed, getting up and putting her hand on my shoulder to keep me in place. "It's happening now!"

"Jasper?" I asked, desperate. If he was close by…

"I can't see him." She didn't seem panicked by that, which meant that he must have run into a wolf somewhere.

"Call him." She was already dialing the phone. I was downstairs in the blink of an eye, Alice on my heels. We paused in the living room, waiting to see if Jasper would answer.

He didn't. Her worried eyes met mine, and I started for the door.

"Wait." She said, and her vision clouded over a second time.

Bella was tied to a tree in the middle of the forest. She was sobbing, the tears flowing unchecked down her cheeks. Her hair was in a tangled mess about her face, which was streaked with dirt. Her lip was split and there was a shadow of a bruise forming along the side of her cheek. Victoria, her grin vicious, knelt in front of her. Whatever she did caused Bella to cry out. Gleefully, Victoria darted off into the trees.

Blood permeated the air. Bella's blood, with it's sweet intoxicating scent. I appeared from the shadows.

"Edward!" Bella cried out. It seemed to be a warning rather than happiness to see me. I started toward her, a dark expression on my face. I could smell the blood seeping from her. I had to have it. I flew to her, and she let out a surprised shriek at my sudden nearness. I was gone. There was nothing left of Edward Cullen, only the vampire within. I pressed my lips to her thigh, where Victoria had cut her open. She struggled futility against me, kicking at me with her good leg and crying out for me to stop. I couldn't hear her, all I could see, smell and taste was the deliciousness of her blood. She stopped struggling after a minute. I burrowed my face deeper into her thigh, questing after every last precious drop. I didn't notice when she passed out. Her limp form fell forward, her head hitting my back. I lapped the last bit of blood from the wound, and then heard a malicious cackling from behind me. I growled as I looked up, ready to defend my meal. Victoria approached, laughing. I gasped, and gazed down at Bella's lifeless form with horror.

Neither Alice or I could speak. There was just stunned silence. Her thoughts flew rapidly, trying to prevent what we'd just seen. A repeated chorus of no, no, no…echoed in the back of her mind.

Alice let out a cry of frustration after a minute, and I realized that I'd subconsciously tuned out her thoughts for a few seconds.

"It doesn't change!" She exclaimed. "If Jasper or I go, the same thing happens."

"And if we don't go, she's dead anyway, Alice." I snapped, getting up. I could do this. I could be the man that she loved instead of the monster that lurked in me.

"No!" She pushed me back down. I hadn't even realized I was sitting. "Carlisle and Esme won't make it back in time…"

With Victoria steadily getting closer to Bella, Emmett (and Rose, though reluctantly) had decided to cut their trip short and were due home today – Carlisle and Esme had gone to pick them up from the airport.

"What is it about this time that's different, Alice?" I asked. "We've all smelled her blood before."

"I don't know!" She practically wailed. Alice gasped again, and I saw that the future had disappeared.

Jasper burst in the front door, Jacob Black in tow.