A/N: So I believe all of you are on the edge of your seat waiting to read my update… well if you're not at least pretend to be to make me feel better ;)!

Already Gone- Sugarland

They say the first time won't ever last
But that didn't stop me, the first time he laughed
All my friends tried to warn me the day that we met
"Girl, don't you lose your heart yet"
But his dark eyes dared me with danger
And sparks fly like flame to a paper
Fire in his touch burning me up, but still I held on

Chapter 25

I headed down the familiar dirt path pushing the truck that now belonged to me. Edward's parents thought Edward would have wanted me to have it so here I was. In all reality it was full of too many memories to be given away.

I was in a particular hurry right now. After the funeral I felt like I had lost a part of Edward and I was determined to get it back. I knew that the best place to do that was in our field. I reached the middle and turned off the truck. I pulled out the old quilt and clutched it tightly to my chest. Edward's scent lingered briefly in the air and then disappeared as quickly as had he.

I half ran to our tree and threw the quilt on the ground running my hand over the carving in the tree. The memory was burned into my memory and I knew I would always have this part of him. I stood back up and spread the quilt out properly. I pulled Wuthering Heights out of my purse and curled up against the tree to get lost in the pages.

I shivered at the crisp November air and finally gave in forcing myself to grab my Carhartt out of the truck. I trudged over and leaned over the seat to snatch it up. It got caught on the stick shift so I had to lean in a little farther jumping halfway on the seat to get it unhook. Finally it came and I wrapped it around my shaking my head to rid my face of the hair.

Suddenly I heard a snarl that sounded like an animal, cougar maybe. The bushes next to the tree started to rattle and then I heard a loud crack come from behind the big oak. Very quickly I hopped into the truck and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Jake's calming voice came over the phone.

"No." I squeaked.

His Bella alert must have come on because his voice snapped into protective mode. "What's wrong? Where are you? I'm on my way." I heard his feet shuffle and then the slamming of a door.

"I'm at the field. I think some kind of animal is trying to get to me." I whispered.

"An animal?" He questioned.

EPOV

Her back was facing me and she hopped onto the seat of her rusty truck and her legs kicked behind her as she reached for something just out of her grasp. Her scent shot toward me and it swirled around me as I inhaled it. A weird liquid filled my mouth and I could almost taste the blood swirling in my mouth. The scent of this girl was so much more intoxicating than any one thing.

I played various attacks in my head. I could run up behind her and break her neck leaving her dead before she knew what hit her. Or I could persuade her to go back to the house with me and then take her there. Then again I could always throw a tree at her.

She slid back out of the truck and pulled a heavy jacket over her body. I tried to read her mind but heard nothing. I guess it was just something I'd have to work on. I closed my eyes and gave into my senses getting in my crouched position.

I heard her movements come toward me and right when I was about to lunge I felt two arms on either side of me push me back. My back hit a huge tree about 100 feet back and the smack reverberated throughout the forest. A feral snarl ripped from my throat again as I snapped at my captors.

"Dude calm down." Emmett snapped. Jasper closed his eyes and I suddenly felt calmer.

"I only want one, her." I breathed as the burning in my throat intensified.

Jasper glared down at me. "Shut up and closer your eyes. Listen to how scared she is."

I was going to protest when his eyes narrowed on me in a deathly stare. I did as I was told and I heard the girl's frightened voice from her hiding place.

"No." Her voice cracked. There was a long pause. "I'm at the field. I think some kind of animal is trying to get to me." She whispered inaudibly to whomever she was talking on the phone with.

For some reason it seemed that that voice should be very familiar to me. I strained against the pressure held on me and then gave up. "I just want to see her face." I growled.

Emmett looked at Jasper and then Jasper nodded. "Hold your breath." He snapped.

I nodded and took a gulp of fresh air as I headed back toward the girl. Jasper and Emmett were carefully standing next to me in order to restrain me if I suddenly lost control. I got to the edge of the clearing and I saw her pale face peek out in my direction from behind the truck window.

I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the girl from my memories. She was the one who haunted my thoughts every time I closed my eyes. She was the one whose eyes held a depth so unfathomable even the greatest of scholars could not tell what she was thinking.

A car was speeding down the highway and veering off to the right onto the dirt path. It wouldn't be long before her guardian was coming to get her. I watched her face from afar and then the car came into view. A longhaired man climbed out of the passenger's seat and a man with short buzzed hair got out of the driver's seat.

I watched as they both went to opposite sides of the truck and the one with buzzed hair opened the driver's side. I kept watching while she fell into his arms looking relieved and the other one looked warily in my direction. She pointed toward my direction and then they both headed toward me.

"Over here you say?" The longhaired one asked the girl.

"Yes." She squeaked hiding behind the other one.

"She said it snarled Sam." The buzzed one said.

"I know Jake, I'm going to look for tracks." Sam said.

The name Jake seemed all too familiar too but then again.

"What did the snarl sound like Bella?" Sam asked the girl.

Wait, Bella? Everything clicked and suddenly my memories flew back into my mind. I was Edward Anthony Masen. I was stationed at Gwanglecemo when it was attacked and I died from loss of blood. Elizabeth and Edward Masen were my parents and I had a younger brother named Craig. Jacob Black was my best friend and I was utterly and irrevocably in love with the woman that was scared to death of me, Isabella Swan.

My heart fell to my stomach and suddenly life felt so unfair. Of course she was scared of me, I snarled at her. I was a monster who craved her blood. She deserved better than what I had become. She was no longer mine, I was dead to her. My heart no longer beat the same as hers did. I could no longer hold her in my arms like I use to. I could no longer kiss her soft lips without craving to do to her what I knew would inevitably kill her.

Jasper pulled me from my thoughts. "Edward, let's go." He whispered so only I could hear.

I looked up and came face to face with Sam. I got a good whiff of him and the stench of wet dog filled my nostrils and made them burn. He looked me in the eyes and his eyes bore into mine. He reached down and picked up a baby rabbit and gave me another warning glance.

"Don't worry, there's nothing there. Look what I found though." He handed the rabbit to Bella.

"Awe, it's adorable. Are you sure nothing's there." She asked again.

He nodded. "Yeah, nothing that will bother you ever again."

"I'll drive you home Bells." Jake said opening the door for Bella. She climbed into the passenger's seat holding the rabbit close to her chest.

Jake slammed the door shut and faced Sam. "What was it?" He asked keeping his voice low.

"Leech." Sam spat out like it was the vilest word in the English dictionary.

"Leech?" Jake questioned.

Sam nodded. "Yes, the Cullens are back in town and they have a new member."

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Sam nodded once again. "Edward, Edward Masen."

Jake gasped and turned around to face my general location. "Leave her alone Cullen." He growled under his voice. "You're now the one thing worse than death."

With that he turned around and climbed into my truck and did a U-turn in the field leaving Bella's things on the ground under out tree. I still watched as he drove off with Bella staring out the window clutching the rabbit to her chest.

I fell back on the ground fearing that I had lost Bella forever. When both cars were completely out of sight I stepped into the field and gathered up Bella's things as her scent swirled around me filling my lungs and burning my throat. I silently ran my fingers over the carving in our tree and stepped back into the jumbled forest.

Emmett, Jasper, and I ran back to the house and as soon as I stepped inside Alice pulled me into a tight hug. "Sorry." She whispered apologetically.

I shrugged. "I'll be fine."

I ran upstairs to my room and threw Bella's things on my couch. Dry sobs overtook my body and I curled up on the couch holding the blanket close to my side. Jake was right, I had become the one thing worse than death itself. I was an animal.

Someone knocked on my door softly and then waited. "Come in." I sighed pulling myself together.

Esme walked into the room and sat down next to me on the couch. She watched me carefully and then wrapped her arms around me giving me a hug. "We've waited so long for you Edward." She whispered.

I shook my head in defeat. "I'm nothing but an animal."

Esme lifted my chin to look her in the eye. "Never say that. You will be stronger than most of us could only hope to be. You'll get past this Edward. You're only a newborn, give it some time." She reached behind her and pulled out a couple of pieces of music.

"Here, Alice said you were or would be interested in the piano." She handed me the sheet music. "We have that grand piano just for you." She got up and headed toward the door. "Don't underestimate yourself Edward." With that she closed the door leaving me to my thoughts.

A/N: Aw, poor Edward. Jake was only trying to protect Bella so don't go all karate on him. I mean seriously, before Twilight how many people would think an innocent girl would be safe around vampires? I think Buffy ruined the whole vampires are safe thing for us.

Review!

Kayla