Title: You Found Me

Full Summary: Edward Masen has lived the life of a nomadic vampire, travelling with James and Victoria since he awoke as an immortal. His ability to read minds has had the unusual side effect of making him a vampire with a conscience. Despite the ridicule from his coven mates, he's confident he's making the best of his existence and doing what's morally right... until he stumbles upon a brown-eyed girl reading in a meadow in Forks. As he attempts to befriend her and learns more about the sleepy town of Forks, Edward finds there's a lot more to being a vampire than he ever thought possible.

Pairings: Canon

Rating: M, for language and sexing.

Chapter: Twenty-eight; Panic

POV: Edward

AN: The response to the last chapter was overwhelming in the best way. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review and push this fic over the 400 mark. I appreciate every single one of them and I swear, your comments really are the fuel keeping this fic moving forward. There's been an influx of new readers lately, if you found this story through a rec or something, let me know so I can send out the appropriate thanks :)

Another thanks to Fates-Love-Queen who created a lovely banner for this fanfic :) It's linked on my profile, if you'd like to see it.

Also an enduring thanks to Jana, who continues to beta, I hope you know how lost I'd be without you, even if I don't always say it :)

To those of you who enjoyed the two-part quick update last time, you're in luck, because you're going to get a repeat. This is part one of a chapter than ended up being far longer than I intended.

xx

"I'm kind of sad to leave," Bella told me, leaning into me as we made our way to the Vanquish. I was glad Alice had insisted heels were the only suitable shoes; I loved having Bella's soft, warm weight against my side. "This was a lot of fun. Surprisingly."

I repressed a smile, knowing I'd never convince her it was something we should do again if I was too self-righteous about it. "See? You should listen to me more–"

All thought stopped there, panic racing through me like a shot as James' distinctive scent overwhelmed my senses.

Just James. Not Victoria's. He was alone. That was of little consolation. Even without his mate, James would be difficult to subdue if I was protecting Bella.

Instinct dictated I position myself in front of her. If he was still in the vicinity, she would be the easier target. Roughly, I shoved her behind me. I felt horrible for manhandling her delicate form but dwelling on that was not an option. I needed to be alert if I wanted to preserve both of our lives. I kept a hold of her hand, hoping it would be enough to comfort her, while my mind raced to come up with a plan.

James had been watching us. Listening at the very least. His scent was a thick fog in the air. He'd spent no small amount of time in the vicinity, spying, gathering information, biding his time, all while I was oblivious. I hated that I hadn't noticed.

He had to have known we were inside the adjacent building. There was no other possibility. He'd followed me, even into the over-populated metropolis he hated so much.

He disliked urban areas because they complicated his gift; his senses were overloaded with layers upon layers of scent and sound that frustrated his tracking instincts. His sense of smell was multiple times more powerful than a typical vampire's, his tracker's nose able to detect small nuances far beyond my comprehension. I'd seen enough of his mind in the brief flashes when it was unprotected to know not to underestimate his abilities.

He'd know I'd walked past the building even if hours had since elapsed. He'd know I'd been walking with a human girl. He'd know enough about the nature of our intertwined scents to deduce exactly what he could do to crush my world. He'd know Bella was my world. And I didn't have the slightest clue what to do about it.

I glanced around us into the darkened alleys, praying I wouldn't catch sight of the familiar blond ponytail. Not now, not when I had Bella to think about. I couldn't protect her and deal with James at the same time.

I pressed my gift to its limits, trying my damnedest to catch even the most minute hint of his mind's frequency but came back empty, unable to locate even the slightest hum of his protected mind. In the past, that might have reassured me but not now. How had I not heard him when he was here? Had I been so engaged in entertaining Bella that I'd carelessly let my senses lapse to the point I had put our lives at risk?

"Edward? What's going–"

"Bella, please," I urged, still scanning the landscape for a trace of my former coven mate.

She silenced instantly, a frightened frown marring her beautiful face. I ignored the pang that lashed at me for being responsible for that look.

"Get in the car, please," I demanded, catching my harsh tone mid-sentence and softening it. I tried to dampen my fear along with it. I had to be strong for her. Bella needed me to be unafraid.

Without waiting for a response, I scooped her into my arms and crossed the few remaining paces to the Vanquish.

I strapped her into her seat tenderly, not wanting her to think I was upset with her. I pressed a hasty kiss to her hair in apology before retreating to the driver's side in a flash. Moving at the appropriate human pace for a public space wasn't an option right now. I had other things to worry about that took priority. It was dark enough and late enough onlookers would likely blame the drinks that they'd been served with dinner.

I slid the car in gear, sending the Vanquish flying out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. The further removed we were from the scene, the better.

The second we hit the road, I snatched my phone out of my jacket pocket, shooting Alice a quick explanatory text. How had she not had the foresight to warn me of this? She had promised me she would keep a vigilant eye on James and Victoria.

Had James somehow figured out a way to evade her gift?

I banished the thought, not wanting to dwell on the end to which it would serve James to hide from Alice… or how he'd known about Alice in the first place. I'd thought my one sure advantage would be the knowledge I possessed that he did not. Now that was up in the air. I had no way of knowing what he'd learned.

My phone beeped obnoxiously.

I know. Hurry back. We'll deal with the situation when you get here.

I scoffed at the utter lack of help. Did she truly expect me to place Bella's safety on hold for an hour or more while I raced to return to Forks as fast as the Vanquish would allow?

Fuck, Alice! Now is not the time to be vague! Are we in immediate danger? Should I leave the car? Give me something!

It only took a few moments for Alice's responding text to reach my phone.

Just get Bella here. We'll be safest when we're all together.

That was even less help than the previous text. I shot back a hasty message, including enough exclamation points to make a teenage girl cringe.

Tell me what you know right this instant! I'm not waiting a fucking hour! James could be following my car as we speak! He was watching us from outside the goddamn restaurant and I was oblivious. If you saw something, tell me whatever the fuck it is that you think you're sparing me! NOW! I mean it, Alice!

Alice's response came through an instant after I pressed send.

Jesus! I didn't mean to wake the beast. I can't see James' decisions exactly. I've been trying but it's just… nothing right now. Empty. That's it. Victoria's off the map also. That's why we're waiting until you get home to figure out what we're going to do.

Well, fuck. That certainly complicated things… and confirmed the theory that James had found some way of eluding Alice's gift… and an even better way of evading mine. That meant he could be out there somewhere and I'd have no way of knowing it until he was on top of us.

Bella touched my arm. In my haste to get her to safety, I'd foregone reassuring her. I cursed myself for being a shitty excuse for a boyfriend, promising that I'd be better, that I'd make it up to her once we were safe.

My eyes met her worried ones, full of abject fear. Her eyes were huge and child-like in the dark, more pupil than the warm brown I was used to. It only served to amplify how afraid she appeared. The part of me that detested seeing my mate afraid responded violently.

"It's going to be okay. I'll keep you safe," I told her firmly, trying to infuse my voice with as much certainty as I could given the circumstances. It wouldn't serve any purpose for her to be frightened when I wasn't even sure what we were up against yet. "I promise you. You don't need to worry. We'll be home in–" I glanced down at my phone, even as I continued to reassure Bella. "Shit!"

Hello, Edward… miss me?

That definitely wasn't Alice.

The number wasn't listed, but I was fairly certain I knew who was behind the deceptively innocent words. I ignored it, shoving the phone into my pants pocket. I would deal with it later, once Bella and I had reached relative safety.

Hastily, I made an awkward turnoff into a somewhat deserted parking lot.

If James was following us – and it seemed very likely he was on the basis of that text – we were less safe in the car than on foot. I could outrun James, even while carrying Bella. I couldn't prevent him from overtaking my car.

I rushed to open Bella's door and pull her from the car. Her seatbelt was a torn casualty in my haste. The part of me that wanted to mourn the possibility that my car would be destroyed even further the next time I saw it was easily squashed. Bella and I were both safe for now. That was enough. It would always be enough.

"We're going to have to run the rest of the way," I explained to her, helping her climb onto my back and wrap her legs around my waist. Her fingers held my shoulders in a vice grip. I let her, knowing she was keeping me close the only way she could.

She nodded wordlessly, placing her life in my hands with absolute trust. I'd never loved her more. I'd never been more sure of the presence of some higher power somewhere out there in the universe. This beautiful creature did not deserve to have her life ended at the hands of a maniacal vampire. There was another plan for her, there had to be.

Confidence renewed, I sped up my stride, pushing myself to the limit.

Punching the first speed dial number on my phone, I spoke into the speakerphone.

"Alice? We'll be there in ten minutes." I hung up the phone, not bothering to wait for a response.

"Edward?" Bella whispered into my neck, her breath hot on my skin. I shivered despite myself. "Are you going to tell me what's going on now?"

I tightened my hold on her. I knew she deserved to know but it went against every protective instinct I had.

"It's James," I responded quietly, not wanting to raise her alarm by appearing distressed. "He was outside the restaurant while we were in there. And I didn't notice." I forced down the self-flagellation that threatened to swell. I needed to focus on Bella. "We don't know what he's planning. Alice can't see anything. We're heading to the Cullens' now." I left out the ominous text I had received.

Her exhale was shaky against my neck, her fingers clutching even more desperately at me. "Are we in danger?"

I felt helpless, not knowing how to answer that. I opted for a truth that avoided the question. "I'm faster than James. He won't be able to touch us, not before we reach the Cullens."

She laid her head on my shoulder, seeming to relax with that information. "They love you, Edward. We'll be okay. With them on our side, we'll be okay."

I smiled at the irony that she was reassuring me. We were in the middle of chaos, running for our lives, and Bella had the courage to push aside all her doubts to tell me everything was going to be fine. I hadn't realized just how much I needed to hear it.

xx

"Thank God!" Alice greeted us with a fierce hug on the outskirts of the Cullen property. Her small arms wound tightly around me and Bella, who was still on my back. "The two of you terrified me! Edward, don't you ever hang up on me in the middle of a crisis again!"

"I hope you don't foresee us enduring too many more crises," I deadpanned, sarcasm overriding how glad I was to see her.

Inside, relief crashed through me, a tidal wave washing away the panic that had been building to a painful crescendo. Suddenly the little too-well-kept secrets Alice harboured didn't seem as significant. She was going to help me keep Bella safe.

The entire family had congregated in the living room awaiting our arrival. Even Rosalie had put aside her usual distain for me to hold vigil with the group. She sat at the periphery of the room, but there was no doubting the genuine concern for her family that her thoughts held.

I held Bella against my side, not daring to separate from her, even amongst friends. There was a general feeling of unease amongst the group. Even Emmett's usual jovial attitude had disappeared, sobering solemnity left in its wake.

"Tell me what I can do," he implored. "How can I help?" His hands fisted at his sides, thoughts of him crushing a generic but scrawny blond vampire into pieces floating through his mind. I smiled at his horribly unflattering representation of James. Even at the lowest moments, Emmett had a way of making the world a little more entertaining.

"Emmett," Carlisle chastised gently, knowing exactly where Emmett's thoughts had gone. "This is not something that we want to rush into imprudently. Talking first. Alice?" He turned to his daughter. "Where do we stand as of this moment?"

Alice looked pained. "I don't know. I'm sorry. I've been straining to see James or Victoria but I can't. They're always difficult to see. I can usually get sparse flashes if I concentrate… but tonight, it's like they've fallen off the map."

"I couldn't hear James at all, either," I added. "Usually he and Victoria have a noticeable hum. I only found his scent, though, so he might have been out of range by the time I realized he had been there."

"Are we sure they're still alive?" Jasper interjected reasonably. "If neither of your gifts could locate them… maybe they aren't there to locate. Might they have done something to incur the wrath of the Volturi? That might explain what James' scent was doing in Seattle. The Volturi have allies in most major American cities."

I shook my head. "The scent was fresh. An hour old at most. It's unlikely that something happened in that time. Also while Bella and I were on way back here," I dug my phone from my pocket, "I believe James sent me something." I showed them the text.

Alice sucked in a breath. "I'm not an expert but I know James better than anyone else here, with the exception of Edward. That does sound like something he'd say. Nothing is ever straight-forward with him. Playing games is what he does."

Jasper materialized at her side with an open laptop in his hands. "Give me the number. I'll attempt to hack into the phone records. I might be able to find some sort of billing receipt."

Alice shook her head, dejected. "Unlisted."

"Give me Edward's number then, I'll look into his phone records. I might be able to dig up some information on the caller that way." Obediently, Alice recited the digits, the worried crease between her eyes a permanent fixture.

Bella cuddled deeper into my side. "I don't like this Edward."

I kissed her head consolingly. For once, I didn't know what to say. There was no way to make things better without resorting to empty promises I might not be able to keep.

Esme stepped in for me, grasping Bella's hand reassuringly; the recent events had her maternal instincts charged full force. "Don't panic, darling. There's more of us then there are of them. No one is going to touch you or Edward."

"Esme's right," Carmen seconded. "You and your Edward will be safe with family. There is strength in numbers. Do not be afraid."

"I'm not worried about me," she said in a small voice. "It's obvious that they want Edward. He's the one in danger. I'd just be collateral."

I shook my head in disbelief. "And that doesn't worry you? It worries me! Bella, if they captured you, I would do anything they asked of me. Anything. If they're aware I've chosen you as my mate, you're in as much danger as I am. Perhaps more. They won't kill me because my gift is worth something to them. They might kill you if they feel they no longer have a use for you."

Esme slapped my head, her thoughts verging just short of murderous. "Edward," she hissed between gritted teeth, "do not talk like that in my house. Talking about the worst case scenario is not going to help anyone. No one is getting killed, captured, maimed, or otherwise injured under my watch."

I rubbed the spot she had hit, remorseful. Bella, kissed my cheek.

"Got it!" Jasper exclaimed, his head popping up from behind his laptop triumphantly. Everyone turned to him expectantly. Waiting on pins and needles hadn't done good for anyone's mood. Even the short wait for Jasper to dredge up information had been agonizing.

"It was definitely James who texted you. The phone is registered to James Witherdale. I've managed to locate the number as well. There's several other calls but nothing I recognize. Should we try returning his call?"

"I'm not sure that's a wise idea," Carlisle said, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly. "If he hears any of us in the background and it turns out that he's unaware we've allied with Edward, we may be handing over information to him."

"What do you suggest, then?" Jasper glared at his father. "We don't have very many options here. Would you prefer we sit around inactive and wait for him to come to us?"

"Would that be so bad?" Emmett smirked. "We'd have home field advantage. If they try to impede on our territory, we'll show them what we're made of. If those fuckers are stupid enough to think they can take on all of us, they deserve whatever they get." He crossed his arms menacingly.

Rosalie raised an arched eyebrow at the testosterone-fueled display. She wondered longingly, for the briefest moment, what those arms would feel like wrapped around her before a wall of thought meant to shut me out came crashing down. She glared at me, her feigned indifference returning with no small effort on her part.

"No fighting, please," Alice begged. "We're all on the same side. Jasper, I think Carlisle is right. I have a feeling about this. We should wait for him to contact us again. And Emmett, provoking James into a fight isn't going to help anything. We want this to be resolved as peacefully as possible. Violence is a last resort."

"I don't think you grasp what James is capable of, Emmett," Eleazar chimed in calmly. "If for some reason he is able to evade us – and with his mate's ability, that isn't terribly unlikely – we do not want him holding a vendetta against our family. He can be ruthless."

Eleazar's thoughts were carefully guarded so as not to reveal anything regarding how he'd come across this information.

"How would you know what James is capable of? And how do you know about Victoria's ability?" I wondered suspiciously, clutching Bella tighter to me. If Eleazar had past connections with James, I wasn't sure I trusted his help.

In my experience James' preferred associates tended to be thugs nearly as merciless as the man himself. They never lasted beyond the newborn stage. If Eleazar was an ex-associate of James', I shuddered to think of the things he'd seen and done and what would have possessed James to leave him with his life intact. I hadn't taken Eleazar or Carmen for those kind of people, but I didn't want to rule out any possibility.

"I don't know him very well," Eleazar explained carefully; a little too carefully. "A friend and I had a territorial dispute with him a very long time ago. That dispute left a lasting impression. That's why Carlisle invited me to stay with the family these past few months. He felt my experience with James might be beneficial." I sensed there was more to it than that though I had no idea what it might be, so I said nothing.

"What we need is direction," Carlisle insisted. "Since we don't know what James' next move will be, we need to prepare for all possibilities."

He laid a hand on Alice's shoulder at her stricken expression, squeezing lightly. Her thoughts were a horrible muddled mess of guilt and confusion. She felt she'd let down her family with her gift's impotency when it mattered most.

"First thing's first. Give me the phone," Alice demanded, sinking into the couch. Jasper did so immediately, looking slightly smug. Alice rolled her eyes at her mate. "I love you, but no. I'm calling Charlie. There's no way Bella is going home tonight. It's sleepover time."

We all sat in perfect silence while Alice and Charlie settled matters. I had to hand it to Alice, she was a fortress under pressure; her casual façade was flawless. Charlie accepted her lies without question.

The moment she hung up the phone, the weight of indecision fell on the room once again.

"Okay," Alice sat up straighter, her attitude rejuvenated somewhat by the progress she'd made settling matters with Charlie. "Bella's safety is arranged. Now let's figure out what to do about James."

Carlisle nodded, sitting down next to her. "I hate to put any pressure on you, however, you've been witness to James and Victoria's behaviour over the last months, more so than any of us. Have you seen anything that might suggest what course of action we should take?"

Alice shook her head. "Nothing. Up until yesterday, I was positive that Edward, James and Victoria would be able to resolve their differences peacefully. That doesn't appear to be the case any longer. James is easier to read than Victoria, usually… my visions of her are next to nonexistent. The last time I saw him was three days ago. He and Edward were talking in a wooded area. It wasn't very clear and there was no indication that would give me a timeline. I'm sorry."

Esme kneeled before her daughter, grasping both her hands. "It's okay sweetheart. We'll figure this out as a family."

Alice exhaled shakily, biting her lip in frustration. "I know that we will. I do. I just wish I could help more. Edward did so much for me when I was a newborn. If it weren't for him, I might not be alive now."

I sat across from Alice on the coffee table, bringing Bella with me. I still wasn't ready to be parted from her. "I did that because you're my friend and I care about you. There's no debt to repay, so stop thinking that way."

Alice rolled her eyes, punching me in the shoulder. I fought back a whimper. She was more fearsome than she looked. "You dumbass, I'm not doing anything out of obligation. You're my brother and I love you. I want to help."

Bella laughed. "You were kind of asking for that one."

My retort died in my throat as my phone vibrated in my pocket. I caught sight of Alice's expression. Without checking, I knew it was from James. I flipped open the phone, reading it anyway.

I'm waiting, Edward. You know patience isn't my thing.

"What does that mean?" Alice asked. "He's waiting for what?"

I shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. James gets a kick out of being as ambiguous and nonsensical as possible. It's a part of his game. Should I reply?"

My phone was passed around, everyone taking their turn reading the message and offering their suggestions and theories.

It was then that I heard it. It was the equivalent of a whisper. He was easily three or four miles away, but there was no mistaking it. James was pushing his thoughts towards me.

Oh for fuck's sake, Edward. Are you going to hang out under the protection of your babysitters for the next century? All I want to do is talk. The two of us. Alone. We can be nice, civilized vampires, can't we?

It sounded strange to my ears. Never before had James willingly lowered his shield to communicate through thought. Only in moments of intense anger had his guard lowered to the point I could get a read on him.

Hearing his internal voice in a calm, collected state was foreign; I almost wished for the normal droning buzz I was used to hearing from him. Given the current circumstances, it made me feel ill knowing that James' thoughts were inside of my head and there was nothing I could do to stop him from putting them there.

"James," I whispered, freezing. It took most of my concentration to focus on the tenor of his mind, he was so far away. I couldn't make out any landmarks that would give away a location. All that surrounded him were trees. Victoria was nowhere to be seen.

Bella touched my face, alarmed. "Edward? Are you okay? Baby, tell me what's wrong."

"I'm fine," I told her, straining to keep track of James' mental signature. "I can hear James. He's letting me in. He's alone, up north somewhere, three or four miles away, maybe slightly more. It's hard to get a read, he's so far away."

"Are you guys going to go confront him?"

"If we did that, more likely than not, he'd run. That's not what we want right now," Alice explained on my behalf. She looked to me anxiously, her foot tapping out a nervous rhythm. It was disconcerting for her to be without her visions when she needed them most; she felt as if she'd lost a vital part of her anatomy. "We're going to have to wait to see what he wants." Waiting wasn't something she was accustomed to doing very often.

"He wants to talk to me," I told her. James had already made it clear what he wanted. There was no point in holding back the information. "I don't sense any insincerity in his countenance but he's typically very skilled at keeping his thoughts from me."

I pressed my lips together, wishing I didn't have to talk about this in front of Bella, knowing it would worry her. Yet, I was too selfish to let her leave my side. Wariness and the need for contact lingered, a result of our earlier scare. I had a feeling she felt the same way.

Though I knew there would be protestation, meeting James' simple demand seemed like the safest, easiest way to resolve the conflict; the only way at the moment. I was the reason everyone was in this dreadful situation. It only seemed right that the responsibility of digging us out from under its weight should fall on my shoulders. I was determined to keep Bella out of it at all costs. I abhorred the thought of leaving her side, even if only long enough to talk to James. If it would keep him away from her, it would be worth the sacrifice.

"He wishes to speak to me alone."

Just as I expected, Bella clutched my arm tighter, the fingers of her free hand twisting the hem of her dress, her worry evident without words. The look in her warm brown eyes almost made me regret the decision to volunteer to confront James on my own.

Alice saw my decision before I could articulate the thought. She shook her head definitively. "No," she said mulishly. "God only knows what he intends to do to you once he has you alone. You can't go out there alone. It could be a death trap."

Bella looked relieved that she didn't have to be the one to raise the objection, but her agreement was clear in the worried lines on her beautiful face. "Edward, please. Listen to Alice."

"The girls are right, sweetheart," Esme said, jumping on to the stop-being-an-idiot-Edward bandwagon that had replaced the living room. "It's not safe. Without Alice's ability to see James' decisions, we'd have no way of knowing if or when we need to step in. James is a disturbed individual. There's no telling what's on his mind. We're sticking together. We're taking James down, together."

Emmett smirked. "That's the spirit, Mama C. It's not fair for Edward to hog all the action."

For God's fucking sake, Edward. I'm asking for ten goddamn minutes of your precious human-loving time. Stop being a fucking pussy and get out here. Without the fucking security detail. I need to talk to your ass. That's all. Scout's ass-fucking honour.

I scowled, knowing I was running out of time. The longer I made James wait, the angrier he'd get. James was not pleasant to deal with when he wasn't in a good mood. It was strange to even consider the possibility that James had good moods. Historically, his moods ranged on a spectrum from annoyed but mildly tolerant in perfect circumstances to pissed and not at all tolerant given any circumstances. The closer we remained to the former, the better.

"He just wants to talk," I said levelly. "He won't hurt me if he thinks there's something I have that's of use to him. That gives me an edge. He might be ruthless but he's not stupid. He won't risk killing me."

"While that might be true," Carlisle input, "we shouldn't underestimate what he is willing to do if he does not get his way. We should proceed with extreme caution."

"Isn't this kind of like negotiating with a terrorist?" Bella commented wildly, turning worried eyes on me. "If you give in to him over this issue, he'll take it as an invitation to walk all over you."

Jasper nodded. "That's a very apt analogy. I know James' type. First and foremost he operates under threat. Resorting to violence is a secondary power play. If he doesn't get what he wants, neither will anyone else."

Bella's nails dug into the stone of my forearm. "Please, Edward. If everyone says it's not safe..."

"They don't know James like I do," I whispered, tilting her face, forcing her to look at me. "You stay here with the Carlisle and Alice. You'll be safe."

"I'm not worried about me," she spat, her eyes fierce with determination. "I'm worried about you! You're the one he wants. Please Edward, for me, don't go."

"I am doing this for you," I vowed. "With James and Victoria out of our lives, you'll be safe. The risk is worth the reward if it means I can shed my past."

I stroked her hair from her face, hoping to soothe her. I could tell she still didn't like the idea, but she looked calmer. Her eyes were massive watery pools of brown. I looked away, knowing if I didn't my resolve would crumble.

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I!"

I glared at Alice. She shot back an equally defiant look. This wasn't about her. She was only going to rile Bella up and make her needlessly afraid.

"Lucky this isn't up to you, then," I grumbled. "James wants me. If we all charge out there, he'll run. If we wait, we're only prolonging the inevitable. I'll be cautious."

"At the very least let one of us trail you from a distance," Jasper compromised. "We'll keep out of the way, unless it becomes a necessity."

"I call it!"

Emmett shrugged sheepishly when everyone turned to look at him. "What? This is the most excitement I've seen since I was in Italy at the same time the Romanians were. I'm sure as hell not getting benched. I'm getting courtside tickets, baby."

Rosalie sniffed indignantly. She thought Emmett was being stupid and naïve volunteering to be my "guard dog."

Emmett turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Look, Rosie, I want to be with you, I do. With everything I am. But this is something you're wrong about. Edward is a good guy. He really is. He doesn't deserve to have this bastard on his ass. You can do nothing if you want. That's fine. I won't judge. But I am not the kind of person who lets my friends go without support when it's in my power to help. If that's what you want from me… well… too fucking bad."

Outwardly, Rosalie growled and gave him the finger. Inwardly… I think I witnessed what could only be termed a mental swoon. No one had ever turned her down with such blatant disregard and it turned her on. For someone used to getting her way, Emmett presented an interesting challenge. She was confused about the sudden rush of feelings for him and she abhorred that they weren't rational.

I fought back a chuckle. Seeing the unflappable Rosalie out of her element because she was lusting after Emmett and was unsure what to make of it was unintentionally hilarious.

Get out of my head, asshole!

A wall of thought – a barrage of imagery from a graphic gay pornographic film, intended to punish me for the perceived slight, I'm sure – crashed down between us with the intensity of a runaway freight train. Little did she know I'd seen much worse with more frequency than I cared to recall.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, when it was clear Rosalie and Emmett had nothing further to say to one another. "Are you amenable to Jasper's suggestion?"

I sighed, knowing they wouldn't accept anything less. I recognized that they thought they were helping but, realistically, they were only complicating matters. If James caught wind I'd brought backup against his express orders, things could very easily escalate and turn ugly. If they kept down wind, the chances of James realizing they were there were minimal but I didn't want to gamble with something so crucial. Still, it seemed I was running out of time and choices.

"Fine," I agreed grudgingly. "As long as you stay a couple miles downwind of us and keep quiet."

Jasper frowned. "Miles? That's impossible. No one would be able to hear you from that distance. We might as well all remain here."

"James has stronger senses than any of us. He'd hear you if you ventured too close," I explained. "It would defeat the purpose. What if Alice accompanies Emmett? She'll be able to monitor my decisions so we can keep in contact."

Jasper looked to his mate reluctantly. He didn't like the thought of her being a part of the front line in a potential fight with James. He'd waited even longer than I had to find his mate and the thought of losing her terrified him to his core. His fear was strong enough to spread briefly across the room.

Alice sprung up, wrapping her arms around his waist, knowing exactly where his thoughts were. "Don't be a worrywart, Jazz," she said lightly, kissing his chin. "Even if Victoria shows up, it'll be three against two."

He squeezed her tightly, thinking affectionately of his "little firecracker." "You'll probably take 'em down before we get there… but promise me you'll call us the second you see something worrisome? Anything at all?"

She nodded, grinning lovingly at him. "Promise."

Since Alice and the other Cullens seemed to be appeased with the solution, there was only one person left whose opinion mattered to me. "If Emmett and Alice trail behind as an added precaution, will it lessen your worry?" I asked Bella.

She laid her head on my shoulder, lolling her head to look up at me. "No, but it's out of my hands, isn't it?"

I stroked her hair. I'd touched it so often throughout the night, it had lost most of the wave Alice had wrangled into it, but she still looked gorgeous. Maybe even more than before. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I wish I'd dealt with all this before I'd met you."

"I don't." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but her words were strong. "I'm glad I can be here for you. It scares the hell out of me, but as long as you come back… everything will be okay. I know it will."

"This is just something I have to do."

"I know." She kissed me lightly.

Fucking asshole. It's like you're ignoring me. I don't like being ignored. Or are you working up the balls to venture out on your own away from mommy and daddy? I'm not going to wait all day, Assward.

I sighed inwardly at James' characteristic impatience, wishing I could respond from the comfortable space I currently occupied, next to Bella. He'd ventured slightly closer, unsure if he'd been outside of my range before. He was still surrounded by forest, but his mental voice was stronger.

It was time to face the music.

xx

Expect part two in a few days. In the meantime… there's a little blue link below just calling your name ;)