Chapter Twenty Eight

Edward

I made straight for the address sure that when she saw me Bella would run into my arms, away from Jasper and his uncouth friends. I felt so sorry for her getting tangled up with them but I wondered how she had survived all this time without being found and why Alice should have sent her to him not back to me where she belonged. I had wanted to go back for her soon after leaving but Carlisle had told me to wait, make sure I had made the right decision then came the news she was missing. I was on my way to Forks to help with the search when I heard the news, her clothes, blood stained and bloody had been found some miles away from Forks along with long hair which had been disturbed by scavenging animals. I waited hoping that it would prove to be a stranger but the tests were done, her DNA found in the hair and her father identified the remaining clothes as the ones Bella had been wearing when she went missing, a hooded tee shirt and blood stained jeans. Bella was dead, the victim of a serial killer on the loose in the state. I wanted to find him and make him suffer like she had but then the Volturi arrived and we were forced to move to Italy. I kept looking but from a distance it was very difficult. Now I find out she wasn't dead so why were her bloody clothes and hair found in the forest? What had happened to her?

I found a good place to observe the property which was remote as expected but there was no sign of life, no movement, no noises and most importantly no heartbeat. I waited long enough to ascertain that it was empty before entering the cabin to see if there were any clues inside. As soon as I walked in I saw this cabin hadn't been used for years. The floor was thick with dust, the few sticks of furniture covered in rotting throws and a pile of ashes in the fireplace which was also covered in dust with no prints anywhere and I cursed, it was a dead end. I had no idea where to go from here, they could be anywhere in Canada or even back in the States by now. I had three days left and no idea how to spend therm but I wouldn't go back until I had to, I needed to find her. I wondered if she had wanted to go back to Forks to see her father, I didn't understand why she had never told Charlie she was still alive but perhaps she would now so I decided to go there and see, it was all I had left to me.

Bella

I wouldn't run any more from any one, that hadn't done me much good and I wanted to talk to Edward anyway, I finally felt I had enough control of myself to do so without collapsing into a weeping heap so Jasper agreed to drive me over there to meet him. He rang Edwards cell phone first telling him we were on our way and to stay put.

"I need to speak to him alone Jasper but will you be close by?"

"Just out of sight so you will be safe enough. Just call if you need me."

Charlotte patted my back a little too firmly as she spoke,

"Don't worry Bella I'll be close by too so you can always call on me."

The trip was uncomfortable with Charlotte's dislike tainting the air. She had taken the seat beside Jasper leaving the back free for me and monopolized his attention all the way with questions about his travels since leaving the Cullens. I listened with interest trying not to get too tense at the thought of facing Edward in a little while. It sounded like he had travelled about from state to state until he heard from Alice warning him that the Volturi had taken the Cullens to Volterra as punishment for telling me about their world.

"Yeah well Peter always said the Cullens were crazy and they could have got you killed Major. You should have killed the human as soon as she found out about you."

"It wasn't my call Charlotte, besides it wasn't Bella's fault, it was Edward."

"Does it matter? You've killed humans before, why was this one any different"

If she was trying to shock me she was too late, I was all shocked out and he just looked at her in silence before turning to me,

"I'm sorry Bella. This conversation is out of order."

"I don't mind Jasper, I know Charlotte doesn't approve of me, she's made that perfectly clear already but I can live with that."

The rest of the journey was very quiet.

Edward was waiting just outside the cabin for our arrival and as I got out of the car and walked towards me I saw him smile, the same smile that had once made my knees go weak and my heart beat fast but now the only thing it did was to raise my blood pressure, I wanted to wipe it from his oh so handsome face!

"Bella, thank God you're OK. I was so happy when I found out you were still alive. I've been looking for your killer since I heard about your death. Why didn't you contact anyone? Why did you run in the first place? Why let Charlie believe you were dead all this time? Were you so distraught at my leaving my darling? I knew it was wrong and I was coming back to get you. I was on my way to Forks next to see if you'd gone back there."

"Then this will save you the trip Edward."

He stopped a little confused at my tone and looked beyond me to where Jasper and Charlotte sat in the car.

"That's not Alice with him is it? Has he dumped her at last? Is that why she was caught? He left her and ran, saving his own skin? That sounds about right. Lets go inside Bella we can talk more privately and its out of the cold wind."

"OK."

He extended his arm to put it round my shoulders but I moved quickly past him and inside the dusty abandoned cabin turning to wait as he shut the door.

"Bella, I'm so sorry for leaving you the way I did and the things I said, they were lies said to make it easy for you to forget me and get on with your human life, a safe life with your own kind. It hurt me to leave but I did it for you."

"Well it didn't work Edward but thank you for thinking of me., I accept your apology and I want you to stay away from Forks. Charlie thinks I'm dead and I'd like him to keep believing that."

"You do? Why? I thought you were close to your father."

"I thought I was close to a lot of people but I got that wrong. I learned though, a hard lesson but worthwhile."

"You sound very bitter Bella, you never used to be so harsh."

"I know but life finally hit me hard."

"What happened in the forest Bella? Were you attacked? Was it Jake? I wish I'd been there to save you from the animal."

"Edward shut up for a few minutes and listen to the truth rather than your own take on reality."

He looked hurt but he leaned against the door and crossed his arms,

"I'm listening Bella."

"Thank you. First of all I wasn't attacked by anyone, I had an accident and fell on a broken branch. That's how the blood got on my clothes and while I waited for the bleeding to stop I cut my hair. Secondly, Alice and Jasper parted soon after they left the family. Alice is dead Edward. Killed by the Volturi."

"Is that what he told you Bella? I happen to know she's safe in Volterra. He is playing on your soft hearted tenderness. Don't trust him Bella. You can see her when we get back there. I have Aro's personal assurance that you will be safe as long as you agree to become one of us. We can start over in Italy."

"Aro lied to you Edward. I know Alice is dead. I saw her die and her assailant, a Volturi guard. So you see you can't trust him."

"If you are worried about your safety I will be with you every moment until you wake then you'll be safe. Now lets go, I can get you a passport through Volturi contacts in Canada and we will fly back straight away. You'll see Alice then and feel so much better."

"Edward are you deaf or just not listening. I saw Alice burn and I don't need a ticket, I'm not going to Italy with you, not now, not ever."

"I understand you are unhappy with me but just give me a chance to make things up to you, the family are so looking forward to seeing you again."

He stepped forward to take me in his arms but I put my own up to stop him,

"Step back Edward."

"Bella you are being silly."

"Am I? Why should the others be looking forward to seeing me again Edward? After all they left quickly enough."

"That's not true and if Jasper told you so, he's a liar."

"I'd be very careful calling people names Edward. It might come back to bite you."

Bella I admitted I was wrong but I did it for the most noble of reasons, to keep you safe and it worked."

"I'm sorry? A minute ago you thought I was dead, was that safe? Edward whatever your motives and as much as you believe you did them for the best of intentions doesn't matter any longer. You see I outgrew you. I don't love you any longer, you showed me that and I'm grateful."

"Don't say that Bella, we were meant for each other, we fit together perfectly."

"So perfectly you left? I get it. Well this time I'm the one walking out the door and I wont be coming back."

"The Volturi are looking for you and they will find you. You'd be safe with me."

"I doubt that Edward but I'm willing to take my chances."

"Don't do this Bella, don't walk out on me."

"Why? You did it to me. Goodbye Edward."