I have waited so long for this: my first flame. It reads as follows, "Anonymous 2009-03-25 chapter 23. Wow...honestly? This story was so-so. I am not going to continue though. It is a big cliche, and it is utterly pointless to read. You are just like every other pathetic author on this site...making Emmett an idiot? He is just as intelligent as the other characters. Begging for reviews? That is low. Giving out reviews shouldn't be forced. They are a gift. That just makes you seem like a selfish, mongering, and shameless twit. I feel sorry for the other readers for having to deal with a pain in the **, incompetent, begging "author" like yourself. You make writing a sham." haha. I'd like to comment. 1st of all, if this said "human being" didn't like the story so much, how did they make it all the way to chapter 23? and if they are such a coward as to not use their fanfiction account to leave a review, I think that makes them the worse person. Also, I'd like to say that I never claimed my writing was GOOD. Secondly, who doesn't ask for reviews? Yeah, I may love getting comments (which I sadly cannot always reply to) but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate them. Thirdly, if you make a painting and ask someone to buy it, does that make you not an artist? I have written this story (which I never claimed to be well written) so therfore that makes me an author. Am I a published author? That subject is kind of if-ie but I'd like to answer that I would've had at least something published if I didn't write so much. Oh well. Detail is important. Lastly, I never said Emmett was dumb. He is silly, yes, but he is not dumb.


I would like to dedicate this chapter to all of my readers, whether you leave a review or not. I would also like to dedicate this chapter to your patience for it. Thank you.


Chapter 28

EPOV

Song: Prodigal by OneRepublic


I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But she didn't arrive.

The ball was half over by the time I shook myself out of silence. This was…unrealistic. Why hadn't she shown? Maybe I just didn't see her yet… Impossible! I've watched the doors from the moment I entered there is no possible way she could've gotten in without me knowing…unless she arrived before I did… But that's impossible because she left about the same time Alice did – according to Alice – and should've arrived several minutes after Alice and Rose.

I felt my gut tighten. As repulsive as it would've been, I wished I could throw up the feeling and be done with it. But no. Something felt wrong. Very, very wrong.

That's it. I need Alice.

I pushed and shoved my way through the thick crowd of ball gowns and suits in search.

It wasn't that hard to find her for she was the life of any party.

"Alice!"

She quickly glanced at me, slowing down to a halt. "Where's Bella?"

"I don't know!" I threw my arms into the air, exasperated. "I've been waiting but she hasn't shown up yet!"

Alice's eyes widened with terror. She brushed away from Jasper and shoved past me. Her head was held high, her eyes gleaming darkly. With a strong, hard beat, her feet pounded against the marble floors. Over the loud music and chatter, I could hear each footfall easily. And each one made the feeling in my stomach worse and worse.

People parted, stepping out of her way quickly. The crowd looked intimidated by her tiny, angered form.

Jasper and I glanced at each other and quickly jogged to catch up.

"What are you doing?" I asked, still running beside her.

Her eyes met mine for only a moment. "I'm finding Bella."

"How?"

She halted, turning to face me fiercely. "Because… I sent her off safely. She should've arrived almost exactly after me. Something…" She paused, eyes watering. "Something…" She pinched her eyes closed, as if waiting for the pain. She inhaled slowly, cautiously. "Something must've happened." She opened her eyes, examining me. "Are you sure you didn't miss her?"

I nodded my head. I would've seen her because of… "I'm sure."

Alice nodded solemnly as if someone had…died.

"Should we try her phone?" Jasper asked.

Optimism shined in Alice's eyes before she snatched her phone from her purse and dragged us into a private room. Her little hand was dialing the numbers faster than I thought possible. As if knowing what Jasper and I wanted, she put the phone onto speaker.

Ring…

Ring…

Ri-

"I'm sorry, this number has been disconnected. If you need help, please dial an operator."

I stared at Alice's cell phone disbelievingly. This could not be happening.

"That was her cell phone," Alice whispered. Her fingers quickly pounded on the numbers even faster, with more urgency.

Ring…

Ring…

Ri-

"I'm sorry, this number has been disconnected. If you need help, please dial an operator."

Alice's hand slowly released her phone as it dropped to the floor, loudly breaking. She stood frozen, the only movement visible the rise and fall of her shoulders with each breath. "That…that was her room…" She pivoted on her heel quickly to face me. "Her room phone isn't supposed to be disconnected…is it?" she asked with a hint of hysterical laughter.

"No."

Alice shook her head slowly. "There has to be some explanation… I'm almost a hundred percent sure she's…missing. I knew something would go wrong! And she had to choose today to have her way… I told her something bad was going to happen and-"

"What?" I asked.

Alice's eyes flashed to mine. "I had this…this feeling that something bad was going to happen…I told her but…"

"I felt it, too," I whispered.

Alice paused, opened her mouth, and then shut it. It was as if she was speechless. Imagine that.

I closed my eyes tightly, though, wanting it to be a dream, no, not a dream, a nightmare because a dream would have Bella in it. That's it! I wanted it to be a horrible nightmare I would forget as soon as I woke up.

My eyes opened painfully. My focus blurred back and forth until I could clearly see Alice and Jasper.

My mind longed for another to be there when I opened my eyes instead.

Bella.

"Edward! I need your help!" Alice screamed in my face, panicked. "Do you know who her limo driver was?"

Pain finally shook through me faster than lightning. My chest tightened more and more, chocking my breathing off. The throbbing shot out of my chest, like a sword that had skewered me. The wound seemed to grow, bigger and bigger and bigger… This couldn't possibly be happening. The pain was just too…unreal for how much it hurt. It was as if this amount of pain couldn't exist. I didn't really hear what she said though. I was trying to. Hoping to, actually, just to ease the pain that was searing through my veins and arteries. My insides felt hollow and lifeless. I tried harder to keep up my mask of calmness.

"Edward?" Alice brushed her hand in front of my face.

I grasped at the sound of her voice. "Yes?" I forced out.

"Edward…it's-it's g-going to…be…o-o-kay!" Sobs started shaking through her. I felt her tears slowly fall onto my tux, gradually staining the material. But I couldn't care about a stupid article of clothing. I opened my eyes and pulled her to my chest.

Alice buried her head into my shoulder, sobbing violently. "It's just…so unex-p-pected!"

Jasper silently rubbed his hand gently over her back.

I had to look away, I couldn't stand to watch them together – it would only remind me of B- B- B-…I can't even think her name. Am I pathetic or what.

"We'll find her," I whispered.

Jasper nodded in agreement. "She could've gotten lost…she could've ran away," he suggested.

We say "goodbye," I turn my back

Run away, run away, so predictable

Not far from here, you see me crack

Like a bone, like a bone, I'm so breakable

I take everything from you

But you'll take anything, won't you?

"Why would she want to run away, though?" Alice shrieked louder, black makeup continuously leaving black water stains on my shirt.

"I…I don't want this…"

Run away, run away, like a prodigal

Don't you wait for me, don't you wait for me

So ashamed, so ashamed, but I need you so

And you wait for me, and you wait for me

I slowly blinked. "She ran…somehow…she ran," I whispered, staring at the wall. "She ran away…she…she didn't want…"

Alice shook my shoulders violently. "What?"

I'm on the road to who knows where

Look ahead, not behind, I keep sayin'

There's no place to go where you're not there

On your rope, I hold tight, but it's frayin'

And I take everything from you

But you'll take anything, won't you?

"When we first met…she said she didn't…didn't want any of this." I gestured to our formal clothing.

Run away, run away, like a prodigal

Don't you wait for me, don't you wait for me

So ashamed, so ashamed, but I need you so

And you wait for me, and you wait for me, yeah

Alice shook her head slowly. "No…no. She wouldn't run away. That's just…not Bella!"

I slammed my hands against the table, quite loudly. "That's just it, Alice! She never does what you expect!"

Alice stared at me. That's all she did. Stare. She stared and stared as I heaved a breath in and out, in and out. She just stared until the room went silent.

Everybody wants to be right, but only if it's night or daylight

And I keep tryin' to find my way back, my way back

I felt myself slowly collapse on the inside as the reality of it all crashed down on me. "…Oh God… Oh my God… She's…g-gone."

Run away, run away, like a prodigal

Don't you wait for me, don't you wait for me

So ashamed, so ashamed, but I need you so

And you wait for me, and you wait for me, yeah

Run away, run away, away from you, from you, from you, oh

That did it.

Alice broke down into harsh sobs against Jasper, her support, her rock. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, whispering.

"We should call Rose and Em," I whispered, adverting my eyes.

Jasper nodded silently and quickly telephoned them.

Not one minute later, the door of the room opened, creating a hollow sound…just like how I felt.

"We heard what happened," Rose said quickly. "We can either call the police or search for her right now."

Alice thought for a moment, sobering up.

"If we call the police," I spoke up, "they might say to wait but I'm not sure they'll say that since it's Be- Bel-…but I think we should search for her."

Emmett and Jasper nodded seriously.

"I still think we should call the police," Alice muttered, wiping the tears from her face.


I stared at the tire marks in the cement, my insides twisting and distorting in ache.

This was the last spot any of us saw her. The spot where she decided to leave us. Or maybe she planned it all along. I mean, she obviously never felt an ounce of what I feel for her if she willingly left.

"Edward?" Alice murmured.

I turned to her.

I was glad it was just the two of us right now. Jasper, Emmett and Rose had gone up to search her room and the near-by roads.

"What?"

"I…I'm sorry, Edward. I know how you felt about her… I just…don't understand how this could've possibly happened…"

I nodded, silently staring at the black skies.

"It just…happened," she whispered quietly. "It seems like something impossible will never happen to you…until it does."

I stared at her, calculating. She seemed to be remembering something… Something that had happened… I swallowed slowly before pulling my cell phone out. What if…what if… "Alice," I breathed, feeling a smile light my face. "She has my phone! What if-"

"Slow down! What now?"

I flashed my phone excitedly. "She has my other cell phone!" Before Alice could utter another word, I dialed the number to the phone she had.

Ring…

Ri-

"Hello?" the quietest whisper possible echoed through the phone speaker.

The pain that had been searing through me seemed to suddenly disappear. "Bella!"

Alice yanked the phone between our ears. "Bella?"

A panicked "Shh!" came through the speaker. "He'll hear you!"

"Bella, you- what? Who's 'he'?" Though I was pain-free, panic started filling the space where it once was.

"I don't know! All I know is that I had a dream about him and he wants to-"

There was an unexpected crunch and then the line went dead.

Alice slowly looked up at me. "She didn't run away…she was kidnapped…"

And then, that pain came back but only to mix with the panic and expand. I felt so full of emotion that I would explode. My hands shook as I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

"Alice…call the police…"

And then…I slid into nothingness. And nothing could save me now. Except for Bella. But who was going to save her?


"I think it's best if we…wait to see if she'll show within the next several hours. It hasn't been twenty-four hours…"

"No," I growled, knocking a table over. "I'm positive she's been kidnapped."

"And how can you be so sure? In most cases, the person in question went out for a walk or snuck out of the house," an officer calmly explained.

"I don't care! I command you to find her!" I hollered.

The officer looked taken aback. "Well then…I assume you'd like us to search to city?"

"Yes! Go! Search! Now!"

The officer nodded somberly. "I'll send some people to look. But if we're going to find her, we need to know the details of the night's events."

"She never showed. We call her and she says something about being quiet so 'he' won't hear. End of story. Now go!"

The officer shook his head but saluted me before shuffling to a comrade.

I groaned to myself under my breath. No one was being cooperative! No one!

I pounded a fist against the wall. Scarlet red streaks slithered gently down the white wash paint. I looked at the side of my palm, shocked. The skin was bruised and broken. I couldn't feel it so I ignored it, turning back to the matter at hand.

If no one was going to cooperate and do what I wanted done, I'd have to do it myself.

I slid a pair of sunglasses onto my face, shielding me from curious gazes and pitying looks. I pulled at the collar of my jacket up, giving myself a sense of privacy. I stomped out of the conference room and out into the parking lot. My car quickly became active and dashed onto the freeway. I pushed my foot onto the gas pedal until it wouldn't go down any further. I passed cars, shooting away from them at an unbelievable speed.

I slammed the door once I was parked next to Alice's car. I stomped up the stairs and into the building, "Alice!"

She ran out from a door. "Any news?"

I shook my head briefly. "I'm going to search the city. I need you and Jasper to search in suspicious buildings. I'll take the streets."

"No! Wait! Edward!"

I turned back to face her. "You're wasting time. What?"

"I…I…want to give you something…"

I silently followed her into her fully lavished room. It would be something important…

She pulled out a trunk from under her bed. She quickly flipped the lid open and dug through its continents. "Um…I know it's here somewhere…it was just- here it is!" Alice bounced quickly to me, rectangular object in hand.

I stared blankly. "What is it?"

She rolled her eyes and thrust the object into my hands. "A CD," she muttered a bit sarcastically.

I gently opened the lid and stared at the silver disc. There was no cover art, no design, no pen marks. "What's on it?"

She sighed. "Edward…hand it to me, I'll play it… I know this might be painful for you but…I think you need to hear this…"

I felt the hairs on my back prickle. "Okay…" I agreed hesitantly.

Alice gave a small smile and forced the CD into a small, jeweled boom box.

After she fiddled with the controls, a soft sound came through.


Many of you may know what is going to happen. I will tell you now that the CD is the one that Bella and Edward made at the recording studio.

Happy Spring Break/Easter!

Sorry if I can't reply to your reviews!

H&H,

dream-a-lot