A/N: We are rapidly approaching an end to this story! I love it so much and believe me, the next few chapters will be wild. Please tell me what you think!
The two weeks which followed Esme's return were filled with tension for the family and great indignation on Carlisle's part. The woman who he's once considered the epitome of femininity and ideal partner seemed to do all she could to bring down all joy in the household. Every day, once out of hearing distance of the family, Bella would receive harsh comments regarding her weight and appearance, often in reference to her belly, which now appeared to have grown exponentially.
Remarkably, despite only being conceived a few months ago, Bella appeared to be closer to eight months pregnant.
And according to everyone in the home, it affected her dearly. Bella's mental health seemed to decline rapidly since finding out she was mated to Carlisle in the manner she had. She no longer spoke, no longer ate, bathed, or even functioned as she once had. She was the shell of the young woman she was, and it became increasingly clear to the Cullens that she appeared to be a danger to herself. On several occasions, Bella seemed to have mysteriously acquired bruises. At first, it was assumed that the cause of such trauma was from Esme, but upon seeing new marks form when Carlisle was home alone with her, it was decided that Bella had to be doing it to herself.
Unfortunately, the marks were just the beginning. On several instances that a member would return to the home, there was a heavy layer, or smoke clouding the air, almost as if someone were starting fires. In the past few days, embers started falling from the air forming a trail that led directly to Bella's room, where she would keep the door closed at all times. God only knew what truly was going on behind that door, but when screaming arose from the room a few days ago and Bella was found trembling, naked, and hair burned Carlisle was left with no other choice but to bound her hands and feet to her bed for her not to harm herself.
Rosalie stared at the girl she considered a dear friend in horror. How could such a thing happen, she thought sorrowfully, wishing there could be some way to her. Billy, the voice in her head reminded her. You must go to William Black.
And so she did, calling up the man by getting his number from Charlie and deciding to meet up for a cup of coffee in Port Angeles.
CARLISLE
"Emmett can you come here please?" Carlisle asked kindly to his son who arrived by his side in a nanosecond bearing a bright smile.
"What is it pops?" Emmett asked brightly, trying to lift his father's spirits to no avail.
Carlisle shot him a sad smile. Emmett took a moment to observe his father; he seemed to have aged significantly and was in desperate need of a hunt. He bore dark circles under his eyes, grey skin, and appeared drastically thinner. Bella's rejection had hurt him to his core, and despite his best efforts, it was obvious to everyone in the home.
"Son, according to Charlie, it appears as though I may be in need to hunt. Thankfully, Charlie has invited me to accompany him. With Rose gone and.- "
Carlisle stopped for a second and winced, settling on saying Charlie's daughter before continuing. "In the condition she's in, I thought it would be best to leave you with her and Esme as to prevent her from smothering her in her sleep."
"No problem." Emmett smiled weakly to his father,
ROSALIE
"I saw his handprint," Rosalie confessed, releasing a sigh as she did so. "I just thought I was being paranoid? Or maybe something else, but it wasn't possible. Edward is dead. He can't reach out and touch anyone." She said in a tone as if she were trying to convince herself more than Billy. The blonde bombshell again seemed very nervous, furthermore, somehow appearing smaller as she hunched in her chair, allowing her hands to cup the mug in front of her.
Billy shot her a weak smile, trying to ease her tension, but also feeling bad for her. She truly had no idea what she was in for; none of them did.
"You think you of all people would know dead doesn't always mean finished. " He tried to say somewhat slightly, but it came out as bitter instead.
Rosalie squinted her eyes in an attempt to avoid wincing. What is it now? She wondered in slight irritation, bracing herself for the news as Billy breathed in deeply but didn't speak.
"What are you saying?" She asked him cautiously after a moment of silence between them,
"I'm saying I don't think Edward ever had any intention of escaping that night in the cave. You said he was a mind reader correct? Well, what if he knew Charlie was coming when he did? What if he knew that the chaos he unleashed would result in his demise? Edward was no fool, and he knew that the attention he brought himself would ultimately lead to his death."
"Again, I ask you... What are you saying?" Rosalie asked more impatiently with a furrowed brow
"I'm saying Edward wasn't as ignorant as you all thought. Pig-headed and self-righteous, yes but educated in the law. Yours, mine, and ours. My father spoke of how he knew of our legends, laws, and customs. Staying alive was only his first plan, and I think he is waiting for precisely the right moment to come back and take Bella once again."
Rosalie stared at him in silence and confusion. "His laws? A second plan, what? It did not make any sense." Rosalie hissed at him in anger and confusion. Desperately hoping that Billy was just being a paranoid old man. Billy did not answer but looked at her with his mouth in a thin line as he waited for her to ask the question he knew she would ask. Rosalie stopped talking abruptly and cocked her head to the side for a bit as if she were trying to figure out something in her head.
"Come back? Come back how?" Rosalie inquired finally.
"You tell me, Rose?" Rosalie furrowed her brow at the old man and tried in vain to keep her annoyance from sprinkling about her face. What the hell was with these Natives and riddles? She thought while resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Focus! The voice from within her panicked as a myriad of scenes flashed before her eyes. The bruises, burns, embers, His scent, the baby.
"The baby"... She voiced with a chill and hollow tone. "Edward wants to be reborn."
The Hunt
The air was still and dewy as we passed through the unseasonably dark Forks wood. Charlie, a few meters in front of me hesitated, Looking back and throwing me a raised eyebrow as if saying, "are you feeling what I'm feeling" I nodded slowly once but proceeded. I could hear no others approaching... As a matter of fact, I could hear nothing, not even the crunch of leaves beneath my feet.
"Charlie, I think we should,"- I wanted to say, but nothing came out. There was no sound, and as I looked for Charlie, the dark trees I knew he passed, were replaced by a dark nothingness that produced a steady flow of heat.
"Charlie", I tried to say once more, but again nothing came out. The heat started to become more and more intense, unpleasantly so, making my clothes begin to singe from the warmth.
"Aaah," Bella's scream pierced through the darkness like a dagger, sending me into a frenzy of desperation.
"Bella!" I screamed her name into the air, although no sound followed.
Where am I?
Where is Charlie?
"Witch!" I heard a female voice mutter from into the darkness. Wha- I started to run at vampire speed but was unable to keep pace. I ran slower and clumsier, breathing heavily, as fire burned into my lungs. I heaved, feeling my heart thud in my chest as I hit the ground.
"Witch!"
"Demon!"
"Vampire!"
In the darkness, there was light. A light-filled with a small crowd dressed in the garb, which was commonplace when I was mortal. The sun shined on them, and before its rays could touch my skin, I tried to get away, but I could not. I was tied to something, something that I still could not decipher in the darkness which clouded my back and peripherals.
The cries from the crowd grew as several commoners began to throw stones and rotten food towards me. Just then, the sun shined against my wrist, and to my surprise, I did not glitter. I was mortal again.
No, this wasn't real. This couldn't be happening. But it did happen, my inner voice commented sadly. Look around. Remember this day.
I closed my eyes tightly once before opening them up again. The darkness was completely gone, and I was not tied alone. By my sides, there were two women crying profusely, trembling as they were tied to the pyre.
"Burn them!" A male voice insisted, followed by the cheers of the crowd.
"Burn those in league with The Devil."
No, God, no. This was witch burning, which had to have meant...
I searched the crowd as quickly as my human eyes could until I landed on my own sad eyes for a second. I had to have been around four years old, and I looked petrified when our eyes met each other. I frowned for a second before I found who I wanted to, my father; Reverend Cullen, and by his side, a snickering immortal Edward, draped in a cloak.
