Bella
They're leaving.
I stumble my way over to the window and watch for them walking out of the building.
They are really leaving me here.
What do I do now? In such a short space of time my entire world has collapsed, and I don't know where it is safe to stand.
I know they've done this to try and encourage me, but really, what hope is there left for me? How can I come back from everything I've done, everything I've been through?
No one needs me. No one even wants me, not really.
I walk to the couch and sit down in a heap.
Part of me knows this would be the perfect opportunity to plan some great heist, but my brains too slow.
When did I stop being able to think clearly? When did I last try to think?
I put my head in my hands, trying to staunch the flow of tears that are threatening behind my eyes.
There's no one here, absolutely no one, and I'm so alone.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I chant to myself pushing the heels of my hands further into my eyes. "Of all the stupid…"
How could I have let those idiots back into my life? It's because of them I lost EVERYTHING.
"Go away!" I scream into the empty apartment not caring who hears me.
I'm panting and shaking.
"Look what's happened now," I continue rambling, "all alone once again. No one cares. No one is here. What's the point of being here?"
It's that thought that stays with me as I stand up and walk towards the door.
There's no point in being here. There's no point to me. Not anymore….
Jasper
"Are you sure we did the right thing?" Alice asks me for nearly the hundredth time. She's spent the whole time desperately trying to see something, anything, that will give a hint as to the outcome. Thank goodness I haven't told the others; I don't think I could bear dealing with them, too.
"I don't know, but we'll soon find out."
We're making our way back to the apartment block, after hunting outside of town. It's harder getting large prey in these city areas, so we had to make do with multiple glorified snack bars.
It's as we come out of the elevator that I know something is wrong. Even from this distance, I know she's not here anymore. Her scent is too strong down the hallway, and there's no heartbeat from the area where she should have been.
There's nowhere else in the building she could be, either. No gym, no laundry room.
I press the button for the first floor. The stairs would be faster, but I don't trust the human façade in this state. I tap my foot, wishing the darn thing would hurry up.
Alice is speaking, but I can't hear what she's saying over my worry and anger.
When we finally reach the first floor, I launch myself out and towards the front desk.
"Did a young woman come out of here last night?" I demand to the rather sleepy boy.
"I don't know, I didn't have the night shift, I just got here. Do you want me to check the CCTV?"
I barely hold back the snarl that's rising. "No." I stalk back out of the building, my nose on high alert.
As soon as I get outside, I know I'm never going to find her like this. It's been raining, and who knows how long it's been since she left.
Behind me, Alice is on the phone to Emmett.
"They're on their way," she says to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Maybe there's something inside? A note or something?"
"Fat chance, it's like last time. She's just gone."
Even after all of this time, I've never quite gotten over the fact that a mere human got away from me in the airport. It should have been easy. Yet, here we are again.
Not having another option yet, I allow Alice to pull me back inside.
She walks over to the desk clerk and briefly explains that a close family friend was staying with us and has gone missing, and requests that they contact us if they find anything on their video recordings. She also gives them a brief description of what she looked like.
This should be me. I'm the one trained to handle this sort of thing.
Together we go back up to the apartment.
It barely takes me ten seconds to trawl the entire apartment and determine that Bella has left nothing for us to find. In fact, she hasn't even taken anything. Her shoes are by the door still, as is the coat Alice had gotten her.
The night was so cold. How would Bella have coped without the bare essentials?
My worry just continues to increase.
Is there anywhere on the streets that is safe for her now? Somehow I doubt she'll be going back to her usual haunt.
Then it hits me. She can easily be on a bus or a train out of here. Our tracking skills are good, but really, if she uses cash, then the paper trail will be minimal. What will we do then?
As I'm starting to pace, Emmett storms through the door, closely followed by a very frustrated Rosalie.
"Is she here?" Emmett immediately asks.
"What do you think?" I snap back at him, frustrated at his lack of perception. "Now that you're here, let's go. We need to catch her, and fast."
"She clearly left because she didn't want us here, why are we bothering going after someone who clearly doesn't want help and means nothing to this family? She's just a human, living her human life in the way she chooses, let her get on with it."
Three furious vampires turn on Rosalie after those words.
"If you don't want to help, fine, leave us to it." I turn away from her, not quite showing her my back, and address Alice. "I need you to go and check the common places, the hospital, library, police station, and so on. There's a chance she'd go there for help, though I'm not optimistic. Emmett," I say, turning back to him and throwing a dirty glare at Rosalie as I pass, "you can trawl the streets. Be careful not to draw attention to the fact that she's missing, as others may know her, and we don't want to leave her vulnerable. I'm going to check the public transportation locations."
Everyone nods, and scrambles out the door.
Alone, I rush out of the building and towards the nearest taxi. I could easily go on foot and check everywhere much quicker, but then I risk exposure, and that isn't a problem I need to deal with tonight.
I tell the driver to head for the nearest bus stop, and explain that a family member has gone missing and that I would appreciate his speed in the matter.
Thankfully, he steps straight on the gas and we are heading off into the morning.
We check all of the local places within reasonable, night-time walking distance from the apartment with no luck, and I'm running out of additional places to check. After a quick phone call to Emmett and Alice, I head back to the apartment to regroup.
Neither of the other two have managed to spot hide nor hair of Bella in the last few hours of searching, and the chances of us finding her alive are dwindling by the minute.
"We need to call for help," Alice says. "I wish I could see the conversation, and it's not been decided yet to be clear enough, but I do know that calling is going to help our search."
I put my head in my hands. "Who do we call, Alice?" I ask, partially afraid of the answer.
"Eventually, Jake, but there's only one person I know who would have those contact details."
She's right. "I'll do it," I tell them as I pull out my phone and make the call to Carlisle.
The phone barely rings once before Carlisle's smooth voice answers. "Son, it's been too long."
"Yes, but I'm afraid this isn't a social call. I need the contact details for the Quileute tribe."
The line goes silent.
"I don't know what you've all gotten yourself into, but we left that area some time ago. I don't see any reason to be contacting them again any time soon."
My frustration starts to grow. II know that he isn't going to easily hand over the information. "Please, I need to get in touch with the Blacks. It's about…" I trail off, wondering the best way to say this, especially considering who may be listening. "It's about Bella."
"Bella is well, we must leave her to her life now. I know you have regrets and disappointments, but it really is for the best now – "I cut him off.
"We've found her again, and her safety may well depend on us being able to speak to Jacob Black."
There's a very loud bang from somewhere down the phone line, followed by shuffling as though someone is being restrained.
"I want more answers, but I will send the details," Carlisle says, clear reluctance and worry in his voice.
"Thank you," I say, immediately hanging up and opening up the message.
Alice has sat down beside me and is once again looking in the future for anything that could help us.
This time, the phone rings for much longer than before. I think it's about to ring out when a, rather grizzly, voice answers. "Hello?."
"Hello, is thisJacob I'm speaking to?"
His voice comes further into focus. "It is, who's this?"
"My name is Jasper Whitlock, though you would know me by Hale. I beg you not to hang up, there is a matter of grave importance which I must discuss with you."
"You're one of the Cullens," he spits down the phone. "How dare you call me, we need nothing more to do with your kind. Say what you're gonna say, then leave us alone."
"We have inadvertently become reacquainted with Bella."
"You've found her? Is she well? Is she with you? Does she know you're calling me?" I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. He clearly still cares for her, even if his actions don't show her otherwise.
"She was with us in Portland, the situation is… She is not good, but has gone missing, and we have reason to fear for her welfare. Can you think of anywhere she would go? Any safe spaces she may frequent?"
His reply is so quiet and shaky that I barely hear it. "Check the bridge."
I nearly ask him to explain what he means by that, but then it clicks.
"She… She's tried before, when he left. She was in a bad way then, like a zombie, we thought it was going to be the end, it nearly was, if the wolves hadn't found her on the cliff edge." My heart starts to break. Bella had been affected by us leaving to such an extreme that she'd considered suicide? "Just, find her. Please. And, I know what I said, but let me know she's safe."
"I will," I promise, "Thank you Jacob." I put the phone down and take Alice's hand. "We need to go, now."
Walking out of the building once again together, not stopping to talk to the desk clerk who tries to say something, we flag down a cab to take us to Fremont bridge.
As soon as we pull onto the road, I can see a figure standing there. I don't know if I want it to be her or not. On the one hand, she's still alive. On the other, she's so broken she feels the need to be here.
I wish the bridge was quieter, but given the early morning, everyone is out and off on their daily commutes. How are humans so callous as to just walk past another human in clear distress? There's no way I'll be able to get to her before she realizes I'mthere. How quickly can she jump before I'm able to reach her?
I jump out, leaving Alice to pay the driver, and stride towards her. It's when I get closer that I'm easily able to confirm that it is in fact her.
Bella stands, looking out at the water, braced on the handrail. With my vampire sight, I can clearly see that she's been crying, and her skin is covered in goosebumps from the cold night.
Not wanting to scare her, I stop a short distance away and speak her name softly.
She still startles and turns to face me, immediately starting to back away with her hand's raised. "No," she cries, "You can't be here, you need to leave. Just go!"
I take a few steps closer to her until I'm close enough to reach and take her hand gently.
"All may seem lost, but this is not the answer."
"I don't know what you, I'm not, you've got it wrong," she stammers. I just raise my eyebrow in response and her resolve falters. "Please, just leave, it's the best thing for everyone."
"You don't have to be strong forever. The battle is dark, but brighter days will appear. It might not seem so now, but it is possible." I gently pull her closer into me and wrap my arms around her as she starts to sob.
The crowd of people around me continue to filter past, some throwing annoyed glares at us for blocking the path, but I don't pay any attention.
Ever so slowly, as though they're the first steps made in a long time, we walk back towards the cab still parked with Alice. I make no attempt to speed her up or stop her tears. No matter how painful it is for me to watch, sometimes pain is needed to flush the wound and allow for healing.
We make it back to the cab, and the driver sends a concerned look over his shoulder at the young girl. Sensing him about to ask what's going on, I quickly give him the address.
Getting the message that it isn't going to be helpful to be asking questions, the drive back is made in near silence.
Alice has taken my place holding Bella as she cries, and I can feel her heart break further with every moment that passes.
How would I tell everyone what was happening? Would they want to be involved? Would that even be a good idea for Bella? Are we a good idea for Bella?
Thoughts spiral through my mind as I watch her continue to sob.