Bella's POV

My mind raced wildly, though I tried to remain calm. Was he joking? Did he know what I was? He certainly looked serious enough. I forgot about how badly his talk had been boring me, I forgot my still-nagging thirst, and even attempted to push Edward to the back of my mind. I tried to consider all the possibilities. I could be human, maybe Edward too. But that wasn't what I wanted. But Rosalie...now that would be interesting. The thought made me smile. I finally had what I had craved for so long now. I would be more than happy to give her humanity. There was no way I would ever give up eternity with Edward. Or without. The very idea hurt. For all I knew, he was never coming back.

'Doc' was staring at me curiously again. I met his gaze and he looked away quickly and shook his head, as if to rid it of an unpleasant thought.

"I've never heard of this before. How is it done?" I gave myself a mental pat-on-the-back. My voice was steady and betrayed no hint of the impatience I felt.

"Our tribe rituals are not readily given to outsiders."

Oh but they would be! This was something I needed to know. Maybe this was the reason I had felt such an urge to visit the reservation? Thoughts of Edward were with me constantly. Maybe if I was able to undo some of the damage I had caused he would forgive me and come back. I weighed the pros and cons of such a decision as 'Doc' rambled on about tribe secrecy.

As a vampire I would be able to stay with the Cullens forever and Edward too, if he returned. Could I really have caused this much trouble and hurt him this badly? I blamed myself for him leaving. There was no other reason for him to leave his family. I had been changed against his wishes because I couldn't control how I felt. If he never forgave me, if he never returned I would be forced to live forever with only the memory of what we had and the knowledge that I had destroyed what could have been. I couldn't do it.

As a human I would have the chance to fix what had happened. I would be able to wait for Edward to change me. Alice had said he would...eventually. And if he didn't? Memories can vanish as quickly as life. I would rather end my life than spend it apart from him. My mind was made up; the agonizing over a decision was over. Now I had to persuade 'Doc' into telling me how this return to mortality occurred.

"...you understand what I'm sayin' dontcha?" 'Doc's gravelly baritone derailed my train of thought. I could ace any class as a vampire. I had been able to think through a decision completely and absorb everything he had been talking about.

"Of course, I wouldn't want you to violate Quileute customs in order to help me on my paper." My voice was sugary sweet though I felt disgusting flirting with a man old enough to be my grandfather. I was willing to try though, if he would just spill the secret. "Still, I'm very interested in this issue personally. I certainly would not include it in the paper if you did not want me to."

I realized I was toeing the line with my 'personal interest' comments. His emotions confirmed that he hadn't realized exactly why I was so interested however, and there was no longer any suspicion. I could sense nervousness and a disturbing touch of thrill. Gross. This had better work. His eyes had a dazed look and I knew it would.

"You can't tell nobody!" his voice was thick. "I'm gonna show you, so you'll get a better idea of what all's involved." He straightened and walked in an unsteady gait to a closet in the corner. "I'll perform it on 'ya as if you were one of them Cold Ones."

Fear shuddered through my limbs. Did I really want this? No. But it would give me a better chance of receiving Edward's forgiveness as well as regaining his love. That was my motivation. I was relieved that he still believed me to be a human.

"What would happen if this was performed on an actual vampire?" He let out a chuckle. "This won't work on just any vampire – there are conditions. The vampire would have to be new to that life, no more than five years.

Aww, there goes Rosalie's chance of humanity.

"If they had fed from people recently they would die as soon as they became a human. Unless of course, the humans they had murdered happened to have the same blood type as the vampire had as a mortal."

He wasn't making sense. "What?"

"If a vampire was changed less than five years before, then this procedure would work on them. Now let's say this particular vampire had been 'A' positive as a human. If they had recently fed from a human that was anything other than 'A' positive or 'O' type blood then they would die as soon as they became a mortal again. The different types of blood would work against each other. The concept would be similar to a botched up blood transfusion."

I nodded, understanding now. He arranged various carved items and powders on the table. "This won't have any effect on you, bein' a human and all."

'That's what you think' I thought to myself. This was going to be interesting.

Doc pointed to the chair I had been sitting in earlier. "Sit down during this – it'll take about half an hour."

Alice's POV

That was the closest I have ever come to killing another vampire. Rosalie annoyed me with her arrogance and vanity, but what she had said to Bella was cruelty at its utmost. I knew Bella was best left alone when she was upset, so I let her go. I turned on Rosalie instead.

"What is with you! You had no reason to do that!"

She simply turned into the woods toward a herd of deer in the distance.

"Whatever, she'll get over it eventually. She has an eternity after all."

She tossed a smirk back at me over her shoulder, leaving me fuming. I had no appetite now. Rosalie could get home on her own. I started the car and sped back to Forks.

Images flashed before me as put the car in park. Edward driving home, his knuckles white. From the expression on his face I knew he was berating himself for leaving Bella. Good. I would show him what real berating was when he got here. After I finished with Rosalie of course. The next image was more confusing. Bella was in the kitchen of a Quileute. That was all I saw. But why would she be there? Carlisle had told her about the treaty, there had better be some explanation for that one.

I was in my room when Edward pulled up. He met me halfway down the stair. "Where is Bella?" His eyes were frantic. I rolled my eyes at him. "Gee, Edward, I don't know. She ran off when she heard that it wasn't you that had changed her. She's probably thinking that she is the reason you left, that you don't love her because she's a vampire now."

Bad move. Sarcasm didn't go over well when Edward was mad. His eyes flashed an angry black and his voice was rough. "Where is she!" He took a step forward, making me step back. 1, 2, 3, 4...

I counted the stripes in the wallpaper to block him from my mind. We continued that way up the stairs until my back was against the wall in the hallway. His expression shifted as I stared him down. 34, 35, 36...

Finally his shoulders sagged and his voice broke, "Please Alice, just tell me where she went. I need to see her."

"You can't. Not yet at least. She should be back soon." I placed my hand on his shaking shoulder. I hated him for causing Bella pain like this but I knew that any pain I was in, he felt ten times stronger. That was the way he loved Bella. He felt anything she went through and probably hated himself for hurting her. "She's alright, Edward."

I said that, but I wasn't certain of it. I had no idea what was going on at the reservation.

My brother sank down right there in the floor. "What have I done, Alice? Am I really so blind?" He poured out his thoughts and the conclusion he had come to while driving. "I understand now why she did that! I only made it worse by leaving. I can't imagine what she's thinking now, knowing I left her like that." He gave a rueful smile. "I still can't read her mind."

I smiled back, just a little. He didn't need a lecture; he'd given himself a pretty good one. Rosalie however...

Bella's POV

Just a reminder: Bella told Doc her name was Maria

'Doc' spent the next thirty minutes sprinkling powders and muttering strange Quileute phrases while holding the carved figurines. He stopped abruptly. "That's how it's done, Maria." I didn't feel any different. Maybe these people were crazy. I decided to not waste any more time here; I was breaking a treaty anyway. "Thank you for all the information Doc. I'll be sure to keep the ritual out of my paper."

"You do that, miss. Take care now." He followed me out the door and went back to digging in his garden. Beta werewolves my butt – he had to be smoking something.

I was almost off the reservation when I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. I shot off as fast as I could. The pain spread as I ran, invading every inch of my body and making me gasp and gulp the air, though I no longer needed the oxygen. I collapsed about ten miles into the woods. I curled into a ball on the dead leaves, trying to shut out the agony.

The change had felt like fire. This was ice.

Alice's POV

Edward had shut himself in his room and fifties music was blaring from his speakers. I was getting up to find Jasper when I saw it. "EDWARD!" I rushed into his room and unplugged the speakers. I stood for a moment, allowing him to see my vision as it replayed in my mind. His face was a mask of horror. "Bella..." his voice trailed off. I nodded. The image of her blood covered body writhing on the ground was far too real. I raced out of the room after him. What had that Quileute done to her?