Chapter 24 - The Escape

Bella

Tears pour nonstop down my face. Edward carries me swiftly into the woods, leaving my wrecked house and the body of my father far behind. His footsteps are eerily silent against the forest floor. There's no crunching of dry leaves or snapping of twigs like you would expect to hear. The last rays of the sun disappear below the horizon. Our surroundings plunge into ink black. I can't see a thing, not even the trees zipping by inches away from us. Yet Edward keeps on going, his course never faltering.

Before long, I see the lights of the Cullen house shining like beacons in the night. Edward throws open the front door with a bang and calls out Esme's name. She shows up in a heartbeat of time, takes one look at me, and asks what's wrong. They talk back and forth, their lips moving so quickly that it's impossible to know what's being said. Their conversation looks like one you might see as you're fast forwarding through a movie on a VHS tape. Esme gasps and then takes off running out the door. Where she's going, I have no idea. Whenever I open my mouth to ask, nothing but hiccuping sobs come out.

Edward takes me up to his room on the third floor and tries to set me down on the leather couch. The thought of sitting there on my own has me panicking. I have to feel him, to know that he's here and won't leave me like everyone else seems to do. I shake my head and whimper, my fingers digging deeper into the fabric of his shirt. He seems to understand what I want without needing to ask. He sits me down in his lap and wraps his arms around me. They are the only things holding me together. If he lets go, I will fall apart.

I keep thinking about what happened tonight and how it all came to be. If James had gotten what he wanted back when I first ran into him, things would have turned out different. Better, even. James would have left Forks satisfied and with a full belly. He wouldn't have taken Rory, prematurely ended her human life, or sent her to my house months later to retrieve me. Dad died because of me, because I didn't willingly walk off with James that night so many weeks ago.

I spiral further into a pit of guilt. My body convulses from my anguished cries. I can barely breathe. Edward begins rocking me in place, as you would a colicky infant. Next, he hums a tune in my ear. It's like a punch in the gut. The song is the one my mom used to sing at night, a fact Edward already knows. It hurts to hear something tied to her memory at a time like this. I lost so much when she died, and now I've lost even more with Dad's passing. But as Edward continues to hum, the song penetrates through my wall of grief. I begin to remember how much love Mom put into the song when she sang it to me. I hear it in Edward's voice too. The melody begins soothing me instead of inflicting pain. When the song ends, he starts right back at the beginning. He does this over and over. The flow of tears streaming down my face tapers to a sniffle here or there. My breathing slows down and stabilizes. I place my cheek against Edward just to feel the notes of the song vibrate inside of his chest. It's the most comforting sound I have ever heard. My heavy eyelids gradually lose the fight and close.

Sleep overtakes me.

When I wake up some time later, I immediately notice two things. One: It's morning. And two: There's no gentle, rock-hard arms holding me anymore.

Edward is gone.

Wide-eyed with fright, I throw off the blanket that somehow came to be wrapped around my body and shoot up into a sitting position on the couch. I do a quick visual scan of his bedroom. Although he isn't anywhere to be found, I do see that I am not alone. A person with caramel colored hair (and who has possibly the most sympathetic expression on her face that I've ever seen) is standing by the wall of enormous windows.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" asks Esme in her light, airy voice.

My bottom lip quivers for a split second but I recover quickly. I don't want to become hysterical like I did last night. I smother my true feelings for now and try to maintain eye contact. "OK. I'm just a little tired," I answer.

Tired. Yeah. That's what crying for half the night will do to you.

"You're welcome to rest more if you need to."

I shake my head. "Thanks but I don't think I can sleep anymore." I pause for a moment before asking a question that could potentially send me right back into panic mode. "Where's Edward?"

"He's in the study. He asked me to stay with you until he gets back."

My ability to breathe returns. At least Edward isn't off hunting for James on his own like I first feared. "What's he doing in the study?"

"He and Carlisle are having a talk." Esme's eyebrows come together and pucker, as though what she needs to say next gives her pain. "A lot happened while you were asleep." All of the sudden, her head pivots to the side, similar to a robin when it hears the sound of a worm crawling underneath the ground. Her eyes dart back to mine. "Edward said you can join him in the study if you'd like."

I nod in agreement. Esme puts an arm around my shoulder and escorts me out the door. As we walk downstairs, she doesn't try to push me to talk, which I appreciate at the moment. We come to a room made up of floor to ceiling bookshelves. The quiet conversation taking place inside stops upon my entrance. Carlisle sits behind an antique wooden desk while Edward stands in front of it. He rotates around to face me. As soon as our gazes cross, he spreads open his arms. I walk into them without hesitation. For the first time since I woke up this morning, I feel whole again.

Edward guides us to an empty chair and encourages me to sit. He takes up a standing position at my side. I glance between the three somber-faced individuals in the room and wait for someone to fill me in on what I've missed. No one chooses to speak up quickly enough to my liking.

"So... Esme said some things happened while I was asleep," I say as an icebreaker.

"Yes." Frustration colors Edward's words, making him frown. "Carlisle and Esme searched high and low for James last night but couldn't find him. He knows tricks to make tracking him more difficult."

"We believe that he's still in the area," Carlisle adds. "I found a trace of his scent before dawn right outside of Forks."

"What do you think he was doing?" I ask.

"Checking to see if we're still doing patrols, most likely. Once he came across our scents, it looked like he turned around and headed back into the forest. He could be anywhere by now."

Before I can react to the news, Edward takes my hand within his cool grasp. "There's more you should know, Bella. Carlisle and Esme went by your house last night too. And, well...it was badly damaged, as you already know - both inside and out. They were worried that someone would drive by and notify the authorities..."

"And that would be bad?"

"Very bad," Carlisle confirms. "To have a house damaged to such an extent is almost unheard of without there being a tornado or earthquake involved. The police would have been left scratching their heads. And, of course, there's your father to consider." He clasps his fingers together on top of the desk and shakes his head sadly. "Chief Swan died in such a violent manner, and seemingly without explanation. That would lead to unanswered questions and a whole lot of speculation in town. Vampire law states that all evidence of our existence must either be eliminated entirely or easily explained away. The Volturi frown upon anything less. And leaving a scene in that state would certainly draw their attention."

Worry has me sitting up a little straighter. "So you're saying the Volturi might come here?"

"No," Edward responds lightning fast. "The Volturi won't ever know about you or what happened here last night. Carlisle and Esme took care of everything." He drops to his knees in front of me and squeezes my hand tighter. "Your house is gone, Bella."

My face screws up in confusion. "What?"

"They went to your house to survey the damage. The fight I had with Rory weakened the structure. Carlisle thinks the place would have been condemned and eventually torn down. But like he explained before, leaving the house in that condition would be too dangerous. Something had to be done before daylight... before someone could see and report it." Edward dips his head forward, as though he's too ashamed to look me in the eyes. "They created a natural gas leak in the kitchen. When enough of the fumes had built up, the flame on the stove sparked the gas in the air. The house... it's gone."

My heart lurches in my chest. "But my dad was still in there!"

Edward's face snaps back up. "No, he wasn't. Carlisle carried him outside before the explosion and placed him in the front yard. The logical conclusion will be that the force of the blast threw your father from the house. Most likely the coroner will assume that's what killed him."

I relax but only slightly. "Where is he now?"

"The county morgue."

I remain quiet and wait for the relief to come. It never does. My dad may not have been inside when the house exploded, but the morgue isn't a much better place to be either. He's dead.

Dead.

Never again will he get to watch Monday night football in the living room, write traffic tickets, or anything else he once loved to do.

And it's all because of me...

"Bella?"

I turn around in my chair to meet the eyes of the person who just spoke. Esme, who had been hovering all this time in the doorway, moves closer.

"I know this might not sound like much," she begins, "but, um... before we rigged the stove to explode, I searched the house for things that might have sentimental meaning to you. For things that you might want to keep? Well...I think I got all of your photo albums, and I took the liberty of gathering your book collection. There's a few keepsakes I saw scattered around you and your father's bedrooms that I grabbed too. I brought it all home with me and stored it in the guest room. You're welcome to go through it whenever you're ready."

"Thanks," I mumble. "You didn't have to do that."

"Oh, but it was the least I could do. You're family now. And if you need anything - and I mean anything - please let me know." I nod at her kind offer, too overwhelmed to respond further.

Edward's eyes sweep up and down my troubled face. "Are you all right?"

The sight of him worrying about me yet again is sobering. He has enough on his plate already. Me having a nervous breakdown on top of everything else would only make things harder on him. So, I rein in my emotions and slip a nearly emotionless mask in place. Hopefully, he won't notice.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I reply as calmly as I can.

"You're not upset about the house?"

"No. I - um - already had a feeling that it was pretty much destroyed. It's not like I could have lived there anymore. So if blowing the house up was the only way to keep us safe from the Volturi, then I understand why it had to be done."

He stares for several beats and then sighs, shoulders falling. "I'm sorry, Bella," he breathes out.

I want to banish that tortured look from his eyes. Before I can touch his face, the telephone squawks. I flinch at the sound. Carlisle snatches up the receiver. "Hello," he answers. He listens for only a handful of seconds and then presses a button on the telephone's base. "OK, you're on speakerphone, Alice. Where are you and Jasper now?"

"We're at a regional airport." The voice I hear is girlishly high and sweet sounding, like a flute. "I'm sorry but our charted flight has been delayed. Some stupid dust storm has all the planes grounded. If it doesn't clear up soon, I guess we'll have to run to Sydney on foot. At this rate we won't make it to Forks until tomorrow midday at the earliest."

"Have you seen anything else since we last spoke?"

"Yes and no. I finally got a few visions of this James guy in the last couple of hours... but he's constantly changing his mind! You know, making plans and then backing out? Anyway, it's really screwing with me. Like, thirty minutes ago, he was thinking of heading to Seattle to create more 'help' - if you know what I mean."

I hear a deep, animal growl come from Edward. Carlisle ignores it and carries on his conversation with Alice. "You believe James is headed to Seattle?"

"No... at least not yet, he isn't. The last I saw him, he was standing waist deep in water. Couldn't tell you where, though, other than it's in a forested area. What I can tell you is this: James is spontaneous. He likes to live in the moment. Predicting his next move is going to be a challenge. And don't underestimate him. I got a glimpse of him training, and let's just say he's a very talented fighter. It would be best to go after this guy with a partner in tow, just to be safe."

I lean close to Edward's ear. "How could she know all that about James without ever meeting him?"

Edward wipes his scowl away before he answers my question. "Remember when I told you that some vampires have special abilities?" I nod. He continues in a whisper. "Well, Alice is a clairvoyant. While she's not always accurate, her predictions do come in handy sometimes."

"Hmph! I'm right more often than not, Edward," the voice on the phone snaps.

My eyebrows lift in surprise. This Alice must have excellent hearing too.

"Alice?" Esme calls out. "Have you seen anything out of Rosalie and Emmett? I've tried calling them several times today but all I'm getting is their answering machine. I'm starting to get worried."

"They're fine. They left their chateau two nights ago and, on a whim, decided to go on a trip to the Swiss Alps. They won't get any of your messages for three more days."

"Three days? I was hoping that they would get here sooner than that. We could really use their help." Frown lines form on Esme's face. "Why isn't-"

"Why isn't the Denali family answering their phone? It's because they had a thunderstorm up there last Friday. The telephone lines are still down." After a pause, Alice adds more. "I have other news to share with you. As soon as the fire at Bella's house is put out fully, the police will be scouring it for her body. They'll realize pretty quick that she isn't there. The search for her will begin soon after."

"When?" Edward barks out.

"Late this evening. They're going to begin questioning people in town about her possible whereabouts."

Edward stares at me while he speaks to Alice. "And how long before they get a clue of where she might be?"

"They'll be knocking at your door tomorrow morning at ten o'clock sharp. One of your former classmates will inform a deputy about Bella Swan's rumored 'long distance' boyfriend."

Edward drags a hand down his face. Then, he locks eyes with Carlisle. "If they find Bella before we can eliminate James, that nomad will track her down to wherever the police took her. We have to get her away as soon as possible." Carlisle silently agrees. Edward glances back at the speakerphone. "Do you foresee any problems during our journey, Alice?"

"I don't know. You haven't decided where to go yet." Edward purses his lips and remains quiet. "Ah," Alice replies after a short time. "Now I see. Well... the cabin looks safe enough. No one will think to look for her there. But, I think it's best to wait for the clouds to come back before you leave. Otherwise you'll be sparkling down the highway like a polished gemstone. Wait until after three this afternoon and you should be OK."

"All right. And where do you see James during all of this?"

"That's our only problem. I don't see him at all. It's like he's-"

She suddenly goes silent. Carlisle exchanges a look of concern with Esme. "Alice? Are you still there?"

A fumbling sound comes from the speakerphone. "Hello," a man's voice says. "Sorry but you'll have to put up with me for a while. Alice is - uh - busy at the moment."

"Is she having another vision?"

"Looks like it." The man lowers his tone. "Must be an important one. She's deep into it and isn't blinking. And, unfortunately, we have a small, captivated audience watching her at this damn airport."

The line goes momentarily mute again. Two muffled voices talk back and forth in the background. Then, much louder for the benefit of their eavesdroppers, we hear, "Thanks for holding the phone for me, Jazz. I haven't slept too well lately. I hate it when I zone out like that."

"Are you there, Alice?" Carlisle asks.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm back," she replies at normal volume. A strange, faraway quality enters her voice. "I saw James. It was only a glimpse, really. But, um, he was walking towards a building. There were people and cars with Washington plates near him, too. I didn't like the look on his face. I have a gut feeling he wasn't there to play nice and sightsee."

Esme barks out a question. "Can you describe the building to us?"

"The outside is made of wood shingles. It has a cutesy, rustic look. That's all I saw."

Carlisle leans back in his chair, his face suddenly weary. "You just described roughly half of the buildings on the Olympic Peninsula."

"Sorry. If it's any help, I can also say that this doesn't happen until the sun is low in the sky. That means it has to take place in the late afternoon to early evening. The only problem is I don't know if it will happen today, tomorrow, or weeks from now." Alice audibly sucks in a breath. "Yes! Our flight will be taking off in forty minutes! We gotta go. I'll check back with you guys once we reach Sydney." Carlisle wishes the two of them well and hangs up.

"What are we going to do?" asks Esme.

Edward stares at my hand and plays with my fingers. "Exactly what Alice advised," he answers quietly. "We're taking Bella to the cabin near Hoquiam this afternoon."

"But what's going to happen when we leave here? It might be a building in town Alice saw James walking towards. We can't leave those poor people unprotected."

"You're right," agrees Carlisle. "You three will go to the cabin. I'll stay behind and watch over Forks."

"All by yourself?" Esme's mouth pinches together. "Oh, no no no! You heard Alice. That nomad is dangerous. If you're staying, then I'm staying behind too."

Carlisle stands up to embrace her, looking deep into her eyes. "I'm sorry, honey, but you have to go. James is after Bella, therefore she needs both you and Edward to ensure her safety."

"But you-"

"I'll be fine. Jasper and Alice will be here to help me tomorrow. I promise I won't engage with James unless I absolutely have to."

The fight in her fades somewhat. She nods her head in defeat. "All right." She glances at Edward. "Which car should we take?"

"Mine. It's faster." His steady gaze focuses on me. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really," I reply.

He gives a disapproving look. "It's almost noon. You need to eat something."

Esme puts her small hand on my shoulder. "Edward is right, Bella. It's going to be a long day and you need to keep up your strength. Let me show you to the kitchen. I'll whip you something up."

I'm about to reject the offer but Edward's pleading eyes change my mind. "OK," I mutter.

He gives my hand one last squeeze before letting go. He rises from his crouching position on the floor, walks a step or two, then comes to an abrupt stop. "Oh. And Esme? While you're in the kitchen, be sure to look through the pantry. We need to bring at least several days worth of food for Bella."

"Will do," she says.

Edward leaves the study and heads to the garage to check the oil levels in his car. Esme and I walk downstairs and into the kitchen. She insists that I take a seat on a barstool and allow her to do everything. She rummages through the freezer and then the refrigerator. After a short minute, she turns around. Her cheerful confidence has been replaced with a hesitancy I've never seen from her before.

"I just remembered," she begins quietly. "I don't know how to cook."

"Well that's OK. I wasn't hungry anyw-"

She holds up her hand, signalling for me to stop my train of thought. "Now, I may not be able to prepare a spiral ham or a roast turkey, but I do know how to at least make you a sandwich. Do you like tuna salad? I saw the recipe on a coupon once."

I give a quick nod. She gets to work opening cans and chopping up celery, pickles, and onion. The sandwich is plated and in front of me quicker than a meal you might order at a drive thru. I take a cautious bite...then I dig in. For a vampire who hasn't eaten in several decades, she made a damn good tuna salad sandwich.

While I eat, Esme loads a few paper sacks down with nonperishable goods. She's finished with the task long before I've even reached the halfway point of my simple meal. It isn't until she's tidying up the kitchen that I swallow down the last bite.

"Why don't you go and relax for a little while, hmm?" she says as she's wiping down the countertops. "Watch TV. Read. Take a nap. Anything you like."

"Would it be possible for me to take a shower?"

She abandons the rag she had been cleaning with and walks over to me. "Of course you can. Edward's out in the garage getting everything ready for our trip. You can use his bathroom."

I follow Esme back to the third floor and enter Edward's bedroom. She grabs my duffel bag from its spot by the couch and flings a door open to reveal a white tiled bathroom. She zips inside and pulls out towels and a new toothbrush still in its package. Dumping all the items on the vanity, she swivels back around to address me.

"There. I think that's everything, Bella. I keep each bathroom stocked with a variety of soaps and shampoos, so pick whatever you like. They're all on that shelf in the shower. And if there's anything else you need, just call my name. I'll be back here in a jiffy to help. OK, dear?"

I give her the tiniest of smiles and nod. Esme really is nice. I hope to repay her kindness someday.

Once she is gone, I happen to get a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes are red-rimmed, and a night of crying made my face look all puffy and discolored. I immediately glance away in disgust. Why didn't anyone tell me that I look like death warmed over? Hopefully a long shower will erase the damage. Off goes my shirt, jeans, and under clothes. I throw everything into a pile on the floor and step into the shower. The water is hot and pounding, exactly how I like it. I peruse the selection of shampoos on the shelf and - by sniffing each one - I come across the bottle Edward uses. Not able to resist, I pour out a bunch into my palm and lather it into my hair.

Next I take the soap and work it over my skin. Dirt and grime swirls down the drain. It feels good to get clean. I turn my attention to my right arm. I scrub until something catches my eye.

At a spot just above my elbow is a streak of light blue.

I recognize it. It's the paint from the living room, from a house which no longer exists. It got on me somehow, probably when I was doing a touch up around the fireplace.

Everything I have tried to block out from last night comes storming back. Rory's unexpected appearance while Dad and I were redoing the living room. Her callous laugh. Her cold, crimson eyes. It's the stuff of nightmares. Yet, this actually happened. No matter how tight I squeeze my eyelids shut, I can't escape the horrible memories that just keep coming.

Rory demanding that I leave with her.

Dad pulling me behind him.

Rory tossing him across the room.

Dad's bleeding mouth and broken body.

His last breath.

The vacant stare from his lifeless eyes.

Yesterday at this time, Dad and I were shopping at the hardware store. Today, he is gone, never to return.

I collapse back against the tile wall. I slide down until I end up curled into a tight ball on the shower floor. The once quiet tears stinging my eyes become full-on, moaning wails of sorrow. Why did he have to step in front of me? Why couldn't he have just let Rory take me? He wouldn't have gotten hurt if he had just stayed out of it!

Why?

WHY?

The water showering down on my head suddenly switches off. A warm towel wraps around my body. Through my blurred vision, I see Edward pulling me up from the wet tile floor. His hand supports my lower back while he leads me out of the bathroom. Drops of water drip from my soaked hair and land on the carpeted floor. We walk several steps before I come to a stop in the middle of his bedroom.

I wipe at my face with my knuckles. "I...I...am so sorry." Attempting to hold in the sob currently strangling my throat, I press down hard on my bottom lip.

Edward furrows his brow. "Sorry for what?"

I take a moment to swallow. "F-f-or acting like t-this."

"Showing emotion is nothing to apologize about."

"Yeah, ordinarily I'd agree with you, b-but look at me. I c-can't go five minutes without weeping."

"Considering what you are going through, I'd say having a good cry is understandable. I would cry too if it were physically possible." The palm of his hand glides down my cheek. "I hate seeing you suffer."

I allow a quiet moment to pass before I speak again. "Dad stepped in between Rory and me," I confess in a whisper.

"I know. It was very brave of him."

I inhale sharply to keep the tears at bay. "He shouldn't have done it."

"That was his choice, Bella. He knew what he was doing. Please don't disrespect the sacrifice he made. He distracted Rory just long enough for me to get there. I don't want to think about what would have happened to you if he hadn't."

"But he'd still be alive if he had just let Rory do what she wanted with me!"

Edward shakes his head. "You're wrong. I heard Rory's thoughts. She was under orders to kill anyone who was with you at the time. James wanted no witnesses."

I'm left momentarily speechless. I stare at Edward, nearly frozen. "So... you're saying she would have done that to him anyway?"

"Yes. She was like a cat playing with a mouse. Once it was time to end the game, the mouse would have been disposed of."

Another teardrop leaks out from one of my eyes. "Why, Edward? How could Rory agree to do something like that? I know she wasn't the nicest person, but I never would have imagined she was completely heartless."

A deep frown settles on his face. "James bears the majority of the blame for how she turned out."

"How do you mean?"

He sighs and slides his fingers through his hair. His eyes reconnect with mine reluctantly. "We call vampires like Rory 'newborns'. The name sounds harmless, I know, but they are far from it. For roughly a year after the change, a newborn possesses great strength and heightened aggression. Since they forget almost all aspects of what once made them human, it's important for the individual who sired the newborn to guide them in the right direction. This is the time to teach them things like self-control. James neglected to do much of anything. He taught Rory how to fight and to not reveal her true nature to any human unless she planned on killing them in the end. That's it. I believe he wanted her to become a female version of himself, and he got his wish."

A small part of myself feels sorry for Rory. She didn't ask for James to turn her into a newborn with no sense of compassion. What Edward has revealed is further proof that what happened to her is my fault.

I lower my eyes to the cream-white carpet poking out from between my toes. "I should have let James kill me."

Edward raises my chin and forces me to look at him. His normally handsome features are strained. It almost looks like he was slapped. "Don't ever say that again," he says.

"Why not? It's the truth. I'm the reason why James keeps coming back to Forks. How many more people will have to die just because I was able to walk away from him unharmed?"

"No one else if I can help it. James won't be around much longer."

"How can you be so sure? Alice didn't say you guys would catch him anytime soon."

"Yes, well...her visions have blindspots and are often subject to interpretation. She doesn't see everything. All it takes is someone acting on a spur-of-the-moment decision and her past predictions are made obsolete."

There's a glint in Edward's eyes that I've never seen before. It's a fire fueled by anger and revenge. Three thousand years ago, the Greeks would have mistaken him for Ares, their god of bloodshed and war. But, even I know mythological beings aren't entirely invincible.

"I'm afraid," I whisper.

His scowl smooths back out. He blinks several times. "You're afraid of me?"

"No. I'm afraid for you." I step closer and lay my head on his shoulder.

His arms surround me like a blanket. "Don't be," he murmurs into my ear. "In a few days we'll have my entire family here to hunt James down. He doesn't stand a chance. I plan on being with you for a long, long time. I won't allow anyone - let alone someone like James - to get in the way of that."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He finalizes his vow with a kiss to my forehead.

I linger in his embrace for longer than I should considering our tight schedule. Ultimately, I am forced to step away from him so I can get dressed. I return to the bathroom and sort through my duffel bag. Now I see that I was in such a hurry last night, I didn't pay close attention to what I was packing. I accidentally brought a pair of jeans I'd been meaning to throw out. My choices in tops consists of winter wear and an old Betty Boop t-shirt I sometimes use as pajamas. The only truly nice clothing item I brought along is the dress I wore to the dance. And, I completely forgot about bringing a spare bra or two.

This is a disaster. It's not like I can go back to the house and grab a few more things from my closet. Everything that was once in my bedroom has probably been burnt to a crisp.

I sit on the toilet lid in nothing but a towel, put my head in my hands, and groan. While I'm busy stressing out, Edward pokes his head through the door and asks what's wrong. I inform him of the situation. He doesn't look as concerned as I do.

"Clothes are replaceable," he says. "You will get more soon - more than you will ever need. I guarantee it. Let's just make do with what you do have in the meantime."

I nod my head in acceptance, pull the Betty Boop t-shirt over my head, and stuff my legs into the nicest jeans I could find in my bag. Meanwhile, Edward searches his closet and finds a few things that might fit me. It's mostly plain cotton shirts and sweat pants with drawstring waistbands. They are perfect. I take what he's offering and stuff them into my bag. As I'm zipping it up, something lands on my shoulders. I glance around and find that he has slipped his jean jacket around me.

"You didn't bring a jacket," he points out. "It still gets chilly at night sometimes."

His thoughtfulness sends a wave of warmth through my insides. I shove my arms into the sleeves and snuggle into the jacket. I take a long, deep breath. It smells just like him. "Thanks," I say in return.

We spend the remaining time we have left trying to think of anything else we might need for our trip. When three o'clock rolls around, Esme takes a look outside. The sun has finally disappeared behind the clouds, exactly as Alice predicted. Esme volunteers to drive. Edward and I climb into the back of his car so I can stretch my legs out on the seat. He keeps me in his lap, his arm acting as a seatbelt substitute. The Jaguar's engine purrs as it reverses out of the garage. I look over his shoulder and peek through the back window. I see Carlisle holding a hand up in goodbye. Then the car rounds a bend in the driveway. Both Carlisle and the Cullen house are gone from view.

Esme takes us down a maze of roads until one intersects with the highway going south. She drives slow for a vampire. She keeps the speedometer hovering around seventy in order to keep attention to ourselves down to a medium. I settle into a comfortable position on Edward's lap and stare out the window. Thirty miles outside of Forks, we cross over the Hoh river. My interest rises. The river wiggles its way from the mountains to the Pacific like a blue snake. Wetlands surround it from both sides. It's oddly beautiful.

I'm admiring the green moss hanging from the branches of a centuries old maple when the car slows down without explanation. I glance ahead and see why. An orange and white traffic barricade stands in the middle of the road.

Bridge Closed, a sign reads.

"Oh dear," Esme says. "What are we to do now?"

"There's a road a few miles back that we can take," Edward replies. "It leads to Hoquiam too, just in a more roundabout way."

"Good idea."

Esme does a U-turn and points the car north. After a short drive, we turn off onto the road Edward was referring to. There's a difference between the highway we were just using and the road we're on now. The highway has gas stations every so often, houses, and light traffic. The little country lane we have been forced to use offers mostly unspoiled wilderness and roadkill sightings. That's about it.

The trees seem extra large and primeval in this part of the county. They stand close to the road, their thick limbs creating a nearly impenetrable canopy above our heads. Light is reduced drastically. We drive along quietly through their dark shadows.

Minutes into the drive, Edward tightens his hold on my hips. The next thing I know I'm sitting in the passenger seat by Esme, not quite sure how I got here. Edward, still in the back, quickly reaches for the seatbelt and buckles me in. The two of them are talking at super speed, their lips moving so quick that they blur.

"What's going on?" I interrupt.

Edward pulls his attention away from Esme. "I hear James. He's waiting up ahead. The bridge being closed was his doing. His intent was to redirect us to a secluded spot in case we tried to escape Forks with you. He herded us here."

I chill rolls through me. "How close is he?"

"He's near the road, about two miles away from where we are now."

"Then why aren't we turning around yet?"

"We can't. He already heard the engine. If we turn around he'll just come to investigate."

"He's going to do that anyway if we pass right by him!"

"No he won't. You and Esme are going to stick to the plan and continue on to the cabin. I'm going to stay and keep him busy."

I grab onto Edward's shirt. My grip is so tight it cuts off the circulation in my fingers. "No!"

"I can't allow him to attack the car, Bella. That's exactly what he will do once he catches your scent. This is the only way."

I shake my head. "No. You have to stay with me. Remember the night of the dance? You said that you'd never leave me again."

Edward takes my face in his hands. "I am not leaving you like I did before. I'm just going to deal with James for a while. I fully intend to be by your side when you go to sleep tonight." He leans forward and tastes my tear-coated mouth. It's a quick kiss but I still feel the energy it produced throughout my body. He moves away a few inches and gazes into my eyes. "Stay close to Esme. She will look after you until I can get back."

"Please... please don't do this," I sniff.

His head whips to the left. "Esme, as soon as I'm out of this car, I want you to floor it. And don't stop for anything."

"All right," she responds. "Be careful."

He nods and begins gently prying my embedded fingers from his shirt. "Edward. Don't," I plead.

Once my hands have been removed, he folds them onto my lap. "I will be back," he repeats. "I promise."

He presses a button and the rear window rolls down. Wind rushes into the car like a gale. While I'm pulling hair away from my face, he slips through the opening. He disappears so quickly, it's like he was never here.

My eyes pop open. I was expecting Esme to stop the car and drop him off on the side of the road - not for him to jump out of a moving vehicle going seventy miles an hour!

"Edward!" I scream.

"Shh," Esme consoles as she presses down harder on the car's accelerator. The engine goes from purring to a deafening roar as our speed increases. "He hit the ground running, Bella. He's fine."

"B-b-but you have to stop the car! We have to help him!"

At the touch of a button, the rear window slides back in place. "Edward would be upset with me if I did something like that," she replies.

Without warning, she jerks the steering wheel to the left. The car swerves, tires squealing, before returning to our correct lane. Her crazy driving has me moving like a bobblehead in my seat.

"Um...sorry if I scared you," she says. "There was something in the road. I didn't want to run over it and risk puncturing a tire."

I quietly blink my dizziness away. Once the world stops spinning, I turn towards her again. "Esme?"

"Yes?"

"Please turn the car around."

She lets out a sigh. "I can't. I promised him that I would keep you safe if something unforseen were to happen."

"When?"

"Before we left the house."

My eyebrows slant in annoyance. Stupid vampire! I should have guessed he'd do something like that.

"But he'll get hurt if we don't do something!" I yell back at her.

"No he won't. He will be just fine... you'll see."

"How do you know?"

She finally looks away from the road. Her eyes are as worried as mine. "Because he has to," she answers softly.

I brush away the evidence of my wet face only to have more tears leak out. At the same time, Esme goes back to staring straight ahead at the road. The car is moving incredibly fast now. I can't make anything out through the passenger window except for streaks of color. It's disorienting. Desperate for comfort, I pop the collar of Edward's denim jacket and concentrate on his scent. I try to pretend that he's here with me and not racing off to confront James. This is how I pass the time until I hear a sound. It's the little noise you make in the back of your throat when you are trying to gain someone's attention. I look up to find that Esme is watching me from the corner of her eye.

"Did Edward ever tell you how I came to be a part of the family?" she says.

"No."

She smiles a little. "I should have known he hadn't. After all this time he still thinks the subject is taboo. He really shouldn't. I made my peace with what happened long ago." She pauses and takes a deep breath. "It was 1921. I was young and married to a supposedly desirable husband from a financial point of view. Everyone in town believed I lived a fairytale existence. I did not. My husband had a short fuse and took his aggression out on me. My parents discouraged me from getting a divorce. It was considered scandalous back in those days. They told me that divorce would ruin all of our reputations.

"The baby I would soon have was the only thing that gave me hope. I would finally experience unconditional love. But I was also terrified of my husband becoming a father. Would he treat our child the same as he treated me? I couldn't say if he would or not. So, that made leaving him easy. I told no one about the pregnancy and waited for an opportunity to escape. One night I gathered a few belongings while he was off doing Lord knows what and fled his house. I figured moving without my husband's knowledge was best. He would never know where I went, nor could he ever lay a finger in anger on my child.

"I relocated to a whole new state and found a job to support myself. Some of the people I met were kind and I made a few friends. I told them I was a widow and they never thought to question it. For the first time in years, I was content. And I believed that once the baby arrived, my joy would overflow." Esme's voice cracks slightly. "But life isn't perfect sometimes. I had a little boy. He lived for only two days. I dressed him in an outfit I had knitted, kissed his little head, and watched his coffin being lowered into the ground."

Her story makes my stomach twist. "Oh, no."

She nods. "Yes. That was the worst day of my life. I had pinned all of my hopes and dreams on that little boy, then everything fell apart. I felt that I couldn't go on living. I wanted to be with him - wherever that may be. So... that's why I jumped off the cliff."

I gasp. She just casually announced that she tried to commit suicide.

She pats my knee. "It's all right. As you can see, my plans didn't work out quite how I wanted them to. Someone saw me take the leap. They found me at the bottom of the cliff and I was immediately taken to the morgue. What they didn't know was that I was actually still alive, but just barely. I had a weak pulse, you see, and the only one who noticed was Carlisle."

She smiles for a moment. "I asked him once why he decided to change me. He has seen thousands of dying people through the years. What made me different from them? Well, he said that even near death I had a kind face. He couldn't imagine the world losing it."

My forehead wrinkles downward. "But how does it happen? How did he change you from a human to this?"

"There's only one way: He bit me."

"I thought being bitten by a vampire would kill you?"

"It won't as long as the vampire doing the biting doesn't drink too much blood. Though, the venom in our mouths makes someone going through the transformation process wish they were dead. The venom burns through your veins for around three days. It's very unpleasant."

She flicks on the blinker and passes around a slow-moving car. "While I was suffering through the change, Carlisle took me to his home. I awoke days later to find him and Edward standing by my bed. I was told what had happened and what I had become. They both welcomed me to stay but I could tell Edward wasn't happy about the situation. It wasn't until much later did I learn that he believed Carlisle shouldn't have changed me without my consent. He considers the vampire way of life to be an abomination. Sometimes he calls himself a 'monster'."

I frown. "I know. I've heard him say that about himself a time or two."

"Really? And do you agree with him?"

"No. I usually tell him to shut his trap."

She gives one light laugh, the sound like a bell ringing inside the car. "I'm glad you feel that way... Now, where was I? Oh. That's right. I was telling you how it was for me in the beginning." She squints her eyes while she drives, as though she sees her past off in the distant horizon. "I won't lie and say that being a vampire is easy. I made mistakes, had accidents... did things that I wish I could undo. It took many months for me to adjust and not hurt anyone. But, in the end, I don't regret what Carlisle did for me. It wasn't until I died did I learn how good life can be."

"I don't understand."

She cocks her head in thought. "Well, it's like this... I gave up my human life and gained something better. If my time on earth had ended when I jumped off that cliff, I would have missed meeting Carlisle. He's so very different from my first husband. I lost quite a bit of my human memories, yet I could never forget how cruel that man was to me. Carlisle was a breath of fresh air in comparison. I found him honest, funny, and I was struck by his compassion for others. I think Carlisle was the origin for the saying 'he would give the shirt off his back'. It was easy to fall in love with him - so easy that I married him as soon as I mastered being around people again. Together we have tried to make up for what we are by helping others less fortunate than ourselves. Carlisle works at hospitals and tries to cure the sick. I donate both my time and money to charities for the betterment of humankind. It's fulfilling work, and it pains me to think I almost lost the opportunity to help out where I can.

"Another thing I would have missed out on is the family we made together. None of us are really related, of course. We are linked solely through our affection for one another. Carlisle and I consider them all to be our children and we care for them very much, but I must admit that Edward holds a special place in my heart. He was my first child despite the fact he was already a vampire when I came along. He's always been a good sport about it too. I fuss over him like a mother hen sometimes and he has never once complained." She stops herself and smiles. "On second thought, that isn't entirely true. He mumbles a complaint every so often, but he's so polite, he doesn't dare tell me to cut it out. He knows how much it means to me."

Her smile slowly dies. "I was worried about him for a long time. As each family member found someone special and paired off, he withdrew into himself more and more. It was plain to see that he was dreadfully lonely. The love your family can offer you only goes so far. I knew what he needed but I didn't know the who, when, or where we might find it. So each time we bumped into an unattached vampire, I crossed my fingers and hoped they would be The One to put a smile on Edward's face again. It never turned out as I had hoped. Edward would be cordial but distant. They in turn would assume he had neither feelings nor personality behind his handsome face. That couldn't be further from the truth. The problem is that Edward feels too much...he just hides it. He knows guilt, pain, and loss far too well. Where others may cry a little and then forget their troubles, Edward broods and can't seem to let go. What he needed more of was everything else that makes life good. Things like hope, joy, and the love for your mate. However, as the years added up with nothing to show for it, I feared Edward was doomed to be alone forever.

"It wasn't until we moved to Forks did things change. I have you to thank for that, Bella. I remember a day several weeks back when I caught him smiling to himself for no apparent reason. It was so unlike him. I asked about it but he avoided the question. He's very good at that, by the way. I should have known something was up then. Instead I shrugged it off and went about my business. When the truth did come out, I was shocked to find that his mate was a human...but also thrilled - so very, very thrilled for him. If anyone deserves happiness, it is Edward. He earned it."

My eyebrow lifts in question. "Mate?"

"Edward hasn't told you about mates yet?"

"No."

"Oh. Well... I'm sure he just hasn't gotten around to it yet. I'll try to explain. You see, when two vampires fall in love with one another, it is permanent. The love that binds them together can't be broken by anyone or anything. When one mate is destroyed, the one left behind is often never quite the same. They can never be truly happy or content ever again. That is why mated couples are fiercely protective of one another. That is also why Edward left the car to head off James - to protect you. It's instinctual. If Carlisle was human like you and in danger, I wouldn't hesitate to do exactly what Edward did just now. Do you understand now why he had to go?"

I wrap my arms around my middle and sigh. "Yes... I still don't like it, though."

"I don't either, dear, but you must remember that Edward is very smart and would never do anything too risky. And I'm sure Carlisle will come along to help him soon. So you really should just try to sit back and relax. Everything will turn out fine."

While I follow her advice as best as I can, Esme continues to talk. I think she's trying to distract me. I don't stop her. I hear tales of Cullen family vacations gone wrong, prank wars, and the time when one of Edward's adopted siblings bet that he could drink all the blood from a humpback whale in one feeding (he couldn't).

Roughly an hour after we left Forks, we finally arrive at our destination. Esme parks the car by a structure made of logs and huge glass windows. I am told this is where the Cullen family lived back in the 1930s. Now it is used mainly for weekend getaways. She calls it a cabin. I call it Lumberjack Barbie's Dream House. We grab a few pieces of luggage from the trunk and head inside. Esme points out the bathroom and I gratefully make use of it. After I've washed up, I find her in a cozy kitchen putting up the groceries we brought with us. She gets to chatting again until a telephone rings.

Her eyes light up. "That could be Edward or Carlisle!" She grabs me by the waist and runs us to the living room. Before the phone can ring a second time, she snatches it up.

"Hello!" After a moment of quiet passes, she glances at me and mouths "Alice".

I don't even try to conceal my disappointment. It's Alice...not Edward. Hearing his voice, even through a telephone, would have done me a world of good.

"Now calm down, Alice. I can't understand a word you're saying, " Esme scolds. She pauses again. "No, we haven't heard from anyone yet. Bella and I just got here." A strange expression crosses her face. "You saw what?" She begins shaking her head back and forth. "No. You have to be mistaken. Just because you saw James pinning Edward down in that particular position doesn't mean..." Her words trail off. The hopeful light in Esme's eyes extinguishes. It's the same look she had earlier when she described losing her baby so long ago. "You saw fire too?"

Every molecule of oxygen is sucked from my body. I saw how devastating fire can be to a vampire. Rory's body went up in flames like dried sagebrush. Fire is a death sentence.

Edward said he would never leave me again.

He broke his promise, and this time he won't be coming back.

The sights and sounds of the room fade into the background. All I can discern is an unbearable pain inside my chest. It feels like I'm being ripped apart, never to be put back together. Blackness crashes into me like waves during a hurricane. It's too much to take. I sink down to my knees and allow myself to be carried into the nothingness.

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A/N-

Uh...HEA?

Next Chapter- What happens when you take a sadistic vampire like James and add one pissed off Edward?

The answer: You get something no one saw coming.

Thanks for reading. :-)