Chapter 2: Home

Edward POV

I can't take this anymore.

I miss the way she smells. Like freesia and lilacs. The scent of her blood which drives me insane. At first, it was just the urge to taste the sweet nectar of her blood, but since then, it has become much more than that. It is her very essence, and I miss it.

I am on my way home…to Forks. I can't stand being away from her any longer. I know that I told her that I would not return. I know that I told her to move on with her human life. I know that I told her some heinous lies about not loving her anymore. But I can take this anymore. I can't be separated from her.

I miss her eyes. The chocolate brown eyes that are the windows to her soul. Such love and compassion can be shown to me in those eyes. I wish I could see her eyes look at me with the same love that they did the last time. Am I confident that they will? Not in the least. Because the day I left, I saw what it did to her; what my lies did to her. And uprooting my family as well, I can see what my lies did to them too. I screwed up everything, and I am now on a mission to get it all back…if I can.

If Bella has moved on, I will leave my family where they are. But I will not leave Bella again. I will watch over her. I will protect her…all from the shadows. She will never need to know I am there, unless she asks for me. I will take care of her until the end of her days, and when her light has been extinguished from this world, I will follow her.

I miss her lips. Her beautiful berry red lips that are so full. I can remember every time I kissed her lips, especially that first time. I didn't know what it felt like to kiss someone before that. I could feel the jolt of electricity as soon as our lips touched, and all I wanted to do was hold her in my arms forever, from that moment on. I really want to feel that again, but I don't know if I will.

The plane I am on is just setting down in Seattle, Washington. As I get off the plane, I am resisting the urge to move as fast as I can. I am so impatient to see her beauty and life. I wonder of she will hate me? I run at human speed to the rental counter and pick up an SUV. I race out of Seattle on my way to Forks, going at about 100 miles per hour. The faster I can get to her, the better.

I long to feel her embrace. Those times that I got to hold her in my arms were the only moments of warmth that I can remember. The heat from her body was like a blessed wave of life that warmed even my silent heart. Her warm breath on my face, the warmth of her hands as she would caress my face…everything about her is amazing.

About an hour and a half later, I was pulling up to her house. Her truck is in the driveway. Is she here? I think I will go through her window first. I open the door to my car and I start to race to the tree outside her window. As I pass the truck, I smell something I have not smelled in seventy years…werewolf.

What are werewolves doing back? I didn't think they still existed. I thought they died of with Ephraim Black? But even as I thought this, another thought crept into my mind. Why do I smell werewolf outside of Bella's house? No, Bella!!

A growl started in my throat. I have to deal with this werewolf problem first, then I will come back for Bella. I start to track the scent of the werewolf. As I get farther on it's path, I realize were it is leading. It is leading back to the field were we played baseball the night we met James, Laurent and Victoria. When I hit the field, I can see the werewolf bending over something. I drop into a crouch, and I start listening to its mind.

'Oh Bella. What can happen with us now? And what about Charlie? How will he be able to handle this?'

He knows Bella! He will not live very long, I can guarantee that! As I sneak up on him, the wind direction changes. I know he will smell me now, so I get even closer, and when I am right behind him, he turns around, but not before I finally see what he is crouching over…Bella!

What the hell is Cullen doing here? I hear.

At this thought, I look back at the werewolf. "You will get away from her…now," I say slowly, and punctuate it with a growl.

Who are you to be telling me anything? You will get away from me and Bella. Haven't you done enough harm to her already? I had to sit back and watch as she had to get over you. I was finally able to get her to smile, and you think you are going to take her away from me?

"Who are you, and what do you have with Bella? What is wrong with her?" I ask.

It doesn't matter who I am. And what does it look like? We were trying to protect her from that other vampire, and when Bella got reckless and jumped off the cliff all by herself, the vampire caught her before I could get to her.

"What other vampire!" I yell.

Bella said her name was Victoria.

No, not Victoria. How did she get back here? I thought she was in Brazil! How could I have been so wrong? How could I have left her here all alone, with no protection? What am I going to do now? "Is she dead? Bella? Is she dead?"

No, she was bitten.

"Let me see her. I have to help her!" I said. I start to move forward to get to her, but he growls back at me. I stand back in place, trying to find someway around him to get to her.

No, leave us alone. I will take care of her!

"How are you going to take care of her? Have you ever been around a newborn vampire? Do you even know what they act like? She is going to need to hunt as soon as she wakes up. Are you going to teach her how to do that? I hate to tell you, she will probably not want to be anywhere around you when she wakes up. To our kind, you smell awful. She will probably just run away from you."

No, I am her friend, she would never run away from me, bloodsucker.

"Who are you?" I ask. Just then, I hear another voice. It must be the pack mind.

You will not tell him who you are. Come back home and leave her in his care.

I can't. I can't just leave her here!

Yes you can. He will teach her their ways. It is no longer our concern. Come back.

The werewolf looks at me for a few moments, but right as he turns away, I hear, Take care of her Cullen. If you don't, I will hunt you down and kill you myself. Then he runs off into the forest.

Once he is gone, I finally get a look at my Bella. She is laying on the ground, trembling, with the right side of her neck in a bloody mess. I bend down to her and pick up her hand to hold it in mine. Here hand is on fire, which means the venom is spreading quickly. I've got to get her back to the house, and then I can call everyone back. I bend down to pick her up, and then I settle her against me for the run back to my house. Oh, god, Bella…I screwed up big time. How could I leave you here and let it come to this? You were supposed to stay human.

The run is short, for me anyway, and I get back to the house quickly. Once inside, I carefully place her on the sofa, after taking the covers off of everything. I take hold of her hand again. "Bella? Bella, can you hear me?"

Just then, she lets out an very loud scream, which is followed by more and more. "Bella, calm down sweetheart. Love please!" I smooth my hand over her head and try to take her in my arms so that I can hold her. I pick her up again, and then sit on the couch and cradle her in my lap. She starts calming down a little, but she is still shaking really hard. I have got to call Carlisle.

I pick up the phone, and dial the familiar number. It rings a couple of times before he answers. "Hello Edward," Carlisle says.

"Carlisle, I need you back in Forks," I say.

"Why?"

"Bella is turning."