A/N Here is ch 4 I hope you like it. Please R&R
Stephenie Meyer owns all that is Twilight
1964
"Thanks for comin' with me bro', I still get a little nervous dealing with the humans. I just know I'da messed up tryin' to buy tires for my baby here."
I looked to my left and saw Emmett patting the dashboard of his truck.
Being transported was getting easier. I no longer felt nauseous or even dizzy, but I had also never woken up with one of my family so close by. I felt torn, should I pretend that nothing had happened, or should I confide in Emmett hoping he would understand and believe me? I needed to find out where and when I currently was.
Wishing that Andrew could somehow guide me in my decision, I continued to weigh my options.
What's wrong bro'? Where did ya go? Emmet's thoughts questioned my faraway expression.
"I'm here Em, I was just thinking. So...Em...could I ask you a crazy question?"
"Sure Eddie, ask me anything."
"Let me warn you though, Emmett, it's going to sound crazy, but I need you to answer and not think too much about it, OK?"
"Yeah, whatever man, ask away."
Drawing a deep, but unnecessary breath I looked him squarely in the eye and calmly said, "What year is it and exactly where are we?"
"Huh?"Emmett's eyes grew wide as I stared back at him in earnest and he realized I was indeed serious. He swallowed hard before speaking again.
"It's 1964, and we're in Alaska. We're headin' into Anchorage for some new tires for my truck." His reply conveyed the same gravity my question had.
Thirty-four years had passed? Why did it take so long for her to come back? How old was she now? Helena said Bella never lived past the age of 25, but she could be any age up to that. How was I going to find her?
Remaining silent for a moment more, I thought back to 1964.
"The earthquake", I whispered to myself. "She's going to die in the earthquake!" I yelled. "Emmett it's March 27th, 1964! We have to get to her before the earthquake hits! If we don't, we won't be able to save her."
How could this be happening again? I was so close and yet I was helpless to stop the events that would take her from me once more.
"Whoa, Ed, who's gonna die? Why do we hafta save her? And, what earthquake? Can you see into the future now? Why didn't Alice see it comin'?
"I can't explain all of it right now Emmett, but trust me please, we have to get into Anchorage as soon as possible!"
The confusion was still very much present in Emmett's expression as he pushed the truck to it's limit by pressing forcefully on the gas pedal. He gave in to worry as he glanced at me. He knew I had never been so agitated or mysterious with him.
When I spoke again I was slightly calmer, but just as insistent. "We're going to have to ditch the truck Em, we can go faster on foot."
"What, leave Betsy behind?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry, but yeah. Emmett, when the earthquake hits most of these roads are gonna turn into quicksand anyway, from the rising water underneath the soil. The truck's not gonna make it, even if we stay with it."
Emmett patted the dashboard of his truck Betsy one last time as he reluctantly pulled over to the side of the road. His love for his truck went deep, but his trust in me was unwavering. Exiting the truck, we quickly abandoned the road for the anonymity the forest would provide.
Running at top speed, I explained, as simply as I could, the outlandishly sounding story, to my loyal and supportive brother. To say that Emmett accepted everything I said as gospel would be a lie, but he believed in my conviction, if not in my complete sanity. To make the best time, we traveled as much as we could through the cover of the woods.
We felt none of the usual exhilaration associated with a long run through the forest, and took no notice of the lush green surroundings coming awake after a long winters sleep. The lucky animals nearby were spared because I would not be derailed from the speeding train my mission had become. I would not be tempted, no matter how fragrant their blood smelled.
Forced to slow down once we were out of the shelter of the forest and into open countryside, Emmett turned to me.
"So Edward, I get that you don't know exactly who this girl or woman is or what she looks like. So how are you gonna find her? Where are we s'posed to look for her?"
"I really can't say, Em. I guess I'll just have to follow my instincts, like I did before. I only know that, when I find her, I'll know. It doesn't make sense, but it's all I've got."
We made it into Anchorage at 5:30 pm, 6 minutes before the quake was to hit. Pausing, I allowed my body and mind to be directed. After a few long and torturous seconds I felt the pull I was waiting for and followed it.
Running at human speed was agony, I needed to get to Bella quickly. We picked up the pace when we could , but we were barely into the city when the ground began to move. This was it, the thing I dreaded most, the earthquake had hit and I was still no where close to finding her. The few people we passed were running in panic and paid no attention to us.
We ran faster as the ground beneath our feet thrust forward and back.
Telephone poles were bent over, their wires drooping lazily. Houses tilted and slid off their foundations. Road that had once been connected and continuous was now ripped apart, leaving a great wall and deep valley in it's wake. The local J.C. Penny store began to collapse as we ran down 5th Avenue.
The shaking that had gone on for approximately 4 minutes, quieted as we neared C Street. I stopped, an overwhelming fear in my gut.
"It can't happen again." I said to myself as I returned to running. I turned the corner, I was so close, so close.
When I saw the cafe sign over the collapsed building I knew I had reached my destination. Without conscious thought, I sprinted into the ravaged structure screaming for Bella. What I saw hit my mind with as much force as the earthquake that had just passed through the town.
Two men were pulling a lifeless female from the wreckage.
"Bella", I whispered.
One of the men looked up, confusion on his face.
"Bella?" He said, "Her name isn't Bella, this is...was... Marie." His voice somber as he looked down at the dead girl. "She only started working here a few months ago, just after she came to town. Don't even know where she moved from. Don't even know where her family is." He muttered sadly as he shook his head.
"This Bella you're lookin' for, you think it's our Marie?"
"No." I heard Emmett from behind me. "We were trying to find our sister, but that's not her. C'mon Edward, let's keep looking."
His giant arm wrapped around me as he pulled me outside again.
Numbly I followed, unable to speak or focus on anything but the vision of her broken body. As I looked up, across the street, next to the gas station on the corner was the tire shop. The very tire shop Emmett and I had been headed for.
The irony of it all came crashing down on me and I began to shake. Hysteria overtook me as I laughed maniacally.
Emmett held me closer to his side, unsure what to do to pull me out of my fit.
"It's no use, I can't get it right!" Turning to face him, I yelled. "I'll never get it right!" Crumpling to the ground, my body shook with despair, as I chanted over and over. "I'll never get it right."
"Edward! Edward!" Someone was yelling at me, it must be Emmett, but I didn't care. Let him yell, my grief had enveloped me and I wanted nothing more than for it to consume me entirely.
"Edward!" The voice yelled again. Only this time I could tell it wasn't Emmett, it was Carlisle's voice.
The sound brought me back. I was still chanting and rocking back and forth when I realized I was in the company of my family once again.
"Edward" Carlisle spoke more softly now as I stopped rocking and turned to stare at him. "Edward can you hear me? Do you know where you are?"
"Yes, yes I know" My hand went up to cover my eyes and I slumped back against the sofa as the emotions from the last few moments flooded out of me, draining me dry.
"Andrew?"
Listening to Carlisle, I could hear his deep concern for me.
"I don't think my son can take much more of this. Are you sure it's necessary? Are you sure that this will help us help Bella? Help us find a cure for Bella's affliction?"
"There is only one more page to read, one more life to examine. We must not give up hope when we are so close to our goal." Helena answered for her grandson, who nodded in agreement.
"Yes, my grandmother is right, we really shouldn't abandon our sessions at this juncture, but I am concerned about the toll it is taking on Mr Cullen. Perhaps it is best if Mrs Cullen join us for our last meeting."
"No!" I shouted, sitting up straight, glaring at him. "No, you can't ask her to witness this. She's not strong enough! I won't allow it!"
"Mrs Cullen may be stronger than you think. Haven't you consistently underestimated her strength in the past? And, hasn't she proven her strength to you time and again in those situations? At least Mrs Cullen should be informed of both opinions so she could make her own decision. I feel strongly that her physical presence would be a calming influence on you during the time you are transported and make the transition back to the present a more peaceful journey for you." Andrew waited, hoping I would see the logic in his reasoning.
His hoping was wasted in the moment. There was no logic for me where the safety of Bella was concerned. I would scream to the rooftops, I would rip their bodies limb from limb, burning them in a giant fire and gladly join them in the pyre before I would permit them to burden her with this.
It wasn't working anyway, she was no better off than before we started. There was nothing to be gained by adding to her torture.
"Carlisle, explain to him please, that she is to weak." I beseeched my father.
"I understand your concern, Edward, but Andrew makes some good points. What if we..."
At that moment my cell phone rang, the call was from Bella so I answered it immediately. "Yes, sweetheart, are you okay?"
Her voice was flat, but direct. "Alice told me everything, I'll be at the meeting with Andrew tomorrow."
Damn my sister, her visions and her big mouth.
I closed the phone after vowing to Bella that we would discuss this later, even though I knew I would not win an argument over this with her. Bella was ten times more stubborn than I could ever hope to be and I had learned, much to my dismay that, I could deny her nothing. Still I had to try.
