CHAPTER ONE: THE PLAN

Edward POV

I knew I had messed up. The guilt of knowing that I had put my family's lives in danger was nothing compared to how I had felt in the moment that I saw Tyler's van headed straight for Bella. The not knowing if I could reach her in time had been painful and yet when I had thought that I might have hurt her myself that was when I had really tasted death. What was going on with me?

I stood outside Mrs. Goff's room trying to get a hold of myself. After everything that had happened earlier I couldn't draw more attention to myself or my family so I was waiting for Emmett. I needed to know where everyone stood with regard to what I had done. At least that way I could get my story straight before we headed home.

Boy are you in trouble, I heard Emmett before I saw him. Rose is on a war path and your prize car is in the middle of the road.

I could see my new Vanquish in pieces and burning in our driveway through his mind as he walked up next to me.

What were you thinking? He was smiling but I could see the tight pull of his lips. It was just a show for all the humans walking by. He was just as mad, well maybe not quite as mad, as Rosalie. Do you have any idea what could have happened if anyone saw you? I mean really saw you?

I nodded my head. I knew that it had been a stupid mistake but I could not just let her die. Not her. I couldn't explain it. There was just something about this girl that made me want to protect her even as I was plotting how best to kill her.

Look I understand that there is something different about her but Edward you have to get a grip; Emmett rested his hand on my shoulder. Maybe now is the best time to…..

I knocked his hand off and almost had him by the throat before I remembered where we were. I let my hand drop as I noticed the eyes of the two boys walking past us.

JEEZ EDWARD, His yelling filled my mind. You have to calm down. I didn't say kill her but there are other ways to stop her from talking.

It was laid out in his mind. For some reason Emmett thought it might be a good idea to bring her into the family. To take away her life on a different level; to make her a monster; to steal her soul. I knew he was trying to help but I couldn't stop the growl that started low in my chest. I knew none of the other students would hear it as the bell rang out at the same time but I needed to let him know that wasn't an option either.

Just think about it, He continued not taking my annoyance into consideration. For some reason you can't stay away from this girl. Maybe that means something, He shrugged. If she were one of us then you wouldn't have to resist her all the time and you could get to know her. Maybe even find she's your mate? Maybe that's why you can't leave her alone?

"No Emmett" I spoke for the first time. I wouldn't let Bella pay for my mistake and curiosity by destroying her soul. "Just leave it alone." I headed toward the door knowing that we only had seconds before we would be late. Whatever was going to happen I had the information that I needed for now and if I had to move my car before Rose could touch it then so be it.

Fine, Emmett followed me. Oh you might want to look out for Jasper. His comments stopped me with my hand resting on the door. He's not as angry as Rose but he is more resolved about the outcome so to speak.

The doorknob buckled under my grip and I rushed past Emmett in my need to find him.

Edward what are you doing? Emmett was in front of me before I had made it two steps. His hands were restraining me and it was only because I was so focused on Jasper that I hadn't heard his thoughts.

How could he think that I would stand by and let him hurt an innocent because of what I had done? I knew Jasper came from a different background then the rest of us but still to hunt someone that did nothing but be at the wrong place at the wrong time. That was too much even for him.

Look you know that neither Jasper nor Rosalie would do anything until we have all talked; Emmett was trying to calm me down. Wait until we get home with Carlisle and Esme and see what they say. They won't go against them.

"And what if they agree with you?" I threw back at him.

Maybe Esme would to save her family but Carlisle wouldn't and you know it. Emmett had a point. Carlisle would never sanction the taking of an innocent life or the changing of someone that had another option.

I relaxed slightly and Emmett's hands fell away. It was a good thing that classes had already started because I wasn't sure that we could have explained our behavior in the hall. I pinched the bridge of my nose. What was going on with me today? That was the second time that I had almost exposed us.

"I'm sorry Em" I knew that it wasn't enough but It was all I could think to say.

Hey we all have our moment's right? Emmett joked. You've put up with ours so it's only fair we put up with yours. He shrugged. You can't always be perfect Edward. It's not who we are.

For all his jokes and crazy antics Emmett was a good brother. "Thanks Em"

Come on, he clasped me on the back. Let's get to class before you make more of a spectacle of yourself than you already have.

I smiled back. "You go ahead. I need a few more minutes to pull myself together."

You sure

I nodded leaning against the lockers closing my eyes and letting my mind wonder.

Don't do anything crazy okay? Emmett warned as he headed back to class.

I smiled despite my mood as I heard the door open and close behind him. I listened as he gave Mrs. Goff an excuse about my not feeling well after the accident and took his seat reassuring her that he would see that I got the information missed in today's class. I could see her smile as she nodded understandingly back and moved on with the class. I knew that I should go inside but the last thing I wanted was to sit through an hour of conjugating verbs for a language that I could probably teach.

This was worse than I had thought it might be. I knew that they would be angry and with good reason but to think about harming Bella; to plot to kill her? That was just wrong. I had to laugh at the irony of that statement seeing as not two weeks ago I was the one plotting and now I was trying to come up with ways that I could protect her.

I knew Emmett was right. Rosalie wouldn't go against Carlisle but I couldn't be as sure about Jasper. Sure he was family but it always seemed like he was more on the fringe of our life than directly in it. He was here for Alice and the contentment that he found in not having to take a life, but he wasn't dedicated to what we believed in as strongly as the rest of us. Sure we had all made our mistakes and been overcome with bloodlust but Jasper had lived in a constant state of that feeling for so many years. What if he couldn't forget his past? I wouldn't let Bella pay that price.

I made my way to Jasper's class listening in to his history teacher. I wondered how Mr. Wagner would take it if he knew that one of his students could correctly tell him everything that happened during the Civil War. In just the few minutes that I had been listening I had heard him mess up at least five different things. I knew Jasper would be fuming if his mind wasn't so set on something else and that something else had me fuming.

I wouldn't want to drink her because the eyes would be a dead giveaway. Alice would know that I had cheated and that there was human blood on my hands. Not that I hadn't lived through that and she had forgiven me before. Maybe she would again. But that would be too risky. Too much has already happened to that girl for anything else not to look suspicious and both Alice and Carlisle wouldn't be happy if I took a life whether I drank or not. Still if the Volturi get wind of this they could come here. Alice could be taken from me. We all could be destroyed. Better to handle things ourselves. That way if they do hear they won't be able to say anything about it. They will stay away and Alice will be safe.

I listened a little more as he planned how best to get rid of Bella without it pointing back to us. It took everything in me not to run into that classroom full of children and rip his head off. There was no way that I was going to stand aside and let him do any of the things he was thinking. I would fight him off if I had to.

So it had come to this. Was I really prepared to fight against my family for one insignificant human girl? Who was she that I would take her side over those that I had shared with and been with and walked this earth with for more than half a century? Could I really take on all of them and hope to win if I tried?

I knew Carlisle wouldn't fight against me but there was no guarantee that he would fight with me either. Emmett had been right about Esme. As loving as she was she would vote for whatever kept the family, her family, together. Alice would probably side with whoever she saw as the winner and Emmett wouldn't dare go against Rosalie. That left just me.

Maybe if I left. Took myself out of the equation then they would let her be. If I wasn't here to provoke rumors as to what happened then most likely chatter would turn to something else. Like who broke up with whom and what the latest trend was. Humans weren't all that creative and they lost interest quickly. There would probably be talk for a few days but once everyone realized that there would be nothing else to add to the flame it would die down.

But as I stayed there listening to Jasper make more definite plans against Bella I knew that I couldn't leave. Not until I knew that she would be safe from my family if no one else. I couldn't walk away until I knew that she wouldn't become a causality to my stupidity.

Maybe the best person to leave would be Bella. But how could I convince her of that? And even if I could where would she go? She had mentioned that her mother was traveling with her new husband. Had they settled somewhere or could I just send her back to Arizona? If she were back home then maybe her mother would come home and she would be safe from my family and from me.

But how would I go about getting her there? I could easily afford a one way ticket for her but would she go by herself? There was no way that I could drive her there. Being locked up with her in my Volvo for that long would definitely be dangerous to her health.

What if I just gave her the money and let her take my Vanquish? I didn't like the idea of anyone else driving it but at least that way she could make it home safely and the car wouldn't be here for Rosalie to destroy. Then I could get Alice or maybe Emmett to drive me down to pick it up after everyone had calmed down and she was safe.

That was probably the best plan. Get her out of this town before Jasper or Rosalie could get anywhere near her and then she could live out her life in peace without any type of vampire threat surrounding her.

I took off walking slightly faster than normal toward the parking lot. I would leave the Volvo here so that the others could make it home and trust that Emmett and Alice won't let anyone destroy it. I only had so long to get home, find enough money, get the car and get to Bella before school was out and my family realized what I had done.

That stopped me in the parking lot. Alice would see what I was doing. If she saw that it would be better for Bella to forfeit her life then what was to stop her from telling Rosalie and Jasper where she was? Bella would be out there defenseless against them. Sure I could read Alice's thoughts and see her visions but she was also the best in the family besides Carlisle at hiding her mind from me. I couldn't rely on hearing it in her mind before it would be too late.

I headed to the forest surrounding the school and took off running toward the house. It would only take me minutes to get home and then what? Go with the same plan and hope that things work out right? No that had too many flaws to it.

I would have to go with her. It was as simple as that. Yes there was the danger that it would be too much of a temptation but if I kept the windows down and drove faster than normal I could make it. I would have to stop and hunt more than I would need to get gas but if I could get her there safely then I would be free. Not to mention that I would know that I had survived and more importantly so had Bella because I didn't even what to think about what it might do to me if she were to lose her life to my hands.

I reached the road leading up to the house and could hear both Carlisle and Esme inside. I wanted to go in and pack a few clothes for the journey but I couldn't face them plotting as I was to leave yet again. I knew I wouldn't be gone as long as last time but I also didn't want them to be able to give anyone a heads up. So I would have to go in what I was wearing now and trying and stop somewhere to find extra clothes.

I quietly let myself into the garage and went for the emergency cash that we kept stashed away. I pulled out enough to last through the trip and some extra just in case it was needed. I packed up a sleeping bag, a tent, and a few blankets for Bella. If I was going to have to drive with the window down then I wanted her to be as warm as possible. At the last minute I grabbed the first aid kit to be on the safe side.

I slid into the Vanquish and put the car in neutral hoping that Carlisle and Esme wouldn't hear anything. It would have been faster just to push it but there was the chance that they would see me pass the window. I let the car slid out of the garage and down the long lane that wound its way to our house. Once I was far enough away I turned the ignition thankful that Rose had just tuned it up. There was barely a sound coming from the engine. I shifted into gear and headed back to Forks.

Slowing down when I reached Bella's street I listened for anyone that might see me and be able to report this back to Chief Swan. That would be a great conversation. Hey Chief I'd like to report a kidnapping. Who was kidnapped? Your daughter. What was I thinking? I stopped a little down from her house.

This had to be the stupidest, most insane thing I had ever done. There was no way that I was going to get away with this. Bella was going to get hurt and my family was never going to forgive me. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe if I just talked to Rose and Jasper; make them see that Bella wasn't going to expose us, then they would back off and everything would be fine.

Hey Bells, I heard Chief Swan talking to his daughter.

Yeah Dad, she was laying down looking so fragile. One wrong touch and it would be the end.

I have to head back to the station, he looked so torn, unless you still need me here?

No Dad, I'm fine. She encouraged. Go I'll just lay on the couch and get some rest. Catch up on some homework.

Maybe you could make a thank you card for Edward Cullen, he was suggesting. He did save your life.

Maybe, I could see that she was still mad at me from the hospital. But what was I suppose to say. Bella I got to you so fast because I'm a vampire and if the van had hit you and you started bleeding then I wouldn't have been able to control myself. That would have gone over really well.

I saw their front door open and Chief Swan pause. I love ya Bells, he called back. I wouldn't be the same if I lost you. He closed the door before she could respond but I could see that he wasn't the real emotional type so that must have been hard for him to say.

That just added to the guilt I was already feeling about this plan. Even though I would be saving Bella I would also be taking her away from her father. And there was still the fact that I could hurt her. This was ridiculous. I swung the car back around intention to head back home. I would simply talk to my family and make sure that Bella was safe and then I would leave. There would be no more vampire interruptions in her life.

She's Charlie Swan's only family. It would kill him too if something ever happened to her.

I heard Alice's voice just as clearly as if she was sitting right beside me. That had been her warning when I had been fleeing last time. When I had been the threat to Bella. Could I really take a chance that I could talk my family out whatever they were planning? What if they stopped here before coming home? There were just too many variables.

I spun the car back toward Bella's house. I parked and got out quickly my mind made up. I would save her and God willing I would be able to deliver her into the hands of her mother because I didn't think there would be any help for me if after everything I was the one that killed her.

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