Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight…darn!!

Thank you so so so so so so so so much for reading and reviewing!! Hugs and kisses for all!!

A/N: After a series of short chapters here is a slightly longer one!

Enjoy!

Jacob visited again. Luckily Edward was away with Ali so I didn't have to worry about looking after people's feelings. We talked aimlessly about meaningless things, happy to be in familiar company.

We were interrupted by a knock on the door. I thought nothing of it but Jacob tensed beside me. I assumed, from his reaction, that it was one of the Cullens; it wasn't, but it was a vampire.

"Um…is Edward here? I was told that I would find him here." The stunningly beautiful vampire informed me. Something about the way she uttered Edward's name sent a shiver down my spine and I felt an irrational sensation of jealousy and loathing.

"He's not here at the moment. I can help you? Or Alice will be back in a second" I offered.

At the mention of Alice she looked uncertain, almost to the point of being frightened. "Will he be back soon? This really is…kinda urgent"

"Carlisle's around too" Jacob offered obviously anxious to get rid of our unwanted visitor.

"It really is only Edward that can help me" she insisted haughtily. She flicked her dark brown hair of her forehead as if to give us a better view of her Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses.

I thought of millions of retorts, none of which were even close to being 'G' rated. One was on the tip of my tongue when I was interrupted.

"Acacia, may I help you?" I knew that it was Alice's voice but there was an unfamiliar icy edge that made me uneasy.

"Alice darling, it's wonderful to see you. I was just looking for Edward; you haven't seen him have you?" the vampire who was called Acacia asked. She no longer looked uncomfortable but totally unperturbed. Were all vampires' good actors?

"Edward doesn't want you here; I thought he made that clear."

Acacia flashed a charming smile but even I could see the threat in it. "He wants me here, sweetie and don't you forget it. The rest of you have the problem, not him. What's more, he'll want me even more now his little mortal plaything has returned." She gestured to me with a graceful, lackadaisical movement. I didn't have a clue what she was talking about but I knew that I was meant to feel offended.

"Alice?" I asked uncertainly.

"Yes Bella." Alice turned to me impatiently.

"Edward's 'little mortal plaything' is confused. Care to fill me in?" I tried to keep my voice calm and light but I was angry that someone I didn't know would have the audacity to speak about me like that.

"Bella don't be dramatic" Alice scolded before turning back to Acacia. I had to pause for a minute to think of how I had been dramatic but put it down to premonition. "Go back to the house I'll send him to talk to you" she ordered. To my surprise Acacia obeyed.

I knew that Alice wouldn't let me see Edward right now. She probably wanted to send him home and get rid of Acacia promptly, and I couldn't blame her. But all the same I wanted to know what was going on. I could just disconnect a few wires and tubes and I would be free to go where I liked. Somehow I doubted that either Alice or Jake would be too thrilled if I did that. I had to know what was going on.

"What has Edward done?" I demanded of Alice.

"Nothing really…it was an accident…it was all her fault anyway" this incoherent sentence did little to enlighten me. A feeling in the pit of my stomach told me whatever it was he had done was bad…it must have been really bad if this was how Alice was reacting. How bad? Was Ali in danger being alone with him? Was I willing to take the risk to find out? The heart monitor sped up and I knew my breathing was following. Ali had been enough danger of late; I had to keep her safe, I had to keep her with me.

"Jacob, go to Ali's room and bring her back here to me now." I commanded. "If Edward asks just tell him that I…need her."

Jake didn't question me, he just left. I turned on Alice. "Who was that?"

"She came to visit us…three years ago. She is actually fine once you get over the vanity. I was just after seeing…" she began but she stopped herself. "Bella, she's no-one for you to worry about. I'll go home with Edward now and get this all sorted. There's no cause for concern" she soothed.

"What did you see?" I asked suspiciously. Was this something Edward had forbidden her to talk about?

"Oh…you know the usual stuff" she smiled. I wanted to question her more but Ali came running through the door shouting something about being promised a story. Jacob and Edward followed behind her, one looking slightly more suspicious than the other.

"You want a story?" I asked bitterly, addressing Edward not Ali who was too busy struggling to get onto my bed to listen. "How about the one where the girl comes back to her one and only true love, she thinks they are going to live happily after until some random vampire comes to see him. This vampire disregards the girl as…what was it…oh yeah the boy's 'little mortal plaything'. The girl is confused so she asks the boy's sister what the hell is going on only to hear random babbling that makes no sense; no offence Alice. The girl knows something is up and if she doesn't get an explanation soon, she is going straight back to LA with little prospect of return." I glared at him; taking out my frustration was undoubtedly fun! "Alice you should go take care of that, I'll be fine until you come back. And Jake, could you please go? I want to be alone with Ali." I gave a watery smile to my two allies.

"Sure Bells" Jake smiled. He kissed my forehead and gave my hand a soft squeeze before he left.

Edward waited until then to address me "that story was enchanting but I really must confess I hadn't a clue what it meant."

Alice's eyes flashed. "Someone's waiting for you at home, you shouldn't keep her waiting. I'll follow you home in a second." Her tone was steely and quite frankly terrifying. As soon as he was gone Alice turned to me. Her voice was gentler "Bells, believe me when I say that I want to tell you everything. But-"

"Then tell me" I begged.

"I can't at the moment. But I will, I promise. Just don't do anything rash."

I didn't get a chance to think about it because when Alice left Ali became extremely demanding. She wanted everything that I didn't have and she was really trying my patience. But I didn't dare complain or give out to her. I was so glad to be able to look after her on my own. Independence had grown on me and I didn't like it being taken away; even if it was in an attempt to help me.

Carlisle came in to check on me, as he frequently did. I decided that maybe he might tell me what was going on. It was worth a try.

"Carlisle, who exactly is Acacia? And what has she got to do with Edward?" I chanced, avoiding his piercing gaze.

He studied me momentarily before he disregarded the question "Edward will tell you when he thinks the time is right."

We both knew he wouldn't. "At least tell me if there is any danger, no matter how diminutive, to Ali."

He considered his answer carefully. "No matter what's going on there will always be a danger to Ali if you are entrusting her with vampires. But as long as Edward is around Acacia I think there is an increased danger and I think the others would agree."

I hadn't been expecting this. I had expected to be told not to be concerned, that everyone would be fine and I was needlessly worrying.

"Are you going to expand on that?" I asked. My voice shook slightly even though I was doing my utmost to control it. I held Ali closer as I waited for my answer. Carlisle looked doubtful, like he was about to go somewhere he really didn't want to go. Nonetheless he obliged me.

"Before you left, three years ago, we'd all been waiting for something to happen. We knew you were hiding something though none of us knew what. A few months later Alice had a vision; you were very pregnant but otherwise okay. She tried to go back to that vision but she couldn't it was like she had lost you. She attempted to hide it from Edward but, naturally, that failed. Edward jumped to the same conclusion as the rest of us; you were after having an affair or something and you were unable to tell him, to confide in him. That totally killed him.

"In the few months before Alice saw you Edward had been highly optimistic. He'd always thought that you'd come back or he'd find you. But after he heard about the vision he lost it because he thought he'd lost you. He cut himself off from all of us; disinterested by our attempts to ease his pain. I don't think any of us, except Jasper, ever fully comprehended how dismal he was actually feeling.

"Then Acacia came along. She found his vulnerability and exploited it. He didn't fight her; he did as he was told, obeyed the others. He hadn't tasted human blood in almost one hundred years. But she changed him. Overnight he turned back into the monster that he was meant to be. He was ruthless; he didn't care anymore. Acacia fell in love with him and he needed a romantic outlet; he took what he could get. They proclaimed everlasting love and ran off together. Alice and I went to find him. We forced him to come back, not taking no for an answer.

"He got back to his normal-self, well as close as he could get without you. We've been waiting for Acacia to come back for him. She sure does have good timing.

"But Bella you have to understand, he doesn't love her. I don't even think he likes her. And as long as she is around I will personally make sure that you and Ali are okay…at all times."

He had run away with someone else? He had declared love for someone else? I felt sick at the thought. But that's not the part that haunted me. Edward had killed people for no reason other than he was thirsty. What happened next time he was around Ali and he felt a little peckish? There was no way I would ever, ever risk that.

"Carlisle" I said quietly "I'm discharging myself and Ali. We're going to go back to LA."

A/N 2: Acacia is a name of Greek origin meaning 'thorny tree'…just a random fact!!

Hope you liked!!

Thanks for reading!!

xxx