(Edward's POV)

I groaned as I felt the cell phone go off. I didn't feel like talking to my family right now, but I knew that if they were calling, it must be important. Bella shifted off me as I reached into my pocket to pull out the phone. I looked at it briefly. Alice. I flipped it open.

"Alice? What's wrong?" I heard a sharp intake of breath from the other end of the line. It almost sounded as if she had been sobbing.

"Charlie is dead, Edward…" I didn't have time to respond before she had started talking again, speaking at lightening speed. "It was Victoria, Victoria and Laurent. She's been looking for Bella. She wanted to kill her, to take revenge for James…" My mind was working at an unbelievable pace, trying to process the information and listen to Alice simultaneously. "She followed Bella's scent to Charlie's house. I don't know why they did it. Maybe she was trying to provoke Bella…I just- No! Edward, stop her!" Her movements were so fast I almost didn't see it as she flew past me on the way to the door. I dropped the phone, Alice was still yelling frantically on the other end. I followed her, taking off across the lawn between the cabin and the woods.

Is she alright, Edward? Do you need assistance? Tanya appeared on the front porch of the main cabin, an anxious look on her face. I shook my head vigorously, speeding up. I had lost sight of Bella, she was too deep in the woods. As I hit the tree line, I heard the most heartbreaking sound in my unnaturally long life. It was Bella. She had let out an anguished cry into the forest. It rung through the trees, echoing off them. Flocks of birds rose from the branches, frightened.

I caught up to her quickly. She was kneeling on the soggy earth, her hands clasped over her face. I knelt down beside her, wrapping my arms around her. She looked up at me, her eyes were expressionless, but I could see the fire burning deep inside them.

"I'm going to kill her, Edward…" Her voice was calm, collected…at first, then she lost it. "I'm going to fucking kill her!" She was seething. I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. Then she was on her feet again and running. I followed her just as quickly, staying a few steps behind. I had an idea of what she was doing.

Not a whole minute later, she had found what she was seeking, a herd of deer. She lunged and killed three of the oblivious animals in succession, letting them drop to the forest floor. She then proceeded to drain them. She stood, panting for air, but not from exhaustion. Her arm wiped away the remaining blood, then she turned to me. I went to her, her silent pleas beckoning me. I hugged her tightly.

"I wish I could cry…I have all this pent up emotion and no way to let it out…"

"I know, Love…I know how you feel. I picked her up and walked back to the cabin, with her slung bridal style in my arms.

"We have to go back you know." She whispered into my chest."Yes…I know. Victoria must be destroyed." I tired not to let it show, but I was just as outraged as she was. Not only for the loss of Charlie, but at the idea of losing Bella to that monster as well. If I had never returned, Victoria would have gotten her.

I took her back to the main cabin, Tanya, Kate, and Irina were standing on the porch, waiting for us, anxious looks still plastered on their faces. I smiled at them in an attempt to lighten the mood. Bella wiggled in my grasp, then she hissed at me.

"Put me down! Don't make me seem so weak." I complied immediately, setting her down, but maintaining a grasp on her hand.

"There's been an unexpected emergency back in Forks…Alice just called me, they want us to return home right away. I'm sorry our stay was so short…but we'll be back soon." They must have understood our urgency, because they only nodded and smiled at us. "Thanks again for your hospitality, you're all welcome at our home whenever you want to visit, as I'm sure you know.

"Oh, Edward…stop with the formalities, you're like a brother to us." Tanya said as she stepped forward. She embraced me tightly and then turned to Bella. "It was wonderful to meet you, Bella. I only hope we can get to know each other next time." Then they hugged and Tanya went back up to the cabin. Kate and Irina waved at us from the porch and followed.

"Wait here, Love." Bella nodded and I dropped her hand and took off to the guest cabin. I decided that I should at least grab my phone before we left, in case our family tried to contact us again before we got back to Forks. I wouldn't bring anything else with us. There was no need. Hopefully we would be able to return soon, after this mess with Victoria and Laurent was sorted out. Even with the extra capacity my vampire brain held, I was still having trouble processing all that had happened in the last few days. We hadn't even been away from Forks for twenty-four hours before tragedy had struck in Bella's life again.

How much more pain could one person endure before they broke? But she wasn't just a person anymore, she was a vampire. One of us. She would have to live with Charlie's tragic death for the rest of her existence. I knew she would disagree, but I felt like this was all my fault. I had failed to protect her, by failing to protect her former family. It seemed I was only able to cause pain in her life. For the briefest moment, I regretted my decision to return to her. But no, she had never gotten over my absence. She had only sought out Jacob in desperation. She still wanted me, and I would be a fool to turn my back on her now. Now, when she needed me so much. And who was I kidding? As if I had the strength to leave her again. Now it was different. She was a vampire, and I knew she could track me to the ends of the earth if I ever left again. And I knew that she would. Besides, leaving wouldn't solve anything.

I had turned her, taken her mortality, and promised to stay with her. She had given up everything to be with me for eternity, she had give up her life. Her love was so intense, so pure, so strong, that it hurt me to think of life without her. Her existence was a shining beacon of hope and light in the ceaseless night that was my own pitiful 'life'. I continued to pondered my thoughts as I reached for my cell phone which had fallen several feet away from the couch in my earlier haste to catch up with Bella. I looked at the screen. Fifteen missed calls from Alice. I sighed to myself. As I was about to dial her number, the phone vibrated in my hand. Typical Alice. I pressed the green button, accepting the call, and lifted the phone to my ear.

"God, where the hell have you been, Edward? I've been calling for nearly and hour!" She sounded exasperated.

"I'm sorry. I was busy chasing down Bella in the forest. Shouldn't you have seen that?" She sighed heavily over the phone before answering me.

"No, actually…I didn't see it. It's been bothering me, but the longer you two stay away, the less I see of Bella's future. The last thing I remember catching was last night, when you two were, well…you know." My thoughts were muddled. How could Bella's future be disappearing? She was safe. For now at least, and I wouldn't let anything change that.

"Carlisle thinks she might have an ability. He thinks she might have the ability to shield other vampires' powers. She's always been able to block you, but maybe that extended to the rest of us after you turned her. In any case, I want the two of you home as soon as possible, so we can keep a closer eye on her. Make sure she's really safe. Not to mention we have to track down Victoria. She seems to be taking advantage of the treaty we have with the wolves. She's learned where the line that neither side will cross is. She zig-zags between La Push Territory and ours. And the wolves aren't being any help. They're angry with us. They think we have something to do with Jacob's disappearance." I cut her off then.

"We saw him today. Earlier this morning. He wanted to talk to Bella again. He offered to kill her, so she wouldn't have to be a monster like us…" I growled, the acid dripping in my voice was obvious and Alice gasped on the other end of the line.

"That mongrel…How could he even suggest such a thing? I bet Bella was furious." I smirked slightly. My sister knew Bella well.

"Yes…she told him off. She didn't even need any help from me. But, Alice you never got to finish explaining what happened to Charlie." I heard her take in another unneeded breathe before she spoke again.

"Yes…well, Carlisle was at the hospital this morning, of course, he was there when the ambulance brought Charlie in. They took him straight to the morgue. He was dead on arrival. Victoria didn't even drink him. She just…" Alice paused. I could tell this whole ordeal would be hard for her. She had taken an immediate liking to Charlie over the summer before we left Forks. "She just killed him. Broke his neck. I'll explain the rest when you two return. Carlisle said he wouldn't have suffered. If that will put Bella at any ease. I know this must be horribly difficult for her. "

I sighed and headed back to the door, Bella would be wondering what was keeping me, even though I'd only been gone a minute or two.

"It is…she seems better now, but she was very distraught earlier. We're getting ready to head back now, we've already explained to Tanya and the others. We should be back in seven or eight hours, I'll go as fast as I can." I heard Alice rise on the other end and move about the house.

"Okay, we'll be waiting for you." With that, the line went dead and I flipped the phone shut, slipping it into my front pocket. I hurried back to Bella to find her in exactly the same position I had left her in. I took her hand again and she lifted her eyes up to meet mine.

"It will be okay, Bella. We will find her, we will make her pay for what she's done." My love simply nodded and clasped my hand tighter. "Do you mind if I carry you back, Bella? It might be faster that way." She thought for another moment before nodding again and allowing me to lift her into my arms. I cradled her firm body to my equally hard chest. A part of me missed the warmth her body used to generate. When it was still alive. Now she was a cold, unchanging piece of stone, as I was. Sure, she was my equal now, in her eyes, but at what cost? How much more of her old life would she have to give up to be with me? Would Renee be next on Victoria's hit list if we failed to catch her soon? I shuddered at the thought. The action did not go unnoticed by Bella. She looked up at me, quizzically. I shook my head at her.

"It's nothing, Bella, I promise." I tried to give her a reassuring smile, but then I heard something that made me stop dead in my tracks.

You're lying to me Edward Cullen. I gasped and looked down at her. Her mouth had not moved. No audible words had passed between her gorgeous lips. she narrowed her eyes at me, but she obviously had no idea what had just transpired between us.

"Bella…how did you-…when did you-….I-I can read your thoughts." I blurted out, not really knowing how else to word it. Her now dulling crimson eyes widened. "Try it again, Bella. Think something. Concentrate." She nodded her head slightly and then closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed and I was suddenly hit with a new stream of thoughts.

Edward, can you hear me? I don't know how I'm doing this…tell me if you can hear me…

"Yes…I can, Bella…I can hear every word…." She gasped now too, looking utterly shocked.

"How?" Was all she could manage and I shook my head at her again.

"I have no idea, Love…but I promise we are going to figure it out, Carlisle will be able to help us."

I could only hope my words would be right. I could only hope that he would be able to tell us what was going on with Bella. With that thought, I took off again towards the wilderness and back towards Forks. Home