Bella's POV
"What's wrong?" I asked Edward. Rosalie's wounded appearance; Edward's terrified expression; the tension in the air... Something had happened, something bad. My nervousness only increased when I got no response. Before I could ask my question again, this time more urgently, Edward suddenly spun on his heels and took off in the direction Rosalie came from.
"Edward!" I called.
Rosalie huffed, frustrated at her brother's impulsive departure, but she didn't hesitate to follow him. Neither did I.
Although I had no clue as to what was going on, there's only one reason why Edward would react so hastily, or why Rosalie was so upset at the mention of Emmett and Esme. The though of them in harm's way was unsettling, but if they were in the same fight as Rosalie then they might very well be in the same condition as her, possibly worse judging from Edward's reaction.
Please, please tell me Esme and Emmett were okay.
I was tailing Rosalie when we passed Mike and the others. Rosalie didn't even bother to notice them.
"What's going on?" Ben's voice whooshed by me.
"I think the Cullens are in trouble," I said back over my shoulder. We were moving too quickly and I didn't feel the need to stop and explain things, especially when I wasn't even sure what the problem was myself. As Ben, Angela, Mike, Jessica, and Eric joined us - Angela and Jessica matching my pace, and the boys pushing harder to catch up with Edward, who really wasn't that far ahead of us - I turned to Rosalie. "Are they in trouble?" I asked her quietly.
Rosalie met my gaze and held it for a few silent seconds. It was obvious she was trying to compose herself, and stay in control of her emotions. One second she looks like she's in pain, the next she looks distressed, and then she's stoic, completely emotionless. I was so used to an angry Rose, one who constantly glared at me whenever she got the chance… It made it that much stranger for me, and that much more stressful. I felt horrible for whatever happened to her - we might not be on the best of terms but she's still family - and I worried about the ones she left behind.
"They better not be," she said, speaking just as softly as I had. "Or my sacrifice meant nothing."
She turned her head away from me. She would say nothing more. I didn't have the will to pry the information of what happened out of her when she looked like this, so I kept my mouth shut and looked forward again. But I wanted to know what she was talking about.
Horrible images were eating away at me as I attempted to place what I could figure out on my own together with Rosalie's words and Edward's actions. A fight had occurred with newborns; that was plainly obvious upon Rosalie's arrival, now that I thought about it. They must have been Victoria's newborns. It was the only explanation. There was obviously a lot more who escaped Jacob and his pack than I had anticipated, though I could not count up a specific number in my head. I imagined a battlefield filled with endless red-eyed, blood-crazed vampires. They all circled around my three innocent, helpless family members, closing in on them...
I stopped myself before I let my fear get the best of my imagination. There were not an infinite number of newborns, like I was picturing. A bit of an exaggeration there. But any number of enemies I drew up for them, no matter how small, was proving too much for me to handle.
I changed my mind - I refused to figure out any details until I got there.
I was actually glad for once to hear Jessica interrupt my thoughts.
"Alice hadn't mentioned the others were in trouble before." I heard her say, rather bitterly. "Why does it feel like the Cullens are always needing our help? Like they're continuously getting into some sort of mess that they can't handle?"
I narrowed my eyes at her tone.
It's not like it was their fault. They didn't go looking for a deadly fight, with the exception of Edward with Victoria..., but that's beside the point. Edward could have taken Victoria down without any aid from us if Victoria's newborns had stayed away. It was an unfair turn of events. Same with whatever happened to the others. I wonder if Alice had seen the trouble Rosalie, Emmett, and Esme would be in, and she just felt that it was irrelevant to share with us. Or, what if the attack came after Alice, Jasper, and Carlisle got to them? If that was the case then I had three more people to fear for. Whatever the case I was still curious as to how Rosalie was by herself. What did she sacrifice and why? And, most importantly, did it work?
My nerves were growing impatient again. I peeked at the gorgeous blonde beside me debating whether to ask her exactly what happened. I decided against it, however, when I saw that her hands were balled into fists and her expression clearly stated that Jessica's words had irritated her.
Angela, probably noticing Rosalie's reaction and guessing that Edward and I would also be a little defensive at Jessica's ignorant talk, felt the need to respond to our friend.
"We aren't really ones to talk," she said. "We've gotten into our own messes."
"Yeah, well, we took care of ourselves didn't we?" Mike countered. Apparently he was in leagues with Jessica. The fight we had on our way to save Edward still was not resolved it seems. I never did have the chance to ask what changed my friends' minds, but I figured that this particular argument was over. I suppose I was wrong.
"Not always," Angela answered gently. "The encounter with the Volturi for instance."
I shuddered as I remembered Jane's dark eyes intensely set on me, and again I felt good that I had the ability to protect myself and others from her torturous gift.
"The Cullens were the ones who helped us then," Angela finished.
"I guess." Jessica seemed reluctant to admit it. She obviously had something troubling her about the Cullens, something I clearly do not understand, because they did nothing to deserve her hostile thoughts. "They didn't really come for us though..."
"Jess, they came back to help us," defended Angela, exasperated this time.
"No, they did not," Jessica disagreed, the strength in her voice returning. "To help us? They came back for Bella." I flinched. The way she said my name...it was like a slap in the face. "If Bella hadn't survived do you think they would have come back for us? Do you think we mattered? You read the letter that werewolf friend of hers wrote - not even they would have kept us alive if not for her. Nobody cares what happens to us.-"
"That's not true, Jessica," Edward said coolly from the head of our group, speaking for the first time since we started this rescue mission - which I assumed this was.
Jessica stared open-mouthed at him, startled that he broke his silence. Mike, however, wasn't as hesitant to respond.
"The hell it's not, Cullen. Would you have come back at all if Bella wasn't involved? Or better yet, if you knew Bella hadn't survived? What would you have done if she didn't live long enough to change into a vampire?"
I frowned, half offended by the question, while half afraid of the answer to it. I didn't want Edward thinking of what he would do if I was gone, because I only had one fuzzy memory of my human days to look back on and give me insight into his head, and now that I was sure it still applied, that he still loves me, I didn't like what I was seeing.
Edward remained quiet. His jaw was clenched, his muscles tight.
"See? You wouldn't have." Mike took his silence as defeat.
"You're right," Edward grudgingly replied. "Even if Alice had seen that you five were alive and could be saved...if Bella was not then I would have only one purpose in returning - to avenge her death." I cringed away from the picture that popped into my head: him going head to head with Victoria again. "But none of you would ever have entered my mind, and I'm sorry for that. It's nothing personal, I assure you. I simply would have...other things on my mind, plans to carry out..." For some reason I didn't like the sound of that. Edward didn't elaborate on it though.
No one said anything, so he continued.
"But although I wouldn't, my family would," Edward stated matter-of-factly, his voice suddenly stern and a tad bit defensive. "Carlisle and Esme would never leave any one of you behind, nor would my siblings, as long as you had a chance to survive. Of course, you can't expect that they'd have the same level of concern for you as they would for Bella - she's family, you're practically strangers. But they would have came for you whether Bella was with you or not, if Alice had seen you. In this particular situation it was pure luck that you happened to be Bella's friends, because - and it's true - that is what saved you. However, your bitterness toward my family is unjustified. They've been nothing but helpful to you, Mike, Jessica."
"You'd think a person would be a little more gracious they were saved at all," retorted Rosalie.
Jess glowered in Rosalie's direction. Rose paid no attention to her old schoolmate, clearly seeing herself as the superior one here. I could sense the forming of a beautiful friendship...
I could see Mike scowling, too, from the quick turn of his head when he looked away from Edward and out to the open forest to the right of him. Clearly any argument he had no longer applied. He was realizing this, knowing Edward spoke the truth. For a second I thought he was about to argue anyway, but to my relief his shoulders merely drooped in defeat.
I admit that I never thought about what would have happened to my friends if not for me. There was unquestionably a great number of ways to go about this. On the one hand, Edward's right - my friends were lucky that they had me because Alice wasn't attuned to them, and the wolves...well, the moment they realized my friend's were bitten they might have destroyed them then and there. On the other hand, nothing would have attacked Forks in the first place if not or me. But either way my Mike and Jess had no reason to be angry with the Cullens. It's me they should be angry with, if anybody.
"I do appreciate Dr. Cullen's help, and Alice's and Jasper's..." Mike murmured. "But I can still hate you."
"Indisputably," said Edward, agreeing. He still had a seriousness to his tone due to the fear for Esme and Emmett, but there was a hint of amusement there.
I glared at the back of their heads. If they were going to agree on something I did not want it to be that all this was Edward's fault, because it's not. Unbelievable. Edward's so consumed with unjustified self-loathing, so quick to put the fault on himself for everything that happens, I'm surprised he doesn't blame himself for global warming, too.
Snap! Snap!
"Argh!" Rosalie stumbled to her knees. She hissed a low curse as her arms flew around her stomach.
"Rosalie?" Angela asked, panicked, almost running into her. I slid to a stop along with Jessica, who lacked any concern for the blonde. She was purely shocked, surprised.
Taking in Rosalie's posture my eyes went wide with worry for the umpteenth time today. I looked to Edward for help. He was already turning his back on us and sprinting away. It was an action I failed to make sense of. The other boys looked back and forth between the two Cullens, unsure of what to do; follow Edward, or see if Rosalie's alright. Mike's eyes roamed over Jessica, Angela, and I, and then he gestured for Ben and Eric to follow him as he ran after Edward.
I turned back to Rosalie as another crack sounded from her. She flinched.
"Are you okay?" I asked, too worried to find a reason why Edward would turn away from his sister when something was happening to her. Rosalie - fierce, tough Rosalie - was in pain, and I had no idea why or how to help. I haven't been a vampire for very long, but I knew this couldn't be normal... It sounded like something was breaking in her.
Then, swiftly, she stood straight up - not hunched over like she has been - and looked perfectly fine. My eyebrows raised in surprise, my mouth falling open.
Rubbing the side of her stomach absently she answered me.
"Best I've felt yet," she said, almost smiling. Then she was on the move again, darting after Edward. "Come on."
I obeyed dutifully, moving my feet to match hers, after one long glance at a shocked Angela and Jessica. They were just as confused about Rosalie as I was.
"Are you...okay?" Angela asked hesitantly. We were hurriedly trying to catch up with the guys.
"Yes," Rosalie answered, impatient. I assumed it wasn't Angela she was particularly irritated with. Just the fact that we had fallen behind because of her. "My ribs were very much broken and my body decided now was the right moment to finish healing them."
"Heal them?" I asked.
"They sounded like they were breaking. How were they healing?" Jessica finished my question for me, though I would not have said it with quite so much...attitude. I peeked a look at Rosalie; she narrowed her eyes briefly when glancing back at Jessica, clearly not liking her tone. If I was Jess I would tone it down a bit. Especially with Rosalie.
When Rosalie didn't answer the question right away, Jessica didn't push it, probably knowing that was one fight she could do without.
Angela glanced at me with the same questions in her eyes. She must think I might know something about the steps it takes for an immortal to recover from wounds, since I seemed to know so much about this lifestyle already. Disappointing to her, I shrugged, clueless.
"If a bone in your body is snapped in half it would have to snap back into place," Rosalie said, answering the question suddenly. She angled her face slightly toward me and Angela. Obviously she was deliberately speaking to us and not Jessica. I worried that Jess might say something about that, or look annoyed at the very least, but she didn't. I wonder if she noticed at all.
"Bones cannot heal correctly if they're not in the proper position. Our bodies fix themselves naturally. Though painful, the process is usually quiet. If the healing is happening internally only, then it's unnoticeable to others period. But when a bone is too out of place, the crackling of your body piecing the hard figment back together is audible, and much more painful and sudden. That is what happened. It's nothing to be concerned about. Just focus on catching up with Edward."
I nodded, pushing harder against the ground with every step.
The vampire ways of healing had been unknown to me. I knew they could put themselves back together - that's why they had to be burned to ash to die - but the specifics of it is all new. It was interesting. Of course, it would have been more intriguing under different circumstances...
We caught up with Edward in record time. He barely bothered to notice our reappearance. It was almost like he didn't care. Good thing I knew Edward better than that.
"We're nearly there," Rosalie spoke to him immediately. "They're not fighting - we'd be able to hear them by now if they were."
"I know," Edward said. His tone was blank.
I didn't know if their words should relieve my nerves, or worry them further.
We ran in silence after that. Trying to hear something, any sound that might indicate we had made it, or that everything was okay, or not okay, either way. The air was clean of any vampire scents. Even Rosalie's - who I assumed came this way some while ago - even her smell had been washed away by the storm. Then, suddenly, there was something floating above the trees, spreading into the sky. It was smoke.
I heard Edward sigh with what sounded like relief. My body started to hope, but I knew better than to get my expectations up before anything was confirmed.
"Is that...?" Rosalie was staring at the fading smoke, too, before moving her gaze to Edward.
We were all staring at Edward's back then, waiting expectantly for him to voice the reason behind the sigh. He tilted his head slightly over his shoulder. He met eye contact with me, then Rosalie, and his lips turned up into an elated half-smile.
"They're all okay," he said. My mouth formed their own smile before he even finished what he was saying. "Esme and Emmett, and Carlisle, Jasper, and Alice. I can hear them now; they're waiting for us."
Thank goodness.
Rosalie notably relaxed at the news.
"That's a relief," Angela breathed, pleased that the outcome of this whole ordeal could be a good one.
None of us slowed our pace. I know I was personally eager to get there and see all the Cullens for myself.
After a few more yards I could smell their scents. Each smell was different, with the mixture of sweetness that radiates from any vampire. I recognized Alice's, Jasper's, and Carlisle's familiar fragrances, ranging from odd mixtures of honeysuckle and pine to a kind of spice, almost like cinnamon . Then the two new ones that must be Esme and Emmett. Somehow, I knew that the bolder, woodsier scent belonged to Emmett while the softer, vanilla-esque smell was surely Esme's, even though I never smelled their scents before.
There was no sound coming from where the Cullen family was located. Nobody on our side said a word either. I must not have been the only one anxious.
Then, finally, I could see them.
The first two I spotted were Jasper and Alice. They stood huddled together by the low flames of a dying fire, where light purple smoke rose from. Their heads came up slowly, and Alice smiled widely, eyes sparkling. I was pleased to see that they were both seemingly unharmed, just a few tears on their clothing.
My eyes landed on Emmett next. He was just as massive as I remembered, even more so it seemed when he was shirtless, as he was now - his bulging muscles were clearly threatening in my newborn eyes. I frowned noticing that there were new scars along his shoulders, chest, and arms. There was even one on the side of his face, between his right cheekbone and ear. I cringed away from imagining the fight that made these recent marks on him. Luckily he was okay. It was so good to see him again. His anxious eyes roamed right over me without a second glance. When they rested on Rosalie his whole face lit up like a child on christmas morning. Rosalie went straight to him without so much as acknowledging the others. Emmett reached out and took Rose's face in his hands, immediately going in for a kiss. That's when I decided to look away and give them the privacy I felt their reunion required.
Edward went straight to Carlisle and Esme. Like Rosalie, he did not so much as look at his siblings as he passed. I slowed my pace until I came to a stop a few feet away from them. Esme was sitting up, leaning against a fallen tree. Her arms were wrapped around herself, hugging the jacket she wore - Carlisle's jacket - closer to her body. I flinched at the sight of her and bit my tongue to hold back an involuntary hiss that almost slipped out of me. It was obvious she had healed quite a bit, and yet she was still in such gruesome shape, just like Rosalie had been when she first ran into us. But somehow this was harder to look at, because it was Esme.
Carlisle was sitting beside her. He was rubbing the skin just above her knee with his fingers, and I soon caught on that it was a vampire bite he was attempting to sooth for her.
Both their heads popped up when we arrived. Carlisle looked around, making sure everyone was accounted for. Esme's eyes scanned the area, too. However, her eyes remained on Edward the moment she saw him.
Edward kneeled beside his parents. Esme took her son's face in her motherly hands and brought him down until she planted a tender kiss on his forehead. When she distanced their faces again, she was smiling. The obvious comfort she felt that Edward was back and safe was contagious. I felt myself smiling with her.
"Esme, I'm so sorry," Edward apologized, his voice brimming over with remorse, his expression just as regret-filled.
"Oh, now don't you start blaming yourself for any of this," Esme warned him, her eyes hardening.
I frowned, shaking my head at Edward. The movement caught Esme's eye.
"Bella," she greeted, stretching her arms out and beckoning me to come in for a hug. How could I possibly resist such a welcoming invitation? Esme was always like a second mother to me, and right now I knew she was the only mother I had left.
I smiled wider and closed the distance between us in a few long strides. I kneeled down just as Edward had; he moved out of my way to let me take his place. I was quickly in Esme's soft embrace. I found myself comforted at once.
"It's good to have you back, Bella," she said in my ear. "I am so glad you're okay, and back with us. We've been without you for too long. Edward especially." She spoke like she already knew mind and Edward's conversation, where we redeclared our love for each other, and fixed our broken hearts. Maybe it was mother's intuition...
"I've missed you all so much, too," I answered. I felt her smile.
"Did you give her the necklace?" she asked. I pulled back slowly, confused for a moment. But she was looking at Edward.
"No. Not yet," he answered. His eyes skimmed over mine, then went back to Esme.
"Necklace?" I questioned. I turned back to Esme, too, but she was still looking at her son. Carlisle seemed clueless though, just like me, so I didn't feel completely left out.
"Well..." Esme hinted. Then she seemed to take in his full appearance. I watched as a spark of worry glinted in her round eyes. "It's still in one piece, isn't it?"
Edward chuckled and nodded. His infamous crooked grin formed on his face as his left hand went for his pant pocket. "Yes, it's perfectly fine. It was one of the first things I made sure was okay after the fighting stopped."
Esme grinned again, pleased. Though, by the way her body remained stiff for a few seconds longer, I could tell she did not like the mention of the fighting. I could relate.
I watched Edward curiously. He delicately pulled out a glimmering silver chain with a small heart-shaped locket dangling from it. Edward swiftly, easily untangled parts of the bright chain before letting it lightly hang from his fingers, holding it up for me to get a better look. There was nothing amazing about this necklace. Nothing stood out, except how plain it was. Though, it was actually kind of beautiful in it's simplicity. I wasn't fond of jewelry, but picturing this piece around my neck was oddly appealing to me. I assumed the necklace was mine, if I interpreted Esme's words correctly, and, for some reason, I wanted to wear it even if I had no idea where it came from yet, or what it signified.
"It's a gift," Edward said softly.
"A gift?" I couldn't imagine who would get me a present, an expensive one at that, other than Edward himself. But the idea of it being him just seemed out of place with recent circumstances.
"Yes. For you, from Charlie."
My gaze shot up to meet Edward's at he mention of my father. Edward looked apologetic for some reason.
"Charlie?" No sound came out of me, though my lips moved.
Edward nodded once. Then he grimaced slightly. "Esme found it on the kitchen table at your house when we first arrived in Forks. There was a note that went with it, but sadly it wasn't quite as lucky as the locket - it was lost during my battle with Victoria."
I was still trying to process that this pricey gift was from Charlie, of all people.
"Charlie?" I repeated, this time with sound. "But why?" What would bring him to buy something such as this for me? It seemed...out of character, to say the least. What surprised me more was that my dad had actually successfully chosen something that was so me. Such a plain accessory, yet amazingly perfect. Still, he knows, or knew - I frowned, saddening at the thought of him gone - my distaste for presents of any kind. I didn't understand why he would go out of his way to do this, to spend money unnecessarily on me. "What did I do to deserve this?" I asked.
Edward's eyes glinted with gentleness. He looked like he could think of a thousand reasons to answer my question. "I may not have the note, but I remember it clearly. I can repeat it to you word for word...if you'd like," he said, slipping the locket into my outstretched palm. When I nodded, the corners of his lips went up just a bit, and he began.
"'Bella', he wrote. 'I know these past few months have been difficult for you, and I know you don't like talking about them.'"
My frown grew more defined at the direction this was going. Edward saw my expression, and hesitated, but I urged him to keep going.
"'But you seem to be getting along better lately and I'm glad. I know in the beginning you only attempted to act normal for me, so I wouldn't worry about you.'"
I looked away from Edward's intense stare as he recited my father's written words, focusing on the gift in my hands. It was bad enough Charlie had written this. Hearing Edward speak it with such honest passion was heartbreaking as well as embarrassing.
"'But I'm pleased you listened to me when I told you to get out more. It worked well for you I think. You found Jacob, that was good, right? You seem so much happier with him.'"
Jacob... I was happy with Jake. As happy as one as broken as I was could be. My best friend...though not dead, he was lost along with my dad. I swallowed the sadness that was growing in me, and seeming to sprout branches.
"'And I'm happy you're spending time with your other friends again, too.'"
The memories of my anti-social behavior made me remember that it wasn't just me standing here with Edward. I peeked at my friends briefly. I caught Angela's sad smile before turning away again. At the moment, I really didn't bother to care who was around.
"'So, to get down to the point, I bought you something;-'"
The necklace. But what for? My seemingly successful - though futile - attempts at moving on?
"'-a tribute to your successful efforts.'" I chuckled humorlessly to myself, fiddling with the necklace, unclasping the back. "'I know you don't like gifts but you are going to have to deal with this one. I was thinking of you when I saw it and, well,...'"
Edward was suddenly right in front of me, slowly taking the locket from my hands. Realizing what I was going to do he walked around me, and I held my hair atop my head, giving him clear access to my neck. Gently wrapping the chain around my neck, the little silver heart now resting on my chest, he continued.
"'I just wanted to show how proud I am of you. I don't think I say this as often as I should, but remember that I love you. Always have, always will. Love, Charlie (Dad).'"
I bowed my head, letting my hair fall back over my shoulders. Everything was silent. I didn't know if that was because nobody was speaking, or because I had tuned out the world around me. Then, an unrecognizable sound slipped through my pressed lips. Edward seemed to understand that it was a sound of my distress. Esme, too; she reached out and took my hand in a reassuring, gentle manner, one only a loving mother could perfect. Edward, still behind me, wrapped his arms around me. I squeezed my eyes shut and let them comfort me.