Chapter Two: Waking Up

Once we came home to Forks, I no longer felt the need to grieve as much. I redecorated Edward's -well, it was mine now- room, trying to make it seem less gloomy.

Alice helped me, of course. Esme was at the school, registering us. This was the fifth time I would have to relive high school.

It wasn't so bad; Rose and Emmett hadn't decided to stay in Denali after all. Now, she was being much more kind to me.

Carlisle was securing a surgeon job at the hospital; nobody alive today remembered us, besides the Quileute Indians on the reservation that had children to pass the stories to.

I thought about Jake; I would have to call and see if he was still around.

When Esme came home, she gave each of us our papers and our supplies. We would start school tomorrow. I looked at the clock. It read 3:15 p.m.

Our 'curfew' was eleven, so I decided to wander around town, see the changes.

And changes there were. I laughed to myself, thinking about how I assumed the future in nearly one hundred years would be all about the hover cars, but really it was exactly the same as 2007.

In 2100, the cars were a bit more modern looking; the houses larger, but really nothing else had changed.

I don't know what made me want to see the meadow, but I did. I hopped back into my emerald Porsche and sped off to the trail we never took.

I followed the trail to the meadow and choked on the breath I took. It was more breathtaking than I remembered, but that wasn't why I inhaled.

An old man in a wheelchair and a younger man and a small girl were in the center of the meadow.

"Jacob?" I whispered. He nodded.

"Hello, Bella. This is my grandson, Anthony. And my granddaughter, Isabel." he said, his eyes shining.

"Hello Anthony, Isabel." responded, smiling some. "Jacob, may I speak to you, alone?" He looked at Anthony who nodded, and walked into the woods with Isabel. I moment later a large chocolate colored wolf flew past them, Isabel on his back, holding his clothes for him.

"It's bee a long time, Bella." he said finally.

"Yes it has. Ninety three years. When did you start to age?" I asked, for I was truly curious.

"Twenty or so years after you left. I thought maybe someone would come back, so I waited, but no one did." he mumbled but I heard him just fine.

"How have you been coping without…" he let his voice trail off.

"Not so good, until I came back. Alice and Emmett were the most supportive, trying to cheer me up." I laughed. "Everyone else stayed their distance- until we came to Denali. At last, once back here, I started to cheer up. But it has been rough."

"Bella, there is something I have to tell you."

"Yes?"

"Victoria is back."

I stopped breathing and collapsed. Not out of being frightened, but of finally coming into peace of mind. I would finally have her, after nearly one hundred years of eluding me.

She was mine.

"Jacob, I have to take her down on my own. Don't let Anthony help. How large is the pack this time?" I asked.

"Don't worry, Bella. Anthony won't fight her. I'm afraid it's only Anthony and Sam and Emily's grandchild, Rosa. She's fiercer than Leah, and braver than Sam." Jacob chuckled to himself, as if sharing some sort of joke with the wind from the ways his eyes gleamed.

Suddenly, I knew I had to go.

"Jacob, it has been wonderful seeing you again, it really has, but I have to leave. I have a feeling Alice or Emmett need me. Goodbye." I said to him curtly, and took off back home.

"Bye, Bella. I missed you." I heard him murmur against the wind.

I came home to find Alice sitting in my room, waiting for me.

"I know what you're thinking, don't try it. We've all got to help." She said, sweeping my into a tight hug. I shoved away roughly.

"I don't think you get it." I replied, almost savagely. "I have to do this alone. I need closure, Alice."

"I do get it. I knew him so much longer than you did, he was my brother first. I loved him to death; do you know how much I wished I had seen that coming? No, you don't." she glared at me, too furious to continue.

"Alice, you didn't feel the same way as I did. You have Jasper! You don't know what I'm going through! You can't possibly know how I feel." I spat out venomously.

"I have a pretty good idea," she muttered darkly. "Bella, I have tried to help you through this but I can't take it anymore. Edward wouldn't have wanted it." she growled.

"Don't ever say his name within reach of my ears again. I can't take it." I felt like sobbing.

"You know Edwa- he, I mean, wouldn't have wanted this. He would have wanted you to go on with your life and be happy. You know what? No, god dammit! Edward would have wanted you to stop moping and get the hell over it." Alice exclaimed.

"Get out." I whispered, pointing to the door. I could barely conceal the anger and fury and rage I felt. I felt sorry for Jasper, who must have been feeling it as well as me.

Alice turned her back on me and left. At that point I felt more alone than in my entire ninety years of immortality.

Would this ever get any better?