1The Twilight Saga and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer

5.

When I finally made it to Green River Ranch I found nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. There was definitely a ranch, a working ranch, with cattle. There was, however, no sign that Victoria, or any other vampire for that matter, had ever been there.

I suddenly felt extremely foolish. What had I expected? That I would find her there, lounging about, an easy target. Why had I even assumed that she would be truthful about where she was headed?

I never should have flown. I should have followed her scent on foot for as long as it took. Now I have nothing to go on, no starting place.

The ranch was quite large and at the outskirts of the grazing fields there was a small wooden shed. From the lack of scent it was obviously not used often, if ever. It was going to be light soon and it seemed as good a place as any to spend the day. I needed to think. To plan.

I turned on my phone. I thought this would be a convenient time to make good on my promise to keep up more frequent contact. The second the power came on it rang. My best guess was it had to be Alice, only she would know the exact moment I was going to turn it on.

I answered and Emmett's laughter came booming through the speaker.

"Bro, I can not believe you finally answered! I have been calling non stop for like nine hours."

"Why didn't you just leave a message?" I tried to hide my irritation, but failed. "I would have called you back."

"Trust me Edward, you would not have called me back, and while I'm thinking about it ... promise me you won't hang up on me either." His voice sounded oddly nervous.

Great.

"Ok," I replied. I had no idea what could make Emmett, of all people, nervous to say. "Let me have it."

He hesitated for a few long seconds and then blurted out, "You're not on your way to Forks, are you?"

"No." Not what I expected, but I also wasn't surprised. "I didn't turn our lives upside down just to go back two months later. Why would you even ask that?

He let out a deep breath. "So, last night after you spoke to Carlisle I was talking with Alice and Jasper. To be honest, I was complaining. It's just so boring here man, and without you around to piss off there is really nothing to do."

"Well that's flattering Em."

"So, anyways, I'm telling Alice I don't know how long I can stand this and she says, 'Six months.' Just like that. 'Six months.' So, I'm like, 'What the hell is that suppose to mean?'"

Exactly what I was wondering.

"So Alice says you won't be able to stay away from Forks for more than six months, and I just need to hang in there. Then Jasper kind of smirks and says, 'Three.' He says based on what he felt coming from you, he doesn't know how you can stand it much longer."

My mind was warring between anger and curiosity. I was offended by how casually they were all discussing my failure, but Alice's prediction had me especially confused.

"But, I stood up for you Edward," he continued. "I was like, 'No way he caves in less than eight months.'"

"Emmett, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I am never going back to Forks. So whatever your wager is with Jazz and Alice ..."

"Look, I understand what you're saying. All I ask is that if the urge becomes too much for you to fight, just don't give in until eight months goes by. Please Edward, the bet is sweet and I will split it with you."

"I'm hanging up now."

The phone went dead and my thoughts were in overdrive. Alice's visions were based on peoples decisions. I had not decided to go back to Forks. I had thought about it, every minute of every day, but I definitely had not come to any decision. So, maybe she was speaking merely in theory as Jasper and Emmett were. Maybe she just made a wild guess.

Alice does not make wild guesses.

She had certainly been watching my attempts to track down Victoria. She must have seen that was my intended path. She was probably watching me even now. Maybe that was her plan all along. To somehow force my hand to return to Bella by putting it in my head that it was inevitable. She was probably pleased as she watched this entire scenario drive me mad. Was this funny to her? Toying with me as if I were a pawn on a chess board.

I would prove myself true to my word. I had already caused her so much pain. Uprooted my family, estranged them even. My life was rendered unrecognizable, a empty void in existing without her, but I could not go back. Even if it meant never leaving this shed. I would not go back. I promised.

You promised her. You promised. You will not break your promise. You will not. You will not.