Heh. This story has gone so far off my original plan. I have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen in this chapter, but I'm clueless for anything after that. xD I guess I'll just have to wing it. I hope it turns out okay.

Oh. And I went to the bookstore and town and they sold all their copies of New Moon already. D:

The sun set surprisingly early. All the light vanished in what seemed like a matter of minutes. A flash of lightning illuminated the area, making it look like daytime again. I wandered aimlessly around the den, trying to find something to do. I contemplated picking up the puzzle again, giving my book another shot or even trying to go back to sleep. None of the activities would take my mind off of what was going on. I turned on the television in a desperate attempt to distract myself. It clicked on to some old black and white movie. I tried to focus on it. The audio seemed to fade in and out although I knew that was just my imagination. The screen displayed some sort of spaghetti western with less-than-authentic costumes and a set that looked as though it came with a toy. I sat on the couch closest to it and stared, trying to absorb myself into the movie. After a while, I couldn't take any more of the horrible acting and I zoned out again.

I tried to come up with explanations for everyone's strange behavior. Maybe I could look at this from a different angle, I'd be able to cope better. The first person that came to mind was Edward. He hadn't been hunting in a while, that much was obvious. By the purple bags I'd seen under his eyes, I could guess that it had been a long time. Carlisle seemed oblivious to the fact that Edward had been starving himself—he was upset with his son. Surely Carlisle would have said something to Edward if he knew what was going on. This action of my beloved's was clearly a secret. But why? What good could starving do? Sure, it was a dumb thing, but Edward wasn't dumb. There had to be a reason.

Another long half hour of thinking and I wasn't any closer.

The television brought me out of my trance. The old program was interrupted by a news bulletin. A lady with too much make-up appeared and talked about the storm, only she called it a hurricane. Clips of the storm flashed across, including uprooted trees that flew through the air and ocean waves that flooded over beaches and reached the boardwalk. People ran across the screen, covering their children with jackets that violently flapped around in the wind. Their screams couldn't be heard over the roar of the wind and crashing of the waves. I recognized the city; it was the downtown we'd visited when we went out to see a movie. Curiously, I glanced out the window towards the shore.

The grass tangled in the wind and the rain hit the windows like bullets. Sand was whipped around and plastered anything with a hard surface. It looked almost exactly like the clips on the screen of the television. Instantly, my mind went back to the Cullens. They were driving in this weather? Would they be okay? There had to be traffic. Would it take them longer? What if someone got hurt? Carlisle is in a different car; would he still be able to help them?

"All residents should leave the area until further notice." The TV snatched my attention once more when it repeated itself. "All residents are to leave the area until further notice. Follow the emergency exit roads; look for the emergency route signs. We request that you stay calm. There will be traffic but there are county and local officers out to direct you for the quickest possible exit. Once again, all residents are to leave the area until further notice."

I leaned closer and watched the images on the screen. This was happening around me? It was unbelievable. What made matters worse—I couldn't leave. I wouldn't leave. Not without Edward.

The phone rang obnoxiously loud and I jumped so high I nearly hit the ceiling.

"H-hello?" I answered. I picked up the phone so fast that it didn't even get through the first ring. No one answered. I could hear wind in the background and a violent pour of rain on a window. There was a shallow breath.

"Hello?" I asked again. My hand began to shake.

"Bella," Edward whispered. I sighed so loud that there was a rush of air past the receiver. "Bella, I…I'm…"

"It's okay, Edward. I'm okay. You don't," I began.

"No, it's not okay," he hissed back. I winced. He was still unstable, but I didn't blame him. I was unstable, too, but then again, I was never stable in the first place.

"Bella, I'm so sorry," he told me sternly. "I never should have done that. It was so stupid. I put your life in danger. It was horrible. I don't know what I was thinking." Edward never rambled. He never said anything he really didn't have to. This was unlike him and it bothered me.

"It's okay, I promise," I offered. "Really." I put so much emotion into those five words and begged that he caught on. He, of course, heard every last bit of it. There was a side from his end of the line.

"We will be back as soon as possible," he continued. "Don't go anywhere. I'll come back for you."

"I won't go anywhere," I repeated.

"I mean it, Bella. I know it's dangerous, but I'll be there. I'm coming. Stay right where you are, alright? Promise me," Edward begged. This made me nervous again. Fist Carlisle was insisting odd requests, and now Edward? There had to be a connection between the two. They knew something I didn't.

"Alice had another vision? What was it?" I asked in a tone that almost demanded it. He sighed again.

"I just need you to stay there. We don't know what's going to happen, so you—" he started, but I wouldn't have any of it.

"For Christ's sake, Edward! Just tell me what's going on!" I cried. "If I'm in danger, just tell me whatever is going to happen so I'll be ready for it!" Some part inside me burst into tears. Edward didn't call to fight again, and I didn't answer expecting to fight, either. I was getting worked up again and I had to keep myself calm.

"Bella, no, don't be upset," Edward begged. He sounded panicked. This only confused me more. "I need you to stay inside the house. Don't let anyone in. I'll be back for you Bella, you have to trust me."

"It's not that I don't trust you," I said weakly. "I just want to know what's going on. Please, Edward, you have to tell me."

"Listen to me," he spoke slowly, but he kept the warm tone. He was trying hard to keep me from getting upset. "Stay inside, don't let anyone in. No matter what, don't leave that house. Promise me."

My hand shook again and I started to wonder if he could hear it.

"I promise," I whispered. Even my voice is shaking. There was a long pause until I dared to speak again.

"I love you," I offered with a hopeful. I could hear him chuckle ever so slightly with that warm, gentle tone again.

"I l—"

Then the line went dead.

I waited, half-expecting him to finish his sentence. There was static, then nothing. A second later, all the lights in the house shut off. Something electronic beeped its protest in the background, but soon faded.

Everything in the house was dark and silent.

I didn't even bother to put the phone back in its spot. Panic took a hold on me and I had trouble breathing. This was more than just a bad sign. I gasped for breath, as if all the oxygen had been sucked from the air. Edward wasn't here. He was gone. All of the Cullens were.

Pull yourself together a voice told me. I recognized it; it was my own better judgment. I had to keep myself together. Light it told me you need to try to find light. With that, I headed into the kitchen and searched the drawers for a flashlight. It was impossibly dark and I could barely see two feet in front of me. After looking through all the drawers, cabinets and closets on the floor I could only manage to find a match. It was better than nothing.

The fireplace was completely empty, and not only did I have no clue where to find firewood, but it was pouring buckets outside. It would be soaked, anyway. There has to be a candle around here somewhere. If the scene had been a cartoon, a light bulb would have lit up above my head. I hurried into the bathroom; I'd seen a candle sitting in there earlier that day. I lit the wick in the glass jar before I even walked out of the room. Carefully guarding the flame, I made my way back into the living room. I wanted to be as close to the door as possible when the Cullens came back. A cinnamon scent floated across the room after a short while as the tiny light flickered. I sat on the couch, curled up and waited. I don't know how much time I spent staring out at the storm but time passed so slowly that it didn't even feel real.

Then there was a knock at the door.

It didn't occur to me that it was unlikely for any member of the Cullens to knock at the door. It didn't occur to me that it was too soon for them to be home. It didn't occur to me that I was so hung up on waiting for Edward to get home that he was all I could think about.

I bolted to the door in record time and yanked it open. Rain splashed inside as soon as I did and I had to blink constantly to keep the water out of my eyes. I didn't see Edward standing in the doorway.

"Bella!" Luke gasped, shocked to see me answer the door. "Bella, what on earth are you doing here? I drove by and say the garage door open, so I wanted to see if anyone was still here." His hair, soaked from the rain, stuck to his forehead like glue. His clothes were nearly drenched as well. Behind him, in the driveway of the house, I could see a car parked and still running. I stared at him with wide eyes, wondering why he was here and Edward wasn't. Luke waited patiently for my answer, but I never said anything. Words failed me.

"They suggested everyone leave town," he explained. "Especially those on the water. It's dangerous to be here, we have to leave." Although it took a while, his words slowly began to sink in.

"I…can't…" I whispered. He gave me a questioning look and I realized that I'd have to give a better reason than that if I wanted to stay. "I promised my friends that I'd wait for them." It was the wrong choice of words—he wasn't convinced.

"You mean they left you here alone?" he asked, appalled. I definitely chose the wrong words—Luke was getting the wrong impression about the Cullens. "You can't wait for them, they'll understand."

"But," I replied weakly. I was too out of it to really give a good excuse. My eyes were still watery and red, my nose was stuffy and I was incredibly thankful that Luke hadn't noticed that yet. "I promised."

"The roads will flood, we can't wait any longer," he said sternly. "We've barely got any time. This town is, in fact, below the sea level. If the water gets any higher, it'll destroy the roads. We have to leave right away." Luke was so sure of it that he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me outside towards the car. I was in too much shock to protest.

"Everyone's going to a town just a couple hours away," he said as we walked through the rain. "We can stay there for about a day or so, or until the storm has passed, and then we can come back. That is, if there's a town to come back to." He opened the passenger door for me, ushered me inside and climbed into the driver's seat. I looked back to the empty house through the rain and stared blankly as we pulled away. I wondered if it really was the same house I'd just come to visit on a sunny day with so many smiling faces. That day seemed so long. It felt as though that day never really existed.

The scenery never changed. It was always rainy outside, it was always wet and the only sounds that were heard was the hum of the car engine, the rain against the roof and the steady "swoosh" of the windshield wipers against glass. We were the only ones on the road for nearly the entire time. Luke explained that most everyone had left by now and only the crazy ones dared to test the almost-flooding roads this late into the storm. I stared out the window blankly. My head was spinning and I couldn't keep up. The world around me was moving, but I was standing deadly still. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be anywhere. I wanted to curl up and just not be. This all was way too much.

What would Edward do if he came back to an empty house? Would he hate me? Or would he just be horribly disappointed? I didn't want to upset him. I wanted him to be happy again, even if that meant going against my better judgment. No matter what, don't leave the house. His words echoed over and over alongside Carlisle's. I'd disobeyed him, and on purpose, too. Edward was going to be furious with me. He'd worry himself to death and probably scream at me when he finally got home. The idea made me wince. The consequences for my actions brought about a horrible fear that I never wanted to face. I was afraid of what was going to happen—I was afraid of what Edward was going to do. I was afraid of Edward.

The second the thought crossed my mind, my heart skipped a beat. I was horrified of what Edward was going to do. It wasn't that I thought he would hurt me, at least, not physically. I knew better than to think, even briefly, that Edward would ever do such a thing. But, after I thought about it, a slap across the face, or a punch to the gut, even, would have been a thousand times better than the worst he could do.

He had the power to tear me apart and he wouldn't have to break a sweat doing it. He could leave me. A bruise or a cut would hurt, no doubt, but it wouldn't even come close to losing him. I was afraid that Edward could hurt me and bring my entire world to an abrupt halt. After breaking my promise, he had all the right to do so.

Is this what Alice saw? Was this why the Cullens were so worked up? The idea left as soon as it came; it didn't add up. If Edward knew I was going to leave, he never would have left me alone. But then why did he make me promise? Why did Carlisle make me promise not to let anyone inside in the first place? Alice must have seen something like this and told everyone. I was safe. Why was that a big deal? Wouldn't they know that I'd leave because of the storm and just come back like nothing happened a day later? Nothing made sense.

The train of thought brought my anger back. I was still furious that they'd left me out and it hadn't died down one bit. I pressed my forehead to the cold glass and relaxed, telling myself over and over that there was nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be okay.

"Damn it," I heard Luke mutter under his breath. I instantly looked up. The tires struggled to gain any traction on the wet pavement and the car made a couple jerked movements. In his best attempt to drive, the wind pushed the vehicle this way and that, making it near impossible to stay on the road. Luke cursed again before pulling to the shoulder of the road.

"What's going on?" I asked even though the answer was obvious.

"We're too late, the roads flooded too much," he sighed. With stiff, angered motions, he parked the car and yanked the keys from the ignition. "It's far too dangerous to drive anymore. Plus, there's a 200-foot-high bridge up ahead that I'm going to have to cross, and I'd rather not tempt death on a day like this." He turned to me with the most sincere, most sympathetic expression I'd seen in a while. "I'm so sorry, Bella. We'll have to wait out the storm here."

He went on to explain that we were on higher ground, that it would be safe and that we were at least at a rest stop, so we'd have a payphone to use once the telephone lines were up and running again. I could see a tiny building through the rain labeled "restroom" with a vending machine in the front and a telephone booth to the other side. Luke rubbed his temples and leaned back in his seat, obviously frustrated with himself. I kind of felt bad for him; he had been trying to so hard to beat the storm.

"I'll be right back," I said as I opened the door and stepped out. To answer his questioning looking, I added quickly said "bathroom" before I shut the door.

I didn't run to the building like any sensible person would do in the rain. I walked, taking each step a little slower than was really necessary. The water was almost refreshing, but no where near enough to make me feel better. I pushed through the muddy ground and I could feel the water soaking through my shoes. This storm was worse than I had imagined.

The bathroom was flooded, too, of course, and it reeked of backed up sewage water. At first the smell was overwhelming and I wrinkled my nose in an attempt to block the scent, but it didn't bother me much. I stepped up to the mirror and stared into the reflective glass. The girl that stared back at me looked like a stranger.

Dark circles hung under her eyes like she hadn't slept in days. Even her eyes were red and watery; she'd been crying instead of sleeping. Her hair hardly looked like hair; just a wet, black mess. She was shaking and her skin was covered in Goosebumps. This was not the girl I wanted to be. This girl was weak and pathetic. She wasn't me. I wouldn't let her be me.

It's not your fault something inside my head told me. He did this to you. The words made me hesitate, and for more than one reason. Edward had been the cause of this. What had I done wrong, anyway? I made a friend, Luke and took the helping hand he offered. That made Edward furious. I tried to return the kiss he gave to me? The action could have killed me. I did nothing wrong and I wasn't at fault. Then why am I so scared?

I was afraid of Edward and what he would do when he knew I was with Luke. It was plain and simple. I was afraid of Edward. I'd done nothing wrong and I was afraid of what he would do.

I focused back on the mirror and saw a figure standing behind me. Two cold, black eyes stared at me through the glass. His face was scrunched up in a feral snarl, looking like a predator about to pounce. He was beautiful and looked as though he were about to kill me.

It was Edward.

Heh, took me long enough to get this chapter up, huh? Yeah, well, school started so I've been busy. I know this chapter was really emo and probably a little more dramatic than it should be, but a lot happened. Well, sort of. Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are great. :3

3 Chrissy