Title: You Found Me
Full Summary: Edward Masen has lived the life of a nomadic vampire, travelling with James and Victoria since he awoke as an immortal. His ability to read minds has had the unusual side effect of making him a vampire with a conscience. Despite the ridicule from his coven mates, he's confident he's making the best of his existence and doing what's morally right... until he stumbles upon a brown-eyed girl reading in a meadow in Forks. As he attempts to befriend her and learns more about the sleepy town of Forks, Edward finds there's a lot more to being a vampire than he ever thought possible.
Pairings: Canon
Rating: M, for language and sexing.
Chapter: Thirty-six; Resolute
POV: Bella
AN: This is the longest chapter yet. Not sure if that's a good thing? I didn't want to split it up, for reasons that may become clear as you read. One of my friends and I always have this argument about which is better… short but quicker or long but with a bigger delay? I'm curious what others prefer.
As always reviews and comments are appreciated :)
xx
Three days after Edward vanished, Thanksgiving quietly rolled through Forks.
The holiday, which I had been looking forward to less than a week ago, suddenly seemed meaningless. I didn't want to eat large quantities of food and pretend to be merry. All I wanted was cuddle up with Edward's pillow in bed and wallow in my despair.
Though it was low on my list of priorities, I pulled up my big girl pants and gathered the necessary supplies from the lone grocery store in Forks.
I had to believe Edward would be back sooner or later. It would do no good to draw attention to the situation and have Charlie questioning why I couldn't endure a couple weeks without my boyfriend. He had yet to broach the subject but it seemed like only a matter of time. My moping hadn't exactly been inconspicuous. Maybe if I was lucky he would write it off as teenage girl hormones.
In a pitiful effort to pretend everything was normal, I mashed the potatoes and roasted the bird and acted as though my life wasn't in shambles.
Okay, maybe I was being a little dramatic, but my boyfriend had been kidnapped by two psychopaths. I didn't know where he was, if he was alive, or if I would ever see him again. I figured I was entitled to a little hyperbole.
I was in the middle of basting the turkey when Charlie pulled me aside to ask if it was okay if he invited Jake and Billy to share in our little celebration. Jake's twin sisters had called to cancel late the previous night and Charlie didn't want them to spend the day alone, eating grilled cheese sandwiches.
I agreed, not wanting to deny him the company. The turkey was large enough to accommodate a few guests and I was less than pleasant to be around in my current state, so I didn't see the harm. Billy could keep Charlie entertained when I slunk off to my room. I tried not to think too much about how Jake would react to the invitation. We had parted on good terms, so I assumed he would at the very least have the courtesy to be pleasant.
It would be a far cry from the raucous gathering I had envisioned at the Cullens' luxurious home but it seemed ridiculous to attempt such a thing without Edward. Not only was I in no mood to celebrate, none of them would touch anything I cooked. Removing loyalty to Edward from the equation, there was no reason why they should have to pretend to endure it either.
I might not have been spending the day with them but their task guard was ever-present.
If you glanced out the window the yard appeared empty but somewhere out there Alice and Jasper were hidden in the shadows. When I had stepped out the backdoor to escape the heat of the kitchen for a few minutes, I'd found them perched precariously on the roof.
A glance at the clock revealed that Jake and Billy would be here any minute. I pulled the turkey from the oven in preparation for their arrival, poking and prodding it with a thermometer until I was satisfied I wasn't going to kill anyone. Covering it with foil so it could rest, I went to find Charlie.
"Dad?" I called, peeking my head into the living room. Predictably, he was engrossed in the pre-game coverage on SportsCenter.
"You want to carve the turkey?" I forced a half-hearted smile, trying to look more excited about it than I felt.
The first dish hadn't even hit the table and already I was counting the seconds until the evening was over.
He shot out of his seat. Charlie never turned down the opportunity to scrape every last morsel off a cooked bird. He was definitely a stereotypical all-American, steak-and-potatoes kind of guy. He had just revved up his precious electric carving knife when the doorbell chimed.
Reluctantly I pulled off my apron and headed for the door. The moment it was open, I was accosted with warm hugs from Jake and Billy. I plastered on a smile, playing the role of good hostess the best I could muster under the circumstances.
"Hi," Jake greeted, his grin just as sincere as I remembered.
"Hi Jake, Billy," I was unable to get out anything further before Jake swung me off the floor.
I swallowed down my relief that he seemed happy to see me. I couldn't stand it if he turned on me now, when my world was already full of disorder.
"You're looking good, Bells," He murmured with a wry smile. Self-conscious, I brushed aside hairs that had fallen from my haphazard ponytail, knowing he was just being nice. I felt like crap and I looked it.
"Smells amazing," Billy said, sniffing the air and patting his stomach as Jake wheeled him inside. "I can't wait to get a bite of that."
I thanked him and ushered them inside the kitchen to exchange hellos with Charlie, who was meticulously carving the turkey.
The three of them took over the conversation from there, none of them noticing that I had retreated, absorbing myself in setting out the remaining dishes.
With an uncharacteristic flourish, Charlie set the platter of turkey down on the table, completing the spread. He helped himself to a chair at the table, the rest of us following his lead. His moustache twitched with a smile. Two things made him happy: good food and sports. Tonight we had both. As wretched as I felt, I was glad that he was enjoying himself.
While Charlie, Billy and Jake heaped their plates with mountainous piles of food and tucked in with fervor, I shoved my much smaller servings around my plate, taking a bite here or there, just so no one could accuse me of not eating.
My appetite was still nonexistent. In the three days since Edward had gone missing, I'd eaten only what had been forced on me by Alice.
Emmett had accused me of going on a hunger strike. In a moment of insightfulness, he theorized that I was subconsciously forcing my body to feel a fraction of the Edward's pain. I couldn't help it if I didn't feel the will to eat. My stomach was filled with constant anxiety. There was room for nothing else.
The minute it was polite to do so, I excused myself from the table. Jake and Billy, long since familiar with the layout of Charlie's tiny kitchen, offered to clean up. I gratefully accepted the offer and shot up the stairs to my room, locking the door behind me.
Throwing myself on my bed, I clutched a pillow that still smelled faintly of Edward and allowed myself the luxury of inhaling deeply. I worried it might be the last piece of him I would ever have.
I had filched all of the bedding from his bedroom at the Cullens' to make an Edward-scented cocoon for myself. That had resulted an embarrassing confrontation with Esme, though she had been kind enough to act as though it was perfectly normal. Neither Rosalie or Alice – my bodyguards for the day – had said anything as I carted my loot home, either. I think they understood, for which I was grateful.
The pillow was a poor substitute for Edward but it was the best I had. It was much too soft and it didn't make me feel safe like he did. That was probably for the best. If I allowed myself to think, even for a moment, that he was here with me, my carefully constructed dams would break.
A tentative knock I recognized as Jake's echoed through the room. A part of me wanted to ignore it and pretend that I hadn't heard. Chances to be alone with my self-pitying thoughts were infrequent. Another larger part was curious what Jake could possibly have to say to me.
Wrapping myself in Edward's duvet as though it could protect me from the coming conversation, I stumbled over to open the door.
Jake's solemn face loomed in the darkened hallway. He stood just beyond the threshold, looking like he'd much rather be anywhere else. I didn't blame him. I wouldn't want to talk to me either.
I waved him inside, gesturing for him to sit at my desk chair.
He shot me a disgusted look, his nose wrinkling as he ambled into the room. "It smells like a vampire barfed in here."
Shrugging, I flopped onto my bed. I was in no mood to deal with that particular rivalry tonight. If he was here to complain about Edward, he could leave.
"What did you want, Jake?"
He held up a piece of pie I hadn't noticed he was holding. "You skipped out on dessert, so I thought maybe you'd like a piece…" he trailed off uncertainly, still holding the proffered pie.
I shook my head. He shrugged as if to say "suit yourself," and shoved the entire slice of pie into his mouth in three gigantic forkfuls.
"I'm kind of tired. So if that was all, you can leave." I had intended to sound like I was offering him an out but it sounded more like a demand.
Jake seemed surprised by my abruptness. "Okay, something's wrong," he observed, still brushing pieces of pie crust from his shirt. "I was pretty sure at dinner… but Charlie was acting like there was nothing wrong so I thought I was misreading the signals… So?"
"So?" I repeated, aware I was being unnecessarily obtuse. I was prolonging the eminent question by seconds, if that.
"So what's wrong?"
"They took… him," I mumbled, unable to force my lips into the shape of Edward's name. After a moment of consideration, I realized I hadn't spoken it aloud since the morning after he had disappeared. I wasn't in any rush to hurdle that obstacle. It was hard enough thinking it.
"Took who?"
I glowered at Jake, suddenly full of inexplicable contempt. "Take a wild guess," I snapped.
"Edward?"
"Yes."
"Okay, please don't hurt me, but I'm going to ask another question." He didn't wait for my response, which was probably just as well for him. "Who are we talking about here? The 'they' that took him?"
"James and Victoria," I muttered, burying my face in my bed and willing the conversation to be over already. "Best known to you as 'Psycho one' and 'Psycho two.'"
Jake regarded me soberly. "Shit, that really sucks. Edward was a pretty good guy… for a vampire, I mean. He didn't deserve that."
"Stop talking in past tense," I groused, my voice rising to a squeaky pitch. I had enough of my own morbid thoughts to grapple with; I didn't need Jake's piled on top.
"I didn't mean it like that, Bells. I was just–"
"I know," I cut him off before he could fumble his way through an apology. "I don't want to talk about it."
Jake shifted uncomfortably on the edge of his seat. "Um, is there anything I can do to help? I'll be the first to admit that he and I were not the best of friends but he's important to you…" He trailed off, his apprehension over my reaction obvious.
I didn't want to turn down help but I couldn't see a way the wolves could assist without escalating the rivalry between them and the vampires. They would have to work together and past experiences had made it clear that was not an option.
I settled on a safe answer that wouldn't bruise his feelings. "I'll let you know if something comes up." At his disbelieving look I added, "Really."
To my great relief, he let the subject drop. His somber disposition vanished as quickly as it had come, a painfully transparent mask appearing in its place.
Bringing up everything from the garage he was working at part time to movies he knew I liked, he attempted to lure me into conversation. It was a pointless endeavor. Now that my obligatory duties as Thanksgiving hostess were completed, I was done with being social.
After several minutes of receiving unenthusiastic, one-syllable responses, he gave up, retreating downstairs to watch the game with our fathers. I tried to feel bad that I'd essentially ignored him, but I was full up on feeling crappy already. Guilt for what I'd done to Jake didn't even register a blip.
The second the door clicked behind him, my window shot open and Alice slithered through it. Shutting it savagely, she turned to me, her expression an perplexing blend of concern and fury.
"Thank god," she muttered, slipping on to the edge of my bed. She calmed visibly as she took in the sight of me burrowed in my Edward-cocoon. "That damn mutt is like a black hole. I can't see anything when he's around. It's too much like Victoria. It freaks me out."
"I'm fine," I told my pillow grumpily.
The constant stream of people wanting to talk to me was wearing on my few remaining nerves. Was it so horrible to want to wallow in self-pity alone?
"I know. I could hear you guys talking from outside. It's just unnerving for me. Imagine if someone cut off one of your senses. Even though you'd still have the rest of them, it wouldn't feel right. It's kind of like that. I–" She stopped abruptly as if hit with an epiphany. "You want to be alone."
I shrugged, not wanting to offend her. I'd already alienated Jake.
She smiled wanly. "It's okay, I understand." She brushed a few hairs from my face with a tender hand, like a mother might do to a child. "Sleep. You'll get a few hours tonight."
When I blinked, she was gone.
xx
The weeks following Thanksgiving passed with agonizing slowness. Each additional day that passed seemed to have a few hours tacked onto it that weren't there the day before.
As the span of time between Edward's kidnapping and the present grew, time itself seemed to take on a surreal quality. It didn't register in hours or days or weeks. It was just a continuous blur, passing without change or awareness. The only thing that made me get out of bed each day was the hope that it would be the one we'd find Edward.
One morning, I awoke to find snow dusting the ground. I had to check my calendar to verify that we were in fact more than halfway through December. Winter, mild though it was in the Pacific Northwest, had arrived.
Christmas was only a week away and we were no closer to finding Edward than we had been a month ago.
All leads were cold and dead. Victoria's protection had remained remarkably stable. Not once in the 32 days since Edward had gone missing had Alice caught so much as a glimpse of his future. The one time hope that Victoria would falter was dwindling.
Even Alice and Emmett, two of the most optimistic people I'd ever met, seemed to be losing their spark. I was pretty sure mine had been extinguished weeks ago.
Their determination to find him remained steady, however. I didn't voice my thoughts but I was beginning to doubt it was possible. James and Victoria didn't want to be found and they were doing everything in their power to stay that way.
Pulling my eyes away from the snow brushing against the window pane, I gathered my books for school. Hauling my backpack over my shoulder, I lumbered down the stairs, preparing myself for another monotonous day – the second last before winter break.
As insurmountable as everyday life had felt at first, I had managed to keep up with the semblance that I was living my life. I kept myself alive and adhered to the well-worn routine I had been settling into since my first day of first grade. I wasn't sure whether I was looking forward to the break in routine or dreading it.
Wandering into the kitchen, I found Charlie leaning against the counter blocking the toaster. The toaster I had used every day of the last four weeks to make myself the most simple breakfast possible. He was already dressed in his police uniform, fidgeting and jingling his keys. He stood a little straighter when he caught sight of me.
"What happened to that boy, Edward?" he asked bluntly, wasting no time before beginning the interrogation. "Did you break up?"
I might have appreciated his directness if he wasn't bringing up the one topic I wanted to avoid more than anything.
"We didn't break up, Dad. He's just gone to Boston for a while. He'll be back after Christmas," I lied, repeating the same tired story that was already being stretched thin as it was. If we didn't find Edward soon, he was going to have to fictitiously move to Boston.
"You've been walking around like a ghost since Thanksgiving. You're telling me that it's all because your boyfriend went on vacation for a few weeks?"
The incredulous look he shot me almost withered my resolve to continue with the lie.
I shrugged pitifully, playing up the role of woe-be-gone teenager. If there was anything Charlie didn't understand, it was the teenage mindset. If you were to believe my mother, he'd been born with a moustache and the mentality of a middle-aged man.
"Four weeks is a long time."
"What about that thing you kids spend all your time doing on your phones? Typing? Why don't you send him some types?"
"Texts," I corrected softly, shifting my backpack on my shoulder. "It's not the same. He's not here."
"Right. Some texts." He shifted uncomfortably, staring at the keys he was tossing from hand to hand as if they were the most fascinating thing he'd ever laid eyes on. When he spoke again his voice was choked with an emotion I couldn't quite decipher. "You've had me worried, kiddo. You've always been a lot like me. Not much gets to you. To see you like this–"
Rosalie's car-horn blared from outside.
"I've got to go, Dad," I explained, edging toward towards the door. "They're waiting for me."
With a quick kiss to my forehead – something he hadn't done since I was a little kid – he nodded toward the door. "Go on, then."
Rosalie glanced at me in the rearview mirror as I settled into the backseat of her BMW. A perfectly groomed eyebrow arched knowingly. "Looks like the chief is on high alert. Better step up your game."
Rosalie, for all her gruff, hard-shell exterior, had taken Edward's abduction quite hard. The aloof attitude was the same one she put on when she was around Emmett to conceal her feelings for him.
Though she wasn't in love with Edward, she had grown to accept that he would be an enduring part of her life. To have that thrown into jeopardy had unnerved her. If there was one thing vampires didn't question, it was the mortality of their kind.
"She's doing fine," Jasper countered from the front seat. "Charlie wasn't feeling anything a million parents before him haven't. He's just worried about his kid. Rightfully so, might I add. It's human nature for him to want to fix the problem."
"I wish he could," I muttered. "It would make things a lot easier."
"Actually," Alice offered brightly, "we think we might have a lead in Indiana. Finally. Emmett found an article about a couple suspicious murders in the state. We think they might be linked to vampires. The victims were tortured and dismembered which fits with James and Victoria's M.O."
"We think they might be going somewhere familiar to them," Jasper added. "Somewhere where they know they can conceal Edward. Esme's looking through any property deeds and hotel records she can get her hands on. If we can find something to indicate they might have lived in the region in the past, we might be able to narrow our search to a city or specific region."
Something prickled just under my skin. It felt like justification after the long weeks without anything to go on. Even if it turned out to be nothing, the mere suggestion that it was possible to track James and Victoria felt like progress.
As much as I wanted to let hope soar, I kept it carefully tethered to reality, reminding myself this was not yet a lead so much as wishful thinking.
"If you find something, can I come?" I pleaded. "I need to be there when you find him."
"We're talking about dealing with two rogue vampires, Bella," Rosalie said patronizingly, as if I wasn't aware of the situation. "The danger to you would be astronomical. They could snuff you out in a heartbeat."
Alice glared at the back of her sister's head. "What Rosalie is trying to say is that the chance of seeing Edward a few hours sooner is not worth the risk of you getting hurt."
Rosalie snorted indelicately. "How is that different than what I said?"
"For one thing, I was a little more delicate," Alice snapped at her sister.
"Of course. Because what we need in this situation is to be delicate."
They wouldn't budge. No matter how much I whined or pleaded, they held firm in their belief that, as a human, I would be a danger not only to myself, but the others who would have to protect me. My suggestion that I stay in a hotel room nearby was turned down flat. They didn't even pretend to consider it.
They were probably right, but that didn't stop my irritation from spiking. Maybe I wasn't a vampire but I still had feelings.
"What if one of you changed me?"
It was worth asking, just to see their jaws drop.
"Bella, you cannot be serious," Alice groaned. "This is your life we're talking about. You would give that up for a few hours? Which, by the way, are hypothetical at this point. We aren't even sure we've found the right place."
"No," I muttered, petulant. "But at least it made you listen to me."
I had never really put much thought into becoming a vampire. I'd considered it in passing… as something worth considering in a few years, but there had never been a reason to rush. I had always pictured Edward being the one to change me when the time came. I wasn't willing to sacrifice that, yet.
So no, I didn't want to be a vampire… not now, anyway. But I was determined to convince them to take me anywhere they thought they might find Edward, vampire or not.
I couldn't stand the thought of not being the first one there to comfort him in the aftermath. He would need me, right? I was his mate and that was what proper partners did… they supported one another. The thought of leaving him to cope alone was indefensible.
"We're listening, Bella. It's just not a good idea. There are so many things that could go wrong. I can't even see possible outcomes to choose the best one because they all involve Victoria."
"Fine."
I let the subject drop temporarily. The conversation was far from over.
xx
Crawling into bed that night, I steeled myself for the hollow feelings that descended every evening. It was amazing just how lonely the nights could be. Darkness seemed to amplify everything. I didn't have a bed that could be expected to hold two grown people, yet it felt empty with only me in it.
I had just stuffed my lip balm into my night table and was about to reach for the lamp when I spotted a flash of brass.
Edward's key.
It was like the stars aligned in that split second my eye caught the flash of metal.
The key to his house in Illinois. A mere state away from Indiana. The state where the Cullens suspected James and Victoria might be hunting.
I couldn't explain exactly why but I knew with absolute certainty that was where I would find him.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. James and Victoria might have had a special place reserved for them in the underworld but they were far from stupid. Hunting a significant distance away from where they were hidden was the perfect way to evade anyone who might be looking for them.
Then there was the fact that they knew the layout of Chicago. It was the city in which they had claimed Edward for their own a century ago. Edward had mentioned he had returned once or twice over the decades and presumably James and Victoria had been with him. So they'd lived there multiple times and knew the city well.
And finally there was the unexpectedness of it. Who would suspect Edward's captors to bring him to his own home and hold him captive there? It was like that old adage about the old man searching all over his house for his glasses, only to find them perched on top of his head. Hiding in plain sight was quite brilliant, really.
The smart thing to do would have been to tell Alice and the others what I suspected.
It would have been so easy to just hand her the key and let her take the lead. But then her vehement negative reaction this morning when I had asked to be included snuck into my head. That one little thought was enough to overtake my better judgment.
The key could be the leverage I needed.
Or maybe I didn't need to leverage it all. Maybe I could just set off to Chicago on my own. Sure, the Cullens would follow me as soon as they caught on, but I was confident they wouldn't send me home if I was already in the city. I would need their help dealing with James and Victoria, anyway. The important thing was that I would be close by when it happened.
The obvious flaw to this plan was my self-decreed security detail. The only time I wasn't within gazing distance of a vampire was at school, in the two classes that didn't include at least one of the three Cullen siblings.
They were faster than me. They were stronger than me. Hell, they could even see what I was thinking before it was executed thanks to Alice. How could I possibly expect to get a large enough head start to get twenty feet away, let alone travel halfway across the country?
In a moment of sullenness, I wished that Alice didn't exist. Or at least that her ability didn't. Even a temporary off switch would have been acceptable.
And then inspiration dawned like a flash of lightning.
Jake.
Jake was Alice's kryptonite.
I stared blankly at the fluorescent numbers on my clock, unable to force my mind to shut down. It was too full with thoughts and worries about what I was planning to do. I'd made my decision and Alice hadn't come roaring through my window, furious. I took that as a sign.
Though I felt marginally more confident that I could get to Chicago without the Cullens stopping me with Jake's help, there were still so many little obstacles that could derail the operation further down the line. I wanted to have every base covered. I spent the pre-dawn hours contemplating hundreds of scenarios, taking into consideration any and everything that could possibly go wrong. There would be no second chances. I had to get it right the first time.
By seven, I was pretty sure I'd covered every possible "what if," from the likely to the impossible.
Bleary-eyed and achy all over, I dragged myself from the warmth of my bed and into the shower. The hot water relaxed my tired, sleep-deprived muscles but the ache returned by the time I trekked downstairs to grab a bagel. Now joining it was a nervous twist in my stomach.
Rosalie's car would pull up any second. Alice and Jasper would vacate their backyard post and we'd all head to school. I would have to pretend like it was any other day. I wasn't sure my acting abilities were up to the task.
To make matters worse, the heavy brass key I'd tucked into the front pocket of my jeans seemed to weigh a ton.
Certain it had to be visible, I glanced at myself in the narrow mirror in the foyer. Twisting and turning, I inspected the area from multiple angles, searching for a telling bulge or any other anomaly. It just looked like a pocket. Annoyed with myself and my inability to play it cool, I frowned meanly at my reflection.
Palms sweaty, I hiked my backpack over my shoulder and grabbed the toasted bagel I'd left on the counter. I wasn't particularly hungry – nervousness had a way of quenching my appetite – but it had practical application. If they asked me something I wasn't prepared to answer, I would take a huge bite and give myself a few seconds to come up with a suitable answer.
In the end it, it sat untouched the entire car ride.
All three vampires greeted me with the same half-smiles they had every morning since Edward had gone missing.
Rosalie turned in her plush leather seat to give me an appraising once-over.
"You look like crap," she said bluntly. I didn't dispute it. It was a fact, after all. After weeks of everyone walking on eggshells around me, her honesty it was a welcome change. "Your face is all red and puffy and you look like you haven't slept in a decade or two."
I shrugged sedately. "Crying does that."
Her expression softened. "I know it's been a difficult month for you but we're getting close. We really are. Emmett found another report of a similar attack in northern Michigan last night. And Esme and I have located a house just outside Detroit that might have belonged to Victoria in the seventies."
My stomach knotted, recognizing my deception by omission.
A part of me desperately wanted to tell them that they were looking in the wrong direction. That I was positive Edward wasn't in Detroit. Or Michigan or Indiana for that matter. Reminding myself that they didn't want me involved strengthened my resolve to keep quiet and stick to my plan.
"You have?" In my head my hopeful tone sounded phony but Rosalie seemed willing to accept it at face value.
I was certain the hammering rhythm of my heart would prove me a liar but no one commented. Not even Jasper, who must have been fully aware of my mounting anxiety. I supposed he must have become accustomed to the constant ups and downs in my moods in the past weeks. I couldn't be an easy person for an empath to be around.
"I've booked our flights into Detroit for this afternoon," Alice explained. "We're hoping to avoid drawing any unusual attention in town. Since tonight is the beginning of winter break, we'll have a couple weeks to locate them and take care of business."
"Our flights?"
Was there a chance they had changed their minds? A small, genuine hope surged. I didn't want to have to do this on my own. If there was a chance they would be willing to let me come with them, I wouldn't hesitate to tell them what I had discovered.
Alice shot me a withering look. Any lingering hope deflated.
"Bella, we talked about this. It's not safe for a human. We might end up having to chase them across the continent. We'll find him quicker if we don't have to worry about protecting you at the same time. Carlisle and Esme will stay here with you."
"It's not just a coincidence they're staying in close proximity to the great lakes," Jasper theorized. "Remember how they escaped last time? It seems likely that they plan to use one of the lakes as an escape route, should we begin to close in on them. It would be impossible for us to follow if you were with us."
I nodded along agreeably, knowing that arguing would be a waste of my time and effort. I wasn't sure I had the energy to waste, anyway.
"Okay," I whispered, my heart pounding ferociously in my throat. "I don't want to ruin your chances of finding him."
Alice scooted across the plush leather bench to hug me tightly. "We're going to bring him back, Bella. I can feel it. I can't see it, exactly, but it's like something is telling me we're heading in the right direction. It's like positive energy almost. It's difficult to explain but I'm sure about this."
She didn't need to explain. I already understood perfectly. That was exactly how I knew Edward was in Chicago. I might not have had any justifiable reason for my belief but I knew without a doubt that it was the right one.
That belief was what kept my sleep-deprived body going through the first two periods. I shifted and fidgeted in my seat for the duration of both, certain that Alice, who was in both classes with me, was going to call me out on my antsy behaviour. She never did.
By third period gym, my first class of the day without any of the Cullens, I was a nervous wreck. It was now or never and I knew it. I had five minutes to definitively make up my mind. Either I was going to try to make a break for it and go to Chicago or I wasn't. Whatever it was, I had to make a decision.
Waving off Alice, who had insisted on accompanying me to the doors of the gymnasium, I slipped into the change rooms. My heart pumped out a frantic rhythm as adrenaline kicked in.
Sequestering myself in one of the stalls, I pulled out my phone. Fingers shaking and clammy, I hastily tapped out a message to Jake, praying with everything I had that he had been genuine in his offer to help find Edward.
Hi Jake. I've got a favour to ask. Meet me in the FHS parking lot ASAP. Please. It's important. – Bella
The moment I pressed send, there would be no turning back. My finger hovered over the key for a split second before jabbing the button. Edward would need me there. I was not going to chicken out on him because I was afraid of getting caught.
Several seconds passed as I waited for Alice to burst into the room and demand I hand over my phone. Then minutes. The moment never came. Relief flooded me. I had been right. Alice couldn't see the decisions I made that involved Jake.
This was it.
I was counting on Jake's friendship. If he had meant what he said on Thanksgiving, this would work. If he decided that our friendship had run its course and I wasn't worth his time, it was over.
I tried to pretend like it didn't matter what he said, that I would respect his decision either way, but I knew that wasn't true. If he bailed on me, I would never forgive him for it.
Setting my phone down on the bench so I could see it easily, I shed my regular clothes, replacing them with the sweatpants and t-shirt that made up the gym uniform. They weren't ideal clothes for going on the run, but I didn't have much choice. If I decided to sit out on gym class, I would draw attention to myself. I didn't want the Cullens hearing anything out of the ordinary that might cause them to come investigate. There might be several concrete walls and dozens of feet of space between us, but that didn't mean they couldn't hear what was going on.
By the time I'd finished changing, the rest of the change room was empty. Sparing a last glance at the still dark face of my phone, I stuffed it into my pocket and shuffled out to join the rest of the class.
Coach Clapp led us in laps. He was in a good mood today. His paunchy face was split with a wide grin. I didn't blame him. Everyone was more cheerful than usual. It was the last day before Christmas break. I was the only exception.
By my third and final lap around the gym, Jake still hadn't responded. I glanced at clock. It had been almost ten minutes now. If he didn't respond soon, it would be too late. By the time he actually got here, class would be over.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, my phone shivered in my pocket. I yanked it out so quickly it went skidding across the floor. Cursing my clumsy, sweaty hands, I lunged for it, praying to anything and everything holy that it wasn't broken.
It wasn't. Ignoring the strange looks from Jessica and Mike, who were leaning against the wall next to me, doing stretches as Coach requested, I clicked into the waiting message.
I'm here.
I had never been so happy to see two words in my life.
My affection for Jake swelled. I regretted ever thinking that he might turn his back on me. I knew him better than that. Above all he was a good friend.
Okay, maybe it would have been nice if he'd let me know he was on his way so I didn't work myself into a panicked frenzy but he'd gotten here in just over ten minutes. The drive from the school on the rez to Forks' was a minimum of twenty minutes, if you obeyed traffic laws. He must have dropped everything and sped the entire the way. All because I'd said I needed him here.
As coolly as possible under the circumstances, I sidled up to Coach Clapp and requested a hall pass, purposefully mentioning I had to go to the bathroom in case I had any vampire eavesdroppers. He handed it to me without question or comment. Being a good, trustworthy student did have some perks.
I walked out into the hallway praying none of the Cullens would be waiting to escort me the hundred feet to the bathroom. Considering that they were quite certain that James and Victoria were holding Edward captive in Michigan, that particular security measure would have been ridiculous.
It seemed they agreed. The hallway was empty.
Calmly, I crossed the short distance between me and the door to the girl's bathroom. Only once it was several paces behind me did I allow myself to break into a sprint. I paid no attention to the strange looks from the two students I brushed past on my way to the front exit. Let them think what they wanted.
I smashed open the double doors, scanning the lot for Jake. I didn't have to look far. He was sitting on his motorcycle a few yards away. I flung the hall pass onto the pavement and dashed towards him.
Jake eyed the engraved slab of wood as it hit the ground, bewilderment brushing his features.
"Take me to the reservation!" I demanded, slinging myself up onto the bike behind him. "Now! I need to get away from the Cullens."
"Bella? What the fuck is going on?" He looked at me like I was insane. I was getting tired of that look being directed at me, justified or not.
"I'll explain on the way! Just go! We don't have very much time before they catch on. If any."
I glanced back at the entrance to the school anxiously, expecting to see three angry figures stalking towards me prepared to pull me from the bike. The heavy red doors were shut, just as I'd left them seconds ago.
"Fine." His tone made it clear he wasn't happy with my response but was willing to wait in order to appease me.
"Here." He plunked a much too large helmet on my head and shrugged out of a worn leather jacket, gesturing for me to put it on. I did so with fumbling hands, my gaze still glued to the front of the school.
A breath I hadn't known I was holding escaped as I felt the roar of the motorcycle beneath us, still with no sign of any of the Cullens. My adrenaline, which was already pumping, kicked up a notch further. I'd never ridden a motorcycle in my life, though I'd seen Jake on them often enough. Charlie had bought me a pink-tassled, two-wheeled bicycle when I was ten. How much different could it be?
Very different as it turned out. It was a lot more like clinging to Edward as he sped through the forest, ducking branches at breakneck speed than riding a bicycle. I clung to Jake, half-terrified I was going to fly off the machine and splatter onto the road. With Edward, there had always been a deep-seated trust. I knew he wouldn't allow me to get hurt. He had reflexes even the most skilled human could only dream of. Jake, on the other hand, was nearly as human as me. If I fell off, I was as good as dead.
As a result, my promise to explain to Jake "on the way" turned out to be impossible to fulfill. Even if I'd had the wits to do anything more than cling on to him for dear life, the air whipping past us as we sped down the highway made it impossible to hear much of anything. Even if I'd screamed at the top of my lungs, all my words would have been lost to the wind.
Only once we were safely ensconced a good distance behind the treaty line did Jake halt the bike. All in all the ride had taken only a handful or minutes, though it had felt like a lifetime. Occasionally I'd been brave enough to pry my eyes open and glance over my shoulder at the asphalt that appeared to be slipping out from under us at an alarming rate. Never once did I catch sight of my pursuers.
I didn't doubt that they knew I was gone by now. They'd probably known what was happening the moment they first heard me speaking to Jake. But playing human had its restrictions as well as its benefits. They were prisoner to the act and some teachers were awfully stingy with hall passes. Coordinating who was supposed to do what from different classrooms had no doubt added another layer of complication. Or so I hoped.
Jake kicked down the stand on his bike and hopped off it lithely, leaving me to cling to the back portion of the seat.
He crossed his arms and straightened his spine to take advantage of his full, admittedly intimidating height. As I was sitting, he towered several feet over me.
"You gonna tell me what's going on now?"
I shrugged. I knew I owed him a hell of a lot more than that after what he had just done for me, but when he glared at me with that look that was a cross between smug and condescending, the urge to spill everything vanished.
"Bells, I want to help you out here, but you're going to have to give me something. What the hell is going on? Did they do something to you?" The hate in his voice was unmistakable.
"No," I muttered. Though I was upset with the Cullens for their refusal to see things my way, I didn't want to incite a bigger species divide than already existed by implying they had abused me in some way.
"Then what?" Jake crouched down in front of me, forcing my eyes to meet his. I jerked my head away but he followed patiently. We did this three times before I gave up, allowing him to catch my eye. His were softer now, earnest. My resolve started to crumble. At the very least he deserved some answers.
I could have told him the truth but I didn't. There was no point in dragging him into this any more than he already had been. If he didn't know, the Cullens couldn't blame him for his part in my escape.
"They're trying to protect me," I explained curtly. "They only trying to help. But I'm sick of being treated like a prisoner. I just want to get away for a bit. I want to go visit my mom for Christmas break. I knew they wouldn't let me if I asked. They're worried James and Victoria will take me too."
"Don't lie."
"What? I'm not lying!" I insisted, surprised by my own vehemence. He was right, after all. "It's true. They follow me everywhere! I just want a little vacation! Is that so horrible?" My pitch rose steadily as the lies continued to fill the air.
Jake rolled his eyes and stood, kicking at a wayward pebble laying on the side of the road, his exasperation with me obvious.
"Are we really going to play this game? Look, I know you, Bella, and you're lying. Have a little respect please? I just ditched class to come get you because you asked me to. At least tell me why."
When I remained silent he added, "It's about Edward, isn't it?"
I flinched. I hadn't been expecting him to guess so easily. He took in my distressed reaction with a self-satisfied smirk. There was no way my charade was going to fly now.
"I know where he is," I admitted carefully.
"And?"
"And the Cullens won't let me come with them to go get him. They think it's too dangerous for my 'delicate human sensibilities,'" I spat out bitterly. "If they won't take me, I'm going by myself. So I need you to drop me off at the airport." I gestured to the vacated bike seat in front of me impatiently. "If you don't mind, it would probably be a good idea if we got going. We've already ruined our head start. You're going to have to take a back road out of here."
Jake didn't budge. "Let me get this straight? The Cullens told you it was too dangerous for you to come with them to rescue Edward, so you decided a better idea would be to do it all by yourself? You're either crazy or… no, you're just crazy. Don't you value your life at all? We're talking about two established killers, here, Bells."
"I have to be there. Edward needs me," I explained, desperate to make him understand how important it was that I be there for Edward. It might have sounded like a flimsy reason but I knew Edward would have done the same for me.
"Bella–"
"No! Don't 'Bella' me!" I interrupted, smashing a fist into the padded seat in front of me. I relished the sting blossoming in my hand, pushing the anger into my rant. "I'm sick of everyone thinking they know what's best for me! I know what I need. And I need to be there for Edward. So please, if you've ever cared about me at all, take me to the damn airport! Now!"
"Alright, alright. The airport it is." Jake swung himself up in front of me easily, radiating amusement.
I smothered my irritation at his flippant attitude. He had agreed to take me to the airport, so I could forgive him the indiscretion.
If I had thought it was horrible clinging to Jake as he drove over the smooth surface that made up the main road into the Quileute reservation, it had nothing on the horrors of riding on the back roads. I was hard pressed to call the "back roads" roads at all. They were better described as oversized hiking trails. They were muddy and uneven and chockfull of roots and stones which jolted us up and down like some sort of terrifying carnival ride.
"It's looking good!" Jake yelled to me over his shoulder, after we'd been bouncing down the dirt path for several minutes. "We're almost at the boundary and I can't smell any of them. Looks like they haven't searched the perimeter of the rez yet. 'Course they might just be assuming you're planning on hiding out on the rez and blockaded the main road."
I didn't respond, not having the energy to yell over the roar of the engine. I tightened my arms around Jake's waist and closed my eyes, fighting against my growing nausea. The bagel I'd eaten for breakfast sloshed around angrily.
I hoped he was right. The only thing preventing the Cullens from catching up to us and dragging me back home was that they didn't know exactly where we were or what I was planning at this moment in time. The longer it took for them to locate my scent buried beneath Jake's, the longer it would take for them to find us. If they assumed I was holed up on the reservation, even better.
Another few miles down the path, it merged into a more traditional road. I had never been more pleased to see asphalt. Unfortunately, with the improved road conditions, Jake was able to push his bike a couple dozen miles per hour faster.
"Hold on!" He exclaimed gleefully as he hit the accelerator.
For a split second he reminded me of Edward and his love of all things fast. I swallowed hard, allowing the memories to wash over me for a few moments before stomping them back into the recesses of my mind. I would not fall apart now. I was on a mission to get to Edward. We would have a chance to make more memories. I just had to get on a plane to Chicago.
Occasionally I'd glance at the road behind us, expecting to see the cherry red of Rosalie's BMW or Emmett's all-terrain Jeep or even the sleek black of Carlisle's Mercedes on our tail but they never appeared. It seemed Jake had been right about the Cullens assuming I was hiding on the reservation. If they'd figured out that we were on the road they would have caught up by now.
Nearly two hours after we first hit the road, the outskirts of Seattle slid into view. Jake's loose interpretation of traffic regulations had allowed us to shave more than an hour off the typical travel time into the city.
We whipped past neighbourhood upon neighbourhood of row housing, our destination just within grasp. When the highway billboards started boasting "airport ahead" next to that little white airplane symbol, I started to think we were going to make it unscathed.
My butt was killing me from bouncing on the hard leather. My hands were frozen thanks to the icy winds. And I was so tired I could hardly think straight. Despite those miseries, I was thrilled. Against all odds, my plan had gone off without a hitch.
Ten minutes later, Jake screeched into the park and fly. Haphazardly skidding into a parking spot, he cut the engine. Without sparing a moment, he leaped off the bike as though spending the last two hours in a cramped sitting position hadn't affected him negatively in the least.
Glancing around us at the planes taking off overhead was surreal. A part of me had never actually expected to make it this far.
Grasping Jake's offered hand, I hauled my aching leg over the seat and slid to the ground. My knees promptly buckled beneath me. After more than two hours of clinging to the bike, my legs were about the consistency of water.
Jake hauled me back up. This time I stood, albeit on wobbly legs.
"Okay Bambi," he teased, clasping me around the waist so I didn't topple over again. "We're here. What's the plan?"
"Get a ticket to Chicago," I explained, nodding toward the airport signage for domestic flights. "Edward is in Chicago." Shrugging off his arm now that I felt more steady on my feet, I made a beeline for the domestic flights gate.
Jake trailed behind me, tripping over his feet to keep up with me, despite his much longer legs.
"Jeez," he complained. "You sure got use of your legs back quick. What, is your ass on fire? Wait up."
"If you can't keep up, you're welcome to go home," I offered breezily. "I need to catch the next flight. I'm not going to miss one because I was waiting for you."
It didn't take us long to locate a ticket counter. It seemed fate was on our side once more. The line was nonexistent, despite the winding ropes set up to guide waiting crowds. There was only one middle-aged woman with a child in front of us.
Even though it was only one person, the delay was long enough to make me glance over my shoulder. Would those few wasted minutes be the ones that got us caught?
Jake patted my shoulder. "We're good, Bells," he reassured, knowing exactly the direction my thoughts had taken. "I might not be a vamp, but I've got pretty damn good hearing. They're not anywhere I can hear them."
I didn't say anything. I was too focused on the woman in front of us, who had just been handed a boarding pass.
"One ticket on the next flight to Chicago," I demanded, rushing up to the counter the second the woman in front of us returned her credit card to her wallet. The girl behind the counter shot me an exasperated look but started typing something into the computer in front of her.
"Two tickets," Jake corrected from behind me.
I whipped around to face him. "What do you think you're doing?" I snapped, angry that he was including himself in my plans without asking for permission.
I had not planned on Jake coming with me beyond this point. I had assumed he would be all too eager to return to the safe haven of the reservation. Who in their right mind would want to trek halfway across the country, only to put their life in peril? At least I had Edward as an excuse. What could Jake possibly hope to gain?
Besides, this particular leg of my plan had hinged on Jake leaving. Once he left, Alice would be able to see my decisions again. They would know I was in Chicago.
I had counted on them being in the city by the time I landed or at least shortly thereafter. That way I wouldn't be forced to face James and Victoria alone. If Jake came with me and the Cullens truly hadn't figured out where I was, they would have no way of doing so unless I told them myself. There was no way in hell I was facing their wrath a moment sooner than necessary.
"Coming with you, obviously," Jake stated as calm and cool as a cucumber. He had absolutely no idea what chaos he was inflicting. Anger burned in my chest, bright and hot thanks to all the adrenaline still coursing through my blood.
"I don't need you to come with me," I insisted fiercely. "I'm fine on my own. You promised to bring me to the airport. You've fulfilled your duty. I can handle it from here on out. Go home, Jake."
I turned my back on him. As far as I was concerned, the conversation was over.
He growled and pushed at my shoulder so I was forced to face him. "Bella, if you think I'm going to let you do this on your own, you're fucking out of your mind."
I glowered at him ferociously, my temper getting the best of me. "Well, I guess I'm fucking out of my mind then. I don't need you to come and I don't want you to come. GO HOME."
Jake's expression set into a stubborn line. "No."
The girl behind the counter's looked between us uncertainly, her fingers posed over her keyboard. "Um… so will that be one ticket or two?"
She ducked her head back down timidly as Jake and I both whirled to face her, pressing ourselves up against the counter.
"One," I answered at the same time Jake said, "Two."
Jake shoved me aside, shooting the girl a flirtatious grin. I tried to plant my feet but I was no match for his strength. He swept me aside like I was a rag doll and sat me down behind him.
"Hi, Joan," he said, his eyes flicking to the girl's nametag. The girl flushed, probably unaccustomed to being addressed by name. "We're kind of in a rush, so we're gonna need those tickets ASAP. That's two tickets. To Chicago."
"One!"
He shot the girl a broad, apologetic smile, holding out his arm so I couldn't step up to the counter to talk to her. "Don't listen to her. My sister is just upset that I told Mom her boyfriend was like a hundred years older than her," he smirked over his shoulder at me, finding that hilarious.
"Shut up, Jake!" I snapped in no mood for stupid jokes. And Edward was only eighty-six years older than me anyway.
"So yeah, she's not a big fan of mine right now," he told the girl, winking at her like they were sharing something secret. "But it's Christmas… it would be an awful shame if we didn't both get home. You wouldn't want me to miss Christmas with my family, would you?"
I rolled my eyes as he gave her the most exaggerated puppy eyes I'd ever had the displeasure of witnessing. Even through the fog of my annoyance I had to hand it to him, he had the girl eating out of the palm of his hand. There was nothing I could say now that wouldn't make me a big bad bitter sister.
The girl's eyes widened. "She's your sister? You don't look anything alike…"
"Different dads," Jake explained breezily, leaning against the counter coyly. "So, how about those tickets, beautiful?"
Fifteen minutes later I found myself sitting on a plane destined for Chicago, Jacob Black smugly planted in the seat next to me.
I ignored him, having no intention of talking to him for the duration of the flight. Or after we landed for that matter. As far as I was concerned I should have been on this flight alone and I was going to pretend like it had happened just as I planned.
I heaved out a sigh and allowed my body to relax into my seat, even permitting myself a little satisfaction in spite of Jake's presence. I'd made it.
Getting through security had been a breeze. The only items Jake and I carried between us were a phone, two wallets and a set of keys. The arduous process that usually took at least an hour had been cut to a mere fraction of that. We'd made it to the gate with time to spare.
Even if the Cullens showed up now there was nothing they could do to get me off of this plane without causing a scene. I knew they wouldn't. Above all they operated with discretion.
The only flaw involved the oaf sitting next to me. Because of him I would have to call Alice. There was no way Jake and I could possibly hope to do this alone.
I stared at the phone in my hands, wishing it could call Alice and give her the news all by itself.
I'd been alarmed to find that I had 227 missed calls and over two dozen voicemails. Holy crap, if that wasn't persistence, I didn't know what was. I deleted all thirty-three messages before I could be tempted to listen to any of them.
This must have been what kids felt like when they knew they were in trouble with their parents. I had no experience with such things. I had always been a model child, and really, even if I hadn't been, Renee would have probably encouraged it as a necessary part of my spiritual journey through adolescence. She was the same woman who had all but sat by and cheered me on when the topic of premarital sex came up, after all.
And then a very brilliant idea occurred to me. I didn't need to call Alice at all. Someone who had been very eager to destroy my carefully laid plans could do the honours.
"Here," I thrust my phone into Jake's hands, retracting my vow not to speak to him for the time being. "Since you're the reason Alice is cut off, you can be the one to call her."
He fumbled with the phone like I'd planted a live bomb in his hands. The look of sheer terror that shot across his face sent a spite-fueled thrill creeping through me.
"What? No way! She'll yell at me."
He gave me the same pathetic puppy look he'd given the girl at the ticket counter. Fortunately, I was immune. I'd been grapping with vampire charms for months now. Werewolves had nothing on vampires.
"Well you should have thought of that before you barged your way onto this flight with me, now shouldn't you have?"
"Bella..." he pleaded, but it was too late. My mind was made up.
I snatched back the phone and pressed the speed-dial for Alice's cell before shoving it back into his lap.
He stared at, frozen, as it rung. It only rang for approximately a quarter of a second before someone picked up.
"ISABELLA SWAN!" an irate vampire voice roared through the speaker, audible even though I wasn't the one holding the phone. Her sheer volume was so loud, I barely recognized it as Alice. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
I winced and slumped into my seat, wondering if the people in the seats behind us could hear.
Jacob picked up the phone between two fingers, gingerly, as though he was picking up a poisonous cockroach.
"Um, hi, Alice," he greeted meekly, holding the receiver a good distance away from his ear. "So, uh, Bella and I are on a plane to Chicago… so yeah. Um, we'll see you at O'Hare, then?"
He moved to disconnect the phone but Alice's roar stopped him in his tracks.
"Don't you even think about hanging up on me Jacob Black!" She had toned down the volume considerably but there was no denying that she was still incensed. "What the fuck are you doing with Bella on a plane to Chicago?"
"Maybe you should talk to Bella," Jake suggested, eager to pass her off on me. "It was her idea!"
"I don't care who came up with this idiocy! I just want to know what is going on. NOW!"
"Fine! Could you stop yelling, please?"
"Explain and I'll consider it!"
"Okay, so um, Bella knows where Edward is… so we're going to go find him."
Alice scoffed. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. A werewolf and a human going to confront two century-old vampires? Tell me the truth."
"It is the truth!" Jake insisted. "Look, Bella wasn't planning on me coming with her. She just wanted me to drop her off at the airport. I think she assumed you would catch up with her in Chicago. I insisted on coming with her. I couldn't let her go alone."
Alice sighed, her voice much calmer now. She was speaking quietly enough that her voice was a barely audible warble now. "You really are telling the truth, aren't you?"
"Yes! Thank you!"
"Do you have any idea what you're gotten yourselves into? Of all the stupid, idiotic things the two of you could have done… this is just about the worst." I could practically hear her shaking her head. "Put Bella on the phone. I need to give her a piece of my mind."
Jake shoved the phone at me, eager to be rid of the responsibility.
"Hi Alice," I muttered, raising the phone to my ear, wary that she might have angry words for me, too.
"Bella, what on earth would possess you to think that jetting off to Chicago by yourself was a good idea?" She didn't yell. Her voice was perfectly level, marred by only by disappointment. In a way that was worse. "Do you have any idea how much danger you're putting yourself in, if your little hunch turns out to be correct?"
"It's not a hunch, Alice," I insisted. "Edward is in Chicago. In his childhood home."
"You can't know that for certain," Alice said doubtfully.
"But I do!" My voice rose in agitation. "Maybe it's a mate thing. Like intuition or something. I can't explain it. I just know that he's in Chicago. I would have told you but I knew you wouldn't have let me come. I'm sorry that I upset you, but I'm not sorry for what I did… I need to be there."
The line was silent for several very long seconds.
"If it were Jasper I don't think there's a thing in this universe that could keep me away," she admitted softly. She didn't explain any further but there was no need.
One of the perpetually perky flight attendants gestured to the glowing seatbelt sign, indicating we were close to take off.
"Look, Alice, I have to go now. We're about to head down the runway."
"I'll talk to the others. We'll be there as soon as we can," she promised. "Please, whatever you do, don't do anything rash? Anything else rash, anyway."
Mumbling a hasty agreement, I powered down my phone and shoved it into my pocket.
Jake grinned at me, looking very satisfied with himself. "That didn't go so bad, huh? All screaming aside, I mean."
No, it hadn't gone too badly at all. It felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I was on my way to get Edward back and somehow the Cullens were still on my side.
For the first time in weeks, it wasn't the thought that I was never going to see Edward again that kept me awake. It was knowing that in mere hours he would be right in front of me.