A/N- so a few of you have expressed a little confusion at why Bella is alive and young again. Well all I can say is that you must have some patience as all will eventually be revealed.

Disclaimer- I am not Stephenie Meyer. I do not own these characters or any rights to the Twilight series.

3. Best laid plans

The hotel room was by no means small, it was actually larger than most peoples homes, but to Edward the walls were closing in on him more by the minute, trapping him in this prison.

He sat silently on the couch, motionless, staring into space. Emmett and Rosalie were standing in front of him, arms crossed, there faces blank masks giving nothing away.

Edward had given up on trying to read their thoughts, as they were both shielding themselves by reliving, in very explicit detail, every sexual escapade they had undertaken over the last fifty years.

The reason they were standing guard over him was the same one as why he was trying to read their thoughts, Edward wished to escape the confines of his prison and they were under strict orders not to let him.

Emmett and Rosalie were ready to restrain him if he so much as flinched, so Edward had been trying to read their thoughts to gain a moment when they were slightly distracted and then make his move.

That had begun seven hours ago.

Now he just sat there, staring through the gap between their two bodies at the wall behind them. There was a tiny crack that resembled a lightning strike and Edward had focused all his pain and anger into that tiny flaw in the wall, as if by sheer force of will he could cause the crack to split through the entire wall giving him both a distraction for his guards and an escape route. It also helped to distract him from the cold numbness that was enveloping him.

When Bella had died, Edward had thought that the intensity of his pain and sorrow alone would be enough to tear him apart. But the moment had passed and he was still there, Bella's body in his arms, and that was when the determination had set in.

Edward had taken Bella back to the Cullen's former house, the place she had retreated to in her final days.

Reading the thoughts of those inside he had established that in the short time they had been gone that no-one had checked in on Bella, leaving her to rest after the doctors visit. Although it pained him greatly to leave her, Edward had placed her back in their bed in his old bedroom, replacing the IV and turning the heart monitor back on. When Bella's daughter returned she would be too upset to notice the cords had been ripped of the machine. Edward had stood by the window and taken one last look at his love before turning and flinging himself forty feet and into the forest landing on one foot and striding out into a run on the next.

One thing on his mind.

Jacob Black.

Jacob had the means and the desire to be able to end Edwards existence. It had seemed the most simple plan.. But as they say, the best laid plans of Mice and Men (and apparently Vampires too) often go awry.

The moment Edward had made his decision Alice had seen it, at least she had seen his future disappear and had needed no further information to guess at what he was going to do.

She had made it to the wolves first, finding Seth on a random patrol. She had explained what she believed Edward was going to try and do and Seth had relayed the information to Jacob. Edward didn't know what had been said or arranged, only that Jacob had disappeared from the area along with Seth and the rest of the wolves vowing not to harm Edward in anyway.

He would never forgive Alice for that.

It had taken Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper to drag Edward down near the border of La Push. the effort had cost all of them, Rosalie had a chunk of her forearm torn out, Emmett had bite marks on his neck and shoulder and jasper had sustained gashes to his back. All this in the mere seconds it took before Jasper had been able to calm Edward enough that they could drag him back to their hotel suite.

There they had sat him down on the couch as Carlisle had examined him.

No-one mentioned Bella.

They didn't have to. It was what they were all thinking.

Never before had Edward cursed his ability as much as he had at that moment. As if his own pain wasn't enough, he had to live with grief of the six others within the house. Unable to shut it out he had embraced the pain as his own absorbing it into every fibre of his being.

He listened as they all dealt with their pain in different ways.

Carlisle, unable to deal with seeing his son in such pain was wishing he'd had the strength to defy Edward and turn Bella himself, as she had once asked him to.

Esme mourned as mother who had just lost her daughter, but also for a son who had just lost his reason for existing.

Alice had retreated into visions long passed. Those that could have been. Bella as a vampire, being a part of the family forever. Eternally happy with Edward.

Those were the hardest to endure.

Rosalie felt much regret at never having made more of an effort to be nicer to Bella, even befriend her. She thought of how it must feel to lose the one you loved, and she pulled Emmett's arm closer around her for comfort.

Emmett was simply thinking he would do anything in the world to Bring Bella back as he had loved her as a little sister, but there was nothing he could do so he would just hold onto his Rose and keep quite.

Jaspers was the surprise out of all of them. He and Bella had never been close, what with his difficulties being around humans and all. It took Edward a moment to realise that through the sadness there was an immense sense of admiration for Bella. Jasper saw her as being able to face life and all its trials head on, something that despite his many years he still sometimes struggled with. He regretted not being able to get to know her better because of his weakness for human blood. If only he could have been strong like Alice he would have had a little sister. So much regret.

Edward had finally pulled away from their thoughts.

While they were mourning and distracted he tried make a run for it.

Alice had been on him straight away, pinning him to the ground. It was then decided that they would take turns in watching over him until they could work something out or he calmed down enough to be reasoned with. Jasper and Rose had taken the first day, Jasper keeping a constant calm as they followed him from room to room. Edward had tried to make a break twice but both times they caught him before he made it more than four or five steps.

Alice and Emmett had taken the second day. Edward had tried to make a break more than a dozen times, Alice catching on moments before he made his move. That's when they had sat him on the couch and told him that if he so much as breathed too deeply they the would pin him down. No chances. And Alice had told the rest of them to try and block their thoughts because he was using that to tell when they were distracted.

Damn you Alice.

If it wasn't for her interfering he would be dead by now. How dare she try and take this away from him, she was just being selfish and trying to keep him around.

Anger boiled to the surface and Edward could barely contain the growl that was trying to escape his throat.

But he shouldn't be feeling angry, not with Jasper controlling his emotions. But maybe that was because Jasper wasn't here. Now that Edward thought about it, he hadn't seen Jasper all day. Or Alice for that matter. Normally they would be popping in to check on him but nothing since last night.

Maybe they weren't here, gone hunting or something. It seemed odd that they would leave at such a critical time but this could be perfect for Edward. He decided to try something to test his theory.

He ran the scenario through his mind. He would jump backwards over the couch and then before either Emmett or Rose could get a hold of him he would leap through the closed window off to his left, falling twelve stories to the pavement below and then running as fast as he could back to Forks where he would go to La Push and create such a disturbance that the wolves would have no choice but to punish him.

Now he waited for Alice to come running in to tell him not to bother and to stand behind him so he couldn't go through with his plan.

But she didn't.

Edward realised that she really wasn't here. This was it, this was his chance.

Carlisle stalked into the room, hanging up the phone he had just been holding to his ear. His face was unreadable so Edward listened to his thoughts, however Carlisle was masking them by naming, in order from smallest to largest, all 206 bones in the human body…in Latin no less.

"Edward, I just spoke to Alice, so don't even think about leaping out that window." he sighed, "we have to talk Edward."

"I haven't changed my mind. There is nothing to talk about." he growled back.

"it's about Bella."

Edwards heart almost broke at the sound of her name, "there is nothing you can say Carlisle," Edward turned back to the crack in the wall, "the decision has been made."

Carlisle walked over to the couch, he thought for a moment about sitting, but decided he better stay on guard. "Emmett, Rose, would you please give us a moment. Esme needs you in the kitchen."

"what are we having a family dinner?" Edward scoffed.

"that's what I'm trying to explain to you Edward, if you let me."

Edward couldn't take anymore, jumping up from the couch he yelled at Carlisle for possibly the first time ever "let me guess, Bella wouldn't want this, she would want me to live on and one day find happiness again. But I know that would never happen. Carlisle, I could live for another hundred thousand years, and never would I ever find happiness as I did with her. My world has gone dark."

Carlisle placed his hands on Edwards shoulders in an attempt to calm him, but Edward shook them off and turned his back on him.

"Edward you don't understand…" Carlisle started but was cut short by Edward.

" no, it is you that doesn't understand. I will go through with this, not you or anything else on this earth will stop me."

"Oh I wouldn't go saying things like that if I were you Edward." Alice spoke calmly as she entered the room. Looking at Carlisle she inquired if he'd had a chance to tell Edward what was going on.

" no, but I don't think he will believe it unless he sees it with his own eyes, I know that I myself am struggling with it." he sighed.

Edward was very confused. " Alice what is going on, where have you and Jasper been. I know you weren't here. What have you done?"

Alice took a hesitant step towards him, " please just promise you will stay calm, its not as simple as it looks." she smiled ruefully, "not that it really looks simple, its very confusing. What I'm trying to say is just take it slow. She is still a little foggy."

Edward scowled, "She? Who? What are you talking about Alice?" he looked around the room at the rest of his family, Emmett and Rose had entered from the other room. Edward didn't think it was possible but there faces seemed even paler, as if they were in shock. Everyone was shielding their minds.

As Esme gracefully entered the room she threw her arms around his neck, "it's a miracle, Edward." she breathed into his ear. He looked past her at the door way.

Jasper walked through only making the briefest of eye contact with Edward before turning to someone on the other side around the corner, holding out his hand as if coaxing a small child. Edward saw a slim pale hand hesitantly take Jasper's and then the rest followed as she stepped out into the room.

Edward's world burst into light.

"Bella?" his whispered.

He knew every detail of her. he had memorised every line and curve. It was Bella. And she was no older than the day he had let her go all those years ago.

Jasper still held her hand and she clung to it as if her life had depended on it, nervously glancing around the room, never meeting Edward's eye.

"Bella? Is it really you?"

she blushed but still didn't meet his eye, "apparently."

Edward looked to Alice for even the slightest explanation. She simply shrugged but let down her mental wall that was keeping him from reading her thoughts and let everything flow through.

Edward saw it all.

The vision Alice had got this morning, of Bella trapped in the morgue draw. Grabbing Jasper and running to get to her in time before she ran out of air. The shock of finding her alive and young again.

They had stolen a car and gotten her out of there. When they had stopped for only a minute as Alice had ran into a shop to get Bella some clothes. The car ride of questions as Bella's memories slowly came back to her.

There had been a moment when she had broken a few minutes of silence by shouting in surprise, "vampires!" as she got that memory back.

Edward continued through Alice's memories as they got to the hotel and Alice had used the phone at the front desk to call upstairs to warn them before she came up with their guest.

It was really Bella!

Edward took several steps towards her, but Alice stepped in between, "wait, there is something you need to know."

Edward just pushed passed her not caring for anything else in the world but to hold his Bella, his love.

His wife.

He stopped in front of her, and pulled her to him without hesitation breathing into her hair, taking in her sweet scent that had once made him want to kill her but now was sweetest thing he had ever smelled because it meant she was really here in his arms as he had never thought she would be again.

So caught up in the moment he didn't notice at first that she wasn't reciprocating the embrace. She was actually pushing at his chest trying to get him off her.

He pulled her away from him so he could look at her face. She still wouldn't look at him.

" What's wrong, my love? Whatever it is it cant be that bad for we are together. Nothing will ever come between us again."

She met his eyes for the first time. They were filled with curiosity and frustration. She blushed.

"I'm sorry, you obviously know me but I'm afraid I don't remember you." she looked down, embarrassed.

Edward dropped to the floor, the last words he had spoken echoing through his head, nothing will ever come between us again.

Except maybe that.