Chapter Two of our new story.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer :)

Chapter 2 – Close to Home

BPOV

His finger pressed down hard on the hang-up botton. His knuckles were white, and his hands shook from the strain of holding onto the tiny silver phone without breaking it.

"Edward," I squeaked, frightened by his stillness – a sign of stress – and the way his skin seemed to be even paler than usual. His lips formed a hard, straight line, and I longed to reach out and smooth the worry lines on his marble forehead.

"Edward," I repeated, with more force this time. Something was wrong, and I needed to know what it was. I tried to be strong, though my heart beat fast in my chest, clattering inside my rib cage. I reached out my shaking fingers to touch his face. He closed his eyes under my hand, and began to massage his temples with his long fingers.

"Edward. What. Has. Happened?" I enunciated each sylable, and he opened his eyes. My eyes bored into his, willing him to tell me the truth, without trying to protect my feeling, or my fragily human reactions. "Tell me." I tried to sound strong, but the words seemed feeble even to me, what with the supressed fear evident in my voice, which was rapidy rising to hysteria.

He remained silent for a moment, before putting on a blank expression, hiding behind a wall in his mind. "I don't know," he said, faking calmness, though I could see just a hint of urgency in his eyes, escaping his careful mask. "I have to go."

"'Kay, I'm coming too." I leaned on my elbows, trying to get up, though I shook with terror. I wanted to be with my family. To help, somehow. But Edward pushed me back down onto the bed, effortlessly.

"No. Stay here," he muttered, his eyes, fierce and cold, flashing dangerously. I opened my mouth to protest, but he pressed a cold finger to my lips.

"Bella, please," he said, his eyes smouldering at me from behind a curtain of eyelashes. Strange how my heart could flutter and skip a beat at a time like this. All of my arguments died on my tongue. I forgot what I was even objecting to. How frustrating.

He kissed me swiftly, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It was a rough, urgent kiss, his lips hard on mine, full of longing and desperation. I tried not to think of the times when I had felt a kiss like this, times when it seemed that Edward and I would not meet again.

My eyes shut automatically, wanting our kiss to last forever, certain that our perfect world was about to be changed. I lifted my arms to entwine my fingers in his hair, to try to bring him closer to me, but when I unwillingly opened my eyes, he was gone.

I knew it was useless, but I tried to follow him. I rushed down the stairs, my hand trailing along the bannister, as fast as I could without stumbling and tripping. Edward would not be happy if I hurt myself at a time like this.

I never felt comfortable without Edward. I was constantly worried that he would leave me again, even after all this time, and I couldn't stand to relive those months I had without him. It wasn't that I thought he didn't love me, there was just always a relentless fear inside of me that Edward – or any of my vampires – would get hurt, and I'd be left alone, defenceless and pathetic, a clumsy human girl in a world of mythical creatures.

I crossed my arms tightly as the long-healed rip in my heart smarted around the edges. What if he didn't come back?

I wondered why he had been in such a hurry. Did we have a new enemy? There was no reason to worry about Victoria anymore, though I still had the occasional dream of flames dancing on water, and her determined gaze as she tried to put an end to my life. But I knew these were just silly nightmares, and Edward would always comfort me when I woke screaming or crying. Victoria was out of my life for good – Edward had seen to that.

And yet, foolishly, I had believed that our troubles were over now. I believed that we now had this time together, if only for a few months, until after our wedding when I would be changed into a vampire like him. I felt cheated, angry that our harmony had been taken away so quickly.

But what if there was someone else, a new villain waiting, someone even stronger and deadlier than the strange, feline Victoria?

Maybe the Volturi had decided it was time to intercede, to check up. I trembled as I pictured the cold, yet childlike face of Jane. Was she here?

Maybe there was something wrong with the werewolves. My werewolves. Maybe they were in great danger and the Cullens had thought it their duty to help, after their unwilling comradeship against the newborns. What if someone was hurt? What if it was...? No, I couldn't bare to think of it.

As I went outside, I saw that Edward's Volvo was gone. So, it was so urgent that running wasn't fast enough, that he had to drive. I could imagine him now, swerving around street corners, paying no attention to red lights and road signs. That was one journey I wouldn't enjoy.

After a small pause, I jumped – well, fell – into my truck, and forced the keys into the ignition. I couldn't stay in this house on my own, with no Cullens to lighten it up. I would go crazy if I had to spend time there alone, jumping at the smallest of sounds, peering out the window for a glimpse of my family. I wanted to go home.

I willed my car forward, my hands trembling on the steering wheel. The journey was uneventful, except for my restlessness, and jumpiness. I turned on my new radio, choosing a radio station with loud, screechy music. I couldn't understand the words properly, but tried my best to make them out, trying to take my mind off of the unknown problems which were going on.

When I pulled up by my home, the first thing I noticed were the cars. There were three of them. Charlies police cruiser, a black, sleek mercedes and a... a shiny, silver Volvo.

The problem was much closer to home than I had ever imagined.