Chapter 4: Taking Off

Fish Friend

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters from Twilight/New Moon. None!

Note: I just visited my cousin up in Boston. It was so cute, that I had to put it in this. Plus, it is the perfect place, you must admit.

"Victoria?!" spat Edward, his arms encircling me immediately in an iron cage that gave no escape. Carlisle and Esme appeared promptly, Carlisle's calm face and Esme's worried one stood out more than Alice's.

"What did you see, Alice?" Carlisle asked smoothly, trying to soothe the frazzled nerves around us. Alice looked at Carlisle with something that looked like worry… but I didn't really know what it was. The emotion seemed like she needed to look for comfort, and at the same time comfort someone else. Doubtless, she was worried.

Though Alice's emotions confused me, which was the least of my worries, as it turned out. "Victoria. She's here. Well, not here, here. But she's on her way, about half an hour from us. She knows we're missing Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie. She's thinks it'll be easier to get to Bella while they're gone." Alice looked weary now, as though she was trying to avoid Victoria's name.

I remained silent. What was I supposed to say? 'What do we do?' Carlisle was clearly in thought, and Edward was fuming, and I knew not to bother them when they were like that. Edward spoke quickly now, in his more than agitated voice. "Where should I take her?" he asked Carlisle.

"Denali," said Esme promptly, and Edward lapsed into thought.

"A new vampire has joined Tanya's coven, and I hear he's not entirely stable yet. It's too dangerous." said Carlisle punctually.

"Boston." Alice supplied, and Edward looked fiercely at her.

"Boston? It's not nearly as big as New York City," he reminded her.

Alice furrowed her brow. "New York is where Charlie is. You'd be at risk too much there, too big. Boston is on the sea; Massachusetts has that little cape, and those islands. It'll be easy to hide there," she pointed out.

I remembered vaguely something about Massachusetts that I had learned in geography once… Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, they were small, but populated. I had to admit, islands sounded pretty good to me. Though I knew vampires had the advantage in the water, I'd always liked the sea.

Edward opened his mouth but no sound came out. His topaz eyes were glazed over, and I wondered what he was thinking. About Victoria? About the journey? About the Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett away on a hunting trip, not here to help us?

Alice looked up at him from under her lashes. Edward nodded, meeting her gaze, eyes sliding into complete focus. "I'll take her to Boston. You call the others; they'll want to come back. Mostly Emmett, for what it will seem to them. We'll head home, get her things, and then head straight to the airport. And don't forget to call for tickets too, Alice. Let's go." he tugged on my arm, rushing me toward the door, struggling to fight back the crowd. Well, struggling not to break someone, or something.

Reaching the door, we waited for our limo, which pulled up quickly, the driver looking confused why we were leaving so soon. But that didn't matter. Alice slid in first, and then me, Edward, Esme, and finally Carlisle. The limo pulled out onto the highway after driving through the suburbs for a few minutes.

Edward was impatient at the driver's apparent slowness in driving, and if it had been under different circumstances, I would have laughed at him jumping up and down in his seat ever so slightly. I wished Jasper were here to calm all of our frazzled nerves (with the exception of Carlisle and possibly Esme).

As we drew closer to Forks, Carlisle had the driver drop us in front of the high school. After the driver was around a turn, Edward slung me up onto his back and was off running at an enormous speed. He was nervous, angry, and, well, did I mention angry? But I hoped he wouldn't take it out on me.

Edward darted into the trees, and I ducked my head into his shoulder. Though I mostly found his running exhilarating, sometimes it still left me lightheaded and dizzy. I decided to play it safe, and make sure I was not incapacitated for the escape Edward planned.

As we reached Edward's house, he slowed, but Alice blew past us, into the house. I heard her low, quick voice immediately, and realized she was talking on the phone, calling the others, or for tickets. I didn't know which. Edward let me off of his back, only to pick me up in his arms, and dash up the stairs. My suitcase still lay by his couch, and he threw it to me.

"Change, now. Hurry." He gestured to his bathroom, but Alice was already there, tugging me in, still on the phone. She helped me out of the dress, phone tucked under her ear.

"Yes, two tickets from Seattle. To Boston. First class, please." she rambled off a credit card number, and thanked the person on the phone pleasantly. She had gotten me out of the dress, and I was slipping on some jeans and a plain orange long-sleeved shirt. Alice thrust a black sweatshirt at me, and I slipped it on over my head. She left the dress draped over her arm, her other free hand dialing another number.

I hurried out of the bathroom, zipping my suitcase shut with fumbling fingers. Edward grabbed me again, swooping down the stairs. Alice gave me a quick hug as Edward set me on my feet. She was arguing with someone on the phone. "Yes, Rosalie! Carlisle said you should come back! Well, we don't really care if you don't want to. We need you all back," she hissed.

Edward was carrying a small bag of his own, and my suitcase. His car was waiting, and I quickly got into the front seat with him. He through the bags over his shoulder carelessly, and I winced as I felt anger radiating off of him. Edward sped away, going much faster than usual, not looking back.

I knew he was going to keep me away from everything for a while. And, if it hadn't been for Charlie, I wouldn't have minded. But Charlie seemed to be in the way of everything nowadays…