Chapter 18: Greg

I gasped when I saw his face. It was Greg, one of the popular people in the school I went to in Phoenix. He pestered me into going out with him. I hated his guts, so of course I said no. He kept coming closer until we were about six feet apart.

"Hello, Bella," he greeted. He looked very unkempt. When he smiled at me it didn't look very welcoming.

"H-how did you find out where I live?"
"It's easy. I knew you were living in Forks, so I did a little hunting. I'm surprised, Bella, why didn't you invite me to your wedding?"
"It was a small wedding. Only my family and some of Edward's family came."
"Bella, we fell in love with each other when we were thirteen. I'm sure Edmund wouldn't have minded if you invited me."
"Edward," I corrected, "wanted a small wedding. He isn't into the grandiose stuff." Greg came closer, and forced me into an embrace.

"Still, the love we share wouldn't have interfered." I pushed him off of me.
"I never liked you," I shrieked. "You kept pestering me, thinking we had something special. The popular kids were always trouble."
"Bella, please, you were too ignorant to see the love you had for me," he whispered in my ear.

"I never loved anyone, the way I love Edward. Go away before I call the police." Greg drew his gun, and shoved it into my neck.

"I doubt you'll be going anywhere soon." He dragged me towards the way he came.

"Why?" I whispered.

"If I can't have you, then no one can.

-Edward's POV-

As the forest flew by, I cursed myself for not leaving the house sooner. I was sure Bella was there, waiting for me. I pushed myself to go faster. I shouldn't have talked with Alice about her vision. That was very stupid of me. As I neared, I heard the thoughts of a stranger. Once this 'Edward' comes, I'll kill her, and make him watch. I'll frame him, and get a whole bunch of money for catching him…I refused to listen anymore. My heart was ripped out, when I thought of my love's thoughts. She must be terrified.

"Edward!" she shrieked. I saw the outline of the house ahead. Just a few more seconds… I hit the clearing, and stopped. The stranger had a gun poked into Bella's neck. He thrusted it into Bella's stomach, and fired.

"No!" I shouted, but it was too late. She touched her wound, fell right were she stood. I ran over to her side, and kicked stranger into a nearby tree. I heard his neck snap, and I was happy. This person was the people I hunted.

Bella's hand was covered in blood. I knelt next to her body.

"Why?" I whimpered. "Why did this happen to her?" She tried to raise her hand. "Edward… save… me," she choked out, then her body went limp.

I heard the rest of my family approach. Alice gasped at the sight, and hid her head into Jasper's chest. The rest of the women held their mates close to them.

This is what Alice's vision meant. Bella was going to get killed tonight. I let out a heart ripping cry. My only true love was killed. "Edward," Carlisle's sad thoughts filled my head. "Bite her, she may be saved." I bent down, and bite down. My teeth easily broke through her skin. "Let's take her to the hospital. There we can stop the bleeding." I nodded and picked her up.

We brought her to the hospital. She was too weak to even notice the pain. I sat by her side, until Carlisle said it was too dangerous to keep her there. Then I brought her back to our place, where I lay next to her. I minute I heard her faithful heart slow down a bit. Her cheeks began to pale, and her body slowly became more and more vampire like. On the third morning, her heart finally stopped. Her eyes fluttered open. She sat up, startled, and looked around. Once she saw me, her heart warming smile lit her face.

"Edward, what happened? All I remember is Greg threatened to kill me if I didn't cooperate with him. When you showed up, there was a burning sensation in my stomach. I felt all weak, and my hand was covered in blood."

"It was almost too late to save you. Carlisle thought I might be able to save you if I bit you, so I did. We took you to the hospital. Once it was too risky, I took you here."

"Thank you, Edward. Thanks for everything."

"Bella, we still need to take care of Charlie."
"How?"

"We told Charlie you were going to be okay. In order to keep him from getting suspicious, we'll need to drive your truck into a tree."

"Okay," she replied, sadness saturating her voice. "Let's go."

-Bella's POV-

I hated doing this to Charlie, but Edward was right, destroying the car the best thing to do right now. We drove in silence. "Bella, run into the tree right here," Edward said. I veered to the right, and crashed into the tree. Right before contact, Edward grabbed my hand, and we jumped up. The car made a crunch, and started on fire. I looked longingly into the flames, watching the last of my human life disappear. Edward touched my hand gently. "It's what's best."

"I know," I replied.