Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight (forgot to do one on the last chapter, sorry!)

A/N: thanks for the votes, and I give you…Edward…

Chapter 8

Edward POV

I hung up the phone from Alice feeling conflicted in my emotions. My heart was telling me that I had to leave for Forks immediately so I could save my Bella, but then my brain kicked in and reminded me that I had left Forks to protect her.

The possibility of Bella dying made me feel sick. I had the same terrible, sick feeling in the lower part of my stomach and heart that made me feel weak and useless when she was being pursed and attacked by James. I needed someone to talk to. Someone who would tell me what to do, because Lord knows what I should do. Alice was out of the question because she already let me know what she, Carlisle, Esme and Jasper were planning to do. They could handle the situation, they didn't need me. And then there were the wolves, surely if Bella was such a good friend with them they could save her. She had heaps of people that could come to her rescue, she didn't need me. Well that was what I kept telling myself.

I was so taken away with my own thoughts that I didn't hear someone approaching me. I stiffened as I heard the sound of snow crunching under foot; well if it was a vampire that was coming to attack me I was as good as dead because they were really close. I spun around and there was Tanya looking at me curiously. I sighed in relief, didn't really feel like fighting anyone, well today at least.

"What's up Edward?" she asked me. Wonder what's got him all concerned again. He's probably thinking about that human he left, again.

I opted to ignore the thought and just muttered something about Alice wanting me to come and see her.

"Isn't she in Forks?"

"Yeah," I responded, "but something has happened with their car and they would like it if I could come and get them." I lied smoothly.

Right she thought, ok so maybe my lie wasn't that great. "Oh ok then, so when you heading back?"

"Don't know if I will yet, not really sure if I should."

She looked at me with symthapy, "Edward, can I speak frank?" she asked, then looked at me, too bad if you say no because I will anyway.

I sighed and nodded, "You are depressing to be around," she started talking, great I was going to get the lecture again, I only had it from Alice and Esme and Carlisle. "and its all because of that human girl. I hate to say it but you should have just killed her or changed her, it would have made everything so much easier" I hissed at her, "calm down, look I know you love her and its something that I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing yet, so go back to Forks, see her and if you cant be with her, at least go back and leave her properly." I looked at her a little shocked, I wasn't expecting that.

Most of what she said I disagreed with, like the killing or changing comment, but she was right. I needed to go back to her. I couldn't survive without her. I knew that all along, but why did it take Tanya to finally say it in a way that made sense to me.

"I have to go to Forks, now" I said, "I have to save Bella."

She nodded, knew you were lying about the car. Good luck. I gave her a quick hug and ran as quickly as I could to the Volvo and set off for Forks. About an hour into the drive I picked up my phone and called Alice.

"About time you decided to do the right thing." She said skipping the hellos.

"You shouldn't be so surprised you knew I was going to come." I could almost hear the smile on the other end of the phone, "so do you have any round about time when she's going to be attacked?"

"Sometime before lunch."

"Well that's not very helpful." I muttered, "I should be there around nine in the morning, assuming traffic is ok."

"Yeah that sounds about right," Alice said, "I'm going to Bella's in the morning because Charlie is going to let her stay home."

"Ok, I'll drive you there." I offered.

"Sounds ok, see you soon." And she hung up.

I concentrated on driving. I pressed the car to its absolute limits in an attempt to make it to Forks before nine. I would really like the chance to speak to Carlisle before whatever is happening today happens. The closer I got to Forks the more nervous and anxious I got. Questions started running through my mind, would I get there in time, did Bella want to see me, what was going to attack her? I got so distracted by these questions I had slowed my speed down and the time was pressing closer to nine and I was still at least half an hour away, well fifteen depending on how you drive. I pressed the CD player to on and the smooth tones of one of Beethoven's piano pieces flooded over me and I almost instantly felt relaxed.

I pulled up to the house at a little before nine and was immediately hit by the sudden thoughts of my family. After spending most of the past year on my own, away from civilization I wasn't used to the sudden fullness that my head felt.

Edward! Alice.

Thank goodness he's back Esme.

We should talk Carlisle.

Don't think about Bella's birthday, don't think about Bella's birthday Jasper.

I sighed and got out the car. I did notice the two missing voices of Emmett and Rose, and the only deduction I could come to was that Rose was still mad at me about the wedding. I walked into the house and was immediately enclosed in a hug from Esme.

"Welcome home!" she said smiling at me.

I just nodded and turned to Carlisle and not speaking we headed into his study. He turned to the bookcase that was the back wall of the room and he rubbed his eyes with his hands as if he was tried. "Do I dare ask where you have been Edward?" he asked turning to me.

"South America, looking for Victoria, but I lost her and for all I know she could be in the Bahamas by now." We both quietly laughed at the joke.

Carlisle sat down at the desk and I followed, "any idea what or who we're dealing with?" I asked getting straight to the point.

Carlisle regarded the question and shook his head, no son, but if Alice's visions are anything to go by it won't be good.

I nodded; trust Bella to get into the worse kind of trouble. Have you thought about after? I looked at him confused, "what do you mean?" I asked.

Once we save her, are we leaving again or staying? I put my head in my hands, I knew the question was coming but still didn't want to think about.

"Not sure yet. I guess we should wait and see how things unfold today."

Carlisle didn't seem to like this response but knew it was all he was going to get from me at that point in time. I was about to speak again when we both heard footsteps heading up the staircase.

Edward! Alice, time to go and save Bella. I looked at Carlisle, and as if he could have heard Alice's thought he nodded and smiled at me briefly. "It's good to have you home son, even if it turns out to be only a short time."

I took one last look at him and left the room. Time to save Bella.

Bella POV

As I stared into Victoria's glowing red eyes I resigned myself to the fact I was going to die. However, unlike the last time I was in this situation and I was certain I was going to die, I was doing it for someone I loved. This time I was going to die due to my own stupidity.

I had obviously mad Alice so mad and she either was ignoring me or she just wanted to die. I don't blame her if she did either, I was a total self-absorbed bitch to her.

I couldn't believe Victoria hadn't attacked me yet. She was staring at me for the last fifteen minutes. The fact that she didn't know what to do with me gave me some form of false hope. Maybe Charlie would call home and find out I'm not there and save me, or maybe Jacob would come and save me, like he did with Laurent. All these thoughts did was made me more depressed about the fact I was going to die and those where just some of the loved ones I would be leaving behind. I was even happy to have Mike save me at this point in time.

I looked at Victoria and for the first time I understood why she needed to kill me. She was avenging the dead of her mate. I would have done the same thing for Edward, well at least try to. I also decided that seeing I was going to die I was going to think of the person I loved the most, even though it hurt so much. But looking at it her killing me can't be as bad as Edward leaving me.

Edward, Edward, Edward, Edward, was the only thing I could think of.

I looked at Victoria, my eyes pleading, "please just do it."

She looked at me strangely, as if no one had ever begged for death from her before. "You want me to kill you?" she asked disbelievingly.

I nodded, "the pain that I will feel will be nothing compared to the pain that has filled my heart."

She walked up to me and smiling, picked me up by the hair. I whimpered in pain. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of screaming and she threw me into a tree. My head ached and I had the strangest idea that she was going to kill me the same way James did. In the time it took me to blink, she ran up a tree and broke off a branch then impaled the branch in my leg. I screamed, I tried not to but the pain was unbelievable. I was awaiting the final blow, but it didn't come. Victoria had gone from attack mode to defensive. Something or someone was out there. I tried to apply pressure to the wound in my leg but the blood was so wet and smelly. The last thing I remember before passing out was a flash of white.

Edward POV

I can't believe she just wants me to kill her. This girl really is stupid. That voice I recognized as Victoria and she was attacking my Bella. I was waiting for the others to arrive before I attacked. There was no point having a repeat performance like last time. This is for James was the next thought that I got and that was followed by Bella's piercing scream. I couldn't wait anymore. I had to save her. I jumped out of the bushes and threw her into a tree.

I saw Bella out of the corner of my eye grasping at her leg. Then the smell hit me. That beautiful, sweet smell that I haven't smelt in over a year. Forgetting Victoria I headed over to Bella. I knew it was wrong but that smell…

A/N: thank you to all you wonderful people who reviewed!! Sorry also to the guys who wanted Jacob to save her. Sorry it took me a while to get this chapter up, been house sitting and the place didn't have internet! Was planning on writing the whole chapter from Edward's POV but it was just so hard! So anyone who can write Edward's POV kudos to you! I'll update soon. On holidays