Title: Solstice
Author: marjorie16
Fandom: Twilight
Summary: This is a story mid New Moon. Edward leaves Bella. Bella befriends Jacob. The werewolves kill Laurent BUT Victoria gets passed the werewolves and bites Bella. What will Edward do when he finds out? What will happen to Bella? And Jacob, what will the best friend do?

Laurent: "...but if you knew what she had planned for you, Bella..."

Well, what if you did?

* Third Person POV

Chapter 3

"Let's think this through logically," Carlisle said. The Cullens have returned to their residence in Forks, Washington. After only a day since Edward found Victoria's scent in Bella's room and called his family, the had already convened in the huge living room.

"Bella's been gone for over two months" he continued. "Victoria's scent is all over her room."

Carlisle didn't say it, but it echoed in his thoughts. And consequently, through Edward's.

She's either dead or dying

"In which case, we still have to find her and bring her back to her family." Edward said. Though the others did not hear Carlisle's thoughts, they immediately understood what Edward had meant.

"When Alice gets back, she'll know what to do" When the Cullens returned, the first thing Edward did was send Alice to inquire of Bella. He was certain that Alice was better with humans than he is. Especially in his current frame of mind.

Where the hell is his Bella? Okay, so maybe he can't claim her anymore because he was the one who left in the first place. But, it was only to keep her safe from his world. Now, apparently, he had just left her unprotected. Probably already a rotting unidentified corpse in some forest.

No, no, no. She can't be dead. She can't. Not without knowing that he loves her. Not without knowing the truth.

And then, he looked directly at his family. "If I could find her myself. Save her myself, I wouldn't ask for your help. But I can't."

How ironic that there are so many things he can do. Run 100 miles a minute. See 100 miles away. Hear 100 miles away. Hear thoughts. Smell quiet scents. Stop speeding vans. But the most important thing to him, he could not protect with all his inhuman powers.

In the end, he proved to be just the opposite: he was human. He made a mistake. The biggest mistake of his existence.

"We care for her too, Edward" Esme voiced.

"Yeah, bro. We've got your back." said Emmett. Sometimes, Edward wished he was more like his brother. Free-spirted, playful and apathetic.

"Edward, I didn't mean to imply that we don't want to find her." Carlisle said. "It's just that we don't know where to look first." His thoughts were apologetic.

Rosalie spoke for the first time as she gazed through the cold window. "Alice already said that she can't see anything in Bella's future. Just 'never ending darkness'. Never ending darkness , for god's sake. She's dead. Deal with it."

"I am dealing with it!" Edward shot back. "She's not dead." She can't be

"We have another problem" Jasper said quietly, but everyone heard. He was seated at the sofa in front of the t.v. These days, it was all he did. Watch news. "We've got... company."

Jasper was feeling especially guilty about everything. After all, he was the reason why Edward left. If only he had his self-control intact, nothing would have happened. In the beginning, he kept telling himself that though it was so wrong to attack Bella, it was in his nature. An animalistic nature he didn't want to surrender to. But these days, his thoughts have gone wild with guilt and worry. It did not, however, show in his stance.

Sometimes, Edward wished he was more like Jasper. Jasper was a master of his emotions. He could easily hide his feelings behind an empty mask. He was, after all, used to varying degrees of joy and pain. So, it was no surprise that he could look this calm and cool about everything.

Everyone looked at him as he spoke.

"What do you mean, Jasper" Carlisle asked. "What company? What problem?"

"Are you sure?" Edward heard everything in Jasper's mind already.

"There's no denying the facts."

"What's going on?" Emmet was alarmed. Rosalie was untroubled. And Esme was worried.

"How many?" Edward continued asking.

"Twenty or more, think. There's a lot of them I'd bet."

"Explain." Carlisle commanded. Jasper stood up and came to join the small gathering at the living room. He leaned across the wall and put his and in his pockets.

"There's an army of vampires here. There had been numerous killings and missing persons reports in Seattle, Portland, and Olympia. It's either they're coming here or they're already here. It's complicated enough looking for Bella---" he winced at her name "---without knowing where to look. And now, more so when we've got immortals claiming the lands here.

"Something is big is going on. Vampires of the North don't claim lands like those in the South do. What's even more alarming is the fact that there's no one to claim the land from. Vampires don't build armies for the sake of it. Armies exist to fight other armies. And there's no other armies here. Just nomads like ourselves. The Volturi will be involved soon. Maybe on their way already. Either way, the threat seems to be getting closer to us."

"What are you saying, Jasper?" Carlisle asked but it was Edward who answered.

"He's saying we're the target."

Edward looked at the horrified faces of his family. Their eyes were the color of butterscotch. Totally different from the natural eye color of his kind. They were many too. Too big a coven.

They were a family .

Probably looked more like an army to other vampires.

* * *

After days of digging and climbing, Bella Swan's immortal hand burst through the surface of the earth.

Honestly, would it hurt to review?