Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

As always, huge thanks go to my pre-reader/cheerleader team. Gredelina1, Verseseven, IamTheAlleyCat and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen. Also to Snarkymuch for beta'ing this chapter and listening to all my bitching when the words wouldn't flow. I love you all.

~ Chapter Three —A Heavy Loss ~

Edward POV

The thought was like a scream. "Edward!"

My eyes snapped to Jacob who was staring back at me. His breath was coming in harsh pants, and his large eyes were wide and horrorstruck.

I immersed myself in the pack mind and searched for the cause of his alarm. It was confusing, as so many thoughts were focused on the fight still playing out around us. Even as I listened, Jacob took a kick to the gut from a newborn. He huffed in pain, but he did not take his eyes from me.

Seth's mental voice was the loudest as he was the most alarmed. He was locked in battle with a newborn, but through his distraction I could see Esme fighting with Victoria.

Fear gripped me. Bella was there, too!

Why had I left her? Why had I allowed myself to listen to Alice?

"Carlisle, Jasper!" I shouted as I ran into the trees. "Victoria is there."

Needing no more explanation than that, the rest of my family deserted their opponents and ran with me back along my trail to the ridge where Bella, Esme, and Seth were taking shelter.

'You cannot leave us to fight alone!' Sam shouted through his thoughts. I paid him no mind; Bella was in danger.

I heard Jacob start after us, but Sam ordered his return, using the power of the alpha command to force him to obey.

'Go," Jacob ordered. "Save her."

I pushed myself harder than I had ever done before. I crossed a deep ravine in one leap and powered through the trees. I couldn't hear the thoughts of the wolves now, nor any from the ridge where Bella and Esme were, though I continued to try.

"Alice?" I called back over my shoulder.

"I can't see anything, Edward," she said apologetically. "Seth is blocking me."

I hissed a curse. The damn wolves' ability to render Alice blind was never more frustrating than in that moment.

Carlisle was approaching on my left. He was not usually this fast, but his fear for Esme lent him speed.

"What is happening, Edward?" he asked frantically.

"Victoria is there with another newborn. Esme is fighting her."

He groaned as if in pain. I understood. I felt the same pain. My mother was there fighting another vampire to protect my love. If either of them were hurt... I could not allow that thought to complete.

I was almost within sight of the cliff top beneath which we had camped when the thoughts of Esme reached me, farther than those of Victoria and Seth's because of familiarity. Esme and Victoria were locked in combat; they rained blows upon one another with dizzying speed. Esme was scared, but determined to protect.

With a mental whoop of triumph, Esme pinned Victoria to the ground and lowered her head, preparing to destroy, but, somehow, Victoria evaded her grip and reversed their position. Esme was now pinned to the ground, and Victoria was preparing for the kill.

'Victoria!' I heard Bella's shout echo in Esme and Victoria's thoughts.

Bella was standing with a shard of rock in her hand pressed against her elbow. With a determined look, she dragged the point along her arm. The blood welled and flowed down her arm, dripping from her fingers like crimson rain.

She had promised me no heroics, but in that moment, I was grateful. Her actions had saved Esme's life. My relief didn't last long as Victoria slammed Esme's head against the ground and launched herself at Bella.

I watched through Esme's eyes as Victoria swept Bella over her shoulder and ran into the trees. Esme screamed Bella's name and I added my own voice to hers. Seth howled in pain as the newborn punched him in the chest, crushing his ribs. His pain barely registered with me; all my focus was directed to Bella.

I followed Esme's thoughts as she raced after Bella and Victoria, but they cut off abruptly into silence. I gasped in horror. She was still within my range; I was faster than her and closing the distance fast. Something else had happened to silence her.

"What is it?" Carlisle demanded.

"Victoria has Bella," I said, telling the truth, but not the whole truth. I couldn't risk him losing control now; Esme and Bella both needed him. I was barely clinging to my own sanity as it was.

"And Esme?"

"She's run after them."

We burst out of the trees at the and into the clearing at the same moment. There were signs of the battle everywhere. The tent Bella had taken shelter in was ragged and torn. Seth was unconscious on the ground, and the vampire Victoria had brought with her was bearing down on him, preparing to sink his teeth into Seth's throat.

Carlisle tackled the vampire to the ground and made short work of decapitating him. Seth whimpered but did not open his eyes.

My eyes were focused on the heavy trail of blood that led away from the tent and into the trees. Bella's blood. The scent that had once tempted me, now turned my stomach. It was a vivid reminder of what I stood to lose.

I'm coming, Bella. Just hold on a little longer. I pleaded with her in my mind as if the thoughts could reach her and give her comfort.

I saw a figure ahead of me and recognized the shape as Esme's. She was standing perfectly still. Like a statue on the forest path.

"Esme!" I called. She didn't respond.

I reached her side and yanked her arm turning her to face me. "Esme, what are you doing? Where is Bella?"

Her face was completely expressionless. There was no hint of life in her. "Esme!" I shook her roughly, but it was like shaking a dead body. There was nothing there.

I could do no good there, and Bella was at the mercy of Victoria, so I shouted to Carlisle and started after them again. I had barely gone more than a few paces when I heard movement to my right.

I turned, but before I could see who or what it was, everything went black.

xXx

"Edward, what are you doing!" someone shrieked.

I turned and saw Alice and Jasper running towards us.

"I… I don't know," I said stupidly. My mind felt fogged and numb as if I had awoken from a deep sleep. Esme's eyes were unfocussed, and her thoughts were vague.

"Where is Bella?" Alice demanded

Her name acted as a stimulant. My mind snapped back into focus, and I began running again. The scent of Bella's blood was weaker now. I didn't know how much time had passed while I was lost in the darkness, but it was far too long for my liking.

"Where are the others?" I called back to Alice, she and Jasper had come alone.

"They're taking care of the wolves. They have been seriously hurt."

It was selfish of me to begrudge the wolves Carlisle's expertise, especially after they had fought for us, but I needed him with me; Bella needed him.

"They don't know if Jacob is going to make it," Jasper said.

I felt a pang of horror at the thought of his loss; it would devastate Bella. I pushed the thought away. I had to find Bella; nothing else mattered until I had her in my arms.

The trail led through the forest and into Quileute land. I didn't even hesitate for a split second at the border. Jumping the river, I broke the treaty my family had held for over seven decades. I knew there would be consequences later, but in that moment, I only cared about finding Bella. I heard the sounds of others following me and knew that they too had disregarded the treaty in favor of finding Bella.

The scent led to the ocean cliffs. I felt a thrill of horror as I remembered the vision Alice had of what she thought then was Bella's suicide. Was that why Victoria had brought her here? Did she want the memories to be stronger, or was she hoping that we would be stopped by the wolves?

I ran through the trees breaking out at the very peak Bella had jumped from. There was a trail of blood leading up right to the edge of the cliff. They had gone into the water.

"Edward, look!" Alice shouted.

I followed her pointing finger to the water. There was a splash of color floating on the surface. It was bright blue, the same blue as the heavy jacket Bella had been dressed in.

Bella!

Without thought or hesitation, I dived into the water. I swam towards her with all the speed I could muster. My arms sliced through the dark water like knives.

She would be okay. She had to be okay. As long as her heart was beating, she would be fine. I could bite her; the venom would save her. Even if she heart was not beating now, I could pump it for her. She had drowned once and lived, she would do it again.

I snatched the arm of the jacket and dragged her towards me. Even as my hands closed on the fabric I realized my mistake; this wasn't Bella; the jacket was empty. She must have lost it in the fall.

I spun in a circle, searching for a sign of my love, and spotted a hint of brown a hundred feet away. I didn't make the same mistake this time. I knew it was not her but the hat she had been wearing.

"She's here somewhere!" I shouted to my family. "Help me look!"

I didn't stop to see if they obeyed before I dived beneath the surface of the water. My eyes were keen and I saw far around me, but nowhere was there a sign of Bella. I powered to the deepest depths of the water, raking the ocean floor with my eyes, but found nothing. I searched farther out; hugging the shore I swam out to the bay. I dove again and again, my desperation growing with every passing second.

I saw something out of the corner of my eyes and twisted to see Carlisle swimming towards me. My heart leapt. He must have found something.

He pointed toward the surface and I swam up with him. Our heads broke the surface together and I followed him onto the shore. The rest of my family were standing on the stony beach, all of them still dripping wet from the water.

"What did you find?" I asked hurriedly. "Did you see her?"

Carlisle shook his head slowly. "I am sorry, Son, I don't think we are going to."

"We have to keep looking!" I said, turning for the water again, ready to recommence my search. "If we can find her, we can change her. She'll be okay."

Emmett grabbed my arm and held me back. "We can't change her, Edward. It's too late."

"What do you mean?" I demanded, shaking off his restraining arm.

"It's been too long," Carlisle said.

I now realized what was wrong with the scene. It was no long the foggy half light of Forks' overcast skies, but full dark. I had lost track of the time while I searched. It had been hours.

She was gone.

xXx

Carlisle POV

"It's been too long."

I hated even saying the words, but it was the truth. There was no way Bella could have survived in the water so long. Even if she had been brought to shore, the cold and blood loss would have killed her long ago.

Edward dropped to his knees and let loose a keening scream that tore my heart in two. He was mourning openly and desperately.

I knelt beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. I didn't know how to comfort him, when his whole world was crashing around him, but nor could I restrain myself from trying. He was my first son, the one that saved me from myself; I could not leave him to grieve alone.

He cringed away from my touch. With a heavy heart, I got to my feet again and pulled Esme into my embrace. She was crying soft sobs that sounded like sighs.

"Son, I am so sorry," I said quietly.

"Gone," he croaked. "She's really gone."

His words and obvious sadness broke the veil of stoic calm I had been hiding behind, and I allowed a choking sob to escape me.

"I am so sorry," Esme said mournfully. "I tried, Edward. I swear I tried to save her."

He raised his head and looked at her. His eyes were devoid of all emotion; it was as if his ability to feel had been lost with Bella.

"It's not your fault. I should have been there. I allowed my own safety to come before hers."

Alice whimpered. It was her vision that had stopped Edward staying with Bella. God forgive me for thinking it, but I was grateful for it. If he had been lost… I could not imagine living in a world where he was not.

I loved Bella, but my love was a selfish love. I loved her from the moment she arrived in my home for the very first time, not for who she was, but for what she had done for my son. It was not until I had my chance to know her as a person that my selfish love became that of a father.

A low growl built in Edward chest, and I realized he had heard the path of my thoughts. My confession was not new information to him, he had known all along, but hearing it here and now stirred something in him.

"Where were you?" he asked in a low growl. "Why weren't you here?"

"The wolves, Edward. They were so badly hurt; I had to do what I could. I knew Esme was safe with you, and my abilities were better used to save them. I did. They are severely hurt, and Jacob may still not fully recover, but they all lived." There was a note of self-justification in my voice which I was not entirely able to conceal.

"They all lived," he asked with a sardonic laugh. "They all lived. My Bella died!" His words were a bellow as he finished.

"Edward, there was nothing that could have been done," Alice said. "She was gone before we even reached the cliff. You must know— Edward!"

He cut off her words with a feral snarl and launched himself at me. I was knocked to the ground and pinned beneath his weight. He gripped my head, and for a moment, I truly thought he was going to kill me. He didn't, but slammed my head against the pebbled ground instead.

"You. Killed. Her!" he snarled, each word accompanied by a slam of my head.

The impact of my head on the stone crushed them to dust. The blows were no more painful that a feather touch to a human, but his words hurt me as nothing else could have.

He was right; I had failed both him and Bella. I could not have saved her. I believed she was dead long before we reached the water, but I should have been here to search. My self-appointed mission to protect life had made me abandon my son and daughter to save the wolves.

In my defense, I had never doubted Edward would find Victoria and Bella in time. Had I not, I could never have left Esme to his protection.

Emmett and Jasper gripped Edward's arms and dragged him from me. They had delayed, perhaps to allow him to vent some of his rage, or because they too believed I was responsible for his loss. Edward struggled against them futilely. His strength was no match for Emmett's raw power.

"Let me go," he said between clenched teeth.

Esme stepped between us. Her presence worked to calm him instantly. She cupped his face in her small hands and stared him in the eye.

"I know what you are thinking, and I understand your need, but I am begging you to stop this. You know none of us will do it, and none of us will allow you to go there again."

Volterra!

I had been so lost in what had happened, that I hadn't even considered the fact he may seek death again. He couldn't. Bella's loss was great, but to lose him would be a loss too many. It would destroy us all.

"You cannot," Alice hissed. "You can't do that to her."

He growled. "To her? What can I do to her when she is already gone?"

"You can disrespect her memory by making her sacrifice worthless. You're right. You should have been here, but it would have cost you your life. She knew that, that is why she sent you away. Bella shed her blood to save Esme. If you destroy yourself, you are essentially spitting on her grave."

"Grave…" Emmett said, clapping a hand to his mouth. "We need to find her. She needs to be buried."

Jasper gave him a sympathetic smile. "We can't, Em. There will be no body. She is in the ocean; there is nothing we can do."

A choking sob escaped me. My beautiful daughter was swept out to sea, possibly never to be seen again. The currents here were strong, and the sea didn't like to give up its dead.

Edward sank into Esme's arms and began to sob in earnest.

"I want my Bella, Mom. I need her."

She crooned in his ear. "I know, sweetheart. We all do."

I reached out to touch him again, but once again, he cringed from my touch.

With crippling realization, I understood the second loss we had suffered today. My son had lost his heart, and I had lost my son.

Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.

Simaril x