A/N: I own nothing. This chapter is titled after the song 'Bruised' by Jack's Mannequin.

Chapter 15: Bruised

Edward and I rolling around in the snow. Edward, Jasper, Alice, and I piled on each other in the field. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett on bicycles with Rosalie, Alice, and I on the handlebars. Edward and I sitting on a branch looking out at the sunset. A tear rolled down my cheek as I looked at these precious moments captured by Alice and Esme. Esme had taken at least a dozen pictures of Edward and me. They were the perfect moments. I put the photos back in the small tin box I kept them in.

I bit my lip and looked out of the window down at the rolling acres of farmland below. I had missed Italy. I had missed Teagan and Felix and Demetri and Afton. Surprisingly, I missed Renata and Chelsea. I sort of missed Jane and Alec in a way. I was happy to be home, but at the same time, I wished I hadn't left. Hopefully, Teagan had received my letter that I had mailed from the airport in Seattle. It should have arrived a day before I got back. As the small, private jet landed, I exited the plane with 2 Volturi guards carrying my bags. I slung my messenger bag over my shoulder and shoved my hands into my pockets. I walked across the tarmac towards the castle that I hadn't called my home for the past 70 years. Demetri was waiting at the door. I smiled sadly. He pulled me into a warm hug.

"Welcome home," he said. I sighed. Home. He led me inside. When I entered the castle in the Hall, everything stopped. As I looked around, all of the vampires that had been in the Hall stopped and looked toward the door where I was standing. I spotted Teagan's red hair. I gave her a sad smile as we moved toward each other. As embraced, the floodgates opened and I was weeping on her shoulder.

"I got your letter," was all she said. It was all she had to say. I nodded. She pulled away and looked at my red and blotchy face. "Come on." She put her arm around my shoulder as Afton and Felix grabbed my bags. She led me to my old room. It was the same way I left it. Draws were ajar. A small table was knocked over. One curtain was pulled away while its partner hung loose. I dropped my bag on my useless bed and sat on the large trunk that stood at the foot of it. I inhaled deeply. It still smelled like Damien a little. Once I settled in, it would go away. I immediately started to straighten up the room. Teagan grabbed my arm.

"Bells, are you gonna be okay?" Her voice practically screamed concern.

"Yeah," I said nodding, "I just want to be alone for a few. We'll go hunting later okay?" She eyed me suspiciously.

"Okay. Do you want help unpacking?"

"No. I'll be fine." Once they were all gone, I started to put my things away. I emptied out all of my bags onto my bed, the couch, anything that was flat basically. I sorted through things and placed things that went in the closet here, things that were folded there. I pulled out my ipod and hit the shuffle. Fate sure was being a bitch that day. Right when "You're Not Sorry" by Taylor Swift came on, my phone buzzed.

All this time I was wasting
Hoping you would come around
I've been giving out chances every time
And all you do is let me down

I just stared at the phone frozen. Edward.

And it's taking me this long
Baby but I figured you out
And you're thinking we'll be fine again
But not this time around

I didn't answer. I put the phone back in my pocket and took a shaky breath.

You don't have to call anymore
I won't pick up the phone
This is the last straw
Don't wanna hurt anymore

The phone buzzed in my pocket again. I shut my eyes and willed it to stop. My hand had a mind of it's own and took the phone out. Alice. I sighed.

"Alice," I said as I held the phone to my ear.

"Bella, he really wants to talk to you," she said. I bit my lip and fought back the tears.

"Alice, if I talk to him, I don't know if I'll be able to keep myself together." I heard her sigh and tell someone, who I assumed to be Edward, that I wouldn't talk. I heard a small scuffle for the phone and some indistinct mumbles.

"Bella." My eyes went wide as I froze. Edward. "I'm sorry." I couldn't help it. A loud sob escaped my throat. I covered my mouth, but that didn't do much.

And you can say that you're sorry
But I don't believe you baby
Like I did before
You're not sorry, no, no, no, no

I didn't say anything when he spoke again. "Bella? Please. You need to hear this. It wasn't me."

Looking so innocent
I might believe you if I didn't know
Could've loved you all my life
If you hadn't left me waiting in the cold

"It wasn't you!? How can you say that, Edward!? I can't believe you!"

And you got your share of secrets
And I'm tired of being last to know
And now you're asking me to listen
Cause it's worked each time before

"Bella! Please. I'm sorry. You have to let me explain."

"I don't have to let you do jack shit, you jackass! How dare you!" I was sobbing now. And he could hear it. That's what killed me. He was hearing me when I was weak. I was never weak. I was always strong.

And you can tell me that you're sorry
But I don't believe you baby
Like I did before
You're not sorry, no, no, oh
You're not sorry, no, no, oh

"Bella, please don't cry. Just listen to what I have to say."

"No. I'm not going to listen to another fucking lie come out of your goddamn mouth! Go to hell, you lying, cheating, bastard!!" I threw the phone on the bed as I collapsed and wept. I could hear Edward yelling for me on the phone. I grabbed it, ended the call and threw back on the bed. I curled up in a ball on my bed and wept until my pillow was wet. Demetri had apparently heard me. He came busting into my room.

"Bella!? Chelsea heard you crying. What's wrong?" He sat down on my bed. I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder.

"It isn't fair! I find the perfect guy, and he ends up being a lying, cheating...UGH!" I continued rant in between sobs. Eventually, Teagan had come in and was trying to comfort me. My phone kept ringing and ringing, but I refused to answer, no matter who was calling. Teagan eventually answered it.

"Hello?"

"Bella!?" I flinched at Edward's voice. Curse vampire hearing. She looked at me.

"No. This is Teagan. Bella...can't talk. Is this Edward?"

"Yes," I heard. "I need to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to talk, Edward," she said. "I don't blame her," she added with a little sting to her voice. I could practically hear him flinch.

"Please! She needs to hear this. It wasn't me! It was another vampire. She was controlling me." I heard enough. I grabbed the phone.

"Oh, so now there's a story behind it?! And what a coincidence it was a girl who was supposedly making you break up with me. Let me guess, your other girlfriend found out? Told you to break up with me? Huh?! Did Blake tell you to break up with me!?" I was seething now. He didn't answer me. "I'm deleting your number off of my phone. I am going to change my number. I am going to block you from my mind completely. I will build up a fortress around every memory I have of you."

"Bella, please-" he started.

"No. Shut up. It will be as if I never existed. Good-bye, Edward. Forever." I closed the phone and breathed in. I opened it and went to my contact list. Edward's name was highlighted. Options. Delete. A little box popped up.

"You are about to delete 'Edward'," I read aloud. I looked to Teagan and Demetri and looked back. My finger pressed down on the 'OK' button. I put my phone on my dresser and walked out of the room.

Back in Forks...

Alice's POV

I looked nervously around to Jasper and Emmett. Jasper knew that look in an instant. My vision wasn't good. Understatement of the year. It was terrible. I replayed the scene in my mind over and over. Edward was standing in the alleyway underneath the tower in Volterra. I could hear Bella's voice over the crowd and the music. She was racing through the alleys and shadows of the city to stop him. Even at vampire speed she was too late. Edward had walked into the sunlight and was reflecting rainbows everywhere. The crowds looked on in awe and terror. They didn't know what to think. Then Bella stood at the edge of the shadow, fear written clearly across her marble face.

"Alice, what is it?" Jasper asked as he knelt in front of me. I took a deep unnecessary breath.

"Edward. He's going to go to the Volturi. He's going to create a scene so he can see her."

"But, he'll be killed if he does. It will all be in vain," he said. I shook my head.

"It doesn't matter to him as long as he sees her again, even for the shortest time. He loves her," I said shaking my head. I could hear Edward pacing his room trying to think. I told him not to call her, but he did anyway. Jasper took my hand and pulled me up.

"Come on. You need to relax. Then we can deal with Edward and his masochism," he led me to our room. I sighed as I leaned back into his chest on the couch. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. He nuzzled my neck.

"Calm down," he said. I couldn't feel the calmness radiating from him. I was instantly soothed. I turned to face him and touched my lips to his in a soft, innocent kiss. He soon turned it passionate and urgent. He swiftly flipped me and I looked up into his eyes. I reached up and planted soft kisses down his neck, kissing every scar he had from the wars he had fought. His hands traveled to my shirt and lifted it above my head. Not wanting to waste any more time, we both tore each other's clothes off. I was in heaven, well sort of, as he pushed into me. He covered my mouth in a searing kiss as I let out a moan of pleasure.

"Alice," he said. His voice was husky. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Jasper." I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him to me. I rested my head on his chest as we lay there thinking of what was to come.

I apologize for the wait. I've been busier than I thought I would be. I know this is short, but the next chapter or 2 will be intense and I think you will love me very much. =)