Chapter 2

"No!" I yelled out. My hallucination of Bella disappeared. I looked around the small room I was renting, breathing heavily from the fear. That can't happen to my Bella! Why was I even this far away from her? I'm dangerous to her, but how do I know she's safe unless I'm there? Victoria is a threat, yes, but there are so many others of my kind to worry about and the numerous other things that Bella is bound to attract. Maybe I should go to her?

No!

I could just watch from afar, make sure she's safe, that no threats are around. That could work. I'll keep my distance… I could just look at her from my tree outside her bedroom window. Could I do just that? Can I keep my distance and not touch her?

I untangled myself from the ball I had crawled into and paced around the room. I would be more effective in keeping Bella safe if I was closer, if I knew what things were threatening her safety. She would never know I was there. No one will, well, except Alice.

I continued to pace about thinking over everything a dozen different times at a dozen different angles. If I was going to do this I needed to prepare myself for what I will see. I'll keep in the background. I'll just make sure she's happy, Bella deserves to be happy. But what if she isn't happy? What if she wants me? I know it could not be so, I crushed her when I left, crushed her to save her….Oh god I hope she wants me.

I grabbed my bag, shoved my stuff in and dialed the airport.

It took over 30 hours to reach Seattle. I was in a hurry; despite the fact that I know there was no reason. I know what I would find. Bella would be safe and happy…happy without me.

I had run to my house in Forks from Seattle. I told myself it was to keep people from realizing that I was here but really, deep down, I was afraid to see Bella happy, without me. So running added a few hours before I had to face that reality.

I was in Esme's garden, cutting the best red roses. Now, I know I said I wasn't going to do anything more then look at her…. But… she might, maybe Bella still wanted me. I gathered the two dozen red roses, removed their thorns and tied them with a blue ribbon I found in Alice's room. Perfect!

I took off towards Bella's house. As I neared I smelled something I had not in many years. Werewolves! I sped up, not wanting one of those filthy, dangerous creatures anywhere near Bella. The scent continued around her house. I climbed up my tree. Bella's truck wasn't in the driveway; I focused on Charlie's thoughts. He sounded concerned, panicked even. Charlie was dialing the kitchen phone, "Billy?..." Billy Black? I wondered,

"Have your boys found anything?"

"Sam just came in and said they found Bella's truck out at the end of one-ten."

"…Was there ….any signs of …her?"

One-ten? Why would she have driven out there…unless it was to see my… our meadow? I saw in Charlie's mind an image of Sam Uley carrying Bella out of the forest, he was wondering if she had gotten lost again. Again?

"Nothing yet. Do you want me to call the station to report her truck or would you like to?"

Charlie cleared his throat, "I'll do it. Thanks Billy." Charlie hung up the phone and dialed the police station. As he dialed I crawled into Bella's room. Her beautiful scent overcame me. How I have missed this. Bella's room looked the same; I sat on her bed and listened to Charlie on the phone. From the conversation I gathered that Bella had been missing for almost two days. She had told no one where she was going but guessing by the location of her truck she had gone out hiking, alone. Alone, even thou her father had told her not to because of recent bear attacks.

The knowledge that there were werewolves close to her house unnerved me. The connection to Billy Black and his "boys" made me suspicious.

I moved off the bed and to the lose floorboard that I had placed her tokens from me. Lifted it and placed the two dozen red roses inside. I ran through the house, faster than Charlie could see, to determine if any wolves had been inside in the last few days. Noticing nothing out of place I hopped out Bella's window and ran to my meadow.

What could it mean that Bella was missing and there are werewolves again in Forks? Why didn't anyone see this coming? Alice! Why didn't I think of it before? I reached for my phone and turned it on. I had gotten in the habit of keeping it off so I could be left to wallow in my own misery in peace. Before I could even dial, Alice called. "Alice, where is she?" I pleaded.

"Well, if you had left your phone on you would have known about this the moment you booked a ticked to Seattle."

I was becoming impatient, "Alice!" I growled.

"Okay. I looked for her after I saw you were headed to Forks. It's too late Edward. Bella is in the middle of the change, she will be one of us now." A bit of triumph in her voice.

I stopped dead in my tracks. One of us? The image of red eyed Bella from Alice's vision from a year ago flashed before me. That can't be! I left so that wouldn't happen!

"…Edward?"

"Do you know where she is?"

"She keeps coming in and out, but for the most part I keep seeing her in a forest, alone. "

I started running towards my meadow again, "What do you mean she keeps coming in and out, Alice?" Annoyed that Alice's vision couldn't be more precise.

"I have no idea. I'll see her one moment and the next, nothing, like she has no future, only for her to reappear some time later. We'll figure it out soon enough, Jasper and I will be landing in Seattle in an hour."

I arrived at the clearing in the forest as I ended the call. I could smell Bella's scent-altered from the bite, the horrible smell of the wolves and, was it, Laurent? The hallucination of Bella being bitten by Laurent only two days ago emerged. Was it possible that I was seeing what was happening? If that was so was it possible that the other hallucinations I had where Bella was in danger were real also? Or is this just a coincident?

I felt the ground were Bella's scent was the strongest, there was blood on the ground. This is where it happened, but where is she? She couldn't have gotten very far on her own. Did Laurent move her? The small trace of ash on the ground would suggest that he never made it out of the meadow. Why would he have purposefully turned her? From my 'hallucination' he wanted Bella as a meal not a companion.

The wolves! Would they have taken her? I stood up and ran, following the filthy odor of the wolves back to the treaty line. They couldn't have taken her over the line. Would they? I ran a few miles back and forth around the boarder. Should I go in and get her? It would be suicidal for me, there are five dogs now. I couldn't handle five.

"Dogs!" I shouted to the Quileute line. "Where is Bella? Where did you mongrels take her?" I growled in frustration. Why did she have to be at the one place on the planet that I was not permitted to enter? "Agghh…." I kicked a tree and it fell towards the Quileute's side.

I continued to run around the boarder shouting for the dogs to bring me Bella before I heard Alice and Jasper approach.

Edward? What's happening? Alice metal voice asked.

"I'm thinking of crossing the line that's what!" I replied as I picked up a large rock and hurled it ten yards into a tree on the wolves' side.

Alice took me into a strong hug. She'll be okay. "I've missed you." Jasper placed his hand on my shoulder and I felt calm and tranquil.

"I've missed you too, thank you," looking at Alice, then Jasper.

Alice pulled back and wrinkled her nose, looking at Jasper I realize he had the same look. "What is that smell?"