You guys make my heart soar. You made this story reach over 1000 reviews and I feel so honored. I don't think I'll ever be able to have such a great group of followers for any other story I make after this. But I can hope.

I can't believe how many of you guys actually guessed who the voice was. Though she wasn't most of your guys' first guess, be prepared to love her again!

Thank you for your patience. And again, just to make you giggle, I'm mentioning your name again STEVEN!

Chapter 48- Your Heart Unto Me

Alice's POV

I watched as Jacob snatched Bella from Edward's arms and fell to the ground with her in a heap. His arm was broken but he still held her as if it didn't bother him. I glanced to my side to see Jasper gripping his hands into fists, silently. Of course the smell of her blood would be driving him nuts. He seemed to have a much better control over his hunger though. Ever since Bella's birthday...

I had been watching the fight the whole time, with Jasper at my side. We'd said our good byes to Bella, just like the rest of the Cullens. We'd packed our things, just like the rest of the family. We went to the airport with them, each and every one of us looking gloomy.

But once we'd reached the airport, I'd excused myself to the restroom. After looking myself over in the mirror for several minutes, reassuring myself I was making the right choice, I returned to the rest of them, putting my phone inside my pocket. Jasper was looking at me oddly.

It had been a nice change, that expression. Ever since the family had said goodbye to Bella, he had been furious with me. He knew we were making the wrong choice. He hated the thought of leaving Bella to fend for herself. He was so protective over her now.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle. We have to go our separate ways here. Jasper and I have some urgent business we need to attend to in Texas," I said, walking up to him. A glance at Jasper told me he was utterly confused. So many questions probably ran through his head. I never got the chance to figure out what they were.

The Cullens didn't ask questions. Anything that had to do with Jasper and his past, the Cullens never pressured. We helped them to their flight, said our goodbyes.

"I hope this is for the best, Alice," Esme said, looking deep into my eyes as we hugged good bye. I hugged her and nodded over her shoulder, shutting my eyes.

"Me too," I mumbled, trying to smile as we pulled away. And that was it. They were on their flight to somewhere in Illinois. They wouldn't be able to walk as freely during the day, but I don't think they planned on it being a permanent home anyways.

As the plane took off, Jasper turned to me, his mouth open and at the ready. I turned to him and cut him off.

"I won't leave Bella undefended. The rest of them had to leave," I said, reaching for his hand. Utter comprehension dawned on his face and it made me smile. All his anxiety, his stress, his sadness, it all fluttered away. It was a complete 180 from the way he'd been treating me.

His arms came around me and pulled me close. I buried my nose into his shoulder and spent the next five minutes apologizing for not telling him my plan, but it was for the best. In the end, he had agreed.

On our way back to Forks, I told him about my vision, now that we'd chosen to stay and interfere. He knew before I'd said much that the outlook still wasn't good. But we were both determined for something to change. Just one small, tiny choice in someone's plan and maybe the whole thing would falter. It was all we could hope for.

And it happened.

As we watched the fight between the wolves and the newborns, hidden in the shadows of the cliffs, Victoria made a mad dash for Bella. Jasper had jumped at my side, ready to interfere but I had grabbed him.

"Not yet. That's not how I saw it in my vision," I whispered. He settled back in at my side, though nowhere near relaxed.

But even I started to get nervous as Bella was suddenly turned around to face the bonfire, on her knees with Victoria behind her. I scanned the crowd, looking for the vampire that would kill Bella. It was a newborn. A starving newborn.

I spotted it then. It had been engaged in battle with Jacob. A raven haired woman. I saw her crimson eyes glittering with the hope of Bella's blood. Now everyone's attention was on Bella. Jacob didn't notice the girl slowly inching away from him. I wanted to yell out to him, but as I opened my mouth to yell, the new vision presented the same outcome to me. I clamped my mouth shut.

Edward and Victoria. They were talking now. I felt the betrayal radiating off of Victoria. She should have known better. Edward was very cunning.

Then, I was overcome by a vision. It took out my reality. Now that Victoria knew what Edward's plan was, she mending her own. She wanted to turn Bella. Curse Bella with the life she never wanted. And curse Edward with knowing Bella's hatred of him for eternity.

I didn't have time to tell Jasper the new plan as it all began to happen so quickly.

Now, we were watching Jacob hold a transforming Bella in his arms. Edward, guilt stricken, was standing over them. They were talking, arguing. Jacob was begging. I knew what I had to do then. I grabbed Jasper's hand and led him out of the shadows with me, hushing his curious questions.

"Edward, you need to let her go," I said as we neared them. His cold, red eyes looked straight up into mine. All the pain in his eyes, the regret. It was almost too much. But there was a slight flutter of relief as he saw me. As if seeing Jasper and I brought back some minuscule part of his humanity.

But he was still so confused, so much in pain. He needed a bigger push. More than just the reality that we were here. He needed to be grounded in the here and now. He was still hoping for the future. A future with a Bella that loved him, unconditionally.

"Alice... What are you doing here?" he asked. His eyes seemed to beg me for an answer to all his problems. I didn't know what this would do to the rest of his life, but I knew it would leave Bella alive.

"Edward, there's not much time. Bella needs to be saved. You know she doesn't want this. Think of what's best for her... I know you, and I know you can stop drinking when you need to..." I whispered. I had taken a small step towards him, my hand reaching out, trying to steady him. His gaze moved between me and Jasper. He stopped on me, so much pain...

"What if I can't?" he asked. His voice was thick, it got caught in his throat. He could barely speak. His eyes moved back to Bella. I noticed then that Jacob was looking up at me, begging silently.

"Do you want Bella to know you never had the courage to try?" I asked, looking back up to Edward again. I got his attention. Then continued. Saying what I knew he needed to hear. Reassurance. "Eddie, I've seen this. I know what's going to happen... Before, when Jasper and I decided to stay here, there was no getting around it. Bella was going to die, no matter what I did. But Jasper and I hoped. We knew something had to change. Because it's impossible for us to keep going in a world where Bella's heart doesn't beat."

I swallowed, keeping eye contact with him the whole time. Once, twice, he tried to tear his gaze away to look at Bella but I took another step forward to overcome his impulses. I was close enough now. I reached out and touched his arm.

"But Victoria changed her mind. There's a new future now. Bella will live. You WILL suck the venom from her and you will NOT kill her," I said, finishing strong. I continued looking into his eyes, willing him to see what I saw. To see what he needed to know in order to have this confidence.

Edward broke my gaze then and looked down at Bella, letting a snarl out from his throat.

I knew what his decision was then.

Edward's POV

All the while Alice spoke, I was entranced. With every word she spoke, I knew I was coming back just a little more. I was becoming me again. I was realizing my stupidity. Being in my body now, getting my mind back, I was disgusted with myself.

I felt like crying.

All the pain I'd caused Bella. All the fear I'd made her feel because of me, all the betrayal and the stress. I thought back to Victoria and wanted to vomit. How could I have stooped so low?

Everything I'd done... Bella would hate me for the rest of her life. There would be no forgiveness for all of this. She wouldn't be able to stomach the sight of me.

But all I wanted now was for her to live. I wanted her heart to beat, for her to have kids and grow old. I wanted to watch her live, truly live, from afar.

I snarled out of frustration with my idiocy and dropped to my knees at Bella's side. I reached out for her and Jacob, without a fight, handed her straight into my arms. I looked up and he caught my eyes for one simple second. There were tear trails leading down his face, I read the pain and panic in the set of his jaw.

My fault, all of it.

I broke eye contact with him and instead turned my attention to the tender brunette still writhing in my arms. I pulled her closer to my chest, letting her head rest on my shoulder. I noticed her body relax just the slightest bit. I tried not to think too much into it.

I looked into Bella's face, saw her this close for what was probably the last time. I brought my hand up and let my finger trace over her cheek gently. I shook my head a little. Bella. She was no longer mine. I didn't want to accept it, but I pushed the insanity away again. It was too easy to surrender to.

Her skin was so warm, her blood so potent so close to me. I took in a deep breath as I let my focus drift from her face to the cause of my anticipation. The wound was significant, placed in the same manner as James' bite. I hastily brought her hand up so I could see it better.

My chest aching painfully, I hovered my mouth over her wrist for a millisecond before moving forward. I started drawing the venom out.

The split second before I tasted the venom, I tasted Bella's sweet life force. It washed over me, drowning me. She was all I could think about. I wanted to drink from her for days. I wanted to bathe in her blood, roll in it, live in it. If I could, I would have used her blood as my oxygen.

Then I tasted the bitterness of the venom. It reminded me what I was there for. It brought me back to a steady reality, reminding me if I drank Bella dry, all purpose for my life would be lost. I took in a deep breath through my nose, though I didn't need it. It reminded me that I could still have a bit of humanity inside me.

This time, no one had to tell me when to stop. As soon as I tasted Bella's uninfected blood once more, I jerked back. I wouldn't risk being intoxicated by her purity again. I'd already thought Bella was going to die once before, tonight. I wouldn't be the cause of her death. I wouldn't put her in danger again.

My eyes opened, making me realize I had shut them. I saw Bella's face, peaceful, unharmed. I could feel her heartbeat, going steadily but slowly. She had lost way too much blood. She needed help. I moved forward and rested my forehead against hers and breathed out the breath I had taken in earlier.

I felt all the tension and the worry go out with it. I had succeeded. I had saved Bella and hadn't killed her. Some bitter sweet euphoria swept through me. As I noticed it, I hated it. How could I feel one bit of happiness right now?

I pulled away from Bella and lifted her as I got to my feet. Jacob was already standing and, from that moment, I placed her and her life in his hands. I took a step back, feeling emotionally drained. I felt everything starting to overcome me. I was going to crash and I needed to get away from here.

I looked at a place past Jacob's head. I knew that in order to leave her, to place her in his care for the rest of her life, I needed to die inside. This was a repeat of leaving her in the forest after her birthday. I felt my chest caving in on itself, knowing what wretched pain was coming.

"Please... Tell her I'm sorry for everything. I know she'll never forgive me – that you'll never forgive me. Take comfort in the thought that you'll never see me again," I said. And with that, I turned and ran.

I ran faster than I ever had before.

Jacob's POV

I watched as Edward took off, almost faster than I could comprehend.

I didn't know what to feel. I couldn't take the time to decipher it now.

"Jacob, take Bella to your healer here... I know they'll take good care of her," the pixie said from a distance. Everything felt so far away. So surreal.

"Thank you," I said, still looking in the direction Edward left in. I didn't know whether I was talking to her or to him. I felt her rest her hand on my shoulder then.

"I'll tell him," she said, just above a whisper. I gave a small nod then finally turned to look at her. She was biting on her lip. Her other hand was on Bella's shoulder.

"I'll tell my family what's going on... They'll want to come home to see Bella. But I won't let them come back until she calls us. You tell her that. If she wants us to come back, just call us," she said, glancing back at Jasper. He smiled very slightly and nodded.

And then they were gone.

It felt like hours. Hours, that I stood there and watched where the remainder of the Cullens disappeared.

"Come on, Jacob. Bella needs the healer now. And so do you, your arm is broken," Sam said, reaching forward to pull Bella from my grasp. I didn't let her go until I felt the pain beg me to stop straining.

But this pain was nothing compared to what my chest had just gone through with the thought of Bella's draining life. I held onto this pain and let it keep me safe.

Safe from my thoughts. Safe from my feelings. Safe from my confusion

Safe from my forgiveness.

A/N : Ahhhhhhh, sorry it took me so long to post this chapter... It was hard for me to figure out how I wanted to pull it all together.

Next chapter is the end! All loose ends will be tied and brought together. Or, maybe a cliff hanger, for the sequel?

Mwahahaahhaha, review and find out!