As I was driving, I could almost feel the panic, worry and sadness of Sam. It was like my soul was connected to him. I know the imprinting says something like that, but its more than words, it's the way I experience it. I feel like I can feel everything he feels, and to be truthful, it hurts like hell. I didn't stop driving though. I kept going on with my plan. I was doing the right thing…right?

I was almost out of Forks when I thought I saw a wolf in the woods. No way would it be one of them…or could it. I snapped out of my thoughts and sped away. I can't afford to have them convince me to come back…I just cant. I passed the 'Welcome to Forks' sign and I knew I lost whoever was following me.

Seth's POV: (from Sam's house till now)

We were coming back to Sam's house from the hardware store when I saw Bella going to her bike.

"Hey Bells! Feelin' Better?" I asked while carrying some wooden panels over my shoulder. She seemed distracted, like she had a hard time focusing on our conversation.

"Yea, thanks Seth." she said quietly. She didn't say much more after that before getting the keys out to her bike. Quil, Paul and Embry talked to her too. We all thought she was kind of jittery and hiding something, but when she said she loved us, we knew something was up.

After she sped away we immediately rushed into the house to talk to Sam.

"Yo Sam!" I called.

"Yea?" he asked hammering the house

"What's up with Bella?"

"What do you mean?" he stopped hammering and looked at all of us.

"She's acting really weird. When we asked what was up, her heartbeat increased. She looked like she was in a rush." Paul cut in.

"How did she explain it?" he said getting nervous.

"She said she had to go home to Charlie…and that she loved us." Embry mumbled.

Sam immediately got off the ladder he was on and put the hammer on the table. He looked pretty frantic.

"No…Are you sure she said she was going home to Charlie?" He shook with fear.

"Yea." Paul said confidently.

He shook his head in denial. "Maybe Bella forgot he was on a business trip…" he muttered to himself. I listened to what he was mumbling to himself and put the pieces together.

"She's running." I said.

"Lets go." Sam barked.

We transformed into wolves in the woods behind Sam's house and ran like hell. We could smell Bella. Just a few more miles. I thought.

By the time we changed and got to the house, the bike was gone and the scent of Bella was fading. Sam's face looked crushed. He went inside and saw the envelopes. The note Bella wrote to us were sad. I didn't want to think of her as gone. Sam looked heartbroken. He sat on the kitchen chair and reread the note over and over. I suddenly thought of something. She was leaving forks. So maybe I could catch up to her. I quietly left the house. I didn't want Sam to hear me, just incase I didn't catch up to Bella. I transformed into a wolf and ran as fast as I could go. I saw her; she looked just as heartbroken as Sam. It was like she didn't want to leave just as much we didn't want to see her leave. She must have seen or heard me because she looked over to where I was catching up to her, and sped up. She passed the 'Welcome to Forks' sign and I knew I couldn't go after her. So long Bella.

Bella's POV:

I drove all night. I didn't stop unless I needed Gas. I didn't know where I was going; I just knew I needed to get out of Washington. I ended up staying in a small city in Montana named Black Eagle. I rented a small apartment that had cheap rent. I went out and bought some groceries, but didn't unpack my stuff. I didn't want this place to be my home. Every night I practiced my powers. If I ever wanted to return to forks, I would need to learn how to control my powers better. I needed to learn more self defense and how to protect the people I love better. During the days, I either slept or went to the public library. I tried to keep up on my studies. I didn't apply to any colleges after I graduated, so I thought this would be the best way to use my time efficiently. I always wanted to own my own bakery or bookstore. I loved to cook and too read, so I studied business.

It's been almost a month since I left forks. I still think about my decision-whether it was really the right choice or not. I miss everyone so much. I feel like there is a big whole in my heart. I keep thinking about calling Charlie or someone else from the pack, but I don't want them to try and convince me to come home-because it might work. Its not that I don't enjoy the life I built here, because I do, it's just that I miss everyone so much.

I sat on the couch, with the phone in my hands. I dialed Charlie's number and waited for the ringing to stop. It was around 10pm, so I doubt the pack will be home. The ringing felt like it was going on for a while now. I was just about to hang up when Charlie answered the phone.

"Hello?" He answered. He sounded so tired and sad.

"Dad?" I whispered.

"Bella?!" he answered happily.

"Bella?! She's on the phone?!" I heard what sounded like Jake in the background.

I panicked and hung up the phone. My breath was coming out in gasps. The tears were coming down fast and I couldn't help but sob. Hearing my dad and Jakes enthusiasm…hearing their voice, made me feel worse. I mean, I felt relief at fist, but it hurt. A lot.

I didn't attempt to call Charlie after what happened for a while. It was about 2 weeks before I tried again. This time, I made sure to call his work.

The ringing was long once again. I felt as if my heart was about to jump out of my chest.

"Forks Police Station." Someone said.

"Hi, can I speak to Charlie Swan please?" I asked.

"May I ask who is calling?" the man said

"His daughter." I said, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"One second please." The man said.

I could hear the man shout across the room. I was praying that Sam wasn't at work or at least in the station with my dad.

"Bella?" he asked shocked.

"Dad" I sighed in relief. My throat was getting thick with tears.

"Bella Honey. Please come home. We all miss you so much." He cried.

"Dad. Dad! Please, I-I can't. Not right now at least." I begged.

"H-How is everyone?" I asked.

"Truthfully? Not so well. Jake is…depressed. He and Leah are together, but it's like they lost a little bit of their spark. The boys…don't have much of a sense of humor anymore." He said sadly.

"W-Wh-what about Sam?" I asked.

"He is…not himself. It took him about a month just to pull himself together. He is still pretty torn up. He is actually walking in the door right now…here-"

"Dad. NO!" I shouted. My heart rate sped up.

"Why not Bella? He would perk up if he heard your voice." He said quietly.

"Because I'm not coming back Dad. If I was to talk to him, he would try to convince me to come back. He wouldn't even have to say the words…I would just feel it. I cant-I'm not strong enough to say no. I know he is hurting, and it hurts me too, but I'm doing this for the best." I said.

"Bella. What's going on? Did he do something to hurt you? Are you….are you…?" his voice rising each word.

I quickly got what he was trying to say and quickly cut him off before he could say the word out loud.

"No! No! I'm not pregnant dad. We haven't even…" I let my sentence float. Embarrassing much? Ugh.

"Oh. Oh! Good, I'm glad you two are waiting..." He said.

"I just…need to get away for a while. It's not because of Sam, or you, or the pack. It's for me." I said biting my lip.

"Please Bella. We all need you back here." He pleaded. I could hear shuffling.

"Dad?" I asked…my heart rate increasing again.

I could hear my dad talking to Sam in the background; it was almost as if they were fighting. I heard the phone get taken away and my heart almost bursted out of my chest. Sam must have taken the phone. A rush of excitement and love ran through me and the doubt covered my mind like a blanket. Before he could say a word I said I love you and hung up.

The phone was sitting on my lap while I tried to steady my breathing. I was so close to hearing Sam. I was so close to shattering. I thought about what my dad said about the guys. Was everyone doing that bad without me?

Before I had time to think, I teleported myself to Emily's house. She was the one person I could go to, and know that she would keep a secret. Of course I could go to Jakes or Leah's but with the whole sharing a memory thing, I couldn't risk it.

I knocked on the front door, hoping she would be home. The door opened and Emily stood there shocked.

"Hey Em." I said.

"B-Be-Bella?" she asked stunned.

"Yea, can I come in?" I asked politely. I didn't want my scent to flow throughout the wind.

"Yea. Yea. Of course…sure. Come in." She was still in shock. It was like she couldn't process the information.

I sat down on the couch where Sam and I once sat a while back.

"Are you…How are you?" she asked me.

"I'm….good." I said finally. It was like I had to force the word out of my mouth.

"Bella. What are you doing here? Are you back for good? Actually, why did you leave? Bella, Sam is torn. Don't you remember the imprinting? What were you thinking?..." I stopped her.

"Emily. I know. I'm sorry. I had to." I admitted. She waited for me to go on, so I did.

"I left because I was putting you all in so much danger. I got Jake hurt- I almost let him die! I ruined Sam's house, and my presence keeps you in danger. Its better that I'm not here."

"Then why are you here now?" she asked politely.

"Because I….I just need a friend." I said sadly.

Emily moved next to me on the couch. "Bella. Why aren't you telling Jake or Leah this? Why me?" she asked.

"Because I know I can trust you. I know you can keep a secret. Plus they are werewolves, and they are known to spill the beans." I said with a smile. We both chuckled a little.

I took a breath. "I know what I did to Sam. I called Charlie a few times." I said.

Emily nodded her head. "Yea, Jake said something about you calling Charlie while he was there. You should have seen all of their eyes light up."

I frowned and put my head in my hands. "I'm trying to do the right thing. You're not making this any easier."

She winced. "Sorry."

I nodded. "I figured Sam would eventually get over the imprinting thing If I can try to ignore it, I bet he could too. He just has to try. Don't get me wrong. I love Sam…I love all of you guys. It's hard for me too; I mean all I want to do is come back here. But I can't. I need to face what I am. I need to make sure I am as strong as possible and ready whenever the time comes."

Emily cut me off. "Did you ever think that you would be the strongest if your family was right beside you? Maybe love is the strongest of all. You, yourself are changing too Bella. I can see what being apart from us does to you, like it does to us. You feel haggard and like you have to push yourself out of bed everyday." I was about to say something when she put her hands up in surrender. "I'm not saying come back here now, but think about it." She paused for a second before continuing. "Maybe if you were to come back, you could teach us some things. Maybe you could prepare us, and help us understand how to fight. I know that the guys are fast learners." She said brightly. I smiled a little at her. "I will think about it." I said.

"Well then, how is…."

"Emily." I warned.

"Alright, alright. I tried." She surrendered.

"So how is wherever you are?"

"It's ok. I got an apartment and a job. I am also studying in business for a little."

"You're going to school?" she asked

"No, not really. It's more like self teaching. I go to the library for a while." I admitted.

"Bella that's great! I'm proud of you. Now what's this job?"

"Oh, it's just part time at a library, dance studio, and martial arts center." I said. She raised her eyebrows at me and I blushed. "I pick up a few shifts at the library, working at the front desk. I don't do much, so I usually get my studies done then. The dance studio…its actually fun. I am a teacher there. It helps with staying active and on top of my gain. The martial arts, I'm just an assistant. But sometimes when I pick up a night shift, after the classes are done, he teaches me some stuff."

"Wow Bells." She said.

"Yea."

We talked a little more after that. She informed me about the guys and how she was. She kept looking at the clock a couple of times, and every time I asked she said it was nothing.

I finally looked at my clock to see it was already 5pm.

"I should get going Emily."

"Bella, wait. Please stay for a little longer."

I looked at her mysteriously. I listened closely to hear someone get out of car.

"Emily!" I yelled at her.

"I know! I'm sorry Bella. Please just stay. Sam is coming over soon, and please, I know he would love to see you. Please Bella!" she begged.

I shook my head as the tears started to form. "I Can't Em. I can't see him. I'm sorry." I said before the person walked through the door. I teleported back to my apartment and leaned against the front door. I put my head on my knees and just sat there crying.

What was I doing?

A/N: So, I was wondering if anyone wanted to co- write this with me. I don't much time to finish writing this, and I am having a hard time thinking of some ideas. So please hit me up if you do! Thanks!!!