The moment the plane lands, I'm grabbing what little I brought with me, and I'm off. I can't remember the last time I had something to fight for. My long life has been nothing but a numb, endless existence. I know all too well what it feels like to simply go through the motions.

I'm done with that.

I'm done with all of it.

The dense forest; the wet, too green moss surrounds me as I race towards my destination. Forks never changes, and maybe that's why I love it so much. My memories of the small little town are riddled with moments of contentment, happiness, joy, pain, loss...anger. I felt so much when I left Forks the last time. I was furious with Jasper, with Bella. I was furious with myself. The moment I saw Jasper's true feelings and the visions Alice had kept from me, I knew it was over.

Now I wonder why I ever felt so strongly in the first place. Bella's blood called to me, yes. Her humanity fascinated me. She resembled everything I had lost, and everything I so dearly wished to have again. I let that blind me to the truth.

The truth being that Bella wasn't ever meant to be mine. Truthfully, I'm not sure I wanted her to be mine. I loved her enough to keep her alive. I cared enough to let her go when I saw it was in her best interest. But I can't forget that I truly had no desire to turn her. Perhaps some of it was because I didn't want her to live the life of a vampire, but had it been Alice in her place? I would have turned her. I couldn't have stood to lose her. Following her in death, would not have satisfied my greedy heart.

The path clears of foliage, and up ahead I see the modern, white house I used to live in. Jasper's motorcycle and a red Jaguar sit parked in the driveway. When I slow down to a human pace, the door opens, and Jasper steps out into the afternoon sun.

"Edward," he greets with a small, welcoming smile on his pale face.

It's good to see you again.

"Is she still here?"

His smile widens at my blatant rudeness. He finds my situation amusing, which only serves to aggravate me further. I can't curb my impatience; it has gotten the best of me.

"She's waiting for you," he says. "It wasn't easy keeping her here when she saw that you were coming."

I can imagine, knowing Alice. "Thank you. I appreciate your help."

"What are brothers for?" he asks, his voice softening at the gentle reminder.

We are still brothers, are we not, Edward?

"We are."

Coming closer, he claps me on the shoulder. "Bella and I are going to be gone for a few hours. Whatever is going on, try to resolve it, Edward. I do not like to see her hurting."

The thought of Alice in any kind of pain, makes my vision turn red and my body tense with anger. "I'll do my best."

Bella walks out of the house, a carefully polite smile on her pretty face. "I'm ready, Jasper," she says. Turning her attention to me, I see the calculating gleam in her eyes. "She's in the kitchen."

Without another word or glance, she gets in the Jaguar. Jasper tugs on his ear, smothering a laugh, and doing a terrible job of it. His gaze finds mine.

Bella is unsure of your motivation in coming here. She's as protective of Alice as we are.

"I'm glad. Alice has always thought of Bella like a sister. Rest assured, I'm not here to cause Alice further harm."

"I know that." He searches my face. "I've seen that look before."

You are in love with her.

"It would seem so," I murmur.

"Well then." Grinning, he leans towards me. "Good luck. You're going to need it."

Barking out a laugh, I make for the open front door. "You don't have to tell me. I'm fully aware."

The car engine roars to life as soon as I enter the kitchen. I see that everything is as it was the last time I was in here, which reminds me that, ironically enough, we have all of our serious discussions in the kitchen.

Perched on top of the table, a grim expression set on her delicate features, Alice waits. "You're far too stubborn for your own good," she tells me.

Stopping just a couple feet from her, I cross my arms over my chest, and say, "You refused to tell me why you left. This time I'm not letting you leave until I have an answer."

Raising a perfectly curved eyebrow, she gives me an exasperated look. "Why can't you just trust that I know what I'm doing?"

I step into her space, putting both hands on either side of her, caging her in. "Because you may think you know what's best for me, but I know the only thing I want is you. So you see, I can't allow you to follow through with whatever plan you have concocted."

Her stunned eyes gaze into mine; her shapely lips open in a silent gasp. "Edward," she begs. "Don't-"

"I have to," I say sharply. "Can't you see that I'm in love with you?"

There's someone else.

The pain lining her features makes me do a double-take. "There's someone else?" I ask, not quite managing to hide my hurt at the thought of her having someone else.

Why hadn't she told me?

"For you," she replies. "There's someone else for you. I've seen her."

Opening her mind, she replays the vision for me. I'm sitting on a beach, watching the waves flow back and forth. I'm alone until a beautiful woman comes up behind me, winding her arms around my shoulders. Her long blonde hair moves with the breeze, and her golden eyes shimmer with happiness.

I watch as I turn my head to capture her lips with mine.

The vision fades into blackness, and it's just me and Alice left alone in the brightly lit room.

I didn't tell you because I didn't know if it would change your future.

Feeling like my world has been knocked off its axis, I stagger back to lean against the kitchen island.

You need to go back, Edward. She's coming.

"No," I say, gathering my muddled thoughts. "I'm not going back."

She closes her eyes. Sighing, she shakes her head. "You have to."

Advancing towards her, I cup her face with my hands. "I'm not going anywhere. I don't want her."

You will.

A tight smile finds her lips. Pushing me away, she jumps down, and steps around me. "You will love her, Edward."

Following her into the living room, I say, "I love you. I always have. It just took me awhile to figure it out."

"Her name is Claire. She's already a vampire." She prances her way up the stairs. "Being with her will be as easy as breathing. Or as easy as it used to be anyway."

"Alice, stop."

Spinning around, she glares down at me. "No, Edward. I'm not going to stop. I'm trying to do the right thing here."

Prowling up the stairs after her, I give her a glare of my own. "And it doesn't matter what I want?"

Shoulders slumping, she sinks to the ground. "Of course it does."

I lower myself on to the step in front of her. "Alice, listen to me. I don't care about Claire, okay? I want you. I choose you. Don't push me away." I try to catch her gaze. "Just...just please don't run again...please."

I wait for her to say something. I need her to say something.

Please, Alice. Hear me. Listen to me. Love me. I need you. I need my best friend.

"She will make you happier than I can," she whispers, her voice thin and breaking at the end.

"You don't know that," I say softly. "The future changes. You know that better than anyone."

Jasper chose Bella. She was his other half. He chose her, and he's happy. He's happy, Edward. You can have that too.

"I'm not Jasper," I declare firmly. "He made his choice, and I'm making mine."

Looking up at me from underneath her thick eyelashes, she says, "What am I supposed to do if you change your mind?"

I smile, because I know I will never change my mind. Not about Alice. "You will never have to find out."

Grinning, she shakes her head, exasperated. "You make me want to forget the obstacles."

"There aren't any obstacles," I insist. "Only the ones you put in our way."

She gets a faraway look on her face, which alerts me to the fact she's having a vision, and then it sucks me in as well.

She's wearing a white dress in the vision. She's holding pink roses, and she's walking down a long aisle. The smile on her face is alive and bright, and when she reaches the front of the elegant church, she looks to her right and there's me, looking happier than I ever have before.

It ends as suddenly as it began. I look at Alice, and Alice looks at me. A slow smile spreads across her face. "The future can change," she tells me, the warning half-hearted at best.

I run my fingers through her short hair. "I won't let it."

I kiss her forehead. My lips trail to her nose and her cheek and her chin. "I love you."

I pause when I get to her mouth. "May I?"

Her trembling hand covers my cheek. "Yes. I'd like that."

So I do.

Because I live to make her happy.