-Edward-
I held the shirt up to my nose, breathing in her scent. It was like honey and acid all mixed into one. Scorching my throat as I reminded myself how hungry I was, how sweet her blood would taste going down my throat. The smell of it, sweet and intoxicating. I felt drunk just standing in her room. I knew what I had originally come for would more than likely be gone, like almost all traces of Bella were from this room. She didn't live here anymore, no doubt her fragile self was putting Charlie out of harm's way. Always making herself the sacrificial lamb and me the hunting lion. I enjoyed the chase, not as much as I probably should and definitely not as much as I would enjoy sinking my teeth into her soft flesh. All of this would mean nothing, the measly humans in her life wouldn't matter if they existed or not because I would be the only thing that mattered for her to spend eternity with. I would be the only thing that mattered to her. There would be no need for these disgusting creatures to exist. I glance in the mirror on her wall, catching sight of the delightful monster that I had become. My eyes were red, crazed with a hunger for a person that I can't seem to find. I didn't care, I would slaughter this whole town looking for her if I had to, it would be easy. Each house is set far enough apart that nobody would even know. This town would probably sit untouched for quite some time before somebody would even notice that there was nobody left here. Forks was a small place, not a lot of people. Not many came here, which might have been why it was one of my favorite places to live, and definitely Carlisle's. I laugh, a sound that I realized I had not heard for a long time. I had forgotten how good it had felt to be drunk on power and blood. I told myself that I was an avenger, helping those in need. Truth be told, I had just liked the way it felt to be able to drain somebody of their life, I lied to myself, pretending like I did what I did to protect people, I lied to myself because at that point in time I didn't want to admit that I enjoyed the monster that I was. Now, I embraced it fully. I became what Carlisle told us we couldn't become, that we were better than becoming. What was better than this? The strength, and the means to do anything necessary to get what we wanted. I watched my lips pull over my glistening teeth, I had the advantage, one that Bella would never see coming. One, that I knew would make her come running no matter what.
-Alice-
It's strange when I think about it, the fact that my life is made up of future moments and current memories. My life has been riddled with the question of who I was, and if I am the same person that I used to be. When I think about the fact that I am made up of the moments with my family, that they helped shape me into who I am, I know that I did the same for them. A thousand different scenarios play out in my head of how this fight could go, and I relive different deaths a million different times. Visions of tangled possibilities webbed into a giant knot of unknown outcomes. Jaspers death, Bella's death, Jacob's death, Seth, Leah, Sam, Edward. Nothing is constant, different faces flash across my mind scrambled into different storylines. My head starts to ache just as much as my heart does. I shove my head between my legs, mossy green the last things that my eyes see as I rub my temples.
"Alice?" Jasper's tension-laced voice rings in my ears. He must have felt my uneasiness. I stay silent, knowing that he'll find me eventually, he always has. I feel his fingers trail across my back as he stoops down in front of me, I start to feel calm, and even though my nerves unravel the knot of future turmoil still stays tangled in my thoughts. "What's wrong?" I hear the worry tinged in his voice as I drag my eyes up to meet his golden irises.
"So much, Jasper. So much." I knew that if I could cry that there would be tears littering my eyes, but I couldn't instead I was left with nothing, a hollowness that Jasper filled immediately. His long fingers grasped the sides of my face as he looked into my eyes, tender fingertips massaging the sides of my head.
"Do you want to talk about it?" His eyes searched mine hesitantly.
"No. Yes. I don't know." I rest my head on his shoulder and spin through the web again. There were many times that I wished for silence, and this was one of them.
A face flashes in my head, unfamiliar but eerily similar to one that I already know. I gasp as the recognition comes to me and I realize who's eyes were looking back at me.
-Jacob-
The pack was ready, we were ready. I had pictured a thousand different ways to kill Edward and yet, watching Bella made it all seem as though it wasn't right. She was obviously hurt about it, and I knew why. As much as I didn't like it, I knew that she loved him still. He was her first love, I hated him but there was nothing in the world that I could do to change that. Those feelings just don't go away, and they certainly were only made more confusing knowing that he was coming with an army just to force you into a forever that you didn't want. I wasn't sure what I could do to comfort her, and that made me feel even more useless. It was killing me knowing that she wasn't okay. I stood outside of the Cullins house for a moment, staring up at the slightly lit windows as I pondered. One foot in front of the other I slowly made my way into the house, trudging up the stairs to her room. "Bella." I breathe her name quietly as I watch her beautiful form sprawled out on the bed.
Alice had convinced her to stay, but that didn't mean that Bella wasn't still apprehensive about the idea. She doesn't like the thought of people losing their lives, especially for her. She doesn't realize that everybody here would give their life for her. I stare at her brown hair draped over the pillow. She looks so serene here, her long lashes laying against her delicate skin, the worry lines disappearing from her smooth skin. She looked so at peace, happy. I wish that I could freeze time, frozen in the moment of watching her contentment. The last rays of the sun highlight her deep auburn hair, light red tints tangled through it. I lean against the doorframe and watch as her eyes flutter open, her hand reaches out to my side of the bed, and her eyebrows furrow in confusion when she finds it empty. She sits up, stretching as her eyes search the room for my, silhouette in the doorway. The tension eases out of her only slightly when her eyes meet mine, the worry is back in her face, tense lines forming at the corners of her delicate mouth. "What are you doing over there?" Dark pools of brown stare back at me as I watch, still awestruck at her beauty.
"Admiring." I give her a lopsided grin, as I watch her eyes light up with the falling sun.
"Well, I can't do that very much with you hiding in the shadows." Her lips pull into a faint smile before they pull tight at the corners again.
"How are you feeling?" I step closer to her, sitting on the edge of the bed I feel her warmth as her legs press against my shirt. I caress her lightly, drawing my finger from tucking the stray strand of hair behind her ear, to the curve of her jaw, drawing my finger across her soft pink lips.
She leans her head into my touch, eyes closed for a moment. "Better." The tension is still there, laced into the letters of her word.
"You need to relax, I have an idea." Her eyes shoot open at the last part of my sentence, worry and curiosity swirling in the depths of her brown eyes. She turns her head slightly to the side, as her eyes narrow in suspicion.
"What, Jake?"
"You'll just have to trust me and find out. Dress in something comfortable, easy to move in. Then meet me outside, okay?" I start to get up slowly, leaning over to kiss the warmth of her hair. She always smelt good, like the woods and a flower although I could never put the name on what one. I start to turn away from her before she grabs my hand.
"Wait, Jake. Can you stay with me?" I turn to look at her, I catch a glimpse of frightened eyes before she casts them down towards her other hand in her lap, hair cascading down as she hid behind it.
"Always." I lay on the bed, head propped up on my hand as I wait for her to release my hand and get ready but after a silent moment, she still doesn't move. "Bella?"
"I don't want to lose you, Jake."
"Hey, I'm not going anywhere love. You're not going to lose me." I draw her towards me, pulling her small frame into my chest as we fall back onto the bed. Her hair tickles against my throat as she quietly sobs into my chest. I stroke her hair, letting her get it out. She doesn't cry very often, not like this. I know she's scared, I'm scared too. Scared of ever waking up with her by my side again, scared that Edward will lay one finger on her breaking her more than he already has. I'm terrified. She cries against me, gasping breaths turn into soft ones as I coax her and console her. This beautiful, strong woman is broken in my arms and the one person responsible isn't anywhere to be found except in her nightmares. I don't understand how he did this so easily. She pulls her head up slowly as her glistening eyes meet mine, even crying she's beautiful-and I am lost.