II. Falling Back Down the Rabbit Hole

Summary: Isabella declines Jessica's invite to Port Angeles. Instead, she makes a solo trip to Seattle. One she ultimately doesn't plan on returning from. [Part II]

"Edward. What the hell are you doing here?"

Fuck. Of course. Alice must've seen my plans of getting the hell out of Washington.

Edward frowned and replied, voice soft with concern, "Alice and I found your truck abandoned on the side of the road. Your father is extremely worried."

I blanched. "You called Charlie?!" I hissed.

"Should I not have?" Edward asked, raising a challenging eyebrow.

"Is everything alright?" Fred appeared like a ghost at my side. If I didn't already know he was so awkward, I would've found his flat expression to be rather intimidating.

"Fred," I sighed in relief, "No everything is fine. Edward was just leaving."

"I was?" Edward scoffed, eyeing Fred with annoyance. "What is this, Isabella?"

Fred warily flickered his gaze between Edward and I.

I made no move to explain myself and instead hissed, "You still haven't explained what you're doing here. Or how you even found me!"

Edward didn't hesitate in answering, "Alice insisted on a shopping trip to Seattle. When we came across your truck, we contacted your father. He's having it towed back to Forks. As for finding you here―a simple case of dumb luck."

"Luck?" I repeated dryly, "God, you're so full of shit Edward, it's not even funny."

Edward looked rather put out by my disbelieving scoff. "I don't see how. Do you have a better explanation?"

I sure as hell do. But he didn't know I knew his secret, and the last thing I needed at the moment was to open that can of worms.

"Guess not," I huffed a frustrated sound. "Thanks for the concern, Edward, but please leave me alone." I turned to Fred with a contrite expression. Despite Fred's calm features, the small twist of his mouth revealed just how uncomfortable he was with a whole situation. An apology was on the tip of my tongue when Edward's cool hand gently grasped my elbow.

"Wait, Isabella. At the very least enlighten me―how do you plan on returning home?" There was an urgency in his eyes―because he knew I had no plans of going back.

"I've already got it figured out. I'm sure Alice would like to get on with her shopping trip. Go on," I said, my smile daring him to contradict me―to reveal plans I'd only mentally made less than an hour ago; plans he couldn't prove without blowing his cover.

I shook off his grasp and he released me with a reluctant frown.

"Would you prefer we go somewhere else?" Fred asked, apparently deciding to completely ignore Edward.

"Forgive my impoliteness," Edward cut in with a stone-like demeanor, "I'm Edward, a friend of Isabella's."

I lifted an eyebrow. Friend is a bit of a strong word.

After an uncomfortably long pause, Fred simply answered, "I'm Fred."

"I see. If you don't mind my asking, have you known Isabella long?" Edward pried. His words were polite, but his eyes were golden depths brimming with displeasure.

"Whoa there," I quickly interrupted, face twisting into a scowl. "I don't see how that's your business, Edward. Don't drag him into this. Let's go, Fred."

Fred was happy enough to follow after me towards the doors, probably relieved to escape the tense situation.

"Isabella, wait―"

"Goodbye, Edward," I cut him off.

Fred and I quickly ducked into his car. Despite following us outside, Edward remained near the doors, expression dark with vexation as Fred and I took off.

"Where to?" Fred asked after a few minutes.

"Um, there's fine," I said gesturing towards the Jack in the Box coming up in the next block. There was no point in going too far―Alice would know exactly where to find us once we made the decision. "I'm sorry about that," I apologized, rubbing at my temple with a tired sigh. "I didn't think he'd follow me out here." I'm not Bella.

Fred made the next turn into the lot and parked his car. "He followed you?" he asked, eyes wide with puzzlement. "Is that normal for him?"

Oh Fred, you have no idea. "Let's just say, everything about Edward is abnormal," I scoffed, stepping out of the car and slamming the door shut with a scowl.

Fred watched me, eyes alight with curiosity as we made our way inside the Jack in the Box. "You're not planning on returning home," he stated.

"No," I agreed.

Fred hummed in thought. "I see."

And to my surprise, he left it at that.

An hour later found us parked near the Greyhound bus station. Fred hadn't asked anything regarding my plans to run away, and we'd had a pleasant lunch together, chatting about classes, and debating the merits of different sciences―Fred respectfully disagreed with my deference towards physics, and I still maintained that biology (marine or otherwise) was interesting, but a pain in the ass to learn.

Now we stood outside, leaning against one side of his car, a cool wind whirling around us, ruffling his curls and whipping my hair into my face. I tucked the strands behind my ear and said, gazing down the street to where the station was located, "Thank you for everything you did for me today. It was very kind of you."

"Kind?" The confusion in his voice drew my gaze to him. Fred brushed his curls back in a nervous gesture and he admitted, almost reluctant, "Truth is, I like spending time with you. I don't have many friends, you see. Or any at all, actually."

That's right. Bree and Diego were his first friends, I vaguely recalled. "You do now," I simply replied.

Fred dipped his head to stare down at me. "I'm not so sure...you don't even know where you're going."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive," I shrugged off his concern. "We'll figure it out."

We settled into a comfortable silence, watching the occasional car drive by.

And then he asked, "What about your dad? He doesn't know you're doing this."

"No, he doesn't," I agreed and the guilt resurfaced, bubbling in my chest like crawling magma. It was the sickening burn of molasses flooding my veins―slow, scorching, and making my body feel like lead. Charlie doesn't deserve to lose his daughter. And I...don't deserve to lose everything. "It's a shit world. What are you going to do?"

Fred's answer was crisp, "You do the logical thing."

I lifted an eyebrow and met the ocean blue of his eyes. "And that would be?" I asked. Where's the logic when I'm in a world rampant with monsters?

Fred lifted his broad shoulders in a helpless shrug. "I'm not too clear on all the facts, but...is running away your only option? Is your situation at home truly a lost cause?"

I heaved a loud sigh. "Maybe I did jump the gun," I snorted. "But returning feels like giving up. Feels like I'll lose the small amount of control I do possess."

Fred's lips quirked into a small smile. "That's why relying on feelings is a lousy habit. Try using your brain."

I huffed a quiet laugh. "Is this your way of telling me to get my ass back home?"

"Only if it's the most reasonable course of action," he pointed out and then nodded his head to my other side, "And it seems your friends found you again."

I followed the direction of his gaze until I saw the sleek Volvo parking down the street. Despite the distance, Edward and Alice were easy to make out through the windshield.

"Of course they did," I muttered, resigned. But I didn't move from my spot and neither did Fred, as I mulled over my final decision.

I wouldn't have much money after I bought a bus ticket, and I'd either end up at a homeless shelter or in police custody. It wasn't the type of freedom I was searching for. Not when my body was still wrong, not when I couldn't remember my name, and certainly not when I would be hurting others as a result of my own selfish actions.

"I think...you're half right," I finally admitted. Fred tilted his head and looked back to me with curious eyes as I elaborated, "The best thing to do would be to return...so that I can plan this out thoroughly and reach a more desirable outcome."

Fred smiled. "Oh good. I'm glad you're finally thinking with your head."

I laughed. "Yep! You really did teach me a valuable lesson." I shot him a fond grin, "Really though, thanks. For everything."

"You're welcome," he replied simply, voice soft with sincerity.

I reached below my parka and into my purse, digging out the map and the pen the Starbucks barista had lent me. Turning, I flattened the crinkled page against the roof of his car and jotted down Charlie's home number and the school email I'd been assigned at Forks High. "Call me once you're safely in California," I suggested, handing him the map.

To my surprise, Fred also snatched the pen from my hand and ripped the map in half. Swiftly, he scribbled another set of numbers and a personal email, and then handed me my half of the map. "Thanks," I smiled, folding it and tucking it into my purse.

"Isabella," Edward's enticing voice suddenly chimed behind me. "Are you ready to go?"

I held back a sigh, smile falling flat. Reluctantly, I turned to face his beseeching gaze. "I guess I am," I muttered, slowly making my way to his side. Briefly, I turned to give Fred one final wave. "Talk to you later?"

Fred dipped his head in a nod. "Talk to you later," he echoed back.

I turned and caught Edward watching Fred with a conflicted expression, brow furrowed and lips twisted in thought. "Thank you, Fred," Edward said rather unexpectedly, if a bit stiffly, before pressing a cool hand against my back and leading me back to his car, as though afraid I'd change my mind.

I frowned and shot Edward a perplexed look. "Edward? Why did you follow me out here?" I wondered, the situation feeling reminiscent of when he'd followed Bella to Port Angeles in the story. That, and his unrelenting concern was beginning to paint a familiar picture. When Edward began to reply, I cut in, "Please. Just this once, be honest."

Edward turned to face me fully once we reached the door to the backseat of the Volvo. "Other than obvious?" his lips curled into a wry smile, gesturing towards the bus station, before he frowned. "All I can say, Isabella...it made me anxious. Not knowing if you'd be safe out here."

I buried my face into my hands. I could handle Bella's school work; I could handle Charlie; I could even handle making friendly with her classmates. But being on the receiving end of Edward's affections, knowing everything I did?

It sounded like a recipe for disaster.

"Let's go home, Edward," I muttered, opening the door and dropping into the backseat. I caught a glimpse of Edward's perplexed gaze before he shut the door behind me.

"Hi, Isabella," Alice greeted me from the passenger seat with a hesitant smile.

"Hey, Alice," I replied with a quiet sigh.

Edward slid into the driver's side and within seconds, we were off, neatly speeding through the city.

As though trying to contain her eagerness, Alice slowly began, "You know, if you're still up for it, there's this cute little boutique―"

"No, Alice, not today," I murmured, eyes glued to the window, watching the raindrops racing across the dark tinted glass.

"But...maybe next time?" The hope in her voice was difficult to ignore.

"Maybe," I conceded.

The silence dragged, and I glanced over long enough to catch Edward and Alice glaring at each other. Probably one of their weird telepathic conversations. I couldn't really find it in myself to care and returned my attention to the raindrops.

"Isabella!" Alice suddenly chirped, twisting in her seat to face me again. "That guy you were with―is he your boyfriend?"

Startled by the abrupt question, I glanced towards her. "Who? Fred?" My lips tugged into a fond smile and I thought of the slip of paper tucked in my purse. "No. But who knows? He'll be back in Washington over the summer for a research project."

Alice's smile dropped. "Oh. I see."

In the rearview mirror, I caught Edward's eyes boring into me. I met his gaze through the mirror, wondering at the intensity of his stare, but hard as I tried, I couldn't seem to pull away from the bottomless depths of liquid ichor. It wasn't until he dropped his gaze that I took note of my fluttering heart and the way I suddenly felt lighter, fingertips tingling. Sweet baby Jesus, this isn't good.

A/N: This is for everyone who reviewed the first chapter! Seriously, you guys pumped me up to write this super quick! And I had a lot of fun writing it too! xD Haha, that's it for this segment, unfortunately. Hope you all enjoyed it! :)

Also, if anyone is down to read more jealous!Edward, I'm so down to write it! Just say the word! :D

Thanks so much for reading! And please let me know your thoughts! Until next time! :)

In Reference to A Body of Water and Bones: Replacement for Chapter 3.