Impasse

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

The Meadow

It happened so fast that Bella didn't even have time to blink. One minute she was hoisting her bag on her shoulder and climbing out of her truck in the school's parking lot, the next she found herself sitting in the front seat of Edward Cullen's silver Volvo.

"Put your seat belt on, please." Edward Cullen said as he peeled out of the parking lot, tires screeching.

"What the hell!" Bella cried breathlessly in a blind panic. She clutched at her chest as her heart rate upped its tempo exponentially.

"Please, Bella, put your seat belt on." Edward insisted again. His gaze was fixed on the road ahead as he increased speed.

Bella gulped in fear as she finally complied. At the speed he was going, there was every chance she would become part of the tarmac if they crashed. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see in good time." A wistful smile took over Edward's angelic features as he answered.

Bella fought to keep her composure as the rising fear twisted like a rusty knife in her gut. She knew it was pointless protesting or begging Edward to let her go. He was clearly beyond reasoning with, otherwise he wouldn't have kidnapped her in the first place. Her best objective was to go along with what he wanted until she could work out a clear route of escape.

"What road is this?" She asked, surprised at how calm she sounded.

"The one-oh-one north."

Bella tried to concentrate on the road, trying to work out where he was taking her. It certainly wasn't to his house, that was for sure. She kept staring straight ahead to avoid feeling his gaze on her face.

They were quickly out of the town limits as thick underbrush and green-swathed trunks replaced the lawns and houses.

Edward turned right on the one-ten, continuing to drive way over the speed limit. Bella finally chanced a glance in his direction, only to find he was still wearing that ridiculously wistful smile. Wherever they were headed obviously held some sentimental meaning for him. She remained rigidly in her seat as she contemplated the coming horrors. She was beginning to fear that he had snatched her so he could take her to some remote location so he could change her.

"What are you thinking, love?" Edward asked a little impatiently after a period of silence.

"Just wondering where we're going." Bella lied. This time her tone did falter.

Edward looked over at her again and his smile turned affectionate. "I'm hoping once we get there that'll you recognize it. I'm sure you just need to be around something familiar to jog your memory a little."

Bella tried to contain the shiver of repulsion that slithered down her spine. He really was delusional. To keep him on side, she just nodded her agreement, keeping her eyes trained on the road ahead.

They remained silent for the rest of the drive. Bella could feel the waves of hope rolling off Edward, and it made her even more anxious.

Eventually the road suddenly ended, constricting to a thin foot trail with a small wooden marker. Edward parked on the narrow shoulder and stepped out. It was surprisingly warm for the time of year, it felt almost muggy under the clouds. Bella stayed rooted in her seat, trying to figure out what to do. All her previous fears about Edward bringing her to this remote location to change her came crashing down around her at the sight of the thick forest surrounding them on three sides. She didn't want to leave the safety of the Volvo's confines.

Edward was losing patience as he waited for her to exit the vehicle. "Come on, Bella. We're wasting time."

Bella shivered again, sliding lower in her seat. Unfortunately, Edward was not about to let her stay there. The passenger door swung open and he stuck his head inside. Without a word he unbuckled her seat belt, then gently lifted her out of the car as if she weighed no more than a feather.

"Where we're going is still a five mile hike away from here." He explained with a small smile. "However, I know how much you hate hiking, so I've decided it will be much easier if I carry you and run there. It's something we've done numerous times before."

"Run?" Bella questioned bleakly. Panic was clear in her voice as she gave in to the inevitable. There was no possibility of escape. They were in the middle of nowhere, even if she screamed there was only the forest creatures to hear her. It would be a miracle if Jacob and his pack were somewhere nearby, but she wasn't sure they often roamed this way on their patrols. She blinked away her tears and cast her eyes to her injured hand. She had survived hitting a werewolf, there was no way she would survive trying to do the same to a vampire.

Whether Edward was aware of her tortured thoughts or not, he chose to ignore them. To Bella's horror, and without her understanding how he did it, she suddenly found herself suddenly hoisted over his back. She clung to him, her legs automatically clamping around his waist and her arms wound tightly around his neck.

"What are you doing?" She gasped.

"Showing you how we used to travel through the forest together." Edward laughed a carefree laugh. He startled Bella further by suddenly grabbing her good hand, pressing her palm to his face, and inhaling deeply. "Oh, how I've missed your intoxicating scent." He murmured dreamily.

His words made Bella feel sick.

And then he was running.

If she had ever feared death in his presence, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Edward streaked through the dark, thick underbrush of the forest like a bullet, like a ghost. There was no sound, no evidence that his feet even touched the earth. His breathing never changed, never indicated any effort. But the trees flew by at deadly speeds, always missing them by inches.

Bella was too terrified to close her eyes, though the cool forest air whipped against her face and burned them. She felt as if she were stupidly sticking her head out of the window of an airplane in flight. And, for the first time in her life, she felt the dizzy faintness of motion sickness.

Then it was over. Edward stood motionless, waiting for her to climb down. Bella tried, but her muscles wouldn't respond. Her arms and legs stayed locked around him while her head spun uncomfortably.

"Bella?" He asked, anxious now.

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Oh, I should have thought of that." Edward sighed regretfully. "It must be like the first time for you all over again. I was hoping that this journey would spark some kind of memory."

"No – the opposite." Bella groaned.

"I see." Edward's tone was dripping with disappointment. He waited for her to get down, but she still couldn't move. "Need help?"

"Yes."

Edward's good mood returned at her obvious discomfiture. Bella wondered if he had seen her like this before. He gently loosened her stranglehold on his neck. There was no resisting the iron strength of his hands, which just frightened her further. Then he pulled her around to face him, cradling her in his arms like a small child. He held her for a moment, then carefully placed her on some springy ferns.

"How do you feel now?"

Bella couldn't be sure how she felt when her head was still spinning so crazily. "Dizzy."

"Put your head between your legs." Edward suggested.

Bella took his advice, and it helped a little. She breathed in and out slowly, keeping her head very still. She felt him standing close beside her and it made her quietly freak out inside, but she hid her reaction in order not to antagonize him. The moments passed, and eventually she found that she could raise her head. There was a hollow ringing in her ears.

"I guess that wasn't the best idea." He said in amusement.

"No."

"Oh, love, you're as white as a ghost- no, you're as white as me!"

Bella grimaced at this comparison. It just made her think of what might be lying ahead of her. Her heart rate escalated, a fact he was very much aware of.

"I love that sound." He said, closing his eyes blissfully as he leaned close and pressed his ear against her chest.

Bella reeled away from him, no longer able to tolerate his closeness. "Please don't!" She whispered.

Edward straightened up; his face so close to hers that she was overcome by the cloying scent coming off his cold skin. His beauty stunned her mind – and it was too much, an excess that frightened her.

"Next time close your eyes." Edward said softly.

"Next time?" Bella took another step back, but Edward was not about to let her stray too far from him. He reached out and captured her good hand in his frozen grip.

"This way." He urged.

Bella had no choice but to follow where he led. There was thick woodland on all sides, but after a short walk she could definitely see a lightening in the trees ahead, a glow that was yellow instead of green. He picked up the pace, his eagerness to show her what was ahead lighting up his amber eyes.

They soon reached the edge of the pool of light and stepped through the last fringe of ferns into the loveliest place Bella had ever seen. The meadow was small, perfectly round, and filled with all sorts of wildflowers – violet, yellow, and soft white. Somewhere nearby, she could hear the babbling of a stream. She stumbled along after Edward slowly, awestruck, through the soft grass, and the swaying flowers.

As she stood staring around in wonder, a cusp of a memory began to make itself known. In her mind's eye she was transported back into the past. She saw Edward as he was then, standing under the dense shade of the canopy of trees at the edge of the hollow, watching her with cautious eyes. There was a long pause before he seemed to take a deep breath, and stepped out into the bright glow of the burning sun.

"Oh, my god!" Bella cried in disbelief, her eyes widening as the memory became clearer and clearer.

Edward in the sunlight was shocking. His white skin literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. She saw him lying perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted chest – which was not a patch on Jacob's – his pale, lavender eyelids were shut. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal.

He looked utterly, perfectly, absurdly ridiculous.

Bella pulled her hand out of Edward's and clamped it over her mouth to stifle the surge of hysterical laughter that threatened to burst forth at the memory.

Edward was watching her with curiosity mixed with frustration that he wasn't privy to her thoughts. "What are you thinking?" He was forced to ask.

It took Bella a while to regain her composure again. She stood before him as the memory slowly began to fade. She was back in the present with him now, under very different circumstances then the first time she was here. Then she had come with him willingly, now he had brought her here under duress. The meadow, so spectacular at first glance, paled into insignificance.

Edward stepped closer; his eyes trained on hers. "Bella, are you remembering something?" He asked, his soft voice full of hope.

Bella could have lied, but she decided maybe it was best to play along and go with the truth. "Yes."

Edward's smile was dazzling, his teeth flashed in the weak light spilling through the grey clouds above. "I knew it." He whispered reverently. "I told Carlisle repeatedly that all it would need for you to regain your memory was to take you somewhere familiar. But he was so insistent that we give you time to remember on your own. Oh, love, we have wasted so much time. But let us not think of that now. This is a cause for celebration."

To Bella's astonishment, she suddenly found his angel's face was only a few inches from hers. She flinched away from his unexpected closeness, but Edward reached out and trapped her against him, so she was unable to move. His golden eyes were mesmerizing as they bore down into hers.

"I want to kiss you so much right now." He confessed.

Bella was horrified at the thought. But she was too stunned to answer. She smelled his cool breath in her face. Sweet, delicious, the scent made her head spin. It was unlike anything else. She had no choice but to inhale, and her vision blurred.

Edward stared at her, his eyes dark in the shadows, his expression unreadable.

And then another memory began to unfurl in her mind, almost as if in warning.

"I'm the world's best predator, aren't I?" She heard him say. "Everything about me invites you in – my voice, my face, even my smell. As if I need any of that!"

Bella gasped and trembled as if she had received a physical blow when the long repressed memory evaporated. She was still imprisoned within Edward's cold arms. She stood without moving, more frightened of him than she had ever been. Face ashen, eyes wide, she stood like a bird locked in the eyes of a snake.

Edward's eyes seemed to glow with rash excitement. "I love you, Bella." He declared, inhaling deeply. "Don't be afraid." His velvet voice was especially seductive. "I promise we'll never be separated ever again. Its just you and me forever."

He waited for her to answer, but Bella still couldn't speak.

Edward's smile was dazzling as he regarded her with soft eyes. "I understand this must all be very overwhelming for you, Bella."

"It is." Bella finally choked out. "I think…. I just need a little time to get used to things again."

Edward still maintained his smile, but his face was ashamed. "Oh, love, I am so sorry. Of course you need time to acclimatise. I shouldn't be rushing you. Please forgive me?" His tone was teasing now.

Bella wanted to throw up at his lame attempt at flirtatious banter. "I think maybe its best if you take me home now." She mumbled.

Edward frowned. "Why? We've only just got here. I thought we could sit and soak in the beauty of the meadow for a while."

Bella was struggling to keep her tone light and even. She mustn't arouse his suspicions, or show him how much she loathed and feared him. She had to keep playing the game until she was somewhere safe.

"As lovely as that sounds, I really think I should go home. I'm worried that the school may have contacted Charlie when I didn't turn up this morning. No one phoned in my absence. I don't want him to worry."

"I never thought about that." Edward admitted. "Yes, of course I'll take you home. We don't want to worry your father. After all we want to keep him on side when we announce that we are back together."

"Yes." Bella agreed weakly.

"Okay, my love, are you ready for another run through the forest?" Edward laughed, louder than she'd ever heard him laugh before. He was euphoric, his belief in the delusion spurring him on to ever great heights of irrationality.

Bella closed her eyes in despair, preparing herself to endure yet another terrifying race through the forest. But the sooner she faced it, the sooner she would be home again.

Edward could drive well, when he kept the speed reasonable. Like so many things it seemed effortless for him. He barely looked at the road, yet the tires never deviated from the centre of the lane. He drove one handed, holding Bella's hand on the seat. He often glanced at her – her face, her hair blowing out the open window, their hands twined together.

He had the radio turned on to an oldies station, and he sang along with a song Bella had never heard of. He knew every line.

"I love fifties music." He said to make conversation. "Music in the fifties was good. Much better than the sixties, or the seventies, ugh!" He gave a mock shudder. "The eighties were bearable. Alice, particularly, loves that era."

Bella had to physically restrain herself from screaming at his banal words. She was counting down the minutes until they got back to Forks. Edward's buoyant mood was getting on her last nerve. Well, it wouldn't remain buoyant for long when she sicced Jacob on him.

Eventually they reached her house. Bella's hope flared as she saw the police cruiser parked on the driveway. Charlie was home from work, which meant the school must have contacted him when she didn't turn up for lessons. He had probably been ringing her cell phone frantically to get hold of her. Unfortunately, her cell was still in her truck. It had been left behind when Edward had kidnapped her. She wondered if anyone had noticed her abandoned truck in the school's parking lot. That would only have added to Charlie's worry if he had been informed that she had arrived at school but promptly disappeared without a trace.

Right on cue, as soon as Edward parked the Volvo in front of the house, the front door opened and Charlie appeared. Bella heard the driver's door open and then close quietly as Edward exited the car, and almost simultaneously he was outside her door, opening hers.

Even though Bella wanted to rip her hand out of his, she allowed Edward to help her out of the Volvo and endured his closeness as he walked beside her toward Charlie, who was waiting on the front porch, his expression morphed into one of incandescent rage.

"Where the hell have you been, Bella? I've been going out of my mind with worry. And more importantly what the hell are you doing with him?" He bellowed.

"Let me handle this, my love." Edward whispered to Bella. Aloud, he said to Charlie. "I apologize, Chief Swan. Bella and I didn't mean to alarm you but there has been an unexpected development in our – "

"DAD, DON'T LISTEN TO HIS BULLSHIT!" Bella cried loudly, cutting Edward off mid-explanation. Yanking her hand out of his, she stumbled towards her seething parent. "I WANT YOU TO ARREST HIM! EDWARD CULLEN AMBUSHED ME IN THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT AND KIDNAPPED ME AGAINST MY WILL!"

A/N-thanks for reading!