69Hey :) So, I know I kind of failed for the last chapter xD I might re do it, but not any time soon. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't nearly what I thought it could have been. I sort of rushed it, but this chapter, in my opinion, is much better. Thanks, by the way, to xOCDxObsessiveCullenDisorderx, iLiya11, Rose Virgo, , and twolden77 for your reviews last chapter :) Greatly appreciated!
So, on a completely different yet the same note, is it true that Robert Pattinson got attacked by a herd of teenage girls and got run over by a taxi? What the hell. Girls, girls...I know he's like the epitome of sexiness all rolled into one person, but like...control yourselves. Please.
So, anywayssss... don't own twilight :)
-moonstruckmanda
"Goddamn fucking sadistic-ass mother fucking vampires can't fucking leave well enough alone…" Alice was trying to hide her surprise, but Emmett couldn't. His eyebrows shot up, and I suppose I didn't blame him, since I had never spoken like this in the presence of a lady, let alone in front of my sister and my Bella…that he's known of. But, really, in this situation, did they expect any different?
Bro, calm down, its three vampires. We'll handle it. You're overreacting. Emmett was staring out the windows looking for any followers. Alice was staring out her window as well, but only paying half attention to what she was seeing, most of her attention was focused on her visions.
How are they avoiding us so well? Possibly Victoria's gift. Which, really, would explain why James kept her around. As a tracker, avoidance would be a good gift to have around.
"Where are we going?" I really didn't want to answer her, which was good for now because I had no real idea. Alice was sifting through her visions, but James somehow caught up each place we decided.
Chicago…no, we'd have four days. Berlin…a week, at most. Toronto…damn it!
Dude, not answering isn't going to help her…she's probably pretty freaked out right now.
"Dammit, Edward! Where are you taking me?" Well, I'll have to answer her now.
"We have to get you away from here – far away – now." I didn't look at her face. I couldn't, I knew she wouldn't like this. She'd be worried about Charlie.
A flicker of a vision popped up into Alice's head. It was of Bella, screaming at Charlie in their living room. She's forming a plan, Edward. I'm not sure how safe it is, and I won't be until she sets her mind to it.
I glanced at her, giving her a look to silence any chance of Bella's plan being put into action. That plan would involve staying around here for longer than we could afford.
"Turn around! You have to take me home!" she shouted, confirming Alice's vision, and she started attempting to free herself of the harness.
"Emmett," I asked, hating that I'd have to do this to Bella. She didn't deserve this, this was all my fault, and now I had a vampire holding her down against her will.
Poor girl…damn. Whoa, warm. Edward must love that. But, it feels almost like she's burning my skin.
"No! Edward! No, you can't do this." She half whimpered, half yelled. I couldn't take this. I couldn't take her being so angry with me, couldn't take her yelling at me.
"I have to, Bella, now please be quiet."
"I won't! You have to take me back – Charlie will call the FBI! They'll be all over your family – Carlisle and Esme! They'll have to leave, to hide forever!"
THAT's what she's worried about?! Oh, a few vampires are after me, that's all fine and dandy – but the Cullen's getting into some trouble they could easily get out of?... Edward, is she mentally stable?
This is just like Bella. "Calm down, Bella. We've been there before."
"Not over me, you don't! You're not ruining everything over me!" She tried to struggle out of Emmett's grasp, not giving up – even though she knew full well it was useless. She was so, so ridiculous.
Bella and Alice in a hotel room in an unknown place. Bella must be planning something good, because Edward hasn't decided on anything yet.
"Edward, pull over." Pull over? Was she insane? Three vampires are possibly chasing Bella, who is in the backseat of this car, and she wants me to pull over. I shot her a look, and sped up.
"Edward, let's just talk this through." We don't have a plan, we don't have a destination. There's no point in driving nowhere when we could later decide on a destination in the opposite direction, which would only serve to give James more time. We need to plan, we need to figure out what we're going to do. We can't do that if you're driving like a maniac and freaking Bella out.
"You don't understand. He's a tracker, Alice, did you see that? He's a tracker!"
Oh, shit. Of all the rotten-freaking-luck, we have to come across a Demitri-wannabe. Trust Emmett to be so serious, yet so joking at the same time. Demitri was a vampire with the gift of tracking, as well, but he worked with the Volturi. He was a much stronger tracker, and I suppose now, if for nothing else, I could be thankful that we were dealing with James, and not a much better tracker equipped with centuries of combat training and experience. Still, I'd rather no vampires be after Bella.
Alice went through surprise, understanding, mourning… I'd rather not think too much on that phase, and finally she was back to her focused self.
That doesn't change much. We're smarter, stronger, we have greater numbers. We need a plan.
"Pull over, Edward." She was ridiculous. She didn't see into his mind, she doesn't understand fully, but I'd rather not explain it fully with Bella right here. I sped up even more. "Do it, Edward." I'm not joking around, Edward. Pull over – you're not thinking clearly. You're being irrational.
"Listen to me, Alice. I saw his mind. Tracking is his passion, his obsession – and he wants her, Alice – her specifically. He begins the hunt tonight."
That makes things worse, Edward, but that doesn't change the fact that we're driving blindly. "He doesn't know where-" She didn't understand, still. She didn't see the severity of the situation.
"How long do you think it will take him to cross her scent in town? His plan was already set before the words were out of Laurent's mouth." I heard Bella gasp, but tried my best to keep focused on the road in front of me. That didn't work out too well, though, because Bella started yelling again.
"Charlie! You can't leave him there! You can't leave him!" She began thrashing around again, attempting to free herself from Emmett's grasp.
"She's right," Alice commented, and I knew she had me there. Would you leave Charlie defenseless? Think about it, Edward. If we leave now, James will find Charlie. He could hold him hostage for Bella – there's no doubt Bella would give herself up willingly for him then. Or worse, he could kill Charlie – think about how that would affect her. Think about how that would affect you. You see? You're not thinking things through, Edward, we need to stop, and we need to make a plan. Now."
I slowed down. She had a point. I couldn't do that to Bella, or Charlie.
"Let's just look at our options for a minute," she pressed, knowing she was close to winning. I slowed down, and finally, knowing I was defeated, stopped the car entirely. I regretting stopping so quickly when Bella flew forward, and crashed back into the seat, but she was fine, and worse things could be happening to her now if we didn't figure something out.
"There are no options," I hissed at Alice, knowing full well that my anger was misplaced, but I didn't really care at the moment.
"I'm not leaving Charlie!" Bella yelled, but I ignored her. Emmett, however, didn't.
Think about your connection to Carlisle, man. Would you leave him in a situation like this, if our places were reversed? Defenseless, offered on a silver platter to some sick vampire? No way, man. That's not going to happen. You can't kill what she loves.
"We have to take her back," He spoke aloud, for Bella's benefit more than anything else.
"No."
"He's not match for us, Edward. He won't be able to touch her." What are you afraid of?
What am I afraid of? What does he think?! "He'll wait." He smiled at that, and I knew his answer before he spoke it. Before he even thought it.
"I can wait, too." Always up for a challenge. However, this is not a challenge I would like to instigate.
"You didn't see – you don't understand. Once he commits to a hunt, he's unshakable. We'd have to kill him."
"That's an option." I glanced up to the rearview mirror, afraid of what Bella might be thinking during this particular conversation. I could tell she wasn't too happy with the thought of killing anyone. She grimaced as soon as the words were out of Emmett's mouth.
"And the female. She's with him. If it turns into a fight, the leader will go with them, too." I wasn't sure of this, he seemed a bit sketchy, but I needed to convince them to see what I was seeing.
"There are enough of us." Three against seven, and we all have experience. With Jasper on our side, we'll be fine.
A vision flashed through my head, then. Not a new one, but one Alice had a while ago that she was remembering - one I've shied away from since she had it. A cold, dead, soulless Bella.
"There's another option." The reaction came without thinking, and even if I had it through, I wouldn't have changed it – Alice knew better than to press me on this subject.
"There – is – no – other – option!" I snarled at her, glaring at her with fury that almost matched the stare I had given James. Emmett and Bella were staring at me in shock, but I didn't care.
Dude, calm down…it's not Alice that's after Bella. Chill out, we won't figure anything out if you're continuously flying off the handle.
Edward. Think about it rationally. If she were one of us, or turning into one of us, there'd be no point for him. The game would be over. And even if he were still persistent with trying to get her, which would be highly unlikely, she would be more…durable, if he ever did get close to her. She could run as fast as us, hide as well as us, maybe fight with us… She saw that my answer wasn't changing from my stare. Ok, then, Edward. What do you suppose we do?
"Does anyone want to hear my plan?" Bella asked, suddenly, and I didn't even want to consider what she might be thinking.
"No." I didn't mean for it to come out sounding so furious, but I felt like I was being stretched too tightly, and I might break if there were any more ridiculous plans thrown around. Alice glared at me, then.
Ok, Edward, let's just shoot down every plan we come up with. Let's not even try to save her. That makes a whole lot of sense.
Bella disregarded my command, and told us anyway. "You take me back. I tell my dad I want to go home to Phoenix. I pack my bags. We wait till this tracker is watching, and then we run. He'll follow us and leave Charlie alone. Charlie won't call the FBI on your family. Then you can take me any damned place you want."
I stared at her. I couldn't do much else. I couldn't help but realize that that was the best idea anyone's come up with so far – and from a human mind, no less. But then, I always knew Bella was exceptionally smart. Alice nodded slightly, liking the idea.
"It's not a bad idea, really." It would fix almost every problem except for the fact that Bella would still be in danger, and that's where we come in.
"It might work – and we simply can't leave her father unprotected. You know that." Alice's visions of Bella yelling at Charlie in her living room were solidifying now, and making much more sense. Everyone was looking at me, searching for any sign of my acceptance, but I couldn't. She'd be here too long, and I don't want to have any chance of catching up with us, I don't want him anywhere near her. If we went back…
"It's too dangerous – I don't want him within a hundred miles of her."
"Edward, he's not getting through us." He'd be crazy to even try, and you know that. If he's smart, he'll back away until she's unprotected, and we won't let that happen. Think about this.
"I don't see him attacking. He'll try to wait for us to leave her alone."
"It won't take long for him to realize that's not going to happen."
"I demand that you take me home," Bella growled, sounding about as threatening as she could, but it was threatening enough. To me, at least. If I didn't listen to her, our relationship was threatened, and I knew it. But would I really endanger Bella's life because of the possibility that she'd leave me? No. I pressed my fingers into my temples, shutting my eyes closed, trying to think of a way to get out of this mess. "Please," she asked, in a much softer ton, and I knew I couldn't deny her anything. Even if what she wanted was absolutely insane, and stupid.
"You're leaving tonight, whether the tracker sees or not. You tell Charlie that you can't stand another minute in Forks. Tell him whatever story works. Pack the first things your hands touch, and then get in your truck. I don't care what he says to you. You have fifteen minutes. Do you hear me? Fifteen minutes from the time you cross the doorstep." I started the jeep again, and headed back into town, towards Bella's house.
"Emmett?" Bella asked, looking at her still vampire-bound wrists.
"Oh, sorry," he apologized, freeing her. She's not trying to jump from a speeding jeep anymore, I think she'll be okay.
How to do this. How to do this without risking Bella or Charlie. I can't hear the tracker's thoughts, so he mustn't be close. If Emmett and Alice stand watch, and I meet Bella up in her room to help her pack – with my speed it shouldn't take near fifteen minutes. But, then, I'm sure Charlie will put up a fight. That's Bella's battle, though.
"This is how it's going to happen. I will walk her to the door. Then she has fifteen minutes. Emmett, you take the outside of the house. Alice, you get the truck. I'll be inside as long as she is. After she's out, you two can take the jeep home and tell Carlisle."
"No way. I'm with you." There is no way in hell I'm letting you run off alone, hiding with a human with a target on her head. You're going to need help.
"Think it through, Emmett. I don't know how long I'll be gone."
"Until we know how far this is going to go, I'm with you." I appreciated his help, and his commitment, but he didn't understand. It could be years. However, time is endless for vampires…there's almost no meaning. But he'd miss Rose, and I highly doubt she'd want to go into hiding with Bella anywhere near. I sighed. What to do?
"If the tracker is there, we keep driving."
"We're going to make it there before him," Alice confirmed. He'll get there when Bella starts heading downstairs, he won't attack. He'll wait and watch us leave. "What are we going to do with the jeep?"
"You're driving it home."
"No, I'm not." You'll accept Emmett's assistance, but not mine? Have I offended you in some way? I know you care about me, but I can handle myself. I love Bella, you know that, and I need to help her. I want to help her. I'll do anything and everything I can, and you can not stop me.
"We can't all fit in my truck," Bella whispered, but that wouldn't matter. Alice and Emmett would be able to keep up with us on foot without a problem. "I think you should let me go alone," she added, even more quietly, and I almost growled at her.
"Bella, please just do this my way, just this once."
"Listen, Charlie's not an imbecile. If you're not in town tomorrow, he's going to get suspicious."
"That's irrelevant. We'll make sure he's safe, and that's all that matters."
"Then what about the tracker? He saw the way you acted tonight. He's going to think you're with me, wherever you are."
She has a point, man. If he follows you, instead of her, and she goes off in a different direction – we could take him out without her being anywhere near. "Edward, listen to her. I think she's right."
"Yes, she is," Alice agreed, but didn't they realize that there's no way I could possibly leave her right now? No way at all?
"I can't do that."
"Emmett should stay too. He definitely got an eyeful of Emmett."
"What?" But…Who else could stay with Bella? She obviously can't go completely unprotected, and I want to shred some vampires.
"You'll get a better crack at him if you stay,' Alice said, knowing all too well what was going on in Emmett's mind. I couldn't believe they were actually considering this possibility.
"You think I should let her go alone?"
"Of course not. Jasper and I will take her." With my visions, and Jasper's fighting…experience, we would be more than fine. Even if all three came at us. Jasper could handle it, no doubt, and you know it. But they wouldn't come for us. At least, I'm pretty sure the leader won't, and the female is confusing me. I'm not sure why. But with Jasper and I with Bella, we could have Esme guard Charlie, just in case, and everyone else could take out James – and whoever decides to fight with him. You know this is right, Edward. You know it's the way this is going to happen, don't fight it. It's the only option we have.
"I can't do that," I repeated, sounding broken. Which, honestly, I was.
"Hand out here for a week-" Bella tried to convince me, but when the word week slipped out of her mouth, and I glared at her, she backtracked. Smart. "A few days. Let Charlie see you haven't kidnapped me, and lead this James on a wild-goose chase. Make sure he's completely off my trail. Then come and meet me. Take a roundabout route, of course, and then Jasper and Alice can go home." It made sense. But we still haven't decided where we were going to hide her in the first place.
"Meet you where?"
"Phoenix. Of course." What, did she think James was stupid?
"No. He'll hear that's where you were going," I said, waiting for the look of understanding to come across her features. It didn't.
"And you'll make it look like that's a ruse, obviously. He'll know that we'll know that he's listening. He'll never believe I'm actually going where I say I am going." I blinked. Twice. I have a vampire mind, why didn't I think of that? Emmett, apparently, was on the same wave length.
"She's diabolical," she complimented, chuckling. I didn't have time to see the humor.
"And if that doesn't work?"
"There are several million people in Phoenix."
"It's not that hard to find a phone book."
"I won't go home."
"Oh?" I asked, doubtful. Where was she supposed to go, then?
"I'm quite old enough to get my own place."
"Edward, we'll be with her," Alice reminded me, but there was something she hadn't thought of yet.
"What are you going to do in Phoenix?" I asked, but her simple answer killed any chance of argument from my side.
"Stay indoors."
"I kind of like it," Emmett said, agreeing with everyone but me. Besides, if Jasper isn't around, that's more vampires for me to take down.
"Shut up, Emmett."
"Look, if we try to take him down while she's still around, there's a much better chance that someone will get hurt – she'll get hurt, or you will, trying to protect her. Now, if we get him alone…" Images of James being circled by Emmett, Rose and I were dancing around in his head, but disregarding those, he had a point.
We reached town, then, and I had to slow down so as not to alert anyone. "Bella…if you let anything happen to yourself – anything at all – I'm holding you personally responsible. Do you understand that?"
"Yes," she answered, her voice just now showing how truly frightened she really was. I turned to Alice, not wanting to see the fear on her face.
"Can Jasper handle this?" It was a couple of days, in some hotel room with a human. He had control, but enough control to handle this?
"Give him some credit, Edward. He's been doing very, very well, all things considered." And before I could stop myself, more because I was looking for reasons to just run off with Bella myself and be sure that she was safe 24/7 and not have to leave her side, I pissed Alice off.
"Can you handle this?" She growled at me, and for the first time in what seemed like years, but has only been about an hour or so, I smiled. It quickly disappeared, though, when I realized that Bella would be alone with Alice for quite some time. "But keep your opinions to yourself."
Whatever.
Hooray! And the chase is on. I know I updated faster than I said I would, but I doubt that'll happen again...I'm also, at the same time, packing to move. So yeah. But I should be done next chapter by next Sunday :) Wow, could my update times be more erratic? Seriously. xD But anyways, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! :) Until next time..
-moonstruckmanda