Dad was waiting up for us. All the house lights were on. My mind was blank as I tried to think of a way to make him let her go. This wasn't going to be pleasant.
Edward pulled up slowly, staying well back from our truck. All four of them were acutely alert, ramrod straight in their seats, listening to every sound of the wood, looking through every shadow, catching every scent, searching for something out of place. The engine cut off, and I sat, motionless, as they continued to listen.
"He's not here," Edward said tensely. "Let's go."
Emmett reached over to help Bella out of the harness and Christian got me out of mine.
"Don't worry, girls," Emmett said in a low but cheerful voice, "we'll take care of things here quickly."
I felt moisture filling up my eyes as I looked over to Emmett. I barely knew him, and yet, somehow, not knowing when I would see him again after tonight was anguishing. I knew this was just a faint taste of the goodbyes Bella would have to survive in the next hour, and the thought made the tears begin to spill.
"Alice, Emmett." Edward's voice was a command. They slithered soundlessly into the darkness, instantly disappearing. Edward opened the door for Bella and took her hand. Christian got me out of the Jeep, kissing my head again lightly before disappearing, bounding up the side of my house.
Edward walked us swiftly toward the house, me in the very front, eyes always roving through the night.
"Fifteen minutes," he warned under his breath.
"I can do this." She sniffled.
I stopped on the porch and turned to face them. She held his face in her hands.
"I love you," she said in a low, intense voice. "I will always love you, no matter what happens now."
"Nothing is going to happen, Bella," he said just as fiercely.
"Just follow the plan, okay? Keep Charlie and Alex safe for me. He's not going to like me very much after this, and I want to have the chance to apologize later."
"Get inside, girls. We have to hurry." His voice was urgent.
"One more thing," she whispered so low I could barely hear her â in all honesty, I probably shouldn't have been listening. "Don't listen to another word I say tonight!" He was leaning in, and she stretched up on her toes to kiss his surprised, frozen lips with great force. Then she turned, and I kicked the door open.
"Go away, Edward!" She yelled as I ran up the stairs. She slammed the door shut in his still-shocked face.
I got to the room and opened the window to let in Christian. He gave me a tight hug, his eyes focused like a wild animal on a hunt.
"Bella?" Dad had been hovering in the living room, and I could hear him walking towards the stairs.
"Leave me alone!" She screamed at him through what sounded like tears. She was laying it on thick. She ran up the stairs and opened the door to our room, throwing it shut behind her and locking it. She ran to her bed, flinging herself on the floor to retrieve her duffel bag. I ran to her dresser and started haphazardly gathering clothes for her. She reached swiftly between the mattress and box spring to grab a knotted old sock that contained her 'secret' cash hoard.
Dad was pounding on the door.
"Bella, Alex, are you girls okay? What's going on?" His voice was frightened.
"I'm going home," she shouted, her voice breaking in the perfect spot.
"Did he hurt you?" His tone edged toward anger.
"No!" She shrieked a few octaves higher. She turned to her dresser where I was already standing, holding piles of clothes for her. Edward was there now, too, and he took the clothes from me and passed them hastily to her.
"Did he break up with you?" Dad was perplexed.
"No!" She yelled, slightly more breathless as she shoved everything into the bag. Edward threw another drawer's contents at her. The bag was pretty much full now.
Christian kept his eyes on the window, watching wordlessly. I watched his hand twitch as he started to reach for mine, but stopped short.
"What happened, Bella?" Dad shouted through the door, pounding again.
"I broke up with him!" She shouted back, jerking on the zipper of her bag. Edward's capable hands pushed hers away and zipped it smoothly. He put the strap carefully over her arm.
"I'll be in the truck â go!" he whispered, and pushed her toward the door. He nodded at Christian and vanished out the window.
I unlocked the door and Bella pushed past Dad roughly, struggling with her heavy bag as she ran down the stairs.
"What happened?" he yelled. He was right behind her and I followed behind him. "I thought you liked him."
He caught her elbow in the kitchen. Though he was still bewildered, his grip was firm.
He spun her around to look at him, and I could hear in his voice that he had no intention of letting her leave.
I could think of only one way for her to escape, and it involved hurting him so much that I hated myself for even considering it. She must have realized it too, but she had no time, and we had to keep him safe.
She glared up at our father, fresh tears in her eyes for what she was about to do.
"I do like him â that's the problem. I can't do this anymore! I can't put down any more roots here! I don't want to end up trapped in this stupid, boring town like Mom! I'm not going to make the same dumb mistake she did. I hate it â I can't stay here another minute!"
His hand dropped from her arm like she'd electrocuted him. I turned away from his shocked stance as Bella headed for the door.
"Bells, you can't leave now. It's nighttime," he whispered behind her.
She didn't turn around. "I'll sleep in the truck if I get tired."
"Just wait another week," he pleaded, still shell-shocked. "Renée will be back by then."
This completely derailed us. "What?"
Dad continued eagerly, almost babbling with relief as she hesitated. "She called while you two were out. Things aren't going so well in Florida, and if Phil doesn't get signed by the end of the week, they're going back to Arizona. The assistant coach of the Sidewinders said they might have a spot for another shortstop."
She shook her head, like she was trying to reassemble her now-confused thoughts. Every passing second put Dad in more danger; she knew that. I knew that.
"I have a key," She muttered, turning the knob. He was too close, one hand extended toward her, his face dazed. We couldn't lose any more time with her arguing with him. She was going to have to hurt him further.
"Just let me go, Charlie." She repeated our mother's last words as she'd walked out this same door so many years ago. She said them as angrily as she could manage, and threw the door open. "It didn't work out, okay? I really, really hate Forks!"
Her cruel words did their job â Dad stayed frozen on the doorstep, stunned, while she ran into the night. She ran wildly for the truck. She threw her bag in the bed and wrenched the door open.
"I'll call you tomorrow!" She yelled. And then she was gone.
I walked around Dad and pulled the door closed. I didn't know how to make this situation better so I just stood beside him quietly.
"I don't understand..." He said, slightly frustrated and sad.
Still staring at the door, I put my hand on my dad's back.
I knew Bella would come home soon, but I couldn't tell him that without having to explain everything else. I felt like I was betraying him, as he stood there, heart breaking.
Whilst I was lost in thought, a quiet knock greeted the front door. Dad rushed for it, probably hoping it was Bella. His face noticeably fell when he realized it wasn't her, and despite the circumstances, mine brightened.
The crestfallen expression quickly turned to rage as Dad realized who had graced our doorstep. He launched quickly towards the boy. Christian took a step back and I jumped between them, holding out my hands.
"Dad, wait! Calm down! That's not Edward!"
His walk slowed but he still came forward.
"It's Christian, please!"
He stilled. His shoulders slumped back down and he slunk into the house once more.
I turned to face the golden eyes I knew well. "What are you doing here?"
"Decided to stay." he shrugged. "I can give you guys updates on the situation via Alice."
"By all means then," I invited him inside.
Dad didn't seem to like the idea of the boy coming inside, but Christian didn't give him time to think about it.
"My family's gone to try to convince Isabella to return to Forks." He stated plainly.
Dad's eyes perked up, obviously hopeful, but still guarded.
"I can do my best to keep up with the situation, if you'd allow it." He looked towards my father.
I knew Dad wouldn't pass up the opportunity to learn anything else about what was going on with my sister. He tried to keep a glum face as he nodded slightly and walked to the kitchen, probably grabbing a beer.
"But you're sleeping on the couch," he called from the fridge.
Christian and I were still sitting on the couch about an hour later. He had gotten texts here and there about the ongoing problem and quietly assured me that the plan was working, while loudly assuring Dad that Bella seemed to be okay and that they were still following her to Arizona.
After a few more hours with no solid update, Dad went to bed. Christian followed me to my room, half of it seeming to have been caught up in a tornado.
I layed on my bed and quietly cried. Worrying for my new friends, life here, and most of all, for Bella. She had always been the stronger one, albeit nicer, out of the two of us and it hurt now that I couldn't be by her side, fighting with her.
I didn't want to think about how scared I was that, in a rage, the tracker vampire could turn around and attack me and my dad. I didn't want to guess whether or not Christian could fight him off alone. I didn't want to think at all.
Christian's cold figure embraced me from behind. He laid gentle kisses in my hair. I couldn't tell if this was romance and at the moment, I didn't care. He cradled me until I drifted off to sleep.