AVitD Chapter 2

Chapter 2~ Bad Things Come in Three’s

The vision hit Alice like an eighteen wheeler. 

Edward was walking along the high walls of Volterra until the right moment when he stepped into the sun.  There were people around, but before anyone could see him, a large member of the Volturi guard grabbed him and pulled him back to the shadows.  When they were concealed, he struggled with the guard for several minutes until another slightly smaller guard came to assist him.  Edward foolishly fought hard against the two vampires until they had Edward pinned and just before they tore his head from his shoulders he whispered, ‘I’m coming Bella.  I love you.’  Alice saw the fire sparked and then the vision abruptly stopped.

Alice fell to the ground; her grief overtaking her.  Bella kneeled in front of her but couldn’t get her attention.  Alice pulled her cell phone out with uncharacteristically shaky hands and called someone.

“Carlisle,” she spoke into the phone, “I had a vision about Edward.”

“Alice?  You are breaking up.  What was that about Edward?”

There was static on the line.

“Edward is dead.  He was killed by two of the Volturi guard.”

More static and then the line went dead.

“Carlisle?  Carlisle?” Alice yelled into the phone, but there was no response. 

She didn’t know if they heard her, and even worse, she was unable to tell them that Bella was alive.

Bella slid down the wall next to her bed; numb.  Edward was dead?  But he is immortal.  He can’t be dead.  But before she could finish that thought she saw the sadness in Alice’s expression and knew it was true.  No, no, no, NO!  He can’t be dead.  The world doesn’t work if Edward is not in it.  She knew he didn’t love her anymore, but she had to have him alive, somewhere.  Now he was nowhere.  He was not just gone from her world; he was …dead.  Bella swallowed hard as the realization of Edward’s demise sank in.

Alice and Bella were both drowning in their own pools of anguish.  Bella did not see Alice get up and leave the room nor did Alice even notice Bella was in the room before she robotically stepped out into the hall, walked down the stairs and out of the door.  She drove to the Forks house to prepare for the rest of her family to arrive.  Alice was lost in her pain.  She had flashes of visions that showed Esme and Rosalie weeping, but she was thoroughly immersed in her own emotions.  She knew the rest of the family would be getting to the house before sunrise so she busied herself with opening the house.  Other visions popped in and out, but she didn’t take notice.  Her brother was gone and she was too late to save him. 

She was heartbroken over the loss of her brother.  She and Edward always shared a special bond.  It may have begun because of their unique gifts, but in the end they really, truly loved each other like siblings.  She sped around the house opening rooms and removing dust covers from the furniture.  She cleaned the house from top to bottom just to keep herself from wallowing in her pain.  She missed Jasper desperately and yearned for the peace that his mere presence brought her.  She found herself outside of Edward’s room and she pressed her hand to door; feeling each grain in the wood.  She wanted to go inside, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn the knob.  Edward, why, why did you do this?  Jasper, I need you.

Alice was so focused on her need for Jasper and her hurt over losing Edward that she was completely unaware of the additional tragedy that was to befall her family.  She hadn’t even noticed Bella had overheard her conversation with Carlisle. 

~*~

Bella remained on the floor by her bed as the words ‘Edward is dead’ wrapped around her heart like barbed wire.  They were everywhere.  They hung in the air and carried over her and crashed down on her soul.  She felt pinned to the floor.  She couldn’t breathe as the realization that Edward was truly gone hit her like a freight train.  He was gone.  There would be no memorial or grave site to visit.  It would be, as he had once said, ‘as if he never existed’.  Bella was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the front door shutting and a car engine revving up.  She knew Alice had left; which she expected her to do from the moment she saw her in her room.  Alice never did explain why she came, but it didn’t matter.  She was gone; most likely back to the rest of the family.  ‘The family’; Bella thought they would be her family one day, but no more.  There was no Edward.  There were no Cullen’s.  She was alone.  Renee had basically abandoned her and Charlie…Charlie was just not enough of a reason for her to stay.

Bella sat through the night as she daydreamed about Edward and the life she had hoped they would have had together.  Even when he left, those dreams had kept her company for a long while.  She imagined what it would be like to hunt with him and run with him and make love with him.  If she was honest with herself, there was a part of her that had still held out hope that Edward would return to make those dreams come true.

Bella was unsure of how long she sat there, but when she was cognizant of the world around her, she realized that the sun was high in the sky.  She scoffed at the irony of the fact that if Edward were still here, he would be hidden away today due to the bright sunlight.  Now that didn’t matter; nothing did.

This was the end of the line for Bella.  She had seen enough to know that life without even the possibility of love like the kind she had with Edward was not worth living.  She went to stand and as she pressed down on the floor a loose board gave way.  Under it she found the things she thought Edward had taken from her.  Her pictures, the CD he made for her and even the note he left her telling her to ‘be safe’.  She held them to her chest.  They were all she had left of him.  She left her room and walked numbly down the stairs to the kitchen.  She grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and began to write; her hand was incredibly steady.

Charlie,

It is time for me to go.  Thank you for taking me in and for loving me.  Please don’t look for me.  Just know that I am going to be exactly where I want to be.  Be careful.

Love,

Bella

She left the note on the counter and grabbed her keys with her right hand as her left clenched her only reminders of Edward.  She slowly trudged out the door as the sun ducked behind a wall of clouds.  She got into her truck and headed down the road.  She never looked back as she drove to the meadow.  Too bad Laurant is dead.  He could be useful right now.  She sardonically thought to herself. 

As she drove her mind recounted all her happiest memories of her time with Edward.  She smiled as she thought back to him taking a huge bite of pizza when they had lunch together.  Or about the first time they went to the meadow dressed in the same attire.  She would not let her mind remember him leaving or the past four months.  She thought about dancing with him at prom and how his cold lips felt against hers.  Before she knew it she was at the mouth of the trail.  She got out and left the keys in the ignition.  She walked as if in a trance.  Her body seemed to know where to take her, and she just went with it.  It was ironic that she never tripped or stumbled once during the hour it took her to get to the meadow.  She went to the center of the natural circle and fell to her knees.  She clawed at the dirt with her fingers.  It was hard and cold, but she was able to make a small divot that was big enough to hold her treasures.  She placed the note inside the hole followed by the pictures.  She traced her finger along his sculpted chin as she whispered, “I love you Edward.  I will be with you soon.”  She kissed his image and set the pictures on top of the note.

She opened the CD case and removed the disc.  She bent it away from her cracking it into three jagged pieces.  She took two of them and placed them in the case in the ground.  She took the last piece and held it against the skin of her inner wrist.  She pressed it in and felt the pain as she dragged it down and across the length of her vein.  Her blood began to pour down her arm as the scent of the salty rust filled the air.  She held her breath so as to not pass out.  She passed the shard to her left hand a made a similar incision down her right forearm.  The pain seemed less intense and she smiled at that.  She placed the remaining piece of CD in the ground as her blood coated the other occupants.  She swept her hand over the dirt she had removed; burying her last mortal possessions.  She looked up and the sun broke through the clouds once more.  Bella smiled lazily up at the bright rays that shown down upon her.  It’s nice to see it one last time.

Her mind grew fuzzy.  She tried to remember what Edward looked like in the sun.  Her hands felt cool on the inside yet warm on the outside from the pooling blood.  She felt her balance give way as she slumped to the ground.  Her legs were bent at an awkward angle, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.  She felt at peace.  There was a small part of her brain that told her that this was wrong, but she chose to ignore it and let the warm comfort embrace her instead.  She looked to her side and Edward was there.  He sparkled in the sun just like that first time.  He smiled at her just like he did that day.  She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but her lips wouldn’t move.  She tried to reach out to him, but her hand refused to honor the command.  She turned her head to look at the sun, but it was no longer yellow.  It had faded to black.  She closed her eyes and let her blood; her life force seep into the dirt around her.  She felt incredibly tired so she closed her eyes and dreamed her last dream.

~*~

The Cullen’s pulled into the long familiar driveway just before sunrise, exactly as Alice had seen.  She ran directly into Jasper’s arms as the family came together.  She felt his love and empathy pour into her allowing her to feel just how sorry he was for her losses; not only her best friend but her brother as well.  Jasper had cared for Edward, but they never had the kind of kinship that Alice had with him. 

Esme seemed beyond any form of consolation.  She reached over and touched Carlisle’s arm.

“I am going to go lie down for a while.  This is all too much.”

He reached his hand up to cup her beautiful pale cheek, “Do you want me to come with you?” he asked.

She shook her head, “No.  I need to be alone for a while,” she paused, “I love you, Carlisle.  I have always loved you.  You know that, right?”

He nodded, “I love you too; with everything that I am,” he said as she kissed him before walking into the house.

She looked back as she stepped onto the porch.  She hoped they would be okay someday.  At least they still have each other, but I have nothing left to give them. 

She walked through the house letting the good memories wash over her.  She could almost picture Edward sitting at his piano playing her song with Bella sitting by his side.  She smiled at the memory.  She carefully guarded her intentions as she wafted through the house.  Her hand glided along the top of the dining room table remembering the last time her whole family sat around it.  It was the night they decided to leave Forks.  She quickly pushed away that painful memory and pulled a new one in its place.  She thought about the first time Bella came over and they tried to make her dinner.  She continued through to the kitchen where she picked up a lighter and headed out the back door.  She stepped to the edge of the woods and set some brush on fire. 

She hoped that she did still have her soul and maybe she would get to see her baby boy she lost all those years earlier.  Maybe she might even be able to find Edward or Bella on the other side.  Losing one child was too much to endure as a human; losing two more children was her ruination.  None of the others could understand a mother’s love and a mother’s anguish over that kind of loss.

Just as she stepped into the flames she heard Alice scream her name.  That was the last thing she heard as she saw her family rush towards her.  She closed her eyes to their pain and let the flames carry her away.

Carlisle rushed to her, but Emmett and Jasper held him back.  It was too late and they didn’t want to lose him too.  Carlisle screamed out in agony; his voice echoing against the surrounding forest.  Jasper lost his grip on him and collapsed to the ground.  The pain Carlisle was feeling rushed through Jasper and it was too much to handle.  Alice was by his side.  She cradled his head sending love and empathy to him; hoping to counteract some of the pain he was absorbing.  Carlisle was on his knees pounding his fists to the ground as he cried out.  Emmett stood with his hand firmly on his father’s shoulder as dry sobs wrecked his body.  Rose held back from everyone else.  She wrapped her arms around her abdomen trying to ground herself in the moment and not lose control.  Sadness and loss gripped her.  Her guilt was palpable and Jasper turned her way.

“Rose,” he called her softly, “This is not your fault.  There is no way that you could have known losing Edward and Bella would push Esme to this.”

Alice gasped and brought both hands to her mouth.  The others turned towards her with the exception of Carlisle.  He was stone still staring into the dying pyre that took his wife.

“What is it Alice?” Jasper inquired.

“Bella.  She’s alive!”

This caught Carlisle’s attention and now all eyes were trained on Alice.

Emmett spoke first, “What do you mean she’s alive?!?” He felt hope as he waited for Alice to explain.

Alice recounted her dual vision of Bella in her room and Edward, in what she now knew was Italy, before he decided to kill himself.  She explained how she had a clear vision of Edward’s demise while she was in Bella’s bedroom with her.

“I left her to come here.” Alice’s voice trailed off as the realization of her actions set in.

“You left her alone?”  Emmett bellowed.  His anger was obvious. 

“I…I…I wasn’t thinking.  I went from being confused to grateful that Bella was alive to the vision of Edward being torn apart and burned!  All I could think about was needing Jasper.”

Emmett cut her off, “Does she know about Edward?  Did you tell her?”

“Um, I don’t know.  I didn’t tell her, but she may have been in the room when I called Carlisle.”

Emmett was in her face instantly separated only by Jasper who had finally gotten the flow of emotions under control enough to take a defensive position between his mate and his brother.

“Can you see her now?  Is she at home?” he demanded.

Alice opened her mind and focused on Bella.  She was sitting on the floor of her room.  She was curled in a ball with her arms wrapped around her legs.  She was still dressed in the same clothes she had been wearing when Alice left; tears streamed down her face.  Alice shook her head out of the vision.

“She is at home in her room.  She knows about Edward,” she confirmed with finality.

Emmett made to leave and go to Bella.  He wanted to bring her home to the family, but Rosalie stopped him.

“Wait.  Leave her alone to deal with this on her own.  Give her some time.  Give us some time.  She deserves to morn in peace before we hit her with the news of...” she trailed off as her eyes drifted to Carlisle who had turned back to face the embers.

Emmett saw the grief and guilt in her eyes and knew she needed him now.  He put his arm around her shoulder and they silently walked into the house.  Jasper and Alice stood looking down at their father as he kneeled in front of the smoldering ashes that was once his wife, his love, his rock.  How can I go on without her?  I knew the loss of Edward was her undoing.  Maybe I was wrong to save her all those years ago when she threw herself off that cliff after her baby had died.  As strong as she may have appeared as an immortal, inside she was so very, very fragile.

“Rest in peace my beloved.  Take care of our Edward.” He whispered into the wind.

Alice placed a hand on his shoulder which he reached up to grab in his own.  No words could consol him, but that simple gesture let him know that he was not alone in his grief.  He squeezed her hand one more time before getting to his feet.  The three of them walked solemnly into the house that was once a home to them, but now felt empty and hollow without two of their family members.

Alice and Jasper sat together on the couch across from where Emmett held Rosalie on its twin. 

Carlisle went to take a shower so as to not soil the home Esme had taken so much pride in.  He turned the water on not paying attention to the temperature before stepping in.  It didn’t matter.  He felt numb from the pain he had endured over the last several hours.  Edward was gone.  His first son; his companion was dead.  It had been nearly four months since he had seen him, but he held strong to the belief that he would see him again.  He knew Edward was hurting, but Carlisle hoped that he would eventually rejoin the family.  He thought of Edward playing him in chess or debating over new medical discoveries, and he felt his chest ache with phantom pain.  Edward was the son every father hoped to have.  He was intelligent and inquisitive.  He had a good and pure soul no matter how much he denied that fact.  His son was gone and he was left to walk this earth for eternity with that fact.  The saying was true; a parent should never outlive his child.

He walked into his room and the pain was overwhelming.  He saw all the little things that Esme had done to make this place their own.  He felt his dead heart break again.  They had shared nearly eighty years together, but it seemed like a blink in the timeline that was his existence on this planet.  His mind flipped through memory after memory of their life together.  Him finding and changing her, the first time she said she loved him, their wedding, their first time together intimately, hunting trips, trips to the island.  There were so many wonderful memories.  She had given him so much.  She made this family work as such.  They were never a coven.  They were a family, and they were this because of the love she gave them all.  He sat on the seat at the end of their bed with a towel around his waist as he wept in silence.

Jasper groaned slightly and shifted his weight.  Alice turned to take in his pained expression.

“What is it Jazzy?”

“Carlisle.” Was all he needed to say.

He attempted to throw waves of calm and serenity towards his and Esme’s room, but it did little to alleviate the pain radiating from Carlisle.  Alice tried to sooth him, but then she froze as the air was sucked from her lungs.  Jasper felt her emotions change from shock to dread then to terror mixed with panic.  Before he could ask her what was wrong she screamed out.

“Carlisle!”

A/N

Suicide is a very serious issue and should never be taken lightly.  If you are contemplating taking your life, Please don’t.  Suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary problem.  Please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or go online at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.