Midnight Sun (Twilight #1.5)(184)

"We need to know if he shows up in Forks," I said hastily.

Carlisle was dialing Esme's number before I was able to speak anymore. I heard Esme answer the phone. "Hello."

"Esme, what has Victoria been doing?" Carlisle asked politely yet hurriedly.

"Rosalie followed her to Charlie's house. Don't worry, he wasn't home. I am not sure what she was looking for there...maybe to find a lead on where Bella might be. Rosalie said that she has been following Bella's scent all through town and even stopped by the school before anyone was there." Esme spoke quickly.

"James' got away from us. We think that he got on a plane to go back to Forks. Please be careful. We'll be there shortly." Carlisle said gravely.

I heard Esme gasp over the phone. "Victoria also went to the airport," she whispered.

Carlisle pressed the accelerator down harder and the Jeep groaned as we were hitting one forty. "Be careful. We're on our way back." Panic was present in Carlisle's thoughts. Please let us get back there before he does, he thought. They said their goodbyes.

As soon as Carlisle hung up the phone he was instantly dialing another number - Alice.

"Carlisle," Alice trilled.

"Are you in Phoenix and is Bella safe?" asked Carlisle.

"Yes," replied Alice.

"We lost track of James. We believe he is headed towards Forks. Victoria has been searching for leads and clues hoping to find a way to Bella." Carlisle spoke calmly.

"I just saw him in a room. It's long, and there are mirrors everywhere. The floor is wooden. There is a gold stripe across the mirrors. It's still very cloudy - he hasn't made a decision yet. He'll be in this room today or maybe tomorrow. I've also seen him watching something from a VCR in another place but it is too dark to see. He brings the video he watched back to the room with the mirrors but he doesn't watch it like he does in the dark room. The room with the mirrors is the room where he waits. Whatever made him get on that plane...it was leading him to those rooms," Alice explained to Carlisle.

"Let me speak to Bella," I held my hand out for the phone.

"Is Bella awake? Edward would like to speak to her," Carlisle asked.

"Yes," Alice said while Carlisle handed the phone to me.

"Hello?" My heart rejoiced at hearing her voice.

"Bella," I said devotedly.

"Oh, Edward! I was so worried," she squeaked.

Why was she worried about me? She should be worried about herself. "Bella," I sighed in frustration. "I told you not to worry about anything but yourself."

"Where are you?" She demanded.

"We're outside of Vancouver. Bella, I'm sorry - we lost him. He seems suspicious of us - he's careful to stay just far enough away that I can't hear what he's thinking. But he's gone now - it looks like he got on a plane. We think he's heading back to Forks to start over." I felt like a fool for falling for his car rental trick.

"I know. Alice saw that he got away."

"You don't have to worry, though. He won't find anything to lead him to you. You just have to stay there and wait till we find him again," my voice hinted at my disapproval for her doing anything else.

"I'll be fine. Is Esme with Charlie?" she asked, concerned. She was always so selfless, worried about everyone else but herself.

I tried to calm her frenzied nerves. "Yes - the female has been in town. She went to the house, but while Charlie was at work. She hasn't gone near him so don't be afraid. He's safe with Esme and Rosalie watching."

"What is she doing?" she whispered.

"Probably trying to pick up the trail. She's been all through the town during the night. Rosalie traced her through the airport, all the roads around town, the school...she's digging, Bella, but there's nothing to find." I hope, I added internally.

"And you're sure Charlie's safe?" I suppressed a sigh to her ever selflessness.

"Yes, Esme won't let him out of her sight. And we'll be there soon. If the tracker gets anywhere near Forks, we'll have him." And I pictured tearing him to shreds and burning him, hoping that this beating would come sooner than later so I could have Bella in my arms again.

"I miss you," she barely whispered. My heart ached every second we were apart from each other. My body still felt torn in two.

"I know, Bella. Believe me, I know. It's like you've taken half my self away with you."

"Come and get it, then," she coaxed me. It was very tempting, but I had to take care of James first.

"Soon, as soon as I possibly can. I will make you safe first." I said fiercely.

"I love you," she croaked. I had continually put her life in danger since the moment I met her and she still loved me. Despite the situation we were currently in my heart leapt at her words.

"Could you believe that, despite everything I've put you through, I love you, too?"

"Yes, I can, actually," she said matter-of-factly.

"I'll come for you soon," I promised.

"I'll be waiting."

I hung the phone up. The day slipped away and extinguished its self as we drove quickly through the dark and winding road towards Forks. My mind was constantly thinking of the many ways I would torture and kill James. Emmett's line of thought was not far from my own, but he really just wanted a fight. He did want to protect Bella, but he was getting enjoyment out of this and I was not. When we finally arrived back in Washington we were greeted by Rosalie, who was still screaming nasty retorts in her mind at me.