HE LEFT ME!!

fear and choice

Bella

"You need to talk to your father, Bella," Edward's voice was cool velvet against my ear. I shivered.

"He won't believe me," I mouthed the words slowly. I was terror stricken, hardly able to form a full sentence, let alone speak it. Mike had already twisted everything out of proportion. He had already turned so many people against me. My breath came in quick, uneven gasps.

"Bella," Edward frowned at me, his face disapproving. He reached for me, cradling my face in his cool marble hands. His delicious breath blew into my face. My head whirled, "Bell, you're going to pass out."

"She's hysterical," Jasper muttered from somewhere in the room. I didn't break my gaze from Edward's to find out where he was. "You might want to lay her down."

Shortly after Jessica had left, I had lost control of my emotions, completely encased by my own fear. I had, unfortunately, left Edward with the horrible task of handling Allie and myself. Allie had grown silent after her realization that Mike was not going to let her go. She sat on the floor, staring blankly at the wall. I was frantic and it had terrified Edward as he desperately trued to calm me down. Finally, the Cullens showed up.

Of course Alice had seen the outcome and they raced to my house, hoping to help. Allie was pulled back into Rosalie's arms, although that did not stir her out of her current state. She fell asleep there. Rocked into a deep sleep where I prayed she had no fears.

Mike wasn't going to let her go. He wasn't going to let us go. In the past four years Mike and Charlie had become great friends, whereas I had drifted apart from my father. I could only imagine all the lies Mike had already fed to Charlie about Edward. It wouldn't help to talk to him, because I knew he would believe Mike. He had such a strong hatred for Edward after that fateful day when Edward had left. Of course he would believe Mike...

"Bella, please calm down," Edward's voice was soothing as he whispered into my hair. He scooped me up from the ground, cradling me close as he walked to the couch. Kneeling down, he set me on the couch, resting his cool had to my forehead. "You're burning up."

"She's not sick," Alice noted from the chair, her voice knowing, "She's just upset."

"Very upset," Jasper grumbled. I could only imagine how drastically my pain and fear were playing with his emotions.

"Bella," Edward whispered, enveloping me in his embrace, "Please, calm down. It will be all right. You're safe. Allie's safe. Mike's just trying to make this hard for us, that's all. We can work through this. I'm here for you, Bella. You're going to be fine."

"But he's not going to let me leave, Edward."

"He doesn't have a choice," Edward answered in a dark voice. "If you want to leave, he'll let you go. I'll make sure of it."

I winced at the threat in his voice.

"Edward," Alice warned. He shot her a glance, but she stared back at him, unfazed. "We've already discussed this. It won't end well."

"And letting him live will?" Edward's voice was harsh.

"It will work better," Alice corrected, assured, "For Bella."

She had continually checked our futures each time Edward, or any Cullen for that matter, had a murderous idea for Mike. She wouldn't divulge any of the outcomes to me. She simply smiled sadly and shook her head. Whatever the outcomes, they were not good.

I felt my heart begin to slow as a feeling of relief entered my body. With my walls of fear lowered, Jasper unleashed a heavy wave of calm upon me. My eyes fluttered and I fell back into Edward's waiting arms, dizzy from the onslaught of feelings. Edward smiled at my adjusted state, "Better?"