The Long Night

Chapter One

The Long Night A Twilight Fan Fic by Cassandra Lowery

Disclaimer: The Twilight universe belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This story, while quoting some dialogue verbatim from Eclipse, does not intend to infringe upon any copyrighted material and is written for mere enjoyment, not for profit. The remainder of the story not attributed to Stephenie Meyer belongs to Cassandra Lowery and should not be copied or reproduced without express written consent.

Edward's Point-of-View:

NOTE: I'VE BROKEN THIS VERY LONG SHORT STORY INTO FIVE CHAPTERS FOR EASE OF READING; IF YOU'VE ALREADY READ THE WHOLE STORY IN ITS FORMER SINGLE-CHAPTER FORM, THERE'S NOTHING NEW HERE.

Chapter One:

I paced restlessly back and forth, wearing a path in my bedroom carpet from the stereo system on the north wall to the window and back. Logically, I knew that Bella would be perfectly safe while she visited the injured Jacob tonight. After all, the wolf pack was indebted to Carlisle's expert medical care and to my assistance in treating Jacob's severe injuries this afternoon, and their minds had been more peaceful towards my family than ever before.

Besides, Jacob was in no condition to phase into his dangerous and volatile wolf form tonight. When Carlisle and I left this afternoon, he had still been unconscious from the morphine drip we'd set up to sedate him while we re-broke and set his broken bones which had started healing too quickly and thus incorrectly while my family was busy dealing with the Volturi in the baseball field.

Plus, the entire pack knew all-too-well about what had passed between Bella and Jacob this morning; Seth and several of the younger members of the pack had become quite nauseated by the passionate kiss Bella and Jacob had shared. With Jacob playing back the images over and over in his wolf form as he approached the battle this morning, all the wolves had viewed their embrace through Jacob's vivid mind. Fortunately, none of the pack blamed Bella for kissing Jacob; if anything, they understood her love for their pack brother and were hoping that she would choose Jacob over me. In their own way, they loved Bella as a member of their tight-knit family which she had been before my return a few months ago.

While the pack was nervous about how a long-term relationship between Bella and I would affect the treaty, they also recognized that, despite Jacob's feelings and their own preferences, this decision was Bella's to make. So she was in no danger from the pack, no matter what her decision tonight might entail.

Thus, logically, I knew that Bella was safe.

But emotionally, I was a fine example of the proverbial basket-case.

Although I knew that Bella loved me more than she loved Jacob, and although I knew that her main purpose in seeing him tonight was to tell him exactly that, I couldn't stop the anxiety from balling up in the pit of my stomach.

For although Bella loved me...loved me enough to promise to marry me...she also loved Jacob Black.

And her love for the mongrel was entirely my fault.

If I hadn't left last September....

Yes, one more reason to regret leaving Bella—beside the agony I had caused her and myself—plus the suffering I had thrust upon my family in separating them from Bella—not to mention the suspense and agony I had subjected them to when I ran to Volterra....

All of the above was entirely my fault.

So here I was, pacing...and once again experiencing the consequences of my own poor decisions.