Depression Continues

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Alice faces off with Carlisle as the others watch on. Esme desolate; Emmett blank. He sits next to Rosalie who seems almost irritated. Jasper isolates himself in a corner. "No. We promised Edward," Carlisle reminds.

"But she won't do well without us. I get flashes of her, but they're unclear," Alice replies.

"Forget her, let's drag Edward home," Rosalie insists.

"He'll come back when he's ready. After Bella moves on," Esme explains.

"Yes. When she's living her life, safe from danger," Carlisle continues.

"You mean safe from us," Jasper interrupts with self-contempt.

Alice wraps an arm around Jasper, soothingly. "And when will that be?" Rosalie asks.

"Can you see him, Alice?" Emmett asks.

They all turn to Alice. She closes her eyes, trying to get a lock on Edward. "The only decision he's made is to be alone," Alice replies.

"What can you see about Bella?" Jasper asks. Carlisle looks at him and sighs, knowing he can't deny Jasper this. "The truth, Alice. What have you seen?"

Alice sighs. "She's depressed. I've never seen Bella like this. She is still in disbelief. Bella only really goes to school. There are other things that confuse me about her surrounding but-" Jasper looks away and out the window, cutting Alice off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bella's fingers hit computer keys. "Time passes. Every tick that goes by aches. Like the pulse of blood behind a bruise." Bella stops. She stares at her own words. Then she hits "select all" and "delete". She types: "Hi Harry, things are great, grades are up. Hanging with friends. Stop worrying. I'm fine." Bella presses "send", and the cheery e-mail disappears. Bella rises, returns to her rocking chair, staring out desolately. Someone's watching her, pacing menacingly, hungrily.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bella exits to find Charlie out by the street, stuffing trash into the bins. He talks with neighbor, Bob Marks, who also attends to his trash: two old, beat up motorcycles. "It's about time you got rid of those, Bob. Seen one too many bikers smeared on the highway," Charlie says.

"Save the lecture, Chief. Soon as the garbage truck hauls 'em off, you and my wife can rest easy. Oh, hey, what's the word on that bear problem? Folks are saying they're huge," Bob replies.

"That's just talk," Charlie assures.

Charlie watches Bella walk to her truck, head down. Bob sees her, too. "How you doin' there, Bella?" Bob asks.

Bella, in her own world, doesn't respond. Bob gives Charlie an understanding shrug and heads off. Bella opens her truck door. Suddenly, it gets slammed shut again by Charlie. "That's it," Charlie says decisively.

"That's what?" Bella returns.

"You're going to Jacksonville to live with your mother."

"What? Why?"

"I just- don't know what to do anymore. You don't act like someone left you; more like someone died." Charlie leans in closer. "You seem to have grown attached to someone you've only known for a couple days!"

She looks away. That's how it feels to her. "I'm not leaving Forks," Bella replies.

"Bells, he's not coming back." She nods. Knows this all too well. "It's not normal, this behavior. And frankly, it's scaring the hell outta me, and your mother. Go to Jacksonville, Baby. Make some new friends."

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