Where on earth did this creature come from? Emmett wondered. "Edward, listen to her," he urged. "I think she's right," Emmett said, positively delighted.
Hum, she has a point. "Yes, she is," Alice agreed.
They already convinced me to come back to Forks and bring her back to the vampire who hunted her and now they expect me to stay behind! "I can't do that." I barked.
It was true, it was almost physically impossible for me to leave her now.
"Emmett should stay, too. He definitely got an eyeful of Emmett." She continued.
You have got to be kidding me! She's turning on me now! "What?" Emmett's eyes narrowed in her direction.
I'll placate him. Don't worry. "You'll get a better crack at him if you stay," Alice suggested.
The way they were planning was driving me insane. I had to put my foot down at some point. "You think I should let her go alone?" I said incredulously.
Do you think I'm an idiot? "Of course not. Jasper and I will take her." Duh.
I felt like I was being beaten down. They were making sense and I knew it, but I just couldn't stand the pain if something was to happen to her and I wasn't there to protect her. "I can't do that." I repeated.
Bella spoke up, "Hang out here for a week -" I looked at her in the mirror and she could see my I don't think so expression and amended "- a few days. Let Charlie see you haven't kidnapped me, and lead this James on a wild-goose chase. Make sure he's completely off my trail. Then come and meet me. Take a roundabout route, of course, and then Jasper and Alice can go home."
It will work. Really. Alice thought to me.
"Meet you where?" I conceded, curiosity getting the best of me.
"Phoenix." She said matter-of-factly.
"No. He'll hear that's where you're going," I said impatiently.
Oh! Great plan...Alice thought seeing what Bella would say before she spoke again.
"And you'll make it look like that's a ruse, obviously. He'll know that we'll know that he's listening. He'll never believe I'm actually going where I say I am going."
Interesting, always interesting. "She's diabolical," Emmett began to chuckle and I ignored him.
"And if that doesn't work?" I muttered.
"There are several million people in Phoenix," she informed me like that settled it.
How did our conversation end up like this - here, in Forks embracing danger? We should be a hundred miles away by now! "It's not that hard to find a phone book," I said grimly.
"I won't go home," she said happily.
This is entertaining, really. Emmett thought with another chuckle in his head.
I wanted to roll my eyes at her or shake some sense into her. Maybe she had lost her mind with the stress of the ordeal. "Oh?" I asked, utterly perplexed.
"I'm quite old enough to get my own place," she smiled at me in the mirror.
It won't come to that. Don't worry. "Edward, we'll be with her," Alice winked at me.
Everyone had lost their minds. A sadistic vampire was hunting Bella and everyone had turned it into a big joke! "What are you going to do in Phoenix?" I rebuked.
If I have time, shop. She thought but pretended that she didn't think that when she looked at me and replied, "Stay indoors."
I threw her a disgruntled look.
With Jasper gone Edward and I can track this James down and kill him! "I kind of like it." Emmett grinned stupidly.
I glared at him. "Shut up, Emmett," I commanded and I meant that for his thoughts too. It didn't stop him.
"Look, if we try to take him down while she's still around, there's a much better chance that someone will get hurt - she'll get hurt, or you will, trying to protect her. Now, if we get him alone..." we can hack him up into little pieces and burn him! Emmett finished in his thoughts with another wide grin spreading across his face at the thought.
I saw the bright orange streetlights as they grew brighter and larger as Forks loomed into view. We had finally arrived back in town and I was suddenly anxious that our plan won't work. The streets were empty and it felt like it was an ominous sign. Alice could see the grim expression on my face.
She'll be fine, Edward, I've seen it. Alice thought calmy.
"Bella," I began while Alice and Emmett became alert immediately, gazing raptly out the windows. "If you let anything happen to yourself - anything at all - I'm holding you