Turmoil [Emmett Cullen] (3)

[3- Irreconcilable]

Emmett and I sat together for most of the night.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

I shrugged, trying to play off the intense guilt I felt. I couldn't separate my feelings. My mind was a jumbled, confusing mess of intense emotions; culpability, fury, and self-loathing competed with one another for the dominating emotion.

The scene replayed over and over my mind. I imagined dozens of alternate scenarios that resulted in Bella being unharmed. I could have stood in front of Jasper, forming a barrier. I could have pulled her out of the way. I had enough time; it would have taken me less than a second to run to her.

But I did nothing. Why did I freeze? I never freeze.

Usually I would want to rip the head off whoever was responsible, but in this case, it was me. I was such an idiot.

Emmett's phone interrupted my self-reproachment.

"You better come home now," I heard Alice say. Emmett and I exchanged an apprehensive glance and hurried back.

Everyone had gathered in the dining room. The scent of blood still floated on the air, but was thankfully rendered unpalatable by the powerful overtones of alcohol and bleach.

Esme was visibly distraught, her forehead creased. Carlisle looked similar, his eyebrows furrowed.

"We're leaving Forks," Alice sombrely announced on our arrival.

"Oh, Edward, are you sure?" Esme asked, stress tightening her vocal chords. Edward nodded.

"Edward doesn't want us to say goodbye to Bella!" Alice cried, looking at me for solace.

"I think a clean break will make it easier for her to move on," he answered mechanically.

"Alice, it's not up to us. This is entirely Edward's decision." Jasper said bluntly.

"Fine. Let's go, Jasper," she said abruptly. "I have to pack." By her change in tone, I could tell she had a vision and was trying to hide something from Edward. It was mildly irritating.

"What is your plan, Edward?" Carlisle asked.

"I have to convince Bella that I don't want her anymore. She'll never move on if she knows I don't want to go. We need to disappear. How long would that take?"

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other, exchanging an unsettling glance.

"Two days to deal with the house," Esme said to him.

"Three at the hospital," Carlisle added. Edward nodded and disappeared outside.

The rest of the day was spent packing up the house. When we left somewhere, we usually filled a truck with whatever we decided to take with us and hire someone to bring it to our destination. Occasionally, Esme would go ahead of us to sort out a place to live and the rest of us would stay behind to close down whatever needed closing down, like the wifi or school enrolment. Then we would pack our cars, secure the house, and leave.

Since we eventually wanted to return to Forks- after everyone who knew us had died off- we left everything intact, meticulously covering all the furniture and artwork in plastic to keep off the dust.