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I BET THAT PAINTER, LEONARDO DICAPRIO, LOOKED ALL SEXY IN THAT CUTE, LITTLE TITANIC BOAT
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Edward, Emmett and Harley Quinn climb into the ridiculously expensive, silver car and make their way to their seats. With Harleen in the back and the two brothers in the front, it leads them north to the Cullen residence, which is not too far from the completely destroyed diner.
"See? That was fun, right?" Harley grins behind them. "Just what I needed. As they say, a good ol' smack-a-roo a day keeps the insanity away."
Emmett glances her way, then at the stone cold driver. The air is incredibly tense. Neither of them have said a word to her since they exited the diner. And one thing Harley hates more than Batman is the silent treatment.
"Boo boo." A pout makes its way to her lips as she pulls out a clear tube of black lipstick from her pocket and starts applying it to her lips. Her lips, now tinted with a dark black color, she closes the tube and looks at them. ".. Friggin' whores. Always ruinin' all the fun."
Edward throws a glance at her through his rear-view mirror, clearly unamused. His brother, on the other end, can't help himself from smiling slightly. What can he say? Harleen is a funny gal. Edward focuses back on the road, his grip on the steering wheel firm and tight. They're only thirty miles away from his home, or "the bat cave", as Harley calls it.
In the passenger seat, Emmett glances at Edward, unsure, then at Harley. You can say he hates silence just as much as her. And so he breaks it, unable to stay upset for long. "Well," he starts, "if my opinion makes of anything, those people totally deserved it."
Clearly in agreement, Harley laughs at his comment. They start making conversation, happy in their element of fun and jokes. Edward tunes them out, too focused on getting to Bella as soon as possible.
His car weaves in and out of traffic as they inch closer and closer to their destination. All they have to do is pick up Esme and Rosalie and then they can all go and join Bella in Arizona.
Each second that he spends away from Bella, he can feel his body ache. He genuinely believes that half of him is with her, and that without her he will never be whole.
Behind him and his brother, Harley takes out a cold burrito she took - more like stole - from the diner right before she started her performance, and starts munching on it. She feels like she could use it right about now. "Hmm," she hums and puts a finger up, her mouth full of food. "What about.. Abraham Lincoln?"
"Yep," Emmett replies, grinning.
"Hm... Albert Einstein," Harley asks.
"You're kidding, right?" He smirks at her, then laughs like it's totally normal for someone to meet some of America's most historic figures from decades back and still be alive.
"Man, see? I wish I had, like, super cool time traveling powers," she laughs. "I bet that painter, Leonardo DiCaprio, looked all sexy in that cute, little Titanic boat." She takes another bite of her burrito as Emmett laughs and argues with himself on whether or not he should correct her. "How about Godzilla?"
He throws his head back and laughs louder. "Harley, you realize he's just a myth, right?"
Harley scoffs loudly. "Uh.. totally not true. I saw him at a lake once."
He quirks an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "You mean the Loch Ness Monster?"
"Um... I think," she replies, her response sounding more like a question.
In the driver seat, Edward is snapped out of his thoughts by his brother's howling laughter. He glances their way, then back at the road. It seems as though tonight will never end.
"Uh... Hmm..." Harley pauses as she tries to think of more people her friend, Emmett, could've possibly met.
"We've met a lot of people," Emmett comments. "Except for old people like Cleopatra and stuff."
"Aha! So there are folks ya haven't met yet!" She smirks.
He laughs, his back turned to his window as he faces her.
"Ooh! I know! Chuck E. Cheese," she exclaims. "You haven't met Chuck E. Cheese, have you?"
"Totally not a real person."
"Hmm.. Ronald McDonald," she asks again.
"Are you going to keep doing this the whole trip?" Edward complains through gritted teeth.
Harley pouts and playfully sticks her tongue out at him. Good thing he can't read her mind.
It is then when they hear a distant ringing coming from the car. It's a faint echoing sound that travels inside. Edward presses accept on the phone call connected to his car and focuses back on the road before him. "What," he starts, his teeth clenched tightly.
"Edward," Alice trills.
Harleen looks at the calling device, her eyebrows furrowed with concentration. Is that.. ?
"Is Bella safe," Edward gets straight to the point.
"Yes," Alice replies. "I saw them, Edward. Victoria has been searching for leads and clues hoping to find a way to Bella. Then I saw him in a room. It's long, and there are mirrors everywhere. The floor is wooden. There is a gold stripe across the mirrors. It's still very cloudy – he hasn't made a decision yet. He'll be in this room today or maybe tomorrow. I've also seen him watching something from a VCR in another place but it is too dark to see. He brings the video he watched back to the room with the mirrors, but he doesn't watch it like he does in the dark room. The room with the mirrors is the room where he waits. Something is leading him to those rooms," she explains to him. She pauses, then adds in a low whisper, too low for an eavesdropping Bella to hear. "Edward, I think he's headed towards us.."
Then it's Harley's turn to speak. Before Edward could reply, she leans forwards and speaks into the device. "Alice? Where's Bella? Is she okay?"
"Harley? What are you doing..-" Alice's question is cut off by Edward, whom interrupts her.
"Let me speak to Bella," he demands, gripping onto the steering wheel. "Is she awake?"
Glaring at him, Harley releases a scoff as she leans back in her seat. The severity of the situation dawns upon her. Shit got serious.
"Yes." Alice sighs through the other end.
They wait until she hands Bella the phone.
"Hello?"
"Bella," Edward says devotedly.
Harley relaxes once hearing her cousin's voice. She leans back in, her eyes trained on the device. "Bella? Are you alright over there? They haven't sunk their vampire fangs inta ya yet, have they?"
"Harley? What are you doing there? I thought you were home."
Harleen sighs and waves her hand in the air after rolling her eyes. "Girl, it's a long story," she says casually. "Let's just say I had ta stuff a lotta junk inta tha trunk."
"Wait. Where are you guys," she demands, worried for them rather than herself.
"We're in Forks. Bella, I'm sorry. We think we lost him. He seemed suspicious of us. He was careful to stay just far enough away that I couldn't hear what he's thinking." He releases a deep sigh and continues with a pain to his voice. "Alice said it looks like he found himself someplace else." He doesn't hesitate to leave out the other part about how she also believes that he followed after them.
"I know. Alice saw that he got lost."
"You don't have to worry, though. He won't find anything to lead him to you," he responds with false confidence. "You just have to stay there and wait till we find him again." His voice hints at his disapproval for her doing anything else.
"I'll be fine. Is Esme with Charlie," she asks, concerned. She was always so selfless, worried about everyone else but herself. Her and Harleen are like night and day - two completely different people.
Emmett glances his way.
Edward shares his glance, then looks back at the road. He tries to calm Bella's frenzied nerves as Harley listens into their conversation. "Yes – the female has been in town. She went to the house, but while Charlie was at work. She hasn't gone near him so don't be afraid. He's safe with Esme watching."
This is news to Harleen. "She did what," she squeaks loudly, frightening Bella over the line. "What the hell was she doing?"
Edward quickly looks at her. "Probably trying to pick up the trail. She's been all through the town during the night. Rosalie traced her through the airport, all the roads around town, the school... she's digging, but there's nothing to find." I hope, he adds internally.
"Edward," Bella starts. "Promise me Charlie's safe?"
Edward suppresses a sigh to her ever selflessness, while Harleen suppresses the urge to force his head into the steering wheel for dragging her and Bella into this. "I promise," he vows. "She won't let him out of their sight. And we'll be there soon. If the tracker gets anywhere near Forks, we'll have him." He pictures tearing him to shreds and burning him, hoping that this beating would come sooner than later so he can have Bella in my arms again.
"I miss you," she barely whispers.
His heart aches every second they're apart from each other. He feels torn in two. "I know, Bella. Believe me, I know. It's like you've taken half my self away with you."
"Come and get it, then," she coaxes him.
It's very tempting, but he has to handle the tracker first. He doesn't notice Harley and his adoptive brother pretending to gag in disgust. "Soon, as soon as I possibly can. I will make you safe first," he says fiercely.
"I love you," she croaks.
He has continually put her life in danger since the moment he met her and she still loves him. Despite the situation they're currently in, his heart leaps at her words. "Could you believe that, despite everything I've put you through, I love you, too?"
"Yes, I can, actually," she says matter-of-factly.
"I'll come for you soon," I promises.
"I'll be waiting."
He hangs the phone up, and as soon as he does so, he is instantly dialing another number - Esme. All while he does this, he is making a sharp turn and head into another direction.
Harley hears Esme's voice on the other line.
"Edward," she begins, but he cuts her off to explain what happened.
"Alice thinks that the tracker might be after them. Continue to watch after Charlie and make sure he's safe. Tell Rosalie and Carlisle to continue searching for Victoria. We need to make sure that she isn't able to track Bella. .. There's a change of plans." His lips are blurred at the fast motion of his speech.
"I'll tell him. You three be careful," Esme says affectionately.
"We will." He hangs up the phone.
".. Is it too late to ask for a bathroom break," Harleen suddenly asks behind him.
The day slips away and extinguishes its self as they drive quickly through the dark and winding road towards the airport. Harley's mind is constantly thinking of the many ways she can kill and torture her cousin's vampire boyfriend. Emmett's line of thought was not far from her own, but he really just wants a fight from James. He does want to protect Bella, but he's getting an enjoyment out of this, unlike Edward.
Mid-drive, Edward grabs his cell phone out of his pocket and dials Rosalie's number with Harley eating out of an ice cream cone in the backseat.
"Edward," she answers stiffly, and he knew he doesn't have to be there with her for him to know she's screaming nasty retorts in her mind at him.
"Any updates?"
Harleen sets down her ice cream-filled waffle cone to listen in.
"Carlisle and I have followed Victoria everywhere, but she keeps disappearing. I've waited at the airport since Esme called me to see if she would appear, but no luck," she explains over the phone.
"Where do you think she is now," Emmett asks from his spot in the passenger seat.
"I have no idea where she went, Em. The rain has washed any lingering scent, and between Esme, Carlisle and I we couldn't keep an eye on her, James, Charlie and the airport," she answers.
Emmett sighs. "It's okay, Rose. We'll find her."
"Rosalie, we're on our way to the airport now. Alice believes James had followed her and Bella. Just keep Charlie safe." Edward hangs up the phone. He presses the accelerator down harder and the Volvo groans as they hit one-forty. Panic is present in his thoughts.
They continue to drive throughout the night to finally reach the airport. While they do so, Rosalie and Carlisle carry on with their search for Victoria and James, but neither of them are around. They can't find any traces of their scent anymore. As each hour passes of Edward driving around and no luck of his family finding either of them, Harleen feels an unexpected weight in her chest drop sickeningly down into her stomach. It almost makes her want to regurgitate all the food in her stomach. I feels like there's something wrong, like they're missing something crucial.
Midnight comes and they're still far from the airport, roughly twenty minutes away. And still, neither Rosalie nor Carlisle have luck in finding the two. It is about two in the morning, when all of a sudden Edward feels his phone vibrate. He pulls it out of his pocket. A noticeably ill Harleen leans over his shoulder to read Alice's name on the caller ID, then slumps back in her seat. She feels her heart sink with the rest of her dinner. She regrets eating those spicy chicken wings. When Edward opens it to answer, Alice is speaking so swiftly, he doesn't even have the chance to speak.
"Edward, we were right. James is in Phoenix. I saw it in a vision. He was at her mother's house. You need to get here now! She found out about the vision. I know where the mirrored room is.. He's at her old ballet studio." Alice feels uneasy.
Harleen listens to their conversation, too sick to comment. She simply nods her head with Emmett, understanding what needs to be done.
I'll go with you, Emmett thinks, eager for a fight.
"We're taking the first flight out of Forks. It leaves at five thirty. Then, we're going to take Bella somewhere and hide her. We'll meet you at the airport," Edward rushes through his words while speeding. He hangs up the phone, and in a short time, they're out of Forks. The lights from the town become brighter the closer they race towards the airport.
He glances at the rear-view mirror, seeing Harley's head bop back to reveal the sickly shade of green in her face. "Are you okay?"
Emmett turns his head, only now noticing the sickness in her.
She doesn't respond.
This worries them even more. Emmett reaches for her hand and taps her slightly. Still, she doesn't move or say a word. "Harley?"
Luckily, Edward has the luxury of stopping at a red light to look at her. He unbuckles his seatbelt and turns around, realizing why she's been quiet all along. "Harleen," he calls her name, shaking her leg. "Harleen. Are you alright?"
A small breath escapes her lips as she gathers all her strength to open her eyes. "Yeah," she slurs, feeling an overwhelming sensation rocket up her throat. "I'm good, Eddie.. Just a little car sick - Yurrrp!" Her sentence is cut short as she leans over and projectile all over the center console. Her munched and chewed up wings and ice cream lay before her, threatening to spill onto Edward's lap. Shit. She slowly looks up at him and offers him a shy smile as she wipes the puke off her lips with the back of her hand. "Guess wings and ice cream don't mix well after all.."
A slightly relieved harlequin, a highly amused Emmett and a noticeably angry Edward finally arrive outside the airport. They're queued in line. Each second passes slowly as people weigh their bags and show their ID's. None of them hold any luggage, only Harleen whom carries her duffle bag and pogo stick.
Edward finally reaches the desk with Harley and Emmett standing behind him like children do to their parents whenever they ask for a table at a restaurant. "Hello, we need three tickets to Phoenix, please," he says politely to the man behind the counter.
"We only have first class left," the man informs him.
"That's fine. Three first class tickets then." He smiles to the man behind the counter, hoping he doesn't notice the stench of vomit on his clothes.
The man's heart races along with his mind. He pays no mind to the lurking smell but the two people behind Edward. Emmett stands tall and muscular, alongside Harleen, whom waves and grins at the man like the maniac she is. There is something weird about these guys, especially the small one... creepy, he thinks. He hands the tickets over the counter once they showed proper ID. Luckily, Harley carries her wallet everywhere. You never know when there's a taco stand nearby. And even better for her, she hasn't exploded yet! So that's a plus! She just assumes Emmett and Edward forgot about her probation and that they're not actually willing to risk her life to safe Bella's.
They fly through the airport until they arrive at the gate. The waiting game they have to play tore at her nerves. And each second that Bella is in danger made Edward's insides feel like they're being put through a grinder. Each thought of her being hurt rips through his frozen heart, leaving big gaping holes.
When they enter the plane, they sit quickly in the front. Edward and Harley are stuck together, while Emmett has a whole seat to himself. He sits a couple rows down. As the passengers wait in a long line for others to put their luggage away, Edward is having to concentrate every particle of his mind not to snap their necks, take over the plane and fly it to Phoenix himself. He can feel the pulses of those closest to him and see the slight leaning Harleen is doing as she gags. He flinches at the sight and places a cold hand on her arm. What is wrong with her? This is the quietest and most uncomfortable he's seen her.
Something's not right.
He watches as Harleen controls herself and adjusts herself in her seat, the back of her hand pressed against her lips. She feels like she's ready to vomit everywhere. She notices the worry in his stare and the position of his hand. He quickly retracts his. And just as she opens her mouth to reassure him, she starts gagging again. There's something inside of her, and it ain't food.
His worries turn to curiosity as he watches her lean back in her seat and shut her eyes tightly. The different-toned voices in her head turn muffled, nothing like he's ever seen before.
She's no believer, alright, but you can bet she's praying her little heart out that her slim, black and red AR-15 rifle gun doesn't fire off inside of her. Although, the thought of her brains splattering all over the first class section of an airplane does make her giggle little.
Her quiet laughter is caught by the oldest brother of the two, whom stares at her with careful eyes. What the hell is she up to? He turns his head forwards and takes an unnecessary breath. Take it easy, Edward. I'm sure she's just laughing at a joke she remembered.. We'll get there safe and take Bella away from all this hell. Soon, I'll have her in my arms again.
And just as he relaxes, Harley slumps back in her seat, her head dropping onto his shoulder. She's passed out. Her eyes are closed and her breathing is hard and heavy. His golden colored eyes widen in size as he stares at her, worried and confused. He assumes she's just tired and fell asleep on him. He looks ahead, as stiff as a rock.
When the plane finally speeds down the tarmac, he lays his head back, trying to think of anything else besides the danger he brought upon Bella and the endless of possibilities as to why her crazy cousin was laughing to herself just now. The plane ascends quickly into the early morning sky.
He starts imagining the many places they could go. Isle Esme, perhaps? Or maybe Europe. He contemplates. He begins thinking about him and Bella being alone together. Bella is in immediate danger, but all he can think about is how wonderful it would be to hold her every day and every night and never have to worry about bringing her back. He would let her warm him every chance she gets. His fantasies spin wildly out of control, but it slows down once Harley finally lifts her head off his shoulder.
They stare at each other, silent.
Finally, she breaks eye contact and looks away as he continues to stare at her.
Minutes later, they're officially high up in the air. Edward is reading a book about poetry, Emmett is playing a game of peek-a-boo with a small child nearby and Harleen is in the process of putting in ear phones to watch a movie. Beside her, Edward looks to see what the movie it is because she was recently contemplating all the moves she wants to watch the most.
Kill Bill, of course. He suppresses laughter at Harley's jumbled, but not-too-unbearable-to-hear thoughts. He takes this opportunity to dive deeper into her mind, watching her mentally kick David Carradine's ass. It's quite entertaining.
"We are about to land in Phoenix, Arizona where the time is nine twenty-seven. Looks like we are going to be arriving on a beautiful sunny day, where the temperature is eighty eight degrees," the stewardess announces over the intercom.
The plane begins to descend towards Phoenix. All he can think about is running across the airport and embracing Bella. The thought of her blushing face as he brings her lips to his in greeting sends him above the edge. He is holding himself to the seat, trying not to leap up and break through the plane.
"Uh, Edward... yer about'a break the seat's arm rests." Harley smirks in his direction, her flimsy ear phones in her hand.
He looks down and realizes that he had left large hand imprints on the seats. He folds his arms across his chest, containing himself from breaking anything else. Harleen laughs and inserts her earphones back in.
A moment later, she jolts as the plane lands onto the concrete air strip. Edward starts to feel a sign of relief when he hears Alice's thoughts.
Looks like his plane just landed. I hope Jasper brings Bella back from getting breakfast soon.
Jasper is alone with Bella? He's instantly nervous. Why would she let him take her somewhere with no supervision? The plane moves slowly down the tarmac until they reach the gate. The slowness of the air crew has Harleen day dreaming of just bursting through the side of the airplane to vomit out the automatic weapon shoved up inside of her. She thought this would've been as easy as her performing her classic circus act - sword swallowing, but it isn't. The door is finally opened and they let first class off the plane.
They're the first ones to the exit, but then they have to deal with the crowd outside the airplane. Harley begins to edge through the crowd at the fastest human pace you can imagine. Each second of knowing how close she is to getting out of this hell hole but still not quite out there sends panic surging through her veins. As they move closer to the baggage claim, Edward begins to stare over the heads of the crowd, looking for any sign of Bella. Out of nowhere, Alice stands stock still in front of them with a piece of paper in her hand. Her eyes are wide with horror. Immediately after Harley's eyes landed on her, she drops everything and runs to her, wrapping her into a strong hug.
"Alice," she squeaks, holding her tight. "Oh, my gosh! Thank God you're okay." Her smile drops once she pulls away from the hug, noticing the look of fear in Alice's eyes. She's having a vision. Emmett and Edward arrive behind her with her duffle bag.
"Alice, what is that," Edward gasps instantly after his sister is snapped out of her vision.
"Wait. What's goin' on?" Harley stares at them with wide eyes.
Alice glances at her, then at her brother. She's hiding something from him as she begins to think of different fashion designers from around the world. "It's from Bella," she cries quietly.
"Where is she?" Edward starts looking around the crowd, hoping beyond hope that she's not in some sort of danger. Alice's hand holds out the piece of parchment. Harley watches him snatch it out of her hand and quickly read over it.
Edward,
I love you. I am so sorry. He has my mom and I have to try. I know it may not work. I am so very, very sorry. Don't be angry with Alice and Jasper. If I get away from them it will be a miracle. Tell them thank you for me. Alice especially, please. And please, please don't come after him. That's what he wants, I think. I can't bear it if anyone has to be hurt because of me, especially you. Please, this is the only thing I can ask you now. For me.
I love you. Forgive me.
Bella.
"Wasn't she in the airport with you," he shouts, angry in the face.
Alice cringes from my words but her face shows great sadness. "Yes," she whispers.
"Edward," Harley warns, protective of Alice.
"Where's Jasper?" He ignores her warnings, his eyes narrowed. He begins to see through a red tint.
Alice glances at her protector, then, starts to show him two terrifying visions she had since Emmett and him left Seattle. He dives into her mind as the future continually shifts. The first is a vision of Bella lying on the ground in the ballet studio, he assumes, beaten and dead with James standing over her – blood dripping from the corners of his mouth. He feels like he can barely stand. His life is over, gone. She shows him the second vision. Bella telling Jasper she has to go to the bathroom and her running straight through to another exit, fleeing the airport alone.
Unconsciously, he runs towards the bathroom in Alice's vision. Jasper appears in his vision and he hears his thoughts. She sure is taking a long time to go to the bathroom. I guess I'm not sure how long it takes for someone to go to the bathroom.
He rushes past him and into the ladies bathroom. Loud screams erupt as he starts opening stall after stall, looking for Bella. He can barely smell her presence in the bathroom. Harley and the rest of his family fly in behind him. Immediately, she turns her head to look at Bella's caretaker, Jasper.
"Why didn't you watch her," she cries out, about to burst into tears. Her stomach starts plummeting horribly as each second passes.
"She asked to go to the bathroom. I didn't know she would... run away," Jasper looks shocked and ashamed.
Edward ignores the threatening stance Harleen takes against his brother, as he doesn't have time to waste. He has to find Bella before she walks into James' lethal hands. He takes in a deep breath, trying to locate her scent. When he finds it, he flies out of the bathroom using the other exit. He runs towards an elevator. He presses the button several times impatiently. The elevator is too slow, so he rushes down the stairs, opening the door to each floor to take a whiff of the air, looking for Bella. He finally opens the door to the most delicious fragrance, like she was standing in front of him.
It must've not been long ago that she was there. He continues to take in deep breaths of the glorious fragrance until he's running outside where her scent no longer lingers at the end of the side walk. He looks up, the warm sun shining brightly in the sky. He looks down at the edge of the shadow he stands on - where Bella last stood. He falls to his knees as he realizes he couldn't follow. Pain begins to sear through his veins as he realizes he was too late to save her. A scream of agony almost escapes his lips as his body rips into two. There is no way to find her. He realizes that his other half, Bella, would forever be gone.
Minutes later, Harley is mentally listing all the possible ways to kill Edward Cullen. Her eyes are narrowed at him, who now sits in the driver seat of a rented car. "What did Alice see again?"
"A lot of blood," he answers. It's a simple answer, too simple for her.
Something is obstructing her throat. Blood..? "Anything else?"
"Nothing obvious, it was blurry." Bella possibly becoming a vampire, he adds mentally. Silence. He shifts into second gear as they turn a corner, the RPM running close to red light as he speeds towards the I-ten. He presses the accelerator down harder as he switches into third gear. The engine roars in approval at his speed. It is only point eight miles to the exit he needs to take.
FIN