I shook my head, tears spattering from my eyes with the sharp motion. I pulled my arm free, and he didn't fight me.

"Don't die, Bella," he choked out. "Don't go. Don't."

What if I never saw him again?

The thought pushed me past the silent tears; a sob broke out from my chest. I threw my arms around his waist and hugged for one too-short moment, burying my tear-wet face against his chest. He put his big hand on the back of my hair, as if to hold me there.

"Bye, Jake." I pulled his hand from my hair, and kissed his palm. I couldn't bear to look at his face. "Sorry," I whispered.

Then I spun and raced for the car. The door on the passenger side was open and waiting. I threw my backpack over the headrest and slid in, slamming the door behind me.

"Take care of Charlie!" I turned to shout out the window, but Jacob was nowhere in sight.

As Alice stomped on the gas and – with the tires screeching like human screams – spun us around to face the road, I caught sight of a shred of white near the edge of the trees. A piece of a shoe.

"That's it," Alice said handing the book to Edward.

Chapter Nineteen

Race

"Race," Edward read.

We made our flight with seconds to spare, and then the true torture began.

"Yeah, there's no way to make the plane go faster," Alice groaned.

"We really should get our own plane," Emmett said, smirking. "That would be awesome."

"And that's why we don't have one," Edward said, making a face; Emmett had obviously thought of something inappropriate.

The plane sat idle on the tarmac while the flight attendants strolled – so casually – up and down the aisle, patting the bags in the overhead compartments to make sure everything fit. The pilots leaned out of the cockpit, chatting with them as they passed. Alice's hand was hard on my shoulder, holding me in my seat while I bounced anxiously up and down.

"It's faster than running," she reminded me in a low voice.

I just nodded in time with my bouncing.

At last the plane rolled lazily from the gate, building speed with a gradual steadiness that tortured me further. I expected some kind of relief when we achieved liftoff, but my frenzied impatience didn't lessen.

"At least running gives you the impression that you're doing something," Edward said.

"But it's not faster," Alice said. "And we need every second we can get."

Alice lifted the phone on the back of the seat in front of her before we'd stopped climbing, turning her back on the stewardess who eyed her with disapproval. Something about my expression stopped the stewardess from coming over to protest.

"The poor stewardess has probably never seen anyone as panicked as Bella is before," Emmett chuckled.

I tried to tune out what Alice was murmuring to Jasper; I didn't want to hear the words again, but some slipped through.

"I can't be sure, I keep seeing him do different things, he keeps changing his mind…A killing spree through the city,

"Edward," Esme gasped and Carlisle frowned.

"I don't think I would really go through with that," Edward muttered and he looked like he hoped that was true.

attacking the guard, lifting a car over his head in the main square…mostly things that would expose them – he knows that's the fastest way to force a reaction…"

"No, you can't." Alice's voice dropped

"You won't let me help," Jasper muttered.

"Only Bella can help him," Alice said, and she feared what else would be in this book.

"That's right...if he sees or hears us..." Jasper sighed.

till it was nearly inaudible, though I was sitting inches from her. Contrarily, I listened harder. "Tell Emmett no…Well, go after Emmett and Rosalie and bring them back… Think about it, Jasper. If he sees any of us, what do you think he will do?"

"Awww... I don't get to have any fun," Emmett pouted.

She nodded. "Exactly. I think Bella is the only chance – if there is a chance…I'll do everything that can be done, but prepare Carlisle; the odds aren't good."

Carlisle put his head in his hands as he thought of losing his son and possibly his daughters as well; without seeming to realize it, the Cullens had already adopted Bella into the family.

She laughed then, and there was a catch in her voice. "I've thought of that…Yes, I promise."

Her voice became pleading. "Don't follow me. I promise, Jasper. One way or another, I'll get out…And I love you."

"You'd better," Jasper said.

"I will," Alice said, and then as if she knew exactly what her book self was going to say. 'Edward don't read the next line,'

Edward hesitated for a moment and then frowned.

'It goes on too long for you to skip that doesn't it?' Alice groaned in her head and Edward gave a slight nod of his head.

She hung up, and leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed. "I hate lying to him."

"What?" Jasper snapped his head to her. "You were lying to me?"

"Jazz, you couldn't come..." Alice sighed.

"Whatever...that's not what I care about," Jasper said impatiently. "You're coming back!"

"I don't know what will happen yet," Alice sighed. "I would try my hardest to come back...that's not a lie."

Jasper glared at her but didn't say anything else.

"Tell me everything, Alice," I begged. "I don't understand. Why did you tell Jasper to stop Emmett, why can't they come help us?"

"Two reasons," she whispered, her eyes still closed. "The first I told him. We could try to stop Edward ourselves – if Emmett could get his hands on him, we might be able to stop him long enough to convince him you're alive. But we can't sneak up on Edward. And if he sees us coming for him, he'll just act that much faster. He'll throw a Buick through a wall or something, and the Volturi will take him down.

"That's the second reason of course, the reason I couldn't say to Jasper. Because if they're there and the Volturi kill Edward, they'll fight them, Bella." She opened her eyes and stared at me, beseeching. "If there were any chance we could win… if there were a way that the four of us could save my brother by fighting for him, maybe it would be different. But we can't, and, Bella, I can't lose Jasper like that."

"And you think I could lose you like that?" Jasper asked.

"No," Alice sighed. "But you would do the same thing."

"Yes," Jasper sighed too.