After what seemed longer than all the five years we’d been kept apart from each other, Edward finally drew back, took a look over at Alice, who was pointing adamantly at me, and turned his head back to stare me straight in the eyes.

"Bella, the only thing keeping me from running to find you, to rescue you from that insufferable hell hole, was the knowledge that they weren't going to kill you,” he began, and I assumed Alice wanted him to explain. “That and Alice was constantly reminding me of your wishes, and that we had forever after we were reunited to be together. Oh, and I was trying to keep myself alive too, because I knew that if I got myself killed you wouldn't be too happy. So you see, the pain wasn't so unbearable this time, what with all the distractions keeping me from thinking too much about our separation. I managed to think about you only twenty hours of the day every day, not twenty-four like… like last time." I could tell the words were hard for him to get out; in places it sounded rather like he was choking. It took all I had not to break out of our embrace and rip Chris' head off, as he was chuckling at Edward's pent up emotion.

"I. Hate. You." I growled over my love's shoulder instead, and Edward drew away from me, shocked. "Not you Edward, of course not. I'm talking to him." A snarl escaped my lips, and Edward smiled conspiratorially.

"Shall we kill him now or later?" Demetri gave Chris an angelic smile as Edward and I crouched into position. Behind Demetri, Alice and Jasper followed suit, Jasper throwing the hood off his mane of shaggy blond hair as he did so. Alice caught me looking and winked.

“Missed you Bella,” she whispered, then returned her attention to the large annoyance in the small, cramped room. “And you will pay for that separation, you disgusting, thieving, lying, cheating ass-,” Jasper grabbed her arm quickly as she moved to attack.

“I think a visit to Aro is in order, don’t you agree Edward?” I smiled sweetly over at Chris, who appeared livid – not that he would be able to do much about relieving that anger.