Title: Divide and Conquer

Rating: T ;; for language and some violence.

Summary: The figure stood before me, its black menacing eyes staring me down. This being had given me a choice, do or die. But you see; my life wasn't the one that would end. The life in danger was infinitely more precious. It was his.

Notes: And the sequel begins…

The dry sobs wracked my body, as the winter breeze blew my hair through the frigid air. I fell to my knees in the snow, burying my face in my hands. My unnecessary breaths were coming out in labored gasps, burning my throat as my head spun.

My chest burned; an empty hole where my heart should have been. The edges of the holes itched, as the rest of my chest was aflame, causing me to gasp in agony.

He couldn't.

He wouldn't.

He did.

I removed my hands from my face, my entire body shaking. It wasn't from the cold, either. He had loved me. He asked me to be his wife, to be with him for eternity. I laughed humorlessly at my ignorance. No good things last forever. I should have known. I was foolish for believing that my fairytale ending would last.

The image still burned in my eyes. Even when I snapped my lids shut, the image was permanently etched in my mind. I had trusted her. I had considered her a friend. But now I only saw her as the one who took him from me.

Cold arms wrapped around me from behind, and he rested his chin on my shoulder. "Bella please," he pleaded, "Let me explain."

"No!" I tried to sound angry, but the tone sounded forced, the complete despair masking the anger in my voice. With my new-found strength, I ripped away from him quickly, and stood up.

His pained eyes stared back at me, the ache rolling off him in tangible waves. He opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it closed again, unsure of what to say.

"Bella," he said, "I swear to you, what you saw—it wasn't—I would never."

I blinked, my eyes stinging from the tears I could not cry. I still shook, my chest burning hot, stinging like a stake through the heart. Oh, the irony.

"Please," he said.

I closed my eyes, and reopened them, taking a deep breath, preparing myself for what I was actually about to do.

"It's over, Edward." I said, my voice breaking.

"Bella—I…" he looked pained.

"Tell the others that I'll call." I told him, my eyes secretly memorizing his face one last time. "I hope you two are happy."

He made an attempt to grab my arm, but I flinched away.

"Don't do this," he said, his eyes soft. "God dammit Bella, let me explain."

I just ran.

I ran as far from him as I could, leaving my heart behind me. I ran through the forest, barely avoiding the trees flying past me. I kept moving until I ran into what felt like a brick wall.

It was the last person I expected, and at the same time, the one I knew that I should have been waiting for, for a very long time.

"Hello Isabella," he said, a smug smile on his beautiful face.

"You!" I snapped.

He laughed maliciously. "Come with me, Bella."

"Or what?" I sneered, standing my ground.

"He dies,"

I looked behind me, even though Edward was miles, and miles away. I turned back to the vampire before me, and nodded slowly.

Edward no longer loved me. He loved her. And yet, I couldn't refuse to follow this man, who threatened him. I shouldn't have cared. It shouldn't matter to me whether he lived, or died. But I did. I cared very much.

Without her telling me, I knew where he was taking me. He was taking me to them. And I didn't even care. I knew what they wanted, and I would do what I had to, to keep Edward breathing.

He grinned. "I thought you would see things my way."

And I followed him through the darkness.