Disclaimer: I own nothing...

Chapter 12

Hermione looked around her. Her parents were giving their luggages for storage and she just stood there, motionless as she remembered everything that had happened the last few days. How that asshole, Dolohov, attacked her and her vampire lover saved her. Her dates with Edward, his story and all the happy memories she had with him. Their night together, making love...

His hurtful words that pierced her heart and left her bleeding...

Her despair was probably showing on her face because people gave her weird looks. The women looked understanding, the men curiously. The pain of a broken heart was common to everyone, no matter the language barrier.

Her eyes unwittingly turned behind her, still hoping that he would show up, that he would come to claim her and confess his love for her. She might be strong and a realist but Hermione was still a woman; a young woman in love...

"Hermione?"

She lifted her orbs to her father.

"We are boarding, dear." he smiled and she felt like sobbing.

Later... When you are back with your friends you can weep all you want! She chastised herself and answered her father's smile with a little one of her own. Her eyes however remained sad and hollow.

"Splendid!" she cheered and walked to the long line, ignoring the concerning looks her parents exchanged.

She was going home and that was that. She and Edward were just not meant to be...

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"Come on, come on, come on!" he chanted as he watched the driver raced through the busy streets of Rio de Janeiro, avoiding crashing into another vehicles or passer by's in the last minute, never slowing down and taking sharp turns, sending Edward flying in the sides. But he didn't care.

As long as he managed to find her before it was too late, he could take everything. He felt his phone vibrating and thoughtlessly pulled it out and saw a missed call from Rosalie. He dialed her number, watching the airport coming into view. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was here finally! He would see his Hermione soon.

He wanted to kiss her, hold her and cherish her and never let her go. He wanted her by his side always; he didn't care what was against them. He only needed Hermione. Everything else, he could deal with.

The phone started ringing. Rosalie answered just as he threw almost two thousand dollars to the shocked taxi driver and stepped out. He looked up, making sure the sun was still hidden.

"Hey, Edward." Rosalie's nervous voice flowed through the speaker. Edward felt irritation building up his stomach. Why he did call her back? "Listen, I have something to tell you..."

"Listen Rose, can you call back later? I have something to do and it cannot wait-"

"Bella jumped off a cliff, Edward." she spoke calmly to his ear and he froze. His body came to a halt as his eyes widened.

"What?"

"She committed suicide. Alice saw her."

"Lies!" he growled, and before she could speak, he snapped his phone shut. He dialed a familiar number; his heart squeezed painfully in his ribcage as he brought the phone to his ear and waited for someone to answer. No, it couldn't be! He had asked her to keep safe. She was supposed to be safe and sound. She was supposed to move on with someone, fall in love again and start a family.

His feelings for her were still strong. He now realized that it was indeed possible to love two different individuals at the same time. Bella and Hermione were so different and he loved them both for their personalities.

How ironic that was that he used to believe that everyone who claimed that they were in love with two women/men was a cheater, liar, and a fool. And now, he was divided in half. He could really congratulate himself for screwing up with both girls.

"Swan Residence," came a baritone, warm voice and he fought back a growl.

"Is Charlie there, please?" he spoke softly and he heard the man shifting, like he recognized his voice. Truly, when he answered back, his voice was colder.

"He's not here." he almost snapped and Edward gripped his phone tighter.

"And where is he?" he demanded, holding his breath.

"At a funeral."

He froze his heart breaking and his breathing increasing. He unceremoniously dropped the phone to a rubbish bin, not noticing the young boy that looked at him, then at the phone, shrugged his shoulders and took it.

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb" he said morosely as he stared at her soft, chocolate eyes.

"What a stupid lamb" she answered back, quietly.

"What a masochistic lion." he murmured as he traced her face.

Bella, Bella, Bella.

Sweet, innocent Bella.

His first love, the girl he thought he would love forever.

Her warm eyes that caused his breath to hitch and was the first one to melt his frozen heart.

So different yet so similar to his Hermione.

Both had stolen a piece of his heart and gave theirs willingly to him, asking for nothing back.

Both had their hearts broken by him...

He was a monster.

He didn't deserve to live, not after what he did to her.

Hermione, his beautiful, strong Hermione.

She would be okay. She thought he never cared for her. She thought he only used her. She would be fine...

If he went for her...

He would cause her pain and eventually death as he did to the sweet, trusting Bella.

He opened his eyes and found himself looking at the ticket office.

"How can I help you?"

He stared at her. He gave her his credit card.

"A ticket to Italy, please."

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"Hermione?"

She turned to look at her mother. She was looking outside her window seat, absorbed in her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Put your seat belt on, sweetie. We're taking off." Helen smiled at her daughter.

"Oh, thanks." Hermione put her belt on and turned to look at the pavement that started disappearing under the plane's wheels. She closed her eyes. This was the worst part of the trip for her: the take off.

"It's okay now, darling." the flight attendant said to her with a warm smile and she stared at the huge city below her.

Rio de Janeiro...

The city where she met love... And found heartbreak.

So many memories, good and bad.

She was broken; her heart still bleeding from his betrayal. She would heal.

After all, time healed every wound.

She had her friends and family to support her after all. She smiled genuinely for the first time that day.

She was finally going home...

A/N: littleriri1148 I hope you'll enjoy this as much as I enjoyed creating this story! Have fun reading and do tell me your opinion!

For everyone interest in the sequel of this story, titled Choices, you can get a sneak peak of the Prologue and the posting date in my blog, link in my profile!

Also check my photobucket for pictures of the characters.

Hope you all had/have lovely holidays!

Love,

Alex...