EPOV

“I think we should go back.” Emmett’s loud voice insisted. I don’t know why they bothered to go in the other room. I could hear them just as clearly as ever from my position in the dining room.

“It’s too soon. You don’t know what he’ll do.” Esme’s voice was quieter than Emmett’s, but I could plainly hear the worry in it.

“My dear, I think he’s right. It’s been nearly 50 years. It’s time.” My father responded, hesitantly.

“As much as I hate to admit it, it would be nice to be able to go outside again.” Rosalie’s wind chime voice said. My breathing was coming faster. They couldn’t honestly be considering this! It hadn’t been long enough. The pain was still just a sharp as it had been when I left her. The darkness had not retreated.

“I’m sorry, my son.”Carlisle’s thoughts came to me. For a moment, the dull numbness that had been my constant companion for the last 50 years retreated, giving way to anger. My fists clenched and I bit back a growl.

“Edward, don’t be an idiot. She’s probably long gone by now.”As always, Rose knew just what to say. I exploded inside; pain and anger warred inside of me filling the shell that I had become. I jumped up from the table and ran faster than I ever had before. My only thought was escape, escape from the memories that had never stopped haunting me. Even 50 years later, exactly 50 years today, I still loved her, still wanted her. As I left the small piece of land that we were occupying in Arizona, running out into the heat hazed desert, my family’s thoughts found me.

“Edward, come back to us.”My mother’s pain almost made me turn around.

”Stop being such a wimp. What are you afraid of?”

“We will still go back to Forks. It is your choice whether or not you join us. You and I both knew when we came here that we would have to go back eventually, Edward. This is not the place for us.” Carlisle warned me.

“What is he so worked up about? I’m right.”