A/N - this is my first fan fiction. I want constructive critisism, not just "you suck" please? Also, reveiws give me motivation choughhintcough
Disclaimer - I am not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse or their characters.
I was running up the stairs after coming down to say goodnight to Charlie. He had noticed I looked wound up as I told him I felt tired. Of course I do, I thought, I am going to see Edward after he's been gone two days for hunting. Knowing him, he thought I was sneaking out, so I had gone down to prove him wrong, that I wasn't sneaking out. Now, someone sneaking in, and I am sure it had never even crossed his mind, was closer to the mark. As I approached the top of the stairs, my foot caught the hem of my pyjama pants and I fell, hands flailing in front of me. I hit with a loud thump. I looked up just in time to see a set of worried topaz eyes staring back at me. After I smiled, trying to silently tell Edward I was ok, he retreated quickly into my room.
"Ow…" I mumbled.
"Bella?" His worried face appearing at the bottom of the steps.
"I'm fine," I muttered, loud enough for him to hear. I rubbed my shin. "Just my usual inability to keep my balance." I smiled, hoping he would see that I was fine.
"Are you sure?" his voice wavered, always being the overprotective parent.
"Yes," I said as I got up and walked up the stairs. "Goodnight." I opened my door, and Charlie seemed to have gone back to the T.V. I shut the door quickly and turned to glare at my bed. Edward was lying there, smiling. "Why didn't you catch me?" I complained as I walked over, all anger leaving as I stepped closer to my personal slice of heaven. "I could have done without Charlie slowing me down."
Edward smirked. "I'm not that fast."
I walked over to him and lay down beside him. He turned onto his side, so I turned toward him. His cool, gentle hands turned me over, so that my back was to him, and hugged me to him. He started to curl into a ball around me. As his calf pressed to the back of my leg, I gasped. "C-c-cold!" I stuttered as I pulled away reflexively. My leg came bare up to me knee, the cloth of my sweats splayed out behind it. "Aw…" I moaned. "Now I have to sew, and we all know how that would end." I shuddered. I got up to dig through my drawer to find a replacement pair for the night when Edward's hand shot out and latched onto my wrist. "Hey," I whispered, indignantly, "I have to get a good set of pyjamas..."
"I like them this way," Edward smiled my favourite, heart-melting crooked smile. My indignation melted away.
"Cheater," I mumbled as I lay back on the bed, pulling the covers over me this time. "You know, cheaters never prosper."
"I think I just did though," he laughed as he pressed his face against my hair. He started to hum notes to my lullaby, the sound vibrating though me.
"I don't want to sleep," I mumbled. A traitorous yawn escaped my lips. I was getting so used to him being there as I drifted to sleep that when he left it was hard to sleep at all.
"Just shut your eyes," he whispered, lips brushing the back of my ear.
My eyes slid shut, and I slid into unconsciousness. That was the first night I had the dream.
It was a dark, dank wood. There was mist all around. I was running, and amazingly I was still standing. I glanced over my shoulder and there it was.
It was tall. I couldn't tell exactly but I knew it towered over me. The only clear feature was its striking red eyes. I turned back and pushed myself faster. A branch caught my foot and I went sprawling on the forest floor. I heard it catch up as I turned over to face it and it towered over me terrifyingly. It reached down, still a shadow, and brushed my shoulder. That was the first time I noticed it was warm out. I was wearing a tank top and the hand felt extremely cold. I jerked back, but it grabbed my shoulders, keeping me close. It eyed my shoulder, or, more specifically, the blue vein there. It bent forward. I looked away, but I could still feel its teeth sink into my shoulder. Fire burned in the veins that surrounded the bite mark.
"EDWARD!" I screamed. His protective arms curled around me when the first sound passed my lips.
"Shh… It's ok," he murmured. "I'm here for you." Suddenly, his protective, comforting arms were gone. The door creaked open.
"Bella!" Charlie called as he quickly closed the space between us. "What happened?"
"I had a nightmare," I shook. My voice was cracked and on edge.
"Are you sure…" he gave me an odd look. I was sure if I could read his mind that he was thinking that Edward had done something.
"Yes," I shivered. "I am sure. I just wanna go to sleep." Well, not sleep, I thought.
"If you're sure…" Charlie looked torn. He finally got up and walked out, but not without casting a wary glance over his shoulder. "Goodnight," he muttered as he shut the door. The moment he was gone, stone arms encircled me. I could feel the tension in them.
"What's wrong?" I asked, turning my head to see him. I heard him take several deep breaths to calm down.
"It's your father," he started, "He thinks that I hurt you… or… something," he admitted grudgingly. I could hear him grind his teeth. I was surprised that he'd be affect that strongly by what my dad said. Then I noticed his reluctance to say the end.
"Edward, he always assumes the worst," I comforted, "And I know that you wouldn't do that."
With a sigh, he gently laid me down, lying beside me. My eyes slipped closed for the second time that night.
