(( So a few things before you read. This story is inspired by Let the right one in, which is an amazing book. This story shares some basic plot ideas. Secondly this story was adopted from user Sleepy ocean and rewritten with her permission after discussing ideas.
This story has very mature themes. If that makes you uncomfortable please don't read. Jasper is a lot older than in the twilight saga. Jasper, Edward and Bella's are all 11 physically.
Enjoy))
3POV
It was raining. It was always raining in Forks. The sky was black and the there was a biting wind. The man stumbled from the bar, cursing loudly. The bartender had taken his keys, and there was no way he was calling a cab. He walked down the long dirt road home. Lined with forest, it would have been a beautiful walk during the day. But at night it made everything pitch black. He was an older man, unafraid to walk alone in the small town. Nothing ever happens in Forks. Nothing publicly.
He saw them from a distance illuminated by moonlight . Two small figures. His breathing picked up. Two children. His mind flashed to distant memories. Memories of his son. Memories of his son crying and begging him to stop. Oh yes, he was a sinner. But no one had ever caught him. No one knew what he had done. He lived alone now, mainly known as the town drunk. No one would notice if he was gone a week or two with these children. His cabin was in the woods. No one would hear anything.
Licking his lips he approached the two figures. Two young boys. They wouldn't have been more than 11 or 12. They were beautiful. One has messy copper hair wearing a hoodie and long pants. The other long blonde curls wearing a white shirt and jeans without any shoes. They were both thin and dirty. Drifters maybe. No one who would be missed. He could feel his excitement grow. What he could do with two boys.
But he noticed something off when he got closer to the boys. The blonde boy was covered in scars. White lines everywhere. On his face and bare arms... The man stopped walking when one of the boys stood up.
"Please help us sir. My brother is so cold. We just want to get warm. Please, we will do anything. ". The copper hair boy said, voice shaking. The man felt himself feel pity for the boys. Such beautiful creatures in the cold. Even scarred, the blonde boy was beautiful. Those lips..
"Anything? " the man repeated, taking a step closer to the boys in the dark night. Their dark eyes looked at him. They looked almost black.
The copper haired boy moved closer and the blonde boy reached for the mans hand. The man grabbed the icy hand and gasped while pulling him up. He really was ice cold. He ran his fingers over hand that was so small in his own, and reached up to cup the blonde boys chin. Dirty thoughts raced through his head.
"Do you want to fuck him like you did to the other little boys?" The copper haired boy asked, the shaking in his voice gone. It was harsh. Too harsh for a child. The man yanked his hand away from the scarred boy and turned around to face the other.
"What did you say to me you little fucking shit." He hissed. No one knew what he did. He made sure of it. But it was already too late for the man.
Panic flooded his senses as he heard a growl and suddenly the two boys were on top of him each latched onto the side of his neck. He tried to scream but nothing came out. The darkness was coning so fast. He couldn't feel anything anymore. But he did hear a voice before the blackness.
"Burn in hell"
The two boys dragged the body into the tree line, pushing it into a predug hole and covered it carefully, replacing leaves to make the scene look uninterrupted.
"No one will find him until spring.. did you see where he lives?" The blonde boy asked softly. Taking human lives always had an emotional toll on Jasper. Edward knew when they got to the mans house, he would break down. He always did after a kill, no matter how evil the victim. While he saw their last moments in their thoughts, Jasper was the one who had to feel their last emotions.
Edward nodded as he led the way to their temporary new home.
BPOV
The leaves were starting to dry up, and the smell of them burning filled the afterschool air of Forks. The school bus was full of chatter, and laughter of kids, everyone pushing to sit near that back. I , of course, sat in the front alone, awkwardly avoiding the eye contact of other kids. It was my first year of middle school, and I seemed to be the only one who didn't change over the summer. Everyone else had different hair styles, tighter clothes, or cooler personalities. I was the same old Bella, with the same plain wavy hair, and the same plain face. I was in my favorite sweater, an overly large zip up that looked like a lamb. The white material had the texture of their wool, and the hood even had two little ears attached to it. I had the hood pulled over my head, trying to hide my face from the other kids. But it didn't work, and never did.
"Isabellaaa."
I looked up to see Lauren staring at me, a big smile on her face. I frowned. Her clothes were tight, and she looked like a kid who gotten into her mom's makeup. She reminded me of my own mother, in the way of trying too hard.
"You look like an idiot. Why are you wearing baby clothes?" she teased, her hands flicking at my hood. I blushed, and looked down. I hoped she would just go away, and leave me alone. She didn't. She sat next to me, and I looked up at her in surprise.
"Don't you have boobs yet Isabella?" she said, and put her hands on the little boobs she had."No one is ever going to like you if you dress like a baby. Don't you want to be sexy?"
I blushed harder, and looked at my lap, trying to hide. Lauren huffed in aggravation, and glared at me.
"Why don't you fucking talk? " she growled, and I flinched.
"I have nothing to say." I whispered out quietly. It was the truth. Words were pointless. It was just a combination of sounds she wouldn't listen to anyway.
"You're a freak." she said, and got up, walking back to the end of the bus. The bus came to a halt, and I got up, dragging my heavy backpack. I could hear them laughing as I exited the bus, and they yelled something indistinguishable as the bus passed. My head hung low. I was a loner. A loser. I walked to my mom's house in silence, and found the door unlocked. Walking in slowly, I heard noises from something in the living room. I walked slowly to the edge of the room, and looked in to see my mom and another man.
She was laying with her head thrown back, her legs spread. The man was kissing her neck, one hand holding her head, and another lurking under her skirt. He was on top of her. Her make up was smudged, and neither of them noticed me. She was with another man on the couch where my dad use to sit with us. Where we use to laugh together. When we use to be happy. I wanted them to stop.
I threw my back pack down with a crash, and they both looked up to me in shock.
"Isabella!" my mom yelled and I ran before she could say anything else. I couldn't tell if I was trying to out run my embarrassment or the shame, but I ran faster than I ever ran in my life. The cold wind whipped my cheeks, and my lungs burned every time I took a breath. I must have ran 10 blocks before I collapsed at a small park I use to play at as a child. I was overwhelmed with emotions, and could feel tears fall down my cheek slowly. I picked up a stick, and walked to the monkey bars. Looking at a thick supporting bar, I swung the stick, and a small piece broke off the end. I swung over and over again, mumbling things under my breath, letting tears roll down my cheeks. I was angry. Angry that everything always went wrong for me. The pieces broke off the stick, slowly making it shorter and shorter. I wondered curiously if this was how my life was, and if soon there will be nothing left.
"What are you doing?" a velvet voice asked, though it wasn't asked mockingly. The voice held only curiosity
3pov
Jasper was having flashbacks again. Edward knew this because he could see into his thoughts. Jasper was a lot older than him, by hundreds of years. But he was turned as a child like him. He had found Edward lost and alone in Chicago right after he was turned. Children vampires were not allowed. If they were found, they would be killed. He was reminded of this by Jasper's memories. The torture he had endured, the scars that coated his skin. They could never trust anyone but each other.
Edward knew Jasper's panic attacks and flashbacks were set off by the killing of the old man. They had gotten to the house that night and covered all the windows. As soon as they blacked out the house, Jasper went to shower. That's how it always began. It never mattered how many humans they killed, or how evil the person was. All Jasper felt was the pain and fear. It triggered something inside of him that made him get lost in the memories. He would sit in the shower and frantically scrub the blood off. Then he'd try to srub off the scars. Edward would get him then and bring him to the bedroom. He would sit in the corner of a room for days after, lost. He only thing that brought him to reality was fresh blood. Blood he didn't kill to get. Edward knew it meant Jasper's days of killing were coming to an end. If he didn't kill for them, his mentor would starve. If he let him continue to kill, he was sure Jasper would end up killing himself. The thought of being alone in the world for eternity terrified him. He left the house thankful for a cloudy sky. He needed to get blood.
Edward had Jasper but he was still lonely. The breaks in his mind made him even lonelier. Maybe that's why he had befriended the human girl. He saw her from the woods, smashing her stick to bits. He silently watched her for a long time. He longed for a friend. Maybe that was the child part of him that didn't die. He listened to the emotion in her muttering. But he couldn't hear her thoughts. She was innocent and beautiful. He felt a need to protect her. And with her he felt like he had always wanted. Like a child. Carefree. Excited to see her. Even the burn in his throat wasn't so bad.
Edward could have killed her then. He wanted to. It had been days since the old pervert. But he couldn't hear her. And his curiosity overwhelmed his hunger. He instead spoke to her.
BPOV
I turned to see a pale, bronze haired boy staring at me. He looked really tired, with dark circles under his eyes. Dressed in only a t shirt and jeans, and looked about my age. But I had never seen this boy before, and he wasn't from the reservation. I felt my heart flutter.
"I..I'm upset." I said slowly, blushing in embarrassment. Great. Another person thought I was a freak. He stepped forward a couple steps, and looked at me deeply. I twitched uncomfortably, and then noticed his eye color. They were red. Blood red.
"Why are you eyes that color?" I breathed. He smiled a sad smile, and looked away.
"I don't want you to be upset." he said quietly, ignoring my question. I felt my brow furrow in confusion, and I looked at my feet. I felt tears start to come up, and I cursed myself for being so weak.
"Why do you care?" I whispered, taking a step back. I heard him move towards me, but before I could look up, I felt two stone arms wrap around me. I stood still as he hugged me into his chest. This contact was foreign, but I melted into it. My heart was fluttering, and I blushed deeply, but not out of embarrassment. My head swam with an unknown euphoria. It felt nice to have someone care.
"Because you are innocent and because I want to be your friend." he whispered, and released me slowly, taking a few steps back.
"My friend? No one wants to be my friend" I replied in disbelief.
"I do. You're not like anyone else. Besides I don't have friends either" he said, and smiled at me. He extended his hand."My name is Edward."
I met his hand and shook it, feeling how icy cold his fingers were. He was probably freezing, as it was the middle of October. I wondered where his sweater was. Where his parents were.
"I'm Bella." our fingers separated, and he stepped back, looking the direction of the park's parking lot. Charlie was exiting his car, while calling my name. She would send him. I looked back to Edward, to ask if he wanted a ride home, to see he was gone. Charlie walked up next to me, and frowned. He looked where I was staring, but dismissed it when he saw nothing.
"Bella, why did you run from your mom? You almost gave her a heart attack." he said sternly, and I looked down at my feet. It was to hard to explain, and the effort wasn't worth it. I stayed silent. We walked back to his cruiser, and he turned on the heat full blast when we got in. We started the drive home but he cleared his throat to speak when we hit a red light.
"Bella...You know if you want to move in with me...You always can...I mean...If you wanted to...I'm just..I'm saying I'm here for you." he rumbled out, trying horribly to sound confident. He looked to me, and I nodded. We had a silent understanding. It was why I loved Charlie. We never needed words. The cruiser pulled into the driveway of Renee's house, and I looked over to see Charlie exiting as well. He followed me to the front door, and I knocked, Renee opened the door, no longer in a skirt, and boobie shirt, but in a turtle neck and pants. An lie to look better of course. She looked angrily at Charlie, but ushered both of us in.
I knew what was coming, so I ran up the stairs. I shut my door and looked around the childishly pink room. They had painted it together when they found out Renee was pregnant with a girl. Back when they had loved each other.
Sure enough two minutes later, I heard Renee screeching, and Charlie trying to get her to be quiet. It was how their marriage had always went. Renee would complain scream and yell to get her way, and Charlie would give her whatever she wanted to get her to shut up. I walked to my bed, ignoring my homework, and didn't bother taking off my sweater. I pulled the covers up to my neck, and the hood over my face. I thought of Edward, and imagined how cold he must be, but sleep only found me when I imagined myself in his arms.
3rdpov
Edward starred at Jasper terrified. He has never seen these memories before.
He saw the memory from Jasper's eyes. He was somewhere strange. Somewhere with elegant with much older vampires. He couldn't move from the floor, though he desperately tried to pick himself up from the floor. An invisible force held him down. All he saw were feet.
"A child vampire? Not the youngest I've seen before. But look at these scars." the voiced said aloud, and Jasper couldn't tell if he was talking to someone or himself. He felt a hand being run down his arm. The voice took a sharp inhale."Manipulating emotions. How very interesting. Maria was smart to turn you boy. But its a crime none the less. She will be dealt with."
"And the boy? Do we destroy him now?" an unknown voice asked
"Not yet. He will be beneficial. But we will need to break him first"
Edward pulled himself back into reality in horror. Jasper had told him of the dangers of running into other vampires. How the rule was to kill on sight. But he had never told him about people using him for his ability. He knew they would use him too. He moved to his brother, picking up the still figure and placing him on the dead mans bed. Gently, he uncurled his body and laid him back.
It didn't bother him to take care of the boy he loved like a brother. He had nurtured Edward through the worst of his life. When the voices were too much and he didn't know how to control it. Memories of him writhing in pain, his head feeling like it would explode flashed in his head. Now he was the strong one. He kissed his brothers head gently, and got no reaction.
"I'm going to get us blood brother. I'm going to make this better" he said , knowing fully that the memories had Jasper now and that he wouldn't hear him. Walking into the small cabins kitchen, he found a thermos. He walked out of the house, and made his way through the woods.
BPOV
The bright light of a cloudy morning awoken me. I had slept too long. I felt groggy and sweaty as I woke up fully dressed. I changed clothes, and grabbed my back pack, seeing as I only had 10 minutes until I needed to be outside. I was out my bedroom door before I remembered Edward. Running back to my drawer, I grabbed my lion sweater, and threw it in my backpack.
Renee was awake, and sitting in the kitchen when I came down, and frowned at me. I could tell she was aggravated by her tapping on the table. I braced myself.
"You overreacted yesterday Bella. Not only did you hurt Phil's feelings, but you didn't have to get Charlie involved. I don't know what you said to him but now he is suddenly asking about custody" she vented.
"I didn't say anything to him. You were the one who called him" I said quietly, and she threw her fists on the table.
"Obviously, you did say something. It's not my fault you want to act like a fucking child and run away" she yelled, and I shut up quickly. She ran a hand through her hair, and glared at me. She had been drinking last night, her eyes were still glazed."You just don't want me to be happy."
I frowned and looked at me feet."I'm sorry." I said quietly, and she huffed.
I left without breakfast.
Lauren continued her teasing again, and she was waiting for me when I got on the bus. Mike sat next to her, giggling like an idiot, and every so often, pulling her into a kiss.
"You know, that's really gross when you wear the same sweater everyday. Can you not afford to do laundry?" she yelled, trying to draw attention to herself. Mike laughed. I lowered my head, and fiddled with my hands in my lap.
"Isabella, Isabella. Why don't you just take off your stupid sweater and grow up."
I closed my eyes, and leaned over myself. I just wanted her to leave me alone. She got up and sat next to me, and I sat up to look at her. She grabbed my back pack, and unzipped the zipper. She then proceeded to dump everything all over the ground. I felt my mouth fly open, and tears come to my eyes. I could hear all my pencils and markers roll all over the bus.
"Oooo. What's THIS!" she said, and grabbed the lion sweater from the ground. She held it up, and the bus erupted with laughter. I turned red, and tried to grab the sweater back, but with no luck.
"Give it back! That's for Edward, not you!" I screamed, but she just threw it to the back of the bus.
"Who's Edward? Your retard friend?" she laughed. I stood up to see people stepping on it, and wiping their feet on it. I cried out, and the bus came to a halt. We weren't at the school yet.
"What the HELL is going on back here." the bus driver bellowed, her large belly jiggling as she stood up. Everyone went quiet, and looked down.
"Isabella's backpack opened, and we were all just trying to help pick up the stuff. She was just yelling for everyone to help." Lauren lied flawlessly, and the bus driver looked to me for confirmation. I just looked away.
"I want everything picked up and returned to her backpack, and if I find one thing on the floor, I will tell the teacher to take away your free period." she bellowed, and returned to her driver's seat.
I picked up my backpack, and kids began to file up with my things in their hands. Most of them didn't look me in the eye, only threw the stuff into my backpack. A few apologized quietly. Lauren just huffed while Mike glared.
We arrived at school and I still didn't have Edward's sweater returned. The kids all left the bus quickly, and I walked to the back of the bus to inspect the damage. The sweater had dirt all over it, making the yellow fabric dirty. The furry part of the mane on the hood was matted, and sticking together. There was a rip on the front as well, and I let out a small sob as I picked it up. I was too zoned out to noticed the bus driver next to me.
"Honey, I can't help me if you don't tell me what's going on." the bus driver said quietly. I didn't look her in the eyes."Is there anything you want to tell me?"
I shook my head no, and she let me off the bus. Unfortunately, there was the principal waiting for me, meaning they already knew about what happened. The principal lead me to the counselors office, where a man with blond hair was waiting to talk to me. I looked at him wearily, and sat down, looking at my feet.
"Hi Bella. My name is Doctor Cullen." he said, and my head snapped up. His brow furrowed."I'm sorry. Do you rather to be called Isabella?" I shook my head.
"No. It's just. Even though I ask, no one calls me Bella."I said quietly. He smiled at me, and leaned back in his chair. I looked into his golden eyes and thought of Edward for some reason.
"Do you want to tell me what happened on the bus?" he asked slowly. I looked back down to my feet, and saw him nod his head from the corner of his eye. He understood me.
"Bella, do you have a lot of friends?" he asked, and I shook my head. He looked at the ceiling for a second, and then gently rephrased his question."Do you have any friends?"
I looked up at him, with my head slightly tilted. He looked too young to be a school counselor."I have one."
"Oh. What's her name?" he asked, smiling.
"His. His name is Edward." I said, looking around at the motivational posters that covered the walls. They were all lies. "He doesn't go to school here though."
"Does he go on the reservation?" he asked, leaning forward.
"No. I think he just moved here, or doesn't go to school. Maybe homeschool."
Carlisle ran his hand through his slicked back hair, and I frowned. I didn't want to get Edward in trouble, so I decided to take attention off him.
"My stuff didn't fall." I said quickly, and his head snapped out of whatever thoughts he was in.
"What happened then?"
"Lauren." I said softly, and he nodded. I twiddled my thumbs, and Carlisle wrote something down on a piece of paper. I opened my backpack and began to rearrange the items, so they won't so scattered. I quickly took out Edward's sweater and folded in, before stuffing it back in. When I looked up I noticed Carlisle starring at me. I blushed and looked down. His state was intense. Like he was trying to see through me.
They let me go back to class during lunch, and the rest of the day went by with everyone ignoring me. I preferred that way to the latter, so I day dreamed, and let myself lose sense of time. When the final bell rang, I felt my heart flutter. I wanted to see Edward. I walked out the doors, but didn't go on the bus. The wrath of Lauren wasn't worth it, and the park was closer to the school than my house. I walked slowly, shivering as the wind picked up and blew around leaves. I arrived at the park to find it empty. My heart fell. I frowned at my own stupidity, for assuming he would be here. I ran my hands through my hair, and sat on the ground, pulling my knees to my chest. Lauren and Mike would get me tomorrow, and I wasn't looking forward to it.
The wind blew my hood down, and while pulling it up, I saw Edward watching me, from a distance. He was in the same clothes as yesterday, and his dark circles under his eyes looked even darker. His hair was messy and he looked stressed. I waved him over and he slowly walked to me, cocking his head to the side in curiosity.
"I brought you a gift." I said, and frowned remembering how dirty and damaged it was now. I pulled the tattered sweater from my bag, and he smiled, stepping closer to me."It wasn't dirty before... but.. they took it from me and messed it up." I tried to explain. I felt like I had failed him.
He took the sweater from my arms, and pulled it on. It was big on him, just like mine, but he looked warmer in it. He smiled as he felt the material, but frowned at my statement,.
"Who took it from you?" he asked, and sat next to me. His leg was against mine...and he was really cold. I scooted closer, trying to get him to warm up a little.
"This girl named Lauren, and boy named Mike.." I said, and bowed my head."They always pick on me.. They dumped my back pack, and took it. Then everyone stepped on it." I felt some tears run down my cheeks, and I cursed myself for being so childish. Two cold hands took a gentle hold on my face, and turned me to Edward. His red eyes, while still intimidating were full of pain.
"Bella. I won't let them do that to you anymore." he said, and he sounded so certain. I wanted to believe him. But he couldn't change them. How would he stop them?
"How can you help? You don't go to my school." I said, and he lowered his hands from my face. One of his hands found mine, and squeezed it.
"If you ever need me, just yell my name. I'll come. No matter what." he said promisingly, and I looked down at our cupped hands. Electricity flowed through the touch, and I wondered it this was how Lauren felt when she and Mike kissed.
"Edward, how old are you?" I asked softly. He tensed for a moment, and then looked away from me.
"Eleven."
I smiled. If he had went to school, we would be in the same grade.
"Where do you live?" I asked, realizing I knew nothing about him. He pointed simply to the woods, but wouldn't meet my eye.
"With your mom and dad?" I asked softly, but he shook his head.
"Just my brother...But he's sick."
I felt my heart drop. He lived with his brother? Thoughts flooded through my mind. Questions. But I didn't want to push it.
"What's your favorite animal?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood. He looked at me, and chuckled slightly. I immediately blushed, realizing how childish my question was and looked down. I was a dork. I regretted asking. I felt humiliated.
"Bella, no." he said lightly, and I looked back at him. He was smiling an infectious smile."I didn't have one before.. but I think now it's a lion."
We held hands, stared at the sky for a while before I decided to go home. He told me to be safe, and I told him to wear his sweater. I left the playground and made my way home, walking the ten blocks in a happy mood. I had a friend, a real friend. Maybe even a boyfriend one day. I didn't think anything could break my mood. I was wrong of course.
"Hey retard." a voice yelled furiously. I looked up to see Mike running to me. I froze, and he came right up to me and pushed me on the ground. I fell awkwardly and landed on my wrist, squeaking in pain. Mike didn't care. He looked mad. Really mad.
"You got Lauren suspended you stupid bitch." he yelled, and kicked my leg hard enough to bruise. I covered my face with my hands, expecting more blows, only to receive none. I looked up to see Mike frozen, his eyes big with fear. Then I heard what he was afraid of. There was a deep growling coming from the woods that bordered the sidewalk. Mike gave me one last glare before running off. The growling stopped, but whatever it was was coming towards me. I got up and ran home, my wrist throbbing in pain. Renee was cooking dinner when I came in, but when she saw my wrist she turned everything off and brought me to the emergency room. There was no dinner that night. Charlie met us at the ER.
3pov
He had stalked her home silently. It wasn't for any reason other than curiousity but when Edward saw Mike hurting her, it took all his self control not to rip him apart. But the burning in his throat reminded him of the obvious. He needed the blood. So he let the primal sounds rip from his throat. Enough to spook Mike away. He slowly walked to Bella, but she got up and ran. The lamb from the lion.
Edward turned his attention back to Mike. He had run off, but he was no match for the speed of a vampire. He caught up with Mike a few blocks ahead. It only took him a second to grab him and drag him into the woods.
Mike tried to yell, but was swiftly kicked in the stomach. He curled in pain. His thoughts going wild.
Who is he. Why is his doing this to me. What does he want?
Edward flipped him onto his back and grabbed his throat. Thumbing his pulse he smiled darkly. Mike was struggling, but it was no use.
"Why?" The human boy yelled, screaming and thrashing.
"You hurt her. And I've seen into your mind. I know you will just continue to hurt her. So you have to die."
Edward slammed him against the nearest tree. Mike started screaming at the stop of his lungs and Edward squeezed his throat, crushing it. Panic flooded the boys eyes as he desperately tried to pull in breath. Taking the thermos from his pocket, Edward opened it and got ready for the stream of blood.
"Goodbye Mike." Memories flashed before his eyes. The most important memories of Mike's life.
Razor sharp teeth bit into the tender neck skin. It took all his mental strength to pull back and catch the stream of blood into the thermos. His new sweater got sprayed by little droplets. When the stream started to slow , Edward put the thermos to the side and let the limp body collapse. He got down like an animal and fed from the warm body. It felt so good to satisfy the hunger. He drained him completely.
Jasper's strict training kicked in and he stood back to look at the mess. He had to tear the body apart. Hide the bite mark. It was just another task that had to be done for survival. He had stopped feeling sick about it decades ago. But he didn't get to finish before he heard thoughts of another.
"Fresh human blood. A lot of it. Where is it coming from?"
Edward grabbed the thermos and started to run. He hoped he hadn't just made a mistake that would cost their eternal lives.
BPOV
They told my mom it was severely sprained, and that a soft cast was necessary at all times but a shower. If it got any worse, they would have to get me a hard cast. I told her I had fell off he monkey bars. She believed me. Charlie didn't say much of anything.
The painkillers the doctor gave me put me in a daze, and I finished my homework and went to bed with an uneasy feeling in my stomach.
I woke up the next day to Renee stroking my hair softly..What?
"Mom..What-"
"You're lucky to be alive Isabella...They found the Newton boy, Mike? Yeah. Mike killed. Someone killed him, right on the way you walk home." she choked, obviously holding back tears.
I felt my stomach drop, and slammed my eyes closed. We laid silently together for a while, and I was thankful in that moment to have my mom.
"Mike Newton, just twelve years old, was found murdered last night. An Amber alert was put out at 10 pm after Mike did not return home. His body was discovered an hour later heavily mutilated a short while from his house. Police have no suspects at this time. Grief counselors will be the boy's school..."
The TV was blaring loudly. Too loudly.
I looked at my waffle until it completely absorbed the syrup. My appetite was gone. I had hated Mike. He had hurt me. But not enough for him to die. Death was...I pushed the mushy waffle from me and Renee starred.
"Honey, do you want me to wash that sweater?" she asked, and I frowned. I hadn't taken it off. It was my safety blanket.
"I need it today.." I whispered, and she nodded. Somehow, she understood.
Charlie picked me up for school, looking very sleep deprived and bothered. I sat down in the seat next to him, and could feel his unease. He drove in silence, his mouth fixed in a thin line. He must have been extremely stressed.
"Dad...I love you." I said quietly. And suddenly, he was at ease. His muscles relaxed, and his hand ruffled my lamb hood softly. His love for me was great, but he was never one for words. I was like him. I knew he loved me more than anyone, and I knew he'd never move on after my mother. We pulled up to the school to see countless news stations vans. The anchormen and woman looked like vultures, and once they saw the cruiser, they began to crowd. My dad exited first, opening my door for me and leading me to the front door. I barley said goodbye before they began to shout questions.
I walked to my classroom in silence, and the atmosphere was thick. No one looked at me when I entered the classroom, and all eyes were on Carlisle who was talking in front.
"Now, Mike was a good boy. He didn't deserve what happened to him, and the police will catch whoever did this to him. He will be brought to justice." Carlisle said, and I took my seat in the corner.
"I hope the cops don't find them. I hope someone else finds the person and blows there head off." a boy yelled from the back, and a murmur of agreement went through the classroom.
"Two wrongs don't make a right." Carlisle lectured, trying to meet all of our eyes. I was heavily focused on the spider crawling across my desktop."If we find him, we can carry out a punishment in a lawful way that will make him pay more than if we just killed him."
The spider stopped in the center of the desk, and I watched it closely. I wondered if it could sense the danger. If it could sense how easily I could crush it with my finger. I wondered if the spider could even feel fear. A white hand appeared over the spider, and I squeaked out a quick 'No!' before the hand came down on the spider. I looked up to meet Carlise's probing eyes, and looked down again quickly.
"Don't kill it.." I said softly, and the hand went away from the spider. I looked into Carlisle's eyes again, and saw an emotion I didn't expect. Understanding. But other than that, he looked just as exhausted as my dad.
"Mr. Cullen. I was wondering if I could talk to you again soon." I said quietly, once again looking down. I didn't tell him I needed to talk about the guilt I felt, or that I was the last one who saw Mike before he was murdered.
"Bella..I'm really busy.." he started, and I snapped my eyes shut. Of course he didn't have time to talk to me. Who would want to talk to me?"But maybe Thurday afternoon."
Tomorrow? Could this weight in my chest wait until tomorrow? I looked down to see the spider, only to find it was gone. I felt my hood being pulled down, and a hand pat my head gently. I looked to see the spider was in Carlisle's other hand, and a smile on his face. He walked out the door, and released the spider.
The day was spent mostly explaining Mike's death, and the teachers didn't make us do any work. They told us that we all grieve in our own ways, and that some of us would cry, while some of us would hold in in.
The end of the day came as a relief, and I walked up to my teacher to ask to use the phone. It rang twice before my mom picked up, her voice slurred slightly, and husky with a lust I didn't know.
"Hellooo?" she asked
"Mom? I was wondering if I could go to the library today?" I asked.
"Yeah yeah, sure." she paused, reasoning coming back to her."But only there Isabella. And call me or Charlie for a ride home." she said speedily. She must have been waiting for her date.
"Okay mom...I love you."
"Bye." she rushed.
I thanked my teacher before running out the doors of the school, and to the park. No one was outside, and the wind blew in a lonely howl through the empty streets. I arrived at the park to see no Edward again. I needed him today.
"Edward"
-3rdPOV
Jasper was still laying in the same position on the bed. His thoughts were of war. Screaming newborns, children recruited for adults battles. A boy using his ability to calm a room of vamprirss about be slaughtered. It was too much to view in his thoughts. Edward got onto the bed and pulled Jasper onto his lap. He rested the older vampires head on his shoulder, tilting it to expose the scars that covered his neck. Opening the bottle, he pressed it to the eternal boys lips, and eased the blood into his throat. The effect was immediate. The marked hands grabbed the thermos and tilted it back, chugging the contents greedily. Blood seeped from his mouth, down his chin. And like that his thoughts were clear again. His hands went down and let the thermos roll off the bed. Edward wrapped his arms around his brothers body, and Jasper leaned into him.
How long was I out this time?
Edward frowned."A few days.."
"What have I missed brother?" he spoke aloud, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Edwards emotions flashed exposing the last few days. Helplessness. Fear. Anger. Love. Jasper wasn't a mind reader, but he didn't have to be. Emotions reveal almost as much as thoughts. Jasper spun out of Edward's grasp and moved to sitting on the edge of the bed, deep red eyes inspecting him curiously.
Love?
Edward let himself think of Bella. Her innocence. Her kindness. Her love."I cant hear her thoughts. She is beautiful and kind. She gave me this sweater. She makes me feel... like a kid again." Jasper nodded to Edward's words. His empathy made him understand. But he wasn't expecting the next thoughts from the boy.
She's your mate. She can be with you so I can die
Edward growled, but Jasper remained unmoving. He didn't say anything out loud.
Everytime I kill, I lose my mind longer and longer. And I am sent to a hell of reliving all of my moments before I met you. And I can feel all of it. I can't do this anymore. I'm ready for the long sleep.
Edward grabbed him roughly, wrapping his arms around him so tightly it would crush any mortal man. His unnecessary breaths picked up. If he could cry, he would be crying."No Jasper."
You cant keep bringing me blood. Its not enough to survive. And its too dangerous alone. I wont let you get killed because of me. I wont return to the Volturi. We can turn your mate so you wont be alone. But I don't want to do this anymore. I'm so tired..
"When I killed this boy, I heard thoughts of another. A vampire." Edward said suddenly remembered aloud, and Jasper tensed. He could feel his younger companions fear.
"I'll go out and track today. See whats going on. Don't worry just yet. If they don't know we are children we aren't in danger."
Edward nodded, and he thoughts went to Bella and her injured arm. Concern and love flooded him.
Go see her
BPOV
"Edward." I called again softly, and I was only met with the wind's howl. I blushed, imagining how stupid I must have looked. I quickly turned to leave, only to see Edward smiling at me. His sweater had specks of brown on it, and looked significantly more dirty than it did the day before. However, Edward looked great. The dark circles under his eyes were almost non existent, and his pale skin glowed. His red eyes were even more pronounced.
"Edward. Why are your eyes red?" I asked, hoping he'd reply my question. His smile dissipated, and he stared at me with a hint of sadness."Were you born like that?" I tried again.
"Yeah. I was kinda born like this." he said quietly, and looked down from me. I frowned."Does it scare you?" he asked.
I stepped forward, and encircled my arms around him, and he did the same. We held each other tightly."You don't scare me." I whispered, and he held me even tighter. It felt good to be wanted. To be held. To be loved in a way my parents never showed me. I leaned into his sweater, and inhaled his scent. He smelled like blood. I didn't bring it up.
We both made out way to the swings, and gently pumped out legs, I looked to the sky watching as I got closer and farther over and over again. We started a silent competition, trying to see who could swing higher. I couldn't help my self from giggling when I saw how much higher he swung than me. He smiled at me then, and it felt like my heart was filled with butterflies. I wondered if this is how they felt in the movies. How other couples my age felt.. Even if we weren't technically a couple. Mike and Jessica
"Mike died yesterday. The guy who picked on me." I said quietly, ignoring how Edward snapped his head to me.
"Mike was a bad kid." Edward stated simply."Aren't you happy he's gone?"
I shrugged, and looked to the dirt on the ground. Soon it would snow. The weather was getting colder and colder by the day."He was mean, but I don't know. I keep thinking how scared he must have been."
Edwards feet dragged in the dirt beneath his swing, hard enough to make holes in the ground. He looked over at me with caution. I raised an eyebrow, and stared back at him. He quickly looked away.
"I don't think he was scared. I think someone killed him quickly." Edward said, not meeting my eye. I looked down at my feet, and closed my eyes.
"Edward, what's the point of living?" I whispered, and I heard footsteps slowly come to me. His icy hands gripped mine, and I looked up to see his red eyes. He smiled at me, a sad smile.
"Is that what you think about Bella? You think about death?" he asked. I nodded.
"I don't think I want to die. I don't know what happens when you die. Just sometimes I feel like it would be easier if I weren't around." I said, voice shaking. I felt his arms circle around me, and he laid a gentle kiss on my cheek. I blushed furiously, and looked into his eyes.
"Death is like...When you sleep but don't dream. It's nothing, not even black. It's the lack of something..." he trailed off, and held me tighter."But you won't have to worry about it. I'll never let you die."
I felt tears run down my cheeks, and a cold hand guided my face to Edwards lips. He kissed me softly, and I felt a spark of something, something pure.
"I love you Bella. I won't let anyone or anything hurt you." he whispered. My heart was pumping fast, and the blush on my cheeks grew even more.
"I love you too Edward."
We held each other for a few moments before I told him I had to go to the library. He insisted on walking me, and I agreed. We walked together hand in hand through the empty streets, until I got to the library. He kissed me on the cheek, and left me tingling with sensations I never knew existed before. I went into the library, and phoned Charlie, who was grateful for a reason to leave the office. He told me ten minutes. I went and waited outside, sitting on a bench swinging my legs for Charlie. A high school aged boy sat next to me, smiling as he looked me up and down. I felt a prickle of anxiety. Whoever got Mike was still out there.
"Don't you know it's dangerous to be outside alone, little girl?" the long blond haired man asked, and he scooted closer. I stopped swinging my legs and looked at him curiously.
"I'm waiting for my dad." I said softly, fear forming in me. The man laughed, and extended his hand to me. I ignored it.
"I'm James. Why don't we both wait for your daddy in the Laundry mat? It's warm in there, and I think he'll be mad that you're waiting out here alone."
Charlie probably would be mad at me for waiting outside, as he was working on the case with the killer. He knew what could go wrong. And the conditioning to trust adults pushed me to trust this stranger.
"Okay." I said, and got up. He followed behind me.
We entered the building to find it empty, which wasn't uncommon for the type of place in our small town. I turned to the man, only to feel an arm grabbing me, and dragging me to the bathroom. He threw me in, and I landed on my back with a thud. Things were moving too fast. I looked up to him, with betrayal in my eyes. He laughed, and blocked the exit, walking to me slowly.
"Do you know what can happen to little girls like you?" he asked, his voice sounding dirty. I breathed in a shaking breath, scrambling to get away from him."Big bad men come and make them little women."
He leaned down to me on the ground, and yanked my backpack from my body. I started to cry, kicking a him as his hands ran down my body. His touch burned, and wasn't like Edwards. I wanted him gone. I didn't know what to do. No one was there to help me. But maybe...
"EDWARD!" I screamed, and he hit me in the stomach to get me to shut up. I wheezed, out of breath when I heard the door hit the ceramic tile of the bathroom with a crash. James looked over to see Edward. But he wasn't alone. A long haired blonde haired boy the same age was with appearance struck me. His shirt had dried blood and was dirty, his skin covered in scars. He was barefoot in this cold weather. But most importantly his eyes were red too. Both of them were focused on James, and I swore I could hear growling.
"What the fuck? Who the fuck are you?" James yelled, and got off of me. I scrambled the wall, far away from the older man. We were all kids. He was in highschool. He was so much bigger, I knew our odds weren't good. My only hope was Charlie would come looking.
It was the blonde boy who I assumed was Edward's brother who moved forward first. The way he stood reminded me of a predator. Hands were suddenly on me, and I struggled before seeing they belonged to Edward. He pulled me from the restroom and let the door shut. I heard James voice frenzied and panicked. And a rumbling growl.
"Bella. Your dad is outside." Edward said quietly, and calmly. I stood there for a second, starring at him. I looked back to the door as I heard a struggle."Go"
I ran out the door, and to Charlie's car without a second thought. Charlie was pleased I had waited indoors. He smiled briefly before his mind was far away. My thoughts remained on Edward the whole drive home. I numbly thanked Charlie and made my way into the house quietly. There were two empty bottles of wine sitting on the counter, and I knew that meant I had to be quiet. Renee had been drinking again, and she demanded silence so she could sleep.
I couldn't do my homework. I couldn't even focus. I was shaking. I was numb. There was so much evil in the world. So much that I had to fear. I wanted to know if Edward was okay. I wanted to know if I would be okay. I heard the whining of ambulances, and police squad cars go by, and I knew something was wrong. I waited, looking out the window for hours. It had turned dark before I decided to call him again. I went to my window and called his name softly.
"Edward"
3POV
Edward had followed Bella through the woods, keeping his distance so she couldn't see him. Jasper had joined him at some point, smiling at the emotions Edward emitted.
It's love. True love
They both watched silently as Bella took her seat outside on the bench. But Edwards tensed as an older man approached her. When they walked into the laundry mat together, Edward's nerves stood on edge. It was only at the disgust and horror when Jasper realized what was going on.
"Edward!"
Jasper had attacked James in that bathroom. He had broken his legs and smashed his head. There was so much blood. But he couldn't kill him. It was the fear. The begging. It was the fact he would be emotionally 11 forever, combined with the waves of pain. He couldn't do it. So they picked him up and brought him to the woods. They ran miles into the deep forest before they stopped. Jasper looked at the highschooler bawling on the ground, weak from blood loss and broken limbs. He was trying to crawl away. Fingertips ripping at the ground.
I can't stay. Jasper thought, and Edward nodded. He was gone quickly, leaving just the two of them in the woods.
"PLEASE STOP PLEASE. I WASN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING I SWEAR" James yelled. Any ounce of guilt was erased from Edwards heart. He flipped James from stomach to his back, and sat down on his chest. Edward was small, but so much more powerful than any human.
"That's bullshit. I know exactly what you were going to do with her. I know it because I heard your plan in your thoughts. I know because it's all nasty perverts like you think about. And I've met and killed so many for the last hundred years and there are still more. No child deserves that pain. She's mine. She will always be mine. And I'm going to make you suffer until your last breath for the things you were going to do to her. And that things you did to the other girls"
In the back of his mind Edward heard her voice calling him. But he ignored it. Just for this moment. For revenge. He slowly broke all his ribs, then his arms. He cut the skin the, blood covering him. But he didn't drink from him.
Edward ripped him apart and left the pieces in the open for the birds.
He left quickly, running back to the most important person in his world.
BPOV
There was no reply. I turned around to see if maybe he was behind me, like he ended up being all the other times. He wasn't. I started to cry deeply, leaving my window open and walking to my bed. My body shook with sobs, and I cried for everything I had held in. I cried for my mom. I cried for Charlie. I cried for Mike. I cried for me. But mostly, I cried for Edward. Darkness took me, and I went to sleep. A sleep without a dream. A sleep where I was stuck in blackness, and it kept getting smaller and smaller.
"Bella." a voice whispered. Edward's voice. My eyes snapped open and I went to look to see him, but he covered my eyes with his hand. He was shaking.
"Don't look. I don't want you to be afraid." He said softly, and I put my fingers around his hand, trying to move it from my face.
"You can't scare me." I protested. He chuckled, and kissed my forehead softly. My heart fluttered.
"Promise?" he asked, and I nodded.
He uncovered my eyes to reveal the moonlight illuminating his figure. He was covered in blood, his sweater holding most of the mess. His hair was matted, and his chin and mouth covered. I couldn't tell if he was injured or not.
"Are you okay?" I asked him, and he nodded."And your brother?"
He nodded looking out the window into the distance.I only then noticed how cold the room was, and shivered. He wrapped the blankets around me and smiled a sad smile. He walked back to the window and shut it.
"He was going to hurt you Bella. He was going to do bad things to you. He wanted to break you." he whispered, pulling me into a hug. I embraced his touch, and smiled at him.
"How do you know? It's not like you can read minds." I teased, but he only held me tighter.
"Bella...Don't think of me as a monster." he whispered, and I looked to his eyes in confusion.
" Why would I?" I asked. He frowned, but didn't reply.
"I love you Bella." he said.
" I loved you too Edward.",
He laid back on my bed, looking at the ceiling. He looked nostalgic.
"What does your room look like"
"I don't have one Bella."
We stayed quiet, fingers lacing together with him occasionally running his thumb over my wrist. He turned and held me until I fell asleep, my dreams no longer of darkness. My dreams were swirls of colors, only interrupted by the questions that probed my mind.
How did Edward get in my room? Who's blood was that? Why wasn't I afraid?
3POV
Edward listening to the even pace of her breath mixed with her heartbeat. It was beautiful. He slowly took his hand from hers, and kissed her head softly before leaving her bedroom.
He made his way back to the cabin. Jasper was outside laying in the leaves. The moonlight made him look so young. He smiled at Edward, ignoring the bloody face as he looked into the moonlight between the trees.
I don't think there were many trees wherever I came from. Maybe more south...But I love it here.
Edward knew Jasper couldn't remember any of his human memories. He had read a book once saying that when you recall a memory, you are actually remembering the last time you recalled it. The decay over time would make them useless. They could only guess his age. Even then, there was no way of telling. The amount of torture and pain he had gone through made it impossible to guess the amount of time that had passed. But Edward had been with Jasper over 100 years. They had watched the world change together. From dirt roads to pavement. Cars and airplanes. Music. Television. The internet was something they both didn't understand. They were too young and too old at the same time. Mostly Jasper just liked being outside.
I really wish we could stay this time Edward. It's peaceful here.
Edward smiled at his thoughts. The idea was not actually possible of course. But the cloudy days made this one of the top of his list of places he had gone. And of course Bella. Edward laid down next to his brother, watching the moon. He thought of Bella. Her soft skin, her words. The fact that he didn't scare her. He felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. Hope.
BPOV
I woke up to a completely quiet house. My window was still open, and I was shivering. I walked to the window, shutting it, and went to investigate the silence. There was no note left for me, just an empty silent house. I looked over to the clock in the kitchen, and saw it was 10:30. Too late for school.
I walked to the bathroom, and looked at myself in the mirror. There was blood on my cheek. It wasn't my blood. It wasn't Edward's blood. I ran to the toilet and vomited.
I turned the shower as hot as it would go and stepped in, letting the scalding water clean me. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to think about anything. I took off the soft cast, refusing to think of the incident that gave me the injury. I scrubbed my hair clean, admiring how soft it felt after I was finished. I exited the shower, to hear voices. Pulling on my dirty lamb sweater, and pulling the hood up, I exited the bathroom to see Charlie, Carlisle, Renee, and a few other officers there. They all stopped talking when I walked into the room. Not good. My first thought was that they knew about Edward. But that wasn't what they were there for.
I wasn't really listening when they spoke to me, as I could only hear the sound of my own heart beating in my ears. But from what I did catch, I understood that they found my backpack in the laundry mat bathroom. They also found a lot of blood. What they did not find, was the owner of that blood. They were here to officially question me. Since Charlie was my father, Carlisle was the one who did the questioning. We went to the basement, where we could be alone, so he could talk to me.
"Hi Bella." he said softly, and I didn't reply. I was upset he hadn't been able to make time for me yesterday. it only added to my distrust of adults. My mother didn't want me. Dad was too busy. And Carlisle didn't care. No one was reliable. No one but Edward. He noticed my cool attitude, and frowned.
"Bella, were you in the laundry mat bathroom yesterday?" He asked evenly, no emotion in his voice. I snapped my eyes shut, but nodded. James lustful eyes looked hungrily at me. "Do you know what can happen to little girls like you?" he asked, his voice sounding dirty.
"Bella, why were you in the bathroom yesterday?" he asked, but I kept my eyes shut.
"Big bad men come and make them little women."
"I just had to go to the bathroom." I lied. Carlisle froze, and I could feel his eyes trying to examine me closer, trying to figure me out.
"Are you trying to protect someone?" he asked. a hint of doubt in his voice. I opened my eyes, and looked at him.
"I have no one to protect. I just went and forgot my backpack."
Carlisle nodded, and rose quickly. He believed me.
"Wait." I called, and he stopped.
"How do you know if someone is good or evil?" I asked, blushing slightly. Carlisle gave me a hard look, sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"If they're evil, they will do bad things that only benefit them, without thinking about anyone else. If they are good, they do things selflessly, and think more about other people than there selves."
"Well. What if they are good, but sometimes do bad things?" I asked, and Carlisle laughed.
"Is this about your dad Charlie? Charlie is a good person. A cop is a good person who sometimes has to do bad things to catch bad people." he said, smiling. I smiled back, a fake smile, and laid back on the couch. Carlisle went upstairs.
Edward killed James because he had wanted to hurt me. He was going to hurt me. He did that for me. But he had still killed somebody. He was guilty. But Edward was the only person who cared about me. He was the only one who was there for me, and he did save me.
I couldn't turn him in. I loved him.
I walked back up the stairs to see everyone leaving. I grabbed Renee's hand, and she spun to me, with tears in her eyes. She pulled her hand away. She was leaving me again.
"Where are you going?" I asked. She looked to make sure everyone was gone, before turning to me.
"I am stressed out Bella. I'm going to Phil's, because I can't have him here because of someone. I left the number on the fridge, call if you need me."
I stepped back. I couldn't comprehend how selfish she was being. She was suppose to be the mother, suppose to be here to help me. She was complete oblivious to me pain. I watched her leave, and a numb feeling settled over me.
I walked to the living room and collapsed on the couch. I closed my eyes and begged for sleep. It came quickly.
When I woke, it was about 3pm. I got up, and walked to the kitchen. I was startled to hear a knocking,and went to the door cautiously.
"Who is it?" I yelled, and I heard a chuckle on the other side.
"It's the big bad lion."
I flung open the door, to see a very bloody Edward starring at me. We both stared at each other for a long moment. I waved him in, knowing that the road had been chosen since the first day I had met him.
"You need a bath." I said, and he let out another heartwarming laugh. I walked him to the bathroom, an ran the hot water. Squirting some bubbles in, I let the water foam up high. He needed the soap.
"Bella." a voice called, and I turned to Edward slowly."I don't have clothes to change into." he said softly. I turned off the bath water, and ran up to my room. Charlie often bought me unisex pajamas and I quickly changed into a pair so we would match. I walked down stairs, and into the bathroom to see Edward had already undressed, and was in the bath.
I blushed deeply. He chuckled.
I watched in fascination as he eyes lit up to the bubbles, his dirty hands cupping some, so he could inspect them closer.
"Have you never seen bubbles before?" I asked, giggling softly. He looked to me with playfulness in his eyes. I felt my heart melt.
"I haven't played with bubbles in a long time." he said, and it held an odd sort of sadness to it. I picked up a handful of the bubbly foam, and blew it at his face. He laughed, and blew some back at me, getting it all over my hair.
This went on until almost all of the bubbles were gone. I was as red as a tomato when I realized it. I grabbed him a washcloth and pointed to the shampoo and conditioner, before excusing myself to wash our lion and lamb sweaters together.
I sprayed a whole lot of stain remover on Edward's sweater, hoping it would get some of the blood out. I dumped in twice the recommended amount of soap, and put the washer on high.
When I walked back up the stairs, Edward was fully dressed. He looked at the brown bath water, frowning. I pulled the plug and grabbed his hand, and he smiled at me.
A clean Edward looked a whole lot better than a filthy one. His copper hair glew in the light, and I had never seen hair shine as much as his did. His pale skin was spotless, his dark circles returning slowly, but not as pronounced as the first day I had met him. Edward was very thin, and though he held some muscle, something tell me he didn't eat as often as he should have.
The only thing that bothered me was the fact that Edward hand was still cold.
I led him to the living room, and we sat on the couch starring at each other. I smiled at him, and he smiled back.
"Edward, are you a good person?" I asked softly, and I saw him tense.
"I try to be... I only do things to bad people." he said softly. I felt him lean closer, and wrap his arms around me. I hadn't realized I was shaking.
"So James.." I started, and he nodded. I closed my eyes, and a thought crossed my mind. No."..And Mike..."
I opened my eyes to see Edwards looking at me with guilt. He nodded, and I noticed his pale skin was even more drained then before.
"What.. what are you?"
I watched as Edward's hands went into his hair, and his eyes shut. He looked so defenseless, so vulnerable. At that moment, he looked as young as me.
"I don't know what I am." he said quietly, in a shaky breath. I gently took his hands from his face, and wrapped my arms around him. He did that same to me. I leaned forward, grazing my lips across his. He kissed me back with a gentle nature.
"I don't care what you are. Just don't leave me." I begged, and he held me tight to his chest.
"I'll never leave you." he whispered.He laid back slowly, and I put my head on his chest. I expected the soft tune of his heart beat, but I was met with none. Even his breaths were taken with long spaces in between, like he didn't need them. The noise from the woods, the growling from the night Mike died, was Edward.
He wasn't human.
I slowly released myself from Edward's grip, and he looked at me questioningly. I smiled, and told him to meet me in my room. I ran downstairs to our sweaters, pulling them out, and throwing them into the dryer. I went back upstairs to see Edward looking out the window, frowning.
"Bella, do you love me?" he asked. I nodded, and he frowned.
"Why do you love me?" he asked, and I felt my eyebrows furrow.
"Why? You are the only one who looks at me. Who sees me. You are the only one who thinks about me. I mean, My mom thinks about me, but she thinks about herself first. Charlie wants to think about me, but he thinks about work first. All of the other kids don't like me...they tell me to grow up. No one loves me, and no one will ever love me."
"Bella. I love you. And I don't want you to change. I want you to stay the same forever." he said softly. I leaned into him, inhaling his clean scent. He wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me neck gently. He led me to my bed, and I crawled under the covers. He layed on top of the covers, and looked at me with pain in his eyes.
"Bella. They're going to find me." he stated, and his hand swooped a long strand of hair away from my eye.
"No. We we won't let them find you. We can run." I said, fear filling me. A cold hand rested on my cheek, and I calmed a bit.
"Will you run with me?" he whispered. I only nodded. We sat in silence, wrapped up in our own thoughts for a couple minutes. I could feel sleep approaching me, and I lifted my head to look at Edward.
"Do you want to go to sleep now?"
He frowned, and looked down."I can never go to sleep." he paused, as I tried to take it in. " But I can sit here quietly until you wake."
I closed my eyes, sleep calling me.
"I'm going to have to buy you some toys or something to do." I mumbled, and darkness took me whilst he was chuckling.
I woke up to see Edward looking very confused. I leaned up to see what he was looking at, before laughing."What are you doing?" I asked, a knowing smile written on my face.
Edward was holding my MP3 player, but he was holding it an arms length away, with the headphones another 5 feet away. He looked up at me with wide eyes, like a kid caught with sweets before dinner.
"I like it. But it's too loud. It hurts my ears." he said.
I tried to focus intently, but I heard no music."I don't hear anything."
He laughed, and turned it off."I have good hearing I guess."
Then I noticed how bright the room was. I ran to the window to see a small amount of snow on the ground. Looking to the driveway, I saw Renee wasn't home. Still. Edward walked next to me, looking at the snow with equally bright eyes.
"Bella..You have to go to school." he said, and I looked over to the clock to see he was right. He sat on my bed as I ran downstairs to get out sweaters from the dryer. Edwards still had a few stains but was far better than before. I threw my sweater on, admiring the ease it returned to me. Running back upstairs, I saw a wide eyed Edward looking out the window. I gave him his sweater, which he threw on at lightning speed. Going to the window, I saw a car. I heard a knock at the front door, so I gathered my stuff, and hugged Edward goodbye.
"Will you be here when I get home?" I asked him. He shrugged.
"Just call my name if I'm not."
Going to the front door, I met Carlisle, and I stood there in shock for a second. He inhaled a deep breath, and then froze. He looked odd, and beckoned me to the car, rushing me slightly. I was extremely confused. We got in the car, and he locked the doors, looking at me seriously.
"Bella. You're going to tell me who you were just with, because I know they did these crimes."
I furrowed my brows and looked at him, as he took a deep breath. Was he smelling me?
I looked into his eyes in confusion. His golden eyes. They reminded me of-
"Leave me alone." I said firmly, and I unlocked and exited the car. But when I did, he did. He ran around the car and grabbed my sleeve. He looked nervous.
"GET OFF OF ME." I screamed, trying to get some of my neighbors attention. I yanked my sleeve and fell down on the snowy ground. I looked up to Carlisle, but his attention was no longer on me. I turned to see who he was looking at.
It was Jasper. Curly blonde hair covered in snowflakes. His pale skin had dark circles on his scarred face. He was barefoot and in his bloody shirt from the day at the laundry mat. He looked terrified, but ready.
"A child?!" Carlisle said under his breath as he took a step toward Jasper. Jasper stayed still, holding his gaze of Carlisle. His stance was defensive. He tilted his head as if trying to read his mind.
"I can help you." Carlisle whispered, taking small steps toward the young vampire.
"You can't help me. You'll kill me. I've been damned since the day I was turned." Jasper hissed, emotion in his voice making me flinch. Jasper turned toward the tree line, starring for a second. He looked back to Carlisle, looking tired. And so young. His scars stood out in the lighting of clouds and snow.
"You want to kill me? Catch me."
And he was gone. Carlisle looked back at me momentarily, before he moved faster than I could register. Edward was beside me then, looking emotional. I grabbed his chin and made him look me in the eyes.
"He told me to runaway with you. He told me even though that man will hunt him down." Edward choked. I frowned. No. He couldn't do that for me.
"You have to go get him. He can't do that for me. Please don't let him. Meet me at school tonight. I'll be ready to leave with you. But you cant let him die for me" I begged. This boy, who he loved enough to call brother couldn't die for me. And suddenly Edward was gone.
I went back into my house to get a bag packed. At this point I was already late to school. I packed warm clothes, my IPOD and toiletries into my backpack. I looked around the pink baby room my parents had painted when they were together and felt a twitch of guilt. There was some knocking at the door. I looked down to see Charlie's cruiser outside. I ran down and opened it.
"I'm so sorry dad. I slept in" I lied.
"Where is your mother?" he asked.
"She never came home.."
The car ride was spent listening to Charlie talk angrily to my mom on the phone.
"She's 11 for fucks sake...Alone all night?... I can't take her right now! I have two murders and a new disappearance...You should have thought of that before having kids!... No the schools having a locked in party while the adults form a search party. And I will pick her up after... NOW YOU FEEL LIKE BEING A MOTHER?"
I tuned out the conversation. My hands shook slightly. I was going to go with Edward tonight. We were going to leave together. I felt so loved and wanted in a life full of rejection and pain. The unknown didn't even feel so bad. But my heart lingered on something Edward had said
"He will hunt him down"
(( Chapter one complete. Please review to let me know if I should finish. This story has just been in my head since I read her original. See you next time.))