Author's Note: Whoops! Has it really been since August? Sorry! Yes I have a million excuses like senior year, two AP classes, being in the hospital, and so many others but none of them are excusable!! None of my excuses are excusable? Yes it makes sense. Anyway I hope you enjoy the second chapter of Journal. I have been working on it a lot since August! Hopefully the next chapter will be here sooner. Though I do plan on writing another one shot for Kiss before I update this one. So again, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer. The only thing in here that is completely mine is Timothy and his background. That is it.
Chapter Two: A safe journey home
Previously in this story:
Edward, with a smug expression in place, was about to point out to Bella that this sounded very reasonable when he stiffened. He couldn't hear anything, yet, but there was something in the air that made him nervous. It was then that he realized they soon would no longer be alone.
"Bella! Grab hold of the book!" he yelled as he lifted her out of his lap and raced off into the forest, heading for the car, with whatever it was right on his tail.
As Edward raced through the forest, back to the car, Bella could only imagine what it was that they were running from. Thoughts popped into her head as they raced faster and faster to the car. Could it be this mysterious vampire that possibly owned that abandoned cottage? Or could it be another creature of the night, a werewolf? Both of these options seemed quite terrifying to Bella as they reached the car. Edward swung her in as quickly and gently as he could muster. In a blink of an eye he was putting the car in gear, pressing down on the gas petal, and turning the car around so as to travel in the direction they had came. As they sped down the narrow road Bella could have sworn she saw a slight shadow moving through the trees and a flash of white as the woods drifted out of sight.
"Edward?" Bella's voice quivered as she spoke. "What was that? Was it…him?"
"Yes, it was Timothy."
"What did you hear?" There was a pause. Bella glanced up at Edward. His eyes were stern as he stared straight ahead seeming to put forth his full concentration on the road that lay before them. It took a few moments before his features relaxed somewhat as he sighed.
"At first… at first he thought it was Vanessa coming back to him. Yet from that moment on a bit of rational thought began to grow and soon he remembered that his loved one was lost, gone forever. Quickly he was filled with an overpowering rage. He damned whoever was disrupting their secret, sacred, home. And when his thoughts focused on what he would do to whoever was there-" Edward could not utter what came next. For what Timothy had thought was tearing apart the intruders and he had quite a pretty pictured plastered in his mind of what he would do. To those thoughts Edward had applied his beloved Bella, he could see Timothy tearing her apart, limb from limb. That is what he had to prevent, he had to keep her safe.
Bella knew that whatever Edward was about to say probably involved some form of punishment and that he would be thinking of her safety. She placed a hand on his leg.
"It's okay Edward, I'm right here, and I'm fine." He smiled, but it was that somewhat fake smile. The one that hid some thought that contradicted the emotion he was showing.
"Till when? Bella, you're a fragile human being and someday I may not be able to save you." Again fear rushed through Bella, was he going to leave again? "I put you in danger. You would have led a perfectly normal life, safe from true harm had I not met you." Oh God, he is. He's leaving again. Bella's body stiffened as she felt tears build up. "But I am a very selfish creature and I can't leave you. I love you too much. I thought I lost you once, twice actually, and I don't want to live, if you can call this living, through that again."
Even though she knew it wouldn't do much damage to him, Bella punched Edward on the arm. "What did you do that for?" He turned his focus on Bella. She had a curiously vengeful look about her.
"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. Don't you ever do anything like that again! You scared me so much. I thought you were going to leave me again." She started to cry. Edward smiled, a true smile that reached his eyes, as he wiped away her tears.
"Bella, you knew that I could not put either of us through that hell again. I was just trying to decipher a way to keep you safe. But we have learned that me leaving does not put you into any less danger. Face it, you're stuck with me." Unbuckling Bella from her seatbelt he lifted her into his lap. They had made it back to the Cullen home a short time ago, Bella had been so caught up in the moment she hadn't noticed. Edward tightened his grip on her and slowly stroked her hair.
"Edward." Bella's voice was small but he could hear her very clearly.
"Yes my sweet?"
"I love you too." With a smile he gently kissed the top of her head.
It was a while before Edward and Bella stepped foot into the house. They had expected to be ambushed by a rambunctious all-knowing Alice and hoped to share their findings and experiences with Carlisle but the entire house was empty.
Edward tried to hear if the family was somewhere close in proximity but there was no sign of them, any of them. "It appears that we have been left to our own devices," he murmured, mainly to himself.
"What did you say?" As if pulled out of some kind of reverie Edward glanced at Bella and smirked. She had on such an adorable expression, compiled of befuddlement and agitation.
Wrapping his arms around her and with a kiss on her head Edward stated, "I only said that it seems we are alone." He released her and began to lead her up the stairs to his bedroom.
"You mean, no one's home?"
"So it would seem."
Bella paused on the stairs a moment. "But wouldn't Carlisle be interested in what we found? And Alice! I'd expect her to come bounding down the stairs as soon as she knew we were here."
Edward grabbed Bella's hand and gently led her onwards. "Well, I'm only saying that I cannot sense anyone here." This time it was Edward's turn to pause in the hallway, a complex look overtaking his facial expression. "But I will agree it is odd that they are not here."
As they approached the room Bella began to speak, "Maybe Alice saw something? Or maybe…" Bella glanced at the book she still delicately clutched in her arms.
"Or maybe what Bella? You know it is sometimes aggravating not being able to hear your thoughts…" But Bella was not listening as she headed for the sleek leather couch. As she sat down she decidedly opened the journal.
She hurriedly flipped past the title and first pages when she glanced up at Edward. "What are you waiting for?"
Edward was confused. "What do you mean what am I waiting for? What are you doing? I thought you wanted to wait for Carlisle and, or, Alice."
She sat up a bit more and stared into his topaz eyes. "Think about it Edward. They left. They are not here. Yet you know that Alice would have known we were coming home. Carlisle probably wants us to figure this out on our own. He seemed to think that we would find something at that cottage, something to learn from. At that house you said that this book was probably it." She awkwardly held up the book.
"I just don't know if this is a good idea."
"Edward, it's a book. It's not going to turn into a big furry monster, fly around the room and try to eat us." This comment was met by a perplexed look coming from the vampire. "Just come, sit on the couch, so we can look at this together."
Edward seemed somewhat reluctant to come over to the couch. Even though the first page had truly shown how he, himself, felt for Bella, he was somewhat cautious as to what the rest of the journal beheld. In the end he gracefully plopped onto the couch, lifting Bella effortlessly onto his lap.
"Okay, show time."
Bella turned her attention to the opened page and read:
I built this place. I built it with my own two hands. Years ago, before it was built, we would come here. It was like our own private getaway, a place to escape the harsh looks from the Elders of the town. This state was newly formed and they wanted it to be a place of peace, a safe haven for those wanting a comfortable life. They even made deals with the neighboring Indian tribe for business and to determine territory lines. It was because of this tribe that the town started not to trust me. Rumors flooded about how long I had been in this area and who I really was. They did not believe the vampire stories emanating from the tribal community but nevertheless they treated me like a rustic outsider, someone who did not belong.
Well, everyone did, except her. Here name was Vanessa and she was more beautiful than any goddess this world has known. And no matter what anyone said about me she came to trust me and later, to love me.
"Edward this is just like…"
"I know. Keep reading."
When her father noticed how we looked at each other and spoke to one another he immediately alerted the Elders. They suggested, though it was more like a command, that he should ban his daughter from seeing me. He did so, but we just couldn't live each day like that. At this point she already knew my horrid secret. This was not something I could keep from her. But she helped me, she helped me control my urges and to wean off my desires. I became somewhat of a vegetarian, staying away from humans as a source of nourishment.
At any rate, we came up with a plan. We had been to this secluded area once before and so we decided that almost every night I would come to her house and carry her off to here. We could spend hours with each other and no one would be the wiser. But like many good things in my long existence this did not last.
Bella stifled a yawn. "Is this boring you in some way?" questioned Edward, somewhat amused.
"Oh! No, not at all. I want to keep-" again she yawned, "wreeading."
Edward lightly chuckled. "Well I am afraid you can no longer do that. In fact," he glanced at his watch, "I think you should go to sleep. Why don't you make a quick call to Charlie and tell him that you are sleeping over with Al-" A humming noise filled the room as Edward whipped out his cell phone. He spoke too quickly for Bella to comprehend until he laughed and said "Thank you."
Bella stared at him with her, what she thought menacing but in reality, dreary eyes until he put the phone away. Edward sighed, "It seems Alice has already put in a call to Charlie and it is okay for you to sleep over. But no, she wouldn't tell me what's going on. All she said was to have fun reading. So Bella I think that we shall- Bella?"
Her breathing was relaxed, her eyes closed, as she slept curled up in Edward's lap.
As Bella soundly slept, Edward drifted off into a thought filled void. He tried to look back on the day and see if he could find something they missed, something Carlisle suggested, anything that could help them right now. But his mind kept wandering as his attention was captivated by the leather bound volume residing, still open, on his beloved's lap. It laid there, tempting him to delve through its pages, to uncover the answers to what ever the problem, if you could call it that, he and Bella possessed.
With her eyes closed Bella could tell that she was on Edward's couch and that someone had wrapped her nicely in a blanket. She snuggled in her warm cocoon but then sadly realized that her vampire lover was not there with her. There was something else missing. She frowned as the previous day flashed in her minds eye. The journal! Quickly, but not as quick as a vampire, she sat up and looked around.
She could not see the journal anywhere in Edward's room. In fact, she didn't see Edward either. Trying to pull the blanket, which was wrapped very tightly around her, and to stand up at the same time turned out to be a difficult task. With an "Umpf", Bella, in her oh-so-graceful-way fell on to the floor.
In a flash Edward was in the room.
"Bella, what happened? Are you all ri-" He glanced down at the tangled mess that was part Bella. A bemused expression appeared on his face. "How did you manage to get yourself like that? Then again, I guess I shouldn't be surprised."
Edward came over and helped Bella free herself. "Well, I woke up and you weren't here." She failed to mention that she was looking for the journal.
"Some things were bothering me and no one had come back to the house. So I decided to call Alice to find out what was going on. Of course, like last time, she didn't tell me anything. Though she did seem giddier than usual, if that is possible. Anyway, I didn't want to bother you, you looked so peaceful, so I left the room."
She didn't believe him. He was the only other one capable of taking the journal, it could not have just gone poof.
"What is it Bella? It looks like there is something on your mind."
"I was just wondering… Where is the book?"
Edward's face became a little bit more serious. "Well, I was tempted to read it Bella, I'm sure you were too. But I did not read it." He quickly added that when he saw the look on her face." "I, well, I took it to Carlisle's study, to see if he had any books or journals of his own that might give us information about this Timothy character. I have read most of the things in the study but I thought maybe there was something I had overlooked."
It was believable and very like Edward. Either that or he was just using his mesmerizing good looks to get Bella to believe him. No matter what, it worked.
"Bella, shall we head downstairs and continue reading or would you rather read up here?"
As if on cue Bella's stomach let out a ferocious roar. "If you don't mind," she felt her whole body heat up as she blushed, "I think I would like to eat something first."
Edward laughed. He picked up is beloved and carried her downstairs to the kitchen.
"I do believe that we still have some human food here for you to eat. Do you have anything in mind?"
"Just some cereal if you have it." She wanted a quick, but filling, breakfast so they could get back to reading. Edward poured in the flakes and added just the right amount of milk. He waited patiently as Bella consumed her breakfast. Then as he placed the bowl in the sink he paused.
"Bella."
"Yes Edward?"
"I don't think we are alone anymore."
Author's Note: Can we say cliff hanger? Sorry about that. I like ending with cliff hangers! So if you enjoyed it please review. And if you have any criticisms please review. I want to try to make this story readable so any advice is most welcome. Till the next update... which will be in 2007! I promise!
