Chapter Two: Reflections

How many times can a heart be broken? How many times can a heart be torn apart bit by bit, bruised and battered and bleeding until all that's left is a skeleton, a shadow of what it once was? How many times can a heart be expected to heal after its brutal misgivings, its crucifixions? How many times can a heart be saved?

It felt like it had been hours since I'd fallen in the spot where I lay, possibly days. But it had only been a few minutes. I was curling in on myself like I had so many times before. To protect myself. To protect others. They didn't deserve to have a burden like me come around and ruin their lives. Too many times had I questioned my relationship with my friends, my family.

Jacob.

Just thinking his name made a shiver go down my spine, and not from the icy cold wind that blew around me like a never-ending hurricane. I hated this. I hated him. But most of all, I hated myself for allowing it all to get so far. Why was I so horrible? Was I such a failure that I couldn't even rely on my own intuition to save me?

The snow was just beginning to melt around me when all at once, the cutting, searing cold stopped, at least in the form of moving air. I felt the last remaining tears freeze on their way down my cheeks before I dared look up. A shadowy silhouette, hands reaching out for me. Arms around me. An unfamiliar voice telling me that it would be okay, that I was okay.

"He won't hurt you anymore, Bella," the voice murmured. "You're okay. It's okay. He's gone."

I sighed, relaxing into the stranger's arms. I didn't care if I was to die. I didn't care if I was to live. I didn't care. I didn't care. Not caring felt better than caring. My chest ached where my heart had been torn out and stomped on, but I tried not to care about that.

"She's on something," the voice called out, and I opened my eyes—I hadn't realized I'd closed them—and saw another shadowy silhouette. "She keeps whispering about snow and cold. Do you see snow, Bella?"

Startled at the sudden attention, I tensed again. My name. I flinched and waited for the hand to connect with my face like it usually did when my name was mentioned. Nothing happened. I didn't move. I tried not to care.

I couldn't care.

I wouldn't care.

I would never care again, would never become attached again, would never love again. I would never feel again, never walk again, never breathe again. Why wouldn't this stranger just let me freeze, let me die in a numb haze? What was I to him?

"Let me go," I murmured, remembering faintly that I'd heard the words somewhere before. "Just let me go."

"Bella," the voice said, snapping everything into focus again. He sounded urgent, and I hated the memories that rose up inside me at the mention of my name. Again. Why was he doing this? "Bella. You're on something. Drugs? Do you remember what kind? Did you smoke anything?"

I didn't smoke. I don't smoke. Why would I smoke?

"Anything, Bella?" The man's voice—I knew the gender now—was growing increasingly anxious. "Do you remember anything? Did you take it yourself? Did someone give it to you? Please focus, Bella...please. For me."

I looked up and the snow was gone, like magic. Poof. Gone. Nothing. The cold was worse than before, though, and I shivered. Then I halted all movement as I stared into the very worried, very green eyes that were only a few inches from my own. I shuddered and tried to pull back at the proximity, but I couldn't move.

Fuck. What was going on? Where was the cold? Where was the snow? Where was the painless death that I'd promised myself? Where was the world as I knew it? Where was...

"Edward," I whispered.

My heart stopped.

AN: I'm soooo sorry I took so long to update. I'll be resuming this story...with an entirely new plotline, of course, because it's been several years. Thanks to my (two) loyal reviewers. I love you two...this chapitre is for you! Reviewers get sneak peeks into the next chappie. Au revoir for now, peace-lovers...

-YAY