Hey guys! I'm so surprised by all the great reviews! I'm really excited for the next chapter, and I hope you are too! Sorry about not updating lately; I've had writer's block! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Everything is Stephanie Meyer's, except the plot! Sorry about forgetting to say that last chapter! 3

Chapter 2: Red

As I stared into two golden orbs that entranced me, I felt my brain swirl in confusion. His eyes should have been red; contacts could not hide the terrifying scarlet color that I should have been seeing at that moment. I couldn't believe otherwise, or I would fall into the hands of doubt. The one thing that I knew was that I would not and could not doubt what had murdered my parents.

Shaking with sheer bewilderment, I felt the feeling of pure hate and loathing course through my blood. Whenever my body was taken over by some unseen force, this was usually the sensation I felt. Holding my breath, I waited for craziness of being controlled. I often wondered if the vampire that had killed my parents had caused this, but I doubted that. I was probably just looking for excuses when it came to my insanity.

The animal within me finally broke free, and it wanted out. It was frustrated with the confinement that came with being powerless ninety percent of the time. It wanted a body it could control every second of the day, not a body that wasn't even in its complete possession. As often as I tried, I could not bring myself to understand the feeling of being entirely powerless, though most would think I of all people would.

I watched silently as my body was forced to scream viciously and attack Dr. Scott. I managed to accomplish a bloody nose and black eye before Edward held me back with ease. My body shoved violently against him, but my strength wasn't even in the same stratosphere as his. I clawed violently at his powerful arms, but his hold was unbreakable.

Dr. Scott eventually recovered, smiling apologetically at Edward as he replaced Edward's hands with his own. I glared at him cruelly, relishing in the feeling of being feared. Or so my bipolar side was. I, on the other hand, was completely shocked that my outbreak had even occurred. Lately, I was doing a better job of keeping the insane part of my brain in hiding. I guess I wasn't doing as great a job as I had previously thought, though, considering my attack on Dr. Scott.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen, she doesn't usually react this way to newcomers. I don't know what compelled her to act so rashly," Dr. Scott told Edward in a tight voice, which I assumed was either because embarrassment, or restraining me. Probably the latter.

With sudden attentiveness, I felt a slow, frightening shiver rack through my body as I started to regain control. As soon as I felt the evil darkness, I understood that I was starting to reclaim my senses. It was a strange transition, transferring back to my former self. With the little sense of power I had at the moment, I bit my lip to prevent the animal that was inside me from shrieking out in rage.

After I felt my body grant me complete power again, black spots began to crowd my vision. Shaking my head wildly, no longer listening to Edward and Dr. Scott's conversation, I tried to force the black dots to disappear, but my exertion came to no avail. After another few short moments, I could no longer see past the darkness that surrounded me.

Pretty man... but why are his eyes red, Daddy? Why is Mommy red? Why is everything red? Wait, Mommy said the red is blood. Blood keeps you alive, doesn't it? Then why is Mommy's blood leaving her? I have to help Mommy, but Daddy says to go. What about Mommy, though? Who will take care of her? Who will take care of me? Daddy will take care of Mommy… so I should go, right? Go away from the pretty, but mean man. Go away from the red…

"Ah!" I shot up straight in my iron hard bed, my heart running a marathon in my chest. I continuously had this dream, my mind racing back to the thoughts that had seemed so correct then, but now seemed foolish and ignorant. I should have protected Mom, should have done something. Anything was better than what I did do.

"Are feeling alright, Bella?" asked a velvety voice that immediately sent a tremor down my spine. My breathing caught in my throat, realizing it obviously wasn't Dr. Scott. His voice was far less… captivating, and he would never spare me by recognizing me by a name I actually liked.

"How do you know my name?" I practically growled, unconsciously deciding to change my fear into anger and turn it on him. But instead of the usual forced smile Dr. Scott would make, I was faced with an air of calm and careful blankness. It looked as if he felt nothing in response to my harsh words. Or maybe he didn't want me to see his reaction. Either way, I didn't care. I was too frustrated and upset with my nightmare to deal with Edward the Vampire.

"I know because I listened to Dr. Scott. You do remember when he introduced us, don't you?" he asked with no emotion at all except maybe a little irritation when explaining himself.

"Yes, I do. I also recall how he introduced me as Isabella, not Bella. I may be insane, but I'm not stupid," I hissed, annoyed and frightened by this new doctor/vampire. I was beginning to realize I was enduring many emotions lately. Too many sentiments for me to feel comfortable with. Maybe Dr. Scott would get his wish, and I would be transferred to another hospital because my condition was getting worse.

Lifting my eyes back to Edward's, I caught the hint of the fear and overwhelmed sensation I was enduring at the moment. It was understandable. Our situation was similar to one in which the best checker player in the world played against a rooky. The better player became cocky, and the rooky beat the other guy because of his own stupidity.

I stared into Edward's eyes thoughtfully, becoming uncomfortable with the dark, butterscotch essence that was staring back into my own dull orbs. Abruptly deciding that his deep, golden eyes were far too disturbing to go unmentioned, I concluded that I should confront him about it immediately.

Taking a shaky breath, I began my interrogation. "I also recall that your kind is supposed to have horrendous red eyes. Are you wearing contacts or something?" I asked in a serious voice, tilting my head in curiosity while Edward became even more distraught.

"W-w-what do you mean?" he whispered, barely audible. I was almost certain I had shocked him into complete silence, but then he continued. "I knew your symptoms were too similar to if you had encountered him, but I was being naïve. I didn't want to believe he was really doing this around the country so thoughtlessly…,"

"Who's 'him?'" I inquired, desperately trying to understand his words, but it was all gibberish to me. What symptoms did I possess that revealed I had faced a vampire? Anyone who had watched their parents be brutally murdered before their eyes would probably end up where I was at the moment: locked up in the loony bin trying to stay out of the extra crazy place.

"You tell me, you're the one that met him. Now, do you know where your files might be?" Edward was looking at me expectantly, like they would actually tell me where they kept my records. They didn't even trust me enough to inform me where the main cafeteria was at, let alone the evidence that held me like a chain to this place. Shooting him an incredulous look, I tried feebly to tell with my eyes that his question was ridiculous.

Before I could actually answer him, though, Dr. Scott burst into the room. I wasn't too surprised because he was my main doctor; meaning he was practically my only doctor. Unable to look at the damage I had done to his appearance until the last second, I waited until he verbally ordered me to look up from the ground and keep my head held high. It wasn't until I witnessed his face that I very nearly had a heart attack.

His face held no blemish that wasn't natural at all; almost as if I had never attacked him so violently and randomly. He was perfectly calm and didn't show an ounce of fear if he was experiencing any. Seeing my confused expression, he shook his head, obviously annoyed with whatever task he was about to begin.

Turning his entire body towards me, he began hastily, "Isabella, whatever reason you are looking at me so strangely isn't real. As I have told you a billion times, it was merely a hallucination. It was a figment of your imagination, in which you probably created due to how your parents died." Glaring fiercely at him, I shook my head side to side about a million times, refusing to believe his words.

Dr. Scott had never told me any of that, even though he claimed to have had. And hallucinations were not one of my characteristics listed in my files. I just knew they weren't because they couldn't be. Could they? No, no, I did not have hallucinations. I may have an alter ego, anxiety, and be locked in an insane asylum, but I refused to think I had hallucinations. I could handle everything else, but one more thing listed as to why I was considered crazy, and I would break.

"You can never remember when I tell you that it's usually a hallucination if something violent or horrible happened, but you don't ever believe me anyways. As soon as you go to sleep, your subconscious rules even the thought of it out of your head," Dr. Scott told me, annoyance coming off of him in waves. I didn't care, though. I didn't believe his story for one second. He always had it in for me anyway; he was probably trying to make me worse than I already was.

"I don't believe you," I stated defiantly, tilting my chin up to look him dead in the eye. Anger flashed in his eyes briefly but he then put on a cool façade. I had almost forgotten Edward was in the room until he voiced his opinion on the subject.

"Will you believe me?" Edward asked, forcing both mine and Dr. Scott's heads to snap up in surprise. Without allowing me time to think about my answer, Edward quickly continued, "Can I please speak to Bella alone, Dr. Scott?"

Waiting for Dr. Scott to give a definite no to Edward, I was shocked beyond words when Dr. Scott agreed to quietly exit the room. Turning to Edward, I chewed on my lip nervously. As unbelievable as it sounds, I was fairly shy when it came to strangers. I couldn't understand what made Edward different, besides the fact that he was a vampire. I suppose maybe that was the reason I felt so bold around him, but that just didn't feel like that was the correct answer.

"Okay, what did the vampire that attacked your family look like?" Edward probed, not wasting a second with Dr. Scott out of the room. But I didn't think it was fair that he got to acquire his answers, even though I didn't get even one of my questions answered.

"I'm not going to tell you until you answer my questions first," I retorted, watching his face gather into a dread unlike any other. So, he knew how this conversation was going to go. Good for him.

"I'm only asking for your own safety," Edward practically growled at me. After a couple seconds of silence, his head shot up and you could practically see a light bulb above his head. "How about for each answer you give me, I give you one in return?" After thinking it through quickly, I decided that was probably the best solution to our dilemma. After a quick nod of my head, I began my description of the murderer of my parents.

"He had light brown hair, but it was almost … scraggly, in a way. It would look similar to if he had just got out of bed and then walked on over to my house. He had pale skin and scarlet red eyes, but you already knew that. He had a sharp jaw and nose. He was probably around 5'8, 5'9. He was really lean, and he was wearing jeans and a hoodie. That's all I know, so…" I trailed off, not really knowing what to say next.

"I hunt animals, not humans," Edward confessed, looking into my eyes so intensely, I realized the floor looked very interesting. Trying to get a grip, I kept my eyes down as I spoke.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to be a monster. I don't want to kill innocent people. There was a time when I believed murdering un-innocent was alright, but I soon understood that taking any thinking, living thing's life isn't alright. No matter what crimes they have committed, no one deserves to have their life ripped away from them," he whispered so quietly, I had to strain my ears to hear him.

"Is that the only reason?" I breathed, trying to see the façade he put on to fool the world. I didn't want to be a part of that world, though. More than anything, I wanted know who he truly he was. Irrationally, I hoped someday I could know his favorite color, his hobbies, everything about him. I desired to know what it felt like to watch the world pass through your eyes, ever-changing, but still remember it from your time. What was his birthday? When was his birthday? I wanted to know every single detail, good and bad, about him.

So we continued on, going back and forth until all his questions were answered. He kept his questions strictly related to the other vampire, but I on the other hand could not. I not only learned from his direct responses, but from how he executed everything. I quickly discovered that he was compassionate and brave. He informed me that he had a large family of brother and sisters, and that he would do anything for them, even if they wouldn't return the favor.

I also found that he enjoyed playing the piano and collecting cars. Soon after I was notified that Edward had graduated medical school twice, the bell shrilled, signaling that it was the end of the day for doctors and patients alike. Edward said a quick goodbye and left, leaving me alone in the quiet darkness.

Ignoring the banging of other, more extreme patients, I settled into my pajamas that consisted of white pants and a long sleeved shirt that felt like paper on my skin. I fell onto my steel bed, yawning excessively. Laying my head on my pillow, I thought about how amazing Edward was. I had only known him for a day, but I already felt as if I had met him a million years ago.

I knew now that not all vampires were as bad and horrible as I had originally thought, thanks to Edward. So, that night, for the first time in ten years, I slept soundly and silently, in complete bliss. If only I had known what was coming…

Hey guys! I'm so happy with this chapter, and I really hope you enjoy it. I worked very hard on it, and I think it's one of my best chapters so far in my Fanfiction career. Hope you do, too! If you have any ideas you would like me to do in any future chapters, I'm all ears. Plz r&r. 3 you all!