Sorry for the delay in posting. There will be at least one more post today.


Chapter 3

"Hi, Bella, I'm so sorry." Yet another person offers their condolences. While they all sound sad and upset, I've had it up to my back teeth of hearing these same words. Looking down the line I see there are roughly another ten or so people left.

Letting out a deep sigh, I take the offered hand of the next person in the line of people. The person gives my hand a gentle squeeze and then their hand slips out of mine. Though I'm sick of those words, I'm not aware if they ever spoke.

"Was I so out of it that I didn't hear them?" I question myself, as I look up to see Edward Masen walk away. Pulling my brows together, I let out a hum as I shake my head. Well, that answers that it was Edward and he doesn't talk, unless it's rude. His presence makes me wonder what he's doing here. I don't think he ever met Maria, but with that thought he is a friend of my dad's, well sort of.

"Bella," my father interrupts my thoughts and I jump. Turning, I see my dad looking at me strangely with a worried expression.

"What?" I whisper as I look around to see if we are alone.

"You spaced out there for a little bit," he says slowly and I rub my head feeling guilty because I'm not helping him through this.

"Sorry," I whimper having nothing else to say.

He sighs and links his arm with mine and we start to walk to the door. The drive home is filled with silence. For me, this is almost perfect, but I know my dad is becoming more and more uncomfortable. His leg is now bouncing and he keeps clearing his throat.

When we get to the house, he almost jumps out of the car. Slowly I follow him, knowing several people have already arrived and are waiting for us. They're here to offer more condolences while I just want to be left alone.

"Mr. Swan, Miss Swan," Marcus greets us with a head nod.

Barely holding off the anger I feel in his presence, I look at him. Marcus and his partner Caius are members of the FBI. After I found the letter and freaked out over it, my dad finally got it away from me. Sadly, even with my training and knowledge, I had touched the letter so inadvertently I'd tampered with the evidence. We took the letter to the police station and due to the content, the FBI was called. Marcus and Caius arrived early the next day. They've become shadows to my father and me. They believe the killer knew my sister in some way, and will more than likely turn up acting like a grieving friend.

God, I hope not!

My father and I have been told that we cannot tell anyone about receiving the letter or what it contained. When I asked if they thought this person would kill again, they brushed me off. However, I have a sinking feeling that Maria was only the beginning of a long line of more deaths yet to come.

As soon as I walk in the front door, my ears are filled with the sounds of people eating, drinking, and whispering conversations. Unable to make out what they are saying, I know the talk revolves around Maria as her name is all I can make out.

"I got you a plate, Bella," Mike gestures as he slowly brings the plate into my view.

"Thanks," I mutter quietly, as I take the plate although not feeling up to eating anything.

"Err; we got an assignment due next week." Mike carries on sounding unsure of not only what to say, but what he is saying.

"I am sure he'll give you more time if you want. Everyone's been asking about how you're doing." He chuckles a little at the end, not in an amused, but more in the nervous way.

"That's great, Mike, see you later," I say with finality, ending this talk for both of us.

Walking out to the backyard, I sit down on the swing hanging from our tree. This is the same swing Maria and I played on throughout our childhoods. Taking a deep breath, I look out to the woods. Maria and I would often find ourselves out here when we were feeling sad, stressed, or alone. There's always been something magical about the way the sun sets, giving the woods an eerie glow. In the past, it's always cheered us up. Now I sniff back my tears, looking for that same peaceful feeling. But for the first time I do not feel the warmth or magic in my heart.

"It's there, Bella," a voice states as a jacket is put around me.

Turning to face the voice, it keeps talking.

"It's just that your heart is filled with so much hurt that you can't feel it."

"Edward?" I stutter out and he sighs crouching down to my level.

"She's always going to be a part of you, Bella. She was taken too early, and no one is going to give you a reason that your heart will understand."

Humming at his words, I turn back to the sunset seeing the last blast of light as it disappears.

Once we are wrapped in darkness, a sob seems to break out of me and before I can control it, the sobs wrack my body. Without saying a word, Edward wraps his arms around me holding me as he sits us on the ground.

~Nightmare~

Waking, I sit up to find I'm now in my room, still wearing my dress clothes. Rubbing my face, I look around to see it's still dark. Looking at my alarm clock, I see it's just after one in the morning. Searching my mind, I try to think of how I got to my room. Nothing comes to mind and all I can remember is crying while Edward held me.

Getting out of bed, I strip down to my underwear coming to the conclusion that Edward must have carried me here after I fell asleep. Knowing my father's injuries, he couldn't have carried me.

Getting back into bed, I look up at my ceiling. "May, I miss you," I say out loud feeling like I'm about to have another breakdown. Letting out a soft breath and closing my eyes, I will myself to go back to sleep.

~*Nightmare*~

"Miss Swan, can you stay behind for a few moments?" Professor McAvoy asks as I walk toward the door of the classroom.

"We'll wait for you outside," Mike says with a glare toward the Professor.

Giving him a nod I turn, holding my books close to my chest as I make my way to McAvoy's desk.

"I know this month has been very hard for you, Bella."

"Hard for me, I fucking lost my sister, asshole!" my inner mind yells out at him.

"But your work is slipping, greatly. If you don't start to improve, you will not get a good grade. You have worked too hard to let it slip away." His tone sounds as if he is pleading with me.

"I'm trying," I grit out while trying to keep my emotions under control.

"I'm not saying you're not trying," he sighs out as he stops talking. "Maybe you should take a break and just repeat the year." He suggests and I shake my head at him.

"No, I'll get myself sorted, I swear I will," I beg him. Knowing deep down I need to get a grip, but the hurt and pain is just too fresh.

"If you need my help just let me know. But for now, I advise you to talk to someone to help process these feelings and emotions you have. After that, use those feelings and emotions for this work," he says holding up the essay I had turned in.

Looking into his green eyes, I nod at him before walking out of the room. As soon as I close the door behind me, I let out a long breath.

"He was getting after you, wasn't he?" Mike asks reminding me that he was waiting for me.

"No, just asking how I am coping."

Mike just hums, and then smiles at me. "Want to get a cup of coffee with me?"

"That sounds good," I hum out.

Mike takes my books and walks with me out of the campus building. We walk to the nearby Starbucks and order our drinks and muffins before sitting at one of the tables.

"I wish we had a serial killer who was killing now." Mike seems to blurt out. His comment is so random and out of the blue, I just look at him, thinking he's lost his mind.

"Come on, Bella, think about it. We'd have the chance to see it first hand and follow the clues."

"Err, we wouldn't be allowed to do that, Mike, we're still in college," I say with a sigh at his weird comment.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't look into it in our own time. Think about it. To have someone out there killing now while we still have the fresh logic and training in our minds. I'm sure you and I could find the killer, and just imagine if we did. We would be gods in the minds of our classmates, professors and the college itself. Hell, we could get a job anywhere in the world." The full time he speaks he has a faraway look on his face.

"Have you been on the Mary Jane again?"

Mike frowns at me and I just keep looking at him.

"It was just a thought. I personally would like to leave my footprint on the world. That way when I am gone there will be still something here to tell everyone who Mike Newton was."

Chuckling, I cover my mouth and hold back the catty comeback racing around my mind. "You're nuts, and besides you have many years to catch a killer or even a serial killer. So don't wish one on us ... okay?"

Mike makes a face but nods at me. "I better get to work. Call me if you need help with your assignment," he says getting up from his seat. "Later, Bells."

Sitting here, I get lost in thought as I think about my school work.

"Bella," comes a tired but harsh voice and I hum as I look up to see Edward standing in front of me holding two cups.

"Hi," I say looking around trying to get my bearings again.

"They said this is what you usually get," Edward blurts out as he shoves a coffee cup at me.

"What?" I stutter out, still feeling a little out of it.

"The woman at the counter said that is the kind of coffee you get when you are here," Edward says slowly as he raises one brow.

"Oh ... um, thanks," I say and take it from him. Pulling the cup to my face, I sniff and smell the familiar aroma of my favorite coffee.

"Are you alright, you seemed a little out of it when I first came in," Edward carries on sitting down across from me.

"I'm fine," I say with no emotion whatsoever in my voice. Setting down the cup without drinking any, I look at him.

Edward just hums and sips his coffee.

"Have you ever lost someone that you loved?" I ask and Edward shrugs a little.

"Sure," he says and I frown because it's almost as if he's just going with it.

Continuing to look at him, he finally lets out a sigh.

"My dad wasn't around a lot. I only saw him a handful of times. So when I was told he had died, I didn't feel anything. As for my mom, I was glad she was dead, it meant she was finally at peace."

Swallowing, I look back up at him. "Oh," I gasp and roll my eyes closed at the stupid noise that just came out of me. "Do you have any siblings?"

"I'm not sure, my mom said my dad had another family, but I never found out if it was true or not." Edward shakes his head and looks down at the table. "I better get back to the shop; I only closed it to get some fresh air."

Before I can apologize, Edward is out of his seat and out of the door.

Picking up my belongings and my new coffee, I know I need to get home, or my dad will start to worry.

"Hi, Dad," I yell as I drop my bag on the floor. Slipping out of my jacket I hang it up and walk into the living room. My dad seems to be deep in thought with an open file in front of him.

"What's going on ..." My voice stops abruptly as my eyes fall on the file and the images I see make me cover my mouth. "Oh my God, Dad, that's not her ..." I sob out breaking my dad from the spell he was under.

He quickly closes the file and gets up as quickly as he can. "No, that's not her, Bella. That's not Maria," he says.

Looking at him, I'm confused. "What's going on, Dad, who was that?" I ask trying to calm myself, but the images of what I have just seen seem to be stuck in my head.

"He's killed again," my dad blurts out and I feel myself go into shock as he keeps talking.

"Due to the threat and the contents of the note that was left in Maria's room, it appears we're dealing with a serial killer."


A/N: So things got very interesting this chapter. There is another death and we found out a little more about Edward. What are your thoughts so far?