A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. School just ended and now i'm on vacation! Yay! Well i hope you like tihs chapter, andi'll hopefully update more frequently now, but i dont know if anyone is reading. If nobody is reading and reviewing than i dont know if i will continue. Enjoy and Review :]

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O my love, my wife!
Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 5.3

Present~

He didn't know how long he sat there, but day turned quickly into night and vice versa. His phone had gone off numerous times, but no one ever came. They knew where he was, but they were giving him time. Time to think. Time to sulk.

Time to grieve.

He stared up to the skies, silently screaming for the clouds to break, and for the everlasting rain that had always fallen onto the town of Forks to come again, but they had been nothing but dark and omniscient since the day his dear had departed. Leaving the town and all that surrounded it in a dark haze. Never letting up, never moving on.

Blinking his eyes pleadingly, he began devising a plan, as best he could. Because if he was going down, and he had already planned he would, he was going to take one of them down with him.

Rising swiftly from the bleached driftwood he had been perched on for hours, he paced along the beach, his steps becoming more angry and full of hate than the last. His mind was working in overdrive, analyzing every aspect of the situation.

They knew this would drive him to the edge. They knew, and yet they did it anyway. Maybe, in the grand scheme of things, that's why they did it. To push him further into the madness that threatened to consume him everyday.

With his love out of the way, and that inner monster clawing its way out from inside of him, maybe they deluded themselves into thinking that he would actually join them. But if he hadn't before, he certainly wouldn't now.

And that's when the plan popped itself into his head.

The only way to take down something like that is to know it. To understand it. To be able to analyze it from every aspect. Including from the inside.

The only way to win, is to lose.

His mind was made up, his resolve not wavering once, and he turned on his heel to walk back up the beach, into the murky shadows of the forest.

The plan was already unraveling within his head, filling it with swirls of destruction and mayhem. He was ready to go out, and he knew that, that would be their very first thought. But he would surprise them, oh yes he would. He'd show them how to play.

As his scheme unfolded behind his eyes, he picked up his pace and went running into the direction of his parked car.

Although the sudden burst of happiness flooded him temporary, it couldn't hide away the pain he still felt, the pain he was holding inside of him. He refused to fully let go, to really, once and for all, come to terms.

But he wouldn't have to.

He wouldn't let himself reach that point, and there was no need. Once he arrived, he would soon after bring it down. It was all just a matter of time. Time he had an endless supply of.

As he neared his car, he felt that same familiar buzzing in his pocket and for the first time since he left, he took it out and looked at the bright blue screen.

Their were countless of missed calls, but the most recent was the 1 new text message he just received from Alice. His pace slowed until he stopped completely, reading the same line over and over, not quite understanding what it mean. And knowing all too well the reality he was trying to hide from.

'I know this isn't something you want to hear right now, but he has to know. You have to tell Jacob.'

He couldn't quite wrap his mind around the concept, but flipped his phone shut and stuffed it back into his pocket none the less. Walking the rest of the way to his Volvo, he climbed in, not even acknowledging the fact that his body was moving without his brain telling him to do so.

He was headed in a direction that he knew would only leave a pain in his heart, and it wasn't the airport.

It was time to tell Jacob.

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Past~

Bella's POV

A good basketball game can have us all on the edge of our seats. Games are all about the glory, pain and the play by play. And then there are the more solitary games. The games we play all by ourselves. The social games, the mind games. We use them to pass the time to make life more interesting... to distract us from what's really going on. There are those of us who love to play games, any games. And there are those of us who love to play a little too much…

Jacob and Jasper were battling each other in Halo, and so far, it was a pretty close game. We had been watching them go at it for hours, neither one ever giving in, and I could faintly pick up on the rest of my family placing bets on who would win. Most were betting on Jasper to win. Not me.

My Jacob would win, he always did in some way shape or form.

Everyone around was laughing and enjoying the sight in front of them. Jacob and Jasper had stood up, getting really competitive and I giggled at the serious look on Jacob's face, causing him to turn my way, a smirk on his face.

" Is something funny?" he asked goofily, and I nodded my head but before I could manage to say something, Jasper spoke up.

" Yeah. What's funny is you just lost." he said laughing, and pressing the button on the controller, killing Jacob's character.

" Come On!" Jacob whined dropping his controller an dropping down to the carpet, a pout on his face. I felt Edward shake with laughs, and looked up to him, his perfect face twisted into a grin. A grin that I soon copied.

" Better luck next time." I said through laughs, removing myself from Edward's hold and walking over to Jacob, pulling him against me. At first he stiffened, but soon his body relaxed, pulling me onto his lap and tickling me feverishly.

" Jacob, he he, ahh, stop Jacob he he, Stop!" I squealed, pushing him away. He let me go, but followed close behind me as I ran into the back yard, talking me to the ground after only a few moments. In my rush i had almost forgotten about the monstrous snow storm outside, but now I couldnt think of anything but.

" I caught ya." He whispered huskily into my ear, pressing me into the freezing snow. My whole body was shivering sharply, though the heat emanating from my friend kept me somewhat warm.

" T-That you d-did." I stuttered. My teeth chattering slightly, and my voice cracking.

Sensing my distress, Jacob jumped off of me, ushering me back into the house, and I could see Edward in the doorway, his face both concerned and worried. Once I was inches within the doorway, Edward ran up to me, replacing Jacob's warm hands with his cool ones.

" Are you okay?" he asked, his voice strained, and I just smiled, looking up into his adoring eyes. " I'm f-fine." I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself fro warmth, and Edward rubbed the arm methodically.

I looked up to him as he stared down at me, and I couldn't help but melt. He was so loving, so caring, so beautiful. So out of my league, and yet, for some reason, he chose me. I still couldn't fully quite understand how I got so lucky.

Once inside the building, Jacob shut the door loudly and I had almost forgotten about his presence behind us entirely.

Edward looked up into Jacob's eyes, the liquid gold hardening slightly, and his mouth contorting into a stiff line. And I turned my head to look up to my best friend. His expression was slightly angered, but at the same time pained. And I hoped it wasn't because of me.

We walked back over to the couch, and Alice came bouncing over to sit next to me, a forced smile playing along her lips. Jacob and Edward seemed to be having a silent conversation as they continued walking past the couch and over towards the kitchen, before disappearing behind the swinging doors.

" What was that about?" I asked worried, looking back and forth between Alice and Jasper. Neither of them said anything, instead looking at each other, deliberating on whether to tell me or not.

Seeing this, I rolled my eyes and pushed myself off the couch, striding confidently toward the kitchen but failed and stumbled on the carpet, Alice appearing by my side to catch me.

"Okay Bella, come on. Don't worry." Alice soothed, walking me back to the couch, ignoring my struggles to get to the kitchen.

" Alice. What's going on." I asked as soon as she pushed me onto the couch. I crossed my arms over my chest, a slight pout on my lips and waited. I saw her roll her eyes once before sitting down next to me. And I saw Jasper had moved closer as well.

Alice took my hand, her eyes full of worry and I felt my breathing hitch, waiting for new I didn't' want to hear.

" Bella.." she said looking away from my eyes, and I waited, needing to hear it, to know what was wrong and why everyone had been acting this way.

I saw Alice open her mouth to speak, and I saw the hurt in her eyes but nothing came out. Edward had emerged from the Kitchen followed swiftly by Jacob and they looked as solemn as ever. It's a wonder how easily the happiness could slowly slip away, leaving nothing but sadness and worry.

Edward's arm slipped around my waist, squeezing me slightly, and he picked me up from the couch.

The room was silent, the only noise being the loud pounding of my heart, and that's all I could focus on. We walked into the kitchen, allowing for some privacy though that was no use. They'd hear us either way.

" Bella." Edward said stopping, holding his hands in mine. Giving them a gently squeeze, he moved his eyes to meet my gaze.

" Edward, please. Just tell me." I said pleadingly, grasping his hands tightly.

" Everything's… fine." He breathed. That same crooked grin on his face. But I knew he was lying. I just gazed up at him, a blank expression on my face, waiting for more.

There was none.

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So go ahead... argue with the ref, change the rules, cheat a little, take a break and tend to your wounds. But play. Play. Play hard, play fast... play loose and free. Play as if there's no tomorrow. Okay, so it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game... right?

Ehh idk if i like this chapter, but i would love reviews none the less. So pleaseeeee tell me if you like this. i neeeeed to know :]