Finally it's the waterfall scene! This one was very hard to do, so this is my interpretation of it, though it may be different to how you saw the scene. I can still continue this scene if there were parts I missed that you wanted to be included, so please review or send me a message if you do.
My eyes flew open, my breathing laboured and too fast. I lay panting on the spot for a few moments, trying to bring myself back to reality. It's just a dream, I told myself. It was all just a dream. Yet it had been so real. It had felt like I was there, like I could have reached out and touched the beautiful little boy in front of me, the one I simply had to protect. The colours had been so real, too. My whole dream had a blood-red tint, so bright and vivid. Maybe it was just the sun streaming through my eyelids, but it felt so real to me.
"Bella?" Edward asked, a slightly panicked tone underneath his calm facade. I lay still in his arms for a moment, trying to recover. I tried to focus on the feel of his cool arms against my back, the feel of my cheek against his bare chest. That helped, took my mind of the awful but completely real nightmare. I pulled myself closer to Edward. This was where I am, not in my nightmare. Edward seemed content enough to pull my still quivering body close, holding me against his body.
"Bella, please," Edward pleaded, panic clear in his usually controlled tone. "Bella, tell me what's wrong!" I took a deep unsteady breath, my heartbeat more calm now that I could feel every plane of Edward's body against mine. I could open my eyes and stare out the window to see the beach. I could even smell the distinctly sea-like aroma of the house.
"I'm okay," I comforted him, though I was more talking to myself. "It was just a dream. It wasn't real." Edward relaxed slightly, glad that I wasn't hurt or having a mental breakdown or anything like that. Still, he stroked my hair gently, keeping one arm firmly around my waist. I hadn't noticed before through the shivering in terror, but my body was much too hot. Looking down, I realised I was still in yesterdays clothing.
I tried to remember going to bed, and came up empty. The last thing I could remember was eating dinner, but that seemed like a whole decade ago now. The sun outside indicated I had slept away most of the morning. Normally I got very little sleep when I was having nightmares. As I tried to recall the events of the day before, I remembered Edward carrying me from the table to bed. I was a little surprised he hadn't changed me into something more appropriate to sleep in, but I guess he would be staying away from anything which could give me the wrong idea, now especially.
I removed my cheek from Edward's chest, leaning so I could press my lips to his. Edward kissed me back softly for a moment, not wanting to hurt my feelings. He was aware of the pain it caused when he had to say no. As Edward's lips pulled away from mine, I twined my fingers in his hair, trying to prevent the removal of his lips from mine. Of course, I was unsuccessful, my human strength no match for him. At least his lips did move to my throat, placing a few kisses there before pulling away completely.
"What would you like to do today?" Edward asked, though I knew he wouldn't appreciate my answer. If I had my way, anything we did wouldn't involve us moving from this house anytime soon. In fact, we wouldn't even need to move from the bed. But that was out of the questions, for Edward anyway. As I went to reply, my stomach grumbled uneasily. One disadvantage of sleeping such long nights was that my stomach was hungry too soon, and Edward would make his run for it as soon as I woke up.
"How about we start with breakfast?" Edward suggested, getting off the bed and pulling his shirt back on with unconscious gracefulness. He held his hand out, steadying me as I swayed on my feet. Now the island was affecting my sense of balance? Maybe it was just the tiredness and lack of food which made me more clumsy than usual.
"Is there even any point in asking what you would like for breakfast this morning?" Edward asked, holding up another blue carton of eggs. I wouldn't have minded making my own breakfast- it would have made me feel more useful- but Edward seemed happy as he cooked, wincing a bit as he handled the raw bacon. I wondered how I would react to food when my body no longer craved it. Would the smell of bacon and cheese still smell appealing, or would it be repulsive to me? I let my mind drift off, still tired despite sleeping for hours.
"What's your plan for today?" I asked between mouthfuls, not waiting for the eggs to cool down before stuffing the next bite into my mouth. No doubt whatever we did would be full-on physical activity, designed to wear me out. Mind you, my idea of what we should do today wasn't that different.
"Esme suggested we go to see one of the waterfalls on the other side of the island," Edward suggested, his eyes lighting up. I wondered if vampires still have the equivalent of an adrenaline rush the way humans do. Seeing Edward's exuberated expression when he was travelling at high speeds convinced me there might be.
"Sure," I agreed casually. It would be much easier to seduce him later tonight, when we were both in a bed. Edward controlled his reaction to my answer. No doubt he would have been expecting me to plead with him to stay home and watch a DVD, or relax in bed. Edward smiled slightly. In truth, I felt a bit deceptive. He probably thought I was going to be good now and not keep on at him about the sex thing. He couldn't have been more wrong.
"Why don't you get changed into a bathing suit?" Edward suggested, clearing the table. "I don't know how long you will want to stay, so I'll go prepare you some lunch." Edward's mood seemed a bit more uplifted now, more relaxed. I would try and keep that mood as long as I could.
I wandered off down the hallway, through the chicken coop and stopped at the suitcase. My suitcase, even though not a single item resembled anything I would have chosen for myself. I fumbled around the various thin strips of material Alice had packed for me as my 'bathing suits.' Seriously, they could hardly be called appropriate swimwear. If I wore even half of these items to a public swimming pool, I would surely get kicked out for indecent exposure.
Finally I settled on one of the few white bikini's Alice had packed. It wasn't as bad as some of the other items, though it would surely show more skin that I was used to. However, with the bruises fading a lot more now, maybe showing more skin wouldn't be too detrimental to my argument. Edward would see how quickly I have healed, and how little pain I was in, and maybe he might try again.
I dressed quickly, and took a deep breath before looking in the mirror. Thankfully, the bruises along my ribcage and legs had pretty much vanished, to my human eyesight at least. There were still marks along my shoulders and my arms, but now they were a distinct yellow colour as opposed to purple. I pulled one of Alice's small cotton dresses over my head, this one a light green colour.
I didn't know whereabouts Edward was, what with his silent movements, so I padded off into the kitchen to wait for him, nibbling on some of the leftovers I didn't get around to consuming last night. Less than thirty seconds later, Edward joined me, wearing a similar pair of board shorts to the ones he wore yesterday, these ones black. The way the darkness of his shorts compared to the paleness of his skin made an amazing contrast. Maybe black was my favourite colour on Edward. I pondered that for a moment. No, any colour was my favourite on Edward.
"Ready to go?" Edward asked, eying me as I picked some berries from the fruit basket on the counter. I quickly swallowed the last mouthful.
"Yep," I replied, rising off my seat to go walk over to where he stood. Being me, I tripped on the edge of a rug on my way. Edward's hands caught my body well before I hit the ground, and I was standing up straight again before my brain even recognised that I fell.
"What am I going to do with you?" Edward laughed to himself, throwing an arm around my waist and leading me out onto the beach. Even though it was early, the sun warmed the sand and the air. We walked in the shallows of the water, also heated by the flaming ball of warmth in the sky. Edward stared in amusement as I skipped over the waves that rolled into shore, catching me whenever my feet didn't land where I intended them to.
At some invisible signal that I didn't notice, Edward paused. Due to our interlinked fingers, I was pulled to a gentle stop as well. Edward bent down, obviously giving me the cue to climb onto his back. With a little help from Edward, I managed to have my arms and legs locked around him, gripping onto his body, preparing for the sudden rush of wind. He took off, and it felt like we were flying. As we shot towards the middle of the island, through all the jungle-like trees, I rested my chin against Edward's shoulder. He had the exhilaration back in his run, the elated way he travelled when we were alone. I pressed my lips against his jugular, feeling his cool, perfect skin under my own.
We stopped at the bottom of a rocky cliff face, which looked very steep from where we were at the bottom. I could hear the distinct sound of gushing water of the other side of the giant rocky structure, the crashing of the water as it hit something on the other side. Edward put me down for a moment. I briefly speculated whether he was expecting me to get up to the top on my own two clumsy feet, but instead he started to unbutton his shirt. I took that as the sign to remove my own dress, pulling the fabric quickly over the head and checked to make sure the thin pieces of fabric that made up my swimsuit stayed in place.
Edward bent down in front of my, my signal to climb onto his back. Looking at the sharp angle of the cliff face above, I tightened my grip to a chokehold which would prevent a human from breathing. The journey to the top took longer than I was used to, what with Edward's super speed and all. I had to grip on tight to prevent myself from sliding off. Not that Edward would have allowed that anyway. At least as we travelled I could focus on the feel of Edward's smooth, marble skin against my own. Maybe I wouldn't be so hard on Alice for forcing these thin, strappy little two piece suits on me.
Soon enough, the gradient of the cliff started getting shallower, a steady slope to the top. Edward put me down on my feet a few metres before the top where the surface was flat enough that I shouldn't fall over. Still, Edward kept his hands firmly on my waist, guiding me in the right direction as I tried to keep my balance. I finally reached the top of the rock, staying well back from the edge. The sound of the water crashing below was much louder now, like being in the middle of a thunderstorm, except it was too hot and humid here for any rain to fall.
Edward held me slightly back from the edge, his arms slightly restraining around my waist. Not that I minded. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through my body. I could see everything below. I could see the dangerously fast water crashing into the deep pool below. I could see the gushing of the water shooting over the edge of my cliff to the right of where we stood. I had never really been scared of heights, or water before, but my body seemed to lean away from the edge. Only a few months ago I had thrown myself of a cliff higher than this one, and now I was too afraid to get anywhere near the waterfall.
"Scared?" Edward suddenly whispered in my ear, his cool breath brushing across my face. I leaned closer towards him- an instinct.
"No," I replied, but my shaking voice and racing heartbeat gave me away. Edward laughed in my ear, as if I had recognised the lie myself.
"You ran off to play with werewolves, and you have a vampire for a husband, and you are scared of a little height and water?" Edward asked, his voice amused now. I tried to ignore what he said about the werewolves. Up until now, the Jacob draw had been well closed. Jacob had made his choice, and I had made mine. We would just have to leave it at that. I tried to focus on more pleasant things, like that way he said husband. Once upon a time, that word would have had me cringing and covering my ears, but now I welcomed it. It reminded me that Edward and I belong to each other. Of course, we had before, but now it was official. Edward was mine. Forever.
Edward took the first move, slinging me onto his back. As I saw what he was doing, I threw my arms and legs around his body as tightly as I could manage. I buried my face into his neck, not looking down at the large drop we were suddenly inches away from. Edward reached back and lifted my chin so he could kiss me lightly on the lips, washing away all my fears. It reminded me of what he had done when he ran with me one of the first times.
"Ready?" Edward asked, crouching down a bit to spring forward. I didn't trust my voice, so I nodded against his cheek, taking a huge breath. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to close my eyes. Again. One second we were at the top of the cliff, the next we were falling downwards, much faster than I ever remembered falling. The air whooshed past us, blowing my hair out in all directions. Our bodies soon crashed into the water, separated now. As I was swimming towards the surface, I felt sight pressure on either side of my hips, and then I was shooting upwards, breaking the surface. Edward held me up and I caught my breath, his eyes exhilarated with excitement that any form of speed brought.
In the water, Edward's skin was warmer. Although I had absolutely no problem with the normal temperature of his skin, I had to admit that I liked the feel of his warmed skin against mine. Edward kissed me lightly on the lips once, no more than a peck. Instinctively, I leaned in closer, trying to kiss him with passion I truly felt. Before my lips even touched his, I was out of the water, standing on a small bank beside the base of the waterfall. Edward stood a few feet away from me, clearly distancing himself from my hormone-ridden body. As he turned his expression away from me, I saw a glimmer of some emotion in his eyes he tried to hide. Was it longing? Did Edward want to try again almost as much as I did?
No, I told myself, stopping myself from feeling false hope. Despite trying, a wave of what felt like rejection rushed through my veins. The words from the first time I had tried to seduce Edward echoed in my head. I knew I was wanted now at least, but I was still unwantable. Edward wouldn't let himself want me in that way until I was changed. I could feel the moisture in my eyes, teardrops clouding my already hazy vision. I wiped my hand across my eyes, trying to make it look like it was just water. Edward was not fooled.
"Bella? Are you okay?" He asked, gathering my body in his arms. "We don't have to go again if you don't want to. I'm sorry. I should have known it was too much..." I quickly grasped that Edward's frantic apologizing was because he thought his choice of activity was wrong. If I wasn't so emotional, I would have laughed. Edward should know by now that I'm not scared of something as small as a little jump into water. I rushed to reassure him.
"No it's not that at all. That was really fun," I told him honestly. Edward raised an eyebrow, his face confused.
"Then why are you upset?" Edward asked. I didn't want to tell him the real reason. All that would lead to would be Edward telling me yet again why he didn't want to touch me while I was still human. Then I would feel guilty for trying to push him into it, and he would feel guilty he couldn't give me the thing I wanted. It would be best to wait until later, when we have time away from all the distractions of the outdoors.
"I'm not upset," I lied, a smile lighting up my face. I tried to seem enthusiastic as I took his hand, which wasn't too difficult. Edward didn't look completely convinced, but he still let me take his hand and drag him to the base of the cliff for another turn. Edward seemed to relax a little as he saw my change in mood. Later, I told myself. It wouldn't be hard to enjoy myself now knowing that later there might be reason for a much greater sense of enjoyment.
It wasn't long before we were at the top of the cliff again. I excitedly scrambled onto Edward's back, keeping my eyes wide open as we plummeted towards the water much faster than any human would be capable of. As soon as my body was submerged, I scrambled to the surface, gasping for oxygen. Edward held me again while I caught my breath. Although I would have been able to keep myself afloat without his help, I didn't want to say anything.
Taking a chance, I gripped my arms around Edward's neck, my legs twisting around his beneath the water. I expected Edward to pull away, saying something about how we shouldn't push our luck. So I was a little surprised when he pinned my body against his own, his arms locked around me like constraining vices. Knowing that I wouldn't be successful, I clung to him with all the force I was capable of, crashing my lips against his. Edward kissed me back, his enthusiasm almost as great as my own. I knew that I should stop. I knew it, but I couldn't un-plaster my body from his.
There was a strange sense of relief in me, like I was getting my first breath of oxygen after suffocating. It felt so natural and right to be close to Edward. The small, thin pieces of fabric between us had become like walls, or barriers. My body was showing its obvious direction, though my mind was thinking of nothing but Edward's body and lips against my own. I felt my hands frantically running over the perfectly formed muscles of Edward's back, trying to pull him closer. My path was becoming more and more obvious to both of us. As I reached up to bring Edward's lips back to mine, my hands came up empty.
One second Edward was beside me, the next he was gone. Without his arms to hold me up, I had sunk back into the water. I searched my eyes around desperately. Edward was a good ten yards away, his back facing me. The scene faintly reminded me of that first time in the meadow, when I had leaned too close to Edward. He was distancing himself. This was becoming too much for him to handle. I felt a pang of guilt, then another burst of hope. Mind over matter, Edward had said when I had noticed it was easier for him to be close to me after a little practice. That's all we needed to do- practice.
I swam over to the edge of the water where Edward had reappeared. He reached down to help me out of the water, releasing my hand as soon as I was stably on land. We waited for a few moments in awkward silence, none of us really knowing what to say about what just happened. I understand, you needed some space, I could have said. Or I could have told him don't you see how simple it would be for us to try again? A million phrases came to mind, but none of them seemed right.
Finally the silence was broken by my stomach signalling it was time for lunch. Edward seemed grateful for the distraction, rushing over to pull some of the sandwiches he had prepared earlier out of the backpack. I ate quickly, partly because I was ravenous, but mostly because I didn't know what to say to him. Eating was a good excuse for not talking, but I knew we had to start sometime. By the looks of it, Edward wouldn't be the one to start that conversation.
"Why did you swim away from me?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual and relaxed, like I didn't really care for my answer. Of course, Edward knew me far too well to fall for my little act at nonchalance. He looked away from my eyes uncomfortably, hiding any emotion there.
"You know why," Edward said eventually, his voice slightly harder than normal.
"The last time that happened it was because you were afraid you were losing control. We have kissed over a thousand times, Edward," I explained, knowing my argument wouldn't work. "So I don't understand why that would be too much for you." Edward took a deep breath before answering. For a moment he looked slightly angry, though it could just be my mind blowing things out of proportion again.
"You and I both know that we wouldn't have stopped at kissing, Bella," Edward told me in a flat voice. He wasn't wrong. "I think I have already showed that I can't remain in control when we go any further than that." Edward pointed to my yellowed arms with his eyes.
"You haven't shown anything like that!" I exclaimed a bit too loudly. It took me a second to realise there was really no need to keep my voice down. No one would hear me anyway. Still, I tried to quieten my tone. "What happened to mind over matter?" Edward sighed loudly in exasperation.
"That went out the window when I did this to you, Bella," he said angrily, running his fingers lightly over the marks left on my arms and shoulders. I shrugged his hand off. They were invisible to me.
"Please, Edward," I begged him again. "Just please. What about if I promise we will only try," I pleaded. It had worked in the past. But we both knew underneath that trying would not be enough, for me at least.
"No," Edward said firmly, trying to hide the pain in his eyes. I could see how much it was hurting him to have to reject me. At least I could comfort myself knowing he would not have to hurt over this soon. I would try persuading him again tonight, doing anything and everything. I would even wear one of Alice's scary nightgowns if it meant he would see just how much I wanted this. How much I was willing to give to get my way.
Tonight then, I told myself. Maybe when our bodies must be against each other for the sake of my overheating it would be easier to keep him close to me. I couldn't even lie convincingly to myself. I had tried begging, I had tried pleading, I had even tried the old guilt-tripping thing, but nothing had worked. I had tried taking my opportunities when we were close, but Edward's strength would prevent us from achieving the closeness my body was craving. What else was left to try?
I had never been very good at seduction. The one person I had tried to seduce didn't even know what I was doing at first. I assumed that Edward wasn't able to see just how desperately my body wanted- needed- his. Words obviously weren't enough. I would need to show him somehow. The vision of me strutting into the bedroom in Alice's French lingerie flashed back into my head again. Only now, it didn't seem so outrageous. If that is what it takes, I said to myself, an idea forming in my mind.
Sorry for the small cliffhanger there, I wasn't really sure if I would continue this scene, or go straight onto the night chapter. Please tell me what you think!
