The Beginning
I slowly lifted my head from the cold, hard forest floor that lay beneath me. My fingers ran through the pieces of bark that lay around my body, I felt confused and disoriented, I couldn't see anything, and I couldn't remember anything. I lifted my hand to my face to pull away the strands of hair from my eyes and I could feel the pain surge through my veins. A burning sensation filled every inch of me, and I could feel my eyes widen even though black bags hung underneath them from sleep deprivation. My heart burned; it felt as though it was pounding, but struggling. I twisted my neck to the right, then the left, hearing the cracks that popped when I had gone too far. As I looked around me, I had to squint to see clearly.
"Bella?" A familiar voice asked, whispering softly as though not to startle me. "Honey, are you okay?"
"I think so, Edward, I'm still a little dizzy, though."
"How's the pain?"
"Bearable." I muttered, even though it wasn't. I hadn't experienced anything like it; my whole body ached, I felt as though I was burning, and it was never ending. "Actually, it sucks; nothing has ever felt as excruciating as this." Then, before I could say, or even think of anything else, I was encircled in Edward's arms.
"I'm sorry I ever let go of you, but I wanted to get you some clean clothes for when you woke up." He said, frowning.
I looked down at the dirty, torn flannelette top and jeans. They had scratch marks and small stains of blood all over them.
"Thanks, I'm glad you did." I smiled reassuringly, and Edward grinned back. Then he pressed his marble lips to mine.
"Hmm," Edward pulled away, looking disappointed, "You taste different."
"And that's a bad thing?" I asked, shocked, and slightly offended.
"No, just… different, but I guess I could get use to it." He added smugly, changing his expression from dissatisfied to pleased. He enjoyed being able to lighten my moods so easily.
"Better." I teased, but really, I was quite embarrassed. I glanced down at my hands, as blood flushed my cheeks. Edward froze.
"Bella, are you blushing?" This was something he asked often, but this time there was no humor. Had I made him angry?
"Umm, yes, you know I do."
"Not any more you don't, you don't have any blood."
"Wh-what do you mean." I stumbled.
"You mustn't have changed properly." Edward reasoned, though only talking to himself, "You probably still have a few hours to go."
"What are you talking about?"
"You're a vampire now, Bella, we don't have any blood. It doesn't make any sense…" He muttered, "You've been here for three days, which should be long enough."
"Edward, are you saying something's wrong with me?" I was shouting now, but he wasn't listening.
"I don't understand, this isn't right, maybe Carlisle will know something?"
"EDWARD!" I screamed. My faced turned bright red and my hands started to sweat, "What's happening to me?!" Edward's snapped his attention to me, I was infuriated. His eyes softened, his muscles relaxed, and then he held my face in his hands and whispered his velvet voice.
"I don't know, but we're going to find out, okay? We're going to fix this. I promise."
I nodded, he picked me up in his arms and held my face close to his. A familiar crooked smile broke out on his face as he kissed my lips. Then he swept me away from the open meadow in the forest near Forks, still smiling.
