Advanced warning: I have not spell-checked this. I was in SUCH a hurry to post this. My sincerest apologies! I hope words are translatable to English and not Can't-Type-ish.


"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will." - Epictetus


I was a little afraid--both for my life and for theirs. They hadn't come yet, but they would. I knew them. I loved them; they were my family. I knew they wouldn't abondon me.

Which, made things all the worse.

I had found out that I was capable of sneaking away. Alice hadn't found me--yet--and Edward hadn't chased after me. I had only minutes to spare, and I was sure tha Jane knew that. She wanted to torment me and keep me until my family showed up to rescue me. I was afraid that she would hurt them. In this one case, they were more breakable than I was. Jane could hurt them; Jane would hurt them.

"Hello, Bella," Jane greeted. I spun around to face her, eyes wide. "I'm so glad you could join me. You've hardly changed since I last saw you. Ever so slightyl...another year older, right, Bella?"

I nodded. I drew in a breath to steady me. I was here for one reason and one reason only; I would not be delayed by my fear. I stared directly at Jane and gathered all my strength to speak. "I'm here, now let Jacob go," I demanded in a shaky voice.

She laughed, child-like but eerie. "Bella, Bella, are you so nieve? So easily fooled?" I puzzled over her words, and she grinned, showing off her gleaming teeth, looking more frightening than she had in Italy. "Bella, we never had your friend. Jacob Black was never our prisoner. We've never even met."

That took a while to sink in. When it did, it hurt. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. I gasped silently for air, unsure of how to hadnle myself. I couldn't decide if panicking was the right thing to do or if I should try to escape or just put on a brave face. I couldn't handle any emotion. I stared blankly at the pew beside me. I caught the flower bundle, and I brushed my fingertips against the ruffled tulip. Alice had done a lovely job. I looked to the alter and wondered if praying would be appropriate. Edward was insistant that I would get into heaven, I wouldn't want to let him down. Praying might help get me into the gates of heaven--not that it would matter. There would be no heaven if there was no Edward.

"Bella, do you know why I asked you here?" Jane asked icily. When I didn't answer, she continued. "I asked you here to kill you Bella. I asked you here to lure your family here as well. Do you want to know why?" I nodded carelessly, only for her amusement. "Aro has been favouring Edward and Alice lately. He can't wait until the two of them join him. You as well. He's convinced that you will have amazing powers, some special ability. He wants the three of you to join him." She moved forward noiselessly, now only inches away from me. "Not to mention," she spat, her red iris' raging. "He can't wait to see his old friend Carlisle again! How can I compete with that!? How can any of his pets compete with that!? All he wants is you! You and your family."

I refused to show any fear, even though she was close enough to reach out and snap my neck if she wanted. I mustered my courage and clung to the haze that was enveloping my mind as the seconds of my life slowly ticked away. It was only a matter of time before she killed me. There was no stopping it. Not unless Edward came. It was going to be too late for that though.

"I don't really care," I whispered darkly. She snarled loudly, and then I felt the blow.

My back ached and burned from hitting th hard pew, and, thankfully, my head had hit the ground at an odd angle, which saved my neck from any damage. My arm twisted awkwardly behind my back, and I felt my entire body bruise. I was sore all over. My shoulders stung from where her icy hands had shoved me.

"You should care," she growled. "Bella, I am going to kill you. I think that your death might be of importance to you."

"I don't care," I repeated blindly. My eyes were unfocused, and they blurred in and out as I opened them.

"You will care!" she screamed, and her hand whipped out--lightly for a vampire, but roughly for a human--and scrtached my shoulder. She then dragged me to my feet, lifting me by my throat. Her grip was loose, and her evil grin twisted on her child-like, boyish face. Her red iris' matched the colour of the blood that leaked from my shoulder. "You will care," she repeated. "Bella, you will pay for pushing me from the spotlight. You will pay for taking attention off me."

I coughed and choked, gasping for any bit of air. She released me, and I collapsed--after hitting my head on another pew on the way down--drawing in as much air as my lungs could handle. Jane was still grinning, like an evil cheshire cat. I didn't look at her again. I face the gound, coughing onto the ground for a minute, and then nursing my awkwardly bent arm. It stung, and I wanted to scream for all the pain my body was in--I didn't though. I bit my lip hard, causing it to bleed. I glanced up once to see that my blood was tempting Jane.

It was going to be like last time, like the first time. James had lured me in with a false victum, and then he had injured me, forced me to bleed for him, and then he couldn't control himself. Edward had saved me last time, and I found myself praying--irony, praying in a chapel--that he would do the same this time. I had some small hope that Alice had a vision of me living, and that Edward would save me in time.

"Bella," Jane whispered, her voice cheery, mimicking that of a human child, sounding sweet. "I hate to dot his to you without a proper audience...but I want to kill you now, before my friends arrive and kill you first."

My eyes went wide. "Who?" I choked out. I hadn't planned that she wouldn't be alone. I was going to not only be killed by Jane, but her friends as well. That meant that Edward and Alice and whoever else came to my resuce would be in danger too. How could I warn them?

"Oh, it's no one you know," she told me. "You silly thing. If I brought any familiar people, Alice would have seen them. It was tricky enough coming here without that little witch finding out."

"She knows you're here," I assured her. "I promise that you'll here of this from Aro. He won't like that you interveined!"

"Oh, he'll get over it," she disagreed hautily. "Once your gone, there's no need to care about what you might have become." She paused. "Same with your family. Once they're gone, there's no reason to linger over them. Aro will move on. He will love me better than you again."

I was about to protest, but her fingernails studdenly dug into my arm. I screamed, but her hand shot to my mouth. Tears filled my eyes as I silently screamed. My arm stung, burned, and felt frozen all at once. The entire arm burned, and the scratched, open, bloodied surface was stinging so much that it felt like my blood had been filled with dry-ice. My broken arm hung at my side, unable to defend me. My newly-injured arm continued to freeze and burn.

"That's pay back for only one small thing, Bella," Jane explained. "That was for deverting my masters's attention in the first place." She stood, taking a step back to admire her work. "And now," she continued, her voice a delicate, taunting whisper. "This is for keeping his attention. You, a lowly human girl." She leaned forward and snapped her teeth by my ear. "You are but cattle for the slaughter. And this is your time."

Before I knew what was happening, I was being scooped up into arms I recognized. I nearly fainted with joy when my eyes--blurred still--caught sight of my angel's face. I tried to reach up with my left arm, but it wouldn't move, all the bones in it were broken. I reached with my right arm and touched his face. I hoped he wouldn't mind that my bloodied hand had just touched his perfect face.

"Bella," he half-whispered, half-weeped. "Why? You should have told me. Oh, Bella."

"Sshh," I hushed, not wanting to hear him so distressed. "Just take me out of here, and...don't fight Jane. She has...there's more of..." I lost my voice, swooning suddenly. I woke instantly to Edward calling my name. "Sorry," I apologized. "I faint at the sight of blood, remember?"

He didn't laugh. He didn't find it funny at all. In all honesty, neigther did I.

"Edward, so glad to see you!" Jane cheered. "It took you long enough."

"And we're glad to see you two, Jane," Alice chirped in her beautiful bell-like voice, seemingly calm, appearing beside Edward.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Jasper said. He was beside Alice.

"Edward, normally I would want the kill," Emmett sighed. "But just this once, you can take her."

"Thanks," Edward chuckled, his voice dark, and still strained from seeing my injuries. "I was hoping I would get the pleasure." He looked down at me, eyes worried, frightened, and his face soft. "Always something new. This week we have Jane to deal with. The excitement never ends."

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "A magnet for trouble, as always."

"I love you, Bella," he whispered, and then kissed my forehead--avoiding the bumped part that was beginning the bruise. "You stay here, stay safe..."--his eyes shot upward to glare at Jane--"...while I kill her."

I had never heard Edward use the word kill with such a blood-thirsty glare. He truly looked like a vampire. I would never tell him, but he frightened me. I agreed with his intention though. I wanted Jane dead; I wanted this over with. As soon as she was gone, I would go to the hospital, stay there and heal for a while, and then I would marry Edward. That wouldn't be so bad.

"You think you can take me?' Jane cackled. "No."

"I think we can," Jasper snarled.

Jane's eyes turned to him, and immediately he began writhing on the floor. Alice was wide-eyed and furious. She launched at Jane, but Jane's concentration turned to Alice then. Alice and Jasper sturuggled on the floor. I cried for them. I nearly screamed. I couldn't stand to see them in so much pain.

"No, no, no," I cried. "Edward, what can we do?"

"She can only use her power on three people at most, and that's when they have weak minds," Edward told me. "Alice and Jasper both have strong minds; Alice and Jasper's powers are proof of that." He set me down gentle on the back pew. "Stay, Bella."

"No!" I protested. "She'll hurt you too! Call for back-up! Let Emmett go around her while you--"

"I'll be fine," he assured me. "Shecan't even move from that spot. I can handle her quickly enough."

"Okay," I muttered, worrying still.

He was gone in a flash, and then I heard a loud crack. I heard deep, throaty chuckling. I heard mutterings in a foreign language. It was a rougher language, but the deep-voiced person spoke elgantly. I realized that the accent was French, so the words he was saying must be in French.

"I had no idea that you would be so difficult," the deep-voiced Frenchman said tauntingly. "Jane, I see now why these people troubled you so."

"I would get out of my way if I were you," Edward warned. I gasped when I realized that the loud crack had been Edward's body flinging into the front row pew. "I'm not in a forgiving mood."

The man--red iris', obviously a vampire--was huge. He wasn't as big as Emmett, but he was very close. He had short, blonde, curly hair. He was wearing the traditonal Volturi robe. I wondered of the robe hid any of his muscle mass, if I was wrong and he really was the same size as Emmett.

"Finally," Emmett boomed, laughingly. "Some real fun. It's been a while."

Emmett was already squaring the new vampire off when my eyes traced where they were. The were circling each other, and, then, before I could blink, they were gone. I heard cracks and bangs here and there, seeing flashes of Emmett and the new vampire. It looked like Emmett was winning, but I couldn't be sure.

"What is going on here?" asked a female voice with a Spanish accent. "I thought Jane wanted to handle this alone?"

"Hardly," was Rosalie's response. I widened my eyes even more to see that Rosalie was standing directly behind the new vampire. "We will be the ones handling you."

I turned my eyes back to Edward, unable to watch Emmett and Rosalie fight for me. Edward wasn't anywhere near Jane. I didn't understand where he had raced off to. Then I heard another crack.

"Bella," Edward whispered in my ear. "I will keep you safe, I promise. There are a lot of them, but they won't hurt you. Don't exhaust yourself. I need you to be ready for Carlisle to take you to the hospital, alright, love?"

I nodded. I felt exhausted, and now that Edward didn't sound panicked, I was able to let the tiredness creep over me. Worry faded, and then rose with every crack and snap. I saw Edward flash past once, and then a body hit the floor. I looked away.

"That is quite enough!" roared a loud male voice. Movement didn't stop. Edward reappeared. "You! You are ruining Jane's plans. You will not defeat us so easily."

"I think I will," Edward growled.

The new vampire, less thick than the Frenchman but thicker than Edward. He was taller than Edward as well. He had a moon-shaped scar on his cheek, but the rest of his face was handsome. He looked thirty. He snapped his fingers and two more vampires appeared. One was a willowy and the other was short but bulky. The moves with grace, but snake-like, eerie and out of place. They grinned cockily at Edward, but Edward didn't move. He was still confident.

There was a flash of movement, and then I gasped at what I saw. Carlisle was holding back the big one, pushing him back, but barely. The short one had grabbed onto Esme's arm, even though she had his as well. She was determined, but seeing her fighting was so strange and so sad. I was forcing Esme, my second mother, to fight for me. I looked for Edward. I noticed that the willowy one was missing.

Alice and Jasper were still writhing on the floor. Jasper was on his knees and glaring at Jane. Alice was wincing, and struggling to put on a brave face. Jane looked weary. I hoped that meant that her power was draining, and not that she was getting bored with her victums.

I glanced gazed away fro the horrific scene, teary-eyed and finding that breathing wasn't working anymore. My eyes caught the red-stained side of the pew. The white ruffled-tulip was stained with blood, and it dripped a sinlge drop onto the floor. I realized that I was bleeding, and heavily. It hadn't stopped. I was feeling faint, tired. I wanted to sleep. I knew that if I fell asleep, I probably wouldn't wake up again. But still, I was so tired.


Chapter 9: Wake Up Call

After only minutes of standing in the meadow—my arms wrapped tightly around Edward—I begged him to take me home, and, wonderfully, he knew I didn't mean the house that Renee and Phil owned. I was glad to see the Cullen house. I was glad to be welcome in the one place that felt like home—a place with Edward.

It wasn't that the warmth of the sun on my skin was dreadful, in fact, it was the closest I had come to sunlight since Is died. She was my ray of sunshine, the girl who loved the sun. When she had died, sunlight became a reminder of loss, instead of warmth. In the meadow, that warmth was there. It didn't scorch my skin and burn into my heart, it was warm. It wasn't like Issie was there with me, it was that she approved.

I was nervous about leaving Edward. I didn't want to leave him, but I refused to let him come. I didn't want him to see me cry for Phil. I trusted Edward, but it would be embarrasing to have him think that I was a breakable, crying little wuss. I wanted to prove brave to him, to prove better. To me, Bella seemed like the type that cried. I didn't want to be her. I was me. So, I wouldn't cry. Not anymore. Edward loved me, I loved him, and there was nothing sad about that.

I was going to cry fo Phil though. After that, no more tears. I only had to shed a few worries over my father before I could be the new, improved, and happy me.

It was hard saying goodbye to Edward. I had never done it before, and it was like ripping a part of myself and promsing that part I would come back, but no matter what I would say, that part had still been ripped out. It wasn't easy to leave a part of me behind.

"I'm coming back tomorrow," I promised. "Please wait for me."

"I promised you that I would," he reminded me, and then took me into a warm--figeratively warm, his skin was still ice--embrace, so that I forgot how to move. "I'll be waiting for you." He paused, giving me seconds to recall how to breath in silence, then he chuckled. "Since you refuse to let me come with you, I will stay here."

I smiled. "Thank you for understanding."

He kissed me. It was a kiss of parting, and, it was Shakespeare who said it, parting was such sweet sorrow--that I should say goodnight 'til it be 'morrow. I wanted to leave to see Phil, so that I could cry without Edward's worried eyes on me, but I wanted to be with Edward always. I hadn't wooed Edward like I had wanted to, so I could only hope that he really did love me enough to want me to come back to him, and then come back to stay with him. For always.

I asked for his cell number, and he chuckled--my most favourite sound in all the world. I told him that I would call later that day, and he told me he would be waited. His eyes, smoldering again, were so intense and expectant, as if--if that were possible--he would die without hearing my voice soon enough. I knew that I felt that way, but it was hard to believe that he did too. Obviously, we both fell too hard too fast. Hopefully, his feelings for me would never change--or maybe grow stronger--because there was no chance that I would ever stop loving him--no matter what peril five days brought me.

I hopped on a plane, and counted the days on my fingers. I had five days left. Issie had warned me only two days ago. There was little chance that the omen had been false. I had to plan how to prepare myself for whatever was coming. I spent one hour debating over whether it could be a natural disaster that was coming. After switching planes, I realized that Edward could easily protect me from a natural disaster--he could hold up the roof if it decided to fall down on me, and if it was a tornado, he would walk me right out of it--and a natural disaster wouldn't emotionally devestate us. It had to be something bigger. But what? I spent the remainder of my fly time to Jacksonville planning for nuclear war.

When I landed, I had a surprise pick-up from Renee. She couldn't resist coming to meet me and staying in the hospital was depressing for her. I couldn't agree more. When I arrived there, nothing seemed chipper. Not even the flowers on Phil's beside table looked pleasing. It was a a vacum for hope and a pit of despair. It was not the sort of place where I thrived. Besides that, it was the sort of place where Renee could talk to me. I wasn't so good at talking.

"Baby, how was your birthday?" she asked.

"You already asked me that, I said great," I answered, feeling that 'great' wasn't a big enough word.

"I know I called you yesterday and again this morning, but I missed you," she confessed. "It's hard being alone. Especially...after..."

I tried not to picture Is, but I did. I blinked away the tears and tried to smile at Renee. I could see her put on the same Happy-Go-lucky mask. We matched perfectly. We were two wonderful pretenders, holding the same sadness. Only, she hid it better than I did. I was a bad liar.

"You told me that you went with a friend, and then friends joined you later," she said. "You meant that it started off with a date. I can tell."

"It wasn't--" I stopped myself. I was bad liar. I shouldn't even try. "How did you know?"

"Bella, honmey, I'm your mother, I know when you're trying to hide something from me," she said in a rush of words. "So, who was he? Do you like him or what?"

She was smiling. I didn't want to dissapoint her. "I really like him," I admitted. "Much more than I should. It feels like so much more than I crush. I think I'm in love with him." Her smile faltered. "Maybe I'm wrong," I said, trying to smile and not worry her. "I just know that he's a great guy. He makes me feel..." How does one describe the feelings of love in one word? Complete had been used, so had wonderful. Perfect had been used as well. What was left? "Edward makes me feel whole again, like I'd been missing a part of me all my life, and then...when Is..."--I chocked for a second, and then steadied myself with a quick breath--"...when she died, there was a horrible hole there. I was hurt, we all were. Now, with him, I'm whole, entire, complete. I feel right again." The words had a sense of conviction, and I wanted to say more, but, if I did, Renee was going to think I was a love-sick puppy. But to be honest, I pretty much was.

She sighed heavily and put her head in her hands. I couldn't understand what I had done. I reached out to touch her, but decided against it. I glanced over at Phil, eyes closed and breathing regularly, and wondered if he had somehow heard what I had said in his state of perpetual sleep. When I turned to face Renee again, she was staring at me, with a look of scolding. I recoiled back, and wondered if she could scold me for falling in love.

"Did you say Edward?" she questioned, her voice a shapr whisper.

I nodded. "Edward Cu--Edward Mason. His name is Edward Mason."

"Not Edward Cullen?" Her eys narrowed. "It sounded like you were going to say that. If that were the case, he is way too old for you."

"I know," I sighed. "But Edward Cullen didn't do anything wrong, Mom."

"You don't know what happened," she frowned; her eyes were dark.

"Yes, I do, Mom!" I exclaimed, standing up from the chair I sat in that was placed at the end of Phil's bed. I walked away, but stopped at the door. I wasn't about to leave. Not until Phil woke up. "Mom, I know every thing about Edward Cullen, probably more than you do. In fact, I do know more than you." She opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "And I know Bella more than you do too."

She froze in place. Her eyes glowed with fury and despair, she practically radiated from how much she resented what I had said. "You know nothing about her, Steph," she said. "And Edward Cullen is the reason she didn't go off to school or come live with me in Jacksonville. If it weren't for him, she would be alive right now."

Now her rage was nothing compared to my rage. "It wasn't Edward's fault!" I screamed. "It was all Jane's fault!" Renee's eyes widened with surprise, not knowing who Jane was, same as me. "But that's not the point. Edward didn't hurt her; he did everything he could to save her! He loved her, more than anything; he loved her more than life or air!" Or blood; or her blood. "He saved her life countless times, and, until Bella knew him, she had nothing! She was shipped off to Forks, trying to make you happy. She met him, Mom. She met Edward and her life had meaning, for the first time. She had helped you, but that wasn't enough. Before Edward, she wasn't aloud to please herself. She found love, Mom. She found more than anyone could expect to find on this earth! You have Phil, and she had Edward. And now...now so do I. I have my Edward."

She blinked at me, looking without seeing. I lowered my temper to a boil and waited for her response. I gazed over at Phil for a while to remember why I was here. I wans't here to offend Renee. I was here for Phil. I loved Renee, she just didn't have her facts straight.

"You're in too deep," she said finally.

"What?"

"It's too fast for only a fleeting little crush," she explained. "You've just met him. There's no need for confessions of love." I laughed quietly and shook my head. "You need to forget about this boy before you get into trouble."

I laughed loudly, awkwardly. Renee stared, offended by my laughter. "Just met him?" I mocked. "Mom, I've known him forever!"

"What?" She absorbed what I was saying and came to her own conclusion. "Baby, I know it feels like forever, but it's not. You only just met him."

"Wrong again. I've known him for two years," I corrected, leaving out my strange flashes of memories from childhood that Renee frequently reminded me about, not knowing what they truly stood for.

"Two years?" she gawked. "How come you've never mentioned him before?"

I paused. How to explain? St least my anger was gone. "I wasn't so sure two years ago, and neither was he. We're sure now. I know he loves me. I love him. I love him much more than he loves me, I'll admit, but he loves me. I know that, Mom." I smiled. It sounded wonderfully to be saying these things aloud. "I know this is sudden, but I don't want to be away from him again, not after today."

"Honey, that's crazy." Renee sounded angry, but I knew her true feeling was only worry. She had already lost one daughter to the crazy world of loving-a-vampire, only, she hand't known the true cause of death. Only Edward knew.

"Crazy, yes," I agreed. "But it's the truth. It's how it's going to be as soon as Dad wakes up. I'm going back tomorrow."

"Your dad may not wake up today, sweet," she simpered. "It was a possibilty but--"

"He's waking up today," I interjected. "And then I'm going home to Edward tomorrow."

Renee was shocked, hurt. I didn't want to hurt her. I groaned and prepared and apology. I loved my mother, and, even though she didn't understand, she was only being so judgemental because she cared.

"Mom, I'm sorry," I whispered. My voice was rough from being raised so loud. She looked at me sideways, her face centered toward Phil in his bed. "I love Edward, and I love you and dad too. It's not that I don't get where you're coming from, but you've got nothing to worry about. Edward would never hurt me, and, God forbid something horrible happened between us, I would settle things. I would win out." I would win in too. There would be no losing.

Renee sighed and looked at me. Her face twisted between smiling and frowning. The smile won out. "Be careful," she warned. "And don't rush things. Your father and I are always here, remember that. And, if you're staying in Forks, there's always Charlie. I'm sure he would be more than willing to help."

I grinned. I had won her over. "Thanks, Mom."

I turned to the door, and thought I imagined an angelic chuckling inside the room, or possibly outside the door. The door had been open, it clicked closed. It was a curious situation, but I ignored it. How could Edward sneak in and out of Phil's room without my notice? I mean, after all, he was only human.

I debated over whether my imagination was playing tricks on me or not for another hour. I knew that Edward had promised to stay away, stay home, but...maybe he had changed his mind. I was hoping that wasn't the case. He knew what weird things he would hear--or had heard--when I was taling with Renee, and even later, with Phil. It wasn't something that I wanted to hear about later.


Phil woke up. It was just after lunchtime, and Renee was stepping back into the room after stepping out for lunch. Phil's eyelids fluttered, Renee jumped out of her chair, and I tensed, knowing what was to come. Still, knowing didn't disperse the worry of waiting.

When he woke, his first smile was for Renee. She embraced him, squeezing until he protested that his painwas too much. She loosened her grip and he smiled at me over her shoulder. She cried, telling him how worried he was. He asked what had happened, and we explained. Renee did the most explaining though, because I knew almost as much as he did. He was shocked and wide-eyed and asked how bad the damage was. Renee told him that he had been down and out for three days, almost four. He was even more surprised by this news. He re-examined his wounds and machinary, and his accident seemed to make more sense then.

"So, how were your exams?" he asked, after Renee had pounded on him a few more times about worrying her.

"They went fine," I half-lied. Some of them were fine, others weren't so much. "I passed them all, and I did really decent on them too." Not a lie, perfectly true. "And, before Mom asks again, my birthday was great too."

"Your birthday? I'm sorry, Steph. I missed it," he frowned. "How can I make it up to you, kid?"

I laughed, whole-heartedly. "You can get better," I told him. "If you do that, I forgive you." I paused, and wondered if there were any favours I needed. One came to mind. "I'm going back to Forks tomorrow, if that's alright. I won't leave if you need me, Dad."

He waved his hand at me, dismissing the very idea of him needing me. "No, you go back to your friends," he ordered cheerily. "Do that for me and I'll heal all the faster, go it, kid?" I nodded. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine now."

I smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime," he laughed. I assumed he didn't mean the injury. I kissed his forehead, and then took to the door. I said that I had to go to the bathroom, but really, I wanted Renee to have some alone time with him. I could tell that they both needed it. Renee smiled at me, thanking me, as I closed the door behind me.

I wandered around, mostly headed toward the bathroom--I hadn't gone in a few hours, and it was a good idea to use my away time usefully. I found that, halfway donw the hall, there was something wet on my cheek. I wiped at it, and then stared, all agast, at my finger. I tasted it, and, sure enough, it was salty.

"Damn," I muttered. I was crying. Being in a hospital was too overlwhleming.

"Ugh." I winced.
"What is it?" he asked anxiously -- distracted, but not enough. The bleakness did not entirely leave his eyes.
"Needles," I explained, looking away from the one in my hand. I concentrated on a warped ceiling tile and tried to breathe deeply despite the ache in my ribs.
"Afraid of a needle," he muttered to himself under his breath, shaking his head. "Oh, a sadistic vampire, intent on torturing her to death, sure, no problem, she runs off to meet him. An IV, on the other hand..."

I had never liked needlies, and even seeing the IV in Phil was enough to cause me to shiver. The bruises, I could handle. I smiled at him naurally, not commenting on his bruising or swollen features unless he asked or made a comment himself. An IV though, I winced away every time I saw those. I couldn't imagine what kind of state you had to be in to get an IV. I didn't want to experience that ever again.

But you haven't experiences that, I reminded myself. That was her. Bella was in the hospital countless time. You've only ever broken your ankle after falling down the stairs. You're luckier.

The tear on my cheek was new, and I was glad to know that it was only a tear of relief. I was happy to see my father alive and well. Alice had been right, and although I had trusted her to be right, it was good seeing what she saw with my own eyes. There was no reason to be unhappy now. I could spend the rest of the day with Phil and Renee, and then tomorrow morning. After that, it was home to Edward, to the family that was staying with him, that might be permanently staying with him. I hoped they were. I liked them a lot.

I debated silently with myself over how I was going to sneak off to call Edward. Phil wouldn't care if he didn't know it was a boy, but Renee would ask to know, and I wasn't going to try to lie to her. I would have to sneak off later, that was my only choice.

I wandered again through the hall--after taking a washroom pit-stop for the sake of my bursting bladder--slowly taking in my surroundings. I was happy to report that the hospital wasn't busy that day. There were a lake of serious cases, of injuries. That lit a small smile on my face. It was still horrible to think of those who were here, like Phil, who were here for serious cases. I wished there weren't any. But there were. Not everyone was so lucky as to be injury-free their entire lives.

I stood outside Phil's room, debating if I had given them enough alone time. I decided that I hadn't, and stood against the wall, arms across my chest, and tried not to think.

I don't know how long I stood there, clearing my mind, but it wasn't nearly long enough. My mind wandered on it's own, and it led to the fact that I had only five days remaining.

Only five days. How was I to win? Edward would slip away from me because I had wandered away from him, asking him to stay behind. I had told him it was because I wanted to see my father alone — without showing him my tears — and that was mostly true. Also, I had wanted him to talk with Alice and Jasper. I wanted them to bond, to forget whatever problems they had or else resolve them. They were his family, and it was painful to think that he had been away from them for so long.

Tomorrow, I would have four days. I hoped that one day had been enough that Edward was, once again, speaking freely and openly with his family. Not only Alice and Jasper, but all of them.

Maybe that was one way into his heart. If I told him how much I wished that he would talk to his family, maybe he would see how much I cared for him! If he could comprehend even one thousandth of my love for him, that would be enough to convince him, but there were no words, no actions, no wishes that could reveal those feelings to him. They were to emense to describe. My short description to Renee hadn't even measure to a thousandth of a thousandth of how I felt. I was too deeply in love for any human, but I was though. I wanted Edward to see that.

I was beginning to get pathetic, beginning to panic. I was droning on about how much I loved Edward, standing alone in a hostpital's hallway. I was obsessed, and that was unhealthy. I was so focused on Edward that I wanted to rush back to him rather than spend more time with my father. I was disturbed, but, knowing that Phil was recovering perfectly, put my mind at ease. I had a more pressing problem at hand than quality time with Phil or even Renee — as sad as that sounded, it was true. I needed Edward more than I did Renee or Phil, just as I had needed Issie more than Renee or Phil. There was always one person that meant more to me and now — to my own fear — Edward meant more to me than even Issie had once.

My eyes were wide. I was unsure of what to do. Was it right to want Edward more than want my family? Was I bordering on some rare case of insanity? It would explain why I was channelling Bella Swan for my past eighteen years.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I wanted to be thinking about Phil, but I was thinking about my other life, my other me. I had become the me that was Bella and the me that was the one that Issie had known. The Bella-me was only for Edward, and she came out too often. The Issie-me was all but drowned out of me. Almost completely gone, with little hope of returning.

It was the stress of knowing that I would be parted from Edward that was causing my conflicting interests. I had a feeling that, even after the horrible occurence in five days, I could see Renee and Phil again. It was Edward I was worried about. I wasn't sure.

He had assured me again and again, had promised me continually, but I couldn't accept it. Why was I so doubtful? I loved him, trusted him, but I couldn't believe that he would stay. Because he left once before. I wasn't sure how to get over that. Being parted from him — in reality as well as in my dreams, in Bella's life — was unbearable. I repeat of that would kill me.

Edward wouldn't allow that though. He wouldn't allow me to die. Even as confused and sad as I was, it wasn't what I wanted. He wouldn't let me.

"Are you alright?"
"No. I want to die."
"That will never happen. I won't allow it."

Yes, my memory proved that. Somewhere along the line, all the answers were there. Edward wouldn't go back on his word, he would stay with me — even if Bella herself rose from the dead.

I had an epiphany then. I realized that I had been absolutely crazy for the past few days. I had gotten to know Edward, in person, instead of only in my dreams. We had spoken in soft whispers, and we had spoken in loud voices. He had allowed me to kiss him and then he kissed me back. He had promised me never to leave, and he had said that he loved me. I needed no reason other than that. There was nothing I didn't know about Edward now, nothing I couldn't trust.

"Oh!"
"Bella?"
"Oh. Okay. I see."
"Your epiphany?" he asked, his voice uneven and strained.
"You love me," I marveled. The sense of conviction and rightness washed through me again.
Though his eyes were still anxious, the crooked smile I loved best flashed across his face. "Truly, I do."

And I realized then, through my epiphany that I didn't care about the amount of days I had leftover. It didn't matter. I loved Edward, and he loved me. In five days I was going to be with Edward, whether I was in my death bed or I was still kicking. I was going to be with Edward. There was no force on earth that could stop me. And, maybe, not anything beyond the grave either.

I rumaged through my pockets and tore out my cellphone. I dialed in the number and waited as the ring sounded off. I waited, tensed and nervous, holding my breathe.

"Hello?" Velvet, smooth.

"Hi," I breathed, sounding breathless.

"Is something wrong, Steph?" he asked, anxious now.

"No," I assured him. I closed my eyes and smiled. "Everything is fine." He chuckled. "Everything is fine now," I corrected.

"Same here, love," he murmured.

I sighed happily and slowly sunk to the floor. "Edward, this is going to be hard for me...being away from you...but...can I ask you a favour?"

"Ask me anything, Steph," he said, his tone alluring and tempting me not to ask the question I was about to ask.

"Ouh, don't say it like that," I pleaded. "It makes the question so much harder when you're so nice about it!" He laughed. "Edward..." His name was like honey on my tongue, and I wanted to taste it again and again. "Edward," I whispered.

"Yes?"

"Edward, I love you, so much," I told him, my eyes still closed, invisioning him in front of me. "But can I ask that I see you Monday? I can't leave Phil, not yet."

"I understand," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I would be glad to give you more time with your father. It gives me more time with mine."

My heart skipped a beat. "Carlisle?"

"All of them, They all came."

I laughed. "I guess I'll see them all Monday, then?"

He laughed as well, making my heart punce at the wonder of the sound. "Monday then."

"I'll call you," I promised. "Everyday. If...that's alright?"

"Of course it is," he assured me. "Call as often as you like."

"How often would you like?" I asked.

He paused, knowing that I would cave in to any request. "I'm trying to be reasonable," he murmured. "I want to always hear your voice, but that would pull you away from your father. Call me tomorrow again and I'll answer that question, once I have been given time to think it over."

"Sure," I agreed. "But, I'm going to call you again later."

I smiled, and I knew he was smiling too. My Edward, my love, and I were smiling. All was right with the world. What could possibly go wrong?


Sorry for the long delay. Too many things going on. Forgive me for being sluggish. I don't seem to be getting any faster at this...but just to warn you in advanced, there aren't too many chapter left.

REVIEW please. Thanks. And I love all your reviews. Most of them make me laugh/smile or otherwise show some sign of excitement. I appreciate all opinions! (And it's scary how insightful some of you are. Sharp as tacks.)