Previously: Edward and Bella talked in his home. Bella fell asleep in his bed and Edward worked on several of his compositions. He was working on a piece for a possible new ending to his opera when Bella came up to him and kissed him. :-)

Music Note: Not much ... a little bit of All I Ask of You. I'm curious about what you'll think of how I use that song in later chapters ... ;-)


The Music of the Night

Chapter 8

A Missing Star

Rosalie was sick of her mother's endless practices. Yes she agreed, last night had not been the ballet's best night, but that was mostly due to losing one of their dancers at the last moment and having to change the entire choreography around it. Not to mention that they had all been absorbed in Bella's triumph.

It was entirely unnecessary to wake all of them up at six in the morning for rehearsal, especially when they had only gotten to sleep around one in the morning the night before.

Rose was complaining about this fact to another chorus girl, Angela, when it occurred to her that Bella wasn't there. Rose hadn't really considered the long-term effects of Bella's success the night before, but now that she thought about it, Jessica still hadn't returned. Was Bella going to star in their new opera tonight?

Rehearsal hadn't officially begun yet as Esme had yet to awaken all of the dancers in the bedrooms. Apparently some of them were also being lectured for throwing too much of a party the night before, parties involving alcohol and willing stagehands. Esme was surely on a rampage, but Rose decided that her question was too pressing to wait for her mother to return.

"Angela, I'll be back soon. Where do you think Esme is?" Rose asked, getting to her feet after stretching.

"I'm not sure." Angela said, then she blushed lightly, "I heard that Lauren's wing of the dormitories was … celebrating last night though, so perhaps there?"

Rose smiled at her friend and hurried off to find her mother. She was happy for Bella if she was the permanent diva, but rather disappointed for herself. What on earth would life at the Opera Populaire be like if Bella wasn't at her side through all the practices and so on. When would they get to talk?

Just then, she passed by the girls that Angela had referred to earlier. It was Lauren's group of friends, whose dormitory had supposedly been home to a party the night before. Judging by their exhausted expressions and the bags under their eyes, the rumors were true. However, their presence at rehearsals not followed by Esme was not a good sign for Rose's search.

She groaned to herself and paused in her trek. She thought about asking one of Lauren's group where her mother had gone after telling them off, but decided against it. She wouldn't associate herself in any way with such cheap women unless she had no other option.

Luckily, at that moment another option that was much more appealing appeared. "Emmett!" She called out.

Emmett looked up at the sound of her voice and broke into a wide grin when he saw who it was. "Rosie!" He exclaimed and made his way over to her in two bounds. "I didn't get a chance to talk to you last night. You looked perfect out there, the best dancer in the Opera Populaire."

He's a flirt. He says things like that to all the girls. She reminded herself, trying to quell her racing heart. "It was Bella who was the real star last night." She said, trying to wave off the compliment. "Do you know where Esme is?"

Emmett shrugged, his eyes tracing up and down her body, taking in the tightly fitted practice clothes. Rosalie glared at his perusal, but didn't say anything about it, not wanting to get into another of their typical fights where he would flirt and she would snipe back. "I was just looking for her actually." Emmett said, looking disappointed that Rose hadn't taken the bait and told him off for leering at her.

"For what?" Rosalie asked. She decided that her mother had to come to rehearsal at some point, so she might as well wait here.

Emmett yawned before he replied. "Last night, she told me she needed to talk to me about the scene changes for tonight or something. It better be life or death because she got me up at six in the morning for it."

Smirking, Rose forgot her own complaints about the early hour and said, "God forbid Emmett McCarty wake up before noon."

He shot that typical Emmett grin at her and said, completely unrepentant, "I appreciate my sleep that's all. Unlike your mother, obviously." Then he looked up and smiled past her. "Oh, hey Esme."

Rosalie spun around, only now realizing how close she and Emmett were standing during their conversation. "Mom I was going to ask if …" She trailed off as she saw her mother's face. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Esme took a moment to stare at both of them. Hope lit her eyes for an instant. "Rosalie, you haven't seen Bella have you? Did she come down to rehearsal?"

Rosalie shook her head, a sense of foreboding shooting through her. "No, I haven't seen her since last night. What's wrong?"

"She's not in her room. I was going to ask if she wanted to come to practice and she isn't there." Esme looked panicked.

"No she isn't here yet, I was just going to ask …" Then it sunk in that Esme couldn't find Bella and Rosalie froze. Bella wasn't particularly a morning person, it was unheard of for her to be out of her room at this hour of the morning when she didn't have to, especially after the night they had had. Emmett was the one to react first.

"Don't worry yet, Esme. Maybe she just couldn't sleep. Rose and I will start looking for her and you go ask our new managers if they know anything. Maybe they just wanted to talk to her about the show tonight. We don't have to start panicking yet." His last sentiment seemed to be directed just at Rose, who was taking very quick, shallow breaths. He placed a hand on her shoulder as though to calm her.

Esme watched his gesture and took a deep breath herself. Emmett was absolutely right. They didn't know that there was anything to worry about yet. Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding. Or maybe … Edward … No, she wouldn't worry yet.

She hurried off to speak to the managers. And if they don't know anything and Rosalie and Emmett don't find her, then I'll talk to Carlisle. With that grim thought in mind she continued on her way.

"Well then," Emmett said with false cheer as Esme left, "if you were Bella and you'd just had your stunning premier, where would you be the next morning?"

He hadn't removed his hand from her shoulder and didn't until she turned around and stared at his arm pointedly. He dropped his hand, but didn't look embarrassed in the least. Then again, that was just Emmett's way. Rose focused on his question, trying to ignore the tingle that his fingers had left in her shoulder.

"It's no use!" She cried after a minute's reflection, "I would be in bed, getting more than five hours of sleep!"

Emmett sighed and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling into a half hug as he began walking with her in tow. "That's a brilliant idea Rose. I might want some air too. Let's go check the roof shall we?"

She squirmed for a few minutes, trying to evade his arm, but his obscenely large muscles hindered her efforts. "You're a pig." She said after giving up, but her sentiment lacked the appropriate fire.

"Love you too, Rosie." He said, grinning down at her again.

Rose walked beside him without a word, cursing her traitorous body for its less than disgusted reactions toward his proximity. Everywhere he was touching her, which was quite a lot of places, was tingling like her shoulder had been. His warmth and hardness pressed up against her was impossible to resist for too long. Her only fight now was to stop herself from melting into his body.

Thankfully, it wasn't long until the narrow stairs leading up to the roof meant that Emmett couldn't keep up his grasp. He let go of her waist, taking her hand instead, as though she was going to run away if he dropped her completely.

Well, at least he was good for something. His outrageous behavior certainly got her mind off the mystery of Bella's location. At least it did until they reached the roof to find it completely empty.

Emmett's smile didn't let up, which left Rose even angrier with him. "That's just one place Rosie, let's keep looking."

And with that her hand was being pulled back down through the opera house. That is, until Rose yanked her hand back and refused to move. Emmett paused and dropped her hand. She felt rather babied by this, it seemed like he let her go to prevent himself from hurting her instead of because she had made him.

"Emmett, I know where I'm going in this opera house, thank you very much. I've lived here all my life. I don't need you to lead the way like I'm some sort of helpless child."

"You're so cute when you're angry with me Rosie." Emmett said, obviously not getting the 'fear-for-your-life' message she was trying to send.

He turned on her and proceeded down the stairs after that. Rose just watched his retreat, seething. She took a deep breath, thought of Bella, and followed after. Emmett is such an idiot. Maybe he's mentally challenged and that's the reason he never picks up on the fact that he is not god! He drives me insane!

These angry thoughts carried her through searching the chapel, going back to rehearsal to look for Bella there, and then going through Bella's whole room, as though she might be hiding in her pile of flowers. By that time, Emmett had become much more serious and Rose's thoughts were far from cursing him.

They met up with Esme again, when they retreated back to the stage for rehearsal again. Esme was just starting to direct the ballet, putting them through the moves that they had failed at the night before and rearranging the choreography for this night's opera to suit one less dancer.

Emmett and Rose both scanned the room quickly, in one last, desperate hope that Bella might be there. To neither of their surprise, she wasn't there. Their hope was further crushed by a single glance at Esme, who shook her head. They shook theirs as well, feeling hopeless and lost. Where on earth could Bella be?

Now, it's time to panic. Rose thought, breath coming fast. Her best friend, her sister, had disappeared.

- - -

When Bella awoke, it was to strands of music floating through the air. No full melody was being played, but it didn't really matter. She could tell that it was her angel's piece, her angel playing.

It was only after she recognized the magical music that was singing through her ears that she began to remember other things. Her premier last night. Then a trek through the basements of the Opera Populaire, a glassy black lake covered in swirling mist, candles everywhere, a beautiful organ.

A man. With that, all the other confusion of what exactly had happened faded away. Her angel was a man, a man named Edward. And he was the one playing that music.

One strain repeated over and over again with slight variations. A thrill shot through her as she realized that not only was she still in his home, but he was writing a piece with her there.

She shot up from the bed she had been laying in, then was forced to try it again with more patience. The sheets and her dress had tangled around her legs while she slept.

Finally she managed to straighten up and stand. She glanced around herself, trying to discover how exactly to get out of this curtained off section that contained the bed she had slept in. It was a small area, just large enough for the bed and a small table beside it that held a … monkey playing cymbals?

Ah, it was a music box. Bella considered turning it over to play the song that it held, but was distracted by the progression of the music outside of her curtains. Edward had apparently gone back to the beginning of the piece or section to see how his changes sounded.

She stayed behind her curtains for the introduction of the piece, not wanting to stop him from playing. Then he started to sing, and the strength to stay away from him was utterly lost.

"No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears …"

She couldn't hold back once he sang, especially a song that sounded somehow like it was directed at her. She pulled back the curtain and stared up at her angel, Edward, playing in front of her.

"I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you …"

Without even realizing that she had done so, she walked forward so that she was standing directly behind him. His voice was like warm honey poured onto her soul. She would never, no matter how long she lived, be able to forget the sound of his voice. It possessed her without even trying, took over her mind and body. It was simply more than human.

"Let me be your freedom
Let daylight dry your tears …"

It was too much. Bella had absolutely no control over her own actions and she had to touch him, had to feel his skin, not just his gloves like the night before. Her hand reached up and caressed the side of his cheek.

Edward didn't even appear to notice as he hummed the next part of the song with his eyes closed. The part of Bella that was still alert enough to notice such things assumed that he hadn't written the next set of lyrics yet.

Most of her mind though, was absorbed with the feel of his skin, hard and cold and yet, so appealing, so inviting. The tiny part of her mind that was still rational realized that this urge was insane, but she was powerless to take control of her body back from the larger side of her that demanded more.

Without conscious thought, she gave in and took more. She had never felt so graceful as she ducked under his arm and sat herself in Edward's lap. The song broke off and she felt a moment of regret before her eyes met his. His were wide and darkening in a way that she didn't have enough logical space in her mind at the moment to understand.

With that same movement, she pressed her face upward to his and met his lips.

For one, long, blissful moment, they were kissing. Bella felt as though she had burst into flames, like this was where she belonged for the rest of eternity. She had never felt so alive, not even while singing. In fact, she would give up music forever if only Edward would keep kissing her.

Then it was over. Before Bella could even realize what had happened, she was sitting alone on the bench and Edward was far away, by the curtains that hid her bed from view. She blinked once, overwhelmed by the sensations that had just been stolen away from her.

How did he get over there? Was her first, semi-coherent thought after the kiss. Then, with a rush, her logical mind came back with a vengeance. Her cheeks darkened to a deep red. How could she have lost her mind like that? There was no way that her perfect angel would dream of being … like that … with her! What had come over her?

The answer to that was, of course, his music had dissolved all her rational thought. However, that excuse seemed ridiculous in the face of Edward's reaction. He hadn't moved from his spot so far away from her.

"Edward?" She asked, her voice breaking halfway through. "Edward, I'm so sorry."

"You're sorry? You're sorry?" Bella could hardly recognize his voice. It had dropped an octave and kept breaking. "You're an angel. You don't belong here. I should never have …" He dropped his face into his hands and his whole body shook.

Bella stared. Was he crying? Why? What on earth had just happened? She took a step toward Edward, wanting to go to him, to comfort him even though she was the reason he had reacted like this.

"Bella, stay there!" His voice cried out as soon as she took her step. Edward was looking up again and panic filled his face. Bella noticed, shocked, that his golden eyes were now a deepest, darkest black.

Edward was back to speaking quietly, but she strained her ears to hear. "I'm a monster. How could you ever care for me? How could I bring you down here … to … to …"

Alarmed, Bella took another step toward him. "Edward, no! It was my fault! I'm sorry for … kissing you." She forced out the words, cheeks burning again. "You didn't do anything."

Edward looked up at her again. "You don't understand. You don't understand anything. God, Bella, what I almost did …"

She hesitantly started walking to where he stood. He was absolutely right; she didn't understand any of this. What had happened? One moment she was in heaven and the next he looked like he was in excruciating pain and he was halfway across the room. She wondered again how exactly he had managed that, but decided to worry about it later.

"You didn't do anything." She said, trying to calm him down. "I'm sorry." Now she was standing within arm's reach of him. She met his gaze, trying not to look away in embarrassment. If she only had more control of herself! It was humiliating how she had lost her head to the music.

"Bella …" He breathed, as though speaking the name of a god. His eyes were slowly lightening to their normal gold. Bella let out a sigh of relief. Although she wasn't sure why, she was convinced that this was a good sign. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, "It was just, I didn't even notice you and then suddenly you were right there. So close …" His voice trailed off.

Thank god. He seemed as though he had returned basically to normal. Taking advantage of this, Bella asked the question that had been driving her insane since he had first jumped away from her. "What happened?"

Edward pulled his gaze away from her, looking back toward the organ. Bella kept staring straight at him, feeling her embarrassment battle with her curiosity. When Edward spoke, he sounded tortured. "Bella, I can't … I don't want to … no, I can't tell you."

Bella was undeterred. She thought back on the icy touch of his flawless skin, the press of his hard lips against hers. "You're not human." She said, and as she spoke the words, she knew them to be true. His instantaneous move from the organ to here, his frozen skin, why he lived under the Opera Populaire when he was such a genius, so many questions answered.

"Bella," Edward's voice was almost begging with her now, pleading. "You should go back to the theater. It is morning, they will be missing you."

Going back up to the world above them hadn't even occurred to Bella until he mentioned it. As he said the words, she knew that they would have to wait. She wasn't nearly ready to leave him yet, not with so many questions still unanswered. Not when he hadn't even acknowledged her statement.

"Not yet." She said, determined. "Answer me, Edward."

He drew in a deep breath and then let it out again. With movements much faster than her fastest run, he made his way back over to the bench where the ill-fated kiss had happened. With distance between them, he stared into her eyes and whispered, "No, I'm not human."

It rang in her ears, louder than anything else had been all night.

- - -

Bella's kiss had been the single best and worst moment in Edward's existence. Her lips were heaven against his, setting him aflame with human desires. And yet, the shock of her appearance, the sudden proximity of her blood, her scent destroying his resistance all set his throat aflame as well.

He hadn't come so close to killing her since the first moment he smelled her and it terrified him. How could he endanger her like this, how could he have brought her down here? He was truly a monster. He became even more monstrous in his own eyes when he realized that she was trying to apologize!

His angel, his Bella was attempting to apologize to him for kissing him! His own nature was fighting against him as he tried to love her.

Then she said what he had been praying she wouldn't realize since he first chose to become her teacher. "You're not human."

Three little words that revealed so much impossibility in their relationship. God, he loved her, but was that all doomed by what he was? Did it even matter what he felt for her in the face of everything against them?

She was too perceptive, his Bella. Of course she would notice. He hadn't exactly been subtle in his leap over here. Edward tried to thwart her, to offer another option to her, to let her go back to her life in the opera before she had met him, but it didn't matter. She wouldn't be swayed.

Suddenly it was too much for Edward. He tried to hold in the speed, but he knew that his race back over to the seat by his organ was far too fast to be human. He stared down at the keys for an instant, then at the music now scattered on the ground that he had written the night before. His eyes traced over the melody that he had been singing when she kissed him. A song so unlike him, that defied everything he usually defined himself as.

It had been so ridiculous to hope for light when he was condemned to darkness. He was truly a monster, after what he had almost done to Bella. He turned to her anyway, looking straight into her eyes because there was nothing else for him to do at this point.

"No, I'm not human." He answered, baring his soul to her in a way that even his darkest musical pieces wouldn't.

His vampire hearing allowed him to listen to her quiet gasp, even from all the way across the room. Her heart maintained its pace, which surprised him until he realized that her heart had been racing since she entered the room. She closed her eyes for a moment, breaking the connection between them before she said, "Then what are you?"

He kept staring into her eyes, because there was nowhere else for him to look. When she knew this, she would never speak to him or come near him again. He had to treasure every last moment.

"When you were younger, you used to tell me stories that your father told you. Do you remember them?" He began.

Bella nodded, taking a step toward him and then another. He didn't stop her. After his disgusting outburst earlier, he had never been more in control of his darker urges. These were his last moments with her after all.

"I was shocked to hear you describe what I was. I was in one of your stories. I'd never heard us called what you called us though."

She looked startled, clearly attempting to search her memory for the story he was referring to. She was so smart, his Bella. Edward knew that if he left her for a while, she would realize exactly which story he was talking about. He wouldn't wait for that though. He needed to get this over with now.

"The legends were about the 'cold ones' as your father called them. Do you remember now?" His voice had dropped, become cold and cynical. He knew that it might be scaring her, but he had no other options for this final conversation.

"Yes," she breathed, coming closer and closer until she stood right in front of him. "Stories about vampires."


A/N: So, am I cruel for leaving you with another cliff-hanger after the last one? Did you scroll down to see Bella and Edward's names when you realized that the chapter wasn't starting with them? Did you think Rose and Emmett were adorable? What did you think of Bella and Edward's kiss? Tell me about it in a review and I'll be eternally grateful!

To my anonymous reviewers, thanks so much for your reviews ... I can't reply to them, but thanks so much!

In some reviews I learned that people are reading this who haven't seen Phantom, which is really cool to me. I'm exposing people to Phantom, awesome! I highly recommend it. Little history on it, if you aren't quite as obsessed as I am. The Phantom of the Opera was originally a book written in French in the 1800s by a man named Gaston Leroux. It's a strange book, I wouldn't really recommend it, but you could try it if you want. There have been other adaptations and movies through the years before the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that the movie is based on. Erik, the Phantom's name comes from the book. Now that I've overwhelmed you all with information, go to your local Blockbuster and rent The Phantom of the Opera with Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum. Trust me, you'll fall in love. Plus, now you can imagine Edward, Bella, and Jacob as Erik, Christine, and Raoul. ;-)

Thank you for reading, for the alerts, favorites, and especially the reviews!

Next Time: Edward and Bella talk ... again and the managers recieve a note.