Have A Little Faith

Chapter Ten: Faith at its Fullest

A/N: The usual checklist: I don't own the Twilight Series, I acknowledge that this may be a "breach" in the law, I do not earn profit from this, so there is no justified legal penalty I can suffer...

Also, thank you to all those who have reviewed, I ask that you might once more, and thank you so much to all of you who have added Have A Little Faith to your favorite stories and story alert lists. That means so much to me, you have no clue. I would have stopped after chapter two without you. Or three. Or four. You get the picture, I'm sure. Anywho... sorry for the length of time it has been taking me to get these chapters out. I've was having a hard time writing three entire pages for my Lit Analysis, but I triumphed in the end (*Insert Hooray! here*). Well, now that all that rambling is out there, here's chapter 10!

Cullen House in Forks, Washington

Bella looked around the room. Her eyes registering every little detail of this house that had once been so intimidating, in and of itself, and now served a place in her heart as her home. She absorbed the perfection of it all: every little detail was vital. Each one was a necessity; she couldn't ever forget the beauty, the welcoming arms of this place. She brushed her fingers across the smooth, polished coffee table, the fabric of the couch, the petals of the lilies in one of the vases. It was all so precious to her. If she could still cry, she would have. All of this was so frightening to her, but she also felt maddened with fury at the Volturi's cruelty. The injustice made her want to scream.

Bella exitted the house through the back door. She tilted her head back, gazing up at the brilliant ivy moon, and the stars that winked all around it. The view was sharp and clear through Bella's eyes, not a cloud in sight. It was a beautiful night.

The perfect night to die.

But the Volturi weren't here. Not yet. But as soon as they arrived, the fierce Guard would see to her death and the death of her family and kin.

"Bella," came the quiet, musical voice of the only person she really wanted to talk to at a time like this.

Bella turned to Edward and smiled.

He walked to her side, and laid a hand against her cheek.

"I was looking for you."

"I was here; waiting." She replied.

They were silent for a moment that was spent gazing at the stars twinkling above their heads.

"It's beautiful tonight."

"Yes."

"So clear..."

Bella was silent for a moment. She wished she could disappear into the stars, and the world unknown so that she would not have to embrace her fate, her chosen tragic destiny that was within reach of her fingertips. She yearned to reach up her hand, and stretch far enough to touch the sky and grab a winking star and use it as a slingshot to take her away from here.

But she knew that even if she could, she wouldn't. The universe was nothing to her without Edward.

"Let's make the most of it," Edward suggested, his lips at her hair.

She turned to face him, her lips pressing against his. Both in sync with each other, they breathed and lived as one.

The would die as one, too.

Albany, New York

Addison sat amongst the rest of the guard as they waited for Heidi. Every fiber of her being yelled at her to leave now, don't wait, but she wanted her timing to be as close to perfect as possible for that moment, and she knew that that meant waiting. So here she was, sitting in the grass, watching ants crawl about in their little hills about to take more human life in order to save others. She was sure that those she killed tonight would not thank her, nor understand, but deep down, Addison knew that she had to wait.

Oh, yeah. That's right. She was going to be killed anyway.

Addison sighed inaudibly. She kept forgetting that detail.

She should leave now, it was probably better. Maybe she could give the Cullens and their friends more time... or perhaps she could kill some of her kin so that they'd have a better chance. However, she wouldn't be able to kill the one that would really make the difference. Addison glanced up at the handsome vampire to Aro's right, and sighed once more.

Demetri.

Why on Earth did she have to get that close, learning to love at last, with this particular vampire? Was this fate's cruel trick, the best way to watch her and others suffer? Maybe it was something else entirely, but she couldn't be certain because instinct had her rise to her feet with a scalding pain in her throat.

Heidi had returned.

.oOo.

Addison had drifted to the edges of the group. The remains of their victims were being disposed of as she wandered, a piercing pain in her heart. It wasn't as bad as the burning in her throat that accompanied her through feeding, driving her to take more and more and more. It was entirely different, the exact opposite. The burning was a vampire's hunger, that greedy demonic edge of her life. This piercing was love and compassion, the purest essence of her being and the strongest by far. She clung to this part of herself because it was all that she had left, the only thing that could possibly save her.

"Addison," Demetri greeted her quietly.

She glanced up at him and smiled, but it was a tight smile and she knew that she noticed it.

He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. She clung to his cloak, breathing in his familiar scent that she'd be able to seek out anywhere at anytime. She knew it better then she knew her own voice.

"Ah, Addison."

The words made her want to cry.

"It will get better with time."

But she didn't have time. She had made her decision, and she wasn't going to abbandon it despite how badly she wanted to at this moment. All she really wanted just now was to cling to Demetri for the rest of forever.

"Just give it some time, and it will be just a meal."

That was exactly what she was afraid of, why she had to leave now while she still wanted to go.

"It'll be okay-"

No, it wouldn't.

"-you'll see."

She wouldn't, though.

"Yeah," she said, despite the turmoil of her thoughts that contradicted this response loudly. "I suppose it will pass soon."

She smiled up at him, noting the way he relaxed when she said this.

"I'm worried about you, you know."

"You don't have to be. I'll be fine."

"Yes..." He said slowly, his shoulders tensing once more with his discomfort. "When I told you... about the Cullens-"

Addison tensed, too. Had he guessed?

"I don't know, I've just been worried that... You'll..."

He is on to it, Addison thought to herself, Of course he is.

"I'm not going any where, Demetri." She lied. "The Volturi is where my loyalty lies."

.oOo.

Addison stood at the edge of the clearing near where they had stopped outside of Washington. She was always on the fringe of things, it seemed. Her eyes darted back towards the trees that sheltered her "family". The clearing seperated them now. More then that would seperate them soon. She took a deep breath, her mind still on Demetri and what they had just shared... Her lower lip trembled.

But her decision was final.

She began to run.

And once she started, it wasn't so bad. It became easier with every step. It was just her and the Earth now, together again, more alone than ever before. She ran faster, darting around the trees in her path, her movements silent and lithe as she sped through the woods and across a highway in the lights of an oncoming tractor trailer. She ran, and ran, and ran...

"Addison!" A voice called from behind her. "Addison, wait! Stop!"

"Addison!" A different voice called, as angry as the first one was frightened.

Panic filled her. She would never make it to freedom. What could she do with nothing but trees and a death sentence?

She continued running through the trees at a break neck pace. She was running so fast, she was practically invisible. Her life was as good as over now and she had nothing left to live for except running away from them and towards her last chance for survival. She didn't know anything. Not anymore. Every little life lesson, and fact had disappeared from her mind. All but one truth, one thing left that she knew for certain. She knew that she needed to keep running, that she could not stop, no matter what.

She could hear footsteps racing towards her from behind. These footsteps were familiar to her. She would have known them anywhere. At one time, she would have stopped and waited for him to come to her. The urge was still there inside of her, crying out to her, begging her to stop and wait for him. She wanted to, but she knew better. Now, if she stopped, he wouldn't hug her or have a warm smile for her. He'd kill her.

In the distance, Addison heard Demetri's voice yelling for her to stop.

She ran faster into the night.