Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Meyer. All new ones, belong to me. The song belongs to Aiden.

Chapter 9- Giving in

I lose myself at night to feel the rush
of tearing my skin apart
Now take this sadness and close your eyes, love

The steps creaked as the girl went down them, her hands trailing on the guardrail. " Are you down here?" She asked, her English accent lacing through her words.

" Of course we are, hurry." A voice answered. She smiled and hurried down the last couple steps. Spider webs clung to the ceilings, shadows danced in the corners, but it was home. Her sisters were gathered around the table, their globe in the middle.

" What did you learn Clotho?" Atropos asked. She was the eldest of the sisters, her hair a silvery gray.

" Yes, did they join together again?" Lachesis questioned, her young eyes hopeful. Clotho shook her head, her braids swinging to and fro.

" No, he left before they could speak."

" He's stubborn, I hate when they're stubborn." Atropos groaned, her eyes on the globe. " We've been around for-"

" Oh Atropos, we know, we know. Please, don't give us the lecture on how humans are imbeciles again." Lachesis sighed, rolling her eyes at her sister. Clotho giggled and set her backpack down.

" Don't fret sisters, we'll get them together again. It'll just be a challenge. You know how much I adore challenges." She grinned and took her place at the table. " Everything will work out in the end. It always does."

-&-

Bella sat on the steps, her eyes on the descending sun. She sighed and dropped her head in her knees. She was messing everything up with Georgiano. She loved him, but seeing Edward. . . It's not fair to him Bella, you know you need to move on. He may be alive, but Georgiano is who you're with now. Not Edward, he left you. He's nothing to you. She scolded herself. But she could blame him for everything and still love him. . . He held a piece of her that no one else could have. Suddenly the back door slide open, and Blake stepped out with a hawk on his arm. He gently kissed the top of the hawk's head and murmured, " Be safe darling," then let the hawk free. Bella smiled and looked up at her brother.

" Angeline going for a ride?" She asked. Blake nodded his head, his eyes glistening with love.

" Yeah. You know, she almost loves shape- shifting more than she loves me." He joked, sitting besides Bella. Bella laughed and watched her sister fly off towards the setting sun. What it must feel like to be free like that. To have the wind soaring beneath your wings. " How come you've never tried it? Sharing her power with yourself and taking off for a flight?" Blake asked. Bella shrugged her shoulders.

" I don't know really. Maybe because I may never want to come back. It looks so peaceful."

" Yeah, it sure does." A comfortable silence fell over them. They both listened to the rushing of the wind between the trees. " The Cullens are settled in. David decided to let them stay here. He didn't think it would bother you," Blake whispered. " Will it? I mean, I know you try to please everyone. But, what about what you feel? Are you comfortable with them being here?"

" Sure, I don't have a problem with them. It's just. . . a little weird at times. I'll be fine." Blake patted her back and kissed her cheek, then got up to go inside. His bronze hair shined gold in the sun, and when he turned back to her his skin glittered from the light.

" Don't hesitate to talk to me. I'm here to listen."

" Thanks Blake." He nodded his head and stepped inside, leaving Bella with her thoughts again. She licked her lips and looked back to the sky. She closed her eyes and thought back to that afternoon; her angel had been perfect. He hadn't changed a bit, at least not physically. When their eyes had meet, it felt like nothing had changed. Bella had wanted to run up to him and kiss him like there was no tomorrow. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed him. The door slid open again and Bella listened to someone come out.

" We missed you, a lot." A quiet voice said. Bella opened her eyes and found herself staring at Rosalie. Her mouth gaped open. Rosalie smirked and sat down, her blonde hair smelling faintly of lavender. " What? Is it so shocking to hear that?"

" Coming from you? A little," Bella admitted. Rosalie chuckled, a small dimple formed on her left cheek. Bella smiled, wondering how she hadn't noticed that as a human.

" Well, it's true. Even though I was a bit of a bitch-"

" A bit?"

" Okay, even though I was a big bitch, it was nice having a human around. And, you weren't so bad. You made Edward happier than I'd ever seen him. And when you died. . . he died too."

Bella could feel tears welling up in the bottom of her throat. She wiped her eyes with her hands and sucked it in. She wouldn't let it out. She couldn't, or she felt she wouldn't stop sobbing. " Is it true? That he's. . . with them?" She asked. Rosalie shook her head, her features grim.

" Yeah, he went to kill himself but, they talked him into becoming a guard. I think, he wanted to find a purpose. I don't know, that's what I tell myself at least." Rosalie looked down at her nails, her eyes clouding over with grief. " He really loved you," she said quietly.

" Yeah, I know." Bella whispered back. " Georgiano and me got in a fight tonight over him."

" Really? How come?"

" He knows. . . he knows I still love Edward. But, I don't think I'll ever stop. . . I don't know. I have no clue what to do."

" You have to do what you think is best. Sometimes that means you have to hurt people you love, in order to do what you know you need to."

" Wow, when did you get so wise?" Bella teased. Rosalie laughed, her eyes crinkling in amusement. She stood up, a shadow echoing her perfect stature on the wall.

" I'm getting old. It comes with the age I guess. I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." Bella nodded and said goodnight. She was no closing to figuring out what to do, but she felt better.

I say she's all alone
Fighting for redemption
I know a little pain, a little lust
I lose myself at night to feel the rush
of tearing my skin apart
Now take this sadness and close your eyes, love

-&-

Edward watched the sun set in the western sky. Sophie was in his room talking to someone, he didn't really care. He'd showered, he couldn't stand smelling her on his skin. She wasn't the one he wanted to be laying in bed with, but she was all he had. He scoffed and threw a rock into the grass. The house smelled like her. Like Bella. He hated it. He hated walking through the rooms, thinking she would somehow appear. It also made him sick. Because he couldn't have her. He wondered what the man who took his place looked like. Did he write her a lullaby like I did? He thought. He knew he was jealous, but he didn't care. He threw another pebble, wishing his life was easier.

That's when it hit him. Some voice was urging him to go, pushing him to get off his ass and leave. But his mind was battling it, telling him that that would be a stupid thing to do. I cant go to her, she doesn't want me anymore! He growled, his eyes turning an inky black. He felt like his heart was aching, just breaking apart at the seams. But there was something there. Some small, glimmer of hope. Maybe she'll take me back. No, you'd be stupid to think she would. . . But what if? Could you really live with yourself after blowing an opportunity like this. Knowing that you could have had her back, but was too much of a coward to try and see? He shook his head and stood, decided that he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He walked inside the house, instantly smelling his love. Sophie was on the bed, paging through a magazine. " I'm going out," he said simply and grabbed his jacket.

She arched her eyebrows and placed the magazine down. " Where?"

" I don't have to tell you that." She got up, her hips moving seductively as she moved.

" Fine, keep your secrets. But remember, you have six days to catch Vicki. I suggest you stop pining over your old girlfriend long enough to remember why you're here." He clenched his fists together and hissed at her.

" Don't you dare tell me what to do." She laughed, coming closer to him. Her eyes were a blood red, her lips matching the color. She put her mouth against his skin, licking the side of his face. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and nipped him slightly with her teeth.

" Don't forget, it's me you're coming home to. Have fun." She walked away, her moves reminding him of a snake. She had a thin black robe on, but that was it. The lace made it see through, her pale skin showing through the black.

" Fuck you Sophie."

" You can when you get home dear." He rolled his eyes and left, making sure he wiped her spit off the side of his face.

Go deeper, I feel it
I see your ghost appear
Go deeper, I see it
I feel your ghost appear

-&-

" Lachesis, Atropos, come quick!" Clotho exclaimed, her eyes on the globe. Her sisters came, their questions appearing on their faces. She pointed to the globe and they watched as Edward exited the house, his eyes black.

" It's working," Lachesis grinned.

" It's about damn time," Atropos sighed. " It's taken him long enough."

" Oh hush Atropos. Why are you always so negative?"

" Well, you would be too Lachesis, if you mostly dealt with death!"

" At least our plan is working, right?" Clotho interrupted. She hated when her sisters fought. They nodded their heads and watched. Eager on what was to come.

-&-

A/N: Well, it's a longer chapter. Yay to that! For those of you who get who the three sisters are, you get a cyber cookie :) Lol. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you liked it. Review and let me know your thoughts. Remember, I love hearing from you!

Until next time,

Faith