Disclaimer: Still don't Twilight, any of its characters, or Bring Me To Life.

AN: Thanks so much for all of y'alls wonderful reviews! I love reading your thoughts on the story so far. So here's the chapter/song the story's namesake is taken from (although Save Me From The Dark will work on a more literal level as well). Anyway, hope you enjoy reading the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! And now, without further ado, onto....

Ch. 11: Bring Me To Life — Evanescence

How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark

(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark

(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life
(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)
Bring me to life

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

(All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me)
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything

(Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul)
(Don't let me die here)
(There must be something more)
Bring me to life


Things between Bella and I shifted that night. I can't really explain it, but it was like the dividing wall she'd put up between us had come crumbling down the moment she mentioned her mother.

I could really only attribute it to one thing.

That she trusted me.

At school the next day, she seemed completely relaxed by my presence. No more tense moments. No nervous glances or stilted conversations. Bella had finally let her guard down.

But despite that achievement, I still could only hear her thoughts at night. Initially I found myself frustrated all over again—I really thought that once she trusted me her mind would open up to me as well—but quickly came to the realization that I didn't really care about that anymore. That it didn't matter.

In fact, I preferred it this way. It left a little mystery to my world.

We worked on the project that evening and I once again stayed for dinner—this time for Chinese food Charlie picked up. I had to admit that I was really beginning to enjoy this concept of sitting down to dinner. I didn't have many memories from my human life at all and had no recollection of spending time with a human family for a meal, so I cherished the dinners I spent with the Swans.

Charlie, with his surprising sense of humor, had actually made me genuinely laugh multiple occasions during my time spent with him. A feat rarely done if you were to ask my siblings. He was a funny man. It was easy to see where Bella's humor and wit came from.

I treasured my time spent at the Swans, and with the project almost finished, I was constantly scheming ways to work my way back into her life outside of school.

I could barely focus on that third day. Bella was constantly having to repeat herself and I could tell she was beginning to get frustrated with me.

She startled me when she threw down her pencil and sat back in her chair, arms crossed as she evaluated me from across the table.

"What's wrong Edward?" Bella asked gently, trying to coax the problem from me. She obviously was familiar with the saying that you could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

"What? Nothing's wrong."

"Don't lie to me. I know something's up with you. You're not being yourself."

I was stunned—and pleased—that she felt like she knew me so well.

"Really, it's nothing. I'm sorry I'm so unfocused today. We're almost finished so let's get back to it." I picked up my pen and bent over my notebook, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand.

I could feel Bella's eyes remain on me for several long moments while I tried to ignore her. Her gaze eventually drifted back to her book and we resumed our work right where we'd left off.

Forty minutes later and we were looking at a completed English project.

Bella was smiling as she reviewed our work one last time.

"I think we did a really good job on this," she remarked, flipping through the pages of the report.

I nodded my head, agreeing completely. Not that grades really mattered to me anymore, but I was still proud of our effort. We really did work well together.

We fell into an easy silence. I don't know what was on Bella's mind, but I was racking my brain for some excuse to be around her. I had to come up with something. Those vampires could come back at any time and I wanted to be ready for them. They wouldn't get within 1,000 feet of Bella. I wouldn't allow it.

"So…" Bella broke the silence, trailing off as her gaze slid from the project to me.

I quirked an eyebrow, waiting to see if there was a sentence to go along with that 'so.'

Bella reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. She seemed suddenly nervous about something.

"So, um, it's still pretty early. I mean, I don't know, but do you…do you want to, um, hang out or something?"

I couldn't believe my good fortune. This was perfect. And a solution, for at least tonight, that is.

I smiled broadly. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Bella grinned in return. "Great. Um, we can go up to my room or something if you'd like."

I followed Bella up the stairs and into her bedroom, acting as if it was the first time I'd ever seen it. I could probably tell you the exact placement of every object in the room. But I figured that wouldn't be a good contribution to make to the conversation.

Bella perched on the edge of her bed and watched while I glanced around the space. It really did look so different in daylight. So much brighter and more open. It was so….Bella. There was really no other way to describe it.

I came to her bookshelf and scanned the titles.

"So you like the classics?" I remarked, glancing at her from over my shoulder. I already knew she did.

"Yeah. Jane Austen's my favorite."

I turned around to face her completely, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall.

"Which is your favorite?"

Bella's eyebrows arched in surprise.

"You've read Jane Austen?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "A few of them."

"Wow. That's…surprising." She said, finally settling on a word.

I crossed the room and settled into the chair in the corner.

"Why?"

Bella scooted back onto the bed and pulled her legs up, sitting crisscross. She leaned back a little, supporting her weight with her outstretched arms behind her.

"Well, I can't say I've ever met a guy that has."

"Well, now you have," I teased back, sending her a playful wink. I didn't add that when you've been around as long as I have and you don't ever sleep, you tend to have the time to read everything out there.

Bella shifted on the bed, leaning forward conspiratorially, her chocolate eyes boring into mine. "So what other mysteries are you hiding Edward Cullen?"

My eyes widened fractionally in surprise before I schooled my features into a calm mask. Her question had caught me off guard, despite its teasing tone.

"Are you sure you want to find out?" I leaned forward as well, matching her movement and playful tone.

Our locked gazes held as the air around us seemed to become electrified.

Bella broke the silence first.

"Favorite color?"

"Brown." I spit out the word automatically.

Bella stared at me for a moment before leaning back as she laughed.

"Whose favorite color is brown?"

I sat back, slightly embarrassed but grateful that it hadn't crossed her mind just why it was brown. Staring into her eyes, that's the only color I thought of. If I could blush I'm sure I would be scarlet by now.

"Mine." I said, answering her rhetorical question anyways once her laughter died down. "Favorite food," I threw back at her.

"Fettuccine alfredo. Favorite sport."

I couldn't resist the snort of laughter at the inside joke. "Baseball. Favorite movie."

"Pride and Prejudice, the BBC version. Favorite animal."

"Mountain lion," I froze the instant the words left my lips, realizing my mistake. I had blurted it out without even thinking. I studied Bella briefly, wondering if she'd figured it all out by my carelessness. But besides a quick quizzical look at my answer, she was waiting expectantly for my next question. I was relieved, then wanted to laugh at my stupidity. How could she have gotten 'Edward's a vampire' from 'my favorite animal's a mountain lion'? She probably just thought I liked weird things.

All of this happened in a split second, while I simultaneously racked my brain for another question.

"Favorite memory."

Bella sat back and fell silent. A slow smile spread across her lips as her eyes became dreamlike.

"I was eight. My dad woke me up really early one morning, before it was even light out. He told me that he took the whole day off from work and I wasn't going to school because we were having a Dad and Bella fun day. We drove into Seattle and had lunch. Then he surprised me even more by taking me to the circus. I'd never been before and was completely enthralled. It seemed so magical; the entire day was magical. I had so much fun and it seemed like my dad was actually happy too. That day was like a turning point for him. Before, he'd pretend to be happy all of the time but I could tell he was faking it. But starting on that day, it was like he was alive again. So that's my favorite memory," Bella finished, resting her gaze on me once again, smiling softly.

"What's your favorite memory?"

I dropped my gaze to my lap, thinking. No one had ever asked me this question before and I'd never really thought of it. What was my favorite memory? Sneaking a peak at Bella, I saw her watching me, waiting patiently. Meeting her was definitely high on the list, that was for sure.

"You know I'm adopted right? That we all are?" I waited for her to nod before continuing. "I—I don't really remember anything about my birth parents. They died when I was really…young." It was hard to find the words when I had to bend the truth a bit. "I was adopted first, then Rosalie, then Emmett, then Alice and Jasper. I guess my favorite memory would be when I realized we were really a family. We were all sitting around the living room and Emmett, of course, was goofing off with Jasper and everyone was laughing. I remember looking around at each one of their faces and realizing that this was it, this was my family. That I would do anything for any of them and they would do the same for me. It was like I'd finally found where I belonged."

Bella smiled beautifully and my frozen heart warmed.

"Thank you for sharing that with me Edward."

I realized that I'd tell this wonderful girl anything if it meant remaining by her side.

That night, from my perch in the woods, my mind was spinning.

I couldn't seem to get enough of Bella. She was like a drug to me. One hit just wasn't enough. I wanted more. The more I was around her, the more I needed. Her mere presence both calmed and excited me, soothed and energized me. She stirred up so many unfamiliar feelings within me; she had awakened something inside me that I had thought was long dead and gone.

I felt alive again.

I needed to get closer.

Dashing across her yard, I was in her room in mere seconds.

Moving silently to her bed, I drank in her slumbering form.

She slept on her side, one arm tucked underneath her head, her body curled slightly into itself.

I reached out my hand, needing to touch her, when she shifted slightly.

"Edward?" She slurred out.

I froze, hand hovering between us. Darting a glance at her face, I was instantly relieved to find that her eyes were still closed. I pulled my hand back, waiting.

Oh if only I could sleep, to be able to dream of her as well.

She rolled over onto her back, settling against the pillows.

A smile stretched across her beautiful face.

"Edward."

I shuddered with pleasure. The way she said my name, such a caress coming from her perfect, pink lips. I wanted, no needed, her to say it again.

And she obliged.

"Edward."

I loved the way she said my name. I loved—

I stumbled back several steps as the world tipped around me at my realization.

No, I couldn't. It wasn't right. I'm not good for her.

Panicked, I flew toward the window, ready to run.

I drew short, however, at the sudden buzzing from my pocket.

Momentarily confused, I drew my phone out and, completely dazed, opened the new text message from Alice.

"Stay."

Shoving it back into my pocket, I spun around to face the girl who had turned my life upside down. The human girl that had come to mean everything to a house full of vampires.

To the girl I loved.

Yes, I was in love with Bella Swan.

It didn't make sense, it wasn't rational at all, but I knew it was true.

Now that I'd admitted and accepted it, it's a wonder I hadn't realized it before. It seemed so…obvious.

Taking slow steps, I reached her side once again and moved my hand toward her face.

My hand hovered over her heart-shaped face for a moment, before I gently traced the arch of her brow to the curve of her cheek to the perfect slope of her nose to the curl of her full pink lips.

And I smiled.

I was in love.

Oh yay, Edward finally admitted it to himself! So, thoughts on the chapter? Thanks so much for reading! Enjoy what's left of the weekend.

Until next time,

lizzieloo