More of Bella's story. I put a lot of effort of integrating her story with the story throughout. I didn't want it to be just one chapter and that's it. It's fifty years of interesting stories. I just couldn't resist coming up with all these encounters. Okay, I'm done ranting. You can read. :P
Edward wrapped his arms around his angel, so happy to have her close again. He felt her heartbeat and her gentle breathing as she slept. He smiled and closed his eyes, leaning against the headboard, comfortable. An overwhelming sense of relaxation swept over him. He found it hard to open his eyes or do much more beyond breathing.
Edward's eyes snapped open and he looked down for Bella. There she was, perfectly safe in his arms. Her eyelids fluttered.
Bella woke up groggily and slowly. She snuggled further into Edward's side, content with staying where she was. Edward rubbed her back methodically. She looked up to him with bleary eyes to see him staring off in the distance, his eyes half closed. He noticed her awake and he flashed her favorite crooked smile, "Hey, beautiful."
She sat up and smiled, "Hey Edward. How was your night?"
He stared at her, thoughtful, "Very interesting. I've missed having you in my arms."
She took a deep breath, "You make it easier to be in the house as if it's more natural to be with you than my faerie natures. I like that." She buried her face in his chest, familiarizing herself with his scent again. "Did I talk?"
He frowned, "It certainly was odd but it felt as if I could fall asleep at any second, so I wasn't paying attention as well."
She looked up at him, thoughtful for a moment. "I wonder…" Bella said as she stared at the window. She shook away the thoughts and smiled brightly at Edward, "Breakfast time?"
Edward laughed and Bella joined in, happy to see him happy, "Breakfast time for the faerie. Although I've heard you taste of food hasn't changed much."
Bella stuck out her tongue at him and jumped out of bed. She went to the door and became pale. "Oh," she breathed and then ran for the bathroom.
She was promptly sick all over the room. Edward held her hair out of her face, concern flitting across his features. She took several cautious deep breaths and then allowed herself to close her eyes. Edward wrapped his arms around her, "Maybe we should go see Carlisle first."
She shook her head, "I'm fine. It's just morning sickness. It comes with pregnancy, there's nothing Carlisle can do."
Edward helped her up and didn't argue but she could see the indecision in his eyes. She traced the worry line, "I'm fine," she whispered.
Bella leaned against Edward's arm as they went downstairs, her stomach was still tender and she was shaky. She didn't want any harm to come to her child because of her clumsiness.
Entering the kitchen, Carlisle looked up from his newspaper. Edward spoke quickly and quietly to Carlisle. Bella sighed; she could guess what he was saying. "Edward," she complained.
He gave her a reassuring smile, "He needs to know. Carlisle's a doctor, he can help."
Bella gave a disparaging look, "I'm pregnant, I'm not dying. There's nothing to be done. Plus, I'm pretty sure 'he knows' seeing as I wasn't exactly quiet and he has vampire hearing."
The look Edward gave told her that he did not completely agree with the statement and she shook her head hopelessly. Carlisle held an amused grin as he watched them but it did not cover the frustration in his eyes, "I wish there was someway I could help. I have some medicines but I'm afraid the ones I know contain manmade substances in them and I do not know how they would affect a faerie child. At the very least you should remain in one form for the most part."
Bella nodded vigorously, hoping to end the conversation. "Where's everyone else? I could continue my story."
"Here!" Alice called from the other room. Bella laughed and went to the living room. Carlisle and Edward followed, having a quiet conversation.
Alice was bouncing in her seat, "So what happened after you left? Did you meet any other mythical creatures?"
Bella smiled as she sat down with several food items in hand, remembering how ignorant much of the vampire world is. "Oh yes, I met many." She twirled a flower in her fingers, watching as it caught the light. "It started in Egypt. Many myths and legends originate there so I figured that would be a good place to start…"
***Flashback***
Bella got off the plane to the sweltering heat of Egypt and the Nile. The sun seemed to feel wrong on her skin after so many days under the relentless rain of Forks. She looked out over the sand and wind in the airport. She walked briskly to the car waiting for her and it drove her to a hotel. She stayed up all night, unable to sleep.
Just before daybreak she left and watched the sun rise over the pyramids. It was a breathtaking sight for anyone but she wasn't here for the sights. She watched the skies scanning for the telltale red spark. There!
A song soon filled her ears and what was left of her heart broke. It was beautiful and sad. A song filled with longing and loneliness. Bella knew those feelings well. The phoenix drifted out of sight and Bella nodded to herself. She pulled out a journal and wrote down the time and date and everything she witnessed.
"One down, many more to go," She whispered to herself. She slung a backpack over her shoulder and made her way to the pyramids. An Egyptian graveyard.
She fell into step with an early tour guide and once inside the pyramids, ducked into a room that looked seldom used. She didn't have much of an idea. She held scents and whispers of various mythical creatures and she had heard that it often brings the others out. She still held traces of werewolf and vampire and now the phoenix's song clung to her. She sat on the dusty floor, staring out to the dark room.
She stayed there for three days. Every time she heard the phoenix's song she felt renewed with hope. Finally a chuckle whispered through the room. She jerked her head towards the sound. A hazy mist seemed to gather in a corner.
"Does the little girl wish to die?" a high-pitched scratchy voice called.
"Leave her alone, Cleo." A male voice said, bored.
"Shut up." She said. The mists formed into more solid shapes and two people stood before Bella. She gasped.
The man smiled at her, "Hello. You are very persistent to stay here three days. I would give anything to get out."
The woman rolled her eyes, "That's why you became a ghost, right?" the girl turned to Bella, "The phoenix calls out to you. What makes you so special?" Bella grimaced. What was her problem?
"Maybe because I can understand its song, maybe because I have seen creatures of myth before." Bella shrugged.
"No human can possibly understand its song, much more a child." The girl, Cleo, snapped at Bella. Bella stood, defiant.
"I can't understand pain? I can't understand being so lonely it hurts or having the meaning of my life taken away from me?" Bella demanded.
Cleo scoffed and disappeared through the wall, but the man stayed, a look of amazement on his face. "You are one of a kind amongst humans. Many cannot begin to comprehend its meaning. Do not mind Cleo, she is just jealous of all who are human."
Bella's anger simmered out and she studied the man more closely. He wore traditional Egyptian royal garb but there was no sign of a death wound. "You are a ghost," she said, "Can you tell me about them?"
His eyes met hers but she saw the deep sadness imbedded in them. "If you cling hard enough to something in life, you become an imitation of one."
"So you must die…" she started.
"Oh yes, but I would not recommend it. This is not life. We are stuck in the places that we walked while we were still alive and our tombs. We have been banned both from life and death. We are just an image passing with time," his voice faded and his form dissipated.
"Wait!" Bella called. There was another chuckle and then silence. Disappointed, Bella left the tomb.
***End Flashback***
"I was in the hospital for a week to recover from that experience. My eyes became accustomed to the darkness and I lost a lot of weight. It was the first of many near death experiences still to come." Bella's voice quieted as her thoughts went down darker lanes.
"Why were you looking for mythical creatures?" Rosalie asked quietly. Bella smiled a sad smile. She could see this question had been focusing in their minds.
"I was seeking my own escape. I was determined to become immortal, one more thing taken away from me, but without becoming a vampire. At the time I thought that if I had all the time in the world I could defy you and exact my revenge but I never gave up hoping that you still wanted me." Bell shook her head and laughed, "I was a child."
An overwhelming sense of claustrophobia came over her. The blood drained from her face once again and, without making a conscious decision, rushed outside. She fell to her knees and took deep breaths.
DUN DUN DUH!!! Want to find out what's wrong with Bella? Review to make me update faster!! ;)
