I was trying to decide which story to update, when suddenly inspiration for the next chapter of ALNL hit me.

It took forever to write, and so I hope you guys really really REALLY enjoy it!

I'll talk to you guys more at the bottom :)

Enjoy!

My hands shook as I placed them against the cold wall of my living room, attempting to hold my legs up so I didn't completely collapse.

I wasn't entirely sure how I got home.

I know I ran, and I constantly looked to see if he was following me.

He wasn't.

But I don't know how I found my way through the blinding burn of my tears as they stung my eyes.

The sobs racked my body, and my head was a whirl of emotions and thoughts I couldn't even begin to understand.

I was embarrassed.

I was scared.

I was heartbroken.

Was it true? Was Edward and his family really vampires?

If it was true, then I wasn't crazy.

If it wasn't true, then they were playing a really sick joke with me.

And I'd fallen for it.

I'd fallen madly in love with Edward.

I squeezed my eyes shut, sucking in a deep breath as I attempted to calm down.

"Breathe Bella." The voice came from behind me, and I froze mid-breath.

It wasn't Edward's voice.

I turned around as quickly as I could, which in truth was pretty slow considering my legs no longer worked.

Alice Cullen was the source of the high pitched, gentle voice and I felt my hand rise to place over my heart as it thudded audibly.

"Wha-What do you want?" I whispered, "Please just leave me alone."

"You really think I'd hurt you?" Her eyes were penetrating, "You really think Edward would hurt you?"

I shook my head, but not in an answer to her question. I shook my head to try and get her to shut up.

"Please. Just leave." I bit out brokenly.

"I will leave... But I have to give you something." She stepped forward into my living room a little more, and placed two things on my coffee table.

An open book.

And a thin DVD cover.

"I suggest you try the book first..." She motioned toward the objects, "Everything he's told you is true Bella. And you never gave him the chance to explain the rest. He promised himself he wouldn't chase you if you ran, but I never promised anything like that, and I refuse to watch my brother miserable again because he's lost you." She sighed, "We may be vampires-" My throat constricted as she said the word, "But we aren't evil, nor are we going to hurt you. We hunt animals. We live a normal life... Well as normal as possible... Look at what I've left you... Take it all in, and then if you decide to do what's right for both you and him, turn to the back page of the book."

She smiled at me then, before turning slowly and walking out of the room. I heard the front door close, and I let out my shaking breath as I sunk onto the ground, holding my face in my hands for a long moment.

It could no harm to look, right?

I knew deep down the truth was I wanted to look. But I was afraid of what I might find.

I stood up, grasping the arm of my sofa for support as I lifted my long dress to aid me better.

Sitting down on the sofa, I pulled the feathered mask off my face with one hand, as my other hand pulled the book towards me slowly from the table.

I dropped the mask, and set the book on my knees, running my fingers over the pictures without even thinking.

It was my High School yearbook.

I looked down at myself, realising I really hadn't changed a bit. My hair was only slightly shorter, resting just below my breasts, and my eyes sparkled the same brown colour and depth they did now.

I found myself flicking through the pages before I realised what I was looking for.

I stopped at the C's in the yearbook, flipping forward again until I found who I was looking for.

Cullen, Alice.

Cullen, Edward.

I stared down at them, feeling fresh tears drip down my cheeks at their perfect, flawless faces.

It was them.

Most of my doubts were leaving my head already, but these pictures just convinced me even more.

Why had Alice left this though? I didn't understand.

My eyes found the DVD resting on the table, and with shaking fingers I found myself moving to put it in the TV before my brain had completely caught up with my actions.

I was just desperate to understand. And I knew I was even more desperate to find answers that confirmed I wasn't insane, but also that I could love Edward.

I sat back on the sofa, placing the yearbook to one side as I grabbed the remote and hit play, brushing my tears away from my eyes so I could see clearly.

"Now remember everyone." I recognised Alice's voice, though the screen was completely black, "Don't let him hear your thoughts completely. He's allowed to know we're filming, but not why."

"Okay, but Alice? It would help if you took the lens lid off the camera." A woman's voice told her from nearby, and I heard Alice giggle before thanking the girl named Rose.

The screen brightened suddenly, and it took a second to adjust before I witnessed what looked like a living room, focused on the family.

"This is Jasper." Alice introduced happily, and I watched as the blonde haired guy waved at the camera.

"This is Emmett." The big muscled guy waved fast, a grin on his face.

"This is Rose." A blonde haired beauty nodded towards the camera, but a smile was playing on her lips.

"This is Carlisle and Esme." Alice introduced next, and I watched as the couple on the sofa waved serenely.

Suddenly the camera turned around, and I was greeted with Alice's face, "And I'm Alice. Though you'll be well aware of that by the time you receive this." She smirked down the lens.

Abruptly the camera moved again and was brought to the window.

"And that is Edward." Alice's voice was hushed, almost as if she was announcing the star of the show.

But by now I had guessed that was exactly what he was.

I watched through wide eyes as Edward slowly got out of his car, the same one he'd driven back in high school.

My heart skipped when I realised he was back in high school. In Forks.

He was carrying a suit bag, and made his way up the steps slowly before coming into the house.

"Why is that camera in my face, Alice?" He muttered, annoyed with Alice before even entering the house it seemed.

"It's time we started documenting, don't you think? I mean, we've got the technology now, may as well use it!"

He sighed, glancing once at the camera before throwing the suit bag on an empty chair and walking straight upstairs.

"Hey! What about your suit?"

"Prom isn't until tomorrow. I'll worry about it then." He called after himself.

Alice sighed audibly, and she sat down on the chair before unzipping the suit bag slightly. I gasped as I saw the tux and the white mask on the hanger.

The woman named Esme spoke quietly, "He's so heartbroken..."

The camera was turned around to face her, and Carlisle tightened his arm around her as he nodded, "Bella leaving will hurt him more than he's ever hurt in this lifetime."

The camera shifted slightly, and I watched as time seemed to pass a fraction.

And suddenly, I was back at Prom.

I watched as Edward touched my elbow, and my own face rose to meet his gaze. I cringed slightly as I saw the look of complete adoration on my face for this stranger.

But was he always a stranger?

I wasn't so sure anymore.

The scene changed again, and I was looking at the lunch room of Forks High School, from the Cullen's table. It was focused on Edward's face, but he wasn't looking anywhere near the camera, or the person that held it.

He was staring across the lunchroom at something that captured his eyes, but also his heart.

I choked back a sob at the look in his eyes.

He was fixated, pinned to the earth by that point.

It was all held in his eyes.

The camera moved and followed his line of vision.

It led directly to me.

The screen blurred a little, and I was back at Prom, now dancing with Edward Cullen.

I watched us as we swayed, my heart breaking as tears slid down my cheeks at the look on both of our faces.

Was it really that obvious?

The camera zoomed, focusing completely on Edward's face as he spoke to me.

"This was my last chance."

I closed my eyes, feeling and tasting the salt from my tears as it dripped down to my lips.

This wasn't happening.

This couldn't be happening.

The screen changed again, and I watched as various shots of Edward appeared in front of me.

In one he was on the sofa, watching nothing and nobody in particular.

In another he was lying on his bed with his arm over his eyes.

In another he was sitting on a rock, one hand running through his hair as the other clenched into a tight fist.

I felt the hiccup rise in my throat from my tears. I'd never cried so much in my life.

But it seemed that through this I was getting my answers, though I was getting none at all in reality.

But this was enough for me to understand him.

Alice's smiling face was in front of the camera suddenly, and she whispered conspicuously, "Finally." She winked in at the lens, and turned the camera around.

My breathing stopped as I took in the view of Seattle High School from where she stood.

The next few shots of Edward came like the last few - silent and without him realising. They were different though.

He was happy.

I watched his smiling face as he joked with Emmett and Jasper.

I watched as he kissed Esme on the cheek as he came home from school.

I watched as he strummed his guitar in his bedroom.

I watched as he read a book on the sofa with his feet on the coffee table, and then laughing when Rose came in and chided him for having his shoes on the furniture.

I watched through my classroom window as he stared at me as I taught.

I watched through my classroom window as I kissed him and he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hold.

I watched as Edward smiled into the camera, his face a mask of freedom and happiness.

More tears streaked down my cheeks, and I wiped them away quickly, not wanting to disrupt my viewing of Alice's masterpiece.

Suddenly the sound came back on.

"Alice?"

"Yeah?" The camera was watching him from where Alice sat in the living room, and he was perched on a platform by the door, seated by a baby grand piano.

"Could you come sing this for me?" He wrote something on a last piece of manuscript, before bunching the papers together and holding them out slightly, "I think a woman's voice would be better." He murmured.

"Did you write it?" Alice's voice was smiling, I could tell.

"Yeah." He smiled sheepishly, "You sing and I'll play?"

"Sure." The camera moved a little, and I guessed it was seated on the arm of the chair as Alice got up and moved to sit beside Edward on the seat.

His fingers slid over the keys as he began, and I found myself stopping my breathing to listen to the gentle music.

"Heart beats fast, colours and promises.

How to be brave. How can I love, when I'm afraid to fall?

But watching you stand alone. All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow.

One step closer..."

Breathing was impossible, and I couldn't help but listen to Edward's piano playing and Alice's gentle voice as every memory I'd ever shared with him came back. Tears streamed down my face as I smiled softly, wishing I could hold him, and kiss him and love him like he clearly loved me.

But I'd ruined everything.

The picture faded out, and I was afraid that this was the end of the DVD, but instead I found myself in a bedroom as Alice's singing continued, as if she'd merged the two pieces of film together.

I guessed it was Edward's room we now stood in.

The camera, held by Alice I assumed, moved toward a massive wall length bookcase which was filled with music and films and books and so many things I couldn't take them all in at once.

"I have died every day, waiting for you.

Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more."

Her hand took one book, and she pulled it out of place gently, and then set it on the bed.

She opened the cover, and I watched curiously to find out what was inside.

"Time stands still, beauty in all she is.

I will be brave, I will not let anything take away what's standing in front of me.

Every breath, every hour has come to this."

My breathing hitched at the contents of the book.

Pictures.

Of me.

I was in High School, and there were numerous shots of me in class, or in the library. Some of me at the beach that time I'd gone with Jess and Lauren, some of me sitting under my favourite tree in the summer.

As Alice flicked through the pages, I felt my heart beating harder and harder, shaking my head at myself for my complete and utter stupidity.

How could I be so stupid?

New pictures were emerging now.

Pictures of me as a teacher in Seattle High. Pictures of me teaching, pictures of me laughing and smiling, a picture of me kissing Edward, a picture of me in his meadow that time he'd taken me on the picnic.

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking one long calming breath, though it did absolutely nothing to compose me.

"One step closer...

I have died every day, waiting for you.

Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more.

And all along I believed I would find you.

Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more.

One step closer...

One step closer..."

The scene of the DVD had moved back to Alice and Edward, both seated by the piano, Edward playing slowly as Alice sang her heart out to the lyrics he'd written.

Lyrics he'd written for me.

As the song ended the TV dimmed before completely blacking out.

But I'd already made up my mind, and I was grasping the yearbook quickly as I flicked to the back page.

Instructions to find my way to the Cullen house.

I ripped the page out quickly as I ran for the door, not caring that I was still in my dress or my face was tear streaked or that it was raining so heavily I'd probably catch my death of a cold.

The door thudded to a close behind me, and I looked down at the first direction.

Turn right from your house.

I ran right, into the pouring rain as it soaked through my skin almost immediately.

At the end of your street go left.

I followed Alice's instructions, my breathing coming heavy as my lungs burned. My skin was freezing, but also too warm to notice as the rain beat of my shoulders, drenching my hair and my face.

I didn't care. I just needed to find him.

I needed to tell him I love him.

I continued to follow her guidance, until I was well away from any other houses, and running headlong towards a forest near the outskirts of the area I lived in.

Take the opening on your left.

As I read the instructions, I looked up, seeing it straight away and turning quickly.

It looked like a driveway.

Now run.

I laughed slightly at the coaching, picking up my dress as I attempted to run in my heels. Soon enough they fell off, but I didn't stop to pick them up, I just kept running.

I glanced down quickly at the page one more time as the trees started to widen into a clearing, just to make sure I was in the right place.

One step closer Bella.

I let out a cry as I crumpled up the page in my fist, gripping my dress even tighter as I ran on.

The clearing opened up, and I was met by a four storey house, made of complete glass with dark wooden edges and a thick wooden door.

Trees surrounded it, and a few cars were parked across from where I stood, but I was just looking for him.

My Edward.

The rain was too heavy, and I could barely see into the house as I raised my head.

I dropped the dress from my grasp and let the hem fall back to the ground.

My hair was soaked, and I couldn't tell if my face was wet from the rain, my tears, or both.

"Edward..." I whispered slightly, blinking a few times until my eyes centred on the second floor.

I could see people standing around, and suddenly two of them moved out of the way as Edward ran forward, staring out the window at me.

I let out a shaky breath as I saw him. His mask and jacket were gone, and his tie and top button had been loosened.

He turned suddenly and I vaguely saw the rest of his family watching me from the window as Edward sped to the front door.

He moved so fast he blurred.

I felt my feet move to get to him, but I only moved one step before he was right in front of me.

One step closer.

"Bella? What are you... It's freezing! It's raining!" His voice wasn't half as angry as it should be considering I was drenched from head to toe. He was awed, surprised and... Desperate.

One step closer.

I pushed my feet another inch, taking that one step before I raised my heavy arms and draped them around his shoulders as fast as I could.

"Edward..." I whispered brokenly,"I'm so sorry." I laid my head against his shoulder as his arms snaked around my waist and he held me tightly to him.

I pulled back, looking at his face as his hair fell around his eyes and the rain dripped from his long eyelashes, "I love you." I whispered, before pressing my lips to his, and for once, we were the same temperature.

Enjoy?

Of course, inspiration for this chapter came from A Thousand Years by Christina Perri! I absolutely adore the song, and it fit perfectly so I thought I'd put it to good use!

I clearly own neither the song, or Twilight, unfortunately.

However, I do own this chapter, and I'd really love and appreciate if you guys could take a view seconds to review and tell me what you thought!

I hope you enjoyed it! And yes, Alice is a sneaky little vampire, with many tricks up her sleeve! )

Review!