Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters, plots, and settings are owned by Stephenie Meyer. I'm just playing for the fun of it.

AN: This outtake takes place between Chapters 10 and 11 of Occidens Romae.

Dedication: This is dedicated to the person who inspired it. catharticone asked for an outtake scene after the epic 'not-battle'. And since she's been such a great reviewer, such a measure of support, and such a great writer herself, I decided to give her one!

As soon as Edward pulled her from his back, soaked to the bone from the cold rain, Bella's legs gave out. Edward managed to get her to one of the stark white sofas before the shuddering sobs broke out. Around them, the rest of the Cullens moved about quickly; flipping on lights, turning up the thermostat, turning on the gas fireplace.

Edward just held her as tightly as he dared, whispering that everything was all right, but knowing she was well beyond hearing the platitudes. A few minutes later, when most of the family had cleared away to enjoy their own version of a victory celebration – hopefully outside Edward's range of eavesdropping – a warmed blanket was laid over them. Edward smiled his thanks at his mother as she tucked it tightly around the shuddering girl.

'We should get her out of those wet things.'

'Not right now,' Edward whispered to her. 'She's warming.' It was true, however slowly. Most of the chill probably came from the fact that Bella was still in shock, but with the warming room and warm blanket, Edward could already feel the cold seeping away.

Esme smiled, a little sadly, and told him she was going to make tea and soup. Edward decided not to tell her that Bella was probably not going to be able to eat it. It would give Esme something to do.

Carlisle had settled in the chair nearby and was leaning forward, elbows on knees, hands clenched under his jaw and gazing out at something Edward could not see. Memories most likely. It had been a very long time since Volterra. Sometimes, even Edward had a difficult time wrapping his mind around how old his father figure was.

Edward returned to soft strokes up and down the back of the fragile girl in his arms, continuing to whisper as the wracking sobs grew softer, even if the crying didn't stop.

It was only when Esme returned with a tray of tomato soup, tea and toast, that Edward even attempted to draw Bella out of the state she was in. Her skin was at least a more reasonable temperature and the severe tremors had faded to occasional shivers, though he doubted it was with actual cold. 'Bella, Esme made some dinner for you. Do you think you can eat?'

It was almost as if he hadn't spoken aloud. Bella gave absolutely no sign of having heard. With a worried look, Esme set the tray on the table and stepped back, as if worried her nearness might be the cause of Bella's continued distress. Carlisle also raised his head for the first time since he'd sat down, his look mirroring his wife's.

'Bella?' Edward tried again; softly, so softly. He stroked a cold finger down her tear stained cheek, but there was no sign that she even knew he was there. He glanced at his parents. 'Perhaps later,' he whispered.

Esme just nodded, looking as close to tears as a vampire could get. 'Maybe clothes?' she ventured.

Edward shrugged lightly. It would only work if they manhandled her into them, because he had no doubt that Bella wasn't going to move on her own ability until the shock wore off, however long that took. At least she was warmer and no longer sobbing, barely able to draw breath. That in itself was enough of an improved that Edward was willing to leave her a bit longer. They would have to do something about Charlie tonight, but that could wait a bit. At least they wouldn't be lying when they told the Police Chief his daughter was too sick to return to her house.

Still, Esme took that as a cue to go find pyjamas. Carlisle rose slowly after his wife left and came to kneel in front of the sofa. He brushed a tender hand over Bella's still wet hair. Once more, the human made no motion that she noticed.

Without needing to say anything, Edward asked his father's opinion.

'It was a trying situation for us all. For Bella, the human mind cannot cope so easily or manage so many emotions at once. A few hours ago, even my faith was beginning to fail me and now we are safe. It may take her some time to fully believe that there will be no repercussions.'

'None?' Edward whispered fiercely, a note of sarcasm in his tone. 'Her death is nothing?'

Carlisle's look silenced him in the length of a heartbeat. 'For her, that is not a repercussion. Perhaps it is time, Edward that you began to see her change and your future together, the same way. She will need you in the coming months.'

Edward scowled, but made no other disagreement. Any further conversation was interrupted by Bella's soft whisper of his name, the first indication she had made since their return to the house that perhaps the shock was wearing off.

'Bella?' he whispered back and Carlisle eased off to the chair he had vacated.

Sighing softly, but with a few stray tears still leaking from the corners of her eyes, Bella turned slightly to look at him. 'Edward,' she whispered again, and clutched tightly at his shirt, tangling her fingers in the now cool blanket.

'Hush, love, I'm here. We are all here. Safe. Home. Just sleep, my Bella, just sleep,' he implored. She seemed to take the advice, burrowing down into his solidness as far as she could as her eyes drifted closed again.

For a brief while, she seemed at peace. Edward didn't dare move a single muscle for fear of startling her awake, but it was not his movements that interrupted her slumber. Only half an hour later her heartbeat suddenly increased and she began to thrash against him. In an instant Edward had pulled her into a safer position, worried she would harm herself against him in her struggles. 'Bella!' he called to her, trying to wake her, but she continued to be locked in the nightmare that had descended.

Further entreaties seemed to go unheard as well; as his grip tightened her struggles ceased, but she was gasping for air and her heart was pounding much too fast. 'Bella, please,' he begged into her ear and without stopping to think about it for another second he kissed her slack lips.

Bella's eyes shot open and she struggled again, her hands pushing ineffectually at his chest. Startled, Edward drew back instantly. They sat there, Bella wrapped tightly in his arms, staring.

'Oh,' she finally said.

'Bella?' Edward asked, searching her face to be certain she was awake and aware.

She very nearly blushed. 'Sorry?' she ventured, relaxing her body enough the Edward in turn relaxed his grip. 'I, um, thought you were someone else.' This time, she did blush.

Edward raised an eyebrow. 'Bella, what was the nightmare about?'

'It doesn't matter,' she mumbled, already drawing back into herself.

'Bella,' Carlisle's soft voice startled her upright again. 'It is unsurprising that you experienced a nightmare so soon after the events of today. There may be others in the days to come. However, it will help to settle your mind – and your dreams – if you discuss it with someone.'

Bella knew he was right, but admitting to the last seconds of the dream made her want to bury her head in Edward's shoulder for the rest of time.

'I know,' she muttered again. 'It was just...just what was going to happen. What I thought was going to happen in the field.'

'You dreamed that the Volturi attacked us?' Edward ventured.

Miserable, Bella nodded, trying to avoid both his gaze and his father's. 'They attacked us and there was...it was awful. Please don't make me say it.'

Carlisle shook his head slowly. 'Of course not. What happened near the end, right before you woke?'

'They were attacking us and Edward – ' Bella gazed up at him suddenly, as if afraid her dream had become true and that her love was only a figment of her imagination. Satisfied it was real, she went on in a trembling voice, 'one of the guard had him and was dragging him away and then...then Aro was there in front of me. He said he'd take me back to Volterra. He'd make me like him forever. And then he...' she stumbled again, unable to go on.

'Bella?' the soft voice above her head implored. Carlisle made no sound or motion, but Bella knew he too was waiting to hear the rest of it.

'Then he leaned down and...and he kissed me. That's when I woke up.'

'I'm sorry,' Edward immediately declared.

'What; why?'

'When I kissed you, I was trying to wake you from the dream, but it just became part of your nightmare.'

Bella tugged both hands free from the tangle of blankets and shirt to grasp his cold face between her palms. 'Don't you ever apologise for kissing me, Edward Cullen.'

Carlisle made a sound that was suspiciously like a chuckle. It seemed to break the heavy atmosphere that had descended over the room.

'I promise,' Edward said, sounding suitably chagrined for even thinking such a thing.

'But maybe you can try another way to wake me up, next time I have a nightmare.'

'Definitely on my list,' he agreed. 'Now that you are awake, what do you say to dry clothes and food?'

'I'm okay,' Bella said. The heat of the room was doing a pretty good job in drying out both her and Edward's clothing. 'Maybe the tea.'

'It's cold by now,' Edward put in.

'I'll make you a new cup,' Esme's voice interrupted any further ideas. She was standing in the doorway to the rest of the house, a hesitant smile on her face.

'Thanks,' Bella told her. Taking a deep breath, she struggled to rearrange herself in Edward's embrace. Knowingly, he released his tight grip on her until they found a comfortable way to lie. Bella raised her head enough to drink the tea when Esme returned a few minutes later, but once the hot liquid was gone, she lay right back down on the cold pillow of Edward's chest.

Despite her best intentions, the events of the day came back once more. The shock had worn off, but it seemed the tears were not yet done. Within moments, Bella was crying softly again.

'Hush, love, it's all over.'

'I can't help it,' she sobbed. The harder she tried to stop crying, the harder the tears fell. Edward's hand stroked her back and his voice hummed quietly to her as her tears continued for a short while. They left her once more exhausted and sleepy and it wasn't hard to fall back into slumber, despite the clear memories of the nightmare before.

It was also unsurprising when Bella woke in a fit of panic almost as soon as she entered a deep enough sleep to spark the dreams. This time, she came out of it on her own, clutching at Edward's strong arms. 'When will they stop?' she pleaded.

'It may take a few nights for your subconscious to fully work through what you experienced today,' Carlisle explained, ever pragmatic. 'The intensity should lessen quickly. It has simply been too much for you to process yet. Perhaps tonight we can try something that will stop the dreams altogether.'

She was shaking her head before he even finished the sentence. 'No, no drugs. I need to do this. I need to be strong enough for this.'

'It's not about strength,' Edward cut in, looking at her directly. 'You aren't weak because your mind cannot yet process what has happened. It will; it will just take time. Until then, you do need to sleep.'

The response to this would have been another no, but Bella went with, 'I think I need to get out of these clothes.'

'Yes,' Esme agreed. 'I have PJs here for you. How about a hot shower?'

Struggling up to a sitting position, Bella allowed the motherly vampire to help her down the hall to the bathroom. She managed to stand on her own in the shower, enough to warm her body up under the hot spray, but when Esme stepped out to put the wet clothing in the laundry room, the suddenness of being completely along was just enough to bring back the tears. Esme returned immediately, ignoring Edward's calls from the hallway and telling the men to wait a few minutes. She bundled Bella out of the shower, dried her off and dressed her in the warm cotton and a bathrobe, hushing softly as the tears continued to fall.

'Edward is right outside, sweetheart. Why don't we get you back to the sofa?'

Miserable and still crying, Bella stumbled out of the bathroom and into Edward's arms. 'I'm here,' I'm here,' he repeated as he carried her back to the living room. They curled up into another, drier, sofa, and Esme tucked new blankets around Bella's trembling form once more.

'Why won't it stop?' Bella asked when the worst of the crying fit had ceased.

'They will,' was all Edward said, because he didn't actually know when they would. Sooner or later she would cry herself out.

'Okay,' Bella whispered back, but made no other movement. She seemed to fall into a light doze, but thankfully did not dream.

She slept fitfully for nearly an hour, but woke suddenly with a soft cry of Edward's name.

'I'm right here,' he cautioned her once more. She dug her fingers back into his shirt, and a few tears fell once more.

'I can't stop it,' she whispered.

'You don't have to.' Edward kissed her head gently. 'You can cry as much as you want, love. It's better than bottling your emotions up instead.'

That only seemed to make the tears fall harder again. They were making her head fuzzy and a dull ache was starting to be noticeable. Maybe it was time to find a bed.

Maybe it was time to accept Carlisle's offer of help.

'Charlie,' Bella muttered quietly and then as if realising the thought in full she sat upright. 'Charlie! What time is it?'

'After eight,' Edward admitted. 'Do you want to call him?'

For an instant, Bella looked almost terrified. 'I can't go home. I can't...I, please don't make me go home tonight.'

Frowning, Edward cupped her cheek with a cold hand. 'Why would I ever make you go home? You can stay here as long as you'd like,' and silently added to himself, forever. 'We can tell Charlie you aren't well, which is more than the truth right now.'

'Okay,' she said, as if all the fight and terror went away with one word. She sounded exhausted.

'And then we need to get you to bed.'

Bella just nodded, already having settled her head against his shoulder. Esme brought the phone over to them and Edward dialled the familiar number and held the phone to Bella's free ear.

It was answered on the first ring. 'That you Bells?' Charlie asked.

'Yeah Dad,' Bella managed to get out, before she had to choke down a sob.

'You okay? You don't sound good.'

'I'm not feeling well,' she admitted, her voice sounding suitably weak. Except that it wasn't an act.

'You want me to come pick you up?' Edward could hear Charlie venture on the other end of the phone.

'No,' Bella said, a bit too firmly. 'No, I just want to crawl into bed here. I think I'll just keep you up all night if I come back.'

'Yeah, but I'm your Dad Bells. I don't mind taking care of you. Better you keep me up than Carlisle and Esme.'

Bella gave Edward an imploring look. 'They said they don't mind. I have to...Dad, I have to go,' she finished in a rush, and thrust the phone away just in time to bury her sobs in the blanket.

Carlisle took it from her clenched fingers. 'Charlie? It's Carlisle. Bella has a headache and she's been complaining of feeling nauseous. She is also running a slight fever. I think it best if she stayed here tonight.'

Of course, Charlie would have continued to argue with Bella, but he took Carlisle's advice easily.

'Sure, if you guys don't mind it. Don't want her keeping you up too.'

'We don't mind at all, Charlie,' the blonde assured Bella's father. 'I think Bella is about ready to retire to bed. Why don't you wish her good night. I will call you in the morning with an update.'

'Okay,' Charlie said. Carlisle held the phone out so that Edward could press it back to Bella's ear. 'Hey, Bells? You have a good night alright. And feel better.'

'K, Dad,' she whispered. But she sighed in relief when the phone disappeared. 'Thanks,' she managed to tell the room at large.

'We should get you up to bed.'

'No, not yet. I'm okay here.'

Edward couldn't figure out what she had against going to bed, since she must know he wasn't going to leave her even in his own bedroom, but since they'd been on the sofa for a couple of hours already, another little while wouldn't bring any harm. Right now, letting Bella make decisions was probably the best idea.

'That's fine. You just tell me when and I'll carry you upstairs. I won't leave you, love.'

'I know,' she whispered back, already half dozing again. Maybe this spell would last longer, but Edward didn't have high hopes. He'd take her upstairs in a little while, but only if she stayed asleep.