Alrighty, here it is, the second to last chapter. I really have had fun reading all your reviews for the past few chapters, you guys are so amusing. Anyways, don't really have much to tell you, except to be thankful that I love Edward enough to bring him back;)
Happy 4th of July!
Edward's face was unreadable, an angelic veneer of calm. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. I could barely convince myself of what I was seeing. Was it really him or had my brain finally snapped and I was seeing things?
Alice's jeering face appeared behind Edward's shoulder and he was ripped forcefully off of me. Esme was immediately by my side, pulling me to away from the angry vampires. Her motherly voice was asking if I was ok and I felt my head nodding an automatic reply. My attention was too transfixed by the scene playing out before me.
James had pulled Edward to the ground, baring gleaming white teeth; however, Alice's small frame was no match for Edward's bulk and he managed to flip her beneath him, reversing their positions. A terrifying snarl ripped from Alice's throat and her powerful legs kicked Edward off, sending him flying into the side of my seemingly forever parked yellow Lamborghini.
Edward shook his head quickly, perhaps stunned with the force behind James's kick. James's was quickly on Alice's feet, approaching Edward menacingly. He didn't make it too far before both Jasper and Ryan had thrown themselves onto him, knocking him to the ground and holding him there. Alice's small frame thrashed violently, frightening animal noises ripping from her throat.
Edward had regained his bearings, and was staring at Marcus, his black eyes liquid pools of hate. I wondered if he knew what had happened when he was dead. I supposed he could have pieced together the majority of it from what he had read in everyone's minds. Marcus met Edward's glare, his face unchanging.
"Help her!" Edward commanded of Marcus, who seemed oblivious to Alice's struggle.
"There is nothing we can do," he replied. "She has to fight him out herself." Edward's white fists clenched tightly, as if containing himself from springing on the ancient vampire. I silently willed him to control himself, to tend to Alice. My wishes were answered and in the blink of an eye he was by Alice's side, her body shaking violently. Jasper's voice could be heard above her snarls and shouts, begging her to fight him, to overcome the intruder in her body. Her hands pulled at her dark hair as if in pain.
"You're stronger than him Alice," Edward's angelic voice quietly reassured her. "He is nothing compared to you." Her eyes snapped open, a deep crimson red, and her face contorted into a hateful snarl.
"Leave her James," Jasper's voice was frightening. "This is not your body to inhabit." Alice's eyes blinked and they were back to their normal vibrant ocher. Suddenly she sat up, knocking Jasper slightly backwards, and her mouth opened in an unearthly scream. My hands immediately covered my ears, though even with the protection my eardrums still felt as if they were shattering. I was sure everyone in the state of Washington could hear her scream.
I felt a hand grip my shoulder and immediately the noise stopped, though Alice's mouth was still wide with her agony. My head tilted up into Ryan's red eyes and I stared at him in wonder. He must've been blocking my sense of sound, though his concern slightly confused me. What did he care if I went deaf? Wasn't I just a weak little human?
His hand left my shoulder and he stepped slightly away as Alice suddenly collapsed into Jasper's arms, sobbing dryly. James was gone. He stroked her hair briskly, trying to calm her and eventually her sobs stop. Still encased in Jasper's embrace she turned her head to the side, her eyes staring in dumb shock at Edward. Esme knelt down beside me, her face paling more than it already was, her eyes swimming with unshedable tears.
Edward, however, was looking at none of us, his gaze again locked onto Marcus. From the guarded, yet slightly perplexed look on his face, I guessed that Edward understood very little of what had just happened. Marcus's lips turned up into the hint of a smile as he glided a few steps towards me. His long arm rose and motioned gracefully for Ryan to join him, and the strange vampire was immediately by his side.
In an instant my gaze was captured by Marcus's consuming scarlet eyes, and I was no longer sure what I felt for the Volturi. Though his gaze was hard, it was also kind, like he was truly sincere about my happiness. But I couldn't forget what I had heard him tell James. That my change to vampirism was greatly anticipated.
Marcus nodded towards me, still not breaking contact with my eyes. I don't think I could have looked away if my life had depended on it.
"It was all true," his smooth voice was sincere. "All of it." I suddenly had the urge to tell him about Claudia, to tell him not to give up on his own love, but Marcus's eyes did not allow me to speak. Edward started to say something but was cut off by the Volturi's raised hand.
"Remember your promise," he said slowly before breaking our gaze. My eyes fell to the ground and when I looked back up he was gone.
Nobody spoke, perhaps too amazed and afraid to say anything. I leaned limply into Esme's arms; despite everything that had just happened I still had no will to move. A loud noise drew everyone's attention and the headlights of Carlisle's Mercedes shone brightly as he pulled into the driveway. The door swung open and Carlisle stepped out, not even bothering to turn it off. His face was blank in astonishment; his eyes flickered to Alice and Jasper before locking unwaveringly on Edward. Edward stood, unsure of what to do, his own ivory eyes faltering between Carlisle and I.
"How…" Carlisle's voice was soft and unbelieving. He stepped forward, his hands reaching to touch Edward's face, as if to make sure he was not simply a phantom. Edward's mouth opened, as if to say something, but then shut again, words failing to escape.
"I need to hunt," he said finally, after an unbearable pause. Carlisle nodded and Edward disappeared into the trees. I suspected he needed some time to gather his own thoughts, to try and understand what had just happened. Plus, it had been over two months since Edward had last drunk, his self-control was probably at the lowest point it had been in for a very long time.
Once he was gone Carlisle looked to me questioningly, but I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze, none-the-less answer any impending questions. I was saved from speaking by a soft moan from Alice. She was rubbing her temples, her eyes clutched tightly shut. Jasper held her tightly, comforting her in a voice to low for my human ears. Esme stood up from my side, and both she and Carlisle made their way to Alice's side.
"What happened?" Carlisle questioned, concerned. Esme shook her head.
"I'm not sure," she replied. "Alice had a vision of Bella in the cemetery, dead. When we got there, she was alive, but when we brought her back here…I'm not sure exactly what happened, but somehow James came back." Carlisle's head whipped towards her in surprise.
"James?" he repeated. Alice groaned again and Carlisle redirected his attention back to her. "Come, let's get her inside. You can explain the rest to me then." Jasper helped Alice to her feet and led her inside. Esme and Carlisle turned back towards me, their kind faces asking if I needed any help. I shook my head and they seemed to understand I wanted some time to myself.
Once the front door had shut behind Carlisle I rose to my feet, brushing the dirt from my pants. The full moon was high in the sky, its crisp blue light illuminating the yard around me brilliantly. The peacefulness of the moment seemed odd after the struggle that had just taken place. I inhaled deeply and decided to make my way around to the back.
The backyard was just as beautiful as the front; Esme's stunning flowers setting an ethereal mood to the area and the faint gurgle of the river calming the ears. I sat down on the steps leading up to the back porch. Vaguely I wondered why I hadn't used this porch more often; there couldn't be a more beautiful place to spend the evening in all of Forks.
Resting my head in my hands, my thoughts began to drift back to Edward. My lack of emotion startled me. Shouldn't I be feeling ecstatic and overjoyed? Shouldn't I be rushing after him through the woods, begging him to take me in his arms, to never let me go? All sense told me yes, that is exactly what I should be doing, yet here I was. I couldn't explain what I was feeling; they weren't emotions that could easily be put into words.
The past two months Edward had been dead. I had never expected to see him again, ever. My mind had been stuck on that fact, rendering me incapable of leading any form of normal life. My heart had been ripped from me, the wound slowly bleeding me to death. Now it seemed as if the jagged edges had been cauterized, yet the hole was still there. My heart was still gone. I couldn't expect my emotions to be like elastic, to be stretched for so long only to snap back in an instant. They were more like hard clay, molded and pressed out of shape which only a skilled artist was capable of turning into something beautiful.
I sat like this for several hours, sometimes thinking, but mostly just staring blankly into the forest that bordered the yard. The sky had begun to lighten, hopeful rays of sun endeavoring to pierce the quickly forming clouds. I became aware of the house behind me for the first time that night, the open windows allowing me to hear what I had previously been oblivious too.
I could hear the front door opening and closing and all other movements becoming still. I knew Edward had returned, and I heard Esme whispering his name, her mouth most likely embracing the movements she had never believed to form again. Carlisle spoke next, though I couldn't quite make out his words, he was speaking to low for my ears.
"How is she?" I heard Edward's silky voice and I assumed they were talking about Alice. Carlisle replied something inaudible. I wished he would speak a little louder. My wish was granted with his next question.
"How is this possible?" The floorboards creaked as someone moved through the house. I could imagine the perplexed look that must be on Edward's face, his coppery hair ruffling as he shakes his head slightly.
"I don't know," he replied, and paused, as if something were missing. "Where is Bella?" The brief silence that followed the question almost made me think they were going to say I was dead. Perhaps I was.
"She's out back," I heard Esme gently answer. The floor creaked again as he undoubtedly made his way towards the back door. Something must have stopped him before he could open in however and Jasper's voice came not from the open windows, but through the wood door.
"Edward," Jasper's voice was thick with concern. "There is something not right…her emotions…" he trailed off, probably as unable to describe what I was feeling as I was. Edward replied something quietly before the door opened and I heard him step onto the porch.
I couldn't bring myself to turn and face him. My body stayed as still as stone as I stared forward, my gaze locked on a large grey rock artistically placed in the garden. My heart sped up slightly as he took as seat beside me, but I still couldn't look at him. Truthfully, I was afraid. I was scared to see his face, the beautiful visage I had painfully dreamed about so many awful nights; scared my heart would mend only to be ripped apart yet again. No matter how caring any of the Cullens were, I wouldn't be able to survive any more pain like this.
He sat quietly beside me for a while, his own eyes wandering aimlessly before eventually locking onto my face. I didn't even have to see his face clearly to know the heartbroken expression he was wearing.
"Bella," the voice I had only dreamed of hearing again broke through the silence. I closed my eyes tightly for a few seconds, willing myself to feel something, the feel the passion I should rightfully be experiencing. Somehow I had thought that bringing Edward back would put everything right again, set it back to how it had been before. Now I realized how absurd that was. I had been numb to long go back. Silently I wished he wouldn't speak anymore. I really didn't want to have to explain anything.
"Please look at me," he sounded more desperate than anything else. I didn't. I kept staring at the grey rock, unable to avert my gaze. Icy fingers gently wrapped around my chin and I didn't resist as Edward turned my face towards his. Deep ocher eyes locked on my own dull spheres. I knew I looked pathetic but I didn't care.
"Oh Bella," Edward's voice was sad. "What happened to you?" For the first time ever, I broke Edward's entrancing gaze and looked down, slightly ashamed. I was ashamed that I hadn't been able to keep my promise to him; that I had fallen into such deep despair. Tears blurred my vision and fell silently onto my cheeks. I didn't know what to say, or if there was even anything to be said. I didn't think anything could put this right.
Edward sighed and wrapped his arms around me. I fell limply into his embrace. Quietly he hummed my lullaby, the tune I had tried so desperately to block from my mind for the past nine weeks. The song brought back a fresh wave of emotions, and I shivered slightly as they worked their way through my body. Edward held me tightly, a silent promise to never let me go. After a while the humming faded away and I could tell he desperately wanted to ask me about what had happened.
"How did you do it?" Edward finally questioned and I broke from his embrace, sitting upright again. "How did you find me?" I wrung my hands together nervously, wondering if there was any way I could say this without him getting upset. Probably not. Besides, there really was no point of trying to hide anything, he would find out sooner or later.
"Marcus came to me," I said quietly, avoiding Edward's probing gaze. "He said he wanted to help, that your death would destroy the family. He claimed that your family is an important part of the vampire community." I decided to leave out the personal aspect, unsure of how Edward would react to it. I also avoided the part about my agreement to become a vampire; there would be time to explain that later.
"He wanted to help me bring you back," I continued, slightly amazed at how easy it was to say all this. Maybe I was rather desensitized. "We dug you up and he temporarily killed me…" I trailed off as I realized what I was saying. Edward was going to be extremely happy.
"He killed you?" his voice was strained and his vibrant eyes shown fiercely. I nodded.
"Only temporarily," I tried to explain but I could tell there was nothing I could say that would ease his distress. "It was the only way to bring you back!" Why was I getting frustrated? This was how Edward always reacted to anything that might endanger me.
"You shouldn't have done this," Edward's voice was conflicted. Suddenly I felt my anger flare up in me, irrationally. After all I had been through, all the pain I had suffered with his death, he tells me I shouldn't have saved him? I sprung to my feet, facing him angrily, shoving my sleeves to my elbows, baring the scars on my arms.
"Do you see what I've done to myself?" I screamed and Edward looked taken aback, unsure of how to react. His eyes filled with horror as he realized what I was showing him. "I didn't care if I died! Anything was better than this hell!" I stopped, shaking from my outburst. Part of me was ashamed at what I had just said, but a different part of me was relieved at finally letting my anger loose. All movement inside the house had gone silent; I knew they could hear everything quite clearly. Edward's eyes searched my face devastatingly; I couldn't stand it.
Turning on my heels I fled, running into the forest as fast as my legs could take me. Of course, it wasn't long until I tripped, falling flat on my face. Edward's strong hands wrapped around my arms and he helped me to my feet. His fingers encircled my wrists, delicately avoiding the shameful scars.
"I'm alive," he whispered, pulling me in close. "You don't have to hurt anymore."
Ok, so this can't possibly be a cliffhanger. There are no unknown voices or once dead faces. Please review and let me know what you think! See you all Friday!