A/N: Okay, might be last update in a while. SS project is coming up, and I can't slack anymore. Reading a book right now, Blood and Chocolate so I can see the movie after I'm done. Other than that, there is nothing. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: OMC! People, I do not earn money for this. I wish. Also, OMC is not an error.
What Happened To Forever?
To Take A Running Leap of Faith
BPOV"Why isn't she waking up?"
"I already told you, she is fine. Trust me."
"Sofia woke up yesterday."
"Sofi's power is different."
"How so?"
"That is Sofia and Isabella's to tell, not mine." There was silence.
"Don't touch her!"
"Why ever not?!"
"I can't tell you," Someone heaved a frustrated sigh. "Look, Bella should be awake soon. She normally takes twice as long as Sofi."
"This happens often?"
"No." I answered, opening my eyes.
"Bella!" Alice hurled herself at me. I remained still, eyes closed, fighting off my instinct.
"Alice, let go." Jasper said forcefully. She complied and I shot him a thankful glance. Only then did I notice the others in the room. Only Sofi was absent.
"Quite a welcoming party I get, huh?" I grinned. Carefully, I rose, gripping the bedpost to help, even though I could have shattered it easily.
"We were so worried, Bella." Esme said, reaching forward to touch me. Raising my hand, I stopped her, but in my effort, a shield appeared.
"Crap," I muttered, making it vanish, "I advise you don't touch me unless you have a death wish. I don't mean that as a threat either." I added at Esme's shocked face.
"Bella," I looked up, May had spoken, "Are these are the Cullens?" She had tried to keep the hatred from her voice, but I knew her well enough to find it.
"What did you guys do for the past two days?" I asked not believing that neither family had bothered to introduce themselves. You would think that the common courtesy that comes with living in the old times would have kicked in or something.
"Nothing, really." Rosalie answered, bored. Okay, maybe I shouldn't assume so much. I sighed tiredly.
"Ookkaayy then. May, Jordan, these are the Cullens. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, and Edward." I said, gesturing with my hand at each person corresponding to the correct name. Each was said with the same indifference, and this seemed to shock several people in the room. "I trust Sofia made her own introduction?" May nodded. "Good, now, if you don't mind, where is my sister?"
"Bella, are you sure?" Jordan asked skeptically. I knew he meant well, but I hated that kind of question, the answer was so obvious!
"Yes," I answered, "Curiosity has ensnared me."
"Curiosity killed the cat." May reprimanded.
"Ever think that maybe the cat died because he didn't explore his curiosity?" I asked smugly, pleased when she couldn't come up with an answer. "Now if you could be ever so kind to point me in Sofi's direction…"
"In the garden." Alice answered. I smiled, thanked her, and made my exit. Unfortunately, Edward followed.
"I see you have not decided to heed my warning." I said icily, still walking.
"Somehow I fail to see how you could manage to kill me." He smirked.
"I have my ways, you would be wise not to doubt that."
"Apparently I am not wise." He was still trailing me as I walked down the beautiful royal staircase and to the backdoor.
"You should stay here." I said, turning to face him. "A fight may break out and you could get hurt." I had a feeling he doubted that, but he sighed, rolled his eyes, and took his leave anyway. 'That was easier than expected…' I thought, having prepared myself for an argument.
After a moment, I stepped out the arching glass doors into the beautiful garden where I spent a lot of my time. The gravel path crunched beneath my feet as I weaved my way through a jungle of blooming flowers and leafy plants. Out of the blue, I started to hum, which turned into quiet singing.
"A statue stands in a shaded place, an angel girl with an upturned face. A name is written on a polished rock, a broken heart that the world forgot. Through the wind and the rain, she stands hard as stone in a world that she can't rise above. But her dreams give her wings and flies to a place where she's loved. Concrete angel."
"You should sing more often." Sofi said quietly, stepping out from on of the many winding paths. Several moments of silence settled, and Sofi looked down, trying to avoid my piercing gaze.
"Why Sofi?" My adopted sister looked up, pained and looking about to cry.
"I don't know!" She sobbed. "I was so… angry that you wouldn't tell me anything. You always tell me everything! I felt like I was loosing you, all at once. I can't deal with that again! I can't, I can't, I can't. Please, please, please, don't make me." She sobbed, repeating her words like a mantra.
"Sofia, do you really think I would do that?" I asked, sincerely hurt.
"No, but I couldn't even bare to imagine it! I suddenly believed it, and I wanted to stop you. Then the monster… it just kind of slipped out! By the time I figured it out, it consumed me!"
"Sofia, are you seriously explaining that monster to me?" I asked kindly. She looked a little stunned at my sudden emotional change, but laughed at herself once realizing my point. "I have dealt with that monster for 100 years. It is a sly being that takes advantage of you when you are weak and pounces. Self-control is very important Sofi, and you and I have worked very hard to perfect it. However, everyone slips sometime. You really shouldn't blame yourself."
Laughing shakily, she agreed. I smiled and led her down a path. When we reached an old, wooden swing, I sat on it, moving back and forth slightly. Sofi took a seat on the ground next to me, leaning against the tree that supported the swing.
"So… the Cullens, huh?"
"Yeah," I sighed.
"I can't believe that you faced them of your own accord, how hard was that?"
"Hard, but not impossible. I was relieved actually, finally… I don't know…"
"Seeing them again?" Sofi grinned, dodging when I Threw a pebble at her.
"Yes," I finally admitted.
"How did you manage?"
"Manage what?"
"Your powers. You had so much control." She marveled.
"I think it was luck. Fainted before anything else could happen."
"How could that be though? You have horrible luck."
"Hey!" I cried indignantly.
"It's true," she laughed, "You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. Maybe it was fate. Maybe, with the Cullens there, you didn't wipe everything within a 2-mile radius out. I don't know, but I have a feeling that's it."
"Well, don't expect anything to happen between Edward and I." I said, knowing exactly where her thoughts were going.
"Oh, come on, Isabella. Face it. Fate has something in store for you."
"Well, I don't like it." I said, pouting. Sofi laughed at my childish behavior. "Come on, we have some 'splainin to do."
"Do we have to?" She whined. We laughed, and headed back towards the house.
We were all spread around my house's large parlor.
"Please ask any questions you may have." Sofi said.
"What the hell was that performance you gave us earlier?" Emmett burst out. Sofi and I burst out giggling.
"That, Emmett, was our…" I looked to my friend for help, but she shrugged, "umm… darker side."
"I thought you were answering questions, not creating more." Rosalie said.
"We said we would answer questions, never that the answers had to be thoroughly explained." I answered, finding the loophole.
"You should be a lawyer." Sofi whispered, even though everyone else could hear. I grimaced at the idea.
"Anyways, back to subject. A demonstration of our powers was what you saw. Sofi and I are like… a confusing oxymoron. We are best friends-sisters-but archenemies. Do you want to explain your power, Soaf?"
"Right, well, I am… life. I can create life, heal, create happiness and any other positive emotion, and then, generate white light, shields, etc." The Cullens absorbed that for a moment.
"Can you take away life also?" Carlisle asked.
"No, that is my power. I am death. I can create death, wound, create negative emotions, generate black light, etc. Basically, Sofi and I are total opposites."
"That only affects humans?" Jasper asked, looking at me. I shook my head solemnly. "I can kill vampires also." I added in a small voice. Many intakes of breath were heard.
"Sometimes our powers let loose and consume us completely, like they did with Sofi. I somehow managed to stay in control until I fainted. That happens after a large use of power, it drains me. Usually, it takes a while to build back the control, the wall that helps keep the monster back. Physically touch me, and I could kill you." Alice's eyes widened at this news, realizing how close to death she had come. Burying my face in my hands, I started to sob.
"Excuse me." I said, standing and walking to my room. Putting on my iPod, I grabbed a book. My way of healing emotionally, to leave the real world behind, to completely immerse myself in a world of fiction and drown out all noise.
"Thou darest to interrupt my meditation?" I asked as I felt a presence enter the room.
"Thy shall be hanged for such witchcraft, the use of forbidden black magic." A voice answered. I looked up, surprised, to find Edward in my room. Slowly, I removed my ear buds and closed my book.
"I don't think I've ever seen so much black in my life." He remarked, surveying my room, which was painted completely black, murals here and there on the walls. He walked over to one, tracing over the dark forest there, eyes staring out from behind a tree.
"You're an artist."
"I guess you could call me that." I said, watching him intensely.
"Why so much darkness?" I laughed, a hard, humorless laugh.
"Oh please, you saw that display, know my powers. It's a given." He paused, measuring my expression.
"Bella, do not hate yourself."
"Hypocrite." I accused. "How can you say that? You loathe what you are, why can't I?"
"Because you don't deserve it."
"You may be a little biased. Plus, you have no idea what my powers are capable of."
"No, but I know you."
"Knew." I corrected. Edward laughed.
"Bella, a hundred years have passed. So what? You're not going to change all your ways, believe me, you're too stubborn."
"You know, we are so freaking alike, it's starting to scare me." I laughed, more like we were friends rather than past lovers. However, there was no hiding the fact that my body was bursting with electricity just from being in the same room with him alone. He smiled.
"You know what? Come with me. I have something to show you." I started for the window.
"Where are you going?"
"Out, through the window. I wouldn't think you would have any aversion." I said, throwing open the sash and taking in a large breath of sweet, summer night air. Quietly, I opened the screen, and moved through the window silently. I waved Edward through, and dropped off the roof and into the garden.
We moved like wraiths through the darkness. Our footsteps soundless. Our breathing rhythmic. Our future unclear.
A/N: Okay, no more updates for a while sorry. Bella was singing "Concrete Angels" by Martina McBride, just to let you know. Please review.
-Meghan. With the h.