DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM TWILIGHT. THEY ALL BELONG TO STEPHENIE MEYER.

I completely forgot. There is a quote in the previous chapter, and because I'm a spazz and got distracted by Edward…

Edward: *smirks in triumph* It's not as though its my fault.

twiXlite: Is too and you know it. Anyway, seeing as I forgot about it, I'm going to give you until the chapter after this one to work it out. And there'll be a new quote challenge in this chapter, but it's easier than the last one to find. 'Cause I'm nice like that.

Anyways, I wanted to let you know that Alive Again has been nominated for Best Incomplete All Human over on the Twilight All Human Fanfiction Awards. Voting started on the first, so if you could all head over there and gimme a vote then I'll love you all forever. Not that I don't already, but still.

Edward: Isn't that the me you-

twiXlite: Yes, it is! Let's not spoil it for those wishing to but haven't read it yet, shall we?

Edward: *shrugs*

twiXlite: Anyway …… moving on. I also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for Saving Edward at the Golden Chocolate Awards. Because of you Saving Edward won Best Angst. So THANK YOU!! And don't you say anything. *points at Edward*

Edward: *growls*

twiXlite: Eeep! Bella!

Bella: Yeah?

twiXlite: Help. *sighs gratefully as Bella's presence calms Edward down*. Let's hope he's a little calmer when it comes to the Q&A at the end of the chapter, yes?

Anyways *glances at Edward worryingly* on with the story. Yes?

Edward

Isabella and I had been running for about a day or so, at a fairly comfortable speed, neither rushing nor lagging. It suited us fine. We'd have moments where either one of us would surge ahead, wanting to outrun the other, but they never lasted for long.

At the moment we were on the edge of Montana and I had decided that we would stay here for a night before we set off across South Dakota on the way to New York where we would be meeting my private jet which, in turn, would be taking us to Glasgow in Scotland. I wanted to travel on foot through the separate countries, giving me more time to train Isabella, as it were, should she need to know how to fend off any unwanted attention in Volterra.

"I can't do it. I'm useless." She moaned, close to giving up on the training exercise I was giving her.

"Now, how do you expect to get anywhere with that attitude?" I asked her, crossing my arms over my chest, staring her down.

"What attitude?" She asked, sitting up straight and looking me straight in the eye. She may have only known me for a few days, but she had more courage than others that had known me for centuries. I'm guessing that the added cockiness of being my mate gave her that added confidence.

"That defeatist attitude." I told her, walking up to her. "Why do you think that all of the great empires fell? Hmm?"

"Because someone new and more powerful pushed them out of the way?" She made it sound like a question and I sighed, shaking my head as I walked over to her.

"No." I said shortly. "Because the leaders of said empires, you know, guys like Caesar, who by the way ………" She looked at me expectantly. "Was an asshole."

"Really?" She sounded shocked at my revelation.

"Yup." I nodded as I reached her. She reached forward and laced her fingers around the back of my neck, pulling me closer to her. "He was a complete and utter moron, if I do say so myself."

"Well, I'm guessing that everyone seems like a 'complete and utter moron' to you." She said, mocking the way I had just spoken, trying not to giggle. "You were already like, what eleven thousand years old by that point?"

"Thirteen." I replied shortly. "But who's counting?"

"Me." She sighed gently, turning to look at me. "You know so much more than I do." She brushed her fingers against my forehead, her eyes following the trail her fingers had made on my skin. "How does everything fit in that head of yours?"

"Infinite memory, remember?" I smirked at her and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Oh, ha ha!" Her tone was dripping with sarcasm and I couldn't help but laugh. "I mean, there's so much that you've seen and done." She sighed again, looking at me. "How do you keep track of it all?"

I shrugged lightly, not really knowing how to answer. She was too inquisitive for her own good. "The fact that I don't have to remember it all all of the time makes it easier." I explained and she relaced her fingers behind my neck. "And besides, it's not like I've got to worry about lack of space in there, do I?"

"True." She nodded, smiling slightly as she looked at me.

"What?" I asked her and she giggled slightly. "What's with the smile?"

"I was just thinking." She murmured cryptically.

"About?" I asked her narrowing my eyes at her as she leaned towards me slowly.

"You." She whispered, gently pressing her lips to mine in a sweet, soft kiss.

"What about me?" I asked her and she pouted at me for both ending the kiss and not letting that train of thought go.

"I was just thinking about how you were when I first met you – first met you the few days ago, first met you, not the whole century while I was human, first met you – and how much you've changed in just a few days. It's incredible." She smiled softly and me and I chuckled shaking my head.

"You are an impossible creature to understand." I murmured softly and she sat back from me.

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused, her brow crinkling slightly.

I chuckled and rested my forehead against hers gently, looking into her beautiful amber eyes, that were slightly darker than before. "I say that because when I cannot hear what is going through your mind, like right now, everything that comes out of that pretty little mouth of yours is unexpected. Nothing you'd ever think of comes out of it."

"Is that a good thing?" She asked, tilted her head, her nose crinkling slightly.

"It is." I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. "It makes everything that much more interesting."

"Well, that's good to hear." She whispered, pressing her lips to mine again.

I leaned back and looked at her for a few moments. She really was something to behold. If she wasn't, in reality, a vampire, one could easily mistake her for some ethereal being, she was that beautiful. But then again, that was one of our many trappings. Our beauty.

I gently ran my thumb underneath her eyes, which were slightly duller than yesterday. I wasn't entirely sure what her feeding schedule was, but I could tell that it would be completely different to mine.

"I won't need to feed for another week or so." She whispered as though she had read my mind. "Don't look at me that way." She shrugged. "Something told me you were wondering, so I answered you."

"'Something told you'?" I asked her and she nodded, wondering what she meant.

"Well, it's like there was this voice in my head, wondering what my feeing schedule was." She shrugged and I grinned at her. "What?"

"That was me, Bella." I whispered and she leaned back from me.

"What do you mean?" She sounded wary of what I was saying.

"Obviously what we've been working on has been working. You were partially able to disable my shield." I smiled at her and she grinned, still slightly unsure.

"You mean, you weren't letting me in at all?" She asked, looking into my eyes for any form of deceit. Not that she would find it, even if I was lying to her. I hadn't taken down my shield and from the sounds of it, she had managed to work her way through without even realising it. The fact that she herself was a shield, allowed her to do it undetected. Probably because I was concentrating on her lips on mine, rather than the task at hand, but there we go. "Not even a little bit?"

"Bella, what would that achieve?" I asked her, in a tone that sounded as though I was reprimanding a child for something, not my mate.

"I don't know." She shrugged, looking away from me.

"Look at me." She did, reluctantly. "It wouldn't achieve anything, therefore I wouldn't do it. Understand?" She nodded. "It doesn't help you in any way, if I just let you in. The point of these exercises is to help you improve your power."

"Which I don't even understand." She huffed, slightly angry. Her tone told me that much.

"I know you don't." I looked at her and she sighed gently. "Your power is a diluted form of mine. Whereas I gain a new power every time a vampire is born, you have the ability to absorb the powers of a vampire when they are within a certain range." She nodded. "Say, there was a vampire like …… Jasper, standing over on that ridge there, they would be in range for you to absorb their power."

"But I don't get why I have to practise on you." She murmured, resting her head on my shoulder. "I don't like it."

"Well, who better to practise on than the unlimited vault of vampiric gifts, who happens to be indestructible." I looked at her and she smiled.

"I still worry though." She sighed and I pressed my lips to the top of her forehead, just in her hairline.

"I know." I murmured against her hair. "I know." I did know. When we had set off, I had found myself worrying more and more about Isabella's saftey. Granted, it had only been a day or so, but I still worried. I wondered if that was normal for someone to do. The constant worry.

"You're not used to worry about anyone, are you?" She asked and I shook my head. She'd known the answer to that before she'd even asked the question, yet she felt that it needed to be voiced rather than just assumed. "I am." She sighed gently, resting her head back on my chest. "I remember worrying about my father in my human life. I don't remember the exacts of it, but I remember the worry that I would feel whenever he or I would leave the house. Especially right before ……" She trailed off and I knew what she meant.

"You worried because of the Spanish Influenza epidemic that was spreading towards Chicago." I explained and she looked up at me, her eyes filled with questions.

"I thought that hit after I was changed." She whispered and I sat down, her in my lap. I had never had this type of connection with any creature before. Never been this close. And while it felt strange and alien to me, it also felt comforting and welcoming. Also something I have never experienced before.

"It did." I nodded and she looked even more confused.

"But you just said-"

"I said 'that was spreading towards' not spreading through." I clarified and her lips made an irresistibe little 'oh' shape as she nodded. I couldn't help but press a chaste kiss on her lips, causing her to giggle slightly.

"See, that's what I mean, with the changes." She nudged my nose with hers. "You never would have done that when you first arrived in Forks. And you know what the best part is?" I shook my head, deciding that it would be better to hear it from her lips rather than in her mind. "I'm the only one who gets to see this side of you."

"That is true." I nodded and she smiled, pressing her lips back to mine again.

"Now, what were you saying?" She pressed. She wanted to know about what had happened to her father. I knew what had happened to him, and I knew that she would be upset, to hear about his fate.

"It's true that the Influenza hit after you changed." I nodded at the same time she did. "And had you not changed or met me at all, the Influenza would most likely have killed you."

"Really?" She asked, sounding slightly breathless, even though that reality was impossible for a vampire. "So …… that's what all the worry I remember was about?" She asked, and I nodded. "I don't understand. Why would I worry about something that hadn't even hit yet?"

"Rumours, of course." I explained, yet she still looked slightly confused. "Humans are easily susceptible to rumours. They tend to believe what they are told, not reaching out and discovering the truth for themselves. Rumours of the deadliness of the Influenza had reached the people of Chicago, and many were beginning to panic, to leave the city. In all honesty, for me, it was a time of abundant …… let's just say food," she scowled at me and I could see that this was going to be a difference that we would always have. "Anyway, people were leaving the city as quickly as they could, causing those that either couldn't or wouldn't leave to worry and panic."

"And my father wouldn't leave." She whispered, not quite remembering but some resemblence of a memory flashing through her mind.

"He wouldn't leave, but he wanted to send you to your aunt's in the country." I informed her and she looked at me, her eyes narrowing.

"Were you spying on me?" She asked, a playful lilt in her tone.

"Maybe." I shrugged and she giggled, burying her head in my shoulder. I knew that could she blush, there was an enormous chance that she would be doing so right this moment. "You have to remember that your blood was the sweetest thing I had ever smelled."

"Ever?" She asked, sounding disbelieving.

"Ever." I clarified.

"And that's what first drew you to me?" She asked, her voice sounding a little disappointed.

"Yes." I nodded, watching her face fall slightly. "It called to me from halfway across the city, until I found you sitting there in the park. But there was something about you that made me stop. All I wanted to do was taste you, taste your blood, but something stopped me. Do you know what?"

"The fact that you couldn't hear my mind?" She whispered, looking up at me, her eyes wide.

"Well, that intruiged me at first, but that's not it."

"Then I don't know." She shook her head and I looked down at her, pressing my lips to hers gently.

"You." I whispered against her skin. "Pure, unadulterated … you."

"Really?"

"Yes, Isabella." I whispered, pulling away slightly. "The way that you would sit there reading your beaten up old books without a care in the world, even as I sat mere inches away from you. The way you spoke about those you loved and those you didn't feel for, how your father's incessant stream of possible suitors annoyed you, and how you thought that the inane ramblings of the local gossip should be served only as a way to murder off innocent brain cells. You were unlike any creature I have ever known. You still are." She smiled up at me and I couldn't help but smile back. "And the more time I spent with you, the more I knew one thing to be true."

"What?" She asked, her voice barely audible, even for our kind.

"That I was falling in love with you." Her mouth opened slightly as she sucked in a breath. "And I have been for the last century."

"Edward." She whispered, closing her eyes. "Ever since I changed, I've known that something wasn't the same with me. My family was all paired off and married and happy, and yet I was happy about the fact that I wasn't mated. It's like there was something inside of me, telling me that someone was out there. That I'd already found them, and I just needed to wait to find them again. And I know now, that it was you." She took a deep breath. "What I mean to say is that I'm falling for you too, Edward. So hard. For so long."

She pressed her lips to mine, more forcefully than before, her tongue edging its way into my mouth. I parted my lips and met her tongue with my own. She tasted so intense. Nothing else compared to it. Except maybe her blood when she was a human, but that's beside the point.

I pulled away, resting my head on her forehead. "You need to practise, love." I whispered and she moaned. "Now, now." I teased and she scowled at me. "Alright, why don't we try something else."

"Like?" Her eyes lit up with anticipation as a grin spread across her face.

"What would you like to try?" I asked her, standing up and setting her on her feet.

"Umm……" She thought about it for a moment. "What about the lightning you used on Felix and or Demetri." She grinned. "Are you going to tell me which one it is you blew up." I shook my head. "Damn."

"Why don't we go for something a little less dangerous or conspicuous." I suggested, chuckling when she huffed. Who knew that my girl liked destruction as much as I did. Must be something in the venom. "I didn't make the secrecy law for nothing."

"Why did you make that law?" She asked, stepping towards me, taking my hand.

"Let's walk." I could sense that this was going to become an interrogation of sorts, so I figured that if she wanted to ask questions, we could walk and talk as it were. "I made the law, because when I was created, humans were a lot more …… intuitive than they are now. They knew a lot more."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I was created, as you can imagine I was a bit of a bloodthirsty creature."

"A bit?" She mumbled and I chuckled. She ducked her head down and I knew that had she any blood in her system, she would be flushing right about now. "Sorry."

"No, you're right." I nodded and she looked up at me. "During my newborn stage, I killed more humans than some vampires have in hundreds of years. Humans knew of my existence. Wherever I went, rumours were growing. Whispers of a nameless fear. It followed me everywhere I went. But as I gained control over my instincts and was finally able to move amongst humans without feeling the need to devour each and every one of them, the threat of my existence dwindled. Of course there were others, but not nearly as feared as I was. Because of that, things that ideally should not have been forgotten, were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And the reality of our existence passed out of all knowledge, save for the stories and tales you hear about us. It was then that I decided to implement the secrecy rule. If humans had rediscovered our presence in the world, it would have had devastating effects. Humans had become more advanced, and yet in their advancement, they had become more stupid and ignorant about the realities of the world."

"So, really, you did it to save the humans?" She made it sound like a question.

"In some way, I guess it could be seen that way." I sighed, looking out in front of me. It was dark and yet I could see every detail absolutely perfectly. How humans could survive being blind in the dark was beyond me. No wonder they, more often than not, got themselves killed when out at night. "In reality, I did it to keep the worlds separate. Its just easier that way."

"Why, because if humans knew about us then it would be easier for them to avoid us?" She joked and I nodded.

"Partially." She looked confused. "They may not be able to avoid us per say, but their awareness would make it more difficult for the species to live as we do. Or at least, how you do."

"What do you mean?" She asked, wondering what I was talking about.

"I mean, you wouldn't be able to blend in like you do. You wouldn't be able to attend school like you do. To live like you do." I explained and she nodded her head, understanding where I was coming from. "You wouldn't be able to settle. Humans would know that you're different."

"They already know that we're different." She mumbled, her voice filled with a slight disdain.

"Well, if they knew about us, then they would know why you're different. It was cause a pandemonium throughout the entire planet. And that is something I cannot afford."

"You make it sound like you've shaped the planet to your liking." She rolled her eyes at me.

"Who says that I haven't?" I challenged her and she looked at me, confused and wide-eyed. "I've had long enough to do it. Manipulating humans isn't that difficult. Put an idea into their heads and make them believe that it was theirs. It's as simple as that."

"Really?" I don't know whether or not she was impressed or a litle afraid. Possibly both. "That's too creepy to even think about."

"You think so?" I asked her and she nodded.

"I have something else to ask you." She looked at me through her thick eyelashes, her eyes a little wary. I nodded slowly and she looked away from me, steadying herself. I was never more tempted to delve into her mind and find out what was going on in there – well, that was a lie. I was always curious what was happening in her mind, but still, you get the idea – but I decided to let her sort through her worries and curiosities. "Why …… now don't blow me up for this, but … why don't you like anyone knowing your original name? Your human name."

"Because that's what it is." I replied, looking away from her and out across the landscape in front of us. "It's something that ties me to a humanity that I neither want to be tied to or remember. That's it."

"But why-"

"That's. It." I repeated through gritted teeth and she knew that the subject was closed. I knew that I'd upset her somewhat and I hated that I had, but the origins of my name and myself where not something I wanted to discuss with Isabella. Understanding them myself was a hard enough feat, but explaining them to others was something else entirely.

Having to explain that I didn't know why I was created when I found it confusing myself was not something I had ever anticipated before. Other vampires had never had the courage to ask me what she had before. I still hadn't worked out how she knew my name.

"I'm thirsty." She mumbled quietly, slipping out of my grasp. "I'm going to go and hunt for a little while."

I got the impression that she wanted to be left alone for a little while so I nodded, pressing my lips to hers gently before she left.

I don't know why, but it was hard to let her go.

Stupid. It wasn't like she was leaving me. She was only going off to get something to eat.

Since when did I become insecure?

Since you fell in love.

Bella

As I walked away from him I wondered what made him react in that way. He really didn't want to talk about his original name. More than anything, it seemed to piss him off.

But there was something else in his eyes.

Something I couldn't place.

Even though I knew that he didn't want to at the moment, he and I would be talking about this. I would ensure it. Whether or not I would come out of the confrontation alive was another question. But we were still having it.

I knew that he didn't know why he was created and I wanted to try to help him to understand why. It wasn't fair that he didn't know. The theory was that it was because something was needed to thin out the human species because they were becoming too numerous, but something told me that that wasn't true. I mean, humans were far more plentiful in modern times than they had been when Edward was human.

Was there something else behind it all?

I wanted to believe that there was, but could I spend the rest of eternity with Edward knowing that there was something else lurking behind his creation.

All it went to show was that he might be the most powerful creature on Earth, but he was not in the universe. There was something else, that had been manipulating him when he was nothing more than a mere human.

He had always been on top of the food chain. That was where he was meant to be. At the top. Knowing that something else had manipulated him and created him for some unknown reason was slightly discerning. It created the image that Edward, in fact, was not on top of the ladder as the world believed, but was been used, just like the many civilisations he had manipulated in his own way.

Taking a deep breath, I shook my head, clearing my mind and focused on what I was doing. I would have to run into Canada to get a meal that was more than rabbits or squirrels and I hoped that Edward would not worry that I was going too far away.

I smiled to myself as I ran, nearing the Canadian border, thinking about how Edward had changed, even over the last few days.

When he was around me at least, he was a completely different … I wanted to say person, but that didn't fit. I'll just go with vampire. That worked. He was a completely different vampire.

In front of others, he was cold and dark, not giving an inch. Except with Alice just before we had set out. Something had happened between those two. Whether or not anyone else had noticed, I don't know, but I had and there had been something occuring between those two at the house. I wasn't too worried about it. Whatever it was, it was private and between the two of them. If either of them decided to tell me then that was up to them.

Half an hour later, I had devoured three elks and knew that I should be making my way back to Edward now. No doubt he would be watching to see what my future was, making sure I was okay. At least now, if he was, then he would be able to see that I was coming back.

I began to run back towards where I knew Edward was, following that pull in my chest that had neither dissipated or been satiated through all of my constant contact with Edward. It appeared to have the opposite effect actually. Being around him simply made me yearn for him even more when we were apart.

I had begun to increase my speed in my impatience to see Edward again, to get back to his embrace as quickly as I could. I was whipped I know, but I really didn't care. It wasn't my fault.

All of a sudden, something slammed into my side, sending me flying and landing on top of me. In my concentrated state of running I hadn't noticed the three vampires that were following me. It appeared that they had gotten bored of simply following me and had decided to attack. Shit! Where the fuck is Edward when I need him? I knew that I was just on the Canadian side of the border, so I wasn't too far away from him. I knew that he would have seen their decision to attack and would be making his way here now.

I hoped anyway.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" A slimy, sleezy voice crooned from just outside my field of vision as the one on top of me slid off me and went to stand with them.

I climbed to me feet slowly, turning to face the three vampires that had stopped me.

"And where do you think you're going at such a speed?" The same vampire asked. I sure as hell didn't like the way he was looking at me or the way he started walking towards me. Creepy was not the only word I would use to describe him.

All I could do now was hold the three of them off until Edward got here.

If he was coming that is.

Of course he's coming. The argumentative, yet rational side of my brain argued. He pretty much admits that he loves you earlier. He can see the future. He would have seen this. He'll be here soon. He has to be.

The only question was, how long would he take?

Three guesses as to who they were?!

A couple of you have requested a meeting between the three of them and Edward, so I thought I'd throw them in. A bit of action next chapter methinks. That seems to have caught Edward's attention.

Now, onto the Q&A Edward promised at the end of the last chapter. You've all sent in an abundance of questions. I won't be using them all, but will be using them in later chapters. I think you can understand my reasoning behind that one.

Right. Edward, let's get started shall we? First question is one that a lot of people have been asking, so I'm going to let you clear this one up first. People have been asking that if you don't know where you came from, why don't you just touch Aro and read it through his mind?

Edward: Firstly, touching Aro is not really high on my things-to-do list. And secondly, I know where I came from and how I came to be, but I do not know why. That is the question that plagued me before I realised that finding out is not likely to happen.

twiXlite: Okay. Hopefully, that cleared that up. Next question comes from Always-Here-Imani and she asks 'What vampire has the power to put ones thoughts into the mind of another, since Renesmee isn't in this story'?

Edward: The vampire that could project thoughts into anothers mind was a cocky imbecile that live about two centuries ago. Let's just say, he pissed off the Aro and isn't around any longer. And who is Renesmee? *quirks eyebrow*

twiXlite: Oops! Um, you haven't read the books, have you?

Edward: *shakes head with bored expression*

twiXlite: Of course you haven't. Um, let's just say, she's an additional character that appears in the last book. Anyway, moving on. The next question comes from a couple of people who were wondering in previous chapters, but this one was sent in from Myra. 'Why did you leave the two girls at the hotel? Wouldn't the humans be suspicious'?

Edward: *shrugs* I was bored and couldn't be bothered to destroy them. They were drained anyway, so why bother?

twiXlite: But what about the whole 'secrecy' thing? I mean, wouldn't the humans start to panic if word hit about something draining young girls of their blood and leaving them in hotel rooms.

Edward: *grins wickedly at twiXlite* A little panic is fun sometimes.

twiXlite: Okay! Moving on … um … This comes from With love
~supercalifragilisticexplalidocos. 'What is the weirdest/most absurd power that you have ever encountered? And have you ever used said absurd power?'

Edward: There was a vampire created that could create an extra digit on each hand. *holds up hand and creates an extra finger next to pinky finger* That I thought was pretty weird.

twiXlite: That is weird. Have you ever used it before?

Edward: Not until just now.

twiXlite: Creepy. Right, ummm…….. next question. Are you planning at some point to make Bella your "official" mate? Again that one is from Myra.

Edward: *growls*

twiXlite: O-kay, guess he doesn't like that question. Um…. I think we'll leave it there for a now. That last ones pissed him off a little bit. *whispers quietly hoping he can't hear me* maybe we'll find out later in the story.

Edward: I heard that, you know?

twiXlite: Shit. Um……. Anyway, send in some more questions for Edward and I'll see what I can do about getting him to answer them. Sorry if I didn't answer your question today, but what can I say? He's testy. Gotta run. Bye!

Oh! Don't forget to look for the quotes in the chapter. There's more than one so you know. Only those that can kind both the ones in this chapter and the one from the previous chapter will get a mention. Hehe. I'm feeling mean.

Gimme a review!!