A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME FOR NOT UPDATING.
I don't really like excuses, but I'll go for it, anyways. Before, I could write at school and post a new chapter every week or so. Now, my school has decided that Fanfiction is scandalous and blocked it. Yay. No more working at school.
So, that leaves me my home time to write, and, well... I've been busy. Ask my boyfriend, I've seen him twice this whole year. That isn't to mean I'm not continuing this story though! Especially not when it's at the ending- zone. And besides, I GUARANTEE you'll like this chapter.
Thank you so much to all the people that reviewed. I haven't been able to answer (YAY FANFICTION BEING BLOCKED!) so I am so, super sorry. I'll try my very best this chapter, but again, this comes out of my own personal leisure time and not my Creative Writing class.
Thanks everyone, and happy reading! :)
"Bella?" Edward said when I walked out of the hospital. "Bella, I heard that there was a fire, are you-?"
"I'm fine," I answered him, letting his arms fold around me in a hug, "But it was scary. We think that it was vandalism. Probably some crazy kids thinking that they can light a fire."
Edward's face hardened, but he pulled me closer.
"And Carlisle? Is he okay too?"
I immediately thought of Carlisle- broken down and destroyed, even when he had ultimately won. I drew in a deep breath, meditating on what to say next.
"As fine as he could have been," I answered carefully.
Edward pulled me even closer, beginning to massage my shoulders. I could feel his knuckles relax each tendon; coaxing them into behaving to his will. I slumped into his arms dutifully. This was my place.
His mouth massaged my hairline; his lips tickled at my skin. I could feel my mouth form a smile, although I didn't feel like smiling at all. I had just seen the death of so many friends, of Johan… of Alice's mortality. And still, as always, I remained standing. The survivor that caused all of the trouble in the first place.
Edward released me, and grabbed my hand.
"I was so worried," he said. "I thought that I had lost you."
"You won't lose me," I promised him, hoping that it wouldn't be a lie. "I'm yours forever." I tried pulling my cutest face, which must have worked, because he let out a chuckle.
"If only we had forever, I would want you by my side."
I would have said something foreshadowing, but it was at this moment that we stopped at Carlisle's apartment. I motioned towards the door, but Edward stayed in place on the cobblestone. I arched an eyebrow as if to ask him why, and he chortled again.
"You don't want to come in with me?" I asked, a little bit angered by how whiny I sounded. Still, we'd been together every day since the funeral.
Edward hugged me around the waist.
"Bella, love," he murmured, "You might want to look in the mirror. I think that you could use a shower."
My face began to flush a bright crimson red.
"Oh," I sighed. I was probably filthy. "Damn fire."
Edward took my face in his hands.
"I think you're beautiful," he said. "No matter how dirty you are."
"I'm that dirty?"
"Filthy."
He flashed my favorite crooked smile as I walked into the apartment, jabbing my keys softly into the lock. It made a clicking noise, and I pulled it upon. The apartment had not changed in the slightest since Alice had last been in it. Somehow, I found that disturbing. I proceeded to leave a muddy trail from my shoes as a memory of her last visit.
When I finally got to the mirror, I let out a gasp. Edward had been right- I was disgustingly filthy. My hair was tangled together in a mess of knots and frizz; my cheeks were stained with a flaky, black ash. Even my body was bruised all over; consequences of getting thrown on the ground, naturally. I felt the large cut that Rio had left me on my neck; it was bleeding. Terribly. I hunted around the room to find a sort of gauze (thankfully, Carlisle the doctor had some in stock), but after a few seconds it started to bleed again. The blood poured out in a thin crescent moon- just like the scar on my wrist.
On my waistline was a decoration of the shards of glass that had hit me. They, too, poured out blood. I realized that I could have been killed so many times over by any one vampire in the room- and there had been five. Including one newborn, and four bloodsuckers.
I paused as I thought the word. Bloodsuckers?
Jacob. My longing for him wasn't dying, although it had been faltering. Yet as I scrubbed away at my body with soap, I could only help but imagine him back in my time- a russet colored wolf, looking for me. And if I never returned? There would probably be war. People I knew and loved would die.
Was I just a catalyst for disaster?
I got out of the shower and threw on the clothes that I had been wearing when I first arrived- a plain shirt and a plain pencil skirt. Alice might have cringed to see me wear the same thing twice, but I didn't care. I wanted something familiar.
I began hunting for food, but released a sigh when I realized that I hadn't gone shopping recently. The only thing left was a small slice of bread, and there was a greenish mold growing on it. I tossed it into the garbage, wrinkling my nose. I'd have to walk all the way to the supermarket now, and I was so hungry.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I hissed under my breath. It was probably somebody collecting for something or the other.
"Who is it?" I rapped sharply.
A velvety voice answered me.
"Termite inspection," it chuckled. "Let me in the house."
I raced towards the door, but checked my watch in the meantime. It had only been an hour or two since I had last seen Edward, and it took roughly that time for a roundtrip to the Masen manor. If he had even gone inside his house, it would only be to grab something and then leave. I opened the door.
"Too bad," I said. "This is Doctor Cullen's apartment; we're far too clean to have any termites."
Edward sashayed through the threshold.
"You're never too clean for a checkup," he chided.
I led him into the dining room, although he was the one to pull up a seat for me.
"I'd offer you food, but I don't have it," I said. "I was just about to go buy some."
Edward shook his head violently, and produced a wallet from his back pocket.
"How about dinner? My treat. You like Italian, don't you?"
"Sì signore."
He offered me his arm and we began to walk towards the restaurant.
xxxXx
Our waiter pressed a menu into Edward's hands, but not into mine.
"I think that Bella would like one, too," he announced, pointing to me. "It's rude not to help a lady out."
The waiter had obnoxious buck teeth and only glared at me.
"Of course," he said bitterly, and tossed me a menu. It was a much crappier version of Edward's, but I didn't say anything. He was obviously extremely sexist.
Edward raised an eyebrow.
"Two of the same menus, I meant."
The waiter exchanged Edward's menu for a crappy version, too. Both of ours had the seams ripped off, but Edward was proud when he opened it. He didn't make any other comments about the service. Instead he began to nervously look over what they had to eat. His temples were sweating.
"I'd recommend the Vitellina al Marsala, Bella, it's very good."
I skipped over to the page that Edward was on, but the menu didn't provide an English translation.
"Veal with tomato sauce and cheese," he added, confusing evident on my face.
The food arrived astonishingly fast, and by the next half hour, we were already pouring over the dessert menu.
"I've already ordered yours," Edward told me. "Now pick one for me. We can share."
I poured over the list- it all seemed exciting. We debated over a Napoleon or a caramel cheesecake, eventually settling on both. I didn't even think of asking what dessert he had already requested for me.
Until I got the dish.
The waiter, previously the rudest person on the planet, walked over with a big smile on his face. He placed a dish in front of me. Around the dish were tiny, chocolate letters made entirely from sauce. I didn't even both reading them- I was far too interested in the cake, trying to figure it out what it was. As I lifted the cake up, I paused and let out a gasp.
A diamond ring glittered brightly at me.
A/N: Yes, I will give you the next part if you review. So review! And besides, I left you at a cliffhanger. I know that you want to know what happens next.
xoxo
-P