Well, it's been a while, huh? Guess who finally fixed the internet! If you guessed "that psycho author who hasn't updated in FOREVER", then you are correct! I have been getting delightful reviews in my absense (how does she get reviews, you ask? Well, technology! And mobile email!) and thank you kindly for all of them! There's one in particular that I wanted so much to reply to, but there was no reply URL! Ahh! This person (forgive me for forgetting the name you put on the review) gave me lovely ideas for one-shots and just left a beautiful review! So, if you're reading this, here's the chapter you requested! Speaking of the chapter--which is why you're here, right?--it has to do with Kate and Edward training Bella, like in Breaking Dawn. So, it's another chapter that you've already seen. But hopefully having it in Garrett's perspective makes it more interesting? Perhaps. I'll let you be the judge of that! And, after much wait (for you and for me) GARRETT!!
The next hours were spent in the woods for me, exploring, trying to avoid the human scent. My eyes were sure to be a dark burgundy by now, but the burning in my throat wasn't as tempting as it once was—not in a good way, at least. It used to give me a thrill, a rush for the hunt, but now it just reminds me of how much like the rest of the world I truly am. And how different I am from Kate.
But maybe different could be good . . .
No. It's like an atheist marrying a catholic. It just doesn't work.
"Kate," I heard from my spot in the living room. Hearing her name out loud made my vision icily clear, made my breath catch. It made me remember that I'm not the only one that thinks about her.
But I'm the only one that thinks about her like that. And I need to stop that. Excessive obsession can be unhealthy.
"Please don't hurt him," Bella continued in a more threatening tone than pleading. They were in the back yard.
"Then where will you get your motivation, Bella?" Kate asked as I came closer, following their voices.
"Kate," Edward said warningly. I saw Kate shrug through the window.
I stayed in the doorway to the back porch, watching. Bella had her arms wrapped around Edward's waist, but it wasn't in an intimate manner—she was more clinging to him for safety, his or hers, I wasn't sure; Carmen and Eleazar were behind Kate, Tanya closer to Edward and Bella. Kate reached her hand out to Edward's shoulder carefully, watching Bella's closed, concentrating eyes.
Edward shook with the shock. Kate quickly pulled her hand away.
Bella groaned in frustration.
"It's only your first try, love," Edward reminded her. "No one expected you to get it right your first try."
Bella just nodded tersely. "Go, Kate."
Kate reached her hand out again, quicker this time. But she pulled back slower than the first time.
Edward still shook with the shock, the air knocked out of him. Not that he needed it, but you could tell it was uncomfortable.
"Are you sure you want to do this Bella?" Tanya asked. "You don't have to protect us this way."
"My shield is all I have," Bella said stubbornly. "And I'm going to use it."
She nodded to Kate to go again.
"Wait," Edward interrupted when Kate reached her hand out. Bella's eyes flew open, shocked.
"Maybe you should do the 'low' setting for now," Edward said in a hushed tone. Bella looked insulted, but said nothing.
Kate nodded and reached out again. Edward only jumped once from the shock, but he still felt it, obviously not the goal.
For hours, the same routine repeated itself—Kate shocking Edward, Edward shaking in Bella's arms, Bella growing more and more frustrated—except for select differences. One: Kate seemed to be taking more pride in what she was doing. Most people would say that she was enjoying causing emotional and physical pain to both of them, but I could tell by how she flexed her fingers that she was just feeling the power that came with her gift. It was obviously a burden to live with, one she tries to hide it more out of courtesy than of shame. This chance to show it was freeing.
Two: More and more vampires joined the on looking group as the lesson wore on.
"That Kate is quite talented, isn't she?" Tia said to Benjamin a few yards from where I stood on the porch.
"I hear she can take down any vampire, any time," Benjamin agreed.
I stepped closer to join the conversation.
"So she uses this gift often?" I asked.
"Not exactly," Benjamin answered. "Her coven is more peaceful than others, so it isn't usually necessary."
"But you hear about a rare talent like that one," Tia finished.
"I never have," I said quietly, wondering how I couldn't have.
"But momma, I want to help," Nessie said, bringing our attention back to the show. The child put her hand to her mother's neck, showing her some image.
"No." She backed away with Nessie in her arms as Kate stepped towards them, hand outstretched. "Stay away from us, Kate."
"No," Kate refused, a cruel smile on her face as she obliged to Nessie's wishes to help.
Bella shifted Nessie until she clung to her back. A snarl ripped through her lips as Kate stepped even closer.
"Be careful, Kate," Edward warned.
Kate stepped towards them again, but turned to Edward, leaving her back open to a murderous newborn. She must have a lot of faith in Bella's restraint to leave such an easy attack point open.
"Can you hear anything from Nessie?" Kate asked.
He darted to the gap between them, protecting them from each other.
"No, nothing at all," he answered, not sounding as surprised as he should. "Now give Bella some space to calm down, Kate. You shouldn't goad her like that. I know she doesn't seem her age, but she's only a few months old."
"We don't have time to do this gently, Edward," Kate argued. "We're going to have to push her. We only have a few weeks, and she's got the potential to—"
"Back off for a minute, Kate," Edward commanded more sternly.
Bella put her hand on Edwards back, eyes closed with effort. She was pushing her shield out towards him.
"Again," she commanded Kate. "Edward only."
Kate rolled her eyes but made way over to Edward. She pressed her palm into his shoulder.
"Nothing," Edward said, opening his eyes and smiling.
"And now?" Kate asked, pushing slightly harder.
"Still nothing."
"And now?" Her brow furrowed with effort, and her voice became strained.
"Nothing at all."
I stepped closer casually to Kate, fascinated with Bella's shield and Kate's defensive power.
Kate grunted and stepped away.
"Can you see this?" Zafrina asked Edward in a strange accent.
"I don't see anything I shouldn't," Edward answered.
"And you, Renesmee?"
The child smiled and shook her head.
Bella's breath sounded more labored as she held the shield longer, but no one seemed to notice it weakening if it did.
"No one panic," Zafrina warned us. "I want to see how far it can extent."
I gasped as my vision was taken by . . . nothing. That was all I could see—nothing. As if my senses were completely taken from me. I don't know if my eyes were opened or closed, if I was standing up or lying down, if I was dead or alive.
"Raise your hand when you get your sight back," Zafrina instructed, her voice coming not from a specified direction in the darkness, but from all around, like her voice was connected to invisible surround-sound speakers invisible to me
I stood still in the nothingness until I could suddenly see familiar people around me—Kate with her arm raised, Edward with a look of wonder on his face, and Bella with a strained, stressed expression.
"Very good," Zafrina said with a smile. "Now—"
Zafrina stopped when she heard a sharp gasp from Bella, who had opened her eyes and was breathing heavily. My vision went back to a vampire's worst fear: vulnerability.
"Can you give me a minute?" Bella asked, panting.
"Of course," Zafrina answered. I relaxed as reality returned.
"Kate," I called as she began wandering towards her family. She didn't seem as disturbed by the moment of blindness as the others, who were murmuring worriedly. They were wondering what would happen if we happened to lose her gift to the Volturi.
"I wouldn't, Garrett," Edward warned, as if he knew my intentions.
But I would.
I pursed my lips in speculation as Kate turned to me, hip cocked.
"They say you can put a vampire flat on his back."
"Yes," she agreed. She fluttered her fingers tauntingly. "Curious?" she asked with a smug smile.
I shrugged one shoulder. "That's something I've never seen. Seems like it might be a bit of an exaggeration . . ."
"Maybe," she said, suddenly serious. "Maybe it only works on the weak or the young. I'm not sure. You look strong, though. Perhaps you could withstand my gift." She lifted her hand to me, palm up.
A challenge.
Confidently, I touched her palm with my first finger.
The shock coursed through my whole body in one motion, causing me to fall over backwards and hit my head on some hard rock. I heard it crack loudly, and I suddenly wondered if it took a piece of me with it.
"I told you so," I heard Edward mutter.
I sat up slowly, putting my hand to the back of my head, ensuring that nothing was missing: I felt the leather tie that kept my hair back at the nape of my neck—nothing gone.
"Wow," I said wonderingly.
"Did you enjoy that?" Kate asked me skeptically, the smug smile still intact.
"I'm not crazy," I laughed, shaking my head as I got slowly to my knees. "But that sure was something."
"That's what I hear," she said, shrugging.
That was it—I was officially obsessed. And I had no intention of letting go of the infatuation, or trying to fight it. I would let it eat me whole, as long as it meant staying with Kate. I don't care if I have to go through this torture to keep her with me. Anything was worth it.
I saw Edward roll his eyes and I wondered if my thoughts were apparent in my face, in the way I looked at Kate, and how I imagined she looked back. I quickly tore my eyes away and went over to the front yard, where the others began to converge to greet some uninvited, unwanted visitors.
Awh. I like keeping Garrett in the dark with the whole Edward's-a-mindreader?! thing. Fun. A few things: One, I learned how to do this.
I have no idea what it's for, but it was nice to know that I can do it. Two, I don't know when I might be able to update again. I don't know how long this whole internet thing is going to hold out, and I don't know how often I'll get to be on it. (My sister has recently learned the joys of Facebook, so she's on it 24/7. Also, I'm attempting to reread the entire Harry Potter series :]) But I promise I will not stop writing! I'm too into the story to quit now! So, until next time, =]