Chapter Nine

October 2000

A few months later, they stood outside the Hollywood studios. Emmett grinned. He had slowly gotten back to his old self. "We're going to do what?"

The director smiled at them. "You're going to be making a video like a horror movie."

Jake and Jasper smiled at each other. "Hell yeah!" They cried.

Once inside the studio, they were dressed in proper attire for the beginning and ending scenes with the 'demon bus driver'. They all laughed as they made funny horrified faces at the camera. After those scenes were completed, they were shuffled off to wardrobe and makeup once more for their 'in character' scenes.

"This is so freakin' cool!" Jake shouted as he was fitted with all the 'hair' that made up his werewolf outfit. "Owwwwwoooooooo!" He said in his best wolf impression.

Edward couldn't quite help the grin, showing off his newly acquired fangs. "You know, in some cultures, the wolf and the vampire are mortal enemies."

Jake grinned back at him, now wearing his own fangs, a double set, to resemble wolf teeth, "I think I could take ya, leech."

"In your dreams, dog." Edward replied.

"Hey! Guys! Look!" Emmett said, bumbling his way in. He was wrapped from head to toe in gauze. He was a mummy.

They looked at him and burst out in laughter.

In the next room, however, Jasper and Carlisle weren't exactly thrilled with things, or more specifically, Jasper. "I don't want to wear it." He stated defiantly, in a rare show of attitude.

"But…sir…it's what the director…" The young makeup artist stuttered.

"What part of 'no' don't you understand?! I don't want to be a two faced monster!"

"Jasper, calm down," Carlisle said softly. He had already dressed in the Phantom of the Opera's clothing. "Here, you and I are about the same size. We'll switch."

Jasper looked at him in relief, though he noticed that his hands were shaking. He knew it was irrational, but…he didn't want to be a monster. The Phantom, he was cool. But this…this was just too much for him. "Thank you, Carlisle."

Carlisle smiled, already stripping out of his costume. "No problems."

They all got dressed and walked out, showing each other how they looked. "You guys!" Alice said, bouncing over. "PERFECT! But…wait…Jasper…aren't you supposed to be…?"

"We switched." Carlisle said simply.

She looked at Carlisle in the two-face costume and nodded, understanding immediately. She knew more about Jasper than Jasper thought she did. "Okay. Good enough. Okay everyone, let's get into place!"

"Isn't that the director's job?" Emmett whispered to Edward.

Edward grinned. "I think the demon spawn gets her way most of the time."

They started filming some of the other inconsequential scenes and Bella showed up. "Hey, guys!" She said as she kissed the director. She took a look around the set. "Wow, guys!"

"You sure you should be here, Bellaboo?" Emmett asked.

Her eyebrow rose.

"You're in the enemy camp." He pointed out.

She giggled. "I claim loyalty to no one. I'm Switzerland as far as the music is concerned."

"So…what are you doing here?" Jake asked her.

She grinned at him. "Well, I'm in town working with another band and since seeing Alice not long ago, well, we've been keeping in touch. She told me she was coming here for your new video. I can't wait to see it finished."

Edward walked up then and started talking to her as soon as he finished popping out of a coffin. "Whoa. Cool. A vampire!"

He grinned. "Do you like vampires?"

She blushed just slightly. "I've always kinda had a thing for them…"

They were still talking when the director walked over to Alice. "Alice, love, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

She smiled as she looked at Bella talking with Edward. She'd had a feeling…and she knew of a way to make things start to happen. "Well, Laurent, as a matter of fact…"

Bella and Edward were oblivious as they talked. "So…" Bella started.

"So…" Edward said at the same time. They both laughed shyly.

"How's Tanya?" She asked pointedly.

He groaned. "Bella…don't."

"Don't what? She's a nice girl, Edward. You're being an ass to her, but she's nice."

"I…I don't know what to do, okay?" He said, running his hand through his hair.

"Well, you need to do something, soon. It's not fair to her."

"I know, Bella. God." He looked away and she bit her lip.

"Look, it's none of my business, okay? I know that. I just…" She put her hand on Edward's arm. "You're better than this."

His gaze traveled down to her hand on his arm. "Am I?"

She smiled up at him. "I know you are."

"Perfection!" Laurent said as he came up. "Bella, lovey, you must be Edward's victim."

"Excuse me?" Edward and Bella asked simultaneously.

"Yes. We need him to have a victim to bite. You would look perfect with him. Your looks compliment each other so well…"

"B-but…Laurent…"

"Shush." He said, pressing his fingers down over her lips. "No, I do not take 'no' for an answer, you know this."

She sighed. "And that's why I ended up in one of Aerosmith's videos."

"You are beautiful," He stated, his slight French accent becoming more pronounced.

She rolled her eyes and looked at Alice. "This is your fault. You were the one that said I should stop in…"

Alice grinned. "Hey, not my fault. I didn't make the horse drink, I just led her to water."

Bella started grumbling further as Laurent led her away to costumes. Suddenly, she called out, "If I'm in this video, so are you, Alice!"

Alice grinned. "No problem! I was going to be in it anyway!" She turned back to where the boys were all standing around, watching. "Okay, everyone!" Alice said. "I want to see you shaking your asses like you were born to do it!"

Carlisle groaned. "She really is Satan's sister, isn't she?"

It was decided that each band member's scenes would be filmed separately. The director decided they would start with the easiest, Carlisle's. His room was what looked like a torture chamber, or a mad scientist's laboratory. He was more than eager to get his scenes finished. Mainly because he wanted to watch everyone else's. There were only a few scenes where he would have to be in costume with another member of the band.

Next up was Emmett's. He had gotten entirely into his mummy persona with the two girls that were his dancers. They were all laughing between takes, doing the 'walk like an Egyptian' dance.

Jasper soon followed in his dining hall, complete with rats all over the table. "You don't have a problem with mice, do ya, darlin?" Jasper asked Alice as she sat at the table.

She rolled her eyes. "They're furry little critters. They don't bother me."

He smiled at her. The southern accent she tried to hard to hide shown through her comment. She was a nice girl, a bit psychotic, but hey, weren't they all?

Laurent watched them all get into position. "And…action!"

Jasper let out a little smirk as the music started. He loved this song. It was always a fun one to get the panties wet. He gave the camera a smoldering look and started to sing;

Oh my God we're back again
Brothers, sisters, everybody sing
We're gonna bring the flavor show you how
I've gotta question for ya
Better answer now

Once they wrapped up Jasper's part, they moved on to do Jacob's. Lucky for him, he'd been practicing his back flips and was back-flipping all through the video as the werewolf.

Finally, it was Edward's turn to finish up. Bella was standing in a beautiful red dress, looking bored, as her character was supposed to be, when he stalked up behind her. He flashed his fangs for the camera, taunting it, and Bella felt his presence like he was gravity. She let out just the tiniest of moans as his hands traveled over her and the music played in the background. She couldn't say anything because she was supposed to be entranced. And she was. Completely.

After what felt like an eternity, she felt him come closer, his mouth and the fake fangs bite down softly on the flesh of her neck. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she moaned.

"Cut!" Laurent called.

"Fuck," Edward murmured behind her.

Bella felt almost dizzy at his proximity, but she quickly opened her eyes and made sure her footing was solid before his hands left her waist where they had rested as he bit her.

"Sorry," He murmured. "I hope I didn't take it too far."

My panties are soaking wet. Why ever would you think you took it too far? She thought to herself, but to him, she turned and smiled, saying, "Nope, not at all. I hate to admit it, and I'm sure Laurent will let it go to his head, but I had a lot of fun."

Edward smiled. "Well, let's finish it up. Just a change of clothing and we'll be filming the ballroom scene."

Bella looked horrified. "Oh, no, I don't dance, Edward."

His eyebrow rose. "Why not?"

She giggled. "Well, I'm just a tad klutzy."

Alice snorted as she walked past, still clad in her skirt and corset. "Ya think?"

"Shut it, pixie-pie!" Bella shouted after her. Alice giggled and Bella rolled her eyes. "That's the last time I go out with her."

"What happened?" Edward asked.

Bella shook her head. "You really don't want to know."

He laughed. "I've got to go get changed. Will you be here later?"

She shook her head. "I'm meeting Mike, James, and Sam, we're writing a new song for their new album."

"Oh," Edward said softly.

"I wish I could." She said, and she knew she meant it.

"Me too," He whispered. There was something about her. He just wanted to be in her presence.

She smiled. "I'll see you later, though, right? Not to worry. We'll be around each other more. Maybe we can write another song or two."

"That would be great!" He said, enthusiastically, a little too enthusiastically.

She smiled again, though, and said, "See you later, Edward."

"See you, Bella…" He said as he watched her walk away.

"Edward!" Laurent called. "Go get changed!"

Edward sighed. "Alright. I'll be right back." He noticed then that everyone was waiting for him. He hurried to makeup where they took off the chalky vampire makeup and got him ready for the ballroom scene. He was given some rather elegant looking clothing and he rolled his eyes, but slipped into them. He walked back out to the 'ballroom' and Alice had him positioned where he needed to be on the right side of Jasper, who was in the middle of the room at the front of the group of backup dancers. "Okay, people, let's do this thing!" She got in the crowd and they started the music again.

All:

Everybody
Rock your body
Everybody
Rock your body right

Edward:

Rock your body right…

All:
Breakdown's Back alright

"CUT!" Laurent called after what felt like the millionth take. "Okay, everyone, that's a wrap. Great job!"

"Whew," Jacob said. "I'm just glad I'm done with the pimp daddy coat."

"But you looked cute in it," Alice said, making him blush a little bit.

"Thanks." He said, almost shyly. "Say, wanna go out, get something to eat with us tonight?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, Bella asked me to come with her. Before she and the HotP guys do any songwriting, they're heading out to dinner. Maybe tomorrow night?"

"We can't, we have to fly out for a concert in Canada tomorrow night after they finish putting a rush job on editing the video."

"Darn. Okay." She said with a slight pout. "I'll see you guys around."

She kissed each of them on the cheek and left.

"At least she doesn't hold a grudge," Edward said softly.

"Why?" Jasper asked. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing, to her."

"She found out about Tanya, didn't she?"

Edward sighed. "Her and Bella both."

The other three, who walked up, groaned. "You've gotta do something about this, Edward. You have to tell her the truth."

"I can't!" Edward shouted. "You don't understand! I can't break her heart!"

The other four looked at one another in surprise. "You love her?"

"Of course not," Edward snapped. "But I have feelings for her. Not love, definitely, if we had eternity, I wouldn't love her, but she's…she's like family. It would be like hurting one of my sister's feelings. I just couldn't do it."

"Then, you have to man up, Edward. Because there's no way in hell she can continue on this path. If she continues to be lied to, it'll only be worse when it happens."

His chest hurt to think about it. "I know. I just…I know, okay? Let me think a while. I'll see you guys back at the hotel."

Edward stayed holed up in his room the rest of the night. He knew he needed to do something, say something to Tanya…because…he was feeling these things for Bella…things he couldn't quite explain, but things that would certainly hurt Tanya's feelings. He didn't know what to do.

Morning finally dawned and he felt terrible. In fact, he almost felt sick. And he didn't really think it had anything to do with his girl problems.

"Hey, man, you look like crap." Emmett said as he saw his friend exit his room.

"Thanks, Em. I feel like it."

"Well, come on, let's go see what this video looks like. I'm excited."

"You always are," Edward said with a slight smile. He rubbed his chest. Hmm…perhaps the taco pizza he'd gotten himself last night wasn't the best thing to eat with a full mind.

The playback was better than they even thought it would be and they all high-fived Phil, who was ecstatic about the video. "I can't wait to get this out on the airwaves! The single is ready to go, now we can have the video to go with it. The girls are going to flip out!" He gave out a sort of creepy cackle and headed out of the room.

"It's been a pleasure working with you gentlemen." Laurent said to them, shaking all of their hands.

"And you as well," Carlisle said. He glanced at his watch. "I think we need to head out. When is our flight?"

"Five hours. Just enough time to get back to the hotel, pack, and head to the airport." Jake said.

"Fun, fun." Jasper replied.

They went back to the hotel to get their things together. Three hours passed and it was time for them to head to the airport. They all met up at the limo, everyone but Edward.

"You seen Edward?" Emmett asked Jasper as he walked up.

"No, I thought he was with ya'll."

Jake shook his head. "I haven't seen him since we got back."

"He told me he wasn't feeling well." Carlisle said.

"Should we go check on him?" Emmett asked, now worried.

"Probably," Jasper said.

They all hurried back up to his hotel room and knocked. No answer. "Maybe he is waiting for us now?" Jake offered.

"Or he's a sleep?" Emmett provided.

"Well, either way, we need to go in and check on him, don't you think?" Carlisle said.

"Probably," Jasper said again, looking pensive.

They found a very nice maid who said, (in broken English) that she could let them in since they were afraid for their friend.

"I'm sure he's just gone on down…" Emmett said, not sounding very optimistic.

The maid opened the door and all four of the men stormed into the room…only to be met with surprise…there was Edward, lying on the floor.