Thank you guys for the great reviews! It made me so happy. To those who have also put the story on alert, Grazie mille! I am trying my very best to update weekly, now my exams have finished It should make it a little easier.

Most characters belong to S. Meyer. The rest belong to me.

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Bella

Jacob's words bumped around in my head over the next few days. Had I been behaving like a victim? Did I think I was a victim at some level? Perhaps I did. I'd certainly been feeling bitter and angry, resenting everyone for bringing me back. Which was unfair - they'd done exactly what I had always known they'd do. I couldn't really blame them, however much I wanted to.

And I couldn't blame myself. I'd done everything right, everything. It had been sheer coincidence and bad luck that things had rolled the way they had.

It was unfair, it was frustrating, but I couldn't fault anyone. They were doing what they thought was right. It just didn't square with what I wanted. And there was no way they'd ever understand, which was frustrating too, because it meant there was nothing I could do. Nothing I could say. You can't convince anyone of anything if they believe something else. I had to find a way to live with this.

And Edward.

Jacob was right. Edward wasn't the enemy. He hadn't had a choice in so many things, least of all me. I had been taking it out on him.

I exhaled, putting unnecessary vigour into my mopping. I had all these feelings in me that just wouldn't go away. But I couldn't take it out on anybody else, that wasn't fair. So I had been working harder, exercising harder, pushing harder. Exhaustion helped keep the feelings at bay, at least for the day. And then I did it all over again the next day.

I was changing the water in my bucket when a female of middle-years bumped into me. I apologised automatically, but as I glanced at her briefly, I saw her eyes were red, lips trembling. She didn't seem to register my presence, heading on her way. I watched her go, frowning, but continued on to my assigned area to continue my cleaning.

The Head of Housekeeping had not relaxed her attitude towards me in the weeks I'd been working for her. I was strangely grateful for it. Kindness made me uncomfortable, so being treated with brisk impatience and barely concealed disdain was easier to deal with. I knew it puzzled her and the other housestaff that I was so accepting of her treatment. I'd overheard the comments, but I kept my head down and worked. I didn't expect to make any friends, nor did I really want to.

I entered the last room with my mop when I saw her. The same female I'd seen earlier, another housestaff obviously, she had window cleaning apparatus on her. The tears were coursing silently down her face as she worked. I watched her for a moment, hesitating before I made my decision. I approached her and held out a handkerchief. She looked up at me, startled, before slowly accepting it. I went back to my mop and began working at the opposite corner of the room. We'd been working in silence for a while when she spoke.

"Thank you." She said quietly. I nodded without looking up, continuing my work. When I looked up, she was still weeping. I left the room and returned with a glass of water, handing it to her silently. This time she gave me a faint smile, wiping her face before taking the water from me and gulping some down. I waited beside her quietly. I'd been a Healer too long to not know how to manage these things.

"Thank you." She said again. "You are very kind." She hiccuped a little. "I'm having a bad day."

"So it would seem, Mena." I said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"She'll murder us if we stop working." She didn't have to say who the 'she' was.

"We can work and talk." I went back to my mop and brought it over to her, beginning to clean that area.

"My mother is ill." She said briefly. "And this morning she had a serious episode."

"I'm sorry." I said softly.

"It broke me to come to work, to leave her at home." Her eyes welled up again and spilled over. "But we need the money. It's just the two of us. Without the work, I cannot afford her medicines. I know all that. I just..." She stopped and started weeping again.

"You cannot claim a medical emergency and go home?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Not without someone to take on my shift. Otherwise, my pay gets docked. You must be new here, Ala, if you didn't know." She took a deep breath. "I'll be alright. I'm just emotional right now." She began to spray the window in front of her and wipe it down. I put my hand on her arm.

"Tell her you have someone to take your shift." I said quietly. She stared.

"No, I didn't mean... You're working your own shift, Ala, I can't ask that."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. Tell her and then go home to your mother." I said gently but firmly. "And while you're at it, tell her someone has taken your shift for the next three days."

"Ala, no, I can't-"

"Your mother needs you."

She swallowed, clearly torn.

"Go on. What are Clan for, anyway." I hushed her protests and hustled her out of the door, taking her window cleaning materials from her. She hesitated, but at a gesture from me moved reluctantly and then more rapidly towards the Housekeeping office. I turned back and finished the mopping before starting on the window cleaning in the room.

I was glad of the extra work, frankly. It would keep me busy. And if I could help someone else in the process, even better.

OOOOOOOOOO

I was exhausted by the time I sat down for dinner that evening. The extra work had taken me through noon meal, through the afternoon into the evening and I'd just had time to shower and change before dinner.

"...I'd bet on Alexus, he's the strongest." Healer Eric said. Tia shook her head.

"Banf is faster, he has better reaction times. And I wouldn't rule out Rosalie, either." She saw me looking at them and smiled.

"We're talking about the Warrior Games this weekend."

"Ah, I see." I nodded. I'd forgotten about the Games. They were quite the event in the Clan, with the Warriors all competing against each other. There were no prizes, no medals. It was purely a show of strength, for the Clan - and others - to see how strong we actually were. And, of-course, Warriors who won events could be assured of getting laid for the rest of the year.

"Edward will be participating." Tia glanced at me. "Although only in the Elite events this year."

"He wiped the floor with everyone else last year and the year before." Eric said drily. "It's probably a good idea to give the others a chance."

Edward. In his Warrior garb, emerald-green eyes fixed on his opponent. Fighting mean and hard. God. I could feel my cheeks warm at the thought.

"Are you blushing?"

The very person I'd been picturing in my head had leaned over to murmur in my ear.

I hastily grabbed a glass of water and drank deeply.

He sat back, one arm casually draped over the back of my seat, observing me, amusement on his face.

"You would be if you knew what I'm thinking about." He murmured. I choked, coughing as the water went down the wrong way. He laughed softly, thumping my back. I glared at him.

"In your dreams." I hissed, wiping my mouth.

"Believe me, you are." His hand on my back was now stroking up and down gently.

I deliberately focused on my plate of food, spearing a grape with my fork and eating it. His hand moved up to the nape of my neck and his fingers traced the shape of my mate mark. When I looked at him, he was lost in thought, staring at the mark he was touching.

"Stop." I said trying to move my head away. His fingers tightened slightly.

"Why?" He said softly. "I like touching you. And you like me to." He glanced down at my front, where it was obvious I did. When he looked back up, his eyes were black.

I was the first to look away, blindly shovelling food into my mouth, swallowing without tasting it.

"Edward, what events will you be in this year?" Tia asked him from next to me. There was a pause before he answered.

"The gauntlet and the speed race." He said calmly, his fingers beginning to stroke my neck again.

"Warrior's best." Eric said with satisfaction. "That will be quite a show to see."

"I happen to prefer other shows." Edward said, glancing down my body and then up at me, eyes still burning black. "But I think people will enjoy themselves."

"Some people like playing games." I murmured, shaking my head. "Who knows why?"

He stared at me for a moment, before a slow smile lit up his face.

"Games are fun if you play with the right people." He grinned, the first time I'd seen that grin since forever. "And then there are the rewards if you win."

"Why doesn't it surprise me that you like to win?" I shook my head again, reaching for a grape. He stopped me, putting his hand over mine. He plucked the grape for me and brought it up to my lips.

"Come on, little mate." He murmured. "Open for me."

The innuendo didn't escape me and my cheeks flamed immediately. His smile widened and he leaned forward.

"Don't say "fuck you". I just might." His voice was low, seductive. He touched the grape to my mouth. I parted my lips to accept it and let my lips linger on his fingers for a second. He took in a breath.

"Be careful you don't get played at your own game." This time it was my turn to glance down at his lap, where his reaction was very evident. I looked back up at him innocently. There was amusement and something else in the look he gave me.

"Isabella, you play dangerous games." He said softly, the hand on my neck moving up into my hair, gripping my head as he lowered his mouth to mine for a quick kiss.

It was only when he lifted his head that I noticed the lull in the conversation around us. And realised that he had kissed me in public. In front of most of Clanholding. And I had let him. I looked down at my plate, my cheeks warm.

"I take it you two are getting along better." Clan Leader said solemnly from a few seats down. There was a smatter of chuckling and then the chatter resumed.

"You did that on purpose." I frowned at him.

"It's a little hard to kiss by accident." He said gravely.

"Edward."

"I couldn't resist. Not after you teased me for the first time since..." His voice trailed off. "I missed that."

I moved the food around in my plate. He was right, I hadn't been like this in a long time. I felt weary. It was too much to think about right now. It had been a long day.

"Isabella?" He enquired softly.

"Excuse me, please." I said, rising from my seat. "I'm a little tired."

Without waiting for a reply, I headed out of the room straight for chambers. As I walked, my stomach began its familiar churning. I made it to the bathroom just in time. When the retching stopped, I washed up and headed for the bed. Just a little rest, I thought, before my night walk with Edward.

OOOOOOOOOO

I was running through the forest at speed, feeling the wind in my hair, the trees blurring, the scent of green and grass and wood strong in the air. I felt exhilarated, free, happy. I heard someone call my name and when I turned my head, Edward was running beside me, a smile on his handsome face. He slowed and I slowed with him, until we were in a small grove, a canopy of flowered vines above us and twined around the trees, the forest floor covered in jewelled petals. I stared around me in wonder, laughing as the petals showered down on me. He said my name again and when I turned, he was coming towards me, his eyes black and fixed on my mouth and my heart began thudding loudly as he neared. But then his eyes widened and he was jerked back away from me and I saw that the vines weren't flowered any more, they were creepers, parasites and they had wrapped themselves around his legs and arms and were dragging him away into the bushes. He reached his hand out to me but I couldn't reach him and could only watch as he was swallowed into the bushes.

I came awake with a start, gasping, my heart pounding.

"Easy, easy." A low voice said from next to me. "You're safe. It's alright. I'm here."

I turned my head. Edward, lying beside me, real, alive and well. The relief coursed through me and before I knew what I was doing, I reached out to touch him.

"See? Real. You're awake." He said softly. I turned to lie on my back, looking up at the ceiling before I closed my eyes. What the hell was that? I was so fucking done with these dreams.

"Shhh." He murmured, bringing me close to him. "They're just bad dreams." I felt his fingers brush the moisture from my cheeks. I just couldn't stop the tears this time, they kept coming, my body was beginning to shake. He gathered me into his body and kept wiping the tears away, murmuring to me. And then I felt a feather soft kiss on my lips. My eyes flew open. His face was just inches away, I was swimming in that liquid green gaze.

"There. I knew that would stop them." He smiled down at me, his hand cupping my cheek. "Maybe that's what you were holding out for, hmm?" He teased. I gave him a watery smile. "Well, if that's what it takes." He leaned down and kissed me again, lightly, a gentle peck, before tucking my head under his chin and on his chest.

And for the first time, I willingly turned into his body, putting my arm around his waist, curving my hips against his, finding comfort in his scent and embrace.


A/N: Thoughts?