Disclaimer: Ah, dissy... My old friend. I'm back. Missed me? Feels like I'm filling out doctor's office forms. OF COURSE I don't own it. The brilliant Steph does.
A THOUSAND TIMES THANK YOU!
LET ME REITERATE WITH MINOR DEVIATION!
A XILLION TIMES THANK YOU!
Ill do regular reviewer shout outs now. For the previous chapter's reviews, I'll send you all reviewer replies. Pardon me if these are short. And excuse the pause. I've been a busy bee. Hardly a spare moment to my name. This chapter is LONGGGGG in gratitude. YAY! YOU GUYS MADE ME REACH 1000! I can now fall to my knees and scream at the top of my lungs "I have lived!!" THANK YOU AGAIN! Also, thanks to thefuturemrs.edwardcullen for betaing even though i was a jerk!
NakedNerdette: lol. I'm glad, 100 . Would that be like the Lion King 1 and a half. Hmmm...I have wondered what its like to read my own story and be surprised by myself. Maybe watching that movie will be akin?? Oh dear lord. I just used the word akin in everyday conversation.
Brea: You're a newby... I think. Usually Im quick, but it's summer, and I go a mile a minute. Haha, that's okay. LOL! About having to reread the story. Why am I laughing at my own insult? Hmm... they always said you had to be crazy to write. Speaking of crazy, how are you? And, wish granted.
CatieCullen: Well, judging by the supply demand economic theory, pollution of our own planet has sent Mars price skyrocketing. However, you could purchase Pluto at a bargain price seeing as it has been taken off the market. It's a rather lovely place to build a summer home or so I'm told.
Amie: It heard you, and decided that it didn't like authority and wanted to be a rebel. But... FINALLY, it complied.
Transifuration: Prepare that faint heart of yours. Why thank you!
Jess: haha. REVISING is truly the key word. What can I say? I have the patience of a closed hospital. Haha. Get it? So, that's to blame for the fast pace. I like to get from a to b. 'Enjoying the ride' isn't my style. Give me teloportation dammit.
Skate fanatic 92: Aw, thanks a bunch. I have succeeded in my evil plan of addicting people I think. (and then bend them to my will and...) LEGASP! I've said too much.
Amie: Thanks so much for agreeing. I did do the whole 'indie' route when it came to plotline. Somebody pmed me once saying "Fairies? Are you serious??" And I said. "Vampires and werewolves? Are YOU serious??" But, I'm glad you like it. Chapter 38 is not just some dog you can order about! It has feelings too!! Insensitive reviewers... (jk)
Dawnismyenemy: So, I love you! Yes I do! I do I do I do (believe in fairies)! Stupid peter pan. Anyways, I'm praying for your dad. My owns not doing so good so I know how you feel. Heart problems... But, I don't see him as that. I see Charlie as Charlie. You might want to try, too. :D But, I'll pray for him. Erm, and chyeah Im a famous novelist! Who else could pull this off. All my 'I didn't have times'. What do you think I was doing. I shall not let your rosalie-takes-vial hope die...in vain. And if you do happen to steal a car, please take the one that stupid, idiotic bella left at the airport. Who's alex rider? You know what? I'll just resume this in your exceedingly, excessively long reviewer reply.
Decorissimus: Well, that's a mouthful. Aw, thanks. Read underlined, italicized, and bolded text if you doubt of my gratitude. I wrote it half jumping up and down. Why is this housecat trying to eat me alive??
Lkmary: Well, this one is How you say? A doozy. You teach fifth graders? That's cool. Thanks. Those are the areas I really really tried to develop. Hmm... that reminds me of a rather popular game show. Well, thanks oodles! I really felt flattered, and all warm and fuzzy inside. :D
Nicole: As opposed to figuratively waiting for the next chapter to come out? Meh, please disregard me and my 3 am cranky rambling! :D:D:D:D Do those make up for it?haha. My muses are complete ditzes. They like to go on random vacations to Texas. It's not fair. Anyway, THANKS!
Kerssica: YAY! Just found your pm!! Love your pms! They're like stories, only better than stories. Like the most exciting biography ever written. Haha. Yeah, I guess I tuned that part out. I'm good at that. Something called selective hearing... or in this case, I guess selective reading. Tehehe. I met another guy... a 'connor' if you kno what I mean (nudge nudge)
Minimeyer: word attack alert! Haha. Chyeah, the meanest. Lol. Yes, yes I am insane. Haven't I established that...repeatedly? No, but really... I can get WAY TOO wrapped up in my own head. But thanks anyways! You're awesome.
Sarah811: Whoa. I bet that took you forever and a day. Um... I see you. You hunted and found me, and then poked me with a back scratcher repeatedly. So FINALLY I gave into your vicious torture. True. Sorry, I was thinking of the a equals b, b equals c, so a equals c theorem. Thanks for the tidbit. Deductive reasoning... cool. Once again, thanks.
Jalice14: fantasmagorical?? You and your fawesome imaginary words!! I love it. This was asap, so enjoy... or um... on second thought... maybe not. :D but thanks either way!
Shebnation: aw, thanks so much.There were so many positive adjectives in that sentence! Love you! Thanks for reviewing.
The Real Mrz. Black: Was "the real mrS. Black" already taken? Haha. Good job! Here, have your promised cookie. The famous guy was Ludwig van Beethoven. And, it was his lover, not his wife. But you still get a cookie because your awesome. Laurell Hamilton? Nope never heard of her. But she sounds like my kind of author.
Fleeting thought: Excitement is my middle name, dontcha know.
Vampygirl1901: Oh cool. I'll use my familiar, cliched, coined phrase, AHEM: you're all blue and underlined now! Welcome to the club. It's the BAUC, and we meet twice a week in Turkey. Yes, we have that many people that we have to occupy a whole country. Haha. yes, even i would have to agree that an imaginary pinto bean friend would be weird... not that I had one or anythign... his name was Atticus, okay! No black eyed pees in texas? Remind me never to live there.
Aliya Regatti: Hmmm... find out after this short commercial break.
Reshmi Solaris: Poor everyone! I know, right? Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. Watch me typing like I don't already know.
Dijurido: Glad I've put you through the emotional ringer I suppose. Thanks!!
Anon: Pshhh. I know what I'd do. Say "Listen Edward, this vial contains humanity." And then 'accidentally' toss it in front of a fast moving tractor trailer. "Whoopsa daisy! I guess you'll have to change me so we can live happily ever after together!" But, I'm not Bella. And i have to stay true to character and all that jazz. Haha. Do you have an Edward Cullen, too?
Twilighter4lifenomatterwhat: You people and your long pen names. Can't you just choose something simple, like 'tar'. Seriously. There are a myriad of three lettered words out there!! Hehe. Jk. I like it. It's intense. W-o-w. I can't believe you just said i BEAT jk. I mean, I've heard ALMOST, but never beat. Wow. Wow. Wow. I'm stunned speechless. I try to read my reviewers fanfics, but I seem to be long in mileage and short on time, if you know what I mean.
XXSocialDistortionistXx: I took time to capitalize the x's to make up for my vacationing. Lol. Sorry. Had to relax sometime. Although my friends laughed at me when I scribbled down thoughts on random bits of paper. Not about this story though. About an original over on fiction press. AW!! Thanks. I'll tell you why I love your reviews. You ALWAYS use different adjectives. And you review loyally, and you leave in depth reviews, not "I liked it" even though I like those too those who do that!! Phew. Anyway, you always sign out. Which is cool. And you make me blush!! No one can make me blush. My ex bf tried to for a straight hour one time. So, what I'm trying to say is thanks!
Loie: Tear apart? That's not good. Nothing a little duct tape can't fix though! Thanks for noticing my improvement. I tried my best! Haha. Now I just have to go back and fix all the previous chapters. (from like 25 back) Good grief, it took me twenty-five chapters to be remotely considered as good. Anyway, I do want to write novels actually, so maybe you'll read my book one day, but you won't know I wrote it. ;)
Emberwillow14: I hope you braced yourself good and hard... (insert littleknown lion king song "Be prepared!")
Monkey: Thanks! Me too. Thrilled actually. I sort of feel vain, but hey, I'm only human. (shrugs) haha. Sorry I ruined that for you. Would a song make up for it? You need to join the BAUC (blue and underlined club) soon.
Luvnlivn: Hooked like a small mouthed bass... I like the similes. Can you tell?
Dazzle me darling: Well, you always were the perceptive one. I do enjoy reading your speculations though. I must say, with this one, NONE of you guessed correctly. Haha. Hold on while I bask in the deaththreatlessness for a moment... okay, basking over. Thanks!
Penombra-Magia: Yep, sorry bout the wait my friend. Oh, and I'm not just trying. Apparently, I'm succeeding. It's like killing someone without ever seeing, meeting them OR using a weapon of any sort. Sure hope massmurdering tyrants don't get a hold of fanfiction! (dun dun dun)
MelodyCullen: Sorry. But hey, as for the insanity, now you're more on my level! Yay! I have friends! Jk. I have friends, and in an ironic twist, they're all very sane. Haha. I liked your review because it was like reading a train of thought or something. Twists? Me? (legasp) never!! Why would I do a thing like that? I hate cliffhangers, too.
Silly Ella: YAY! YOU ARE SO SUPER DUPER DUPER DUPER AWESOME! You 1000th reviewer you. Darn, I wish I were a privately owned restaurant, so I could give you a free FEAST! How's this? I dedicate this chapter to you. Like I said, NONE of you, not a single one guessed right. No one quite matches my level of insanity I think. I did have fun, btw! I petted a dolphin!!
Lovablelozer: Prepare yourself to go speechless again. If you have something you really want to say, than I suggest you write it down on an index card beforehand. Yay, I guess we both had fun! Forget about you? Never!
Dandylion0042: haha. Like I said, may massmurdering tyrants never find fanfiction. Half the world would drop down dead.
MarikaEmmie: lol. Alice much? You don't have a jcpennys in canada?? YOU SICK PEOPLE! Yay! Tibbins always was loveable, even as a little kitty. He has the cutest little whiskers.
EdwardXD: To save time, go ahead and stand on your toes now. K? K. And thanks!
Alliee-lovee: Short, sweet, to the point. I like you.
Adrirod: What level is that? Lol. Well, wish granted. Skip past the bolded text and READ! Read like you've never read before!
XOilovexedwardxcullenOx: hmmm... Speculations are fun to read, especially when they're dead wrong. Read on, dear reviewer, read on! Yeah, I thought that, too. It'd make a cool scene in a movie, I do think.
BVFFE: You're telling me! I haven't found a cure for my writeritis. Although sleeping pills may do it. My writings like clockwork I swear. Inspiration hits at midnight, and i spend the better part of my mornings typing away. Good thing I have boundless energy or it would really put a damper on my social life.
Hypergiggles: Yes. I know, I know. She TOUCHED the butt. Erm, i mean fly. FINDING NEMO GET...OUT...OF MY...HEAD! yummy. Food dreams. I'll have to have one of those someday. The fates are more neutral, noman's land kind of thing. Anyway, thanks.
EclipseFan: You haven't even hit the confusion epitome yet. I'll try my best to get you there, and then have one simple answer that absolutely explains everything. Thanks for the love, home dog.
Euphoria falls: hmmm.. Im trying to picture your haircut. Shhh... they're a secret, but I meant to call the faeries the Malinaught (a name I made up dang it!), but forgot. And Edward's touch was hot in chapter two when it should have been cold. I suck I know. Phillip? What can I say? It's like paris hilton times a hundred. I got sick of going into his stall because I always came out permanently disturbed, so i built a slit that I could slide food into. Anyone want a baby llama? They're everywhere.
Roughdraft525: HAHAHA! I do wish someone would write a story about Edward and Bella getting a pet tortoise. How bout you? If I could, I'd probably pay you for it. Thanks. I did have a safe trip, as proven by this.
Jasmine: lol. So I've heard. But thanks for the love! Mucho appreciato.
Minilove4ever: Your carlisle? I think not. And, don't die. I'm sick of my reviewers dying on me! Good grief! Do you people even KNOW how much a funeral costs these days? Get life insurance puh lease. Jkjkjkjk. Thanks!
Smile for life: lol, intense theme song review, I love it!
Sapphire2288: I wish I'd gotten your warning earlier. I lost both my eyes to seagulls. I'm typing this in braile...
Savannahx: Well, you were LUKEWARM on the hotandcold game of guessing what was to happen next. Yay. Lovin the lack of death threats here! Evil laugh track... you know just how to get to me.
Meyarose: (long, overdrawn sigh) You and your stupid thought invoking reviews. I can't tell if you were being serious or sarcastic. Are you sitting there bolting things to the floor so you can't topple them over when you run around in shock, or are you rolling your eyes? ELLIPSES, YOU WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!!
Ol2bob: whoa... that seems to be a theme in this story. Or i guess it's more of a motif. Yeah, definitely a motif. Anyway, thanks again hero!
XXxbrokenxXx: Tell me in your next review if your guess was anywhere close to correct? Just out of curiousity. You didn't openly speculate, soo... THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Nobodyparticular: COOL! Haha. thanks buhhhhddy!
Edwardazzlesme: Excitement, good. Sorry. This islike the fiftiith one. I'm out of steam andor care for grammar and spelling. Maybe ill strt usin txt spk. Thnx
Dazzled26: tred. Tlking in txt spk. Lol. Prbly 4 the better. I made fn of ppl who got it wrng. Thnx agn.
Mandja: thts btter than me. I cnt even type hole sentnces.
Laurenbttwilightfan: not ANOTHER death. JEEZE stp dyin.
Chapter 38. Finally.
On shaking legs, I stood and faced the music.
I was being, for lack of a better word, a baby.
I came here to execute a choice, and by God that's what I'd do.
I choked the bile in my throat back, its acrid taste burning my tongue, when I looked at my dead father's face. I threw a glance at the shining red bottle. It was so small. How could it change my life forever?
The luminosity of it sent ruby motes of light skipping across the ceiling even though the room was fluorescent, doctor's office bright.
I tilted it to the side some, and the bits of refraction scattered other ways. Those bits were the only color in this dull room. I was ruining the black and whiteness of the place with my color.
I popped the cork off the bottle for the second time tonight, and lowered it to the lips of a different person.
From the shadows in the corners of the mortuary, I heard terrifying whispers, demands for me to stop, but I didn't. Come what may, I had chosen, and if I wavered now, I'd never do anything about it until time ran out. Then Edward would suffer, and that was unacceptable.
Charlie's pale mouth was slightly parted, almost like he was nearly about to greet me. In a few minutes, maybe he would.
I closed my eyes and tipped the bottle over.
When the rancid smell hit my nose, I knew that things had gone terribly, terribly wrong.
XXX
Unwilling eyes opened to the foul smelling air and looked upon the source. I wasn't prepared for what I saw.
I never could have been.
Charlie wasn't waking up. He was melting.
His lips were gone, leaving charred and blackened flesh in their place. The paper-white skin of his throat was sinking in some places, eventually disappearing altogether, leaving gruesome black holes. I could see his teeth slowly decaying into nothing. And the skin around his mouth was nearly gone, hanging in loose flaps against stark white bone I could suddenly see.
I gripped the gurney, leaned over the edge, and threw up anything and everything I had in me.
What had gone wrong? It was as if that vial had contained acid.
I stumbled. In righting myself, my gaze accidentally went to Charlie again. The burns and melting were spreading out. Already where his mouth had been, there was just a hole. I could see the silver of the table he lay on through it.
Now, I noticed that his nose was being eaten by the vicious liquid, and that his throat was sunk in.
I turned away and tried to vomit again, but nothing came up. This was twisted and sick, and I could not stand to be in the same room. The wide fluorescent bulbs above me started flickering, the whispers in the secret edges of the room growing louder. I turned on my heels and ran.
There were shocked tears streaming down my face. I was dizzy. The room looked like it was spinning, but I couldn't faint here. I couldn't wake up to this.
When I reached the bottom of the staircase, the door above me slammed shut. I flew up the steps, taking three or four at a time, and tried to leave, but the door was locked.
Frantically, I jiggled the handle and banged on the door. I thought I heard someone screaming for help, until I figured out that that someone was me.
"Bravo," came a sickeningly familiar voice from below me. Slow applause ensued.
I froze, too afraid to move.
"Quite a show you put on. I would have so enjoyed another better, though."
That voice again… it couldn't be. I had gone mad.
"You know the one I speak of don't you. Imagine what that liquid would have done to Edward dearest." Sick chuckling floated up. "Now be a good girl, and come down those stairs."
Edward… I was a second away from making him drink the contents of that vial. My body shuddered involuntarily.
I slowly walked back down the steps, for no other reason than to prove to myself that I was imagining things. Being certifiably mental was the better scenario right now. I'd take that over this being real.
"Atta' girl," his voice taunted when I stepped off the last step, still keeping my eyes downcast.
When they looked up, they saw my worst nightmare.
Josius was standing in front of Charlie's gurney, staring at what remained of my father the way a small child would look at a new toy.
I was paralyzed. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. I could scarcely think. The only word I uttered was "no" over and over again.
I shook my head and denied it. Josius…no!
He doesn't exist. Edward killed him. This isn't real.
"No, no, no, no. No! You're not real," I heard myself pitifully say.
Josius tsked and began approaching me. I backed up till my spine was against the cold cinder block wall.
Still, he kept moving towards me.
"Stop!" I screamed. Josius didn't exist. There was nothing walking towards me. I'd wake up from this nightmare in Edward's strong arms, and then he would kiss all the memories of this hellish dream away.
My screams didn't wake me up, and Josius didn't stop approaching.
He stopped close to me. His sharp, hawk-like, terrifying beauty paused inches from my face, and in a flash as quick as lightning, his hands flew up to pound the wall on either side of me.
Dust from the twin holes he'd punched flew into my eyes and made them water, but I didn't dare blink.
A tress of ink black hair fell into his white face.
His burgundy eyes darted to it. "Mind getting that for me love?"
I stayed where I was.
"You'll live longer if you do," he taunted, like one would taunt a kid with a candy bar.
My quaking fingers reached up and pushed the lock behind his ear.
He smirked and leaned in closer. "Slow or quick?" he asked.
I stared at him wide-eyed.
"Ah, let me further explain," he continued. "About your death: would you prefer it slow or quick?"
His burgundy eyes burned deeply.
"Slow then," he chuckled.
And then, he was gone. I looked around for him, but it was like he had vanished into thin air.
The door was suddenly thrown down the steps, and Edward came barreling down it, bypassing me and going to stand by a counter, looking like he was prepared to fight.
Without thinking, I ran for him, throwing myself at him.
To my utter horror, I passed through him, like he was nothing but a spider web. The next thing I felt were sharp pains all across the front of my torso.
Hissing, I heaved myself off the counter I'd fallen on and looked at what I had unexpectedly landed upon.
They were sterling tools and syringes. Knives and sharp skin-tearing instruments were arranged there, some upturned. Those were what had impaled me. I glanced down at my chest, and noted that my white shirt was now dotted with red spots. A needle remained embedded near my sternum. I removed it quickly, and then dropped to the floor.
I had to be crazy. And if Edward wasn't real, I noted with some relief, and then neither was Josius. Anyway, the door was open now.
I made a dash for it again, finding it funny that I could not seem to locate the door that had been thrown down. When I reached the bottom step, I looked up to find the door in place on its hinges. It looked just as before, locked and impertinent.
My shaking increased.
Clapping sounded behind me again, and sobs erupted from my chest.
Josius was behind me again, applauding. I ran at him, too. None of this was real.
This time though, I didn't pass through him. I hit him squarely, and it was like hitting a brick wall.
Josius caught me in unfamiliar frigid arms.
"Really Bella, you make my job too simple, falling for my little mind games. You're practically killing yourself."
I thought I heard a double meaning in his last phrase.
I pushed and struggled against him. He laughed all the while.
"I thought…I was safe inside my mind," I whimpered to no one.
Josius laughed outright. "You thought wrong."
All of a sudden, Josius' cold arms transformed into warm ones. Jacob's face loomed above me. I cried louder and struggled harder, desperately hoping to wake up.
"Let go!" I cried.
"Aw Bells. I love you." Jacob laughed. It was rich and warm, like the sunshine he always was to me.
"You're not real!" I screamed.
He laughed again. "Of course I'm real. I'm standing right here."
I looked at my surroundings. They had dimmed, but I could make out the outlines of the objects from the morgue.
"No you're not. Stop it," I whispered.
"I love you."
"Shut up!"
"I love you," he repeated, before his mouth claimed mine.
I pushed against him, but it was no use. Warm, unwelcome lips moved against mine.
For a moment, I tried to convince myself it was real, because even that would have been better. But, when Jacob's warm lips turned into something cold, I was abruptly pulled back to bloodcurdling reality.
My eyes shot open, to meet burgundy ones, but these eyes were not Josius'. I screamed when I saw James holding me.
"We never did get to complete our video, Bella," he said.
I closed my eyes tight and shook my head, wanting to faint and black out, but failing miserably. I struggled harder.
"Bella, wake up," Edward's soothing voice said to me. "Why are you fighting me?"
My eyes shot open. Finally, at long last, I had awoken. I smiled wide when I saw the topaz of Edward's eyes.
"Shhh," he said, stroking the side of my face.
"Why am I standing up?" I asked. It was a bit funny, but maybe I had been sleepwalking.
"Shhh. I want to show you something."
I sighed. "Okay."
"Close your eyes."
I did so.
I walked where he led me.
"Open them, Bella," he cooed.
I did, only to find myself staring down at Charlie's mangled face again. I tried to turn my head away, but Edward's hands stopped me.
"What is this?" he demanded.
I blinked tears out of my eyes. "It was an accident!"
But then the hard truth hit me. I hadn't woken up. I was still in the morgue, trapped with Josius and his mind warping.
I could practically hear the coils of my brain unraveling. Any more of this and I would go crazy, no doubt about it.
"Please stop," I managed to squeak.
He let me go, and I put my hands out to stop myself from falling on what was left of my dad. I wanted to cry for forever, and pull my hair out. The desire to simply die was slowly overtaking me as well.
I turned sharply to find Josius glaring at me with an amused look.
"What about the fates?" I demanded, drawing courage from my hopelessness.
Josius laughed again. "My dear, I am the fates!"
And with those words, he transformed into three old hags cloaked in night, tall and demanding.
"But…but," I sputtered. "Mexico…"
The left one squeaked out in the familiar violin voice, "I could have killed you any day, but games much more fun to play."
The two outer hags moved into the middle one, until they morphed into Josius once more.
"Never did care for the Fae much. Beat me too many times. So, I used you to, shall we say, kill two birds with one stone. You're the stone of course," he added. "You would defeat the Fae which was great fun to watch, and then you would make Edward suffer." He glanced at Charlie.
"Sadly," he continued, "you failed to complete the last part. And to think! I would have so enjoyed your guilt-induced suicide."
He sighed then, and I lurched, nauseated.
In a pathetic frenzy for revenge and survival, I grabbed the nearest object, a scalpel, and ran at my tormenter. I passed through him again, and got the funny feeling that I was falling through a spider web, before crashing into the concrete wall. My shoulder hit first, followed by the side of my head. A pain shot through my arm, and I felt slightly more lightheaded.
With my luck, the scalpel had slipped and left a deep gash on my wrist. The blood made me want to gag. I gripped it tight to try and stop the bleeding before turning back to Josius. If I was going to die here, I'd die with answers.
"How did you stop everything?"
He tapped his temple.
Mind control…
Even in my shocked state, I could see that something didn't add up. Josius' mind control hadn't worked on me before, and if he was really this powerful, why didn't he show it then. Also, I was bleeding profusely now, and he didn't even appear to be phased by it.
"You're not Josius."
The figure that looked like Josius gave a quick laugh and transformed into the fairy leader, the one with jet black hair that fell to his lower back. I couldn't think of his name right now. "You are correct, milady."
The otherworldly being bowed low. This made much more sense. Jasper had said that the fairies were good at illusions.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" I demanded, my vision starting to go hazy.
"No fun that way," he said cheerfully.
"Edward will come. He's only frozen till ten o' clock."
The leader shrugged and hopped up on an unoccupied gurney. "You'll be dead by then. Just look at your arm."
"But…" I stuttered, "You're not supposed to be able to hurt anybody."
"That's the unadulterated beauty of it all!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together, "I didn't. You killed yourself."
I let that sink in, before laughing mirthlessly. He was right. If I had just stood still and waited for Edward, I would have walked out of this alive and possibly mostly sane, but now Edward would come here only to find me dead, like everyone else in this place.
"But… but you told me how to beat you! In Mexico!"
The fairy frowned. "No. Those were the Cinniúint. I do portray them rather well, though, don't I?" He laughed at some inside joke.
The world spun again. Cinnuint? He must mean the hags…fates…whatever they were.
"In your hospital room, remember?" he prompted. "And tonight."
"But the visions…" I croaked weakly. "The one about Essie, and Edward dying of cancer."
"Cancer?" the Fae asked, before quickly pulling a mask over his oily orbs.
My brows pulled together. "You didn't show me that."
"Of course I did," the Fae said, but the words came out much too quickly.
I sat up straighter at this small victory. That particular vision was the one that had saved Edward from a terrible fate, and if he hadn't showed it to me, who had?
"Damn Cinniúint," the fairy muttered under his breath.
I smiled a little. Those hags had saved Edward by showing me that 'future'. I couldn't ask for much more than that. I was dying. I knew that my death would soon elicit Edward's own, and I couldn't help but simultaneously be sorrowful and happy about that.
I was happy only because I wouldn't have to be parted from him for long. When it came down to Edward, I was selfish.
Still, I wanted eternity with him in a different, much less brutal way.
The Fae in front of me shifted back into Edward easily, like he was changing clothes.
I whimpered and looked away. "Don't do that please."
Much to my surprise, when I looked back, the fairy was back to his black haired, tall, oily-eyed, perfect self. I doubted it was out of pity.
From the look in his eyes, he was simply bored.
If only I could remember his name… Then, I could order him to heal me. 'F' was the first letter I was sure, but I couldn't get my thoughts straight. It was strange to think how much the small things actually mattered.
The small vial drove me insane, a small jump off a cliff nearly cost my husband his life, and now something as small and as simple as a name could save mine. My stupidity and memory deficit truly were going to be the death of me.
I slumped against the wall as the world grew darker and darker.
"Findhabair!" I heard something yell, but it sounded distant, and my eyelids were leaden.
Findhabair… so that was the name. I struggled to say it. My mouth opened, but words didn't come out. I was too far away, drifting in some sort of painless peace.
The last thing I heard was a whisper in my ear. "Revenge, m'dear, is best served cold anyway."
Then, it was quiet.
XXX
The peace didn't last for long. Soon, I was back in the morgue. Findhabair was torturing me again, morphing into my enemies and the people I loved, and all the while Charlie's corrupted face flashed before my eyes. I was back in Hell.
"Bella, please wake up!" Edward's voice pleaded with me.
I wouldn't fall for that again.
"Open your eyes."
My fists reached up to hit anything they could.
"Stop fighting me," the voice coaxed, but it wasn't really Edward's voice.
I suddenly lamented the fact that I hadn't perished already. Good grief, how long does it take to die?
I opened my eyes, and continued to struggle and writhe. In this illusion, we were 'on Edward's bed', and 'Edward' was over top of me stroking my face gently. I knew though that it wouldn't last.
"Just kill me already," I whispered, beseeching whoever it was that was over me to end my suffering.
The hurt in Edward's darkened eyes was almost believable.
"It won't be fun anymore because I'm going to stop fighting," I tried to convince the creature. I lowered my hands, unfisted them, and folded them across my stomach.
"Please," I croaked. "I'm begging you."
I closed my eyes and hoped for the best.
Several minutes of waiting for death later, I opened my eyes at the loud noise. 'Edward' was sitting some feet away from me dry-sobbing.
With a huff, I got off the imaginary bed, and began feeling around the room. I was in a morgue, and just because it was made to look like Edward's bedroom at mid-noon didn't make it any less of a morgue. Somewhere, my groping hands would find a table knife or something.
"What are you doing?" I heard him ask brokenly.
"Killing myself just like you wanted. You did say you'd enjoy my suicide. Well," I added, "Congratulations. Today's your lucky day."
Before I could blink, I was crushed against Edward's chest.
"You will not take yourself from me," he snarled in my ear.
Silent, angry tears rolled down my face. I clenched my hands to stop them from fighting. I wanted this over with.
"Don't be him," I pleaded with the monster, "Anybody but him. Just end it. Or if you're not going to end it, be anyone but Edward."
"Good God! What did he do to you?" said the thing that looked like my husband.
"Stop it!" I screamed. "You're not real!"
"I am real, Bella."
His hand rubbed my lower back. I twisted, trying to pry myself out of his grip. "I. Know. Now! Stop pretending!"
"But I am real."
I pulled back to look at him, his horrified ochre eyes urging me to believe him, and I did for a split second.
"Yes, sure you are," I said. "You're real right now, and then you'll disappear, and I'll fall onto needles again. Don't play tricks with me anymore!"
I was screaming at the top of my lungs and trembling violently.
"Bella?" someone called from the doorway.
"Not now, Alice," he told her.
I used his distraction to get away, and ran as far away from 'Edward' and 'Alice' as I could.
"She'll come through," Alice said.
Edward nodded solemnly before murmuring "Thank you".
I slunk down in the corner of the room, near what was illusioned to look like Edward's CD collection, and hugged my knees to my chest.
Alice threw me one pitying stare before dancing rather heavily out the door.
The imposter heaved a sigh and slowly approached me, caution written in his eyes, a look that reminded me of someone nearing a cornered wild animal. It was the look Edward would actually have on his face if I had acted this way in real life.
Maybe it was real… No. I shook my head and trembled harder. That was what he wanted me to think. After he had me, I'd just be hurt more, and I was sick of that.
"Stop," I said.
He did to my amazement…just like Edward really would do. Unfathomable grief practically oozed out of him.
"I don't know," he began, "how to begin to convince you that I am me. Maybe…"
He appeared to be struck with an idea, and then flew over to me. His lips came ever closer to mine. I shrunk away farther. "Not again," I muttered.
"He kissed you?"
"You kissed me."
I tried to remember the Fae's name again, but I couldn't dredge it up.
Edward pulled back. I didn't check his emotions. They would only push me further down into this trap.
I heard my husband's voice speak again. "Your favorite color changes from day to day. You love the way the sky melds with the land in Arizona. You stole my jacket so that you could smell me when I went hunting."
I shook harder and buried my head in my knees. A whole new torturous level had been added to the game. "Stop," I cried.
"You scrapbook sometimes, and you hate big parties and shopping." A note of hysteria had entered his voice. "Emmett bought you a stereo system for your Chevy truck on your eighteenth birthday, and you nearly got yourself electrocuted tearing it out because you find gifts of any sort absolutely insufferable."
I looked at him for the first time. He looked panicked and half-crazed. He fell to his knees and looked me square in the eye.
"Last night, Bella," he said, "I found you in the morgue. You have a gash across your right wrist and several other wounds. Carlisle and I arrived in time to stop the bleeding. That faerie left moments before we got there, and try as Carlisle might, he couldn't summon him back. I'm so sorry for not being there to protect you. One second you were in my arms, and the next you weren't. Emmett called me, and we followed your scent to the morgue."
"Oh God…" I said. "You're really real."
Edward nodded slowly. I all but crawled over to where he was kneeling, wrapped my arms around his torso, and buried my face into his marble chest.
He picked me up and carried me over to the bed. Once he had arranged us to where we were both lying down on the white sheets, I covered him in kisses. I kissed him everywhere, his arms, his face, his neck, places I remember him groaning from. I practically worshiped him.
Finally, when my lips were skittering across his cheeks, he turned his head and grabbed my lips with his. Fingers laced. Legs intertwined. We couldn't get enough of each other.
I began to remove his shirt, wanting to do what my libido was virtually screaming for, but he stopped my hands with his.
"Not right now," he said.
"Why?" I moaned, pressing myself against him.
"Family...downstairs...super hearing."
"Oh… way to kill a mood," I muttered.
"Later," he promised, "I'll make it up to you." The raw edge in his voice was hard to argue with.
I rolled off of him, and lay beside his cold body, my hand still gripping his for dear life. I saw the crown molding on his ceiling. It was something I'd never noticed before. Following the swirling patterns with my eyes put me into a sort of trance.
"Edward, why didn't you change me?" I asked after a while.
"What?"
"When you found me, and I was bleeding to death. Why didn't you change me then?"
He shifted infinitesimally. I could tell he was nervous about the direction this conversation was headed.
"We still have a week left, Bella," he said soothingly.
"Too long," I replied, "The longer we wait, the more happens. My dad… Oh God! Charlie!" I sat up.
What have I done? Edward's going to hate me!
I buried my head in my hands.
"What is this?" - Edward's harsh words rung in my ears and stung my heart. For a second, I thought I heard that again.
Oh no. The panic and pain were back. I still hadn't woken up. Of course I hadn't. That would be all too easy. That faery was good, I had to admit, making me totally believe before snatching everything out from under me again.
I flew from the bed and ran to the opposite corner of the room.
"Enough already!" I screamed.
I opened my eyes to slits. I could see 'Edward' lying on the bed glaring at me, yet there was still some deep-rooted sadness there, or so it seemed. That hurt me.
Even though I knew it wasn't real, it hurt me.
Was this the next step of torture? Were my emotions to be burned at the stake, too?
A strange feeling of unfaithfulness came. I had kissed another man.
"Monster!"
The hurt in fake Edward's eyes turned to shock. He was good. Very, very good. My emotions were being torn apart, my mind being swiftly reduced to mere shambles.
For a moment, I could have sworn I saw a gray countertop in place of the nightstand, with silver instruments on top. I thought I was dead! I was supposed to have died!
But maybe the cut on my wrist was only an illusion as well. I glanced down. No, no. It was still there, an angry slash marring the milky paleness of my skin. I touched the ridge or raised red flesh, and I hissed when that stung.
Then again, maybe that was just an illusion, too.
Whispers in the corners again. I heard them. I clamped my hands over my ears, but they didn't stop.
At this point, while I still had some sanity, I weighed the two options.
Either this was real, and I was going insane in front of Edward.
Or, I was going insane in the morgue.
Quite frankly, I wasn't sure which option was preferable. I shrugged away from the cold hand suddenly placed on my shoulder.
"Don't touch me..."
A/N: Twisted? Sick? Morbid as h-e-l-l? Hey, that's life. And who knew I could pull it off?? So, brace yourself I do believe was an adequate warning. To all those who didn't, well, may you rest in peace.