I'm not going to say anything.
Read on.
Reviewers:
GraceEllingson: I'm glad you had a great Christmas! Here's to a good new year as well! Well, you'll just have to read to find out ;)
Kat Smith: Hey, I wish I could eat that much! But I think I would actually explode. Also, trust me, I know people can't snore that loud but it was an exaggeration. Imagine a loud yawn in a snow silenced mountain. That's going to be LOUD. Also, Edward did the betraying! T would never *gasp* :D New Year Love! Kisses to you and Silver and Bullet! and all the dogs you can come across this year!
I sat at my task patiently and with full concentration and commitment.
The piles of wooden shavings kept increasing at my feet and soon enough Stephen was drawn to the living room at the sounds of metal against wood.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, his eyes wide, watching me as I ran the blade of a Swiss Army knife sideways on one of the pieces of firewood, sharpening it into a point.
"Whittling," I answered matter of fact.
"Yeah, I can see that but why?" he asked.
I shrugged.
"You never know when you might need it."
Stephen let his jaw lower as he stared at the slowly evolving stake. "You're seriously making stakes." He shook his head.
"Yep, and I don't see you helping so don't sass me," I said.
He flopped down into the armchair in front of me.
"You know those don't work, right?"
"Well, I haven't seen them not work either." I said.
"T, Edward said there's practically no chance of Victoria finding us." Stephen said.
"Yes but there's still a chance, Steph; I don't care, I'm just being prepared." I pushed the blade back into the slot and held up the makeshift stake up for examination.
"Sloppy," Steph said immediately. I grimaced at him.
"It'll still work."
After an hour or so, we were very nearly bored out of our minds but we diligently stuck to our cabin. Stephen was sitting in the armchair, one leg hooked over an armrest, head on the headrest as he stared at the fire with a glum expression. I was on the sofa. I had been lying down for most of the time but now my boredom addled mind had considered it a good idea if I slung my legs over the headrest, my back on the seat and my head hanging off of it.
"So, what are you going to do once this is over?" I asked, hanging upside down on the sofa.
He sighed.
"A normal life sounds so screwy right now." He said.
"No, I mean, once this is over, we go after Sorenson, what then? Will you want to leave? Do you want to go back home?" I asked softly.
He chewed his cheek, his gaze fixed on the fire before turning to look at me.
"I haven't even thought about it, I'll admit." He said. I waited for him to continue. "I have a lot there. I left a lot behind. I have a lot here too; I'll be leaving a lot behind here too. It's not something I'd like to think right now." He said. "What about you?" he asked.
I shrugged. "I haven't thought about it either."
"But if you had to consider…?"
"Would you leave Bella?" I asked.
"Would you leave Edward?" He retorted.
We smiled at each other drily.
"Tell me, if you had to have me stay, would you let me stay?" he asked.
"It's not my decision." I said, frowning.
"Yeah, but if it were me; I'd want you to stay." He said.
I looked at him in surprise. He shrugged. "Let's be honest; we did leave a lot behind, yes, but what we left behind isn't going to wait for us to get it back. Neither do we have anyone who will look out for us, there. Here, we have a shot of doing a redo. Frankly, this life has given me a lot more than my real one did. It gave me my girlfriend, my new family, new friends and my best friend." He smiled at me.
"Partners forever," I muttered.
"Partners forever," he agreed as a howl broke the wind.
Stephen opened the door as a shirtless Seth walked in, ruffling his hair from the condensed snow.
"Hey," he said cheerfully to us before bowing. "I will be your bodyguard for the day." He said.
"Glad to say you're taking this so light-heartedly." Stephen patted Seth's back as he returned to my side.
"Hey, I'm taking this seriously, thank you. If I didn't, Sam and Jacob wouldn't have let me get in a hair's breadth near you guys. I'd still be left with Colin and Brady." He shuddered.
"You're not being left behind here?" I asked.
"Yeah, but I can still hear it," he grinned.
Stephen and I both stared at him expectantly. "Well," he asked impatiently.
"Well…?" Seth asked.
"What's happening?" I prompted.
"Oh, we've got them alright. I don't know all your party but the pack's tearing them a new one. They won't come back to harass you guys." He said happily.
"Yeah, they won't…because they'll be dead." Stephen said obviously.
"Well, you won't see me shed tears." He shrugged.
I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror.
The girl who stared back was unkempt, her cheeks pink in the cold, looking small amid the large clothes bundling her clothes. I patted my hands, drying them on the towel and turned my attention to my buzzing phone.
I slid the answer key without looking at the ID, holding it to my ear.
The other line was blank. "Hello?" I asked to the resonating silence. I was about to say something again when I heard it, clear as daylight.
Foreboding filled me as I remembered James's phone call in Seattle. I hung up quickly and turned around to open the door to return to Stephen who was putting on his jacket. "Where are you going?" I asked.
"Firewood, we're run out again." He grunted, putting on a cap.
"Take Seth with you." I said immediately.
"What, no, who's going to stay with you?" He frowned.
"I'll be fine; take him with you. You'll need to be watched if you're going out." I pointed out.
"Tulika," he began before trailing off when he caught the look on my face. He could tell was something off. He glanced once around the room before at my face. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.
To anyone else, the question would seem nonchalant but I could sense the urgency behind it. I nodded. "Yep," I said as lightly. "Seth, get Edward," I whispered, knowing he could hear me as he opened the door. He glanced back at me, surprise written all over his face as Stephen ushered him out and that was the last thing I saw until the door snapped shut.
I sighed.
I unlocked my phone, pulling up the number and dialing it again. I heard the tinkle of ring directly behind me.
"Quite clever of you; …making me get them out of the way by a simple call, did she teach you that or was that your idea?" I asked, not turning around.
I could hear him breathe but I stayed where I was, my back stiff from where I could feel his gaze on me.
I finally turned slowly to face the sandy blonde boy, his head cocked to the side, eyeing me with distasteful curiosity.
"Hello Riley," I said.
*Evil Laughter*
Happy New Year! Love you all! Hoping you all have a great future!