Part 5

If We Survive

"My anger's violent

But still I'm silent

When tragedy strikes at home

I know this decadence

Is shared by millions

Remember you're not alone

Remember you're not alone

But if you just close your eyes

And just imagine everything's all right

But do not hide your tears

Cuz they were sent to wash away those years

Maybe we can was away those years

For we have crossed many oceans

And we labor in between

In life there are many quotients

And I hope I find the mean..."

-'Wash Away Those Years', Creed

"What happened to your face?" asked a soft voice. Edward looked up from the bathroom sink. He had been examining the large bruise on his face from Chris. He knew he was lucky that his jaw hadn't been broken. When he looked into the mirror, he saw Corina's reflection in it. He was a little surprised that she was talking after all that had happened. Did she really trust him that much?

"Oh my gosh! That looks painful. Let me see..." she said as she approached him. Knowing touching the bruise would hurt, he stepped back.

"It's not bad," he said quickly. She stared at him, looking slightly appalled.

"Are you avoiding me?"

"No," he said, suddenly realizing he had hurt her. "It just hurts."

"Well, who gave it to you?"

He looked down and did not answer. She stared at him for a while and then stepped back, the color draining from her face. "...Chris..." she muttered. He nodded slowly. "Oh my god! Does he know I'm pregnant?"

"No," muttered Edward. "But he knows I know." She placed a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes.

"This is my fault," she whispered. He watched her, not knowing what to say. "It would be better if I were gone..."

"No," he said, a little sudden. "Don't talk like that. I hate it when you talk like that." Tears were flooding his eyes again. "Don't even think about it, not for a minute!"

"Edward..."

"Corina, if you died..." he stopped and looked down as two tears fell. "...I'd be alone again." She stared at him in shock, her mouth hanging open. "He hurt you, but he didn't kill you. You've survived this far. Why can't you give his name to the doc?"

"He'll kill us both if I do. You know that." She walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm. "I can stand dying, but if you died because of me... I'd never forgive myself. We can't tell."

"He's gonna know soon," said Edward. "He'll know you're pregnant and then what?"

"I don't care!" she shouted, storming out, Edward following her. "I don't care about any of it."

"I love you!" he shouted. She stopped dead in her tracks, not moving at all. Edward felt his face turn whiter (if it was possible) and realized how words were one thing you could never take back. He looked back up at her, realizing it was too late to take it back now, and shook his head.

"What did you say?" she whispered, turning to face him, her hands trembling.

"I love you," he repeated, not caring about saying it again. "Can you even care about that?"

"You don't know what love is," she whispered.

"I don't?!" he cried. "Then why have I never given up on you? I got caught guarding your bedroom last night so he wouldn't come after you. I've cried for the first time because of you. I'm willing to loose everything to see you smiling again like they keep telling me you did. Don't you dare tell me what I don't know."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"I know enough to know that this is not you! You were different once. You weren't always this closed in. I know who stole that away from you and he will pay, or I'll die trying. I don't care."

"Look at your face, Edward," she shouted. "Look what he did to you! He's not afraid to hit you, and he's not afraid to hurt me. He's stronger than you think and he will kill you if he gets the chance. You think I could live without you?"

"I don't want to just stand here and watch him hurt you. I'd rather die stopping it than let you slowly bleed to death." With that he ran off, running his sleeve over his eyes as he passed her.

Edward lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. He had spilled it out in front of her, unable to take it back. What was worse was he wasn't aware of his own feelings until they had come out in the open.

"Edward?" came a soft voice. He looked up to his window and saw a thin form in front of it. It took a minute, but he soon recognized Corina's face and opened the window. She slipped in silently, shivering with cold, and before he could ask, she was in his arms sobbing.

"I can't do it," she whispered. "Not tonight. I don't care how angry he gets. Don't let him hurt me!"

"He's coming?" he asked, feeling afraid.

"I don't know," she said, brushing tears away. "I never know when or what day. I just don't want it to be tonight. Can I stay in here?" He nodded, not really caring if he got caught. He climed back into the warmth of his bed and she crawled in after him. She rested her head on his chest and he placed his arms around her, holding her closely until they both fell asleep, luck not allowing either of them to be touched.

It wasn't till three in the morning that she woke and climbed out of bed, trying not to wake him. Her attempt failed and he slowly opened his eyes, watching as she started for the window.

"Don't go," he whispered. She looked at him, shocked that she had woken him and stood still, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He looked at her and she crawled back on the bed, and on top of him, relaxing in his embrace. The moonlight was shining on her, and even though her hair was messy from tossing and turning, and she still looked drowsy, in his eyes, she was beautiful. Under the blood red eyes, the white skin, and the demon-like tail, he saw an angel, trapped in her own body.

She looked up into his face, trembling as though she were debating on something, and slowly, with extreme caution, she lowered her lips to his and kissed him, nervously. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back, feeling her tears falling on his face. Slowly the kiss grew as she gradually trusted him until she was almost melting in his arms.

Eventually she pulled back for air and looked at him with sad eyes. "I love you," she whispered. A tear felt down her face and she held his hand in hers, carresing it and resting her face in the palm, closing her eyes. She sniffled and looked at him again. "But," she whispered. He sighed, he knew it was coming sooner or later. "But, you deserve so much better."

She climbed off the bed and slipped out the window without a word. Edward watched until the hot tears came.

Corina was sitting on her bed, thinking about what had happened not but a few minutes ago. He loved her and she knew there was nothing she could do to stop him. Nothing she could do would prove to him she was not the beautiful girl he pictured her to be. There was true ugliness in her that he was not seeing. She glanced down at her pale hands and gasped in shock. Her nails were black, like they were dead, and growing into claws. The ugliness inside was starting to reflect on the outside and everyone knew what she was.

"Wondered when you'd come back from that freak," came a voice. She shivered and looked into the shadows as he came to her. "Don't worry. He's promised to keep our little secret, love." Corina closed her eyes and started crying, knowing what was coming.

"Please, Chris. Not now. I don't want it."

"Don't lie. I know you want it." He grabbed her shoulders and she went limp, having learned over time that fighting did nothing. "You look so beautiful..."

Edward had heard the footsteps down the hall, shortly after Corina had left. And got to his feet, knowing who it was. This had to end now, but he didn't know what to do. What had he done the last time someone he loved was in trouble? His eyes strayed to the pair of scissorhands, almost forgotten about and looked back at the door. There was no way he could reach the doc in time to stop Chris. It was the only way.

Springing into action, he grabbed one of the hands and ran out the door to Corina's room. He paused, waiting for a sound to make sure it was really Chris he had heard. It wasn't till he heard the deep voice that he knew it was.

"You look so beautiful..."

He gritted his teeth and threw the door open, Chris so shocked he dropped Corina to the ground. She crawled to a far corner and curled up into a ball, burrying her face in her knees.

"Leave her alone," hissed Edward. Chris looked at him with a hint of caution as the blades from the scissorhand were pointed to his face.

"...Edward?"

"You will not touch her again!" Chris clenched his hands into a fist.

"I'm warning you, freak. Get out now and just walk away."

"No," he snarled. "Corina, get the doc," he said glancing at her.

"Edward... I..." she stuttered.

"Go!" he shouted. Corina got to her feet and ran down the stairs. Edward stared Chris down, not moving the hand at all.

"Edward, man, you've got me all wrong..."

"Don't talk," he said in a warning tone.

"You don't understand me. I never did what you think I did. She wanted it. She even told me she did."

"Stop lying!"

"I did nothing wrong. Why would I lie to you? We're friends, remember?"

"Friends don't do things like this."

"Things like what? She was hot and I liked her. What's the crime in that? I only did what she let me do." Edward stared at him for a moment, then slowly lowered his blade.

"You're right," he muttered. "I don't understand you." He sighed and dropped the hand. "But I can't kill. Not again."

"I can," said a voice from behind. Edward turned and saw the doc standing there with a gun pointed to Chris. "You sick son of a bitch," he growled. "She trusted you and you hurt her. You took advantage of the fact that she wasn't talking. You're sick!" Chris went pale, too afraid to move now. "Get on the ground!" shouted the doc. Chris obeyed. "Now just stay there until the cops come."

"Police?" muttered Edward. Chris started laughing.

"You'd better point that gun at him too. He's a murderer. He just told me he was. The cops are probly still looking for him."

"You shut up right now or I will blow your head off," warned the doc. He looked at Edward. "You better hide yourself. Go!"

Edward obeyed and ran out of the room.

Chris was arrested and declared guilty of rape, recieving fifty years in prison.

Corina never forgot about what he'd done to her, and Edward never forgot either.

(One month later...)

Edward found Corina, standing in the grass, staring at the large rose he had made for her, so long ago. Her stomach had begun to swell with child, but not enough for it to be obvious that she was pregnant. Everyone knew anyway. One of her hands caressed her belly softly, and she turned when she heard him coming towards her.

"My mom used to paint pictures of roses when she was alive," she muttered. "The social workers gave me one to hold on to so a part of her would always be with me."

"Is that why you like them so much?" asked Edward. Corina nodded and smiled sadly.

"Sometimes, I can feel her near me, like she's still watching over me."

"She's not the only one," whispered Edward. She smirked and hugged him.

"Thanks," she muttered. When he looked at her again, he noticed something.

"Your eyes," he said softly. "They're blue." She nodded.

"The color's coming back. I think I'm going back to normal." She waved her tail around a little and smiled, sadly. "I'm going to miss the tail though." Edward snickered and embraced her again.

"I love you," he whispered. "I always will." Then she finally said the one line he had been waiting to hear from her.

"I love you too, Edward." He placed a hand on her face, stroking her cheek momentarily with his thumb, then leaned down and kissed her tenderly. She held him close as she kissed back, never wanting to let go.

They did stop, eventually, but Edward knew she was his now, and he'd never be able to let her go. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

THE END!