Wee! I finally got around to updating! And I'm really reaaaaaaaly sorry about the long wait!

"So", Renee said in disbelief, "you're expecting me to believe that you left prom early without Bella?"

"I started feeling sick", Edward explained for the third time, "Bella insisted that I left early".

"And why didn't you drive her home?" Renee asked, hoping he would slip up.

"She said she wanted to talk to her friends then later get a ride from Charlie". Renee stared hard at Edward, feeling her frustration rise. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't catch Edward in a lie. She stood up glaring at him.

"I will find out what really happened" Renee warned the stormed out to her car.

Charlie sat in the kitchen staring at the letter Renee had left him

Charlie,

Gone to talk to Edward, be back soon.

Renee

There was nothing for Charlie to do but to sit, wait, and hope nothing would go terribly wrong.

I ran down the stairs (happily using my newly liberated leg) and flung myself into Edward's arms.

"What happened?" I said noticing his eyes which were red. Edward explained what had occurred. "My mom attacked you with mace?" I was shocked that my mom could act that crazy. Embarrassed, I began to mumble an apology but before I had a chance to say anything, the door flung open and a short pixie-like girl with short black hair dashed across the room and gave me a big hug.

"Bella!" she said as I struggled to escape the constricting embrace, "I heard what happened! I can't believe it!"

"I know" I said finally managing to escape from the hug, "I'm finding it hard to believe it too!" Alice smile at me then walked over to Edward and held out her hand. Edward sighed and handed her a twenty dollar bill. "You bet against Alice?" I said raising an eyebrow. Edward grinned sheepishly and tucked his wallet back in his pocket.

Charlie jumped in surprise as the front door flung open and Renee stormed in. Without even looking at Charlie, she flung herself onto the couch.

"What happened?" He asked as he slowly approached her.

"He wouldn't talk!" she yelled furiously, "he gave me some bullshit story about how he left prom early and didn't take Bella with! Even when I attacked him with mace he didn't confess!"

"You attacked him with mace!" Charlie cried in shock, "Do you realize that he can now sue you for assault?"

"He wouldn't dare!" Renee snapped. One look at her blazing eyes and Charlie didn't doubt it.

"Got any sevens?"

"Go fish!" Edward answered with a triumphant grin. I grumbled angrily and selected a card out of the pile, king of spades. I glared at the card and tucked it into my hand. After three rounds of monopoly and five rounds of go fish, things were really starting to get boring.

"Isn't there anything else we can do?" I whined. Edward smiled at me and glanced at the clock.

"Hmm… It's a little past midnight. If you want, we could go for a walk" I sprung up to my feet

"A walk! I'd love to go for a walk! Let's go!" I grabbed Edwards arm and semi-dragged him out of the house. Being cooped up for so long had made me giddy. Holding hands, Edward and I slowly strolled through the moon-lit forest.

"How do you stand it?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Stand what?" Edward asked, turning to face me.

"How can you stand not being able to sleep? After all these years, how has it not affected you?"

"It was hard for me." Edward said putting his arms around my waist, "For a long time I was lonely, even though I had my family. I often spent my nights walking through this forest. Before I met you, I was depressed and nothing my family did changed that. Being as young as you are, you have no idea at how long it is to have eighty years of lonely nights. Then I met you. At first, I avoided you like the plague. But then, you almost died in that car accident. And though you persisted in questioning me, you kept your promise. You fascinated me. I couldn't read your mind and your actions were completely illogical. So, I found your house and watched you as you slept. At first, I didn't expect it to be interesting, but then you started talking. It's surprising that you can find out so much about people in their sleep."

"Things that maybe aren't your business" I grumbled, the thought of Edward watching me, though flattering, was still very embarrassing. Edward just chuckled at my response. "But it doesn't seem fair", I said sitting on the cool, damp grass, "You had to go through all that time, being alone and depressed. I've barely lived a fraction of the time that you have and I've found you.

"We've been through this before Bella" Edward said shaking his head, "Is it really that unfair when you've had to give up your friends, your family and go through all that pain? Seems pretty fair to me."

I thought about it for a minute then nodded. Then suddenly, another thought popped into my mind. "The pain…"

"What about it?"

"I was just thinking, why did it hurt less when you bit me than it did the first time I was bitten?" I said more to myself than to Edward.

"It hurt less this time?" Edward said, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Don't get me wrong" I added, "This last time hurt a lot too, especially at the end, but I seemed to have been able to tolerate it more."

"Hmm… I don't know. I'll have to think about it more" I nodded my head in agreement then laid back to watch the stars Edward laid down next to me and I snuggled up close.

A couple of minutes of comfortable silence passed.

Then, suddenly, a feeling washed over me. A wild and untamed feeling. A desperate and overwhelming feeling that took control of my senses. I sprang up into a crouch and was about to dash off into the woods to give in to instinct when Edward tackled me. I hit the ground hard. Edward pinned me down to the ground.

"Get off of me!" I growled and fought to get him off. Edward, being stronger managed to keep me down despite my fighting.

"Bella" Edward's voice was controlled and calm, "listen to me. You must work to control this. It won't be easy but you must, for all of our sakes."

Edward's words suddenly made me realize what I was feeling.

It was thirst

Uh oh! Bella's getting thirsty! I'll get the next chapter out by next week I promise! If I don't, you can all hunt me down and kill me! Chaio!