Hello, my friends! I am *loving* your thoughts and theories on everything! Some of your ideas are spot on! ;)

BIG thanks to Fran, Mr G and Me, and Monica03. They've helped me so much and I cannot thank them enough. (Any mistakes you see are my own.)

This is a monster of a chapter, so I'll just let you dive in.

SM owns everything Twilight.

Breathing deeply, I close my eyes as the cool and crisp air invades my lungs. It invigorates my senses and makes my body buzz with anticipation and excitement. I can't help but grin broadly at the feeling. After months of hot weather, it's finally cool again, the start of my favorite season.

Fall.

The scent of earth and rain is heady and prominent, thanks to the storm we had this afternoon. Underneath all of that is the aroma of caramel, pumpkin, and nutmeg, wafting from Mom's wax burner near the front door.

The breeze softly blowing by whistles through the elegant curls framing my face, causing me to shiver. The temperature has dropped quite a bit since I came out here twenty minutes ago, but it's too hot to stay indoors, especially in this dress.

Looking down, I smile happily at the dress adorning my body. Gently, I caress the fabric, my fingernails scratching against the lace.

Alice threw me for a loop when she came over earlier this afternoon and thrust the huge, black matte bag in my arms. When I had pulled out the floor-length, Victorian-style dress, draped in black lace and blood-red fabric cascading down the middle, I had been in awe.

The bodice is a corset style with a sweetheart neckline and a high collar that rests just below my ears. The shape of the collar and the neckline enhance my cleavage and makes me look a cup size bigger, something I don't particularly hate.

The deep red fabric starts just below the bust, falling in a ruffled wave to the bottom of the dress. The skirt, thankfully, isn't a hoop, though it does expand outward from my hips.

The lace sleeves flow down my arms, ending at a V on my middle finger, secured in place by a finger loop. It makes me feel regal as if I had stepped straight out of the gothic Victorian era.

I immediately recognized it from the photos she had shown me, and for the first time, I was completely speechless. My loss for words didn't improve when she also told me she is gifting it to me since I was the best friend she ever had.

Unable to help myself, I hugged her tightly and raced upstairs to put it on, where it's been ever since.

Slowly, the sky transitions from a gray-blue to an orangey-pink as the sun sinks in the sky. One by one, the houses illuminate in orange, purple, and green. Screeching sounds of monsters, bats, and zombies, as well as spooky moans and rattling chains, fill the air as decorations are electrified.

The entire block is decorated for Halloween; they were likely bitten by the same bug that prompted someone downtown to decorate the town square.

I'm not complaining, though. In fact, no one was more surprised than me when I found pumpkins, ghosts, scarecrows, skeletons, and black and orange garland hung up and down the street. When I had excitedly dragged Jasper with me, he shared my enthusiasm, amazed that for the first time, someone went all out for the holiday.

Normally, there's a pumpkin and ghost here and there, but this year it looked as if a Halloween shop threw up all over the street. The sight of the decorations littered around town, combined with the cool, crisp air, really brought out the Halloween-y vibes and put you in the mood to be spooky.

Mom's laughter filters through the door as she talks with Dad. Faintly, I can hear him respond back with a small chuckle, which relieves me. When he's home, he's been so tense and lost in his head that I've been worried for him. The shadows under his eyes have gotten darker, and the frown lines around his mouth are more prominent. Since people have gone missing, and the murder investigation began, I swear he's aged so much in such a short amount of time.

Mom constantly assures us he's okay, that she's taking care of him, and while I don't doubt her ability to do so, that doesn't erase the worry I feel whenever I see him.

The front door opens, and I keep myself facing forward, wanting my makeup look to be a surprise. Alice did a wonderful job making me look like a ghost, with my gray pallor, sunken, and dark eyes, and my blood-red lips.

"Bella, come inside! Alice is almost done with Jasper's makeup, and I want to take pictures before your Dad and I leave."

Spinning around, I laugh as Mom jumps, placing a hand over her heart.

"Nice way to react when you see your daughter," I tease.

"You startled me," she lightly scolds.

Before I can stop them, the words that have been dying to escape fall from my lips with ease. "I doubt I can startle you."

My eyes widen, and I press my lips together as if that can take back what's been said. Now that it's out in the open, however, I square my shoulders and meet her eyes, ready for this long-overdue conversation.

Seriousness overcomes her features, and she pulls the door shut behind her with a firm hand. "Are we on this again? I told you—"

"I know, but just hear me out, okay? I have some theories I'd like to run by you … and I need to talk to you, and I need you to listen."

An eyebrow quirks high on her forehead, and she cocks a hip out to the side. "I'm always here for you, you know that." Taking a deep breath, Mom squares her shoulders and nods once. "All right. Let's talk a walk and hear these theories of yours."

Twenty minutes later, Mom and I are walking back to the house in an uncomfortable silence. Every so often, I'll see her turn to look at me with concern, but underneath that, there's relief.

I've spoken my mind and gotten everything off my chest.

Now I'm okay with everything.

Kind of.

There are still things that seem unfathomable; things I have to remind myself are true because I've seen and heard too much weird shit not to believe. At a certain point, you simply have to accept some facts because even if it all seems otherworldly … in reality, it's right here.

Back on the front porch, Mom pauses with her hand on the doorknob, her lips pinched together between her teeth.

"Bella, I'm worried about—"

I shrug nonchalantly. "There's nothing to be concerned about, okay? This matter won't be brought up again. I've spoken to you, and you listened. As long as you don't lock me away in a hospital for my ideas, everything is fine."

"Oh, honey," she murmurs, gathering me into a hug. "If I were going to do that, I would have done so a long time ago."

I struggle to push away from her, fighting my laughter as her own melodic giggles ring through the air.

She doesn't release me completely; instead, she moves her hands to my shoulders, staring into my eyes.

"You're so brave and smart … sometimes. I've had doubts recently."

Rolling my eyes, I make a face. "Wow, who needs self-esteem with a mother like you? With that confidence, I can do ... absolutely nothing. I'm living here forever. Congrats on your hermit daughter."

"It's what I'm here for," she teases before she goes serious once again. "Are you really okay?"

"I'm good," I reply honestly, only slightly regretting my decision to talk with her. If she's going to be concerned and worried all the time, then I wish I had kept my damn mouth shut.

She still looks slightly unsure, but after several pensive seconds, she bobs her head up and down once. "Okay."

Her fingers brush through the curls resting over my shoulder. "You look beautiful, baby. Ghostly, but beautiful. Come inside! I'm sure everyone has been waiting for us."

Following behind her, I spot Dad resting against the banister, decorated with pumpkin and skull garland. He straightens when he sees me, grinning.

"' Bout time. I thought the creatures of the night got you. Although, on second thought, I'm not too worried. They'd give you back."

"Haha," I deadpan. "Everyone is a comedian tonight. Where's your costume, Dad? You're supposed to dress like something you're not, old man."

Dad chuckles, kissing me lightly on the forehead. Through my lashes, I see him exchange a look with Mom, who mouths something to him. He dips his head in acknowledgment, returning his attention to me. "You're ghoulish. I love it."

"Thanks; it was all Alice's doing, though."

"Part of it, maybe."

Placing my hands on my hips, I narrow my eyes. "Are you telling me I look scary in my normal everyday look?"

His eyes widen, and he looks from me to Mom with panicked eyes, stepping back toward Jasper's room.

"Are you ready yet, Jasper?"

Mom and I laugh at his discomfort, our giggles growing as he grumbles under his breath, but he doesn't look affronted. In fact, he looks rather amused.

Alice comes twirling out of Jasper's room, the beads of her dress whipping away from her body, and her hair gelled to her head. She's the perfect vision of a flapper girl, exactly matching the women from the nineteen twenties with perfection. I never noticed it before, even her face matches the women from the period.

"The dead are walking amongst us!" she cries out theatrically, her eyes alight with humor.

She seems in much better spirits than she did when she first arrived here; when I saw her standing on the other side of the door, I thought someone had died. She looked so despondent and broken down as if the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders.

Now, she seems a lot lighter and looks like the carefree teenager she should be.

Jasper staggers from his room, his T-shirt and jeans ripped and hanging off his body in tatters. His skin is a greenish-gray, with what appears to be missing chunks of flesh from random parts of his arms, neck, and face. His teeth are covered in a black, gooey substance that churns my stomach as if leaks from his mouth and down his chin.

While I'm a little grossed out, I am very much impressed with Alice's makeup skills.

"Oh, gross!" I say, taking a closer look. "Very cool, though. I like it."

"Me too," he replies, surprisingly coherent for all the liquid flowing from his lips. His eyes are bright, shining with happiness and glee as he stands back, arms outstretched. "I think this is my favorite costume ever!"

He shares a meaningful look with Alice, who shyly smiles and drops her eyes to the ground. Her fingers play with the beads of her dress for a moment, the sound of plastic scraping against plastic loud in the silence of the room.

"Pictures!" Mom calls, fumbling with the camera.

Dad quickly takes it from her, directing us in front of the stairs, so the pumpkins we carved are in the shot. Just as we get in line, a delicate clearing of the throat causes us to turn. Jasper and I gasp in unison as we see Rose standing halfway up, wearing a skin-tight red dress and devil horns on top of her head. Her makeup isn't as grand as ours, but the red eyeshadow and bright red lips against her pale skin and deep blue eyes make her ethereal looking.

It's been so long since Rose dressed up or did something for Halloween; nearly ten years, in fact. She never showed an interest in dressing up, always complaining that Halloween was for children and a waste of time, even when she was a child.

I never let it bother me, though it did upset me that she never wanted to participate in anything regarding Halloween. It would have been nice for her to be there with us, enjoying the silliness of the holiday as we collected candy, watched horror movies, and gave out candy.

Now, it appears she's changed her mind.

"Room for one more?"

Alice replies quickly, shooting Jasper and me a questioning look. "Absolutely."

Tautly, she smiles, looking incredibly stiff. Closing her eyes, she breathes deeply, and when she opens her eyes, her expression is softer.

"Thank you."

Stepping in between Jasper and me, she wraps an arm around each of our shoulders, squeezing us to her. We all smile as Dad rapidly snaps picture after picture, per Mom's instruction.

"Why—what made you change your mind?" Jasper questions through smiling lips. "About joining us this year?"

Rose shrugs a shoulder. "I—I'm going to school next year, and I wanted to spend my last Halloween with you two. Even though it's an inane holiday."

Despite her teasing words, we laugh, though the sound is forced. The reminder of her going away is a heavy topic; I know I'll miss her terribly and Jasper even more so. It's going to be hard with her not here. In response, I squeeze her tighter, feeling Jasper do the same on her other side.

"I'll try to make it home as often as possible, though. I promise. I won't be away from you guys forever."

Lightly, I nudge her. "We're gonna hold you to that because if you don't, we'll come to see you, and then you'll be forever embarrassed because we'll come in screaming. Literally. We'll holler your name all over campus, and then you'll want to hole yourself up, never to leave the safety of your room—"

Alice giggles, as Rose's hand covers my mouth, halting my rambling speech. She chuckles, her chest rattling with laughter. "We're not doing that again."

I nod, but just as soon as she removes her hand, I start up again. "Or we'll grow extremely sad and become lifeless shells, having no energy or lust for life. We'll—"

This time, it's Mom who interrupts me. "Bella, you're messing up my pictures! And no talking like that. Of course, Rosalie will come visit us."

"I will," Rose vows with a serious nod, matching her expression perfectly.

"Like I said, we'll hold you to that." Mom still looks displeased, and I playfully huff. "I was just kidding."

Mom shakes her head, fighting a smile. "I swear. Now, a few more pictures, and you can go."

"How did she hear you?" Jasper mumbles, bewildered. "You weren't talking that loud."

I snort. "Mom hearing, I guess."

"I guess."

A few more pictures ends at eight, and it probably wouldn't have if Dad hadn't put his foot—and the camera—down.

"Okay, we have enough. Let's leave the kids alone so they can enjoy their evening."

Mom pouts, but her displeasure is quickly forgotten as we head toward the door. She kisses each of our cheeks, even Alice's, and bids us goodbye.

"Be careful and safe, okay? If you need anything, don't be afraid to call us, all right?"

Alice places a hand on her arm. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

For a long moment, Mom simply stares before nodding. "Okay, get going. Remember, you all have a curfew, but we're extending it to eleven, okay? Have fun and stick together!"

In Port Angeles, the streets and sidewalks are packed with most people decked out in costumes. Most of the stores are open, with flashing lights emitting from their windows while store owners and employees hold huge bowls of candy for the little kids trick-or-treating down the block. The closer we get to the haunted house, the busier it seems to be.

"I thought we were eating first," Jasper complains, seeing our destination. Turning around to face us, he pleads. "Aren't you guys hungry?"

Rose's leg bounces as she faces the window, taking in the large crowd of people. After a moment of deliberation, she shakes her head, her gaze meeting Alice's in the rearview mirror.

"The restaurants are going to be so crowded at this time of the night, Jasper. It's better we go to the haunted house and then get something to eat afterward. Besides, what if it's really gory inside? I don't want to throw up what I've eaten."

Alice nods in agreement. "The later it gets, the more people that'll be at the haunted house. Even now, it's pretty packed." She points toward the entrance and Jasper sighs heavily, knowing she's right.

Surprisingly, Alice manages to find a parking spot pretty close to the sidewalk that leads to the front of the attraction. Alice turns her blinker on, accelerating while carefully maneuvering around the people milling about.

"Oh, no, you don't," she mumbles, shifting in the seat as another car comes in from the opposite direction, seeing the empty spot and speeding forward.

Suddenly, Alice stomps on the gas and throttles us back into our seats as she whips into the space. Underneath the terrified shrieks and relieved giggles in the air, the distinct voice of the irate driver screams out into the night.

"You crazy bitch!"

"I had my blinker on!" She hollers out of the window. "Get over it! It's mine!"

The other driver screams more obscenities from his window, shaking his fist at Alice. In response, she unbuckles her seatbelt and lifts herself out of the open window, leaning on the door, shaking a fist in the air.

"Oh, yeah? You want this spot, you'll have to fight me for it and trust me, I'm stronger than I look, asswipe! Yeah, that's right, get lost!" When she pulls herself back into the car, she's all smiles and happiness. "Are we ready to go in?"

Rose's mouth drops open, and she looks at me with wide eyes while I snicker. Alice is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

I chuckle, reaching for Alice's shoulder. "You good?"

"Fine," she chirps. "Let's go."

Rose walks between Jasper and me, her arms brushing ours every now and then. She takes in shaky breaths, scanning the area around us with wide eyes and harsh swallows. Catching me looking, she smiles, but it's forced and tight, not at all relaxed or real.

It makes me wonder what she's worried about, but before I can ask, the question dies on my lips, as I spot three familiar faces waiting for us at the end of the line for the haunted house. I stumble, grabbing onto Rose and Jasper's shoulder as I take in their costumes, laughter tumbling from my lips the longer I stare.

When my eyes rake over the last person, I freeze, my mouth going dry, and my eyes widening.

While Emmett and Paul are dressed ridiculously, a teddy bear, and a baby doll, respectively, Edward is dressed as a vampire. And while the trope is entirely overdone, he's managed to put a twist on it and make it look even better than usual.

His hair is slicked back, with a cobwebbed-covered top hat; his eyes lined with black eyeliner, making his dark gold eyes stand out even more. He's dressed all in black from his silky looking shirt to his black jeans and the black biker boots adorning his feet. To top it all off, a black cape rests on his shoulders, draping down his back like a curtain.

It's when I see Emmett reach for Paul in my periphery that I snap out of my staring and focus on the matter at hand.

The three laughing boys, two of which are hardly able to stand up with how hard they're laughing.

"…scared to death!"

"…probably go home and cry!"

Each of their sentences are broken by their guffaws, which only get worse as they attempt to speak. Jasper chuckles along with them, and I even see Rose fighting a smile as she crosses her arms, her hip cocked out to the side.

Edward remained silent during their broken words, but he laughed just as loudly as they did.

Alice taps her heeled foot against the concrete, a hand planted on her hip. She's trying to be annoyed, but I can tell she's finding this situation just as humorous as the rest of us do. "Are you idiots done? It wasn't even that funny."

"From our end it was," Emmett replies, motioning between the three of them. "You didn't see that guy, sis. He was white as a sheet! All because of you; a teeny, tiny girl."

Once more, they laugh, with Emmett and Paul leaning against each other. Edward stands off to the side, his eyes casting in my direction once before they come immediately back, his mouth dropping open as his gaze drifts down from my head to my feet.

My body heats at his appraisal, even more so once I see him collect himself somewhat and close his mouth, his lips flickering into a grin as his eyes hold a note of mischief I'm not sure I like.

Ignoring him, I turn toward the guys, raising an eyebrow as I nod toward their costumes. "Those are uh … interesting choices, guys."

Emmett and Paul both stand proudly, lifting their chins and stretching their arms to their sides.

"I know! Cool, huh?" Emmett boasts. "Alice and Edward thought we'd look stupid. We're rocking these outfits!"

Paul nods once in agreement. "I'm the hottest doll here. I see you checkin' me out," he says with a wink.

Emmett snickers and whispers something in Paul's ear, his eyes darting to his brother, who glowers at the pair with heavily veiled annoyance. Whatever Emmett says to Paul makes him snort and send me another wink.

"Oh, yeah, I'm really impressed," I tell him, making my voice sound as uninterested as possible. "I must have you now."

"Are we ready now?" Alice asks, breaking into the conversation. "I wanna go in!"

We all nod and start for the front of the building. Alice, Jasper, and Paul take the lead, followed by Edward and me, with Rose and Emmett in the back. Quietly, the pair begins to converse in a soft tone. Emmett holds Rose's arm, his fingers gently sweeping up and down her forearm as he leans in toward her, whispering. Fierce and determined, he murmurs something only she can hear. When she catches me looking, I quickly whip around and count to ten in my head before again looking over my shoulder.

Whatever he's said to her makes her nod, and they start catching up to us. Emmett stares at Rose's somber face before he lights up. Suddenly, he starts hopping around her like a bunny, making goofy faces and sounds. Rose tries to look disinterested as he flexes his arms and squishing his cheeks in a silly attempt to make her laugh.

Silly attempt or not, it eventually works.

More radiant than I've ever seen, Rose smiles ... and it's not fake or forced. The lightness of her carefree grin carries up into her eyes, making them sparkle as she laughs, her cheeks pink as she shakes her head.

"You're something else," she says, rolling her eyes and turning her face away.

The words don't sound like a compliment. In fact, they sound rather rude, but they don't match the amusement she's sporting. Emmett's joyful expression doesn't fade because he can see her face clearly through her hair.

Looking between the two of them, I see definite chemistry there, and I wonder if they're merely flirting or if they've finally admitted they liked each other. It's too hard to tell from this standpoint since their conversation is just coming off as Emmett's regular, flirty banter.

I think back to them holding hands in Port Angeles a couple of weeks ago, and coupled with Rose's smitten stares at his behavior, I'm going to say they're definitely together ... but I don't want theories.

I want facts.

My curiosity is boiling, prodding me to take her aside and ask her a series of in-depth questions to get concrete answers.

I'm tempted to do it but now isn't the time.

Focusing forward once more, I step in the line behind Alice and Jasper, briefly wondering where Paul ran off to, but all thoughts about him are forgotten as I spot Edward in my periphery, standing next to me, his head tilted to the right as he stares. He looks amazed and a little startled as if he can't believe it's me.

I meet his eyes and raise a questioning eyebrow, waiting for him to speak. When it's obvious he's not going to, I sigh heavily and shake my head.

"What?"

"Nothing," I remark with false solemnity in my tone. "I'm just disappointed. I thought you'd be something different, instead of being the same old thing." I sigh once more, fighting a smile as he goes blank, his expression pensively guarded.

He lifts his chin, peering down through slightly narrowed eyes. "How am I the same old thing?" He questions with a hint of irritation, waving a hand up and down his body. "I haven't seen one person dressed as a vampire, and I'm not dressed like a typical vampire. In all my years, I haven't seen many vampires with eyeliner or a hat like this. The only thing that's a cliché is the cape, but it's a classic."

"I agree, but I wasn't talking about your outfit."

Once more, his head tilts. "Then what are you talking about?"

"Your brooding, angsty staring that you were doing. You do that all the time, and it's been done in every vampire movie ever made. The vampire hides in the shadows, stalking and staring after his intended victim like a creep. Just once, I'd like to see something different. Right about now would be good too," I reply with narrowed eyes, pointing at him. "Take a picture, why don't you?"

He hums, his eyes drifting upward as he taps his finger against his chin. After a moment of pensive reflection, he does a combination of a nod and a shrug, reaching into his jeans and pulling out his phone. When he holds it toward me, throwing an arm around my shoulder and pulling me into his side. His cheek rests against the top of my head and his finger poised over the screen. Moments later, I hear the familiar click of the device taking our picture.

"Why did you do that for?"

"What?" he questions, innocence plastered on his face. "You said to take a picture."

"I wasn't being literal, jerk," I mutter, fighting the urge to smile. I hate to admit it, but I would have done the same thing had someone said that to me. Depending on who it was, of course.

"For your information, I wasn't brooding and angsty as you call it. I was staring because I was simply amazed at how you looked."

"It was all Alice," I mutter, relishing in the cool breeze soothing my suddenly heated skin.

"I know. I'm astounded she made you look so much better than normal. Can she give you a better personality too?"

I plaster a saccharine smile on my face. "I don't know. When you ask her, see if she can remove the stick from your ass."

"That's my father's area, actually."

My shoulders start to shake with laughter.

"I have an idea," he continues, his eyes shining with amusement. "We'll get a joint appointment. I'll remove the stick, and you can get a heart, since you don't have one."

Whipping my head in his direction, I make a face at his delighted expression. "That's a good one, Edward. I owe you a drink for that … and I absolutely won't lace it with holy water."

Chuckling, he nudges my arm with his own. "I'm just kidding. Kind of."

I release a fake laugh, holding my belly before straightening. "You're hilarious," I sarcastically droll with a straight face. "You know, you look better than you normally look, too. The eyeliner actually makes it more pleasurable to set my eyes upon you."

One side of his lip rises in a smirk. "Really? Can't take your eyes off of me, huh?"

"Don't flatter yourself. The eyeliner only marginally makes you better looking. Without it, you'd just be, eh."

Unexpectedly, a growling roar fills the air as someone in a furry costume jumps from behind us. Their hands—or paws—outstretched and pretending to swipe at Jasper and me.

Jasper shrieks as Rose pushes me behind her and grabs hold of Jasper's shirt, yanking him back with me.

At my side, Edward snickers in mirth but, at the same time, throws an arm across my stomach, his fingers curling around my hip as he maneuvers me into his side. Unthinkingly, I grab ahold of his arm tightly, squeezing him to me even tighter.

Edward looks at me, concerned, but the look quickly fades as he smiles, his fingers rubbing comforting circles into my hip. Now consciously aware of our position, I loosen my grip but don't remove my hold, instead looking down at his hand pointedly.

Returning the gesture, he looks down at my hand with a smirk. I shrug and slowly move my hands away, gently pushing him with a light laugh.

"Don't read too much into it. You were just there," I lowly tell him.

He nods slowly. "Sure. Lie to yourself. I know the truth," he says with a wink.

The retort is on my tongue, but it's all forgotten as Rose charges for the person in the costume, her hands balled into fists, ready to strike. It's only when the masked attacker puts his hands up in surrender and shoves the giant head off that her hands fall back down at her sides.

"Jake?"

He beams, jumping once with a hearty laugh. From behind him, Leah walks up, perfectly dressed as Red Riding Hood, to match Jake's wolf. Worried, her gaze shifts between Rose and Jake, her hand outstretched toward her boyfriend.

"Happy Halloween! I really got you guys, huh?" Jake proudly boasts. "I knew this costume was a good choice!"

"Not funny," Rose fumes.

"Aw, come on. It's hilarious!"

Leah pulls down on his shoulder, furiously whispering in his ear. Seconds later, his eyes widen, and he's rushing toward Rose and me with his hands outstretched.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't think," he rushes out. "Are you okay?"

"I'm pissed, but I'm fine. You know, you're supposed to be something other than what you really are on Halloween, don't you?" She questions, much like I did of Edward earlier.

Pointedly, I nudge Edward, who hasn't moved from my side. He rolls his eyes with a shake of his head, but I can see the small curl of his lips as he smirks.

Jake exchanges a quick, confused glance with Leah before turning back to Rose. "What do you mean?"

"You're supposed to be something other than yourself," she repeats slowly, her face flickering with amusement. "You animal."

Our small group erupts in laughter, Leah's being the loudest. "She gotcha, babe."

"Yeah, yeah," he says, good-naturedly. "We good?"

Squaring her shoulders and unblinkingly, she replies, "I'm tougher than I look."

Jake nods slowly, pride shining through his features. "Yeah, you are."

"Do you have a leash, Leah?" I ask to get the joking atmosphere back before the heavy feeling starting to swim around us can take hold. "Dogs aren't supposed to run loose."

Leah pats the small fabric basket hanging off her wrist. Belatedly, I realize it's a purse made to look like a wooden basket. "Right here. I never leave home without it."

More chuckles erupt before we head into line. Due to the number of people, my 'speedy pass' doesn't get us as far ahead as I'd like, but still, it's better than nothing. In our little group, we excitedly chatter about the reviews this place received. Apparently, it's the spookiest attraction in the whole area, leaving the handful of others in the dust.

Alice reads the reviews from her phone, not even flinching as the actors that stand outside come up and growl at her. She merely looks at them, unimpressed before continuing her reading. Every once else isn't so lucky, and I even admit I'm caught off guard as someone stands behind me in a skeleton mask with glowing neon yellow eyes.

Amused, Edward stands by rocking on his heels as he watches me catch my breath, though I do see something else underneath the humor in his eyes. I can't place it, but if I had to take a guess, he almost looks upset.

"What?"

"Nothing," Edward replies, all traces of distress gone. "I hope you can handle what's inside."

"I handle you pretty well, don't I?"

"Eh, you're okay."

"Where's Paul?" Jasper asks, looking around as we near the door. "Doesn't he want to go in with us?"

Leah waves away his concern with a dismissive hand, not bothering to look for him. "If I know him at all, he's off somewhere trying to get lucky. Just leave him to it, he needs to learn the hard way that he's not as special as he thinks he is."

"I don't know if I wanna go in," Emmett admits, wincing as the sound of terrified shrieking filling the air. "There's only so much I can take … and if they have bugs in there?" He trails off with a shudder, his form screwing up in disgust. "Ugh. I'll freak right out. I hate bugs."

"Me too, dude," Jake agrees with one nod and a shiver. "Me too."

"Wanna do something else?" Rose offers, ignoring me as I try to catch her attention. "I'll go with you."

Emmett ponders this for a moment, before shaking his head. "Nah, we'll try it. If it gets to be too much, then I'll leave."

"I'm kind of surprised you'd admit to being scared," Jasper muses. "I figured you'd be macho or something."

"A real man admits what he can and cannot handle," Emmett says, puffing out his chest.

While they talk about Emmett's bravado, I pull Rose aside. "If you don't want to go in, you don't have to. We can meet you on the other side."

Rose shakes her head before I'm done, trying to keep attention on me and not on the rambunctious crowd around us. "No, I don't want to be alone out here; I'm good. I promise."

Once we're finally inside, the light atmosphere we had outside is replaced by quiet tension as the door slams closed behind us with a loud click. A sinister chuckle reverberates throughout the room, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

"Now, you're mine," a deep snarling voice says. "No going back."

I jump, my throat seizing, and my heart pounding away in my chest. Next to me, Edward's arm brushes against mine. Surprisingly, his pinky finger curls around mine. He moves close to me, and as a result, our joined hands brush the side of his hip. He makes no move to change our position, as if he doesn't notice or he simply doesn't care.

"Are you okay?" he inquires, his lips faintly touching the shell of my ear. I shiver lightly in response, trying to control the thundering of my heart by taking calm and even breaths. "You can hold my hand if you'd like."

"Is that a cover for you? Offering for me to hold your hand when, in reality, you're the scared one here?" I reply, hoping to gain some control back.

Edward pulls back, focusing on a random spot on the wall. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Mm-hmm."

He says nothing more and it doesn't escape my attention that he doesn't move from my side as we amble slowly forward.

This first section of the attraction is quiet and dark, eerily lit with flameless candles in groups of five in each of the corners on tables that have seen better days.

The walls are splattered with dried blood and handprints smeared in the red liquid, spelling out the words "go back" in shaky scrawl. On the floor lies several body parts and two bodies, one of which jerks awake with a gasping breath, clawing at the floor by our feet.

"Help me, please!" the man cries, his voice broken as blood bubbles from his lips. "Help … you shouldn't go in! He'll kill you!"

The sight of him gurgling on blood has my stomach churning and a humorless chuckle bursting through my lips. The makeup effects were so realistic-looking that if I didn't know any better, I would swear it was real blood.

Out of the corner of my eye, the Cullens stiffen and look around wildly, their nostrils flaring, and eyes narrowed. Jake and Leah look rigid as well, their faces set in stony, angry masks. Gently, I nudge Edward and incline my head, silently asking him what's happening.

He shakes his head, forcing a smile on his face, looking forward as Jasper shrieks, jumping backward, holding a hand over his heart, but laughing at the same time. His reaction to the actor on the floor has me pressing my lips together in an effort to keep the laughter back. I reach for him in support, seeing Rose doing the same.

"You okay?" she asks, her body stiff and her eyes casting around, looking for a way out.

"Yeah, I'm good," he replies with a heavy breath. "I could have sworn they were a fake! I saw the other one moving, so I thought that was the real person."

"I thought they were fake too," Alice offers. "They got me."

To me, Alice didn't look scared. In fact, she looked rather pissed off, which makes me extremely curious. Did she not think the act was scary or is something else going on here?

My stomach tightens at the thought, my eyes surveying the area closely. Nothing looks suspicious or out of place, not that I can see. Haunted house attractions are supposed to be mysterious and misleading, which doesn't help my nerves settle at all.

Up ahead, Jasper's face tilts downward toward the floor, gazing through the piece of rotten flesh hanging over his eye. He leans toward Alice, murmuring something too low for me to hear, but whatever is said, she's receptive to it, as she nods and they continue forward, after Jake.

Leah, surprisingly, is missing.

"Where's Leah?" I question Jake. Edward hangs back, allowing Jake and me to talk.

Forcefully smiling, he waves a hand. "She felt sick after that last scare. She'll be fine, though; her stomach is pretty weak these days."

This, I find hard to believe. For years, Leah has been able to eat just as much, if not more, than the rest of the guys in La Push. I don't know how she eats all that food without being sick; just looking at how much they eat makes me ill.

"Really?" I question. "When did this start? Because a couple of months ago, she was eating just fine."

Jake pales, and a hand goes to the back of his neck as he stares at the ground. Suddenly, the dots connect.

He's been extremely watchful over her lately, more so than usual. lately. He's been extra attentive and looks as if he's going to swoop in and carry her off somewhere.

I have to wonder if she's pregnant … and from the wide-eyed pleading look on his face, I'd say my guess is correct.

"Is she …?"

"You can't say anything," he rushes out, gripping my arm in an almost painful hold.

I hiss, and he immediately releases me, raising his hands in the air. His eyes are apologetic as he glances from me to Edward, who again has come to stand close to me. In my peripheral vision, I see him glaring, his lips pressed in a thin line. The look vanishes into a blank mask, however, as I look at him fully.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just … a wreck with this. Please don't say anything, okay? Please? We haven't told our parents yet."

I place a hand on his shoulder. "Relax; I won't say anything. Just … are you happy?"

Worry is replaced with a bright, beaming smile. "Yeah. It happened sooner than we wanted, but I'm happy. We're happy."

Pulling him into a tight hug, I squeeze him as hard as I can. "Well, congrats!"

"Thanks," he replies with a laugh.

Rose turns to look back at us, her eyebrow quirked in question. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Nothing," I reply. "We were just talking about the attraction."

She opens her mouth to retort, but Emmett steps up to her side, leaning down to whisper in her ear. She nods at what he tells her, peering back over her shoulder to glance at us.

"Come on. We're lagging behind."

In a staggering pattern, we make our way to the next room where a tall figure in a robe and half a face pops out, chuckling darkly. Most of us jump, with the others standing rigidly by.

"You didn't heed the warnings," he tells us, his voice low and gravelly. "You're either very brave or very naïve to continue in my house of horror. I wonder, which one of you will be the first to die? You can choose the same path or a different one when you reach the center of the house; each path you take will alter your future. Enter, and find your fate."

Waving us through to the next room with an evil chuckle, he disappears just as quickly as he came. But he's long forgotten as we enter the dimly lit, fogged-filled room. Rose blindly reaches for Emmett's arm as an actor comes jumping out of the fog with an ear-splitting screech.

In response, Emmett wraps an arm around Rose's shoulders, tucking her into his side. In front of them, I notice Alice and Jasper standing awfully close together, without hardly an inch of space between their arms. Jake seems unfazed as he continues bravely forward.

Edward walks stoically beside me, not even flinching as an animatronic pops out of the fog. He merely rolls his eyes and sighs, shaking his head with an annoyed expression.

In the dim, purple light, Edward's face holds an alarmingly ethereal glow that causes my breath to stutter and my mouth to go dry. Not only does the lighting making him inhuman, it also gives him an intense look of danger, radiating from every pore. From his dark eyes framed in black eyeliner, to the hard set of his square jaw and the stiff way he's holding his shoulders, he looks every bit the dangerous creature he's dressed as.

A part of me is slightly unnerved by this, wondering how he can achieve such a look with minimal effort; does it just come naturally to him, or is it the makeup?

I've seen him look dangerous and deadly twice before; once when Royce had attacked us, and he was standing in front of me, having just come in from nowhere, pushing the scum away from me. The second was that same night in the aftermath when he had been glaring at the stranger in the crowd.

I highly doubt he had been wearing makeup then, so why does he have the same look now? Does he think of this place as unsafe and dangerous? Or does he only have one facial expression, and he's simply annoyed at being here?

"Not to your standards, I presume?" I have to raise my voice and lean toward him against the slow increase of screams, wicked cackles, and the revving of chainsaws the further we head into the 'house.'

He lifts a single shoulder, seemingly unimpressed. "It's all right. I've been to better. We've just started, though, so I'll save my thoughts and opinions for the end."

"Very noble of you."

Flashing a grin, his fang tooth looking a little longer and more discolored than his other pearly whites. I'm confused for a moment until I realize he's added fangs, something that's needed but still highly amusing just the same.

"It's the least I can do. Besides, it's more amusing to watch you get scared."

"I do not get scared. Startled, maybe. But never scared."

"Are you guys coming or what?" Rose asks, stopping in the doorway of the next room. Rose gazes between the two of us, amusement clear on her face. Before I can ask her anything, a loud shout followed by the clanging of metal against metal makes Rose jump and mutter a curse.

Quickening our steps, we meander through a dining hall, where all of the table's occupants are dead and lifeless, save for one, who struggles against the constraints on her wrists as she pleads with us to help her. On the table sit plates with half-eaten food, plastic rats, and roaches that I can't tell are real or not, due to the flashing lights coming from the next room.

"Oh, gross!" Jake exclaims, pointing to the table and rushing out of the room.

Emmett, following where he pointed, makes a face as he shouts, "Oh, hell no!" and follows after Jake. In the next room, a demented butcher hacks at his victim on the butcher block, revealing a gory scene of blood and guts splattering out onto the wooden table.

My stomach rolls at the sight and I hastily look away, finding Rose looking a little green as the scene unfolds.

Rose gags, clamping a hand over her mouth and nose as she turns away, her eyes squeezed shut. Emmett reaches for her, but she bolts out of the room, past Jake, who goes after her.

In her haste to leave, she knocks into Jasper, looking just as nauseated as his sister. He staggers and bumps into Alice, immediately hissing out in pain. Edward's eyes widen, and he sucks in a harsh breath before he darts forward, his hands slipping under Alice's arms, seemingly supporting her weight.

Jasper stammers out an apology, his hands outstretched toward her. Edward ignores Jasper, whispering to Alice as she stands, unresponsive.

I approach them slowly, exchanging a quick look with Jasper. He swallows thickly, rubbing his right arm tenderly, a look of repentance heavy in his eyes.

Suddenly, Alice jerks just as a shrill scream emits from somewhere in the room. She dashes forward through the black curtain hanging in the doorway, leaving us all behind. Edward starts after her, but pauses in the doorway, waving us ahead with an impatient hand.

I start to follow but stop when I realize Jasper is not next to me. He's rooted in place, a pensive expression plastered on his face as he stares at the area Alice had been standing. In front of him, I wave a hand in front of his face, calling his name.

"Jasper!"

Jumping, he blinks rapidly, looking over my shoulder before meeting my eyes with his frantic suspicious ones. "Bella, do you think I hurt her?"

"I think she's okay. She's stronger than she looks."

He ponders this for a moment, trailing off in a heavy sigh and rubbing a hand over his arm. He scowls a moment later, feeling the rubber latex pull at his skin.

"Come on," he says, grabbing my wrist, pulling me in the direction Alice and Edward had disappeared to.

However, we pause once we pass through the curtain, and I freeze at the sight before me: two doorways, framed with white tattered curtains, splattered in red liquid. The words of the man with half a face comes back to me, recalling he said there were two paths to take. Surmising this must be it, I curse myself for lagging behind and not knowing which way the others went.

"Which way did they go?" Jasper questions, looking between the two options.

"I don't know."

Blowing out a breath, he chooses the left doorway, lifting the curtain and waiting for me to pass through. I do so very slowly, casting my gaze around the room with a close eye. It's useless, however. Like the previous rooms, it's too dimly lit to see much of anything, and with the fog hanging heavily around our feet, it creates an extra layer of obscurity.

Following closely behind Jasper, I keep my eyes forward, noting more gory sights on the tables as the fog disperses from our movement. I jump as a section of the wall falls away, and a masked face pops out, reaching for me.

Rolling my eyes at myself, I blink rapidly against the brightness of the next room, seeing nothing but bright neon colors against black.

Once my bearings are back, I wobble forward, bumping into Jasper every now and then. He doesn't complain, as he's walking just as badly as I am.

All of a sudden, apprehension crashes over me, sending my heart into my throat. My hands shake as my breathing comes in short, unsteady bursts. The skin on the back of my neck tightens and pebbles, the base throbbing in time with my pounding heart.

Every instinct within me is telling me to run as fast as I can, and I listen to it.

Reaching for Jasper, I grip his arm tightly. "We need to leave. Now."

Wordlessly, he nods, and we speed walk toward the far side of the room with great difficulty.

The dizzying effect, coupled with the nauseatingly bright colors, makes my stomach roll and walking near impossible. Closing my eyes, I allow Jasper to lead us out, stumbling as he jerks from a loud yell from one of the actors.

I pay it no mind, focusing on keeping down the meager contents of my stomach. down.

Once I feel I have my sickness under control, I open my eyes again, seeing we're in a different room now, the lights flashing in a strobe effect. The feeling from the previous room intensifies, and I push on Jasper's shoulder, silently urging him to hurry.

He does so without question, pulling me along.

Just as we cross the threshold into the next room, a person lunges out at us, falling into Jasper's chest. Her hair is rumpled and messy, her clothes torn and stained deeply with blood. He lurches away, and the girl falls into me, her face pale and wet, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her hands tightly grip the front of my dress, and immediately I feel something warm and wet seeping into my skin. Taking a closer look, I see her features are very familiar.

It's Jess.

"Pl-Please," she begs, her voice hoarse and coming out in broken gasps. "Pl-Please h-help me. He tri-tried t-t-o … h-he tri-tried t-t-to ki-kill m-me. S-some-something d-dug in-into m-my n-neck …"

As soon as the words leave her, I look at her neck and balk at the sight of a deep gash with blood gushing from the wound.

"You're not supposed to touch the customers," Jasper complains, now angry.

Carefully, I lower us to the floor and hold her tightly, using one hand to rip a section of her costume off and bunch the fabric on her neck. Immediately, the blood soaks through, the warm liquid spilling onto my hand. My other hand shoots out toward Jasper. "Give me your shirt."

"Bella—"

"Jasper, it's Jess! She's hurt! This isn't part of the attraction!"

With wide eyes, he whips his shirt off and thrusts it in my hands, shouting for help as I place gentle pressure against her neck, feeling my hands shaking violently. She cries, still holding onto me for dear life while I try to rein in my own emotions.

Swallowing thickly and clearing my throat, I try to make my voice as soothing as possible, in a hopeful effort to make her calm, so maybe she won't bleed as much.

"There's no one coming," Jasper says, frustrated. "There was somebody in the previous room, though. I'm gonna go and get them to help."

I'm shaking my head before he's done, wishing I had another hand to grab him. "No, Jasper."

"I'll be back, I promise!"

Rushing from the room, he leaves us alone, and once more, I swallow thickly, feeling unnerved as the feeling increases tenfold. Jess is still now, and for a moment I think she's dead. It's only when I feel the shallow rise and fall of her chest that I relax slightly. I surmise she must have passed out from blood loss, and I wonder what is taking Jasper so long.

"It's gonna be okay," I whisper to Jess, wishing I felt as confident as the words I'm speaking. mean.

A profound, malicious chuckle erupts in the silence, making my hair stand on end, and my heart roar in my chest. On the far side of the room, I see movement and freeze as two glittering, ruby eyes emerge from the darkness.

"Will it be okay?" a familiar voice with a French accent coo.

Laurent.

"It wasn't okay for her. Or for the two others I killed in here. Do you know how many people walked by them, thinking they were a prop or an actor? You included."

"Why are you doing this?"

He shrugs. "It's fun. It was fun playing with the boy … Ronald? Roy? Royce?" he shakes his head, waving a dismissive hand through the air. "Makes no difference. He was a disappointment. He was doing too many drugs to be useful to me," he says in broken English. "The girl he was with? Lauren? Even more of a disappointment. I thought she had potential; after all, she listened to the boy very well, so I thought it would be the same as me. She was so vicious and evil. I thought she would be a good asset, a good companion for me. Alas, I knew once she woke up, I couldn't keep her. She didn't listen at all. She wanted to do her own thing, her own way, and she was so mouthy. She wasn't too much of a letdown, though. It was fun to torture her."

I swallow thickly, my heartbeat thundering in my ears at what he's told me about Royce and the past tense use in regards to Lauren. She wasn't my favorite person in the slightest, but she didn't deserve to die.

"What did you do to her? Did you kill her?"

He laughs deeply and sinisterly, the sound making me shake. "You should be more concerned about you."

Weighing my options, I ponder what to do. I can't scream because it'll be useless to do so here. I can't run away; I won't leave Jess to this sicko's mercy. Knowing I have no options, I remain where I am, trying to think of something to do to fight off this guy and get both of us safely away.

Laurent steps forward, his face more sinister in the flashing lights of the room. His smile is predatory as he watches me, stalking closer inch by inch. He crouches, ready to pounce on me. I close my eyes in preparation, the breath escaping me as he lands on me, heavy as a boulder.

I scream out as his hand comes swiping down, my skin immediately warming as blood seeps from the wound. He chuckles darkly, leaning toward me, and I squeeze my eyes closed, preparing myself for further pain.

… But suddenly, the weight of him is gone.

Two figures tackle him to the ground, shoving him toward the far side of the room, farthest away from me with an ear-piercing roar. Pulling Jess back into my arms, I reapply pressure to her wound and huddle into the corner, watching with unblinking eyes.

Deafening growls explode into the air, making me wince as the loud sounds dull my hearing, replacing it with a keening buzz. My head pulses, but I keep my eyes open, trying to make out the two figures circling around Laurent. It's impossible to see them due to the flashing strobe lights, and the black cloaks adorning their bodies.

Briefly, I think I see a flash of familiar bronze, but the figure moves too fast for me to be sure.

Hissed words are exchanged as Laurent chuckles at something, prompting one of the cloaked people to charge at him, the pair of them smashing through the thin wall. The second person rushes after them, leaving me alone in the room once more.

One of the cloaked figures steps out from the hole in the air and stares, their hood and the darkness around us, creating a perfect disguise.

Despite everything that happened here, I'm not terrified of this stranger. For some reason, I feel oddly safe and comforted, like I'm not in danger.

Even though I strangely feel like I can trust this person, I don't want them coming any closer.

Behind them, the other cloaked figure steps out, red curls hanging out of the front. The red-haired stranger tugs on the other's arm, leaning close as they whisper something.

The first cloaked figure shakes their head, keeping their gaze on me.

Words are being exchanged, but it's all muffled as if I'm underwater.

The good news, however, is that things are becoming clearer now that everything has quieted.

"—Toria! Leave me alone," the first figure grinds out, jerking out of their grasp.

I flinch at the sight, swallowing past the lump in my throat, intent on focusing on something else.

Like who these people are.

Unfortunately, the voices are too low for me to make out who they are, something that pisses me off greatly.

"We have to go. Now."

A long beat passes before both figures turn and disappear, leaving me alone with Jess.

Seconds later, the lights in the room turn on and muffled groans of disappointment can be heard from some distance.

Jasper and another person in makeup come running in, the former falling on his knees next to me, his eyes widen as he looks between Jess and me.

"Are you okay?"

"I think so."

"Is she …?"

"No. It's close, though. She needs an ambulance," I snap at the employee, who has whipped off the silicone mask covering part of his face.

"Jesus," he breathes, his olive complexion going pale as he takes in the scene in front of him. Rifling through his pockets, he pulls out a walkie-talkie, his tone shaky and broken as he speaks. "Area Four, we need an ambulance, now!"

8*8*8*8*8*8*8

Thirty minutes later, Rose and Jasper flank my sides. Rose has an arm around my shoulders while Jasper rubs soothing circles on my back. They each try to talk to me, but their voices blur together in a warbling wave of noise I can't make out no matter how hard I try.

Moments ago, I had given my statement to the police, my voice sounding detached even to my own ears. I can't help it, though.

All I can see is Jess, bleeding heavily from a deep gash on her neck, and the words of the EMT repeating in my ears.

"Might not make it. Too much blood loss."

With everything in me, I wish they're wrong. I hope they're wrong.

She has to be okay.

Jess is a good person, having gone through too much to be in this situation. She deserves to be happy and healthy, living her best life.

She doesn't deserve to die, not like this.

She has to be okay.

"Bella?" Rose softly says, rubbing my shoulder with firm but gentle hand. When I don't respond, she says my name more firmly, angling her face into my blurry line of vision.

It's then I notice that I'm crying, obscuring my view and making it difficult to breathe. Taking a deep breath, I wipe my face and clear my throat a few times, collecting myself.

"What?"

"Are you o—ready to go?" She continues, worriedly. Her hands brush over my hair, and she squeezes my hand as she speaks. "Uncle Charlie is here to take us home. We'll get you cleaned up and stuff our faces with candy as we watch movies, okay? We'll have a mindless night of entertainment."

"Yeah, we'll have a good time," Jasper inputs, rubbing my back.

For a moment, I'm confused as to why I need to get cleaned up. Sure, I have makeup on, but it won't take that long to remove with the makeup remover wipes I have in my drawer.

Looking down, I immediately see what she's referring to.

Blood.

I'm covered in blood.

Mine and Jess's, I know, mixed together. The bandage covering the top of my shoulder to the start of my chest sits white and pristine, covered in tape. There are faint pink spots on the gauze, but it's not as bad as it had been at the start.

It had taken a while for the wound to clot, but luckily it did. I was fortunate the EMT had told me as he patched me up; the knife wound wasn't that deep and didn't hit any arteries or organs.

If I had, I would be dead.

I wasn't too sure there had been a knife; I don't recall seeing anything shimmering in the darkness, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. I know I had braced myself for his attack, not wanting to see it coming. I could have missed it because I definitely felt something sharp pierce my body.

Nodding vigorously and wanting nothing more than to be at home, I allow Rose to lead me to Dad's car, my feet clumsily stumbling together. Thankfully, Rose and Jasper keep me upright, ushering me forward.

Edward steps into our path before we can make it, his eyes focused on mine his hand twitches toward me, but it falls heavily back at his side.

"How are you?"

"She's fine," Rose answers for me, a bit brusquely.

Edward pays her no mind, keeping his attention on me. I can't find the words to speak, so I simply nod once, the motion jerky and unbelievable.

Alice trails after him, giving me a sad smile and stepping forward as if she's going to hug me, but instead grabs my hand at the last moment, squeezing once.

"You're gonna be okay," she tells me, confidence oozing from every word, despite the sadness drenched in her features.

From the corner of my eye, I see Rose smile in relief, hugging me to her side a little more firmly.

"I'm not important," I murmur. "Jess is …"

"She'll be fine, too," Alice interrupts. "Trust me."

"While I agree being confident is good," Jasper begins hesitantly, "We can't know for sure. It doesn't look good."

Alice nods once, but her confidence never wavers, though apprehension does start to creep up the longer this conversation continues. "You're right, but she'll pull through. It'll be a while, but she will."

"How do you—"

"Jasper, Jess needs only positive thoughts right now," Rose interrupts. "Let's keep it at that."

"How are you, really?" Edward questions, his hands settling on my shoulders.

Lightly, I flinch but allow myself to relax as I lean into him, feeling that odd sense of comfort and safety once more.

"I'll be fine," I reply hollowly, giving him a barely-there smile. "I'll survive."

Resolutely, he nods. "You will."

It feels as if he wants to say something more, but nothing ever comes. He simply stares unblinkingly at me, his fingers soothingly gliding against the top of my shoulders.

At my sides, Rose and Jasper both shift, casting Edward uncomfortable and suspicious glances. Edward makes no move to acknowledge them, however. He keeps his focus on me.

"We need to go," Rose says, gently pulling me back. "Bella needs to get cleaned up and be at home."

Edward and Alice both nod once, stepping to the side, revealing Emmett waiting a couple of feet back, watching us with concerned and rapt attention. He gives me an anxious half-smile, shifting his intent stare to Rose.

She gazes back, keeping her eyes locked on him as we walk away, while Jasper looks between both Cullen brothers with wariness as they stalk off.

Once we're close enough, Dad immediately pulls me into a tight hug, being mindful of my injury. He starts to speak but stops himself as he looks at my face. Sighing lightly, he places a kiss on my forehead and takes Rose's place at my side.

Like Rose, he brushes my hair back behind my ears and squeezes me into his side.

"Come on, baby girl. Let's go home."

"No, Dad. The guy mentioned Lauren," I ramble out, ignoring the shocked gasps of my cousins. "I think he hurt her or killed her. You have to check up on her."

He nods, still trying to usher me away, but I resist. "And the two people that helped me … where are they? Who are they? I should thank them, right? Yeah, I should."

"I don't know, baby. I'll look into it and let you know, okay? Let's go now."

"Where's Mom?"

He looks at something over my shoulder but guides me toward the car before I turn to look.

"She's … with Dr. Cullen's nurse. She's trying to get him to and come see you. She doesn't trust anyone else."

Dad escorts me to the passenger side of his cruiser, and just before I get in, I spot Edward and his siblings, along with Leah standing in a tight group, talking and gesturing wildly.

The displeased and heated expressions on their faces tell me it isn't a pleasant conversation. Edward looks the most irate, standing tall with a rigid back, his lips pinched together, and eyes narrowed as speaks with Alice, his lips hardly moving as he hisses something at her.

Alice, annoyed and furious, stands on the tips of her toes and shouts at him, her hands balled into fists. One hand uncurls and pokes his chest with each word uttered. Unfazed by her outburst, Edward leans toward her, his own hands balled into fists at his sides as he retorts.

Emmett and Leah both step forward, pushing Edward back. Leah immediately takes Alice into her arms as my friend covers her face, her shoulders shaking as she sobs.

My heart lurches for her, wanting to comfort her and ask what the hell is Edward's problem. When his attention directs to me, I pause, confused, as I clearly see the trouble and agony shining in his eyes.

A thousand questions bubble up in my throat, dying to come out and satisfy my curiosity. The main one being, why is he staring at me like that? Is he worried about me? Or is he concerned about the fight he's having with sister?

Knowing how close they are, I figure that must be it and slide into the passenger seat, hearing Jasper mumble something under his breath. I only pick out Alice's name, knowing he's looking in the same direction I am.

Outside, Dad exchanges muffled words with Jasper and Rose, but I pay them no mind, keeping my attention on Edward and the others at the end of the street.

From around the corner, two more people join them, and immediately, I recognize them too.

It's the couple I had seen following the Cullens in the street, the same man that had intercepted Laurent the first time I had been trapped by him.

I suck in a breath, my body poised to run out, but the feeling dies just as quickly as it comes as I watch the duo come to stand next to Alice. The man with long, blond hair tied back with a leather strap places a hand on Alice's shoulder, pulling her into a hug, glaring at Edward over her head.

Edward rolls his eyes and looks away, shaking his head with annoyance. The woman with flaming red hair smacks the back of his head, wagging a finger in his face. Whatever she tells him has his agitation fading and his head hanging in shame.

Turning toward his sister, he holds his arms out to her, and she runs into his hug, squeezing him tightly. The red-haired woman ruffles his hair with a gleeful grin, ignoring his glare.

The car starts, the engine loud and roaring to my ears, and I jump, hurdling back, the armrest on the door digging into my spine. Dad reaches for me but lets his hands drop, palm side up.

"It's okay, Bella. It's just us."

In the backseat, Rose smiles tensely, sliding a hand over my shoulder and squeezing once. Jasper pats my other shoulder with a heavy hand, his attention focused on the Cullens down the block.

Returning the smile half-heartedly and taking a deep breath, I remind myself of where I am, and who I'm with. I know I'm safe; I can't explain it, but I know I'm okay or will be, at least.

Facing forward, I focus my attention out of the window as we pass by our friends. Alice is still standing in between Edward and the blond man, her face blank and eyes closed, her stance stiff. Everyone else is staring at her unblinkingly, frozen and waiting.

The red-haired woman, I notice, leans against Edward's side, her focus intently on Alice with rapt interest.

For some strange reason, my stomach clenches and rolls, my vision swirling in a dizzying kaleidoscope of stomach-turning color. Closing my eyes, I focus on the gentle hum of the motor and push everything else out, hoping to get some peace of mind, just for a moment.

All the way home, Jasper and Rose talk in quiet murmurs, their tone going from gentle and inquisitive to harsh and hissing.

"She was hurt, Rosalie. Didn't you see her?" Jasper hisses. "Alice was super upset, and Edward looked pissed. And where was Emmett? You seemed awfully close to him tonight. Aren't you curious about him? Don't you want to know what happened? And what about Jake and Paul?"

"My relationship with Emmett is none of your business."

"Your relationship? Now the two of you have a relationship, huh? Funny, how it wasn't mentioned before, and you don't seem to care what happened to him."

"Let it go, Jasper," Rose snaps, her tone unforgiving. "Maybe they had a family emergency. Maybe they were looking for Paul. We don't know."

"Exactly. We don't know. We should see if they're okay."

"And we will. We'll call them tomorrow," she replies, her words final.

"Bella—"

"Knock it off," Dad interjects, staring at Jasper through the rearview mirror. "Call them tomorrow."

Nothing more is said on the matter, though I can tell Jasper hasn't let the issue go. Through the side mirror, I watch as he drums his fingers against the door before shoving the same hand into his hair, pulling on the roots.

Through the seat, I feel his leg bouncing, but I don't say anything. It's kind of soothing.

Once we're at home, Dad escorts us inside, his footsteps heavy on the floor, and his shoulders curled inward, his head hanging lower than normal.

"Where's Aunt Renee?" Jasper questions, while Rose merely looks worried.

"She's waiting for Carlisle to be done at the hospital so he can look over Bella. She'll be here soon," he hesitates, muttering something under his breath and scrubbing a hand over his face.

After a moment of silence, Dad looks at each of us in the eye; his words matched with the seriousness in his eyes. "I'm going back to help out where I can, okay? I'll investigate Lauren too and see where she is. Lock the doors and no leaving at all, understand? Don't answer the door either."

We all nod and give him a hug. Dad hugs me tightly, pulling back with a small smile.

"Don't worry," he whispers. "You'll be safe, okay? The man who attacked you …" he pauses, seemingly choosing his words before he says. "He'll be found and taken care of. It's a promise."

Strangely, I know this to be true. For some odd reason, I can feel the truth of his words deep within me; I know by the end of this night, Laurent will no longer be an issue, one way or another.

Nodding in acknowledgment, I give a slight smile. "Okay. Will you … will you check on Jess? She … she has to be okay."

Dad agrees before I'm through. "She was rushed straight to Carlisle. I have no doubts she'll be fine."

Relieved, I thank him, knowing Carlisle will go above and beyond to help her. If he can help my Mom and countless others tirelessly, he can help her. I wave as he leaves, and I lock the doors with a firm hand. The headlights from his car flash through the windows before returning to the soft lighting the lamp in the living room provides.

Rose claps, forcing a smile onto her face. "Okay, let's salvage the rest of this evening, hmm? I'm thinking popcorn, some candy … maybe some movies? Whatever you want."

The last suggestion is hesitant and unsure, and while I'm touched by her consideration, I do feel a little better now. Sure, I still feel nervous and slightly anxious, but now that I'm home, and coupled with the feeling of Laurent getting what he deserves, I feel more centered and grounded.

"Sounds good."

She nods and follows me to the stairs, arms outstretched. "I'm going to help you get cleaned up."

My gut reaction is to turn down her offer and tell her I can do it myself, but honestly, right now, I don't feel like being alone.

Jasper tugs lightly on my arm, his eyes swimming in worry and concern. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine."

He nods, not looking like he believes me in the slightest, but says nothing. "All right. Let's get this evening started. You guys go get ready, and I'll be down here doing my own thing."

Murmuring my acceptance, I start up the stairs, pausing when Rose addresses Jasper.

"Jasper," she says, holding a tone of warning. "Don't. You can talk to them tomorrow."

"Rosalie, I need to see if she's okay—"

"Tomorrow," she interrupts. "Leave them alone."

"But what if—"

"If there's something you can do or you're needed for something, I'm sure you'll get a call. Until then, get changed for the movie."

Without another word, we go upstairs, leaving Jasper. Carefully, Rose helps me out of the now ruined dress, hissing as I wince from a sharp movement. Whispering an apology, she throws the dress into the hall, leaving it there to take care of later.

Wistfully, I sigh.

I had been so excited about that dress. I would have kept it for years, and now it's ruined, stained with blood, torn from harsh tugs and tarnished with bad memories. I'm sad about the short time I had it, but I'm not sad to see it go.

After my shower, I feel more energized and a little more like myself. The hot water against my flesh helped me rid the memories and the blood, for now at least. I don't know what tonight will bring, though, when I lay down to sleep.

Hopefully, I'll dream of a soothing melody and have peaceful feelings, rather than giving that scum any more of my energy.

My steps are slow as I head downstairs, my legs feeling like cooked noodles. One hand firmly grips the banister and the wall, not wanting to give Rose and Jasper any more cause for concern. Rose, having cleaned herself up as well, smiles brightly and hands me a giant orange bowl of Halloween candy with a wink.

"Eat. I'll get Jasper."

Doing as I'm told, I tear into my favorite chocolate candy, sighing in relief as the sweetness touches my tongue. Taking my second bite, Rose comes storming into the room, a piece of paper clutched in her hand and curses rolling off her tongue.

"What's wrong?" I question, clearing my throat to clear the hoarseness from my words.

Ignoring me, she snatches her phone off the table, she pushes harshly onto the screen, still muttering. Seconds later, she growls, "Jasper, get your ass home now. I swear, if you get hurt, I'll kill you."

Throwing herself down on the couch next to me, she wordlessly hands me the paper in her hand. On it is Jasper's messy scrawl, hastily written out in an impatient hand.

I went to check on Alice. I need to make sure everything is okay. I have my cell phone. I'll be okay, don't worry.

"I can't believe him," she fumes her pinched face red. "He's in for it. He is. When he gets here, he's so going to get it."

A broken chuckle leaves me; I'm kind of glad I'm not on Rose's shit list this time. It makes me wonder what hell she'll give him. Knowing Rose, it won't be anything good.

Fortunately, I don't have to wait long.

Half an hour later, headlights illuminate the living room, and Rose jumps up, peering out of the window.

"Finally."

Marching toward the door, she throws it open and bellows Jasper's entire name, tapping her foot on the floor. She takes a deep breath to ready herself for screaming at him but pauses as he pushes her inside, slamming the door closed.

Jasper's face is ashen, highlighted by the light sheen of sweat beading up on his forehead and upper lip. His breathing is heavy, coming out in heavy pants as his hands fumble with the locks. Trying and failing three times before he gets it right on the fourth try, he leans his back against the door with a heavy sigh. When his breathing returns to normal, he races into the living room, pulling the curtains closed.

"Jasper?" I ask, standing and slowly heading toward him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he spits out, taking a calming breath and closing his eyes. When he opens them again, he doesn't seem any better. The frenzied panic is still there, but his voice is more controlled.

"I'm okay, just don't go outside … and don't contact the Cullens ever again."

Uh-oh.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

I hope everyone is still staying safe. Until next time!