The conversation turned to something lighter as I ate. When I cut into my steak, it bled out. I couldn't really taste iron but it tasted good. Edward didn't have a bite, and Jenkins didn't seem surprised though I was sure he didn't know Edward was a vampire. Instead, Edward cut it up to make it look like he was eating to fool the waiter. When enough time passed, Edward had our dinner wrapped up and we left after exchanging cordial goodbyes with Jenkins.

The Underground Chapter Five

"You were kinda cold to him," I commented as we walked out of the restaurant. It was dark out now, and the surrounding grounds were alight with arcs of string lights. Onlookers could surmise we were on a date. In a way we were, including our illegal dealing. I hugged the arm he hooked with mine.

"We're friendly, but in order to make sure he does what I ask and doesn't pry I have to be stern."

"Ah. I understand. So this is how a ninety year old managed to enroll into high school,"

He smirked. "Indeed." He said.

"What's next?" I ask.

"We're moving for the last time to a more obscure area. We'll make it our own and stay there 'til we're found or not, whichever comes first." He took out our new state IDs and held them side-by-side in front of me. On it stated that I was Vivianne Darci, I was 21. and that I had black hair. His was the same. His name was changed, his age, and his eye color was stated to be black.

"This is you and this is me. We're a couple to everyone else. Remember the details." He said.

"Got it." I said. He put them back into the envelope and it back into the inside of his jacket.

We walked back to the hotel, getting a new phone for Edward on the way, where I stored our leftovers in the mini fridge and undressed under the covers since I didn't have any pijammas. I think I caught Edward looking away but he was much too fast. Since he didn't sleep, he stayed in his suit and browsed the internet for apartment listings. I thought about what he said, that he and I would be a couple to everyone else. I haven't entertained the idea of him and I being a real couple, I wasn't sure what we were now, but settled in bed to sleep knowing he would still be there in the morning.

Meanwhile, back in Forks, The Cullens ran to the Sunset Marine Resort to talk him into returning Bella and home before Charlie took the search for Bella farther. But Alice's vision came too late and they found the resort empty of them. There wasn't a trace of Edward's scent or of human, but the road broke into two. Emmett and Rosalie go north, and Jasper and Alice go south. They had to stop somewhere, or her body had to be. Carlisle had to return to the hopsital because the receptionist called saying Charlie was there, needing to talk to him. He'd go there while Esme returned home to recieve any calls from their children or the cops.

At the hospital, Charlie cried in front of Carlisle fearing the worst, and begging him to call him no matter the time of day or night if he knew if she was admitted, to check the list every morning and night for her. He was a father, how would he feel right now? Carlisle tentatively laid a hand on his shoulder and gripped it. "I understand Charlie. I would do the same thing you are now. I wouldn't stop searching until my last breath. Trust me, I will look for her." He swore. Charlie thanked him and pulled him into a hug. Racked with guilt, Carlisle returned the gesture then sent him off with advice to keep his health in mind, for Bella's sake. Charlie laughed once and said, "Yeah. She'd be angry if I didn't." And then he was gone, back to searching. He had most of the police department searching for Bella throughout Forks and had sent messages to the departments in the surrounding towns. Like Carlisle said, he wouldn't stop until he was dead. Inside his cruiser, he swore he would find her before she was dead.

His hope suffered a blow that night. And by morning, Bella was officially a missing person. It was the talk of the town by then.

In the morning, I quickly pulled my shirt and pants on while Edward wasn't looking then sat in front of him to eat our leftover steak for breakfast. Meanwhile, Edward continued to settle our current homeless state in silence. He was so silent. Did he ever joke around with his siblings? Did he have other vampire friends? Hmm...maybe silence is best when you can hear every thought of everyone around you.

"Almost done. Bah! Having to wait 'til the humans are awake to do this..." He muttered. I nearly dropped my fork. "I can't wait to be off the road." He said looking up with a smirk.

"Can we really stop here?" I ask.

"They won't be able to pick up my scent on the road, and if they or the police make it as far as the bridge, they'd find the car."

"But when they see there's no corpses?"

"The search will still be on until enough time passes and the case is closed." So we'll be together 'til then. I smile to myself.

"I'm going to go shower." He returned to his touchscreen phone and I went into the bathroom. Thank goodness the hotel gave free toiletries.

I brushed my teeth using the hotel's free toothbrush and toothpaste while I let the bath run, then slipped into the bubble bath. Edward had said he could last a while without needing to feed so I wasn't worried enough to ask. He'd tell me if he was hungry and I would happily give it to him. Or he could just take it. The thought sent a shiver up my spine. What am I thinking?! I could imagine what would come after...-No, stop. I reached my hand down. Do I dare? No. That'd be weird. I pulled my hand up and relaxed into the hot bath. But my mind brought back the memory of the other night. Mmmrgh...I sank down to the bottom, the bubbles closing above my head.

When I was done, I dried myself off and changed back into the street clothes I swiped 2 days ago. As soon as I stepped out of the door, and let out the steam, Edward threw himself against the wall farthest from me.

"Whoa! Are you okay?!" He growled in response.

"I can smell you..." He gritted. Hotel soap? I didn't understand. He noticed.

"Your scent is in the air, in the steam-it's everywhere! Wisps of steam are still rising from your skin..." He glared at me from the ground with those black, thirsty eyes. I didn't know what to do. I stepped back and stood by the bathroom door.

I stayed there as he breathed in deeply, slowly, then huffed it out. When he could afford to, he would lean his head back and breath with his eyes closed.

"When you're wet...your scent is amplified..." He explained.

"...Is it...nice?" His eyes flashed open and he was glaring again.

"Intoxicating." My breath staggered. Maybe I should shut up.

"It's fine. I was somewhat used to it before and this just threw me in for a loop." He chuckled. After a beat I smiled awkwardly. But were those the eyes of a killer?

We stayed like that for a while, then he slowly closed the distance until his chest was touching mine, his nose in my hair.

"See? Fine." He said.

"Good." I inched my gaze upwards and saw he was back to normal. His eyes were still black, but he held me gently, his hands on my elbows which he could easily break. But I trusted, wholeheartedly, that he wouldn't break a single part of me. I smile easily at him.

"The apartment is ours. As soon as the sun sets we'll head over there and sign the property over to us."

I distracted myself by watching TV, and when it was time Edward changed into his street clothes and I put my boots on. We went to an ATM and took some money out, then he called a cab. In 10 minutes we were in a developing area near the University of Washington, still in the heart of Seattle. He paid the fare and tipped the driver well before he stepped out of the car, pulling me with him. Looking around quickly, I saw many buildings that were on many different stages towards completion.

"Mr. Darci?" A voice called. A man in a crisp blue suit walked towards us from a red brick building.

"Yes, you're Mr. Yesler. We spoke on the phone." The shook hands briefly. "This is my wife," Edward continued.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Yesler then shook mine. "Let's go up shall we?" He quickly walked to the door and held the door open for us. This wasn't what I was expecting but at the same time I wasn't expecting anything specific.

"This is a four-story, victorian factory building circa 1900's with a high-ceiling first floor..." He started as we stepped deeper inside. "Lots of windows letting in a lot of the natural light...The light fixtures need to be replaced but everything left behind from that era has already been taken away so you can immediately begin the remodelling." It sounded like he was surprised a rich person bought a dump, Edward surely gave him a lot of money, but not enough to ask what he was going to do with it.

"Back here is the service elevator, and dock-there's another service elevator on the other side, both in good condition. And here are the stairs, slightly hidden."

"Let's go up using the elevator," Edward said.

"Right this way," Yesler opened the wrought iron gate and pulled the door aside and we stepped into the cage that was the elevator. There was nothing, except the iron cage, seperating us from the inside of the tunnel. Yesler closed the door and sent us up.

He opened it again to show us the second floor, the third, and the last. We got off it and looked at it from the center. It was just a big open space with a wood panel floor, windows all around and a skylight over the center of it. I knew we'd live here. Finished with the tour, Yesler took out the documents, Edward signed them and a check, then the keys were handed over to him.

"Congratulations," He said. Edward saw him out and locked up behind him, then came back up.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"Big,"

"More than enough room for use both," He said, standing a few feet away from me.

"A little too big. What are you planning to do with it?"

"I'm thinking of opening up a lounge and bar. What do you think?" He said with a playful grin.

"I don't know what that is exactly but it sounds interesting."

"Have to make money somehow," He said. He crossed his arms and rubbed his chin. "This will work nicely..."

I'm sorry for not updating last week, I had a lot of shifts and didn't have much time for anything except sleep and rest which I really needed.

IMPORTANT! - Would you rather I write out what the Cullens are doing rather than summarize like I did?

Thank you Cirscha (love your name btw), Meda92, and wizards30 for favoriting and following, especially wizards30 for favoriting my other twfic Triple-Sided Apocalypse, I really appreciate it.