Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, just Ella, Adrian and anything else you don't recognise.

AN:

Sorry for not uploading for 2 weeks. I was waiting for my new laptop to arrive :) It's now here so I can upload again. Thanks for being patient with me!

Chapter Ten – Can Myths become Reality?

I awoke that morning for a pretty intense dream. It was one of those ones that consumes you till you wake and then evaporates before you remember what had happened. There was sweat on the back of my neck and the feeling of danger. It obviously hadn't been a good dream. I wished I could remember what had happened but I could only remember darkness.

"Bella, do you ever think about whether mythical creatures are real?"

"No this again Ella. No they aren't real. If the world was full of vampires, werewolves etc. we'd know about it."

I frowned.

Bella wasn't as…creative as me. She didn't see the shades of grey that I saw in the world.

I decided that it would be better not to pursue the topic. If I angered Bella this early in the morning, she might punish me by ignoring me for the rest of the day.

I could already tell that Bella had taken extra care while dressing that morning. I couldn't really understand why; it was a Saturday after all. She usually spent Saturdays catching up on homework and doing laundry. I guess I shouldn't really judge her, I usually spent Saturdays in bed reading or out shopping with Alice and Rose.

Narrowing my eyes at her, I studied her behaviour. Twins really shouldn't keep information from each other. She kept shifting from one foot to the other and had actually deviated from her usual dark coloured clothing. I was extra certain that something suspicious was up because I detected that she was wearing makeup.

Bella NEVER wore makeup. I didn't even think she owned any makeup.

The world is coming to an end!

"Hey Bells."

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing today?"

She coloured immediately and stopped shifting from foot to foot.

"N-nothing."

I pouted, adopting the wounded puppy dog look.

"I didn't think we kept secrets from each other. What's wrong Bells, are you in trouble?"

Ok, so I was laying it on a bit thick but I really wanted to know what was up with her. We never kept anything from each other. I wasn't going to say it out loud but it really hurt my feelings that she wasn't telling me something. Did she not trust me?

"I'm err, going to show Adrian Port Angles…"

I frowned, wondering why she was doing that and crossed my arms.

"Isn't that Tyler's job? Adrian is his cousin after all."

"Yeah, Tyler was busy…Adrian asked me."

"So it's like a date?"

"N-no?"

"But you want it to be?"

It was so fun to rile my sister and she made it incredibly easy. I have to admit though, if she really did like Adrian, I wouldn't stand in the way because I think they'd make a cute couple. It would be good for Bella to experience a boyfriend – she'd never had one before.

"Shut up ok."

I felt slightly guilty about harassing her so. It had clearly gotten to her.

"Sorry Bells, if you really like him go for it."

She smiled at me but it was a nervous sort of smile. I excused myself. I didn't want to make the pick up any more awkward for Bella. Apparently Adrian was picking her up, something about not trusting the truck. I don't blame him, as much as I loved riding in the truck, even I was concerned about it breaking down on us.

Having my Saturday blown wide open I sighed in boredom. I had had no plans but I was sad that I didn't have Bella to fall back on. I ended up poking my bruised hand. I don't know why I did it, because it bloody hurt. It wasn't swollen anymore but it was a nice shade of green. It hurt when I flexed it though. Dad hadn't been angry when he found out. Well, he'd sort of been angry but not for the reasons I'd thought.

He was angry that I got caught, not angry because I'd punched someone.

I know, my Dad is awesome.

Flopping on my bed like a goldfish out of water, I pulled my phone out of my pocket, scrolled through my contacts and sent a message. The response was instant and a short while later I was waiting outside my house.

Edward pulled up to my house earlier than I would have expected him and even got out to open the passenger side door for me. I jumped in quickly, it was windy out and I didn't want to get cold.

"So, Bella dumped you."

I glared at him, watching through mischievous eyes as he smirked playfully back at me.

"She didn't dump me, she is just broadening her social circles."

"With a boy…"

"My sister has never had a boyfriend. I'm not going to stand in her way or hurt her chances of getting one. She deserves to be happy."

"What about you? Do you deserve to be happy?"

I cocked my head to the side, like a dog does when confused.

"Of course I'm happy."

"You don't have a boyfriend?"

"Nope."

"Do you want one?"

I crossed my arms under my chest, well aware that this pushed my chest up. Edward was driving but he could still look out of the corner of his eye. If he was determined to make me feel uncomfortable, I'd return the favour.

"Why? Are you offering?"

I smirked in triumph as I saw the brief flash of embarrassment on his face. He didn't answer but did send a smirk my way.

Two can play this game…

There was silence in the car for the rest of the journey. I actually didn't know where we were going. I shouldn't have been surprised when we rocked up at the Cullen house. A little part of me was disappointed, as I had hoped to spend some time alone with Edward. As friends of course – liar my brain screamed at me. Stupid brain.

Walking into the Cullen house besides Edward made me feel alive. I loved my new home away from home but something had been playing on my mind. It could potentially break everything I had with the Cullen's. My heart and mind wared but I still pushed through.

"Don't you guys ever get tired of pretending to be human?"

You could have heard a pin drop. That's how I knew my suspicions had been correct. I'd been thinking of it when I was watching Supernatural with Dad. We always talked about the possibilities of myths being real. I'd been watching the Cullen's a lot since I came to know them. They didn't eat in public, their skin was flawless and they were cold to the touch. They never tired and they were always absent when fresh blood was in the air or the sun was out.

It didn't take a genius to work it out.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It really doesn't bother me what you are. I just know that your home is the one place you can be yourself and I don't want you to have to worry about putting up a front for me."

The Cullen's gaped at each other. I noticed Edward had moved himself away from me.

I think I broke them. I'd never seen them look so empty.

"You told her? Why would you tell her?"

Rose was angry, angry at Edward or Alice I couldn't tell.

"Oh no, please don't fight. No one told me. I just watch a lot of Supernatural with my Dad that's all. We've always been very open to mythical beings being real. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I really didn't mean to cause any trouble."

I felt like an idiot now. Why did I open my big mouth and say things without thinking of the consequences?

I feel like I've just lost the friends that were making my life good again.

"You aren't afraid of us?"

It was Jasper who had asked the question. I now understood his constant anxiety. I was pretty sure I knew the diet of the Cullen's wasn't human based and that perhaps Jasper struggled with that.

"No. Logically I know I should be but I'm not. If you asked me again in a different situation, my answer might change. I know you aren't bad people but you've made the best of an unavoidable situation. I can't judge you for something like that. I always think that as long as you can look at yourself in the mirror without guilt then you're doing something right."

"You haven't even said what we are, word for word."

I turned slowly to look at Edward. He looked like a caged animal, nervous and angry. I felt like I should open the back door and encourage him to run but I knew that wouldn't help.

"Oh, I didn't realise you wanted me to spell it out. I was kind of going by your lead here. You're Vampires I think, or I suppose you could merely be immortals."

Edward glared at me.

"Too soon for humour then?"

"What do Vampires drink?"

I chuckled.

Ok maybe chuckling wasn't the right move for this situation. If you could kill someone with a single glare, I'd be dead ten times over by now!

"Blood of course but you have to understand there are several types of Vampires out there. Just because you haven't met them, doesn't mean they aren't real. Maybe they aren't in this world but they will be in other dimensions."

Again I had that déjà vu feeling of having broken the Cullen's. Their slack-jawed expressions reminding me of goldfish in a bowl.

I think I should point out that I'm a bit of a geek.

"You know what, I'm just going to wander in your garden. You guys have a lot to talk about. Come find me when you have some questions sorted."

Really it should have been impossible for me to walk away without being stopped by one of them. However, in their current states I don't think they could have caught anything.

Their garden was like a tropical hideaway. Their house backed out onto the forest so they really didn't have to do anything to their garden. However, I knew Esme had a flare for interior design that apparently spread to exterior as well. I loved their garden because it was so magical. Plants grew up impossibly high and bees buzzed all around collecting honey from the plants. There were secret alleyways behind trees and bushes, a pond hidden behind a willow tree and even a hammock and a treehouse. I didn't know how often the Cullen's used their garden but I loved it.

I climbed up into the treehouse, loving the feeling of being up so high. I lost my mind as I gazed into the ever green forest. My worries fell away and I began to daydream. I wasn't really thinking about anything in particular, just anything that popped into my mind.

I knew I was up there for a while because my bum had gone numb and when I got up to stretch, my muscles hurt a little. The Cullen's still hadn't come down to get me and I was getting super bored.

I had a really short attention span.

If I'd known, I was going to be out here so long I'd have bought my phone with me or something.

Luckily the treehouse was like an extra sitting room. Why have a room if you aren't going to use it right? Esme had filled it with pillows and blankets. There wasn't a bed but there was a half decent bean bag. I pulled it away from the side a little and tried to mould it into a bed. I wasn't very successful but it would do. I didn't want to walk back into the Cullen's house if they were deep in discussion. So instead I crawled up and tried to fit as much of my body as I could onto the bean bag and settled in for a nap.

I knew I'd been asleep for a long time when I rolled over and fell sharply on the floor. Opening my eyes, I found myself on the floor of the Cullen's sitting room. Someone had carried me from the treehouse to the sofa and apparently I'd slept soundly through the whole ordeal.

There was no one except me in the sitting room but I could hear movement coming from the kitchen. Gathering my confidence and wiping sleep from my eyes I walked towards the kitchen. It was just Esme and Carlisle inside. I was relieved as I was dreading the response the others would give.

The Cullen parents looked up when I entered and offered me warm smiles.

"Was I wrong to tell you I knew?"

My voice was small when I spoke, I didn't realise how effected I was by how things had progressed. I was regretting my decision to speak out.

"No sweetie, we understand. You were trying to do something for us but you have to understand this puts danger on all of us."

"Danger?"

"Humans aren't supposed to know about vampires. It's one of the rules the Volturi set – think of them as vampire royalty."

"Oh I see, I'm so sorry. Maybe we could just pretend that I don't know. I'll never bring it up again and we could pretend this day never happened?"

"I'm not sure that it's that simple," said Esme.

"Oh."

Disappointment flooded me. I suddenly felt very alone in the world.

"You have much to discuss don't you. I really am sorry, if I knew things would have progressed so I would never have said anything. I value the friendship and acceptance I've gained from you all but I understand you must do what's best for you as a family. I think I'll go home now."

They tried to stop me from leaving but I was adamant that I needed to get home. I wondered if Bella would be back when I arrived. I knew her happiness would cheer me up even a little bit. It was only when I'd left the Cullen house in the distance did I realise I would have to walk all the way home. I didn't even want to think about how long that would take me.

Everything today was going wrong.

My feet hurt. I didn't think I'd been walking more than ten minutes and I already hated every moment of it. This was not how I wanted to spend my weekend. A car slowed to a crawl beside me.

"Get in."

I looked up, momentarily confused by the voice till I saw the owner of the car: Edward.

How long had he been following me?

I got in without complaint. Thankful that he'd found me.

The car felt stuffy. The tension was so thick I felt I would choke from it.

"I'm sorry Edward."

His hands tightened on the wheel.

He offered no comforting words or gestures.

I sank further into my seat.

My strangled thank you came out in a string of unidentifiable sounds when we finally arrived at my house. I flung myself out of the car without so much as a backward glance. I didn't need to turn to know that he'd already driven away.

My breath started to come out in small pants as my hands shook and I struggled to open the door. Inside the house I was safe. Safe to let everything out and not worry about the judgement of others.

I tried to control my breathing, to work through the exercises in my head but I think I was too far gone for that. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks and I dropped to the floor in a mess. I knew I was having a panic attack; I'd had enough to know the signs but this was a bad one. I rarely had extreme attacks but when I did they hit hard.

Bella found me. I think my sobbing alerted her.

"What happened?" she asked.

I tried to tell her, my mouth opening and closing as no sound came out.

She wrapped me in a Bella hug. Those hugs were special.

She chatted softly in my ear. At first it was nonsense but then she began chatting about Adrian. How much they had in common and how much fun she'd had today. She even said sorry for disregarding my chat about myths this morning. She said I might be onto something as she'd felt something with Adrian that she couldn't explain. She kept chatting to me, never waiting for me to respond and continued to rub soothing circles on my back as my panic attack passed.

"Can you talk now?"

I nodded.

"What happened?"

"Myths are real," I mumbled.

Bella didn't even falter. Taking my head in her hands, she gazed at my face, searching my eyes with her own.

"Which ones?"

"The Cullen's are vampire but not bad ones. They're good but could still be dangerous. I told them I knew because I didn't want them to have to pretend with me but now I think they'll be leaving because of it."

I burst into tears again. I couldn't help it. The Cullen's made me come alive, they'd become more than just friends, they were like extended family. Bella knew how much they meant to me. She'd seen what a positive impact they'd had on my life.

"Don't cry, please," she said, pausing to wipe the tears from my face. "Everything will be alright."

"How do you know?"

"You're my sister. I'll always take care of you and you're miserable. I'll sort it ok? If things continue, I'll make sure they stop. I have to protect you."

"I'll always protect you Bells."

"I know, so you'll let me do the same for you."

I nodded.

I had to let go of Bella eventually.

Going through the motions for the rest of the day was hard. I knew Dad could tell something was up. Bella would have told him the gist of it anyway. Maybe if I hadn't ruined everything with the Cullen's I could tell Dad they were Vampires at some point.

I'd cocooned myself in a ball of pity and self-loathing. I got this way after an attack. I'd feel drained and then the depression would kick in. Sometimes it was gone in a couple or hours and sometimes it stayed for days. I just never knew.

Someone opened my door and then closed it.

It was Bella, I knew. No one else would get into my bed without telling me. She wrapped me in her arms like she had always done and soothed away my fears as I finally fell asleep.

Up Next – Chapter Eleven – Lost Hope