DISCLAIMER: All characters and story world belong to SM. All lyrical references and quotes are property of their original artist. No copyright infringement intended.

[Beta'd by: UnBeta'd]
Special thanks to: Ocdmess

Last chapter I asked you to rec me a very unheard of band and your favorite song by them.
My answer: theSTART – Like Days. A California, Orange County band that simply enjoy making music, and playing it for their friends. Amazing talent, and the kindest people I've ever met in the entertainment industry.

Chapter Playlist:
Bring me to life
Going under
Take Me
A pain that I'm used to
What I've done
Number one crush
Fever
Running up that hill
100 Suns
The reason
Broken
The kill
Was it a dream
Stand in the rain
Sound of pulling heaven down
Need
Set the fire to the third bar
My immortal

http:/ /www[dot]youtube[dot]com/user/BeautifullySacred

Chapter 26
BPOV
Sunday, September 3rd, 2006

The walls were lined in purple and red, and the lamps glowed crimson as the crystal globes cast sparkles of light in various directions. It had only been a few months since the last time I stepped into La Sangue Cantante, but a part of me wished it had been longer. The intoxicating scent of warmed human blood pulled me, demanding that I quench my thirst, but I held my breath and swallowed my venom, refusing to succumb to the silent song of desire.

Bree was worse off than I was, but she was holding her breath magnificently. I, on the other hand, tempted fate every few minutes by slowly inhaling the sweetness in hopes it had disappeared like magic only to be reminded that it was as strong as ever and not going away. I scolded my inner masochistic streak, and focused on taping the wires down to the small stage.

We had played small venues a lot, but La Sangue Cantante was the smallest by far. It was almost comical that we decided for tonight's show to be the night we all take the stage simultaneously and play each other's songs. Why hadn't we had this idea in Ottawa?

I shook my head and stood, flattening my dress and making sure everything was in place. Garrett and Alice had teamed up on me and managed to talk me into a dress for the show. I wasn't particularly pleased, but they were, and Edward was more than please. Somehow, Alice talked everyone into dressing up, and we all went with a color theme of blue, except for Carmen and Esme who wanted to wear black. The variety of dresses was astounding, but they all seemed to fit our style rather well.

Alice, Irina and Bree picked something thin, light weight, and flowing, while Rosalie and Tanya had on tight dresses with a sweetheart neckline. Kate was the only one wearing a dress with a full length back, but the front was more like Irina's. Esme chose a timeless black top and skirt ensemble that hugged her curves and had lace up her arms, and Carmen picked a black, V-neck mini-dress. My dress was a lot like Carmen's, only royal blue with a loose, free flowing hem line that was a tad bit longer.

The guys seemed to get lucky in the dress up scheme, and got away with dark designer jeans, and button up shirts that they had universally rolled the sleeves up, and unbuttoned to the third hole. I wasn't complaining though – Edward looked amazing. He had already caught me staring at him a few times while setting up the equipment, but I wasn't embarrassed.

I glanced toward the back of the room and spotted Maurice talking animatedly with Kate and Irina. He smiled at me and nodded once before continuing his conversation. He had told the five of us that he was beyond excited with the results of the tour. Apparently we had brought in more than triple his expectations, and other venues were asking to book shows. Garrett and I hadn't even released our CD yet, and already people were trying to schedule us – the thought alone astonished me.

I had set out with Garrett to make music; not because of fame or money or attention, but because it helped me to release the zoo of emotions I kept bottled up inside me as well as helped me to understand myself better. With Edward and his family by my side, however, things had changed. I didn't feel so broken, and my lyrics didn't hold the truth anymore. That part of me was slowly healing and becoming the past as I learned to move forward and trust the people that loved me.

"Ready, Little-Bit?"

I nodded as I tugged on my lip ring nervously and held my breath. I always grew nervous before the first song. It was a feeling I had come to anticipate and enjoy.

"Let's do this," Garrett called as he tapped on the lid of the piano.

The stage was a cluttered but organized pile of instruments. We had the row of extra guitars and basses off the stage, along the right hand side to make room for the rest of the gear. The box-drum and synth were on one side, and the piano and guitar amp were one the other, leaving a circle of space in front of the piano for the two lead microphones.

Being that the bar consisted of only vampires, the microphones weren't really necessary, but we did send the vocals through a distortion on a few songs, so we rigged them up and situated them in the front of the stage. The rest of the band wouldn't need microphones, however.

Silence spread across the room and Jasper stood before one of the microphones at the front. He cleared his throat and the entire room turned to look at him.

"Hello. We are Virulent Disease, and Beautifully Sacred. We have a very unique and special show planned for the night, and we hope you enjoy the music." Jasper bowed his head and took two steps backward before he turned and walked to the right side of the stage.

He and Garrett each grabbed an electronic guitar while Edward stood closer to the piano with a bass. Alice took her seat on the box-drum and smirked wickedly. I walked toward Edward, grazing my fingertips over his knuckles as I passed, and sat on the piano bench. I inhaled deeply, and the scent of human blood filled my lungs as I trembled. I closed my eyes and leaned into the keys, pressing the first note delicately. My fingers moved over the ivory carefully as I repeated the rhythm a few times until I was focused on the music enough to not let my thirst overcome me.

I opened my mouth and pushed out a low note, letting it ring at the back of my throat. I sang a soft melody that reminded me of Renee when she would hum me a lullaby at night when it rained. I let my vocals carry higher, hitting each note softly but with confidence as I warmed up my voice. It rang throughout the room and I could hear quiet gasps each time I reached a pitch higher than the note before.

I blended the melody into the opening of Bring Me To Life, and our families began clapping immediately. I smiled and opened my eyes, looking at the audience for the first time since I began playing. "How can you see into my eyes, like open doors?" The clapping died down and Esme mouthed the lyrics as I sang. My fingers sped up as I continued the opening, and by the end of the next line, Garrett and Jasper struck a chord, letting it vibrate out a deep tone under my voice. Alice's hands flew over the box-drum in a steady beat as Edward mimicked the rhythm she played on his bass.

We all paused for a fraction of a second, stilling our hands as the guitars continued to vibrate slightly. I took in a rush of air and closed my eyes as I smiled.

"Wake me up!" Jasper, Garrett, and Edward sang in unison.

"Wake me up inside!" Alice and I sang together. I opened my eyes and glanced at her as the guys repeated their line. She was beaming at me, her entire face expressing her happiness.

We continued the chorus, men paired against women until the last few lines.

"Save me!" Edward screamed.

"Save me from the nothing I've become," I sang in a higher octave than usual.

Once again, our hands stilled and the silence penetrated the room, but only lingered for a moment. We each leaned into our instruments and continued on, louder, and rougher than before.

"I've been living a lie," Edward whispered. "There's nothing inside."

Garrett and Jasper leaned against each other's back as they played the guitar lines passionately.

"Only you are the life among the dead!" I screamed as I threw my head back.

"All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see. Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me!" Edward sang as he played. He took a deep breath and I sang my lyrics behind him.

"I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems; got to open my eyes to everything!"

Edward continued before I finished. "Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul."

"Don't let me die here," I whispered as he continued.

"There must be something more!" The three guys growled.

"Bring me to life!" Alice and I cried in unison.

I couldn't help the smile on my face as we sang the chorus filled with energy. It was the most fun I had had in a long time. I let my voice ring out loudly as I sang the last word and the rest of the instruments slowly faded into the next song.

Garrett stepped forward as he struck the chords heavily, letting the opening riffs of Going Under flood through the room. He repeated it twice while the rest of the instruments faded from one song to the next.

"Now I will tell you what I've done for you," I said with a deep voice. My fingers plunked down on the keys carelessly as I sang.

"Going under!" Alice sang as I continued onto the next verse.

I stood from the piano and walked up behind Edward. I dragged my nails down his back, careful to not rip his shirt, and licked his neck. He shuddered and closed his eyes, causing the smile on my lips to spread. "Don't want your hand this time, I'll save myself," I sang against his neck from behind him. I looked out to the crowd and they all looked completely entranced. I sang the next few lines and flew back to the piano, not sitting, but hovering over it as I played.

"I'm… dying again. I'm going under!" I sang as I closed my eyes and let my fingers dance over the keys.

"Going under… drowning in you… falling forever… " Alice sang softly beneath me.

Throughout the song, Alice would sing with me, mimicking a line, or singing different lyrics. When we reached the bridge, Jasper and Garrett extended the bridge and played facing each other as they tried to outdo the other. I chuckled and shook my head before I pressed the piano keys and sang the chorus once more.

Edward took a few steps forward and grabbed the microphone. As the song ended, Garrett and Jasper merged the guitar rhythm into the next song.

"Take me, and let me in. Don't break me, and shut me out," Edward sang softly into the microphone.

I left my spot from behind the piano and joined him at the center of the stage. I swung my hips as I clapped my hands over my head. I didn't have much of a part for this song, but I wouldn't just sit there while they enjoyed the music high. I sang the backup vocals before the first verse, and jumped off the stage as soon the song kicked into full gear.

I approached the first table off to the left and grabbed the guy's hand, pulling him forward. Our eyes connected and I smirked as I swayed back and forth in front of him. I grabbed his other hand and began clapping it for him as I arched a brow, daring him to deny me. He chuckled and began clapping on his own as he got into the beat. The other man at his table stood, took my hand, kissed my knuckles and began clapping as well. I grinned and ran back up to the stage for the chorus. I grabbed the microphone off the stand, kissed Edward's cheek and jumped back off the stage.

I headed for a table a few rows back where two younger females were seated. As I sang the backup vocals, I leaned toward them, offering them the microphone as well. One leaned in and timidly cheered the lyrics, while the other shook her head and smiled. I grabbed her by the hand and twirled her, forcing her to dance as I repeated the chorus lyrics with Edward.

I danced with a few more audience members before I reached the side where our family was standing. The bridge had just started and I grinned at Emmett eagerly.

"Does anyone around me feel the same? Put your fists up and vent your pain!" I sang with the rest of the band. Emmett pumped his fist into the air and growled as he repeated the lyrics. We sang the line, and this time half of the room repeated it with Emmett. I turned, shocked, and saw that nearly everyone was standing and moving to the beat.

I navigated through the crowd toward the front of the stage as they continued into the last chorus. I hoped on stage just as the song was finishing, and smirked at Alice who was laughing.

For the first time since we started, we let the song fade out completely without starting the next song right away.

"Good to see you all on your feet! Let's see if we can top the energy of the last song with this one," Edward said with a grin.

I switched places with Alice, taking a seat on the box-drum for the first time live while she went to the synthesizer. Edward had taken the bass off and set it on the stand beside him. His eyes were shut tightly and he was gripping the microphone when Alice pressed on the button to start A Pain That I'm Used To.

I knew what the lyrics meant to him, and how hard he struggled with the words every time he played this song live. I took a deep breath, the sting of human blood not overwhelming me as strongly this time, and stilled my hands over the front of the drum.

The loud screeching noise faded out and the guitar riffs began. After a few seconds, I started a steady beat, tapping with my fingertips and rolling my palm over the edge to create a multitude of sounds as Alice had shown me. Edward started to sing, and we all sang the backup vocals; our voices harmonizing and creating a whole new sound for the song.

I watched Edward very closely as he sang and noticed that he tapped his left foot in tandem to the beat, and swayed his hips as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other rhythmically.

The beat sped up, and we shifted into the chorus as we all sang the lyrics together.

"All this running around, well it's getting me down – just give me a pain that I'm used to. I don't need to believe all the dreams you conceive, you just need to achieve something that rings true."

As the song progressed, Edward stomped his foot instead of tapping it, and he swayed with the microphone stand gripped tightly in his hands as he rocked side to side on the outside edge of his feet.

We continued the chorus again and Edward froze as he finished the last line. The music continued for a few moments before it gradually ended. I stood up and was at his side within a second. I slipped my hand into his and squeezed tightly, pulling his focus away from the pain of the song.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause for the first time that night, and Jasper murmured a thank you.

Edward slowly opened his eyes – nostrils flared – and looked at me.

"I love you," I mouthed, silently.

The corner of his mouth twitched and he nodded once before mouthing it back.

He took a steady breath and looked back out at the crowd.

"Thank you. I suppose introductions would be wise. This is Phoenix, of Beautifully Sacred, and her friend Garrett on guitar," he said, waving his hand toward me and then Garrett as he spoke. "On the other guitar is Jasper, along with his wife, Alice, on synthesizer and drum. I'm Edward, and this next song was an apology."

Edward turned and sat on the piano bench as I took the center stage microphone. His fingers danced across the ivory keys as the song started. Alice pressed a button on the synth before returning to the box-drum quickly. The guitars kicked in and I took a deep breath.

"In this farewell, there's no blood, there's no alibi," I sang quietly with my eyes closed.

"Cause I've drawn regret from the truth of a thousand lies," Edward sang from the piano behind me.

"So let mercy come, and wash away," we sang in unison. "What I've done! I'll face myself to cross out what I've become. Erase myself, and let go of what I've done!"

"Put to rest, what you thought of me," Edward sang, his voice laced with remorse and pain.

I pulled the microphone off the stand and turned toward the piano. "While I clean this slate, with the hands of uncertainty," I sang, staring directly into his eyes.

We sang the chorus in unison again, my hand resting on the edge of the piano. We held the notes until we ran out of air and stared into each other's eyes. This was our duel apology, and new beginning… no matter what our futures held.

"I'll start again, and whatever pain may come," I sang loudly and confidently.

"Today this ends – I'm forgiving what I've done!" Edward cried out.

We sang the duet chorus once more, letting each word fill us up with meaning, and seep out of our voice as a promise to the other.

"Forgiving what I've done!" we sang clearly with no other instruments.

Once our lungs ran out of air, the crowd erupted in cheers again as Edward and I stared at each other, faint smiles spread across our lips.

"I think it's time to get a little… provocative, don't you, Alice?" Jasper asked.

I turned and smirked at him as he arched a brow. I returned the microphone to the stand and turned away from the audience. Edward threw the bass over his shoulder again and stood facing me with a devious grin on his face. He leaned into my ear and licked softly at my lobe before speaking. "Need some assistance?" he whispered seductively.

I let out a deep moan and arched my back, tossing my head to the side. I knew what he was up to, and he wasn't fighting fair. I felt him grin against my skin and then run his teeth across my neck, eliciting another moan and shudder from me as I gasped. He pulled away slightly and kissed my lips as he began the opening chords to Number One Crush. I inhaled sharply and began swaying my hips slowly to the beat.

He pressed his lips to my ear once more as he strummed the chords. "Moan for me," he whispered very quietly, and I did as he demanded. He hummed lightly and placed one last kiss below my lobe and I gasped once more as the rest of the instruments joined the beat.

"I would die for you. I would die for you. I've been dying just to feel you by my side… to know that you're mine," I sang softly with my eyes closed and my back turned as I swung my hips. I bent my knees and lowered myself down as I swayed and then swung my hips back up as I started the next line. I turned around and opened my eyes, my lips spreading into a smirk.

I sang as I left the stage, walking toward the back where our family was dancing. I made eye contact with Rosalie and she grinned at me as she moved in front of Emmett, grinding her hips against his as she bent her knees.

I created a cross with my right hand, blessing her like a person would with a rosary as I sang louder. "I will pray for you. I will pray for you. I will sell my soul for something pure and true." I swung down, touching my ankles and slowly stood again as I danced. "Someone like you," I sang with a grin.

Emmett was faintly growling and his eyes were filled with lust as they rolled back in their sockets. I chuckled and made my way toward the center of the room.

I swayed as I took each step, eyeing the crowd seductively. A small part of me felt foolish, but it was fun to pretend and let myself feel sexy. I glanced up at Edward and his eyes were focused on me with heavy lids.

"You will believe in me… and I will never be ignored," I sang softly as I looked over my shoulder at the crowd.

I made my way to the stage and stood in front of Edward, pressing a hand over his heart as I sang. I could feel his chest vibrate as he played, gazing into my eyes.

"Cause I believe in you, I believe in you. I would die for you," I whispered the last few lines with my lips lingering against his. As I murmured the last word, our lips connected and he kissed me slowly and deeply, his tongue exploring mine as a gentle moan vibrated from his chest. I gently pulled away after a short moment and smiled up at him.

"Is it getting hot?" Alice asked innocently.

I bent down and grabbed the maracas, tossing one to Alice quickly. She and I stood toward the front of the stage, dancing together and shaking the maracas before the bass joined us. The three guys sang the lyrics to Fever in unison as we swayed, danced, and shook. More people were pouring in the back through the curtain, and slowly the crowd began to push to the front, filling in the aisles.

"When her daddy tried to kill him, she said," the guys sang, pausing abruptly as Alice and I took over vocals.

"Daddy, oh! Don't you dare. He gives me fever with this kisses – fever when he holds me tight. Fever! I'm his misses… Daddy won't you treat him right?" we sang together.

The guys finished the lyrics as we danced and stood behind our men, with one arm wrapped around their waist, the other shaking the maracas, and our lips teasing their skin with light kisses.

"Mmm, what a lovely way to burn," they sang separately as the song came to an end.

Edward handed the bass to Jasper, and took a seat at the piano while Alice returned to the box-drum. I took the microphone off the center stage stand and knelt down, my dress flowing around me. With more people for the instruments, we decided to play as little on the synthesizer as possible, so Alice began the drum beat that mimicked my heart beat. I rocked my head up and down to the beat with my eyes closed as Edward started the piano intro.

"It doesn't hurt me," I whispered as the bass and guitar started. I sang the lyrics crouched with my arm wrapped around my torso and my eyes closed. As I finished the first verse, I took a deep breath and forced myself to open my eyes. I kept my head cast downward as I started the next verse, letting the beat flow through me, my body vibrating slightly from the amplifiers.

"There's a thunder in our hearts, baby. So much hate for the ones we love?" I screamed out, throwing my head back and looking up at the ceiling. I stood and turned to look back at Edward. "Tell me, we both matter, don't we?"

He smiled a gentle smile and sang the next few lines with me. Our voices blended perfectly as we sang my last few human thoughts and memories. I tapped my foot to the beat and turned to lean against the piano as we started the bridge and the instruments shifted into a different tempo.

"Come on, baby," I sang.

"Come on, come on, darling," he sang back at me.

Our voices blended in unison for the next line and I closed my eyes. The experience of singing this song with him was unlike anything I'd imagined. Hearing my own pleas, and desperate hopes from his voice while on stage could had brought tears to my human eyes, but as a vampire, it filled me with love and determination to work through our past and come out stronger. It was a big hill, metaphorically, and we would be running up it for a long time, but the journey only mattered if he was by my side at the end of it all.

We finished the song, and I took a moment to calm myself down before turning to face the audience. Garrett knew it was an emotionally tough song for me, and that's why we often opened with it and then moved into something harder, like Going Under.

Before I could turn around, however, the familiar sound of a song once played months ago in a music store flooded my ears, and I gasped. I hadn't heard those chords in what felt like ages, and I wanted to cry from happiness.

"I believe in nothing, not the end and not the start."

I spun around quickly, a bright smile on my face and I gasped. Garrett was sitting on the amplifier beside the piano and smirking at me; a mirrored image to how this all began months ago.

"I believe in nothing, not the earth and not the stars," he sang beautifully.

I looked around at Jasper and Alice and they were standing off to the side with subtle grins. They had to know this was coming.

Those sneaks!

"I believe in nothing, not the day and not the dark."

I felt a presence behind and I looked over my shoulder. Edward was smiling down at me, his eyes were glowing a bright golden yellow. He lifted me up around the waist and set me on top of the piano. I sat on the edge and stared at Garrett in shock and excitement.

"I believe in nothing, but the beating of our hearts."

"Oh-oh oh…" I sang quietly and he grinned, resisting a chuckle.

"I believe in nothing, one-hundred suns until we part. I believe in nothing, not in sin and not in God," he sang as he strummed the same chords repeatedly.

I swung my legs back and forth and sang the backup vocals to his song, my eyes fixed on him. I studied the crease at his eyes, remembering when I first spotted him sitting atop a giant amplifier, head down, and lanky limbs. The picture in my head was foggy due to my human memories, but I could still remember how it felt to be in his presence; a tugging at my soul to befriend him, talk to him, and an overwhelming feeling to trust him.

"I believe in nothing, not in peace and not in war."

What would have happened if I had never wandered up to him? Would Edward have come back to me? Would Victoria have killed me? Would I have killed myself?

"I believe in nothing, but the truth in who we are," he sang as his fingers stilled over the strings. "I love you, Little-Bit," he whispered very softly and my hand shot up to my lips as I trembled.

He stood between my legs and wrapped his arms around my back as I dug my face in his neck. "I love you too, G," I whispered against his skin.

Suddenly, the familiar intro to The Reason began, and the piano rumbled gently beneath me as Edward struck the same key repeatedly. Garrett kissed my forehead and took a few steps back as he and Jasper began the guitar rhythm and lead. Alice smiled at me as she threw the bass over her shoulder and began the backup rhythm for the song. She swayed lightly as she strummed her nails over the strings steadily; the bass-guitar made her look tiny in comparison.

"I'm not a perfect person," Edward sang into my ear from behind me. I turned and held my hand out, tracing his jaw line as he sang the verse and stared into my eyes.

I'll never be able to express how much I love him – it's infinite… immeasurable… and unbelievable.

He sang the chorus and the next verse, still positioned in front of me with a smile and I held my hand over his heart. Then the crescendo of the song hit, and I knew he would repeat the first few lines of the song. I ran my other hand up his arm and laid my fingers over his, pulling the microphone toward me.

"I'm not a perfect person. I never meant to do those things to you – and so I have to say before I go that I just want you to know," I sang, never looking away from him, and a subtle smile spread across my lips.

"I found a reason for me to change who I used to be – a reason to start over new… and the reason is you. I've found a reason to show a side of me you didn't know. A reason for all that I do." I paused and held the microphone between us as my smile grew wider.

"And the reason is you," we sang together as the music faded out.

Jasper didn't waste any time before beginning the guitar riffs of the next song. I glanced at him and smiled appreciatively for continuing. Edward took a step back and I hopped off the piano, taking a step forward to stand in front of him. We turned slightly so I was visible to the audience as Edward started singing.

"I want you to know, I love the way you laugh. I want to hold you high and steal your pain away." He traced my jaw with the back of his index finger and took a deep breath before continuing. He completed the next line and then tapped the tip of my nose with a smile. We sang the chorus in unison and I took a deep breath.

"The worst is over now, and we can breathe again. I want to hold you high, you steal my pain away." I gripped the collar of his shirt tightly as I let my voice carry. The overwhelming feeling of love and dedication flowed through me and caused me to gasp.

Edward spun me around so that my back was pressed against his chest and he wrapped his arm around my torso protectively as we repeated the chorus. I looked out over the audience, and smiled brightly as I let our words soothe me and bring me renewed faith that everything would be alright. Edward squeezed me tightly and I belted out the lyrics during the last repetition with him. He sang the last word and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"The worst is over now," he said quietly, repeating the words from the song. "I have you now." I could feel his cool breath against the back of my neck and my lips lifted into a full smile as I closed my eyes.

It is. Now we just need to get through this battle alive.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the next song and stepped away from Edward. I gripped the microphone in my hand tightly as I focused on my family against the side wall. Esme was beaming at me and Bree's eyes were wide with excitement. Carlisle nodded at me once, as if telling me that I could do it.

I smiled timidly and slowly inhaled, letting the burn coarse down the back of my throat. Emmett whooped loudly and I laughed awkwardly as I shook my head. Rosalie elbowed him and he looked at her confused, mouthing the word "What?" She shook her head and smiled back up at me slightly as Alice pressed the button on the synthesizer.

The guys strummed the guitar riff effortlessly as Alice jumped back to the box-drum and started a steady harmony with them. I sang the opening line quietly as I trembled, "What if I wanted to break – laugh it all off in your face; what would you do?" I felt Edward wrap his arms around my waist gently as I sang the next line, and my trembling ceased.

As I began the chorus, I slumped in Edward's arms as I screamed out the words that once tore at my heart. I turned in his arms and sang directly at him, "What if I wanted to fight – beg for the rest of my life! What would you do?"

He leaned down and sang into my microphone, "You say you wanted more; what are you waiting for? I'm not running from you!" His words were his promise that he wasn't leaving, and I shuddered in his arms as I fought to continue with the song.

I turned away, not able to look him in the eyes as I sang the hardest part of the song. I closed my eyes, clenched my fists and let my weight drop as Edward help me in place.

"All I wanted was you!" I cried out loudly, my body leaning against Edward's arms as he supported me.

He quickly turned me around and held me up in his arms as he sang the bridge. "I tried to someone else, but nothing seemed to change. I know now this is who I really am inside. I finally found myself, fighting for a chance." He gripped me tightly by my upper arms and shook me as he stared into my eyes. "I know now." He took a deep breath and trembled. "This is who I really am!" he screamed before pressing his lips against mine.

He kissed me hard and with a passion I had never felt from him before. He clawed at my bare shoulders as he held me closer to him, the music playing around us, and the crowd cheering loudly. My hands flew to his face and I deepened the kiss. My fingers traced the contours of his jaw and cheekbones as I memorized him, body, heart and soul with that kiss.

Garrett, Jasper and Alice continued singing the rest of the song as I clung to Edward, not wanting to let go of that moment. We finally separated as the song neared the end, and I just looked into his eyes, my lips slowly creeping up into a smile.

He outlined my jaw with his finger one more time before he took the microphone from my hand and pulled me into a hug. I buried my face in his chest as Was it a Dream began – the thunder rolling from the amplifiers and the sound of rain echoing in the room. Alice beat out a steady rhythm as she counted down the song. "One. Two. One ,two, three, four."

The beautiful and haunting guitar melody started and I sighed heavily. This was one of my favorite songs of theirs, musically. I closed my eyes, wrapped my arms around Edward, and let the music lull me into a trance. Edward held me tightly, pressing my chest and face into his body like a child being comforted during a storm. His chest rumbled as he sang, and I could hear the dull echo from his diaphragm.

"My intentions never change; what I want still stays the same, and I know what I should do – it's time to set myself on fire," he sang, his voice perfect, and tone melodic. He began to sway us back and forth and I breathed in, only noticing his intoxicating scent of rain and honeysuckle. I moaned softly and pressed my lips to his neck as he sang the chorus. I never wanted to move from this spot.

The song reached the instrumental section, and Edward held me tighter, gripping my sides and breathed in my hair. As he exhaled he let out a guttural groan, vibrating his chest and causing his whole body to shudder. I pressed my lips to the crook of his neck and kissed him gently, over and over again.

They finished the song – the sound of thunder cracking through the room as Edward lifted my chin to look at him. He kissed my lips faintly and smiled as he released me. I sighed sadly at the loss of his touch and walked to the front of the stage a few paces away. I pulled the other microphone off the stand and sat down on the edge of the short stage, my feet barely touching the ground.

"She never slows down. She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's all alone it feels like it's all coming down." I rested my left hand in my lap as I sang quietly, the music getting louder at the end of the lyrics.

Alice joined me during the chorus, our voices harmonizing as she played the box-drum and I sat very still on the stage. The lyrics flowed easily and I remembered the afternoon that Garrett first played it for me, telling me that I was the inspiration.

"She wants to be found. The only way out is through everything she's running from; wants to give up and lie down," I sang, the words resonating with me stronger now that I could easily see how they applied to me. I had been searching for Edward – for his love – and the entire time I fought with myself over wanting to run away or stay and fight until I gave up.

But I didn't give up.

"You stand through the pain, you won't drown, and one day what's lost can be found. You stand in the rain," Alice and I sang in harmony as the song reached the crescendo and the guitar riffs grew louder, leading into the solo. As the song came to an end, I hopped off the stage and walked toward Esme and Carlisle against the side wall.

"Come on," I whispered, pulling Esme's hand and leading her toward the piano. Edward patted the seat beside him, smiling at her brightly as Carlisle joined me on the stage.

Jasper, Edward, Garrett, and Carlisle all started singing together, ad Esme gasped as she realized what they had in store for her.

"Somewhere, far away from here I saw stars; stars that I could reach. Yeah. It was a midnight, a silent twilight. We fell down, beyond the ocean beach. Yeah," they sang in unison.

I grabbed the guitar from the stand and joined Garrett and Jasper on the right side of the stage as we all began the instrumental opening to The Sound of Pulling Heaven Down which had been deemed Esme's song for decades now. When Carlisle rescued Esme on the shore one night, he knew that she would be the love of his eternal life, and after a few years together, he wrote these words for her and asked his only son at the time, Edward, to compose the music. This was where Edward's musical journey began, and he did it for love even back then.

Carlisle and Edward sang the rest of the vocals with Esme sitting at the piano. Edward played for her with Carlisle leaning against the side as he stared at her and only her.

"I'm reaching farther than I ever have before. Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore. I may be some sort of crazy, we may be some sort of crazy, but I swear on everything I have and more."

I turned to look back at Esme's and saw her hand covering her mouth as she stared lovingly at Carlisle, one arm around Edward's shoulder. She leaned against him as she trembled, and Carlisle and Edward sang the line about her putting a smile upon his face.

As the song ended, she buried her face in Edward's shoulder, hugging him tightly before she left to join Carlisle in front of the piano. They shared a gentle and loving kiss before he escorted her off the stage.

"A few of the songs we've played tonight have never been played live before, or released. They are personal, and an expression of where some of us came from, how we met or where we are going. These last three songs are no different. You won't find these on either of our CDs, and the likeliness of us ever playing them live again is very rare. We hope you enjoy them," Edward said softly to the room. He scooted over on the piano bench and I put my guitar away to join him.

Edward looked to me and I nodded once with a smile. He looked at the keys and gently pressed his long fingers down. I stared as he played the intro to a song I wrote only a few weeks ago while sitting under a tree and thinking about what I should do.

"I'm not quite sure how to breathe without you here," I sang quietly as Edward pressed down on the keys. "I'm not quite sure if I'm ready to say goodbye to all we were."

The melody picked up and Edward's fingers danced across the ivory, eliciting the most beautiful melody. "Be with me," I sang, turning to look into his golden eyes. "Stay with me… just for now."

The corner of his lips turned up slightly as he leaned into the next set of keys. I closed my eyes; the image of his smirk emblazoned in my mind as I remembered his fingers trailing down my body… his lips on my skin.

I opened my eyes and sang with my gaze fixed on his beautiful face. The notes melded into something slightly different as I sang the chorus. Edward reached in front of me to play the high notes, his arm grazing my chest faintly and sending a chill down my spine.

"Tell me how it's supposed to be; where everything will go, and how I'll be without you by my side," I sang, holding the note for a moment as his hands stilled over the keys. "My hand searches for your hand in a dark room."

We continued the song, staring into each other's eyes and feeling the humming vibration between us as the audience sat in silence. When we finished, the last note lingered and I smiled softly at him as I reached over to take his hand.

"Bree?" I mouthed, squeezing his hand, and he nodded with a grin.

I stood and left the stage quickly, my dress flowing behind me. I reached out for Bree's hand once I reached our family, and she took it eagerly, her eyes alight with excitement. I returned to the stage with her beside me and she took Alice's spot on the box-drum while Alice took Edward's place behind the piano. Jasper switched to a bass and tested the chords gently as Edward and I moved to the center of the stage.

We turned to face each other slightly and nodded at Alice. She pressed down on the keys at the same time that Garrett strummed the guitar, creating a lovely intro. They repeated the melody once more before Edward and I took a deep breath.

"I find the map and draw a straight line over rivers, farms and state lines. The distance from 'A' to where you'd be… it's only finger lengths that I see," we sang in harmony, smiles spread across our lips and our hands gripping the mic stands.

We both reached across the small space between us and traced the other's jaw. "I touch the place where I'd find your face. My fingers in creases of distant dark places."

As we reached the chorus, the tempo increased and Bree began a drum beat that she and Edward had created when they first wrote the song. I tapped my foot to the beat as I took the microphone off the stand and sang, staring into Edward's eyes.

"Miles from where you are, I lay down on the cold ground and I… I pray that something picks me up, and sets me down in your warm arms." I took a step toward Edward and he mimicked the motion, removing his microphone from the stand and taking my hand. The music faded into the slower tempo, but Bree continued with a softer drum beat.

"We'd share each other like an island until exhausted, close our eyelids," we sang, our bodies moving closer until we were pressed firmly against one another. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, inhaling his honeysuckle and rain scent. "And dreaming pick up from the last place we left off. Your soft skin is weeping," we sang and I opened my eyes. "A joy you can't keep in."

We repeated the chorus and I held the last word longer, hitting a higher octave than before. We sang it one more time, and Edward wrapped an arm around my waist, lifting my feet from the ground and pressing our bodies closer. As we sang the last line, he spun me around once, my dress flowing behind me, and then set me down on the ground, pressing his lips to mine gently.

The music faded out and the crowd cheered as Edward and I pulled apart and held hands. Edward gestured toward Bree and nodded as he held the microphone to his lips.

"Bree, ladies and gentlemen," he said politely with a smile.

She stood quickly and bowed her head before leaving the stage nervously. It took a lot of convincing to get her to play the song with us, but I don't think she would say no if we ever asked her again. Her face was lit up and she was smiling from ear to ear.

Alice left the stage as Garrett and Jasper unplugged their guitars and followed behind her to join the rest of our family. I walked to the piano slowly, a gentle smile still across my lips and waited for Edward. He lifted me quickly and set me on the edge of the piano away from the audience. He slid onto the bench and stared up at me with a blissful grin. I sat on my hip, my knees bent and my feet tucked behind me. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, waiting for the vibration of the familiar song to begin.

The first repetition of notes filled my ears and I bit my lip as I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. I had played this song so many times in the few days between my birthday and when he left that I had every nuance – every note and pause – memorized, but nothing compared to hearing Edward play my lullaby in person. I exhaled shakily and slid my hands over my thighs.

"I'm so tired of being here… suppressed by all my childish fears… and if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave. Your presence still lingers here, and it won't leave me alone." My voice seemed to echo off the walls as I sang without the microphone. I opened my eyes and furrowed my brows as I drew in another breath.

"These wounds won't seem to heal; this pain is just too real. There's just too much that time cannot erase!" I cried out, staring into Edwards eyes.

He sighed heavily and leaned into the notes as he played with a perfect memory. "When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears. When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears, and I held your hand through all of these years, but you still have… all of me," Edward sang, and I could feel the sorrow and regret pouring from his words alone causing my heart to ache over the pain from our past.

His fingers danced over the ivory and I found myself lost by the sight of him sitting before me, playing once more.

"You used to captivate me by your resonating light. Now I'm bound by the life you left behind. Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams. Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me." My words carried throughout the room and the melody felt alive within me. All of my fears, worries, and nightmares were placed into my lullaby and I used to hope and dream that it would all go away. Now, here he sat – my Edward – by my side as he played it once more for me, and I sang of all my pain that he's taken away and replaced with love and hope.

Edward sang the chorus again and I fell more and more in love with him as I realized how lucky we truly were to have our second chance at life together. I felt the sting behind my eyes and I wished that I could cry tears of joy for once instead of all the tears I once shed when I was human.

He finished the chorus and I joined him for the bridge as the melody grew faster. "I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone… but though you're still with me, I've been alone all along!" Our voices cried out and a sudden guitar riff joined the song. I turned, surprised, and saw Jasper and Garrett at the corner of the stage with Alice on the box-drum. I gasped and smiled, turning back to Edward to see his reaction. He was watching me with a subtle smirk. He knew.

He repeated the chorus once more and I sang with him. I held the last note as he faded the piano melody out. The moment the music fully ended, the room erupted in cheers and applause, our family cheering the loudest. The room was packed and everyone was standing.

I slid off of the piano and onto Edward's lap, an odd mixture of notes ringing loudly as I bumped the keys. I wrapped my arms and legs around Edward and buried my face in his neck. I felt his chest rise and then rumble as he exhaled.

"I love you so much," he whispered into my hair. "I'll never leave your side, Bella. Nothing could take you from me. Nothing."

I pressed my fingers into his shoulders as I pulled him even closer to me and sobbed once. "I love you too, Edward, and I believe you. I trust you," I said as I trembled in his arms.

He pulled back quickly and stared into my eyes for a solid ten seconds before pressing his lips firmly to mine, his tongue dancing against my lips and tasting of honey and everything that was Edward. Everything that mattered to me was wrapped in my arms. Everything I loved.

And I was never letting go.

Song question of the chapter: What one song in this fic is your favorite and why? Second question! What song do you still hope the characters write that hasn't been used in this fic yet?

I really love hearing everything you guys have to say. If everything goes according to plan, there is three chapters left, and the epilogue. This chapter was really hard for me to write because it's the last 'concert' for the story... but don't worry, there are new songs still to come in the four remaining chapters.

Please review and let me hear your thoughts and opinions!