Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Dark Matter


Dark Matter

Chapter 3


Jane proudly glided through the corridor, the back of her robe billowed out behind her. Several other members wordlessly moved out of her way. They didn't have to see her to know she was coming through, and they knew by the sound of her footsteps that she was in a temper.

"Has anyone seen my brother?" She asked to no one in particular.

No one answered her. She stopped suddenly once she had passed them and turned around. "Well? Have you seen him or not?" She raised her eyebrows dangerously.

Heidi stepped up. "I think I saw him go. . . she looked up and nodded towards the ceiling."

Jane blinked once, carefully arranging her expression. "I see." She should have known. She thought by now he would be over it. That everyone would be. This whole time she felt like people were playing a prank on her and that now, finally, things could get back to normal. It was her idea after all. The perfect plan - Aro jumped at the idea - and secretly she was proud to illicit that reaction out of him again. He had been preoccupied for awhile, his normal cheerful enthusiasm seemed to be so strained, she almost didn't even suggest it. And of course Aro would be able to read her real intent, but apparently he did believe it would be in her best interest and quickly persuaded Caius and Marcus. But the plan wasn't working like she thought it would. She thought that removing her would make everything snap back into place. But she realized how wrong she was when she climbed all the way up the tower that used to be forbidden except to only a select few and even they weren't al- lowed until night time, when the sun was down and only moonlight streamed into the large gothic windows. There was a secret passageway from the wives private chambers, but there was access from outside through one of the parapets. A long spiral staircase that led to a large room that overlooked the city. Jane realized that all she did was pick away a puzzle piece, and now the picture was incomplete. Hollow. Unsatisfactory.

Alec was sitting at one of the windows and gazing out at the stars, wondering what they looked like from where she was.

Couldn't he see, Jane wondered. Couldn't he see how much time he was wasting. Couldn't he see how much she took from him. Jane hated her. From the start. From the very beginning. But no one else would listen to her. Jane climbed into her broth- ers lap and threw her arm around his shoulder.

He shrugged her away and frowned. "Leave me alone." He pouted.

"Alec." She felt briefly hurt by his rejection. For centuries they had always been in sync, in harmony, basically reading each other's thoughts like Aro does, but not be- cause of a special gift, but by their closeness. But things changed a few years ago. She felt him loosen away, from their pinky grip grasp on each other. It started slowly. She didn't even notice until her 13th birthday and Alec begged Aro to change her then. Begged. At first just a formal request to the heads of the Volturi, and then it became more and more desperate. It took Jane too long too realize why. It was just a crush, more in love with the idea of her, as all 12 year old crushes go. He wanted to keep her, she realized. In his mind, he discovered her. In his mind, he was the one that saved her. She was his. And he wanted to keep her, like a child who covets something that wasn't theirs to begin with.

But once the crush started, it sort of became a part of him, permanent, but she wasn't permanent. She wasn't like him. She grew up and moved on where he couldn't, trapped by time. She outgrew him, but the ghost of what she could have been still haunted him. In a way, he would always think he had some claim to her.

And Jane hated her all the more for that too.
"She'll come back." Alec whispered, still staring out the window. "She has to."

Jane dropped her arms to her side. She didn't tell him that she would be "too old". And she didn't tell him that it was she who suggested her exilement. Instead Jane combed her brothers hair and said "Perhaps." She winced and diverted her gaze, guiltily to the rest of the room.

Her room. Her bed was still unmade and untouched since she left. When she was merely fascinated by her, Jane used to come here and play with her, but those toys were put away and stuffed into the closet. Her desk where she had been doing her school every year four or five tutors, teaching her every subject and eight different languages. Papers and projects still cluttered her desk. The only thing out of place was the teddy bear that had been on her pillow. The worn bear currently dangled in Alec's left hand.

Even seeing her brother like this, Jane still was resolved in her decision. She did the right thing, for her brother and herself, and for Volterra.


Mike was fairly useless. However, annoyingly, he did feel concerned about Bella, and noticed her condition in almost the same way as Edward would have. So, often times during the day Edward would find himself scanning through his mind. It was an imperfect mechanism, but he couldn't stand the way Jessica's jealousy colored her vision. Angela was his second favorite, but he felt guilty for prying into her mind, someone so pure, and kind. Though, she didn't pay nearly enough attention to Bella as Mike did. Which was the uncomfortable situation Edward was in, if he wanted to get to know Bella more, because as it had been for the last two to three weeks, she wouldn't look at him let alone have a conversation. And though it felt rude, and a belittlement to his own sensibilities, his new hobby was spying through teenage minds. The worst kind of conduit.

Which is why he was thoroughly emerged in Mike's conversation with Eric one morning, a week before the spring dance. Suddenly, it was on everyone's mind as if they had woken up with arrows in their hearts.

Rose and Emmett never missed a dance. Rose loved the silly occasions, it reminded her of how things used to be. The balls, the parties, the dancing. Though, a high school dance, was a poor token to those days, still Rosalie loved to show off, even just a little bit. And Emmett was always willing to show off.

Alice and Jasper never attended social function where large crowds of sweaty and nervous teens would be present. Carlisle and Esme have been known to chaperone a few times. And truth be told, they made the best chaperones. A single stare down from Esme and dudes dropped their hands from their illicit placings and thought about the last time their told their mom they loved them and how imminent death could be.

Like Jasper, these kinds of functions were a bit of a nightmare for Edward, though it wasn't because he never got offers. In fact that morning, he heard from four different girls giggling to themselves and friends, daring each other to ask him out to the spring dance.

But he wasn't concerned with this. He was concerned about the 8 suitors jockeying for their chance to ask Bella. And the fact that Bella had no idea it was coming. He almost wanted to warn her, but part of him felt that he was owed this moment to have the day unfold as it was going to.

But it wasn't until he finally got around to Mike's thoughts, when he realized something was wrong.

She looks crazy tired. Mike thought as he walked with her to lunch. And truly, she did look tired. The circles under her eyes were worse than his own. They made hallow of her face. Her cheeks were sunken in. When was the last time he saw her actually eat lunch. Reminds me of the Cullens and Hales, he thought as Bella just purchased a bottle of water. True, the purple hues under her eyes were similar to their own, but she didn't look radiant as they. She looked absolutely drained, ragged, even. The more he stared at her, even through Mike's eyes, the more certain Edward was that at any moment she was going to fall apart.

In biology he sat motionless as Mike walked her to her seat and sat at the edge of the table. If she knew Mike was still there, she didn't act like it. In fact when he spoke, she jumped a little.

"Woah, there, Swan." Mike said. And Edward hated him for his familiarity with her. "You okay?" And Edward hated him for being able to ask the question he needed answers to, resigned to get them second hand, and grateful that someone was paying attention.

"Hm?" Bella raised her head slowly. Her eyes lids fluttered open and close. "Mhm." She answered then lowered her head to the desk. "Just tired."

"Oh." Mike nodded awkwardly. Not really sure where to go from here. "You sleeping okay?"
"Mmm." She groaned.
"Well, I was wondering what you were doing next Saturday. The day of the spring dance. I was thinking, if you were free. . . well, I know it's girl's choice and all, but I'm free. If you get what I'm saying. And, well, I think we would have fun. But again. It's your choice or whatever. I just thought I would bridge the gap a little, let you know, because I wasn't sure if you. . ."

He was interrupted by a loud snore.
"Bella? Are you asleep?" Mike folded his arms across his chest. "What the—"
Then the teacher came in dropped her book bag loudly on the floor. Bella sat upright and her heart raced.

Edward curled his thumb under a fist and squeezed. He always forgot how hard it was, and it always surprised him at how potent her blood smelled to him. It wasn't getting any easier, but he felt like getting to know her superficially had somewhat distracted him over the last few weeks from his desire to taste her.

Bella fell asleep in class three times. It became so bad that the teacher excused her from class.

Edward waded through Mike's mind as he got permission to take her home. He had read about jealousy. And seen it played out a thousand times in the minds of the students around him for decades. He thought he understood it. But as he watched Bella lean against him as they walked to the parking lot, He had never felt such a sickly green hatred, a fire that burned through his chest and poked holes in all his weaknesses. For a moment, he even thought she was doing it to him on purpose, nearly turning his fury on her. Who was she to him?

And then he realized his anger was not for Mike, and not for Bella, but rightly for himself. It was his fault he had let it go this far to think, that in some way he could—

He slammed his locker shut. Mike was driving her home now. And he realized he wasn't the only one jealous as he met up with Emmett in Spanish II. There were four others that missed their chance to ask Bella to the dance that day. Only one of them might have had enough confidence to actually do it. The last thing he read from Mike's thoughts was his fantasy of leading her up to her bedroom and taking her clothes off and then Mike went out of hearing range.

"Jeez, Eddie." Emmett said. "If you try any harder, you'll turn this desk into scraps."

"Huh?" Edward looked up. Emmett nodded at his hands which had gripped the edge of the table so tightly, he had splinted the wood with his fingers. "Oh." He pulled back.

Emmett rubbed his thumb over the table edge and evened out the ridges. "Something on your mind? Oh wait. Is this still about the vulture pet girl?"

Edward nearly growled.

"Easy. It's just a nick name."

"I'm aware." Edward rubbed his temples, as if he was as tired as Bella appeared to be. "And yes. It is."

"Why can't you just. . . leave her alone? I mean, I get it. It's pretty unusual. But I don't know. She's just a human and it's not our business." He shrugged.

"I'm aware." Edward said again. "I'm very aware of that Emmett."

After school, he dropped off his siblings at the house and then slung around again. He drove for a few hours until the sky turned darker. Then he got on foot and ran. The pangs of jealousy were over bearing and he felt like he needed to run until there wasn't anymore earth, because surely at the end of the world he could forget about her. That was his plan. To run until he reached the edge of the world, run until he couldn't recognize himself anymore and he didn't feel like a black raging storm.

It turned out that the edge of the world happened to be the tree outside Bella Swan's window. He didn't even know where he was heading until he had stopped there. He leaned forward and nearly panicked again because Bella was moving, but after a moment he realized that she wasn't awake. She was practically writhing, twisting in her sheets, sweat shined on her forehead and collected at the back of her neck. In a flaying movement, she kicked all the covers off of her.

She was hot and uncomfortable. In a rather un-thoughtout plan, Edward lunged forward, opened the window and found himself standing in her room. He had a harebrained idea that he could. . . cool her off? Just by standing there that he could. . . - Ugh. It was idiotic. The idea came so quickly and he acted before he could talk himself out of it. Now he was just standing in her room.

A thrill traveled up his spine. He really shouldn't be here. He looked around her room. Most of the decoration seemed to be outdated, things from someone else's life. Come on, Edward. You need to go. She told you to stay away from her. He turned to look at her again. So vulnerable. So pained. He wanted to fix it. In his mind, flooded a hundred different reasons why Bella should be happy.

And then slowly, the lines in her forehead started to ease and her teeth unclenched. And over several minutes Bella had rolled onto her side, sighed and nestled into her pillow, her face calm. Gently. Ever so carefully. Edward grabbed the blanket off the floor and set it over her shoulders. She sighed again.

Did. . . it work?

He came back the next night. Just to make sure. The scientific method, he reasoned as he once more climbed up the side of her house and pushed the window open. It could have been a coincidence. He told himself. Either way, he wanted to make sure she was better.

It was a Saturday, so he couldn't observe her through all the usual routes at school. And yes, he shouldn't be observing her at all. Of course not. But, he was just checking on her well being. And what if her well-being. . . was better if he. . . stayed.

He sat down in the rocking chair, feeling most foolish. He really should leave.

"Don't." Bella whispered. She rolled over and sighed again, nestling in her bed as she had done the night before. The stress seeming to melt away.

Was she awake? Edward froze, but her breathing indicated that she was fully unconscious. He didn't know what to do.

"Stay." She mumbled.

She had to be awake.

"No. No." She sighed.

Edward looked around him. He had the odd sensation that she was answering his unspoken questions, but that was impossible for several different reasons. If she really was asleep. . . it was probably nothing.

He sat in her room for a few hours. Trying to sort through his feelings and guilt and what he should do and what he shouldn't. And what would Bella think if she knew he was here. Would she call the Volturi? This truly didn't look good for him. What would Carlisle and Esme say? Why couldn't he leave her alone? Even now. She's fine. She's perfectly fine. He couldn't pin this on "her well being" any more. What is more un well than having a blood sucking vampire in the room of a sleeping girl. This is possibly the worst he could be doing now for her "well being."

"Edward." Bella sighed. The name so clear on her tongue. Spoken so confidently like she's said it a hundred times, like she was so familiar with him already. "Edward." She mumbled, digging her face into her pillow. She sighed.

And for the second time, Edward felt a shift in the world around him. This time he realized what had changed. Why he couldn't leave her alone. Why in so many of Alice's visions of her future, he was standing next to her.

Because he loved her.

Edward couldn't be sure. But he thought Bella smiled. Her lip turning up. But decided it must have just been the way her face was laying on the pillow.

He came back the next night. And the night after that. And the night after that. He missed only one night, because he had to hunt, but tonight he was back at it. Nothing changed during the day. The same old routine at school, the same old cold shoulder. The same daily minutia. However, she didn't seem to be so tired any more and after a few days the circles under her eyes were lighter and her face fuller. But at night, he felt like he was stepping into a different reality. One where he could envision something more. It was horribly selfish and he was haunted by the thought that at some point she would-

Bella sat bolt upright, shoving the covers away and stared directly at Edward, sitting in his normal seat by the window in the rocking chair.

They held each other gaze for several moments. Edward thought that perhaps, she was just asleep again and that her babblings manifested in. . . whatever this was. But she blinked and scanned him up and down.

"Oh." Edward gasped. If he had a human circulatory system, he would have blanched. Bella took in a deep breath, never not staring at him.

"I'm so sorry." Edward stammered out after an uncomfortable silence. "I know this looks bad. I'm so sorry. I never should have- I won't do it- I'm sorry." He got to his feet. she just watched him carefully. "I promise I wasn't trying to hurt you or, or anything. I just. Well. I-" He closed his mouth. Stupid stupid sTUPID. "I'll go. I'll go and I'll stay away like I promised. I'm so sorry." He turned towards the window.

"Wait." Bella sighed, resigned.

Edward started up with apologies again, running around in circles.

"Shhh." Bella put her finger to her lips. "Don't. Don't say anything. And don't-" she sighed and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Don't go."

Edward turned around again confused. He furrowed his eyebrows. He took in a painful breath about to ask a question.

"No." Bella shook her head interrupting him. "Shhh." She shushed and leaned her forehead on her knees. "Please. Don't say or ask anything. And I won't ask you why you're here." She took a few deep breaths. "Promise me, you won't tell anyone about this? Not your family?"

Edward blinked, not sure if she would let him speak to answer.

"You can answer that." She rolled her eyes.

"I. . . I promise." Edward agreed, though he was still confused on what he was agreeing to.

"Okay then." Bella grinned. "You can use the shower when you leave, to get rid of any lingering smell you pick up here. My dad wears ear plugs at night, because of my night terrors. And he's pretty used to me be being up late and doing weird stuff." She unfurled her legs out straight and glanced up at Edward. It was the same parting look she gave when she left his house that fateful night. Something of confusions and gratitude and a vulnerableness. "Good night." She shimmed back under the covered and turned away. After about a half hour, she fell back asleep.

When the sky started to shift to lighter shades of blue, Edward left as he always had. He didn't take a shower, but instead, realized she had a good point about the smell, he splashed into the river beside his house. He didn't care that he tromped through the house dripping wet. He was so frazzled that he didn't care what his family thought.

The next day at school Bella sat beside him at biology. And again, didn't look his way the entire time, except when the bell rung and she was putting her things in her bag. She tilted her face towards his direction and nodded at him before joining Mike at the door.

That night when he climbed up the side of her house, the window was already left open. Bella's light was on and she was sitting up reading. He stood unsure of himself. Then Bella placed a bookmark on the page she was reading and looked at him, with an air of professionalism. "Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella." Edward wanted to say her name and even though he promised not to talk, he felt like it was only polite. The corner of her lips turned up slightly. She turned the light off and went to sleep.


AN: Wasn't this one. . . kind of sweet?

Thank you for reading and reviewing.

xoxo

Rosalie