Sorry for the delay!

This is for Marie :)


CHAPTER 3

Edward! I thought happily. It had been three weeks since our karaoke night, and I'd grown to enjoy removing my mind shield every so often, so I could test myself on my power. Edward loved hearing my thoughts, so I did it often. We had grown increasingly close over the weeks, spending a lot of our time together doing all sorts, from hunting to just sitting and watching the world go by. I smiled as I felt the air blow gently and he appeared next me in my room, grinning at my want of his attention.

"You called, Bells?"

"Would you like to take a walk with me?"

"Of course." He held out him arm, and I linked mine with it, giggling softly. We walked slowly out of my room, down the stairs, and out of the house. We walked into the forest in a comfortable silence, and I took the opportunity to think, glad he could not hear me.

My thoughts instantly turned to Edward, as usual. I reflected on how I felt about him. He was probably the first person I'd been myself around since I was changed. I always felt safe in his presence, and since he was always with me, I had another shield to protect me. I knew I was falling for him, no, had fallen for him. The butterflies I felt around him, the electric charge that flew through me at every touch. I was completely head over heels. We had spent the three weeks constantly in each others company, and I'd never felt so happy in my entire existence. I felt whole, complete with him. Thinking of being without him made my chest ache and my head spin.

That was when I noticed we weren't in the forest anymore. Here, the sun shone brightly on the light green grass, the wide open space framed with wild flowers of every colour. It was painfully beautiful, and made me so overwhelmingly happy I couldn't make myself move.

"Your meadow!" I gasped, forcing my legs into taking a step forward. I held out my arm and marvelled it; the sun shone off my skin like a million diamonds, and I laughed, feeling so weightless and carefree. I gained complete control over my body then. I laughed and smiled as I ran out into the field, spinning and skipping and holding out my arms, my face towards the sun in content. I raced around the meadow a few times, before noticing I was alone. I turned and saw Edward standing where I left him, a small frown buried between his brow.

"Edward? What's wrong?" I was worried, my blissful mood instantly vanishing.

"I have never seen a vampire act like that around sun." He said honestly.

"You don't like the sun?" I ran quickly to stand in front of him, a line of shadow separating us. Me in the light, him in the dark.

"It reflects what we are. Abnormal. Different. Monsters."

"No, it doesn't!" I laughed. "It's wonderful! Don't you feel it?" I pulled his hand out past the line. "That light tingling? It's amazing." I breathed, watching his skin sparkle. He yanked his hand away and stepped away, sitting underneath a tree nearby.

"Why do you hate what we are so much?" I whispered desperately.

"We're the ultimate predator, Bells. Our only function is to kill." He growled.

"No, Edward. Don't you see? We may be stronger, faster, immortal, and have a new diet, but we're still human. No amount of burning can take that away from us. We still think, we still feel. We can hate and love, be happy or sad. Just because our hearts do not beat does not mean that we're not human. We have just changed, adapted." I stepped into the shade and sat beside him, missing the heat and tingling instantly. But Edward meant far more to me. I knew that, if given the choice, I'd let the sun burn out rather than be without him.

"The blood running through these veins," Edward lifted his sleeve to show me his arm, "Is not our blood. No matter what we feed on, it is still that of another. The blood is stolen, and we must kill to do so." I took his arm in my hand and stroked the visible vein with my other. He was so beautiful.

"You didn't have a choice, Edward." I looked up to his eyes. "But I know I'm glad you're here today. You don't know how much you mean to me." I looked away from his eyes, embarrassed at my confession.

"Yes, I do." He whispered. He pulled his arm out of my grasp and cupped my cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb. I felt my hand raise and rest on top of his, pulling it away and linking our fingers. He smiled my favourite smile, and I once again felt myself melt under his gaze. He searched my face for any hesitation, and when he spotted none, pulled me closer to him. He lent closer, and so did I…

Then he pulled away.

"Bells, I don't want to kiss your mask." He sighed. I looked at him, startled and confused. My mask? Oh. I realised what he was talking about. My power. My new face. I hesitated, I hadn't practiced changing back.

"Wh… What if you don't like the real me?" I felt the overwhelming need to cry, and wished I could, to release some of the tension building up.

"Bells," He stroked my cheek with his free hand, smiling at me, "I'm in love with the real you. The real you on the inside. I want to meet the real you on the outside too."

I bit my lip, incredibly nervous. I let my gaze slip to our joined hands, and began playing with his fingers anxiously.

I can't.

"Yes you can. I know you can, Bella." I looked up at him, and I knew he was serious; he called me Bella for the first time since I met him.

"Edward, it's difficult. I have no experience with it! I can hardly remember what I looked like back then, how do I change myself when I don't know?!" I really hoped he didn't see through my lie.

"Don't lie to me, Bella." Drat. "Vampires remember everything from their lives since they were changed clearly." Edward said fiercely. He released my hand; I felt horribly empty without it.

"Edward, please." I begged, grabbing his hand again, "It hurts. Changing myself hurts."

"Bells… If you can't be yourself around me, then surely that means I've fallen for the mask?" Edward stood up, too far away to touch. I fell to my knees, defeated. He stood there for a moment, sighed, and walked away. My hands held my face, as dry sobs erupted through me. I had lost him.

EPOV

My entire body ached to run back and comfort her. Her sobs were loud, and she sounded like she was in pain. Because of me. Because I pushed her too far.

I sighed, arriving home. I walked straight to my piano. I could hear my families thoughts in my head; asking why they could hear Bella crying in the forest. I ignored them all, and sat down. I tried to play, but nothing came to me. Until I remembered the lullaby; Bella's lullaby. I had spent the past three weeks perfecting it, and it was almost right. I closed my eyes, and let my fingers do the work, as the tune floated out of me and into the keys. I didn't hear their thoughts anymore. I didn't hear Bella arrive at the house and run straight to her room. I didn't hear Alice follow to comfort Bella. I didn't hear Emmett's shouting directed towards me. I didn't hear them all fall silent. I didn't hear Esme crying.

But I did hear a scream of pain. It pierced my mind, ripping my world apart; my lovely Bella. I darted towards the source, and found her in her bedroom. Alice had left, though I could hear her making her way up the stairs.

"Alice, keep everyone downstairs." I spoke down to her, before opening the bedroom door.

I gasped at Bella. She was lying on the floor, her back arched up, her hands in tight fists in obvious pain. I rushed to her side and kneeled beside her.

"Bells? Bella, what's wrong?!" I cried, my hands shaking, trying yet failing to help her in some way. Her breathing had stopped, only the occasional sharp inhale passing her lips.

I told you it hurt. She thought, before another scream entered my mind. She was putting herself through pain for me, because I made her. I hated myself for my foolishness, for forcing her do something she didn't want to.

I then noticed she was shaking, and as I looked at her face, I noticed it had changed. 5 crescent moon scars had appeared; one through her right eyebrow, one of her left cheek, two on her right, one across the left side of her jaw. Her hair had changed colour; a dark brown instead of black, and it was shorter, though still had the waves. Her skin had paled, and her eyes suddenly shot open, looking at me immediately. The screams stopped, and I gathered her up in arms, holding her tightly to me, her arms wrapped around my neck. I sat with her on my lap, rocking us gently back and forth for some time, until she pulled back, smiling weakly at me.

"Silly Bella, don't you dare scare me like that again!" I scolded her, pushing her new hair out of her eyes and behind her ear.

"Don't I scare you now?" She questioned, worry flooding her expression.

"Not at all." I stroked the scar on her left cheek, and she relaxed at my touch. I lent forward, kissing the scar. I kissed the scar on her jaw, the scar across her eyebrow, the two on her cheek. I pulled back for a moment, watching as she slowly opened her eyes, a smile lighting up face. Then I leant forward, gently capturing her lips with mine. And I shot to heaven, as she kissed me back eagerly.