Chapter Three: "Reflection"

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SleepWalker by Adam Lambert (Verse Two)

Outside the rain's fallin' down
There's not a drop that hits me
Scream at the sky but no sound
Is leavin' my lips
It's like I can't even feel
After the way you touched me
I'm not asleep but I'm not awake
After the way you loved me

-*-Edward-*-

I slunk back on the log and sighed. I was alone again. I seemed, in a sense, to always be alone these days. My eyes flickered quickly to the vacated spot across the clearing and then back to the fading light of the moon shining off the cut table-shaped trunk. I had never told anyone my….situation before. What made her so different that I could relay my secrets to her? Part of me saw her plight in my own. She was fascinating, that I could not argue. The first time I had seen her walking among my apple trees, I was drawn to her; drawn to the sheer mystery of her actions, walking along a very dark, very dangerous orchard at night, seemingly oblivious to anything around her. The oddness of her lying on the dead, half-frozen ground with her eyes tightly shut. I was not aware she was sleeping; only that she was in a world of her own. And she was beautiful. Her hair floating on her shoulders, her pale face with full lips. She was like my Eve. I was her Adam, but unknowingly so for her.

I bent down and picked up the discarded twig she had held when she first sat down on the abandoned log across the way. I twirled in between my callused hands much like she did as I pondered. It was easy to believe her. Her face was much too soft with truth. When she had told me about her sleep-walking, I utterly believed her. Even when I had told her it was 'odd', I believed her wholeheartedly. There was a sense of something under the surface of it all that wasn't revealed until we were both silent under the light of the moon; my need to protect her. How could this need be so strong of a person that I only just met, and who told me a severely odd story? But yet, there it was.

Guilt surged through me. She was so honest and open with me, when she did not have to be, and here I was lying to her. Not completely- mind you- but still lying through my teeth by the same meaning. I threw the twig to the ground and angrily crushed it with the tip of my shoe. I leaned back further on the log and closed my eyes. The images behind my eyes flashed. I opened my eyes and blinked, letting the images fade to black before I closed them again. This time, when the flashing images flooded and floated behind my eyes, I let them come. This would be my torture for lying to Bella. It was because I needed her, and I would have to come clean sooner or later. Punishment for what I will do later on. And I would hurt her; there was no doubt about that. And the pain started….

I crinkled my nose at the smell that lofted into my nostrils. The smell was horrible; as if I was sleeping among long detonated fireworks. I opened my sleepy eyes and looked around. I could not see a thing in front of me, as thick gray smoke had completely filled the room and was swirling around haphazardly. I could hear a faint scream somewhere in the distance. My awareness was now fully on as I hopped out of the bed and ran across the wood planked floor. I reached for the door knob, the heat now flicking from under the door. I stepped back and looked around. Finding a heavy sweatshirt on the floor, I bent and picked it up, rolling it in a ball. I grabbed the hot knob with it and opened the door. Thick smoke greeted me, making me choke with thick heaves. Another scream rang out, making me jump over the licking flames on the floor.

"Rosalie!" I yelled, my voice faltering, and my eyes watering from the intense smoke. "ROSALIE!" I screamed out louder, moving down the hall, using my hand to cover my nose and mouth from the smoke.

Her door was closed, smoke pouring from every opening. I could see fire licking from under her door. Flames were inside her room!

"Rosalie! If you are near the door, move away from it!" I yelled, inching back into the bathroom that was behind me to gather more distance between me and her door.

I ran at her door with as much speed as my body could gather. I landed a high kick, but it was still firmly closed. The door was hot, burning my foot when it connected. I backed up again, running at the door and placing another high kick at the wood. It broke open then, swinging violently inward. I jumped over the flames lining the entire room. Rosalie was cradled in the corner, her face down upon the hot planks of her floor. I ran over to her and knelt, grasping her shoulder and turning her. I gasped. The side of her face was indented with burns that savaged her skin; big oozing welts ripped down from her forehead to her neck, blood sheathing her tank top and face. Her hand was severely burned; skin dangling off her small, thin fingers. She looked up at me with pain inflicted eyes.

"You let me die, Edward," she whispered out in a strangled cry.

"I tried to help! I tried to help!" I screamed, sitting bolt upright. My eyes flew open with force.

I looked around in a confused daze. It was not until I felt the slip of tears fall down my sweaty, heat filled cheeks that I realized I fell asleep and dreamed. Not dreamed; had a horrific nightmare. I gasped in a lungful of air as I looked around. I was still in the clearing, still sitting upon the log. I wiped my tear stained cheeks and stood. I looked up at the dawn that was rising now, as it slowly became a new day, and sighed.

"I tried to help, Rosalie," I said to the purple sky. "But you wouldn't let me."

And I walked back through Eden, as Bella called it, until I could no longer feel the tears slip down my pale, sweaty face.

-*-Bella-*-

SleepWalker by Adam Lambert: verse three

I can't turn this around
I keep running into walls that I can't break down
I said I just wander around
With my eyes wide shut because of you
I'm a sleepwalker walker walker
I'm a sleepwalker walker walker

Let me out of this dream, dream
Let me out of this dream

"Wow, kiddo! That's great!" Charlie exclaimed, pouring orange juice into the glass pitcher on the table. "I'm sure Alice could use the help, too. Say hi to her for me, will you?"

"Yeah, alright," I agreed, taking the pitcher of juice he held out to me. I poured the glass half way and then sat the pitcher down. "I'm going there this afternoon. I'll tell her then."

I tapped the white backpack that I placed under the table earlier with my foot. Inside held the clothing, washed and dried, that belonged to Edward's sister. I would make sure I gave them to him if I saw him as I ventured into town to Alice's.

Edward.

I sighed silently. Last night, in my dreams, I visited Eden. I had walked along the same road, the same path there. I was not sleeping this time, and nor was I visiting a dead Eden. The trees were full of apples and blossoms. The pink and white buds falling like heavy snow in the winter. The bark was a light shade of chocolate brown as my hands curved over them. The path into the clearing Edward showed me was now bathed in the brightest sunlight; the rays illuminating the finer branches that littered the ground. I walked forward into the empty clearing. The logs were gone, replaced by two full sized carvings made from the trees that surrounded me. One, the one on the right, was a striking resemblance to me. My features etched in the bark with precision and care. I was wearing a replica of the pajamas I wore the first night I met Edward. The other carving was of Edward. Again, the resemblance was striking. Unable to resist, I reached out to touch his carving; my hands lingering and brushing over his face, the intricate curve the wood made on his shoulders. My hands curved to touch his wooden ones. As soon as my warm skin found his fingers, the carvings hands had started to open. Light poured from the opening at his hands. I gasped and took a few steps back. Hesitating a little, I moved closer when the light faded. I reached my hand inside the hollow spot his now departed hands made. My hands found something hard and smooth. I extracted my hands. Inside the small, pale palm of my hand, there lied the carving that now hung around my neck. There was one difference. The male carving on the tree was gone. Just the female remained.

I sighed again. I wasn't into symbols or the provocation that dreams were some sort of fortune telling phenomena. The dream was strange, but I simply brushed it off, however. I had no time right now to think about it anymore as I glanced at the clock that hung just above the doorway. I had to be at Alice's by one o'clock, and it was nearly Twelve fifteen. If I wanted to make it there on time, I had to leave now. I scraped my chair back and bent to pick up the backpack. Slinging it over my shoulder, I told Charlie a brief goodbye, pulled on my coat and left out the back door.

I traveled up the dirt path, the backpack securely over my shoulder. The cold air was a welcomed change from the kitchens stifling heat as I walked along, kicking various rocks and small brown twigs as I went. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach; one which if nothing else could easily be deciphered as excited.

It seemed like only a few moments of repetitious kicking and walking, when I saw the familiar dip of the trees in the distance. It was with excitement and undeniable tension that I walked closer to Eden, my arms enfolding upon my stomach as I felt the fluttering inside. I was not so sure that it was because I wanted to see Eden again. I, in all subconscious complexities, knew it was because of him; because of Edward. He was a mix of complicated and kind-hearted. His eyes were soft and complacent, and his humanity toward his orchard, toward Eden, was most respectable. He was a mystery as well. His story held truth, but with a shield hiding the most important parts; tragedy and horror mingled with guilt and regret; shielding his heart from love and living. It was with these thoughts that I walked along the grassy patch next to Eden.

I stopped quickly. Looking around the large open area that led into the trees, I saw no movements or shadows. The ladder that had been propped up against the Apple Tree bark was now gone. The vacancy made my heart drop. I licked my now perched lips and sighed. He was gone. I looked around me, down the path in which I had come, and back to the trees. No one was around. I walked silently to the tree in which Edward had stood on the ladder and shrugged off the backpack that held his sister's clothing. I bent down to place it along the base of the tree, where the roots rose above the solid, frozen ground. I just righted myself when I heard a voice behind me.

"I wouldn't leave that there, Bella."

I turned around very quickly. So quickly in fact, that my equilibrium faltered and I swayed. Two hands darted out and steadied me with strong, firm pressure. My eyes, which had closed as my balance weakened, were now open. Edward was peering down at me with genuine concern, his eyes wide and his pupils enlarged.

"Whoa. Are you alright, Bella?" he asked, his arms encircling my waist to hold me up. He gently lowered me to the ground, where I slumped onto the trees trunk behind me. He took a seat right beside me, his arms coming off my waist. "I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you," he said, nonchalantly moving a piece of hair from my forehead. His breath hit across my cheek, dazing me slightly.

"I didn't see you anywhere," I stated, my head still whirling. "I meant to only leave this," I explained, pointing to the white backpack now lying near my hip. "It's the clothes you lent me last night. I washed and dried them."

He chuckled, but reached across my lap, brushing my waist as he pulled the backpack to him. He yanked on the zipper and looked inside, shaking his head and laughing. He zipped it up and looked at me for a second before speaking.

"I told you that you could keep those," he said, a smile firmly on his face. "Do you always do the opposite of what people tell you?" he said humorously.

I smiled. I could not help it. His smile was dazzling, and at this moment, he was throwing around a disease in which I caught: laughter. I laughed loudly and shook my head, mimicking his earlier movement.

"Only when I can get away with it," I replied, my laughter dying down.

He took the backpack and sat it behind him on the ground, and then moved to press his back against the large trunk, so that we were shoulder to shoulder. He sighed quietly.

"I had a nightmare last night, after you left," he began, his voice sad. He picked at the material of his stone-washed jeans. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep," he lightly banged the back of his head on the rough bark behind him.

I was silent a moment. The sadness in his voice hurt me. I wanted to reach my hand out and press it to his cheek and tell him that it was okay. I thought he might not like that, so I kept my hands firmly on my lap.

"Do you remember it?" I asked softly, glancing over at him. I could see and feel him shake his head. I knew all too well that he probably did remember it. I would not push him. He would tell me when he was ready. "I'm sorry," I added.

"I think it was because you left me," he whispered. "I haven't fallen asleep in so long. I nearly had forgotten about the nightmares." He turned to look at me, sorrow in his eyes. "What are you doing to me?" He reached his knuckles over and brushed my cheek softly.

I bowed my head to cut off the look he was giving me. His sadness started to shape into something more. I felt his fingers travel down my cheekbones and collect under my chin. With a quick, solid move, he lifted my chin, making my eyes find his.

"Isabella, don't look away from me, please," he whispered softly, "let me tell you what you are doing to me." He dropped his hand from my chin, but continued to hold my gaze. "When you are near me, out in the clearing with me, I am awake completely. I am not thinking of nightmares, or what happened that night or how fucked up I am. I can talk with you, Isabella. I can forget the pain and the goddamn torture I put myself through. You telling me of your sleep-walking made me realize that I am just another lost soul; that I am not alone. I want to dream; dream of you in the darkness when I close my eyes. I can't, but I want to," he finished. His body did not move, did not reach out to me. Instead, he simply watched me as I gasped at his words. "I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry."

"No," I said quickly, "don't be sorry. It's how you feel." I told him, my eyes still firmly on his. "I'm sorry I make you have nightmares with my absence. I wish I didn't have to leave every dawn. I would stay with you and make sure you didn't fall asleep if I could, Edward. It hurts to hear that I am causing your nightmares again," I said. It was true. I was causing him to fall asleep and bring his nightmares.

"It helps to know I will see you each night, and bring you here, to your Eden," he said, gesturing around us to the orchard.

I smiled. I itched to tell him of the dream I had last night, but his words reverberated in my head, making it hard for me to get the words out and so I left it alone, keeping the dream inside my mind. He had enough to deal with, anyway.

"Thank you for that," I said softly. "For letting me come here."

He smiled at me, his eyes alight. His face began to move toward mine fractionally, his lips parting as he neared my own warm lips. It was then that I remembered Alice.

"Oh!" I stood up quickly, startling Edward. He popped up beside me and looked around the area frantically.

"What is it, Bella?" he asked when his eyes saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"I'm supposed to be at Alice's! I have to go," I said, starting to head off toward the road leading into town. Edward grabbed my wrist lightly and pulled me to him tightly.

"See you tonight, Wanderer," he said, bending down to press his lips to my cheek.

He let go of my wrist and smiled. Blushing, I turned around and jogged to the road ahead. I only had twenty minutes until I was expected. I would be late. I looked back when I got further down the way. Edward was still standing there with a smile on his face and his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Smooth, Bella," I said to myself, turning around and walking on. "That was really Smooth."

My hand reached down to automatically touch his carving. The carving he made. The carving he touched.

I was still blushing as I made my way to the back of Alice's tea shop. The small kiss he put upon my cheek burned with warmth still. As if to make sure the kiss was real, I put my hand on my cheek and rubbed it. I hadn't expected him to kiss my cheek. But I cannot say I minded it. My time at Alice's went by in a blur. Her incessant babbling about how to handle customers and make sure they have what they needed seemed to drone on and on. I was still back under the shade of the tree, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist. And then there was the kiss. The freaking kiss! I didn't give a shit if it was on the cheek, it was still a kiss.

I finished her boring test on my mannerisms with ease, and then bolted out the door at a quarter to seven. It was pitch dark out now as I made my way back home. I pulled my jacket tighter against the wind as I walked on, the moon shining a small lit path in front of me. I thought about tonight, when Edward would come for me as I walked along the road in a sleepy daze. For the first time since I was seven years old, I had wanted to run home and hop into bed, and for just once, just once, want to sleep walk my way to Eden. I knew that he would be beside me, and when we got to the cold, half-dead trees, he would wake me up, and I would once again keep him company. And he liked my company. And that had me hurrying even more to my warm, satin oasis of bed. It was this I was thinking of when I saw it. I was halfway to Eden then.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow pass me on the right hand side. When I turned to see where it had gone, there was nothing but shadows and silence. I shrugged and walked on. I walked another hundred feet or so and saw the shadow again, this time, it was directly behind me. I turned, but before I could see anything that would tell me who this person was, a pair of cold, desolate eyes stared at me, my reflection in the pupils caught horror. A hand came down on my shoulder and I was now at the mercy of the shadows…

Everywhere that I go
I see another memory
And all the places we used to know
They're always there to haunt me
I walk around and I feel so lost and lonely
You're everything that I want
But you don't want me

A/N:

A bit of a thrower, huh? Still no idea on Edward's secret… We have some build up of the relationship between Edward and Bella. We also dived into one of Edward's nightmares. There will be more of those. Or what the meaning of Bella's dream was? Also, I know what you're thinking…

*Vampire? NOPE.

*Immortal? NOPE

*Mind reader? Future teller? NOPE AND NOPE.

So what is so special about Edenward? You will never guess it, I guarantee this.

Until next time…review and recommend. : )

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