So sorry for the long break... I haven't updated in ages! ;/ Ah well, here's the chapter.
Edward stood behind Bella, two hands around her neck. The poor girl's eyes were wide and filled with fear. The only breaths she could draw out were tiny and fast. A small whimper broke through her lips.
"No one move!" Edward boomed, taking a step back with Bella. The scene looked like any from some sort of comic book – Edward was the villain, Bella was the innocent caught up in the mess. A new hand reached from behind Edward and skilfully pried his hands away from Bella. The figure was out of sight, and grabbed Bella before pushing her towards Carlisle, who stood in front. Edward spun around to face whoever was behind him, and snarled again.
The girl behind him shouldn't have been strong enough to do that, especially with her petite body and amber eyes. But sure enough, there she was. Everyone, except April, had a dropped jaw.
"Hi," Rosalie smiled.
Edward
Rosalie didn't waste any time for explanations, instead she thrust Edward behind her and hurled him to the balcony door. He didn't respond, but staggered back, his eyes wide. After a second his expression changed, and his face twisted in a miserable pain. His eyes drifted to meet each of his family's one by one, looking forlorn. When he reached Bella, his gaze lingered for a few moments, and he mouthed something to her. Something that he had had to say to her, to make her see the pain he felt. Finally, Edward looked at Rosalie, feeling sympathy and seeing the pain in her eyes that she tried to hide. He gave a slight nod.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, stepping back on to the balcony. And with those words, Edward leapt over the railing and sped off through the forest, sensing no pursuit.
. . .
After miles and miles, Edward lost track of where he was. He had been going so fast that he was sure that he'd left Forks by now – and maybe even wandered into the neighbouring state of Oregon. He was still in forest, and hadn't come across any signs of human life, except for the distant roaring of cars' engines on the far highway. He went in this direction purposely, heading for the most empty and desolate part of the forests.
Finally, Edward came across a valley. He stood on the edge of a sharp cliff with a drop of roughly fifty feet – nothing he couldn't manage. Down in the valley, all he could see was green. Tall evergreens and pines clouded the grassy ground below, where Edward's keen eyesight could spot large animals roaming around.
He saw a herd of deer – large bucks, to be precise – and inhaled their rich sent. He could almost hear their hearts beating, the blood pumping through their veins. Eyes black with sudden thirst, Edward leapt down off of the cliff, landing soundly and quietly on the ground.
Ahead, he couldn't see the bucks because of the trees and foliage, but he could smell their blood, and this propelled him to zip through the trees, easily dodging rocks and ducking beneath branches, never decreasing his speed. Finally, he came to a slow halt, careful not to make any noise.
On ground slightly below where Edward crouched, he saw three – no, four, bucks slowly passing by. His predatory instincts kicked in, and he chose the weakest two of the four to take down. Breathing in their sweet scent once more, Edward zoomed forward and grabbed two bucks, elbowing one to snap its neck and holding the other still. He bit into the struggling buck's throat, loosing himself in the taste.
Beneath him, the deer flailed and kicked uselessly against his hold, screeching and making groans of pain. After a few seconds, Edward got tired of the noise and bit in deeper, breaking the neck of the buck. It instantly went limp, now dead. He continued drinking, though, having to hold up the corpse.
Finally, when the buck had been drained of blood, Edward pulled back, pulling the back of his hand across his mouth to wipe off the blood. He licked his lips, and descended on the other deer.
Bella
"What did he say to you?" Alice demanded. She had missed the few words that Edward had mouthed to Bella.
"What? He said nothing." Bella lied futilely.
"You know you're a bad liar, Bella." Alice's eyes narrowed.
"He didn't say anything!" Bella insisted. "Just...uh..." she added, fumbling for words. "Bye. He said, goodbye."
"Bella," Alice sighed. "I understand. As long as it's not important...You don't have to tell me." Her last words were forced, along with her smile. Alice made sure that Bella was okay for what seemed the thousandth time and left her alone on the sofa. She sat up straight and examined the couch she sat on. It was meant for two, and Bella felt miserable sitting there alone.
I sit reading a book – Wuthering Heights again. He joins me, grinning.
"That old book again?" he laughs. I smile with him, unable to resist. Easily, he slides beside me and wraps his arms around me.
"Hey!" I laugh. "Trying to read, here!" As soon as I say it, he places a kiss on my cheek, and I can feel his smile. He continues this, kissing my neck and up to my face, his cold finger gently tracing my collarbone. Finally, I give up and drop the book, probably breaking its spine. I smile back at him and our lips meet...
Bella smiled sadly, coming back to reality. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she lifted her finger up to wipe it away. She missed him. More than anything in the world. Emmett was her world – she thought she couldn't live without him; but she coped. Bella loved him, and never realised how much she really missed him.
At first, she'd been willing to die herself after he'd gone. Somehow, she had pulled through with the help of others. Bella brought her knees up to her face, and buried her head in her knees, letting her tears flow. She didn't keep track of time, but she knew that she must have been crying for nearly an hour. When she looked up, someone sat beside her on the sofa. Bella jumped and yelped slightly. After a moment, she recognised the girl as April and calmed, but her fast-beating heart didn't seem to slow.
"Hey," April murmured. "I... I don't mean to pry, but were you crying because of my brother...Or Edward?" she asked quietly, her large amber eyes desperate. Bella sniffed, and tried to answer, but her voice was hoarse.
"Emmett." She whispered. April smiled weakly.
"I know it hurts," she said quietly. "And I want you to know that you're not the only one. I loved him too – as my brother. And the Cullens loved him as family – what I'm trying to say is that we understand what you're going through. And you can talk to us at any time -" April was cut off as Bella leaned – or rather fell – against her, bursting into tears again. Instead of just sitting there, April murmured comforting words, smoothing out Bella's hair and rubbing her shoulder sympathetically.
"Shh, shh," she murmured. "It's okay, it's okay.
April
After hours of crying, Bella somehow fell asleep.
Cried herself to sleep, April thought. She gently picked up the sleeping human and silently walked out of the living room. Alice met her at the door.
"Where are you going?" she snapped.
"I'm taking Bella home." April replied in a hushed tone. Alice's face faltered for a fraction of a second.
"I can take her, thank you." Alice assured her, reaching to take Bella out of April's arms. April stepped back.
"I'm okay, thanks. Why don't you go to Jasper? I've heard that he's got a lot of explaining to do." She blurted. Her eyes widened and she instantly regretted saying that, but she had to admit, Jasper had been acting strangely lately.
"I..." Alice was at a loss for words, but spun around and stomped off back upstairs. April smiled slightly in triumph and exited the house, heading towards Bella's old Chevy. The doors were unlocked and the key in the glove box, as April quickly found out, and she was able to start it. Somehow, Bella managed to stay asleep in the passenger seat during the roar and groan of the loud engine of her truck.
"...Promised..." Bella murmured. For a second, April thought she was awake and quickly looked at Bella as she was about to close her door. But her eyelids were shut and droopy, and her breathing normal. She was definitely asleep.
"Edward...I'm sorry..." she murmured. "I know I...I promised..." she trailed off as April shut her door.
"I promised you that we'd always be together..."
. . .
Why do you comfort her?
"Woah!" April yelped, spinning around to face Lyreco. He was, as always, half-transparent and followed by a grey haze.
"Damn." April laughed. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
Answer.Lyreco's voice drifted to her mind, his lips not actually moving.
"I...Uh...I don't know. Why is it so weird for me to feel sympathy?"
It's not. But I would've never guessed that you would make a friend of her.
"What, so you're saying I don't have friends?" April demanded.
Honestly? Yes. The closest thing to a friend you have is me - and I'm dead. I think it would be good for you - both of you.
"Honestly," April mimicked Lyreco's voice. "That's a little harsh. And who says me and this Bella girl will become BFFs?" She put on a bubbly tone at 'BFFs', smiling a huge, fake smile.
Alright, enough on that. I have news - something you must tell Jasper.
"How do you know Jasper?" April asked.
That's not important right now. Tell Jasper this: The crow flies.
"That's it...?" she wondered aloud.
Yes, that is all. Lyreco replied.
"Oh, okay...I'll be sure to, uh, pass on the message. What does it mean, exactly?" April said.
It's a 'll know. Oh, and Alicia?
"Yes?"
Do not mention ever seeing me, meeting me, or that you've gotten this information from me. Just tell him and do not answer his questions, for he will have many.
"I want to know what I'm saying before I say it. What kind of warning?" April pressed.
It means that one of our own betrays us.
Jasper Cullen chose that very moment to walk out onto the balcony upstairs, a storey above the garden where April stood.
"Jasper!" she called, feeling stupid. He looked over to her.
"I, uh, need to tell you something. In private." April knew that the entire Cullen family could hear them, and so she beckoned for him to follow her to the woods. Suspiciously, Jasper dropped down from the balcony and flashed to her side.
"Yes?" he inquired, seeming annoyed. April kept walking until they were out of earshot, and finally spoke, not facing Jasper.
"The crow flies." she said, turning. Jasper's eyes were wide.
"What? Who told you that?" he snapped.
"Just know that." April thought that was the right thing to say. "Remember." And she ran off back into the house.
End of chapter six! Chapter seven will be up by the end of this week!
Review please! :)