"Take out your contacts!" Bang! The look on her face was priceless, but she quickly composed it as if she thought I had gone insane.

"Tomorrow. I'm tired, can I have your couch?" To what? Fake sleep?

"No problem, I'll get upstairs myself, the blanket's on the sofa, pillows everywhere. Feel at home. With that I left her and went to bed, though it had been an exciting day, it had also been a very exhausting one. I drifted to sleep the second I lay down I fell asleep.

When I got up the next morning, it was already eight. Taking my bag of toiletries I went into the bathroom to take a shower, brush my teeth and the went back to my room to dress into a pair of jeans and a tank top. As I returned to the bathroom to blow-dry my hair, Amily was standing in front of the mirror, brushing her hair, and whirling around as I entered.

"Sorry Bella, I thought you were ready…" I didn't pay attention to her words, just her eyes mattered. She was wearing no contacts, and her eyes were deep crimson with only a shade of black around the pupils.

"Red," I whispered. "Why?" I looked deep into those mesmerizing, potentially dangerous eyes.

"Bella I can explain this. You see, the incident made blood go into my irises and coloured them this way. That's why I'm wearing contacts." She sounded a bit desperate.

"So since the car crash, then. Why didn't you tell me?" I was right. I could see a vampire whe he or she was facing me…

"It's not important, just the color, really…"

"Amily! No need to lie to me. Honestly, do you think I'm blind? Cool touch, no pizza, and now the red irises? Just tell me why?" She looked puzzled.

"How? You mean . . . you know?" She was really anxious. Her hands clenched to fists.

Of course I know. I suspected it the whole evening, that's why I wanted you to take your contacts out. Just tell me why you are a vampire."

"After the accident, someone saved me, but I never saw him or her. I was left in the forest to…well…transform. I hid myself for a long while after that…. But why and how do you know? That vampires exist, I mean?" I blushed.

"Well, you see, actually there is a family here. Seven, and five visitors at the moment. I hang out with them all the time…actually…um…you see…Edward is one of them…!" I was anxious how they would react to the news, but more importantly right now, how she would.

"And you aren't afraid at all?"

"No, they are my family. Much more than Charlie and Renee…, but please … just tell me why you do this, Amily." I looked at her eyes. She hunted humans, no doubt.

"What do you mean? Saying goodbye?"

"No, hunting people, I mean…"

"What else should I do?" She had no idea of what I was talking about.

"You can feed of animals. Didn't you know? The Culles do, and the Denalis as well. I guess I should take you to the Cullens today. Don't wotty, they are the nicest of all people." In that instant the door bell rung and I sped down to open it. On the porch was my Edward, waiting for me to come into his arms. The moment I opened the door, he froze, looking over my shoulder, directly at Amily.

"Uh, Edward, this is Amily. My friend from Phoenix. Would you mind if she came over today?" Uh, oh, he was getting mad.

"Bella! Honestly! Are you suicidal? A human fed vampire in your house and you do not call me in an instant?"

"Hey, cocky boy, calm down, I mean no harm to my oldest and dearest friend. I would just want to know if that phrase suits for you to say about Bells as well?"

"I warn you, if you ever hurt her I swear, there are eleven vampires to track you down and burn your shreds…"

"Stop, Edward! I trust Amily, I have trusted her for fifteen years, so why not now as well? She will probably be gone soon, and after Easter there are no worries left for you…" I smiled at him at the thought, he did the very same. He was really warming up to the idea of being stuck with me forever.

"What? Bella! Don't! Never let him to that to you! Are you absolutely insane?" Amily screamed and ripped me out of Edward's arms. Wait, how could she know?

"She sees through keywords. She knew the extent of what you meant to happen on Easter when you said it."

"Exactly, and I won't let my best friend become a monster." Edward tensed, and I slapped Amily across the face. Even though she didn't feel it, she looked hurt.

"Never, never call yourself, or worse Edward, for that matter, a monster! Am I clear?" I merely shouted at her.

"Wow, Bella. Never seen you so emotional…I guess I have to get a close look at that family that makes you join them." Slap!

"They don't make me, Amily! I have always wanted this, and it took a long, long while to convince Edward! Now you don't dare talk him out of that again, and don't look like a child, you do merely feel it when I slap you."

"It hurts internally. You did never react so strong while I still knew you… that boy must have changed you…in more than one way." With that comment I dragged both vampires to the car. Dragging as much as a human in my position could.

Edward turned the music on, loud enough to stop any proper conversation. The radio played a song I had known long ago, but hadn't heard it for a long while. Burning for love by Bon Jovi, and as I listened I realized that there were some points that did fit for us…

I've been lied to, you been cheated,
I've been cried to, you been mistreated.
I've been watching you, you want action,
You need love and I need satisfaction.

He looked at me, obviously thinking along the same lines as I did. We really knew each other well, and always thought the same things. I was absolutely positive we were made for each other.

I'm burning for love, filled with desire,
I can't stand the heat, my heart's on fire.
I can't get enough (Burning love), it's down to the wire,
Making my move, I'm looking for you I'm burning for love.

Edward took my hand in his, but I could feel his tension and knew he was listening intensively to Amily's thoughts.

You're the victim its, in your eyes.
I'm the suspect and love's the crime.
Tensions mounting, bodies shaking.
I can't take the anticipation.

Amily snorted, obviously about the song. Maybe I was the victim. Love was the crime, that much was for sure. She obviously still saw the prey and predator relationship between us, that most vampires felt about humans. She was new, in any case, so what else should I have expected?

I'm burning for love, filled with desire,
I can't stand the heat, my heart's on fire.
I can't get enough (Burning love), it's down to the wire,
Making my move, I'm looking for you I'm burning for love.

I needed him to survive, to be what I am, and I could never ever stand loosing him again. Hadn't I just jumped out of the window half a day after he last left me?

Now that I got you in my sights, can't take another sleepless night,
Oh no no. You can run but you can't hide.
You're the only one I need to feel the fire inside.

"Never leave me," I whispered, looking at his face. He turned around and smiled my crooked grin. I loved him with all my heart, and he knew I did, as I would always know he loved me…

I'm burning for love, filled with desire,
I can't stand the heat, my heart's on fire.
I'm burning for love (Burning love).
Filled with desire, I can't stand the heat, my heart's on fire.
I'm burning for love (Burning love), filled with desire,
I can't stand the heat, my heart's on fire.
I can't get enough (Burning love). It's down to the wire,
Making my move, I'm looking for you I'm burning for love.

"I won't, Bella. Remember, whatever happens, I love you…" And he pulled up in their driveway, kissing me passionately, only breaking away when Amily coughed from behind and pulled me back into the seat and away from him.

"Amily! Try to be a good sport, ok? Just leave me, please." And she did take her hands back and let Edward pull me out of the car, she getting out by herself at the same time. We walked into the house, Amily obviously impressed.

"Hello, everyone! Down here please, we have a guest!" Edward said at a normal volume, they all just heard him fine and appeared just a second later in the sitting room. Alice looked at the three of us and immediately started to apologize.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Edward, I just saw this, but I didn't know she would go after Bella, I believed she was safe at Charlie's…I am so sorry, I should have known this…"

"Alice, it's ok. Well, she didn't actually go after Bella, at least not the way you think. She is a friend of hers," Edward explained.

"What? Bella, I guess you are a trouble magnet. How many vampires or other monsters do you befriend we also don't know about?" Alice snorted.

"I haven't seen her since last she was human. That was about two years ago, we lived in the same street in Phoenix, and we grew up together. She tried to save me from Edward when she found out, picture that. Amily was the only real friend I ever had before I moved to Forks. Don't judge by the first sight, Alice, I never did with you!" They were stunned. The three Denali girls had started to chatter, and the other Cullens didn't really know what to think about all this. Just then Carlisle stepped towards Amily to shake hands with her.

"Well I guess if this is really how things are, I shall apologize for our rude behaviour. Welcome to our house, Amily. I am Carlisle, this is my family: my wife Esme, Emmett and Rosale, Alice and Jasper and you already know Edward and I think you know Bella maybe better than we do. These delightful people are Carmen and Eleazar and Irina, Kate and Tanya, they are from Denali, Alaska. We are pleased to meet you." He introduced everyone to her and winked her with his hand to take a seat as everybody else did at that moment.

"Thank you, Carlisle. I am pleased to be here, as well, and I am happy to see that you are a wonderful family to care for Bella. I wish I had a family like you are. But, may I ask a for me very important question? Bella told me you had a way to – well – not be monsters? To avoid killing people?" She asked, a little staggered.

"Yes, we do. And I am more than happy when we can find more of us to try this way of life. We hunt animals instead of people. It does sound simple, but you have to know that it doesn't satiate the thirst. It just partly supresses it. If you want to try you are more than welcome and we could help you find your way, if you want." Carlisle explained everything to her, being the kind person he always was, and Amily's eyes lightened.

"Thank you very much for these information, but I don't think I could afford your help. I have to be gone by tomorrow, since there are a few people I have to meet before I can start a new life overseas like I intend to do. You are very nice people and I am more than sure we will meet again over the next decades. At the least I will visit Bella from time to time, because now I know that I do not have to hide from her and that relieves me a great deal. I have to be gone as soon as possible at any rate." That was Amily. Like I had always known her, polite, but wanting to do her own thing.

"Where do you intend to go, if I may ask?" Carlisle asked her.

"To Italy, I have heard of a big coven there that takes in vampires with special gifts…" I tensed automatically and stepped close into Edward's arms. He put his hands around my waist and held me tight. It was obvious to everyone that Amily meant the Volturi. Everyone took in a sharp breath.

"Did I say anything wrong?" Amily asked. She couldn't know what had happened in Italy, merely two weeks ago.

"No, dear. You can't know that we had a little incident with this particular coven only two weeks ago." Esme tried to loosen her tension. Edward snorted at the expression 'little incident' and I whimpered at the thought. Just two weeks ago Edward had believed me dead and I thought I would see him never ever again. Just two weeks since I had found out that he still loved me.

"Bella?" Amily and Edward whispered at the same time, Alice and Amily stepped towards me, Alice to lay her hand on my arm and sooth me, Edward kissed my hair and Amily wanted to know what exactly had happened. I couldn't answer. The thought of having been close to losing Edward forever and the feeling of fear for him, the impression of Aro and the others, the pictuer of Jane torturing the love of my life, and always the thought of that woman with the rosary and cross in there… I couldn't get rid of the thought of their cruelity. I started to cry into Edward's chest, thinking of how he had left me and how I had been so close to loosing him forever.

"Shhhhhhh, it's allright Bella, I'm here. Don't cry. We are all here and all in one piece… don't cry, I love you, and I will do everything in my might to make this experience up to you again. I know it was my fault, all of it, and I know it's a poor excuse for what I'm doing, but still…I love you." He kissed my lips carefully and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"What happened, Bella?" Amily asked in a low voice.

"Don't ask her, you fool! Don't you see how the thought hurts her? That's so very tactless of you to ask!" Alice scolded her. Amily wouldn't let go so easily.

"I am being tactless? From all I got up to now, ho was it who put her in that situation?" That made Alice look to the floor, ashamed because it had been her who had taken me to that particular Italy trip. But it was also her who helped me to save the love of my life.

"It was my fault. I told Edward Bella had jumped off a cliff." Rosalie sided with Alice and me. I had to get used to her being friendly to me, but I could understand her every reason of the behaviou she had had towards me.

"So I went to Italy and asked the Volturi, that powerful coven, to kill me. I didn't want to outlive Bella for long. I wanted to be with her again." Edward continued the story.

"And I went to Forks to see what remains of Bella were there, then I found her alive. No one could reach Edward at this point so Bella wanted to save him by me and her hurrying to Volterra. We hoped to save Edward from stepping in the sun and being killed on provocation, like he intended to do, but he had to see Bella in order to believe she was alive, so she rushed over the place to hold Edward back." Alice had gathered her thoughts again and told the story to Amily.

"At first I thought I was dead as well now, but Bella convinced me we both were alive and when I saw Alice I knew she was right. I was so happy to have her back, I can't describe it with words. But the Volturi wanted us to come down under the ground, to where they lived. Aro wanted a talk with me. So we went with them and Aro told us we were free to go if I promised to … change Bella. Alice did, though, because I didn't have the power to mean it and Aro can read minds, but more powerful than I am able to." Edward ended, very ashamed of himself.

"Then one of them came back from the streets and brought a large group of humans…for dinner…that image is it what makes Bella so upset I think." Alice finished the story.

"No, Alice. The image that hurts much much more and sits much much deeper is the thought of nearly loosing Edward forever, after all I had wisher for months had been seeing him, talking to him only once again, and I couldn't bear the thought of the last thing he had ever said to me being the fact, or rather lie, that he didn't love me anymore and that I had forced him to pretend to be something he wasn't. The memory still hurts, because I always knew I didn't deserve someone like him." I had started sobbing again and Edward looked so pained and his voice was full of anguish as he whispered into my ear.

"I love you Bella, and I am so, so very sorry. I always loved you for taking me like I am, for the fact that I didn't have to pretend being human around you. The lie I had to build up to leave you, for your own benefit, like I thought then, did hurt myself, but I never got to know that I really ripped such a large hole in your heart by leaving you… I won't ever laeve again. I promise, no, I swear. If I ever have to run some errands again I will tell you, so you won't need to jump out of a window. I am so truly sorry, for everything I put you through. It really seems as if I was just causing you pain all the time. I did never deserve anyone like you. I love you, wih all my non-beating heart, I love you, and I promise you forever if you want." He had never expressed all this, at most the last thing, so clear and intense like now. It seemed worth the pain of him leaving me, just to get a moment like this. His speech, that much was for sure, I was absolutely positive to keep engraved in my heart forever. In one week nothing could stop me from loving him anymore, in one week, I would be his forever.

"I'm sorry Bella. I didn't want to bring this up. I guess I should leave before I cause more trouble here. It was nice to meet you, all of you. I do think we will meet again over the next decades, and please care for Bella, I love her as much as you do, at least I hope you do love her, but after what I heard I think she is in good hands." She smiled at Edward, an unexpected movement. I stepped away from Edward, and hugged Amily as tight as I could.

"Bye big sister. I will search for you if you don't step by within the next five years. And you will be invited, I promise."

"Invited?" She asked. I giggled and held my right hand in front of her face, showing her the ring. She looked at me, then at Edward, then back at me with an incredulous look at her face.

"Wow, Bells. I never thought you the kind of girl to chain yourself so early…and then forever… I am so happy for you. I will come, I swear. Big vampire vow, little sis." Then she hugged me and waved everyone goodbye, a second later I heard the front door close.

"Nice one that girl." I hadn't remembered they were in the room as well, now Emmetts voice brought me back to reality and I glared at him.

"What? I was serious. I never had a friend who cared for me that much while I was still human." Just then Edward scooped me up and ran to his room with me. I didn't protest anymore, for I was happy as long as I was in his arms.

"So. What do you intand to do the rest of the weekend?" He asked, sitting on the floor in front of me, whom he had placed on the bed.

"Just lying here and looking at you all the time would be fine with me."

"There was a time when you weren't so without expectations. You didn't even complain about me carrying you." He teased.

"There was a time when I had not nearly lost you forever. Just play some music if you want to…" I was absolutely confident with the current situation. He stood up and the next moment the wonderful sound of 'Colorblind' by Counting Crows filled the room.

I am color...blind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
CountingI am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am
Crows
Taffy stuck, tongue tied
Stuttered shook and uptight
Pull me out from inside
ColorblindI am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am...fine
Songtexte
I am covered in skin
No one gets to come in
SongtextPull me out from inside
I am folded, and unfolded, and unfolding
LyricsI am...colorblind

Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
LyricI am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am...fine
LiedertexteI am...fine
I am fine

"I love that song…" I said, a tear filling my eye. I had heard that song a lot when I was very depressed, it hadn't had to do too much with love and had been the only song I had been able to bear in that time…

"I heard it when I didn't have you…it is a soft melody, I couldn't bear anything else…not even Debussy because it remembered me of you…" I smiled a small smile.

"Same thing here… I am ready…you know, I never thought about a song this way, but don't you thing it does fit in any kind of situation?" I must have sounded ridiculous, but Edward said he thought the very same way. A song for every moment in life…

"Play for me," I suddenly thought of his glorious ability. I wanted to hear that sound again, and not only on cd.

"What?" Once again he was pissed that he couldn't hear my thoughts.

"Please play for me on the piano. I haven't heard you since…," I trailed off, not able to finish the sentence. He lifted me off the ground and carried me to the grand piano, where he sat me down beside him on the bench. I had missed the familiar sound of my lullaby played by him on the piano. It calmed me and remembered me of his love for me. Just then the Denalis entered the room.

"Wow, Edward, I knew you were good, but I have never heard you make such a composition before!" Tanja said.

"It was inspired by Bella," was everything he had to say about that.

"You see, Edward, we have an offer for you and Bella," Eleazar started. "We thought, since you won't be able to transform Bella here, because of your little werewolf problem, we would like to offer your whole family an Easter vacation in Alaska."

"Thank you, Eleazar. I do really appreciate that, because I couldn't think of another safe place to do it. I would love to take you in upon you offer, but I think we should ask Bella as well. Bella, what do you think about this, after all, it's your decision?" Edward asked me. I couldn't think of a place beside the Cullens', but for obvious reasons that was impossible. So, why not? I trusted the Denali's nearly as much as the Cullens.

"Why not? I mean if it doesn't matter to you. I would prefer here, but I know that's impossible, and I think your place would be the best alternative, won't it?"

"I'm glad you agree, Bella." Eleazar added towards me, Alice suddenly entering the room.

"Switch the TV on Rose!" She called to Rosalie who came in from the other side of the room.

"What's happening?" I asked when everyone started laughing.

"Not again!" Emmett moaned, comind in along with the rest.

"Wasn't it on just half a year ago?" Jasper asked.

"They have had it memorized years ago!" Kate laughed.

"Let these two have theit fun!" Carmen said.

"Woul someone be as kind as to tell me what the hell is going on?" I nearly screamed.

"Rosalie and Alice are such big Mary Poppins fans, they watch it every time it's on." Edward told me. I was taken aback. How could that be?

"Mary Poppins? The nurse?"

"Yes, who else? Now be quiet back there please!" Rose hissed. I rushed, as fast as I could without tripping, to the sofa in front of the screen and let myself fall down on it beside Alice. She threw me a questioning look.

"We have had it on tape in Phoenix since I was five." I just responded, turning my eyes to the screen. I heard Edward, Jasper, Emmett and the Denali girls moan in the background. The 'adults' just laughed.

"Not another one!" Emmett complained. In that very second my cell phone vibrated.

"Bella Swan?"

"Bells? This is Charlie, I will be home in half an hour, I have to tell you something important." He sounded worried and upset.

"Ok, dad. See you later then. Should I have some food ready?"

"No, it's allright. Bye…" He hung up. I had absolutely no idea what made him so upset. Even after Harry Clearwaters death he had never sounded so shaken. I looked at Edward and he understood. We drove to my house in silence and sat in my room in silence while he comforted me and I thought of what could possibly have happened. As the key klicked inside the door I stood up, wordlessly telling Edward to wait where he was.

"Hey dad. What happened? You sounded strange on the phone and … oh…" I had walked down the stairs and found him crying inside one of our kitchen chairs. I sat down ad stroke his back to comfort him, it didn't bother me how we usually avoided physical contact.

"Bella… she's gone…forever…" He sobbed.

"Who? What happened dad? We'll fix it, whtever it is…" My attempts to sooth him were effortless, a bad feeling I had had all afternoon was brooding high inside my chest.

"I wanted to surprise you by bringing Renee with me…she wanted to visit you…I drove to the airport…" He was sobbing and barely managed to choke out these sentences.

"Mom? What happened? Is she alright?" Of course she wasn't, what a stupid question.

"He plane… oh Bella…it crashed…she…Phil…everyone…" I stopped stroking his back. This news hit me like a punching ball into the stomach… Renee…mom…was…dead? Thank god the phone rang in that instant. I answered it less than halfheartedly.

"Billy? Of course you can talk to him, but be careful…you know? I'd rather not know how…please make him feel better…WHAT?" I had barely listened to his words until now.

"I said you shouldn't make him worse, he's already suffered enough loss, Bella. I know the outcome of your and Jacob's last talk…please Bella…I know it won't do anything good…please Bella, don't do what you're doing…"

"That's none of your business. What about me? She was much more of a mum to me than an ex-wife to Charlie… I'll just pass you on now," I said and handed the phone to my father. How could he bring this up now? I rushed up the stairs and threw myself into Edward's arms. That was when I finally started crying.