Poco a Poco, Chapter 4

-Lianna-

I wanted to die, just end it all rather then tell Edward what had happened. I still felt like I couldn't trust him, especially when he was practically holding me hostage until I talked. "I'll make you a deal," Edward said abruptly when I didn't speak again. I looked up at him. "I'll tell you my story, how I became this…monster, and then you can tell me your story." He sounded very unsure about it, but when I didn't say anything, he started.

"I grew up in Chicago, and I was born in 1901. When I was seventeen, I contracted the Spanish Influenza with my family." He glanced at me when I looked at him with surprise. He was born in 1901. He was over 100 years old… "I was dying from the flu, my father and mother already dead," He said this stiffly, with little emotion, but his eyes had dimmed in a kind of depression. "That's when the man I consider my true father, Carlisle, the doctor there changed me, looking for a companion. Soon after, he changed the woman that is now his wife, Esme, and all of my siblings." He glanced at me again, looking more comfortable now that his story was told.

Thank you for telling me that, I guess. I'm still not sure if I can do what you want me to, but I can try. I signed finally, avoiding looking at his face, but instead turned a laser glare onto a daisy. Edward waited patiently as I twisted my hands in my lap, trying to begin at a place where he would understand. I heard shouts and…screams outside, so I ran to the backdoor, thinking that my Dad had started himself on fire or something. But when I peeked out the window-

I wrapped my arms around myself in a hug to keep myself together and bowed over, until my forehead rested on the grass, the memory of seeing the sparkling, beautiful creature tackle my mother to the ground and bite her.

There were two…vampires. They didn't notice me because—because they were d-drinking from my mom, dad and brother. I-I couldn't move if I wanted to. My mom begged until they snapped her neck.

I bowed back over again, and despite all my efforts, started to weep silently, and the sobs escalated in their severity, but I didn't make a sound. Surprisingly, I didn't flinch when cool, steady hands suddenly moved me until my back was being rubbed soothingly, but every once and awhile, his hands trembled. I forced myself to turn around, to face this vampire and finish, so that he would leave me alone.

I was biting my fist to keep from making noise, and I bit through the skin. Somehow, they…smelled me, and found me. The female one started to… I stopped and rubbed my neck absentmindedly. "It said in the article I found that you had been strangled." Edwards voice was carefully controlled, but his face was furious, making me want to shrink back, but I was grateful that he was at least helping me get it all out. I nodded timidly, and fiddled with my hands.

Apparently, she didn't have time to drain me completely, so…she licked my hand, said that she would remember how I tasted. I finished finally, looking across the tiny prairie. The clouds were thinning a little, and the ground was nice and warm. "So why don't you speak anymore?" Edward asked in a forced calm tone of voice.

She said that if I was quiet, she would kill me quickly before her…companion said there wasn't time. When I saw my brother's body in the backyard, I made a noise, and she put her fingers like this. I demonstrated quickly, and his face hardened over. She said that if I made a noise, she would hunt me down to taste me again. Neither of us said anything for a long time afterwards, not until the sun peeked around a cloud and Edward began to glow and sparkle, making me flinch and put my face in my hands. I couldn't look at him.

"I can't imagine how hard that was for you. I'm sorry, Lianna, to press you more, but if you can describe the two vampires for me, I will tell my family, and we can get you justice, avenge your family." Edward said it so suddenly, it surprised me. I checked my watch.

As much as that appeals to me, it's about time I got home. He glanced at my watch and frowned. It had been a good 20 minutes since school got out, and I'm sure Ms. Sanyer had called home. I stood up, and he didn't move, but after a moment, rose also. His fluid movement made me feel out of sorts, so I turned to go, but a gentle, cold and hard hand on my shoulder stopped me, and then I was suddenly enveloped in an ice cold hug, giving me a slight chill. The action surprised me, but my reaction got me even more. I hugged him back with everything I had, my hands taking his shirt into fists. After a slight shudder or two that I knew he wouldn't miss, I sufficiently stopped any sobs and when he let go, my face was neatly arranged. Goodbye, Edward. I signed after a slightly tension filled moment, and began to walk away, but he was there, keeping pace.

"I don't know how you will react to this, but I can get home faster than you could dream of. Your bike too." Edward offered slightly awkwardly, and I felt my cold heart warm slightly. The one person in the world who knew the absolute truth was a vampire who could still want to kill me, and he was offering me a ride home. Something tells me you don't have a car. I signed, and he laughed, the sound, unlike his chortle from the first time that had infuriated me, this laugh made me feel light for once.

"No, I don't have a car. I would run you home." As soon as he said it, I was immediately shaking my head. I don't think I could handle that. I only have a vague idea of how fast you can actually move, and…I've had enough for one day. He looked slightly disappointed, but escorted me all the way to my bike, and I felt his eyes on me as I pedaled swiftly away, mind whirling.

Helen was beside herself as soon as I stepped in the door. I knew my eyes were still swollen from crying, and I knew I looked tense and exhausted. "Where have you been, and why did Ms. Sanyer call here saying you punched a tutor in the face today?!" Helen was pacing around her tiny kitchen, looking disturbed. "I know you don't like to sign much, but I cannot excuse you this time unless you explain to me."

He learned why I didn't talk, so he looked it up in the public record. He offered his 'condolences' and for the first time ever, I felt so angry that I had to punch him. I offered her my left hand as proof of what I had done. I still couldn't regret it. She gasped as she saw the brusied and swollen knuckle and got an icepack from the freezer and wrapped it in a towel, then handed it to me.

"You must have really been angry…but you're never angry, at least, not in the 6 and a half years I've known you." Helen sounded bewildered. I spent the rest of the day with him apologizing. We both walked away with a better understanding. Helen gaped at me, astounded. Then a smile broke out over her face.

"I'm so glad for you. I know that must have been hard." You have no idea, I thought, but returned her hug after setting down the ice-pack. And Mr. Cullen isn't pressing charges, and only Ms. Sanyer knows that I hit him. I signed when she let go of me. "I'm so proud of you…," she beamed. "I'm going to call the doctor about your hand-"

You really don't have to do that, it's just a little swollen. I lied, not wanting her to have to pay for my stupid reaction. After a moment of analyzing me, she nodded, then hugged me one more time before reaching for the phone, and called Ms. Sanyer. I made my escape with the ice-pack to my room and nearly threw the ice-pack at Edward's head when I saw him in my room, in reflex.

What are you doing here? I signed furiously, closing the door, and throwing the ice-pack on the bed. He ignored my question and lightly took my left-hand. "The knuckle of your ring finger is cracked." He said after skimming over it. His voice was quiet and slightly strained. I could care less. Why the hell are you in my room! I had seen quite enough of him today.

"I'm here to protect you." He answered immediately, but the embarrassed look that flashed across his face cut off my continued rant on his lack of understanding of boundaries. He actually cared. Either that or he was an incredible actor. Protect me? I signed finally, a slight flush heating the back of my neck. I don't need protecting.

Edward suddenly disappeared without answering, and Helen's head suddenly poked around my door. "Ms. Sanyer is going to talk to you and Mr. Cullen tomorrow, and she's just as happy as I am about how you apologized." I nodded, discomfort rising at the fact that Edward was somewhere in my room at this moment. "Do you need anything?" When I shook my head she smiled gently. "Alright, I'll leave you alone, but try not to get into any more fights, alright? I have errands to run." A ghost of a smile fell over my face and she laughed at my expression, the closest I ever got to a smile and closed my door again.

Edward reappeared, making me flinch. He was seated cross-legged on my bed, a silver cell phone in his hand, looking eager. "Your foster parent is very nice." He said, his expression almost contradicting his words, his face was bursting with eagerness.

Helen has always been nice to me. I don't want to know what would have happened if I hadn't ended up with her. And you are suddenly bouncing off the walls. I added my last sentence as he almost bounced excitedly on my bed. He patted the space in front of him, so I climbed up in front of him, took the ice pack again and leaned against the footboard as far as I could politely get away from him. He was too...here. It made me nervous.

"One of my siblings called, Alice is her name. As vampires, some of us get a power, when a particularly strong trait from are human life is amplified during the transformation. Alice had some prognition, and now she sees the future. She saw you meeting my family, and getting your knuckle looked after."