I couldn't talk. I could barely breathe. She…what?

"You're what?" I asked. I hadn't meant for it to be loud. No, she couldn't. How could Emily be dying. That was like saying that pigs could turn purple. And that wasn't possible. I took a deep breath, trying to slow my heart rate. I heard my mom in the other room asking what was going on.

Emily sniffled, and I heard Sam's voice in the background. "I have lung cancer." She coughed, and a small sob broke through. I ran my hand through his hair. This was impossible. But it seemed like it wasn't, because here I was, hearing that my old love was dying of lung cancer.

Because of me. "Emi, I'm so sorry… This is all my fault. I'm the one who-"

"No. I knew you would do this. I'm the one who took the cigarette from you. I'm the one who got addicted. Please don't blame yourself. It only makes me feel worse."

And how could I say no? I still cared for her, regardless of what had happened. I ran my hand through my hair again. "Look, Emi, I'm here. But I have to go. I've got to get to Em's gig tonight. I…let's meet tomorrow, OK? Bring Sam, if you want." I hated the guy, but she needed all the support she could. And he was who she needed.

I heard her take a deep breath. "OK. I'll call you, alright?"

"Yeah, that's great. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I was about to hang up the phone when she said something else. "Edward."

"Yeah, Emi."

I stood there while she coughed softly, silence enveloping out conversation. "Thank you." I smiled to myself, scratching my arm.

"Anything, Emily. You know that. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight." I hung up the phone, placing it back in its cradle. I stood there for a moment, just staring at the phone, before I continued on my way out.

"Bye, Mom!" I called back to her, reaching into my pocket for my keys. My fingers curled around the metal objects, and I opened the garage to find my baby nestled into the shadows. I stroked the hood of my silver Volvo before getting in, settling into the smell of pleather. I breathed in deeply as I started the car, listening in satisfaction to the purr of the engine. I buckled quickly. I backed out, my sharp eyes peeled for trouble in the darkness of Forks.

The garage closed automatically as I did a tight circle to right the car in the right direction. Our driveway was at least three miles long; I was not about to drive that backwards in the darkness. I may be stupid sometimes, but not even I was that dimwitted.

I drove with the radio playing on low, the stereo tinkling out sounds of Mozart. My muscles relaxed as I listened to the soothing melodies of Mozart, and I drove like that until I reached the Swan residence. Lights danced behind the windows, and I could see the TV playing some baseball game. Chief Swan must be watching something, like almost every other night.

The door swung open to reveal some type of goddess in a red dress. It went almost to her knees, giving me an eyeful of perfect leg. It was strapless, showing off her creamy shoulders. It had a wrap around bodice (or so my mother called it), scrunched to show her oh-so-perfect goods. It felt like I had died and went to heaven.

But I played it cool. I leaned back in my seat, tapping my hands against the wheel. She pattered down toward me in her flats, grasping a red clutch in her left hand. Her silky mahogany locks were held up with an intricate diamond hair comb. Twisted up elegantly, it looked like she was going to a wedding. Her lips teased me in a luscious apple red, with angel white eye shadow and black mascara. I took in every inch of this creature before me, noting every detail I could. I wish I had a camera to take a picture to remember the moment. But surely I wouldn't forget.

I hadn't realized time had passed until she opened the door, and had sat down in the seat across from me. "I hope I'm not too dressed up. Sue told me this is what ladies wore to clubs." She strapped herself in.

I chuckled. "You're perfect. You'll just stand out from the rest. Not that that's a bad thing." She blushed. I chuckled again. "Your cheeks match your outfit. You look absolutely stunning. Brilliant." I turned my head toward her, locking eyes. "Breathtaking."

She gasped, blushing deeper. I grinned, turning back to the road, and we drove in silence for a while, the only sound was Tchaikovsky in the background.

"You listen to classical?" she asked, shocked. I nodded. "Wow. I didn't peg you for the type."

I half smiled. "It's soothing. It's not my favorite, but it's easier to drive to than music with words. Then I focus too much on the song, and not the music. Why? Do you listen to it?" She shook her head. I knew that had been coming. Nobody listened to classical music except for parents these days.

Silence enveloped the conversation until I turned a corner and the club was in view. I took out my fake ID. "Ready?"

She glanced at the piece of plastic, gulping. "You didn't say we'd need one of those."

I chuckled quietly as I undid my seat belt. She followed suit. "You'll have no trouble getting in, trust me." We made our way to the club's entrance, where the bouncer was checking names off of a list, and a long, impatient line stood, waiting to get in. I grabbed Bella's hand before I cut through, ignoring the angry protests. Bella moved more slowly, dragging behind, apologizing to everyone we were passing.

I finally shoved my way to the bouncer. Have you noticed that they're always really tall, really buff, and usually black. Not to sound racist or anything…it's just something that I've noticed. They are a lot more intimidating than most white guys I know, for sure.

"Hey, Ronny," I said, glancing quickly at the name tag. "ID's right here." I showed him the fake ID. He waved me through. I winked at Bella, before stepping behind the bouncer. I watched as she worked her magic.

She stepped up to him, batting those gorgeous eyelashes at him. "Sir…I seem to have misplaced my ID."

Ronny looked stunned by her beauty, like everyone should. "Name?"

"Bella Swan. I'm with the band." She flashed a breathtaking smile, and he blinked.

"Go right on in." He smiled back and she sashayed her way over to me.

"I told you, you would have no trouble getting in," I murmured in her ear, slinking an arm around her waist.

The club was packed, and we squeezed our way through to the front. There was a giant circular stage in the center, where crews were setting up amplifiers and the drums, and hooking up microphones and speakers. The crew was talking into walkie talkies almost constantly.

A giant ring made out of glass, with thousands of LCD lights in it, surrounded the stage, giving it a strange and eerie look to it. I could see where the club got its name. I looked at Bella, who was surveying the club, nodding in appreciation. "Nice club," she said loudly.

I nodded, glancing toward the bar over in the West corner, creating a half circle, surrounding - like a barricade - the EMPLOYEES ONLY room. I grinned. I was thirsty. "Do you want a drink?" I yelled over the noise.

"Sure. A coke?" I nodded before I let her waist go - my arm tingled with the loss - and made my way over to the bar. Jasper, Seth, and Rosalie sat there, laughing and joking as they waited for the gig to start. "Hey guys!"

They turned and smiled at me. "Eddy!" Seth said. I rolled my eyes, instead of punching him like I usually would've. I was flying high. And they could tell. Rosalie elbowed Jasper in the side, reaching up to whisper something in his ear, giggling. My eyes narrowed.

"Shut up, dickweeds," I grumbled, finally reaching the bar. The bartender looked at me expectantly while still filling another guys' drinks. "Two cokes," I shouted to him. He nodded and I turned back to my friends. "Where's the rest of the gang?"

Jasper laughed, patting my shoulder. I shook him off, disgusted. I could tell he'd already had at least one. "Being pussies. They didn't want to come." I grinned. Sounded like them. "Emmett's backstage, and I think Jacob's coming eventually." I nodded. The bartender placed the two cokes in front of me. They were the actual bottles, not the aluminum cans and such. I grinned. I had always thought it tasted better in a bottle, like my father.

Seth rolled his eyes, still grinning. "So…who's the lucky lady?"

"Didn't I tell you it was Swan?" Rosalie said, laughing. My face turned bright red with anger, and I turned to glare at Jasper. He held up his hands, raising his eyebrows, still laughing. Rose saw my glare and my flexed muscles and put a delicate, pale hand on my arm. "I saw you walk in with her, Skippy. Jasper didn't tell a damn thing, 'kay?"

I glared at Jasper out of the corners of my eyes. "He better not have. Even though you told Emmett yesterday."

Jasper laughed, which made my anger boil even more. "Emmett asked me where you had been, and I told him I couldn't tell him, and he tickled it out of me. Alright? Problem solved. You know his tickling is torture."

"That it is, my friend." I dipped my head and pushed my way back into the crowd. I really hoped that she was in the same place. I didn't really want to look for her. Thankfully, the bottles had the tops on, so the drinks just sloshed around a lot inside.

I found her exactly where I had left her. But, something was different.

She wasn't alone. Jacob and her were dancing and talking and laughing. I tried not to let it get to me. But my muscles tensed again, and I made my way over to them. "Hey Bella," I said, and my voice was tense too. Hmm…

Jacob looked over startled, and he backed away, grinning. "Rose, Jazz, and Seth over there?" I nodded. He bowed to Bella, who giggled. "Alas, my lady friend, I am off to work with the jesters. Take care." He melted into the crowd.

Bella turned to me, smiling. "Thanks," she said, grabbing one of the cokes from my hand. My tension melted away at her touch on my arm. "Let's dance." DJ music played in the background, a little reminder that the real attraction hadn't come yet.

I felt her pull me close with her right arm, felt her snake it up and around my neck. She held her coke away from me. Smiling crookedly, I pulled her closer with my free arm, downing my coke quickly. She smiled at me too. I could feel every inch of her fabulous body. I'm sure she could feel me too.

I stared at her, and she laughed, tossing her head back. I had never wished for her luscious hair as much as I had then. She looked back up at me, and suddenly, I couldn't move. She stopped too when she noticed I had. She stared back, into my eyes, and I could see in her brown eyes confusion. I wonder what she could see in my green eyes.

I leaned down. I knew I shouldn't. I couldn't help it though. I only vaguely heard cheers, but my ears were full of my rash breathing, and her uneven breaths. She tiptoed up to reach. I could feel the heat of her lips…

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Emmett's voice boomed out of the speakers, and I jolted away from Bella. "How you be doin' tonight?"

Screams and cheers echoed throughout the club. I had forgotten how incredibly popular my brother's band was in Forks. I'm sure they - or I should say we - didn't get a lot of the local band stuff that other towns might.

"A'right, lords and ladies. Z-Bomb is starting off with a new song in the evening tonight." I closed my eyes. How could anybody stand it? "Are ye ready, lads?" More shouts and cheers. "Dedicated to my ever faithful bro'. For your situation, it is."

I heard one of the band members, Demi, scream, "ONE TWO THREE FOUR."

Electric guitar and base echoed throughout the club. Emmett's curls bobbed with his head as he rocked out to his new tune. But all I could feel was anger. He wrote a SONG!? I could hear Jasper, Rose, Jacob, and Seth laughing about it now. Bella turned to me, smiling.

"What situation?"

"It's nothing," I said tensely, through my teeth. She shrugged and turned back to the stage.

'Fro, or Fred, began singing. "Isee her. I see her and I cannot breeeeeathe. I see her. I know that she's the one for meeeee." I closed my eyes. Maybe I should go get some air? But Bella's hand in mine stops me, and I am rooted to my spot.

"She tells me things I wish to hear, she shows me things I want to see. She does these things with lips of guaranteeeeeeeee…" Mesmerized. "And then he comes…closer still, he takes her hand, and spins her round. Tells her that she is the one for hiiiiiiiimmm. The love you see, in her eyes. It's no surprise. He's the perfect guy. She walks away, leaving you to diiiiieee." He's got it right, strangely. "That's. What you get. When you fallforataken wooooman. That's. What you get. It's a guaranteeeeeeeee. That's. What you get. When you fallforataken wooooman. 'Cause you're rootedtothespot you staaand in. Rootedtothespot you staaaand in. Her lips are fire, but they're not yours to keep. Fallforataken wooooman."

My fists clenched, and I ripped my hand out of Bella's. I ignored the rest of the words, as I stormed out the back door of the club. I could feel her eyes on me. I ripped a cigarette out of its pack and lit it angrily. I sucked in the nicotine, welcomingly the deadly drug into my system. Maybe I'd get cancer and die too. Right now would be amazing.

The door opened, but I stared at the brick wall ahead of me. Did all clubs have alleys, I wondered. It seemed like in all the movies you see where clubs are involved, people go out to smoke a cigarette and they end up in an alley of some sort.

"Edward." Her voice was quiet, sultry. Beautiful. It took all of my strength not to turn toward her and look into those perfect chocolate eyes. "You're so beautiful."

My strength crumbled. My mother had always told me that Emmett was stronger anyway. I turned toward her. What did she just say? "What?"

"You. You're so…beautiful. I can't stand it. How did I not recognize you last night? Surely I'd recognize such a… Edward." She stepped up to me, pushing me against the brick wall. My breath caught in my throat. "Kiss me."

She didn't have to ask twice. My lips crashed to hers, and a fire lit in every nerve ending in my body. I hungrily grasped at her waist with my left, my right moving to hold her head to mine. She gasped at the contact, and her little hands were everywhere at once, flitting from my stomach to my chest to my head to my hair.

I couldn't breathe, even if I tried. The needy fire in me continued throughout my body. I needed her. I wanted her.

She pulled away. "I'm ready to go home," she whispered in my ear, nipping at the lobe. I shuddered under her touch. I was too.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the front of the building. Toward my car. A smile grew, and I let her lead me. I would let her do anything.