A/N: This outtake is dedicated to Jazz425. In the spirit of hitting 200 reviews on the main story, Jazz425 was my 200th reviewer and I offered a POV and scene of her choosing. I hope you all enjoy!

All Is Fair In Love And War

Bella POV

My creator of this new life encouraged me to have a heart-to-heart with Edward. Alice claimed that my future had spun on its axis with a one hundred and eighty degree about-face, and changed drastically. I'll admit, it was the first time I wanted to rip my best friend's throat out because she wouldn't share her visions of my future. The fact that I felt enough rage to do bodily harm to anyone brought me up short – a side effect of being a new vampire.

Alice quickly changed the subject and lifted my hand up in the air, admiring my daylight ring. "He has very good taste," she said appraisingly and narrowed her eyes, focusing on the details. She squealed excitedly, and added, "And they are real!"

I frowned and tried to see whatever she noticed about the ring, the thing was, I had no clue about fine jewelry, and the quality of precious metals or stones. "What do you mean, real, Alice?"

"Oh, nothing," she said casually, obviously deflecting my question. If Damon had spent an absurd amount of money on my ring, it wasn't as if I'd hand it back to him. I had two choices, swallow my pride and walk in the sun, or hand it back, and be a prisoner during the day.

I looked up at Edward as he entered the living room and humanly cleared his throat, drawing my attention away from the ring. "We need to talk. Will you walk with me?" he asked, and something struck me as odd, Edward was nervous.

His angels face still took my breath away, and with my new vampire eyesight, I could truly appreciate the perfect slope of his straight nose, his thick lashes that framed his liquid gold eyes, and the sharp, chiseled angles of his face.

Not so long ago I would get lost and dazed looking into his eyes, though now, something had shifted between us since Volterra. I no longer had absolute trust in this man, and the phrase, he's just not that into you, played on a loop in my mind. Edward was willing to let me die rather than be saddled with me forever. The bit about damning my soul… I'm not sure whether I believed it or not.

My thoughts drifted to Damon, the one hundred, and forty two year old vampire, plus twenty-five years as a human both intrigued and worried me. He was the polar opposite of Edward. He didn't dwell on his past sins, and I truly believe he loved being a vampire. My creator was also flippant, snarky, cunning, impulsive, full of innuendo, and sexual overtures. I believe the man had a flirt gene in his DNA.

Aside from all that concerned me about my mentor, on a deeper, more hidden level, I could see some of the good things about Damon, he carefully masked.

"Bella, love," Edward called to me, pulling me away from my contemplation. I mentally cringed when he called me love. An endearment that used to make me blush, and feel jubilant in equal measure, though now, it tasted like ash in my mouth, full of broken promises and lies.

Alice placed her small hand on my arm and smiled reassuringly. "Go on. It will be fine. Be true to yourself, Bella."

I nodded, offered her a small smile, and lifted myself from the couch. "Where to?" I asked, keeping my voice even. I was terribly anxious, but I knew Edward all too well, if he sensed any weakness, he would needle his way in and break away any resolve I'd built up.

"We can drive somewhere, if you like, or take a walk beyond the river."

"A walk will be fine," I agreed to the latter, not wanting to be whisked off somewhere unknown in the shiny Volvo.

Before we crossed the river separating the Cullen property, Edward reached for my hand, and I jerked away. "I wanted to see your ring," he commented innocently. "I find it quite extraordinary that witchcraft is real, and allows you do walk in the sun, which is also fascinating."

"It's just a ring," I muttered petulantly. Between Carlisle, and now Edward, I felt like a science experiment.

"A ring that allows you to defy a major weakness with your kind," he murmured, still looking far too inquisitive. "What's it like?"

"What is what, like?" I wasn't sure what he was asking, though I had an idea. Playing oblivious was a lame tactic, but I went with it.

"Being what you are, of course," he said, clarifying. "We are so different, and I've told you as best I could, how it feels to be what I am."

"Not really," I muttered bitingly. "You always evaded being direct and tried to distract me."

"A bit," he said with a crooked smile that used to melt my insides. "I thought it was best at the time."

"Best for whom?" I challenged his stupid logic.

"You."

"Edward knows best – better than anyone," I spat angrily. I wasn't comfortable with the subject and switched tack. "Are we talking here, or do you want to cross the damn river?"

"Think you can make the leap?" Edward said teasingly, challenging me.

"My luck, I'll end up face down on the riverbank," I muttered while gaging the distance to the other side.

"I can help you over, if you like," he offered sweetly, and I knew he was taunting me.

"No thanks," I said with a sniff and lifted my chin. I took a running start and leapt with all my strength. Much to my surprise, I made it to the other side, barely. Both feet came down hard on the muddy bank, and one of my sneakers lay stuck in the muck. "Fan-friggin-tastic!"

Edward's perfect laugh echoed from a tree branch several feet ahead of me. Of course, he was dry and immaculately clean. "Not bad for a first try," he said as he gracefully landed on the ground.

I removed my other shoe and rinsed my feet off in the river. I pushed my humiliation down, focused on the fact I was able to leap over the river, and ignored my less than stellar landing. The Cullens would always be the same, and Damon assured me that as I aged, I would become stronger, faster and more powerful. Something about that fact made me feel a little smug.

I tied my sneakers together and rolled up the muddy cuffs of my jeans. I stepped up on dry land and Edward offered to take my shoes. I shook my head and tossed them over my shoulder.

"Not much further," Edward said and pointed towards our destination. He looked down at me by his side and furrowed his brow. "Are you refusing to talk about how you feel now that you are a vampire?"

Yes, I thought and refused to say it outright. "You already know what it feels like," I pointed out.

"You still look human, and you have a heartbeat, although it is softer, and slower. I can hear your blood move through your body, too."

"Anything else on your list of observations?" I asked, not very kindly.

"Your scent has changed, but I can still pick up traces of your human fragrance," he admitted. "I'm not even sure you are really a vampire," he teased and the small embers of my emotional chaos ignited. I could feel my face change, and my fangs lengthen. Before I knew it, I lunged at Edward and sunk my canines into his shoulder.

"Okay! You're really a vampire!" he screeched in pain, and tried to pry my arms and legs away wrapped like a vice grip around his body. "Dammit, Bella! Let go!"

Two tiny chips on Edward's stony shoulder broke off into my mouth. I'll admit, I scared myself with what I did next. After sliding off his body, I stuck out my tongue, and proudly displayed my battle trophies – two small pieces of Edward's shoulder lay over the soft, flat side of my tongue. He grimaced and held out his hand, planning to retrieve them. I did the unthinkable, and swallowed my combat prize and walked on ahead without saying another word.

Much to my chagrin, my attack did not have the desired effect on Edward that I was hoping for; instead of angering him, he laughed boisterously, highly amused by my outburst. Marring his perfect body didn't seem to be much of a concern, and I wanted to bite him again! I breathed through my fury and calmed down. I refused to let him bait me into another loss of control.

We entered the clearing and sat within a comfortable distance of one another. I knew this was the end of our epic love story, and the demise of the fairy tale I almost believed.

Edward and I talked; I immediately went on the defense, and lashed out. I wanted to hurt him, make him feel even a modicum of pain he inflicted on me the day he abandoned me in the woods, rejecting my love and tearing down what little self-esteem I possessed.

I lay all the blame on Edward, and I knew it wasn't fair, but all is fair in love and war, right? It was my feeble reasoning, and I held onto it for dear life. Duality collided on my conscience, my compassionate side did not want to see Edward tormented, but my broken heart and pain he wrought, wanted to see him writhe in misery.

I threw his words back at him with an arrow aimed at his heart. The precise strike hit its target straight and true. Briefly, pain flashed across his angel's face, and I reveled in my revenge.

I was the first to walk away. I'd say it was a power play on my part, but the truth was, I felt my own pain, shame and guilt. I played my role and inserted myself in Edward's life—the Cullen family, and tenaciously, I pursued him and never heeded his warnings. I took them as a challenge and the more I pressed forward, the less he resisted. I rationalized my behavior because the maelstrom of newly awakened passion I felt for him, rendered me senseless.

One day I may look back and remember all the amazing things Edward and I shared and be thankful to have loved so passionately—stupidly with reckless abandon, but for now, I needed to hold on to my pain, or I would crumble.