A/N: Hey readers! So happy to see so many people reading this... It means a lot to me as I spent MONTHS on this piece altogether. Please review and let me know what you think! Will try to update tomorrow... Depends on how many reviews come in... ;)

PEACE & LOVE,
x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x

God Bless The Broken Road

"Hey Mr. Pinochet,
You've sown a bitter crop.
It's foreign money that supports you,
One day the money's going to stop.
No wages for your torturers.
No budget for your guns.
Can you think of your own mother,
Dancin' with her invisible son?
They're dancing with the missing,
They're dancing with the dead.
They dance with the invisible ones,
They're anguish is unsaid.
They're dancing with their fathers,
They're dancing with their sons,
They're dancing with their husbands,
They dance alone,
They dance alone."

––'They Dance Alone' - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

––– Part IIII –––

"Bella," Edward husked, his voice pained. He drifted at the edge of the bed, unsure.

I wanted to speak. I opened my mouth, and whimpered. "Edward," I whispered in reply.

He moved closer. "How do you feel?"

I gasped the air for breath. "I'm burning." He was still frowning, slowly reaching up to his shirt buttons. "What's happening to me? Everything hurts," I whispered, feeling as lifeless as a corpse. I watched with a dead stare as Edward undid all buttons on his shirt, revealing his magnificent, marble chest.

He then leant forward, moving his hand under the blankets to take hold of my upper body. "I know, Bella. I'm so sorry..." He suddenly lay a cool, moist flannel on my sweat-covered forehead while muttering something like, "Need to break the fever."

I simply nodded limply to show I understood, and to my joy, he then lay on the bed next to me, wrapping me up in the ice of his skin. He drew me into his chest hesitantly, almost self-consciously, as though he didn't really think I wanted to touch him. Even in my current state, I knew that was exactly what I wanted.

"Mmmm," I sighed, suddenly more content as I pressed my hot cheek to just below his collar bone, the temperature difference between us fierce but welcome.

"Better?" he questioned, and I nodded, stronger this time, nuzzling into his icy skin. "Good. You really are hot, Bella. You're scaring me..." He pressed a palm to my face, and I relaxed even more at his sub-zero temperature. "You should cool down soon."

I swallowed, closing my eyes, searching my mind for a subject to ask him to distract both of us. Hearing that soft-velvet voice of his was enough of a painkiller in itself. "Edward," I murmured, my voice shaking as my body trembled. "Can the rest of your family read people's mind, like you can?"

Somehow, I knew he was trying to smile, to cover his worry. "No," he said, suddenly somewhat forlorn. "No. No, that's just me." He took a breath, running a hand up and down my burning arm. "Jasper can control emotions, and Alice can see the future."

"See the future?" I yawned, trying to stay alert. "How does that work?"

He paused. "When someone makes a decision, she can see the outcome, the domino affect if you will. She only seems the future of those she has met.. Her visions are subjective, though. That future can always change, just as people's minds do..."

I was fascinated, even when feeling so ill, by his explanations. Lead by my slow, disjointed questions, he went on to tell me about the 'frenzy' that a vampire's system went through when tasting human blood, as well as telling me about the vampire 'royalty' in black cloaks, the 'Volturi,' that made sure no vampire made a spectacle of themselves in front of humans. He then went on to tell his stories about his early life in World War I America. That made him, by my count, around 108 years old, give or take. I felt like laughing. Renée had always said I'd marry older.

How ironic. She was right for once.

Suddenly, my stomach began churning. I tried to ignore it, but it only got worse. Edward was telling me of his extended vampire 'family' that lived all over the world when I felt it: my ravioli from last night coming back up. I clenched my eyes shut, and quickly tried to get away from him. "Edward," I said, panicked. "Edward, quick."

He suddenly realised what was happening, and within a second he had moved to the bathroom and back again, returning with a plastic basin with wide eyes. I second later, I vomited my guts into it, the very sight of projectile vomit causing me vomit again. Edward was somehow holding the basin in place, as well as holding back every single tendril of my hair. His cool fingers felt heavenly on the back of my neck. His face was almost pressed against my hair.

"It's okay, Bella," he soothed. "Let it out. It's okay."

My body seemed to obey as I felt my now empty stomach churn and rise again. This time, I simply choked up nothing but stomach acid, and I cringed as it burned my mouth.

I coughed, gagging. "Go away," I moaned. "You shouldn't have to see this."

He shook his head. "No amount of vomit will keep me away from you, Bella."

I held my head in my hand. "Somehow I'm not sure that's true."

He lifted me in one arm and the sick basin in the other and suddenly we were in the bathroom. He placed me on the sink counter as I lay my head against the mirror behind me. He got rid of the sick quickly, then passing me my toothbrush with toothpaste on while holding my limp body upright with his iron hands on my waist. I brushed my teeth wearily, my eyes never straying from his calming buttery golden ones. When I'd finished, I spat lazily to my left into the sink, and turned back to him, his face suddenly closer.

"It pains me to see you like this, Bella."

I tried to smile. "What did you expect? I'm human. I'm not a heavenly immortal vampire. I get sick, especially with my klutz luck."

He picked me up, and then we were in my bed again, surrounded by ice.

"I'm not heavenly," he said, disdained. "I'm...a monster."

I would have shoved him if I had the strength. "Hardly."

He growled, frustrated at my stubbornness. "Bella, please."

"No," I said, meekly. "You please."

He just sat stubbornly, rubbing his icy hands over me, trying to diminish the fires raging under my skin.

It took a while, but I soon fell asleep. It was an uncomfortable slumber; feverish and jittery. I felt suffocated as I couldn't get away from the heat. I had mixed up dreams, filled with images of Edward, except I was far away from him; and every time I took a step closer, he was always even further away. I screamed for him, louder and louder, but he just kept getting further. Then, there were Argentine officials and general public everywhere, a sea of black and red. The officials approached Edward, surrounded him, so I yelled for them to come for me instead. But they didn't hear me; or just refused to listen. They just subtly cornered him, so he lashed out at them, killing three or four of them instantly, snapping their necks. The members of the public had turned and seen him acting as no human could. They were all screaming in horror but still staring. They were going to go and tell others of what they had seen; they had seen he wasn't human. He wasn't safe. His family wasn't safe. Then, pale, marble figures with frightening red eyes in black cloaks came out of no where and grasped him. Vampires, and more specifically, the Volturi. They would kill Edward now, because he had shown himself up in front of humans; which he had only done to protect me; all because of me. I cried out violently from the distance between us, pleading them. This was my fault. All my fault. Don't kill him. Not him. Not my Edward. Kill the pathetic human. Kill me. Me.

Then a huge pale cloaked Volturi member with the red irises gripped Edward in a headlock and swung him; breaking his neck, the sound like screeching, crunching metal.

At the sound, I lunged and gagged, about to be sick, and it was as if my voice box had been severed, ripped from my throat as I tried to scream, again and again. Edward's head was separate from his body, in cloaked cold one's hands...

I jolted up in bed, trembling, my nerves racking from the nightmare, I think I had been screaming as well. I tried to breathe. Edward's icy fingers were on me, bringing me out of the memories of the dream. "Bella! Bella? Hey, hey..." he called for me, more than once, but I couldn't respond. It wasn't for a while that I realised I were murmuring repeatedly. I was certainly delusional. He was frowning, murmuring my name repeatedly, trying to speak over me, attempting to calm me.

My eyes were filled with what I guessed were tears, making my vision blurred. I was sure he was a mirage. I was stuttering then, finally able to hear my own voice clearly. "E-dwa-ard." I gripped his hand that had risen to hold my face in place. "Y-you're here."

He didn't smile, though he looked confused. "Of course I am... I would never leave you, Bella. Not while it's in your greatest interest for you to be with me."

I swallowed. "I'm so s-sorry," I mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Bella, you have nothing to be sorry for. Why are you having nightmares? What would be bothering you so? It must just be the fever..."

I slipped back into murmurings again, not quite hearing him. He gripped my face with both icy hands to bring me back. "My fault," I found myself repeating. "My Edward. Not my Edward."

"Hey, hey! Bella, hey. Shh. What's wrong?" That was the first time I had ever heard Edward speak in that tone; the kind someone uses in panic when no one will reveal what indeed is going on.

I didn't feel the tears rolling down. "My fault," I carried on repeating, images from my nightmare staining my closed eyelids.

Edward's brow was deeply furrowed, his lips moving so fast they were almost still. "Bella, Bella, Bella." His arms were so tight around me, but I didn't feel any pain or discomfort. His face to mine; his forehead pressed against the side of my face as he drew me to him.

"I'm so sorry," I groaned. "My Edward," I sighed, seeing my ever-present depiction of Edward filling my senses. The image of him sat across from me in the Forks cafeteria, his skin glowing under the dimming school lights. His golden eyes. His sweet scent that had stuck with me since that very first day; making me dizzy. This image of perfection suddenly shattered as the volatile vision of Edward being swung round, his neck snapping like a twig in the iron grip of the red-eyed Volturi member filling my mind. The sound of the screeching breaking of Edward's neck, never mind the sight, make me feel violently sick, like I had forgotten how to breathe; it was like I was dying. His widened and agonised golden eyes all I could see. I felt my heartbeat hammering.

"Bella," he urged, his voice pulling me out of the abyss. "Bella."

I curled into him after a countless amount of time, suddenly fully awake. I waited... Was I awake? I felt the cool hard marble of Edward's chest against my hands. "It was just a dream," I whispered, after a while in realisation, greatly relieved.

"You were delusional; fevers can cause awful dreams sometimes... Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, wiping the sweat from my face.

"No," I whispered, almost afraid to raise my voice any louder. "I'm okay now."

I felt him swallow and sigh.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, changing the subject, my voice still shaky. I watched the wind flap the curtains lightly as streaks of mild sunlight covering the floor.

"Does what hurt?"

"Being near me."

I felt something icy pucker on my hairline, perhaps his lips. I secretly hoped so. He hesitated. "Yes... Like there's a constant fire in my lungs; through my bloodless veins."

I attempted to think this through. "So why do you stay with me? How can you stand it?"

He lifted my face from his collarbone to face him. "Because the only thing stronger than my body's urgency for your blood, is my still heart's desperate need to keep you safe; my unconditional love for you."

I gulped.

"You are my life now, Bella. I have tried to live without you, but I have found that I cannot. It's wrong, exceedingly wrong, but what can I do?" I looked up, tracing his features with my gaze that was finally focusing. "I am being unbelievably selfish," he said, "drawing you into this damning downward spiral this way, and for that I will never forgive myself." He swallowed. "But I have this overwhelming...need too protect you. It's a necessity... I couldn't...live with myself if something..." he croaked, suddenly, "anything...happened to you."

I felt myself nodding. "I feel the same for you," I said, trembling.

He evidently didn't believe me, shaking his head and smirking in his usual pessimistic manner.

"You couldn't possibly."

I frowned, almost outraged. "I do!" I pulled myself upward, despite the screaming protest my arms gave, so we were finally face to face. He didn't draw back at first.

"Careful, Bella," Edward warned instantly as I moved. I ignored him.

"I love you, Edward," I said in a shaky but authoritative voice, deciding that there was no use in masking it since he had already admitted his feelings for me, much to my amazement.

"Bella," he shook his head, not believing me, again.

"I completely and honestly love you Edward Cullen. I know that compared to you I am nothing, but is not enough that I love you?" My brown hair was greased and stuck to me, my pale skin was paler than ever, and I was clammy all over. I decided it may not have been so kind to use the guilt trip that way, however it seemed to trigger something in Edward that I had hoped.

He smiled with a sudden sense of exultation, suddenly laughing. I felt the sudden urge to pump my fist; I'd made him smile like that. Me!

"Oh Bella," he suddenly cooed, pressing his face into the crook of my neck for a second. "You are everything. Why can't you see how simple exquisite...how beautiful, how... There are no words."

If I had been blushing before, I was definitely blushing the deepest or scarlets after that.

"I am acting beyond mercenary, and for that I apologise..." he said, repeatedly apologetic. "I really shouldn't be enjoying this."

"But you are?" I asked gruffly, surprised.

He looked me in the face, his eyes dazzling me. "I treasure every moment I spend with you, Miss Swan."

I felt myself sigh with ultimate relief. I was smiling, grinning, even though my face muscles were aching. I closed my eyes almost blissfully and leant back against my pillow. "Love you," I breathed somnolently, not caring if it was too soon to throw those words out so casually. I was suddenly tired again.

"The feeling is purely mutual," he said, leaning above me. "Forever," he agreed.

I reach up and touch his cheek with my finger. "Forever," I confirmed. He kissed my brow then, smiling to himself, his eyes a darker bronze, but light; he looked happy.

"What?" I try to ask, but my throat was painfully dry.

"I just can't believe it... It's not so difficult to be with you like this anymore." He held my face between both his cool, strong hands and kissed the bridge of my nose, bringing my wrist his lips and his nose, breathing deeply. "Easier all the time," he murmured in complete wonder.

I felt my breathing speed as I inhaled his heady scent. I lay next to him, up against his icy chest again. I could feel his long, and white elegant fingers massaging my hot scalp as they weaved through my hair. He rubbed at a rhythm that stirred peace within me. My eyelids became heavy, but I did not feel a feverish sleep approaching this time. I prayed I wouldn't have anymore nightmares, as I didn't want to upset Edward with my distress. I felt myself slipping, and so I curled into him more, but not before I spoke the words I had been meaning to tell him. "Edward," I uttered, barely feeling his cool skin under me anymore. "No matter what happens," I had no idea the volume of my voice. "My heart, my mind, my soul. They're yours. I'm yours."

I must have fallen into a deep sleep, because I didn't feel his skin, or hear his response to my admission.

–––ℬ&ℰ–––

When I woke again, the room was dark, and the air was cool even though the window was closed. I suddenly noticed I could feel no definite cold anywhere. No feeling of ice. No ice packs around me, no wet blanket. I did not feel so feverishly warm anymore. That did not matter, though. All I could think was:

Where was Edward?

I suddenly came across something stiff on the pillow next to my head. A letter. I looked down at it, and there I was faced with the unbelievably perfect calligraphic script that was Edward's hand.

Dearest Bella,

I have gone to contact my father about your illness as he may have some valuable doctor's advice. I am also going to visit my relatives on the other side of Buenos Aires and see if they can recommend places we can visit here once you're better. I will be back by late tonight. I will be missing you every second I am away.

I hope that you are mine, as I am yours. We are two halves of one whole. We are one. I am nothing without you.

Be safe.

Edward. X

I read it twice, thrice, four times. Imprinting his beautiful, articulate words into my mind. I wanted to never forget them, as now came the end. Edward was out of the way, so now, all I could do was sit and hope if the officials were going to come to take me away at all, that they would do it now, before Edward could find out.

I folded the paper carefully into a small square and tucked it into my underwear. Maybe there was a chance it would still be with me after the kidnapping...

So I fell back to sleep after lying staring at nothing for what felt like the longest time, rather uneasily it must be said, but asleep all the same. I hoped, deep down, that I would never wake up, so that I could be left alone forever in heaven with my memories of Edward.

I received no such luck.

When I did wake again, it was not naturally. I was being pulled, roughly handled, and I instantly tried to scream at the hands grabbing at me in the dark. I felt the obscenely dominant force of the human 'flight' instinct hit me like a sudden blow to the face. The Officials had come for me, and perhaps maybe even the little blonde vampire with the red eyes too...

A hand and cloth covered my mouth and nose, and I tried not to breathe, but my body failed me. I felt my stomach drop at the terrifying reality of my situation, and my stomach spasmed with panic at the sweet smell the filled my senses from the cloth. Chloroform.

It seemed what I had asked for was coming true. I was such a hypocrite for resisting these assaulters, considering I had not hidden or run away from this fate that I knew was coming. I had practically welcomed the idea just hours ago... But then, I reasoned with humour, I am only human, as Edward would say.

I felt myself drifting, then suddenly dropping, into even deeper darkness; into an even darker abyss than that of my earlier sickness. I tried with all my strength to kick out, barely coming in contact with my kidnappers at all, and let out one last scream, only it was almost completely silenced by the cloth over my face. The chloroform had become completely unavoidable, so I gave in and took in air that my trembling body desperately needed, absorbing the sweet sleeping solvent along with the little oxygen my lungs managed to retrieve. My mind was scrabbled as my brain suddenly couldn't control my body; as though it wasn't even there. I panicked inwardly, but was surprised to find I was not so much panicking for myself. I realised, this feeling of panic was more for others I knew. I wanted my kidnappers to hurry, to take me away as fast as possible, as I knew that someone was more and more likely to come and check on me with every passing second. I didn't want anyone else to be caught in this; to receive my same deadly fate.

I drifted completely in these few seconds that passed, not comprehending anything. Only one thought left in my mind.

Even though an unyielding part of me screamed and wished for Edward, the rational side of me, though quieter, told me to find some comfort in being alone in this, as their were more vital things at stake. Therefore, I kept repeating the one thing that mattered more than my own life over and over: Edward. Thank god Edward isn't here.

Then the sweet heady scent of the chloroform surrounded me in the darkness, like a minefield of perfume; a delicate poison.

I don't remember what happened next.

–––ℬ&ℰ–––