Big thanks to Brooke for all her wonderful ideas and contributions to this story, Arrow # 3!

Disclaimer: The characters of Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer. The original content and ideas of this story are those of TheGirlNtheYellowShoes.

The Wilting Rose

"Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." ~ The Little Prince

The following day I wandered into the woods by myself. I don't know what I was thinking, perhaps that I'd find my way back to oregon. Maybe that I would stumble out of the forest and onto the back parking lot of the hotel or maybe I was in search of a rabbit hole to fall back out of the way I'd come in. Who knows.

I had nightmares the night prior. Well, one nightmare... that dad was in trouble. That he was sick and I wasn't there for him. It had kept me up half the night and as soon as light began to filter across the sky I had made a break for the outside world, breathing in the air as I walked across the lawn heading for the path.

When I reached the well, where I usually sat I looked at the stone wall and decided I was all for breaking boundaries. I pulled off my heavy dress, dropping it to the ground, leaving my long white petty coat and corset on over a long sleeve shirt. I sat down on the cold surface before picking my feet over the top of the stone barrier and stepping into the unknown yet again. The forest hugged me lightly. I let out a breath, the morning dew on it. I could see it against the cold air as it came back on my face at the command of the wind and I watched it leave before looking back at the forest.

Embracing the cold against my body I began to walk forward taking in the trees and the filtering light from the canopy. The birds chirped happily along and I spun in a circle once taking in the beauty before me. I started walking forward once again and as I did I became panicked, quickening my steps. Not really knowing where I was going; what I was running to or what I was running from. All I knew was I had to run, I pushed myself forward, onward, never stopping. Not thinking I may get lost. Not thinking I may fall back into the abyss, not thinking I could encounter danger... only thinking about running.

I remembered my morning jogs in high school during track season, the dew on my breath and the sound of the pace of my feet against the asphalt. I remembered the jogs I took along the PCH in the early mornings before the rush of traffic, the waves crashing on the rocks below my feet.

My breath picked up as I continued and I began gasping for air as sobs broke through every so often, but I refused to stop. I had to run... so I kept running.

It seemed like forever before I broke through the edge of the woods at the same time collapsing to my knees in uneven gasps. I had to of ran at least two miles. I stared at the ground trying to steady myself before looking up to take in my surroundings through my tears. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. Something from a painting that doesn't exist, something that simply isn't real... that can't be real. If any of this even was to begin with.

I stood, struggling to calm my breath in advance of stepping forward into the meadow. It was early spring and still cool out, there was no way the flowers should have been in full bloom, but they were. The dew glistened on the strands of grass and damp flowers as I passed them by; my dress gathering stray beads on the wet green as I pushed forward into the flowers without thinking.

The far edge of the meadow was cradled by a beautiful fur tree with a gigantic canopy, and once I reached it I collapsed underneath. I leaned into it and looked across to where I'd come from, taking in the scene. It was something I'd imagine Van Gogh painting... or Monet.

A song came to me then... "come... Josephine in your flying machine...." I started singing low as the wind carrying my voice away from me - stirring it up into the leaves and petals that swirled around in circles at the middle of the meadow. "And it's up... she goes.... up she goes..."

I looked up as the light filtered through the canopy looking like sparkling glints of sun on the pacific ocean as my eyes began to grow heavy. I allowed my eyes to drift closed and continued humming to myself before finally falling into a dreamless slumber.

*~*~*~*~*

I had been sleeping a while when I woke, I didn't know that because I'd opened my eyes, I knew it because I felt rested. I was awaken by a kiss... or so I thought it was a kiss... but when I opened my eyes, I came face to face with a wolf and screamed bloody murder. I jumped backwards against the fir and the wolf, startled, jumped back growling and preparing to spring.

I grabbed a branch from the ground at my side and swung at the wolf as I stood. How Beauty and the Beast of me. Accept I was no beauty in my own mind and I was short one beast. The wolf snapped at the end of the branch grabbing hold and I found myself playing tug o' war with my only weapon. Give me back my fucking branch you asshole. I did not travel 474 years to die by a fucking wolf. As if I needed any more clichés in my life right now... I just prayed it didn't eventually turn into a human.

It started yanking me from the fur tree and into the meadow and I yanked back in protest. When it finally let go of the branch the force sent me flying backwards onto my butt in a huff as my head continued on towards the ground, luckily the grass broke my head.... or my fall... or whatever you want to call it. I heard a massive growl and I knew in my mind it was lunging at me but as I sat up to watch my impending death something t-boned the wolf at such a force. My eyes widened in horror and I grimaced at the crunching sound of it's ribs and most likely, it's spine.

I scrambled to my feet again and stood there trying to steady myself. I turned to run the other way and if I had been smart, I would have run. However, I couldn't move. Curiosity apparently can't kill a cat that still has 6 lives... so I spun back around to come face to face with Edward.

"Annabella..."

I must have looked terrified. I felt terrified. The muscles in my body weren't acting appropriately though, otherwise I would have been halfway back to the manor by now. I stared at Edward with an opening mouth, breathing heavily and trying to calm myself internally. His eyes were wild and the body of the animal lay at his feet, lifeless. He didn't dare inch closer, instead he became a statue with a look on his face as if he half expected me to lose it. I stared at him furrowing my brows eventually before swallowing hard. I felt my body begin to shake and forced it back a moment longer. I had already lost it in my own mind and anything beyond that point was only an expected reaction of my insanity.

Everything I thought I knew, every ounce of reason told me this wasn't real. That I was either dead or I was dreaming (or crazy would do). That the man that was standing before me was an illusion, a figment of my imagination, just like this place had to be. I stared intently into his eyes as he stared back at mine. I tried to reason with myself over what had just happened. He had just taken on a wolf in one swing.

I had been napping so maybe I hadn't actually woken up. My life seemed so surreal, so Wizard - of - Oz lately. Accept there was no Toto, no red shoes and I hadn't gathered a scare crow, tin man and a scared-to-shit lion to help me find my way home. The corner of my mouth twitched at the inner amusement of my thought, even as I was surrounded by death. Animal or otherwise. How black comedy of me and how appropriate of the times.

I couldn't speak and I was terrified for some seemingly incomprehensible reason, but I refused to let my face give me away. He was what I should be scared of, deep in the pit of my being I knew that, but I refused to believe it. Out of everything I had to believe now, it was one thing I didn't want to believe. I moved my mouth to speak and nothing came out, I bit my lip. Finally my goose bumps got the best of me, reaching up my spine and all down my arms. He broke his eyes from my gaze and looked down. Furrowing his brow, he took a step over the animal towards me as he looked back up to gage my reaction.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. He was going to kill you." He said, looking at me cautiously. "What.... what in the world are you doing all the way out here by yourself?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. At that moment the quivers from my stomach reached my legs and I stumbled to the fir tree and held onto it for dear life. As if I'd fall to the depths of the center of the earth if I left go. Edward reached towards me as if to catch me from falling, but he didn't move as he glanced questioningly at me. I closed my eyes tightly sinking into the tree and opened them back up expecting everything to disappear and to wake up in the warmth of a hospital bed.

It was impossible though, no not impossible, apparently nothing was impossible. It was stupid. Not only was my bed across an entire ocean, but it was centuries from this place. Reason might not exist here.... but that didn't mean this was a dream though. Did it? As his stony hand pulled my stiff arms from the tree trunk, and he gathered me in his arms all of a sudden I was afraid it was and I was terribly afraid it would end.

"You're safe now." He whispered, sitting with me in his lap.

A loud sob rocked my body as I shook in his arms, but as his breath washed over me and so did the calm as I stared into the meadow with my head against his chest. His neck was cool against the burning skin of my forehead. After a brief moment he pulled his coat around me and hugged me tighter to him. We didn't speak. We just sat there and I wanted that moment to last forever.

I would have loved to of sat there until twilight with him, but as the sun leaned towards the west signaling early afternoon I knew it would have to end soon.

"I just... I.. had to get away." I whispered finally.

"From what?" He asked coolly.

I shrugged before acknowledging, "my own thoughts." I paused, pulling my body from his to gage his reaction to my words.

His eyes met my own, confused and searching.

"Next time you need to get away.... try not to get so close to a wolves den," he nodded, not pushing for more answers.

I looked away then no longer able to bare the intensity of his gaze. My eyes wandered back to the meadow and I searched for a tall-tell sign it was all a huge backdrop and this was some joke. If Ashton Kutcher jumps out at any point, I will strangle him with my bare hands. Great. Now my head was making up irrelevant notions just to avoid the moment that being in Edward's presence entailed. I was in too far over my head and I couldn't see the point in swimming back out. This was one time I'd rather drown.

"It's so beautiful." I said breaking the silence as I shook my head and raised my eyebrows. "Enchanting," I whispered, mainly to myself.

"Yes, it's one of my favorite places to come to."

My head snapped around in his direction unconsciously and I thought I saw his eyes shift in my direction from the meadow. He was probably gagging my reaction to what he had just said. I kept my face composed.

"We should get you home," he sighed, before standing and moving to set me on my feet.

When he was positive I wouldn't fall over he began to move me forward.

I didn't budge, my eyes were locked on the dead wolf.

"I don't think he meant to hurt me... I think I just startled him." I felt the guilt rise in my stomach.

"Regardless, he was a threat to you and he could have followed your scent back to the Thoroupes. The only reason they are here is because they don't venture that way and he was too juvenile to understand." I saw him shake his head out of the corner of my eye.

He tugged on my arm once more pulling me the opposite direction. "Come, lets get you home, you are going to get sick in nothing but a petty coat and corset."

My eyes widened in horror, I had completely forgotten. I opened his coat slightly and looked down to see what I was wearing before I bit my lip and looked back up. Edward looked as if he might have been fighting the urge to laugh at my reaction that time. I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Sorry."

He chuckled and lightly replied, "That's quite all right by me."

My own eyebrows raised in surprise before I began to walk forward at the command of his hold on my arm. As we walked I narrowed my eyes at the ground. "You know... most people would have just shot it, Edward, not sacked it like the quarterback of a rival team," I said shaking my head and looking at him matter of factly. The corners of my mouth turning upward.

That time a throaty laugher filtered through the air and I blushed at least two shades to the wind. I realized how stupid I'd sounded, he was Edward. There was a large possibility that the only weapon he needed was himself. One man band meet one man army... and run for the hills.

"What is a quarterback?" He asked looking down at my curiously.

"Oops... um... it's like the prized player of a popular sport back home. The team does all the work, the prized player gets all the glory?" I shrugged. How do you explain 21st century football to a 16th century possible vampire? He'd break half the team in one tackle anyways. The wolf was proof of that.

Well.... I guess I finally found my beast at least...

I looked up at him through the afternoon sun and the alternating shadows of the woods. His pale face focused ahead of us and I noticed the circles under his eyes were darker than usual. I chewed on the inside of my cheek unintentionally.

"That's probably not a good idea." He said, still looking ahead.

"What?" I looked around. As if he'd be talking to anyone else, Bella.

"What was that?" He looked down at me this time curiously. I furrowed my brow, shit, at least I hadn't been talking about Toto and Kansas this time.

"Um.... what's not a good idea?" I asked again confused.

"Chewing on the inside of your mouth like that. Knowing you, you will trip and break skin and that is not ideal to the situation in this moment." He looked back ahead as I stared at him pondering his words.

All of a sudden we came to a halt and I grabbed on to him not to fall forward, but stuck my hand out anyways, only to smack a tree with my palm.

"OUCH..." I shook my hand.

"Are you always so unobservant?" He smirked.

"Um.... no.... I mean, I don't think so." I was so confused.

I sighed and shook my head before walking around the tree and peaking at him from the other side.

"Happy now?"

He smiled a beautiful crooked grin, nearly crippling me to the ground before he grabbed my arm again, "much."

We walked in silence after that and as soon as I was safely over the stone wall that clearly kept out "Bella's all impending doom from fairy-tale wonderlands" I turned to say thank you, but he was gone.

I started at the woods for a moment, silently cursing them for blocking my view and sighed, "Thank you," into the woods.

I pulled my dress up off the ground and threw it over my arm before heading back to the house, trying to conjure up a story - this was going to be quite interesting trying to explain where I'd spent half the day and I only hoped I hadn't missed my fitting. Regardless, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that said I wouldn't have missed a day like today for all the money in the world even if it did include my almost death by a man eating carnivore. At least it hadn't been a dinosaur.