She turned to Edward, confusion written clearly across her face. "You didn't actually think I believed you earlier, did you?" he said, a smirk plastered across his face. She rolled her eyes at him, trying not to smile. He studied her a moment longer, his face unreadable before motioning for her to follow him into a small villa to the right of the temple. The villa was a paling cream colour, paint flaking of the walls and ivy was scaling the sides. It seemed deserted until she noticed an elderly woman, with greying hair and severe features looking at them, a thin eyebrow raised. Her cold blue eyes seemed to look right into her soul causing Bella to shiver. Edward bowed his head swiftly and the woman gestured for him to enter into the next room. Bella stood motionless in the centre of the room, taken aback by the strangeness of it all, before Edward looked back noticing she wasn't there. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, gently steering her into the next room and sitting her down on the bench.

He smiled gently, "It's just a peaceful place where visitors of the Temple can come to talk." She nodded, swallowing several times to try and alleviate the dryness of her throat.

"What about my marriage?" she questioned, hope colouring her tone.

He laughed gently, "I thought you would prefer this, but of course, you can still go through with the marriage if you wish…" he trailed off, waiting for some kind of response from her.

She sighed, "I don't even know what this is!" his secrecy was exasperating.

"Where to start…" he muttered more to himself then to her. He was silent for a few seconds before his intense gaze met hers and he began. "As you probably noticed, this is a temple dedicated to Dionysus, the God of wine." Bella nodded, encouraging him to continue. "This temple has been around for a long time. Many men and women come here to dedicate their lives to Dionysus."

Bella stared at him, mouth agape.

There was no way in hell she was becoming a priestess.

Edward's eyes widened, sensing her panic, "No! No, I wasn't planning anything like that, sorry for scaring you. As well as vocations, the temple can also offer sanctuary to the citizens of Greece. In exchange, they help the priests and priestesses of the temple in their daily duties. As well as offering sanctuary, the temple offers to teach all people who take refuge within their walls." Edward watched her carefully, waiting for her reaction.

Once the implications of his words had sunk in, her heart sank with dread. "But what about you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level.

"What about me?" he asked, his brows furrowed in puzzlement.

She sighed, "Aren't you going to stay here...? With me…" she trailed off, suddenly feeling sick with dread. He couldn't go without her, he just couldn't. He had stayed by her side for the past 5 years and she couldn't lose him now.

He shifted over until he was sitting next to her, and tilted her head up with his finger so that she was forced to meet his gaze. His face betrayed nothing of his emotions.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

He didn't have to say anymore, she knew what he meant.

He wasn't going to stay with her.

He was going to leave her just when she needed him most.

She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, trying to fight off the tears she knew were coming.

"Please…" she whispered, her eyes pleading, desperately willing him to understand that she couldn't do this without him.

"I'm sorry, love," he murmured. "I'm so sorry." He gently wiped the tears that had started to fall down her face with his thumb, before placing a soft kiss on her brow.

Bella caught her breath, her heart beating wildly. All too soon Edward drew away, leaving Bella dazed and longing for more.

They sat there for a few moments longer before Edward stood up quickly and extended his hand. She grasped onto it, relishing in the contact, and he pulled her to her feet.

She could see him out of the corner of her eye, watching her carefully.

"Would you like to meet the head of the temple then?" he questioned softly.

She nodded slowly. Things were going to change, she might as well start to accept that and deal with the consequences as best she could.

The head of the temple was a middle aged man, around 50 at the most. His hair was a dark black with streaks of grey running through it, and he had dull blue eyes.

He was a short man, only a few inches taller then Bella, but this didn't make him any less intimidating. He had a thick set build, a strong forehead and jaw, and thin lips.

His real name, Edward had said, no one knew. However he chose to go by Dionysus, the name of the God this temple was dedicated to. She remembered how Edward's eyes had shone with suppressed laughter at this fact, and she breathed out a sigh.

At the moment he was in discussions with Dionysus, discussions which she was meant to be listening to… She snapped out of her thoughts, only to see both Edward and Dionysus looking at her, waiting for her reply.

Crap.

Edward rolled his eyes and answered for her, "Her name's Isabella Swan, however she goes by the name of Bella. Both her parents died recently so she's come here to seek refuge."

Bella let out a sigh of relief, and sent Edward a grateful look. However Dionysus had stiffened from shock. "Did you say…Swan?" he breathed. His eyes flashed with an emotion that both thrilled and terrified her. "How….interesting…" he murmured, his eyes flicking from her to Edward, cold and calculating. Bella gulped. Whatever this man knew about her family, it wasn't good.

"Well, I thought that didn't go too badly," Edward chuckled once they had escaped the confines of Dionysus' office.

"Too badly? It was disastrous!" she said, exasperated. Once Dionysus had found out her family name, he had been nothing but cold to her. "What exactly is it that he hates about my family?" she questioned.

The smile remained on Edward's face; however his eyes had lost all of their warmth. "I have no idea," he muttered, leading her through the passageways, and back into the open air. She raised an eyebrow at him, disbelieving, but Edward just shrugged his shoulders. They continued on in silence for a few minutes before Edward came to a stop. Bella looked at him puzzled before she realised that they were back at the entrance.

This was it. It was time for him to leave.

He turned to face her, "I guess this is it then,"

"Yeah-" she breathed. She didn't want him to go, but if he didn't leave soon she wouldn't be able to cope. It was hard enough to leave him without long goodbyes.

Edward's eyes stared into hers, and it seemed that he was struggling with some internal conflict. "Bella, there's something I want you to know," he said, taking a step towards her. She shut her eyes, breathing in his scent.

"Please, Edward, don't." she said, her voice strained. He stayed where he was, but lifted his hand to place his palm against her cheek. She backed away from his touch, unable to deal with the emotions he was stirring within her. "Just go," she sighed.

He stayed where he was, the pain she had caused clear in his eyes.

"Bella, I-"

"I said go!" He took a step back shocked. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then quickly closed it, his face unreadable.

"If that's how you want it," he said, his voice level. She smiled bitterly, she loved it when Edward was himself with her, yet it was when he was abrupt and serious did she feel more in her depth, less scared of what the consequences of their true emotions could be. He was her carer and teacher, and she didn't want to deal with the rejection that her affections would land her with.

"Goodbye Edward," she said softly.

Edward's expression shifted for a moment and he enveloped her in a quick embrace. "Bye Bella," he whispered, before he once again kissed her brow and then left.

She sighed and lifted a hand to touch where he had kissed her.

It still tingled from his touch.