Chapter 17 (Bella POV) Reborn

"Every end, is a new beginning."

My eyes fly open. My throat burns. But I don't feel the lava pulsating threw my veins anymore. Where was I? What happened? Completely disorientated I try and find my bearings.

"Bella?"

It's all I need to hear. Edward. I suddenly don't care where I am or what happened. Edward is next to me. His arms wrapped around me. I lean into him and let the moment just fill my mind. I'm with Edward.

"I thought I'd never see you again," I whisper against his shirt.

"I know," he says squeezing me tighter, "Bella we need to talk. You need to know what's happening to you."

"I know," I say my mind suddenly filling with the memories that weren't there a moment ago; "I've been turned."

Edward pulls back, keeping his arms on my shoulders. He leans down and presses his forehead against mine, "are you ok?"

"I'm fine! I'm just so happy to be with you," I whisper, "nothing else matters."

He closes his eyes and smile playing across his lips. My favorite crooked smile.

"You're happy, aren't you?" I ask, remembering his fears of my becoming a vampire, "I know this isn't what you wanted for me."

"I just want you. I'm so happy you're here," he says kissing me so deeply in a way he never did when I was human.

"Ok, we get it," a new voice cuts in and to my embarrassment and joy I realize we are not alone. Emmett is standing at the foot of the bed, a cheeky grin across his face. Rosalie stands behind him with an expression that's completely unreadable.

I didn't realize Alice was next to me, her eyes wet with tears. Carlisle, Esme and Jasper stand just behind her.

"Hello Bella," Esme says, smiling brightly.

"How do you feel?" Carlisle asks, concern littering his tone.

"My throat hurts," I say, suddenly overwhelmed with all the realizations of my new life.

"We should get her hunting," Edward says, tugging at my hand.

I suddenly remember, "Blair!"

"Excuse me?" Edward frowns.

"Blair, the girl I saw before I….."

"Died?" Rosalie cuts in bluntly.

Edward shoots her a look but turns to me soon after, "Blair? A friend from school?"

"Was there someone else in the car?" Alice says.

"I didn't see anyone else," Carlisle tells her.

"No she was a vampire," I try to explain.

"There's another vampire in forks?" Jasper asks.

"She said she knew you. Wasn't she the one that changed me? I remember her talking to Jacob… I think?" I frown, trying to place the memoires in order.

"How could you? You were out cold when Edward and Carlisle got there," Rosalie says, looking at me like I'm crazy.

"You were there?" I ask Edward.

"Carlisle and I heard there was an accident. We were also quickly passing through Forks to finish packing up the house. We got there and Jacob was with you. It was too late to do anything else. Jacob gave Carlisle permission to make the change," Edward tells me frowning.

I shake my head, "I remember her so clearly."

"It's not uncommon to hallucinate during the transition Bella," Jasper tells me.

Everyone is looking at me with great concern. I try and think back to that day. I remember I felt foggy and out of it all day. Almost like I knew what was to come. Jasper must be right. Blair must have been a dream, but she seemed so real. I shake the feeling away. The Cullen's memories would be far more reliant than mine.

"I guess that must be it," I whisper.

"Let's go hunting," Edward says, "You'll feel better after.

"Don't be afraid of change, it is leading you to a new beginning."

It's been two months since I have turned. The best two months anyone, anywhere has ever had. To celebrate my "Turn-iversary," Edward and I have been spending the weekend in New York. We walk hand in hand through the city night. I feel heads turn and look at us, but I can only see Edward. I finally have what I wanted. To be with him, forever. He pulls his arm closer to his side, pulling me towards him. I nestle my face into his shoulder, giggling against the soft fabric of his shirt.

I'm lost in the moment that I don't see the man stumble, and he crashes into my side. Months ago, I would have fallen into a heap on the sidewalk, but now I remain solid and he slide downs into a heap landing on his knees.

"Are you ok?" I ask, pulling the man to his feet. He is clearly drunk. His eyes are glassy and unfocused. And his suit, although impeccable, is disheveled and the scent of whiskey lingers between us.

"I'm better than ok, beautiful," he purrs, "I'm Chuck Bass."

"I know you," Edward interrupts.

The man, Chuck, looks Edward up and down, "I don't know you." He turns to leave.

"Wait," Edward reaches for him, "how do I know you? I've seen you somewhere."

"Why don't you take a walk? I don't know you, nor do I want to," Chuck stumbles back out of Edward's reach but slips on the curb. He loses his balance completely this time and falls. Edward reaches for him and tries to pull him back, but the cab has already taken Chuck off the ground and up onto its bonnet. Chuck rolls off and back onto the pavement before us. I kneel at his side,

"Call an ambulance," I yell at no one particular.

Chuck gazes at me, daze and confused, "Blair, I'm sorry…." he whispers to no one in particular. Edward is pulling me to my feet.

"Bella, the blood. We need to get you out of here!" He says urgently.

I barely notice. Blair? The girl? "Wait!" I say to Edward, "I need to ask him –"

"Bella! We need to go!" Edward is tugging me away from the crowd which is fast approaching around us.

I look back at Chuck who has slipped away, unconscious. I allow Edward to lead me back to the hotel.

"Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same thing."

"Chuck Bass?" I ask the receptionist at the hospital, "I'm a friend."

I've snuck away from Edward later that night when he was on the phone to Carlisle. He won't be happy when he finds out that I've gone to see Chuck and put myself at risk being in a hospital but I need to ask him about Blair. It could be coincidence but maybe not. The name and her image has gnawed at me ever since I woke up. I asked Jasper once, a while after I turned and he couldn't give me response. How is it that I can remember her so clearly but no one else can?

"He's not taking visitors," the woman behind the desk tells me.

"Please," I beg, "it's an emergency."

The woman looks up, skeptical, "really?"

Edward would be able to charm her, I think to myself. But me, not so much. I sigh and reach into my purse and pull out a $100, sliding it across the desk, "five minutes? I won't be a nuisance." I promise.

"I'm getting a coffee," the woman tells me, taking the bill, "I can't help it if you ignored my instructions to leave and stay out of Room 38"

I smile gratefully and head down the hall to Room 38. I push open the door and see that Chuck is asleep. The report on the news said that he was going to be ok, just some minor injuries and a concussion. I go to step inside but see he is not alone. I pause,

"I'm sorry," I begin, "I heard he was hurt and-" I stop midsentence when I realise, "Blair."

Blair looks up from the bed, "Bella. How's the afterlife treating you?" She says it so flippantly.

"I knew it," I breathed, "I knew you were real."

Blair turns her eyes back to Chuck, "I was hoping that you'd be convinced otherwise."

She doesn't care about me, or my discovery of her. She only cares about Chuck. And then I remember why I'm here. Chuck said her name.

"How do you know him?" I ask.

"From my old life," she says simply, shrugging like it meant nothing. But I remember. I remember thinking she too was heartbroken.

"You love him," I state, watching as her thumb grazes the top of his hand delicately, but comforting.

She looks at me, "how's Edward?"

"Why'd you leave?" I asked, "why make them forget you? What happened?"

"They helped me, when I became a vampire, but I couldn't stay," she says, "I can't explain it to you, Bella, but I need you to believe me that it was better for me to disappear."

"Something happened, did it? With you and Edward?" the words feel stuck in my throat, my body fighting to get them out, fearing the answer.

Blair smiles gently, "no. Nothing. He loves you and this was the way it was meant to be."

"Then why leave?"

Blair looks thoughtful, "Bella, I wasn't a good person in my life. I did things and hurt people I love. Including Chuck. When I realized I loved him, it was too late. I wanted to hurt people with my absence, and now that I'm gone forever I realise how cruel that was. Look at Chuck. He loved me and now because I'm gone and because he feels so guilty, he's slowly killing himself."

"He needs help," I offer, pathetically. I think of me when Edward left. No help could help me.

"He needs to forget me," she says, "or the version of me that he loved."

"You, don't want him to love you anymore?" I ask.

"I want to do what's right by him. And the best way for him to get on with his life is to forget he love me. It's the only way he'll move past it," she states.

I wonder if we are talking about Chuck or Edward, or both. Did Edward love her? Is that why she let him forget her? Is that why she attempted to make me forget him? I shake my head, I don't what to know. I don't want to ask. The thought of Edward loving someone else makes me feel sick. The thought that someone could love him as much I as I do, confuses me.

Chuck stirs in his sleep, "He's waking up," Blair notes, "do you mind? I'd like to say goodbye."

I nod, "Will I see you again?"

Blair shakes her head, tears in eyes, "I doubt it. It's time for me to start my own journey. Find my place."

"The Cullens?" I ask, wondering if she ever plans to rejoin the family, surprised that I'm hopeful she will.

"Look after them," she says warmly.

"What about Edward?" I ask, wondering how she expects me to keep this secret.

"He doesn't remember me, he'll be fine."

I turn and walk to the door, turning back and glancing at her as she takes Chuck's hands in hers, "Thank-you, Blair." I whisper, unsure if she's heard me.