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Disclaimer: the same as most peoples. I am just an obsessed fan. What can you do?

Chapter VI – A shocking Addition

Bella's POV

I 'wake up' to hear Alice screeching herself hoarse, eyes screwed up tight, mouth agape with her small fists pressed to each side of her head, the knuckles white and nearly bursting through her skin. I look around for the source of my friend's terror, my head turning lethargically around the room. I find nothing and feel my eyebrows knit together in confusion as I look down.

I lick my lips and taste the gloriousness that is there, look up to Alice, still screaming and back down. Everything clicks as I see the crescent moon of perforations in front of me, held between my two hands. I spit the venom from my mouth and stand up as my head clears and sight and sound return to me. Alice's screaming becomes even more prominent and I look down to see Esme whimpering unconsciously. Two thoughts race forth: oh holy shit, what have I done? and they weren't kidding when they said history comes back around, is there anyone that I don't know in this god-forsaken place?

OK… I know how this works and I know I need to get her somewhere secluded. I daren't bite her again so this is going to take as long as it takes. I'm actually quite surprised I managed to pull away; I thought it was much more addictive than that. Hmmm... Oh crap, stop distracting myself. I see the dress and I quickly change, pick Esme up bridal style and head for the door until I realise the absence of Alice's screams. Her breathing has picked up and she's looking at me but her fists are still glued to her head. All terror seems to have left me and all I see before me is what I must do. I quickly hoist her onto my back, so gently so as not to harm her and leave through the door with a swish of my well-tailored skirts.

I know I must keep to the back alleys as this must be such an unacceptable sight and if we ever want to return here none of us must be recognised. I bow my head so my hair covers both mine and Esme's faces. I can feel Alice's head pressed against my back and her arms around my neck. I pick up the pace to a brisk jog, being as inconspicuous as possible, yet I can still feel eyes on me. I look up briefly to check that I'm not just being paranoid and meet the startled gaze of the crowd around me. Esme releases a shattering screech as her eyes open, reflecting thousands of diamonds in them. A child shouts from the crowd:

"Oi! She's glowin'"

Only then do I notice the warmth on my back and I look up to the sky. It is a piercing blue, no clouds hiding the magnificent sight of the sun. A gasp runs throughout the crowd at the same time as they take a smart step back. My hair has fallen back from my face and the surrounding walls are speckled with brilliant light. Everyone is shielding their eyes from me.

I run.

Edward's POV

I can think of nothing but Bella. I am pretty sure part of it was a dream because, well, it's just not real. I laugh at my gullibility. It was a dream. But it did seem oh so real. But it wasn't. It can't have been. I'm pretty sure I saw her. My mind couldn't even begin to conjure up something that real…

I have been absentmindedly getting ready to go out and finish buttoning my cuffs. I straighten out my jacket and walk out of my room. I sneak out through the servants' quarters, picking up my hunting gun on the way out. A warm hand lands on my shoulder as I open the door ready to leave into the grey light of dawn and I turn to see the red face of the head cook.

"Where do you think you're going without breakfast?" I am propelled to the knotted wood of the kitchen table, polished to a dull gleam with use, by a firm placed between my shoulder blades. A bowl is placed in front of me followed by a ladle-full of rice-pudding. I go to pick up my spoon only to be halted by a signal from the cook. She disappears and I turn to the steaming bowl in front of me, breathing in the intoxicating smell. A loud splash makes me open my eyes to see a grinning cook and a dollop of jam on my porridge. I return the grin and get to my bowl as the cook bustles off, bowing low so as not to hit her head on the low beams.

Once I'm done I take my bowl and place it next to the towering pile of dirty crockery, ready to topple over and pick up my gun. Attached with string is a cloth full of sandwiches.

"I was thinking of lamb this evening but something a bit more… adventurous would be acceptable!" the cook hints at me to catch something good before beginning to hum a jaunty tune at the top of her voice as I exit the warm and cheerful kitchen, quietly closing the wooden stable door behind me.

The streets of London are quiet and full of mist so thick you can taste it, my footsteps are muffled and I can't see the street. A glimmer of the sun soon to rise can be seen on the horizon, peeking from behind the forest. It is there that I will catch our evening meal.

I hurry through the dreary city of London, empty except for the homeless until I reach the edge of the forest. Although the sun has now fully raised, a big fiery pit in the sky, the tall trees cast me in shadow stood on the roots at the edge, looking in to the deep, dark depths of foliage. I step forth.

I walk forward, turning toward any noise that punctures the inescapable quiet that comes with such dense greenery. All sounds seemed muffled as I trudge ever-onwards, deeper into the heart of the wood. By gun is slung across my back, out of the way.

I walk for what must be hours, concentrating on nothing but the monotonous green surrounding me, not even trying to remember anything other than now, not caring what is real or imaginary. Only now, that is all that matters.

The day wears on and I sit on the root of a tree, arching from the ground, twisting and furling only to lie on the leafy floor once more. I open up the package and feast on my beef sandwiches; I had not realised how hungry I had become.

An hour or so of hunting in the early afternoon rewards me with a handful of rabbits, and a large bird and I decide it would be best if I head back in time for my prey to be cooked.

I amble over the broken floor, whistling tunelessly and swinging the rabbits by their ears to the beat.

An hour or so later I am telling myself that no, I am not lost. I decide there is no point in panicking and surge forward, letting nothing deter me from my path as the sun sinks; not that I can see it anyway from under the dense canopy. I speed up to a brisk walk until I burst through a line of trees into a clearing adorned with a tree stump… Upon which sits a slender figure in a grey dress, icy-brown curls falling to cover her face which is in her hands in defeat. Another small figure curled at her feet, a small ball of trembling nerves in a threadbare flannel frock. Two twitching kid boots protrude from behind the thick tree stump, coinciding with the blood-curdling screeches that reverberate around the enclosure.

Of their own accord, my legs begin to take me nearer to the trio as I drop the animals and my gun to the floor. Two pale faces look at me at the thud they cause. One face is drawn in terror, red-rimmed eyes look up to me from beneath tear-stained hooded eyelids, past all emotion other than that of fear. Deep brown eyes stare up at me, through me, not seeing me, blind in terror as she is. The other is composed as always. I would know that face anywhere… But hopefully never again in such anguish as is portrayed at this moment in time.

I continue forward until I am a few yards away, finding it difficult to hear anything above the persistent screams that set my teeth on edge. I look at the beautiful creature in front of me and know that nothing was imagined. She is real. And something terrible has happened.

I step to the side until the figure on the floor comes into view, a sight that revolts me. The kid-boots of the dressmaker twist with her writhing body, long fingernails peeling lines of skin from her arms, face and pretty much any unprotected flesh, tearing away the pain that has her in its grip. I turn away into the beautifully flawless face of Miss Swan, her own pain clear to see. She is stood right beside me, looking from the possessed figure on the ground to me, a scared and apologetic face that seems to be surmising my reaction.

I open my mouth, not quite sure what to say and after a strangled breath close it once more.

Bella's POV

I look at him, calculating his reaction. He knows what I am and what I can do but knowing it is not the same as seeing it and if this scares him away…? I don't know what I'll do.

I feel a tugging on my dress and see Alice at my feet; before I can stop her she peers around my wide skirt and upon seeing Esme still contorting her body trying to escape the pain burning through her, her face crumples as her own sobs escape. Once again, impossible tears fill my eyes and I look to Edward, a grim look in his own. Alice drags herself by her arms, legs following limply, between Edward and I to reach Esme where she lies on the grass. Alice progresses to lean over her fevered body and she pinions Esme's arms to the floor to stop the violent tremors that wrack her body. Even from here I can hear her uneven heartbeats stuttering to keep going. This is not even nearly over. We've probably been sat here for what? About an hour? And even then it took us an hour to get here even with me running flat out; we're so deep in the woods no one should stumble across us but wait… a thought has just struck me. Maybe we're not as secluded here as I thought we were…

"Edward… What are you doing here? How did you get here?" I find my hands have reached for the collar of his shirt and although he is taller than I am his feet are not touching the floor. I look at his face, in his eyes, hoping to hear an answer that will keep us safe until Esme has got through this as I lower him to the ground. I wipe my hands as he points at the dead animals next to his gun.

"I was just hunting, the cook wanted me to get something" he looks around sheepishly before adding with a small smile "I got lost". He looks down, embarrassed. "You're pretty far out, aren't you? I must have been really lost. Did I interrupt anything?" he looks up from under his eyelashes, his beautiful green eyes shaming the surrounding leaves as relief fills me up and I throw my arms around his neck. I look at his confused eyes to find us on the floor, me on top of him. I quickly stand up, adding to his dazed expression.

Oh shit. I'm a bit rusty on how to act around humans.

Slowly I kneel beside him, trying not to startle him anymore

"Um… Edward? You alright? Sorry for knocking you over there…" I add my own half-hearted grin, "I, um… I… Oh". My hands flutter over him before finally resting in my lap; I concentrate on the nails, now bitten down to the skin.

"S'alright… We'll have to work on your technique," he sits up slowly and I stand, extending an arm to help him up. "Thanks".

I look to the stump as another scream, louder than any I've heard so far, sending birds flying from the branches of trees, rips from Esme's chest. I crumple and once more place my head in my hands. Any relief brought by Edward has now disappeared. Alice will still be crying, in fact I can hear her whimpering now Esme has quietened down. I am pretty sure she's unconscious from the pain and I'm glad for her. But she'll still have to go through the rest. A warm hand is placed hesitantly on my shoulder and I cover it carefully with my own. I wouldn't have felt the pressure of the reassuring squeeze had I not felt it with my own.

I hear footsteps, knowing they can't be Edward's as he is still stood right behind me, knowing that Alice seems incapable of movement and knowing Esme is on the ground unconscious. I look around wildly for the intruder and look into the bleeding eyes of Esme.

Nasty ending... Oh well... I love Rob Pattinson's song on the soundtrack and the Blue Foundation lot and WOW for Twilight

Thanks!

A