A/N: Good news! You won't have to wait until tomorrow for part 3 :) I just finished the essay that was looming over my head for about a week, it's such a relief. I figured I'd get on here and post this a day early for you guys. I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying it, it means a lot to me! In other good news, I officially completed Hybrid yesterday and I'm pretty happy with it. I can't wait to post the next few chapters because that's when things really get interesting. But for now, enjoy the last part of chapter 6!

6. Edward Cullen: Part 3

Jacob huffed viciously in his wolf form, the warmth of the air escaping his flared nostrils made little clouds in the cool air. His tongue weaved in and out of his mouth, saliva dripping from the sides. He looked like a monster. Edward grabbed a hold of my upper arms abruptly.

"Elina, go!" He whispered as he shoved me aside. I stumbled to the ground and watched in horror at the confrontation that brewed in front of my eyes. Jacob looked as though he were about to rip Edward's head off. I had to stop him, I had to save Edward. I got on my hands and knees, slowly standing up.

"ELINA, NO!" Edward yelled, holding his hand out to me. I stalled.

Jacob turned his enormous, beastly head to look at me and then turned his eyes back to Edward. He scraped his paws against the dirt beneath him. I knew he would pounce on to Edward in any second. I tried not to think as I climbed onto a nearby rock, preparing to leap. I took a deep breath, waiting for when Jacob would bow to gain momentum to jump. Jacob let out a grunt and I noticed his paws tense. This was it. I leaped into the air just as Jacob lunged for Edward. Jacob's teeth tore into my side as he whipped me against a tree. It happened so fast that I didn't notice the pain at first. I rolled on to my back, gripping my side. Blood seeped through the spaces between my fingers. I heard Jacob whimper and gallop off into the forest. Edward sped over to me, holding his breath.

"Get out of here, Edward." I growled.

"I need to get you to Carlisle." He said, pressing his hand to his mouth and backing away.

"Edward, just go. I'll be fine." I said trying to sit up to show him I could make it on my own.

I yelled in pain when I twisted to my side. It felt like needles hooking into me and pulling at different directions. I fell back and rolled to the side in an attempt to ease the pain. Before I could say anything else, Edward had me in his arms. He stood there, holding me in his arms and looking at me. I could hear drops of my blood splatter on the rock beneath me. I didn't have the strength to argue with Edward. I would let him carry me. If he couldn't resist temptation anymore I won't care. Anything would be better than the immense pain I was feeling. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine myself somewhere else, somewhere I felt the happiest and pain-free. I remembered earlier that night when Edward made me fly; the wind in my hair, the speed...it helped ease the pain a bit, but it definitely didn't disguise it completely. Thankfully, Edward was very graceful when he ran and, besides the wind, I barely felt him moving. I breathed in too deeply and felt a pinch at my side. I moaned in pain.

"We're almost there, just hang on" Edward whispered to me.

My eyes began to feel heavy and I fought with myself to keep them open. They won. I found myself drifting away into the blackness. The pain started to numb the further I drifted in. I opened my eyes and everything was so bright. I was in the meadow. It was the sunniest it's ever been in Forks. I heard Edward's velvet voice sing my name and I turned to see his face. He was beautiful and sparkling in the sun. It was the most magnificent thing I've ever seen. I just stood there, smiling at his radiance. I heard a huff behind me and turned to meet to see the beast standing behind me. Jacob looked angry. And then I fell to the ground, enveloped in the blackness again.

I could hear a commotion around me and tried to open my eyes, but they were sealed shut. I could feel currents pump through my chest and my heart beat louder. The beating echoed in my ears so loudly that I got annoyed with it and wanted it to stop. I tried to think of something, anything, to replace the beating sound of my heart.

"Sh...Elina it's going to be alright." His cold breath dispersed around my ear, his voice replacing the nuisance of my heart beat. A cool touch slid down my cheek.

"E...Edward" I whispered.

"Yes. I'm here." He whispered.

"You need to leave!" A woman yelled.

"Edward, please. We'll take care of her." Carlisle said.

No, I need him to stay. I tried to speak, to grab on to his cold wrist, but nothing worked. I was mute and paralyzed. The blackness took over me once again. This time, it was just darkness and nothing else. I could hear a melody faintly in the background and listened closely, desperate to hear it clearly. Eventually it got louder and I recognized it immediately. Kiss the Rain, by Yiruma; another favourite of mine, played in the darkness. All of a sudden, the darkness wasn't so dreary. It was calm and serene. I wanted to remain here. I could live with hearing this melody forever. The heavy beating of my heart began to diminish and I was no longer bothered by its sound. Every note filled my mind with its beautiful sound. I felt like I was underwater, being drifted away by a current after each note that was hit on the piano.

All of a sudden, the volume began to lower slowly. I didn't like these dips in volume. I had to follow the melody. The song continued to disappear, but it was replaced by something even more beautiful. Even in urgency, his voice sang the most beautiful song.

"Elina, come back to me! Please!" He crooned.

I had to open my eyes to see his face. I needed to feel him and have physical proof of him. My eye lids fluttered as I struggled to open them. Everything around me was blurry. There was a flurry of people running around me and fussing over me. I cleared my throat, hoping I was able to speak.

"Edward?" I managed to say as loud as I could.

"Yes, I'm here. Don't ever do that, don't leave me. Do you understand?" He whispered to me as he kissed my forehead.

"Edward" I breathed, my eyes feeling heavy again.

"Elina" He patted my cheek. "Hey, look at me! Elina, open your eyes! Carlisle!" He yelled.

All I could see was blackness, but I could still hear what was going on around me somehow.

"Edward, she's lost a lot of blood. We're trying the best we can." Carlisle said.

"Will she be okay? Will she come back to me?" Edward urged.

"Yes." Carlisle said, sternly. "Edward, you have Bella. Elina will come back, but not to you." He whispered angrily. Edward didn't reply. I had to know what he was thinking. I searched through the blackness for his face. I concentrated on those topaz eyes of his and placed myself into his mind.

Damn that mongrel. I'll make him pay for this. I always knew he was dangerous; it was only a matter of time. But, why did it have to be her? Why do I feel this way about her? Carlisle is right, I have my Bella, she is the love of my entire existence. What's wrong with me? Can I truly be such a selfish creature to want both?

His thoughts went blank.

"Elina? Are you listening to me?" Drat! He knows I'm here. I guess there's no other choice but to respond.

"Yes? Please don't be angry. I heard you talking to Carlisle and..."

"Elina, I love Bella." He thought, sternly.

"I know you do. I would never try to come between you two."

"Trying or not, it doesn't excuse the way I feel when I'm around you."

"Edward, you said it yourself that I remind you of Bella when she was human. Maybe, subconsciously, you think I'm her sometimes? She and I are quite similar, except I'm part vampire."

"Yes...I like that about you. It makes it easier to be around you."

"Yet, I'm still a potential meal."

"I'm sorry. Being around so many vampires isn't very safe for you."

"But, I am a vampire. I hate being half and half. I'll never fit right into one side."

"But the human side is safer."

"If you hadn't noticed, I hate the human side. I'd much rather be with you."

"I almost killed you tonight."

"Correction: Jacob almost killed me tonight. You saved my life."

"I'll kill him for what he's done. You aren't saved yet. You lost a lot of blood. How are you feeling?"

"Don't do that. As much as I hate him right now, I wouldn't go as far as to wish death upon him. And I don't really know how I'm feeling. I'm too busy listening to you to notice anything else."

"Elina, maybe you should stop listening to me and focus on your own mind. You need to concentrate on staying alive."

"How did you do it?" I asked, completely disregarding his request. His mind was too interesting to leave.

"Do what?"

"Carry me so far when I was bleeding?"

"Mind over matter, I suppose. Hearing you in pain was much more difficult for me than the temptation to drink your blood."

Suddenly an image entered my mind of Edward's hands, drenched in blood. He was about to rinse them off when he started to lick the blood.

"You tried it?" I asked in disbelief.

"You saw that? Now I see why you were so annoyed with me before. Yes, I did. I'm sorry if that bothers you. I just couldn't resist anymore. It would have been such a waste to rinse it off."

"How was it?"

"I'd rather not answer that."

"Edward" I pushed.

"It was very...intoxicating. Blood has never tasted so good."

"Good to know I'm such a fine dining experience." I joked.

"Elina, you need to get back!" Edward said alarmingly.

"Why?"

"They're losing you. Please, Elina you need to go"

Edward's face began to disappear in the blackness, along with the sound of his voice. I sunk back into the dark, bracing myself for the commotion that would surely surround me in a few seconds. I waited, but nothing. I tried to listen harder but it was still silent. What happened to me? Where am I? I couldn't feel my body; it was like I was detached from it. It felt like I was floating further and further away. A bright light started to break through the blackness and I drifted to it. I could see the ceiling and the lights shining on to me. I kept floating, the ceiling got closer. I tried looking around. It looked like a hospital room, but I wasn't sure since I was still facing the ceiling. I threw my arms around in attempt to turn myself over. I was getting frustrated because it wasn't working. I gave up for a moment but then decided to push through one last time. My persistence prevailed, but when I finally looked down I wished it hadn't. I was staring down at my lifeless body as nurses and Carlisle shuffled around me, all talking at once. And then I saw Edward amongst the crowd. He had his head next to mine, his hand on my face. I couldn't feel him. The chill of his touch was non-existent. That was impossible. I always felt his touch. It was the one thing that always brought me back to life when I drifted too far.

"Carlisle!" Edward hollered in agony.

"Edward, we're trying everything we can."

"Come back to me, please." He whispered into my ear. I could still hear him clearly. I had to be alive. Edward kissed the lobe of my ear and I could feel a tingling sensation. I'm still alive.

"I'm alive! Edward! I'm alive!" I screamed. He couldn't hear me. No one could. Carlisle walked over to Edward and placed his hand on Edward's back.

"I'm sorry." Carlisle huffed.

"No! No, you have to keep going. Try the paddles again." Edward pleaded. Carlisle nodded to a nurse as she prepared the paddles in attempt to revive my heart once again. I felt the jolt of electricity as they passed through my chest, yet I still lay there lifeless. I was still flat-lined.

Edward placed his ear on to my chest, where my heart is. He listened intently. Suddenly I could hear a faint thump. I could feel the coldness of his face pressed against my chest.

"Carlisle!" Edward jolted up and whispered something into Carlisle's ear. Carlisle waved the nurses out of the room. He placed his ear to my chest and listened.

"It beats" Carlisle whispered. Edward exhaled deeply and smiled as he squeezed on to my hand.

I concentrated on the faint sound of my heart. I had to place myself back into my own mind. That was it. I had ventured so far out that I completely disconnected from myself. I wasn't dead, I just left briefly. The beating got louder and louder and I floated closer to my body. I was nose-to-nose with myself. My heart beat was loud and prominent. I closed my eyes and focused on my body. When I opened them, I was staring at the ceiling, but I wasn't floating up to it. I could feel the ice-cold stone that squeezed my right hand. Unfortunately, I could also feel the pain, although it was bearable. I tried to open my eyes but couldn't. My throat felt dry. It was the same dryness from earlier tonight. I needed blood.

"Carlisle, she's thirsty." Edward reported promptly.

"I'll try to get some blood." Carlisle said, his voice sounding distant.

"He's going to get you some blood. Hang on" Edward reassured me. Was Carlisle going to hunt for me? How can he possibly bring a dead, bleeding animal discreetly through a hospital? I heard Edward laughing.

"He's going to get you donated blood from the hospital. It'll make you stronger than any other blood can."

I would be drinking human blood? I wondered what it would taste like as I waited.

"It's very appetizing." Edward responded to my thoughts once again. This was becoming quite convenient. I heard the door open and close. Carlisle must be back. How was I supposed to drink this?

"Feeding tube" Edward said.

"What?" Carlisle asked.

"Elina wanted to know how she'd drink the blood."

"You could hear her all this time?" Carlisle asked suspiciously

"Yes, up until you thought you lost her. Then there was nothing until her heart started to pick up."

"hm...There." Carlisle whispered.

I began to feel stronger as the blood entered my system, but I was disappointed because I wasn't able to taste it. This was my only chance and I really wanted to know what it was like. I managed to twitch my finger. I swallowed and tried to open my mouth. There was something taped to my mouth. A breathing tube, I assumed. I could feel the feeding tube that was inserted through my nose. I wanted them both out.

"Carlisle, the tubes" Edward called over to Carlisle.

I could feel the tape being peeled off of my face and the tubes as they were removed. It was an extremely uncomfortable experience.

I was able to part my lips; it was a matter of making some kind of sound project that would be difficult. Or so I thought...

"Edward" I whispered.

"Yes" he placed his hand on my cheek and it began to tingle. I smiled to myself and my eyelids began to flutter. I could do this.

"There they are. Those beautiful, brown eyes of yours" Edward whispered and he stroked my temple. I smiled back at him.

"Hey there, handsome" I blurted. I blushed, feeling embarrassed that I just said that. But, he would hear it in my thoughts anyways, so what did it matter? Edward laughed.

"How do you feel?"

"Good." I said, trying to sit up.

"You need to rest." Edward said, placing his hand on my shoulder. I gulped, feeling the dryness persist in my throat. Edward smiled. "Of course" he whispered as he picked up a bag of blood, emptied it into a white cup and put a bendy straw in it. He lifted my head gently and placed the straw in front of my mouth. I took a deep breath. I could smell the sweetness that radiated from the cup. I sipped it slowly at first, unsure of what to expect. One short sip is all it took before I gulped the entire cup down, licking my lips for any remnants of the sweet nectar. I gasped and wanted more, I needed more. I ripped the cup from Edward's hands and gulped the blood down quickly.

"More" I gasped.

"Elina, that's enough" Carlisle warned.

"No, I need more." I argued.

"Carlisle..." Edward said.

"No, Edward. She doesn't need any more."

"I want it! I want it!" I yelled. I wasn't thinking clearly anymore. All I could think of was the blood and how good it tasted, how amazing it felt in my mouth.

"Hold her down." Carlisle urged as he pulled a syringe out of his pocket.

"Carlisle, is that necessary?" Edward asked, yet still complying to Carlisle's orders.

"I didn't want it to come to this, but yes. If not this, who knows what she'll do." He said, as he flicked the syringe and squirted a bit of the clear fluid in the air.

"No, please. I'll be good, I promise." I pleaded. I couldn't fight with Edward's grasp on me.

"I'm sorry Elina, but we can't take the chance. You'll be asleep for a while, that's all." Carlisle informed me. I screamed as the needle pierced my skin. My eyelids began to feel heavy and everything went black.

I awoke from my thoughtless sleep feeling a bit groggy, but calm. My thirst for blood was non-existent. I searched the room for Edward, but I was alone. I propped myself up on my elbows and examined the empty room. I hate hospitals. I was about to pull the iv out of my arm when Edward walked in.

"You're awake. I'm sorry we had to do that." He said as he walked to the end of the bed.

"It's okay, I understand. I barely remember what happened. Was I that bad?"

"You wanted blood. It's only natural. Human blood is like a drug, it's very addictive." He explained.

I sniffed the air and smelt a familiar odour.

"Jacob is here?" I asked.

"Yes. He won't leave. He wants to see you."

"Ha, I don't think so." I shook my head. But a part of me was curious as to why he would dare show his face here. I closed my eyes, hoping to take myself to where Jacob was.

"Elina!" Edward said alarmingly. I opened my eyes.

"It's okay, Edward. Don't worry." I closed my eyes again. I followed Jacob's scent in my mind, which was different than when I first met him. He smelled fouler than he used to. I could see him as he stood facing the wall in the hallway. He was talking to Bella.

"I need to see her, to see if she's okay." He cried.

"It's okay, Jacob. She's fine; everything is going to be fine." Bella tried to sooth him.

"No, everything won't be fine. I'll never forgive myself for what I did to her. I could have killed her."

"So? It's not like you meant to." Bella shrugged.

"Bella, I love her. Regardless of what I meant, if she died because of what I did I would never be able to live with myself. I'm a beast."

"Jacob, you are not a beast. She is fine." Bella said, but not in a happy way. It was almost like she wished I wasn't fine. Jacob sensed that as well.

"What do you have against her?"

"What? Nothing." Bella turned away from Jacob.

"Every time I bring her up your attitude changes...you don't like her, do you?"

"I don't know. All I know is ever since she showed up things got worse."

"How?"

"Edward is falling in love with her, Jacob. Don't you see it? She walks in the room and his face lights up; he tries to be around her all of the time. When he isn't, he worries about her. It's all he can think of. As if I don't matter..." Bella confessed.

"Bella, you know that's not true. As much as it sickens me to say it, Edward loves you to the extent that he can't live without you, literally. We've been down that road before. No one can ever mean as much to him as you do." Jacob placed his hand on Bella's shoulder.

"That's just it, Jacob. He fell in love with me when I was human. I'm a vampire now." She said, whispering the word 'vampire' as she spoke. " I'm not clumsy, or warm. I don't blush anymore. I don't need his protection... Those are all of the parts of me that he misses, and characteristics that she possesses."

"So what, you think that he's substituting Elina for the human Bella? That's ridiculous." Jacob shook his head.

"Think about it Jacob. She's completely infatuated by him and he's all over her. He left Renesmee and I all night just to be with her."

"To make sure she was safe..." Jacob said, trying to justify Edward's actions.

"You saw them tonight Jacob. That's why you attacked Edward, isn't it? You know how close they're getting; you just refuse to believe it." Bella said angrily, walking away.

Jacob stared at the wall for a moment, leaning his head against it. His jaw clenched and he slammed his fist into the wall. My shock reaction from the sound Jacob's fist made when it hit the wall startled me and I was back in my hospital room with Edward. Edward was at my side, waiting for me to return. What Bella said stuck with me and puzzled me. Was Edward really substituting me for the human Bella?

"Edward?"

"Yes?" He whispered.

"Do you...think of me as Bella?"

"What?"

"Do you think of me as the human Bella?" I asked again. The question clearly caught him off guard.

"I...I don't," Edward paused and tried to put together an explanation. "I'll admit there are qualities of her in you. But that's not the only reason I – "

"Ugh...she was right." I whispered, cutting Edward off from saying anything more. I felt terrible. Bella was right, I was her human substitute and Edward was falling for me...for Bella.

Edward stood there in silence.

"Edward, I can't... I won't be what comes between you and Bella. Just tell me the truth. Are you falling in love with me?" I asked, staring at him and hoping he'd look up at me.

"I... I don't know." Edward said, turning away from me completely. "I love Bella. She's the only one for me. That will never change." He said with his back towards me, but his head turned slightly in my direction. He stood there, silent for a moment and then walked out of the room.