Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, not me.
Recap: (Over the previous chapters)
-Bella, after hearing about her best friend Jake's sudden death, immediately runs to Chicago.
-Bella believes Jacob was murdered.
-Whilst looking around Jake's bedroom, she comes across a note with an unfamiliar name and address. She goes to that address.
-She learns about Vampires and that Jacob was a Familiar.
-Out for revenge, Bella ends up at Edward Cullen's condo, and gets 'kidnapped' on Edward's orders.
-For a short period, Bella comes to know that she is Edward Cullen's Singer, and gets drugged – with unusual side effects.-
-Chapter 3 introduces new Vampires and somehow they know Jacob Black.
-In Bella's dreams, she gets past visions of Edward and his parents. C.L concludes this is not particularly good for her at the moment.
-Bella meets Edward's family, but not his parents.
-A Halfblooded Vampire reveals to her that he is her High School Biology teacher – Mr. Banner – and tells her that he was told Bella is going to change the Vampire World.
-Bella bonds with Edward and begins developing feelings for him. She uses this as a reason to run away from Edward.
-Bella arrives at C.L.'s house and is told why Jacob became a Familiar (so his dad can become a Vampire and not die), as well as that Jacob fell in love with a Vampire.
"What do you mean he loved a Vampire?" I demanded. I was pacing the room and C.L. had his hands on the back of his head. "How? When? With who?" I stopped in the centre of the room and gave a deathly glare to C.L. "Why aren't you saying anything?!"
C.L. stood up and walked over to me.
"Bella, you need to make a move on. Quickly. If the Familiars are all over the airport, it's going to be impossible to get you out of Chicago, let alone Illinois. And you need to go over four states to get to Washington."
"Well, you seem to know everything!" I threw my hands up in the air.
"I have experience…and if you get out of here quick enough you may live to have as much as experience as I do." He shot me a pointed look.
"Nicely put," I muttered.
"Yeah, yeah. Now…Forks, Washington. You will arrive at Seattle and you will get picked up by someone. The flight will be approximately four hours so with the time difference as well…it's safe to say you'll get there in the night. That might also mean that a Vampire may pick you up…"
"Don't worry; I'll be fine." The silence was unbearable. "If the Vamps there are different from the Vamps I encountered here, like you said, I'll be okay. Probably more than okay. So, how are they different?"
"You'll see for yourself." With that, he began taking my luggage he got from my hotel to the front door. "I phoned a cab to take you to the airport."
I nodded at him and began twirling a lock of my hair. "Who did Jake fall in love with?" I tried again.
C.L. sighed, "Give up Bella. What has happened has happened and it is not good to live in the past. I only told you because I didn't want to die with the secret. I mean, Cullen knew…Oh, shit."
"Edward knew?!" I screeched. It didn't miss me that I was on first-name basis and on a more personal level, where as C.L. was more…hostile or unfamiliar, I would say, with naming him.
"Of course he knew! That was another reason why he got poor Jacob killed. It is not acceptable for a human to fall in love with a Vampire, Singers excluded, and it is worse when the Vampire harbors the same feelings."
I hesitantly took a step forward. "What? Are you saying…?"
The silence said it all for me.
"Oh my god." I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. "It keeps getting better and better."
C.L clamped his hand onto my shoulder affectionately. "It will, eventually," he promised softly.
My eyes opened and I flashed a hesitant smile. "I just don't want to leave without any crucial answers – I stayed here in Chicago for a reason, otherwise I would have gone back to Phoenix and the life I made there."
With his hand still on my shoulder he muttered, "I'm afraid you will come to know everything in Forks; the Leader of that House is a very big talker – a bit strange – but he has…uh, his reasons." His hand left my shoulder as soon as we heard the 'toot' of the taxi. "I guess it's time for you to leave, kiddo."
He carefully opened the front door, just a tiny bit, and poked his head out. I had the feeling he was looking for something or searching, but I did not voice out my thoughts – he had the right to be paranoid. It must have been clear outside, safe enough anyway, so he helped carry my luggage to the cab and opened the door for me.
"Thanks, for all the help you've given me when I needed it," I said before seating myself in the cab and closing the door. I rolled the window down, "If Edward does come for you," I took my watch off, "I want you to give him this and ask him to smell it. Hopefully he'll remember seeing me wear it anyway…it's to protect you! He might not hurt you," I babbled. I handed him my watch and smiled at him. "Take care."
"You too, Bella." I watched him tightly grip onto one of my prized possessions (my mom gave it to me the year before she died, it stopped working 3 years ago and I never got a new battery for it, but I still loved wearing it on my wrist) and C.L took a few steps back.
I waved at him until he was just a distant figure.
The hours after my departure flew. I arrived at the airport and hastily bought a ticket – I was in luck as apparently, there was only one seat left in the next flight to Seattle. I did the standard procedure – I checked in, weighed my luggage, showed my passport, entered the gate and sat impatiently waiting for my plane. And I managed to do this whilst looking over my shoulder ever two minutes, just in case there were Familiars on the search for me.
I boarded the plane – I admit I was relieved – and slept for a few hours, had interesting conversations with Glenda, the woman sitting next to me who had the window seat. However, I envied absolutely everyone on the plane; none of them seemed to be running away from something, or trying to stay alive and out of harm's way as much as I was. These people probably didn't even know the existence of Vampires…or were a Singer to a very powerful and alluring Pureblood. Like me, for instance.
And what saddened me, was that I used to be like these people, enjoying my holiday, hating the ridiculous ticket prices. Not to mention on the look out for a hot man with a good job and a decent personality on holiday (it was Spring Break and I am a Kindergarten teacher), unluckily for me I already found one. He was ruggedly handsome and sexy, had power and the money, an interesting personality as well as mysterious…the problem was he came with fangs. And he had to drink blood, MY blood to be precise. He couldn't go out in the sunlight so we could only have dates in the night and I'm assuming he was born before my grandparents!
Edward Cullen to me was like the latest model of a computer, but came with a deadly virus that I couldn't get rid of. No matter with what Anti-Virus protection I had or the best technicians I could afford to hire, the virus would remain, damaging my files and monitoring what I did constantly.
However I managed to finally escape, physically at least, I thought as I stepped out of the airport, and into the streets of Seattle. I scanned the boards, looking for my name. C.L. made a correct prediction – it was nighttime. That meant that anybody could come and pick me up. But if C.L. trusted these Vamps, then I should too.
I finally found a board with my name on it - Isabella Marie Swan Cullen. Well, kinda. Why was Cullen my surname? And how did get my middle name? I approached these two creepy looking men, the ones that were holding the board with my name on it, the first a blonde and the second with dark hair. They both were really pale, I noticed, as I got closer to them.
They were Vampires, I noted, as I took in their eyes. It seemed to me that Vampires had these vibrant, amazing eyes – the colour, the shape and the size. Eyes completely different from a human's.
"Welcome to Washington Bella!" The blonde spoke. "I am Michael Newton…but you may call me Milk." I stared hard at him. Was he a Vampire or a mental patient posing as a Vampire? He gestured to the 'man' next to him, "And this is Tyler, formerly known as Ty, but now as Tea."
Milk and Tea, oh boy, took my bags and I followed them to a rusty red truck in the parking lot. During our long ride to Forks, Milk explained to me that he was the Leader of the House and kept repeating how glad he was that I came to stay. Milk was a happy chap, more cheery than most humans I knew. Whereas Tea…he was just expressionless – no frown or smile, no hard eyes or eyes that shone, the guy was blank. Like Seth, one of my previous Kindergartners, who when it came to reciting the alphabet would just go blank.
When the truck finally stopped, and I had an aching bladder, Forks was not what I expected.
"Forks is a forest?" I asked Milk.
He laughed, "No, no. Forks is a town, we live in the outskirts of Forks, which happens to be a forest. We have to walk a bit and then we'll get to the House. There's no problem with walking, is there?" I blushed as he noticed me stumble over a rock. Bloody hell it was dark. In stories, the moon shines and creates a light so people can make out things in the dark…I saw the moon, and Milk and Tea, and that was pretty much it.
"I'm fine," I lied. Then we set off.
"Here we are," Milk informed. I ignored him; I was tired and sweaty, as we had trailed for over an hour. I repeatedly fell and my feet felt weird – all I wanted to do at that moment was to have a loooong, relaxing bath. And go to the toilet! I was bursting.
I still took in the 17th century Gothic castle that was staring at me in the face. There were candles lit on the castle walls so it made it easier for me to see and there an entrance that I had not noticed before. The castle was intimidating, but not as much as the one in The Beauty and the Beast.
Milk caught me appraising the castle. "Do you like it?" he asked. I simply nodded; too exhausted to speak. "I made it," he proudly stated. What?
He also caught my look of bewilderment. "I thought heirs…your parents…inherited," I was stumbling over my words.
"We'll talk about it later," he said, before walking into the castle and motioning me to do the same. "Tea, accompany Bella to her room and in ten minutes take her to the meeting room. The whole House will be there."
Tea, who was behind me, came to the front and led me up the stairs and down a corridor with doors on each side. The castle was surprisingly warm. On the second last room on the left, Tea made a stop.
"This is your room." It was the first time I heard him speak and I was not prepared for the gruff voice. "I will help you with your luggage and wait here. You have eight minutes."
In Vampire speed, Tea transported my luggage to the insides of my room and back out again. The drug Edward gave me must have worn off.
With Tea outside my room, I stepped in. The fact that the room and its furniture were very simple and mundane made me very pleased and at home. Whereas Foame had beautifully decorated rooms with some sort of colour code and an air of elegance, this room had plain white walls, a double bed pushed against the wall, a cupboard, a desk with a lamp on it, a door probably leading to the bathroom and a window with plain orange curtains.
I loved it. It also had that smell, like when you get a tour of a new home. I ran to open the other door in the room, was glad that it was a bathroom, and quickly did my business.
With a few minutes to spare, I inspected my room more closely. Noticing how everything was clean. There was also a note on my desk and I picked it up.
Dear Bella,
If you are reading this right now, it must mean you have arrived safely at the House of Humanity. The Leader is Michael Newton, or Milk. Please try to call everyone with what Milk calls them, as it is a House thing. I have known Milk for a number of years and my trust in him runs deep. The House of Humanity will look after you and your needs. The members here are very kind and they will make good friends.
You know I sent you here to keep you safe, one from Edward Cullen and two, from the rest of the Vampire World. Bella, this House is considered as 'outcasts' because they seem to not fit in with the others. You will soon see why.
I'm afraid that Edward Cullen will come for me. He may kill me, torture me, or even send me to get you. He is very unpredictable. He may not even come and get me. In fact, Cullen knows me very well. It's something from my past. I'm sure he knows that I was the helping hand with your sudden disappearance.
Do you remember when I told you that you were visitor no.3 of the year? The first visitor was a police officer from Forks, Milk sent him so he could send me secure messages. The House of Humanity does not have any Familiars, you'll find out why soon enough, but they do have an ally – the local police. The House offer protection to the town and in exchange the police protect the Vampires and send them money daily.
Anyway, the second visitor was Edward Cullen. He personally comes every year to make sure I haven't left Chicago. Me and Cullen made a deal many years ago, before I even started graying. You said that you didn't want to leave without any crucial answers and I told you that in Forks you would come to know things.
Ask Milk these things: (Don't push Milk too hard on these as it will be very emotionally hard for him to handle)
1) Milk's history. (The House he was in before.) Milk is Pureblood by the way; all the other Vampires are Halfbloods.
2) Why the House is named 'Humanity'.
3) Why Jacob came to stay with Humanity.
4) Who Jacob fell in love with.
5) After the murder of my family, what I did. (Please don't judge me.)
6) The oath Milk swore – it's a punishment.
You are a very courageous woman, Bella Swan Cullen. Never give up. And thanks for the watch – did you know it stopped working?
I wrote this first as an email and sent it to Milk right after you left. They don't like printing things so someone must have copied it out. Well, that's what they did when I sent emails for Jacob.
Take care,
C.L. Foster.
"Bella, we have to go now!" Tea shouted from outside. With shaking hands, I carefully folded the letter and put it in my pocket. Thanks to C.L., I didn't leave without any answers, but with helpful clues. Thank you C.L.
A/N: Hello again! Why do I take long with my updates? It's annoying for me as well! I hope this chappie satisfies you guys cuz it took me a while. Milk refused to co-operate so I had to bring in Tea. It was a long process of ordering and purchasing.
Finally, answers will be revealed. How long do you think before Bella ends up with Edward again?
To those of you who can't remember what happened in the last chapters (that happens to me all the time and I'm the bloody writer!) I have started doing recaps and it is at the top of the page.
I READ REVIEWS AND RESPOND!!! It's a shock to see reviews crowding my inbox because the maj. of emails i get are from f.. Yeah, I have no life...and I still can't update to your liking. I love reading reviews though, so keep them coming.