Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight; it is the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original characters and plot are mine. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Italics for thoughts (Edward can hear it if he's present)

Stages of forms

Tiger: first form (actual tiger)

Tigris: second form (were-tiger, like werewolves, larger than actual animal)

Taiga: third form (cat ears, tail, more tiger musculature, fur, full canines, paws)

Tigam: fourth form (half and half, humanoid form, light fur, tail, nearly full canines, paws)

Tegamen: fifth form (mostly humanoid, no fur, stripes marking the skin and claws and longer canines)

Higar: sixth form (human but with cat senses and scent, regeneration and able streak mind)

Human: seventh form (completely human)

Chapter 8

Scorching light

"I love you Edward." My words were barely audible to my own ears I hope that he had heard me. My eyes closed and I drifted unaware of what would happen next. A blinding light filled the darkness and I burned. Screaming I curled away from this scorching light and tried to protected myself.

****EPOV****

"I love you Edward." Bella said and closed her eyes. I held her tightly to my chest fearful that I would never again see her beautiful chocolate brown eyes again.

Son, your grip is too tight. Carlisle thought and I nodded loosening my grip but not let go of my angel. I could still hear her heart beating but it was getting fainter.

Oh please no! Esme ran to the couch as she entered the room her eyes solely on the fragile girl in my arms. Looking at me and Carlisle she began to sob and knelt in front of Bella and touched her face gently. Oh Bella.

I could feel my family joining us in the front room but I couldn't move my eyes from her face. She was too pale and cooling in my arms. If it weren't for her heart beat I would swear she was already dead.

"I don't understand, there is a chance she'll wake up but I don't see a decision that leads to it." Alice cried in frustration she had come to love Bella as a sister. Most of the family thought of her that way, ever since I realised that I loved this odd silent sweet smelling girl. Alice pulled forward her vision and showed them to me. It was true there was no decision made and yet she could die or live.

"Perhaps she has to desire to live." I said my voice wavering greatly as I tried to imagine Bella letting herself die, it just didn't seem possible for her to want that. Not when she had said that she loved me. Or was that a kind lie?

"She loved you. Almost from the first day she saw you Edward." Jasper said feeling my doubt and I could only nod. Then why would she wish to die?

"Perhaps it has something to do with her kind and Daniel?" Esme said and I thought over what she had told us of the last time she had seen the two. Could Daniel leaving have caused this reaction in her? It is obvious that she loves him greatly but why not just follow him?

She said that the wolves were of interest, giving a reason to why she was here and the fight she had with Daniel about her mother being in control of him. Perhaps she was going to be punished for telling me what she did. I looked up at my pained father and nodded my head it was possible that she would have acted rashly feeling horrible for her 'traitorous act.' We had caused this; she was going to die because of us.

Her heart was slowing too quickly to change her so my family and I gathered around her. Her head rested in my lap still, Alice held her hand and Jasper touched her arm trying to give her serenity. Rose and Emmet had her other hand and Carlisle and Esme were at her head Esme brushing stray hairs off her face.

****BPOV****

The bright pain was worse and better than the numbing pain before, I think. But I couldn't react; my body felt like it had been ripped apart and now sown together again slowly. It was whether or not that was a good thing that I was trying to sort out. The pain was no less intense just indescribably different. Like a frozen fire to a burning one or was it the other way around. I couldn't hold anything in my mind for very long. It was like I was a gold fish swimming in circles looking at the same castle and yet reacting every time like it was brand new and exciting. Was I thinking in circles unaware?

After a while of this new pain I began to feel a great pressure pushing in on me. I felt flattened and unable to breathe. The pressure was unbearable like I was going to implode. I screamed out trying to expel some of the tightness but it only seemed to make it worse, so much worse. Then something warm wrapped itself around me taking the pressure and pain from my body instantly.

I gasped and held it to me thankful for an ending even if it was death. As I held the warmth to me I understood what it was it was a new bonding. But there was no clan here and I don't think that Tigers could bond with wolves even spirited wolves. I was thankful to whoever had decided to save me and would gladly pay any price to live. The look of pure agony on Edward's face told me he too would be glad.

Waiting as I hoped to once again open my eyes and look into his I felt nothing of my body. It was scarcely as though I had one, this thought sent fear through me. Had I died and yet survived was I trapped in this in-between?

"Bella?" I heard a voice call and I clawed my way towards desperate not to lose it. I couldn't tell who had spoken as my eyes opened and the light startled me. I pushed my face into the... lap? I was on. I heard forced laughter and pushed myself up. Looking about me through squinted eyes I saw all of the Cullens around me. I felt a profound connection to all of them; they were the ones that I was now bound to.

"Oh!" I squeaked as I looked over my shoulder into Edward's eyes. I smiled and blushed at him, and his hand brushed my cheek as he smiled.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked and I wondered if he had been the one to call me before. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "How are you feeling?" he asked and I looked down at my body eyes wide. I was still human! The shock showed on my face and Carlisle and Edward moved closer to me. "What's wrong Bella?" he asked and I brought my hand to my face.

"Impossible!" I said my voice sounded strangled probably from the shock. I was staring at my hands confused and elated. Edward pushed my hands from in front of my face and took my face in his hands.

"What is impossible Bella?" he said the relief gone from his voice. I looked at him and realised that once again I had frightened him. I moved closer to him and he wrapped his arms around me. I pondered how it could be that my body had stayed human. When a Tiger broke from one clan and moved to another it was only the strongest that survived and even then they were in the first form. Edward kissed my forehead and my eyes focused on the family in front of me.

"I... how long was I out?" I asked changing my question at the last moment. Would they accept a Tiger into their family? Surely they could accept me when I am similar to them, well more than a human.

"You have been asleep for nearly two days." Carlisle replied and a nodded numbly, two days. I obviously had stayed human through my change but I felt no ill affects. Stretching I felt no weakness or pain in my body, it is impossible. I should barely be able to keep my eyes open or move and yet I could do so easily.

"I am confused and a little startled." I said leaning into Edward again, I felt him shift slightly and I looked into his face. He was more than content to have me in his arms; I smiled at him and yet was uneasy. His arms fell away from me, probably thinking that I meant him. I felt the loss of his arms but did nothing to regain them.

"About what?" Edward asked and I tried to think of the correct way to say that I really ought not to be human right now. Everyone in the room tensed and I looked out the front window listening for what they had heard. Footsteps, moving quickly towards the front door it had to be a vampire. Beyond that I had no idea.

"Why didn't I see him coming?" Alice asked no one in particular and I wonder who he was. When I heard a gentle tap on the front door. Carlisle moved to answer it as everyone looked amongst themselves and shot me glances. I guess this vampire wasn't going to like me being here. As the door opened a smile light my face and moved quickly to the door.

"Demetri!" I sang and I jumped into his arms.