*peeks from fingers* I'm still alive~! I'm so sorry, guys! I know I said that I'll post this quicker than the second chapter, but what with the end of the school year and such over here and a bit of a writer's block... *winces*

So, yeah. I'm really, really, REALLY sorry for keeping you waiting. I won't promise anymore. :(( Just remember that I will finish this story. =)

Here's the third chapter, by the way. If ever you spot something wrong with the grammar or whatnot, please tell me. I have no Beta for this story.

Enjoy! Don't forget to R&R! :D

Chapter Three: The Grief of a Disciple

By the time Shura hung up, Bella was still in a daze. She barely noticed pressing the 'End' button on her phone and the silent thump it made as she dropped it on her fluffy comforter.

"Shiro… Shiro is dead."

Lie.

"Shiro… Shiro is dead."

Impossible!

"Shiro… Shiro is dead."

No other words ever uttered could've been more wrong. It was like saying that floating gay elves wearing trucker boots and pointy witch hats lived on the moon, singing 'Living on the Bayou' as they paraded along the rainbow.

Shiro could not possibly be dead. Simply the thought was nothing short of blasphemous.

Shiro? Dead? You've got to be kidding me.

Maybe that was it; maybe Shura was just messing with her, throwing her for a loop. It certainly wouldn't be the first time…

But the memory of her closest friend sobbing on the other end of the line stopped her short.

Shura never cried. Not when she was fighting demons during her early years. Not when she found out that she was part demon like Bella, though her parents could care less about her. Not when she almost got kicked out of cram school because of a fight she did not initiate. Not when she almost died because of a surprise attack by a group of Naiads. But just now…

No. Not even Shura could be that cruel. She may be free-spirited (though she preferred the term 'bad-ass') with her I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck attitude, but she was never insensitive. Always associated to Shiro and his cold exterior, only a few people knew what's real: they were just good in hiding their emotions—a natural instinct that Bella somehow lacked.

This only means that she was telling the truth.

Bella finally faced the reality she kept on denying for the past twenty minutes: Shiro is dead, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.

At least I got through the first stage of grief relatively unscathed, she thought wryly, before succumbing to her tears. She may not be physically hurt, but Shiro's death left a mark in her that not even Charlie could fill. Charlie was a good father, but Shiro was a great dad. Bella knew that it was wrong to compare them since they were two different people, but she would only be lying to herself if she said that Charlie would be enough.

Shiro was not only a great dad; he was also an excellent person. Sure, people feared him, not only because the terrifying aura he exudes, but also because he was the Paladin—the most powerful exorcist of Vatican. People were intimidated by his confident yet careless attitude and outlook on things, even on situations not meant to be taken lightly. People of the Order constantly whisper about his unorthodox ways, but their comments never fazed him. He knew what he was doing and he fought for what he believed in.

Perhaps because of these reasons, those around him (Bella included) unconsciously overlooked his humanity. They failed to realize that, just because he was a powerful being, he did not have any weaknesses. Maybe because they never knew it existed.

Or rather they existed.

Bella tried to hate the Okumura twins, for they were obviously the reason for his demise. For reasons unknown to Shura, Shiro had died protecting the offsprings of every person's mortal enemy.

But Bella could easily see the exact reason why: love.

Some people might scoff, Shura in particular, at the mere notion that a person could even love such individuals, especially since it was Shiro specifically. And maybe she would have done the same, hadn't she found Edward and the Cullens. It was only then that she understood Yuri Egin's then-absurd words about equality.

This was why she could never detest them. For how could she learn to abhor the two beings that Shiro loved so much? Not only that; because deep inside, despite their lineage, they were people too. People who have hearts, people who can experience happiness and pain; people who have souls as pure as they come—the same truth that applied to vampires, but was constantly refuted by her beloved mate.

A truth denied by many, but to her, it was crazy to not even consider. Because, how could she look at Carlisle or Esme and not see their beautiful souls, to think that they were forever damned?

Sometimes, even the toughest of storms could not sway a structure, especially if it was set in its own ground. But remembering Shiro made her think otherwise.

From a distance, she could hear light footsteps running on the forest floor. She considered pretending to sleep, but she knew not how to stop the waterworks. In order to seem unaware of his arrival (to keep her cover), she stared unseeingly at her wall clock, remembering her conversation with Shura earlier.

I almost dropped the phone in shock. I tried to open my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Shura seemed to expect that I won't be able to talk during this conversation. She continued to talk, her voice still trembling a bit. "It happened over three months ago. I'm so sorry for not telling you sooner, but the Order was adamant not to involve the exorcists on a break."

She cleared her throat. This time, when she spoke, her voice was firm, talking business. "The Order will be contacting you tomorrow, so be sure to be alone then. I don't know what they'll be telling you, Bella, but I think that it will be something concerning Shiro's... side project.

"Be sure to be on your guard, Bella. I don't know what's going to happen, but I have a feeling that we'll be seeing each other soon." I heard a slight commotion before she sighed. "I better go, Bells. See you later."

One last beep announced her departure.

"Bella?" A gentle voice brought her out of her musings. When he saw her tears, he quickly embraced her to himself, alarmed. "Bella, are you alright? Why are you crying, love?"

Looking into his deep topaz eyes filled with concern, she tried to see a trace of the monster he tried to convince her of living within him, the demon he told her that he was.

It was nowhere in sight. The only demon in the room was her.

She swallowed heavily, remembering her mother's words. When the time is right…

"Edward, can you take me to your house? I have something I need to tell you guys."

End of Chapter Three.

R&R please~! :DD