June 10th 2011
9:15 AM

Music was blaring into my ears, my heart pumping hard as sweat fell down my forehead, my breathing heavy but paced. My legs moved faster as I pushed myself harder, passing the marked tree on my trail knowing that I would hit the house soon. I didn't slow, I didn't falter – I kept going, harder and harder. A flock of birds that picked at the ground flew in the wind when they heard me coming around the corner, the wind heavy today as the cool sixty seven degree weather pushed against my skin. I welcomed the feeling, it rejuvenating my skin quickly.

My home was tucked just beyond the small wooded area where I was running. I came to a stop and brought my hands to my knees, heaving as I managed to press the stop button on my timer. An hour and thirty one minutes I have been running, my longest time yet. I stood from my position and jogged to the mailbox.

I had stopped my hand on the knob as I prepared myself for yet another hopeless empty mailbox and when I plucked up the courage to open, there set three letters. My heart raced – even faster than when I had been running and I brought them to me gingerly, sucking in my lip.

Bill…

Bill…

Letter from John Brown, a hopeful candidate to be the next major of Jackson.

A little part of me crumbled, but I knew that there wouldn't be anything from Alec. His letters were becoming farther and farther apart and I didn't quite know how to take that. Should I be worried? Was he sending less letters because someone was onto him? This was the downfall of being out of the loop. I knew nothing and when I was told something it was very miniscule. They kept everything away from me, and I knew it too. They claim it is to protect me and maybe it is – it still doesn't lessen the fact of how horrible it feels to be the only one who knows nothing of a situation that you are mostly involved in.

I let it go, huffing my way to the front porch as I ripped up the paper from John Brown. I stepped up onto the porch and out of my peripheral vision I saw something move from the window of my house. Quickly I stepped down a step, realizing that nothing was there, though I had thought I saw something. I looked back to the driveway and the only car there was mine. Rosalie was still not home from Emmett's and I had made sure I locked my door.

I felt my heart begin to quicken and very slowly I took in a deep breath. I didn't want to jump to conclusions. The door was locked and if anyone or anything got in, I would notice. I unlocked my door and closed it behind me, turning off the alarm as I headed into the kitchen. I opened my bills and grabbed a glass of water as I began to read through them.

After some time I dragged myself upstairs and stripped myself for a shower. The hot water relaxed my aching bones and muscles, and my mind was at once at ease. My radio played in the corner of the bathroom and as I had finished I reached for my towel and wrapped it around my body as I stepped onto the floor. I wiped away the steam from the mirror and as I began brushing my teeth, my eyes had traveled to the small window in the corner. Outside had turned grey, a storm was heading in and just beyond a small hill was a figure standing, watching in the direction of my home.

I sucked in a deep breath, watching as the person just stood there. Too far away to make out the gender, I felt my stomach pinch just a bit, my lips pressing together as I realized he was closer to the neighbors than to my home, which our houses were separated by a couple of acres. I had come to the conclusion, that maybe it was just one of them.

I closed the curtains and finished brushing my teeth, pulling on my shorts and a tank top as I walked into my bedroom and as I turned to my window, I noticed that on the same hill, the person was now gone. I felt goosebumps rise on my skin and I headed downstairs, checking that everything was locked up.

-TSIPWR-

My dreams consisted of Edward tonight. I could feel him next to me; feel his fingers skimming down my arm as he whispered in my ear. He was warm tonight, though I didn't seem to mind. I smiled, pushing into his chest as he kissed just underneath my ear. I bit at my lip, grabbing his arm and wrapping it around my waist. He continued to kiss down my neck, his tongue sliding as well. I felt shivers down my spine, and very slowly he reached my mark. He waited there for a moment as I was waiting for his teeth – but it did not come.

Instead he smiled against it.

"Bella!" A voice carried in my dream, jolting me awake. I shot up, rubbing my eyes as the bed dipped down deeper. I had realized that Rosalie was now sitting in front of me, her hands all over me, as if she were inspecting me.

"What? What's going on?" My voice was groggy, my eyes barely open as she continued looking at me, checking my arms and tugging down my blankets to check my legs. "Rose! What are you doing?" I finally choked but she did not respond, she brought her nose to my neck, just against my mark. I did not push her away, though I knew I physically could not even if I had tried. Instead I waited and when she pulled away, I saw the worry in her eyes.

"Someone was here." She told me. I felt my throat go dry, my body frozen in shock. Someone was here? In my house? Rosalie lifted from the bed and headed out the door. I jumped from my covers, following her down the stairs.

"What do you mean someone was here? How do you know?" I asked as we reached the kitchen. She touched certain things, the opened bills on the counter, my stop watch that hung on a hook near the cabinets so I wouldn't misplace it. She touched the curtains of the windows over the sink and in the living room she began touching the books on the coffee table that were spread across each other.

"I can smell them…" She stopped, standing up straight.

"A vampire?" I asked softly.

"No…" She shook her head, looking at me. "A shape shifter."

"Shape shifter?" I blanched.

"It's like what Sam is. They shape shift into wolves. It's in their blood… Someone was here… They were looking for something…" She said.

"For me?" I asked.

"They certainly found you Bella…" She paused, her blonde hair drifting behind her back. "I could smell them all over you." She told me as my eyes widened, my hands wrapping around my stomach in uneasiness. "I can smell them on your neck… Was there someone here that you invited over?"

"No! I wouldn't… I wouldn't do that to Edward!" I cried out in anger as my eyes began to water.

"Then someone broke in…" She said and as she continued to look around my mind snapped back to my dream. I could remember Edward… I could remember him touching me and he felt… Warm. He wasn't the ice I knew, but because it was Edward I didn't care whether he was cold or hot. Now looking back – it was odd. I could remember him kissing me down my neck… I could remember him smiling against my mark.

And within an instant I felt bile rising up and I quickly ran to the trash can, knelling down as I vomited all the contents in my stomach. Rosalie was instantly behind me, holding my hair back as I heaved into the trash can, my eyes watering from the pressure of it.

Someone was in my bed with me… And I didn't wake up and instead subconsciously pegged him as Edward… Someone touched me, kissed me. Someone violated my space and I wondered what would have happened had I woken up. I heaved some more until there was nothing but water left. I slumped against the wall as Rosalie stroked my head, telling me everything was going to be alright.

"Do we have to leave?" I asked her after sitting for a few silent minutes.

"No. Whoever was here… They are gone now. They may have smelt me from when I was here last… They could have just been checking it out…" I watched her, her face unmoving. I knew she didn't even believe herself when she said it. "There is no point in leaving when someone could follow us. I'll get in contact with Carlisle."

She picked me up and put me onto the couch and draped me with an extra blanket. My mind was wondering, falling – I felt physically violated in the worst way and all I wanted was Edward. Slowly I felt myself slipping, deeper and deeper into sleep.

"I have no idea." I heard Rosalie say. "I came home and I smelt them all over the house. All over Bella too…" She stopped talking and I heard her heels clicking on the floor. "The window. Definitely the window." She said sternly. "No, I really don't… Fine." After a few moments of silence, I heard a faint voice over the phone. "She's fine. She's okay. I think she's just shocked." Rosalie said. "No, you don't. If you don't think its safe then stay where you are, she will be okay." I felt myself coming out farther from slumber. "She's waking up… Okay… I'll let you know. Bye."

"Rosalie…" I called out. She was there instantly with a cup of steaming tea. I sat up against the couch, rubbing my eyes just before reaching for the cup. "Was that Edward?" I asked. She hesitated for the smallest second but then nodded.

"It was Carlisle and Edward." She said, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "I was just letting them know what happened."

"Is Edward okay?" I asked and she nodded with a smile.

"He is fine." She told me. "Drink your tea. I'll make you something to eat." She got up and headed for the kitchen as I sat motionless on the couch. I sucked in my lip to hold in my tears and I distracted myself with my drink. After sometime Rosalie came by with a bowl of chicken noodle soup and some crackers. I ate only a few bites, but that was enough for her.

"Why is everyone trying to kill me?" I had asked suddenly, staring off to the wall. Rosalie wasn't affected by my question and instead she took my half full bowl away from me, setting it on the coffee table.

"A lot of things are going on right now Bella. You just need to know that you are safe here." She told me. "You don't need to worry about anything anymore. I won't leave you unsafe again."

Her comment struck me hard and I watched as she smiled sincerely, grabbing my bowl and headed into the kitchen. She felt bad. I knew it by her tone. She felt guilty for leaving me when clearly someone was out to get me here. She had promised people, Edward and Carlisle, she would keep me safe. And she misjudged, she left when she shouldn't have.

My heart ached for her. I hoped she wasn't feeling guilty. I wasn't hurt. I was alive, I was healthy. She came home just in time. And now because of her mistake – she will punish herself. She won't leave me now. She will follow me to work and wait in the shadows. Her life, until time being, will revolve around me. And because of it, she will not see Emmett.

And I hated myself for being the wall between them. I turned and watched Rose clean the dishes, her long curly blonde hair tied lowly behind her as her face was etched with sadness. And even when she looked up at me to smile, I could sense it. Everything was crumbling; everything was so, so wrong. When did it get this bad?

After awhile I headed up to my bedroom, tea in hand as I reached my bed. It felt off to me, everything was wrong. Someone, who I didn't know, was in this bed. I shivered, setting my tea down as I stripped off the covers and sheets as I opened my window throwing them to the ground. I slammed my window shut and walked to the hallway to the closet, grabbing extra sheets and a cover. I made my bed and sank into it, finding it very hard to fall asleep.

Hope you all enjoyed this short chapter. Thanks for all the support for far bbys. I love you too fucking much. If you aren't already, you should be following me on twitter! Same name as this one! IsisIvy!

Until next time my little doe's

ii