I just thought that everyone should know that ForbiddenWords is going into surgery this friday. *cries hysterically* So everyone wish her luck and that she gets well SUPER soon!!!!

-Ori

The funeral was set to take place immediately. It hadn't taken long for the news of James's suicide to travel throughout the Opera House and the city. He was to be buried directly beside Victoria.

That night, after Bella had seen him hanging from the rafters, she had nightmares. Over and over, she witnessed him stepping off the chair with the noose around his neck. She was always just a few seconds late to save him.

Her Angel came that night, just as he always did. Edward walked through the pushed-aside mirror and watched Bella's tense form as she slept. Then she began to mutter "no" until her voice rose almost to a scream.

"Shh, Bella," he soothed, sitting by her side and rubbing her hand softly. "It's only a night terror."
Her eyes fluttered open softly, the wide chocolate eyes full of fear. When her eyes met his, a small smile spread over her face. "Oh, Edward," she breathed.

It was ludicrous how his name on her lips could send such a bolt of happiness through his heart. For a moment he felt that maybe he wouldn't end up in the deepest circle of hell. Maybe Bella could help him escape from his fate, from an eternity of agony. But how could she? He was, after all, one of the damned - a vampire.

"I had the most horrible dream," she murmured.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"It was about James." She took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. He heard her heart slow slightly in her chest. "I kept watching him hang himself."

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry." He hesitated once before he wrapped his arms around her small frame. She leaned heavily against his strong chest, sighing happily, all the nightmares forgotten. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's not as if it's your fault."

His right hand slowly slid over her hair gently while his left held her waist. He felt her warmth through her thin nightgown, spreading through his icy body. She shivered and he started to move away.

"Don't go," she said hesitantly. She turned her large brown eyes up to his and started - his eyes were darker than she had last remembered them. She gasped.

He turned away and stood up off the bed quickly. "I should go; I've frightened you."

"Please don't. You're always leaving."

He took a deep breath, still averting his eyes. They were almost pitch-black. "I have put off hunting longer than I should."

Bella looked at him with confusion. "Hunting? What are you talking about?"

He clenched his eyes shut. How could he have been so foolish as to let that slip? He was going to have to watch his tongue around Bella; it was too easy to be himself around her.

"Nothing," he replied stiffly.

This was what he had been trying to keep from her, Bella knew. She remembered ho he said that he couldn't die, couldn't grow old. Slowly the pieces of the puzzle were coming together. But she didn't know for sure. She wanted him to tell her what he was. Why couldn't he simply be honest with her? Was the truth so horrible that she couldn't know about it?

"It doesn't matter," he muttered, moving to the open mirror.

"Why can't we be honest with each other?"

Her voice was quiet but strong. He stopped, his back facing her.

Because you would know exactly what kind of monster I am, he thought, and you would leave me and never look back. Not only would she hate him if she knew, but her view of the world would forever be changed. To tamper with her innocence would be the darkest kind of sin. Knowing would only put her in danger.

Without answering her question, Edward disappeared through the mirror, closing it swiftly behind him. Bella stared at the woman looking back at her. That's when she noticed there were tears in the woman's eyes.

Going back to his home beneath the Opera House was one of the most difficult things he had ever done. He had slipped once before, when he had said that he couldn't age or die. She knew more than she should. It was only a matter of time before she realized the truth about him. But he wanted to delay that time for as long as possible, to put off when she would leave. Yes, she said she loved him, but she didn't know the entire truth yet.

A rat skittered past his foot. He smelt its scent, knowing he should hunt tonight. Being with Bella tonight had been a test on his control. But he was strong and could resist the floral scent of her blood; it was easier every time. He had intended on instructing her again that night. But she'd had that night terror.

Bella now lay in her bed, thinking about everything that he had said. Edward wasn't human, that much she was sure of. His eyes changed in hue, his skin was like ice, he couldn't die or age, and now he hunted. She would find out what he was……eventually.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - That Morning - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Bella! Bella, wake up!" Alice cried, throwing open the door to Bella's bedroom. She jumped onto the bed excitedly, clutching her skirts in her hands. "Bella!"

"What are you doing, Alice?" Bella groaned, managing to open her eyes. She hadn't slept well at all, the nightmares continued on into the night. She couldn't escape James' sightless eyes as he hung from that thick rope.

"Jasper has asked me!"

Bella's eyes opened wide this time. "To marry you?"

Alice giggled. "Of course not. It's way too soon for that. He has asked me to the Spring Ball!"

"Oh, I'm so happy for you Alice. Have you decided what you're going to wear?"

"No, that means we have to start right now!"

"Now? Really, Alice, can't it wait?"

"If we keep procrastinating, then we'll never get our dresses," Alice pointed out. "That reminds me. Are you by chance going with a tall, dark, and handsome Jacob Black?" She winked at her friend.

Bella blushed and sat up in the bed, leaning against the headboard. "Yes, he asked me last night."

"He really likes you, Bella," Alice said, smiling. "I mean he really likes you." She waggled her eyebrows
suggestively.

"Alice!" Bella cried in embarrassment, blushing bright red. They both collapsed into laughter.
Bella's earlier stress from finding James had disappeared. As she talked with Alice, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread forming in the pit of her stomach. Maybe it was a reaction to James - she didn't know - but it curled unpleasantly in her stomach like a snake.

James had been taken care of last night. After finding him, she had stumbled her way to Alice's bedroom, screaming. Jasper had found his way to her crying, hysterical form and sent for the police. Police officers had come and examined James only to determine that it was a suicide not worth investigating. It wasn't another of the infamous Phantom Murders. Those had mysteriously stopped.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Bella stood looking at Alice dancing around in dresses, Jasper by her side. He was going to buy her one. For the Spring ball, in March, and it was February.

"What do you think, Bella? Jasper?" Alice asked. She was wearing a canary yellow dress that flowed down to the floor – there were no straps, and was complete with silver glitter at the feet.

"It certainly says spring, dear," Jasper said. He was smart to say that; it wasn't a compliment, nor a complaint. If Alice liked it, Alice could have it. No matter what.

"Bella?" Alice asked. Bella had been in a fog. Jacob sent money for Bella's dress, but he couldn't come held pick out her dress. He was busy setting up a eulogy for James' funeral.

"Nice, Ali. It looks great." Bella said. She looked at the maroon-red dress with black lace she had selected. The dress would go to mid calf, and the bottom had black lace with ebony and silver beads in the shape of ivy leaves. The dress was short-sleeved, and made of silk.

"Do you like that dress, Bella?" Jasper asked. It surprised Bella to hear him direct a question to her, normally he didn't. He'd be polite and make small talk occasionally, but never try and speak to her by question. Not a direct question, anyway.

"Yes, its beautiful," Bella said blushing, her face a light pink. She couldn't fathom why she was blushing - if there was even a reason to blush - but she was blushing, stupidly.

"Okay, I'm sure Jacob will love it. Here" He held out his arm for Bella to drape the dress over it. Bella smiled and blushed again.

"He really doesn't have to-" Bella began. Alice looked over at her, surprised that Bella would say something like that to Jasper. Jasper was very wealthy and very generous. Jacob wasn't generous, but he was wealthy, and he could definitely afford it.

"Bella, do not worry. Jacob requested he'd pay for your dress. As long as you're happy, he'll be ecstatic." Jasper assured. He walked up to the counter and paid for Bella's dress. The woman put it in a nice pastel-pink dress box. Bella's eyes wandered all around the room until she saw the wigs.

"Those remind me of Victoria." Bella pointed to the ugliest wig they had, a bright red one with pieces of hair fluffed out of a bun. Alice giggled.

"Well, that is – was – her natural hair color!" Alice said giggling slightly; she twirled one more time, and looked over at Jasper with hopeful eyes.

"What is it, dear?" Jasper asked. He was very eager to please Alice in whatever she wanted. He loved her, it was easy to see.

"I like two of them, the seafoam green and this canary yellow," Alice replied. The two dresses were of the same model, except that the seafoam green had golden sparkles at the bottom instead of silver.

"You do?" Jasper asked raising his eye brows, he seemed pleased.

"Which one?" Alice inquired, holding the seafoam gown up against the canary one.

"Both." Jasper said, taking the dress gingerly from Alice's hand, smiling. "Go take that one off, I want to get going. We'll go to lunch," Jasper replied. Alice smiled, her bright blue eyes alight.

"Thank you, Jasper!" Alice cried. She hugged him tightly, and Jasper surprisingly returned the affection with every bit of strength he had. Bella already noticed the love between them, the chemistry. It was simple to see that Jasper was going to ask Alice for her hand. The way he looked at her, it was the way Edward had gazed at her.

- - - - - - - - - -Lunch- - - - - - - - - -

"That was fun!" Alice exclaimed. Bella laughed in an unladylike fashion, rolling her eyes.

"Of course it was..." Bella said smiling at her best friend; Jasper laughed quietly, and began to eat his salmon.

"I'm glad you two enjoyed yourselves. Are you ready for the funeral? You have your mourning dresses ready, I suspect?" Jasper asked. Bella looked down at her plate. She didn't want to talk about James' death. It was horrible, unadulterated terror.

Even Edward had to comfort her, not including Emmett and even Jacob tried to help. Bella had locked herself in her room for hours, having Edward hold her to his muscular body.

"Yes, I've got the cutest black veil," Alice chirped. "It'll be very respectful..." She murmured. She felt bad for being so happy about the veil.

"That's wonderful, Alice. Something I'm sure James would expect," Jasper said, relieving some of her guilt. Alice's blue eyes found Jasper's confederate-gray ones and smiled.

"Bella?" Alice asked. Bella was starring off into space, thinking of her Edward. "Thinking of Jacob?" Alice teased. Her friend blushed crimson, and shrugged.

"No..." Bella said, telling the truth, though her blush made her seem like she was lying, that she was thinking of Jacob... She was so confused when it came to Jacob.

Did she love him, would she love him, could she love him? It was too hard for her to even think about. Like Alice had said, people change with time. Did Jacob change too much?

"Bella, if you don't mind my saying so, you are very distraught. Something wrong, darlin'?" Jasper asked, his southern accent not failing to shine through his perfect gentlemanly ways.

"I am just confused is all... The Phantom killings and what not."

"You mean he didn't kill this much before?" Jasper asked, voice alarmed.

"No." Alice answered, looking at him, "he's killed once before you came, and nobody regrets that death." Alice said rolling her eyes. Jasper narrowed his.

"Her name was Tanya. She fell down the stairs and people thought it was the Phantom. Really, I think it was Laurent, nobody saw him after that night," Bella replied as she ate a baby carrot, "Suspicious if you ask me." She shrugged.

"What was so horrible about Tanya?" Jasper inquired.

"She was way too beautiful, made every girl feel insecure, and she knew it. Her and Laurent were friends, but Laurent was upset he she didn't feel the same way about him as he did for her. She was in love with this guy named... Um, Edward, or something." Alice said divulging the story. Bella's eyes snapped up at the mention of that name.

"Edward who?" Bella asked too quickly.

Alice looked over at her friend. "You know I don't know, Bella. We've talked about this, all she'd say was Edward." Alice said. Her eyes narrowed at her friend, was she that thick?

"Oh, yes, of course." Bella mumbled to herself.

- - - - - - - - - - - The Funeral- - - - - - - - - -

"We are here today, to ask God to forgive this man of his sins and to ask Him to grant James' way into heaven." The priest informed the guests.

"Amen," the group said.

"Taking one's own life is a sin, and all should burn in hell for giving up such a gift God has bestowed upon you. However, we're begging You, Dear Lord, to please forgive our James for he was going through a hard time, meandering around without his love, Victoria."

The entire place was packed full of people, including James's family. His mother was puffy-faced and her blonde hair a wreck. She had lost her husband a few years back. She was now a childless Widow. She had no grandchildren. Nobody.

Bella watched as they set roses on James's black casket, and people walking up to it, mostly his friends. They shared stories of James, a kinder side of him that Bella had never seen. It was Jacob's turn to do his part.

"I'm Jacob, Co Owner of the Opera House, along with Jasper Hale. I am deeply sorry for this loss in the Opera family. James was a great performer, he did his parts well, and never missed a note. He will be well missed and very well remembered. He was one of the best tenors that ever graced these halls, and we shall think of him often.

I'm very sorry I never got to know James personally; I am far too new here for that, and I regret that I hadn't. I am here, also asking that James to be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven. He deserves to be with his love, Victoria. To James." Jacob held up a cup filled with red wine, as did everybody around him.

"To James." Everybody said at once, they drank their glass of wine. Bella gulped down two.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bella laid in her bed, her covers all the way up to her neck, and her eyes wide open. She was waiting for her angel. Edward to her knowledge was at his Palace.

He was actually hunting. He had taken down a mountain lion and two deer. He was still thirsty, however. Being with Bella so much was taking a toll on him. He used to go hunting once a week, but he was finding it hard to sustain himself for that long. Three times a week he'd have to hunt. Bella wasn't safe otherwise.

Bella began to sing to herself.

"Fly away.. All of the angels in the city.. Fly away, fly away. Up to heaven you'll stay..-" Bella was cut off by Edward.

"Well, I've found one angel that isn't in heaven. Why aren't you?" Edward asked, coming out of a dark corner of Bella's room. Bella smiled at him and patted her bed.

"I'm no angel."

"That's right, you're a goddess." Edward reminded himself. Bella blushed, he smiled crookedly.

"What is wrong, love?" Edward asked, very concerned. Bella looked very sad suddenly.

"James... I just can't get that image out of my head, and every time I close my eyes I feel my vocal cords ring with that blood-curdling scream I had come out of my mouth.. I see him, every time," Bella said, her voice quivering and her eyes becoming blurry with tears.

"I can take those night terrors away, Bella. If you'd like." Edward offered, gently touching her temples.

"Yes, please." Bella requested. Edward's icy fingers began to rub at Bella's temples, a trick he found out from the doctor his father took him to when he was dying. It was also a seduction technique, a way to make the person only think of you.

Edward felt bad using such a trick on her. It was horrible of him, taking away her free will. It was almost as bad as letting her see his true face under his mask. Bella's body began to relax; she started to hum a jubilant tune, smiling to herself.

"Better, love?" Edward asked, Bella's eyes snapped open, they were droopy, and she had a lazy smile playing on her lips.

"Uh-huh." Bella said, grinning. Edward smiled, trying to feel good about what he had given Bella – a worry free mind, but one that was based on him and him alone. It was a world safe to her, but very, very dangerous to Edward.

"Sleep, love. No more night terrors, no more of those nasty visions. Only elation, only love, only me." Edward murmured. Bella's eyes closed, and Edward began to sing to her, a soft hum.

Words rang through his head, the ones Jacob used to describe James. 'The best tenor in the Opera House.'

Those words made him laugh bitterly. He was the best tenor in the Opera House's history. Edward Anthony Cullen was; NOT James. He remembered the days when he was a star, before he became ill. Before he became a monster.

His father had owned the Opera House...Until Edward became unwell, until he had spent his fortune to make him better, only to find a disobedient son. A son who wasn't thankful, a son who couldn't show his face in order to give his father the money back he had used to save Edward.

Guilt filled him. If he could cry, he would have. His voice faltered once whilst humming to Bella, but she was too far off in dream land to hear him, he was thankful for that.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - With Jacob and Jasper- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Did she get a dress?" Jacob asked.

Jasper snapped himself out of his thoughts of Alice. "Yes," Jasper replied. "Alice got two, she absolutely loves them." Jasper's voice cheery at hearing the sound of Alice's name on his lips.

"So, do you love Alice?" Jacob teased; Jasper looked over at his friend with the most serious expression.

"I think I do, Jake. I've never felt anything so powerful in my life. All I can think about is Alice Cullen twenty-four/seven. She is the happiest person I've ever met. She's honest, sweet, adorable, wonderful. She's so modest, also. Jake, I'm in love." Jasper poured his whole soul out while Jacob stood there and nodded his head.

"Isabella will make a perfect match for me..." Jacob murmured. Jasper looked over with narrowed eyes.

"What do you think, she's a dog? Do you love her, Jake?" Jasper asked.

"It's complicated Jazz. I mean, if I could just feel what I used to feel I'm sure I'll fall back in love in no time. But why not be well off with a beautiful wife who is a wonderful actress, even if we don't love each other?"

"That makes absolutely no sense, whatsoever, Jake." Jasper paused, "don't lead her on."

"I'm not, I think I do seriously like her." Jacob said, he didn't know. How could he? He was in love with Bella, once, and that was the only person he had ever loved. He'd had a fling with Leah, but it was nothing, nothing at all. They were like cats and dogs. To say that they didn't go well together was an understatement.

"You'd better be sure. Giving a girl a ring is something completely out of love, not convenience," Jasper said in disgust. He couldn't believe everything his best friend was doing.

"You know," Jacob paused. "I've never been one for convenience." Jacob was looking into his glass of brandy. "Perhaps I'll visit Isabella..." Jacob said as he made the brandy slush around in his hand.

"I wouldn't do that. Alice says that Bella is troubled by James' death," Jasper warned. Jacob looked over at him, and shrugged.

"You'd think that with all of those killings here that she would be used to a dead body here or there," Jacob mused into his glass.

"Actually, the recent deaths have been new. Only one death happened here before we came, and it was some Tanya woman." Jasper corrected, "it seemed to be an accident – fell down a flight of stairs."

"The only long flight of stairs is down in the basement." Jacob said in a confused tone...

"Yes."

"What the devil was she doing down there?" Jacob asked, Jasper shrugged.

"Some Edward guy." Jasper paused, taking a sip and wincing as the alcohol burned his throat. "Probably going to meet him." Jasper shrugged to himself.

"You know, I do remember hearing something of that, and her room was the same as Bella's," Jacob replied rubbing his chin.

"Do you think there are passages in Bella's room?" Jasper asked in an amused way, Jacob looked over at him and nodded.

"We should seal them off.." Jacob said, Jasper nodded in agreement.

"We don't want another death around here, there is too much death.." Jasper said, his emotions showed through, he was anxious...

- - - - - - - - - -Edward- - - - - - - - - -

Edward laid there listening to Jasper and Jacob's conversation.

"We should seal them off..."

– Wait, he had missed that. What on earth are they sealing off? Then he heard Jacob think of a passage to Bella's room to the basement, Edward growled.

NO!

No one would take his Bella away from him, never. He was going to stay with her forever...

That is when he finally decided, Bella was to become a Vampire, before that horrible ring was presented to her by Jacob Black. She would be a Cullen soon, very soon.

Yes, we are well aware that the funeral isn't exactly how funerals are today. But this isn't a contemporary story. This is set in 1870 or so and every tradition changes with the times. We just wanted everyone to know that we are aware of the differences.

Also, Jacob said the only LONG flight of stairs was in the basement. Not the ONLY flight of stairs. So we hope that doesn't confuse anyone since Tanya and Laurent were on stage when she saw Edward and followed him. Just so ya know. :P

Thank you for reading and we hope you review!

~ForbiddenWords & Oriana~