Ok it's been way too long- again. And I'm not going to attempt to come up with an excuse I'm just an evil author and I'm really sorry. But here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy ( even though it won't make up for the horrendous wait) and I'm pretty sure I've finally set it up for the real action to kick in so hopefully that'll make me write more, faster. So I don't own twilight and all that other stuff I always put here.

Somehow the next few days became bearable. No not somehow I knew perfectly well how. Edward. We kept it quiet of course, we weren't stupid but still just the few minutes we had everyday managed to give me the strength to keep going. The bread he snuck me now came wrapped in notes. I hid them in a wooden box (I had found in the piles) and kept it buried in the dirt of the floor beneath mine and Alice's bunk.

Every night before I would go to sleep we would sneak out of the barracks and into a blind spot of the guards. We would sit in the shadows and whisper into the night, until Edward would insist I go back to bed. I would go but not completely willingly. Edward was the exact opposite of what I had tried to tell myself he was. He was kind, remorseful and blind to differences. But most importantly he was loving. The love he showed me surpassed anything I imagined.

It was as if he had taken me by the hand and led me back to the world where I could feel and be happy. Yes I still felt stabs of sorrow and guilt whenever I thought of everyone I lost. However I was no longer coated in that pain that had made me so untouchable and inconsolable. He had shown me that maybe just maybe we would get out of this alive. I was still afraid of course afraid that we would be discovered, but it was strange I was more afraid for what would happen to him than to me.

One particular night we were lying on the ground on our backs staring up at the millions of stars over head. He held my hand tenderly on the dirt between us. The stars glittered across the heavens like diamonds spilled across dark velvet.

"Beautiful." I murmured.

"Yes you are." Edward said smiling serenely. I gave a small snort of laughter.

"Oh yes I'm sure I look stunning right now." I said sarcastically.

"You do." Edward earnestly said at once. I turned onto my side to look at him. "I'm being serious Bella you are one of the- no the most beautiful girl I've ever met." I smiled at him.

"And you are one of the most romantic, handsomest, and yet corny guys I've ever met." I said back and he smiled at me.

"Good because I'm never letting you go." I rolled me eyes at him. It felt so strange to act so… normal! I looked back at the sky. The same one that sheltered the rest of the world.

"Edward…" I started after a few moments silence.

"Hmm?" he asked serenely.

"Answer me honestly now ok?" I asked and he nodded in response. "Do you think there's hope for us to get out?"

"Yes" he answered immediately.

"Are you just saying that?" I demanded "I want to know what you really think."

"You want to know what I think Bella? I think that I am not ever going to let anyone hurt you. And I will do whatever it takes for us to get out of here and to start a family with you and pretend none of this ever happened." he said all of this fiercely looking into my eyes intently and I knew that he meant every word he said.

"I love you." I said simply and then laid my head on his chest.

Epov

Even though when I was with Bella it felt like every second was pure bliss, I felt worried. Worried that something would happen to her. This wasn't helped much by Rosalie.

"Edward I'm begging you to be careful." she said one day without prelude.

"What?" I asked a little too fast.

"I know Edward I know about you and Bella." she said lowering her voice even though I was sure we were alone in her barrack.

"How did you-"

"Please Edward it's pretty obvious- no not to anyone else but to me it is. I knew how you felt already and well I'm a girl I can just tell. But Edward that's not the point the point is that not everyone is like you and I. Some of the other guys if they found out, it would be bad very bad for both of you. You two being together is such an oddity. No offense but please just be careful." she had said all of this very fast and sounded very nervous.

"I would never hurt her." I said quietly though my voice sounded more defensive than I would have liked.

"I never said YOU would." Rose said pointedly before walking out of the room her blond hair swishing behind her.

Apov

I couldn't help but feel happier than I had felt since I first found out Bella was gone. Not only did I now have Jasper but I also now had a best friend who didn't seem to hate the world. Bella had gone from numb and distant to well not exactly gleeful but warmer and more willing to smile. "Edward" I though with a smile when she had first told me. I had always known that it would work out that way, from the first time I met him when he said he came because Bella has asked him too. That was when I had first known.

And Jasper? Jasper was still remorseful when I saw him, but that was understandable after everything he'd seen. But still he was getting better. I wasn't sure whether he thought of me as a little sister or not though. I mean sure he was plenty defensive and seemed to care about me but I could describe Emmett in that same fashion. I was planning on visiting him again soon probably later today. They didn't always send us but they did usually at least every second day. And sure enough looking across the yard I saw the usual solider approaching.

A half an hour later Emmett and I were traipsing through the door to the holding room piles upon piles of clothes. I looked to the door at the opposite end where he usually came in. He knew to come and wait behind the door after a gassing ( and after the bodies were burned) and I would come over and knock quickly six times a slower one and then another two quick ones again. He taught it to me apparently it was Morse code. A second after I had finished knocking the door swung open and he stood there looking at me and not quite smiling but looking relieved and it was a step up at least. He helped me as usual trailing behind me filling my arms and whispering to me at the same time. And I whispered back.

He was telling me today about the men that he works with. He seems to like all of them ok, he told me that he decided there was no point in not liking them since they were all in the same boat. I nodded and agreed whole heartedly with him. I wanted him to have friends here for when I wasn't here.

It went on like this for a while and then right before Emmett and I were going to return Jasper took me by the hand and led me aside.

"Alice." he said awkwardly. "Alice if we weren't here." he continued and I knew by his tone he didn't mean this room but the situation in general. "Do you think we could maybe.. Be be well together." he said the last part his voice broke on.

I looked at him for a long time and he seemed to take my silence as a negative. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked." he murmured.

"No." I said quickly. "No it's no that at all I was just thinking that maybe it could be possible now." A smile split his face and I felt blood rushing to my cheeks. He leaned in and swept my cheek very gently with his lips then smiled and gave my hand a final squeeze before Emmett appeared and quickly ushered me up the stairs clearly afraid we'd get in trouble if we lingered. I just smiled and aloud him to pull me up into the blood red sunset.

EmPov

Alice and I got back fairly late that night, it had just started to get dark and our work for the day was done. I was passing the Nazi barracks when I heard screaming.

"Why do you let them do these sort of things?!" an angry male voice shouted.

"Do what exactly?" Rose screamed back "Act like humans?! I hate to be the one to try and work this through your thick skull but they are human beings!" she sounded hysteric at this point. I heard the sickening sound of a hand being whipped across a face.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" Rosalie screamed, it sounded like she was trying to fight him back. I heard another sickening crunch.

"Don't you talk to me like that." the man hissed. "Just because your daddy's a big name and you're the overseer here does not mean you have any power over me." I though she was about to object but I heard another thud and then only had enough time to duck into the shadows before the man stepped out shaking his head as if she was just a silly little child he had reprimanded then started walking towards the fence to get to the rest of the camp.

I stood there for a moment simmering about the fact that someone could mistreat Rosalie that. It was just so wrong. Not only had I been raised never to treat a lady like that, but she was one of the only decent people is miles. Well only person with any authority at least. Then I came to another conflict. To go in and make sure she was ok or not. There was a very good chance that there were other Nazis in there. Ones that wouldn't take too kindly to me being there. But then again she was probably badly hurt and no one in there (except Edward) would help her. I sighed, squared my shoulders and walked cautiously to the door. I gently pushed it open. I didn't hear anything but muffled sobs.

"Rosalie." I whispered.

"Emmett?" she asked.

"Are you alone?" I whispered.

"Yes, Edward's with Bella and the rest are on guard duty." she said. I walked all the way into the room. She was balled up on the floor her lip bleeding and her eye starting to bruise. She was also holding her stomach which made me think that last thud had been when he kicked her in the stomach.

"Can I help?" I whispered. And she nodded looking like it caused her a lot of pain to do so. I kneeled on the ground beside her and helped her sit up a little and after some difficulty peeled her hands away from her face. It was pretty bad. I could see now that her nose was bleeding as well but I don't think it was broken.

"Do you have cloths or a sink or something?" I asked looking around. She pointed to a cabinet beside a desk. I ran to it and pulled open the door. On the bottom shelf was a stack of pristine white towels. I grabbed a small stack and then went to the next room where I found a sink I wet a few and then returned to Rose.

"Here." I said handing her one. "Put this against that eye, it might stop it bruising more." I said as I began wiping the blood away.

"More?" she sounded horrified "Is it really that bad?"

"No no it looks fine." I lie. "A battle scar." I add because I feel bad about my dishonesty.

I discard the first towel because I've run out of clean space and pick up a new from one my lap. I've gotten most of the blood off her mouth since it's finally stopped but her nose keeps going.

"Squeeze your nose like this." I instruct demonstrating by squeezing my nostrils. She nods and does as I say. I get the last of the blood that's already fallen and I look at her eye. The bruise is still a dark purple but it doesn't seem to be spreading any more. She lets go of her nose after a few minutes and the bleeding seems to have completely subsided. I wipe away all traces of blood. "There. Good as new." I whisper and I look at her face and even with the huge bruise I can't help but think how gorgeous she is. I smile at her and she returns it.

"Thank you." she says and I can feel the sincerity in it.

"Happy to help, but let's try not to repeat this ok?" I ask and she smiles at me.

"Deal." and then I help her to her feet and make sure she's ok about seven times before finally heading back to my barracks. I see Edward and Bella right outside the door saying goodnight. Bella goes in, and I turn to Edward.

"Be good to my little sister." I warn. Even though she's not my sister she feels like it, she always has.

"I wouldn't dream of being anything but." he replies with a smile.

Ok so I hope you enjoyed it! Please review as always they make me smile! Thanks to those of you who have stuck with me through this all (despite my horrible tendency to go too long without updating). I luv u guys! -wild-lili