Disclaimer: Twilight = SM

A/N: Well, it's been a while since I've done one of these! I apologize for my long absence, I've been out of town (and out of country) for a few weeks and I came home tonight and uploaded this asap for you guys. It's not my best chapter, I'll admit, it's the chapter before the climax, where all good things come to an end ;) Thank you all for your support and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy reading your reviews. I hope to get the next chapter out soon, my birhthday's around the corner, which means so are exams, if I don't get one out by then, it'll be right afterwards. Next chapter is THE chapter, which means those ones wayyy back at the beginning and the stalker is revealed (if you haven't voted this is your last chapter too) then I'll probably wrap it up in 2, 3 for an epilogue - so I'm aiming at ending this at 25 chapters. (as soon as I figure out how to go delete that previous author note I left, this new version of fanfiction is a little hard to get used to) anyways, enough babbling! Enjoy! freeyourminddreamer :)

Reality vs. Fantasy

BPOV

I woke with a strange feeling, as if something was missing, but I couldn't place it. Edward was no where to be found which caused a sense of dread to rush through me. I cast the thought aside and slowly moved to my closet, trying to find something sensible to wear. I had an exam this afternoon but I had lost all interest in studying, I was too worried about where Edward had gone off too…

I had no means of communicating with him and whispering "Edward…Edward where are you?" made me feel utterly stupid. I sighed and lied back down, what was the point in getting up? I didn't want to study, I didn't want to play video games with the boys downstairs, and I really didn't want to have "girl talk time".

"Bella," Phil knocked on my door, "Would you care to come on a drive with me?"

I groaned, "A what?"

"A drive, you know, we drive down the road, get some breakfast, have some quality talking time."

"Seriously? I have an exam to study for."

"Don't kid with me Bella; you have no intent to study. Get dressed because you're coming with me in five minutes."

I wanted to scream to him that Emmett or Alice would be glad to go with him but I knew it was no use. I shoved my head into a pillow and swore at my luck. Not only was my "boyfriend" nowhere to be found, I had to have a "talk" with my crazy step dad.

"Edward!" I moaned into the pillow, but again there was no answer. Annoyed and cranky, I dressed in some sweats and headed downstairs.

"'Morning guys!" I yelled to whoever was in the family room.

A chorus of, "'Morning Bella!" followed me as I walked swiftly to Phil's Honda and slipped into the passenger seat.

"We need to talk." What a brisk start to our morning.

"You're right; I'm breaking up with you first!" I teased and he rolled his eyes, driving the car down the street.

"I'm very serious Bella; you have a very serious situation on your hands at the moment."

"Right again! How to get into college if I fail my exam because I spent the morning frolicking with my step dad…"

"Isabella! If you're going to have that attitude I can just bring you to the normal interrogation room and we can do this the hard way!"

I spun to face him and nearly spat at him, "Interrogation room! What the hell!"

He drove off onto the side of the road, parked the car, and took off his seatbelt to stare at me.

My stomach lurched and I threw up in my mouth. My…it…couldn't possible be Phil, could it?

"Isabella…" I screamed and he started laughing.

"What's so funny?" I fumed.

"I had you scared for a moment there, I'm sorry I couldn't resist." He patted my shoulder comfortingly, "Don't be so scared of me, I know we don't have the best relationship but I do have something to show you."

I sighed, "Why are we parked in the middle of nowhere? Why do you have to tell me all the way out here? Why…" I thought about it for a moment and a million questions bubbled under my tongue.

"Your mother doesn't know about this, neither does your sister or your brother, only you will know because of this extenuating circumstance…"

"What's going on, I just want some answers." My voice was awfully quiet and I realized just how deep this was, how much I'd been hiding of how scared I was.

He pulled his laptop from the back seat and propped it on his lap, opening it up as I burst out laughing. I was still laughing as he showed me his gun, his badge, and the files labelled "Swan Case".

"The FBI, seriously Phil? You want me to believe that you're part of the freaking F.B.I?" I was still laughing as he pulled up the mug shots from the movies, still laughing while all my personal information as well as that of Edward and Laurent filled the screen, and still laughing when Phil showed me the allegations against Laurent.

"It's not Edward."

"I know that."

"It's not Laurent either."

"I'm sorry to inform you this Bella, but we have been tracking this for a while and all the evidence, which is substantial I will say, points to Laurent."

"This is all a load of crap, you're Phil! My loser step dad who sells insurance! You're not some big-ass FBI agent!"

He sighed, "Whether or not you choose to believe me is your choice Bella. It's not a big secret, it's more for the protection of your mother and our town, you wouldn't want it infiltrated with the deception of this job, would you?"

I bit my lip hard, I wanted to scream. It wasn't like someone saying "and in that moment I realized my entire life was a lie" it was more like "and in that moment I realized that every danger I'd been hiding from myself was right in front of me and I couldn't hide anymore". And so what did I do? I started to bawl, in the car, with my step dad who just revealed that he was, in fact, working for the FBI and knew all about my life that I had been trying so hard to hide.

"Bells?" Phil's tone was uneasy, obviously uncertain of how to deal with the emotional step-daughter.

I sniffled as I took a few sharp breaths before continuing, "What do you need to know? I'll tell you everything."

He sighed and patted my arm, "We'll go through this bit by bit Bella, it won't take very long, I promise. Then you can write your exam, you'll have plenty of time." He paused, giving me a curious glance, "Are you sure you will talk about this with me?"

I nodded, completely sure. "If this is as serious as you want me to believe it is," I gulped but forced myself to continue, "Then I want this over with as soon as possible."

"Alright, let's start from the top…" With that he pulled a file the size of one of those "bad boys" from those cheesy high school movies. I really wished my life was one of those on days like this…

"Bella, do you want to study now?" Phil and I had finally returned from our nearly two hour coffee run and yet no one seemed to have noticed.

"I'm fine," I squeaked, "I need to do some alone studying, my notes are a mess."

Emmett and Alice nodded and Renee handed me a juice box and a cookie like I was five years old again. Heading to my room I tried to think about how old I really was, how mature I acted. Sure, I may act more like a thirty year old than my age, but did I really show it? I avoided problems as they came, denied assistance, and just assumed that my life was a living hell, that this family really despised me out of the fact that they were ignorant to my struggles. I collapsed on my bed, closed my eyes, and listened to the pulse of my heart as I took each deep breath…

…thump…thump…thump…

Or was I just the ignorant daughter that refused to accept the fact that she had a huge group of family and friends willing to put all aside for her safety?

…thump…thump…thump…

"Isabella?"

…thump…thump…thump…

"Love, I'd prefer if you opened an eye or showed some sign of being physically alive."

…thump…thump…thump…

In my mind's eye I could see him, eyebrows raised, staring at me peculiarly.

"Fine, we'll do it your way…" And he leaned in and kissed me…

thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump…thumpppppp

I opened my eyes softly and saw his angelic face hovered over mine.

"I'd say good morning but it appears this is your mid-day nap, love."

"Where have you been all morning? You left me…" My voice rose at the end as I clutched his shirt and pulled him beside me.

"I'm sorry love, but you needed to have that conversation with Phil."

"Oh, but why didn't you just tell me? I mean all the worrying and confusion was just a hassle on my part!" I tried to smooth the obvious awkwardness with a laugh but he just smiled and moved my hair from my eyes.

"Silly Bella," he paused moving closer as my heart raced again, "As long as you need me to protect you, I'm here."

I frowned, brows furrowing together, "What do you mean 'as long as you need me to protect you', you promised forever?" I knew it was silly, I had only known him for a few days and yet I could not bare the thought of having to spend more than a day apart.

"As long as it's reasonable."

"You're talking nonsense Edward."

"No, love, you have just had another shock in your life, you're the one talking nonsense."

"I am not talking nonsense!"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "So stubborn love, what will I do with you? We're going to study, that's what we're going to do." And with that, the conversation was over, my physics textbook was spread between us and he began from the beginning…

­

Previously…

EPOV

"RICARDO!" This was becoming a daily nuisance, we were in our "house" in Forks and yet still I had to scream for him, like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Edward, Edward, you're more like a five year old girl than a full grown guardian angel." Ricardo teased, throwing a rose at me.

"What's this?"

"For Bella," he gestured to the flower, "You disappeared on her it's the least you owe her."

I crushed the flower in my hands, "She's not a flower girl, and I did it for her own good! She needed to talk to Phil, she needs to realize that she…she's not going to be in danger forever. And when she does, she'll realize that she doesn't need…want me anymore! And then, I will watch her from afar…"

Ricardo looked at me, absolutely flabbergasted, "You can't honestly believe anything you just said? You think you're harming her with your presence…"

I cut him off, "Of course I am! She'd rather be cooped up in her room with me than spending time in reality!"

"She spent time in her room before you came! You're persuading her to go out with you and her friends!"

"NO!" I roared, "She'll never have a real life with me! She'll just live in this fantasy world and she'll go back to harming herself! She's seen her family, how much they care now, she'll be fine!"

Ricardo looked at me, almost pity in his eyes, "My God Edward," he whispered, his voice strangely full of emotion, "Please, don't do this, and DON'T give her up! I…I can't explain it right now, but you won't be able to go on…you're going to kill her this way."

Ricardo was wrong, completely wrong.

"Please, listen to me Edward…"

I shook my head, "I'm going to Bella's, I'm going to stay with her as long as she needs me, but they're going to arrest Laurent soon, we'll talk later."

BPOV

"Ready Bells?" Kate laughed as we walked up the steps for our first exam of the week.

"Hell no, I spent the morning on a coffee run with Phil and then I slept through my review."

She snorted, "Why does that not surprise me?"

I punched her lightly, "Let's get this shit over with then we'll have one less thing to cry over."

"You're the only one that cries over exams!" Emmett ran up from behind and scooped me over his shoulder.

"Rose!" I screeched as everyone laughed.

He put me down and I sighed, despite what Edward had tried to teach me I knew that I had paid more attention to his gorgeous face, and the shape of his lips than the problems on the paper.

We all took our seats and I sighed, two hours and I could see Edward again.

………

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Kate asked as we headed back to our cars.

"Err…" I paused, "It seemed easy, which means I failed miserably."

She laughed as someone grabbed my hand.

"Bella, I need to talk to you!" Edward yelled as he ran towards the side of the school.

Kate rolled her eyes, "I'll catch up with you later, keep your phone on."

"Will do!" I bid her goodbye as I ran towards where Edward had headed.

I almost fell along the path beside the school, but then realized it was not Edward, but Laurent. I backed away immediately.

"Laurent…" I warned, I still didn't believe it was him, but after everything Phil had showed me this morning, it was difficult not to.

"Please Bells, it's not me, you have to run! He's still looking for you and I didn't think it was serious, that he was serious, but Bella he really is! He's gone sadistic; you remember the accident, no? He's gone loony! He's driving me crazy! They think it's me, but you know it isn't, right Bells?" He looked up at me, so full of sadness, I almost screamed, he was talking such nonsense.

"What? What's going on?"

I heard noises in the parking lot and Laurent looked like he was going to cry, "It's not me! Run Bella, you must run, he's still after you! I tried to protect you but he set me up! Run, run! Don't trust him!"

"Laurent!" I heard Charlie scream, him and the other two cops had their guns drawn, "We have a warrant for your arrest! Come out with your hands behind your head!"

"Trust who?" I was shaking; Laurent had to be innocent…

"Don't hurt Bella!" James ran from the trees, striking Laurent from behind as Charlie and the others grabbed him.

"Run Bella! He's crazy!" Laurent screamed as he was handcuffed.

I stood, completely silent as Edward appeared by my side, wrapping his arms around my waist, "It's over Bells, they've got him, and you're going to be safe now."

"It wasn't him…he was coming to warn me…" I murmured against his neck.

"Love, it was him, you saw how he was acting, he's obviously lost some of his coherency."

"It couldn't be…" I tried to grasp what had happened today…Phil was pretending to be something he wasn't, Laurent was a stalking offender, and Edward was…? What was Edward doing?

He lifted me back to my truck and strapped me in, silent the entire drive home. No one was home, I assumed they were scattered due to the shocking news. My phone had been buzzing but I decided that I wasn't in the mood for talking, simply sending Kate a message to tell everyone I was sleeping my shock off, and yes I would be ready for my next exam tomorrow.

"Edward…what's going on?"

He looked at me and kissed me roughly before whispering, "I'm leaving."

I was still in shock; I didn't know what was going on.

"For a bit? Then you're coming back?"

"No, I'm never coming back. I'm going to make sure you're reassigned, or maybe Ricardo will watch you, but I've checked your future Bella, it's full of light now, but if I stay it will be dark. I'm holding you back."

"What? What are you talking about? You've only been here a few days!"

"I'm sorry; we've made all the arrangements. My cousin's wife has been in an accident, we need to return to Chicago to manage the business. Goodbye Bella."

"No!" I screamed, "You can't leave me! I finally found you; I have a reason to stay now! Don't leave me…" my voice cracked at the end, "I thought you loved me."

"Love is a trivial thing Bella," he sighed, "You see, I died 100 years ago, and when I died all my feelings, my capabilities to love…died as well. I'm sorry for inconveniencing you for this long, you'll be okay now, there's no more danger. Goodbye." He kissed the top of my head, and then he was gone. I screamed into the night, I tried to call out, I even screamed for Ricardo, but no one came…I was all alone again.

Everyone came home soon, and they found me as they had always seen me, troubled, despaired, and in a state of desperation. I told them what he said and Alice made plans for the girls to come, to empathize with me, but I said no. I wanted to be alone, all by myself where I deserved.

Late that night, I heard Renee and Alice discussing what a jerk Edward was, after everything that had happened today! Emmett threatened to kill him if he laid eyes on him again. But really, it wasn't Edward's fault, it was mine. I was holding him back, he was a god compared to me, and it was silly that I had been the object of his affections, even for that short period of time. I was Bella, my family was a cult, I was a pathetic excuse for human existence. I was a mistake, in fact, I was sure the angels were truly laughing at me by this point. And I was all alone, where I always would be… I turned out the lights and hid under the covers…there was no light in my life, only dark…

Forget about the sunshine when its gone…

Kudos (and cookies :P) for anyone who knows what song that last line's from! It's from a brand new CD though so we'll see... my name/account name has been changed! be aware I am still free-your-mind-dreamer, just the name is now fymd-mk, it's the shortened one I usually use, so don't be alarmed (we'll see if it works though, I tend to have bad luck with these things lol) anyways, love to hear your comments, review, pm, vote, the usual. until next time... :)