Epiphany

"If I told you I loved you, Bella, would you let me keep you forever?" he whispered, his cool breath fanning against my cheek.

"You can keep me as long as you want." I whispered, clinging to him with tenacious fingers.

"Why don't you remember me?" He sighed, his voice pained. I looked into his golden eyes, the only things visible. The rest of his face was in the darkness.

"I don't know!" I said, my voice thick with tears. "I want to. I want to remember you. I love you."

"Please." He whispered as his edges started to fade. "Please try to remember me, Bella, honey."

I cried. "Don't go!"

He gave me a sympathetic stare before disappearing completely.

That's when I started sobbing.

My mother held me more tightly to her chest, chanting over and over that I'd be okay.

The dream had tugged on my memory, tugged on my mind, and I knew, knew for a fact, that I didn't get lost that day in the woods.

I also knew that I had to figure out what had happened….why those golden eyes haunted me. I'd figure it out if it killed me…

-Monday-

Today was just the same as any other day.

My alarm clock screeched and I got up, stepping into the shower.

I washed my body, imagining that all my troubles could just flow down into the drain.

I slowly guided the shower curtain away as I stepped, all dripping wet, onto the bathroom mat.

I stood there for long enough to watch the fog of the mirror fall away and reveal my reflection.

My brown eyes were bloodshot again. I must not have slept well. Then there was my ultra-pale skin that could pass as cling-wrap over the thin flesh of my organs.

The only thing that was remotely voluminous on my body is the mahogany strands of gently curling hair that find their way to the small of my back.

Other than that, I am sickly and pale looking, too skinny to even look undead.

But most days I don't care, like today.

I sighed, opening the bathroom door and stepping out, wrapping the towel more tightly around my shivering wet body.

I groaned when I saw the sun shining through my bedroom window from behind the curtains. Something about the light unnerved me. I still couldn't put my finger on it.

I got to my new car. Well, new to me, considering it was a 2001, but it ran, and that's all I cared about. Jacksonville was a strangely easy place to drive around. There was never any snow, and for the few months that I'd been here, it'd only rained about 2 times.

And I hated it.

And I hated that I hated it.

I drove along the-now familiar- road, my eyes roaming the forest. Well, if it could be called that.

I seemed to be hypnotized by it for a moment, then I began shaking violently. I pulled my truck over to the side of the road, knowing it wasn't safe to be driving when I'm like this.

But it hit me so fast, so hard, that I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before.

And before I could even finish the thought, I was making a U-turn straight back to my mom and Phil's house.

I knew exactly what I needed to do. Yes!

I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before.

I was going home. To Forks. Where I should be.

And then I was going in the woods.

"Bella." My mother pleaded, the worry in her voice clear, "Please, baby, just stay here."

I choked back tears. "I'm going home, mom. I have to. If you want me to be happy, you'll let me go."

I tried to make my voice as convincing as possible.

"Love you, Mom." I whispered, hugging her.

She hugged me back fiercely. "You be careful, my Bella. Please."

"I promise." I whispered.

"Love you Bella."

"Love you more, mom."

I hopped on the first plane out of Jacksonville, my stomach tense but excited. So close.

So close I could feel it now!

I only had a few more hours, a few more days until the mystery that had been haunting me so completely for the past several months was finally gone and revealed.

This had to be it! And I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before. The thing that would bring my memory back for sure! The forest had to be it! Maybe some sort of déjà vu would bring it back.

I opened the window shade just to look at the green forests stretched out before me.

Home.

The golden eyes popped into my mind again, and I winced before muttering almost silently, "I'll see you soon. I promise."

A/N: I know this chapter is EXTREMELY short and i'm sorry for that. But i'm posting the next chapter directly after this.

So, Bella is FINALLY getting somewhere. I don't know about you, but I was starting to get a little frustrated! :D

Until next time...