Waking Up

My head was killing me when I woke up in the morning.

The dream I'd had the night before tugged on my mind, and I ran his words over and over in my head.

"I'm going to be here until you remember."

Where would he be? And most importantly, who is it?

I'd come to only one conclusion in my mind, that I'd met someone. That my "accident" in the woods wasn't so much as an accident, but that something had happened. I had met someone, a man with golden eyes.

I shook my head as I turned onto the old dirt road. It was Jake's road, and I'd traveled it a million times before.

I jumped when I saw a figure on the side of the road, but relaxed when I realized it was just Seth.

Seth.

Seth who had found me in the woods.

Seth who could probably tell me something.

"Seth!" I was yelling his name before I could roll my window down.

He didn't seem startled, but I knew that was because he could probably hear the roar of my truck from a mile away.

"Bella." He smiled happily as I pulled up beside him. "What are you doing?"

"I need your help, Seth." I said, a desperate tone in my voice. "But you can't tell anyone."

"Right here." He said, his voice sure.

He pointed to a spot right next to a tree. The moss on the tree was low, and there was a large rock beside it.

"You looked like you were propped up." Seth explained, doing a motion with his hands. "There was no way you could have fallen."

"I knew it." I muttered, then I turned to him. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Well I didn't think it mattered… but now that I think about it… it was like someone wanted you to be found."

It was true, there was only about ten feet of trees between the road and the spot we were at now.

"It wasn't an accident, Seth." I said, shaking my head. I backed up and leaned against the tree, waiting for the déjà vu to hit me.

"I know that now." He said, smiling. "What do you think happened?"

I shook my head. "I have no idea." I whispered.

Then Seth froze. I looked up and his entire body had gone rigid, his shoulders tense and his jaw clenched tight.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"When I found you Bella…" He cut off, his voice horrified. "You smelled like…"

"I smelled like what?" I demanded, impatient.

"You smelled like vampire, Bella. It wasn't a strong smell, almost like someone tried to cover it up. But I remember smelling something…off. Shit! I should have recognized the scent!"

"What are you saying, Seth?" I said slowly, my head felt like it was full of jello.

"I'm saying that I think you were with a vampire, Bella."

I waited until his words sunk in and then my face mirrored his, but only for a moment.

I was…with a vampire?

Then it all came rushing back.

Golden eyes, cold skin. Everything my dreams had been sending to me. Vampire.

"Seth. I don't want you to tell anyone this. Do you understand me? Can I trust you?"

His eyes looked unsure for a moment. "You can't ask me to do that, Bells. I have to tell them."

"No, Seth. Please. Just wait. Try to keep it from Sam while you're in wolf form. I need you to do this for me. Please. Please." I was begging by the end.

I saw the unease in his expression, then his face twisted into a grimace. "Okay fine. You can count on me, Bells."

I knew using Seth was selfish, but I also knew he was the only werewolf that would not tell Sam about the vampire thing.

I didn't even know why I didn't want anyone but us to know.

I think my dreams had something to do with it, especially since golden eyes was so close now I could almost taste him…

I shivered.

So I had been with a vampire.

A hostile, vile, repulsive creature. And yet I couldn't stop thinking about it…

And if I had been with a vampire, why hadn't it killed me? Was it possible that the 'beasts' as Jake called them actually weren't beasts at all? Or at least this one hadn't been?

Jacob. Poor Jake.

It felt like a betrayal, not telling him, but I didn't want him to do anything rash. I was so close to being free of the nightmare that I could taste it. I needed it. Bad.

Seth and I were in my old truck, driving back to La Push.

"Thank you. So much." I murmured as I pulled up in front of his house.

He gave me a sly smile. "Anything to help, Bells. And don't worry. My lips are sealed." He made a motion of locking up his lips and he threw the invisible key over his shoulder.

I chuckled. "I'll see you later, Clearwater."

"See ya, Swan."

I was happy for the silence now, so I could finally mull things over in my head.

So a vampire had left me in the woods. But how did that tie in with my dreams and the man with golden eyes? How did I even meet the vampire?

I gritted my teeth together and resisted the urge to pound on the steering wheel. Nothing made sense.

The sun was about to set, having made its way to the western part of the sky. I had a few hours, why not be proactive?

I drove my truck out of forks, away from Charlie, away from Jacob. I didn't even know exactly where I was going. Just that I should get there.

"Good God." I groaned. How frustrating this was!

I parked my truck on the side of the road, decided that was as good a spot as any. I reached the edge of the trees but hesitated, my hand reaching out to touch the soft ferns.

Then I was running.

I ran like a madwoman through the damp grass and tree limbs, falling every so often when my feet tangled with the bracken. But I'd just pick myself up and continue on. I had to get somewhere…fast. The feeling of anxiety that I'd felt on the way over here increased tenfold, my heart beating quickly and my body broke out into a cold sweat.

I saw a clearing of light up ahead, not like a meadow but more like a break in the trees. I ran for it, desperate to get to the light. By this time I could see little of the sun through the thick leaves, which made it ten times harder to see.

I was inches away from the clearing.

And it all happened very fast then.

I saw a blur, and my tongue got stuck in my throat. It whipped around me, and I felt the wind as if I were sticking my head out of an airplane in flight. In the next second there was something solid in front of me, and just as the adrenaline kicked in for me to run the other way, I smashed directly into whatever was standing there.

I landed in a heap on the ground, having bounced off the hard object like it was a brick wall. It stood above me, unaffected by my blow.

Only one thing crossed my mind as I got up on my elbows to get a better look.

Vampire.

And I couldn't find the urge to run away. Couldn't find the urge to want to run away. It was curiosity that had me firmly planted where I was on the ground. And…hope.

A ridiculous notion.

"Bella..?" I froze, every muscle in my body tensing up. It was a question, it was a term of recognition. Whoever this was already knew me.

"Are you okay?" A female. A woman's voice… Should I know her?

As she moved closer toward me, I could more clearly see her face. My breath stopped in my throat. Standing in front of me was one of the most beautiful human I'd ever seen. Her hair fell in long blonde waves down over her shoulders almost all the way to her waist. Her body was that of an angel, covered with designer clothes that fit into all her curves perfectly.

But that was not why I was staring.

Her eyes were a brilliant shade of gold, the butterscotch striking in contrast to her pale skin.

She leaned down in a fluid moment, helping me right myself, her skin as cold and hard as ever.

As ever.

As the last time she'd touched me like this.

It came rushing back very quickly to me now.

"Rose." I whispered, "Oh my god, Rose."

I couldn't seem to wake up. Couldn't seem to find my eyes. My dream tugged at my memory, trying to tell me something, I was sure.

"Isabella? Is that your name?" A velvet voice asked.

I recognized the voice and I almost screamed in terror.

I fluttered my eyelids, trying to focus in on his face. This may be the last thing I saw before I died.

The tears came to my eyes, and I blinked them back furiously, trying to see something. Anything.

When I finally saw his face, his lovely, beautiful face, I flinched back. He was close, close enough to touch.

And then another memory, just as vivid as the first.

He hesitated. "We're not like most vampires. We don't drink human blood. We drink the blood of animals."

"I saw your eyes. They were red. You killed a person."

He hung his head. "I did not mean to drink the human's blood. I didn't check the trail…I was already in my hunting set of mind… he was too close." Edward winced, his mind far away in thought. He looked back to me. "It was a horrid accident. I hate myself for it. But that's when I heard James' thoughts." His face turned into a furious scowl. "He was so happy he'd found you. So happy he could feed on someone who smelled so mouthwatering…" He was growling now. "That's why I had to stop him. Because a few minutes before that, I had been the monster. I couldn't let him live. A young girl like you…. I had to save you." He shook his head, trying to clear the memory.

And then another…

His fingers brushed across my cheek. "I've never been one to enjoy the kill." He whispered, looking away. "I always hated what I am. I've never enjoyed slaughtering innocent creatures to get what I want…need." He looked back to me. "But I've never met anyone like you, Isabella. I've walked around for years… you have no idea how long, thinking I was complete in myself. Until I met you. That day I found in you in the woods…the moment I looked into your eyes…I knew I had to keep you. I knew that I had to make myself strong enough to be good for you. And even now, even when I know I'm not good enough for you, I couldn't stop myself from trying to keep you for myself."

"What are you saying?" I whispered.

"It wasn't just the need to save someone from that vile creature." His voice got a little tense until he calmed himself. "It was the need to save you. I saw you in his mind, your beautiful brown eyes alert and focused with fear. You were so beautiful…I couldn't…." He was unable to finish.

"It was the need to save you." The memory of his silky voice rang in my head, those words clear and true as I remembered the way his eyes had burned into mine.

Edward had saved me from James. A bad vampire. He'd taken me to his home… and then….

"Oh God."

Rosalie held me to her for a few minutes while I cried. I finally sniffled and looked up at her.

"Where is he? Where is Edward?"

A/N: *Puffs chest out proudly*

See, I told you things would start happening soon. :D

I want to take the time now to just say how awesome you guys have been about reviews and such! Your comments and theories keep me going! Thank you all so much for reading.

We're in the home stretch now, guys.