Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Shadows
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Prompt: Filter

New Hampshire was experiencing the highest murder/missing persons rate in its history. Students disappeared from their beds, only to be found, drained of blood, miles away. Townspeople weren't spared either, and had taken to purchasing guns. Not a few people ended up in the emergency room as a result of the rising 'shoot first, ask questions later' attitude. As if the looming threat of finals wasn't enough to send the student populace into a panic.

At least no one in school thought it odd that I was jumpy. We were all starting at shadows. The difference for me was that I knew what was really in them, Jane. She became my own personal watch-dog, taunting me by sending out waves of pain to any person who happened to talk, nod, smile or acknowledge my presence in any way. Carlisle called Italy to tell them the Centers for Disease Control were coming to investigate the rash of painful spasms happening in only certain spots on campus and Aro might want to rein Jane in some.

It didn't stop. I knew she did it to torture me, isolate me. My heart broke with each person traumatized. It became a fight between Edward and me. He insisted on accompanying me and I couldn't handle watching him twist in pain. I told him I wouldn't go to class anymore then, and he picked me up and carried me. That lasted until he dropped me after being zapped by Jane, my wrist spraining when I fell.

A nomad came to our defense once. He disappeared the next day, a pillar of purple smoke rising in the east. After that Carlisle instituted a strict non-retaliation policy. "Don't give them a reason," he said to the crowd that formed in the Cullens' home. "When we meet them in Washington we need all of you. They haven't taken us out because we argued that Felix attacked. None of us are physically damaged by Jane, and that's their defense."

I'm sure Aro never anticipated the positive effect this attack would have. Vampires who came only 'to observe' began to join us. Some heard that we were breaking the law about revealing ourselves to humans, only to leave thinking the guard were because of their actions. Dozens were sent to Washington, more to Alaska, to wait for the coming confrontation.

Some stayed with us. One young man, Benjamin, took great pleasure in moving any nearby water to dump it on Jane's head. He was very careful to do this only when there weren't any humans nearby. The best part was that she had no idea who was doing it or how, especially since he was capable of making it happen without even looking in her direction.

Nevertheless, the first day of finals I was a strung-out nervous wreck. It was like my brain couldn't handle the stress of dealing with the guard and memorizing the vast quantity of material required.

"You don't have to make all A's, remember," Edward said that morning as he tried to distract me.

"I know, but I can't fail either," I said, pushing him away as I read over my notes one last time.

"Bella, you won't fail. Even if you do, what's the worst that will happen? You'll get a C?" The fingers of one hand tickled just under my t-shirt as the other pushed my hair aside so he could kiss the back of my neck. "You have four hours. You need to relax. I can help."

I snorted a laugh. "I imagine the way you picture us relaxing doesn't involve actual rest."

He chuckled as his hands crept up my shirt. "There will be lying down, unless you'd rather be standing?"

Turning from my books to glare at him I asked, "How can you even think about that with everything going on? Can't you hear the guard? The houseful of vampires? The talk about rebellion?"

His lips pressed gently against mine, quieting my rising voice, as he laced his fingers through mine to stop me from waving them about. "I can hear them, I just filter them out," he said against my lips before stopping any further conversation.

He was right. By the time he dropped me off to my first final I was definitely relaxed. Unfortunately, I was so relaxed my legs felt like gelatin and my mind refused to focus on anything but the memory of what his lips could do. A few times I caught myself staring off into space, tracing a finger over my slightly swollen lips, or fingering a button on a new shirt as I remembered him becoming impatient with the old one and shredding the fabric. If I passed, it would be a miracle.

I had five finals to take. By the fifth one I didn't bother getting dressed in any clothes I cared about.

"Why didn't you come up with last semester? Or the one before that?" I asked that last morning as I trailed my fingers through his hair.

Lifting his head from my chest he winked. "I'm kind of surprised I'm getting away with it now." He looked out the window, eyes narrowing before rolling. "Alice is bringing you a new outfit. She'll leave it down in the kitchen." A low growl escaped as he scowled, only to immediately take on a perfectly calm façade.

"What?" I asked, going almost as still as him.

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Nothing, why?" Now he looked perfectly innocent. Too innocent.

"You got that pissed off face for a second."

"No I didn't."

I swatted his shoulder lightly. Breaking my hand right before a test is a bad idea. "Don't lie to me. You so did. Now tell me why."

Jumping from the bed, he grabbed my hand and threw me over his shoulder. "You have to be on campus in forty minutes. Time to shower!"

"Don't change the subject. Now put me down." He did put me down, under the spray of the water.

"You have to hurry," he told me. "I'll get your books together."

"Annoying, distracting vampire," I muttered as I squeezed shampoo into the palm of my hand.

"I heard that!" he called from the next room.

"You were supposed to!"

"Get clean, Bella. We need to leave." I looked at the clock in the bathroom, I still had thirty-five minutes before my test. It only took me ten to bathe and get dressed. My hair would go into a ponytail, so that didn't add much time. The way Edward drove we would get to the school in another five. Even if I went slow we'd make it.

"Bella, please hurry!" he called again. That's when I heard it. Something in his voice was off. Something that went with the face I was trying to get him to confess to. A feeling of urgency washed over me faster than the water from the faucet.

Alice was in the room when I shut off the water, handing me a towel. "Let's get you dressed and out of here."

"Alice, what's going on?" I asked as I ran the towel over my body. She kept quiet as I wrapped it around my hair. Standing up straight I accepted underclothes from her, noticing that she seemed rather rigid and was purposefully not looking at me. I knew it wasn't because I was still getting dressed.

"Alice?"

"Put this on," she said, handing me jeans and a sweater. It was going to be in the mid-seventies here today.

Something clicked in my head. "Where are we going?" I was met with more silence, only the twisting of her mouth. "We're going to Washington, aren't we?"

"Let's just say you will still graduate. You just won't be going to commencement."

Have a lovely weekend!