A/N: I'm aware it's been awhile since I've last added to my stories, so I'm also well aware that my subscribers may have lost interest since then. I take no offence but am very happy to be writing again, and hope that all my readers (new and old) enjoy the latest chapter of Beyond the Theatre Closet.

Because it's been so long I somewhat lost my initial train of thought, but I think this new alternative works a lot better. It's a bit darker. I hope my writing has improved since the last chapter, seeing as it has been approximately two years, and I'm excited to respond to any questions you might have, or any feedback!

Read on!

I tossed and turned relentlessly in my sleep that night. One moment I was dead to the world, the next stricken by fear to the point the sweat from my cold, clammy heads froze. His topaz eyes reflected the moonlight as I awoke, staring dead straight into my own.

I had seen him. He'd been here, lurking over my bedside with that sickly smirk still plastered to his sickly white face.

I'd say it was heavy breathing I felt that awoke me, but I knew for a fact when he died so did his capacity for oxygen.

You can spend a lifetime planning a scheme of defence in the event a stranger breaks into your home, intending to kidnap you and take you away from all you love, only to lock you in a basement and deprive you from your basic needs. Of course you plan to scream and give yourself as much attention as possible so that some unyielding hero can save the day and take down the vandal. Or perhaps your plan of action was to release your inner taekwondo master and take down the burglar with a swift kick to the crown jewels.

I had an overactive imagination as a child; that's not a strong enough case to begin your judging of me though.

When the time did come for me to release my inner ninja, I was paralysed. Like a helpless heroine. To weak and inane to muster even a yelp. He could see the paralysing fear in my eyes and gripped the headboard of Bella's bed to assert his power. The wolf like growl from the base of his throat was the icing on the cake.

That growl was the factor that separated his human appearance from his true identity.

That growl brought my nervous system out of shock and I regained the ability to move again. So naturally you'd expect me to run, right?

Wrong.

You know in scary movies how the female heroine always runs up the stairs and winds up trapped in a corner instead of down the stairs and straight to the police? I did the equivalent and chose to move my mouth instead of my legs. Shocking move for a female, yes I know.

"How did you get past Sam?" I stammered.

I expected him to show me Sam's grotesquely severed head in response, but he merely crinkled his brow and said, "There's no one out there. Just a tree you really out to get trimmed if you want to keep me out."

If possible, my eyes widened further and I finally had the sense to move my legs and get out of that bed. Well I more so roll out. But quickly. Which was the point.

I glanced over to his stiff, white knuckles, clenching the headboard and noticed how small fragments of wood had begun to crumble under his grasp, his fingers indenting the wood to the shape of his grip.

"Charlie!" I screamed with all my might.

"Charlie's not coming," Edward said almost soothingly.

"What have you done to Charlie?"

"He's not home, I thought you of all people would know that," he said bemused. "He even left the door wide open on his way out. I was wondering why a man who prides himself on keeping the community safe would pull such an unsafe move. It's a relatively safe neighbourhood and all, but I mean who knows what could come crawling in?" He chuckled.

"Sam is out there. He promised he'd be on the lookout for you. That he'd keep me safe," I rationalised desperately.

"Uley I suppose you mean," he sighed. "Uley is a liar. Sucks that you learnt the hard way. You know what else sucks?" He licked his lips and took a step closer.

"Just wait a second please!" I cried.

"Why? You have no idea how hungry I am, and your blood has been on my mind for so long now. Ever since you deliberately sliced your finger open,"

Fear had melded with repugnance as I responded to his miniature monologue with a disgusted expression. He seemed to find this amusing as he paused in his tracks.

"For a smart girl I'm surprised you fell for Uley's game. He's quicker to lie than I can run. And I'm sure you know I'm quite the athlete. You have a knack for finding out things you're not meant to know."

I pursed my lips tightly, refusing to succumb to his teasing. Like clockwork, Edward's mind must've been churning because it became clear he'd figured out I'd at least made an attempt to make a deal with Sam.

"When did you speak to Uley?" Edward glowered from the other side of the bed. I refused to answer, standing tight lipped. He jolted forward, as if to jump over to my side of the bed.

"This afternoon!" I cried, and he jerked back signalling for me to continue. "He's fixing my car."

He paused to choose his next words carefully. I assumed he was mulling over which questions were the safest to ask, just in case I wasn't aware of the werewolves' existence. "What were you doing over that side of town? I bet Charlie didn't know about this. Do we have a rebel on our hands?" He said belittling.

"Of course Charlie knew. He's friends with Billy Black. And Jacob. Sam is Jacob's friend. Don't try scaring me, as soon as Sam finds out..."

"Finds out I was here? That's of no concern to him. Uley hasn't an ounce of compassion for anyone. I'm supposing you and he made a little deal? Uley doesn't keep deals. Not with his family, his tribe, or even his dead fiancée. He made a deal with her to love and honour her forever, but killed her instead. Uley's a callous murderer."

"Sam didn't kill anyone. He said so himself," Only once the words escaped from my lips did I realise how naive I sounded.

"The fact Charlie allowed you to be in Uley's vicinity amazes me. Charlie had Uley under constant surveillance during the investigation. Emily's murder was Charlie's case, and he had Uley labelled as the prime suspect. A risky move for a cop in a town where love virtually constitutes as an alibi. Everyone hated him for the accusation. There was a clear culprit and Charlie was about to let her go, scot free."

"What? Charlie needs me. He's not going to put me in danger!" But the evidence spoke for itself.

"Hazel, the front door is wide open. Charlie knows you were with Uley this afternoon, and he knows you have a tendency to get on peoples bad side's fairly quickly. Can you fill in the blanks?"

He watched in amusement as everything fell into place.

"Sam's not dangerous! And even if he was Charlie wouldn't put me in that sort of position unless he wanted me..."

"Dead?" He let out a dark laugh. "This is getting all too amusing for me. I've heard of scandal in this town, but nothing as devious as this. It's quite delectable, I must say."

Nothing made sense anymore. Which was ironic, seeing as I had stumbled into a fantasy world that shouldn't exist.

"You know what Hazel? You have me intrigued. I think for now I'll quench my thirst elsewhere. I'm ever so eager to see how this all plays out."

I stepped forward and I spoke sinister as possible as I asked, "If Sam didn't kill Emily, who did?"

"Emily died from multiple knife wounds. Her corpse had very little flesh still remaining. Initially the police thought she'd been mauled by an animal, but she had human remnants of DNA all over her. Any ideas?" He questioned carefully, still treading on water.

I gave no indication of comprehension and he rolled his eyes, turning to leave.

"I'd watch your back if I were you," he called out over his shoulder and clambered out the window, clearly with no intent to answer my question directly. "And not just for the Cullen's."

He even had the courtesy to close the window on his way out.