Long chapter friends! I finished my word count for NaNoWriMo today, so I figured I'd post this chapter. Hopefully this fic will be done by Christmas and you'll all get your head's straight since I'm currently writing chapter 21.
I'm promising right now this chapter is the best so far - proven to not disappoint!
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer own all rights to The Twilight Saga. I, however, own the rights to the plot.
At first I thought I was waking up from a dream. One where I was a vampire and I'd just lost my arm in battle and then learned that Alice and Jasper had disappeared. Someone took them, I remembered. But that was not the case. My mind jumped to conclusions and the venom in my system increased beyond what it should have when I thought of them being kidnapped.
Carlisle had been right. Too much venom working through my system. It was working hard in my shoulder and then bubbled up through my gut at the thought of hunting someone down. I was a vampire. A hunter. A monster.
Alice and Jasper's note claimed they couldn't be around the castle anymore. They left while everyone was distracted to avoid any persuasions into staying. They could be anywhere in the world and none of us had a clue of where to start so we decided to wait until they contacted us. Not that it would be possible now.
The day after the easy fight with twelve, more threats came pouring in from the rebels. Not just the rebels now, but people claiming to side with them. More letters came in with others claiming they would stand by us. It was reassuring… that more came in supporting us then being against us. But I had to wonder what the motives were. Love? Fear? Passion?
Something drove me to think it was more fear than anything else.
Dad didn't feel the castle was safe anymore. I felt like a child during the London Blitz, waiting to be re-located somewhere for safe keeping. The guard was being torn off into pairs and none of us knew where the other was going. All we had were new cell phones to only be used in emergencies.
Soon all that was left was The Cullens, me, and my dad. Caius and Marcus had already relocated themselves and I insisted on staying until the last dying second. Every room was shut; the furniture inside covered with plastic. We were leaving home.
But it wasn't like leaving to stay with the Cullens. I knew I'd be back then. Now, I didn't know that. I didn't know the next time I'd see everyone. All I knew that I was going to an island in Brazil with my fiancé. Edward and I hadn't talked about it, but I knew we wouldn't get married until we saw everyone again. And when you live forever, just being friends with someone meant you didn't see them for decades at a time.
The last four Cullens were staying together and not breaking off into two like the rest of us. I had no idea where my dad was going, but I had a good feeling it was with the Cullens.
We all met in the throne room with our bags. Edward's hand clung to mine. None of us said a word as we filed out. Dad locked the room behind us with a small key and tossed it to me so fast no one else took the time to notice. I looked at him questioningly but he just smirked back.
It was hard for me to say good-bye the guard; harder to say good-bye to Edward a year ago. But saying goodbye to my dad was more difficult than I imagined.
He didn't say much, which made it easier. After I hugged all the Cullens and told them to say safe and that I loved them – and Emmett ruffled my hair and punched Edward in the arm cause he wasn't a sappy person – I hugged my dad. He whispered in my ear that he trusted with that key. It was the only key to everything important in the castle.
Then they went out through the back door to go to the plane and Edward and I were left alone. All alone in the empty castle.
We didn't have to leave quite yet. We were going to be leaving soon out the front and driving through the town to get to the public airport.
So I walked slower than a human would down the main hallway. My mind felt empty and with Edward carrying my bag I felt cold without his hand in mine.
I crossed my arms tight over my chest.
"Bella?" Edward's voice echoed through the empty hall.
"Yeah?" I turned my head to him. Even though I was walking incredibly slow, he didn't seem to mind matching my pace.
As I met his eyes I became frightened. They were blank. Empty. And I couldn't help but think it was exactly what mine looked like at the moment.
I closed the space between us and put my hands over his that were gripping onto our bags. I rubbed them until he dropped the bags and then wound my arms around his waist. I buried my face into his chest and his nuzzled into my neck.
"It's okay. We'll be okay," I mumbled into his shirt.
"Are you trying to re-assure me or yourself?" his voice was muffled back.
"Both."
He rubbed my back. "It'll all work out. I promise. You guys know what you're doing, and we'll all be safe before you know it."
I squeezed him tighter before replying, "I just thought this would all be over. We were going to get married and-"
"Oh, Bella. My beautiful Bella." He pulled away slightly to see my face. His slightly hollow eyes made my heart break. I wasn't the only one suffering.
Suddenly he broke off our eye contact and picked up the bags he'd dropped to the floor. "We have to go."
I crossed my arms tight over my chest again. It was obvious neither of us knew what the future held and it made us both uncomfortable.
I quickly and quietly locked up the rest of the castle, leaving it dark and empty. I could imagine teenagers trying to peak in through the windows, tourists trying to see the rest of the castle, but without us there it was even more impossible; the security system was too advanced.
We got into a car, and Edward started driving out of Volterra and toward the airport out of town. Our hands with a death grip on the other.
Once we got on the second plane, it started to feel a bit more real. Less… dream-like. It didn't feel like a gut-wrenching real, though. I felt relief that it was all real.
"Isle Esme?" I asked. All I knew was that it was some island just off Brazil. I'd never heard of it before.
Edward turned to look at me. "A present from Carlisle."
I felt my eyes widen. "No way."
He nodded. "If you wondered why Carlisle and Esme knew where we were going… well that's why. They're letting us stay there."
I thought of where everyone else may be. It's not like they'd be in some ratty apartment in dirty, downtown cities. But I still felt guilty because it didn't feel like we were leaving everyone. It felt like I was on a vacation with my fiancé and in two weeks we'd be all together again and Edward and I would be telling stories about this great trip we went on.
"This is wrong," I whispered.
Edward wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I rested my head on his chest below his shoulder. "Your dad wanted to do this for us, you know."
I buried my face in his shirt, feeling like a lost child. I felt a pair of lips press against my hair and Edward whispered, "sleep."
I adjusted into a more casual position against him and shut my eyes. I heard a flight attendant walking around handing out blankets and pillows. I made sure to make my chest rise and fall as she walked by. And I swore I heard her sigh at us before continuing to walk along the aisle.
But after she left I just stayed like that against Edward. Eyes closed, his arm around me.
The silence didn't last for too long though. Edward whispered, very quietly, no human could pick up the sound, "this is what you miss the most."
"No, this is what I wish I had," I replied, despite that fact that he hadn't asked a question.
"Because you don't remember?"
It was true; I didn't remember what it was like to fall asleep or dream or wake up. But I didn't answer his question. "What do you wish you had?"
He seemed to think about it for a long time. And then he replied very simply, "children."
I pulled away from him then, to look into his eyes. They were filled with some sort of emptiness; the kind that you got used to. "I'm sorry," I whispered.
When he pulled me back against him I didn't refuse.
"Don't be; there are things we've all learned to live without. That's one of mine."
"What are the rest?" I asked.
"I'll let you know when I think of them."
We landed in Rio De Janeiro and took a small boat out into the water until a small – or large, rather – island began to appear.
"There it is," Edward announced.
The foreign trees rose up high ahead of me. I could hear the different animals within the forest.
After docking the boat I slowly took in the island around me. There was a large house covered mostly in windows just up the hill. "It's a whole different world out here," I said quietly. It was true; the island was completely secluded from civilization.
"You could spend forever here," Edward replied.
My face fell and I tried to quickly recover but I was sure Edward noticed.
"Not that we're going to," he continued and led me up the beach and into the house. It hardly felt like we were inside. A human may only notice the A/C, but as a vampire I really didn't need to worry about that. The floors were a light, sandalwood colour, the rooms filled with shades of green and blue to match the rest of the island.
I kept following Edward through the house, all the way to the back where a fluffy white bedroom rested. It had its own double door exit out to a private beach.
I slipped my shoes off my feet and reached for the handles of the doors and pushed them open. I felt the light breeze on my face and guessed that it was warm. When I stepped out onto the sand, it felt warm too. I walked forward until the lapping water was a short sprint away. Closing my eyes, I felt the most relaxed I'd been since...
Practically forever.
Edward's hands slipped around my shoulders; his thumbs created circles on the bare skin there.
"It's beautiful," I whispered. The sky reflected a bright blue off the water and all I wanted to do was jump in it. But my mind shifted. Where was the rest of the guard? They were certainly not here. "I hate it." My words slipped out before I could realize how Edward might take them.
His hands left my shoulders and I knew he was thinking of the worst. I turned to face him and his eyes had darkened a shade.
"It's just not right, Edward," I tried to clarify. "I can't stay on a beautiful island when everyone else is God knows where…"
I trailed off as Edward looked down, shaking his head.
"Edward?"
He didn't lift his head. I couldn't see his eyes and suddenly I felt scared. Why wouldn't he look at me? Was what I said that bad?
"Edward, please look at me." I took a hesitant step towards him, but he took at step back.
He threw a hand into to his hair and pulled at the ends. "I just can't believe I asked Aro if we could come here. He was going to send us to Chicago, but I wanted us to come here. I know you care about your family, but it's like you didn't even think that I had my own family to worry about too."
My eyes stung. I wanted to tell him that wasn't what I meant, that I cared about his family too. But I knew he was right… I felt so, incredibly, stupid. He took a step towards me and I longed to reach out to him, but I wasn't about to make him back away again. I looked straight into his eyes.
"Do you remember on the plane? When I told you I'd let you know the things I've learned to live without?" He asked.
I nodded.
"If you don't think we're going to get out of this mess, then I guess our families are one of them. It's not like I thought I'd ever see Jasper and Alice again anyways."
I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach, like all the air had been knocked out of me. I wanted my dad, I wanted Felix, and I wanted something that didn't want me now; Edward.
The number you have dialed is not available at this time leave a message after the-
"Ugh!" I shouted at my cell phone. "C'mon Dad this is an emergency!" My voice almost echoed if it wasn't for the water constantly lapping in front of me. It splashed up against the rocks I was perched on, but I was far enough away that the mist didn't spray me.
I hit the redial button on my phone and I got the message machine again but just as I was about to hang up when my dad's voice came through, "Bella! What's happened?"
I sighed. "Sorry, it's nothing life threatening."
"Bella, you can't do this. You know that."
"I know, I know… I just-"
"You got into a fight with Edward didn't you?" He suddenly asked.
"How'd you know?"
"A father just knows."
I glanced down at the ring I was playing with on my finger. "We've gone through this before, but I don't know which of us is wrong this time."
"I don't know what happened but the best advice I can give you, is that you need to work it out."
"Were you really planning on sending us to Chicago?" I don't know why I said it, but it just came out.
It was silent for a minute. "Edward insisted you needed go somewhere less depressing. He was only thinking of you."
I sighed. "I was so rude to him, Dad. I don't want to be here while everyone else is who knows where."
"I know where. And I can promise that they're not miserable. We chose each destination carefully... promise."
I laughed without any intention of humor. "Why am I so-"
"Impulsive?" Dad finished.
"I was thinking more on the emotional-wreck side but that works too."
He laughed, there was humor there. "You've been like that you're whole life. Edward's one of the only I've seen that have dealt with it well. You're a lucky girl to have him, you know."
"Maybe I'm more of a screw up," I thought aloud. Emotional-wreck didn't seem to fit quite as well as screw up.
"Well now you have to fix it. Get into if you have to, but don't say anything you'll regret," he said seriously.
"Love you, Dad."
"Love you too, Bells. Try not to call again, alright? We can't have anyone trying to trace these phones."
"I'm sorry. I just-"
"Don't worry about it," he interrupted.
But then there was nothing left to say. No 'see you soon' or 'talk to you later.' The agreement of hanging up hung in the silence. So I just hung up.
I crossed the beach to the glass doors that lead into the white bedroom. There was piano music coming from inside; it made my heart clench. I went to turn the handle, but it was locked. I suppose I should've been mad that he locked me out, but I knew I deserved it.
I knocked on the wooden frame around the glass doors. "Edward?"
I knew he'd heard me when the music stuttered, but he kept playing so I banged the door harder.
"Don't make me bang down the door, Edward!"
But the piano kept playing; louder and faster than before.
"Edward, open this door! Or so help me God-"
The music abruptly cut off and Edward was on the other side of the door. "Surely you weren't thinking of kicking them down. Esme loves these doors."
"Just open them, Edward."
He looked down at his feet and when he looked back up his eyes were soft. "I thought you were gonna leave, you know."
"I thought we agreed to never leave each other again?" I replied.
"Yeah," he smiled slightly, "we did."
"I'm so sorry, Edward. Please, just open the door."
He slowly reached for the door and turned the lock. Once it was unbolted I turned the handle and went inside. His arms went around my waist and my head buried in his chest.
"I never meant to hurt you, Edward."
"I know, love. I know. I'm sorry, too."
I lifted my head to kiss him and our lips brushes softly against each other.
"What's there to do around here, anyways?"
He laughed. "We could hike, swim… I've never hunted a shark before…"
A/N- If I've got time tomorrow, I think I may post the next chapter... gotta keep y'all on your toes and the next certainly will! Don't forget to let me know what you thought of the chapter!
