Disclaimer: I do NOT own Twilight, blah blah, you know the drill.
The full moon shimmered on the skin of the two conversing vampires. Their otherworldly beauty was intensified by the soft glow. Carlisle Cullen stood with his arms folded by his adopted son. They both watched the moon as if it would give them deliverance.
" Gwen's shock was almost comical." Edward murmured. His thumb and forefinger supported his perfectly chiseled jaw.
" Seth and her have given Bella a much-needed distraction. Perhaps…"
" Yes, we must hope." Carlisle agreed. " This will give us all a distraction. Though, I do pity Jacob and Leah. They must feel so alone."
" And they are going to have to bear Seth's thoughts."
Father and son laughed quietly into the night. Carlisle wondered how long it had been since Edward had laughed.
" A while." Edward murmured. The two fingers supporting his chin fell as he sighed. Carlisle's thoughts had turned towards Bella.
" I know." Came the choked reply to unspoken thoughts.
Beep-Beep-Beep!
With blinding speed, Carlisle took out a black phone from his pocket. His pale fingers flipped it open swiftly.
" Hello?"
Edward tensed as fear for his wife climbed its way back into his mind.
" Carlisle, Guenevere just woke up from one of her nightmares. She is COMPLETELY freaking out. We need you!"
" On my way."
Relief steadied Edward's stiff posture, but guilt for his selfishness tightened him again. Guenevere's nightmares were truly horrific, and she should not have to suffer from them.
" We are lucky she does not remember what she dreams." Said Edward as they ran back to their large home.
" Her mind was right to shut out the memories, but it cannot hide them from her forever. She will not be able to cope when it all comes flooding back."
Blood curling screams echoed throughout the house when Carlisle arrived. Bella sat with Edward downstairs, while the doctor of the home ran up the flight of steps with blinding speed.
" Will she be okay?" Seth demanded when Carlisle reached the doorway.
" Seth, this has happened before. It is just a nightmare." Carlisle assured him.
Alice was bent over the sobbing human and whispering comforting words. None of them seemed to be reaching screaming Guenevere. Even mood-controlling Jasper found it extremely difficult to calm her down.
" Gwen! GUENEVERE!" Cold hands grasped her wrists and pulled her into an upright position. Her blotchy face appeared scrunched, and looked strange when she was screaming.
" Esme!" Carlisle said without shouting.
She appeared instantly at his side.
" Yes?"
" She needs a woman's touch. Even through sleep, she knows that I am a man… or at least close to one."
Carlisle let go of the child's wrists, and Esme's replaced his.
"GUENEVERE." Each word was emphasized by a gentle-but firm-shake. " Wake up! You are safe!"
Gwen shook her head and cried out.
" Wake UP!"
With a shudder and a slight moan, the red eyelids smoothed out and opened. The hazel eyes swam with tears before closing again.
She leaned over the side of the bed, and vomited.
Warm sunlight reached through the small window, and blanketed Gwen's sleeping face. This sleep seemed so peaceful compared with the horror that had occurred earlier.
Her small mouth was parted slightly against the sweet-smelling pillow. The bottom lip curved slightly when a lock of dark hair fell across her cheekbone. Her right hand moved up to itch the spot where it tickled her, and encountered the haze of sun.
Gwen had woken, but she waited a few minutes before opening her eyes fully. It had seemed that the longer she kept her eyes shut, the better her memory was. She had realized that this was ridiculous, and given up the prospect.
Directly in Gwen's line of vision, was Bella. She sat sipping something from an unusually long straw. Rosalie sat on the end of the bed casually. She flipped her hair when she saw that Gwen was watching her. So Gwen dropped her gaze and addressed Bella instead.
" Morning!"
" Good morning Gwen!"
There was a slight pause. The sentence hung in the air like it was missing something. Usually the phrase " good morning" is followed by something like, " how did you sleep?" or, " did you sleep well?" This alerted Guenevere that she had kept everyone up again.
" Uh oh, did I keep everybody awake again?"
Bella sighed, then stiffened slightly.
" Just a little. Do you remember what you dreamed?"
Guenevere chewed on her top lip thoughtfully.
" Nope, not really. Did Carlisle give you some new meds' or something?"
Mrs. Cullen looked up in surprise.
" Yes, you can tell?"
" Yeah! You are looking much better!"
And this was true; Bella Cullen was looking very much better. Her skin was looking less transparent, and she sipped on the straw forcefully. She was sitting up without the assistance of the bed, and most of her tubes were gone. Guenevere fingered the area where hers had been before. Most of them had been removed, but the bruising was still noticeable in purple splotches on her wrists.
" Breakfast." The quiet voice of Seth came through the door. Guenevere felt heat color her cheeks as he appeared at her bed. In her peripheral vision, she could see Bella try to hide her smile. What was so funny?
When he wasn't looking at her like she was a new species of octopus, he looked friendly.
His short black hair came down over his russet skin in a way that looked vaguely familiar. A smile always seemed to be ready to bloom. This face wasn't like everybody else's in the home. Sure, worry nagged on the ends of his mouth, but it looked like he loved life, and everyone in it.
He wasn't wearing a shirt; Gwen noticed with a start. She wondered if Jacob and Seth were brothers. Neither of them seemed to like being confined to…clothing.
Guenevere decided that enough was enough, and struck up a conversation with the kid.
" What's for breakfast?" She asked, and sat up happily. Her spine had improved over the last couple weeks, and Carlisle had given her a softer brace. Now it was easier-and less painful-to sit up in her bed.
Seth relaxed slightly at her warm disposition and set the tray down on the desk in front of her.
" Turkey!" She cried happily. " Thanks!"
Gwen noticed that her fork was on her nightstand, and she reached back to pick it up.
Ouch
Often these jabbing pains would come when she pulled too far, or too quickly. She was used to the constant ache though. Seth quickly strode over and grabbed it for her. He placed a very warm hand on Gwen's upper back to steady her.
" Thanks." She said gruffly, and moved her fingers to take the utensil. While she was doing this simple motion, the edges of their fingers touched.
Wow, he was hot!
Screaming
Something's teeth were on her femur.
Screaming
Fire!
Burning!
Screaming!
Gwen didn't move to take back the fork. In fact, she wasn't feeling hungry anymore. She folded her arms and directed herself in Bella's direction.
" Hey, what did I do?" He asked in alarm.
" Nothing."
" A funny look went across your face. Did you remember something?"
" No! Butt out!"
Seth looked at her like she had slapped him.
They both received a reality check when Rosalie got up in annoyance, and roughly (If you can call Rosalie rough.) picked up the tray.
Bella was pink when Rosalie placed the tray gently on her knees. Guenevere felt taps of guilt for not giving the pregnant lady first dibs.
" Thanks Rose." Bella mumbled, and then dug into the turkey.
" Sorry Bella." Gwen muttered. " And sorry Seth. I didn't mean to snap at you." She then realized how stupid she had been. How could she expect answers from them if she would not either?
" I just had a flashback. Something was really hot…" Gwen stopped. She looked down at her upper right leg with slight fear. Was she about to find…?
Before Rose could stop her, she yanked up the satiny fabric that served as pajama bottoms. Quickly she traced her fingers underneath her leg. She was slightly surprised to find the skin colder there. The burning had felt like it would last forever.
Her fingers froze when she felt indents in the flesh.
" Gwen…" Rosalie cautioned, and raised up her hands. " I can explain this."
" How? You told me I wasn't attacked! Something-or someone-bit me!"
" Gwen," Rosalie laughed " It's probably just an old scar! What makes you think you got it in Forks?"
" I don't even know how a person can get from Saint Simons Georgia to Forks Washington, and not remember any of it!"
By now Edward and Carlisle had entered. (Besides the stress of the situation, both of them seemed strangely hopeful. Perhaps it was Bella's improved condition.) Edward quickly picked up his wife, and carried her out. This irked Gwen greatly.
" Come on Gwen, you know why we can't tell you." Seth said, trying to be soothing. For some odd reason, Gwen felt like she couldn't trust him. She realized that she had trouble trusting any of the people in that room. Only Carlisle and Esme could come close to comforting her.
" Please Carlisle! Who attacked me in the woods?"
He walked over to her and placed his hand on hers. " Gwen." He murmured quietly. His touch was icy, but she had gotten used to it by now. Though, some strange instinct told her to pull her hand away.
" Tomorrow, I will answer two questions that you have. But I will only answer them in one sentence each. Do we have an agreement?" What kind of agreement was that?
Gwen silently grumbled, but nodded her head grudgingly. Carlisle's smile was contagious, and she found it difficult to hold back the natural grin on her lips. Slowly the corners of her mouth turned up.
" I was thinking that today I could transfer you to the wheelchair. Would you like that?"
This time she allowed a full-fledged grin spread from ear-to-ear. A wheelchair meant movement, movement meant exploring, and exploring meant answers.