Hi everyone, once again sorry I haven't been super active with updates lately.

I have a lot of personal reasons as to why I have been unable to post or even log on. Mainly family and work being too hectic as of late, and dealing with mental health on top of it is something I'm sure many of you can relate to (unfortunately). On top of all this, I also finished my first real novel. 150,000 words written in 6 months and currently in edits now, I've been quite the busy bee.

Recently however, I got an odd message from a user on here that told me if I don't have the dedication to post on here, then I should delete all my work. Which, first of all, I post on FFN because I love writing and sharing the stories I make. I love to hear from all of you who are passionate about these characters and arc, and it makes my day when I read the reviews you all leave behind. Overall, I've had a wonderful experience.

But seeing comments like those, treating my hobby and in a way, my self-care, as an inconvenience to them, is disheartening.

I will NOT be deleting anything, so no need to worry. I just wanted to get my thoughts out there.

Secondly, I do write even if I don't update. However, I'm not going to spew out chapters randomly without putting the effort to properly edit and revise each of them. This chapter below has actually been in the works for a few weeks, so I tried my best to edit it so I could be proud of it.

To those of you who are still supporting Beautiful Bella, and the rest of my stories, thank you and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

As always, thanks for reading x

Bella was running again.

The moon was high in the night sky as her bare feet crashed against the sandy beach. Her heart was bursting through her chest as she ran as fast as she could, trying to get away from the man that casually walked behind her.

He didn't run, didn't make a sound as he followed her across the beach that seemed to go on for miles on end. Crows soared across the sea, scattering blurs of black melding into the greying clouds. Fleeing from what was to come, as they always did.

Letting out a pained whimper, stumbling until she fell into the shallows on her hands and knees, Bella's heart was pounding in her ears. Sand turning into thick mud between her fingers as she stared wide eyed at her blurred reflection in the water.

"Bella...Isabella," the man's voice was as vivid as it had been the day she'd first dreamt him—seen him. The day he took everything and made her nothing. Bella knew she needed to run or she'd regret it, but...her legs weren't working. Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably even as she tried to hold perfectly still, as if doing so would dissuade the red-eyed demon from harming her. It wouldn't, it never did. Bella flinched as he spoke, sounding as though he were whispering in her ear this time, "You don't have to run from me. I just want to have some fun. Don't you want to play with me?"

"No..."

Cold hands gripped her face, forcing her to look up and stared at the man basked in shadows, making it impossible not to see anything other than those red, depthless irises.

Pain sliced through her shoulder in the same place it had before as his sharp nails dug into her shoulder, a feral growl rolling through him like a hungry beast searching desperately for his prey.

"Please..." Bella pleaded with him, tears rolling down her cheeks as he leaned closer and parted his lips. Tendrils of black smoke spilled between his teeth, trailing down his chest and swirling all around them. Engulfing the beach and her in nothing but drowning darkness.

"Stop!" Startling awake, Bella jolted up with a scream that was so loud it hurt her throat.

Strong arms caught her as she lunged forward, still screaming as she fought to escape the nightmares. Someone was holding her close, firm yet gentle as a large hand cupped the back of her head.

"Please stop..." She heard her hoarse voice call out as she tried to push the broad chest of the one who held her so carefully. As if she would break.

In a way, it felt like she was. Every time she had the same damn dream, a small part of her broke. Chipping away at her heart.

"Love, it's alright. You're okay," Bella froze, feeling the world finally come back into view at the mere sound of her older brother's voice.

"Ed...ward." She croaked.

She looked around the bedroom, her bedroom she reminded herself. The lamp on her desk in the corner was still on, the warm glow shining down on the opened notebooks and single picture frame on the small built-in shelf.

She focused on the picture as she gradually relaxed further into Edward's protective embrace. She remembered when they'd taken that picture the day the Cullens took her to see her first ever baseball game out on the field behind the house. The clouds had been grey and thunder rumbled in the distance, but none of them cared. Not when they could finally show Bella what they could do, and how freeing it was for all of them to finally be themselves with the youngest member of their family. It had meant the world to Bella too, to finally be a part of their lives in every way possible.

By some miracle, Esme had let her daughter stand beside her to call upon her siblings and Carlisle when they were considered out of the game.

It had been the most exciting thing she'd ever participated in, and the smile on her lips had lasted long after the game had ended.

When Emmett deemed himself the winner despite Bella clearly telling him otherwise, he'd hauled her over his shoulders and pretended she was his trophy.

That immediately drove the rest of her siblings to intervene: Rosalie trying to get Emmett to put her fragile girl down while Jasper reached out to take her like the protective older brother he was, always ready to catch her. Edward had been scowling and muttering something about losing and Alice laughed without a care in the world, amber eyes as bright as the sun.

They hadn't even realized Carlisle and Esme had been watching them from a distance until the flash of a camera went off, making them all turn like deer in headlights to find their parents smiling fondly.

It was her favorite picture, her smiling amidst the chaos her family always seemed to carry around with them.

A shiver ran down her spine as tears rolled down her cheeks. She sniffled, burrowing further into his chest in search for comfort.

Edward's hand rubbed her back as he rocked them back and forth. She hadn't realized when she'd done it, but her hands clutched the back of his shirt in a vice. As if every inch of her being refused to let him go.

"You okay?" Edward finally murmured.

Bella nodded, resting her chin atop his shoulder while she blinked the tears away, "Bad...dream."

"I know," he answered softly, "Do you want to talk about? Want me to call Jasper to come back early?"

She immediately shook her head, "No. It's okay. I'm okay now."

The last thing she wanted was to worry her family while they went out to hunt. It was bad enough that Edward insisted on staying to keep her company, merely because he felt it was his responsibility to watch over his little sister.

She was not that little. She was thirteen after all.

It was in times like these when Bella really wished she was one of them, if only to feel like less of a burned.

Bella leaned back, feeling incredibly drained and self conscious all at once despite just having woken up. Tucking a strand of hair away from her flushed face, she looked at Edward. He watched her closely, concern evident in the crease between his dark brows.

"I'm sorry..." she sighed as she scooted back though didn't let go of the hem of his shirt which seemed to amuse him as a ghost of a familiar crooked grin made its way across his full lips.

"Don't be, you have no control over it," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed. Edward ran a hand through his hair before admitting, "I just couldn't hear your screams anymore. It's...well, it's torture."

Bella shut her eyes, "Sorry."

"Again, don't apologize. I'm not saying it to make you feel bad, Bella. As your brother—as someone who cares for you—it's just difficult hearing you be tormented by things I'm incapable of protecting you from. Even Jasper can't do it all."

"Oh..." she answered though she still felt guilty for being the cause of discomfort to her family. She couldn't keep track how many times one of them came to her room to wake her after each nightmare. It happened so often Bella even started to fear sleeping.

Of course, her attempt to stay awake all hours of the night was quickly debunked by Jasper and Carlisle.

The downside of living with a bunch of vampires? They hear everything. Bella couldn't even think about that every time she went to the bathroom...so embarrassing.

With a sigh, she looked to the windows. The crescent moon was still high up in the sky she noted as she pulled her knees to her chest. She hesitated for a moment before admitting, practically whispering as she said, "It's always the same."

Edward shifted his gaze back to her, "What is?"

Tears stung the back of her eyes but she tried her best to get the words out.

Why is it so hard to talk about how I feel? I hate this.

"In my dream, it's always the same. I run and scream. I beg. I fight. I do...everything to get away just to see if anything changes. And it never does. It's always the same."

She felt the bed dip slightly as Edward turned to face her fully despite her grip still not loosening on his shirt. He took her hand in his and held it, granting her the support she didn't know she needed in order to find her words.

"What happens in your dreams, Bella?"

"He..." A tear rolls down her cheek again, "He always gets me. Renee and Charlie—they're always dead. I can't save them. He always gets me no matter what I do. And I'm...so scared, every time. I try not to be, I try to be strong and show him I'm not afraid. But..."

A sob escapes her despite her efforts to remain strong. What she didn't know was that Edward didn't need her to be strong. Again he pulled her to him and held her, "Shh, you're safe now. He can't ever get you, never. No one will let harm come to you, ever again. You hear me?"

She nodded, her heart feeling incredibly full with his kind words despite feeling like it couldn't be farther than the truth, "Yeah, I hear you. Love you, Edward."

"I love you too, Bells," Feeling the deep melodic chuckle reverberate from his chest, Bella sank back into a light sleep despite feeling like she could disappear at any moment.

Glaring down at her rather empty lunch tray, bleary eyed and hair a bit of a mess, Bella decided that today was going to be a bad one before it even started.

She practically had Esme carry her out of bed which was more than embarrassing but necessary. She ignored all the teasing remarks Emmett shot her way during breakfast and barely smiled at Jasper when he greeted her. Sensing her exhaustion, the empath merely sat beside her at the table and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

The school cafeteria was a bustling array of overly cheerful middle schoolers that chattered away, filling the large room with echoing voices everywhere she looked. What she wouldn't give to have the mp3 player Emmett gifted her on Christmas if only to drown out the noise with all of his—and her—favorite songs.

"What's got you so down?" Flynn's voice was a gentle welcome compared to the ear piercing shrieks of amusement coming from some table across the cafeteria.

"Tired," Bella sighed as she dropped a French fry back onto the tray, joining the rest of the soggy looking fries. She met her best friend's inquiring gaze, the stark brown shining brighter behind his glasses, "Didn't sleep well, I guess."

"Bad dream again?" He asked.

Right.

She told Flynn about her dreams a few days ago when she felt rather open to share such dark parts of her life with him. They'd been sitting on the back porch of her home, watching the lake while they ate the sandwiches Esme brought over once they finally grew tired of doing their homework.

Bella had managed to tell him the truth behind why she was adopted. Leaving out the obvious secret about her family and the vampires in the world.

Somehow she managed to unravel her deepest secrets to someone she knew after that day she could trust unconditionally.

Like always, Flynn never judged her. Not once. Merely listened to her every word. And when she started to cry, feeling overwhelmed and haunted by memories of her dead parents, Flynn's eyes shined with emotion. For her.

When he asked her if he could hug her, she didn't shy away. Instead she actually wrapped her arms around him and held on, needing more than ever to rely on someone. Someone who wasn't her family.

A hand landed over her own, bringing her out of her drowning thoughts. Looking up she met Flynn's eyes, she found a small smile on his lips.

"With me?" He asked softly.

Bella swallowed thickly, "Yeah I'm with you."

"Good, because I need you if I'm going to survive through this school year." Flynn tried to joke.

She smiled, "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Without you? Unlikely, I mean have you noticed you're the only person who probably knows my name, and we've gone to school with the same kids since we were tiny," he emphasized the tiny part by ruffling her hair which earned him a jab to the ribs. Flynn laughed wholeheartedly, making her bad mood somehow dissipate significantly.

"Speaking of, Emmett wants a rematch," she said as she rose from her seat when the bell rang announcing lunch was—thankfully—over. "You're invited for dinner if you think you can handle him."

Flynn smirked, throwing an arm over her shoulders as they made their way back to class, "Hell yeah I can."

"Agh come on!" Emmett's whine floated in from the living room, making Edward shake his head as he helped Esme gather the dishes.

Shaking his head, the bronze-haired boy said with mirth, "They've been glued to that tv since they got home from school."

Bella was already in the kitchen with their adoptive mother washing what was left of the dirty dishes, the former scraping uneaten food left by the not-so-human members of their family into the trash bin. Bella had come to understand very early on that while having Flynn over and posing as a normal family wasn't a hindrance on anyone, it was important to keep the true nature of things a secret from the boy.

Edward glanced at his sister, suddenly feeling guilt for condemning her to a life of hiding, because of them.

But...imagining a life without Bella? It was impossible, for all of them.

He only hoped a day wouldn't come where the girl grew tired of their way. That she wouldn't resent the Cullens for being vampires.

She won't, a voice seemed to say. Deep down, he knew it too. Bella wasn't like that, and he suspected she never would be one to judge those who had no control of their circumstances. Though, the fear was always there in the back of their minds he supposed. This wasn't merely Edward's fear however, it was also Rosalie's and Carlisle's. A common anxiety shared between all of them really. Jasper and Alice were better at keeping their thoughts locked up, but sometimes Edward did catch glimpses into their bubbling worry for the human girl.

"He's barely spent any time with me," Bella's muttering caught his attention, pulling him out of his thoughts. Placing the dishes into the sink, Edward arched a brow.

"Are you jealous of Emmett now?"

She shot him an incredulous glare, "Of course not."

"You could always go over there and tell Flynn you want him to only pay attention to you. That you're his only best friend in the whole world and the two of you can run along to let the real adults play," He teased, reaching a hand out and ruffled her hair, noting the way her cheeks were pink. Not unusual given Bella blushed at everything, but...her heart seemed to be beating a little too fast. What could she be thinking? He often wondered.

Bella pushed his hand away with a grin, "Shut up."

Edward chuckled, turning and excusing himself when Esme insisted they were more than capable of taking care of the rest.

Heading into the living room to join the others, Edward sat beside his father who seemed to be reading a few studies he'd brought with him from work. The small smile on his lips told Edward his father was listening to the bickering between Emmett and the boy who'd also, somehow, become a member of their family.

Funny thing that. How easily humans can sink their very souls into the hearts of those that no longer have them.

Rosalie and Alice were busying themselves on the L-shaped couch, deciding which fashion show to attend during their break from school. Based on the pixie's thoughts, he knew she would stop at nothing to convince Bella to go. Even though the latter had been quite adamant that she didn't want anything to do with boring shows where all she could do was watch models walk around. Her words, not his.

"Bella? Sweetheart, are you alright?" Esme's voice cut through Emmett and Flynn goading each other seconds into getting started on another round.

Sensing the worry in Esme's voice, Edward and Carlisle both rose while the others grew significantly still, alert. The two Cullens made their way back to the kitchen as they listened to Esme call on Bella again.

"I don't...I-I don't feel good," Bella murmured faintly, distractedly.

Edward strode in, the first to see Esme reach out to Bella who had somehow moved to sit on one of the stools by the island. A cloth in one hand and a glass in the other.

She was staring ahead, eyes flickering as her breathing increased. Heart rate...alarmingly fast.

Carlisle hurried to her side, a hand on her back. Esme watched anxiously, glancing at Edward with the shake of her head, unsure what to do.

"Bella?" Carlisle said her name when Bella seemed to look ahead, dazed yet breathing heavily.

It all happened so fast.

Suddenly, Jasper was in the room looking alarmed and...terrified in a way that Edward hadn't seen him look since—

Bella swayed, her body tipping back. Had it not been for Carlisle, she would have fallen along with the stool.

Loosing her grip on the glass, Edward watched as it fell and shattered at Carlisle's feet. Jasper hurried to Bella, placing a hand on her cheek as Bella convulsed, "It's okay, darlin'. We're here. We got you." Bella's voice caught with what sounded like a gasp and her eyes fluttered closed. Her body began to convulse harder this time and the world seemed to come to a halting stop.

Carlisle was quick, picking her up and laying her down on the floor. Jasper moved the stools out of the way as Bella's first seizure in years took over.

The sounds that escaped from Bella's lips left a sinking feeling in Edward's chest, not quite pained but definitely strained and uncomfortable. Carlisle and Jasper rolled her onto her side and talked her through it, every step of the way.

"What's happening? Bella? Is she okay?" Flynn's frightened voice made Edward glance away from his sister. From the way she seemed to curl into herself.

Flynn stood beside Emmett who had a grim expression, the latter's hand on his shoulder the only thing keeping the boy from going to his best friend.

"Flynn, why don't you call your mom to pick you up?" Edward asked as he pulled out his phone and dialed for 9-1-1, hearing his father's anxious request as Bella's seizure continued.

This had to be the worst one yet.

"I'll take him," Emmett offered.

Flynn, too stunned and staring wide-eyed at Bella, didn't move until Emmett gently ushered him out of the kitchen. Leaving the rest with Bella and hoping that soon, the worst would be over.