Heidi & Bella - Part 6 (Dark Past)

Bella's trapped in a small and lone island, in the middle of an endless ocean, and Heidi is too late to save her. Her arms flail around in helplessness until they become sore - they wilt to her side. There are movements on her lips but with the absence of her voice, no one could hear her cry for help. And all Heidi could do now is to watch her from afar.

Too much of a stranger to be her saviour, and yet so much to lose if she were to turn the other way.

The last time she felt like this was the day Volturi killed her coven mates. It invoked this monstrous pain that was suppressed and made forgotten centuries ago. There's a violent war waging inside of her hollow chest and she could do nothing but to feel the pools of venom in her eyes, unable to shed. For the first time in a long time, her lips tremble and she has to turn her head away so as to not expose herself to open an old wound.

What started off as Bella sharing her life story had turned into a sob of mess for the human. The jet had landed, Alice, the other passenger, disembarked with mutters of apologies. Heidi had asked everyone to leave them be momentarily. Her mate deserves that much privacy.

No one had told her being mated to a person creates this connection between them. What one person feels, would also be felt by the other. It is worse for Heidi as she feels two separate emotions - Bella's and hers. For herself, it is a mix of rage, helplessness, and heartbreak. On Bella's, she could feel the sorrow, hopelessness, and betrayal. Combined altogether, it makes her one of the most lethal vampires there is. She would love nothing more than to rip the heads of every Cullen involved and all those who have hurt her Bella. But she knows it won't stop there.

It's fire - she wishes to burn the world as in the same way it made her mate suffer.

But she wills herself not to. Not because she is unable to do any of those things or fear the repercussions. It is simply because it wouldn't have been what Bella wanted. So she remains glued to her seat, right next to her mate, seething.

Silence engulfs Bella. Only the private jet's engine is still fired up and the aircon is turned on. There's no clear reasoning as to how the tears fell or how the floodgate opened. It just happened. And she couldn't find it in her as to why yet again, she has complete faith in Heidi; the vampire she had just met. The same vampire who orchestrates elaborate ploys to bring human victims to Volterra.

"Would you care for another trip?" Heidi offered, breaking the silence.

Bella wipes away the tears using the handkerchief Heidi provided.

"My dad will be worried," she reluctantly admitted. Truth be told, she's nowhere ready to be back home just yet, not with swollen eyes. But Charlie will lose his mind if she's not home.

"Resourcefulness is one of my many skills. So say the word, and I'll buy us some more time. Besides, I owe you another secret."

That makes Bella snort in laughter, which she is quick to cover up. Heidi's first secret still caught her off guard and it makes for a humorous moment. "Please spare me the details of your anatomy, as interesting it may be."

Relief floods Heidi seeing the light glimmering on her mate's face.

"No, dear. You've bared your soul to me, it is only fair that I do the same."

The air is thick with anticipation. Alice is no longer on board with them and this seems too much of a risk for Bella. But there's a gnawing voice inside of her that tells her she would regret walking away from this offer. So how could she possibly refuse?

"Let's do it."

A beaming smile appears on Heidi's face, almost blinding Bella. It surprises her because for the first time today, it reaches those ruby eyes, giving a glimpse of the happiness within. Heidi calls out to the crew and gives another order. After all is clear, the plane takes off the runway again and Heidi makes a phone call to one Alice Cullen, who is ordered to placate Bella's worried father.

"Fair warning, it's not a happy story," Heidi started once they were at the same level of the white clouds.

Unconsciously, Bella leans forward and rests her face on her palm, her head slightly tilted. Heidi has to fight the urge from allowing her fingers to travel outwards and caress her mate's face. She looks so soft, she thought. She would give anything to be able to touch her mate. But today is not the day. Now is the moment for her to take the first step in earning Bella's trust.

"After my parents tragically died in a fire, I was responsible for my little brother. On the contrary to my current profession, I became a maid and looked after children. Even then, the wage was low but we didn't need much. We were very happy. He loved playing in the woods so we always had our adventures there together."

Heidi's eyes have that radiant glow and it lures Bella in further.

"Even as a human, I was beautiful," she winked at Bella, earning a hard blush. "I was sought after by men of all classes. Hilda saw this too and offered me the chance of enormous strength and immortality. I took it upon realising there was so much evil in this world that could prey on my brother's innocence and take away his life."

Bella witnesses another round of first for this vampire - her lips turn downwards and her voice becomes softer and more subdued. It paints for the perfect sombre atmosphere.

"Being a newborn, it's nearly impossible to control your bloodlust and I almost killed my brother when he accidentally cut himself. I still remember the fearful look in his eyes and the tears that came after. For his safety, I had to leave him behind with a couple I knew would be his perfect parents. So one afternoon when he slept, I gave him one last kiss as I cradled him in my arms, and left him in a loving home."

In all of her imaginations, Bella couldn't have expected to hear such a vulnerable story from her. Ever since their first interaction, confidence oozed out of Heidi. She walked as if she's got the world in her palm and nothing could ever touch her. But now, at this moment, she looks broken and full of sorrow.

It touches a sensitive topic though; Edward leaving after Bella got that papercut. Her life drastically changed afterwards. She had questions for Heidi, but more questions for the Cullens. At first she wanted to be mad at her, mad at the similarities of her own abandonment story. But there's a few facts that kept her anger at bay. One - Heidi and Hilda weren't vegetarian vampires who had training controlling their bloodlust. Two - Bella wasn't some toddler that needed protection like Heidi's brother. Three - Heidi's brother was a toddler who may not even remember being abandoned by the only family he had.

"Did you ever visit him?" Bella asked, trying to divert the anger she felt inside.

Heidi's lips gently curve upwards, forming a delicate smile that seems to carry the weight of unspoken sadness. "In the beginning, I couldn't watch and protect him so Hilda helped me do it, but from a safe distance. After my control improved, I wanted to stay, but it was much too dangerous. Our presence could alert other vampires. We had to move."

Heidi moves to open a second bottle of water and encourages Bella to drink, "Your lips will be dry."

"I'm good, thank you."

"If you don't drink, I'm sure I can find other alternatives to keep your lips moist," Heidi licked her lips teasingly.

"Okay, okay," Bella relented but took a small sip of water.

Once it passes down her throat, she realises how thirsty she's been. And she wonders how Heidi knows. But then again, all vampires have super senses. Her body must have given away some clues.

"Do you think he remembered you?"

"I did break my promise to Hilda; I went to see him twice. On his wedding day and on his deathbed. I couldn't let him leave this world without a proper farewell."

Something strikes Bella inside. She is imagining the day when she has to leave her loved ones; the day she will be turned. Bella couldn't picture it without having that ache in her chest, missing much of Charlie and Renee's life. She had always thought she would grow old with her parents but now, being here, listening to Heidi's story, she knows her farewell will come much sooner than expected.

What she really wanted to know was if she were to visit Renee and Charlie on their deathbed, would they remember her? And yet somehow, Heidi understands her. Her gaze on Bella softens.

"In the final moment before he drew his last breath, I think he did. His hand was cold, a temperature almost close to mine, but he grasped it and thanked me for being his guardian angel."

Heidi mimics her brother's last gesture but with Bella's hand. She doesn't resist, only merely staring down at their joined hands in her lap. A lightbulb comes to her head.

"Is that why you need to protect me? Because I resemble your brother?"

Here comes the half-truth.

"Something along the line, yes."

Heidi couldn't be with her brother in the end, and so she just remained from afar and watched over him. But she couldn't and wouldn't do the same to her mate. She vowed to be by Bella's side and love her fiercely, as she so much deserves. She has been looking forward to summer all along and it has finally arrived. There's no joy or purpose to continue living the immortal life without Bella by her side.

Now she understands why Aro and Caius had been so manipulative of their mate. Like those selfish rulers, Heidi will never allow Didyme's unfortunate fate to befall Bella.

A/N: Thoughts anyone?