Chapter 8:

"I killed him."

Bella slept peacefully in her bed, the combination of alcohol and Jasper's gift kept her under. She stayed asleep when Edward put her to bed and continued to do so when he brushed his fingers through her hair.

Alice and Jasper cleaned up the mess from her cast and tidied the rest of the house for good measure before taking the car home. Jasper had patched the back door using tools and supplies Charlie had stashed in the garage, thankfully the door was intact. Edward didn't feel any embarrassment due to the revelations Bella bestowed upon them.

Edward was far from idle while Bella slumbered. Edward's impeccable memory kept Riley Tanner's face at the forefront while he watched over Bella. It was sometime after his siblings had gone when Edward turned on Bella's ancient computer to research Mr. Tanner.

"I killed him."

It took only a few moments for the search engine to pull up several news articles about Riley.

The first and most recent on the list was about the memorial his family was hosting for the one year anniversary of his death. It was accompanied by the same photos they had put on the invitation.

The following articles were from the year prior. Edward opened the first article about the accident.

Deadly crash in Phoenix caused by impaired driver

According to Phoenix police, officers were called around 10:30 on Saturday night about a two car collision near Thunderbird Road. They arrived to find one dead at the scene and another driver seriously injured.

Detectives later learned that the deceased was local high school senior Riley Tanner, 18, who had been under the influence at the time of his death. The driver of the other vehicle identified as Renee Swan, was rushed to the hospital and is in critical condition.

No other information has been released at this time.

The photo that accompanied the article showed two vehicles. A white sedan was flipped onto its roof and the front end was smashed in. A dark blue SUV showed damage to the front and driver's side, the airbags had been deployed and were hanging out of the open window. Glass and pieces of metal and plastic littered the road.

Bella wasn't mentioned in that article or the following three that Edward read about that night. Her mother however was brought up as being both in critical and stable condition with several different injuries.

One of the news stories linked to the high school both Bella and Riley attended. There Edward found more information on Riley.

He left behind a father and younger sister Bree, who is Bella's age. He was a senior the year he died. Captain of the baseball team. Historian for the student council. Nominated for Homecoming King. Posthumously crowned Prom King later in the year. He had wanted to attend Arizona State University for their engineering program.

On paper Riley sounded like any other kid with aspirations of the future. His photos and the stories shared on the memorial website showed a happy and active student with many friends. Including Bella. There were photos of Bella with Riley and sister. Some of them were a few years old. Bella's hair was shorter and her face was still slightly round from childhood. Her smiles in these photos were more genuine than Edward had ever seen her give and the happiness was practically glowing.

"He was my friend and I killed him."

Bella said she had killed him. There had been no dishonesty in her confession, but Edward had difficulty labeling her as a murderer. There was nothing in any article that alluded to foul play nor was there even any mention of Bella in regards to the accident.

Bella shifted around in her bed behind him. Edward cast a quick glance at her before deleting the search history and closing down her computer. There were still a few hours before her father was due home and Edward didn't want to leave her here alone. A soft buzzing emanated from Edward's pocket and he didn't even bother glancing at the caller before answering.

"Edward, you should come home. She will be fine."

"Can you see that Alice or are you just saying that to comfort me?" Edward said softly into the phone, not taking his eyes off the slumbering girl next to him.

"I can see flickers of tomorrow, but I can't narrow anything down because you won't stop changing your mind." There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. "Just come home and decide what you're going to do."

"I need to know what she meant. I have to talk to her."

"I'm sure she will tell you everything you want to know when she wakes up with a hangover and you hovering over her like a creep." Alice said sarcastically. "Come home, change your clothes, go hunting, and wait for a decent hour before pouncing on her."

Edward did see where his earnestness could be misconstrued and everything was based on how much Bella would remember from the night before. What if she remembered nothing at all and the entire night was blank? Then finding Edward hanging about in her room would quite possibly freak her out. He could leave her for a few hours and make a plan to win her trust. She had survived seventeen years without his safeguard and perhaps he was a touch overprotective.

"Perfect! I can see everything clearing up now. I'll see you home in a bit." Alice didn't even bother waiting for his response before she hung up on him. Edward supposed that after decades of dealing with her that he should be used to her antics, but guessed that Alice thrived to irritate him.

Edward walked downstairs to the kitchen in the dark to fill a glass with water, stopping on the way back to the medicine cabinet to pilfer a couple of pain pills. He set them on the bedside table where Bella would likely find them in the morning. Edward grabbed a paper from Bella's desk and drafted a note to her.

Bella,

I'm not sure what state you will be in when you wake, I would like to speak with you today.

If you are up for it, I will be there at noon to pick you up.

Edward

Edward allowed himself to brush the stray hairs back away from Bella's face before softly pressing his lips into her hairline. It felt both so wrong and so right. It was wrong of him to take these liberties while Bella was unable to express her feelings, but the feeling of wholeness that encompassed Edward overshadowed the questionable morality.

With one last glance Edward pushed himself out the window and gently closed it before he dropped down to the ground. There was no one around or awake enough to see him, but Edward slinked quickly into the forest anyway.

Edward took the long way through the trees to reach their house, running almost lazily. He took down a deer that came across his path, but didn't actively hunt. His mind was running through all of the possible scenarios that would make sweet and shy Bella Swan a murderer. Passing through the border of their property Edward felt Emmett and Rose along the outskirts of the forest. He gave them a wide berth and continued on to the house.

Alice and Jasper weren't home, but Edward could tell that they had already relayed everything that had happened last night to Carlisle and Esme. Esme was distracting herself with carpet and tile samples for a new house while Carlisle was in his office.

Edward, a moment please.

Edward flashed up the stairs in mere seconds, appearing at the door to Carlisle's office. Carlisle propped his elbows up onto his desk as he leaned forward.

"I've been thinking a lot about Bella." Carlisle began, his mind flashing with images of Alice and Jasper's conversation and the memory of Rosalie's attitude when she returned home.

Edward bristled, although he knew that Carlilse would never allow any harm to come to Bella from their family he also knew that it would probably be in Bella's best interest if they stayed away. If all of the Cullens would stay away, even Edward. Would Carlisle forbid Edward from seeing her? Would that stop him?

Thankfully though Carlisle's thoughts followed a different direction almost immediately. Almost as if Carlisle had sensed Edward's apprehension and tried to ease it.

Do you remember Siobhan? Carlisle thought, bringing forth the memory of a large Irish woman with high cheekbones and hair almost as brilliantly red as her eyes.

Edward had met her once before, during his newborn year somewhere in the Appalachian mountains. He remembered meeting Siobhan, her mate Liam, and their youngest member Maggie. The memory, although more than fifty years old, was still as crystal clear as if he had only seen them that morning.

"What do Siobhan and Bella have to do with one another?" Edward sat himself in the armchair across from his father.

"I was thinking that their gifts are similar. Siobhan would deny having a gift at all if you asked, but she seems to have a subtle influence on events. As if things just seem to go in the direction she had hoped." Carlisle tapped his long fingers against the desk. "Bella's gift is more than just a touch influence, it's direct and changing."

"Her influence over my thirst is fading." Edward said, keeping his eyes on his fathers face. "I'm not sure how long before it reverts back to the original intensity. I'm hoping that continued exposure could lessen it."

I wonder if we could run some tests on her powers. To see if everything she changes will fade over time or if it is only specific influences that fluctuate.

Carlisle's thoughts switched back and forth between wanting to give Bella the privacy she deserved and his scientific curiosity.

"I plan on seeing her today, perhaps I could inquire for you if she would be up to show you how her gift works?" Edward said, pulling Carlisle from his thoughts.

"Yes, indeed that would be excellent." Carlisle smiled at Edward. "What will you two be doing today?"

"I haven't quite decided yet. I might take her to my meadow." The thought of sharing his secret space with her was quickly solidifying into a plan. It was quiet and quite far from any of the paths hikers would use. The chance of them being interrupted was astronomical. It would be a safe space for her to speak and share any uncertainties with Edward.

"Edward, you should pack her a picnic." Esme's lyrical voice came through from across the hall. "It would be lovely. We still have everything I bought from the store, it would be a shame for it to go to waste."

"Thank you, Esme. That's a brilliant idea." Edward responded. With a nod to Carlisle, Edward rushed out into the kitchen.

Edward pulled open the fridge and scanned through the items stored there. It was only at that point that Edward realized with certainty that he didn't know how to put any of this together into something edible for a human. Whenever they had to portray their human facade they had always used premade store bought food items that merely required unpackaging. Most of these items weren't even available when Edward was human enough to enjoy them.

"Esme, do you think you could lend me a hand?" Edward called out. Within a moment Esme was beside him smiling sweetly.

"My Edward, so flustered over a girl." She said teasingly as she pulled some items from the fridge. "Here, cut these up." Esme passed Edward two apples as well as a cutting board and a knife.

Edward cut the fruit into small uniform pieces while keeping an eye on what Esme was doing. She was layering sliced meats and cheeses over bread slathered with a sauce. Esme had been enthralled with the food network since Edward had begun speaking about Bella. She was ever hopeful that Bella would come over one day and wanted to welcome her in every way. It was endearing that Esme already loved Bella even without meeting her.

Edward watched as his mother packaged the fruit and sandwich into plastic containers. She loaded them into a wicker basket she had acquired from somewhere along with bottles of lemonade and water. A few other brightly colored packages went into the basket with napkins before Esme handed it over with a smile.

"Thank you Esme." Edward leaned down and pecked a kiss onto Esme's cheek. "I don't know where I would be without you."

"Just do me a favor and bring her home to meet me." Esme squeezed Edward's arm and ushered him out of the kitchen.

Edward left the basket by the front door while he rushed upstairs to change. Within moments he was seated in his Volvo and backing out of the garage.

He was both nervous and excited to see Bella. She never did what he expected and there were so many unanswered mysteries that surrounded her. Edward pulled up the curb in front of her house right behind the parked police cruiser that her father drove.

Edward could hear Bella pacing anxiously in her house and he suppressed a smile as he walked up to the door. Edward rapped his knuckles on the door carefully to avoid punching them through the flimsy wood. The door opened a second later as if Bella had been standing right behind it expectantly. Her heartbeat was racing from nerves probably.

Bella looked up at him with her wide brown eyes, her face flushing prettily. Her hair was damp and drying in heavy waves across her shoulders. The dark green long sleeved shirt she wore complimented her coloring and hugged her torso. Edward was tempted to take in her entire appearance, but propriety said his gaze shouldn't wander from her face.

"Good Afternoon Bella. How are you feeling?" Edward anticipated that after the events of last night that she would have been feeling quite the hangover, but she didn't present with any apparent symptoms.

"I'm fine… How are you?" Bella responded awkwardly.

"I'm quite well." Edward gestured towards his car, eager to get to their destination and for Bella to answer all of his questions. "Are you ready to go?"

"Uh…well I think…" Bella stammered and cleared her throat. "I understand if you don't want to be around me anymore. If you don't want to be friends with me or to talk to me."

Edward stiffened. Had Bella spent this whole morning worrying about his reaction? Perhaps she had been more aware of the previous night than he had thought. Edward felt himself leaning in to her.

"Bella, I just want to be very clear with you. I don't want to be friends with you, I want to be more." Bella's heart skipped a beat when he held out his hand to her. "I want to take you someplace, do you trust me?"

As much as Edward wanted Bella to trust him, he knew she shouldn't. She shouldn't trust her wellbeing in the hands of a monster like him no matter how much Edward craved her presence in his life.

Bella glanced down at his outstretched hand and then back at his face. Edward knew that there was no going back for him. Bella had completely and irrevocably changed the path of his future. This was the turning point, the culmination of Edward's actions would decide their fate.

Even if she denied him now, he would become a shadow in her life keeping her safe and keeping watch over her from a distance.

Bella's tongue darted out to wet her lips and Edward froze. He was staring so intently at that small pink appendage that he barely registered the rest of Bella's movement as she placed her small warm hand in his. Edward flashed her a smile and tugged at her gently.

Bella stumbled over the step and Edward caught her arm, holding her closer. The smell of freesia warmed in sunshine surrounded him as a blush rose over her cheeks. Heat and thirst erupted in Edward's throat, but he swallowed that feeling.

"Are you alright?"

"Uh.. Yeah. Where are we going?" Bella asked.

Edward didn't answer right away, instead choosing to open the car door and urge her inside. Once she was seated he walked just a bit faster than necessary to get himself into the car, but no one was around to see him. It wasn't until Edward pulled the car away from the curb that he replied.

"I'm taking you to my favorite place." Edward thought about the meadow and how it would still be beautiful at this time of year. He was hopeful that he would have the chance to take Bella there when the flowers were in full bloom at the end of spring.

They drove in silence or rather they drove without speaking. The car was filled with the beat of Bella's heart and the steady breaths she took. Edward was lulled by the pleasant sounds that told him that Bella was alive and well.

Edward pulled his car off to the side of the road when the pavement ended. He had to suppress a laugh as he opened her door. Bella's brows furrowed and a v appeared between them with her confused look.

"What are we doing out here?" Bella asked, turning to look at him.

"We have to take the trail." Edward pointed off into the direction where deer had worn a path through the forest. It didn't quite lead to the meadow, but after a half mile they would branch out into the right direction.

"A trail?" Her voice squeaked. "We're hiking?"

Is she regretting her decision to come with me?

Edward quickly grabbed the basket Esme put together from the backseat and held it aloft like a peace offering.

"I thought we could have a picnic."

"In the middle of the woods?" Bella questioned.

"There's a meadow that I am quite fond of. Do you want to turn back now?"

Please say no.

Bella merely glared out into the woods, squared her shoulders, and began marching through the trees. She managed a few steps before tripping over a root. Edward caught sight of her face in time to see it flame red with embarrassment. He stepped around her quickly and grabbed her hand as he did, leading the way through the brush.

They walked without speaking for a time, the only sounds were Bella's feet crunching through the leaves and her sharp breaths. Several times Edward had been tempted to start a conversation with her, but couldn't decide how to begin. In the end Edward left her to her thoughts and simply continued to grasp her hand in his.

By the time they had reached the meadow Edward was anxious to hear her story. He stopped at the edge and let go of her hand to pull the branches out of the way so her view would be unobstructed. He heard Bella gasp and watched her walk into his sanctuary. He marveled over the awe in her eyes as she turned in a circle to take in the whole space.

Bella turned to him and he was struck by how perfect she was. "Edward, it's beautiful."

Yes, you are.

Bella reached her hand out expectantly. She wanted to pull him out of the shadows, out of the darkness. With the skies still so overcast Edward allowed her to take his hand once more. He joined her in the meadow and watched her lead him out into the center.

Edward could hear the change in Bella's heartbeat. It was racing. Anxiety and stress winding their way through her as she prepared to share her biggest secrets.

"I don't know where to start." Bella's voice was soft, almost too soft even for a vampire to hear.

"Bella, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to." Edward replied, tucking a lock of hair behind Bella's ear. The offending lock had been obscuring her features from him.

Bella sighed and shook her head. "I have to tell you."

"Start with your parents. You told me they don't know. How have you kept it to yourself for so long?" Edward inquired.

Bella smiled softly and plucked some grasses from the ground, twisting them into pieces with her thin fingers.

"Well, my parents always knew I was special, they just didn't know how much. They always called me their lucky girl.

I'm not sure when this all started, if I was born this way or if it changed at some point. I didn't even realize that it was me changing things until later. Until then I was just lucky. It was nothing very serious, just that I would get good grades whenever I was worried about them or I wouldn't get hurt when I fell.

It wasn't until we moved in next to Bree and Riley that I figured it out. I had never really made any friends growing up. Mom moved us around a lot when I was younger and so I never stayed anywhere long enough. Bree became my best friend practically overnight. She didn't take no for an answer." Bella laughed, her eyes filled with tears.

"When I was thirteen Bree tried to climb this huge tree at the park just to prove that she could. She made it almost to the top when she slipped. I watched her hang by her fingers and I just remember yelling at her not to fall. The next thing I know, she's standing next to me at the bottom of the tree.

From that moment on Bree was convinced that I had super powers and tried to learn everything she could about them. She read dozens of comic books and read me the whole 'with great power comes great responsibility' speech. Bree was scared that the government would take me and run experiments on me if anyone else found out so we made a pact not to tell our parents. I know that my parents would never let anything happen to me, but I still had nightmares for years."

Edward could envision a young Bella discovering her powers in a selfless manner. Unknowingly using them to save her best friend from harm.

"Everything was fine or at least as normal as it could be." Bella took a deep breath before she continued. "Until last year…last year my Mom was taking me to a party. Bree couldn't go, she was sick, but she wanted me to go anyway. She told my Mom all about it and persuaded her to take me. On the way there though…" Bella's voice cracked and the scent of tears overpowered everything else as they fell.

Edward was torn between wanting to comfort Bella and from wanting her to continue. He of course knew that she was talking about her mother's car accident. The accident that took Bree's brother.

Bella choked on a sob and leaned forward into her knees. Edward's hands hovered over her form as her voice echoed through his head.

You need to see what happened that night.

One moment Edward was with Bella in the meadow and in the next they were gone.