The Awakening: Twilight Fan Fiction

8/8/2019 The Awakening: Twilight Fan Fiction

1/40

Twilight Fan FictionThe AwakeningJessica Schwab

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight! All characters that a are mentioned in this areproperty of Stephenie Meyer (except maybe one or two)!

Basic Overview: Bella Swan of Forks Washington is graduating from high school.Edward had planned on being there with her, Charlie was inviting Renee, and,Phil, of course. But on the day of graduation, Edward mysteriously goes missing.She has checked with all of the Cullens, but no one has seen a trace of himsince at least the day before. Jacob is relieved, but Bella and the rest of theCullens are devastated. Where is Edward? And who is to say that Victoria isback?

Contents1. Beautiful Dreamer

2. Day With A Werewolf3. The Disappearance4. Devastation5. Alice's Warning(There are more chapters to come)!

Beautiful DreamerIt all started like this . . .I woke up on a beautiful spring morning. The sun was streaming in through thetinted glass of my window. Friday, I thought. If today goes by smoothly, then Ihave nothing to worry about all weekend.I hop out of bed and stretch my body. Today was not like most days. Everyother day this week, I haven't gotten any sleep and I was so out of is. It

seemed that God had to cause me grief at some point. Why not start now? Iglanced at the alarm clock. Six-thirty. "This is good," I whispered under mybreath.Pacing myself to the door, I grab hold of the door knob, give it a goodtwist, and it opens without strain. I swung it open. A hand reaches out to myhead and fluffs through my hair."Good morning, Bella. Sleep well?" Charlie stands in the doorway and runshis fingers through my thin hair. I make a noise somewhere between a laugh and asnort."Yes, Cha . . . Dad," I scoot out of his way, "Can I please have my hairback?"

"Oh," he lets go of it almost immediately. "Sorry. Forgot about that."I smile. "It's all right, dad. Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm going to getready for school now.""Of course. Go ahead." I smile as he points his index finger to thebathroom door. He walks downstairs with a smirk on his face. I frown.As I open the door to the bathroom, I am startled by a pale hand reachingup to my face."Good morning, Bella," Edward steps forward and pecks my cheek."Hey! You have to stop that?""Stop what?""Appearing out of thin air.""Shut up.""What are you doing here?"

"Well, I wasn't going to wait forever for you to wake up, was I?"I giggle. "There's two problems with that. One: you don't sleep. And two:you can wait forever. You have forever, actually. So what is the deal here?"


2/40

"I never said there was a deal."I laugh. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to take a quick shower. Youcan leave now," I crouch down and retrieve a towel from underneath the sink."Do you need a human moment?""Yes please," I shut the door in his face."Okay. I'll be downstairs. I'll see you down there when you're done.""Okay."

I set the towel onto the toilet and turn on the shower. I am out andwrapped in that towel within ten minutes. I walk to my room and throw on mygarments, jeans, undershirt, a t-shirt, a pair of white ankle-length socks, andblack converse. Grabbing my red bag, I swing it on my back and throw open mybedroom door."Bella? You up there? You're going to be late for school if you don't comedown now!" I hear Charlie outburst from the kitchen."I'm coming!" I race down the stairs, tripping over my own feet. I slidedown on my back and finally stop at the foot of the stairs, landing flat on mybutt."Ow," I sit up."Next time, don't run," Charlie shouts to me.

"Yeah, yeah."I regain my balance once again and make my way to the kitchen. Edward has aglass of water in his hand."How'd you sleep?" Charlie spoke first.I grab a glass of water and swallow it down before I respond. "Fine.""Guess what next month is?" Edward keeps a straight face."What?" I ask. Edward gives me a look that triggers my memory."Oh, shoot. Please don't remind me about that.""About what?" Charlie asks, puzzled."Graduation," I mutter under my breath."Pardon?""Graduation," I say out loud."Oh! Gosh, how could I have forgotten about that?" Charlie gasps.

"I know. Please don't bring it up right now, dad. Edward, you ready?""Yes. You?""Ready as ever. Bye, dad!" I call as I sprint toward the door."Bella! Aren't you going to eat?" Charlie bellows."I'm not hungry! Bye!" I slam the door. He snorts."Kids these days," Charlie takes a sip of his tea.

Edward and I arrive at school in record time. I climb out of my Chevy whileEdward remains in his Volvo."Edward? What is it?" I tap on his shoulder. His face is like stone."Jacob is coming. I can smell him", he ducks in the car. I shrug. I hearhim whisper "I can smell him.""You can smell him?" I ask. Too late. Edward has hidden from sight and Iget a strong whiff of a wet dog as Jacob paces over to Edward's Volvo."Good morning, Bella. Sleep well?" he places a single hand on top of hisVolvo. I can hear a growl start to grow in the back of Edward's throat. Jacobpays no attention."Where's your little vampire boyfriend?" Jacob snorts. I shrug."He's probably all ready inside. You know Edward. Always wanting to be ontime. Except for when he's ditching. Then his vital purpose is to not even showup," I studder. Jacob gives me a look."Man, you are so bad at lying, Bella", Jacob sticks his hand into Edward'sVolvo and thunks him on the head."Hey, watch where you point those stubby paws of yours," Edward jumped upand growled.

"Why you little-""Little? Who are you calling little!" Jacob jumps on top of Edward."Guys! Now is not the time for fighting! The last thing we want happening


3/40

is getting suspended, or worse, expelled, right before graduation. So go on,Jacob. Go back on Reservation. School is starting soon. Go on," I shove Jacobplayfully in another direction and pull Edward out of his Volvo. Jacob snarlsunder his breath as he storms off. I give Edward a disgusting look."Edward! Snap out of it! Do you seriously want to get expelled just beforegraduation?"He shrugs. "I don't know. Honestly, it wouldn't matter much. Don't you know

that I've already graduated? Several times, in fact," he laughs silently."All right, that's a good one. But seriously!" I snap back into attention."You need to shape up! I don't care if you have already done this, numeroustimes, in fact, I haven't. So don't ruin this for me! Go! Go!" I push him towardthe door of our first class. He shrugs and files in the door.

Gym is a drag. Volleyball . . . Yuck. I've never been any good atvolleyball. I can still vaguely remember my first day at school in Forks. Theday I met Mike . . .I stared across the gym and waited for the ball to come hurling toward myface before I noticed Mike. He was in a ready position, feet at shoulder-length

apart, hands clasped together in front of his torso, his face calm and composed.He didn't notice me until I looked away."Hey! Bella!" he calls. I turn and face him."Mike! Hi!" I scoot out of the way of the ball and pace towards him."Hey! How've you been?" Mike ruffles his hair with his hand. I smilereluctantly."Um . . . I've been fine. How have you been putting up with life withoutme?" I giggle."Excuse me?" Mike misheard me."I asked how you are putting up with life without me."Mike sighed. "Oh, that? No, I'm fine. Someday, Cullen will turn and realizehow insignificant you are to him. Then you will come crawling back to me", he

laughs to himself. An uncomprehending look crosses my face."We'll just see about that.""You should probably get back to your game. Your team will be needing yousoon. I'll . . . see you later?""Yep. See you", I turn and return to my game. I turn just in time to bepelted by the volleyball. It knocks me flat on my face."Had a nice conversation with Newton, Bella? Haha!" I hear a chant fromacross the room. I hear Mike sigh. The impact of the fall has knocked me outcold.I hear a familiar voice saying "Bella? Are you alright?"

"Is she alright?" Angela lingers over me."Yeah. She's fine. Look, she's regaining consciousness all ready", thenurse points to me, sprawled on my back. My eyes flutter open and the firstwords that come awkwardly to my lips are, "Edward? Edward? Where are you?""Calm down, Bella. He's right here." I open my eyes to Alice's hand on herolder brother."Edward? Is that you?" I rise to my elbows, and the pain creeps up my armsand my head hit the fluffy pillow immediately."It's alright, Bella. I'm here," Edward's soothing voice calms my racingheart."Edward? Is it really you?""Yes, my love", (Mike grimmaces at that word), "It's okay. I'm here.""Oh, Edward," I cry."Oh, yes. It's okay."

"Okay, Cullen, I think she gets it. Now won't you do something about it?"the nurse asks impatiently. Edward rebounds.'Bella, it's okay. I'm here. Don't panic,' Edward speaks to me through


4/40

telepathy. A smile creases over my lips."I think she's fine, now. It was just a nice blow to the head. Bella? Canyou get up?" I hear Alice's familiar sweet voice. Edward helps me lean up. I amsmart enough to not crawl up by my elbows."Are you okay, Bella?" Edward whispers into my ear. My lips part slightly."Yes. I am fine. I will be fine, I mean. I wouldn't quite classify myselfas 'fine' right now," I say. Mike gasps.

"No, you're not okay. She's worse than she was before. Do you hear her?She's using big words," Mike attaches his hands to the railing to my bed andcollapses, his hands still attached."Oh dear," the nurse rolled her eyes. "There's always one. It's the samestory every time. Someone gets pelted in the head with a volleyball. The victimbegins speaking in bumper stickers, and someone freaks out. Then we end up rightback where we started.""Exactly," Jasper said. Everyone turned around, startled."When did you get here?" Jessica asked."When did you get here?" Bella questioned the two confused beings."I've been here the whole time," Jasper smiled. Edward and Alice winked at

their brother. He smiled"Are you alright, Bella?" Jasper sat down on the bed next to me. I wasstill sitting up by now."I'm fine," I said. I leaned in next to his ear and whispered, "I am goingto get you later for this emotion-control thing.""Okay. It's not like you could do this much damage anyway.""Oh, we'll just see about that," I crawled out of the bed I was provided."So what now?"The nurse hesitated. "I think you should go home. Cullen thinks so too, andhe and his family have agreed to take you home. Go on, Ms. Swan."Edward helped me out of bed and out the door. Alice and Jasper followed."You're going to ride in my car," Edward opened the door for me."Actually, I am going to ride with Alice-"

"I should have seen that coming," Alice giggled sarcastically.I laughed along with her. "I want to talk to her and Jasper aboutsomething. Do you mind riding alone?" I asked. Edward closed the door to hisVolvo that he had opened for me."Yeah. It's fine. As long as Alice and Jasper keep their thought tothemselves.""Don't worry. We will," Alice helped me into their car."So what was it you needed to talk to us about?" Jasper asked. I placed myhands on my lap."It's about Edward-- and Jacob.""You mean wolf-boy?" Jasper laughed. I did not find this much of a laughingmatter."Hey, don't be mean. You know that if Jacob was here, he would rip yourhead off.""Oh, we'll just see about that," Jasper buckled up his seatbelt."Are you okay?" I asked."Why would you ask such a silly question?" Jasper tuned to look at me."You're wearing a seatbelt.""I am a vampire-""Tell me something I don't know," Alice protested."What I mean is that you are a vampire, therefore, it wouldn't make much ofa difference if we crashed.""It would have an impact on you. If you died, it would be all our faults.Are you understanding the importance of this now?" Jasper glared at me."That's partly what I wanted to talk to you about," I confessed.

"What? Dying? I assure you that you will not have to worry about it for along time.""No. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."


5/40

"Oh. You mean immortality?" Alice kept her eyes on the road."Kinda, yeah-""Bella, put your seatbelt on," Alice urged. She was seeing something, butnobody knew what."What the hell are you talking about-""Bella! Put your seatbelt on NOW!" she screamed viciously. I fumbled forthe seatbelt just before we flew off the curb and down the ravine.

Now I knew what Alice had seen. She had seen us crashing, me dying, mostlikely.Just before we hit the ground, a shiny Volvo skidded down the road and itsowner jumped out and down the ravine. The weight of the truck crushed him. Hisbody was caught underneath the front wheel. He had stopped the truck, but hedidn't save himself, which I found was not part of the bargain."Edward!" I jumped out of the truck and down the ravine. His torso wasbeing crushed form the weight of the truck.He tried lifting the truck off of him. This wasn't working. The truck wassquare on top of his source of strength.I got down on my hands and knees and tried to pry the truck off of hisnot-so-fragile body. I didn't stand a chance.

"Help me. Please," I tried again. "Help me, please. He's hurt.""Well, technically speaking, he's just fine," Jasper said."Well, in the long-run, he needs my help," I argued with Jasper. Neither ofthem moved. But Alice spoke for the first time after the accident."Bella. We have to leave him. Come on."I was disgusted. "What do you mean, we have to leave him? He needs myhelp!""Bella. Just leave him. He'll be fine.""Bella. Look at your arm."I looked down. A cut was searing from all of the way from my shoulder tojust below my elbow."You're hurt," Alice knelt down beside me, examining the cut."I'm fine," I tried to convince them. "Really. I don't feel a thing."

"That only makes it a whole lot worse. The nerves have been cut off on yourarm. All of them.""We have to get you to Carlisle. He'll take care of this," Jasper helped meup and helped me onto his back."No we don't. Carlisle has helped me enough to last a lifetime. There's noway I am going to put another burden on his back. There's no way," I argued."Either we bring you to Carlisle and let him tend to your wounds, or weleave you here in the ravine between our land and the Quiliute's land," Alicesaid."Carlisle it is," I sighed.

GraduationAlice brought me to her house to let Carlisle tend to my wounds. It wasn't asbad as I had anticipated on it being, bit it could be worse."Alice? What's the matter?" Carlisle walked up to Alice with me in herarms."Bella got hit in the head and knocked out with a volleyball, and the nurserecommended we bring her home. On the way home, I saw a vision of us crashingdown the ravine. Bella did not have her seatbelt on. I yelled at her to put iton, but she didn't have time before we came crashing down the ravine. Bella wasthrown out of the car. So we came here and hoped you could tend to her wounds,"Alice showed him me."Of course. Bring her in here," Carlisle walked to the kitchen table and

place his hand on the table. Alice set me down."What is wrong with her?" he asked."We are not entirely sure. We think that her arm is broken. All of the


6/40

nerves have been cut off in her arm. She passed out on the way home. From here,we do not know," Jasper took a good look at me. As did Carlisle."It appears that she had a fractured shoulder, and a dislocated elbow. Butthat's just the least of our problems. She seems to have suffered a concussion.Not a major one, but enough to knock her out for a while.""Can you heal her?" Jasper leaned over me.Carlisle nodded. "I can. It should take a while, though. I can't think of

something off hand to tell Charlie. An alibi."Alice stepped forward. "Don't worry. I'll come up with something. I'llreason with him.""I thought he hated us," Jasper said.Alice laughed. "No. He hates Edward. Not me. I'll come up with an alibi.You work on her, and I'll take care of the rest.""Thank you, Alice," Carlisle said just before Alice jumped out the windowand dashed into the forest."Please help me rotate her around. I can't work on her when her face ispressed against the table," Carlisle asked. Jasper grabbed my waist and flippedit around while Carlisle supported my neck and head."That's it. Just a little bit more-- got it. Can you please fetch my

doctor's bag for me?" Carlisle held out his hand."Which one?" Jasper laughed."Jasper. You know which one. Just hand it to me," Carlisle grumbled as hestretched his hand out. Jasper handed Carlisle his bag."Okay. Let's see what we have here-- ah. Here we go," Carlisle begantending to my wounds. I awoke to a slight tugging sensation on my arm. Carlislehad cleaned my cut, and was stitching it up."Welcome back, Bella. It's nice to have the sense that I am not treating adead patient.""It's nice to have the sense that I am alive again," I lied completelystill.Carlisle laughed. "Tsui shai.""What happened exactly?" I asked. Everything seemed like a huge blob of

gray."Jasper? Would you mind doing the honors?" Carlisle stepped back. Jasperstepped forward."Shall I start at the beginning? Or play where we left off?""Beginning," I said."Okay. The beginning, then. When you were pelted in the head with avolleyball, you blacked out and woke up in the health office. The nurse decidedit best if you went home. We volunteered to take you home. We made it intoAlice's car because you wanted to talk to Alice about something. Alice and I. Wemade it down the road and Alice was having a vision. She told you to put yourseatbelt on. Before you could do so, we went skidded off the road and down theravine dividing our land by the Quiliute's land. You flew out of the open door.Edward stopped the car, but it crushed him flat. You tried to lift the car offof him, but we told you to leave him alone. Then you noticed your injuries: askinned shoulder and a dislocated elbow. Not to mention the enormous cutstretching from your shoulder to just below your elbow. We didn't know that youhad a concussion until you passed out in the car and we couldn't wake you up.Then we arrived here, and we ended up right back where we started.""Wow. No wonder everything seems like just a gray blob. There was too muchto remember," I rubbed my head."Of course, inferior human.""When I become like you, I am going to beat the snot out of you. Newbornsare much more powerful than older vampires.""Seven to one. You're outnumbered."

"Yes. And the odds are exactly in your favor," I laughed. No one else did.What time is it?" I glanced around."Eleven-fifty five."


7/40

Before I could sigh with relief, Edward tossed the door open."Bella? Bella? Where are you? Bella?" Edward threw the door closed andzoomed to the kitchen."Bella!""Calm down, Edward. She's fine. Carlisle is taking care of her," Jaspertried to calm Edward down. His powers did not work on other vampires, though."God, Bella, don't ever scare me like that again. Next time, be a smart

human and put your seat belt on when you should," Edward lied his hands under myhead. My scent drifted up to him."I'm fine Edward. Really. There's nothing you need to worry about, Edward,"I managed to convince him to calm down. He sat down."What time is it now?" I asked."Eleven fifty-nine--"Right on cue, my stomach gave a violent growl. There was an awkward silenceas everyone stared at me. Jasper was glancing at the clock."Wow. Twelve-o-clock on the dot. Someone must be keeping a stop watch foryou."The only thing I could manage was, "I'm really sorry."

Everyone was dumbfounded. "Sorry? Why are you sorry?" Jasper asked."I just-- I just thought that you guys don't eat, so--""Of course. That's very considerate of you," Carlisle was no longer workingon me. He was staring at me just like the rest of the Cullen clan."You shouldn't have skipped breakfast, Bella," Edward warned me a littletoo late."Thanks, Edward.""You skipped breakfast? The most important meal of the day?" Jasper gasped."Very funny, Jasper--""No. Jasper is right. Even I am a doctor, and I tend to agree with Jasper.I do not think that the concussion had anything to do with your concussion.""I'll take her to lunch after you are done working on her," Edward was thefirst to volunteer.

"No, you should take some time away from Bella. I'll take her," Jaspertried."No. We will all take her. Besides, there must be something each of us wantto discuss with Bella," Carlisle continued working on me."I want to go, too," Alice jumped through the window. "Don't worry. I cameup with an alibi to tell Charlie. He thinks that Bella is going to lunch withus. Which is true.""Okay. We can all go. Any other takers?" Carlisle looked around. We wereonce again overwhelmed by silence."Okay. When I am done working on her, we will all go. Do me a favor andorder something? Even if you are not going to eat it, I don't want theiremployees to get suspicious of our kind," Carlisle directed to his kids.All I could think of to myself was, this is going to be interesting. Goingto lunch with four vampires who don't eat. What could go wrong?"When do you think you'll be done?" Alice asked. She was still lingeringover me."About an hour or so. I still have to stitch up her arm, apply a bandage toher raw shoulder, and pop her elbow back into place--""What?" I asked, dazed."I have to pop your elbow back into place. It sounds painful, but it shouldbe over in about five seconds. Are you ready?""No. But do it, anyway," I gritted my teeth.Pop!"Ah!" I screamed."It's over, Bella. You can relax now," Carlisle informed me.

How can I relax when all of my muscles are tense? "Okay," I tried to relax."How is that?" Carlisle eyed me curiously."That's a heck of a lot better. Thanks, Carlisle," I smiled.


8/40

"Good. It was a pleasure doing business with you.""And I told Alice and Jasper that I didn't need your help because you have helped me more than enough times to last a lifetime. Boy was I wrong.""Yes, you were," Alice laughed. I joined in."Where would we be without Carlisle?" I said. Rosalie walked in and stopped. Sheglared at me, and then turned her head and left. Her gorgeous blond hair was tossed over her shoulder.

"Rosalie-""What, Bella?" she turned around. The mascara was running down her face. "You should have thought about asking that question before a certain individual walkedinto the room. Goodbye, Bella.""Don't worry about Rosalie. She's just stressed out.""Yes. Let's just ignore Rosalie and pretend this she doesn't exist. Believe me;you would have no idea where you were without me."As Rosalie walked off, Alice yelled at her, "Do you want to go get lunch for Bella with us?"A thought sparked her mind as she stormed off. She whimpered as she ran off."I am going to take that as a no," Alice said."What did I do? What did I do to make her hate me?" I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Oh, Bella," Carlisle sat down on the table next to me. "She does not hate you.""She doesn't particularly like you, but," Jasper said."What do you mean?" I asked."She doesn't really like you because you are choosing to become what she is, andshe did not have a choice.""Yeah. She has told me that story before. It is so sad what happened to her.""It is so sad what happened to all of us," Emmett jumped through the window. "Weall have our own stories.""Yeah. I have heard all of them. Especially Rosalie's.""For some reason, it is always Rosalie's that I remember the most. What happenedbetween her and her fianc."

Emmett sighed. "I can go talk to her if you want me to. I can try to reason withher. Besides, it might be best if we all take Bella to lunch. We all need to get out of the house together sooner or later."Carlisle nodded. "Yes. You go talk to her, I will finish with Bella, and then wewill all go. Are you l most ready, Bella?""Yes," I nodded uncertainly. It depended on how long it took Carlisle to work onme, but the gnawing in my stomach was becoming painful.Carlisle worked on me while Emmett raced himself upstairs to talk to Rosalie."Hey, baby. Are you okay?" Emmett opened the door to her room. A smile creased Rosalie's face."Hey Emmett," she turned around while Emmett caught her and gave her a light peck on the cheek."Are you okay?" he asked her. She turned away."Yes. I am fine. It's just-- Bella is at it again. I mean, she is trying to makeme feel bad. About what happened to me.""I can promise you this: nothing like that will ever happen again. Never. If anything does, I would kill myself to save you. I would do anything for you, baby,"Emmett kissed her again."Me too, Emmett.""Do you want to go get lunch for Bella with the rest of the family? It seems that everyone except Esme and you are going with Bella. What do you say? Carlisle really wants you to develop a stronger relationship with the human," Emmett triedto reason with her."I don't know--""Please? I am going."

"You are going with her?""Of course I am. She likes me. She likes everyone in this family. Especially you. She just hasn't admitted it yet. I know she loves you. The way she lovingly lo


9/40

oks at you. I can sense it. Please go. It would be a great way for all of us toget out of the house," Emmett pleaded."Okay. I will go. Only if you quit bugging me," Rosalie laughed."Good. Let's go," he kissed her one last time before they walked down stairs tofind the rest of the Cullen clan and Bella ready to go."Are you ready, Bella?" Edward lifted me onto his back."Ready as I'll ever be," I held on tight. Carlisle started off, along with Edwar

d and I, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice, all in that order."Where's the restaurant?" Carlisle called to Edward.Edward pointed straight ahead. "Just a couple of miles straight. Keep going andyou'll see it."Everyone continued to zip through the forest. Within three minutes of constant running, they stopped in front of a large building with shiny glass windows. "This is it," Edward said, letting me slide off of his back."Are you sure?" Alice asked."Positive. You would have seen if it wasn't.""Not funny, Edward. Remember: my vision can change anytime based on decision changes. Don't always count on me," Alice explained. Edward rolled his eyes."You've always been helpful when I needed you. Why shouldn't now be any differen

t?" he asked."Quit your bickering. Let's go inside. Bella, you know how to do this better than we do," Rosalie started toward the door, and then turned around."I haven't even stepped a foot into a restaurant in over a hundred years. It hasprobably only been a week, right Bella?" Carlisle joked."Actually, Charlie and I were here just last night, believe it or not," I laughed."Okay-- let's just go inside now. Bella, it is your turn to take charge."I stepped forward. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on. I'll go first, butyou at least have to follow me. Come on," I urged them forward. Edward was the first one to move. Everyone eventually followed after that."That's better. Now just follow me. I'll take care of everything else."I walked into the restaurant and walked up to the front counter. "Hello, I would

like a table for seven, please?""Okay, the wait will be about five minutes.""Okay. Thank you."I turned around. "You see? Was that so bad?" I turned around and walked away."I didn't think it was going to end badly, I just didn't know how this would allplay out in the end," Jasper spoke for the first time since we left their house.Edward swooped me into his arms. "It seems that I will be carrying you for the next five minutes.""Edward, I am fine to sit down in a public chair.""I thought it would be a little more sanitary if you are curled into my arms instead of squished into a public bench. Now are you understanding this?" Edward asked."If you expect me to, then for Pete's sake, I will understand this."Edward shifted his hips. "Did you lose weight?""Huh?""You were several pounds heavier a few weeks ago when I carried you. I was wondering if you had lost a little bit of weight.""It is possible. I don't keep track of that, though.""This is another reason why we are taking you to get lunch," Jasper stated. "It's like you aren't eating enough. And when you are, it is being digested before you can even take the energy in.""Um-- okay?""It is not like I am trying to make you feel nervous or embarrassed or anything,I am just trying to make you understand what you are doing to yourself."

"Okay. Let's just drop this conversation. I'm not feeling very comfortable rightnow. Maybe some other time," I cringed up in Edward's arms. He squeezed me tighter.


10/40

"Okay," Jasper laughed. "That is all you have to say.""Speaking of eating, have you guys gone hunting lately? You guys are so worriedabout me when you are not taking better care of yourselves," I said."We have not gone hunting in a few weeks. The last time we went hunting was whenyou were going to a movie with one of your friends. Mike, I think is what his name was?" Alice guessed. I nodded."Yes. That's it. 'Love Spelled Backwards is Love.' Mike insisted on seeing that

one after 'Face Punch.' Romantic Comedies, psh," I yawned."I like romantic comedies," Edward said. My pulls rate quickened once I heard this."Geez, calm down. I felt that," Edward laughed."I like romantic comedies, too. I was just surprised when Mike wanted to see it.""Yeah, right," Edward joked. Emmett cuddled with Rosalie. Rosalie did the same."What's up with you two?" Jasper questioned their awkward movements."Well, the way Edward and Bella are bonding, it kind of reminded us of what we do behind closed doors," Emmett kissed Rosalie."Emmett?" Carlisle moaned."Geez, not that kind of thing. We talk and whenever either of us our down, we bo

th talk it over, and then we both end up kissing each other to death," Emmett kissed Rosalie again.The door to the restaurant flew open-- we were surprised to see who was there."Hello, family," Esme tossed the door closed."What are you doing here?" Carlisle asked."Alice left me a note explaining what was going on," she said. Everyone looked at Alice."Hey, what? I saw her spending endless days and nights trying to find us, so I just left her a note. Besides, what harm could another member of the party do?" Alice joked.Just then, I thought of something. "Edward, please carry me over to the counter.I have to inform her of another addition to our party.""Sure thing," he carried me over.

"Excuse me, can I please add another member to our party on your list?" I askedpolitely."Sure thing," she crossed out seven and put eight."Thanks," I walked away. "See? That was easy.""So now we have everyone here.""What should we do now?""Just relax, I guess."Just as Edward was squeezing me in a hug (perfect timing, I know), my stomach growled silently. Everyone would have been able to hear it if it had been completely silent. Although it was extremely difficult to hear, I was sure that Edward felt it.My suspicions were confirmed when Edward gave me a grim look. I couldn't see hisface, but I could tell he felt it."Your table is ready," a woman pointed at us."Good. Bella's human temperaments are driving me crazy."

We all sat down around a nice table with a candle in the middle. I sat down nextto Edward, Rosalie sat next to Emmett, Jasper sat down next to Alice, and Carlisle sat down next to Esme."Good afternoon, I will be your server today. May I start off any of with you with a drink?" our server asked.Edward glanced around at everyone at the table, and everyone nodded. "We will take eight waters, please.""Okay. I will be right back with them. May I start any of you off with an appetizer?" he asked just before he left.

Edward glanced around the table again, and everyone nodded. "We will start off with some brown bread and butter, please," Edward nodded his head."Okay. I will be right back with your beverages and appetizer."


11/40

I turned to Edward. "Technically, water is not considered a beverage."Jasper chuckled. "It doesn't matter if it is a red wine, Coke, or water. It washow they were trained.""That makes sense.""So, how are you enjoying your first trip to a restaurant? At least, in the pastone-hundred years.""This is not my first time in one-hundred years that I have been here," Edward r

eminded me. "I took you here the night that you went to Port Angeles with Jessica and Angela. That night you went to Thunderbird and Whale to get the book aboutQuileute legends.""Yeah. I remember that. Man, everything about you guys makes so much more sensenow.""Now do you feel good about ditching your friends to research about our kind?" Edward asked me."Yes," I glanced at Rosalie and Emmett. They were snuggled against each other. Alice and Jasper were holding hands and smiling at their touch.Our server arrived with eight glasses of water and a loaf of bread about the size of a paperback book."Here you are eight glasses of water and your bread and butter," he set all of t

hem down individually. Edward thanked him."Are you ready to order? Or do you need a few minutes to relax and decide first?" he asked."We are going to need a minute, please," Edward said."Take your time," he walked away."What are you going to get?" Alice asked me. I shrugged."Do you recommend anything?" I asked her.She laughed. "You know I haven't been to a restaurant in several decades. I cannot give you any recommendations.""You know what, Esme?" I turned to Carlisle's wife. "I never got to try that Italiano you made for me when I first met everyone, and it sounded good. I think I'll get that. I want to see what I was missing."She smiled. "It's nice to know that you have a piece of me in you."

Our server walked back up to the table and prepared to take orders. "Are you ready?""I think we are. We will take four Italianos, please,""Sure thing," he said. Then he stopped. "Do you need anything else? I can't helpbut notice that you only ordered four meals.""Actually, we are going to share them. We aren't very hungry, thanks," Esme saidvery quickly."Okay. I will bring them out shortly."He walked away. We sighed. "Good job, Esme," Carlisle hugged his wife for a brief second."Okay. So we are all here. You all had reasons for coming here. Who is going tostart?" I asked, glancing at everyone individually.Jasper opened his mouth. "I think I'll go first, because I feel that I have thestrongest message to deliver.""Okay. Go ahead."Jasper sighed. "We have a limited amount of time until the Volturi find out thatyou are still human."There was a series of sighs from all of the current Cullen clan."There's just one thing that I want you to be sure of when you become a newborn," Jasper began to warn me."Go on," I said."You must be very cautious. Not just anyone could kill you, but you will have the power to kill just about anyone. This is what I want you to be cautious of. Ifyou stick with us, then we can teach you to control your thirst. Drink only theblood of animals."

"Yes. I am aware of this. That is why Edward has volunteered to train me-""You see? This is our problem. You're spending too much time with Edward. You will eventually need some separation from him. Eventually, you will want him so ba


12/40

d; you would do anything for him. Even kill him. Or yourself. This is why you have us. Not just him, but us.""I understand completely, Jasper.""Okay. That is all I have to say," Jasper concluded his speech."Okay. Edward, would you like to go?" I asked. He nodded and put his arm aroundme."Isabella Marie Swan," I grimaced as he acknowledged me by my full name. "I have

loved you since the day I put my eyes on you. Ever since that first day I laideyes on you in the Forks cafeteria. I loved you in Biology. I loved you when I saved you on your way home from Thunderbird and Whale bookstore. I even loved youwhen we were confronted with the Volturi. I have loved you every single time Ihave seen you. That will never change. I just want you to know that."I wiped a tear away that was sliding down my cheek. "Thank you, Edward. I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you, also.""That is all I had to say. You can call on someone else now." I"Okay. How about Rosalie?" I called upon her. "Would you like to go?"She nodded. "I think it is pretty ironic that you ask me to speak right after you ask your almost-eternal companion to speak, but there isn't much of anything Ican do about that."

"You remember my story about how I did not have the decision, and you do," she said rather than asked."Of course I do. That story has stuck since you told me last year," I said."I just want you to be sure that this is the right decision, and you are sure that you want to do this. Because if you really decide that you do not want to, you have the choice."I nodded. "I know I have the choice, but Alice has already told the Volturi thatshe has seen me become a vampire. There isn't anything I can do about that. Inthese last days of my human life, I am still contemplating the decision to become a vampire. But the Volturi made it clear that if I did not become a vampire, they would kill your entire family. I can't let that happen to you and your family, so I have to become on, or else you will all be killed out of your will.""Bella, I want you to understand something. I will do anything for you. Even if

it means me and the rest of the family get killed just so you can sleep, eat, and breathe, then I would do it for you. I'm sure everyone else would understand.I just-- want the best for you, Bella. And I would do anything for you so that you can remain human forever.""Thank you, Rosalie. You mean the world to me," I cried."I'll go next," Emmett volunteered himself. He stood up on top of his chair."Emmett, get down," Carlisle demanded. He sat back down into his chair."Sorry," Emmett apologized, "I had a moment of overpowering advantage.""You're fine, Emmett. Please speak," I encouraged him to move on."Okay. I wanted to talk to you about the advantages of being immortal. First, the girl you love, she's the same thing you are, and then things will turn out good. You can be with her forever, and neither of you will age. You can do all of the things that you have always wanted to do before you die all in the same lifetime.""Yes Emmett, I get all of the things that you can do with immortality."Emmett sighed. "I just want to warn you that sometimes, immortality isn't the best way to go. And when you do become a newborn, and when you develop to controlyour thirst, immortality may not seem as reasonable as the life you have today.I just want you to understand that."I nodded. "I do, Emmett. Who would like to speak next?"Alice spoke up. "I will--""What is the matter, Alice?" Jasper asked. He was holding her shoulders. She washaving a vision, but no one knew what it was, yet.As soon as her vision was over, she snapped out of it and gasped. Her eyes werewide open.

"Oh my god," she gasped. "Bella.""What is the matter, Alice? What did you see?"Jasper set a pencil and a sheet of paper in front of Alice. She began drawing wh


13/40

at she saw."Blood. Lots of blood," she continued to draw. I couldn't tell what it was untilI saw what she draw around someone's wrist. A charm bracelet with a wolf charmand a heart charm. Edward was the first to realize what was going on."Alice. Is that-- me?"She was not done drawing, yet."Bella."

"Who's that?" I pointed to the figure hiding behind the trees next to the girl on the ground. In the background were trees."Wait a minute. I remember that place," I recalled.Alice stopped drawing. "You've been here?""Yeah. That's where I was found after Edward left me. Sam Uley found me. This was before I found out that they were werewolves," I said."Bella-- do you understand what is going on here?" Alice asked."Not really-- wait, is that me?" And is that--Victoria?" I asked nervously."Yes. Bella, she is going to kill you."All of the Cullens sat there in silence, taking in the news. I wasn't actually apart of their family yet, but I pretended I was one, and sat there in silence with them. As we were just sitting there, our server came back with four Italiano

s."Hey, are you guys okay?" he asked as he set them down.Yes, we are fine. We are just taking in some--devastating news," Carlisle explained."I'm sure I can relate. My wife just got pregnant," he laughed.Esme smiled uncertainly. "Well, congratulations to you both.""Thanks. You guys enjoy."Our server walk away and I distributed the Italianos.I set one down in front of Alice and Jasper, Esme and Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett, and Edward and I."Who wants to be the first to try it?" Alice asked, still dazed by her vision only minutes before."Why doesn't Bella try it first?" Edward volunteered me. "She is the one who nee

ds it the most."I glared at Edward. "Thanks a lot, Edward."Everyone watched me curiously as I picked up a fork, stabbed a piece of lettuceand chicken, and brought it to my mouth. I bit down. The taste exploded in my mouth."How is it?" Carlisle asked slyly. I nodded."It's the best thing I have had today."My joke (which I thought was completely serious) made all of the members of theCullen clan laugh."That's a good one, Bella," Emmett laughed."I'm being completely serious. It's the best thing I've had all day.""It is only completely true," Carlisle joined in Emmett's laughing.I had to laugh along with them. After all, it was a good joke."Why don't you guys try it now?" I requested. They all stared at me nervously."After all, you guys are the one who volunteered me to try it first."They all picked up their forks and scooped some Italiano onto it, and brought itnext to their mouths."One," Alice said."Two," Esme followed Alice."Three!" Rosalie said, and they all scooped them into their mouths.There was a chorus of "Mmm's" as they chewed and swallowed."Now I see what I have been missing since I was I became a vampire," Esme took another bite."You like it?" I asked."Just because I am a vampire, it doesn't mean that I can't taste human food."

"That makes sense," I said."Yes.""How is it, for real, this time?" Carlisle asked. I smiled.


14/40

"It is wonderful. Thank you, Carlisle.""Why are you thanking me? I wasn't the one who needed this," he proclaimed. I nodded."I don't know.""You are insane.""What makes you think that?""I don't know. Just an instinct?" Carlisle said.

I laughed along. Today had been quite the adventure.Everyone finished their Italianos and our server came to collect the bill. He handed me the case, and walked away."How much do I owe you?" I turned to Carlisle."It's on the house," he put some cash into the case and set it at the edge of the table for our server to collect."Thanks, Carlisle," I smiled. He smiled back."Are we ready to go?" Carlisle stood up. Edward and I stood up also."We might as well. If I am going to have to put up with Charlie, then I'd betterdo it now," I took a step away from the table. Alice stopped me."Bella. There's something I have to tell you. It's about-- Victoria."I stopped. "What about her?"

"She's coming tomorrow. I have run through all of the possible remedies to get rid of her or to scare her off, but all have been totally unreasonable. My familyand I are going hunting tomorrow morning. At the crack of dawn. I am going to ask Jacob if e wouldn't mind hanging out with you tomorrow. I have to make damn sure I keep you out of the forest. If Victoria found you, she would kill you in an instant. I don't want to leave you alone. IO can't risk you being unprotected.We will be back some time around late afternoon tomorrow. Promise me you won'tget into any trouble?""Of course, Alice. What would make you think I would get into trouble?""Last time you said that, I found you in the clutches of a dog. And he had his hands all over you. Come on, Bella, I cannot let this happen again. Is that understood?" she clarified."For Pete's sake, yes, Alice. I would not let him lay more than his hands on me.

Don't worry," I said. There was some doubt in my voice."I am counting on you, Bella," Alice warned me. "If I see anything more than hanging out going on between you and Jacob, then I will personally march over there, rip Jacob's head off, and then burn the pieces."I gasped. "Come on, Alice. I know you would never do that. If I am wrong, then please don't.""She turned her back and said, "watch me."

I rode home on Jasper's back, and he had promised me he would take me home. He did, but we made a few stops along the way. Charlie did not seem to have much ofa problem with me traveling with Jasper, but he had all he could take of Edward."Where are we going, Jasper?" I held on tight as Jasper stopped in the forest."Our first stop: the forest.""I noticed. What are we doing here?"He sighed. "I want you to be aware of where Alice said that Victoria would killyou if she found you. Do you remember this place?"I nodded as I recalled the heartless time of Edward Cullen. "Yes. This is the spot Edward took me when he told me that you guys were going away to someplace else. He left me, and I tripped while I was trying to chase him down. I was found afew days later in the middle of the woods by Sam Uley.""Yeah. Alice told me about that. She saw you. She couldn't see who had picked you up. She couldn't see anything passed Jacob and his pack of mutts.""Hey. Don't criticize them behind their backs. I can easily tell them, you know," I said.

"Well, I can always kill you.""You wouldn't," I challenged Jasper.He winked. "Watch me."


15/40

"Okay. I am familiar with this area. I know what is going to happen. Where are we going next?""Do you have a minute?""How long is a minute?" I asked."A couple of hours," he said. I almost laughed, but he seemed pretty serious, soI decided against it."I want to take you somewhere. I have told you about it before, but you have nev

er seen it. Do you want to go?""What will Charlie say? I can't let him catch me somewhere too far away. Where are we going?""The Civil War battlefield."

It didn't take as long as I thought it would take to get to the Civil War battlefield. Actually, I had no idea how long it would take, but after we arrived, I had a general idea of how long it would take if I wasn't riding on top of a supernatural creature's back."Is this where it happened?" I asked. Jasper turned his head toward me."What happened?" he questioned."You know--"

"No. This is not where it happened. This is where I was found. Not exactly, I mean. I was bitten someplace else that I cannot remember exactly.""This is amazing," I jumped off of his back and looked around."What do you think?""About what?"I continued to walk around. "I mean, you were here sometime probably over a hundred years ago--""No. Not quite that long ago. Let's take the Civil War, for example. When was that?"I refreshed my memory. "April 12, 1861.""That was when it started. I made it only several months into it. But when I wasfound, I was brought in by Carlisle, and he taught me ever since I was a newborn."

"This is when Carlisle came into play. Again," I almost laughed."You know, when you become a part of this family, I will be proud to not call myself 'the newest vegetarian.' Ha ha," Jasper said. I chuckled uncertainly."What am I going to tell Charlie? I mean, I have to come up with some sort of alibi for Charlie and Renee as to why I am never going to see them again.""We'll help you think of something.""Like what? I mean, it would take more than just you and I to convince Charlie that he will never be able to see me again. Renee will be devastated. Even your entire family wouldn't have much of an impact on Charlie's decisions. Can you think of anything off hand?" I stopped and face Jasper."Not now, but I am sure Carlisle will think of something. He promised me that hewould think of something. He said he would do anything for you once you becomean unproclaimed member of the Cullen family."Maybe we should start coming back now. Charlie is probably going to wonder if Ido not show up within another hour. Do you mind taking me back?""Not at all. Just one more thing. Please think about what I said earlier. I can't let anything happen to you. I consider you an official member of the family, and so does everyone else. Make wise choices, and stay clear away from any sort of danger. Hop on my back, and I will take you back," Jasper crouched down.I climbed aboard Jasper and we were back within an hour or so. Charlie didn't have much of a problem with me riding with Jasper, but he was rather disappointedin me for showing up at seven-thirty that night.I walked in the door. I left the door open so Jasper could explain anything he would need to explain to Charlie."Hi dad," I took a step in the door.

Charlie came running down the stairs like the bull I always knew he was. "Isabella Marie Swan. Where in the hell have you been?""Dad, I was just hanging out with--"


16/40

"If you say Edward, I am going to kick your--""Dad, it wasn't Edward," I told him, hoping he would understand. When I saw hisface turn bright red, I finally pointed to the open doorway."Good day, Mr. Swan," Jasper nodded his head."I've never met you before. Are you a brother of that Edward kid?"Jasper nodded again. Yes, I am related to Edward. His brother. He thought that he would take a little time off of spending time with Bella. So I took over. I to

ok her to a few memorable places.""Memorable places, as in--?""My old parents' house--""What do you mean, your old parents' house?" Charlie questioned Jasper."I'm adopted. Carlisle adopted me. I was abandoned when I was thirteen years old. He found me and took me in. I've been a Cullen since," Jasper said. Charlie fell for it."Okay. Well, as long as Edward is not here, I don't mind if you go back and hangout with--?""Jasper, sir.""Yes. Jasper. I don't mind if you go back out with Jasper. I mean, it is a Friday night, and it is only seven-thirty. Go out. Have some fun," Charlie shoved me

playfully in Jasper's direction. Jasper smiled."Actually, I would prefer it better if Bella got some sleep. We've had our fun,and it is getting late. Go on, Bella. Get some sleep. We'll still be here in themorning.""Okay. Thank you for the wonderful evening, Jasper. It was fun. I'll-- see you tomorrow?""Anytime, Bella. Have a nice night," he gave me a hug. I embraced it. It felt good to be able to give another Cullen a hug. He wasn't as cold as Edward, but hewas sill chilly."Goodbye, Jasper," I waved as we broke free of our hug."Goodbye, Bella," Jasper waved as he walked away. When I closed the door, I glanced out the window just in time to see him dash off into the night."He seems nice. Better than that Edward kid. Are you two-- a thing?"

I was astounded by Charlie's accusation. "Dad, no. We're just friends. Hardly even.""Okay. I'm just clarifying. Have you had dinner yet?""Yes," I lied.Charlie, this time, did not fall for it. "Come on down here and eat something. Geez, Bella, you scare me to death sometimes with your decision-making.""Okay, okay, I will."I quickly made a sandwich, wolfed it down, and then ran upstairs to go to bed. Just as I had slipped into my pajamas, I got a call. I didn't recognize the caller I.D, and Charlie had always told me never to answer the phone if I did not recognize the caller I.D, but I answered it anyway."Hello?" I asked uncertainly. I didn't recognize the caller I.D, but the voice that answered; I recognized it as a good friend."Hello? Bella?" the voice asked."Alice," I said. "What's wrong?""Nothing. I am just going to explain the plan for tomorrow. My family is going hunting tomorrow. I have talked to Jacob, and he doesn't mind hanging out with you tomorrow, as long as Edward isn't there, which he is not going to be. He saidthat he actually would like to. He has promised to take care of me, even thoughhe cannot protect you on our land. We have made a deal that just for tomorrow; he can protect you on our land. He has also promised to keep you out of trouble.And he has promised to keep everything but his hands off of you. He said that hemight steal a kiss or two, but he has decided against it. Is that understood?"she asked. I understood everything."Okay. Sounds good. Thanks, Alice," I said, just about to hang up the phone.

"Bye, Bella," she hung up. I shrugged and hung up also. I yawned as I slipped into bed and fell asleep.I dreamed about one of the best things you could possibly dream about with what


17/40

was going on in my life right now. Victoria. I dreamed that I was going to go tothe forest with Jacob, and Victoria was going to see me. Then she attacked. Shebit me on the neck. Square in the middle on the side of my neck. This was how Iwas going to turn into a vampire.Edward had promised me that he would be the one to turn me into a vampire, but he was wrong. Victoria was the one. But would I be an official member of the Cullen family? Would I be accepted just because it wasn't a Cullen who bit me and tu

rned me into a vampire? I was sure that Carlisle would still accept me. Would he.This was how I saw it:"Bella, you coming?" Jacob trotted through the forest casually. I struggled to keep up.Slow down, Jacob. You're in better shape than I am.""Hey, it's not my fault.""If I didn't know any better, I would say that you were taking steroids or something, but I have no way to prove it," I said, hoping that Jacob would ignore it,or not hear it.But he heard it loud and clear. And he responded. "Believe me, if I was taking steroids, my father would know. He's been keeping close tabs on me ever since I b

ecame a werewolf.""How can you be so sure?""Has your father ever hovered over you? Wondered what you were doing every second of the day?" Jacob asked me."Not hovered. He's not the hovering type. But he has kept pretty close tabs on me ever since I met Edward. I don't think he trusts him. Very much, I mean.""Between you and me, neither do I," Jacob laughed a hushed laugh. I didn't."I know. You hate his guts.""That's not entirely true. I mean, I am fine with one or two of the Cullens, butEdward just doesn't appeal to me.""Yeah, I know--"I saw a figure dart out of the trees and crush me to the floor. Jacob back and up stared in horror. It was Victoria. She smiled as her red hair blew in my face.

"Jacob! Help!" I screamed. I could tell that Victoria wanted to get it over with, so she ended it by biting me on the neck. Square in the middle of the side ofmy neck.The pain was excruciating. I screamed as the new blood sheered through my veins.I couldn't speak."Bella! Bella! Oh my gosh, what should I do!" he screamed. He was pacing back and forth and his eyes were blood-red with hatred. Victoria was gone. She didn't finish me off. She bit me and left me to die. What kind of predator plays with their food?All I could manage was to gasp, "he-- hel-- help!""Bella, I can't leave you! I have to stay here!""He-- hel-- help!" I gasped. The new blood searing through my veins was excruciatingly painful. I could not grasp enough air to breathe."Okay! I will go get help! Hang in there, Bella!""Before he was completely gone, no oxygen was reaching my lungs, and I was deadin seconds.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" I gasped. I was tossing and turning and clutching my neck. My breath got caught in my throat and I couldn't breathe."Ahhhhhhhhh!" I screamed. Charlie threw open the door and sat down next to me."Bella! Bella! Wake up! Breathe! Bella! Breathe! Please breathe!" Charlie shookme out of my dream. I could finally breathe."Charlie. Oh, god," I clutched my throat and breathed. Cool air filled my lungs.

"Bella. Are you alright?" Charlie slid his hand down my cheek. I sat up and sighed."Bella. Are you alright?" Charlie slid his hand down my cold cheek again. I sat


18/40

up and sighed."Bad dream. Bad dream," I said, still breathing hard."Are you sure you are okay?" Charlie asked. He was not going to leave until he was sure I was okay."Yeah. I'm-- I'm okay," I let go of my throat and lied back down."Do you need a glass of water or something?" Charlie suggested. Just then, I realized that I needed a glass of water.

"Yeah, a-- a glass of water-- please."Charlie left for the water while I lied back down and checked the clock. It wastwo-o-clock in the morning. Now I was scared to death for the morning.He returned with the water and I swallowed it down. "Thanks.""Are you sure you are alright?" Charlie asked, recalling a terrible memory."Yeah.""Remember when Edward left you, and you spent three months screaming in the middle of the night?" Charlie asked.I sighed. "Yes.""I thought he left you again. It sounded like the same screams from last year.""Yeah. Yeah, I guess.""I am going to back to bed now. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Charlie. Get some sleep. I'm fine," I lied back down and closedmy eyes.Once I heard Charlie turn the lights out again, I jumped out of bed, picked up the phone, and dialed Alice's number."Alice. I had a dream."There was some silence on the other line. When Alice whispered, "what was it?""Victoria," I said. She seemed pretty shocked, so she must have not seen me havethat dream."Tell me what happened. I need all of the details."In the background at Alice's house, I heard a series of screams."Agh! Get it out of me!" a voice that sounded like Rosalie screamed."I'm trying! I'm trying! It's stuck! It's not as easy as it seems.""I don't care, get it out!" the woman screamed again.

"Okay! Okay, it's out. See? That wasn't so bad.""It's easy for you to say, you're not the one who had it stuck in you. Besides,it's the biggest one I've ever had stuck in me before."I changed the subject by saying, "what is going on over there?""Oh, them? Yeah, Rosalie and Emmett were goofing around, and Emmett accidentallygot a needle stuck in her hand, and Emmett was trying to get it out without taking Rosalie's hand off. So tell me about the dream."I shot back into reality. "Okay, so in my dream, Jacob and I were walking aroundin the forest, talking about whatever, and suddenly, a shadow darted out and crushed me to the floor. I recognized it to be Victoria. She bit me on the neck, and ran off. Jacob was pacing around, wondering what to do. I could not grasp enough air to breathe. The new blood searing through my veins was excruciating--""You mean, just like we always told you it would be?""Yeah. Thanks for the sarcasm, Alice. Anyways, no air was reaching my lungs. I was gasping for breath. Jacob finally gave up and ran away to get help. I died afew minutes later.""Bella?""Hmm?""That's exactly what I saw in my vision.""After the dream, I was thrashing around in bed, gasping for breath, screaming at the top of my lungs. Charlie woke me up and I could finally breathe. He got mea glass of water, and then he had a small talk with me. He asked me if I remembered when Edward left me. He said the screams sounded like the same ones when Edward left me.""I remember. Well, call me if you have any problems, or you have that dream agai

n. Don't hesitate. You know I can help you.""Yeah. I know. Thanks, Alice," I was just about to hang up the phone. I wanted to make sure that Alice wasn't going to say anything before I hung up.


19/40

"Goodbye, Bella. Edward and Jasper say hi," she said. She sounded as if she wasjust about to hang up also."Tell them I said hi. Bye, Alice," I hung up and climbed back into bed. Before Ifell asleep, I ran my fingers over Jacob's graduation present to me. The dream-catcher. It had been working just fine until now.I tried to go back to sleep. It took a good half-an-hour or so, but I eventuallydropped out.

Jacob woke me up at six-thirty the next morning. I didn't hear the doorbell, soCharlie let Jacob in to wake me up personally."Go easy on her. She woke up in the middle of the night from a terrible dream. She seems pretty worried about something," Charlie let Jacob in as he started upthe stairs."Jacob.""Yeah?" Jacob stopped and turned to face Charlie."One more thing: if Bella tells you she is fine, I want you to stare into her eyes and ask her if she is sure. I am asking you to do this because she hasbeen telling a lot of people that she is fine when they asked her how she is.But it seems as if she's not, and she's been suffering in silence lately. I want

you to go easy on her today.""Sure thing, Charlie."Jacob made his way up the stairs and opened my bedroom door ever-soquietly.He stood in the doorway for quite some time, watching me sleep. Then hecame up to me and shook me gently. I opened my eyes, and there he was."Jake?" I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "Is that you?""Yes, it's me, Bella," he ran his fingers through my soft brown hair."How've you been? I haven't heard from you in a while."Jacob laughed silently. "Well, I've been some places. But my main concernis you. How are you?""Jake, I'm fine, what would make you think I wasn't--"

Jacob stared at me in the eyes. I became startled."I want you to tell me the goodness-to-honest truth. Are you alright?""Yes, Jake, I'm fine--""Don't lie to me, Bella. Charlie told me that you had a dream last night.An unpleasant one. He could tell that it was an extremely unpleasant one. Hecould tell by the way you screamed. It-- it sounded like the ones you screamedwhen those bloodsuckers left you. The Cullens. You have to tell me what it wasabout. The way your father described it, it sounded like it had something to dowith Edward. What was it?" he knelt down beside me and held my hand."Can you do me a favor?""Anything, Bella.""Go wait in the hallway.""What?""Go wait in the hallway. I am going to get dressed. I'll tell you about thedream while we go on a walk."Jacob smiled."Of course, I could just wait in the corner--""No, Jacob. No. Bad dog. Wait outside," I shoved him playfully out thedoor. He held his hands up defensively."Okay. Your wish is my command."I slammed the door and then I walked over to my dresser and threw on somenew clothes. Shorts, a white baby-doll shirt that says "I Run With Vampires,"and a pair of white sneakers.I opened the door and looked at Jacob. "Ready.""Okay, let's go, my sweet thang," we walked down the stairs."Dad, we're going out! Back in a little while!" Bella called.

"Bella, wait."I stepped back. "Yes, dad?""Please be careful. And don't be out for too long. Not like last night was


20/40

a problem, but please don't be out too late today. Have fun, Bells," he waved ashe looked up from his newspaper."Bye, Charlie," I slammed the door closed."Whew. Now that we've gotten rid of Charlie, what do you want to do?" Istarted walking away from the door and Jacob stopped me."Actually, I want you to tell me about your dream. Charlie told me it was

terrible. You woke up screaming in the middle of the night.""Oh yeah. My dream. Before I begin the dream-part of the story, I am going to explain what went on before I had that dream.""If it is associated with those bloodsuckers you love, then you can forget thiswhole thing," he turned and walked away."Then you can just go home. There's no point in staying here," I waved him off."Bella. Okay, I'll stay. But I probably won't listen as intently as I couldif this had nothing to do with those undead creatures."I began the story with a single breath. "Before the dream, I was playing volleyball in the Forks High School gym, and I was pelted in the head with a volleyball. The impact threw me to the floor and knocked me out. I woke up in the infirmary a while later. Almost everyone I knew at that school was

surrounding me. The nurse suggested that I go home and relax. The Cullens volunteered to take me home. I rode in Alice's car because there was something I wanted to talk to her and Jasper about. On the way home, Alice had a vision that we were going to crash down the ravine separating the Cullen's land from your land.She yelled at me to put my seatbelt on. I fumbled for the seatbelt seconds before we came crashing down the ravine. I was thrown out of the car. Edward tried tostop the car, but it crushed him, so we left him there. They brought me to Carlisle place so he could tend to my wounds. I had a dislocated elbow, a sprained shoulder, an enormous cut on my arm, and a minor concussion. It was about lunch time that Carlisle got done working on me. So all of the Cullens took me to a restaurant. In the middle of lunch, Alice had a vision that Victoria was going to find me with you in the forest and kill me. When we weredone, Jasper and I hung out for a while. He took me to the place where Alice sai

d that Victoria would find me, and warned me to stay away from there. Then hetook me to the Civil War battlefield and showed me where he was injured and changed. By the time that he had showed me some memorable places, it wasseven-thirty, and I needed to get home. Jasper took me from the battlefield backto Charlie's house. We spoke to Charlie a little bit about what we did. Charliesaid that we could go out longer if we pleased, but Jasper suggested that I getto sleep. I had a long day, and he thought that I should go down for the night.So I went to bed. Back to the dream, you and I were talking about whatever in the forest where Alice said specifically NOT to go. All of a sudden, a shadowdarted out and crushed me to the floor. I recognized it to be Victoria. She bitme square in the middle of the neck, and then left me. You were pacing the floor, wondering what to do. Finally, you made your decision: you left to go get help. Within a few seconds, I was dead. I woke up screaming, thrashing around in bed, gasping for breath. My breath got caught in my throat, and I could not breathe. Charlie came rushing in and woke me up. I could finally breathe. He got me a glass of water and asked if I was okay. When I said that I was fine, he left to go to bed. After I heard him turn the lights off, I rushed to my phone, called Alice, and told her about my dream. Then she told me to call her if I felt insecure, threatened, or if I had that dream again. After the call, I went to sleep. When I woke up, you were here, and we end up right back where westarted," I took a huge breath. Jacob was staring at me, wide-eyed."Wow, Bella. That's-- a hell of a story.""It's the truth.""Yeah, Bella, there's something I want you to know."

"Anything, Jacob."He stared at me directly in the eyes. "Isabella Marie Swan-""Oh, God, don't give me any of this 'I'll always love you, no matter what that b


21/40

loodsucker will do to you' crap," I rolled my eyes.Jacob took a single step back. "Bella, I can give you what he can't. A life. I would do anything for you, even if it means that you can eat, breathe, or even sleep. I want you to understand that. I can give you life, yet you still choose him.""Jake, it's not like I have a choice-""Yes, Bella! You do have a choice! They aren't even alive! Yet you still choose

him."Jake-""Don't 'Jake' me, Bella. You don't understand!"I was astounded. "I understand completely. It's you that doesn't understand. I want to live a long and happy life with him.""Bella, damn it, listen to me! They aren't even alive! If I didn't know any better, I'd say that they didn't even know how to breathe to its full extent! Bella,you would live so much better with me than with that undead creature! Please, Bella. I love you. And I know you love me too. You just have neglected to say itout-loud," Jacob turned and began just walking in the other direction."Hey, Jake, please-""No, Bella. I'm not going to fall for this crap from you. If you want that filth

y bloodsucker more than me, then you can forget this whole thing. I am out of here," Jacob had still not stopped walking away."Jake, please-" I started. A vision interrupted my dialogue. I was seeing the same thing in my dream. Victoria and everything.Jacob must have known that I was seeing something because he crept up to me andwhispered in my ear. "Bella, Bella, what's happening. What do you see?"The vision was ten times shorter than my actual dream, and when I snapped out ifit, I jumped back in alarm and blinked my eyes a couple of times."It was the dream-- the dream I had last night. Jacob, I need you. Please stay with me. You have to protect me. Please, Jake. Stay," I pleaded. He seemed satisfied."That's my Bella," he laughed as he scooped he up and ran off with me."Geez, Jake, slow down. Your objective is not to kill me. You're supposed to be

protecting me, remember?" I chuckled. It appeared that Jacob was having the timeof his life."Don't worry, Bella. I'll take care of you. If you die, then I'll take all of the responsibility for your death.""That's good to know."Jacob smiled. "Do you have any idea how much of a rush it is to be running withyou in my arms?""I can relate.""How?" Jake questioned."HE used to do this to me all of the time. Carry me off in his arms into the forest," I said. Jake stopped and looked down at me."Is that how you refer to him? HE?"Jacob sped back up again."I didn't think that you would want me to mention his name while I am in your presence," I stated. He smiled."Actually, you're right. If I were to hear his name again today, then I might ralph.""I see.""I'm glad."Jacob gradually slowed down and took a deep breath. "Where to, Ms. Swan?""Anywhere is fine.""Have you eaten yet?""No.""Neither have I. There's a place to start," Jacob started walking toward the road."Where to, Alpha?"

Jacob frowned. "Oh, I'm not the Alpha. Sam is," he said."Sam Uley?" I asked. I was fairly sure that was who he was talking about, but Ijust wanted to make sure.


22/40

"Yeah. That's him. I let him be the Alpha.""Why?" I asked. I felt that Jacob should be the Alpha, but what do I know?"Ah, I didn't mind taking orders from someone else. Besides, I am more of a follower than a leader.""Really?""Do you have to argue with everything I say?" Jacob laughed."I'm not arguing. I'm just wondering why you don't take sides."

"Huh?""Never mind."He continued to carry me to a nearby drive-in. This stumped me."Why are we going to a drive-in? Don't you have to have a car to park here?" I asked a stupid question.He chuckled. "Well, no, you don't have to have a car to park at a drive-in. Besides, I thought you would look at me as your car.""My car's just fine."Jacob forced a smile. "Yeah, but I thought that me carrying you on my back wouldbe more of a distraction to the rest of society. In your car, no one would be able to tell I was there."I rose my fist, ready to punch him, but then I stopped, and remembered what happ

ened to me last time I tried to punch a werewolf."Decided against it, huh?" Jake chuckled. I nodded, but only slightly."I was just remembering the last time I punched a werewolf.""Oh yeah. Sorry about that.""Is there anywhere I can punch a werewolf wherein I will not break my hand?" I questioned Jacob."Well, there is one place-""You know? Let's just drop the subject, okay?" I said. Jacob shrugged."Fine with me. I didn't like where this was going, anyway."Jacob set me on my feet, and opened the door for me."Thanks, but you don't have to do that. I am fully capable of opening the door for myself, thank you.""Hey, hey, hey, I was just being polite."

"I understand that, but still, I'm fully capable of doing it myself.""Okay. I'll keep that in mind for the future." Jacob was frowning.We both walked inside and I took a seat while he approached the front counter. Iheard a series of murmurs while I tapped my fingers impatiently on the table. Iconcentrated on the beat of my fingernails to the table. God, I hated being away from Jacob. Not that HE was any different.By the time that Jacob had returned to the table, I had given up all of my patients and laid my head on the table. Jacob took a seat in front of me and gazed atme worriedly."Bella? You alright?" he asked, inching more toward me. I opened my eyes and sighed."Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just-- very bad at waiting. I am a very impatient person,"I sighed again."Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting?" Jacob asked."Waiting for what?""I've been waiting for you to notice me. Every since we first met when we were younger. I know how I make you feel," Jacob confessed more than I had thought hewould."What are you talking about?""I know how I make you feel when I am around you. I make you feel nervous. I make you feel like-- like you're melting inside.""Jake--""Don't 'Jake' me. I've been waiting for you since we first met. And you've nevernoticed me the same way I notice you.""Jake," I reached out and grabbed his hand. "I love you. I love you so much. It'

s completely possible to love more than someone at once," I said.Jacob frowned. "Yeah, but when you love a bloodsucking fiend, then that changesthings." After he had gotten his real feelings out, he calmed down.


23/40

"Okay, let's go back to reality. I've had enough of this conversation. Do you have any plans for today?"Jacob paused for a moment. "Nothing much. Just a walk, maybe bowling if you're up for it. By the way, I ordered you a biscuit and a few hash brown patties, if that's okay with you.""Yeah. That's fine.""Good. Because here he comes right now," Jacob motioned to the man who was just

about to make contact with us.He set down the trays without saying anything. Just to add to the drama, we keptour mouths shut as well."The silent treatment," Jacob smiled as the man walked away."Definitely," I stared as he placed himself down the counter."Here you go," he set my tray down in front of me."My pleasure," he dished himself. He picked up a hash brown and nibbled on it."Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked me, who was still staring off into space. I bit off a small piece of my biscuit."Wow," I glanced down at my tray."What?" he eyed me suspiciously."It's so nice to be around someone who is not related to me that eats," I set do

wn my biscuit. He picked up his hash brown and then set it back down. Jacob tucked a piece of hair behind my ear."Well, that's just another reason why you should fall for me other than that Cullen kid. I am a normal human being," Jacob said proudly.I looked at him throughly. "Jake, you're a dog. A fluffy, meat-preying dog. Youare by no means a human being," I began nibbling on a hash brown."Okay, so I am not all human. So what? Have you looked at yourself lately?" he gestured to all of me."Believe me. I've looked at myself more than you have.""You want to bet?""I'm just saying.""Because girls spend more time standing in front of the mirror than guys," Jacoblaughed.

"That's not always the case. I know lots of boys that always glance at themselves in the mirror every day," I defended my title."Oh yeah? Name five.""Do you count?" I laughed."Um, no. I don't count. But go on. I want to hear your theories," Jacob said. Man, he was so demanding."Okay. Never mind. You're so pushy," I argued. Jacob laughed just before he chewed another bite of his hash brown."I wish I could say the same," Jacob said.Our breakfast lasted about another half-an-hour. Boy, can I say it was weird being around someone who eats food.Jacob sat up with his tray. "Are you done? 'Cause if you're not, then we can stay here.""No, no, I'm done. We can go," I sat up as well."Are you sure?""Positive."We tossed out our trays and Jacob carried me on his back to the forest."Where to, my darling?"I glanced around. "Alice said she saw me getting attacked in the forest in the mid-afternoon, so I would recommend we go there anytime between now and about noon."Jacob shrugged. "Er, later today. Let's go to the La Push Beach and just hang out there.""What am I going to wear?" I tried to escape the thought of playing in the waterwith the werewolf.

Jacob yanked a pair of shorts out of his pocket. "Always come prepared."I laughed uncomprehendingly. "Thanks, Jake. Where do I change?""Anywhere."


24/40

"Turn around.""What?""I said turn around.""Why?""Because I am changing here. Turn around."He shrugged and then tossed the shorts over to me. "Knock yourself out."He turned around as I slipped my shorts off and tossed the new ones on. I was do

ne within ten seconds."Are you ready, Jake?"Jacob ripped his shirt and his shorts off, exposing his bare chest and his swimtrunks. "Ready as I'll ever be.""Geez, take it easy. You hadn't planned on doing anything other than swimming with me, have you?" I joked, hoping that Jacob was as serious as I was."Ah, I hope so," he stretched. I laid a hand on his shoulder, where he got his tattoo. His skin felt bony and smooth."Okay. What are we waiting for? Take me, my loyal companion," I pointed forward.

I kept my eyes closed through the entire trip. When he stopped, he took my sanda

ls off and set me down. I immediately felt sand in-between my toes."Where are we?" he asked, expecting me to know. Fortunately, I was way ahead ofhim."At La Push Beach?" I opened my eyes and took a step forward. As did he."You'd better hope so. Because if we are not, then we have a problem, "Jacob joked.I followed him along the shoreline. I could have sworn I saw Jacob try to peck me on the cheek a few times, but decided against it."What do you want to do?" I walked down the beach with Jacob still ahead of me."I was hoping that you would be okay with just hanging out in the water for a minute. If that's okay with you?" Jake asked. I didn't have a problem with that."Yeah. I'm fine with that.""Just let me know if you get bored of it anytime soon."

"I can do that."Jacob seemed to be the bravest one of the bunch, because he jumped into the water as if he was meant to live there. He sank his head under the water, threw it back, and flipped his hair everywhere."Wow. I didn't know you had that much dog in you," I laughed as I took another ginger step toward the water."Ha ha. Funny. Come on, Bella. Join the fun. You don't know what you're missing," Jacob splashed a bucket-full's worth of water in my direction. He soaked my top. The cold water startled me."Jake! Oh my gosh! Bad dog! Bad dog! No!" I screamed. I wanted to take my shirtoff, but I was not dressed properly for this occasion."It's okay, Bella. I won't tell anyone," he said, hoping I hoping decide to remove my shirt."Too bad it's you I can't trust, Jacob. Maybe if it were HIM, I might. But rightnow, that's a no.""Come on, Bella. Do it!" he dared me."No."He seemed to be done with arguing with me, because he shut his mouth after I said no."So pushy," he slapped the water with his hand."I am curious," I waddled to where he was in the water and laid a single hand onhis bare chest."How are you still over one-hundred degrees when the water is cold enough to paralyze your body?" I asked. I had not removed my hand from his chest. He seemed to be enjoying this.

"I'm not the person you should be asking. Seek to Billy for questions like that."I smirked. "You're so . . . hot," I slid my hand down his chest.


25/40

He grabbed a hold of me and held me close. Man, he was hot.Before I had a chance to object, he pecked me on the cheek and squeezed me close. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders."I love you, Jacob.""I love you, Bella. So much.""Don't ever leave me, okay?" I asked. I still had not let him go. I could tell that he was not going to let me go, either.

"When have I ever left you?""A few weeks ago, when we were saving HIM from the Volturi.""Don't remind me about that, okay?""Already forgotten," I sunk in to his face and our lips locked. He lips overlapped mine, and eventually, our tongues touched. From there, I broke free."I'm so sorry, Jacob," I took a step back."Try to control yourself, okay? I can't resist myself, but you will have to learn to resist my firm grip. Although it may seem that this is what you want, you'll have to learn to resist.""I'm so sorry, Jacob," was all I could manage."Is that all you know how to say?""No, it's just that--"

"That what?" Jake asked."I love you, Jacob, so much. I can't believe that I picked Edward over you. Canyou forgive me?"Jacob took a step back. "Well, there is one exception.""Anything, Jacob. Speak up.""Marry me.""What?""Marry me, Bella. We can run off together. We can go somewhere where there are no vampires. Somewhere we can be together alone. Alive together. Instead of you and that Cullen kid dead forever. We can live.""Jacob, you know I can't. It's too late to call it off," I stared at Jacob deepinto his eyes."It's not too late. If they don't know where you are, they can't hunt you down."

"Alice already has the date set. We would somehow have to convince the Volturi that I am going off with you other than HIM. If they didn't believe me, they would not only kill all of the Cullens, but they would also kill me. You wouldn't beable to stand that, would you?" I argued."Bella. You know I wouldn't care if those bloodsuckers were killed, but I wouldnever be able to get over what I would have done to you if they killed you as well.""Neither would I, Jacob. That's why I can't risk anything. Are you in understanding?" I asked Jake. He nodded, but he was frowning."I understand. Please talk to them. HIM, I mean. If you can somehow reason withhim, then that would be what goes on. If you can't then I'll talk to him."I glared at him. "Do you promise not to kill him?"Jacob hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. I promise.""Good."I turned away. "Jake?""Hmm?""I want a minute to cool off. Just to relax. You go play in the water, I will join you in a minute," I said. Jacob gulped and then nodded."Okay. You're fine. Go on."I turned away and started toward the shore. I paused at a large rock and sat down.I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. What a day. Although it was still morning, I was ready to drop dead. I had so much on my mind. I needed to unwind. Thoughts about Jacob swarmed around my head like mosquitoes. What would he think of me when I was an old grandma? Would he still like me?

Would Edward hate me? Would he still like me? Would he rip my head off when he found out that I wanted Jake more than him? Would he say that he was fine with it, but would he hate me for as long as he lives? Would Jake love me forever, like


26/40

he said he would? Or was he just trying to make me feel good? What was I goingto tell Charlie when he found out that I wanted an old childhood friend more than a mysterious, golden-eyed guy? What would Renee think? Would she hate Edward?Would Charlie hate Edward? Would Charlie hate the Cullens? Would Edward rip Charlie's head off? Would Charlie rip my head off? All of these questions swarmed myhead.I looked back at Jake to see him swimming out farther than my eyes could see.

I returned to my thinking. But it was interrupted by a sudden outburst."Bella! Look!" Jacob shouted at the top of his lungs. He was holding his swim shorts up. It appeared that they had slipped off while he was swimming away."Woo hoo!" I shouted, smiling with delight.I looked away while he quickly slipped them back on."Am I good?" I yelled, my back still turned."Yes! You're fine to look now!"I looked back, and there he was. Swimming away.I decided that I was missing an awful lot watching my loyal companion swimming without me, so I waddled in and swam out to him."That's my Bella," he laughed as he grabbed a hold of me and held me tight. Ourlips locked once again.

This time, neither of us resisted. We both held on with all our might and neverlet go. The only thing that was going to resist our grip was if something yankedme down.Speak of the devil, something yanked my leg, and I was down. I hit my head as the thing yanked my leg down and down."Bella! Bella! Don't panic, I'm coming!" Jacob gulped in a huge breath and flewunder the surface.My eyes were closed as the figure carried me down. I wasn't breathing (obviously) and every inch of my body was numb.I wasn't sure how far I was carried down until a felt a thump below me.Jacob had not been able to see me, so he raced up to the surface. He gulped in several large breaths, and dove back down. Farther than the last time. Finally--he saw me. He swam down, carried me up, and laid me on the sand. My lips were bl

ue, and my eyes were sealed shut.He breathed into me and squeezed down onto my chest. "Breathe. Please, come on!Breathe! Bella! Breathe! Please, breathe!" Jacob stared at my pale, angelic face. It showed no sign of life."Bella!" he cried. Tears were streaming down his face. The rain blended in withtears on his face. "Please! Please, Breathe! Bella, please! Don't die! Please, not now! Please, Breathe!" he continued to breathe into me. I still did not move."Noooooo!" Jacob screamed into the sky and buried his face into his hands. "Noooooo!"Thunder crackled overhead. The sky was dark, even though it was still morning. Rain was pouring down from the dark sky, and it was running down Jacob and I's faced.Jake wasn't going to give up yet. He breathed into me and pressed on my chest continuously."I'm not going to lose you now," he grabbed a hold of my wrist and held on lightly, feeling for a pulls. Then he set two fingers on top of my neck and sat completely still. There was a slight beat."Bella! Come back! Breathe! Please, breathe!" he breathed into me one more time.He heard a gasp come out of me. Hot air flew from my nose, and I could breatheagain."Bella! Oh, Bella!" he wrapped his muscular arms around my bony body. I couldn'tmove, but I could breathe."Jake . . . Jake . . . Jacob--" I gasped. I could not catch my breath."Bella, Bella," he let go of me but he continued to hold my hand."Jake . . . so cold . . . can't catch . . . my breath," I shivered. I could not

feel my body. All I knew was that I was cold-- so cold. I could not catch my breath."Bella. Come here," he wrapped his arms around me. Even his natural body tempera


27/40

ture was not warm enough to cool me down."Jake. You're not warm enough. It's . . . too . . . cold," I panicked. I was shivering violently."Bella? Bella? Are you okay?""Yeah, I'm just . . . cold--" I was cut-off my vicious shivering."Don't worry. You'll be warm soon," Jacob looked back a little bit. "I'm going to grab my shirt and shorts for you. I'll be right back!"

When he finally returned, my shivering had stopped. My body could no longer keepitself warm by shivering. Jacob panicked and began screaming when he saw that my shivering had stopped."Bella! God, NO! I'm so sorry Bella. I'm so sorry!" he sank his face into my lifeless body.I'd always wanted to know what it would be like to be dead. At least for a few minutes. For a half-an-hour, I was. Jacob believed that it was all his fault. Hefelt that if he had not lured me over to him, I would not have been drowned anddead.I could not stand to see Jacob in the state he was in. He had his face buried inmy chest, desperate to hear a beat. Any beat. I could tell that he was hopefulin finding a heart beat. He believed that I was dead, but there was still a smal

l ounce of hope left in him.He did everything in his will to show his guilt for my death. How was he going to tell Charlie? Would Charlie beat the hell out of him for watching me the he did? How would Charlie react? How would the Cullens react? Would they kill Jacob?Who knew? And there wasn't any way I could tell them that it wasn't his fault.I had the worst dream I could possibly have after my dead by drowning.In my dream, I was floating in a boat in the middle of the lake. There was not asoul around. It was just . . . me. Thunder crackled ahead; I was completely unaware of where I was. No one was around. Nothing was around. Except the fierce waves and the threatening winds. The boat was rocking. I hit a rock; a leak sprung. One large enough not just me could dispose of the water before the boat sunk.

I began shoveling water out in handfulls. Nothing was working. When the boat sank, I was not in the ocean. I was in the forest. Edward was there. I recogni

zed this scene to be the place where Edward left me. He ran away and left me inthe forest. He must have known that I would suffer. He must have

Documents

The Awakening: Twilight Fan Fiction