Hey everyone. Please read this:

Yay! Chapter 9. To all my friends/reviewers/readers : You know who you all are - You are the reason this is fun for me. Thank you for being so faithful to this story!

A BIG THANK YOU TO MY BETA, JEN! (LJ: bell12804 & FF: stargirl888) : You've been an awesome friend!

And from now on, all the QUESTIONS from the reviews will be addressed at the BOTTOM of the page, so be sure to check that out as well!

Okay... on to the chapter! All I have to say is... if you thought the last chapter was good... read this one even slower. :D

Currently rated T but may turn into M as time goes by. [Dont worry, not as long away as you think for the impatient kiddies!]

... And again PLEASE REVIEW!

Disclaimer: I own nothing that is Twilight or Stephenie Meyer related. [Though Robert is welcome at any given time to take over my life. ;)]

For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.

Mark 8:36

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Chapter 9: The Unfolding

I spent the rest of the midnight hours in a complete haze of jittery goodness. First, I drove around town for about thirty minutes, trying to replay the night's events in my head. The conversations, the baseball practice, the way things turned and twisted between Edward and myself.

I parked my car in the drive and climbed on top of the hood, staring breathlessly at the moon. It didn't look dull and overrated, like it normally did when I merly glanced at it before.

No, it was different this time.

It appeared to have a prism of colors that no human could notice... reds and pinks and oranges... almost rainbow-like. I inhaled deeply, shutting my eyes. I replayed his different smiles in my mind, all making my smile wider. Edward had taken complete control over me, right or wrong. There was no two ways around it, and once this realization settled, I decided I never wanted to go back.

I felt an adreneline rush blast into my body, and my hands started to shake with excitement.

I rushed inside the house, startling Charlie by both my urgent rush and my estatic expression. He wasn't used to seeing either one of them belonging to me.

Charlie bounced off of seat immediately, a wide look in his eyes. "What are you doing, Bells? Where have you been all day?"

I flew past him and reached the top of the staircase. "Nothing! Just hanging out with, um, friends! I'm starving, are you hungry Dad?"

"Uh... no, Bella, I'm fine. Are you going to go hunt?"

I rushed back out of my room and into the bathroom, and caught a glimpse of him sitting back down in his favorite chair as I went. "Yeah Dad, I shouldn't be out long."

"Do you need me to go with you?"

"No Dad!" I galloped down the stairs, skidding to a stop before I slid through the door. "I'll be fine. I know how to keep myself safe."

"No big game, Bells. Not by yours-"

"Got it!" I was out the door before he could shout anything else to me. I didn't need him ruining my buzz.

I soared into the forest with a smitten expression over my lips. Who was this person that took residence in my body? I knew I probably looked like some love-struck groupie at a rock concert, but I couldn't help it. I could feel the electricity of Edward running through my veins, his words and heart beats acting as blood would to me, if I were still a human. Every detail about him rushed through my frame, pumping me, keeping me moving, faster, faster...

I thought about the curve in his bottom lip and how it was slightly bigger than his upper. About the teasing taste of him in front of my tongue, and how sweet it will be when we actually complete our kiss. I thought about his hot breath on my skin, the words he whispered to me and tried to convince me of, his sensational touch, his green eyes, the way he put my hand over his beating heart... I was half way across town, before I focused on any of my surroundings.

The damp wind blew wildly through my hair and caught me off guard, while the echo of birds flocking away surrounded me, and I couldn't help but laugh. I had no control of my emotions. It was as if I was foreign, even to myself. It felt like I was alive, for the first time in over a hundred years. I felt free and unharmed... invincible almost, like I could do anything!

I started running around the hills, spinning around in a circle. I brushed through some small trees, knocking the tiny one over on it's side. Then I bounced off the next tree with the flat of my shoes and flew to the third tree, fire blazing through my eyes. I slammed into the soil and gripped the trunk tightly, peeking my head around slowly. There was a single female deer in the crossing, her head bending down to drink out of the small stream running beside her. "Got you," I whispered softly.

I squat down behind the tree, digging my fingers through the soil as I watched her for a few moments. She seemed so innocent, so oblivious to anything around her... so peaceful. I wondered to myself if she had a family, kids perhaps? What about a lover of some sort? How heartbroken he must be if he existed somewhere and found her just - Wait, what? Stop, Bella!

I shook my head, refocusing on my prey. I made a slight whistle call between my lips, causing her to raise her head and look at my direction. She couldn't see me. I was invisable.

I leaned forward, taking in her smell. I watched as she arched her neck in my direction, trying to clear her view. Then I leaped toward her.

As the clock ticked by, edging closer to 5:30, I felt more anxious and overly depressed as each hour went by. I watched out the living room window, and as soon as a skim of light flashed in my eyes, I threw a fit, stopping my feet. It was not going to be my day, I could tell already.

"What are you pouting about Bella?"

"This can't be happening! Why is the sun coming out? Why today of all days?"

Charlie stood in the frame of the kitchen, a puzzled expression in his eyes. "Because it's Thursday?"

"No!" I slammed my fist onto the window seal, breaking the wood completely off and cracking the window. "Oops, sorry dad."

"Bella, what is your deal today? Are you on heroin?"

"Dad! Heroin can't affect someone who doesn't have a regular blood stream. I just... I-I studied for a really hard Calculus test today and now I won't be able to take it because I can't go to school."

"But you never study. You know just about everything there is to be taught in that school, and you never cared about Calculus before. Don't you hate math?"

"I know! That's the point! But.." I shoved my hands toward the window, a drastic measure to show the clouds seperating. "...uh! Look!"

"Oh, no worries, drama queen." Charlie replied, jogging up the stairs toward his running shower. "It won't be out long. News predicts rain tonight. You wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you?"

I scowled at him. "Very funny. I'm in a good mood today, Dad. Or, well I was."

"Mmhmm." He shut the door behind him, shaking the frame of the house.

I sighed, slouching down on the couch. I thought I was about to die waiting for daylight to come, and now, I get a freakin' solar eclipse. Great.

I dragged myself off the couch and pouted as I picked up the phone. Continuing my whine, I dialed Edward's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Alice," I sighed. "Is Edward awake yet?"

"Oh, hey Bella! I had a feeling you were going to call today! No, Edward's not awake yet, he didn't get in until pretty late. He said he went for a drive last night to clear his head and try to relax."

"Oh. Yeah I know that feeling. Look, can I leave a message for him?"

"Sure! What is it?"

I frowned. "Can you tell him that I don't need a ride this morning? Just apologize for me and tell him that I plan to be there around lunch time, I have a... doctor's appointment in Port Angeles that I forgot about."

"You got it! See you later!"

"Thanks Alice." I hung up the phone and pressed my forehead to the wall. "Why me? Why, why, why?"

"Bells, stop slamming your head against the wall before we have to plaster it up again." Charlie strolled into the kitchen in his police uniform, hair wet, hands on his hips. "I understand you actually took time to do homework for once in your life, but is all this pouting really necessary?"

I rolled my eyes at him and sat in the chair, placing the side of my head in my hand. "I guess not, Dad. Nothing else seems to go right for me, why should today be any different?"

"Ahh, there's the Bella I know so well. I was wondering where she had been hiding." He kissed the top of my head briefly and rushed out the door. "Be back tonight!"

I turned on the tv, trying to pass time. This was going to be extrutiating.

The hours crept by anciently, and impatience almost took the best of me.

By the time I drove my car toward the school, my hands were white at the nuckle and shaking with anticipation. Come on, come on, come on... just get there all ready!

I'd never been this excited to get to school before. Forks High was normally the part I dreaded most... having to pretend to be someone I wasn't.

But not today.

I pulled into a spot and cut my car off, looking around the sea of people gathering outside for lunch. I saw Rosalie and Emmett laughing, sitting on a pinic table.

Climbing out of my car, I searched for the rest of them. As I got closer to the school, I noticed Alice talking to a group of girls, and a few feet away from her, Jasper was sitting next to the baseball team in the grass, laughing and pointing in the cheerleader direction.

I held my breath, trying to calm my emotions down. I could hear every person's heartbeat, every sound coming out of their mouths... but I couldn't find the voice that I wanted to hear the most. I rushed toward Jasper, waving a quick hello to Angela as I passed. "Hey... Jasper?"

Jasper looked up at me and smiled a warm smile. "Hey Bella. Done playing hookie for the day?"

"Er, yeah." I bit my lip. "Is Edward around?"

"He said he'd be here... somewhere... I'm not sure where he's at this moment... maybe he had to go pee or something..."

I nodded, shoving my hands in my pocket. I couldn't stop shaking. My adreneline was beyong rushed at this point. I just needed to see him, needed to find his eyes and hear his warm voice. I wanted to rediscover that smile that I love the most... the one I almost ached for.

I scammed the parking lot and shoved my trembling fingers through my hair, standing on my tiptoes while I searched.

"Who are you looking for?" Angela piped up, standing beside me.

"Um... no one..." I continued to grow more impatient, scouting through sets of eyes.

"I can see that... Bella?"

I couldn't move. I suddenly became an ice sculpture.

There he was, standing clear across the parking lot looking like a greek God, with his hands inside his jacket. His perfect mess of bronzed delight, his emerald green eyes... I exhaled relief as I took his prescence in. I felt secure, suddenly as I searched for his warm smile, that wonderful greeting from his lips...

But I never found it.

Wait. Was he... was he glaring at me?

I swallowed hard and arched my brows, trying to pull his thoughts from his head. I looked behind me, hoping to find some annoying girl or guy he didn't like. There was no sight of Quil. No sight of anyone. Even Angela had been pulled away by Ben, her crush. It was just me. And his eyes and that look... it was for me too.

I hesitated as I took a step forward, and he took four steps backward, three times as fast as my first. My breath hitched in my throat. I watched as his eyes, growing more disgusted by the second, skimmed over my body like I was the plague.

Then, he slowly shook his head at me, his lips in a straight line, and turned to walk away. His eyes continued to pierce harshly through my spirit as he slowly traveled left, toward the forest behind him. I felt my hands begin to shake, trying to figure out what was going on with him.

Then, I suddenly felt scared. Something in the pit of my stomach told me this was all wrong...

Regardless, I found myself following him, ignoring everyone else I passed like they didn't exist, past school grounds, up the hill, and into the dark shadow of the woods.

I followed him in silence as he walked for a few minutes, climbing through the brush and dirt... not stopping until he reached the top of hill. He kept his back turned from me and his head looking straight. Continuing to shake and feel nauseated, I stood behind him in silence.

Moments passed as the elephant in the forest grew larger. I only heard the small chirps of birds in the distance, the flutter of a butterflies wings a few feet from Edward... but Edward himself... all he did was breathe. Haggardly.

"I couldn't wait to get home, knowing that as soon as I'd wake up, the sooner I'd be able to see you..." His voice was shaken, uncertain. Terrified. "...But when I finally got there, I realized I could not stop playing our conversation from earlier in my head... Repeating it."

I took a step forward, hesitantly.

"And," he continued. "As I thought more about what we discussed... I couldn't help but want to learn more. Anything I could about you, Bella. So, I remembered your mother's name: Renee Swan. I sat down at the computer and got online, trying to figure out what it was that happened to her... because when you talked about her earlier, you were as shut off as I had been when I had talked about my own mother, Elizabeth. We both connected with our emotions, but were disconnected from our own feelings..."

His voice trailed off for a moment as his frame began to shake. I didn't know what was happening, but I suddenly wished I could make it right.

Edward's voice gained a bit of strength, and he continued. " I wanted to know what it was that hurt you before, because I felt I could figure out how to steal that pain away from you. I thought that if I learned what happened to you and your family, I could take it away for you. Heal you, somehow. Ease the suffering. I-I thought... I thought I could change that part of you, make it better."

I swallowed hard and shut my eyes. This could not be happening. Please God, no. No, no, no, no!

I felt my hands shake hard and curled them into tight fists, fighting back the urge to protect myself and destroy whatever was in my path, which was my normal instinct.

His voice continued to rock unsteadily. "And... after a few hours, I got lucky. I paid a fee and purchased a background check. What I discovered... Bella, it broke my heart. I began to cry, understanding immediately the pain you had gone through for so many years... The devastating images you must have seen. Your mother... she was murdered. There were tiny holes discovered around her Jugular vein on her neck. The reports said the multiple stabbings of a ...screwdriver... - " He scoffed, digusted. "- that drained her blood. Drained it, Bella. All of it."

I found myself walking in a circle around him, uncontrolled, and then suddenly standing directly in front of him. His eyes burned into mine, as if they were trying to hurt me, and his lip quivered. I couldn't look away from him. I felt disgusted and hurt, angry and ashamed... But I couldn't look away.

Edward continued to glare at me, shaking his head as I slowly and unsteadily crept forward to him. "You're impossibly fast, Bella, and strong - strong enough to stop a moving truck from crushing me. Your skin is ice cold and pale white.. . Your... Your eyes change colors and you're far more intelligent past your years. You never eat or drink anything and you don't go out into the sunlight..."

Edward's voice trailed off as I stared at him, into him. Then, he spoke again. "How old are you?"

I swallowed hard. "I'm seventeen."

He shook his head, taking a step toward me as his eyes absorbed my shaking fram. "...How long have you been seventeen?"

I stared at him for a moment, unable to come up with a good response. Reactions took over me as I sealed my eyes tight and my body shut down. Through my teeth, I gritted, "...Awhile."

It felt like the world suddenly slid from under our feet and I was spinning widly out of control.

Edward's head tilted down toward me and he inhaled deeply. "I know what you are."

His voice echoed through my ears, breaking my ear drums.

I opened my eyes, trying to read his thoughts. I could tell by his expression that he wasn't lying. But I needed to hear it. Through the trembling in my chest, I whispered, "Tell me... What am I?"

Edward shook his head, thinking for a moment.

"What am I, Edward?" I sneered, forcefully now. "Tell me, go ahead! Say it." Convulsions ripped through my body and I so eagerly desired to attack as I watched the vein pulse in his neck, and listened to his heart pound through his chest, or the exhales of his heavy breath.

"Vampire."

The single word blasted through my frame, knocking all my walls down. I was naked. Exposed. I couldn't keep ahold of my balance, swaying side from side. I looked down, my legs bouncing beneath me as I tried to maintain my cool.

"You're afraid... aren't you." It wasn't a question. I knew better than to ask what I already knew.

Edward's warm finger slid beneath my chin, raising my head to look at him. He stared into my eyes for an extended moment, as if he was trying to tell me something through telekinesis.

"...No..." He said, voice suddenly strong.

My left hand shook as I raised it and grabbed his wrist, gripping my nails toward his skin. "Then you... you know what I... what I eat."

"Yes."

I looked up at him, mystified.

"I saw you, Bella. Last night."

I tried to take a step back, but since I had ahold of his wrist, I pulled him forward with me. "W-What?" I cried.

"I saw you. The thoughts hadn't settled in with me yet, the truth of this After I learned what had happened, I rushed to your house to comfort you. You were not home - no one was. Then I heard rustling in the trees nearby and saw footprints trailing off toward the path inside the woods behind your house, so I followed them. It was very difficult at first, being that I didn't have a flashlight, but after a few minutes of running along your trail, I heard your laughter."

My frame rocked beneath him as I gripped his other wrist, my eyes wide with disbelief. "E-Edward, please tell me y-"

"Yes." His voice was certain. "I found you, just in time to see you make your jump. Then it all rushed through me like a knife, cutting deep. I didn't know how to react so I left."

"B-But I didn't hear you. Edward, I always hear you. Your footsteps, your heart beat..."

"No. I made sure I was far enough away from you. I realized you were distracted, that you wouldn't be paying attention to me. Your focus would be elsewhere. I watched you crouch down behind the tree, and your posture registered with me that something was... off... I thought at first you could be spying on someone else. Turns out, you were spying on something else."

I shook my head and dropped his hands, backing away from him until I hit a tree. After a few more moments of silence, I felt my chest crushing as the words choked out of my mouth... "I-I'm so sorry."

"Bella, it's-"

"No!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the trees as I raised my hands up in protest.

I didn't need him to walk toward me right now. It was best he stay where he was.

I felt the words spill out of me uncontrollably in a flustered ball, and I couldn't grasp for air. "It's not okay, Edward! All right? This is not okay. I was young, I couldn't do... a-anything about it. I didn't choose this type of life! I-I couldn't control this! This is not what I want to be, Edward! I couldn't do anything, I couldn't say anything, I cou-"

Edward ran to me, causing me to freak out a little. Afraid I'd do something stupid, I wrapped my hands behind me, around the tree. I dug my nails deep into the bark as he covered my lips with his warm hands. As I continued to tremor and fight to control my emotions, Edward leaned his beautiful face forward and pressed his forehead to mine. "Bella..." He whispered. "...This is not your fault."

I shut my eyes, trying to escape from the echoes of my mother's scream, the agony in her face, and the blood spill around me. "I couldn't do anything," I whimpered. "It was too late and I couldn't... I couldn't save her."

Edward stood still with his lips pressed against my forehead and slowly ran his hands along the length of my arms. Hesitantly, he pulled them away from the tree.

"It's okay, Bella... Shhh, you're safe here. You're safe with me, and you don't need to be afraid of me."

I continued to gasp for air. "I-I'm not afraid of you, Edward. I know you're afraid of me, and you have every right to be!"

Edward shook his head and bent his knees so he could better look me in the eyes, as his fingers intertwined with mine. "Do I look like I am scared of you, Bella?"

I studied his expression for any sight of difference. There wasn't any.

"...N-No..." I guessed, not understanding why.

He smiled, my favorite warm smile finally crossing his face. "That's because I'm not. I don't care what you are, Bella. I don't care what you did in the past... I know you won't hurt me."

I took another step backward, bending the tree a little with my stance. I watched as Edward tried to remain steady, his eyes slowly grazing above my head toward the top of the leaning tree for a moment... then slowly back down to mine.

"Edward, I've killed before."

"I don't care, Bella."

"How can you not care?" I couldn't hide the horror in my throat.

Edward shook his head slowly, soaking me with his smoldering eyes. "You have never killed a human before in your life, Bella."

My lips shook as I fought to get the next word out. It was hard to be honest with him, especially this brutally. "But I've wanted to. I have. ...I wanted to kill you, Edward. I've... I've never wanted... a human's blood... so badly... in my life."

He took a step closer, pinning me against the tree. "I trust you."

I shut my eyes, trying to get a grip on myself as I processed the words. "You should be afraid of me," I whispered.

Edward sighed, his warm thumb stroking my right cheek. "I'm only afraid of losing you."

That sentence warmed my face immediately and my eyes popped open. Every bitter expression, every ounce of pain in my body lifted as I stared into his eyes.

I found peace there, suddenly... instantly. It washed over me, soothed me.

"I'm afraid of losing you, too."

Edward smiled his angel smile once more, his other hand cupping the other side of my face. "You don't know how long I've waited for you."

I felt my last guard retreat as my shaken hands gripped his biceps. Then I exhaled, the first real release in the longest of times. "... No, Edward. You don't know how long I've waited for you."

Edward's hands continued to stroke my cheek as he pulled me away from the tree. He held me in his grasp, his thumb caressing my lip.

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb..."

I shook my head, unable to hold back a smile. "You're a stupid lamb."

He smirked at me. "You're a sick, masochistic... irrisistable lion."

We continued to stare into each other's eyes, soaking in the other for what felt like an eternity... and the clouds rolled silently above us in whispers.

I led Edward to my favorite spot, a hidden meadow with an open field of butterflies and blue green grass.

We laid side by side in silence, staring into each other's eyes as the clouds spun above us. Over us. Sheilding us from the world.

I couldn't believe how amazing this creature was. How accepting he was, how caring and how loving...

How he was truly made for me.

The sun slid through the clouds and crashed over my body, and I shook nervously as the revealance of my secret suddenly exposed me.

Edward gasped, his eyes widening wider than ever before.

My lip quivered and I expected him to run away scared, this being the final nail in the coffin as the realizations sunk in with him. He'd know I was a monster now.

Instead, he leaned over me and ran his fingers through my long hair, his eyes melting against mine. "I was right, Bella." He whispered softly.

"A-About what?" I couldn't stop shaking, not knowing what to expect.

Edward leaned over my face gently and placed his warm lips to my ear, as his voice began to penatrate me. "You...Are... So... Beautiful."

And with that final whisper, I finally accepted his words.

For the first time in my entire life... 107 years and counting... I finally felt beautiful.

So there we go, Chapter 9! Keep the reviews and compliments/suggestions/positive feedback coming in! They are always welcome. Please review and stay tuned!

ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS/RESPONSES:

- Firstly, thank you to everyone who's continued to be faithful with their reviews per chapter, their positive feedback, advice, and their constructive critism, etc. It's been amazing and so enjoyable to come home from a long day's work and see the number rise from people who enjoy the story just as much as I do! You're the best!

- I hope I answered all your questions with this chapter. And you've probably discovered by now that Bella did not kill her mother, but she was indeed there.

- IF I MISSED SOMEONE'S QUESTION, I TRULY APOLOGIZE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL ANSWER IT ASAP!

Sincerely, Angela.