Text Size Large SizeMedium SizeSmall Size    Color Scheme Black SchemeWhite SchemeGrey SchemePaper Scheme        

Dream's Shadow

Summary:
This is my take on the over- and usually poorly- done plot. Edward leaves Bella again. She is changed and they meet again in the future. There will be a big twist! Requested by Iris. Banner by Iris!

Notes:
Try it! I know stories like this usually stink, but I thought I'd give it a try. I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all.

87. Chapter 87

Rating 0/5   Word Count 667   Review this Chapter

“Hold still, Bella. It’s one thing when it’s your wedding I’m primping you for. Then you can squirm if you want.”

I glare balefully back at her through the mirror. “Somehow I doubt that.”

“Okay, you can’t. But you’re not even the bride. You’re the maid of honor. And that means you have to look exactly the way Claire wants you to.”

I sigh and agree. Claire is in the next room, so I continue the conversation silently. What I don’t understand is why she wants me to at all. I mean, I only met her for the first time a week ago.

You understand her. Remember the first time I was planning your wedding? When I said I could sympathize, but not empathize?

Yeah.

Well, that’s what’s happening now. You understand her. She understands you.

I frown a little and shake my head. I see Alice’s huge scowl in the mirror. I’ve made her smudge the dark blue eyeliner she’s smearing on my face. “Sorry, Alice.” It’s just that I feel like there’s something she’s keeping from me.

There is.

You know the secret?

Yeah. I do.

Now my own sister is hiding things from me. Fantastic.

“Turn your head, Bella.” She pulls something that appears to be a hot iron through my hair.

“Alice… are you sure it’ll come out of the curls?”

“Positive, don’t worry. Besides, I can always straighten it again later.”

You going to tell me what it is?

Ask Claire. She’ll probably show you. Besides, it’s really none of my business. I only know because I had a vision ages ago and put two and two together.

“Claire?” I call. She walks in- it’s still early morning, and the wedding is early afternoon. She hasn’t even started getting dressed yet.

“Hey, Bella. Hey, Alice. Having fun torturing my maid of honor?”

“You know I am.”

“Claire, there’s something I want to talk to you about. You and Alice are hiding something from me. Right?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you tell me what it is? You were thinking about it earlier, that first day. I didn’t peek, but I’d really like to know.”

All right. She sighs aloud and continues in her thoughts. This is somewhere between impossible and really awkward to discuss, and it’s always been Quil who’s explained it before, to anyone who needed to know. Except my friends, who guessed. He’s really blunt about it. He just said it. But you can read my mind, right?

“Right.”

A barrage of images assaults me. I close my eyes. They’re almost inescapably ferocious- this woman has been restraining these memories her entire life.

All I can see is hands, the same two hands again and again, stroking her hari and pulling it, holding her close and shoving her, hard, down the stairs, softly running over her clothes and tearing them off.

“Claire…”

That’s why I left him, Bella. After that, I’m not sure I can be even close to what he deserves.

“Who was it?”

My father. She sighs. Now you know. So much for lying to myself.

I guess it’s only fair if I tell you the truth now.

It can’t be worse than mine.

No. It isn’t… Edward and I aren’t married yet. And I’m here to keep the Volturi from killing you.

I explain what I mean, projecting the images of the recent past into her mind.

She takes it fairly calmly. Oh. That makes sense.

Alice pulls us apart. “Yes, yes, the truth is all wonderful. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to finish doing Bella’s hair so I can move on to yours.”

“Your wish is our command, oh Alice queen of all,” I reply snidely. Claire laughs.

But I can still see the tortured echoes in her mind.