Moonlight and Red Wine

The kitchen was well lit by the outsiding lights as I bound down the stairs to find something to drink.

"Hmm," I mumbled to myself, "No apple juice."
"We're not used to humans staying with us," I heard Carlisle from behind as I turned around to face him.
"I can tell," I smiled lightly.
"Did you sleep alright?" He asked as he watched me seriously as I got some water.
"Yeah," I nodded as I put the glass to my lips, "Fine."
"So what are your plans for today?"
"Bella wanted me to go to La Push with her today, meet some of her friends," I shrugged, "I didn't really want to go but I don't want to be rude."
"Don't," He gave me a stern look as I felt the tension.
"Why?"
"Just please, meet her somewhere else, just don't go."
"You make it sound like I'll end up dead," I smirked as his expression didn't change.
"Deegan, I beg you, don't."
"Ok, ok," I sighed as Edward came down the stairs, "I'll just go get some groceries if you don't mind."
"Just don't go to La Push," He nodded.
"Maybe I'll go scoop out some local empty buildings for a dance studio?" I shrugged as I seen Edward smirk lightly, "He was listening, wasn't he?"
"I couldn't tell you," Carlisle shrugged as I got an apple to eat as I sat on the bar stool as everyone else soon came into the room now.

I knew they all wanted an explaination for last night and my dream. And of course, who Harmony was but there was just so much, I wasn't sure how to put it all. As I finished my apple, I washed down the rest with the water as I moved my finger along the rim of the cup.

Edward stood next to me as his hand lightly touched my shoulder, sending a wave of dizziness through my body. I supported my weight on the chair by putting my arms by my side which didn't help much as his hand fell to lightly rest on top of one of mine. I still had everyone sitting around as it was silent.

"Harmony," I started my voice strong for the time being, "She wasn't always a vampire or evil for that matter. She was like well Bella, ok maybe not Bella but she was the stereotypical cheerleader slash Miss USA. A total ditz, blond, you know the drill."

"She wasn't the brightest crayon in the box," Emmett smirked.
"Exactly," I smiled as I looked back at him, "And way too girlie girl to even think that she'd change like that."

"I don't even remember how she changed," I started again, "Just she was now this evil vampire who somehow gained smarts, thought everyone was on her side just because they were friends with Spike. Spike could barely stand her too since she was way too clingy and annoying. He often joked that he'd want me to kill her then other times it wasn't a joke. Then the whole light thing with Dawn happened. Everyone tried to protect her. Even Buffy dying, then coming back. But it wasn't til Buffy was gone that the attention was focused on me.

"Then Oz came back for a while. Of course Willow had changed, fell for someone but Oz wouldn't hear it. He tried to win her back, yet he was still with the wrong crowd. Oz was a werewolf, the only one I could tolerate, til that point. He resented me, hated me for becoming what I was. So a few nights after being back, he went to Harmony and his pack, making a plan to stop me. Had it not been for Spike, the plan would've worked."

"What happened?" Rosalie asked.

"Oz told me he wanted to apologize, that he was sorry he acted like that. I believed him for a second when I was surrounded by his pack. Then they stopped, Harmony had shown up. They let her torture me with each blow, til I would give in to her. But I wouldn't, I'd die rather than give up to her. So it went on for hours in this park. She'd take shots at me, let me get a few in, then some of Oz's pack along with him would hold me back to let her run a blade across my stomach or whip me, anything. It was then as I could feel every ounce of my being wanted to drop dead that Spike came to my rescue. He stepped in, saved my life, and Buffy destoryed what she had to. Before Harmony died though, she swore that she'd come back for me, especially after standing up for Dawn."

"Wow," I heard Alice whisper as I looked down at Edward's hand and blushed slightly.

"Yeah," I nodded as I looked at my phone, "Um, I hate to cut this short but I've got get going. Mingle with Bella and all."

"Are you sure?" Rosalie asked.
"I'll be fine," I smiled at her, "We'll talk more about this later?"
"Yeah," Carlisle smiled, "Go be normal."
"Thanks," I smiled at him.

I headed out the door as I told Bella about our change of plans. I was busy looking at places for my dance studio, as Bella met up with me and 3 other boys.

"Hey Deegan," Bella smiled.
"Hi."
"This is Sam, Jacob, and well Mike," She gave me a look, "I couldn't ditch Mike."

Although the last part was mumbled as I smirked as I kept walking.

"Hi," I smiled at them.
"So Bella says you're the new dance coach?" Mike asked.
"Yeah," I smiled at him, "That'll be me."
"I heard your brutal," He mumbled.
"I'm not there to be a best friend," I chuckled as we stepped into this open house of a newly emptied building.
"She also said your staying with the Cullens," Sam glared.
"Yeah," I nodded slowly as I gave him a look, "What about it?"
"Just saying," He shrugged, "They aren't normal."
"As opposed to what?" I glared at him.
"They always go camping, they're pale-"
"And you're too damned nosy," I glared as I could feel myself get aggrivated with him.
"What do you know about them?"
"Seriously?" I stopped as I rolled my eyes, "I just met you and you're telling me that I chose to stay with the wrong people. Like you know me or something."
"See, told you we should've went to the beach," Jacob mumbled to Bella as she nodded.
"I can hear you," I snapped as I looked at them, "Go, I really don't care."
"But I wanted to hang out with you. You know get to know you," Bella looked at me.
"I'm not going to La Push," I crossed my arms, "I made a promise."
"To who?" Bella questioned.
"Why's it matter?"
"Just a question," She shrugged.
"It's really none of anyone's business," I looked at all of them, "Especially when they think they know me."
"Good, leave," Sam crossed me as I wanted to hiss at him but just shook my head.
"Bella, you're ok and all but come hang out with me when you're not with them."
"Deeg-"
"Let her go," Sam watched me as I walked off as he mumbled, "No good half breed."

I cringed at what I heard even though I was farther away. I wanted nothing more to go over to him and inflict pain but I caught something out the corner of my eye.

"You're following me?" I questioned as I looked at Edward.
"No," He gave me a look, "I was following Bella."
"Well she's gone," I looked towards her direction then back at him, "Don't lie."
"I was following her but then I heard what they said," Edward looked at me, "You look like you could use a friend."
"I don't need your sympathy," I glared at him, "I'm not going to go all sobby just because you shown up."
"I wasn't suggesting it."
"I'm not losing sleep over their comments," I rolled my eyes, "I just, sometimes I hate it here."
"Come on, let's walk."
"To where?"
"Anywhere," He shrugged as I rolled my eyes.
"Wow, so much detail."
"Cute," He laughed as I didn't move, "What?"
"If you don't mind, I'd rather just be alone a bit."
"No, go ahead," He smiled as he brushed past me as my heart beat speed up, "I'll see you at home."

I kept to my checking out different places to practice, then eventually heading to my own team try-outs again as my mind wasn't there even though I was. So many people complained about the conditioning as I zoned them out. I was the coach who conditioned with them and it wasn't that bad, they just needed to suck it up.

Once the second to last night of try-outs were over, I headed back to my car in the dark as I checked my phone messages. One was from Xander just checking up, then the other was Angel, telling me that both he and Xander weren't coming home in a few weeks more like maybe a year they'd be gone.

"Great," I mumbled as I tossed my back into the trunk, "Like I never loved you."

As I made my way to the driver's side door, I heard something in the brushes rustle as I stopped to listen to it. It let out a low growl as I watched the darkness, then slowly got in my car. By time, I got home, well to the Cullen's, everyone was going about their business as I walked through the door.

"Hey," Edward smiled at me as I felt my knees go weak, "You're home early."
"Yeah," I smiled lightly.
"Everything ok?" He asked as I tried my best to smile.
"Angel's not coming back for another year," I shrugged, "Or Xander."
"Are you ok?"
"Stop asking me that," I mumbled as I rolled my eyes as I walked off only to have him stand in front of me.
"I just want to-"
"Edward, I'd realy appreciate it if you'd stop acting like you cared so much," I crossed my arms, "Obviously you don't, so just stop."
"I-"
"I'm heading to dance downstairs, ok?" I pushed past him, "If anyone asks."

Dance.

The only place I could find myself totally alone.

Alone with my thoughts, my feelings, everything.

The only place they'd stop.

Then I smelt it.

Blood

It was light, faint but coming from upstairs.

I followed it all the way back to the kitchen.

There stood Bella, she must've came over sometime. I wasn't sure, time flew when I was in my own world. Her hand was wrapped in a towel, she cut it on something. A knife, maybe? It was overwhelming, the power it was taking on, the smell, everything.

I stood there, watching, admiring, in a trance until I heard my name being called.

"Deegan," Carlisle looked at me, "Deegan."
"I, um," I shook my head, "What?"
"Rosalie, Emmett, take her out of here," Carlisle looked at them as they nodded.