Once Upon a December

The snow fell in a frenzy on the cold December night. Edward wondered the city alone because he left Carlisle some time ago to be on his own. Too much teenage angst, as Esme put it. "You look sort of lonely over there." Edward turned to see a young woman near. She leaned against the street lamp, light flickering overhead.

"Maybe I am." Edward agreed. He noticed her red eyes, much like his own. Vampire."Why don't you join me?"

"Those are dangerous words there, Mister..." She trailed off.

"Mason, Edward Mason." He finished, "You are?"

"Anastasia Nikolaevna."

Edward sat up from the bed and ran a hand through his hair. Vampires can't sleep but that memory felt like a dream. It was almost like she was standing in front of him all over again. If was almost as if she never...

Voterra's city lights shown mockingly through the open window. Edward had received a disturbing call from his sister, Rose, the day before. She said that Bella was dead. Upon hearing the news he couldn't take it, he just snapped. Between losing Anastasia, and now Bella, he had finally given up. Tomorrow, he'd ask to die.

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"No."

"What do you mean NO?!" Edward demanded. He had never been so angry. Who refuses someone to die?

"I said no." Aro answered calmly. "We feel that your too much of an... asset. Join us Edward, live and prosper here where you'll be of great power."

"Besides," a younger boy near the back said, "If you died my mom would come find you and kick your ass."

Edward rolled his eyes, and said mockingly, "Does that mean you've seen her then?" The young boy looked down, knowing Edward was right. No one had seen her for years. Couldn't they understand that he had lost enough? He shook his head and left.

He had thought his plans out in great detail; the festival would be the perfect place. So many humans, he would expose himself, they'd kill him without a second thought. As he stood under the clock tower, he saw something. Or someone. Edward almost didn't feel Bella collide into him. He kept hearing her tell him to get out of the sun, but he felt himself yell, "NO! WAIT!" It was too late, the figure was all ready gone.

The second he saw Alice, he saw one of her latest visions flashing through her head. She looked at him, curious to what it meant. In a low voice he said, "Tell no one of what you saw. The past needs to stay there."

Alice shook her head at her brother, but left well enough alone. "Aro what are we here for?"

"I just wanted to meet what had poor Edward here so troubled. It's hard to think that such a darling little thing could cause such a ruckus. But then again, he did always like the ones who caused trouble."

"Don't talk about her," Edward growled. Bella thought he was talking of her of course. "You've met Isabella now let us go."

"All right, calm down, I just wanted to have a little chat." Aro smiled. "This girl knows too much."

"And so do you." A voice boomed from behind them. Edward turned to see the figure from before. "I believe he said he wanted to leave, and you better by god let him."

"O-of course." Aro stuttered. "We'd never make them feel ill-fitting."

"Then we'll be leaving." The man said putting his arm around Bella and leaving the room, Alice and Edward following behind.

Once they were at a safe distance, Edward said "Bella, this is Drake, an old friend."

"Please," the man smiled, "Call me Dracula."

Bella took a step back, pointing a finger between Edward and Drake. "Dracula, you mean THE Dracula?"

"The one and only sweet cakes."

What they didn't know, was on Bella's three day vacation from Forks, was what was beginning to unfold at home.