The Cullen

I woke up at five with Aaron beside me. His arms were tightly around my waist. It felt like old times being in his arms like this again. I could not believe it -what happened between us earlier this morning. I thought about the closeness, the warmth, the sensation of being with him intimately. Then I heard uncle Charlie's alarm go off in his room. I shot up and started to nudge Aaron.

"Aaron, wake up!" I whispered harshly. He mumbled something and turned over. I shoved him until he woke up and realized where he was. He cursed silently under his breath and crept silently into Charlie's bedroom.

Charlie entered his room a minute after Aaron got in there. I heard Charlie say an apology for the alarm. Aaron said it was all right. I continue to lay in bed to reflect on the night's events. Aaron was here, we made love, Edward in the room. Wait.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"I thought when Charlie's alarm went was a safe time to finish talking about everything."

"Can't this wait until later. I'm tired."

"I can see why," he said coldly.

"Oh shut up and get out."

"He loves you a lot. All he can think about was old times. Last night as well."

"Wait. You can read his thoughts?"

"Yes. I can almost make out images because his thoughts are so vivid."

"Sorry."

"No, don't be. He loves you very much. You're still his world. "

"I know. He's still mine, I think. Back track, can you read my mind?"

"No, I can't. Just like Bella. I wish i knew why I can't. What is it about your blood that dis-enables me from reading your thoughts? And that smell."

I smelled my armpits to make sure they did not smell. It made Edward laugh.

"Not a bad smell. A sweet fragrance. Bella had that same scent, almost. Your's is much, much sweeter."

"Well, is that good or bad?"

"Both."

"Oh."

We sat there for a while silence. I had laid back down and started to sing. I hadn't realized that I started to sing until Edward asked for the name of the song.

"Oh, it's "Think of Me" from The Phantom of the Opera. It is my favorite movie. I want to see the play one day."

"You sang beautifully."

I blushed. "Thanks."

"No reason to be embarrass."

"I thought you couldn't my thoughts."

"I can't, but I can read facial expressions. You blush just like Bella."

"I'm sorry. I know it is hard seeing so much of her in me, I mean."

"No, please don't be. At least I know she is never fully gone. If it weren't for you reminding me so much of her, I wouldn't be here right now."

That made me think. "In what way do you mean you wouldn't be here?"

"I wouldn't exist."

"Oh. How?"

"The Vultori. They are one of the reasons I want you to be careful. If they found out you knew..."

"I wouldn't exist," I finished for him.

"Exactly. If Charlie knew I was around here, neither of us would exist after that," he managed to laugh. I laughed as well because I knew it was true.

"Were they going to kill Bella?" I asked solemnly.

"No. I was going to change her. She was relentless about that part. That was why she was going to Florida, to see her mother one last time before she became a vampire. And then..." he couldn't finish. He looked he was going to cry.

I walked over to him and a comforting arm around him. He shuddered. I guess he wasn't used to human contact except for Bella's. I slowly took my arm from around him figuring that he would rather not have physical contact. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

"What are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"With her being gone. What are you going to do? Move on, kill yourself, stay here..." I stopped as I saw a horrified expression on his face form. "Sorry, again."

"I...I don't know. I heard when she died, I think. It was very faint but it was here voice. She said I love you. Don't die. She knows I can't live without her." I crumpled to the floor. He started to hyperventilate. I didn't know vampires could do that, hyperventilate, breathe, anything a human needs to do.

I crouched by his side, silently shushing him. I was hope my comforting him would help, but I think I made it worse. He suddenly looked up towards the door.

"Pretend you're sleeping, hurry. I'll wait."

"OK."

I hurriedly crept back to my bed just in time before the door opened. It was Aaron. I'm guessing Charlie had left. He quietly tried lying himself onto the bed, putting his arms around me. He caressed his fingers across my hair and down my face. I turned around, pretending he woke me. I smiled at him faintly and laid my head on his chest. Yet again, Aaron was in my bed while Edward was in the closet. Great.