Chapter 12: The Apology and coming war

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Anna's POV:

Boy he is laying on thick. My subconscious shook her head in stunned disbelieve starring at the flours with a slack jaw.

I really couldn't decide what to feel for a moment. I was dumbfounded, stunned, surprised, suspicious, a little bit flattered and underneath it all boiled anger. Though I wasn't quite sure why I was angry.

I observed him as he stood there in front of me. His body wasn't hunched anymore like I had seen him stand before me the last time but he held his head high though I could see the fear that he was trying to hide clearly swimming in his eyes.

I exhaled forcefully turning my head to look back inside the house where an ocean of red roses overflowed the space of the tiny living room before I looked back at him and narrowed my eyes.

"What in the world are you trying to pull?" I asked him while I paced a hand on my hip holding the bouquet with the other.

"I'm trying to apologize," he began but I cut him off.

"I'm not her how often do I have to tell you this," for the love of Christ…..I added in my mind and also some words of choice that would make every sailor blush.

He said nothing while I tried to calm myself and looked down at the highly expensive looking flours.

"And anyway, red Roses? Are you trying to apologize to me or are you trying to woo me?" He looked sheepishly at me and shrugged.

"I had to somehow get you to talk to me. The possibilities with all those roses were that you would either scowl me for wasting so much money or you like them but in either case you wouldn't ignore me." He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

"At least I hoped." He added in a whisper looking at the grass in the front yard. The confident boy from a moment ago gone.

I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hand.

"Edward I'm not her. How often do I have to tell you this?" I nearly groaned.

It couldn't be that hard to understand now could it?

The anger I felt was slowly turning into frustration. I just really wanted to bang my head against the door frame.

"Everything alright over there?" I heard the voice of Charlie's neighbour ask.

"Yes, Mrs. Mitchell, everything is alright," I smiled at her as she curiously observed Edward and me.

I waved at her and smiled a little wider to giver the hint to go and mind her own business. Mrs. Mitchell was a nice older lady but way too curious for her own good.

She gave me a curd nod and a small smile before she seemed to huff and disappeared into her house.

Stalking Vampires, insistent Werewolves and now noisy neighbours. Lord give me strength! My subconscious moaned miserably.

I sighed, shook my head feeling very tired all of the sudden before I turned my attention back to the problem at hand.

"I'm actually trying to apologise to you for how I wronged you in Voltera." He murmured.

I shook my head.

"And you think buying every flower shop in the state empty will make me accept your apology?"

"It's a start?" He asked sounding carefully hopeful.

I huffed looking up in the sky as I tried to find words.

"So what every time you will screw up you are going to buy me something?"

He looked back down on the ground kicking a stone that was lying in front of him with his left foot and shrugged his shoulders.

"You may think of yourself as an adult because you lived over a hundred years but you are not Edward. You act like an irresponsible teenager. Are you even capable of learning out of your mistakes?"

That was what I had already been asking myself in the book because there was no progress no growing up neither with her or Edward.

"I'm trying to make this right." His voice was pained and he was pleading with his eyes.

"How?"

He opened his mouth and closed it again. I could see that he was desperately searching for an answer that he clearly did not have.

A hard laugh forced it's way out of my mouth as my anger returned. I couldn't believe that I had wasted my breath giving him that wash down and he still didn't understood anything.

"If you still don't see your own errors then all hope is lost." I sneered at a devastated looking Edward before I turn on my heel, walked inside and slammed the door shut behind me.

I sighed heavily once I was inside and leaned against the front door.

This was harder then I thought it would be.

I really had no idea how to convince him that I wasn't the one he thought I was. And what angered me the most was that he didn't seem to understand anything. Was he really incapable on reflecting on his own actions and see them in the right light?

I sighed again drained emotionally from all of the happenings of the past week.

Stepping further into the house the air smelled thick of the scent of roses. I knew I had to get rid of them before Charlie came. He would have a fit as it was and I didn't want to make it any worse.

After some thinking I called Angela and told her about what Edward done and I asked her if the church wanted the flowers to give to almshouses or to patients in the hospital. Lucky for me her father was happy to take all the roses.

Angela, Ben, Mr. and Mrs. Webber and a few helpers were at Charlie's house about a half hour after I called Angela to collect the roses.

"That must have cost him a fortune." Ben commented shaking his head.

"Well at least he seems to be sorry. What he should." Angela stated firmly.

I nodded and smiled at them still trying to come up with a plan for my predicament. Yelling at him wasn't effective. I had been doing that ever since we came back from Italy.

The silent treatment hurt him but he didn't give up either and I was tired of being angry all the time. Being angry actually took a lot out of me. I was a person who liked a peaceful way of living.

I shook my head I had no idea what more I could do. He obviously wasn't listening when I told him that I wasn't her and I had already yelled at Edward, told him what I had to say and treated him badly.

And he still didn't give up!

I was tempted to drive up to his home more like the hospital to ask the one who put me into the funny farm to call Edward so I would be able to demand from him to leave the state but then my survival instincts reminded me of Victoria and her army of newborns.

I was in hell!

Hey, don't be so overly dramatic and admit you liked the flours. My subconscious scolded me smugly.

I glared at her and I exhaled in defeat. I was just wondering how long it would take Charlie to get to know about what was going on in his house when I heard a car screeching to a halt just seconds before a furious looking Charlie exited out of said vehicle.

"What's the meaning of this?" He nearly shouted.

"Edward is trying to apologize." I answered in a dismissive tone.

"With red roses?" His voice was high pitched and his face was becoming redder with anger.

"Well he needed something to get my attention with because I would never let him talk but blocked him the entire time."

"Bel-Anna he is rotten." He was following me as I carried a bouquet to the car of Pastor Webber.

A restraining order? My subconscious offered with mischief shining in her eyes not being serious at all.

It was an amusing thought but not something in the realm of useful possibilities.

"I've got it under control." I murmured trying to look confident.

"Anna," He barked in a warning voice.

I sighed and turned around to face him.

"Listen I know that you want to protect me but I'm an adult now. I need to deal with own stuff. I promise if I should need help to deal with him you will be the first to know but until then I'd like to handle it myself."

Charlie grit his teeth and his face was becoming even redder with every second that ticked by. Even the tips of his ears were glowing in a burning red.

"This isn't just about getting rid of him but with being able to move on, to grow up." Yeah, I was a good lair though some truth was still there in my words.

Charlie looked for a very long moment at me after I spoke. He had calmed down and I could see a myriad of emotions that past by behind his eyes.

"Yes, I am really different," I whispered while I looked down at the grass I was standing on.

I felt Charlie's fingers awkwardly lift my chin up so he could look into my face.

"I guess." He exhaled and nodded.

"If you need my help then tell me." He said letting go of me.

"Don't worry I will." I promised before he walked into his house not looking back at me.

Charlie didn't want to have the roses in his house and since the cars of the volunteers didn't have anymore space for all the flours I persuaded Charlie to help out. We spend nearly the entire rest of the day on giving out the roses to people that were happy to receive them.

Especially the people in the almshouses liked them.

"See the bright side of this." I suddenly blurted out once we made it back to Charlie's house.

"And that would be?" He asked grumpily. The first words from him in hours.

"We did make many people happy."

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow before he reluctantly nodded curtly and took off to sit in front of his beloved plasma TV.

I smiled, shook my head and I went to the room I was staying in. On the way there I was running through the things I still had to do in my head. Washing made it to the top of my list.

I stepped over the threshold feeling the light sparkling feeling I got every time I entered or left the room always reminding me that the connection to my world was still there.

I started to hum as my eyes swept over the room and I stopped dead in my tracks. The dirty sport clothes that I had placed on the rocking chair for later to wash were gone.

I started to search around the room I was staying in but with no avail. I asked myself if I already brought them into the laundry room which was my next stop on my search. Being unsuccessful I was about to call out to Charlie to ask him if he had seen my sport clothes as the words suddenly got stuck in my throat and reality slammed into me like a fright train.

I stumbled back against the closed door of the laundry room as my heart was suddenly racing with fear in my chest. I had been so preoccupied with being angry at Edward, pushing him away from me, dealing with the Werewolf and everything else that Victoria and her army were only a fleeing thought in the back of my mind.

But not anymore. Riley had been in Charlie's house. Only a silly coincidence saved Charlie and me from being eaten alive.

I took deep breaths as I tried to gather my scattered and slightly panicked thoughts.

The angry me was replaced by the relational me that was hell bend on surviving this trip into another world.

I definitely would have to swallow my anger and give Edward a break. I did want him as far away from me as possible but I did want to continue existing a little bit more.

You sure that's all you want? My subconscious piped up and raised a suspicious eyebrow at me.

I ignored her.

I had much more pressing matters at hand. I had to think about telling the Cullen's about the army of Vampires. I knew that they knew that something was going on in Seattle but they just didn't make the connection with Victoria.

But one thing was clear for me. I would be the one calling the shots!

The next thing I did was to take Jake's sweatshirt that he forgot here during his last visit and I rubbed it against every surface in her room masking Riley's scent so Edward wouldn't notice.

I didn't want him to know yet and since wet dog didn't appeal to him I was sure he wouldn't breath much for the next few nights while he broke into the house to watch me sleep.

Come to think of it I could have thought of that measure to keep him in line earlier.

12^12^12

When I woke up on Sunday morning I found a bouquet of fresh wild flowers on the desk in her room. Next to it was card that said:

You told me that the words I'm sorry would lose their meaning,

if they are spoken too often,

thus I will not say them.

They don't even begin to cover the mistakes I have committed.

Proving to you that I am capable of change I hope will let you see

that a chance is not wasted on me.

Sincerely Edward

He definitely knew how to use words I had to give him that. On Monday when I came down the stairs, Charlie was already gone to work, I found a basket of fresh fruits on the counter in the kitchen.

And another card.

Something sweet for you

while I try to become who you need me to be.

I promise not to waste the benefit of a doubt you granted me.

Sincerely Edward.

I had no ideas when I granted him the benefit of a doubt but then again maybe Alice saw my decision to go a little bit easy on Edward at least until Victoria and her newborns were dealt with.

I wanted him gone but I needed him to stay.

That was such a twisted mess.

I knew that in a way, more like completely, I was using Edward for my protection from Victoria but then again he was using me as well refusing to hear that I was not her. At least that was how I justified my decision to try to go easy on him for the next few weeks.

On Tuesday and Wednesday I also found similar cards with little gifts. Edward watched me like a hawk in school and smiled every time I would glance his way but he kept his distance.

"Anna, a call for you." Charlie called from upstairs as I was doing my homework on Wednesday evening.

"Coming!" I called back and rushed down the stairs.

"Who is it?" I asked as I arrived next to Charlie.

"Jake," he answered shortly and went back into the living room.

I sighed annoyed.

"Hi Jake," I greeted him out of politeness.

"Hi Anna I was wondering if you would like to come down here?" His cheerful voice rang through the phone.

"Me going to La Push?" I asked wary.

"Do you have something against La Push all of the sudden?" He asked defensibly.

Not against La Push but against you trying to flirt with me. My subconscious rolled her eyes and wrinkled up her nose.

"Maybe on Saturday or Sunday, Jake." I said already trying to find an excuse to blow him off then.

"Why not now? Hop into the truck and come." He whined openly.

"Jake I'm graduating I have to learn for the exams."

"Oh," he sounded disappointed.

"Well till later then I need to finish my homework."

He wasn't pleased about ending the call but eventually gave in.

On Thursday when Ben parked his car in the parking lot Edward was waiting as usual at his car smiling at me as I past him on my way to my class.

"Will he ever give up?" Mike sneered as he caught up with Angela, Ben and me.

"He seems to love you." Ben blurted out before Angela shoved her elbow into his ribs.

"Question is who he is in love with Bella or Anna?" Lauren muttered hatefully as she and Jessica passed us by.

Angela and Mike gave her an evil glare while I just rolled my eyes.

For him her and I were the same person what made me angry again. I hated being compared to that family stealing witch.

But as much as I wanted to blow up and scream at him again I held it in. Having Edward in a depressed mood while we had to fight an army of newborns was not the best idea. I was not happy with the entire situation but I certainly wasn't suicidal.

On Friday morning it wasn't the alarm clock that woke me but the phone that had been ringing through the house.

I rubbed my eyes as I was ambling down the stairs when Charlie ended the call with whoever had phoned him this early in the morning.

"That was Ben's mother. He had gotten sick and can't drive you to school." He told me.

"Oh OK. Morning by the way," I yawned still half asleep.

"I can drive you to school if you want," he offered.

"As tempting as that is I am a big girl now. I guess I will make it to the bus station on my own without getting lost. Hopefully," I mocked him playfully.

Charlie rolled his eyes at me.

"If you are sure?"

"Don't want you to be late for work you seem to have a big case going on." I said as I purred myself a glass of sugar free soda.

"Unfortunately," he sighed heavily.

"Is it about the killings in Seattle?" I asked before I took a sip turning my body to face him.

"How do you know?" He asked surprised.

"It's quite astonishing but I'm able to read a newspaper." I rolled my eyes and besides I read the Twilight books I added in my mind added.

He shook his head at my silly expression before he turned serious.

"The danger isn't only in Seattle hikers had been missing. You are not allowed to go into the woods." He demanded.

"No problem if whoever killed those people isn't keeping me out of the woods the bugs sure are." I replied.

"This is not funny young lady." Charlie said sternly.

"Sorry it's still too early to be serious."

Charlie muttered something under his breath while I was on my way to the bathroom to do my everyday routine.

Charlie was already gone to work when I stepped out of the house to go to school. Once I closed the door behind me I was faced with a silver Volvo and a nervous looking Vampire.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Good morning, Anna. Do you need a ride?" He smiled carefully at me opening the door to the passenger seat.

I was about to tell him off when I remembered the situation we were about to face. I could still yell at him after we were out of the danger zone. So I swallowed all my irritation and slowly approached him.

"I could take the bus." I informed him.

"I know." His face was tight with anxiety.

I sighed.

"But since you are already here." I shrugged and his head snapped up.

"Thank you," he breathed while a shy smile graced his lips and I could help the urge to roll my eyes.

"You like the scarf?" He asked as he saw that I wore what he had brought me today.

"I like Burberry," I shrugged and he seemed to be thoughtful.

"Why did you come back?" The question blurted out of me after a while of silence.

"I mean after I gave you that wash down you were gone for days and then you came back why?"

"I wasn't gone," he mumbled.

"What do you mean?" My brow knitted together in confusion.

"I wasn't at school but I never left Forks nor did I leave you out of my sight. I just needed time to think."

OK I hadn't seen that one coming.

"And to what conclusion have you come?"

"That you were right with what you said there are a lot of things about me that need to change…." He trailed off.

"That sounds like there is more." I urged him on.

"I don't know how to explain this really but since Italy I'm not the same anymore."

I looked slightly confused at him.

"Since the kiss in Italy and everything that happened after that I'm…it's like I'm discovering a new side of myself. You could say I'm maturing. It is actually strange to experience perspectives change."

He wasn't looking at me but at the road.

"If that's true you haven't really shown that side." I shot at him.

"I know," he sighed heavily and shook his head.

"But I will prove to you that I can change and that I am growing up. You told me you needed a man who fights for what he wants and I'm becoming this man." Edward told me as he pulled into the school parking lot.

You are secretly happy about that don't deny it. My subconscious lectured me.

As usual I ignored her.

"Edward!" I called for his attention once he cut of the engineer.

He cranked his neck and looked at me.

"I'm not Bella and once she comes back here, if she ever will, you will find yourself between a rock and a hard place if you keep this up." I told him in a warning tone before I turned around to open the car door.

"Wait!" He called out.

"What?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Let me please." He begged pleading with his melted gold.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"You are not my boyfriend." With those words I turned around and opened the car door myself.

He was at my side as I closed the door of the Volvo behind me and looked with sad eyes down at me before I walked towards the school building.

"Do you feel uncomfortable in my presence?" His question surprised me.

I stopped walking and looked up at him, seeing his pools of liquid gold bore into my hazel eyes while I was mulling his question over in my head.

He irritated me and I was upset about his behaviour on our first meeting but as much as I wanted to I had never felt uncomfortable in his presence.

This bit of knowledge irritated me.

I shook my head and noticed that I hadn't answered his question and something told me he wasn't about to drop it.

I was debating with myself if I should lie but again the army of Vampires was to consider. So I went with the truth.

"No, I don't."

"Good," he smiled a small crocked grin down at me.

I looked sceptically up at him and glared at his grin that was trying to dazzle me but I was just too stubborn to let it.

It was the second day of finals and I had actually learned for them. Even though I was pissed at her I still didn't like getting bad grades or failing tests though I shouldn't have cared less in this case but since Alice e-mailed me all the correct answers….

When the bell rang and announced that it was time for lunch I didn't go to the cafeteria but went into the biology class room, knowing that Alice would see me waiting there.

And soon enough Edward entered the room looking curious and slightly nervous at me but still offering me a smile.

He told me that he was changing and as much as I told myself that I shouldn't so this I couldn't help but to test his words.

It was kind of mean to lead him into a trap but then again he was the one in who's hand's I had to lay my life so making sure that I could trust him at least a little bit was just right and just.

"Why are you here and not in the cafeteria?" He asked as he approached me.

"No reason," I shrugged while I lied.

"Hmmm…." He looked curiously at me while stepped closer to me testing the waters if I would send him away.

After a long while he sat down on the table next to me. His body was almost touching mine and I could feel the cool of his body crashing into my frame.

"Do you think Alice would like to go shopping with me?" I asked all of the sudden.

His head snapped up and he looked at me in surprise.

"She would be delighted." He said with a smile in his voice.

"With her driving skills you two will be in Port Angeles in no time and…" He rambled but I cut him off.

"I'm not planning to go to Port Angeles."

"What?" He looked confused at me.

"Where then?"

"Seattle," I answered him with a smile while his features slid of his face.

"What's wrong?" I pretended to be surprised by his reaction.

"I don't think it would be a good idea for you to go to Seattle right now."

"Why not?"

"Haven't you read the newspaper?"

"I did but murders happen everywhere all of the time. Don't be such a drama queen."

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and his index finger while he sighed heavily.

When he let his arm fall back down he looked for the longest moment at me before he sighed again.

"We have been tracking the situation in Seattle for a while."

"What do you mean?" I still played the clueless one in this conversation.

"The disappearances and the killings those are the work of Vampires. And judging by the number of people that disappeared I guess there are a few of them."

He told me and gauged my reaction.

"That is Victoria and her army of newborns."

His eyes went wide and he looked completely taken aback.

"What?" A female voice that sounded like chiming bells asked and I saw Alice at the entrance of the biology class room.

"When you chased her down to Texas she had a peek into Jasper's life if you want and since she can't get past the Werewolves and with you now here…" I trailed off letting them to put the rest of the puzzle together.

"You know about Jasper's past," Alice stammered out.

"The Confederate Army, how he past one rank after the other like hot cakes until he met Maria who turned him and made him fight for her in the great newborn wars in the south? I pretty much know the story."

Both of them looked at me with wide open eyes and their mouths were haning open.

"But how?" Edward chocked out.

"Like I already said I'm from a parallel universe but you just wouldn't listen." I huffed irritated crossing my arms over my chest as I glared briefly at them.

There was a moment of silence and I use that time as they gathered their thoughts to get my granola bar out and to take a bite as my stomach growled.

Alice looked at me with disbelieve in her eyes.

"I know what will happen and how the fight will play out." I shrugged.

"And you were planing on telling us when exactly?" Alice glared at me.

"I was planning on telling you when I had the feeling that I could trust you." I shot at her.

I saw the hurt flash on Edward's face and Alice sighed shaking her head.

"I trusted Bella and ended up losing my family and my entire life. I trusted Carlisle and we all know how that worked out for me so sorry if I'm not all for it to throw myself at your mercy." I said in a voice laced thickly with sarcasm.

Both of them shared a look and then looked at me.

"We should discus that with the others." Edward stated.

I said nothing only glared at the blackboard.

"We should go to our house as soon as the finals are over. You need to tell us what you know." Edward begged as he stood in front of me and looked intesely into my eyes.

"Carlisle better stay away from me or it won't be pretty." I wanred them before I moved away from Edward to go and write the next exam as the bell rang annoucing the end of the lunch break.