Edward Anthony Masen Cullen

When Bella had fled, I had considered pursuing her, but it had only taken a few moments to decide that we probably both needed some space and time to process what had just happened. I didn't move for several minutes once I was alone. It hurt, to have that taste of what I'd lost, to know it was probably fleeting, or possibly already gone again. I thought I'd made a sort of peace with my situation on the island, but it turned out I'd only done a good job of deluding myself. The wounds were torn open now, as fresh as the evening of my arrival, and at first all I could do was curl up on the bed and wait for the pain and the longing to subside until I could at least function.

Finally I managed to rouse myself, take a shower and change out of the clothes I'd been in since the day before. Then I looked around my empty hut, sighed and squared my shoulders. I wasn't sure if Bella would want to see me again, after what had happened, what I'd had to tell her. She needed someone else that could help her through this.

I went to Kate.

I was awake far earlier than I'd expected to be, both nervous and anticipatory about my plans for the day. I dressed quickly and then left my hut, heading at a brisk walk to Nick's to meet up with him and start hunting. Today I would find out if my lingering food aversion was simply that, or if I still craved my previous diet, illogical as the idea may seem. I wasn't certain which result I hoped for, honestly. On the one hand, it would be nice to find something that actually tasted good. On the other hand, I didn't like the connotations that would accompany a continued thirst for fresh blood. Here I was supposed to be as human as anyone else. Then again, the faint sparkle to my skin that had remained after my transformation already belied that assumption. Perhaps I had retained other aspects of my vampiric nature, as well.

I reached Nick's at last and let myself in, announcing myself as I did so. "Nick? It's Edward."