Twilight The Stranger's Gaze

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Blood was still dripping down Nate's arm when he heard the car door slam shut.

Bella stood in front of him. Her face was pale, eyes wide, breathing ragged. It wasn't just worry on her face… it was fear. And something deeper: the confirmation of a suspicion.

"What was that?" she asked, barely a whisper, but her voice was tight with tension. "How… how did she do that?"

Nate didn't answer right away. He made sure the men were unconscious, then looked at her, silent, with the same heavy stillness he'd used against their attackers. But Bella didn't need him to speak. Not this time.

"She was right next to me," she continued, stepping forward. "Alice. She was by my side. And a second later… she was behind that guy. She hit him before he could even react. That's not human, Nate."

Nate looked down, pressing his wound with his other hand. He stayed silent.

"Did you see it?" she pressed, nearly breathless. "Did you see her? Did you see what she did?"

Nate gave a slight nod, unshaken.

That calm unnerved her.

"And you're… this calm?" Her voice broke in disbelief. "You're not going to say anything? You're not going to… react?"

Nate raised his eyes.

"There's nothing new to process, Bella."

Her eyes widened. She stepped closer.

"You knew?" she demanded. "How long have you known, Nate?!"

He took a deep breath.

"For a while."

"And you didn't tell me?" Her anger flared like fire. "You watched me get close to them—Edward—you saw me doubt, question, obsess… and you just stayed quiet?"

"It wasn't my place to tell you."

Bella stepped back, bringing her hands to her face. Her eyes burned. Her heart pounded like she'd just woken up in another world. And in some way, she had.

"So it's true…" she murmured to herself. "They're real. They're… vampires."

Nate's silence was confirmation.

Bella slowly lowered her hands. Something in her expression shifted. It wasn't panic anymore. Or anger. It was something else: fascination. Awe. Almost admiration.

"It all makes sense…" she said in a soft, almost reverent voice. "The way they move. The way they feel. Edward…"

Nate watched her face slowly transform, settling into a cold, firm resolution.

"I want him to tell me," she said, turning to Nate. "I want Edward to confirm it. I don't care what he is. I just… I need to hear it from him."

The reaction was instant. Nate lowered his hand from his wound like it no longer hurt and looked at her with restrained fury.

"That's your decision?" he asked in a low, tense voice. "After finally learning what they are… the only thing you want is to see him?"

Bella frowned. "What are you implying?"

"I'm saying you almost got hurt today. Or worse. And your first instinct isn't to back away, or protect yourself… it's to run toward the monster who could destroy you."

"I'm not afraid. I know him. He's not like that," she said firmly.

"That's the problem!" Nate snapped. "You're not afraid when you should be! You don't know what they are! You don't know what they're capable of!"

"And you don't know what I feel for him!" Bella yelled. "You don't get it, Nate! You can't."

Nate looked at her, his eyes burning not just with anger… but something deeper: pain.

"I don't get it. You really think that?" His voice dropped, steadier. "Maybe I don't understand what you feel… but I understand him. He's dangerous. He knows it. He admitted it. The only one who doesn't want to see it… is you."

Bella felt her blood ignite. She stepped forward, defiant.

"So what do you expect me to do? Reject him? Run away from him? I can't, Nate. I won't. I know him more than you think, and he's not the monster you describe."

Nate clenched his jaw.

"More than I think?" he repeated with a bitter laugh. "Bella… you know the version he chose to show you. Do you know what I saw when I talked to him? Someone who hates himself. Who's constantly on the edge? Who's afraid he'll hurt you… not because he doesn't care, but because he does."

Bella shook her head, her voice barely audible.

"That's not true…"

"It is!" Nate shouted. "He told me so himself! He knows it's wrong to be near you!"

Bella looked at him as if he'd slapped her. Her expression changed—not doubt. Pain.

"You talked to him… about me?"

Nate nodded, not looking away.

"Yes. I made it clear I wouldn't let him hurt you. But look at you now. You don't even care if he does. All you want is to understand him. To justify him."

"Because I love him!" she cried.

Her words echoed in the air. Nate said nothing. For a moment, only the distant wind filled the space between them. Bella lowered her gaze as if realizing—for maybe the first time—the weight of what she'd just admitted.

"And you… you talk like love is a weakness. Like protecting me is more important than letting me choose."

Nate stepped toward her, frustrated.

"You don't know! Bella, God, you're still a teenager. You barely know him and you're willing to risk everything." He growled. "And you know what's worse?"

Bella opened her mouth, but he didn't let her respond.

"You're willing to gamble your life… and the lives of the people who love you. Have you thought about that, Bella? About your dad? Your mom? Do you think they'll understand if one day you don't come home? Do you think they'll breathe easy when you disappear with him? Because that's what's going to happen—sooner or later. And you… don't even see it."

His words hit hard. Bella looked down. The mention of her parents, of the world outside Forks… made her falter.

Nate stepped closer, firmer.

"I know what it's like to lose someone. To be left with nothing, wishing you'd done something differently. My parents were gone, and I couldn't do a thing. But you… you can still avoid it. You can stop yourself from leaving behind the people who love you—just to chase something that, whether you like it or not, is going to destroy everything in its path."

There was a tense silence.

For a moment, Bella seemed to waver. His words had reached her.

But then her gaze sharpened.

"And what about you?" she said suddenly, sharp. "You talk so much about choices… didn't you do the same? You're being a hypocrite! You were with Alice. Even knowing what they are. And you still chose to be with her!"

Nate froze. The blow was direct.

"Oh, so it's fine because you made the choice? You can be close to one of them, but I can't be with Edward?"

Nate closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"You're right," he admitted bluntly. "It's hypocritical. I know that. Things escalated before I realized it. At first, I was committed to getting them out of here, to stopping them from being a threat… but I can't keep pretending. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy her company."

Bella frowned, something between confusion and sadness.

"It's like a pull," Nate added. "That desire to be near them, even if you know it might destroy you. I understand it more than you think. It's addictive. Almost electric, the way it feels."

"Then why judge me?" Bella whispered, hurt.

"Because you still have something to lose," Nate replied without hesitation. "Because you still have a family. A place to come back to… and it seems like you don't care."

There was silence. Long. Cold. Intense.

Until Bella lowered her gaze… and murmured,

"You do too. You have your grandma. Charlie. Jake… and me."

Nate swallowed hard. His wound burned—but not as much as the words he had just heard.

For a second, neither of them knew what to say.

And that, in the middle of everything… was the most honest thing they shared that night.

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Author's Notes: Lately the bad comments have been discouraging me a lot, I've seen a lot of fanfics that I really liked drop because of it, I try to focus on the good comments (which are the majority) to continue with this, but sometimes it's hard not to feel bad for the bad ones, so I'm just leaving you a message: If you like the story as it goes I really appreciate it, I have every intention of finishing it, if that's the opposite case and you don't like the direction it's taking or the time it takes or whatever, I want you to know that I appreciate you reading so far, I'm sure there are thousands more fanfics out there that you'll like, and I would appreciate it if you didn't launch direct attacks on what I write (I have no problem with criticism, those who comment know that I take the time to answer questions or clarify things and that I recognize when something I posted is wrong or doesn't make sense, but comments against me or just pointless complaints are not Welcome)

Sorry for the long note! Regards

-Jayjayempi