A/N: The Preface to my new story. The chapters after this will be a lot longer. This story has become one of my most favourite pieces. It's not even the romance that I like, it's just the plot and the character play.

These chapters were inspired by all the bands that I draw from, including several of my muses for writing.

So, with that said, enjoy!

Everyone's asking questions
No place is safe
I'll forfeit resurrection
To escape this pain

—OTEP; Otep Shamaya; Buried Alive

He was turned away from me, his large, broad back staring me dead in the eye. I could see the lines of scratched skin winding down from his shoulder blades to the center of his spine.

He hobbled on one foot, pulling up his pants and fastening his belt, which was just a rusty chain that he'd found on a fence. Many times I had thought that he would need a tetanus shot, but he probably already had one.

He moved languorously to where his shirt was hanging over the back of a chair, and when he was finished with the buttons his dark eyes moved over to me.

I didn't wait for him to speak as I picked up my shirt and pants and slipped them on under the blankets. He flicked on a computer set on the corner desk and waited patiently while it loaded up.

Unfortunately, this was routine. I wished it could change just a bit, but at the same time I got what I came here for. So, with a small smile and a contented body I waved goodbye to him and walked off.

I walked the familiar route out through the foyer to my red truck before I drove off. I didn't think about what just happened, or what I knew would happen in the future, or the effects of it all. I was content; perfectly and wonderfully at ease.

This was the one thing I did that didn't follow regulation or code, and I regretted every second of it.

My phone vibrated on the seat beside me and I picked it up without looking at the caller ID.

"Hi, Jacob,"

"Hi, Bells," his voice was jovial, the same as usual. "You coming to practice tonight?"

"I can't, I need to do some things that I can't put off anymore." I sighed for effect.

"Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, see you then." I paused. "Love you, Jake."

"Love you, too, Bells,"

With that, I hung up the phone and sighed, throwing it roughly on the seat beside me.

The house was empty when I entered; the usual. I threw my bag on the couch without a thought, grabbed an apple from the kitchen counter, grimaced at a couple pictures on the refrigerator and then made my way upstairs. The absolute usual.

My computer wasn't fast as I waited for it to boot up, but I walked around my room, picking up things that shouldn't be there. His clothes were all over it, which was not good. But on the other hand they did smell nice.

I rolled my eyes at myself and threw them in the closet before moving to my computer. My email was simple to my fingers; easy digits that I'd typed in a thousand times. One message from my mother, one message from my email's company, and a deal that I just couldn't miss out on at the Seattle mall.

My phone buzzed on my desk where I'd thrown it before. I flipped it open to find a picture—of my pink panties.

Below was a little message, and I could imagine his calm, easy voice saying the words that I read aloud.

"You forgot something."

That's right Bella, leave the damn evidence at his house and then just go on as if nothing at all had happened. I groaned and snapped my phone shut. I could just pretend I didn't get it; I'd done that before.

But this was the one thing I'd been relying on from the time this whole thing had started. As unusual and unholy as it was, I needed some outlet, some way to break from my mold and the unhappiness I felt. I just needed to be in the situation that I was in.

I switched off my computer and threw myself on the bed, exhausted. I couldn't concentrate when my legs were ready to give out at any moment. But this was the part I like the most—well, besides the time of the actual activity.

I focused on the tingling throughout my body and didn't think about him, or anyone else.

I was a cheater as it was.