#i think i have more of an angela or alice voice than a bella but!!! i will!!!

[jimblejamblewritings]

romeo and...cullen? | part 15.

Summary: Y/N Cullen, youngest in both actual age and last to be turned in the Cullen clan. Her world is turned upside down when Bella Swan enters her family’s life, because Bella doesn’t bring just herself but drags some of her friends into the Cullen’s life as well.

Warnings for the Series: light violence, light angst, light smut

Pairing: Jacob Black x reader

Word Count: 1.9k

Previous Part | (Series Masterlist)

The news was playing on the TV in your living room. Another missing person in Seattle.

“It’s getting worse, we need to do something,” Carlisle said watching the news story.

“It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage they’re reporting,” Jasper said. “Quite a few more, they’re undisciplined, conspicuous—”

“Newborns,” Edward finished for him.

“Like new vampires?” Bella asked.

“The first few months after the change. That’s when we’re at our most uncontrollable, vicious, insane with thirst.”

“No one’s trained these newborns.” Jasper observed the television closer. “But this isn’t random, someone’s creating an army.”

“An army?” Emmett asked intrigued.

“Created to fight someone.”

“But we’re the only clan even close to Seattle,” Edward said.

Carlisle started pacing. “Regardless, if we don’t put a stop to this the Volturi will, I’m surprised they’ve let it go on this long.”

“Maybe, they’re purposely ignoring it. I read Aro’s mind, Carlisle, he wants Alice and I to join him and knows we never will with our family still alive.”

“An army would solve that for him.”

“We have to change me now then,” Bella said.

“No, Bella. You’d be a liability as a newborn, unable to control your instincts, an easy target,” Jasper said.

“We’ll come up with something, Bells,” you assured your friend. “But changing you right now isn’t it. Think about Charlie and Renee. You can’t just disappear on them.”

~~

You were confused when you walked into your house after shopping in Port Angeles to see your father bandaging Bella’s hand.

“Jake found out about me wanting to become a vampire.”

“And?”

“And I punched him in the face.”

You just raised your eyebrows and sat down next to your friend.

“It’s just a sprain, should heal fairly quickly,” Carlisle said.

Emmett gave Bella’s good hand a high-five. “Punching a werewolf? You’re gonna be one tough little newborn.”

“Tough enough to take you on.”

Rosalie slammed down her newspaper and walked off angrily. You thought she wasn’t that mad until you heard her room door slam. Eventually she’d get over it. You did when you realized Bella was adamant about her choice.

~~

Friday rolled around and you sat in the gym watching your siblings and practically all your friends graduate. Jess, Bella, and Angela piled into your car after taking graduation pictures. You sped off to your house to beat the rush of everyone else getting there since you still had to help set up.

“This is our best work yet,” Alice said high-fiving Rosalie as they looked at you, Jessica, Bella, and Angela all dressed up.

Jessica and Angela were excited at having been dressed by The Cullen Sisters but you and Bella just looked uncomfortable.

“Why do I have to dress up? It’s not my graduation.”

“You’re a Cullen aren’t you?” Rosalie asked. “We always show up and show out.”

You mingled and talked with random guests until you heard Bella at the front door.

“I thought my right hook was me uninviting you.”

“Just came to drop off an ‘I’m sorry’ present and see (Y/N).”

You heard Jacob’s voice. You quickly walked over to the front of your house where you saw Jacob, Quil, and Embry. Jacob handed Bella a small graduation present before giving you a kiss when you came up to him.

“Is your sister okay?” Quil asked, pointing to Alice on the steps. She was having a vision.

“Alice?” you raced over to her, Bella followed behind you. “What did you see?”

“The decision’s been made.”

“What’s going on?” Jacob asked.

You guys waited till all the party guests had left to hold a little meeting on the back porch.

“So we’re not going to Seattle?” you asked.

“No, they’re coming here, soon. We have two weeks, if we’re lucky.”

“This could turn into a bloodbath,” Carlisle said. “Alice, can you see who’s behind it?”

“I don’t think I recognize anyone… wait one, Riley Biers.”

“That’s the first boy that went missing in Seattle. Charlie’s been working that case for a while now,” Bella said.

“They must be playing with the blind spots in your vision,” Edward told Alice. “Either way the army is coming and there aren’t enough of us to protect the town.”

“Hold up. What damn army?” Jacob asked.

“Newborns, our kind,” Carlisle explained.

“What are they after?” Embry asked from beside Jacob.

“They were passing around Bella’s sweater,” Alice recounted her vision.

“And what does that mean for us?”

“An ugly fight. Lives lost,” Carlisle said.

Jacob turned to look at Quil and Embry; the three of them nodded. “Alright, we’re in.”

“What? No, you’ll get yourself killed, no way,” Bella protested.

“We weren’t exactly asking for your permission, Bells.”

“Edward? (Y/N)?” Bella asked the two of you.

“It means more protection for you, Bella,” Edward reasoned.

You looked up at the three pack members in front of you. “Are you guys sure?”

“It’s what we do, babe.”

“Jacob, do you believe Sam would agree to an understanding?” Carlisle asked him.

“Of course, (Y/N)’s practically family, the rest of you are extended.”

“And the others?”

“As long as we get to kill some vampires,” Jacob responded.

“Jasper?” Carlisle turned to his youngest son.

“They’ll give us the numbers, the newborns won’t know they even exist. It’ll give us an edge.”

~~

You sipped on the blood bag while your family was up hunting early in the morning. Every sip was a struggle to gulp down but you could feel yourself getting stronger as you did it. Your whole family had decided that you should hunt every morning to keep yourselves at full strength in case the army arrived sooner than expected.

Jacob called as soon as he made it back to the reservation. The wolves were ready to start training as soon as possible. Everyone agreed to meet in the woods on your family’s side of the treaty line. Your family, along with Bella who was just watching, started training early while waiting for the pack. You heard the rustling of the forest as the wolves came down the hill.

“They don’t trust the rest of us enough to be in human form. Only (Y/N),” Edward said, reading Sam’s mind.

“They came. That’s what matters,” Carlisle said. “Edward, can you translate what they’re thinking?”

Edward nodded and Carlisle turned to face the pack.

“Welcome. Jasper has a good amount of experience with newborns. He’ll be able to teach us how to defeat them.”

“They want to know how the newborns are different from us,” Edward translated.

“They’re a great deal stronger than us because their own human blood lingers in their tissues. Our kind is never more physically powerful than in our first seven months of this life,” Carlisle said.

Jasper stepped up to explain more.

“Carlisle’s right. That’s why they’re created. A newborn army doesn’t need thousands like a human army, but no human army can stand against them. Now the two most important things to remember are first: never let them get their arms around you, they’ll crush you instantly. And second: never go for the obvious kill, they will be expecting that and you will lose… Emmett, you’re first.”

Everyone backed up to give Jasper and Emmett room to spar.

“Don’t hold back, Emmett.”

“Not in my nature.”

Emmett ran fast at Jasper. Jasper braced himself as Emmett threw him in the air and he hit the ground. Jasper sprung up quickly. Emmett attempted to throw a punch but he missed and fell to the floor as Jasper’s fist collided with his stomach. Jasper and Emmett sparred a bit more before Jasper called Carlisle and Edward to spar.

Your father and brother both ran and grabbed each other’s necks. Carlisle threw Edward but missed his next hit. Edward pushed Carlisle down to the ground. Edward stepped a little bit away, looking to Jasper to see if he did a good job.

“One more thing,” Jasper said, “Never turn your back on your enemy.”

Jasper rolled his eyes as Carlisle got up and pushed Edward to the floor. Jasper called you up.

“Are you sure about this, (Y/N)? When James—”

“Are you getting soft, Major Whitlock?” you taunted. You didn’t want to be reminded and your family still didn’t know about the scratches.

You might not have been as fast or as strong as some members in your family but general fighting you excelled in. You knew how to use your size and limitations to your advantage. Everyone watched as you and Jasper sparred, your fight lasting the longest. Jasper managed to finally get a grip on you and he slammed you to the ground. You gave out a hard grunt as you hit the forest floor. Jacob gave a short bark.

“Jas, stop!” Edward said, reading the wolves’ mind. According to Jacob he could feel (Y/N)’s pain.

“Too hard?” Your brother helped you to your feet.

You rubbed your back in pain. “I’m losing my edge, really thought I had you. Were you using full strength?”

“Too much?”

“No, no. I should get used to it. Not like the newborns are gonna hold back.”

You lifted your shirt slightly making everyone gasp. The wolves growled slightly, not liking the sight of you hurt. There were some cracks around your back. You watched as the cracks closed up, bleeding slightly as they did, before bruising and then immediately fading.

“Damn, Jas. You could give Emmett a run for his money in strength.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jasper put his hand on shoulder.

“Yeah, Jas. I feel fine, great even. Just knocked the wind out of me briefly.”

“Okay, (Y/N). I think we’re done for the day.” Jasper turned to the wolves. “We’ll meet again at the same time tomorrow.”

Jacob walked over to you in wolf form. You patted his head, feeling the soft short fur. You never really saw Jacob’s wolf form. He almost always changed back before meeting up with you.

“He wants to know if you want to come over for dinner, Billy’s cooking dinner,” Edward translates, “And there’s dessert this time.”

You laughed and agreed to come over. You walked back with the wolves to Jacob’s house. Dinner went just as well as it did last time. You felt very comfortable at the Black’s house. Billy retired for the night after pulling the brownies from the oven.

You and Jacob sat on his bed eating brownies and ice cream. Jacob gave you one of his flannel shirts to wear as pajamas. Just like the bathing suit in Alaska, Jacob could do nothing but stare as you stripped out of your outer layer and put his shirt on over your underwear. You were vaguely aware of how he looked at you in those moments, relishing ever so slightly that you made him feel the way he did.

“What do you want to do when this is all over?” Jacob pulled you onto the bed. You snuggled into his arms welcoming the body heat. Jacob liked how the cold temperature of your skin cooled him down.

“It’ll be summer, I’m thinking Hawaii.”

“My sister Rebecca lives in Hawaii, think she’ll let us crash at her place?”

You laughed against his chest. “If not then I’ll take you to my hometown. I think you’d like San Francisco.”

“You wanna stay for one week or two?”

“Two,” you answered.

You and Jake continued to talk, your voices becoming a low whisper so as not to disturb Billy.

~~

The back of your thigh felt a bit damp as if you were uncomfortably sweaty. You stood up from Jacob’s bed, waking him up in the process. You looked at the small red spot on his bedsheets.

“Shit did I accidentally scratch you?”

“It’s fine, Jake. I think… I’m just gonna go see if the wound healed, where even is it?”

You turned to enter Jacob’s bathroom so you could attempt to find the scratches. Jacob watched as you started to walk away, his flannel shirt had ridden up on you.

“(Y/N), it’s not a scratch.”

“Huh?”

Jacob pointed to the back of your underwear exposed by the ridden up flannel.

“Period spot.”

You attempted to look at you own butt. Vampires weren’t supposed to bleed at all and even though it was clear that some things caused you to bleed, you didn’t think periods were something you’d ever have again. You’d have to tell Carlisle about this at some point. Great, you never thought you’d have the period talk with your dad again. Only under much weirder circumstances.

“Must’ve started in your sleep. Rebecca used to complain about that all the time.”

“What did you say?” You asked alarmed.

“It’s just a period spot, I can wash the sheets. No harm, no foul.”

“No Jacob, did you just say sleep?”

“Yeah. You clocked out at like midnight. We were talking and you just kinda fell asleep on me… this is a problem isn’t it?”

“Jake, you have to take me home now.”

Edward was already outside when you reached the house. Jacob’s thoughts could be heard for miles sometimes when it came to you. “I called Carlisle, he’s on his way home already.”

(Part 16)...

#jacob black x reader #twilight fic

[shatteredswans]

why is the narrator of the twilight audiobook so annoying? she has no sense of timing or emotion... does anyone know a twilight audiobook or podfic NOT narrated by ilyana kadushin?

because. i honestly might do it myself if not.

#i think i have more of an angela or alice voice than a bella but!!! i will!!! #twilight saga #twilight renaissance #twilight revival #bella swan

[headinthestaticsky]

The Dusk Calls for me: Jasper Hale x My OC Fleur Swan, Chapter 7

AUTHORS NOTES: None of the characters in Twilight belong to me. All rights go to Stephenie Meyer.

“I'm afraid to go outside So many people rule my mind, I Can't escape, where is the line? Chained ourselves to overdrive.”

NICE OUT: By Kilo Kish

I didn’t know where I was again, It seemed I was observing a man sitting in a speedboat with his headphones on. I couldn’t see him clearly enough to a identify him at first. I then saw that man again, with the long blonde hair this time, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. I didn’t see the second man though I wondered where he was and why was I with this person again. My “body” began to move toward the man against my own will. I finally noticed it was Waylon but instead of terror, I was filled with thirst and eagerness. Waylon seemed to of heard a deep growl coming out of “my” throat and took his headphones off.

“Hello?” 

My figure zoomed past his line of sight, he stood up quickly, stumbling a few feet to the front of the boat.

“Gerald? Gerald?”

When he didn’t get a reply, he got too unsettled and started the motor to the boat. Before he could take off though “I” stopped the boat from moving forward. He looked back in shock at me before greeting me.

“Hello” He stuttered.

The man with the long blonde hair then jumped down.

“Nice Jacket.” He said in a sinister tone.

“Who are you?”

“I” started to move closer to him, like an animal after it’s prey.

“It’s always the same, inane questions. Who are you?” 

“What do you want?” I said in a completely different voice.

“Why are you doing this?”

Finally the other man that I had seen zipped down from his hiding place, he looked quite bored.

“James, let’s not play with our food.”

As soon as he said that I kicked Waylon to the floor of the boat before pouncing on him.

I finally woke up shooting up from Jasper's chest panting again holding in a scream. I was even more freaked out than the previous dream I had before. This was someone I knew, someone I had fond childhood memories with. Why was I dreaming about killing him?

“What happened? Are you okay? What’s wrong!?” I heard Jasper ask his voice laced with concern.

Tears filled my eyes before spilling down my cheeks, I couldn’t talk it was as if I was paralyzed in fear. He pulled me in, hugging me and rubbing my back.

“I-I had a terrifying nightmare. I felt so real Jazz... I...” I couldn’t even finish my sentence. He hushed me just holding me and trying to comfort me.

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

“No, not right now.”

We sat in silence for a bit and I surveyed my surroundings. The weather report had lied, it was as cloudy as ever looks like Jasper and everyone else could go on that field trip after all. Our silence was then interrupted. 

“I’m sorry to leave you like this but, I have to go. Your sister is about to come up.” He said in a hushed voice he kissed me before leaving through the window. My door was opened a minute later Bella had entered the room.

“Hey, did you plan on... are you okay Fleur, you look terrified?” Bella asked.

“Yeah I’m fine, I just had a nightmare... I knew I shouldn’t of watched those horror movies last night.” I lied.

“That sucks...I was just coming up here to ask if you planned on going to the Greenhouse today. You still haven’t gotten your slip signed.” She said.

“Oh yeah, I completely forgot, could you bring my slip down to dad? I have to get dressed real quick.”

“Sure no problem.”

I slowly raised myself up from my bed, the grogginess of last night sleep still lingered on me. A black t-shirt and blue jeans would have to do today. I grabbed a red sweater since I knew it would be freezing today. I grabbed my boots and rushed down the stairs trying not to trip.

“You always were the one to wait til the last minute for things to get signed weren't’ you?” Dad asked playfully.

“You should know me by now dad my motto is “Better late than never.” I replied.

“Well you two better hurry up in eat or you won’t have enough time to like last time. I have to get going early so I’ll see you girls later on today” Dad said.

“Okay, love you dad.” I said.

“Love you dad, be safe.”

Bella  and I both ended up eating a fruit salad finishing around the same time. We both head towards her truck since I left it at school yesterday.

“I cannot wait to get my car back! I miss my baby.” I said.

“You love that car way too much you know.” Bella interjected.

“I may love it too much but, it’s still my baby.”

She shook her head while chuckling. The rest of the car ride was mostly quite, but the radio was on. I was surprised it worked, her truck was from the 50′s... We pulled up to the school and I got out of the truck, looking for Jasper right away. Bella seeing this nudge my shoulder before telling me to go after him. I hugged her and thanked her for the ride to school before jogging my way toward him.

“Hey darlin, seems your doin better this mornin aren’t you?” He asked.

“Yeah, I feel a lot better, thanks for earlier.” 

“No problem love.” He said before attacking my face with kisses. I giggled before playfully pushing him back. I then turned my head to see Edward glaring at Bella and Mike. He seemed jealous and was intently listening in on there conversation. Bella and Mike had a quick exchange by the end of it, Edward was smirking before making his way onto the bus. I followed in with Jasper after him.

The greenhouse was nice, the different plants was very interesting to me. Jasper and I stopped by a bundle of Yellow Iris’s, my favorite flower. I looked up from the flowers to see Bella and Edward talking.

“What do you think he’s saying to her?” I asked Jasper.

“Probably something stupid.” He replied jokingly.

I sighed... “Just like Edward... to go and something stupid.” 

“Yep, pretty much, Darlin.”

Suddenly it seemed the conversation went south, Bella’s face furrowed in anger and then tripped over he own to feet. Edward didn’t look very happy either after catching her and maintained a scowled on his face. Bella stormed off tired of whatever he was saying.

“Did we jinx it? It seems he actually did say something stupid.” I said.

“I think we did love, Edward’s people skills are extemely rusty.” 

“Yeah, they definitely are.”

As we made our through the greenhouse, Edward started to follow Bella out of the building. They stopped in front of the bus we were riding in.

“Hey, are you going to join us?” Alice asked.

“Yeah I think we have some room for one more.” Dean said.

“NO, this one’s full.” Edward said curtly before banging on the school bus door. As soon as it opened he stormed inside, Alice and Dean following quickly behind. Jasper and I ended up at the front of the bus.

“I’ll see you at home.” I said.

“Yeah see you later.” Bella replied.”

When we arrived back in the parking lot I made my way to my car. I bid Jasper a goodbye before driving home quickly, I wanted to know how Bella was doing. When I entered the the kitchen Bella and stormed out of the kitchen, I could tell she wanted to be alone so I didn’t bother her. The next school day was pretty uneventful until lunch, Bella had asked me if I wanted to go with her, Angela, Ben, Eric, Tyler, and Mike to La Push beach. I accepted the invitation, it had been a while since I had visited around that area. When Bella went off to get her lunch I decided to tell Jasper where I was going. He was always reluctant for me to go down to La Push for some reason. He never really told me, I understood. I had a feeling it was just a secret he couldn’t tell and I completely understood that, I was in the same situation after all. I wasn’t going to pressure him into telling me anything he didn’t want to. I approached the table, the other Cullens were happy to see me.

“Hey Jazz, you’re going to have to come a bit later tonight, I’m going down to La Push with Bella and her friends.” I said.

I could tell he was uncomfortable with that idea but, he knew how stubborn I was. If I was going to go somewhere, no one was going to get me to change my mind.

“Just be careful, Fleur. It’s a bit dangerous down there.” I heard Rosalie say.

“Don’t make Dean and I come down there and beat someone up Short-stack.” Emmett said while cracking his knuckles.

Alice had nodded in agreement with Emmett.

“Okay, darlin, be safe.” Jasper added.

“I will, you know since I’m here I should probably tell you... Bella’s getting suspicious about you guys. She hasn’t outright said anything about you guys being a vampire but... she might find out soon.” I explained.

Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper all looked uncomfortably at each other. Alice on the other hand, didn’t seem phased at all.

“Thank you for warning us Fleur, we’ll try to be a bit more careful with what we do.” Rosalie said.

“If she finds anything at La Push, I’ll let you guys know.”

“Thank you.” Rosalie said.

The school day came and went quickly and soon enough I was driving my way to La Push. This was going to be one interesting visit.

#jasper hale x oc #jasper hale #rosalie hale #jasper hale x reader #edward cullen #alice cullen #esme cullen #emmett cullen #carlisle cullen #bella swan #twilight #twilight saga

[twihard-diehard]

What if the cliff diving went different?

This is pretty long, here's the Ao3 if you'd prefer.

When Bella woke up, she knew something was wrong. She tried to remember what led her to this place and all she could recall was jumping from somewhere. Now she was somewhere she shouldn’t be there were people she knew and people she didn’t. She seemed to be in a bed and breakfast. Once she feltlike she couldn’t stay in bed anymore she left the room. There were pirates, Victorian ladies, characters from books she’d once read.

She decided to leave the building and there was a river around the place and aa small area of green grass and then a forest. It was nice that this forest wasn’t scary like most of her nightmares. She felt like someone was following her but when she turned around no one was there. So, she kept exploring and finally she seemed to see people.

They were all fuzzy and sort of see through and they all seemed to be asking he same questions, why did you do it, do feel better, are you crazy, when are you coming back? Several of them seemed to be her dad, others seemed to be people from school, Mike, Jess, Angela, and a much smaller number seemed to be her mom. Was it sad that that didn’t surprise her? No, though it was pretty sad. She realized in that moment that she was ready to leave her mom behind, too bad that future was taken from her too. Finally as she started to stumble and curl up; a pair of arms picked her up. She would know that smell anywhere, it was her favorite smell, Edward. He carried her back towards the bed and breakfast and then she was on the grass and he was gone. She looked for him but he wasn’t there so she fell asleep again.

“How long until she wakes up,” Charlie demanded, once again, not that anyone listened. All they told him was they were waiting on a specialist to arrive. The way they said it made Charlie sure he knew who the specialist was and he wasn’t thrilled. He remembered how he ended up here in the first place….

“Hey, Charlie,” Alice’s soft voice broke his reverie. He just wanted to come home and Have dinner with Bella, maybe she’d have lasagna ready. She really dd make it the best it even beat his mom’s. This wasn’t good, if Alice was back were others back?

“Alice, is anyone else here?”

“No just me Charlie. I was just coming to see how you were. Any idea where Bella is?”

“She’s not here,” now she had his attention. She should be home she hadn’t seen her or Jacob in ages. He stomped past her and opened the door, holding open so she could come in too. He didn’t take anything off, her being here and Bella not being here seemed foreboding at best. So he stomped into the kitchen and picked up the phone. He called Billy’s house first.

“Hey, Chief Swan,” it was one of Jake’s friends.

He knew this voice, “Oh, hey Sam. Do you know where Jake and Bella are?”

“They aren’t there?”

“No, why would I call if they were here. Any idea what they were up to today?”

“Yeah, they were going to go cliff jumping. Charlie, get an ambulance down to First Beach as fast as you can. I’m going to go down and see if their there But I’m worried.”

“Charlie, want me to drive?”

Charlie looked up as he hung the phone up and lost it. He clung to her, god she was cold to the touch, and he cried. First his best friend, now his daughter who decided to go cliff jumping was missing. Finally after what seemed ages, he whispered, “Yes please. Hospital first, take the cruiser so we can speed. Hospital first and then First Beach.”

“Okay,” then she all but carried him to the car. She was in faster than should have been possible but he was under strain so maybe she wasn’t. Then again, it took less than one minute to get to the hospital. She said she’d stay in the car while he ran into the hospital.

Then they were at First Beach and Same was leading them down to the beach. There were two bodies on the ground. Charlie was only barely able to hide the hysteria “Sam they aren’t, are they?”

“No Charlie they’re alive. I think they are both in comas,” Sam answered and then it seemed like his lips were moving but he didn’t say anything.

It was all a blur until this moment. The buzzing and beeping and chaos was all that kept him grounded. He was sitting here with two very broken teenagers. Billy was trying to help Sue out because her kids were not handling Harry’s passing well. Alice had stayed by his side almost constantly. She only left twice, both for a phone call, neither lasted more than a minute.

------------------------

Leave it to Bella to cause this much chaos. That was all Alice could think when she had the vision.

“If Edward calls, tell him to get to Forks as fast as he possibly can. When Carlisle and Esme get back tell them we’re going to need him in Forks too,” Alice said swiftly as she threw some cash and a change of clothes into a bag.

“Great what in the hell did that stupid human do now?”

“Rose, if you don’t drop it I’ll walk away from you for a decade,” Emmett said. Alice was only mildly shocked, it had been coming because Rose kept muttering about the ‘stupid girl’ and Emmett kept growling.

“What?!”

“I said, disparage my lil sis one more time and I will walk away for a decade. I’m not dealing with it anymore. It because of that kind of bullshit that we ended up here in the first place. So you will stop, and you won’t do it mentally either, that girl is part of this family and I am part of this family and if you cannot see it then maybe you need a break from us,” Emmett said with quiet vehemence. Alice was really shocked because he was the only way she was going to get her head on straight and he almost never stood up to his ‘savior,’ so he must really care.

While the shock on Rose’s face held, Emmett turned to Alice, “Can I come? I want to be there if she’s hurt.”

Alice held up a finger and played through all the possibilities, he seemed to disappear in several of them, “Fine, BUT you have to keep your temper under control, there are things I can’t understand at play right now so we have to be cautious.”

“You’re not serious!”

“Yes, Rose I am. You stay here with Jasper and pack up the house. If things are this bad I think we’re moving back to Forks,” Emmett said soft but with no room for argument. And then they were out the door and on the road.

“No one is here,” Alice said as she came back out of the house. “I think Charlie’s down on the reservation, I lost his trail at the line,” Emmett said as he sat with her on the steps to wait, “Is she okay?”

“I’m not sure, did you smell or sense anything else? Yeah, it was like wet dog but stronger.”

“Hm, I’d have to ask Carlisle or Rose but I think that the wolves are back,” Alice said questioningly, “That would explain her sudden disappearance.”

Just then the phone rang. Alice picked it up, “Hey Rose.”

“I’m sorry. Can you tell Emmett that?”

“Yeah, anything else?”

“Oh, right, Edward is headed that way. Carlilse was finally within cell range and we got ahold of him but they’re still a few hours out. Any idea what’s happening?”

“No, not yet. Oh, wait I hear his cruiser. I’m going to go, I’ll let you know once I know something.”

Emmett went to sit in the car. Probably better for Charlie to just see me first me reasoned. God, Charlie looked terrible, did something happen to Bella was all Alice wanted to say but instead she said, “Hey, Charlie.”

“Alice, I wasn’t expecting you. Why hasn’t Bella let you in?”

“She’s not here Charlie,” that seemed to pull him out of his reverie. He looked at the street and finally registered her truck missing. He rushed past her and opened the door, though he paused to let Alice in.

He rushed to the kitchen and made a call, Alice put the number in her phone.

“Hey, Sam,” Charlie muttered, “Have you seen Jake or Bella?”

It was faint but Alice could still here the other side of the conversation, “No, they went cliff diving today. Aren’t they there?”

“No.”

Muttered curses, “Charlie, I think you need to get an ambulance and head to first beach I’ll go ahead of you.”

Alice tucked out as Charlie hung up the phone and dialed the number back quickly, “Sam, you don’t know me but I’m sure you hate me. Please hear me out before you hang up.”

Sam growled but listened.

“Carlisle can treat Jacob without the need to take him to the hospital, I’m sure that will help prevent questions about your physiology,” Sam made a noise that sounded like consent. “So, if you get there and there is an issue, hide Jake. And please allow me, Emmett, and Carlisle onto the reservation to help you move them. Emmett will meet you at First Beach.”

She heard Emmett get out of the car and shoot back towards the reservation. Then she returned to the kitchen and carried Charlie to the cruiser and rushed him to the hospital. While he was inside he called Carlisle.

“Hey, it looks like she and one of the wolves went cliff diving and no one has heard from them in hours, leave the packing to everyone else and get here.”

Carlisle while shocked got out, “Okay, I’m leaving now. I’m dropping the phone explain to Esme.”

“Alice?”

“I think something happened to Bella and Jacob. Apparently, the kids on the reservation are turning into wolves again. You guys pack cup and get here when you can but I needed Carlisle now.”

“Okay, see you soon. Keep me updated.”

As soon as she hung up she called Edward, “Hey, where are you?”

“Halfway through Arizona. What happened?”

“Jacob is a wolf and has been taking care of Bella. Charlie said he’s starting to heal the holes she’s got. However, today they went cliff diving, and no one has heard from them in quite some time. Charlie’s walking back out of the hospital after getting an ambulance, Emmett is on his way to first beach and Carlisle is on his way here to be of any assistance he can be. We could use you.”

“Shit, I should be there by dawn,” Edward growled and he hung up as Charlie got back in the cruiser.

“Okay let’s go,” he said in a defeated tone.

“She’s okay Charlie,” Alice said reassuringly.

Just then her phone rang, “Hey Emmett what’s up?”

“They were both on the beach. I think they are in comas. They are breathing but totally unresponsive past that. Sam and I are going to carry Jacob to our house.”

“Okay, I need to tell Charlie,” Alice said aloud, then silently, “Be back at the beach when we get there.”

“Okay, Emmett and Sam found Bella, she’s alive but they think she’s comatose,” Alice told Charlie. He kept his composure, barely. “Want to talk about it?”

“Harry died today, I cannot afford to lose her too,” the pain was so raw and deep. It hurt Alice to hear it, she pulled him closer and let him rest on her while she drove as hast as she could to the beach.

“We’re not going to lose her,” Alice said, “I want you to know I called Carlilse while you were in the hospital, he’s on a plane now and will be here by morning to make sure she’s okay.”

Charlie growled, “How can you just come back after ripping her to shreds?”

“I’m sorry Charlie, we didn’t want to leave. We just had to for a bit, a family emergency,” Alice said as convincingly as she could.

“Is it all handled now? No more leaving? I cannot watch her go through that again.”

“No more leaving, By tomorrow night almost everyone will be here, we’ll make sure Renee get’s here and you can just stay by Bella. We’ll get you food and everything, okay?”

The relief that rolled off Charlie was so profound it even shook Alice, “Yeah, thanks Alice.”

Then they were at the beach loading Bella into the ambulance.

-------------------

Bella woke back up in a room at the bed and breakfast. Jess was looming over her, “What was that? You were there and then you weren’t it was like a light switch; you know better than to mess with the fae.”

“The fae? What the hell? Where am I?”

And then she was being shoved through a crowd of people, she saw Jake and grabbed him. Then they were next to a giant tube that dropped into the river around the building, they bumped some sort of pirate captain too hard, and they fell. As soon as they hit the water they dissolved.

“Well, down you two go,” the bushy haired lady that seemed to run the place said, and then she pushed them done the tube.

“Jake, come on, there’s a blue light ahead,” Bella said pulling Jake along. She knew if Jake grabbed it, he’d wake up. She also knew, even if she wasn’t sure how that only one of them could get out that way. She also knew the only way Jake was going to wake up was if she made him.

Wait, why did she think they needed to wake up? Something was tickling at the back of her mind, but she shoved t off, she knew she had this one chance to save Jake and she wasn’t going to waste it.

“Why am I grabbing the light,” Jake asked, “You need to get beck too!”

“I can still get back, though I don’t know how,” Bella tried to explain, “You can’t though, this is your only chance Jake. Please, take it.”

They had made it to the blue light, it seemed like a handle to pull yourself out of the water. Water, that made the thing in her head tickle again. Finally, she made Jake grab the damn light and he was gone. Not sure where but she knew it was somewhere safe and away from here.

----------------------

Jake gasped and opened his eyes, “Where am I?”

Charlie practically jumped on him and hugged him while calling for a nurse. “You pulled Bella out of the water and you both collapsed. Then you must have woken up and tried to get help cause they found you in the woods.”

Jake remembered the water but he never left the beach. Then Jake registered Sam’s face at the same time he registered the smell.

“Don’t,” Sam said with the authority to make sure Jake didn’t do a damn thing. Ugh why had he given up the alpha role.

Then much more softly, “They came back to save you both. Carlisle hasn’t left you or Bella for more than five minutes. So, DON’T fight them.”

“Bella, what happened to Bella?!” Jake tried to sit up, but Quill and Embry held him down.

“No moving bro, doc’s orders,” Quill said.

“Wait, aren’t there nurses too?”

“Well, you only have one,” Quil said, “Remember, when I didn’t know what was happening and I went to the hospital out at the res?”

“Yes,” Jake said, though it sounded more like a question.

“I imprinted on a nurse that was out there. Apparently, the hospital in town is Anna’s main post but she picks up extra shifts out there. So, since she knows about us, Carlisle felt safe bring you here as long as she was his only nurse. He said it was to reduce strain on the hospital while he took care of you and Bella, and the hospital agreed.”

“Why is he back? Are they all back?”

“Yes, they are all back,” Sam said, “And you may not fight them, they have my permission to come and go from the reservation. We’ve called off the treaty, it’s more important for us to be allies.”

Before Jake could reply, a nurse walked by the door and looked in, when their eyes met it was like jumping into the riptide again. She looked like she felt the same way, she finally came in.

“Hey, you finally woke up,” she said, “I’ve been watching you for days. We were worried about you. Anna has been stressing, she’ll be so glad to hear you’re up.”

“Days,” Jake asked, then looked at her like she was he sun and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Yes, days, you don’t just wake right out of a coma,” she joked, “I’m Vanessa, but you can call me Nessie.”

“Oh, well, hello Nessie,” Jake blushed, “Nice to meet you. Wait, Bella’s still in there isn’t she?”

“What,” Sam, Quil, Embry, and Nessie all said together.

“Jynx, you all owe me pops,” Jake said jokingly, then much more seriously, “We were trapped in a boarding house or something, and Bella almost made it out. It was like she was being carried, then suddenly she was back in that place and her and I got shoved down a tube into the water. She said she could get out a different way but the only way I could get out was if I grabbed this blue light so she made me grab it and I woke up here.”

“Wait you shared the same coma space,” Nessie said with so much shock and excitement, “There’ve been theories about that when two people go into a coma at the same time due to a shared trauma. This is the first time anyone has seen it happen.”

“Yeah, it was weird cause I kept hearing her thoughts. ‘This isn’t like the nightmare.’ ‘He can save me but only I can save Jake.’ It was really weird. I’m assuming ‘he’ is that idiot that left. Is he here yet?”

“Yeah, he just left to get Charlie food, I’ll go get him and the doc,” Sam said, and he started to leave, then turned around and added, “Tell her while I’m gone.”

“Tell me what,” Nessie inquired.

“Well, I’m guessing you felt the universe reassemble itself a few minutes ago, just like I did,” Jake said with his signature confidence.

“Yeah, what of it?”

“Well, you two are like soulmates,” Embry chimed in, “Anna and Quil are like that too. That’s why she was allowed to help because she knows about us.”

“I’m so confused.”

“We’re wolves, well shape shifters really. Most of us are wolves, however a few recent members of the tribe shifted into eagles,” Quil said.

“You’re joking, right,” Nessie sounded very disbelieving.

“No, they aren’t I’m afraid,” came the calm demeanor of Carlisle as he swooped into the room and started to look Jacob over, “Aside from out of it how are you feeling Jake?”

“Not bad doc, just worried about Bella.”

“Well, aside from the coma her vitals are strong.”

“She really saved you?”

Finally, Jake remembered he was hugging Charlie, “Yeah she did Charlie. You should be proud of her. She really felt like if she didn’t get me out first, I’d never wake up. I think I believe her too, it was like being trapped in her head.”

“Trapped in her head,” Edward asked as he walked back in the room with enough food to feed an army, “I heard you woke up and assumed you’d be hungry too. Dig in you all.”

Jake never thought he’d be so happy to see a blood suck…no vampire he corrected himself, “Thanks Edward. Now you need to pull her out of the coma. I think you almost got her out of it once, but she stayed because if she didn’t get me out I was going to stuck.”

As he finished, the doc pulled the last wire off Jake’s chest and said, “Well, you’re as good as new. If you want, you can head home and let your dad know you’re okay.”

“I think I’ll call in a bit, I need to stay until she’s awake,” Jake said easily, then seeing Nessie’s face, “No, not like that, silly. She’s my best friend I need to be here when she wakes up, so she knows she saved me. Now, come here so I can hug you.”

Charlie got up and moved back to Bella’s bed and Nessie took his spot, wrapping her arms around him for about two second and then jumping up, “Holy crow, you’re burning up. Doc, he needs ice!”

Jake grabbed her before she could get away, “No I don’t, I run at 108 because I’m a shifter. Once Bella is awake and you’re not working, I’ll show you.”

“He’s telling the truth, I checked all the shifters just to ensure I kept him at the right core temp,” Carlisle added.

Nessie calmed down and relaxed back into Jakes chest for a couple of minutes, “Shift, right I have to get back. I’ll come see you when I’m off.”

“Okay, I’ll be here,” Jake said as she went back to work.

“Geez, you’re a lucky jerk,” Quil said in a joking tone, “Anna freaked out when I tried to tell her the first time.”

“Do you know how I can get her back,” Edward asked as he sat opposite of Charlie on Bell’s bed, holding one of hers and one of Charlie’s hands.

“Um, she’s stuck in the place, not sure how you did it earlier, but it was like she was in a trance, she left the building and wandered off into the woods. She said they felt safe, that hey weren’t the woods of her nightmares?”

“Nightmares,” Edward also added questioningly.

“Probably from just after you left, she’d have these terrible nightmares and before the screaming would start, she’d say something about being lost in the woods,” Charlie said softly, pain showing on his face.

“Oh Charlie, I’m so sorry. She was in your yard when I pulled away,” Edward said, his voice flooding with regret.

“I’m not going to say it’s okay because it isn’t, but I’m glad you’re here now,” Charlie said with a fierce look on his face, “Now get my baby back.”

Jacob smacked Embry as he started to sing under his breath, “I want my baby back, baby back, chili’s baby back ribs.”

Quil hid a snicker in a sneeze.

“I will Charlie, don’t worry.”

---------------------

Jake was safe, she knew he was, but now she was stuck in the water, drowning again. It was worse this time because she knew what it felt like, and it terrified her. Plus, there were no Edward hallucinations to make the passing feel bearable. How did she survive this the first time? Did she survive the last time? Now, she wasn’t so sure, maybe this was limbo.

“Hey, want to come back?”

Bella would know that voice anywhere, she turned to it, “Edward?”

“Sweetheart, we’re all waiting for you, please come back.”

She felt something brush her forehead, she tried to touch where she felt it, but she couldn’t lift her arms, “How?”

Then there was silence. She tried to fight her way to the voice, but she wasn’t suer where it was. It seemed like ages before anything changed. Then there was a darkness and it felt like someone was scooping her up, it had to be Edward, she never felt this comfortable near something cold.

“Bella, sweetheart, can you hear me?”

“YES” she tried to scream, but nothing came out. So, she started to swim, or claw, she wasn’t sure, towards the voice. He kept talking thank fully and she kept getting closer. Finally, she felt her hands and tried to lift one.

“Bella,” Edward sounded relieved and much closer.

“Hm,” well that was a weak way to say hi.

“Oh, Bella we were so worried,” then he set her down. She whimpered.

“I know, honey, but we’re in the hospital and I need to let Charlie know you’re waking up, I’ll lay next you though.”

She must have sighed because he leaned across her for a moment, “Charlie, wake up. I think I go her. Quil, can you grab Carlisle?”

Why was Quil here? She tried to ask but words didn’t come out.

“He’s here because Jake’s here,” Edward said, then hearing her pulse accelerate, “He’s okay Bella, you saved him.”

“Yep, I’m good as new,” Jacob said from where ever she was.

Suddenly was covered in warmth, “Oh Bells, you scared me. Why would you go cliff diving with a storm rolling in? You’re lucky Jake could pull you out of the water.”

Bella satisfied herself by humming in what she felt was comforting, since she still couldn’t speak, or open her eyes. How long was that going to last?

Two days, that’s how long she had to wait until she could see again, and twelve hours until her grunts were words.

“Hey dad, I love you,” those were her first real words.

Charlie wept, “I love you to Bells.”

“How long?”

“The coma was a little over a week,” Charlie said.

“You been here the whole time,” Bella did better with short words.

“Yeah, honey, I even rode in the ambulance with you. Haven’t left your side for more than five minutes,” Charlie said squeezing her hand.

“Thanks dad. If you want, you can go home and get some real sleep. I’ll still be here.”

“I’ll call you if anything changes at all,” Edward reassured.

“Thank you, for helping and for pulling her out of that,” Charlie said softly, “I don’t think she’d of made it if you hadn’t been here.”

As soon as the door closed, Edward scooped her up and held her, “I’m so sorry I left, I’m so sorry I hurt you. I hope you can forgive me.”

“S’okay,” Bella mumbled.

“It doesn’t count until she is actually better, bro,” Emmet said.

“Yep, what he said,” Jake chimed in.

“Jake? Emmett,” came Bella’s response.

“Yeah, we’re here, Emmett is the one that got me out of the way before Carlisle showed up. Kept me from taking ice baths,” Jacob chuckled.

“I’m just glad I was able to get you out,” Bella said, “I really didn’t think you’d get back if I didn’t force you.”

“Well, you definitely saved me,” Jacob chuckled, “and I met my other half. Her name is Nessie.”

“Ah, Jake that’s great,” Bella said around a yawn.

“Get sleep hon. We’ll still be here,” Edward whispered as he leaned down and kissed her temple.

Bella was gone almost as soon as h said I, thought she thought she heard something about a funeral. Hopefully, she would remember when she woke up.

--------------------------

It had been a few months since the incident. Jake and Nessie were already talking about marriage though they would wait for a few years; and Leah was becoming fast friends with Rosalie, something about ball busters sticking together. Edward was over almost every day.

Bella hadn’t heard him get here so she was shocked when she saw Dad and Edward in serious conversation as she came down. She didn’t get much except he came to get permission for something. Oh man if he was about to propose she was going to lose it. She had told him time and time again that she wouldn’t get married for at least five more years. She has hinted at immortality again though she was also willing to wait a bit, if only to have more time with Charlie. Bella stopped emailing her mom and her mom never noticed. Bella wasn’t surprised.

“Bells!”

“Hey dad. What you two gossiping about like a pair of old hens?”

“We are not old hens.”

“Okay, no need to get ruffled feathers, Eddie.”

“I am going to wring Emmett’s neck for teaching you that.”

“No, you aren’t. Besides, I like it,” Bella finished, leaning in to give both gentlemen a kiss on the cheek.

Edward looked at dad conspiratorially, “Do you want to tell her or should I?”

“Oh, let me tell her. I think it’ll be a bigger shock that way,” dad said laughing.

“Oh no, what are you two trying to wrangle me into now? I did prom and I’m not doing baseball ever again. So now what?”

“Ah, Bells, don’t worry. We were just talking about post high school life. You did decide to just commute up to Port Angels at first, right?”

“Well, yeah, why?”

“Since you seem so hell bent on trying to die every few months,” dad started to laugh like it was the funniest thing he every said, “Anyways, Edward just told me he bought a house just outside of the town so you two could live together. He also wants to see about making you a bit more durable before you start college.”

All Bella could do was sputter, she was so flabbergasted, she couldn’t even be upset that Edward had videotaped the whole thing just to show Emmett and Jacob.

And that’s how everyone ended up in a much better place and no weird shit happened at all.

#original work #fanfic #emmett cullen #the friendships we deserved

[humans4vampires]

Cold Heart

Context: This story was inspired by a tumblr post from tumblr user @cozycullens. The post outlined the potential for sappy holiday content that the original story lacked. The post noted that Twilight fans had to fill in the blanks; I thought it would be fun to write out what Valentine’s Day could have looked like for Edward and Bella. The timeline of this story edits the original canon, meaning the breakup in New Moon and subsequent recoupling happens earlier, allowing the pair to be reunited in time to spend both the Christmas holiday season together and Valentine’s Day. This is before the events are set in motion for the vampire army attack in Eclipse. I’d also like to mention that this story addresses a scene that occurs later in the timeline of the novel. I’ve edited it here to give Edward and Bella a bit of private time that is free of the pressures that the later happenings of Eclipse bring to the moment. In this, I have used direct quotes from Meyer’s novel, and I do not claim to own that content in any way. As stated, this is purely for fun and to share with my fellow Twilight fans.

READ PART TWO HERE

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The dull blue grey light of the morning filtered through my window in a haze, waking me gently from inconsequential dreams. My natural instincts to unfurl myself from my usual swaddle of blankets to reach for him felt empty and unnecessary. Rather, I found myself spread across my bed in a sweaty mess of fabric.

“Edward?” I said softly, propping myself up to take in the room. I blinked quickly and tried to brush the mess of my hair from my face, speaking his name again as a question. There was no reply.

I tried to think back to the night before; I didn’t think he had gone hunting. No, he had surely been with me when I fell asleep. A compilation of Victorian poetry was open face-down on his side of my bed. We made the trip to Seattle a few weeks ago to get the book I needed to get started on my research paper. I had chosen the topic of Tennyson and Rossetti as an ironic gesture toward him – my very own post-Victorian era angel. He was reading his favorites to me, his voice a velvet whisper when I had fallen asleep in his cool embrace.

No, I was sure he had been with me throughout the night. I ran my left palm over the bare sheet beside me and felt the lingering presence of his wintry skin. It was unusual for him to leave before I woke. It was my favorite part of each day, and his. I was wondering what had called him away as I picked up the heavy text to see where he had left off. As I turned the pages to face me, a small piece of paper fluttered into my lap. The note he had left in his elegant script explained his absence.

‘Who are wise in love, love most, say least. Happy Valentine’s Day, love.’

He quoted Tennyson, I was sure, but the poem he had left open was not the same one he referenced. Instead, the book was open to Tennyson’s ‘Crossing the Bar,’ which was certainly not a love poem. I scanned it quickly, trying to garner any meaning from it without success. My mind was racing elsewhere, my heart beating quickly with exultant dread. So he had gone to prepare whatever exorbitant Valentine’s Day surprise he had planned. As fate would have it, this holiday had arrived on a school day and would provide a public audience to witness the surely over-the-top display Edward had planned for me.

Edward’s obsession with making the most of my human experiences had only intensified since reaching our compromise for Carlisle to turn me after my impending high school graduation. Christmas had been a deluge of cheer and merriment thanks to Alice, who was overcompensating for lost time with me – while also, just being Alice. I was still convinced it hadn’t snowed quite as much as she’d wanted and she had somehow managed a snow machine to fill in my yard for Christmas morning. Alice had laughed off my assumptions as absurd, but Charlie was still trying to work out how our yard had had a good three feet more snow than the rest of our neighborhood.

The halls had certainly been decked in Cullen home, too. It had to be visible from space from the sheer amount of Christmas lights neatly hung on every eave and railing. For the entire month of December, the house smelled of fresh gingerbread and pine. Every surface had been transformed with fresh garlands and shiny decorations. The fireplace in the grand living room was constantly crackling a gentle fire, flickering its light against the enormous tree trimmed with ornaments gathered over the many decades of Christmases past. And the gifts – oh – I couldn’t even bring myself to continue the thought.

I was brought back to reality, the sweet valentine in my shaking hand. I took a staggered breath and made a passing glance at the clock as I rushed to the bathroom. I tried not to think about the day ahead as I dressed. Charlie had already left for the station and the rest of my morning at home seemed to move in a blur of anxiety. I stumbled out the door in a black turtleneck, jeans, bean boots, and my mustard yellow coat. I thought my very standard attire might signal Edward to my disinterest in any outlandish public displays of affection. I drove slowly to Forks High School through the rain muddled snow. My truck dredged through the sludge into the parking spot beside the familiar silver Volvo.

The parking lot was already full and busy with the usual Friday commotion. I looked out my rearview mirror to take in the pops of pink and red from the Valentine’s baubles that everyone seemed to be toting. I had always found the holiday rather arbitrary – a well-marketed event to boost the sales of chocolates and flowers. Until my mother had found Phil, Valentine’s Day was usually spent in front of the television with a pint of ice cream, two spoons, and a chick-flick. I was trying to remember the last Valentine’s Day movie my mom and I had watched together when a quick knock on my driver’s side window snapped my eyes from my rearview.

The morning’s panic melted from my bones as I took him in. Edward was standing there, my favorite crooked smile on his lips, a single and perfect red rose held up in his hand.

“Good morning,” he murmured as I opened my door and got to my feet to stand in front of him. “Did you get my Valentine?”

“Mmm,” I hummed. “Tennyson?”

He nodded, a smirk crossing his expression. “Happy Valentine’s Day, love.”

I felt a blush beginning to mark my cheeks and looked down at my feet as he handed me my rose. He moved to rest that now empty hand above my head on the frame of my truck, leaning to tighten the space between us. His free hand swept down my jaw, his gentle fingers stopping below my chin to tilt my head up. He bent down to press his lips to mine, his cool breath sending my delicate humanity into a tailspin. The kiss was, as expected, refined… at first. Unexpectedly, he draped an arm around my body to pull me closer to his frame. He lifted me effortlessly to continue the kiss as my free hand found its way around the base of his neck and into his bronze hair.

When his response became rigid and he began to return my feet to their reluctant ground, I realized I had forgotten to breathe. My legs trembled against the sudden gravity and he steadied me as I took in sharp breaths. He chuckled lightly and shook his head.

“What am I going to do with you?” he teased.

“With any hope, that, again.”

He took a slow step back and smirked, “I do enjoy sweeping you off your feet.”

My head was still spinning as I grabbed my bag from the truck and shut the door behind me. Edward took my right hand as we walked to class, my single rose in the left.

The rest of the day continued on and I was a happy bystander to the couples declaring their love for one another throughout the day. It seemed each period passed with another sudden delivery of roses, large teddy bears, or chocolates. Joyce Lowell in Government received a loud serenade from half of the school’s marching band, her boyfriend, Aaron, the faux-conductor. Each time the door to the classroom opened my heart skipped a beat with the fresh fear that Edward might have some embarrassing demonstration planned. I wasn’t eager to hurt his feelings and so I kept the question from him all day. I had cracked by fifth period when he finally asked, “Why is your heart is thrumming like a hummingbird’s?”

“I’m worried that you have a grand romantic gesture planned,” I took a sharp breath, anxious for his response. My heart rate only increased when he shrugged and walked ahead of me into the classroom.

I was at a loss for words when he chuckled. “Am I not allowed a grand gesture on Valentine’s Day?” Panic rushed through me before he continued in a more serious tone, “Do you honestly believe that my romantic displays are akin to those of someone like Mike Newton?”

His eyes glanced down at the trinkets gathered in my arms. I thought this tradition had been left in elementary school, but it seemed my friends still enjoyed giving each other Valentine’s treats. Jessica and Angela both had given me small paper crafts and chocolates to mark the occasion. Even Tyler and Eric participated, handing out boxes of tiny heart candies.

The only class Edward could not manage to work out to have with me our senior year was math – considering my being in a far lower level than was excusable for him to fail into. This, of course, was the only class I had exclusively with Mike. I had found it funny that it bothered Edward in the slightest; until today, when Mike seized the opportunity to give me a large stuffed bear, a rather huge box of chocolates, and a clearly handmade valentine. All platonically, Mike had assured me, as he was still on-and-off with Jessica and I was still very much Edward’s – only Edward’s.

I shook my head as I fumbled to stack all of my favors onto a pile on my desk, keeping the rose in my hand to tap lightly on the tip of Edward’s nose.

He tilted his brow at my playful gesture. “You have nothing to worry about. I simply have arranged for us to have a night alone. My family have their own Valentine’s Day traditions and we’ll have the house to ourselves. For this one night could we try to forget everything besides just you and me?” he pleaded, unleashing the full force of his eyes on me. “It seems like I can never get enough time like that. I need to be with you. Just you.”

“No,” I shook my head again. “Just you is good.”

The hitch in my tone caught his attention, but he didn’t have a chance to respond. Mr. Banner began lecturing on optics and light. I couldn’t focus on Physics; I could only hear Edward’s methodic voice repeating ‘I need to be with you’ again and again. Each passing thought brought a new blush to my cheeks that I tried to hide behind a curtain of my hair. I was sure he could hear my fluttering heart, but I couldn’t focus on that either. I was entirely clouded with thoughts of him. I stared at his strong hands, folded together in front of him on the table. How I imagined them on my body a million times, his cold fingertips grazing over my bare skin in the places he refused to wander. It was all I could think of the rest of the day.

When I was back in my room, a different blur of anxiety plagued me than when I had left it in the morning. Edward and I went our separate ways after school. He had filled me in on how exactly he had planned to handle the issue of Charlie. My father was still learning to trust me again and another night out of the house was certainly going to come under some heavy interrogation. I was technically still grounded even though Edward had been following Charlie’s very strict rules to a perfect degree. I was sure that Charlie hadn’t missed the fact that it was Valentine’s Day and I could only imagine the things he would think Edward and I would be doing if left alone. I was pressing the subject when Edward said, “Esme spoke with Charlie today and let him know that Carlisle is taking my brothers and I on a long-promised camping trip. You’ll be having a girls’ night with Esme, Alice, and Rosalie, as Charlie knows it. He’s been hoping you’d be spending more time with Alice soon.”

I felt a twinge of guilt for all the lying that had to be done to protect Charlie. This lie was much less to protect him from the perils of life threatening vampire attacks and much more about protecting him from the thought of his teenage daughter being alone with her boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. The guilt subsided when I remembered that I would get to be alone with Edward.

I stood in my room, hands steadying me on my dresser, knees shaking from the anticipation. The mix of emotions kept wracking me in waves. Edward had made it very clear; we could not be together physically until I was changed. My safety, was not something he was willing to jeopardize to satisfy any desire – which, to his credit, was entirely the reason I was alive. It was difficult to argue with Edward on that fact, but it was so incredibly difficult to argue with my own desires, still. And yet, I felt foolish all the same. I was so intensely human. Though he’d told me many times that he felt the same way for me, I knew he couldn’t possibly lust for me the way I did for him. I was able to reason that point logically, but part of me questioned it in this moment. Had he changed his mind?

I knew what was waiting for me at the Cullens’. It hadn’t been much more than a month since the last time I had genuinely spent the night there for a ‘girls’ night.’ Edward didn’t want me anywhere near Jacob and so Edward had been avoiding distant hunting trips to keep a close watch on me. Alice was all too eager to babysit to allow Edward a satiating hunt; it left me free to be played with as if I were her life-sized doll. That wasn’t what I was fixated on now. The image of the intricate wrought-iron bed burned in my mind. The thought of Edward and I wrapped tenderly in its golden threads made me quiver again, a sigh escaping my lips.

A knock at the front door made my heart stutter. I heard Charlie gather himself up off the couch to get the door. I stopped listening and only heard the light murmur of greetings as I rushed to find something appropriate to wear. What kind of outfit were you supposed to put together to seduce your vampire boyfriend? I was clashing hangers together across the pole, a bit frantic, when I heard her behind me.

Alice shook her head. “You look like you need to sit down. Let me handle this,” she said.

I decided it was better not to argue with her. I was, in all fairness, a mess, and there was only so much harm she could do with my own wardrobe to work with. She confidently pulled my small duffle from the top shelf of my closet and began packing things without truly looking at them. She had already seen what she would need.

I was sitting in my rocking chair when she looked back to me, still absently packing my bag. She looked like she was waiting for me to say something, but I swallowed uncomfortably rather than working up the nerve to talk.

She cast me a sympathetic smile as she removed something from my closet and tossed it toward me. “Try this,” she said.

I stood to change into the hyacinth blue sweater Alice had given it to me as a Christmas gift. Unlike many of the other fashion pieces Alice had tried to dress me in, I did like it. It was soft, probably a thin cashmere, with a plunging V neckline. It fit my frame tightly and was flattering in a way that I couldn’t justify being embarrassed by. She moved to my dresser then, digging through the very bottom drawer to pull out a short skirt she had also gifted me that I was not particularly fond of. Before I could argue, she slung it onto the bed.

“Work with me here, Bella,” she said sternly.

I pulled on the black skirt without a fight. Alice finished off my outfit with a pair of expensive black leather boots.

“And those were a gift from Esme, before you think of disputing them,” she lectured.

“No, I like them. At least they’re covering more of my skin,” I said, zipping them up.

Alice peaked her eyebrows, a smirk budding on her face as she closed my bag. I felt the rush of blood on my complexion again. “Alice – “

“Come on, let’s go before you lose it,” she said quickly, pulling my hand and leading me out of my room and down the stairs.

Charlie didn’t bother looking away from the television as we called a quick goodbye to him. Alice carried me through the slush in a movement so brief that I had no time to process it, placing me in the passenger seat of her small yellow Porsche. Forks blurred outside the windows and in the darkness of the car, it was easier for me to talk about what I was getting myself into.

“Does he…” I asked in her direction, not finishing the thought.

“I don’t think I should really say anything, Bella.” She answered, plainly.

“Since when do you keep things to yourself, Alice?”

She chuckled quietly, “Whatever I say now is not going to help. I’m just dropping you off. You’re not the only one with Valentine’s Day plans, you know.”

“That’s not fair,” I complained. “He’s seen whatever you’ve seen. He’s not going into this blind like I am.”

“Oh, yes he is,” she said proudly. “I’ve been careful to stay away from him today – and it’s not quite clear what’s going to happen. You’ve only been growing bolder in the last few hours.”

Bolder? I certainly didn’t feel it. In the light of the dashboard, I saw Alice turn to me as the car began to slow. We were already in the driveway. When the car stopped, I felt a quick breeze from the opening and closing of her door. She had slung my bag over her shoulder quickly before arriving at my door to help me to the porch steps. I doubted even Alice thought I was that uncoordinated to walk a few feet without falling; she was carrying me everywhere to keep the boots safe, I thought. She set me down on the porch and walked ahead of me into the house. I followed her in, confused.

“I thought you said you were just dropping me off?”

                  We were in the living room when she said, “I am. Edward isn’t here yet. He had an errand to run. He’ll be here soon and we’ll be gone – don’t worry.”

                  A fresh blush met my cheeks as I locked eyes with the another set in the room. Rosalie was perched on the edge of the sofa, bent over the coffee table arranging what looked like a large photo album. She had small papers and photos scattered all over the table, some in small piles on the floor beside her. She gazed up at me with the come-to-be-expected level of enthusiasm I generally received, but there was a hint of something else in her expression. It caught me by surprise and left me gawking at her silently. Rosalie’s appearance always struck me, but tonight she was especially beautiful. Her tight satin dress was just the perfect shade of red to compliment her equally satin skin, her golden hair a perfect, elegant twist, and her long bare legs crossed in front of her were only further elongated by her strappy, red stilettos. Alice had done her best with me, but I felt myself self-consciously tug at the hem of my skirt.

                  That inexplicable look that I had caught in Rosalie’s expression seemed to grow stronger as she gauged my assessment of her. A small smile crossed her lips as she looked back to what she was working on and I looked to Alice, who was dancing back down the stairs now. I hadn’t noticed her departure, but she was already redressed in an ensemble that mirrored the glamour of Rosalie’s. Alice bent one leg up behind her, fastening the tiny buckle on the strap of her heel, careful not to bend and crease the fabric on her burgundy slip-dress.

“Alright, Rose. Let’s not keep them waiting any longer.” Alice rolled her eyes at me quickly before Rosalie noticed. Alice had her keys in her tiny hands as she walked my direction to head for the door.

“I will see you tomorrow,” she said with a coy grin.

Rosalie was out the door faster than I could follow. I turned to Alice as she moved at a more mortal pace. “Where are you going?” I asked.

Alice waved as she replied, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Bella!” The door was shut behind her then. I heard the muffled roar of her Porsche as she and Rosalie left me behind. I assumed that I was completely alone then. I was curious to know where they were going, but my mind was busy calculating other worries. I stood in the Cullens’ living room, taking in the sheer silence. The only sound was coming from the low burning fire still crackling dimly in the fireplace. I unlocked my tense limbs to move toward the heat. I stopped briefly to survey Rosalie’s project and flipped through a couple of pages on the bound album.

Were these all valentines? I picked up a few loose papers from the table and skimmed them quickly. It seemed that Rosalie had been collecting notes from her admirers for decades, compiling the highlights in an album with cards dating back to 1929. Some of the earlier letters were from when she was still human, if I wasn’t mistaken. A few authors were brave enough to sign their names, but most were anonymous confessions. I spent more time snooping through Rosalie’s valentines than I should have, but part of me thought that she must have wanted me to see them. Why else would she have left them all here?

I focused myself again and took a seat on the edge of the hearth.

                  I was glad I had a moment to gather myself and took the opportunity to take a few deep, but unsteady, breaths. Why was I so unnerved? I closed my eyes and tried to summon my buried fantasies of Edward. There I let myself imagine him, pulling me tightly to his chest, letting his lips roam my jaw, my neck, and the dips of my collarbones. What would he look like bare? I’d only been able to guess the parts of him that were always just beyond my reach. I let those thoughts in too, imagining my own fingers tracing patterns around the curves of his muscles. To bring him close to me, skin to skin – the thought alone painted my face in a soft blush. I bit my lip, letting go a full breath I had been holding. I opened my eyes then and immediately found him.

He was standing across the room from me, a statue of indescribable, sculpted beauty, leaning on the wall casually. He had a peaceful expression resting in his features, but his bright golden eyes were burning with something I couldn’t explain. My favorite crooked smile slowly crossed his lips as his eyes seemed to search my body. I blushed more deeply, a decision forming more firmly in my mind.

I loved him, purely, and every ounce of my body and soul ached to be his. It was exactly the reason I had asked him to change me himself. I wanted his venom to alter me permanently, his lips on my skin to be the last human sensation I’d ever feel. I wanted to be tangibly his, forever; for Edward to lay claim to me in an absolute and eternal way. If I was his, then he was mine. This desire burned in me more brightly in this moment than it ever had. But there were other human sensations I ached for now. And suddenly, I was sure I was not willing to sacrifice them.

Edward moved slowly across the room to perch in front of me. The height of the hearth and his tall body in a crouch before me, leveled us to be equally face-to-face. As he bent, he balanced a small, thin velvet box on my knees. I made no move to open it, so he chuckled lightly and opened it to reveal a small glittering heart-shaped charm. Even in the dim firelight, the brilliant crystal’s intricate cuts glinted countless sparkling rays of color. It was hung on a silver chain as thin as thread.

He was the first to break the silence.

“It was my mother’s.” He shrugged deprecatingly. “I inherited quite a few baubles like this. I’ve given some to Esme, Alice, and Rosalie throughout the years. So, clearly, this is not a big deal in any way.” I could feel his eyes on me, but I continued to stare down, not quite ready to speak. “A hand-me-down,” he reminded me sternly. “You said that was allowable.”

“I guess I did say that,” I said in a whisper.

He chuckled at my reluctance. “I thought it was a good representation,” he continued. “It’s hard and cold.” He laughed. “And it throws rainbows in the sunlight.”

“You forgot the most important similarity,” I murmured. “It’s beautiful.”

“My heart is just as silent,” he mused. “And it, too, is yours.”

I offered the box to him and moved to gather my hair away from my neck, turning to the fire. As he moved to clasp the chain around my neck, I said, “Thank you for both.”

His fingers seemed to linger on the skin of my throat as I turned back to face him. Our lips were only inches apart now. I moved my hands to wrap them around his neck.

“No, thank you. It’s a relief to have you accept a gift so easily. Good practice for you, too.” He grinned, flashing his teeth.                   His eyes wandered down to take pride in his accepted gift. I was grateful for the plunging neckline of my sweater when his gaze lingered where the crystal charm hung delicately above my chest. I made a mental note to thank Alice later and took a steadying breath. I began to feel cautiously optimistic. Perhaps getting what I wanted would not be as difficult as I’d expected it to be.

No, of course it was going to be just exactly that difficult. I cleared my throat lightly and braced myself. “Can we discuss something?” I asked. “I’d appreciate it if you could begin by being open-minded.”

He hesitated for a moment and returned his eyes to mine. “I’ll give it my best effort,” he agreed, cautious now. He unwrapped my arms from around his neck as he moved to put space between us.

“I’m not breaking any rules here,” I promised. “This is strictly about you and me.”

“Listen to your heart fly,” he murmured. “It’s fluttering like a hummingbird’s wings,” he repeated the analogy he had applied to me earlier in the day. “Are you all right?”

“I’m great,” I said formally. I wondered why I was being so formal.

“Please go on then,” he encouraged.

“Well, I guess, first, I wanted to talk to you about that whole ridiculous marriage condition.”

“It’s only ridiculous to you. What about it?” He was backing further away from me now.

I leaned closer to him, placing my hands on his knees to keep him near me. “I was wondering… is that open to negotiation?”

Edward frowned, serious now. “I’ve already made the largest concession by far and away – I’ve agreed to take your life against my better judgment. And that ought to entitle me to a few compromises on your part.”

“No.” I shook my head, focusing on keeping my face composed. “That part’s a done deal. We’re not discussing that now. I want to hammer out some other details.”

He looked at me suspiciously. “Which details do you mean exactly?”

I hesitated. “Let’s clarify your prerequisites first – matrimony?” I made it sound like a dirty word.

“Yes.” He smiled a wide smile. “To start with.”

The shock spoiled my carefully composed expression. “There’s more?”

“Well,” he said, his face calculating. “If you’re my wife, then what’s mine is yours… So there would be no issue with Dartmouth tuition.”

“Anything else? While you’re already being absurd?”

“Time. I’m finding it quite ephemeral… like it’s slipping through my fingers,” as he spoke, he rose his finger tips to sweep a gentle line over my exposed collarbones.

I shook my head, trying to forget his distracting touch. “No. No time. That’s a deal breaker.”

He sighed longingly. “Just a year or two?”

I refused to give into his burning amber eyes. “What else?”

“That’s it. Unless you’d like to talk cars…”

He grinned widely when I grimaced, then took my hand and began playing with my fingers. “I didn’t realize there was anything else you wanted besides being transformed into a monster yourself. I’m extremely curious.” His voice was low and soft. The slight edge would have been hard to detect if I hadn’t known it so well.

I paused, staring at his hand on mine. I still didn’t know how to begin. I felt his eyes watching me and I was afraid to look up. The blood began to burn in my face.

His cool hand cupped my cheek. “You’re blushing?” he asked in surprise. I kept my eyes down. “Please, Bella, the suspense is painful.”

I bit my lip.

“Bella.” His tone reproached me now, reminding me that it was hard for him when I kept my thoughts to myself.

“Edward,” I said, nervous, staring at a freckle on my wrist. “There’s something that I want to do before I’m not human anymore.”

He waited for me to continue. I didn’t. My face was hot.

“Whatever you want,” he encouraged, anxious and completely clueless.

“Do you promise?” I muttered, knowing my attempt to trap him with his words was not going to work. But he was unable to resist my coaxing.

“Yes,” he said. I looked up through my lashes to see that his eyes were earnest and confused. “Tell me what you want, and you can have it.”

I couldn’t believe how awkward and idiotic I felt. I was too innocent. I didn’t have the faintest idea how to be seductive. I would just have to settle for flushed and self-conscious.

“You,” I mumbled almost incoherently.

“I’m yours.” He smiled, still oblivious, trying to hold my gaze as I looked away again.

I took a deep breath and leaned closer to him, pressing my lips to his. He kissed me back, bewildered but willing, his lips gentle against mine. I began to slide my hands from his knees, up his thighs and slowly toward his waist. I hadn’t gotten very far when I all but heard the click in his head as he put together my words and my actions, his lips freezing in place.

He pushed me away at once, his face heavily disapproving.

“Be reasonable, Bella.”

“Edward, I –. “ He had cut me off, placing a single finger over my lips to quiet me.

“No.” His face was hard.

I was surprised by my reaction to his dismissal. I raised my hand to swat at his. My action didn’t move him, of course, but he moved his hand from my mouth in response. “You are not going to shush me,” I said sternly. “We’re here discussing terms of an eternity together – marriage and other promises – but sex?” I said the word louder than the rest. “Edward, why can’t we talk about sex?”

He was frozen there, hands at his side, eyes locked on mine. I felt the charge of adrenaline passing quicker than it had come. We sat there for a moment in silence with only my quick breathing and rapid pulse as audio. I shifted my gaze down as the rush subsided. It took me a minute to recognize why I was staring at my freckle again, the blush returning – why my stomach felt uneasy, why there was too much moisture in my eyes, why I suddenly wanted to run from the room.

Rejection washed through me, instinctive and strong.

I knew it was irrational. He’d been very clear on other occasions that my safety was the only factor. Yet I’d never made myself quite so vulnerable before. It was hard to beg for the mercy of an angel.

Edward moved then, bringing his hand up to my chin to pull my face up until I had to look at him again. He scrutinized my face for a long moment while I tried unsuccessfully to twist away from his gaze. His brow furrowed, and his expression became horrified as I continued to fight off the onslaught of water in my eyes.

His other hand rushed to my cheek, his thumb stroking there reassuringly. “You know why I have to say no,” he murmured. “You know that I want you, too.”

“Do you?” I whispered, my voice full of accusation and doubt.

He held my face at my jaw now, his fingers on my neck at the base of my hair. “Of course I do, you beautiful, oversensitive girl.” He laughed once, and then his voice was bleak. “Doesn’t everyone? I feel like there’s a line behind me, jockeying for position, waiting for me to make a big enough mistake… You’re too desirable for your own good.”

It seemed like he wanted to press on, anxiety flooding him as it had me throughout the day. I took a breath.

“Tell me if I have anything wrong,” I tried to sound detached. “Your demands are marriage, college, more time, and a faster car.”

“Only the first is a demand,” he said taking a breath. “The others are merely requests.”

“And my lone, solitary demand is – “

“Demand?” he interrupted, on edge again.

“Yes, demand.” I said confidently, looping my fingers around his wrists and tugging until he dropped them. I was not going to concede, now that I knew he wanted this as badly as I did. I would have to be brave for the both of us. I kept my gaze locked on his, placing a hand on his chest to request more space between us.

Edward immediately responded, backing up slightly and resting on his knees with room in front of him. Without breaking the contact we had, I slid down so that we were both on our knees. I brought both hands to the collar of his shirt and began to unbutton slowly, never moving my eyes from his.

“Please,” I begged. “There is nothing I want more than you.”

He took a deep breath. I was surprised that it sounded a little unsteady.

“I could kill you,” he whispered.

I had the last button undone then and slid the fabric from his shoulders to the floor. I was gliding my hands down his chest and placing my lips over his heart when I murmured against his skin. “I don’t think you could.”

As I kissed him there, a low sound escaped his lips. A moan? My body ached in a way it never had. I felt electrified. My heart jolted, words tumbling out of my mouth to take advantage of the sudden uncertainty in his eyes. “Please, try,” I pleaded.

His hands were wrapped around my biceps then, his head bent down to bring his lips to my ear, making me shiver. “This is unbearable. So many things I’ve wanted to give you – and this is what you demand. Do you have any idea how painful it is, refusing you when you plead with me this way?”

“Then don’t refuse,” I suggested breathlessly.

He didn’t respond. I tossed my head back to catch my breath, letting my hair fall down behind me. Edward’s hands still held my arms firmly. “Please,” I tried again.

He bent his head to my neck. “Bella…” He shook his head slowly, but it didn’t feel like denial as his face, his lips, moved back and forth across my throat. It felt more like surrender. My heart sputtered frantically when his lips finally stopped to embrace my skin. The same low sound spilled from my lips now, which seemed to hit Edward with the same electrical shock.

His grip tensed instantly and I was sure he was going to push me away again.

I was wrong.

His lips were on mine, his hands pulling me up to close the space between us. His mouth was not gentle; there was a brand-new edge of conflict and desperation in the way his lips moved. When his hands moved into my hair, I locked my arms around his neck, tightening my hold on him. To my suddenly overheated skin, his body felt colder than ever. I trembled, but it was not from the chill.

He didn’t stop kissing me. I was the one who had to break away, gasping for air. Even then his lips did not leave my skin, they just moved to my throat. So quickly that I wasn’t even sure how it happened, I was in his arms, his lips still exploring my skin, as we nearly flew through the house. Human velocity was not fast enough for him. We were in his bedroom then, still locked in each other’s arms as he fell onto his back on the bed.

The thrill of victory was a strange high; it made me feel powerful. Brave. My hands weren’t unsteady now and my fingers traced the patterns I had dreamed of a thousand times. He was too beautiful. What was the word he had used? Unbearable – that was it. His beauty was too much to bear…

I was on top of him, our lips pulled together again and moving in heated sync. Edward’s hands were exploring my body. His hands were tight around my waist, straining me closer to him. All I wanted was my skin to be bare against his – his grip made it difficult to reach to remove my sweater, but not impossible. Just as I had my stomach exposed, cold iron fetters locked around my wrists, and pulled my hands above my head, which was suddenly on a pillow.

His lips were at my ear again. “Bella,” he murmured, his voice warm and velvet. “Stop trying to take your clothes off.”

“Do you want to do that part?” I asked breathlessly.

“Not tonight,” he answered softly. His lips were slower now against my cheek and jaw, all the urgency gone.

“Edward, don’t –,” I started to argue, trying to free my hands and arching my body to mold myself more closely to him.

“I’m not saying no,” he reassured me. “I’m just saying not tonight.”

I had never felt frustration this way before. I was restless, eyes wild and questioning on his.

“I wasn’t born yesterday,” he laughed. “Out of the two of us, which do you think is more unwilling to give the other what they want? You just promised to marry me before you do any changing, but if I give in tonight, what guarantee do I have that you won’t go running off to Carlisle in the morning? I am – clearly – much less reluctant to give you what you want. Therefore… you first.”

I exhaled with a loud huff. “I have to marry you first?” I asked in disbelief.

“That’s the deal – take it or leave it. A compromise.” Edward pressed himself to me, urging me to accept his terms. His arms wrapped around me, and he began kissing me in a way that should be illegal. Too persuasive – it was duress, coercion. I tried to keep a clear head… and failed quickly and absolutely.

“How did this happen?” I moaned, and not in a good way. “I thought I was holding my own tonight – for once – and now, all of a sudden – “

“You’re engaged,” he finished.

“Edward, no.” I objected.

“Are you going back on your word?” he demanded. He pulled back to read my face. His expression was entertained. He was having fun.

I glared at him, trying to ignore the way his smile made my heart react.

“Are you?” he pressed.

“No,” I groaned. “No. I’m not. I just need time to think. I can’t think right now – give me some time to think.”

He kissed me again quickly. Another too persuasive kiss.

“Take all the time you need.”

He kissed me another time. “Do you get the feeling that everything is backward?” he laughed. “Traditionally, shouldn’t you be arguing my side, and I yours?”

“There isn’t much that’s traditional about you and me.”

Neither of us would surrender in this moment – that was clear. But there were compromises that were pending on the horizon. And, if nothing, I had this night to service my fantasies for awhile. I bit my lip and chuckled.

“I’m curious,” I sighed. “What exactly did you have planned for tonight?”

He didn’t answer. Instead he was up and out of the bed, a hand extended toward me.

I let out my last sigh of contest and threw my hands down on the bed to heave myself up. Edward laughed to himself as I slid to the edge of the bed and stood. I fidgeted in my sweater and straightened my skirt as I walked toward him. I took his hand and noticed him taking in my figure again.

I raised a brow. “Did you want to get back in bed?”

Edward chuckled again, shaking his head. “No, but please do remind me to thank Alice in the morning.”

I rolled my eyes as he led me from his bedroom and into the rest of our romantic evening alone.

PART TWO

 ____

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Twilight Saga world, which is trademarked by Stephenie Meyer and Little Brown Books. All characters referenced are owned by Stephenie Meyer, and I do not claim any ownership over them or the Twilight Saga. The story told here is of my own invention. This story is for entertainment only – fun – and is not part of the official story line. I am grateful to Stephenie Meyer for the creation of these characters and I in no way am profiting from the creation and publication of this story. Some lines are directly quoted from Meyer’s book, Eclipse, and I do not claim to own Meyer’s words.

References:

Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. Little, Brown, 2013.

Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, and W. E. Williams. Tennyson: Poems. Penguin, 1985.

#edwardcullen #edwardandbella #valentinesday #twilight renaissance #twilightfanfic #twilightfanfiction #twilightsaga

[twilightwriter]

HIKING — [ EMMETT CULLEN] / [ IMAGINE ]

So this was one was long as fuck because, I have no fucking clue, I was motivated and in the mood for writing and shit — but thank you so much for requesting!

 CONTENT[S] : Fluff, the mentioning of blood, swearing.

You didn’t know how Emmett Cullen did it, but he somehow managed to talk you into a hiking trip to neighboring mountains in Forks, where a trail on the edge sat. 

And of course, without a doubt you accepted the invitation. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity after all. And you’d never again get the chance to explore different parts of Washington as much as you’d want to if you just kept to the same old boring towns, shopping areas, and most importantly, high school.

“Sure, why not?”

“Great!” Alice squealed, pleased by the acceptance of their generously eager invitation before squeezing your fragile body in her arms. “Don’t forget, tomorrow morning – we’ll take care of all of your equipment. We wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

You nodded, eager to get to the next class before the bell rung a third time; knowing your ass, you’re most likely to get into some kind of predicament. You and nature sometimes didn’t mix. The seagull attack on La Push, the wild badger that you tried so desperately to get out of the road on your way to Bella’s house. “I’ll set my alarm for tomorrow. You won’t be disappointed.”

And before they took their leave, you were greeted by a sweet kiss from your boyfriend, Emmett, who sported a boyish grin. You would’ve smacked him on the shoulder for expressing so much public displays of affection on school grounds, but you were too awestruck. You bid them goodbye for the day.

The family had taken care of the equipment expenses for you despite you denying their generous offers. At the moment you wished that you could express to him that you didn’t really like the mountains—the heights, the acceleration of freezing cold in harmonic combination of the usual Forks weather paired with ice and snow. Between the Olympic Mountains and the Pacific Beaches, the view was beautiful. You knew that once you got back to school you would have quite the tale to tell about your adventures with the Cullens to Jessica and Angela.

Yeah, not good for a human. The group trudged up steep mountain and loose rock. You were almost jealous that Emmett and the rest of his family were making more progress than you were in this circumstance; however, you sought to not complain throughout the trip.

“You doing okay down there, [Y/N]?” You heard the voice of Emmett calling down to your struggling form about two hours into the climb, determined, you grasped a nearby rock that looked somewhere near steady enough to climb onto, and unfortunately it wasn’t. Your limbs burned in exhaustion without the proper break.

Because of that you knew that your legs would give out soon. You plastered on an expression of feigned happiness and hollered back to the best of your ability. “Yeah! I’m f—WOOAH!”

And they did. You ended up stepping onto the wrong thing and glissaded down the mountain for a few seconds, scraping your knee up against a sharp snow-covered stone on your foreleg. After yelping in pain, you were prepared to descend downward, until a hand caught your forearm mid-fall and wrapped around your dainty wrist within an instant. The force was hard enough to break bones but somehow, this wasn’t the case. It was almost like he was terrified of the idea of you falling and him not being able to catch you.

He could smell the pungent scent of vital fluids invading his senses, slowly trickling down your leg from the inside of your hiking pants. Sought to at least cover it to a degree where it wasn’t smelled by other immortals from miles away. You could sense the feral portion of himself slowly making its way to the surface, but it suddenly subsided. Like it never existed to begin with.

If you didn’t thank vampire reflexes then, you’d certainly be thanking them now – the familiar hand was none other than Emmett Cullen’s. In spite of the immense pain that had made itself more known you were pleased to find that someone was at least paying attention to you down here. “You need to be careful there, Mrs. [L/N],” the dark-haired male teased as he pulled you into the hardness of his arms.

“Shut up,” you pouted, grasping onto his biceps as quickly as you could. Not wanting to fall the distance a second time. Your heart had jumped into your chest when you looked down at how far you’ve come. This said fall would’ve certainly been fatal. You’d clung so tightly around the man’s neck, you were certain that you’d strangle him. Your knuckles were a tainted pale white as you feared the worst for yourself. “I think we should go home for the day, I’m tired.”

The way to the Cullen residence was quick and efficient as it always was, no hassle nor complaints further. You were being carried onto the back of the strongest like some sort of Koala. And to compare body sizes, you could tell that your boyfriend was enjoying this far too much for his own good. A fire crackled in the near distance, distributing heat that you could only ever appreciate during times like this. Cold winters in Forks were never your forte, but if it meant sticking around with the one coven that you grew fond of, then so be it.

There he settled you down onto the couch in the living room where he examined your injury, rolling the denim fabric up your foreleg to inspect the damage done, causing your features to contort into one of displeasure. “You should be more careful of your surroundings.”

“It wasn’t my fault,” you argued, you’d noticed Carlisle had returned with the kit to help clean your wounds. But his eldest son insisted on doing it himself whilst you continued. “I—I was tired and I didn’t know that the stones weren’t steady.”

A shake of his head, though he was more of the class clown of the family, you’d never seen him so concerned before until now. This was entirely foreign to you and for the first time you felt babied by someone aside from your parents. You could feel the stinging of the peroxide and the light pricking of skin when he removed excess flesh from your wound as well as any rock that was leftover.

The scene in front of you nearly made you sick as he finished wrapping you up. With that in mind you kept to yourself for a while until you heard him speak up again. “You could’ve told me that you were tired and I would’ve carried you the rest of the way—”

“I didn’t want to complain because I knew that you’d want me to experience the trip. And I didn’t want to be some kind of burden.”

There was a silence after these words were said and what you didn’t expect, was for Emmett to encase his cold arms around your physique and draw you in closer to himself. It was his little way of comforting you and to say the least, you were grateful for this. He ensured to be careful and very much aware of your injury, and placed a palm against it to prevent future swelling whilst his other found purchase coiled around your waist.

“I hope you’re staying over. Because we’re going to be here for a long time, [N/N].”

#edward cullen #alice cullen #jasper hale #rosalie hale #emmett cullen #carlisle cullen #esme cullen #twilight #stephenie meyer #twilight saga #i suck ass at this wtf #romance #vampire #novel #twilight imagine #twilight renaissance

[bellaslilpapercut]

Eclipse reread part 2! This is gonna cover a lot of chapters because I forgot to include stuff from chapters 4, 5, and 6 in part 1 (in my defense your honor, this book is very grating to read). Awayyy we go:

1. so chapters 4-6 really could have been one chapter tbh since the plot is: Bella ditches work at Newton’s Outfitters to hang with Jake and then writes some graduation invites with Angela. She pushes her rusty old behemoth as fast as it can go through driving rain but then hangs outside with Jake the whole time so I don’t really know where the rain went. She also manages to hear Jake gasp through her closed car door! Super sonic! Anyway, Bella insists that Edward is a good guy, Jake makes Bella hold his hand, Jake explains imprinting (yuck we can skip that), and then Edward drives threateningly past Bella while she’s on her way to Angela’s house. Angela reminds Bella that, at his core, Edward is a teen boy who is Totally Jealous of how Ripped and Sexy her 16 year old best friend is. Then Alice kidnaps Bella. Fun times!

2. During the imprinting convo it becomes very apparent that Meyer thinks the worst thing that can happen to a girl is getting broken up with. Somehow Leah got the “worst end” of the Sam/Emily/Leah fiasco despite Sam turning into a “monster” and Emily getting literally mauled in the face. What’s worse is later in the book, during the “Legends” chapter, when Bella wonders if Leah thinks Emily’s scars are a form of “justice.” Yea, Bella, that’s justice. 

3. I love this Rosalie quote but hate the entirety of they way meyer writes her story. Others have mentioned it before but Meyer writes Rose's dialogue there as if Rose is an author and not like...a person telling a story. An easy fix would be to format Rosalie's story "flash back" style rather than have her narrate all the way through. Then you can include all the superfluous details of exactly what everyone's voice sounded like and all the excessive dialogue tags you want.

I also Violently Abhor this quote here:

Yea, meyer, the Hot Girl hates your self-insert because her stupid ass brother didn't have the hots for her. It just reads like weird middle school revenge fantasy "I only hated you because you were so Special!!!" Sure, sure. Also "all those females!" People don't talk like that @stephanie

4. I do love the scene when Bella “escapes” from Alice with Jake (I don’t know why i put escape in quotes, Alice could definitely murk Bella) but then that whole adventure ends with Jake telling Bella he’d rather she die than turn into a vampire. And yeah, fair buddy, but also you’ve known Bella for a long time. This should not be a surprise to you at all even a little bit. a) she mentioned it before, b) you knew she would never get over Edward even if your plan in NM had worked, and c) you’ve known that she’s fully obsessed with the Cullen’s since you started hanging out with her again. The last time you guys hung out she went on an impassioned rampage about how lovely and good and fantastic Edward is (footage not found) I really don’t know why you’re surprised that this hard-headed girl is prepared to commit to vampirism for him. She is not normal lmfao.

5. The legends chapter. Oh boy. Stephanie, Meyer, Smeyer. Honestly it might have been less offensive if she had just made up a whole new tribe to give these backstories to, for all that they have in common with real Quileute legends but actually that would still be offensive and terrible anyway. I don’t know how to describe this adequately but if you’ve ever seen G.I. Joe’s portrayal of indigenous people that’s exactly what meyer made Old Quil and Billy’s dialogue sound like. Just absolutely dripping with Mystical Native/ Magical Native trope from the content to the tone. https://mthg.org/ Because it can’t be plugged enough.  

6. The legends chapter ends with this Wuthering Heights quote:

I have no qualms with it's inclusion, if you really want to push the Edward is Heathcliff and Bella is Cathy agenda, I don't believe it but fine, whatever. But those last two paragraphs are such a dumb way to end a chapter. Every chapter ending should make the reader want to turn the page: this makes me want to shut the book (actually I did take a long break after this lmfao). Anyway, just end the quote on "drank his blood," bold those three words, and end the chapter there. Don't go back and say "the three words that stood out were... Anyway it could have fallen to any page I believe in coincidence teehee!!" That's just annoying.

7. Okay guys I hate to say it but Edward does get a lil bit of ~character growth after the first few chapters. He comes home after having Bella kidnapped (she decides not to be angry, surprise surprise) and is all "so I've been thinking about it and you're right my Beloved Angel Face or whatever, please hang out with Jacob but also wear a helmet on your motorcycle my Beloved Dumb Idiot or whatever" (paraphrase). And he also says this in chapter 12:

Which is like, man I hate when I agree with Edward but I agree with Edward here. Now I know from MS that he only wants Bella to stay human because he's creating an Unfolding Drama in his head but this bit of dialogue is really sweet. And it's funny that he thought Bella didn't want to marry him because she just wanted to use him for immortality but it's also a Dark Reminder that he's literally only romantic with her because he can't read her mind and can't tell that she's just as obsessed with his looks as the other Teen Girls TM.

8. uuuh Jasper’s Backstory Time. This is so infuriating to read for so many reasons. So we know that smeyer got Jasper’s name from a confederate memorial/ listing (from a New Moon Q&A but the link isn’t secure so I can’t share) so I know that his backstory was always meant to be Confederate Soldier which makes everything else about his characterization just baffling. Again, he was the only Cullen that was genuinely kind to Bella besides Carlisle for the entire first book and he’s still incredibly kind during Eclipse (which is another issue I have though because no one mentions again that Jasper tried to eat Bella and they stand close to each other and hang out and Bella’s never like “this is scary, this dude tried to kill me” but i digress). The point is: smeyer knew he was going to be a confederate from book 1. She never addresses that this was bad, she never has Jasper mention that he regrets his role in the war, he is the only Cullen that’s actually capable of empathizing with humans anymore (Carlisle cares but I would not categorize him as empathetic), it just... None of these pieces fit together. This is a fraught and bloody history that smeyer throws in with no thought to how it might alienate black readers (though tbh she constantly emphasizes “white beauty” throughout the series so I doubt she cares) and the editors don’t question it either. No one, at any point in time, said “Hey, steph, you know confederates fought for slavery, right?” Every black american deserves reparations. White women and men who glorify the civil war should be the first to pay up. 

9. I’m gonna jump back to chapters 9 & 10 here (target & scent, respectively) to say: no tension is being effectively built. I get it, someone stole your clothes. You’re annoyed because you have nothing to wear and Victoria is scary. But where is she? Where is the volturi? Move it along, please! This is one of the challenges of 1st person narrative because the author is stuck in the eyes of, usually, the person who knows the least. Meyer is not a talented enough author to make this interesting. Not to bring up THG again but Suzanne Collins really knew how to work 1st person. Everything that Katniss asserts with certainty throughout the series gets either confirmed or denied by the narrative, keeping it interesting. She assumes the worst of the people around her so we’re pleasantly surprised when people violate those assumptions. We’re kept on edge by how little Katniss knows and SC never gifts Katniss with more knowledge than she could be expected to have. Bella is constantly gifted with knowledge and her assumptions are rarely proven wrong. You can dig into the canon a little bit more, read the lexicon and the guide, and find all the examples of Bella being unreliable or making wrong assumptions. But within the narrative she is rarely incorrect. She doesn’t get opportunities to grow out of her false assumptions (while Edward does, at least in Eclipse). So to keep the Victoria debacle interesting, smeyer has to plant seeds like- during these two chapters- Bella thinking of Laurent and Victoria while the cullens discuss who could have been in Bella’s room. That just doesn’t cut it for me. 

This is hella long and I’m only halfway through the book. I probably should split the second half into two parts as well but based on how talented smeyer is at stretching out the mundane, especially just before the climax, I probably wont need to. 

#eclipse reread #saga reread #the twilight saga #twilight meta #twilight renaissance #long post

[twilitty]

Waiting pt.2

Waiting

@twilitty​

Part 2/?

Word count: 2.5k

Warnings: none

Read this first! Bella is away while Rose and Emmett are watching Nessie. This fic is centered around Bella.

It took everything out of Bella to not draw attention to herself. She had dressed in sweatpants and a ratty sweatshirt that she had to hide in the back of her closet so Alice couldn’t find it. Yet still people stared at her. This was one thing Bella doubted she would ever get used to: the attention.

She liked to lay low, fly under the radar, get lost in the crowd. But, that hasn’t happened to her since her human days. Well, it hasn’t really happened to her since Phoenix. It seemed that Forks high school thought she was the best thing around and quickly she had a band of boys vying for her attention. 

She’s walking down a busy side street in Port Angeles, she hadn’t lied about where she was going. The entire family knows she is in the city, they just don’t know why- except for Alice- and decidedly choose not to ask her about it. She appreciates the faux privacy they give her. It’s difficult living with a family who had supernatural hearing abilities, every whispered argument with her new husband was put on display for all to discuss in private. 

Port Angeles is her monthly retreat from the Cullens, who seemed to be her only socialization after she awoke as a vampire. It’s not that she doesn’t enjoy spending time with them, she loves them all dearly, but most conversations revert back to time periods from before she was born. She was never a fan of history class.

Port Angeles was nowhere near as large as other cities, but it was close to home and she doesn’t like leaving her daughter for long periods of time. 

The street is littered with tourists in heavy backpacks, maps under their noses. The maps are unnecessary, each street has clear signage and you can always cut through alleyways to the next street over if you need to move fast. She can’t imagine how anybody could get lost among these streets and then scolds herself immediately. She had gotten lost in these streets. Her human self was used to getting lost and falling into the lap of trouble. She hates forgetting about her old self. 

Her shoulder bag bumps her hip with every step, inside her car keys, wallet, and a hardcover book. It’s a battered copy of Pride and Prejudice, the edges of the stiff covers frayed with time and use. The words inside bore the stains of past tears, tears she would never shed again. She remembers the last time she cried over these pages, sitting on Charlies beat up couch with her wet hair tied up in a towel atop her head. She couldn’t stop thinking of Edward. This was before they had come together and stayed together. She had hoped that his behaviour was an imitation of Mr.Darcy’s. Hopefully he was just pretending to dislike her because he didn’t know how to work through his true emotions, ultimately her hopes came true, but at the time she felt empty. 

Empty from caring too much and empty from being let down yet another time. A new town she didn’t want to be in, and the one bright side seemed to hate her, how is she supposed to cope with that? She had treated herself with a bowl of ice cream after her hot shower, curling up in a quilt that seemed older than her and reading Jane Austen yet again. 

Everytime Darcy entered a scene another fat tear would drop onto the page, marking the exact spot she thought of the cruel bronze haired boy. A boy so beautiful her heart wanted to sing, yet every time he looked at her with that same disdain she couldn’t help but feel torn apart all over again. How could one human stand so much torment?

A part of her, small and insignificant, sits in her gut and wishes for tears. Wants some physical expression of her emotions. But, that won’t happen. 

The street winds to the right, groups of teenagers clustered outside of an indie coffee shop and giggling amongst each other. Idly she wonders, how is Angela doing? But the thought disappears as quickly as it comes and she finds herself at the end of the street with a four-way stop in front of her. 

She takes the right turn, sneakers scuffing as she lets her heels drag a little with every step. Humans never walk evenly, there is always something to unbalance their gait and mark their shoes. Alice would rather die a million deaths than see Bella purposefully mistreat her shoes, even if they’re knock offs she bought at an outlet mall. 

A couple buildings down, all cement and brick, is the public library. It’s poorly funded and the lighting inside is horrendous. The windows need to be resealed and the doors squeak like mice. She loves it. She enters into the drafty lobby, a bulletin board shows all the events this month, a book club is scheduled for today at noon. She checks her watch, 11:47. 

The next doors lead into the children's section where parents and toddlers sit in a semicircle at the back wall, a poorly constructed stage is used to recreate a story with hand puppets. “Save me!” She hears one of the socks yell out, a few children gasp and her steps slow to a stop. A child sitting up close to the stage has brown hair braided down her back in uneven strips. Her giggles stand out from every other childs gasps of horror. Beside her sits an identical little boy, his brown skin shining just like his sisters. 

“Don’t worry,” the little girl whispers into his ear, “the princess has a happy ending.” The boy looks up at her with big doe eyes, his nose sniffling. “I promise,” she says. Then, as if feeling that someone is watching, she turns around and faces Bella from across the wide room. 

They look at each other, the human and the vampire, the child and the woman, the hunted and the hunter. Her, Bella thinks absently, her senses slow to a dull, focused only on the soft thudding of the little girls heart. She is so beautiful. The girl watches her, wide eyes blinking as she takes in the woman staring at her without seeming to notice it. Then, she raises a dark palm, waving it at the woman.

Bellas senses surge back into her, noises and colours and scents slam into her like a wall and she almost feels the need to take a steadying breath. The girl continues to wave, her little brother looking over his shoulder to see who she’s looking at. 

Walking quickly and a little dazed, Bella makes her way to the staircase and closes the door behind her. She takes a deep, unnecessary breath which does nothing more than fill her lungs. Her chest sits hollow, no movement unless she forces it and no beating of a heart. She wonders idly what would happen if she was opened up, would they find her heart still intact? Did the venom solidify it like the rest of her or is it just simply gone? 

“Isabella!” It’s Nancy, she’s at the top of the stairs holding a book to her chest. She’s an older woman, maybe sixty five, with beautiful grey hair cut into a sleek bob at her shoulders. “I’m so glad you’re here, and looking stylish as always!” Bella just nods with what she hopes is a warm smile, she had heard and smelt Nancy above before she heard her but still widens her eyes to make it seem surprising. 

Coming from anybody else, calling Bella “stylish” for wearing sweatpants would have been sarcastic. Maybe a joke about how she always looks beautiful. But not from Nancy. Nancy is too kind, she likely has never said a poor word to anybody. 

“Thank you,” Bella responds. Taking the stairs up, Nancy has already started talking again. Bella's mind has a difficult time abandoning the little girl in front of the stage. The girl's heartbeat thuds in her ears, carrying through the thick metal door and up the stairs. She isn’t sure if she can still hear it or if her mind is just playing it back on a loop.

“All the ladies are already here, you’re the last to join us.” She continues to talk about who is here and who can’t make it. Someone brought lemon squares and someone else had snuck in orange juice and a bottle of champagne for mimosas. It’s a wonder the book club hasn’t been kicked out of the library permanently, it seems every month they are receiving another infraction for bringing in food and drinks. 

The book club meets once a month to discuss the book they were supposed to read, this week it’s Pride and Prejudice. The room they reserve is tucked into the back left corner of the library, the carpet is dingy and the walls that were once white are closer to yellow. Bella loves this room.

The ladies are all already sitting in a semicircle, a low table in the center is covered in treats and large glasses filled with a sweet smelling drink. A large bottle of champagne sits next to it. “Isabella!” A few of them call out as she enters the room with Nancy. She greets them happily, smiling widely.

“Alright, so this month we read Pride and Prejudice!” A few women whoop at that, giggling and whispering amongst each other. “Now, now,” Dhruvi chastises lightly. She’s the club leader, she makes sure the discussion doesn't get carried away. “Who wants to share their first reactions to Mr.Darcy?” Bella's mind runs faster than any computer, her words and actions are usually well thought through before she reacts, which is why she takes herself off guard when she responds so quickly. She hadn’t even known she had something to add. “I think he was acting a little cruel.” Bella’s voice says without her knowing. All eyes are immediately on her, apparently none of them agreed because their eyes are wide as saucers.

“How could you say that?” A woman pipes up, her bushy eyebrows knitted atop her wrinkled forehead. “He loves Elizabeth.”

“Yeah,” Bella says slowly, her mind whirring but not producing anything. “But that doesn’t mean he can treat her like he doesn’t care for her. He should have been open with his feelings at the start, not play stupid mind games with her.”

The room is quiet, the air dripping in what can only be suppressed judgement and mild concern from the old women. Bella notices this, takes a few looks around the circle and swallows her pride. “I’m sorry,” she enunciates, each syllable crisp with her obvious discomfort. “I guess I’m just projecting my life onto the story.”

“Is it your husband, dear?” It’s Nancy, sitting three women down from her and giving her a soft smile. Her skin is wrinkled, her eyes creasing in a motherly way. Bella’s vocal cords refuse to work, and even if they were functioning she has no idea what to say. None of the women speak and instead watch Bella work the question over in her mind.

Even though Bella could have thought this over in the bare breath of a second, she takes a minute to truly think it over. Was it her husband? Edward who loved her, who she loved? They had a child together, they were both immortal. She served up her human life on a platter and asked him to throw it away. No, it wasn’t her husband. Their relationship was perfect, picturesque, the happy ending everybody always knew they would get.

“My wife,” starts Dhruvi with a heavy sigh, “does this to me sometimes, too.” Bella had met Dhruvi’s wife before, she was a kind woman with long black hair streaked with silver, her skin a nearly identical shade of brown to Dhruvi. “She will go days treating me like a guest in our home, not holding my hand or kissing me. We will eat breakfast at opposite ends of the table and make small talk. The entire time I think, ‘did I do something wrong? Has she abandoned her feelings for me?’ But, no.” She leans over onto her knees and the scent of her floral perfume fills Bella’s head. “The next night she will cook me dinner and kiss me and tell me I’m beautiful. And, yes that is nice but it is also sad like you said-” Bella never said that what Darcy did was sad, but in her head she can see now that that word fits into her sentiment perfectly. “- because for a moment I questioned my wife’s love for me and that is very painful.” 

The room nods and murmurs in agreement, Nancy giving Bella a sad, pitying look the entire time. “I- I’m sorry about your wife not always being open about her feelings,” Bella starts, feeling like she’s being forced into giving confession. “But that’s not my Edward.” 

“Not mine either,” Nancy says quickly. “But when we met that was him. He was my Darcy in the way you described him. I love Patt now but at the time he would take me out on a date only to show up for class the next day with some new broad.” She shrugs her shoulders, “and that was cruel. He played mind games with me.” The grey haired woman doesn’t seem upset by this, instead she seems content with it. Stating it with a resigned indifference. 

“But you’ve got him now!” A woman exclaims and that sends the room into an uproar of laughter. Bella’s is noticeably absent from the mixture. 

The group finishes their discussion about the book in just over an hour, a few women sneak snacks into their purses as they depart, giggly from all the champagne. Bella packages her novel into her bag and puts it over her shoulder. Dhruvi stands at the door, with a styrofoam plate of lemon squares, only three left. 

“Isabella, I’m sorry about your experiences with this month's novel.” She says it kindly, but also as if she’s digging for more information. Trying to reopen the discussion from earlier. 

“No, I enjoyed the book, really. It was quite romantic.” The words rush out of Bella, the last thing she wants to do is start this conversation all over again. Dhruvi laughs off her comment.

“I’m considering hosting dinner at my home, I will be inviting a few of the women from this group and a few others you don’t know.” Bella’s silent heart has jumped into her throat. “Would you be interested in joining us?” What does she say? That she will go but won’t eat a single damn thing? Oh, sorry, I ate just before getting to your house for this prescheduled dinner. How awful is that, there is no way that she can go. 

“I don’t think I’ll be available that day.”

“I didn’t mention the date,” the older woman says slowly, eyelids leveling down over her pupils as if searching for something in Bella. The vampire has no response to this. “Bring your husband,” she says finally, “I would like to meet him.” 

#twilight #2008 #new moon #eclipse #breaking dawn #bella swan #bella cullen #carlisle #edward #alice #rosalie #emmett #jasper #renesme #nessie #head canon #headcanon #hc #fic #fanfiction

[superspookywombat]

falling {j.h} chapter eight

Warnings: slight cursing, not very descriptive ‘fight’

Taglist:  Sleepy-whore geekysimmerthings mauvette268 treestarrrrrrrr kaleigh404 krazykatkay456 meganlikesfandoms darknacademia hi-my-name-is-riley vdtwsupernatural selmeuuh raindancer2004 wondersandtempests royale-trash-slytherin im-hella-bright bootylimpics livfg It-is-rebel-owl-ma-dudes peacemusicinch coffeeslut16 bvbwestfall Actuallyedythecullen stan-joonies Peacebuglove Millie-753 Frozenhuntress67 i-tried21 seaevans femflorals arseofrivia trashysara vulgarfuckinvirgo sleepysnapesnake hey-bulldogs mental-breaker-74 pansexual-and-eating-pancakes duty-isnt-always-honour jelly-fishy-babie carnagefuck clubpengiunn wondersandtempests 100-percent-loving shelcantspell maelloute fandomsandmore394 pomiotszatana cherrybuck alohorcruxes harryskillerqueen left-in-the-woods galaxypox what-if-im-the-bad-guy

A/n: This def isn’t my best work, but I think the ending makes up for the weird, blocky writing for most of it 😬

The week leading up to your graduation, Alice pampered you and Bella almost religiously. After getting your haircut, you were now at some fancy boutique in Seattle. Alice was in the changing room with Bella as you strolled through the racks, stroking the soft, different fabrics. Silk caresses your hand and you reach up to the hanger, revealing a mid-thigh, emerald green wrap dress. You find your size and hold it to your chest with a small smile. You make your way to the dressing rooms where you hear Alice lecturing Bella on what would look best with her skin complexion. You lock yourself into the dressing stall and take off your clothes. Slipping on the dress, you peek out of the stall.

“Hey, Alice?” You call. She bounds over to you with a bright smile on her face. She slips into the small room with you and closes the door after her. 

“You rang?” She says.

“Yeah, I know you’re helping Bella but can you zip this for me, please?” You ask. She nods and you turn around, pulling up your hair and exposing your shoulders so she can fasten the dress. Once you feel her zip to the hilt, you let down your hair and turn to the mirror. Breath catches in your throat as you see the silk cling to your curves, but drapes delicately over your insecurities. 

“Oh, wow.” Alice says under her breath. You’re frozen, unable to do anything except stare at yourself. You reach a hand up to your face, just to make sure that it’s really you in the reflection. A smile pulls onto your face and you turn to Alice. 

“Can you check the price tag for me?” You ask. Cold fingers touch your back and you feel her untuck the tag.

“It’s one-fifty.” She says. Your face falls as you process the words that just came from her mouth. 

“Oh. Well, that’s okay. I’m not really in love with it anyway.” Your voice quivers. Alice places a hand on your arm.

“I can get it for you.” She says. Your eyes widen.

“No. It’s okay. I think Bella still has her prom dress, I’ll just wear that.” You shrug, giving her a small smile.

“Oh shush, I’m gonna buy it for you and you can’t stop me.” She says. Something tells you you aren’t going to win this argument. 

“At least let me pay you back later.” You sigh. She clasps her hands and giggles, pulling you by the hand into the bigger room.

“Bella, come look at your sister!” Alice calls in a sing-song voice. Bella pokes her head out of the stall. Her jaw drops and she opens the door all the way, exposing her in an odd, purple dress.

“What’s it like being the hot sister?” Bella asks. Your cheeks tint pink and you shove her shoulder.

“I don’t know, ask yourself.” You repute. She scoffs and you both laugh before Alice whisks Bella away to try on more clothes.

------------------------------------

After stuffing into a sweaty gymnasium and walking the Big Walk, you and Bella sit in Charlie’s car as he drops you two off at the Cullen’s place for the graduation party.

“Charlie, you should come in. At least say ‘hi’ to Alice.” You reason, he shakes his head no and unlocks the doors for you two. Bella gives him a half-hearted glare as she exits the truck, but you stay behind to talk to Charlie.

“Now, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, you understand?” He warns. Your eyes widen, and you scoff. 

“No drugs, no alcohol. I got it.” You say, your voice a harsh whisper. He gives you a pointed look.

“I know you girls are legally adults, but just be safe, wear.. Wear protection..” He trails off.

“Dad!” You groan. He lets out an exasperated sigh and you grab the grocery bag from the backseat and join Bella outside.

“What’s in there?” She asks. You pull a cold box out of the bag and show Bella.

“Banana pops? This is a graduation, not a five year old’s birthday party.” She teases. You hold the box to your chest defensively. 

“You can’t go to a party without bringing an appetizer.” You say. She rolls her eyes. “What would mom say?”

You grip the box tight as Bella opens the big front door, and you both climb the stairs to the bassy music and strobe lights. Some of your peers are dancing on a makeshift dance floor as everyone else either checks out the buffet table or punch bowls. Angela and Jessica approach you two and hug Bella, exchanging pleasantries. After parting, Jacob and his two friends come into view. 

“Why don’t you go get us some drinks?” Bella suggests. 

“If you think I’m gonna leave you alone with him then you must not know me.” You say, staring down the tall boy in front of you. You glare at him while his two groupies glare at you. 

“Seriously, y/n, I’m fine.” She says. 

“Yeah, back off. She handled herself just fine before you came, and she’ll be just fine when you inevitably abandon her again.” Jacob scoffs. Bella warns him with a soft ‘Jake’.

“You talk pretty big game for a fifth grader. What are you even doing here? Isn’t it past your bedtime?” You tease, raising an eyebrow. “Y/n, stop. Seriously.” Bella says, her voice hoarse. You hold up a finger to shush her, the burning anger returning from when Bella punched him. 

“No, Bella. He needs to understand that he can’t do shit like that and then show up like nothing happened!” You cry out.

“At least I show up for her.” Jacob says with a smug smile. Your heart races as you fist your hand and strike him across his cheek. A loud ‘pop’ rings through the room as people stop to see the commotion. Everything’s a blur as a strong hand pushes you to the floor. Someone reaches out to catch you- Bella, it seems- but all she grabs is the fabric of your dress as the silk rips. You lay on the floor, supported by your elbows as you watch Jacob’s friends corral him outside. Bella looks down at the green fabric in her hand. Your dress tears up to expose your right hip, your lacy underwear peeking through. A lump rises to your throat as people crowd around you, staring down at you in pitty. Tears spill over your eyes as you feel sticky mascara drip down your cheeks. You push yourself up and brush past a very concerned looking Bella, reaching down to remove your heels as you make your way to a secluded hallway, stopping first to grab the banana pops on the snack table. You sniffle as you lock yourself in a bathroom, then you climb into a modern claw-foot tub and crudely rip open the box. You take a pop out of the wrapper and raise your hand, smearing lipstick from your mouth and stuffing in the cold treat. Sobs wrack your body as you stuff your sore knuckles into the box with the rest of the pops, and you sit in darkness, your dress flowing over the bathtub, and you listen to the muffled music.

You hear gentle knocks. “Occupied!” You yell, but the knocks continue. You wipe your eyes and climb out of the tub. “What part of occupied don’t you underst-”

Ready to scold one of your clueless classmates, you swing open the door, only to come face to face with a certain blond. “Hey there, darling.” Jasper says, his voice soothing your nerves. You try to stop another sob, but it just makes it bubble up and come out louder and uglier. 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay.” His southern drawl pokes through as he engulfs you in a hug. He leads you to the counter and holds you, just letting you cry as much as you need to as he strokes your exposed back. You back away after a few minutes, wiping your eyes. 

“God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make a scene at your party.” You apologize. “He just gets under my skin and sometimes I have anger issues and I just- I don’t know.”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to explain yourself to me.” He assures you. You nod, wiping your eyes again. “We should probably vacate the bathroom, though. Wouldn’t want those folks getting the wrong idea now.” 

You give a weak chuckle, then grab the banana pops. “I suppose you’re right. Lead the way.” You say. He looks down at your exposed hip, then shrugs out of his suit jacket and hangs it over your shoulders. He puts his hand on the small of your back and takes you to a room with desks and bookshelves. You both sit down on a leather loveseat and you rest your head on his shoulder. You pull a popsicle out of the box, and hold it up to him.

“Can I interest you in a banana pop, my good sir?” You offer. He chuckles, but shakes his head.

“No thank you. I’m in the mood for something else.” He says. You give him a small smile as you return the popsicle to its home. Dried tears stiffen your cheeks as you look up at him, only just realizing the close proximity you’re in.

“Like what?” You ask. One of his cold, smooth hands caress your cheek, and you can feel his cool breath on your lips as he opens his mouth to respond. 

“This.” He answers, then presses his lips to yours. His soft lips mould against yours as you fall back against the cushioned armrest, his strong arms holding you to him as he pulls his mouth away and rests his forehead on yours.

“Way better than banana pops.”

#jasperhale #jasper hale x reader #jasper hale #bellaswan #Bella Swan #twilight #twilight x reader #charlie swan #chapter 8 #fanfic #fanfiction #alice cullen #alice #alicecullen

[bashful-otaku]

The Flower and The Honeybee | 1 (Jasper Hale fanfiction)

♥️♥️♥️ Authors Note: Hiya this is my first post of a big book I’ve been working on, please tell me what you think. I still feel like this is hella rough draft but maybe it isn’t and I’m overreacting cause I’m nervous, if there is any mistakes please point them out. I hope you enjoy. *nervous energy*. Wishing you all happiness and safety in this butt of a time. ♥️♥️♥️

The world is full of judgement. It’s something I am used to but not something I can handle. A chronological of moments wash over me and I sit there waiting for the haze to ease. I can't reflect on those thoughts, as I fade back seamlessly into the crowd. I depend on the crowd or it seems that I do, as I follow behind the masses, I again blend in with the people in the classroom. Not sparing a look to students as I place myself on the seat. The frenzy of the words in this room feel like they’re being drowned out. I rest my face in my hand and scan over the foreign words on the wall.

Italian isn’t that different from English, and the words are even more angelic than English. Which reminds me of the meagre knowledge that I posses when it comes to artful languages like Latin. I take in words after word, writing everything that I can down. I detest using this pen, but alas it must be done.

Then class ends, which means the start of lunch, where the real frenzy will begin. I grab everything and again blend away, withholding the nervousness I feel at the proximity.

“Sorry, I needed a candid for the feature” utters Angela as I arrive at the table. I ponder at the words and sit down.

“The Feature's dead Angela, don't bring it up again! And hey Poppy” says Eric with such heated passion. I give him a smile and a wave because I notice that the new girl is trying to talk.

“It's okay, I just...”.

“I-I got your back baby” Eric says then rushes off.

“Don’t worry about it Angela, you’ll think of something else” I say to her with a small smile.

“I guess we'll just run another editorial on... Teen Drinking...” she says sounding deflated.

“You know, you could always go for... eating disorders? Speedo padding on the swim team” suggests the new girl. Before I can suggest some more Angela responds in agreement, and the other girls start talking about Kirk and his nether regions.

“Who are you?” I ask the new girl, she looks almost surprised that I don’t know.

“I’m Bella Swan, I just moved here from Arizona” She says with a hint of shyness.

“Oh?” I say to her and her smile widens.

“Have you been?” She asks and I don’t show how my heart hurts, at the fact that I could probably never go even if I wanted to.

“I wish to, oh and I’m Poppy Green. Enjoy the nature hippy name, what were my parents thinking?” is all I say and chuckles fill the table. I hold back from saying more, already pushing my luck with that sentence.

“Who are they?” Bella says to the people behind me, but I don’t turn around.

“The Cullens” says Angela with a dreamy tone and I withhold my chuckle at her actions. I let my eyes wonder to my watch almost dreamily when I notice that lunch is almost over, freedom will be soon. I tune into the girls explanation.

“Uh, the blonde girl, that's Rosalie, and the big dark-haired guy, Emmett, they're like a thing. I'm not even sure that's legal” Jess says in response to them keeping to themselves.


“Jess, they're not actually related” says Angela. I quietly steam, but let Angela correct her.

“Yeah, but they live together. It's gross and, okay, the little dark-haired girl is Alice. She's really weird, and thats Jasper, the blonde one who looks like he's in pain all the time, you shouldn’t even try talking to them. I mean, Dr. Cullen's like this foster dad slash freak collector” describes Jess and I wait for Angela’s rebut. She says nothing and I can feel my self start to fume, before I can stand up and say anything Bella has another question.


“Who’s he?” Bella wonders out loud.

“That’s Edward Cullen; he’s totally gorgeous, obviously. But apparently, no one here is good enough for him. Like I care. Anyway, don't waste your time” Jess explained


“I wasn’t planning on it” says Bella sounding offended. I let out a cough bringing attention to me,

“Really Jess, you know how I feel about people judging based on appearance, you know what I’ve been through, is that how you describe me too when I’m not around?” I inquire.

I feel my anger wash over me in waves, and before I know it I have pushed my seat out, the metal scratching horrendously against the stone floor and I’m striding towards the door my back aches with it being stretched out in fury.

I regret doing so when reality sets in, as it feels like thousands of eyes are staring at me as I leave. I walk down the hall into my last class of the day, and take a random seat in the back not wanting to fake niceties.

I feel the shudders and I can feel the cold memories call for me, i ignore then and bring out my favourite book.

A leather one, with sparkling white paper and five calligraphy pens are held in place on the inside cover. I pour emotions into the pages not wanting anything unsaid and I feel relieved when it’s all over. All the pent up anger and sadness dwindles as I rest my face in my arms in tiredness, ten minutes til class and then after the day will finally be over.

I hear footsteps enter the room and I don’t bother looking up, I just rest more into my arms and before I know it I’m lulled into sleep.

I stitch up and pull the skin together ignoring the scream all around me, I don’t focus on anything else just making sure that the person in front of me is alright.

“You really have to be more careful” I say and it sounds like a strangers voice has taken over.

“Hmm” is a male’s hum, I look up and see nothing, all I see is the stitched up wound and then whiteness blocking everything else.

I wake up with a start and look up to see Jess looking over at me slightly, I look down at the rubber and chuckle silently at the many sorry’s on it. I nod my head as thanks to her and hold it for her after class. No one seems to notice and I sigh in relief. Looking around I see that I’m at the back of the classroom and on the furtherest right side. I curse my angered self and resist looking again to my left.

I can’t believe I sat next to him of all people. I feel completely embarrassed, ashamed and a bit happy. In the middle of the lecture when I’ve calmed down and I risk a glance through my uneasy peripheral vision my heart sores. I notice first the fluffy hair, then the air of maturity and finally the quietness of movement. He’s focused and attentive in this history class and I glance away as I notice the beginning of a head turn. Shyness falls completely over me as I determinedly look at the board.

I don’t look at him again throughout the class and when it ends I grab my stuff at a normal pass and follow Jess back. Not looking back at Jasper behind me even though I desperately want to.

#flower and the honeybee #twilight jasper #twilight imagines #twilight preference #jasper hale #twilight #jasper whitlock #twilight imagine #fanfiction #imagine #jasper #hale #rosalie hale #esme cullen #edward cullen #bella swan #jasper hale x oc #jasper hale x reader #jasper hale fanfiction #jasper whitlock fanfiction #jasper whitlock x reader #jasper whitlock x oc #poppy and the honeybee #bashful otaku work #fandom #fangirl #rough draft

[epiphany-of-a-madwoman]

Daylight | Edward Cullen x Stark!OC

Chapter 2 | Invisible String 

"You gotta step into the daylight and let it go"

Summary: Delphina Stark, to be frank, is tired. After the events of the Accords are done and half of the Avengers are now considered fugitives, she moves from bustling New York to live with her mom in Forks, Washington. Wielding a sarcastic attitude and crippling self-deprecating humor, she somehow gets wrapped up in the supernatural world.

Word Count: ~3k

Note: Click here for the Masterlist for this series ♡ || Link for my tag list in my Bio ♡

   “So, how are you enjoying the school so far?” The voice on the other side of the phone trickles into Delphina’s ear. It’s honey-sweet and wrapped with a warmth that could only belong to Pepper Potts, quelling the homesickness that’s been crescendoing since she stepped on the plane. It’s lunch period and instead of sitting at one of the tables, getting claustrophobic from everyone staring at her like it’s the circus and she’s the newest act, Delphina opted to call a few people, Pepper being at the top of that list.

   “Oh you know, I’ve already texted my mom on five separate occasions begging to be home schooled.” Delphina says.

   “And?”

   “And I received a veto all five times,” Delphina says, a small smile on her lips. Laughter trickles from the speaker into her ears, bringing a smile to Delphina’s face. She can perfectly imagine Pepper’s face right now. The way her face scrunches up, perfectly straight posture bent over slightly, and the small lines that form around her eyes when she smiles. And instead of soothing her homesickness, it ignites it, like a flickering flame being doused in oil. The easy banter and relaxed feeling another reminder of how much she misses New York.

   “Well, I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Pepper trails off, her voice raising an octave, the statement sounding more like a question.

   “Oh, I’m not concerned. When she gets home from work I’m going to ambush her with a PowerPoint presentation and everything.” Delphina says, breathing out a laugh at her own joke. “But in reality, it’s not… the worst, I guess. No one has tried to kill me yet, so there’s that.”

   “That’s good, and hopefully the bare minimum for your expectations.”

   “Don’t worry Peps, my standards are always low, keeps me from being disappointed in anything,” she says. Turning around and glancing at the clock, it reads 12:45, fifteen minutes until lunch ends and class begins.

   “I’ve got to go, my next class starts soon. I’ll talk to you later and tell dad that my plans for overthrowing the patriarchy are currently in phase one. Love you!” she says, walking towards the cafeteria entrance, bag swinging with each step and tapping against her side.  

   “Will do. I love you too.” Pepper says, laughter lacing each word. And with that, the line goes silent as the call disconnects. With a sigh, Delphina pulls the phone away from her ear and back into her pocket. Opening the door, the loud talking assaults her ears, quickly overcoming the semi-peace that covers the outside like a thick wool blanket.

   To her left, there’s a table of obnoxiously attractive people, and hidden in the midst of them is the guy from her Biology class. There’s three guys and two girls, all wearing nice clothes with perfectly styled hair. Matching amber eyes pin on her like a cat pouncing on a mouse, none of them so much as blinking when Delphina meets their gazes.

   “Family genes are weird,” she mutters to herself, snapping her gaze away and continuing forward, towards the loudest table in the room, where Bella and all her friends sit at. But before she gets too far away, Delphina swears she hears someone chuckle from the other table. She returns her attention to them, seeing the guy from Biology smirking as he looks at Delphina, amusement dancing in his eyes. She flashes him a quick smile, taking notice of the scowl the blonde woman presents in return.

   “New York, New York! How gracious of you to well… grace us with your presence.” Mike calls out upon noticing her.

   “I have a name you know,” she mutters, pulling out the chair by Bella with more force than necessary.

   “I know, but it’s kind of hard to remember,” he mutters, scratching the back of his neck with his brows furrowed.

   “It’s Delphina, Mike, not that hard.” Angela pipes up, flashing a quick grin towards Delphina, which she quickly returns.

   “Whatever doesn’t matter. Back to what I was originally going to say, how you liking Forks so far?” he questions, moving from his seat across the table so he is standing by Delphina.

   “It’s cold,” she grumbles, not meeting his gaze as she pulls out her phone.

   “W - yeah. Look, I know we’re not big city New York --” Delphina hums in agreement. “But I’d say we’re alright.” he finishes.

   “How long did you practice that one in front of the mirror?” Delphina asks after a moment, moving her eyes from her screen to meet Mike’s. He promptly begins stuttering, face heating up rapidly that longer Delphina stares at him.

“I’d say about 20 minutes, heard him in the bathroom practicing everything he was going to say,” a guy teases, moving behind Delphina like that air. She turns to see Tyler, smirking at Mike before he turns to Delphina, throwing her a wink. And as quickly as he appeared, he’s gone, Mike nearly falling out of his chair as he chases after Tyler.  

“Get back here, Tyler!” he yells, nearly tripping at least a dozen times, Tyler just laughs as he runs, effortlessly avoiding Mike. “Not cool, man. Not cool!’

Delphina raises a single brow, her face void of any amusement as they run through the room, Mike screaming like a banshee and Tyler cackling like the Wicked Witch of the West.

   “But I do have a question.” she turns her attention to the rest of the table, mainly focusing on Jessica, since she seems to be in the center of all the gossip. “Who are they?” she nods her head in the general direction of the group of gorgeous people. From the way Jessica’s face lights up and a giddy smile overtakes her face, Delphina knows Jessica is the right person to ask.

   “Those are the Cullens. Their dad, Dr. Cullen, and his wife Esme adopted them. The two blondes are Jasper and Rosalie Hale, they’re twins. The big guy by Rosalie is Emmett. They like...a thing.” This causes Delphina to raise a brow, but she doesn’t interject. “The other girl is Alice, she’s kinda weird, her and Jasper are a thing. And then lastly there’s Edward, incredibly single and gorgeous, but apparently too good for anyone here.” she finishes, her tone bitter like espresso at that end.

   “Cool,” Delphina says, nodding her head and then focusing on her phone again. “So if only two of them are blood-related, why do they all look alike?”

   Jessica opens her mouth and then closes it again, like a fish fresh out of water she’s squirming from uncertainly. Before anyone else can say anything, however, Eric interrupts them, claiming the chair between Angela and Delphina.

   “Hate to interrupt, but Delphina, I’ve been dying to talk to you all day. I don’t want to spend this precious time on the Cullens. As you probably already know, I’m with the school newspaper, and as the new student - no - as the new student and daughter of Tony Stark you’re the feature, which means I need dirt.” he says, looking at Delphina with puppy dog eyes and a hopeful smile.

   “If you need dirt, there’s some outside,” she replies, pointing her perfectly manicured finger towards the building exit.

   “You know that’s not what I meant. We can delve into whatever you want: favorite color, check; childhood trauma, also check. I mean, you were in Stark Tower when Loki attacked in 2011 weren’t you? Come on, Del, you’ve got to give me something-- anything, please!” Eric pleads, holding his hands into a prayer symbol.

   “Eric, I really don’t think she wants to be on the paper,” Bella speaks up, cutting him off before he can continue talking.

   “Yeah, not really my thing. Me and the press don’t get along.” Delphina mutters, checking the time.

   12:56.

   “What does that even mean?” Jessica asks, taking a bite out of her salad.

   “It means, I spent most of my time in New York with Natasha Romanoff.” Delphina says as she shoves her phone in her pants pocket and stands up from her seat.

   “Black Widow!?” Eric exclaims, eye lighting up with excitement. Delphina nods her head, grabbing her backpack, throwing its strap over her shoulder

   “And if you remember, a few years ago, she told the media and news to kiss her ass. Take that as you will.” And with that she walks away from the table, a smirk on her lips.

   “Oh, and it’s pink, but only in pastel,” Delphina calls behind her, long out of hearing range before anyone has a chance to reply.

                                                   o0o0o0o

   The classroom is relatively empty when Delphina manages to slip in. The teacher, a middle-aged woman with graying brown hair and a pallid complexion is sitting at a desk, intently focusing on some papers. A few students litter the room, sitting at tables that fit two people per desk, making idle chat before the bell rings to signify the start of class. Eyes flicker immediately to the guy from her Biology class with the messy copper hair and honey eyes. He’s sat in the farthest corner, not looking at anyone as he focuses on his notebook.

   Delphina approaches the teacher’s desk, gaining the woman, Mrs. Davis’ attention. She glances up at Delphina and then back to the paper in her bony fingers, and with lightning-fast speed, back up to Delphina. She clumsily stands from her chair, nearly knocking over her desk in the process. She thrusts her out towards Delphina, a nervous smile pulling at her lips that are painted with bright coral lipstick.

   “You must be Delphina Stark, welcome to History II, I’m your teacher Mrs. Davis, but I think you already knew that.” she chuckles nervously. Delphina slowly takes her hand, giving it a quick shake before dropping it.

   “That’s me,” she mutters, handing the teacher the paper she needs signing. She snatches the paper from her hands, Mrs. Davis vigorously signing it, handing it paper a second later    

   “You’ll be down there, by Edward.” with a quick nod, Delphina turns to go to her chair. She quickly reaches the desk and sits down, tossing her bag on the ground beside her. She turns to look at Edward, who is still intently focusing on his notebook.

   “Looks like I can’t get away from you. Or is it the other way around?” A moment of silence passes. A small sigh leaves her mouth as she begins mindlessly scrolling through her phone, more students filtering into the room.

   Ring.

   The bell pierces through all the noise, indicating that class has officially begun. Delphina slides her phone into her pocket, attempting to appear interested.

   “Sit down, Jeremy.” Mrs. Davis scolds one of the rowdy students in the room, a football player she’s seen hanging around school. Mrs. Davis moves from behind her desk towards the center of the room. “Today, we’ll be covering World War II, but before we jump into today’s lesson, we have a new student today.” Mrs. Davis says, pointing back towards where Delphina is sitting. “Delphina Stark.” All at once, everyone in the class turns to look at Delphina, whispering to one another as their eyes lock on her.

   She offers a pathetic wave, sinking into her chair, in hopes that the floor would swallow her whole. And whatever god is out there seems to have at least a small amount of empathy, because a moment later, everyone looks back at the teacher.

   “Since we are starting a new chapter, that also means a new assignment.” a few of the students groan, but Mrs. Davis pays them no mind. “Turn to the person at the table next to you, get a good look at them, because that is your partner for this coming project on World War II. This assignment counts for half of your semester grade, so I recommend you make the best with what you have. We’ll be going over the specifics tomorrow, but today turn to Chapter 23 in your book and start chatting with your partners.” Mrs. Davis says, finishing her announcement and moving back to her desk.

   Delphina flips open her book to Chapter 23 and turns to Edward. His gaze is already transfixed on her, no book in front of him, just a notebook and pen.

   “Mind if we share?” he asks, voice smooth like honey and as sweet as a mid summer strawberry, his lips pulling into a crooked grin.

   “Oh, now he wants to talk to me.” Raising a perfectly shaped brow at him, her eyes narrow slightly. “But sure, what’s mine is… well still mine, but I’ll let you read it too.” Hand on the side of the book, she pushes it closer to him. A faint chuckle leaves his mouth, the sound like soft bells ringing in Delphina’s ears. And she hates how much she wants to hear it again, and again, and again.

   “I'd like to apologize, actually, for how I acted earlier. It was rude of me to ignore you like that,” he says.

   “Please, I lived in the same building as Loki at one point. I don’t think anyone could top that maniac,” she says, a sly smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. He breathes out a laugh, the quiet flick of the thin paper clashing with the melodic sound.

   “But I accept your apology.”  

   “Didn’t he attack New York?” Edward asks, eyes solely on Delphina, paying no mind to the book they should be reading.

   “Oh yeah, I swear my mom nearly killed my dad when Loki attacked Stark Towers. It was kind of funny actually.” After pausing for a moment, she opens her mouth again. “Well, after I got over the trauma of the whole building almost collapsing on top of me, of course.”

   “I’ll take your word for it,” he says, the grin on his face growing ever so slightly and Delphina’s heart nearly stops in that moment

  ‘Keep it together, you idiot.’

  “You never did introduce yourself,” the teasing tone in her voice is the perfect match to the glint of mischief in her eyes. She nudges him lightly with her elbow, feeling nothing but skin that’s like cold marble and chilling to the bone.

   “Apologies, I’m Edward Cullen.”

   “Delphina Stark, but I’m sure you already knew that,” she says, rolling her eyes with an exasperated sigh.

   “There has been talk around the school.” He reflects the smirk on her face like a mirror.

   “Great, love that for me so much.”

   “You don’t like the attention?” he asks, the laugh in his voice betraying that he already knows the answer.

   “No, despite what people think, us Starks aren’t vying for attention everywhere we go,” she mutters, glancing down at the page for a split second, if only to say she did look at their chapter.

   “So why move to a town as small as Forks, where everyone is going to talk?” he asks.

   Flick, another page turns, nearly tearing from the speed.

   “Well, it wasn’t my first choice, but my mom lives here, so here I am.” Anxiety creeps into her system, increasing each second that Edward continues to look at her, flashes of sitting in the Compound surrounded by deafening silence overwhelming, beating against her like a baseball bat hits a ball in the Big Leagues.

   “Well, let me be the first to formally welcome you to Forks.” The words are playful and light, and Delphina can’t help but lean into them, falling deeper and deeper into the haze hanging over her each time he opens his mouth. She smiles at him, pushing away the Avengers and just focusing on the sound of his laugh and the intoxicating smell of his cologne, a woody scent that feels like the best parts of nature.

   “Well, you’ve already been beat there, but thank you.”

   “I couldn’t help but notice that Mike Newton has taken an interest in you.” he says after a moment, containing his laughter long enough to speak smoothly. Delphina scoffs and rolls her eyes.

   “Yeah, wish he wouldn’t. He might be nice, or whatever, but I have a strict ‘no dating anyone that calls me a nickname based solely on where I moved from’ policy.”

   “That’s oddly specific,” Edward says. Delphina just shrugs, a smirk pulling on her lips.

   “But effective.”

   “Don’t you want to make friends?” he asks, moving his eyes away from Delphina for a second to look around the room, the other students too engrossed in their own conversations to notice them.

   “I don’t need friends, they disappoint me,” Delphina says without a moment of hesitation, quoting the iconic Vine like she’s drinking water or breathing air.

For a moment it brings her back to the Compound, before everything with Ultron happened, setting the scene for the Accords. Delphina would make obscure references to Vines or memes that were popular at the time, most of the Avengers wouldn’t understand them, Thor least of all. But he laughed at every single one anyways. Steve would shake his head and mutter something about kids these days, only giving Delphina more ammo to tease him with. As soon as the memories enter her mind, weaving through every thought until it’s all she can think about, she banishes them, refusing to fall into that melancholy.

Then, Edward laughs, not a breathy sound or a small chuckle that Delphina nearly misses, it’s not booming like Thor’s, the kind of noise you make when you don’t understand a joke. But a loud one, a genuine one that leaves his eyes looking like small crescent moons, lighting up Delphina’s dark skies. And she doesn’t think what she said is that funny, nor her wittiest line ever, but maybe it’ll become her one liner for the next lifetime, using it at every opportunity. If only to hear Edward laugh like that again.

She places her elbow on the desk, leaning her chin against it as a starry smile forms on her face, memorizing everything about this moment, the small crinkles around his eyes, the way his eyes shine, and the bright smile on his face. If only to remember back on it late at night when she inevitably has trouble sleeping.

“Should I then assume that means you wouldn’t like to be friends?”

“I can have one.”

                                                 o0o0o0o

Tags: 

@stuckupstucky 

#Edward Cullen x reader #Edward Cullen imagine #edward cullen #edward cullen fanfic #twilight fanfiction #twilight imagine #twilight one shot #twilight #cullen clan #Avengers #stark!reader #stark!daughter #stark!oc #Edward Cullen x Stark!OC #pre infinity war #post civil war

[shhh-go-to-sleep]

Bella Swan: [voice over] Childhood is not from birth to a certain age. And at a certain age the child is grown and puts away childish things. Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.

[as Renee gets Bella’s wedding invitation]

Renee: Phil! It’s happening!

[Bella is trying on her wedding shoes]

Alice Cullen: Um…you just have to break them in.

Bella Swan: I’ve been breaking them in, for three days. Can I just go bare foot?

Alice Cullen: No! Absolutely not!

Bella Swan: I’m just thinking it’s a little much, you know? The dress and the shoes and all of this.

[she looks at the Cullens setting up the wedding decorations in the backyard]

Alice Cullen: No, it’s exactly enough. Tomorrow will be perfect.

[as they are setting up the wedding decorations in the backyard]

Emmett Cullen: Where do you want ’em boss?

Alice Cullen: On either side of the isle.

Rosalie Hale: What isle?

Alice Cullen: Does no one have Vision?!

[Bella is in her bedroom looking at her dreamcatcher when she suddenly feels Edward behind her, she turns to face him]

Edward Cullen: I’m just checking for cold feet.

Bella Swan: Mine are toasty warm.

Edward Cullen: It’s not too late to change your mind.

Bella Swan: What, now you’re having second thoughts?

[Edwards looks down]

Bella Swan: You are.

Edward Cullen: I’ve been waiting a century to marry you, Miss Swan.

Bella Swan: But?

[Edward looks down again]

Bella Swan: But?

Edward Cullen: I haven’t told you everything about myself.

Bella Swan: What? You’re not a virgin?

[Edward laughs]

Bella Swan: Look, you can’t scare me away now.

Edward Cullen: A few years after Carlisle created me, I rebelled against him. I resented him for curbing my appetite. So for a while I went off on my own. I wanted to know how it felt to hunt, to taste human blood.

[flash back to 1920’s when Edward bites and kills a man following a woman leaving a movie theater]

Edward Cullen: All the men I’ve killed were monsters. And so was I.

[referring to the men Edward had killed in the past]

Bella Swan: Edward they were all murderers. You probably saved more lives than you took.

Edward Cullen: Bella, that’s what I told myself. But they’re all human beings. I looked into their eyes as they died and I saw who I was and what I was capable of.

Bella Swan: And what I’ll be capable of. Why are you telling me this tonight? Did you really think this was going to change my mind about you?

Edward Cullen: I just wondered if it would change your mind about yourself and who you wanna see when you look in the mirror a year from now.

Bella Swan: I know I can do this. Let me tell you why, because you did. You should give yourself some credit for that. And hopefully a year from now I’m gonna look in the mirror and see someone like you. Someone capable of courage, sacrifice and love.

[Edwards leans in and kisses Bella]

[hearing Emmett shouting from outside her window]

Bella Swan: What is that?

Edward Cullen: I’m late for my bachelor party.

[suddenly Emmett jumps leaps up to Bella’s window]

Emmett Cullen: Send him out, Bella, or we’re coming in after him.

Bella Swan: So this party, will there be strippers?

Edward Cullen: No, just a couple of mountain lions, maybe a few bears.

[suddenly Jasper leaps up to Bella’s window]

Jasper Hale: Don’t worry, Bella, we’ll get him back in plenty of time

Bella Swan: Okay, go. Before they break my house.

Edward Cullen: I’ll meet you at the alter.

Bella Swan: I’ll be the one in white.

Edward Cullen: That’s very convincing.

[he leaps out of her window and joins Emmett and Jasper]

[as she’s putting on Bella’s make-up]

Alice Cullen: What did I say about beauty sleep?

Bella Swan: Sorry. Bad dream. Maybe it’s wedding jitters.

[to Alice as she’s helping Bella get prepared for the wedding]

Rosalie Hale: Do you need some help? I could do her hair.

Bella Swan: Really?

Rosalie Hale: Please. I’m not offended by your choice of groom.

Bella Swan: Just my blatant lack of respect for mortality.

Rosalie Hale: Essentially.

Alice Cullen: Weddings! They bring everyone together.

[as Charlie is looking at the Cullen’s wall of graduation caps with curiosity]

Renee: Hey, so did you find your daughter?

Charlie Swan: Are those graduation caps?

[Renee turns and looks at the caps]

Renee: Hah! How creative!

Charlie Swan: Or weird.

[as she sees Bella all made up]

Renee: Oh, my gosh! You’re so beautiful. Oh, honey.

[she starts crying]

Renee: Crap! My mascara.

[Alice gives her a handkerchief]

Renee: Thanks. Charlie, get in here!

Charlie Swan: You sure? I don’t wanna…

[Charlie walks into the room wearing his wedding tux]

Charlie Swan: I know, I look awful.

[Bella and the others laugh]

Renee: We thought you needed something blue.

[Charlie opens the gift box containing a jeweled hair comb]

Charlie Swan: And something old, besides your mother.

Renee: Nice!

Charlie Swan: It was grandma Swan’s.

[Bells picks up the comb]

Renee: But we added the sapphires.

Bella Swan: It’s beautiful you guys. Wow! Thank you so much.

[Bella gives it to Alice to put in her hair]

Renee: It’s your first family heirloom. Pass it on to your daughter, and her daughter.

[Renee starts to cry again]

Bella Swan: Um…I love it.

[as she goes to kiss her parents Alice stops her]

Alice Cullen: No! No smudging my masterpiece.

Renee: Oh, she’s right.

Alice Cullen: Okay, time for the dress!

[as they are waiting for the wedding to begin]

Jessica: So um…do you think Bella’s going to be showing?

Angela: Jess, she’s not pregnant!

Jessica: Okay. Who else gets married at eighteen?

[Bella is very nervous as they are about to walk down the isle]

Charlie Swan: You ready?

Bella Swan: Just don’t let me fall down.

Charlie Swan: Never.

Minister Webber: Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here on this glorious day to witness the union of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

[turning to Edward]

Minister Webber: Please, repeat after me. I, Edward Cullen.

Edward Cullen: I, Edward Cullen.

Minister Webber: Take you, Bella Swan.

Edward Cullen: Take you, Bella Swan.

Minister Webber: To have and to hold.

[the voice of the minister fades out and we only hear Edward and Bella say their vows]

Edward Cullen: To have and to hold.

Bella Swan: For better, for worse.

Edward Cullen: For richer, for poorer.

Bella Swan: In sickness and in health.

Edward Cullen: To love.

Bella Swan: To cherish as long as we both shall live.

Edward Cullen: I do.

Bella Swan: I do.

Edward Cullen: I love you.

Bella Swan: I love you too.

[they kiss and everyone stands and claps]

[after the reception, Jessica and the others are staring at the gigantic wedding cake]

Jessica: I just thought it’d be bigger.

Eric: Yeah.

[Alice walks over to them]

Jessica: Hi!

Alice Cullen: Hi guys.

Jessica: We were just saying how pretty everything is. We were all just saying.

Alice Cullen: Thanks so much. You don’t think it’s too much?

Eric: No!

Jessica: No.

Kate Denali: We’ve heard so much about you.

Eleazar Denalir: Welcome to the family.

Bella Swan: Thank you.

Carmen Denali: Irina, come meet Bella.

[Irina is staring at Billy and Seth, she turns walks over to Carmen]

Irina Denali: I can’t do this.

Tanya Denali: You promised.

[referring to Seth being a werewolf]

Irina Denali: They invited one.

Edward Cullen: Irina, he’s our friend.

Irina Denali: They killed Laurent.

Edward Cullen: He tried to kill Bella.

Irina Denali: I don’t believe that! He wanted to be like us. To live in peace with humans, with me.

Edward Cullen: I’m sorry.

[Irina walks away]

Carmen Denali: Irina!

Eleazar Denalir: Um…let’s not monopolize the bride. Congratulations.

Bella Swan: Thank you.

Tanya Denali: Sorry.

[they walk away]

Edward Cullen: Well, what’s a wedding without some family drama?

Bella Swan: Yeah.

[giving his wedding toast]

Emmett Cullen: I’d like to propose a toast, to my new sister. Bella I hope you’ve got enough sleep these last eighteen years, cause you won’t be getting anymore for a while.

[he laughs and everyone looks at him awkwardly]

[giving her wedding toast]

Jessica: Well Bella was just like everybody else, totally mesmerized my Edward, or the hair, as I call him. Um…and then suddenly, Edward is all about Bella. Even though she’s not the captain of the volleyball team.

[she laughs]

Jessica: I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding. Or the president of the Student Council.

[giving his father of the bride speech to the guests]

Charlie Swan: Edward will be a good husband. I know this because…because I’m a cop, I know things. Like how to hunt somebody to the ends of the earth.

[giving her wedding toast]

Alice Cullen: Now that you’re my sister, you’ll have to get over your aversion to fashion.

[continuation of Charlie’s wedding speech]

Charlie Swan: And I know how to use a gun.

[giving her wedding toast]

Esme Cullen: I’d like to thank, Renee and Charlie for bringing such a wonderful person into the world and into our lives. We will cherish and protect her forever.

[giving his wedding toast]

Edward Cullen: It’s an extraordinary thing to meet someone who you can bare your soul to and accept you for what you are. I’ve been waiting, for what seems like a very long time, to get beyond what I am. With Bella I feel like I can finally begin. So I’d like to propose a toast to my beautiful bride. No measure of time with you will be long enough. But let’s start with forever.

[after Edward has told Bella another wedding gift has arrived, he walks her away from the crowd]

Bella Swan: What’s a wedding present doing out here?

Edward Cullen: Just a little more private.

[suddenly Jacob appears ahead of them]

Jacob Black: The best man didn’t have time to get a tux.

Bella Swan: Jacob! Jacob!

[she runs towards him and jumps into his arms to hug him]

Bella Swan: Hey.

Edward Cullen: This is kind of you.

Jacob Black: Kind is my middle name. I’m sorry I’m late.

Bella Swan: It doesn’t matter. Everything’s perfect now.

Jacob Black: Dance with me?

[she steps closer to him and he picks her up to twirl her and then they start dancing]

Bella Swan: Where have you been? We were gonna put your face on a milk carton.

Jacob Black: I was in Northern Canada. I think. It’s so weird to be back on two legs again and clothes. I fell out of practice with the whole human thing.

Bella Swan: Well are you okay? Being here?

Jacob Black: Why? Afraid I’ll trash the party? You’re not the only one.

[as they continue to dance]

I'm convinced that you're high 😟

[goldeneyedgirl]

JaliceWeek2020 Bonus Day

JaliceWeek2020 Bonus Day: Quarantine

Also Untitled We’ll Worry About That Later

Notes: Under 3k, woohoo! This barely fits the prompt, but I’ve decided to go rogue. The real question now is... can I get another one posted today?

--

The phone rings at 11:27 p.m. on a Tuesday night.

It’s not Carlisle’s night on call, but everyone is being a bit more flexible at the moment. He expects a summons, that the hospital is short-handed again. It’s to be expected once Forks got its own outbreak - of the fifteen people hospitalised, eight of them were doctors or nurses.

Edward hits a sour note as he overhears the the phone call, trying to temper his reaction so not to signal that anything is wrong.

Carlisle is utterly professional during the call, but when he hangs up, he is left with the hideous duty of walking upstairs and telling his youngest - and oldest - son that one Mary-Alice Brandon has just been placed on a respirator.

—

They’ve put the infected in the old wing of Forks Hospital, where they can be properly quarantined. There’s no blood in the wing yet, and so Carlisle sees no risk allowing Jasper in to see Alice through the window; it’s the closest anyone can get to these patients.

And Jasper was not doing well. Telling him had been so much worse than Carlisle had ever envisaged. Esme was still repairing the damage to his study, and Jasper had gotten himself worked up, his terror at a point where he was infecting the rest of the family - Edward was almost permanently camped out at Bella’s, unable to tolerate another second of that bone-deep fear that Jasper pushing out.

But the second they arrive, and Jasper gets to see her, Carlisle fears that he just made things much, much worse.

Alice is tiny in the hospital bed, pale as the sheets tucked around her. The respirator is strapped to her face, obscuring most of her features. Tubes and wires run out of both her arms, the machines surrounding her beeping routinely. She’s completely unconscious, the dark circles under her eyes the only spot of colour on her entire face.

The whole scene is devastating, and Carlisle is quite sure that he’s watching his son’s heart break into a million pieces as he stares at his human mate, slowly dying alone, not a single person allowed to hold her hand.

Carlisle is not cruel, and hasn’t told Jasper the full details of Alice’s prognosis, but Jasper is no fool. Alice was already so fragile, with existing health issues, and she’s just so very, very sick.

“Jasper…” Carlisle begins in a low voice, reaching out to put his hand on his shoulder, but Jasper jerks away, storming out of the hospital in such a rage that Carlisle’s just relieved the door stays on its hinges as his son disappears into the night.

—

He is furious. He is rage. He has never, ever been so angry in his entire life. He wants to destroy, to fucking decimate something because it never, ever should have been her.

He thinks of going to the Brandon house, and crushing her selfish father into pulp. To bestow upon Alice’s father, who could not resist his trips to his mistress in Seattle, the slow, lingering death he passed on to his eldest daughter.

But he doesn’t. The man is sick - the whole family is sick, though not nearly bad enough to require hospitalisation, that particular honour had been given solely to Alice - but he tries to comfort himself with the fact that the man is at least suffering.

He steals into Alice’s bedroom, how many times had he climbed into this room and found Alice sitting crosslegged on her bed with her laptop or with her sketchbook, her face lighting up at his appearance. How the fairy lights strung around her bed would be lit, as well as the lamp shaped like a rabbit, and half a dozen novelty lights scattered around the room. It made the room look like magic, like home.

But now, it is cold and still. The bed is unmade, her quilt crumpled on the floor. The lights are off, the hamper is full, and he wants to destroy it all.

He lets himself have one moment, one little weakness, as he picks up the sweater tossed over the back of her desk chair and buries his face in it. It still smells like her, before she got sick - like raspberries and rainwater, her floral shampoo and rose perfume, of a million different little things that made up her human life. It is a comfort, yes, but it is also hurts in a sharp, new way that makes him want to weep. She’s not here, she’s not coming back, not going to walk in and tease him for being ‘weird’, as she wraps her arms around his waist and presses against him.

And he puts the sweater back, swallowing hard against the rising grief. He’s here for a reason. And so he goes hunting.

For her sketchbooks, and her diary, and her little worn out plush rabbit that always sat on her pillow. Her Polaroid camera, her very favourite purple top, and the ‘Alice’ necklace she wore every day, and the little photo-book that she kept by her bed.

It has to be things that won’t be missed, will be easily overlooked, but things that are precious to her, and thus precious to him.

Whatever happens next, he needs to keep them safe for her. Let her know that the things she treasured above everything else won’t end up at a garage sale or a thrift shop, won’t be boxed up and forgotten, won’t be thrown away. No, they’ll either find their way back to her hands, or they’ll be his shrine, his holy objects, for the rest of this cursed existence.

He goes back for the sweater.

—

Her heart stops twice. The first time, Carlisle hears about it second-hand and by the time he gets to her, she’s back.

The second time, people talk. That Dr Cullen was like a monster, forcing that girl back to life without compromise. That he short of reached into her chest and squeezed life back into her heart by hand.

It’s not going to help, the staff whisper. The Brandon girl is going to die, the youngest fatality in the state so far, before she even graduates high school. It would take some kind of miracle for her to come back from this, no matter how long Dr Cullen insists on delaying ‘time of death’.

—

The question needs to be asked, but he can’t form the words because it changes everything. It’s turning reality upside down and inside out. He’s never been good with change, and he was happy like this, for the first time in a long time.

Asking the question admits that he failed her.

He wishes he’d asked her before now, but it was one of those things they never talked about. And not in a tense, unspoken way. He can’t think of any moments with her that weren’t comfortable; love and affection and appreciation dipping and swirling between them.

They were going to be together forever, they both knew that. They were going to go to college and go travelling and get married. But neither of them ever specified if her eyes would be green or if they would be gold, and now he can’t ask her and he doesn’t know what would be worse - letting her go, or having her hate him for it, for the rest of their lives.

Why hadn’t he asked her?

—

Carlisle takes Edward to the hospital, to see if he can get a read on Alice’s thoughts; Edward looks grim and shakes his head minutely - whatever physical state she’s in, her thoughts are nothing decipherable now. There is no awareness of anything around her, and if her organs weren’t slowly failing, maybe they could wait.

They sit in Carlisle’s study, Edward feeling every year of his life, as they discuss Alice.

“Is it wrong that every single day, I’m grateful that it’s not Bella?” Edward says finally. “That the dice was rolled it was Alice, not Bella?”

Carlisle is quick to reassure Edward that anyone would feel the same, and he shouldn’t feel guilty. Except, Jasper overhears that statement and smashes the piano into kindling.

Bella was healthy. Bella probably wouldn’t have needed a hospital, let alone wasted away with broken ribs, and a machine breathing for her.

—

In the end, he doesn’t have to ask.

Carlisle offers.

He accepts and hates himself for it.

—

Mary-Alice Brandon dies at 1:57 a.m. on Saturday morning. Dr Cullen is more restrained this time, following procedure precisely before he calls it.

Alice’s family are still quarantined at home, and Mrs Brandon’s voice is quiet and shaky when Carlisle calls to give her the news. She doesn’t ask any questions, just thanks him and hangs up.

Her daughter died alone, with only a doctor, an intern, and two nurses clad in PPE with her. That’s what Mrs Brandon has to live with.

Carlisle comforts himself that he was with Alice when she died. That he already loves her like a father, and he watched over her as he prepared her for what came next. She wasn’t alone, and she was loved. That she would have felt no pain, no fear.

If this doesn’t work, he hopes that that offers Jasper some kind of peace.

—

The Brandons have Mary-Alice cremated, and interned at the local church as soon as they are allowed out of a quarantine. They have the funeral over the little hole in the ground where they will place the box of ashes; just the Brandons, all pale and solemn, Minister Weber, Angela Weber, Bella and Charlie Swan, and the Cullens.

It’s very short, with Minister Weber praying over the box, and then the box is placed into the hole, a tile with her name and the dates is settled into the dirt, and it’s over. Seventeen years of life, and that’s the final page in the book. There’s no reception, not during the current crisis, with the Brandons still so tired and weak. Cynthia puts a small wreath of daisies over the plaque, and Mr Brandon scowls when the bouquet of pink and yellow roses that Esme bestows upon the grave, from her own garden, is so much finer.

No one lingers in the rain, and Cynthia is quick to comment on how distant and cold Jasper Hale was, that he didn’t put any flowers on her grave, even though he claimed to love her.

“Teenage boys, Cece,” Mrs Brandon sighs, as they get in the car. “He’s probably already gotten over her. It was nice of him to come today, with his whole family.”

And then they drive away.

—

The basement of the Cullen house isn’t exactly the ideal place to undergo the transformation, but it is utterly sound proof, and they’ve made it as comfortable as they can. The plan is that, as soon as Alice awakens, Jasper will take her to Alaska for her newborn year - there’s too much risk, staying close to Forks.

Assuming she doesn’t pull him to pieces for changing her in the first place. It was supposed to be Carlisle who changed her, but in the moment, he’d just done it. It seemed like the natural response to seeing his mate in such a state, to lean into her throat and sink his teeth and venom into her whilst the others were fussing around, preparing for something so simple.

Everyone had been shocked he had the control, the self-restraint, to do such a thing but he didn’t bother to explain. He had done what needed to be done, and her wrath would be his to bear alone.

The sickness left her wasted and weak, and it is the quietest, stillest transformation he has ever been witness to. He sits with her, holding her hand like he wasn’t able to do in the hospital, watching as her body is healed from illness, from pain, from every little imperfection. She’s going to be lovely, of course, but in truth she’s no more or less beautiful to him after the venom than she was before.

She whimpers and cries and moves around a little, but mostly she is still.

Carlisle checks on him regularly, assuring him that she’s doing fine. Esme checks on him, and reassures him he made the right choice. Rosalie checks on him and tells him she’ll totally support Alice if she decides to dismember him for the next decade. Emmett checks on him and promises that he’ll keep Alice under control for the next year if Rosalie’s prediction is true.

Edward does not check on him, and instead plays his new piano loudly, still the indignant victim of the original’s destruction, agitated that this sudden change of plans has inconvenienced his own plans with Bella.

One day.

Two days.

She doesn’t wake up on the third day, and whilst he starts pacing, Carlisle tries to be reassuring. A longer transformation means nothing, not when her body was so completely damaged from illness. It’s going to be fine.

It’s the middle of the fourth day when her heart is racing, and there’s nothing left for the venom to do; Esme and Rose have washed and dressed her in a clean dress, brushed her hair out of her eyes, and now it’s just waiting.

Waiting for that moment when her heart

just

stops.

And she opens her eyes.

—

The first thing Alice is aware of is love. Adoration. It’s wrapped around her, warm and sweet, and so when she opens her eyes, she is already smiling. No one could do anything less, not when they are so certain of their worth.

Everything is quite strange, sharp, and clear, like a veil has been lifted over her eyes. She can’t quite remember what came before this little bed, this room, - was she sick? - but it doesn’t really seem that important. She’s looking around for something… no, someone.

He’s crouched about four feet away, golden eyes fixed on her with a look of clear desperation. He looks like he’s holding his breath, like he’s waiting for something.

Jasper. Her Jasper. A million little thoughts, memories, erupt in her mind - laughter, stolen kisses, plans and hopes and dreams, and that feeling of perfect love that she’s still wrapped up in, only she’s not sure if that’s her love for him or his love for her. She decides that it doesn’t matter.

“Jasper?” her voice sounds a little different to her own ears. She thinks about getting up, and suddenly she is standing, only a foot away from him.

“Alice,” his voice practically caresses her name, and he straightens up, towering over her (still?). “How are you feeling? Do you remember what hap-”

Before he can finish his sentence, her arms are around him, and she’s clinging to him like she’ll never let go.

“You did it, you did it. I was so, so worried you’d change your mind or be chivalrous or something ridiculous,” she babbles into his shirt, and he gently pulls back to look at her eyes (perfectly red, framed in black eyelashes, and oh, he’s falling in love all over again).

“I never asked you if you wanted this,” he says hoarsely, smoothing her hair from her face.

Her laugh is like … delight, the bubbles in champagne, perfect happiness.

“Oh, Jas,” she smiles at him. “There was never any question to ask.”

(He kisses her then, not like high school sweethearts; he kisses her like she’s his beautiful, perfect, newborn mate and he’s not even a little bit sure how she’s managing to tolerate the burn her throat and the thirst this long because the only reason they don’t put her little cot to another use is because Carlisle comes down to check on them, his relief like a cool spring breeze when he sees the smile on Alice’s face and the matching one on Jasper’s.)

—

They leave Forks two weeks after she dies and rises again, with a smile on her face. They leave hand-in-hand, vanishing into the forest towards Alaska. A year there, and then as much time as she needs to maintain control around humans.

And then… they have so many plans. She wants to go to college, study fashion or maybe painting or maybe photography… and they want to go travelling, to all those places on the list in her diary. She wants to help Esme restore a house, and have Rosalie teach her to drive. She wants to meet every single one of their friends, and he can’t wait to introduce her to Peter and Charlotte.

And he wants to marry her, in a white dress, with a preacher. He wants to watch her marvel at the Northern Lights, and create havoc at Milan Fashion Week, and dance with her to the old records in his study. He wants to make sure that there is never a single moment, a single thought, where she ever regrets what she lost. Anything she wants, he’ll bring it to her.

She looks up him, sensing his worry, and lifts his hand to her lips.

“It’s okay, Jas. It’s all going to be amazing,” she murmurs to him, leaning against him as they walk. “You don’t have to worry - we’ve got all the time in the world.”

They leave Forks at 11:28 p.m on a Tuesday, hand-in-hand, and neither of them looks back.

#jaliceweek20 #alice cullen #jasper hale #Alice/Jasper #jalice #guess which twit posted this to the wrong blog #my fic: untitled quarantine

[humans4vampires]

Unrequited

READ PART ONE HERE

The days, weeks, and months that had passed since Valentine’s Day seemed to drag on. Since then, Edward had taken every opportunity he could to sexually frustrate me. I was sure he was having immeasurable fun torturing me. Though, I knew that wasn’t his intention; his game was coercion. After countless kisses, touches, and breathless moments, he would always ask, “Have you had enough?”

I kept struggling to reply with some witty response, seeing as my brain was quickly becoming nothing more than scrambled eggs. Of course, I knew what he was asking; was I ready to give into his demands to address my own? Was I ready to say ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’ to his proposal… his marriage proposal. I made the word sound dirty, even in my head.

Each time he’d ask, his voice course velvet, a rushed whisper in my ear as I gasped for air, I immediately wanted to surrender. Every passing kiss made me weaker and continued to wear me down. The icy touch of his hands, his lips, continued to chip away at my stubborn resolve. Somehow, I had managed to last into the spring – and summer was quickly approaching. Edward had agreed that prom wasn’t necessary a second time, if I truly objected.

“You have enough to torture me with without dragging me to prom,” I muttered.

“Torture?” he smirked, running a cool finger over my lips. “I wasn’t aware you were in pain.”

I struggled to steady my pulse and shook my head. “You know exactly what you’re doing.”

He shrugged as he moved to focus his eyes back on the road blurring past us. We were still following Charlie’s strict rules; Edward hadn’t picked up on any resolve in Charlie’s mind to end my grounding anytime soon either. On Mondays after school, Edward dropped me off at the police station rather than at the house where – because of Charlie’s schedule – we would otherwise have an hour or two of unchaperoned time. Edward would have to leave me at the station while Charlie finished off his shift. Before the events that transpired on Valentine’s Day, the time I was forced to spend at Charlie’s desk was mind-numbing. Since then, it had more or less become the only place I could catch my breath. I was doing all of my heavy thinking there, staring blankly at the striped patterns in the oak of the table.

It wasn’t only Edward I had to think about either. My life – human – was quickly coming to a head and I had plenty of loose ends that needed tying up. Jacob, being the biggest and most difficult. Jacob’s words from the last time we had seen each other months ago still burned in my mind.

“You’d be better off dead. I’d rather you were,” he’d said through gritted teeth.

The sound of it ringing in my head sent a shiver through me and I clamped my teeth down in anger. Edward turned to me then and raised the heat in the car.

“Are you cold?” he asked. We were pulling into the station’s lot. “I can give you my jacket,” he began pulling it off.

I shook my head, “No, I’m fine.” He could tell from my tone that I was lying. He didn’t have a chance to question me further since Charlie was already at my door and pulling it open for me.

“Hey, Dad,” I said, gratitude soaking my words. For once, Charlie had impeccable timing. “Done already?”

Charlie nodded, taking my school bag over his shoulder. “I thought I’d give you the night off and take you to the diner.”

“Sounds good.”

I was walking to the passenger door of the cruiser where Edward was already waiting.

Charlie looked to Edward with a grimace. He tried to wipe it from his expression before he asked, “You coming, too, Edward?”

Edward smiled and declined politely, opening my door for me. I wasn’t paying attention to their small-talk, I was still reeling from the thought of Jacob’s words when Edward caught my attention again.

“Oh, Bella, my parents wanted to remind you about the airline ticket that you got for your birthday.”

I looked up at him confused.

Charlie’s eyes were big. “What airline ticket?”

“A roundtrip ticket to see Mom in Florida…” I answered.

“Well, that was generous,” Charlie said flatly.

Edward took the opportunity to chime in again, adding, “It expires soon, so you might want to use it this weekend.”

I protested quickly, “I can’t just drop everything and go.”

Edward looked at me earnestly. “It might be your last chance to see her before you graduate.”

I stared at him frozen, realizing the meaning behind his words. Time was really running thin.

 “It might not be a bad idea. Get out of town for a few days… get some distance…” Charlie trailed off.

I turned to him then, realizing the meaning behind his words. “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind seeing Mom. As long as you use the companion ticket,” I said to Edward.

“Two tickets?” Charlie’s face turned red as he held in his breath. His eyes darted between Edward and me. He let out a deep breath and said, “Super… that makes me really happy.”

Edward grinned widely as Charlie and I both moved to get into the cruiser. As Edward closed my door, he said, “I’ll make the arrangements then. Enjoy your dinner.”

As we drove toward the diner, Charlie tried to keep his composure. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. We were both angry for different reasons and the atmosphere in the car was churning with the silence. Finally, Charlie broke the tension with a loud huff.

“You’re not going anywhere with him, young lady!” he yelled.

The anger I was already feeling surged harder at his harsh tone. “I am not a child! Do I need to remind you that I’m a legal adult, Charlie?”

“You’re still grounded! You’re still under my roof – you follow my rules!”

My tone turned icy. “If that’s how you want it. Do you want me to move out tonight? Or can I have a few days to pack?”

Charlie’s face turned a bright red. We were at the only stoplight in Forks, waiting for the light to change to green. Charlie’s face was slowly paling back to white and my instant guilt for having played the move-out card calmed me quickly.

I took a deep breath and tried to make my tone more reasonable. “I’ll do my time without complaining, but I know that you know that I have every right to see Mom for the weekend. You can’t honestly tell me you’d object to the plan if I was going with Alice or Angela.”

“Girls,” he grunted, with a nod.

“Would it bother you if I took Jacob?”

I knew my father’s obvious preference for Jacob would tie his hands. Charlie struggled to compose himself before he answered. “Yes,” he said in an unconvincing voice. “That would bother me.”

“You’re a rotten liar, Dad.”

“Bella – “

“It’s not like I’m headed off to Vegas to be a showgirl. I’m going to see Mom,” I reminded him. “She’s just as much my parental authority as you are.”

He threw me a withering look.

“Are you implying something about Mom’s ability to look after me?”

Charlie flinched at the threat implicit in my question.

“You’d better hope I don’t mention this to her,” I said.

“You’d better not,” he warned. “I’m not happy about this, Bella.”

“There’s no reason for you to be upset.”

He rolled his eyes, but I could tell the storm was over. We didn’t speak again until we were seated at the diner. We had already ordered and were waiting for the food to arrive when he broke the silence again.

“There was a reason I wanted to take dinner off your hands,” he admitted. He wasn’t looking at me as he spoke. “I thought it would soften you up… I wanted to talk to you.”

I looked at Charlie, and laughed once. “Good timing,” I joked. “What do you need, Dad?”

“Well, it’s about Jacob.” He was looking at me now to gauge my expression.

I felt my face harden. “What about him?”

“Easy, Bells. I don’t want to fight anymore.”

I looked at him, waiting for him to go on.

“Don’t get mad at me, okay?” He had a weary tone now.

“I’m waiting.”

“Well, it’s about Edward, too.”

My eyes narrowed.

“I’m thinking maybe you deserve a parole for good behavior. For a teenager, you’re amazingly non-whiney.”

My voice shot up, “Where is this coming from?” We had quite literally just rolled out of a rather large argument. The only argument we had had in a long time.

“I’ve been thinking… I’m hoping that you use your freedom… judiciously.” Charlie said cautiously. “I know you’re satisfied to spend all of your time with Edward – “

“I spend time with Alice, too,” I interjected. Charlie was putty in her capable hands.

“That may be true,” he said. “But you have other friends besides the Cullens, Bella. Or you used to.”

I knew where he was going with this. “I saw Jacob a few months ago. I’m sure you heard from Billy.”

He looked at his hands. “I know you two had a falling out, and Jacob’s been feeling just terrible about it. You two used to be joined at the hip, and now – “

I cut him off. “Can you get to the point, Dad? What are you trying to say? I’m only un-grounded if I see Jacob?”

“I don’t want to make this complicated. I don’t think you should dump all your other friends for your boyfriend, Bella,” he said in a stern voice. “It’s not nice, and I think your life would be better balanced if you kept some other people in it.”

“Jacob is difficult, Dad.” I said plainly. “Friendship doesn’t always seem to be enough for Jake.” I wound my excuse out of details that were true but insignificant in comparison of the other hurdles our relationship faced.

Charlie laughed for the first time. “Isn’t Edward up for a little healthy competition?”

I leveled a dark look at him. “There is no competition.”

The delivery of our meals interrupted our conversation. We came to terms as we ate. I was free, so long as I made time for my school friends. It was implied that the terms stipulated that I should make an effort to see Jacob again, though I just nodded along. I wasn’t going to jeopardize my release by squabbling over the details. We talked about my acceptance to the University of Alaska – and Edward’s – and then we both quickly tried to steer clear of that topic. Charlie and I made small-talk the rest of the evening. Once we were back home, I wasted no time in grabbing the keys to my truck and heading back for the front door. Charlie didn’t even have his jacket hung up.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’m not grounded – I’m going out. I’ll be back before ten-thirty.”

“Wait – Bells,” he said, urgency in his tone. I stood there, my hand on the doorknob waiting.

“There’s something I need to say.” He frowned, looking very uncomfortable.

I sighed. “More of this, Dad?”

“I’m not good at this kind of thing, Bella.” His expression was pleading.

I sighed and took my hand off the door and followed him into the living room where he paced back and forth behind the couch. I stood in the doorway by the stairs, waiting for him to start again.

“Here’s the thing…” he trailed. “You and Edward seem pretty serious, and there are some things that you need to be careful about. I know you’re an adult now, but you’re still young, Bella, and there are a lot of important things you need to know when you… well, when you’re physically involved with – “

“Oh, please, please no!” I begged, throwing my hands to my now red cheeks. “Please tell me you’re not trying to have the talk with me, Charlie.”

His face was red, too, but he pushed on. His tone was serious, louder. “I am your father. I have responsibilities.”

“Dad, Mom beat you to the punch about ten years ago. You’re off the hook!”

“You didn’t have a boyfriend ten years ago,” he replied.

I rebutted quickly. “I’m sure things still… work the same way.” The headlights of a car pulling up in front of the house distracted us both for a second. I saw Edward’s Volvo through the glass of the front windows.

Charlie rushed to get out everything he needed to then. “Just tell me that you two are being careful,” he pled.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” I said, my voice high, laughing awkwardly. “Edward is very old-fashioned.”

Charlie rolled his eyes. “Sure he is. What, is that code for something?”

I cringed into the doorframe and clenched my hands into fists. “Ugh!” I groaned. “I really wish you were not forcing me to say this out loud, Dad. Really. But… I’m a virgin, okay?”

Then we both cringed. But Charlie seemed to believe me, making unintelligible sounds as he waved his hands at me. “Alright, alright, alright,” he muttered, turning away.

“Glad we covered that,” I turned, too. “See you later.”

I trudged out into the rain and got into the passenger seat of the Volvo as quickly as I could, eager to put as much distance between Charlie and myself as possible. Edward didn’t say anything and I was still too busy battling the embarrassment to look at him. He started driving in the direction of his house. I assumed he had seen enough through Alice to time his arrival. The thought made my face an even deeper shade of red. I had been riding a rollercoaster of emotions all day and the pent-up frustration was beginning to take a toll. I couldn’t contain myself.

“You threw me to the sharks!” I blurted out.

Edward had his lips pressed in a hard line. “I don’t think you were in any danger.”

“Edward – that was – “ I couldn’t verbalize the feeling appropriately.

He reached out to touch my cheek and I recoiled. The surprise was apparent on his expression. As a rule, I never refused his touch.

“Don’t you try anything with me tonight,” I scolded. “I’ve been through enough today – I don’t need any teasing from you now!”

“Teasing?” he questioned, confused.

“Yes, teasing,” I said curtly. “I can’t handle anymore of it. If you don’t stop toying with me, I’m going to combust!”

He chuckled then, running his hand through his tousled bronze hair. “Torture, teasing,” he sighed. “You’re suffering are you?”

“You know I am,” I huffed. “It may be nothing for you, but for me – not having you is killing me.”

“Be serious, Bella.” He rolled his eyes.

Edward returned me home by the ten thirty time I’d given to Charlie. I had intended to carry on my conversation with Edward when we got to the Cullens’, but my resolve had suddenly disappeared as we crossed the threshold of the front door. I knew, now that I was no longer under his influence, that Jasper was entirely the reason. Instead, Jasper and I watched Alice and Edward play chess. I hated to admit that I had had a wonderful time. Watching them play was mesmerizing. They’d sat at the board nearly motionless, each only moving one pawn as Alice foresaw the moves Edward would make and he picked the moves she would make in return out of her head. They had played the game almost entirely in their minds when Alice suddenly flicked her king over and surrendered. It lasted all of three minutes. My subsequent game with Jasper was also not long-lasting. I would have to dedicate myself to chess in my immortal future if I ever hoped to win a game in the near century.

I walked into my bathroom and started to run the water for a bath. I never took baths; they took far too much time away from being alone in my room with Edward. But my day had been robbed of my precious thinking time when I’d needed it most. I knew Edward would be waiting for me in my bed, and so the tub seemed like the best place to gather my thoughts. Jasper had cooled all the rigid emotions, numbed them into nonexistence in our time together. But, alone and far away from him, they were creeping back. It was much easier now than it had been earlier to logically address them. As I turned off the faucet and slipped myself into the steaming water, I began to categorize them one-by-one. But I was still – at my core – a coward, and so I began with the easiest first.

Charlie. Had we really done that much talking? I was sure Charlie and I had shared more words between us in the last six hours than we had in the nearly two years we had lived together. I wondered, if on some unconscious level, he knew he would be losing me soon. My heart ached at the thought of having to leave Charlie to fend for himself. He’d be alone again and that guilt was wearing on me more than I’d wanted to admit. I consoled myself with the knowledge that time did make it easier; when I’d left my mother to move to Forks, I thought I’d never get over the dread and worry I felt. I was sure that Edward served the perfect distraction then as he would when the time came to leave Charlie, too. I reconciled that there were some consequences to my decision that I would have to learn to live with – which brought me to the next difficult thought.

Jacob. Just thinking his name made me angry again, and sad all the same. How could I blame him for how he felt? In so many ways, I’d hurt Jacob worse. I’d always been so selfish when it came to Jacob, and yet, he’d never given up on me. I was the one doing everything wrong – he’d just said one wrong thing, made one mistake. Was what he said truly that bad? I replayed it in my head again.

“You’d be better off dead. I’d rather you were,” he’d said.

Yes, it was that bad. It wasn’t something I was ready to forgive yet and though it felt wrong, I knew that it was better for Jacob if I didn’t forgive him. It meant that he would get some distance from me. Maybe he would have a chance at healing if I could manage to leave him alone. And Edward was certainly good at keeping me clear of Jacob, especially when I didn’t want him to.

All things came back to Edward. And though I was angry with him for stirring up trouble with Charlie, I was more upset about his teasing. I had asked him for time to think about his proposal and it was so incredibly difficult to think with his hands, his lips, his body pressed against mine. I slumped lower in the tub until my knees were up and my shoulders were submerged. It was easier in the warm water to clear the clouding thoughts of his cool skin on mine. The passing months since February had been both the most pleasurable and tortuous I’d ever lived. The worst part was that each time he began to seduce me, I fell right into the trap. Every flirtation ended the same way, and yet, I was always entranced, fully believing that this time, he’d follow through. Edward was the perfect actor, making me believe he wanted me just as badly. Though he’d said time and time again he did want me that way, I knew that wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. I was pitifully human.

I wondered if there was something more to my feelings. Were there some unconscious thoughts that I couldn’t bring myself to come to terms with? It had always been this way; he had always said we couldn’t be together physically. Why was it tormenting me like this now? There was something nagging below the surface of my thoughts, as though there were things I didn’t want to admit, or face. What were they… or who?

Who? My hands were clutching around the edges of the tub. It was obvious now what had been scratching – no clawing – its way to the surface of my mind. The women that plagued every touch and kiss and embrace; the women that had had Edward when I had not. How could I blame him – or them? Edward had over one hundred years on me, moving about the world as the most magnificent, resplendent creature. How could anyone resist the desire to love him?

He had told me once, in the very beginning when I had asked, that he had had female partners in the past. They were all vampires of course, which only made my jealousy burn brighter. I was sure they were all painstakingly beautiful, powerful, and seductive. And I was certainly none of those things. Edward never mentioned his past relationships and I was happier living in ignorance. If we never spoke of them, if I never knew the details, then they didn’t exist. It was childish of me to think I could keep these thoughts out forever. I had always clung to the joy of being his, but it was getting harder to ignore the women who had been there before me.

I pulled myself out of the tub and wrapped a towel around my body, barely drying before I was out of the bathroom. Charlie had gone to bed and the house was quiet. I knew Edward would be waiting. I went into my bedroom and closed the door behind me. He was there, stretched across my bed with his arms behind his head. I could see the outline of him in the pale moonlight.

“You’re not dressed?” He asked.

I stood there dripping, small pools forming on the wood floor. “There was something I wanted to ask you.”

“What’s that?”

I crawled up at the foot of bed and sat on my shins. “When I spoke with Rosalie a few months ago…” His body tensed, but I continued. “Edward, I want you to tell me about your…”

He sat up, looking concerned. “I can’t handle the suspense when you do that, Bella.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, still thinking. “Edward, tell me about your girlfriends.”

Only his lips moved as he said, “I have only had one girlfriend, Bella.”

“A technicality,” I sighed. “Your lovers?” I had felt silly using the word ‘girlfriends.’ I felt nearly ill using ‘lovers.’

He seemed to feel the same. “Bella,” he groaned.

“She told me a little bit… about the time your family lived in Denali.”

“It’s too cold for you to sit like this.” He ran a few fingers down my still-wet arm.

I shivered, but ignored him, “She mentioned something about a bunch of female vampires… and you.”

He didn’t answer, though I waited for a long moment.

“Which one?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual, and not quite managing. “Or was there more than one?”

No answer. I wished I could see his face, so I could try to guess what this silence meant.

“Alice will tell me,” I said. “I’ll go ask her right now.”

I was in motion toward my dresser in one moment, the next I was wrapped like a burrito in my heavy quilt and perched in Edward’s lap. He was cradling me like a child, his face so close I could feel his cool breath on my neck.

“It’s late,” he said. His voice had a little edge to it that held something new. Sort of nervous, maybe a little embarrassed.

“Which one?” I insisted.

He sighed. “Tanya.”

“Okay, Tanya,” I said, still trying to sound casual. “Tell me about her.”

“Remind me to thank Rosalie for this,” he sounded exasperated.

“This isn’t about Rosalie,” I said quietly. “I think I should know this part of you.”

We sat quietly for awhile as he stroked my still-wet hair. I decided I would let my words settle in, rather than push on. It was apparently the right choice; he sighed and then began.

“Unlike Carlisle, Tanya and her sisters had discovered their consciences slowly. In the end, it was their fondness for human men that turned them against the slaughter.” Edward thought for a moment about what to say next. I didn’t interrupt him.

“Tanya was the first of her family to discover ‘vegetarianism,’” he chuckled lightly at their private joke. “I was very impressed by Tanya, and in many ways, similarly to how I admire Carlisle for his compassion for human life. It had taken her and her sisters centuries to perfect, but – “

I cut him off. “How old is Tanya?”

Edward shrugged, “Older than Carlisle by about six hundred years, more or less.”

My eyes bulged and Edward laughed.

“Shall I continue?” he asked.

“Go on,” I said, almost inaudibly.

“Our families have only known each other in the last sixty years or so,” he continued. “And we did live together for a short period. In that time, I came to understand that the way Tanya felt for me was not how I felt for her. You see, being surrounded by so many perfectly matched couples was difficult for Tanya. Carlisle and Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, Alice and Jasper, Carmen and Eleazer; Tanya finally felt as though her search had ended. My family supported my decision and we separated.”

I felt a cold shiver run through me and winced. Tanya had suffered the same loss I had, but never received the same resolve I had now. I was cradled in Edward’s arms, the promise of forever in the air; I suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness for her. I tried to keep my voice even as I spoke. “How long were you together?”

“Only a few short years,” Edward said plainly. “Nearly two and a half before I realized how it was hurting her.” I couldn’t imagine the pain she felt – even now. I was trying to balance both my empathy and my jealousy.

“How is she – “ I couldn’t articulate the feeling. “How does she manage seeing you?”

“That was a long time ago now,” he answered. “I admire her her discipline. She cares for Carlisle and our family very deeply. She doesn’t want her actions to impact the happiness of her family.” Edward seemed lost in thought. He wasn’t going to tell me more about Tanya, or any of the others without more pushing on my part.

“Tell me something – what does Tanya look like?”

“Just like the rest of us – white skin, gold eyes,” he answered too quickly.

“And, of course, extraordinarily beautiful.”

I felt him shrug.

“I suppose to human eyes,” he said, indifferent. “You know what?”

“What?” My voice was petulant. It seemed jealousy had tipped the scales over my empathy.

He put his lips right to my ear. “I prefer brunettes.”

“She’s a blonde. That figures,” I sighed.

“Strawberry blonde – not at all my type.”

So he had a type. I thought about that for a while, trying to concentrate as his lips moved slowly along my cheek, down my throat, and back up again. He made the circuit three times before I spoke.

“The others then?” I tried to sound stern.

He sighed in protest, “Bella.”

I didn’t answer. I waited for him to go on.

Edward let out another sigh and surrendered their names quickly. “Diana and Heidi.”

Each one hit me with another blow of jealous rage. I clenched my teeth together and nodded once, signaling him to continue.

“They were both brunettes,” he joked. I was not in the mood.

“Funny, Edward.” I said sharply.

“Hmm,” he whispered against my skin. “You’re quite adorable when you’re jealous. It’s surprisingly enjoyable.”

I scowled into the darkness. “Tell me about them, Edward,” I demanded. “Diana.”

His body tensed when I repeated her name. He pulled me closer then. “I met Diana in 1927, while I was off on my own for a time.”

He seemed lost in thought, and then returned to the story. “Diana made my decision to leave Carlisle easier, less lonely. I felt more rightly justified by the reflection of me she held in her mind. I envied her freedom,” he shook his head.

“It took me only a few years to return to Carlisle and recommit to his vision,” he continued. “Diana enjoyed her liberties far too much to join me. She was young and impulsive and had left her creator to pursue greater adventures. When she had stumbled upon me in New York, she was delighted by the game my gifts presented. Diana enjoyed the hunt – “ Edward stopped in the middle of his thought, and shook his head again. “It was years before I realized that Diana had a manipulative talent. The lies Diana told, she believed; even her thoughts reflected the lies she presented. I didn’t question her in all the time we spent together.”

I didn’t feel sorry for Diana in the way I did for Tanya. I had a hard time putting a name to the feelings I had for her; I could tell by the way Edward’s voice sounded, he did, too.

“It was a couple decades later that I met, Heidi,” he sighed. “Do I have to continue?”

I nodded, and he pushed on again.

“You’re not going to like this,” he warned.

“I can handle it.”

“Heidi is a member of the Volturi guard,” he said slowly.

“You – “

He held up one finger against my lips. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”

“You can’t spring something like that on me, and then expect me not to say anything.”

He let his hand fall to rest against the side of my neck. He could definitely feel my pulse vibrating. “I’ve met her,” I said in a breath. “Heidi, was there.”

He nodded as I remembered our time in Volterra last summer. I often had dreams of Heidi; the tall, pale, excruciatingly beautiful vampire with the violet eyes and long flowing mahogany hair, leading unsuspecting victims to their death. Their screams would become my screams when I had that dream. I was sure she would haunt my dreams in a new and more terrifying manner than before, now.

“Carlisle was summoned by his friends when Aro had finally heard of my talents,” Edward resumed. “I was young and ignorant to the power of the Volturi. Carlisle had given me plenty of warning, describing the talents of the guard in great detail so that I could maintain my freedom, but Heidi’s talents were complicating…” he trailed off, deep in thought again.

“Aro took my hand at the first opportunity that presented itself,” he remembered. “Aro knew even before that moment that he wanted me. My gifts granted a greater advantage than even his own. He heard in my thoughts that I would never leave Carlisle, and he wasn’t sure if the talents of his guard would be able to sway me, considering my abilities. It was extraordinary, to read back every thought I’d ever had as it passed through Aro. That’s when he discovered Diana.”

A surprised expression crossed over my face, but he carried on. “It happened so quickly after that. Aro invited Heidi into the room and we were introduced. I knew what he was thinking, of course, and I knew of Heidi’s gifts.”

Before I could ask, he answered. “It’s nearly impossible to resist Heidi, if she’s trying to attract you. A Venus flytrap, of sorts. Despite my knowledge and my ability to read Aro’s intentions, I found myself caught. For a few years, Heidi’s sole responsibility was fawning over me.”

I gritted my teeth, imagining Heidi and Edward together.

“We didn’t stay in Volterra,” he continued. “We traveled throughout Europe for a time, but I have to admit, I never truly enjoyed her company. As appealing to me as she was physically – and psychically because of her gifts – I knew she was nothing beyond a distraction for me. What Aro and I both hadn’t counted on was Heidi’s affections growing for me. It was that affection that ultimately set me free. Heidi had wanted me to fall for her the way she had for me, without the influence of her talent to seduce me. It was simple, then, to express to her, in a very courteous, gentlemanly fashion, that I did not return those feelings. I was able to return to my family and she, her’s.”

I had a hard time processing it all. We sat in silence as I tried to decide if this had really helped me the way I thought it would. It mostly felt as though I was tumbling down a spiral staircase, various malicious emotions hitting me on each riser on the way down.

“It’s late,” he said again once the silence had become blaring.

I had finally decided what I needed to say then. “Why are you forcing me to wait? Torturing me with it when you’ve already – “

He cut me off, “I’m not forcing anything on you, Bella. I swear to you, we will try. After you marry me.”

I shook my head, “You didn’t care about that with the others!”

“Of course I didn’t,” he laughed. His voice was serious again and he moved to face me. I could see him now in the dim light. “Bella, I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you, don’t you see that? I only want an eternity if it’s with you.”

I was beginning to thaw. His golden eyes had a tendency to do that when he combined the full force of them with elegant words. “Why is this so important to you, Edward?”

He looked into my eyes more deeply. “You have a shot, Bella, at heaven, or whatever there is after this life. I will protect that with everything I am. Now, there’s a world full of dissension about this, but the vast majority seem to think that there are some rules that have to be followed.”

“Vampire rules aren’t enough for you? You want to worry about the human ones too?”

“It couldn’t hurt,” He shrugged. “Just in case.”

I stared at him, my expression empty.

“Now, of course, it may be too late for me, even if you are right about my having a soul.”

“No, it isn’t,” I argued angrily. “And I am right.”

“’Thou shalt not kill’ is commonly accepted by most major belief systems. And I’ve killed a lot of people, Bella.”

“Only the bad ones,” I said quietly.

He shrugged. “Maybe that counts, maybe it doesn’t. But you haven’t killed anyone – “

“That you know about,” I muttered.

He smiled, but otherwise ignored the interruption.

“I’m going to do my best to keep you out of temptation’s way.”

“We aren’t arguing over committing murder,” I reminded him.

“The same principle applies to your virtue.”

“My virtue?” I scoffed, struggling to keep back any loud laughter that might wake up Charlie. The word was so antiquated, old-fashioned.

He was still serious. “Bella, I’ve broken every rule and have an eternity ahead of me to argue the consequences. If I can save you the suffering, I will.”

“Every rule?” I asked.

“You know that I’ve stolen, I’ve lied, I’ve coveted… I’ve left no stone unturned.” He grinned crookedly.

“I lie all the time.”

“You’re such a bad liar that it doesn’t count. Nobody believes you.”

I glanced in the direction of Charlie’s room, where he was blissfully sleeping, unaware of everything surrounding my life.

“Charlie is happier when he pretends to swallow your stories. He’d rather lie to himself than look to closely.”

I tried to let that go. “But what did you ever covet?” I asked doubtfully. “You have everything.”

“I coveted you.” His smile darkened. “I had no right to want you – but I reached out and took you anyway. And now look what’s become of you! Trying to seduce a vampire.” He shook his head in mock horror.

“You can’t covet what’s already yours,” I informed him. “So this is only about my virtue?”

It was comforting to know that he was only prolonging our being together because he valued me above all others. Though every cell in my body was begging for him to change his mind, to make me his in every imaginable way, I decided he was making a greater statement by committing himself to me, first. I had never thought of marriage as a permanent or important pledge, but I had to admit, it was beginning to sound more appealing.

He nodded, “If it’s too late for me… Well, I’ll be damned if I’ll let them keep you out, too.”

 “You can’t make me go somewhere you won’t be,” I vowed. “That’s my definition of hell. Anyway, I have an easy solution to all this: let’s never die.”

“Sounds simple enough,” he laughed, pulling me tighter to his chest. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

He smiled at me until I gave up with an angry sigh.

“So that’s it then. You won’t sleep with me until we’re married.”

“Technically, I can’t ever sleep with you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Very mature, Edward.”

“But, other than that detail, yes, you’ve got it right.”

“I think you have an ulterior motive.”

His eyes widened innocently. “Another one?”

“You know this will speed things up,” I accused.

He tried not to smile. “There is only one thing I want to speed up, and the rest can wait forever… but for that, it’s true, your impatient human hormones are my most powerful ally at this point.”

I wouldn’t give him a ‘yes’ that night. I was promised as much time to think about my reply as I needed. I wasn’t ready to face the fact that I was going to be getting married this summer. I shuddered and looked toward my dresser. I was still wrapped in a towel under the heavy quilt. He kissed me quickly before leaving the room to give me an opportunity to dress myself. While he was gone, I thought of the women Edward had left in his wake. He had told me how simple it was, matter-of-fact, to leave them each behind. I remembered when I thought he had left me that way, the feeling leaving me hollow for a second, making me lean on the dresser for support. The rage I had felt earlier, the jealousy and doubt, had turned to pity. Edward would marry me, change me, be with me, forever. They would never belong to him the way I would.

When I was dressed and back in his arms in my bed, we shared a deep and passionate kiss. He was murmuring, almost crooning, his voice smoother than silk as he spoke against my lips. “Sleep, my Bella. Dream happy dreams. You are the only one who has ever touched my heart. It will always be yours. Sleep, my only love.”

He started to hum my lullaby, and I knew it was only a matter of time until I succumbed. I closed my eyes and snuggled closer into his chest.

_______

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Twilight Saga world, which is trademarked by Stephenie Meyer and Little Brown Books. All characters referenced are owned by Stephenie Meyer, and I do not claim any ownership over them or the Twilight Saga. The story told here is of my own invention. This story is for entertainment only – fun – and is not part of the official story line. I am grateful to Stephenie Meyer for the creation of these characters and I in no way am profiting from the creation and publication of this story. Some lines are directly quoted from Meyer’s book, Eclipse, and I do not claim to own Meyer’s words. References:

Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. Little, Brown, 2013.

Meyer, Stephenie. Midnight Sun. Little, Brown, 2020.

#edwardcullen #edwardandbella #edward cullen fluff #twilight renaissance #twilightfanfiction #twilightfanfic #twilight #twilightsaga

[iamtwilighttrash]

My Breaking Dawn

My Breaking Dawn

BACKGROUND: I am rewriting Breaking Dawn the way I think it should have been written. To preface, please note that in my Twilight universe: 

1) Jacob and Bella were never anything more than friends. In New Moon, they were nothing more than brother/sister-ish friends. In Eclipse, Jake and Edward actually became good friends, and he was ecstatic to hear about the wedding. (NO KISS EVER OCCURRED) 

2) Angela is more present in Bella’s life. This is very important to me. 

3) Edward and Bella have basically the same relationship: he still left her in New Moon, they’re still the classic/mushy/everlasting romance type, etc. BUT they also are young, they have more fun with one another, and Bella knows how to hold her own a little bit. 

4) Bella is much more integrated into Cullen life/family. She, Jasper, and Emmett are closer, and there is no tension between her and Rosalie after Eclipse. 

5) Edward does not buy Bella a new car. I like her truck, and so does she, and Jacob and Rosalie are around to fix it up. 

6) Please assume that Charlie found out about the engagement in the same way as in the original. I don’t feel like rewriting that, and I thought that it fit the narrative well. 

7) Jacob has long hair. This might seem insignificant, but it isn’t, and it means something to me. 

Anyway, I’m going to jump right in! I hope you enjoy my Breaking Dawn. 

(Stephenie Meyer OBVIOUSLY owns these characters and the saga. I’m just adding my creative aesthetic spin to it. Some elements will be incredibly similar in wording to the original, but for the most part I am entirely rewriting it) 

CHAPTER ONE

     I was getting married. I was getting married. I was getting married. Tomorrow. So soon, my head spun. 

     I paced around Alice’s bedroom, the sound of my socked feet just whispers to my own ears; to my vampire family, I probably sounded like an entire marching band. Alice was perched on the edge of her bed, Rosalie beside her, both of them bemused and statue-still. Esme flitted anxiously by my side. Her soft, sincere face broke my firm resolve to bolt from the door. 

     “Bella, honey, you’re going to wear a hole in the floor,” she murmured gently, slender fingers framing my face to stop me. I met her gaze, certain I appeared frantic. 

     I’m getting married! This was the final fitting. I would have to look at myself in the mirror, in the elegant gown of eggshell white, and see a stranger looking back. “Esme, what if its all...wrong?” Before Esme could answer, Alice surged to her feet and gripped my hands. Her touch was stone-cold, hard, but gentle. It soothed me marginally. 

     “It will be fine Bella, go to your happy place.” Rosalie sashayed to the corner, a vision of grace, to grab the satin dress. The color complimented her skin and hair beautifully. She would make a stunning bride. But what of me, silly, insignificant, young, human girl? Would the fabric turn my skin translucent; would the guests be able to see right through me? 

     I closed my eyes, trying to listen to Alice. If I couldn’t shut off the ramblings of my mind, perhaps I could redirect my thought. My happy place. The nerve-wracking wedding done and behind me. I had married Edward, fulfilled my end of our life-altering bargain. It would be his turn. Our final adventure together with me as a human. So soon, I would become just like him. The eternity that I had long-hoped for would begin. But, before that, there was just one more thing...

     Our honeymoon.

     Sex was not so scary to think about in the grand scheme of things, even if I would be having it with a vampire. I trusted Edward entirely. In fact, my only worries stemmed from insecurity. How would either of us know what...to do? Edward had his brothers around to help him. I supposed that I could ask Alice or Rosalie, but then...but then what if Edward heard them think about what I asked? The thought was so mortifying that, in the moment, I blushed. 

     Okay, so maybe I couldn’t go to my happy place with company in the room. Even barring my embarrassment at having him know I asked his sisters how to have sex, there was still the inevitability of my heart racing at the thought of being with him in that way. If Esme could hear the evidence of how much I enjoyed my happy place...

     So, instead, I focused the slip and glide of the satin gown over my skin and the cool brushes of Esme and Rosalie’s hands as they held the garment in place for Alice’s minor sewing adjustments. My weight hadn’t fluctuated much, so there was little that needed to be altered from the last fitting. Just a little bit taken in in the back, I thought, judging by the pinch of the fabric. Esme hummed while Alice worked, and the melody worked to soothe the nerves that threatened to fray. 

     “Oh, Bella...” It was Rosalie speaking. I opened my eyes to look at her, concerned by the tone. 

     “What? Is something wrong?” She was looking at me, at the dress, at me in the dress. Oh, god, I’m hideous! I’m too human. Esme had stepped back to join Rosalie, and she daintily covered her mouth with her hands. The only person seemingly unaffected was Alice, who had seen me in the dress many times. 

     “No, Bella, you’re...” 

     All wrong? 

     “Stunning.” The word shocked me. Stunning? Me? Coming from Rosalie’s mouth, Rosalie the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on, that word was like an expletive. I shuddered beneath the weight of her praise. 

     “You...you think so?” I had yet to turn around and look at myself in the mirror. I was frightened. Would I be able to recognize myself, Bella the bride? 

     “Oh, sweetie, you look beautiful!” Esme reached out and hugged me; she smelled like lavender, and orange blossom, and breakfast tea. Her body was like ice and yet, as she gave me a little squeeze, my whole body felt like it had been basking beneath the Arizona sun. I hugged her back automatically. In her, I had found a mother in the areas that my own was lacking. Unwanted tears sprung along my lower lash line. On a day such as this, my mom should have been there. I was reminded once again that my choice— becoming a vampire— would effect more than one aspect of my life. 

     Esme pulled back and wiped away the moisture with steady hands. Alice, sensing my unraveling, was quick to change the subject. 

     “Alright, Bella. Go ahead, look at yourself.” Simple enough task, but my feet felt like they were buried in cement. Look at myself? How? With an uneven breath, I forced myself to turn and face the long mirror on the wall. 

     The dress was so...Edward. Even on my body, I could tell it was designed for him. I panicked, trying to see myself in the timeless shape, the Calla Lily folds; even the lace of the sleeves mocked me. I was far too plain, too ordinary. Was I all wrong for him? They had spoken of how beautiful I was, but where? I noticed the splotches on my cheeks from crying, the puffiness under my tired eyes, the unevenness of my body’s proportions: human. Mortal. Meant to end.

     “Well?” beamed Alice. I turned back, and three pairs of golden honey eyes appraised me warily, waiting for my response. 

     “I love it,” I choked out. Esme’s smile vanished. Alice and Rosalie pursed their lips. I could not fool them. I was an awful liar. 

     “What’s wrong?” The dam broke; I came, at last, undone. Esme was quick to usher me towards Alice’s bed, folding me into a marble embrace. I was glad Edward wasn’t home; the sound of my distress would have roused him to check on me, regardless of Alice’s stern warning to mind his business and stay out of her room. 

     “I’m not,” a hiccup broke the sentence, “good enough for him. I’m all wrong.” Rosalie— I knew it was Rosalie from her feather soft touch— rubbed my back while Alice touched my hair. 

     “Isabella Swan,” it was her stern voice that jolted me. I sniffled, conscious of the fact that I was staining Esme’s lilac blouse with my tears, and pulled back to meet her gaze. One strand of spiky black hair had escaped its polished, messy spikes and was drooping over her left eye. She brushed it back, so quickly that my eyes barely registered the gesture. “Edward loves you, you silly girl. He wouldn’t go through all this trouble for just anybody.” It was teasing, but truthful. 

     “Okay.” Yes, she was right. He loved me. I loved him. It would be okay. I took a deep breath, mortified that I had started sobbing. “Sorry, sorry.” The knee-jerk reaction made me sniffle. Had Jacob been there, he would’ve made me laugh, told me to get over myself— maybe I should call him. As if on cue, my phone buzzed on Alice’s antique vanity, the sound like a beehive. Sometimes, I swore, Jacob could sense my sadness from miles away.

     Esme released me so I could answer my best friend. His voice, husky and warm, assaulted my ears before I could say a single syllable.

     “Bells, you better not be crying you idiot. I can hear you from outside. I’m here to spring you.” I rushed to the window to pull back the sheer curtains, and indeed he was there, leaning against his bike with my spare helmet tucked under his arm. He waved.

     “I have to get out of my dress you jerk. I’ll be down in a sec.” As I spoke, Alice started undoing the pearl buttons on my back.

     “Cool. I’m letting myself in and grabbing a snack.” Esme heard that and her soft, soothing laugh began when I snapped the phone shut.

     “I’ll go down and keep him company. I’ve been meaning to ask him about the progress on his new car. Oh, and Bella dear,” she said, reaching out to cup my cheek. I gave her my full attention. “Edward might not be biologically mine, but he’s still my son. I know how much he loves you. He smiles so much more now, and I can tell his happiness is due to you. You are so incredibly right for him, Bella. And I—” there was a little catch in the back of her throat, “I’m so happy you’re joining our family.” With that, she kissed my cheek and all but danced from the room.

     I couldn’t help but smile. I told myself to relax— all that mattered was that I loved Edward, and he loved me back. The rest— the dress, the wedding, the guests, the honeymoon— was unimportant. I stepped out of the gown, and Rosalie gave me a firm look.

     “Bella, this is your wedding. I thought the dress was lovely on you, but if you’d rather wear something else, the choice is yours.”

     “Of course, Bella,” said Alice, though her brows furrowed slightly. Visions of me prancing down the aisle in my sweatpants likely plagued her thoughts. “We can come up with something, anything you want, in time for tomorrow. I’ll hand sew a dress myself if I have to.” I looked at them, my sisters, and felt so loved I choked. Forgetting my partial nudity, I wrapped both of my arms around them in a tight hug.

     “I love you guys.” They both laughed. “Tomorrow is going to perfect. I’m just nervous.”

     “Well of course you are,” Rosalie chuckled. I pulled back to dress myself in my jeans and one of Edward’s hoodies. It smelled like him— I inhaled deeply. “It is your wedding day, after all. I’ve been married so many times and I still get butterflies.” I was so excited to get to attend one of Emmett and Rosalie’s weddings in the future; Emmett promised me that their next one would be ridiculously themed, as it was his turn to decide.

     “Okay. I’m going to go spend time with the Best Man before Edward steals him for the Bachelor Party.” That thought put a little knot in my stomach, though Jasper had promised me he would keep it under control. It would just be Edward, his brothers, Jacob, and Seth. 3 vampires and 2 werewolves walk into a strip club sounded like the start to a bad joke, and two of them were underage anyway.

     “Don’t forget, your Bachelorette starts at 8:00.” Alice’s tone was stern, but she was smiling.

     “Yes ma’am,” I joked, saluting playfully as a ducked through the door. On the way down, I could hear Jacob and Esme talking. After the battle that had rid us of Victoria, Jacob had spent a great deal of time recuperating at the Cullens. He and Esme bonded; I knew he saw some of his own mother in her features, and that warmed my heart. 

     “Hey Bells!” cheered Jacob. He draped one bulky arm over my shoulder as he finished up his conversation with my almost mother-in-law. In his opposite hand, he held a soda. Esme had started stocking food and drink for the wolves, and for my human father, the latter of the two having only ever braved the threshold once since finding out about my engagement. 

     “You two should get out of here before Edward shows up and ruins the tradition. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” Esme kissed both of my cheeks, and then stood on her tiptoes to do the same to Jacob, before shooing us from the kitchen. 

     “You wanna ride on my bike, pretty girl?” asked Jacob, wagging his brows at me while he offered me the helmet. I snorted and shoved him a little. 

     “My mom always told me to say no to creeps.” But I took the helmet, securing the thick strap beneath my chin. “Why aren’t we running?” Riding on Jacob in his wolf form took days of practice, but I had finally gotten the hang of it. Emmett had even taken his fair share of turns, much to everyone’s amusement at the time. Jacob revved the bike. 

     “I figured we better do something just a little dangerous. It’s your last night as a free woman, Bells. And its the last time I’ll get to spend a full day with human- you.” I swallowed hard at the reminder. I had no regrets, of course, about the impending wedding or my decision to join Edward’s family permanently. Even setting the Volturi aside, I knew I was meant for vampire life. I could feel it in my bones, in my heart— an eternity with Edward was what I wanted. I was almost there. 

     Jacob started to drive; the bike didn’t go very fast, but it felt like we were flying. I clung to him, watching the forest blur, as the wind whipped my skin. There wasn’t much room for conversation, so my mind— predictably— wandered. I thought of the passed summer, my last human summer, which was coming to its glorious end. I thought of staying out late to build card empires with Jasper and Alice, infuriating chess games, and movie nights with Emmett. I pictured Edward sprawled out in the sun, body engulfed in a see of purple wildflowers, as his diamond skin refracted endless light; they swore that my memories would fade, but I swore that nothing in the whole world could make me forget that. Even then, in the present, I could feel the hard planes of his cool chest as we swam in the hidden lake he’d taken me too in July, could see the way those amber eyes glittered in the moonlight streaming through his open bedroom windows on late June nights. 

     I would remember more of my last mortal summer than just the Cullens, of course, as I knew they would be mine forever. Going fishing with Charlie— who had begged me to go just one time with him— and hearing the way his surprised laughter echoed in the cab of his cruiser as I told a joke about fish (Why did the trout leave the cult? They were too sacrifishal). Roasting marshmallows with Jacob and the rest of his pack while Billy and Sam raced around the yard; of course, Billy had won. Buying books with Angela. Walking the beach with Jacob. Spending one last weekend in Florida with Renee, painting our nails and listening to rock. 

     But my human life was soon to be over. I had said goodbye to the possibility of having any more memories like that, as being a bloodthirsty newborn would ensure that I was too dangerous to have those moments again. 

     Just as thoughts began to somber, Jacob cut the engine. I realized I had closed my eyes— when I opened them, we were on the beach. We both dismounted and stretched, me removing the stuffy helmet so I could gulp in salty air and him tidying up his windblown locks. We headed down to the shoreline in silence. The quiet was comfortable; in it, I could hear the waves crashing against the rocky cliffs and the rhythm of our feet on the damp earth. It was an overcast day, but the sun promised to poke through the cloud cover at any moment. 

     “I’m going to miss this,” I said after a few minutes of us slipping off our shoes and wiggling our toes in the sand. Jacob nodded. His eyes were on the waves. 

     “Me too, Bells. It’s gonna be weird, after you...well, when I see you next.” 

     “I won’t be able to show my face in public for a long time. I’m gonna be a walking freak show.” 

     “Oh, yeah,” he said, teasing. “You’ll be a real circus act.” He took my hand as we continued to walk. With Jacob, there was nothing romantic about the action; he had always just been my sunshine, my best friend. I hadn’t realized until then just how much our friendship would be effected. No more beach trips, or dinner with Angela in Forks, or watching TV on his couch during lazy Saturday mornings. I would be a vampire. Though the pack and the Cullens were on good terms, there would be something in our biology pushing us apart. I was going to be, genetically, his enemy. 

     “Will you still be my friend, Jake, after all this is over?” There was a lump in my throat. It wasn’t time to say goodbye yet, but it would be the last time I would get to see him alone. He pulled us to a stop and studied my face.

     “Bella, how many times have I told you? What you are doesn’t matter to me. You’ll still be Bells. Just a little more creeptastic.” The fake word made me giggle despite the fact that tears threatened to surface. He gave me a goofy smile— when he hugged me, though, I could tell that he held on just a little bit tighter than he would have had this been any other day.

#twilight saga #breaking dawn #breaking dawn rewrite #twilight #twilight universe #meyer #bella swan #cullens #quilieute #jacob black #au #please be nice to me I worked very hard on this

[littlemisswolfie]

it’s really not that fair

Part four of this bullshit. Here we go.

Bella worries at her bottom lip with her teeth and taps her pencil on the hard plastic desk. A few of her classmates glare at her and she knows she’s being annoying, but it’s Friday, and that means Leah’s picking her up from school.

That is, if the damn clock will ever move.

It’s a little ridiculous, how much Bella misses her. She’d snuck into Bella’s room the night before (just like she had every night since the imprint) and woken her up with a soft kiss before she left this morning, so it’s been at most, like, nine hours. But it still feels like a little part of Bella is missing, and there’s a tug in her chest that goes towards LaPush, towards Leah.

From what the pack can tell, Victoria’s backed off since she realized Bella was under their protection. This suits Bella just fine, because she has enough on her plate, what with graduation coming up, with the imprint, with Leah. She’s just glad she already has her college situation figured out.

Neither Charlie nor Renee were thrilled with her decision to take classes online, but it’s for the best. Her GPA suffered a major hit when she was so depressed, after all, and most places she could have applied to were already closed to applications when she was suddenly reminded of her steadily approaching graduation date a few weeks ago. Her other reason, which had gone unspoken to her parents, is Leah. 

Bella knows it’s generally a bad idea to base one’s college decisions around their significant other, but the imprint complicates things. She’s sure she could go away, but it would be painful, both for her and for Leah. And there’s no way Leah could come with her due to tribal issues; her status as a protector to the tribe overrules any other obligations she has. Sam could let her go, but he’s not in any position to go against Old Quil and Billy.

So Leah has to stay. And so Bella will, too.

The bell finally, finally rings, and Bella gathers up her books and shoves them in her backpack as quickly as she can. Her body thrums, and she knows it’s because Leah is in the parking lot, waiting for her. 

In the desk next to her, Angela laughs. “What’re you in such a rush for, Bella?” she asks, a teasing note in her voice. “You got a hot date or something?”

Bella freezes.

It wouldn’t be a lie to say no--Bella can’t imagine anyone calling a pack dinner a hot date, unless their idea of a hot date is holding hands with their significant other while half a dozen half naked teenage boys inhale food like they’re never going to eat again.

But on the other hand, she can’t say the whole thing isn’t romantic. This past week, Bella felt like she was dying the longer she spent away from Leah. Leah is like oxygen, like a cool drink of water on a brutal Phoenix day, like coming home. At no point will Leah ever not be the most important part of her life. Not anymore.

But how can she express that to Angela? Bella hardly understands the intense connection afforded by the imprint herself. And with the added... everything surrounding same sex relationships...

Yeah. No. Bella’s not ready to tackle that yet.

So she gives Angela a smile she hopes isn’t too tight around the edges and says, “That’s a secret.”

*

While she wants nothing more than to run into Leah’s arms when she sees her leaning against her red truck, Bella, mindful of her schoolmates’ stares, settles for a faster-than-normal walk and a hug that’s just a tad too long to be platonic. She feels and hears Leah taking a deep inhale of her hair. Bella can’t imagine how hard this time apart has been for her--from what she can tell, the imprint is a stronger pull for the wolf.

“Hey,” Bella says when they separate.

“Hey,” Leah replies. She hoists Bella’s backpack onto her own shoulder and holds her hand out for Bella’s keys. “Do you need to go home before we go to the Rez?”

Bella hands over the keys and nods. “I wanna drop off my books and grab some extra clothes.” At Leah’s arched eyebrow, she flushes and adds, “I-in case I’m too tired to drive home!”

“Sure, sure,” Leah says, unapologetically stealing Jake’s catchphrase.

They climb into the cab of the truck, and they don’t touch again until they’re a mile away from the school.

Bella’s heart aches.

*

It’s easier at LaPush.

There, everyone knows about them. There’s no pretenses, no excuses, no hiding. It’s just Leah and Bella, and they’re together, and no one minds, just like no one minds Sam and Emily, or Jared and Kim.

After the ravenous pack dinner, everyone retires to Emily’s living room, and Bella once again ends up perched in Leah’s lap, and she relaxes against her shoulder while the pack talks shop. Emily and Sam are sharing the big living chair Sam usually occupies, fingers intertwined, and Kim is sitting cross-legged on the floor with Jared’s head in her lap. It’s a testament to the power of the imprint that none of the other guys comment on the couples’ obvious closeness. With any other group of friends, Bella thinks, there’d be immediate teasing.

After a confirmation that Victoria hasn’t been seen around the Rez either, things become much less formal. Emily whips up a new muffin recipe for Bella and Kim to try, “because the pack will eat anything, I can’t trust their opinion on my food, I need an outsider’s voice.” The pack takes advantage of the semi-warm day and starts roughhousing outside, shouting and tackling and just having fun. It warms Bella’s heart to see Leah and Sam being so friendly with each other now, without the pain of Sam’s imprint lingering over them. 

“I wish it could always be like this,” Bella says around a mouthful of cranberry orange muffin. It’s delicious, of course. Bella can cook, sure, but Emily’s the expert baker around here. “No teenage angst, no Victoria hanging over us, no hiding...”

“Hiding?”

Bella blushes when she realizes she’s spoken aloud. “Uh...”

“No, no,” Kim says, persisting. “What do you mean, hiding?”

 “It’s just...” Bella has to pause for a second, and takes another bite of her muffin to stall. “I don’t know how to explain what I have with Leah to the people in Forks. So I figure, hey, maybe I’ll just let them think we’re good friends, but then Charlie will say something like, ‘I’m so glad you have a friend like Leah,’ or my friends at school will tease me about dating, and I just wanna scream, you know?”

Emily makes a comforting sound in the back of her throat and lays a hand on Bella’s shoulder. “I can’t imagine how hard that must be for you. Like living a double life, right?”

“Yeah.”

Kim leans up against Bella’s shoulder in a show of sisterly support. Because that’s what she and Emily are--Bella’s sisters. Not like Alice, who wanted to use Bella as a living dress up doll, or Rosalie, who seemed to hate the fact that she even existed, but actual, genuine love. In being imprinted on by Leah, she got not only her soulmate, but an entire family of support. 

“Buck up, Bella,” Kim says, giving her arm a little hug. “Things’ll get better when you move out here.”

“What?” Move out here? Bella didn’t realize that was part of her future plans already.

Kim cocks her head. “Aren’t you, though? Leah says you’re just taking online classes, so there’s no school commute to think about. And as far as the council is concerned, you being an imprint makes you pack, and being pack means you’re tribe. You have every right to live here.”

“Kim,” says Emily, a warning on her tongue, but Bella cuts her off.

“It’s fine, Em. It’s just not something I’ve thought too much about, is all.”

Her eyes seek out Leah in the dog pile of pack, and when she sees Leah’s smile, everything seems okay.

*

“What was bothering you earlier?” Leah asks, later, when they’re lying in Leah’s bed with their legs tangled together.

Bella starts. “You knew?”

“I wasn’t trying to listen, but I could tell you were upset.” One of her hands comes up to comb through Bella’s hair. “Talk to me.”

Bella sighs and snuggles closer to Bella’s reassuring heat. “I don’t like having to pretend we’re not together when I’m not on the Rez,” she says, voice soft. It’s harder to say this to Leah than it was to Emily and Kim earlier. “I hate it whenever someone calls you my friend, because you’re so much more than that, and I want to tell everyone how much you mean to me, but I have no idea how to.”

Leah grunts. “I wish I could make it better for you.”

“Not your fault.” Bella yawns. “When I told Kim and Emily earlier, Kim said I should just move to the Rez after I graduate.”

Bella feels Leah’s whole body stiffen. “Really?” She’s trying to sound nonchalant, but Bella can hear the excitement in her voice.

“Really.” She reaches up to stroke her thumb along Leah’s cheekbone. “Is that... something you’d like?”

“Absolutely,” Leah says, with no hesitation, not even a little bit. Her lips, chapped and warm, press against Bella’s forehead. “I want you forever. I want your good mornings and your good nights. I want your bedhead and your morning breath, and I want your hair clogging up the drains, and I want to hear you humming in the kitchen while you cook and see you biting you lip while you read before bed. I want everything, Bella. Everything you’re willing to give me.”

Bella feels her eyes grow warm. It’s ridiculous, she thinks, that after less than a week of dating she feels ready to commit. But she wants. She wants so badly to be Leah’s forever, for Leah to be hers.

“I’m willing,” she says, not even embarrassed at the way her voice cracks with emotion, “to give you forever, if you promise me the same.”

And so they talk, long into the night, about a little house by the cliffs, of a built-in bookshelf in the bedroom by Bella’s side of the bed and a kitchen with an island and a big living room so the pack can come over, and they don’t fall asleep until the sun is peeking over the horizon.

“One day,” Bella says, just before she drifts off, “I’ll be able to tell the whole world, ‘I love Leah Clearwater,’ and no one will be able to do anything about it.”

Sleep claims her before she feels Leah go stiff, and before she realizes that this is the first time she’s spoken about love.

Before she can hear Leah say, “I love you, too.”

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#twilight #leah clearwater #bella swan #leah/bella #bella/leah #my writing #my post #mine