I do not own the characters in this chapter, nor will I own them in the next chapter, or the one after that, or the one after that, etc. Okay? Okay.

Chapter One

It was a slow day at the Lodge, and Isabella Swan was leaning casually against the counter, looking around at the half-empty restaurant. She sighed, checking the clock which hung above the register. She had a whole hour before work was over, and time couldn't possibly move any slower.
"Hey Bella, check table four, would you? Someone just came in." Bella jumped at the sound of a voice, which turned out to be her boss - and indeed, this woman was bossy - Jessica.
"Sure," she replied, walking briskly towards table four. She stood before the man in front of her, noting his attire. He was wearing a lightly-patterned camouflage suit; common army attire. His golden brown hair was tousled, possibly from the army hat, which was now lying upon the smooth table of the booth. His face was partially hidden behind the menu as he read the list of foods available. Bella was just about to speak, and ask him if he was ready to order, when he spoke up. "I'll take a water, please."
His voice was low, but he was heard clearly. She felt as if that voice could slice through any conversation, no matter the volume. It seemed to radiate importance.
Shaking herself from her thoughts, she wrote down 'water' on her notepad, then looked back up with a smile. "Can I get you something to eat?" she asked.
It was then that the stranger lifted his head, revealing spectacular eyes. They were golden and green, the pupil defined by the clear colors. Her breath caught in her throat at the stranger's looks.
"No."
She jumped slightly, once again surprised. Her actions caused a small smile to form on the stranger's lips. "W-what?" she stammered. "I'm sorry, what?"
His smile broadened, but only a little. "No thank you. I just want a water."
Nodding, Bella gave a small smile. "Alright. I'll go get it."
As she turned and began heading for the kitchen, the stranger spoke again. "Wait." His voice cracked slightly, and he spoke again. "Wait. Would you mind… sitting with me?"
She smiled. Though this man radiated authority, he was clearly a little shy. "I have one more hour until I get off work. I know somewhere we can go."
He nodded. "Okay." He said no more, so Bella started for the kitchen once more. It was only when she reached the kitchen that she realized the stranger hadn't offered nor asked for a name.

.::::.

The rest of the day went by quickly for Bella, and before she knew it, work was over. She collected her tips with a smile, and walked towards the stranger's table with a skip in her step. "Okay," she said. "Let's go. We're going to head towards La Push. There's a little pier there, and we can sit and talk.
She looked over at him for a brief moment, reading his face for emotions. He seemed lost in thought, and didn't respond, so Bella simply drove on.
They finally reached La Push, and climbed out of the faded truck. Shivering slightly, Bella pulled on a blue cap to warm her head, while shrugging on a coat. "It's a little chilly here," she said, "But it's always worth it."
The stranger looked around as he climbed out, and,without speaking, led the way to the pier. When they arrived, they sat down, side by side, silently looking out across the expanse of water, with the afternoon sun shining across its sparkling surface.
"You have a boyfriend, huh?"
The question surprised Bella, and she turned to face him. "No," she said. "My dad's the chief of police. Most guys shy away from that." It was true; once people found out who her dad was, they usually left her alone. All of them except Jacob Black, that is. They had been best friends for a while, and had experimentally dated once. Which, to put lightly, didn't end well, though they were still friends.
The stranger smirked. "Ah," he said. Then he went quiet for moment. "Do you think... that is, would you mind if I sent letters to you?" He turned his head and gazed at her, his golden eyes meeting her chocolate brown ones. They seemed to be pleading, begging for someone. His heart was in his eyes, it seemed. They weren't the eyes of someone in love, or the eyes of someone filled with boredom. Those eyes were filled with loneliness, as if the soldier would absolutely die if he wasn't able to find someone to talk to.
Bella didn't speak for a moment. This stranger, a soldier, apparently, was offering - No, begging- to write her letters while he was at war? At least, that's what she understood. It was surprising to say in the least. She'd heard that letters from soldiers were valuable, though not in a money sense. Apparently, letters sent from soldiers could capture the heart of its receiver, causing emotions beyond compare. Why would this stranger offer her such a gift? Would it be rude if she didn't accept? Oh, she wanted to accept. She wanted to receive those letters.
Isabella was twenty one years old, still single, and had never been in love. Would this be like love, or would it simply be friendly letters from a lonely soldier?
The idea was appealing. Yes, she would accept.
"Will you?" she asked, her heart racing.
He smiled at her. "Yeah," he said. "I will."
They smiled at each other for a moment longer, and then turned back to the salty ocean. Neither could fathom that, at that exact moment, two hearts were calling out to each other, slowly twining two fates together until they would become a single destiny. The heart of a lonesome soldier, and the heart of an untamed young woman.
The silence lasted a bit longer, until he spoke once more, easing into conversation. "You work at the Lodge?" he asked.
"Yeah," she responded. "I've worked there since I graduated form Forks High. It's my dad's favorite place in the whole town."
The stranger tilted his head. "That's the same time I joined the army; after graduation." Bella sat in silence. She wasn't sure if she should ask questions or not, unsure of how he'd react.
He let out a laugh, though it seemed forced to Bella. It was as if this stranger had a hard time laughing. "It's alright. You can ask me questions."
Bella was surprised once again. Narrowing her eyes playfully, she said, "What, are you a mind reader now?"
This actually caused him to laugh, really laugh. "Of course not. But I know that look. Afraid to tramp on untested ground." He shook his head. "It's alright. I don't mind questions."
"Okay," Bella said, biting her bottom lip out of habit. "Where have you traveled?"
"I was stationed in Italy first," he said. "I was sent to go after a terrorist group known as the Volturi."
"Oh," she said softly. She'd heard of the Volturi. They kidnapped young adults, forcing them to become soldiers of their own personal army, which raided cities all over the world. "I was there for a while, assisting innocent people who'd lost loved ones. I also took part in the raid, when we took out the prime leaders." He paused a moment before continuing. "Three of the leading members got away, and after that I was sent back to the US, but left soon after to go to South Africa. I've been to Haiti, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Hungary, Poland... Everywhere."
Bella soaked in this information. He had talked about it simply, as if it were just facts, and not experiences. She wondered if he'd ever been injured."
"I've lived in Forks for a while," she said. "Since I was seventeen. But I used to live with my mom, in Arizona. After she met her fiance, I moved back with Charlie - my dad - and I've been here ever since."
"You said you went to Forks High?"
"Yeah, why?"
"My sister went there... Alice Cullen."
"Really?" Bella said, surprised. "I know Alice! She's, like, my best friend!"
"Really?" The stranger repeated with a smile. "Alice talks about a girl a lot, whenever we talk... she said her name's Isabella, or something like that."
"It's Bella, actually. Now that I think about it, Alice has mentioned a brother before... two, actually. So you must be..." she trailed off, trying to recall the names of Alice's two older brothers.
"Edward Cullen."

I've looked over this story for grammar mistakes, so hopefully it looks good, but I do apologize for any errors. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I am currently writing at my own pace, meaning the next chapter could come up tomorrow or next week, or even next month. It just depends on when I'm able to post again. Thanks for reading!