Okay! This is a One-Shot about Bella and Edward set in 1918. It was inspiration and i wrote the whole thing in about a total of three hours and i just had to publish it! :) I really hope you like it! Review if you do! Please
Fate Holds No Time Boundaries
Chicago 1918
"Isabella darling, come help me in the kitchen please?" I heard my mother call from our small kitchen downstairs.
We lived in a very small neighborhood in the very large city of Chicago. But I didn't care, I had everything I needed right here. I had a mother that loved me, a little sister that I absolutely adored, and a best friend who I've had a crush on since the third grade. Yeah, yeah I know what you're thinking; you should just tell him if you're really that close. He'd probably like you back. But you don't understand, Edward Masen is the most gorgeous person in the world, and I'm…well let's just say not. He deserves someone who is equally as gorgeous. I sighed sadly seeing the depressing way my thoughts had taken.
I got off my bed slowly trying not to trip on the rug. I wasn't the biggest klutz, but I was pretty bad. Walking over to the staircase I looked around making sure that no one was around. Very sneakily I tiptoed over to the handrail and sat sideways on it, keeping hold of the top. I took a deep breath and let go, sending me flying. I laughed freely loving the wind in my hair.
My father would never approve of this. He would say it wasn't proper behavior of a lady. He never let me have any fun as a kid. He would never let me play outside with the "commoners" as he called them. Yet we were no richer than any of my friends. We barely reached upper middle class as it was. For his whole adult life he tried to "make something out of himself" or "make himself better". He was perfectly fine just the way he was.
Yet he wanted to be rich.
I knew he was doing it for us, his family. At least that was his excuse to mother whenever she asked. She called him the workaholic of the neighborhood.
He died five years ago when I was twelve. He was drafted into World War I, and died in the trenches. Coincidentally it was the same year my sister Alice was born. She's never known her father, and she never will, and somewhere down inside I'm glad for that. She can be a kid, something I never experienced.
I jumped off the banister still giggling and entered the kitchen. My mother was beautiful. She had long locks of silky light brown hair flowing down her back. She always had an eye crinkling smile on her face that was completely contagious to anyone who looked at her. Her eyes were the most gorgeous shade of hazel nut brown. She used to have to have her hair in a bun at all times when my father was alive. He used to say that it made her look more sophisticated, and beautiful.
Boy was he wrong.
One time after I had found out that dad had died I asked why mom had even married him. She said that she had loved him, and that she has never stopped loving him. I believed her, I still believe her. It's just the way that her eyes sparkle when she talks about him, makes me want to have the same thing.
Mom was currently making her award winning cinnamon coffee nut cream cake, the special Barker family recipe. She turned her heads toward me, her hands still kneading the dough for the cake. She had flour on the tip of her nose, and the apples of her cheeks. "Hey baby could you start cracking the eggs for the frosting? Please and thank you." I shook my head as I rolled my eyes.
Ms. Bethany Barker was born and raised in South Carolina. And I made fun of her accent every chance I got. Don't worry she knows I'm just joking around with her. "Yes ma'am I'm right on it," I said with an exaggerated southern accent.
Her jaw dropped in mock horror. "Well," she said then flicked flour right onto my face. My mouth fell open too.
"Now I know you didn't just flick flour in my face." I said as I grabbed a towel to wipe my freshly prepped face. Mom just shrugged. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. What are you going to do about it?" I looked at her eyebrows raised, mouth still wide open. I walked over to the bag of flour and stood by it.
"I'm going to do this." I yelled as I threw a handful of flour onto her face.
A flour war ensued.
Soon mom, the whole kitchen, and I were prepped and ready for diner. Seriously it looked like a bag of flour blew up. "Oh my! Look at all the flour," my little sister Ally screeched from the doorway. She took two giant steps back and got ready to dive head first into the messy white kitchen. I ran forward trying to get to her before she ruined her clothes, but unfortunately… I didn't quite make it.
"Oh Ally, look at yourself!" My mother screeched going to pick her up. Ally now had flour all own the front of her dress and in streaks through her hair.
"Now you'll have to get a bath." My mother chided, trying desperately to brush off the flour on her clothes. "Ah mom you spoil all the fun," Ally pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest.
I chuckled at my little sister. Alice had short black hair that was currently pinned back letting her short curls fall just below her jaw. She had thick long lashes that framed her beautiful ice blue eyes. I walked over to them and took Alice from moms' arms.
"Go get cleaned up mom, I'll help Alice with her bath."
She exhaled a breath of relief, but still looked apprehensive. "Are you sure sweetie because I could...?" I shook my head and chuckled. "No mom go I know you have a date with a certain someone later." Mom giggled very un-like her.
Kind of a nervous giggle, she was usually so confident and sure of herself. Mom had been seeing this guy, Philip Dean, for the past few weeks. He was so far good to her, a little young but I approve of him. The way he looked at her was hard to mistake as nothing but pure adoration.
"Thanks dear." She said kissing my forehead once before scampering up the stairs.
I chuckled while bouncing Alice on my hip up the stairs. "Ok let's get you cleaned up and then you can have some cookies. What do you say about that?" I asked closing the door to the bathroom.
"Yay cookies!" Alice screamed joyously, practically jumping four feet in the air. I laughed and helped her remove her shirt and skirt.
Now she was six and extremely smart, so I didn't actually have to help her wash herself. I just had to be in there to make sure she doesn't drown. She's very small for her age. She was also extremely hyper, hence the cookies comment. Once out I gave her a warm towel and led her into her room. She picked out her outfit for the rest of the day, and scurried back downstairs.
I quickly washed myself and changed into the first thing my hands could find. Today was the day Edward was coming home from New York. He went to tour NYU's campus. He's been gone for over three weeks, and I miss him terribly. We were going to go to the carnival just down the street; it came to town last year but I didn't have a chance to go because I had to watch Alice, so I was very excited; especially because Edward would be there with me. Walking back down stairs, passing Alice as she raced back upstairs with a handful of cookies in her hands, I noticed how nervous I really was about seeing Edward. What if he found someone in New York? What if he was just coming back to say that he was never coming back?
Wow that sounded crazy.
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts and started cleaning up the kitchen. No less than an hour later the kitchen was clean of any sign of flour, and I was back to kneading the dough for mothers' cake. "Isabella?"
"Kitchen mother," I yelled. I heard the click of her heels on the hardwood as she rushed into the kitchen.
"How do I look?" She asked fixing her earring and then twirling for me. She was wearing a light gray dress with pale yellow trim at then end, the same color yellow in the half shrug she wore as well.
"You look beautiful mom. Philip is going to faint at the sight." She laughed loudly grabbing her purse off the table. There was a knock at the door, and my heart skipped a beat.
"I'll get it dear," mother replied already walking to the door. "Philip darling!" I heard her squeal.
The smile on my face dropped. It wasn't who I wanted it to be.
"Isabella, can you take your sister over to the Whitmore's for me please? Before you leave to the fair?" I nodded my head and kissed her cheek, closing the door as she left arm and arm with Philip.
"Alice get your stuff ready! I'm about to take you to Georgia's!" Not two seconds later she was clomping down the stairs, ready to leave. "I'm ready!" She announced happily. I chuckled and put the coat around her shoulders. Grabbing my coat, I opened up the door and took one step outside before I ran into a wall. "Oh!" I recoiled back, close to tripping, when the wall reached out and caught me. "Oh dear! I am so sorry about-" I opened my eyes and looked up into a pair of green eyes I knew all too well.
"Edward!" I screeched throwing my arms around his neck, holding tight as he lifted me back up onto my feet. "Well I see that your balance has not improved since my departure." He joked hugging me back.
There was a silent moment that passed, full of a secret undertone that confused me, until Alice interrupted it.
"Edward!" I removed my arms from my chokehold around his neck and let Alice throw herself at him. He caught her and twirled her around. "Hey Little Bit! I've missed you!" He happily replied to her enthusiasm with his nickname for her.
"What did you bring me, Edward?" I frowned. "Now Alice that's rude you can't expect Edward to bring you back something." Edward smiled and winked at me, making my heart stop.
He knelt down to Alice's level, and placed her on his knee. "Your sisters right Little Bit, you can't expect something." Alice's face fell and her head hung low. "But, this time you just happened to be right." He pulled out a small snow globe of the Statue of Liberty.
Alice gasped and carefully took it in her hands. "It's so pretty. Thank you Edward!" She kissed his cheek and ran upstairs to put the snow globe in her room.
I chuckled. "You didn't have to do that Edward."
He shook his head. "I know, I wanted to, it makes me happy to see her happy. Besides she's wanted a snow globe for months now." I laughed.
"Well, thank you Edward." I smiled whole heartedly at him, as he did the same.
"Don't think I didn't forget you on my excursion, Isabella." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a locket, in the shape of a heart. I gasped.
"Oh my, Edward, it's gorgeous." I pulled my hair around so he could clasp it on my neck. My hand reached up to lightly feel it, memorizing every nook and cranny.
"I'm glad you like it." He said softly. Our eyes locked, I blushed, and Edward opened his mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted by Alice walking down the stairs.
"It's so pretty Edward, thank you!" He lifted her up onto his hip, I smiled at the sight.
"Okay, are you ready to go to Georgia's, Alice?" She nodded, "As long as Edward comes too!" He chuckled.
"I wouldn't have it any other way Little Bit." We walked out the door and headed down the block to where the Whitmore's lived.
"So how did you like New York, Edward?" I asked timidly my hands in my coat pockets.
He sighed, longingly. "Big. I've never seen so many buildings in as close space before. The medical building, the one I toured, was more than I could have ever imagined." His eyes lit up when he talked about his future. The one hand he had free was waving wildly, like he was so happy he couldn't express it with just words, that hand motions were needed.
Hr kept talking, not noticing I wasn't entirely listening, just sort of staring and nodding my head. "What? Do I have something on my face?"
Apparently he had stopped talking, but I had not stopped staring. I shook my head, swirling the clouds of awareness around in my head. "No, sorry just staring off into space."
We reached the Whitmore's just in time, Mrs. Whitmore was heading outside. She looked up and gasped, her hand going to her throat in surprise. "Isabella! There you are I was just coming to see if everything was alright. Alice darling! Come hug your old aunt!"
Alice kissed Edwards cheek and scrambled down to give me a hug, then ran straight into the arms of her "auntie" Esme. "Thank you for watching her Esme, we really appreciate it."
She laughed. "No problem deary." Her eyes turned on Edward. "Edward, it's good to see you back."
He dipped his head. "Good to be back Mrs. Whitmore." She nodded her head and turned walking hand and hand with Alice back inside.
I turned to Edward. "Ready to head to the fair?" I asked. He nodded and took my hand. I blushed, but accepted it. We walked silently half the distance, before Edward broke the silence.
"So what have you been up to since I left? Last I remember you were going to stow away in my suitcase, and follow me all the way to New York. But frankly that did not happen, so what really did?"
I blushed at the memory. I was teasing of course when I told him I would enclose myself in his suitcase and make him take me with him, but I can tell he won't let it go so easily. "Nothing, really, it's boring here without you Edward, nothing to do but play with Alice."
"And what's wrong with playing with Alice?" He scoffed, a smile in his voice.
"Nothing is wrong, I would gladly play with her, but she wouldn't play with me!" We laughed, me secretly sighing at the music his laugh makes.
"Not cool enough to play with your six year old sister, Isabella?" He teased, pulling me closer and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
My breath hitched, and I gulped nervously. "No, I suppose not."
It was getting dark, so the neon lights floating off the Carnival sign were almost as bright as if it were noon.
"I have a proposition for you mister college man." I taunted, inching backward towards the fair, he naturally followed.
"And what may that be miss Barker?" He beamed, grabbing my hands to make me stop walking.
"Race you."
His smile turned into a crooked grin and he let me go. "Ladies first."
I took off running. Now remember I am a huge klutz, but surprisingly I made it all the way to the entrance of the carnival before I tripped. Rolling down the small hill, laughing until I hit the bottom, right on a stick.
"Oh! That was smart!" I tried to rub my back, but it just caused the pain to flare.
I heard laughing from above me and opened my eyes. Edward was lying on top of me, in the middle of a ditch. I gasped. "Edward, what are you doing?"
He settled his weight on his arms, lying on either side of my head, and settled my face in his hands. "I'm doing what I have wanted to do ever since I met you ma belle."
His head slowly started to dip down, his eyes asking me silently if I was alright with it. Smiling I met him halfway.
It was heaven.
His lips were sweet and soft but with a pressure behind it that seemed urgent and needy. His tongue licked my top lip and I granted him access. I have never been kissed like this before, I have never been kissed period, but this hands down was the best kiss I would ever receive. We separated, both of us panting like animals.
"I never… I never… you… I never knew you liked me." I stuttered out.
He chuckled. "I've always loved you Isabella. I just never thought you liked me."
I smirked. "I've always loved you Edward." I repeated capturing his lips with mine again.
The next few weeks passed in blissful peace. Edward and I spent every waking moment together, and even some not so wakeful moments. Everything was perfect… for now. Edward will be leaving for New York in a less than two weeks. He would go to college and come back and find me, and we would live happily ever after… I hope. Truth is everything is up in the air, nothing is definite.
Right now Edward and I were sitting outside under the oak in his parents' back yard. My head was in his lap as he stroked my hair and I twirled some grass together.
"Isabella?" Edward asked. Turning my head I gave him a questioning look. "What's wrong? You have been acting weird the last few days." He replied, cupping my cheek.
I sighed. "Nothing is wrong Edward, I guess I am just tired." His look told me he didn't believe a word I said, but he left it at that. "So when are you leaving for New York?" I asked quickly, changing the subject.
Edward's head ducked and his eyes closed. I don't think I'm going ma belle." I shot up out of his lap and stared at him in shock. "What do you mean, Edward? Of course you're going."
"No Isabella, I will not… no cannot leave you." He looked up eyes deep with passion that took my breath away. Shaking my head I shakily stood up.
"Edward you will not blow your future on me! I will not allow it!"
He shot up to a standing position, hovering over me. "You are my future Isabella; I will not leave and take the chance that you will find someone better, someone more worthy of you!"
Tears were streaming down my face in sobs. "Edward if you do not go to college you will miss your chance for greatness and I will not be the one to stop that! I will not!"
The sobs overcame me, and I wrapped my arms around my waist. Edward pulled me into him and held me while I cried. "Isabella, please, let me be with you. Stop crying, I can't bear to see you cry." He rubbed my back gently as my sobs soon turned to quiet whimpers.
I stepped away from him. "Edward, I have to take this all in. Please let me take all this in. I have to go, but we'll meet here tomorrow? Around three?" I asked. Silently hoping he'd say no.
"Of course Isabella, I will see you tomorrow. I love you." Looking away from him, I cringed. To make this work I had to act the part.
"I have to go." I whispered and ran back to my house.
My eyes, stinging from the wind, were making tears that were falling from my face like a myriad of tiny waterfalls, each weighing me down, each making that next step harder and harder. The front of my house showed up on the horizon, blurry, unfocused. I couldn't grab the door knob without shaking like a scared kitten. Finally, it opened and I stepped inside and started for the stairs.
"Isabella? What's wrong?" Mother asked trying to intercept my path to freedom. "I don't want to talk about it!" I sobbed running up the stairs and into my bedroom.
I fell onto my bed, my head screaming into my pillow. Why? Why did this happen? Whenever things were going right it had to fall apart. Edward can't just not go to college, that's his future, and I will most certainly not let me be the reason why. I wouldn't be able to live with myself, and sooner or later he will end up hating me for it. I will not let that happen.
There was a rapid knocking at my door. "Isabella, are you alright? Dear please if anything's wrong you can tell me." Mother sounded cautious, but splitting, each word nailing me one by one, reminding me of how awful I had acted with her before. "You can come in mama, it's alright." I straightened up, dabbing my eyes with my finger tips.
The door opened slowly, and mother peeked her head in, silently asking permission. When I didn't refuse her, she stepped in and closed the door behind her. Tiptoeing over to my bed, she gently lowered herself next to me. "What happened." It wasn't a question, she could see right through me.
"Edward doesn't want to go to New York anymore. He wants to stay with me." I replied monotonously, no emotion seeping through.
Mama nodded her head, and wrapped her arm around my shoulders playing with the bit of hair that hung by my neck. "Oh, and you're not very happy about this." I shook my head.
"No, he needs to go to school, get the job that he so desperately wants, loves. I do not want be the one to stop that dream from happening, but what can I do Mama?"
"Seems like you've already made up your mind sweetheart, and if I know, which I think I do, there ain't no going back when you've set your mind to something. But I will help you and stand by you with whatever decision you decide to make."
And with a pat on my arm and a kiss on the cheek, she stood and walked calmly out of my room. I sighed, dropped my head to the wall and closed my tear filled eyes.
So this is what its come too. Doing the unthinkable to save the one you… I knocked my head on the wall a few times to clear my thoughts, sighed, and went to make a phone call that would change my life forever.
The banisters on the stairs seemed cold and nostalgic, unfamiliar. My clothes and necessities were packed up the horse and buggy for Springfield, where my aunt and uncle live. I was going to stay with them for a month, to see the area and new people. Or at least that's what I am going to tell everyone. I'm really going down there to think everything through, and be away from… everything.
"Isabella, it is almost three." My mother called from the foray.
Holding my head up high I grabbed my coat and walked down the stairs one more time, before I was not to see them again for more than three weeks. Outside the air was cold, and the wind was blowing, like God knew what was about to happen and he didn't like it one bit.
"Isabella!" A tinkling voice sounded behind me. Allie was running toward me, in a rush of black and blue. She jumped into my arms and held tight.
"Do you really have to go?" She asked softly into my hair.
"Yea, Allie. But I'll be back soon; you won't even have a chance to miss me."
"Yes I will. You're my best friend." She whimpered. The tears I wanted to hold back, poured out, spilling onto the blue jacket Allie was wearing. "It's okay, Allie. You have other friends, like Mrs. Esme and Georgia and Seth." She nodded and kissed my cheek. "I'll miss you Isabella."
"I'll miss you too sweetheart." I set her down and head for the Masen house.
The walk was long and teary. The wind was blowing north, which made my hair fly up and around my face. The huge oak that signaled my destination was a hard realization. I wouldn't be under that tree with Edward ever again after this.
The tears, which had paused their flowing, picked up again. Edward was standing underneath the for mentioned oak, with a sullen look on his face. He looked up and saw me heading toward him; he smiled brightly, his teeth as white as the shirt he wore.
"Isabella my darling."He breathed and reached out to pull me closer. I relented, giving in to one last embrace.
We kissed our last kiss.
I released everything I felt into that last kiss, hoping in a last attempt that he would realize what I was doing. But he didn't pull away.
He thought that the kiss meant I was accepting his decision to throw away his life. Ripping away from him I whispered, "I'm leaving." We were both panting but he composed himself and asked, "What? What did you say?"
"I am leaving, Edward. To go and live with my aunt and uncle for a while."
He gazed at me confused as ever. "Why would you do something like that? We are supposed to be together, that doesn't mean you leave, I stay Isabella."
I closed my eyes. It was going to take it all for him to get it. It was going to take me breaking both of our hearts in the process. "There will not be an "us" Edward. I am leaving, because it isn't safe for me to be here with you. I am dangerous with you Edward."
He laughed. "You, dangerous Isabella? I doubt that. Now, stop this foolishness and come along." He grasped my hand, but I snatched it against my chest.
"No Edward, I will not go with you because I do not love you! You do not seem to understand it Edward. This plan of yours will not ever be because there is no "us" and there will never be! I do not love you Edward."
Tears were free falling as my breath hitched until I could not speak at all. Edward stood there, befuddled, his lip quivering, his eyes watering. "But, this doesn't make any sense Isabella. You said…"
"What I said were lies Edward. Don't you get it? Everything was a lie. The soft touches, the nice words, everything, they were all lies."
I couldn't even look at him. Nothing but what I was saying now were lies. I would treasure every touch, every whisper when we would be separated. I could hear him trying to hold back his tears, I don't think it was working.
"Isabella.." He cried. I cringed and held back a sob. "I have to go Edward."
I took a risk by chancing a look at his face. It was broken and haggard, his eyes were red and puffy, and tear tracks stained his cheeks. "I have to… I have to go."
I ran as fast as I could out of the back yard and down the street, falling more than once. The horse drawn cab was waiting for me in front of my house. I yelled at the driver, "Go, go!" As I got into the seat.
My mother yelled "I love you Isabella! Ring me when you get to Aunt Charlotte's! Be safe darling!" The top was on the cabbie, and there was my old quilt lying on the bench across from me.
I laid down, wrapping the comforting quilt around me and tried to get some sleep. The last thought I had was of Edwards's haggard face as I ran away. Ran away from true love. Ran away from everything, so he would have anything he ever wanted or desired, but I knew one day that we would be together again. Whether it is spirit or some other form, we will be together again.
Because fate holds no boundaries for true love.
Hope ya'll liked it! It came to me and i wrote the entire thing in like three hours! :) Again hope you liked it. Right now it's a One-Shot... but is subject to change! :)