Just Blood ...

Author's Note: I've had this idea for a while … more to explain at end.

Set sometime between Twilight and New Moon.

Disclaimer: Pigs might someday fly, but some things will always remain impossible.

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It was one of those unusually sunny days in Forks, however today was particularly strange as it was one of those days which were actually hot. It was almost never hot in Forks – at least not compared to Phoenix-type temperatures – so today really was something.

Edward and I were spending time in our meadow, him sparkling like he usually did in the sunlight and I just sitting there in my human glory, holding each other's hands serenely. It was an ordinary enough day – at least as ordinary as my days could get, with a vampire as boyfriend.

Little did I know things were going to go dangerous – like they usually did, especially with me.

We were just sitting there in a comfortable silence, just happy to be together, when Edward suddenly stiffened as he glanced at me quickly and turned his head away. I frowned as I looked at him and his still-as-a-statue form. It looked like he wasn't breathing – and that probably meant he wasn't. For what reason?

I suddenly understood though as I faintly smelt the rusty coppery smell and wondered what I had done this time. Feeling something wet drip from my nose, my eyes widened in surprise and I put my free hand under my nose. Oh. I had a nosebleed.

As if it was really that simple.

Edward pulled his hand out of mine even as he glanced back worriedly, though I saw he was still fighting his terrible thirst, jaw clenched tightly. I smiled at him comfortingly and pinched the bridge of my nose, lying down on the grass, waiting for it to stop.

Edward started to let out a long breath, then stopped as he realised he would probably need the air to talk. He had mentioned before that though he didn't need air, it was a habit to breathe. He would be feeling uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" He murmured as he gazed down at me, the concern evident in his eyes, but the thirst there was equally obvious.

"I'm okay." I said thickly. "You get away, have some fresh air."

Edward shook his head stubbornly, even as his fist tightened on the grass next to me. I sighed as best as I could. I could feel the blood trickling down my throat – it wasn't a nice feeling and didn't taste particularly nice either. The silly masochist.

"Go, Edward. It's just blood. I'll be fine."

I could see Edward roll his eyes at 'just blood'. Sure, just blood, just Bella's blood which he thirsted for. No problem – none at all!

I poked him with my free hand – probably broke my finger doing that.

"Go."

He looked at me long and hard and finally, he made as if to sigh and stopped himself. He threw his hands up in defeat.

"Be careful, Bella. Don't … choke on your blood." He smiled a little as he said the last word and I swallowed more carefully and a little painfully.

He withdrew what looked like a handkerchief from a pocket and passed it to me before he got up, glancing at me anxiously one last time and disappearing from view, though I doubted that he went far.

I blotted some of the blood with the handkerchief and smiled as I smelled Edward's scent on it. Getting up cautiously, I realised that the nosebleed seemed to have stopped. That was good.

I glanced at the handkerchief and grimaced, folding it up and shoving it in my pocket. I would need to wash that.

"Edward?" I called out, knowing that Edward would hear.

He was back in less than a second, materialising next to me and surprising me so I almost fell over backwards. Edward chuckled as he sat down next to me again, though his expression was still a little strained. I didn't doubt that he could smell the handkerchief in my pocket, which would undoubtedly still be damp with blood from my nose – even though I doubted that was the only reason, his look went deep.

"What were you doing?" I asked curiously.

Edward shot a look at me before fixing his gaze somewhere distant again.

"Thinking." He said absently and lapsed into silence once more.

I studied his face and wondered if I had done something. I couldn't quite tell what he was feeling though – his face was carefully composed, even if some strain had leaked. I took a deep breath.

"Sorry."

He looked at me funnily. "What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Well, a few things. Firstly for the nosebleed…"

He had raised his eyebrows at that.

"How is that your fault? It's a warm day, nosebleeds happen all the time."

I sighed, looking at him pointedly, and then continued as though there hadn't been an interruption.

"… and your handkerchief, secondly. I'll need to wash it before you can have it back though."

Edward laughed at that.

"You can keep that." he grinned even as I tried to protest. "I doubt I can take it back anyway." he raised his eyebrows at me and I understood.

"Oh. Sorry."

He smiled crookedly at me and as I stopped breathing momentarily, he got to his feet gracefully. He offered a hand to me and I took it, him pulling me up gently.

"Well," he said, as he pulled me close. "Shall we go replenish that blood you lost?"

"Ugh," I said, as we started walking, "I swallowed a lot of that blood anyway."

He chuckled again. "Welcome to the life of the vampire."

I grinned at that. "I suppose I'll just have to get used to it then."

He gave me a skeptical look but smiled as we left.

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Author's Note: Bad ending... um... Anyway, meant to be somewhere between Twilight and New Moon, so Edward obviously is still completely against her turning into a vampire. Might even contribute to Edward's decision of leaving her…?

This is going as an oneshot unless someone has an idea on how to continue it…

This might be my last story/chapter/etc in a while…

Review, please?