Constant Love

by deanbranson

Written for the Bookward 'Off The Page' Contest. Bella goes back to the townwhere she met her first love. Bad summary. BxE One-shot. Notebook/Twilight LEMON

"Off The Page" Contest

Pen Name: SmileEdwardLuvsYhoo

Title: Constant Love

Book/Written Work: 'The Notebook' by Nicholas Sparks

Summary: Written for the Bookward 'Off The Page' Contest. Bella goes back to the townwhere she met her first love. Bad summary. BxE

Word Count: approx. 21,000

For Rules and Other Submissions, please visit:

http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/1981556/

Disclaimer :- I do not own twilight.

IMPORTANT A/N –as in the book, there are THREE different years. It will be mostly 2017 (Edward and Bella are both 30) but there is also some bits in 2004/05 (Edward and Bella are 18) and 2060 (Edward and Bella are both 73). So look out for changes. I have put the year in brackets at the start of the time change to reduce confusion :) You do not need to have read the book to understand this – it is not really a crossover as such, more as everything that happens in this oneshot are inspired by the book – not like the only difference between the Notebook and this oneshot is I changed the names to the twilight characters.

And I know it's really long lol I kind of got carried away : )

---

(2060)

Who am I? And how, I wonder, will this story end?

I sit, watching the sun rise. It is beautiful – dawn is one of the most beautiful sights I've ever witnessed. But I can think of one even more beautiful.

A beautiful woman looking at me with love in her eyes. Knowing who I am.

I shake my head, dispelling my thoughts. I need to act indifferent when I see her today – otherwise I may alarm her. Scare her.

She needs to remember it all on her own.

I get up and get dressed – jeans, button up plain shirt with a thick red sweater over it – a present from my daughter ten years ago. I pick up my reading glasses and more importantly, the notebook. I get off the window seat in my room and walk slowly to the door. I'm going to have breakfast then I will visit her.

Anna sees me going to go get breakfast and helps me there. I'm not as fast or as balanced as I was when I was younger. A simple fall could have serious repercussions. Anna helps me get cereal and milk and she sits down with me at one of the mostly empty, tables. Most people either have breakfast in their rooms or are not up yet. It's only half seven in the morning.

"How are you today?" Anna asks me kindly.

"Ok," I say shortly. "When will I get to see her today?"

Anna smiles at my eagerness. "She's in her room at the moment. You will be able to see her as soon as you finish your breakfast."

I push back my bowl of cereal. "I'm finished," I say. Anna laughs.

"I knew you would do that. Eat some more. You've only had a couple of mouthfuls. Then you can go see her."

"Fine," I grumble. I eat quickly – life has been like this for three years now but I'm still not used to her presence not being with me all day. It reminds me of when we first met – when we were practically children. Living with our parents, having to deal with curfews and nosy, overprotective parents.

When I finish my breakfast, I leave Anna to go see her. I knock on the door three times and opened it a crack to look in. She is sitting in her window seat, looking out - just as I had been earlier on that morning. She isn't looking at me until she hears the door open and she turns around.

Her deep brown eyes find mine. She arches a brow. "And who are you?" she asks curiously.

A deep familiar pain strikes me – as always – but I ignore it. Why do I still feel pain when she says that when I have more than enough time to get used to it? It had been three years after all. "I was sent to read to you. I do that for a lot of the people here," I explain to her. The latter part wasn't true but I had found that it was better when she didn't know that I only read for her.

"Go on then," she nods towards an armchair close to the window, gesturing for me to sit down. She always places me there – even though there are four other seats to choose from.

I look at her for a long second before opening the notebook. She looks well today – she doesn't look stressed or in fear even though I know that earlier on this morning when she woke up, she was full of it. She would be screaming; terrified because she has no idea where she is, who the people around her are. It's always like that.

I pray a short prayer that today would be a good day – the story would get through past her illness to her heart. Then I start to read.

E.A.M.C.E.A.M.C.E.A.M.C.

(2004)

It was the first day of September 2004 and Edward Cullen was getting ready for the first day of school. He was running late and was rushing around the large house trying to find his grey pea coat. Normally he wouldn't take the time to look for a particular garment if he could not spot it right away – did it really matter if he was wearing the exact coat, top or jeans that Alice had commanded him to wear?

But today was different. Alice had told him that unless he was wearing exactly what she had told him to wear – blue Armani button up shirt, grey pea coat, Schultz 'Blouberg' jeans ("Jeans have a name?") and his black lace-up shoes that Alice had gotten him the week before – or she would convince Jessica that Edward was secretly in love with her but too shy to ask her out. Jessica was very confident of her sexual appeal and so would easily believe Alice if she told her that, Edward knew. He also knew that Jessica would take it into her own hands if she had any reason to believe that Edward returned her feelings.

Edward knew that if he didn't leave the house in the next ten minutes, he would be late – even with his habit to speed – and that wouldn't be a good start to the school year. He was about to give up when he spotted it, hiding behind the settee. He remembered that he had set it down on the back of the settee after coming home from hanging out with his friends at the diner. He was watching a program on classical music and did not notice his coat slip off the back and fall down behind the sofa.

He quickly grabbed it and strode back to the kitchen where his school bag and cold breakfast was waiting for him. He had been about to eat a piece of toast when he had realized that he was missing his coat. He took a huge bite of the bread and wincing, threw it into the bin. Cold, soggy toast wasn't very appetizing. He decided that he would grab something from the vending machine at school instead of wasting any more time at home. For all he knew, Alice might have got impatient and decide to go through with her threat.

He wouldn't admit it but frankly, he was scared of Jessica. Not in a scary monster way but he knew that Jessica didn't like to be refused and could be very determined when she put her mind to it. He knew it wouldn't be good whatever she would plan.

He shouted a quick, "Goodbye" to his sleeping mother as he walked out the door to his waiting Volvo S60 and drove to Forks High School. Forks was a small town and his house wasn't very far from the school and with a combination of that, not a lot of traffic and his habit for speeding, he was at the high school in a matter of minutes. As he parked in his usual spot, he spotted Alice, Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper in their usual spot.

As he turned off the engine and got out of the car, Alice had run up to him – presumably to make sure he was wearing the right clothes. She nodded in approval. "You're lucky today."

He glared at her.

She pretended not to notice and smiled innocently. "What took you so long anyways? Usually you're here much earlier than today. You only have a couple of minutes before the bell."

Before Edward could reply, the rest of their friends joined them. "Hey," Jasper greeted, taking his spot beside Alice. Emmett and Rosalie were standing a couple feet from them – whispering and giggling to each other. Edward didn't want to know what they were talking about – it would most likely star Emmett and Rosalie in compromising positions, doing things that Edward never wanted to think his friends doing.

The bell rang then and the five of them loped off in the direction of their first class. As they passed, they heard some of their classmates talking about a new student in their year.

-

Isabella Swan was late. Her alarm clock had not gone off and she had slept in, only waking ten minutes before school started. She stumbled out of her bed and blindly reached for something to wear.

If she didn't have a shower or breakfast, she could potentially get to school only ten, twenty minutes late. She hurriedly flew on a random top, jeans and her converse. She knew she looked a sight – what she was wearing didn't match, but she didn't really care. She didn't fit in with the people at Forks, why would she care if it was yet another bridge against her and the other students? After brushing and washing her face in record time, she ran out to her new car (only tripping twice, to Bella's surprise), courtesy of Charlie. Her father had already left for work.

The engine of her ancient Chevy truck spluttered to life and she attempted to speed out of the driveway. Attempted, being the operative word. Her truck was not for anyone who liked to drive fast – or well, even going at a steady pace. It was very slow – it would never make the speeding limit, never mind past it. But Bella liked it. She didn't like to drive fast – maybe it was because her father was a police officer, she reasoned. He had always drilled into her the importance of speeding limits and the damage it could cause if they were broken.

As she drove into school, fifteen minutes late, she searched for a space in the car park. To her relief, she noticed that her truck didn't stand out too much – most of the other cars looked second hand and worn. Not like her school in Phoenix where it was not out of the ordinary for a student to glide into school in a shiny, new, Mercedes. As she turned off the ignition, she noticed a couple of cars that she had somehow overlooked. A silver Volvo (the only car symbol she could identify – she was one of those hopeless people around cars. She only recognized the symbol because her mother had a Volvo), a shiny red convertible, a very big, very intimidating jeep and a very expensive looking yellow car.

Bella quickly made her way in the direction of the front office where she found a kind elderly lady who gave her a time table and a map of the school grounds. "You do know that school starts at half eight, dear?" the lady questioned her.

Bella blushed. "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry – I was running late today."

The lady chuckled. "It's not me you should be worrying about – I only say because Mr. Lloyd is strict about being late so make sure to be a few minutes early on Wednesdays since you have him first period."

"Thanks for the advice," Bella smiled and then after consulting her map, made her way in the direction – she hoped – of her English classroom. She dreaded having to walk into class nearly twenty-five minutes late. Everyone would be looking at her – and that was without being new, just late. Now it would be double the torture. If she was just late, they would lose interest after a minute or two but the combination of being late and new would mean that she would be stared at for the rest of the class – the rest of the day – without a break.

Bella knocked timidly on the door and opened it. Inside everyone turned to look at her. "You must be Isabella Swan," greeted the teacher – a balding, overweight man who looked to be about 40.

She looked at her schedule – his name was Mr. Mason, according to the paper in front of her. "Um, yeah. But I prefer Bella," she told him, awkwardly standing in the doorway.

"You can sit there." He gestured to a seat in the middle row beside a short, black haired girl. Bella blinked at how pretty the girl was. She reminded Bella of a pixie. The girl in question was practically bouncing up and down on her seat in excitement. Bella smiled tentatively at the girl as she sat down.

"I'm Alice Cullen," her hand shot out. "It's so great to meet you. The whole school hasn't stopped talking about you the whole morning, Isabella – or Bella? Is that what you said you prefer?"

She groaned internally – she was right. She had been hoping that Forks High would hardly notice the newest addition to the school. She knew that there was no way that they would overlook such a great gossip opportunity but she still hoped. "Yeah, I prefer Bella. No one really calls me Isabella except from my mother."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Legally, I'm Mary Alice Cullen but no one calls me that except from my grandmother. It really annoys me. I hate the name Mary; but I can hardly tell that to my grandmother when she's my namesake!" Bella laughed. She liked Alice.

"Isabella, I was just telling the class about the books we will be studying this year before you came in," Mr. Mason explained. Bella noticed how he still called her Isabella despite her saying she preferred it to be abbreviated to Bella. "We are going to start off with the Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet. I take it; you are familiar with the plot?"

Bella nodded. When she was ten years old, she had gone through a phase when she lived and breathed Romeo and Juliet. She would watch the film of it every night and knew passages of the play off by heart. "Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love despite their families being enemies. They get married in secret but Romeo kills Juliet's cousin in combat and he is banished from Vienna. Juliet's family arrange her to get married to a wealthy family friend and Juliet concocts a plan to prevent her getting married. She takes a potion so she appears like she's dead but Romeo thinks she's actually dead and so kills himself. When Juliet awakens to her dead husband, she kills herself as well."

"Good," Mr. Mason nodded.

-

Edward was in History first period. He was bored – their teacher was just doing the general first day things – introducing herself, handing out books, explaining to the class what they would learn this year, getting to know pupils' names that she had not taught before (which were by far the minority). The school was so small that usually by Senior year you were taught by the majority of teachers who taught at Forks High. He ignored the looks of lust from the hormonal teenage girls and resorted to shading in his new class work book when he felt his Iphone vibrate in his pocket.

Met the new girl – Isabella Swan but she prefers Bella.
She's so sweet! She needs some work fashion wise but
other than that, she's perfect! I know that we will be
best friends so get used to a new member to the
lunch table (although I have a feeling that you especially
won't argue with these plans ;))! Love Alice xxx

Edward shook his head at Alice's excitement over the new girl – Bella, he could now identify her as. He wasn't surprised that Alice had immediately befriended this Bella. In fact he was half expecting it.

What do you mean me especially? =S Ali, whatever you have
planned between me and this girl, stop it now. Otherwise I'll
tell Carlisle about the time with that red JC dress ;) Don't think
I won't do it. Edward

Edward grinned to himself, picturing Alice's expression upon receiving the text. Disappointment was a given. Regret and sorrow for the plan she would never get to use. Anger at him for black mailing her. Abashed and ashamed of the incident he had just reminded her of.

His phone vibrated again.

Hey! Don't be mean. I'll have you know that in actual
fact I'm not planning anything. Yet. Personally I think I
won't even have to so... =P Why do you always have to bring
up THAT time when you want me to do something? It's
blackmail. =O What would your mother say if she heard that
her darling boy was blackmailing her poor defenceless best
friend? Love Alice xxx

He immediately texted back.

Alice, one thing you are not, is defenceless. Plus if she knows it's
you I'm 'blackmailing', she'll know you deserve it, you meddling
pixie ;) Edward

A minute later his phone vibrated again.

HAHA Meddling pixie? I like it. Love Alice the Meddling Pixie xxx

After reading her last text he realised that he had never reprimanded her a second time. He decided to set the record straight in case Alice thought he was backing down.

Just so you know, if you had not already conceded defeat over
planning something for me and Bella, you would need it. To plan
something, that is. Because nothing's going to happen. Edward

He went back to shading in his new notebook, cursing his pixie friend. Why did she always think she knew better than him when it came to his personal life – especially when it came to girls? He would be absolutely furious at any person except from Alice if they had said anything alluding that they thought knew better than him about issues that concerned him and him alone. Since it was Alice, he could not bring himself to be genuinely annoyed at her – he could only be amused and slightly exasperated.

AHA. You're on a first name basis already xD And, are you BETTING
against me? Because you know I'm always right ;) Love Alice the
Meddling Pixie xxx

He didn't bother replying.

-

Alice led Bella to the cafeteria at lunch. Apart from English, they were in each other's Spanish and History classes as well. "Bella, you have such a lovely figure. Why do you hide it in such a... loose, unflattering top?" Alice asked exasperatedly.

"It's not that bad," Bella argued good-naturedly.

"It really is. That's it – this weekend we're going shopping," Alice clapped her hands in delight. "Oh, it will be so much fun!"

As they entered the lunch room, Bella looked around. There were a bunch of tables spread around the room; most tables were circular in shape. At the side there was a canteen to buy lunch. Basically, your average cafeteria. Her eyes started to follow to the table where Alice was leading her to. Four people were already sitting there, deep in conversation. A stunning blonde girl and three equally gorgeous boys. The blonde girl and the biggest boy – muscle and height wise – was facing them while the other two boys had their back to the two girls.

The girl looked like a model you would see on runways and on the cover of fashion magazines – hell, all of them looked like that, Bella noticed with a growing uncertainty. She had long, flowing, wavy blonde hair and her big baby blue eyes dazzled in a perfectly proportioned face. She was smiling, holding hands with the largest of the three boys. Bella guessed he was her boyfriend. Her boyfriend was equally attractive with dark, slightly curly hair and muscles the size of pineapples. Weird analogy but true, Bella chuckled to herself. He was sitting down so she could not know for certain his exact height but she guessed he would be well over six foot – 6'5, 6'6 maybe?

The blonde of the three boys spotted the two girls making their way to the table when he looked over his shoulder and waved. Alice immediately flung herself on to his lap and snuggled into him. "I missed you, Jazzy," Bella heard her whisper to him.

Either he was her boyfriend as well or Bella's new friend and her friends were very affectionate with each other. Bella hoped it was the former. The blonde Alice had perched herself on was also very attractive with longish blond curls sticking up in a fashion that reassembled sex hair. He had baby blue eyes also and his facial structure reassembled the blond girl's a little. Bella wondered if they were related. "Bella," Alice called to her after kissing the boy's cheek. "This is my Jasper," she introduced him sounding like a proud parent.

"Hey," Bella said uncomfortably, shoving her hands in my pockets.

"Jasper, this is my newest best friend, Bella," Alice beamed. Bella felt touched at her words. They had only known each other a matter of hours but already Alice felt comfortable enough to call her one of her best friends. Of course, Bella knew she mustn't take Alice's words to heart. Alice couldn't seriously mean it. It was just illogical.

"Alice gets attached really quickly," a velvety voice commented to Bella from her right. She turned to see the third boy. In Bella's opinion he was the most gorgeous of them all. Hands down, the most attractive boy she had ever seen. His long messy bronze hair curved in all directions – the hottest sex hair Bella had ever seen, she thought to herself. He was tall – over six foot but not as tall as the muscle-y boy. He looked down at her through emerald green eyes and Bella could feel herself melt on the spot as his gaze penetrated her – as cheesy as it sounded. Bella tried to snap out of her lust-induced daze; she wouldn't be surprised if she was drooling!

"Ugh...hey?" Bella stammered. She mentally slapped herself – "Ugh...hey?" she could have managed a more intelligent reply. Why had she turned into a gibbering lunatic just because the most beautiful boy she had ever seen spoke to her? This wasn't like Bella. She had a plan. This wasn't in her plan.

She was supposed to get through the years living with Charlie and go to Harvard on a partial scholarship. There she would meet a gorgeous yet intelligent man who she would fall in love with at first sight. The boy would ask her out and she would say yes. They would get married a few years after graduating. After the wedding they would decide they wanted to have two perfect children who would grow up to help save the world.

It wasn't supposed to happen now. Not that she was in love with the bronze haired Greek God. Of course not, just like Alice calling her, her "best friend", it just didn't make any sense.

She didn't want to be the girl who married straight out of high school, got a minimum wage job because she couldn't bear to be apart from her new husband – even just for class, and have 20 kids. That wasn't her.

"I see you've met Edward," Alice smirked at her.

The question was though – were these her plans or her mother's?

-

Lying in bed later that night, Edward reminisced over his day. It had not turned out as he thought it would be. He thought back to earlier that day at lunch time when his life had changed with the entrance of the beautiful doe-eyed girl in it.

He had been expecting a moderately attractive girl to walk in with Alice. He was definitely not expecting her.

Isabella Swan was the epitome of perfection. He longed to stroke her long, glossy brown hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. He wanted to know what she was thinking behind those deep eyes. He wanted to hold her hand and support her against the evils of real life. He wanted a lot of things, most of them starring Bella being his.

-

(2017)

It was early November 2017 and Edward was watching the sun rise on a rare day of sun in Forks. He was thinking about the first day he met his first – and only – love. Edward would never admit it but he knew that a part of him still loved her. He hadn't thought of Bella for a while so he was surprised by his sudden reminiscence of their time together.

They hadn't been together for long really, compared to other relationships in the past but he had never been touched as deeply as with Bella with any other woman. Maybe it was because she was the first girl he loved – they did say you never forgot your first love, after all. But that didn't explain how he would always feel guilty if he got close to another woman. Guilty because he still thought of Bella when he was with the new woman. Guilty that he still had feelings for Bella – stronger than those for his current lady friend. Guilty that he was betraying Bella by seeing another woman – even though they hadn't seen each other in thirteen years.

He was starting to think he had lost his ability to love. He thought back to his last relationship.

He had been going out with Kate, a very attractive woman who lived near him two years ago. She was perfect but he couldn't make himself fall in love with her. Kate was understanding about it all – more than he could ever hope. She was also very perceptive. They were out in a nice restaurant when she asked him about Bella.

"Who is it?" Kate had asked kindly, taking his hands across the table.

He had been miles away in his own thoughts and was confused. "Who?"

"The girl you are still in love with."

He had spluttered, denying that he was in love with anyone. Kate had just arched her brow. "How did you know?" he finally asked.

"Because I am a woman and I know these things. I can see it in your eyes sometimes – that you're not here with me, you're somewhere else with another woman. At first, I'll admit, I was jealous – angry even – but then I realised..."

"What did you realise?"

"That I'm in the same boat. I – I'm still in love with my ex as well."

Edward had been surprised - Kate had never mentioned any of her past relationships. He couldn't be hurt or angry at her though – like she had said, they were both in the same situation although Edward supposed that she was more likely to find happiness with her ex-boyfriend, than he would with Bella. She probably didn't even remember him – if she did, she would only remember the end of their relationship.

"Last week," Kate had continued. "Garrett came to my work. He – he told me he was still in love with me. And I'm going to get back together with him. I'm really sorry." And she had got up, kissed his cheek and left but not before adding, "I hope it works out with your lucky girl."

He only heard from her once since then – a letter saying she had married Garrett and that she was happy a year after their last meeting. Kate had moved away shortly after ending their relationship.

Ever since then, he knew it was wrong of him to have a relationship with any woman while he was still in love with another. It wasn't fair on him or her. He was lucky that time with Kate – it had all worked out.

Why could he not forget Bella? he would ask himself at night. She had made herself clear that she didn't want any kind of relationship with him. After she had moved away, he had written at least one letter every week for three years afterwards. Not one single reply. No acknowledgement that she had gotten any of his letters. He would have emailed but they had decided together that it was more romantic and more uplifting for the receiver to write letters to each other. He had never even considered that she would never have any contact with him after that tearful farewell at the airport.

He had always thought that their love was so fierce that nothing – not even living in separate states – could sever that love. He guessed that love must have only been one-sided.

Despite that, he knew that Bella must have cared at least a little for him. How could you be best friends and go out with someone for nearly a year without having some feeling towards him...?

How had he got himself into this mess – where he was thirty and alone, with no way of changing either of those factors, unless you counted turning thirty-one? He had felt so optimistic after that first day...

After that first day, he and Bella had gotten very close and by the end of September, they were best friends. He had fallen in love with Bella more and more every day as he found out more about her. Later, he had found out, she had fallen in love too. Or so she had said at the time – looking back he was doubtful that her feelings were as intense as she had said they were. If she really loved him, why did she not write back? It seemed to Edward that as soon as she had left Forks, she had forgotten him.

And why shouldn't she? He had caused her to fight with her family. He knew he was one of the main reasons why Bella and her mother were no longer close all those years ago.

After he was arrested, it was only worse. It wasn't his fault, Bella had argued for his sake to her mother. He was protecting her.

-

(June 2005)

Bella's mother had surprised her daughter with a visit to Forks. Bella had been happy at first. Renée was here to apologise for being so against Edward. She would forgive Renée and their relationship would be back to normal. Before she had moved to Forks, Renée and Bella had been as close as a mother and daughter could be. Renée was strict, yes. Ok, she was determined to call Bella Isabella, despite Bella telling her mother many times that she didn't like it. Sure, Renée had many rules that Bella had to follow which made it hard to have friends. But she was her mother and she loved Renée.

Until moving to Forks, Bella had never felt like she could both love and hate someone before.

After Renée met Phil, Bella had decided to give the couple some time on their own and had decided to move in with Charlie in Forks in her last year of high school. When Renée had found out that Bella had found love with a local, Renée had been critical. She wanted to protect her daughter from being hurt – which seemed inevitable. She had tried to persuade Bella to end the relationship before it got too serious.

And then, Edward had got arrested.

Renée, of course, found out. She was keeping a very close eye on the two of them, particularly Edward. Not only that but her ex-husband, Bella's father, was the police chief and was obviously aware of the crime in Forks. Charlie was nearly as overprotective as Renée and had taken great pleasure in telling his ex-wife about what their daughter's boyfriend was like.

Assault. Violence. It was enough for any mother to demand her daughter to break up with her boyfriend for, Renée had reasoned on her flight to Forks.

Of course, Renée couldn't trust her daughter not to see Edward behind her back. At school, they would have to talk to each other since they were in two classes together – one in which they were partnered up. It seemed to Renée the only option was a clean break. Renée wasn't opposed to the idea at all – in fact; she had been hoping that Isabella would ask her if she could move back to Phoenix with her. Ever since the relationship with Phil hadn't worked out, she was lonely.

Bella didn't know that Renée's visit signified her departure.

On the very night that Renée had arrived they had got into a massive argument.

"Isabella," Renée had said at the table in the kitchen. Renée was staying at Charlie's house which unsurprisingly was very awkward for all the occupants of the house. "Charles and I have been talking about your current accommodations and we have come to a conclusion. We have decided that you shall come home with me to Phoenix at the end of the week." Renée beamed at her daughter.

Bella was confused. "For how long?" she asked.

"What do you- oh, Isabella, I do not mean for a visit – you're moving back home with me."

"Bu- but... I can't," Bella burst out. "My life is here now. With Edward and Ch- Dad and Alice and my friends at school."

Renée frowned at her. "What about your friends back in Phoenix?" she pointed out.

"What friends? You wouldn't allow me to have any!"

"Yes, I did. There were those nice girls, Tanya and Carmen."

"Mother, they weren't my friends, they were your friends' daughters!"

"Just because their mothers are my friends, doesn't mean they can't be your friends," Renée told her daughter. "Now, Isabella, don't argue. The matter has already been agreed upon. I know you think you won't live without your boyfriend and all that theatrical nonsense, but you will survive. In a couple of weeks, you'll probably be asking yourself what you ever saw in that boy."

The doorbell rang then but no one made a move to get it. Renée was confident in the knowledge she was right and Bella was infuriated by her mother's words. Edward wasn't some boy that she would forget. They were soul mates! Bella thought furiously to herself. Charlie, uncomfortable by the tension in the room practically leaped to the door to open it, seeking refuge from the two angry women in the kitchen.

"Wha- How can you say that?" Bella said, practically blind with rage. She knew she was nearly screaming but she didn't care. How could her mother be so blind? "Edward is perfect – and I love him."

"Perfect?" Renée raised her eyebrows. "So you think his hot temper is perfect? I heard about how he assaulted that poor boy last week."

"How did you know about that?" Bella knew that once Renée was determined to feel ill of someone, it would be hard to change her mind. Bella could see now that Renée had decided that Edward was at fault and was some quick-tempered teenage boy who would start beating up Bella when he had no one else to hit. "He was protecting me. James was coming on very – strongly to me." Bella didn't know how to tell her mother that James was sexually harassing her and if it wasn't for Edward, she probably wouldn't be able to fight him off because he was so strong. Her mother wouldn't believe her and Bella felt mortified to be the one to tell her mother that she could have been very possibly raped if it wasn't for Edward.

"Was that what he told you?" Renée snorted. "Isabella, that's what he'll say each time it happens and then he'll start on you!"

Edward came into the room then. He had been the one at the door. "Ms. Swan, I would never hurt Bella. Ever," he said tightly. He was furious that anyone would think that of him.

Renée was surprised by the appearance of Edward but didn't back down. She didn't want to believe that her daughter didn't need her anymore – she had Edward. She was determined to think that there must be something wrong with him, and didn't back down.

"I love her. I would never hurt her."

-

(2017)

Bella was driving along the motorway, trying to stop herself thinking about what she would find at her destination. She had told Jacob Black, her finance, that she had to go to Forks for research for her latest books. In reality, she was going to meet her first love for what she told herself would be the last time. It would be closure.

She wasn't going to stay long. She wasn't sure what would happen when she got there – would Edward even remember her? Would he even talk to her if he did? She knew from the newspaper that he was unmarried and a successful doctor. That he had just announced his desire to open a new ward in the hospital he worked at, and had donated a substantial fund to the cause. He was in the paper because he was advertising the charity he had started for improving health care in small hospitals or hospitals in small towns across America, starting with Forks.

Bella was surprised to say the least, to see him after all those years of silence. Even if it was not a direct acknowledgement, she decided it was a sign. She had just been thinking about him – though she should have been thinking about the wedding – when she had seen his face on the newspaper Jacob was reading. She had sprung up from her seat and snatched the newspaper off him to see if it really was him. And it was. How could she mistake that perfect face? The messy bronze hair was exactly as she remembered it to her relief. He looked the same since the last time she had seen him, over 10 years ago at the airport where she was getting the flight with her mother to Phoenix. Of course, he did look older but he had aged gracefully and his features were more defined and manly whereas they had been more boyish when he was seventeen.

She remembered back to that day at the airport. She had thought about that day a lot in the years following her moving back to Phoenix.

When he had said he would write every single day, did he really mean he wouldn't? Was it a way of placating her until she was out of the state?

When he had said he would never forget her, did he really mean he would never contact or attempt to see her?

When he said he loved her, did he actually mean he couldn't wait to get rid of her?

Bella didn't even want to think of those dark, dark months after moving back to Phoenix. She would be the first to admit it was the most depressing period of her life. Of course, it didn't help that she was living with a mother who had no sympathy towards Bella whose broken heart was obvious to everyone around her.

"Get over it, Isabella. Isn't it obvious that his feelings for you aren't as deep as he told you? He was after one thing."

Renée wasn't completely heartless however. She was never going to be a fan of Bella and Edward together – Isabella deserved much more than a boy who would probably grow up to work in the family business until he was of retiring age, never leaving his home town, never going anywhere in life – but she did have to admit that Edward completed her daughter. Despite that, she stood by her belief that if Isabella had stayed in Forks and continued her romance with the boy, it would ultimately lead to her daughter's heart being broken and Renée being left to pick up the pieces. And goodness knows what those pieces would entail – a teenage pregnancy, God forbid?

She was unwavering by her conclusion that she was doing the right thing by her daughter.

And it had all worked out just as Renée had wanted it to, Bella thought. At university at Yale, she had met Jacob Black, a promising young man who was top of his class and it was the general consensus that he would change the world in some way. Jacob was handsome – and the complete opposite of Edward. Where Edward was charming, Jacob was upfront, where Edward was protective; Jacob felt that people could fend for themselves... It was a welcome change to Bella as she had always seen similarities in every man she met between him and Edward. She was sick of it – she knew she wasn't being fair on the new people she met; she knew that no one she would ever have the chance to meet would live up to Edward.

When she had first met him, Bella hadn't been interested in a romantic relationship with Jacob, but Renée persuaded – more like, forced, Bella thought grimly – her to give it a go. Bella did love Jacob – she knew she did, but it was very different to the love she had with Edward. With Edward, it was passionate and like the romance books whereas with Jacob it was a more dependable love. The kind of love that you would marry and grow old together.

What the hell am I doing? Bella asked herself. Am I crazy for doing this? I'm happy. We're happy. Why am I rocking the boat now?

She knew what she was doing would be considered by some as crazy. She knew that nothing good would come of it – just heartbreak. The newspaper had said he was unmarried but it hadn't said he didn't have a girlfriend. What if he knocked on his house and his girlfriend appeared at the door? No doubt she would be gorgeous – maybe even a model. She would be intelligent too – Edward had always found stupid girls insufferable.

She knew this thought process wasn't rational – she was engaged. Why should she expect Edward to remain single forever when she was getting married? She knew this – she knew she was being selfish but she couldn't change what she felt.

Her heart pounded as she saw the familiar sign on the highway for Forks. So close.

Now she was almost here, she was beginning to doubt she would go through with it, but it was too late now to turn back. Even if she did, she would have to stop at a motel on her long way back to the city since it was getting close to dusk and she didn't trust her driving all night without falling asleep at the wheel.

She knew that after Edward's parents died, he had moved back to the house he had grown up in. Apparently it was the most impressive house – or more appropriately, mansion – in Forks. And that was before it got extensions and completely redecorated. Now it was probably the pride and glory of the whole area, not just Forks.

Bella decided it was too late to do anything tonight and drove to the motel where she had booked a room and checked in. She got up to her room with her duffel bag and rang Jacob. It wasn't a long conversation – just that he missed her and to be as fast as she can researching 'whatever you need for your book'. He was too busy to continue their phone call much longer than that. He promised to call her tomorrow and hung up.

Bella disliked discussing her novels with Jacob and he had never made much of an effort to find out more about her chosen occupation. He had never even read any of her published books. It wasn't that he didn't care, Bella mused. It was more that he felt he was invading her space by reading something as personal as a novel she had written. Sure, it was available publically but he felt that it was different because he knew Bella personally – and very well at that. They were getting married, after all.

There was also the fact that he was a proud and self-proclaimed workaholic and because of that didn't have much time for reading fictional novels.

After ending the call with Jacob, she had a long shower, trying desperately to distract herself from thoughts of Edward and what tomorrow would bring. She was already anxious enough.

Needless to say, she didn't have a goodnight's sleep.

-

The next day Bella woke and for ten seconds, she thought it was just another normal day – not the day she was going to come face-to-face with the boy – now man – who had broken her heart. The boy who still had a part of it.

She postponed her departure – to her doom, Bella thought to herself drily – because of her inability to decide what to wear. It really should have been easier than usual, considering that all she had with her was a small duffel bag with just a handful of different outfits, but Bella was even more indecisive than usual.

After trying on all the clothes she had brought with her multiple times, she decided on wearing a casual dark blue summer dress. Bella was satisfied by her choice – it was neither too dressed up nor dressed down.

Bella got into her truck – a newer, less-worn recarnation of the red Chevy (it seemed she had a weakness for red trucks) she had the year she was living in Forks. The year she met Edward and fell unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Why did everything come back to him? Bella had asked herself time and time again over the years. Every major thing that had happened to her since 2005 had always made her think about Edward. What would he think if she was still together with him? How would he react?

Even when Jacob had proposed to her. That night, she was ashamed to say, that she had dreamt of the proposal again, only it wasn't Jacob, it was Edward with the ring, Edward asking her to make him the happiest man in the world, Edward asking her to be his wife.

She couldn't think of her teenage years without thinking about him. She couldn't think of gorgeous men without thinking of him. She couldn't think of an ex-boyfriend in passing without spending twice as much time thinking of Edward. She couldn't think of the romantic interests in her novels without being reminded of Edward in some way or another. She was embarrassed to say that every, single male character that fell in love with the heroine of her books brought something of Edward.

Of course, she had the sense to not make them too similar to each other. Garrett was fiercely protective of Kate and would beat up any man who disrespected her. Laurent was intellectual and always heartbreakingly romantic with Irena. James was very competitive and passionate about his hobbies and Victoria. Sam's tendency to over-think and blame himself for things that wasn't his fault were influenced by Edward. As was his presence – tall and intimidating – at least until he smiled.

Was it wrong that the only characters that were influenced by Jacob were always the best friend who was left disappointed because she had picked the Edward influenced character? Or the character who was turned down by the heroine of the story?

Yes. She knew it was wrong. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about Edward at all – after all these years, she should be over him. And she was. Or so she liked to think.

She had Jacob now. She was going to be a wife – and a very loving one, at that. She was going to bear Jacob's children. She was going to grow old with Jacob. Not Edward.

But then that article in the newspaper had destroyed her pretence that she only cared about what happened to Edward as anyone would of a person they used to know very well when they were younger. A casual sense of hoping that they would do well in the world and would be granted a good life. An interest in what had happened to the person but not a yearning need.

It hadn't been like that for Bella.

And now, here she was, driving to a house she had visited countless times thirteen years ago. She knew Edward wasn't working today and so she was fairly confident that he would be home. She was caught between hoping that he was home and hoping that he wasn't. It would be so much easier to visit, see he wasn't home and then drive back to where she was meant to be. With Jacob.

Bella turned into the small road that would lead to Edward's house. He lived a little outside of the town and the first couple of times she had gotten lost when visiting him, all those years back. As time went on, she knew that there was a tree that leaned right over the road, blocking out the sunshine and had a distinctive mark on the trunk and was situated about 10 feet before the opening that led to the Cullen house.

She saw that nothing had changed and was able to find the driveway that led to the house easily. Her heart was pounding now. In a matter of minutes she could be looking into the face of the man who broke her heart – wouldn't everyone be nervous? Deep down, Bella knew it wasn't just that what was making her nervous. What if seeing Edward awakened those feelings she had for him that she had tried to bury deep within her? Would she be able to act indifferent towards him – that she just wanted to... well, she didn't know really what she would say if Edward asked why she was here, why she had seeked him out.

She could see glimpses of Edward's house. Then, the trees thinned and she could see the house in its entirety. She gasped at the sight before her. It was beautiful – even more beautiful that she had imagined it after hearing that it had been completely renovated. It was bigger – much bigger – and Bella wondered if Edward ever felt lonely in this massive mansion. A whole section of the wall had been removed, replaced entirely by windows. She parked beside a very expensive looking black car. She recognised the symbol as an Ashton Martin – Jacob was obsessed with them. He had always said that he would buy one.

She hesitantly opened the driver's door and stepped out. She admired the house again, delaying having to come face-to-face with Edward Cullen again. She may have chosen to be the instigator of this meeting but only because she knew she had to, if she was going to reach any peace in her marriage with Jacob. She had to get closure – Jacob deserved to have his fiancée who's heart was completely his.

She was so caught up in the surprise of how much the house had changed, that she didn't notice the man watching her from the porch.

2004

It was a month since Bella's first day at school and for once in her life, she was happy living in it. She had found a routine with her father and she knew that he appreciated her presence and loved the idea that he could get closer to his estranged daughter. She had found genuine friends that she could picture being friends with forever – or well, as long as she was alive. She had found stability and friendship. She had even found lust.

Edward, of course, would never see her in that light, but at least she would have him as a friend.

She had found out a lot about her new friends. Jasper and Rosalie were twins, as she had suspected. Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice were dating – also as she had suspected. They were all very well off financially and had all known each other since they were little children. Their parents were all friends and they would regularly attend dinner parties at each other's houses. She had also found out that Alice loved to shop, Emmett loved to make fun of her because she blushed a lot, Rosalie had modelled a couple of times, Edward liked to play the piano and Jasper's family originated from Texas.

Out of the five of them, Bella felt that Edward and Alice were the people she was closest to. She was close to the others as well though – Emmett was like the older brother she had, Jasper was her outlet for talking about serious issues, things she had read about in the news, events she had witnessed, and Rosalie was... just everything you could ask for in a girl friend.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to get so close in particular to Edward, but Bella couldn't help it. She gravitated towards him and although she had very non-friendly feelings for him, she hoped it wasn't obvious and they could have a friendship despite of that.

It was Friday night and Bella was going out with the five of them to a party, much to Bella's dismay. She hated those type of parties with a passion, and if it was not for Alice and her stupid, cute pout, she wouldn't even be going, Bella raged. But alas, Bella could never say no to Alice when she had that pout on and now, she sat in Alice's bedroom as Alice did Bella's hair.

"It's going to be fun," Alice tried to sway Bella to be more optimistic about the night. Bella gave her a withering look in the mirror. Alice pretended not to see it. "Now, straight, faux-natural, messy, tight curls, loose curls, wavy or what?" the pixie asked her surveying her reflection, trying to decide what way to do Bella's hair.

Bella gave her a blank look. She didn't even know what half of them looked like! What was the difference between natural and wavy? Tight curls and loose curls? Why would someone make their hair look intentionally messy?

Rosalie came into the room as Bella puzzled over the difference between all the different hairstyles. "What are you going to do with Bella's hair?" she asked, drying her hair with her towel. She had just come out of the shower.

Alice stroked Bella's hair absent-mindedly as she answered, "I don't know. There's such potential! I mean, look at her hair. You can totally tell just by looking at it, that it's the type of hair that can go every style. Any suggestions?"

Rosalie stopped drying her hair and stared critically at Bella's hair. "I think loose curls," she said eventually.

If this is what having girl-friends are about, Bella thought, then I give up. Why can't I just leave my hair as it is?

"Yeah, I think you're right. Edward won't be able to resist you!" Alice squealed as she got out the straighteners and the curler from a cupboard in a set of drawers.

Bella blushed at her words about Edward. I wish, she thought, only slightly bitter. "What are you talking about?" Bella laughed, trying to brush off what Alice had said. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that. I've seen the way you look at each other. Everyone's noticed, haven't they, Rose?"

Rosalie nodded. "Seriously, Bella, you guys are so obvious."

Bella flushed deep red, knowing that there was no way to fool Alice and Rose. "I have a feeling this 'we're just friends' thing going on won't last much longer though," Alice winked at her.

"Ok, ok, so I may not have very platonic feelings for Edward," Bella admitted. "But really, there's nothing going on between me and Edward. Edward thinks of me as he would you two. We're best friends but that's all. He thinks of me as he would a sister."

Rosalie and Alice laughed heartily at Bella's expense. "Bella, if what you have is a relationship between siblings, then warn me if Renée or Esme ever gets pregnant so I can run away, screaming 'INCEST!'" Rosalie snickered.

Bella rolled her eyes at them and proceeded to stop all contact with them. Rosalie and Alice chuckled at Bella's childish tactics – ignoring them.

-

Later that night, Bella, Alice and Rosalie – Bella now back to talking to them – drove to the restaurant where they were meeting the boys. They were going to eat at the restaurant then make their way to the party hosted by Mike Newton, a boy who had an infatuation with Bella.

"And he's not the only one," Alice had whispered to Rosalie, giggling, throwing a look at Edward when Emmett teased Bella about her not-so-secret admirer. Bella did not disappoint – her cheeks immediately pooled with colour.

Bella had a hard time stopping herself from melting every time she looked at Edward. He looked even more gorgeous than normal, if that was even possible. He was more dressed up than she was used to see him – and instantly knew it was Alice's doing. It was also Alice's doing, Bella groaned to herself, that her and Edward matched, clothing-wise. She was wearing a tight white shirt – far more provocative than she was used to – that showed off her cleavage and mid-drift and black, very tight, skinny jeans. Edward was also wearing a white shirt – but instead of showing off his cleavage, it showed off his abs and various muscles – and black jeans. They were wearing identical Converse.

Luckily, Bella hadn't had a chance to talk to Edward privately which she was very grateful for, knowing that she couldn't be trusted with when he looked like that. She could just imagine her drooling going, "You're so preeeeetty" in a creepy voice, grinning like the Joker from a comic book that Emmett was a fan of – she had came across one a week ago when she had been at his house with the others for a Movie Night.

Dinner passed normally enough except for a couple of instances that made Bella cringe in embarrassment, one being when Emmett boomed across the room, "Bella, is it your time of month?" when Bella came back from the bathroom after excusing herself for the fifth time since entering the restaurant. It wasn't that she needed to go to the bathroom; she needed to splash her face and refresh herself every once in a while so she didn't turn into a complete gibbering mess at the sight of Edward.

Edward, it seemed, was as opposed as Bella to go to the party. Throughout the meal, Edward would put forward other things they could do instead, getting more and more desperate as to each idea he was rejected, to Bella's amusement. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him – she knew he was anxious because of Jessica, a girl in school who had a particularly fierce crush on him. She had heard that he was coming to Mike Newton's party and sought him out to let him know that she would there too – without a date, she had pouted to him, obviously inviting him to ask her to be his date.

"It'll be fun," Alice laughed at him, using the same words she had used on me.

"No, it won't. You all will have fun, dancing and drinking and whatnot whereas I will be hiding in the bathroom the whole time, trying to avoid Jessica," Edward shook his head wearily. "You know I don't like parties, Ali. Please don't make me go." Edward pouted slightly, looking sad, - it was debatable to Bella whether he had pulled the face intentionally to pull a sympathy vote or he was doing it unawares. She couldn't tell. Nonetheless, Bella couldn't see how anyone would be able to stop themselves from doing anything but what he said when he pulled that face.

"Hey, why don't Edward and I just skip the party? I never wanted to go in the first place and I know you guys want to go so you guys go and me and Edward can go back to Edward's place and watch some DVDs or something? Then everyone is happy." She looked at them hopefully.

Edward grinned triumphantally at Alice. She could practically seeing him jumping up and down in victory mentally.

"No," Alice stated. "You're both coming. We're all going to be at that party."

"But-" Bella tried to argue.

"Bella, you're coming," Alice told her. "And so are you, Edward. There's no way you're going to get out it.

"You know," Jasper said thoughtfully, his Southern drawl becoming more pronounced. "Edward and Bella could pretend to be dating so then Edward won't have to hide from Jessica and Mike won't bother Bella as much – then you could have fun."

"That's a great idea, Jas!" Alice beamed at Edward and Bella who were shifting in their seats uncomfortably.

"I don't," Bella said bluntly. "Mike and Jessica would never believe we were together. And even if they did, it wouldn't stop them."

"No, I think it would work," Rosalie said slowly, thinking it through. "Bella, you have to do it! If not to put off Mike then do it to see the expression on his face when you walk in with Edward," she laughed.

"That would be funny," Edward admitted, chuckling a bit.

Bella glared at him. He was on her side, not theirs.

"And anyways, it won't be that much of a leap – people are expecting it. The last couple of weeks, everyone at school has been debating amongst themselves whether you two are dating or not," Alice pointed out, throwing a meaningful look at Bella. Bella nudged Alice under the table. Alice just smirked.

"They have?" Edward frowned.

"Yeah, Tyler and a bunch of guys were asking me if you were dating Bella," Emmett laughed.

"It seems it's not only you and Mike who are taken with Miss Bella here," Jasper grinned. Edward shot daggers at Jasper.

"Guys, they probably weren't asking if I was single – they might have been asking about Edward," Bella tried to deflect the attention off herself.

Jasper and Emmett roared with laughter.

"Bella, if you care at all for Edward then you have to pretend to be his date tonight then. If it's true that Tyler is hot for Edward then you have to – would you want to be responsible if you refused and Tyler raped him?" Alice schemed, throwing Bella's words back at her. Everyone knew she was joking but they also knew that she wasn't going to drop the plan of Edward and Bella pretending to be dating.

Rosalie, Bella and Jasper knew that Alice was pushing this in an attempt to bring Edward and Bella together. They saw right through it. If Edward and Bella were made to act like a couple, they may not be doing it for real but the feelings were there. It would show them a hint of what it would be like to be if they were together and it might make Edward take the leap and find out about Bella's feelings for him and if there was any chance that Bella may return his feelings.

"Al-" Bella started.

"Think about it, Bella. Edward can stop hiding in the bathroom from Jessica and can join you in the corner and you can brood together. Everyone's happy! Edward doesn't have to hide the whole night and you have company," Emmett pointed out.

"He has a point, Bella," Jasper nodded.

Bella knew that if she agreed to pretend to be Edward's girlfriend for the night, would put her in a place where she had to confront her feelings to herself. She was scared that if Edward acted like a boyfriend, she would get mixed up from fantasy and reality. She was terrified that she would never be able to be a friend to him without thinking about being more.

Bella knew that she was never going to win – her against Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie? No chance. Alice always got her way eventually, Jasper was very persuasive and you always wanted to agree with him, Emmett made you feel at ease and Rosalie was excellent at debating.

"Ok, fine," Bella finally agreed to do it, after another half hour of trying to persuade her from Rosalie, Alice, Jasper and Emmett. Everyone, bar Edward and Bella cheered.

"Really?" Edward asked in shock. "Bu- but we can't!"

"Oh, don't tell me we have to convince you now," Alice whined. "It's happening, Edward."

Bella felt sick at Edward's obvious lack of display of enthusiasm for Jasper's plan, but the others seemed to take it in their stride and weren't taken back by his reaction at all.

"You know what, Edward's right. This isn't a good idea," Bella interjected before Alice could try to convince Edward and to stop Edward having to reject her for real.

"Bella! We just got you to agree; you can't back out now," Alice moaned.

Bella was relieved when the waitress came over to ask if the group wanted anything else, thus interrupting whatever charade Alice was going to throw at Bella. "Just the bill, please?" Emmett looked around and asked.

"Edward, why don't you want to pretend to be dating Bella?" Alice looked sad

"It's not that. I didn't mean for it to come out that way," Edward looked at Bella quickly. "It's just, won't it be awkward?"

"NO," Alice interrupted me before I could reply. "Of course it won't."

"Guys, quite frankly I'm getting sick of this," Rosalie rolled her eyes and continued sharply, "Bella, Edward, tonight you're going to pretend you're dating, end of discussion."

Everyone was speechless; Bella saw when she looked around. She felt intimidated herself and found herself nodding in agreement with what Rosalie said. She glanced at Edward and saw he was doing the same. Any other time she would have laughed – maybe even went into hysterics – but she felt too semi-frightened by the annoyed girl that was Rosalie.

"Wow, you sure are going to make one hell of a Mommy!" Emmett broke the silence. Everyone laughed and Rosalie beamed. Bella remembered Alice mentioning how Rosalie always wanted to have lots of children since she was just a little five year old girl, and knew that Rosalie was taking Emmett's outburst as a compliment.

-

Edward opened the front passenger door of his Volvo for Bella to get out as they arrived at Mike Newton's house. He didn't want to go to the party but now that he had to pretend that he Bella was his date, he felt the night would be better than he had thought originally.

Bella stepped out of his car and Edward fought the urge to salivate at the image of her. Tonight, she looked hot. He had never been a fan of the word but Bella was the essence of 'hot' this night. Usually he would associate Bella with more classical descriptions of beauty, but it was different than usual.

Alice's Porsche parked beside them, and Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett all spilled out.

"Dude, at least hold her hand," Emmett rolled his eyes. Edward hesitantly picked up Bella's hand and placed it in his own. Edward was used to the shock – like his whole body came alive at her touch, Edward had concluded when he was thinking about it over many a sleepless night – that accompanied Bella's touch by now and so didn't react. A smile flickered over his face at the sensation of her hand in his. It felt right. Her hand fit perfectly in his – it was like their hands were meant to be joined together. Edward shook his head at his sentimentality and turned his gaze back to the others who were all smirking knowingly at him. "Shall we go in then?" he asked cheerfully.

Edward and Bella walked hand-in-hand behind the other four who were laughing raucously amongst themselves as they made their way to the door. They could hear pulsing music coming from the house and they hadn't even reached the gate that led to the garden and Mike's house. Through the windows, he could see many dancing bodies. "This is going to be great fun," Edward whispered sarcastically to Bella.

Bella giggled. "Isn't it, just?" she agreed.

"You're sure you're ok with this?" Edward stopped and looked intently at Bella. "We can drop the act if you want. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything."

Bella hesitated. "No, it's... fine. At least I don't have to worry about Mike now." She smiled slightly to which Edward returned. God, how could such a perfect woman exist? And why was he the fortunate one to be close to her, even if it was not in the way he wished.

"Hey guys," he could hear Mike greet the others at the front door. Edward and Bella were still standing, staring at each other, at the gate. "Where's Bella?" Edward chuckled at Mike's hopeful tone. He heard Bella quietly groan to herself.

"She's with Edward," Alice said smoothly. Edward imagined she was rolling her eyes. "God, they act like they're on their Honeymoon all the time now. It's quite nauseating when they started calling each other pet names and kissing each other all the time when they think no one's looking," Alice lied, grumbling.

"Not to mention, when they feed each other food," Rosalie supplied.

"And when they pay no attention except to each other," Jasper added.

"And when Edward gives my cake to Bella," Emmett whinged. "I mean, seriously, I know Esme bakes cakes for 'all' of us but everyone knows that's just code for mine."

Bella leaned in to Edward, trying to stifle her giggles at Emmett's words. Edward put his arms around her waist to give the appearance they were hugging and hid his face into her hair. He sighed at Emmett – he never got over that even though that had been weeks ago. It was just like him to bring it up again on a completely unrelated note.

"Honeymoon? Kissing? Cake?" Mike repeated dumbly. "Is Bella dating Cullen?"

The four of them laughed in unison. "You mean, you didn't know?" Rosalie pretended to act surprised.

Edward felt that it was time to join the others and stepped back from their 'embrace'. He rejoined hands with her and they made their way to the front door. Mike didn't see Edward and Bella hugging as his view was blocked by their friends, Edward noticed. What a pity .It would have been funnier for Newton to find out that way.

"Hey guys," Bella greeted the others casually, her hand still held firmly in Edward's grasp.

Edward sniggered at the look on Newton's face. He compared the expression on his face to one of a puppy dog's after being told that it was not going for a walk. He lifted Bella's hand and kissed it, all the time watching Newton. He didn't disappoint – his look of pure disappointment and frustration amused Edward. ****

"Are you not going to invite us inside?" Rosalie arched a brow at him. Mike flushed, remembering his duty as host and gushered them inside.

"Do you want something to drink?" he directed the question at all of us but his eyes were on Bella's the whole time.

Edward's jaw tightened. Even if it was just pretend, Mike knew that Bella was 'taken' yet he was still making eyes at her. His hands tightened around Bella's. "We're not thirsty." He put the emphasis on the 'we're' and he lead Bella away from Mike and his four friends who were looking more amused than they should have been, Edward felt.

Edward could feel Bella's gaze on him as he lead her to a room where there was not as many people, although there was still quite a few. "Were you jealous?" Bella asked, shocked and amused at the same time when they finally stopped.

"No, I just feel it was inappropriate the way he was looking at my girlfriend," Edward retorted stubbornly.

"Yes, your 'girlfriend'," Bella laughed.

"Bella, one thing you should know about me is I'm quite possessive. I don't like sharing what's mine. And tonight, for all intents and purposes, you're my girlfriend and I find it offensive that Newton had the audacity to... to..." Edward spluttered.

"Relax, Edward," Bella soothed him. "It's not like he was trying to stick his tongue down my throat or anything."

Edward growled at the thought. Bella giggled. "You know, you're kind of hot when you're possessive." Bella was shocked at her forwardness.

"Oh, really?" Edward smirked at her. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up or his heart quicken when she said things like that – it was all part of the pretence. But when Bella said things like that to him... He just couldn't help it.

"What do you say we leave, right now? There's a backdoor right there, and it's not like Alice can get mad at us for not staying long – I mean, we came. This party is boring," Bella suggested.

Edward agreed with her and once outside, Edward had a brainwave with what they could do. "I've got an idea. There's this place we could go. Do you want to go?"

Bella nodded.

-

(2017)

It was her. Bella.

Edward's eyes widened at the sight of her – she had physically changed, there was no question about that but he could recognise that face anywhere. Her features were more defined and she looked older than she had when she was 18 but it was definitely her.

He had never seen someone so beautiful.

Finally after what felt like days, their eyes met. He could see the shock and the instant colour pool to her cheeks. He could see her take a big breath, as if to calm herself. "Hello Edward."

That's all she could say? 'Hello Edward'? As if they had just seen each other just the other day, not over a decade ago!

"Bella," he said calmly – contrary to what he felt inside.

They stood there, watching each other for minutes. Devouring the sight at each other. Each trying to bring up the courage to say something.

Bella walked slowly towards Edward until she was only about five feet away from him. "It's really you," she murmured – Edward didn't know if she was talking to herself or him.

Silence.

Edward coughed self-consciously. "Do you-" he hesitated. "Do you want to come in?"

Bella nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Edward turned and opened the front door, waiting for her to enter. He closed the door after them and lead Bella to the sitting room that led off to the kitchen through an arch. They stood there, still looking at each other intently, neither making a move to sit down.

Edward wanted to know why she was here now but was afraid of the answer. What if he didn't like what she would tell him? He would rather stay in blissful oblivion then he could pretend...

"So," Bella said.

"How've you been?" they both said at the same time. They both broke off and laughed. The tension in the room left with their laughter.

"You go first," Edward gestured. "You can sit down, if you want." Bella moved to sit down in one of the armchairs. Edward took the one opposite her.

"I'm ... good," Bella said, fidgeting. "You?"

"I'm also good." There was a pause. "Do you want something to drink, eat...?" Edward asked, remembering his manners.

"Could I just have a glass of water please?" Bella asked quietly.

Edward shot up from the armchair and left the room at a fast pace. Bella squirmed in her seat – he didn't want to talk to her, he wanted to get away from her. He couldn't get away from her fast enough. Bella wanted to leave while he was still in the kitchen, presumably to get her drink but Bella wouldn't be surprised if he was plotting someway to get her out of his house – maybe say he had work, or even worse, a date? Before Bella could move, Edward breezed back into the room, looking more relaxed than he had been going out.

Edward handed Bella a glass of water and retreated back quickly and sat back down in the armchair, setting down his glass of water on the coffee table.

"I read about you in a newspaper," Bella blurted out, reddening at the way it sounded.

"Oh. Which one?" Edward chuckled, amused.

Bella realised she had no idea. "I don't really know. My..." she trailed off, before she could say fiancé. Should she tell him right now, risking the easy atmosphere they had between them or wait until later, after she had found out.. well, whatever she had came to find.

"Your?" Edward prompted. Was this where she was going to say her husband? Her son? Her daughter? He wondered. He ignored the way his throat went dry and the lump in his throat when he thought of Bella belonging to anyone but him.

"My fiancé," Bella decided to go with the truth. "My fiancé was reading the paper and he turned the page, and there you were," she said softly. Like she had feared, there was an uncomfortable silence.

"Your fiancé," Edward repeated quietly. "Are you happy?" he asked abruptly.

Bella was surprised by his sudden change in manner and turn in the conversation. "Yes, I am," she said semi-ruefully. "And you?"

Edward frowned. "Yes, I'm happy, contrary to what Alice believes," he chuckled.

"Alice?" Bella asked excitedly. "Alice Brandon? You still know her?" They had emailed a couple of times after she had moved but by the end of 2005, their emails were becoming less frequent until eventually, it stopped. Bella had also tried staying in contact with Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie but she never had the courage to make the first move and write to him, afraid of rejection. Likewise with Alice, Bella lost contact with them. They never mentioned Edward, and she never asked.

In the last email, Emmett ever sent her, he had said something strange. She didn't understand what he meant – she had suspicions but she disregarded them at once – everyone knew that Edward was the one who ended their relationship so he couldn't be talking about her and Edward, could he? When she emailed back asking him, he hadn't replied. Bella couldn't remember the exact words but it went something along the lines of: "I don't understand how two people who seemed so in love can just ... stop. She pretends nothing ever happened and doesn't even speak his name, and he doesn't talk to anyone but we can see that she broke his heart. He's clueless to why it all ended and she seems sad but overall appears normal. What happened to that couple, Bella?"

"Yeah." Edward realised that she might not have been keeping contact with the others but he had always thought she had and his friends didn't mention it, to spare him the pain of knowing. Maybe she had moved on from everyone in Forks, not just him? When Charlie had been diagnosed with cancer and moved away from Forks to be with his daughter in case he wouldn't survive the disease, Forks was left completely in her past. "Alice and Jasper live here but they're away on their honeymoon in Europe. Emmett and Rosalie currently live in New York but they're planning to move back here in a couple of years time – maybe even as soon as a year but they're waiting until Rose gives birth before they're moving." He laughed. "To be honest, I think they're not moving immediately because Emmett is scared of Rose – I mean with the mixture of pregnancy hormones and the stress of moving – and of course, just her personality – that, she'll turn into some axe-murderer and Emmett will be her first victim."

Bella laughed as well. "I'm so glad Emmett and Rose, and Alice and Jasper are together still but I never really doubted it. I would have thought Alice and Jasper would have been married before ," she mused.

"They were married two years ago in hospital. After Jasper graduated, he joined the army and was sent off to Iraq. Two years ago, Jasper was wounded really badly and doctors didn't think he would make it. They had been engaged for three years already and Jasper didn't want to die without marrying Alice first. Alice only agreed if he promised to fight. Needless to say, he kept his promise and this is the first time they've got around to having their Honeymoon."

Bella's eyes widened. "Oh my God. Poor Alice. Poor Jasper."

"They have two daughters – they're staying with Alice's parents while they're away. You might get the chance to meet them if you stick around." Edward looked at Bella expectantly, waiting for her to say how long she was staying.

"Maybe," Bella murmured. "I don't really know how long I'm staying. How old are the girls?"

"Well, their eldest – Cynthia – is four and Isabella is 15 months."

Bella's eyes were now the size of saucers, Edward couldn't help but notice with amusement.

"Yes, they named her after you," he answered her unspoken question.

"That's..." Bella's eyes filled with tears but she quickly blinked them away, hoping Edward hadn't noticed. "I can't believe it."

"We never forgot you, Bella," Edward said simply. He cleared his throat and asked, "Tell me about Jacob and your life now."

Bella felt uncomfortable talking about Jacob with Edward. She didn't like the idea of talking about the two men she loved – or had once loved – but that was still debatable – with each other. "Well... He's everything I could hope for in a fiancé," she said truthfully. "We live in Seattle now – Charlie and Renée remarried after his cancer went in remission and they live near us in a house Jacob bought for them. I live with Jacob and my best friend, Emily, and Jacob's best friend, Sam, live next door to us. I write novels but when Jake and I marry, I'll probably have to give that up," Bella said with a hint of remorse.

"Why?" Edward asked, confused.

She blinked. "Well, Jacob's got a really important job and well, it's expected for me – all of Jacob's married co-workers' wives don't work."

"But if you enjoy it then shouldn't you continue?" Edward was frustrated with Bella's passive opinion on stopping writing when he could clearly see that she loved writing. He didn't understand why Bella could accept it.

"I'm fine with it. Really. Sure, I've always loved writing novels but it just isn't acceptable when you're a wife of someone like Jacob." Bella, contrary to what she told everyone and Edward, was not fine with it. Maybe this was why when anyone talked about the wedding, her mouth went dry and she felt sick in her stomach – maybe she felt that way because she dreaded the day when she would have to quit writing.

Edward looked doubtful but nonetheless didn't argue with her.

-

It was approaching six o'clock that night and Edward and Bella were still talking. They hadn't really moved at all except when Edward made some lunch for them. Afterwards they went back into the room and this time they sat down on the love seat to talk. After they finished talking about Jacob, the conversation had flown easily, especially when they talked about old memories after the initial awkwardness. Bella had forgotten how when she was with Edward, the time would flow by and there would never be a lull in the conversation because it had always thought there was so much to talk about.

Edward would tell her what happened to people she knew when she was living in Forks. Some Bella was not surprised about, others she was downright shocked. "Mike Newton is in jail. For what?" she asked in shock, her mouth wide open.

"Identity fraud. He always did like to pretend he was someone else in high school... He's getting bail in a couple of months though. Jessica Stanley – you remember her, right? – and Mike are engaged now with five children and another two on the way."

"I remember Jessica always had a thing for you," Bella teased him.

"I remember Mike always had a thing for you," Edward teased back. Bella blushed.

"Do you remember Mike's party about a month after I moved to Forks?" Bella asked, smiling at the memory.

"How could I forget?" Edward replied honestly. "It was the day – night – we got together."

Bella flushed but continued, "I remember how you practically dragged me away from the party after we just arrived, and led me into the forest. I was so scared that I would fall and break my ankle because it was dark and I couldn't see anything."

"If I hadn't been there, you would have," Edward smirked, smiling at her.

Bella nudged him. "If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have even been there," Bella shot back.

"Touché."

"I remember," she continued. "That I kept on teasing you and asking you if you were a serial killer because in the movies, that's what the serial killers did – haul a girl into the woods at night. And then you got kind of annoyed that I 'would think that of' you."

"Hey! I was only teasing!" Edward retorted.

"Semi-annoyed, semi-teasng," Bella said.

"Yeah, well you would be annoyed too if the girl you loved kept on asking if you were a serial killer and 'is this where you kill me'," he imitated Bella. Bella's heart flopped when he said he loved her – even if it was in the past tense.

Bella stuck her tongue out at him. "Anyways, what I was trying to say was do you remember the meadow you took me to?"

"Of course," Edward rolled his eyes. "It was my second favourite place back then. I remember on the fourth of every month since then, we would always go there – the anniversary of our getting together."

Bella closed her eyes, her mind in the past. "We sat down on the meadow floor and we talked about anything and everything."

Edward closed his eyes too. "We sat really close so we could see each other's faces from the light of the moon, and then you were in the middle of talking about something that had happened in school that day and you bit your lip," Edward continued.

"And then you kissed me," Bella opened her eyes, and saw how close she was to Edward.

Edward's eyes opened as well and looked deeply into her eyes. They were still so beautiful – his memories had not done them justice. He realised how dangerous this was getting for him. If it continued like it did, he knew he would not be responsible if he kissed her now. "You practically attacked me," he joked, trying to reduce the intenseness of the moment.

"Hey!" she pretended to be offended. "You would too if Edward Cullen kissed you like that!" she defended herself.

"Yeah, I'll sit here and kiss myself," Edward said sarcastically. "Let's see if I attack myself." Bella pushed him playfully.

"You know what I mean!"

"You have no idea how I felt when you started to kiss me back though," Edward was serious again. "I thought you were going to yell at me, slap me even – I knew I deserved it for disrespecting you in that way."

Bella cackled, knowing she sounded like a witch but she didn't care. "If that's what you call disrespecting, then I never want anyone to respect me again!"

Edward couldn't help but smile at her. His beautiful Bella. He berated himself for thinking that – Bella wasn't his anymore, she was Jacob's.

"You told me you loved me then. I thought I was going to hyperventilate," Bella told me with a smile.

Edward barked with laughter. "That doesn't sound good. You have no idea how happy I was when you told me you loved me too."

"I think I have an idea," Bella winked at him.

It was silent, for the first time in hours. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence however. "We were good together, weren't we?" Edward finally said, speaking softly.

Bella looked at him intensely. "Yeah, we were," she agreed. Bella knew the conversation was heading into dangerous territory but at the same time, she couldn't bring herself to excuse herself.

Edward noticed the time on the clock on the wall. "Have we been here all day?" he asked, bewildered.

Bella giggled at his face. "Yes, we have."

"Are you hungry? I can cook us something, if you want."

"I am hungry," she admitted. "But can I cook? No offence but from what I remember, you weren't exactly Gordon Ramsey."

Edward laughed. "I've got better than when I was 18! Bella, you're the guest, I'll cook and you can judge for yourself to see if I have improved."

Bella bit her lip. "But I'm an uninvited guest so it's different," she told him. "I would feel so guilty, you cooking for me when you didn't even know I was coming!"

"Ok, why don't we cook together?" he compromised.

Bella thought about for a minute and nodded.

-

After eating dinner, Edward gave her the tour of the house. Bella noticed many differences but decided that they were all for the better. "I would feel so lonely living in a house as big as this all on my own," Bella commented, shivering at the thought.

"It's not too bad. You get used to it."

Finally Edward and Bella found their ways back into the living room. "Your house is so nice," Bella complimented. "I hardly recognised it when I arrived."

"That's what everyone says," Edward laughed.

"I'm sorry about your parents," Bella looked him in the eye. "I read how you inherited the house after your parents' death."

"Everyone says that too," Edward murmured, half-grumbling. Bella couldn't help but laugh at him. Edward joined in her laughter.

After their laughter died down, Edward explained, "Carlisle and Esme were on their way to celebrate with me. I was living in Chicago at the time and I was officially a doctor," he closed his eyes at the memory. "I was expecting them at nine that night but they never showed. I was worried when they still weren't there at eleven – they were never late – but then I convinced myself that the flight was late arriving or the car they hired wasn't fast. I thought maybe they decided to stay in a hotel for the night – my place was quite a distance from the airport. I sat up to two in the morning but then fell asleep on the couch. At six the next morning, someone was knocking at my front door of my apartment. I thought it was Carlisle and Esme but it was a police officer," he said grimly. "Carlisle and Esme had been hit by a drunk driver – Esme had died on impact and Carlisle died on the way to hospital from his injuries."

"I'm so sorry, Edward," Bella took his hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "Carlisle and Esme were one of the kindest people I ever knew."

"They were," Edward agreed with her. Edward and Bella sat, their hands intertwined, looking into each other's eyes. Bella was subconsciously moving her head forward when an image of Jacob flickered through her mind. It was enough to make herself surface and realise what she had nearly done.

"I... I have to go," Bella stammered. "It's getting late." She picked herself up from the couch and stretched.

Edward followed her lead, a little lightheaded. Was it just him or had they nearly kissed? He could feel the old feelings he had for Bella awaken deep within him and he was scared. It had been bad enough the first time – could he really live through it a second time?

As Edward opened the front door for her and Bella was murmuring her goodbyes, Edward wondered whether this was the last time he would see her. His stomach plummeted at the thought that she would go back to her Jacob tomorrow and never see him again.

Bella was halfway across to her car when Edward called after her, "Will you come back tomorrow?"

Bella turned, confused and surprised that he wanted to see her again if his hopeful tone was anything to go by. She wanted to say 'no', for Jacob's sake. For her heart's sake. She knew now that her feelings had never really gone away and now they were awakening in Edward's presence and that terrified her. But somethings never change – she could never say no to him then, there wasn't much difference now. She smiled at Edward, and told him – if it was ok – she would be back tomorrow morning.

Edward had grinned back at her and Bella's heart beat faster to see the carefree grin on his face. "I want to show you something tomorrow."

Bella said goodbye again to him and then hopped into her truck and drove back to the motel. It was late and she had missed Jacob's call. Bella frowned – he had called her four times on her mobile which she had left in her hotel room that day. He must have been worried when she hadn't answered. Bella looked at the clock. It was too late now to phone him – he was probably already asleep and she didn't want to wake him.

Bella undressed and fell into bed, both physically and emotionally exhausted by the day. She fell asleep quickly and easily with a smile on her face.

-

Early the next morning, Edward jumped out of bed and quickly got changed. He had a lot to do today before Bella arrived. He was glad he was off work for the rest of the week – he would be free to be with Bella for the remainder of her stay.

As Edward ate his breakfast, he thought about the epiphany he had after Bella had left the night before.

He had never stopped loving Bella.

He had already known that before she had come but now he knew. He felt like there had been no lapse in time from when they were together in high school. But that wasn't just what he had realised.

He had never stopped loving Bella.

The epiphany – he was in love with Bella. The night before, he had not been talking and catching up with an old friend, he had been talking and catching up with the woman he loved.

Edward knew he was being obtuse not to have realised this before. He recognised that when knowing that he had never stopped loving Bella, he should have realised that it had meant that he was still in love with Bella.

Today wasn't a matter of reacquainting oneself with a friend that he had lost touch with. It was with the woman he loved.

He had still not got his head around the fact that he was in love with Bella but he knew it was true. He knew that when Bella would eventually leave, he would take his heart with her.

Should he let Bella know that he still loved her? That he forgave her for ceasing all contact with him after leaving Forks? That he didn't want her to leave – namely, he wanted to be with her forever? That the thought of her marrying someone else made him want to be physically sick? That he felt he would die, if she left him again?

Was it right to tell her those things when it was probable that she had come down here, to see what had changed about Forks? Was it right to put the woman he loved under that kind of pressure?

He knew Bella. He knew she hated to disappoint – she was a true crowd-pleaser. He knew that she would sacrifice her happiness for someone else's. He knew that she felt guilty for things that were not even her fault.

If – and that was a big if – she loved him too and left Jacob for Edward, could she be truly happy with Edward, knowing that she had crushed Jacob's heart? Would the guilt eat away at her until there was no evidence of the woman Edward loved ever being there?

Edward was wasting precious time that was needed to make sure today would go perfectly so he banished the thoughts from his mind to make sure he had gotten everything into place.

-

Bella woke up disorientated, looking around at the unfamiliar room, confused. She remembered the events of the last two days and sprang up from the bed and hurried to get dressed, not wanting to miss anytime she could have with Edward.

Nearly a hour later, she was driving to Edward's house. She parked outside the house, ignoring the nerves building in her stomach. She knew her nerves were irrational – Edward wanted her here. Why should she be nervous about his reception? Unless he had changed his mind from the night before, he wanted her to be here with him. He wanted to show her something. That was hardly the behaviour of someone who just wanted the other to leave him alone.

Bella got out of the truck and made her way up to the front door and knocked. Edward opened the door after running to get it. "Hey," he greeted, slightly out of breath.

Bella giggled. "Hi," she answered, a little bit nervously.

"Well, shall we go?" Edward grabbed his coat from the hallway and locked the front door. Bella followed him to where the Ashton Martin was parked. He opened the door for her and they were on their way.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked, as Edward drove out of the driveway.

"You'll see soon."

Bella wrinkled her nose in distaste at his refusal to answer her. Edward laughed at her, seeing her expression out of the corner of his eye.

"You know, you look cute when you wrinkle your nose," Edward teased with her. Bella's heart jumped at his words and she immediately blushed a deep red. Edward chuckled.

The car ride was mostly quiet, but a comfortable silence. Edward had turned on his CD system and they were listening to a collection of songs he had burned on to a CD drive.

"You know, I've near heard an album – even a homemade one, at that – that has Debussy and Linkin Park on the same disk," Bella laughed.

"I have a very varied taste," Edward defended, shrugging.

"Still, it's funny." She paused. "Are we nearly here yet?"

Edward sighed. "Don't tell me you're going to imitate Donkey from Shrek when he asks Shrek and Fiona every two seconds if they're there yet."

Bella giggled. "You never told me you were a Shrek lover."

"I'm not – I've just seen the movies many, many times due to Cynthia's obsession with it."

"Isn't she a little young to remember Shrek?" Bella asked, confused.

"Oh no, Emmett gave her all the films for her second birthday. They had been his favourite when he was a child – wait, he wasn't really a child when they came out, was he? Well, when he was younger and he felt that Cynthia needed to see one of the best movies in the world. His words, not mine. You have no idea how angry Alice is at Emmett for introducing Shrek to Cynthia – now, she quotes the movie all the time and dreams about marrying her own Shrek." Bella laughed.

"That sounds like something Emmett would do and say," she agreed.

"We're here," Edward said, parking at the side of the road a few minutes later. He grabbed his bag from the back seat.

"What do you mean we're here? We're in the middle of nowhere," Bella looked out. The surroundings seemed strangely familiar. After thinking about it, she suddenly remembered why it was so familiar. This was the short cut to the meadow. From Mike's house it had taken double – maybe even triple – the time it would have taken from starting here.

Edward saw the recognition dawn on her and helped her out of the car. "You ready?" he asked her.

"Can you make sure I don't fall?" she asked him timidly. She didn't know how she would explain broken bones to Jacob when she was supposed to be researching for her new – and perhaps her last – book.

"Sure," Edward nodded. He couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she was shy and nervous. He held her hand and led her in the direction of the meadow. He knew the way so well he could do it blindfold, he had walked it so many times.

A hour later, they reached the clearing. Bella sighed happily and ran forward into the sunlight. "It's even better than I remembered it," she told him happily. "It's so beautiful."

Edward stood there, watching her. To be honest, Bella's beauty had by far eclipsed the beauty of the meadow – the only thing he noticed was Bella.

He put down his backpack and sat down on the dewy grass. Bella joined him, soon after and threw a questioning glance at the backpack. "What's in there?"

"Lunch." Edward unzipped the bag and handed out sandwiches, fruit, bottled water and chocolate. After that, he took out a very professional-looking camera out and started to take photos of the meadow and Bella.

Bella moaned. "Oh, please. No photos," she pleaded. During her speech, Edward had taken five photos of her to his satisfaction.

Edward ignored her and continued to snap. Bella, knowing that there was no point arguing, let him take the pictures but refused to talk to him, going so far as giving him the 'silent treatment' as it was called when they were in school.

"Bella," Edward whined. "I just want to try out my new camera," he lied. "Please, don't ignore me."

Bella could not say no to him and they talked and laughed while Edward continued to take photos of her.

-

Jacob Black was sitting in his office, supposedly working. In actual fact, he was thinking – worrying. Bella hadn't answered any of her phone calls the night before and he had been anxious about her, sure that something must be wrong. He had called her three times a couple of hours ago but she had not answered a single call. He had then rang the hotel to which he had been told that Miss. Swan had returned to the hotel the night before but late – arriving after he had rang her a couple of times – and left before he had called her again. Jacob didn't know to be alarmed or relieved that she was ok.

It was out of character for Bella to be home so late. Out of the two of them, she was the more likely to be cuddled up in bed at nine o'clock, reading, lights out by ten. She had never been one for nights out.

Jacob also felt that he was forgetting something that had been said in reference to Forks. Someone had told him something important about Forks – something that had to do with Bella. What was it?

He had thought about it all day and he could remember who had said it to him. Bella's mother. Renée. But he could not for the life of him remember what she had said.

What was it? He thought frustratingly.

And why did he feel like something bad was going to happen?

-

It was late afternoon and Bella and Edward were back at Edward's house. They were sitting in the sitting room near the kitchen again and talking. Edward was lounging back on the love seat with Bella's head on his lap, her legs stretched out.

"Sometimes I wish," Bella started quietly. "I wish that I never had to move away and we were still together. I really did love you, you know."

Edward was confused. "Bella, you're the one who ended the relationship," he answered, talking as quietly as she did, trying to disguise the hurt and bewilderment he had felt and was still feelt when he thought of that time.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, gaping at him. "You were the one who didn't write to me... or email... or phone... or anything."

"What are you talking about?" his voice started to raise with the frustration he was feeling. If she was going to talk to him about regretting the end of their relationship, the least she could do was admit that she had just... stopped with him after moving away. "I wrote every week – at least! Every damn week for three whole years. I rang when you didn't answer the first couple of letters – your mother told me you didn't want to talk to me!"

Bella sat up quickly. "Well, I didn't get any letters from you and my mother would have told me if you had rang!"

Edward's brows furrowed. Why was she lying? What was the reasoning behind it? Did she think he would just simply forget all those unanswered letters he had wrote?

"Oh, God," he heard her murmur beside him. "My mother – she never – what if she?" she stumbled over her words.

Edward saw where she was going and remembering Renée from years back, he knew she would do that if she felt it would protect her daughter.

What if it hadn't been Bella who had broken off their relationship – well, not really broken off, she had just pretended he hadn't existed for thirteen years – well, as far as he was concerned, anyways? What if it had been her mother? What if her mother – on the presumption she was protecting her daughter – told lies when Edward phoned, had taken all the letters from Edward from the mail? Was that possible?

Yes.

"You mean – you didn't get my letters?" he asked to double-check, searching her eyes for any trace of dishonesty. She shook her head, her mouth open in horror. He saw none.

Bella shot up from her seat and said unsteadily, "I need to go to the bathroom." She lunged from the room in the direction of the bathroom, leaving Edward dumbstruck, his face hidden in his hands as he fought to control the variety of emotions running through him.

Remorse. Anger. Grief. Frustration. Disbelief.

All were true with what he was feeling. He was furious at Renée for playing God with them – who was she to break up their relationship? If she hadn't interfered, Bella and Edward could very possibly have their own Cynthia and Isabella. Bella could be Mrs. Cullen. Yet they had never had a chance because of her mother.

A part of their future had disappeared, thanks to Renée. Did she understand what she had done to Edward and Bella? Oh, God. Bella had thought that he hadn't cared for her – hadn't loved her.

If Renée were a man, Edward would feel tempted to speed over there now and demand to duel – that is, if they were in Victorian England. He wanted to punch something – vent out his frustration with the world. He lunged out of the room, very much in the fashion Bella had done, and practically ran outside to get some fresh air, to clear his head.

After succeeding getting outside, he breathed in and out slowly and deeply. It struck him that he was hyperventilating which he found ironic. He was always the one who remained calm, no matter what and here he was hyperventilating.

A couple of minutes later, he felt Bella touch his arm. "Edward," she said softly. "Edward."

He turned slowly to look at Bella, making sure his emotions were in check first. He could see the strain in her face and the slightly red-rimmed eyes that suggested she either been crying or had rubbed her face very roughly with a towel. He guessed from the way her eyes weren't very red – only slightly –, that she had probably only cried a couple of tears.

Edward knew what she felt like. That future had been taken away from them, unjustly. They had always thought there had been a reason – that one of them hadn't cared about the other to continue the relationship – but now they knew that there was no such barrier.

Edward tenderly caressed her face, his anger completely disappeared. Bella moved into his touch and closed her eyes, levelling her face in such a way to invite a kiss.

Oh, God, how Edward wanted to kiss her.

But she has a fiancé, he argued with himself. It isn't right.

Bella let her hands drift up to touch his arms delicately, gradually going upwards.

Edward, feeling her touch, could no longer control himself and think coherently. He slowly leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. To his surprise, she kissed back passionately.

He put an arm around her waist and drew her closer to him. Bella threw her arms around his neck and moaned in his mouth. Edward smiled at the sound and gently pushed his tongue against her mouth. Bella immediately granted him entrance and they kissed passionately, their tongues fighting for dominance.

Edward pushed her backwards against the closed front door and melded his body against hers. Their hands lingered everywhere on the other's body and Bella moaned again at his touch and his kiss.

"Inside. Bed," she gasped, when Edward started his ministrations at her neck. Edward gladly complied and, still kissing, opened the front door. Bella – not trusting herself to be able to walk in her current state – put one leg over his hip and used that as leverage to jump on him, holding herself with her legs.

Edward kept her steady with one hand holding her up on the lower waist, the other was kept free for keeping himself steady going up the stairs and opening doors.

Finally, they were in his bedroom and Edward dropped her on his bed, following her down as she went. Bella started to unbutton his shirt while Edward kissed and sucked at her neck. After unbuttoning the whole shirt she helped him get it off and threw it into a far corner of the room. She sighed in contentment as her hands roamed over his bare chest and back.

Edward, wanting to feel and see more of her flesh, removed himself for a second from her neck and tugged her shirt up. Bella, knowing what he wanted, put her arms up and Edward wriggled the top off her and it was thrown in the general direction Edward's shirt was thrown.

Edward moaned at the sight of Bella's topless body – except for a red lacy bra. He kissed her again enthusiastically, his hands finding their way to the bra strap to remove the offending material barring Edward from Bella's breasts. He made quick work of it and soon he was palming her bare breasts. Bella whimpered at the feel of him touching her breasts and she felt that would burst from the desire for him.

Edward detached his mouth from hers, kissing his way down to her breasts. She closed her eyes and parted her lips as Edward sucked and kneaded her breasts. The combination of the feel of his arousal and what he was doing to her nearly made her fall over the edge. Her hands moved downwards until she was at his belt which she quickly undone.

Edward feather kissed up to Bella's face again until he had captured her lips with his. He helped her remove his jeans and then done the same to Bella.

Edward leaned back to look down at Bella who looked up at him with half-lidded eyes. He hoped he was conveying the passion and love he felt for her with his eyes. They were both naked except for her panties and his boxers.

He deftly removed the last clothing on her body and stroked her at her core. She moaned loudly than she had done previously and feverishly pressed herself against his hands, trying to get some friction.

Edward plunged a finger into her, then two. She whimpered, unable to make any other sound.

When Edward could feel that she was near to tumbling over the edge he withdrew his fingers, much to Bella's dismay which was apparent by the sounds she made. Edward took off the last piece of his clothing and plunged deeply into her.

Bella pressed her fingers hard into his back at the sensation of him inside of her. She moved rhythmically against him, allowing him to take her to wherever he wanted, to the place she was meant to be.

She watched as he moved on top of her, his eyes closed in ecstasy, the way he moved surely and firmly. She watched him as he took her to places she had never been before, heights she had never reached, and forced herself to keep her eyes on his. As she moaned, he groaned, and they fell over the edge simultaneously.

Edward collapsed in her arms and they kissed slowly and passionately, and they spent the rest of the night making love. When they finally fell asleep in each other's exhausted arms, Bella could only think of one thing.

She felt like she was home.

-

Jacob rang Bella's mobile again for the fifth time that night at nine o'clock. He was seriously worried about her.

After it went to Voicemail, he growled and looked through his contacts until he found who he was looking for and rang.

-

Edward woke up before Bella did the next morning. He quietly left the bed and put on his boxers. He padded downstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast for Bella. If he was quick enough, he might even be able to wake her up with breakfast in bed. Edward smiled at the thought. He couldn't believe that Bella was here with him. That Bella still loved him – they had told each other before drifting off to sleep.

When they had been in high school all those years back, they had taken each other's virginities. Edward would sometimes think back to the day that it had happened but the night before had been so much more than then.

He didn't deserve her. Yet, he knew he would never leave her willingly. He loved her with all this heart.

Edward's face dropped as he remembered something he had forgotten last night. What about Jacob?

-

Bella stretched as she woke up. She opened her eyes and looked around the unfamiliar room, frowning. She would recognise that CD collection anywhere. She gasped as the memories from last night flew threw her brain.

She had cheated on Jacob with Edward.

But Bella could not bring herself to feel regret for what she and Edward had done – guilty, yes, but she could never regret what had happened between them the night before. She told herself to stop thinking about what she had done for the moment and find Edward first and find out if he regretted what had happened.

She got up and put her underwear on. She picked up Edward's shirt – it was long enough on her to look like a short dress – and put it on. She quickly made the bed and then left the room in search of Edward.

On her way down, she heard the front door bell. She hesitated on whether she should open the door – she was just beside it. Deciding that it was early so it would most likely be a delivery of some sort, Bella decided to answer the door.

She opened the door and gasped. "Mother?" she gaped.

Renée turned around and surveyed her daughter. "It is as I feared, Isabella," she sighed. "Can I come in?"

Bella stood there, mute with surprise.

Edward stopped with surprise in the hallway when he saw that Bella had already opened the door and her mother was standing there. He quickly moved to be beside Bella and glared at Renée. It was her fault that they were ever apart. He felt he was justified to have a little animosity for the woman who ruined his happiness for thirteen years.

"Isabella, I'm not here to talk about the weather," Renée said impatiently. "I'm here to warn you. Jacob's here."

That snapped Bella out of her silence.

"What?" she asked, panicked.

"Well, he's not here yet, but he should be within the next hour," Renée continued. "He was anxious because you weren't answering or returning your calls, and then he remembered me telling him about how you had history with Forks." She looked pointedly at Edward. "He called me up last night to ask me about it – I, of course had no idea that you were in Forks at the time and told him what I knew," she huffed. "Isabella, you should have told me you were coming to Forks. He panicked when I told him that you used to have a romance with a local and now he has come to Forks – blowing off work, may I add – to convince you to stay with him, since he's convinced that Edward here might convince you to leave Jacob for him."

"But what are you doing here?" Bella asked.

"Isabella, I'm your mother. As much as I'm fond of Jacob, you will always be my daughter and I felt that if needed to be warned in preparation for Jacob coming down. You need to make a decision about who you really want."

Renée noticed Edward's animosity and continued in a soft voice, "I know I've never been a fan of your relationship with Edward and I'm sorry about that. I realised on my way down here that I was wrong when I hid the letters and the phonecalls from you, Isabella, but I truly thought I was protecting you from heartbreak," Renée told her daughter and Edward honestly. "I realise now that it was a mistake and so I apologise." Bella's mother put her hand in one of her coat pockets and handed Bella a big pile of letters tied with string to keep them all together. "Here's every letter Edward sent you."

Bella took the pile off of her mother and looked at them dumbly. Edward slid his arm protectively around her waist.

"Bella." For the first time, Renée had used Bella's preferred name. "I'm sorry but you're going to have to choose between Edward and Jacob. But you must know that I will support you whatever direction you go."

Bella nodded. "Goodbye, Mother."

Renée backed away and went back to her car. "Do what your heart tells you, not what your head does," she called to her as she climbed in. "I have to go now – if Jacob knows I've been here, he might get the wrong idea."

Bella nodded again and closed the door. "I have to go," she said and ran up the stars to Edward's room to collect her clothes.

"What?" Edward followed her. "You're- you're going- you're picking him?" he spluttered.

"No," Bella shook her head. "I don't know yet. I need to go talk to him because he's my fiancé. I need to do what's right, Edward. Don't you see? Maybe we were never meant to be – that's why I had to move away after only one year, that's why Renée hid our letters, that's why we never met again until now...That's why Jacob's here. I really do love you, Edward, but I love Jacob too."

Edward was reeling. He was hurt. He was angry. He was bitter. When Renée had been talking, he had been so sure that Bella would pick him. After the night they shared together...

Bella tried to keep her tears at bay. "I have to go, Edward," she kissed him tenderly on the lips as she passed him in the hallway, after gathering her things and getting changed into proper clothes. "I'm so sorry."

Bella ran. She ran out of the house and into her trusty truck. She quickly reversed and speeded out of the driveway, trying to ignore the lone figure standing watching her leave him.

She tried to choke back tears but it was no use and as soon as she was out of sight, she parked at the side of the road. She got a tissue out of her dashboard and wiped her eyes – she knew that in this condition, she would be a danger on the road.

With trembling hands, she reached for the pile of letters and opened the first, her tears now flowing down her cheeks freely.

She read the letter and then the next and then the next. Each one brought even more tears to her eyes and she knew now what man she was going to wake up with every morning. Which man she was going to marry.

Her soulmate.

E.A.M.C.E.A.M.C.E.A.M.C.

(2060)

I closed the notebook and looked at Bella who was staring out of the window – presumably at the surroundings.

"I remember, Edward," Bella looked at me from her window seat, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "I remember."

---

A/N – I tried to keep as many characters as close as I could while incorporating The Notebook but I had to change a lot of Renée's character. Basically the characters and the surroundings are the same as twilight and the circumstances and plot (and the writing style) are inspired by The Notebook although the actual stuff that happens in this fanfic, a lot doesn't happen in the book.

I ended there because I wanted to end in a happy note and everyone knows that if I continued any longer, it couldn't have ended optimistically.

My first attempt at a oneshot, lemon and 3rd person so I'm sorry if it's not that good : ) The second half was incredibly rushed, I know.

I'm so surprised I actually got this finished! It took me weeks and then my computer crashed and I didn't think I would get it fixed in time but it's working now and it only wiped like 3,000 words of what I wrote at the time. lol :)

Sorry for the extremely long oneshot and anyone who made it this far deserves a gold star. Lol

Please REVIEW and tell me what you think :)

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