Chapter 1
Summary: Edward died of Influenza in 1918 and Bella died when Tyler's truck hit her in 2005. Bella is in heaven when she meets Edward. They are both alone as everyone they love who died has 'moved on'.
They don't know where to but they do know you only make it there if you're content. They start spending all their time together and each confront what's holding them back from Contentment- Bella's inability to let go of her human family, and Edwards fear of the unknown. Together they find what they never hoped to- love.
Heaven is a lot like it is described in The Lovely Bones.
It sounds pretty confusing but I think the beginning of this chapter explains everything, you can review or PM with any questions
Disclaimer: I don't own twilight (weeps) or Edward (sobs)
Bella's POV
I laid down on the cool grass and pressed my cheek to the ground. I inhaled deeply and took in the earthy smell of the grass. I let out a small smile; I remember when I first came to heaven. I was shocked, no haloes, no floating clouds or angels, no eternal feasts, not perfect, for how could it be perfect when my friends and family were still living. No, instead it was just like earth, well not just like earth.
Heaven is in fact a very interesting place. I can't tell you what heaven will be like for you- if indeed you ever make it- for Heaven is different for everyone. It is, to put it simply, what ever you want it to be. You need only to think of something and it'll appear for you. In my heaven it's bright and sunny all the time. I have a huge library and my house is just a modest cottage. I spend most of my time watching over the one thing I don't have here in heaven: my friends and family.
At first it hurt me so much to watch them as they struggled to come to terms with my sudden and premature death. I was so mad, so angry. I tried to reach out to my parents, tried to give them a sign that I was okay, that I was there, watching them, waiting for them, but to no avail.
And so I watched. Watched my funeral, watched as my mother cried herself to sleep every night for two months. Watched as my father, always a recluse, avoided human company altogether. Saw my friends cry for me. Saw Tyler blame himself again and again for not being careful enough. And eventually, as time went on, watched them rebuild their lives, and pretty much go back to the way things were.
I watched my friends and family most of the time, something which Heaven's advisors- basically the councilors and rule keepers (not that there are many rules, we're in heaven, we're good people)- strongly advised against. They claimed that getting too attached to the living would keep you from 'moving on', reaching 'Contentment'. Not that I cared about that. Contentment is the place you go when you are fully content, happy with everything you had, nobody in Heaven really knew much about Contentment, but I knew enough to know that I didn't want to go. I liked watching over my family, the rumored perfection of Contentment did not tempt me as it did most others.
I was lonely, that was for sure, but what could I do about that. I doubt that I could make it to Contentment even if I wanted to, because I sure wasn't content. The advisers had told me what to do. I had to say good-bye to everyone I watched over and let them go, but I knew I couldn't do that.
I was still lying there contemplating the last few years, and indeed my existence when I heard a rude cough interrupt my revere. I sat up startled, ready to glare at the intruder, but instead I had to stop my mouth from dropping open, because, in front of me was the most beautiful boy I have ever seen- not just the kind of beautiful that all people are once they reach heaven- but just…wow, this boy had definitely been a beautiful human too. He was tall and thin, although you could easily see his clearly defined muscles through his shirt. He had copper hair, which was long and in disarray. His features were smooth and angular, and he had piercing emerald eyes. His eyes met mine and he smiled apologetically, his crooked grin melting my heart. He was instantly forgiven for his interruption, I smiled widely and he approached me and took a seat on the ground next to me.
The boy held out his hand, "Edward Mason, Spanish Influenza, 1918". He introduced himself with both name, cause and year of death as was common. I took Edward's hand and shook it,
"Bella Swan, hit by a truck, 2005." He nodded in understanding,
"Ah, a newbie." My eyebrows shot up, annoyed, I'd been dead for almost three years, its not like I died yesterday.
"If I'm a newbie I guess you're an old timer, huh." At first Edward looked a little shocked at my obvious irritation, but then he just tipped back his head and laughed,
"Gosh, feisty, aren't we. I just meant that you haven't been dead for long." I rolled my eyes,
"Yeah, I had figured that newbie meant that I'm new." Edward chuckled again and I continued, "Seriously though, most people who've been dead as long as you have have moved on to Contentment by now, why not you?" Edward bristled up, uncomfortable with the turn that the conversation had taken, he sighed,
"To be completely honest, I don't really want to go."
"But all your family are there right?"
"Well yeah but, I mean, maybe" he said, struggling for words.
"Maybe? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well that's the thing isn't it, nobody here knows what Contentment's like, for all we know you could just…disappear." Now it was my turn to laugh.
"Edward, are you telling me that the reason you haven't moved on is because you're scared of the unknown?" He looked sheepish,
"Well there's that, but also, I don't think I could move on, even if I wanted to…I don't think I am content…I think my existence might be missing something." I nodded, understanding his predicament only too well. Edward cleared his throat, eager to turn the conversation away from himself.
"So what about you? Why aren't you in Contentment right now?" I pointed to the ground, knowing he would understand that I meant I was still tied to the earth.
"I can't let go of my family and friends, they're all alive, and there, and I'm not. How am I supposed to be 'content' with that situation? I mainly just watch them, it's a poor substitute for actually being there, but it's better than nothing." Edward nodded, accepting my- all too common- explanation, then as he considered it his green eyes seemed to darken, before he shook his head and cleared his face of what ever emotion had just crossed it,
"I guess I can't really blame you for watching your family and friends…before mine all joined me here I did the same thing." I nodded and he continued, "So Bella" he asked casually, "Do you have a boyfriend down there?"
So that was chapter one, what do you think? Please REVIEW, tell me what you thought. Do you guys want Edward's POV of this chapter or not?
