A/N: This was inspired by the song, "After Midnight" by J Minus and a video made by a twilight fan back at lionlamb. I wrote a story!! The vid really rocks. :D hehe
Hope you enjoy. :)
And after midnight
I'll see you beneath the darkened skies
We can run around in the open
Chasing fireflies
"Edward?" My voice was a mute whisper in the wind.
I stretched my arms out, feeling the wet ferns around me. I walked as carefully as I could, wishing so much not to stumble. The ground sloshed with my every step, and all I could see were hues of the green vegetation that surrounded me now. Only the faint moonlight was my source of illumination.
I took a slow breath to call him yet again, but only to render that breath useless when my boot got caught up in one of the roots. I squeaked, anticipating the mush of green to meet my face when an iron grip suddenly cradled my waist.
I heard his low chuckle. He was obviously amused.
"What would you do without me…" he muttered through his smile.
I searched for his chest with my hands, and when I found him, I allowed myself to be cradled closer. His sweet scent calmed me down, pushing a wave of trust and comfort down my system.
It wasn't exactly a pleasant thing to feel alone in the middle of the forest in the middle of the night when he could walk—or run—so quietly.
"Are you alright, love?" he asked, suddenly preoccupied when I didn't respond to him. "We can go back to your room now if you want. Maybe you're tired--"
I pressed one finger to his cold lips. "I'm fine." I steadied my balance and released myself from his grip so I could stand on my own. "So… what exactly did you want to show me that you had to drag me all the way down here in the middle of the night?"
I could not see his face clearly because of the dark. So instead, I lifted my hands to his face and felt a warm smile spread across his lips.
"It's a surprise," he replied.
I groaned.
His hands were suddenly on my forehead. I felt his finger smooth out the crease I made between my eyebrows. "Don't worry. I think you'll enjoy it."
"Well…" I drew in a deep breath. "I guess it wouldn't hurt."
He carried me on his back, and I was glad to be stuck there so he won't see how my face suddenly heated up. He thinks I'll enjoy it? I was dead curious now, especially since it wasn't much like him at all to drag me off the bed at midnight when we still had school tomorrow.
However, I couldn't disguise my fluttering stomach for too long. He heard every bang my heart made as it knocked itself to my sternum.
"You're more excited than I thought," he remarked as he sped through the forest.
I buried my head in his hair. "It's because… this is a bit unlike you."
He turned his head a little, confused.
"I mean," I started to explain. "You don't usually let me get out of the house—let alone out of my bed after midnight—so I'm a little… intrigued."
He breathed out a sigh of relief, probably thinking that there was something at the edge of my voice. "You should be. I've been waiting for a long time for this night," he assured me, and then his pace slowed to a jog. "Tonight is the perfect time."
I looked up to find that we were already in our meadow. Before I could start to make out shapes in the darkness, he suddenly put me on my feet in one swift swipe. It was then when I felt his cold hands on my face, covering my eyes.
I jerked at his sudden movement, but his gentle voice reassured me that it was fine. "You shouldn't open your eyes yet."
"Why not?" I demanded. I was so close to ruining his surprise; it would have been enjoyable for me if not for his quick reflexes.
He chuckled, and his lips were already at my ear. "One minute."
I froze and waited. I could only hear my breathing, accelerating with every passing second. He didn't miss how my heart fluttered.
"The moon is still obscured by the clouds," he told me. As much effort as he put in that nonchalant tone, I could have sworn there was a smile tugging at his mouth.
"So why do you have to cover my eyes?"
"I want you to see everything in one glance."
I struggled to wrench his hands off my face, and immediately gave up. It was futile to fight against a vampire's strength.
"Bella, you are absurdly impatient."
"It's killing me."
And it really was. How long is one minute, exactly? I think I'll lose my breathing pattern soon since my stupid heart won't calm down.
I've always hated Edward's surprises. So instead of making myself suffer more by complaining about how slow the time crawls, I decided to listen.
The forest was quiet. I could feel the cold wind pass by, but it was not too strong that could have made the leaves shudder in unison. It was calming, and the meadow brought with it a sense of safety; a place I know I'd always call home as long as Edward was here with me.
"It's here," his silky voice whispered.
And immediately after, a quiet howl from the wind pushed back from behind me. Simultaneously, Edward released his hand.
I just stood and stared.
The wind brought with it the clouds that shrouded the moonlight, allowing the faint light to settle now on the forest. The meadow glowed, but not only because of the moon; there was something else that the wind brought with it.
A flock of beautifully-lit golden fireflies danced their way to the center of the clearing, engulfing me and Edward in a wave of soft flickering lights.
My breath spiked as they continued to dance, breaking through into separate specks of light. They illuminated the entire meadow in a symphony of harmony, turning it into a bright clearing. I could see the wet grass, the trees that encircled the meadow, and the sleeping flowers resting on the grass bed.
I turned to him, mouth agape, only to find that his face was already holding my eyes.
He was stunning, heavenly lit by a million flickers. The way the wind caressed his bronze hair, more human than any other part of him, was gentle; his tresses ruffled as it passed. Upon his silhouette was his perfect figure, some forgotten god more beautiful than any other. His golden eyes were glowing, and then a breathtaking smile emerged from his perfect lips as his gaze smoldered into mine.
A deep stab of pain pierced, crashing down on me. He was too perfect.
"You are so beautiful," he said quietly in that velvet voice.
I couldn't keep my breath steady. "Edward, I—"
His lips had seized mine before I could finish, and even in the cold, the warmth of his love almost sent my heart bursting with joy.
Within this meadow, it was only the two of us now. It didn't matter that the wind now brought the warm breeze from the south, or how the fireflies suddenly encircled the two of us, or how the moon made his skin radiate with perfection.
It did not matter. It was only me and him, alone.
My body molded itself on his, and I could feel his cool hands seep deep into my hair, my nape. I traced the flawless form of his shoulders, and felt him gently arch his back towards me to kiss me deeper.
His iron hands cradled my back, but in spite of his strength, his lips were gentle on mine. A while later, he drew in his face to stare into my eyes, and also so I could catch my breath. Those butterscotch eyes of his were still smoldering into mine, boring so deep that it was enough to realize how much I meant to him.
Did he see how much he meant to me?
"Thank you," I breathed, encircling my fragile arms around his neck. "I could not have wanted anything more."
His cool cheek rested itself on top of my hair. "I was keeping tabs on this night. Alice said it was the perfect time when the southern wind would hit, brining with it those little fireflies."
I looked up to see that the fireflies had gone deeper into the forest now, only a few of them remaining in the meadow. I smiled.
We embraced that way in silence, not caring how long we'd stood or how much time had passed.
"Do you think," I spoke quietly, breaking through the comfortable silence. "That there would be another time like this again?"
"Yes, but it only happens once a year. The wind—"
"No…" I shook my head, interrupting him. The movement made him break our embrace and then tip my chin up with his finger so he could see my eyes.
His face was gravely confused. "Then what…?"
"I want to stay this way… again. Always," I flickered my eyes to the earth below us, feeling my face heat up. "It's nice. Being with you."
He was silent for a while, thoughtful. "There is no other place I'd rather be."
I looked up at him and saw that he really did mean it.
He continued, "It wouldn't matter if it was here or anywhere else; anywhere is fine as long as you're safe with me."
Oftentimes, I would feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness when he would look at me that way.
Like I was everything that he couldn't live without.
It made me feel lonely because it only reminded me that I might lose him someday, soon. Sometimes, things like this were just too good to be true.
Immediately, he sensed my silent distress.
"What's wrong?"
I leaned in closer to his face so I could rest my forehead under his jaw. "It's hard for me… to feel that you might leave in an instant."
His gentle hands smoothed my hair, comforting me, but not quite easing my apprehension. How indeed could he not disappear so quickly, prefect as he is? Could this just be a dream? A useless swell of hope for me to think that I could keep him forever?
"Please don't." Edward's voice was stern but still smooth as silk. The intensity then caught me off-guard when he continued, "You have no idea how hard it is for me to think I could keep you to myself forever."
His hands were suddenly grasping my hair, holding me closer to him. It was tighter than before, more urgent… more uncertain. As if his eyes were not enough to burn me down with intensity.
I felt the heat creep up to my face again.
I looked away when his eyes were too intense for me to handle. Too good to be true, I repeated to myself in dismay.
But he took hold of my hand, intertwined his long, cold fingers through each crevice and kissed the back of my palm. And it made me feel whole again, for some reason, because I knew then that he wouldn't leave me.
That there was nothing in the world that would make him let go.
"You up for a challenge?" he murmured playfully against my skin, distracting me.
I inclined my head to the side. "Challenge?"
His teeth then gleamed in front of me, forming into a heart-stopping smile. "Catch some fireflies."
My face fell a bit, but I concealed it with some effort. He didn't miss a single expression, so his loud laughter echoed throughout the forest, a picture of ease. He knew how much that terrified me: running around the forest with two left feet.
"W-Well… as long as you won't be far away," I stammered.
Catching fireflies. In the dark. In a forest. In the middle of the night. What kind of insane activities did he think of?
"Be optimistic." He flashed my favorite crooked smile. And even in the low light of the moon, he still took my breath away. How could I resist that?
I bit down on my lower lip. "Alright. But don't blame me if I can't catch anything," I finally said after taking a few breaths of my own. I hadn't noticed that I stopped breathing. I then smiled a little and continued, "When I'm falling, I'll squeak."
Edward bent down to kiss my forehead, a triumphant smile on his handsome god-like face. "On your mark…"
I rolled my eyes. "Get set…"
His grin grew, and then he disappeared.
I laughed inwardly at his playfulness. But now it was time to concentrate. I wouldn't want to explain to Charlie that I broke my legs in a dream; how could I find an excuse for that unless he'd think I escaped the house at night?
My eyes swept through the dark forest, and only within the meadow's circle did I see anything. There was one lone firefly, flickering its light as it sat quietly on a blade of grass. I smiled, thinking that this was one easy prey.
As quietly as I could manage, despite the klutzy wobbles, I made my way to the insect, which was completely unaware of my intentions.
Or so I thought.
When I crouched myself on the ground, and then pounced on it, it had already made its escape. Thankfully, I didn't bash myself into the grass waiting for me below. I scowled at the flickering being as it flew, looking like it was making a victory dance for me.
"There's no use fighting over a tiny insect," I heard Edward's voice call out to me, deep in the forest. He laughed.
I stumbled to my feet, a bit grouchy. It was then when I really felt the sleepiness settle in, because the sudden movement wasn't simply orthostatic hypotension. I yawned, backing a few steps to wake myself up when I tripped on a stray vine.
Even before I could squeak, Edward was already there by my side, catching me with his free hand.
"Truly, you are adorable," he chuckled, and then lifted me onto his back. I only caught a small glimpse of his other hand, caressing several bright lights inside of it. "Let's take you home."
I regained my senses when he was already tucking me in bed. He lay there with me, and beside my bedside was a bottle filled with shimmering fireflies. There were probably more than thirty of them.
"So many," I mumbled.
"They weren't that hard to catch," he responded. "Like chasing ants, actually."
I forced my eyes to open, and a surge of pity for the insects came overcame me. My hand reached out to the bottle, but his hands got there before mine could. He let me cradle the bottle in my arms, which now looked like a lamp as it brightened up my shabby room.
I twisted the lid off.
"Bella, what are you—"
"Did you leave the window open?" I asked, watching the little creatures escape one by one.
"Yes…" he replied. There was a tone of uncertainty in his voice. "But I thought you'd want them in here."
I placed the bottle back on the table, leaving them free to break away. My head found its way to his chest, and I sighed contentedly when he wrapped his arms around me outside my cocooned blanket.
"They have families, too, you know," I said, now feeling the drowsiness settle in for good.
He kissed my hair. "I suppose you're right. Even little creatures should have a right to live." He chuckled then, and said in a playful voice, "It was wrong for me to imprison them in that urn."
It was then that it settled in me again.
There was an air of silence, of uncomfortable ambivalence. I knew right then what his words had meant. My frantic heart gave way to my troubled state, but he held me tighter in response.
"Ssh, Bella…" he crooned, rocking me and humming my lullaby to lull me into sleep.
I couldn't object because of how tired I was. I succumbed in silence, but I made one last effort to ease the tension brimming inside of me.
I arched up to kiss him, and his answering kiss was a little off. Distracted.
I didn't have much strength to object.
"Sleep, love," he murmured against my hair.
I gripped onto his arms as far as I could manage and drifted to sleep, barely sloshing out one little word that could only probably hold me in place, this way, with him.
"Stay…"
And the darkness took me into a deep slumber.
end.