A/N: In 1900, Edward A. Masen was born. In 1902, Isabella M. Swan was born. In 1917, they both get the Influenza, along with their parents, but they are the only ones to live in their family. They meet after they are discharged from the hospital in 1919, a year before the Women's Rights act. I'm changing some of the facts here, but bear with me. I actually know how this story will work out! Enjoy!
Chapter 1: For Good
Bella's POV:
Everyone who was still living was having their name called. I was the only one of my family still alive. Poor father, poor mother. I didn't have any brothers, so no one would carry our family name. I would be pretty far down the list. I was, after all, a woman. And I had an "S" last name.
"Masen, Edward," Dr. Cullen called. A handsome boy with bronze hair walked up to the doctor from the boy's section of the room. He and Dr. Cullen spoke for a few moments before Edward walked out of the room.
"Swan, Isabella."
I stayed where I was. There had to be a mistake! I was a woman. And there were still over two-scores of men in the room! (Note, one-score is 20; two-score is 40.)
"Swan, Isabella," Dr. Cullen called again. I hesitantly got up, earning a few curious glances from both the women and men in the room.
"Bella," Dr. Cullen said to me as I walked toward him. He lowered his voice so no one else could hear him and stared right into my eyes. "I want you to allow Mr. Masen to walk you home. He, like you, lost both his parents to the Influenza. I think that you two may be able to help each other begin to get over your losses."
I nodded as he spoke and stayed quiet, like a normal girl of my day and age.
"Come by here in a couple days for the inheritance you will receive from your parents."
"But—excuse me for interrupting, but shouldn't I only receive my inheritance after I am properly married?" I asked. Dr. Cullen smiled.
"Usually, that would be how the system works, but I think that you're responsible enough to manage your own inheritance." Dr. Cullen put a hand on my shoulder for a moment. In a second, I noticed that his hand was freezing—like he had just been holding it in a snow-drift.
I only felt his hand for a second, so I couldn't actually be sure.
"Thank you," I said quietly. I turned and left the room quickly, slightly flustered. I was looking down, so I didn't see him until I walked into him.
I walked into Edward Masen. He was speaking with another man—most probably another doctor—so he didn't see me.
That is, he didn't see me until I barreled into him, knocking us both to the ground.
"Oh, my, god, I am so sorry!" I exclaimed. My face was burning as I watched him get up. My legs were numb, and my heart was beating faster then usual from my embarrassment.
"It's alright, Miss...?" He extended his hand to me.
"Isabella," I told him. "Preferably, Bella, though; Bella Swan." I shook his hand. "And, you are?" Of course, I knew his name, but the polite thing to do would be to ask. It would be quite odd if I somehow knew his name.
"Edward Masen," he said. He smiled at me, a perfect, if not crooked, smile. The man whom Edward had been talking to cleared his throat slightly. "And this is my cousin, Emmett McCarty."
"Nice to meet you, Bella," Emmett said, extending his hand to me.
"Nice to meet you, too, sir," I replied, shaking his hand. He was huge; Emmett reminded me of the Teddy Bears that had come out around the time of my birth, named after the president of the time, Theodore Roosevelt.
"Sir," he muttered under his breath with a small laugh. Probably low enough that he didn't think I would hear. "Do you know if Rosalie Hale is still in there?" he asked.
"Um, I think so," I replied hesitantly.
Emmett nodded and looked toward the door.
"Is she a relative?" I asked.
Emmett smiled. "No; she's my fiancé."
I returned his smile politely.
"Well," I said after a few moments of awkward silence. "It was nice meeting the two of you. I-I should probably head...home...," I finished lamely. Home; where no one would be there to congratulate me on surviving the Influenza. Where no one would ever be there to talk with...ever again...
"Why don't I walk you home?" Edward offered. He extended his arm for me before I answered.
"Oh, well, thank you," I said, putting as much gratitude into my words as I could as I took his arm.
"Did anyone else in your family suffer the Influenza?" Edward asked.
"My father and my mother," I told him. "They were... They were my only family. I didn't have any siblings." I felt tears start to form in the corner of my eyes, but I ignored them. "What about you? Are your parents okay?"
"My parents are both dead," Edward said, almost as if he didn't care. "I still have my cousin Emmett, though; and my sister, Alice."
I couldn't speak. The realization that I would never see my parents again was overwhelming.
I saw Edward glance at me curiously out of the corner of my eye.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah," I choked out. "Just... I'm going to miss my parents."
Edward put his free hand on top of my own—which was still in his arm.
He didn't have to say anything as he accompanied me to my home. His presence was enough so that I didn't feel lonesome.
"Well," I said when we had arrived outside my quaint, if not small, house. "This is it." I turned to Edward. "Would you like to come in for some water?" I offered.
Edward smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, thank you."
On the door step was an enormous amount of red and white roses. I looked briefly at the card before shaking my head and picking the flowers up to take them inside. Might as well dry them on the walls; they'd last longer that way.
I led him into...my...house, motioning to a chair for him to sit in as I fetched a glass from one of the cabinets.
I filled the cup with water and brought the cup over to the table.
"Thank you," Edward said appreciatively.
I smiled and looked away—as any girl my age would. But my gaze led me to the roses that had been waiting for me on the front step.
"From a boyfriend?" Edward asked curiously. I could hear something in his voice...was he hoping that the flowers weren't from a boyfriend, merely just a fried?
"More like...a friend who wished to be more," I said slowly. I met Edward's curious green-eyed gaze and couldn't look away.
His eyes were the most mesmerizing shade of emerald I had ever seen... His eyes were a darker green then my mother's gem-stone butterfly hair-comb, which had studded emeralds in several places.
And now that I was really looking at him, I noticed his hair—a perfect mix between golden and brown, which made a gorgeous shade of auburn—wasn't fixed in anyway, as most men would have their hair, but in a casual disarray.
"Jacob Black," I explained. "He and I...we grew up together. It was both of our parents' wishes that we would become more then friends, but I never thought of him that way. Apparently, he thought of—and still thinks of me—that way." I nodded to the roses.
"Maybe he doesn't think of you that way at all," Edward suggested. "Not that it's any of my business, but maybe he's just doing what's expected of him from his parents."
"Maybe, but I highly doubt it." I sighed, looking away from his eyes for the first time.
There was a somewhat awkward silence for a few moments before Edward got up.
"I should probably be going home, now," he said. I saw something pass in his eyes; regret that he couldn't stay?
"I understand." I stood up and walked with him to the door.
"It was nice meeting you, Miss Swan," Edward said politely.
"Call me Bella," I requested.
Edward smiled. He was so beautiful. I felt so bad for him that he had lost his parents.
I watched Edward for a few minutes as he strode down the road to—presumably—his own home before walking back into my house. A used glass would not wash itself.
A few minutes after Edward had left, knock came at the door and I looked toward the front of the house.
I went to the front and opened the door, revealing a post-man standing there.
"Miss Swan?" he asked.
"Yes, may I help you?"
"I have a message for you, from the mayor's son," the post-man said. I groaned inwardly. "Mr. Jacob Black would like to formal invite you, and one guest, to his annual birthday ball. Because this is his nineteenth-year, he requires all his woman guests—invited by himself and his father—to share at the very least one dance with him." The post-man handed me an elegant looking letter.
"Thank you, sir," I said politely, taking the letter gingerly. The post-man nodded before turning abruptly and walking on to the next house on his list.
I read the letter carefully, once I had closed the door again.
Dearest Friends and Family of Jacob Black,
You are formally invited to Jacob Black's 19th-year masquerade ball. Attendants are permitted to bring one guest with them to the ball. Masques are required to this formal affair.
Thank you to all,
Mr. Billy Black
Attached to the first letter, was another one; hand written in familiar writing.
Dear Bella,
I realize that you have just become well after the Spanish Influenza, but it would mean so much to me if you could come to my birthday-ball and share a dace or two with me.
Yours Truly,
Jacob Black
"Ugh," I groaned softly.
I walked back into the kitchen, placing the letter lightly in my pocket.
Jacob. He was so hopeful, but why couldn't he understand? I just wasn't interested in him that way.
I looked at the date for his masquerade. June 20. My forehead creased. Jacob's birthday wasn't in June, it was in July, the beginning of July. I shrugged. If Jacob wanted to have his birthday-ball in the wrong month, he was free to do that. But June 20th was just in a few days.
Oh, well. I owned a couple gowns, and my mother owned plenty. I'd have something to wear in time.
I was walking up the stairs to my bedroom when I realized something: I hadn't even asked Edward Masen for his address! I couldn't write to him if I wanted to. That was a shame. Maybe, if I had had his address, I would be able to ask him to come with me to Jacob's ball. But Edward didn't even know me. Why would he want to accompany an almost-friend to her friend's birthday-ball, which was on the wrong day?
I shrugged. What's lost is lost. I didn't have Edward's address, so I couldn't ask him to come with me. I did have to find a job, though. And with the war going on, it shouldn't be that hard; plenty of people would want someone working their shops when there were no men in the town.
Except Edward Masen.
Ok, why was my mind bringing up someone who I didn't even know? I mean, yes Edward Masen was still in town, and he was nineteen, but so was Jacob Black! Jacob Black was still in town, and that had to count for something, didn't it?
As I arrived in my room, I saw something—a paper—lying facedown on my bed.
I picked up the paper and instantaneously recognized the handwriting.
Jacob.
How had he gotten into my house?
I read what he wrote quickly; my mind still had Edward's face fresh on the surface.
Dearest Bella,
I know that, when you get this, you will be well again, and I was curious if you would be able to visit. My father would like to give you something that your father had given him, when you first fell ill.
Please, if possible, come the day you receive this letter. I have missed seeing your beautiful face for two years; I could not bear any longer.
Sincerely,
Jacob Black
I stared at the letter for a few moments. Jacob wanted to see my "beautiful face". Fine; maybe I'd get lucky on the way and run into Edward, which would, of course, be a wonderful reason not to go visit Jacob.
I sighed and went to my closet. I was still wearing the hospital's rather cheap clothing. If, by chance, I ran into Edward Masen, I'd want to look a bit better then I had when he had seen me before.
I walked out of my house, wearing a white-rose necklace that had belonged to my mother. It had a long, gold chain that went around my neck twice. My hope was that I would run into Edward Masen instead of actually going to the Black Manor.
I knew that I would have to be extremely lucky to meet Edward Masen on the street, but I could still hope.
"Miss, could you spare some change?"
I jumped slightly at hearing the familiar voice.
"Oh, my god, Angela!" I all but shrieked. Angela smiled hugely, and we hugged.
"Oh, Bella, it's so good to see you!" she said, her huge grin still in place.
"Why did you scare me like that?" I demanded. "I nearly thought you actually were a beggar!"
"Because I knew that would scare you," she replied devilishly. "Where are you off to, anyways?"
I rolled my eyes. "Black Manor."
"Bella, you spent so much time there before you became sick, and now you're going to spend the day there, rather then catch up with an old, life-long friend?" Angela demanded.
"Of course not!" I replied. "But no friend has invited me elsewhere." I paused and gave Angela a significant look. "So..."
"Would you like to come to my house?" Angela asked. "I know it's in the opposite direction of Black Manor, but if you're willing to walk a bit longer..."
"Why, Angela, of course!" I exclaimed. "I would love to see your home. It's been too long."
Angela and I talked a bit more as we walked, arm in arm, to her house. I told her about Jacob's birthday-ball, and how I wanted to ask Edward Masen to go with me, but didn't know how to ask and all those sorts of things. We were half-way there when I notice the new, huge mansion that was standing where there used to be an empty lot.
"Who lives there?" I asked curiously. Angela glanced at the house and smiled.
"Oh, that's the Masen household. Poor dears, I heard that all three of them had the Influenza; Edward Sr., his wife, Elizabeth, and their son, Edward."
"Edward Masen?" I asked in surprise.
"Yes; do you—" Angela stopped abruptly as the front door of the house opened, revealing Edward Masen. "Oh, my god, he's beautiful."
Edward glanced at Angela before he saw me. A small grin lit up his features as our eyes met.
"Hello again, Bella," he said politely as he walked toward me (and Angela, of course, but I had momentarily forgotten that she was there). I felt blood rush to my face as I looked down.
"Hello, Edward," I said, probably too soft for him to hear. Angela elbowed my side slightly, but enough that it hurt. I looked up again, my face going into an automatic smile. "This is my friend, Angela."
Edward nodded his head politely. "It's nice to meet you, Angela."
Angela shook Edward's hand and smiled shyly.
"Nice to meet you, too," she said. I suddenly felt...something...flare inside me. Jealousy? Was I all of a sudden jealous that Angela was the one who was speaking to Edward? No, it wasn't that. I couldn't tell what it was.
I saw Edward's eyes glance toward me; a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"Bella, I was wondering if I could speak to you. If neither you nor Angela minds, of course," Edward added the last part in flawlessly.
"Of course not," Angela answered for me. "Bella actually has something to ask you." She gave me a knowing smile and started walking away. "Come visit me later, promise?" she called over her shoulder.
"Yeah; I promise," I called after her, probably a moment too late to sound normal. I turned around to face Edward again—and promptly tripped over my own feet, which normally would have caused me to fall on my face.
Luckily, though, Edward was standing right there. Right where I would have fallen. So instead of falling to the ground...I fell into his arms. This was kind of awkward, but also nice.
"Are you alright?" he asked, worried. He helped me stand, but didn't take his hand off my waist.
"Yeah," I said, slightly out of breath. I let out a small laugh. "I seem to be falling onto you a bit today," I added awkwardly.
"So it would seem," Edward agreed. That's when I heard him laugh for the first time. His laugh was...beautiful; musical.
We walked for a bit, neither one of us really saying anything. We were both just enjoying each other's presence. Edward obviously knew the roads better then I did, because, despite the fact that I didn't recognize the way, we were somehow at the park where my mother had always brought me.
My mother; Renée.
Tears came to my eyes suddenly. I reached up to wipe them away quickly before they spilled over.
"Are you ok?" Edward asked. Of course he would notice as I wiped away my tears.
"Fine," I replied. "It's just...this park holds so many memories for me."
Edward nodded. "The same for me. My father used to send me here with my cousin and step-sister. Emmett McCarty, you met him earlier, I recall; and Alice Brandon. She was my mother's first child, from before she met my father. Alice is only a few months older then me, but she gives off a very... I guess you could call it 'young' impression." We were both silent as we walked onto one of the trails that led into the greenery. My personal favorite trail, actually.
"So, your friend, Angela"—I nodded—"said that you wanted to ask me something...?" Edward started. I could hear the curiosity in his voice.
"Um, yes, actually." I felt so embarrassed. Angela was sooo going to pay for this. "I mean, it's really stupid and I probably shouldn't even be asking because... I mean, we hardly know each other, but, I'll be honest, there are no other men in town anymore, besides for Jacob, and yourself, obviously, whom I know, because I can hardly say I know the other men who had had the Influenza—" I would have gone on longer if Edward hadn't interrupted—and I was glad he did.
"I'm a bit confused," he said lightly. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Well, see, my friend, Jacob Black—he's the one who had left the roses on my front door step—he's having a masquerade ball for his birthday, and all guests are allowed to bring along a friend. So, I was curious, if...you'd...like to...accompany me?" I choked out the last words, utterly and completely embarrassed.
"I would be honored to accompany you," Edward said quietly. "That is, if your friend Jacob does not mind."
"Of course he doesn't!" I said quickly. "It's a masquerade, though. And masques are...required—"
"It sounds almost as if you're trying to convince me not to come with you," Edward said with a small laugh. I laughed with him, slightly embarrassed.
"I guess it does sound that way, doesn't it?" I admitted.
Edward led me over to a felled tree and sat down.
"Would you like to sit with me?" he asked politely.
"Of course."
We were silent for a moment. What was he thinking? I wondered.
"What was your family like?" he asked after a moment.
"My mother, Renée, was, in a way, very immature for her age. I was always the one taking care of her. Most people said that I looked a lot like her, but I have too much of my father, Charlie, in me. I'm not as graceful as my mother; I'm not graceful at all, as you've probably noticed."
Edward laughed slightly. My heart jumped at the sound.
"Yes, it would appear that you are not the most graceful person." I glanced up at his teasing expression.
"And my father...he was very good friends with the Blacks. He and Mr. Black were always hoping that Jacob and I would become more then friends, but I guess that never happened." And never would happen, now that I had met Edward.
Edward opened his mouth to reply, but he never got a chance to. Because at that moment, someone else called my name.
"Bella!"
A/N: Alright, including this author's note: Eleven. F-ing. Pages! And I could go on, and on, and on, but I wanted to make the next chapter all ready. I already have chapter 5 and the last chapter mostly written (actually, the last chapter is totally written) and I just wanted to start chapter 2 already! This took so, freaking LONG! But I like how it turned out. By the why, I listened to the same song the entire time I wrote this chapter. For Good from the play WICKED.
Please be kind, REVIEW!