Full Circle
Like all stories, theirs starts at the beginning; unlike most stories, theirs also starts in the middle. Fate is a cruel mistress, and nothing turned out like they'd planned. As their story unravels in past and present, we'll find out what turns they took along the road. Can Bella & Edward really come full circle, or will Fate have more tricks up her sleeve?
AU Human. Warning: Contains major character death. This is Bella & Edward's story, and contrary to what it may seem, AUserHasNoName does believe in happily ever after.
Disclaimer: All recognizable Twilight characters and settings were created by Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: So I'm coming back to this story that I originally started years ago. I only got about halfway through back then. I'll be editing the old chapters as I go along, and then hope to pick up where I left off and finish things off with a bow. This is an AU Human, B/E story.
I created a playlist for this song back in the day, and I still have the track names in my notes for each chapter. No judgement, guys - again, this was years ago. You'll see what I mean. I might modernize some of the tracks, but I'll also leave some of them. I'm sure you'll know them when you see them.
This chapter's Listen To is As Lovers Go by Dashboard Confessional and But I Do Love You by LeAnn Rimes. (Told ya!)
Chapter 1 - Beginnings
Edward Cullen
October 16, 2002
It was just another Wednesday when Edward Cullen woke up and got himself ready for what he thought would be an extremely ordinary day. By the time he got home from school, he already knew that he would look back on the day as the Wednesday that had changed his life.
As he walked through the halls toward his locker, his eyes darted between clusters of students whispering and murmuring amongst themselves. Having a sister who was never anything less than intimately involved in all the latest gossip, he of course got the full low-down before he could even step foot into his second period history class.
Name: Isabella Swan. Daughter of Charlie Swan, Forks' very own notoriously reticent Chief of Police. She'd apparently relocated from Phoenix after her mother remarried, and was the most exciting thing that had happened to Forks High School since his own family had moved to town. Never one to dabble much in the trivial pursuits of his classmates, he nevertheless couldn't avoid picking up bits and pieces of the conversations around him, all revolving around their newest addition.
By the time the lunch period rolled around, he was pretty sure he knew everything he could have cared to know, and more, about Isabella Swan. Including the fact that she was the new love interest of at least three of his peers. He found all of this utterly uninteresting, and was prepared to continue living his life exactly as he had the day before.
But then he ran into said Bella Swan. Literally.
His papers spilled out of his notebook and cascaded to the cafeteria floor. She started apologizing without even looking up, immediately kneeling to gather up his lost papers, not bothering with the fact that her shirt was now covered in marinara sauce from the tray she'd carried. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," she was gushing.
He knelt down beside her to retrieve his Trig notes, mumbling some banal pleasantries and telling her not to worry about it. She finally turned to look at him while extending a stack of now crumpled papers, but he'd already forgotten about the notes. His heart stumbled in his chest, which is something that it normally didn't do. He wasn't a heart-stumbling kind of guy, but at that moment, he realized why this girl had captured the attention of every male student within a 5-block radius.
He blinked out of his stupor and offered her a genuine smile, as well as a hand to help her up. She didn't look away from his eyes while she placed her hand in his, and a flush spread across her cheeks while he pulled her to her feet.
"I figured we'd run into each other eventually. I just didn't know it would be so literal."
She stared at him with wide eyes. "Again, I'm so sorry about that."
"Don't be." He waved her off. "Although I'm sorry about your shirt."
She looked down at herself, seeming surprised, and grimaced. "Of course. I would be the girl to wear white on spaghetti day."
He gave her an amused smile, and held out his hand again. "I'm Edward, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Bella."
"How did you know my name?"
"You're new here, right? Everyone's talking about you. You're the most exciting thing that's happened to Forks in almost two years."
Her blush grew darker. "If that's true, I can't imagine that you people get much excitement at all around here."
"We find ways to make our own entertainment." He grinned at her, enjoying her reaction.
Before he had a chance to offer her a new lunch, he was interrupted by his sister's shriek, and they both turned to see Alice rushing toward them. "Edward, what did you do?" she demanded, taking in Bella's ruined shirt. She didn't wait for an answer before turning to address Bella. "You'll have to excuse my brother, he doesn't get out much, I hope he didn't scare you away."
Bella blinked in surprise, looking back and forth between the two of them. "Um, no, it was my fault, really," she stammered.
"I've been dying to meet you. Let's go get you a new shirt," Alice insisted, looping her arm through Bella's. "You're lucky I keep back-ups in the car. Come on."
Bella's eyes lingered on Edward for a moment longer, but he smiled. "Don't worry, Alice is harmless. You're in good hands."
He stayed rooted to his spot until he watched them take their leave of the cafeteria, his sister still prattling on while Bella looked over her shoulder at him one last time before they rounded the corner. Although he strongly suspected that he wore what could only be described as a dopey smile, he couldn't bring himself to care right then. He considered this turn of events as he made his way over to his usual table.
"Burn!" Emmett exclaimed in greeting as Edward set down his tray next to his brother. "Looks like our little sister killed your game big-time, man."
He gave Emmett a perfunctory glare before biting into his apple, chewing thoughtfully. This was certainly not something he'd planned on today, but he found himself calculating a plan to get himself in front of one Bella Swan again before the day was through. Another fortunate turn of events gave him the chance to put his plan into action during 5th period Biology.
Edward Cullen
May 17, 2004
Bella ran towards him across the lawn, weaving between the bodies of their classmates, and he grabbed her in a hug and swung her around before setting her back on her feet, laughing.
"Congratulations," he whispered into her hair, still holding her close.
He was rewarded with a radiant smile as she pulled away to look up at him. "And congratulations to you," she replied.
He leaned down to kiss her, but was interrupted by Alice, who came running up behind Bella. If he didn't love his sister so much, he'd kill her.
"Stop hogging my best friend!" she cried, pulling Bella out of his grasp. Bella just shrugged and gave him a rueful smile, then returned her friend's tight hug. "We have so much to do before the party!" Alice exclaimed.
At that, Bella took an apprehensive step back from both of them. "Guys, about this party. It's not going to be anything too outrageous, is it?"
"It's our graduation," he reminded her. "You can't expect too much of Alice's self-control."
Alice just grinned, not bothering to argue about that. "Don't worry, you're just going to die when you see it."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Bella muttered.
Six hours later, Edward paced around his room impatiently. His sister had stolen Bella away hours ago, and he hadn't seen either of them since. He had passed the point of stir-crazy a couple hours back, and was bordering on outright anxiety. When he heard the front door open, he ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time, and spilled into what used to be the living room.
He and Emmett had arrived home after the graduation ceremony to find their parents sitting in the middle of a forest of boxes and equipment, holding a very specific, very detailed set of instructions from Alice. Then they'd spent the next four hours transforming the house into a nightclub.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Edward came to a screeching halt. Bella stood before him, smiling shyly and looking up at him through her lashes. Had her eyelashes always been that long? Surely some of Alice's handiwork. Although he would've preferred to have his girlfriend to himself, he had to admit that whatever she and his sister had been doing for the past several hours, it did a body good. Bella was always beautiful, but tonight, with her long brown hair cascading in waves across her shoulders, she looked out-of-this-world. Certainly out of his league, at the very least.
He reached for Bella's hand to draw her closer, allowing himself a self-indulgent moment to drink in her appearance, letting his gaze slowly travel down her body before crawling back up to meet her eyes. He leaned his head down to speak into Bella's ear. "You're gorgeous."
"You're welcome," Alice sang, giving them both a little wave from where she stood across the foyer.
He tore his eyes away from Bella to glare at his sister and grumble at her. "Took you long enough." He didn't want Alice to get any bright ideas about turning his girlfriend into a hostage on a more regular basis, but for Bella's sake, he also leaned down and lowered his voice, just for her. "Worth it."
Emmett chose that moment to come bounding down the stairs. He slipped past them on his way to the kitchen, though not without a low whistle. "Damn, Bella!"
In one fluid motion, Edward wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, nearly growling at his brother.
Of course, Emmett's only reaction was to laugh at him. "I was just saying!" he shouted over his shoulder with a wink.
Alice trailed after him, issuing a string of threats that would be enacted should he not change into the party clothes that she'd lain out for him. She turned off the overhead lights on her way, leaving them with only the low-lighting that he and Emmett had set up earlier.
"Okay, so tell me the truth," Bella started, crossing her arms self-consciously. "Is it too much? I mean, with the hair, and the make-up, and the dress?"
At the mention of her dress, Edward allowed his eyes to roam over her once more. He reached out to trail his fingers slowly down her arm, coming to grip her hand, and then brought it up over her head and twirled her in a circle for his appraisal. When she'd finished her turn, he pulled her in close, then swept her down in a kiss, continuing to support her weight with his arms when she opened her eyes as he pulled back.
After a few moments, he righted them. Breathless and blushing, Bella smiled. "That wasn't an answer."
"It was the best answer I could think of," he assured her. Although he could certainly give her a more impassioned demonstration, he had a feeling he should probably hold off on that until later in the evening.
His suspicions were confirmed by the sound of the doorbell signaling the arrival of their first guests, who would soon begin arriving in droves. Alice had invited the entire senior class of Forks High School and, knowing Forks, at least half of the junior class was likely to show up as well. It wasn't every day that they had an entertainment option that rivaled tailgating in the back parking lot of the local hardware store.
And the Cullen house was indeed in a class of its own that night. Alice had been in fine form when she'd planned the gathering, and at the pinnacle of the party, the house was pounding with music and the middle of the living room was just dark enough to lower inhibitions and get people dancing.
Emmett was in his element, surrounded by girls who had been pandering for his attention for the past three years. He wasn't known for having a very long attention span with the ladies, but none of them seemed to care as long as he would give them the time of day. Alice was flitting from group to group, making sure everyone was having a good time. She danced through the crowd fluidly without losing the beat, despite the fact that Edward couldn't seem to move without bumping into another body.
He kept his hands on Bella's hips to keep her close, doing his best to protect her from being too jostled by the horde. They'd been surrounded by bodies all night, yet had still managed to maintain their own little world.
"I still can't believe it's over," Bella lamented.
"You can't seriously be saying that you're going to miss Forks High?" he joked. He spoke against her ear to be heard.
Bella grinned up at him. "Come on, you know you're going to miss it, too. Even though we can't wait to blow this popsicle joint, I bet we won't make it a month before getting nostalgic."
"I'll take that bet," he said. "I'm sure we'll be too busy to be nostalgic."
"Speak for yourself, Mr. Pre-Med," she teased. "I'm sure you will be too busy, that's true. Are you starting to reconsider your crazy plans yet?"
This wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation. "Still no," he assured.
She sighed. "I guess if your advisor can't convince you, then I won't be the one to sway the vote."
He gave her a smile and bent his head to kiss the corner of her mouth. She'd been so close all night, it was getting harder for him to keep his lips away from hers. "Trust me, you have more sway than you know."
"Yet I can't convince you that trying to complete your undergrad in three years is just a little bit crazy, and also completely unnecessary?"
"I've told you, it needs to be three years, because then there'll be med school, and then-"
"Internship, and then residency," she recited. "I know, I know, I've heard it all before. I'm just saying, think of all the fun you could have lollygagging around with me for the full four years."
He peered down at her, starting to wish that all these damn people would go away and leave them alone. He could think of all kinds of fun he could have with her, and most of it didn't need to wait all summer for them to leave for UW. All night, they'd been pressed together in conversation, and every time Bella spoke, she leaned in and used her hands on him to steady herself. The constant contact was becoming too much to ignore. He watched as her teasing grin faded while she took in the look in his eyes. She wet her lips then, and he decided that he'd had enough of the party.
"Want to get out of here?" he asked in her ear.
"I thought you'd never ask," she replied sweetly.
Wasting no time after he had her answer, he took her hand and guided her swiftly through the remaining crowd. It was 12:30am, but only a fraction of the partygoers had trickled out. They managed to make it to the staircase, and since the student body of Forks High was at least respectful and stayed on the ground level, they were home free. Edward steered Bella in front of him and urged her up the stairs, staying close on her heels. She sought his hand again while they made their way down the hall, throwing him a look over her shoulder.
When she reached his bedroom, it was her turn to pull him by the hand, and he was only too happy to follow. She reached out to swing the door closed behind him, and he took the opportunity to grab her by the waist and push her against it, holding her in place.
"I thought I'd never get you alone tonight," he mused, looking down into her eyes.
She sighed contentedly. "Well, you've gotten me now."
He finally brought his lips down on hers, claiming her mouth in a fierce, possessive kiss, a reflection of everything that had been building up inside him all day. Today was a day to be celebrated, and they were finally able to do it in their own way. There was nowhere he'd rather be. He would never get tired of being with her like this.
Bella's hands slid from his shoulders to his chest, then trailed their way down his stomach, coming to rest at his belt buckle. He growled impatiently in her ear, and she laughed softly. He tangled his fingers in her hair as he kissed her again, moving so his hips pinned her to the door. He took advantage of her gasp by sweeping his tongue into her mouth, taking his time in tasting her.
"God, you're amazing," he mumbled, dragging his lips down to her neck. She reached up between them to start unbuttoning his shirt, her fingers playing softly against each new sliver of skin she revealed.
He flexed his fingers against her hips, and nearly groaned when she arched into him. His hands slid down from her hips, down the outside of her thighs, and then back up and under her dress, lifting the fabric of the skirt as he went. He hummed appreciatively as his fingertips caressed the edges of her underwear.
Having finished the buttons on his shirt, Bella ran her hands across his torso, and his muscles jumped under her touch. She came back to his belt buckle, pulling at it until she could get to the button of his pants. She teased him by taking her time, smiling up at him demurely while she worked his zipper down. He shrugged out of his shirt and then pulled her away from the door. Unable to keep his mouth off of her, he kissed her again as he walked her backwards. When the back of his knees hit the bed, he sat down and raised his eyebrow.
"You still have way too many clothes on," he whispered huskily.
Bella smiled at him and held his gaze while she pushed the right strap of her dress off her shoulder, then the left. She wriggled out of the garment and let it fall to the floor. Edward could only gape at the beautiful girl standing in front of him in her underwear and heels.
"Come here." He crooked his finger at her, and she was only too happy to comply, kicking off her heels in the process. She settled onto his lap, straddling him, making him clench his teeth and moan in appreciation at the friction.
He fell back, and they soon settled into a familiar rhythm, losing themselves in each other. He brought her to the brink, and then followed her over. After they had caught their breath, Bella took up her usual spot, snuggled in against his side with her face against his chest. He felt the corners of her mouth turn up in a smile. "Happy graduation," she whispered. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
He listened to the sound of her breathing as it steadied, but found himself fighting sleep. For the past two years, he'd been waiting for the day when he would wake up to find that this life was just a dream. No man had the right to be this lucky.
Bella Swan
September 3, 2017
Drifting somewhere between sleep and consciousness, Bella took a deep breath and inhaled her favorite familiar scent. Her mouth twitched into a smile as she became more alert, keeping her eyes closed. She reached out blindly to initiate a special wake-up call, but failed to find what she was looking for, her hand gripping nothing but a pile of sheets and blankets. She opened her eyes and sighed at the empty side of the bed.
Wait, a blanket? They'd been sleeping without a blanket for months. He must have gotten one out sometime in the middle of the night, or maybe just for her when he got up. She guessed that meant that their summer was officially coming to a close.
Slowly becoming more aware, she registered the sound of water running in the shower. She pushed the covers off and slid her feet to the ground, and the hardwood was indeed a bit chilly. She padded over to the bathroom and quietly pushed open the door.
Once the steam dissipated, she was able to make out the form on the other side of the glass. He was lathering his hair, and she watched the soapy suds make a trail over his collarbone, down his well-muscled chest, down his six-pack abs, and finally down to… aha! Her eyes met their goal. What's a little voyeurism between husband and wife?
She couldn't help but notice that he was ready for her, and suddenly found herself opening the shower door and stepping in, having already discarded her panties and tshirt along the way.
He wiped the water from his eyes and turned to her with a smile. "Well hello there. What are you doing up?"
"You're up," she countered, glancing down pointedly.
He laughed and started to say something else, but she interrupted him with a kiss. She had a one-track mind this morning, and wouldn't be deterred. She reached her hands up to entwine them in his hair while pressing her body against his, and he responded eagerly.
"Bella," he mumbled against my lips. "You're going to make me late for work."
She inhaled deeply and smiled as he planted kisses down her neck. "They can hold down the fort without you for awhile." She pulled firmly on his hair to guide his mouth further down to her chest, and that sealed the deal.
He pulled her closer, one of his hands at the small of her back and the other around her shoulders. He lay hard and hot against her stomach, and she elicited a moan by rubbing herself against him. He continued to tease her, nipping at her skin playfully, but she was growing impatient. She was ready.
Sensing her eagerness, he pushed her up against the wall of the shower. She shivered when her bare skin touched the cool marble tile, and he switched tactics. His large hands slid down to grip her and she took her cue, lifting her legs and locking them around his waist as he flipped them around so he was against the wall.
He moaned her name as she slid over him and she gasped, trying to catch her breath for a moment before finding a rhythm. She used his shoulders for leverage as she moved over him, looking down into his eyes.
Her blood was hot in her veins and she felt her body tightening in anticipation. She could tell he was close by the way his eyes darkened and his fingers dug into her hips as she increased their pace, trying to remain steady.
She cried out softly as she met her release, and he followed soon after, moaning her name. She smiled contentedly, leaning her face against his shoulder and inhaling the scent of him. "Mmm," she murmured. "Jacob."
Thirty minutes later, she handed her husband a cup of coffee as he walked into the kitchen. He was more put-together than he'd been when she left him, though still just wearing his usual work clothes of faded jeans and a t-shirt bearing the logo for his business. She couldn't help but admire the way the shirt hugged his biceps.
"And just what are you smiling at?" he asked, grinning as he took a seat across the counter and sipped his coffee.
She shrugged off his inquiry, not needing to stroke his ego any further this morning by sharing her thoughts. "What do you want for breakfast?" she asked instead.
"I'd better just take something to go. The guys are gonna have my head on a platter if I'm late again."
"I'll just tell them that it's my fault, because I assaulted you in the shower."
"Yes, please do!" he laughed.
She grabbed an apple from the basket on the counter and tossed it to him. "Nah, they wouldn't believe it anyway," she teased.
"Are we still on for lunch at the park today?"
"You bet," she replied. "I was also thinking, do you want to invite the gang over for dinner tonight? There's this new recipe I've been wanting to try."
"Damn, sorry, Bells." He grimaced and walked around the counter to wrap his arms around her. "I completely forgot to tell you, but I have to stay late at the garage tonight. Some big wig exec is bringing in his Aston Martin, and tonight was his only availability."
"No big deal," she shrugged. "We'll do it some other time. No rush."
"How about you invite just the girls over tonight, and then we can get everybody together tomorrow? I have the whole day off, so I can help you cook." He gave her his best charming grin.
"Yeah, right!" she scoffed. "You stay away from my kitchen, Jake, I mean it!"
He laughed. "Sure, sure. It's a plan, then? Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow," she agreed. She stood on her tiptoes for a kiss before he left. "I love you."
"Love you, too. See you at lunch!"
After he left, she sat down in her home office to check email and her social media accounts and take care of some responses. That successfully killed a couple of hours, and then she called Alice and Rosalie to make plans for their girls' night in, and for dinner with the boys the following night. With that settled, she made the next calls on her to-do list, to her publisher and to Angela, her business partner.
It was a relatively slow time of the year for her catering business, so there wasn't a lot that needed her attention there. Things would really pick up again around the holidays, though being the co-owner, she wasn't even as involved in the day-to-day as she used to be when they were first starting out. The company had really taken off, and her staff could mostly handle themselves. Her cookbook had just been printed, and the call with her publisher was to put the finishing touches in place for the marketing campaign before it hit stores in a couple of months. Her editor had high hopes that already being an author of two novels would help them sell more cookbooks.
She left the house just before noon to drive the 10 minutes to the park that was right across the street from Jake's garage. The park featured a splash pad in the middle that was crowded with children screaming and playing during the summer months, but given the overcast sky and slight chill in the air, it was quieter today. There was always a nice selection of food trucks, though, and Bella met Jake near their favorite burger joint. The park also boasted plenty of benches scattered among the tall trees. The benches were spread far enough apart that it afforded them some privacy to enjoy their meal, yet also allowed them to people-watch while they chatted.
"We're on for tomorrow night's dinner," she told him. "And the girls are coming over to keep me company tonight."
"Sounds great," he grinned. "I'd hate to think of you alone in that great big house all by yourself."
She pulled her sweater cardigan more tightly across her torso, suddenly getting goosebumps, though it couldn't have been colder than 60 degrees. She huddled in closer to Jake and smiled up at him.
"So tell me," she started, changing topics. "How excited is Embry about the Aston Martin?"
He grinned. "He's actually pissed that he won't get to see it, and has been grumbling about that fact all day. He has to leave early today. Actually, he's leaving a little after 1, so I'd better be getting back."
"You have to work on the big wig's fancy car all by yourself?" she asked. "Today is Quil's day off, too, right?"
Jake nodded, but didn't look concerned. "I'd usually do the work myself anyway, with this kind of car. It's no big deal."
"Do you know what time you might be home?"
He shook his head. "The guy needs the car back first thing tomorrow, so however long it takes. I won't know for sure what's wrong with it until I get in there, but I'm hoping it shouldn't need longer than a few hours."
Jake tossed the trash from their lunch in the nearby garbage can, and Bella shivered again while she waited for him. The park was unusually quiet that day, she noted, casting her eyes around. There were only a handful of other people scattered around, mostly huddled on benches eating their lunches.
"Gotta run, Bells," Jake announced. He leaned down to kiss her swiftly.
"I might be asleep by the time you get home," she noted.
"Don't wait up on my account. I'll see you in the morning," he promised.
"See you later."
Bella stopped by the grocery store on her way home to pick up the essentials for her night with the girls. She also popped in the liquor store next door, and only after she was fully stocked with good food and good wine did she head home to get the house ready.
It had been awhile since she'd properly cleaned, and since she had the entire afternoon free, she figured she would tackle the project. When she'd finished the kitchen, she moved on to the dining room and then the living room. She had music blasting and was having a grand old time singing and dancing along, which is why she didn't hear Alice knock on the door. She also didn't hear her use her emergency key to let herself in, which is why she was so surprised to hear the other girl speak from directly behind her.
"Come on Bella, I know you can dance better than that."
Bella let out a shriek and turned to face her friend, finger ready on the trigger of her bottle of glass cleaner. When she saw who it was, she placed a hand over her heart, willing her pulse to settle down. "Damn, Alice! Give a girl some warning the next time you break into my house!"
"What were you going to do, spritz me to death?" Alice was sporting an armful of bags, and she walked over to set them on the dining room table while Bella turned down the volume on the speakers.
"Geez, what did you bring? I told you I was taking care of the food."
"Yes, but clearly you're going to need my help in other areas." She raised her eyebrows at Bella and pointedly looked her up and down, taking in her outfit of worn jeans and Jacob's old t-shirt.
"Oh, goody, a makeover," she remarked dryly, recognizing the look in her friend's eyes. "Fantastic."
She quickly finished cleaning, taking only a short break to dance around the freshly-vacuumed carpet with Alice. As soon as she was done cleaning, she was dragged into her bedroom.
"Why exactly do I have to get dressed up just to stay home and watch movies with you and Rose?" she demanded.
Alice sighed in exasperation and got to work. Apparently she wasn't going to justify the question with an answer.
By 6pm, Bella was gussied up and ready to hit the town, even though they were staying in. Alice had poked and prodded at her for an hour and the result was a sexier, less comfortable Bella. For this evening's festivities, which were to include eating, drinking, and watching romantic comedies, Alice had chosen a silky black top and tight dark-wash jeans complete with beautiful yet impractical strappy sandals.
When the doorbell rang at 7:15 sharp, she teetered on her heels to answer it. Her hug for Rosalie was partly because she hadn't seen her in a week and partly because she stumbled and needed to catch herself. "Hi Rose! How are Emmett and Emily Emmett?"
She laughed at Rose's quick roll of her eyes. It had been three years, and she still hadn't forgiven her husband for the naming of their daughter. Personally, Bella thought it was adorable, and took every opportunity to call her goddaughter by her full name.
"They're great. Emmett has the night off, so they're both at home."
Alice came running up behind them and began bouncing up and down, which she only did when she was excited. "We haven't had a girls-only night in forever! What are we having for dinner, Bella? What are we watching? Did you get the good wine?"
Bella laughed and followed Alice, having no real choice in the matter as she was being dragged by the arm. She'd always been confounded by her friend. Where did Alice store all of that energy in her tiny body?
She passed out plates of her new take on chicken picatta and started filling wine glasses. "Oh, no wine for me tonight," Rose said. "I'm still recovering from a night out with Emmett."
They got settled in the living room to watch You've Got Mail, a classic that they'd each likely seen at least a dozen times before. When the end-credits rolled, Alice began making a list of comparisons between Jasper and Joe Fox.
"Jasper would never be able to keep a secret like that from me," she insisted. "I don't see how Meg Ryan didn't know it was him! I definitely would have known."
Bella laughed at her, though a piece of her thought that she was probably right. It was extremely difficult to keep a secret from Alice.
"Emmett wouldn't dare lie to me once he figured it out." She had to concede that Rose was probably right, too. Bella's phone began ringing, and she started to fish it out of her pocket while Rosalie continued. "Not that he would be able to hold my attention in online conversations. I only fell for him because he has a hot body. Although he does quote 'The Godfather' a lot…"
Shaking her head at the turn of conversation, Bella made her way into the kitchen to answer the phone. It was an unknown number, but she wondered if it could be her publisher. She made a valiant effort to curb her laughter before answering the phone. "Hello?"
She heard someone's breath hitch on an inhale, and then her friend's choked voice. "Bella."
The one word alone was enough to effectively wipe the smile from her face and make her blood run cold. Something was wrong. "Emmett? What is it?"
"Bella, I…" He stumbled, and cleared his throat. "You should come here."
"What?" Her heart was beating in her throat. "Emmett, what's wrong, is Emily okay? Where are you?"
"I'm at the hospital," he managed, and her heart sank into her stomach. "Bella, you need to come. It's Jacob."
She opened her mouth but all that came out was a rush of air, so she tried again. "What?" Her voice still sounded breathy. "What happened? Jacob's fine." Somehow she felt that saying he was okay would help make it true.
"No, Bells, he's not."
She listened to him tell her that Jacob had been found alone at work, by the police, after the neighbors had heard gunshots. Time seemed to slow down in those few moments. Or maybe it sped up. It was unclear.
"It's fine, Emmett," she said. "I'll be there soon, okay?" She ended the call and set her phone beside her on the counter. She felt dizzy, so gave herself a moment to rest there before she tried to move.
She walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room. Her friends turned to her with smiles, but then their faces changed. What did she look like, to put that look on their faces?
"Bella, what's wrong?" Alice was at her side before she could blink, and Rose wasn't far behind.
She swallowed hard, and her voice came out meek. "We need to go to the hospital."
?
?
He couldn't remember ever feeling this way before. He'd tried for months to get over it - to get over her - but he couldn't shake this feeling.
He found himself fabricating reasons to be around her. He took advantage of any excuse to be in her presence. He loved the way she blushes when she's nervous. Loved her perfect smile. Loved the sound of her voice. He loved the way she plays with her hair when she's bored. That she doesn't seem to know how beautiful she is.
He was completely, irrevocably in love with Bella. All he needed was a plan to make her his.