Authors Note: Hey all! It's Swan back for a new fic! This fic will follow the events of New Moon with a Jacob/Bella spin. Updates will be irregular till the holiday break as I want to make sure each chapter is amazing before I post. So enjoy and please drop a review if you liked it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight (Thank God)
1. The Dream
The woods seemed darker than usual, an odd occurrence for forks. They were always dark in the sunless sky but they were...darker. I stood in the field of flowers, our field. It was unsettling, gazing at the flowers around us near drained of life in the dim light.
"Everything about me invites you in." I knew that voice. It was heavenly, like the sound of crinkled pages or the wind whistling through my hair on the bustling streets of Phoenix. It was his voice. I looked to find it yet all that was near was dark flowers and a figure cloaked in the shadows of the tree line. I moved towards the figure only to find it was me, moving several steps back. I reached a hand out for me to see her do the same. What was happening? Where was Edward?
"My voice, my face, even my smell. As if I would need any of that. As if you could outrun me!" Wind whipped through my hair at breakneck speed and then it was gone as soon as it started. "As if you could fight me off." A branch tore off the nearest tree like wet paper towels pulling apart and I flinched with my double, watching as it went flying off into another tree. I followed the arm that threw it and couldn't avoid the gasp the left my throat.
He still looked heavenly but wrong, like a fallen angel. His voice was still sweet but tainted with malice. The smell was sickly sweet and burned my nose like acid. His shirt was open, still shimmering in the dim light, crimson blood matted on his chest. What had happened to him?
"Edward!" my voice was weak, strangled and I looked down just in time to see the sleeve my shirt turning red, the bite on my hand white hot with agony. My legs couldn't hold me anymore and I fell back into the cool grass, an unwanted contrast to the heat of my hand now inflaming my body. "Edward…" It was a whisper now, barely audible yet I knew he heard it. Cool marble skin appeared at my side and I instinctively leaned into his touch only to be shoved away. His movements were blurred as he grabbed my hand, holding it between his palms. The ache became worse, fire meeting ice in a catastrophe of events that left me screaming in agony. I glanced out to the field for help, my help but all I saw was another body. "The fire, someone put out the fire!" I screamed out in agony, head whipping around on the grass. My eyes caught sight of my double, only to see she moved the same as I did on harsh wooden floors surrounded by mirrors on all sides. At her side was a familiar vampire with blonde hair and a cruel smile. His eyes looked above me, red like blood and he smiled.
I couldn't look away. Twenty feet away I was lying on the floor, prepared to die in a ballet studio at the hands of James. But I was here, in the field of flowers, struggling to live with Edward.
"Please don't do this." I cried out, knowing full well I couldn't keep this from happening. He ignored me, avoided my gaze entirely as he lifted my bleeding arm to his lips. As his teeth sank into my arm his eyes finally locked onto mine. They were bright red.
I bolted upright in bed, a mangled scream lodged in my throat. The forest merged with my bedroom and for a moment I was still there, still dying in the field of flowers. My body moved backwards in a desperate to move away until my head collided with the wall behind me, my back caught on the sharp point of my headboard. Like a mirage, the forest disappeared and I was once again in my room, fingers tangled in my wrinkled purple blanket. Just a dream. I was lying in my bed, now tangled in a mess of sheets and blankets but I was safe. I moved my hand up to cradle my throbbing head and hissed at the coolness.
It was the bite. The one reminder of how easily every nightmare I'd ever had could come to life. While most of my friends had spent their spring break shopping or going down to La Push, I had spent it in the emergency room after a fight for my life left me half-dead. The room got quieter, colder as images of last spring break flashed through my brain like strobe lights, leaving me dizzy. Needless to say, it wasn't the best time of my life and the nightmares from those days had just vanished. Or so I thought.
The dream lingered in the room and I eventually grew sick of moping to myself, sliding out of the sheets and heading to the bathroom.
Edward hadn't stayed last night. Good. As far as he was concerned, the dream had never happened. One thing to worry about a day and my worries for this particular day were enough to send me reeling.
I was showered and dressed within 10 minutes and was packing up my bag when I finally checked my phone. September 13th, fuck. The spring had been so chaotic and the summer so blissful I had almost forgotten my birthday and now here it was, like a punch to the gut. I was eighteen today and that was a year older than I wanted to be, a year older than him.
"You up yet Bella?" A soft knock on the door drew me away from my thoughts and Charlie entered my room, a wrapped package with a bright bow in his arms. Never mind the fact I was already struggling to breathe, my cheeks flooded with embarrassment at the thought of attention and presents.
"Dad," I opened my mouth in a weak attempt to protest when Charlie placed the box in my hand. I didn't even look down, too busy giving him my best glare, red faced and all.
"Happy birthday Bella." He shifted awkwardly around as I moved to the bed, gifts in hand. "The unwrapped one is from me, if it makes you feel better. Rene and I coordinated." Rene told you what to buy and sent the other gift herself. The mental correction stood truer in my mind. Rene was always the mastermind of any birthday plans. Of course she would direct him towards a companion to her gift.
On top of the box was a camera, and with a small nod I quickly set it aside onto my bed. "Thanks, but I really didn't need anything."
"You're only 18 once, Bella. I'm not going to just refuse to acknowledge your birthday."
Charlie chided me lightly but I could tell he didn't understand my aversion to age No one would. But really, what was the point of aging when everything you needed was frozen in time?
I unwrapped the box, revealing a thick leather book with stiff heavy pages. "A scrapbook?"
"Your mom thought it would be a good idea, get some memories for your senior year." Charlie was standing halfway out the door, looking as uncomfortable as I felt.
"Thanks for the gifts dad, and don't worry I'll make sure to call mom and thank her. You're off the hook." He relaxed visibly and moved out of my room.
"Thanks Bells. Don't push yourself too hard at school, it is your birthday after all." His boots were heavy going down the stairs and I sighed, moving the presents off my lap and onto my bed. Yeah, just a birthday.
I had never really liked birthdays to begin with, too much attention was put on me by Rene and her parties, but now that he was in my life, birthdays were terrifying. A year older was just a year away from Edward now. And if I got my way, which he fought me on everytime I mentioned it, I would never see my 19th birthday with a beating heart. I shivered at the thought, unsettled though determined. He was what I wanted, wasn't he?
The drive to school was uneventful, which for me was surprising. Just lush green forests and a town so small you could blink and miss it separated me from the school. I pulled into the parking lot next to a shiny silver Volvo and unbuckled, waiting for him to come out of the car. Edward opened the cab door for me, a hand coming up naturally to my elbow as if he'd done it a thousand times.
"Hey" I murmured, shouldering my backpack and sliding my arm to hold his hand. Alice stood on his other side, beautiful and lithe with a wide grin on her face. COUNT HERE
"Happy Birthday!" She was enthusiastic and happy. It almost hurt shooting her a glare.
"Shhhh!" I hissed at her, glancing around the emptying parking lot. Last I needed was a spectacle at school. Whatever Alice had planned for me was going to be difficult enough to stomach, no need to add on any of my friends finding out the importance of this date.
Alice wasn't deterred by my lack of enthusiasm and continued talking regardless. "Oh hush. Now do you want your gifts now or later?" Edward pressed his face into my neck, arms pressing my back into his chest but I didn't need to look at him to hear the snicker in his words.
"I don't want any presents!" Why did they feel the need to get me anything? They had already given me everything.
"So later then. At our house? Tonight, Edward will give you a ride over right after school." Presents and a party?
"Alice," I whined, leaning back into Edward, "I have work tonight. I can't just drop everything to go over." Edward chuckled, a light fairy laugh in his throat and I looked to Alice.
"Already covered. Mrs. Newton is going to switch shifts with you. She told me to tell you 'Happy Birthday'" The bell sounded throughout the lot but I knew they hadn't missed my low-pitched whine.
"Alice...I'm not a party person." The idea of celebrating with cake and presents made my stomach roll. The Cullen's didn't even eat. It would be nothing more of a performance as I stumbled across the stage and ruined their picture of grace. None of this I could communicate. "And I already told you, no parties."
"You're gonna love it Bella. I promise." Alice flitted off to the entrance of the school doors, graceful and lovely with Jasper appearing by her side.
Edward's lips were on the crest of my ear and I sighed softly, pushing back into him. "I suppose I'm not allowed to wish you happy birthday?" With a small push I was supporting myself and he was beside me, my hand firmly encased in the cool marble of his.
"Nope. There's no point in celebrating this." I stood firm and gazed up at him for the first time today. Soft caramel colored highlights and a smooth velvet voice. Liquid honey eyes. The remnants of my dream remained painfully on my mind however seeing him like this, without the red cold gaze of a hunter, was enough to make my heart flutter. This was my Edward, the one that would throw himself under a bus before he hurt me. The red eyed monster of my nightmares was nowhere to be found.
"You're only eighteen once, Bella." He started walking us to the building yet the words were still murmured into my ear, his cold breath causing new shivers up my spine.
"Not if I get my way." I mumbled, my eyes on the ground. The growl that followed my statement sent a shiver up my spine. My blood chilled, waiting for an argument. Instead, he merely opened the door, cooling down and pasting a smile onto his face.
"Happy Birthday Bella, we're gonna be late for class."