Title: Christmas Reunion
Summary: After Edward leaves in New Moon, both Bella and Edward face the prospect of an unhappy Christmas; But will fate step in? No one should spend Christmas alone. [AU] [Oneshot]
Rating: K+ for Author's Paranoia.
Author's Note: This one has been in my head for a while now, I'm really glad I got it out
Bella lay in bed, staring up at the hairline cracks in her ceiling, not feeling. She knew perfectly well what day it was, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to care. Her fingers traced the cold oval scar on her wrist, one of the only reminders she still had of her time with them, where his lips and teeth had once been, sucking the venom out.
With a glance at the window, she saw that little white puffs were falling from the sky. She hated snow. She always hated the stupid little flakes, but this year she had a new reason to hate it; It was cold just like his skin and eyes when he left-
She stopped herself right there, not wanting to remember. It was no good chasing thoughts that would only lead to pain later on.
With a sigh, she robotically lifted herself up, willing herself to face a day where everyone was supposed to be happy.
xxxx
The first light of dawn showed on Edward's face as he ran. Not that he cared much for the time, or anything. He had been running for days now, nowhere in particular, he just kept running. He was pretty sure it was now winter, there was snow on the ground under his bare feet. He didn't know where he was or where he was going. He didn't need to stop for breath, he didn't need breath.
Hours later, he saw lights refracted in the trees of the forest as he ran, a town. He ran to the outskirts of it, still hidden by trees. Coloured Christmas lights were hanging from the lampposts and buildings. He was suddenly curious to what date it was. He looked around for any people, then ran into the town, still not knowing even what state he was in.
The town was empty apart from the odd person walking through it.
He looked in a shop window, there was a sign pinned up; It read:
Open everyday except Christmas Day this festive season! Stock up on Christmas food!
The shop was closed, which meant that it was Christmas day. Contrary to the name of the season, Edward did not feel very festive this year.
He found out from a street sign that he was the town of Ames Lake, which he happened to know was in Washington. Running distance (for a vampire) from Forks. He could be there in two hours. With Bella.
No, he couldn't. As if he'd never existed, he promised her, no more interference.
He wondered how Bella was; He wanted her to be happy and safe, more than anything else. But a selfish part of him hoped she was missing him a hundredth of how much he was missing her.
He could go back, just to check on her... See she was happy and safe, or least the latter.
No, if he went, he wouldn't just be checking on her, he'd end up begging her to take him back. And he could see that would be a very bad idea, couldn't he?
xxxx
Bella sat, staring into space, in the living room, surrounded by bright decorations that Charlie had put up a few weeks ago. Bella knew he was really making an effort for her, but she couldn't bring herself to make the effort in return. Not this year. Maybe she try harder for Charlie next year, and her battered heart ached at the thought; was this really was how her life would be? No excitement, no danger, no love? Many people would love to have a non-dangerous, human life, but after those beautiful, crazy, short months with him she didn't want that anymore.
Charlie thankfully didn't make too much of a fuss this year, he gave her some money to buy 'new clothes or something' as he put it. She thanked him and gave him a book on fishing she'd seen in Newton's Olympic Outfitters while working there; it wasn't at all creative or expensive, but Charlie acted as though she'd given him a golden fishing rod.
She politely refused Charlie's offer of a microwave meal for one when he offered it and she trudged back to her room, and lay back on her bed.
She wondered how he was, where he was. Chasing his distractions, she guessed, and it hurt, not for the first time, as she remembered that she was nothing more than a distraction in his long, immortal life.
Was it possible that he could be missing her a hundredth of the amount she was missing him? She didn't think so.
xxxx
Edward was running again, hopefully away from Washington, but he wasn't sure. He left no footprints in the snow as he ran, no evidence of him ever being there; If he had gone back to Forks, which he was not going to, Bella would probably be like that, no evidence of him ever ruining her life, or at least, most of hoped she'd be be like that, most of him hoped he and his family had been forgotten in the sleepy town of Forks, most of him hoped Bella had a new human boyfriend whom she loved and who loved her. Most of him. The selfish part still wanted Bella to be missing him, loving him?
He shook his head free of the thoughts that would only lead to pain or worse, actually going back to Forks.
He ran for a few more hours until reaching the outskirts of what looked like a small settlement. He decided to check where he was. The town of Bell Hill, which was closer to Forks than Ames Lake was, he was getting closer to her...
Damn it! He shouldn't be wanting to see her, he shouldn't even be in the same country as Bella, if he wanted to keep her safe. And he was so sure he was getting away from Washington, not closer to her.
He decided, finally, that he would go and check on her, once. She wouldn't even know he was there, he'd see she was happy and safe without him, getting on with her life in a way that he never could, then never see her again. That was his plan. And he would stick to it, to the letter.
xxxx
Bella was sick of her room, which was a change, usually this was the place she longed to get back to; Inside these four walls, she didn't have to pretend she wasn't in pain and she didn't have to 'normal' for Charlie or the people at school who didn't understand what she was going through, and gossiped about how 'she didn't deserve him anyway.' Bella didn't need to be reminded of how true that fact was.
Finally deciding to get out of the small room, she pulled on her coat and a scarf, knowing Charlie would not let her out without them.
She told Charlie that she wanted to go out for a walk, and he seemed shocked that she wanted to go outside at all.
Bella walked and walked, never truly knowing where she was going. The snowflakes swirled around her head and stuck to her clothes, not that she cared. Her hands were cold and calloused from the wintry wind that blew unceasingly in her face.
It could have been hours, or minutes, she was walking when a figure emerged from the blankets of snow that fell from the sky. Her boots cut easily through the soft, thick snow underfoot as she walked toward the figure and the figure walked towards her.
Once the 'person' was close enough for Bella to recognize his features, her mind registered faint shock and disbelief.
Maybe it was the cold wind, or maybe it was the pure shock of this unexpected reunion, whatever the reason, Bella's steps faltered and shook. Suddenly the snow-cloaked ground rushed up to meet her, she braced herself for a fall that never came. Two strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her up.
"Bella." He murmured, and his voice was velvet and honey. His coal-black eyes burned into hers, "Bella, I'm sorry-" he started to say before Bella pressed her finger to his lips, effectively silencing him.
"Shhh. Don't say anything." She breathed, not able to fully believe the unexpected turn of events
And he didn't, he just held her in the snow, losing himself in her scent-which didn't bother him in the slightest- and her depthless chocolate eyes.
It felt like they stood there for hours, but in another way, it could have been minutes.
Finally, Bella spoke, "Is this a dream?" She wondered out loud, smiling slightly at her immortal love.
He shook his head no, "It's not a dream, Bella."
"Hallucination, I'm going crazy, I knew it!" She guessed and he chuckled, "You're a pretty good hallucination, I'll give you that."
"No hallucination or dream. And you're not dead either." He said, just as she was about to guess death.
She furrowed her eyebrows, "What does that leave?"
"That leaves me really being here."
"Right." They stayed silent for a while.
"Bella, I need to say something." She looked up at him, "I'm so sorry, I know I said, I wouldn't come back, and you're free to send me away and you will never see again, but I love you-"
"Stop it, Edward, please." Her face twisted in pain, "Don't- lie to me. I can't take it." She stumbled on her words.
"Bella, I'm not lying to you. That day in the forest, that was me lying. I love you so much, I only left to protect you, I couldn't just sit and watch while your life was ruined by what we are. I needed to do something, anything."
"I don't get it." Bella shook her head, not believing what he was telling her.
"Bella, I love you, I always have, I always will." He stared down in to her eyes, willing her to accept what was the truth, "Please just give me an honest answer, don't spare my feelings; After what I've done, can you ever love me?"
She smiled, "Edward, I will always love you. No matter what you do. Of course I love you."
She pressed her lips to his, and pulled him tighter to her body.
Edward broke it off, smiling hugely, "By the way, Bella, happy Christmas."
End Notes: Hope you guys enjoyed it, I'm pretty happy with it, I have to say. Tell me what you thought.
Happy Christmas!