Just a little something-something. As always, please review! ;D
Sadly, I own nothing. Everything belongs to Stephenie!
EPOV
"Your eyes were green?" Bella exclaimed.
A small smile curled my lips as I nodded. "Yes." My hand traced the line of her jaw softly, and she shivered. I pulled my hand away.
"No, I like it." Her fingers wrapped around my wrist, leading me back to her face. For a moment, I felt the weak pulse in her fingers. The blood running through those would surely ... No. Stop thinking about it. Instead, I focused on her lips, which were pulled into a satisfied smile.
"I thought you knew about that," I said softly, getting back to the topic.
"I did. I guess I forgot," she admitted sheepishly.
She was so adorable. But so beautiful.
Bella sighed quietly. "I love you, Edward."
My heart seemed to soar every time she said those words. Out of all the men she could have chosen, she chose me. "I love you, too, Bella," I replied.
I was still keeping a mental ear on Charlie. Most nights, he didn't want to bother Bella. But tonight, he'd had suspicious thoughts for some reason. They weren't really pinpointed at Bella, but more at me. As of now, Bella's father was in his recliner, still watching the game. From what I heard in his thoughts, there were only three more innings to go.
Bella's room was the same as always. It had that clean, but lived-in look with books stacked neatly on her desk, and a few CDs next to them.
"So which do you like better?" Bella murmured, pulling me away from my thoughts.
"Er ... what are you talking about?"
"The color of your eyes," she sighed sweetly. "Which do you like better? Green or gold?"
"I've had to live with the gold eyes for a long time, love. I hardly remember what my green eyes looked like," I hedged.
She glared at me for a moment, showing that endearing kitten-tiger fury I'd witnessed all those months ago.
I chuckled. "All right, Bella. I surrender." She smiled quickly. "I prefer the gold."
"Why?" she demanded. I glanced at her, confused. She instantly back-tracked. "It's not that I don't like your gold eyes. I'm just curious."
Well, that explained it. Bella was always curious. It was one of the things I loved about her. Her curiosity was never satisfied. She always wanted answers.
I shrugged, brushing her cheekbone with my thumb tenderly. "I've just had more time to get used to them. Nearly a century," I chuckled. "I didn't even have two decades to come to terms with my original eyes."
Bella nodded, content. She leaned back on her pillow, sighing. She was starting to get tired. By the way she was breathing and acting, I could easily tell. "Which do you think your parents would have liked?" she asked unexpectedly.
I smiled wistfully. "They were rather fond of my green eyes, but I don't think they would mind them being golden."
"Why not?" Bella breathed.
She was starting to fall asleep. Her heartbeat was slowing steadily. She was hanging on to consciousness by a thread. "Because my mother always liked golden tones."
"Hmm..." she sighed, finally unconscious.
"Oh, Bella," I murmured. "I'll love you for all eternity."
Downstairs, the recliner creaked, and Charlie's thoughts were on one subject: Is Bella where she should be?
I touched her forehead softly, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Bella, love, I have to go. Charlie's coming. I'll be back in a little while. I love you, Bella." I brushed my lips across her forehead once before launching out the window, landing on my feet gently.
I ran for home, since there was really no other place to go. As I whipped past the trees, my mind was racing.
What would my parents think of my new life, my new choices? What would they think of Bella? All my questions could only be answered by guesses and theories. And the only one who knew my parents besides myself was Carlisle.
I threw the front door open, and Alice's eyes were wide as she met me. "I saw you coming home. Is something wrong?"
I ignored her question, replying with my own. "Where's Carlisle, Alice?"
"In his study ... Why?"
"I need to talk to him," I muttered, brushing past her. Alice's tiny hand shot out and grabbed my upper arm, yanking me to a stop.
"Tell me what's going on, Edward. Did you and Bella get into a fight?" she asked, her eyebrows dipping in confusion.
I shook my head. "I just need to talk to him, Alice. It's about my human years."
Her mouth formed a little "o". The grip on me was released instantly, and she had a guarded look on her face. "You won't get all the answers you want," she warned.
"I figured, but I still have to try."
Alice shook her head but let me go. As I walked up the stairs, I heard her say in her mind, He's got more tenacity than he knows what to do with.
I chuckled, knocking three times on Carlisle's door. I knew he could hear me, but it was just habit to knock on a door before entering.
"Come in," Carlisle murmured.
I opened the door slowly, shutting it behind me. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything." I smiled wistfully seeing the pile of books stacked on his desk.
"Not at all. What's on your mind? Normally, you're at Bella's at this hour," he noted. "Is everything all right?"
"Everything is fine," I assured him. "Bella asked me some questions earlier. And I didn't know how to respond, exactly."
I noticed Carlisle fidgeting anxiously. I hope she didn't persuade him to continue in their physical relationship...
If I could've been blushing, I most certainly would have been. "No, nothing like that." He relaxed. "What do you remember of my parents?" I began.
Carlisle had a distant look in his eyes when I mentioned my parents. "I never really spoke with your father. He passed quickly. But your mother -" He smiled, as if remembering her fondly "- she was one of my favorite patients."
"Would she be ... proud - of who I am now?" I asked softly, my voice barely audible even to my own ears.
"I believe so," he answered.
"Do you think she'd approve of Bella?" My voice was even quieter.
Carlisle stared at me, his ocher eyes soft. He stood, coming to stand next to me. "Son, I think she would adore Bella. She's just the kind of person your mother would have loved. Kind, compassionate, honest, beautiful - everything your own mother was."
"My eyes," I mumbled. "Do you think she'd mind my eyes?"
When Carlisle spoke, he wasn't looking at me. He was facing the window that overlooked the river just a few hundred yards away from our home. "Edward, Elizabeth specifically asked me to change you. I've managed to figure that. Somehow, through her sickness, she realized what I was. She wanted me to save you. Your mother saw my eyes many times, son. If she hated them that much, she wouldn't have asked. Obviously, she didn't mind them." He glanced back at me, a small smile on his face. "You have no reason to worry, Edward. She'd be proud of you, no matter what you've done, good or bad. She loved you very much. So did your father, for that matter."
"Do you think they'd be proud of me if I changed Bella?" I mused.
"Edward, they would only want what's best for you, just like Esme and I do. You love her?" I nodded vigorously. "If you love her, change her."
"But I'd be condemning her soul," I mumbled, pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and index finger.
A light hand on my shoulder caused me to glance up. "We're here for you, Edward," Alice said quietly, smiling reassuringly at me. "All of us." It didn't escape my notice that Rosalie wasn't here.
"Thank you, Alice," I whispered. "I just - Bella is everything. It feels selfish to take her soul away because I want her for eternity."
"Edward, the guilt coming off of you is astounding and actually quite overwhelming," Jasper announced.
I glared at him for a minute. "Thank you for declaring that, Jasper. Everyone absolutely had to know that."
He gave me an apologetic smile. Sorry, Edward.
I sighed, standing. "I should go back to Bella." I looked at Carlisle. "Thank you for the answers."
"You're welcome, Edward."
I was surprised when Carlisle pulled me into a tight embrace. "They really did love you, son. We do as well."
"I know," I murmured. Esme hugged me next.
"Go back to Bella, dear."
I smiled and squeezed my way through my family, feeling strangely claustrophobic. I wanted to be back with Bella.
Darting through the trees, the answers I'd received from my father figure were swirling around in my head. They were all answers I'd wanted to hear - they made me feel better than before.
I scaled the side of Bella's house in less than a second, hesitating to make sure Charlie was fast asleep. He was.
Bella was tossing and turning in her sleep, mumbling every so often. "Green ... gold ..." And then, so clearly, "Edward, where are you?"
I caressed her forehead. "I'm right here, Bella. I'll always be here."
She sighed, seeming to relax.
I moved to sit in the rocking chair in the corner. Tomorrow, I'd have to tell Bella the answers Carlisle had given me, but for now, I'd just watch her sleep.
"Mm, gold ... better ... green," she mumbled, and I smiled in response.
She liked my eyes this way. Which was basically saying that she liked me like this rather than human. Those simple words were so uplifting.
I loved Bella, and to know that my parents would love her made me even happier.
Tell me if you liked it, and if I should add one more chapter. It would be Edward telling Bella what Carlisle thought about his parents.
And please, please, PLEASE REVIEW!!
~Jessica~
