Title: The Story of Paris
Author:jL
Pairings: J/B
Rating: T for Language
Genre: Angst/Romance
Word Count: 3356
Warnings: Spoilers for Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and a little bit of Breaking Dawn.
Summary: Romeo and Juliet may have died, but they lived happily ever afterwards. However this story isn't about Juliet and her Romeo. It is story about Paris, who was Juliet's sun. He was Juliet's best friend. His story is the true tale of woe. This is the story of Paris and his struggle to keep Juliet alive.
Notes: Post eclipse – ignore most of Breaking Dawn – definitely no pregnancy. Some facts from the series were changed so it would fit within the context of this story, but I tried to be as true to the events as possible. The one big change is that Jake sees Bella for the first time after he becomes a werewolf in New Moon. This fanfic was inspired by J/B of course and events that happened in the book, plus the lovely fanfics I read for J/B from the sortofbeautiful livejournal community. Thank you for saving my J/B sanity or ruining it, whichever one.
Disclaimer: The Twilight saga and such does not belong to me, but to Stephenie Meyer.
For the fanfic soundtrack: www-sendspace-com/file/40q0un
--
The Story of Paris - Part One
--
--
Prologue
--
The story of Juliet and her Romeo is known as the greatest love story of all time. It is the saddest tragedy also because Romeo and Juliet die in the end. And because of their death, they are forever remembered for their all consuming love that death cannot even breach. However in this version of the story, Juliet and her Romeo may have died, but they live happily ever afterwards. But this is not a story about Juliet and her Romeo. This is a story about Paris. It is about a man who is Juliet's best friend. This man is also Juliet's sun in her dark and dreary days. It tells the tale of a man who loves Juliet wholeheartedly. It is a tale about a man who fights relentlessly for Juliet's life. This is a story about Paris, who does not get his happy ending. This is his story. And in this version, when Romeo comes back and meets Paris, they do not fight. Romeo does not kill Paris. Instead, Paris falls because of a whole another reason. The stage directions in this version are a little bit more messed up and a whole lot more complicated than they fight, Paris falls. It is a whole series of events that lead to his downfall. The demise of Paris is brought on by his desire for Juliet's happiness even at the cost of his own. This is true tale of woe. Paris and his Juliet are the true pair of star-crossed lovers.
--
The Return of Bella
--
It has been two years since Bella Swan – no, not Swan. She is a Cullen now. She has not been a Swan for two years. - And in that two years time, Bella Cullen has not set foot in the small town of Forks. It has been two years since she has married Edward and left this world behind her. It has been two years since she has been turned and started on her piece of forever with Edward and the rest of Cullen family. It has been two years since she has seen Charlie. It has been two years since she has seen the sun.
It has been two years for Bella Cullen, but on this day, two years after she has left, she returns home on his birthday to wish him happiness and to see how has he been doing. She knows he will not be foolish like Edward, who tried to kill himself when he "learned" that she had died. She knows he will continue to live on. He has his obligations to his pack, to his tribe and to his father, Billy. He will not try to kill himself because she chose Edward. He is strong. He will move on and maybe by now, he has imprinted on a lucky girl and he has started on his piece of forever. She needs to know that he is okay and that he is happy. So on this day, his birthday, she comes back to see him by herself. Her red Ferrari roars into the small town of Forks. Nothing seems to have changed. Forks is still cloudy and dreary. The sky is still overcast. She drives down the road to La Push along the lush green forest, speeding like the rest of her vampire family. She remembers the countless times she has driven on this road to his house in her old Chevy truck that used to be his. She remembers all those times that she needed him to heal the hole in her chest and all those times that she went to him to forget the pain and loneliness. She can still picture him in his garage, re-building their motorcycles just because she asked him to do it. She remembers that he unexpectedly during those months also picked up the pieces of her broken heart and started putting it back together again. But all these memories are just a little fuzzy around the edges, fading from her mind. But she still remembers all the feelings that she once had being with him. She still remembers how she depended on him. She still remembers his smile, the smile that was reserved just for her. She still remembers her vision about their perfect normal happy future together. She still remembers their goodbye. No matter how hard she tries to forget that part of her memory and hold on to their happy times, their goodbye always creeps up upon her mind. It is always crystal clear in her mind. That memory just will not fade from her mind.
She finally reaches the border line. She steps out of her car and grabs the present on the passenger seat. She takes a look around, trying to imprint the scenery into her mind, because she knows that this might the last time she would ever see it. Two years has passed, but it all still looks the same. The forest is still as green as ever. The road to La Push is still here, waiting for her. She walks up to the invisible treaty line. One step in front of the another, she walks up to it and as she is about to cross, she hesitates. Is the treaty still in effect? Is she considered the enemy now? Funny that this has never occurred to her after she has been changed. Maybe the bliss of her forever has blinded her. How is she going to see him now? Can she just go across the line and walk right up to the Blacks' house? Will she be tore apart once she sets foot on the Quileute's land? Maybe she should have called ahead, but she is afraid that he would have just hung up on her. She is afraid that her best friend hates her for what she has become even though he had wished her happiness the last time she saw him. He was surprisingly at her wedding. She saw him hiding in the shadows after she and Edward had exchanged their vows. She never thought she would have been able to see him again after their goodbyes, but there he was at her wedding to his worst enemy. He smiled her smile for her and mouthed the words of "be happy" to her. Then he walked away into the night with the look of resignation in his eyes. She still remembers his howl of pain, so piercing and heartbroken after he walked away from the wedding. She is still scared that after two years he will not be her best friend anymore and that he does not want to see her.
As she is about to turn away to her car, maybe to get her phone to call him or just to drive away with her "tail between her legs", she catches a scent. This scent burns her nose. It is a musky, earthy scent, the smell of wet dogs, the smell of werewolves. She pauses for a moment. Then she whips her head around to where the scent is permeating from and whispers, "Jake?"
"Your kind isn't welcome here. Leave," growls a threatening voice.
Her amber eyes strains to see into the darkness. She only hears the soft sound of footsteps in the forest. Maybe they are paw-steps instead. She can not see anything beyond the darkness in the forest. She sniffs the air again. The same scent burns her nose, but also there is undertone of flora in the smell, maybe the scent of Sunflower. However she only catches one unique musky scent. There is only one werewolf. Relief flows through her body. 'I can handle one. I can explain to him what I'm doing here. Maybe he can even give my present to Jake' runs through her mind. She takes a deep breathe and says, "I come in peace. I am a part of the Cullen family. I wish to speak to Jacob Black."
The sound of footsteps stops. She does not hear anything anymore. He has stopped walking. Bella tenses. What is he going to do next? Is he getting ready to attack? Then she faintly hears, "Bella?"
She relaxes and takes a deep breathe. The scent still burns her, but she sees a silhouette now among the darkness in the forest. The man is tall, big, broad – but shorter than him - and his hair is buzzed – not long like his. He is shirtless with only cutoff jeans on. He is definitely a Quileute werewolf, but he is not the werewolf that Bella wants to see. Finally, he comes out of the forest and into the light. Bella stares at him with wide opened amber eyes. Her mouth is agape. She is in shock. "Seth? Is that you? Wow. Look, how big you got."
He laughs, almost like his laugh – so carefree and happy. "I don't think I'm that shocking. Look at you. You look totally different. And you stink too." He wrinkles his nose playfully. There is no accusation in his tone. There is still a smile on his face. He seems happy to see her. His eyes are laughing. He walks forward and hugs her. "How have you been, Bella? Happy? Everything you wished for come true?"
Bella, still in shock, slowly wraps her arms around him and hugs him too, but when he asks her those questions, she freezes a little. She slowly lifts her head up and looks in his eyes, but there is no resentment in his eyes. Good old Seth. He is always so innocent and nonjudgmental. He smiles down at her, an encouraging smile. She smiles back at him and said, "I'm good. Happy. Alaska is great. I can control my hunger now." She laughs. "So I don't worry, I won't attack you and try to eat you, though you do not smell appetizing at all, so I probably won't anyways."
Their banter suddenly reminds her of how she and he were back when there were no vampires in their life. Back when they were best friends. So happy and carefree. Just so perfect. The era when it was just Bells and Jake.
Seth unwraps his arms from her and moves back to his side of the treaty line. He replies, "That's good to hear. I'm happy that everything worked out for you." There is an undertone of sadness that Bella barely picks up on. She wants to ask him about it, but she is too slow. In that second, he asks, "So what are doing here?"
Forgetting all about it, she says, "I wanted to see Jake. It's his birthday today. I wanted to give him this present." She holds up the gift bag in her hands for Seth to see.
"Oh," Seth says, with his eyes downcast. "I'm sorry. Jake isn't available right now, but I'll tell him that you stopped by and give that present to him later."
"Thanks, Seth. I don't want to trouble you. It looks like you would going somewhere." She points to his bouquet of sunflowers in his hands that she finally notices.
"It's no trouble. I was going to see Jake today anyways." Seth shrugs.
"Do you think it's possible for me to come and see him at all?"
"Umm... Bella, I'm sorry. I don't think that's possible right now, but I'll ask Sam about you crossing over the treaty line, okay?"
"Sam is still the alpha, huh? How is everybody? Did everybody imprint yet? Did you? Is that who the flowers are for? I'm so happy for you, Seth." Bella rambles on.
"Haha, Bella slow down. I'll answer one question at a time. Yeah, Sam is still the alpha. Everybody is fine. Sam and Emily got married this year. Not everybody have imprinted yet, but Leah did last year. So that's good news. I haven't imprinted yet," he laughs. Then his tone turns somber. He waves the flowers around a little and says, "I'm going to cemetery."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. It's not for Sue, is it?"
"No, it's not for Sue." He drably replies.
Harry flashes through her mind. It is probably still a bad topic to bring up. "How was...is... Jake?" she asks as her eyes flashes to the ground for a second.
"Jake was heartbroken, but he is... at a happier place now. He'll be so happy to hear that you're happy and doing great." Seth replies with maybe a mutter that he is probably smiling down at us right now. She can not hear it too clearly and she does not have time to analyze that statement because in the next second, he says, "Give me his present. I'll get it to him. I promise."
She handles the present to him happily, and tells him to tell Jake that she misses him and that she wishes to see him. Seth nods and says that he will get the message to him and that he will call with any news about coming to see Jake personally. They smile at each other, then they both turn and walk their own way. Seth walks back into the forest and back into the darkness. She goes back to her Ferrari. She sits in her seat and turns on the ignition. She stares at the fading figure of Seth until she can not see him anymore. Slowly she backs the car up and out of the forest. She starts to drive back towards her family and back to the grand white timeless mansion in the middle of meadow, surrounded by the beautiful green forest. She does not look back once towards La Push. She feels it in her dead unbeating heart that one day she will see him again. At this moment, she is just happy to see Seth again, even though he is not the werewolf that she yearns to see again. She is happy to hear that Jake is at a happier place now and that he is happy enough to be smiling again. She hopes that he will continue to smile even after he sees her again. What a silly dream for her to have.
--
The Coffee Shop
--
As she is driving through the town of Forks, a sign catches her eye. Maybe it is the font of the sign. Maybe it is the name of the shop, Bells, a nickname that he had given her when they were best friends. Nonetheless, she slows her car down to a crawl. She looks into the window of the shop. It is a coffee shop and bookstore. She does not know what impulse causes her to stop here or what is calling her to go into that shop, but she parks her car right in front of the shop. She takes a look around the street and the shop. She does not notice anything special or anybody that she knows from before. What can be calling her here? The shop is new, because she has never seen it before when she was still Bella Swan. If it was around when she was still in high school, she is sure that she would have lived here. She opens her car door and slowly steps out of the car. Thank God, this is Forks with no sun and all clouds in the sky.
When she walks into the shop, she takes another look around the shop. The store has a very quaint and homey atmosphere. There is decent amount of people here, enjoying a nice cup of coffee. The store is divided into two parts. To one side of the store, it is the bookstore. To the other side, it is the coffee shop. Bookshelves line the wall of both sides of the store. The shelves are brimming with books. Each shelf is under a specific category. Fiction. Classic. Romance. Horror. Mystery. Fantasy. Non-Fiction. Comedy. Young Adult. Children. There is a wide selection of books for the patrons of the coffee shop to read. There is also plenty of chairs and tables for the patrons to sit down and enjoy a book and drink. The coffee here even smells appetizing to Bella. She takes a second and decides to order some coffee and find a good book so she can sit down and enjoy it. Maybe by the time she finishes that book, Seth will have some good news to tell her. She crosses fingers and hopes for good news.
She walks up to the coffee shop counter. She takes a look at the coffee menu on the wall. The barista welcomes her and asks her what she would like to order. Bella orders a white mocha and when the barista asks her for name, she tells the barista that her name is Juliet. After ordering, Bella goes over to the bookshelves to look for a book to read as she waits for her order. She walks along the bookshelves, reading the titles of the book and hoping that one of them will catch her eyes. Wuthering Height. Romeo and Juliet. Pride and Prejudice. Jane Eyre. The Princess Bride. They are all books that she has read before, but among the countless books on the shelves, one title in particular catches her amber eyes. She has never seen this book before. She pulls it out from the shelf and she looks at the front cover. The front cover of the book depicts a beach, which looks suspicious like the First Beach back in La Push. She sees cliffs in the background that looks like the cliffs she dove off of once upon a time. The moon is hanging over the cliffs. The moon is also blocking out the sun in the background. A lone wolf stands on top of the cliffs, howling to the moon and the eclipsed sun. At the bottom of the cliff, the silhouettes of a boy and a girl are seen on the beach, hiding in the shadows.
The front cover of the book piques her attention. She flips the book over to back to read the given summary.
Romeo and Juliet may have died, but they lived on as the greatest couple of all time. However this story is not about Juliet and her Romeo. This story is about the forgotten hero. This is story about Paris, who was Juliet's sun. He was Juliet's best friend. His story is the true tale of woe. This is the story of Paris and his struggle to keep Juliet alive.
When she finishes reading the summary, she freezes a little bit for a second. The summary of the book seems a little too eerie. It is just a little too close to comfort. It is almost like what happened in her life, but it can not be about her life. It is just a coincidence. She tells herself. Then she hears the name of Juliet being called by the barista. It is the name that she has given to the barista. She grabs the book without a second thought and goes up to the counter to pick up her drink. She looks around the shop for an empty spot to sit down. She spies an empty table in the corner of the store, away from the other patrons. She walks over to the seat. She puts her purse and coffee down onto the table. She takes off her coat and hangs it on the back of her chair. And then afterwards, she settles down comfortably onto her seat with her book and coffee.
She turns to the first page of the book and she begins to read the book. She reads the dedication page. She reads the table of content. Then she starts reading each chapter in the book. To the rest of the world, she looks like she is avidly reading all the words on the pages within the book. She seems to be captivated by the world described in that book. She seems to be engrossed in the world that was created by Rachel Pullen. She seems to be lost within the world in the book entitled, "Romeo. Juliet. And Paris."
--
End of Part One
--
A/N: Here is part one of my story. This story is complete. I think there will be four or five parts. I haven't decided how I would split the story up yet. It will be decided after I am done with proofreading it, but I still cannot believe that I wrote this. The whole story is about 14000 words (25 pages). This idea has just been crawling and creeping around in my mind for awhile and it just started nagging me to write it. It took me five days to finish writing it. Now the only thing left is proofreading it. I planned for this story to be only a one-shot, but I was just compelled to write. Damn that persistent inspiration. This story is my homage to the greatness of Jacob Black. So stay tune to find out what happens next in the story. Thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated but not required.