Author's Note: Hey, guys! This is just an idea that came to me a few days ago and couldn't shake off. Anyway, here's my very first one-shot. I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Chapter 1 (One-shot)
Edward's Point of View
It has been twenty years. Two decades since he'd last seen her, last touched her, last smelled her. A long time since he had told her goodbye.
Every day, he had regretted it. Although it had been to protect her, it had been the worst decision he had ever made. How could he have believed that he could tear himself away from her?
And yet, as they say, life went on. Time passed.
He learned to mask his pain. Showing that he was suffering wasn't helpful to anyone, especially to his family. They hated to watch him hurt. They told him to go back to her. She was an intelligent girl. She would understand why he'd done it.
But he had always refused.
He knew she was perfectly safe. He had made sure of it. He had found out that the Quileutes had taken care of Victoria, and there were no other dangers to threaten her. He had even seen her personally in Forks, having gone back to check on her after two years. She'd been fine, laughing happily and studying hard.
It was okay if he was hurting. Because she was safe, with absolutely no possibility of being robbed of the precious life and soul inside her. She was no longer threatened by the dangers of his world, no longer exposed to a bad influence like him.
She would be okay. And if she was safe and happy, he was glad. It would stay that way.
Moving around was part of their lifestyle. They had to keep moving so that they wouldn't attract attention. They couldn't risk detection, and they had to move from one place to another to successfully keep up their human charade.
And the place they chose this time was Maine.
It was winter. It was snowing. They wouldn't have to worry about the sun for a while. They could enjoy the coolness of the white flakes as they came down, and pretend to enjoy having snowball fights and making snow angels like the other teenagers of their neighborhood.
They would continue their charade like nothing had happened. There was no trouble at all. It would be fine.
As he kept staring out the window at the beautiful world of white outside, it was tempting to go touch it. To go feel it. Suddenly, it was too hot and stuffy inside the house.
He put on a jacket so that the humans wouldn't get suspicious, and slipped outside.
He walked. They lived in a fairly small town, where everything was cozy and secluded. Especially during winter time.
He watched the people playing outside as he strolled along town slowly. Humans were so strange. No matter how long he lived, he could never understand their fascination for snow. The looks of wonder and happiness on their faces as they carried on snowball fights and made snowmen…
He stopped at the neighborhood park, where many little kids and their parents were skating in the small, frozen lake. The kids couldn't keep their balance and kept falling. But they were all enjoying the cold, winter day in Maine.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he knew that his family must be looking for him. He should have told someone that he was going out for a walk.
Just as he reached into the pocket for the small device, his light golden eyes fell upon a small family of three.
They had caught his attention because they looked so…happy. Unconditionally happy. They looked like they were having the time of their lives, just ice skating.
The father looked as though he was in his late twenties, with dark brown hair and beautiful blue eyes. He was handsome and dignified, tall and carried himself with confidence.
The daughter was a replica of her father, with shoulder-length dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was cute and her cheeks were still full of baby fat. She must have been about six, barely starting school. She looked nothing like her mother from where he was standing.
Her father picked her up and held onto her tightly as he twirled around and around in his skates. His daughter squealed happily and giggled while holding onto him just as tightly.
And the mother…
He froze when he recognized the familiar body figure. She was about the same height as the woman he still loved, and she had the exact same color hair. But this woman…hers was longer and slightly wavy.
He relaxed slightly. Of course this was not the same young woman. She would still be back in Forks if she had not moved. She would have no business here in Maine.
And yet…
The father whooped in delight as he tossed his daughter gently into the air. The child shrieked while laughing hysterically as her mother caught her as easily as though she weighed nothing. And now, mother and daughter were twirling more quickly than he thought possible.
Could it be…?
No, there was no way. He had made sure. He had made sure she was safe.
The young mother set her daughter down back on the ice, and the little girl was off with her father, zooming across the ice clumsily, still giggling.
And the young woman turned and stared straight at him, as though she had sensed his presence the entire time.
He realized that the daughter could not resemble her mother at all because she was not her mother. She couldn't be. It was completely impossible, because…
Suddenly, he could not breathe properly. He was frozen in shock as he stared at her in recognition.
And she stared back, her face expressionless and just as still as he was.
What were staring back at his strange colored eyes were not the same chocolate brown ones that he had admired so much.
They were golden, the same color as his was.
AN: What'd you think? I hope you liked it. Quite dramatic… Leave me lots of reviews!