Solstice

If you get what you want, will you want what you get? When you feel like you don't have a choice, what are the possibilities? When the solstice comes, who will survive to the next Equinox? Bella's about to find out.

Well, I didn't keep people waiting. For those who loved Equinox, this is the sequel, and for those who haven't read Equinox, I suggest you do. This may get a bit confusing, especially this chapter. I wrote it so that you can understand it if you come directly from that story.

Anyway, this is set pretty much directly after Equinox, which is my story set about halfway through New Moon, and it's with one of my favourite pairing – Bella/Jared.

This one may not be Bella/Jared. Maybe (hint hint) it will be a new pairing, another one of my favourites, that is so clearly poorly used. There's like, five stories on this pairing =(. So, as a concerned author, I've taken matters into my own hands again and made my own story. Yay!

But for those that wanted Bella/Jared, I only have one word for you...

Sorry.

But anyway, on with the story! Please, read and review!

Disclaimers: I do not own Twilight, but I do own Equinox and Solstice.

Chapter One

"I can't live without either of you, and both of you can't live without me. But I only really love one of you, but I still want the other around."

I turned to Edward. "I'm so sorry, Edward, but I can't love you like you want me to. I need you, but not as a lover."

He nodded blankly. "I get it, Bella."

He glanced over at the pack. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble here, and I can say that you'll never get it again, from any of my family."

He paused, staring directly into my eyes. "Goodbye… Bella."

And then, he was gone.

Just like before.

Too close to before.

Life, love, meaning, over.

He was gone.

He loved me.

I didn't love him.

I had Jared.

But I needed Edward.

He was gone, gone again.

I had Jared, and that would be enough to get me through this new moon.

The balance had come, the equinox, and this time, it would be the right one.

At least, I thought it was.

I didn't regret my decision to move on from Edward, they also brought me to Jared. I didn't even regret the last three months. They made me who I truly was.

Jared would surely understand what I was doing now. I already felt like I'd let him down, like the time we'd shared had all been a lie and a waste.

Yes, even now, there was the déjà vu. Like this had already happened, in my past life.

Because it had.

Maybe not a past life, maybe not so much in the distance. More like the close past.

But, in reverse.

Sure, I'd had the beautiful twilight, with Edward, the awful, heartbroken new moon alone, and then the amazing, wonderful equinox with Jared.

But, as the year goes on, so did my life. Twilight didn't last forever, nor did the new moon.

Even now, the equinox must pass.

It's the circle.

Even now, I didn't quite know where I was headed. A new season? More like an old one, come again. Déjà vu.

I paused outside the doorway, hesitating before I knocked. What was stopping me? This was just the gateway, the lead-up into my new life, a new season.

The moonlight shone from the open window, basking the room in an eerie, indigo light. It wasn't twilight – that had past a long time ago. The moon was out, though not full. At least there was a moon, even though it was one that I did not normally experience. Maybe it was good for me to experience all the possibilities.

Sun, moon, who cares?

I really had to stop using lunar terms to disguise my real thoughts.

Just go in! The though screamed in my head. My mind knew what it was doing, my heart, not so much. All the choices I'd made up to this point, all the promises and experiences that I cherished, were all null and void. Nothing mattered now.

The equinox, but in reverse. Someone else, something else, but too close to be true.

The solstice was close, closing in.

Next chapter up whenever (see my deadline policy).

Please send in those reviews, you know I love them =)

It would be great to know that all my Equinox reviewers carried over to Solstice. I'd be so happy!

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned (or you could just click that story alert button while you review)

Thanks,

Little Miss Illusional