Disclaimer - I do not own Twilight or any of the characters, nor do I own the poem Flanders Field.
Ever since I was old enough to walk I was able to trip over imaginary things that weren't there.
Ever since I was old enough to speak I was able to help my mother with her problems and in turn had become emotionally older than her.
Ever since I was able to understand emotion I've held a soft spot for Remembrance day.
The one day a year that people will gather together just to remember the young men that gave their lives for our freedom all those years ago. In school I've always had to keep my mind preoccupied with other things during our celebrations for this day in order to keep my tears from falling. Something I refuse to do now as I flick the television to CBS where they show a gathering of many people around a war monument.
With a small sigh I silently wipe the tears from my eyes and curl my legs underneath me as the young choir on t.v begin to sing God Save the Queen. Faces of surviving veterans pan across the screen and I can't help the surge of emotion I feel as fresh tears begin to build up and my heart gives a sad little squeeze.
"You truly are amazing" a soft voice emanates from the bottom of the stairs and I quickly wipe my tears away before turning to face him.
With a small fond smile he makes his way over to the couch and takes a seat beside me, where he wraps his arms around my waist to pull me into his lap.
I merely glare at him as I snuggle into his stone like body
"Yeah well... There's just something about today that always gets to me." someone on the screen begins to recite a line from Flanders Field and I smile slightly.
"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below."
His velvet voice wraps around the words with such pride that my heart strings give an involuntary tug.
"We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields."
Edward merely chuckles as I jump at the sound of someone else's voice as they recite the second bit.
"Jasper, Alice." he nods his head and I bring my gaze to rest on the small pixie like girl with her arms wrapped lovingly around the waist of her vampire mate Jasper. His eyes catch mine and he smiles with a nod of his head. "Vampires take this day to remember as well..." I pull away enough so I can look into his beautiful face, his honey colored eyes lock with mine "I was friends with some of those young men that lost their lives all those years ago" his face holds such a warmness at whatever it is he remembers from his human life and his eyes move to stare past me as he continues. "I remember, I wanted so badly to join the war with my friends, to become a hero. My mother was heartbroken when I'd told her but my father... He was so proud 'Nothing like a little war to make a man out of you' he'd said to me." he sighs and I place my head against his chest "But then the Spanish Influenza hit.." I finnish his thoughts and he merely nods. No one speaks, and I realize that we haven't finished reciting the poem and for some reason this makes me a little sad
"Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."
I drop my gaze to Edwards hands which are entwined with mine as I finish the last words. On the screen someone announces that it's time for silence in the name of the lost soldiers of wars past and present. Not one person in the room speaks, just to make sure that Alice and Jasper haven't up and disappeared as they normally do I bring my gaze back up to check. Sure enough their both still there Jasper's eyes have closed and Alice has her gaze set intently upon his face, the look on her features is one of such love yet it seems she's trying to figure something out.
Just watching Jasper I can't help but feel for him. What he's seen and what he's been through. My thoughts over take me as the silence continues and Edward merely kisses the top of my head.
"You truly do contain so much compassion and emotion for others Bella. Do not ever lose that." Jasper's bass voice cuts through the silence and startles everyone but Edward, who merely nestles his face in my hair. My eyes can't keep up as he comes to stand in front of us on the couch, where he takes my hand in his before catching my gaze. The intensity and sincerity I see there doesn't frighten me, in fact it calms me and holds me there. Although that could just be Jasper using his powers. "You must promise me this Isabella." I hadn't noticed that Edward had shifted his body in response to Jasper's sudden movement until his tensed body relaxes and he places his head once more on top of mine.
"I promise." and I mean it to. With a nod of his head and stoic smile Jasper straightens without breaking our locked gaze.
"We should go, Charlies almost home and he's gonna wonder why Bella's got so many visitors." Alice's voice breaks the silence. Both vampires disappear in a matter of seconds, with a shocked blink I try to tell myself that Jasper and Alice really were there and that their just to fast for my eyes to keep up.
"I should leave as well, Charlies in the mood to have a father daughter evening with you." He kisses the top of my head once more and gently places me back in my original spot on the couch.
My thoughts of Jasper and his sincere words are halted as he leans down and kisses me softly before he cups my chin and forces me to look him in the face.
"Listen to Jasper." with that he disappears and I can't help the small frustrated "Ergh" that escapes just as I hear Charlies cruiser door slam shut.
The last thing I hear from Edward is his laughter from somewhere just outside the house.
"Stupid vampires" I mutter as turn the channel to another war based event.
The only things left for me to think about are how even remembrance day can effect mythical creatures.
A/N - Decided to do a little something for Remembrance day, or Veterans day if your from the states. hope you guys enjoyed it, and i haven't quite decided if I'm going to elaborate on Edwards memories or not.
BTW little tidbit about the poem "Flanders Field"
Inspiration for the Poem
On 2 May, 1915, in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres Lieutenant Alexis Helmer was killed by a German artillery shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae. It is believed that John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' that evening.