This is the first chapter of our first fanfiction, Life After Death.
It's set a little bit after Eclipse, where Bella is still human. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: The Twilight series belongs to Stephenie Meyer :)
Chapter One – Home Alone
BPOV
It was one of those rare moments when it was just him and me. Edward and I. Together. Alone.
Alice, Rosalie and Esme had ran off – they had literally ran – to Seattle for some 'well-needed' clothes, even though their many wardrobes were stuffed full of designer outfits. Well, Alice's was anyway, I had seen from all of the times I had been subject to 'dress-up time', but I hadn't dared to look in Rosalie's wardrobe, even though we were getting closer to friendship every day.
Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle were out hunting for irritable grizzlies and mountain lions. I noticed the golden colour of Edward's eyes, and wondered why he had skipped going hunting with his brothers.
"Didn't you want to go hunting?" I asked, though I was more than happy that he had decided to stay with me instead of his brothers. I snuggled into his chest, revelling at the perfect sculpture who stood before me.
"Nope, I went hunting yesterday, so we could have the day together." He beamed down at me, running a hand through his tousled bronze hair, and I felt my face fall slightly. I didn't deserve him. He was far too good for someone so… human. So… normal.
I sighed. "What's wrong?" he asked, looking down at me with concern in his perfect, golden eyes. He put a finger under my chin so I was forced to look into his eyes.
"Nothing," I mumbled, removing his hand and taking it in my own. I ran my thumb up and down the flawless, marble texture. He was so real, and yet it felt like he could disappear in any moment, like the mythical creature he was.
Before I knew what was happening, I was in his arms, cradled against his stone chest. "Good," he said, grinning at my shocked expression. "Today's just for you and I, Miss Swan, soon to be Cullen." I grinned at the name. Bella Cullen. It didn't sound as bad as it had used to, what with my fear of marriage, and I was getting used to the sparkling ring which used to feel like it weighed a tonne on my finger. The term didn't make me feel as uncomfortable as it used to. I was even a little bit... excited.
In a flash I was up the stairs and placed gently on the huge golden bed which took up most of the space in Edward's room. He sat beside me, barely shaking the mattress, and with his hand still in my own.
"Impatient, are we?" I teased. "I may not be a vampire yet, but I can still walk, believe it or not." I figured that Edward was tired of going at a dull, human pace after the slow drive in my old truck. Edward had not been happy about allowing me to drive, but I was determined to get my own way. It was my turn after all.
"Not impatient, I just didn't want you falling down the stairs and hurting yourself. I can usually catch you, but with your bad luck, who knows what could happen? Carlisle's pretty far away, and we don't want to be at hospital again," he teased back, though I wasn't sure if he was really joking. I frowned. Stupid, overprotective boyfriend. I mean – fiancé.
He stared into my eyes intently, all traces of humour gone. I couldn't look away when his eyes held me like that; the butterscotch colour melted my insides and made my head spin.
As soon as he blinked I dropped my head and focused on the intricate patterns on the immense quilt, concentrating on how to breathe. Inhale... Exhale... Inhale... Exhale...
I grinned as a thought flew into my preoccupied mind. "What are you thinking?" Edward questioned, his brow furrowed as he tried to bore the answer out of me. It infuriated him that he couldn't read my thoughts like the rest of his family, but it made me feel oddly smug.
I found myself lost in his gaze again, unable to control my train of thought. "Uhm... I was wondering how, uh, Charlie would react to us being in your bedroom together, alone." I blushed suddenly, embarrassed that I had blurted out my thoughts again. It was impossible to keep my mind to myself when Edward was around, the words always came tumbling out. He didn't need to be a mind reader to find out what I was thinking. He just had to look at me to do that.
"Well, seeing as we're not up to anything less than virtuous, what with your newfound resolve to wait, I don't see how he could object. Unless you've changed your mind, of course?" He threw me a dazzling smile, tracing my lips with the tip of his little finger.
Yes, I've changed my mind! I yelled in my head. His cool skin left a trail of heat on mine. Inhale... Exhale, I reminded myself.
"No, I... I want to do this properly. Y'know."
"Of course," Edwards said in his smooth, velvety voice, making every cell in my body tingle and ache. It was like a physical pain, being with him, and yet being away from him for even one minute stabbed at my heart.
His lips touched mine, pressing into them softly, and I flopped back onto the bed. I had objected to this bed once, but I had to admit, it did come in useful at times. Kissing Edward was one of my favourite pastimes. I could feel Edward's hunger as he kissed me, almost as strong as my own. I longed to reach out to him, to hold him close to me, to pull him nearer, but I didn't think I would be able to let go, and I didn't want this to go too far. Not yet.
So I clenched my hands into tight fists and held them securely by my sides. Today I would let Edward make his own restrictions without a word of complaint.
Suddenly, before I had time to hear the ringtone, he had his tiny, silver mobile pressed to his ear.
"Alice," he greeted, grinning his lopsided smile down at me. I watched hollowly as his expression changed, first to surprise and confusion, then to horror and disgust.
I felt my insides freeze. Something was wrong.
