OK so chapter two!
Here we are, one year later on from the events of chapter one.
This is a really painful day for Bella & Edward, when they are forced to remember what happened.
I hope the structure of this chapter doesn't confuse people...basically everything in italics is a ~flashback~.
Enjoy!
Chapter 2: In the Past
(Bella POV)
1 year later
I sat on my windowsill, looking out at a very rare, sunny day in Forks. What an unfair contrast to the weather just a year ago today.
I shuddered as harsh memories of goodbyes and thunderstorms flooded my head.
Not now Bella, not today.
My alarm started to ring throughout the bedroom, snapping me swiftly out of my trance. I ran over to the bedside table to hit the 'snooze' button before it made my head explode with its repetitive song.
You can make it; you're still alive aren't you?
I took a deep breath and walked over to the floor-length mirror, inspecting the damage of only having 3 hours sleep. My long, brown hair was a sight to behold. I dragged my fingers through it, attempting to untangle the tightly wound knots that had formed with all my tossing & turning.
"Ouch. Shoot!"
"Oh Bellaaa! Are you up?" I heard Alice sing from across the hall.
"Yeah I'm up, just getting myself ready."
I heard the tiny voice get closer as Alice bounced into the doorway, wearing the tiniest pair of pyjama shorts i had ever seen, she had a massive frown on her face,
"Well, that wont work will it? Here…"
She pushed my hands away from the mound forming on my head and pulled a brush off of the dresser.
"Sit please. Important day, lots to do. Can't have you looking like an eagle is nesting on your head now can we? And definitely cannot have you wearing your pyjamas."
I sat still like a good mannequin for as long as my saviour would need.
I really don't know where I would be without Alice.
Although she was a painful, daily reminder of what I had lost, I needed her more than anyone. The same eyes, same beautiful colour hair, the same smile.
But she had been there for me constantly, even agreeing to live with me when I bought my first house.
I wasn't very good company, what with the nightly crying, silent meal times and the occasional hysterical outbursts but goddamn, that stubborn pixie stuck with me.
Today was possibly one of the most important days of my professional life.
Exactly a year ago today, I had a phone call telling me I got a job at one of Seattle's daily newspapers as an arts columnist.
Now I had an interview with the Washington Post, which is a very big deal. I would have to leave my entire life behind and move to the capital.
"Ugh, it's going to take me forever to cover these damn bags, Bella! Did you sleep at all?! Where is your concealer?"
She poked at my eyes "Ouch, Alice! In the bathroom." I sighed, half-heartily waving her towards the door.
After another half hour of covering, plucking and poking I looked just decent enough to show myself in public.
Alice had lent me a black, knee-length pencil skirt which she paired with black pumps and a deep purple, fitted shirt.
She had swiftly given up with my hair, simply pinning it back into a tight pony.
"Well don't you look a treat!" Alice beamed, clapping her hands together annoyingly.
I glared at her, smoothing my skirt down, "I guess…Ugh, Alice, I don't think I can do this!"
The smile was quickly wiped from her delicate face and worry lines formed on her brow. "Bella, don't do this to yourself. It's what we all want for you, especially---"
"Don't, Alice. Please, just don't. "
I slumped down onto the bed and felt the tears begin to form,
"I've really made a point of staying here for this long Alice. I don't want to leave. I even make a 190 mile trip every single day for work. "
She sat next to me, placing her skinny arm around my shoulder, "Bella, they asked for you. It's a big deal sweetie. Something you've worked so, so hard for and now you're going to give up?"
"You don't seem to understand where I'm coming from, even after all this time! I just don't want to leave,"
I looked down at the silver band on my index finger, "Not even to be with him. He left, Al."
Silence followed and Alice sat with me, still with her arm around my slouched shoulder. I glanced over at the clock, 7:45. A painful memory took hold of my thoughts…
"Mmm, good morning love." Edward nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck, his hot breath creating goose bumps all over my body.
I turned myself over, taking in his beautiful face. It never got old waking up to such an incredible sight.
His messy hair pointing in every direction. Sparkling, green eyes burning into mine.
"Good morning indeed." I smirked. Our bodies were entwined, our noses grazing.
"What time is it?"
"Just before 8:00. Why, do you have somewhere to be?" He greedily pressed his mouth against my neck, leaving tiny nibbles on my skin.
"Not when you do that I don't."
"What if I do this?" He swiftly pulled himself over me, pinning my arms down with his strong hands.
He stared at me for a few seconds before I grabbed the back of his neck, begging for more contact, and pulled his face down to mine.
Our lips crashed together furiously and our bodies were so close there couldn't have been more than a centimetre between us. It still wasn't enough.
His hand moved along my side, pushing the shirt of his i wore as a nightdress up past my belly button. His mouth left mine and moved down my neck, in-between my breasts and down to just above my panties.
His strong hands gripping either side of my hips. He breathed a delicious, warm sigh onto my stomach.
"Just think, we can do this every morning from now on, no worries about waking Charlie or my entire family. Just you and I. Mmm…"
He moved back up to face me, leaving kisses along my body on the way.
"Edward." I sighed, breathlessly. The effect this man had on me never wavered. "Just…Stop talking."
I took both my thumbs and tucked them into the seam of my panties. I glided them back and forth, tugging open the seam suggestively.
"Let's just remember this is our last time in this bed, in this house even."
His mouth popped open slightly, obviously shocked at my forwardness.
I was usually so opposed to having sex while Charlie was in the house; it was bad enough to him that his 20 year old daughter slept in the same bed as her too-good-to-be-true boyfriend; he didn't need sound effects to add to his worries.
But I just simply did not care today. Edward looked good enough to eat and we were saying goodbye to living under our parents' roofs, hello freedom.
Not that I needed an excuse to indulge in the god that was hovering above me.
He bit his delicious bottom lip, "Oh I intend to make sure you never forget this, Miss Swan."
(Edward POV)
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and hit the 'snooze' button on my alarm.
It was 4:00am and I was in auto-pilot mode. I hopped out of bed, grabbed a towel from the drawer and took a quick, scorching shower.
After I was dressed and my messy hair was somewhat tamed, I grabbed my Raybans and travelled down the hall to the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee into my flask and then I was out of the door, down 3 stories in the lift and sitting in my car.
It takes me just 20 minutes to get to the hospital. So by 4:45am I'm usually in the locker room, waiting for my interns to shuffle in.
An hour of rounds later, I'm free to check my charts at the nurses' station.
Being a first year resident isn't easy, but having your father as the chief of surgery helps.
It's pretty obvious to everyone who meets Carlisle that he's too young to have a 21 year-old son.
He and his wife, Esme, adopted me and my sister, Alice, when we were 13.
Our parents died in a plane crash and we were left without any immediate family. Being close to our mother & father and being adoptive parents to another child already, Emmet, who was 2 years older than Alice and I, they both had no hesitations when we were left alone.
Now I can easily say I have one of the best, most supportive families anyone could ask for.
Carlisle taught me everything he knows about medicine, helping me flow through medical school with top grades and then landing me an internship in his new place of work in Southern California.
And Esme was all you could ask for in a mother, so compassionate and kind. Plus she looked young enough to be my sister, which didn't help when the testosterone-fuelled friends i had in high school came over for dinner.
I hated the sun and the people who walked the streets. I think I even hated the hospital, just loved the job. I hated everything about this place apart from the fact that my parents lived and worked here.
I had been a hermit for a year, only having company when my brothers and sisters came to visit, telling stories of their lives in Forks that made my head and heart hurt.
Of course they always brought their partners, their soul-mates. That hurt more than their stories, mine was sitting alone in a house somewhere.
I had been checking on patients for a few hours now and was getting ready to scrub-in on a surgery with the attending neurosurgeon.
I felt a familiar hand on my shoulder. "Son, I thought I told you not to come into work today?"
"Nice to see you as well, Carlisle."
He frowned at me, "Edward, do we really have to go over this. Can't you just take one day off? For me?"
His voice was filled with concern; I was clueless as to why this was until he pointed to the large clock above the surgical board.
The date quickly burned into my mind, sending a quick rush of nausea to my stomach.
Two hours later, we finally found the strength to tear ourselves apart and out of bed.
I wandered over to the window, feeling pretty worn out, and extended my arms above my head, taking a nice, big stretch.
"Edward!!"
"Yes love?"
Bella giggled, "I do have neighbours you know, please don't flash them."
"Oh, shit! I forgot you stole my clothes." I smirked and gave her a wink.
"Right, get in the shower and I will make you breakfast. Would you like omelette's today?"
"Mmm yes please!" Bella called behind her as she bounced to the bathroom wearing nothing but a smile.
I realised my mouth was hanging open and tried to regain my composure.
The effect she had on me only heightened by the day.
I quickly threw on a pair of dark blue jeans and my favourite pale blue, short-sleeved t-shirt.
My messy hair was a lost cause thanks to Bella's infatuation with grabbing it; not that I had a problem with that.
Eight eggs later, breakfast was served. "Bella, come get it while its hot!"
She came down the stairs wearing pale blue, fitted jeans and a simple white t-shirt.
Her long, wet hair cascaded over her shoulders leaving wet patches on the fabric. I felt my breath hitch; she was so beautiful, mine.
"Oh it smells good baby."
I pulled out the chair for her, doing a little bow, "Madame."
Her cheeks turned the palest shade of pink and she let out a giggle, "Will you still be a gentleman when we live together?"
"Silly, Bella. For you, always" I kissed her forehead and went to take my seat opposite her at Charlie's old dining table. She ate the omelette's as if she hadn't been fed for a week.
Once we had both finished, Bella gathered our plates and took her position at the sink. I sat for a while, simply watching her scrub away, humming a tune to herself as she went.
After a few minutes it became unbearable, I needed her.
I wandered behind her, placing my arms around her tiny waist. I rested my face behind her ear and inhaled the scent of her still damp hair, coconut shampoo today.
"Thank you for doing this for me, I know it's a big deal for you."
Bella grabbed a towel from beside the sink and rubbed her hands dry. She then twisted around in my arms, facing me now, and placed her arms around my neck.
She looked at the floor, "Of course I'm coming with you. What do I have keeping me here apart from Charlie? It's a new life for me too, Edward."
"You do like the sunshine" I lifted her chin so she was looking at me, i smiled her favourite smile and gave her a cheeky wink.
"Yes, I do. But I also like YOU. I will follow you anywhere Edward."
She placed a quick, tender kiss on my lips and pulled herself in for a hug, nuzzling her face into the crook of my neck. "I love you so much" She sighed into my skin.
"I love you too Bella." I tightened my grip on her and kissed the top of her head.
"So much, I don't think I can ever show you what you mean to me."
Bella lifted her head and a huge, beautiful grin spread across her face, "Let's get a start on this new life then Mr. Cullen."
"You mean, call Alice and get her to come pack for you?"
"You read my mind baby."
Et Voila!
Hope you enjoyed it.
If you have any questions for me, leave them in the comments and I'll answer them here in the next chapter.
Comments are love! Thank you for your support it means alot. I'll probably update with chapter 3 tonight as i've written up until chapter 5 so far.
Much love x
