Title: Manifesting Destiny

Summary: When Bella travels West to find her father she instead finds herself befriending a man who falls in love with someone else's mail-order bride. A romantic at heart, Bella offers to help the couple and speak to the intended husband. If only he would listen.

Disclaimer: Twilight is owned by Stephanie Meyer. Rated M for eventual lemon.

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Chapter Two: End of the Line

*Edward*

The week had been unseasonably cold. Snow this year was early and the wind bitter. Edward was grimly predicting a harsh winter. If right, then the weather was playing along with his mood, which had fallen steadily worse as this day approached.

Several months ago, worn down from years of badgering from his aunt Esme and even worse nagging from his long-time neighbor Alice, Edward had reluctantly agreed to let them find him a wife.

That he had been nearly horizontal from ale at the time did not get him out of the agreement. At first it had merely led to awkward and forced introductions with all the eligible ladies in town. Later, it had moved on to even more awkward and more forced introductions with all the eligible (and a few of the not) ladies in the neighboring towns.

When Edward had failed to show any interest whatsoever in the women being thrown at him by the ladies in his life, desperate measures had been taken.

Alice had procured a paper advertising mail-order-brides during a trip into the city. By the time Edward was aware of this tidbit, she'd already corresponded with three candidates and was narrowing down the choices. To say he was enraged, and perhaps a little embarrassed to resort to such measures, was severe understatement.

Eventually he had calmed down and remembered the practical reasons for marriage: the sharing of chores, the possibility of children, the relief from his family. He even felt a little twinge of hope for the companionship he might feel, though he scarcely let himself believe in it.

Despite his private thoughts and his public complaints as to the possible character of the women Alice corresponded with, he went along with her plan and readied his household for a wife and for winter. The only thing she could not budge him on was his participation in the search. He absolutely refused to read the letters she received, and would not write his own, leaving her to attempt his hand instead and make the final decisions without him.

Eventually the moment he dreaded and secretly anticipated came: Alice arrived from town with a missive and news that his new bride would be arriving in two weeks' time-now today-and that he should know her by the aster she would wear. He was to hold a book and meet her at the train station.

And so it was that Edward sat, chilled to the bone, on a bench at the train station watching the people mill about. He had been late, due to the snow, but it seemed the train was later still. His nerves ate at him as he heard an approaching whistle blow. There was only one train due in today, and it was coming. His wife, whoever she was, was almost here.

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Author's Note: Releasing two chapters today because the first two are the shortest. This story will be 8 chapters total, and should be posted entirely in about a week. I am writing a longer version of this plotline, so if you have any comments or suggestions please let me know.

Also, I'm going to try something I've seen other authors do. If you review this chapter before the next is posted, I will send you a teaser of Chapter Three. If you don't want to bother, don't worry too much, chapter three should be up tomorrow.