DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters. Stephenie Meyer does. Lucky woman. She even owns Edward ): .
~ooOoo~
By the time I had finished hunting, I had downed three elks, two deer and a small black bear that I had came across by pure luck as black bears weren't usually found so late in the year. Above me the sky had darkened to a purplish black with dark grey clouds rolling ominously towards the residential area of Forks, dangerously close to where Bella was. A thunderstorm was coming, I could feel it. And from the size of those clouds it was going to be a big one.
I was running back to Bella's house, anxious to get there as quickly as possible, when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Without stopping I took out my phone from my pocket and flipped it open. One glance at the screen showed that it was Emmett calling. "Hello?" I said, the impatient thick in my voice.
"Edward!" Emmett exclaimed. "There's a storm coming, and it's a hell of a big one!"
"Yes, as if I couldn't see that", I said sarcastically.
"Well we are going to play football: three on three. Esme's being referee".
"Sorry, Emmett I can't". Besides, the teams will be even without me.
"Aw, man". I could almost imagine Emmett's face slipping into a pout, like he was a kid whose candy had been taken away from him. "You don't do anything fun these days. Still something funny could happen to Bella", he said laughing loudly. I scowled.
"Ha, ha, very funny, not."
"It is funny!" Emmett began laughing even harder than before.
"Goodbye" I said simply, pressing the end button as a flash of bright lightning briefly illuminated the dark sky, followed by a resounding boom a couple of seconds later.
57 seconds later exactly, I was standing in front of the back of Bella's house, by the window. I could hear Bella and Charlie finishing off their dinner.
"So Bells, how was work?"
"It was okay", I heard Bella reply softly. I could hear her rinsing a plate. "I am really tired now, I going to bed now." I grinned at Bella's failed attempt to appear nonchalant.
"Okay then honey. Goodnight". It seems like she is getting more tired these days. Must be the rain… I laughed inwardly at Charlies thoughts. It seemed that he was more observant than he looked and that he cared for his daughter deep down, even though he didn't show it. I knew what Charlie was going to give Bella. He and Renee had collaborated and bought a scrapbook kit and a digital camera to record the memories of Bella's senior year, her last year of high school.
"You too dad". Bella replied, before running up the stairs. In her haste she fell over, and bashed her knee against the corner of the stair. "Owww", hissed Bella, too quietly for Charlie to hear. Suddenly I felt anxious. Had Bella hurt herself badly? To my relief, a couple of moments later Bella resumed climbing up the stairs, though this time with less haste and more carefulness. Good girl. It was starting to rain harder now, the sky black as pitch as the trees swayed with the howling wind like they were doing some kind of eerie dance. I deftly climbed up the surface of Bella's house and leaped through the window, landing without a sound in Bella's warm bedroom. I laid down on her bed and waited for her arrival.
The door opened and then Bella entered the room, looking around anxiously. She walked up to the window and looked down at the damp grass below. "Edward?"
I tried not to laugh. "Over here". Bella spun around then gasped, swaying slightly on the spot. I reached out for her my hands gripping her wrists and pulled her down beside me so that she was laying on top me. I wrapped my arms around her pulling her even closer to me and nuzzled my face against her neck, inhaling her mouth-watering scent, welcoming the burn in my throat instead of shying away from it. "Don't scare me like that again!" said Bella. I pressed my mouth against her jugular vein, enjoying the feel of her skin. "I apologise for frightening you".
Bella sighed and then fisted her hands into my hair, tilting my face up to meet mine. She leant down until her lips were hovering just inches away from mine. "Well perhaps you could make it up", she murmured, smiling innocently, her sweet breath fanning across my face. I groaned, this girl was going to be the death of me. Bella pressed her lips against mine and we shared a soft, romantic kiss before I had to break it off, Bella's intoxicating scent becoming too much for me to handle. I hoped that someday that would change. I rolled onto my side, still holding on to Bella so that we were facing each other and rested my forehead against hers, our breathing both ragged.
Outside there was another snap of crackling lightning then on cue, the rumble of thunder, lightning up the whole room for one brief second the loudest of them all tonight. I wondered how Emmett's football game was faring. This weather was pretty extreme, even for vampires as I listened to the wind shrieking. Beside me, Bella cringed and curled up into a ball, burying her face in the pillow, muffling a whimper. I placed my hand on Bella's shoulder "Bella, are you all right?" I asked, worried by Bella's sudden change in behaviour. Bella shook her head into the pillow, "It's okay", she mumbled, "I'm alright".
"No you're not", I said firmly. I gently pried Bella from her fetal position and held her against my chest. "Bella, what's wrong?" I asked stroking her cheek, wondering why was she so distressed. "I don't like the sound of storms", she whispered, "They scare me…"
"Oh Bella", I said, smoothing her hair back from her face. "Don't be afraid. Thunderstorms are nothing to fear. They can't hurt you".
Bella shivered, then looked up at me, her big brown eyes wide with fear, "I know", she sighed, "But I can't help thinking that the lightning might hit the roof and burn the house down…"
"That would never happen", I said reassuringly. Not on my watch.
"Do you promise?" asked Bella.
"I swear. I will always protect you. No matter what", my voice burning with my sincerity. And that was the truth. I would protect Bella from harm with my life, whether it was from an untied shoelace or a sadistic vampire intent on killing her, I would always protect her.
"Thank you", whispered Bella, her eyes shining with tears.
I lifted my face up and kissed a stray tear that had fallen from her eyes, "Anytime, anything".
The raging storm had ceased to a halt, the pouring rain reduced to nothing but a light drizzle all traces of thunder and lightning gone. Beside me, Bella's eyes were starting to droop slightly. She must be so tired. I began humming her the lullaby that I had composed for her with her in mind.
I had just finished singing her lullaby when Bella fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, a content expression on her face. I tucked the blanket around her so that she wasn't exposed to my cold skin and wrapped an arm over her waist.
"Edward", mumbled Bella, "Love you". I smiled. Bella was sleep-talking again. I enjoyed listening to her sleep-talk; this was the only time her thoughts were partially unguarded from me. "I love you too, my beautiful human. More than you would ever know", I whispered softly into the darkness, even though she couldn't hear me. Bella smiled, as if she heard.
And in that small perfect moment, I knew exactly what I was going to give Bella for her birthday tomorrow.
~ooOoo~
Phew…I have finally finished writing chapter 2 for this fic. Yay :D ! I just adore sweet moments between Edward and Bella, don't you :) ? So what surprises do you think that Edward has in store for Bella tomorrow on her unlucky birthday?
MY TARGET OF REVIEWS: 5 REVIEWS=CHAPTER 3!
So please leave a review and enjoy! ;D
-Frosty xxx