You Belong to Me

by Emmamama88

Army Sergeant Edward Colonna returns home after six years overseas, only to find the love of his life in one, Isabella Swan. Can their love survive the test of time when he is sent away again? (Set during the Korean War era; late 1940's to early 1950's). Originally written for the Christmas Wishes Compilation..This is an expanded version.

10. January to September 1952

Disclaimer- Stephenie still owns the usual suspects.
I own my original characters and original story.

Thanks again to Cared Cullen not only for her help with grammar and flow, but also for all her wonderful suggestions and comments. Muah! My dear.

*****************************YBTM********************

***January 1952***

After my accident, I'd made the decision not to mention it to Ed and I'd asked his family to follow suit. The way I saw it, there was no need to burden him unnecessarily, especially considering that letters from home took weeks to reach the soldiers, and I'd be back to my old self long before he'd get word of it.

Unfortunately, I'd neglected to tell Patty to keep the information to himself; the result being the arrival of rather an emotional letter from my Sarge.

December 10, 1951

Dearest Bella,

Please forgive the frantic nature of this letter, but as I write, I'm still a little shook up and will probably remain that way until I hear from you again.

First of all, let me say that after mulling this over for the better part of a day, I think I understand why you didn't tell me about your accident. Being the kind of girl you are, you were just looking out for me, and I can't help but love you even more for that. But, I have to say that reading the part of Patrick's letter where he mentioned you being in the hospital almost gave me heart failure.

Joe didn't know what to make of me when I stood up and started yelling about needing to go home to make sure you were alright. As a matter of fact, if it hadn't been for my brother tackling me, I have no doubt that I'd have done whatever it took to find my way back to you, even if that meant going AWOL.

Once Joe realized what had set me off, he told me everything he knew about your accident and, even though I don't hold it against you for being tight-lipped, the same can't be said for my brother.

So anyway, once Joe made me see reason, I calmed down some, but I still can't shake the image in my head of you being dragged by that bus. I won't lie, as much as I'd like to be home so I could see you and hold you close, I'd also like to find that bus driver and beat the Hell out of him; make him hurt like he hurt you.

I know that wanting revenge isn't very Christ-like behavior, but I've discovered that when it comes to someone hurting you, I'm not a very forgiving fellow.

In closing, I need to beg a favor. Bella, for me, please, please, take care of yourself. I don't think I'd survive anything happening to you.

All my love,
Edward

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. I probably should have been appalled that Ed had been willing to desert his post in order to see for himself that I was alright, but instead I was incredibly touched. To think that this man loved me so much that he was willing to sacrifice his career and possibly his freedom made me feel very small for keeping the details of my accident from him.

If he had broken the law, it would have been my fault

I shuddered at that realization.

Thank God Joe was with him and knew what had happened

I sat down immediately, and penned a lengthy letter, first apologizing, and then telling him everything about my accident and the days that followed, not sparing a single detail of what I'd gone through.

Well, I may have left out the part where I called young Doctor Rubin 'dreamy'

***February 1952***

Charles John Colonna entered the world on a snowy morning in early February. Unlike his sister, he'd kept us all waiting almost a week past his due date. Also unlike Maggie, he was born with a head full of golden curls.

I'd determined soon after she was born that Maggie was the most beautiful baby I'd ever laid eyes on, however after holding little Charlie in my arms, I had to admit that he was every bit as enchanting as his sister.

One thing was certain, when Alice gave birth at the end of May, I'd have to amend my belief to include her little one as well.

For the next couple of weeks, our hearts were filled with a joy that only the arrival of a new baby can bring.

The day that Jimmy and Alice stood as little Charlie's godparents, Mom and Pop hosted a luncheon for the combined Colonna and Swan families in our home. It was a wonderful afternoon. I got to spend time with Esmeralda and Carl, whom I hadn't seen since Christmas. I hadn't seen much of Vicky and Jimmy since Ed had gone away, so I was able to witness firsthand Vicky's supposed change in behavior. Rose and Elise had said that since Jimmy's ultimatum, she'd really made an effort to be more agreeable.

Make no mistake; the haughtiness was still evident, as was the fact that she nagged her husband more than most men would tolerate, but she didn't try to take over and run things as had been her habit in the past and I noted that she smiled and laughed more than she scowled.

Even so, only time would tell if I'd ever be able to trust her.

The letters I wrote to Sarge during this time contained a recounting of the many happy moments since the arrival of little Charlie. That was to change, on a bleak Monday afternoon, as February was drawing to a close.

Alice hadn't shown up for work that morning, which wasn't unusual considering her condition. On the days she had a doctor's visit, she usually arrived just before lunchtime.

I wracked my brain trying to remember if she'd mentioned an appointment, but came up with nothing.

When noon arrived and there was still no sign of her or Jasper, I grew concerned.

After returning from lunch my boss, Mister Croft, called me into his office. My hand went to my throat when I found my sister Laura sitting there, her cheeks stained with tears.

I wasn't sure how I was able to urge my feet to carry me across the room, but somehow I made it to her side. "Laura…" I rasped out; all the possible reasons for her visit playing through my mind; every one more horrible than the last…

Mom… Pop… Patrick… one of my other sisters… Maggie or Charlie…

Ed…

Oh dear God…

Laura didn't keep me in misery for long. She grasped my hand tightly, "Alice is in the hospital," she drew in a shuddering breath. "She's lost the baby. You and she are so close that Mom thought…" she cleared her throat, "it would do her good to see you."

I barely registered the words when my boss told me to take the rest of the day off.

Still in shock at Laura's news, I rose stiffly and went to my desk to gather my things. After thanking my boss for his kindness, I silently exited the building, hand in hand with my sister.

My mind was filled with images of Alice's happy smile whenever she spoke of her baby. She and Jasper had so many plans. She'd told me that she would be quitting work in another month to prepare for her new role as a full-time mommy.

When Charlie was born, she'd been so excited to hold him for the first time. I remembered the tears in her eyes as she cradled him to her chest on the day of his Baptism, and the soft kisses she pressed to his cheek.

Oh, Alice…

And Jasper…

It had been plain to see that, even months before its birth, his devotion to their child was almost as great as his devotion to Alice.

And now their baby was gone…

When I arrived at Alice's room, I did my best to swallow back my tears. As soon as I pushed open the door however, and saw the pain in my sister's eyes as she reached for me and Laura, my composure slipped away.

I ran to her, falling to my knees at her side and burying my face in the bed covers.

I wept so bitterly that poor Alice, who had just endured the pain of losing her child, ended up having to console me. "It just wasn't meant to be, Bella," she whispered as she rubbed my back. "It was too soon. The baby couldn't survive. The doctor assures us that we will be able to have more children, something went wrong this time, but that doesn't mean there's no hope…" her voice trailed off and I lifted my head to look into her sad eyes.

"Oh, Alice, I'm so sorry." I happened to glance across the room then to find my mom with a comforting hand on Jasper's shoulder; his heartbroken expression drew forth another round of tears from me and Laura.

When I'd finally composed myself, I held Alice's hand, "Are you in pain?" I asked softly.

She shook her head. "Not much. They gave me some medication…" She trailed off and was silent for a moment while staring at the far wall, "it was a girl," she looked back at me and Laura then, "the baby, we had a little girl. We named her Mary."

I swallowed down the lump in my throat as she continued.

"Father Kucinski came to see me just before you did," she was back to staring at the wall, "he was very kind. He wanted to assure me that the nuns had baptized her…"

I squeezed Alice's hand as Laura sobbed beside me.

Alice glanced toward Jasper, "Mom's going to help Jasper with the… uh, arrangements," her voice was barely a whisper. "But since I won't be out of the hospital for a few days I'm going to need my family to be there... in my place."

Laura and I nodded, knowing that she meant the funeral.

"When you say goodbye, tell my little girl that her mommy loves her, even though I can't be there," Alice's voice cracked, and her tears came hot and heavy then. Jasper silently rose and came to sit on the edge of the bed, wrapping his arms around her as she cried.

Two days later, we gave little Mary Whitlock back to God; all of us taking comfort in the fact that her small casket was placed to rest atop that of our beloved grandfather.

***March 1952***

Alice never returned to work.

In the weeks that followed the loss of her baby, she spent a great deal of time at our house while Jasper was at the mill.

My heart ached when Mom told me about the first morning Rose brought the children over, and how Alice cried when she saw little Charlie. Rose felt terrible, and offered to take the children home, but Alice wouldn't hear of it.

As Mom explained, Alice needed to grieve the baby she lost and somehow, even though seeing Charlie brought her to tears, holding him close seemed to ease her suffering.

***YBTM***

The weather since Mary's funeral had been rather mild, but then on a Tuesday in mid-March things took a nasty turn, as we were subjected to a late season snow storm. The flakes began to fall before noon, and continued well after nightfall. When I returned home from work that evening, I was greeted by the sight of Alice curled up on our sofa, crying her heart out, while our mother cradled her head in her lap.

I rushed to her side, my own eyes filling with tears, "Oh, Alice."

"She's been inconsolable most of the day," Mom told me in a whisper.

Alice sniffled and turned her mournful gaze up to me, "I can't bear it, Bella. She's in the cold ground. It's snowing and my baby is in the cold ground."

"Shhh," Mom soothed her fingers through Alice's hair, "Alice, you know that little Mary isn't in the ground, mo stór. She is with the angels in heaven, and is so very happy."

Mom's words seemed to ease her somewhat.

"I know," she answered in a hoarse whisper, "I just… every time I see the snow…" she drew in a shuddering breath. "Is it ever gonna stop hurting, Mom?"

"Yes, dearest. Each day that passes, God willing, you will grow a little stronger. It's the way of grief. In the beginning, it bears down on us so that it's all you can think about." Mom drew in a ragged breath, "Then suddenly, there will come a morning where it doesn't feel like such a burden to get out of bed. You may even find yourself smiling for no reason, and you mustn't feel guilty about that."

"You're so young, Alice, and you have so much love to give. God will send you more babies, and you will be a wonderful mother to them. You will never forget your sweet Mary; she will always be a part of you, but your tears will be needed for the living, my girl."

By the time Jasper arrived to take Alice home, she'd calmed considerably, and I noticed there were no tears on her cheek when I kissed her goodbye.

After supper, I pulled on my boots and slipped out the back door. The snow was still falling heavily, and as I stood there looking up at the seemingly innocent white flakes descending from the dark sky, I clenched my fists in anger, wishing I could punch them.

I remembered my sister's despondent expression, and before common sense could kick in, I raised my arms and took a couple of swings. I stopped abruptly, imagining what a fool I must look, flailing my fists around in the snow. I actually giggled, wondering what Ed would say if he could see me.

As I stood there, I felt my anger drain away, and in its place a deep sadness took hold of my heart.

Life could be so unfair

More than I had at any time since he'd left, I longed to have Ed's arms around me. I needed their warmth, their comfort, their strength.

I sighed and looked up once again, allowing the falling snow to land on face as I thought of my baby niece in heaven.

And I prayed.

I prayed to somehow make sense of it all, but most of all I prayed that our Blessed Mother in heaven, who was well acquainted with the anguish of losing a child, would comfort Mary's poor, grieving parents.

***April, 1952***

Just as my mother had predicted, with the passage of time, the smile eventually returned to my sister's face.

Alice still had no plans to return to work, but she made good use of her time by throwing herself into helping with the final preparations for Laura's wedding.

All winter, Elise had been kept busy sewing gowns for the wedding which would take place in May. I visited often in an effort to help, even if it was only to keep little Sonny out of her hair while she worked.

"Vic invited us for dinner on Sunday," Elise side-eyed me as she stitched a seam.

I groaned loudly at the thought of spending the afternoon with Vicky.

"I'd invite them here, but since Joe's not around to control those hellions, I know they'd destroy my house."

I nodded, knowing that Jimmy rarely took his children in hand; not wanting to cross his wife.

That much hadn't changed

"I'll go, but I can't promise to enjoy myself," I admitted.

Elise merely giggled in response.

Once the milder weather had arrived, Elise and I had been out to Carl and Esme a couple of times to visit.

I enjoyed very much the chance to get to know Ed's oldest brother and his wife. Carl was quiet and, even though they didn't resemble one another physically, his voice and mannerisms put me in mind of Ed more so than those of his other brothers.

Visiting at Jimmy's was a wholly different experience than going to Carl and Esme's. It had always amazed me how quiet Carl and Esme's house was, despite the fact that there were six children living there. Those kids were always on their best behavior, and greeted us at the door with smiles.

Jimmy and Vicky only had two children but, as we sat in their parlor, it sounded as if a herd of elephants was stomping around above our heads.

***May, 1952***

A week after her nineteenth birthday, Laura married Tom Dugan in the same church where two sisters had been married before her.

Franny, always eager to steal the spotlight from Laura whenever possible, waited until we were at Laura's reception to announce that she also was getting married. She managed to throw both our parents into a tizzy when she further explained that the wedding would take place before Christmas, and no matter what anyone said, she wasn't going to change her mind.

I shook my head; nothing Franny did could surprise me anymore.

I chuckled when I thought about how busy Elise was going to be for the next few months, but I knew she wouldn't complain. It kept her occupied so she didn't have time to think too much about Joe being gone, and each wedding made her a tidy little sum of money as well.

I suppose the thing that bothered me the most about Franny's news was that, once again, Ed wouldn't be here to share in the happy event with me.

I'd be attending one more wedding alone.

He'd been gone almost two years now, and during that time the aching need I'd felt for him had not lessened, on the contrary, it had grown.

It was true that I'd become very adept at keeping busy and distracting myself so that I didn't wallow in my misery. I worked, I spent time with my family, and I played often with Maggie and Charlie.

Today, as I watched another of my sisters say "I do," I forced myself to think about the fact that Ed would be home in little more than a year. It was enough to keep the tears at bay, for now.

I knew however, that later tonight in the darkness of my room I would allow my grief to hold sway for a time, before drifting into an uneasy sleep.

My head had barely touched the pillow that night before I heard knocking on the front door.

By the time I made it downstairs Pop was already there, pulling open the door while Mom stood right behind him.

Em and Rose rushed in with the children in their arms. "We just got a call that Jimmy's been taken to the hospital." Em explained as he and Rose handed their children to my parents. "Do you mind…?"

"Of course not," Mom interrupted, "Did they say what was wrong?"

Em shook his head, "All I know is that he collapsed."

"I'll say a rosary." Mom told him as she kissed little Charlie's head, "Go, and please let us know…"

Em and Rose nodded. "We will."

This news hit me hard. I'd just seen Jimmy a couple of hours before at Laura and Tom's reception. Most of the Colonna family had been in attendance, and for once Vicky hadn't gotten on my nerves. Although I remembered noting that Jimmy looked tired.

My heart was heavy in my chest as I worried about the possibility that we could lose him.

Poor Ed and Joe, they'd suffered so many losses already…

Before thinking twice, I found myself dialing Elise's number.

"Hello," she sounded as if she hadn't gone to sleep yet either.

"Elise, did you hear about Jimmy?"

"Yeah, Carl phoned. I was just gonna go to the hospital. You want me to pick you up?"

"Please."

I convinced Elise to leave a sleeping Sonny with my parents before departing with her to Saint Vincent's.

The things I saw and heard that night lived long in my memory. Vicky was barely recognizable as the proud, self-assured woman we'd all been so familiar with. When Elise and I found her in the waiting room, she was a sobbing mess, cradled in Esmeralda's arms while Aunt Julie held her hand.

"I don't know what I'll do if I lose him," she cried, "I love him so much. And I've been horrible to him, you know?"

"Don't think about that now," Esme told her.

"He's been workin' two jobs, wearin' himself out, just for me. I'll never forgive myself if he doesn't make it."

"Vicky, honey, calm down."

"I don't deserve him." Vicky wailed as she sat up, pulling out of Esme's embrace. "God's gonna punish me by takin' him away. I just know it!"

"Shh. You want we should go to the chapel? Jimmy could use our prayers."

Vicky nodded eagerly, and we silently followed the three of them to the hospital chapel.

I prayed harder that night than I had in a long time. The thought of losing Jimmy broke my heart, but what was worse was the thought of having to tell Ed.

He loved his brothers so much.

Once again, God was merciful. Jimmy had been suffering from exhaustion and anemia which caused him to collapse. The doctors also worried about the strain that had been put on his heart. He was given medication and advised to quit smoking. It was going to be a lengthy recovery, but as long as he followed the doctor's orders, they were hopeful that he would recover.

There was a marked change in Vicky from that day on. Faced with the possibility of losing her husband, all traces of the once selfish, self-centered shrew evaporated, leaving in its place an adoring, devoted wife.

***July, 1952***

As we'd agreed after my accident, no matter how much we wanted to shield one another from worry, Ed and I no longer kept secrets. The events of our lives, good and bad, were shared fully.

The words of comfort he'd written after Alice and Jasper lost their baby had succeeded in easing the pain in my heart, and in turn, made me long even more for his return.

I had been completely honest when informing him of Jimmy's collapse, and subsequent recovery, as I had in relaying my fears about his and Joe's safety. The news reports we'd received about the war did little to allay those fears.

June 20, 1952

Dear Bella,

I've got to say that you sure have been put through it these last few months, starting with that bus accident, then Alice's baby, and now my brother Jimmy taking ill.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving it to me straight. I sent a letter to my brother right after I got yours, said what I needed to say, and then let him know that he better keep following the doc's orders or there'd be Hell to pay when me and Joe got home.

Even though I knew from the moment we met that you were the only girl for me, it's times like this that make me even more convinced. The way you've taken my family to your heart means more than I can express in words. Make no mistake; they care about you every bit as much as you care for them.

As for the other part of your letter, I don't know what I can say to alleviate your worries other than to tell you that the danger we face here isn't anything I can't handle. We're a few miles back from the front, so we don't see a lot of action. Our camp is well-armed and well-manned.

Aside from the times I go on patrol and the nights I take my turn manning the anti-aircraft guns, I'm safer than if I was at home in my own bed. Apart from those I mentioned the only danger we seem to face here is the stupidity of our own men. The army restricts how much liquor an enlisted man can purchase, and even though they're discouraged from doing so, some of the guys can't seem to resist buying and drinking the local hooch.

The stuff's lethal, I'm telling you. Quite a few of our men have gotten very ill, and I heard of guys from other camps actually dying after drinking the stuff.

As for me, a couple army issued beers with my brother on my night off, or just sitting in my tent reading and re-reading your letters is all the diversion I need.

Write soon my darling, and take care of yourself until I am with you again. Know that your photo is beside my bunk so that your face is the last thing I see before falling asleep each night.

All my love,
Edward

***September, 1952***

The end of summer brought more changes to our lives, and for once all of them were happy ones.

It started with Em and Rose moving into their new home. As expected, Mom cried that they were leaving, but when she witnessed how happy and proud Rose and Em were, she couldn't help but smile. It also helped when Rose reminded her that she was only a short ten-minute bus ride away. Then, when Rose started asking Mom's advice about choosing fabric for new curtains, our mother was in her glory.

As summer waned, Em and Rose's back yard became a favorite gathering spot for Sunday afternoon cookouts. It was at one such get-together that Jasper and Alice quietly announced that they were expecting again.

Knowing my sister as I did, I'd suspected as much for weeks, but after what they'd been through with their first baby, I'd kept my hunch to myself.

After their announcement, not a day passed that I didn't whisper a fervent prayer for this baby's safe delivery.

The end of summer also saw Joe's return from Korea, but there was still no word on exactly when Ed would come home to us. If the Army stuck with the three year tour they'd promised, I wouldn't see my love until next August.

***YBTM***

September 7, 1952

Dear Sarge,

I hope that this letter finds you safe and well.

With the beginning of September, came the realization that it has now been over two years since I've heard the sound of your voice or felt your hand in mine.

Two years since you held me in your arms…

During those two years, I have taken solace in the company of my family, which has now grown to include yours.

On days when my mood is particularly low, I tend to find comfort in music and, yes, you'll be glad to know that I've become quite the Sinatra fan. Although, to be perfectly truthful, I still prefer Bing just a bit more. Once you've returned home, I'm hoping to give you many opportunities to sway my opinion in that matter.

From time to time, I hear a song on the radio which touches my heart just a little more than the others; one that stays with me, or makes me think of you.

There's one I've heard recently entitled "You Belong to Me" that I've found to be particularly poignant.

The first time I heard it I smiled, thinking of how perfectly the words fit our circumstance.

Of course by the time I heard it again, the lyrics brought tears to my eyes, for precisely the same reason.

I don't know how quickly you boys are able to hear new music over there, so I will transcribe a portion of the lyrics here: "Fly the ocean in a silver plane. See the jungle when it's wet with rain. Just remember 'til you're home again, you belong to me."

Remember those words my darling. You are mine, and I am yours, always and forever.

I love you. Please come back to me safe and sound.

Your Bella

**************A/N****************
A/N We are almost there. Next chapter returns us to the Prologue.

Love to hear your thoughts and once again, this story is based on true events.