Title: Only Human (10/27)
Author: Amethyst Jackson
Rating: M/NC-17
Category: Drama, Angst, Romance
Pairing: Edward/Bella
Summary: A wish sends Bella back in time to Chicago, 1918, and to a human Edward.
Disclaimer: All this genius belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I'm just having a little fun.
Dinner was an overwhelming affair. I was seated along the side of an extraordinarily long table with Edward on one side of me and a shy, sandy-haired boy on the other. He introduced himself as Arthur Mitchell, but I didn't get much else out of him.
Although conversation flew rapidly around us, mostly I talked to Edward. It was impolite, I knew – even in my time, it wasn't good etiquette to devote all one's attention to one person at a social gathering. But I couldn't help myself. He was too enthralling.
"Tell me about your school," I said, my curiosity piqued from our earlier run-in with Norman. "Where is it? How long have you gone there?"
Edward smiled at my barrage of questions. "It's a school in Pennsylvania that prepares students for higher education – I've been there for five years now. My father wants me to go into law, like him; I'm sure he's already trying to pull strings at Harvard, even though I've a year to go."
Something in his tone suggested discontentment. "And you don't want to be a lawyer?" I surmised, still picking at my dinner. It was finer dining than I was used to, and I was rather unsettled by the fact that I didn't exactly know what I was eating...but I didn't want to appear rude by avoiding it.
"I suppose it would be a tolerable profession, but it's never held much interest to me," Edward replied. He sounded relaxed enough, but I wondered if he'd ever spoken to anyone about this before.
"What would you like to do, then?" I asked.
Edward grinned. "Go to war, of course."
I rolled my eyes, fighting the urge to poke him with my fork. That would be most unladylike. "Besides that. The War won't last forever."
Frowning, Edward turned pensive. "I don't know. I've never really thought about it. I like music…but that's not much of a profession, is it?"
"It could be," I encouraged, "If you wanted it to be. You could be the next great composer."
Edward grinned. "A lot of the great composers were miserable. Their lives were really scandalous, too – how could I do that to my future wife and children?"
I forced a smile, knowing he would never have that life. "Maybe you could break the mold and become a non-scandalous composer. I'm sure your family would happily support you."
Edward cocked his head. "Would you marry a composer?"
Oh, there was a loaded question. "If I loved him, yes." I chased that down with a drink of water.
"Hmm," Edward mused, taking a drink as well. "What sort of man could you fall in love with, then?"
Another loaded question. How seriously would he take my answer? Judging by the look on his face, I would have to be careful. "Well…" I began, "I would want someone kind, but with strong principles… Someone who would always have my best interests at heart. Someone I could talk to easily, but could also be with comfortably without talking… Someone who would love me unconditionally," I finished. Yes, that would do for an answer. All of it applied to Edward – both Edwards.
I was saved from hearing his response by the appearance of the servants coming to take away the current course. I took a moment to look around the room, and then regretted it – my eyes locked with Norman Bouchard, who offered me a sly grin. I turned away, back to Edward.
"What's the story with Norman?" I asked, catching Edward by surprise. "You really seemed to dislike him."
"It's just like I told you," Edward replied, but I knew there was more. His jaw was tense.
"Are you not telling me because it's that bad, or are you just afraid of offending my delicate feminine sensibilities?"
Edward's scowl deepened and he took another bite of his meal, stalling. "It's just that…he used to take girls to our room. And I should have reported it, or tried to stop him, but…"
The laughter bubbled just under the surface. Only Edward would feel guilty for not stopping his roommate from having liaisons with willing participants. "He would have found a way no matter what you did, Edward. You would have just made your own life miserable by going against him, I'd imagine. He seems like the vindictive type."
His face slackened – he looked so relieved. "So you don't think I'm – that I'm –"
"A co-conspirator in a series of dastardly deeds? No, Edward, I don't," I said, unable to hold back the laugh at the end.
He actually rolled his eyes at me, when I'd been fighting the urge all night. "This is funny to you."
"A little," I admitted sheepishly. "But I did say I liked strong principles, didn't I?"
I could tell he understood what I wanted to say but couldn't. His answering smile was brilliant. "The next course will be the last, you know," Edward said, neatly changing the subject. "Then the dancing will begin."
My groan was embarrassingly loud. I flushed as several faces turned to look at me. When their attention was occupied elsewhere again, I smacked Edward on the arm – he was shaking with laughter.
"You know I'm going to step on your feet, right?" I hissed.
He grinned. "If I have it my way, you'll be stepping on my feet all night."
In the end, we did dance, and it seemed to last all night. Edward did his best with me, and he did dance very well…but evidently only a vampire could deal with my lack of coordination, because Edward would have several bruised toes later.
"Is this as horrible as you imagined?" Edward asked in a whisper, holding me tightly as we circled the Benedicts' ballroom to a slow song.
"Not quite," I smiled, locked in his gaze. I still couldn't get over the deep green of his eyes, how they drew me in just as easily as his amber eyes ever had.
"Damned by faint praise," Edward sighed, his fingers tightening slightly on my hip. "I suppose I'll have to work harder to impress you."
I chuckled. "You don't need to impress me, Edward."
"For what I want, yes, I think I still have more impressing to do," he insisted. I was afraid to know exactly what he meant by that, so I didn't ask, and he didn't press the issue.
I was content enough to be in his arms right now; I wasn't completely ready to face what the future held, here in this time, with this Edward…I'd just come to terms with my feelings for this Edward. My love for this Edward. But what that meant for me was more than I could cope with.
We danced for two more songs. I was vaguely aware of the people around us – Norman leading Rebecca around the floor, her mooning over him like he was some kind of movie star. I couldn't spare them too much attention.
The crowd was thinning out now; only the most persistent dancers remained. I felt my eyes drooping as I relied more and more on Edward to keep me up.
He chuckled. "I suppose I should get you home before you fall asleep here on the dance floor," he said, reluctantly pulling away, although his arm remained around my waist to support me.
"Probably a good idea," I murmured, letting him guide me out of the warm room. Mr. and Mrs. Benedict were already at the door, saying goodbye to guests. I forced myself to perk up enough to make the usual pleasantries. They didn't keep us long, and soon we were walking to the car. Well, Edward was walking; I was stumbling.
He actually lifted me into the car. When he got in, he pulled me to his side, and I drowsed against his shoulder as we drove home.
I woke to a strange rocking motion, and after clearing my vision, I realized Edward was carrying me into the house.
"I can walk," I mumbled, struggling to get down.
"Be still or I might drop you," he said, already carrying me up the stairs. I relaxed, content enough, although I couldn't imagine I was light as a feather to this Edward.
Edward entered my room and sat me gently on the bed. I fought to stay sitting up.
"Do you need help? I can get my mother," he offered, already plucking the gloves off my hands.
I smiled. "No, no, don't wake her. But will you help me get the pins out of my hair? I don't think I could find them all…"
He laughed. "All right." He switched on one of the wall sconces and returned to me, frowning down at my hair. "Goodness, what did my mother do to it?"
I snorted. "That's what it takes to make a girl like me beautiful."
Edward shook his head, plucking pins free wherever he could find them. "You're always beautiful, silly girl."
"Only you seem to think so," I said with a sigh that quickly turned into a yawn. "Maybe that means something."
"Maybe," he agreed softly. His hand rested on my shoulder as he looked for the pins hiding in the back.
We were silent as he finished; I savored the feel of his fingers brushing against my scalp, my neck. The warmth of his fingers was strange but undeniably pleasant…it still felt like Edward touching me, down to the sparks that flowed through our skin.
"There," he murmured as the last of my hair fell free. I sighed in relief.
"Thank you."
His fingers remained, combing through my undoubtedly tangled locks. I leaned into his touch, allowing myself to enjoy it.
"I'm glad you came with me tonight," he said quietly. The fingers that were in my hair moved to stroke the sensitive skin behind my ear. I hummed in pleasure, and his movements stilled.
"I'm glad, too," I managed to say, looking up to his dark eyes – lustful eyes. I swallowed heavily.
"I should let you sleep now," he whispered, pulling his hand away completely.
I wanted to ask him to stay, but I knew what could happen if he did, and that would have consequences. "All right."
"Goodnight, Bella," he sighed. He leaned down and kissed me chastely, but I held him to me, kissing back. I opened my mouth against his, enough for him to understand what I wanted. Our tongues slid sensuously together, hot and eager. I moaned, and he pulled away abruptly in reaction.
"I'd better go…before I do something we'll both regret."
I tried to bring the flush in my face under some control. "Yes, that might be for the best."
He smiled wistfully, lingering in the doorway. "Goodnight," he said again.
"Goodnight, Edward."