Chapter 14: Morning chores

Edward PoV

Alice and I sat with Marie for as long as was decent before we both reluctantly made our way back downstairs to begin on our daily tasks. Though we often had the aid of Mrs. Cope to do most of the more menial tasks, mother and father had taught Me and Alice the importance of being able to do for ourselves.

Alice met Rose in the kitchen where the two of them began to clean up the mess I had left after breakfast while Jasper and I cleared the table and straightened the chairs. From there, while the girls continued their work with the dishes, and started preparations for lunch, Jasper and I made quick work of stoking all the fires and checking the wood piles at the side of each hearth.

"So." Jasper said, stopping to look me in the eye. "You going to tell me about this girl of yours?"

"She isn't my girl, Jasper." I could feel my cheeks flush and leaned into the warmth of the fire hoping to disguise my embarrassment, though I would be remiss to say I disliked hearing him call Marie mine.

"Okay, well tell me about her anyway. I mean, from what my father was saying, you single handedly saved her life last night." He boasted. Jasper might not be my blood; be he was truly the best brother a guy could have.

"I really don't know how to explain it Jasper, and don't call me a sissy, but I feel connected to her. I mean, of course I've only known she existed since I pulled her from the snow, but there is something so achingly familiar about her, and I just can't place it."

I could feel Jasper's eye roll from across the room and took that as my que to get back to work with the chores. Jasper made his way to the wood pile to chop more logs so we could replenish the woodpile beside the house as we had already had to bring more wood inside to keep the occupied rooms warm. While he tended to the logs, I made my way over to the barn to check on the livestock.

We didn't have much by way of animals, merely a dairy cow, a few chickens, and our horses. It was hard in these winter months to keep the animals, but we managed just fine normally. Though it was clear that this blizzard was affecting them just as it was us, if not worse.

I made quick work of putting down fresh hay in the chicken house to help insulate them from the cold, as well as giving them their morning feed. I then checked the blankets for the horses and cow and made sure to restock their feed as well. Father had always taught me to pile up extra hay around the water troughs in winter to help insulate the water to prevent it from freezing. He also told me his secret of putting fire hot rocks in when I refilled the water, to keep it from being too cold.

These tricks were what helped us to keep our animals alive after father died, especially his horse Lizzy. I always loved father's horse and I was so grateful that mother let me keep her after he passed. Lizzy and I had a special connection, she helped me stay close to my father, especially now that he is gone.

After giving Lizzy a quick brushing, I made my way back to the house to see if there was anything else Jasper and I needed to do before checking in with the girls to see if they needed any assistance.

I moved quickly through the door and discarded my snow-covered boots by the door. The smells that wafted out from the kitchen meant that Alice and Rose had finished with the morning clean up and had begun work something warm and hardy which we could eat for dinner and supper.

I worked swiftly, carrying wood upstairs to mother's room, making sure to knock before I entered. It was Carlisle's voice which beckoned me in. I turned the knob and then used my weight to leverage open the door, to not drop any of the wood I carried with me.

"Thank you, Edward. I was meaning to do that myself here shortly." Carlisle said from where he was seated in the chair next to mother. I could see from the corner of my eye that they were holding hands.

I added a few logs to the fire and stoking it to bring the blaze back to a comfortable roar. I kept my focus intently on the task in front of me so to not interrupt the intimate atmosphere that I had entered. One might assume that I would have been livid at my mother for remarrying so soon after my father passed, but the truth was that I could tell that my mother had been gifted at second chance at a soul mate in Carlisle, at least, that was what Alice had said, and I can't say I disagree with it. I will always love my father, and Carlisle could never replace him, but I will be forever grateful for all he does for our family. He really is the best stepfather anyone could ask for.

Having finished the task at hand I stand, clearing my throat and turning to face mother's bed while cradling the remaining wood in my arms.

"Carlisle, I need to tend to the fire in my room as well. Would you perhaps accompany me, and maybe you could take the chance to check on Marie again while we are in there?" I asked rather sheepishly, I hated pulling Carlisle and mother apart, but I couldn't risk Marie's virtue by allowing myself to enter the room alone.

"Of course, Edward. I would hope that she has regained consciousness from her fainting spell this morning. Perhaps I'll have the chance to apologize to her for my bombardment of questions." Carlisle said, and dare I say he looked embarrassed.

Just as Carlisle made to step away from the chair, he had only moments ago occupied mother cleared her throat behind him, gaining both of our attentions.

"I'm coming with you." She said while shifting her focus between Carlisle's face and mine.

"Esme…" Carlisle began, but before he could state an opposition mother cut him off.

"Don't you dare Carlisle. You've said it yourself that I've been doing much better as of late, I haven't even had the slightest fever in weeks now. I have been trapped in this bed for far too long, and while I know it has been for a good reason, I want the chance to help someone for a change. Don't begrudge me this."

I knew this wasn't an argument Carlisle could win, and so did he. So, he relented, however unwillingly, and turned to help mother out of bed. With that, the three of us made our way out the door and down the hall to check in on Marie.

Carlisle entered first with mother on his arm, he immediately moved to seat her in the chair which I had previously placed at the front corner of the bed. I turned to tend the fire as he moved to check Marie over once again.

We had all three noticed immediately that Marie was still unconscious as she didn't so much as flinch when the door creaked open. I found it exceedingly difficult to keep my eyes on the fire, every fiber of my being wanted to glance over to the bed and see that Marie was ok, to confirm with Carlisle that there was nothing to worry about. I forced myself to focus on bringing the fire back to life so that I could finish tending to it, for the sooner I finished, the sooner I could ask Carlisle for his professional opinion on my girl.

My girl.

I shook myself from my thoughts and realized that I had moved to mother's side at the top end of the bed. Carlisle was on the other side, Marie's wrist in his hand, supposedly to check the beat of her heart. Once he seemed to be satisfied with what he was getting, he gently placed her hand back to her side and moved his hand to rest on her forehead to check for any possible signs of fever.

"All seems to be well, no fever, her heart is beating steady and strong. I believe that her body is merely still exhausted and is using the fainting spell as an excuse to properly rest up after the ordeal of being caught out in that storm." Carlisle glanced up at me then, and I could see in his eyes the words he wanted to say out loud but didn't for my sake.

"You did good Edward, she is alright."

"Well then, if you boys are done with examining our guest, out you go." Mother gave me a gentle shove from where she sat beside me, and she was cutting her eyes from Carlisle to the door and back.

I wasn't ready to leave yet, but before I have even the slightest chance to argue, Carlisle had made his way around the bed to place a gentle kiss on mother's forehead, and as he turned towards the door, he grabbed my elbow and led me out ahead of him, pulling the door shut behind him.

"They will be fine, let us go check in with Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper, shall we?" Carlisle suggested, one eyebrow raised as if daring me to argue with him. But I knew he was right, so reluctantly I led the way downstairs, casting one long glance back at the door which separated me from the girl who had somehow already stolen my heart.

Bella PoV

Dream Sequence

Warmth and golden light, I was surrounded by it. It seemed to reach into the farthest reaches of this place, wherever it is. I turned slowly in a continuous circle, almost as if I could will something distinctive to appear which could clue me in to where I was.

Suddenly in the distance I could see two silhouetted figures. One was taller and broader built than the other. Perhaps they were a man and a woman.

The longer I stared the more in focus this couple seemed to be, at first, they were just stationary, hovering on the outer edges of my vision. I tried to speak to them, but I realized that my voice wasn't working, I could say the words, but not even a whisper of a sound made its way past my lips.

When I once again turned my focus to the couple, I could see that they had begun to stride towards me, hands seemingly interwoven between them as they walked. The closer they came the clearer they became. I had seen these people before in my dreams, I was sure of it, except where in previous dreams they had been faceless, now I could see their faces. The woman was the same chestnut-haired woman in the shift, and the man with the kind eyes, and now I could see that he had a very well-kept moustache. She appeared to be quite a bit younger than he did, but only in appearance.

Something about these two people seemed perfectly aligned. It was almost like their souls were intertwined with one another; I could feel that they belonged together.

The man and woman were directly in front of me now, and I expected them to vanish into air, as like all my dreams as of late, I couldn't interact with any of the people who I saw in my slumber.

This, however, was different. The couple stepped forward in unison and wrapped me in their arms, bathing me in such strong feelings of love and belonging that it brought tears to my eyes.

"My darling girl, you've grown so beautifully, didn't she, my love?" The woman asked the man, shocking me. They could speak to me. More importantly these people know me, they must know who I am!

I tried again to speak to them, but again I was met with nothing but silence, and I wanted to scream, to shout, to beg these people for answers.

"That she has my dear, I hate that we both had to leave her the way we did. If I had only been strong enough to endure without you…" the man spoke, his voice heavy with sorrow and regret.

"Enough of that you," the woman admonished him. "You know as well as I do that all the wishing in the world can't change what was. The important thing is that you did your best, and deep down you know that. Our beautiful daughter never blamed either of us for what happened, so neither should we."

…Daughter? That means these are my parents!

"You're right my love, I'm sorry" The man made direct eye contact with me and said again "I'm sorry my dear, your mother and I love you… never forget that."

The couple pulled me once again into their embrace, they hugged me tight and long, and I did my best to hug them back.

I tried again to speak, to let these people… my parents, know that I loved them too, yet again my voice failed me.

End of dream

I shot up from my slumber, I was covered head to toe in a cold sweat, logically I know it was just a dream, but I could still feel their arms around me in that hug. I flung my arms around me, hugging myself tightly as my chest heaved with my heavy breathing.

"Are you alright dear?"

A/N: Hello everyone! I hope this chapter is everything you were hoping for, I was struggling to make this episode appear on the page, I have been stuck starring at a blank page for far too long, but I am finally happy with where this chapter has gone. Please feel free to leave feedback on this chapter, while I might not reply to every review, I do read them all, and I love getting to hear your thoughts and opinions. I feel like I am finally back in a groove with writing this story, and I am hoping to keep this metaphorical ball rolling! See you soon!

~Rylandra