Many thanks to Ms Meyer for building such a fun sandpit and then letting us loose in it, and to Meha for her beta skills.
Chapter Seven – Progress & Prophecies
Monday morning Forks was back to grey and drizzly, which matched Bella's mood perfectly. Her dreams were not improving, and she knew she was starting to look as sleep deprived as she felt.
She'd had a pleasant time at the beach with Seth, Leah, Jacob and some of their friends the day before, the sun had even shown itself for a little while in the early afternoon. But the conversation she'd had with Seth the fourth time she'd tripped on their way to the beach had left her feeling strangely unsettled, although she knew he'd been joking.
"How many falls is that now?" Seth teased her as he gave her a hand up, yet again. Really, she needed to start paying attention to her surroundings, she thought, instead of over-analysing her dreams.
"Well I may fall a lot, but I haven't broken anything yet," she said. "Just a few scratches on my palms."
"Yeah, you're like the cat with nine lives," Seth joked. "At least you know how to land."
"She should," Jacob added, "She's had enough practice."
"Oh, ha ha! Laugh it up," Bella grumbled, but with a smile of her own. It was nice to be with people who knew her.
"I know!" Seth said, "She's the girl from the prophecy!"
"What prophecy?" Bella asked.
"You know, the one about the girl who lives four times." He turned to Leah. "Isn't there something about her being called beautiful and adopted by the tribe? That could totally be Bella! Her name means beautiful, and she and Charlie are practically family, the amount of time they spend down here!"
"I don't think 'lives four times' and 'fell four times without breaking anything' are exactly equivalent, nitwit," Leah commented. "Besides, it says 'beloved of the people' not adopted by the tribe."
"Same thing, and it still works."
"You know, you're not really supposed to talk about that outside of the tribal gatherings," Jacob said, frowning slightly and looking away.
"Oh please," Seth rolled his eyes, " It's not like it's for real. Next thing you'll be telling me to watch out for the Cold Ones… Oooh, I'm scared!"
"Whatever," Jacob said, with a sideways glance at Bella. He looked like he was still uncomfortable, she thought, but didn't want her to know. "Race you to the water!" They could see the beach through the trees by then, and Jacob took off without looking back, followed by Seth.
Jake had grown so much over the past months. He towered over them all now, including Seth—who was tall himself, for a thirteen-year-old—and he outpaced him easily. When she'd visited last summer she'd still been taller than him. It was almost uncanny.
Leah hung back and walked with Bella, but she didn't say anything else about the prophecy, and Bella didn't feel she could ask, after Jacob's obvious discomfort. It made her feel excluded, in the one place in Forks where she'd always felt comfortable. Then again, she really wasn't a member of the Quileute, no matter how close her father may be with them, so what did she expect?
Now it was back to school, and back to the usual bleak weather. At least Jasper Hale should be there today, right? That might be a bright spot.
It was hard to feel uplifted though, even by that idea, after the dream she'd just woken from. It didn't matter how many times she told herself this reality mattered more, she just didn't believe it. Jasper didn't even know her in this reality. How could that be an improvement?
The morning dragged by, not helped by Jessica making several comments about how tired she looked, and had she slept at all on the weekend?
Not much, and not well, was the answer, and by the time lunch rolled around, she wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and sleep. Except that sleep was exactly what she needed to avoid. She stood at the end of the lunch line, only half noticing as it moved forward. Suddenly, an apple was deposited on her tray.
"You really should eat somethin' darlin'," Jasper's soft drawl informed her. She almost threw herself at him in joy, only remembering at the very last second that he was not her Jasper. She felt herself blushing furiously and hoped he just thought she'd been startled, and not that she was about to jump him in the lunch line.
"You startled me," she said breathlessly.
"Sorry." He smiled though, anything but contrite. "You gonna get anything else to eat though?"
"Uh, yeah...I'll just grab a salad," she said, matching actions to her words, and following it up with a soda. She paid and moved out of line, but then stood there waiting for him, feeling like a fool. Should she say something else, or just scuttle over to her usual table? Did he actually want to talk to her, or was he just making conversation because he was behind her in line?
He solved the problem for her by finishing up with his own transaction before she could decide what to do. He moved to stand by her and she suddenly realised his siblings were behind him in line. So of course, he would wait for them. Now she felt really uncomfortable.
"So, you're back from camping," she blurted out. Way to go Bella, state the obvious, why don't you?
"Ah, yeah," Jasper said, "We got back Saturday. Hey, have you met Edward and Alice?" he asked, as they came over.
"Not yet... Hi," she said shyly, "It's nice to meet you both."
"You too, Bella!" Alice declared with a grin.
"Welcome to Forks." Edward was rather more subdued, but not unfriendly, Bella thought. Time to beat a quick retreat though, before it got uncomfortable (again).
"Well, I should—" she gestured over towards where Angela was sitting with Mike and Jessica. "I'll see you in class, Jasper."
"You sure will, darlin'."
She wished he wouldn't call her darlin'. She was sure it was just his standard diminutive, but he sounded so much like her Jasper, and she wasn't sure how to take that right now. She turned and walked over to Angela, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Jasper and his siblings walking to their usual table.
"Oh. My. God." Jessica began, as soon as she sat down. "You can NOT pretend nothing is going on now."
"What?" Bella knew perfectly well what she was talking about, but she was not about to admit it.
"Jasper Hale, that's what! He was chatting you up in the lunch line!"
Bella flushed. "Don't be ridiculous Jess, he was just being polite."
"Bella, Jasper never talks to anyone. Did I not tell you this? The last time I saw him so much as say hello to someone outside his family was last summer when their cousins were visiting from Alaska."
"I think cousins still count as family, Jess," Angela commented wryly.
"Yeah, but it was pretty clear these weren't just cousins. You know what I mean? When I saw him in town with that gorgeous one with the long blond hair... it's pretty clear there was something going on with them."
Bella felt herself grow cold. He was seeing someone? Well of course he was. Why wouldn't he be? She took a deep breath and tuned back in to the conversation.
"..defeats your point doesn't it?" Angela was saying.
"Not at all! She might not really have been 'family'," she used her fingers to put the word in imaginary quotation marks, "but she wasn't from Forks High, either. Whereas you, Bella, are."
"Seriously Jess, he was just being polite, just like every other student in this school," Bella said. She thought she did a fairly good job of sounding normal. At least her voice wasn't shaking. "I'm probably the first new kid you've had here all year—"
"In about three years actually," Angela interjected.
"So, there you go," Bella finished. "He was just introducing me to his siblings, being polite to the new girl. Now tell me about your weekends. What did you do to make the most of the sun?"
.
After stopping to use the restroom, Bella arrived at biology only just before the teacher, and silently cursed herself for missing the few moments she could have spent talking with Jasper.
She smiled at him as she sat down and hoped he could see in her eyes how glad she was to see him. Then hoped she didn't come across as just another high school girl, desperate for the gorgeous boy's attention. He smiled back though, and she relaxed.
"Hi again," she said, feeling shy.
"Hi, darlin'. You ready to sleep for the next hour?"
"I'm sorry? What do you mean?" she asked, frowning in confusion.
Jasper gestured to the front of the room, and she saw that Mr Banner was wheeling a television to the front of the classroom. "Looks like it's going to be a 'teach-by-video' lesson," he said.
"Oh," she laughed, "this should be good."
Just then Mr Banner called them to attention, so she turned to face him, and tried to ignore the pull to lean towards Jasper.
She was unsurprised when the film turned out to be one she had seen already in Phoenix, and that Jasper was right—it wouldn't hold her attention. Nonetheless, she dutifully got out her notebook, knowing that the only way to keep her mind on the lesson would be to take notes, however unnecessary.
She still found her mind drifting though. And worse, when it did, she found herself unconsciously leaning towards Jasper. She leaned back towards her notebook and tried to force herself to listen to the film. But even as she kept half her mind on cell mutation, she felt the almost magnetic pull towards her desk partner.
It's not my Jasper, she told herself silently. He doesn't even know me!
The droning of the film was mind numbing. She was tired. She longed to simply put her head on her desk and close her eyes. Or better yet, give in to the urge to lean into Jasper, as she would if they were sitting under their oak tree. If he was Jasper Whitlock.
There'd always been that pull between them. When they were young, they could hold hands, or show other small affections, as freely as they wished. And they did—they always seemed to be touching, one way or another. As they got older, she was expected to behave 'like a young lady' and they were not able to be so free with each other. But in private, or when no-one but Mary was with them, they still held hands, or—and these were her favourite memories—often he would lie down, with his head on her lap, and they would while away hours talking, planning and dreaming of the future.
She realised she was starting to lean towards him again, and pulled herself upright, praying he hadn't noticed. She gripped the side of her chair away from him and spent the rest of the lesson focussed only on staying still. When the bell finally rang for the end of class, and Mr Banner dismissed them, saying they would finish the film the next day, she was afraid to look at Jasper, bending instead to pack away her books.
But when Jasper stood to leave, he touched her shoulder gently, forcing her to look at him. His smile was as warm as ever. Apparently, he hadn't noticed anything strange about her behaviour then.
"See you tomorrow," he said.
"Yeah, see you." She stood for a moment, watching him leave, then hurriedly finished packing her bag and left for her next class.
.
.
"Isabella!" Her mother sounded cross again. Bella had been trying to stay out of her way, not wanting to have any more conversations about prospective suitors.
She knew she needed to be as meek and biddable as possible today, if she was to have time tomorrow to sneak out and see Jasper's sister. Mary was only a year younger than Bella, and her closest friend, besides Jasper himself. The three of them had been inseparable as children.
She wanted to know if Mary had any news. And while she knew there was nothing Mary or her family could do to influence her father, she also knew they would help her in any way they could. Whatever happened, she wasn't going to betray Jasper while he was away at war by marrying another. She simply wouldn't do it.
"Yes Mama?" Bella came in from where she had been not quite hiding, knitting in the soft January sunshine.
"There you are! I've been looking through your wardrobe child. I think you should wear your blue muslin next Thursday, when Mr Johnson calls, but you will need to let it out, you've grown taller. It's not as attractive as your silk, but there is no more fabric in that, and nothing to be had while this blockade lasts. Leave your knitting for now and fetch your sewing box. Some fresh embroidery on the neckline would look well, also."
Bella had to bite the inside of her cheek, to stop herself from speaking out of turn. "Yes, Mama," was all she said, going to get a needle and thread.
Her mother watched until Bella was settled with her sewing, then called the maid for some tea.
Just then there was the sound of someone at the front door.
Bella looked up to see Mary coming into the room, she patted the sofa next to her, inviting her to sit down.
"Good afternoon, Mary, what can we do for you?" Mama asked coldly.
"Oh," Mary said quickly, sitting next to Bella, "I'm sorry to intrude. Ma was just wondering if, well—have you heard anything from Jasper at all?"
Bella had been hoping Mary was bringing news, not coming to look for it. Jasper did sometimes write to her father, knowing that he would pass on important news, as he was more easily able to afford postage-due mail than was Jaspers mother. But there'd been nothing lately.
"Papa hasn't mentioned anything Mary, I'm sorry," Bella said, pausing in her work to reach out to Mary, "but you know how often the mail goes astray coming from the soldiers. We haven't heard from John recently either."
"Isabella, focus on your sewing please," Mama said. "I'm sorry to have no news, Mary, but we did win the battle at Galveston, so I am sure we will hear more soon. Of course, we will send Sarah or one of the maids to let you know if we do. You will have to excuse us now though. Isabella has a suitor visiting next week and needs to be prepared."
Bella felt herself flush, and looked down at her sewing, afraid to meet Mary's eye. She'd wanted the chance to tell her about Mr Johnson, but not this way.
"Oh!" Mary said sharply, standing up, "of course. I will leave you then. Thank you for your time Mrs Williams."
"Mary!" Bella looked up at her now but didn't know what to say. She hoped her face alone would convey her unhappiness. "I—I'll see you soon, alright?"
"Of course," Mary said again, but Bella wasn't sure if the girl had understood her unspoken message. She would definitely have to find time to sneak out and see her tomorrow.
.
.
"Edward," Jasper began, standing in the forest just out of sight of Bella's bedroom window early Tuesday morning, "I don't see how those could be planted memories. I just don't see how that would be possible."
"I know," Edward agreed, "and Jasper, when your sister arrived in her dream, I saw your picture of her in your thoughts—it was the same person. Not the same clothes this time of course, but clearly the same girl you remember."
"I don't remember her very well," Jasper admitted. "I didn't remember her at all until Alice and I did a little digging into my family history, a few years before we met up with you. We found a tintype of her and her husband. It would have been almost ten years after this, but it brought up some memories of her for me. I couldn't even picture my parents before we did that research."
"And there wasn't a fiancé?" Edward asked, "No record of Isabella or her family?"
"No, but to be honest we didn't dig very deeply. It was...painful. And I don't suppose anything about her would have come up anyway, even assuming all this is real—since her father never approved."
"True."
"Do you think it is real, Edward? Do you think she's dreaming of real events?"
"I don't know Jasper, but... I can't see any other reasonable explanation. Her dreams of your sister exactly match your memories, she dreams of you but looking human, and on top of that you remember her, even if it is just that one image. It perfectly matched her dream. I think it has to be real. I just don't understand how."
"I agree."
"Are you ready to go back? It's nearly light."
"I—" he looked up at the window they'd been staring at all night.
"You don't want to leave her." It was a statement, rather than a question.
"I just feel very protective of her," Jasper said. "I don't know why. It's not rational. It's not like I can do anything."
"It's fine," Edward said. "We can stay a bit longer. But we'll have to go soon if you want to be at school when she gets there."
Just then Edward's phone buzzed with a message. He looked at it, then held it up for Jasper to see.
I'm not sure if she's going to school today, it's all fuzzy, but you & Jasper need to be at school so you can go on a trip next week.
"Why would we be going on a trip?" Jasper wondered aloud.
Buzz
Texas. Family research.
"Huh. I wonder if that's a vision or just her naturally bossy nature," Jasper mused, wondering if she would reply with another text.
"It can't be a vision," Edward said, "we haven't decided anything yet."
"Someone else might have though."
"True."
"Probably Alice. The true prophet." They both chuckled, enjoying the break in tension.
"Let's head back," Edward added. "She's not coming out, and there really is nothing you can do here. And I wouldn't mind talking this whole situation over with the others before we head for another day in purgatory."
Reluctantly, Jasper agreed, and they disappeared into the trees.
A/N
Once again, thanks for the reviews! Over 100 now, woohoo! It's the little things folks…
And many thanks to MeSh17 for her beta skills this chapter. And Melissa, just know I'm thinking of you.
It's still school holidays here, and since the last chapter I have had one visit to the ER (eldest child), one bee sting to the skull (how does that even happen?– it took me ages to find the stinger to pull out) (middle child), and LOTS of chatter from my youngest :)
All of which is to say, it could be more than a week again until the next chapter. I haven't even managed to get it ready for my betas yet.
This chapter Published 22 April 2018 at 9:05 AEST. 3119 words.
Recs:
Older:
Firefly in Summer by primarycolors 6672297/1/Firefly-in-Summer
I don't often read all human twi-fic – if I want all human I switch to Pride and Prejudice :) And honestly, sometimes I wonder why the authors don't just use different names and publish it professionally. Especially this one, where Bella and Edward are the only major twilight characters. But this story is AMAZING. Warning: It did have me sobbing once or possibly twice. But so worth it.
Summary: Edward finds himself back in the little beach town of his childhood when he inherits the local bar from his uncle. The elusive, pretty girl next door has killer legs, a sketchbook and secrets that are slowly eating her alive.
Newer:
Moonlight: A Twilight and Life and Death Retellingby Rosalie McHale s/12355361/1/Moonlight-A-Twilight-and-Life-and-Death-Retelling
This is slashfic with lemons, so if that's not your thing… don't read it. This is an Edward/Beau story. I haven't read many Beau stories, but I really liked this one. It was published, and completed, last year.
Summary: After over 100 years in the closet, Edward had all but given up the idea of finding a mate. He certainly didn't think he would fall for his food. Beau wasn't looking for love when he moved to Forks, Washington. Rural towns didn't exactly have a welcoming reputation for people like him. Twilight re-imagined (again). Slashfic/lemons. Beau x Edward
