A/N: Sorry for the wait everyone. I've hit a bit of writer's block. You know when you feel that impulse in you to write and you crave it, but it just won't come. I'm feeling that right now with two fanfics and my original work. It's quite frustrating really. I can't sleep at night, because my body is telling me to write, but my mind won't cooperate.
Anyway, enough complaints.
Of Curses and Cures
Chapter Twelve
The Meadow
December 14th, 2008
8:00 A.M.
He doesn't think he'll ever get used to spending the night with Bella in his arms. And it feels immensely more intimate here, in his home, in his room. She is sleeping soundly when his mother calls to him from downstairs.
He carefully removes his arm, and lays her gently against the mattress. He kisses her forehead and whispers, "I'll be back, my love."
He is perfectly silent as he opens and closes the door, and flies down the stairs as quickly as he can.
Esme is dusting and has a ladder opened beside her.
"Yes, Esme?"
She smiles kindly and gives him a hug. Her thoughts tell him what she wants a moment before she can.
He laughs, "You need help reaching some places?"
"Yes, dear, do you mind?" He can't remember much about his own mother, but every time he imagines her, she has Esme's warm voice.
"Not at all, Mom."
He scales the ladder quickly and then holds his hand out for the duster. He reaches his long arms out, dusting in the corner of the ceiling, and along the seams.
"Bella seems wonderful, Edward."
"She is, Mom. I told her I love her."
She smiles widely. "I was wondering if you had. I mean, it's quite obvious. But it's always nice to hear the words."
"Did I mention that she's been here before? To the house?"
"You didn't."
He is already finished, and he descends the ladder easily.
"It was with those werewolf friends of hers. I'm sure Alice told you all."
"She did."
He casually dusts around him as he speaks, to keep his hands busy.
"It was before we moved back here, and before her friends technically became werewolves, so the treaty can't really be considered broken, but she dreamed about it the night before we came here. She talks in her sleep." He adds.
"I heard."
They laugh.
"She'd probably be mortified if she knew you all could hear her."
"It's sweet. I'm sure it's quite the ego boost for you, as well."
He laughs, knowing that he'd be blushing if he could. "To be honest with you. It's one of the things that has kept me from leaving. Nothing makes me happier than to hear her say my name. I'm not sure anyone's ever said my name the way she says it. I know that I should leave, it would be better for her in the long run. But I just can't."
He is so caught up in his explanation, in his emotions that he doesn't hear Bella rise from bed and pad her way into the hallway. He does however hear her heartbeat pick up, and a second later hears Rosalie's thoughts.
"Rosalie…" He growls.
He flies up the stairs and sees the two of them, Rosalie standing in front of the bathroom door that he assumes Bella was heading towards. He growls, and Rosalie shoots him a withering glare before she disappears into her and Emmett's room. He knows Rosalie's thoughts towards Bella and had been doing his best to keep the two of them separated.
He pulls Bella tight against his chest, and she immediately breathes a sigh of relief.
"I don't know… I don't understand." She whispers.
He runs a hand through her hair, soothing her.
"Sshh… Don't worry about Rosalie. She'll come around."
He hears Rosalie scoff from inside her room, and is glad Bella has only human hearing.
"She's just a little stubborn is all." He stresses the word, knowing Rosalie can hear him.
He opens the bathroom door, ushering her inside, but she holds tight to his hand when he tries to leave.
"I just need to wash my face. Will you stay?"
He places a kiss on her cheek and nods.
He speaks as she freshens up.
"She doesn't mean any harm, Bella. She just sees things a little bit differently than the rest of us. She actually thinks she's looking out for your best interests. She just has a different way of showing it."
He watches Bella pull her hair into a ponytail, seeing the barest sliver of skin between her top and bottoms.
"How so?"
"She thinks you being here is dangerous. Which I am partially inclined to agree with."
She glares at him, so he moves in a different direction.
"But more specifically, she is jealous of your humanity, and thinks you're wasting it by being with me."
"She what?" He's never heard Bella come so close to yelling, and he immediately moves to place a hand on her shoulder.
She shakes him off, "You don't agree do you? Edward Cullen, if you think I'm wasting anything by being with you, you are severely mistaken. I would trade a dozen lifetimes just to spend the day with you."
"You're exaggerating."
"Try me." She hissed.
"You don't know what you're talking about. You haven't lived long enough to be able to say what is worth a lifetime and what isn't."
This conversation isn't turning out at all how he had planned.
"Maybe not. But I've lived long enough to know the difference between happiness and unhappiness. And I've been with you long enough to know that I've never felt more of the former than when I'm with you, and more of the latter when you're gone. Most people spend their lives searching for happiness. And I've found it. And I'm keeping you, no matter what you think."
He laughs and nuzzles his nose into the crook of her neck.
"Relax, spider monkey. You've got me for as long as you can stand me."
"Good." She smiled. "Because I'm stubborn. Don't think I won't find some vampire-proof rope and tie you up to keep you from getting away."
"Tie me up, eh?"
She laughs. "That's the part you choose to comment on, not the vampire proof rope?"
He rolls his eyes playfully. "I'm a guy, Bella."
"Really?" She questions, "I hadn't noticed."
"Who knew you were so funny, Isabella Swan."
"Who knew you were a man?"
They both hear Emmett's laugh from the next room. Edward growls playfully and picks her up by the waist, and he throws her over his shoulder.
"Edward!" She squeals, "What are you doing?"
"Why, my dear, I'm showing you exactly how manly I can be."
He sprints down the stairs, and she screams. She's hanging upside down over his shoulder, and she wraps her arms tightly around his midsection.
He speeds through the back door, and suddenly they are passing dozens of trees every second.
"I am so going to kill you, Edward Cullen."
"With what kind of weapon? Something you got from the same place that sold you Vampire-proof rope?"
She screams as he jumps over a river in one leap, and he laughs, "Close your eyes if it scares you."
"You are in so much trouble! You are going to be so sorry!" She yells.
"I'll make it up to you. It will be worth it I promise."
A few more seconds pass, and then he comes to a quick halt.
"Are we stopped?" She asks warily.
He smiles wickedly, and squeezes her leg tightly before releasing her completely. She panics as she feels herself falling from his grip, but in less than a second he spins around and catches her.
Her head is even with his knees. Angrily, she punches him in the thigh, and then groans in response. He flips her upright.
Her eyes are shut tight, her hair is windblown and she's holding her fist against her chest.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to punch a Vampire?"
"Yeah, well, a normal person wouldn't think it a good idea to kiss a Vampire either, and I don't seem to have a problem with that."
"No you don't." He whispers, leaning forward.
She pushes a hand in his face, "Oh no you don't. No kissing for you. I told you that you'd be sorry, and I meant it."
He grins and takes her hand, checking it for any injuries. Finding none, he pulls her forward through a set of trees.
"Perhaps you'll forgive me after I show you your surprise."
"Not likely." She grumbles, "I hate surprises."
He steps out from the trees, feeling the sunlight hit his face and waits for her to follow.
She does, her eyes cast down towards her feet grumpily.
"Look at me, Bella."
She complies with his request and then gasps.
They are surrounded by a large meadow, perfectly round with lush, green grass. There are sprinklings of wildflowers across the area, and he watches her eyes scan the whole space.
"Edward, it's beautiful."
She reaches a hand up, tracing the contours of his sparkling skin as though it were the first time.
He locks his gaze on her, looking deep into her eyes.
"Am I forgiven?"
She leans forward unknowingly, swaying against him, and then whispers, "Not even close."
It takes a moment for him to register her words, and then she's out of his arms, racing across the meadow, bubbling laughter following behind her.
He smiles and then takes off after her, running at a human pace to tease her. He catches up and stays at her heels, reaching out to tickle her sides as she runs.
"Stop!" She laughs, trying to dodge him.
As always, she surprises him when she stops and turns around to face him. He notices too late, and they topple to the ground. He is careful to cage her in his arms to keep her from getting injured. He flips them midair, so that he hits the ground first instead of her.
"That was all your fault." She laughs against his chest.
"My fault?" He cries, "Who is the more coordinated one out of the two of us?"
She scoffs, "Me, clearly."
He puts a finger beneath her chin and raises her face to his. He intends to fix her with a playful glare, but then he feels her sweet breath against his face, and his eyes are immediately drawn to her lips.
"Is there still a rule about not kissing Vampires?"
His voice is husky, and he feels her shiver against him.
"Definitely. Absolutely no kissing vampires. I hear it's hazardous to your health."
His fingers dance down her spine, and he leans his face closer to hers.
"Are you sure?"
He breathes against her lips, and watches as her eyes cloud over with desire.
"Yes." She gasps.
He leans his forehead against hers, focusing his eyes on her in his best attempt to dazzle.
"Positive?"
"Maybe."
His lips are so close to hers that he can practically taste her.
"So there's no way I can change your mind?"
He runs a hand down to her hip, and pulls her flush against him.
She blinks, her breath coming quicker now.
She groans and whispers, "I hate you," before crushing her lips to his.
He returns the kiss, and then smiles in victory.
"Don't be so smug." She berates him, "Maybe I'll find that rope I was talking about and tie you to one of these trees and leave you here."
He laughs, "You think a tree could keep me here?"
She pouts, "I'd find a really big one."
He grins crookedly, and then rolls, trapping her beneath him.
"You'd have to catch me first."
She tangles a hand in his hair and pulls him close.
"Not catch you. Just distract you for a bit."
"And how would you do that?"
She brushes her lips lightly against his chin.
"Oh I don't know."
She moves her lips to his cheek.
"I'm sure I'd think of something."
Finally, she touches her lips to his. He returns the kiss eagerly, greedily taking in as much of her as he can. Her hands burrow deeper into his hair and he groans. She smiles in response, and wraps a leg around his hip.
It is times like these that makes him glad he doesn't have a working heart, because she could surely make it stop working.
She pushes her hips up and against him, and he can't help the growl deep in his chest.
"I love you, Edward."
"I love you, too Bella."
She smiles and he can see the happiness in her eyes. Perhaps, she is right. Maybe she isn't better off without him.
He begins laying kisses down the column of her neck, even allowing his tongue to dart out briefly to taste her skin. She moans and it sounds like music to him.
Her hand trails down his chest to the top of his pants and she flicks the button open. His eyes open wide, and in a second he's across the meadow in the shades of the trees.
Her heartbeat stutters, and she sits up slowly, unsure.
"Did I—Did I do something wrong?" She whispers.
He isn't sure what to say. It isn't her blood that is causing him problems now. She resurrects the man in him, and he isn't sure how to tell her that they can't be together that way. He can't risk hurting her.
The man in him wants the woman in her more than anything he's ever wanted in his life. But he can't give her that. Will she still want him if he can't offer her that kind of intimacy? Can he expect her to spend her whole life with him and never know that kind of love?
He has to tell her, but he can't bring himself to do it now. He walks back into the meadow, apologizes, and sits back down beside her. As always, she takes everything coolly, and his retreat doesn't even faze her.
When she leans in for another kiss, he obliges. He pulls back before things can go too far.
"We should probably be heading home, right?" She asks.
Hearing her call his house 'home' sends an immense feeling of joy through him.
He nods and offers her his hand, "Let's go home."