Disclaimer: You know the deal. Twilight's not mine, end of story. :)
AN(PLEASE READ THESE, GUYS!): haha, sorry for the shouting. I just want to make sure people read the ANs, for my new readers, because I think some people don't know that this is actually the second take, so to speak of this story, and I did it first in BPOV(I'll Make a Believer out of You) so, yeah, if you didn't know, I recommend you check that one out, because I think it makes more sense if you read both. . :)
Alright, newsflash over, sorry to those of you to whom that was already old news. So, here's chapter eight! Now, I'm really pleased with the response for this story in general, but I hope some of you didn't abandon me because of my absence of the last couple of weeks, I got rather less reviews last chapter. :( But, that aside, thank you to those who do review, you're fantastic, I don't want you to think I'm not grateful, because I am :D And if you read this, and like it, you know what to do to make me a happy chicken. :D Now, read on, Macduff! (If my family are the only people who use the expression "lead on, Macduff", that's going to sound really bizarre. :P
I stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment before I even understood what she meant. Of course, I realized, I should have seen it coming. All those journals, the newspapers; I'd been obsessed then. But I'd worked through all that, realized that it was good I'd never gone.
"No. . . it can't be". It couldn't be. It was the first thing I'd thought of as well, but I'd tried that, gotten over it.
She wasn't having that, though. "Edward, what else is there? You had no other ambitions, I've been looking all afternoon! Don't tell me this never occurred to you? It's the only thing that makes any sense!" She'd got an idea in her head, and didn't want to let go of it. And, looking at it from her point of view, it did seem plausible. But I knew it couldn't be that simple, as much as I might want it to be.
I tried to explain myself to her "It. . .did," I confirmed, "But I got over it! I made myself get over it. It doesn't bother me anymore. . ." but while I said this, I was thinking. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was that, after all. It made sense, in a way. If only it could be that simple. . .
"Ok," she started, and I could tell she was modifying, remaking her theory as she went, coming up with her ideas as she presented them to me. "So maybe you are over it. But maybe that's not why you can't leave. You said sometimes spirits can't move on because there was something that they were supposed to achieve, but didn't. You must have been supposed to go! Edward, it's the only thing that makes sense!" And as she put it that way, it did begin to make sense, but then I realized the flaw.
"That would make sense, Bella, but. . ." I tried to be gentle; she'd looked so excited to have solved the mystery, and I hated to destroy her hopes.
"But what?" she interjected.
"But I wouldn't actually go to war." I explained carefully. "Setting aside the issue of my age - I assume you were going to have me lie?" She nodded. Well, it had been done by countless people back then, it wasn't odd that she would decide on that course of action. "The war is almost over. It's July. There's less than four months. I wouldn't go straight over, I'd be at a training camp first. That can't be it. I'd never make it there."
She was quiet for a moment as she processed this, and when she spoke, she again seemed to be formulating her plan as she spoke. "Maybe, " she started. "Ok, you're right. You wouldn't go. But maybe that's not actually what you were supposed to do. Maybe. . . it's not something you were supposed to do. Maybe it's something you weren't supposed to do."
Something I wasn't supposed to do? What was she talking about? Bella was grasping at straws now, and I was pretty sure she knew it. "Like what?" I answered, knowing that soon I would need to stop this in it's tracks, because it was getting us nowhere fast.
"Die."she replied, letting the word sit there for a moment before continuing. "You weren't supposed to die," she repeated, but this time she sounded more sure of herself. "You had so much talent, so much promise. You could have done great things. You were meant to survive, but the plan went awry. And now I have to fix it." she was confident as she said those last words, determination blazing in her eyes, along with another emotion, lurking somewhere in the back, that I couldn't quite make out.
"And what does that have to do with going to war?" I queried, still skeptical, although touched by her sentiment, her eagerness to help me.
"You get out of Chicago before the epidemic hits. You're somewhere else, and the conditions are different. You survive." As she said this, I could clearly see her plan. The simplicity of it, but also the ingenuity. It could work. It made sense. But . . .
"I've . . . never heard of changing something that. . . big before," I stalled, but wondered if it could be right. "But it does make sense," I mused, then; "How were you planning on achieving this?"
"Simple." She smiled, confident. "I'll keep going back. Get to know you, befriend you, and gain your trust. Then, after a time, I'll propose that you lie and enlist."
"You know, " I warned her, wanting to stop myself as much as her from getting carried away. "that there are so many things that could go wrong with that plan? But I like it. I guess you won't need my help much anymore, will you?" I grinned at her. So much for not getting carried away.
"Of course not!" She contradicted, and I was pleased, but also slightly worried, at the fact that this seemed to her like it wouldn't be a good thing. "I'll still need you to take me back, and tell me how I'm doing. His reaction to me, I mean. You can read his mind, right?"
"Actually, no." I told her.
"What? But you said I was-"
"The only ghost or human whose mind I couldn't hear," I interrupted her. "I can't hear his, because he doesn't exist in the same context as I do. That's why I can't stay with you when you're there either. I belong to any time after I died. And that part of myself belongs to any time before I died. But don't worry, I can still help with his reactions. We're the same person, but different versions. Everything that he remembers, thinks, and feels, belongs to me. Because he is my past. But the things I remember, think, feel, and know, belong only to me. As his present changes, so does my past. I can't hear what he's thinking about you. But I can remember it." I hoped that my explanation hadn't been too confusing. It made even my head spin.
It seemed to take her a moment to process this, but then she was back to business. "So, how did I do? What did he. .you" she hesitated over her choice of pronouns, "think of me today?"
I smiled at her. "I was captivated by you. I found you unlike anyone I'd ever met, and I am anxious to see you again. I'll wait by the newspaper stand much longer than normal tomorrow, if necessary, to see you." It was true, my past self had been very intrigued by Bella. If I let myself be honest, so was I. And that worried me.
"So I'm going back tomorrow?" She asked.
"Yes. I think it's best if we put this plan in motion straight away. I should leave now, though. Allow you to be human for a time." She needed to be human, away from me and my supernatural problems for a time. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. The same time." I gave her a parting smile, again allowing my image to drop away, and disappearing from her sight.
It was very tempting for me to stick around and watch Bella throughout the rest of that afternoon and evening, but I made myself leave her truly alone, as I'd promised I would.
I made myself leave her alone for the next morning as well, while worrying and puzzling over the fact that this was so hard to do.
Finally, it was the right time again, and I dropped quietly through the ceiling of her room, to find her sprawled across her bed, reading. I coughed quietly to get her attention. Her head whipped around, and when she saw me, her face broke into an easy smile.
"Are you ready?" I asked, and she nodded, so I stepped towards her once more, taking her hand, and pulling her back with me through the decades.
And there you have it! So, this one was a little short too, sorry, but I hope you enjoyed all the same. :) I think I liked this one, but I sometimes worry that Edward's narrating is kind of. . I don't know . . choppy or something, so I hope it's not too bad. So, I've actually already started the next chapter, and it'll probably be ready by tonight, I'm thinking, so you know what to do if you want to get it soon! ;)
As always, thanks to all my readers and reviewers!
-SkySong :D
