Disclaimer: Guy Andrews for Lost in Austen, Stephenie Meyer for all things Twilight, add this together with a little bit of help from me and you get Living in Meyer as well as its sequel Return to Meyer.
A/N: Like I said last chapter, I'm trying to return to my original writing. So, why not start with some light hearted romance? The middle is a little meaningless but the idea came to me and I just had to use it. Anyway, after next chapter, I should be getting back into some more serious stuff so enjoy the fluff while it lasts. :) Anyway, Enjoy.
Return to Meyer
8. Pancakes
Opening my eyes, I blinked in the appearance of the faded light. Had I been at home, I would never have even thought of classifying the present weather as sunny but here, it was as close to sunlight as you were going to get. By the perspective of the room I had, I'd been returned to my bed. As agonizing and long as last night's outburst had been, somehow I felt rejuvenated. For the first time in a while, I felt as though I were seeing things more clearly. Better.
Sitting up carefully, I arched my back and stretched the muscles. My hair felt messed and my clips as though they were coming out of my usually pinned back fringe. Blinking, Edward's form came into view. He sat comfortably in the old rocking chair he had held me in last night. As usual, he was watching me intently, an odd expression contorting his features. It looked as though he was waiting to see if the bomb he'd thought he'd disarmed would remain intact or explode anyway despite his efforts.
After what he'd done for me last night, I was at a loss for words. How was I supposed to explain it? Would he want me to? I wasn't sure. Deciding that maybe it was time I put these troubling events behind me at last, I threw back the covers and got to my feet. Giving him a weak smile, I found my voice. "I'll be right back," At this I padded down the hallway until I reached the bathroom. Glancing at my image in the mirror, I smiled. Somehow the circles under my eyes seemed weaker and my stare less hard. To top it all off, my eyes smiled with me. This was a real show of emotion, not just the masking substitute I'd worn for so long. I was me.
Quickly running a brush through my hair and fixing my fringe, I checked my wrist. According to my watch it was just past ten-thirty. Known for being an early riser, getting up at times like these on rare occasions always manage to shock me. Charlie would have left the house hours ago. Shrugging, I remembered Edward back in the bedroom. Deciding to be safe rather than sorry, I gave my teeth a quick brush and then departed. There was nothing worse than talking with someone with bad breath.
He hadn't moved. That much was clear. I padded in quietly, my cow print pyjamas rustling slightly against each other with every step. He looked up, the same strained expression on his face. I raised an eyebrow, smiling. "It's okay, Edward. You can relax." I told him. He remained still, frozen in place. I'd once had a theory that if you placed Edward in a wax museum and asked him to stay still nobody would be the wiser. It's not like he has to breathe.
Seeing his resistance to believe me, I took a chance. Walking forwards, I moved towards the place I most wanted to be. With him.
His relief was evident from the moment he touched me. Holding me close to his chest, I inhaled, taking in his scent and snuggling into him. Feeling content, I sighed. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into my hair, his hands tightening around me at the words. "I knew there was something wrong, but until Alice told me, I had no idea just how deeply the wounds ran. I should have known. I should have come sooner." His agony was clear but I wasn't about to let him cover himself in a whole new lot of guilt for something he'd had no control over. It was safe to say, if it had not been for him, the events that had caused me such distress would have been ten times worse.
I raised my head and with wide eyes, my natural smile returned to my face for the second time that morning. Edward's eyes softened as he saw my expression. "No, you shouldn't have." I began, reaching up to stroke his cheek. It was as cool and smooth as usual but somehow reassuring in what I was going to try and tell him.
"I always assumed that the reason I was so down was because I was missing you and I was, but it was more than that." I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to describe my previous state of mind. "After reading Stephenie Meyer's books so many times, I saw as Bella went through trauma after trauma without ever really suffering any after affects. She just accepted it and moved on." Edward nodded, understanding what I was trying to say perfectly.
"The only problem was that, I'm not Bella. I may have filled her role in some ways once she ended up in my world but I'm not her. I don't bounce back like a rubber band. If I had to describe it, I say that everything built up until last night when it sort of just….let loose." Recollecting Alice's words of warning, I laughed. "Alice was right as usual." I joked. Edward's face fell, clearly not in the mood for teasing. He looked away.
Moving back to the serious side of our discussion, I went on. "But, that's what I needed. Now, to be honest, I feel happy. It's been a while but now I feel how I felt when I first started spending time with you." I remembered back to my first trip to Forks. The magical feeling I'd experienced, the…bliss at spending time with him. "It's like that epiphany Angel had in Season two. It feels good. I feel good." I emphasised, lifting my fingers to his face and forcing his eyes back to mine again. Like my prod about Alice, he seemed to have ignored my sudden reference to Angel and pop culture.
His eyes lingered over my lips, staring at them thoughtfully as his took in my newly expressed information. It felt nice being this close to him again, without the emotional road blocks I'd had set up. Even when he had touched me last week (the only time he had touched me since my return, I hadn't even had as little as a brush of the skin since) as much as I had lied to myself, it hadn't felt the same. Now, here I was and all I wanted was to stay in this chair with him forever.
"I've missed that smile." He said quietly. "When I saw you in on the couch in my room, you looked happy but it felt….wrong. I couldn't place the emotions I was experiencing at the time. I just assumed that you were fatigued and sore from your injuries. "
"No biggie," I shrugged, happy to be able to move so easily without strain. My wounds were healing well and I was glad for it. So did Edward by the look of him, I didn't comment on his quick mental check of my wounds as his eyes darted across my body so quickly I wasn't unsure I'd imagined it.
He paused, carefully thinking out what he wanted to say. "I also wanted to apologize," he began. "For what happened the other day." I thought back to our argument. "I was rude and it was inexcusable."
I shook my head, "Edward, you don't have to apologize. Trust me. I was being silly and stubborn. I mean, what I said to you…." I looked away, ashamed. "I shouldn't have said it. You and Jacob are both in completely different situations and I should have known better." It hurt my pride to say it but it was true. What I had said was low and I needed to let him know that. "Can we not talk about this anymore? I don't want to argue."
He smiled. Slowly, his fingers reached up, stroking my hair in a way that was familiar to me. Each touch sent shivers down my spine and my heart racing. "Edward," I said softly, not taking my eyes off him for the irrational fear that he would disappear. He made a small sound of acknowledgement but continued focusing on my streaked waves. "I love you. I know I don't say it often, but I do." Looking at me in a way I hadn't seen in a long time, he leaned in before slowly touching his lips softly to my forehead.
"I know," he whispered. "But it's nothing compared to how much I love you. Remember that." I teasing edge filled his voice. "You could leave me, argue with me, make a number of strange vampire pop culture references and I would still love you."
I grinned, "You picked up on that did you?"
He frowned, "It was an awful show. I loathed it," He admitted. "Although, Emmett surprisingly enjoyed it,"
I laughed, "Remind me to bring my box set next time I come to visit. Emmett and I'll have a marathon." I'd been more than just Twilight obsessed before entering this bizarre world. As far as TV shows went, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and it's spin off Angel were two of my favourite shows and I'd since completely stocked up on the DVDs in my cupboard back home. But the very idea that they existed in this world, let alone that Emmett enjoyed them, was surprising. Hearing my stomach growl, I sat up. "But as for now, I am going to cook breakfast!" I said cheerfully. He let me go, following me downstairs to the kitchen.
I stood on the tiles, surveying the room thoughtfully. What in the world did I want? More to the point, what did Charlie have? He'd never been one for the whole grocery shopping thing. Well, nothing beyond the necessities. For the majority of the last week or so, I'd been living purely off cereal and rather boring cereal at that until I'd forced myself to leave my room and take a trip to pick up some things.
"Ashley?" Edward interrupted my musings. Looking up, I found him staring down at me unsurely. "Did you say you were going to cook breakfast?" I nodded. "Forgive me if your cooking skills have since improved past scrambled eggs and pasta but, the last time you were here, your idea of constructing breakfast included a bowl of cereal."
A scowl appeared on my face before quickly dissipating as I realised he was right. The kitchen was not my arena. What would the housewives of the 50's and 60's have said if they could see me now? Ignoring his comment, I began foraging through the pantry before pulling out a bottle. "Ah ha!" Edward looked less enthusiastic and more concerned at my sudden outburst. "I am going to make pancakes." I announced. The anxious look deepened at the sight of the pancake mix. Oh well, I thought. He'd see soon enough.
I set up the pan, butter and spatula before getting started on what I hoped was going to be an alright finished product. Edward stood silently, watching as I poured and waited. Finally after a few minutes, I picked up a spatula ready to remove the fresh and a little demented looking pancake.
Prodding and pushing rapidly until I ended up with a deep brown, twisted and shrivelled shape on the platter next to me, I sighed. A low chuckle sounded at my efforts from behind me. I threw down the spatula and spun around. "Okay, fine. Maybe I can't make pancakes but it's not like you can do any better." I threw out in frustration. He raised a brow and walked towards me.
"Dark or pale?" He asked suddenly. I stared at him blankly for a moment before I realised what he meant. He had to be joking.
"No, no way. You're seriously going to try and make me pancakes?" He nodded before picking up the spatula and moving towards the pan. He looked dead serious. My almost a century year old, vampire boyfriend was going to make me pancakes. My vampire boyfriend who doesn't eat. This I had to see.
"Pale," I told him. Come on, there's no way he can do this. I mean, Edward's good at a lot of things but he doesn't cook. He can't.
Sitting down at the kitchen table I watched as he casually read through the back of the mix bottle before discarding it. Clearly he wasn't happy with what was in it. I hadn't bothered to check but a whole heap of sugar was my guess. I was about to make a comment before he began rushing around the kitchen in movements so quick they were almost complete blurs. All of a sudden there was a mixing bowl, spoon, flour and several other pantry items on the bench. Before I knew it, Edward had a bowl full of pancake mix made from scratch.
You have got to be kidding me, I thought to myself.
Although the prep process had been faster than the average human, there was no speeding up the actual cooking. Edward stood around impatiently, waiting for each side to finish before gracefully flipping the finished pancake off the pan and onto a plate. I grinned at the range of expressions he wore while he worked. If what he made wasn't of eatable quality, watching him make it would have been worth it in itself. After a few minutes, I was presented with a plate covered with three large, fluffy, almost restaurant quality pancakes.
He gave me a sly smile, "Syrup?" He asked with a proud edge to his voice. I nodded, stunned. Quickly he covered the plate in an intricate design of maple syrup before handing me a knife and fork to finish the job. I looked at him in silence, the blank look returning. "Juice?" he queried again. A glass full of apple juice soon followed. Finally, he sat down across from me, folding his arms and a large smirk forming across his face.
"H-h-how?" I stammered. "You don't even eat! How in the world do you know how to make pancakes?" I questioned.
"Ashley," he said rolling his eyes and leaning forward. "I've been alive a long time and have seen a number of cooking shows. I'll admit I've never had to put that knowledge into practice but that doesn't mean it's not there." He explained.
Oh crap, I thought suddenly as I remembered a section of book one from Breaking Dawn. While on their honeymoon, Edward had cooked for Bella multiple times and at a number of times during the day. Of course he could cook! How could I have forgotten something like that?
"You know what," I said, throwing my hands up in the air. "You're perfect." I admitted.
He leant back in his seat again, giving me the 'You're being ridiculous' look. Eager to stray away from the topic of his almost perfection, he sighed. "Ashley, just eat." He told me softly. The pancakes were fantastic but knowing Edward, how could I have ever thought otherwise?
He walked around the house while I ate, remembering how uncomfortable it made me feel to have someone watching me when I was shovelling food in at alarming rates. I was grateful for that. Once I'd finished, he took my plate, telling me simply to go get dressed while he cleaned up. I was starting to get the feeling that he was spoiling me more than usual. Maybe he hadn't understood our previous conversation as well as I'd thought or maybe he was feeling guiltier than he'd let on. Either way, it was not a good thing.
Once I'd returned to my room, I found myself staring out the window. The street was quiet and empty, the sunlight having strengthened since I'd first awoken. It seemed that this was going to be a day for Edward to stay away from ordinary people, well, that is, unless he wanted an unpleasant visit from the Voltori. My happy mood still in full force, I dressed in another one of Alice's personally picked spring dresses, sky blue this time with a ribbon around the waist. I straightened my hair, fastened my gift from Edward around my neck and applied a small amount of make-up before agreeing I looked presentable enough. Then again, I didn't have a clue as to what I was going to be doing.
Edward was already waiting for me downstairs by the time I'd finished up. Sometimes I wondered about him, there was times when he was the most patient person in the world and other, like when he was cooking pancakes, where everything seemed to frustrate him.
The corners of his mouth twitched up as he caught sight of me and his eyes widened ever so slightly. Up until now, I hadn't noticed just how gold they were. He'd obviously fed very recently and in a large amount. "So," I said proactively. "Where are we heading off to today?"
"Hmm…." He said thoughtfully as he reached out, his fingers touching the small diamond heart at my throat. I watched as the sides shone it the light, thanking whatever power there was that Victoria hadn't damaged it when she'd swiped at me. I loved this piece of jewellery and had worn it almost every day since Edward had given it to me. Celebrating my birthday in Bella's room with Edward, dressed up by Alice, had been one of the best and worst days of life. Spending those precious moments with him and then having to leave, it had been amazing and unbearable at the same time.
"As you can see, the weather is nice. So, I was thinking we could visit our meadow." He suggested. I felt a small thrill rush through me at his use of "our" meadow. I nodded in agreement; there was nothing I wanted more. Besides, it was a beautiful day for it. One of those rare ones where the sun shone.
Days that should be made the most of. While you can.
A/N: There you go, as usual, please review. Remember how much I love feedback. :)
Next Time on Return to Meyer: Edward and Ashley return to the Meadow for some time in the sun away from the residents of Forks but what will Edward do when conversation turns serious and Ashley tells him just who is behind the latest set of vampire attacks around Washington?
Next Time.