1946 - Edward

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤

I had never been to her house before. I just searched for it based on the description she gave me once.

"Come find me when this is over", she had said, her voice muffled by the textile on my chest.

"Where do you live?" I had asked her, taking in the scent of her hair. It smelled like summer, like apples and raspberries. Even in this damned cold winter and this damned ungodly war she smelled like sunshine.

"My house is on the edge of the town. It's the one with the apple orchard." She had answered and lifted her face to look at me.

Apples. I bit the apple of her cheek, and her smile made me feel happy and in love as if I hadn't been hiding in a dirt hole in the ground for the past couple of weeks.

That is how I remembered her and that is how I saw her before me now.

Slowly I approached her. She still hadn't noticed my presence. The wind was soft and danced with the ends of her hair.

She was twisting the white sheet in her hands to get the ends so she could hang it up.

But I couldn't wait anymore. I was back and she was here. And I loved her. I had missed her so much. Overwhelmed with emotion I gave in to my desire to touch her. Slowly I reached up to wipe away a loose strand of hair that had escaped her bun.

My fingertips touched the skin of her neck with the movement. It was so soft.

Bella froze. Her breathing became laboured.

I dipped my head into her neck and rested my free hand on her waist.

"I missed you, love. I missed you so much." I whispered, my lips brushing her skin as I spoke.

Bella's breath left her body as if she was punched in her gut. The sheet dropped to the ground and she spun around with such speed it even made me wobble.

She gasped when she met my eyes.

"Edward!" She cried out. "I… I… what?" She asked bewildered.

I let out a free laugh at her disbelieve.

"You're here? Really here?" She started crying and her hands reached up to touch my face. Her watery brown eyes disbelieving.

"I'm really here. I missed you so much." My arms encircled her waist and I pulled her close, pressing my cheek against her temple.

She clutched herself to me, rambling into my shoulder. "You made it. You actually made it. I was so scared for you. But you made it. And you came back. I never thought you'd come back." She pulled back to look at me, her eyes wild. "And I… I…" She swallowed and shook her head, trying to find words.

I cupped her face with my hand and traced her bottom lip with my thumb. She became quiet.

"I'm really here." I reassured her one more time.

"I can't believe you came back." She whispered.

"For you, love."

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤

"Do you have a place to stay?" Bella asked me.

"Uh, yes. A hostel not too far from here, but…"

"Would you like to stay here?" Bella offered with a timid smile.

I studied her for a moment. "Yes." I replied.

"Yes I'd like it very much if I could stay here." I smiled.

"Perfect." She smiled back.

We eased into a conversation. At one point Bella remembered that she still had to do some grocery shopping for dinner.

"Would you care to join me?" She asked.

"Sure."

And so, we went into town to do some shopping. Later on, we returned home and prepared dinner together. When it was almost ready Bella stepped aside to set the table.

When she was done, she steered me away from the stove and set me down in one of the kitchen chairs. I looked down at the two plates she had set for us and I realised for the first time today that something was missing. Someone.

"Bella…" I started hesitatingly.

"Hmm, yes?" She asked as she turned to me.

"Where is your father?" I asked quietly.

Her movements stilled. She averted her eyes and finally turned away as she gave her answer. "He didn't make it." She said softly.

My heart sank. I stood up from the chair and came up behind her, taking her in my arms.

"Bella, what happened after I left?"

She told me how some time after I left, the Gestapo started arresting people for treason, helping Jews, allies and spies. Amongst them were Dr. Cullen and Bella's father. Some were executed right away, some were deported. Dr. Cullen and Chief Swan were both deported but didn't survive the camps. Bella went looking for them anyway. She told me how she travelled to Germany alone, how scared she was. She never found her father or Dr. Cullen. She even went looking for Emmett, but couldn't find him. Eventually she went home where a letter was waiting to tell her that her worst expectations were indeed true. Her father had not survived.

We finished dinner quietly after that, not knowing what to say. We agreed to turn in early and Bella directed me to the now guest bedroom, once her father's room. I installed my belongings and got ready for bed. But finally in it, I just couldn't fall asleep. I felt so strange lying in this bed, this room. The hurt Bella went through, what she's still going through, made my heart ache for her. I wanted to hold her. So, finally, I did.

I crawled out of bed and crossed the hallway to Bella's room. I opened the door slowly so I wouldn't disturb her rudely.

"Bella?" I whispered as I approached her bed.

No response.

I hesitated if I should do this, but seeing her fragile form made me give in to my desires and I carefully lifted the covers and slid down under them, next to her.

She was lying on her back, but facing away from me. Her breath came slow and steady. One arm was reaching over her head, the other hidden under the covers. I reached for it and softly curled my fingers around hers. As inappropriate this intimate position might have been, I felt utterly calm with her close presence and I was able to surrender myself to sleep.

I woke up when I felt a movement beside me. I slowly opened my eyes and searched my surroundings. When I saw Bella's form lying against me, feeling the warmth of her body, I remembered my whereabouts. I searched for her face and I found her gazing at me.

Her cheeks were still rosy from sleeping and her hair tangled around her face.

"Hi," I whispered, smiling slightly.

"Hi," She whispered back, shyly.

"I hope you don't mind me, uhm…" I nodded down the length of our bodies and met her eyes again.

She shook her head. "I don't mind."

"Okay."

It was quiet for a while, and we just stared at each other.

"Do you know what time it is?" It was still dark out.

"Early in the morning. Too early to rise yet though."

"Oh. You want to get some more sleep?" I proposed.

"Yes." She nodded and turned away slightly.

"All right. Good night then."

"Good night."

Silence.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Can I… can I hold you?"

"Yes."

She rolled back over to me and her arms slipped around me. With one hand I reached for her waist and pulled her more closely to my body. The other curved around her neck and cradled her head to my chest.

"Edward?" Her voice was muffled.

"Yes."

"I can't believe you're here."

"I'm really here."

"I missed you."

I closed my eyes and buried my face in her hair.

"I missed you too."

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤

The next night, when we got ready for bed, instead of wishing me good night in the hallway, Bella requested I joined her in bed. I promised to hold her.

We talked about our adventures during the war. I told her the story of how I escaped and made it to England and finally back to America. I told her how I was there and wanted to come back. To her.

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤

The third day Bella proposed to visit Alice, Dr. Cullens daughter. I met her when I stayed at their house. Her family was gone and she now lived with her aunt a couple of miles away. She was sad and alone, but the loss of family strengthened the bond between the two young women.

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤

The fourth night Bella and I were lying on our backs, side to side, staring at the ceiling. It was quiet, dark, and warm. The bedroom window was open and the summer wind teased the curtains with little gusts of air.

"Bella?" I asked.

"Yes, Edward?"

"Marry me?"

Silence.

Then I felt her hand slipping in mine, squeezing softly.

I turned my head to look at her face. Her eyes were looking down, her face unreadable.

Then after a few moments she slowly turned her face up and met my gaze. A small smile crept onto her lips and she nodded.

"Yes. I'll marry you."

The breath left my body and I rose up on my elbows a little so I could get a better look at her.

"You will?" I started to smile.

Her own smile grew in return. "I will."

"May I kiss you?" I asked her.

Hesitatingly, but still smiling, she nodded. "You may."

I leaned in and brushed my lips softly against hers. When I pulled back, her eyes were still closed.

"May I kiss you again?" I couldn't help my grin.

Bella hummed and with her eyes still closed she nodded. "You may." She whispered.

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤

"Where would we live?" Bella asked me. We were lying wrapped around one another more intimately than on any night before.

"Chicago."

"Chicago?"

"Yes."

"Where is that?"

"In the state of Illinois"

She hummed.

"Edward, can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Could we maybe take Alice with us? She has nothing left."

I squeezed her tighter against my chest.

"Of course." I whispered in her hair. And then I kissed her lips and wished her a good night.

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤

There were so many people on the docks that I was scared to lose the girls in the crowd. Scanning the rows of people waiting for their loved ones I finally spotted the shaggy head of blond hair that would be our ride home. As soon as Jasper spotted me too he waved enthusiastically. Then his eyes zeroed in on Bella and his grin became impossibly wide. Pushing through the people, Jasper ignored me and went straight for Bella, picking her up and almost squeezing the lights out of her.
"Good heavens Jasper!", she laughed, her hands on his shoulders for support.

"I've missed you darling girl. And I miss your apple pies!"
Bella laughed some more, her eyes shining with delight.
"How are you here?" She asked him.

"I found work in Chicago with this old chap right here." Jasper grinned as he clapped me on the shoulder. Quite hard I might add.
"Yes, well let's move out of here allright. We've made it this far and I want to get you all home with me in one piece." I wanted to grow old and spend my days under orange evening sky, sitting on a porch somewhere with Bella by my side. The faster we were home, the faster we'd be married. The faster we could sit on that porch.
I took the hand of my love and guided her out of the crowd.
With a glance over my shoulder I saw Jasper doing the same with Alice.
"I'm Jasper Whitlock." He quickly introduced himself.

"Alice. Alice Cullen." She smiled shyly.

¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤ ¤o0o¤