Disclaimer: I do not own either Twilight or the Covenant. They are the property of their respective creators. I am simply playing with them for fun. It is my take on what might have happened during N.M. and afterward if maybe Bella had given her heart to and made plans with someone else before Edward.
[A/n: This story will go back and forth from the past to the present. Flashbacks will be in Italics.]
Tyler Simms felt better having at least taken some type of action regarding the situation with Bella. It helped him to feel like maybe he could take logical steps and not go completely insane at least. He would not take any further action until he had all of the facts after all this was Bella. If at all possible he wanted to be able to salvage the relationship that they had spent years building through letters and emails, the occasional phone conversation.
As Tyler got ready to go to sleep once more his mind drifted back to the things that had built their relationship. Tyler Simms had just woken up on his 13th birthday to the sound of the phone ringing. Who would be calling at 7 in the morning, he had grumbled. Then he had been surprised when his mom called up the stairs, "Tyler it's for you." He had picked up on the extension in his room and was surprised to hear a female voice say, "Happy Birthday, you are officially a teenager." He had chuckled when he finally placed the voice. He couldn't have been more floored. He knew that it was several hours earlier where Bella lived in Arizona. "I'm not officially a teenager until 11:12 tonight. Thank you though." He had never been more nervous in his life. The weird thing is that she seemed to note that in his voice because her next words had been, "Are you alright, you sound nervous?" He had taken a deep breath and right then decided to tell her the truth. If she rejected him, then she rejected him. She needed to know what she was getting into if they did in fact continue on the course of their relationship. "Tonight I'm getting a birthday present that I don't necessarily want. I'm not sure if it will be painful or what it will be like. I don't have a choice in it though. You see my family is one of the towns founding families. Years ago our families left Europe to come to the New World. They settled the Ipswitch Colony here. Eventually witch hunt fever came here too. They hung one of the patriarchs and burned the other 4. Each of them left behind a child. Since then the bloodlines produce only one heir, a son. When the child turns 13 at the moment of their birth they receive their powers. Unfortunately, they were correct their belief about what the families were."
Bella had been quiet for a while after that. It had made him nervous. Then when she finally spoke he could tell that she had actually processed everything that he was telling her. "You wouldn't use it to hurt people though, right?" That had been her sole qualm about learning what he was. She wanted to hear from him that he would never use his power the wrong way.
Tyler remembered letting out a sigh of relief. "No Bella, I would not ever use it to torture or hurt people. If someone was trying to hurt us then yeah, I'd fight but that makes me no different than any other man, right?" With that they had their relationship on solid ground and she knew the truth about him and his family.
Bella had giggled, "Right, I think I can live with that." She'd even stayed up to call again later that night and make sure that he was alright after it had all happened. That had been just one such thing that built their relationship, one that he had thought of as close and secure until last spring. Bella had never missed a birthday call. She wrote regularly until April this last year. Her letters and emails were typically full of stories about swim meets in the South West. She had even been to one of the national meets but the girls and boys tournaments had been scheduled at different states that year. She spoke often of school and what she had hoped to study in college. She also made a point of telling him about books that she was reading and made recommendations to him frequently and vice versa. That was how things had always been for them.
Forks, Washington
That night
Bella came into her room ready for bed and exhausted after the day she'd endured at school. First, her alarm clock had gone off late again. Then she had endured more amorous advances from Mike Newton. Finally, Bella had ended up working by herself on a complicated lab project in Science. Thankfully, the homework load was light this evening. That always meant that she had sped right through it. After that Bella made a simple dinner for Charlie and sat down with him until he went in to watch the game and she did dishes.
Bella sat down in front of her computer to check for her usual email from Renee. While doing this she was surprised to that she did not have an email from Renee but she did have one from Tyler. Reading through the email she was surprised but not overly so by his message. This was in fact very much like him. She let out a breath that she did not even realize that she was holding. Bella looked at her calendar and realized that Thanksgiving break was coming up in just a month. That would work out best if she wanted to situate things for a longer trip. She could use her ticket to Florida and spend the time with Renee. She could meet up with Tyler at some point while she was down there in Jacksonville. It would be a closer trip for him and most easily arranged for her. If he really wanted to talk sooner than that face to face he would have to come out here or at least to Seattle. That settled in her mind she began to prepare her message back to Tyler.
Tyler,
I was glad to find your email tonight when I checked after dinner. I agree that we do need to meet up and talk face to face. I can go to Jacksonville, Florida where Renee now lives for Thanksgiving and meet you there. There are two other options: (1) we could meet up any weekend at the Barnes and Nobles in Seattle or (2) you could visit me in Forks. Let me know what option you would prefer.
Please respond soon.
Bella
Bella Swan sent her email off to Tyler and then went get ready for bed. Now that she knew that Tyler was willing to talk things out with her she was felling a lot better. She went to bed that night with butterflies in her stomach and for once since she went to sleep she fell into a peaceful sleep. This time there was not a vampire there to keep her up. There were no thoughts of vampires chasing her through the woods or any such thing. The only thoughts in Bella's mind would have made Jessica or any other girl proud. Her thoughts were on what she should do to make sure that she was presentable when she went to meet Tyler.
When Bella woke up the following day she already had an email in her inbox. It took her a moment to shake her head awake when she realized this. Deciding that being fully awake to respond to the message was a MUST she went downstairs to get coffee (one of the only two things Charlie cooks and well). Then she proceeded to get ready for the day showering and dressing in dark blue jeans and a baby blue tee. As she started brushing her hair, Bella began to read the email from Tyler.
Bella,
I would rather meet sooner than later. I trust that you feel the same way. Since the soonest possibility for you leaving is in November that is not the best option. I will come out to Forks in a couple of day's time. Thankfully, we do not have a meet this week. I have Reid gathering my homework for me as we speak so that I can pack. Is your cell phone number still the same? I want to give you call as soon as I land to let you know that I am on my way.
Tyler
With her mind cleared up finally from the coffee and hot water Bella shot a quick message to Tyler.
Tyler,
I do still have the same cell phone number. Charlie's house is on the first turn off from the interstate once you leave Forks. I look forward to seeing you.
Bella
Bella felt like she was suffocating. She needed to start her getting ready plans and soon. The house had to be neat and she had to be presentable. Bella was walked over to a section of seats where she and her mother were supposed to have dinner at the closing of the swim tournament with Tyler and his mother. Taking a seat and saving the one next to her for Renee 9 year old Bella felt quite grown up. The restaurant in the hotel was nice. It had fancy menus and napkin holders with the utensils rolled inside of the napkins and everything. Renee joined her shortly and then Tyler showed up with his mother. He introduced her saying, "Ms. Swan and Bella, this is Rose Simms, my mother." The woman he had introduced to them was exquisite. She had dark hair almost the color of onyx and blue eyes that were almost violet. Her skin was literally ivory colored. She was petite and slender with curves that gave an hour glass shape. They were obviously well off and it was obvious that his mom was used to having everything just so.
Bella had learned the art of reading people well. It had helped her avoid getting into the middle of a number of bad situations in Phoenix. Those instincts told her that if she and Tyler were to stay in each others lives there would be an expectation of how things would be done. As they had all talked she had also been pleased to find that Rose Simms was also a professional woman. She was a nurse at a hospital in Salem which gave some relief to Bella who already at nine knew that she wanted both a husband and a career.
Bella made a decision that she knew she might regret as soon and she dialed the numbers. "Hello, Jessica. It's Bella, would you be willing to have a girl's day and go with me to get my hair and nails done?" Bella had to plug her ears to keep her ear drums from rupturing. That was how loud the "Yes" was coming from the other end of the phone was.
That settled she would still need to get the house perfectly cleaned up. Bella looked out to see if Charlie was still home. Thankfully the cruiser was gone. That meant that he'd gone to Harry Clearwater's to watch the game. While Jessica was making their appointments Bella got to work on cleaning the house. She asked Jessica specifically for two hours which meant that she really had ninety minutes to get things into shape. With speed that she wasn't even sure if vampires possessed she began to work on the kitchen. She put everything away in their holders and cupboards and wiped down the counters and cupboard doors. She cleaned the sink and then swept and mopped the floor. She cleaned the bathroom and picked up the floors. That done she still needed to do laundry, dust and vacuum when Jessica rang the door bell.
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