Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its characters.

December 5, 1941…

Bella

Using the tip of my shoe, I swung on the porch swing with a book on my lap as the fresh breeze rushed through the trees. It was a quiet Friday afternoon. Since I'd cooked dinner over the weekend, I was free of the kitchen duty, so currently Rosalie and Jessica were in there making dinner for everyone as I enjoyed a nice late afternoon read. I was still swinging on the porch when I heard steps approaching the house.

When I looked up, I saw Alice walking alongside Jasper Withlock. They walked with a foot of distance between them. Alice kept her hands together over her belly as Jasper kept his hands in his pockets. I pressed my foot hard on the hardwood floor to stop my swinging and watched them as they came to a stop. I couldn't hear what they were saying.

Angela walked out the front door and said, "Iz, dinner is-"

"Sh!" I placed my finger over my lips and pointed at Alice and Jasper, who were still talking.

Angela's eyes widened and she quickly took a seat next to me on the swing, and we watched them until Jasper took a step back, giving my sister a nod before walking away. Alice watched him until he rounded the corner at the end of the street and disappeared from view. She finally climbed up the steps of the porch and stopped when she saw Angela and I sitting on the porch swing.

"So?" I asked. "What happened?"

"We are talking things through," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "He apologized for what happened and said he should've come to me when Edward first told him about what Jessica said. Though I don't blame him for breaking up with me, I still would've appreciated the honesty first hand."

"Is he still leaving Pearl Harbor?" Angela asked.

"He might, he doesn't know. He says it has nothing to do with me and more with his father." Alice shook her head. "There's a history there he won't share with me just yet. But we've agreed to talk things through and if things work out, we might get back together."

"Well, that's a start," I said. "Talking is good."

"Anyway, dinner has been ready for five minutes so we should get going before Rosalie comes out looking for us," Angela said and stood up.

"We'll be right behind you," I said as she walked through the door, leaving it open for us. I stood and took Alice's hand in mine. "How are you, really?"

"I'm good, Iz," she answered and shrugged. "I'm somewhat relieved to know he still has feelings for me and that hasn't changed. I think this separation will do us good. It will help solidify our relationship."

"That it will."

After everything had been explained, things have been slowly working back to the way they were. Sure, Alice and Jasper were taking a minute before jumping back into a relationship, which wasn't bad at all. They jumped head first when we arrived months ago and look how things ended? Alice was right. This period will do them good.

On the other hand, their separation did mean we saw less and less of the Air Corp men. While Rosalie was still dating Emmett, he rarely came by the house accompanied by anyone. Ever since Edward and I called it a truce between us and we had started from the beginning, I hadn't seen much of him. They'd gotten pretty busy at base. We'd be in the hospital and we could hear their planes flying over us throughout the day. But we were friendly on those rare occasions we got to see each other. We weren't ignoring one another anymore. That animosity I felt toward him was gone and while Edward was still shy and quiet around others, I couldn't help but notice that small hint of a smile on his face every time we crossed paths.

However, just because I wasn't spending as much time with Edward, it didn't mean I didn't get to know his sister. Kate had made it a point to get very well acquainted with my sister and I. She was staying at a home their uncle had bought because he and his wife were planning on moving here to be closer to their son Seth, and Kate was getting everything ready for their arrival.

"Mom is thinking about coming with them as well for a visit," she said one morning as we ate breakfast together. "She said she misses my brother, but I believe if that were true, she wouldn't be thinking of bringing Tanya Denali with her."

"Who is that?" Alice asked, placing her coffee on the table.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Ugh, she's the daughter of this high end lawyer in Chicago, Eleazar Denali. A very, very rich man. And my mother got it into her head that she and Edward would make a good match." Kate took a drink from her head. "Mm, it's like she doesn't know my brother at all. Like he would be drawn to that stuck up bitch."

I couldn't help but laugh. "That bad, isn't she?"

"You have no idea. My brother wouldn't give her the time of day, especially now." The way she raised her eyebrow and gave me a small smirk told me everything I needed to know.

Alice giggled over the rim of her cup and said, "Oh, I believe you."

I chose to ignore their not so subtle looks and insinuations, and took a bite out of my toast, even when my heart went fluttering in my chest.

Regardless, as the days went by and work kept us busy, I slowly found myself getting back into my routine after the whirlwind that November was.

The next day as we were getting ready to leave the hospital after a long day at work, Rosalie brought up the idea to go out for dinner and drinks before going home.

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Alice said as she slipped on one of her shoes. We usually changed out of our uniforms before leaving the hospital because we liked going out after work on occasion and we couldn't do that comfortably in our nurse uniforms. "Is Emmett coming?"

"I can go get him as soon as we leave," she said. "He told me he and his crew were working on a few planes, so I know where to find him." Rosalie eyed me as I pinned my hair and said, "Iz, I could get Edward for you, if you'd like."

I stopped, my hair halfway pinned and noticed all of them, Alice, Rosalie, Angela and Jessica looking at me expectedly. Heat flushed my cheeks and I cleared my throat, going back to my hair.

"I wouldn't want to bother him, Rosalie. They have been so busy."

"Oh, come on, Iz. You know he won't mind. The two of you haven't had a chance to fully interact since you called it a truce," Alice said. "How about you go and invite him yourself?"

"I cannot!" I gasped. "Trust me, Alice, he will say no."

Alice rolled her eyes and turned to our friends. "My sister loves to live in denial. You know that Edward's sister, Kate, told us his mother was planning on bringing some girl from Chicago to introduce to him, but that she knows he will not pay her any attention, especially now." Alice cast a side glance and pursed her lips. "You know why exactly."

Both Angela and Rosalie giggled, but Jessica scowled and walked out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Although we were still friendly toward her even after everything she told Edward, there was still a bit of tension between us, and I knew it had nothing to do with Alice, but with me and Edward, and that poor girl's helpless feelings for him.

"Iz, if you don't go and invite the poor man, I will drag him to the bar for you," Rosalie said.

"You cannot live in fear that he will hate you," Angela said, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror. "Don't let that fear hold you back."

I sighed, gripping the edge of the sink and nodded to myself. She was right. I needed to put aside that fear and shame I felt and just… invite him. Because I did want to spend time with him. I wanted to get to know him.

"Fine. Rose, I'll go with you."

All three of them squealed, making me laugh.

Alice and Angela went ahead to get us a table at one of our favorite restaurants as Rosalie and I went in search of the men. Rosalie did know her way around at base and we were able to find a small group of them working on an airplane as the sun was beginning to set in the horizon.

"Hey boys!" Rosalie called out, waving her hand over her head.

All the men in the group looked up and I instantly spotted Seth, Emmett and Edward. The men began to whistle at us and my eyes instantly sought out Edward, who was cleaning his hands with a rag and smiled when he saw me, the same smile I returned.

"Hi Bella!" Seth said, waving his good hand.

I gave him a small wave back. "Hey Seth, how's the arm?"

"Getting better. The good doctor said I can finally get this thing off in two weeks and I should be as good as new!"

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" James, a friend of theirs, asked from the wing of the plane they were working on.

"We're here to steal two of your men," Rosalie said. She winked at Emmett. "Some of the girls and us are going for dinner and drinks, care to join?"

"Shit, is that an invitation for all of us?" Another one asked.

"Sorry, boys, it's only for the men already spoken for."

Emmett crawled out from under the plane and clapped Edward on his shoulder. "Let me change real quick, baby. I'll be right out."

"This seems like a good spot to call it a day," James said, waving everyone off as he slid off the plane. "Everyone go enjoy the rest of your Saturday night."

Some of the men cheered, including Seth as they dropped their tools and headed out. Seth gave Edward a pat on the shoulder before walking away, leaving only Rosalie, him and me. Edward approached us and Rosalie pretended to be interested in the plane, walking around it to leave us alone.

"Hi," he said, the rag still rubbing at his fingers.

"H-hi." I tugged my hair behind my ear. My heart was starting to pick up speed. "The girls and I are headed for dinner and drinks."

Edward smirked. "I heard."

"W-would you like to join us?"

"Do you want me to join you?"

"Y-yes. Of course."

Edward nodded, eying me up and down before saying, "Why are you nervous?"

"W-what?" I asked, feigning confusion but I knew what he meant.

"Bella, I've known you for months and I know you very rarely get this nervous around people. I was just wondering why with me," he said.

I bit the inside of my lip.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?"

"Not really." He shrugged, but his smile was comforting. "Is it me?"

"A little?" I admitted. "I'm not sure what to expect of you, and not in a bad way, but more in a… excited, but almost scared way? I don't know if that makes sense."

"It does," he said. "I get the feeling. It reminds me of when I first started to learn how to fly. The idea is exciting, but the act itself can be terrifying at first."

"How'd you get past it?" I asked. "Get past that fear?"

"Lots and lots of practice."

I looked at the plane over his shoulder and walked around him, getting closer. It was bigger than I imagined it would be in person. They've always looked so small in the air.

"Do you pilot this one?" I asked.

"A similar one, yes," he said.

"And how's the view from up there?"

Edward opened his mouth to answer, but then shut it. He looked around, only spotting Rosalie on the other side of the plane and said, "Have you ever been in one?"

"No, never."

"Would you like to? Would you like to see the sunset in Pearl Harbor from the sky?"

"C-can we?"

Edward nodded. "Oh, yes, definitely."

"On this one?"

Edward laughed. "No, not on the one that needs fixing, but I know of one we could ride. Come on." He took my hand in his. "I'll show you."

I started to follow him, but stopped when I remembered Rosalie. I turned quickly, finding her by one of the plane's wings and said, "We'll be right back!"

Her shocked expression was the last thing I saw before running out with Edward hand in hand. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me as he led me through the base until we made it to the tracks, where there was a line of several unattended planes. He stopped next to one of them and let go of my hand, climbing on the wing. He opened the top to reveal the only seat the plane had and he offered me his hand again.

"What are you doing?" I asked, looking at the large plane.

"Hop in," he answered with a smile.

"Are we even allowed in here?" I asked again, looking around us. There didn't seem to be anyone around. Was he allowed to just take a plane whenever he pleased? What if we got caught? He could get in trouble.

Edward smiled at my worried expression. "I'm friends with the Colonel, he won't mind."

I rolled my eyes at his comment.

"Of course you are." I paused, looking at the plane again when the all too familiar fear striked again. "Is it safe?"

Edward scoffed, bending at his knees and said, "You're talking to the best pilot in the entire Pearl Harbor."

"You're pretty confident sharing that fact, aren't you?"

"You have no idea."

He extended his hand out toward me one more time and as scared as I was to fly in that thing, I couldn't let it stop me. I had to stop letting my fears get the best of me. So, I took it. With a slight push, he got me on the wing of the plane and I yelped. The space on top of the wing was smaller than it looked, so our bodies were pressed together. I

Edward climbed into the seat.

"Are you going to come in?" He asked when I didn't move.

"There's only one seat," I said.

He sat back against the seat, leaving a space wide enough for me to sit between his legs. Hesitant, I climbed inside and sat between his legs, my back pressed against his front. He strapped us both in and turned on the engine, pressing all kinds of buttons around me as the engine roared to life. His arms came around me as he maneuvered the plane toward the track. I grabbed on tightly the sides of the cabin as the plane began to move.

I couldn't help the noises that came out of me as the plane picked up speed and during lift off. The second we weren't touching the ground anymore, my stomach sank, but as scared as I was, I laughed.

We made our way to the sky, beyond the clouds and I was amazed by the view. I can see everything beyond the clouds, something I never thought I could do. The sun is beginning to set from afar but at the same time, it felt so close. The sky was turning into amazing colors like red, orange, yellow and pink, mixing each other among the clouds. Oh, if only Alice could see this too.

"This is amazing," I said, admiring the view before me as we continue to fly across the sky. That earlier fear was now gone as I took it all in. "Is this the view you see every time you fly?"

"Yes," he answered. "At night, the view of the stars is much better."

"This is amazing!" I exclaim, almost jumping in my seat. I look all around the small cabin we're in, totally surrounded by wonderful colors and clouds.

Suddenly, the plane went downward and pulled up again, causing a sinking feeling in my belly. Edward did it again over and over and I couldn't remember when was the last time I laughed so hard that my stomach ached. Edward seems to be enjoying himself as well. His laugh was almost music against my ear.

I let myself fall back against his chest, my head resting on his shoulder, and enjoyed the view. The heat of his body pressed against mine did not go unnoticed, but it was pleasant and almost comforting.

"Thank you," I said, turning my face to see him.

He looked down at me, his eyes glimmering in the sunlight.

"You're welcome," he whispered, his lips inches from mine.

I could see how his eyes casted downward toward my lips, I could see that thought cross through his mind because it was the same one that crossed through mine. I wondered how it would feel to have his lips pressed against mine, here, in the sky.

Edward's meet mine one more time before looking ahead of us and I felt a small pinch of disappointment. I made myself comfortable in his arms, my head leaning against his chin and enjoyed the rest of the quiet ride.

When we got back to base, Edward helped me down from the plane, but he didn't let go when our feet touched the ground. He kept that hold on my waist, our bodies just inches apart when he said, "Bella, I would very much like to see you tomorrow. Would that be okay?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation. "How about noon? That'll give you a chance to sleep in on a Sunday."

Edward chuckled. "Noon it is. I'll come by the house to pick you up. I was thinking… Perhaps we could spend the day together, if that's alright with you?"

Now it was my turn to grin.

"It's perfect."

The sounds of the airplanes flying over the house woke me up the very next morning. I heard Alice groan from her bed and I threw off my blanket and looked at the clock.

"Why the hell are they practicing this early in the morning?" I whined, crawling out of bed. So much for sleeping in.

"And can't they keep that on base," Alice groaned, rolling out of bed as well. "Why do they need to fly over us?"

"What the hell is that?" Rosalie yelled from her room. Definitely not a morning person.

I grabbed my robe and walked out of my bedroom, followed by Alice and the rest of our roommates as they trickled out and came downstairs. We all came out to the porch and into the early morning. Dozens of planes flew over us, heading toward base.

"That's weird. It's too early for the Navy to be piloting," Rosalie said, looking at the sky.

I opened my mouth to answer, but my words were cut off by horrified screams as the first bomb went off.

Chapter Twelve Preview -

"WHERE'S EDWARD?"