A/U: WE DONT OWN THIS...
Summary: Love, quite the funny thing. Many forms of love, to many different people. You love your family, your best friend, your betrothed, they are all love. And separate forms of love, but what happens when two collide? Catastrophic endings...
CHAPTER ONE!
(writing this I listened to Gavin DeGraws CD Chariot)
Bella's POV: Season of Flu Epidemic: 1918
"Bella, time to wake up. You've slept in again dear birthday girl." Edward, my best friend whispered as he lightly traced my nose with a dandelion.
"Good morning." I whispered as I sat up, rubbing my eyes and looking at Edward.
I've known Edward since I was born. Actually, our mothers were friends in their childhoods as well. Edward and I go back to belly-hood. Today, is my seventeenth birthday. Last year I was supposed to be called upon by Gavin O'Mathis, but he and Edward had a physical argument over Gavin and his side friend Macy. Edward made Gavin run away (much to my liking.) He has always been my protector, my friend, my...everything.
"Happy Birthday!" Edward said as he kissed my cheek and stood. "You must get dressed and come down stairs, quickly, please."
I neglected to move.
"Please!" He whined, I closed my eyes. "Please! Oh fine!" He said huffing, as he picked me up and carried me out the door bridal-style.
"Oh Dear! Edward! What would our parents think!" I squealed as I wiggled for him to let me down.
"Well, they would think you wouldn't wake up, or that we are best friends." I blew a stray hair out of my face. "Oh, come on Bella. Please! I have a surprise for you, special, just for your birthday."
"Why? It's my birthday, shouldn't I decide what I would like to do on the anniversary of my birth?" Edward grabbed me by the shoulders and began to steer me in the direction of my wardrobe.
"Bella! Your birthday, your anniversary and your best friend begging to surprise you." I swung around to stare at him, pointing a finger directly at his face, almost touching his nose.
"You know I hate surprises, Edward."
"Yes, but I also know that you don't hate me. Now get in there and get dressed in some ratty clothes, and if you don't do it then I will go in there and change you myself. Then you can ask what our parents are thinking." I opened my mouth to protest but he closed it.
"Not nice." I said loudly. Edward stuck his tongue out at me. "Very mature, Edward." He shrugged and pulled an apple out of the basket sitting on my table, shined it and bit in.
"Edward!" I scolded. "You know those are for decoration!"
"Well, this is my youth and I am tasting the forbidden fruit while I can." He stared me directly in the eye and barbarously took another bite.
"You are so very juvenile, Edward. You're unbearable!" I walked behind my changing wall and changed.
"You can bare me, Bella. You've done it for seventeen years. Besides, you know you love me." Oh, he has no idea. Today I will say it. I will say 'Edward, I love you.' Plain and simple.
I stepped out from behind the changing wall and looked at Edward. He glanced quickly, turned away then did a slow double take. As if he saw something he'd never seen before.
"What?" I said quickly, suddenly becoming self-conscious.
"Oh nothing." He smiled. "You have curves, you were a flat line last year, what happened?" I scoffed, he laughed.
"Unbearable!" I yelled as I picked up an apple and threw it at his head. He quickly dodged and laughed again, walking over to me and wrapping an arm over my shoulder, guiding me out of the Swan house and down the path leading to the stream in the process.
"I thought those apples were for decoration." he laughed, throwing the core of the apple into the brush of the forest and tapping the tip of my nose.
"Well, dear Edward, I am tasting the forbidden fruit while I can." I smiled. We walked past the stream and into territory I've never ventured before, but with Edward, I wasn't scared.
"Ah yes, I believe a great man said that once before." Edward smiled picking up a stick and swinging it.
"Either a great man or a very stupid one."
"And you say I'm unbearable."
We walked on for what seemed like forever. Mostly in the quiet, with the exception of the rumble of the stream. Every so often we would tease each other, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed anything I did with Edward. Trust me...
Slowly the brush disappeared as broken down brick walls and cement flats were adjourned across the land.
"We're here." He said as he stood in the middle of the large center cement flat.
"Why the ratty old clothes then?" I asked, trying desperately not to seem impressed, but honestly...it was dazzling.
"Well...you'll find out." Edward smirked, then lay down on the flat. I walked over and dropped to my knees beside him when I was at his waist. He stroked my arm lightly. "Happy Birthday."
"I love it here." I whispered. "How did you find this place?"
"Um...when I was younger I would run away a lot, you know that. Most times I would sneak into your window and spend the night with you."
"I remember." I laughed. "Every time it would rain or thunder I would leave the window open because I knew you would come. And you would make my sheets all wet with rain water."
"Yes, many a cold were fault of mine." He smiled. then cleared his throat. "Well, when I wasn't sleeping here, or sleeping at my home I would walk here and think." I cocked my eyebrow. "Yes I know, Edward Masen thinking! What a surprise, right? Well, I would think all night, no sleep, just think."
"You are wrong, I know you are intelligent but I also know how hard it is to get you to apply yourself." He sarcastically made an 'o' shape with his mouth.
We were silent for a moment, until I decided to ask another question. "What did you think about when you were here?"
"Well, a lot of things. Life, death, the future, love, marriage, children...you."
"Oh me? Prey tell." I cooed.
"Well, when I was younger, I would imagine myself calling upon you." I gulped. "But it was always so dramatic and ridiculous. I remember making a list of things to bring. A white steed, a cape, a song to sing to you, pebbles to throw." He began to laugh and I laughed too. "One time I imagined rescuing you from a dragon, then I decided I needed a dragon." He laughed again. "But I always imagined you."
"So...did you come here a lot?" I asked quietly.
"Well, I would come here when you were ill and my parents were fighting. Being in the woods and not sleeping was easier than being at home listening to fighting and not sleeping. I've never showed this place to anyone." He sat up, his face bare inches from mine. "Until now."
Edward smirked when I made a sarcastic 'o' with my mouth.
"Come on, Bella." He said as he stood, holding out his hand to help me up. I took it and stood.
"What now?"
"Well, we swim. There is a nice little pond with a small waterfall and it is jus-" I cut him off.
"Wait, I do not have any swim clothes." I said quickly.
"Neither do I but...we are in ratty clothes, right Bella?" He smiled then began walking. I followed of course.
We walked about ten minutes before we came upon a beautiful pond. There was a beautiful cascading waterfall and flowers of all colors were disbursed along the waterline. The water was a tropical blue and...it was amazing.
I stopped and gawked. Edward turned to me and smiled wide.
"I know, isn't it amazing?" He asked as he took off his shirt. Instantly I was focused on his sculpted muscles and creamy skin.
"Yes it is." I said. Edward took off his pants, leaving him in boxer briefs...(I don't care if its 1918, tidy whiteys are weird.)
"Aren't you coming in?" Edward asked as he folded his clothes on a rock.
"Um...I don't know what to go in with." I said sheepishly. I wasn't wearing a bra, this wasn't a dress so all I had on was a ratted shirt, stained pants and underwear. "Maybe ill just sit and watch you swim."
"Nonsense." Edward said. "You can go in with your shirt, just take your pants off." My eyes grew wide.
"But my shirt will cling!" I said.
"So? Who cares?"
"But...no one has ever seen me, clung to before."
"Well. Do you trust me?"
"Yes...but-"
"Then trust me."
"But no one has ever seen me so...bare before...ever."
"Then I can be your first. I've never stripped to my undergarments with anyone around either, but honestly, if I have anything special to see...I really wouldn't mind if you saw it."
"Umm..."
"Who are you afraid of?" He asked. "Look, I will turn around" he turned around "and wait until you've walked waist high in the water, so I don't see your lower half, then you don't have to go in any farther, but if you wish to, you may have my shirt to wear back. Okay?"
However while he was turned around I removed my pants and sauntered into the water, about ankle high.
"Nah, I am okay. Just don't laugh at what I look like." Edward turned around, saw me and his mouth dropped.
"Trust me Bella, there is nothing there that I want to laugh at...but maybe I would like to..."
"Edward!" I yelled.
"What I'm a guy!"
We swam for a while, then walked out and sat down.
"So how do you like your birthday surprise?" Edward asked.
"Yes. So much, thank you, Edward."
"Well, I thought maybe although this has been my place for a long while, maybe if you really liked it...it could be our place. Secret place of course."
"Yes! But I would only come here if you were either with me...or to think about you." I smirked. He smiled.
"Here" He said as he handed me a small box with a ribbon wrapped around it. "Happy Birthday."
I opened the box to see a thin silver ring. It was plain but so beautiful because of who gave it to me. "Oh." I whispered.
"I have one." Edward said. I looked at him. He lifted his left hand and wiggled his fingers. "I wear it so ladies wont approach me, I figured because I cant be with you every second, and you are an attractive lady, that maybe if you wanted to have a fall back to keep guys away you could wear it. But if you liked the guy then, you could put it on your right hand. And hey, if it's on your left and someone still approaches you, say you're with me. Gavin ran away." He smiled, but I could see he was nervous.
I tried to laugh but it was strangled by a small sniffle/sob. I began to cry.
"Well if you really don't like it I could-."
"NO! Edward, this is the best gift I've ever received, thank you so much!" I slid the ring on my left hand.
"So, I guess I can't approach you?" He said staring at my hand.
"Nah, I guess I'm with you." I smiled. I hugged him tightly then kissed his cheek then hugged him again.
"Bella...your my best friend. But, umm...well...I know you are seventeen and not sixteen but, can I call upon you...please?"
I replied by kissing him on the lips quickly. He smiled then kissed me.
"Happy Birthday."
"Oh yes it is a very happy birthday." I smiled as I kissed him again.
It was a beautiful day...Perfect.
It was perfect. Then three weeks later, I received a letter stating I needed to travel to New York to flee a flu epidemic. I didn't get to say goodbye to Edward.
Six weeks later I went back...I found that he was dead...but I couldn't believe it because...well because all the flu casualties were there...but his body was
missing.
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