~*~
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver moon sparkling
so kiss me

She sat on the back porch of her home. Her brand new black Mary-Jane's shined in the summer light. Her dress ruffled around her knees and she placed her elbows on her knees and rested her round cheeks on her tiny palms as she stared out at the thick wood in the back of the house.

She was mad.

A slight breeze brought the scent of summer and grass toward her and gently played with her hair.

She didn't want to be at the Cullen's home. She wanted to go with her friend Alice and show her the brand new dress her mother had bought her. Instead she had to come with her parents to visit the new family in town and have brunch. What was brunch anyway?

She had met the Cullen family before and she liked them. Mrs. Cullen was so sweet and looked like snow white from her Disney movies. Dr. Cullen was the prince charming. She didn't mind Edward. She liked him, any other day than today. She did not want to spend the lovely Sunday afternoon with a boy.

She heard the soft patter of footsteps on the rocky tiled porch. Edward sat next to her and she turned to stare at him. He smiled, showing a dark gap where his front tooth should have been.

"I lost my tooth," he said proudly and pointed to his smile. Bella rolled her big brown eyes which resembled the color of chocolate. She didn't care. She was mad at him. She was mad at her parents. She was mad at everyone in the whole wide world. Except Alice.

"So," she said. Edward stopped smiling.

"You want to play with Bandit?" Edward asked referring to his new Siberian husky puppy. Bandit was cute. His fur was such a dark black it almost looked purple in the sunlight. The patches on his eyes made him look like a burglar. He loved to lick things.

"No," Bella said even though secretly she did. But she didn't want to prove her parents right.

"You'll have fun," they told her on the ride over.

"No I won't," she had said stubbornly.

"Just you watch," he mother had insisted with a sparkle in her eyes.

Bella wasn't going to have fun.

"Do you want to learn to play the piano? I can teach you. My teacher says I'm really great," he offered.

"No," she said even though she envied Edward for being able to catch everyone's attention by hitting the white buttons on the piano and play songs like Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

"Do you—"

"No, Edward!" she shouted her small round face lighting into a pink.

Edward only stared unabashed.

Then he smiled, making his eyes dance in the sunlight.

"I know. You can't say no to this! It's awesome!" he said making his voice break.

He was wearing a dress shirt and his hair was comb to the side. She was surprised that they could comb his messy mop hair.

They musta put a lotta gunk on it, she thought to herself.

He jumped up and offered his tiny hand to her. She only stared at his palm.

"What?" she asked.

"Come with me. I want to show you something," he said. She shook her head. She wasn't going anywhere. Not until her parents realized she wasn't having any fun and would take her to Alice's house.

"No," she said.

"Please," he said making his eyes go big and wide. She stared at his eyes which looked like the green in her crayon box. She never saw eyes like that. They were pretty.

She sighed and grabbed his tiny rough hand. He lifted her up off the rocky porch and started to pull her across the yard.

"Where are we going?!" she said trying to tug her hand but he had a firm grip on it and was pulling her along.

"Wait," he said and started to run, not letting go of her hand. She ran behind him feeling the wind blow her hair from behind the pretty pink head band she wore. She laughed. It felt nice to run. He looked over his shoulder at her and offered a tooth less smile.

They got to the muddy little creak that separated the wood and backyard. It was filled with rain water from days before.

"How do we go over?" she asked.

"We walk," he said as though it were that simple.

"You kidding! My shoes will get dirty and your mom would get mad," she said and he sighed.

"True," he said and looked around. The creak was very wide, but it wasn't small enough for them to simply step over it, either. He found a thick big branch lying near the inside of the creak. He pulled at it and pushed it enough so it touched the other side of the creak.

"There you go," he said and she smiled as she balanced herself on the branch and quickly scrambled across until her foot sank in the deep wet grass of the other side.

Edward followed quickly and took her hand once again. He led her through the wood. She started to get scared. What if there were bugs or snakes in the lots of trees?

"Are you sure we can come here? Don't you watch Animal Planet? There could be poison snakes here," she whispered afraid to speak any louder.

"No, it's okay. My dad and me explored a little. There's nothing like snakes here. But I do want to show you something," he said walking staring at the trees. Each tree he stared at seemed to have some kind of red ribbon on it. They must have marked the trail.

"What about bugs?" she said again her voice shaking.

"Yea, there may be some bugs," he said still looking at the trees.

"Really?" she said freezing. He looked behind his shoulder at her. He smiled crookedly and shook his head.

"I'll protect you. I promise," he said and she knew he would. She nodded and followed him as the bracken and twigs crushed under her feet.

"Okay ready," he said and she nodded. He brought her to the middle. It was almost like a small clearing. The trees seemed to surround this one tree that dared to be different and grew in the middle of this weird circle. The tree was really big and had big branches that looked strong.

The branches seemed to hold onto a small wooden house. She stared and her mouth dropped open. It was a tree house. She had never seen a tree house outside of T.V.

"Wow," she said too awed to hide her excitement.

"I know! We found it. My dad says it must have been built by the last people who had the house, cause it's still good," he said and shrugged his shoulders. "It's awesome! Can we go up?" she asked her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. He laughed and nodded.

She climbed the ladder first and Edward held it for her so it wouldn't shake. He followed after her. The empty house was empty, except for one bean bag chair and a few pieces of paper and a box of Crayola crayons. It was the really nice box of Crayola. The 64 one, that held every color in the word. There were some pictures on the wall.

She sat and sunk deep into the bean bag chair.

"How come you didn't decorate it?" she asked and he shrugged as he sat on the other side. The morning sun seeped through the box like window and made the inside of the house look like it was made of gold. Edward's hair looked bright red.

"It's boring when you're all by your lone," he said and shrugged. She felt sorry for him. She looked at the pictures he had drawn. It was really green with a nice tree and a smiling sun. And in the bottom were two stick people. One was wearing a triangle red dress and had long brown hair. The other has a messy red and brown hair. They held hands and smiled.

"That's us!" Bella said and Edward nodded. She felt the tingles of heat rise to her cheeks.

"There's one more thing," he said and started to climb down the ladder. Bella reluctantly got up and started to make her way down the ladder.

He helped her down and took her behind the tree house where another branch stuck out and a tire swing hung flowing easily in the wind.

"My dad said it's sturdy enough for us," he said and walked over to it. "Get in, I'll swing you," he said and held it steady. She walked closer and swung her legs through the hole in the tire while trying to keep her dress down. Her mother made her ware shorts underneath anyway. She sat and hugged the tire tightly.

"Okay, go!" she said and he pushed her sending her into the sky.

.

As she spun around she tilted her head up. The trees branches seemed to swirl with the soft blue color of the sky. The sunshine seemed to make everything gold. She slowly came to a stop and her gym shoed feet shoes skidded across the bracken.

She used her feet to softly swing herself. She held onto the comforting rubber of the tire swing as she pushed herself from side to side and watched as the contrast against the brown and green ground make with her light favorite pair of worn jeans.

"Hey," a soft voice said and she spun herself around to see a gangly 14 year old boy come out of the trees and into sight as the afternoon sun shined brightly down on him. She gave a limp smile and he walked over to her not making a sound. Softly he pushed her letting her swing a little further than she was.

Though 8 years had gone by and the old tree house was too old and filled with decaying wood, and the two friends had now become too old to fit in the tree house, they still came to the old tire swing. They still found comfort in the worn rubber and the essence of being together. They're strong friendship had formed around this very place. It was their sanctuary and the very reason for Edward's next words.

"I thought I'd find you here," he said making his voice sound as though the forest had spoken to her. She didn't speak. She only nodded and continued to push her.

"So how you holding up?" he asked and she merely shrugged. She couldn't find the energy for a real answer. She couldn't. Everything around her was falling apart. She held on tighter to the tire. The only thing that seemed to stay. The only thing that reminded her of happy days.

"Why'd you come?" she managed to ask and her voice was worn and tired. She laid her forehead against the rubber as he pushed and she swung up taking a full turn in the air.

"You need me," he said and she could feel the hot wet sticky tears prickle behind her closed eyes. Her nose stung and she found it hard to keep the tears from falling over. The swinging stopped and he felt a warm hand rush over her back. "Hey, hey, it's going to be okay," he said softly and she shook as a sob escaped her.

"She's sick," Bella managed to whisper and it was rough as it came out of her throat.

"I know," he said and she knew that he did already. He always knew. He was her best friend. Even if he had been acting like a jerk toward her. Even if he had blown her off to be with his jerk friends. Even if he had taken Tanya Denali to the dance after he had promised her they'd go together. He was still her best friend when the times got rough.

"She could die," she said softly feeling her chest slowly rip into 2 with the hard sob that she released. She kept her forehead against the cool tire because it felt good and she couldn't bear to look at Edward's face. He wrapped an arm around her and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"She could, but she won't," he said and she shook her head.

"You don't know that," she whispered the tears leaking out of her eyes like a broken faucet leaks water.

"I know that if she had such a strong headed daughter like you, than she's a fighter," he said and she felt bigger tears gush out.

"What if she's not? What if it's too much? What if she's too weak? What if—"

"What if a dinosaur suddenly blew up hell and trees died cutting our oxygen supply short?" he said and she laughed at the silly statement.

"You can't depend on the 'What ifs' Bella. There's too many and not enough reality too them, okay?" he said and she nodded.

"She's a fighter. Any person who had a daughter that was able to hit Johnny Wilson in the nuts after he called her a dumbass, is a fighter," he said with a smile. She laughed sending the woods to echo her chime like giggle.

"I told him books could have other uses," she said and felt the stiff tears on her cheeks as he took her to better memories.

A loud muffled bark came from somewhere in the wood.

"Bandit!" Edward called half annoyed at the disobeying husky and half amused. The bark came again only louder and closer.

"I locked him up. I swear I did," he muttered to himself and soon Bella felt too heavy paws come on the swing and rock her backwards. Her hands came loose and she felt herself falling backward. Edward caught her and they tumbled to the ground. Her knees still trapped in the tire hole. She felt a heavy gritty wet tongue on her cheek as Bandit licked her face. She laughed as the dog moved on to Edward then back again to Bella.

"Ew, that's gross stop," Edward griped as he pushed bandit's big furry head away from his face.

Bella laughed harder and soon felt Edward shake from laughter underneath her as the dog fury's tail wagged furiously.

She laughed and for a moment she felt like the six-year-old carefree girl she once was.

"Hey, don't yell at my best friend," she said and she shook her legs free from the hole and sat up in order to wrap her arms around his soft furry neck. It felt like plush. His wet nose rubbed against her cheek and she felt the chilly wetness leave a spot on her cheek.

"I thought that title was mine?" he said with fake hurt in his voice and his eyes widened. Bandit sat next to her on the grassy ground his big tail thumping a steady rhythm against her back.

"Nope, Bandit is my friend, he doesn't abandon me," she said and scratched his head right between his ears. His eyes dropped and his tongue lazily escaped the confines of his mouth as he tilted his head. The blue of eyes stood out against the dark black fur surrounding him. He looked at her with admiration and she laughed a little more.

"Oh really? Bandit, come here boy, come here," Edward said clapping his hands together. Bandit stared at him and then gave Bella a sloppy kiss with his tongue.

"Traitor," Edward mumbled and pushed himself back so he was leaning against the oak tree.

"No, he just doesn't like traitors."

"I did not! What do I do to make it up to you?" Edward asked and Bella smiled.

"I want you to carve our names on the tree, like a cheesy movie," she said always wanting to have a memoir such as that. Edward groaned and dug into his pocket and took out his brand new Swiss army knife he had gotten and flicked out the blade.

"What do I carve?" he said and let out a huge sigh. Bella enjoyed every second of it.

"I want you to write, 'Bella and Edward forever,' and I want the 'for' to be replaced with the number," she said and he glared at her and began to carve the words into the oak tree. She laughed and leaned against Bandit's sturdy body.

She felt better. Her tears were still near and if she let herself think of her mother she would surely breakdown. But instead she watched Edward's steady hands carve into her favorite tree in the words.

She let out a giggle every now and then. She had her friend back and if she ever had doubts she had real tangible proof of their friendship.

He neared the finish and began the 'R' in forever.

.

He finished carving the 'R' and began for the 'I'. His wide shoulders shook as he took the blade to the course tree bark. He was trying to hold back his tears.

Bella stood watching him. She held onto the tire swing for support and let the tears flow freely down her cheeks. She wasn't as strong as her 16-year-old best friend.

Edward finished carving Bandit's name into the tree and closed the knife. His shoulders slumped over and Bella kneeled next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

He rested his head on her shoulders and stood there.

"He was a good dog," Bella said softly afraid to break the silence of the trees and nature around them. She could hear the soft chirp of crickets nearby and a low buzzing as the forest went from green to gold around them. The sun began to take a dip below the horizon.

The orange rays seeped through the branches and canopy of trees above. Everything seemed to glitter around them. Edward threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly looking for the strength he needed and wanted at the moment. Her hands played in his hair.

By looking at his hair one expects to feel a rough almost synthetic texture to it, but it felt smooth and gilded through her hands like silk. His scent floated around her smelling almost exactly like the sweet breeze that blew around them. Her heart fluttered restlessly as his arms encircled her waist.

"I never thought…he…I…" Edward couldn't even speak a sentence.

"Hey, he lived a good life. He was loved. He was fed. He was taken care of. It was his time Edward," she said trying to comfort him even though she felt the exact same hurt. The dog was both of theirs in a way. Bella took care of him, she loved him.

"He's just gone…" Edward whispered his velvet voice rough.

"I know," she said and tears fell into his copper colored hair. They lay silent for a while and Bella's heart pulsed heavily and quickly beneath her chest. She wasn't use to having Edward so near. She wasn't sure when it happened but somewhere along the line between friendship…and more had mixed together for her.

She wasn't sure when Edward's touches had set her skin on fire, of when his smile began to make her heart thump, or when his stare would make her blush. She didn't know when his eyes started to become so green or when his jaw had became strong and firm. She didn't know she was falling in love with him all this time, but maybe it was destined to be. Maybe she had fallen in love with him when he gave her that toothless grin 10 years ago. She didn't know.

"You okay?" Edward asked after a moment.

"Hmm," she mumbled and was brought back into the golden circle.

"Your heart is like going crazy. Is that even healthy?" he said and she felt the small spread of heat light her neck and travel toward her cheeks lightening them with a red hue.

"Sorry," she mumbled actually taking in pleasure in how obtuse boys were. He chuckled softly making shiver down her spine.

"Remember how he used to love dancing?" he asked softly and a small round of giggles escaped her mouth.

"Yes. He would get on his hind legs and jump around like a manic," she said with a wistful smile.

Edward pushed away from her embrace and made his way to his feet.

"Dance with me," he said and she blushed brighter.

"No," she said but he offered his hand and she took it as he raised her to her feet.

"Please?" he begged.

"There isn't any music," she said wanting anything to stop what was about to happen. Bella could barely walk, yet alone dance.

"There's always music if you listen hard enough," he said and she walked toward him. They began to sway softly at first and she placed her head on his shoulder. He had gotten so tall.

They twirled to the music and she heard the soft chirps of the crickets and his steady heart beating in his chest. Their soft breaths added to the sounds of nature as the birds began to call and the scramble of twigs from a small animal rung.

Almost like nature was supplying a dance.

She pulled away from his chest to stare at him while the sun clung to the earth.

He stared right back and leaned his slowly.

Her heart beat faster and faster. For a moment she thought he would kiss her, but he softly touched his forehead to hers and offered a soft smile. She did the same.

They twirled once more and she stared up toward the sky.

.

The sky was a deep navy blue and she was amazed at the colors nature could come up with. The bright white stars made soft spot lights for the two friends.

She spun back into Edward's hand and laughed freely.

"So how does it feel to be a graduate?" he asked giving his best lopsided smile.

"It feels absolutely amazing. Thank you, for all of this," she said sincerely as she looked around. The great oak was decorated with small white twinkling lights along with all the other trees circling the small clearing. Dim paper lanterns hung from the high branches. Music played a soft slow song and Edward danced with her.

"It's nice to see you in a dress," he said and smiled.

"Hush up," she said teasingly. Her hair was in curls and kept out of her face by a beautiful black and white butterfly barrette. Her dress was simple, a black and white summer dress with flowered designs.

"Well it's for both of us. A gift to ourselves. We need a party of our very own. Celebrate our everlasting friendship and our survival through the torture they call high school," Edward said and Bella laughed freely.

"Ah, Edward I love you," she said playfully. Edward was still her very best friend, but nothing more.

"Hmm," Edward hummed and they spun once again.

"It's so sad though. Everything is ending. People go their separate ways and no once sees each other again," she said glumly.

"That won't happen to us," Edward said comforting her unspoken fears.

"How do you know?" she asked and laid her head onto his chest.

"Because I'm right about everything. I was right when I told you, you'd love the tree house, I was right, when I said your mother was a fighter, I was right when I said you'd make it through high school, I was—"

"Okay! Okay, I get it," she said with a laugh as she pulled back to stare at him. He smiled his cocky grin.

"So it's not going to happen to us," he said and softly hugged her ducking her head under his chin while he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head and she shivered.

"Will our friendship always be this strong?" she wondered aloud and could feel Edward's shrug.

"Only if you don't ever get married," he said and she threw her head back and stared at him. "Why ever not?" she asked smiling.

"Because I'm not giving up my job as your protector," he said his eyes sparkling. She smiled.

"I don't want any other protector. I promise you," she said.

It was silent around them. Even the small radio had reached the end of the CD and clicked itself off. The tension was thick and Bella's eyes became foggy as she stared at Edward.

He leaned in slowly and Bella could feel her heart beat in her chest. It was pounding painfully.

Don't let it be a false alarm, she thought hopelessly. The anticipation was almost too much. Butterflies played in her stomach and she could feel her throat close. She found it to be a wonderful sensation.

Edward softly placed his lips on hers as if testing her reaction. She responded immediately and moved her lips against his soft ones. He kissed back and she buried his fingers in his hair bringing him closer, because somehow his kiss had started a fire in her and he was the only one that would be able to put it out.

Her mouth opened against his and she was being led backward. Her back hit the tree but his lips never left her. Her tongue traced his smooth soft lips and explored more. They pulled away after just a moment. Both breathless.

Edward rested his forehead against hers and stared straight into her eyes.

"I love you, Bella," he said softly. She knew he loved her, but this was different. The love he was talking about was different. It was the same love she felt for him and she smiled as she reached on her tip toes and kissed his lips once more.

.

Edward pulled away and wrapped his arms around her waist as the giggles from Renesemee echoed down to them.

Their small 6-year-old daughter poked her head out the small window from high above in the oak tree.

"Oh this is so cool!" she said her voice rising in excitement. She looked down below from the newly rebuilt tree house.

"I know. Daddy and I use to play there when we were little," Bella explain and Nessie's face lighted brightly.

"Can I show it to Jacob?" she asked and Edward nodded.

"Yes, but first we have to go meet them. Come on, Jake will be here with his parents any minute now, let's go," Edward called and she scrambled and climbed to the bottom. She ran across the short clearing and took Edward's hand. Edward started to walk back with her, but Bella stay frozen watching the place where her childhood was spent.

"You coming?" Edward asked.

"Yea, in a second, go," she said sending them along. Edward smiled and strolled away with their daughter. She walked over to the other side where the tire swing had stood faithfully through the years. She touched the rubber which was worn by now. She kneeled down near the tree.

Edward's carvings were faded a bit but still legible. She traced over indents where Bandit's name was carved and felt a brief wave of sadness flood over her. A little further up stood her and Edward's name carved crookedly. She traced her fingers over the wood very gently.

E D W A R D
A N D
B E L L A

.

4
E V E R

"These are my parent's names," Renesemee said as she stared at the indents on the old oak tree.

"Really?" Jake said scrambling his awkward 13-year-old body out of the tire swing and near his best friend.

"Huh, can you imagine that? You parents were once doing the same exact thing we were," he said with a smile. Nessie laughed.

"Yea, once upon a time," she said softly and stared at the tree.

T H E ... E N D
~*~

This is a one-shot and will not be continued. But I do wonder what you think of it? Do you like it?
The whole story was based off the song Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer. If you haven't heard it, please do. Your thoughts would be nice!!!

Twilightholic-Tanya