Bring You Back - Part One
My t00bs post has to be bumped ahead a couple of days because I may not have internet on Tuesday. Forgive this discretion.
Also, this fic is broken down into 3 parts because the length got a bit out-of-hand for a one-shot.
Story Title: Bring You Back - Part I/III
Author: adair7
Genre: Twilight - Romance/Angst
Rating: T
Details: Edward/Bella
Status: Complete
Disclaimer: Everything Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
Summary: With long, slender fingers, he rubbed absent-mindedly at the bracelets on his wrist - one with his name and medical information typed in half-faded blue ink, the other stating his allergy to penicillin and another medication he couldn’t pronounce. He tugged at them, wanting them off as soon as possible...
Link: @ ff.net
Thank you to betas Unicornhime and Cinnamon_Kisses.
Edward carefully folded his pajamas, placing the soft flannel squares into his worn, black backpack. The sterile smell of the room still offended him, even after the weeks he’d spent there. He’d nearly stopped venturing outside because the scent of the hospital was so overwhelmingly depressing whenever he was forced to return to the confines of his room. How Carlisle could stand it, day in and day out, was beyond his comprehension. Maybe things were different if you were the doctor instead of the patient.
With long, slender fingers, he rubbed absent-mindedly at the bracelets on his wrist - one with his name and medical information typed in half-faded blue ink, the other stating his allergy to penicillin and another medication he couldn’t pronounce. He tugged at them, wanting them off as soon as possible, but the motions did nothing but make his arm red.
Soon they’ll be off, he told himself. Carlisle and Emmett will be here in an hour and everything will go back to normal.
This would be the last time he would stay in this room, with its thickly screened window and sparse furniture. Edward scoffed to himself at the idea of furniture - a bed with scratchy cotton blankets and a chair for visitors. Everything was white and grey - colours meant to be soothing in nature, but depressing in reality.
He continued packing, carefully making sure the few possessions he had were carefully stowed in the pockets of the bag. Toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste issued by the hospital, a few t-shirts, a pair of jeans - at least they’d let him wear his own clothes this time.
“Hey, bro!”
Edward smiled; the cheerful voice of his brother was boomingly loud in the silence of the wing but was one of the most welcome sounds he could imagine.
“Emmett!”
The large, curly haired boy wrapped his muscled arms around his younger brother affectionately, squeezing him until he nearly couldn’t breathe. “I missed you.”
“Good to see you,” Edward agreed, patting Emmett roughly on the back. He turned and was pleased to see his father standing at the entrance to the room. The normally blonde doctor looked noticeably older these days, his hair streaked with white around the temples, and the lines on his face were more pronounced. There was no trace of tired exhaustion around his eyes as he beamed at the sight of his sons. “Hi, Dad.”
“Good morning, Edward,” Carlisle smiled. “You ready to go home?”
“Definitely,” Edward nodded. He reached to pick up his knapsack, but Emmett already had it slung over his shoulder. “Do you have your Swiss army knife handy?”
Emmett’s eyes narrowed in confusion at first, but cleared with understanding as Edward held out his braceleted wrist. Pulling out the key chain containing the pocket knife, he sliced through the bracelets, grinning in mock triumph as the offending plastic rings fell to the floor.
“Freedom,” Edward whispered, rubbing a hand over his newly liberated wrist.
“Now let’s get out of here,” Emmett said as he strode quickly towards the door. “No offense dad, but this place seriously creeps me out. I don’t know how you can stand it.”
“It’s just a building,” Carlisle chuckled. “Walls, floors, windows, paint, lights - I don’t know why everyone thinks the hospital is such a scary place.”
Edward shuddered as he exited the room, not bothering to look back as he made his way down the hallway. These walls had kept him hostage for the past six weeks and never would again, not if he could help it. He barely even noticed the weight of Emmett’s arm over his shoulder as he walked speedily through the corridors towards the main entrance.
Edward had hoped his mother would be waiting in the car, but it sat empty in the parking lot. She hadn’t been feeling well lately, always tired with migraines. She must have stayed home to rest. The disappointment of Esme Cullen’s absence quickly faded as the reality of leaving the hospital became more apparent.
Edward was going home.
The tall, bronze-haired boy tossed his bag into the back seat of his father’s car and climbed in. He didn’t even bother trying to fight his brother for the front seat. Some things were worth sacrificing for sake of speed.
His happiness and eagerness to leave were quickly replaced with confusion, his brows narrowing as the familiar streets on the usual route home shifted. “We’re heading the wrong direction.”
“About that,” Carlisle sighed. “We decided that we needed to make a change, as much for us as for you. Chicago has too many bad memories for all of us.”
“Meaning?” Edward pressed.
“We’ve decided to relocate,” his father replied, his cheer partially forced as Edward caught his eye in the rear-view mirror. Emmett was uncharacteristically silent in the front passenger seat - a detail that didn’t escape Edward, nor did it make him any less apprehensive about the situation. “We’ve spent the past six weeks moving our things to Washington.”
“Washington?” Edward exclaimed, his eyebrows rising in surprise. His stomach churned with unease at such a drastic and unexpected twist to the day.
“The house is cool,” Emmett added. “Our rooms are huge and there’s this awesome forest and a river on the property. It’ll be nice.”
Nice? Nice doesn’t exactly sound fantastic. It’s just ‘nice’.
“Don’t I have to get my stuff?” Edward asked, gripping the leather of the seat as if doing so could ground him and keep the world from disappearing beneath his feet.
“We’ve already packed and moved everything,” Carlisle assured him, the flickers of blue eyes in the rearview becoming more frequent as he tried to gauge Edward’s reaction. Edward attempted to keep himself calm, taking deep breaths to steady himself, but he couldn’t hide the fact that he was visibly shaken by the news.
It doesn’t matter. It’s just a house. The house is not a ward and that’s all that matters. Keep cool or they’ll turn around and bring you back.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” He asked, wincing slightly at the blatant strain in his voice.
“It was supposed to be a surprise,” Emmett said, peering around the seat and fixing Edward with a comforting smile. His brown eyes were warm, filled with an ease and optimism that helped soothe Edward’s frayed nerves. “A good surprise. Seriously, bro, the house beats the Chicago house, tenfold. We spent the last few weeks getting moved in and ready. We even tried to make your room the way you like it.”
Edward chuckled at the thought as he imagined his mother directing the others to the placement of his furniture and things. It was a well-known fact that he was particular about the set-up of his room and the placement of the things within it; maybe too much so.
Carlisle and Emmett allowed Edward several moments of silence to process the new information, keeping silent in the front seat as he contemplated the unexpected situation. “Are we driving to Washington?”
“No,” Carlisle answered, another flash of blue in the rear-view mirror, “Mrs. Hendley from down the street has bought the car from us. She’s meeting us at the airport to take ownership of it. I’ve bought a few new vehicles that are waiting for us in Forks.”
“Forks?”
“That’s the name of the town we’re living in,” Emmett filled in. “It’s puny, but it’s real scenic and all. They have a decent school softball team, too.”
Edward brightened at the mention of a softball team. The one thing he’d truly missed his entire stay in the hospital was the feel of the soft, worn leather mitt beneath his fingers - that and his piano. Anywhere his mitt and his piano were would be home, regardless of its physical location. “Sounds cool.”
“Don’t interrupt,” the older brother chided mockingly. “I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet.”
“Oh?”
“Dad bought us our own cars! We don’t have to ride around in this dadmobile anymore.”
“Seriously?” Edward could feel his eyes widen with shock. His father’s Honda was new enough that it wasn’t an eyesore or embarrassing, but it definitely had “dad” written all over it.
“Real estate pricing is a lot lower in Washington than Chicago,” the elder Cullen explained. “I decided to use the money we saved to do something nice for my sons. You’re both getting older and you’re going to want to move out eventually. You’ll need vehicles when you do.”
“What did you get me?” Edward asked, his voice full of awe.
“I’m not done telling you what I got yet,” Emmett growled jokingly. “I’ve got a great Jeep Wrangler that’s totally decked out for off-roading. Leather interior, new sound system and the works.”
“Cool,” Edward nodded in approval. “But what do I get?”
“A Volvo C70,” Carlisle beamed from the front seat. Edward watched as the blue eyes in the mirror crinkled in joy. “It’s a silver, sporty thing with black leather interior, state of the art sound-system installed by your brother, and it’s a convertible.”
“A Volvo?” Edward grimaced at the obvious disappointment in his voice. He hadn’t ever really paid attention to cars, an oddity for a sixteen year old boy, but the word ‘Volvo’ wasn’t really up there with words like ‘Ferrari’, ‘Porsche’ or ‘Aston Martin’.
“It’s cool,” Emmett assured him. “Trust me, I wouldn’t let dad buy you a wuss mobile.
“It’s safe,” Carlisle defended.
Edward rolled his eyes. He knew that his frame was long and lean as opposed to his brother’s thicker, muscular build, but he was still athletic and strong despite his parents’ insistence that he was more fragile.
He ignored the fact that his recent stays in the hospital tended to support the parental opinion of things.
The flight was silent but relaxing. Emmett had given Edward back his beloved ipod, and the youngest Cullen had eagerly put on his headphones, listening to the most soothing of his elaborately planned out playlists as he focused on his music instead of the daunting future that lay before him.
It’s a fresh start, he reminded himself. A fresh start without rumors, sideways glances from other students, or hospitals.
Before he knew it, they were speeding towards the new home in his father’s new Audi R8. Edward had eyed the flashy car skeptically and wondered if Carlisle had been paying attention to his sons’ gripes about the ‘dadmobile’ after all.
He watched the town pass by as they sped through it, curious about the place he would call home that was as different as night and day from the sprawling city of Chicago. He frowned as they passed tiny homes in obvious disrepair - no wonder the cost of real estate here was cheaper. The houses became sparser as they seemed to pass completely through the town and back into a heavily forested area on the other side. Nearly fifteen minutes since Edward had last seen another house, Carlisle turned left onto a hidden driveway so well disguised by the surrounding greenery that he had barely noticed it.
The first things he saw were the two shining vehicles parked in front of the house after the long, winding driveway to the home. The black jeep looked almost like a mini Hummer with the off-roading gear and he couldn’t imagine a vehicle more suited to his older brother. His eyes slid over to the understated silver car parked just behind it.
“I thought you said it was a convertible,” Edward said, furrowing his brow as he squinted at the seamless silver roof.
Carlisle winked and pulled a key from his pocket. “Try it out.”
Forgetting to even look at the house, Edward snatched the key from his father’s hand and raced towards the sleek, silver car. He couldn’t get the door open fast enough as he sat inside and scanned the console for something that indicated a convertible. Finally locating the right button, he pressed it and watched in glee as the roof opened above him and folded itself into the back of the car.
“Be careful with that,” Carlisle warned, “Just because it can drive fast doesn’t mean you should. I don’t want to have to stitch you back together because you’ve wrapped yourself around some tree trunk.”
Edward didn’t respond, choosing instead to run his hand over the various buttons and gauges that made up the dashboard. “Thank you.”
“You might want to stop drooling on the upholstery, bro. It’ll ruin the leather.”
Edward looked up in time to see Emmett toss his small backpack at him and jumped out of the car to catch it.
“Lock up the car so we can give you the grand tour,” Carlisle called. “And don’t forget to put the roof up. It looks like it’s going to rain.”
“It always looks like rain,” Emmett sighed, walking ahead of them into the house. “I’m going to call Rosalie. I have my cell if you need me.”
“Rosalie?” Edward asked his father, quirking an eyebrow questioningly.
“Emmett’s new girlfriend,” Carlisle frowned. “I’m beginning to worry that they’re inseparable. He’s only seventeen, I don’t want him to be so serious about a girl so early in his life.”
“You started dating Mom when you were fifteen,” Edward pointed out.
“That was different,” his father replied stubbornly. Everything was always ‘different’ when it came to his childhood. Regardless, his face softened as he no doubt thought about his high school romance and what it had become. “I knew true love when I saw it.”
“Maybe this Rosemary is his true love,” Edward countered.
“It’s Rosalie, not Rosemary,” Carlisle corrected, “And don’t let her hear you get her name wrong. You won’t stand a chance against her.”
Edward wanted to ask him more but his father had already shuffled them into the foyer. Edward looked around curiously, taking in the odd feeling of displacement that comes with moving to a new home. The furniture was familiar enough, most everything had been moved here from Chicago but to see them rearranged in this setting seemed to put the world on a tilt.
Edward shot his father a look, clearly displaying his irritation of being kept in the dark about the move.
“I know, I know,” Carlisle replied, putting up his hands in mock surrender. “We thought it would be best to keep the stress of moving a secret until you were released from the hospital. We didn’t want to delay your recovery.”
Edward looked at his father for a few minutes before nodding in agreement. The additional stress and anxiety of moving could have forced them to keep him under observation for a bit longer than they had. “Where’s my room? I need to take a nap or something. I’m exhausted.”
The transformation was a familiar one as his father’s loving eyes because the practiced, observant eyes of the doctor as he evaluated Edward’s appearance. “That sounds like a good idea. I’ll show you the rest of the house later.”
The two men made their way up stairs where Carlisle opened the first door on the left. “Here’s your room,” he pointed out. “Emmett’s is across the hall, and the master bedroom is at the end.”
“No bathroom on this floor?”
“Each room has a small attached bathroom,” Carlisle smiled. “Your room and your brother’s room have pretty small ones, just a shower, sink and toilet, but the one in the master bedroom has a large soaker tub.”
“Nice,” Edward said approvingly.
“I’ll let you get settled,” Carlisle said, backing towards the stairs. “I’ll be downstairs in the front room.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Edward said as he looked into his new room. It was the same size as his room in Chicago had been and about three times the size of his small, hospital room. His large, queen-sized bed sat in a new wooden frame stood against the large window looking out into the back property, and his desk, stereo and bookshelf were against the wall shared by the door. To his right was a small door that would lead to his bathroom, but Edward didn’t bother to look at it as he shut the door behind him, dropped his bag on the floor and collapsed onto the bed.
When he finally woke up, the first thing he noticed was that it was completely dark outside. He fumbled for his alarm clock but noticed it wasn’t in its usual place beside the bed.
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” a soft, melodic voice called to him.
Edward jumped as he turned to look at the figure sitting at the foot of his bed, his surprise turning to joy as he realized who it was. “Mom!”
“The one and only,” she smiled, wrapping her arms around him in a comforting hug. “Sorry I wasn’t there to pick you up earlier, sweetie.”
“Your headaches again?” Edward asked, answered by a sad look and a nod from his mother. “Hopefully dad can do something to help you.”
“He’s tried his best,” Esme nodded, “But there’s only so much that can be done. I’ll be fine.”
She squeezed her son’s shoulders and Edward felt better about being here. He wasn’t in the hospital and his whole family was in one spot; life wasn’t that bad. Plus, his car was waiting for him in the front drive.
“What time is it?” Edward asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to smooth down his bed-mussed hair.
“About 9:30,” Esme informed him. “You looked so peaceful and relaxed, your father couldn’t bear to wake you. Your dinner’s waiting in the fridge, just pop it into the microwave. I’m going to head to bed. You may have slept all day, but some of us have been up and about.”
With that, she kissed him on top of the head and slipped out of the room.
*******
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” The deep voice boomed from the door way. Edward scrabbled to sit upright and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“Wha?”
“Get up or you’re going to be late,” Emmett yelled from Edward’s closet where he reached in and tossed out a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, and Edward’s favorite flannel button-down.
“Late for what?” Edward asked, fully awake and glaring at his brother.
“For school,” Emmett rolled his eyes. “It’s Monday.”
“It’s only 7:45,” Edward yawned with a glance at his alarm clock.
“School starts at 8:30 here, not 9:00 like in Chicago,” Emmett explained. “I forgot to tell you last night, and it takes a good twenty minutes to get to the school from here.”
Edward cursed under his breath and crawled out of the warm bed. He wanted nothing more than to spend all day in the bed, his bed. It made the horrific hospital bed feel like a cement block in comparison.
Shooing his older brother from the room, Edward stripped himself from the flannel pants he’d slept in and pulled a clean pair of boxers from the small chest of drawers in the corner of his room before putting on the clothes Emmett had picked from the closet for him.
As he was tying his shoes, Emmett burst back into the room with a backpack, a small package of un-toasted poptarts, and a travel mug of coffee. Thrusting these items into Edward’s hands, he went back to the closet and handed Edward a navy blue wool coat he recognized as the one his mother had bought him the previous fall.
“Isn’t this going to be a little warm for late-March?” Edward asked as he put down the various items he held and shrugged on the coat.
“It’s pretty fricken’ cold here,” Emmett answered. “C’mon, I’ll drive you.”
“I can take my own car,” Edward said, trailing behind the dark-haired boy. He looked longingly at the silver car as they passed. His impromptu nap had stopped him from taking it for a test drive.
“You have no idea where everything is,” Emmett pointed out, “and I seriously doubt you could find the house again. I’d hate to give up my precious time driving circles around town looking for your scrawny, lost little self.”
Edward scowled at him, but didn’t protest any more as he hoisted himself into the passenger seat of the jeep.
The ride to school was silent, Emmett nodded his head in time to the driving rhythms pulsing from the speakers and Edward silently observed the scenery that passed by his window, attempting to memorize as much as he could for when he was finally able to drive his new car.
“So who’s Rosalie?” Edward asked as they pulled into a mostly empty parking lot.
“A goddess who deigns to walk among us mere mortals,” Emmett responded, a glassy look over his eyes. Edward had to press his lips tight to keep from laughing at his brother’s obviously smitten, love-drunk expression.
“And when do I get to meet this goddess?”
“Right now,” Emmett said, nodding towards a small, red car that had just pulled into the lot. Edward watched with interest as the tall, stunning blonde stepped out of the car and waved at the boys in the jeep.
“Those legs go on for miles,” Emmett said, a trace of awe in his voice.
Emmett stepped out of the jeep and wrapped his arms around the blonde, kissing her in a way that made Edward uncomfortable. He looked away and cleared his throat, letting them know that this moment wasn’t as intimate as they seemed to think it was.
“Rose, this is my little brother, Edward. Edward, my girlfriend, Rose.”
“Nice to meet you Edward,” she turned her ice-blue eyes on Edward and he shifted under the piercing intensity of their gaze. She smiled and revealed perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth that made her look like a walking toothpaste advert. “I’m Rosalie Hale.”
“Hi,” Edward replied, nodding at her.
“What grade are you?”
“Ed’s sixteen, a junior,” Emmett answered for him.
“Don’t call me ‘Ed’,” Edward grumbled.
“My brother, Jasper, is a junior, too.”
Edward turned his eyes back to the red car and noticed that there was a tall, lanky boy rooting through the trunk. The boy was just as blonde as his sister and wore his hair shaggy. Edward recognized a guitar case being pulled from the truck.
“Hey, Jazz! Come over here!” Rosalie waved her brother over and he came, guitar case in hand, in slow, long strides.
“Hey Em,” the blonde nodded to Emmett.
“This is Edward,” Rosalie gestured towards Edward who nodded awkwardly in response. “He’s in the same grade as you. Maybe you could keep an eye on him in class, help him find his way around and show him the ropes.”
“Yeah, sure,” Jasper smiled, nodding. His cool, grey eyes sized Edward up and seemed to find him suitable.
“You didn’t start here last month with Emmett?” Jasper asked Edward as their siblings linked arms and disappeared into the school.
“No. I had to stay back in Chicago,” Edward explained. “I was in the hospital and didn’t get released until yesterday.”
“Oh, wow. You were sick?” Jasper said, his eyes widening. Edward watched Jasper’s reaction cautiously, seeing how he would take the news. He couldn’t wonder if it was partially an act. Surely Emmett would have mentioned something to Rosalie, who would, in turn, mention something to her brother.
“Something like that,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. Jasper had seemed concerned, but didn’t pry further as he walked beside Edward to the office. They must have already expected him because his papers, his class schedule, and a map of the school were waiting for him when they arrived.
Jasper took a look at Edward’s schedule and grinned. “Look at that - all the same classes together.”
“Cool,” Edward smiled. “I don’t want to be some sort of burden though.”
“No, it’s all good,” Jasper said. “Emmett’s a great guy and if you’re anything like him, we’ll get along just fine.”
Edward didn’t say anything about him and Emmett being completely different people, favoring the companionship instead. It was the first time he’d been able to have a real conversation with someone who wasn’t related to him by blood or hospital staff being paid to deal with him.
“I just have to drop this off in the band room,” he said, holding up his guitar case. They made their way over to a small building separate from the rest of the school and Edward was relieved that nobody was in the room as he stood awkwardly at the door. The stares would come soon enough.
“I can’t believe someone scheduled math at the beginning of the day,” Jasper groaned as he sauntered ahead of Edward into a door to his right. Edward followed him, ignoring the stares of the others and sat down in a desk Jasper had gestured to beside him.
Morning classes went by slowly, but Jasper’s friendly, easy-going attitude made things a lot more pleasant than they would have been if Edward had been left to flounder for himself. The students here were curious about him, but not knowing his history and his hospital records, the curiosity was solely because he was someone new and shiny.
For the first time, Edward was able to truly appreciate his parents’ decision to move away from Chicago and start fresh.
The streak of good luck in meeting Jasper ended at lunch as the blonde informed Edward that he had to leave for lunch-time band rehearsal and that he’d have to find his brother in the cafeteria. Edward scanned the cafeteria warily after he paid for a sandwich and a bottle of orange juice from the lunch ladies. Thankfully, Emmett and Rosalie were easily spotted, sitting comfortably by themselves in a table at the back of the room.
Edward smiled as Emmett waved him over, thankful that he wouldn’t have to sit by himself. He ignored the nagging voice in his head that told him Emmett would never have offered a seat at his table to Edward back in Chicago before the hospital.
Lunch passed smoothly enough as Edward got to know Rosalie, who spoke easily to him as though they’d been friends for twenty years rather than twenty minutes. She seemed a bit cold at times, but she was nice enough and it was obvious to Edward, even in a short time, that she was the Night to Emmett’s Day. He began to understand why his father was so worried about the seriousness of their relationship.
Jasper showed up at the end of lunch time, stuffing a quick sandwich into his mouth as they headed towards Biology. “Sorry man, but there’s something I gotta tell you.”
“Yeah?” Edward asked.
“My girlfriend, Alice, is in this class and I’m her lab partner,” Jasper’s voice was apologetic and comprehension quickly dawned on Edward. “There’s a good seat for you though. This one girl’s lab partner just moved away so there’s an open seat at her table. She’s smart so I’m sure you two will hit off just fine.”
“Oh, okay,” Edward said, hoping his voice didn’t sound as disappointed as he thought it did.
Edward was quickly introduced to a short, but lively girl named Alice Brandon, Jasper’s girlfriend, before the start of class before being directed to an open seat at the back corner of the room. The other occupant of the table had yet to arrive so Edward sat down in the chair closest the window and hoped he wasn’t in her seat. It wasn’t until mere seconds before the bell rang that she slipped into the classroom and seated herself hesitantly down beside Edward, giving him an inquisitive glance.
Edward could only stare as she took the seat next to him. She was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen in person. Her creamy complexion was smooth, unblemished and make-up free except for what looked like a bit of gloss on her Cupid’s bow lips. Her eyes were deep brown with swirling flecks of gold, a surprising depth and warmth contained within them. Her brow furrowed and her cheeks flushed as she became aware of the intensity and Edward immediately lowered his eyes, feeling his own cheeks burn. His eyes darted over to Jasper but his new friend was concentrating on the dark haired girl that sat beside him.
“Uh, hi,” The girl said softly. Her voice wasn’t too high or too low, but a lovely alto tone.
“Hi,” Edward replied awkwardly, glancing up and averting his eyes immediately. Deep brown was staring back at him full of question but he knew if he stared at them again, his mental fog would deepen and render him speechless. “I’m Edward. Edward Cullen.”
“Bella Swan,” she introduced herself, settling into her seat as she opened her books. Edward couldn’t study her directly without seeming strange, so he looked at her handwriting instead. It was not looping and feminine as he would have expected, but rather precise and uniform. He looked down at his own writing, so tiny and precise, lacking in any flourishes. Her writing was completely indiscernible from his.
“Alright, class. It’s time to work in partners. I want you to diagram and label the sections of the brain using your textbook for references. Talking is permitted, but keep it on-topic. I’m looking at you Mr. Newton.”
The class laughed at looked towards a blonde boy with gelled back hair who shrugged and laughed along with his classmates. Edward hadn’t met him yet, but he seemed popular and well-liked by the rest of the students.
“You’re new here,” Bella said, a statement rather than a question, but inviting him to add more.
“Yep,” Edward nodded. “I just moved here from Chicago.”
“Are you related to the senior who moved here? Emmett?” she asked. “You have the same last name.”
“Yeah, he’s my brother,” Edward explained. He kept glancing to the pen he fiddled in his hands to keep from staring too intently into her eyes. He felt like he could get lost in their depths and that would be counter-productive to convincing her he was a nice, intelligent guy.
“He started school here over a month ago,” Bella pointed out. “Why are you just starting now?”
Edward swallowed heavily knowing this question was going to come up a lot. He wanted to say something to keep from telling her the truth, but he could not lie to this angel-faced girl. “I couldn’t leave Chicago until yesterday.”
“Couldn’t? Why not?” Bella’s questions were more conversational than interrogative and Edward felt himself relax as she smiled warmly at him. Her smile traveled to her eyes, crinkling the corners slightly, and her round cheeks blushed as his eyes locked with hers.
“I was in the hospital,” Edward said softly, watching her reaction. Her eyes narrowed in a look he interpreted as concern and her smile faded. He looked down, not wanting to see the pity that seeped into most people’s expressions when they found out he’d been in hospital.
“Are you sick?” She asked. “Why would your family move here without you if you were sick?”
“I’m not sick anymore,” Edward promised. “And they moved here when I was recovering so that we could start fresh without reminder off my illness.”
Edward caught a hint of relief flickering across Bella’s face and her smile warmed once more. “That’s sweet of them,” she said, turning to her paper as she began a rough sketch of the brain and its different sections.
Following suit, Edward turned to his own paper and began to sketch, feeling happier about his life here in Forks. He’d opened up to three people and, so far, all three had been kind to him. They knew he’d been in hospital and didn’t press for further details. A voice in the back of his mind told Edward that they’d want to know, eventually. The questions would come and he would have to answer for himself, but he hoped desperately that they wouldn’t ask about who he was then and focus on who he was now.
“How do you like it so far?” Bella asked, breaking the peaceful silence that had encompassed them.
“I haven’t really seen much so far,” Edward admitted, “but Jasper Hale has been showing me around.”
“Jasper’s a great guy,” Bella nodded. “So is his girlfriend, Alice. They were welcoming when I first moved here.”
“You’re not from Forks originally?”
“No, definitely not,” she shook her head, moving the tendrils of silken dark brown hair. Edward fisted a hand and pressed it firmly into his thigh to keep from reaching out to touch a strand that fell in front of her face. He couldn’t restrain himself from breathing deep and smelling the soap-fresh scent of her hair. Bella roughly brushed her hair from her face as she looked toward Edward. “I mean, I was born here, but I was raised in Phoenix, Arizona by my mom. She just got married to this guy in minor league baseball so I decided to move back here with my dad and give them time to enjoy being newlyweds.”
“That’s generous of you,” Edward said. His opinion of Bella was rising by the second. Not only was she gorgeous, but she seemed to be thoughtful, kind, and intelligent. Her sketch of the brain was almost done with more than half the labels already done. Edward looked down at his own paper and frowned. His brain was roughly sketched and he’d yet to label anything. He’d been too busy staring at Bella Swan to concentrate on his work.
“Not really,” Bella laughed softly. “Have you ever been around newlyweds? It’s disgusting. So much PDA I didn’t think I’d be able to keep my stomach settled.”
Edward laughed in sympathy and thought about his own affectionate parents. He’d been embarrassed in front of his friends more than once and they couldn’t even play the ‘newlywed’ card.
The bell rang and Edward said goodbye to Bella, who lingered behind griping about the barbarian tradition that was physical education. Edward longed to stay with her a few seconds longer, already recognizing himself as smitten with his newest acquaintance, but hurried to catch up with Jasper and Alice who were tossing things into their bags and shoving stools under the tables. He stood awkwardly in the hall as Jasper kissed Alice goodbye, and then the two boys made their way to physics class.
Physics had always been one of Edward’s favorite classes, the equations coming easily to him, but the day’s class had been a struggle. It had been several months since Edward had been in a structured classroom setting, and while his morning classes had been easy to go through, he was beginning to feel exhausted from the efforts of the day and had difficulty concentrating. Bella Swan wasn’t exactly helping him keep his head on straight either. Her heart-shaped face seemed to be lingering on the edge of his consciousness at all times despite his efforts to move on with the day.
“What’s up, man?” Edward shook his head and turned to look at his new friend. Jasper was looking questioningly at Edward with steel grey eyes, waving a hand to get his attention. “You’re a total space cadet right now.”
“Sorry,” he apologized. “Just have something on my mind.”
“What?” Jasper asked and then smiled slyly, “Or should I say, who?”
“Nothing,” Edward said, ducking his head, but not in time to his the blush that he knew extended to the tips of his ears.
“Definitely a ‘who’, then,” Jasper grinned. “Don’t worry, man, you don’t have to tell me.”
Edward smiled in appreciation.
When the bell finally rang, Edward could not have felt more relieved. Thanking Jasper for showing him around, he practically tore his things out of his locker and raced to the lot, hoping that Emmett wasn’t going to take his time getting there.
Thankfully, Emmett was already at the jeep, one thick arm wrapped tightly around Rosalie as they waited for Edward. Realizing that he was relegated to the back seat when Rosalie was around, he climbed into the back seat and tried to cram his long legs in the confined space as Rosalie lowered the seat back into place. Edward doubted a 5’5 person could fit comfortably let alone a lanky boy of 6’2.
Emmett quickly claimed dibs on the living room and settled onto the seat with Rosalie, the two of them only taking up one cushion despite the fact that there were four to choose from.
Edward quickly escaped to the back, not wanting to be alone with them. He was curious about the property anyway. After six weeks of confinement in his grey room, he longed to be outdoors, especially in the beautifully green west coast scenery that surrounded him.
He stepped out into the fresh air and sat on the back porch to contemplate where he wanted to go.
“Don’t wander too far,” Esme said from behind him.
“Oh, hi Mom,” Edward greeted her.
She leaned against the porch rail and looked out into the yard before turning back to him, her sea green eyes watching him with evident care. Edward smiled knowing that they shared the same, unique eye colour. “How was school?”
“School is school,” he answered without giving it much thought. His legs ached to get moving and just run. He was disappointed that he had missed the term of physical education when he transferred into the second semester and longed to strain his muscles to their limits. He had always been an athletic boy and being confined to a hospital room for six months and then a second stretch for six weeks had been far too long. “It doesn’t really change, does it?”
“I’m afraid not,” Esme smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be in the study if you need me.”
Edward nodded as she turned and retreated into the house and didn’t realize until later that he had no idea where ‘the study’ was. Shrugging it off, he tightened the laces of his runners and took off into the woods behind the house. He didn’t turn back until the sky began to darken.
part ii --->
Also, this fic is broken down into 3 parts because the length got a bit out-of-hand for a one-shot.
Story Title: Bring You Back - Part I/III
Author: adair7
Genre: Twilight - Romance/Angst
Rating: T
Details: Edward/Bella
Status: Complete
Disclaimer: Everything Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.
Summary: With long, slender fingers, he rubbed absent-mindedly at the bracelets on his wrist - one with his name and medical information typed in half-faded blue ink, the other stating his allergy to penicillin and another medication he couldn’t pronounce. He tugged at them, wanting them off as soon as possible...
Link: @ ff.net
Thank you to betas Unicornhime and Cinnamon_Kisses.
Edward carefully folded his pajamas, placing the soft flannel squares into his worn, black backpack. The sterile smell of the room still offended him, even after the weeks he’d spent there. He’d nearly stopped venturing outside because the scent of the hospital was so overwhelmingly depressing whenever he was forced to return to the confines of his room. How Carlisle could stand it, day in and day out, was beyond his comprehension. Maybe things were different if you were the doctor instead of the patient.
With long, slender fingers, he rubbed absent-mindedly at the bracelets on his wrist - one with his name and medical information typed in half-faded blue ink, the other stating his allergy to penicillin and another medication he couldn’t pronounce. He tugged at them, wanting them off as soon as possible, but the motions did nothing but make his arm red.
Soon they’ll be off, he told himself. Carlisle and Emmett will be here in an hour and everything will go back to normal.
This would be the last time he would stay in this room, with its thickly screened window and sparse furniture. Edward scoffed to himself at the idea of furniture - a bed with scratchy cotton blankets and a chair for visitors. Everything was white and grey - colours meant to be soothing in nature, but depressing in reality.
He continued packing, carefully making sure the few possessions he had were carefully stowed in the pockets of the bag. Toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste issued by the hospital, a few t-shirts, a pair of jeans - at least they’d let him wear his own clothes this time.
“Hey, bro!”
Edward smiled; the cheerful voice of his brother was boomingly loud in the silence of the wing but was one of the most welcome sounds he could imagine.
“Emmett!”
The large, curly haired boy wrapped his muscled arms around his younger brother affectionately, squeezing him until he nearly couldn’t breathe. “I missed you.”
“Good to see you,” Edward agreed, patting Emmett roughly on the back. He turned and was pleased to see his father standing at the entrance to the room. The normally blonde doctor looked noticeably older these days, his hair streaked with white around the temples, and the lines on his face were more pronounced. There was no trace of tired exhaustion around his eyes as he beamed at the sight of his sons. “Hi, Dad.”
“Good morning, Edward,” Carlisle smiled. “You ready to go home?”
“Definitely,” Edward nodded. He reached to pick up his knapsack, but Emmett already had it slung over his shoulder. “Do you have your Swiss army knife handy?”
Emmett’s eyes narrowed in confusion at first, but cleared with understanding as Edward held out his braceleted wrist. Pulling out the key chain containing the pocket knife, he sliced through the bracelets, grinning in mock triumph as the offending plastic rings fell to the floor.
“Freedom,” Edward whispered, rubbing a hand over his newly liberated wrist.
“Now let’s get out of here,” Emmett said as he strode quickly towards the door. “No offense dad, but this place seriously creeps me out. I don’t know how you can stand it.”
“It’s just a building,” Carlisle chuckled. “Walls, floors, windows, paint, lights - I don’t know why everyone thinks the hospital is such a scary place.”
Edward shuddered as he exited the room, not bothering to look back as he made his way down the hallway. These walls had kept him hostage for the past six weeks and never would again, not if he could help it. He barely even noticed the weight of Emmett’s arm over his shoulder as he walked speedily through the corridors towards the main entrance.
Edward had hoped his mother would be waiting in the car, but it sat empty in the parking lot. She hadn’t been feeling well lately, always tired with migraines. She must have stayed home to rest. The disappointment of Esme Cullen’s absence quickly faded as the reality of leaving the hospital became more apparent.
Edward was going home.
The tall, bronze-haired boy tossed his bag into the back seat of his father’s car and climbed in. He didn’t even bother trying to fight his brother for the front seat. Some things were worth sacrificing for sake of speed.
His happiness and eagerness to leave were quickly replaced with confusion, his brows narrowing as the familiar streets on the usual route home shifted. “We’re heading the wrong direction.”
“About that,” Carlisle sighed. “We decided that we needed to make a change, as much for us as for you. Chicago has too many bad memories for all of us.”
“Meaning?” Edward pressed.
“We’ve decided to relocate,” his father replied, his cheer partially forced as Edward caught his eye in the rear-view mirror. Emmett was uncharacteristically silent in the front passenger seat - a detail that didn’t escape Edward, nor did it make him any less apprehensive about the situation. “We’ve spent the past six weeks moving our things to Washington.”
“Washington?” Edward exclaimed, his eyebrows rising in surprise. His stomach churned with unease at such a drastic and unexpected twist to the day.
“The house is cool,” Emmett added. “Our rooms are huge and there’s this awesome forest and a river on the property. It’ll be nice.”
Nice? Nice doesn’t exactly sound fantastic. It’s just ‘nice’.
“Don’t I have to get my stuff?” Edward asked, gripping the leather of the seat as if doing so could ground him and keep the world from disappearing beneath his feet.
“We’ve already packed and moved everything,” Carlisle assured him, the flickers of blue eyes in the rearview becoming more frequent as he tried to gauge Edward’s reaction. Edward attempted to keep himself calm, taking deep breaths to steady himself, but he couldn’t hide the fact that he was visibly shaken by the news.
It doesn’t matter. It’s just a house. The house is not a ward and that’s all that matters. Keep cool or they’ll turn around and bring you back.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” He asked, wincing slightly at the blatant strain in his voice.
“It was supposed to be a surprise,” Emmett said, peering around the seat and fixing Edward with a comforting smile. His brown eyes were warm, filled with an ease and optimism that helped soothe Edward’s frayed nerves. “A good surprise. Seriously, bro, the house beats the Chicago house, tenfold. We spent the last few weeks getting moved in and ready. We even tried to make your room the way you like it.”
Edward chuckled at the thought as he imagined his mother directing the others to the placement of his furniture and things. It was a well-known fact that he was particular about the set-up of his room and the placement of the things within it; maybe too much so.
Carlisle and Emmett allowed Edward several moments of silence to process the new information, keeping silent in the front seat as he contemplated the unexpected situation. “Are we driving to Washington?”
“No,” Carlisle answered, another flash of blue in the rear-view mirror, “Mrs. Hendley from down the street has bought the car from us. She’s meeting us at the airport to take ownership of it. I’ve bought a few new vehicles that are waiting for us in Forks.”
“Forks?”
“That’s the name of the town we’re living in,” Emmett filled in. “It’s puny, but it’s real scenic and all. They have a decent school softball team, too.”
Edward brightened at the mention of a softball team. The one thing he’d truly missed his entire stay in the hospital was the feel of the soft, worn leather mitt beneath his fingers - that and his piano. Anywhere his mitt and his piano were would be home, regardless of its physical location. “Sounds cool.”
“Don’t interrupt,” the older brother chided mockingly. “I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet.”
“Oh?”
“Dad bought us our own cars! We don’t have to ride around in this dadmobile anymore.”
“Seriously?” Edward could feel his eyes widen with shock. His father’s Honda was new enough that it wasn’t an eyesore or embarrassing, but it definitely had “dad” written all over it.
“Real estate pricing is a lot lower in Washington than Chicago,” the elder Cullen explained. “I decided to use the money we saved to do something nice for my sons. You’re both getting older and you’re going to want to move out eventually. You’ll need vehicles when you do.”
“What did you get me?” Edward asked, his voice full of awe.
“I’m not done telling you what I got yet,” Emmett growled jokingly. “I’ve got a great Jeep Wrangler that’s totally decked out for off-roading. Leather interior, new sound system and the works.”
“Cool,” Edward nodded in approval. “But what do I get?”
“A Volvo C70,” Carlisle beamed from the front seat. Edward watched as the blue eyes in the mirror crinkled in joy. “It’s a silver, sporty thing with black leather interior, state of the art sound-system installed by your brother, and it’s a convertible.”
“A Volvo?” Edward grimaced at the obvious disappointment in his voice. He hadn’t ever really paid attention to cars, an oddity for a sixteen year old boy, but the word ‘Volvo’ wasn’t really up there with words like ‘Ferrari’, ‘Porsche’ or ‘Aston Martin’.
“It’s cool,” Emmett assured him. “Trust me, I wouldn’t let dad buy you a wuss mobile.
“It’s safe,” Carlisle defended.
Edward rolled his eyes. He knew that his frame was long and lean as opposed to his brother’s thicker, muscular build, but he was still athletic and strong despite his parents’ insistence that he was more fragile.
He ignored the fact that his recent stays in the hospital tended to support the parental opinion of things.
The flight was silent but relaxing. Emmett had given Edward back his beloved ipod, and the youngest Cullen had eagerly put on his headphones, listening to the most soothing of his elaborately planned out playlists as he focused on his music instead of the daunting future that lay before him.
It’s a fresh start, he reminded himself. A fresh start without rumors, sideways glances from other students, or hospitals.
Before he knew it, they were speeding towards the new home in his father’s new Audi R8. Edward had eyed the flashy car skeptically and wondered if Carlisle had been paying attention to his sons’ gripes about the ‘dadmobile’ after all.
He watched the town pass by as they sped through it, curious about the place he would call home that was as different as night and day from the sprawling city of Chicago. He frowned as they passed tiny homes in obvious disrepair - no wonder the cost of real estate here was cheaper. The houses became sparser as they seemed to pass completely through the town and back into a heavily forested area on the other side. Nearly fifteen minutes since Edward had last seen another house, Carlisle turned left onto a hidden driveway so well disguised by the surrounding greenery that he had barely noticed it.
The first things he saw were the two shining vehicles parked in front of the house after the long, winding driveway to the home. The black jeep looked almost like a mini Hummer with the off-roading gear and he couldn’t imagine a vehicle more suited to his older brother. His eyes slid over to the understated silver car parked just behind it.
“I thought you said it was a convertible,” Edward said, furrowing his brow as he squinted at the seamless silver roof.
Carlisle winked and pulled a key from his pocket. “Try it out.”
Forgetting to even look at the house, Edward snatched the key from his father’s hand and raced towards the sleek, silver car. He couldn’t get the door open fast enough as he sat inside and scanned the console for something that indicated a convertible. Finally locating the right button, he pressed it and watched in glee as the roof opened above him and folded itself into the back of the car.
“Be careful with that,” Carlisle warned, “Just because it can drive fast doesn’t mean you should. I don’t want to have to stitch you back together because you’ve wrapped yourself around some tree trunk.”
Edward didn’t respond, choosing instead to run his hand over the various buttons and gauges that made up the dashboard. “Thank you.”
“You might want to stop drooling on the upholstery, bro. It’ll ruin the leather.”
Edward looked up in time to see Emmett toss his small backpack at him and jumped out of the car to catch it.
“Lock up the car so we can give you the grand tour,” Carlisle called. “And don’t forget to put the roof up. It looks like it’s going to rain.”
“It always looks like rain,” Emmett sighed, walking ahead of them into the house. “I’m going to call Rosalie. I have my cell if you need me.”
“Rosalie?” Edward asked his father, quirking an eyebrow questioningly.
“Emmett’s new girlfriend,” Carlisle frowned. “I’m beginning to worry that they’re inseparable. He’s only seventeen, I don’t want him to be so serious about a girl so early in his life.”
“You started dating Mom when you were fifteen,” Edward pointed out.
“That was different,” his father replied stubbornly. Everything was always ‘different’ when it came to his childhood. Regardless, his face softened as he no doubt thought about his high school romance and what it had become. “I knew true love when I saw it.”
“Maybe this Rosemary is his true love,” Edward countered.
“It’s Rosalie, not Rosemary,” Carlisle corrected, “And don’t let her hear you get her name wrong. You won’t stand a chance against her.”
Edward wanted to ask him more but his father had already shuffled them into the foyer. Edward looked around curiously, taking in the odd feeling of displacement that comes with moving to a new home. The furniture was familiar enough, most everything had been moved here from Chicago but to see them rearranged in this setting seemed to put the world on a tilt.
Edward shot his father a look, clearly displaying his irritation of being kept in the dark about the move.
“I know, I know,” Carlisle replied, putting up his hands in mock surrender. “We thought it would be best to keep the stress of moving a secret until you were released from the hospital. We didn’t want to delay your recovery.”
Edward looked at his father for a few minutes before nodding in agreement. The additional stress and anxiety of moving could have forced them to keep him under observation for a bit longer than they had. “Where’s my room? I need to take a nap or something. I’m exhausted.”
The transformation was a familiar one as his father’s loving eyes because the practiced, observant eyes of the doctor as he evaluated Edward’s appearance. “That sounds like a good idea. I’ll show you the rest of the house later.”
The two men made their way up stairs where Carlisle opened the first door on the left. “Here’s your room,” he pointed out. “Emmett’s is across the hall, and the master bedroom is at the end.”
“No bathroom on this floor?”
“Each room has a small attached bathroom,” Carlisle smiled. “Your room and your brother’s room have pretty small ones, just a shower, sink and toilet, but the one in the master bedroom has a large soaker tub.”
“Nice,” Edward said approvingly.
“I’ll let you get settled,” Carlisle said, backing towards the stairs. “I’ll be downstairs in the front room.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Edward said as he looked into his new room. It was the same size as his room in Chicago had been and about three times the size of his small, hospital room. His large, queen-sized bed sat in a new wooden frame stood against the large window looking out into the back property, and his desk, stereo and bookshelf were against the wall shared by the door. To his right was a small door that would lead to his bathroom, but Edward didn’t bother to look at it as he shut the door behind him, dropped his bag on the floor and collapsed onto the bed.
When he finally woke up, the first thing he noticed was that it was completely dark outside. He fumbled for his alarm clock but noticed it wasn’t in its usual place beside the bed.
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” a soft, melodic voice called to him.
Edward jumped as he turned to look at the figure sitting at the foot of his bed, his surprise turning to joy as he realized who it was. “Mom!”
“The one and only,” she smiled, wrapping her arms around him in a comforting hug. “Sorry I wasn’t there to pick you up earlier, sweetie.”
“Your headaches again?” Edward asked, answered by a sad look and a nod from his mother. “Hopefully dad can do something to help you.”
“He’s tried his best,” Esme nodded, “But there’s only so much that can be done. I’ll be fine.”
She squeezed her son’s shoulders and Edward felt better about being here. He wasn’t in the hospital and his whole family was in one spot; life wasn’t that bad. Plus, his car was waiting for him in the front drive.
“What time is it?” Edward asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to smooth down his bed-mussed hair.
“About 9:30,” Esme informed him. “You looked so peaceful and relaxed, your father couldn’t bear to wake you. Your dinner’s waiting in the fridge, just pop it into the microwave. I’m going to head to bed. You may have slept all day, but some of us have been up and about.”
With that, she kissed him on top of the head and slipped out of the room.
*******
“Wake up, wake up, wake up!” The deep voice boomed from the door way. Edward scrabbled to sit upright and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“Wha?”
“Get up or you’re going to be late,” Emmett yelled from Edward’s closet where he reached in and tossed out a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, and Edward’s favorite flannel button-down.
“Late for what?” Edward asked, fully awake and glaring at his brother.
“For school,” Emmett rolled his eyes. “It’s Monday.”
“It’s only 7:45,” Edward yawned with a glance at his alarm clock.
“School starts at 8:30 here, not 9:00 like in Chicago,” Emmett explained. “I forgot to tell you last night, and it takes a good twenty minutes to get to the school from here.”
Edward cursed under his breath and crawled out of the warm bed. He wanted nothing more than to spend all day in the bed, his bed. It made the horrific hospital bed feel like a cement block in comparison.
Shooing his older brother from the room, Edward stripped himself from the flannel pants he’d slept in and pulled a clean pair of boxers from the small chest of drawers in the corner of his room before putting on the clothes Emmett had picked from the closet for him.
As he was tying his shoes, Emmett burst back into the room with a backpack, a small package of un-toasted poptarts, and a travel mug of coffee. Thrusting these items into Edward’s hands, he went back to the closet and handed Edward a navy blue wool coat he recognized as the one his mother had bought him the previous fall.
“Isn’t this going to be a little warm for late-March?” Edward asked as he put down the various items he held and shrugged on the coat.
“It’s pretty fricken’ cold here,” Emmett answered. “C’mon, I’ll drive you.”
“I can take my own car,” Edward said, trailing behind the dark-haired boy. He looked longingly at the silver car as they passed. His impromptu nap had stopped him from taking it for a test drive.
“You have no idea where everything is,” Emmett pointed out, “and I seriously doubt you could find the house again. I’d hate to give up my precious time driving circles around town looking for your scrawny, lost little self.”
Edward scowled at him, but didn’t protest any more as he hoisted himself into the passenger seat of the jeep.
The ride to school was silent, Emmett nodded his head in time to the driving rhythms pulsing from the speakers and Edward silently observed the scenery that passed by his window, attempting to memorize as much as he could for when he was finally able to drive his new car.
“So who’s Rosalie?” Edward asked as they pulled into a mostly empty parking lot.
“A goddess who deigns to walk among us mere mortals,” Emmett responded, a glassy look over his eyes. Edward had to press his lips tight to keep from laughing at his brother’s obviously smitten, love-drunk expression.
“And when do I get to meet this goddess?”
“Right now,” Emmett said, nodding towards a small, red car that had just pulled into the lot. Edward watched with interest as the tall, stunning blonde stepped out of the car and waved at the boys in the jeep.
“Those legs go on for miles,” Emmett said, a trace of awe in his voice.
Emmett stepped out of the jeep and wrapped his arms around the blonde, kissing her in a way that made Edward uncomfortable. He looked away and cleared his throat, letting them know that this moment wasn’t as intimate as they seemed to think it was.
“Rose, this is my little brother, Edward. Edward, my girlfriend, Rose.”
“Nice to meet you Edward,” she turned her ice-blue eyes on Edward and he shifted under the piercing intensity of their gaze. She smiled and revealed perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth that made her look like a walking toothpaste advert. “I’m Rosalie Hale.”
“Hi,” Edward replied, nodding at her.
“What grade are you?”
“Ed’s sixteen, a junior,” Emmett answered for him.
“Don’t call me ‘Ed’,” Edward grumbled.
“My brother, Jasper, is a junior, too.”
Edward turned his eyes back to the red car and noticed that there was a tall, lanky boy rooting through the trunk. The boy was just as blonde as his sister and wore his hair shaggy. Edward recognized a guitar case being pulled from the truck.
“Hey, Jazz! Come over here!” Rosalie waved her brother over and he came, guitar case in hand, in slow, long strides.
“Hey Em,” the blonde nodded to Emmett.
“This is Edward,” Rosalie gestured towards Edward who nodded awkwardly in response. “He’s in the same grade as you. Maybe you could keep an eye on him in class, help him find his way around and show him the ropes.”
“Yeah, sure,” Jasper smiled, nodding. His cool, grey eyes sized Edward up and seemed to find him suitable.
“You didn’t start here last month with Emmett?” Jasper asked Edward as their siblings linked arms and disappeared into the school.
“No. I had to stay back in Chicago,” Edward explained. “I was in the hospital and didn’t get released until yesterday.”
“Oh, wow. You were sick?” Jasper said, his eyes widening. Edward watched Jasper’s reaction cautiously, seeing how he would take the news. He couldn’t wonder if it was partially an act. Surely Emmett would have mentioned something to Rosalie, who would, in turn, mention something to her brother.
“Something like that,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. Jasper had seemed concerned, but didn’t pry further as he walked beside Edward to the office. They must have already expected him because his papers, his class schedule, and a map of the school were waiting for him when they arrived.
Jasper took a look at Edward’s schedule and grinned. “Look at that - all the same classes together.”
“Cool,” Edward smiled. “I don’t want to be some sort of burden though.”
“No, it’s all good,” Jasper said. “Emmett’s a great guy and if you’re anything like him, we’ll get along just fine.”
Edward didn’t say anything about him and Emmett being completely different people, favoring the companionship instead. It was the first time he’d been able to have a real conversation with someone who wasn’t related to him by blood or hospital staff being paid to deal with him.
“I just have to drop this off in the band room,” he said, holding up his guitar case. They made their way over to a small building separate from the rest of the school and Edward was relieved that nobody was in the room as he stood awkwardly at the door. The stares would come soon enough.
“I can’t believe someone scheduled math at the beginning of the day,” Jasper groaned as he sauntered ahead of Edward into a door to his right. Edward followed him, ignoring the stares of the others and sat down in a desk Jasper had gestured to beside him.
Morning classes went by slowly, but Jasper’s friendly, easy-going attitude made things a lot more pleasant than they would have been if Edward had been left to flounder for himself. The students here were curious about him, but not knowing his history and his hospital records, the curiosity was solely because he was someone new and shiny.
For the first time, Edward was able to truly appreciate his parents’ decision to move away from Chicago and start fresh.
The streak of good luck in meeting Jasper ended at lunch as the blonde informed Edward that he had to leave for lunch-time band rehearsal and that he’d have to find his brother in the cafeteria. Edward scanned the cafeteria warily after he paid for a sandwich and a bottle of orange juice from the lunch ladies. Thankfully, Emmett and Rosalie were easily spotted, sitting comfortably by themselves in a table at the back of the room.
Edward smiled as Emmett waved him over, thankful that he wouldn’t have to sit by himself. He ignored the nagging voice in his head that told him Emmett would never have offered a seat at his table to Edward back in Chicago before the hospital.
Lunch passed smoothly enough as Edward got to know Rosalie, who spoke easily to him as though they’d been friends for twenty years rather than twenty minutes. She seemed a bit cold at times, but she was nice enough and it was obvious to Edward, even in a short time, that she was the Night to Emmett’s Day. He began to understand why his father was so worried about the seriousness of their relationship.
Jasper showed up at the end of lunch time, stuffing a quick sandwich into his mouth as they headed towards Biology. “Sorry man, but there’s something I gotta tell you.”
“Yeah?” Edward asked.
“My girlfriend, Alice, is in this class and I’m her lab partner,” Jasper’s voice was apologetic and comprehension quickly dawned on Edward. “There’s a good seat for you though. This one girl’s lab partner just moved away so there’s an open seat at her table. She’s smart so I’m sure you two will hit off just fine.”
“Oh, okay,” Edward said, hoping his voice didn’t sound as disappointed as he thought it did.
Edward was quickly introduced to a short, but lively girl named Alice Brandon, Jasper’s girlfriend, before the start of class before being directed to an open seat at the back corner of the room. The other occupant of the table had yet to arrive so Edward sat down in the chair closest the window and hoped he wasn’t in her seat. It wasn’t until mere seconds before the bell rang that she slipped into the classroom and seated herself hesitantly down beside Edward, giving him an inquisitive glance.
Edward could only stare as she took the seat next to him. She was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen in person. Her creamy complexion was smooth, unblemished and make-up free except for what looked like a bit of gloss on her Cupid’s bow lips. Her eyes were deep brown with swirling flecks of gold, a surprising depth and warmth contained within them. Her brow furrowed and her cheeks flushed as she became aware of the intensity and Edward immediately lowered his eyes, feeling his own cheeks burn. His eyes darted over to Jasper but his new friend was concentrating on the dark haired girl that sat beside him.
“Uh, hi,” The girl said softly. Her voice wasn’t too high or too low, but a lovely alto tone.
“Hi,” Edward replied awkwardly, glancing up and averting his eyes immediately. Deep brown was staring back at him full of question but he knew if he stared at them again, his mental fog would deepen and render him speechless. “I’m Edward. Edward Cullen.”
“Bella Swan,” she introduced herself, settling into her seat as she opened her books. Edward couldn’t study her directly without seeming strange, so he looked at her handwriting instead. It was not looping and feminine as he would have expected, but rather precise and uniform. He looked down at his own writing, so tiny and precise, lacking in any flourishes. Her writing was completely indiscernible from his.
“Alright, class. It’s time to work in partners. I want you to diagram and label the sections of the brain using your textbook for references. Talking is permitted, but keep it on-topic. I’m looking at you Mr. Newton.”
The class laughed at looked towards a blonde boy with gelled back hair who shrugged and laughed along with his classmates. Edward hadn’t met him yet, but he seemed popular and well-liked by the rest of the students.
“You’re new here,” Bella said, a statement rather than a question, but inviting him to add more.
“Yep,” Edward nodded. “I just moved here from Chicago.”
“Are you related to the senior who moved here? Emmett?” she asked. “You have the same last name.”
“Yeah, he’s my brother,” Edward explained. He kept glancing to the pen he fiddled in his hands to keep from staring too intently into her eyes. He felt like he could get lost in their depths and that would be counter-productive to convincing her he was a nice, intelligent guy.
“He started school here over a month ago,” Bella pointed out. “Why are you just starting now?”
Edward swallowed heavily knowing this question was going to come up a lot. He wanted to say something to keep from telling her the truth, but he could not lie to this angel-faced girl. “I couldn’t leave Chicago until yesterday.”
“Couldn’t? Why not?” Bella’s questions were more conversational than interrogative and Edward felt himself relax as she smiled warmly at him. Her smile traveled to her eyes, crinkling the corners slightly, and her round cheeks blushed as his eyes locked with hers.
“I was in the hospital,” Edward said softly, watching her reaction. Her eyes narrowed in a look he interpreted as concern and her smile faded. He looked down, not wanting to see the pity that seeped into most people’s expressions when they found out he’d been in hospital.
“Are you sick?” She asked. “Why would your family move here without you if you were sick?”
“I’m not sick anymore,” Edward promised. “And they moved here when I was recovering so that we could start fresh without reminder off my illness.”
Edward caught a hint of relief flickering across Bella’s face and her smile warmed once more. “That’s sweet of them,” she said, turning to her paper as she began a rough sketch of the brain and its different sections.
Following suit, Edward turned to his own paper and began to sketch, feeling happier about his life here in Forks. He’d opened up to three people and, so far, all three had been kind to him. They knew he’d been in hospital and didn’t press for further details. A voice in the back of his mind told Edward that they’d want to know, eventually. The questions would come and he would have to answer for himself, but he hoped desperately that they wouldn’t ask about who he was then and focus on who he was now.
“How do you like it so far?” Bella asked, breaking the peaceful silence that had encompassed them.
“I haven’t really seen much so far,” Edward admitted, “but Jasper Hale has been showing me around.”
“Jasper’s a great guy,” Bella nodded. “So is his girlfriend, Alice. They were welcoming when I first moved here.”
“You’re not from Forks originally?”
“No, definitely not,” she shook her head, moving the tendrils of silken dark brown hair. Edward fisted a hand and pressed it firmly into his thigh to keep from reaching out to touch a strand that fell in front of her face. He couldn’t restrain himself from breathing deep and smelling the soap-fresh scent of her hair. Bella roughly brushed her hair from her face as she looked toward Edward. “I mean, I was born here, but I was raised in Phoenix, Arizona by my mom. She just got married to this guy in minor league baseball so I decided to move back here with my dad and give them time to enjoy being newlyweds.”
“That’s generous of you,” Edward said. His opinion of Bella was rising by the second. Not only was she gorgeous, but she seemed to be thoughtful, kind, and intelligent. Her sketch of the brain was almost done with more than half the labels already done. Edward looked down at his own paper and frowned. His brain was roughly sketched and he’d yet to label anything. He’d been too busy staring at Bella Swan to concentrate on his work.
“Not really,” Bella laughed softly. “Have you ever been around newlyweds? It’s disgusting. So much PDA I didn’t think I’d be able to keep my stomach settled.”
Edward laughed in sympathy and thought about his own affectionate parents. He’d been embarrassed in front of his friends more than once and they couldn’t even play the ‘newlywed’ card.
The bell rang and Edward said goodbye to Bella, who lingered behind griping about the barbarian tradition that was physical education. Edward longed to stay with her a few seconds longer, already recognizing himself as smitten with his newest acquaintance, but hurried to catch up with Jasper and Alice who were tossing things into their bags and shoving stools under the tables. He stood awkwardly in the hall as Jasper kissed Alice goodbye, and then the two boys made their way to physics class.
Physics had always been one of Edward’s favorite classes, the equations coming easily to him, but the day’s class had been a struggle. It had been several months since Edward had been in a structured classroom setting, and while his morning classes had been easy to go through, he was beginning to feel exhausted from the efforts of the day and had difficulty concentrating. Bella Swan wasn’t exactly helping him keep his head on straight either. Her heart-shaped face seemed to be lingering on the edge of his consciousness at all times despite his efforts to move on with the day.
“What’s up, man?” Edward shook his head and turned to look at his new friend. Jasper was looking questioningly at Edward with steel grey eyes, waving a hand to get his attention. “You’re a total space cadet right now.”
“Sorry,” he apologized. “Just have something on my mind.”
“What?” Jasper asked and then smiled slyly, “Or should I say, who?”
“Nothing,” Edward said, ducking his head, but not in time to his the blush that he knew extended to the tips of his ears.
“Definitely a ‘who’, then,” Jasper grinned. “Don’t worry, man, you don’t have to tell me.”
Edward smiled in appreciation.
When the bell finally rang, Edward could not have felt more relieved. Thanking Jasper for showing him around, he practically tore his things out of his locker and raced to the lot, hoping that Emmett wasn’t going to take his time getting there.
Thankfully, Emmett was already at the jeep, one thick arm wrapped tightly around Rosalie as they waited for Edward. Realizing that he was relegated to the back seat when Rosalie was around, he climbed into the back seat and tried to cram his long legs in the confined space as Rosalie lowered the seat back into place. Edward doubted a 5’5 person could fit comfortably let alone a lanky boy of 6’2.
Emmett quickly claimed dibs on the living room and settled onto the seat with Rosalie, the two of them only taking up one cushion despite the fact that there were four to choose from.
Edward quickly escaped to the back, not wanting to be alone with them. He was curious about the property anyway. After six weeks of confinement in his grey room, he longed to be outdoors, especially in the beautifully green west coast scenery that surrounded him.
He stepped out into the fresh air and sat on the back porch to contemplate where he wanted to go.
“Don’t wander too far,” Esme said from behind him.
“Oh, hi Mom,” Edward greeted her.
She leaned against the porch rail and looked out into the yard before turning back to him, her sea green eyes watching him with evident care. Edward smiled knowing that they shared the same, unique eye colour. “How was school?”
“School is school,” he answered without giving it much thought. His legs ached to get moving and just run. He was disappointed that he had missed the term of physical education when he transferred into the second semester and longed to strain his muscles to their limits. He had always been an athletic boy and being confined to a hospital room for six months and then a second stretch for six weeks had been far too long. “It doesn’t really change, does it?”
“I’m afraid not,” Esme smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be in the study if you need me.”
Edward nodded as she turned and retreated into the house and didn’t realize until later that he had no idea where ‘the study’ was. Shrugging it off, he tightened the laces of his runners and took off into the woods behind the house. He didn’t turn back until the sky began to darken.
part ii --->