Back in Time

11

He walked into the middle of the clearing and opened the basket, setting out a small tartan blanket for us to sit on. I sat with my legs curled up next to me as Damon knelt down and pulled things out of the basket. He had packed sandwiches and a small packet of bright red strawberries.

"Did you catch anything yesterday?" I asked as he sat down next to me.

"I did not this time, but overall we got a few deer and rabbits." Damon answered as he handed me a sandwich. I took it with a grateful nod.

We ate in silence for a few minutes. Birds were chirping in the trees, and I tipped my head up to try and pinpoint the noise. There was a pattering that I couldn't place, until I realised that it must be children running around. I frowned. Why were they out here?

I heard something stretch back and then release. Whipping my head back to where Damon was facing, I saw a rock being flung through the air. Flinging out a hand, I caught the small rock centimetres from Damon's face. He blinked as I dropped my hand and threw the rock away.

"Wow." He gave a shocked laugh. "You have very fast reflexes."

I peered into the trees, trying to see who had thrown the rock. There was a familiar giggle, and I sighed.

"You can come out, Edward." I called.

There was a shuffling noise and then Edward stepped into the clearing, an empty sling in his hand. He ducked his head, obviously thinking that I was going to tell him off.

"I am sorry Miss Pierce, Mr Salvatore. I did not mean to aim towards you. I only meant to hit the tree." He mumbled.

"I know Edward. No harm done." I held out an arm, and a smile spread over the boy's face as he realised that I wasn't mad. He half ran across the grass and tumbled onto my lap. I laughed.

Ever since I had saved him from the cliff, Edward was my constant companion. He would always find me and drag me off to play with him, which I did so willingly. Edward was a wonderful child.

"Would you like a strawberry Edward?" Damon held out the small packet, and Edward nodded, burying his face in his hands. He was still shy of Damon, who he hadn't spent much time with.

I took a strawberry from the packet and pressed it into Edward's palm. He smiled up at me and crammed it into his mouth. I chuckled at him, using a handkerchief I kept on me to wipe the red juice from his chin.

"You are so good with children." Damon murmured in my ear. "You are going to make a wonderful mother."

I felt a sinking sadness in my stomach as he mentioned this. Being a mother was one of the only things I had ever wanted in life. I could adopt children, but they wouldn't be fully mine. I just smiled in response, wondering how this was going to work. Damon wanted kids, and so did I. I would probably get a doctor to diagnose me infertile or something.

"Miss Pierce?" Edward looked up at me from where he was crossed legged in my lap. "Are you married?" The question caught me off guard.

"Umm, no I'm not." I answered.

"Then what is your ring for?" Edward ran his small fingers over my daylight ring. I scrambled for a quick excuse.

"This ring was my mother's. It was given to me when she died." This wasn't a lie. The ring had been Miranda Gilbert's, and I still considered her my mother even though it wasn't biologically. Edward touched the blue gem in the middle.

I felt Damon's hand on my shoulder and I knew he was comforting me. Looking over, I met his eyes. He looked sad, but I gave him a small smile to let him know that I was okay. Talking about my mother still made me sad, but it had been years since that night. I was healing.

"Do you have any family apart from Miss Pierce?" Edward asked, referring to Katherine. I debated for a moment, trying to think of what I had told everyone else.

"No." I shook my head. "They are all gone."

"I am sorry." Edward reached up and gave me a hug with his arms around his neck. I lifted him in my arms, and he rested his head on my shoulder.

Looking over Edward at Damon, I saw an expression that was rare for him. Pure love and contentment. He looked blissfully happy. It made me smile, and I reached out with one hand to touch his arm. He met my gaze and smiled.

"Edward?" The familiar voice of Edward's mother, Ophelia Roberts, called. We all looked around as she stepped into the clearing. "I apologise for my son, Miss Pierce and Mr Salvatore. He is known to run off."

Edward wriggled out of my arms and gave me a smile before running to his mother. She tutted at him and then looked up at us.

"It's no problem Mrs Roberts." I shook my head. "Edward is a delightful child." Damon nodded his agreement.

"Well, thank you for finding him." Mrs Roberts shook her head at her son. Have a lovely day."
"You too." Damon and I murmured.

The two disappeared back in the direction of town. Damon chuckled and lay down on his back, staring up at the sky. I rested my head on his chest, my face turned towards him. He gently pulled his fingers through my hair, stroking my face every so often.

I felt so at home that I finally understood why I hadn't thought about my old life in months. This was my home now. I was so incredibly happy, and I never wanted to leave. Damon was my life. Sure, I missed all my friends from home, but if I were alive for the next few hundred years, I would see them again. I could have a life with Damon.

But I also knew that I couldn't bear to lose him. I wouldn't age, Damon would. In a few years, I would tell him everything about vampires. It would be his choice if he wanted to turn or not, but he deserved to know eventually.