Sometimes There Is No Brightside [Edward Masen-Cullen]

Chapter Eleven

I brushed my meanwhile nearly shoulder-length curls, getting ready for bed.

As I put down the brush on the vanity table, I remembered a scene from my childhood, when Edward had still been alive.

"I think it’s time for you to go to bed, Bea." He had said smilingly.

"Alright, alright..." I yawned. "I suppose you’re right." I’d crawled into his lap, resting my head against his shoulder, already falling asleep.

I remembered how he’d opened my braids and gently brushed my hair, then carried me to bed and tucked me in...

The memories of that brotherly tenderness brought tears to my eyes. It was all over, irrevocably.

I was ripped from my thoughts by a sharp knock at the door that almost made me fear the door would be knocked down by the force of it. That had to be Matthew.

I jumped up, pulled a night gown over my body and hurried down the stairs, fiercely swinging the door open.

"I already told you I wouldn’t-" My mouth fell open and I was utterly incapable of any movement, let alone speaking.

Seems there might be a chance of a bright side in my life, in the end.

"You... how..." I stuttered, finally having found my voice.

"Bea. I don’t want to disturb..." Edward’s face expressed a pain that I had no idea what could have caused it. Was it my fault?

My heart cringed at that possibility.

"Disturb what?" I snorted. "I’m all alone. Besides, I have..." I bit my lip. "I missed you."

Edward more or less ignored that, his eyes boring into mine as he said, with unknown urgency in his voice: "Does he make you happy?"

I frowned. "Who?"

Edward’s face lightened, even if just a tiny fraction, and his eyes for one second flickered towards my hand. "You’re not married?"

"No." I shook my head. "I refused Matt’s offer. The people in town just like to ignore that part of the story...Why don’t you come inside? I want to talk to you. Last time doesn’t really count as a reunion." I smiled ruefully.

"I don’t know if I should, Bea."

Coldness clutched my heart, and my nails dug into the wooden doorframe. Had I messed it up irreparably?

"No, you haven’t, dear." Edward sighed, apparently answering my thought. "I have. And we should not forget that I could destroy you any second... I do not want to risk that."

"So you came all this way just to walk away again?" I couldn’t bear that thought. I couldn’t lose him once more now that I finally had him here with me again. Energetically, I reached for his hand, closing both of mine around it and pulled him inside.

He was a hundred times stronger than me, and if he’d wanted to, he could have resisted, but apparently I had caught him by surprise, as he didn’t protest. I shut the door behind us and steered him towards the living room.

"You’re not leaving before I got a couple of answers and before I have apologized to you."

"You apologizing to me?!" Edward let out a dry laugh. "That wasn’t the point of me coming here."

Before I could ask him what was, he turned to me. "As a brother, I’ve failed you miserably, Bea, and for that, I am more sorry than I can say."

I swallowed, and then, following the voice of my heart, I said quietly, looking up into his wonderful topaz eyes: "I don’t think I want you to be my brother anymore, Edward."

He flinched then, and let go of my shoulders. "I know, Bea. You have all reason not to. I’ll give you your answers and then I’ll leave your life for good."

I stared at him in disbelief. Then I sighed. "I wasn’t finished yet, Edward. I was going to say that I don’t want you to be my brother because..." Instead of finishing, I stood on my tiptoes and tentatively kissed his lips. They were cold and soft, and I could not believe that this could be called danger. It was too heavenly for that.

"...because I love you." I opened my eyes and looked at him, scared of his reaction.

Narrator’s P.O.V.

He had expected anything but this. Of course, Edward had, deep down in his heart, known that he had long since ceased seeing Beatrice as a sister, and he knew just as well that he loved her... but he’d never thought her to return his feelings. Especially after he’d thought she was married... Now he realized that Bea had refused because she loved him, maybe she always had. But he hadn’t known.

This kiss came utterly unexpected.

And he wasn’t prepared. The only thing he perceived was her blood singing to him.