Melting the ice around her heart.

1. Three memories

"Isabella Marie Swan, I have loved you for 5 years, when we began courting at age fifteen, I knew I gave my heart to you and I don't want it back, I love you, Isabella, will you do the extraordinary honour of marrying me?"

Is this really happening?

With a hand covering my mouth, I nod. "Yes." I say. "Yes, a thousand times yes, Edward!" He puts the ring on my finger and twirls me around before kissing me on the lips. When he pulls away, he has a smile on his face and caresses my cheek. I lean into the palm that is cupping my cheek. "I love you." He says in his velvet voice.

"I love you too."

"Now, tomorrow, next week and forever."

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The Spanish Influenza- 1918-age:17

I stand with my Edward in the doorway of his mother's hospital room. "She has to make it, Edward, I've already lost both my fathers to this, but I refuse to lose both my mothers too, I won't." I say confidently. Edward wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer.

Both my parents were the first ones in our group to succumb to the blasted disease that continues to spread throughout Chicago. My parents were in hospital for two weeks with the disease before they died, a month later, Edward Senior got it and died three days later, and now Elizabeth has it! "And we won't lose her, Bella, I promise, Elizabeth Masen is a fighter, she won't go down without a fight, we both know that." I sigh. I wish I had his optimism but I have to face reality. "Edward, we both know that she won't last the week in her state, no matter how much of a fight she puts up." I say with a tear rolling down my cheek that Edward catches on his finger. "You know how stubborn my mother is, Love." I sigh sadly. I don't answer him.

Two days later

Me and Edward are waiting for news on Elizabeth who got worse last night. Edward holds my hand. "She'll be okay, love." Edward tells me again. "I hope so, it's bad enough that our fathers have passed on, as well as my mother, we can't lose her too." Edward kisses my hand. "We need to have faith that she'll pull through this." He says sadly just as we hear footsteps in front of us. We stand up and come face to face with a blonde doctor with gold eyes and pale skin. His face is sympathetic. Oh no. I grip onto Edwards arm. "Hi, I'm Dr. Cullen, I'm Mrs Masen's doctor," he begins in a tired voice. "unfortunately Mrs Masen's condition has worsened dramatically." My knees almost give way but Edward catches me. "Can you cure her?" I ask frantically. The doctor shakes his head. "She's in the last stages of it, anything we do won't do anything to cure her, I'm sorry Mr Masen, Miss Swan." How did he know our last names? Edward kisses my temple. "I'm sorry we're losing our parents, love." He says calmly. "Just as long as we have each other." I reply. Edward turns to me, pulling me into his embrace.

"We'll always have each other, Love, now, tomorrow, next week and forever."

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Edwards death-1918- age: 17.

I'm sitting next to Edward, tears flowing from my eyes. "You have to fight this, Edward. You have to fight, please." I haven't left his side, Dr. Cullen has stopped forcing me out of his room, knowing I'd run back in and resume holding his hand.

I can't believe that the love of my life has this disease as well.

His hospital door opens and Dr. Cullen enters. "Have you left this room since last night?" He asks gently. Dr. Cullen has taken it upon himself to make me eat, sleep and get some fresh air. I shake my head. "I couldn't bring myself to leave, not knowing if that would be the last time I'd see him, he's the only person in my family who hasn't died, he's my fiancée, so if I lose him, what's keeping me from living?" I question, tracing his strong jaw line. "Don't say that, Bella, you know that Edward would want you to live no matter the outcome of this." I sigh. "I couldn't live without him in my life. We've been courting since we were 15 years old. He's my forever!" I play with my engagement ring on my finger. "I'll do everything I can to make sure you and Edward get your forever, Bella, but first you need sleep." I groan. "Can I sleep in here with Edward?" Dr. Cullen sighs before poking his head out of the door. His gold eyes look at me. "Okay, just this once, and I want you to eat tomorrow. Deal?" I nod, knowing agreeing with him is the only way I can stay with my love tonight. He smiles and leaves the room with a wink.

"I love you, Edward." I whisper before sleep overtakes me.

I shook awake with a cold hand on my shoulder. "Bella, wake up." Dr. Cullen says in my ear. I moan and open my eyes and see I fell asleep on Edward's arm. I smile at the sight of Edward asleep. "How is he?" I ask Dr. Cullen. He smiles sadly. "No better," no. "but no worse either. I came to check on him late last night and he woke up slightly, stroking your hair before he fell back asleep." I look at the blonde doctor with hope for the first time since Edward got sick. "So he's getting better? Can he beat this?" Dr. Cullen crouches down in front of me. "Bella, he can't beat this, no one can, it's spreading too quickly for us to make a cure." I shake my head at him, not believing him. "No, no, Edward will beat this and get better!" I protest, holding Edward's hand harder, I'm surprised I haven't broken it yet. Dr. Cullen leaves me with Edward, not saying anything else to me. "Please Edward, you need to fight this, if you die, I've got nothing to live for." I hear a low moan. "L..love?" Edward gets out quietly. I look at Edward and see his bright green eyes are bright, but dull and full of pain. I put a finger to his lips. "No, don't talk, Edward, save your strength." Edward squeezes my hand with what little strength he has. "Lo..love...y.you..now..tom..tomorrow..ne..next week and..for..forever..live...your..life..without..me...always..love..you...my...Bella." He gets out before his eyes roll back into his head.

"NO!" I scream, holding Edward's dying body. "No, no, Edward, don't do this to me, please. You promised we'd have each other for forever!" I cry, holding him close. The door opens and doctors rush in, literally pulling me off Edward. "No, Edward!" I scream, thrashing in one doctor's grip.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER NOW!" A voice thunders, coming into Edward's room. Dr. Cullen. The doctor holding me lets me go but glares at Dr. Cullen. "That girl shouldn't be in here with him! She could get all of us infected!" The doctor snaps. "That girl is his fiancée, she has every right to be in here!" His hisses. The blonde doctor looks furious that a doctor has manhandled me like this. I drop to my knees. Dr. Cullen drops to one knee in front of me. "Bella, why don't you go to my office and wait for me there?" He suggests. I shake my head. His offer is kind but I don't want to leave Edward when he's dying. "Bella, look at me." He pleads in a gentle voice that makes me look at him. "Go into my office, help yourself to coffee and some food and I'll come talk to you about Edward, okay?" He helps me up and asks a friendly nurse to take me to his office to make sure I eat and drink. "Of course, Dr. Cullen, come along sweetie." I take one last look at my Edward and a lone tear runs down my cheek. "I'll always love you, now, tomorrow, next week and forever." Is the thing I'll ever say to him.

The nurse leads me to a small put homey office and sits me on the leather couch next to the roaring fireplace. I fall asleep in front of the fire, green eyes and bronze hair in my mind.

I open my eyes and see the nurse watching me.

"Is Edward Masen deceased?" I ask, tears streaming down my face as I already know the answer. "Yes, Dr. Cullen came to talk to you but he couldn't handle it so he wrote you a letter, he says he's incredibly sorry that you didn't get your forever with your fiancée." The nurse says, handing me a letter. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." She says. I nod before leaving the office and hospital.

My Edward is dead!