A/N: I wrote this story days before St. Marcus Day (March 19th.) Novel Covid Moon started as a one shot. I received feedback that you, dear readers, wanted more. An entire fic! Because of developments as of late and to keep my blood pressure down, wish granted!

It's July now and I am still stuck inside my house, immunocompromised! Fun! I am well aware that information about COVID has changed a thousand times over, and this chapter reflects what I knew in March. I will keep that within the story, so it can develop as it has in actual life.

I wanted to imagine what would have happened if New Moon took place in 2020 instead of the early 2000s. Modern circumstances, technology, but with Edward coping with the pandemic, much like the one which killed him, not Bella's attempted suicide. (Yes, this is still a vampire fic.)

This is also my way of celebrating Midnight Sun finally being published in August… Honoring those who have lost their lives in the only way I know how. I hope that all you Twihards stuck at home will enjoy some light angst and fluff and a sprinkling of lemons here and there. God knows we need it, right?

I hope everyone stays safe, wears a mask, and I pray that this ends quickly. My heart is with you all.

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! YOUR FEEDBACK KEEPS ME GOING! This would not be a story without it.

Thanks to Stephenie Meyer for creating this world and writing New Moon. I can change it for days because I love it. She owns everything. No copyright infringement intended.

NOVEL COVID MOON

(NEW MOON 2020)

CHAPTER ONE: HALLUCINABELLA (EPOV)

In this life and existence, I'm pathetic, insane, regretting everything, and unable to stay away from Bella. Even the hallucination of her.

I've lost my mind.

Bella has become my constant companion. I cannot make Hallucinabella appear on demand, she decides. My moments with her provide brief flickers of happiness, the only happiness I've felt in seven months. Seven months since I lied, seven months since I left my love behind to be safe, normal, happy.

Was she?

Tracking Victoria to Brazil was a mistake. I hate this place! It's too sunny!

It's too green.

I do not see myself making it much longer without Bella, I'm a selfish creature. I am a changed man… err, vampire? Who cares? I wanted to Bella to have a chance at normal… what is normal? Nothing is normal for me… I was okay being alone for over a century! I told myself I could hang on as long as she did, and then I would no longer exist.

Existing without Bella in my life has proven impossible.

I don't feel up to translating thoughts into English. I listen to American tourists. But their presence had decreased. I didn't think much of it. I was happy with the ghost of Bella, and recycling memories, pleasant ones, and bad ones. We conversed about everything, what I should have said, drowned in guilt and pain for what I put her through, how I handled this. Ignoring her for days and then lying. She probably hates me. Hallucinabella shows me what it would be like if we met as humans, but also silly and essential words not spoken. How could she think about taking me back? I hurt her on purpose, and I swore to her I'd never do that.

I was thinking about her physical safety.

'Dummy! Edward Cullen, the king of brooding and mope, can't think of anyone but his own misery. Love is more than protection. She needed you to be a boyfriend who cared about her emotional wellbeing! Calamities happen! It's your fault you didn't stand up to Alice!' Hallucinabella screams.

Again, I'm insane.

Waking up as a vampire having the ability to read minds is out there. Now I'm hallucinating and enjoying every second that's deranged. I cannot get myself to care. That's why I took refuge in an attic, stopped hunting, stopped everything. If this would be my forever, I hope she never goes away.

I scanned the thoughts of those walking past my new black hole. Americans!

'Pandemic? Washington State, and New York City, are the United States epicenters? The worst outbreak since the Spanish Influenza? No tests? No vaccine? No treatment?!'

'I hope Mom is okay. I want to go home, but they've told us not to travel! I feel helpless.'

I shot up and hit the streets until I found a bar with American Tourists. The news would be on, without a doubt.

"No!" I said out loud. "This can't be true, no!"

A large burly man slapped me on the shoulder, "Nothing we can do about it from here, buddy. You worried about someone?" he asked.

I must look weaker than I am, I've never been comforted by a stranger. I must not be giving off the dangerous vibe, not when I am so worried.

I gave him an appreciative smile. "Yeah, I'm from Washington State…"

"That's too bad. You're young, look like you need some sleep, but healthy. I'm sure it will pass with what they are doing about the virus there. I'm Bruce, from California, they aren't doing well there either. Are you from Seattle?"

Bruce was brave or stupid, or both.

"No, Forks about 2-3 hours away from Seattle," I answered.

"Well, I'm sure everything will work out for you. If you're going home, book a flight now." He said, lifting a shoulder. Bruce spun around, returning his attention to MSNBC.

The most important person in my world is there, and she believes I don't love her. I got flashes of memories of Chicago and my last days as a human. I remembered my Mom nursing me on her deathbed, and then the image shifted to Bella… dying. I died because of a pandemic; we were upper class. The insidious virus didn't discriminate.

At first, it relieved me to hear that it would only affect the elderly and immunocompromised. Bella was 18, with a long life ahead of her and healthy, despite herself.

But she's a danger magnet!

Charlie is a cop!

Forks is an insignificant town!

What will she get up to without school?

Bella assumes she's immune to all danger!

No!

My phone rang, and I knew who it was.

"Alice."

"You want me to look, huh? What do you think of your plan now, smart guy? You don't understand what it's like! Carlisle is at the hospital all day and night. He is so distressed, seen this too many times. Esme misses you, come home!"

I wanted to tell Alice that I would love to, of course. I could help Carlisle. The problem, New York isn't home. Bella was my home. I'm displaced in this world; I committed to suffering if she lives. However, I was hanging on by my fingertips long before this.

Alice sighed, "Oh, Okay! I see you're close. Give me a sec."

It felt like hours until she spoke again.

Alice cleared her throat, sounding hesitant, "Um, Charlie is… in the hospital... Oh! Edward, Bella will be too, and soon! Charlie gave it to her." I heard the grief in Alice's voice. "Leaving was bad for her. My god! Dammit! My visions keep going black."

"Alice," I growled.

"No! It doesn't work like that! It's been SEVEN months, Edward! Time means something to humans, and I'm not tuned into Bella anymore! Thanks to your brilliant plan. Tons of black, until she feels sick, and then..."

I let out a sigh. What the hell did that mean? She gets sick, and her future goes black. She might die?

"Argh!" Alice yelled, "I can't see past it. I'm sorry. Your indecision is driving me crazy!"

"You wouldn't tell me she's sick to convince me to come home, would you?" I had to ask.

"Edward," Alice's voice hardened. "You aren't the only one who loves her! Not saying goodbye to my best friend wasn't EASY. Do you think honoring your wish to not look at her was in her best interest? But, yes, it is something I would do! I am not, though."

I laughed.

"… I went along with your moronic plan, we all did, and we're all suffering because of it. So, what are you going to do? Stop by her house so you can nurse her back to health, just to leave again? You cannot be that stupid."

"I haven't thought that far. I want to go into quarantine with Bella with Carlisle," I said.

"Shock me, shock me, shock me." I could hear Alice rolling her eyes. "You know, she will take you back, Edward. She loves you, she's not well. Your plan failed her! You wanted her to be human, and humans die during pandemics, just like you did, and your family. I know that's harsh, but what did you expect? You don't want her exposed to a bloody pandemic, be the cure, do what Carlisle did; change her! Think back, brother, remember dying, watching your parents die. Do you wish Carlisle had let you? Because you are getting to the place, he was in debating saving you. Except Bella wants it, she wants you, and our life. BUT before you step foot in Washington, you need to ponder on what you want your life to be like fifteen years from now. I miss you, but decide, and make peace with it once and for all."

My brain was moving so quickly; all I could think to say was, "thanks, Alice."

"I'll monitor her when she's not covered in black."

I hung up the phone, put it in my pocket, and raked my hands through my hair. Back in the safety of my attic, I slid down the wall to the floor. I hate it when Alice is right. What a complicated situation and timing.

Do I regret the life Carlisle gave me?

'You don't. You call me stubborn.'

Ah! Gone crazy again. Hallucinabella reappeared, as she usually does when my thoughts travel down this path.

"I'm not sure that's true," I responded.

Fake Bella's voice was crystal clear, as was her open book face. She frowned, her eyes hit the floor, and she wrapped her arms around her torso. I hated seeing that.

'So, you regret me?'

My mind flitted to the Sunday before her birthday. Charlie was fishing, so we spent the entire day and night together. We lounged in the living room watching stupid movies. Most of the time we spent in her bedroom. Bella's mahogany hair pushed to the side as she laid her head on my stomach, as we talked, and talked, and kissed. Despite my villainous behavior, just a few days later, it was the perfect day.

'You can have that day, every day, forever. You don't think I want that?' Bella interrupted the memory, making my lip twitch upward.

"That would be nice,"

'Yes, it would be. It would be better to have all of you without restraint.'

"At the cost of your soul?" I asked.

How many times did I have this conversation with Bella before leaving?

'Who are you to tell me that? I don't share your belief, so don't force it on me! If you can love, cherish, if you would lay your life down for someone else—you have a soul. Why do you punish yourself with these toxic thoughts that you don't believe?'

My brow furrowed, "That's not t…"

'I know you, Edward Cullen!' She tapped her temple. 'Maybe better than you know yourself.'

I loved it when Bella looked smug.

"So, what should I do?" I asked my hallucination.

'Call me! Tell me you can't stay away anymore! Cop to lying and ask, beg, for my forgiveness if you must. Go back home, but tell me when, and I mean to the second. You have a lot of trust to earn. Don't disappoint me again, and that means you are back and staying. Stop running away from me and what you want. Give in! Treat me as your mate and change me! Don't you dare make a promise you can't keep ever again! Be happy.'

"Just like that?" I asked, sarcasm dripping in my voice.

'I never said it would be easy, but is anything worth having? That is what relationships are about. Working through the tough times together. I'm half of a whole. You're my other half, and always will be.'

"But you're human!" I protested.

'Ya know, Edward, I'm tired of hearing that as an excuse. You don't know if my love is fickle if you were just a crush. You should know that I am just as irrevocably altered as you. I won't love anyone else. How is that fair? You know I am far from a normal human. When you can accept the depth of my love, you'll understand why I am not doing well. Vampire or not, I was yours, and you were mine! But you ran away, like a coward. If you can accept my love and its enormity in your marrow, we can be happy together. Embrace a future, together, that never has to end.'

Bella appeared in a wedding dress.

'GAH! You are getting WAAAAY ahead of yourself. Stop that dreaming, Edward!'

Bella appeared as she did in Alice's visions as a vampire.

'Spooky,' Bella laughed.

I bowed my head and smiled. "You sound like Emmett."

'But I made you smile. You miss them AND me. Maybe I'll recover, maybe not. Save me, as Carlisle saved you. I'm not sure how much more pain I can tolerate. You don't know me well at all, or you aren't rational with me. Edward, you need to sack up. Tell me, and I mean HER what you want, and ask REAL BELLA what she wants. Call me, her, you know what I'm talking about. You have confused your own hallucination!'

Perhaps she's right… oh … but... "What about Charlie?"

'Ask Alice.' Bella snorted. 'Bella will need you because of Charlie! You're gonna have to deal with him. Calling is a good step forward. But don't call until you've decided. Quit your damn lollygagging talking to a hallucination.'

My Bella disappeared.

I knew what I wanted, what I needed. If Bella were in an accident, I'm sure I'd change her. She would be more durable than me! We could be happy! The minuscule possibility of losing her felt like a saw cutting me in half. Half of being half.

I no longer craved her blood. I craved Bella. Odd.

Bella may not want to be a vampire now.

She might not want me now.

I could hear what Hallucinabella would say, 'You never know until you try, dummy.'

I grabbed my phone and stared at her number for 20 minutes before hitting dial.

"Swan residence." A husky, somewhat familiar voice answered.

"Is Bella available?" Who was this guy answering her phone? Could she have moved on? Was this a mistake?

Hatred oozed through the phone. "Who's calling?" Oh! He knows.

"I'm calling for Bella, give her the phone!" I snapped.

I heard her yelling in the background to give her the phone. No use in holding back how I feel with this jerk.

I heard him whisper to her, "just remember what he did to you. He'll do it again!"

"It's Edward?!" Bella screamed at the boy. "Jacob Black, you hand me the phone right this second!"

Jacob Black? No! Ephraim's heir? This is who's answering Bella's phone? The one who crashed prom? My anger and jealousy churned; until I heard her voice, small, soft, unsure. My enhanced hearing detected something else, sickness.

"Hello?"

"Hi… I don't know what to say now."

"Huh?"

'Great Job, Edward!' Hallucinabella whispered in my ear.

I needed to go all in.

'That's better.'

This was getting confusing.

"Okay, here goes. I'm calling because I can't do this anymore. I cannot be away from you. I lied, Bella, and I am so sorry, because you believed me, but it was a lie, all of it was. The blackest of blasphemies. I love you; I always have loved you; I always will love you. I want to come back and spend eternity, making this up to you. But if you've found someone else… I won't bother you."

Bella snorted, "Jake?" She asked, amused.

"Is that?"

"Jacob is like family, who is unhappy I'm talking to you." She said.

The door slammed in the background. Bella didn't seem to care!

"Why do you want to come back? This has to do with COVID, doesn't it? I know you, Edward Cullen! I will not die as you did! I'll be fine. I can handle this. Honestly, dying would be preferable compared to the pain of the last seven months."

'Moron!'

Don't do this.

I'd rather die than stay away from you.

"Don't come back because you want to be my nursemaid or bodyguard. Come back because you love me and want to be with me, all of me."

I took a breath, I hadn't an idea how to put this, "I can't help but worry with all that's going on. That's who I am, but not why I want to come back. I want to come back and never leave, not without you. I'm in love with you, and in my way of thinking, I left because I wanted you to be happy and have a normal life. All I saw was how often I put you in danger."

Bella laughed humorlessly, "you give yourself too much credit! Danger is my life, always has been! Normal? I'm being protected from a violent, unrelenting vengeance-seeking vampire by wolves! Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that. But they saved me from being Laurent's blood bag. If that's why you left, well mission not accomplished! What do you want from me, Edward? I…" Bella began sobbing. "I would kill for you to come back! But I won't make it if you leave me again. The pain hasn't dulled, not since that day. It's becoming unbearable."

"Victoria?" I asked, mortified. I couldn't respond to Bella's pain, because I felt it without seeing her. I was also angry! Victoria led me on a world-wild goose chase. Laurent? Yes, epic failure.

"Yes, Edward, Victoria. It's just how life is for me now. She's not giving up," Bella said, mid-sigh.

The words were on the tip of my tongue, my silent selfish wish would be silent no longer. "I want to be with you forever, and I always have. I feel selfish about it. I want to be yours; I want you to be mine. I know you don't trust me; I don't deserve it. I'll earn it if you give me a chance."

"You'll change me?" Bella asked quietly.

I'm guessing dog ears were tuning in from Bella's yard.

"If that's what you still want." There! I decided, Alice! She's probably doing backflips!

"I do," Bella admitted as if it were a humiliating weakness.

A text message hit my phone: Eighteen hours and forty-five minutes. We're coming home! Carlisle WANTS to help if he can live in Forks! -Alice

"Can we talk about this further, in person?" I asked, hoping.

"You're coming?" Bella asked, her lack of trust apparent.

"Eighteen hours, forty-five minutes, but it will be late." I doubled down on committing.

"I'll leave the window open." Bella was smiling; it felt like years since I heard that through her voice again.

Bella's mood shifted again, "Edward, I love you. I want you to come back, and I want to be with you. We have a lot to work through first, okay? It won't be easy." Bella's voice oozed agony.

Any slice of an opportunity I would take. "I'll be there, thank you, I love you."

The sincerity in Bella's voice could have made this dead heartbeat once again. "I love you too, Edward. Come home."

We hung up, and immediately Alice texted my flight information, along with instructions to hunt, shower, and get some fresh clothes before going to the airport.

I followed her advice.

Seventeen hours until I will touch and talk to the real Bella.

"No offense, Hallucinabella, you've been great," I said, shaking with laughter at my insanity.

'It's been my pleasure, Edward. Now go home and stop being stupid. I can haunt you if I want. Don't mess up the chance she's giving you. Let her handle Charlie, be her backup, her person. Give her more credit. Bella's resilience will shock you.'

"Yes, ma'am," I said.

With a smile on my face, so large it hurt, I boarded my near-empty plane and began seventeen hours of daydreaming. Happiness, going over Bella's words, overwhelmed me, sure of her love down to my non-existent marrow. Now, I had to convince Bella of that.

I am a moron.

A/N: Thanks for reading. This chapter was slightly edited in order to expand the story. I hope you enjoyed it. The next few chapters will be up soon.

Also, on a personal note: I know that I haven't updated TWT2 and I haven't been around. I am publishing my first original fiction novel at the end of August! I also began a podcast reading Master Of The Universe. I have a few podcasts, one solely dedicated to reading Twilight or Divergent Fan Fiction. If you want the info, please PM me!

I am working on time management.

Stay Safe!