Pick A Pic Challenge

Title: Forget Me Not

Penname: xBringMeSunshineBanner: 72 (it's so pretty - well done to the person who made it!)

Rating/ Disclaimer: M

Summary: She opened the envelope and tipped out the contents, watching as petals and more blue petals tumbled onto her sheets. Then she looked at the note card. "My heart has always been yours."

To see all the stories that are a part of this contest please visit: www .fanfiction-challenges. blogspot. Com

As soon as she'd gotten Esme's permission, she'd go. Her feet were begging her to let them go; to let them run to the place where she was happiest. It wasn't secret. Nuh uh, Esme knew where she was going. And she couldn't wait to get there; to the place with the pretty flowers and the circle of sun and the beautiful butterflies that she wanted to jump up and catch.

She found Esme in the kitchen with a flour-covered rolling pin in hand. The smell of pastry and sugary sweetness permeated the air around her and she inhaled it greedily. It had never smelled this good in her last home. Then again, Victoria didn't like her in the kitchen - she was glad she'd left that house. Esme's house smelt nicer, and she was pretty. Carlisle was nice too; he gave the best cuddles.

Esme turned when she sensed Bella near her. She took in the appearance of the shy and lonely girl who had blossomed since she'd arrived. She was going to be beautiful, Esme could tell. She smiled, "Hello, dear. Did you finish all your homework?"

Bella nodded. "Yes, Esme."

Esme gestured to the ingredients and utensils around her. "Well, would you like to help me?"

Bella looked down at her dirty trainers and blushed. Esme had been so kind to her, and she didn't want to disappoint her. But… the pretty flowers… the butterflies…

Esme shrugged with a glint in her eye. "Or you could go to the garden? To the meadow - if you'd like?"

Bella's head shot up in excitement and a gorgeous grin appeared on her face. It lit up the room and Esme wondered how someone could abandon such a lovely, innocent child? Bella threw her arms around Esme's torso before she reached up on her tippy-toes and kissed her cheek. She watched the child run through the back door as if the meadow was going to disappear. She touched her cheek in awe - the first sign of real affection she'd shown towards her foster mother since she'd arrived three weeks ago - and was so caught up with emotion she neglected to tell Bella about the new gardening assistant she'd hired.

Bella found him soon enough.

Her feet skidded to a halt as soon as she saw the "intruder". How dare he step into the meadow without her permission - or at least Esme's? She stared at the boy with her inquisitive eyes and puckered lips, looking every inch the indignant nine year old. His penny-coloured hair was long enough that it fell into his eyes and made him constantly sweep it back with a dirt encrusted hand. She wondered why he didn't cut it if it annoyed him so much? And why was he so muddy? His white t-shirt no longer matched the colour of his mint-like teeth and his jeans were caked with the brown stuff. His mother would be mad, she thought. She brushed that thought away as if it were a stray lock of hair; she didn't think about mothers if she didn't have to.

Feeling that someone was watching him, he looked up sharply and caught Bella's eyes. Years later he would wonder how he could have stayed away from such stunning pools of chocolate, always so full of curiosity and wonderment. Her hair was haphazardly strung up in a ponytail and the jean shorts she wore failed to cover the scrapes and bruises on her pale skin. She stood on the outskirts of the meadow, her hands folded over her chest and her eyebrow arched as if to say - who the hell are you?

Edward couldn't resist sitting back from his work and mimicking her stance, complete with the smirk that the girls seemed to like now he was fifteen.

Bella frowned as she watched the strange boy. "Who are you?" Demanding… as much as a girl her age could.

He turned to face her more fully, the light coming through the trees and making his hair catch fire. She stifled a gasp. He smiled at her, shading the light from his eyes with one hand. "Edward Masen. Who are you?"

"Bella... Cullen," she replied as she stepped further into the ring of light, bringing her closer to the mysterious boy. She didn't know why but she felt she had to get closer; had to get to know this… Edward. Her eyebrows mashed together again and it made Edward chuckle a little. She didn't like being teased - her arms folded closer to her body. "Why are you in my meadow?"

He raised his own bushy brows. "Oh, it's your meadow, is it?"

She blushed, cherry red and tulip pink. "Well… no," she whispered, then she found her argument. "But I do come here everyday after school and you've never been here before. I would've noticed. You're picking at my favourite flowers." She retorted, so annoyed she could stamp on his foot. She'd show him.

He smiled before ushering her forward with a crooked finger. She sighed dramatically and stumbled over to the boy before dropping to her knees. His eyes widened; she was no ordinary little girl. "I'm sorry. It's what I've been paid to do, by Mrs Cullen."

Her head tilted. "Esme is paying you to take away the pretty flowers?" She pouted.

He shook his head, not wanting Bella to be sad. He suddenly felt protective of the little girl whom he'd met only five minutes ago. It was an instinctive feeling; he had no control over it. "They're called Forget Me Not's, and I'm not taking them away. I'm cleaning them up. My Dad calls it 'pruning' the flowers." He smiled at her and he saw her shoulders drop. He picked up a stray blue flower and twirled it between his fingers. "Why are they your favourite?"

She shrugged, feeling shy and wishing she hadn't started talking to him at all. But she had wanted to talk to him. She didn't know why; she usually liked the quiet. She plucked up one of her own and looked at it for a while before whispering, "I don't know. My favourite colours are blue and purple, and this is a mix of both. Plus, there's never one on it's own. They're always together… like a family." She blushed again and wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking gently back and forth. "What's your favourite colour?" She asked with a half smile.

"Brown." He blurted without quite knowing why.

She looked at him. He was weird. "Nobody's favourite colour is brown, Edward." Yes, he was very strange.

He continued to look at her, intrigued by this girl - so much younger than he was. He shrugged again and his hand reached out in front of him and tucked his own Forget Me Not behind her ear. "Mine is."

*~FMN~*

Esme stared at the girl who'd grown into a beautiful woman of sixteen, in front of her eyes. She was no longer the girl she had fostered, she was a real daughter. Seven years had taught them a lot but bonded them together until they were as thick as thieves. She would do anything for Bella, and she knew Bella would do anything that was asked of her. Such as today, when Esme had asked for her to stay for lunch instead of going to Port Angeles with her friends. That had brought them to now; sitting in the meadow with the light breeze floating over them and their picnic; the rays of light burning through the trees.

Bella laid back against the ever growing grass and sighed, smiling all the while. She loved it here - once she had loved to run around in her own little piece of paradise; now she appreciated it as a place she could sit back and relax in… with her thoughts, which all seemed to centre around a certain man with bronze hair. Not that she'd tell that to anyone; she was embarrassed to admit that she was sure she didn't need to tell them… or him. They all knew.

There had always been something intriguing about Edward. Six years her elder, their friendship had been frowned upon by many people at different stages of their time together. Somehow, it made him more interesting; just out of reach, but something she desperately wanted to grasp - hold on tight with two hands and let him help sooth her stammering heart. Their relationship was thrilling to her because it was so unrequited. But it wasn't all rainbows; sometimes it was tears and cuts and burns that shredded her heart in a cloud of denied smoke. Sometimes it hurt, bad.

Speak of the devil, Bella's eyes flicked to the sound of a breaking twig and her heart started double time at the sight of him coming through the trees. Esme looked down as she smiled knowingly. Her daughter was in love with that man, even if she didn't know it yet. They'd always had chemistry but she knew that - unfortunately - their age gap would stop them from acting on it… at least at the moment. Just as Bella had grown from her awkward stage, Edward had too. Once a gangly boy who couldn't work out what to do with his new height and hormones, he'd transformed into a man. Strong, protective and charming - everything that Bella would want and need in a man when she was older. Shame that the time wasn't right just now.

Edward came to stand at the edge of their picnic blanket and stood with his hands in his pockets. "Hello Mrs Cullen… Bella." He greeted, somewhat still shy around Esme even if he had worked for her when he was a teenager.

Esme gathered herself together and lifted herself up, scooping together the food and plates that would need to be cleaned and put away. "Afternoon, Edward. It's a shame you missed lunch, dear." She smiled and he couldn't help but smile back. She was such a mother.

He shrugged, collapsing down cross-legged to sit in front of Bella's form. "That's alright, Mrs Cullen. I've already eaten, but thank you."

"Okay, I'll leave you two now, then." She picked up the blanket and flicked it over her shoulder. "And Edward, call me Esme."

He chuckled, looking down at the strands of grass and Bella caught sight of s slight pinkness in his cheeks which she promptly poked at. He caught her hand, pushing her backwards while her giggles melted into the air. He smiled back at Bella's mother. "Alright, Mrs Cu-Esme."

Esme gave a short wave and left, all the while hoping that he'd break the news to her gently. He'd left her until last. Probably because she was the most important to him, even if he didn't want to feel that way.

Bella threw her arms around his neck and buried closer to him for a moment. She felt so much more when she was closer to him. "Hey. I haven't seen you in ages," she felt his arms wrap around her and pull her closer, tense in his shoulders which worried her. "and I missed you." She whispered as if it was a deadly secret.

He released her and made sure she wasn't sitting that close to him. It would only make it that much harder. He smiled but it didn't light up his eyes. "I was busy."

Her head tilted to the side and he wanted to capture the moment forever; it brought him back to when she was nine and everything was a question - always wanting answers. "Why?" She was quiet; she felt a storm coming on, straight from Edward's mouth and she knew it would destroy everything.

He gulped, looking back through the trees that he'd just passed, momentarily thinking that this might have been easier if he'd just called. But he wanted to see her… one last time. "I was packing." He watched her face crumble. "I'm moving… to Chicago."

Moving? Away from her? Bella couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. She'd always thought of Edward as that one guy who would always be there, peering over her shoulder and keeping her safe. She knew she'd been lucky having him near her this long - he could have easily moved for college, like all of his friends were doing. But after spending years with him, she couldn't fathom a meadow without Edward's accompaniment. She felt so many emotions burn up inside of her, but when it came to replying, all she could say was, "Oh."

With such a lacking reply, he began babbling with anything that would soften the blow. It was hard for both of them, but telling her that he was leaving… leaving her… it almost made him want to stay. "I've been offered a job, and my manager has been so good to me throughout college it would be disrespectful. Especially when he's gone to such lengths to secure this job for me. And it's Chicago! You know how much I want to go there, Bella! Ever since my father told me of his time growing up there, it's just been a dream. And-"

"And I get it, Edward," she placed her hand over his, calming him and making his skin jump start all at once with her touch. She looked up into his eyes. "It's your dream, Edward. You should go for it." She muttered, trying to sound as enthusiastic as she could.

He frowned and suddenly he was cupping her cheek, wiping away a tear that had fallen. Her skin, so soft… this was wrong, but felt so right. "I don't want to leave, you know, but it's the right thing to do. I'll miss… everything." His thumb rubbed circles into her jaw, "You, I'll miss you, Bella."

She sniffled, forcing out a chuckle of her own. "Good. I'm glad."

They sat and stared at each other for the next ten minutes, taking in each other and all the features which would fade from the minds eyes with every second they were away from each other. He took in her eyes; the smattering of dainty freckles that covered her nose and spread to her cheeks; the ears she'd never dared to pierce. She took in the strength of his jaw and the ensnaring green eyes that always caught her and drew her in.

Eventually he sighed and went to stand up, taking her hands in his and bringing her upwards too. When the pressure of saying goodbye became to much for him he reached forward and mussed up her hair, earning a gentle slap on the chest. He clinged to the hand and felt her pulse through his fingertips. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

She nodded, and leant into him. She gasped when she felt his lips on the apple of her cheek, then he drew back and smiled slightly before turning around and walking away.

A flicker of electric blue caught her eye and without much thought she plucked it up from the ground and ran after him, calling his name. He turned and smiled when she pressed the family of blue flowers into his hand. "So you won't forget me." She explained, but she needn't have. He couldn't forget Bella even if he tried.

And then she watched him walk away.

*~FMN~*

Bella, twenty-two and fresh out of the University of Washington, sat under the shade of the new cherry trees which lined the meadow. Esme and Carlisle slow danced on the small white stage set up in the middle of the grass, the last of the afternoon sun highlighting their entwined bodies. Bella couldn't help but smile as she looked at them. Thirty years of marriage, and even when they could have spent their anniversary on an exotic island just the two of them, they wanted to share it with everyone. That was just the sort of people they were; so loving, so generous and there was never a moment where she regretted being placed in their care at the tender age of nine. She'd become a very accomplished and lovely woman - or so she'd been told - and there were many things and people she'd not have come into contact with if she hadn't been put with the Cullen family.

Most importantly, Edward.

At the thought of him she turned her head and took in the scene in front of her. Edward was watching the celebrating couple just has closely as she had been while his girlfriend sat talking his ear off at the other side of the table. Her mouth kept moving but Bella could tell he wasn't taking anything in. Why was he dating Leah if he just… didn't care. She shrugged inside; who was she to question him?

He hadn't broken his promise to her. She'd seen him a few times in the last six years, whenever he could make it away from Chicago. Each time had been different - sometimes he'd be very distant, flinching every time she touched him; other times he would cling to her gaze and hang off every word she said. These conflicting attitudes and reactions were making her confused as to where he stood with her. Her own feelings, though, were unchangeable. Once she'd realized she was in love with Edward she'd gone on numerous dates just to get him out of her system. How could she be with someone who still saw their age gap as something to "flinch" at? How could she be with him if he was with another woman? Esme had said they'd been together for over a year. She was gorgeous too; flawless tan skin with bewitching brown eyes and tumbling chocolate locks. No wonder he wanted her, and not the woman who reminded him constantly of the girl he'd once picked flowers with.

Alice sat down dramatically at her table and nudged her with her knobbly elbow. "What's wrong? Your face is tripping! You should be celebrating like the rest of us!" Bella looked up at her bubbly friend and smiled.

She'd met Alice on orientation day at the University of Washington. With her excitable personality and infectious enthusiasm Bella couldn't help but suddenly become her best friend. They'd known each other for four years now and acted more like sisters. After living with each other for so long, Alice knew when something was wrong.

But she tried to deny it anyway. "Nothing, Al. Nothing; I'm fine."

Alice's eyebrow arched. "I'm not buying that, Bella, but whatever." She leant forward and fixed her eyes on Edward and Leah. Her nose scrunched up and she sighed. "All I'm going to say is, he's a fool to be with her when you're right here." She kissed my cheek before standing up. "No competition whatsoever, honey. Now," she started walking away, "I'm going to find myself a man to dance with." and she headed towards a tall blonde-haired man with no hesitation in her step. That was Alice; nothing would ever stand in her way of getting what she wanted.

Feeling thirsty, Bella stood up with her glass and made her way through the cherry trees to a long table which held the drinks, carefully shaded from the sun. Picking up the jug of pink lemonade, she began to pour it into her cup.

"Hello, Bella." His voice, much deeper than the one she'd heard at their first meeting, sent shivers through her body and made her hand freeze while pouring her drink. His hand clasped over hers on the jug and gently put it down for her. "There. Wouldn't want you spilling it, would we?"

She shook her head, not wanting to look up and find that he was actually there, close enough to touch. But he wanted to see her exquisite eyes and forced her face up to his with one finger under her chin. Her lips quivered and the closeness and she stepped backwards a little, his hand falling between their bodies like the barrier that had always been present in their friendship.

She cleared her throat. "How've you been?" Small talk seemed good, she thought.

He shrugged. "Okay," he took a step closer to her and his scent wrapped around her, cuddled her. "I've missed you," he whispered, "terribly, Bella."

She couldn't move or even speak when he was so close to her. He took in her silence, and her gorgeous face and how stunning she looked in her summer dress and suddenly felt compelled to kiss her. He grasped her face between his two hands and pressed his lips to hers, gently, once, twice until he stood back waiting. He was smiling. Why was he smiling? Yes, she'd wanted him to kiss her since she was fifteen and wondered what it felt like; wondered what a nice kiss was like rather than the sloppy one she'd received from Mike Newton on her thirteenth birthday. But that kiss, that kiss was so beautiful and gentle, and so, so… wrong.

She gulped, panting for breathe as she felt tears appearing. "Why?" She breathed, so caught up in emotions that her head was spinning. "Why would you kiss me? Why would you do it so nonchalantly - without even thinking?" She looked into his eyes and saw so much doubt and confusion. "Why would you give me such a beautiful kiss - is it something for me to remember you by when you go back to Chicago and I never hear from you? You shouldn't tease; you shouldn't let me feel such things when I know…"She caught herself as tears flooded her cheeks. He looked broken; just as she felt. "…that I love you, but I'll never be yours."

She left her lemonade sitting on that table and stumbled away from the man who held her heart carelessly in his hands. She ignored the looks of those mingling outside the house and flung the door open, climbing the stairs with her vision blurred and falling onto her bed in a broken heap.

Waking hours later, with eyes red and sore, she felt something crinkly beside her hands. Grasping it, she took in the envelope and Edward's script which had written her name. Bracing herself, she opened the envelope and tipped out the contents, watching as petals and more blue petals tumbled onto her sheets. Then she looked at the note card.

My heart has always been yours.

*~FMN~*

To:

From:

Subject: Family Update.

Hello, Esme.

Thank you so much for your email. It was lovely to see you at your anniversary party - such a lovely event and such good weather for it, too. I must say, it was nice of you to invite Edward and Leah. It was an opportunity to have my son back, even if he was out of sorts on the day. We found out why, too.

Two months after they both returned to Chicago, something must have happened. One night I get a phone call from Edward telling me that Leah wouldn't be coming to us for Thanksgiving next month because they were no longer together! It's such a shame because she was a beautiful girl - had nice manners about her too, but I can't question Edward's judgement. He knows when he knows, he says.

I asked him why they'd broken up but he wouldn't give me a definite answer. Just that she "wasn't the one he wanted". Remember the days, Esme, when you'd get together and married despite whether you were in love with them or not. Oh, how times have changed. Of course, I want my son to be happy, but he's 28. He should be settling down soon, whether she's the one or not.

But I can't rant at you all day. I just thought I'd tell you how lovely Bella looked at your party, too. She's grown into a beauty, hasn't she! Now that's the sort of girl Edward should be looking for…. Perhaps some matchmaking is needed on our part, Esme? Haha, such fun!

Anyway, we must get together soon for coffee, agreed?

I'll phone you later,

Elizabeth.

*~FMN~*

After the Thanksgiving meal was over and people were returning to the sitting room, around the fire to chat, Bella found herself wanting to escape and be on her own for a while. She was tired of social occasions and the constant questions: where are you working?; do you enjoy your job?; are you with anyone at the moment?

The bookshop in town.

Yes.

(Definitely) No.

How could she even think about dating someone when things were so up in the air with Edward? She'd been told all about his break-up - and how he was thinking of moving to Seattle to be closer to his parents. Esme hadn't been tight-lipped about it, and Elizabeth Masen, Edward's mother, had a sudden interest in books. She was a sweet woman with a mouth that could run for miles, and usually it gave her amusement. But the subject of Edward and of his relationships was a sore spot for her. She remembered their last meeting as if it had happened the day before. She stood true to her argument. His kiss had only made her long for more, when at that point 'more' couldn't have been given. But now…

He was appropriately single.

And she wanted him. God, she wanted him.

Just a chance, for them to see where their relationship could go. Maybe it would go nowhere and they wouldn't be compatible? Or maybe they would work well together? She internally shrugged; if only the chance was there. They'd never know otherwise.

There had always been an element of fate about their relationship. What if the adoption centre had placed her in another town - or in Forks but with another family? What if Edward hadn't been employed by Esme? What if she'd decided to help Esme bake instead of play outside that day - would there have ever been that destined meeting, where she met the man she fell so deeply in love with? Sure, she'd probably have met him at some point… but there was something magical about the meadow; something that always made her feet race to that circle of light - like she was doing now.

And just like fate had intervened again, there he was sitting in the exact same place she'd found him fourteen years ago. Sitting cross-legged, wearing scuffed up jeans and a white t-shirt, covered by a flannel. And there she was. Standing on the outskirts, unsure of what to do, with her arms crossed over her chest, a slight frown on her pretty face.

Edward could feel her presence so acutely. He didn't even have to look up to know it was her. He could tell by the gentle padding of her footsteps on the pathway of grass; by the way he body tensed with the excitement of being near her; by the way his head wanted to turn and gaze at her. But one look had led to more the last time, and that hadn't ended well, so he settled with, "Happy Thanksgiving." in an almost shy whisper.

She coughed slightly and padded a little closer. "You too," He looked up then and was caught in a trance. The evening sun wrapped around her so perfectly she looked like an ethereal being. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair and see if it was as soft as it looked to be. She caught his gaze and smiled slightly. "I hear you got transferred back to the Seattle branch of the company. Pay rise, too. Congratulations."

He nodded, lost for words as she came and sat next to him. He took a moment to just… look at her. "It's great, but it also means that I can be nearer the most important people in my life." He gave her a pointed glance, which she avoided by picking up the blue flowers which had always been a constant reminder of him.

She looked down at the delicate flower. "And I heard about you… and Leah. I'm sorry." She was and she wasn't, really. She was still hoping for the chance.

He shrugged, "I was…" He trailed off and took her hand hesitantly into his, playing with her beautiful fingers, "I am… in love with someone else. Leah was an attempt at a distraction. I could look at her and imagine…" He moved closer to Bella on his knees, "that she was you. It's always been you."

She felt tears gathering in her eyes - something that seemed to happen whenever she was with him. But these, these were happy tears. "So you're letter was true." She whispered, unbelieving.

He gathered her closer and spoke against her cheek. "Of course it was. I never forgot you. Never once."

"Neither did I, Edward. Never once." She laughed through her tears.

He drew his head back and this time she wasn't confused or hesitant or angry. She was happy with the fact that this was really happening; it had been destiny from the very beginning. She lost herself in his embrace, the strength of his passion and the muscles of his shoulders and arms holding her to him. Tangles of tongues created something beautiful that they'd both craved for so long, even if it took them a while to realize and come to terms with it.

His fingers trailed down from her cheeks to her collar bone, trailing fire from his fingertips into her skin. Eventually they reached the buttons of her shirt, and he drew back, looking for permission. She ran her fingers through his gorgeous hair. "I've waited years for you; I'm not going to say no. Love me, please."

She sighed when his lips kissed down her neck to her ear. "I already do." And then he continued to tease her body into a melted pile of love and passion, needing his touch more than anything in her life. Clothes were shed from both of them until they were left in nothing but underwear. He scooped her up into his arms and led her into the middle of the fading circle of sunlight, desperate to see her in all her glory under the setting sun.

He kissed down her body with feather light touches that had her writhing for more. Slipping his hands under her back, she arched into him as he unsnapped her bra, pulling it gently off my the shoulders before his lips continued to explore. Her legs came up to his waist, locking him to her while her feet pushed off his boxers. He kicked them off and then slid her own panties off her body. Suddenly they were bare and there was nothing left to do but to lose themselves in each other.

He leant over her, his member brushing lightly against her clit, making her gasp with each minute touch. "I love you, Bella. So much." He whispered and she returned the sentiments as he pushed inside of her.

They revelled in the feeling of completeness and continued to make love into the night.

*~FMN~*

Forks News

Wedding Announcements

Mr and Mrs Carlisle Cullen

have the pleasure of announcing

the marriage of their daughter

Bella Cullen

to

Edward Anthony Masen.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

When they will be marrying in the meadow where it all began.

All friends and family welcome; it's sure to be a joyous event.

...

And it was.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it and would like to vote, just click the link at the top of the page and it'll take you there. While you're on fanfiction-challenges, make sure you look at the other entries - they are ALL fabulous!

-xBMS