Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
Author's note: I wrote this in one night after getting some inspiration. After getting the idea I just couldn't ignore it! Enjoy!
Softly I went up the creaking staircase, a futile attempt of not trying to wake up my little brother. As soon as I stood at the top of the stairs my brother opened his door and a small curious face peeked out.
"Sis?" his voice asked tiredly. "What are you doing?"
Giving him a smile I walked towards him. "I was going to bed. Do you want me to tell a story before you fall asleep?"
He nodded and clutched his teddy bear tighter to his chest before turning back to his bed. I tucked him in and kissed his forehead. "Which one would you like to hear?"
"A new one!"
"A new one huh? I guess that's alright."
I made myself comfortable on the small chair beside his bed. There was a small lamp lit on his bedside table which gave the room a dimmed light. He was still afraid of the dark.
"Mary was a little girl who loved the trees. Because these small and big trees all had a story to tell. Every one of them had their own story and they often liked to share them with each other. Mary was one of the few human beings who could understand their complicated words and speech. The trees loved to tell her the stories of the beautiful dancing fairies, the man plying a violin in the river and the mysterious elves that had a language that only they could understand. The trees had very different stories about them some of love and some of sadness but even then she loved them all.
Mary liked to tell the people in her village the stories she had heard. All the humans listening were spell-bound by her words. The one who most liked her stories was the blacksmith's son, Ran. He wasn't really liked by anyone because of his arrogance. But when he listened to Mary's stories he became a whole new person, there was a gentleness in his eyes that hadn't been there before.
Ran liked Mary very much and listened to her stories every chance he could get. He was to shy in front of her to be able to tell his feelings so instead he gave her flowers and expensive gifts. Mary liked the flowers but she thought his gifts were too expensive for her taste. And so she didn't understand and couldn't accept his feelings.
What Ran didn't know was that he had to compete for Mary's affection. Another man named Will, a stable boy, was trying to win her love. Will had also listened to every story he could and he gave her flowers and walked with her beside the river. They talked much and Mary soon fell as deeply in love with Will as he in her.
They had decided to meet at a full moon by the lake they first walked by. But as Mary walked through the city she was noticed by Ran who curious as he was followed her. He wondered where she could go so late in the evening.
They soon stopped by the riverside. Will already waiting. Mary happily rushed into his embrace and they hugged tightly.
Ran was seething with jealousy. The girl he had proclaimed would be his had been snatched away by a simple stable boy!"
"What did he do? What did he do?" my little brother excitedly jumped in a sitting position, his eyes round and lively.
"Ran sprung forward and pointed the dagger he had in his belt at Will and he shouted, 'I will not let you have her!' Will made Mary back away and he tried to reason with Ran but he just wouldn't listen. He was blinded by the dark monster and Will's affection towards Mary couldn't be overlooked. Ran full of rage ran towards Will dagger held high, gleaming dangerously in the moonlight.
Mary in fear of her loved one getting hurt stepped in between. Ran was about to stop when he tripped over a rock and fell forward, his knife penetrated Mary's flesh. Her eyes grew wide in shock and she stumbled backwards. Will was too late to catch her fall in the river. She slowly drifted away leaving a red trail after her. The boy's too shocked to even try to get her body.
A terrible accident, one you couldn't really stop.
Ran and Will though feeling very guilty told all the villagers of what happened but even how much they searched they still couldn't find Mary.
The villagers began to whisper, a rumor floating in the air.
Mary must have gone to heaven. The heaven she had told them about in her stories. The heaven up in the sky for all the good people on earth. She must have gone through the door up there in the sky to her long lost family who had silently been waiting for her.
The villagers continued the daily life, glad that they knew she lived in her own story and were watching them from above, through one of the many windows in the sky."
"That was a good story", brother said clutching his bear tight. "Teddy thought so too."
"I'm glad you both liked it", I smiled. "Now we both have to sleep."
I tucked him in once more so he was comfortable and turned to leave only to be stopped by his soft sleepy voice.
"Bella?"
"Yes Jake?"
"What is the door and windows in the sky?"
"The door is the moon and the stars are the windows to heaven, that's why they shine so brightly", I whispered. "Good night, Jake."
"Night sis", Jake mumbled half asleep already.
I smiled of affection at him and quietly left his room and walked to mine.
Sleep was dreamless.
"Jake I'm going to the river with Edward!"
"I want to see Edward too!" Jake complained.
Edward looked at me with those green eyes you can't resist. We where currently standing in my hallway and ready to head out.
"Alright! But you have to hurry!"
Happily Jake jumped down the steps and hastily put on his shoes and jacket. "I'm ready!" he exclaimed.
I chuckled at him. "Haven't you forgotten something?"
Plying innocent he wrinkled his brow in thought. "No?" he asked hesitantly.
Crossing my arms, I tapped my fingers to my elbow and raised an eyebrow. "Really? What about your cap?"
"Do I have to?" he complained.
I answered him by putting his cap on his head. Jake sulked and pouted. "At least I don't make you wear gloves!"
Jake still grumpy didn't reply.
Edward chuckled at our antics. I guessed he felt a little lonely, he didn't have any siblings.
The trees were showing of their best attire, in strikingly red, orange and yellow. A heap of leaves had already fallen but they still stood majestically.
Jake ran around, happily kicking the leaves. He ran back, grabbed my and Edward's arms and made us behave the same. Even if our antics were childish we still had fun.
Edward grabbed my hand, pulled me closer and kissed my red cheek. "Your blush is beautiful", he complimented.
His comment only made me blush more.
It took us almost half an hour to the lake – a walk which only takes ten minutes normally.
The water was calm not even a breeze to ruffle the surface. A rare moment for autumn.
Edward put an arm around my shoulders so we could share warmth on this chilly day. We walked a little behind Jake who was running around like crazy finding new interesting things – to him – everywhere.
We both chuckled when Jake lifted a rock only to wrinkle his nose at the things hiding underneath it. He hastily put it back in its original place. He turned towards us and let out a laugh that warmed our hearts. He stood up and ran full speed at us and a few feet away he jumped and expected us to catch him. Edward luckily has so fast reflexes he were able to catch him. If I had been alone I would somehow made both of us end up with a concussion.
"Jake don't do that!" I scolded him. "At least tell beforehand if you're going to do it."
"Alright!" he beamed at me. "I'll do so next time!"
Our happy bubble burst at that time. A classmate of Edward and me came forward on the path. Edward slowly put Jake down and I hastily took his hand and clutched it. Jake who could sense my fear held it tightly back.
"James what are you doing here?" Edward's voice was cold with an undertone of a threat.
"Can't I walk wherever I want?" He held out his arms in a too carefree way.
Edward's eyes grew smaller. He clutched his fist, I could see it shaking, sending a vibe that he wanted to smash it in James's face. I sight I would gladly see. James had been bothering me to much lately.
"Are you stalking Bella?" Edward said angry.
"And what if I am?" James smirked. "What are you going to do?"
Edward's face grew red of suppressed rage. He clutched both his fists tightly wishing to hit his face.
My hand grabbed his arm and I shook my head at him when he turned around. "Don't. He's not worth it."
"He's damn worth it" Edward said through gritted teeth. He looked back at James and gave him a murderous glare which James shot back.
"It's best if we walk away", I tried to reason.
Edward nodded controlled. His fists were still clutched, his jaw gritted and his eyes shooting glares. I grabbed his arm and we began to walk away from James down the path that led to the grocery store but that was still a few minutes away from here.
"Where are you going? Is Edward too much of a pussy to fight?"
Edward stopped but tried to get a hold of himself. I knew he was really fighting against the urge to break James's nose.
James continued to throw insults and in the end Edward lost it. He charged at James and hit him straight in the face, a crushing sound was heard.
"Edward!" I screamed as they began the exchange hits and even some kicks.
Jake clutched my hand and pressed himself to my side afraid of the violence in front of him.
"Guys! Stop it!"
They didn't listen and James when he noticed he was at disadvantage took out a small knife from his boot.
I hastily turned to my brother bending my knees so our eyes where in the same level. "Jake, you stay here okay?" I stated firmly. "And if you have to you run towards the grocery store okay?"
Jake's eyes grew big in fear and tears silently ran down. "Sis? Is the same thing going to happen like in your story?"
Taken aback I answered, "Of course not. Everything will be fine."
But really, what right did I have to say that?
Leaving Jake on the path in safety I stomped towards the men who where now seizing each other up. Edward at an obvious disadvantage and James showing of his knife.
"Stop it both of you!"
James charged forward.
I put myself in between them, hoping that James would stop. He was going to but his foot twisted and the knife flew in the air was going to give a direct hit on my body.
What I hadn't noticed when I stomped towards the men was Jake quietly following me. He was now closer to me than I had thought.
"No!" two voices screamed.
A small body threw himself at me and because of my lack of balance I fell like a stone with my brother on top. Jake gave a short intake of breath before he let out a piercing scream.
Frantic I moved from under him and looked down at his body. The knife had landed and pierced his side, a direct hit to his stomach and organs.
"Jake! Jake! Can you hear me?" I asked frantically as I held his pale cheeks in both my hands.
"Am I going to die sis?" he asked a faint smile grazing his lip.
"No", I cried. "No, you won't die bro. You won't die."
"Really?" he said the smile still on his lips.
Tears welled up and I nodded not able to speak. It felt like his life would slip through my fingers.
If I wasn't so concentrated on Jake I would have noticed James fleeing and Edward making the emergency call.
They soon appeared both the ambulance and the police which one of them was my father. His face when he saw Jake I won't even describe. The ambulance men in yellow vests brought a stretcher where they put Jakes small, weak form.
When they wheeled him towards the ambulance I was still on the ground on my knees, crying my eyes out. Somehow I knew he wouldn't make it.
Dad hopped in and rode with Jake to the hospital.
Edward embraced me his tears making my hair wet but I didn't care and I was currently pouring my heart out on Edward's chest.
"He's going to make it. He's a strong kid", Edward tried to reassure.
I just shook my head and continued crying. The feeling in my chest wouldn't stop. The tightening, ripping and pulling. My heart was also about to die of this torture.
I'll watch you from heaven sis.
Edward and I waited for news at my home. My mom had gone to the hospital but either of my parents wanted me there. Maybe because they didn't want me to relive the moment of Jake's… Jake's… or maybe they just didn't want me to see them in that condition.
Edward held my hand tightly the whole time.
The phone was lying stiffly on the kitchen table. Just waiting for the dreadful call that came all too soon.
"Mom?" my voice was able to shake out.
Hearing her burst into tears on the phone was answer enough. I dropped the phone and threw myself into Edward's chest. The only safe place for the moment.
I sat in the small chair Jake had in his room before. It was currently in my room by the window. I sat there almost every night and watched the stars and the moon. And at that time I told Jake stories, my window open so he could hear me. I knew he could hear me even if it was closed but I felt nearer to Jake that way.
The moon is the door to heaven and the stars are the windows to heaven that's why they shine so brightly.
Jake, I hope you watch us from one of the windows in heaven.
Author's Note: I would also like to thank SphereDragon - or Valle - for her spell checking! Thank you!
And thanks to all reading this story!