“Bella, I’m going to give you some privacy. I won’t go far, but I won’t listen either. I know you don’t want an audience, no matter which way you decide to go.”

Three years after his mysterious disappearance, Edward’s final words to Bella still haunt her every waking moment. For her parents, Bella tries to put the past behind her and start a new life but one phone call shatters her fragile new world. Bella must then choose between her new life and the potential heartache of her past.

All canon pairings. NO CHARACTER DEATH. This is an Edward and Bella story.

I'd like to thank ms_ambrosia for the awesome banner!

Bella Swan is twenty-seven years old, newly single, and mom to an adorable Kindergarten student with a knack for accidents. On a typical, fall afternoon, she experiences the shock of her life during a casual conversation with her son. When an unexpected revelation leads to the most emotional reunion imaginable, how will Bella reconcile the path her life has taken with the past she never chose? Takes place nearly ten years post New Moon. Canon - AU. ExB

1/11/11: This story is now complete!  Thanks to tiffanyanne3 for all the validatin' goodness.  Thanks again to Mehek18 for the super-awesome banner!  Please enjoy!

This story begins from the point in New Moon just after Bella meets the rest of Jacob's pack.  Edward doesn't return to Forks until Bella and Jacob have spent more time together.  Will he stand aside like he promised, or will he fight for her?  What will happen the next time Bella's life is in danger?  Victoria still wants to kill her, Edward still loves her, and Jacob has a chance at winning her heart.  Who will be Bella's ultimate savior?  This is written with canon couples (though it may not seem like it for the first 6 chapters) and is mostly narrated by Bella and Edward with a dash of Jacob.   (FYI: The chromosphere is a thin layer of the Sun's atmosphere that can only be seen during a total solar eclipse, usually as a red flash.)

Here's a new banner created (Jan 2011) by Mehek18 as part of The Twilight Awards Banner Giveaway (Love it! - especially the "Neon" quote.):

Rated NC-17 for mild bedroom (and elsewhere) antics (but no lemons), some harsh language, a little mayhem, and underage drinking (this is the reason it isn't rated R)... sounds fun right?  Again, this story features canon couples, and mostly in-character, so... whatever difference that makes to you... that's what it is.

You know those fics where Edward doesn't come back and Bella forgets about him and five seconds later she's in bed with Jacob and none of it makes any damn sense?
Yeah, this isn't one of them.

This story picks up from the moment in New Moon when Jacob has driven Bella home after the cliff diving incident, right before he catches the scent of Alice. Only in this telling, Alice wasn't looking, so there's no sudden appearance at Bella's house, no Rosalie calling Edward and sending him on a suicidal mission to Volterra, and no reason for Bella to do anything but believe that Edward didn't love her anymore. This is simply a story of what might have happened if everyone stayed mostly in character and Edward's return was delayed. Yes, delayed. Because we all know that he was "this close" to coming back on his own anyhow.
So what would have happened if Bella had tried to move on with her life?  Would she have found happiness with Jacob?  And would Edward be too late?

* First in a series of stories

~I thought of Jacob’s warm arms wrapped around me, his infectious laughter, and his ability to keep me from falling to pieces again… The pain choking my heart relaxed and I could breathe.~

~“More than anything,” I whispered, not caring what I'd just agreed to. When it came to Bella, it didn't matter what the question was. I just wanted.~

Winner of:

Best Author, Most Romantic, Favorite Jacob, Most Suspenseful, & Best WIP in the Wolfpack Awards | Best Non-Canon Pairing (Incomplete) and Best WIP in the Moonlight Awards | Best During the Series in the Razzle Dazzle Awards | The Storyteller Award in the Shimmer Awards | Best JacobxBella in the Silent Tear Awards  

AU Post-New Moon.

Bella never jumped, Alice never had her vision and Edward never came back. Six years later, Bella is struggling to make a new life for herself as a teacher in Rochester, New York. How will she fare when a very familiar student crops up in her classroom? Will she be able to remain professional, or will old ties get in the way?

Edward is convinced that getting Bella back is just a matter of 'persuasion', but Bella isn't prepared to be that cooperative. What's more, she's in the grip of a dark secret which threatens to prevent her from loving ever again.

Bella Swan is slipping under...

ALSO POSTED ON FANFICTION.NET

Four weeks before her wedding to Edward, Bella is frustrated. She knows there's little-to-no chance of getting him to bend his rules and boundaries now, but there's no harm in fantasizing about what could happen later. So she begins compiling a list of things that she and Edward can do together once they're happily married. She's surprised to find she might be able to cross some things off earlier than she thought...

Story contains mature themes and is not intended for younger readers.

Thanks to Mandi, aka m81170, for the great banner!

A Jacob and Bella romance.

...“I never really wanted Edward. Not really. I know that now. If I have to choose between him, and you, then without hesitation, I choose you.”

This picks up right where New Moon left off.  Rated NC-17 for later chapters.  Stephanie Meyer owns and originated these extremely compelling characters.  I'm not making a dime from this.

Thank you silencechaser for the banner!

What if the wolf pack hadn't interrupted Laurent before he bit Bella?  This is the story of Bella being changed despite Edward leaving her to prevent it from happening.

Rated for later chapters.  Just like in New Moon, Edward will make an appearance eventually!