Dear readers!

This is an approved translation.

The original story is one of my favorites. It was written by 'Psy1980'. I thought it was wonderful.

This is a different version of the Twilight story that is being told. First Edward really leaves Bella and doesn't meet her again until by chance seventeen years later. Secondly, the story does not end with a happy ending, but continues and describes everyday family life. And thirdly both vampires and wolves, but also humans, play a leading role. Which, of course, entails certain difficulties.

The copyrighted characters do not belong to me, but to Stephenie Meyer.

Remarks under each chapter are by the author Psy1980 (Sandra), sometimes adapted.

Thoughts that are addressed directly to another person (also to oneself) or spoken to another person - such as between wolves - are written in italics. Also, thoughts that Edward hears are sometimes italicized, especially when he responds to them.

Since my native language is German, a friendly and nice author - just4fun37 (Julie) - will read the chapters as a beta reader and correct expression errors on my part. Many thanks for that!

One more quick note:

The story was written for German-speaking readers. The author lives in Germany, where certain laws - for example about alcohol, going to bars and clubs/discos - are somewhat freer than for example in the USA. In Europe, one is also allowed to smoke in clubs and discos in their own smoking rooms or in outdoor areas and parking lots. Even if the story is set there, such laws were not always taken into account. One also does not always read into the exact details of legislation when writing a story that is not distributed in book format through a publisher, but simply assumes the laws in one's own country. Just understand it as writerly freedom and I ask you to keep this in mind when reading the story. Thank you!

One Day We'll Meet Again

Prologue

What happened so far!

Bella

Edward had left me!

Life became meaningless over the long and cruel months that followed. Everything hurt. My thoughts were gloomy. My dreams morphed into horrible nightmares that tore at my mind night after night. I functioned, but I did not live. I went to school, but I didn't hear the lessons. I ate and drank, but tasted nothing. I sought out danger to hear his voice in my head. Killing myself crossed my mind regularly, but he hadn't left me behind for that. That would have been easier. He would have only had to give in to his instincts and suck me dry. That's why he had left. So that this danger no longer existed.

And then Jake came along.

My sun.

He had shown me the way back to life.

Slowly, but steadily.

He had become my best friend and then my love. My love for Jake had never given me that inescapable sense of finality that Edward had once done. But I really did love him. And I was happy to share my life with him.

Forever.

Even though we knew about the possibility of him imprinting on someone else and this 'danger' was our daily companion, we gave ourselves everything that could be given to a loved one: affection, friendship, trust, and satisfaction. I had made love to Jake. More than once. It had been wonderful. We planned our future together - finish school, study in Seattle, move in together. As lovers, the whole beautiful plan could have only been meant seriously in the heat of the moment. But we had actually been serious about it. We were already squabbling over possible furniture placement.

But then everything turned out differently.

Jake was dead. He had put his life on the line for mine and lost. Victoria had shown up one last time with a full-blown army, just to kill me; a harmless defenseless person who was prone to accidents and had little sense of balance. It took a whole armada of vampires to do that.

The wolves had been mercilessly outclassed. They had defended my life, but at what cost? Only Sam, Seth, and Paul had returned from the battlefield.

The floor had collapsed beneath me.

I just wanted to get out of Washington as fast as I could, away from La Push. I fled to Renée and grieved for months. Fleeing wasn't exactly the right word. I was barely able to move on my own, so Charlie brought me to her.

Losing Jake painfully reminded me that this was the second time I had lost a love. The torment from my losses twisted together. I grieved again for Edward and now for Jake, and for Leah, Embry, Quil, and Jared.

Everything hurt me. Speaking, and thinking, hurt. Not to even mention trying to move.

I blocked out all my surroundings and concentrated solely on my memories.

Eventually the months passed. I felt I had new energy. Enough strength to leave everything behind me. Everything!

I wrenched myself up and made my way to the highest bridge that existed in the city. My prolonged vegetation had weakened my muscles and I was dragging myself more than actually walking, but I finally reached my destination.

I had an endless inner monologue with myself, pretending to converse with Edward and Jacob. I apologized for all the torment I had caused them by my very existence, said goodbye to both of them, and promised them that I wouldn't cause them anymore grief. Never again!

I was struggling to climb the railing when I felt a sharp pain inside of me. It had nothing to do with what I had been going through over the past few months. Whatever this was it didn't hurt nearly as much, yet cut deeper. The ground began to sway and came closer and closer to me.

I heard voices around me; many voices, but I didn't know any of them. Everything sounded very busy and for a moment I thought it might be the entrance to hell, but it couldn't be. It sounded too ... human. The voices were mixed with incessant beeping and buzzing sounds. I'd heard these kinds of noises too many times in my life. They helped me realize where I must be. A Hospital.

But why was I here? I hadn't jumped. Not yet! What happened?

Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw through an open door the eagerness of the many doctors, nurses, and orderlies walking back and forth in the hallway outside my room, as they went about their work.

Renée sat by my bedside; tears streaming down her cheeks. She immediately noticed that I was awake and looked relieved. A doctor was quickly called and I was told I could go home. But not before receiving the shock of my life ... I was pregnant! And already in my sixth month. This new realization made me forget about the men in my life. Only one thing was important now: the children I carried under my heart. Jake's children. Jake's twins. My life had a purpose again. I would give these kids everything I could - care, love, trust. They wouldn't want for anything.

On the day they were born I realized that I was capable of loving unconditionally after all. On February 14, 2007, Leah Renée and Jacob William saw the light of day. My Valentine's gifts from Jake. My little candy hearts.

All of that was seventeen years ago ...