What we're reading in TLS this week:

We hope your holidays have been filled with lots of love and laughter. For our last post of this year, we will close with our third seasonal fic rec list. Fill your glass with some bubbly, sit back and enjoy! Don’t forget to leave the authors some love in the form of a review. 

Happy Holidays from all the staff of The Lemonade Stand!

12 Days of Christmas by MeteorOnAMoonlessNight
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12265556/1/12-Days-of-Christmas
12 daily one shots, all with different scenarios and different lengths, loosely based on the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. Happy holidays! Rated M

A Christmas Wish by Lozz.of.London
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13746821/1/A-Christmas-Wish
One little boy’s wish, one exhausted single father, and one woman who will change both of their lives, for the better. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Bella is in for a whole lot of naughty and nice. A whirlwind festive romance. A story of love, friends and family. AH ExB Rated M

All I Want For Christmas by Kyla713
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6557703/1/All-I-Want-For-Christmas
Bella's five year old son makes a Christmas wish she'd never expected, and sets her entire world spinning. Rated M

 
Beautifully Blind by JGaff
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13992575/1/Beautifully-Blind
Edward, cynical and cold, from a business world, the last thing he expects is to spend his holiday in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Bella is determined to live her life on her own terms, never letting her disability stand in her way, especially on a day as special as Christmas. Can she teach him the true meaning of Christmas. Rated M

Christmas in the Sand by amandac3
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8754431/1/Christmas-in-the-Sand
While on vacation in Hawaii for her best friend’s Christmas wedding, Bella asked Santa for nothing more than to get lei’d properly. After a rather traumatic event on the beach, Edward, a superhero of sorts, comes to her rescue Baywatch style. Sparks fly and all that jazz. Will Edward be able to fulfill Bella’s only Christmas wish? A short, fluffy, and fun Christmas Drabble. Rated M

Here We Are, As In Olden Days by Rinabina 
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8772928/1/Here-We-Are-As-In-Olden-Days
Bella and Edward have been friends forever but ruth be told, it's always been a little more than that. A holiday collection of the history of Bella and Edward - Past, present and future. Rated M

In Every Life (A Little Snow Must Fall) by cosmogirl7481
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9914068/1/In-Every-Life-A-Little-Snow-Must-Fall
Life happens. It passes us by in fleeting moments filled with unexpected encounters. It gives us choices to say and do the right thing. And chances to make it better, even when our choices were wrong. A short holiday story. Rated M 

Long Way to Christmas by That’sMzPeachesTYVM

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9890550/1/Long-Way-to-Christmas
She is brilliant and beautiful, and will respected at a very young age in her field, but she is all alone. No family. No friends outside of work. He is alone by choice, punishing himself for the sins of his past, but he has family to give him strength. Will a chance encounter, and a daily trip out of her way lead her to the family and place of belonging she so craves? Rated M

Merry Textmas by DH78
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6486529/1/Merry-Textmas
Bella is forced to tackle the crowds on Black Friday with her best friend, Angela. Can a random text message from a wrong number change the course of her day and her life? Banter galore! Rated M

Scrooge by kitchmill
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9953080/1/Scrooge
Ever the Scrooge, Edward Cullen has no interest in celebrating Christmas. Will his attitude change when he finds a young woman down on her luck? Rated M 

Seven Days to Christmas by CullensTwiMistress
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9923677/1/Seven-Days-to-Christmas
She met him at thirteen and again at twenty-seven. He’s never forgotten her. A Christmas story about two people, luck, and a few special deliveries. ExB Olderward. Rated M

Swan Lake by SydneyAlice
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8740351/1/Swan-Lake
He's a lost traveler needing a place to spend the night. She's the owner of a bed and breakfast. What could they possibly have in common? A story about taking wrong turns and reaching destinations you never imagined. Rated M

The Red Coats by Ericastwilight
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9938576/1/The-Red-Coats
She loves the holidays. He loathes them. As new neighbors, they have to learn to tolerate each other. The problem for Edward is that she's irresistible in red. Can she bring the Grinch around in time to save him from a lonely New Year? Rated M

Tis The Season by TheQueenWriter
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13999104/5/Tis-The-Season
On December first she caught my eye. She made me laugh. She nearly destroyed a perfectly good Christmas wreath on her front door. The air may be chilled, but there is nothing cold about this December. Rated M

Which Brings Me to You by DazzlinSparkle05
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8839872/1/
Bella is a lonely, snarky girl. Edward is a guy on a constant search for something more. Will these two find what the other is looking for? This is a continuation of my o/s Santa’s Kiss. Rated M

What we're reading in TLS this week:

In between all your holiday baking and last-minute dashing around for gifts, take a moment for you and dive into the second of three holiday-filled rec lists. We know there is at least one fic that will make you want to stand under the mistletoe! Be sure to let the writer know where you saw them featured and leave them some good cheer in the form of a review. 
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

♥ Six Dlbfive 

A Home for the Holidays by CullensTwiMistress
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9894140/1/A-Home-for-the-Holidays
Bella's roommate, Kate, offers her a place to stay during Christmas break. Unfortunately for Bella, Kate's dad is kind of hot. Attraction, UST, and a meddling daughter may just bring these two together. Rated M 

A Snowfall Kind of Love by TheFicChick
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11645525/1/A-Snowfall-Kind-of-Love
There's one thing on my grown-up Christmas list, and while it includes a number of specifics in varying degrees of dirtiness, it really all boils to the one thing I've wanted for a year and a half: a do-gooder with unruly hair and a Mister Rogers sweater, and a lifetime of nights that would land me squarely on the naughty list. Rated M

Afterglow by iambeagle
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14305671/1/Afterglow
 "You grew up on Candy Cane Lane? Why isn't that the first thing you tell people?" Rated M

Boyfriends of Christmas Past by sukiethree
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13775956/1/Boyfriends-of-Christmas-Past
A trip back home for the holidays shows Bella everything she didn't know had been missing from her life. Rated M

Cups Full of Wishes by Chloe Masen
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7661082/1/Cups-Full-of-Wishes
Lily O’Brien is a hopeful child. Will her special cups of hot chocolate and a new friendship with Dr. Edward Cullen make her greatest wish come true? Aaaaaw moments ahead.

Rated M

Cutie for Christmas by Jgaff
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13758486/1/Cutie-for-Christmas
Alice signs Bella up for Cuties for Christmas, but how can she focus on her dates with Edward decking her halls? Will they be able to resist each other? A/U E-Explicit Rated M

Do You Hear What I Hear by LyricalKris
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13139009/1/Do-You-Hear-What-I-Hear
Edward had a lot on his plate as a broke dad trying to do right by his daughter. He wasn't looking for love. But with a child's Christmas wish and a little help from Santa and his elves, the magic of the season might reach him yet. Rated M

Five Days of Holiday Hell by ericastwilight
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13458452/1/Five-Days-of-Holiday-Hell
Bella has a love/hate relationship with the holidays. Don’t get her started on office gossip and the company’s Secret Santa. Five days of sneaking around to deliver gifts to someone she could barely tolerate is pure torture! When her first gift arrives, she wonders how someone got it right on the first try. The newest employee is determined to make the next five days fun. Rated M

Let Your Heart Be Light by aushapasha
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14176895/Let-Your-Heart-Be-Light
Years ago, songbird Bella mad a mistake that almost ruined her career and definitely ruined her relationship. This Christmas she is presented with the chance to right a wrong. Rated M

Not So Merry and Bright by koalalou
https://www.fanfiction.net/13137634/1/Not-So-Merry-and-Bright
“Bella's Christmas wasn't looking so merry and bright this year. Can she reunite with Edward for the family Christmas she dreamed of or is everything between them now lost?” Rated M

One Christmas Eve by pattyrose
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13139405/1/One-Christmas-Eve
"She and I are way too opposite. We would've never worked." Better watch what you say while the magic of Christmas Eve swirls all around you. Rated M

Santa And The Bearded Elf by MrsK81
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9890441/1/Santa-And-The-Bearded-Elf
Santa, a bearded elf, a closet, and the most amazing kiss…definitely a good deed with a difference for Bella Swan. But what if her Santa turned out to be someone a little closer to home, maybe a little too close to home? How does she tell him who she really is? Rated M

The Lights on Sycamore Lane by Nerdy Lil Darlins
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14303297/1/The-Lights-on-Sycamore-Lane
"At Christmas, all roads lead home." A sequel to The House on Sycamore Lane. Rated M

The Naughty Elf by Twilly
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7638612/1/The-Naughty-Elf
Santa believes there's no such thing as a bad elf. Bella's been fired from nearly every toy shop. How can Santa get her in the right position when everything out of her mouth is so very dirty? Santa, elves, chocolate starfish and phasing reindeer. Rated M 

With Open Eyes by dustybritches01
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12769433/1/With-Open-Eyes
Edward Cullen returns home at Christmas to face his past and to see if there is a chance for a future with the girl he left behind. Written for the Naughty or Nice Contest. Rated M

What we're reading in TLS this week:

TLS is extremely excited to kick off the holiday season by bringing you a reading recommendation list chocked full of holiday goodness! This is the first of three posts that will give you plenty of reading material to get you in the spirit. As always, remember to let the writer know where you saw them recommended when you leave them some holiday love in the form of a review. Now cuddle up with a cookie and some hot cocoa and enjoy. 

♥ Six Dlbfive

A Christmas Restoration by A Cullen Wannabe
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6565965/1/A_Christmas_Restoration
When single Mom, Bella, took her children to Colorado for their visitation with their father, she never dreamed she would find something unexpected in a winter storm. Can Edward heal Bella's wounds and restore her faith in men, love, and herself? Rated M

 
After Christmas by pattyrose
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12775480/1/After-Christmas
The day after Christmas, while the magic of the season still lingers, two people meet and fall in love. And no, it’s not absolutely perfect, as they soon discover. But whether it’s fate, kismet, or simple serendipity that brought them together, they’re determined to figure their way through the obstacles. After all, isn’t that what love is all about? Rated M

Christmas Ink by Fryebyrd
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14166958/1/Christmas-Ink
Inked-up, speedo-wearing Edward Cullen has never been on Bella's radar, that is, until she places an ad looking for a pretend boyfriend to accompany her home for Christmas. **This is a romance with a cup of family, a tablespoon of drama, a quarter cup of hurt/comfort, a dash of humor, and a heaping helping of love** Rated M

Christmas With the Cullens by BlueIsSoul
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4695668/1/Christmas-With-the-Cullens
Ever since she can remember, Bella Swan has spent her Christmas with the Cullens. This Christmas its time to sort out those Edward related "complications". But what happens when Edward has a new introduction to make? Rating: M 

Christmastances by PlanetBlue
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12284423/1/Christmastances
"I like her, Emmett. And I like the idea of her." Rated M

Footprints in the Snow by cosmogirl7481
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7610974/1/Footprints-in-the-Snow
"An hour from now, when the snow falls again, it will be like we weren't even there. But we will remember." A story of unrequited love, and how the things we keep silent can hurt us and the ones we hold closest. Rated M

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by staceleo
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10880240/1/It-Came-Upon-a-Midnight-Clear
Love comes to Miss Swan unexpectedly during the holidays. Rated M

It Must Have Been the Mistletoe by KristenLynn
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6586494/1/It-Must-Have-Been-the-Mistletoe
Edward has avoided Bella—and her annoying crush—for three years. This year, an encounter under the mistletoe at the Chief's Christmas Eve party changes everything, in ways neither of them expected. Rated M 

Love Is All You Knead by aushapasha
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13750200/1/Love-Is-All-You-Knead
When Seattle baker, Bella Swan returns to Forks for thanksgiving, she doesn't expect to meet handsome, single dad, Edward Cullen. As sparks fly, Bella must make some difficult decisions about her life and her bakery. Will it be a disaster or will it turn out to be a Christmas miracle? *My take on a Hallmark Christmas movie* Rated M

Resting Grinch Face by LayAtHomeMom
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12769300//1/Resting-Grinch-Face
Grinchin’ ain’t easy but Edward Cullen makes it look so damn good. Rated M

The Christmas Present by beegurl13
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8830995/1/The-Christmas-Present
Edward is Bella's best friend. He's also hopelessly in love with her. When Bella lands her dream job...in California...will he finally tell her how he feels, or will he let her go and hope that someday she'll return to him? Will Edward's Grandma take control and force them to see what they've been missing? A Christmas-y tale of secret love, big dreams & breaking hearts. Rated M

The House on Sycamore Lane by Nerdy Lil Darlins
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13998271/1/The-House-on-Sycamore-Lane
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. Rated M

The Last One by EricasTwilight
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12290095/1/The-Last-One
It's the hottest book of the season, every kid wants it. When two people  who often clash at work go head-to-head for the last one on the shelf,  who will come up the winner?  Rated M

The Spirit of Christmas by RosieRathbone
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11608522/1/The-Spirit-of-Christmas
"Bah, humbug", the famous words of Mr. Scrooge, and this year stubborn Ebenezer is coming in the form of Edward Cullen who lives in regret and no longer experiences the same thrill of the holidays like he used to. But with a little help he is determined to change what went wrong and start again. After all, 'tis the season to be jolly. Rated M 

This Christmas Wish by MidnightLove87
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9953048/1/This-Christmas-Wish
Snow is falling and days are slipping by like sand through your hand. Edward finally takes time to stop and savor life, what happens to his perfectly laid out life when his son's Christmas wish sends him through a loop. Rated M

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Saturday

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Today we are excited to feature fanficsR4nerds, author of The Coffin Maker's Wife, The Admiral, Lockdown, Knocked Up, and With Grace. She's sharing a preview of her upcoming new fic Solace.

banner by fanficsR4nerds

Solace

by

fanficsR4nerds

Summary: After being forced into a marriage with a stranger at her family's behest, Bella tries to make a new life for herself. Though she is learning to find her voice, she must navigate the complex social politics that come with her new title, while trying to get to know the man she's now tied to. Surrounded by lies and secrets, Bella must work fast to figure out whom she can trust before it's too late.

~~0x0~~

“He will come back,” Rosalie says gently. 

I glance at her. “But he will still be a stranger.”

Four years married to a man that I can barely remember. It had not even been until months after he departed that I had learned his name at all. He was a stranger who left me the first morning of our new life together.

Rosalie pats the back of my hand. 

“The duke says he is a good man,” she says softly. “He has risen in the ranks too.”

I nod mutely. I know this only because whenever he has been offered a promotion, Rowanberry Manor is gifted another parcel of acreage by the duke. What was once a cottage, now stands as a manor fit for a lord.

“He will come home, and you will find that he is more wonderful than your heart could have dreamed.” Rosalie sighs. “And you will have one hundred beautiful little children.”

I bark out a laugh and she grins at me. Rosalie is such a romantic, despite her own life not turning out quite as dreamy as the one she is painting for me. 

The duke loves her in his own way, I am sure, but his affections have waned considerably. He is not the sparkling jewel she once believed him to be, nor has my sister been the sweet compliant wife he expected either.

There is friction in their marriage, but thus far, it has stayed minimal and is cured by Rosalie’s excessive visits to Rowanberry.

We sit under the willow for a while longer before the air grows cool. The sun is still in the sky, but evening is on its way, and we decide to head back to the manor.

Charlotte, in her exhaustion, cannot walk, so I scoop her up, holding her tight to my chest as Rosalie strolls carefully beside me.

The sun is just beginning its descent when the manor falls into our view. There is a carriage outside and a host of horses that brings my feet to an abrupt halt. 

Rosalie looks back at me in alarm, but my heart is racing in my chest, my grip tightening over Charlotte as I stare at the manor.

He is home.

A loud ringing starts up in my ears, and my palms grow sweaty.

I can hear servants calling out to each other as they scramble to welcome my husband home.

“Bella,” Rosalie starts. I ignore her. I can barely hear her at all with how loud my heart is thumping in my ears. 

I force my feet to take a step forward, then another, my heart picking up into a gallop as I approach the house.

When I am ten paces from the front door, there is a shout as someone says my name, and then he is there, filling the doorway as his brilliant emerald eyes seek me out.

The air leaves my body.

He is larger than he was when he left, broader and more defined. Where his cheeks were once smooth, there is now a coppery beard, making him look so much older.

He is no longer the boy who left. He is a man, and he is gazing at me like I am a storm on the horizon.

“Bella,” he says, and I watch as his chest deflates slightly when he whispers my name. He rushes forward, his stride powerful and strong as he climbs down the manor steps. Before Rosalie can take her child, he is before me, pulling me into a crushing hug that takes my breath away. 

It is the first time a man has ever hugged me in my life.

He smells of orange and woodsmoke and leather.

Before I can say anything, he shifts, his arms coming up to cup my face, and then his lips are on mine, firm and hungry, foreign and familiar. I gasp, and his tongue snakes into my mouth, stroking my own and provoking a nearly visceral response from me.

He pulls back, his hands still cupped around my cheeks, his bright gaze searching my face.

“Bella,” he says, his breathing slightly ragged.

I take my own shuddering breath. “Welcome home, Edward.”

~~0x0~~

Be sure to put fanficsR4nerds on alert. Solace begins posting on December 1, 2023.

What we're reading in TLS this week:

Halloween is quickly approaching so it’s the perfect time to showcase some of our favorite supernatural, scary, and paranormal stories to haunt, thrill or spook you. Please remember to leave the writers some love in the form of a review. 

Read at your own risk! Not all of these have a HEA! 

♥ Six Dlbfive  

Abbracciare Il Cantante by AKABrattyVamp

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12389830/1/Abbracciare-Il-Cantante
I am re-posting the first fanfic I ever wrote. It is not edited, or unchanged at all. Way back in the day, I wondered what would have happened if Edward left Forks when Bella arrived. SM provided awesome characters and inspiration. All of the what-ifs were mine. The mistakes are mine, too. Rated M

Dark Thing Make a Myth of Yourself by bicyclesarecool
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11757552/6/Dark-Thing-Make-a-Myth-of-Yourself
"I feel her before I see her, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up in attention. When I shut my locker, she's parting the crowd like the red sea. Bella Swan is looking right at me, a smirk poised on her dark lips and something fierce in her dark eyes. There's something about her, something otherworldly. A storm is coming and I feel like i'm about to be caught in it." Rated M 

Elemental by TallulahBelle
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5241793/1/Elemental
When the Swans return to their birthplace, Bella learns she is no ordinary teenager, and Forks is no ordinary town. Can she fulfill her destiny with the powerful Edward Cullen, or will the dark forces that threaten their families destroy them all? Rated M

Grasping Darkness by KiyaRaven
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5478849/1/Grasping-Darkness

She dreams of darkness. Lust. Passion. The man she fantasizes about has it all, especially the darkness. The problem is, he's not really a man. Rated M for language & dark themes. Rated M

Lions Eat Lambs by Raggdolly

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5753638/1/Lions-Eat-Lambs
A camping expedition goes awry when Bella's friends disappear. While searching for them, she stumbles upon the manor of Edward Cullen, unaware that she is about to become a pawn in his dangerous game - a game she can't afford to lose. Rated: Fiction M

Memento Mori by MeteorOnAMoonlessNight
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13099212/1/Memento-Mori
She has spent her entire existence searching for the one who calls to her from within his mind. Pushing him into accepting her only sends them on a path to destruction. When the townspeople come for her, even her abilities are no match for the sunlight that sears her skin. Chained and weakened, with her execution looming, there is only one person who can save her. Rated M

Out of the Woods by Sunshine1220

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14284155/1/Out-of-the-Woods

Something evil happened that night, under the canopy of trees, but Bella’s foggy memories are too terrifying to be believed. And the texts from her husband have left her with more questions than answers. The only thing she knows for certain is that whatever destroyed her life that night is still lurking. Her escape will be more difficult than just being pulled out of the woods.

Pretty Little Dolls Sitting All in a Row by staceleo
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9767465/1/Pretty-Little-Dolls-Sitting-All-in-a-Row
It was a dark and stormy night. A mysterious lab with no power on Halloween. A figure terrorizing the doctors and patients. This can't end well. A Halloween present in a handful of chapters for my readers and fellow writer friends. Enjoy. Rated M 

Que Sera, Sera by Livie79
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8623804/1/Que-Sera-Sera
Isabella's life was nothing more than a series of unfortunate events since the day she was born. For her, monsters are real, love is the fantasy, and fate is a cruel mistress. The future's not ours, to see...what will be, will be. Rated M

She Speaks Fear and Truth by Ericastwilight
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5434481/1/She-Speaks-Fear-and-Truth
She's haunted daily, but learns to deal with her gift, helping those in need. He hides behind his opinions,seeking closure, barely living. When their worlds collide can they help each other. A story of loss, love and betrayal with a supernatural twist. Rated: M

Spellbound by Claire Bloom 
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5152779/1/Spellbound
Imprisoned by the malicious James, Edward meets the bewitching Isabella. As he battles with his enemies, his conscience and his bloodlust, he finally falls for her whilst she ignites his male desire's & awakens his Vampiric cravings. With Vamps/AU Rated M 

The Burn - A Halloween Tale by Pattyrose
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14150954/1/The-Burn-A-Halloween-Tale
Winter, 1692 – Massachusetts Bay Colony. In a world where Puritans see evil lurking everywhere, a young woman is about to fall for an unknown entity…an Other. The ensuing mass hysteria will have ramifications that will echo into the world of present-day Bella Swan… AU ExB Rated M

The Mirrors by adorablecullens

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4971734/1/The-Mirrors
Teddy's secret and magical childhood is lost when a family heirloom is destroyed, changing his life forever. Now an adult, can Edward open himself back up to magic and love when he meets a beautiful - and hauntingly familiar - woman in real life? Rated M 

The Sonoran Inn by MrsSpaceCowboy
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13418678/1/The-Sonoran-Inn
Somewhere, just off an Arizona highway in the Sonoran Desert, there's an inn carved into the rocks. The owner and her staff are beautiful and eager to please… until it's time to leave. There's no way out, and beauty is skin deep. This is not a love story. *Complete* Happy Halloween! Rated M

Toil and Trouble by LyricalKris
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7571721/1/Toil-and-Trouble
The people of the 1600's believed in the monsters that haunted their nightmares. When witches are suspected to walk among them, the small town of Forkshire is torn apart, and the secrets of some of its residents brought to light. Rated M

What we're reading in TLS this week:

Here’s the latest round of TLS tested and approved recs. The following stories have caught our attention and we want to share them with you! Check them out and let the authors know where you saw them featured. Happy Reading!

♥ Six Dlbfive  

á la folie by creaatingmadness

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14282781/1/%C3%A1-la-folie

To insanity. I always knew they were scum, but he was supposed to be different. I trusted him. I loved him. And he ripped my heart out with his bare hands and devoured the whole thing. I can never take back what they did to me. But I can make them pay. M / DARK ASF Rated M

Emerald Eyes by JenERoseCullen
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13984217/1/Emerald-Eyes
(A New Moon AU.) Sometimes getting over your first love isn't easy. That's what Edward comes to realize after his and Bella's paths cross almost 8 months after breaking up. She's not alone and the person she is with leaves Edward with many questions and more regrets than he thought possible. Could it be too late to reconcile? Rated M

La Bellissima by StarryBlueEyes
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14272635/1/La-Bellissima
Edward Cullen is the owner of La Bellissima, the hottest hotel and casino in Las Vegas, but in the underground world of Sin City, he's known as the leader of the Masoni crime syndicate. With his need to dominate, he's ruthless in business and the bedroom. However, affairs with employees have always been off-limits. He never imagined a showgirl would bring him to his knees. AU/AH Rated M

Marionette by Wonwordful
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13841318/1/Marionette
He was a fallen angel. She was the devil's servant. Theirs is a world of dust and deceit, of conquerors and the conquered. He was key to her freedom and she was his weapon. Love, after all, was just an instrument, and trust was a thing long dead. Now if only this fool would get it, she wouldn't be spending more time trying to keep him alive than she did trying to get rid of him. Rated M

My Brother's Pet Vampire by ooza
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13835993/1/My-Brother-s-Pet-Vampire
There are many things that keep people awake at night. For Bella, it's her brother's angry pet vampire locked in the basement. Rated M

Out of the Woods by Sunshine1220
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14284155/1/Out-of-the-Woods
Something evil happened that night, under the canopy of trees, but Bella's foggy memories are too terrifying to be believed. And the texts from her husband have left her with more questions than answers. The only thing she knows for certain is that whatever destroyed her life that night is still lurking. Her escape will be more difficult than just being pulled out of the woods. Rated M

Secrets & Lies by Joan0324
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14282480/1/Secrets-Lies
Bella is married to Emmett. Edward is married to Rosalie. Emmett and Rosalie have been having an affair for the last five years, now Emmett is in a coma and Rosalie is missing, and Edward and Bella are left questioning the last five years of their lives filled with secrets and lies. Future Lemons, violence. B/E HEA. Rated M

The Coffin Maker’s Wife by fanficsR4nerds
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14280946/1/The-Coffin-Maker-s-Wife
What would you do to save the ones you love? After he unexpectedly vanishes, there is nothing the coffin maker's wife Bella would not do to find her husband. But when coffins begin to show up unearthed, and rumors of a new horror begins haunting the local villages, Bella realizes her quest might unearth secrets that were never meant for the light of day. Rated M

The Freshmen by LayAtHomeMom
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13639280/1/The-Freshmen
"It's something I live with every single day." Rated M

The Mafioso by Dyverse
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14094740/1/The-Mafioso
It was a gift and a curse to be loved by The Mafioso. I knew that better than anyone. Rated M

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

For this edition of Sneak Peek Saturday, we are thrilled to feature something new from Sunshine1220, author of Clutch, Shift, What She Needs and many other fandom favs. This week, she's giving us a peek into her upcoming fic Out of the Woods.

banner by Sunshine1220

Out of the Woods

by

Sunshine1220

Summary: Something evil happened that night, under the canopy of trees, but Bella’s foggy memories are too terrifying to be believed. And the texts from her husband have left her with more questions than answers. The only thing she knows for certain is that whatever destroyed her life that night is still lurking. Her escape will be more difficult than just being pulled out of the woods.

xXXx

I’m trying my hand at something a little different—for me—this time around. This short story just in time for spooky season, too. It was inspired more than a year ago by a prompt on The Fic Lab on Facebook. It didn’t hurt that the photo app I was playing with at the time gave me some visual inspiration as well. It’s been an on-again, off-again, behind-the-scenes project since then.

Most of you who read me know brevity isn’t my strong suit, so I challenged myself to write exactly 500-word chapters. So, while it’s not technically a drabble, I’ll say it’s drabble-ish. Needless to say, choosing the tease I’m sharing today was a challenge, simply for the fact that I didn’t want to share an entire chapter. 

Enjoy, and I hope you’ll join me on October 1! 

xXXx

I look away, my vision clouded once again as the hopeless feeling I’ve had since waking burrows deeper into my heart.

I blink back tears as I listen to the fading footsteps of the two men who’ve been attempting to question me for the past hour. 

“Now, how do you really feel?”

Slowly, I turn my head to face Doctor Cullen. “I … I don’t know,” I rasp. 

“That’s to be expected. You’ve endured quite the ordeal.”

“Is it …”

“Is it what?”

“Is it normal to not remember?”

He sighs and sits in the chair at my bedside. “As I said, you went through quite the ordeal. Your body is still recovering.” He gives me a rueful smile. “I’m sure, in time, those missing memories will return.”

The way he looks at me, the curious yet cautious way in which he studies me, leads me to believe there’s more he wants to say. 

“But what if I don’t want to remember?”

xXXx

This one is completely written. It’s thirty-one, exactly 500-word chapters plus an epilogue and will post daily beginning October 1. You can find me at Sunshine1220 on fanfiction.net and at my group, Sunshine Fics, on Facebook. Where I’m sure I’ll share pictures and music that inspired parts of this story. Hope you’ll join me! 

~Sunshine

xXXx

Be sure and put Sunshine1220 on alert so you can follow along with us!

The Eras Contest

 

Era: a period of time marked by distinctive character or events.

Any time in history ... and beyond, tell us a new tale.

For the contest rules and up to date information visit The Eras Contest

What we're reading in TLS this week:

Let’s jump starting your Monday with some Lemonade! We have some delicious choices for your reading pleasure. Get cozy and dig in. Be sure to let the author know where you saw their story featured and leave them some love. Enjoy!

♥ Six Dlbfive  

Alienation of Affections by BitterHarpy
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14088856/1/Alienation-of-Affections
Noun.Dignitary Tort Law:the estrangement of one spouse by a third person from the other. Second chance romance with a twist. Rated M for language. Rated M

Along Came a Spider 2 by ghostreader24
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14065112/1/Along-Came-a-Spider-2
In the twilight of his career, NHL goaltender Edward Cullen is in a unique position—his time on the ice is running out just as his new relationship with Dr. Bella Swan is heating up. Could this be the season when Edward finally wins it all? Dentistella - Hockeyward/Goalieward/Tattooward Rated M

By Blood, Lace or Chain – Sabellia Book 1 by FlamingMaple
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14271255/1/By-Blood-Lace-or-Chain-Sabellia-Book-1
When graduate student Bella Swan is abducted to a foreign planet, she faces prejudice, mystery, and a life-altering choice. Taken in by a family already scarred by their efforts for justice, Bella struggles with the increasingly difficult decision about where she truly belongs. Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance. Pairing: Bella x Edward. Stand-alone story. Rated M

Game Changer by Krazyk85
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14269290/1/Game-Changer
Bella attends an NFL game where the star quarterback and the most eligible bachelor is her older brother's best friend, Edward. After reconnecting, Edward asks Bella to come to his team's after-game party. One thing leads to another, and she spends one incredible night with him but gets more than she bargained for. #Pregnancy #childhoodfriends #sweet #athlete #truelove #baby #hea Rated M

Rewrite the Stars by turntoPaige394
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14093792/1/Rewrite-the-Stars
Desperate to feel something again after Edward leaves Forks, Bella jumps from the cliff... only this time, Jacob was too late to save her. Unable to stomach a lifetime without his mate, Edward must cross the barriers of time to find Bella and prove to the cruel hand of fate that he is worthy of bringing her back home. Rated M

The Experience Experiment by PearlyFox
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14232135/1/The-Experience-Experiment
She's known for the experience she provides. He's known for the experiments that have built his empire. When both collide, will they explode, or thrive? Rated M

The Sparrow & The Skip by Izzy Nava
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14065932/1/The-Sparrow-The-Skip
He is the next in line to the Seattle Italian syndicate. She is a trained assassin and spy. Both met by chance, and chaos began. Rated M

This Is Where It Ends by Hotteaforme
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14263885/1/This-Is-Where-It-Ends
A chance encounter between high-class escort, Isabella Swan, and political hot-shot Edward Cullen sends both their lives into a tailspin. Lies, manipulation, deceit, and all-consuming obsession follow... but where does it all end? Rated M

Wicked Games by creaatingmadness
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13834732/1/Wicked-Games
She's the daughter of NYC's biggest mob boss; wild, beautiful and a bitch. He's the ex-con assigned to be her new bodyguard, one in a very long line. Isabella is determined to make his life a living hell, but there's more at stake for Masen than just a job. Can he protect someone he hates, when the whole of New York City is about to go up in flames? BxE. Slow burn.

Rated M

Without Wings by MeteorOnAMoonlessNight
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14073389/1/Without-Wings
He's been missing for 3 years. Now we finally have a target. For him... we will be the ones to burn the world to the ground to get him back. Time to suit up again. #3 in the Fallen Series
Rated M

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

This week we are excited to feature Hotteaforme, author of The Little Things, Taste of Ink, and White Noise. She's sharing an excerpt of her upcoming new fic This is Where it Ends. 

banner by Lizzie Paige

This is Where it Ends

by

Hotteaforme

Summary: A chance encounter between high-class escort, Isabella Swan, and political hot-shot Edward Cullen sends both their lives into a tailspin. Lies, manipulation, deceit, and all-consuming obsession follow... but where does it all end? 

xx~OO~xx

"Isabella? It's time." 

The slow drip of anxiety turns into a waterfall of light-headedness and Bambi-legged movements as I stand slowly from the chair.

 

Taking two or three deep breaths, I smooth down the fabric of the tailored black blazer I'm wearing, a light blue blouse underneath. It's smart. Demure. I shunned all attempts by the wardrobe department to dress me more provocatively—high cut skirts, low-cut dresses, anything that showed more than a hint of skin. I've been exposed enough, and this final move will strip me bare. 

Apprehensively I follow the blonde assistant from the room, Bree silently at my side, clutching a bag full of brushes and products for touch-ups. A maze of corridors pass in a blur—until we arrive at our destination. 

The room in the hotel we're filming in is a flurry of activity, the assistant ushering both Bree and I into the chaos, closing the door firmly behind her. Bree leaves me alone to take it all in. Tall windows along the right-hand side of the room make it feel light and airy and everything from the carpet to the chairs is decorated in a palette of soft greys and creams. It's a sharp contrast to all the bulky equipment that sits in it: multiple cameras, lighting, sound rigs. Front and center are two armchairs that have been carefully placed, a low coffee table in between them. With passing interest, I watch as they arrange lilies in a vase, positioned on a sideboard in view of the cameras. 

There's a surprising amount of people I need to meet; the director, the producer, show runners. I smile, shake hands dutifully, trying not to feel overwhelmed. But it is overwhelming. And that feeling only intensifies when I spot Victoria Sutherland in the far corner, her arms crossed and a sheet of paper hanging from her hand. 

Victoria holds court with a man, who I assume is her personal assistant, her signature red hair pulled back into a sleek bun, a forest-green all in one pant-suit emphasising her slender waist. I've seen her on TV, of course, but she's even thinner and more glamorous in the flesh. Her talk show, The Victoria Sutherland Show, is wildly successful, her interviews watched globally at times. She's firm, fair, and famous for her probing interviews of celebrities, politicians, and foreign royalty alike.

And now she's interviewing me. And I'm none of those. Not even close. I don't want to be either. 

Victoria's face lights up when she realizes I'm here, confident as she walks over, her hand extended outwards before she even reaches me.

"Isabella, it's a pleasure." 

I'm not so sure it is, but I shake her hand firmly, anyway. 

"Likewise. I'm a—a big fan of yours, so it's great to meet you, even if the circumstances aren't… well."

Her hand moves to my forearm, a touch of reassurance. 

"Not ideal for you. I understand. Hopefully, this will give you a chance to shine a light on things. Don't be afraid, I'm here to ask questions, of course, but I'm also here to hear you. Just believe in what you're saying—speak with conviction, and your audience will believe you too."

"It's the truth," I tell her resolutely. "Whether people want to believe that or not—I'm not interested." 

She appraises me with intense blue eyes and I wonder whether she has the measure of me already or whether the things I've done will shock her. Somehow I doubt it. If anything, Victoria Sutherland is the least unflappable of all. 

"Perfect," she says finally. "Well, let's run over some of the things we'll be covering, and then we can get started." 

She offers the white paper to me. Typed words jump out as I skim read, and the more I do, the dryer my mouth becomes. Seeing it written in black and white somehow makes the experience even more real; the truths I'll have to speak, the things I will have to admit out loud. 

"I'll throw some curveballs in there, of course. We want this to be fluid—a natural discussion," Victoria continues.

"I understand," I tell her. 

She takes the paper gently out of my hands and hands it off to her assistant. I can't help but follow its journey as it travels to the back of the room and onto the clipboard of a runner, as if my fate is written on there too. 

But I don't know it yet.

I don't know what will happen after this.

All I know is that I loved Edward Cullen once, but I'll never, ever let myself love him again. 

xx~OO~xx

Be sure to put Hotteaforme on alert. This is Where it Ends begins posting on August 4.

What we're reading in TLS this week:

We are offering up some of our recent favorites to add a little spice to your HOT summer with some sizzling reading recs. Check them out and let the authors know where you saw them featured. Happy reading! 

♥ Six Dlbfive  

All Roads Lead Us Home by Sunshine1220

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14243878/9/All-Roads-Lead-Us-Home

Home means different things to different people. It can be a place, a feeling, but for the lucky ones, it's those you love. Edward and Bella have chosen an unconventional path, a nomadic life that has taken them to unimaginable places. But when an urgent call comes, beckoning them back to where their lives began, it makes them question all their choices. Sensitive subject matter. Rated M

Beauty Takes on the Beast by ericastwilight

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12608146/1/Beauty-Takes-on-the-Beast

I was about to break a promise to watch out for my best friend's baby sister. I was the worst thing that could ever happen to her, but I wasn't about let that stop me from having my Beauty. Third place winner in the public vote for the BDE Contest! Rated M

Heist by katinki

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14255097/1/Heist

Jewels, fine art, exotic collections, you name it. It’s all fair game to me. After all, my marks are just a bunch of dumb, rich men, ripe for the picking. Too bad a certain do-gooder investigator keeps getting in my way. AH Rated M

One Right Thing by LyricalKris

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14107199/1/One-Right-Thing

Bella Swan never could catch a break. After their mother died, the state decided she wasn’t fit to take care of her little brother, Emmett. They thought he was better off without her, and his jerk of a foster father, Edward Cullen, seemed to agree. We’re all one misstep away from disaster. Rated M 

Smokescreen by Ninkita

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13396148/1/Smokescreen

He had his reasons, and she had her secrets. It was a simple business deal…until it wasn’t. Rated M 

Springtime Dreams by EvieBaby

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13934381/11/Springtime-Dreams

Vampire Bella has finally found the courage to share with Edward all the fantasies she had about him when she was human. The vulnerability is both exhilarating and emotionally dangerous, especially if Edward isn't ready for Bella's darkest desires. Or his own. (Lemons, angst, and fluff. BPOV companion fic to Ferns.) Rated M

Sweetness by Mrs. Brownloe

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14254269/1/Sweetness

A jaded nurse has given up on dating due to her disastrous experiences in the past until one of her charges convinces her otherwise. Rated M

Taking the Horizon by Nerdy Lil Darlins

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14244982/1/Taking-the-Horizon

'For her, the ocean was more than a dream. It was a place she needed to visit to find herself.' A tale of true friendship, new love, and learning to dance in the waves. Cannon pairing

Rated M

To The Only Girl I've Loved Before by Janelle132

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14223706/1/To-The-Only-Girl-I-ve-Loved-Before

Bella's world ended when Edward told her he didn't love her and left. Nine months later, three letters appear in the mail that turn Bella's world on its head once more. New Moon AU. Rated M for future lemons. Rated M

The Woods are Lovely Dark and Deep by bananapancakes7

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4997335/1/The-Woods-are-Lovely-Dark-and-Deep

Bella visits a quiet lodge in Forks and she meets the secretive, tormented Edward Masen. Just as their relationship transcends friendship, Edward's past comes back to haunt him in the most brutal way. B&E are human, but oh…there will be vampires. AU. Rated M

What we're reading in TLS this week:

In celebration of Father’s Day yesterday, TLS decided to change things up a bit and give you a rec list of some of our very favorite father fics! These are tried and truly loved recommendations that we’ve read many times. We hope that you will enjoy them as much as we do. Please leave the writers some love, in the form of a review, and tell them TLS sent you! 

♥ Six Dlbfive  

A Rough Start by ItzMegan73
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5319052/1/A-Rough-Start
Overnight irresponsible Edward goes from bachelor to father of a 5 yr old. Meanwhile responsible, prepared Bella begins her first job as Kindergarten teacher at Forks Elementary. When irresponsible meets the epitome of responsible, sparks will fly! Rated M

A Soft Place to Land by btwnthestacks
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7775714/1/A-Soft-Place-to-Land
Single father Edward Cullen and his daughter are looking for a soft place to land. In an attempt to help her, he turns to a program at the local library. While two furry friends help his child find her confidence, their owner will mend his broken heart. Rated M

Begin Again by pattyrose
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11972117/1/Begin-Again
Bella's life philosophies mirror her bakery-business philosophies: 1) you can't save a burned batch, and 2) there's no turning back once a batch is finished. It's the same when life gets real: marriage, children...widowhood all relegate memories of first love to weekly, monthly, yearly, and then…to occasionally. Unless...unless you're willing to begin that batch all over again. Rated M

Beyond the Break Room by Discordia81
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8581542/1/Beyond-the-Break-Room
22 year-old Bella Swan works for Edward Cullen, the 39 year-old VP at Providence Medical Center in Portland. After years of fighting the attraction, a tryst in the break room leads to a complicated relationship. Trying not to get caught by the prying eyes of their entire workplace, they're forced to hide their relationship and deal with his ex-wife and his 16 year-old daughter. Rated M

Going Under by sparklnfade
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7728698/1/Going-Under
It's been ten years since the summer Bella Swan's life changed. What will happen when she comes face to face with the reason for it? She went under once, will she go under again? Rated M

Holding On and Letting Go by Jenny0719
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8382216/1/Holding-On-and-Letting-Go
Masen Valley, SC. Population: 10,789. It was a tiny dot on a map; an escape of sorts for Bella Swan. But when circumstances bring a certain member of Masen Valley's founding family back to town, she finds that the past isn't as easy to leave behind as she thought it would be... Or let go. Rated M

Paper CutOuts bytwistedcoincidence
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5993964/1/Paper-CutOuts
Bella prefers the virtual to the actual, but feels herself being tugged from the safety of her online realm into the world of a rough edged Edward. This time she'll write her own story. Collab with astilbe13

Reality Minus Expectations by Incog Ninja
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8911907/1/Reality-Minus-Expectations
Originally posted in June 2009. AH. When it comes to Forks's social scene, event planner Bella Swan is a smash success. Her marriage, however, crashed and burned. The town's newest real estate attorney arrives in time to add some heat of his own. Rated M

Rest My Soul by MrsSpaceCowboy
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9786923/1/Rest-My-Soul
On opposite corners of Third Street and Beale, two lonely people fight to stay that way. Her scars are on the surface, soft on her skin and in her eyes. His run bone-deep, seeped in bourbon and blues. EPOV. Rated M

Secrets and Lies by BellaScotia
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9016564/1/Secrets-and-Lies
Bella once told a lie. A lie that cost her everything she ever wanted. 10 years later she returns to her hometown to an ailing father, an angry best friend, and the man from whom she has kept a secret that threatens to unravel her existence. Rated M

The Life Aquatic by coldplaywhore
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8685921/1/The-Life-Aquatic
Life happens when you least expect it, and puts you on a course that you never planned, into a future you never even imagined that you wanted. This is the story of girl meets boy, meets boy... aka, his son. Rated M

The Living Will by 2carm2carm2
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8454547/1/The-Living-Will
"In the event of my death, Isabella Marie Swan, upon previous agreement, is to step in and assist Edward Anthony Cullen in the caring of the child, necessitating her to stay at the Cullen residence in which the child lives for six months." When tragedy strikes, a last wish forces Edward and Bella together to deal with their pain, heal and rebuild the lives they lost. Rated M

The Pie Equation by TheQueenWriter
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10398001/1/The-Pie-Equation
Don't allow your past to dictate your future. Edward is a single dad. Bella comes home to help her dad after an accident. Will Edward allow their old friendship to blossom? Rated M

Unplanned Perfection by Littlecat358
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6229263/1/Unplanned-Perfection
Bella and Alice were best friends, which made Bella the only girl off limits to Alice's brother Edward. When a party the summer after graduation gets out of control, Bella's world is turned upside down. "He doesn't know. I don't want him to." Twilight - Rated: M

Waiting for Dr Right by vickitori303
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4934589/1/Waiting-For-Dr-Right
Bella works at a child care center and Edward is the single dad she falls in love with. Rated M

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

This week's feature comes to us from the collaborative efforts of Lily Jill, fanficsR4nerds, and DaniDarlingxx, also know as Nerdy Lil Darlins. They are sharing a preview of their upcoming new fic Taking the Horizon.

banner by DaniDarlingxx

Taking the Horizon

by

Nerdy Lil Darlins

Summary: ‘For her, the ocean was more than a dream. It was a place she needed to visit to find herself.’ A tale of true friendship, new love, and learning to dance in the waves.

~~xxXXxx~~

Since the first day they met on the campus of the University of Minnesota in their freshman year, they had always known how to read one another.  Three different girls,  with three different personalities and backgrounds, somehow gifted with understanding each other better than anyone else.  They had been inseparable since that day, the three of them attached at the hip throughout their bumpy, incredible, roller-coaster college years.

And now, it’s over.

This chapter of their lives has officially come to a close.

One week ago, before they boarded a flight to Lighthouse Cove, Maine, they had watched each other walk across the stage at their college graduation.  According to the world around them, they were now fully equipped to begin careers of their choosing.

For the first time in four years, the girls would have to part ways and enter adulthood without the other two by their side. It was a thought that had devastated the three of them, throwing them into a panic about how they could manage without each other. 

“Pick a place,” Bella had said through her tears one night on their couch in their college apartment after too much wine at the realization of their upcoming separation.  “Pick a place and we’ll go there right after graduation.”

“One last hurrah,” Alice had agreed while Rosalie had pulled out her phone to find a destination for the three of them.

Lighthouse Cove off the coast of Maine is what they had landed on, and now, as the sun rises from what seems like the depths of the ocean and covers them all in youth-like warmth, they know this will not be the last time they experience this together.

“It has to be an annual thing,” Rosalie says. “Every year we need to come back here.”

The pull of the horizon, the promise of endless possibilities, and a blank slate for them all to write their own stories upon, leaves them all in quiet reflection.

“I don’t want to leave,” Bella sighs, lifting her head into the sunlight and letting it sink into her skin. There is still a morning chill in the air, as it is the middle of May and not quite summer season yet, but it warms her nonetheless.

“I agree with Rose,” Alice says. “With you too, Bella. We might not be able to stay here now, but we’ll visit every summer. And instead of one week, we’ll make it two.”

“Aren’t you getting married in the next year?” Rosalie asks with a laugh.

“Yeah, but that won’t matter. Peter knows how important you two are to me,” Alice answers back, unable to keep the smile off her face as she thinks of her fiancé.

“He’s a good guy,” Bella says thoughtfully. “I’m happy for you.”

“When you know, you know,” Alice replies, not for a single second regretting the idea of settling down at the young age of twenty-two. “Sometimes life is too short to think and wonder if every move you make is the right one.”

“Now is the time for mistakes then?” Rosalie jokes.

“Maybe,” Alice laughs with a shake of her head. She shrugs. “The last four years were meant to be the years we find out who we are. We’re college graduates now, ladies.”

“So what’s next?” Bella asks.

Alice giggles and reaches for her coffee again. “Fuck if I know. Maybe figure out this whole adult thing. Learn to make money and save it.”

“Or fall in love,” Rosalie finishes, memories of the handsome, quick-witted gentleman she had spent entire nights talking to during her last trip scouting apartments.

“Or travel the world,” Bella adds. She points to the horizon once more, and it might as well be the rest of the world for all they can see. “It’s ours for the taking.”

~~xxXXxx~~

Put Nerdy Lil Darlins on Alert so you don't miss out! Taking the Horizon begins posting on June 16.

What we're reading in TLS this week:

We’ve compiled a great list with lots of new things this week and we’re excited to share it with you. Remember to leave the writers some love and let them know where they were recommended! Enjoy!

♥ Six Dlbfive  

 

Battered Bloom by ashesandembers

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14226833/1/Battered-Bloom

Bella was just a child when her mother whisked her away from her happy life in Forks. While away, her life devolves into a living hell. When she returns 10 years later, will her childhood friends be able to find the real Bella again, or will she shut them out, too afraid to face more pain and abuse? Rated M for violence, abuse, and eventual lemons. Rated M

Dactylic Rhapsody by pattyrose

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14232231/1/Dactylic-Rhapsody

Dactylic Rhapsody - An epic moment when one finds harmony if one can let go of cacophony. A story about a heartbroken man who may be lucky enough to discover his future if he doesn't allow his past to trip him up. E&B. AU. All Human. Rated M

Dinner with the Swans by fanficsR4nerds

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13995709/1/Dinner-with-the-Swans

The Swan Family is back together for the first time in years for a Holiday. Everything is picture perfect, until the youngest Swan, Bella, brings home a new boyfriend. Edward seems a little too good to be true to these skeptical Swans. Now expanded! Rated M

Falling by RMacaroni

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14091251/1/Falling

In almost every sport, it's crucial to learn how to fall. To avoid injuries. To protect yourself. To get back up and keep going. Falling in love is no different. If you do it recklessly, headfirst and without thinking, then it can ruin you. I knew all of this—I've seen love gone wrong in my own home—so why the fuck did I let it happen to me? Rated M

Incognito by Ericastwilight

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12095351/1/Incognito

Edward Cullen just wants to join the masses at an annual event, but he needs a disguise. Will the young artist help him walk around incognito or expose him before the day even starts? A birthday fic for MyHeroin1 Rated M 

Jilted by aushapasha

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14235155/1/Jilted

After getting left at the altar without a word, Bella Swan treats herself to a beach holiday for one. The poolside oasis is perfect for sipping drinks, some attempted healing, and meeting a handsome stranger with a not-so-different past. Rated M

Princess by Saritadreaming

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14129752/1/Princess

Bella, reluctant daughter of mob boss Aro Volturi, was raised by outsiders until forced into mafia life at the tender age of fifteen. Seven years later, Aro wants her to marry into another family. A late night attack leads Bella into a dark situation—a night that will have far-reaching consequences. When the masks are removed, all bets are off. *2ND PLACE BODICE RIPPERS CONTEST Rated M

Sinful Seduction by FCKFantasy

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14229225/1/Sinful-Seduction

Bella has it bad for her stepfather, little does she know that he's lusting after her, too.

RATED M

The Accident by theclaysquid

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14132755/7/The-Accident

During a drive back from Seattle, Bella and Charlie get into a car accident. Will anyone get to them in time? Will either of them survive? *Character Death* Rated M

The Way I Wanted by iambeagle

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14185418/1/The-Way-I-Wanted

It was a fantasy that never should've been a reality. Rated M