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.

The excitement has been building for weeks as Belladonna and TheFictionFreak have been pic teasing us images for their next co-writing adventure. Today, they have graciously agreed to share an excerpt from their upcoming new fic Clean Sneek.  Be sure and put them on alert so you don't miss out!

banner by LizziePaige

Clean Sneak

 by Belladonna and TheFictionFreak

Summary: Bad guys. Good girls. Black-market booze. Love at first sight. New York is on the cusp of something big in 1927. So are Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

MARIE: Are you ready to do this again, sweets?

JO: Ready as I’ll ever be, doll. 

MARIE: This fic’s gonna be different from Body of Christ. A lot less church. A lot more crime. About the same amount of booze.

JO: Right. But still no foxes. 

MARIE: When we make a promise we keep it.

JO: Thanks, God. 

MARIE: With Body of Christ we gave Fleabag a HEA. Now we’re doing, what? Giving Romeo and Juliet a HEA? Who do we think we are, Jo?

JO: We’re righting all the historical wrongs, Marie. We’re doing a service here, one FanFic at a time. 

MARIE: I’m also writing as a shout-out to Gus and Pauline. My grandparents inspired me a little with this one. 

JO: My inspiration is drawn from never having to Google Catholic Mass, ever again. 

MARIE: *cackles as she writes in a Catholic Mass*

JO: At least I know if this guy attends, he won’t be paying attention to the priest.

MARIE: Right. He’ll be watching Kitten. 

JO: Like a fuckin’ hawk. 

MARIE: Ain’t it a crime when the one person you love most in the world is the one person you shouldn’t be with? 

JO: Love conquers all, though. Right? 

MARIE: Let’s hope.

JO: As long as we don’t have to pray, I’m in (okay, but maybe we’ll have some silent talks… with Him).

MARIE: You want to share a teaser from our new fic, Clean Sneak, or are you too busy praying?

JO: *whips out teaser for TLS* I’m ready. Let’s do this. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I set the crate of liquor down onto a bar stool next to Esme and peek over her shoulder. 

“Carry the five,” I tease. She don’t need my help though. Esme’s smart as a whip.

Her head snaps up. “Edward.” She checks her watch and breathes easy. “Thanks so much for doing this.” 

“No worries. Got a new guy, wanted to show him the ropes anyway.” 

She sets her pencil down. “New guy, huh?” 

“Yeah.” I glance around at the crowd. “Yorkie was skimming off the top from Marcus, so...”

Esme steps around to the other side of the bar and pulls out a steel box from underneath all casual, like I didn't just tell her the guy got clipped. “You trust this new guy?” 

“Time’ll tell. For now he’s good at what I need him to do.” 

She pulls a wad of money out then locks the box up and shoves it back underneath the counter. She slips the cash into the front pocket of my pants, smooth as silk, as she joins me on this side of the bar again. 

I don’t need to count it. I know it’s all there.

I bend down and kiss her cheek. “I’ll see ya in three days.”

Esme gives me a wary look all of a sudden, like she wants to tell me to be careful out there, or maybe remind me I’m better than what I am. But she knows I’m too old for that shit now. She knows I’m in too deep.

“Don’t worry, Es. I got this,” I tell her as I back my way across the room. 

She waves me off and goes back to her paperwork. 

I spin around to head for the exit when I’m practically knocked off my feet. At first, all I see is sequins, silk and the face of a fuckin’ angel. 

I catch her by the waist and her hands fly to my shoulders. We end up chest to chest with her hanging onto me, and me clutching her like my life depends on it.

And she’s no angel. All dame. 

I don’t wanna let her go. 

“Jesus H. Chri…” the words die in her mouth as she looks up into my eyes. 

“My thoughts exactly.”

We’re like that for a minute, frozen like we’re ending a dance we never even started. 

She peeks up at me through long lashes. Her eyes are bright with excitement, holding my stare like she’s not gonna look away even if I paid her to. They’re big and brown but lamplights bring out little flecks of gold in ‘em. 

Her lips turn up in the smallest hint of a smile, full and beautiful. The kind of lips I wanna fall against. The kind I wanna feel everywhere. She blushes a little, but she’s not ashamed. It’s like she wants me to see. I don’t mind. It brings out the red in her lipstick and it matches her dress. What there is of it anyway. It’s more like a scrap of cloth. Not that I’m complaining. 

From the feel of her against me, there’s not much underneath it either. 

“Where’d you come from, fella’?”

“I could ask you the same, doll.” 

I stand the two of us upright, but instinct has me holding on to her like she might disappear if I let her go. Truth is, I don’t want her going anywhere. Not unless I’m headed there too.

When her lips part, I don’t think twice. I gotta know what they taste like. I pull her tight and her breath catches. Her short hair swings into her face, and I brush it away from her eyes. It doesn’t look to me like she’s got any objections. So I slip a hand behind her head and lean in carefully, like I might break her or something. Her eyelids flutter as she tips her head.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Meet us at the joint account on fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/12927018/

When are we posting? Monday 9.21.2020. 

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.

There's nothing better than finding out that two of the fandom's talented writers are collaborating on something new! This week we are excited to feature Body of Christ by Belladonna and TheFictionFreak. They recently wrapped up Hades, a love story - sort of and its companion piece Friend of the Devil. Now they've promised us a hot priest and we can't wait to get started!

banner by LizziePaige

Body of Christ by Belladonna & TheFictionFreak

Summary: She was clearly in pain. She clearly needed help. How could I deny her? How could I ignore the distress of a child of God? I couldn’t. And that was my downfall. BxE AH AU of the spiritual kind 

~~ 00 ~~

Marie: We’re supposed to write an intro.

Jo: *blank stare*

Marie: Jo?? If you don’t say something I’m just going to write sappy things about you for the next 500 words. The intro will be a love letter from me to you.

Jo: Should I tell them about your smutty story?

Marie: *blushing* Please don’t. Yet. Tell them about our hot priest.

Jo: Fine. So, we got to talking about the show Fleabag one night. And there’s this hot priest played by Andrew Scott (you can imagine how that conversation went: Marie… Jo… MARIE… JO!) … and well, how could we not write Twilight fanfiction about this?

Marie: There are lots of reasons NOT to write Twilight fanfiction about this. #1: My mom’s Catholic, for Christ’s sake. But Jo’s persuasive, and maybe just a little in love with Andrew Scott.

Jo: A lot. I’m a lot in love with him.

Marie: Anyway… Jo shared a particularly scandalous piece of random writing with me on a cold January morning, and well, I was in. I couldn’t say no. I LOVE writing about things that make me uncomfortable. And things that are, well, hot. This covered both bases.

Jo: Plus we get to give Edward an HEA this time.

Marie: But will his HEA involve following his life’s calling? I mean, being a priest could maybe make him happy, right? Or is his HEA walking away from his vows?

Jo: One never knows! Also, I suppose we should mention we’re not killing Jake this time, Jake lovers.

Marie: Jo made me promise not to kill Jake. I love killing Jake, but I love Jo more. Also, I kinda love this Jake. I know. Weird. Next thing you know pigs will be flying. Reality show hosts will be President.

Jo: Marie……. *whispers* back on topic...

Marie: Sorry. We should really be talking about the fic. What do you think we should tease?

Jo: I think I know.

~~ 00 ~~

“Bless me father, for I have sinned. It’s been a very long time since my last confession.”

Her voice is low but confident. Straight to the point.

And a bit harsh.

It’s actually quite normal for someone who’s been absent from church for an extended period of time to be nervous their first time back but there’s something else here.

Something that piques my curiosity. Something in her tone.

She’s certainly not the first person I’ve wondered about. I tend to do this a lot. Try and pinpoint the underlying emotions this confessional witnesses.

I’ve been a priest of the Catholic church for four years now. I’ve had my own congregation for one. I don’t have the experience that some of my elders do. They find confessions to be more of a necessary task than assistance for the downtrodden. They’ve grown immune to the empathy it requires. People require. People need.

I, however, often still find the reasons behind someone’s absence from church intriguing. I also find their reasons for coming back equally compelling. I like to understand the before so that I can help them with the after. It’s what I do after all. Help. It’s my calling.

Some members of the church struggle with their sins, some, not so much.

Sometimes it’s a whisper, a subtlety to their words, or the way they deliver them, that tells me they need assistance in more ways than just a standard prayer asking for forgiveness.

This one, despite the simple words of her memorized statement… is screaming for it.

“May the body of Christ be-”

“I’d like to preface this confession with the fact that I am here because my mother guilted me into it and not because I think I need any absolving whatsoever for anything I’ve done with my own life.”

Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m quiet because I’m stunned into silence or because I’m waiting to see if she’s finished her thought.

“And if I may, it’s only slightly creepy to make someone sit in a dark, dank box and confess their secrets. I mean, what’s the purpose anyway? If we wanted you to know them, they wouldn’t be secrets. Right?”

So, the latter then.

I wait.

“Hello?” She’s agitated.

“Sorry. I didn’t know if you were done.”

She hesitates but then gives me a short, “I’m done.” And I can almost envision here there, stubborn, crossed arms and all.

“Okay, first of all, please know, no one’s forcing you to be here.”

“Ha!”

“And secondly, the dark, dank box is a metaphor. I like to think of it as a place where people generally like to keep their sins. Where others won’t see. Or hear.”

She’s quiet again after that. So I continue.

“It’s there to make you more comfortable with confessing your secrets. But, if you’d like, we can take this out into the light of day, so to speak, for the entire congregation to hear you. I’m open to anything.”

“Um.”

I smile. And I admit, I enjoy stunning her into her own silence. I’m a bit competitive that way.

I also like to let others hear their own words so they can feel the impact of those words.

“Hello?”

A pin could drop for the next few moments. I’m pretty sure I hear her swallow.

Anyone who’s spent the past year getting used to my practices as a priest knows I have only the best intentions in making light of this holy custom. But she doesn’t. How could she? She hasn’t stepped foot inside these walls the entire year.

I’m one hundred percent certain I would have noticed.

The dead air eventually leads me to believe that I may have overstepped. Embarrassed her. Changed her mind about being here.

Damn. This is my fault.

“Go with God,” I tell her as I stand to leave and consider my sarcasm going forward.

My hand is on the knob, mid-turn when I hear her again. The door is nearly open.

“I kissed my sister’s fiance,” she blurts out.

And the way she says it tells me there's a lot more to the story than that.

So I sit my ass back down, prepared to listen to everything she has to say.

~~ 00 ~~

We're planning on posting the prologue on Monday, then weekly chapters beginning Friday, January 17th. Hope to see you there!


Don't forget to add Belladonna and TheFictionFreak so you can follow along with us!

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.

My first week as a TLS Admin, we had a discussion about the classics. When I admitted I hadn't yet read There is a Light by belladonnacullen, I heard the collective gasp and pearl clutch of my fellow admins through the computer screen. So I dove right in and read it straight through. Yes, my kids had cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that day - but I regret nothing! There is a Light was everything and more, and when I heard that belladonnacullen had a sequel in the works based on her Babies at the Border Compilation contribution, I went full-on Hunger Games, volunteering TLS as tribute to spread the word about the continuation of this Edward and Bella's epic love story. It is our pleasure to feature this Sneak Peek Saturday with one of our fandom faves, belladonnacullen.
~LayAtHomeMom

banner by Yourvixen

It Never Goes Out

by

belladonnacullen

Summary: Seven years after Bella and Edward’s long-awaited happily ever after, the world has other ideas. Bella and Edward face their worst fears, but will they be able to face one another?

xXxXx

There is a Light was a story about what might really happen if a much older, very moody guy fell for a teenager. It was a weird riff on Twilight, mixed with many references to The Smiths - the band I was in love with as a kid. Somewhere in the middle of There is a Light, we hear Bella thinking:

“Now it should be clear why I doubted myself for so many years. I had an affair with a rock star that burned brilliant and bright, like a shooting star. Like all shooting stars, though, it burned as brightly as it did because it was falling from the start, because it was being torn apart before our eyes. 

I loved Edward Cullen without reservation. He was the light of my life. He was my launching point. He took a girl and made her a woman, and then betrayed that woman completely. You shouldn’t love someone like that forever, but sometimes you do despite yourself. 

For so many years I saw that love as a weakness. I saw it as a disease. I tried to exorcize the feeling I’d buried deep inside, but in the end I admitted it was impossible.”

There is a Light was a story about a woman that was brave enough to admit that she was still in love after decades, even though most of the people close to her thought it was a mistake. It Never Goes Out is the other half of that song lyric from The Smiths, and hopefully it will be the other half of Bella and Edward’s story.

Edward tried valiantly to hold onto that happily ever after at the end of TiaL, but the death of a friend made him see that in order to hold onto Bella he’d been holding himself back. Then the world changed and it impacted each member of the Swan/Clearwater/Cullen household. This is the story of how they all attempt to deal with these changes. Will they grow apart? Can Bella accept something in Edward that she never bargained for?

I’m not going to lie; Edward’s actions in It Never Goes Out make me SO nervous. I’ve been angry with him in this new fic, but I’ve also grown to love him so much more: seeing him as a teen, then as an aspiring punk rock star, then randomly meeting the kid that would change his life. He makes me alternately sad and swoony.

“Fault found its home in me. It always had; it always would. It was born into me and flowed through my veins. Sometimes it made me soar and sometimes it dragged me so far down I couldn’t imagine getting up again. It’s why my mom locked me away, it’s why they’d hooked me up to electrodes - to try to kill the faulty piece of me that had been fucking up from the beginning. 

That inborn unworthiness is why I’d written a poem when I was a kid asking my parents to love me despite who I was. Back in the early days I’d screamed the words into the mic. Then when we recorded it for The Masens demo, Alice suggested a quieter take. Jasper tapped out something swinging and slow, and like a lullaby the words fell from my lips. The same words rippled out into the air around me that night, like my thoughts come to life. An octave higher, hesitant yet plaintive, the truth was sung sweetly, drifting on the damp breeze from the bay. Someone was using my words, asking my parents to like me for the person I was, imperfections and all.”

That was from June 1989, behind an amphitheater on Long Island. Have you read TiaL? Do you know who was singing his song?

It Never Goes Out will begin posting on December 20th. I’m a slower writer these days, so I’ll update as frequently as possible. With characters I love this much, I want to make sure I get it right. I hope you come along for the ride.

~BDC

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

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

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

This week, TLS is proud to showcase belladonnacullen. She is well known in this fandom and very well known to TLS. She won The Lemonade Stand’s 2011 Fic of the Year with the smash hit, There is a Light. You may also know her from her other greats like The Practice of Love or The Veil. She has so many genres of great fic. Need a guaranteed good read? You’ve come to the right place, with one of the best writers this fandom has seen!

banner by RoseArcadia

Swifter Than the Stars
by belladonnacullen

Summary: Once upon a time there was a girl who met a boy. She didn’t want to leave home. He never wanted to go back to his. Together they discover more about themselves than they ever could have imagined alone. About stars, science, souls and young love. ExB, AH
Rated M

Maddy: You’re writing again, mom?

belladonnacullen: I am - a little bit, anyway.

Maddy: What’s it about?

belladonnacullen: It’s like a fairy tale, like a ‘once upon a time’ kind of story.

Maddy: Is it for kids then?

belladonnacullen: No, it’s definitely a story for grown-ups.

Maddy: What’s it about?

belladonnacullen: It’s about a girl who lives with her father. Everything I write is Twilight fanfiction, so the girl’s name is Isabella and her dad’s name is Charles. They live in a little village deep in the woods. He’s a doctor in their village, and she helps him make medicines, and helps with his patients. Her mom died when she was a baby, but before she died she used to study the stars, like an astronomer. Her mom was pretty famous for that. At night before bed Isabella and her dad tell stories about space and time and stuff.

Maddy: Like me and Mark?

belladonnacullen: Like you and Mark, but maybe if you were alive hundreds of years ago before we knew the science we know now. 

Maddy: Is that all it’s about?

belladonnacullen: Well, no. I write romance stories, so there has to be a boy.

Maddy: Or another girl!

belladonnacullen: Right, but in this one there’s a boy. He’s traveling with his dad, because he wants to see the world before he has to settle down & start his adult job. But somewhere on this journey his horse gets hurt. He loves his horse and wants to save her. There weren’t really veterinarians back then; usually they’d just put the horse down. So, he looks for a doctor to take care of his horse.

Maddy: And the girl’s father is a doctor!

belladonnacullen: Exactly. That’s how they meet. He’s the third son, and in this world I’m writing about it means that he’s supposed to become a priest. He does think a lot about God and stuff, but he has other ideas that don’t go along with the church.

Maddy: Like what?

belladonnacullen: Well, he’s pretty sure animals have souls.

Maddy: That’s weird... And interesting too. I don’t mean to say your story’s weird.

belladonnacullen: You know why I started to write this story?

Maddy: shakes her head

belladonnacullen: It’s because of something you said last summer. Do you remember what you said about the line in that song Shut Up and Dance? The line that goes,“This woman is my destiny”? You said that destiny is a thing, and a woman is her own person with her own destiny.

Maddy: Yeah, I did say that!

belladonnacullen: Somehow, you saying that inspired me to write this. 

Maddy: I don’t get it. Does she ask him to dance?

belladonnacullen: Hmmm… I haven’t written that far yet, but I know how it ends. 

Maddy: How does it end?

belladonnacullen: I’m not telling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’ve known belladonnacullen for a million fandom years and this lady has never failed to impress me with her writing. She always has new ideas and formats that shake our favorite characters up a bit. When she told me she was writing again, I told her she absolutely had to do a Sneak Peek with us and she, so kindly, agreed. I may be biased because I’m her pre-reader, but I think she’s worked some magic here. I hope you will put her on alert and enjoy this story, along with all of us at TLS! 

♥ Nic

Fic of the Week 10/08/13 - 10/14/13: The Fab Five are Up!

The Keepsake by Windchymes
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7562914/1/The_Keepsake
Some things you never forget, they just hurt too much to remember.
Twilight - Rated: M

Reviewed by: Dolly Reader

Some things you never forget, they just hurt too much to remember.

Whenever I see an alert from Windchymes show up in my inbox I literally make a happy face and start clapping.  Windchymes has consistently written AU stories that take the framework of Twilight and twist them to a new direction.  I have appreciated her Bellas that have a strength and determination to withstand conflict and communicate what they want.  Her Edwards are loving and caring.

When The Keepsake arrived I rapidly clicked over excited to begin a new journey.  As the story opens, we find Bella newly arrived and unpacking her boxes in her apartment at University.  Her pal, Jake is there to lend a hand.  While going through her books she discovers her well-worn copy of Wuthering Heights and pages fall to the floor.

But before I put it in the rubbish I shake it out gently over the floor.

"What are you doing?" Jake asks.

"I had a bookmark I really liked but I lost it ages ago. I'm just checking for it before I throw the book away."

Jake looks towards the shelves where the other books sit. "What's it look like?"

"A leather strip with Celtic patterns on it."

The book yields nothing except another couple of loose pages.

"Where's the last place you saw it?" He stands and walks to the shelves.

"Can't remember. It was before..." I stop for a second. "It was in junior year."

Bella settles into her routine of being a student and stops off at the campus library.  As she is leaving one night she makes a most interesting discovery.

...my attention is drawn to the carpet and I stop.

My bookmark is lying on the floor.

I stare at it for a moment, knowing it can't really be mine. There are probably hundreds like it.
I bend and pick up the strip of tan leather with its Celtic patterns of black dye. Some of the black is missing from the border around the edges, just like mine. Bewildered and confused I look absently at my bag. Had it been in there all along, only to fall out now? I shake my head, no; I've only had this bag since Christmas. I decide the bookmark probably isn't mine. I turn it over and in the bottom corner see the tiny, faded single letter drawn in pen...B

...

I hurry to the desk and she processes my loan. I shove the book in my bag and head out the door. It's almost dark outside, the lights from the building blaze brightly and I stand under them, still staring at the bookmark as it lays across my palm, still trying to find a reason, an explanation...that elusive anything.

...

Suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck stands up. My skin pebbles in goosebumps and my body is alert. In the silence around me I hear the echo of footsteps and look up. I watch the figure come out of the gloom and as he comes down the path, before I can see his face clearly I know...it's in the set of his shoulders and the tilt of his head. And the way he walks...

It's Edward Cullen.

After three years of being apart, Bella sees Edward again for the first time.  She is completely dumbfounded to realize that he has no remembrance of her. It isn’t long after returning to her apartment that Bella receives some very unexpected visitors who carry some incredibly startling information.

Carlisle puts a careful, calming hand on my upper arm and I stop. His voice is gentle but firm when he speaks.

"Bella, Edward has gone to enormous trouble to block out something incredibly painful, and I believe he's done this purely to survive. So, he needs to remember in his own time, when his subconscious believes he's ready to handle it, and not before. Obviously I can't tell you what to do, but if you speak with Edward again I must stress that it would be better if you didn't tell him you have a shared past, or what has happened between you. It could do him a lot more harm than good."

…

Just as defeat and desolation begin to wash over me, a tiny spark of light comes through the gloom – a small beacon of hope.

"He came back for my bookmark," I say softly, sitting up straight and lifting my eyes to look at Carlisle, then Alice. "That must mean something, mustn't it?"

Carlisle smiles, surprise in his eyes, and Alice grins.

"In that case," Carlisle smiles wider, "I suggest you let nature take its course."

And so it begins, a new dance of discovery between Edward & Bella.  But in The Keepsake, Bella is the one with the answers and the knowledge of what has been.  She walks the fine line of engaging Edward at his pace and revealing herself to him as if they had never been together before.  Edward finds himself being intrigued by Bella’s difference from the other students.  As he reflects upon his actions we learn,

He had gone back to school and watched her from a distance, determined to discover that she was actually boring and dull and not the silver lining to his constant cloud cover. But he had discovered just the opposite. She was different. And she was special...to him. He realised that the first time he saw her stumble over a tree root and his hands shot out reflexively to catch her, even though he was on the other side of the campus lawn. And the realisation was compounded when he heard her laughing with some other students in the corridors of the history department. The sweet sound warmed him like nothing else, he'd found himself wanting to know what she found so funny.

But sometimes she looked sad, he thought. His vampire eyes would see expressions in her eyes and on her face that he didn't understand...but he wanted to understand, and that confused him as much as anything else.

I’m so excited to see Edward’s journey of re-discovery and how his actions will change with his new experiences behind him.  How will his concern and curiosity about her emerge into love?  What will their new experiences together bring them?  Without a doubt, I’ll be devouring every word and golden moment that Windchymes gifts us with.

Little Green and Easybella by BettiGefecht
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6412470/1/Little-Green-and-Easybella
She only remembers a silent kid, he doesn't remember her at all. When they meet again years later, they feel a connection that isn't of this world. Rated M.

Plight Thee My Troth by Gingerandgreen
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7353115/1/Plight-Thee-My-Troth
England, 1795. Lord Edward Masen and Miss Isabella Swan promise to love one another for all time; but will the harsh realities of life allow two souls from very different backgrounds to fulfil their vows? EPOV, AH Rated M

Shame by Belladonnacullen
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9281621/1/Shame
She destroys him. He hides his disgrace. She manipulates. He dominates. She's driven by power. He's inspired by duty. Their corporate arrangement is motivated by shame. ExB, AH, Rated M.

Headbands and Hero-Worship by GeekChic12
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9584813/1/Headbands-and-Hero-Worship
Two rivals. One election. Who will come out on top? A mini-fic written for Dreamweaver94's birthday. AH, High School, ExB Rated M

TLS Fics of the Week 7/16/13 - 7/22/13: The Sexy Six are up

Departures by TheFicChick
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8625604/1/Departures
"Every day for the rest of my life, I will wonder how kissing a virtual stranger goodbye could have felt like a hello." Rated M

Review by @Bebeninja

Bella is a flying out of Chicago to Seattle in the middle of winter, a week after Christmas.  The airport is packed with post-holiday travelers and those stranded from flight delays. Edward is on an EOD (military bomb squad) team and is on his way out on a tour of duty in Afghanistan.  He offers her a seat, and their story begins.

In their friendly conversation, they quickly cover topics of family, tantric sex, and women’s magazines.

"Well, since we've discussed family, hometowns, and your bedroom,

 I'd say it's about time I asked your name." His smile is warm and I feel

 something unfamiliar but not entirely unwelcome unfurl low in my belly.

They bond over Pearl Jam and other mutual music likes in their iPods.  And while their exchange is innocent at the start, it quickly becomes peppered with innuendo as they spend time together and really start to notice each other.

Breathtakingly green eyes, the jawline of a marble statue, eyelashes befitting

a starlet, long fingers, and he just used the word poetry. And just like that, I'm

aroused in an airport terminal.

When flights are delayed further, Edward asks her to breakfast. They eat, walk the terminal gift shops together, exchange personalized key chains, mark up a map with places they want to go, discuss public sex experiences, and Bella even takes off her shirt!

But despite all the sex talk, the UST isn’t overdone and in your face. TheFicChick possesses the unique ability to reveal character and develop a story through believable dialogue that gets you so comfortable with the characters, it’s like you’re sitting right next to them, chin on hands, listening to their conversation and nodding along.  Ok, maybe that’s just my fantasy.  But it’s still truth.  Their banter is playful, and the fact that it is so believable makes it all the more dreamy.

"You're like a Kennedy, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Like, big family, all perfect, all beautiful."

He beams. "You think I'm beautiful?"

Warmth creeps up my neck, and I shuffle through my magazines so I have something to do with my hands. I do think he's beautiful, especially when he's smiling at me like that, and I want to kick myself for tipping my hand so spectacularly. 

"You know what I mean."

"I know it takes one to know one, Bella Swan."

Through their conversations you get to know these characters so well that you feel what they feel before they can tell you what they’re feeling. You know when important things are happening.  You can feel the instant connection and building attraction.

"I think we've surpassed the stranger portion of the program, don't you?"

Edward considers me for a moment and glances away from my face and down to his shirt before his expression sobers, his eyes hooded. "Yes. I'd say we have." There is a faint scraping sound, and I look away from the intensity of his eyes to see that he's pushing and pulling on the red straw of his now-empty smoothie, thrusting it in and out of the Styrofoam cup.

The motion is erotically reminiscent of something else, and heat licks at my body.

By the time Bella’s flight is ready to go they don't want to say goodbye.

"If this were any other day, and if I weren't flying off to fiddle with bombs in the middle of the desert, I'd ask for your number."

I attempt to swallow against the lump that lodges itself firmly in my throat.

"If you weren't flying off to fiddle with bombs in the middle of the desert, I'd give it to you." My voice is barely more than a whisper.

They can’t help but kiss.  They exchange emails and he takes a picture of her with his phone. He writes immediately and they both can't stop thinking about each other.

This story was originally written as a O/S, and she was fiercely persuaded to continue it.  Because that’s what we do around here.  If you’re as good an author as TheFicChick, we butter you up with sweet, true words, and then demand more.

The bulk of the remaining chapters are flashbacks to the four months that passed between that day in the airport and the day Bella is sitting in traffic on her way to pick Edward up from his tour.  Things moved fast. They wrote each other, sharing more about themselves, flirting, discovering more about what they think of each other, and counting down the weeks until Edward is back stateside. Bella admitted “I suspect there's nothing about this that isn't somewhat strange, stranger. So how is it that it feels so normal?”

By the end of the first week, Edward was already asking, “ARE you still single? I thought I'd been working on changing that.”

Through a series of events, Bella met and became close to Edward’s family while he was away.  They began referring to each other as boyfriend/girlfriend.  Their words shifted from innuendo and flirting to outright plans to be naked together.

From: Edward Cullen

To: Bella Swan

Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 7:29 p.m. PST

Subject: The horse


Bella,

Forgive me for saying so, but there are certainly parts of me that could be described as…"horse-like." And rest assured that I'm not talking about my hair.

xo,

Edward

. . .

From: Bella Swan

To: Edward Cullen

Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 6:12 a.m. PST

Subject: The jockey


Edward,

Which parts of you, specifically?

And that's convenient, as I've been told in the past that I'm a pretty good rider.

xo,

Bella

For reasons you will have to read about, they have a short window of time to be together upon Edward’s return before they are temporarily separated again.  Within a matter of days they’re exchanging I Love You’s.  And all I can say is their sweet, blessed reunion more than makes up for the long wait!  It sounds unrealistic, but the friendship and the trust that they’ve built with their words alone, and the way TheFicChick reveals their feelings with hers, makes you realize these two are meant to be together.  In fact, you long for this to happen.

Departures gives you everything you need in a fic in the perfect amounts: friendship, humor, UST, a little bit of drama to keep things interesting, and of course, romance.  It moves you, entertains you, makes you laugh, and yet, it’s so very original.  TheFicChick beautifully delivers all of these in a complete and tidy package of 10 chapters.

I can tell you that with over 300 fics under my belt, this has got to be in my top 20.  So, if you haven’t gotten to this one yet, you definitely need to join in on the flailing and read this story.  Go.  NOW!

Accidentally in Love by Missus T
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7778961/1/Accidentally-in-Love
A personal ad for a fake fiancée leads to something they never expected.  Two lonely souls discover that faking it might be the best thing that ever happened to them. ExB AH RatedM

Stay by Fictionfreak95
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8767352/1/Stay
Sometimes a blast from your past is exactly what you need to ignite your future. AH, BxE. Rated M

Rubbish by Belladonnacullen
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6763895/1/Rubbish
Trash. Dirty. Filthy. Late nights. Early mornings. Finally open your eyes to see Edward staring back. It's hard to remember to take out the trash when you're a high-class hooker. Do you need help cleaning house? Let the garbage collector do it. Rated M

Ties That Bind by EmmalynnMarie21
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9410800/1/Ties-That-Bind
"Car wreck, girl pinned, expect casualties!" The lieutenant shouted as the men raced to the trucks. Fireman Edward Cullen and his crew receive a call on a cold October night that will change their lives forever. All human, AU, cannon pairings. Rated M for adult content. Rated M

To Destroy by Walkingwithgiants
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7493279/1/To-Destroy
In the words of Abe Lincoln, "The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend." Bella works for a man that makes her teeth grind. "My boss is an asshole," she cried. Rated M

Welcome To TLS Nursery!

Welcome to TLS Nursery! Here we nurture all of the newborn stories (stories published within the last 30 days or so), that we love! 

Everything in our nursery has been read and approved by a few, or a lot, of the TLS ladies, and we think you'll enjoy cuddling up to these babies as well.

As ever, there are some amazing stories to check out this month. Remember to leave these amazing ladies some love, and let them know TLS sent you!

XOXO

Hard Hearted by counselor

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9338559/1/Hard-Hearted

1946. The boys are home from the war. Eddie meets Isbe at the movies. When I know more, you will too. Enjoy.

Never Said I Didn't by purelyamuse

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9344781/1/Never-Said-I-Didn-t

Edward is finally ready to play ball, but is Bella? Is it too late? The bases are loaded. He's just waiting for Bella to give him the signal to run. EPOV, Human, HS, Light Angst.

Plan B by chocaholic123

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9360397/1/Plan-B

Plan B: a strategy or plan to be implemented if the original one proves impracticable or unsuccessful. Best used in the cold light of day, after waking up in bed next to a virtual stranger. An E/B three shot.

Dear Bella by lellabeth

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9314616/1/Dear-Bella

December 22 is the only day I let myself think of you. I don't know if you remember, but I'd do anything to forget.

Shame by belladonnacullen

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9281621/1/Shame

She destroys him. He hides his disgrace. She manipulates. He dominates. She's driven by power. He's inspired by duty. Their corporate arrangement is motivated by shame. ExB, AH, Rated M.

The Debt by Ta Paixao

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9339195/1/The-Debt

Juniors in college, Bella and Edward live together under a tense agreement. They aren't exactly friends - not anymore - but Edward has a debt to pay and a promise to keep. Edward will get his chance at redemption... Rated for all sorts of adult content. EPOV.

Sanctuary by cosmogirl7481

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9322425/1/Sanctuary

God had different plans. Change was inevitable. But it wouldn't come to me in the way I expected. Rated M for language and adult themes.

Hooked Up and Locked Down by LayAtHomeMom

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9320881/1/Hooked-Up-and-Locked-Down

All he wants is a distraction. And a distraction is what he gets when a night out with friends leads to a steamy hook-up. Of course, sometimes things look different in the morning... but that's the trouble with one-night stands in locked down Boston.

Driven to Desperation by ericastwilight

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9323679/1/Driven-to-Desperation

I have always read people easily. They are predictable, until I met her. She was a contradiction, an enigma that drove me insane. Every time I thought I had figured her out, she did the complete opposite. I could not stay away from her, even though I tried.

Everything About You by IdPattThat

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9326072/1/Everything-About-You

The eve of Edward's wedding finds him questioning everything, and looking for answers in an unexpected place.

Welcome to TLS Nursey!

Welcome to TLS Nursery! Here we nurture all of the newborn stories (stories published within the last 30 days) that we love! Everything in our nursery has been read and approved by a few - or a lot - of the TLS ladies and we think you will enjoy cuddling up to these babies as well.

I am so excited by so many of the stories listed this month, and I think you will be, too. There is something for everyone, and I know they'll become firm favourites in no time. So when you have that quiet moment in your day, plonk yourself down in the comfiest chair you can find, make yourself a cup of whatever takes your fancy, and get lost in these awesome stories. And remember to leave some love, and let them know that TLS sent you.

Happy reading! XOXO

A Soft Place to Land by btwnthestacks

http://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.

Close Your Eyes by CaraNo

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7799137/1/Close_Your_Eyes

Bella barely remembers her godparents, but after losing her mom and dad, she's shipped off to rainy Washington to live with the Cullens for her final semester in high school. On the outside, the Cullens are perfect. Behind closed doors is another matter.

The Veil by belladonnacullen

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7784269/1/The_Veil

You always have the choice between life and death... until you don't. There is poetry at the beginning and end of our journey, but it's what you make of the interim that counts. BxE, rated M, canon parings.

I love belladonnacullen’s storytelling ability. I think that’s what draws me in to her fics, and ‘The Veil’ is no exception. Also, the writing here is blunt and beautiful; every word has its purpose. I’m still not sure what to expect either, which I love. The story is shrouded in mystery and there are little red herrings everywhere: Is the story AH or AU? Is Bella dying or not dying?

I love that nothing is obvious. It keeps readers interested and guessing, and tangles you up in its web.

Nighttime, in Edward's arms, his breath in my hair. "You are my life now," he whispers.

I wrap my limbs tighter. I don't want space between us. I need his hands to make me come alive.

I need him to light these dark times I have away.

"I'll love you forever," he breathes as he rolls a nipple between rough finger pads.

There is no forever. Not for me.

"No forever tonight," I insist.

He sighs.

"Just now," I request climbing astride. There's no lingerie tonight. I want skin on skin, slipping against satin sheets. Men in this position don't often argue. Edward is no different. His hands grip my hips, pressing our bodies together where it counts. Forward, up, down, we both groan as he fits inside.

I slide; he pumps. I press thighs, he grabs my ass.

"Come here," he demands.

I fall forward and his lips catch mine. He sets the pace. His biceps flex as he rocks me forward. Faster, harder… I sweat, I tingle. He tugs my hair; I arch my back.

His lips close over my breast.

Eternity is just a kiss away.

Death and love are heavily featured and explored in this story, both beautiful despite the pain that lingers in both. ‘The Veil’ is gorgeously told, and addictive, and will have you asking yourself questions after reading—really make you think.

So if you haven’t read this yet, get your thinking cap on and get consumed.

Head Over Feet by iambeagle

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7829578/1/Head_Over_Feet

It's simple, really. A story about two best friends realizing they're head over feet in love.

Review by Jaime Arkin

Anyone who knows me, knows I dig the fluff... I swoon over it! I love good banter just as much as a good lemon and with Head Over Feet iambeagle does not disappoint.

Bella and Edward have been friends and neighbors for years never single at the same time they've built a solid friendship. Through the chapters there are hints that Edward has wanted more... wants more now, but Bella seems a bit oblivious. Or, maybe she's just afraid of taking that step and messing up a perfect friendship. Either way I love the characters iambeagle has created in this and I just adore the relationship she's built between these two.

There is the sweet...

I let out an unattractive laugh. "Whatever. Don't lie. You were always Team Pete."His brows furrowed. "No, I wasn't."

"Oh my God!" I shoved his shoulder. "Yes, you were!"

"No." He rubbed his shoulder. "I was always Team Whatever Makes Bella Happy."

and the funny...

"I mean, you don't want to take someone like that home to meet your parents."

"I don't?" he questioned, setting his chopsticks on the edge of his plate. "Who should I take home to meet my parents, Bella?"

"I don't know, but not someone like that."

"You keep saying 'someone like that'. What do you mean?"

"You know, like," I cupped my hands to hover over my breasts, "Chesty and...so forward with what she wants." The hostess looked our way again. I realized my hands were still placed in front of my chest, so I quickly picked up my glass.

And I'm holding my breath for the lemony stuff - because I know it's going to be just as incredible as the rest of this sweet story.

Go now... seriously. iambeagle is 8 chapters in and it's quickly moved into place on my 'must drop everything to read' list!

High Fidelity by IReen H

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7771737/1/High_Fidelity

Edward is an unfeeling bastard. Bella gets caught up in his games. Language and lots of it. Lemons eventually. It's a slow burn, slow and painful. Mature. Lots of random pop culture references. AH, AU, ExB.

Like Crazy by willyoupleasebequiet

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7779095/1/Like_Crazy

They say that there are three certainties in life: birth, death & taxes. A fourth certainty in Edward & Bella's life is their friendship...okay, five if you include Edward's fixation on seeing her boobs. Inspired by WhatsMyNomDePlume's "Best I Ever Had"

Cutlass by Tkegl

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7792629/1/Cutlass

Isabella Swan is certain notorious pirate, Edward Cullen, murdered her father and stole his prized cutlass. Out for revenge, she sneaks onto his ship, but Captain Cullen claims she has the wrong man. A tale of the search for truth…and treasure of course.

His Cimmerian View by WeeKittyAndTAT

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7734130/1/His_Cimmerian_View

At 13 Bella is left to care for her siblings. 5yrs later she still struggles to provide for them. Edward is a professor at UW, who thinks all women are users and liars. When paths cross, what happens when Bella is just another female who lied. AH/OOC/18

Sustainability by Love Well Spent

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7799422/1/Sustainability

Bella and Edward have never liked each other. When their best friends Alice and Jasper unexpectedly die in a car crash, they become joint guardians of an orphaned one year old girl. What happens when they are forced to set their differences aside? AU/AH.

Unbecoming by BookishQua

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7772463/1/Unbecoming

In the aftermath of her divorce, a heartbroken Bella Swan looks for danger to give meaning to her life. If only her hot ex-husband would stay out of the picture. AH BxE

Carpe Aestatem by vysed

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7759720/1/Carpe_Aestatem

Special Agent Edward Masen is assigned to solve four seemingly unrelated murders. He finds himself in a race to protect a possible fifth victim as June 9th looms closer.