Mean Mrs. Mustard welcomes PIC back with some Fractured Heart by cfmom!

Whew! It’s nice to be back from whatever dungeon I was banished to for the past month. Good thing about being banished though… lots of reading was done!

I don’t read much canon fic but when I came across Fractured Hearts by cfmom, I couldn’t stop reading. It takes place after Edward leaves Bella in New Moon. No, this is not an alternative look into how Bella and Jacob’s relationship blooms. Fractured Hearts can basically be summed up by this old saying, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Bella may be broken hearted about Edward leaving her but she is not going to sit back and be a bump on the log. Oh no, Bella is angry and is going to fight for what she knows to be true love between her and Edward, but not before planning sweet revenge on the Cullen’s. Yeah, you read that right. Bella isn’t only furious with Edward for leaving but with the entire family.

Since the day that the Cullen’s left Forks, Bella has called Alice’s voicemail, leaving depressing message after depressing message, and it makes Alice feel horrible. Even though Alice loves Bella as sister she is respecting Edward’s wishes; not looking out for or staying in contact with Bella. Bella finally comes out of her funk and leaves a very powerful message on Alice’s phone…

“I love you, and you left me, Alice. You, my best friend, LEFT me. Friends don’t do that to each other. Will I forgive you? Maybe. Right now I’m too angry to even consider forgiveness. You might as well warn everyone in my immortal family. I’m coming with a vengeance. Trust me when I say, I don’t plan on granting mercy to any of you. I don’t abandon my family, unlike some people, and maybe you all need to understand something important. You can’t welcome me in, only to leave when it’s not easy anymore, or you get distracted. God I hate that word! It’s wrong to toy with my emotions, and I’m especially sick of all you immortals thinking you know what’s best for me. Are you me? No! Your brother can’t hear my mind to see the depth of love I feel for all of you, and here’s a little tip, this love I feel has no bottom, no end. It’s forever! I’ve never let my heart go before, and guess what? I’m not done loving this family – not by a long shot. So get ready, I’m in the mood to whip a little ass! Vampires haven’t cornered the market on scary, so watch out!”

The revenge Bella gets on all the Cullen’s is amusing and very well thought out. But Bella can’t make those plans happen without the help of Alice. Of course, Alice sees this and knows it’s time to go back to Bella.

Her muddy visions of Bella were still frustrating. She could see Bella was angry, but there was also more. And the longer Alice focused on those glimpses of her visions, the more concerned she became. “What the hell is she thinking?” she voiced quietly to herself as she pulled out her cell phone and punched in Bella’s number. Bella answered before the first ring had even finished, almost as if she had been expecting the call.

“Rude much, Alice? It’s a well know fact that common courtesy requires a person to return a single call, let alone eight hundred and forty seven of them,” Bella sniped sarcastically. Her voice was hoarse and Alice had a feeling that it wasn’t caused by sleep. Fine, two people could play this game.

“Don’t be such a drama queen, Bella,” Alice sniped right back to her. “There were only eight hundred and forty five calls, thank you very much. Now, are you going to explain to me about the muddy visions I’ve had over the last two weeks that somehow revolve around you considering hurting yourself?”

“Are you going to explain why it’s taken you so damn long to call me back?” Bella retorted. “Besides, I don’t have to explain shit to you. You left me, remember? Therefore, by my new rules of engagement for this war, you forfeit the right of an explanation from me about anything!”

Remember to let her be angry with you. Jasper’s words whispered through Alice’s mind.

While the first part of the story is Bella getting Edward and the rest of the Cullen’s back to Forks, that proves to be the easy part. The hard work comes in when she has to start building a better relationship with Edward and most of all, forgive him for leaving.

“I see you received all of my packages,” she said softly, her voice now igniting a firestorm of emotions inside him.

“Yes,” he answered just as softly, wanting so much to rip the offending shirt from her body and kill whomever it belonged to. She had never worn Charlie‘s clothes before, so his mind ran through every other male possibility in Forks. Whose was it? If she had taken to wearing men’s clothing, it should be his shirt adorning her body and no one else‘s.

“Did it hurt you to open them and to read my messages?” Her tone was filled with a mild curiosity, but nothing more. She didn’t know about his inner battle to stay cemented in place and not sweep across the room to pull her in his arms.

More deeply than you could imagine. “Yes, it did,” he replied honestly. He noticed her heart was now occasionally skipping a beat as it continued the rapid, frenetic pace that had started from the moment when he had first stepped into the room.

“Good,” she said in satisfaction. She stood on her tiptoes for a few seconds, her eyes touching on each of the packages strewn at his feet. “I see you didn’t take any better care of those strawberries than you did of me. I guess perishable things are a real challenge for you.”

Edward winced and looked down at the rotten fruit. They were from you, I couldn‘t part from them. “I wasn’t intentionally neglecting their care. I was distracted by your other packages, and I didn’t realize how quickly they would deteriorate.”

“Ah, yes distracted, I should’ve known. Well, they’ve spoiled all the same,” she shrugged. “That’s what happens when you don’t nurture and care for things, you know; they wither away and spoil.”

“Bella,” he started, but she cut him off quickly.

“No, you don’t get to speak anymore at the moment,” she said decisively before continuing. “I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen. Got it?”

I absolutely love the way cfmom writes Bella and how strong she is. She does not forgive Edward so easily and makes Edward prove to her that their love is worth fighting for. Eventually, Edward gives into one of Bella’s greatest desires and makes love to her. The wait for the lemon is absolutely worth it. It really captures the torture Edward has to go through when trying to control his bloodlust.

Now, because this fic is AU, Jacob is in it and still hates the Cullen’s. In my opinion, cfmom wrote one of the best transformation processes for Jacob.

If you are looking to read a great, well-written, somewhat angsty vampire fic I definitely think you should read Fractured Hearts. It’s a work in progress and thirty chapters in but I must warn you that there is a bit of cutting and a near incident of rape. Go. Read. Enjoy! Don’t forget to review!

Last PIC Take Over of the month! TillyWhitlock gets us Marked!

So the plus to being the original PIC is that when The Take Over happened, I asked Miss Scarlett if I could participate. She agreed, so here I am.

One of my favorite weeks from the old days was a week where Miss Scarlett was on vacation. I ended up going with slash week and found one of my favorite pairings ever. Edward and Jasper. I don't remember the hows or whys of how I stumbled across this little gem, but I found Marked by Whitlock-Masen.

Marked is a collab between Naelany and SorceressCirce. It originally started out as an entry for the Tattward and Inkella contest. However, the world found itself with a new multi-chapter story.

It starts out with Edward entering Billy Black's Tattoo parlor and running into Alice. It's revealed that Edward has just gotten out of a relationship. When we meet Jasper, he's coming in for a new tattoo. Edward stays to observe, and something blossoms between the two of them.

Between the drama of Edward and Jasper together, the issues they face apart, and the problems they encounter along the way, you become addicted to this couple. The pain they face is true. And besides, how can you not love Princess (Edward) and Cuddles (Jasper)?

One of my favorite parts of the story is when Edward tell Jasper he loves him for the first time.

When I got to the kitchen, I automatically pulled everything out I would need for lunch and started preparing roast beef and turkey sandwiches. When I was finished, I simply stood at the counter, leaning heavily on it with my hands, my head bowed low as I fought to keep from crying. I ached for them, and I wanted to help them, to make them both see how none of it was their fault, but I had no idea how to get through to them.

I must have been gone longer than I thought because Jasper was suddenly behind me, and I started when I felt his hand tentatively touch me between my shoulder blades. He rested his hip against the counter next to me, and I had to squeeze my eyes shut to keep my composure as he whispered, "Edward, are you alright?"

Taking a shuddering breath, I nodded. Even with everything that was going on, how much Jasper was hurting himself, and how worried and upset he was about what had happened to Emily, he still made sure I was okay. I turned to face him and wrapped my arms tightly around him, nuzzling his neck as I tried to keep myself in check.

The urge to tell him was stronger now than ever before, and when I felt him trying to soothe me, I knew I had to let him know. I couldn't not say it anymore - I had to let him see how I felt about him. He needed to understand that I loved him, even with everything that had happened - that I wouldn't leave, or think less of him, or...any of that.

I pulled back to look at him; the mixture of emotions I saw in his eyes strengthened my resolve. This wasn't romantic or the way I'd imagined telling him for the first time, but this felt like the right time. Placing both hands on his cheeks to hold him in place, I took a deep breath. Kissing him chastely, I smiled and whispered, "I'm fine, baby. More than fine. I'm so proud of you...you're so strong. I know how hard it was for you to tell Emily what happened to you."

He watched me in silence, his eyes filled with confusion and pain and affection and something beautiful that I wasn't sure I'd ever really seen there - hope. My quiet smile grew softer as I kissed him again and then pulled back to murmur, "I love you, Jasper..."

His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off with another kiss before shaking my head. "Don't, please. I just needed you to know, Jazz. You don't have to say those words right now. In fact, I don't want you to. I need you to tell me because you mean it and feel it, too, not because you think you have to. And if you don't, it won't change how I feel for you, baby. I realize you have things to work through...and that you may not be where I'm at yet... That's okay. I can wait."

My thumbs brushed his cheekbones as I calmed myself, cutting off my babbling before I added, "You're worth waiting for, Jasper."

He swallowed several times, his eyes searching mine for what felt like ages before he finally nodded, kissing me hard. After several minutes, he pulled back just far enough to rest his forehead against mine. He closed his eyes, and I thought I saw a smile ghosting his lips as he whispered, "Thank you..."

There's a lot that leads up to this point, and there's a lot that comes after. Read. Fall in love with them. Feel for them.

lisamichelle17 gives us The Mystery of You on today's PIC Take Over!

I have to tell you, I have several fics that I enjoy. I love amazing writing. I love smut. I love UST. I love humor. Hell, I even do slash. However, I have a tendency of making the mistake of reading something right before I go to bed. 99% of those times, I find myself not being able to stop reading. Yes, this happened even with Wide Awake but this time I found a teaser for The Mystery of You on the pictease blog. I put The Mystery of You on my favorites and told myself that when I have time that I would read this fic. Two days later. I found the time.

The Mystery of You by DivineInspiration, has an Edward that is real. He is a man. He has a mouth. He is funny and seriously sexy.

Then there is Bella. She is shy and has no idea that she is so beautiful. She has a past. A past that the author, divine inspiration, is slowly letting us know about. We have gotten glimpses of that past but she is a mystery, to us.

It is not only Edward and Bella that are a part of this fic. Every character plays a very important part of this fic. I won't give too much away but trust me. I love this Alice. She is funny and I love how she is not blown away by love when she first meets Jasper.

Edward and Bella meet each other in the first chapter. Trust me when I say that at the end of that chapter, I was curling my toes but then divine inspiration brings on the plot. We get to know each characters and how they interact with each other. That leads us to some serious laughing.

The other thing that I was drawn to this fic is that divine inspiration told all of her readers that this fic is complete and just has to be edited. For those of us that are disappointed by fics that are being pulled when the fic is halfway done has nothing to worry about.

I also admit that I, slightly fangirled over divine inspiration. Her fic has owned me, completely. I rec'd it, briefly, to the fictionators and she added me on twitter and then she asked me if I would be interested in pre-reading for her.

Let's just say, I said yes. This is not the reason that I am rec'ing this fic. Divine Inspiration is the funniest and nicest person. I consider her a friend. If you love UST and a mystery, you will totally enjoy this fic.

Littlecat358 gives you some BitterSweet Irony on today's PIC Take Over!

Okay, so I am one of those readers who has a difficult time getting moved by a piece of fiction. I know, it sounds weird, but it is a rare occasion when I am brought to tears by something that I read. So when I find something that does that for me, I hang onto it.

Bittersweet Irony by SweetVenom69 is just such a fic. The premise of the story is that Edward Masen and Bella Swan have been friends since birth. As they grew older, their friendship became more intense and turned into love.
So as their senior year of high school comes to an end, the young lovers are planning their summer time wedding before heading to college together. As a last hurrah, Edward and his parents head to their cabin in the Arizona mountains. When they don't return as planned, Bella's life is flipped inside out.

"My memories are halted by a dark stain down the side of the pillow and onto the fitted sheet below. I stand and pull the pillow closer to me, trying to get a better glimpse of it in the fading light streaming through the windows. After a moment of deciphering, a realization hits me and I gasp, wide-eyed, and toss the pillow back to the bed roughly."

But not everything is as it seems.

So here's the part that absolutely killed me. The memorial service.

"I know you aren't here to place a ring on my finger, kiss my lips, or call me your wife today, but I know wherever you are, that you love me and are watching over me. I promise to live the rest of my life with the passion you would have, and to keep your memory alive through everything I do."

There's so much more to it than that, you just have to read it.

Time passes; years. Bella tries to move on, but her broken heart is never fully healed. When tragedy strikes again, she's had enough. She takes her things and moves to Washington to go to graduate school. But as she believes she's moving away from her memories, she runs into the last person she ever thought she'd see again.

This is not an AH story. There are all sorts of twists and turns that SweetVenom69 has taken and so far, I love them all. I'm really excited to see where she's going to take this. It's definitely worth the read.

Coldplaywhore gives us some Parenthetical Love for today's PIC Take Over!

Parenthetical Love by LyricalKris

It’s been a while since I started a new story, choosing to rely on the updates of my old standards, but when I got an alert about this story being added to a C2 I follow, I decided it was time to jump into something new. Boy, was I surprised.

Parenthetical Love is the story of unexpected love that develops when you least expect it. Bella is a smart, professional woman living in Los Angeles, who decides one day that she wants a baby. Enter her best friend, Jasper, who is gay and agrees to help her conceive a child by visiting her doctor to basically have it all done with a turkey baster. I don’t know the technical mumbo jumbo about insemination, but you don’t need too.

Also living in Los Angeles is writer, Edward. His twin sister, Rosalie, is madly in love with her wife, Alice, and they too want to conceive a child. Rose and Edward share such a strong bond, that the most logical choice for Rose to be the father of the child, as carried by Alice, is Edward. He doesn’t ever want kids, but he can’t deny his sister, so sure enough he agrees to their request.

However, the shit hits the fan early in the story when Jasper’s boys are accidentally inseminated into Alice and yup, you guessed it… Bella ends up pregnant by Edward. Bella is determined to raise this child on her own, just like she had planned initially, and Edward still thinks he doesn’t want children, but as time goes on, neither can stop the attraction that is building between them.

Edward had dismissed this fanciful notion outright. People weren't fated to be together. If people were lucky, and worked very hard, they could have a good life together Even then, it took a lot of sacrifice and compromise to make a relationship last a few years, let alone a lifetime. And no two people agreed on how to raise a child.

That was why he'd washed his hands of it initially. After all, if his parents - demonstrably loving to each other after all these years, and his father being a child psychologist to boot - could mess up as hugely as they had with Rosalie, what were the odds he could do better? His parents were both incredibly patient people. Edward had problems with his temper. And that was just him - not considering anyone else in the equation.

Edward hardly even knew Bella. He knew she was stubborn and fiercely protective. He knew she had a sharp tongue. He knew she had a penchant for dissecting movies and a work ethic that kept her from telling her boss to go back to hell she'd obviously sprung from.

He knew he wanted to do more than kiss her.

"It would be so like you to do things so out of order. First the kid. Then the lust. Don't be surprised if you fall for her," Alice had laughed.

But, all kidding aside, regardless of what they would eventually mean to each other, they needed to untangle the web they were weaving before it got so snarled a it could belong to a Disney villain.

And that had been Edward's plan when he arrived at Bella's house that weekend.

It took exactly seven minutes for that plan to crumble like dust in the wind. Their bodies were magnetized, straining toward each other though they both held back. Still, it was useless. As long as they were so close, they came together with the audible, satisfying clack.

Or, in their more human, less metallic state, the sound of their lips occasionally smacking or their clothes rubbing against each other.

"We need to talk," Bella whispered as her head tilted up, allowing him access to her neck.

"I know," he murmured against her throat. Then he darted his tongue out to taste her skin, eliciting a tiny gasp from her.

He brought his face back up to look at her, leaving a trail of light nips in his wake. The slight moisture cooled her super-heated flesh wherever his lips had touched. "I don't know what we're doing. I don't understand this," she admitted, running her cheek against his - flawless skin to grainy, stubbled cheek.

Pulling back slightly, his hands came up to frame her face. His thumbs stroked her cheeks. "Shhhh. Bella. I don't know how to wrap my head around it either," he said, leaning forward as he spoke to pepper kisses on her nose. "But I know I don't want to stop," he confessed.

Tell me to stop, some still sane part of him begged even as he kissed her once, twice, three times.

Her face still caught between his hands, and her own arms wrapped around him, they both paused, breathing the same air for long moments.

Finally, Bella gave in with a quiet whimper. She pressed her body against his, suffocating all remaining distance between them. "Don't stop," she whispered against his lips.

And he didn't.

Okay, so I have to tell you that although the story has its moments of pure adorableness (see excerpt above), not everything is sunshine and roses. Edward and Bella have many obstacles to overcome, excluding her need for independence and his reluctance to have children. First of all there is Rosalie and she hates Bella with a passion, even though her hatred may be misplaced. Add Jacob to the mix, with his well meaning but bad advice regarding Bella’s situation and things don’t look too good for our budding couple / expectant parents.

I was literally on the edge of my seat reading the already posted chapters of the story and I loved every second of it. In fact, I love it so much, I may go hound the author for an update and I never do that. Nor do I recommend it. Now, while I am harassing innocents, you should go read this wonderful, compelling and lovely story.

Orange Vixen takes over for PIC Take over!

Review by Orange Vixen.

I am not much of a writer other than what I do over at Thoughts of a Randomista, however, I read a lot of Fan Fics. Below, I posted some of my favorites. 

There Will Be Blood

by Johnnyboy7

Website: L'Histoire d'Amour

I am really into Organized Crime. This has the right amount of drama, blood, and sex that anyone can ask for. I think that if you are Team Edward, MOBward will definitely get your rocks off. This story had me reading every day just to find out what happens next and you won't even believe what happens at the end! According to Johnnyboy, there will be a sequel coming out in March and I can't wait! Basically, the Cullens are Italians involved in the mafia. Jacob is the detective that wants to bring the Cullens down. Edward is a 25 year old man-slore and Bella is a 18 year old freshman. This story is very long and complete therefore, you don't have to wait on the "cliffys" that are left in the story. Just push next very quickly.

Tales of the Charming Trucknapper

by Mk Marie

Website: Tales of a Charming Trucknapper

I am a whore for romance novels and Tales of a Charming Trucknapper is hilarious and very sappy. This is a good read. Edward steals Bella's truck on accident because Emmett dared him to steal Jaspers truck. Basically, Bella is pissed and just wanted her truck back but Edward had other plans. This story is complete and I think a sequel is in the making. Long chapters but worth it.

Clair De Lune

by Amberdeengirl

This is a fairly new story that I practically fell in love with because you can think of this as the bitchy high school of gossip where everyone knows who you are and will make fun of you ruthlessly. Bella is a 17 year old first year at a top dance academy. She should be an upperclassmen however, dancing in Forks limits resources. Edward Cullen is the top dancer at the academy and his breath taking moves makes anyone look elegant. This Fan Fic is very EMOward. Short Chapters but a lot of teen-aged drama and angst.

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HopelessRomantic79 takes a ride on EmmaleeWrites05's Engine17 on PIC's Take Over!

Engine 17 by EmmaleeWrites05

You know those calendars that have firefighters for each month? That we all ogle and dream about? Well picture Edward, Emmett, Jasper, Jacob, and the rest of the gang as those men in the calendar...

You drooling yet?

Yeah, I thought so.

Edward Masen is a firefighter, a newbie to a Seattle firehouse, and on his very first day on the job, he meets the engineer/lieutenant... Bella Swan. If you'll pardon the fire pun, sparks fly between the two, and instant attraction sets in, despite the fact that the two have to hide their budding attraction to the rest of the crew. The UST is ungh, and you want them to jump each other just as much as they want to jump each other.That is until...

I walked over to my bed and kicked off my shoes next to it. I pulled the towel I kept folded by my bed out and started to strip. Once you started living in a full fire house, you lost all since of decency when it came to nudity. Only time we all really curbed it was when Bella was present. I laid my clothes on top of my bed and wrapped the towel around my waist. I grabbed my small toiletry bag and made my way to the showers. When I pulled open the door I was hit by a wall of steam. The light was not on and I could still hear a shower running. I had figured Bella would have been done with her shower by now and asleep downstairs. I was fully not expecting to find myself alone with Bella in the showers, at night with no lights, unsupervised. This could end one of two ways. Only one of which would end up being incredibly good.

"Bella….are you still in here?" I asked as I quietly let the door fall close behind me. I made my way down the middle of the shower stalls towards the only one I always used, coincidently it was one of the nearest to her stall. As I got closer to her stall I was able to barely make out the top half of her body. She had both hands placed against the wall with the shower head running hot water over her hung head and down her back. I wanted nothing more than to walk up behind her and wrap myself around her.

"Yeah…the hot water just felt too good to leave." She replied in hush tones. The words sounded seductive and the unasked question hung in the air. I stood there, watching her without moving towards my own shower. I was desperately trying to read her mind, see if she was going to ask the questions I was begging her to say. I was waiting for her permission. I watched, transfixed as she turned her head and looked over her shoulder back at me. If the wall guarding her shower wasn't so high up blocking my view, it would have been one the most erotic sights ever and I would have killed to see it. Her voice was nearly silent as she spoke. "Edward, come here."

It isn't all fun and games though. There are skeletons in every relationship closet that have to be dealt with, and of course, the drama and danger that happens on the job. EmmaleeWrites05 writes with experience in the field, and she writes the action scenes with a crisp and clear description that keeps you in suspense throughout. As we all know, not every fire has a happy ending...

We carefully got to work. Together we slowly pulled the heavy pieces of concrete over and out of the way, trying to make sure we didn't cause anymore of the wall and ceiling to come down. We still had to make sure it was somewhat structurally sound even if it was coming down. Just needed to get it to hold long enough to get in, grab the kid and get out. Soon enough we had a hole that was roughly two feet in diameter and I could see into the storage room that held the child. Seth grabbed the sawsall and started it up. He meticulously started to cut away at the rebar that was criss-crossing over the little hole we had made.

As soon as he was done he motioned for me to check it out, see if it would work. I bent my head forward to see if my head would clear it with my helmet still attached. I was elated when I discovered it would. I slipped my BA pack off my back turned to face Seth, handing him the pack to hold and help me as I crawled in. I got down on my hands and knees and slowly started to ease backwards, feet first through the hole. The only hold up I had while slowly slipping through the hole was my turnouts bunching up. I made a mental note to get my equipment resized this week. If I was going to go into more fires, I needed my gear to fit correctly and not be so big.

Once I got through the hole, I signaled for Seth to slip my BA tank through the hole. I quickly slung it back onto my back and turned to crawl in further. In the corner furthest from me was a little boy. He was filthy, covered in dirt and soot with a tiny little ragged looking stuffed monkey in his arms. Five was guessing old; he was probably more along the lines of three, maybe four years old at most. He was so little.

I had just crawled over to the little boy when I hear the crack. It was deafening. It sound like the whole building had split in two. I looked over my shoulder in time to see Seth's face through the hole go sheet white like he saw a ghost. The concrete that was still barely being held up by the rebar started to give. I quickly flung myself over the little boy to protect him from the impending disaster. The room started falling apart around us. I curled myself up and around the boy, pulling him to my side and out of the way the best I could as the room continued to shake, but it wasn't enough. I felt a heavy weight slam down of my right foot. I screamed out as the blinding pain shot up my leg. The room gave one more lurch and stopped shaking.

"Bella!"

"Bella?"

"Bells?"

"Babe?" 

 

This is a fic that has a little bit of everything, sexy fire pole dances (hardy har har), action, romance, and not so much angst that you want to stab yourself, but enough to feel like it's real, not just a little fantasy come to life. Give it a read and tell her HopelessRomantic79 sent you!

Denverpopcorn gets Bronze for today's PIC Take Over!

Summary: Edward is a rebellious newborn lashing out at those who try to help him. At his wit's end, Carlisle asks Isabella, the woman who was once his mentor, to take Edward in until his bloodlust cools. ExB AU

Hola, denverpopcorn here to pimp out BRONZE by mothlights since it gets me excited every time it updates. I drop what I’m doing and go read, read, read.

The premise: Bella is a 3,000 year old vampire with a powerful trait. Carlisle seeks her help in taming the wild newborn he's created. Guess who? Yeah, our very own favorite, moody, Byronic hero gets schooled by Bella - Edward.

It’s thrilling as it puts you through the paces and takes you on an adventure all the while cultivating a romance that comes off 10x’s stronger than canon E/B because it’s believable. I love this fic because what we have here is, essentially, a role reversal. Bella knows more than Edward - in all ways, but the one that counts. What? You don't think Edward is the only one who will learn a thing or two.

Check out this scene:

"His sat down in the water, and Isabella shifted so that the washboard was pressed against him, and the back of her hand pushed against his thigh. Though she didn't look up from her work, he could tell she knew exactly where her hand came in contact with his jeans. He closed his eyes, and really focused on her mind. Water rushing and the soap slipping away with the current. The four points of contact where her knuckles ran across the top of his thigh and her hand gripped the washboard. Would he notice if I moved my hand across again?"

Off the bat, it becomes clear that mothlights won’t serve up the usual cliches. Her heroine is strong but she works hard to keep her cool. She needs to because her power makes others uncomfortable. Edward isn't immune to her power but since he's her mate (and I'm not spoiling anything here. It becomes clear very early), it does not affect him nearly as bad as it does others.

The vampire mythology is re-worked so that we can relate to them. They're not the rich, untouchable, cold heroes in canon. They are vulnerable, keep lives similar to humans, and do "humanly" things more naturally. You actually want to be one in this fic.

mothlights doesn’t stop with a thrilling plot. She’s devised secondary characters with real personality and their own back-story. For the first time in my short fanfic life, I wanted to learn about these original characters. There’s meat to them. They’re funny and sarcastic and add depth to the main characters. My favorite is Ginnie. Here's a scene where Ginnie and Bella arrive at the Volturi's doorstep.

"I'm not going in there."

Ginnie stayed seated in the driver's side of the little yellow car that had brought them from Florence to this cobblestone alley where they were now stopped. The windows had fogged and there was a constant tapping that sounded like pebbles into a pan. It was raining in dull, steady sheets, and Bella could hear thunder in the distance.

"You came all this way, but you won't go a little farther? Your grandfather led me to believe that you were going to be useful."

The blonde girl's grip on the wheel tightened. "I was – I did – I got you this far. I know it's only been a century since you paid attention, but a lot's happened in the world, in case you hadn't noticed. Or did you think you were just going to walk up to a counter with no money and say, 'Hello, I want to ride in your air flying machine to the land of Caesars'? For God's sake, Isabella! Not helpful? Give me a break."

These two are a great duo. You want them to be the best of friends, but know that it would be nearly impossible given Bella's power.

BRONZE is a short story compared to the big guys out there. It has a little over 20 chapters and every one of them advances the plot. You'll want to root for these two, trust me.

EdwardsBloodType has a Little Plastic Castle for today's PIC Take Over!

Hi everyone. This is EdwardsBloodType, author of I’ll Be your Lover Too, High Anxiety and the lesser known In Too Deep. Mrs. White had frantically contacted me to step in to review while she is detained. And by detained I mean she is currently picking out thorns from her hot neighbor guy’s ass after an unfortunate gutter cleaning incident in which her holding the ladder while he worked his rippling, sweaty muscles caused her to be so distracted that the poor guy fell into her rose bushes. So the story goes. I do hope it ends well.

On that note of ending well, we in the fandom certainly like our fairy tale magical romances and our HEA’s. We want all of our Edward’s to walk off into the sunset holding their Bella’s hand, while toting their two point five kids and their dog, their huge mansion and brand spanking new Aston Martin in the background, flowers and rainbows aplenty, forever and ever until they die, unless of course it’s a vamp fic and well… you know where this run on sentence is going.

Well, Little Plastic Castle by Yogagal isn’t that fic. It doesn’t end happily, however the last three sentences in the closing chapter allude to so much hope, and sometimes that’s infinitely better than a stupid rainbow.

Little Plastic Castle is a story of tragedy, loss and acceptance, written beautifully and full of raw emotion, as all of Yogagal’s work is. The fourteen chapter story takes place all in the course of one day in which Bella is married to Edward, hopelessly in love, entirely devoted to him, yet Edward has no idea who she is.

You see, after a car accident, Edward has been left with a traumatic head injury that causes him both long and short term memory loss. Every day he walks from the care facility he resides in and inexplicably ends up in her café, where Bella’s heart breaks a little more each time there is no flicker of recognition in his eyes. Yet at the same time, Edward knows there is something about Bella that he can’t quite place, and he is drawn to her but he has no idea why. You’ll watch Edward try so hard to remember something…anything, while at the same time you’ll experience Bella fall apart as she grapples with the idea that she’ll never have her husband back. She is torn with letting him go and moving on, or futilely trying every day to jog his memory so that maybe he’ll remember something from their past.

Edward:

He holds up a stack of flashcards and has me look at them. They don't seem to be anything out of the ordinary, and I'm not quite sure why we're doing this.

A blue bird.

A red ball.

A black book.

A gold ring.

I freeze at the last flashcard and ask him to pause for a moment. He does and looks at me curiously, as if he's about to ask me something, but ends up keeping quiet and just watches me intently. My eyes fixate on the picture of the gold ring, and immediately, I start thinking about Bella. There is something about her, something that draws me to her, that makes me want to know her in so many different ways. I have no idea why this picture makes me think of her, and I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to figure it out.

My head is suddenly throbbing, pulsing with pain. My fingers shoot up and start to massage the temples, and I can barely nod when Dr. Volturi asks if I'm okay. Once the headache passes, he shows me a few more cards and then he invites me to play some more music. He moves off to the side, allowing me space and freedom at the piano. I close my eyes, unsure of what to play, but just like before, my fingers find the keys and the melody pours out.

This time the music starts off slowly - quietly, even. My eyes close, and I find myself playing for somebody in my mind. I can see her as clear as if I'm looking at a painting. She's in the middle of a room, clothed in a stunning white dress, but her face is, of course, hidden from view. She sways in time to the music as it gets louder...more bolder. The notes are like emotion spilling across the keys. The song whips faster and faster until I'm pounding out against the keys, sweat beading up on my forehead. And then slowly it subsides, the notes seeping back into the piano.

My body is buzzing when I am done; my hands clammy and shaking. I finally lift my head up when the sound of applause crashes the silence and look to see that the room has been filled with people, all staring at me intently. A few people are wiping their faces, tears having spilled down their cheeks. I'm not sure what to do with myself, and I look to Dr. Volturi for some sort of cue.


And from Bella:

"You'll be happy here, Edward," I say, fighting back tears. "I'll come visit as often as I can."

He smiles up at me from his wheel chair, a questioning look marring his sweet face.

"You're not my nurse?" he asks, and I run out of the room before he sees the tears spill over.

oOoOoOoOoOo

A rhythm emerges. I learn by trial and error.

Mostly error.

But nobody has a handbook for this sort of thing. The doctors have given me suggestions, and I work with them as best as I can, but they can't account for everything.

They can't account for the times when I swear he's remembering again and I push too far, scaring him. They can't account for the times when I feel too weak to continue and break down in front of him.

There was the time that he came into the cafe and turned on the Edward Cullen charm that made me fall in love with him all those years ago. I laughed and cried all at once, leaving Edward confused and startled while I ran into the back to compose myself.

There was the time that I came into work late, and had the awful surprise of seeing him chat closely with another woman. Seeing his hand touch her shoulder briefly and laugh in response to a shared joke sent me running to the bathroom, losing my breakfast.

How am I supposed to know that one day he'll be fine with me explaining everything to him, and another day he'll hold me at arm's length, demanding I get out while getting so agitated that a nurse has to come in and give him a shot of something to calm him down?

oOoOoOoOoOo

I roll over, bumping into a warm body and sigh. Even months later his scent is able to soothe me. I look over at the clock and see that it's almost eight in the morning.

Shit!

Not only am I going to be late for work, but I've never...

"Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?"

His yelling ensures that I'm awake, and the look of fear and panic in his eyes ensures that I will never make this mistake again.

This is one of the most beautiful love stories that I have come across, rich with emotion and thought, which left me breathless and in tears. Edward and Bella’s respective struggles to gain a life back that they once treasured will remind you that for some people, the little trivial details are in fact, very important, and that true love in its purest form can never really be forgotten.

Seevousplay is the PIC Take over today!

Hi there!

I’d like to turn you onto a lovely little one shot I’ve read while perusing the pages of FanFiction.Net. Recently, there was a contest based on the marriage of fairy tales and Twilight. Such entries would include stories like Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Cinderella, etc. and use Twilight characters in the place of the originals. I’m sure you’ve seen something like this before. FF.Net author, ericastwilight has written an amazing one called “Reflection in the Hallway Mirror” using Beauty and the Beast as a model for her tale. That was the base example for the contest I stumbled upon.

The contest is called Twisted Twilight Tales. This contest is an anonymous contest, and the particular story that I’m recommending to you was part of it. The story is called “Edward and the Dragon” based on the story, The Frog Prince. It’s 14,831 words, and in my opinion, an EPIC one-shot. The summary is, “The reward? One hundred pieces of gold and the hand of the King's daughter in marriage. The quest? Slay the dragon and bring the Princess home. Edward stared at the drawing of the dragon on the posting, then turned away. Dragons, he knew, were far more beautiful.”

This author incorporates an almost Arthurian twist into the story, which I completely adore. The writing is stellar, and encapsulates almost everything I’m looking for in a story. I’m a big stickler on grammar, punctuation, and proper uses of homonyms. Now, I know a lot of you agree with me on this… it’s probably a big pet peeve for a lot of you. “Edward and the Dragon” is very well written, which allows me, as the reader, to get lost in the story and forget about trying to pick things out.

When I’m reading a story, if there are mistakes, I find myself focusing on them, instead of the plot, so when I stumbled upon this entry, I quickly realized this would not be a problem. I was instantly hooked, the byline, and the introduction alone made me excited to read it.

“Hear ye, all men of valor and strength.

Knights and hunters alike, the King offers the sum of

one hundred pieces of gold,

permanent residence in the King's Court,

and the hand of his daughter

to whoever may slay the dragon and rescue her.”

As the story progresses, you find an acute attention to detail and a journey into the whimsical world of knights, princesses, quests, and curses. It follows a broad timeline, but the voyage is never boring. There isn’t the entire cast of characters that we’re used to in Twilight stories, but those who are included are done so effortlessly, and smartly. Edward and Bella are the main characters of this story, and the characterization of this Edward and this Bella are fitting for the timeframe that they’re in.

In stories like this, I sometimes find myself lacking details, or support for the conclusion, but this author has picked up on that, and when you’ve completed the story, I know you won’t be wanting for anything… it’s set up in a way that you won’t have to be. If you read this one shot – which I sincerely hope you will – I know you’ll love it. There aren’t long expanses of insignificance, or ambiguity, instead, there is a detailed storyline, with a mix of just about every emotion; Sweetness, innocence, hardships, devotion, confusion, despair, and true love.

It combines the ideals of Arthurian legends, fairy tales, whimsy, innocence, and love, and turns it into a 15,000 word story that will touch your heart. If you like all these things, and let’s be honest here… who doesn’t love chivalry, whimsy, and romance? … you’ll absolutely adore this Edward, and this Bella.

Sincerely,

seevousplay

Lexiecullen17 takes over PIC today and gives us our First & Ten!

First & Ten by Nolebucgrl originally hooked me because I love myself a QBward. I have quite the affinity for football, and it is rare that I’m able to find a really good sports fic. In fact, after writing one, I couldn’t really find another one that was up to par (yes, that sounds conceited, but it wrote it in the fall of 2009, give me a fucking break). But that’s beside the point. What is the point is that I’ve always been the girl who’s in love with the quarterback, and I wanted to see that in my Edward. First & Ten does an amazing job of creating not only an amazing QBward, but a realistic one. This Edward plays for the Cardinals (a personal favorite since I graduated from USC and followed Matt Leinart’s career), and is dedicated to becoming a better player, learning from his mistakes, and reading film. On the other hand, this Bella is no slouch either. She’s a serious sports journalist, looking to cover athletes’ stories in their most honest form. And although she starts off small, she knows the game well and knows she can succeed. The story starts off with Bella being promoted to a higher position, interviewing football players as a true sports journalist. When we come to the end of the first chapter, though, we see that Edward and Bella are not unfamiliar with each other (the QB and the reporter), in fact, they’re a serious couple who have been together a while, knowing each others’ quirks and needs, and the story takes a journey back in time to see exactly how they came to be. It’s a fun tale and unrequited sexual tension and unfortunate circumstances that keep these two lovebirds apart, but when they come together, it’s nearly explosive and incredibly gratifying. I read it over the course of about two days, salivating at every turn, and incredibly grateful that there was more than a few chapters to keep me occupied. A very fun read, and a must for any football lover.

AcrossTheSkyInStars lets you in on The Plan by Quantumfizzx on today's PIC Take Over!

Hey there, ficcers, I’m AcrossTheSkyInStars. For my rec today I’ve chosen this little, itty bitty...eh, who am I kidding, it’s huge: The Plan by QuantumFizzx. In an attempt to become a blip on Edward’s radar, Bella’s plan goes awry. She finds herself smack in the middle of his life. That was not her plan.

I first came across this fic when it was a fairly new story, only a few chapters in. Many authors and avid readers were reccing it on FanficAholics Anon, and I thought: “hey, why not?”

I was immediately intrigued.

Q’s unique writing style and form are what pulled me in and kept me reading. After going through so many different stories over the months, it was refreshing to find one that strayed from the conventional writing techniques. By using a distinct stream-of-consciousness narrative in combination with Bella’s POV, Q is able to get to the point of the chapter without being over-the-top or redundant.

“Day of Employment: 368

6:00am

I'm awake. Already.

Thus far: Plan sucks.

Clothes: Laid out night before.

Lunch: Salad. Yay.”

One of the main things that kept me deeply engaged in this fic was the witty, sarcastic nature of Bella, not only when she speaks, but in her internal monologue; I’m a sucker for Bella as a strong, female character. In her first (relatively) long chapter, Q reveals a lot about Bella and her thoughts on austere, sexy Edward Cullen. With her perfectly placed quips, jokes, and plays on words, Q kept me laughing throughout the entire story.

“He has to be an ass of epic proportions.

He has an epic ass.

I'll take "What is Irony?" for $200 Alex.”

...

“I sure as Hell don't want to tell him what COYA stands for.

There's no escape.

"Cullen Owns Your Ass."

He blinks. Finally.

I hasten to add, "I feel it's important to point out that I did not name the file, Sir.”

...

Suitcases: Packed. Everything from Angela's best suit to my roommate's cocktail dresses.

Wardrobe: Looks like I've robbed a stranger.

Feet: Raw. Stupid shoes.

Roommate: Bouncing off walls.

"Alice. Calm down."

"Bella. Calm up.

...

“I don't really know what I'll encounter when that bathroom door opens. He may be fully clothed.

He may regenerate suits like a T-1000.

But, the distinct possibility that he may appear in some stage of undress exists.

Edward Cullen. With skin exposed.

Must focus.

Focus focus focus.”

More than keeping me entertained with Bella’s dilemma over becoming Edward’s assistant, Q also kept me eagerly anticipating her next update. Posting several chapters a day, whether they were short or not, had The Plan Addicts checking FF religiously to see what she had planned for Edward and Bella.

And she never failed to disappoint.

From the early morning meetings, to the UST, and everything in between, QuantumFizzx ended up creating something clever and captivating. She had me from the start and kept me until the very end, smiling, laughing, and giggle-snorting the whole way. Verdict: Definitely worth the read.

Twistedcoincidence wants you to listen to some Sleep Talk on today's PIC Take Over!

 

Hello lovely readers, I’m twistedcoincidence, author of several tales. This fine lot has allowed me to take over for a bit and offer you a rec:

Sleep Talk by newlovenewhate

I have developed an increasing love for stories that demonstrate the ability to show amazing emotion through simple words and thoughts. Sleep Talk is a perfect example of this.

Not only does it set up a completely lovable and yet roguish Edward, but its set in high school, always a plus for me. Bella is quiet and self aware and has a love for hot chocolate.

I was immediately drawn in by the mystery of what was left unsaid in the first chapter and snared by the revelations in the following installments. Such tenderness and genuine feelings shine through with both characters, who you get the feeling are more themselves together than they ever are apart.

"I'll kiss you everywhere." I promise.

I promise to make you feel good. Worth it. Worth it all.

Should I tell him that?

He groans. "Yea?"

Did he misinterpret?

Fuck.

"I mean… I …"

"I know what you meant, Bella." His voice is soft.

"Oh."

"I love kissing you."

Heart. Beating. Too quickly.

"I love kissing you, too."

"Yea?" He needs reassurance.

I smile, get smart. "I want it."

He sighs. "And I want you."

It all begins with the end in sight and yet it doesn’t take away from the easy simplicity of it all. And I adore that they are more like actual teenagers, than adults playing them on TV. Secret nightly meetings filled with heartfelt words and kisses. Every night a little better than the night before.

Sadly, its not all kissing and teasing words. There’s a home life that will make you cringe a little and a common tie that might shock you (it’s too good to give away). I find myself waiting for the stolen nights like these two so I can see where it takes them.

Bella Sunshine wants you to go Through the Oak Door with today's PIC Take Over!

Summary: One kiss sparks the clues, but what do they all mean? Bella dreams of her future self, knowing the life she lives ends in tragedy. How can she change her story when she already knows the ending? The door is there, but where is the key? AH, ExB, Rated M.

Helloooo! Bella Sunshine here, author of “A Thousand Leaves.” I was asked to do a guest review for P.I.C., so here I am.

My TBR list is never-ending, but once in awhile, I run across a story that is just begging to be read right away.

Through the Oak Door by struckatthesky is one of those stories. I saw people talking about this story on Twitter, and curiosity got the best of me. I was told it was a quick read, what had been posted so far, so I dove right in.

The story starts with Bella at her high school graduation, where she tells us about her unrequited love for fellow graduate Edward. I was hooked before I finished the third paragraph.

It is girlhood desire at its finest.

You know what I'm talking about, that sweet ache you get whenever the person you love in a quiet, unrequited way is near. When he asks you for a pencil in class and you feel honored because you love him and he asked you. It's the feeling that you would give up everything and run far away with him if he would just ask because nothing will ever get better than this moment or the way your heart soars in his very presence. It's that uneasy feeling, an uneasy you would never give up, when he sits next to you without a word or even a glance yet you feel like a bomb is about to go off in a good way.

Edward Cullen is that guy for me…

As the chapter goes on, the tone for the rest of the story is set, and by the end of chapter, I was squealing in my seat. Struckatthesky is a beautiful wordsmith!

In less than two hours, I plowed through all the chapters that had been posted so far, and my emotions ran full-tilt. The reader goes through a lot with Bella as she tells her story – lust, sadness, wonder, fear, anxiety and love.

TtOD is full of intrigue and mystery without being too bogged down in detail. There are quite a few “WTF” moments, and even a few moments where you, dear reader, may think you can’t go on for fear of having nightmares. (I know – I felt the same way!)

TtOD is bordering on the paranormal, with Bella having visions of events she can’t comprehend. She has visions about certain things, and then those things become her reality.

But what do they mean? And what does Edward have to do with them?

Struckatthesky has put together a masterful piece of writing that gives you clues here and there, but still leaves a lot of questions. I’ve spent a great deal of time trying to decipher these clues – as have many other readers – and we’re all stumped.

Struckatthesky’s Bella is very sweet, and Edward is swoon-worthy. He calls his Bella “Clementine” (which actually becomes cringe-inducing later on).

He leans in before I can react, pressing his lips to my cheek. "Sweet dreams, Clementine," he whispers, before making a quick exit.

This just isn't happening.

I keep my cool until Edward pulls away, but as soon as he is out of sight, I lock myself in my room and scream into my pillows like a nut job, which clearly, I am.

If you read TtOD, find me on Twitter @bellawrites and give me your theory. I’d love to know what you think Bella’s visions mean!

Buhbeesgirl gives you The Heiress today in the PIC Take Over!

Review by @buhbeesgirl

Have you ever wondered how the “other half” lives? When you read tabloids like US Weekly, Ok! Magazine and InTouch do you want to know what the REAL story is? In The Heiress, vanessarae gives you the chance to peek into the lives of the elite part of society. Bella is a bitchy hotel heiress (remind you of anyone in particular???) with a sister named Alice who is the complete opposite. She is frequently seen at the hottest clubs with her sister and best friends, Rosalie and Jasper, and “papped” by the gossip rags that are interested in her socialite life. Enter Edward, a hot, mysterious man who Bella encounters at a club one night. Oddly enough, he just happens to work at The Swan, a chain of hotels run by Bella’s father. After he denies her advances at the club, Bella puts Edward off like everyone else that is “beneath” her. Once she finds out where he works, Bella begins to gain interest with this mystery man, but he continues to give her the cold shoulder. How could anyone deny her? But is Edward who he really says he is, a simple “delivery boy” at The Swan? Or is he hiding a few secrets of his own that would bring him onto an even playing field with Bella?

This story is fun, quick witted and the chapters are short (between 1,000-3,000 words). The way that vanessarae incorporates various characters (Michael the butler and Mrs. Stanley the chef) is unique and funny. She gets right down to the point with her story telling. I am a pre-reader for this lovely little story and am always excited for the updates. If you’re looking for something that will keep you guessing as well as laughing hysterically, I highly suggest The Heiress….but you don’t have to take my word for it! Read it yourself! And be sure to leave her some love….and tell her that I sent you!

BrattyVamp takes over PIC to give us A Quiet Fire by Magnolia822!

Hey, BrattyVamp here. I’ve written about seven or eight stories so far, and am currently posting my latest, Click and Strum on ff.net and ADF. I’m taking a break from working on my next story (shhh), to write a review today for:

A Quiet Fire by Magnolia822

I stumbled upon this surprising story a couple of days ago, by following a link I found on LJ. I’ve decided to review it today, because I think it has the possibility to live up to it’s name. It doesn’t have thousands of reviews yet, and I’ve not seen it discussed at my usual haunts. But it just might build and spread… like a quiet fire.

First off… I’m a sucker for stories that start with love at it’s purest form. Childhood friends that build life-long feelings well before sex and cynism that comes later in life, complicate things. Though the characters in this story, definitely deal with their share of complications.

Bella and Edward (and his little sister, Alice, too) share the kind of friendship and love for each other that made me smile at my computer screen like a dope, while reading it. As they got older, the relationship between Bella and Edward changed to reflect their growing bodies, emotions, and knowledge of the world, though they were still very young and very innocent.

"Have you ever been kissed, Bella?"

I am shaking my head, blushing. He makes me nervous now in a way he never has before. He's only 15—soon to be 16—but he seems like so much more of a man to me, the two-year age gap between us expansive. I bite my lip and realize I'm still shaking my head.

He chuckles. "Would you like to be?"

I almost gasp…is Edward asking me…if he can kiss me? My throat is dry as I nod, the word struggling to make its way from my brain to my mouth. Yes. YES.

And when his lips meet mine it's nothing like how I thought it would be. His mouth is soft and gentle; he brings his hand to my face and cups my cheek softly. It is brief but when he pulls away I am left with a strange sensation, a longing that I've never felt before. Almost without volition, I touch my finger to his lips. Mine tingle.

"I wanted to be your first." He says, smiling as he kisses the tip of my finger.

"Me too." The words finally come and I know they're true.

A horrible situation took Bella away from the only home, friends, and love that she had really ever known. It’s sad… and very real… and fresh in the way that I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything just like it.

Ten years later, Edward and Bella are reunited. The situation that drove them apart, and the years that spread between them afterward, made them both grow into very different people. But I’m dying to feel them find that connection again. Or, just waiting for them both to reveal that the connection never really went away. Parts of the story are magical. Parts are sad. Parts are really damn agsty. But all the parts add up to something very, very good. I can’t to see where the author is taking me on this journey. One thing’s for sure… I’m willingly along for the ride and loving the burn.

PIC Take Over and DivineInspiration say Always Leads Back to You!

ALWAYS LEADS BACK TO YOU by Dinx

Category: Romance/Drama

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: M

Summary: Do you believe that 2 people can be made for each other? Bella and Edward tried dating in their teens and again in their 20's, but couldn't get it right. Will fate bring them together again in their 30's? Will they have a chance at a future... together?

I think Dinx is a good poker player. At least if I’m to judge based on the way she holds her cards close when she writes her characters. She is perhaps the most disciplined writer I have ever experienced and never gives anything away unintentionally that could possibly reveal anything about her plot. The result is a story to which there is so much more than the uncomplicated title might suggest. It will pull you in, keep you captive, and keep you guessing.

Through Dinx’s compelling writing, we are introduced to teenage Bella and Edward. They meet in high school and have a stormy romance that ends when Edward makes a stupid mistake. Years later they meet again, and their old feelings are still there. They try again, but have a difficult time getting it right. Fate is not always their friend at this point. Despite obstacles, difficulties, and time apart, they never truly lose their connection.

It’s one of many things that show how well the author knows her characters and her plot. And she spins an amazing tale that just has it all. There’s romance and drama, sweet and sexy, seamless plot and wonderfully written characters. “Always Leads Back to You” is also a very realistic story in which the characters make mistakes and create misunderstandings. It makes it real and incredibly believable. I also love how some of the lesser used Twilight characters get their own little renaissance in this story, exemplified by Royce King who is Edward’s best friend in high school. It keeps it fresh and shakes things up a little. Brilliant touch made by the author.

For me, “Always Leads Back to You” is one of those stories where an update makes me drop whatever I was doing and hurry off to read it as soon as it arrives in my inbox. As a reader in this fandom, you are spoiled. There are so many great stories out there, that it takes something extra for a writer to keep the reader interested. Dinx has that something extra, and when you start reading, you are not going to want to stop. It’s that addictive and that amazing. Go read it. Now.

Taking over PIC today is dolphin62598 with some Simmer, Steam and Sizzle!

Hi everyone!! My name is Jessica, aka: dolphin62598. You can find me on Fanfiction.net and The Writer’s Coffee Shop. I’ve written a few Twilight fan fiction stories and one-shots. The Beaches of Life, Fire of my Soul, Pinholes and Passageways and Sea of Realms are just a few of them.

I am proud to be a part of the Twilight fandom and have met some incredibly awesome people. Fan fiction has quickly become an obsession of mine. I love nothing more than just curling up and reading a good fic. It’s the best way for me to unwind and relax.

I chose to review a collaboration called Simmer, Steam & Sizzle because it’s widely underappreciated. The story is well written with some angst, fluff and drama all mixed together. TaraBear029 and Emmy415 are doing an awesome job writing a very sexy Edward and Bella.

Our two star-crossed lovers grew up as best friends in Washington state. The story opens with them saying goodbye to each other as they go off to college. Edward is heading to New York City to attend a culinary school and chase his dream of becoming a world famous chef. Bella opts to stay in Washington, close to home, attending school in Seattle. They leave with promises to call and keep in touch. We all know that the best of intentions always fizzle when it comes to long distance communication.

The second chapter opens up eight years later with a confident Bella musing over her fabulous job as a Life & Style columnist for the New York Times. Yes, you read that right; she’s living in New York City. The latest event she must attend is for a restaurant called Masen’s. Hmmmm…I wonder who owns that restaurant?

Bella’s exciting New York City life becomes a little steamier at the end of the second chapter when she realizes who owns Masen’s.

“When we made it to the door outside of the kitchen, there was a group of people standing by the door chatting, two men and a woman. Upon our arrival, one of the men and the woman dispersed back towards the dining room, and the other stood with his back towards us, writing something on a small note pad.

When he turned around, my breath caught in my throat, and my knees buckled with the force of the image in front of me.

Bronze Hair.

Green Eyes.

Edward.”

From there we are led on a journey of two best friends rediscovering their relationship and perhaps a bit more. Currently, there are twenty chapters posted including the prologue. The story flows well from chapter to chapter and it promises a great read full of unresolved sexual tension, a bit of fluff and some angst! The perfect combination for an awesome fic!

Two for the price of one from MedusaInNY on today's PIC Take Over!

Truth, Lies and Alibis by Eternally Addicted

Dangerous job? Check. Serial killer stalking you from prison? Check. Mysterious stranger shows up who may be an accomplice to serial killer and sweeps you off your feet? Double check. Eternally Addicted has created a universe where we never know what is coming next. Mystery, passion and danger are around every corner. Bella is an FBI Agent. Her help in convicting a serial killer has now made her his obsession. Edward shows up at just the right, or maybe wrong, time. Coincidence? Or was he sent to her? Is he there to help her, or is he working with the serial killer? Add a special gift that our Bella possesses and we have more questions than answers. This story will keep you on your toes and wondering who is the good guy, and who is the bad guy. Each chapter adds to the intrigue, mystery and romance. The story is well-written and will absolutely draw you in and not let go. Friday morning coffee, while reading a TLA update, is the only way to start the day!

The Greatest Gift by les16

Edward Cullen, multimillionaire, CEO to the largest publishing company in the country, powerful … and the world's worst husband. Isabella, dedicated but long-suffering wife to Edward Cullen. She has seen a side to Edward that no one else has. She loves him with all her heart, more and more each day. Each day, she maintains hope and faith that her husband will become the man that she has caught glimpses of, and she knows is buried deep inside him. On a flight back from a business trip, Edward's world is rocked to its core. A no nonsense angel, Seth, tells Edward the hard truths of just how clueless he is and of the damage he is causing to Isabella and the rest of his family. Is Edward just a sanctimonious jerk or are there reasons he is the way he is? With the help of a hard hitting angel, can Isabella’s pure and honest love help Edward redeem himself before it is too late? Can her love help him conquer his demons and maybe even, death? You will want to HATE Edward, and then you will want to LOVE him and give him a hug. Then you might want to hate him again. Les16 has written a beautiful love story with a strong Isabella and a very broken Edward. Isabella is Edward's rock, friend and biggest champion, but she is not to be trifled with. Just how much can true, absolute love help a shattered soul?

PIC Take Over Month kicks off with nobloodnofoul and some Pistols and Petticoats!

Hi, it's NBNF (nobloodnofoul) I wrote a few stories here and there Shadowboxer and handful of oneshots. I'd like to rec a fic to you that I am head over heels in love with. I like finding stories that are unique and not the same old same old we see in the fandom. Pistols and Petticoats theme and setting is by far one of the best I've read. It's set in the wild west and the author saltire884 is amazing in her descriptions and the dialect she uses. The story is authentic and rich and will suck you in from the very first chapter. I have to admit I love westerns in the first place and she does a wonderful job of incorporating the Twilight characters into this setting. There aren't many chapters left, which makes me sad, but so incredibly grateful that I've had a chance to read her work at the same time. Updates are pretty regular and always soooo good. I never let this sit in my inbox for very long before I'm pulling it up on my phone and sucking up every...erm word.

Here's an excerpt from chapter 1.

"Isabella still had her back against the rain barrels and her eyes squeezed shut as he left the alley, his polished boots kicking up dust as he went. Frantically she wiped the back of her hand over her lips trying to wipe the taste of him off her. It was only the noise of a group of men stopping outside the general store that distracted her enough to realize she was bruising her lips. She scurried back out of the alley and onto the boardwalk in front of the store. The last thing she needed was to be caught in a store alley by a bunch of men.

The men's jeerings grew louder the closer to the store door she got. They had formed a loose semi-circle, all five of them crowding around another figure. Stepping forward, she shielded her eyes from the sun's glare to see that it was Cullen they had surrounded and, from the sounds of their words, they were itching for a fight.

Cullen was known in town as a small horse rancher. At twenty-five, it was said he was already a success, selling his horses to the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Army. Standing in the dusty street facing off with the group, he towered over the men by several inches. Isabella couldn't help but notice his strange clothes for the first time. She had heard talking about his sinful outfit, mostly from Mrs. Brandon. He was wearing tan buckskin trousers with fringe down the side and a dusty blue woven shirt. Strange white and red beads hung around the open neck of his shirt.

A hide belt around his slim hips housed a tomahawk axe and a hunting knife, which was nestled in a buckskin pouch with frayed edges. He looked every bit the savage that the townsfolk claimed him to be. All the people of Deadwood Creek avoided him when he ventured into town. It was said he was part devil with his strange yellow colored eyes and mixed race blood. All Isabella saw when she raised her eyes to look at his face was a handsome man in need of a shave that had done nothing to warrant such fear. A warmth settled in her stomach as she took inventory of him.
He had a strong jaw which was dusted in heavy brown stubble and the softest looking lips Isabella had ever seen on a man. She felt scandalized in her perusal of him, but she couldn't help herself. Heavy eyebrows sat above his squinted eyes that weren't looking at her and the oddest color of brown hair hung over his forehead. She could see red and gold woven though the thick strands as the afternoon sun engulfed him."

Now if that alone doesn't make you want to read this story then I don't know what to do with you. Trust me...go and read this story you won't be disappointed.

Happy reading!!
-nbnf