You really are hard to find. I had to pretend to be the IRS to get the forwarding address to the forwarding address to your forwarding address.

I hope you and the family are well. I graduated high school a few months ago. I was going to go to Washington State.

But I didn't send this just to socialize. You might already know what's happened. You probably have seen me writing this letter because I thought about it for a long time. A very long time.

Edward told me to take care of myself, to move on. Well, I did. Or at least, I tried. I applied for colleges, focused on school, and slowly but surely allowed other things to come into my life. Jessica and the others thought my depression was weird and didn't want to associate with me. Mike still wanted to date me, but when I told him I wasn't in a place to date, he turned against me. I hung out with Angela and Ben, mostly. I spent time with Jacob Black until he left me, too.

But even with the loss of friends, my life was good. I regarded the months spent with Edward as the best months of my life, though it still stings to think about him. Of course, I miss you, but never once did I think of reconnecting until about a month ago, when my life came crashing down.

One month ago, I was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. There was no way I would survive because it was already too late to stop it. You might wonder why we didn't catch it earlier. Well, even after the depression, I still wasn't eating a lot and I never got enough sleep. We never thought anything was wrong except malnourishment and sleep deprivation. Also, pancreatic cancer is a sneaky little killer.

After I was diagnosed, I made a bucket list. I wanted to go in order, so I guess I never thought I would live long enough to do this one. It is the last thing on my list.

Alice, I'm not sure if you know this, but Edward promised me peace without reminders. He took all the things that were proof of your family's existence. I'm starting to think that maybe I dreamed you all up, even though that can't be true.

I guess that maybe if I had those reminders, I would've gotten out of my depression faster and my cancer symptoms wouldn't have blended with my depression symptoms. But maybe not. Maybe I would've just thought that I had the flu.

Charlie was a little angry when he saw my list. More specifically, the bottom of it. Renee was a little more supportive.

Alice, what I want, if you would excuse the theatrics, as my dying wish is to see one of you again. It could be Rosalie for Christ's sake, but I just want to see one of you. Edward should come, if he wants, but I really don't care. Even if it's no one else, you would come, right? Because you're still my friend even though Edward didn't want me, right?

God, I hope so.

The nurse told my parents that I had up to two weeks, but I asked her in private and she said that I probably only had seven days, so please hurry. I'm sorry if this is a burden for you, but I just want to see you again.

Tell the others that I wish them well and that I hope they're enjoying Ithaca. You probably are, given the shopping.

Sincerely,

Bella

~O~

She finished writing and signed her name. A nurse handed her an envelope and Bella sealed the letter and gave it to Charlie.

"Why do you want to see him again, Bella? If he hadn't left, you might've survived," he said, looking pained. Bella smiled up at him as she pressed a button on the hospital bed to make her lie down.

"Because, Dad, I want to see Alice again. He doesn't have to come if he doesn't want to. That's what I put in the letter," she replied.

"But the letter might not even get there in time. You said they live in Ithaca?" Charlie asked. Bella's smile grew into a smirk that reminded him of a criminal who knew something he didn't.

"They'll come, Dad, they'll come."

~O~

2,908 miles away, Alice slipped back into reality, dry sobbing.

Jasper, who was sitting next to her, stared at what she had drawn. A sickly figure sat in a hospital bed, writing something on her bedside table. She hadn't filled in the face, but he could guess who it was based on the level of sadness she was feeling.

"Jasper," she said. "We have to find Edward."