LX. Let the Pacific Laugh be on My Epitaph

Without sleep, the days and nights fused into one timeless blur. The thirst for blood never abated; it remained constant, brutal. I hunted a lot. And when I wasn't hunting, it was all I could think about.

My strength remained similarly barbaric. For all the ease with which I learned, it only took one thoughtless moment to rip a door off its hinges or crush a remote in the palm of my hand. The intense mood swings hardly helped with that. On the bright side, I hadn't destroyed any more walls. And Emmett was all too happy to test the limits of my strength and shielding (outside of the house as per Esme's rules.)

Such was the life of a newborn vegetarian vampire. And before I realized it, over three weeks had passed since I had risen from the flames.

"No looking!" Alice admonished, when my eyes nearly strayed towards the mirror of her grand bathroom.

Anger pricked in my chest, but by now, I had learned to rein it in. Instead, I merely glared up at her. "What's the hold up?"

"Perfection takes time," Alice sang as she continued to arrange the mass of curls gathered on my right side. "Now, close your eyes please."

I grudgingly did as asked, irritated by her insistence on secrecy. The reason for dolling me up had yet to be revealed, but I didn't imagine it could be for anything significant. I was essentially on house arrest for the next decade.

Bristles swept gently across my eyelids as Alice began applying my makeup.

"Have you thought about what I said?" she asked.

"Alice, you're the one who loves planning parties," I reminded her patiently. "I doubt my opinion on whatever theme you choose will make much of a difference."

That, and Alice was pretty stubborn once she reached a decision. Hence, the reason why I sat inside her bathroom, allowing her to style my hair and do my makeup with no real justification.

"Unlikely," Alice tutted. "Don't sell yourself short, Isabella. You have great taste!"

The party in question was a joint celebration for Alice and Edward next month for their 104th birthday. According to the birthdate on Alice's gravestone back in Mississippi, she and Edward had been born merely one day apart. Emmett had concluded that this was the reason why they were both so insufferable.

But, it was the first time Alice would get to celebrate her birthday on her actual birthdate, so we were all trying our best to be supportive. I just hadn't expected that she would allow anyone a say in the actual party planning. (Not even Edward.)

"Thanks," I said. "I'll think more on it then. Promise."

"I'll hold you to that!" Alice said with a cheer. "No, don't smile, Isabella. I need to apply your lipstick."

With a fresh brush swiping my lips, I was unable to make a retort.

At last, she announced, "All done!"

I opened my eyes. "Can I see now?"

"No," she said, shooting me a warning look. "We have to get you dressed first. Rosalie!"

Rosalie materialized at the threshold of the bathroom door within a fraction of a second.

I gaped. "There's no way in hell."

A familiar indigo blue gown was draped across her arms, a sheer bodice decorated with small flowers and layers of a ruffled skirt trailing down and hovering just above the tiled floor.

I whirled and shot Alice another glare. "Prom, Alice?! Really?"

"Of course," she huffed delicately. "What did you think you were getting ready for?"

My jaw dropped. "In case anyone here has forgotten, I'm supposed to be dead!"

Neither seemed perturbed by my outburst. In fact, Rosalie looked exasperated. "Yes, Isabella, we're aware."

"But that would never stop us," Alice giggled deviously. "Now get up. It's time to get dressed!"

"Insane," I muttered, but did as I was told. "Utterly insane."

Rosalie and Alice cared little for my disbelief, both focused on stripping me down to my underwear and shifting my limbs this way and that as though I were a mere doll, fitting me with a deep blue corset pulled snug against my stone flesh and draping the gown overtop. They then switched out my casual gloves with a glistening set of pearly silk.

"Shoes!" Alice called, gesturing for me to sit once more.

Rosalie vanished and returned, a familiar pair of Jimmy Choo's in hand. They each took a platform heel and kneeled down to slip them onto my feet, buckling the ankle strap, gold-painted toes peeking out at the small opening.

"Oh, these are perfect," I said, admiring the smooth velvet texture of my shoes, color the perfect shade of indigo to match my dress.

"Aren't they?" Alice sighed adoringly and flew to her feet. "Okay," she said and eyed me critically from the top of my head to the soles of my Jimmy Choo's. "It's official. You're stunning."

"Agreed," Rosalie said winningly and gestured for me to stand. "Take a look, Isabella."

I stood, carefully distributing my weight across my beautiful, but delicate, shoes and turned.

I blinked, but the tall breathtaking beauty reflected in the mirror did not vanish. She was me.

Alice had taken my flat hair and curled it to perfection, intricately braiding the entire left side of my scalp and allowing the mass of shining dark curls to fall over the top of my forehead and cascade over my right shoulder, contrasting appealingly against my crystallized skin. The makeup was simple, glittery black eyeliner that emphasized brilliant ruby eyes and dark red lipstick that brought attention to the fullness of my lips.

The sweetheart neckline of the dress was low and off the shoulders, sheer sleeves that flowed prettily and gathered at the wrists. Small white and yellow wildflowers clustered across the top of the neckline and tapered down the sleeves and bodice like constellations. The thick indigo fabric of the skirt flared out at the waist, curling layers that showed an incredible amount of leg, cut short above the knee and draping to the tops of my heels at the back.

Full red lips pulled back into a dazzling smile.

"Thank you," I said, both astonished and deeply pleased with the divine being reflected in the mirror. And then, my smile dimmed. "But I still can't attend prom."

"No," Alice agreed, reaching over and squeezing my hand. "Not our prom."

"What is this for then?"

"This is for you," Rosalie said, appearing on my other side and taking my hand. "And for Edward."

"He's waiting for you downstairs," Alice said.

Butterflies broke out in my stomach. "Then I guess I shouldn't keep him waiting," I decided, shooting Rosalie and Alice a grateful smile. "Thank you again."

"Just go enjoy yourself," Rosalie huffed, ushering me out the bathroom door.

"And be kind to your dress!" Alice called.

"I will," I called back, exiting Alice's bedroom. I strode down the hallway carefully, heels clicking gently against hardwood, unwilling to ruin all of Alice's hard work with my newborn nonsense.

It was when I reached the top of the second floor landing, that I saw Edward standing down below at the foot of the staircase.

My breath caught in my throat.

His countenance shone like a white flame, the flawless skin of his face luminous as a pearl, the vivid gold of his eyes shimmering suns, hair tidy and glistening like copper jewels. He stood tall, dressed in a formal black tuxedo that emphasized the broadness of shoulders, his slim waist, his long legs. He looked like a dream.

I glided down the stairs, captivated by his gaze, unwilling to keep my distance for a moment longer.

When I drew closer, Edward reached up and took my hand, long fingers wrapping around my palm and pressing against the thin silk of my white gloves. "You look exquisite," he murmured, pulling me close and pressing his mouth against mine in a brief, but firm, kiss.

For once, the bloodlust was all but forgotten.

But he pulled back too quickly for my liking. "Are you ready to go, love?"

I reached up with my other hand and cupped his jaw, gazing at him with tender eyes. "Yes, I am."

His lips curled into a devastating, crooked grin. "You're not going to ask where we're going?"

I smiled and breathed, "I'd follow you anywhere, my love."

For an instance, he grew unfocused, wholly captivated by me. A thrill shot through me at the sight, knowing that I could elicit such a reaction from this beautiful being.

"Edward?" I said, tilting my head at him, my smile growing wider.

Edward blinked, shaking the dazed look from his eyes, before reaching forward and gently scooping me up in his arms, my dress swaying and trailing down past the firm grip of his fingers on my thighs.

"Hold on," he warned me with a roguish grin. And then, we were flying.

We leaped past the open glass doors at the back, across the field, over the river, and into the forest. The gloom was setting in, but the greenery and woodland remained vivid to my eyes. Edward set us on a twisting route, taking care to follow the wider paths that would keep spiking branches from snagging at my dress.

My gaze didn't wander for long before settling back upon Edward's face. His gleaming hair had already tumbled out of its neat arrangement and into a windblown disarray that made him all the more attractive. And his sharp grin was still in place, eyes glowing with anticipation.

At last, my curiosity was piqued, but before I could inquire of our plans, he turned to me and requested, "Close your eyes, please?"

I smiled and did as asked. "Are we here?"

"Almost."

Without my sight, I couldn't help but focus on my other senses, listening closely, tasting the air. And for a moment, I could find nothing that I didn't already anticipate―the cool scent of wet earth and vegetation, branches scraping against one another, the quickening fearful breath of the small creatures we passed by.

But then, Edward slowed beneath me and I was assailed with new stimuli―the sweetened fragrance of many flowers, a lush whiff of satin, the warm incense of burning candlewicks, the gentle hum of electricity.

Finally, we came to a stop and Edward set me gently on my feet, air displacing near my face as he reached forward and adjusted my windblown curls back into place.

Once he was satisfied, I felt him move to stand behind me. And then, he murmured, "You can open your eyes."

When I did so, I almost didn't recognize our meadow.

I gazed around me in wonder.

The tree trunks hedging the perfectly circular plot were wrapped in strings of twinkling fairy lights. They trailed up to the higher boughs and stretched out over the small expanse of the meadow, hooked between opposing branches, creating an artificial web of starlight above us.

White ribbons of satin draped in layers from the lower branches, interweaved with hundreds of cascading cerulean hydrangeas and baby's breath, coating the air with its luscious perfume. Stacks of candlelit lanterns dotted the edges of the meadow, casting a warm glow over soft green moss and clusters of wildflowers.

My voice was thick with emotion. "You did all this?"

"With a lot of help from Alice and Jasper," Edward said warmly, standing close at my back and balancing a hand against my hip. "Alice decided we shouldn't get to miss out on prom tonight. I agreed."

"It really is tonight?"

The memories of planning for prom felt so distant; echoes of Alice, Esme, and I designing my dress, glimpses of its half-constructed form displayed on one of Alice's mannequins, finding the perfect shoes while shopping in Seattle. I had been so eager to attend, but I hadn't imagined it would look like this. None of us had.

"Yes, it is," Edward said as I twisted around to face him. I watched curiously as he lifted his arm above his head, reaching up towards a low-hanging branch and grasping something made of cheap plastic, coated in metallic silver and shimmering rhinestones―a fake crown hooked next to a blue waterfall of hydrangeas. "And this is for you."

I laughed. "Prom queen? I'm flattered."

Edward smiled sadly as he crowned me, ensnaring the jagged ends into my braids and curls. "It's from your friends."

A sudden curtain fell over my expression, a strange ache blooming in my chest. "My friends?"

"Jessica is on the student council," he explained, hands dropping down and gently sliding over my arms, until his fingers tenderly gripped my elbows. "She's the one who convinced them to elect you prom queen in your honor. It wasn't difficult."

I shut my eyes, features pained. "Of course she did."

I had spent a long time reviewing my journals, committing every clouded human moment to memory. So, I remembered Jessica. I remembered all of them. But I would never get to see them again. I had lost more than my humanity―I had lost my friends. And now, when I couldn't shed even a single tear, all I could do was follow Rosalie's advice on how to grieve while trapped inside this cold prison of a body.

"Don't ignore it. Don't let it fester. Process the pain; ride it out. And when you embrace it in all its agonizing truth, it'll give way to reprieve."

It wasn't so different from what I'd done the first time I'd broken down in front of Carlisle. But this time, I didn't try to force the tears; they would never come. Instead, I allowed the pain to surge and grip me, a tightening fist around my static heart, fissures cracking and webbing across its stone surface, crumbling in on itself.

I had loved my human friends. Both in this life and in the last. It wasn't fair that they were taken from me so abruptly. It wasn't fair that I had to die again and again. For everything I had gained in Edward and our family, I had lost a lot. And it hurt so damn much that for a moment, I feared I would never resurface from under the grating force of grief and regret pulverizing my chest to dust.

But I could only pity myself for so long. The reality was, they would be okay. I would be okay. My death had hurt many, including myself, but it was not the end of the world.

For me, it was only the beginning.

I opened my eyes and met Edward's mournful gaze. "I hope crowning a dead girl at prom didn't totally kill the mood."

Edward cracked a small smile, his grip on my arms easing. "Emmett spiked the punch again. They'll loosen up relatively soon."

I laughed. "I'm counting on it," I said and stepped backwards into the meadow, pulling him along with me. "But for now, I think it's time you taught me some of your fancy ballroom dancing moves."

"Hmm, we will have to keep it simple," Edward said with an indulgent smile. "We wouldn't want to accidentally destroy this setup."

"No, I guess not," I giggled.

With a grin, Edward reached into his pocket and at the sound of a button being clicked, music gushed out from a set of speakers hidden amongst the foliage.

Edward didn't bother to ease me into the next sequence of steps. Hands blurring with speed, he grabbed me and lead me in a lively dance, spinning us across the soft grass with light footsteps, liberally swinging me one way and then tossing me another way, twirling me under his arm one moment and dipping me the next.

Following the beat of the music meant that we weren't moving as fast as we were capable of and I easily kept up, effortlessly picking up his patterns and following his lead like I'd been professionally dancing my entire life. I laughed more than I ever had since I'd become a vampire, the crippling thirst feeling inconsequential when faced with Edward's radiant smile, his arms anchoring me, his sweet breath fanning across my face and encompassing my senses. We could've danced until the morning and I would never have tired. But eventually, the music shifted to a slower, more romantic rhythm and Edward adjusted our footsteps accordingly, a gentle sequence that required more swaying than moving.

The symphony of his voice, sweeter than the music itself, broke our contented silence. "If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?"

"Hm?" I lifted my head from where it rested against his shoulder and gazed up at him curiously. "What could you possibly want to know?"

"There are many things," he assured me. "And you do not always share easily."

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know," I promised him. "The time for secrets has long passed."

"Do you remember the day you came over to our house and you revealed some of the things that might take place?"

"Hmm, vaguely," I admitted. It was easier to recall Edward's memories, but they helped to clarify my own. That day, I had shared with them the events of New Moon, along with the consequences of gaining the Volturi's attention.

"You said something to Rosalie then. That there were other things; things based on decisions that hadn't yet been made."

"Ah," I said with a pang of regret in my chest. "Yes, I think Carlisle later asked me about that as well. I wish I had told him the truth then. Maybe it would've made things easier for you all."

"Why is that?"

For a long moment, I didn't answer him. His eyes held mine, curious and patient, willing to wait for as long as necessary.

I stepped back, away from the comfort of his arms.

"Isabella?"

I shifted my gaze away from his, staring at a stack of candlelit lanterns at the other end of the meadow, flames flickering, refracting warmly against metal and glass. When the music faded and gave way to silence, I said, "The person you want to ask about is Renesmée." The shimmering bell of my voice felt too loud in the quiet of night.

"Renesmée," Edward said the name slowly, tongue wrapping clumsily around it. "That's…unique. Is she someone important?"

"She doesn't exist."

And though I was not especially sad about it, I wondered if Edward would be. I had made my choice, never allowing him a say, keeping him ignorant. I had thought I knew his position in this. And maybe I still did. But now, Lillianne and Vivianno had taken her place. Would it pain him to know that it could've been different?

"Why not?"

Those two words lanced through my chest like a knife.

Because I thought I knew better. Because I thought I could defeat fate. Because I never told you the whole truth, even when you begged me to.

"Because…"

Suddenly, Edward was standing before me again, hands cupping my bare shoulders and guiding me away from the heart of the meadow. He lead me over to a fallen tree trunk covered in patches of moss and wildflowers and gently pushed me to sit down, though there was no physical relief from the change in position.

He sat beside me and took my hand. "Who was she meant to be?" he asked instead.

"Our daughter."

The truth sat between us, a bitter, misshapen thing that clogged our ears and coated our vision; a future I had cruelly discarded without knowing just how brutal the consequences would be.

"We had a daughter?" he asked with an undertone of incredulity.

"In a different world, yes," I said dully.

"Why did you never tell me?"

"I thought we would have more time. I'm sorry."

He squeezed my hand. "Don't be."

I turned to him cautiously. "You're not…upset? That she'll never exist?"

Edward's gaze was steady on me. "Are you?"

I lifted my shoulders in a helpless shrug and dropped my eyes. "It's like I said to Jasper…I didn't want to carry a hybrid. As you saw, it's not an easy thing to do. And maybe in the future, with Carlisle's support, it could've been doable and I might've changed my mind."

"But that choice was taken from you," he said bitterly.

"Renesmée was always an idea. She isn't real. Not to me," I confessed. "It's only ever been my brother whom I've wanted back. He's the one I love, the one I raised. What I regret is that I never gave you a choice in the matter."

"I have you, Isabella," Edward murmured. "That's all I ever truly cared about."

I lifted my head. "You're not upset, then?"

"Not in the least," he assured me with a soft smile. "If you had wanted it, I would have given it to you with the guarantee that it could be done safely. But, I was turned at a young age. Fatherhood was never a particular aspiration of mine."

"You mean to tell me that it isn't the dream of every seventeen-year-old to become a dad?" I giggled.

"I can assure you that it is not. Trust me, I'm a mind-reader," he said with a wink.

"Of course," I laughed. "That's…good. I don't want you to feel like you were robbed of the opportunity. I've already made too many mistakes."

"I don't feel that way," he reiterated firmly. "I do have to ask though. Why Renesmée?"

"Oh. I didn't name her."

"…Then who did?"

And that's what it came down to, wasn't it? Every choice Bella had made, had ensured her happy fairy tale ending. As for me…

"Another secret?" Edward asked, when I didn't immediately answer.

I grimaced. "You were right," I finally said, "back when you figured out that my knowledge was like following a storyline."

His eyes lit up with curiosity. "Yes, I recall. You refused to elaborate on that particular point."

"The truth is," I confessed, looking up at him warily, "back in my world, you and Bella did exist. But not as living beings. You were storybook characters."

Edward stared blankly at me. "…What?"

"That's the big secret," I continued, averting my gaze and looking towards the web of twinkling lights above us. "I never had any special gift of knowledge. I read a book as a young girl. And when I died, I woke up in the beginning of the story as its main character."

"That's…"

"Yeah."

Edward remained pensive beside me, eyes lost in thought.

I could hardly blame him. I imagined being told you were simply a character in a fictional story was not the greatest feeling. It was considerably humbling to be thought of as nothing but words on a page; something to be set aside and eventually forgotten.

What I didn't expect for him to ask was, "Who was your favorite character?"

Cool venom climbed up my cheeks in a pale imitation of a blush. Still, I admitted, "You, of course."

Edward grinned crookedly. "Incredible," he said. "You'd be my favorite too, of course."

"I'm flattered," I snorted.

"What was the name of the story?"

At the question, my heart warmed with nostalgia. "It was called Twilight."

Edward appeared startled by my admission.

"What is it?"

"Oh. No, it's nothing." He frowned. "But the title…it's rather melancholy, don't you think?"

I thought back to the book. I could barely recall its particular sets of dialogue, but his current attitude and words were familiar, as though I'd read about it already.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

Edward smiled wistfully. "Twilight is the safest time of day for us. But also the saddest, in a way," he explained, voice quiet and thoughtful. "For our kind, who need no rest, day and night can easily blur into one endless existence. But I suppose, for me, it's a reminder that endings do exist."

It occurred to me then, the titles of the saga had always been a representation of Edward, not Bella.

I gently squeezed his hand. "Not with us," I said. "Never for us," I promised.

But for Forks, the ending drew all the nearer.

"When will we go?" I asked. Although I didn't wish to split the family up, I understood that it was safer for me to reside in the wilderness of Calgary. But until Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett graduated and Carlisle's employment was officially terminated, they would be forced to remain here, for the sake of appearances.

"Soon," Edward assured me with a sad smile. "There is one last thing I need to do, before we leave Forks."

The following day, they identified my body.

Well, not my body. But the body of the person they'd chosen to impersonate me with, destroyed beyond recognition. It had been left in a ditch somewhere in the middle of rural Oregon with falsely planted DNA that would eventually be traced back to me. And though it had already been discovered sometime back, it was only then that the body had been identified and Charlie would receive the call.

By the end of the week, my funeral was arranged.

"We're upwind," I said, voice the slightest bit muffled by the black facemask stretched over my mouth and nose. "Is this really necessary?"

I tried not to gag, Leah's wolf stench flooding my airways with each shallow breath, rotten and foul in every way imaginable.

"It's meant to curb your hunger," Jasper cheekily replied from where he sat beside me on the thick bough of a swaying hemlock, a hundred feet above ground.

"I'm still hungry you bastard," I hissed, swiping at him.

Jasper expertly caught my gloved hand. "Time and place, Iz," he admonished me.

"Right. Sorry," I mumbled, dropping my gaze to the people dotting the cemetery, small as ants. It was a typical gloomy day, skies a solid, dark gray and a low fog creeping along the forest ground. Not that it did much to obscure my vision of the goings-on below. The funeral had been held at the church pastored by Angela's dad, so the graveside service was the only thing I could watch from a safe distance. All the Cullens, with the exception of Rosalie and Jasper, were in attendance. The Hale twins were reportedly sick, so that they could babysit me (the newborn vampire) and the actual twins (also the actual newborns, though they appeared closer to the age of two with every passing day.)

As my casket was carried in, Jasper began to point out the pallbearers to me. "Those were Bella's parents," he said, gesturing towards the leading pair, each appearing on the verge of collapse. "That's Charlie and Renée, and behind her is her husband Phil, but I don't think you ever met him."

"No," I agreed, barely glancing at the stranger, my eyes caught on Charlie. My memories of him were dim, but even I could tell that he didn't look quite the same, grief dragging him down with every step. Renée didn't look much better. And though I hardly remembered her, it was her eyes that were oddly familiar to me, their blue shade not far removed from that of the twins'.

"Behind him is Reverend Weber, Angela's dad," he continued. "And the one in the wheelchair is Billy Black, the tribe's chief. I'm sure you remember his son Jacob, and behind him, that's obviously Leah. The rest of the ones carrying your casket are some of the kids from school. That's Mike, and that's Tyler, and that's―"

"I know her," I cut in, heart growing strangely sore in my chest. "That's Jessica."

She was nearly overshadowed by the tall boys surrounding her. But despite her tiny stature, she gripped onto the casket handle stubbornly, helping to carry it, tears dripping down her pale cheeks.

The air hitched strangely in my throat, fingers abruptly digging into the bough where we sat, detonating a small explosion of wood chips.

"Isabella," Jasper warned me in a low voice.

"Sorry," I mumbled, blinking away the thickening of venom across my eyes and loosening my grip, wishing the regret in my heart weren't so piercing. She'd been the last person in Forks to see me alive and now, she would never know that I'd survived; that I wasn't dead. At least, not dead the way most of them believed me to be.

"Recuerda que vivir en el corazón de los que dejamos detrás de nosotros, no es morir."

I turned to Jasper with a start, eyes shot wide. His voice was sharp and crisp; a perfect northern Mexican accent. He sounded like me. He sounded like home.

I smiled wistfully. "Thank you, Jasper."

The words eased away the cutting pain in my heart. And I wondered about where and why he had picked up that particular phrase. ("Remember that to live in the hearts of those we leave behind, is not to die.") Perhaps, I could ask him another time.

I turned back, purposefully losing Jessica in the crowd. I had already grieved her. Now, I had to allow her time to grieve me.

Amongst our peers, I eventually found Angela and Lauren as well. But I could barely discern the rest of my classmates, crying as they were. My memories of them were like smudges of graphite on paper, one blurrier than the next. No sooner had I given up, that I finally recognized another pair of faces.

Quil and Embry were also in attendance, appearing grim and subdued for once. But, like Jacob and Leah, there was a brightness to their eyes that couldn't be completely snuffed out. After all, they knew the truth. And it was them that I could bear to watch for the remainder of my time here. Everyone else's grief was too raw, too bitter. Even the Cullens held themselves with an air of regret, as though they could be faulted for any of this. And the creeping reminder of another funeral, one that I hadn't (couldn't have) attended, hovered in the fringes of my mind, tempting me with its cruelty. But just like I had with everyone else, I chose to turn from it. My old family deserved to grieve for me as well and there was no sense in wallowing in that.

But the boys, they were not sad, though they had to pretend otherwise. And I was glad for it.

As soon as the sermon was over and the casket lowered, I was ready to go. For all that Leah's awful smell had kept me from wanting to breathe, it still didn't lessen the fiery hunger cleaving open the back of my throat. Every heartbeat, every pulse, every pump of blood had been cataloged in the back of my brain since the moment they had all arrived. And despite the fact that I was desperately thirsty, I wasn't willing to unintentionally cause yet another tragedy.

I was turning towards Jasper, when something caught the corner of my eye. I glanced back down and frowned, trying to recall the familiarity of the face I saw. "Jazz, who is that woman speaking to Edward?"

"I never met her myself," Jasper said, frowning thoughtfully and listening closely, but their exchange remained vague. "It was Edward who arranged for her and her husband's attendance though. I believe her name is Zee."

At the sound of her name, recognition lit up my eyes. Of course I knew her; I'd written about her in my journals. And I owed her more than I could ever repay.

I smiled. "She doesn't look sad."

"No, she doesn't," Jasper agreed. "Care to explain that?"

"No," I said with a shake of my head. "We should go."

Simultaneously, we flew to our feet and vaulted away, far from the townspeople. Their time for mourning had only just begun, but for me, it was time to move on.

Not long after, the others temporarily met us back at the house. While Edward ducked inside to change out of his dark funeral attire, the rest swarmed around me on the front lawn with cheerful farewells.

"I'll be attending the funeral reception with the others, but I'll still be arriving to Calgary long before you two," Esme was reassuring me, holding me tightly as though we would be separated for long. Unlike Edward and I, Esme's commute to their property in Calgary was a little over four hours, including both flight travel and drive. But since I was nowhere near close to being trusted inside an airplane, Edward and I would be taking the long way.

"I know, I remember," I said, gently squeezing her back. "I look forward to seeing you soon."

"Oh, I don't mean to be overbearing," Esme fretted as she pulled back.

"You're not, dear," Carlisle said warmly, tucking her against his side. "You're just being prepared. And I'm sure I don't have to express just how much I'll miss you, Isabella."

I grinned and hugged them both. "I'll miss you too."

"Alright, alright! My turn!" Alice butted in. Once they released me from their embrace, Alice gave me a critical once-over and tutted disapprovingly. "I told you to watch out for that dratted foliage," she harrumphed, working to pick the leaves out of my hair.

"Whatever will I do without you, Alice?" I laughed.

"Look like you belong on one of those wilderness survival TV shows," she huffed, leaning back once she was done, appearing satisfied with her work. "Anyway, just know I've already sent plenty of clothing options ahead of you. And if you need any help accessorizing, you know who to call."

I beamed and threw my arms around her. "I'm sure it'll be fabulous."

"Of course it will be, silly," she giggled, patting my back.

At last, I turned to Jasper. "Sad you're out of a job so soon?"

He snorted, tossing an arm around my shoulders. "Please. All I'm getting is a short break. Eternity is a long time, after all."

I scowled up at him. "I'm not going to be a newborn for eternity!"

He arched an eyebrow, appearing mightily unimpressed. "Don't kid yourself, Iz. We chased you around plenty as a human. Sure, growing past the newborn thing will make it a tad easier, but I doubt it'll put an end to your nonsense."

"I never looked for trouble," I grumbled.

"No, but it did find you at every turn," Carlisle said, heaving an exasperated sigh.

Esme laughed. "Don't worry, sweet girl. We'll always look out for you."

I smiled gratefully. "Thank you. Really."

"Are you ready to go?"

I slipped out of Jasper's hold and turned to Edward, watching as he flew across the porch and over to my side. I gazed up at him with a tender expression. "I am."

"Alice, don't forget her gift," Rosalie suddenly called.

We all glanced up, watching as Rosalie and Emmett came into view, appearing on the second story balcony. Lillianne was securely balanced on Rosalie's hip, while Vivianno was draped haphazardly over Emmett's shoulders, tiny fingers clinging to Emmett's curls; he didn't look particularly happy with the arrangement.

I waved and Lillianne eagerly waved in return. Vivianno also recognized me, but he was too busy hanging on for dear life to be able to confidently wave back.

"I didn't forget, Rose," Alice huffed, but obediently skipped back into the house, before returning with a large white cardboard box in her arms.

I stared at the lidded box curiously. "What's all that?"

"Alice and I went back to your old place," Rosalie explained. "We picked out some things we thought you might want to keep. Charlie didn't mind, since we told him they were gifts from Edward. Don't worry though, it's all been aired out."

While she spoke, Jasper reached over Alice and lifted the lid for us to see.

Inside, was a collection of items, the biggest of which was a bright pink teddy bear. "Pepto!" I squealed, being careful to pick him out of the box. I held him close. He was as soft as I remembered.

The rest of the assortment included borrowed books from Edward, a mixed CD, movie ticket stubs, a crown of wilted flowers, and my Cullen baseball cap. The only thing I didn't recognize was the photo album tucked at the very bottom. The fabric swathing it was the same shade of indigo as my prom dress and Isabella was beaded across it in large, looping letters, framed with a smattering of yellow and white wildflowers.

"I made that with some help from your friend Jessica," Alice explained. "It's a photo album of your time in Forks, short as it was. I hope it'll help you remember."

"Wow, Alice. I don't know what to say," I said, clinging all the more tightly to my stuffed bear, extremely touched by her thoughtful gift.

"Thank you would be the appropriate response, I'm sure," Edward said teasingly as he lifted the box from Alice's hands.

I smiled. "Thank you. I can't wait to take a look," I said to her, and turned to look up at Rosalie. "And you as well, Rose."

"You're welcome," Rosalie mirrored my smile. "But don't get too comfortable in that cushy mansion up there. We'll be joining you soon enough."

"And don't slack off either," Emmett huffed, while trying to keep a squirming Viv still on his shoulders. "I'm beating you fair and square―newborn strength or no."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Em."

"Alright, I believe all has been said," Carlisle decided, gazing over the lot of his family with an indulgent expression. "But now, it is time for Edward and Isabella to depart. Drive safe you two, and call us when you're home."

The rest called out additional farewells as Edward and I climbed into the car. Even Lillianne chimed in with a well-spoken, "Bye-bye!"

I waved to them all, until Edward drove deeper through the unpaved road and they all vanished amongst the grove of tall, swaying evergreens and a sweeping fog.

I turned back in my seat to face forward as we merged onto the freeway, headlights cutting sharply through the fog and dancing brightly across the black, rain-slicked road. Music crooned softly from the speakers, soon joined by the gentle patter of rain.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking," I confessed quietly, gazing into the twilight, "about how happy I am. About how," I said, turning to look at him instead, lit as he was by the pale dashboard lights in all his beauty and soft-spoken love, "you look like the rest of my life."

He grinned crookedly and clasped his hand around mine. "Forever?"

"Forever."

.

.

.

Fin

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the final chapter :3

To the guest reviewer who requested I list Joham as a character in my fic, I totally get your reasoning! But, I decided I would rather tag Serena, so I contacted support and had them add all the hybrid girls (Serena, Maysun, and Jennifer) to the Twilight character list. If anyone else is interested in writing fics about them, those character tags are now available to you too :)

On a different note, I have received various requests for a sequel throughout the writing of this story. Admittedly, I have plenty of ideas but I think I need a break. This is the longest work I've ever written in my life and it was fun, but also pretty draining, so I'm currently undecided. For now, I'll go back to working on this story's companion fics. I'll also be going through and editing a bunch of SPAG errors I know are littering this fic! But you can always keep an eyes on my profile to see what I'm working on. That's where I'd announce a sequel if I did change my mind.

Otherwise, thank you to everyone who's been on this journey with me, both old and new! :3 I am still genuinely baffled by the amount of support I received while writing this fic, and I can assure you I would've hardly completed this without it. Originally, I wasn't even going to publish this; I started writing this for the purposes of being utterly self-indulgent and working through my own trauma. But I'm happy that so many of you have enjoyed this story alongside me!

I especially want to thank you if you were a consistent reviewer during the writing of this story! Reviews were my biggest encouragement and I still love going back and reading everyone's thoughts! :)

And a special shout out to Raviyoli for beta-reading the last leg of this fic! You were so unbelievably helpful :)

Again, thank you! And I hope you liked the ending of this story! ^_^

P.S. I'm a dork and I made a music playlist for Isabella. Feel free to check out the link on my profile if you're interested :)