Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT

Epilogue-Eight years later

BPOV

My body dove, weaved, spun, bent, and twisted out of arms reach, a smile stretching across my lips as the feeling that I was untouchable consumed me and powered each step as I stretched my legs down the hallway.

Two more were at the end of the hall and I increased my sprint as I headed for them. No less than five feet away I leaned back and slid, taking the feet out from one of them and causing him to reach for his partner and bring him down as well.

Popping up with a laugh I pushed off the wall and slung the container across my back so that my hands were free, adding momentum to my stride as I continued to trek down the bright lit hallway like it was a running track.

I laughed as I glanced once behind me to see a few of them trying to catch up and just increased my pace.

My leg muscles protested sweetly and my heart rate pumped adrenaline through every inch of my being at an increased pace. I was untouchable.

A door swung open in the hallway, I spun and missed it by centimeters, outstretched arms ghosting across me, not even getting a chance to get a grip before I was gone, long gone down the hall, my feet pounding to the sound of my heart.

I was free. My element was here, embracing me and welcoming me back with each breath of air that filled my lungs to the brim.

As I rounded yet another corner, darkness descended upon the building, covering every inch of it.

I smiled in challenge, 'I see we're trying something new here. They assume I can't navigate in the dark and it will be easier for them to catch me.'

I slowed my pace enough to prevent running into walls unnecessarily. Now was the time to be fast but silent.

I altered the way my feet hit the floor, using primarily the sides to soften my footsteps as I ran toward the lightly illuminated sign that glowed 'Stairs' in light green.

I smiled a bit more when I heard stumbling coming from behind me a ways back from where I had just run from. The others were having a hard time adapting to the darkness.

I reached the door and eased it open before slipping inside and shutting it.

I burst through the final door onto the roof, the fresh air coming to meet me along with the brightly illuminated skyscrapers that were casting an ambient light upon the city.

Adjusting the container slung across my back I jogged across the roof and began hooking myself up to the carabineers with practiced fingers.

With the last hook set I was done.

Until I felt the container grabbed from my back.

I spun with a curse.

"Edward."

"You are so predictable." He said with a chuckle, shaking the container for emphasis towards the roof.

I scoffed, "Hardly. Last time I used the fire escape. And I could have just as easily gone from the ground floor this time."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I won." He smirked with that damn smile.

I narrowed my eyes.

He laughed, "It was a good try though. I don't think they were expecting that move on the eighth floor, they'll definitely have to do something about that."

"They should have listened when you told them to put in the retinal scanner. But that's what they get for being stingy with security." I said, taking a step closer.

There were a few moments of silence between us as we both absorbed the moment separately.

I took another step towards him, "So, how did you know I'd come up here instead of some other way?"

He smiled.

"Because I know you." He said, taking the final step until he was inches away, looking down at me.

His green eyes were staring into me as he leaned forward and captured me in a deep kiss, obliterating all previous or current thoughts.

When he pulled away he smoothed a strand of hair behind my ear with the same soft smile I'd come to see often on his face.

However, I wasn't so distracted that I didn't notice his watch and what time was on it.

I grabbed his wrist and pulled it in front of my eyes, "Oh my god, is it that late already. Crap, I've got to go pick up Erin from his friend's house."

I placed a hand on my forehead, sorting out the route I would need to take and the lights I would need to run.

Edward laughed at me furrowed expression, "I'm sure it'll be fine if you're a few minutes late."

I shook my head as I laughed, "It's times like this that I wish I had a normal job."

Edward laughed, "I can't see you working in a cubicle from nine to five every day."

"Good point." I said, hearing footsteps pounding on the opposite side of the door.

I gave him a chaste kiss, "I'll see you at home." I said.

I glanced once more towards the door, the sounds getting louder.

As soon as Edward followed my gaze I swiped the container from his hands and sprinted across the rooftop with a smirk.

I looked back a foot from the edge, "love you!" I yelled, as I leapt off the edge.

As I began to fall I saw the smile stretch on his face and the door open behind him.

EPOV

I shook my head in wonder as I continued to watch the spot that my wife had just disappeared from.

There was a commotion behind me and I turned to greet the men that had just joined me on the roof.

They were breathing heavily from their long sprint and bending over to catch their breath.

"So who can tell me what they learned this evening?" I started out.

I opened the front door and slipped inside, shaking the coat off my shoulders and throwing it over the back of the couch.

I could hear talking coming from the kitchen and smiled. Placing each step carefully I crept across the room and around the corner.

She had her back turned to me as she worked on chopping something and Erin was sitting on top of the counter facing me. I saw him eyeing the plate of cookies within his reach, but then his eyes would glance to his mother and I could see him weighing the risk.

His face lit up when he spotted me but I placed a finger over my lips and pointed to Bella. He smiled and giggled, happy to be in on my evil plan.

He watched me with big eyes as I continued to creep closer and closer.

I was sure that I had her this time.

That was a foolish assumption.

A foot away she turned and pointed the knife she was chopping with at my neck. I stopped, caught.

"Nice try." She said, shaking the knife a little.

I smiled, "What gave me away?"

She tilted her head toward the little boy beside her who was still giggling.

"Sorry dad." He said, his expression anything but.

Bella cleared her throat, "I believe that's twice today that I've won." She said before turning around to continue chopping.

"Twice? I believe you are mistaken my dear, if you recall earlier, I caught you on the roof." I said.

She turned back around while shaking the knife, "Oh no, you may have been up there at the time, but you did not catch me. My job is to prove that their security is not good enough by getting a previously designated object out of the building. If they catch me, they win. If I get out with the object, I win and the FBI gives them a stern talk. You were not even supposed to be part of that exercise."

"I was supervising." I said, carefully extracting the knife from her hand and placing it on the counter behind her.

"But you were not supposed to get involved." She said poking my chest, the smile on her face giving away her good humor.

"Well, someone had to make sure that you didn't get away without some sort of obstacle that could possibly stop you. If I hadn't been so distracted by that kiss I would have succeeded." I said, wrapping my arms loosely around her.

"Oh, so you're saying that you're the only one that's good enough to stop me." She said.

"Yep." I replied pulling her close for a kiss.

When we separated there was more giggling coming from beside us as Erin watched us.

"What are you giggling about?" Bella said, pulling him over and placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek, causing him to laugh more.

He had my copper colored hair and green eyes, but every other part of the four year old was Bella through and through.

"How was school?" I asked him.

His eyes shifted as he shrugged, the laughter gone.

Bella and I shared a look. Our son had not yet gained the lying expertise that he was more than likely to pick up from her at some point in his life.

"What happened?" Bella asked, leaning against the countertop.

He mumbled something unintelligible as he stared at the floor far below him.

"You know I'm going to get it out of you sooner or later." Bella said.

He glanced up at her and must have made the correct assumption that she was serious and fully capable because he said, "I got in trouble."

"What for?" I asked, my mind spinning various scenarios.

"I took a toy from the top of the shelves when it wasn't playtime." The four year old admitted bashfully.

I was about to explain why he wasn't supposed to do that when Bella interrupted, "How high was the shelf?"

"Really tall" He said, stretching his arms upwards for a demonstration, "Taller than dad!"

"Erin, you can't-" I started, but was interrupted once again.

"Did you get it during class? While the teacher was teaching?" Bella asked, interested.

He nodded.

"Bella." I said, directing my attention to her.

"What? It's impressive." She said, shrugging before returning to her chopping and carrying something to the fridge.

I followed her.

"I swear, our son is going to follow right in your footsteps." I said, as I watched her dig inside for something.

"Well, if that's true then at least we know he won't be coming to us to borrow money in the future." She said without looking at me.

"Bella, I'm serious." I said, leaning against the door of the fridge.

She stopped rummaging around in the fridge for a second, I was about to ask her what was wrong when she said, "Erin, don't even think about it."

I turned my head to see my son holding one of the cookies an inch from his mouth, frozen in the act.

'I still don't know how she does that…' I thought to myself, as I looked at Erin who seemed to be having the same thought as he placed the cookie back on the plate.

She sighed as she rose from the fridge, "Fine, I'll talk to him after dinner. But I think you're looking into this too much."

I closed the door of the fridge and followed her back to the counter.

She began adding the sauce to the pasta she was making; I reached in and stole a noodle quickly, avoiding her hand as she tried to swat me away.

"Hey!" Erin said, "Why does he get to take food and I don't?"

Bella turned and gave me an 'I blame you' look before saying, "You know, I think you may also be partly responsible for what he does."

"Oh, before I forget. The bureau wanted me to let you know that they're going to need you to come down and run an exercise for the newest recruits. You're still the best they can find to do it." I said, trying to change the subject.

"Fine, but none of that damn head start stuff from last time. It's more realistic if we're even when we start." She said.

"Like they have a chance either way." I said, remembering the last time she did it. The newest recruits had looked at her small frame and expected an easy catch. They found that she proved to be quite the contrary and none of them managed to come close.

"Alright, time for dinner." She said, handing the bowl of food to me and helping Erin jump off the counter.

BPOV

It was later that night that I helped Erin into bed, watching as he situated himself under the covers, his small head poking out. I smoothed his hair, smiling at how much it was like his father's.

"We gotta talk about what happened today bud." I said.

He got a sad look on his face but nodded.

I sat down on the end of the bed and let out a sigh, thinking about the best way to go about it.

"You can't keep getting into trouble at school; you have to listen to your teachers."

"I know." He said quietly, "I'm sorry, please don't be mad." His expression was crestfallen and it nearly broke my heart.

I sighed again and sat down on the bed near his feet, "I'm not mad; I just worry about you when you get in trouble. Just promise me that you won't do it again and that you'll listen to your teacher."

He nodded and said, "Promise."

"Good." I said, glad that it was settled, I started to get up.

"Wait, can I have story?" He asked, looking up at me with wide, innocent eyes, "Pleeease."

I was defenseless against that look and he knew it. He really was just like his father in some ways.

"Alright, which one did you want to hear?" I asked, settling back on the bed.

"One with the thief!" He said, his excitement growing.

"Again? You don't want to hear a story about something else?"

He shook his head as he snuggled further under the covers. I briefly wondered if these stories could possibly be the source of his mischievousness, but cast that thought aside for later as I began the story.

"Once upon a time there was a thief…" I started

A while later I shut the door softly behind me and let out a sigh as I leaned against it.

"You really shouldn't eavesdrop." I said into the dark hallway.

"Sorry." Edward said, "Couldn't help myself."

I smiled and walked past him towards our bedroom, hearing him follow behind me.

"I sometimes wonder if he'll figure out that all of the stories you tell him are from real experiences." He said, closing the door to our bedroom behind him.

"He probably will when he's older. It will be impossible to hide the past from that kid; he's too smart for his own good." I said crawling beneath the covers with a yawn.

Edward turned off the light and crawled in beside me. He pulled me to him and wrapped an arm around my waist comfortably.

There were a few moments of quiet before he whispered, "Do you ever wonder how things would have turned out if you hadn't stayed, if you decided to keep running?"

I let out a yawn and said, "No."

"No? You've never thought about it, not once?" He said, shifting slightly to look at me, his expression one of disbelief.

I turned so I was face to face with him, "I don't need to think about it. I know how that story ends. And it's not good. I realized that I could never leave you."

"Your heart would break at the thought?" He said with a smile.

"Yes." I responded, true to the core as I stifled a yawn.

He kissed me lightly and I could feel him smile, "I love you." He said once he pulled away.

"I know." I yawned, turning so that he could wrap his arm around me once more, "I love you too." I mumbled before falling asleep.

I hadn't been dreaming for long before I felt someone poke me.

"Mom."

I grumbled something unintelligible.

"Mommy." He whispered again, another poke on my arm.

I cracked one eye open and saw Erin looking at me with big eyes.

Without another word I lifted the covers, a clear signal for him to crawl in. It took him a few tries, but he scrambled up and snuggled next to me. I wrapped my arm around him and pulled the covers over both of us.

Our movements must have woken Edward up because he said, "Goodnight Erin. Goodnight Bella." The last word was said with a kiss on the back my neck, making me smile.

I was somewhere between sleep and wakefulness when my thoughts drifted to the past.

After the evidence we had on him, Aro had been removed from his position and was prosecuted for his crimes. The fact that the bureau wanted to keep the whole situation quiet allowed Edward to keep his job and after a lot of persuading, allowed me to continue to work with him.

It had been eight years since I made the decision to stay. Five since I finished serving the time I owed for my crimes and was released from the tracking anklet. Priceless pieces of stolen art had seemed to miraculously show up at museums soon after.

Since that day with the plane, the thought of leaving Edward never crossed my mind again.

I was there to stay, and always would be.

A/N: I want to thank all of my readers who have been reading and reviewing since this story started, it means a lot to me and I really appreciate it. I had a lot of fun writing Scarlet and I hope it lived up to all of your expectations.