Eternity's End

"Love of mine, someday you will die. But I'll be close behind. I'll follow you into the dark."

It would all be over soon; that was my only comfort, and a small one at that. My original plan had failed, and yet one way or another, I would still get what I wanted – the end of my existence. It was what I deserved, after all, for letting her go. For leaving her behind, even though I knew that it would more than likely destroy us both. I thought that I had done the right thing; given her a chance at a normal life, where she would no longer be caused any pain because of me. How could I have known what would happen? How could I have known that she would simply throw her life – the life that I so cherished – away?

Did I regret leaving? Yes, with every fibre of my soul, if such a thing could truly exist in me. But I had made my decision, and now I was living with the consequences of my foolish actions. But not for long. I knew that the Volturi would not stand for what I was about to do; would not let me live, and that was the plan. If they would not kill me as I asked, then I would force their hand instead. It was the only way that I would get to see her again; the only thing that I had left to look forward to.

I stood with my eyes closed, in the shade of the ally behind the clock, noticing, but no really hearing the noises of the festival that was going on in the square. I could feel a slight heat reaching my cold skin, and I knew that the sun was shining down on the square, bright and unobstructed. Perfect for what I wanted to do. All I had to do was to take two strides and it would all be over. The Volturi would have to act in order to protect our secret from the hundreds of people that would inevitably see me.

It was strange, standing there with my discarded shirt folded on the ground, and a slight breeze playing through my bronze coloured hair. Strange that, after everything that I had been blessed with, I would end up here. How is it that so many drastic changes could have happened, especially to a creature like myself, whose existence was as hard to change as stone? So many twists and turns, and I had thought that I could endure them all, so long as I had her by my side.

An eerie calm settled over me then as I thought about what lay ahead for me. I knew that Carlisle liked to believe that we had souls, and that our good deeds would not go unrewarded. I had never been completely sure of this, but I knew that one way or the other that I would soon have an answer. A part of me hoped that he was right, because that would mean that she would be waiting for me.

I heard the sound of the clock somewhere high above me, and I took a stride towards where the midday sun was illuminating the busy festival square. There was a voice screaming, and perhaps it called my name, but I paid it little attention. Just one more step, and I would have what I wanted; one more step, and I would be out in the sunshine for the last time.

My lips curled into the slightest of smiles as I lifted my foot for that last step, yet at that moment I felt something hit my bare chest. A minor annoyance, yet my arms reached out and grasped it nonetheless. A person, who would have fallen from the impact with my hard skin if I had not been holding them up. Could it be?

I opened my eyes as I heard the clock toll again, and what I beheld in my arms was truly surprising. It was my angel, come to greet me. My beautiful Bella.

"Amazing," I said, and I could hear the wonder and amusement that my words contained. "Carlisle was right."

"Edward!" She said my name in a gasp that was perfectly clear to my sensitive ears, and I felt a shiver of electricity pass through my body at the word. "You've got to get back into the shadows. You have to move!"

Why was she so flustered? If she were truly my angel here to greet me at Heaven's – or possibly Hell's, I still wasn't sure – gate, then why did it look as if she had run a mile in order to be here? It was absurd. My beautiful and loveably clumsy Bella would never run any length of distance for fear of hurting herself. And I could tell that she was in no way injured from any falls, only adding further credibility to my thoughts.

I raised my hand and gently brushed my fingertips down the length of her cheek, marvelling at the flushed appearance that her skin had taken. Her human heart, like music to my ears, was beating in her chest, yet it sounded so frantic. Dimly, I noticed her hands on my exposed chest, possibly pushing against me, but just like the tolling of the clock, it was an irrelevant thing. My beautiful Bella was all that mattered; all that I wanted to see. I had succeeded in my plan, and she was here with me once again.

"I can't believe how quick it was. I didn't feel a thing – they're very good," I said, letting my eyes close as I pressed my lips against her hair, smelling the scent of her like a long lost and forever sought after wine. She was perfect; just as I remembered her. "Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty," I murmured, quoting Romeo, and knowing that she would understand the reference. Somewhere above us, the clock tolled for the final time, announcing the arrival of midday, and yet I hardly noticed. "You smell just exactly the same as always. So maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it."

"I'm not dead!" the angel in my arms announced, and her words confused me. "And neither are you! Please Edward, we have to move. They can't be far away!" she cried, and I could feel her attempts to free herself from my grasp.

"What was that?" I asked with my usual politeness. Why was she struggling against me? And what could her words mean? Surely death had freed us, and we could be together in peace? Didn't we deserve even that much?

"We're not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi-"

The Volturi. My plan to have them kill me. I hadn't as yet stepped out into the sun, had I? They would have no reason to kill me if I were still in the shadows. Then how could Bella-? Could it be possible? Had Alice been wrong, and had Jacob's answers on the phone meant something else? Was Bella, standing before me here in Italy, still alive? Did I dare to hope that it was true?

But it was true. I could smell her – sweet and irresistible as always – and hear her frantic heartbeat as she tried in vain to move me. She was alive. And we were in danger from the Volturi.

All of this was processed in only a handful of seconds, and I cut her off mid-sentence as I grabbed a hold of her and pulled her deeper into the shadows, away from the too bright sun. Spinning her around with less effort than it took to flick my arm, I had her back hard up against the brick wall, and was standing in front of her, my arms held wide, protecting her from what I now knew was coming. I could smell them, and their sweet fragrance sent a shiver of fear down my spine; fear for my beautiful Bella more than for myself.

The Volturi were on their way to meet us, and I didn't have to hear their thoughts to know that they would not be impressed ….

Author's Note – My first ever Twilight fanfic, so please be nice! This is a scene from New Moon, and I thought that it would be interesting to write it as Edward would have seen it. I wanted to explore his thoughts in the moments leading up to him stepping out into the sun, and his thoughts as he saw Bella again for the first time, believing that she was dead. I like Edward's ability to be constantly over thinking things, and I had much fun going off on little tangents with him!

Italics at the start of this are the opening lyrics to "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie. I thought that it was very appropriate for this.

This scene was taken from chapter 20, from pages 451 to 453 of the special edition of New Moon. I do not own any of the dialogue, and I used as much of the original scene as possible. I do own Edward's thoughts, in this instance at least. Everything else belongs to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. I hope you enjoyed this little piece, and please review!