GUARDIAN ANGEL

Sickly pale skin, even paler than my own covered her from head to toe. Wrinkles danced across her every feature. The once soft, long and full dark brown hair was now shortly cropped, grey and falling out. She seemed at piece lying on the mattress covered in sandy brown cotton sheets. Without the steady heartbeat and the frequent beep of the machinery that sounded with it I would have thought her time was up. A time where she would roam the earth, gracing everyone with her very presence. In a few moments she'd cease to exist because of me.

She could have lived forever, her and I. We made the perfect couple, us two. I thought what I did was for the best but clearly I was wrong. Now I was to be left without the love of my existence soon enough. If only I hadn't left, if only I'd stayed. We'd be happy and forever immortal. No cares or problems, just us two. Alas, I had made my decision all those years ago changing both mine and her fate forever.

Once her time is up there will be no reason for me to go on. When she dies a part of me will die with her. My dried up, dead heart will be torn to shreds all because of one foolish decision. So many times I had the chance to fix my mistake but I was so transfixed on the idea that it would be the best for her. So many nights I had peered into her bedroom and watched over her as she slept after I had told her I was gone. She still spoke my name in her dreams and nightmares. Every so often she'd call out to me begging me to come back to her. I was a fool for ignoring her subconscious pleas. I should have gone back to her. I should have never left her side.

"I'm so sorry Bella," I spoke aloud to her sleeping figure in only a whisper. Her old, ill figure rustled under the sheets at the quiet noise. Her pale eyelids fluttered open and she slowly sat up in the bed, rubbing her eyes and groaning at the pain of stretching her tired and sore limbs. "Who-who's there?" She called out in a scratchy voice as her chocolate brown eyes searched the dimly lit room as they adjusted to the darkness. She grabbed a pair of prescription frames from the bedside stand and placed them in front of her line of sight, resting upon the bridge of her nose. I remained unmoving where I was, standing like a perfectly sculpted statue. Once her eyesight had completely adjusted her eyes fell upon my standstill figure.

She gasped with recognition and her heartbeat sped up, the monitor beeping along with it. Her swirling brown orbs held curiosity and disbelief as they raked over my unchanged body that was placed in the corner of the hospital room. "E-Edward? Is that really you?" She croaked out in a shaky voice. I slowly approached the bed she laid on and placed my hand on top of her own, our temperatures matching, surely not a good sign. She looked down at the hand that now laid over hers then switched her gaze to my face, brown eyes meeting gold. "It's me," I told her simply as I softly squeezed her hand for reassurance but careful not to break her frail bones.

"I can't believe it's you. What—" I cut her off with by placing a gentle kiss upon her forehead and murmured, "I'm so sorry. I-I never meant to hurt you. What I said that day was all a lie. I just wanted to give you the chance to have a normal life"

I stared into her eyes which I expected to find filled with hate but only found understanding and was that... love? "I understand Edward, I forgive you" She told me softly as she gently rested her head back upon the pillow, her gaze never leaving me. I searched for any sign of a lie but came up short. She did understand and truly forgave me. I gave her a signature crooked smile and she returned it with a dimpled and near toothless grin of her own. "You came back" She stated contently, her smile never faltering. "I never truly left. I love you" I told her truthfully. Her brows furrowed in confusion and I decided to further explain myself. "I've always been looking over you. Always around, just out of sight."

"Like a guardian angel," She mumbled and I let out a light chuckle at the thought. "Not really but I guess you could say that" I responded and this time she was the one to laugh, letting out a scratchy chuckle mixed with a cough. Concern etched its way back onto my features upon seeing her like this, time was ticking away.

"You've always been like an angel to me Edward, I've always thought of you as that" Bella stated, a light pink tint grazing the apples of her cheeks. I smiled down at her. I'd missed that blush of hers. "I can feel my time's coming to an end. I feel myself fading" She stated in a knowing tone. I didn't want her to go. I had just gotten her back. She couldn't leave me. "Please Bella, don't leave me" I choked out. If I could cry surely my tears would be spilling over by now.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay. You had your turn to watch over me, now it's mine. I get to protect you for once" She soothed as she placed her free hand upon mine that lay upon her other. "No. Stay with me, please." I begged her as my voice cracked.

"Can you make me a promise?" She questioned in a quiet tone even I had to strain to hear. "Anything," I breathed. And I meant it. I'd do anything for her. "Take care of yourself and continue on with your life" I wanted to tell her I couldn't, I wanted to tell her my immortal life ended when hers did. But I couldn't. I owed her this much at least. "I promise" I told her in a soft voice. "Good," she replied.

"Edward?"

"Yes love?"

"Sing to me"

"As you wish"

I began lightly humming the tune of her lullaby I made for her once upon a time and she sighed happily, humming in tune with me as her eyelids came to a close. After all these years she still remembered the tune. When the song came to an end she mumbled to me an, "I love you." "As I love you" I told her sincerely.

Those were her parting words as her heartbeat began to slow as did the monitor. Soon her heart stilled and the loud beep sounded, signalling the end. That's when I broke down. I slowly pried my hand away from her grasp and placed my head in my palms as dry sobs wracked my body.

She was gone, completely and utterly gone forever. Now she'd always remain in my heart where she'd forever stay my guardian angel.

THE END

This was my first attempt at a One-shot. I hope you liked it. I didn't want to make it too lengthy so this is what came out of it. Send in your reviews and let me know what you think! (: