They say that just before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. I'd always been…different, to say the least…from other people. My life was, in fact, not what I saw now, as I lay here on the ground, my body covered in blood, my eyes fluttering, as though my lids carried the weight of a freight train.
No, what I saw was the beautiful, pale face before mine. Edward Cullen was foremost in my thoughts, and my own life mattered little to me now. All that mattered was that he was here with me, and I would get to see him one last time.
Edward's eyes were liquid gold, a color that mine had never been and would never be. He could save me, here and now, change me into what he was, and we'd be able to spend the rest of eternity together.
"I…can't, Bella…I can't," he said desperately, his voice cracking under so much pressure. "I always knew…you would die, I didn't expect it to be like this, you deserve…so much more. You should have lived so much longer."
"I still can," I reminded him, wincing at my own pain, but more at his. For at this moment, he was resisting his every instinct to sink his razor teeth into my soft, weak skin and drink the life out of me. He was shaking visibly, whether from his thirst or seeing me so close to death, or both, I wasn't sure. Trying to ignore the weakness in my arm, I lifted my hand to brush his cheek, the cheek that should have been wet with tears.
But vampires couldn't cry.
"I love you," I said, my voice remarkably calm, though weak. I was rapidly losing air.
His body shook as he let out a ragged breath, taking my hand and leaning down for a kiss. I was sure he could taste the blood on my lips, and I knew how much harder he would have to strive not to kill me right there. I was going to die, anyway.
His lips lingered on mine for several moments, and we were suspended in time for as long as he stayed there. Eventually, though, he had to draw back from the temptation of my blood, but he never let go of my hand.
"Say goodbye to the family for me, Edward," I requested in a whisper, for my voice had left me now.
He shook his head, as though not quite believing that death was nearly ready to take me from this life.
"I'm going to die, Edward," I said, still calm.
"And it's my fault," he said. "I should have killed her then, Bella, I should have…I was too slow…"
I shook my head, or tried to, anyway…my lifeless muscles didn't allow for much movement at all. "Don't blame…yourself."
He kissed me again, passionately but gently, and in that kiss I gave him what life I had left.
He pulled back again, and spoke in a strong, confident tone, so that I had no doubt about his words. "I will find her, Bella. I'll find Victoria and kill her. And then…" he kissed me again, "…I'll find you."
"I'll be waiting," I told him. Wherever that was, wherever I was going, I would always wait for him—the only love I would ever know.
My eyes shut then, and darkness closed over me.
………………………
Raise your hand if you're thoroughly depressed! Well, I warned you. This actually popped up in my head while I was taking a shower, and I suppose that it's one way the Twilight series could end (although I hope not!). And for those of you who've read Wolfsong, it's one chapter away from being finished, and I'm working on that right now, and hopefully it'll be finished by this evening. So…yay!
