Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga and The Walking Dead and all its scenes, characters, etc. and movies, TV series, etc. based on them, including the soundtrack, etc. belong to their respective owners (Stephenie Meyer, etc.). I'm merely writing this to entertain and I don't get any profit out of this.

Note: The Walking Dead can be quite unpleasant and depressing, so if you cannot handle tragedy, you should stay away from this.

Wow, it's been such a long time since I've posted anything in English! I'm sorry, I'm on my last year at my university and classes, projects, exams, etc. are driving me pretty crazy. :S In fact, you should thank my wonderful friend Ellie C.V for this fic, I don't think I would have published it without her support. ;) I love you, my dear! :-*

I also want to thank my wonderful beta Mikarin Aoi, as always. ;) I love you, big sis! :-*

Well, about this fic, I recently started watching The Walking Dead TV series, and I must say it touches me deeply. I especially love the soundtrack, it's simply amazing, and beautiful tracks like "The Mercy of the Living" were exactly what inspired me to write this. It's just a short one-shot, but I hope you like it. ^-^

The Walking Dead in Twilight Alternative Universe

In The End

"I love you."

Her low whisper stabbed him like a knife. He couldn't bear seeing her so weak, so ill. He couldn't stand the fact that he couldn't do anything about it.

"Carlisle…" she murmured. "You gave me a wonderful life. I thank you so much for it. I may have to leave it behind now, but never forget that I'll always be with you. I'll always love you. You'll never be alone. Ever. Do you hear me?"

He nodded, tears rolling down his face. "But I do not know if I can do this."

He couldn't actually believe this was happening. He knew the world had become a living hell, full of walking corpses. He knew they had to fight for survival every day. But he never cared, because the light of his life, Esme, his darling wife, had always been at his side in this world of darkness. But now his light was getting dimmer and dimmer and he couldn't do anything to prevent it. His wife was about to pass away and he couldn't stop it. God, he was a doctor and he couldn't help her. He had never felt more useless and helpless.

A walker. A damn walker had hurt her. Just slightly. A little wound in her abdomen. But that was enough. The infection had spread so rapidly. They could do nothing. She was about to die. And turn into a walker after that.

No.

He wouldn't allow that. Esme wouldn't turn into a walking rotten corpse, free to hurt anyone. She wouldn't allow it. And neither would he.

But would he be strong enough? Could he be strong enough to shoot his wife, even if she was already dead?

"You have to do it, my love," she said. "You have to do the right thing. It won't be me anymore. You can't let it happen." A single tear ran down her cheek. "I don't want to become one of them."

"I know. I know. My God…"

She grabbed his hand more tightly.

"You can do this. You will go on and do what you know and do it even better than before: help people. You will never let go. Promise that to me, my darling. Promise me you will never give up. Promise you will go on and keep helping people, just as you have always done."

"I promise," he answered. "I promise."

She smiled weakly at him.

"I know you will. You'll find the strength. You've always had."

Tears ran down his face again. Her faith in him was immense. He had to be strong. For her. For their family. For himself. But…

"I will miss you," he said.

"Me too," she answered. "I will miss you so much."

Carlisle kissed her hand. Her skin was too hot because of the fever. "I love you."

Esme lovingly looked at her husband. "I love you too. I'll always be with you."

She blinked. Her eyelids were so heavy. She couldn't stay awake. Carlisle leaned down and kissed her one last time.

"Find peace, my love. I'll see you on the other side. In the end, we will see each other again. We know it."

She smiled. "We know." Her eyelids finally gave up as darkness surrounded her.

Esme was still smiling when her heart stopped beating and her chest stopped moving. It was almost like she was sleeping peacefully.

Carlisle closed his eyes tightly and opened them again. After making sure Esme's pulse had disappeared, he grabbed the little gun which was next to him. He sighed heavily before aiming it at his wife's head.

Sobbing, he held his breath before he finally fired the gun.

He cleaned the blood from her head and covered the wound on her temple with her hair. Now it looked like she was really asleep. Like his wife had found rest at last.

Now he was sure Esme would never wake up again.

And only then did Carlisle let himself cry his heart out.

o)O(o

Since Esme's death, Carlisle had recurrent nightmares. He saw her covered in blood, badly bitten, trembling with temperature, calling his name. She always died before he could even touch her. And Carlisle would wake up, all covered in cold sweat, with tears in his eyes. But his worst nightmare was seeing her turned into a walker after her death. Seeing his sweet, beautiful wife turned into a living rotten corpse always left Carlisle devastated, although he knew it was not real. Then he would cry bitterly and curse himself for not having been able to protect her, to save her life. He would ask God why he didn't take his life too so he could be with her. But then he remembered he still had a family to protect and that he should be grateful that Esme never actually turned into one of those things. However, Carlisle still wished he could see his Esme again, outside nightmares…

"In the end, we will see each other again. We know it."

Those words and the thought of his family were the only things which kept him alive.

o)O(o

"You have to go."

"What?!" Edward exclaimed.

"You heard me," Carlisle answered, firmly. "I'll distract the walkers. Take good care of our family, Edward."

"No! No, we won't leave you here!"

"Yes, you will!" Carlisle replied. "There is no hope for me anymore." He showed Edward his wounded neck. The young man gave him a desperate look. "It's the only way I can give you a chance, so don't waste it! Now you all run away and I'll take care of the walkers." Carlisle was determined. He couldn't save Esme, but he would save the rest of his family.

Edward held back a sob and gave Carlisle a quick embrace. The doctor patted his son's back as a sign of comfort. "I'm proud of you, son. Take good care of them. I love you all."

"We love you too." Edward took Carlisle's hand and gave him the last grenade they had found in a tank. With that, Edward separated from him and went with the rest of the group. They didn't want to leave Carlisle behind either, but Edward told them about the situation and, devastated, they all quickly left the building which had been invaded by a huge amount of walkers.

Carlisle watched as dozens of living corpses surrounded him. He unlatched the small bomb and ran to them. In a few seconds, everything would explode in an enormous ball of fire.

"We know it."

o)O(o

Carlisle woke up to pure whiteness. Light was all around him. He looked at himself. He was dressed in white and there were no wounds or blood anywhere. His whole body was clean and perfect.

"I'm here," he thought. "I'm finally here."

"Carlisle!"

The sweetest voice in the world...

"Esme!"

She was running to him, all dressed in white as well, like an angel. She crashed into him and they held onto each other so tightly, never wanting to let go. In pure joy, they kissed.

"I told you we would see each other again," Carlisle said with a grin.

"I never doubted it," Esme answered, smiling. Now nothing would separate them ever again.

The End