How Twilight New Moon Should Have Ended.
By Empirestv
Demetri led us down the hallway away from the Volturi Court. So many things were going through my mind that I almost didn't notice a group of tourists headed towards the opposite way. They were led by Heidi, the beautiful female vampire Marcus had mentioned about just before we had left.
The tourists were of various ages. There were some elderly couples who were probably retired and had made it their life goal to visit the splendors of Italy. There were also young couples who may have decided to come for their honeymoon, and then there were parents with small children. The children seemed especially interested in the dark hallways and rooms. Many of them had cameras ready just in case they saw something unusual.
Demetri gave Heidi a flirtatious smile as they passed indicating that the two had shared some kind of history together. "Nice fishing Heidi. Save some for me."
Heidi smiled at Demetri's remark betraying her true purpose. She looked at me curiously as if wondering why a human was being escorted away from the Volturi by a group of vampires. Shouldn't humans be summoned towards the Volturi? "This way please, stay together," Heidi said to the tour group with a thick Italian accent.
"Unusual tour isn't it," an American male tourist said as he passed by. He was an elderly man with his camera ready.
"Bill, get a picture of that bust," his wife said.
As the tourists passed by I heard a number of foreign languages German, Japanese, and English. I looked over at Edward who had a serious expression on his face. As a mind reader he knew what was planned and what would happened to those tourists once they encountered the Volturi. His face was in a grimace and I realized then what I should have already knew. None of those tourists were going to survive. I couldn't even force myself to believe that some of them might escape or be turned into vampires.
"Edward, they're all going to…," I stammered unable to say what we both knew.
"Yes," he answered.
"Is there anything we can do? Some of them are children," I protested.
"It won't matter to the Volturi," he told me, his voice was pained as if every time he spoke it hurt him.
"They have to be warned. Maybe some will escape," I pleaded with him.
Edward stopped walking and turned back to see the tourists slowly moving in the opposite direction. "You came to save me, a vampire. I cannot read your thoughts Bella, but I realize you cherish all life. You were willing to sacrifice your own life for someone like me. And now you are horrified that these tourists are walking to their deaths."
"Edward…," I stammered unable to think.
He touched my lips with his hand to silence me. "Thank you Bella. You were the thing that was missing in my life, love. And when I thought you were dead, my life lost meaning, but now I know what I must do. For too long I have stood by while the Volturi have murdered so many people. How can I value what we had, if I allow what those people have for each other be snuffed out?"
"Edward no!" Alice spoke up causing Demetri to pause.
"What is it?" Demetri asked annoyed.
Edward suddenly took a hold of Demetri and slammed his head into the wall of the hallway. Demetri fell to the floor unconscious. "What have you done Edward?" Alice shrieked.
"What I should have done a long time ago," Edward said pleased with himself.
Edward then turned to me. "You must promise me that you will keep yourself safe. The Volturi will be after you and your family."
"You can't face the Volturi alone," I said.
"I can distract them long enough to allow those people to escape."
"But you'll die." It was a suicide mission, there was no way he could free those tourists and live.
"I came here to die because of my own selfishness, and until you arrived I was prepared for what would await for me on the other side. Now, I can die for a more noble cause. I have to try or else I will remember this day forever as the day I failed to act while innocents were slaughtered."
"Edward, don't be foolish. After you're killed, the Volturi will continue to kill. You're just delaying the inevitable," Alice argued.
"If any of these tourists escape, even if one escape the Volturi will be exposed and forced into hiding. That is enough for me."
"Edward, I came to save you. Don't leave," I pleaded with him.
"You already have Bella," he said and then kissed me on the lips. My eyes were filled with tears as I realized Edward would be gone forever. The cycle of pain would begin a new.
"You must be strong Bella. Be there for your father and your friends," he told me.
He then turned to Alice. "Watch over her future from time to time."
"Yes," she replied and I knew that if she were capable of tears she would be sobbing.
"Goodbye Bella," Edward said and then ran down the hallway.
I never saw Edward again after that. I read news reports on the web about a criminal investigation into suspicious murders and disappearances related to Volterra, Italy. No arrests had been made, but dozens of bodies had been found in underground tombs. Edward had died, but he had managed to exposed the Volturi and save two dozen tourists who were now star witnesses in the murder investigation. The Italian Prime Minister was now involved in the case, the city of Volterra would never be the same.
The Cullens decided to leave Forks permanently, I am convinced that some if not all of them blame me for Edward's death despite constant denials by Alice. I was assured that Alice would check up on me every so often. With Edward gone, my dream of becoming a vampire had faded away.
I restored my friendship with Jacob who was still miffed that I had gone off to Volterra despite his objections. He was suspicious of Edward's heroic sacrifice but once I showed him the news reports, he softened up a bit and never referred to him or the Cullens as blood suckers again. I still considered Jacob a friend and never thought of him as an alternative to Edward, but I was open to possibilities now.
I went through periods of shock and denial. I kept telling myself that somehow Edward had escaped, but after a few weeks had gone by I learned to accept the truth. Edward was gone, and I couldn't allow myself to fall into the same depression like before. After my grounding which lasted for weeks, I socialized with friends from school, went to the movies, forced Jacob to shop with me, and hung out at the reservation. I never felt the need to race bikes or go cliff diving again. I just wanted to be normal like anyone else, or as normal as one can be while still hanging out with werewolves.
As for the Volturi, Jacob assured me that the pack would be out in full force to protect me from any vampire incursions. After Edward had died, Victoria suddenly left and never came back. Now, I do normal stuff like applying for colleges and looking for a part time job so I can repair my beat up truck. I had strived to be like Edward, to become a vampire. But in the end, Edward had become like one of us: human.