How Do I Say Goodbye?
The house was completely silent as Carlisle finished telling the rest of the family what had happened.
After they had taken Leona most of the family had taken a flight back home and Bella, Carlisle, Edward and Alice were supposed to follow them with Leona, but they never expected Leona to fight them.
Leona was with Aro in Volterra and there wasn't a thing they could do about it.
No words could describe how awful Edward felt at that moment.
When he was in front of the kings and said those horrible words he didn't think it through. He just blurted them out in a hope Aro would release his daughter. He had no idea it would ruin his little girl.
After Aro had shown up on their doorstep he simply walked up to Leona picked her up and walked away, but not before he gave Jane the go ahead to teach them a lesson about family.
Edward shuddered and cringed at that painful memory.
"So what now?" Esme whispered as she cuddled closer to Carlisle's side, needing the comfort.
"We do what Leona wants. We let her go." Carlisle replied, resting the top of his head on his mates.
"What?" Bella whispered incredulously, "That's it? We just let that-that monster take my daughter?!"
"Bella," Edward soothed her, "There's nothing we can do. Leona's happy-"
"How can she be happy with those bastards!" she cried, "How do you even know she's happy? Maybe-maybe they used Chelsea's gift on her, binding her to them so she can't come home!"
They all knew Bella was just grasping at straws now.
They had to face the truth. Leona wasn't coming back home, no matter how much they begged or cried.
Leona felt abandoned by them and they were blind to the truth until Leona opened their eyes.
She had made her choice and she didn't pick them.
"I don't-" Bella sobbed, "I can't-what if we just-"
"Mommy," Renesmee was the one to speak up, "Let Leona have her happy ending. Say goodbye to her and let her live in happiness."
Bella picked up Renesmee and held her tightly to her chest as she began to cry silently.
Nothing else was said on that day.
The day they realized Leona was lost to them.
~10~
Aro sighed as he held Leona tightly to his chest while the jet took off.
He was so worried for her, his poor Leona had such an unwanted adventure, being kidnapped by those blasted Romans, who were now piles of ash, then taken hostage by the Cullen's!
He was so proud of her when she blasted Edward into the wall with her power of mother nature.
He would never admit it out loud but he was worried those damned Cullen's would convince her to go back to Forks with them.
Oh, how wrong he had been! She stuck up for herself and for her real family, and he couldn't be more proud of her for he feared it would kill him.
Leona mumbled and shifted in her sleep before opening her eyes. She looked up at Aro.
"I love you," she whispered.
He froze, looking down at her in shock.
That was the first time she had ever said I love you to him.
His eyes produced venom filled tears that will never fall.
"I love you too piccolo,"
He leaned down and kissed her forehead and pressed her more tightly to his chest.
When he had picked up Leona and carried her out of the room the Cullen's were holding her in he physically had to stop himself from falling to his knees.
He heard in her mind how she admitted she was in love with him.
I'm in love with him!
She had shouted to the Cullen's when they tried to take her away.
His heart had been cracked wide open and Leona had settled herself comfortably and permanently into his being.
He already knew he was in love with his little Leona but to hear that she returned those feelings, he's died on the inside and Leona had brought him back to life.
He didn't know how he would ever repay her for following him into the forest and begging him to take her away.
He didn't save Leona, Leona saved him.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.
~Five Years Later~
I sighed leaning back against Aro. This was peaceful, this was perfect.
No one hadn't heard or seen any of the Cullen's for four years. They disappeared off grid. I hoped to god they stayed that way. I was done with them. If I never heard their name again it would be too soon.
I married Aro when I physically looked to be eighteen. That was four blissful years ago.
I had stopped aging a few months ago. I looked to be in my early twenties now.
I turned away from the fireplace to Aro, feeling the need to declare myself...again.
"I love you," I cooed to him, softly tugging on a lock of his jet black hair.
He chuckled, "I love you too mia cara,"
I never got tired of hearing him say those words to me.
This is what I wanted.
This was what I always wanted.
To finally be loved.
To finally be someone's equal.
I never heard from the Cullen's after I had left with Aro. I was glad. I didn't need them to barge in on us and ruin everything. I didn't miss them.
How could I when I have a whole new family that actually loves me?
Everyone accepted me so easily. I loved them. I knew that I didn't belong with the Cullen's. But I know I belong here.
"I love you, so much." I whispered leaning forward to kiss him.
He swept me up and carried me to our room to love me like the world was ending.
This was my forever, and I couldn't be any happier.
The End