Hello everyone. I hope you are all well and staying warm if you are in the Midwest States like me. This chapter has to be one of the most draining chapters I have ever written. You will see as you read it.

I don't own anything Twilight but I am grateful to be allowed to play with the characters.

Where the hell am I? Shit I can't feel my body. Alec knew he was some place dark and without form. Then he remembered the pain, searing, burning his flesh from his body. Is that what happened, he wondered, was he dead. The pain was gone now but it had stolen something from him. It ripped the part of him away, his soul maybe or his consciousness; that made him who he was.

From somewhere else in the darkness he heard something, sobbing softly. Someone was crying. It tugged at his heart and made him want to help whoever it was. The sobs grew louder and more familiar. Jane?

"Jane?" he called out not realizing it was only thought not spoken word. The sobbing stilled.

"Alec?" Jane's tender voice called to him. "God, not you too!" she shrieked and screamed over and over again. "Not you too!"

Alec wanted to wrap her in his arms, comfort her but there were no arms, no body. He realized he would have to use words instead.

Calling to his sister calmly and with love, he soon heard her begin to relax. She stopped screamed, and then the sobs slowed. Sometime later it could have ten minutes or ten years, there was no way to judge time here, Jane quieted and asked the same question that had been plaguing Alec's mind.

"How do we get out of here?"

Chapter 14 – Not a Happy Ending

JPOV

If I had thought Edward was regal before, nothing had prepared me for this. The sun had just set and dusk, twilight was upon us. The sunset reminded me of the ones when I first came here and Edward and I would walk the balustrade at night after dinner; long leisurely walks filled with soft conversation and flirting. Accept tonight the grounds around the castle were not quiet at all.

The crowd had been growing all evening. People had been coming and going for hours it seemed; all of them happy and filled with laughter. And all of them wanting to catch a glimpse of the new Chieftain, Edward Cullen.

Sure it was an ancient tradition but these people were descended from an ancient clan. They believed in the life of the clan and it had carried down from generation to generation. Clan Cullen was a part of every person gathered on Cullen ground to celebrate the coming of Summer Solstice, in one way or another. And every single one of them, young and old, wanted to meet the new Chieftain.

Edward had chosen to wear his full dress attire this evening. Just like he did for me, the night I told him that I loved him. He was breathtaking. Young girls giggled and blushed. Young men snickered but still seemed to a little in awe by the site of him. Older women got a little starry eyes wishing for younger days. And the men, especially the older ones, showed respect and honor.

He took it all in and gave so much back. He was gracious and kind, gentle with those that needed it; respectful of those that had earned it and above fair in his actions to each one; a true leader among men. I couldn't believe a man like that loved me.

But it was there in every look he glanced my way through the entire evening; love, joy and happiness too. They were there in his dark emerald eyes. I put them there. I knew I did and it made me love him even more.

Just after dark several of the men lit a huge bonfire. The blaze was encased in a circle made of stone about six feet in diameter. Several feet back was another circle of stones. I assumed that was to keep anyone from getting too close to the blazing fire. The pyre at the heart of the blaze was taller than me. I'm sure the blaze could be seen for miles in the night sky. It lit the entire area around us.

The blaze was set up about one hundred yards from the main grounds of the castle beside the ruins of an old abbey or at least that's what the locals called it. It looked more like rubble to me. I'm sure some sort of building was there at one time but nothing much was there now, just a lot of scattered bricks and stones.

Alice had set up a magical atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. Tables overflowed with enough food to feed an army. And then there was the table where casks of ale were set up. I had to admit Clan Cullen knew how to throw a party.

The band Alice hired had a make shift stage set up a few feet east of the table with the ale casks and the music was great. A local band, I guessed but they could play it all. Young and old were enjoying the music and the party overall.

Edward and I both managed to finally meet up with the rest of our close knit group. Emmett and Rosalie were talking excitedly about their upcoming wedding. Rosalie also informed the ladies that she was doing just fine with the baby. Doctor said everything was progressing as normal and she wasn't having much discomfort. Emmett piped up that the sex was even better than ever and of course, Rose popped him in the head for the comment causing the entire group to break into laughter.

Bella had brought a date she introduced to us. Evidently, he was an old friend from back in the states come to visit. I could tell from just one glance that Jacob Black wanted to be more than an old friend to Bella by the way he looked at her. He also kept a protective hand around her waist most of the evening. Letting any would be suitors to stay away. Bella seemed to be enjoying his company too. It had been a long time since I had seen her so relaxed and calm.

The one person who looked the most amazing, though, was Esme. I mean yes, she was a lovely woman but tonight she just…glowed. She had hardly spoken a word to any of us. Her whole attention seemed to be focused on Carlisle; as his was on her. The way they looked at each other, you would have thought they were newlyweds or a couple sharing a very intimate secret.

Everyone was talking at once and the noise level was incredible. We were all huddled together not far from the second ring of stones when the music began to change into something totally different. It must have been close to midnight when I noticed the shift in the music and the mood of the crowd. It was otherworldly; like it was coming from a different time. I laughed to myself when I thought I heard the shrill sound of a lone bagpipe. I'd never heard anything like it before. When I looked to Edward he had a look of astonishment on his face. He recognized the music but it was almost like he disbelieved what he was hearing. The music flowed softly then peeked and dropped again, carrying us with it along its path. It was leading us, taking us in a direction that no one seemed to know.

A woman's voice, tender and sweet, carried across the air and joined in the haunting melody being played. The crowd began to grow silent. Listening to the beauty of the voice enthralled you into blocking every other thought out of your mind. Just the voice, just the music; it lifted you and became a part of you as you stood there listening.

We all turned toward the stage just as a woman stepped from the shadows. She was the one whose voice had captured us. It was Alice. I couldn't stop looking at her. She was dressed in a long flowing gown with a tight bodice from where a sheath of creamy colored silks and satins flowed to the ground and swayed around her bare feet. A wreath of heather wound through her dark hair and she almost seemed to…sparkle as she spread her arms and continued her song. I didn't recognize the language she was singing. It had to be something Gaelic I knew that, but the dialect was one I didn't recognize. I turned to Edward and saw his stunned face. Touching his arm, I hoped to get him to turn to me and it worked. He slowly faced me with the most confused look on his face.

"She's speaking as I would have in the old days," he looked to her then back to me, "how could she know that language? I haven't heard it in more than three hundred years."

Both of us now stunned, turned to watch as Alice descended the stage and walked toward the blazing pyre. She walked as if in a trance. She didn't notice or acknowledge anyone around her. Stopping just outside the first ring of stones, her song stopped.

I felt it then. The pull was indescribable. It was like a part of me was leaving my body and I had to follow it. I dropped Edward's hand and began to move toward the blaze. I had no control over what my body was doing. Panic and fear ripped through my body and I tried to stop myself from moving forward. Somewhere far away I heard Edward call my name but I couldn't turn back; couldn't stop moving toward the fire.

I could see Alice across the blaze from me. She was glowing. There was a foggy mist around her body. It shimmered in the light from the fire like a kaleidoscope of colors in a prism. Changing from pinks to blues to greens to yellows and shades of gold; over and over again. Briefly I wondered if others could see what I saw.

At the same moment, we each stepped into the space between the two rings of stone. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Edward run towards me. He was stopped cold outside the farthest ring of stone. I couldn't hear his words either, though I could tell he was shouting. It was almost like an invisible wall had been erected around the outside of the stones. He banged on it with his hands. I saw him circle to Alice's side and try there but he still could not enter the wall that had come up around us. I watched as he withdrew his long sword and tried to stab at the wall, that didn't work either and the look on his face changed from rage to devastation. He realized he couldn't get to me and I saw the overwhelming sadness in his eyes. Then his face changed again into a look of awe. I wondered what he saw when he looked at me. But it really didn't matter now, because I was leaving my body and floating in the air above the crowd.

I saw Alice there too, floating. She was looking down, smiling and my eyes followed her line of sight. What I saw shocked and amazed me. I couldn't believe it for a moment because inside the two circles of stone was two people I had never seen before but was sure I knew. Cil and Evan stood and looked across the fire at each with love deep in their eyes.

EPOV

"Jasper can ye hear me! Jasper answer me please answer me!" I slammed my body hard against the invisible wall that had sprung up around the pyre. He was just standing there as if he was frozen in the spot; unable to hear me and unable to move to me.

I didn't know what the bloody hell was going on but I had to get to him. This wasn't good and nothing I had done would break through the wall. Alice was glowing with some sort of aura about her that kept changing and growing. And when my beloved Jasper stepped across the first ring of stone, he began to do the same thing. The aura around him was darker though. Where Alice's was light and airy, Jasper's had rich jewel tones wrapped around him. Sapphire and emerald were the predominate ones but also ruby and gold glowed around him.

When the auras around both of them started to ascend towards the heavens, I felt the panic rush through me; I was going to lose him. My focus was so much on what was happening to Jaspers aura that I didn't even notice what was happening to his body. Suddenly a movement pulled my attention away from the auras above the blazing pyre; on the ground standing between the two circles of stones were my sister, Cil and my best friend, Evan. Dressed as they had been on the last day I had seen either one of them. Where had Alice and Jaspers bodies gone? What happened next took my breath away.

I could see the smile on Evan's face as he walked the circle to where I stood outside the invisible wall behind Cil. He took her into his arms and stared down into her eyes with love and desire, and then they began to dance. Holding on to each other, they had eyes only for the one in their arms. You could see the bond between the two of them mold and become something of its own. They were so happy; happy to be together again, holding each other and feeling the warm of the other's body. No one looking at them could deny the love that was between the two of them. Why had I not seen it all those years ago? They belonged together. Guilt washed over me for a moment. Guilt for being the cause of keeping them apart. Guilt for begrudging them this joy. Then the guilt vanished just as quickly as it came because I could see just how happy they were to be together again right at this moment.

They twirled and danced and laughed around the circle several times before they came to rest again where I had been standing watching them. Evan claimed her with a kiss, sweet and tender and filled with so much love. They turned to me and both smiled. I felt the calm and love from them rush through my body and suddenly I knew everything was going to be alright. They were together now and so would Jasper and I be together. With a wave of their hands to me, they parted and Evan walked to the opposite side of the pyre.

The auras that had been circling over the pyre began to lower each into its own body and as they did the bodies changed. Suddenly Alice was where Cil had been only moments before and Jasper was back in his spot also. I could feel the wall drop. I didn't have to see it to know it was gone. I rushed toward Jasper and had him in my arms before he opened his eyes.

"Edward?" he voice was soft and strained.

"Aye, love. I have ye," I breathed against his silky golden locks.

"And I always will."

JPOV

I came out of the trance tired and unsteady but realized that Edward's arms were around me. I wasn't sure what had happened or how much time had passed but I felt different. I felt alone. Evan was gone. Whatever part of him that had resided in my mind the last few months had left me. I would miss him. I looked up to see Edward watching me carefully, studying my every movement. There was a look of worry on his brows that I didn't mean to put there. I moved my hand to gently rub the lines that were forming and smiled at him as I touched him.

"Evan is gone," he said quietly.

"Yes. I don't feel him anymore. How did you know?" I asked pulling away from him slightly.

"He and Cil met and danced and reclaimed each other. They are together, never more to be parted," he said quietly.

"Were they happy?" I asked.

"Aye, and so in love. It was plain to see," he answered softly.

"Good. Then at least we have accomplished that," I stood apart from him and immediately searched out Alice.

I could see Carlisle and Esme on either side of Alice across the pyre from Edward and me. They were holding on to her much the way Edward had supported me only moments before. She didn't appear to be as shaken as I was by the experience and she seemed to be looking around for someone. There was a look of tension in her face and her eyes became wide and frightened when she looked at someone in the crowd behind Edward and me.

Turning I saw Jane and Alec coming to join us in the light of the pyre. Funny how I hadn't seen much of them this evening, this was the first time I remembered seeing either one of them tonight. I wondered where they had been. Jane walked across the yard to stand in front of Alice.

Kissing Esme on the cheek and squeezing Carlisle's hand, Alice pushed both of them away from her outside the farthest circle of stones. It was almost like she was telling them goodbye. The whole situation was confusing to watch. And when Jane began to speak, every head in the crowd turned with a sort of dreaded anticipation and froze.

It was if time had stopped in that moment. I couldn't grasp the fact that this was not normal and the fear that slipped up my spine settled deep inside me. As soon as the voice that came out of Jane's body spoke; I knew this was not over by a long shot. Looking around the only people who seemed to not be in the trance were Alice, Jane, Alec, Edward and me. This was not good, not good at all.

"She is gone, young Druid. She cannot protect you any longer," Jane screeched at Alice. "We must do it now. We have to make him show his face so that we can end it." Jane swiftly turned to face the crowd. The look on her face was terrifying. This was not the young innocent girl we all knew. This was something much more and totally evil.

"I know ye are here, you bastard! Show yerself! Face me now," she screamed at the crowd. People were being pushed away by some unseen force as far from the two women standing in the inner circle as they could be pushed.

"Ye cannot take form, I have the body of the only female Donovan left and ye cannot have her. I will continue to walk this earth and ye will be banished to the Darkness forever. Ye will know what it feels like to be left there with no hope of ever returning to this life," the voice coming from Jane laughed uncontrollably with hate.

"Well now that isn't exactly how it's going to happen, my dear Victoria," Alec spoke as he stepped into the circle of stones. "Ye didn't exactly plan yer curse all that well and seeing as how it has been broken well I can take any form I chose. And I chose this form, a male Donovan. It has been a long time since I have walked in a man's body and I find that I am enjoying it quite immensely. In fact when this is over, I may even fuck you just to prove that I can."

As Alec turned to look at Edward and I, something close to panic began to overtake me. Edward stepped to shield my body from Alec but it was too late. Alec rose a hand, swiped it across the air in front of him and Edward was thrown aside leaving me to stand directly in front of Alec. The look on his face was pure hatred. He turned to face the fire then whipped back around suddenly and I watched as a flame from the fire spread through the air across the space between us and I felt it when it hit me square in the chest.

I flew backwards through the air and landed on my back outside the two circles. I was dazed for a moment from the impact of my fall but quickly came to myself when I realized my shirt was on fire. Grabbing handfuls of dirt beside me on the ground, I tried to put the flames out before it burned through to my skin. I rolled over and was able to smoother the flames. Jumping to my feet, I dodged another flame that Alec had tossed in the air at me. He was laughing hysterically.

"How could you love such a piece of shit Edward? I mean really look at him, he's nothing," Alec slurred the words as he turned to search the circle for Edward. "I can burn him to a crisp in an instant and you'd be left alone again. Would you grieve for him? Would you cry for him? Would you want me then? HE'S NOTHING!" He screamed to the sky and threw his arm out behind him directed at Jane.

I stumbled across the stones to Edward's side. He was still out cold on the ground where the force of Alec had pushed him. I tried to wake him by whispering to him and shaking him gently. It seemed to work because shortly he startled awake in my arms and whispered back to me something I had not taken into account.

"It's not Alec. Tis James," he said quietly as he rose from the ground to stand beside me. As he rose, he drew his long sword from its sheath and prepared to advance on Alec or James or whoever the hell it was. I held him back because James attention was solely fixed on Victoria at that moment.

"Now, Victoria you need to step away from the little Druid priestess. I'll deal with her in a moment when I'm done with you. You cannot possible defeat me, Victoria," he drug out her name as he circled the blazing pyre slowly and deliberately. "I have powers that you cannot possible comprehend. They accepted me as one of their own, taught me; allowed me the privilege of becoming as powerful as they. You have to leave her body, Victoria. How can Edward possibly defeat my curse if there is no Donovan to trade a life for?"

Victoria's face suddenly aware of whatever it was James was talking about screamed and pushed a wind against the blazing fire just as James walked behind it. The blaze pushed out for several yards and should have encased James. It didn't. He stepped around the blaze with his hands on his hips almost as if he was going to reprimand her for being a naughty child.

The whole time that James and Victoria had been sparring with each other none of us noticed Alice. She had silently moved herself outside the second circle of stones and when she caught Edward's eye, she motioned for him to do the same. He backed us up slowly and we stepped across the last row of stones. But as soon as we did James head whipped unnaturally toward us with a snap.

"Oh no, Edward, you and your little lover can't leave yet. The party isn't over," a violent sneer crossed James lips and he raised both of his arms as that another invisible wall sprung to trap us again. I saw Alice step back and knew immediately that she was outside the wall even if James didn't seem to notice.

Alice closed her eyes and spread her arms out and I could see she was chanting something under her breath, even though we couldn't hear what she was saying. The fire in the middle of the pyre started to change colors and after a few minutes I was having a hard time believing what I was seeing. There inside the fire were shapes flickering in the light of the blaze. Not human shapes. I didn't know what they were but I could see what appeared to be distorted, tortured faces inside the shapes.

James jumped when a mournful high pitched sound screeched through the night. Turning toward the fire his eyes widened and it almost looked like fear. Then it was gone almost as soon as it appeared.

"I don't know what you think you are doing little Druid but it is of no avail. They are a part of me and they will not turn on me," he stopped abruptly when he realized Alice was outside the wall. "How the hell did you get out there? Ye do not have the power to stop me, wee one. Do not cross me and maybe I'll let ye live to love the man whose body this is. It might be pleasant to take a woman to my bed again and seeing as how ye have feelings for this body well I can give him back to ye, in a way. Only I can do that."

Alice stopped chanting for only a moment but did not break her concentration. She continued with her chant and the figures in the blaze began to show great agitation. The sound that came from the blaze then was ear splitting. I covered my ears as the pain felt as if my ear drums would burst. Edward was in much the same shape as I was and I saw that he had dropped his sword to cover his own ears.

Why did you bring us here young one? Why did you interrupt our sleep? No one has called us in generations? Stop the call, it is painful to us. The pain is too much young one. Stop!

But Alice didn't stop. And neither did James. By this point he had made the trek around the circle and was standing directly in front of Victoria. His body was glowing with some sort of light and the air was filled with that sickening sweet scent of lilies. I could feel the air rushing from my lungs and I grabbed my throat and tried to cover my mouth to keep from choking. Edward was beside me, seemingly not affected by the scent and trying disparately to help me.

James took Victoria by the throat and we watched in horror as his free arm turned to mist and appeared to reach inside of Victoria. She screamed and thrashed about in his grasp as he effortlessly held Jane's body in the air. He slowly began to pull what must have been Victoria's essence out of Jane's body. When he had Victoria completely removed from Jane, he dropped Jane's lifeless body on the ground. I closed my eyes and then opened them because I could clearly see what James was about to do and I did not want to watch, however I couldn't help but do just that. I had been right not want to look. James opened his mouth and swallowed Victoria's soul, her voice screaming and cursing him as he did it.

I don't know how long we stood there after James had absorbed Victoria into his dark soul. A tiny hand seemed to stroke my cheek in the night and two lips planted a kiss softly where they had stroked. I opened my eyes but there was no one around me. I looked across the circle to see Alice, her eyes open now and she was looking directly at me. I clearly heard her words although she was several feet away from us and the wall was still up between us.

"Thank you for loving him. I ask you now to do something that he might hate you for but do not let him leave your side. No matter what happens or what you see or what he thinks he must do. Hold him tight to you. All will be well, I promise you," she whispered and then her soft sweet voice was gone.

On the ground in front of James, Jane's body started to come back to life. It was clear to see that it was Jane. There was just something innocent about her and fear radiated from her. It was clear that she didn't know where she was or what was going on. She looked up at the body that was her brothers and smiled for a second until she realized it wasn't Alec and she began to tremble and sob uncontrollably.

"Oh look at her Edward, isn't she just a poor innocent thing. But really how could you have any feelings for her, after all she is a Donovan," James said as he circled the crying girl on the ground. "I mean really, ye hate us all don't you?" He kicked a boot at Jane causing the girl to cry out in pain.

Beside me, Edward reached for his sword. I grabbed his arm and pulled him to me. Inside the blaze the demons or whatever the hell they were, began to scream and cry out even louder. Almost begging Alice to release them, she seemed to not hear them at all. She was chanting again. The blaze began to take on more color and began to feel hotter than it had before. James was still carrying on his monologue to no one in particularly but it seemed to be directed to Edward.

"Ye, know I would have cared for you Edward but ye didn't want any part of me. Victoria loved me back then and the day ye killed me, the sweet thing put a lovely curse on ye didn't she. Ye would walk the earth without love because ye had taken her love. But I didn't love her, she was a bitch I used when I could not have ye or what was his name, oh yes, Peter, poor sweet Peter. Victoria figured it out though and she changed the little curse she placed allowing Cil to leave a few clues for the right person. The little Druid over there thinks she was the right person but really the clues were for ye, Edward but you've had yer dick up that one's ass so much lately ye didn't see what clues were left for you. So you see this is your fault," he reached down and grabbed Jane by the hair making the crying girl scream out again. Edward stiffened by my side and made to move toward the two of him. I held him fast and he tried to pry my hands off him.

"Let me go Jasper. I must help her," he said between gritted teeth.

I only held him tighter and I could see he was becoming angry with me.

"Oh, she really was a piece of work ye know. Victoria I mean. She was supposed to keep yer lover from ever even coming here. I mean I just didn't think it was right to let ye be happy when I was in hell all these years. See them in the fire. My real form looks just like that, constant pain and constant torture. Not really much of a life but then I never have to die either," James threw Jane back to the ground and from a back pocket he produced a long thin knife. Running it along his fingers, we watched as he drew blood from his own hand and let it run to the ground. He laughed and looked straight at Edward. The next words out of his mouth nearly dropped me to my knees.

"The only way ye can get rid of me, dear sweet Edward, is an eye for an eye," he said it calmly without emotion of any kind.

Edward grabbed my arms with a strength I would never have imagined he would use on me; he pushed my arms behind my back and shoved me to the ground. He looked at me for a moment and then rubbed my cheek with his knuckles.

"I love ye Jasper and the happiest moments of my life have been with ye. Always remember that," his eyes were clear and true and I could see every ounce of love he had for me in there and I knew what he was going to do.

At that moment my entire world exploded. The beings inside the blaze screamed in unison and the invisible wall around us shattered into millions of tiny crystals, raining glass down on all of us. James raised his arm to plunge the knife down into Jane's sobbing body. Edward lurched himself forward prepared to give his life to save hers; an eye for an eye, a Cullen for a Donovan. Edward had taken James life all those years ago and he would have to give his to break James curse.

As I rose to my feet and grabbed to hold Edward back, I watched in shock as Alice raced across the stones and covered Jane's body with hers. I knew the instant the knife had penetrated Alice's body. The blaze that had been burning for hours suddenly went completely out as if a hand had reached down and snuffed it out. Edward's agonized scream of "no" filled the night air. But the worst site of all was the demon's that had been in the flames for so long were now pulling and biting and trying to devour James. His screams were more agonizing than the others had been. His black spirit rose out of Alec's body trying to escape the others around him but there was no getting away from them. They did to him exactly what he had done to Victoria and in a fraction of a second he was gone and the night air was still.

Edward had thrust me aside and rushed to Alice's side. I followed after him quickly. Edward was gently picking up Alice and trying to turn her in his arms so as not to push the knife in her back deeper. Even though she was losing a lot of blood and very weak she tried spoke to us.

"Edward, he's gone," she said softly. "I can feel it."

"Yes, he's gone. Alice what were you thinking. I should have been the one to die," he gently pushed the hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead with tenderness.

"Oh Edward, why did it have to be you, the curse only said a Cullen for a Donovan," she said then smiled weakly.

"It was in Cil's diary. She helped me set this up," her eyes closed for a second then opened to look at us again.

"Ye set this up," Edward asked unbelieving her words.

"Aye, ye silly man. Cil knew that James would come to do this when you broke Victoria's curse," she coughed and Edward helped her set up a little higher. "So I made a deal with Victoria to draw him out instead of waiting for him to come to us."

"Now you must listen to me, I don't have much time," she looked at both of us and then sighed deeply.

"I have left exact details for my burial in the lower library. You must follow them to the letter," she grabbed Edward's hand and held it as tightly as she could.

"Alice, don't talk like that. We're going to get you to the hospital and everything's going to be fine," I tried to tell her. She smiled at me sweetly.

"I'm so glad you finally came for him," she touched my cheek before she was wracked with another cough.

"Take care of him," she said when it had passed.

"Alice, stop this ye wee bampot. I will not let ye die," Edward cried to her. I saw tears begin to form at the corners of his eyes.

"Too late, Edward, I did what had to be done," she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Without opening her eyes she mumbled, "Promise me you will follow the instructions."

Edward was gripped with pain as he looked down at her, "I promise ye wee…" She never heard the last words. She was gone.

Beside us on the ground Alec came to himself and saw Jane. He crawled over to her and pulled her into his arms. His look of confusion was probably etched on all our faces at that moment. And the grief on his face was plain to see when he realized Alice was dead.

At that exact moment, the silent night was broken with a scream. I stood to see Carlisle holding Esme in his arms where she had fainted. I ran to help Carlisle carry her back to the castle. Edward stayed behind with Alice while the crowd which had been frozen began to come back to life and the sun began to rise in the sky.

I don't know how it happened but no one in the crowd had seen what happened that night. Only the small group who had actually participated in the awful events and the Cullen family members knew what really happened that night. Edward took Alice to the lower library and stayed there for two days before he rejoined the rest of the family and me.

We had not spoken a word since that night. When he appeared early on the second morning, he was carrying a letter from Alice in his hands. Her body was still in the library, we all assumed. He sat down at the table and handed the letter to Carlisle who began to read.

"My dearest loving family, please do not cry for me. Everyone is safe now. The evil is gone and will not return. I have left Edward specific instructions as to what to do with my body. Please do not stop him. You will not understand but it is what I wish.

It is my last request to be left in the lower library with the door sealed tight for six months. Six days after the six month you may open the seal. I have left special balms and ointments that will preserve my body until that time. Edward will know how to apply them.

Emmett and Rosalie, you are going to have a son and if you would, I think Evan would be a fine name for him. And Rosalie, you are going to find that the investigator who has been searching for your family will discover that you actually are a Douglas.

Carlisle, I know I don't have to ask you to take good care of Esme. You are both special people and you deserve every happiness you are going to receive in the next few months. My dear brother I cannot tell you how much I love you.

Edward do not blame Jasper for my death because he stopped you from doing what only I could do. Do not believe that you don't deserve happiness because I died. You could not have stopped this from happening. You are free now, live and love the way you were meant to.

Jasper, you are one of the bravest men I have ever known. Thank you for coming to free us all from ourselves and the curse that was holding us all under its spell.

And please someone tell Alec, that I'm sorry I never told him how I felt. Maybe in another life it could have been different.

All my love, Alice"

The room was silent. The only sound was silent tears dropping down every face in the room…except for one. Edward. He rose to leave the room and I reached out for him. He pulled away from me without even a look. At the door he stopped and turned back to face me and his family.

"I have done as she wished and sealed the library," he turned to leave.

"Edward, where are you going," I asked as I tried to get close to him. He held out his arm to keep me away. The ache that raged in my heart was threatening to break me in two.

"I can't stay here. I'm leaving," he said. He never looked back, he never said another word.

I watched his body move to the front door, open and then close. I think I must have cried out but I didn't even feel it when my knees collapsed and I hit the floor. I only knew he was gone and he had ripped out my heart and took it with him.

As I said before this was a draining chapter and I'm not sure how you all will feel about it. This is not the end so don't worry about that. However, I really do need to hear what you all thought about this chapter. I don't usually ask for reviews because I completely understand how RL is but good or bad please let me know what you thought.