Author's Note: No updates for years and then two in one day. That's a major writer's block! This is the final chapter of the story, I hope it holds strong despite having been distant from the story for so long. I feel happy having it completed and I hope you have enjoyed the story. As usual, all credit belongs to Stephanie Meyer for her creation of the plot base and characters. I just borrowed them for some little side stories. Of course, I'm always happy to hear from you all. Drop a line in the reviews or send me a PM, I love to hear your thoughts.

Chapter 20

The day passed much more quickly than Bella had anticipated. Carlisle had a room prepared for her; his years in the medical field proving extremely valuable at this point and despite the stressful and unusual situation that was imminent, Bella was either very foolish or very smart. To her, there was no other option, even to Edward who hated the plan knew this was the most solid chance they had.

"I still don't like this idea" he whispered brushing Bella's hair away from her face. He leaned in so that his forehead was gently resting against hers and softly pressed his lips on hers. She held his face in her hands, caressing his cheeks with her thumbs.

"I know you don't…but it's going to happen. I'll be fine….I trust Carlisle and I know you do too." Bella said. Edward pulled back slowly, his eyes grazing over her face.

"Carlisle….we're ready." Edward announced. Carlisle entered the room and sat down beside Bella, he looked at her with such kindness but also with a sense of sadness.

"You're very brave Bella. Once again this family has put you in a position where we ask too much of you. I'm sorry you and Edward don't have more of traditional relationship." Carlisle murmured. "I'm going to sedate you first. Inject the intravenous...it will make you extremely tired within a few seconds. Once you fall asleep, your body temperature will start to rise but not too an extremely dangerous level. Just enough where it appears you are in the early stages of the process. Then, your heart rate will drop to a slow and quiet rhythm. At that point, when I'm satisfied you are stable, I'll continue with the tourniquets and the bite. Bella, I will be so fast that the venom won't even reach your veins. But in the event it does, the tourniquets will give enough time to remove it without you changing. Do you understand?"

Bella nodded her head in understanding, processing all of Carlisle's words.

"If at any point, I feel you to be in any danger, even before the Volturi arrive, I will administer the drug to revive you. I will not hesitate, no matter the cost to this family. I will not play with your life. And once more, you don't have to do this. Are you sure Bella?"

"Carlisle, I'm positive. I want to help. Please." Bella was firm and confident and Carlisle smiled. "Edward? Stay with me?" Edward was at her side before she finished her sentence, taking hold of her hand while Carlisle inserted the i.v. "Edward, I love you. I'll see you when I wake up." She was terrified but happy to be able to provide some kind of help to the Cullen's.

"Bella….it's time. I'm going to inject it now" Carlisle told her. Bella felt a coldness fill her arm and in seconds, her vision began to blur and her eyes felt heavy. There was no resisting the sudden exhaustion and she fell into a deep sleep.

"She's asleep now?" Edward asked quietly. Carlisle nodded as he listened to her heart beat. "It's slowing…I can hear it but ever so faintly"

"Yes. It's time Edward. Perhaps you should step outside while I perform the next part?" Carlisle suggested as he began tying the tourniquets onto Bella's arm.

"No, I'm not leaving her" Edward said as he moved closer to Bella, if that was even possible. "Will she feel it while this sedated?...the bite?" Carlisle was looking at Bella….with admiration, a sense of love and pride.

"She will…but the bite and immediate removal of the venom will be so quick, she won't remember it when she wakes. We're getting close to the time, I have to do it now." Edward watched closely; he trusted Carlisle completely but he was still worried. Carlisle knelt down, focusing and concentrating on his task. One misstep, one millimeter too deep and his venom risked being injected into her veins. He leaned in and sunk his teeth into Bella's arm and pulled back. Bella writhed and arched her back in pain but it was over barely before it began. Her body relaxed against the bed and there, perfectly on her arm was a fresh, crescent bite. Edward looked at her, his face filled with fear and pain.

"Did you get all of it Carlisle? Are you certain!?" Edward's voice was urgent, panicked. Carlisle nodded and looked up suddenly.

"Edward. Now. They're here. You have to collect yourself and join the family if we want to be convincing. Please. Now" Carlisle urged. "She will be okay….you can still hear her heartbeat, let that comfort you for now. It's strong for you Edward….now please, come with us. The sooner they are gone, the sooner we can wake her." Edward let Carlisle pull him from the room and out front of the house where the rest of the family was. Alice placed a hand on his arm and smiled. "They're here…." She whispered.

On cue, 5 figures emerged from the woods. Alec, Jane, Aro, Marcus and Caius seemed to glide towards Carlisle who was standing in front to greet them.

"Carlisle, old friend….how nice to see you. You knew we were coming, I'm sure dear Alice had some insight to our visit today." Aro said.

"Yes, Alice saw you were in the area. I must inform you however that we have taken control of the situation and regrettably, Victoria had to be destroyed. As you know, we keep a quiet life here and her erratic behavior was posing a great deal of risk to our way of life here." Carlisle explained. Aro's eyes narrowed as he took in what Carlisle was saying.

"Yes…how very helpful of you all. I can see we will not be needed here today. But since we are here, perhaps we can discuss this intriguing scent lingering around…." Aro tilted his head up getting a better idea of the scent and the location of the person it belonged to. "Carlisle, certainly you aren't violating the ancient law of our kind…making friends with humans….or perhaps your diet has changed?" Aro turned to his group, the other members of the Volturi grinning and chuckling.

"No…our diet remains the same." Carlisle began.

"I hear a heartbeat" Marcus gasped. All eyes glaring at the Cullen's house.

"Aro, you understand young love…" Carlisle began.

"So there is a human. A girl….she smells…delightful…" Aro grinned. Edward scowled. "And she belongs to our dear Edward, does she? Perhaps we should introduce ourselves, we mustn't be rude. Come along now." Aro led the group inside, easily following the scent until he found her. Bella laying on the bed, she looked peaceful but her breathing was shallow. Her arm and the bite visible from across the room.

"I'm impressed…." Marcus said. "Edward, was your love too intense? Too much to handle? Hmm? I can feel the depth of your feelings for her….they are very strong indeed. Feeling selfish are we? Didn't want to share?" Edward jumped infront of Bella protectively.

"Now now, Edward. You must allow us to get a better look at her." Aro took a step closer to Bella and in the process brushed Edward aside with his hand. In that moment, a flash, a vision of made Aro stop clear in his tracks. Bella on the bed, Carlisle biting her arm. He turned on his heel and faced Carlisle. "You? I'm surprised…."

"Bella was sick. She was dying…Edward loved her so much, we had to try. Edward couldn't do it, so I did." Carlisle took a step back, attempting to maintain some distance between himself and Aro. He knew that if Aro touched him, even briefly, there was a chance of the true story coming out. The brief touch to Edward was close enough but Aro pulled away before the memory grew to show more.

"How very heroic of you. Well….an interesting turn of events. We have other matters to attend to of course. I trust that this will not be one of them in the coming days when she has fully changed? We wouldn't want anyone in your beloved town to become dinner for your newborn Bella."

"We take full responsibility for her" Edward said. Aro listened intensely, the room quiet except for the faint and weak sound of Bella's heartbeat. He took another glance at her bite and leaned in close. Aro could feel the heat from Bella's body. "She's in the early stages" Edward said.

"We look forward to meeting Bella in the future. Perhaps we will be graced by a visit from your family in Italy. An old fashioned family vacation?" Aro smirked.

"Your generosity is appreciated. Allow me to show you to the door for a proper goodbye" Carlisle said leading the Volturi outside. "Until next time." Caius gave a single nod in acknowledgement before the group turned to the woods, their robes fluttering in the breeze as they seemed to instantly disappear. Carlisle stood for a few moments before Jasper came outside.

"They're gone. Emmett and I just did a run around the perimeter a few miles out, they're far off and Alice says they won't be returning for a while." He told Carlisle, trying to reassure. "Perhaps you should wake up Bella now? I think Edward will put a hole in the floor with his pacing…." They turned to go back in the house and joined everyone else in the room where Bella was.

"How long will it take for her to wake up?" Esme asked, her voice concerned. "Will she want to eat? Should I prepare some food for her?"

"I don't think she'll be very hungry, perhaps something to help hydrate first". Esme's face lit up and she seemed to flutter into the kitchen.

"I'll go help, she'll make enough smoothies or freshly squeezed juice to feed the whole town" Alice smiled leaving to follow. Jasper quietly followed behind leaving Rosalie and Emmett with Carlisle and Bella.

"Is this what you want for her?" Rosalie asked.

"This…is not what I want for her but it seems I don't have a choice. However at this point, it's not what is happening and she will wake up with warmth in her cheeks and a heart that beats strongly." Edward replied as he took Bella's hand in his. Rosalie left the room dragging Emmett behind her.

"Edward, I'm injecting her now with the drug that will wake her. It will take some time so don't panic if she doesn't open her eyes right away." Carlisle explained. He finished his work, checked Bella's heartbeat and temperature once more and left the room, leaving Edward alone to care for Bella.

To Edward it felt like hours but he felt a slight twinge in his hand as Bella's small hand began to tighten around his. He leaned in closer brushing his fingers over her cheeks. He noticed the slight rosey colour returning to them and he smiled. His smile grew as Bella's eyes slowly opened, trying to focus on him. "Did….did it work?" She asked. Her voice raspy and dry.

"Sshhh." Edward urged. "My brave, beautiful Bella. It worked. They're gone now and won't be back for a long time."

"By then, I'll be like you" Bella said. Edward sighed and frowned.

"Please rest. We'll talk more later. I'll be right here."

A few hours later, Edward had moved Bella to his room. She was sitting on his bed, wrapped in a blanket with a bowl of hot soup made special by Esme. He watched her closely. Every movement, every blink, every breath. If his heart beat, it would be only for her. "Please tell me what you're thinking?" Bella asked. Her voice was stronger now and aside from a headache, she was feeling much better than earlier.

"I'm just thinking about how amazing you are." Edward said softly. "Truly Bella." Bella shifted, the compliments from Edward were so intense that sometimes they left her frozen in place and thought. "I know you want to be…changed. I don't like it but I realize it is not my decision. I will be there through the whole process and if you want me to, I will be the one to begin it."

Bella put her soup down and moved to climb into Edward's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. "Thank you. I know the thought is hard for you…but it's something I want. Badly…but I can wait awhile longer."

"That's all I ask Bella. Please. But I promise you, I will keep my word. Just let me hold you close and feel your warmth and beating heart for just a little longer." Edward whispered to her before placing small kisses on her cheeks and lips.

And so the deal was made. Not now, but one day, Bella's heart will beat its final rhythm, but for now, her heart beat strong in the arms of Edward Cullen.

The End