A/N: Well, this is the end. Many thanks to those of you who stuck with me while this was a work-in-progress. Your comments have been helpful, and much appreciated. I hope you aren't disappointed.
Epilogue
83 – John Mayer
I've these dreams of
Walking home
Home where it used to be
Everything is as it was
Frozen in front of me
Here I stand, six feet small
Romanticizing years ago
BPOV
It was my birthday. Much had happened since we left Forks behind, and it was odd to be home. Edward and I had returned for most major holidays, but in those instances, we usually visited our family in Portland and made a short trip to visit my dad and our friends in Forks. We rarely stayed in Forks for more than half a day. This time we were staying at my dad's house, in my old room. It brought back a flood of foggy memories of lying in bed, talking with Edward into the night. It also reminded me of the less hazy memories of the events that had brought us back together, and to this happy future in which we found ourselves. I smiled quietly and reminiscently, much to Edward's confusion (as always).
"What is it, Bella? You have a strange expression that I cannot read. Would you please let me in?" he asked politely.
"Of course, my love," I answered as I opened my mind to him.
"Ah, that's what I suspected. I, too, was remembering the past, but my memories are much clearer than yours. Would you like to see?"
I had gotten much better at using Edward's power, rather than only projecting my thoughts. I opened my mind to his and saw the same memories, but through his eyes.
He continued out loud, "We have such a happy life – I cannot help but feel fortunate. I still don't know what I've done to deserve this, or you for that matter."
I rolled my eyes at my nonsensical husband. "I love you, Edward, but when are you going to quit with all the 'I'm so lucky, I'm not worthy' nonsense? Don't you realize I feel the same about you?"
Edward flashed his crooked grin and tackled me onto the bed. We were just playing around, but my dad walked in, turned beet red, and cleared his throat as if he had interrupted us mid-coitus.
"Hey, hey," Charlie chided. "None of that when I can just walk in, you two! I know you're married and all, but, Bella, your still my baby girl, and I don't want to know what you and Edward do on your own time. Keep it PG-13, at least until I'm asleep please."
I gave Edward a wink and he laughed at our inside joke, since we had just been discussing spending the nights together when Charlie slept. I sat up on the bed, straightened my shirt, and replied, "Sorry, dad. We were just playing around. I promise – PG-13."
"Yeah, yeah," Charlie said dismissively. "Well, I guess I'll let you two get settled and ready for your party."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Chief Swan," Edward called to my dad before we both erupted into fits of laughter. He pulled me back down onto the bed to cradle my in the crook of his shoulder. He ran his fingers through my hair, relaxing me and asked, "So, dear wife, are you looking forward to celebrating your birthday?"
I smiled into his chest and said, "Yes, actually I am. The only reason I hated it before was because I was getting older than you. Plus I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again. It's been forever since I've seen Jake and Leah, and I'm looking forward to meeting their son. I'm sure you wouldn't mind hanging out with Seth again, right?"
"Yes, of course. It has been too long since I've seen Seth. I'm also curious to meet my semi-namesake. I can't believe Jacob and Leah named their son Masen. I know it was Seth's suggestion, but I was truly humbled that they chose it. I must say, Masen Ephraim Black sounds like a good name for a future Quileute chief."
Edward continued playing with my hair, and if I were still human, it probably would have put me to sleep. Even so, the relaxation of it put me into sort of a dream-like state. "I love you, Edward," I sighed.
"As I love you, my darling Bella."
We laid together in silence for a while and I thought about the past few years. I never considered myself much of an over-achiever, but I had accomplished a lot since we left for Europe. I guess having so much time on your hands lends itself to innate productivity. I managed to finish my undergraduate studies in just three years, and honestly, I felt like I was working at a leisurely pace even then. I loved my internship at the Cambridge University Press and devoured more knowledge than I thought was possible.
After I earned my degree, I continued my internship, but got promoted to working as an editor and technical writer. In my spare time I began working on a novel, and Edward and I traveled even more, when time permitted. While I worked, he was completing a residency and doing some graduate research in ophthalmology. He enjoyed it immensely, but he spent many hours at the hospital. I often chatted with Esme about this, since I knew she had decades of practice being the wife of a devoted doctor.
Sometimes, if Edward was too busy, I would take short trips into the English countryside alone and try to find some inspiration for my writing. I had never felt so free and independent before, and it was a liberating experience. The fact that Edward didn't feel the need to come with me all the time, because he finally acknowledged that I could take care of myself, boosted my self-esteem even more. While we traveled, we also met several other vampires, many of which were acquaintances of Edward's. I found Siobhan and the Irish coven quite pleasant, even though they indulged in human blood, and I occasionally spent the weekend with them if I wanted to go a little further from home.
Edward and I went back to London for our first wedding anniversary, since that was where our honeymoon started. We revisited many of the places we saw the previous year, but we also ventured into more obscure, local places. Of course, I expected some sort of grand gesture from Edward to celebrate our day, but I was still taken aback when I received it.
He took me to a special performance at Cadogan Hall by the Royal Philharmonic – special, meaning we were the only guests in attendance. As always, I was entranced by the music. The orchestra played several pieces from our wedding, plus some others Edward requested that I had never heard before. Just as I thought the concert was about to end, the conductor gave Edward a slight nod. Edward stood up, told me to stay seated, and said that he was about to give me my anniversary gift. I thought the concert was my gift. He then made his way up the steps to the stage and ousted the pianist from his bench. Edward played a concerto medley of his favorite compositions with the orchestra's accompaniment. I was speechless.
We spent the night at the nearby Egerton House Hotel. Of course, Edward went all out and booked the insanely expensive Victoria and Albert Suite. I quirked my eyebrow at him when I noted "Victoria" in the name of the room, but he just told me to trust him.
The master bedroom alone screamed money. It had a king size brass four-poster bed with high thread-count sheets and antique Italian furniture. The red satin sofa and chair in the room's sitting area certainly reminded me of the colors of our wedding day. To add to its luxury, we had our own private terrace that overlooked Egerton Gardens. It was perfection.
Lying in bed with Edward, thinking about our anniversary, prompted me to clamber on top of him and plant kisses all over his face. I ran my hands down his sides, and up the inside of his thighs, causing him to shudder slightly.
"Bella, PG-13, remember? You're well on your way to a mature rating with your hand where it is," he teased.
"Fine," I said, placing a chaste, close-mouthed kiss on my husband's pouty lips.
Edward pulled back to look at me and said, "I think you can do better than that, love. I'd say that was rated G."
"Well, Edward, since you're obviously the rating expert, then why don't you show me what PG-13 kissing looks like."
"I don't think you can handle my version of PG-13," he taunted.
"Try me," I retorted.
"Well, first," Edward said, "we probably should not be on the bed." He stood and offered me his hand, pulling me up gently into a soft embrace.
"Really, Edward? This is ridiculous."
"Is it, my love?" he crooned in my ear, sending waves of electricity down my spine. He kissed each fingertip on the hand he was still holding, released me and moved to stand behind me, softly stroking my arm with his left hand while he brushed my hair over my shoulder with his right hand. He kissed my shoulder softly, sweetly. He moved the strap of my tank top slightly, not removing it, and kissed a line from my shoulder to that special spot on my neck. Nothing got me worked up more than when he sucked on that spot, but he maintained his chaste kissing. However, all the anticipation was probably making me even more turned on than if he would just be dirty about it.
He wrapped one arm around my waist and pressed me into him. I felt his excitement in response so I said, "That feels at least rated R to me, sweetheart."
Edward argued that to a passerby it would look like an innocent hug, so it was not violating the rating system. Either way, I was having a hard time concentrating on anything else. He pulled my hair to the other side, repeating the process again, but this time he moved around to face me when he got to my ear. He kissed my cheek tenderly, kissed my eyelids and the tip of my nose. I wanted him to kiss me on the lips badly, but he was playing his little game with me, and dammit, he was winning. Finally, a last kiss under my chin brought our lips together and I melted into him.
He whispered, "I love you, Bella," into my ear and sent me over the edge. I would have jumped him right there, if I hadn't heard a car pull into the driveway.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again – Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, you are the devil."
He smiled innocently and said, "You went full name on me? Really? What, do you disagree that was PG-13? How is that devilish?"
"You know exactly what you were doing, and you fight dirty, dear husband."
"You asked for it, wife. Come on, let's see who's here," he said with one last peck on the cheek.
Our family had arrived and the Blacks pulled up as we were greeting the rest of the Cullens. Alice wanted to come over early to help Charlie decorate the backyard for the party. Jacob and Leah showed up, both to help and to be able to visit with us a while longer. I was surprised to see that they had Seth and another boy, not much younger than Seth in tow.
"Jake! It's so good to see you! And Leah, how are you?" I said excitedly.
Jake ran over to me and grabbed into his signature hug, spinning me around and laughing. "Bells, you look exactly the same as when you left!" he teased. "Wait here a sec, there's someone I'd like you to meet."
"Mase?" Jake called. "Stay calm. You know the drill. This is your Aunt Bella and this is Edward, whom you are sort of named after."
I looked around for a small boy. From what I could calculate, Masen was four or five years old. I was stunned when the boy that was walking with Seth spoke up and said, "Hi Bella, I'm Masen." He offered me a shaky hand, and I took it, though I was thoroughly baffled and my alarms were mildly cautioning me.
I looked at Jake and asked, "Does this mean… did he start phasing already?"
Jake just shrugged, but I could tell he was a proud dad, regardless of his concerns. "You got it, Bells. He phased on his third birthday. And get this, he imprinted on Sam's daughter! Sorry I didn't tell you sooner, it's been kinda crazy around here trying to figure out if we needed to worry about Masen and Kira phasing at such a young age."
"Kira phased too? Wow. Well that's sort of perfect, then, huh? Otherwise, Masen would have out-aged her and had to wait until she caught up to him. Two Alpha kids as mates? What are you doing around here, Chief, breeding super-wolves?" I joked.
Jake just laughed. Talking with him was always so effortless, and we fell back into our friendship as if we hadn't been apart at all. Leah stood quietly by his side, showing no signs of jealousy or hatred towards me. She beamed with pride for her husband and son. Edward and Seth were already looking under the hood of Seth's new toy and talking cars. Seth had been working as a mechanic in Jake's shop (which was a huge success) and had just finished restoring a 1962 Triumph TR 3B. Apparently Seth knew more about cars than Edward did now, so they pulled Rosalie into the conversation too.
The rest of the Cullens were basically at Alice's mercy as she ordered everyone around to make preparations and spruce up Charlie's backyard. Since none of us had aged a day, we thought that five years would probably be the limit of being able to visit with any friends that didn't really know about us. My dad took everything in stride when it came to all of the non-aging people that surrounded him. He would just mumble, "I don't wanna know," and move on. I guess I got my ability to be "good with weird" from my dad.
Therefore, we decided to celebrate my "twenty-third" birthday in Forks, and we invited almost everyone that had come to our wedding. Guests started arriving, and I was surprised at how happy I was to see some of my old friends again. I was especially delighted to talk with Angela and Ben, who got married the previous year and were expecting their first child. I hadn't realized how much I missed her. Jessica showed up and gushed over how I hadn't changed a bit (which resulted in a laugh from Jake and Edward). She brought Mike with her, but they seemed to be having some trouble. They dated on and off through college, and were currently "on" again, but it didn't seem like long before they would be "off".
Eric even showed up with his fiancée and regaled us with funny stories about working for the Seattle Times. We chatted for a while about writing and the different authors that we knew. His job was probably the closest to mine, so we talked shop for a while, much to everyone else's boredom.
Most of the Quileutes were also in attendance and many of them had started families and grown up in my absence. It was amusing to see Quil with a wife and kids, since he was always so girl-crazy when I knew him. I felt somewhat disappointed that I had missed so much, but I supposed that was part of growing up, or, at least, having everyone else around you do so.
We were having a truly pleasant evening enjoying all the memories and catching up on everyone's current lives. We gossiped about our other friends and acquaintances that we had heard from over the years. It was almost like a five-year high school reunion.
Well into the evening (and the drunkenness of many of the humans), we were confronted with an unfortunate surprise. Apparently, Aro had gotten wind of our return to Forks (how, I don't know) and sent Jane and Demitri to "send his regards". We hadn't heard from any of the Volturi since we left them four years ago. I guess I had gotten complacent that they were content to leave us alone. I should have known that four years was nothing to vampires and that we would probably have to go a century with no contact from them before we could feel safe.
Those of us who knew the gravity of the situation attempted to maintain some sense of discretion. Carlisle ushered Jane and Demitri to the edge of the woods so that we could converse privately.
"Aro wanted to wish you a 'Happy Birthday', Bella," Jane said insincerely. "He sends you this gift as well." She thrust a small box, wrapped in red velvet, at me. It matched her eyes.
Demitri was not as unpleasant as Jane, but because of his associations with the Volturi, I was never able to lower my guard around him. Jane always caused one of my greatest defensive reactions, and even after I had grown accustomed to my talents, she still had me on edge.
"Thank you, Jane," I tried to say dismissively. I untied the black ribbon and opened the box to reveal an ornate necklace of diamonds and rubies. It looked like something one of the queens of England might have worn, and it very well might have been. I foolishly wondered if it might be cursed.
I gaped in awe at the priceless gift. All I could think to say was, "Please tell Aro that I am humbled and grateful for his generous gift." It never hurt to continue to suck up to them.
Carlisle interrupted, "Yes, Jane, please send Aro my regards as well. Thank you for coming all this way to celebrate with us. Will you be staying long?"
I could tell that Carlisle, though he was feigning the utmost politeness, was nervous and concerned about having the Volturi in Forks. We helped keep the Quileutes a secret from them up to this point, but it was always dangerous when random vampires came so close to La Push. Plus, who knew if more kids would start shifting just because of their presence.
Jane faked a yawn, partially in answer to Carlisle's question. Demitri's gaze had wandered over to the Denali sisters. The rest of him followed shortly.
"I suppose we will stay and visit for a short while. Our last visit was rather… enlightening after all," Jane said with a snide glance at me. I worriedly looked at Edward, thinking about how cruelly she used her gift on him at our wedding reception.
Jacob had been watching our exchange intently, trying to determine if there was any danger to his tribe. There were quite a few werewolves in attendance, and having Jane and Demitri here noticeably put them on edge. It seemed that they could instinctively tell the difference between the Volturi and us. He made his rounds quickly and spoke with his brothers to apprise them of the situation. He also suggested that Kira and Masen leave, just in case they couldn't control their phasing. I wondered if there was some instinct to protect the ones who would continue their bloodline.
Leah was kissing her son and someday-daughter-in-law goodbye, when Jane noticed her. Jane breezed up to them with an innocent smile plastered to her face.
"I remember you," Jane began. "So, this is your son? I didn't think you had any children when I saw you at the Cullen's wedding a few years ago. Come to think of it, you must have had him at a very young age for him to be this grown. How curious."
I didn't like where this was going. Jane was no idiot. She was implicating that she knew something was up with Masen and his family. My alarms started clanging noisily in my mind and the din was damn near deafening. Too bad no one else could hear it.
Leah squared her shoulders and stood in front of her son protectively. "Just what are you implying, witch? You don't know anything about me. Don't make me ask you to leave again, like last time."
"You wouldn't dare," Jane said ominously.
Masen's hands started twitching spastically and I could tell that he was about to explode out of his own skin. I ran to find Edward and Jacob, who were trying to persuade Demitri to leave, or at least accompany the Denali clan back to Alaska – anything to get them away from here.
That's when several horrible things happened in an instant. Unfortunately for me, being a vampire allowed me to process everything as if it happened in slow motion, thus adding to my feelings of failure, fear, and hopelessness.
Just as I reached Edward and Jake, Leah once again grabbed Jane by the throat and picked her up off the ground. Even though she stopped phasing, Leah was still quite strong. "I asked you to leave, bitch." I heard her say to Jane.
"Leah, NO!" Jake yelled across from my father's yard.
I whirled around to race back to her, not caring if any humans noticed. Most of them were well past tipsy anyway. But before I even took a step in Leah's direction, Jane began to smile. I saw her power making it's way towards Leah, and I managed to send it back towards Jane, who was now scowling at me, knowing what I had done. I was trying to decide if I should turn it on her, but really, I just wanted to protect Leah and diffuse the situation, not make Jane even angrier. I failed at that too.
Jane glared at me for a moment longer, when it seemed like something clicked in her mind. She was still being held aloft, but her hands shot out, grabbed Leah's head and twisted, killing her instantly. That was when all hell broke loose.
Masen was still standing behind his mother when everything happened and he screamed in agony while he phased into his wolf. Kira and Seth followed in an instant. Jane was dropped to the ground when Leah's grip slackened, and she stared up at the three enormous wolves, completely petrified.
However, the wolves didn't make a move for her. We were in Cullen territory, and Jacob had instilled an Alpha order long ago that they were not allowed to attack any vampire in Cullen territory. He had good intentions, thinking he it would prevent any accidents (mainly to protect me), but right now it was doing more harm than good.
While this scene was playing itself out with Jane, Jacob had gone catatonic as soon as Leah was gone. He fell to the ground, contorted as if Jane was using her power on him, and then went slack. Edward was behind me trying to snap Jake out of it, but nothing was working.
"JACOB!" Edward yelled. "You have to snap out of it! Tell them they can attack her! She knows your secret, so we can't let her return to Volterra. Please, Jacob! They can't do anything unless you relinquish your previous order."
Nothing.
Poor Masen was whimpering and pacing back and forth, waiting for the instant when his father would give him the signal to attack.
Nothing.
All I could think about was what Jake had told me before about when a wolf's imprint dies. He said there was no pain like it, and that the mate that was left behind usually had to die too, just so that the rest of the pack didn't go insane. I wanted to cry, but instead I decided to go after Jane. That bitch wasn't going to live if I could help it.
I started to run, but was stopped by a hand on my wrist. I whirled around with a hiss of anger. I figured it was probably Carlisle and his endless compassion, but I wanted none of it. She had to die. I was shocked to find that it was Charlie instead.
"Bella, stop! Don't do this. Do not act in anger, and do not act in revenge. Let others handle it – Jacob needs you. You're probably the only one that can help him."
I slumped and looked at my own feet. I heard a rush of wind as Jane made her escape, accompanied by the frustrated growls and snarls of the wolves. My father was right. I had to help Jake. I couldn't imagine how I would be able to help, but I had to try.
"Okay, dad. You're right," I replied. I turned to Edward and said, "Why don't you go try to help Seth and Masen? I'll take care of Jake."
In the meantime, Esme and Carlisle took charge of getting our drunken human friends home. Rose and Emmett had disappeared, and I found out later that they had chased Jane and Demitri halfway to the Mississippi River before they could no longer track them. Alice was lost in a fog as she was trying to see the future, and Jasper was concentrating on calming down the werewolves. My dad ran inside once most of the guests were gone, grabbed his keys, and went to get Billy. I had no one else that could help me.
"Jake. You have to snap out of it!" I shouted at him, shaking his shoulders violently. Shouting obviously hadn't worked, so I tried to be gentle. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! But, you have to come back, Jake. Masen needs you. You can't leave us. Please, don't leave me," I whispered.
Still nothing.
Finally, I just got angry with him. "Jacob Black! You are the Chief of the Quileutes. You are the Alpha of your pack. Snap out of it! You have to take charge. There are too many people counting on you, and we will all be here to help you through this. WAKE UP!" I yelled with a hard slap across his face.
Finally, some recognition lit his eyes. He focused on me long enough to lose it. At least he wasn't catatonic anymore.
"Oh my, God, Bells," he cried. "What am I going to do? She was my life! I can't take it – please just kill me. Seth's my second. He will make a good Alpha. Please, Bella, if you love me, you have to do this for me. I can't live without her…"
I held him to me, rocking him gently. I told him, "Jake, you know I can't do that. Would you have Masen be an orphan? Losing you would hurt too many people. Your tribe needs you. Seth needs you. Masen needs you. I need you. We'll help you. Just, please don't talk that way."
"I can't help it! You don't know what it's like! You aren't even fucking alive! You didn't just have your heart ripped from your chest! If you won't do it, I'll find some other way."
I let go of him. His words bit into my granite skin. I know he didn't mean them, but they hurt just the same. "Jake… I can't believe you said that. I know I don't know what it's like to imprint on someone, but I know what it's like to love someone. Please, don't do anything stupid. Please, don't break my heart."
Jacob's sobs finally started to wane and he slowly composed himself. "I'm sorry, Bells. I didn't mean any of it. I just… what the hell is left for me now? I can't possibly stay here after this, yet I'm supposed to be the chief? It's bullshit. I can't do it. I'm not strong enough. I've always been a coward. I ran away after I hurt you, didn't I? Tell me how this is any different."
I didn't know what to say. I certainly didn't think he was a coward, but I didn't think anything I said would help. I just said, "You are no coward, Jake. We'll figure it out. You still have a lot of people who love you."
"Love…" he sighed. He got up and walked over to where Leah was still lying on the ground. Jacob scooped her into his lap and held her gently, shutting her eyes and crying into her hair. I didn't want to leave him alone, but I felt like an intruder while he was kneeling there grieving for his wife.
A week passed and we had a funeral. Sadly, it was two funerals. Harry, Leah's father, died shortly after he heard the news. Heart attack. I wasn't sure how much more tragedy the Clearwaters could endure. It was all so senseless and wrong. They were good people – I just couldn't understand it.
Jacob managed to keep it together enough to make all the necessary arrangements, but I could tell the mask he was wearing would crack any minute. Edward and I did everything we could to help him, but he wouldn't allow us to do much. He said he needed to take care of her himself. I understood.
After the funeral, we convened at Sue's house. People brought food and offered their trite condolences. Charlie tried to comfort Sue. Edward tried to comfort Seth. I tried to comfort Jake, but he was busy worrying about his son. At least Masen still had Kira, Jake told me, somewhat bitterly.
Once most of the people had dispersed, the pack stayed behind for a council meeting. Surprisingly, all of the Cullens were invited – the first outsiders to ever be included, and vampires at that. This was when Jake dropped his other bomb on us.
"I'm leaving again," he said simply. "Seth, since you are my second, you will be the acting chief – for how long, I don't know. I'm not sure if I'm coming back. I'm not sure if I'll be able to come back." He looked at the rest of the pack and added, "I know I said I wouldn't leave again, after the last time, but I hope you can understand. I have to do this."
There was some hint of protest in the faces of Seth, Quil and Embry, but there was also understanding, and the sad realization that Jake would be leaving them.
Jake continued, "Masen, listen to your uncle and grandfather. I love you so much, son, but I cannot let your mother's death go unpunished. If there is any chance for my sanity, it lies in avenging her."
"I want to go with you, dad," Masen said quietly.
"I know you do, Mase, but your job is to stay here," Jake answered. "Look after Kira. You will be the chief one day, and I won't allow you to risk your life too. I have to do this alone."
"Now," Jake continued, addressing us Cullens, "I need your help."
Jake asked us, Carlisle especially, for every detail about the Volturi – their defenses in Volterra, their hierarchy, their numbers. He asked Edward and I to describe the layout of their castle, even asking Edward to try to draw what he could of it. Luckily, Rosalie and Emmett had a few strands of Jane's hair and a scrap of Demitri's cloak from when they had chased them before. They gave these items to Jacob, hoping they might help him find the Jane sooner.
Jake planned to use his new appearance to his advantage. His golden eyes gave him enough of a disguise that he could, at least upon a visual inspection, pass for a "vegetarian" vampire like us. His scent was a different matter, but Alice worked with him to come up with the right combination of essential oils and a good deal of Bay Rum to mask his werewolf scent and make him smell more pleasant, like a vampire would. The only other problem depended on how observant Jane and Demitri were. It did not seem apparent that they knew that Leah was his wife – they didn't pay much attention to the trivial affairs of humans. We all hoped that was the case for Jake as well.
Jake left the next day to begin his journey to Volterra. It was an emotional goodbye. From what I could tell, Jake intended to, at the very least, kill Jane, but at most to level Volterra entirely. I was worried about what this might mean for the vampire world, but at least we were a part of one of the largest clans, and Carlisle had made many friends over the years. Hopefully, that would be enough to protect us if word got out that we helped end the Volturi. Mostly, I just hoped that Jake didn't get himself killed.
"Come back to me, Jake. I still love you, you know."
"Sure, sure, Bells. I know. I told you before – I'll always come back to you. I will do my best to keep that promise." He hugged his father, brother-in-law, and son fiercely, and then he was gone.
Life after that seemed much harder with Jake's absence. The entire Cullen family moved together to Vancouver. Alice and Edward were cast as brother and sister, last name Masen. Rosalie and Jasper were twins again (this time Whitlock instead of Hale) and now I was Emmett's sister, but made him take my last name since I was still winning our never-ending competition. Since McCarty was available, that's what Carlisle and Esme used.
Carlisle worked as more of a researcher, although he was still based at one of the major hospitals. Esme worked as an architect, rather than staying home, but of course she still managed to give much of her time to various charities she supported. I tried to convince my father to come with us, but he insisted that he was too close to retirement to leave Forks. He also said this with a wistful glance at Sue as we all said goodbye to Jake.
The only distraction I had from worrying about Jake was that this was the first time I had to go through the human charade. All of the McCarty "kids" were enrolled into one of the local high schools. I wrote in my spare time, and Edward worked in a free clinic in a nearby town under the alias "Anthony Cullen".
I thought my first day in Forks was rough, but that was also without my candy-coating shell. It seemed Edward was right – everything about me was made to draw people in, and it made me uncomfortable. I didn't want attention. I just wanted to be left alone.
It was an odd experience going through high school again, but soon I fell into the familiar routine that school offered. Most of my classes were with at least one of my siblings, so I never had to feel alone. The rumors about us started flying almost instantly, but Alice helped me learn how to keep them from bothering me. It was impossible for us not to appear coupled with our spouses, so it was much the same as in Forks, where everyone thought we were weird because we lived together and dated each other. I got over it eventually.
I did get some amusement out of high school. I found that many of my former friends from Forks were simply re-cast in my school in Vancouver. I even had another relentless version of Mike Newton asking me out every other day. His name was Ethan, but it made no difference – I called him Mike in my head. There was also a girl named Olivia, who I swear was a doppelganger of Lauren Mallory, in both looks and personality.
Despite everything, Edward and I had more happiness than either of us felt we deserved. Our time spent alone traveling and going to college served to strengthen our bond even further. We didn't even need to converse out loud much anymore, and could easily hold discussions within our minds. We typically only talked at school if it was either beneficial for others to hear, or so that we didn't seem weird. It was fun when we had class together because, even across a classroom, we could talk, play little games of hangman or try to make each other laugh in the middle of class. It helped pass the time.
I tried to imagine what it would be like to continue this way for decades, but I simply couldn't fathom the idea. However, I knew that with Edward by my side, I would always be able to find joy in the simple things in life while I patiently waited to hear the news that my friend was returning home.
A/N: Thank you again for reading, and I eagerly look forward to a review about how this all ended. Please leave me some love (a review) and check out "Bathed in Black", a one-shot describing the aftermath from Jake's POV. 3