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Thanks to everyone reading this story! Shoutouts: xparawhorextwerdx, Lady Dragona, Luv2beloved, VampireAshes, Sheejan, EclipsedbyJacob.
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Chapter 25 - Loss and Pain In The End
Rosalie and I continued to talk. Mainly about our lives together so far. Isn't that what people do when they know they are about to die? Talk about their lives, wait for death to make that last decision?
I didn't get the chance to answer my own questions, as the door flew open and five vampires swiftly moved into the room. Aro, Caius, Marcus, Felix and Jane. Jane was back. That could mean only one thing. If my heart could beat, it would be beating uncontrollably now, trying to escape the confines of its eternal cage.
Aro was the first to approach the both of us. Rosalie's hand tightened in my own and I held onto it reassuringly.
I heard Aro shout an order, "Now!" And then I started to sink into an unconscious state.
~*~
I fought against the invisible hold that was stopping me from seeing what was truly happening on the stage. The power was now trying to act as a tranquiliser. Trying to put me back into a dreamless sleep.
I wasn't going to give Corin the opportunity.
I turned to my sister, Rosalie. She was slipping further, despite my encouragement. I felt the invisible tug pull me after her, and I fought as much as I could. It was too late though, I was sinking.
~*~
I was sinking one moment, then rising the next. I gasped as I reached the surface and Alice was in front of me.
"Edward? Are you awake?" I glanced into her face and smiled. I would never be as happy to see her as I was now.
"I am." I turned to face Rosalie, who was staggering in Emmett's arms. "Is Rosalie--"
"Going to be okay?" Alice finished, then she smiled. "Most probably. Now let's get down there." Following the direction Alice was pointing, I saw that she meant the stage. I nodded.
I leaped after her and landed slightly off center. "Still a little shaky?" she asked. I nodded and looked around the room.
Near the back doors, the Volturi guard were stood. Hoods up, waiting for their masters. Jasper was crouched, ready to attack, but no one else was in such an offensive position.
Carlisle was in the center aisle, speaking to Aro.
"No, my friend, we have but done our job." He waved his left hand, and the Volturi guards disappeared through the exits. As did the three brothers. Aro stopped at the fire exit and turned to face me.
"We'll be seeing you again," he spoke and gave a wry smile. The Denali's were still being defensive at both exits, but the Volturi had left.
Why had they left? They surely didn't think we could kill them? Or was it because justice had been served, in the eyes of Aro? Either way, there was more to this than meets the eye.
"He bit her twice," Alice stated and I turned back to the stage. I was suddenly beside my sister who was looking at the bite on Bella's neck. "This one is worse," she said.
Carlisle ran over to us and bent over Bella's writhing form. "Is there any way to save her? Can we get the venom out, like last time?"
"Edward, it's too late for that." I looked at Alice. "The venom has already began to spread, but it's moving faster than it should."
The three of us stared at each other for a long second. Worry was etched on both Carlisle and Alice's features. Doubt was running through my mind.
"Bella!" A voice sounded from across the room, and moved at a blurred speed until it reached us. Esme was separating Bella's hands from her arms. She was trying to claw at her own flesh.
I leant over and looked into her eyes, that were pure white, the irises rolled upwards because of the pain.
"Bella, Bella, Bella, don't hurt yourself. I'm here now. Please don't scratch yourself. I'm here, my love." I said and watched her face relax slightly, but her features were still unbearably pained.
Rosalie came closer and took Bella's face into her hands. "This helped when I was changing. It soothed the burning somewhat." I nodded and started running my hands up and down Bella's arms. Carlisle ran towards the exit. His parting thought was, I need to get my emergency bag out of the hired car.
"Where's Carlisle going?" Esme panicked.
"He needs some medical supplies," Alice answered. I could see him coming back in her mind.
"Oh." Esme took one of Bella's arms.
Suddenly, Bella was kicking and screaming and shaking uncontrollably. I tried to hold down both her legs, but strangely they were resisting my hold. I was too shocked to move. I sat and watched her forcing Esme, Rosalie and Alice of her body.
"We need more hands to hold her, she's too strong." Alice's voice was straining with the effort to hold down Bella's right arm. Esme was on the left. Rosalie had moved to her torso. Jasper and Emmett each held one of her legs.
"Edward, snap out of it, get her head!" I nodded and moved quickly. We just about managed to hold her down.
"Why the hell is she so strong?" Emmett asked. No one answered, no one knew how to.
I felt movement behind me, and Carlisle was kneeling next to the neck bite. I concentrated on keeping Bella as calm as I could. I spoke softly and kept one of my hands on her forehead. I watched her face intently, and her lips started to turn blue. Her skin was losing its heat and softness.
"Carlisle! Carlisle, what's happening? Why does she feel cold?" I asked and my voice was full of panic and uncertainty.
Carlisle opened Bella's mouth and put a thermometer under her tongue and I knew he was listening to her pulse. It was slowing too fast.
"Oh my god, Carlisle, you better look at this. Blood." I followed Alice's gaze. Bella started to have what seemed like a seizure and blood was dripping from under her nails.
"Everyone, pin her down." Carlisle said seriously. Jasper wasn't breathing, which I was glad of.
Bella's eyes came into focus, they were still brown but didn't seem like Bella's eyes. They had lost their vibrancy, they had lost their life. Blood started to pulse out of her mouth.
"What the hell?" Emmett shouted.
"I can't hear her heart!" Rosalie almost screamed. I listened and her chest seemed empty. The blood that was pulsing through her veins had stopped, as had the blood coming out of her body. I collapsed against the wooden floor and screamed.
"She can't be dead!"
"Alice, CPR, now!" Carlisle barked and started blowing air into Bella's blood filled mouth. Alice pushed against Bella's heart after Carlisle pushed two breaths into her lungs. 1,2,3,4,5. Then Carlisle pushed in two more breaths of air.
I looked at his mouth, covered in Bella's blood, and suddenly felt envious. How dare he touch her blood, it belongs to me! A snarl rippled out through my throat and Rosalie jumped in my way. We tumbled down from the stage and into the center aisle. Snarling and trying to rip at each others throats.
"Emmett, Jasper, get him out of here!" I continued to fight as I was dragged towards the exit. My singer, my singer, my singer!
~*~
"Dude, you know he has the best control out of all of us. He's not going to touch her blood. You know that, get your beast under control."
I looked at Emmett in defeat. I nodded and slumped against the brick work on the outside of the desolate theatre.
I caught a glimpse of blonde hair but then it vanished. I wondered if it was real or not. I shook my head and tried to gather my thoughts.
"Dude, what is it?" Emmett asked.
"I thought I saw Jane, but my head's a mess right now."
Tanya came out through the side door. "I'm sorry, Edward. I know how hard this must be for you." She didn't try to come any closer, which I was glad of. I watched her sit on the pavement and sob. Her hands were clenched into fists. I saw in her mind how wrecked she was about Bella's death. But Bella wasn't dead. She couldn't be. Survivor, she's a survivor.
"Want me to check what's going on, bro?" Emmett asked and put his hands on my shoulders.
I shook my head. Bella wasn't dead, and if she was, I could do this. It's the least I could do for her. "I can do it myself," I said flatly.
"I'll stay out here,"--Jasper sat beside Tanya and was trying to soothe her--"I don't want to risk it."
Emmett opened the door and we stepped back inside.
"Alice, you can stop now. Alice, Alice, let go." Carlisle was trying to get Alice to stop pumping on Bella's heart. I listened and everything was still deadly silent.
"No, you can't stop!" I growled and ran to the stage beside Alice. Alice was still pumping and sobbing at the same time.
"I won't let go, I can't, not yet, no." Alice was speaking softly to herself. Carlisle had stopped blowing air into Bella's mouth. I reached over to start but Emmett grabbed my arm.
"I don't think you want to do that, Edward. There's still blood in her mouth." I looked down and saw that there was. I was kneeling in the small pool of cold blood next to her mouth. Her head was on the side. Her skin was cold and pale, but not grey yet. I looked up at Carlisle who had blood on his white sleeve and the knees of his jeans.
"You both need to stop this," he spoke softly, his face was empty, but you could see the pain in his eyes. Carlisle was good at hiding emotion, but his eyes always betrayed him.
I could see the certainty in his mind. Bella was dead. I didn't want to believe him, but deep down I did. I trusted Carlisle, I knew he was right.
"I'm going to kill them," I snarled and started to run towards the exit.
"Kate!" shouted Esme as I ran for the door. Kate dived onto me and started to send shocks into my body.
"You. Can't. Get. Revenge." Kate said each word in between shocks. "If you try now, they will kill you, wait and think this through Edward. Bella won't want you dead."
"No, she wouldn't, but I want me dead. I should have protected her. I should have done what I was supposed to do. It's all my fault, I deserve to die."
"How would the rest of us feel if you die as well as Bella? A double whammy of death. Stop being so fucking selfish for once, Edward. You're not the only one in pain over this. Look around you." Kate stopped shocking me for a second and I looked around the room.
Irina was sobbing and being comforted by Carmen and Eleazar. I listened to her mind. My fault, my fault, I needed to make amends, and now she's gone.
Esme was holding Rosalie, but her own thoughts were morose. Bella, our Bella, our Bella.
Alice was still pumping at Bella's lifeless form. You're not dead, dammit. You're my best friend, you're my sister. You've got to pull through, we are supposed to stick together. Dammit.
I glanced up at Kate and nodded once. "We'll wait. But that's all I can promise." There was a hint of anger threading its way into my voice.
"That's all I'm asking," she replied.
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A/N: Let me know what you think!!!! Review!!!
Oh, it's a bit nasty though, right?
I'm going away until Monday, so I put this chapter up early!
Oh, and if you want to, I've got another story up called Showdown...