AUTHOR'S NOTE:- PLEASE REVIEW
No sooner have the boys left then the girls walked in the front door. I look up in time to see Amy running towards me with her arms out stretched, I hold my arms out like hers and she wraps her arms around me a lot gentler than you would have thought with the fact that she had been running towards me.
"Amy, it is sooo good to see you again." I say to her when we finally pull back from one another.
"Oh Bella, I have missed you so much. How are you feeling? Are you excited about tomorrow?" she responds to me in the same breath. I chuckle at her excitement and I nod my head a little at her.
"Yes I am excited about tomorrow and even more so now that your here! I am doing ok, Carlisle tells me that I am doing well on my medication so at the moment that is all we really can hope for right now...at lease I'll be able to walk down the aisle on my own two legs, ay?"
I reply with a wink at the end and a slight southern drawl that I am starting to get from spending time with Jasper too much.
She starts to laugh and I join in until I start to lose my breath and cough. Esme comes back in then and hands me a glass of clear fluid. I know by now that it is my medicine, I see out of the corner of my eye that Amy looks worried and I tell her that I am alright.
Alice and Rose comes in with pillows, blankets and beauty products to do finger and toe nails and we all sit around the living room and do our nails while talking with each other, I am surprised to see that Rose is actually talking with Amy and not giving her the cold shoulder.
I can tell though she is only doing it for me though and for that I am very grateful. Amy tells us about her new school and how everyone there has been so good to her and are being very understanding of the fact that her dad just past away while not walking on egg-shells around her.
She tells us that her grandma is doing better now that she has family there again, but her health is still ailing quickly.
Her mum is doing better as well and has even found a non-stressful job that pays enough for the bills and also gives them breathing room if they need it, so they are not worrying about money anymore as they are putting the extra money into a bank and saving it for a rainy day.
"It's part of our new moto that we are living by; 'You never know what is going to happen to you in the future so why waste the present and live life as full as you can with a little cash saved away just in case.'"
Amy says with a laugh and we all look at each other and laugh right along with Amy, but our laughter is more along the lines of 'we know something you don't know' as we know someone who can see the future and she is sitting right next to Amy.
After awhile I see Amy yawn and I say.
"Well it looks like it is bedtime for us."
Amy opens her mouth to say something just as the front door opens and in walks Carlisle, signalling it is midnight. I smile knowing that it is even closer to me tying myself to Edward in the last human way I can before I am changed. I look at Amy and she has a sad look on her face. Before I can ask Alice beats me to it.
"Amy, why do you look so down for? Did we do or say something to upset you in anyway?"
Amy looks up like she was startled and replies.
"Oh it's nothing really, I just can't seem to shake the feeling like this will be the last time I see any of you, especially you Bella and so far tonight i have had the most fun i have had since before my dad died and we moved. I just don't want it to end."
We look at each other and then Carlisle speaks up for the first time while walking over to Amy and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, that i know would seem like a feather to her.
"Amy, Bella will never ever truly be gone for she will always be in your heart just like your father is always with you. Yes Bella's life is shorter than it should be as a result of her heart condition, but we can only hope that the medicine will do its job long enough for me to find a way for me to help her live longer.
"This is not the end, but a beginning of sorts and it is a happy time for one and all. So don't dwell on sad things ok?"
Amy looks up at him with sad eyes until she looks over at me and then nods her head and her brilliant smile returns and she says.
"Your right as always Dr. Cullen."
Carlisle gives her a stern look then and gently brings her face to look back at him and replies.
"Amy, you are like a sister to Bella so you are like family to us and i am not at the hospital at the moment so please call me Carlisle."
Amy nods her head again; rather shakily; and then Esme speaks.
"Amy we have put you in with Bella for the night so if you would like to go and get changed in the bathroom down here while Carlisle and I help Bella up to her room to change and get ready for bed then you can make your way up there in about 5 minutes that would be wonderful."
Amy nods her head and goes to gather her things to get ready for bed but Alice has beaten her to it and says.
"Amy i hope you don't mind but i took your stuff into the bathroom already for you and i have set out a new pair of PJ's for you to wear as we all have a similar set for tomorrow morning with some of the candid 'getting ready photo's' that get's taken at weddings."
At this last sentence I groan out loud and Alice turns to me and in a rather scarily stern voice, with a look on her face that could kill you too look at it says to me.
"It's tradition Bella, and it will be happening. So suck it up and take it because there is nothing you can do or say to stop it from taking place."
I just simply nod my head as I have learnt that you just don't fight against Alice. After Alice's statement, Amy turns and walks to the Bathroom. As soon as the door is closed Carlisle picks me up and at Vampire speed takes me to my room and places me down on the bed.
Esme comes in shortly behind him, they help me into my PJ set; thankfully it is a blue satin short sleaved button up top with matching satin bottoms. After that is done, Carlisle hooks up my oxygen mask and my IV drip for fluids that I have to have every second night as the medicine dehydrates me something shocking.
As I am drinking my last medicine for the night Amy walks in and she gasps. I look at her with an apologetic look and say.
"It's not so bad once you get used it. It's what's helping to try and make me better and I only need the drip every second night for fluids to keep me from getting too dehydrated. Plus I didn't want to be hooked up to it on my wedding night, Edward tried to tell me it was ok the he didn't mind but i did too much so..."
I look down at my arm for a moment before looking back up at Amy and continuing.
"I hope you don't mind sharing the bed with me, it is awful lonely at night without Edward to fill the space up.?" She looks at me and shakes her head as she says.
"No I don't mind sharing the bed with you, i just don't want to bump anything or hurt you in anyway."
Carlisle chooses then to speak up.
"Amy you will not hurt her in anyway, plus you'd have more chance at bumping her and hurting her in a hospital bad than in this bed" he then turns to check over everything once more before leaning in and kissing my forehead and then walking out the bedroom door.
Esme follows his lead and then leaves us in the bedroom. I look at Amy and she is looking back at me, i am not sure who started first but we both burst into tears and she gently lent over and hugged me. Once the tears had calmed down we pulled apart and she says in a slightly sad tone.
"Bella, not matter what happens in the future you will always be my sister and no one will ever replace you. You are a one of a kind and i am so glad to have known you and that you are finally getting your happy ending.
"I hope that you make it through this and we can grow up and be like the little old ladies meeting up and chatting on Sunday mornings once a week in the dinner here that we used to see all the time, but if you don't I will make sure that I remember every time we spent together and I promise to use your name somewhere in my first born daughter's name."
She pauses for a moment and places both her hands on either side of my face and then continues in a stern voice while looking directly into my face.
"I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU ISABELLA MARIE SWAN, NO MATTER WHAT!" as i lay looking back at her I feel my tears run down my cheeks and i reply to her.
"Even my heart ceasing to beat will never make me forget you Amy, no matter the distance between us you will always be my sister and my greatest friend; without you i wouldn't have survived as long as i did and also wouldn't have lasted long enough to meet Edward and have this wonderful family to adopt me and to start to heal me from what Charlie did to me.
"So I owe you a lot of gratitude for everything you have done for me and for just being there for me in every way you could be. Also thank you for coming and being in my wedding, i couldn't imagine it without you; and thanks for accepting Edward's money gift, i know it was way too much but he just wanted to make sure that you would be well looked after and also could make it for me.
"He knew that I would be really heartbroken if you couldn't come or if something happened to you and you didn't have the money to cover it. Plus he and the rest of his family have way too much money just sitting around and not doing much so it's not too much of a dent in his bank account and maybe it was his way of saying thanks as well."
Amy gives me another hug and we dry our tears yet again before she starts to yawn again and she says through her yawns.
"I think it is time we go to bed as it is a big day for you tomorrow and you need all the rest and sleep you can get tonight. Love ya heaps Bells."
With that she lays down next to me and rolls over on to her other side and soon her soft snores are filling the air and I slowly drift off...
Sometime in the middle of the night I am gently awoken by my lovely soon-to-be husband and he leans in a gives me a kiss and hums my melody into my ear and tells me he loves me and that he will see me at the altar in a few hours.
It was bright when Carlisle comes in to wake me up and unhook me from the machines and give me my morning medicine. I look around and see that Amy isn't in the bed and before I can ask Carlisle answers me.
"Alice woke her up really early and we all decided; after much convicing of Alice; that we would wake you up only when it was necessary. There is still 4 hours to go though, so we can take our time. Esme has made you something to eat in the kitchen, after you have something in your stomach then it is up to Alice's room until you are ready to walk down the isle."
He then picks me up and walks at a human pace out the door and down the stairs to the kitchen where Amy and Esme are waiting for me.
I wave to Amy and Esme walks over to give me a small kiss and a hug just after Carlisle puts me down on a stool. Amy push a plate over in front of me and I started to eat.
Just after I have finished Alice comes dancing into the room and comes to a stop right in front of me.
"Well now that you have finished we can start to make you into the perfect bride, i would have said to make you look beautiful on your wedding day but you are already beautiful. Now come one time is wasting here and we only have so much time to work with seeing as nobody would let me wake you earlier..."
she continues to mumbles to herself as she walks away, when we don't make an instant move to follow she stops and looks over her shoulder at us with one eyebrow raised and says.
"Well what are you waiting for? Come on we don't have all day to be sitting and lazing about, we have a wedding to get ready for."
With that she turns and continues on her way to her room and with Esme and Amy's help we follow behind her this time.
When we walk into her's and Jasper's room it looks completely different almost. The bed has been pushed against one wall away from the floor to ceiling mirror that Alice has in there, but now there is two other mirrors that are just as big on either side of the original one and there is a long table in front of it with two chairs sitting in front of that.
The table is lined with every kind of beauty and make-up products you and think of and name, with hair curlers and straightners and blow dryers. I am directed to the bathroom where I see that a bath has been drawn for me.
Amy and Esme strip me off and help me into the bath, where they both start to wash my hair. Then once that is done Esme hands me the sponge with some of my favourite body wash on it and then they leave the room for me to wash the rest of myself.
I call out to them after I am finished and they help me out of the tub and dry me off, wrapping me up into a bathrobe once that is done. I get sat in one of the seats and Amy sits next to me and Alice, Rosalie and Esme all set about putting our make-up on and doing our hair while we talk and chat about nothing really important.
About 2 and a half hours later we are finished and it is time to put our dresses on. Rosalie excuses herself to get ready and see what the boys are doing and all that, while Alice and Esme help Amy and I into our dresses.
They get Amy in hers and then she goes off and gets me a drink of water and something to eat that Esme has all ready for me. Once I have had the food and drink in is time to get me into my dress.
I step into the dress and Alice pulls it up so i can hold it in place as she ties up the back of the dress. I can relax a little once it is tight enough as it helps to support my back. I love this dress and as Alice turns me to look into the mirror I gasp as I look at the brown haired and eyed beauty looking back at me.
I almost didn't recognised myself. As Amy walks in she gasps as well and says.
"Oh Bella you look without a doubt the most gorgeous bride i have ever seen and you know how much i like to look at the bridal mags. Your stunning and i think Edward is going to be frozen solid when he sees you in this."
I blush and giggle at her comment as it would be really hard for Edward to be even more frozen then he already is.
I thank her and continue to stare at my reflection until the other girls approach with the boxes the boys handed me last night.
The combs get placed in my hair by Alice, Rosalie hands me the bag of marbles and puts them around my wrist, Amy hands me over a square box. I look at her and she gives a rather sheepish look before answering me.
"Well I found this the other day when i was looking for a box to put your wedding gift in and when i opened it up I remembered the day we went to that fair and had a horseshoe made up each. Open it and see what i have done to it."
I open the box and see the horseshoe that we had made with 'forever and always' written on it, I smile at the memory of us as little girls, it had been the only time that i had gone and Amy's Father had to bargin with Charlie to let me go.
As i look at it I see that she has wrapped white ribbon on the ends with a braided white robe joining the two together. Amy leans in and picks it up and puts it on the same wrist as the marbles bag is on.
Lastly but not least Esme steps forward and hands me the box with the veil that i am borrowing in it to hold so she can pin it into place.
My tiara goes on just before Esme opens the box up to reveal the veil. Amy gasps as she sees it and asks.
"oh that this beautiful! Where did you get it, it must have cost a fortune."
Esme answers her in a loving dreaming voice.
"This has been in Carlisle's family for almost 400 years. He asked and showed me, but it wouldn't have gone with my dress even though I love the lace."
Amy looks at the lace and then at each of us as Carlisle walks into the room. I knew that Esme had to ask him for the box and that he could come in after a few minutes.
"Ah i have not missed it." Esme lifts the lace out of the box and starts to place it carefully over my head so it is sitting just behind my tiara. After it is in place I look at Carlisle and smile just as a photo is taken. I blink a few times and then look over at Alice and she just simply shrugs her shoulders and walks away.
Looking over at Amy i see she is still a little shocked and Carlisle follows my gaze and asks.
"Amy are you ok?"
Amy sort of shakes her head and little and answers.
"Has that lace veil really been in your family for almost 400 years? Because it has been beautifully well preserved and it is gorgeous."
Carlisle chuckles and then replies.
"Yes Amy it has been in my family that long, it stayed in a locked wooden chest that was wonderfully crafted and must have been air tight. It didn't see the light of day til i was looking through some of my families stuff after they past away and I found it, I then proceeded to place it in the box you see hear."
Amy's eyes widen in wonder and she exclaims
"Wow!"
We all let out a laugh as Alice, Rosalie and Esme come back in with our photo's and the photographer; who just happens to be one of the Cullen's family friends from England and yes he is a Vampire.
Once the photo's were done it was time for the wedding to begin. Esme leaves us to take her seat after making sure everything else is going alright and to make sure the music starts at the right time.
Alice is going to walk down first then Rosalie and lastly Amy before I walk down with Carlisle. I take a deep breath as I hear the music start up, I feel a cool hand on my elbow and i look up to see that Carlisle is looking at me with his beautiful and loving smile.
"It will be ok, Edward is down there waiting for you. I will not let you fall my beautiful daughter." He holds out his arm with his elbow pointed at me for me to place my hand in the crook of his bent arm. I take it and he brings his hand of his free arm up to clasp onto my hand while I hold the flowers in my other hand. He then continues once i have looked up at him just as the music for us to start walking begins.
"Let's get this show on the road."
I smile and nod my head and when I looked back ahead of me I realise that we were already walking. We start walking down the stairs and the music gets louder as I start to smell this beautiful scent drift towards my nose.
The closer we get to the back yard where the wedding is being held the stronger I start to smell roses, freesas and a few other smells that I can't make out. Once we hit the bottom of the stairs I see the back doors are closed.
Just before we reach them they open to reveal a beautifully decorated with bouques of roses and freesas and baby's breath with bright green leaves and vines going up every pillar holding up the marquee.
As i continue looking up the isle I see the small amount of guest, I told Alice I didn't want the whole town here and it's good to see that she kept her word. The further I looked up towards the altar where i knew Edward is going to be my heart started to beat faster.
I knew that every vampire within a certain distance would be able to hear it, but today I didn't care as I knew that i am with those that can protect me and keep me from harm that are welcoming me into their family and making me like them.
When I finally look up at Edward all my focus and attention went to him. His eyes are beautifully golden, there is so much joy held in his gaze that for this moment I forget my whole past and every scar that I know still litters my body in their angry journey across my flesh.
I feel my lips curve up into a smile as our feet stop at the altar and Carlisle places my hand in Edward's, I feel that familiar electrical current run up my arm and my smile grows even more as I know I am finally home.
The ceremony is a blur as my only focus is on Edward and not much else, I say my 'I Do's' and my vows and he says his. Then we turn to everyone and they come up to congratulate us both and I am introduced to other Vampires that are good; although these one do not share the same diet as the Cullen's do they are not bad people.
We move inside and Carlisle hands me my medicine and as I take it I feel Edward give me a gentle kiss on the neck at the same time Emmett wolf whisles and then says.
"Gosh almighty you haven't been married for an hour yet and your already going at it. Get a room."
And this is followed by a loud WHACK as Rosalie slaps him up the back of the head for his comment and Emmett walks off sulking like a little baby. Everybody laughs with a few 'we know who wears the pants in that relationship's'.
As the night wears on I know that it is almost time for me and Edward to leave and also my fated goodbye to Amy.
This is going to be one of the hardest things i have ever done in my whole life. I walk over to her and lean down and whisper into her ear.
"I need to talk to you."
As I stand up I look to Edward and see that he is worried and I give him a smile and a very slight nod that I know only the vampires in the room will see and turn towards the stairs and walk forward with only one look over my shoulder to make sure Amy is following me.
I walk all the way up to my room and sit on the bed, I see that Alice has left the gift and letter to Amy on the bed for me and I pick it up and place it on my lap. Once Amy walks into the room only a few minutes later she is looking as worried as Edward was but from a different perspective.
"Is everything ok Bells?" she asks as she sits down. I nod my head and turn towards her as I take a deep breath.
"Amy, there is no easy way to say this so I am just going to say it out right and hope that you can understand and respect my decition on this. This was very hard for me to choose, but it is the best one for me as I don't want to suffer anymore than i already have in my life.
"When Edward and I leave on our honeymoon we are never coming back here, the rest of the family will linger for a few months but no longer. I will be living out the rest of my days with my husband on an island that has been in Esme's family for a few generations in South America somewhere.
"I know i should fight, but Carlisle found out that it's too advanced and the only thing the medicine will be doing is prolonging the same end result, I would suffer more if I continue any longer and I don't want to be around to many people because I want them to remember me how I used to be not how sick i became.
"I want you to have this and remember me every time you look at it, but don't ever think of the bad times unless you wish to when explaining about me to your children that you may have down the track. Don't read the letter till I leave here, if you don't understand my reasons then please ask Carlisle or Esme and they may help you come to terms with it.
"I want you to know that I love you so much and I never want you to forget that. Is that understood Amy?" I brush her tears away as she nods her head. I heard a soft knock on the door and call for the person; I know will be Edward; to come in.
In walks my love and I give him a sad smile as he says for Amy's benefit. "Come on love we must go because we don't want to miss our flight."
Then turning to Amy; who has looked up at him; says.
"Thank you Amy for being a great friend to my lovely Bella. I will be forever indoubted to you for giving her the strength to have kept fighting for as long as she had til i came around for her.
"it has truly been a pleasure to have known such a wonderful person. If you will excuse us now we need to go." He steps aside and Amy turns to me and says.
"Well if this is your choice than i can not stop you even though i want to. But at the same time i don't want to make you suffer just so i don't lose my friend and sister. You will never leave my heart and i will always remember everything about you both the good and the bad.
"I wish you every peace and happiness for as long as you live and Edward you better get word to me of her welfare no matter how dire as I want to know and be kept up to date with everything. And that goes for you too missy!"
We all chuckle at that and she throws her arms gently around my neck and hugs me tightly, I hug her just as tight to me as I cry just as much as she does. A throat clears and we break apart and dry our tears and I say.
"Well that is my cue to leave now, have a good life Amy. You're going to have to live it for the both of us now. I love you my friend, my sister."
I then turn and take Edward's hand and he helps me to stand up and just as we are walking out the door Amy says.
"I love you too my friend, my sister. You live as full as you can until you can't anymore." I reply.
"I will Amy, I will. Goodbye."
And with that we turn and leave her sitting on our bed looking at the box with the letter sitting on top. Once down the stairs we walk over to the door and give all those left a hug goodbye and then we get into the back of Emmett's jeep that has been decked out non-streched 4 wheel drive limo style.
Emmett then turns to face us and in a commanding tone he says.
"Please fasten your seat belts and enjoy your ride as I take you to the international Airport for you to further your journey. Thank you for travelling with Emmett's hire cars service."
We giggle and he takes off. I look back up at the house and see Amy at the window to the hallway and I wave at the same time she does. Once I have turned back around Edward asks.
"Are you ok Love? Are you sure this is want you want to do?" I simply take his hand in mine and intertwine my fingers with his cold hard ones and reply.
"I have never been more sure in my life then I am right now about this." With that we ride off to the Airport and make it in record time to take our first class seats to the airport closest to our final destination and from there a boat ride to Isle Esme.