AN: This is the final chapter now. Thank you everyone for all of your support, this chapter is going to be very bittersweet and is rather open to interpretation especially at the end. I hope you enjoy it and I shall be posting some more stories very soon. Thank you all!
Chapter 28
She had managed to find solace further into the thick forest; her head was spinning with plans, where would she go? What would she do? She could hardly go somewhere which was full of people, just in case. She sat down on a winding tree root which protruded from the ground below her.
What had she done? She was going to lose everything that she had taken for granted just for one stupid mistake, a stupid mistake that should never have happened. She would miss his soft kisses, his inviting scent; but it was not worth the agony of having to see him every day until Armageddon and not being able to have him. Avoiding the temptation was the only way this could work. If he truly wanted her then he would hunt her down; she had every confidence that he could, and every confidence that he would not.
"Bella."
A strong voice in the distance closed in upon her. She knew who it was without even looking up. Her mind was made up. He must have known how she felt, and if he didn't then now was not the time for bittersweet goodbyes. He had to leave her; she had to go otherwise this really would have been for nothing.
"Go away."
"Don't leave Bella." He sat himself next to her on the root; she shifted away from him almost turning her back on him.
"Go back to your wife Carlisle."
"I can't do this without you." He pleaded with her, trying to gain her attention.
"You've coped for 300 years."
"300 years ago I had never met you."
"You'll get over it." She dismissed him, waving her hand at him.
"You don't understand Bella. I love you. I want you, come away with me." He turned her face to him, smoothing her cheek with his palm. She gripped his fingers ferociously, squeezing them with her hand. Brutally she kissed him, her other hand tugged at his hair, she scratched at his cheek and abruptly stopped. Her eyes still on his, intently watching his face, seeing a small glimmer of hope flicker across it.
"I won't have you." She dropped his hand back into his lap and stood up. His head bowed, his fingers ran harshly through his hair assaulting his scalp.
"I'm not a coward Bella. I would tell them." She shook her head at him.
"You assume too much Carlisle. I. Don't. Want. You." She spelt it out for him, scolding him like a small child.
His mouth gaped open, he wished he could cry; wished he could drown himself in a river of his own salty tears.
"Then I am here under a misapprehension. I take my leave of you. Goodbye Bella." He inhaled once, puffing out his chest majestically and approached her; she turned her cheek and allowed him to place a soft kiss upon it and watched him walk away. He didn't look back.
Footsteps drew nearer, she knew who it was, knew who had seen what she had just done. She had broken him.
"That was cruel." Alice bore daggers into her.
"It was the only way, if he thought that I loved him, he would never be able to go back to his normal existence. He knew I wouldn't come back. He would never expect me to watch him play happy families while we pined for each other."
"So Esme is second best?"
"He loves her Alice; he loves her more than he will ever love me. He just thinks he loves me."
Alice shook her head firmly, not quite believing everything that had occurred today.
"Where will you go?"
"England." Alice nodded, and smiled to herself.
"You find yourself in his birth place." Bella bowed her head to Alice and grimaced.
"Will he follow?"
"Nothing is certain Bella. But please, stay safe, for both of their sakes." Bella smiled sadly at Alice and leaped into her friend's arms.
"All I know is that no matter what happens, you will always be my sister."
