Author's Note: Several people have suggested that I write about the official closure of Edward and Tanya's relationship. I decided that they were probably right, and I wrote it. It's not in this chapter, but it will be in the next chapter. But I warn you beforehand, since it was hard to find where to put it in, I squeezed in only a couple paragraphs. I hope it'll be enough, and I hope you look forward to that as well. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 36

Bella's Point of View

I was crying silently as I drove away. The look on his face when I had taken off the rings had nearly killed me. He looked so miserable…

This was the best choice for the both of us. We both needed time away from each other. We had to start over without each other. We were never meant to be.

I tried to get a grip. After all, I was driving. I didn't want another trip to the hospital.

When I walked in through the door, Renee and Charlie looked alarmed. They both looked bewildered, but Jasper understood. He held out his arms, and I threw myself in his arms, finally sobbing my heart out.

"You did it," Jasper whispered, rubbing my back. "You did it."

"Edward…" I cried. "Edward…"

I went to bed early. It was the only way I could stop crying.

Jasper stayed with me until I fell asleep. I was glad that he was there for me. I was lucky to have him.

He must have told Renee and Charlie about the divorce while I was asleep. I expected them to try to convince me, but they didn't say a word when I came down for breakfast the next morning. I guess they knew it was a lost battle.

The next few months were chaotic. I didn't see Edward once, while his siblings came over a couple times to try to convince me not to file for divorce. During that time, I got ready to move out all the way across the country. And, of course, I was concentrating on speeding up the divorce. Money worked wonders.

At the end of the three month period, it was done. We were finally divorced. It was over.

I'd thought I would cry when it was finalized. But I didn't. Instead, I feel unbelievably refreshed and satisfied. I was ready to move on.

Edward didn't talk to me once when we came out of the court. I didn't either. I had no reason to. We were perfect strangers now.

The timing was perfect too. I was leaving in three days. I would be able to leave my past and start with a clean slate in California. I was eager to forget everything that happened to me in New York.

I'd decided to become a gynecologist. My baby had made up my mind. I didn't want other people to lost their babies. I wanted to help them give birth. I was going to follow my ex-father-in-law's footsteps.

"Don't leave," Alice whined as I did my last-minute checkup on my luggage. "How could you leave like this? Don't you feel guilty at all? I mean, have you seen what Edward's like these days?"

I ignored her as I closed one of my suitcases.

"I still can't believe you divorced him," she said exasperatedly. "No, I can't believe he signed for you."

"Alice," Jasper warned.

"He misses you," Alice said, pouting. "Do you even know how much?"

"I think that's all," I said, heaving the suitcase off the bed. I set it by the door. "I'm ready to leave."

"Bella!" Alice complained.

"Look, Alice," I said sternly. "You should be happy for me. I'm going to do what I've always wanted to do."

"What about Edward?" she countered.

I turned away. "I'm not going to talk about that. We're perfect strangers now."

"Strangers?" she repeated. "As if! How can you be strangers when he's pining for you and-"

"Bella," Jasper interrupted quickly. "Why don't you go let Charlie and Renee know that you're leaving tomorrow?"

"That's a good idea," Emmett chimed in.

"Guys!" Alice said, upset.

I quickly escaped the room. I was grateful for the save.

I promised myself that when I got out to California to start anew, I wasn't going to think about Edward. Ever.

"I'm going to miss you, darling," Renee said sorrowfully as she hugged me. "You're going to visit, right?"

I laughed uncomfortably. "I'll try."

Charlie hugged me next. "Be safe. You remember all those martial arts movements you learned, right?"

"Yes, I do," I promised. "I'll use it when necessary."

"Good." Charlie backed away, looking satisfied.

Jasper was last. And he was the hardest to say goodbye to. We stared at each other for a few moments before he spread his arms.

Taking a deep breath and smiling, I hugged him. I breathed in his safe, brotherly smell for the last time.

"I love you, Bella," Jasper mumbled. "Don't forget that."

"Never," I murmured. "Love you, too, Jazzy."

He leaned away and grabbed my shoulders. He looked at me, mockingly stern. "If you don't call, I'm going to go down to California myself. Do you understand?"

I laughed slightly. "Yes, sir."

Jasper nodded, still staring at me like he was trying to memorize my face. "Be safe. And try to forget everything that's happened. Remember, you're starting new. From this moment on, you're a new person. Okay?"

"Okay," I agreed.

"You should go, darling," Renee advised. "Your plane will leave in thirty minutes. Go inside."

I nodded as I hitched up my carry-on bag on my shoulder. I gripped my passport and plane ticket tighter in my hand.

"I love you, Bella!" Renee called as I walked away. "Call me when you get in!"

I waved over my shoulders, about to go inside the gates.

"WAIT!"

Startled, I turned around and braced myself just in time.

"Oof!" I grunted.

"Don't leave, Bella!" Alice was sobbing again. Her tiny arms were gripping me tightly. "Please! What am I supposed to do when you leave?"

"Go back to Paris, of course," I said, chuckling as I patted her back. "Love you, Alice."

She pulled away, pouting. "I can't believe you're abandoning me like this."

"I'm not. I'll call you, Alice."

Emmett was watching us interact. He was wearing a sad smile.

"Emmett," I said, smiling. I embraced him tightly. "My big brother."

He chuckled, his voice deep. "Be safe, Bella. And keep in touch. I'll be looking for news about your success."

I laughed as I pulled away. I felt teary again. But I tried not to cry for their sake.

"Listen, Bella," Emmett said hesitantly. "We know you don't want to hear it, but we still thought you should know. We tried to get him to come, but he was so stubborn…"

I stared into space, a slight, sad smile on my lips. "That's okay. I think…that might be for the best. A clean break is better."

"Sorry, Bella," Alice said. "But you know how he is. He's totally convinced that you won't want him here…"

I took a deep breath. "It's okay. Really." I changed the subject. "Now I really have to go. I'll call you guys as often as I can. Good luck in your studies."

They nodded, waving as I walked away. I handed the man my passport and ticket. He checked it briefly before handing it back to me, nodding.

I looked back one last time. My family was further away from Alice and Emmett, but they waved. Alice tried her best to smile, and Emmett looked wistful.

I turned to go, when I heard another familiar voice shout, "Wait!"

I froze for a couple seconds, then turned back.

He was running toward me, looking desperate. His eyes were pleading me to wait, and I could tell that he was going to try to convince me to stay.

But I hadn't had enough time to forget what had happened between us. So forcing myself to be cold, I turned around without another glance and walked right in through the gates. And I knew:

There was no turning back anymore.

Edward's Point of View

"Are you really not going to go, Edward Cullen?" Alice demanded. "Your wife is leaving. The love of your life is leaving to go study all the way across the country. You may never even see her again. Are you still not going to go?"

I stayed silent, staring out the window.

"Fine," Alice sniffed. "It's your fault. You're the one who is choosing to let her leave. Don't cry about it later when she's gone. Come on, Emmett." She stomped out of the room, her nose high in the air at my stubbornness.

"Come on, bro," Emmett said. "Don't regret it later. Come say goodbye to her properly. Or you'll regret it for the rest of your life." And he followed Alice out of the bedroom.

I heard the car outside start and fade away. I didn't know how long I was sitting there, thinking.

Suddenly, I was desperate. I needed to see her again. I needed to see her beautiful face again. I needed to see the sight of her. I needed it like air to breathe.

Rising from my seat abruptly, I grabbed my jacket that was hanging on a chair and ran down the stairs.

"Edward, where are you going?" Esme called, alarmed by my sudden departure.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, concerned.

"I need to see her," I said breathlessly. "I need to stop her. I can't let her leave."

Esme looked hopeful again, while Carlisle smiled slightly, as if he'd known this was going to happen all along.

"Go ahead, son," Carlisle said softly. "I hope you catch her."

"Thanks," I whispered as I ran out the door.

I stepped on the accelerator, going almost in the maximum speed. Would I make it in time? Would I be able to see her? Would I be able to convince her to stay?

I knew that I had made a terrible mistake in letting her go without a proper fight. I shouldn't have signed those papers. I had been regretting it ever since she left me.

And I was about to make another mistake, yet again. I was about to let her leave me, possibly forever. Why couldn't I learn from my mistakes? Mistakes, mistakes. They followed me everywhere.

I skidded to a halt when I arrived at the airport. Ironically, there was a parking space right next to Emmett's Jeep. I got out quickly, and ran as fast as I could, searching.

And then, I saw them. I'd recognize my siblings anywhere. They were waving goodbye…

I saw her. I felt like everything was slowing down. Nothing in the world mattered but her. Her mahogany, long hair cascaded down to the small of her back gently… She was turning to leave.

No.

"Wait!" I shouted desperately.

Alice and Emmett turned at the sound of my voice, and they looked shocked. But a split second later, they were silently urging me to hurry.

Bella hesitated at the threshold of the gates, and she turned around slowly. She definitely saw me. She saw me running towards her.

For a split second, her face showed fear and uncertainty. She was afraid of what would happen if I stopped her. And then, her lips pressed into a thin line, and she turned back around. She was going to leave.

Everything was moving at regular speed now. And she was walking inside.

"No!" I breathed. I was too late.

The doors closed, and there was no reversing everything. I was too late.

I stopped next to Emmett, panting hard and staring at the door disbelievingly. I couldn't believe it. I was too late.

The last ounce of hope that I'd felt was now gone. My heart felt empty again. Hollow. My love was gone. And my whole world seemed to change. Everything spiraled downward, and suddenly, nothing seemed to have a purpose.

Why was I living anymore? Why was I even here? How was I supposed to live without her?

How could I survive this agony?

"Edward…" Alice whispered, reaching for me.

"I'm sorry, man," Emmett said quietly.

It was too close to be true. I had been so close. But I'd literally let her slip through my fingers. There was no turning back.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Once…twice…and three times. My siblings looked alarmed, staring at me like I had finally gone insane.

I kept laughing quietly, my gaze lowering to the ground. This was unbelievable. How had I let this happen?

Tears stung my face. The picture in front of me blurred.

My laughs turned to racking sobs. And I couldn't stand it any longer.

I yelled out in defiance and frustration. People stared at me in alarm, but I

didn't care. My knees buckled, and tears flowed down my face.

I had blown the last chance that I'd had to make things right. I couldn't reverse it anymore.

Bella. My Bella.

She was gone. I had made, yet, another mistake. Another mistake that I couldn't take back. Another mistake that I would regret making for the rest of my life.

She was gone.

AN: Okay, the last time I have to say this: Desire, my new story, will be posted as soon as Golden Lifestyle is finished. Phew! Reviews, please!