Chapter 48

Nicole tried to twist and turn on the way down. She did everything she could to prevent the fate that she now felt was inevitable. Facing upward she saw two bodies falling rapidly toward her, though she knew she wouldn't have even a second to mourn Salvatore's impending death. She knew this because she was going to die first.

There's nothing between me and the fire, she thought, nothing but-

Her thoughts were cut off when her back slammed against something. Everything was thrown off; her vision, her thoughts...

Nicole breathed in heavily and didn't have time to process what had happened. The two bodies that had been plunging toward her were suddenly clear, in-focus images that seemed to be floating in the air above where she laid.

A moment later there was a crash and the images changed again.

It's like an action movie in fast-forward, Nicole thought.

She faced downward now, pulled by the force of the crash the two immortal bodies made as they slammed into the tiny rock face she laid on. It had stuck out just far enough where she was pinned to it, and now the feuding brothers were in her grasp, willing her down toward the fire.

Smoke barreled up toward them, and she felt as though they couldn't have been more than twenty feet from the flames.

"Nicole!" their voiced were paralleled; frantic and they desperately needed her at the same time.

Nicole glanced down at her hands, realizing in that moment that she had Salvatore by one hand and Vincent by another.

Who's who? she thought.

The smoke made it impossible to see. They were wearing different clothing, sure, but all she could see were their eyes; their black eyes.

"Salvatore!" Nicole called out.

Rocks crumbled beneath her and she slid slightly toward the edge, digging the toe of her sneaker into the back of the rock cliff as best she could.

Who's who? she thought. I can't hold them both in this position forever.

Nicole gritted her teeth, struggling to hold on. Determination filled her mind, but she couldn't help the anxiousness that weighed on her.

The weight of the three of them began to put a strain on the situation. Nicole knew her time holding both of them was limited. Her grasp was strong, but her body continued to slide farther away, toward the edge.

"I can't hold on," she choked out, struggling to see past the rising smoke.

"Lift us up!" one of them called.

"I can't!" Nicole felt herself slide another couple of inches.

I have to choose. I have to make a decision.

She looked down at the boys' faces. They looked the same; desperate and clinging to life, hoping she would be their savior. Their eyes were the same blackened color and their features were far too alike to simply let one go on a haunch.

I should know the difference, she thought, nearly scolding herself. I have to know him from his brother. Salvatore is nothing like Vincent.

"I can't hold you both!" she cried out. Half of her torso hung off of the edge and just a small jagged edge kept her left foot in place. It was that small piece of rock that was keeping all three of their lives in tact. A small piece broke off and Nicole jolted forward.

Both Volturi members cried out in fear.

"Sal!" Nicole's voice was more desperate and she struggled to study their faces. She needed to pinpoint something that would differentiate the two if she needed to let one go.

Which one is he? She wanted to cry, but knew she needed to focus. She hadn't realized the power fire and smoke possessed. It was like nothing else; perhaps a vampire's only enemy. Like kryptonite.

"Nicole!" His voice brought her back to life. She looked down at the fiery scene below.

That was Salvatore. She didn't need to ask herself who the voice belonged to. She knew it was his, but which one was he? Which arm was he hanging off?

She scanned her brain for a way to know the truth. Second felt like hours though she finally felt as if she had come to some logical way to find out the truth... or so she hoped.

"Salvatore," she said again, "When did you know you loved me?"

Neither of the boys responded.

"When did you know you loved me?" she asked, more desperate. "Please, tell me."

"The second I saw you Nicole!"

Nicole breathed in heavily. She couldn't tell who the voice belonged to; the accent, the desperation, the way he said her name.

Is that the answer he thinks I'm looking for? she asked herself. It wasn't. Nicole looked down though the thick of the smoke into the eyes of each of the young men individually. She prayed she would see golden, even a speck, in one of their eyes and be able to let go of the other. The truth was, she didn't care what happened to Vincent. She didn't want him to die, but if it meant sparing Salvatore she wouldn't hesitate. Vincent was evil; Salvatore was... her one true love.

"Nicole," the twin on her left spoke, "The harvest moon. I knew I loved you when I painted you the night of the harvest moon."

She felt her heart leap into her throat. Her muscles tightened. Her mind became clear. She saw his face; the boy on the left. The one with the now unmistakable dark hair; the features she knew. His eyes... they didn't have to be golden. She knew his eyes.

"I loved you the second I saw you," the other boy spoke.

Nicole glanced to her right, and then back to her left before releasing her right hand.

Horror filled her face as Vincent plummeted away from the two of them. She didn't watch the ending; she couldn't. All Nicole could think about was bringing Salvatore to safety, onto the small cliff with her.

She used both of her hands to pull him toward her and a moment later, the two of them lay huffing and puffing on the small rock ledge.

Salvatore kept his arms around her and pressed his forehead into her shoulder.

Nicole's mouth dropped and she held him against her body. She didn't want to look down. She prayed she made the right choice.

"The harvest moon," she whispered.

Salvatore hugged her harder, "The best day of my life," he whispered back.

The two of them clung to one another, unable to move in the pit of Hell they'd been thrown into. Despite the tragic surroundings, they found comfort in one thing: each other.