Hello everyone! Please look after yourselves with everything going on again and safe!

Alas, this is the second to last chapter and I will try to have the next one put up this week. I don't own Twilight

Chapter 16

I woke to gently being rocked, cocooned in a soft white blanket surrounded by wooden walls I didn't fall asleep in. I jumped into sitting position realising I was back on the fishing boat Edward had taken me on the night before. Folded fresh clothing and a towel awaited me on the little countertop table. With the exception of waves smashing against the bow, silence reigned. My body clock, now in tune with day sleeping, told me it was night whilst Edward's absence confirmed who was driving.

I moved into the little shower room a flick of the switch bringing it to life. With arms outstretched I could touch both walls easily. The shower water burnt and soothed as I stepped into it. I avoided looking at the tiled floor not wanting to see the ash of Aro nor Edward's coagulated blood circling the drain. Instead, I focused on scrubbing my body and hair clean. My sleep had muddled the memories of the night before; a TV with broken signal that I was happy for. Though I had no memory after falling asleep in Edward's arms.

Towel wrapped around me I exited the bathroom and felt steadiness under my feet; where we'd docked I had no idea. Edward sat on the left chair in the similar clothes as the night before. It seemed just as I'd gotten used to his new business style he'd switched back.
"Why did you move me in my sleep?" I asked propping my foot on the bed to dry my legs.
"I didn't want to wake you." He answered sipping his usual 'wine'.
"Do you um..need some fresh?" I finished drying my upper half and wrapped the towel around my hair like a terry cloth hat and leaving every vein on my body bare to his eye sight unintentionally.
"No. I'm fine." A flash of pain touched his eyes, I changed the subject.
"Where are we?"
"A few coves over from the manor. Small fishing village that not many people know of."
"Oh." I picked up the clothing looking quizzically at tan walking boots that I had not remembered buying.
"I want to take you on a little walk." Edward's voice was light almost human in nature "But breakfast first." He opened the microwave to reveal a fully cooked English breakfast.
"Did you cook that?" It smelt delicious but Edward hadn't been a reliable cook as a human never mind now he only had a taste for blood.
"No Angela prepared it before we left." I held in the sigh of relief and hit the button to reheat it. I quickly dressed in the items Edward had chosen; luckily all warm and comfortable items I'd bought days before. The shoes were lined with faux fur and fit like a glove. Edward had definitely purchased them specifically for our walk.

We ate in silence before leaving on our journey. We were docked in a small marina between two battered boats. A cobbled slip way lead into the square of the village which slept in near total darkness, only the occasional lamppost to light our way. Other than a few shops in the square and a curtain wall of terraced cottages behind there was nothing. We took a left moving onto a dirt track that led into the night. Above us the moon was descending over a rocky hill; it was earlier in the morning than I thought, maybe 3 am. Maybe the damage to my body had been more than I realised as it had to be almost 24 hours since I fell asleep. Edward didn't seemed worried about the coming daylight so I shrugged it off and followed him into the darkness.

As the little light from the village faded, moonlight lit the path before us instead just enough to see the ground below and a foot in front. Though that left the darkness to crowd beside and behind us. I found myself reaching for Edward's hand which he willingly gave, his tepid hand covering mine.
"You're scared of the darkness out here but fine with a house of vampires." Amusement twinged his tone.
"To be clear I was scared there too but at least I could see." I muttered just avoiding tripping over a rock.
"You're safe." He reminded me firmly "If anyone was around I would hear them."
He had a point "Where are we going then?"
"Upon that ridge is a shrine to a saint that's been there for 1000s of years. On the other side is a well that grants wishs apparently." It was obvious that he didn't believe it. A few years ago neither would I but a manor full of vampires makes you rethink the world a little "I've heard it's a nice place for a date."
In the day We both thought.

Though we were going up a sharp cliff face the slope from our angle was gentle. We rambled up a well-worn path dodging bushes and hidden stones. Just steps away sheep huddled together half asleep woken by the feeling of a predator near.
"Edward? Do you um drink animal blood too?" He looked across me at them, they huddled impossibly closer bleating in response.
"Not if there's another source no. It's like choosing jerky over a steak." If the night before hadn't of happened, I would have laughed at his choice of words. Instead, I just nodded and followed gripping his upper arm as the rocks became more jagged. After almost falling on my face for a second time Edward scooped me up; though he kept an almost human pace.

The higher up we got the brighter the moon shone despite it's reign ending. By the time we'd neared the top Edward could place me back down but I returned my grip on his arm. We reached the summit within minutes finding ourselves in the middle of a grassy plain. The edges dropped off sharply into black abyss, the full moon dipped just enough to light the area we stood. In the middle, a wide crumbling white stone square rose barely a foot off the ground. With no gifts decorating, it was a shrine in name only. The closer we got the crumbling stones morphed into the bones of a cottage. Green vegetation had long since seeped between the cracks reclaiming the ground it had been built upon, but three steps downwards formed a threshold and a bottomless hearth, now a pond, stood to remind us it had once been a home. I followed Edward down the steps where he reached into a satchel and pulled out a picnic basket, two flasks and a camping lamp. As we sat, the walls completed shielded us from the breeze. The world around us became stone, stars and silence; not even bleat in the distance.

"Coffee." Edward confirmed passing me the smaller flask "There's a drop of whiskey in it for extra warmth." I smiled in thanks taking a large gulp that led to a coughing fit. The 'drop' of whiskey was an Edward shot; usually three fingers and best drank with breakfast.
"Bella size portions next time please." I wheezed showing the tiny measurement between my thumb and forefinger. I enjoyed alcohol but really only when it came from grapes. Edward didn't respond instead taking a glug of his own flask. Up until almost 24 hours ago that would have made me uncomfortable, but that ship had sailed with the nights events "Do you heat blood up before you drink it?"
He stopped mid sip and looked at me with utter confusion; again a human emotion coming through "If I can. It tastes better at body temperature. Why the sudden interest Bella?"
"Just curious." I mumbled sipping the coffee this time "It doesn't feel strange to me anymore. Not after last night." Something in his demeanour changed just for a second. The vampiric coldness swooped back in and he continued drinking.

We sat in silence for a few more moments sipping from our flasks. When he finished his, he lifted me onto his lap at human pace settling my back against his chest. His still tepid right hand pushed my hair from my shoulder exposing my neck where he'd bitten me during sex.
"Though its rare for vampires and humans to couple up, when they do the human tends to keep their bite marks. Similar to when someone wears an engagement or promise ring. It tells other vampires that human is taken."
"I want to keep them." I answered the unspoken question leading my head further to the side. He kissed my neck softly as his other hand suddenly slid between under the band of my leggings. I moved to stop his hand bewildered until I remembered that he was doing it to stop the pain. I relaxed into his hold as his fingers moved my underwear to the side feathering over my clit as he did. I whimpered closing my thighs, clamping his hand in place.

His fangs strained against his top lip as he kissed by neck. Their desperation to get into to me set off my desperation for Edward fingers to do the same. I bucked against his teasing hand, my own teeth digging into my lips to smother any noises.
"No one will hear you Bella." Edward promised, his thumbing switching between tapping me and drawing circles. Both arousal and a moan slipped out of me at the same time. He didn't wait a second before pushing two digits into me, his other hand holding me tighter against him. I moved my head to kiss him which he willingly returned. It was surprisingly soft and in complete contrast to his other ministrations; a quick rhythm punctuated with the flick of this thumb. I cried out louder this time, trusting Edwards super senses and giving myself into the feelings.

After a few minutes, he added a third finger and pressed them all against the spot inside me that made my whole body shake. He held me flush against him repeating the action before dragging his lips away from mine to drag his fangs down my throat. Instantly my orgasm sparked turning me once again into a ragdoll in his arms as he fed. The now familiar twitch began in my neck and despite me feeling more hot than before, I noticed the warmth seeping into the hands clutching me.

I released my grip on his jeans so my hand could stroke his neck in thank you.
"I love you." I whispered after getting my breathing back under control.
"I love you too Bella." He licked across tiny holes to seal them. As he did so I felt they were more jagged than the last "It's a little less clean cut so they won't fade as quickly." I opened my mouth to ask how they would fade when he would be reopening them regularly, but he was helping me to my feet.
"Where are we going next?" In the time it took me to blink he'd cleared up. No one other than the moon would know we'd be here.
"To make our wishes." I took his outstretched hand and followed him back up the steps and around the side where the remains of the well stood. The stones that encased it had long since disappeared turning it into a small pond that trickled under the cottage's foundation flooding the hearth. Edward produced four marbled pebbles like the ones the tide brought to shore by the manor placing one in my hand "The legend says it has to be two white pebbles per wish." Never taking his eyes off me he dropped his into the well.

I looked at the inky depths thinking. I had everything I wanted now Rosalie was gone. I was finally safe and Edward was all mine. Even Angela would be ok now; she could even leave if she wanted to. No amount of wishing would bring Leigh back but she could find love again and we could help he restart her life. Restating her life reminded me of poor Jacob who had had to start over when he lost Edward and now me. A sharp pain hit my heart and I knew I had to wish for him.
I wish Jacob has a happy life and finds someone who cares about him as much as we do The pebbled plipped as they hit the surface dragging my wish down to join the others. I looked up at Edward with a smile.
"What did you wish for?" He asked
"Jacobs happiness."

Most of the moon's light had been blotted out by clouds moments after our wishes were made. Edward scooped me up onto his back and ran us back to the cove at slightly faster than human speed. He needed to get into his coffin soon I could sense it.
"Can we do things like this now that Rosalie is gone?" I asked Edward as we approached the bottom of the hill "I don't mind seeing places at night. It's nice to get out of the manor. Next time maybe we could bring Angela." He didn't stop me so I kept talking about where we could go or what we could do. Some of it was pure fantasy, as it was obvious Rosalie and Leonard had done some of his role and with them gone he would have to fill it. When we reached the edge of the square Edward still hadn't said a word and started to lower me from his back. As my feet hit the cobbled ground a black jeep without its lights on rolled into view. I moved closer to Edward instinctively but when the window opened soundlessly I found Angela in the passenger's seat and a woman I didn't recognise in the driver's. Angela glanced at me with sad eyes but didn't speak.
I looked at Edward in confusion "What's going on?"
"You're going home with them." He answered.
"Are you not coming back to the manor? You're going to need your coffin soon."
"Bella you're not going back to the manor. I'm sending you back home, back to your normal life."