FAGE 14. Escape From Reality

Title: Too Little Too Late

Written for: thedarkestfallingstar

Written By: Sirimione32

Beta Rebekah adams and Banner: brierlynn03

Rating: T

Summary/Prompt used: When her mate rejects her for the last time, destiny decides to give Bella a second chance.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters nor make any money from them; please do not sue me. The story and plot are my own.

Thanks to thedarkestfallingstar for the gift of allowing me to write a story for her. Kudos also to brierlynno3, who made the banners. Thank you.

Bella turned towards Klaus with tears streaming down her face as she spoke to him. Anger filled her voice.

"I'm done, Klaus. I've had enough of your cheating. It's been your choice not to be there for me, For us, Rejecting our mating bond. Hell, I see you smile and laugh more with Camilla and Caroline than you do me. Let's not forget the child you share with the wolf girl, Hailey! The child that should have been mine. I'm done! I am leaving. You've broken my heart and our bond for the last time, Klaus. I hope you get what you deserve, and karma comes back to you."

Klaus turned to her, his voice strident, "Bella, wait! I'm sorry! Please don't leave me. We can work it out; make it work! Save our bond!"

She turned to him with a brutal look and replied.

"No, we can't, Klaus. Ours is hanging on by a thread because of your actions. I want someone who will love and cherish me and won't want to break my heart. A man to start a family with. A man who makes me smile and treats me like the queen I am. And that man is not you, Klaus. No matter how much I want, it to be. Goodbye."

Bella grabbed her bags and purse, bringing them to her car. With one last look to say goodbye to her old life, she drove towards a place she was sure Klaus would never look.

Mystic Falls.

Choosing to start somewhere new brought hope she had not felt in a long time. She yearns for safety and becomes comfortable with the new journey ahead.

Several months later, Bella settled down somewhere near Phoenix, Arizona, after traveling throughout the country. Happy and free in her new life, she enjoyed the simple pleasures of shopping and decorating her new home while trying new things.

One day at home, she heard a knock on her door and answered it. When she opened the door, she saw a delivery man. He presented a package with a signature required. Curious, she signed, and he handed her the parcel. After shutting and locking the door, she set it on the table to open it.

Inside the package, she found a fancy box. The box revealed a clear hourglass with blood-red, dark sand. She found it interesting as she pulled it out and decided it belonged on her shelf in the library near her desk, where she preferred to read. Next, she examined the box to see if she could find any sender information. Finding nothing but her name and address seemed odd to her.

Bella placed the hourglass in its new spot and went on about her day.

While the moon was full and bright that night, Bella slept, unaware a glowing red light came out of the hourglass and crept around the whole house. The light sought the stairs up to Bella's bedroom, where it covered her. It remained over Bella, pulling slowly back to the hourglass just before sunrise.

Bella was reading in her library a few hours later when she heard something coming up her driveway. Peeking out of her window to investigate, she saw someone getting out of the car. Startled, she realizes it's Finn.

Wondering how he found her, she decided not to open the door until it was clear why he was there.

She heard a loud knock on her door along with a masculine voice shouting.

"Bella, I know you're there! It's Finn!"

"I know it's you, Finn. Why are you here? How did you find me?" She shouted through the door.

"Would you believe destiny and fate gave you a second chance?" He paused. "A chance for actual happiness! Bella, this is why I'm here!" His voice softened as he continued, "I will not hurt you like Klaus did. I know I love you, and I care for you. If you give me a chance, I want to know you more."

She momentarily debated between letting him inside or just leaving him standing out there. Sighing, she opened the door and motioned him inside.

"Come in, Finn. I don't want the neighbors to hear you."

Following her invitation, Finn entered her home and shyly spied around. He spoke quietly, "You have a beautiful home, Bella. It really suits you. I'm glad you were able to find happiness here."

Bella smiled as she listened while looking around her living room.

"Me too, Finn." She breathed deeply and continued her inquiry. "Can you tell me why you are really here?" Bella paced, folding her arms, " Does Klaus know where I am? Did he send you here to ruin my newfound life? The one I have now?"

Finn's face wore a look of shock at the statement.

"No! My Bell, I'm here because I feel drawn to you and want to be with you. This trip has nothing to do with Klaus. I could care less about my brother, honestly. It's you I want to be with and hold in my arms and cherish."

As he spoke, she noticed a new pull towards him. The realization made her smile. Bella turned towards him.

"How about I cook us some dinner, and we can talk about the start of our story. Maybe? It could include a date together tomorrow. What do you think, Finn?"

A genuine smile fills Finn's face as he replies.

"I would love that, my Bell."

They entered her kitchen, where the two of them cooked dinner together. He set the table for two, so they were sitting across from each other. During dinner, they talked about options for their upcoming date.

Once the dishes were back in the kitchen, Bella thanked Finn for coming over. She walked him to the door, where he kissed her hand. He left, softly closing her front door behind him.

Almost too quickly, the time came for her date with Finn. She chose to wear a sundress with sandals. Bella completed her look with a pair of small earrings and her favorite purse. She wore her hair in a simple ponytail.

By the time she was ready, a car was already pulling up her drive. Looking out her window, she caught sight of Finn as he exited his coupe in casual clothes. Smiling, she walks straight to the entry. When Finn gets to the front door, Bella opens it with a giant smile on her face.

Finn's grin matched hers. Handing her a bouquet, he touched her hand as she smelled them. Bella stepped away only to put the flowers in a vase on her table.

"Thank you for the flowers, Finn. they are beautiful!"

"Anything for you, my Belle," Finn spoke as he placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her to the car.

Their evening passed pleasantly, so much so that when he took her back home, she kissed him, right on his lips before she closed her front door. Next, she went upstairs to change into her pj's. For the first time in a long time, she felt happy. She smiled, knowing this could be the start of something amazing. These thoughts lifted her as she drifted asleep.

Days turned into weeks, and soon six months passed. Finn often smiled when he caught sight of the hourglass with pride of place in the library. They had found their contentment so much, so they had now moved in together in Bella's home.

For Bella's part, she often thought about what Finn said about destiny. Realizing that Finn was right wasn't hard. Destiny had been helping by giving her a second chance. It had shown her true happiness and healed her broken heart.

If sand in an hourglass could smile, it certainly would. Now it was only a matter of time before this couple married. Destiny was sure neither of them could wait.