Fire burned within her. It lit up her veins and evaporated the blood, venom flowing behind the flames. Safina thought if it didn't end soon, that she was sure to die. It occurred to her that she hadn't got to say goodbye to Jasper or her family. God, her family. Had the Cullens told them? Her father had been so adamant about her change, Gabe had told her. There had still been a chance of her having the wolf gene, the change would kill her. It had to be killing her, that was the only explanation.

Would death be peaceful? Probably not. It would be harsh and sudden and unfair like her mother's. Maybe she would finally have the closure of seeing her again. Cherie and her father would eventually have to explain to Caiden and Zara about their older sister, the one who fell in love and eventually paid the ultimate price. There was no way Jasper could go back to school, not in the permanently depressed state he was sure to be in.

Jasper. He had tried so hard to keep her safe and Safina would never be able to tell him that it was okay. She would be okay, even in death. For a minute she could almost see the future, where Jasper blamed himself for her death. He would isolate himself from his family and they would try, with no avail, to get him back. She could only hope he would eventually go back to them, move on from her.

How long had it been? It felt like she had been burning alive for years, centuries even. This was the pain that Jasper had spoke of, the feeling of an endless torture, only to wake up and be burdened by an inconsolable thirst. Was it really that bad? Could the pain be a psychosomatic idea she had drawn up in her head? Perhaps, if she simply didn't think about it, it would cease to exist. She played with this theory, attempting to drown out the intense pain she was feeling. It was real, very real. Even when she tried to feel anything else, the flames brought her back to the center, cursing her eternally.

Finally, the pain closed in on her heart. Jasper said that was the last of it, and the worst. Safina couldn't handle it anymore, she was sure. She was surely letting out shouts as the fire overtook the most important organ in her body. The venom would kill her, she knew it. It was incredible that she had lasted as long as she had, she thought. He was right, it was the worst of it. Before she could truly begin to feel the full force of her heart being enveloped by the heat, it was over.

When her eyes opened, she was astonished at everything she had missed in the air. The follicles of dust that surrounded her were mesmerizing, enchanting. Then, she realised, she could hear everything. Nessie's strange heartbeat drew her in as she listened to it, amazed that she had never heard it. Gabriel's voice was quiet as he spoke to Alice, but not so much that Safina couldn't hear it.

Sitting up was hard, she felt as if she had moved much too fast. Had she been human, she surely would have gotten whiplash. Everything about her felt strange, in a very unwelcoming way. She got a good look at her limbs, how smooth and untouched they were, like she had never scraped them a day in her life. There was a mirror, she noticed, in the corner of the extremely white room. Sunlight washed over her in a way it never had before, thousands - possibly millions - little beams of light coming out of her skin, something she had only ever seen on Jasper.

The mirror seemed to show a completely different person than the form she was used to. Of course it would, she was different now, scientifically unexplainable. Her face was perfect, the tiny bumps that she had grown accustomed to on her cheeks and forehead were gone, as were the beauty spots that had been placed on her arms and neck. In a moment of intense wondering, she pulled down the neckline of her shirt, exposing part of her chest. Her scar was gone too, no feeling or look of it ever having been there.

Footsteps drew towards the room and she readjusted her shirt - which she knew wasn't hers. Alice must have dressed her. Based on smell alone, she knew it was Jasper, which she welcomed. In a flash, it seemed, she was standing in front of him, her hand on his jawline, feeling it in a way she had never been able to before.

"You look incredible," he said quietly, in astonishment.

She laughed, an unparalleled sound, "It's all so...weird."

"You get used to it." But she wasn't sure that she would.

Safina nodded, she would believe him for now, hoping the sounds and sights would all fall to the background once she became accustomed to her new self.

"Do my parents know?"

He nodded, "They figured it was best to give you an adjustment period before…"

"Before I killed them?" Her tone was bitter in a way. Would everyone she previously knew have to walk on eggshells just to be around her?

"No, not at all. They just didn't want to overwhelm you." His answer was confident, but she could see past it.

"My throat hurts." With that, they were off into the woods to find her first meal.

She was successful, not quite full but it would be enough for the time being. Blood stained her shirt and hands, which she tried to wipe off on the jeans she hadn't realised she was wearing.

The house had a different tone to it now. Everyone was supportive when she walked into the house, and Jacob had to stop Nessie from tackling the newborn, fearing it would end in the worst way. Not that he said that, but Safina knew his intentions, and was actually sort of grateful.

"Do you like it so far?" Bella asked, her form attached to her husband's.

Safina hesitated, "It's very...new and strange." She knew Bella hadn't felt this way. Jasper said that Bella was a natural, like she was born to be a vampire, or something of the sort. If she expressed how she truly felt, would Jasper be disappointed? It was then she realised that Edward could read her mind, with the strange look he gave her and the silent shake of his head. Embarrassment flooded her, which she quickly tried to get rid of, not wanting Jasper to feel it.

"It'll get better. Everything sort of fades once you settle into it." Could she settle into it though? Would it ever not be this overwhelming because, at the moment, it didn't feel like that.

For a moment, Safina actually wished she could go back to normal, if she could remember what that was like. Gasps filled the room.

"What?"

"You're...human!" Alice exclaimed.

"How did this happen?" Carlisle asked.

Edward answered in Safina's lack of words, "She thought of being human again, then she was."

"I believe we just discovered a gift, Safina." Carlisle smiled gently at her, and she gave a sigh of relief.

Jasper grasped her hand, "Would you be comfortable trying to go back?"

She nodded, finally happy about the prospect of being a vampire. Safina focused on remembering the feeling of being a vampire and a sharp, burning pain coursed through her body again, this time much quicker.

"Incredible," Carlisle stated. Safina expressed her discomfort in the transformation back to her immortal form, and he nodded. "I wonder where the venom goes when you're in the human state." She shrugged, and the conversation dissipated.

Jasper took her hand, leading her back up the stairs to his bedroom. The books that had been strewn about the room were now organized on bookshelves, and a bed sat on the wall opposite the door, in the middle of the wall.

"A bed?" It was sarcastic, she knew what it was for.

"Yeah, a bed."

"Thought you didn't need one. No sleep." She faced him and he gave her the grin that she loved so much.

"I could get rid of it."

"No, I think I like it."

He sat on the bed and pulled her onto it, both of them laughing as she hit the soft comforter.

"Jay," she started, "Where's Maria."

He smiled, knowing that they were safe and would finally have their forever, "We took care of it. She's gone."

this is the end guys! i love that yall have stuck around for so long and can't wait for yall to get into the sequel (coming soon)! i am truly thankful for all of the support on this little idea that i had, and i truly love each and every one of you! i'll see you guys next time!