A/N: Okay, so I intended for this part to be the last and for it to be longer. My muses, however, had other plans. I wasn't sure where I was going to go with the whole thing after Edward joined the guard. But my muses say the plot thickens so much that it deserves it's own story. So this is the last chapter of Miles From Where You.
EDWARD
I sat in my new room thinking about everything that Aro had just told me. I was expected to do what he and his brothers said without question. I was also expected to be pleasant to the other members of the guard. I could live with that so long as Jane kept her mouth and mind closed. Of course, I'd take any punishment for a chance to go one on one with that bitch. I was also told that I could not interfere with the treatment of any of their human toys. That wouldn't be a problem unless, of course, I saw or heard what they were doing to those poor girls. I'd go to their defense if I ever got the opportunity. Humans didn't deserve to be toys. I didn't care what the circumstances were. Aro would find that out sooner or later. The sooner the better.
It didn't seem like things were going to be too bad here. We were free to do whatever we wanted when we weren't needed. However, I was not allowed to leave the castle without an escort. Aro didn't trust me to not try to escape just yet. Little did he know, I wouldn't try anything as long as Bella's safety was still in danger. I was also forbidden to contact Bella or my family while I was here.
I supposed that one was for the best. I wanted to make this as clean as possible for Bella. She needed to move on without me there. If I was able to call her or write, she'd use that as a crutch. I didn't want that to happen. As for the family, I know it would've been easier on all of them if I was just out of the picture completely. Esme didn't need the added heartache of getting letters and calls but knowing she'd probably never see me again. Besides, they had Alice to keep them updated on me.
I prayed that Bella was going to be able to move on with her life. She didn't need the horrors that I brought into her life to haunt her for the rest of her life. She needed someone who could love and take care of her better than I ever could. I hoped she'd be able to let herself find that person. I knew the others would help her the best they could. In the end, though, it was all up to her.
She was strong, though, if anyone could handle it she could. I mean, the first time I left her, it nearly killed her but she let herself find Jacob and with his help, she got through it. I hoped she would be able to find someone who could help her move on this time and make her happy. That was all I ever wanted for her.
As much as I hated myself for allowing this to happen, I knew it was for the best. I knew Bella would understand. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not in ten years. But one day she'd understand and thank me for it. I just prayed that it didn't destroy her before that happened.
BELLA
I
woke up in a comfortable hotel bed. I was nice and warm under a stack
of blankets. I noticed that someone had changed my clothes. I was now
in a pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt that was a few sizes too big.
It took me a minute to realize why I was lying there. That's when the
memory of mine and Edward's goodbye came back to me. My eyes snapped
quickly open as panic set in. I had hoped the whole thing was simply
a dream.
When I opened my eyes, I was face to face with my grim and depressed looking family. Esme and Carlisle were sitting on the other bed. From the look of things, Esme was dry sobbing into Carlisle's chest as he did his best to comfort her. Jasper and Alice were sitting on the armchair. Jasper was looking like he was in more pain than usual. I couldn't blame him. He not only had his sadness to deal with but everyone else's as well. Alice was in his lap. She had her eyes closed as if she was concentrating hard on remembering something. I was pretty sure that she was trying to see what would become of everything now that Edward was no longer with us. Rosalie and Emmett were in the loveseat. Rosalie had her head in Emmett's shoulder and her body was shaking slightly. Emmett had his arm around her. The melancholy look seemed so out of place on his face.
I felt a hand smooth the hair on my head and turned to see Roxanne stroking it. She looked just as sad as the rest of them. I choked back the tears as I thought of what we had all just lost. I didn't deserve to cry. If the Cullen's couldn't, why should I be able to? This whole thing was my fault anyway, wasn't it?
"Bella, don't." Jasper said almost angrily. "I can feel your guilt. This one is our fault not yours. We knew the potential consequences for bringing you into our world. And we didn't fight very hard to stop it."
"But Edward didn't have to do this for me." I stated. "His love for me is what made him do it."
"That doesn't matter." Jasper argued back. "All that matters is that you not blame yourself for this."
"But-But-But..." I couldn't find a way to make them believe that it was my fault.
"Look, Bella," Alice stated finally opening her eyes. "Edward is where he wants to be. He's in the best position to protect you. It's the only place he's ever wanted to be. You should know that by now."
"But how could he want to be there without me?" I asked.
My sadness was finally getting the better of my guilt and I wasn't able to stop the tears.
"Oh, honey," Roxanne exclaimed and wrapped her arms around me. "He wants nothing more than to be with you but if he can protect you better away from you then that's where he feels he needs to be."
I cried into her chest as she stroked my hair and whispered comforting things. I knew Edward did this to protect me, just like the first time he left. I just couldn't imagine having to live my life without him again. He had told me to move on but I couldn't do that, not this time. Last time, I was able to let myself love Jacob because I thought that Edward didn't love me anymore. Did he really expect me to go on with my life knowing that he still loved me? I simply couldn't do it. It would've been way too hard for me.
It took Roxanne and Jasper and good hour to calm me down. I had a feeling that Jasper was trying to let me get the worst of it out now. It was going to be a long flight back to Forks and it would look odd if I randomly burst into tears. I was grateful to both Roxanne and Jasper for their efforts.
"Bella, I would like to examine you just to make sure there isn't any permanant damage." Carlisle stated once I finally calmed enough to listen. "I would've done it while you were asleep but I didn't want to scare you if you woke in the middle of it. The others can go for a hunt if you don't want them to stay."
I nodded. I was glad for the offer of the others to leave but I was a little afraid of Carlisle examing me. I knew that Carlisle would never hurt me but I still didn't like the idea of a man touching me that way. At least not that soon, I tried not to show that I was scared. I didn't want to insult Carlisle not after everything the family just had to give up for me. Jasper, however, sensed it.
"It's okay that you're scared." Jasper stated. "After what you went through, I surprised you even willing to let Carlisle do it. Besides, I'm sure one of the girls would be okay with staying if it would make you more comfortable."
"I'll do it." Roxanne offered. "I'm not very thristy. I'll be able to make it through the flight, especially since the humans smell disgusting to me."
"Thank you so much Roxanne." I stated.
She simply nodded.
"I should be finished by the time you guys get back. Then we'll go home."
Everyone nodded then walked out the door one by one. Carlisle walked over to a corner of the room and grabbed his black bag.
"Okay, Bella" he said as he came back over to me. "I need you to take off your boxers and underwear."
I did as he said. It took a few minutes because I was still very sore and my fingers were shaking. Once I had them off, Carlisle had me sit on the edge of the bed with my legs bent and apart. Roxanne came to sit next to me and hold my hand.
(A/N: I'm not sure how this kind of exam would go so I'm just going to skip to his being finished. I'm pretty sure he'd be able to tell her how bad the scarring was right away. If not just kind of let it flow because I don't speak medicine and doctor.)
"It doesn't look too bad." Carlisle stated once I had my clothes back on. "There is alot of tearing. Some parts are worse than others. However, with some rest and very little stress on your vaginal area, it should clear up in roughly six to eight weeks. You will be sore for a couple days. When we get back to Forks, I will prescribe you something for the pain. Other than that, I don't see this causing any future complications."
I knew what he meant by that. I'd still be able to have children. Any other girl who has had an experience like mine would be more than thrilled to hear that. It, however, meant nothing to me. I had known from the beginning that I wouldn't be able to have children with Edward. That wasn't a big concern for me. Especially now that I'd probably never see Edward again. I looked down at my hands trying not to think about it.
"You know, he doesn't want you to sit around and be depressed about losing him." Carlisle said placing his hand on my shoulder. I looked up into his sad eyes. "That's not why he did this. He wants you to be safe and happy and he knew that this was the only way for that to happen."
"But how does he expect me to be happy without him?" I questioned trying to fight another onslaught of tears.
Carlisle smiled at me sadly.
"You have to try." he said. "It's the best thing you could do for him. Just try to move on and be happy. It may work and it may not. But you won't get anywhere unless you try."
"And what if it doesn't work?" I asked.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
The door opened then and the family walked in.
Everyone finished packing their things, in silence, and we headed to the airport. As we drove out of Volterra, I took one look back at the city and shed a few more tears for what I was leaving behind.
A/N: I hope this came off okay. I know it seems like Carlisle doesn't care much about having to give Edward up but he's just trying to keep it under control for Bella. The entire family knows that what he did was hardest on Bella and they want to make things a little easier for her. I hope this one turned out okay. I'm a bit excited for part four and might have rushed this. Let me know what you think. Look for In The End. Part four of the Without You series in the next few days. I hope you all enjoy.
