This is the end, my beautiful friends. Final chapter and Epilogue all rolled into one. I hope you like it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your support and reviews and follows mean more to me than you know.

[Insert boring disclaimer here about not owning Twilight or ATLA]

So, without further ado...

(Chapter Eighteen)

"Wait." I ordered, my head swimming "Alice, start from the beginning. Ten minutes ago we were hopeless, how can you be sure you've found the answer to save my life?" Cynicism warned me not to get my hopes up too high, but I could already feel the balloon of optimism fill my chest. My beaten and battered body surged with a pulse of energy, hiding some of the pain from my limbs and clearing my head. But I knew the reprieve was only temporary. The aches and pains would be back in a vengeance and sooner rather than later. The room filled with everyone, the Cullens, Jake, and Bella. They were all just as happy, but equally confused… well, except Edward who looked utterly relieved and at ease. He was always one step ahead.

"Remember how I kept saying I already knew how to save you, I just couldn't remember the answer?" Alice chirped from my bedside.

"Yes…" I tried to look at her, but my eyes were stuck on Jacob. His expression was exquisite, full of radiant joy and happiness, hanging on Alice's every word while he looked at me. Could I really stay with him? Or was this all just a sick dream?

"It took a while," Alice explained, her eyes shinning with joy, "But I realized the answer to saving you was part of the lost future."

I grimaced. "The lost future?" I said in a hard voice. I was so freaking sick of this stupid lost future! "You're joking."

"No," She said, twinkling at my tone, "See, when I had the vision the day we met, my brain was basically downloaded with five or so years of information. It was so much to process at once and a lot of information slipped through the cracks."

"What kind of stuff?" I said carefully.

Then she said one word that meant absolutely nothing to me. "Benjamin."

Edward beamed and they shared a smile, but the rest of the little people weren't clued in yet. "Who the hell is Benjamin?" I asked.

"Well…" Alice said with a sheepish look, "He kind-a-sort-a has the ability to control earth…" She trailed off and I swear if she had blood racing through her veins she'd be blushing right now.

"So he's an earth elemental..?" I prodded, losing patience.

"And he can control water, air, and fire, too." She added in a rush.

It took me exactly two seconds to process her words. "WHAT!?" I shrieked at the top of my rusty voice. Loud enough to make everyone in the room with super-hearing slap their hands over their ears.

Alice winced, "Don't be mad!" She pleaded with those large, puppy dog eyes that were having zero effect on me right now.

I wanted to sit up and start a fight, but I was too weak so I settled for yelling instead. "You know someone who can control all four elements and you didn't tell me!? Do you have any idea what this means for my people?" I reeled back into the pillows, my brain rattling in my skull with the news, "The prophecy is real. Its really real. There's someone out there who can unlock other elemental's powers and rebuild the elemental class. Alice, why didn't you say something sooner?"

Jasper growled at me, clearly annoyed by the tone I was taking towards his wife. Jacob let loose a snarl even more menacing in my defense. "I said some stuff slipped through the cracks!" Alice insisted, pouty lip and all.

I made a strange, outraged noise because I was incapable of speech for several seconds. "That is just- just… beside the point." I huffed, "The real point is, can this alpha elemental really save me? Or is this just fool's gold?"

"He's sounds like our only chance. We don't have time to discuss it, we need to act now." Emmett pipped up from Rose's side. "Were can we find this guy?"

"Egypt." Edward and Alice said at the same time. "Cairo to be exact," Alice elaborated.

"Cairo, got it." Jasper said, having all the information he needed. "I'll prep the jet." He said, leaving the room at once, Emmett and Rosalie close on his heels talking about flight trajectories and calling the local airport. They looked so hopeful. I felt very loved by everyone's reactions to my salvation. They held onto the possibility of me getting healed like a lifeline in the ocean.

I just hoped I didn't fade away before we could meet this Benjamin.

"How long does it take to fly to Egypt?" I asked, trying to sit up and failing miserably. The pain blossomed under my skin again, especially in my parched throat. As soon as I got put back together, if I got put back together, I would drink a gallon of fresh, cold water. If I had any liquid to spare, I would have salivated at the thought.

"Fourteen hours give or take." Carlisle answered at once, coming forward to check on my pulse and temperature. Jacob, Bella, and Esme tried to fluff my pillows and make me more comfortable, offering words of encouragement. I gulped. My mind was wide awake and ready for action, but my body was crumbling. I wasn't sure it would make it that far.

"I don't mean to alarm anyone," I said in a calm voice that sounded too controlled to be comforting, "but we don't have any time to waste."

Jacob, who had been looking at my hand clamped gently in his, looked up sharply, his face paling at the implication in my words. He gently picked me up, kissing my cheek, eyes searching mine, silently pleading me to hold on. "Tell me where to take her." He said.

Edward motioned for the door grabbing Bella's hand who stood silently at his side, "Follow me."

. . . . . . . . .. . . .. ..

The two car caravan of expensive vehicles driven by members of the Cullen clan sped along the road toward the airfield where the jet was being prepped by a crew, Jasper had arrived ahead of us and would be our pilot. (I had no idea he could fly a plane until now) As the rest of us drove to meet him, Alice regaled us with an incredible story of the Voltori going against a band of rag-tag vampires who banded together with the Cullen's to defend Renesmee's life when she was falsely accused of being an immortal child. Among the many gifted people who helped defend the Cullens was a vampire boy named Benjamin who lived in Egypt with his maker, Amun and maker's mate, Kebi. (Carlisle knew Amun from decades back and didn't seem to like the guy much) The boy turned out to have the incredible gift of controlling the elements with his mind. The fight against the Voltori didn't come to blows in this harrowing story, but if it had, Benjamin would have done some serious damage. "So if the prophecy you talked about was true, he can restore your powers." She finished with a dazzling smile. "Isn't that great?"

I hung onto Alice's every word. I was interested in hearing every scrap of information about this elemental who was more myth than man to my people. I wanted to hear everything, but I was so, so tried. Everything ached so fiercely that I tried my best not to even move. My eyes drifted shut and I fought them with a vengeance. "It's alright, sweetheart." Jacob murmured. I lay half-across his lap in the backseat of the tricked-out black suburban. His hands stroked my hair slowly, helping my eyelids win the unfair war. "You can sleep if you want."

"I don't want to." I insisted sleepily. "I'm scared I won't wake up."

"I won't let you go." He said in a firm voice. It was gravelly with lack of sleep and so sexy I wanted to kiss him good and long, but I was already asleep, his promise making me feel safe enough to let my eyes close fully as I succumbed sleep.

I woke up hours later to voices raised in worry and fear. I cracked my lids open and was immediately disoriented. I felt like I was in a huge tin can that was being kicked down a sidewalk. The curved walls and ceiling were shaking and bright flashes of light blinded me momentarily just before booming claps threatened to deafen me. "Jasper, get us out of this storm!" Edward yelled. I sat up gingerly on what looked and felt like an ambulance gurney and realized with a start that my entire family (Bella and Jacob included) were in a small plan, thousands of feet in the air, flying through a violent storm. They all crammed near the cockpit where Jasper held onto the wheel, his hands blurring as he reached out to flip switches and turn nobs.

"What's going on?" I asked groggily, rubbing sleep from my eyes, but no one heard me over another clap of thunder. The plane tipped suddenly and I was flung from the bed. I cried out when my knee smacked against a chair and watched another black bruise form immediately.

"Hold on!" Emmett yelled, catching Bella before she slammed into the wall and handed her to Edward to tuck under his arm protectively. Esme lost her footing and crashed into Alice making a thunder sound of their own and hit the side of the plane, tiling it to the other side.

"If you could refrained from slamming into the walls, that would be helpful." Jazz said through clenched teeth as he held the wheel. "I'm going to take us higher and see if we can't clear the storm!" The nose of the plane tipped up and I started rolling backwards, but there was an odd high-pitched whining and the plane started to shake so hard I thought it would fly apart.

"Do something!" Edward yelled, holding Bella close to his side, her face as pale as a sheet. "If we lose the plane, we lose Ivy!"

"I'm doing the best I can!" Jazz snapped, his voice rough with worry. "I can't control the weather, Edward." He pulled up on the wheel again, but the plane was very vocal about how bad that idea was.

"Ivy! Oh my God!" Jacob looked over his shoulder and saw me sprawled out on the floor like a mental patient. He scooped me up and put me in a chair, strapping me down. Now I really felt like a mental patient. "Are you alright?" He checked me over for injuries, immediately finding my newest bruise.

"How long have we been in the air?" I yelled the question.

"About five hours." He said, throwing out a hand to rest against the wall when the plane lurched and he nearly fell into me. "We're over the ocean right now, if we go down, it won't be good." His face was taunt, drawn and stressed. My heart beat faster at the look in his eyes. Edward was right. If we went down, it would be too late for me. Everyone might survive the crash, but I wouldn't be around long enough to be rescued. I looked out the window as the clouds swirled and rain pelted down like arrows trying to push us from the sky. Now would be a really good time to get a quick few seconds of elemental powers.

For once, the fates agreed with me, those stupid jerks. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt the connection snap into my bones like a rubber band. "Okay, Ivy." I whispered to myself, "Time to save the day again." I didn't waste time reveling in the thrill of power, I got down to work. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused with all my mental energy. We needed to get out of this mess or I would die and my family would be in deep shit in the middle of the ocean. I pushed the pounding water away from the plane, expanding the empty space took a lot of effort, especially since we were moving so freaking fast. I was panting and sweating as I swatted away the water with only my thoughts. I gasped aloud when I felt a clear tunnel opened up in front of the plane. "What the hell?" Jasper exclaimed from the cockpit. Emmett, who had taken the co-pilot seat uttered a much less polite curse as the plane stopped shuddering with the effort of the storm.

"Don't question it!" I screamed between clenched teeth, begging the universe to let me keep my powers until we were clear of danger. And, if they were being generous, let me keep them forever. That would be great, actually. Let's do that instead.

"Are you doing this, Ivy?" Carlisle asked.

I could only manage a curt nod, every molecule of my body was ready to succumb to the magic curse. I held on as best as I could, but my grip was faltering. "FATSER!" I bellowed, I could feel the black smoke rear its ugly head, preparing to strike. The plane shot forward and my head hit the cushioned seat rest hard enough for it to hurt.

"Okay!" Jasper yelled with relief after several intense minutes of flying, "We're clear. You did it, Ivy. You got us through." Everyone cheered in relief and congratulated Jasper's flying and my last minute rescue. I let loose a mighty sigh and opened my eyes to peer out the window. A sea of orange clouds billowed out around us in all directions. The colors grew lighter and lighter until the edges of the clouds were tinged in yellow. The sun glared proudly across its domain, either setting or rising, I wasn't sure. The sight was breathtaking, I could scarcely blink or risk missing a second of the beauty.

"Ivy!" Carlisle said in a tone that broke through my thoughts. "Are you alright?" He unbuckled my seat and laid me carefully onto the floor. Knowing what would come next.

"I'm fi…AH!" My tired comment turned into a scream of agony. The black smoke struck and I was ripped apart again and again and again. Despite the unspeakable pain akin to bones being melted and skin systematically stripped away, I tried to stay awake. My screams ricocheted across the small space and I was crowed with people trying to hold me in place so I couldn't hurt myself further. "Don't fall asleep!" Carlisle's voice sounded like it was coming from across a long room. "Stay with us, Ivy…" I tried to obey, but it was too hard.

The pain followed me into oblivion.

I fought against the unknown darkness that crushed and pressed me into a new shape. I didn't want to go, I wasn't ready. It wasn't my time yet! I knew it, and yet I was slipping away; down, down, down the dark tunnel. I clawed against the hands that pulled at my ankles, trying to drag me into the depths of hell. I had already been there once, I wasn't going back without a fight. "Wake up, baby. Please wake up." I heard the broken voice of my boyfriend call to me. I tried to find him, his voice was like a rope thrown into the sea, but I couldn't grab onto it. More voices spoke around me, raised or worried, some even had tears in them, but I focused only on Jacob's voice as he begged me to hold on.

Something stabbed into my chest, right in the center like a nail trying to pin me to a cork board. It was hot and insistent, spreading heat from my chest all the way to the tips of my fingers, my heart started beating so quickly I thought it would burst from my ribs in a bloody mess. I half-screamed, half-gasped and came fully awake, the darkness falling away at once. I jumped to my feet and pressed a hand to my beating chest. My family back away carefully while I tried to orient myself. We were still in the plane, the moon was out, and if I was correct, we were on the ground. "Wh- what happened?" I groaned, pressing hand to the middle of my burning chest. "God, that hurts."

"I'm sorry for the pain. We had to give you a shot of adrenaline to bring you around." Carlisle said, laying a wicked long and sharp needle aside. I re-buttoned the top buttons of my shirt after he placed a bandaid over the bleeding hole, feeling strong enough to stand for the first time in days. I grabbed Jacob's hand, he looked like he hadn't slept in days, but hovered at my side, full of strength.

"It's time to go through customs. You have to stay on your feet until we get into a car to avoid suspicion. Can you manage?" Edward asked, pulling a bag from the overhead compartment down slung the strap over his shoulder.

"I think so." I said, "Do I have a passport?"

"Everything is in here," Esme passed me a light bag. It nearly tore off my arm when it settled on my shoulder. I wasn't as strong as I looked. I swayed and Jacob caught me.

"We need to move." There was no more discussion. We walked across the tarmac. It was dark, but hot enough to beat down rays of heat on my head. I begged my body to keep from sweating, feeling like I needed a rest already. But I kept my head high and walked as steadily as I could. If I acted weird we could be stopped by customs and that was time I couldn't afford to lose. We stood in an endless line of people waiting to gain access into the country. A grumpy woman, flanked by three guards who would be menacing if my family weren't a mismatched crew of vamps and a werewolf, was the passport checker, or whatever you wanted to call it. She scanned each passport and asked the security questions, eying everyone in the single-file line with shrewd eyes. They were cold as ice and I wasn't sure my southern charm could crack that glassy exterior. Jacob and the Cullens turned heads. They were all so tall and beautiful beyond belief, even in their disheveled clothes. Eyes stuck to them like glue but glossed over Bella and I like we were invisible. Which was just fine with me. Languages chattered around me. Some were hard and guttural, some quiet, some loud, and some flowed beautifully from lips like water over a creek, but all were foreign and incomprehensible. Edward, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle looked around at random couples making me think they understood several of the languages spoken. A little television set flickered on and off in the corner on a news station. A newswoman stood in wind and rain that nearly knocked her over and spoke quickly, almost fearfully, into the mic. "What's she saying?" I asked Jasper.

He cocked his head to the side, singling her voice out among the cacophony. "A tsunami is headed to a South African costal city. The alarms have been sounded, but it's too late for many of the citizens to escape." My stomach rolled. Drowning was terrible, but a tsunami sounded terrifying. If my powers were restored I promised myself to go to the damage site and help in whatever way I could. I pushed the thoughts of those poor people away and tried to focus on hiding my shaking arm as it tried to hold up the luggage.

"Hold on," Jake whispered, "It's almost our turn." The line grew shorter. Esme, Carlisle, Edward, Bella, Alice, Rose, and Emmett got past the gatekeeper without any problems. She didn't so much as blink at their beauty, but when Jasper sauntered up to her booth, he actually got her to laugh. He was a charmer when he wanted to be. The empathic powers helped. "Alright." Jacob said pushing me forward gently. "Stay strong and I'll be right behind you. Remember, we're here for a family vacation while your father goes to a medical convention in Cairo."

I nodded, walking as carefully as I could on wobbly legs. Mean lady stared at my passport for a long time making me very nervous. If she called guards to drag me away, it would be a blood bath when my family defended me. Finally, she gave me me a curt nod and let me through the gate. Once out of the doors to the baggage claim area, I collapsed into Jasper's arms, overcome with exhaustion. "That's all I have to give." I said, trying to keep on my feet. Jacob passed inspection and soon we were all ushered in two rental cars of high class variety because the Cullen's were allergic to affordable cars. The world tilted and spun as the sky began to get lighter and lighter. If we didn't reach Benjamin's home soon, the Cullens would have to go into hiding to avoid the sunlight and Jake and I would be on our own. I couldn't hold my head up anymore. I was thirsty, hungry, tired; overall feeling like I got hit by a train. "How much further?" I asked, laying my head on Jake's shoulder.

"Just a bit longer, Ivy." Emmett said from behind the wheel in a surprisingly soothing tone. "Hold on, it'll be better soon."

I nodded and focused on every breath, in and out, in and out. The cars sped along until finally we came to a screeching halt outside of a sprawling mansion that pedestrians were avoiding like the plague. This must be the place. We got out of the car, Jacob carrying me like a sack of potatoes. "We should have come in a smaller group." Jasper said, his eyes scanning the road. "He'll consider this many vampires showing up at his door as a threat."

"Benjamin?" I asked.

"No," Carlisle shook his head, knocking on the door three times, "His maker, Amun. He's suffered from paranoia for decades since his coven was cut down to size by the Voltori many years ago."

We waited, the sun slowly rising in the sky and for a moment, I was hopeless. No one was here. It was over. Then the door opened and a red eyed vampire with long, black curls opened the heavy, ornate door. "An act of open aggression against my mate will cost your lives, Carlisle, how dare you show bring your coven here without requesting permission to inhabit our territory!" She had a cruel look in her eyes as she looked over us, lingering on Jacob, Bella, and I in confusion.

"Forgive us, Kebi." Carlisle said formally, "We need to see Amun, it is a matter of life or death."

She scanned the crowed on her doorstep again, her eyes meeting mine disdainfully, "Why should we care about a dying human? She reeks of magic, take her to a witch and be gone with you all." The bitch tried and tried to slam the door in our faces, but Jasper reached out with his hand and stopped it from closing. He focused on her face until her eyes glazed over.

"Will you please reconsider?" He asked, his voice sweet as pie.

She blinked, looking disoriented. "Of course. I don't see why not. Follow me to Amun."

"Thank you." Jasper said, his voice held barely controlled rage, but still sounded as polite as ever. That jedi mind stuff was amazing, but if he ever used it on me, I'd be pissed as hell.

We followed her inside the gorgeous home. There was so much to see, but I could hardly move my head fast enough. I felt like I just walked into the palace in Aladdin. We followed her down a set of wide steps and found an office, a large dark haired vampire with red, hawklike eyes sitting at a heavy desk. He stood in surprise when we entered. "Kebi, what is this? I told you to send them away." He backed against the bookshelf as if the tomes could protect him, which seemed weird to me. Kebi shook her head, just as confused as Amun.

"We aren't here to fight." I croaked, done with the vampire drama. I need help now. "I need to see Benjamin."

Amun looked angry before, but a look of sheer terror washed across his face, confusing me. "You won't take him from me!" He bellowed a war cry loud enough to shatter glass if there had been glass anywhere around. The Cullens pushed Bella, Me, and Jacob behind them as Kebi and Amun attacked with a vengeance, death in their eyes. I was confused, but too muddled to think clearly. Why was everyone wasting so much time?

"Don't kill him, Emmett!" Carlisle cried before Emmett landed a death blow. "They don't understand."

Soon Kebi and Amun were trapped and subdued in the Cullen's clutches. A yelling match begun. Emmett was demanding to know where Benjamin was, Edward was freaking out because our captives were thinking in a language he didn't know and couldn't pluck the information from Amun's head, Alice was rubbing her temples as a vision came along, Bella was holding onto my hand as Jacob held me by his side. They were all wasting so much damn time! "Take me to the bookshelf." I commanded Jacob, thinking it was odd how Amun flocked there when we arrived as if he was protecting something. I scanned the shelves. All the books were new, save one. It was in a language I didn't know, but it had a lot of wear and tear on just the top edge of the spine. Feeling like a spy in a black and white movie, I grabbed the book and it tipped down.

"No!" Amun hollered. I ignored him and watched as the bookshelf opened, revealing a secret door. Thank God for intuition.

"Have to do everything myself," I muttered and the room was quiet enough for everyone to hear me. "Benjamin!" I called down the stairs behind the secret entrance, "I need to talk to you!"

"Kill them all, Benjamin!" Amun screamed, fighting against Emmett's strength to no avail. The doorway was suddenly full. The boy could have been centuries old, but he looked about seventeen in my fuzzy vision. He had gross red eyes, but a pleasant face. He barely looked around the room and didn't seem to care about his imprisoned creator. He only had eyes for me. "What are you waiting for?" Amun growled, "Attack!"

Jacob pulled me back slightly when Benjamin reached out to me, his eyes questioning. "It's alright." I told Jake. He kept a firm hand on my waist, but let Benjamin approach.

His cold hand touched my cheek, a ruffled between his eyes, "You're one of mine. I knew you were real." He breathed in a wondrous tone. "What is your name?"

"Ivy Mae Adair," I said, just as wonderstruck. He was real, the king of elements.

"I have been waiting for you for what feels like decades." He said with a gentle smile, "I wasn't sure if people like you even existed."

"You're telling me" I murmured.

Benjamin's red eyes flickered up to Amun's, "I told you they were calling out to me."

"You're mistaken!" Amun said in a panic when he realized Benjamin wasn't going to attack us. "She's just a dying human. Her blood calls to you."

Benjamin bristled, "You knew I wasn't delusional! You knew they beckoned to me and you kept me hidden away this whole time to fight your battles for you!" He was furious, so furious he might have attacked Amun right then and there if a sharp pain hadn't poked me in the back like the blade of a knife. I screamed and fell to the floor, Jake's arms helping the journey be less painful, but the knife kept stabbing me in the back.

"Ivy, what's wrong?" He asked worriedly.

Carlisle, Benjamin, and Esme knelt at my side, "Her kidney's are shutting down!" Carlisle said in horror. I tried to clamp my teeth together, but the screams just kept coming. God, was it ever going to end?!

"Please," Esme begged, "You have to heal our daughter."

"I can heal people?" Benjamin asked in surprise.

Dear God. Now wasn't the time for amateur hour! "Can you make water glow?" I groaned between grit teeth. He nodded. "Good. That's-that's good. Ugh!" I moaned, rolling onto my side, "That's how you heal people."

His confusion lightened and he rose to his feet. "Hold them," He said to Edward, Jazz, Emmett, and Rose, "Follow me," He said to the rest of us. Alice, my parents, and Jacob followed him down the steps, Bella staying behind with Edward. We quickly explained the curse that was on me as we descended. At the base of the stairs was a large bedroom. There was a roaring fire in the corner, a pot of lovely flowers, a television on in the corner with news on telling about the tsunami, a rumpled bed in the corner, and a large pool took up the center of the room.

Jacob passed me to Benjamin's waiting arms, "Fix her or I will tear you apart with my bare hands." He said menacingly.

I was afraid Benjamin would get offended, but he merely smiled, "Big words coming from a dog."

"A big dog," I said between moans as Benjamin stepped into the pool. The water covered me. It was now or never.

"Close your eyes." Benjamin said in a soothing voice. "And hold your breath." He said. I did as he asked and my whole body was submerged. I had connected to the water thousands of times, feeding it with energy and crisp healing power, but when Benjamin made the water glow it was completely different. First of all, the water was purple, not blue. Second the water crackled like it was infused with lightening. It buzzed along my skin until my entire body broke out with goosebumps. If I was the one doing the healing, I would make my patient swallow water, but Benjamin didn't use such primitive methods. He somehow got the water to fill me through my pores. I felt the nudges here and there, each ache fading, each bruise evaporating as his incredible power moved through me. My organs started up, muscles grew strong, and my body was filled with the water it had been begging for for days. Seconds passed and I was whole. Then came restoring my abilities. I felt the water dart through me, playing hide-and-seek as it searched for my disconnected powers.

There!

In the middle of my chest was a bundle of tangled energy so taunt and wound up I was surprised I hadn't felt it before. He didn't waste time trying to untangle the ball. He just shattered it. I convulsed once as my power sank comfortably into my muscles. I inhaled a sweet breath of water and smiled, opening my eyes. Benjamin was smiling too. I swam from his arms and spun, darting to the top of the deep pool and shooting out glowing water in a wide spiral as I floated back down into the pool. Alice, Jacob, Esme, and Carlisle cheered with joy. Alice darted up the stairs to give everyone the good news, I was back!

Benjamin grabbed my hand and pulled me from the pool. I had never felt more alive. I flung myself into a group hug, crying and laughing as I jumped up and down. "I'm going to live!" Everyone was talking at once, clearly relived and enraptured with Benjamin's impressive display of power. "Thank you so much." I said, hugging him carefully. I was just about to invite him to celebrate with us when Alice darted back down the stairs, her expression horrified.

"Ivy, wait it's not over!"

I couldn't even ask her what she was talking about, because I already knew. The black smoke hadn't been beaten into submission. It had only multiplied. It attacked with a fury, filling me, obliterating me until I was choking on black smoke. I collapsed and everyone was screaming. "Ivy! Damn it! No!" Jacob bellowed, dragging my hands away from my throat.

"I don't understand!" Benjamin said in confusion. "I healed her."

"The black smoke is choking me." I coughed. The light faded from the room until it was so dim I could barely make out Jake's terrified expression. I was slipping away. This was the end. Damn it! Why was this happening to me. "I love you." I choked. "I love you all."

"No! Don't do this to me, Ivy!" Jacob swore, "You can't leave me here!"

I wanted to stay, but it wasn't like I had a choice in the matter. "Wait," Benjamin said, "Did she say smoke?" I didn't hear the reply, but suddenly Benjamin's cold hands were pressed against me. One hand over my heart, the other on my head. "Back up, everyone. Now!" He yelled. Suddenly the room was blowing apart with wind. The pool water sloshed, the tv tipped on it's side as the bed knocked over the nightstand when it flew across the room. It's odd the things you notice as you die. The things that stuck out most to me were the video of the tsunami approaching the African coast at breakneck speed and the single droplet of water on Benjamin's cheek that would have passed as a tear if I didn't know any better. The wind kicked up dust until a full blown tornado was swirling around me. "Come on!" Benjamin yelled, focusing the wind on me like a vacuum. I thrashed as the little air I had left was sucked from my lungs.

"You're hurting her!" Jacob yelled above the gale. He tried to take out Benjamin, but the combined efforts of Alice, Carlisle, and Esme kept him in check.

The vacuum was working! Like leeches being pulled from my skin, the black smoke was pulled from every cell in my body; sucked up my throat until a cloud of black was swirling above me. My back arched off the ground as the last of the smoke was siphoned away. The wind stopped. The black smoke hovered, clearly trying to get back into me. I cringed back and Benjamin tossed the mass of curling black into the fire where it roared over the edge of the mantle before dying down to mere embers. It was gone. It was out of me.

Benjamin laid his hand back on my heart and shattered the tangle of energy once and for all, setting it free and putting some of his personal energy into me like an injection. I gasped wildly and felt a surge of energy pierce me like another shot of adrenaline. I looked around and realized with a start I was on my feet. How did I get up so fast? Then I inhaled sharply when I felt my connection to water.

Not water in the pool or the water dripping from my hair. I meant all water.

The earth pulsed and crackled around me like fireworks. I could feel the clouds in the sky, the depths of the sea, the water that sizzled next to the lava core at the center of the earth, even the smallest puddle that gathered in the cracks of sidewalks. It was incredible.

Jacob approached me slowly and I saw myself reflected in his eyes and my pair of baby-blues were glowing like a glow stick. "Ivy," He said tentatively, "Is everything okay? Are you back to normal?" He asked.

"No," I said, focusing my vast grasp of water on a single location. My lip curled into a sly smile when I found my target. "I'm better." Their voices questioned me, asking how I felt or why my eyes were glowing, but I was focusing somewhere very far away.

No one was paying attention to the news woman as she started screaming. Not in fear. It was more of a fan-girl kind of scream. She was poised on the side of a large hill, watching the tsunami approach, ready to take out an entire city full of panicked people. But the behemoth wave stopped short, inches from destroying the first house. She was freaking out, cussing and yelling at the camera guy to make sure he was catching it on tape as the wave backed up and started to retreat with its tail between its legs into the ocean where it belonged.

I cracked my knuckles and laughed.

Yeah, I was way more than better.

I was a goddess.

. . . . . . . . .

I spent the next seven hours in a trancelike state, using my powers all across the globe to help people in need.

I stopped a flash-flood from washing away a gaggle of girls when they decided to take a walk in the downpour. I stopped rain from falling on a wild pony as she gave birth in the wilderness. I saved a surfer from getting eaten by sharks off the coast of California. I made rain pour down on a bone dry town in desperate need of water and made water stop on a town that was practically drowning from the abundance. I felt the beginnings of a massive hurricane building in the middle of the sea and dissected it until it was just a gentle rainfall. I felt a girl alone in a lake dive too far down and snap her spine, her lungs were filling with water as she drowned, unable to move to save herself. I fused her spine back together and floated her to the surface and heaved her up on the shore with a wave as she coughed up lake water, crying with relief. I cried sometimes, too, as I felt the vastness of the world and saw how many people needed help that I knew I couldn't save. But I was proud at the massive difference I made.

The extreme connection slowly began to fade and as wonderful as it felt to be so in tune with the world, I was relived. The god-like powers were too much for one person. Right now it was safe in my care, but who knew what I would become, drunk on such power? It was too much for one person. There was too much responsibility. When I floated back into my strong, whole, healthy body, I was truly back to normal. I already knew I was still in Benjamin's basement room and everyone was gathered around me, waiting for me to come back to myself. I opened my eyes and smiled at everyone. "That's better."

"Ivy!" They cheered. I was passed around from one pair of cold arms to the next, feeling a bit of a break from the shivering when Bella hugged me, but I defrosted completely when Jacob kissed me good and hard in front of everyone. He ignored the catcalls and whistles that broke out around the room and lifted me off my feet and deepened the kiss. I pulled away and saw relived tears were gathered in his eyes. I kissed one away when it spilled down his cheek. "I love you, Jacob."

"I love you too," He said, his voice thick with emotion, "Never scare me like that again."

"Cross my heart." I said, kissing him soundly again.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The celebration was unlike any I had attended before. We made the house shake as we plugged in some massive speakers Amun had hoarded (He and his bitchy mate had fled the scene after I was healed and after Benjamin told Amun in no uncertain terms that he wouldn't be his puppet anymore. Good for him.) We all danced and sang karaoke and played in the pool, and decompressed from the incredibly stressful events that had taken place since my birthday.

I looked around at all the smiling faces feeling amazingly happy. Rosalie was kissing Emmett off to the side. Carlisle and Esme were curled by the edge of the pool looking proudly at their children. Bella was showing Edward how long she could hold her breath underwater. Alice was on Jasper's shoulders, trying to goad someone into playing chicken with her and Jacob took her up on her offer, getting Emmett to join his team. And all alone, off to the side, was Benjamin. I climbed out of the edge of the pool and sat cross legged next to him as he stared into the fire he stoked back up with his powers. "Are you alright?" I asked.

"My age and face are set in stone, but life is always full of change." He gave me a sad smile. "Amun has kept me under his thumb for so long, now that he's gone, I don't know what to do. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"I do." I said. He looked over hopefully, "You're meant to rebuild our people."

He tilted his head to the side, "You talk like I'm some sort of leader."

I chuckled, "You sort of are." I patted his shoulder, "We don't have a title for you, but I think you're our king." Benjamin chuckled with amusement and I quickly added, "Don't get it into your head that I'm going to start calling you 'your majesty' though. As soon as I can, I'm convincing you to let me call you Ben."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I like Ben."

"Good." I grinned, "You and I are going to get along just fine, Ben. We need to do something about those red eyes and we might even become besties."

He ducked his head, "Will you travel with me?" He asked tentatively, "Will you help me rebuild our class?"

I blinked, "Me?"

"If I am a king, I will need advisors. Who better to advise me than the most powerful water elemental in the world?"

"Am I really?" I asked, blushing with the complement I totally deserved. "How can you know for sure?"

"I just know." He shrugged, his expression excited, "So, will you help me rebuild our people? I promise to do something about the eyes." I bit my lip and looked around the room at my family. There was no way everyone, save Bella, heard our entire conversation, but they respected my privacy and didn't butt in. Jacob met my eyes from across the pool and nodded once, making promises with his eyes that he didn't need to voice with his lips. I'll follow you anywhere. They said.

"I'd be honored to go with you." I said. "but there's something we have to do first."

He smiled. "What? I'll do anything, no matter how dangerous."

I laughed, "We have to spend Christmas in Forks with my family."

Benjamin smiled. "I think I can do that."

"Then it's a deal." I held out my ice wrapped hand and shook his hand firmly.

Ben looked down in surprise. "You have to teach me how to do that."

I laughed and looked around at my family again. A new, wonderful chapter in our lives had begun and i couldn't wait to see what the future held for me.

Alice met my eyes from across the room and gave me wicked smile and I knew that my future would be full of what I did best...

Kicking a little ass and raising a little hell.

. . . . . . . . .

(Epilogue)

Five years passed by quickly after my powers were officially restored. I traveled the far reaches of the globe with Ben as we seached out latent elementals-Jacob never far from my side. I watched in amazement as Ben's powers grew and compassion heightened. He never drank human blood again after he met me and since he was such a powerful healer, the pain of resisting human blood was minimal for him.

Edward and Bella followed the path Alice saw for them, but this time when they married and Bella became pregnant, everyone was happy and not terrified. Plus the Voltori didn't try to kill us which was nice. Nessie was born without a hitch and Bella transitioned into vampirehood beautifully and my status as Jacob's imprintee never changed. (Not that I was worried… much.) Nessie stole everyone's hearts and we were happy to know she would be safe from the Voltori.

I visited my niece often and spent lots of time with my werewolf family. I healed Billy Black as soon as I returned to Forks and he was never sitting for long. He had a new lease on life and was living it to the fullest. I got major brownie points from Jake's sisters, Rachel and Rebecca, when I helped their father and we got along wonderfully when they came to town for visits. The pack grew until Sam was alpha to over ten weres who protected the La Push boarders. He and Emily married and had a set of twins. Me and Emily were hoping for two girls and Sam and Jake were hoping they'd be boys, but the munchkins pleased everyone by being one of each. The boy was called Samuel Jr. and they named the baby girl Mae after me. I was touched at having my own namesake and she was spoiled rotten.

Rosalie and Emmett doted on the twins and Nessie like they were their own. I was pleased to see Emmett loved children as much as his wife. Alice and Jasper traveled with the steadily growing band of elementals from time to time. Helping us meet and transition the new recruits with their powers. I became the water elemental teacher and I was as strict as I was awesome. I made sure all my students were strong enough to fight a vampire and gentle enough to heal a paper cut.

Carlisle and Esme watched us all with the pride. They eventually had to leave Forks behind to protect their secret but I knew they'd be back someday. They moved to Isle Esme (I now wanted my own private island) for several months before settling down with the Denali cousins in Alaska for the next century or two and were soon joined by Edward, Bella, and Nessie.

I dragged Jacob across the country to meet Lydia and the old cougar couldn't keep her eyes off my mate! I didn't let him drink the tea she offered in case she decided to cast a little spell of her own, the old bat.

The elemental class grew. Ben unlocked a legion of earth, water, and air, as well as united the elementals who already had their powers. He spent the rest of his time looking for the most rare of all: fire. They were elusive and he had only managed to track down five. He went back to his hometown and turned a girl named Tia who he knew as a child. She turned out to be one of those rare fire elementals and was even more powerful as a vampire elemental. She took my place at Ben's right side. I would have traveled with him longer, but it was time for me to put down some roots.

We were on the cliffs in Ireland, staring across the endless sea as the wind whipped my hair about when Jacob asked me. He sank down on one knee and pulled a beaten up ring box from his pocket. "This is the ring my father gave my mother when he proposed to her. I have always known that I would give it to the woman I grew to love in hopes that it would be a charm to never let our love fade, but that will never be a problem for us. I will love you as long as my heart is beating because it beats for you." He smiled up at me, his tone going wondrous and of course I was crying silently at his beautiful speech, "I couldn't have dreamed you up, Ivy. You are an exquisite creature and from the moment I saw you I knew you were like no one I would ever meet in this lifetime. Will you please do me the incredible honor of becoming my wife?"

I wiped and my heart swelled beneath my ribs, "Are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life with someone as crazy as me?"

"I've never been more sure of anything." He said firmly.

I beamed like a star and wiped a few more tears away, "Yes, Jacob Black, I would love to be your wife."

He laughed aloud, like he was afraid I might actually say no, and kissed me, sweeping me up in his arms...

And my feet haven't touched the ground until now. April seventh might be an ordinary day to anyone else, but for me today would be unforgettable because it was the day I would become Ivy Mae Black. I was in the dress of my dreams waiting at the back of a gorgeous church in the Italian countryside, ready to begin yet another chapter in my insanely happy life.

"Ready, dear?" Esme asked just before Emmett ushered her to the seat at the front reserved for mother of the bride. I nodded and let her kiss my cheek before she was whisked away. I shifted from foot to foot, ready for my turn to walk down the aisle and see my man in his black tux waiting for me at the front. Not long now and I would be a married woman of twenty-two.

The church door opened behind me and my spine bristled. Someone unfamiliar and powerful walked in. I was certain it was an uninvited guest. I turned, hoping I wouldn't have to fight and ruin my new dress, and glanced over my shoulder and froze. It was her. The soothsayer that sent me to the Cullens all those years ago. "What are you doing here?" I breathed, half-thinking she was figment of my imagination brought on my wedding jitters.

"Hello again." The wizened old woman said, pushed her wiry white hair from her beady brown eyes. Her sixties era hippie outfit smelled of mothballs and she looked as crazy as ever. I took an instinctive step back, not wanting her to touch me and send me on another wild goose chase. "I have come to give you an option to find something that was lost." She said extending her hand. "Take my hand and leave with me now-"

"Excuse me!" I interrupted. This woman must be out of her damn mind! "I'm about to get married if you didn't notice the dress. What are you even doing in Italy anyway?"

"Let me finish," She said tiredly like I was annoying her. "Leave with me now and I will take you to your father."

I stared at her. Unable to blink. Unable to move. Find my father? The man who left me behind to get eaten alive by the world? That guy? I unfroze only to laugh. "You must be kidding." I said.

She shook her head, an odd smile spread across her lips, and extended her hand again. "I'm not. Leave and I will take you to a place where your paths will cross. Stay and you might never get the chance to see your father again." I stared at her hand, not tempted in the least, but I did feel something. Actually, I felt nothing. I disliked my biological father with the fire of a thousand suns, but I hadn't thought of him in years. He abandoned me, but I found my way and built a good life for myself. A life that might not have happened if he hadn't been so weak. All the pain was worth it to experience this perfect day.

A side door opened and Carlisle stepped out, looking dashing in his tuxedo. "I'm sorry," I said to the soothsayer, stepping away and adjusting my veil, "You must be mistaken, my father is right here." I clasped Carlisle's arm and he looked at the woman with a smile. A confused smile, but a kind one.

"I see." The soothsayer said knowingly, "I was mistaken. Forgive me, my dear, and let me offer my congratulations. You are a beautiful bride."

I gave her my thanks and watched her leave, relived not to feel the sudden urge to run after her. I turned my back on her and turned my back on that dark past, looking to the future with joy and excitement. "Are you ready, Princess?" Carlisle asked, patting my hand.

I nodded, "Absolutely."

"I can't believe my little girl is all grown up and about to become some lucky man's wife." He said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Stop, dad." I waved a hands over my eyes quickly to stop the tears from falling, "You'll make me cry." He gave my arm a gentle squeeze and the double doors opened. I saw Edward, Emmett, Jasper, Billy, and Sam standing up as Jake's groomsmen. And on the other side of the minster was Alice, Bella, Rosalie, Emily, and my elemental friend Sadie standing as my lovely bridesmaids. My eyes locked onto Jacob's face and I couldn't begin to describe the look in his eyes. He was part happiness, part desire, and part love. The music started and I walked forward, nudged by Carlisle's steady grip.

The congregation was filled with my family and friends. Lydia sat next to mom, crying her eyes out while Esme beamed like a Queen with little Renesmee, my flower girl, at her side. Ben was across from them with Tia, smiling as usual. Elementals of all skill, age, and nationality sprinkled the room. My happiest moments in life drifted through my head, but nothing could top what was happening right now. So many stages had happened with our relationship; we were friends, then boyfriend and girlfriend, fiancées, and finally we were going to be husband and wife.

I drank Jacob in from head to toe. That dark hair, that chiseled jaw, those tantalizing muscles, but more importantly that smile that was reserved just for me. I was swimming in his eyes, not listening as Carlisle gave me away, not feeling as my veil was folded back. Only when Jacob's fire-warm hand touched mine to slide a gold ring over my finger did I take a breath.

The soothsayer asked me to grab a hand to pick which path in life I would take. Well I had grabbed onto a hand, and I didn't plan on letting go for as long as I lived.

The End.

Wow, I actually teared up writing the end. Saying goodbye to characters is hard, even for a fanficiton writer.

I hope you all enjoyed the journey as much as I did.

I'd like to thank all my followers, viewers, favorites, and reviewers. (Especially my regulars: WildAnimal1, Shilara, Polly2010, IWillNotBeAfraid, and Marlastiano) Your input has meant the world to me!

I know it was crazy/mean to throw in Ivy's bio dad in the end like that. I've actually been toying with the idea of a one-shot sometime in the future that explores that theme a bit more. But for now, I want Jake and Ivy to have their happily ever after.

Thank you so much for reading. You are all wonderful people!

Stay Gold!

-TypeandScribble