Hey, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for reading my fanfic. One chapter to go and this will all be over. But before that, I would like to congratulate FRK921 for giving the 100th review! As a prize, FRK921 gets to tell me which scene of any Twilight series book he/she would like to see me rewrite! Yay! Just tell me in the review section.
BTW, please tell me if you would like a sequel. Otherwise I'll just rewrite my favorite scenes from the Twilight series. As in, mix New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn in one fanfic.
Chapter 19: Finale
I was tricked.
Esme and Rosalie were protecting Uncle Charlie, so James couldn't have gotten to him. And even if he did, I doubt he could smuggle him in a bag, hiding him from airport security.
I was foolish. I was going to die for nothing. I chuckled darkly to myself. "Bella, you've really outdone yourself this time with your utter stupidity."
Suddenly I was in a room of mirrors. James… Speak of the devil, and he shall arrive.
"You…" I hissed through my teeth.
"You know, this was too easy," he smirked. He held a video camera in hand, "And to commemorate my easy victory, I will record all our moments together. Edward will just love it."
He twisted his fingers in my hair and bent down to smell it. I raised my hand and motioned it to slap him. He held it.
"Be careful. You don't want to hurt yourself," he smiled evilly; "I'll do that for you."
He twisted it. I heard a crack. He might as well have shattered the bone, because it felt exactly like that. I wasn't prepared, I screamed. I fell to my knees while he still held my arm. I was sure he enjoyed it.
"This is just lovely," he commented. I spat right into his face.
Wrong move. His grip on my arm tightened, causing another cracking sound. But no, he wasn't done yet. He threw me to one of the mirrors, shattering it. I could feel the blood trickling down the side of my face. It made my head whirl.
"I just hope that this will be enough to make Edward come and look for me. And take his revenge," he deliberated theatrically, sarcastically. He smiled, "Perhaps this will do it."
He stood above me. His foot was on my leg. Just like my arm, he twisted it lightly –but enough to cause me to scream again. Luckily, it wasn't the foot that had the compound fracture, but still…
I closed my eyes, "Please don't…"
"Begging for mercy? Ah, brilliant idea."
That wasn't what I meant.
"Edward, don't… Don't…" I cried, my eyes still closed, "Please don't…"
Suddenly, the pressure on my foot disappeared. I heard two boulders crash against each other. My body fell limply to the floor. I couldn't take it anymore. But I wished I could open my eyes to see what was happening.
"Ah, Edward."
Edward?
"Bella!"
I heard shattering glass.
"You're faster than the others" –shattering glass –"But not stronger."
"I'm strong enough to kill you!" Edward snarled fiercely.
It was as if there was a thunderstorm in the room. There was more breaking glass. I was suddenly off the ground –in Edward's cold arms, no doubt. I felt the sensation of flying, but that feeling was quickly cut off. I was back on the ground. My leg and arm throbbed. My head stung. I heard more crashing boulders.
One thing was off. I felt my hand being lifted. Something cool against it… And something inject into my skin. Then came more thunder.
I became unconscious.
* * *
"Bella? Bella, can you hear me?"
Edward…
Then there was fire. My hand was on fire.
"My hand…" I breathed, "It's… burning…"
"He bit her," I heard Carlisle say.
"What do we do?" I heard Alice's high-pitched voice raise about three octaves higher.
"You need to add pressure to her foot –it's twisted."
I felt something heavy on my foot.
"Edward, you have to get the venom out."
"How?"
"I'm working on her head right now. I have to stop the bleeding."
"Carlisle… I don't think I can…"
"You must!"
I was sure that it was going to be painful, but I couldn't imagine anything more painful than this burning sensation.
"Somebody hold me down…" I said. I felt my arms being pinned down. If this was going to be painful, I would be thrashing and kicking, and that wouldn't help.
Then came the sting. I bit my own tongue, so I wouldn't scream. I could taste the blood. And after a minute, the pain stopped.
"We'd better get out of here before Jasper and Emmett be burning us along with the building," I heard Alice say.
I knew I was off the ground, in Edward's arms. I could smell him.
"Edward…" I breathed, forcing my eyes open. I looked at his face… The angel that saved me from death…
"Everything's alright now, Bella," he crooned soothingly. It didn't help at all with my attempt to stay awake.
"Edward, I… I'm sorry… I…" he cut me off,
"Shh, Bella. Just sleep."
He hummed my lullaby softly. My eyelids felt heavier. And then I was unconscious again.
* * *
Beep. Beep.
Everything seemed like just a blur…
Beep. Beep.
I couldn't remember much…
Beep. Beep.
Maybe it was all just a dream…
Beep. Beep.
A horrible, horrible dream…
Beep. Beep.
In that case, where was I?
Beep. Beep.
And what was with that annoying beeping?
My eyes shot open. A white room… I was in a hospital, wasn't I? I mean, seeing as heaven doesn't usually have annoying beeping noises, and that it hurt with every breath I took, that seemed like the only logical explanation.
"Bella?" I heard a voice… A soft, velvety voice.
"Edward?" I turned to my side. There he stood.
So it wasn't a dream… This angel truly existed… Or I was hallucinating…
"How are you?" he smiled. It made it seem even more like just a hallucination.
"I don't know…" I looked to the ceiling, desperate to get a hold of reality. Perhaps I was talking to myself. "That really all depends…"
"On?"
"Whether or not you're real and I'm just dreaming."
The beautiful hallucination laughed, amused. "You never cease to surprise me."
I frowned. Equilibrium disappeared, I couldn't tell what was real or not, and all he could do was stand there and laugh. This was definitely illusory.
Suddenly, Edward's face was just a few inches from mine. The annoying beeping became faster, and I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. He caught my face in his hands.
"I know one way to prove you're awake," he smiled, his breath filling my nose. It desensitized me.
"Edward…" I began. He cut me off, crushing his lips to mine. The beeping stopped. I was absorbed. How long had I gone without his lips? Once again, I was out of air. He pulled away gently.
"Well?" he waited.
"I guess I'm awake…" I breathed, "I'm… sorry…"
"You should be," he agreed, frowning, "For nearly taking yourself away from me."
Then I remembered everything. I turned to my side and closed my eyes. I felt tears fall miserably down my face.
"Bella, what's wrong?" his tone became urgent, "Does something hurt?"
"No," I whimpered, "I just…" I continued to sob softly.
"Bella?" he asked.
"I deserved to die back there…" I replied after a long minute. It was true, after all. "How could I be so stupid?" I cried, talking to myself now.
"He tricked you, Bella. That hardly deserves the death penalty."
"He made me think he had Uncle Charlie… He used a recording from that night where I ran away… And I was the idiot who fell for it…"
"You were worried about your uncle –I doubt you could rationalize properly with even the slight possibility of him being in danger."
"Well I should have. Besides, Esme and Rosalie were protecting him. There couldn't have been a way for James to get to him. I didn't even consider that…" my voice broke.
I heard the door.
"What's wrong with her?" I heard an unfamiliar voice say. It must have been a nurse.
"I think she might be in some pain," Edward lied smoothly.
I heard some tinkering of the equipment. "That should do it, sweetie," the nurse said before leaving.
"What did she do?" I asked sleepily.
"Morphine," he answered.
"But I don't want to go to sleep yet," I protested weakly. It was already taking its effects, and I was helpless to resist.
"Just sleep, Bella," he crooned, "It's not your fault. You're safe now. I love you."
"I love you, too," I whispered. His lips pressed against my forehead with the softest pressure.
I became unconscious.