One – Everything Comes to an End

Bella's POV

5 months ago…

"It was inevitable, Isabella," I heard his soft voice say beside me. I scowled and swung to a higher branch, hoping he would not follow. It had been 3 years since I last seen him... Jacob. Our only visits occurring when he could successfully find me, when all I wanted was to just disappear. I should have expected I'd see him here. He knew I would come.

I knew this day would come. I didn't need him to remind me of the predictable. Death happens when you least expect it and sometimes precisely when you do. It is the means to an end and unfortunately these rules do not apply to me. Yet here I was, perched on a branch in a large willow tree, hidden by the heavy moss, watching the coffin of the only person who I recklessly gave my heart to being lowered into the ground. He was the one who had made me what I am today…immortal. Death was not an option for me, trust me, I've tried. I felt a twinge of envy run through my veins, jealous of how easy death was for everyone else. I longed for death. I fantasized about it.

It was a particularly sunny day today. I could feel the sun's warmth on my back as I sat on the branch. I leaned my side against the tree, resting my head alongside the trunk. It always seemed to me that the bad events in my life always had perfect weather in the background while the days I truly cherished the weather was always unpleasant. It was the sound of a loud thunder crashing that stirred me awake on that momentous day when I first laid eyes on him. It was my most favorite memory of them all.

I look through the heavy shrubs and far into the distance. My eyesight being powerful enough to see even the delicate weave of the pastor's suit if I chose and my hearing just as superior I could hear him speak as if I was standing right next to him, I kept my distance. Esme would be the only one who would know who I was among those attendees to this funeral. I didn't want my presence to upset her, especially today.

There were many people who came to say their last goodbyes to Carlisle Cullen, more than I had expected. I didn't know he had become so popular over the years. A small smile formed on my lips. Of course he was, I thought. Everyone loved him. I gazed upon Esme, now an older woman, with hair pulled into a bun and her sullen face as she stared into the distance with a blank face. She had aged beautifully, only lovely crinkles on the side of her eyes that showed how much she had loved and lived. Her dark hair was still shiny, with no sign of gray. She had the life I had wanted. A family that loved her, a history she could remember and the ability to give Carlisle more than I ever could. She was what made it easier for me to leave all those years ago. She was what he deserved, a life with someone normal.

Edward Cullen Senior, Carlisle's eldest and only son, caught my eye. He was standing next to his only son and namesake, Edward Jr. Jake would often bring pictures with him when he came to visit me. Against my wishes, he would always leave them for me, when I told him I didn't want to see them. He had Esme's dark hair and brown eyes. Those eyes were now cold and emotionless. I was a little taken aback, wondering what Edward Senior was thinking at his father's funeral. Through Jacob, I knew that Carlisle's relationship with his son had been strained. Whether it was because it was hard to live up to all of the Carlisle's life accomplishments or the fact that it seemed that Edward Senior was far more interested in sports than anything academic, I'll never know.

I climbed to a closer branch wanting to get a better view of the Edward Jr., Carlisle's grandson. It seemed he had no characteristics of his father but he was a spitting image of his grandfather. He looked so much like the young man I had fallen in love with those many years ago. Only this boy had darker hair...a wonderful shade of bronze, which fell lazily in his eyes, just like Carlisle's blonde hair use to. Their features were the same, the shape of his nose and how his eyes set on his face. Though this boy still had a round face, I could see the sharp jaw his grandfather once had make its way through. I watched him as he brushed his hair out of his eyes, shifted his weight to another foot and the way his fingers would lightly twitch when he didn't know what to do with his hands. All of his mannerisms were exactly the same as his grandfathers. They were exceptionally close, I remember Jacob mentioning.

And those eyes…those exceptionally stunning eyes were exactly the same. Those one and the same indecisive eyes I fell in love with long ago that could never stick with a color, changing frequently by the mood he was in. They could be as green as emeralds one minute and then next they would be hazel, a beautiful shade of gold. Today this young man's eyes were gold, blinking furiously the tears that were daring to fall. When I left Carlisle, his eyes were gold.

I felt the branch I was sitting on dip a bit. I stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge Jacob who had decided to sit next to me.

"He's seventeen now," Jake said knowing who I was watching. "He's absolutely brilliant, almost more so than is grandfather was. He's going to do great things for the company."

I snorted. "Does he have a choice?"

I heard him sigh as he placed a tentative hand on my shoulder. I flinched but remained still.

"Please Isabella, now that Carlisle is gone…" he trailed taking a deep breath. "…come back home…to me."

Anger spiked within me and before I could give another thought, the sound of a sharp slap rang in my ears as I watched Jacob hold his cheek with his hand. I put my hand down, holding it in my lap, looking down at the grass, refusing to look into those once familiar brown eyes, I used to find comforting. Why now of all times would he ask me to come home to him? It was as if he was just waiting for Carlisle to die. As if his death meant now he would get what he wanted.

He chucked slightly, rubbing his cheek. "It's been a while since I felt something with real power behind it."

"Carlisle was never the reason," I seethed, shaking my head. "Just because he is dead now, doesn't mean my decision has changed."

"The Company has done many good things."

"Yes, but they have also done some vile, horrible things."

I watched the funeral slowly come to an end as people slowly began to make their way to their cars. As the last car drove off, I sprung down below 20 feet, with a light thud as I landed on the balls of my feet. I began to walk away from this chapter of my life, but Jake had jumped down as well, landing perfectly in front of me.

"He lived a great life, Isabella," Jake said. I looked up at him, forgetting how he could tower over me. "Esme helped him get over you. They got married, had kids and even had a dog. Eventually, he was able to forgive you for leaving. It was how his life was suppose to go."

"Enough," I whispered. "I don't want to hear anymore."

He brushed my bangs to the side as he knelt down, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"Isabella…" he sighed. "You know, I'm the only one who you'll never outlive. When will you see, that I'm the right choice?"

I tried to step away, but his hands wrapped around my arms to hold me in place. Kneeling down to look into my eyes as if to plead his case he said, "When will you let me keep you forever?"

He was right, he was the logical choice. No one else would be able to be there for me, like he could. If the world decided to combust, it would only be him and I left floating around in space.

"Please, Jacob. Leave me be."

"You know I can't. They still want you back. Technically, you're still government property."

"You won't fight me. You know you can't win."

"I know."

The Company didn't make his as strong as me. They wouldn't dare make that mistake again.

"Then what is it what that you want from me?" I asked.

He fished in his pocket handing me an envelope.

"Carlisle wanted me to give this to you. He gave it to me, when he knew he didn't have much time."

I took the envelope from him quickly, rubbing my thumb across name. My Dearest Isabella scrawled on the front of it. I turned it over, surprised to see it was still sealed and Jake hadn't had his curiosity get the best of him. I quickly opened it, only to find what looked like formulas. Before Jake could see I quickly put the letter away in my back pocket.

"Well, what did it say?" he asked.

"He's forgiven me."

"Is that all?"

"Yes," I lied. "Thank you for keeping your word and giving me my letter."

"I always keep my word."

I nodded at him and made my way back through the trees.

"What do you plan on doing now?" I heard Jacob calling after me.

"To find some peace." And I would only find it with my death, I thought. The letter Carlisle gave me burned in my pocket as I desperately wanted to open it again but wouldn't do so until I knew I was far away from Jacob. He couldn't knew what I was planning. I had part of the puzzle, now all I needed was his grandson to help solve it.