Bella's POV:
As I climbed I thought of Edward.
I remembered the last time I'd made this trek, and the events that had followed. How I'd accused Edward of being sick and irresponsible for running off to the Volturi to die. And now I was about to do the same thing.
I remembered what Rosalie had said: I put myself in your place a thousand times, but I never weighed your reasons. If it had been me, who knows but that I might have made the same choice.
I never understand what it was like to live without your reason for breathing.
I did now.
The wind dragged at me, but I set my face against it and climbed on.
Alice's POV:
I saw it happen only one hour before it actually did.
No, I lost my brother, I can't lose her too, was the first thought in my head after the vision passed.
"She's going to jump," I said brokenly, my family gathered closely around me. "We'll never make it in time."
"We're going to," Carlisle said stubbornly, already ushering us out the door. "We will make it."
With only a hurried explanation to our Denali friends we were on our way back to Forks, in a desperate race against time that felt all too familiar. Don't do it, I chanted, over and over again. We love you Bella, don't make us let you go. Please.
We squealed into La Push, completely disregarding any border line there was. Sam was reasonable. Even if he wasn't it didn't matter now.
Her truck was parked there, keys still in the ignition. Esme's horrified gasp drew our gazes to the top of the cliff.
We were too late. She never hesitated as she flung herself into the water.
"No!" the growl ripped from Emmett first, and he plunged into the ocean, frantically searching. Jasper joined him, but the rest of us knew. She'd already given up. She wouldn't fight the water.
It was too late. Our Bella, my sister, my best friend, was dead.
Bella's POV:
It was strangely peaceful underneath the surface, despite the crashing waves above me.
It was cold, but that was okay, because it reminded me of him. The darkness floated me off to sleep as I drifted, content.
It was then that I saw him.
His crooked smile was just the way I remembered it, except my memory hadn't done it justice. His hair was typically messy, his shirt untucked as he extended his hand.
I took it, and together we rose above the water.
I saw myself lying on the beach, lifeless, as Carlisle and Esme worked frantically over my body. I wanted to go to them, let them know I was okay, but I was suspended in time and space, no longer a part of earth, but somewhere in between.
Carlisle shook his head slowly, settling back on his heels as they finally gave up on me. As my family sough comfort from one another, I looked up at my own comforter. They would be fine – they had each other, after all.
I looked up at Edward as the scene changed. My body took on a solid form again, and to my surprise he was warm to my touch, not cold. His smile was the same but his eyes were emerald green.
Our surroundings were different as well. I was surprised, and yet not surprised, to find we were in our meadow. The sun sparkled and glistened, the weather perfect. A river wound across the distance, inviting and calm and it flowed lazily on. I turned my gaze back to Edward.
"I've been waiting for you, Bella Swan."
"I'm here now," I responded, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He smiled, and we walked into our paradise.
We would never be forced to endure the pain of separation again, but be together for all of our perfect eternity.