The End Part 2: Departure

I kept my voice emotionless as I lead Bella into the forest by her house. We were only a few feet in the forest, still within sight of her house. Although we entered the forest together we would be leaving separately.

"Okay let's talk," she began.

I took a deep breath. It was going to take all my strength to pull this off without backing down. I brought up Alice's vision of Bella dead to tighten my resolve. Three days of preparation went to those three words that came out of my mouth.

"Bella, we're leaving."

She took a deep breath; maybe she would take this better than I hoped.

" Why now? Another year -"

I had to cut her off with the excuse I planed. "Bella, it's time. How much longer could we stay in Forks after all? Carlisle barely passes for thirty now, and he's claiming thirty-three now. We'd have to start over soon enough."

She looked confused at my words. Then she understood, "When you say 'we'-"

"I mean my family and myself." I had to separate each word so I wouldn't have to say it again. It hurt enough the first time.

It took a few minutes for the words to sink in for Bella. "Okay, I'll come with you."

Although I knew Bella would want to come, I had hoped she wouldn't. She made this so much harder. "You can't, Bella. Where we're going," I had to think of an excuse for her, "It's not the right place for you." Lie.

"Where you are is the right place for me."

"I'm no good for you, Bella." Truth.

"Don't be ridiculous," her voice sounded like a cross between anger and begging, "You're the very best part of my life."

"My world is not for you," I said grimly. If she stayed in my world she would end up dead.

"What happened with Jasper – that was nothing, Edward! Nothing!" Bella raised her voice. I never saw her like this.

"You're right, it was exactly what was to be expected." Truth.

"You promised!" She sounded angry yet not mad. "In Phoenix, you promised that you would stay-"

"As long as that was best for you." I corrected her.

"No!" Her voice broke, "this is about my soul, isn't it? Carlisle told me about that, and I don't care! You can have my soul. I don't want it without you – it's yours already!"

This was exactly what I feared. She didn't care about things that she would not understand until it was too late. I understood it, though, so I was qualified to make this decision in her place. And I choose to let Bella live a fulfilling life as mortal, without me. Unfortunately, I couldn't us this explanation to let Bella go. Instead I had to lie to her.

"Bella," I spoke slowly to let the words sink in, "I don't want you to come with me." My face was cold because I was picturing Alice's vision again in my head. It took Bella a minute to absorb the words.

"You ... don't ... want me?"

"No." LIE!

"Well, that changes things." Her voice sounded... reasonable. This was easier than I thought. I must be a better actor than I thought. I had to give her the bogus reason why we were breaking up.

"Of course I'll always love you ... in a way. But what happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change. Because I'm," it was hard to go on. I had to pause and bring up Alice's vision to convince me to continue, "Tired of pretending to be someone I'm not, Bella, I'm not human. I've let this gone on much to long, and I'm sorry for that." I was sorry, truly sorry.

Bella's voice was no more that a whisper as she realized she was too late. "Don't ... don't do this." I never saw Bella like this all her resolve was gone. I just stared on, struggling to remain emotionless.

"You're not good for me, Bella." LIE.

She just stood there dumbstruck. "If...if that's what you want."

I nodded. I wanted her to be safe. There was one more thing I had to tell Bella. "I would like to ask one favor, though, if that's not too much."

"Anything"

"Don't do anything reckless or stupid. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She understood, but I was worried that she took my request and interpreted my love from it. Which was true. I became more distant as I gave here the false excuse for the request. "I'm thinking of Charlie, of course. He needs you. Take core of yourself," for me, "for him."

"I will," she whispered. I relaxed a little. Bella would not break this promise, I was sure.

"And I'll make you a promise in return. I promise that this will be the last time you'll see me. I won't come back. I won't put you through anything like this again. You can go on with your life without any more interference with me. It will be as if I'd never existed," I had one more thing to do to make that promise true. I smiled gently at Bella, "don't worry. You're human – your memory is no more than a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind." I hoped that was true for her.

"And your memories?" She asked.

"Well," I will hurt every minute of every day until I meet you in the after life, "I won't forget. But my kind ... we're very easily distracted." I cracked a smile as I remembered the conversation I had with Carlisle earlier today. I stepped away, "That's everything I supposed. We won't bother you again."

"Alice isn't coming back."

I shook my head keeping my eyes on her face. "No. They're all gone. I stayed behind to tell you goodbye."

"Alice is gone?" Bella's voice was laced with disbelief.

"She wanted to say goodbye, but I convinced her that a clean break would be better for you," and me. "Goodbye, Bella." I had to leave otherwise I would go crazy.

"Wait!" She cried as she reached for me. I almost gave in and reached back, but I stopped myself.

"Take care of yourself." I said. Then I ran, not looking back.

***

I ran into her house. I left a note for Charlie in Bella's handwriting, telling him where she went. I wrote it last night while planning for today. I hoped that Bella would be able arrive home without getting lost, but I knew her too well to not take second chances with her. Then I ran into her room.

In her CD player was her gift from me. I took it out, and then grabbed the scrapbook. Inside I found the pictures of me and I took them out. I found the tickets and grabbed them. Once I had all the reminders of me I didn't know what to do with them. Then an idea came to me. I would leave them here with Bella, but she wouldn't notice it.

I went to the loose floorboard in here room picked them up and put the 'reminders' under them. Then I replaced everything. To the unobservant, Bella's room looked exactly the same. But, I knew she would realize I was there. I ran out of Bella's house for the last time, out the window for old time's sake.

I went to my car and drove away. It began to rain as I got to the freeway. I hoped Bella was inside, I didn't want her to get sick because of me. I left Forks, it was now vampire free, but still home to a heart broken girl.

I wanted to go back, to say I'm sorry, and say it was all a lie and that I'll never leave. I wanted Bella to be happy, not be the wreck that I know she is now. But I kept driving away from her. Ever time I thought about going back I thought about her dying all too early.

As I entered Idaho I began to think of Bella's future without me. With me out of the picture I knew enough that half of the males at Forks high would dump their girlfriends and try to ask Bella out. I wasn't sure what Bella would do. When I pictured her going out with Mike Newton I made a U-Turn before correcting my mistake. There was no way she would go out with him, because she was friends with Jess, Mike's present girlfriend.

It was past midnight when I thought about my future. When I got into Ithaca I would help with unpacking. Then I would probably start at Cornell. I had no desire to finish high school, again. The minds of high school seniors would just remind me. I didn't need that.

When dawn broke I entered Minnesota. My thoughts were restless. I couldn't help but worrying that Bella didn't get home safely or that she would not honor her promise. I almost turned around again envisioning here alone in the forest. I had to distract my mind.

I drove the rest of my way to Ithaca remembering my first months with Bella with crystal clear clarity. She was now safe, I hoped.