Stepheine Meyer owns all…within reason.

The Bitter End –'To the limit of one's efforts - to the last extremity.'

Bella POV.

"What am I going to do, what am I going to do?" Alice panicked as she bit her nails, staring down worriedly at her bursting suitcases that the three of us had just managed to close.

I looked to the rest of the clothes that she hadn't managed to squeeze in and shrugged. My cases were just as packed, as were Rosalie's due to the new clothes that we'd bought and the few items of Alice's clothing that we'd already crammed in our cases as well.

"We'll think of something…or Tanya will…" Rosalie added as she pursed her lips, staring down at Alice's luggage as well.

A knock at the door drew our attention. "Come in!" Rosalie bellowed as he began to try and cram some of Alice's clothes into her handbag. As big as it was, it wouldn't hold much.

"Whoa…got a dead body in there?" Emmett asked as he stood behind Rosalie, wrapping his arms around her and gesturing to Alice's luggage.

"I don't know what to do…we haven't got any more room left…" Alice admitted as she motioned to the extra un-packed clothes.

"Wait a minute…guys…" Jasper called to his brothers and motioned his head to the door, directing Emmett and Edward out after him. I frowned, having not even had the chance to touch Edward yet.

A few minutes later, they returned with their cases and set them down beside ours. "I'll take some of your clothes and then when I come and visit you, I'll bring them with me…" Jasper told Alice as he leant down to her and kissed her softly.

Rosalie and I both watched them and let out a whispered 'Awwww'. "Come here Juliet, I've got a little plan…" Edward whispered to me as he tugged at my hand.

I knelt down beside him as he began to take some of Jaspers clothes that he was passing to Edward and Emmett to make room for Alice's. I asked, "What's the plan Romeo?" He ordered me to unzip one of my suitcases and pull it next to his, which I did. "What are you doing?" I asked, confused as I watched him pull out a handful of my expertly crammed in clothes from my case.

"I'm giving you a small incentive to want to see me again…" he whispered as he smiled at me before he took a handful of his neatly folded clothes and placed them on top of my clothes before he zipped it back up.

"You think I need an incentive?" I asked incredulously before I continued, "The only thing that would keep me away would be a restraining order…and I'm sure I could get around that too…" I told him confidently as I watched him fold my rumpled clothes that he'd pinched from my case neatly on his.

"What have we here?" he asked me with humour in his voice as he held up a green zip up hoodie which had a little lamb prancing in the corner.

"Alice and Rosalie bought that for me a while back, I don't even know why I brought it with me on the cruise." I shook my head in confusion as I looked at the garment that Edward still held in his hands.

I gasped as I watched him throw it over his shoulder and then proceed to zip up his case now that he had some of Jaspers clothes and a handful of my clothes tucked in there too. "What are you going to do with that?" I asked him as I indicated to the hoodie on his shoulder.

"You get my sweats and hoodie, I think its only fair…" he muttered to me as I watched, amazed as he put on the hoodie and zipped it up.

"Well…it kind of fits…" I giggled as I ran my hands over his muscled arms which were packed into the sleeves.

"I know something that fits me better…" I sat, curious as he spoke to me in a whisper and his eyes twinkling.

"What…?" I asked nervously.

"Your underwear!" Emmett laughed, causing the rest of us to join him. I noticed that he was wearing Rosalie's all time favourite hoodie that Charlie had bought her for Christmas a few years ago. It was an oversized, pink, men's hoodie which had her name stitched across the back in black lettering and across the front in a smaller print. She'd usually wear it in the winter, whenever our apartments heating would randomly go off. I had no idea that she'd brought the hoodie with her and no idea why…we were in the tropics! I also noticed that Jasper wore Alice's favourite silver necklace that she never usually let out of her sight. I realised once again just how much Jasper must love Alice to be wearing a woman's necklace which had a heart dangling at the end of the chain and her name cradled within it. It was Alice's most precious piece of jewellery that Rosalie and I bought for her on her 18th birthday and cost a pretty penny.

Edward drew my attention back to him as he crawled the short distance toward me, causing me to topple back to the ground. I stared up at him, relishing his predatory stance as he remained on all fours, above me. He gave me a loving smile before he moved to lie on top of me. I sighed in contentment as I hugged my arms around him before he whispered in my ear, "What fits me the best…is you…"

I could feel the tears prickling at the back of my eyes at his sweet words, knowing that they were true; he fit me perfectly with regards to his mind and body. The way I felt whole whenever I was in his embrace or even when I held my hand in his was astounding.

I pressed my lips to the side of his neck as he did the same to me. We stayed like that for a while; our faces tucked into the crook of each others necks until Emmett interrupted it by declaring that he'd forgotten to nab the rubber duckies from their bathroom.

Edward rolled off of me and stood up before he held his hand out to me to help me up. Once the lot of us were up and all the cases were zipped up, with Emmett's rubber duckies, Alice declared that she and Jasper wanted to share the pictures that she'd been taking throughout the whole cruise, but first, she wanted one more group photo.

She set the camera on timer and balanced it on a shelf before she ran back into Jaspers arms. Edward stood behind me, with his arms wrapped around my waist and his head resting on the top of my head. Once the camera flashed, I felt Edward's lips on the top of my head.

Soon, all six of us were headed to the internet café to make sure that we all got a copy each of the pictures in our own documents so we could look through them when we got home.

Edward logged onto the computer beside me and as soon as I'd logged on I was instantly invited to an IM conversation. I smiled at Edward's new screen name and hastily went to change mine.

E-loves-B: Hello gorgeous.

B-loves-E: Hey sexy green eyes ;)

E-loves-B: So…who's this 'E' character that 'B' is in love with?

B-loves-E: You don't know him? That's a shame, he's the most gorgeous, funny (after Emmett ;) caring, protective, loving, gorgeous (yes I said it again) man I know.

E-loves-B: Well well…he sounds like a good catch…

B-loves-E: What about this 'B' character?

E-loves-B: Ohhhh well she's a different kettle of fish from your usual! She's bright, beautiful, affectionate, caring, loving and lovable…the perfect 10.

B-loves-E: My word! She's going to be hard to top.

E-loves-B: There's no topping her, that's for sure!

B-loves-E: I love you.

E-loves-B: I love you too.

B-loves-E: I need to write to Renee and get pictures from Alice…but you can hold my hand if you want to…you don't have to… :P

E-loves-B: Okay…(Blushes) :P

We both crossed off our conversation, laughing as Edward reached his hand over to hold mine as we both accepted the pictures that Alice was sending everyone. I leant over and gave him a lingering kiss before I got back to business and wrote to Renee clumsily, using only one hand.

Hey mom,

Rosalie, Alice and I have had a great time on the cruise! Now-don't get mad, but we've fallen in love, I know how stupid that sounds, but it's true, so you can bite my head off when I come and visit you in the next few weeks.

Anyway, there's a picture of the six of us at the end for you,

Love you, Bella, (plus Rosalie and Alice) xxx

I sent my e-mail to my mother after I attached a picture of the six of us form earlier on before I started flipping through the pictures that I'd received from Alice. There were well over a 100 pictures which would be sure to keep Renee happy for a while when I found the time to go see her.

"Bella…" Edward called my name as he gave my hand a small squeeze.

"Hmmm?" I answered as I finished sorting out the pictures.

"We need to go and collect our casino winnings from Tanya before we leave, do you want to go now?" he asked, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Edward, I've told you before, it's your money, I don't want it." I stated simply as I arched a brow at him, daring him to answer me back.

"Fine…" I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy at the smile in his voice as he accepted my demand. I shrugged it off, happy to just know that he was taking the money. "You will come with me?" he asked as he dropped his hand form mine and stood up.

I quickly logged off the computer, giving him my answer. Edward let the others know where we were going and agreed to meet us back at our suites later seeing as we didn't have much time left on board.

We found Tanya at the front desk, chatting to some other members of staff. "Hey Tanya, we were wondering if we could get our winnings from the safe?" Edward asked her in a hushed tone as we reached her.

"Sure, follow me…" she said as she walked through a 'Staff only' door and led us down a long hallway which was lined with safes. "You remember the combination?" she asked Edward as he came to a stop in front of safe number 223.

"Yeah…" he answered slowly as he tipped his head back and scrunched up his eyes as if concentrating. I giggled lightly, realising that he was wracking his brain to remember.

"Tanya, is there a bathroom nearby? I might as well go and let him think in silence…" the both of us laughed as Edward waved us off, still thinking hard. Tanya led me down various hallways which went left, then right and left again. Finally we came to a stop. "Thanks…" I smiled at her as I pushed the door open.

"I'll wait out here for you, it took me a while to memorise the way back to the safe's from here…I don't want you getting lost." She smiled as she pulled her cell out of her pocket.

"Thank you, I can just see myself getting lost hours before we reach land!" I shuddered at the thought, knowing that it was plausible enough as I let the door shut behind me.

As I was washing my hands, I sighed, knowing that Tanya was still there and I wouldn't get lost as I heard her voice on the other side of the door. I knew it was rude, but I couldn't help but listen to what she was saying,

"…Three weeks and they haven't got a clue…mmmm-hmmm…yeah they'll be shocked when they find out alright…poor beggars!" she laughed lightly before she continued, "I just hope they wont hate us for this…no you're right…yeah, bye!"

I quickly dried my hands and stepped out, smiling as if everything was all right as I silently wondered what that conversation was all about. I wondered if she was referring to the six of us, or someone else and what the big surprise was.

"So did you hear what happened last night?" Tanya asked me as we made our way back. I noticed that she had a smile in her voice.

"No…what?" I asked, acting as if I had no idea what she was about to say, even though we were the perpetrators.

"Somehow, that Mike guy got tied to the front of the ship, completely naked…and gagged..." She laughed lightly after she told me, grinning wickedly.

"Really? How odd…" I grinned, knowing full well that she knew that we were the ones behind it all.

"Ahhh, good you got it!" Tanya grinned as she spotted Edward holding a straining black bag which seemed to be bulging with money.

"Yep, we should head back up to our rooms…" Edward told us as he wrapped an arm around my waist.

Tanya glanced at her watch before she gawped, "Ohhh my god! We only have an hour!" She gave Edward and me a tight hug each before she left, telling us that she'd make sure to see us again once we'd got off the ship.

An hour and a half later, we were on land and looking back up at our monstrous 'Eclipse' cruise ship which had served as our home for two whole weeks between the week on land.

Jasper was busy, snapping random pictures of us lot and the ship as Alice gave him orders because she was too teary eyed to do it herself. I maintained my tight hold on Edward as we hugged with our mounds of suitcases around us, delaying the moment when we would have to go our separate ways. Rosalie and Emmett meanwhile seemed to be trying their best to make the best of their last moments together and were drawing a crowd with their heavy making out.

"Goodbye!" A familiar voice called from somewhere beside me. I knew it was Tanya, but I was too focused on hugging Edward to bother turning my attention away from him. I heard her voice draw closer as she reached us. "I've already had a hug off you two, so I'll leave you alone…and maybe I'll skip Emmett and Rosalie for my own safety…" she mumbled to herself as she gave Edward and I a soft pat on our backs and went to Alice and Jasper.

"Don't go…please…" I begged as I pulled my head away from his chest and stared in his beautiful ,pained, green eyes as I held his face in my hands.

"Bella…don't make this harder than it already is please…" Edward pleaded back at me as his eyes shone with tears which I was already freely letting fall. "I haven't even left you yet, but it already feels like my heart is being pulled out of me…" he whispered against me lips before he kissed me softly, blowing me away with the amount of love that was in that one kiss.

"It hurts Edward…" I sobbed as I rubbed my chest in a futile attempt to stop the aching. "I feel like I can't breathe knowing that we'll be apart…" I continued before my composure totally crumbled and I cried into his chest, clutching him tightly to me.

"Shhhh my love…I will come and see you, it will get easier with time…" he tried to sooth me as he whispered softly while rubbing my back rhythmically.

"We have to go…or we'll miss our flight…" Rosalie's clipped, torn voice came from nearby, causing a fresh wave of tears to spill forth. I glanced at Rosalie who wore a determined look on her face as she picked up her bags and kept her eyes off of Emmett. I could see her shuddering as her body wracked with silent sobs that she was smothering under her hard exterior.

I turned back to Edward and kissed him as passionately and desperately as I could, before I broke away and stared at him, long and hard in an attempt to memorise every detail of him to memory. I gave him a small nod, a sign that I was ready to go because I didn't trust myself to speak.

"I love you…" I mouthed, just seeing his mouth moving through my tears as he whispered the same words back to me. I picked up my bags, feeling sick to my stomach as I walked away from him. I threw my bags into the trunk of the cab and then took a seat beside Alice who was being strapped in by Jasper as she hugged herself into a ball. I knew how she felt, I felt as if I was breaking to pieces and Edward was my glue that i couldn't have.

I looked to see where Rosalie was and watched as she threw her bags into the trunk, and then made her way to sit beside me. Each of us watched as Emmett whispered her name, wanting her attention one more time, but she ignored him. His serious, devastated look vanished from his face as it turned to determination. I smiled a watery smile as Emmett grabbed hold of her, pressing her up against the car as he crashed his lips to hers one more time before whispering something in her ear and letting her go.

She sat down, dazed, beside me and then went to close the door, but Edward stopped it. I tried my best to hold the tears back so I could see his beauty, but then he bulldozed my attempt as he whispered, "Look after my heart…I've left it with you…". Before I got the chance to respond, he shut the door and hit the roof, telling the driver to go, which he did.

Throughout the time in the cab, on the plane ride home and the journey back to our apartment, nothing changed. Rosalie maintained her hard, snappy exterior, which was fine, because neither of us bothered to speak much to one and other anyway and we understood how she felt. Alice kept on randomly bursting out into silent sobs while curling up into a ball and scrunching Jaspers shirt into her fists while I remained silent and cold. I felt empty without Edward, and as if there was a hollow cavern in the space where my heart used to be. The only thing keeping me from breaking down completely was wearing his hoodie. For most of the time, I kept my nose buried in it, breathing in his scent as much as possible as if I was reminding myself that he was real, and not some mythical creature that my mind had made up out of thin air.

Once we reached our apartment, I instantly crashed out on my bed and fell asleep due to my exhaustion from the travelling and the emotional strain.

The next morning, I woke up and found that Alice and Rosalie were already up and in clean clothes. I stood, still half asleep and confused for a few moments as I noted that they were obviously�wearing Emmett and Jaspers clothes, but they were different to the ones they wore yesterday. Finally, a little light bulb went off in my mind as I remembered Edward swapping a bundle of our clothes around.

I quickly ran back to my room and dug through my cases to pull out Edwards clothes. I pulled out a long sleeved black top which would probably fit Edwards muscular body snugly and then picked the rest of my outfit from my closet. After a long, soak in the bath, I got dressed and hugged my arms around myself tightly as I also inhaled the fresh scent of his clean top.

I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled at how I looked in this clothing. It was long and reached the top of my thighs and the sleeves were slightly too long, but it surprisingly fit well otherwise. I stepped out of the bathroom and joined Alice and Rosalie on the sofa before I told them what I had planned to do to�distract me for the next week we still had off work.

"I'll pack a small bag…when are we leaving?" Rosalie asked as she got up and headed towards her room.

"As soon as…" I told her as I headed back to my room to pack as well, exited at going back to Forks to visit Charlie.

"Maybe we could pop in and see Carlisle and Esme…as long as we do it the normal way and not via A&E like we usually do…" Alice laughed as I poked my tongue out at her, remembering how we first met Carlisle and Esme.

We met them about three years ago when they moved to Forks not long before Rosalie, Alice and I got this apartment in Seattle. I lived with my mother in Phoenix before then as did Rosalie and Alice with their families, but they always used to come with me for the summer to stay with 'Uncle Charlie' as they'd grown up calling him. One day we'd gone out for a walk, and I managed to slip and hurt myself, so Alice and Rosalie took me to A&E where our relationship of sorts began with Carlisle and then Esme as she began to get curious as to why she was hearing more and more about us during the holidays.

"Make sure you bring Charlie's souvenirs!" I called as I passed their rooms.

One more to go! I wonder if anyone will guess the ending? I doubt it, no offence to you all, but no one's picked up on my subtle hints yet, but to be fair, maybe i havent been making them clear enough...?

Anyway, put your thinking caps on and if anyone does guess right, I'll give them a shout-out in the last chapter!

Review for me please, let me know if their seperation was as emotional to you as it was to me writing it...I almost gave in and changed to story so the 6 of them ran back on board 'Eclipse' and squatted there!