EPILOGUE- When all is said and done
I am hanging on every word you say
And even if you don't want to speak tonight
That's alright, alright with me
'Cause I want nothing more than to sit
Outside Heaven's door and listen to you breathing
Is where I want to be
-Lifehouse-Breathing
The world is silent as the bronze-haired man watches the woman framed by the window, drenched in moonlight.
Maybe a long time ago, he thought this impossible. The perfect joy shooting across his veins, the sensation of his heart expanding until he is overwhelmed by the series of emotions rising in him.
He gets onto his feet, and walks towards her. He silently wraps his arms around her waist, and she fits her fingers into the spaces between his, where they clasp perfectly.
They watch the horizon silently.
"Remember how it began?"
He smirks. "You hit Jake with a sneaker."
She giggles uncharacteristically. "No, afterward. The stars. And I did not hit Jake with shoes."
"The stars came afterward. I began falling for you when you just calmly took off your shoes, gave one to Seth, and hit Jake with the other." He chuckles.
"When was that?"
He remembers the vortex of passiveness Bella had been, constantly battling to let her personality to emerge only to realize that this was who she was, that Bella would always be submissive, docile, his very own personal undead pet.
And then...Leah. So bruised, so broken, yet holding her head up like a soldier.
Leah waits, curiously. Her silver eyes catch the moonlight and he struggles to find words. She is, quite definitely, the most captivating sight he ever beheld.
"Doesn't matter." He murmurs, kissing her jugular softly. He feels her shiver, hears her catch her breath. "You're so beautiful."
"So are you," and they smile at the vehemence in her voice.
He captures her lips with his, and he feels her smile against her lips. "You're insatiable."
His fingers trail over her skin in feather-light caresses. "I've finally won over someone with infinite stamina. I think I can indulge myself."
"Stamina?" She echoes, pulling away slightly, only succumb with a moan as he trails kisses down her collarbone. "That's why you picked me?"
"Among other things." He whispers, fingering her boyish T-shirt. "The whole aggressive to the bitter end thing is quite attractive, too."
Her gaze returns to the slight smattering of stars. "I'm glad it turned out like this." She says, softly. "Glad, glad, glad."
He nods. "I love you."
She looks at their interlinked hands, and for the first time in a long time, she knows that they are going to be alright. "Love you too, Edward."
And thus was Edward Cullen's and Leah Clearwater's association.
Author's note: There it is. Done.
*sniffs*
THANK YOU all who have stuck with this, through the excruciating months of inertia. But fear not. All is not lost. I'm starting a new Leah fic, a sort of triangle with Edward and Jake, and I want you to vote on who you want Leah to end up with, 'cause I haven't decided yet.
I promise to be a better updater. Longer chapters, lesser periods of waiting.
Feedback?