It had been four weeks since the accident. Four weeks of absolute hell. I was optimistic at first. Edward was healing nicely and that seemed to give Elizabeth strength. Not enough apparently. If it were enough I wouldn't be staring into this blasted hole on the ground.
Two days she's been gone, two days I watched the light go out of both mother and child. One is now in the ground, and the other walks around like the living dead. Whenever I look at that boy, that baby of a boy, I see what grown men cower from. The knowledge that you have been left behind, that you are alone, and no matter what you do, you can never stop the hurting.
The day she died, she had called me to her bed late at night. Edward was curled up at her feet, his small body so worn from trying to look after his mother. I remember she held her hand out to me. It was so cold, even compared to my own. "Protect…him." She panted. "Keep him…safe. Don't…let…Don't let my baby…please." I couldn't believe what she was telling me. She was giving up. "Elizabeth, I can make you well, I can make you live." I spoke before the words even registered. Yes, for the first time in a hundred years I entertained the thought of changing another. "You can live, you can survive. You and Edward, you don't have to leave him. You don't have to leave me." She smiled sadly. "My time…is up, Carlisle. I have no desire…or need to…live on."
"But Edward…"
"Has you now. You are a good man. You…will…please. Take care…do all…you can…for him. Please, Carlisle. Say you…will." I kissed her hand and nodded. "I will. I will protect him and keep him safe. I will love him and show him how to be a good man. I promise Elizabeth. I promise."
She smiled, her last smile, and reached for him. As if understanding the unspoken wish, Edward woke slightly and crawled into his mother's arms. And that's how they lay, till the sun rose, and Elizabeth Mason was pronounced dead.
Now here I stand, at the base of her grave, with Edward tucked protectively in my arms. I meant what I said, I would always protect him and keep him safe. He was my son now. A gift from my darling Elizabeth that I intended to treasure. My son, my child, my little Edward.
Sorry its so short. And kind of lame. R&R.