Disclaimer: For the very last time...I don't own these characters, they belong to Steph Meyer!

Epilogue No Rest for the Dead

I stared at the closed door for more time than I cared to admit. He'd left and it was exactly what I deserved. A small part of me must have been clinging to some false hope that he would stay by my side no matter what even as I prepared myself for the worse. Well, the worse had happened. Again I was watching the love of my existence walk away, his words slicing my soul.

I found myself in our room, but the memories that still lingered there were too much to bear so I headed to Demetri's old room. I hadn't been in there since the night that I'd killed Tyler. Someone had placed his portfolio back on his bed. I opened it gingerly and leafed through the many sketches and placed my favorite one of Heidi and one of me side by side, remembering a different time.

But my thoughts kept falling on Edward. How angry he'd been when he grabbed this book from me and the rage that coursed through him when he saw the sketch of me, the one he'd torn to pieces. I'd liked that one a lot more than the one presently sitting in font of me.

I gathered all the papers up and closed the book, intending to mail it to Leah, but unsure how she'd feel about sketches of me. Surely I'd run into him again at some point. I'd just hand it back to him personally.

The clock by the bed read three in the morning. It was late enough to sneak over to La Push and get my closure. My plane left in another hour, so I gathered up my things and tossed them into my car. Before I started it I searched the future. Death itself didn't seem like a horrible prospect at the moment, but I didn't really want to be torn apart by wolves.

The future was blank, utterly void of everything, which meant I would not be alone, that at least one wolf would find me across the treaty lines. So be it, I thought darkly. Nothing was keeping me from Jacob tonight.

--

Jacob's grave was easy enough to find as it was covered with flowers and little gifts. I clutched Demetri's journal tightly against me and forced myself forward. On my knees, against the snow covered ground, I reached out and touched a wood carving that had to have been left by Billy. The detail was impressive. It was almost an exact replica of Jacob's wolf form.

"Oh, Jake, can you ever forgive me?"

I could almost hear his amused snort. "You're being stupid, Bells."
Yeah, I was. I hadn't asked him to fight with us. "I brought you something," my voice wavered as I opened the book and pulled out one of my sketches. I rolled it up and dug into the frozen earth. My hands trembled as I placed it into the ground and covered it back up. "I was going to leave the charm that you made me…but I couldn't part with it," I whispered. I could feel the tears getting caught in my throat. Tears for Jacob, my friends and family here, Edward, my life as I'd known it. It all came crashing down on me as I smoothed my hands over the dirt and the crystalline snow caught in my hair.

"I love you Jacob." I stood gracefully, the book my only comfort now. "Goodbye."

"You shouldn't be here," Leah said as she and Demetri walked down the path hand in hand. Movement behind her caught my attention. Seth was with them.

"I know. I…I'm just saying goodbye. My plane leaves in twenty minutes."

He pushed past them and glowered at me, but said nothing. At least he wasn't attacking me. I had expected him to and hadn't known what I'd do if he had. It's not like I could have hurt Seth. I loved him like my little brother.

His eyes filled with tears, his face crumbling, his anger washed away as the first tear trickled down his cheek. I couldn't help moving toward him to comfort him, it was just a reflex. Your friend is hurt you go to them, no matter how mad they might be.

I wrapped him into my arms and his slid around my waist, his face buried against my shoulder as he sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Seth. Sorrier than you'll ever know," I whispered repeatedly, my hand smoothing through his hair.

I know Demetri saw his book dangling from my other hand, but he made no move to take it back or mention of it. Once Seth pulled back I held it out to Demetri. "I believe this is yours."

His fingers brushed mine as he took it.

"I hope you don't mind, but I left one of the pictures with Jake and…well, Edward kinda destroyed another one," I added hesitantly.

The warm smile on his face put me at ease. "It's fine, Bella. I wanted you to have the pictures…all of it," he said, handing it back to me.

"You meant for me to have it? To read it?" He nodded. Leah's eyes flickered back and forth, but she held her tongue. I appreciated her effort.

I met her lovely dark eyes, no longer full of anger or pain. Demetri had erased so much of her heartache away. "I never thanked you…the wolves, I mean. For helping us."

She shook her black hair dismissively. "No big. But I wouldn't expect the wolves to aid you ever again."

I chuckled. "No," I agreed.

"And I didn't apologize for slapping you," she said with a broad smirk on her perfect lips.

"Hey, no big. Just don't expect me to sit there and let you do that again," I said, laughing. How odd to be laughing with her at Jacob's burial site. But somehow it seemed right. Jacob was a jovial person most of the time. He wouldn't want us sitting here, tears drenching the cold earth.

"Bella?" Seth said in a broken tone. I faced him preparing myself for some insult, just hoping that I could keep myself together long enough to get away before his words did me in. I wasn't sure I could take one more negative thing. "I didn't mean anything I said…after." His words just failed him and he flung himself against me again.

--

Walking through the doors of Volterra was a relief. I felt I could breathe again now that I was back. Never before had I felt I belonged somewhere as much as I did here. "Good to have you back," Felix added as he offered me his arm and led me through the maze of corridors that I knew all too well.

"Good to be back," I commented lightly, and it was.

"And where is your Edward?" I stiffened and he stopped walking, his eyes trying to steal the story from my grimace.

"He stayed behind." He nodded and continued on as though I wasn't falling apart with each step I took.

Aro and Carlisle were in, what I called, the throne room. I'm sure that Aro had a more suitable name for it, but I couldn't remember it at the moment.

He flowed across the floor at my arrival and scooped me into his arms, his lips brushing both cheeks in welcome. "Isabella!" He clapped his hands together happily once he pulled away. "This place has been quite melancholy without your shining presence." Renata couldn't keep a smile off her face at his exuberance and she nodded in agreement.

"He's right you know. Everyone has gotten used to having life in this court and it all seemed to slip away once you left." She came forward a bit uncertainly, and hugged me briefly. "Of course, it might just be that we're not all dining on that foul animal blood." she snickered. "Maybe it induces feelings of happiness and contentment?"

"I scoffed, falling back into our comfortable friendship as though we hadn't had a falling out. "Like you ever drank animal blood."

We carried on like that for a while. I could feel Carlisle's unasked questions, but he seemed content to allow us to have our little reunion.

"Edward is back in New Hampshire," I finally informed Carlisle when Esme had joined us. I took a deep breath and let it out before continuing. "He asked me to tell you to stay here for the month like you planned."

Esme came to my side, her hand resting on mine. "What has happened?"

My lips trembled as I battled the emotions inside me. Her kindness was almost my undoing. I could have answered their questions if they'd been distant and cold, but kindness and warmth? Well, I hadn't been expecting it, and certainly didn't feel that I deserved it. "We…" I began. "Decided to separate for a while." I bit my lip, the pain distracting me from my broken heart.

She engulfed me in her arms. "Ah, Bella dear, it will all work out. You'll see. The two of you can't exist without the other. You are his other half. No matter how you two fight against it, eventually you will snap back together." She bestowed a motherly kiss on my forehead.

She was right; I just had to have faith in Edward's love for me. We would get past this; he just needed time to think and deal with his anger. I could wait. Forever, if necessary.

The doors crashed open causing all of us to turn toward them.

Santiago rushed past us. I was surprised. Apparently Aro had fulfilled my request and freed him from his prison. Surely, that meant that Mia had also been released? "My lord," he exclaimed nervously. "There is something you must see."

We all followed him to a sort of rec room where the TV was blaring. On it was a sparkling vampire; his face dripping in blood outside of a church that had lovely white flowers now flecked with crimson. Someone's wedding had been disrupted. In his arms was the bride, her white dress nearly swallowing his body as he carried her away from the carnage.

The police surrounded him but did not fire for fear of harming the woman.

"My God," Aro's voice brought us all back from the horror. The world was on to us and I knew that somehow we had to make it forget those terrifying images. At least I'd have something to occupy my time. I wouldn't be obsessing over Edward or Christian. I had much bigger things to worry about.

Oh, just a little sneak peek…

My cell vibrated in my pocket and I fished it out with fumbling fingers, the shimmery vampire still fresh in my thoughts. "Hello," I croaked.

"Bella?" Edward's velvety voice shivered down me.

I couldn't suppress the shock in my voice. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to make sure you got back safely. And…"

I interrupted. Relief that he cared enough to call blanked out the mess playing out on live television momentarily. "I'm so glad you called." I was practically gushing. "I was afraid…"

"Afraid of what?"

"That I'd never hear your voice again," I murmured honestly.

"Bella, I told you it was temporary. Like I could stay away…"

He sounded so broken. I knew he hadn't called to make up, just to check on me because his protective nature would let him do no less. So, I gave him a way out. I changed the subject. "Have you been watching the TV?" That this had taken place in the states and we were already seeing it here in Italy just showed you how much news it was.

"No, why?"

"Well, you better turn it on. The race of vampires has just gone public."