Place of the Lost

A/N: Just tying up some loose ends. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Twilight and all of its Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Chapter 26: The Question

EPOV:

Her blood was sweet, the most positively mouthwatering thing I have ever tasted. Under any other circumstance, it would have been difficult, nearly impossible, to stop. But I knew what it was like to be without her, and it was excruciating. Satiating my thirst couldn't compare to an eternity with her, and it certainly wasn't worth an eternity without her. So I pulled my teeth from her delicate flesh, and waited while the flames took over.

It was both agonizing and beautiful watching Bella writhe and groan in pain. I remembered how excruciating the fire was when it raced through my veins, and licked at my feeble human heart. I hated that she had to suffer, but the widow kept whispering, "A few hours in exchange for eternity." She kept me sane. I held her hand and remained constantly vigilant taking note of every miniscule change in her appearance. Her skin started to pale, and her heart beat faded into oblivion.

Finally the agonized movements ceased, and she just laid there, very still and quiet, her pale body twisted awkwardly atop the floral quilt. It was a peaceful but terrifying moment. She didn't make a sound; her chest didn't heave with breath; her skin went ice cold. She looked…dead.

Then her eyes fluttered open. "Edward." She whispered.

"I'm here Bella." I took her hand lovingly into mine.

She looked into my eyes and smiled. "Is this heaven?" I tried desperately to read her thoughts, but I couldn't see anything, not a word, not a feeling, not a color… just blackness.

I chuckled lightly, "No, we're still on earth."

"Are you sure?" She murmured, still very confused. "I knew I was going to die in the water. I tried to sink into the bright lights, but there was an Indian girl and her lover on the riverbank. They told me to fight, to keep breathing, but it was so hard. I'm sorry Edward, I wanted to hang on for them, and mostly for you. I just couldn't do it; I gave up. Then I was burned by a fire so hot it had to be from the deepest pit of hell. I tired to think, tried to figure out what I had done that damned my soul, but then everything went dark. The flames faded, and I woke up here, in heaven."

I sighed loudly. "Bella, I promise this isn't heaven. It's South Carolina." I laughed, taking a seat on the bed beside her.

"But you're here, and you're healthy. I feel better than I ever have before, like I could climb mountains. If I'm not dead, then it must be a dream." She protested. I took her in my arms, and all the pain, misery and sadness that had loomed over me since the day my father died melted away. "Edward." She whispered. "Why did you leave me?"

I held her close to my body, letting her head relax on my chest. "We have a lot to talk about."

"I know." She sighed.

"Let me start." I took a deep, unnecessary breath. "Tell me what you hear?"

She paused momentarily, listening intently. "Nothing." The words were barely audible. "Where's your heartbeat?" I took her hand and placed it on her own chest. Her chin nearly fell on the floor. "Where's my heartbeat? Are we dead? Are we ghosts?"

"No." I smiled. "We aren't ghosts."

"What are we?" She asked, her expression worried and earnest.

I lifted her chin with my hand, and stared into her eyes. "We'll never change; we won't die a mortal's death. We can be together until the end of time. Bella," I hesitated. "We're vampires."

Her eyes grew wide. "So you lied to me?" Fear washed over me, I didn't want her to be angry. She caressed my cold cheek with her hand. "We are in heaven."

I smiled. "Forever with you, is my idea of paradise." Sighing, I knew I had to tell her the negative side. "You believe me? Just like that?" She nodded. "But it's not an easy life."

"Of course I believe you." She interjected. "I know nothing short of the impossible would have kept you from me. I also know this can't be easy. Such a beautiful eternity couldn't come without a price. I'd give everything… down to my everlasting soul for the life we were supposed to have. So I don't care what I have to pay." She sighed. "It's the blood isn't it? It's true what the books say. We have to kill people?"

"No!" I nearly shouted. "We don't have to kill anyone. We can survive on the blood of animals. But you'll still crave human blood. Sometimes it's agonizing, you can smell it. Your throat is probably burning right now."

"A little." She said. "But it's not overwhelming."

"It'll get worse." I cried. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to have to do this. I wanted to let you choose if you wanted to be with me or not. But you were dying Bella, and I couldn't bear the thought of being without you."

She pushed me away hard, unwrapping my arms from her body. "What are you talking about?" She screamed "You wanted to ask me, as if my feelings for you were in question? Edward, I've driven myself insane trying to figure out what's going on with you. I thought you were dead. I wanted to find you, go to your funeral, but Charlie wouldn't let me out of the house. It's been the most miserable time of my life. I love you with all my heart." Her stern tone faded into hurt. "I thought you knew that."

Her words pierced me like a knife. How could I have been so stupid? I knew how I felt about her, but I never recognized how truly strong her feelings were for me. "I'm sorry." I wrapped my arm around her. "I just know how difficult it is to be one of our kind. I only wanted you to be happy, and I wasn't sure if I could give that to you anymore."

"I have no happiness without you Edward." She sniveled as if she wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't come. "You made the right decision."

A smile spread out across my face. "Both my parents are dead; my best friend betrayed me; I crave human blood; I can't believe how lucky I am." My tone wasn't sarcastic, but full of genuine sincerity.

She giggled lightly. "None of that matters anymore. We're together now."

"I know." I titled her chin with my fingertips and kissed her lips softly. She brought her hand to my cheek and gently caressed it with the back of her hand. "I've been waiting so long for that."

She sighed, "Me too."

There was a light knock at the door. "Come in." I shouted. The heavy door creaked open, and Alice and her friend stepped in.

Bella's eyes widened. "Alice! Eleazar!"

"You know him?" I asked, confused.

"Yes, he's a cab driver." Bella replied.

"Actually." The old man chuckled. "I was a bit of a cab thief, but I shan't make a career out of that."

"Wait!" I cried. "What's going on?"

"Maybe, I should explain." Alice interjected. "I had a vision of Bella getting lost in Seneca, and her never making it to you. I couldn't let that happen, so I came down here and enlisted the help of a close friend." She paused. "Edward, this is Eleazar, one of Carlisle's dearest and oldest friends."

I reached my hand out to his. "It's nice to meet you, and thank you."

"That was you! I knew I recognized the voice!" Bella exclaimed glaring at Alice. "You were in the alley!"

"Yes." She confessed. "I'm sorry if I startled you. I lit the cigarette, so you would see me."

"You grabbed me in a dark alley!"

"Yes, I do apologize for that, and for the letter."

"That was you too!"

"What?" I interrupted, the girls were starting to lose me.

Alice sighed deeply. "I'm sorry Edward, I didn't mail the letter like we agreed. I needed her to be suspicious. So I…"

"She knocked on my door at midnight and scared me half to death!" Her features became grave. "But what it said was much more frightening than the delivery."

"I'm sorry Bella." Alice replied. "That wasn't Edward's idea. Carlisle couldn't see how your relationship could continue. He wanted you to think he was dead. But I knew it would work out…eventually. So we added the little message at the end. I take it you figured that out pretty quickly?"

"No!" She shouted. "I only realized it days ago. I read the letter hundreds of times, but I never understood what that phrase meant. It didn't sound like something Edward would write. How did you know I would understand?"

Alice smiled, "I can see the future. It's subjective, so it isn't foolproof, but it's helpful.

"Wow." Bella laughed. "So you knew I'd get it all along."

"How did you figure out the message in the end?" I asked, recalling the night I spent with the widow by the river.

"It came to me in a dream, while I was on the train. I heard the river, and I heard your voice. You told me what to look for."

My chin nearly fell on the floor. It actually worked. "Unbelievable." The word was just a whisper.

"What?" She said, looking concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"The widow helped me channel you, and it actually worked."

"You mean it wasn't just a dream?" Her eyes grew wide. "You were really trying to communicate with me?

"Yes."

"My God." A voice came from the other side of the door.

"Come in." I yelled.

"Are you sure it's safe?" The widow called. Alice took a seat beside Bella on the other side of the bed. Eleazar stood between her and the door.

"Yes. It's fine." I replied, as the door creaked open. She didn't move into the room, just stood still in the door frame. Bella shifted uneasily on the bed, the smell of human blood hitting her nose for the first time. I gripped her hand tightly. "It's okay." I whispered. "Fight it." She nodded, and relaxed, her unnecessary breathing completely stopped.

The widow's eyes were weary, marked with thick dark circles. She didn't sleep the entire night. Despite her fatigue, there was a certain lightness to her, a glow in her expression. Her thoughts were buzzing with excitement. "I can't believe it."

"I know." I exclaimed. "It's amazing."

"It truly is. This is a powerful place, and it proves your connection runs deep. It's stronger than the thousand miles between you, stronger than deceit and betrayal, even stronger than death." Her words resonated through the tiny room. Happy tears began to stream down her cheeks, she cried for all us.

"Oh yes Bella, this is Widow Crowley. She's helped us more than I could ever explain."

"It's nice to meet you m'am, and thank you for everything."

"It's lovely to finally meet you dear. Edward, she's more beautiful than I envisioned." I ginned and nodded. "Maybe we should give Edward and Bella some time alone. I think some fresh air would do you two some good."

I agreed; she turned to walk from the door frame. Alice shifted from the bed, I felt her hand on top of mine. She slid a small square box into my palm. My dead heart leapt with joy, but I pushed it conspicuously into my pocket. "Let's take a walk, Bella."

"All right." She smiled, taking my hand. I took a deep breath, searching the air for any signs of danger. I didn't catch the scent of anyone other than the widow…not even a wolf. "This place is beautiful." She commented.

"I know, I was hoping I'd get to bring you here. I thought you would enjoy it."

"It's just so…" She sighed. "Green."

I chuckled, "Yes it is, and the sound of the river is so peaceful. The widow says it has supernatural powers." I paused. "I'm starting to believe her."

"I'd have to agree." She grinned. "Where are we going?" I was leading her deep into the forest.

"There's a meadow not far from here. Do you want to run?"

"Run?" She asked, looking confused.

"You're fast now Bella; it's exhilarating. Just follow me." With that I took off into a sprint. She was right at my heels, as the trees and the sunshine streaked by. The light bounced off her pale skin, setting it aglow like a million tiny diamonds. What I had found so disgusting on me, looked exquisite on her. Her shiny brown curls floated behind her.

"I'm faster than you." She giggled.

Then I came to a sudden stop. "We're here." I whispered, taking her hand into mine.

"Edward," Her voice was filled with wonder. "This is beautiful. Look at all the wildflowers." She was right it was even more gorgeous in the daytime, and she fit in perfectly with the picturesque surroundings. Her sparkling white skin, the carpet of green grass, the splashes of red, orange and yellow flowers. It was more than any artist's hand could ever hope to capture.

She took my hand and sat down, pulling me to floor of the meadow. "I'd like to just lay here forever, but I guess there are some things we need to discuss." Her expression turned grim. I tried so hard to read her thoughts, but nothing would come.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Well," she paused, "let's start from the beginning."

"All right." I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Here it goes…Before my mother died, Dr. Cullen promised her that he would do everything in his power to save me.

"And he was a vampire?"

"Yes."

"I guess your mom didn't know what she was asking for."

"No." I sighed. "She certainly didn't."

"After the change, I returned to his house. He thought I should get away for a while, learn to control my thirst. I was afraid of hurting someone."

"And that's why you're here?"

"Exactly, but before I left he thought I should sever all ties with my human life. So he asked me to write the letter, but I didn't want to. But Alice assured me that everything would be all right."

"So you left Chicago, and came here. What made you stop in this little village?"

"It's kind of complicated." I replied. "I saw on the sign that Jocassee meant place of the lost, I figured that's where I belonged. Then I heard about the real Jocassee. She was a Cherokee maiden, who drowned herself after her lover was killed." I sighed deeply. "I could relate."

"Not anymore." She smiled. "Who told you about her?"

"Jacob." I whispered his filthy name.

"Oh." She stared down at the ground. "I guess this is where I should take over." I nodded. "I found the letter you sent with him when I was taking his clothes to be washed a few days ago. He hid it from me. He said you were a friend of his, from your childhood trips to Georgia. The first night he came, I found out that Charlie had made me miss the hospital funeral. I was crying, and I let him hug me." Her hands began to tremble. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I fell for his lies too. I actually believed he was my friend."

"It gets worse." She paused. "He came on to me…strong. He wanted me, and he kept reminding me that you were dead. I didn't know what to think. I thought I was insane for thinking you were still alive."

"I'm so sorry." My voice cracked. I felt so guilty. "I should never have sent him."

"I should have been stronger." She interjected.

"No, it's not your fault."

"But it is!" She insisted.

"No, Bella stop it."

"Edward." She hesitated. "I let him kiss me and we…" She couldn't finish her sentence.

"No!" I cried. "Please God, Bella tell me you didn't."

"We didn't." She rubbed her fingers on her temples. "But it was close. It was a stormy night, and the wind blew a branch through the window. The shards of glass fell all over his back."

My eyes widened in excitement. "There is a God!"

She giggled. "Yes there is. I took the broken window as a sign that I was making a mistake. After that night, I told him I wasn't ready to move on. He agreed to just be my friend, but he wouldn't leave me alone. He wanted to touch me and kiss my cheek all the time. I hated it. I'm just so ashamed Edward. I should never have let things go as far as they did."

I put on a false smile to mask my rage. I wasn't angry at her, but at Jacob. I pulled her close, and whispered in her ear. "I forgive you Bella. I know that would have never happened under any other circumstances. I hate myself for sending him to you. The widow warned me not to make friends with him. But I didn't believe her. She's very wise about supernatural matters. So let's just say we both made mistakes, and we'll let it go."

"Thank you." She murmured. "I'll spend forever trying to make it up to you."

"And I'll try to make up for telling you I was dead. I'm so sorry. I know I put you through hell."

"It was terrible, but I never lost all hope. I kind of went a little crazy." She giggled. "I smashed my rocking chair with a hammer."

I laughed. "That's okay. You hated that chair anyway." She did hate it, it reminded her of her mother.

"Well." She caressed my arm. "That only leaves one more issue."

"What is that?" I asked.

"Charlie." She sighed. "I think we should tell him the truth… the whole truth. He deserves to know. I can't leave him. I'm all he's got."

"We'll go get him later today, but I think you should let Carlisle and I explain it to him. You know… man to man. I'm sure the doctor is used to dealing with these sort of delicate matters anyway. Besides there is something else I need to talk to him about."

"And what is that?" She asked.

"Isabella Swan." I gulped hard and tried to calm my shaking hands, as I removed the box from my pocket. I pushed her to her feet, and I stayed down on the ground, bending on one knee. Her eyes lit up, as she grasped the magnitude of the situation. I took her hand, and a deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

A/N: Aw that was very sweet. Just the epilogue left to go. Thanks for reading! Please review!