Well, here it is. The last chapter. this is not the end though. I am planning a sequal. Put me on Author Alerts to make sure you catch it.
~obsessedwithmd
I ran. I ran for what seemed like forever. I ran until I collapsed and cried, tearlessly. I was in the middle of a clearing that would have been breathtaking if I had been here under different circumstances. But I was here because I needed to escape from the biggest mistake of my life. I had been having sex with Carlisle. He is married. He is married to my adopted mother who I love dearly. They found out about us. They found out about us in the worst way possible. They caught us. Rosalie slapped me; my sister who I felt close too. She slapped me and I deserved it. I deserve so much worse. I deserve to be ripped apart and burned. I just tore apart our family. Carlisle bolted in shame and I should be the one running. I am the one who decided not to stop. I fell in love with a married man. To make it all that much worse I feel hard for a man who I have looked up to as a magnificent person. A man who would never hurt anybody and now he has hurt his family, his wife. I am such a horrible person for doing this. I hurt my family. I am all alone now. I don't even have Carlisle. He ran. He probably never wants to see me again.
I sat in a crying, mumbling, disgusting heap for what seemed like forever. I deserved to be alone. I needed to be alone. I never wanted to go back to my family. I didn't even deserve a family. I didn't deserve to be loved.
I was so absorbed in just wanting to die I didn't hear Carlisle's footsteps approach the clearing. I wasn't expecting him to want to see me ever again so, when I looked up through my hair and saw him I cried out loud. I instantly hid my face in my knees that I had pulled up to my chest.
He had crossed the clearing while I was hiding because the next thing I knew he was kneeling next to me. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled my head into his chest. I wept a little bit more while he tried to soothe me. I heard him crying too so I looked up at him. His face wore an expression of pain and sorrow. I laid back into the plush grass and he did the same. I curled up next to him and just sat. I didn't move except for my ragged breathing and sobs. He had his hand on my back; attempting to rub calming circles on my back. It wasn't helping. I was too far gone.
"Bella?" he asked softly. I looked up through my eyelashes. He had calmed down a little and was trying to handle what had just happened.
"Yeah?" I asked in response. He smiled at me meekly.
"We can't just live out here for the rest of eternity," he led. I knew what he was suggesting but, I could not go back to the house.
"You may not be able to but, I will if I want to. And right now I think I want to," I responded firmly. He cocked his head to the side at my abstract answer.
"Although that may be true, I think the best thing to do is have the conversation we were going to have before all of this happened," he suggested. He sat up and he brought me with him. He still had his arm wrapped around me with my head against his chest.
I glared at him with disbelieving eyes. Was he serious? I could not face them. I could not have that conversation after they already know. Rosalie would probably kill me. Jasper wouldn't be able to calm everybody down enough. "No," I whispered ashamed.
He looked at me then nodded his head. "We do need to go home and at least say good bye. Bella, they may not love us now, or anytime in the future, I think it would at least be best if they knew that we were still alive," he said. I could the emotion in his voice. It hit me like a boulder then; I might never see the only family I have ever again.
"So that means, umm, you still want to uh, be with me?" I asked timidly. I thought that after all that had transpired that he would want to try to go back to his family.
He looked at me with a shocked expression and then he settled himself back down. "Bella," he began, "I have told you time and time again that I have chosen you. I made that promise to you. I will stay with you as long as you want me. I am sorry that the family had to find out about it this way but, please remember that that doesn't change my decision."
My heart filled with warmth at his words. He was really going to stay. I guess that sealed the deal then, we were going to fight for each other. I leaned in close to him and whispered, "Thank you, and I will never forget that." I kissed him on the lips softly and then quickly pulled away. "And I do love you," I said. His whole face lit up with pride and he stood up. I just stayed on the ground and looked up at him with a confused expression on my face.
"Bella," he said somberly, "We have to do this together. I know neither of us want to but, please we have to." He was pleading at the end and I could see the pain this was causing him. This was his family. He had changed three of them and the other two he and adopted so dearly that they were practically his own flesh and blood.
"Now?" I asked petrified that the prospect of having to do this now. He nodded his head and extended his hand to help me up. I hesitated for a moment and then took his hand; allowing him to pull me up.
"Um, I didn't really keep track of where I ran," I mumbled. I tried to hide my face from him. It didn't work. He placed his index finger under my chin and lifted it up; forcing me to meet his golden eyes. He had a smile spread across his face.
"Don't worry, I know where we are. We can be back to the house in less than ten minutes," he said. His tone was infused with restrained laughter. I smirked at him and he cracked; a small laugh escaped his lips. I shoved him lightly and he broke out in laughter. I stood with my arms crossed across my chest and stared at him.
"You done yet?" I asked with fake annoyance in my voice. I looked at me and chuckled one final time.
"Yeah, I'm done. Sorry," he apologized. It didn't exactly work because I could see the smile he was trying to hide.
"Nice try. Let's just go get this over with," I huffed and waited for him to lead the way. He held my hand and started to walk towards what I assumed to be the house. He led the way and we both took off at a normal vampire run. I tried to let the wind that ran through my hair calm me. It usually did but, today it didn't help me. My breathing was shallow and I was pretty close to shaking like a leaf.
We made it to the edge of the property in nine minutes and we slowed to a walk knowing they would be able to hear us. I heard talking from inside of the house and I could see Emmett pacing in front of the back windows. Even though I couldn't make out what they were saying I could tell they were talking in calmer tones than this morning. We released each other's hands and stepped apart a little bit. There was no reason to make this any more difficult than it already was.
"How long were we gone?" I asked him. I hadn't exactly kept track of the time but, I knew it had been a little while because the sun was starting to come up.
"A little over two and a half hours. It's almost five-thirty," he said calmly. I nodded my head and we crossed the yard at a human walk.
I fell back behind Carlisle and he opened the back door slowly and cautiously. He walked in first and then I followed. All of the talking stopped and all eyes turned to us. Emmett also stopped pacing and moved to his wives side at the couch. My head fell down. I couldn't make eye contact with them.
I stood at Carlisle's side a pace or two back. Rosalie stood when she saw us enter and I saw Emmett snake his arm around her waist; most likely trying to hold her back.
"Carlisle," spoke Jasper.
"Bella," hissed Rosalie.
"Can we have a civilized talk?" asked Carlisle. He was trying to get the situation under control. I felt a wave of calm hit me and I gratefully accepted it. I could feel Carlisle relax a little bit at my side and I could see the effect throughout the room. Even Rosalie calmed down marginally.
"It will be okay," allowed Alice. They all found seat on a couch or chair in the family room. We walked over slowly and took our seats in the two single person chairs. We didn't have any type of physical contact.
Carlisle began. "First off, I have to say I am deeply sorry I betrayed all of you. If it helps any we were planning on telling you about it today after I got off work. Things just didn't go as planned. I am truly sorry to hurt any of you; especially you Esme," he said turning to his wife.
She looked at him when he said that and I could see the pain in her eyes. This was taking a quick toll on her and everybody else in the family.
"When did this begin?" asked Rosalie. The toxicity in her voice had died down a little bit.
"Almost two weeks ago," I answered quietly. I heard a sharp breath which I knew was Esme's. This had to be extremely hard to hear. I looked up to see Esme trying to hold herself together with Alice sitting next to her with jasper on the couch.
I turned to Esme. "I am very sorry Esme. I really am. I'm so sorry," I said a couple times. I was mumbling trying to get the words out. I could feel a lump rise in my throat for the millionth time today.
"Bella, I know love isn't something you can control," she spoke, "but, it hurts the most that you guys kept this up so long. I loved you as a daughter but, right now I can't. Later after we both have had some time get over this. I don't want this to tear our family apart." I could see the heart behind every word she said and it hit me hard. She said she loved me, as in past tense, but, it hurt to know what we had done.
"Esme, I have always loved you. I will not say that falling in love with Carlisle so hard or so fast was a mistake but, I do regret hurting you in every way that I have. I hope some time in the future we can forget this. I don't expect it though," I said.
I could hear Rosalie huff in disgust. Jasper was doing his best to try to keep everything calm. I could tell that Alice was just letting this conversation take it's course without her changing the outcome. Emmet was just sitting with a calm face and trying to make sure Rose didn't kill me or Carlisle.
"Esme," stated Carlisle, "I loved you. I still do but, something happened with me and Isabella that I can't even begin to explain. I hate that I hurt you and I couldn't tell you on my own terms. I am so sorry. I know that we don't have a future together. I just hope that it doesn't rip apart our family. I still love everybody dearly."
"Dad, how did this happen?" asked Emmett timidly. We all turned to him.
"I don't know," he sighed.
The questions started to come quick now. Everybody wanted an answer to their questions. They all had to do our family and it's future.
"So you two are going to remain together?" asked Jasper. I could tell that he wanted to keep it calm but, also wanted the truth to be known.
"I want to stay with Bella. I love her in a way that I have never loved anyone before," he stated. Esme whimpered a little bit and I knew it hurt her to hear this.
"I think the best option for us, Esme, is to split up but, still remain together as a family," suggested Carlisle. I saw Esme nod her head yes.
"I think that it would be best if Bella and I leave for a little while. Just a year or two; until things can be forgiving or at least set aside so they don't matter. We all still love each other. We have been together too long. We need the support of this family," Carlisle declared.
"I don't want to lose anyone," wept Alice.
"Alice, we will be back. I don't intend to lose anybody," I said.
"We will leave now and can I keep access to the bank account? I believe we just need some time apart," he said. That just answered my next question.
"Of course, you can still us the account. You are still part of the family; no matter what. You created us," answered Esme.
"I don't want you to leave Bella," whispered Alice.
"Neither do I but, I promise we will be back. I also promise to keep in contact. You are my sister Alice," I promised.
Carlisle stood and me and the rest of the family followed suit. Alice ran over to where I stood and threw her arms around me. I hugged her back to me hard. I didn't want to let her go.
I felt Carlisle's hand on my back and I let Alice go. She hesitated but, did free me. I got a hug from both of my brother's but, my blonde sister refused. I turned to Esme. Surprisingly, she wrapped he arms around me and I hugged my mother back. "I am so sorry, mom," I whispered to her. I heard he say, "It's going to be okay."
She let me go and I turned towards the back door and walked over to it. I looked at my family and then my lover. "Bella, go ahead to the Mercedes. I need to talk to Esme for a second," he said. I opened the back door and ran to the sleek black car. I opened the door and ducked inside of the luxurious car. I sat and waited for Carlisle to join me.
I sat for a couple of minutes and had turned on the radio. I found a classical radio station and let my mind drift in the beautiful notes.
The driver side door opened and Carlisle put and bag in the back seat while he sat down. He put the key in the ignition and started the car. He pulled out of the garage and reached for my hand. I rested my hand in his and cried without tears.
"I am so sorry Bella. I will take care of this. Esme and I talked while you waited here," he said as he pulled out onto the main road. "We are going to be getting a divorce but, we decided it would be best to remain a family. We will be back. You told Alice you will be staying in touch and I hope you do. I will be. We will be back. Remember that," he concluded and kissed the back of my hand. I turned and smiled at him.
"I will and I hope you don't mind if I call Alice like every night," I informed him.
He chuckled and smiled at me. "I expect nothing less."
"Good, now where are we going?" I asked. He hadn't told me were we were going to be staying for the time we will be gone.
"Illinois," he stated.
"Why?" I asked curiously.
"I have some things I want to show you," he led but, wouldn't spill. He stepped on the gas pedal and we flew down the road to Sea-Tac. We were going to Chicago? We both had new scars that only the other could mend.
Okay, so this is the end of the story. I am planning on writing a sequal. I love these characters too much to forget them. I hope to have the first chapter posted by Monday at the latest.
I love everybody who reviewd, favorited, or put this story on alert. Thank you so much for reading this. I would love to hear what you think about this story and how it ended.
Please Review!!!!!!!!!!!
The End