Well, I apologize for the delay, but I hope it's worth it. This is the longest chapter I've written and alas, it is also the end of my story. For those of you who have liked my writing, please click on me as a favorite author, because I do intend to start a new story soon.

And for those of you who have read the story and not had a chance to give a review, I would really really appreciate a word or two to let me know how I did (I'm still a newbie at this!).

And, of course, Stephenie Meyer owns these characters. I just love them too much to leave them alone for very long.

BPOV

When we got back to the house, everyone seemed relieved and happy that the wolves' memories had been changed without any unexpected incidents. It helped to lift my spirits a bit, too, since I still couldn't shake the feeling that it was my fault that we had to do all of this.

We agreed that everyone else would get the cars and the big truck ready, and Edward and I would meet them at the highway ramp after I had finished what was started. Carlisle recommended that we do it sooner than later, since people on the reservation would eventually start talking to people in Forks, and we didn't want to have any questions being raised.

Alice hugged me tightly before getting into her canary yellow Mazarati, "Bella, I know you can do this. You're so much stronger than anyone even dreamed you would be. Don't ever believe otherwise." I looked into Alice's eyes and knew she was completely sincere. She was truly my sister, and part of me looked forward to the life we would have in New Hampshire and beyond. Even if it did involve a lot of shopping.

"And I don't want you to worry about a thing. I've already started working on plans for a beautiful New Hampshire mountain-top wedding ceremony once we're settled." She gave me a wink as I stood there, slightly dumbfounded but also thrilled that she could have even thought of that already.

As Alice and Jasper walked toward their car, Jasper gave me a smile and sent a wave of confidence over me that I welcomed graciously. I knew that was his way of showing his faith in my abilities. He had not completely forgiven himself for the events that took place at my 18th birthday party, but Jasper and I had a much more solid relationship since my change.

"Hey, Bella," Emmett slapped me on the rear, earning a dirty look from Edward. "Be strong, kiddo." Even in his own crude way, I had to appreciate Emmett's support, because I knew it was genuine.

Rose gave me a kiss on the cheek and a meaningful look, then turned and walked toward her BMW.

Esme and Carlisle both hugged me and Carlisle even gave me a knowing wink, remembering our conversation. Part of me felt like I was asking too much of him, leaving him with the burden of remembering Mike and the legacy of pain he had left behind. But I also knew that Carlisle would be happy knowing that the rest of his family were living in blissful ignorance of those events.

"Okay, so where should we do this?" I asked Edward, after everyone else had left for the rendezvous point.

"I was just thinking that maybe the center of town makes sense. The park has a good central location that should make it easier for you to reach wherever you need to." he said.

"Hmm, I think you're right." I took an unnecessary deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment. "I really need this to be over, Edward." I put my head against his chest, and he hugged me tightly.

"Bella, when this is all over, I will make it my personal mission to make sure you never have an ounce of unhappiness ever again. I love you, and I will never forgive myself for putting you through this."

"Wait - what in the world are you talking about, Edward?" I lifted my head to look into his eyes, and found he had that expression of regret that I had come to know so well.

"I mean, if I hadn't left you so many years ago this would never have been necessary." He was beating himself up again, and I wasn't about to let that happen.

"Edward, stop. In order for us to be together, eventually you would have had to change me. I would have insisted, begged, and pleaded until you agreed to it. And then the pack would have found their reason to attack. I know that in my heart."

Edward smiled a little as he moved a strand of my hair back behind my ear. The feeling sent a bolt of electricity through me, and I had to smile.

"You know, you still manage to dazzle me after all this time."

"Good. I hope that never changes." He said as he leaned in to kiss me softly.

"I'm convinced it never will." I smiled up at him, and we both got lost in the moment.

Several long, meaningful kisses later we were on our way to the park in the center of town. It only took us a few minutes to get there on foot, but we had to walk at human pace for the last half mile since we were in plain view of people.

Once we were in the park, we sat down on a bench. I decided to lay down and put my head in Edward's lap so I could try to relax and concentrate on the task at hand once again. Edward was rubbing my forehead slowly, lulling me into a state of complete calm, and I found myself easily able to create the dark bubble in my mind.

I would have to focus now on making sure that the town of Forks believed that the Cullen family moved out of town years ago, after their children all graduated from high school. It made the most sense to leave them with some memory of the Cullens, since erasing paper trails was not part of my talent, and would have been very difficult at such short notice. I knew we would be gone long enough that once we came back we would be able to present ourselves as relatives of the Cullens who originally lived here.

The more challenging part was focusing only on the Cullens and the memories I wanted to erase from them. I had to carefully focus my ability on everyone except Carlisle. Since he was driving the big truck by himself, it made it easier for me to exclude him from the bubble, but I was still nervous.

Once the bubble was large enough to cover the entire area, with the exception of the truck, I again let it snap away from my mind. The area I covered was so large, I could feel the energy drain from me to the point of nausea. I'm not sure how long I lay with my head in Edward's lap afterwards, but at some point he became concerned.

"Bella? Are you okay, love?" he asked while looking down at my face.

"Mmm-hmm." Was all I could answer, with a slight nod of my head. I still needed another minute to recuperate.

As I opened my eyes to look up at him, I wondered if I had accomplished my goal. Did he still have his memories of Mike, or did he think we were doing this just because of the Quileutes? I had to know, and there was only one way that I could think of to get my answer.

"Edward, do you remember Mike Newton, from Forks High?" I could gauge my success on his answer. If Edward just looked at me as if I had lost my mind, then I would know I had failed and that his memories were still in tact. If he answered almost any other way, then there was a chance I had given him one of the things he most desired from me.

I was horrified when he looked at me with a concerned and skeptical look on his face, like the psychologist who says to the patient, 'No, madam, you're not crazy - it's everyone else.'

Oh no, I thought briefly. Everyone was so confident I could do this, and I let them all down. But then he spoke.

"Yes. But Bella, sweetheart, what makes you think of him now?" I just shrugged my shoulders, and he actually chuckled at his memory of Mike then, and continued.

"I don't think there was any other boy in that school more irritating to me than him. He followed you around for the first few months after you arrived like a lost puppy dog waiting for you to adopt him. I even thought you might agree to date him a couple of times, and it drove me crazy." He turned his crooked, dazzling smile on me then, and it made my still heart soar to know that I had given him a wonderful gift that he wanted, but would never know he had received.

"I was just wondering what ever became of some of the people we knew then." It was easier to lie to him knowing that shortly I would have the same memories as him.

"Well, whatever happened to him, I'm sure he's still at least somewhat upset that I stole you away from his clutches." Edward smiled and leaned down to kiss me. Part of me was horrified at his statement, but I managed to smile sweetly at him knowing that he was oblivious to the true meaning behind his words.

Edward and the rest of the family, except Carlisle of course, now believed that Edward had come back to Forks shortly after leaving me, realizing that we were meant to be together and that neither of us could be happy without the other.

I was certain that the next part of the plan would go smoothly. I had to plant false memories in the town about the Cullens, Mike Newton, and myself. Even though I knew this part was easier for me to accomplish, it was the part that made me the saddest.

It meant that Charlie would now believe I was dead.

Once I felt my strength return, I focused on the new memories. This time the bubble in my mind took on the hue of a peaceful blue sky. It allowed me to create the memories I wanted everyone to have that would make our lives happier for the most part. Some would find peace and happiness in these memories, some would find closure, and some would be spared from the ugly truth that had been plaguing them for a long time. I would have to put a little of myself in each of those categories, if truth was to be told.

This time the memories did not snap away from me like the erasure bubble had, but rather floated away from me softly, washing over the entire area like a soft, invisible blanket. I could almost feel the sense of momentary confusion that it caused people. It would feel to many people as though they had walked into a room for something but couldn't recall what it was. The feeling would pass within a couple of seconds, and then it would seem as though nothing had changed.

Now there was just one more mind that I had to affect. Mine.

I looked up at Edward to see him watching me carefully, wondering if there was anything he should be doing or if anything was wrong. I knew he would never tolerate anything causing me to be unhappy again, and that we would be free to truly love each other forever with no boundaries, no haunting past, and no sadness. We would be together the way we were meant to be so many years ago before that fateful birthday party. I found myself more ready than ever to begin our happily ever after.

I squeezed Edward's hand tightly and concentrated inward until I felt the blackness start to overcome my mind. I let myself slip away into the darkness, seeing only the memories I wanted to leave myself with, those of a happy life with Edward after only a brief separation.

Even though I wasn't asleep, it felt as though I woke up from a nap. I felt a little confused, but also refreshed. I sat up and looked around at the overcast morning, the people of Forks going about their daily routines, and at my fiancé sitting next to me on the park bench.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked, smiling.

"Absolutely." He replied as he swept me up into his arms and spun me around. Once my feet were on the ground, Edward pressed his lips against mine and he wrapped his arms around my waist in one of the most passionate embraces in the history of the kiss.

Six Months Later……

JPOV

Even though it seemed like days since I had seen my Leah, I knew by the clock that it had only been a few hours. She had class this afternoon, so I had to find something to occupy my time. If I thought I could pass the class and not get kicked out I would have taken it just to be able to sit in the classroom and stare at her, but that wasn't going to work. And Billy would have been pissed at the wasted money.

I checked the clock again. She'd be picking me up in about forty five minutes. She insisted on driving wherever we went ever since she got her new car. Fine with me, whatever put a smile on that beautiful face.

Billy was reading the paper at the kitchen table. As I walked by, he couldn't help but comment.

"Well, you look nice, Jake. Still trying to impress Leah after all this time?"

"Quit it, Dad. You know I like to look good for her." I replied.

He ignored my comment. "I was just reading in the paper that Newton Outfitters was broken into. Did you hear anything about that?"

"No. I haven't really paid any attention to them or their place since Bella dumped me for their son." I answered, but not bitterly like I used to. I wasn't bitter anymore about anything since I realized how I felt about Leah.

"Yeah, I know. It's strange, really. I remember Charlie and I had always talked about how nice it would be if you and Bella ended up together. It's such a shame what happened to her."

"Well, I wish we could have at least stayed friends. That's my fault, though. I was such a kid back then." Billy raised an eyebrow at that comment, and I gave him a smirk in response. I guess I was still a kid to him.

"Charlie took it pretty hard, but at least he knows that she died peacefully in her sleep."

"Yeah," I said. "That's the good part, I guess. If her brain was going to pop a gasket, at least she never knew it." Billy gave me a disapproving look, as if I was dancing on her grave or something.

"Well, when she fell after getting her diploma, they never suspected that it was going to be a problem. She seemed fine. The doctors can only guess that's what caused the hemorrhage."

I still had a half hour before Leah would arrive, so I decided to catch up on some of the news from the parts of the paper that Billy was finished with.

FORKS/LA PUSH TRIBUNE

Police Beat

B & E at Newton's Outfitters

Story By Eric Yorkie

Small amounts of cash and some camping gear were stolen, and minor damage to the storefront window was done to Newton's Outfitters late Saturday night. The owners, Bill and Martha Newton of Pickering Lane in Forks, were shocked that something like this could happen in such a small town as theirs. "This has to be kids from out of town. We're a well-respected family in Forks, and anyone who knows us would know that we've certainly been through enough over the past year."

Mrs. Newton was referring to the death of their son, Michael, who was trampled by a moose in Vancouver last summer while hiking with members of his nudist colony. Local park rangers believe that Mike may have survived the trampling, but was unable to escape a subsequent attack by local wildlife. Fresh mountain lion and bear tracks were identified close to the remains.

"Geez, did you know what happened to their son?" I asked.

"Of course, Jake. Some of us actually read the paper more than once a year." Billy looked up at me from the paper with one of those looks that told me to stop being an idiot.

"So, what are you up to tonight?" I asked, changing the subject. Only twenty more minutes until Leah would get here.

"Charlie and Sue are coming over to have dinner with Myrna and I. In fact, she should be here any minute." He glanced at the clock, seeming almost as eager to see his new girlfriend as I was to see my Leah.

I was glad that he had someone to spend time with. Especially since I wasn't around very much anymore, except to sleep and eat the occasional meal. Sue and Charlie had set my dad up with Myrna, who was the dispatcher at the police station in Forks. She was nice enough, and seemed to make him happy. Plus, she was a good cook, which meant there were usually some decent leftovers in the fridge when I was home.

"Okay, well have fun. I'm going out to the garage to work on the Rabbit until Leah gets here. See ya, Dad."

"Bye, Jake." He gave me a wave from behind his paper, and I went outside into the cool late afternoon.

I sat down on the steps for a minute just enjoying the fresh air. I looked down at myself and decided that I really needed to hit the gym. I used to have a pretty good shape, but lately it seemed like any muscle I had was turning into jelly. Probably because when I was with Leah we did things that weren't too physically challenging.

One thing I was glad for, though, was that I stopped getting taller. I was just on the verge of not being comfortable in my car as it was, and Billy had complained that we were going broke on pants and shoes for me.

It was all good, though. I felt happier than I could remember since my parents' accident so long ago. I had a decent job running the auto shop out of the garage, and I couldn't ask for a better girlfriend. It wouldn't surprise me at all if I spent the rest of my life with Leah. The connection we had was unbelievably strong.

Yup, I thought to myself as I spotted her car's headlights coming up the road, life is pretty damn good.

Thanks so much for reading!! Please review so I know you are out there. :)