I really hope you guys like this chapter-writing this for Bella was kind of hard. I can't imagine being on fire for days! Not that Jasper wouldn't be worth it ;)

I'll start working on the other story, One Final Taste, as soon as this one is close to wrapping-which, unfortunately, won't be too awful long from now. We've got a couple more surprises, but then it's time to let them have their happily ever after. But until then...

Bella's POV

The last good thing I remembered was Jasper's cool lips on my neck. The bite itself was sharp, but I've suffered worse. But then I felt the venom. I remembered James's bite, but there was so much other pain, and I was so out of it…I didn't remember much. But I knew this was coming, and that didn't help. I was waiting for it. And when it hit…I wished I didn't. I wished Carlisle could have put me under. And then, a few minutes in, I wished that he would have killed me instead. He said he was going to bite me more than once, in order to make the process faster. Faster?! How much faster? I could tell that he bit my neck again, and I was pretty sure he bit me in the crook of each arm. The way my legs were burning I was sure there were some leg bites as well. It was like I was drowning in lava, breathing it in as it consumed the rest of my body at the same time.

And the burn was all I remembered for forever. It was the worst pain ever…until it got worse. I was screaming and clawing and nobody was doing anything about it! I knew they were there, too-every now and then I would feel a cool hand or cold breath at my ear. I didn't know what they were saying. All I could hear were my screams. The last coherent thought I had was death is better…

And then, after an eternity, I could focus again. More like think around the burn. I knew this would happen, and I had hoped that it would mean the pain would be lessened. How wrong I was. I could pay more attention to what was happening around me, but I could also pay attention to the pain. I could feel each tongue of fire as it licked itself through each one of my veins. I tried to focus on the voices instead.

"How much longer, Carlisle?" It was Esme. Even through the fire I could hear the worry in her voice. I felt Carlisle's hand on my forehead-not so cold anymore. Odd.

"Not much longer. Her body temperature is significantly lower, and her skin is losing its pliability. If I had to guess, I'd say she'll wake up by tonight." Tonight! How many hours was that?

"Alice would be able to narrow it down…" Emmett. I wondered if Alice and Edward knew what was happening. Surely at least Alice did, and it would take a miracle to keep Edward out of her head.

"We will not bother Alice. This situation is hard enough on her as it is. She will come back to us when she's ready." I wished Alice were here.

"Jasper?" Esme again. "Why don't you go take a break outside? She has some time left, and you should hunt before she wakes up." I didn't realize until now that I was holding someone's hand-it must have been Jaspers. Still not cold. And soft somehow…

"No. Absolutely not. I swore I wouldn't leave her, and I won't. It's…not that bad. I'll stay until she wakes, and then I'll go hunting with her." I didn't realize that my anguish would hurt him as well. I tried to rein it in, but it was impossible. It just hurt so much…

I didn't hear anymore voices for a while. Several hours later, I noticed the pain was changing. This sent a spike of fear in me, because I remembered what Jasper said. The worst pain imaginable. My heart accelerated, knowing what was coming. My fingertips were free from the fire as it slowly started working its way towards my chest. The same for my toes. And then the fire reached my heart, and I knew Jasper didn't lie to me. It was magnified a hundred times, and the scream I let out echoed around the room. I couldn't breathe! Then my chest exploded, and my heart was silent. It was like I had been doused in ice water-the relief was incredible. I let out the breath I had been holding and inhaled another. It was…strange. I got so much from that breath, like I had smelled a hundred different things at the same time. Only I could taste them too. The first scent that hit me was amazingly pleasant-cotton, earth and aloe all together. It must have been Jasper.

"Bella, honey? Can you hear me?" He was anxious, but he wasn't touching me anymore. Why was that, I wonder? I should open my eyes. I was childishly afraid of what I would see, though. I hadn't even realized I wasn't breathing, either. "Bella?" Okay. Man up, Bella-the worst parts over. I opened my eyes.

Damn. Everything was bright, but not too bright. I could see dust, and all the details of everything-chairs, the bed, the dresser-it was incredible. My eyes searched for Jasper, and when I found him I gasped. I knew he had scars, I'd seen them. But it was different with these new eyes. They stood out, and I was immediately scared for him. He smiled at me, noticing my apprehension.

"Happens all the time, love." He stroked my face, and I was amazed that we were the same temperature. I smiled back, timidly. I took a moment to scan the room. Everyone was there, and they were all more beautiful than I would have thought possible. Carlisle approached first-cautiously.

"How are you feeling, Bella?" he asked. I thought about that for a second. Now that the burn was gone, I felt great. Except my throat. My throat was scorched-unbearably so. This was thirsty?

"Okay, I guess," I answered, and my voice was like music. Wow. "My throat…" I said, clutching my neck.

"Of course-your thirst must be very uncomfortable. It will lessen after you hunt. We'll all go with you, and then we can talk further." Carlisle motioned for me to stand up, and then I was. Apparently I was seriously going to have to think about my movements. On the way forward, however, I caught myself in the mirror. I was glad to see that I was finally beautiful, but that I was still me. My lips were the same, and my hair. My eyes, on the other hand, were…scary. A bright crimson stared back at me, and I turned away. Jasper must have noticed my upset.

"It will only last a few months, sugar. They'll eventually turn to a nice gold, like ours." He approached me cautiously, smiling tentatively. What was he so afraid of? "You look beautiful," he whispered. "As usual." I smiled. "Ready to hunt?"

Alice's POV

There's just something about the jungle that helps me think. Maybe all the life churning around me, or the smell of the moisture in the ground. But I was happy here, and I wasn't alone. Edward was perched on the same limb that I was, laying back with his eyes closed.

"I'm pretending," he answered my thoughts. What? "I'm pretending to sleep. Have you ever tried it?" I laughed out loud. What's the point? "No point. Just fun."

My brother. He had improved exponentially since we've been away, but he was going to be grieving for a long time. I was taking it better then he was.

"You had more time to prepare," he replied. That was true.

The vision hit me and I almost fell of the branch. Carlisle and Esme's house. The spare bedroom. Jasper and Bella talking. Bella, Writhing in pain. The whole family standing and waiting. Bella-awake, with bright crimson eyes. They were getting ready for her first hunt. Jasper had her hand, and they walked out the door together. They passed a calendar on the wall, and I noticed the date. Today.

Well, it's not like I didn't know that was coming, really. I figured they'd wait a while, though. But he was right-Bella was beautiful.

"He's done it…" Edward mouthed.

"Well, of course he has! Edward, don't you see? He's the complete opposite of you. Everything you wouldn't do for Bella, he has done. He wanted her forever, so he took her. One of your fatal flaws."

"But…this means she'll be one of us forever. I mean, I knew it would happen eventually-she's always wanted it. But to see it before my own eyes…it doesn't take the sting away. I'm not upset that she's immortal, Alice-I'm upset because she's not immortal with me. I miss her."

"I know. But someday you'll be able to be her friend. You'll always love her, and I'll always love Jasper, but we will be okay." I know it. I showed him the vision I had one night while he was gone. It was years down the road-I didn't know how many-and it was Christmas. We were all together, celebrating. All of us in the same room. Bella was immortal, like I always knew she would be, I just didn't know when. Until now. Bella was handing Edward a present, and he was taking it with a smile on his face. Pained, but a smile none the less. And I was sitting next to Jasper on the couch, just talking. Carlisle and Esme were kissing under the mistletoe, and Emmett and Rose were laughing in the corner. It was a lovely vision.

"I hope so, Alice," was all he said.