Disclaimer: None of this is mine, nor will it ever be (sigh). I like to play with the characters that Stephenie Meyers created and make them do pervy things or become angels with a bad attitude.

Chapter Thirty-Four

BPOV

Riley yelled and lunged, but was blocked by Edward's sword. They danced and fought for a long time, never tiring, never slowing. Twilight had begun to fall on the meadow, making it hard to see. I was in pain, my head pounding and my leg numb. In the shadows, I saw someone approach us. Edward was fighting near me, blocking me from Riley's parries. I noticed Rosalie, her hands holding a crossbow, aiming right at Edward's heart. I pushed myself up and hobbled, stopping in front of him. "NO!" I screamed as the arrow shot off. A searing pain went through my chest and I fell back against Edward. He gasped, catching me and cradling me as I fell. I heard a roar and a blaze of fire. Riley's head landed near my hand, his eyes now back to the muddy brown they were when he was human.

"Bella, no, Bella," Edward sobbed as he held me. He went to remove the arrow that was in my chest.

"Don't touch it," said Carlisle as he knelt next to me. "It'll kill you."

"Like it's killing her? Carlisle, it went through her left ventricle," Edward sobbed, clutching me to his body.

The man who stood at the head of the legion, crouched on the other side. "Her sacrifice will be noted," he said, his voice deep and resonant.

"Sacrifice?" Edward growled. "She saved me, Gabriel. She should not be a sacrifice!"

"Edward," I whispered, weakly reaching for him.

"My love, I'm here," he said, caressing my cheeks. "I love you. Don't leave me."

"I love you …" I breathed, inhaling deeply and my eyes fluttering shut.

EPOV

"Bella?" I whispered, holding her. Her heart had stopped beating. "Bella? You can't leave me. Please, I just found you. I wanted forever with you, Bella."

"Her sacrifice will be noted," Gabriel repeated. "Does she have family?"

"Yes, me," Charlie said. He stepped forward, wearing his armor and it was covered in black, bloody smudges from the minions that he'd slaughtered. Around us, the remaining minions were being killed or they were running, without their leader. "She will not be sacrificed. Her whole life was a sacrifice. She was tormented, raped, beaten and lost her ability to bear children because of the incompetency of the angel you had assigned to her. Even with all of that, she never once gave into the darkness. Never. You took me away from her, recycling me because of one moment with Bella's mother. Another way of punishing my daughter. Now? She will not be fucking sacrificed. I can't believe you'd even … She will not be lost, Gabriel."

"Agreed," Carlisle snarled, reaching for the arrow. He pulled it out, making her body jolt. He shuddered as the poison seeped into his hand. He tossed it to his side and with his other hand, began the transformation process. Charlie knelt down, doing the same. Esme held out her hands and another Dominion, Maria, helped as well. I held her as her broken bones knitted together, the damage to her mind was healed, and her body becoming refortified as an angel. Her heart began beating, slowly and steadily as the damage to her heart had been repaired. Once the transformation began, their hands fell away and Carlisle collapsed, the poison coursing through him.

"Carlisle," Esme sobbed. "No! I love you."

"This is my penance," he said, caressing her cheek. "Bella was an innocent. I was a fool and I needed to make it right. If I sacrifice myself to do that, so be it. I will always love you, my Esme. Watch over them and … be strong, my love." He kissed her and his body faded away, leaving behind just a shadow of his form. Esme held a feather from his wings and she cried, clutching it to her chest.

"He is not lost forever, Esme," Gabriel said, his eyes contrite. "His soul will join us again. His sacrifice was his penance. And in his stead, Edward will assume Carlisle's Lordship, as his mate will ascend to become one of the legion, ruling by his side."

I blinked up, confused by his words. "But, I was banished …"

"And you killed the threat, redeemed yourself in protecting Bella and sending Lucifer back to Hell," Gabriel murmured. "I'm sorry that your mate was nearly lost."

"If you'd had your way, she'd be dead," I growled, holding her tightly and pressing my lips to her forehead.

"She would be like Carlisle and her soul would have joined us at a later moment in time," he argued. "But, this … you deserve this, Lord Edward." He waved his hands and I felt my body shudder. My wings shot out from my back and I moaned. The angelic powers morphed and they grew stronger. My wings, they were no longer charcoal gray, but a brilliant, blinding white. "Now, I must go. Take her back to your home, where she can complete the transformation."

"Will she remember me?" I asked. It had been so long since I had transformed into an angel or since an angel had been created. I honestly didn't remember, but my time on Earth probably didn't help. Gabriel gave me a tender smile, not answering and he shot off the ground, disappearing into the darkening clouds.

I picked up Bella, her body already beginning to change. Her muscles were becoming more defined and she didn't feel as light in my arms. She was more solid and not as fragile. I kissed her forehead, nuzzling her cheek as I stood up. I stretched my new wings and took off, flying us back to our home. Making my way inside, I laid her on the bed. Felix sniffed her and hopped up, whimpering quietly as he snuggled closer to her. His big gold eyes stared at me as I removed my armor, questioning what was going on. I rubbed behind his ears. "Things are changing, Felix," I murmured. "I don't know if they are for the better or for worse."

I removed her filthy clothes that were torn, burned and covered in dirt and ashes. I left them on the side, unsure if we would need them or not and held her in my arms as I lay in the bathtub. She was quiet, her face serene as I washed her pale skin. I could see the bruises and burns heal on her body. The most shocking marks were the ones on her wrists and ankles. Her skin was nearly black, nearly charred off. I prayed that she wouldn't have reminders of what had happened. "I'm sorry, Bella. I wanted to get to you. I love you. Come back to me, please?"

After cleaning us both up, I put her into the same silky nightie she wore when we'd made love the first time. I checked her back, seeing the formation of wings on her shoulder blades. When they poked through the first time, it would be incredibly painful. I would be by her side, every step of the way.

Outside of my room, I heard Alice, Seth, Charlie and a grieving Esme. They were all concerned for Bella, but they were staging her death. We would have to leave, but with all of the pain we'd experienced in Forks, it seemed like the best choice. We could start fresh. I could teach her the ways of being an angel, providing guidance and love to her charges, after she learned to love herself. But, hearing her whisper that she loved me in her dying breath damn near shattered my heart. She loved me. I loved her and I was going to have a future, a forever with her.

Edward, we need you, Esme thought to me, her voice so sad, but insistent.

"I don't want to leave her," I whispered, curling around her body. "I left her once before and look what happened?"

"Just for a moment," she said. I sighed, kissing Bella's forehead and leaving her briefly. I left the door open so I could still see her. I crossed my arms, arching a brow. "She'll sleep for three days, Edward. Riley had corrupted her mind, to an extent. It'll take time for her body to transform."

"And her death?" I asked.

"Charlie is taking care of it," Esme said. "But, you will be called in to identify the body."

"I'm confused. How can we have a body?" I asked.

"I'm going to become Bella," Alice said. "We can alter our appearances, slightly. Bella and I look similar, but our eyes are different colors. My eyelids will be shut."

"How is it going to work?" I whispered.

"Riley was the one who abducted her," Charlie said. "We reattached his head to his human corpse and it's going to be a car accident. Seth is setting it up and Alice is going to fly over there once the set-up is complete. Acting as an officer of the law, I'm going to take the lead on the investigation."

"What about the rest of the minions?" Alice asked.

"They're lost," I answered. "The few that remained after Riley/Lucifer was sent back to Hell, were killed by the legion. The rest scattered. They will remain in limbo until they are arrested or they die, but their minds will never return to what they once were, but what about Rosalie? The one who was aiming for me?"

"I got her," Seth replied, walking into the living room. "We're good to go, Charlie."

"You got her, meaning you killed her?" Esme asked.

"She was distracted when Bella stepped in front of Edward and I sliced her in half. Her body didn't make it to the ground before it disintegrated into fine ash. She's gone," Seth smirked. "Lord Edward, do you have Bella's clothes?"

"Uh, yeah," I said, shaking my head. "And Seth, please … just don't. I'm still me."

"Okay, okay," he laughed.

I went and got Bella's destroyed clothing, giving them to Alice. She wrinkled her nose as she put them on. With concentration, she added bruises, lacerations and cuts along where Bella's clothes were tattered. Alice also made her skin paler, with dark circles under her eyes. She looked like a walking corpse. "How did I die, Seth?" she asked.

"Internal bleeding," Seth replied.

"I'll hold off adding that until closer to being discovered," she said. "How long, Charlie?"

"An hour or two," Charlie nodded. "Alec is going to be conveniently driving past and see the skid marks."

"Kay," she nodded, walking out with Seth and they left.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"No. It'll be a day before 'Bella's body' is going to be released for a funeral. I will need you to come in to identify her, Edward. I'm sorry, but we can't let this linger," Charlie said. Esme, despite her grief, nodded in agreement.

"I know, I know. Hopefully, her wings will have poked through and the pain is not as bad," I said. "I need to …"

"Go to her," Esme said. "Can you hear her thoughts?"

"They're distant. A whisper," I shrugged. "Is it because she's transforming?"

"If anything, her voice should be louder now," Esme frowned. "Perhaps Riley's corruption went deeper than we believed."

I nodded, leaving them in my kitchen. I stripped off my shirt and spread my wings. I lay down, wrapping my new wings around her body as she snuggled to my chest. Her head was laying just on top of my heart. "Edward," she breathed, moving closer. "Safe …"

"As are you, pretty Bella," I said, sliding my arms around her waist and closing my eyes, relishing in her warmth, her safety and her love.

xx OOTD xx

I must have dozed off but I was woken up by a piercing scream. I felt Bella tremble against me. Looking down, I saw her wings beginning to poke through her shoulder blades, about halfway formed. There was nothing I could do to lessen the pain. If I healed her, the pain would begin anew when they pushed back through. "Bella, I'm here, love," I whispered.

She gripped me, her strength shocking me and she whimpered. "Edward … it hurts. Make it stop," she cried.

"I can't make it stop. If I do, you'll die," I said against her forehead. "But, we made you like me."

"An angel?" she choked out, the pain evident in her voice.

"Yes, love," I said. "What you're feeling is your wings poking through your back, along your shoulder blades." She moaned as her wings continued to grow. I looked at the time, seeing it was early in the morning. "Two more days, Bella."

"But, in the end, I get to keep you?" she squeaked.

"Forever and always," I answered. I looked down at her and she was staring up at me, her eyes filled with tears, but a tentative feeling of hope filled our room. I was also able to hear more of her mental voice. It was moving quickly, processing thoughts like an angel, but not quite there yet. There was still some damage from Riley's corruption. I saw what he showed her. Our deaths and destruction, but she didn't buckle. She didn't yield.

"I didn't," she whispered. "It was our love that helped me, Edward." With a grimace, she reached up and caressed my cheek. "I love you, Edward. So much. I never thought I'd get to show you."

I smiled, tears streaking down my cheeks. "I love you, too, Bella. Hearing you say those words …"

"I was a fool," she said, but growled as her body shuddered. I tightened my arms around her and she melted against me. I idly played with her hair, humming quietly and she drifted asleep.

"You were not a fool, my love," I said. "You were tortured for years, but you were finally strong enough to stand up for yourself. And you did. I love you so much for saving me and I would do anything for you." She sighed, her head moving to the crook of my neck. When she fell into a deeper sleep, her wings continued to grow and her mind healed.

Edward, it's time, Esme called to me mentally.

I sighed, kissing Bella's temple and laying her on her stomach so her wings could continue to grow. "Felix, up," I said. My dog jumped on the bed, taking my spot on the bed. "Keep her safe, boy."

I changed into a pair of jeans and a button-down. When I was dressed, I met Esme out in the living room. "Do you know how long she'll rest?"

"Until you return. You need to identify the body and then go to the school to pick up her belongings," she said. "Mrs. Cope will be there and she'll be all fake, I'm warning you. She'll feign concern, but she didn't really care that Bella was taken. I think … if Riley had stayed alive, she would have been the next one to turn." Her eyes glazed over and she saw an alternative future. "Or maybe … I don't know. My gift is spotty at best right now."

"Hmmmm, and Lauren and Jessica?" I asked.

"They were let go," Esme smirked. "At the police station, while they were being held as persons of interest, they had to undergo a drug test. They both tested positive. The school district has a strict anti-drug policy. Their employment was terminated."

"Just desserts," I snorted. "How are you?"

"I'm … struggling," she said, "but I know that Carlisle's soul has been recycled. I can feel his presence. He's not here. He's in England, I believe."

"Will you watch over him?" I asked.

"My heart will always recognize him," she replied. "Like Alice, I'll be in his life, but I won't hover. I'll be a friend, a confidante and when the time is right, a lover." She hugged me and gave me a somewhat believable smile. "I'll stay with your mate. You deal with the aftermath of closing out her human life."

"Thank you, Esme," I said, kissing her cheek. I left my home, reluctantly, and drove to the Clallam County Coroner's Office. Charlie met me outside, shaking my hand and frowning deeply. We walked inside and into a frozen room. The medical examiner pulled back a sheet, revealing Alice's still form, but she looked like Bella.

"Is this Isabella Swan?" asked the medical examiner.

I sobbed, remembering that moment in the field. Her last words … her whispered 'I love you' and hearing her heart stop. Charlie held me. "Edward? Is this Bella?"

"Yes," I cried, reaching for Alice's cheek and brushing it tenderly.

You're rocking the grieving, Edward. Excellent work, Alice thought to me.

"Did you know what Miss Swan wanted to be done? If she had died?" the medical examiner asked.

"Mr. Cullen is a close friend of the family. I'll take care of the preparations," Charlie said. "She said she wanted to be cremated." He handed the ME a card. "This man will be by to pick up her remains."

"No autopsy?" he asked.

"No," I said. "No. I want her whole."

"Understood, sir. My condolences." He covered Alice's face and Charlie led me out of the room.

"Seth will pick up Alice and wipe his mind clean," Charlie whispered quietly. "Now, I've expedited a death certificate. You need it to claim Bella's stuff at the school."

He handed me an envelope. I took it and left, driving to the school where we worked. I walked into the main office, holding my keys. Ms. Whittier was sitting at the small conference table and she blinked up. "Edward! Have you heard anything? I've been checking the news about Bella's disappearance. A lot of dead ends."

"Uh, she was abducted by her ex-boyfriend. The janitor? Riley Biers?" I said. "They were in a car accident. They both died."

"Edward," she gasped, running to me and hugging me tightly. "I'm so sorry. Bella was a favorite among the children and I was so pissed when she was let go. In fact, with the drama with Lauren and Jessica, I was going to call her back if she wanted one of their positions."

"Where's Mrs. Cope?" I asked.

"She was let go, as well," Ms. Whittier said. "Something about knowing about Riley's criminal history but still hiring him or something. I've been promoted to principal and one of the fifth-grade teachers is stepping into my position as assistant principal."

"Congratulations," I said, giving her a half smile, but I wanted to get out of here. I needed to get back to Bella. "Anyway, I'm here to pick up Bella's stuff. I'm her next of kin. She had no living family." I handed her the death certificate.

"If you need any help, Edward," Ms. Whittier frowned. "Will there be a funeral?"

I shook my head. "No, Bella wanted to be cremated and I'm honoring wishes. I'm also leaving the area. It's too painful to stay. I was going to marry her and …" I gave her a grimace. "Anyway, I'll be out of here in a little bit. I just wanted to drop off my keys, along with Bella's." She hugged me again and walked me down to Bella's room. Angela obviously had been by, emptying out her space. I grabbed a flatbed cart and loaded up Bella's school supplies, bringing them to my car and filling up the trunk and backseat with her classroom supplies. I left the school, driving back to my house.

Alice was back when I returned. I hugged her and thanked her for what she did, but I needed to be with my mate, my reason for being. I'd been away from her for too long. With that, everyone left the house and I lay down next to her, caressing her hair, murmuring my unending love and waiting, rather impatiently, for her to complete her transformation.

A/N: We're getting close to the end, folks. I'm thinking one more chapter from each of their POVs. Bella will be her waking up as an angel, showing, telling and sharing her love with Edward. They're also going to introduce Bella to the legion of angels. So, we'll have two more REAL chapters (Edward will be more along the lines of assuming his new role as a Dominion Lordship and making his union with Bella complete, permanent, official) and then an epilogue.

Leave me some! Thank you for reading!