When I woke up again, Dr. Cullen was nowhere to be seen.
I thought about asking the nurse about his whereabouts but I didn't want to seem like I was a part of his little fan club.
For the next few days, I thought I was improving, until I woke one morning when I tried to get out of bed to use the bathroom and my legs refused to hold me up.
I ended up on the floor, as the nurse walked into the room for my next dose of medications.
She and another nurse rushed to help me into bed, before calling the doctor.
I was then forced to get a catheter and was placed back onto the oxygen mask, before being administered pain medications for the bruising I got from the fall.
Dr. Cullen appeared for a moment or two each day after that to check on me before excusing himself again.
This went on for a week or so, before my condition worsened more.
No more visitors were granted passage after what happened with Edward. I almost thought it had all been some sort of fever dreamer, but I knew that it had happened because my ribs ached whenever I took a breath.
I wasn't angry at Edward, I didn't have the energy to be angry, let alone hold a grudge these days.
Why? Because I could feel as I began to grow weaker and weaker as the days went by.
The medications seemed to be no longer working, and I soon realized that my time in this world was slowly starting to wind down.
I couldn't help but wonder if what had told me was true or if that was just another part of some fever dream.
Either way, I didn't have long. My body was refusing any type of nourishment, besides intravenous.
It sucked. All of this did.
I wasn't scared, though, because I knew this was going to happen eventually, but as I lay there growing weaker and weaker with each breath I took I couldn't help but think of the life I've had.
I wished I could have been normal, happy, someone who didn't burden her parents with her sickness.
Someone who didn't feel pain, or struggled to go outside. Someone who could go outside and enjoy the weather, to be able to breathe the smell of fresh pines and rain in the air.
A stray tear fell from the corner of my eye, as I stared blankly at the white ceiling. A slight humming, and beeping filled the air as I was forced to breathe the medication into my lungs.
I wanted so badly for this to be over. I waited for it. I needed it to be over. My body was starting to lose the battle. I could feel it, and I no longer wished to keep fighting to be in this state of pain and loneliness.
Yet my mind couldn't help but think of anything besides the life I had lived, however miserable it might have been. Or the sadness I felt as I thought of my loved ones.
On the bright side, I would soon get to see my Nana Marie and my other grandparents.
As the next bout of pain medication began to flow into my veins, I sighed and allowed my exhaustion to pull me into unconsciousness finally.
Third Person's POV:
~Back At The Cullen House~
Alice was smiling at something that Jasper had told her as they stood outside of their house when her eyes suddenly glazed over and a gasp left her lips.
The entire family suddenly crowded around her, concerned, as Jasper held Alice up.
"Alice, what's going on?" Esme asked her, concerned.
Alice, blinked, still dazed as she turned to sob into Jasper's chest.
Edward's eyes widened as she turned to look at him.
"It's Bella, she's dying." She whimpered.
Without hesitation, all of them took off, rushing in the direction of the hospital, tension filling the air between them.
As they reached the hospital, Carlisle met them at the door.
Alice blinked in surprise as they all stood there in a group.
"We need to move, we're blocking the entry." He sighed as he gestured for them to move to the side.
They all moved to speak by the side of the building, as Jasper still held Alice to his side.
Carlisle lead them towards the back, before turning to look at all of them with a grave expression.
Edward immediately turned to look at him as he shook his head vehemently. Carlisle gave him a sharp look in return, as they stared each other down.
The exchange lasted for a few more seconds before Rosalie grew tired of it.
"What is it?" Rosalie finally cut in. "Is she dead? Did you turn her? Do we need to leave Forks now?" She demanded.
Carlisle sighed as he turned to look at her, "No. According to the nurse, Isabella had a blood clot from her fall the other day which migrated into her lungs We've administered medication to help dissolve it but things aren't looking well for her. She's been placed in a medically induced coma for the time being. Things are not looking well for her." He informed them.
Their expressions grew upset as they stood there, but Edward looked absolutely devastated.
Alice looked up at Jasper, shaking her head at his questioning expression.
"Alice, can something be done? Is there a way to save her without damning her?" Edward asked urgently.
She gave him a small headshake, "No, Edward, I'm afraid that this is the only way. Either turn her, or let her go in peace, but don't prolong her suffering for your own selfish reasons. Make a decision, and soon. Because if you don't do it, I will, and I guarantee it'll be the choice that makes her have peace, not you." She told him.
A small rumble filled his chest as he narrowed his eyes at her, only for Jasper to fix his stare on him.
"You need to relax." He states before motioning Emmett to step forward.
Edward swayed on his feet for a second before shaking his head and glaring at him. "Everything would have been okay if you had allowed me to turn her two weeks ago, we would be standing here at this moment. We would all be fine. You did this not me." He growled.
Jasper shook his head, "You know damn well why that couldn't happen. Are you trying to get us hunted down by the Volturi? Think about it, man. She's in a hospital. There were people surrounding us, a few within hearing distance, even you have to see the problem there." He argues.
Carlisle sighed, "That's enough, we will not be having another discussion about this. The decision is Edward's to make. Alone." He says.
Rosalie shook her head, "He's prolonged her suffering. A mate wouldn't do that. So, Edward, I will only tell you this. Either free her of that suffering, and give her peace, or I will do it for you." She tells him.
Edward turned his head, to give her a sharp look, which she promptly returned with a challenging one. "Touch her and I'll end you myself." He growls at her.
She scoffs, and smiles as Emmett, steps between both of them, "Woah, I get that you are stressed about the situation, but don't be threatening my wife." He tells Edward.
"Your wife needs to learn her place and not butt into conversations that don't belong to her." He snaps back.
Emmett narrows his eyes at Edward before Esme steps in, "That is enough. Now this is not the place to be having these types of discussions. We have other things to worry about." She admonishes, before turning to her husband, "Carlisle, we discussed this other night, no? Well, it looks like we have things to do before the time winds down." She says before making her way to the woods.
Without another word, all of them followed her, all except the doctor.
Within hours, the plan was set in motion.
Carlisle administered the medication that stopped Bella's heart long enough for the team of medical professionals to examine her before he wheeled her down to the lower level of the hospital.
It was there that he replaced her information with another person's, before wheeling her out to the back of the hospital, where Alice and Jasper were waiting to take Bella to a safe location.
Once she was safe away from the hospital, Alice administered the other medication to restart her heart, before she replaced the oxygen mask on Bella.
"Do you think this will work?" Jasper asked Alice.
She sighed, "I don't know, everything is uncertain right now." She told him honestly.
He sighed, "I hope that everything turns out okay. For Edward, and our family." He says as he drives.
"You and me both, Jazz." She responds, swallowing thickly, before turning to watch over Bella.
Almost a month later, Bella laid in the casket surrounded by her friends and family.
A great part of the town had come to pay their respects to her parents. Many people shared their memories, and happy stories of her as a child. Each one seemed more and more sweet.
The Cullens stood in the back of the church, all of them wearing the same heartbroken expression as everyone around them.
'Edward, do you think she'll be able to handle the next part that's coming?' Rosalie thought, solemnly.
Edward nodded once as he stared straight ahead, noticing that everyone was going up to the casket say their last goodbyes.
As Edward approached Renee stood up and slowly made her way over to the casket. She took Bella's pale hand into hers, bringing it up to her lips, and letting out a sob. "My little girl. I'm so sorry baby. I know you're in a better place, sweetheart. You are no longer suffering, or in pain, You're now happy, and that is better than you being here intubated." She whispered, before she leaned down and pressed a kiss to Bella's forehead.
'She's going to be hurting later.' Alice informed Edward.
Edward stood back and watched as Charlie came over, leaning down to kiss Bella's forehead, "You did good, hon. My little warrior princess." He told her before leading a sobbing Renee away.
The Cullens followed the crowd down the wide path that connected the chapel to the cemetery.
Sobs, whispers, and sighings could be heard through the throng of people as they slowly made their way to the gravesite.
Not a word was said as they turned to watch Charlie, and a few of his friends carry the casket down the small road until they reached the gravesite. More sobs and sniffles resounded from the group as they watched the men approach.
One last prayer was said before they watched the casket lower into the ground, the white of the box almost gleaming as a break in the sky hit it.
The gleam lasted all of thirty seconds before calm surrounded them. Then as if the world was making it known that they had lost a person, the rain began to fall, drenching everyone almost immediately.
'It's going to be a bitch to get her out of there later.' Emmett thought with a wince.
A gutwrenching cry pierced the air as it happened, and Renee collapsed into Charlie's arms as two men began shoveling the dirt onto the casket.
Only a handful of people remained after the downpour began, watching as the white surface of the casket slowly disappeared under the clumps of dirt. Once it was gone, Charlie towed a half-conscious Renee towards the cruiser, before helping her inside, and then driving away.
When only the Cullens remained, Rosalie looked around to check if anyone else remained, before she shook her head, "That was harder than I thought it was going to be." She whispered.
All of them nodded as they stared at the freshly covered gravesite.
"Do you think she's alright?" Esme asked, quietly.
Alice and Edward turned to look at Jasper, who nodded, "She's calm enough, now let's go before someone sees us." He tells them.
The group then turned to leave, solemn expressions on their faces as they made their way to their cars.
What the group failed to realize was that Bella had slipped away long before anyone noticed, as was waiting for them back home.
A week later, the Cullen left Forks for good, heading to Alsaka to plan the next place of relocation.
Bella and Edward returned a century later to pay her parents a visit.
She stood there, staring at the headstones with a solemn expression on her face.
"What's wrong, love?" He asked her, as he wrapped an arm around her.
She sighed, "I just- I just can't help but wonder how their lives were. I just wanted them to be happy after I died." She told him.
Edward sighed, "As far as I know, Alice kept an eye on them, Renee and Charlie divorced at the six-week mark. She remarried a guy she met, Phil, about a year or so later, and Charlie remarried Sue, Harry Clearwater's widow. Both never had any more kids, and both lived happily until they passed." He told her.
Isabella swallowed hard before nodding. She leaned down to place the bouquet of flowers in each grave before looking up at Edward with a small fond smile.
"Are you ready to go, love?" He asked.
She nodded, "With you? Always." She said, before taking his hand.
They disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Author's Note:
This is the end of the story. I was originally going to end it with Bella dying, and Edward following her shortly after, but I needed something. Just a semblance of happiness, so I rewrote it. I hope you all enjoyed it. Take care.