Bella's Point of View

The flight into Plum was anything but relaxing. I still didn't care for being on a plane, even without the nausea I experienced the first time. This time was tainted by the obvious signs of Edward hiding something from me. Not just him, Jacob as well. They were acting strangely. I couldn't for the life of me, even guess what could be going on. But I knew it was something they didn't want to discuss with me. Which left me a complete mess of nerves. Ana, who was completely oblivious, spent a majority of her time flipping through magazines and timidly flirting with Jacob. She was in her glory. I didn't want to ruin that. So, I kept my worries to myself.

Edward knew, judging by our connected emotions, that I was increasingly worried as the time passed by us. His hand rested in my lap, his fingers circling around the fabric of my little black dress. I wasn't accustomed to dresses, I never saw myself as a 'girlie girl', I've always been a 'tom-boy'. Although Alice has pretty much replaced most of my wardrobe with more feminine business causal clothing. I was getting used to it, little by little.

"What's troubling you my love," Edward asked quietly, watching me with concern in his eyes. "Are you still upset, with the Tanya situation. I do apologize that you had to see me… in that state. Over a woman I never even truly loved."

"Well, I am curious as to what Mozi will decide to do with her. I'm mostly… worried about you and Jacob." I commented casually. "You two haven't been acting right since that whole fight with Tanya ended."

Edward cleared his throat with a nervous twitch as he ran a hand through his messy hair. "Of course you would notice. I should have figured as much."

"So, is it some kind of secret, did you plan on telling me? Or are you leaving me in the dark for a reason?" I muttered, feeling slightly annoyed. I didn't appreciate Edward hiding things from me. But perhaps it was with good intentions.

"It's something I'd rather not talk about. Today has already been difficult for you, I don't want to add on any more stress. Anything more and I'm afraid it would affect the baby." He admitted sheepishly.

"Honestly Edward, I think I'm more stressed, not knowing what's going on, than knowing. Because all I can do is sit here any think the worst possible thing."

"I suppose, you're right." He paused, glancing over to Jacob, who was seated directly in the seats in front of us. Ana was taking a nap, her head placed on his shoulder. She was doing well, but Edward did mention she would have to start eating soul stones soon, to replenish her energy reserves.

Jacob met his gaze and sharply shook his head 'no'.

"I'm afraid we will have to talk about this later. I'm sorry." Edward said as he turned back to meet my gaze.

I didn't know what they were hiding, but it was beginning to actually piss me off a little. I wasn't sure if it was because of the lack of sleep I've been getting, or the poor control I had over my overactive pregnancy hormones. But I was mad at Edward. For possibly the first time since we began dating.

With a huff, I turned away from him, forcing my eyes to close. To keep myself calm, I began taking slow blissful breaths. Letting my imagination take over, as I allowed a mental image into my mind. A tiny baby, wrapped in a blue blanket, resting comfortably in my arms. My son. With green eyes, like his father. A soft coo and the joy I would feel as I tended to him. Would I do bottle feedings or breast feeding? Should I begin shopping for baby clothes now? Or wait for the official confirmation on the gender? I'd only have a few more weeks to wait.

My new train of thought brought a sense of peace and happiness. I focused on what made me happy. It helped tremendously. I was able to settle myself. I turned back to Edward once I knew I could do so without snapping at him or getting overly upset.

He eyed me warily. "Are you alright? You aren't angry with me, are you?"

"I'm fine now, let's talk about something else." I suggested leaning back in my seat in an attempt to get comfortable. It wasn't likely. Airplane seats were wildly uncomfortable. Too small, too stiff. Even when flying in first class, it was far from luxurious travel.

"What would you like to talk about?" He responded eagerly.

"Well, I did hear that there would be another company party some time next month. For Saint Patrick's Day, right?"

Edward raised a brow. "Uh, well partially. It's also my birthday month. So, Alice goes out of her way to make sure the company throws a party, celebrating both events. I think it's just to annoy me." He admitted with a weak chuckle.

I couldn't believe I didn't know that. I realized, there was still a lot I didn't know about Edward. There was so much going on outside of our relationship, that our focus was elsewhere. We really did need more time to get to know each other. I mean, we were engaged, but I didn't even know when he was born. It made me feel incredibly guilty.

"I didn't realize… how old will you be?" I rested my hand over his.

Now Edward appeared slightly nervous. "Seventy, seven."

I blinked a few times, before laughing quietly. "Well, you look great for your age."

"Yes, well, my physical body doesn't really age anymore, because of being partially reaper." He explained, squeezing my hand. "The aging processes hasn't stopped completely but has drastically slowed down."

"Is it the same for Emmett?"

"Not quite. His aging has slowed as well, but not nearly to the level of my own. There are subtle changes to his physical body every ten years or so."

"I wonder, how it will be for the baby." I questioned, moving my hand to rub across the small bump.

Edward gave me a crooked smile. "Well, he may end up being closer human than anything. Since I'm partially human and you of course are still human. There is a good chance he won't have very much reaper genetics in him."

"It wouldn't matter to me, one way or the other. I love him so much already."

"I feel the same way." Edward chuckled, watching my hand. "I never thought I'd become a father. It was something that never really crossed my mind. I thought my life would forever revolve around my work."

"I know what you mean. Honestly, I never planned on having children. I never really thought I was cut out for something like that. I've always believed that some women just shouldn't be mothers."

"I think you will be a wonderful mother." Edward encouraged.

"I'll do my very best. At least I have the perfect example of the kind of mother I don't want to be. I don't want to be anything like my mother…" I paused, remembering back to Ana's last few words to me, before she passed. Adopted. She mentioned that our mother claimed that I'm adopted. I wasn't sure what to do with this information. Was it truthful? Or just the insane talk of a drunk.

I knew it might not be the time to bring this up, but I had every intention of asking my mother about it. As much as I didn't even want to see her, I really wanted to know. I wasn't sure how I would react to her answer. But I anticipated there would be some kind of dispute. She never could make things easy. At least she wouldn't be drunk. She was excused from jail for this funeral. She would have guards watching her. And since she was a flight risk, she would most likely be in chains throughout the whole event.

"You don't think very highly of your mother, huh?" Edward said quietly.

"Well, you've seen how she is. How careless she is. Would you have any respect for her, if she was your mother?"

"I admit, she isn't the best parent when it came to caring for Ana. But what was she like before your father passed away?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "She was cold, strict and demanding. Mostly when it came to me, but she wasn't the same way with Ana. She would spoil her and coddle her. I guess it makes sense now. Since I'm not her biological child."

Edward raised a brow, a sympathetic look coming to his face. "That must have been a difficult thing to hear. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. Do you think your mother will be willing to discuss the details?"

"I'm not sure, I don't even know if her guards will allow her to interact with anyone while she is out."

"Well, the death of a child is serious, I'm sure her escorts will allow her a little freedom today. So, try to not worry." he said softly.

"Alright, I'll try." I yawned, moving to lean a bit more into his side.

"Get a little rest. We still have a little while until we land." he suggested, wrapping his arm around me. He leaned in, kissing my forehead tenderly.

It didn't take long before I drifted off to sleep. The events of today had finally caught up with me. I felt exhausted. I hoped to get through with this funeral with as little amount of drama as possible.

Tanya's Point of View

Fuck my life. Truly. Why did things have to go this way? Why does nothing ever go my way? I was placed in the patron hall. I couldn't stand up. There was so much pain throughout my deformed body. Aro had done significant damage to me. If it wasn't for Jasper, I probably would be alive right now. Although, I'm not sure if the situation that I'm in now will be any different. I would be facing the Grim since my birth into this shitty life. I was confident that my abilities wouldn't work on him.

The guards that brought me here had already left. The cowards didn't want anywhere near the Grim when he arrived. They knew I wouldn't be able to leave this room on my own. I was here alone. To face my fate. At least there were some good times in my life. Edward was one of them… really… the only good thing in my life.

There was a slight shift in the atmosphere, bringing my attention to the mirror that sat in front of me. The shimmering of the glass signaled the fast-approaching arrival of the Grim.

Anxiety choked me. It felt like I already had a strong pressure squeezing around my neck, leaving me unable to breathe. My body trembled as a hooded figure slipped through the glass, landing quietly in front of me.

I glanced up, meeting the gaze of fiery eyes, of conflicting color, red and blue. This wasn't the Grim. It was his bride. Which relieved me slightly. His wife was much more lenient. She was kind and possibly could be manipulated. Perhaps I could risk using my powers against her.

"Ahh, I wondered when I'd have the pleasure of seeing you here Tanya. I must admit, I've been looking forward to this meeting." She spoke with an open smile.

Maybe there was a chance… Cautiously, I shifted my hand, attempting to manipulate her emotions. I felt the energy leave my hand and travel in her direction. However, contact was never made. It bounced off, as if it had hit an invisible shield.

"It's an honor, I apologize for this form I'm in. I'm sure it's unpleasant." I spoke with as much respect as I could muster. My powers didn't work, so I would have to do this the old-fashioned way. Kiss ass until I'm blue in the face.

"Don't be sorry, the look really suits you." She replied, continuing her kind expression. I wouldn't even have realized she was insulting me, judging by her tone. It was a strange reaction from her. I've never known her to feel any negativity whatsoever. Had I unknowingly pissed her off?

"I take it you don't like me very much." I commented quietly.

"Oh dear, I don't hate anyone. To hate someone would be to care for them to a certain level. And I couldn't care less for you." Even though that was her response, her tone went flat. All her fake smiles gone. She was over the formalities.

"So, I can expect no mercy." It wasn't a question. I was just mentally preparing myself for what happened next.

"Well actually, your record is clean. You haven't technically broken any serious laws, apart from placing a curse on a human, that resulted in death. My sweet husband probably would have decided on a less strict punishment. He is meant to be unbiased and fair to everyone. He must follow his own rules." She said as she now began to circle me. "However, those rules don't apply to me. That's why he sent me."

Now she was beginning to confuse me. This was how the Grim conducted his business. He kept his hands clean. And if he wanted to break any of his own rules, he would just send his wife to do the dirty work.

"So, what have I done that upset him? Don't tell me he favors the Boswell reapers. He doesn't like that I've been scheming against them?"

"Don't be daft. Like I said, he must remain unbiased. However, there is an exception." She now paused, narrowing her eyes to me. "He is quite protective of his children." I could see the fury dancing behind her bewildering eyes. She looked like she was ready to kill me.

I swallowed hard. "H-his children. I've never… I never even met any of his children. Not direct descendants anyway."

"You are wrong sweetheart. Not only have you been in contact, but you've been absolutely cruel to one of his most precious children. Our youngest. Our baby. And you, WILL NOT, continue this behavior." Her voice turned thunderous. Electricity bounced around the room, charging the environment. I felt an impulse to flee, but I still couldn't move. The murderous intent that fell off her was palpable. I needed to get out of here.

"If I would have known, I would never have done something like that. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the both of you. Who is this child? I'll make things right." I pleaded as my body quivered in terror.

"That's none of your business. You're lucky you haven't damaged our child. Or there wouldn't even be a conversation right now. You would be erased from existence entirely." She hissed at me as she continued to pace in circles around me. "I'd end you myself."

I cowered, placing my arms over my head to shield myself. "P-please… forgive my atrocities."

"Oh Tanya dear, please don't beg. You won't meet your end today." Suddenly her hand went to my head causing severe pain to rattle down through my body. I felt my bones start to shift and change. I nearly fainted from the agony. It felt like fire engulfed my body, leaving me nothing but a pile of dust. I wailed and thrashed against the ground for what felt like an eternity.

But when that pain subsided, I sat up taking note of my body. She had removed my curse. I looked like myself again. But there were a few subtle changes. Which included a strange thudding within my chest. I took a deep breath, finding it odd how it felt. The feeling filled my chest cavity. I attempted to use my abilities, to find they were gone.

"What, have you done to me?" I muttered quietly, trying repeatedly to use my abilities, but failing each time. Nothing was working.

"I sealed your reaper essence and made you human." she replied, her wide smile returning.

I gasped, moving my hand over my chest, taking note of the strange beating again. This was my heartbeat? I was alive? Human? Weak and powerless. Edward would forever be out of my reach now. I couldn't stay in his orbit. Humans weren't allowed to know the truth. Would she wipe my memory next?

"Why, why not just kill me?" Water started running down the sides of my face. This was all foreign to me. All these human functions. It was incredibly frustrating.

"You cursed a young woman, who was already suffering a great deal. You did this without a second thought. Your hatred for humans is concerning. I thought it would be best for you to experience this world as a human from now on. But don't worry. The punishment doesn't end there. I've created cancer within your body. The same kind that the girl you killed suffered from. You will now understand your victim. And when the cancer takes your life, I will be there personally to take your soul to hell. You will not be reborn."

Maybe there are fates worse than death.

Bella's Point of View

I didn't even realize we had landed in Plum until Edward began to lightly shake my shoulder. I was a bundle of nervousness as the four of us made our way off the plane. We had rented a car at the airport, since Uncle Charlie and the rest of the family were already at the funeral venue, so they wouldn't be able to pick us up. I'm not sure why I was so on edge, but Ana on the other hand seemed completely at ease. Completely oblivious to my steadily increasing worries.

We all piled into a black sedan, it was nothing luxurious, but it fit our purposes. Of course we could have rented a much more expensive car, but Edward wanted us to keep a low profile. Blend into the background as much as possible. The last thing we wanted was to draw attention.

There were only two churches in town, one was used only for weddings, the other for funerals. It was a tradition that was unique to this area. The older generation that founded this area believed it was bad luck to hold weddings and funerals under the same roof. Hench, two churches were constructed.

The church that had held all the weddings was kept neat and pristine. The outside was white brick and held a constant warm glow in the windows when in use. The other church, the one we would be going to, was nearly on the edge of town. A vast graveyard sat directly behind it. The building was dark brown wood, appearing ancient and menacing. It was shaped more like an old-fashioned schoolhouse. It was small and the inside always felt stale. I remember it well, when my father passed away.

As we approached, I felt my eyes widen as I took note of the parking lot. There were more people here than I had thought. It was as if the entire town was here. I guess it made sense. Ana was an outstanding member of town; she had a lot of friends and those that cared for her. Because of her cancer, a lot of eyes were always on her. Mostly in pity.

I glanced to the backseat, where Ana sat, watching glumly out the window. She played with a strand of her black hair. Her strange purple eyes met mine. "I can't believe I'm going to my own funeral. This is… kinda uncomfortable."

"Well, if you don't want to go in, you can stay here if you'd like." I offered with a soft smile.

"I'll stay with you, if you decide not to go." Jacob chimed in with a grin.

Ana shook her head. "No, this might be my last time getting to see my family. Even though they won't know who I am. It's like… getting some closure for myself."

"Alright, well then, let's get going. It looks like Uncle Charlie is already at the door waiting on us." I said gesturing to the front of the door.

The double doors were wide open, Uncle Charlie stood at the side, his arms folded across his chest. His head down. He looked truly defeated. I felt a lump in my throat. This was going to be difficult.

Everyone took their time, getting out of the car. One by one, we walked single file towards the front doors. Jacob and Ana remained closely behind me and Edward. The second I made it within arms-reach of Uncle Charlie, he quickly pulled me into a tight hug. Now that I was close enough, I saw how red and puffy his eyes were. It's clear he has taken this loss hard.

I hugged him tightly, feeling tears in my eyes. It was hard seeing him like this. He was always so strong. Nothing ever upset him. I hated this. I wish I could tell him the truth. Ana isn't gone. She is right here. Right behind me. But I couldn't. I knew that.

"Hey kid, I'm glad you made it here safe." He said in a low gruff voice.

When we pulled apart, I nodded to the others. "Of course, you remember Edward, right?"

"City boy, yes of course. It's good to see you again Edward." He relied, holding his hand out to Edward.

They shook hands. "I'm so sorry for your loss, I hope you don't mind. I've brought some of my co-workers along. They met Ana briefly since she has moved to Boswell." Edward explained gesturing to Jacob and Ana.

Uncle Charlie scanned over the both of them, before nodding his head in approval. "Anabel was such a special girl. To know her was to love her. Please, come inside."

With some reluctance, I guided us past the double doors and into a cluster of people. Not many people were talking, there was just a low rumble. Most of them were standing, talking in private with one another. A few were lined up for a chance to offer condolences at Ana's coffin. Without much of a thought, I moved to stand in line. This was just what I usually did when attending a funeral. Briefly speak with the family, pay my respects at the coffin, then take my seat for the actual funeral.

But it felt much different than usual. The sadness wasn't there. The grief and pity. I didn't feel that. Because my sister was alive. Her soul lived on and was right here. This just felt like a big fake show. Like nothing was real. But I had to keep reminding myself, that's not reality for anyone else in this room. In their world, Ana was no more. She was dead. And that's what they would have to live with forever.

Edward remained close to me, keeping an arm around my waist as we waited in line. I hadn't noticed anyone approaching, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I flinched slightly, then turning to be met with a familiar face.

"Bella, is that really you?" It was Mike, an individual from my past that I really hadn't wanted to come into contact with again. He was my first and only boyfriend in high school. And like everyone else in town, he made a point of making me feel worthless, because of my weight.

"Hi Mike, nice to see you." I kept a blank expression.

Mike looked the same as he always did. A baby-faced jock, with some of the bluest eyes I've ever seen. I had been so smitten with him in school. Now that he stood in front of me, I couldn't for the life of me understand why that was. He was nothing in relation to Edward.

"You look incredible," He stuttered, his cheeks tainted now in redness. I felt his eyes sweep me over for a moment. "I see you lost all that weight."

Of course he would bring that up. It's all that really mattered to him. He didn't care about my personality; we got along well as friends. But the moment we started to date, he had the assumption I'd lose all the weight and become his perfect girlfriend. Obviously that never happened. We didn't date for long. A week, at most.

Edward clicked his tongue, an annoyed look on his face. "Discussing a woman's weight, it's appalling. Tactless." He spoke in a clipped tone.

Mike turned to him, raising a brow. "This your boyfriend or something?" He eyed Edward, appearing slightly intimidated. "The city slicker."

"Fiancé actually, this is Edward." I introduced them. "Edward, this is Mike…"

"I dated her in high school." Mike nodded with a slight smirk on his face. "But I guess you got the new and improved version of her."

His words didn't bother me. But the same couldn't be said for Edward. I felt his arm around me tighten. A dark look came to his face as he stared daggers towards Mike.

"Are you an idiot? Or just an asshole. Weight doesn't dictate a person's worth. No wonder your relationship failed. A boy that values outward appearance more than anything else will never truly find genuine love in someone else." Edward responded, turning completely away from Mike.

This must have come as a shock to Mike. He stood there, open-mouthed and fuming. He didn't speak for a moment. Just stared at Edward with anger. His hands balled into fists at his sides.

"I'm not the same guy I was when I was younger. I have changed. If you had stayed in town, you would have seen. I'm different now. We could have tried again Bella." Mike said, reaching his hand out towards me once again.

Edward instantly pushed Mike's hand away before it made contact. Yet, he still didn't look towards Mike. He was finished with entertaining this. Best if I had Mike move along before his mood worsens. Edward's patience was thin.

"Again, it was nice seeing you. But I'm just here to pay respects to my sister." This ended the discussion.

Mike frowned, shrugging his shoulders, before turning his sights on Ana. He gave her a suggestive wink as he now turned his attention fully on her.

"Who are you beautiful? I've never seen you in town?" He quickly shifted gears and moved behind me, to where Ana and Jacob stood.

Jacob grabbed Mike by the collar with a heated glare. "Talk to my woman again and I'll kick your hillbilly ass." He threatened.

Mike stammered, holding his hands up as a sign of innocence. "Hey, just being friendly. I'll go."

Ana rolled her eyes, elbowing Jacob lightly. "That's not make a scene. Remember, we are trying to blend in here as much as possible." I heard her whisper to him.

Jacob released Mike with some force, causing Mike to tumble back a few steps from us.

"You're all freaks anyway." Mike hissed as he turned his back and marched away from us. Like a child, he threw his tantrum and now was sulking. It was a relief to see him walk away. He was more trouble than what he was worth.

"What a jerk." Jacob grumbled with a sour look.

"A perfect example of human waste." Edward nodded in agreement.

I was just glad that this little encounter didn't register any unwanted attention. We wanted to slip in and out without raising any suspicions.

Soon, we made it to the casket, where Ana's lifeless body lay. Frozen in time. It was surreal. Her old body was here in front of me, adorned with flowers surrounding her. Eyes closed. Arms folded neatly in place. They colored her cheeks with a little blush, to give the illusion of a more natural look. But the rest of her skin was so pale. Grey and translucent.

Next to the casket, stood my mother. Dressed in black. With a single ankle monitor on. A guard stood at arms-length away from her. His expression was blank of all emotion. While my mother's tear-stained face twisted in agony as her eyes met mine.

Well, this was it.

Thank you for reading. Please leave a review with what you thought of this chapter.