Incomplete-Final Chapter

Isabella Swan had always known she was an incomplete puzzle. When the last pieces finally fell into place, it was much more than she hoped for.

Bella/Zafrina

"The only thing I like about the city is the abundance of food," Zafrina murmured. It was a statement Bella found did not trouble her in the least. It was strange how she'd made peace with her food source, considering the first vampires she knew lived on a so-called vegetarian diet. Bella had never given much thought to her source of food or the fact that, in the end, she was taking human life. Yes, it was made easier knowing they were not upstanding citizens. But they were human beings, some with families, people who loved and would mourn them, yet it would change nothing.

She still had thoughts of tracking down her singer; she still had moments where she believed she could still smell their blood. They were human, on holiday, and nearly lost their lives because they happened to smell extraordinary to her. Funny how these thoughts only occurred to her when they were a few hours from the Cullen residence.

Bella broke the neck of the woman and tossed her in an abandoned building with the two others. She'd never drunk from a female before. These three had lured a man into an alleyway and killed him for a measly seven hundred dollars and change. She set a small fire that would mask the cause of death. "Indeed." She muttered. "It's so much easier at home getting rid of the bodies; we just leave them for nature," Bella grumbled.

"I do believe you miss home more than I do." Zafrina quipped.

"I do," Bella admitted shamelessly. After we visit the Cullens, we should return home for a while. She entreated.

"No, we are going to see the world, at least some of it, before we go home," Zafrina said, kissing her pouting lips.

"If I'm miserable at the Cullens, it will be entirely your fault." Bella groused. Zafrina's only response was laughter. "I don't like you very much right now." She grumbled.

"We both know you say that now; you will change your mind the minute I get naked." Bella looked at her in disbelief.

"Wow, that is… true." She admitted reluctantly. "You will pay for that." Bella threatened.

"Pay for what?" Senna asked, joining them from her own hunt with Kachiri.

"Nothing," Bella said, glaring at a smirking Zafrina.


Despite the changes to their relationship in recent years, he was still surprised when Rosalie offered to accompany him to get more controllers. Their relationship had changed for the better. Rosalie had gone from dismissing his wants and hobbies to being a supportive mate. For decades, he'd envied the way Jasper and Alice supported each other no matter how nonsensical they thought the other's wants were. Same with Carlisle and Esme. The entire fiasco with Bella had been the last straw for him. He knew her voting to stay would have changed nothing, but her lack of support for him again had stung. This time he'd been unable to brush it aside and pretend it didn't hurt simply.

For months, Rosalie had pretended that his lack of communication had not bothered her. Jasper, though, had told him on one of their many long walks that his wife regretted not supporting him but was too stubborn to admit it. Well, for once, Emmett would be just as stubborn. He'd only said one sentence to her in months.

Then, things had gone from the frying pan into the fire. She had called Edward almost gleeful that Bella was dead and that Edward could come back. When he'd found out, his crushing disappointment in her had been the turning point in their relationship. Rosalie, for the first time, realized their marriage might never be the same. This wasn't about Bella in the end; it was about Rosalie's lack of appreciation for him. He was madly and utterly devoted to her, but the truth was, he wasn't sure she was as devoted to him. They were mated; there was no changing that, but he'd learned that being mated didn't mean a loving relationship.

Her going to Bella and pleading on his behalf had come as a real shock, not that it changed anything, thanks to Edward. Bella's phone call to them before becoming a vampire had left them all in a contemplative mood after their moment of levity. They'd all abandoned her at the say-so of a lying, manipulative asshole.

A week later, Senna emailed to ask for a new phone for Bella and, surprisingly,y herself. He hadn't gotten the email for another three months as he and Rosalie had left to see the remotest part of the world. A human Bella had ventured into the Amazon rainforest looking for her mate without the certainty of success, and it had inspired them.

Senna called often; the vampire had zero filter and no notion of what was appropriate conversation. As it stood, Bella had no secrets, thanks to Senna. She often said hello in the background but never took the phone and spoke to them directly. It was a painful reminder that the trust she had given them so quickly the first time would be hard-earned this time, if ever. Her call to say she was coming for a visit had left them all astonished, to say the least.

Emmett had bought every controller they had in the shop. Rosalie thought it was a little excessive, but if he was honest, he didn't think it was enough. He was looking forward to gaming with her now that she was a vampire. His smile as he got out of the jeep faulted and then spread even wider. "Bells."

Rosalie picked up the scents of several vampires; among them was the familiar scent of Bella. Even as a vampire, she smelled the same.

"BELLS," Emmett shouted needlessly.

"Back of the house. Did you forget I can now hear you just fine?" Rosalie could imagine Bella rolling her eyes. Emmett leaped over the house into the backyard. Bella and her coven were sat on the far end of the backyard near the treeline, her head on her mates' lap.

Bella bolted up; her hug might have well been a tackle as the two ended up on the grass. "Hey, Bear." Her actions had Rosalie breathing a sigh of relief. She had expected a reserved greeting that would leave Emmett despondent. He had such high hopes for this visit that Rosalie feared he was in for a world of disappointment.

"Hey, Bells." He smiled widely at her.

"For a second there, we thought we had the wrong house," Bella added, helping Emmett up. "Hey, Rose." The blonde pulled the brunette into a firm hug.

"You look good." Despite the filthy t-shirt and jeans, she looked happier than Rosalie had ever seen her. If ever she needed proof that Bella's human life was one of a half-life, this was it. Isabella Swan was born to be a vampire.

"Thanks, but I need to get some new clothes; most of my clothes did not survive my newborn year. The ones I had at Charlie's no longer fit, unfortunately." Bella grumbled. "Come, let me introduce you to my coven." The coven in question hadn't moved from their position. "This is my mate, Zafrina." No one missed the pride in Bella's voice. "Our coven leader, Kachiri, and you know Senna." Bella finished settling down on Zafrina's lap. Emmett and Rosalie joined them, which was how the rest of the Cullens found them.

"Bella," Alice whispered.

"Hey, Alice." Bella held the tiny vampire at arm's length, looking her over, then pulled her in for a hug. "We are okay, Pix." She whispered.

"I've really missed you." Alice cried. Jasper struggled to contain the gratitude he felt.

"Missed you too," Bella admitted. She did, despite everything she missed the Cullens. "I really do understand." She smiled at Zafrina.

"I'm sorry there was no one here to greet you," Carlisle says to Kachiri.

"Think nothing of it." She returned.

Without a word, Bella hugged Esme. "Esme, I need to wash what is left of my clothes." That had everyone laughing.

"Let's take this inside," Carlisle said, a smile splitting his face. As they walked to the Cullen's home, Bella still had her arm around Esme.

"Charlie hasn't stopped talking about your visit," Alice said as they entered the house. It all looked familiar to Bella. The Cullens clearly had a style, and they stuck to it.

"Yeah, apart from him sticking his coffee under my nose every chance he got, it was great to see him and the pack. Boy, they really do stink." Bella chuckled when almost everyone crinkled their nose.

"Where are your shoes?" Alice asked, earning a laugh from Bella.

"Wondered how long it would take you to notice." Bella collapsed next to Zafrina. "We ran to Forks, made a few detours, then ran here, making a detour through Canada. No shoe would survive that trip, and I haven't worn one since my change. No need for them in the rainforest." Bella shrugged.

"Wouldn't we need them if we plan on seeing the world?" Zafrina interjected.

"We saw Canada; we can go home." Bella groaned.

"Bella misses the rainforest more than we do." Kachiri found that rather amusing.

"You wanted to see the world as a human; I would have thought you'd want it more… ooh." Carlisle chuckled. "It was more about finding the missing pieces of the puzzle." He nodded in understanding.

"You were looking for me," Zafrina realized. We can go home if that's what you want," she added.

"No, you want to see the world, so we will see the world. I want to see it too. I miss my treehouse." Bella muttered. She'd been excited about seeing the world as a vampire but missed her home more than she thought possible.

"You live in a treehouse," Emmett asked excitedly.

"Yep, it's pretty cool. Because they built it long ago, it's very much part of the forest. It's impossible to find." Zafrina loved how animated Bella got every time she talked about their home.

"That idiot had no chance of finding you." Rosalie hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"He was in Brazil?" Bella asked. "We had no idea. We never caught his scent." She added.

"When was this?" Zafrina's tone sent a chill through the room.

"He left after you called, saying you found your mate. Alice saw him leave four months later after he failed to find a sign you even lived in the rainforest." Carlise answered. "He now mostly lives with the Denalis." He added.

"Can you introduce us to whoever does your documents for you?" Bella asked, breaking the quiet that had descended.

"I can do that," Jasper interjected. At that moment, Bella realized she hadn't said a word to him.

"Jasper, how the devil are you?" She asked, smiling.

"Couldn't be better. Thank you, Bella." They both knew he thanked her for much more than asking about his well-being.

Everyone got comfortable after establishing they'd stay with the Cullens for the next few weeks while waiting for the documents. Bella suspected the documents could be done much faster if she pushed but decided against it. To no one's surprise, Senna had grown a little obsessed with gaming with Emmett. Kachiri, on occasion, joined in, and even Zafrina.

"So, with everything that happened, I've had a lot of time to reflect." Alice's hesitation was evident. "I came to a rather unbelievable conclusion, so I dismissed it, and then you gave Carlisle permission for us to read your diary. I realized my unbelievable conclusion was believable." Alice grew confident as Bella's smirk grew with every word.

"I found it rather surprising that the first person to suspect that it wasn't all that it appeared to be was Edward. Even then, I don't believe he'd worked it all out." Alice's jaw dropped. "Did you just realize?" Bella chuckled; there wasn't much humor in it.

"Of course," Alice whispered. "'We deserve answers, you…' and then I interrupted him."

"What's going on?" Carlisle asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"After you left, I became quite physically active, including cliff diving. I had been doing that for months with the wolves. Then, one afternoon, I went by myself; I had underestimated how strong the current was that day. Thankfully, Jake saw me jump and had to help me out of the water." Bella did not feel the need to mention she'd jumped because the devasting feeling of how easily they had left her reared its ugly head. Or how close Victoria had gotten that day. "Alice showing up, I did not see coming; I couldn't have planned that." With those words, the Cullens started to see where it was going. "Then Edward, another thing I couldn't have planned for. When Jake answered, using those precise words…" Bella chuckled. "And I can say this with a great deal of certainty: my human mind worked faster than it was capable of working as a vampire. I realized that with Jake there, you couldn't see my decisions; it was why you hadn't seen all the other cliff dives. Why you'd seen me jump but not Jake helping me out of the water? The wolves rendered your gift utterly useless. I just knew it was Edward on the phone. I didn't know how I knew, but I did. There was a certainty I could not explain. I had time to say something, anything to change how he'd perceived Jake's words, but I didn't and let the chips fall where they may." The Cullens stared at Bella in stupefaction.

"The chip being Edward going to the Volturi," Alice murmured.

"He told me it was precisely what he'd do if anything ever happened to me. So yes, I was not the least bit surprised when you ran back in and told me what he'd planned to do. I was counting on it.

Honestly, I thought I might have to work to convince you to take me to Volterra with you. When you thought Jake was convincing me not to go with you, I was explaining why you were on the phone, panicking. He gave me this bracelet." Bella lifted her arm. "He used his wolf's fur to make the thread, as he knew it would take great effort to break. I'd asked for one, days earlier, and would you know it, he had it with him. He also suspected it would continue to block your visions, and again, he was right."

An uncomfortable quiet descended in the Cullen's living room. "What made Edward suspicious?" Carlisle didn't know how to feel about two of his children being so easily manipulated, but his curiosity worn out. Alice had said Bella used her to get before the kings, but none had realized to what extent.

"We were the only two people who knew what he'd do if he ever thought I'd left this mortal plane," Bella murmured. "He and Alice were more terrified of being in front of the Volturi than I was. I didn't have an ounce of fear; if anything, another piece of the puzzle fell in place." Bella said with a shrug.

Carlisle sat forward. "You said you knew it was Edward on the phone. Your human mind worked faster than it even does as a vampire. You figured out that Alice's gift didn't work with the wolves around. Jake has the very thing you need to keep our decisions hidden when away from him. You needed so many things to fall into place, and it did."

"Whatever thread that connects mates, that thread that Marcus sees, I believe, was at work. It aided Bella in her quest to find me." Zafrina had already told Bella this when Bella told them her story. Bella didn't entirely buy it, but what other explanation was there.

"It made itself known when you were on the right part," Jasper murmured absentmindedly.

"Precisely," Carlisle whispered. "In your diary, you were sure you'd get an audience with the kings, and now I understand why." He laughed.

"That was what cemented it all for me," Alice added.

"You are angry." Bella found her anger laughable.

"The entire time we were there, I didn't know if we'd walk out. I saw how much Aro would covert my gift and what my saying no could mean for us. Even letting us go meant little in the long run."

"He let you go because I asked him to." That revelation had the effect Bella expected. "Senna talks without any real thought of what she's saying, so much so she told Marcus that Charlie knew about us. It was over a year ago, and Charlie is in no danger." Senna sheepishly avoided all eye contact, which amused her coven greatly.

"Why… how?" Esme beat Carlisle to it.

"It's the same reason you were never the same when you left me. It's why my refusal to talk to you left you feeling melancholy."

"Melancholy doesn't begin to cover it," Jasper grumbled. "I couldn't be around anybody in this house. The mood was abject desolation… we were barely functioning." He added.

"Jake said I'm like a magnet drawing both human and the supernatural in, even when I didn't want it. Talking to the kings and their mates gave me an inkling to the fact that Jake might just have been right. Now, I know that once you are in my orbit, good luck leaving it intact." Bella didn't feel ready to add that she found that if she loved you too, and you left her orbit, she didn't cope well either.

"That certainly explains the kids from school; we didn't even garner that much attention," Rosalie added.

"That has to be a gift," Carlisle murmured.

"A shield and a magnet, isn't that a dichotomy." Emmett piped up. Of course, they knew she was a shield; with Senna around, she had no secrets.

"How else do you explain it? Even the Volturi won't enforce the law because they don't want to anger Bella. This is unheard of." Carlisle was up and pacing. "Do they know?" He asked, whirling around to face Bella.

"Yes, they came to visit us, and it all came out. Marcus had his suspicions, but then seeing me after so long enforced his belief. As you can imagine, it isn't information they want to be made known." Bella said pointedly. Such information would make her a target.

"Yes, of course," Carlisle murmured.


"Seriously, there is no salvaging this," Bella grumbled. "When did you become so impatient?" She was annoyed at the loss of another shirt.

"Isabella, may I remind you, you started it." She chuckled as Bella scowled at her. Bella had literally jumped her.

"Yes, and yet your clothes are perfectly fine." Despite her irritation at the vampire, Bella couldn't help but lean into her as they walked back to the Cullen house. They made it to the treeline that edged the Cullen's backyard when they caught sight of him. The entire Cullen family was on the back porch glaring at him. They didn't want him there. That much was clear when their worried eyes fell on her. Edward turned then to see what had caught their attention.

"Bella." He whispered. Without thought, he headed for her. Zafrina's hand shot out, gripping his neck and throwing him back before she could react.

"You can do what you want, but stay away from my mate. I believe she already made that clear." Zafrina delivered calmly, but her tone conveyed just how deadly a mistake Edward would be making if he persisted.

"She stands there because of my interventions," Edward yelled at Zafrina but kept his distance.

"And the fact that you stand here is also because of my intervention." Bella threw back at him. "I don't owe you anything."

"I made a mistake." He pleaded.

"No, Edward, you made choices." Carlisle threw in.

"You chose to lie about something so fundamental; even I, who didn't know much then, knew you could not be trusted. You lied to your family, and it cost them more than you realize. If you can lie about things of such importance, nothing is stopping you from lying about the little things. You chose to walk me into the woods and attempted to break me completely. They are choices I cannot and will not forgive. Frankly, you've given me no reason to even entertain the idea of my forgiving you. I cut Alice completely out of my life, yet she kept looking out for me, even when she struggled to see me." Bella added.

"I was drawn to you the second I laid eyes on you. I knew if I didn't say you were my mate, they would have forced me to leave you alone. Tyler's van would have crushed you. I wasn't your mate, but I didn't love you any… magnet." He whispered, confused, having picked up snippets of their conversation from someone's mind. His head whipped from Cullen to another. "They will be just fine without me, but without you…" his voice trailed off. "I wish I could say it was bullshit, but I've seen it. Had you waited a few more weeks before contacting them, they had plans to kill me. Without me around, you would call more often, and you would come back to visit. Case in point." He chuckled humorlessly.

The revelation surprised Bella; she had no idea the Cullens had been willing to go that far. "That is not my problem," Bella said with a shrug.

"You can't take them away from me." Edward shrieked.

"How exactly am I doing that when I've kept my distance." Bella retorted.

"Your gift." He complained. Then, for a split second, he looked as if he had the solution.

"Your chances of success are about as likely as a snowball in hell," Alice growled, taking a threatening step forward. "He's decided if you die, your gift will no longer affect us," Alice explained, earning a chuckle from Bella.

"Here you go, making another boneheaded choice. Clearly, you do not learn from your mistakes." Bella said, pitying.

"How quickly you forget that neither Jasper nor I wanted Bella around. Gift or no gift, I believe you have to like her in the first place." Rosalie interjected, just as ready to come to Bella's aid. "Not that you can, but killing Bella does not change the fact we all love her. I love her; I love her fearlessness, strength, belief in herself, and courage. Above all else, she makes Emmett happy. I want Emmett happy; her very existence plays a part in that happiness. Something I wish I'd realized much earlier."

"Ditto," Jasper growled.

"Carlise." He looked beseechingly at the vampire, who was his father.

"I put your needs and wants above my mate's, and it nearly destroyed her and, in turn, me. I will not make that mistake again; unlike you, I learn from my mistakes." Carlisle intoned with a calmness that belied his disappointment in his oldest companion.

"So, after nearly a century, I am no longer a part of this family." Edward cried, his eyes full of tears.

"If you cared an iota about us, thoughts of killing Bella would have never crossed your mind. All you care about is yourself and your wants. Well, you can do that away from us. Go back to Denali." Esme raged.

"They will no longer have me," Edward admitted.

"After barely a couple of years, they've had enough of you. That is a new low even for you." Emmett sneered. "Leave before I finish what I started." He threatened. With one last look at the Cullens, he ran.

"You were planning on killing him had I not called," Bella asked, still struggling to believe what Edward had disclosed.

"You made it clear he was the reason you kept your distance, and he knew that. Had he possessed a modicum of compassion for us? He would have come to some arrangement that allowed you to visit without having to deal with his presence. Instead, he made it a point to ensure we knew he was not going anywhere to spite us." Esme's sorrow had Bella pulling her into a hug. "I loved him so much, and it's painful to learn he didn't return it."

"That is no reflection on you," Bella assured her. "Edward is Edward and only does what benefits Edward."


Despite Bella's desire to return home, she enjoyed her travels with Zafrina. They didn't run much; they did a lot of walking, hitchhiking, and camping in places most humans wouldn't dare because of the wildlife. Three years later, they returned home, much to the delight of Kachiri and Senna. Four years after their return, the Cullens moved to Isle Esme with plans to stay indefinitely. It made visiting each other a common occurrence.

"Alice, I just need a few shirts and cargo shorts." Bella reiterated, rolling her eyes.

"What about lingerie?" Alice retorted.

"I don't wear underwear. I can barely keep my shirts intact as it is. What do you think will happen to lingerie." Bella groaned, more annoyed at losing level 8251 on Toon Blast than Alice's insistence on buying her lingerie.

"Bow chicka, wow wow." Emmett sang in the background.

"Nobody sings that anymore," Bella argued.

"I'm bringing it back. In fact, it's going to be my ringtone for you." The delight in his voice made that a certainty.

"Alice, just order me some shirts and shorts." Senna will pick it up when she visits next week.

"Are you sure?" Alice singsonged.

"Pix," Bella warned.

"Okay." Alice acquiesced.

"She's still going to buy the lingerie, that one. When she gets an idea, there is no stopping her." She sighed, disappointed. "I know you are there; I can smell you."

"Hello, Miss Swan." The former agent greeted.

"Agent Anderson," Bella responded cheerfully, putting her phone away. She leaped down from her perch on the branch. "Well, I suppose it's no longer agent. I see you are now a vampire."

"I became the very thing that killed my father and uncle. Then again, how else was I going to exact my revenge." To his surprise, Bella looked more amused than anything else.

"Oh, you might be a vampire, but it would not make any difference in the end. For a former agent, you really are rubbish at tailing someone. I caught your scent seven weeks ago and made my movements rather obvious, and you still failed to keep track of me. I will admit I am rather disappointed." Isaac J. Anderson could not hide his surprise at her revelation. She'd known he was there the entire time. "Then again, I shouldn't be surprised; your maker was woeful at tracking. He once tried tracking a vampire from Forks and ended up in Rio while the vampire was in Seattle." Anderson's eyes widened, but he did an admirable job of stifling the laughter that threatened to come forth.

"Be that as it may, I owe him a great deal. He got me out of a hellhole you and Fredericks had me put in." Anderson growled.

Bella chuckled. "It's funny, I was going to set you up to get you out of the way, and then Fredericks informed me that he'd already started an investigation into you, and so far, it did not look good for you. I had no idea it ended up with you in prison, not until I got the email that you'd escaped. They had no idea how you did it. It looked as though you simply vanished from sight. I will give Edward his kudos; that was a brilliant plan. For the love of… why are you hiding? I know you are there." Bella almost sounded exhausted.

"You are quite the vampire." Edward sneered. "I suppose you will be living in these surroundings." He looked around the forest in disgust. They were still relatively close to the town.

Bella laughed. He scoffed at her environment when he looked like he hadn't changed his clothes in weeks. "Oh, Edward, you are so small in every way it's downright pathetic. I mean, seriously, look at you." He simply glared in response.

"You took everything from me; what did you expect?" He roared.

"Blaming me for your choices. At least you two have that in common." Bella muttered.

"You used me to get the answers you needed, don't deny it." Edward groused.

"I had no intention of doing any such thing. I did use you, and in the beginning, I felt bad and waited for the chance to explain it to you and your family, as I wanted to talk to Carlisle. Then I quickly realized how almost every word out of your mouth was a lie. You needed to look big in the eyes of a seventeen-year-old human girl. You are not worth the skin you are walking in, and I knew that from very early on. So yes, I used you and would do it all over again. That's how small and irrelevant you are." He roared and charged, only to slam into something and get thrown back. "You actually think you can kill me," Bella smirked at his stunned form, still on the forest floor.

"How?" He whispered.

"Zafrina." Bella's entire countenance changed, a genuine smile taking over her features. Her voice was filled with such love and reverence for her mate.

The illusion faded, and Edward and Anderson found themselves surrounded by the Amazon coven. Neither had no knowledge their surroundings hadn't been entirely real. At least Anderson had a modicum of common sense and tried to run, but he didn't get far. Edward watched in horror as Kachiri twisted his head off with ease.

"You will not kill me, my family might no longer want me around, but they will never forgive you for killing me." Bella was actually surprised by the confidence with which he uttered those words. He truly believed them.

"Listen, what do you not hear?" Bella cupped her ears. "My phone ringing incessantly because Alice is desperate to get in touch with me to beg for your life. Seven weeks, Edward, some of that spent on Isle Esme, and not at any point did Alice see your plans for me. Do you know what that tells me? Alice is no longer looking out for your decisions. Even more damning, you mean so little to them; she no longer has unwarranted visions of you. Let that sink in, and then tell me again they would not forgive me for killing you. The truth is, Edward, they no longer care.

Bella saw the moment her words hit home. Edward Cullen was the epitome of a broken vampire.

"I loved you." He whispered desperately.

"I know you sincerely believe that, but I find that hard to believe. You were drawn to my silent mind and you hoped you would find a mate in me. When you didn't, instead of being honest about it, you chose to lie. Had you told the truth, I believe we would be friends. Again, Edward, it is all about choices, and time and time again, you make the wrong ones and, worse, never learn from them. You have never apologized or done anything to earn my forgiveness. Goodbye, Edward." Bella was gone before he could utter another word.

Edward still lay on the ground. He'd miscalculated horribly, and he knew no amount of begging would save him. He only had one thing left, his speed. Speed meant nothing when you had no idea where you were going. "I can't see." He cried. "What have you done? Give me back my sight."

"Such a coward." Zafrina chuckled humorlessly.

"Give me back my sight." He blinked rapidly at how quickly his sight returned. "I will leave." He tried injecting some authority into his voice. It sounded pathetic and laughable to his own ears. "Please." He begged.

"Not after you tried to kill my mate. That is unforgivable." Zafrina retorted. She could not let him leave. He'd try again to kill Bella. He saw her as the cause of all his problems.

For the first time, Edward realized their minds were silent to him. He was useless when fighting without his gift; Jasper had shown him that decades ago. Bella, even from a distance, protected her coven. He again hoped his speed would give him a chance, so he carelessly charged. Zafrina caught his arm and swung him around into a tree. The speed and power of his hit pulverized a tree. The pain that shot down his right side felt familiar; his arm was gone. It wouldn't be much of a fight, and he knew it. He'd fallen in love with a seventeen-year-old human, a human he'd known from the get-go was not his. His attempts to keep her had sullied him in her eyes. Then thinking he was doing the right thing, he'd tried to get her to forget him by hating him. He succeeded; she didn't even hate him, and worse, she didn't think much of him. That was the final thought that went through Edward Cullen's mind before he lost his head and heat consumed him.


Bella sat crossed-legged on the roof; it was where you would more often than not find her. Today, she stared at the setting sun and smiled. Yes, the sun will set, but it will surely rise in the morning, whether or not she was there to see it. "You should get ready," Zafrina whispered.

"Yeah." Bella nodded. They were going to visit Charlie; it would be the last time she'd see him alive. He was getting on in years and frail. Alice and Jasper had just gotten back from visiting him the previous day. 'You should visit soon.' She'd whispered, eyes glistening with tears. Bella didn't need an explanation, none at all.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to stay until the end," Bella mumbled.

"That was my intention," Zafrina said softly.

Later that night, Bella had her backpack on, ready to leave. She was not the least surprised to find Kachiri and Senna ready to go.

"Thank you. He will be delighted to see you all." Bella managed.

"No need," Kachiri whispered.

With one last look at her home, Bella jumped.