Epilogue

This is the end! My only friend the end! It's finally over. This will officially be the second book I will have finished. I'm not writing a sequel! Someone asked me what about the wedding and Renesmee? This is NOT SM's story. I'm gonna write what's in my head and not go by what everyone else does in their stories. So good luck with that.

Chapter Twenty-six (Epilogue)

As cliché as it sounds I woke up to the annoying beep of a machine announcing that, yes, my heart did beat. My eyes quickly adjusted to the light in the room.

A breathing tube was wound around my ears for it to go up my nose. I held back the urge to sneeze. As quickly as possible I assessed my body from head to toe. Ribs didn't feel broken anymore, just a bit sore. Same with my back.

Must mean that I was out for two days, maybe more.

I don't know how humans do it. A leg can break and in less than a week it will be healed but with humans they can break a leg and it takes months for it to heal! Insane.

A hand came into my line of sight and I jumped. Because of the stupid tube in my nose I couldn't smell anything. What a disadvantage! It could have been someone who meant me harm. And where would I have been? Up shits creek, that's where!

My chaotic thoughts slowed as Edward took my hand.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. Dark shadows under his eyes told me he hasn't left my bedside once.

"A little sore but otherwise feeling pretty good knowing Nile is out of the picture." I paused. "Thanks for saving me." I squeezed his hand.

"Want to tell me what happened?" He asked quietly.

I took a deep breath. "I never told you what happens if one of my kind kills a human, did I?" Edward shook his head. "Well I've always been taught that it was taboo and wrong. If a shifter kills a human then we can, oh well, something along the lines of consume their identity." I paused again so that it could sink in for him.

"So. . .its body snatching?" Edward asked quietly. My laugh was quick and sudden.

"A bit like that." I agreed.

A silence descended but it wasn't awkward. We looked at each other as if we hadn't seen each other in years.

"I came home and was putting up my jacket when I noticed the same unisex jacket from Alice's picture. Then Nile walked in but he had 'body snatched' Charlie. He was wearing his boots and clothes. I knew it was Niles when we were going to have lunch. Charlie doesn't," I paused in realization. "Didn't like pickles. Niles does." I shrugged.

The tears came then. My father was dead and more than likely Renee and Phil too. Everyone that I loved was dead.

Edward comforted me the best he could while avoiding all the tubes and wires.

"What happened after I passed out?"

"I was so scared Bella! He was coming for you and I was seeing red everywhere. I was glad to kill him." He took a deep breath. "I'm glad you didn't have to kill him and have the option of turning into that vile creature."

I nodded. I was glad about that. Its horrible that a life was taken but its a small retribution for what he put me through.

"So. . . What happened after I passed out?" I might need to make a statement later and didn't know what story was going around. Didn't want to get anyone in trouble.

"Well after you passed out I called Carlisle to have a look at you. We took you to the hospital and he put you under as his private patient. Extremely confidential. He treated you to the best of his knowledge and then left you to rest. We then went to your house, discovered Charlie, and then disposed of Niles body. Cleaned up the house so no one will know. And then we called the cops telling them that Charlie seemed to have a heart attack and you fell violently down the stairs, trying to reach the phone." Edward paused, his brows furrowed together. "I'm sorry about your father, Bella."

"I am too. Are you sure no one else beside Carlisle will look at my chart? I can't be figured out Edward."

"Don't worry, Carlisle has it on him at all times, not even the nurses are aloud to see you or the chart." He soothed my fears and my heart rate went down a little. As I thought through everything a question came to mind. Well two really.

"Edward, what did you do with Niles body?"

"Buried deep in the forest where no one will ever find it. Why ask?"

I ignored that and asked my other question. "What do I tell people when they ask where he went?"

"Just say he skipped town without a goodbye. You told me he's done it before."

"That makes me feel better. And how long have I been in here?"

"Going on two days. Carlisle wasn't sure how fast you would heal so he kept you sedated."

"I guess I have to do funeral arrangements now." I sighed. 'Come on Bella, don't break down now.'

"I've already done that for you."

I looked over at him in surprise. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I love you." He replied simply. He then leaned forward and gave me a light kiss. My lips continued to tingle even after he pulled away.

A knock suddenly sounded at my door and I frowned before looking over at Edward.

"Police." He told me before he stood to open the door. I took a deep breath and watched as he walked to open it for them.

His ass looked awesome in those jeans, I thought to myself.

I saw two men in blue step into my room and looked at me.

"Isabella Swan?" The taller of the two asked.

"Yes and you are?"

"I'm deputy Jackson and this is deputy Marshal were sorry we had to bring you bad tidings."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Weren't they going to have me make a statement?

"We tried to contact your mother and stepfather in Arizona but failed to do so. We called the closets police station down there so they could do a face to face but they found that they had been murdered." He paused. "I'm very sorry to have to tell you this, I know you just lost your father."

Just hearing it said out loud was a shock. I guess somewhere inside I was hoping that they somehow escaped from Nile.

I realized quickly that they were waiting for a response.

"It's okay and thank you for telling me. I think I'm in shock though."

"We understand, ma'am." The police officers left and Edward slowly closed the door. Then sagged against it with his head low.

"I'm so so so sorry Bella."

"Don't be. I knew they were dead as soon as Nile walked into the room after I found the jacket. I guess it's just a shock to hear it out loud." That's when the tears started. Slowly at first but soon they were pouring like a river down my face.

I started to get angry then. Why? I have no idea. I tore the wires and the breathing tube away from me in a rage. Edward let me have my moment and when I was tired out from that he came over and brought me onto his lap.

He didn't say anything, like 'its going to be okay' or 'cheer up', which I had to give him brownie points for.

All he did was hold me and rock slightly. Carlisle entered but left quickly when he saw us, giving us our little bit of privacy.

It could have been hours, days, or months later when I disengaged myself him and hiccuped.

"It's going to be hard but I'm here for you. So is my family." Edward smiled at me and I couldn't help the little bubble of happiness that floated up. I wasn't alone in this.

We had each other.

"So can we get out of here?" I asked and he laughed. Just then, as if eavesdropping, Carlisle walked though the door.

He opened his mouth but I beat him to it. "If you tell me your sorry, don't. I can't handle it right now."

The good doctor gave me a smile. "Okay then. How about I tell you that you can go home. How about that?"

I thought it was a good idea until I thought about what went down there not more that 48 hours ago.

"You can live with us now if you want. I know it will be hard going back there but for now you can stay with me." Edward reached forward and ran his hand down my back, comforting me.

"Yes." I nodded my head. "I think that's a better idea."

"I already signed your release papers so your free to go." Carlisle smiled at us then left to check on other patients.

Edward helped me dress in jeans and a simple shirt then escorted me to the parking lot. He opened my door of the Mercedes like a gentleman. His door opened and closed in seconds and we were off down the road.

It wasn't long for us to reach his white house and be at my door again. He had a bag slung over his shoulder which I saw as mine. I didn't question it.

We said our hellos and then I followed Edward up the stairs to his room. A huge bed dominated most of the space and I smile up at Edward but didn't say anything. All I did was collapse on top of the bed and sigh. He laid down next to me in silence.

Sleep enveloped me without my knowledge and I was out like a light.

***

I was looking at the closet in front of me, trying to decide what to wear when arms suddenly encircled my waist. I yelped as I was thrown on the bed then laughed as Edward pounced on me.

I was in nothing but shorts and a bra. Apparently Edward was taking advantage of this fact.

We kissed hungrily and I took off his white button down. When he started to kiss down the side of my neck I remembered that we were in a house full of vampires with great hearing.

Edward must have heard a stray thought because he collapsed to my right and I turned to face him. He did the same and we just stared at each other.

His hands started tracing my tattoo. "When did you get this done?"

"I was ten."

"Ten?!" The look of surprise on his face made me laugh.

"Tradition. All shifters have them. Its so that we can identify each other. Haven't you seen the Quiliets tattoos? There's are completely different but they mark identifies them."

He hummed in response. My thoughts suddenly turned to Charlie's funeral service.

It was simple but sweet. I had him cremated as our traditions stated and spread his ashes throughout the forest and at the cliffs on the Reservation. Ashes to ashes.

Before I did that I held a little service for him. The people that came were mostly the people he worked with. A few guys from the res came and put up with the vampires. They were on no mans land so no fights broke out which had worried me.

Edward and I then flew down to Arizona and cremated Renee and Phil. I knew that Phil was human but my mother had claimed him as her mate so we observed the same tradition for him. Again I spread their ashes together in their favorite places and I packed up their house. I took a few things as keep sakes but other than that everything was donated to Goodwill and other charities.

It hasn't sold yet but I knew it would soon.

We did the same to Charlie's house. I packed up my room and moved in with the Cullen's. Again I kept a few things, like his truck, which I found down the road from the house. A few of his guns, pictures, and home movies of us. I was selling the house with the furniture and I donated his clothes and other nicknacks.

Clean breaks were good. I cried a lot but every time I did it seemed to help the pain of loss. Edward helped that too.

I returned to the present and smiled at Edward. I didn't know what the future held for us (I'm sure Alice might know) but we would take it one step at a time.

Together.

*************************

It's over! YES!!!!!

Yours S.A.