A/N: So, this is the last outtake for this short story. It takes place fifty years in the future after the previous outtake. I hope you like it. Thank you for reading.

X-X-X

Outtake 3-

Leah POV-

Running felt exhilarating. Even after fifty years now of accepting and adapting to this new speed and extra abilities I still felt the thrill, as if I was running for the first time. The cold air around us caressed my face before leaving its mark on my nearly waist length hair. My perfectly straight- generally not much of a problem- hair flew in every direction from the love the wind was denoting to her, making me sigh and curse myself for not remembering to tie it up before hand. The tangles that this would leave me with would make my day, cue the sarcasm.

I felt a blur pass by me and ignoring everything else- not as important for the moment, I increased my speed, running even faster than before. I could not let him win. I was the faster one between us both, and I had to keep to my title. The last time I had lost to him, it had been a big blow to my ego. He had not let me forget this particular defeat for weeks together, boasting and smirking at me whenever he was in my sight. I had nearly managed not to grit my teeth and strangle his neck, not like it would do any good, but still I had almost tried.

Nope, this was so not happening again. I was the queen of speed in our family, the silly name being honored to me by Emmett after I had won against 'him' for the first time, just after my change. It had been blamed to my being a newborn, and I had been even more hell bent to prove it to him that it was just not luck or the newborn speed. No one was a faster runner than me, and I was definitely keeping my title. It was my pride after all. We had had a rematch several times over the years and were currently on a tie on the total number of wins. This was the tie breaker year, and nothing could and would take this win from me. I was just not going to lose.

Various trees passed by us, twigs and leaves touching my bare feet as I ignored them and continued running. I had always preferred barefoot running to running wearing shoes, or god forbid- heels. It gave me the necessary grip required, and now that I could no longer get hurt, running barefoot was it.

Though Alice would be throwing a massive fit when she were to realize that the pedicure she had given me last night was witnessing the mud and dirt of the forest this morning. Yeah, she would definitely not be happy, but I was not her. I did not run wearing heels and a cocktail dress. Even Rosalie, for that matter, did not run wearing Stiletto heels. She chose blocks or wedges, but you get my point. So Alice could shout and grumble at me all she wanted, but I needed my strength to win this race. This was important, more important than anything else. I, Leah Clearwater Cullen, had never been a loser or a person who came second in a race (that is honestly worse than coming third. Coming second is almost like getting a spoon filled with the most delicious cheesecake to exist in the world near your mouth, and then being unable to eat it because someone pulled the spoon away from you at the last moment, eating it before you could oppose. That shit hurts. At least the person who comes third does not have to deal with that particular guilt of coming close and ending up losing).

"Hurry up or you will lose." My husband dearest, so not dear at the moment, smirked at me. I snarled at him in reply, only earning a laugh from him in return. He increased his speed, flying across the woods at the speed of lightening, and I too forced myself to go faster. We were the two fastest runners in the family and so the main fight was always between the both of us.

It was a Cullen tradition. Once every year the entire family would pull up their socks and have a running race, stretching across miles. Though the family also held competitions in baseball and video games among other things to pass time, running was my favorite. Before I had been changed Edward had won every year without fail. Jasper was the only one who could even come close to him, but I had proved to be a serious competition once I had actually joined the race. I knew that my husband secretly loved the competition, but would never actually come out and say it. The only rule that existed between us was that 'no cheating'. I truly loved him but still I would not purposely lose to make him feel better, and he had offered me the same courtesy. Whoever won between us won it fair and square.

I could see the end line in front of me. The taste of success was almost on my tongue. I kept my eyes at the end line and sprinted as fast as I could.

Edward and I were now running beside one another. He winked at me as he once again increased his speed. I, not ready to be left behind, did the same.

Just a few more seconds and…

"I won." Edward announced smirking at me as we came to a standstill near the end point (a particular tree drowning in Carlisle's scent) decided by the family.

"I hate you." I said with a well placed frown on my face "I am so winning next year."

He just laughed, raising his eyebrows in amusement and confidence "We will see about that."

I rolled my eyes at him and his smugness. It truly annoyed me and equally turned me on. Argh! The dilemma I had to face in my day to day life.

He chuckled looking at the ground, no doubt reading my thoughts. I hit him harshly on the chest in annoyance, my training from Rose being put to use. Seriously, the girl really knew how to pack a punch.

He once again laughed, pulling me close to him, an action that I did not refuse to cooperate with. I loved his scent. He smelt all masculine and sexy. If a scent could have said 'come eat me', Edward would be the founder, owner and mascot of that scent.

We had hardly been standing there for a few minutes, waiting for the others to arrive with Edward playing with my hair, when Jasper broke out through the trees, sighing and shaking his head in annoyance and anger, cursing the fact that once again Edward was first and I had ranked second. The major in him did not like losing, but running was Edward and equally my, strong point.

The rest of the family soon joined us, laughing at our silly games and the as expected result of said game. Edward had once told me before we had started dating that Carlisle took family bonding very seriously. How seriously though I had realized after I had joined the family. With no need to sleep and not much human interaction to boast about, spending time with the family and enjoying it was the highlight of our lives. We routinely engaged in such sports and games to pass the time as well as do so enjoying it.

We walked back towards our house- we all lived together this time around- and as expected Alice shouted at me for ruining her given pedicure. My only response was to roll my eyes and let her continue. That was for the best, as I had learnt in all these years. Alice needed to let it out of her system in order to continue with her usual life.

Once she was done (I had confirmed it with her, only for her to huff in reply) I made my way to the bedroom that belonged to me and Edward. On one side of the room, covering the entire wall, were Edward's prized possessions- his music CDs, and on the other opposite wall on an antique bookcase lay my books- my reading material. It was funny in a way of how mismatched yet together our room looked. The left side was completely music related and the right side held literature and law books. It was a perfect amalgamation of who we were.

While I had continued with my chosen field of work once I had got past the bloodlust (it had lasted two whole years), Edward looked too young to pretend like an adult and hold a real job- being changed at seventeen did have its demerits. He was forced to stick to educating himself year after year and so even though he held several degrees in Medicine, Law and even Accounting, he had no choice but to keep repeating high school or at times college. He just could not pretend to be over twenty three or twenty four, and that was a bit on the higher side. As of now, though, he was taking a gap of few years of college. He was happy spending time at home with Esme and our other siblings who too were off on a break for this stay of ours in Canada. Carlisle, as usual, was practicing as a doctor, and I worked in one of the best law firms in Toronto, Canada.

After taking a quick shower and rolling my eyes at Edward's attempts to tease me for losing against him, I picked up my cell phone from where it lay on the bedside table and checked through my messages and emails.

After reading a few general ones, my eyes fell on a message that made my dead heart almost beat at its place in trepidation and made my hands shake in worry and fear.

No, this was nothing. The details of this message could not mean what I am thinking and dreading. He probably meant something else.

I once again, quickly, read through the contents of the message, hoping and praying that by some miracle my worries would be proven wrong.

"Aunt Leah, it is time." said the message.

I fell to the bed that stood proudly beside me, sitting like a mere statue on it.

One word 'No' was constantly on my mind in repetition. I could not believe this. I did not want to believe this.

Edward was immediately by my side. I leaned into him, hiding my face in his chest as I cried silently, without tears.

"Edward," I managed to speak out "This….."

"Shh," he soothed me, kissing me on the forehead "I will make the arrangements."

All I could do was nod in reply, sitting still at my place as I lost myself in my thoughts- my childhood at the forefront of my thoughts. I knew that this day would eventually come, but why had it come so soon? I was not ready for it. I needed more time.

I half registered as Rose and Esme entered my room a few minutes later. Esme held me as I cried and let it all out and Rose packed my bag for me. I was thankful to Rose. I would never have been able to do this without my hands shaking in despair.

Very soon Edward was once again my side. My hand was enclosed in his as he led me out of the door and in one of our cars. I was a vampire. I did not act weak like this or break down in this manner. I did not need the support, but at the moment I would take any support that came my way.

I did not remember a bit of our journey to the airport or on the flight or once we had landed and had rented a car. All I knew was that I had sat in silence with Edward taking the decisions on behalf of us both. He had soothingly held and squeezed my hand at intervals, offering me his silent support.

The moon was out in the sky by the time we crossed into La Push. Decades back when Jacob Black had taken over as the chief of the tribe, his first decision had been to let me and by association Edward, enter into La Push. The Cullens had a treaty with the tribe, and over the years had proven to be firm in not breaking that treaty, and Jacob had believed that it was my right to openly be able to visit my mother and brother. Though, also, his friendship with Bella Swan had accounted for this decision.

Isabella Swan was a name never on my radar. I did not know her. She was not my friend, but still her role in my life had come up to be important over the years. Alice had always claimed that her visions were not the hundredth percent truth. They could change based on decisions taken. She had long back seen a vision of Bella becoming a vampire, and it so happen that this vision was written in stone.

At the young age of twenty Bella had been in Houston, Texas, on a visit to meet her then boyfriend's family. Edward had once told me of how Bella's blood was extremely tempting and called to every vampire that was around. He had said that it was her pure luck that the only vampires she had come across were animal blood drinkers. He had stated that no human drinker would ever let her go away alive, hungry or not, and it so happen that this said bad luck had caught up with her on that visit of hers.

The nomad had wanted to drain her but had been interrupted mid feed and had unknowingly changed her. She had woken up three days later with Alice and Jasper by her side. Alice had seen a vision of Bella a few days earlier and knowing of how it felt to wake up confused and alone, they had made their way to Texas. Bella had then been relocated to Jasper's friend Peter's house in the outskirts of Texas and that was where she had spent her newborn year. She had continued living with Peter and his wife Charlotte for another decade, before she had met another nomad Riley and had mated with him. She and Riley now lived with the Irish Coven in Ireland.

But, coming back to the topic, Bella Swan had once been the best friend of Jacob Black- a member of the Quileute pack. After being changed she had taken the risk and had gone to meet Jacob. He was her best friend, she had claimed, and she could not live without him in her life. Jacob had at first been angry and had refused to even talk to her, but after understanding that it was hardly her fault, he had come to once again think of her as family. She was his sister and so once Bella had chosen the animal diet and Jacob had taken over as the chief, he had (for his somewhat selfish reasons) permitted Bella Swan the permission to enter La Push and meet his family whenever she wanted. She was his honorary sister was what he had said.

When my mother, another tribal elder, had found out about this change in laws, she had demanded that I too be allowed to come and visit her. I had an even more right than Bella to enter into my land and visit my family and friends in my home. The only condition that remained was that we were to keep to the animal diet. Having no other choice Jacob had relented and so this was how I was once again able to visit the place that had been my home for the first eighteen years of my life.

After reading the red brick- familiar- house, Edward got out of the car and took my hand in his as we walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

The door was opened a few minutes later by a man (an exact younger version of my brother) who, though, looked older than me in age still called me 'Aunt Leah'.

"Jeremy," I gave my nephew a tight hug.

"Dad is inside. He has been waiting for you." he whispered to me, moving aside to let me enter inside the house. Edward and he exchanged pleasantries before they too walked inside.

I followed the familiar scent reaching the room in which I knew my brother was. I slowly opened the door and entered the room, worried of what I would witness…..

It was worse than what I had imagined, though.

My sixty four years old brother was lying on the bed in the room, several machines hooked onto him. His eyes were shut and his heart was beating, but not as strongly as I would have wished for. His wife, Natalie, sat beside him holding his hand in hers as she a few tears brim her eyes.

Seth had imprinted on Natalie on the first day in his first lecture of college. She had sat beside him and he had instantly known that she was 'it' for him. They had soon started dating and had been married less than a year later. They had even chosen to marry out of La Push so that I could attend their wedding. A few years later Jeremy Clearwater and Lacey Clearwater had made their appearance in our world. Twins did not run in the Clearwater family, but Natalie came from a long line of those carrying the twin gene. Seth and Natalie had continued to live in La Push for the rest of their life together, with us visiting them once a year and them coming over to wherever we were at that time for a few weeks every year. Jeremy and Lacey were always rewarded with ample of gifts and chocolates on every visit and so had come to term me as their favorite aunt. I had tried convincing them that I was their only aunt, but it had fallen on deaf ears.

"Hey sis," Seth mumbled weakly as I walked to his bed, where he lay bedridden. My poor brother had been ill for years now. He was so young. Why him?

"Seth," I whispered back. I was older than him. It should not have been him.

He managed to give me a small smile that came out more like a grimace.

"Edward?" he asked in a whisper.

I nodded my head, mumbling a 'he is here', as Edward walked into the room and sat beside me on the chair. Natalie gave us a small weak smile, acknowledging our presence.

"Hey buddy," said Edward warmly.

Seth breathed heavily, coughing once before opening his mouth to speak to Edward.

I felt old at the moment. I may have been physically a twenty seven year old, but mentally and emotionally I felt a hundred.

Why had this happen to my brother? My younger… baby brother…

Carlisle was the best doctor that I knew of, and so I had forced Seth who was suffering from a chronic heart disease to get himself checked by Carlisle. I had hoped that Carlisle would be able to do some miracle, but it had been of no use. His words said all those months back rang in my ears as I stared at Seth.

"Leah, life and death is not in our hands. We don't decide these things. I am a doctor…. I will give it my best, but I am not God."

Edward's grip tightened over mine in response to my thoughts.

"How is everyone else in the family?" Seth asked Edward calmly. He was calm….he was at peace at the moment. Wasn't that what was important and wished for- a peaceful and painless end to life.

Edward and Seth did most of the talking. I just sat there and looked at my brother… Natalie was doing the same.

Soon Seth's grandchildren, all five of them, came inside the room and I watched as Seth gave them his blessings. He told them of how it was his time to go, but he would always be looking after them. Once they had left the room, Seth once again turned to look at us- Edward in particular.

"Edward," he croaked out.

"Yeah buddy," my husband took Seth's hand in his in a soothing gesture. I ran a hand through the white soft hair on Seth's head.

"Look after my sister. I won't be here to see if she is happy. I trust you to make sure of that."

I shut my eyes as nonexistent tears threatened to fall down my eyes. He was thinking of me, even in his last moments. What had I done to deserve such a brother in life?

"I promise," said Edward.

We sat by his side for some more time before we let Seth and Natalie take those last few moments for them. Jeremy and his wife Amanda took us to their house to freshen up and keep our belongings. I wanted to see Seth one last time. I just hoped that I would get that time.

Seth succumbed to his fate nearly seven hours later. The whole town came to his funeral. Edward and I stuck to the shadows, knowing that not everyone in La Push knew that I was not the sixty eight year old that I should have been but was stuck at the age of twenty seven. A traditional ceremony was held for him and his life was celebrated instead of being mourned. Edward had held me close to him as I saw and prayed for peace of my brother's soul. He had lived a good life… a happy life. He had been happily married, had seen the birth of his children and had even seen them get married and live their own lives. He had been happy. He had been for most of his life healthy. He had lived the life of a supernatural hero in the form of his shape shifter gene. He had always wanted to be a real life hero. A memory entered my mind of the seven year old Seth grinning at me and telling me that he was going to grow up to be superman. My brother could not become Superman, but he did prove to me that he was a superhero- a real life good superhero. I smiled at the memory of that…. remembering my brother as a child…. as a teenager….. on his wedding day….. and on the day when he had first held his children in his hands. His smile had been bright and wider than I had ever seen as he had admired the small little fingers and toes of his children.

This is life- there is birth and there is death. There is no escape from it. Even if I was one of those few who had managed to evade this truth, the truth had never changed. The world around me had not and would not change. I had to accept it. I had chosen my fate. I had chosen to never experience this, though, I would have to be a spectator to this life filled with birth and death that revolved around me till the end of my life.

I looked up at the sky. I could see my brother looking down at us. He was smiling. He was at peace. I smiled back at him, silently promising him that he would only be remembered in laughs and happiness. I knew that that was what he would have wanted. He would never want anyone to be sad over him. He was special…. an angel come down to earth.

Edward kissed my forehead as his arms came to wrap around me. I would miss my brother. I did miss my mother, but I did not regret choosing this life. I loved my life. I loved Edward. He was my constant. I could not have asked for anything more.