Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twiverse. I'm just messing around with her characters, hopefully to your liking

So. Initially this story was slated to cover Bella's transition and a host of other things. This was supposed to be an epic sequel worthy to follow the likes of "Serenity's Prayer."

But in the three-plus years since I promised this sequel, I've been unable to craft a proper story line for it. And I cannot bring myself to give you any less than my absolute best.

So now, this story is a six-chapter epilogue covering Bella's transition and Edward's response to it. These chapters will often read as if there's more coming, but sadly, after posting the first six chapters, I realized I had nothing else in the proverbial tank. Chapter Seven is a letter to readers who had been following this story and were waiting for an update.

But even though the six chapters are less than I intended for this sequel, I love them and am so excited for you to check them out if you'd like.

And if you're willing, please enjoy this brief glimpse into Bella's life as a human-turned-vampire.

Eternity's Wish: Sequel to "Serenity's Prayer"

Chapter 01: Bad Berries?

Bella's POV

I ran.

Ran so fast, I felt like I was flying.

Trees whipped past my face, their branches stinging my skin like the tears streaming from my eyes.

But I couldn't stop to wipe them away, couldn't stop to wonder why this was happening again, because I was too busy running for my life.

"There she is!" a snarling female voice called out from behind. "The traitorous human who killed my mate!"

"I did not kill James!" I tripped over a branch in the midst of my yelling, scrambling to my feet to take off again. "If you would just let me explain, Victoria, I could…"

"Liar!" Laurent echoed her fury. "His ashes, like ours, are on your hands."

I looked down, stunned to find my trembling fingers covered in gray soot, its sickeningly sweet stench burning my nose.

"That wasn't my fault!" I frantically scrubbed my hands on my jeans, somehow not breaking stride. "If Victoria hadn't kidnapped Charlie, then I…"

"Sure, blame me." Charlie huffed. "She lied to me, too, you know."

I came to an immediate halt, facing him with wide eyes. "Daddy?"

"Don't call me that." He spat at my feet. "Non-fatal blood disorder, my right eye. You're a liar and a murderer, and Billy Black was right."

I shook my head as the tears flowed. "Please don't say that."

"I'll tell you what he should say," Caius sneered from my left. "He should say what my foolish brother should have said when we had you cornered in Volterra." Caius slowly raised a bony finger and pointed it at me. "The sentence is death."

I sank to my knees. "No!"

As the crowd of accusers closed in on me, Emmett stepped to the front, the skin on his face disintegrating as he advanced. "That makeup melted off my face. Why couldn't you just lose your loved ones like the rest of us did?"

"I'm so sorry, Emmett."

"At last, she gets what she deserves." Lauren's nasally laugh filled my ears. "Bye-bye, Bella."

I covered my face as the angry mob pounced on me and woke up screaming my head off. Before I could get my bearings, a pair of cool hands cupped my cheeks, followed shortly a gentle whisper. "You're all right, love."

"Edward?" I blinked myself fully awake, startled by the nearness of his face. "Wh—what's going on?"

A frown creased his forehead. "You were having another nightmare."

My heart rate attempted to return to normal. "Another?"

"Your third in two days." He smoothed the hair from my face. "You want to tell me what happened?"

I looked down. "Not really."

He tipped up my chin. "No hiding, remember?"

I shook my head, but his gentle gaze made me change my mind. "I was being chased through a forest again."

"The Quileutes?"

"No. James and his coven, Caius, Lauren Mallory. And Emmett accused me of ruining his face."

"I see."

I rubbed my eyes, removing the crud from one corner. "I think we know what that means."

Edward hesitated. "We do?"

I reached behind me for a pillow. "I think it should be obvious."

"Why don't you enlighten me?"

"Gladly. It means I shouldn't have eaten those pink berries from that God-forsaken bush on the other side of the island." I whacked his arm with the pillow. "I told you they looked suspicious!"

"As I recall…Ow!" He winced as I pummeled him. "You said they looked poisonous, which could not have been the case."

"Same..." Whack! "…difference!"

"That expression is meaningless." He dodged my attempt to bop him in the head. "And I hardly forced you to consume three bowls of them. It is not my fault you have a voracious appetite."

"Maybe not." I paused my attack. "But as I recall, you rather like some of my appetites."

"Indeed, I do." He tossed the pillow across the room, his eyes darkening. "And if you'd permit me, I'd like to show you just how much I like one in particular."

"Like?"

He crawled on top of me. "Let's start there and see where it leads us."

"Your wish is my command."

No matter how many times Edward kissed me, each time felt like a dream, like the best thing that ever happened to anyone anywhere. His cool lips were slow and seeking as they covered mine, savoring each my lips as if our forever had already begun.

And I was not complaining.

Our time on Isle Esme had been incredible. On the insistence of the woman it was named after, the Cullens turned our so-called six-hour head-start into three blissful weeks. I never realized how much beauty could be contained in one place, how long I could last without television or internet access.

How many times one could make love in a day.

Though this would be our first time today, it was significant for other reasons, reasons that made me shiver beyond the sensations Edward's touch and kiss ignited in my body.

"Cold?" he murmured against my neck.

"Actually." I ran my hands through his hair. "I'm just getting warmed up."

He growled low in his throat and brought his lips to mine again, our kisses growing less patient and more passionate as the silent seconds ticked by. He dragged his hungry mouth down the column of my throat, and my knees fell apart, inviting him closer. He rolled against me with sensual deliberation, and I relished the feel of his hard, naked body against my softness. I locked my ankles around his waist, gasping softly as I met his gaze.

Every sensible thought evaporated into nothing as I looked into the ebony eyes of the man I loved. Beyond his physical beauty and unlikely inhumanity, there was something else uniquely and powerfully "him" that stole my breath every time I considered it.

He loved me.

He knew me, saw me, and loved me.

Loved me so much he wanted to keep me forever.

A sappy tear trickled from my eye, and Edward's gaze softened as a gentle finger swiped the moisture from my cheek. "I love you, too, Bella."

"How did you know?"

"I am fluent in every single thing you do." He slipped his finger into his mouth, sighing softly. "And I know love when I see and taste it."

His words elicited more tears. "Now I've ruined the moment."

"How could you when you are the moment?"

"With all this crying, you'd think I was having my period."

"Now you've ruined the moment." With a light chuckle, Edward gathered my naked body, and I curled into his side, resting my head against his chest. "I cannot believe this day is here."

"I know. I was afraid it would never come."

He twirled an errant lock of hair around a finger. "Are you sure that isn't the reason?"

"The reason?"

"For your dreams." He tried to keep his voice light, but I heard his nerves. "I mean, suspicious pink berries are a possible explanation for the nightmares, but there's another, rather obvious one."

I raised my head. "Now who's ruining the moment?"

"I'm not having doubts, love. Nor do I fear you have changed your mind."

"Then what are you saying?"

He shifted his gaze to my neck, and I swore I could feel his focus on the spot where he would soon mark me for all time. "I am saying it is okay for you to be certain of your decision and afraid of its implications. And if you share those latter feelings, I will gladly listen and support you through them."

I stared at him, unable to speak. In a flash, every hurdle we survived raced through my mind, and I was stunned by how far he'd come. Edward was no longer the immortal monster so afraid of himself that he tried to leave me twice to save me from his love. He was now the man strong enough to handle every facet love had to offer, every up, down, twist, and turn through forever and beyond.

"I am not afraid of anything," I finally said. "And those dreams are nothing more than an overworked imagination with nothing better to do. I love you, I choose you, and I cannot wait to become your immortal beloved."

His nostrils flared, and he gripped my hips with possessive hands. "And I cannot wait to make you mine, Isabella. In every sense of the word."

"Then start now." I laid a hand against his cheek. "Please."

Edward rolled me onto my back, his lusty gaze never leaving mine. And with our bodies and hearts fully aligned, my vampire husband made love to his human bride for the last time.

—SP2: EW—

I gave myself another glance in the full-length mirror in our bedroom. My hair fell in soft waves past my shoulder, brushing against the off-the-shoulder neckline of the aquamarine dress I'd chosen for the occasion. My strappy heels were sensible yet stylish, and I smiled at the memory of Alice's jealous reaction to them.

Good thing we wore different sizes.

I stepped closer to my reflection, wanting to memorize every freckle and flaw. The faded cut on my cheek from my first and only attempt to ride a skateboard. The oblong birthmark on my left shoulder. The cold, cruel crescent on my right wrist.

I looked myself in the eye and tried to calm down, but more tears pooled against my will. I wasn't weepy by nature, but every time I thought about what would happen when I stepped out of this room, I couldn't hold myself together.

Tonight I would finally join Edward in eternity and become a vampire.

I would be his equal in all things, a full-fledged member of the Cullen clan. No longer vulnerable to human illness or frailty, I would be a woman Edward could love without restraint or fear. I would no longer tempt his thirst or test his resolve, at least not in a bad way. And I would be safe from Volturi suspicion and no longer a potential liability.

I pressed my lips together, uncertain if a sob or shout was about to escape. I glanced at the phone on my nightstand and considered making a call. I hadn't heard Charlie's voice since the day of his wedding and felt the need to connect one last human time. He was clueless about the change I would soon experience, and the knowledge of his ignorance made me wistful.

Then an image of an artificially aged Emmett rose in my mind, accompanied by the proud smiles of Edward and Rosalie, and I relaxed. Charlie would never know how much I'd changed, and he didn't need to. He only needed to protect the town of Forks, fish with Billy on occasion, and live out the rest of his happy life with his wife and daughter by his side.

I would truly get the best of both worlds.

Shaking my manicured hands to get rid of my nerves, I blew out a long, heavy breath and smiled at my reflection.

"Okay, Human Bella," I whispered. "It's time to go."

With a giddy smile, I turned away from the mirror and toward the door leading to immortality.

The hallway was as quiet as the rest of the house. Despite the persistent sunshine, there were burning candles on the wall sconces and accent tables, their soft floral scent beckoning me downstairs. My footfalls echoed on the bare floors, and I let their cadence regulate my heartbeat. This was the last time I would ever take these stairs at a human pace, and I wanted to savor each moment.

The curving staircase would lead into the foyer, and my pulse quickened at the thought of seeing Edward after a whole three hours apart. But when I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was greeted by an altogether different person, their keen eyes trained on me.

And here we go!

Do you guys like it so far? Does it feel right to you? I'm trying (and failing) not to be a Nervous Nellie about this update, so please let me know what you think!

See you in three weeks! Thanks for waiting for me.