AN: One last time, these characters do not belong to me, they belong to Stephenie Meyer.

I would like to thank everyone who has read my story. I can tell from the hits that a number of people have read it even thought not everyone has reviewed it. I especially want to thank those of you who have taken the time to review and have added my story to your alerts and favorites. It has meant a lot to me to receive encouragement and support as I have written this story.

Once again, thank you, and I hope you enjoy this last chapter. Believe me, there will be no sequel to this story, but I do have a few ideas for one-shots that tie into New Moon, and I am toying with the idea of writing an independent story with new characters but using Stephenie's vampire rules and characteristics. If you are interested in seeing it posted, let me know.

Read, enjoy, and tell me what you think – thanks.

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22 August – Bella

Well, it was official; summer was almost over. School would start in a few short weeks, but it would be my senior year. Edward wanted me to make plans for college, but I wanted to plan for a different type of change. It seemed like it would take more time to convince Edward that changing me would be something that was in my best interest; at least, from my point of view.

While I had been in Seattle, mom bought me a cute pajama outfit. I had been saving it for something special. Well, actually, I was rather embarrassed to wear it in front of Edward. The outfit was a sapphire blue, the top had spaghetti straps and just barely covered my belly button, and the bottoms were like short shorts. Overall, a lot of skin would show. Of course, mom had no idea that if I wore it Edward would see it because he spent most of his nights in my room. Anyway, I thought it would be a good night to wear it because I had planned to ask Edward again about changing me.

I knew Edward was across the hall waiting for me, and I wanted to look my best, so while I was taking my human time in the bathroom I had decided I would shave my legs. Now, I learned a long time ago not to use a conventional razor, so I've used an electric one for years, but it stopped working a few weeks ago, and I bought a packet of those inexpensive bladed ones as a temporary replacement. I made a last minute decision to shave my legs, so I sat down on the edge of the bathtub, lathered one leg and went to shave; the next thing I knew I was sliding off the edge and into the tub.

The first thing I felt was my head hitting the inside of the porcelain tub and then I smelt it – blood. I had to fight the waves of nausea and dizziness so I could ascertain the degree of damage I had caused. When my vision finally cleared, blood was flowing from a wound on my shin. All I could think was Edward was right across the hall and he'd be able to smell my blood. I knew he had to leave the house as soon as possible. I grabbed the towel I'd laid across the lip of the tub and wrapped it around the wound, and then I carefully extracted myself from the tub and hobbled to the bathroom door. I had to chuckle at myself because I'd spent all that time this past spring hobbling because of my cast.

As I reached the door, I softly said, "Edward, leave now please." I couldn't afford for him to stay to ask questions, so I tried to make my plea as urgent and commanding as possible. "Don't ask questions just leave. I promise I'll explain later and I'll call you when it's safe to return."

I gave Edward a few moments, hoping he would listen just this once and leave. When I thought he'd enough time to exit by my window, I took a deep breath, opened the bathroom door and yelled, "Dad, I need your help. NOW!"

Charlie took less time than I thought he would, but when he looked up at me, all he could say was, "My god, what did you do?"

"Just help me down and I'll explain on the way to the hospital." I knew this would sound like the dumbest thing anyone had ever done, but for me, it seemed like a natural outcome of a normal day.

The towel I had wrapped around my leg was ruined but at least it caught the majority of blood that had been flowing out earlier.

Charlie helped me out to the cruiser as quickly as possible; the whole time I was watching to make sure Edward was nowhere around. The drive to the hospital was one time even Charlie exceeded the speed limit.

As I watched the hospital building growing larger, I thought, Alice may be able to navigate the malls blind folded, but if Edward waits too long, I'll soon be able to navigate this hospital blind folded. There was one thing I was positive about, before I left Phoenix, I knew every doctor, nurse, and orderly that worked in the local hospital. In fact, I knew which nurses would smile sympathetically, which ones would cluck their tongues at me, and which ones would roll their eyes with a look of 'not again' clearly written across their faces. I also knew which doctors would make my visit as painless as possible and which one would delight in watching me flinch as they treated me. No, if I stayed human, the Fork's hospital would definitely become my second home. Maybe I should warn Edward about that fact just in case he ever came looking for me and found I was not at home.

By the time the emergency room visit was over, it was after eleven pm – one hour after the completely sordid incident happened – and I had eight stitches covered by a large gauze bandage. As Charlie was helping me out to the car – it wasn't like I couldn't walk, he just wanted to be helpful I guess – I was already planning out what had to be cleaned before I could call Edward and tell him he could come back over. Of course, that was only if he wanted to come over. Maybe he'd decide to stay away because of the smell of blood. I was fortunate that the towel had been handy because it stopped the blood from leaving a trail as I left the house. My main concern was whatever had spilled onto the bathroom floor and in the bathtub when I first cut myself.

After arriving home, I discovered the damage wasn't too bad. I did have to clean the tub out, but I had a bottle of cleaner for that, I had to throw the bath mat out because I knew I'd never get the blood out of it; it had sat so long that the blood had seeped through and dried somewhat while I was in the emergency room. The floor was easy to clean, but I had to be careful not to pull the stitches too much while I was trying to finish the cleaning.

It was close to midnight before I had everything cleaned, and because of the wound, I ended up wearing an old pair of sweats and a t-shirt to bed. As soon as I settled myself in bed, I called Edward to find out if he'd be coming over.

I was rather trepidation as I listened to the phone ring, but he answered after the first ring, almost as if he had been near it waiting for a call.

"Bella?" His voice was anxious but not angry.

"I'm fine Edward, and it's safe for you to come over." I paused briefly to bit my lip before adding, "That is if you still want to come over."

"Try and stop me." He said and hung up.

While I waited, I made myself comfortable in my bed and reflected back on our building relationship. I still wondered why Edward had chosen someone like me. I know, Alice and Jasper told me I was special, but I've never felt special, just out of place as if I didn't fit in with everyone else. It was a disheartening thought and made me wonder even more what Edward really saw in me or if he was just intrigued by the oddity of me. I began to wonder when his attraction to me would diminish, and as I thought that a wave of despair swept over me.

I had felt this despair two other times this summer; both occurred when I was reflecting on my feelings for Edward. The despair was like a curtain of doom descending between us and dividing us from each other. Each time I felt it, it grew in intensity. Just as I was trying to recover from the feeling, Edward silently came through my open window.

All he did was look at my face and his smile vanished. "Bella, what's wrong?" He asked as he instantly appeared beside me and sat on the bed next to me.

"Nothing, Edward." Would he believe my lie? I wasn't sure if I could really tell him what I was feeling or thinking because I wasn't sure how to put any of it in words.

"That's not the face of someone without any problems?" He took me in his arms and held me close. Then he whispered in my ear, "You can tell me anything, and I promise to help."

"I'm sorry Edward," I whispered back. I decided to deal with what happened earlier first and maybe he would forget about the worry written on my face, or maybe I could convince him that it caused the worry he saw.

"What are you sorry about?" He started gently to rub my back, and my head was resting on his chest.

"About tonight . . . what happened earlier . . . it was an accident." I replied brokenly.

"Bella, what did happen?" There was concern in his voice.

"I cut myself." I began slowly. "I didn't mean to, really Edward, it was an accident, but I was so afraid you wouldn't listen to me when I told you to leave. I was afraid you'd want to see what happened. I didn't want to make it hard for you . . . I didn't want to hurt you." A sob escaped on my last words. I hadn't realized I had begun crying.

"Bella, it's okay. Alice came in and literally pulled me out of your room." He pulled slightly away from me, placed his finger under my chin, and tilted my head up so he could look in my eyes. "Why did you cut yourself?"

I blushed as I replied. "I was shaving my leg and slipped into the bathtub, hit my head and cut my leg with the razor." The absurdity of the incident helped the tears to stop.

"Bella, how do you cut yourself with an electric razor?"

I stared at him in amazement. "How do you know I use an electric razor?"

"I can hear it when you use it?"

"Oh!" I had never thought about it before, but he could hear everything I did while I was in the bathroom, and I blushed even more at that thought.

"Bella, what happened to the electric razor?"

"It broke." I answered simply.

"And?" He looked questioningly at me.

"I bought some razors at the grocery store to use until I bought a new one." Didn't he already understand that, I thought? Why else would I be able to cut myself?

"How bad?"

"Not to bad really, considering." I wanted to evade his question; I knew it would upset him.

"How bad Bella?" His look intensified, and I knew he would wait for me to answer.

"Just eight stitches."

He let out a low groan. "Bella, you have to be more careful."

"Edward, no matter how careful I am, these things just continue to happen to me." Couldn't he just understand that I would never be safe from accidents and it would be safer for me is he just changed me. I had to some how make him understand. "Edward, I'll never be safe as long as I'm human."

He interrupted me, "Bella, I'll watch out for you; I promise, everything will be alright." Then he softly kissed my lips.

As his lips pulled away from mine, I moaned softly as I said, "No Edward, I don't think it will be."

"What do you mean?" His voice was still gentle and calm.

"Edward, I'm a walking accident, and they won't stop. I'm a threat to you because I'm constantly injuring myself. My blood is an everlasting craving for you." I looked into his golden butterscotch eyes. I longed for more of a relationship with him, but one that was on an equal footing where neither of us had to worry about endangering the other. "Edward, what if Alice isn't there to help you the next time, or if my injury is fatal?" Once again, a sob ushered from my lips. I hated when I couldn't control the tears or feelings that overwhelmed me.

Edward pulled me closer to him. "Bella, I won't allow that to happen."

Even though I felt comfort in Edward's arms and the nearness of him, I pulled away and broke our embrace.

"Edward, I want to give you something." I slowly got up off the bed and walked over to my dresser.

I remembered the day Alice took me shopping in Port Angeles, and I decided I wanted to get Edward a gift. I had asked Alice if she would wait outside the store while I went in to buy a gift for Edward. She expressed a strong desire to help me choose the gift, but I just replied, "No, Alice. I don't want Edward to know that I bought him anything, and if you see what it is, then he'll be able to read your mind."

"Bella, I can block my mind from Edward. Besides, I'll see what it is anyway when you decide what you're getting him."

"It doesn't matter. At least Edward can't read my mind at all, so it's safer if only I know for sure. Besides, you might tell Jasper, and that's just one more person Edward could learn it from."

Alice gushed, "You should have been around a long time ago. Now we have someone we can share surprises with who won't give them away to Edward. You could become our secret keeper because Edward won't be able to pull the secrets from you."

"It won't work Alice." I laughed.

"Why ever not?" She seemed discontent with my reply.

"Alice, if you tell me the secret, Edward will still be able to get it from you or anyone else in the family who knows. No, it's best if I keep this to myself, and if you do see anything, just ignore it, then we can both keep it a secret from Edward. Besides, you might not see what I actually get him." I smiled at her.

"Emmett was right. You really do have a devious mind Bella." Alice had laughed at me.

Edward brought me out of my reverie of that day by asking, "Bella, did you get me something?"

"Yes." I replied.

"When?"

"A while back when I went shopping with Alice." I started digging through my drawer looking for the object I had purchased.

All of a sudden, I felt Edwards's arms around my waist and he laid his head on my shoulder so he could look over it to see what I was doing.

"Edward," I said firmly, "Please, sit down. I don't want you to see until I'm ready."

He kissed my neck and said teasingly, "Okay, but what if I don't like surprises?"

He knew how I felt about surprises, but I thought it was only fair that for once I should get to surprise him. "Then you know how I feel when you do this to me. Maybe next time you'll just tell me what's happening rather than surprising me."

"But Bella, I love to watch the expression on your face when I finally reveal my surprise," he offered.

I just replied with a disbelieving sort of laugh. I finally found the gift I had purchased and held it in one hand while I shielded it from his sight with my other. He was sitting on the bed, so I slowly walked over toward him.

"Edward, I want you to keep this as a reminder of me. No matter what happens, I don't want you to forget me." I handed him a small stuffed lamb. It was fleecy like a real lamb and was made of the softest material I'd ever felt.

"Bella, nothing is going to happen," Edward replied as I put the lamb in his hand.

"This time you're wrong. Neither of us can be sure of anything, but lately I've felt like the sword of Damocles was hanging over my head and that it will soon swing down and slice my life in half."

"Bella . . ." Edward was looking into my eyes, but I had to finish what I needed to say before I broke down sobbing.

"No, Edward, hear me out." Tears were rolling down my cheeks and I was fighting to keep my voice under control. "I felt this before, and I know something is going to happen. Some how some way, I'm going to lose you forever. Either you will leave me or I'll die and leave you. It'll end and I'll never see your angelic face again. I'll never see that crooked smile I love so much, and I'll never hear your voice telling me you love me. For me, life will cease to exist, and you'll go on without me. I want you to remember me; it'll be a way for me to continue to exist. Please, Edward, promise me you'll keep it with you always and never forget me. Let this little lamb be your reminder of me."

"Bella, nothing like that will happen." Edward reached up and wiped away the tears, which were streaming down my cheeks,

I had to make him understand what I was feeling. "I know it will. I can feel it coming and there is nothing I can do to stop it."

He looked into my eyes and asked, "Have you been talking to Alice? Has she told you something she's seen?"

"No. This is something I've felt, and my instincts tell me it's true. I don't want to lose you, but it'll happen and our time together will be over, forever. Everything about us is forever; I always known either we would be together forever, or we'd end up losing each other forever. It's coming. You can deny it, but that won't stop it from happening. All I ask is that you always remember me and remember that I love you."

He looked at the plush white lamb. It had a red ribbon with a small lion shaped charm tied around its neck. On one side of the charm were engraved the words "And the lion laid down with the lamb," and on the other were the words "I'll love you forever. Bella."

"I will love you forever Bella, and I'll not let anything separate us." He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me onto his lap.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, don't you dare ever forget me." With those words, I gently kissed him.