Memories of Forever

By: Jaded Image

AN: I finished Breaking Dawn in two sittings...and I'm tired, but I don't want to sleep, haha. So I wrote this instead because I wanted to explore Edward's POV at the end of such an epic series. Bella and Edward are one of the it couples that define love, sacrifice, happiness, and everything good. Sigh. I'm wistful just thinking about the series ending.

NOTE: If you haven't finished the book, please do so first. That might be a good idea :)

Disclaimer: This is a re-write of the ending Stephenie Meyer had written, only from Edward's POV; therefore, the dialogue is the same. I don't claim anything.

I felt the air whoosh out of my frozen lungs in a whisper of her name as images whirled inside my mind, each as familiar to the angel with her hands on my face as they were to me. The first time we met, first time we kissed, the 'I love you's and heartfelt smiles…the wedding altar and our vows to love each other for the rest of our existence…the happiness she felt when I leaned forward and placed my hand on her swollen belly…

As familiar as all those memories were, I felt a distinct tone to the thoughts drifting in torrents from my love's mind. Each mind was different, but even though I had never heard her thoughts before, Bella's mind was as familiar as it was new.

And it was astounding. Breathtaking. Absolutely lovely.

The feel of her mind brushing against mine was like a gentle caress, more intimate and soft than any other previous minds I have heard. Her influx of memories—memories of me—would have stopped my heart had it not already been stone. My eyes were wide in shock as I gazed at the woman I love, beautiful even with the tiny crease in her forehead from trying to remove the mental blockade.

Her hands felt like satin brushing against my face, and I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to feel her whole body pressed against me so that I might feel her skin under my hands.

A staggered breath hitched in my throat as I felt the love flow from her opening mind, a mind that I often yearned to hear in years past, a mind that I have come to value with such reverence that her opening herself up to me left me raw with emotion. I knew she valued her privacy, and her thoughts had always been her own as I would never force her otherwise, but now she was opening a part of her that no one had ever been able to touch, and it was all for me.

This glorious angel was giving herself—completely, in mind, body, and soul (for I can no longer deny the fact that Bella, of all people, has a soul)—to me. And it was bewildering, wonderful, and exhilarating all at the same time because, although I was used to hearing the thoughts of those around me, Bella's mind had always been a quiet mystery.

Her memories continued to course into my head as images sharpened in focus, painting pictures of my face from her point of view, and I felt her mental sigh of satisfaction as she imagined stroking a hand down my cheek, leaning forward for our first kiss as true vampire lovers.

Just the memory sent a stab of yearning and love through my body. Had I still been human, my heart would have accelerated uncontrollably.

With the latest memory of our first night in the cottage imprinted in my mind, I allowed my emotions to take over as I pulled her hard against me and kissed her with all the passion I felt and remembered. Her lips were smooth and fitted to mine perfectly.

It seemed I had surprised her as the mental images suddenly cut off.

"Oops, lost it!" She muttered with a sigh, sounding a little rueful.

"I heard you," I could barely raise my voice above a whisper. "How? How did you do that?"

She explained herself, but while I paid partial attention to her words, I was still feeling the high from hearing her thoughts, from the touching of our minds. Who knew one could experience such ecstasy from simply hearing a lover's thoughts?

She continued with a slight smile and nonchalant shrug, "Now you know. No one's ever loved anyone as much as I love you."

Even in my seemingly drug-induced state, I registered her words and smiled. "You're almost right. I know of just one exception." She was only just beginning to understand how much I truly love her. And it wasn't just that I would kill myself were she to disappear, but that the mere thought of being away from her tore me up from the inside.

I would do anything for her. She only had to say the word.

Bella grinned, her reddish-gold eyes glittering playfully. "Liar."

I silenced any further denunciations with a lingering kiss which started to drift towards a rather more passionate embrace before I was stopped with another thought. Now that I had a taste of her mind, I was yearning for more.

"Can you do it again?"

She made a face that I knew wasn't from pain, but from the effort involved. "It's very difficult."

I didn't push her, not wanting her to feel obligated. Yet, I couldn't help an expectant smile from crossing my lips.

"I can't keep it up if I'm even the slightest big distracted," she stated, as if warning me against naughty behavior.

"I'll be good," I mollified.

She tried to look stern, but ended up smiling delightedly at what I assume was my enthusiasm.

Holding her hands against my face, I could sense as she began to remove her shield as more and more memories drifted into my head. It was just as intense as the first time, giving me the pleasure that was equivalent to her stroking my skin.

Bella seemed to be in the teasing mood as images of our night together flittered in great detail in my head. She took the time to slowly examine our every move, and I felt the on-rush of want as I went back on my statement of no distractions and kissed her without inhibitions, running on emotions.

She laughed happily as my lips moved against hers. It sounded like beautiful silver bells.

"Damn it," I muttered. Her thoughts were once again shut off from me, and although I knew it was my fault, I didn't stop as I slipped kiss after kiss down the side of her face. It's not like we didn't have time to try again. I was thrilled knowing that now we had all the time in the world and the rest of our existence for me to discover her thoughts.

And as if she could read my mind, Bella stated in a satisfied tone, "We have plenty of time to work on it."

I couldn't agree more. "Forever and forever and forever."

"That sounds exactly right to me." Her voice was quiet and saturated with as much happiness as I felt, so much that I was overflowing.

Smiling gently, I pulled her even closer and wrapped my arms securely around her waist, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

That's right. We still have forever.

AN: My main concern is capturing Edward's characteristic. I don't want him to be too OOC. That's also why I wrote the ending from his POV so that I could expand a little on his reactions from the book.

Ahh...I always get so nostalgic at the end of a series. Now I'll just read the books over and over again while I wait for the movies. It's such a great series, I know nobody's going to forget it. After all, Bella and Edward live forever :)

JI