AN: I'm too ashamed to say anything.

Mini Recap: I was admiring the upstairs detailed trimming when I heard the glass shattering shriek emitted from somewhere in the vicinity of what I assumed to be the antique barn. Spinning on my heel, I dashed down the hallway to a window I knew overlooked the pastures.

This much I knew: the scream was hers.

"Bella?" I whispered, staring down through the faded panes, trying to make out familiar shapes.

"Well, well, well," a voice said from behind me, accompanied by hissing, that sent unwelcome shivers through my frame. "Look what the cat brought in. Good to see you again, Edward."

Summary: AU. Canon Pairings. Sequel to Little Miss Pipedream. He always believed that he would do anything for his angel. But then reality takes the phrase, "I'd go to the ends of the Earth for her," literally and he is thrown head first into a worldwide search for the love of his life.

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Twilight; Stephenie Meyer does. I also do not own the Wombats, or their song, Lost In The Post.

~ .:{o0o}:. ~

Chapter 15 – End Of The Earth

Edward

The flame of red was so different from the last I had seen the woman's hair, which was currently sprawled at her barren feet in an Easter-y purple clump. There was –thankfully – no tutu this time, though her nomadic clothes looked to have seen better days than the present. A satisfied smirk was set on her face, a glimmer of victory in her eyes. She held a fighting cat in her marble arms, but no matter how much force the feline exerted from his claws, they left no scratch upon the woman's face.

The former Pela Waters standing before me created enraged pangs in my chest that made me want to lung at the vampire, though I knew that would not end agreeably in my favor.

"Victoria," I snarled through my growling lips, my eyes flashing in severe hatred.

She giggled mirthlessly. "Ah, so you know," she said, her lips curving as she stroked the relentless Moose. "But I should have known your pathetic little girlfriend would have informed you of our past by now. She's been such a sweetheart, readily complying with our demands. And now that she's dragged you here, too, it just makes it all the more better."

Victoria paced around me, eying me up, almost as if approving of me, her eyes never leaving my face as she spit the words emotionlessly at me. Her lilting, high-pitched voice rung in my ears as she taunted me and I scrunched my eyes shut, thinking of Bella.

"Such a shame," she continued, finally ripping her gaze from me and looking down at Moose as she petted him. "Shame that you couldn't get here in time to witness her own suicidal death." Her eyes darted back to mine, which had lividly flown open. "She knew what she was facing, and I admire her for her bravery. Pity James had to drink her dry. Such a waste," she hissed.

"She's still alive," I whispered to myself, sucking in a breath as I closed my eyes again, conjuring her face to memory.

Victoria clucked her tongue. "Wishful thinking never got anyone very far."

"You're lying."

"I may be and I may not be," she replied evasively. "But I wouldn't count on it."

I glued my eyes open, staring into the wide emerald eyes of my cat. He'd stopped struggling, meowing quietly to get my attention. My glance darted around the hall, to the stairs, the window opposite, and the doors before finally returning to the vampire looking lovingly down at Moose. She smiled wryly and starting pacing again.

It was stupid, really. And mostly on Moose's part for the idea, but also on mine for complying. But I had to admit, if I had never listened to him in the first place, I wouldn't be here; instead, I be wallowing away slowly and surely into worthless ash and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Even given what I've been through.

So with thoughts of Bella fresh in my mind, I forced my body backwards when Victoria turned to gaze down at the cat. Of course she heard me and hissed silently in my direction. Thank god she wasn't psychic.

My heart was pounding too loud to hear the noiseless creature stalking me and my breathing was too heavy. Adrenaline pulsed vigorously through my veins. I felt positively heroic and unquestionably badass; I didn't even feel the shards of glass embedded in my skin as I jumped through the window or the rush of air as I plummeted to the grassy ground. In fact, I felt nothing at all.

Save for the ice-cold hand that had caught the tail of my coat.

Victoria clucked her tongue again. "Not nearly so cooperative as your little girlfriend, now are you? Are you a coward, too scared to face your death like Isabella so easily submitted to?"

I spluttered as I struggled to heave a breath through my mouth. My lank limbs flailed about in the air and my head spun uncontrollably. I faintly caught an orange speck darting across through the green lawn out of the corner of my eye. "Please, God . . ." I whispered to the sky, squeezing my eyes shut. "Let her be safe."

Victoria's laugh teetered in my ears again, and it seemed to be endless, the annoying sound both baby-like and evil. Thinking that I would probably die listening to her laughing as she choked me with my own collar, the insane hum instantly died away. She crouched lower as if she were a cat waiting to pounce. I could hear her breathing the air in deeply and a low curse issuing from her mouth.

"Wolves," she muttered incredulously.

"Wolves," I quietly rejoiced, my eyes flying open.

In the few seconds it took me to blink, I was sprawled painfully on the hard ground beneath the second story hall window. Little sparkles of glass covered half of my body and littered the yard around me. The next thing I became aware of was the intense heat licking its way through the old wood of the house I lay next to. Unidentifiable noises reached my ears and I struggled to move any portion of my body. Pain engulfed my entire left leg and shot through my lower back. Ignoring this, I stretched my limbs and stumbled my way to the dismal and dark barn.

The same scream rang through the humid air, mixing with other unworldly sounds, aiding my determination. It confirmed the one thing that kept my heart actively beating: she was still alive.

I sped up, pushing through what I was sure to say a broken leg, and threw the barn door aside with all the strength I had left. The dew from the grass mingled with the sweat forming on my brow and the cool night air blew through the empty and long abandoned barn. I could discern nothing through the lightless scene, save for a fallen ladder and a beat up door uncovering a set of rickety stairs. What led me to believe I should take the stairs and what also tightened the lost knot in my stomach was the trail of glistening blood trailing along the floor to said door.

"Bella?" I whispered uncertainly from the stoop of the last stair, squinting to see through the palpable black velvet. Which, of course, was stupid. You couldn't hear anything through the consistent growling, screaming, and thundering. I could barely hear my own heart beat, which was quite the feat, seeing as it was about to burst.

Flames burst into existence not ten feet from where I was perched. The orange glow soon turned to a violent violet smoke, which covered the room in more darkness, yet still bathed the close vicinity in a warming glow. Now I could see.

But the first shock of sight wore off instantly and instinct told me to run. My feet – one stable and one on the verge of collapsing – bolted from the fire. I could faintly detect out of the corner of my eye two seemingly dancing white figures, both sparkling lightly in the vibrant glow. I recognized both faster than I could comprehend: Charlie and James, intent on literally tearing each other apart. Something else told me that Jake was not far from my line of sight.

The scream rang true again, although this time, it had more of an urgent and surprised tone to it. How I could tell that in a scream, I have no idea. I rushed toward the sound and ended up in a dirty, musty old silo that was filled with dirt, dust, and an overgrown tree.

"Bella?" I yelled, my voice echoing off the close walls. Squeezing through the metal ladder, I waited for a response and my eyes to adjust.

A muffled and questioning voice answered me, a voice that sounded quite similar to Bella yelling my name through some kind of bond tied around her mouth. Which is exactly what it turned out to be.

"Bella," I sighed in extreme relief, falling to her side. I rested my head on her lap, my knees giving out beneath me. My heart again plummeted when I realized she was recklessly tied to an old decrepit chair, the binds digging into her beautiful delicate skin. Blood was drenched in her lank chocolate locks and seeping down her forehead. Crimson splattered her hands and ankles, creating bracelet outlines of the rough ropes.

Sucking in a breath, I held my head high and looked into the gorgeous eyes I had feared I'd never see again. My lips found home on every inch of her skin while my arms wrapped the most important thing in my life to me. She was alive, with lungs full of air and a beating heart. Thank God.

Fiercely, I untied the rag preventing my love from speaking articulately and immediately started searching for something to break the ropes tying Bella to the most likely uncomfortable chair.

"Edward," she hissed, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm saving you," I snapped, spotting a rusted axe leaning against the wall behind a pile of rotted wood. "I can't seem to make you want to stay with me, seeing as you run away every chance you get."

"It was all for your own good!" she muttered, slumping into the chair. As I lifted the axe out of the debris, Bella gasped. "Where's Junior?" she demanded.

"Relax," I grunted, swinging the axe at the foot of the chair, breaking the rope tying her feet to the wood. "He's in the hands of Marissa's friend, who, quite frankly, seems a lot more . . . level-headed."

She 'humph'ed and kicked her legs about. I guess being tied up for who knows how long could put you in a mood like that. Carefully, I freed her hands from chair and lifted her into my arms once again, feeling complete at last.

"Don't you ever dare try and leave me again," I whispered fiercely into her swarm of chocolate and blood curls, burying my face there, where the faint scent of strawberries calmed me.

"I won't. Promise," she said into my neck, her warm breath tickling my dirty skin. "As long as we get out of this alive," she mumbled morbidly.

Her hand in mine, we clambered out of the silo, leaving the painful memories of yesteryear behind and quietly crept our way into the large enflamed room, where mildewed hay caught the fire and an ugly purplish smoke covered every inch of just about everything. As we edged our way closer to the stairway, carefully watching our step for lost flames or rats – or perhaps something much worse, like a crawling hand – the darkness faded and we were met with our two traveling companions: Charlie and Jake, both looking anciently exhausted.

The inferno they were standing over as if in a ritual cast sickening shadows over the newly formed wrinkles embedded in their faces, bags underneath they're eyes. Jacob, I could tell, was very close to passing out on the spot, but I knew he held it together to see through until morning, at least. Charlie was as unemotional and stoic as ever, the same grave man, never changing and yet a little worse for wear.

The scene silently unfolded as Bella broke from my side, embracing both stone figures with strength and vigor. I stood at the edge of the light, staring deeply into the golden flames as Charlie and Jake had moments previously. The finality of it didn't seem to hit me, as if I actually had to step into its warmth to let go of what's been haunting me for two years. But was it really and truly over?

Though we had not yet exchanged any words, the looks in both the vampire's and werewolf's eyes said all that we needed to know; it was impossible to comprehend that what had been the majority of our lives had finally come to an end. It was almost like we didn't know how to go on and live our normal lives. How do you just walk away?

I couldn't stand to see any more of the accursed barn; we trudged hastily outside, into the lightening dawn. My arm was soldered onto Bella's waist; I feared to ever even physically let her go ever again. The peaceful stillness was eerily jarring. Not a sound save for a morning bird interrupted the quiet.

What I could only guess was Jacob's pack stood around the burning house, a similar plume of plum smoke rising into the sky. The picture was mostly a monotone gray, but the deep jade of the grass and the purple stood out against the yellowing sky.

Victoria was dead. James was dead.

Our party of four joined the rest in a loose semi-circle. I brought Bella closer to my side to shield her from the cool wind of the morning. Kissing her temple, I rested my cheek on the top of her head, eternally thankful that we were together, here and now, able to watch this morning evolve. And we stood, tired after a long night and all sharing the nightmarish events of the past two years fresh in our hearts, watching the twin pillars of smoke carry our worries into the dawn of a new day and disappear into the rising sun.

It was over.

~ .:{o0o}:. ~

AN: And this story is almost over, too. A few more chapters. Definitely be faster than last time. I'm so ashamed of myself. Wow. I'll just stop blabbering and start writing the next chapter like a good author.

Yours,

Laura.