The bell tolled Bella.

One.

The first image, the one I would erase. Her blood filling in the cracks in the rocks her body had crushed into, trickling streams to the sea, turning the froth pink. Her glass hand facing upwards towards heaven, her fingers as blue and cold as the ocean.

Heartbreak.

Horror.

Hell.

I clawed at my own throat.

Two.

A white dress. The curl of her lips caressing an "I do". Her warm hand in mine with the exciting unfamiliarity of a gold ring between my skin and hers. I would have, I would have…

Three.

Lying in her bed and not being as careful as I should. Her hands greedily running over any of my exposed skin and I was mirroring her actions, drowning in the heat of her arms, her throat, her stomach, feeling the burning of her skin under my cold fingers. She had no idea the uncontrollable desire I had for her. Her warm body invited every part of me. Her breath hitched as I let my fingertips sink softly into her hips as I kissed her collarbone. My own skin was unrelenting under her clutches, but nonetheless I felt the pressure of her drawing me even closer towards her and I could find no will to fight, even with the monster under my skin growling with thirst, even knowing I was a thread away from giving in to everything she asked for…

Four.

The bottlecap. Her "yes".

Another toll, another image, again, again, until her voice hummed faintly in my ear, calling me into eternity.

"Edward!"

I smiled in response. Beautiful woman, all that I never deserved.

"No! Edward, look at me!"

Ah, so she knew we were going to be separated eternally. My Bella hallucination seemed to be in tune with my survival instinct. They didn't want this to be the end. However, I would not suffer one more second. I chose my last thought for this world.

I was hidden and hesitant in the shadows of the trees and Bella was in the sun of our meadow, her face glowing in the light and her eyes wide with wonder. The most fateful day of my life, besides the one where she stepped past me in the classroom. Her body shifted, and she gave me the most beautiful gift I ever received; she raised her hand to invite me to be with her. In the next step I took, I couldn't help thinking, "Forever."

I took that step in Volterra as well, seeking only doom. "I love you."

And then, she was there, in my arms and there were no words. Ecstasy, bliss, perfection, these were shallow and vague descriptions of what I felt. It was rapture, as I'd never felt before. My eyes finally truly opened, I breathed again, I felt again, and there was only Bella. In the air, on my skin, on my lips. I was with her.

All I could do was hold her, smell her. The burn in my throat felt beautiful. The wound in my chest had never existed. It was heaven…heaven. Oh, Bella…

"Amazing. Carlisle was right," I breathed. I touched her hair and felt the familiar thrill. This was too much. I couldn't handle the euphoria that grew inside of me until all I wanted to do was grab her and run, hold her until there was no possibility of ever again being separated. I was in no other words, giddy.

The years spread out before me in an impossible array of color. Bella, Bella, Bella. In my arms again. Looking down at her, she was perfect, whole, and beautiful. I felt only lightness in my limbs only the most defined euphoria. I needed only her smile and I would live forever. Her lips were moving and I could once again take in the cadences of her voice. I wasn't comprehending the words however, I was too involved in the caress of the sound.

I could touch her face, and I did. I saw the pinkness spread to her pale cheeks. I felt her hands tightly gripping my arms. I was a moment away from pressing my lips to hers and losing myself completely in exhilaration. The only thing that now held me back was the need to assess her. To make sure her jump had not damaged her in this life in any way. The only thing that was EVER more important than my needs were her health and safety. She looked…perfect. How had the step from life to death affected me? I didn't feel any hurt and besides the unparalleled happiness coursing through my body, I felt exactly the same as in life.

"I can't believe how quick it was," I voiced aloud, and then to reassure her, "I didn't feel a thing-they're very good."

I closed my eyes and took her in with all my other senses, pressing my lips to her hair. This was the heaven I hadn't dreamed for and Romeo's words came to mind with new meaning. "Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty." Nothing was wrong with her at all. We were together again for eternity. I would never allow myself broken from her. I breathed in the smell of her hair again. But this time I couldn't ignore the fire in my throat. I opened my eyes to meet hers.

"You smell just exactly the same as always," I informed her. "So maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it."

I meant it. Meant it with whatever was left of a heart inside of me. Whatever eternity presented I would be with her through it all. We'd both lived a hell on earth for a time, now there could only be heaven and the unbreakable bond of our hands, linked.

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Author note: Well, that's the ending. For my own story at least. My favorite stories are always the ones that continue on into the afterlife. I chose to end it here because I couldn't bear to end it earlier and leave Edward desolate. I should have though. I left off the books true resolution. I'm not going to write it.