FINAL PERFORMANCE

Pairings: All canon

Universe: Alternate universe, All human

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the goddess we call Stepanie Meyer. All hail that woman and her precious mind.

POV: Edwards. The narrator is in italics.

Authors Note: howdy folks, and welcome to final performance. I must warn you, this story is much more angsty than the likes of Stiletto in Mouth Syndrome. It does have some very dark moments, and i can't garantee you a happy ending. But please do read it, and review, i would appreciate all feedback possible. This baby has taken me many years to perfect it, and i'm still working on it, converting it from the not so good story with new characters to a fantastic fanfic. Also the beginning chapter is very short, because it's an introduction to everything. As the acts progress, i can promise you they span pages upon pages long.

Without further ado, Final Performance.

ACT I: The Bitter Beginnings

His graceful body is thrown forward, and every muscle stretches and twists, until his feet plant themselves firmly back on the

His graceful body is thrown forward, and every muscle stretches and twists, until his feet plant themselves firmly back on the ground. He faces the crowd, arms opened, either side of him, set in a welcoming gesture.

The spotlight shines down on him, and the rest of the tent is dark, where the others lurked, only shadows to those who noted them.

His green eyes snap around, and he observes the audiences, enthralled faces. They are waiting, watching, wanting to see more. His painted lips part, as his face splits into a wide grin. With an intake of air, he gives the audience the farewell they are waiting for.

"Thankyou for attending Circus de Cullen."

His brings his hands together, and the clap resonates throughout the candy striped tent. A split second later, two canons fire, showering the air with confetti. The crowd get to their feet, cheering another fanstastic show. The spotlight switches off as the main lights begin to dimly shimmer, guiding patrons out.

Tonight's show has ended.

And our story begins.

I stand, panting heavily.my muscles ache, and the mixture of sweat and makeup is slowly dripping down my face, making it itch. Using the back of my hand, I wipe the salty trails away, and sweep the bronze mop of hair out of my face.

"Good show bro." I raise my hand with out looking up, it could only be Emmett wanting a high five. And surely enough I feel his sturdy palm knock against mine. I smile as his fiancee joins him, kissing him soundly on the cheek.

"Chin up Edward, the night is young, there isnt a show tomorrow, so we can explore the town tomorrow. We can go find you a lady friend." My smile fades slowly as Emmett's words sink in. I didn't want a 'lady friend'. I had found the perfect woman, she was so beautiful and pure. She was the epitome of perfect, and she could never be mine. She saw right through me, never noticing I was there. I don't blame her, I was nothing but another face among a crowd who far outshone me.

I was part of a very tight knit group within the circus. We had be brought together by personal tragedy at a young age, and stitched our hearts in perfect synch as we mourn the lives we had once lived. We had been together for so long, bonds as strong as those of family had been formed- and they could never be broken. They were my brothers and sisters, flesh and blood

I never had much of a life to mourn. My parents died young, they had succumbed to a deadly influenza strain. Before they died, they entrusted me to my distant relatives, Esme and Carlisle Cullen, who owed the circus. They were like a mother and father to myself, and the four others in our little group. From an early age, I had travelled the world with them, watching others perform, desiring to be apart of it all. After much begging, at the tender age of ten, I had gotten my wish- they allowed me to play the opening show tunes. At the age of thirteen I taught myself to juggle, and basic acrobatics, and when Jasper joined our troupe he taught me everything he knew about being a clown. It wasn't long before I was beside him, assisting him with his act.

Jasper was the most recent aquision to our group, joining us four years ago. He had run away from his former life, escaping a life full of blood and hate. He had left everything behind, his money, his status, and the woman whom he once called his life. He said being a clown filled him with joy, knowing he was spreading joy and laughter. Inside though, I knew he was seeking redemption for those lives broken by blood wars. For every tear shed for a lost loved one, he hoped to make someone else laugh.

When he arrived, he had dragged along, an annoying little brat. Well she wasn't that bad, I loved her like a little sister- even if she was one year older than me. The years went by, and as they grew up, they filled the voids in each other's hearts, finding a love strong enough to outlast time. However, we didn't know much about Alice, her past remained a mystery to us. The only thing we knew, was Jasper had found her alone and foresaken by her so called loved ones. She did have an amazing talent though, she could predict the future with such accuracy, that no one dared to bet against her. She had a tiny frame, but made up for that with her fierce personality.

Emmett and his fiancee were the other two who completed odd little family. Emmett had been brought to us, battered and bloody, on the brink of death. Some say he was mauled by a bear, but the truth was he had tripped in masses of barbed wire. Of course he kept the bear story, it only made his reputation as a bear trainer more exciting. He was the older brother figure of our family, his humour lighting up our duller moments. When he had healed from his lacerations, Carlisle prepared to send him home. Turns out he didn't want to leave, he had found his purpose in life.

Rosalie Hale.

She was stunning , with men travelling far and wide to gaze upon her beauty. Had she chosen a more perfet life for herslef, she would have liked to start a more normal life, free from the stardom the circus brought upon. But she loved Emmett, and she loved the family we had scraped together, so she stayed, because she found that sense of belonging all humans search for. I think we all stayed for that.

Over the years our circus troupe was slowly dissapating, as the others grew older, and saught a normal life, wanting to face the challenges of the cruel world out there. We had lost ten acts over the years, and only gained seven. As civilisation progessed, we were getting left behind, with some claiming we would one day be naught but the shadow of a memory on those who came to see us. We were known across the globe, but the fact of the matter was, we were a dying breed. But we would never rest, and we would fight, with entertainment, rather that guns, to secure our existance.