**This entry takes place right around the end of Chapter 22, "Hide-And-Seek." It is in Edward's point of view. I DO NOT own any of Stephenie Meyer's wonderful characters. This is what I thought could have ended for those who were looking for a sad ending, to let out a few tears (yes, I did cry as I was typing this up). Don't get me wrong, I definitely would have preferred the ending that Stephenie Meyer has written, for many reasons. Please read and review. Thank you all for the comments and criticisms; I will use them to improve my writing for future entries. Thank you!**

EPOV (Edward's POV)

"Edward, you know we can't run in the sun with this much people around," Carlisle tried to comfort me. "We are going as fast as possible."

I knew that second to running, driving was the fastest way to get to the ballet studio that Alice saw twice— first time at the hotel, and the second time when she ran up to meet me in the airport. That second time she saw the mirrored room, James was there, with Bella. I shuddered violently. Still, I couldn't help but think that even at almost 200 miles per hour, I could be too late.

Alice, in the back seats with Emmett and Jasper, had her eyes tightly shut, with her elbows on her knees and fingers to her temples. I could see what she saw— blurred hazes of Bella twitching and crying in pain, then turning into an image of Bella, three days later, the beautiful flush of red gone from her pale hard face. Waves of pain broke out inside me, shooting out from my cold heart spreading to the tips of my fingers and toes.

To distract myself from the painful visions that I would not think of as the future, I concentrated on the wonderful memories I had with my love, Bella. Closing my eyes, I thought of our meadow, and how lovely she looked that day. I remembered the warmth I felt when her skin touched mine. I could almost hear her voice, speaking the words that had spilled butterflies in my heart: "I'm here… which, roughly translated, means I would rather die than stay away from you."

However, those words brought me back to the present. If she would rather die— I flinched— than stay away from me, then what was she doing right now? I needed to feel her in my arms, to know that she is safe and secure. I had to keep telling myself that we would get there in time, before James would even touch her. I could feel a snarl building up in my throat as I thought of the sadistic vampire's name. The vampire that would soon have to put up with me for having any thoughts against my Bella.

At that moment, the most horrible sound interrupted my own thoughts. The painful echo pierced through my ears, into my heart, and it would haunt me forever. I have never heard this sound before, but I could place the voice from anywhere— Bella's heartbreaking scream filled with pain.

Everyone in the car heard it, and they were all watching me warily with wide eyes, except Alice, who was bawling tearlessly.

"Edward, we are almost there. Please wait a few seconds," Carlisle told me quietly. Still, I could hear the straining of pain in his voice.

Then, I could hear Bella's painful cry clearly, calling out to me, "No! No, Edward, don't—" and there was a shattering of glass.

At that moment, a very small part of my mind noted that the car was almost to the dark building, and there was no one around, so I jumped out of the speeding car and ran ahead towards the large, menacing doors of the ballet studio. I could not think about anything—not the wind in my hair as I ran, almost faster than a bullet, or the orange-red sky, as the sun slowly disappeared behind the surrounding houses and buildings and turning the day into twilight. I only had my mind on saving Bella from the danger that was entirely my fault, and silently chanted, I'm coming, Bella, I'm coming.

Without bothering to open the doors, I broke through the glass—which felt like nothing but running through feathers—and I saw them.

I saw Bella crumpled on the wooden floor, surrounded by broken pieces of glass and drenched in her own blood. Her eyes were closed, but I could see her fingers twitch ever so slightly.

Then I saw the murderous vampire. His red burgundy eyes met mine, and they had a cruel smugness in them. He was holding Bella's delicate arm in one hand, and her hand in the other. All of these observations happened in all of a quarter of a second.

With me always in his gaze, he quickly lifted Bella's hand toward his glistening teeth. But I was faster.

Releasing a deafening roar filled with hate, I flung myself at him before he sunk his razor sharp teeth in her blood-drenched skin, and wrapped my hands around his throat. His smug smile turned into a fierce snarl. He clung at my hands, trying to unwrap them from his neck. All I could think of was revenge towards him. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to make him wish he never laid hands on my Bella.

Then another hand grabbed my shoulder. I didn't look. My eyes were focused on James, ready to kill him.

"Edward, Jazz and I will take care of him," Emmett said with eagerness. "Come on. Bella and Carlisle need your help."

Bella. Of course. She needed me. She was dying, because of me. I needed to talk to her, to apologize. To tell her that I love her.

In the middle of this, Emmett grasped James's shoulders and took him to the western room, while he thrashed around. Jasper caught his feet, and dragged him through the doors.

I turned around, and I saw my angel distinctly for the first time since I busted through the building doors. She really was drenched in blood, but the red pool around her was growing bigger rapidly. There were pieces of glass everywhere, also tinted red by the blood. Her fingers had stopped twitching, and she was absolutely still.

"Oh no, Bella, no!" I rushed to her side and knelt down next to her. No, she couldn't be gone! Not because of me. "Bella, please! Bella listen to me, please. Please, Bella please!" Every time I called her name, a shot of pain lashed at my now-fragile heart.

"Carlisle!" I called. He would be able to help. Bella is still here. She had to be. I could hear her faint heartbeat, slowing little by little. "Bella, Bella, no, oh please, no, no!" Bella, please open your eyes!

Then Carlisle and Alice were there. Alice stood a few feet away, holding Carlisle's bag, and on the verge of sobs again. Carlisle knelt down next to Bella's head. He had a white cloth in his hand, and pressed it against the back of her head. Blood instantly stained most of the fabric. Suddenly, she gasped, searching for air, and coughed several times. Relief swelled over me.

"Bella!" Oh, she's okay. The uncontrollable sobbing that I did not know was coming from me slowed.

"Ed…ward?" Bella softly called. Even with my powerful ears, I could just barely make out the words.

"Yes, I'm here Bella. I'm so… so sorry." My voice cracked. The sobbing started again, and I could not stop.

At that instant, Carlisle's thoughts, aimed directly for me, stood out from the thoughts of others, quiet and painful. Edward… I'm so sorry, Edward. She's losing too much blood. She…she won't be able to make it.

In shock, I looked up at Carlisle. He had his eyes closed, his head ducked down. Even Alice started weeping with quiet gasps, as she just saw a vision of what I couldn't believe.

"No." I mouthed. This can't be happening. Suddenly, my world had stopped revolving. The metaphor, "all the time in the world" didn't apply to me anymore. My time was limited. Limited to maybe a few minutes. Every millisecond tore my heart into more and more shattered pieces.

After a century, I had felt happiness. I had smiled and Bella had always reflected it with one of her sunny smiles. I had laughed and Bella would laugh along with me joyously. I had a much stronger reason to live, and that was Bella's heart, with its rhythmic beats always pulling me toward her like a magnet. "No." I whispered again, and I broke down into a hard tearless sob.

"Bella… Can you hear me? I'm so sorry…" I couldn't finish. I carefully caressed her cheek with my trembling hand. Her face was so pale. Her beautiful face. She had to stay with me. I could not lose her because of my mistake.

"Edward." Her voice was the tiniest bit clearer. "Edward, don't be. Don't be sorry." With her eyes closed, she frowned.

Then she opened her eyes, ever so slowly. I saw the depth of those chocolate milk brown eyes again. I felt like I could see through her soul, as she had once said to me. She smiled gently.

"Edward, don't blame this on yourself. And, do me a favor, please," she whispered. Her voice was so frail.

"Anything," I whispered back. Her last request. No. I would not—could not—think of it like that. I would just think of it as if it was any other requests of hers. I would have done anything for her. Just like how I would do anything for her now.

"Please," she begged weakly, "Please, be happy, Edward. For your family." I looked back at her, my eyes filled with pain. How could I? How could I smile when Bella wasn't there to reflect it with her own smile? How could I laugh when she wasn't there for me to laugh along with? How could I keep on living when her heart did not beat to pull me towards her?

"For me," she said in a quiet whisper, and her eyes closed. Frightened that her eyes would not open again, I held her face in both of my hands. For her, I would do anything.

"I will, Bella." Please, open your eyes!

And she did. As she opened her eyes, they had just a little bit of sparkle in them. "Promise?" She begged.

"I… I promise," I said with a faltering voice. She smiled. I smiled weakly with her, knowing, and fearing the most that I would not see this smile light up my world again.

"And remember... I love you… always," she breathed. No, no, no. I wasn't ready to let her go. We didn't spend enough time together. A few weeks were not enough. Not for me. How could I have let this happen to her? I would never forgive myself.

Still, I tried to control my sobs for her. I held up her fragile hand, kissed it tenderly, and said, "I have always loved you, I will always love you, and I will never forget you, my dear angel." Those were the truest words I have ever said in my entire existence. I pressed my lips to hers as gently as I could, and she smiled.

Then Bella closed her eyes, and as she did so, a single sparkling tear trailed down her cheek. At the same moment, the heartbeat that I was so attuned to slowed, thump, thump, and then was quiet.

"Sleep now, Bella," I breathed, and I kissed her forehead.