Challenge 1: "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice..."

Story Title: Forever's End

Character/Relationships: All post Breaking Dawn canon ships.

Rating: PG-13

Words: 500

Warnings: Morbid and apocalyptic.

Author's note: Written for the LJ community twilight_las (URL .com/twilight_las/)

"The sea gave up its dead; then death and the nether world gave up their dead. Each person was judged according to his conduct.

Then death and the nether world were hurled into the pool of fire, which is the second death..."

Edward listened to Carlisle's thoughts as he read from the Book of Revelations. Like every night as of late, Carlisle sat in his study, with his ankle crossed over his knee, and his father's old, weathered bible in his hands. Humans didn't read actual books anymore. Books with bound pages were only seen in period films.

The rest of the Cullens, and Jacob, sat in the living room watching the news update about the sun expanding, becoming a red giant. Much of Earth's water was evaporating at an increasing rate, and the hydrogen from the water was becoming lost permanently to space. Humans can't manufacture water fast enough. People, animals, plants were all dying from starvation and dehydration.

The world was more chaotic than ever. People turning on their neighbor to survive, murdering and stealing without consequence. Out of desperation the most basic necessities were being sold on the black market. "They will destroy themselves before the end of days claims them," Esme said sadly.

NASA had a lottery to bring winners to a space station near Mars. The way to win a ticket was to bribe and blackmail politicians. Some people think living in space is delaying the inevitable. A fate worse than what they will face on Earth.

Those who accepted their end prayed for salvation at their place of worship.

The Cullens accepted their fate. They knew this day would come. Even immortals have to face their end. They'll last longer than all living beings, but their saved up blood supply will run out one day. They'll grow weak with thirst, not to mention they'll have to defend themselves from nomadic vampires and the Volturi.

Renesmee shivered. When that day comes they'll be so mad with thirst they'll behave the way the humans do now. "Will God forgive us? Will we go to heaven?"

"I believe we will," Edward answered. He explained to the others his daughter's train of thought and continued, "I used to believe that when we became vampires we lost our souls. That maybe they were destroyed as we felt the burn of our transformation. You and your mother proved me wrong." Edward hugged Bella closer to him and she kissed his cheek.

"If Bella didn't fight to save you, I would have forever believed that you were a monster, like me. Then I saw how good you are Nes, and I realized that someone like you could never have been created from one half of a soulless creature."

Renesmee got up from the couch where she was sitting besides Jacob, and sat by her dad, wrapping her arms around him.

Edward continued, "We're not perfect but we've done the best we could in this life. I think that counts for something."