The Tale of the Brokenhearted

Chapter 31: In My Arms

Edward's POV

I watched as Carlisle examined Leah. She was still unconscious and even though her heart had resumed beating it was still so weak. As I sat there and listen I noticed as time went by it started to get weaker and weaker. The little hope I'd been given had started to deteriorate. Carlisle's thoughts mirrored mine we both knew that a heartbeat so fragile wouldn't last. Bella might have saved her for a moment but the end result was inevitable. The venom had lingered for far too long and Leah was going to leave this Earth. She was going to leave me here alone. After a few minutes Carlisle stepped away from her and covered her kindly as if tucking her into bed. "I'm going to contact Sue and let her know what's going on," he informed me and left me alone with Leah. She's not going to be here long. Son you should say goodbye. He couldn't bring himself to say the words he thought of Leah's smile and some of the moment he'd witness between Leah and me. He was going to miss her too. He walked downstairs and I heard as he began to explain everything to the others. I inched myself closer to Leah and I sat on the bed and I took her hand. I didn't know what to say. How do you say goodbye to your reason for being?

"I can't say goodbye to you Leah," I whispered as I squeezed her hand a little. "I can't do it. I love you too much so you are just going to fight through this and come back to me. I know it hurts but I know you Leah, you're so strong a little venom won't stop you from coming back to me." I looked down at her and she lay there as if she was sleeping but she wore this frown on her face. I imagined that she was in pain. I couldn't see death by poison as an enjoyable sensation. I leaned in and kissed the pucker between her eyebrows and then move my lips to hers. "Please, please, please … don't leave." I placed my ear to her chest and closed my eyes and listened to the one thing that indicated that she was alive her heartbeat. It was a light thump …. Thump …. Thump, as I listened I noticed that they heartbeats moved further and further away from each other. I felt the area in my chest where my heart was supposed to beat was tighten. I knew what was coming next. I closed my eyes and listened to her very last heartbeat.

This moment needed tears but I couldn't produce any, all I could offer her was a pathetic whimper and groan. Leah had left me and this time I had a feeling it was for good. I could ask that Bella suck her blood again but I had a feeling that it was more trouble than it was worth, she would just go through this horrible pain again. I wasn't that selfish, I didn't want Leah in pain. I just felt this was all my fault. I pried myself away from her I had to muster the nerve to tell everyone. I heard them talking and Alice was asking Carlisle how long he thought she'd be able to hang on and I weakened. I wasn't strong enough to do this … not yet. I slipped into the guestroom not realizing that Bella was in there. Shit, this was another conversation I wasn't ready for. She was sitting on the bed with the lamp dimly lighting the area. I could see the wetness glistening off her cheeks. It took her moment to notice that I had entered the room. She made a horrible attempt to wipe the tears from her face. I came and I sat down beside her. We sat there for a moment in silence.

"How's Leah," she asked with sobs still evident in her voice. Hearing her speak Leah's name made my pain intensify. Leah was dead and I couldn't force those words from my mouth.

"She's not in any pain anymore," I murmured. However, I was now damaged beyond compare.

"That's good so it worked?" Bella asked and then she gave what I said some thought. "Oh Edward! Has … she didn't, tell me she didn't."

"Please don't verbalize it … not yet." I swallowed back my emotion. Bella nodded understanding and rubbed my back.

"You know, I was going to ask you a million questions. I was prepared to rake you over the coals about not being honest with me. I was sitting here thinking about it and then I realized that you didn't do anything wrong. I'd talked to Alice on the way back and she told me that Leah and you started off as friends and then if morphed into something more. I know that if I had been here and been sure about us that it wouldn't have happened. It took all of this for me to realize that I love you Edward I do, but when you left I fell in love with Jacob. I was just obsessed with idea of loving you that I couldn't let go. Now, that I've become clear about all of this Jacob doesn't want anything to do with me." She began to cry and leaned her head against my shoulder. I remembered when I used to think that Bella was selfless but now I realized that she was kind of selfish. I didn't have it in me to comfort her. I needed someone to care about what just happened.

"I'm sorry Bella; about everything … I just can't be your shoulder to lean on right now." I placed my elbows on my knees and covered my face in my hands.

"You're right Edward I'm sorry … so, so, sorry," She wrapped her arms around me and held me. Somehow I felt protected with her little fragile arms wrapped around me. "You'll heal Edward, I promise." She whispered.

"I hope you're right, I just don't see healing as an option right now. I need to go tell everyone what's happened so we can begin the process of … I've gotta go." I hurried down the stairs and everyone was huddled around something I cleared my throat and everyone turned towards me. The huddled parted and there she was sitting up right with her eyes closed.

"Leah?" I whispered I thought I was hallucinating. This was crazy it couldn't be real. She opened her eyes and there it was the evidence. Her beautiful brown eyes were now glowing with reddish amber. I listened for the heartbeat I'd become so used to and it was nowhere to be found. Leah stood slowly and then within an instant was standing in front of me. She looked into my eyes and she could see my memories my thoughts my soul.

"I knew it," she smiled. "You have such a pure soul Edward, and you asked me to stay … so here I am." She took my hands in hers. "So aren't you going to kiss me or something?"

"Hell yes," I said quickly scooped and spun her around and kissed her. "Thank you for staying with me," I whispered as I rubbed my forehead against hers.

"No place I'd rather be E.C." she chuckled and then wrapped her arms around my neck. There were still plenty concerns running through my mind, but right now I was just happy to be rocking Leah the love of my life in my arms.