Black Hole Sun [Harry Potter/Twilight]

XXXIII : The Death Seeker

EDWARD

By the time Edward closed the door to her room, he knew she had quickly and soundly fallen asleep. Her heart rate was stable and her breathing had evened. He wondered if she had been fighting through the sleep potion she took, just so they could speak.

Edward imagined how peaceful she looked sleeping, with her long sheet of thick hair cascading down her arms. He knew he would have been mesmerized watching her sleep, but, also knew she was not one to cross boundaries with without asking first. She had already mentioned them talking about boundaries and Edward knew he had to respect them.

He walked downstairs once more, knowing he was going to keep himself busy for a few hours. He felt a warm comfort knowing Gwen was resting well upstairs, as he felt a form of protectiveness over her. Though he knew there was no use in trying to protect her from physical danger, he knew he could provide some assistance for her health.

If she allowed him to stick around and going on adventures with her, even after his embarrassing confession, he knew he would make sure to not let her sacrifice any resting time. He knew she needed it badly, especially the way she had almost fallen asleep resting against his chest as he carried her home.

Edward smiled brightly to himself as he thought warmly on the memory. Whatever happened between them tomorrow, he was glad he was able to spend an entire day with just her. It was a memory he would keep for the rest of his existence.

He walked over to her bookshelf, admiring her collection and knew she was an avid reader. He enjoyed that about her; she was sharp and also a delight.

Edward ran his fingertips over her books, wondering what he was going to read first, as he noticed a green bound book called, "Where Rainbows End: A tale by Alexander Scrimgeour."

Curious, as he recalled Gwen mention Alex had written an autobiography, he pulled it out off the shelf to see a black and white moving photograph of Alex. The blond man indeed looked handsome, as he did not have a playful grin that Edward knew him to usually wear; but instead, he was looking blankly ahead. And though Alex had a blank look, Edward could tell there was pain in his eyes as well.

He flipped to the first page, as he began to read the history of Alex Scrimgeour.

*

Edward felt an incredible sadness as he flipped through the last chapters, taking in every detail and pain of death that Alex had gone through in such a short time. For Vampires, the humans they befriended through their jobs, college, or neighbors, all passed away in no time at all. They understood death as a natural passing of life that it had become almost insignificant to them.

Of course, Carlisle always stressed to them the importance and beauty of life. But when it ended naturally, they learned to not grieve the humans they once knew.

But the way Alex had written his losses, Edward felt every word.

Edward had never been to war in his human life. And it would be too risky for any of them to enlist with their inability to control themselves around human blood. In his one-hundred years of walking this earth, he had never experienced anything of what Alex had written.

He could not fathom the idea of Esme dying in his arms. Carlisle being killed without Edward seeing him...Alice, Jasper, Emmett, even Rosalie all being killed in such a short period of time. Everyone he loved, truly loved, just gone in a blink of an eye. And having to keep going and fighting. He had been so willing to throw his existence away when he thought Bella was no longer on this earth. He did not want to live without her. He could not see himself without her.