The Ballad of Edward Cullen

[winki-pop.livejournal.com]

Title: The Ballad of Edward Cullen
Author: winki_pop 
Fandom: Twilight Series
Rating: R
Word Count: 1,556
Warnings: Character death, funeral setting, angst, some violence.
Inspiration: This video by Panic! At The Disco
Summary: Edward couldn’t let her escape and she never would escape, for Bella was now dead…

Author's Note: This was basically inspired by the newest video for the Panic! At The Disco song ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ You might have to watch it first before reading the story to know what the plot is and who plays what role.

 

 

Edward couldn’t let her escape and she never would escape, for Bella was now dead.

He walked down the aisle of St John’s Church of Forks next door to the cemetery to her coffin where she laid, her body so cold and still, dressed in a simple white dress and her hands clasped on her chest. She had thin, tight smile on her face and looked to be in pain, but there was to be no more pain where she was going now…

Edward stroked an icy hand along Bella’s cheek and down along the thick wave of hair beside her face. He would miss her, miss her so dearly, his beloved no more having wished and hoped and strived for an eternity with him for so long now never to be.

“My Bella…” he whispered softly, his eyes hard. If he could cry he would break down and weep where he stood. “Come back to me soon, love.”

But Edward was skilled in maintaining his composure after a century of having to hide his true form. His fist in his pocket tightened, but he relaxed his shoulders. Not now. Not here.

He looked over his shoulder to see Bella’s parents, Charlie and Renee, along with Renee’s partner, Phil. Charlie was sobbing into a red handkerchief, comforted by a few of his fellow officers while Renee clung onto Phil, her eyes absent as all she could do was stare at the floor.

Edward then quickly walked away from Bella’s coffin without a further word, wanting to be alone. Life could never be the same after this, but he had already made his peace.

***************************************

Alice never saw it coming. After having relied on her rather erratic power for so long, she doubted herself more than ever and her guilt eating away at her. Why hadn’t she been able to help Bella in time? Why hadn’t she foreseen this tragic event? Why had her mind come to a complete blank? The questions swirled around in her head, taunting and teasing her as her frustrations rose.

Alice had to step out of the church a moment to get away from it all, to ease her conscience. She had only wanted to be Bella’s friend, never having had a best friend before, so desperate at times her efforts bordered on the insane, always clinging to Bella and trying to please her and obsessing over her. Alice wished she could take that all back, appalled at her behaviour. She wished she had been a better friend.

As Alice stood on the stone steps on the church, clutching herself, a rush of wind nearly knocked her off her feet. Stumbling back a little, what she saw before her was a sight to behold.

‘No…no it can’t, it can’t!’ she thought to herself.

The ghost of Bella Swan was face to face with Alice, her once human form translucent and filmy, floating in her white funeral dress. She looked to be on the verge of tears and her were fists clenched.

‘Alice!’ she choked out, her voice fading in and out, echoing like it was caught in a tunnel.

Alice clutched onto the cast iron railing of the church steps. “Bella…” she stuttered. “No, you… You’re dead!”

‘Alice…go to the coffin…’ Bella pleaded, ‘check the pocket of my dress…’

“But…” All Alice wanted to do was grab her and hold her and never let go. “But why?!”

‘Alice, please!’ Bella begged. ‘Only you can reveal the truth…’ And before Alice could ask any further, Bella had all but disappeared with the wind.

Alice could only stand frozen on the spot. Had she been hallucinating? Had her guilt manifested somehow or her stupid sense of foresight finally malfunctioned for good?

Before she knew what she was doing, Alice was already running back inside and reaching Bella’s coffin, quickly finding the pocket of her dress and rummaging inside. She found a crinkled white piece of paper, Alice delicately opening it. There in Bella’s handwriting, it read:

‘Edward did it.'

For a moment, Alice was at a loss until the horrible truth dawned on her:

‘No… he didn’t. He couldn’t have possibly…’ she thought, her mind in a panic.

But she knew her brother all too well. She knew the price she would pay should she reveal Bella’s message from the grave, how brutal Edward’s temper could truly be and the hell he would wrought over them all, and now it had apparently been the cause of Bella’s demise.

But Alice fought against her fear, knowing what she had to do. Her fingers trembled and her mouth dry, she turned to face Bella’s family and friends sitting in the pews, walking to the altar slowly as she strived to compose herself.

Once everyone noticed her standing and waiting for attention, everyone silenced almost immediately. Alice sighed. If she wanted to be a true friend to Bella, now was the time to do it.

She held up the note for all to see as she stood up straight.

For a moment, everyone was confused, murmuring amongst themselves and wondering what loony tune Alice Cullen must be up to now, her and her usual hijinks a common source of gossip in Forks. But this time was no joke.

Alice locked eyes with Chief Swan, a broken and defeated figure looking on with wide eyes and a hardened jaw.

“Edward killed Bella,” she finally declared, avoiding her brother’s gaze. “My brother killed her.”

Edward quickly stood up from his seat up the front nearest the altar. “Alice!” he growled. “Get down from there this instant!”

But Alice ignored him, instead running away from the altar

By now, all eyes were on Edward, looking at him with utter shock and contempt, some ready to get out of their seats themselves as they shot daggers at him. Carlisle meanwhile, now stood beside him.

“What did you do?” he growled in Edward’s ear.

“I did nothing!” Edward screamed, the foundations of the church shaking, rendering everyone silent once more. “I had to do it! I had to stop her from leaving me!”

Carlisle’s face fell, while Esme beside him cowered in her seat. “Edward…what are you saying?” she whispered.

“Bella told me she was leaving me!” Edward confessed. “She said I was coddling her and too controlling, that she was suffocating and she didn’t love me anymore! She wanted her life back, she said, so I had to take it away… I had to fix the problem.”

 

There were gasps all around. Renee collapsed in her seat sobbing uncontrollably as Phil tried to calm her down, she crying out for Bella over and over again. Meanwhile, it was Chief Swan’s turn to stand up this time as he climb out of his pew and raced to the front near the altar, having to be restrained by a few of the others in the congregation before he reached Edward.

“You killed her!” he cried as he struggled against those holding him back. “You killed my daughter! You’re dead, Cullen! You’re fucking dead!”

Edward immediately jumped out of his seat, ready to sink his teeth into those who blocked his path.

But many were already locking the grand double doors of the church as everyone soon stood around Edward, he all but revealing the monster he truly was as his eyes turned ready and baring his sharp, gleaming teeth for all to see. Some threw themselves on him, fighting against the rock-hard force without the slightest hint of fear, desperate to keep Edward from escaping the church. Edward tried to throw them off of him, but it only made Bella’s nearest and dearest all the more determined to stop him as they fought to keep him restrained.

Charlie came storming up to Edward among the throng, taking his police-issued pistol from his pocket and raising it in the air. There were screams and pleas as time seem to come to a standstill.

“Deep down, I knew…” Charlie spoke with gritted teeth at Edward. “I knew you were responsible for Bella’s death. I’m a cop, for fuck’s sake, you don’t think I know a murder when I see it?! Telling me she died in the woods from a wolf attack… I knew it was bullshit!”

He then pointed the pistol at Edward. “I hope you finally fuck off to Hell where you belong!” he screamed.

And just as Edward started charging towards Charlie, more than ready to kill as he lunged forward, he was suddenly tackled to the velvet floor by Emmett nearby, flying through the air and landing with a thud before tearing Edward’s head off as he disintegrated into nothing but ash. To say everyone was horrified was an understatement.

The funeral then came to an abrupt end. People got as far as they possibly could as the service was to be resumed for the next day with only family to attend. Finally, Bella would be able to rest now that the truth was out for all to see.

Alice’s conscience also was eased. After Bella’s family had concluded the service she had come alone to pay her respects, leaving a lone rose and a pleading apology for all that she and her family had caused.

Bella Swan was now free, looking down upon everyone and finally able to tell the truth for now she had found her escape

 

Comments

[lurkythespork.livejournal.com]

Yay Emmett!

[winki-pop.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I thought all you Emmett fans may like it :P

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. Horrifying. And very fitting. :-)

[winki-pop.livejournal.com]

Thank you :P It's an awesome video, especially with all the steampunk influence. And I love your icon :D

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Well it is just the truth, ain't it? ;-) You can grab it if you wish, just give credit to suzyx who made it.

[a-lovesuicide.livejournal.com]

I love that music video. ♥

I loved this fic. Especially Emmett. YAY EMMETT.

I also liked Alice in this fic. Much better than her annoying canon self. :D

[winki-pop.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Are you a Panic! fan too? I love the whole steampunk theme, and the whole circus theme they had going with the first album (hence your name, I guess :P)

I thought everyone would love Emmett in this story, so I made him be the one to tackle Edward over :P

God, you don't know how much I hate canon!Alice too! :D

[a-lovesuicide.livejournal.com]

I love Panic! :D Though my username was actually inspired by Britney Spear's song Circus I'm lame I know and the fact that I just love circuses. XD

Canon!Alice is just...eeeeeeeeergh. LOOKIT ME I'M A FAIRY AND I HAVE SPESHUL POWERS AND I'M A CONTROLLING TWATWAFFLE LIKE EDWARD AND I WANT TO BOING BELLA. I just want to take a shovel to her face.

[winki-pop.livejournal.com]

I love Panic! too (obv. :D) and it's not lame! I wrote a whole story about a circus, i love all that kinda stuff as well. Maybe I should write a spitefic about Edward versing the pornomime... :D

Joinn the queue, we all want to take a shovel to Alice's face :D

[a-lovesuicide.livejournal.com]

I would totes read that. 8D

[melissatreglia]

Well done! I'd first read this some time back without seeing the video, then read it again today after watching the vid.

I love how, in the end, Alice valued the truth and Bella's friendship over Edward.