PRAYERS ANSWERED

Disclaimer: The Cullen's, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.

The awesome and talented dowlingnana searched out my errors and corrected them.

CHAPTER 1: THE END OR THE BEGINNING

Have you ever been the type of person to wake up and admire the beginning of a new day? One to look forward to what the day might bring with an appreciation of being able to experience all that will come at you and to be able to enjoy or learn from whatever the event might be? Well I've never been one of those people, at least, not until now. No, I can't lie and say that now that my end is coming that I am one of those people.

My family is wanting to spend the day with me, but, I've refused. I truly don't think that I can handle the sorrow, the long faces, and the regrets that are bound to be spoken. No, I'm not strong enough to be able to handle all of that sense of hopelessness and false front of trying to keep the spirits up. No, that is something that is hard for any condemned man to handle since his hope of being vindicated and proven innocent of the crime for which he had been convicted.

I do admit that I've been self-absorbed and conceited most of my life. Who wouldn't be when they have had the means to get anything they wanted? I've lived my life in the fast lane and it seems that karma has decided that I need a lesson. Any last minute intervention isn't going to happen, so, that was why I refused to have my loving family here because it wasn't fair to subject them to my loss of faith and to have their sorrow wearing on my last resolve.

Have you ever felt that time stood still one moment and that it was passing on swift wings the next? Will I must say that I'm swinging between the two and it is giving me a sense of all of this being surreal. I watch as the priest approaches and that is when it hits me that I've been lying to myself; I do still have some hope that the good Lord will send me a reprieve of new evidence being found before it's too late or a confession from the person that did really commit the murder for which I'm accused of doing is received. But, I see as the Warden and the guards come for me and we begin the last march to my sentence being carried out it isn't happening.

As I'm strapped down and the IV needle is injected into my vein I look over to the viewing window and see many people watching. Amongst them is my family; all of them and they are fighting to hold back the tears that are gathering in their eyes. I maintain eye contact with each member just long enough to mouth "I love you" before looking away, refusing to look in their direction any more.

One moment I'm watching what is going on and the next it seems that I've close my eyes only a moment before I reopen them to see myself in a different place.

"Okay, what's going on? Where am I? At an in-between place?" I seem to be asking of myself aloud while existing in an empty spot. But, suddenly, I feel a sense of movement and then I'm standing before a gathering of individuals all dressed in white that are seated at a long table and they're all watching me. After a pause one person motions for me to step forward to be a bit closer to the table.

"You are Edward Anthony Masen Cullen and you have been summoned here for all of us, including you, to make a decision as to which is the proper place for you to reside." This is from the one that had motioned me forward and sits directly in the middle of the table. And, the more I look at them and at the table everything seems to glow with rainbow colors and shimmer with living energy while giving off a sense of peace and wellbeing.

"What do you mean by make a decision? Where am I?"

"If you will have patience all will become clear as we explain. It seems the power of higher authority has heard your words, prayers, looked into your heart and has decided to offer you a chance of redemption from your past actions and a reprieve from what has led to you being here now. After listening to the options you will be asked to decide upon your future course of action.

"As all know you have lived your life in a very careless, uncaring manner with no regard to what the consequences might mean to anyone, your family, friends or the strangers around you, were involved with your episodes of self-want, worth and selfishness. However, you do have a chance to change things, a chance to redeem yourself and to change the events leading up to what put you in your current situation."

"Okay, I do agree with all that you've said about the way I've managed to live, but, how can I change being accused of a crime that I didn't commit and being put to death?"

"It is simple since you are about to be offered a way to be able to change the outcome of many events and to be able to clear your past record as well."

"I'll do whatever I need to do to be able to achieve that." Edward said without hesitation or thought without even asking what it was that he needed to do.

"Edward, you have just committed the same actions as what led to your current problems; you have accepted the offer without finding out what is involved or what it is that you might need to overcome. This is going to have to change or the chance that is being offered will never have a chance to come to pass." Was the warning Edward had received. "You need to learn to think of your actions before moving ahead, to think through and plan what needs to be done that will bring forth the best desired effect. For what you will need to do to reverse the past events will require for you to stop, think and consider before acting." Was the advice that was given.

"If you will look down you will see what will be part of the action you will need to do."

Edward did look down and to his surprise it was as if he was seeing a movie, but, the actions were of real people. He watched and saw a beautiful woman that was beaten down with hunched shoulders as if she was carrying the weight of the world upon her, but, lacked the look of hope or the will to continue to live. This young woman would be breathtakingly beautiful if she had sparkle to her eyes, an uplifting of hope and faith to bring a change of attitude that gave off the vibes of purpose to live and look forward to tomorrow.

"What has happened to her? What has brought her to the point of wanting to give up for that is what I'm sensing from her?" Edward asked.

"That is what you must learn and find a way for her to move beyond that to look ahead with hope and the desire to live. It isn't her time yet and just as it wasn't yours, either.

"Next, you will have the opportunity to find the evidence that will be needed to cause a stay of execution for you and bring about the true criminal to be brought to justice which will bring about your release.

"Accomplish all of this and you will be returned to the moment that will be fifteen minutes before your walk to the chamber and by accomplishing this you will be able to be released to live a full life with a future. It is also hoped that you will have learned from this experience to consider before acting and to change how you treat others.

"But, if you feel that you won't be able to accept and accomplish these tasks, then we will move on to the other alternative."

Edward took the time to look at each individual setting at the table facing him and watching him while waiting patiently for his choice to be made. Finally, he looks at the one that had been speaking all this time and simply asked, "Who are you?"

"We are one of the many assigned boards of heaven formed to help instruct new arrivals and to make the offers we are instructed to do that apply in special cases such as this."

"I accept the offer that is being made. I do, however, have a question or two before beginning."

"Very well. What is it that you want to know?"

"Will I be receiving any help with this? And, where do I start? Where will I be living and what work will I be doing to blend in with everyone?"

The light chuckles and smiles that met Edward's questions had a way of giving him pause before he was informed, "Edward, you seem to misunderstand something; you won't be returning in your human form, but, will be working in the spiritual form. So, therefore, you won't be needing to worry about where to live or work to maintain your appearance. And you will have someone to help aid you when it is needed, but, it will be you that will make the decision to follow the advice given or not to follow it."

"I WHAT?" Was the shocked response from a very surprised Edward? Then suddenly he was in a different location with a young man standing next to him. Looking around Edward realized they were in the alleyway where he had last seen the young woman he had gazed upon.

A/N: Well, Edward seems to have more problems than answers.

Hope you'll enjoy the new story and will let me know your thoughts since Edward is going to need all of the help that he can get.