I hope you enjoy this final epilogue, written, unlike the main story, from the character's point of view. As always, these amazing characters are owned by Stephenie, to whom I'm eternally grateful.

Kate's Story

I can feel it touching me. The pain and the anguish, the hurt and the injustice. The anger, the confusion, the loss. It's all around me. The energy from this torment is like a force field, pulling me through the darkness into the light. I'm fighting it, but it's no use; I'm being sucked towards the source like a floating branch hurtling towards a waterfall.

I can feel my body taking shape again. My arms and legs are heavy weights. My neck feels like it's being stretched and my head is being jerked from side to side, backwards and forwards, as though an invisible force is shaking me awake.

And now its light, I can see again but not clearly. I can hear noises around me, but they are muffled; not giving me any clues about where I am. Oxygen is rushing into my lungs and my chest is inflating; life is returning to my body.

I'm back, again, for what and for who this time?

Where is the person that needs my skills so badly that I'm disturbed from my rest? Whose life is in so much turmoil that I've been wakened to come to their aid when they are at the end of the road, on the edge of a precipice and desperate for help? I already know this information will soon become clear to me and as usual, my professional conscience and natural curiosity are excited and I can sense that my heart is racing in anticipation.

I can feel the ground firmly beneath my feet now and the atmosphere around me is warm and sticky. I can make out the noise of traffic in the distance and there's a helicopter above me. My surroundings are becoming clearer and I know I'm not at my house in the country. There are tall buildings in front of me so I must be in a city, but which city? There's a street sign in the distance; I can see it clearly now and it's obvious where I am.

WC1.

I'm in London, in Central London. A city I know well, but not this place.

"Okay, Kate, straighten yourself up and look around you. Who can you see?"

I ask myself this question but there's no-one here. But I can feel despair all around me. He or she must have moved away. Maybe the person who needs my help is in the pub, or in the hotel, or maybe in one of the alleyways.

"Just stay where you are, Kate; you know they will come to you, not the other way around."

It was winter when I was last here; when I was last called to help someone. January or February I would guess. There was snow on the ground and the girl was just about to jump in front of a commuter train heading out of Manchester. What was her name again? Abigail. That was it. She was only seventeen and couldn't cope with school and the pressure from her family to get good grades like her brother. Also, she seriously believed she wasn't pretty, as her so-called friends said she was ugly and fat, probably because they were jealous as she was lovely. That one was tough. Her self-esteem was at rock-bottom. She came good in the end though but it took a lot of effort. Once she realised that she was a beautiful person inside and out, and that the career she really wanted didn't need the high grades she was aiming for, she was fine. Why do parents put so much pressure on their children nowadays? I hope I didn't do this to my daughters.

I can sense someone approaching now. There are footsteps coming from the left of where I'm standing. A young man has appeared and has stopped in the middle of the street with his back to the hotel and he's staring wide-eyed at the pub. It's him. I can feel the anguish emanating from him. He's confused, lost, bewildered. Now he's turning and running towards me. Hasn't he seen me? Am I invisible still? He's looking behind him, like he's expecting to be chased by a pack of wolves. He looks frantic. Oh God, he's going to run through me like I'm a ghost. Shut your eyes, Kate. This is going to feel really weird.

Aw hell. I'm on the ground. I'm definitely on planet earth again and this guy has just knocked me against a very nice looking vehicle. I hope I haven't dented it; it looks a bit expensive. He's bending over me looking concerned. I'd better say something to put his mind at ease. Whatever he thinks he's done to me, he's not going to do any damage. You can't die twice!

He's apologising for knocking me over now and he's starting to panic.

"I'm fine," I say. "It's not every day I get swept off my feet by a handsome young man," I add with a grin. "For a second though I thought I was being mugged."

He's helping me get up and he's picking up items from my bag which have fallen on the ground, including a set of car keys. I haven't driven in years, so why have I got keys? Strange! I'm not intending driving anywhere, but the car I'm standing next to does look familiar. I think it's featured before when I've 'taken' people back to my house. Maybe this young man is needing to get away; to physically escape from this place as well as whatever is troubling him.

The young man is still fussing over me and I manage to take a proper look at him. Oh my, he's one handsome chap. Tall, very slim, with a thin, almost gaunt face. He's lost weight lately, I can tell. He must be in his mid-to late twenties I would guess, but the cares of the world are making him look older. He needs a shave and that glorious head of hair needs a good brush, but apparently that's the fashion nowadays; a bit of stubble on the chin and unruly locks. That wouldn't have done in my day. That would have been considered very scruffy.

His eyes are beautiful though, even though he's obviously been weeping. Grey pupils in almond shaped eyes with long dark eyelashes; absolutely stunning. He really is one of the best looking men I've seen in years. Now stop it, Kate! You're here to help. Remember the professional relationship between counsellor and client; it must never be breached, however fanciable the person is.

"I'm fine" I reassure him and I put my hand on his arm as a gesture of friendship and I can feel him trembling under my touch. "But I guess you're the one here who's hurting the most?" I add, trying to sound concerned but not patronising. He's at breaking point and he might not want to cry in front of a woman so I don't want to say too much at this stage.

He stares at me as I bring my hand up to his face and I wipe away a stray tear that's slowly sliding down his cheek. This boy is desperate for help and I guess he has no-one to turn to and nowhere to go to. What a situation to be in at his age. I'm preparing to ask him what's wrong, but he beats me to it.

"I need help; I need to get away from here," he replies but before I can respond to that statement, he leans his head on my shoulder and starts to sob.

I know then what I have to do, which is what I've been doing for so many people, men and women, young and old, since that day twenty years ago when I lost my own life. That dreadful day when I bargained with my maker; promising that I would spend eternity helping others if only He would save my daughters and animals from the fire. And He did save them, and held me to my pledge. But I wasn't expecting to fulfil it after my own death; after I had rested for a while after the trauma of dying. So I'm back, once more, repaying the debt for the salvation of my family, and maybe I'll be doing this for eternity, or until whoever is out there considers that my debt has been repaid.

Now here is this young man, needing my help and my expertise as a counsellor to help him move forward and live a fulfilled and happy life. So, in gratitude for the lives of my family, I prepare to take control of his body and his mind.

I take a deep breath of the murky London air and put my arms around him. He's shaking as I embrace him; his slim torso feels frail and delicate under my touch. After a few seconds he relaxes and I can tell he is slipping under my spell. Just as Big Ben starts to sound the chimes for seven thirty, his body slumps into my arms, his eyes close, and instantly I can see into his turbulent thoughts. I can tell we have a strong connection very quickly and I know that he's able to see into my mind. I'm confident then that I'll be able to make him believe he's being physically being taken away from whatever is troubling him in the hotel, so I gain control of his thoughts and he's now under my care.

He sees that I'm driving him away from London; away from the place which is causing him stress. I show him visions of my home; the pretty house which nestles beside the river in Berkshire. It feels good to be back and to smell the flowers in my garden and hear the wind in the trees. It's so quiet and tranquil here – a place of healing and rest. I can tell Edward loves it straight away as it reminds him of his grandmother's home, in that it's a place of peace; somewhere to take a deep breath and relax; somewhere where you're not treading on eggshells any more.

From what I was learning about the boy who I now know is called Edward, he has a strong affinity with water, so after he believes he's had a good night's sleep, I take him for a walk along the riverbank where he relaxes even more and he opens up to me about his life and the girl he loves and all the traumas surrounding his life as a movie star.

As our minds join further he questions me about my life. He is naturally curious, but I manage to deflect his questions easily. He isn't yet ready to find out the truth of what happened to me and about what is happening to him and frankly I'm enjoying learning more about this fascinating young man and what he's been through.

When I was alive, like most women I used to love reading gossip magazines and finding out about the excesses of the people who lived in the over-the-top environment of Hollywood. I always had a soft spot for Steve McQueen. But since the invention of the internet, it was obvious from what Edward had experienced recently, that today's movie stars had no private life at all. I felt desperately sorry for celebrities like Edward, who were followed relentlessly by people in the media looking for the next bit of juicy gossip to print and who didn't care whether the story was true or false, they would print it anyway. One day, hopefully, this practice would be illegal, but until that time it was part of his life and he would have to deal with it somehow.

I gleaned more information about the people around Edward, who, instead of looking after him, had manipulated this young man for their own ends and consequently had destroyed his relationship with Bella, who he declared to me was the love of his life. But as I burrowed into his mind, it was obvious that Edward already had the means to solve all these problems himself. He just needed to feel confident enough to make that final decision to take ownership of his future, instead of running away from the situation in an attempt to avoid the conflict which would no doubt follow him when he made that choice.

I put the image of my island into his head. The peaceful journey in the boat, followed by the tranquillity of the meadow of wild flowers, finally freed his mind and he could see the path he needed to take. I could tell he was now desperate to return to real life, but to be honest I was sad to let him go. I liked this young man immensely. He had a good heart; he was honest and loving, which is probably what made him so vulnerable in the first place and consequently allowed him to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous people. I sincerely hoped he wouldn't change too much when he finally took control of his life, which I hoped was going to happen very soon.

The next part was the hard part – detachment. Our minds were so entwined by now and he was becoming mentally stronger every second. I was having difficulty shielding him from my own memories of my life while I was on earth; most importantly images of my family and my death, which was fortunately not traumatic. The beam from the burning ceiling crashed onto my head as I threw my cat out the window and then the lights went out instantly, and they stayed out for at least five earth years before a different source of light came into my new 'life', if that is what this is.

In my final intrusion into Edward's mind, I could see his grandmother clearly. She was a beautiful woman with a kind face. I could tell she was near him in spirit, watching over him all the time, but I couldn't tell him that. I'm sure he knew though. I hope he inherits her house very soon as having somewhere to call home is what he is really craving, possibly even more than regaining the love of Bella, even though he would never admit that to himself. He needs a place he can call his own; somewhere where he can put down roots. Apart from the time he spent with his grandmother, he's never experienced having a proper home or being part of a loving family, and this has affected his life in so many different ways. Having Bella as well would be the icing on the cake.

We're pulling apart now but Edward is fighting it, even though he's anxious to get back to London. He feels safe with me and he doesn't want our connection to end. He's starting to feel distressed again so I've got to distract him somehow so that he walks away from me happily. I desperately want him to have something to remember me by, which is unusual. Like some of my other 'clients', I've shown him Newton's Stores so he can find my house again, but I want him to know that our experience actually happened and it wasn't just a dream.

He saw me drawing while we were talking, so I'll give him some of my art work. If I can put an image in his mind that I've given him a gift when we part, I'll somehow get a drawing or two to him before he leaves the hotel.

He's coming round and opening his eyes and I'm wondering if these keys open the car. I'll just try the button and … success. I'll jump in as he wakes fully and drive away quickly before he has a chance to ask me too many questions.

"Goodbye Edward and Good Luck," I say and I lean over to him and kiss him on the cheek. "You'll be fine, I know it," I add encouragingly.

"Kate, I don't know how to thank you; you've been my saviour," he replies and he takes me in his arms and hugs me tightly.

I look at him directly in his eyes and say, "This is for you. Don't look in it now; wait until you're back in the hotel."

Edward doesn't question my words, even though I wasn't giving him anything yet. He just says "Thanks," and then asks, "Will I see you again, Kate?"

I didn't want to lie to him by saying this was our final goodbye, so I just said "The answer's in the envelope," and then told him to hurry up or he'd be late. Big Ben was just finishing striking the half hour so our connection had lasted all of fifteen seconds in real time but the brain is a powerful organ and a lot can be accomplished when biology takes over.

I put the car in gear and drive off feeling incredibly sad that I would never see him again. I look in the rear view mirror and he's already heading towards the hotel and then he disappears from view. I turn into a side street to find somewhere to park as I need to recover for a moment, and as my hands tighten around the steering wheel I'm convinced I've driven this car before; probably when I've helped other people in the past, but apart from Abigail I can't recall any of them as they gradually slip from my memory, as Edward's life will do one day. I was sorry about this as he was a very interesting client and I would dearly love to find out how his personal life and career pans out over the years, but that will never happen so I will just have to hope he carries out his plan to confront the people who have sought to control him.

I stop the car in the next street and sit for a while looking at the world again. Do I miss it? Of course I do. But my living years are over and my existence on earth now has a different purpose. I reach onto the back seat and there is my drawing pad and pencils. I smile to myself as I open the top cover to reveal a plain white sheet of paper. I lean the pad against the steering wheel and start to draw and as my hand moves swiftly across the page, Edward's face appears like magic in front of me and it is an image of the boy who sat in my garden, holding a glass of brandy in his shaking hand.

When I was satisfied with that drawing, I remembered his face when he was sitting at the kitchen table, telling me about how he was manipulated by the people around him and through that he had lost Bella. He was angry that he'd allowed himself to be sucked into the situation he found himself in and when I'd finished this drawing, it was a portrait of a man on the edge, who was at the end of his tether.

My pencil hesitated over the third sheet of paper. How was I going to draw him now? He looked determined and focused when I left him, but he still wasn't happy. He wouldn't experience true happiness until he held Bella in his arms again, so I had to decide whether to imagine him happy, or just to draw the last image I saw, which is what I decided to do. It was the face that looked at me as I drove away from the hotel. This one was the easiest drawing of them all. The weight that had been sitting on his shoulders had gone and he was Edward Cullen once more.

Night had fallen by now and my earthly body sneaked into the hotel through the kitchens and I easily worked out where his event was taking place. I had placed an image of a large brown envelope in Edward's mind when we parted, so I found a similar looking one in one of the offices near the conference hall and placed the drawings inside. I left the envelope in full view on a desk in a room where I sensed Edward had been and went to disappear before I was challenged, but as I was leaving, I overheard a short, bald-headed man, that I presumed was James, talking to a young woman with a blonde bob, and he was telling her that Edward's girlfriend, Bella Swan, had been in touch and everything had been sorted out.

I turned on my heel and went back to the brown envelope. I needed to leave him a message, so I looked around and found some card and wrote the following words:

To Edward

Live life to the full – Enjoy every precious moment

Bella will love and protect you now, so my job is done

Goodbye and good luck

Kate

I hope I won't get in trouble for this as I don't think we're supposed to leave tangible evidence behind, but never mind. Maybe Him upstairs will finally let me 'Rest in Peace' if He thinks I'm too irresponsible to be doing what I'm doing, but I doubt it, not when there are so many other troubled people in this crazy world.

I couldn't help it; I wanted to see Edward one more time, so I crept to the side of the stage and spotted him sitting next to Emmett, who I recognised from his memories. I listened to a journalist asking him whether he'd had any help taking the decision to leave the franchise and I heard him reply,

"Yes, someone did. A friend of mine called Kate. I've been having counselling recently."

I heard the audience gasp and then Edward continued.

"She encouraged me to take stock of my life; to decide for myself which direction I wanted to go professionally, and, more importantly, to put my personal life ahead of everything."

I smiled to myself as I knew then that Edward had finally taken control of his future and that my time with him had been successful. This was all I needed to know and I thanked the person who sent me for giving me the opportunity to learn this, even though I knew this knowledge would only be short-lived in my memory.

I walked out of the hotel and stood on the pavement for a while, relishing being back in the land of the living again. I'm tired though; the joining of minds is an exhausting business but I know from past experience that I will soon be at rest again. It will happen in an instant – just like falling asleep when you're living. One second you're lying in bed with your head on the pillow and then it's morning. You never remember the exact moment when you slip into oblivion; it's just part of the living experience.

I need to be out of sight so I walk into an alleyway and lean up against the wall. I can feel myself falling towards my temporary resting place and I expect darkness to descend, but it doesn't; it starts to get lighter instead. I see that I'm back on my island and I can feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Edward is there with Bella and he's kneeling in front of her, placing a ring on her finger. I can't stop myself rushing towards him, wanting to congratulate him, but instead I'm like the wind, invisible, unseen, and my body drifts past him, along with the seed heads from the wild dandelions which are floating in the air.

He eventually leaves the island and I try to follow him in my boat and for a second he's aware of my presence and then he speaks out loud to thank me for what I've done for them and they both wave me goodbye.

This is it then, the final closure. I have to accept it.

I stand in the dim alleyway awaiting total darkness, but unexpectedly I feel the presence of another person coming towards me. This is unprecedented. I have never had contact with another spirit before. The warmth radiating from him or her is tangible and I can smell a sweet floral scent like roses which is getting stronger as the person approaches, and then I see her. It's Esme, Edward's grandmother.

I hold whatever breath is still in my lungs as her image becomes clearer. She's walking towards me with her arms outstretched and I know she wants to embrace me. I stand absolutely still as I feel her wrapping herself around me like a warm blanket, and then she speaks.

"Thank you, Kate. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my grandson. I haven't been able to move on since I died as he was so unhappy. I can rest in peace now, thanks to you."

I'm overcome with emotion as I feel her moving away, but instead of disappearing into the gloom she holds her hands out to me.

"Walk with me," she says encouragingly and I feel my hands being grasped by hers and I start to move.

As the dim light in front of me gradually gets brighter, I know instinctively that my debt to my family's saviour has finally been paid, and, like Esme, I am walking towards the place where I will finally be able to rest in peace, for eternity.

The final breath of earthly oxygen leaves my lungs, and as my body becomes weightless again, together, with Esme, I walk gladly into the Twilight.

The End

I hope you enjoyed the explanation of how Kate helped Edward. For those of you who read the story when it was first uploaded, this has been a long time coming, for which I apologise. I hope it was worth waiting for.

Thank you for all your reviews and your support for a new writer.

With very best wishes,

Joan x