The man didn't even notice me as he quickly checked over his daughter to make sure she was uninjured. And as he walked away with her in his arms, she peeked over his shoulder and waved. I tried to wave back, but I couldn't. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. It was all I could do not to cry.

"Where's Mommy's letter?" the man asked suddenly, surprised.

"I lost it," Marie chirped happily, and he frowned.

"Should we go look for it, baby? I know how important it is to you."

"No," Marie said slowly, and she wrapped her little arms around the man's neck. "I'm fine. I don't need it anymore. I know mommy's with me even now. She'll never leave me."

A look of pride washed over the man's face, and he kissed Marie's forehead so tenderly, so softly.

"That's my baby girl," he murmured softly, and then I couldn't see him anymore. I couldn't see her anymore. I couldn't hear them.

Instead, I was alone. Again. Forever.

My fingers, shaking, trembling, slowly opened the envelope, and I pulled out the two pieces of paper within, paper that looked worn with age, but I was sure had never been touched. It was almost as if Marie had held the envelope in her tiny palm for all of her life, but had never opened it. The only imperfections on the pure, white paper were the stains from the tears that had fallen while the letter was being written.

Edward, it began, and I choked back a sob as I curled my knees to my chest and wrapped one arm around them as my eyes, shining with the tears that I could never shed, swept quickly over the paper.

Edward,

I did it.

It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I did it. I moved on, Edward, just like you asked. I finished high school. I went to college. I fell in love again. I got married. And I'm a mother to the most beautiful, sweetest little girl in the whole, wide world. She's my light in this life, and I couldn't ask for more.

Jacob's a good man. He's the one who held me together when you left. I tried to kill myself, you know, because I was so sure that I couldn't go on without you. He saved me, though. He pulled me away from the cliffs, and as he held me in his arms, I felt complete for the first time in so long.