Chapter Text
Chapter 1
It had been four hundred and eighty two days since Bella had first met Edward Cullen. Two hundred and forty one days since Edward and his family had abandoned her. Fifty six days since Edward had called the Swan household after Alice’s vision of Bella’s death, only to be overwhelmed with relief when he heard Bella’s voice on the other line. Fifty four days since he and his family had returned to Forks and once again became part of Bella’s life. Yet the three minutes that passed since Alice had her vision about Victoria and her plans to kill Bella by any means necessary was the longest, most agonizing moment that Bella had ever experienced.
A long silence fell over the Cullens and Bella as they registered exactly what was happening. What Alice’s vision meant for all of them.
“So this is it then. Victoria really is building an army,” Carlisle said at last.
Just to kill me. But why? Bella felt her anger start to rise. Why me? To finish what her mate had started? Why can’t she just leave me alone? As quickly as her anger came, it was suddenly replaced by calm. Bella knew who the cause was even before she glanced over to find Jasper watching her worriedly.
Since Bella’s disaster of a birthday party, Jasper had been distant. Consumed with guilt for what he had almost done. No matter what Bella had tried to do or say to make it clear she didn’t blame him, it was clear Jasper couldn’t forgive or trust himself. Still, the soldier did his best to help using his gift when he could, and the distance between them had started to shrink once he discovered Bella’s new temper. While Bella tried to forgive and forget, it was clear a part of her was still holding a grudge, or maybe it was just from her time with the wolves that caused it. Regardless, Bella now had serious flare ups of anger, some seemingly for no reason, and nothing, not even Edward, could calm her--save for Jasper’s gift.
Now Jasper kept watch over her, even verbally offering to lend an ear if Bella ever wanted to talk, and the distance between them had shrunk. Yet there were times when Bella was so angry that she would lash out at him for trying to calm her, and this had nearly been one of those times.
Bella gave Jasper a slight nod in thanks, and to assure him that she wasn’t mad at his intervention, to which Jasper nodded back.
It was Edward slamming his hands on the dining room table hard enough to crack the wooden surface that alerted Bella to how much she had missed in the time her anger had flared and been extinguished.
“We are not getting the Volturi involved! Regardless of how much of a ‘friend’ you are to them, Carlisle, all it will take is one look at Bella for them to want her, and possibly all of us, dead. You know how they feel about humans knowing about vampires.”
“What are the Volturi?” Bella asked, trying hard not to frown. Great, another thing I don’t know about. Again, as quickly as her anger started to surface, it was cooled by Jasper’s gift. This time, Bella barely gave it a thought to it.
Edward grimaced and looked away from Bella so that she couldn’t see his face. It made Esme frown at her son when she realized Edward didn’t want to tell Bella, and Carlisle let out a sigh. Before he could speak, however, another vampire took over.
“The Volturi are the royalty of the vampire world. They’re the lawmakers, the judges, the jury, and the executioners,” Rosalie said, and Bella looked over at the blonde to find Rosalie glaring daggers at her. “One of their rules is if a human learns--”
“Rosalie, quiet!” Edward snapped. He made a move as if to lunge at Rosalie in a desperation to stop her from speaking, and his entire family looked ready to intervene. But Emmett moved first, blurring in front of his mate with a snarl on his face and stopping Edward from completing his lunge. Never before had the usually childish and jovial man looked so dangerous, especially when facing another member of his family. In that moment, Emmett looked every bit the dangerous vampire, all to protect his mate.
“Don’t even try to touch her,” Emmett growled.
Rosalie only regarded Edward cooly from behind Emmett, completely unafraid as Jasper sent a wave of calm over everyone despite his eyes being black from all of the emotion in the room. Alice took Jasper’s hand, coaxing him to sit next to her on the couch even as she struggled with her own guilt over the situation. In fact, everyone looked guilty. Everyone but Emmett and Rosalie.
“She deserves to know. If anything, to understand the position you and her have put the rest of us in.” Rosalie then turned back to Bella as Esme quietly scolded Edward. At seeing Bella so completely confused, the glare she originally had for the human appeared to soften. “The Volturi’s first and foremost rule is simple. If a human learns of the existence of vampires, they’re to be turned or killed. The penalty for failing to do so is death. Not just for the human, but for every vampire who was involved as well.”
Alice stiffened, eyes glazing over as another vision suddenly hit her. However no one seemed to notice except Jasper as comprehension sunk in for Bella and she whirled on the rest of the family.
Suddenly Rosalie’s hostility toward her made so much sense. Bella couldn’t even begin to understand why the rest of the family had even accepted Bella so readily. Had abandoned her knowing that doing so not only hurt Bella like it had, but also meant they were putting all of their lives on the line.
“You...you mean…” Bella struggled with what to say, struggled not to lash out at every last one of them.
At that moment Edward’s head snapped in the direction of Alice, his mind reading ability allowing him to see Alice’s vision play out. Realization of what was about to happen made the bronze haired boy panic.
However, seeing Edward look away from her in that moment only made Bella’s rage nearly overwhelm her.
“We need to get her out of here, now,” Edward said as he took a step towards Bella as if about to scoop her up in his arms.
To everyone’s surprise, Rosalie’s included, Bella quickly stepped behind the blonde ice queen. “Don’t you touch me, Edward! I thought it was bad enough for you to abandon me for such stupid reasons, but to hear you did it knowing--”
“Bella, please, not now,” Edward begged. He tried to move toward her, but got a snarl from both Emmett and Rosalie that made him stop. “We need to take you away from here, now. You don’t understand--”
“I don’t understand because no one ever tells me anything!” Bella shouted. Her anger was almost overwhelming her--if Edward got within arms’ length right at that moment, she would’ve punched him. Vampire skin be damned. Poor Jasper was trying to do his best to calm everyone, Bella most of all. But between all of the anger he was forced to feel and the height of everyone’s emotions while Alice was only just starting to come out of her vision, he was struggling too much to do any good.
“I’ll explain later.” Edward made another move as if to flash over there and grab Bella, but this time, Emmett shoved him back.
“Stay away from them. I mean it,” Emmett growled. “Rose isn’t going to let you touch Bella and I’m not going to let you touch either of them.”
“You can’t be serious,” Edward said in disbelief. “I’m trying to protect her--”
“Didn’t she make it clear already? She doesn’t want to go with you,” Rosalie hissed. “I won’t let you make her.”
“Can someone explain what’s going on? Why are you suddenly trying to take Bella away, Edward?” Carlisle interrupted.
“I’ll explain once I get Bella to safety!”
“It’s too late,” Alice said at last, the glazed look finally leaving her eyes. She sent a tortured look toward Bella, but had no idea what to do to try and help her. “They’re almost here. There’s no way you’re going to get away from them if you run. Bella’s scent is too strong and they’ll know immediately.”
“Who’s coming?” Carlisle asked, but he had a feeling he already knew.
Edward was the one to answer, clearly stressed and desperate to get Bella away from the house even after Alice’s words. “The Volturi. They’re coming to the house as we speak.” He turned his tortured gaze on Bella, as if he was already looking at a corpse. “They’ll be here any minute.”
Silence overcame the house, the anger and confusion of everyone replaced by horror--horror that only multiplied when all of the Cullens registered the quick, near silent sound of four vampires running right for them. Even Bella, who was so close to a full on out of control rage, became numb inside as what was about to happen started to sink in.
So we’re all going to die? Just like that? All because Edward let me figure out the truth and abandoned me instead of giving me a choice all while keeping me in the dark?
It was just as Bella’s rage started to grow again that the doorbell rang.
Ever the hostess, Esme did her best to smooth out her frazzled appearance before heading for the front door. Carlisle was right on her heels so she didn’t have to face the Volturi members alone even for a second.
None of the Cullen kids or Bella moved as Esme opened the front door.
“Why hello Jane, Alec, Demetri, Felix,” Carlisle said, saying each name not just for politeness sake but so the rest of the household knew who to expect. “What brings you all the way out here for a visit? You’re quite far from Volterra.”
“We were ordered to investigate what was going on in Seattle to see if it was the doing of vampires or humans, and Aro decided it would be a great time for us to check on his old friend for him while we were so close by,” a deceptively pleasant voice replied. “That’s not a problem, is it?”
“Of course not! Come right on in,” Esme said. “I’m just sorry we couldn’t better welcome you. Your visit was a bit of a surprise.”
“Yes, sorry about that,” the man said, not sounding sorry in the least. A moment later, they were entering the living room where everyone else was, and Bella saw them for the first time.
Bella wasn’t sure what she was expecting, especially as she had seen red eyed vampires before. For whatever reason she thought that there would be something else that would set them apart as a member of the Volturi, maybe a cruel or terrifying air to them with how much the Cullens seemed to fear them despite their disregard for the law. Yet if it weren’t for the black cloaks they were all wearing, Bella would’ve mistaken them for any other human drinking vampire. Maybe not even that so much as an eccentric cult as they had their hoods up, obscuring their faces.
As the new arrivals looked at her, they all froze, and even with the cloaks covering their faces Bella could tell they were stunned. She could almost feel their shock, even though they clearly had to have known there was a human among the Cullens from the brunette’s heartbeat alone.
One of the shorter figures stepped forward, hesitantly, almost as if they were afraid to get close. The hood fell, revealing a girl who appeared to be around Bella’s age, and whose beauty seemed to rival Rosalie’s, if the way Bella’s heart skipped a beat was any indication. She had straight blonde hair and red eyes filled with so much emotion that Bella nearly became overwhelmed just by having that gaze directed at her. Just as quickly as it appeared all of the emotion was gone, leaving the girl’s eyes dark and unreadable. What confused Bella more than the strange emotional display was that the human felt a twinge of familiarity at the sight of the girl’s face. But why? Surely she would remember seeing a vampire like her before, even if she had seen her before meeting the Cullens.
The girl took another step forward, toward Bella, as if she couldn’t help herself. All of the Cullens tensed at her approach, but the blonde didn’t even appear to notice.
Carlisle awkwardly cleared his throat as he noticed where the four vampires’ attention was now fixated. “Ah, yes. You see, this is--”
“Bella,” the girl breathed, stunning all of the Cullens silent.
“Yes? That’s me.” Bella didn’t bother to hide her confusion as she met the girl’s dark gaze. “Do I...know you from somewhere?”
The girl looked ready to rush her when one of the Volturi members put a heavy hand on her shoulder. “Jane, listen to me, it can’t be–”
The blonde girl, Jane, barely even spared the man a glance before he was writhing on the floor screaming in agony. Bella had only enough time to jump in surprise before it was over, and Jane was suddenly in front of her, the top of her head barely reaching Bella’s chin.
“Nobody move,” the other short figure with the voice of a teenage boy said. Edward looked ready to ignore the order when Jane started to reach for Bella, but Jasper and Emmett held him back before he could do something stupid.
Bella tried to act calm when Jane cupped Bella’s face in her hands but her body betrayed her, her breath hitching in her throat, her heart beating hard and fast against her ribs from the moment of first contact.
At first Jane seemed to be cautious. But then that caution faded away as Jane looked at Bella as if she were the blonde’s only reason for living.
“It’s you...I don’t know how, but it’s you,” Jane murmured. “You’re...human?” She let out a sigh, eyes glowing with love that only the bewildered and overwhelmed human could see. “My Bella. It’s been too long.”
“She’s not your–” Edward snarled, and Jane’s gaze became furious as she turned to the mindreader. Edward collapsed immediately, screaming with so much pain it jolted Bella out of the confused trance that the blonde had put her in.
The Cullens erupted in commotion, but Bella was too focused on the bronze haired boy to focus on any of it.
“Edward!” Bella shouted and tried to go to him, because even if she was angry with him, she still cared enough. She still hated to see him suffering, especially to such a degree.
Jane’s arms were suddenly around her waist, stopping her from going to Edward’s aid. “Why do you care about him when he just tried to deny my claim on you?” Jane asked, keeping her glare fixated on Edward. “I have no idea how you’re human, but you’re still mine. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him on the spot for trying to say otherwise.”
“What are you saying, are you insane? You’re hurting him and I don’t know you!” Bella screamed at the blonde as she struggled to get away. Had she not been so focused on Edward, she would have registered how Jane stiffened. Yet even if she had been focused on Jane, she wouldn’t have known how much she had hurt the blonde with her words. After all, there were only two people who really knew Jane enough to know what she was feeling when she wasn’t outwardly showing her emotions; Alec, and Jane’s long lost mate.
Her mate, who was right in front of her, yet was human and had no idea who Jane was. Who seemed more concerned with the boy Jane was torturing than Jane herself.
For the first time that Jane could remember, seeing her mate again didn’t bring her relief and joy. Instead the relief was short lived, and now all Jane could feel was pain.
As always, when Jane hurt, she wanted others to hurt. But more than that, she wanted Bella to stop trying to get away from her and get to the poofy haired boy’s side. She wanted Bella to take Jane in her arms and greet her like she always did after a long time apart.
Yet her Bella didn’t want to do any of that. Didn’t even know her, and for whatever reason was a human on top of it all.
The thought of living in a world where her mate didn’t love her broke something in Jane that only Bella’s love could fix. Love that Jane had to get back by any means necessary.
“If you don’t stop trying to get away from me, I’ll kill every single Cullen right here and now!” Jane snarled as she tightened her grip on Bella. Yet even as she tightened her grip, she was still gentle, still careful. All too aware of Bella’s new human status. Despite Bella being the one hurting her emotionally, she could never hurt Bella in any way, even in her worst rages. Bella not remembering her didn’t change that.
The Cullens, on the other hand, were fair game. Seeing as they already had Bella’s affections when she didn’t, Jane had even more reason to kill them.
Bella’s anger flared to life as she registered the threat. She whirled in Jane’s arms to glare into currently black eyes. “You can’t be serious!”
Jane’s face was emotionless, yet her eyes were burning with fury as she pulled Bella closer still. So close that their bodies were pressed tightly against each other as she met Bella’s gaze head on. “I assure you, Bella, I’m deadly serious.”
For a moment, Bella almost snapped and said something that would have made everything worse. But then she saw it. Underneath the anger in those pitch black eyes was a glimmer of hurt. Bella had hurt her, and while she still didn’t understand how Jane knew her, the realization that Bella had caused the blonde pain made Bella stop in her tracks. The urge to soothe Jane was almost overwhelming, and she didn’t question it. Her body relaxed in Jane’s arms as her hands cupped Jane’s face. The fire in Jane’s eyes immediately dimmed, and it was then that Bella knew how much her actions affected the blonde.
“Okay. I’ll stay with you. Just no more of whatever mojo you’re doing, and no killing any of the Cullens. Deal?” Bella asked softly.
Jane huffed, but her eyes reverted to a slightly red shade. “Fine. For now.”
Esme took the moment to clap her hands together, bringing all attention to her. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s time for Bella’s lunch. If everyone could just make their way to the dining room to continue this conversation, that would be great.”
Jane stared at Esme incredulously, torturing Edward temporarily forgotten. “If you think we’re going to sit down and play human after I–” Her fury faltered as she glanced at Bella, having heard a slight rumble from the girl’s stomach. “Fine. Let’s get my Bella fed.”
There would be plenty of time to make Bella love her again later.