Edward wanted me to meet his family. Normally, that would be hard for any potential girlfriend to handle. The Cullens were beyond intimidating. But I was not Edward Cullen's girlfriend- I was his mate.
The hardest part was the fact that they were vampires, and I was human. How could I relate to someone who had seen so much pain, suffered so much strife, and lived through so many different human lifetimes?
How many humans had they allowed themselves to get attached to, only to have death sweep them all away- time and time again- before they could bite? How many vampires had they made, new to this life, that had walked away, hurt them, or even killed themselves due to hatred for the ones who'd torn their dreams and human lives away?
I didn't know just how many vampires there were in this world, but I guessed that Carlisle's coven was one of- if not the- biggest there was. The bonds they share must be phenomenal, to have stood for who knew how long without one of them walking away.
I must have been blessed, to be able to witness it all, and to be a part of it. I had long ago vowed that I would earn a very real, integral place in their hearts and lives. All of their hearts. All of their lives.
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OUTLINE OF TBOASH PART 1:
Edward asks Bella to meet his family. Bella ponders life's secrets, mysteries, and truths- mainly how much she loves him and how she would give up literally everything in her world to live in his at his side.
When looking at the painting of the Volturi in Carlisle's office, Bella expresses her desire to meet them and stay with them to learn more of the life of a vampire, as a vampire herself.
Shocked, outraged, and absolutely livid, Edward vows to never turn her.
Realizing Edward does not love her enough to want to keep her, Bella has a TOTAL BREAKDOWN.
Edward asks her why she's upset, only making it a THOUSAND TIMES worse.
Jasper, who feels her pain down to every last atom in his soul, breaks down just as much as Bella. He tears Edward from hugging Bella (trying to calm her down) and hugs her tightly to himself, breaking some of her ribs. Neither registers the physical pain, as the emotional pain is too great.
Panic ensues as everyone (except Rosalie) try to pry Jasper off Bella without hurting her. Both Bella and Jasper go into hysteria.
Thinking it would help, Jasper tears Bella's shirt (but not bra) off from the back, ripping it in two. Bella doesn't notice, but the family (and Edward) do- with horror and hate and shock.
Bella's power as a mental shield (Breaking Dawn spoilers!) shifts into the ability to see, smell, taste, touch, and hear the truest, secret desires inside anyone's heart. That power manifests itself, and Bella knows that Edward would rather kill her than to turn her, and that Alice wants Edward for herself.
Unable to cope with the pain of Bella's loss of her "mate" and the realization that his marriage was rooted in lies, Jasper crushes Bella tighter still, snapping a few more ribs (one of which impales her lung).
Bella falls unconscious from the loss of blood and emotional meltdown. Jasper, who'd been holding her so tightly, gouged her back with his fingers in an attempt to keep her standing. The force used was overmuch, and tore her back open, exposing her organs, torn lung (which had been twisted at an odd angle during the fall), and heart.
Horrified, Jasper lowers her to the floor of the office. Knowing she had minutes left, he bit her heart, then kissed it in apology. He sealed up her wounds and helped Carlisle keep her alive.
OUTLINE FOR FOLLOW-UP BOOK, TBOASH PART 2:
Edward refuses to have anything to do with Jasper, blaming him utterly for Bella's "death".
Rosalie doesn't want anything to do with the "family drama", and leaves to start her own coven with Emmett, who is now severely volatile and depressed (because Jasper- his brother- killed Bella in such savagery). Emmett struggles with the animal diet, even when Rosalie repeatedly threatens to leave him.
Alice and Edward go out on a date.
Carlisle, prostrate with grief, throws his every atom into his work, going from hospital to hospital with no time to think of anything (or anyone) else.
Esme buys a flamethrower "for the kitchen" and sets the Cullen house on fire, with her inside.
Edward and Alice arrive back at the (now burning) house, but Esme is already dead. They blame each other for "not noticing her thoughts before), and split their ways, refusing to speak to the other.
Bella opens her eyes to find herself in Jasper's lap, his arms around her protectively, and both of them hiding in a cave on the west coast (Jasper having run there with her in his arms for three days).
Jasper and Bella form an unbreakable bond, stronger than the mating bond, though neither of them speak at all anymore.
Jasper and Bella travel the west coast in search of Peter and Charlotte. They find the two nomads in Boston, and spend Bella's newborn year there. Peter is amazed at how well Bella and Jasper can "communicate without communicating".
OUTLINE FOR FOLLOW-UP BOOK, TBOASH PART 3:
Bella and Jasper part from their friends and head to Volterra. Once there, Marcus sees their strange bond (NOT OF MATES!) and shows it to Aro.
Intrigued beyond knowing, Aro "asks" them to stay "for a time". They agree, both finding the peace, the family, and the home they were "born to have".
They join the guard, and quickly earn their place in the permanent guard.
Both are assigned to be Aro's personal bodyguards (Aro kills Renata).
Alec learns to respect and admire Jasper, as Jane learns to do for Bella. The twins slowly start to change, becoming less spiteful, less sadistic, and more "fair" to the criminals brought in for execution.
Aro tells Bella (who already knew it from her power) and Jasper of his vision of a new world, one where vampires and humans could live in peace- but would still be ruled by himself, Marcus, and Caius.
Jane asks for Jasper's "blessing" to "court" his "charge". He agrees, and she and Bella slowly fall for each other, despite Bella's earlier trauma in love.
Alec finds the two girls' love for each other gives him strength, and allows himself to admit (to himself and to Jane) that he is in love with Jasper.
The vampires' crusade starts to bring about Aro's vision to life.
OUTLINE FOR FOLLOW-UP BOOK, TBOASH PART 4:
After so long in the darkness, the vampire covens fight against the Volturi in order to keep the light off the secret. Deaths occur on both sides.
The Romanians reluctantly work hand-in-hand with the Volturi to bring about the new world (the Romanians having the same ideals as Aro, Marcus, and Caius).
All-out war erupts, as vampires come into the light and wreck havoc upon the earth. Many die- both humans and vampires alike.
Alec confesses his feelings to Jasper, who feels the same.
The apocalypse comes much sooner than expected, and the humans are all but wiped off the face of the earth. Only a few covens of vampires remain.
The humans begrudgingly call a truce with the vampires, knowing they're still outmatched. The war ends.
What remains of the Volturi lead the world into a new "enlightening".
The vampires feed off of the humans by taking only so much blood at a time, letting them recover from each draining. In return, the vampires vow to protect the humans from other humans, rogue vampires, and the (remaining) beasts of the earth.
The human populace reproduce and grow stronger, evolving into something entirely new.
A new war begins.