Well Worth the Pain
Bella doesn't know how long she's been lying there. Three days, three years, three decades- she can't tell. She doesn't know where she is, or how she even got there. She doesn't even know her own name. Endless, excruciating pain and "EDWARD" are all she knows. Edward, her love, is why she endures this unfathomable amount of pain. He is her reason for living. If he were to die, really die, so would she, because without him, she would be nothing. Truly believing, no, knowing with all her heart that Edward is well worth this pain and much more, Bella willingly decided to endure pain for him - instead of him. 'Funny,' Bella thinks, 'That I am now the one getting to save him from impending death and destruction." For Edward and Bella, it's always been the other way around. Bella has lost count of how many times Edward has had to come to her rescue. Not that he minds it of course; he has mentioned a countless number of times that he loves her and would do absolutely anything to keep her safe, but it bothers Bella nonetheless. That's just the way their relationship has always been. Everything would be going fine, until one day a sadistic vampire would decide to track and kill Bella, or an angry, revengeful female vampire would take her problems with the world out on Bella. Then, Edward and his family, his wonderful, loving family, would fearlessly step in on Bella's behalf and handle the problem. They would tirelessly risk their lives, while Bella would just sit there, acting as their own personal, human 'danger magnet.' She knows that the Cullens don't view her that way, and would never consider her a burden For that, she loves them even more. However, she could no longer stand around and allow Edward's family, her family, to put their existences in danger because of her. So, she chose to do something about it: she made a compromise with Aro. Aro is one of three vampires that make up the Volturri: the vampire 'royalty' -so to speak. They have a huge underground palace in Volterra, Italy, in which they live, along with their guard and servants. Nearly 400 specialized vampires make up the Volturri guard. Leaders Aro, Marcus, and Caius, use the guard to fight other vampire covens if necessary, keeping the peace among the vampires spread throughout the world, and, most importantly, protecting and concealing the identity of vampires from the human world - something they will do at allcosts. When Aro found out that Bella not only knew about the existence of vampires, but had close relations to them as well, he had immediately sent one of the guards to retrieve her from her home in Forks, Washington. It was on one of those rare days when Edward would leave her alone at home while he left to hunt and feed. Aro, being a good friend of Edward's 'father' Carlisle, decided to offer Bella a 'choice of fates' once she arrived in Italy. Bella could either confess to the guard that the Cullen coven had revealed their existence to her, so that they could be arrested and killed, allowing her to go on with her life, or she could immediately go through the excruciating process of being changed into a vampire herself. Of course, she chose the latter! Not only would she save the Cullens' lives, but she'd get to spend the rest of eternity with Edward. What more could she ask for? "Yes, the pain is definitely worth what I'll receive in return: Edward. My Edward...," mutters Bella, before once again surrendering to the agonizingly immeasurable pain.
Standing amongst the Volturri leaders, two full weeks after Bella's sudden disappearance from Forks, Edward swears he will be physically sick. Edward Cullen, a vampire, feels as if he is about to fully empty the contents of his cold, hard, dead body. Bella, his Bella, has been stolen from him, and forced to become one of what he considers to be the walking damned. Because of him, an unworthy monster, his sweet Bella had to single-handedly undergo the most excruciatingly painful process ever to be endured, while her soul was being sent to hell in a hand basket, literally speaking. How could Aro do something like this to Edward - to Carlisle, his lifelong "friend." 'What's more, if Aro was a real friend, he wouldn't be trying to double-cross us,' thinks Edward. Aro had previously promised all of the Cullens, including Bella, freedom after her transition, but is now going back on his word by trying to force Bella to become a part of the Volturi guard. Naturally, Aro's sudden change of plans angered the Cullens immensely, especially Edward.
"How dare you, Edward Cullen! How dare you step foot into my kingdom, threaten to attack me and accuse me of being untrustworthy! Do you not know what I am capable of doing to you? To all of you?" roars the furious Aro. Emmett is once again forced to restrain his brother, as he attempts to wreak havoc upon the vampire who holds all of their lives in his hands, including Bella's.
"Edward, calm yourself before you get us all killed. Bella will be fine. It will all be fine," Carlisle whispers authoritatively to Edward, hoping to get control of the situation. If he does not do so, and soon, his entire family might be killed. "Aro," Carlisle begins firmly, after clearing his throat. "I understand that you believe Bella is tremendously talented, as hers is the only mind that you nor Edward can read, and she cannot be tampered with by the powers or abilities of any vampire. I fully realize that she would be a great asset to your guard. However, with all due respect, you gave us your word that we, as a family, would be freed after the completion of Bella's transition. Bella, as you know, has deeply rooted relations with not only my son, Edward, but with all of us, earning her a spot in the Cullen family as well," Carlisle says, earning nods and grunts of approval from the rest of his family members.
Alice decides it is her turn to chime in. Her clairvoyant abilities allowed her to see that if she says what she has to say, everything will be okay, and her best friend would be freed. Oh, how she misses Bella...
"Aro!" Alice says calmly and sweetly, "Please free Bella! She is very dear to all of us! Not having her with us these last few days has been absolutely unbearable for me - for my entire family! We would be forever grateful if you once again gave her a choice, before forcing her to be a part of your guard. Allow her to try living by our lifestyle rules first. If she is dissatisfied, she will be immediately returned back to you."
Secretly knowing that Bella would acclimate to their lifestyle with complete ease, all of the Cullens nod in agreement with Alice's proposal.
"Why, Alice, dear!" began Aro. "I believe you have a good plan there. I'll tell you what. Carlisle is a dear friend to me, and I hate to see him distressed so. Therefore, I will release you all, including Isabella, on one condition: if Bella is not pleased with your type of lifestyle or peculiar feeding habits, she must be sent here immediately. Only then will I force her to join my guard. Although, I must say, it is her loss. Here, she will have much more freedom, compared to your strange practices. Living and coexisting among humans, earning degrees and such, working jobs! And of course, the most appalling of all: unnaturally feeding off of animals instead of humans! A strange idea if I've ever heard one! Anyways, I am sure that Bella is just as eager to see you all, as you all are eager to see her. Demetrius, Felix, show the Cullens the way out. Take them through the back alley-way to avoid being seen by any human passers-by. Be sure to release Bella from the gold room on your way," Aro says, as he removes himself from his throne and swiftly makes his way out of the door.
"If you'll follow me, the back alley way is right through-" starts Felix, only to be swiftly cut off by Carlisle.
"Yes, thank you Felix. We know our way around and can see ourselves out. We greatly appreciate your assistance." Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Carlisle and, of course, Edward race through the dark, murky, castle hallways to get to the gold room. Jasper, using his empathic abilities , can feel that Edward is extremely anxious to be with his Bella again... alone. He can empathize with Edward. He has as deep a love for Alice as Edward has for Bella.
"Okay guys. Let's go wait by the door while Edward gets Bella. We can greet her when she meets us there," says Jasper. After receiving a grateful glance from Edward, Jasper leads the rest of the Cullen clan to the back exit. Edward bursts through door of the room holding his Bella, almost breaking it in half, only to find an empty room.
"Bella, love?" Edward calls out frantically, looking for a sign of Bella. Suddenly, Bella pops out of nowhere at an impeccable speed, and jumps on Edward's back, fervently kissing the back of his head and neck.
"Edward! I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!" Bella shouts in between kisses. She knows that if it were possible for a vampire, she'd be crying buckets of tears. She's missed her Edward so much that it physically hurts.
Edward pulls Bella around to face him, returning her kisses just as wildly.
"Bella, my sweet Isabella," Edward says, using his fingers to comb through her thick brown hair, and staring into her eyes. He knows that her eyes will become honey-colored after feeding on animals instead of humans, so he isn't bothered by the deep, blood-red color they are now. "I am so sorry. Because of me, you have had to suffer tremendously. I'm a monster. A sick, self-pleasing monster that has forced you to give up not only your family, friends and life as you know it, but your soul as well. So much pain I have put you through! You deserve much better than m-"
Bella silences him with soft peck on the lips.
"Don't dare say those things about yourself Edward. None of it is true. If anything, you deserve much better than me!" Bella says, laughing as she ruffles his messy auburn colored hair. " I love you more than you can possibly fathom, and getting to spend eternity with you is all I ever wanted. Without you, I have no reason to exist." The now beaming Edward feels like he would be crying if it were possible for a vampire! This sweet, innocent, beautiful girl can't possibly understand how happy she has made him by muttering the same words that have been on the tip of his tongue since he walked into the room. Kissing her sweetly on the lips once more, he positions her on his back, beginning the brisk walk to the back exit of the castle.
With one, last, fleeting glance back into the room where she spent the last two weeks of her life enduring unbearable pain, Bella plants a light kiss on Edward's ear before whispering into it.
"You, Edward, are well worth the pain."