For many, eternity seemed like a very long time. For others, it was not enough. Bella supposed it was who was involved with that eternity that made it more enjoyable. She had Edward... the man that had only gotten close to her in order to smell the sweet aroma of her blood. She had the rest of the Cullen family ... the family that did whatever Edward said, until she had come along and been so for the change that she swayed the entire family to support her decision - except for Edward.

But it was of no consequence to her who had supported it or not. That would all be dealt with by others, superiors that they needn't know about. Superiors that were even out of her control.

"Bella?" She glanced up at the sound of her husband in eternal life's voice. Husband. The word was so... so much more than him. It meant so much more to her than Edward perhaps thought it meant. Conditions for changing... She had never heard of such a thing. No human was worth conditions to change - no vampire had any right to make such demands of her, yet... she had accepted them.

For the goal, yes, but still, it made her three years of starving herself wasted. For conditions - marriage. Ugh.

"Here," Bella said quietly, knowing the bronze haired boy would hear her, and she stared at Renesmee sleeping soundly in her bed. Perhaps, however, the conditions were worth it. It had been so very long... but Renesmee was in danger now. Now that the Volturi knew of her existence, she would end up like all the other immortal children had - dead. It was a fate Bella couldn't let happen again. Renesmee was more to her than the others had been. Renesmee was a new chance at change. A new future. A happy one without death and murder. Renesmee would be ... she would live. Grow old with Jake, and they would be very happy together.

Edward's scent only gave her a second warning before she was engulfed in his arms from behind, brought against his body. It would take weeks to wash his scent from her, after this was over. After she told them all the truth.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Edward murmured into her hair.

Perhaps it was the only reason she didn't tell them now - she was so happy with Renesmee, that she didn't want to split up the happy little family. She couldn't tell them and risk returning to the Volturi empty-handed. Giving the Volturi something was the only way to save Renesmee - at least she hoped it would be enough to save her. Three thousand years ought to count for something.

"She is," Bella said in agreement. Renesmee was beautiful. Her copper hair was from her father, but it was so curly, it reminded Bella of when she was young, too. When her hair would curl uncontrollably into perfect ringlets. It was when she was Renesmee's supposed age - the age of a young child - perhaps five or six. "Where is the family?"

She always had to know where they were. Any trips had to be reported in.

She hated doing it, but she had to. Every time she did so, it was with a heavy heart, but she thought of Renesmee. She had to think of Renesmee.

"Emmett's hunting with Jasper and Carlisle. Alice and Esme are shopping. Rosalie's at the house. She wants to babysit Renesmee, if you wanted to join Alice and Esme."

Why would she ever want to join in on shopping? She tried to fight her disgust. She had to cooperate in order for her to keep their trust and love. She had been told that going into the mission. "Of course," Bella agreed. "I need to do some Christmas shopping and Alice has been trying to get me to do it for a while now."

"It's July."

Bella sighed in frustration. "You know Alice. Can you take her up to the house? I'm going to run... Port Angeles, right?"

Edward nodded, kissing at her temple, before picking up the sleeping child gently. She hated to leave her little girl. And then Edward was gone. With the solitude, she waited until she was sure Edward was out of hearing range before carefully reaching under Renesmee's mattress, withdrawing a small black cell phone.

It was the best place she could keep it. She strengthened her shield for a few moments, to effectively block out Alice, before she dialed the international number.

Shopping, hunting, and at the house. Divided. "Korinna," Aro's voice greeted her, almost as if surprised. Did he think she would not call after the stand off?

"Master," she said carefully. "The Cullens are divided." She glanced in the direction of the house. "Shopping and hunting. If pattern persists, they seem to be dividing hunting by gender for the large parties, instead of by couple for the smaller parties. The boys are hunting now, and the girls shopping. Next Saturday, I suspect the girls will hunt and the boys will stay at the house."

"Very well," Aro said, pleased with the news. "Korinna, you are doing well." She relished the praise. Closing her eyes, she tried to hold back her emotion. He never praised her anymore. "Yet, you are aware I am very angry with you?" Her good mood deflated and she swallowed.

"Yes, Master. I am sorry... You have seen how much I tried to beg him to change me, to move up the Volturi interference. I attempted to avoid the problem." The problem. Renesmee was anything but a problem. But it was wording Aro could trust until she figured something out.

"Once they are in Volterra, I will allow her to stay alive long enough for Chelsea to alter their loyalty to me, and then the problem will be dealt with. I trust there will be no fighting in that regards?" Aro questioned.

No fighting. She couldn't fight him. She was not strong enough. "None, Master," Bella said quietly. "It must be done."

How many times had he told her those very words? How many times had he made her repeat them, until she began to believe the words herself? The children were all killed before she could become too attached. But Renesmee... she had become attached quickly. Was it the promise of safety the Cullen family had? Their allies were much stronger than the Volturi. The pack provided strength. Renesmee was different than the others.

"You are right. I hate to hurt you like this, but with these actions come consequences."

"We now know the world's loyalty, at least," Bella said, in an attempt to humor him. "The Volturi can deal with that once the problem is gone. If only they knew their stance was futile."

"Hmm yes," Aro agreed quietly. "If only. I am glad to hear from you, Korinna. I was beginning to worry they had corrupted you." She squeezed her eyes shut. She wished they had.

"I had to play my part. They were not ready to go to you," Bella said carefully. "I am sorry for the worry, and if I offended you, Uncle, and Father."

"No offense, no. We were operating under that assumption." Bella nodded, listening to the three thousand year old vampire as he continued. "Do not disappoint me, Korinna. The consequences will not be your favorite."

"I know what will happen if I fail," Bella said firmly. "I will not fail. I will bring them to Volterra."

"Good," Aro said shortly. "Send my regards."

She snorted. "I always do."

"And Korinna? Bring them here soon. I am only so forgiving."

The threat was there. "Yes, Master," Bella said in a promise before he hung up. She took a deep breath, the scent of Renesmee filling her lungs. The girl was everything. She had duties to fulfill, and Renesmee... Renesmee would pay the price. She had to. The Volturi needed Bella. Just as Bella needed them.

If she did not bring the Cullens to Volterra soon, she would be killed. She had lived way too long to be killed because of stubborn vampires. God, she just wished she was human again... the real kind of human.

Soon to Aro meant a few years, at the very soonest. But it had already been a few years. Three to be exact. She was being much too slow. Were things simpler before? Bella couldn't remember. Not truly. Her years with the Cullens had clouded her judgment.

She slipped the cell phone back under the bed before letting her shield falter, so that it was at her normal strength, and she began to carefully fold back the blankets to Renesmee's bed, feeling the child's warmth still in the sheets.

Renesmee was very different from any other immortal child Korinna had run into. The blood was what first came to mind. Renesmee was a perfect hybrid between the two species, beating heart and all. Yet tough and resilient in her own skin. She wondered what the girl's limits were.

But first she needed to catch up on the shopping trip before Alice declaring Bella had to join her for another trip. That was the last thing Bella wanted to do. After three thousand something odd years, shopping had only worsened.

She searched all over the small cottage in the woods, but could not find her wallet. Even though Alice did have spare credit cards with varying limits, Bella still did enjoy using the card that Carlisle had given her. It made her feel like she was spending her own money, though she knew it was the Cullen family's. She wondered if they would feel she robbed them, once they knew the truth about her.

It was why Bella didn't spend much when they shopped. Though she kept a tab of how much was spent, so that she could pay them back, she didn't want to make it seem as though she was using them. She wasn't using them for their money. Only for their protection.

She headed to the main house, knowing that her wallet was probably in Edward's old room or in the kitchen. And so she walked through the backdoor, her feet barely touching the ground with the speed she moved with. And they halted almost immediately. Renesmee was sitting on the ground, a historical documentary of the Civil War on the television - no doubt from Jasper's doing, and there was no Rosalie or Edward in sight. She listened. Surely they would not have gone far, leaving Renesmee unprotected. Surely…

She heard them - or rather her. The breathy voice of a woman that was having much done to her. Bella went rigid, contemplating her actions. They were important. Because if she didn't act how Bella would react, then … then it was something that could expose it before it was ready to be exposed.

So she played clueless, humming casually under her breath, as if lost in her own world, walking as quietly as possible up the stairs. And as she opened Edward's door, the sight she saw was exactly the sight she was expecting. "Edward!" she cried, shock and outrage plain in her voice. And Edward was off the blonde woman, was standing instantly, pulling at his clothing-

"Bella, love-" But Bella heard none of it. She reacted well, she felt, and reasonable. Her strength was still stronger than his, and so he went flying into the window with a punch, it breaking and crashing into the ground. And Rosalie. Bella glared at her, and the blonde woman looked absolutely horrified.

"Bella… I'm sorry, it was never meant-"

"Never meant to what? Happen? Well it's obviously happening," Bella returned sharply. But before she could attack, she couldn't help but snort in disbelief. "Oh, this is rich…. Really rich. Three years of pining after him, and he wants you?"

"Bella, no, that's not-" Rosalie swallowed as Bella's gaze turned into a glare. "That's not what it was. I swear-"

But the sound of a car pulling up made Rosalie stand, and quickly put her clothing on. It was Alice and Esme. Bella spoke, knowing they could all hear her. "I think we need to have a little family meeting, no? Because I'm about to rip you apart and I'm doing all I can to not do that right now," Bella told the woman before her. But in all actuality, Bella cared little for her beyond the fact that they shared a similar past. Both had been heartbroken and emotionally destroyed - physical was also considered to be shared - because of a man that felt they were superior. Because of a man that wanted nothing more than to know them down. Bella had felt the pain for years, to make everything right. Had been conditioned into abiding by the laws.

Poor Rosalie… Bella sometimes wondered if she had ever recovered and faced the facts.

Perhaps she would feel better for it.

Bella turned from the room, walking down the stairs to see a confused Renesmee. "I thought you were shopping," she admitted.

"Oh, we finished a little early, love," Esme spoke warmly to the girl. She offered a hand to the child and glanced to Bella briefly. "How about you and I go dig through the garden and see what we can find today, hmm?"

"Alright," Renesmee said brightly. She loved spending time with Esme. Bella felt it was because Esme was very simple - she acted in very simple ways. Simple ways that time had forgotten.

And as soon as they were gone, Renesmee out of earshot, Alice downcast her eyes. "I'm sorry-"

"How long?" Bella asked quietly. "How long has this been going on?"

"At least since I was a member of the family." So 1950? And no one thought to inform her. "It wasn't an all the time thing… Occasional. Once every few years. But it hadn't happened since you began dating. So I thought… I thought it was over, but as soon as I saw I was on my way back here - I'm sorry-"

"It's okay," Bella sighed. "Well, it's not, but I don't blame you." She sat heavily on the couch, her options flashing in her protected mind. But no decision was made. That would only warn Alice.

"I'm going to call Carlisle and get the guys back here," Alice told her as Rosalie came down the stairs. And Edward came through the back porch.

"Is that necessary, Alice?" Edward asked. Bella shot him a glare, and he winced.

"I think it's about time Emmett knew of this too." Bella felt like her stomach was flopping in her body. Emmett didn't know about this? But Emmett… Emmett was the cheerful one. How could they not tell him? How could he not have already known?

Maybe the Volturi wouldn't tear this family apart. Maybe this would first.