The Brighter Side

Bree Lives – If Bree had powers and survived.

Bella's perspective

"Take care of that, Felix," Jane said, nodding toward Bree, her voice dripping boredom. "I want to go home."

"Don't watch," Edward whispered in my ear.

I was only too eager to follow his instruction. I'd seen more than enough for one day — more than enough for one lifetime. I squeezed my eyes tightly together and turned my face into Edward's chest.

But I could still hear.

A piercing scream that sounded remarkably like "NO!" sliced through the otherwise still opening.

It got unnaturally quiet and the air around me seemed to go even more still, if that were possible. I waited for a sign from Edward so I would know if it was safe. It seemed like Felix had taken Bree to a more private location in order to carry out Jane's order and maybe everyone else was too tense to move. I stole a glance at Edwards face and was too surprised at the frozen look of shock on his face to say anything.

Next thing I know Felix falls to the ground causing a slight tremor that ripples through the earth beneath our feet. Where Bree should have been there was…nothing. It was as if she had disappeared. there was a moment of confusion as I realized everyone else was just as dumbfounded as I was, though I think Felix was the most perplexed. He rushed to his feet but not before registering that something had gone wrong and he was the butt of some freakish joke. Jane was in Carlisle's face in a flash, a pure look of fury plain on her face.

"What. happened?", She demanded, barely containing herself. Carlisle's calm manner never wavered as he responded.

"I am just as surprised as you seem to be." The atmosphere got even tenser as Jane and Carlisle starred each other down. Carlisle maintained a respectable, yet firm gaze while Jane seemed to be suffering from some sort of inner turmoil. It took me a second to realize with horror, that Jane was deciding whether or not to try and torture Carlisle into telling her what she wanted to know.

"Demetri!" Jane barked at one of the hooded figures who flashed to her side. "Can you sense her at all?" Demetri hesitated to respond, as if he knew his answer could possibly cause him harm.

"No, I can feel no trace of her." Jane's turmoil intensified for an instant before an even creepier calm spread over her face and the angelic façade reappeared and her smile seemed wider than normal.

"When we find her she will tell me everything, and I will find out if you were involved. I think Aro would like to know if his friend is making it a habit of making others believe they are exceptions to the rules." I can't be positive, but I'm pretty sure her eyes flickered to mine. Carlisle simply replyed:

"Please let us know if we can assist in anyway."

"You've done more then enough, for now." Jane said with a bitter edge. And then they were gone.

"Breathe, Bella breathe!" It took me a moment to realize Edward was talking to me, a moment more to realize I was holding my breath.

"Wha…what happened?!" I heaved. He gave me the smile that always tookmy breath away, only I was already so short on oxygen so all I could do was manage a weak smile and mild blush in return.

"It appears that little miss Bree is more unique then we thought." That was all he would say till we were back at the house and alone in his room. "From what I can gather of Carlisle's thoughts, Bree is apparently capable of 'freezing' time, for lack of a better analogy. Once she realized her life was about to end, she instinctively defended herself in a way that she didn't even know she could." I was obviously still lost so he continued. When she woke up, or rather "defrosted" might be a better term, Carlisle she begged him to hide her. He told her he wasn't allowed to blatantly go against the Volturri, but he could mention that there was a coven similar to ours in Alaska and that he was sure if she could make it there she would be safe from immediate harm."

"So…she got away?" I asked hopefully. He smiled that smile again.

"It would appear so. And she must be long gone by now because I haven't heard a thing from her thoughts since the clearing." Content with this story I sighed against his chest, inhaled his intoxicatingly sweet scent that always had that calming influence, and pictured Bree again, not the wretched mess of a girl whose only desires were to claim her blood prize and stay alive, but a different Bree. A Bree that smiled instead of sneered. A Bree with golden gilded eyes, instead of bright ruby red, a Bree Cullen.