To my best friends Mirre, Niamh (pronounced Nief), Amy and Roos.

Title: Izy Volturi

Chapter one: leaving and remembering.

Izy Pov:

I felt temporarily brain-dead, like I'd been shot in the head, or in that one second after someone hit you that you still have no clue what happened. For a few seconds all I could think was one single word, rushing over and over through my head, stilling my thoughts.

'Why?'

But then I focused, and I forced the thought away, and I could see what he meant.

I was nothing, after all. A human, a mere plaything. Nothing of any worth.

''You don't want me?'' I could feel the tears streaming down my face, but I forced myself not to think of them. I didn't want our goodbye to be like the ending of a bad romance novel.

''No,'' He muttered, his musical voice echoing around the clearing. I nodded, almost more to myself than to him.

''Can you do me one favour?'' I asked him, and hesitantly, almost as if he was afraid of my last request, he nodded. ''Say goodbye to your family for me.''

His eyes lit up with relief at the relative easiness of my favour. ''I will,'' he assured me. ''And in return, can you promise me to be safe and take care of yourself?''

I smiled softly; even as he left me, he cared enough about me to make sure I wouldn't harm myself. ''I will.''

He leaned forward and gave me a soft, sweet kiss on the forehead.

''Then I swear that this is the last you'll see of me or my family.''

My smile turned grim. ''You're doing it wrong, Edward,'' I muttered into thin air. ''That's not a promise; that's a curse.''

Alice Pov:

I glared at my brother as I double-checked my suitcase, even though I'd already seen I had everything. I still say this is the worst idea you'll ever have. I thought at him. He didn't look up from where he was playing the soft sound that I recognized as Bella's Lullaby.

The others came down the stairs, all carrying suitcases like mine. Emmett looked around, the usual smile absent from his face.

''I'm gonna miss this place,'' he said, just like he said every time we moved.

''We'll come back. We always do.'' Carlisle answered, and they shared a smile that was painful in its familiarity. Because it just didn't have the ease, the happiness it usually had.

We all felt it, though none of us would ever mention it. There was a soft, unbreakable veil of sadness over us that made every experience a little less.

Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of old tires driving over asphalt made our heads shot up. We all looked at each other, questions and hope in our eyes. Even Edward looked up from his piano, though his eyes held more pain than hope.

''Alice?'' Rosalie asked me, raising one eyebrow. I closed my eyes, focusing, but I didn't see anything to do with Bella.

''Nothing,'' I said softly. ''I can't even see her now, even though I know she's there.''

We all looked to Edward. None of us moved even an inch as the car stopped on our law, and six footsteps led Bella to our door. At the very last possible moment, as if he regretted the very action of leaving, Edward ran off into the woods, too fast for our eyes to catch.

The doorbell rang.

Carlisle Pov:

I looked around the room at my family members, asking them with my eyes. They all nodded, soft smiles and grins on their faces. The cloud of sadness that had been there since Edward had told us to leave had finally left, and it made all of us happier.

I opened the door, smiling warmly at Bella, who smiled back shyly.

''I knew you'd still be here,'' she said softly. ''Can I come in?''

Alice appeared besides me, but unlike other times, Bella didn't jump. I figured she was getting used to us.

''YES!'' Alice screamed into my ear. She dragged Bella inside by the arm, making Bella giggle softly and rather girlishly, something I'd never heard her do before.

Once inside, Bella sat down gingerly, and began fidgeting. She pulled out her phone and dialled a number. Before it could be picked, she hang up again. We all looked on, rather confused.

Bella looked down, not looking at any of us. ''I have something to tell you guys.'' She stared awkwardly. ''But you'll have to promise not to ask questions until the end. Everything will be explained.''

We all promised, and she dialled again. This time, she allowed her phone to be picked up. She placed the phone on the coffee table and sat back down.

We all looked at the phone. ''Hello?'' A voice emerged from it.

My brow furrowed as I recognized the voice. ''Marcus?'' I asked, incredulously, wondering why Bella had on of the Volturi leaders on speed dial.

''Carlisle!'' Marcus sounded happier than I was used to. ''How are you, my friend?''

''I am well, thank you,'' I replied, feeling a little dazed. I opened my mouth to ask, when Bella shot me a pleading look, and I remembered my promise not to ask.

''Can you please explain everything to the Cullens?'' Bella asked in a small voice.

''Are you sure, Isabella?'' Caius' voice broke in, softer than I'd ever heard Caius speak. Bella seemed to agree with me, if the surprised look she gave her phone was anything to go by.

She took a deep breath, looking as if she was steadying herself. ''Yes.'' Her voice was stronger now, with a certain authority in it that I'd never heard Bella speak with.

My family looked at each other as Caius started talking.

''Marcus and I met Isabella when she was five.'' Caius said, sounding as if he'd told this story before. ''In 1876.''

Chapter two will be up soon, so DON'T TEXT ME NIAMH! (You know you'd do it.)

And would you all go to Niamh's account ikkebenraar and check out her superawesome Soul Eater stories?

Love,

SFTR