Chapter 1: Amore Overseas
Climbing the cold rocky steps in silence, Bella and the Cullen siblings leave the main chamber of the Volturi behind as they draw near the surface of Volterra, Italy.
A tornado of confusion swirls around Bella's mind, causing a faint throb. With months without Edward in her life, she'd come to reconcile herself to the thought of living without him. Jacob taught her that she didn't need to just try going on without Edward but that she could live and thrive without him.
Give me more time, she begged Jacob. The memory pierces her heart. Why couldn't she choose him earlier? Edward had sunk his teeth deeper into her life than she wished to admit.
He just admitted he can't live in a world where she doesn't exist and that he can never let her go.
What is she supposed to do with that?
With every second that passes, she becomes surer of what she wants. As Charlie said with wisdom, she now wants it too: what's good for her. The world of vampires is dark, tumultuous and cold. What Jacob and the Quileute Tribe offer is light, steady, and even fun.
The excitement Bella feels over her realization is tainted by the fact that less than 10 minutes ago she promised Aro she'd become a vampire; it would be near impossible to prevent that forever.
But despite everything she can worry about and agonize over, one simple thought surpasses them all: she wishes Jacob was here to hold her. Instead, it's Edward's cold touch she feels as they hold hands on their way up the steps. His brow is furrowed and his lips pursed. He's no doubt consumed with brooding thoughts as usual. It confirms even more so the stark and chilling contrast between him and her companion over the last several months. Jacob is always smiling, pleasant – and warm.
Her hand starts to go numb from the consistent touch of Edward's icy hand. Thankfully, they reach the surface of Piazza dei Priori and he pulls away, concealing his hands so his skin doesn't sparkle in the sight of the crowds.
Bella's thoughts turn again to Jacob, and her heart aches for him – wishing she could see him soon, but knowing he's a continent away.
"Jacob," she whispers as he appears before them, cutting through the mass of people. Bella questions if he's no more real than the Edward that accompanied her adrenaline rushes.
But this Jacob is not translucent, and his face expresses both pain and excitement at seeing her again.
"What's he doing here?" Edward growls, confirming she's not hallucinating.
Bella breaks from Edward's side and rushes into Jacob's arms. A large gentle hand caresses her soft brown hair, a bit disheveled from the flight and the chaos of the morning.
"Surprised to see me?" Jacob's husky voice makes her heart race.
Edward's controlled but threatening voice interrupts the reunion. "We resolved the situation, Jacob. You can go now."
Jaw clenched, Jacob advances. "You – stay out of this."
Bella prays he doesn't pounce. She leans forward and puts a hand on his solid chest. "Jake, I got this."
She locks eyes with her vampire ex and interlaces her fingers with Jacob's, allowing her choice to be made clear through this simple gesture.
Edward's usual stoic expression starts to falter as he realizes what's happening.
Her eyes flit to Jacob, and she isn't sure which guy is more stunned at her decision.
"Bella, I'll never leave you again. Come back with me."
She's only seen that panicked expression on Edward's face when there's imminent danger to her life, but for the first time it's surfaced because his life with her is in danger.
"I'm sorry, Edward. I know you left because you thought you needed to, to protect me, and I appreciate it; it helped me see things the way they should be. You're safe now, and like I said, I can let you go."
Edward's knuckles tighten. "Bella," his voice trembles, "I will be here for you. You can trust me."
Knowing there isn't anything else she can say to convince him, she simply responds, "I'm sorry. Goodbye, Edward."
Her eyes plead with Alice, one of her closest friends. The spunky vampire gives a short nod and a hinting smile, letting Bella know that she respects her decision, even if she can't stand the wolf clan.
What Bella regrets the most about leaving Edward is losing Alice's friendship – there is far too great of a risk that Edward would catch Alice in a moment of mental weakness and she'd think about a conversation they had. Edward won't be able to heal if his mind is taunted by fresh memories of Bella – even if they're Alice's memories.
The smirk on Jacob's face shines brighter than the sun, making Bella nervous. As the two turn to walk away, she mumbles, "Cut it out, Jake."
She doesn't want Edward to hurt any more than he needs to. But Jacob's always been terrible at concealing his emotions, and she isn't sure if it's because he can't or because he won't. Either way, he continues wearing that adorable boyish triumphant smirk like an Olympic medal.
When they slip behind the closest sandstone building, Jacob halts and turns to Bella.
"What?" she asks, feeling a new and strange shyness as his dark, desiring eyes penetrate hers.
Her back presses against the ancient Tuscan building; she needs just a fraction more space to keep her head straight. But he doesn't give it, advancing until his sweet breath massages her porcelain skin.
The back of Jacob's muscular hand brushes up against Bella's cheek.
"You really meant all that back there, Bella?"
She gulps hard and nods. Her voice fails her and she whispers, "Every word."
His hand falls to wrap around her waist, drawing her into their first kiss. His body possesses a natural warmth, but it seems a million times warmer as their lips meet.
A thought tugs at her, and her reluctant lips break free. "Jake, we really should get a little farther away. Edward could be just around the corner."
"He better not be," Jacob says, keeping his arms around Bella.
Smiling, she says, "Come on, Jake," leading him down the cobblestone alley.
Bella's stomach threatens to rumble so she tries to position herself to keep it quiet. But she winces in embarrassment as a loud gurgle escapes her.
Jacob grins. "Bet you haven't eaten since you left Forks."
Digging her shoe into a stony gap beneath her feet, she half shrugs. "Maybe."
"Well, that's not good."
Their eyes dart up the hill to a restaurant overlooking the Tuscan countryside.
Grabbing her hand, Jacob leads the way.
At the outdoor seating area, a long red tablecloth peeks out from under a silky white one atop each table. Every place setting in the elegant design includes a water glass turned upside-down and a red obtuse-shaped napkin accompanying a fork.
All of the tables are vacant, as most of Volterra is still celebrating in Piazza dei Priori.
A lanky waiter meets them outside, surprised to see customers.
Composing himself, he smiles. "Buongiorno."
They respond with the same greeting, Jacob stumbling over it a bit.
Handing them each a menu, he asks, "Cosa vuoi da bere?"
With her cursory knowledge of the language Bella turns the phrase over in her mind, figures it out and translates it for Jacob. "What do you want to drink?"
Aware that locals in small European towns aren't always as familiar with English as those in the larger cities tend to be, Bella tries to hold out conversing in Italian as long as she can.
Jacob's eyes widen at a sudden realization. "We're in Italy, Bella. Italy. We have to get wine. Isn't the alcohol age lower in Europe?"
His child-like excitement and wide-eyed enthusiasm melts her into gooey mozzarella. She nods and scans the menu to find Chianti wine, a staple of the Tuscan region, where Volterra is located.
Bella reads off what they want and motions for two glasses.
"Grazie." The waiter nods as he walks away.
With no other customers taking up his time, he returns in seconds with the Chianti.
Jacob raises his glass and Bella does the same.
"To us," Jacob declares.
Clanking their glasses together, they take their first hearty drink of the local red wine. Bella swishes it around in her mouth, finding it dry and tasting a little like strawberries.
Jacob doesn't seem sure what to think about it but takes another large gulp, as if that will help him to know.
The meal they order is also well known in the region: mushroom ravioli.
Only after the waiter gathers up their menus and leaves them to bask in the warm Tuscan sun does it occur to Bella how ironic it is that it's the same meal she ordered in Port Angeles on her first "date" with Edward.
The thought doesn't cause any twinges in her stomach as she expected; with the months that have past and with Jacob around to help her heart heal, it seems more like a distant dream than an actual time in her life.
Waiting for their food, Bella finally has a chance to relax and soak in their surroundings. Birds chirp on the nearby swaying olive trees, and golden rays blanket the red adobe-styled roofs of the sandstone-colored medieval buildings in the walled mountaintop town.
A gentle mist glides above the farmland in the valley below.
She'd been too preoccupied on her way to save Edward to take in the country. But now that Bella's sitting beside her true love and knowing her true place in life, she realizes that she loves it there. Isabella. She sighs, never having been more proud to claim an Italian name.
Resting her head on Jacob's broad shoulder, she realizes he just took his first-ever plane ride – and it was alone and overseas. Bella's struck by his dedication, courage and initiative, knowing it isn't as easy for him to dash from country to country as it is for the Cullens. Grand gestures from him - financial ones in particular – are magnified by the thousands when compared to anything Edward could ever do for her.
As the waiter sets down their meals, they jump right in to devouring the delicious buttery mushroom raviolis, which disappear within a few short minutes.
After paying the waiter, Bella asks, "Jake, didn't your plane ticket cost a fortune? Did you even tell Billy you were coming?"
"Sure. He's the one that paid for it. Well, I'll be paying him back for the rest of my life, but it was worth it."
His sweet sincere expression sends excited shivers up her spine.
"Well, when we get back," Bella starts, "he's definitely getting a huge flat screen, and Charlie will be begging to come over and visit his."
"I think seeing us together will be reward enough. He's tried getting us together ever since you moved to Forks. Besides, we don't want Charlie checking up on us all the time." Jacob nuzzles against her fair-skinned cheek.
But instead of relishing the moment, blood drains from her face as she senses a familiar and unmistakable chill. Jacob catches the foul stench, and their eyes dart down the alley across the road.
Edward is too quick to be identified by sight but his presence is unmistakable.
"He's got some nerve." Jacob shoots up like a rocket, growling.
Bella reaches for Jacob's arm but fails to drag him back into his seat. "Jake, just ignore him." As the words escape her lips, she knows they sound ridiculous. She couldn't ignore Edward's persistence either.
"This is our first time in Europe, Bella. We can't have that leech following us around."
She searches her mind for some compromise to keep Jacob from bursting into a wolf. Volterra doesn't need a new kind of creature to start warring against.
"Then let's go to another country," she blurts out.
Stunned, Jacob asks, "Really?"
She feels awkward for having suggested such a thing but is excited that he loves her crazy idea.
Shrugging, she says, "Maybe just for a day or two."
That diverts his attention enough for them to start walking down the quiet cobblestoned streets of Volterra and away from the foreboding alley.
"Where should we go?" Jacob asks, squeezing her hand with excitement.
"No, Jake. You came all this way for me; there's no way I'm going to be the one to pick."
A few moments of pondering pass, and he says, "I got it."
Bella waits while a gentle countryside breeze sweeps over their skin.
When he doesn't offer anymore, the suspense builds until she can't stand it any longer.
"Okay, out with it."
After dragging out the silence a few seconds longer just to tease her, he asks, "How'd you like to see your wolf take on a bull?"