A/N: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.
"Sweetheart, are you ready?"
Bella turns around to see her mother standing in the doorway. Dressed in all black, though the dreary color did little to defer from her beauty. Her mother could radiate elegance in a burlap sack, but black was appropriate given where they were headed.
"Yeah, mom," Bella gives a small smile, grabbing her raincoat and pulling it around her. She notices her mother picked their dresses to match, something they have always done. Some girls may think it's kind of silly to match your mother, especially when you're eighteen years old, but Bella would take it as a compliment. Sulpicia Volturi is gorgeous. Brown curly hair, green eyes and a bone structure women would kill to have. Her mother is also one of the sweetest women in the world. The ultimate package, her father is a lucky man.
"The car should be downstairs," Sulpicia fixes a stray curl on her daughter's head, before pulling back to study her appearance. Bella knows she probably looks exhausted, which is fitting considering they landed in New York around one in the morning. "Let's go get this over with, then we can come back here and take a nice long nap."
Bella instantly smiles at that as she follows her mother out of the hotel room.
She's dressed in the same black dress as her mother, but she skips the sky-high heels for a pair of black Mary Janes. Proper and comfortable, and today was not the day to embarrass herself and trip.
Her father had already left earlier in the week when the news broke, leaving their Seattle home to head to New York. Her uncle Caius had gone with him. Bella had the last of her finals at school to take, so she and her mother flew in last night. Normally, when they would visit New York, they would stay at Marcus and Didyme's. It was a large mansion with about half a dozen rooms that Bella remembers it was the perfect hide and seek place when she was younger.
But this was not a happy time.
Didyme, Marcus' wife, had been murdered and the man was a complete wreck. Everyone knew that Marcus adored Didyme, above everything else, so he was close to swallowing a bullet. Her uncle and father had been guarding him around the clock, all of his guns removed from his home for the time being.
Bella sees their car waiting for them with Emmett McCarty standing outside it. "A bear wearing peoples clothes," is how Bella can describe her father's worker and their personal bodyguard. He stood 6'6, built like a brick shithouse and had the most deceiving baby face. The second thing you'll notice about him after you take in his size are the prominent dimples on his cheeks when he smiles. Emmett was an up and coming heavyweight boxer dubbed appropriately "The Bear" from the way he would just absolutely batter his opponents. He was forced into retirement before he got a real title shot, unfortunately. One too many hits to the head were taking a toll on his brain and affecting his memory. Her father had been a fan of his and offered Emmett a life after boxing, which is how he's here now.
"Hey, Em," Bella smiles, receiving a dimpled one in return.
"Hey, Bells," he smiles, dimples appearing before he nods at a Sulpicia, "Mrs. Volturi."
"Hello, Emmett."
The Volturi women slide into the back of the black Cadillac and Em closes the door for them before getting in the passenger side, nodding for the driver to take off.
The drive to the church only takes about fifteen minutes and Em is out before the car even stops, opening the door and holding a hand to help Bella out of the car. Mother and daughter walk arm in arm into the church, seeing as they enter that everyone – and that means everyone – came out to say goodbye to Didyme.
Aro immediately spots his daughter and wife and waves them over, standing with her uncle Caius, Marcus sitting in the pew staring straight ahead at the large Crucifix that huge in the church. Aro kisses his wife and turns toward his daughter, kissing her forehead. She smiles up at her father. Aro's inky black hair was slicked back and he hadn't shaved in about two weeks so he still has his neatly trimmed beard that his wife hates.
"How were finals, Isabella?" He was the only one who really called her Isabella since her godmother had given her the nickname of Bella - "because she's just so beautiful!"
She felt her godmother was biased.
"Piece of cake," Bella shrugs nonchalantly, Aro smiles as he guides Bella over to where they will be sitting. Sulpicia has gone over and kissed Marcus on the cheek, murmuring sweet words in his ear to comfort him. He briefly turns his head to nod at Sulpicia before going back to staring straight ahead.
Marcus and Didyme had been childhood sweethearts who got married right when they were seventeen. They were childless by choice, neither really having the patience or desire for a child. They were about to celebrate their twenty-third wedding anniversary when Didyme was shot by an unknown man. The papers were just painting it off as a robbery, but anyone with half a brain knows the truth. She was murdered and it was planned.
Seeing Caius perk up, Bella turns to see Athendora walk into the church, followed by the triplets. As these four practical angels casually walk into the church, the male attention immediately turns to them - bar Marcus who kept staring forward and Aro who's attention was firmly focused on his own gorgeous wife.
Athendora could only be described as stunning, though that might not be a strong enough word. Her usual long blonde hair was pulled back away from her face and her shapely figure was draped in a modest black dress. She was her mother's age at thirty-nine and absolutely did not look it. You would think the three girls walking behind her were her younger sisters.
The triplets were equally as stunning, having won the genetic lottery. Tanya's long strawberry blonde hair fell in tight ringlets to her ample chest, while Kate's hair was the color of gold, falling in loose curls down her back. Irina had inherited her father's pale blonde hair fell in waves a little past her shoulders. All three of them were tall and supermodel-esque and Bella always felt her self-esteem drop a couple of notches when around them. If it wasn't for them being very close, having grown up together, she would avoid them at all costs.
Tanya, Katrina and Irina immediately make their way over to their little cousin as their mother immediately went to Marcus. The triplets engulf Bella in a group hug, three different types of expensive perfume assault Bella's nose and she has to stop herself from coughing.
"Bella, you look so cute."
"I love your dress, is that Chanel?"
"Ugh, this humidity is causing my hair to frizz."
The triplets always do this, they start talking at the same time forgetting that there are three of them and their voices carry. The triplets were four years older than Bella at twenty-two and had just graduated college the month before in May, so Bella hasn't seen them in a while considering they all went cross country to NYU. Bella just smiles as they continue to babble.
"Girls," Athendora gently chastises the girls, reminding them of where they are before she kisses Bella's forehead. "You look beautiful, Bella."
"Thank you, Dora," she smiles at her godmother.
"It's starting, let's take our seats," Aro comes over to the group, guiding his wife and daughter over to the pew that they would be sitting at. Caius and Athendora follow with the girls, sitting directly behind them.
Bella knows it's a selfish thought, but she hopes the service goes by fast. She hates funerals. There just always seems to be one around the corner.
...
The rain had let up when they had arrived at the cemetery to lay Didyme to rest. Bella is thankful for this – she gets enough rain living in Washington and leaves her raincoat in the car. The rain had broken the humidity leaving Bella comfortable in her quarter sleeved black dress.
All of the "most important people" are sitting in the front row – Bella's parents, the triplets parents, all of the other Heads, while she and the triplets sit directly behind her parents.
Glancing at Marcus, Bella sees that he is just staring at the coffin. That kind of love must be a blessing and a curse. To love someone so much that they're the light of your life, yet when it's extinguished you're just bathed in neverending darkness. Bella's not sure if she'd like a love like that.
"Who is that?" Tanya hisses to her sisters, causing Bella to look over at her cousins. The blondes looked transfixed by something and Bella frowns, following their gaze. It doesn't take long to figure out exactly what – actually, who – they were staring at.
"I don't know," Bella muttered, not realizing she was now staring as well.
She was never one to have crushes, partly because everyone knew of her father and there were rumors of what he did, which was a clear stay away sign to all men. The few that tried to flirt with her were scared away when they saw Emmett pick her up from school. Not like she was interested in any of the boys at school.
Bella went on one date in her entire life. He asked her, practically shaking with fear as he kept glancing at Emmett out of the corner of his eye. It didn't help that the bear of a man was glaring at him the entire time. The boy came over to pick her up for the date, coming inside the house to meet her parents. Bella thought everything was going smooth, he was nervous but still chatting with her mom and dad. Then it happened. Caius and his family were coming over for dinner and the minute the triplets walked into the room, all thoughts of Bella flew from the boy's head. The entire date, he asked Bella questions about them, if they were dating anyone, if they were interested in high school guys. Bella ended up storming out of the restaurant and went home crying. She swore off dating until she got to college.
Funny enough, she planned on avoiding that boy at school if he even thought about approaching her, but he ended up steering clear of her. Something that she thought Emmett had a part in, though he denied it. She hugged the big bear anyway in thanks.
That was then and that was a boy. There was no mistaking the blonde man for a boy. She never felt the things she was experiencing right now.
He was tall, she would say a couple of inches shorter than Emmett, and not as brawny – though it was clear that he was broad through the black suit he wore. He had blonde hair falling to his chin in curls and hazel eyes. His face, however, was severe. He continually scanned the crowd as if looking for some kind of threat and she realized that he was most likely a Soldato (soldier).
"I think Bella's got a little crush," Tanya teases in a whisper, her sisters giggling in return as they see their starstruck cousin.
Bella ignores them as she feels a fluttering building in her gut. He is handsome. Extremely handsome. She wants to keep looking at him, so she did. And then he was looking right at her, and her heart stops beating for a second.
…
Jasper stands behind Don Angelo, his eyes scanning the crowd, partly in making sure no one tries anything funny and partly just because he was seeing the families in one place for the first time.
He could see Marcus staring at the casket that held his wife. Fuck, he can feel the man's heartbreak from here. He didn't think that anything was going to pull him from this, until he found the pig who killed his wife, or swallowed a bullet. Whatever came first.
Caius sat next to his wife, Athendora, who was holding her husband's hand in her two. It seemed that all the couples today held their significant others just that much closer.
Behind them sat their daughters, the infamous triplets who are looking at him, whispering to each other. He quickly studies them and sees that they're living up the hype around them. They are gorgeous, he can admit that, just not his type.
Aro Volturi is the one Head he has not met, which means he's never met his wife or daughter. He sees Sulpicia Volturi sitting next to her husband. He knows all about them, their story, how they had to adopt their daughter because Sulpicia was barren.
The woman looks over to her husband who catches her gaze and he lifts her hand to his mouth, kissing it. So that's why he never took another lover, to have carry a child. She's the only one in his eyes.
His neck prickles, the telltale sign of eyes on him. He immediately goes back on alert and scans the crowd, quickly finding a pair of brown orbs looking right at him. Watching him. He stares right back and she doesn't look away when he catches her.
Her eyes widen slightly and her mouth parts.
Gorgeous.
She's sitting behind Don Aro, next to Caius and Athendora's daughters. He allows himself to just stare, drinking her in like a thirsty man. Her hair is long, a dark brown color which is a sharp contrast to her porcelain skin. Her eyes were the same color as her hair, big and beautiful and her cheeks had a rosy tint to them. He knows that she's scrutinizing him the same way he's doing to her and he's trying to think of ways that he could excuse himself from the Don for a moment so he could go talk to her. Maybe at least get her number because he's not stupid and judging from the looks on her face, he knows that she likes what she sees. And, fuck, he likes what he sees too.
She breaks the connection first and he sees that the ceremony has ended and Marcus is kissing the casket before they start lowering it in the ground. Everyone starts standing up to head to the reception at Marcus' home. Caius walks over to the widow and guides him over to their car while Aro Volturi turns to the brunette and says something to her.
'Yes, daddy,' she responds and Jasper's heart drops into his gut.
Fuck. Don Aro's daughter. Untouchable.
No one is good enough in a Don's eyes for their daughter.
She's Isabella Volturi which means only eighteen years old, a child practically, still in high school and he's just a twenty-three year old man lusting after her like some sick pervert. His stomach twists and turns and he worries he's going to hurl.
"Jasper," Don Angelo says his name and he's immediately at attention, forcing the sickness away. He sees that the Don is looking at the Volturi family as well and he gestures for Jasper to roll his wheelchair over to them. The Volturis are still standing around when he reaches them and Aro's attention is immediately on the older Don as he greets him properly, kissing his hand. Don Angelo then kisses Sulpicia's hand before his smile widens as Isabella walks over to him.
"Cucciola," Don Angelo says as Isabella bends down to kiss his cheek. "I haven't seen you since you were a little girl. You've grown into such a beautiful young lady."
The brunette blushes profusely as she mumbles a quiet thank you. Jasper finds the sight quite enticing, a shy little beauty. Eighteen, he reminds himself, legal to look.
"I'm just sad that it was this event that brought us together again," Don Angelo says before turning his head to look at Jasper. "This is Jasper Whitlock."
Jasper feels the family's eyes turn toward him and he stands up nice and straight. He doesn't want to intimidate them or anything, not that he really could. He's confident in his abilities that the Army has given him, but this was different. Completely different. He just wants to make a good impression on the Don and takes the offered hand, resisting the urge to bend down and kiss Aro's hand. As Don Angelo had informed him, Aro wasn't so old fashioned so doing that wouldn't impress the man.
"Nice to meet you, Jasper," Aro says while shaking the man's hand before wrapping an arm around his wife. "This is my wife, Sulpicia, and our daughter, Isabella."
He does kiss the women's hands though, not only being a Southern gentlemen, it's proper etiquette. He kisses Sulpicia's hand before turning to Isabella, those damn brown eyes locking him in once more. Standing up, he can fully see her slim build through the black dress she's wearing. She's small, about a full foot smaller than him, he reckons, and he likes that.
That beautiful pink blush graces her cheeks again and he his chest swell with male pride that he can put that blush on her cheeks with one look, and wants to see what else can put that blush on her face.
Teenager, teenager, teenager, he chants in his head.
Kissing Bella's hand, he smiles gently at her. "A pleasure to meet you, Isabella."
"Bella," she corrects him with a small smile, "Just Bella."
Jasper reluctantly lets go of her hand, seeing that Bella looks just as pained as him to not be touching anymore. Sulpicia then wraps her arm around her daughter, "We're going to go back to the hotel," Sulpicia informs the men, "We're both still a little jetlagged."
"Of course," Aro says, gesturing for Emmett to go get the car. He kisses Bella's forehead and turns to his wife, "I'll see you back at the hotel."
Sulpicia murmurs her love for Aro, who responds in kind and Jasper feels like he's intruding on something personal. The couple love each other dearly, something that is comforting to see. Jasper's parents didn't like each other very much, and seeing that love does actually exist, despite trials and tribulations, is nice.
Don Angelo himself smiles at the sight as Bella walks over to kiss him goodbye, before standing up to face Jasper.
"Goodbye, Jasper," her sweet little voice says and he inclines his head toward her, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Goodbye, Isabella."
She looks like she wants to correct him, but doesn't. She instead smiles at him, a real smile this time, not just a little shy one. He feels his heart clench at the sight. Her face lights up when she smiles, and she turns from gorgeous to fucking stunning. Fuck, he curses.
He's done for.
