Chapter 2 - Chop and Change

-A simple girl from simple means.

Walked the rails, rode her thumb

She hitched a ride with everyone.

The regular, she'd rearrange.

The girl knew how to chop and change.


Gianna decided to take Dominic for a short sightseeing tour through Pisa before continuing on to Volterra. From behind the wheel, Gianna couldn't help but allow herself a slight smile at the sight of the excited American boy with wide eyes. If he stuck out his tongue and panted, he would more resemble a happy dog than a man!

It was obvious he'd never been far from home before.

However, her genuine smile at his innocence soon faded. She couldn't risk losing focus. Lord Aro had actually granted an assignment to a human - to her! Gianna sat a little straighter in her seat. This definitely proved she had value to them. In her current "job" as the public face of the Volturi, she often worried she might be…expendable. But this assignment proved her worth, and if she was successful, Aro promised to change her himself as a reward.

Gianna's heart galloped with excitement. Finally, she would truly belong. She would be strong, and nothing and no one could hurt her again.

Unexpectedly her mood soured as bitter repressed memories bubbled to the surface of her consciousness reminding her of how much of her life had been wasted, stolen from her.

Not anymore! It was almost time for her to have control over her own destiny, and after her change, she could finally leave behind all the memories and damage wrought by her alcoholic mother and that beast she chose for a second husband. Gianna would rather chew glass than address said beast, even in an unspoken memory, as her stepfather.

To even think that at first, in her stupid childish thinking, she was convinced he was her savior.

As a child, Gianna had struggled with her mother's Jekyll and Hyde personality brought on by alcohol, which she had turned to for comfort after Gianna's father death. In her drunkenness, Gianna's mother would curse her child's existence, blaming Gianna for her lack of success in securing another husband.

When sober, her mother promised to quit drinking and begged for Gianna's forgiveness. Once Gianna lowered her defenses and let her mother back into her heart, she would dote on her child, showering her with affection.

Sobriety never lasted long. The devil in the bottle would beckon to her mother and unfortunately, the woman couldn't resist, no matter how much Gianna tried to fill the void left in her mother's heart by her father's passing.

The repeating cycle of hope and heartbreak left Gianna a shattered shell.

When Vittorio began dating her mother several years after her father's death, Gianna was actually relieved. Vittorio took care of her, ran interference when her mother was violent or emotionally out of control, and shielded her from injury. Gianna began to see Vittorio as her protector, and someone she could rely on - and even come to love. He was welcomed with open arms into the home of the dysfunctional woman and her child, who was now budding into womanhood.

But he was more vile than the devil dwelling in the bottle on her mother's bedstand. He was a heartless predator in disguise. He used Gianna's trust against her. Vittorio touched in ways he should not, and though Gianna tried to confide in her mother, her dependence on Vittorio wouldn't let her see what was happening right under her own nose.

A flawlessly laid trap had ensnared Gianna – Vittorio supplied her mother with all the alcohol she could consume, she in return turned a blind eye to Vittorio's emotional and physical violation of her own daughter.

At the age of 15, when Gianna could no longer take the humiliation and pain of ongoing sexual abuse, she fled. Alone on the streets, she struggled just to survive...

"So have you always lived in Volterra?"

Dominic's deep voice shook Gianna from her recalled nightmare. She blinked several times before she was able to refocus on her important cargo.

"No, I actually grew up in Napoli...Naples."

"I'm sure it was beautiful there," Dominic offered, hoping to encourage more conversation.

"Yes, I imagine for some, it is. I haven't been there for many years."

Dominic waited for clarification on her somewhat cryptic answer to his question, but when she lapsed into silence, he once again turned his eye to the rambling countryside outside of Pisa.

Gianna, in fact, never planned to return to Napoli. She had lived in its uncaring streets, lost and anonymous in the underground life of a city that preferred not to share its ugly side with the world at large because the unemployment, organized crime, and drug use were not attractive to tourists.

Regrettably, Gianna soon found the life she ran from would not stay left behind. To cope with the agony of betrayal, Gianna began to use painkillers to numb her. But the pain was not physical, it was emotional – it had seeped into her soul. Though the pills gave her no relief from the pain, they did provide an escape. When she had difficulty acquiring the pills, and withdrawal threatened to crush her, a man she had been clinging to for sustenance introduced her to heroin. It was a companion she could count on for comfort.

And so the cycle began anew. Gianna found shelter - and heroin - from many different men. In return, she offered them anything they desired from the tall beauty who had become a prisoner to addiction.

She doesn't recall what city she had drifted into when he found her at her lowest point. Near death among the trash and human dregs wasting in an alleyway, half clothed and emaciated. She was easy prey, and actually would have smiled had she known death was hovering over her, venom rolling down its throat in an attempt to quench a burning need to drink.

However, instead of striking and consuming her polluted blood, he took notice of her. Behind the glazed over eyes of an addict, he saw a light and an innocence stolen. He caught a glimpse of something dear he had lost long ago. He kept her.

Marcus nursed her to health as one would an injured baby bird. Because of his benevolence, she closed her ears and eyes to the horror that was vampirism. To Gianna, Marcus was a saint, and what the Volturi had to offer her was a gift she begged to receive.

To earn their favor, she diligently studied English to easily interact with tourists, kept the secret contained hidden, and represented the self-appointed vampire monarchy with a professional, welcoming smile.

Now, at last, joining their ranks was within sight. It would be worth the sacrifice she would now make to achieve the goals her masters had set for her to accomplish.

Gianna stole a look in Dominic's direction. At least he's easy on the eyes. That should make my task a bit more palatable, she thought...

"We should be able to see Volterra shortly." Dominic jumped as Gianna abruptly broke the silence with a bright tone of voice. "It's a beautiful city and we are very glad you have agreed to come across so far to transform St. Marcus Church. Father Aro is just thrilled. Have you had time to study the stories of St. Marcus?"

"I have. The material Fr. Aro sent was very helpful. I have chosen several scenes to depict in the stained glass. Perhaps...if you don't mind...you would preview my drawings?"

Dominic was hopeful the gorgeous woman, and only person he knew in his new home, would be willing to spend more of her time with him. The idea of being alone so far from home was not a pleasant one.

"Of course I would," she purred, flashing a beguiling smile in his direction. "I will offer whatever I can to make your stay in Volterra a most pleasant one."

Truer words had never been spoken…

Her loveliness blinded Dominic and for the second time in one day, the world around her floated away into oblivion.

( ~ * ~ )

On that same day, half way around the world, a pair of newlyweds arrived at their first home as man and wife - more correctly, immortal and wife.

Edward anxiously watched his wife's face as the two-story century home came into view. It was large, which he knew she would balk at, but the location was ideal and there were not many homes in rural Orford, New Hampshire, available. According to his research, there were only 1,091 people in residence, occupying 470 households. He was lucky to have found any home here, let along one perfectly situated on two acres of semi-wooded land.

"Edward!" Bella gasped as she stared out the car window. "It's lovely!"

"As are you," he responded in a heartbeat, reaching over to take Bella's hand to place a kiss into her palm.

Bella blushed. She wondered if she'd ever get used to his endless stream of compliments.

The rise of redness in her young face pleased him. Relieved by her initial positive reaction, he poured out the details he had been keeping from her as a surprise, "Our home is just eighteen point six five miles from Dartmouth. See over there," he pointed to right at the large hillside covered in thick forest, "just a short run to the White Mountain National Forest."

"Do I sense some excitement about the nearby hunting grounds, Mr. Cullen?" Bella questioned him playfully.

She could see his eyes sparkle with anticipation of new hunting grounds and couldn't resist picturing him, strong and lithe, a perfect predator on the hunt. Bella blushed again. For some reason the thought of Edward hunting - feral and losing control in lust of something - always sent a ripple of arousal spreading through her.

The slight shift in Bella's mood - and scent - didn't go unnoticed. Edward quickly parked outside the front door, and in a blink of an eye, opened the passenger side door.

"I believe there is a tradition I need to fulfill in this moment, Mrs. Cullen..."

When puzzlement crossed Bella's face, Edward let out a laugh and scooped her from the car.

"The groom is to carry the bride over the threshold," he answered her unspoken question.

"Sounds like a silly tradition to me. Why shouldn't the woman cross the threshold of her own volition?"

Though her words offered some resistance, Edward continued to carry her from the car up the wide wooden porch stairs to the double front doors of the house.

"I think in your case the tradition has some merit," he smirked.

Bella could sense he was formulating some clever retort. "Out with it, Cullen. Why do you need to carry me over the threshold?"

"It's believed that a bride who trips over the threshold would irrevocably bring bad luck to her home and marriage. I thought it would be wise not to take any chances..."

Bella raised her hand to give him a smack, and he reflexively ducked, but then she thought better of it. That hand had already been injured hitting another immortal...

" I'm gonna kick your backside for that one – or at least I will when I'm a newborn!" Bella quipped.

"Well, we'll see..."

Bella saw the shadows gather in his eyes.

"Edward, I haven't changed my mind about becoming like you. I will keep you to your promise to change me. I just…I just wanted some more time."

"I know…" he lowered his voice to a whisper before placing his lips very close to her ear, "you like the sex."

This time Bella did give him a playful, gentle smack across the top of his head as she turned bright red.

"It's not just that! I want to find out who I am – as an adult. I always had my parents – or you – to care for me and make most of the decisions. I want to just live my life for a while. Achieve something I can call my own. You may have gotten me to Dartmouth, but I am going to earn that diploma myself."

"You got into Dartmouth on your own merits, Bella. Don't sell yourself short. And I have no doubt you will succeed," he replied earnestly.

"Well...are you going to carry me over the threshold so we can get started or shall we just wait around out here?"

He smiled his crooked grin before opening the door.

Bella again drew in a quick breath as she caught her first glimpse of the interior of their home. The foyer was large, offering a complete view of the open floor plan. In front of her was a wide hallway leading past the formal dining room and into the bright kitchen. Slightly to the right was the staircase to the second floor. Further to the right was the formal living room. The freshly painted walls of rich brown, goldenrod, and burnt orange gave the room a cozy feel despite the vaulted ceilings. She could already picture a crackling fire in the wide rugged stone fireplace. Of course, it was also perfectly furnished.

Bella looked at Edward with knowing eyes as he set her on her feet.

"Yes," he responded, "the house has been fully remodeled and decorated by the dynamic Martha Stewart duo – Alice and Esme."

"I love it. I've got to tell them to let them know how wonderful I think it is..."

However, before Bella could pull out her phone, Edward grabbed her wrist and questioned, "Do you want to see the upstairs first?"

She caught the glimmer in his eye.

"I think I might enjoy a self-tour," she laughed, bolting up the stairs.

Of course, Edward passed her with ease, and barred her entrance to their bedroom.

"Damn vampire speed," she cursed almost colliding into him.

"Close your eyes," he prompted.

After an over-exaggerated sigh, Bella complied.

Taking her hand, Edward led her into their room.

"Okay – open them!"

The smile grew large on Bella's face. There, recreated in full detail, was Edward's room –complete with the large bed he had purchased as the centerpiece.

"I thought you'd like something familiar in our new home."

"You think of everything," she cooed, standing on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. "It's all just perfect."

She glanced back at the bed remembering the few days they had spend at the Cullen home after the honeymoon. Bella had refused to make love in a house full of vampires – no matter how quiet Edward thought they could be during their act of love...

"As special as this bed is, we have not christened it properly…" Bella simpered.

"Hmm. You know, I don't detect any super-hearing vampires around, save myself," he offered, pulling her closer to place several soft kisses on her neck.

"True. And all our unpacking could wait until later…"

"Much later…" he mumbled against her warm skin.

Bella's head dropped back and he picked her up, flashing to the bed and gently laying her in the center. Quickly she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him towards her and raising her head to meet his sweet lips with her own.

Climbing over her, he kissed her while supporting his weight. She began to unbutton his shirt.

Edward heard Bella's heart start to flutter with anticipation and she saw confirmation of what was to be in his eyes.

When his shirt fell open, he sat beside her to remove the unnecessary article. Bella moved to sit in front of him.

"Allow me."

She eased it off his shoulders and very, very slowly slid it down his smooth back and arms.

This was their home and their time – no need to rush.

She took in the beauty of his face and upper body, allowing the sight to tantalize her. His skin shimmering in the late afternoon sun that blazed through their bedroom window. Bella leaned into him, pinning his hands to the mattress and running her cheek seductively from his shoulder, down to the center of his cool chest, soaking in his scent. Every time she would exhale, Edward's muscles would tense. He loved her warmth.

From his chest, Bella made an upward trail of open-mouthed kisses across his chest, up his neck and along his strong jaw line.

Edward began to tremble from his desire to touch her, share the sensory experience of sight, smell, and taste that Bella was enjoying. Although her singing scent was strong enough for him to taste her on his tongue, he wanted to feel her.

"My love?" He questioned as he had sensed Bella was leading in this game of love, and he was hoping for permission to take that lead from her.

Bella place a last lingering kiss on his chin before meeting his eyes. The fire in her eyes set him ablaze and he fell silent, understanding it was he who would relinquish control to her.

Before him, she wordlessly removed her shirt and bra, discarding them on the floor before placing her hands on his bare shoulders. With minimal effort, he followed her directive, lying on his back. Bella followed his fluid movement as if she were connected to his body. Her arms pressed his shoulders into the mattress as she straddled his hips, taking her turn to hover over his form.

He loved to gaze upon her unclothed, her beauty displayed as a gift for only him to see and experience. Edward could feel his head start to swim in the drug-like effect of lust. All his ability to think, reason, or comprehend was swept away. To be so close to her bare flesh, yet not permitted to touch, felt painfully exhilarating.

"Please, love, may I touch you?" His voice was tinged with stress.

"Yes. Touch me. I'm yours..."

Bella gasped as Edward's hands, cold yet tender, moved quickly to cup her breasts. He caressed them but Bella moved closer to him, increasing the force of his manipulations. Her moan of satisfaction encouraged his actions and he gently kneaded her breasts while she breathlessly captured his lips in hers.

No longer able to sustain the distance between their bodies, Edward's hips rose to meet her body above him. Bella bit his lower lip as he pressed his hardness against the heat building between her spread legs.

Like a house of cards, Bella's resolve to slowly seduce her husband collapsed and she reached for the button on his jeans. She made quick work removing his pants and boxers, tossing them to the floor to join the growing pile of cast off clothing. Her last remaining garments rapidly followed.

But Bella had not relented in her position of control, and resumed the top position over Edward's reclined, now naked body. Her new sexual assertiveness excited and intrigued him. She lowered her body close enough to his that he could feel the heat radiating from her flushed skin.

As was his habit when they made love, Edward grabbed onto the nearest stationary object as his passion grew out of proportion to his physical control. His hands fisted into the layers of bedding and he clung to them as if his life depending on it, after all, he was convinced Bella's life did.

"This is torture, Bella! I need you. Show me you need me...," he croaked as the air around them thickened. Bella's rapid heart rate demanded more oxygen and her breathing came in short pants, while Edward fought to resist breathing at all.

Mercifully, Bella granted Edward his request. She lowered her hips to make contact with his growing want.

Edward released a growl and tightened his grip on the material already bunched in his steel grip. The heat of her core upon his flesh seared him and the intense pleasure that shot through him threatened to be his undoing. "Ah, Bella, my exquisite love...I must have you!"

"Soon," her throaty response predatory in its own right, brimming with passion and need, captured and imprisoned him.

Aroused by the sense of control and power over her lover, Bella rocked her hips, sliding effortlessly against his erection, quickly losing herself in the pleasurable friction of her newfound act of foreplay.

"Touch me again, Edward!" she cried out, finding a smooth rhythm that was rapidly moving her closer to climax.

Edward froze; quite amazed he still had enough mental clarity left to even calculate the riskiness of Bella's command. "I can't, Bella," he panted. "Not safe for you..."

But there was no conviction behind his words, and Bella rejected his answer. She draped her upper body against his hard chest and reached for his wrists.

"Let go, Edward. You won't hurt me. I trust you - now trust yourself."

She tugged at his arms and slowly his hands opened. Again, he gave her what she wanted - he gave her control. She guided his hands to her hips and they resumed their dance, undulating back and forth along his solid length.

His fingers flexed upon her.

"Can't last...need you," he pleaded.

Raising her body slightly with the next upward motion, she caught his tip in her ready opening.

Edward hissed and his fingers pressed into her flesh as she took him deeply within her body. Her rhythm became his as Edward now guided her motion, pace, and depth.

"Yes!" Bella cried out, urging him to continue. Gripping her hips firmly, Edward raised and lowered Bella's body onto him in a tempo that matched her quick panting breaths.

Edward watched her face as they made love. The ethereal sight of her flushed milky skin and contrasting dark mane of hair framing her face and breasts as she took satisfaction from his body served to heighten his arousal.

Their movements created a perfect storm in Bella's body and she soon felt that sensation begin to stir in the pit of her belly - a precipitous tightening that heralded an impending arrival of delicious release.

"Edward!" she barely pushed through her lips before the all-consuming cascade swept through her. The almost musical tempo of Bella's body triggered Edward's own surrender as he brought her swiftly down on him one last time. Fully sheathed within her, the two lovers rode out their pleasure without a single breath being taken.

At last, Edward released Bella's hips from his grip and she collapsed onto his chest. They remained silent until Bella's breathing resumed its normal pattern.

Edward pulled the familiar comforter around her before wrapping his arms across her back. Still he felt her trembling.

"Bella, are you all right? Are you cold? Did I hurt you?" Panic welled in his voice.

He hadn't realized she was...laughing. "Well, THAT was something!"

Satisfied she was more than just okay, and pleased she had enjoyed their lovemaking as much as he had, he joined her in relieved laughter.

"Yes, it was something. You surprised me."

"I surprised myself, I think," she giggled.

"I'm afraid my fingers may leave marks. Did I hurt you?" he asked, his tone much more serious.

"In the right hands, who knew a touch of pain could be so pleasurable," she responded timidly. He could feel the heat rise in the cheek she had pressed against his bare chest. Although concerned, Edward opted not to "spoil the moment" as Bella had often accused him of when he would try to assess Bella's physical well-being after sex.

"It appears our new home is agreeable to you," Edward suggested instead, searching for a reason his wife seemed so much more relaxed and…adventurous.

Bella was silent for a few moments before she lifted her head to meet his eyes. The tears streaming down her cheeks confused him. She rushed to explain...

"After all we've been through with our differences, and then James, Victoria and the newborns...it was all worth it to be here, with you. Just us. I can't believe it - we are finally home."

Edward carefully pushed away her tears of relief and happiness with the back of his hand.

"You're safe now. You don't need to be afraid anymore." He squeezed her gently.

"I love you," Bella whispered before tucking the comforter around her nakedness and falling into a deep peaceful sleep in her lover's arms…dreaming of the day when she too would be as strong and beautiful as Edward.


A/N: Oh, I love me some Bella and Edward happy love! Damn they didn't get enough of that after their honeymoon, so I gave it to them instead.

Kisses to my prereaders & betas: Ashling92, RosaBella75 and RowanMoon.

Chapter 3 next weekend. For Thursday teasers, follow the FI blog at www(dot)Twiliteaddict(dot)tumblr(dot)com. Or, since I'm getting techie in my "old" age, you can link to teasers through FB (twiliteaddict fanfic) or twitter (at)twilitedaddict.

Thanks for reading! Love comes in many forms (I like the review/comment kind : )

Meanings

chop and change: to change repeatedly