The Only Exception

I don't own twilight although I own copies of the books; I wish they were signed though

Chapter Two New Life, New People, Still a Freak

I had boarded the flight, I had an overlay in Atlanta then I went to get on the next plane that took me straight to Florence once I was on that flight and we were officially over the Atlantic ocean I whispered a silent goodbye to my old life, I wasn't going to be old Isabella I was going to try my hardest to heal faster, be stronger and be more resilient and less klutzy, god you hear that less klutzy. I fell asleep and woke up when the flight attendant shook me awake and told me we would be arriving in her broken English I knew she wasn't English born.

"Yes" I said silently. I was finally here finally.

***

I went to the terminal ending to get a cab, I smiled thinking where should I go, I had $730 dollars on me, plus whatever was in my pocket from the food jar I stashed that and whatever was already in my wallet so I jumped into the cab that I saw was waiting.

"Ciao" the cab driver looked behind me I was thinking of my French hoping it would work for him

"Bonjour un hôtel s'il vous plaît"(hello a hotel please) I said he looked at me and nodded driving away from the airport. I smiled looking around as we drove into Florence, I was mesmerized by the way the city was so beautiful, I believe they don't portray quite right in the books or movies. I watched as we pulled up to a beautiful old building and the driver looked to me and I handed him a twenty and he smiled and thanked me.

I walked into the building taking in the scenery I was too into anything; I walked up to the desk and prayed again that my French would help me again.

"Bonjour vous faire a un availble de pièce" I smiled sweetly to the man who was at the front desk and I could see his fingers move against the keyboard most likely looking for a room to put me in or to see if there was a room for me

"Bonjour nous avons un coup manqué d'availble de pièce" (hello yes we have a room availble miss) he smiled replying in French. Thank god I silently prayed for multi language learners. I smiled as he motioned for a guy and asked him to guide me to a room after handing me a key.

"merci beaucoup" (thank you very much) I nodded toward him he nodded back and I could tell that I was going to enjoy my stay here in Italy I still haven't figured out what I was gonna do, hopefully I could keep myself away from nightmares. Like I had in my old state of mind because now I was Isabella, I wasn't going to go by Bella anymore.

After going up the elevator 3 levels I was lead to a room and had a door open for me as the guy placed the bag of mine on the bed I smiled and said "merci" to him and he winked and I tipped him a five dollar bill I didn't know if you were suppose to do that or not. I smiled and went to look out my balcony and sighed.

"Long Live Isabella" I said to myself, thinking that I would find someway to survive on my own and for the mean time im going to enjoy my life. I grabbed my credit card and my phone and smiled and walked out of my hotel room locking the door behind me slipping my key into my pocket and looking around. It had been one week since the tragic accident and I wasn't going to take it laying down, I had that week to do that infact I was going to be fearless and go explore the county side I heard there were cute little towns hours from here and it wasn't quite dinner time, so I could go rent a car and get a bite on the way home. I walked up to the front desk to the same man and he looked at me and smiled, he was so cheerful now, I wonder why

"Bonjour faire vous sait où louer un véhicule et obtenir une carte du secteur si je pourrait faire quelque site voit ?" (hello would you know where to rent a car and to get a map of the area so i could do some site seeing?). I watched him and he smiled

"manquer il y a un juste plus bas dans la rue devrait vous demander une carte là" (miss there is one just down the street you should ask for a map there) I nodded and smiled and waved bye to him, I guess they weren't use to Americans in there hotel. I walked down the street toward the picture of the car. I wasn't gonna get an expensive car I just wanted someone to drive around. I walked into the place and it was a bit busy I looked around and smiled I was just glad to not be at home I was glad to be distracted I waited in line and looked toward the front of the line and was glad that I brought my I.D. and wallet I hope they accepted American Licenses.

**

It was my turn at the Front and I was in front of a sweet little lady a tad shorter than me and she reminded me so much of someone that shouldn't be in my head I smiled again hoping for my rusty French to pay off

"Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'une Voiture pour quelques jours"

"Bonjour, manquer combien de jours ?" she responded glad that people understood my French I sighed a bit of relief she must've understood that and proceed "I speak English dear" I squeaked and apologized.

"About 3 days what's the exchange rate I only have a credit card" I looked meekly at her she assured me it was okay. I paid for the 4 days and she smiled to me and wished me luck and I almost forgot when I stopped myself

"Ma'am do you have a map of the area?" I asked before completely leaving my spot at the counter she nodded and handed me a map and wished me a safe journey what was up with people and wishing me safety. I had keys to a Volvo and I wished they wouldn't have given me a Volvo but I couldn't regret the car because this was my freedom and it wasn't silver it was black and it wasn't anything like what his was this was sexy and it was feminine and it was sleek and I wanted to keep it. I laughed to myself, and then slid behind the wheel of the car and looked around and looked at the map quickly then looked to the car dash and wala GPS thank the gods for it. I looked for an address that was recommended in a brochure I picked up not looking more at the thing I started the car and listened to the voice and as she directed me and the music let me flow free through the country side of Italy I instantly fell in love. I looked around when I would stop periodically and take pictures with my camera phone I was glad the disposable phone was at least a picture phone I didn't want to forget any of these memories if I ever had to leave this place. I looked toward the horizon and I saw where I was heading it was beautiful it even had a castle, I looked at the sign. And it had said "welcome to the City of Volterra" and that's when I realized something. I knew who lived here. I groaned, was I just trying to kill myself. I couldn't help that I was trying to get away from one monster but driving toward another. What was my problem? I kept driving into the city and parked and slipped out of the car locking It with the button, I looked around it had been about 1pm by now and I was a bit hungry and the skies weren't that bright today. I hoped they wouldn't be around the town. I went toward a little bistro and sat and ordered a lemonade and sipped it slowly, when my waitress came back I ordered a salad she smiled and left graciously I watched the scenery of this small city I wondered about it. When my waitress returned with my salad I asked her

"Parlez-vous l'anglais ?" I smiled she nodded and replied "oui" I smiled

"Could you tell me briefly about this city I am from America and just drove here im staying in Florence and I would love to get the history" I smiled hoping she'd give me a bit of history

"It's an old city, tomorrow we are having a party, it is a party to celebrate the history of the city, and you should stay the night. You are welcome to stay at my place. If you would like" she smiled, she looked like she was American herself.

"You're American aren't you" I questioned

"I use to be im an Italian citizen now" she smiled showing me her I.D from here.

"When do you get off I will take you up on that offer" I smiled I would very much like to see this celebration.

"Well in an hr, you can stay and enjoy your lemonade and salad, while I finish my rounds of customers" she smiled I nodded graciously. I wasn't expecting her to be so friendly offering me a place, I would be paying for my first hotel night and not be there. Great, I ate slowly and sipped on more than one lemonade by the time she was off

"By the way my name is Melinda" she lifted her hand to mine

"Isabella" I told her we shook hands she smiled and we headed out of the bistro, I looked to my car and she smiled "I have a car with me, since I came here from Florence where are you located" I asked to be polite,

"Here, you drive ill direct" she smiled I nodded simply. She was clever I wasn't thinking I was more into the history of this place and distracted by the buildings and the big tower clock it was mesmerizing to be in historical places like this. And forget about other things.

We reached her place after driving just about 5 minutes she was a few short blocks away from the bistro but she was near the outskirts of the town she lived in a little apartment it was cute, the type of thing I would love to live in if I were a citizen here and had the money to do so. I sighed, thinking of my waste of money in the hotel. I looked toward the setting sun and looked as it set beside the castle as I leaned on her balcony

"So there's gong to be a celebration" I asked her she nodded

"Are you a history major or are you just really into this stuff" she asked me trying to get to know me apparently

"Im just really into history, I use to be a history major but im an English major." Lying wasn't my forte but she didn't know me well enough to know I was lying to her. And I really did plan when I first started high school with history but now that I think about it I love the classics and that was my desire was to be an English major.

"Ah, well this celebration tomorrow is a huge honor of the kings that use to rule here some odd years ago they were brothers and they were all about equality and fighting off anyone to protect there townspeople and there use to be some myth or legend about driving out vampires" I gasped when she said that but it was a fake gasp, I had no fear and I had lived around enough vampires to know that they weren't myth.

We talked for a while before she set out a sleeping bag on her couch and smiled and I thanked her again for this kind gesture and she smiled

"No sweat, someone would've done the same for me in order for me to see this its really truly amazing" I smiled and nodded to her and wished her a good night she was truly a nice person and I was grateful that this journey so far was good. That night I dreamt actually dreamt but it wasn't the best dream in the world it was a memory about my ex that I try to forget telling me about his fathers past one night when we were together we just sat around and I asked him to tell me about Carlisle's past and he looked to me and lifted me and took me into his office and showed me the picture of what looked like the 1600's and the men on the balcony and he told me they are friends of Carlisle that they are the brothers Volturi and they are the kings of there world and they are there to keep this world a secret from me well humans in general and if were to find out we would die or change. And I already knew that I was in trouble for knowing there secret. So I had a plan. I had to tell them; thankfully that Melinda was offering me her place tonight. I sat up after dreaming that and whispered to myself

"I had to this for the sake of my sanity to see if I could survive"

mid- morning-

me and Melinda were waiting outside the castle she had signed up for the tour of the castle this year she said it was something she never got to do all the years she was there and she smiled to me.

"This is going to be so much fun don't you think Isabella?" she questioned I was looking at the castle around us as we were waiting to go in.

"Yes, I am looking forward to it immensely" I smiled we were quickly being ushered in now and there was an adorable blonde lady with beautiful violet eyes.

"Hello, bonjour, I am Heidi I will be your tour guide today! Welcome to the Volturi Castle" she smiled and she ushered us to the main lobby. Now was my chance I had to whisper so she and only she could hear me

"Heidi I know what you are" she froze trying to look for who the voice belonged too

"brunette with brown eyes Heidi, tell your masters I need a word with them" I looked at her and she looked at me and gulped she nodded so fast that no one else would recognize she wrote something on her clip board and slipped it to me when we began walking the hall.

~ Text this number 0435-555-545-4435~

I texted the number and told her

~im Isabella, I use to be with the Cullens ~

I was waiting as she told the history of the castle and smiled to the tour guest they kept walking and she texted me back while we were walking

~ oh, we never knew the Cullens didn't regard our rules right, umm, I will get you a meeting you know this isn't a tour right it's a feeding tour ~

I gulped and she looked at me and winked at me and I texted her back

~ I wont be eaten ~

She looked at her phone and texted quick I praised vampire speed at the moment

~I don't know, they will have to decide on it but I will keep you out of the feeding tour line okay I will keep you with Gianni~

I nodded at her when she did that I slipped my phone into my pocket as she headed back toward the main lobby to finish with the grand tour of the throne where there will be wax replicas of paintings of what the masters were suppose to look like.

"Isabella, stay" she smiled when she opened the door, I looked to Melinda she was the first to enter the doors I was sad that she wasn't going to be there anymore but she signed up for this tour and I wasn't going to be the old Bella where I saved people. I was going to save myself before I saved anyone else. I sat at a bench and I looked toward the desk and there was a human there she had a head set on and she stared at me and smiled

"Bonjour Parlez-vous l'anglais ?" I asked the girl. She smiled and waved her hand admitting to me via gesture that she was some what good with it. "I am Isabella"

I looked at her and she smiled "I Am Gianni" I smiled

"How is today going for you" I asked she smiled and nodded her head

"Good" I smiled and nodded my head. Before I could answer my question Heidi came back and looked to me and smiled

"Isabella, they are ready for you" I looked around and prayed to all the gods that there be no dead bodies in there because blood isn't my favorite thing.

Walking into the room it was beautiful it was a circular marble columned room and very dark but very regal very something for royal in the center of the room in between two columns were three thrones in the middle a man that was breath taking he made Edward look like a wash rag, and to his left a blonde that made Carlisle look like his younger brother and to his right an older gentlemen that looked in thought about something. I walked in before them and bowed knowing they were royalty.

"How odd that this human bows before us and doesn't even question that we were royalty before asking." Said the blonde, I looked to him and smiled then kept my gaze toward the floor I remembered something in the king and I that you were never to keep eye contact.

"Miss, what say your name?" the god in the middle asked me

"Isabella Swan" I stumbled over my own name, great there going to think im stupid.

"may you come forward child" he reached his hand out toward me, I put my hand in his feeling something like a shock of electricity flow through me to him it was like something was daring me to connect with him further. I then remembered that his gift as Edward told me was he could see people's thoughts. We stood there for five minutes and he looked at me and raises an eyebrow. "Interesting"

"What is it brother?" the blonde asked

"She is a shield as a human!" he exclaimed his look toward me brightened. I blushed

"yep, even now im still a freak" I muttered