Chapter 4 - Homecoming

Before...

The year was 1760, and the Volturi were holding a ball for their new friends, Carlisle and Katerina Cullen. Carlisle was unsure about the festivities, mainly because of Katerina, he wasn't sure if she could control her powers in such a large group of people, and there were also concerns that she wouldn't be able to control her thirst. Aro did not seem to share these concerns, saying that she is in quite good control of both.

Jane and Katerina had both been subjected to poking and prodding by a seamstress the day before, they had grown to be not bad friends, but Jane was and would always be jealous of Katie's bond with Aro. That night, the girls helped each other tie up their dresses before going their separate ways, Jane was being escorted by her twin brother Alec, and Katie was being escorted by Carlisle. Katie thought it was strange that she couldn't just go on her own, but it was the times.

Carlisle knocked at Katie's door, "Come in." he heard her say in his mind. He opened the door, and he saw an angel. She was wearing a white gown that was slightly reminiscent of a wedding dress, but it went from pure white at the top to blood red at the bottom. It was quite simple, which made the large diamond necklace she was wearing the center of attention.

"When did you get that?" Carlisle asked Katie, referring to the necklace.

"It was a birthday present." Katie replied.

"From who?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't know."

"You know." Carlisle said, "How could you not know?"

"Well of course I know, but I'm not supposed to, and therefore I don't know." Katie reasoned.

Carlisle chuckled, "Touché." He held out his arm, and she linked hers in his and they walked quietly down the hallway, where they could already hear the orchestra Aro had hired playing, and the chatter, and the heartbeats of some of the humans, and the absence of heartbeats of the vampires. Before they entered Carlisle turned to Katie, "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine, don't worry about it." Katie said. They walked through the doors and onto the balcony that overlooked the ballroom. Standing there was Aro, Caius and Marcus. Katie read their thoughts as they turned to face them. Aro was thinking that he should control his thoughts so there would be less noise for her, Caius was thinking about how she looked more alive than any other vampire he had ever seen. Marcus was thinking about how much he didn't like her, which wasn't surprising because he had never liked her, something about how he didn't like the hold she had on his brothers.

"Ah, Cullen's, thank you for joining us." Caius spoke first.

Aro grinned at Katie, May I have this dance? he asked in his mind, knowing Katie would be listening. Aro held out his arm and Katie left Carlisle's side to go with him. The pair danced for exactly 47 minutes before Katie read in Caius' mind that there was a matter they had to attend to, and since Aro was holding her hand, he knew instantly as well.

It's a shame, I was enjoying myself. Aro thought to Katie.

Me too. Katie thought back as they walked back up the stairs to join the others who had remained standing up there, watching the crowd, or Katie and Aro in Carlisle's and Marcus' case. The five of them looked over the crowd for a moment before going to deal with some sort of rouge vampire, but in that moment, a painter saw them standing there and was inspired by their God-like appearances.

"Brother, there's a feral vampire that needs ending." Caius said to Aro.

"Let's be done with this." Marcus said in the same tired monotone as always.

Now...

Bella, Alice and Edward went ahead, they wanted Bella to get home to Charlie quickly, and Katie claimed she had to see some old friends before she left town, but promised that she'd be on the next flight out. Edward was against leaving her behind, he feared that if they left without her she wouldn't come at all. Edward was now being forced to take Bella to his house so that his family could vote on whether or not to turn her into a vampire.

Bella was standing in front of them speaking, "You all know what I want," she paused, and looked at Carlisle to see his reaction. "And I know how much I'm asking for. So the only way I think it'll be fair is just to vote."

"You don't know what you're-" Edward began, but was cut off by Bella shushing him.

"Shut up." Bella said looking at him with exasperation. "Alice?" She asked, looking up.

"I already consider you my sister." Alice said while walking towards Bella before embracing her. "Yes."

"Thank you." Bella replied.

"I vote yes." Jasper spoke. "It would be really nice not to want to kill you all the time."

"I'm sorry," Rosalie said before pausing, "I'm really sorry to both of you for how I've acted, and I'm really grateful that you were brave enough to go and save my brother, but this isn't a life I would have chosen for myself, and I wish there was someone who would have voted no for me." She paused again, "So no."

At that, Carlisle's heart dropped, he hated that Rosalie resented her immortal life, and he hated even more that he had been the one to force it on her. He always hoped that she was happy, and he thinks she is, but he knows that it kills her that she can't have kids. Carlisle has tried to tell her that she could adopt kids, and raise them in the dark, maybe turn them when they were old enough, but Rosalie never wanted that, the thought of turning others into what she was revolted her.

"I vote hell yeah" Emmet said happily, and he went and picked up Bella and spun her around a bit for fun, before carefully placing her back on the ground. "And we can pick a fight with these Volturi some other way." he added.

"I already consider you a part of the family, yes." Esme said, smiling at Bella, who smiled back.

Carlisle took a few steps towards Edward, "Why are you doing this to me? You know what this means." Edward said to Carlisle.

"You've chosen not to live without her, which leaves me no choice. I won't loose my son." Carlisle said, Edward could tell, even without reading his mind that there was an unspoken sentence added, not like I've lost your sister.

Then the doorbell rang. Carlisle, looked at Edward strangely, because he smiled wide and ran to get the door. Carlisle heard an unmistakeable female voice, "Hey Eddie."

Carlisle zoomed to the door, and his unbeating heart leapt. Katie. He stood there, frozen, so did she. The others came to see who it was, and saw Carlisle and Katie staring at each other sadly, everyone unspokenly decided to leave them alone for a minute so they could talk.

"Hey." Katie said softly.

"Where were you?" Carlisle asked, hurt came through in his voice.

"Where I always was." She replied.

"Why?" Was all Carlisle could make out.

"Because it wasn't safe." Katie told him.

"We would have protected you, I-"

"Not for me! For you! Do you think so little of me that I would have stayed away for any other reason?" Katie shook her head, "I'm sorry, I really am. But I- but I" she paused and bit her lip. "I killed a lot of people, and I didn't even mean to, I could barely stand myself, and I knew that if I had hurt any of you, killed any of you... I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Oh Katie..." Carlisle said softly, he hugged her, and she began to shake in his arms. She was crying, "Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I just really missed you." She said as she wiped the tears away from her eyes.

"I missed you too, so much. Don't do that ever again." Carlisle said, and Katie laughed. A few moments later, the rest of the family came back.

Emmet was the first to run and hug Katie, he picked her up and spun her around like he had just done with Bella, she laughed. "It's good to have you back Katie."

"It's good to see you again Emmet." Katie said smiling. She was suddenly being tackled by Rosalie.

"Don't leave like that again." she said

"Don't worry, I don't plan to stay away like that again." Katie said, "I promise."

"Good." Esme said from the stairs, "Because we missed you."