Two Weeks Later
Bella sat cross legged in front of Edward, her eyes closed, and her face scrunched with thought. She was trying to develop her powers, but wasn't getting very far. Aro had insisted on her strengthening them, developing them. Neither one of them knew the extent of her powers. She could still block out Aro, Kate, and Edward from her mind, but Marcus suggested that she might be able to let them in as well. This is what she was trying to do now…let Edward into her mind.
Two weeks ago, she had decided to stay with the Volturi. She knew that her power was useful. She could use it to help the Volturi instead of not doing anything with it in Forks. She missed her Cullen family sorely, and her death had to be faked for her real family. The only ones who knew better were Jacob and the rest of the pack. She missed Charlie and Renee deeply, but she knew that this was going to have to happen anyway. A clean break was probably best. Edward had chosen to stay on with the Volturi as well. He wasn't happy about it, but he wouldn't leave Bella.
Bella could feel the bubble of her powers surrounding her and she was trying her hardest to push it outward. It was draining energy out of her, but she kept pushing. Meanwhile she thought monotonous things in her head.
Edward. Edward. Edward. Can you hear me now? Edward. Edward. Edward.
Bella opened one eye to see if it was working. Edward hadn't flinched, so she knew it wasn't. She sighed deeply and let her bubble drop.
"It's alright, Bella, you'll get it eventually. Could you feel it go farther this time?" Edward asked, his voice encouraging.
"Not really. I think I'm using too much of my energy. I should probably stop for a while."
Edward nodded and pulled her in for a hug. Bella smiled and sunk into his arms. He no longer felt cold to her, he was almost warm and not nearly as hard either. He planted a kiss on her lips. Even though Bella was changed, she still couldn't get him to kiss her any more than she could before. It irritated her. She understood that she had blown up at him a couple weeks previous, but she didn't think that he could still be mad at her for that. She did still hold a little grudge against him and Felix for Edward not being the one to change her, but she was getting over that quickly. Her human memories weren't very strong, and those memories were included.
Bella was glad that Edward decided to stay with her. She knew how hard of a decision it was for him. He had to leave his family to stay with her. She didn't feel worth it. She had noticed that he was a little sulky, and she knew that it was her fault. It was the reason they hadn't tried to be intimate yet. It didn't seem like the right time, even though it was all she could think about just a month ago. She felt too guilty, though she probably would have had sex with him if he asked. He didn't ask, though, and she didn't push.
Her eyes were bright red, the only thing she hated about her new life as a vampire. Her eyes were brighter than Felix's or Aro's, as she still had some of her own blood running through her veins. She wished for the golden eyes of Edward and his family, but she knew that it wouldn't happen soon. True, she did have a great amount of control as a new vampire, much more than normal, but Aro and the rest of the Volturi did not trust to let her hunt on her own yet. Instead, they brought her glasses filled with the sticky red liquid. Neither Felix nor Edward could stand watching her drink it. Edward because it was human blood, Felix because it was lukewarm human blood. Both of them assured her that hot blood tasted much better, though they couldn't agree on where the blood came from.
"Maybe you could microwave it." Felix suggested.
"Gross! I'm not going to microwave the blood, Felix. That's disgusting!" Bella responded as she downed her third glass of O+.
"How you're drinking it now is what's disgusting!" Felix told her. Felix, Edward and Bella were all sitting in the library. Each of them had a different book in hand and they had been interrupted from their quiet afternoon by a tray of bagged blood and a glass. Bella had jumped on it greedily. She hadn't fed in a few days, and she was starting to get very thirsty. Neither Felix or Edward had fed in a least a week, but they were both still very under control and probably wouldn't have to feed for another week.
"I would have to agree, Bella." Edward told her, a grimace on his face. Human blood still smelled great to him, but watching her drink it was not very appetizing. He preferred the blood much thinner, hotter, and not in a glass.
"I'm going to try it again, Edward, is that okay?" Bella asked him, referring to testing out her power on him. Edward nodded and gave her an encouraging smile. He dropped his head back to his book, though, as he was able to concentrate on her mind and the book at the same time.
Bella closed her eyes and concentrated hard on Edward. She let her barriers down and felt the bubble expand like an aura around her body. She pushed it out towards Edward, but the bubble was being difficult. Every time she tried to push it out it would snap back into her like a rubber band. She took a deep breath and concentrated even harder. This time she was able to get the bubble out a little farther and it stayed in place. It tired her out quickly and she had to pull it back in.
"It got a little farther that time. I still can't get it far enough." Bella said.
"You'll get there." Edward told her, an apologetic smile on his face. He returned to his book.
"Maybe you're just not good enough." Felix murmured, not looking up from his large, bound book of the Douglas Adams collection. Bella scowled. Felix was starting to get on nerves.
"Shut up, Felix, I'll get it eventually. Right, Edward?" Bella retorted and glanced in Edward's direction.
"Of course you will, Bella." Edward responded, briefly looking up from his book and smiling at her.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in the library, the three of them quiet and reading. Felix really didn't enjoy their company, but he was in the library before they showed up and he wasn't about to leave just so that they could get "alone time". Bella and Edward didn't care for Felix either, but again, he was in the library first, and they weren't going to make him leave. Instead, they spent their time trying to ignore him and his snide comments.
Two Weeks Later
Bella sat cross legged (again) in front of Edward (again). She was unsuccessfully trying to open her mind up for Edward again. She let out a growl as she released her bubble again, letting it snap back to her.
"Why isn't this working!" He groaned. Edward looked at her with sad eyes and gave her a sympathetic smile.
"It's alright, Bella. You'll get it." Edward told her, for the fifth time that day.
"I don't know why I keep trying." She said, laying down on her back, her legs still crossed., "I'm not getting anywhere."
"Bella?" Edward said, his voice soft.
"Yeah?" She asked, still lying down.
"I'm leaving." His voice was sad.
She sat up and stared him in the eye, searching him. She shook her head, not wanting to believe him, "You mean you're going hunting? Okay. Can I come?" She had recently been allowed to go hunting, as long as Edward was with her. It pleased her that she didn't have to drink human blood anymore, and Edward had been right. Hot blood did taste better, even if the animal blood wasn't as satisfying.
"No, Bella. I'm leaving. I'm going back to Forks." He hung his head and stared at his hands. He really didn't want to have this conversation.
"Why?" was all Bella could manage to say.
"I love you, Bella, and I always will. I just…I can't be away from them. I can't be away from my family. It's killing them, not having me there, and it's killing me too. I can't stay here. Come with me. Please?" Edward asked, lifting his head up as he uttered his last four words.
"You know I can't do that, Edward. There is nothing for me to accomplish in Forks. I'm needed here. I'm useful here."
"We need you in Forks, Bella. You're useful to us." Edward retorted, begging her.
"No, I'm not, Edward. Please don't go."
"I'm sorry, Bella. I love you." He looked at her sadly. If either of them could cry, they would be. Edward reached out his hand and stroked her face before kissing her chastely on the lips. He got up and walked out of the room, and presumably, out of the palace. He hadn't planned on leaving this early, but he knew the quicker he left, the easier it would be on both of them.
Bella sat where she was, still in shock. For three days she didn't move. She didn't eat. She hardly even breathed.
