I do not own Twilight SM does.

Chapter 7

BPOV

It was a silent ride as we headed towards Ben and Angela's home here in the city. My mind was racing wondering what could possibly be wrong. I glanced over at Edward and I could see the tension in his face. His jaw was clenched and I could almost hear the steering wheel cracking under his grip.

"Bella there are some things you will hear tonight that may …." He paused searching for the right words "freak you out but know that I would never harm you in any way and I will protect you with my life." I gasped at his words.

I turned and looked out of the window looking at and seeing nothing. "Angela knows doesn't she? She knows about whatever it is that you have to tell me." My voice sounded accusing to my ears. Angela never kept secrets from me and this was obviously a big one.

"Angela made her decision to leave you in the dark to protect Ben not to hurt you. Ben is her priority as he should be that doesn't make her any less you friend." He stated simply. It stung to hear that although rationally I knew it was true. Angela had found her other half and while she would always be my girl I was no longer her most important relationship.

I sighed and glanced at him "Can you tell me anything? I feel like I'm going into this blind."

"I sorry for that but I think Angela should be with you for support and I need to know exactly what's going on before we have this discussion. Please be patient and all will be revealed." I nodded at his plea we were almost at the house anyway so I guess a few more minutes wouldn't kill me.

Moments later we pulled up at the beautiful home that Angela and Ben had recently purchased. It was a two story ranch style home in a picturesque neighborhood.

I noticed several other vehicles in the driveway and guessed that Edward's family was already here. Getting out of the car Edward took my hand and whispered "Just know that I really do care about you Bella this isn't a fleeting thing it's not our way." I frowned at his phrasing what did he mean by "our way." Please God don't let this man be part of a cult. As the errant thought crossed my mind he looked at me and laughed as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Not exactly what you are thinking but the jist of it. You are more difficult than many people to read sometimes your mind is completely silent to me. It's fascinating really."

My mouth dropped open and he dragged me to the house. My mind was reeling Edward read my thoughts. Approaching the door we could hear raised voices. Edward and I looked at one another and entered the house.

Rosalie was the first to see us and her face twisted in disgust at me. Without thinking I flipped her the bird and went to hug Angela. "God I've missed you." I told her as I took her in. Angela was always a stunner with her cocoa skin and exotic looking hazel eyes but she now seemed to glow.

Carlisle interrupted our reunion "Now that everyone is here we have to get this underway. There is much to discuss."

"Why does she have to be here!" Rosalie sneered as she gestured towards me. "It's bad enough we have to deal with that one."

No this bitch didn't. Just as I turned to address her Emmett spoke up. "Quiet Rosalie!" His tone was harsh and everyone in the room became silent. I knew from Angela that Emmett never raised his voice to his wife. Everyone tried not to look shocked and Rosalie's bottom lip began to quiver.

"Emmett?" She looked shell shocked as he said firmly. "Rosalie you have caused far too much discord for far too long. Sit down and be silent."

There was an awkward silence that followed before Carlisle looked at Edward. "Now would be the time to tell her Edward. We need to discuss what's happened and she will not understand if she isn't informed." Edward stood and faced me. He opened his mouth to address me but no words came out. His face looked as if he was going to have a panic attack. He looked at his sister Alice who came and sat beside me taking my hand. I looked at Edward as she spoke. "This is hard for my brother to tell you and I'm going to show you something and I need you to keep an open mind. You are here because Edward could not bear for you not to be." I felt someone sit beside me and rub my shoulders. I knew instantly it was Angela and I relaxed.

"It's okay Bella just close your eyes and Alice will show you what you need to know." Edward was right they were freaking me out and having Angela here was making this a lot easier. I closed my eyes and mental images assaulted me. It was like I was standing inside a live action movie. Edward and Alice were running with a group of people. Two were obviously their parents as the tall man looked exactly like Edward but he had his mother's hair and eyes. Alice was small and petite like her mom with her eyes as well but her dark hair came from her father. They were perfect blends of their beautiful parents.

All around them was chaos as people were being shot down. They were under attack and several who were with the group had already fallen. Just as they reached some sort of vessel Edwards mother took a blast that tore into her side. At the same moment one of the pods took a hit leaving room for two people. His father looked at his children and wife and made a quick decision. He placed Alice in the pod and literally forced Edward in who was struggling to get to his fallen mother. Once he forced Edward inside he locked him in. He set the coordinates to go to his old friend knowing that if anyone could save his children it would be Carlisle.

Edward was beating on the window screaming and pleading with his father who placed his hands against the glass. "I love you my son always remember that and take care of your sister." The pod took off and Edward and Alice could only watch helplessly as their parents perished before their eyes.

Then suddenly I was in a corridor and I was watching Emmett engage in a death fight with several ….things. He wielded a long staff that had a sharp end. It was also a blaster so he could shot it or wield it as a sword. Emmett moved like a superhero. His large body was incredibly agile as well as strong. Rosalie was crying over a dead child. A woman was laying on the floor nearby a man cradling her in his arms. He was wounded as well. He looked over at the guard who had just decapitated the last of the attackers. He had no idea who the soldier was but he was Rosalie's only hope at this point. "Get my daughter to safety. She is the last of the royal line her brothers have all been murdered and the rest of the Royal council is gone. Save her please go to Carlisle he will help you." Emmett nodded at council member and grabbed a hysterical Rosalie and fled.

The scene flashed again to Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Ben and another young man. The young man looked like Carlisle, his son. They were desperately trying to find a ship in the hanger that had not been destroyed. Ben finally yelled "I have one here but it needs a core reactor!"

The young man took off towards the control room and set in the instructions to place a core reactor with two backups into the ship. As the robotic system loaded the ship Emmett ran into the hanger with Rosalie and a few minutes later Edward and Alice's pod found Carlisle's beacon bringing the siblings to him. Taking in Alice's tear streaked face and Edwards feral expression he had no need to ask where their parents were.

Carlisle quickly had everyone gather supplies of food whatever they could find in the hanger and load the ship. The group boarded the ship and Carlisle waited for his son Leukin to join. Meanwhile in the control room Leukin saw on the monitor a group of Volturians storming the building. They had a large cannon blaster, a ship destroyer. Leukin knew the ship would not make it off the ground if they waited for him. He let down the emergency doors to buy them a few minutes and took control of the ships navigation knowing his father would never leave him behind. Setting the ship for takeoff he called his parents on the the two way visual screen. He knew he startled his father when his face appeared on the screen. Carlisle's faced scrunched in confusion when he realized Leukin had control of the ship. "Son what are you doing?"

"There are Volturian's in the hanger Dad. I'm going to hold them off so you can get off the ground. If I don't the ship will be blown apart at takoff." Carlisle's face paled as he realized what his only child was saying to him. "I love you Mom, Dad. Live for me don't let my sacrifice be in vain." And he pushed the launch button. Grabbing a rapid fire cannon he headed to the hallway.

The next instant I'm on the ship and Edward, Alice, Jasper, Ben, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett were watching their home blow up. Esme fell to her knees screaming for her son. Rosalie passed out as Alice cried softly in Jaspers arms. Ben and Emmett could only stare in disbelief as their lives changed forever.

I opened my eyes and the tears spilled over as it all sunk in. Edward was from another planet. The room was silent as they waited for my response. "I'm so sorry for your losses, that was horrible to watch I cannot imagine having to live it." I looked at Angela who gave me a reassuring smile and I nodded letting her know I was okay. I then stood and walked to Edward and placed my hands on his face "Okay I forgive you for being a jackass when we first met. If that doesn't get you a free do over nothing does. But why is it so important that I know about this? Why tell me your secret."

He looked really shy all of a sudden like a little boy. It tore at my heart that he lost so much. "You are my mate Bella. I fought the pull when we first met but it was not to be denied. Kreonians mate for life."

My mouth fell wide open. I should be running for the hills screaming at the top of my lungs. An alien was in love with me but I didn't want to run I only wanted to wrap my arms around him and shield him from all the hurt the universe had thrust upon him. I knew that wasn't possible so did the next best thing I kissed him senseless.

I heard snickering in the back ground, probably Angela and Ben. I pulled away as someone cleared their throat.

"Well now that that's out of the way let's get to the issue at hand." Carlisle called us to order. We moved to the dining room table and I looked around at them all. I had newfound respect for these people now. Rosabitch was glaring at me so I fixed her with a stare of my own. Angela hated when I did this. It was blank and creepy almost like a dead person looking at you. She eventually averted her eyes uncomfortable and Angela giggled.

Edward waited for everyone to get settled before he asked. "Do we know for sure that it's the Volturians that are coming here could anyone else have received the signal."

"What! Volturians you mean those things that killed your planet..they are coming here! How why… how." I was on the verge of getting hysterical at the thought of those creatures landing here.

"Rosalie well she uhhh…she …she sent out a coded signal. And it was intercepted we just don't know by who because it's meant to be one way. We don't want your government to figure out we are here it would be catastrophic for us. We have no means of escape as our ship was too badly damaged." Ben explained.

"I just wanted to get off this planet there are so many other planets with life why do we have to be stuck here."

"By killing us all." Edward yelled at her.

"Rosalie" Carlisle sighed "chances are the other planets have meet the same fate as Kreon or are under their rule. It is why we were attacked first we had the biggest fleet and posed the biggest threat at defeating them. With us out of the picture the Federation is at the Volturians mercy. None of the other colonies can stand against them."

"What watching one planet be blown to bits wasn't enough for you? Are you crazy? From what I saw those things are brutal and are technologically more advanced than we are. " I seethed at Rosalie.

"That's not the only danger" Angela spoke up. "What if NASA or some other entity picked up the signal and traced it here. We aren't as backwater as you like to believe It was careless and selfish even for you. Not only could you have alerted the Volturi but earth authorities as well."

I looked over at Rosalie who actually looked ashamed for once in her life.

"We don't know that it's Volturian." Esme imputed trying to relieve the tension.

"Who else would it be Esme?" Jasper asked obviously frustrated. "This solar system isn't even in our charts of authorized space travel."

I felt like I was on an episode of Star Trek.

"I don't think it's a Volturian ship Jasper. It's too small, Volturians never send scouts. " Ben replied. " We are going to have to wait until it arrives which will not be long as it will be here in about seven hours."

Seven hours thats 420 minutes before my home could possibly be under alien attack.

Edward turned to his sister "Have you seen anything?" Alice shook her head no. Seen what?

"Alice can get visions of the future but she is young and has not honed her gift so the visions are sporadic. She will get better with time." Edward supplied answering my unasked question. That was going to get old soon.

"What other choice do we have? Let's prepare and hope for the best. Ben are they coming in undetected?" Carlisle asked.

"As far as I know they have active shields that are working humans will not know if they enter the atmosphere." Ben replied.

For the next 420 minutes we sat in the living room and awaited our fate.