AN: This chapter is a bit short, but I had to stop it where I did. May take me a couple weeks for the next chapter, this is as far as I have written.
On another note, I finally got around to watching the extra dvd's that came with my BD2 movie. They were awesome! Two things- 1) I am in love with Garrett/Lee Pace/whoever the heck he is. That man is a natural vampire. 2) In the interview bit on the Volturi there is a part where Cauis is laughing and making fun of Marcus- THAT is my Caius in this story. That's the guy who is friends with James and has more on his mind than just destroying vampires. So if you haven't seen it, go find it and watch it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story line. SM owns the characters, I'm just having fun with them.

Chapter 10- Impatience

Bella POV
As we left Caius's office I was bursting with pride for my mate. I'm sure if Jasper wasn't so distracted he would have said something to tone me down a bit. This day just kept getting more bizarre. I met two vampires who orchestrated the demise of Julius Caesar, and had those same vampires offer my mate a job ruling over the vampires of North America. I am kind of curious now that Peter asked though, is Shakespeare a vampire? It wouldn't surprise me if he was out writing vampire romance novels or something now.

We were walking at human pace through the maze of hallways so James wasn't carrying me this time. I guess they weren't in a big hurry to get back to the throne room. I wondered how Aro was going to react to the news he was basically being de-throned. I doubted it was going to be a good reaction, I just hoped he wouldn't hold our coven personally responsible for his loss of power. I guess worrying won't do any good, we'll just have to wait and see how things go.

I shook off my fanciful thoughts and tuned into the conversation between James and Jasper. "I had no idea Laurent was your sire! Why wasn't he with you when we saw you the first time?" Jasper asked.

"I only stayed with him for a few years after I was turned. We wanted to travel in different directions so we parted ways. He found me again not long after I found you; he was looking for his mate," James said with a wink at Victoria. "Laurent picked up her scent and tried following her for months but her gift of evasion kept her out of his reach. She was much younger and didn't realize that her mate was the one following her, she was just trying to avoid conflict. Laurent knew of my gift, of course, and sought me out to help bring her to him. It still took a bit of work but we finally talked her down and they have been together ever since. They travel alone every few years but come back to help me with my tougher Volturi jobs as well. We were about to part ways when I ran across Bella's scent, and I asked them to come with me to find her in case I needed help when I found her scent mixed with multiple vampires and a werewolf."

I was surprised at this. I guess they weren't a true coven like the Cullens if they weren't together all the time. I turned to Laurent, hoping I wasn't speaking out of turn. "So will you stay with us when we get back, or will you go your own way?" James and Jasper stopped walking and looked at me with identical looks of surprise and pride so I guess it was ok to ask that.

Victoria and Laurent exchanged a glance before he answered. "We actually aren't sure yet. We'll see how things look when we leave here. We may take some time off so we don't overwhelm you during your newborn year, Bella. It can be a confusing time and having to adjust to a large group of vampires can make it more difficult. But if we are needed we will stick around. However, we really have no interest in ruling vampires. We are both nomads at heart." I thought James would be disappointed by their answer but he shrugged and said it was what he expected. I guess most vampires aren't cut out for life in a large coven.

James turned to Felix next. "So, you're coming back to the States with us? I'm not gonna have trouble out of you and the Major am I?" he asked in a mock stern voice. Feeling my confusion, Jasper explained.

"Felix was turned durin' the Southern Wars as well. He was an officer in a rival army and we met on the battle field several times. He was a damn good fighter- even gave me some of these bites I'm sportin'. But we're good now, he knows not to challenge me. It'll be good to have a decent sparrin' partner to train with though." When Peter growled, Jasper smirked and added, "Aside from my dear brother of course."

It seemed like every time we tried to talk to Felix we were interrupted. This time was no exception. A small boy who looked just like Jane came up to our group. "The Masters are awaiting your presence in the throne room."

James answered for our group as he reached to scoop me into his arms, "Thank you Alec, we will be right there." I was curious again and Jasper answered me.

"He's Jane's twin. When they were human, they were about to be burned as witches and Aro saved them. They were fourteen when he changed 'em, way too young. Anyway, his power is kinda the opposite of hers. He takes away your senses; you can't see or hear or feel anythin'. For a vampire, that can be worse than the pain. You lose all sense of time and start to go insane pretty quick." he broke off with a grimace and I sensed there was a story there. He looked at me and sighed. "They kept me under his power from the time they captured me until they placed me with the Cullens. It was about a month but it felt like an eternity."

Oh my god, that's horrible! These are the people we are going to be working for? I couldn't even say anything because there were too many ears around, but he picked up on my emotions and leaned over to hug me. "I'm ok now, darlin'. And it's gonna stay that way." I understood what he meant- we were going to stop things like that from happening to other vampires. We would be just and fair in our corner of the world. But one of these days I was going to get vengeance for my family. Those witch twins would have to die.

If Jasper picked up on my changing emotions, he chose not to say anything. We continued to run until we were in the waiting room with a different human receptionist this time. I wondered if they already ate the last one or if they worked in shifts. I really hoped it was the latter. I still can't imagine choosing to work here as a human, knowing you might get to be turned or you might be an appetizer for a hungry guard. I knew I sounded like a hypocrite, but for me it was different from when I was with the Cullens. I wasn't sure what the exact difference was, but I think Alice and Jasper had a lot to do with it.

I wasn't guarded as closely this time when the doors opened to let us into the room. I could see the kings sitting on their thrones, and they looked quite different. Marcus and Caius were smiling broadly, relaxed back in their seats. Aro looked fiercely angry and I froze a bit when I realized his anger was directed at my mate. I squeezed tighter to him and felt him purr softly but I was ready to get out of here and back home where we would be safe.

The room was silent as Aro stood in front of his throne. He glanced back at the other kings who just smirked and nodded toward our group. Aro tensed even more before turning back to face the room. "We are here today to pardon Jasper and Peter Whitlock-"

He was interrupted by Caius who coughed and said, "Major and Captain Whitlock."

Sighing, Aro continued, "-Major and Captain Whitlock from their crimes committed during the Southern Vampire Wars. They are released from punishment based on time served and hereby appointed to the American Council of the Volturi under Tracker James Williams. The North American Coven is granted permission to change Isabella Whitlock at the discretion of her mate anytime after they reach their destination. The Coven is still expected to be prepared to take over rule of their continent within one year.

"Jane, Alec, Felix, and Demetri will also return to the Americas to retrieve the remaining members of the Cullen Coven to stand trial for their part in the mistreatment of a known vampire mate, Miss Isabella Whitlock. Major Whitlock and his mate are excused from this trial based on the merit of their actions and their new position with the North American ruling coven. Due to their previous relationship to the new ruling coven, the Cullen trial will be handled here in Volterra to avoid a possible conflict of interest.

"If there are no further issues, the North American Coven is dismissed. I believe your aircraft has been readied for you and the information for access to your new compound is on board waiting for you. Thank you for your service and good luck in the future. Isabella, I look forward to seeing you after you join the ranks of immortality. I know you will be quite special." He looked at me sadly as he said this, and I knew he was wishing I would be changed here as part of his guard. I was quite happy to be across the ocean from him, although I would miss Caius and Marcus, they were quite the pair.

Our group let out a collective sigh of relief when Aro turned to walk back to his throne. James stepped forward and offered a slight bow to the kings. "Thank you for your offer and we look forward to working with you all in the future. We hope to ease your burden, and that we don't disappoint you with our service." The only answer he received was a slight nod from Aro, so he turned to lead our group out of the throne room. I was surrounded once again by my vampires but I still caught Jane's eye as we walked out the door. She glared at me sharply and I couldn't resist tossing a wink her direction. Aro's voice rang out in chastisement when she answered with a low growl.

Jasper POV
I can't believe it. For the first time in over fifty years, I'm free. Really and truly free, not hiding from anyone or on the run. I'm back with my brother and we have our niece with us, along with our mates, and there's really nothing more I could ask for. The feeling of freedom is completely new to me and it takes my mind a while to adjust to the foreign concept. If I close my eyes I can almost smell the fresh hot air of Texas before the wars, the humidity untainted with the stench of death and destruction. I can pretend I'm still a young human soldier, returning home to my mama with my sister and baby brother happy and waiting for me.

A soft voice draws me out of my musing; it has the right tone but it lacks the slow drawl that Abbie used. Opening my eyes, I'm met with curious brown ones so achingly familiar that I can't help but draw her in for a hug. Pete knows what I need and comes up on my other side, pulling us all together. It doesn't matter that we're standing in the middle of the Volturi waiting room on the other side of the world, it doesn't matter that two of us don't have heartbeats and the third will be silenced within days, it doesn't matter that I haven't been human in almost 150 years- at this moment, right now, I'm home.

With Bella's small hand rubbing circles on my back while Peter's strong arm holds me up, I finally look over to the rest of the vampires in our coven. James is nervous, keeping his sharp eyes on the Volturi guards that pass by. Alice and Charlotte are standing with their arms around each other, venom tears in their eyes. I realize my own eyes are wet and that I have been crying for the past few minutes, no wonder we're getting strange looks from the cloaked vampires. I want to tell Bella how I feel, but there are too many ears around. Instead, I focus on sending her the intense familial love that Peter and I share for her. She smiles up at me and pulls us both closer for a minute before pulling back to face the rest of the group.

Her eyes cut over to her mate, our coven leader, reminding me that while I'm free, I still willingly answer to a higher authority. It doesn't bother me the way it had with Maria or the Volturi though, as I know he is a fair man and one who will value my opinion. Right on cue, he looks at me and asks, "Ready to go, Major?"

I couldn't hold my laugh in, startling another round of somber Volturi guards. "Yeah, let's make a run for it before they change their minds!"