AN: Hey sorry it's been a while. I've decided to do 2 chapters in Edward's POV, mainly because it was taking so long to write it!
This chapter goes back to when Bella first arrived in Italy. Hopefully by the end of the second chapter it will be up to date.
So here goes EPOV part 1.

I couldn't believe she was here.

I couldn't believe she was alive.

Well I didn't really know what to call the state she was in now. At the moment she looked peaceful almost as she did when she slept but that was because the venom hadn't completely spread yet. Her body had gone into a coma like state from the shock after the first hour or so.

***

It wasn't her, it couldn't be. She died four years ago. Then why did people keep seeing her in their thoughts. She wasn't the same Bella that I remembered, but obviously she would have grown older. This girl in everyone's thoughts reminded me so of Bella that it was difficult to think otherwise.

I had been trying to block people's thoughts as usual but for some bizarre reason I was drawn to thoughts of this girl, I was curious about her and that is never a good thing. When I was managing to block the thoughts from my head my ears picked up the rumours that had been going around the castle all day. Apparently Aro had decided someone important was here. That had interested me; there were very few that Aro deemed important. Only those of us with gifts beneficial to the guard, or occasionally there was a human with enough potential to be worthy of being changed as apposed to being made into dinner for the rest of them.

That is how Aro had persuaded me to join the guard, I had originally come here to end my existence after I had been told of Bella's death; however Aro thought killing me would be a waste, considering my talent, and so asked me to join. I didn't have much choice in the matter; Aro is very persuasive when he wants to be. After I had explained to Aro why I had left Carlisle and the others he was very interested in my relationship with Bella. Aro was quite annoyed I hadn't turned her into one of us, and although it would have meant taking her soul away from her I do regret not doing so myself, but that is my selfish side talking and I was sure Bella would have been better off without me. Even though she had not lived for more than a year after I had left.

Aro seemed to think Bella would have had a gift, had she been turned, how else had I been unable to hear her thoughts? Either that or it was because she was my 'la tua cantante' my 'singer' as Aro had called it. There was little evidence to prove either way. No vampire had been in love with a human without turning them before and any confirmation of a vampire finding their 'singer' always ended with a body to hide and an unexplained death to cover up.

I can't believe we've finally found her. Where is Jane? I need to tell her the good news. Aro looked so impressed. I wonder if she will be immune to Jane's gift as well as Aro's. I wish Aro had let me try, maybe he will when we return. Where is that sister of mine?

Alec's thoughts hit me like a brick wall. It was her. It was Bella. But how? I let my thoughts follow Alec. He went into Jane's room and told her about 'the girl'. Then I followed them to the main chamber where Aro & the others were waiting.

I could hear all of their thoughts from down the corridor, it was as though they were all shouting at me. I tried to concentrate on each separate though but it was difficult.

Aro was fascinated. She will join us. She didn't seem too sure when I asked her, but I have my secret weapon. I am surprised Edward hasn't already arrived to see her, he must know it is her.

Jane didn't seem impressed although I could tell she was eager to use her gift.

Demetri was extremely annoyed. How could she block me? She is only a human! I hope Jane gets carried away.

Caius was Annoyed with Aro for taking this long to decided. Either kill her or change her Aro, but just do it quick.

I could see Bella's face through their thoughts. She looked different to how I remembered her but all humans change over time and it had been three years since I had left her.

I could tell Aro was about to give Jane the order to try out her ability on Bella. I couldn't let that happen.

I knew it was Bella; her scent hit me as soon as I entered the room. I managed to distract them for long enough to get between Bella and Jane. I didn't take another breath even when I turned around to face Bella as she fainted.

I couldn't believe she was alive.

She slept for a long time and I took that time to try to compose myself. I tested the air and although it burned my throat her scent just made it that bit easier to believe she was really there.

"Edward?"

Her voice sounded weak, understandably after being unconscious for 3 hours.

"Bella." It was dark in the room and I knew she couldn't see a thing. She looked very confused when I spoke.

I leant forward, I don't know why I did, I just had the urge to be closer to her. That wasn't a good idea. She screamed. I must have startled her. I moved as quick as I could and covered her mouth with my hand, I knew Jane was standing just outside the door, just waiting for an excuse to come in.

It would seem she is awake then? What is he doing to her? Aro said he didn't want her harmed, I had better check on them.

Jane entered looking rather disappointed, she was looking for an excuse to get me and this was the perfect time.

I didn't take my eyes off Bella while I spoke with Jane; I wanted to reassure her she was safe and also check Jane wasn't doing anything to her.

I didn't move after Jane left, I didn't want to alarm Bella.

Bella being Bella tried to sit up and managed to fall back into the cushions of the sofa.

"You should stay still Bella." I didn't want her fainting again.

"Why do you always tell me what to do Edward?" her voice was very harsh, I suppose I deserved that.

"I don't, I just… how are you here?" I still couldn't understand it, she was dead. Alice had seen her jump off that cliff 3 years ago.

"What do you mean?"

"How..? Why are you here?"

"I'm on holiday with Jake." She sat up but still looked slightly shaky. I would have made her lie back but I was concentrating too much on the fact she was in front of me living and breathing.

"I don't mean" that, how are you alive? "Rosalie told me" you were dead. "Alice saw" you jump off a cliff. I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentences, even now with her in front of me; it felt as though if I said it aloud someone might come in here and take her away from me, I never wanted to be away from her again.

"Where are they? Are they all here too?"

They? The Cullens? "No, somewhere in Asia I believe. I haven't spoken to any of them in years." Not since I told Alice to stay away from Forks, not since they told me you were dead.

"Why? What happened?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"What do you mean?" well here goes, I have to tell her the truth.

"Rosalie told me you were," I had to say it "dead." I sank down to the chair, my legs could barely keep me standing, I nearly went back to how I had been when I had first come here. One thing was different though. Bella was here, she was alive and I couldn't take my eyes off her, she looked so beautiful. She looked very shocked by my statement but I continued before she asked anything, it would be quicker and easier if I just said it straight. "Alice saw you jump off a cliff. I told her not to look for you but she can't stop her visions any more than I can stop the mind reading."

I realise that now, if only I hadn't been so harsh on her then, after all she had lost a best friend, one she barely knew. She was only trying to keep her safe, the same thing I was trying to do, I think we both failed there. "I wasn't with them when she had the vision. She wasn't going to tell me. She was just going to go to Forks and see what had happened, be a comfort for Charlie if you really were.., but Rosalie, she thought I should know, she thought it might make me come back to them. It didn't. I told Alice not to go to Forks, told her that your father would be more upset with her around if something had happened to you. That is when I came here. I had other intentions but Aro managed to convince me to join the guard."

"What other intentions?"

Well since I was being honest. "I didn't want to be this anymore, especially knowing that you had taken your own life because I had left you."

"You felt guilty?"

"No! Bella how many times did I tell you I couldn't live in a world where you didn't exist?"

"But you left."

"For your-"

"Yes, for my own good. To keep me safe, so you said. So why didn't you come and see if I was dead?"

I don't know, it was stupid of me, "I …believed her, would you bet against Alice?"

"Probably not, no." No I don't think anyone would. Maybe I should have let her go to Charlie, then she would have known Bella was alive. I wonder what Charlie would have said to Alice after we all left like that.

What was Bella doing here? Was she looking for danger? Or did it just happen to find her as it always did?

"Did you say you were on holiday?"

"Yes."

"With who?"

"Jake." A boy? A man? Well it would seem Bella has moved on with her life. I'm happy for her, slightly jealous maybe but happy she is alright.

"How do you know him?" I could ask that, couldn't I?

"I've known him for ages; my dad is best friends with his dad Billy." Billy, why do I recognise that name? friends with Charlie. The only friends I know Charlie had are the ones on the Quileute reservation.

"Billy Black?" No! Please no. I couldn't control myself, I just couldn't sit there.

"Yes." No, no, no. Not a werewolf, she can't be friends with a werewolf. She really can pick them!

"Bella they aren't great company to keep and I know it's none of my business but…"

"No, that's right Edward! It isn't any of your business! But for your information Jake has helped me a lot in the last 3 years."

"But, Bella he is a…"
"He is a what? A good friend? A laugh? A life-saver? A werewolf? Yes Edward I do know about the stories."

"But…" She knew?

"Stop it Edward! He saved my life! More than once!"

"He did?"

"Yes so before you start slating him at least understand that I wouldn't be around if it wasn't for him."

"How?" I sat back down on the chair. I couldn't believe a werewolf had saved her life, had done the job that I now realised was meant for me.

"Well for a start, he helped me through a lot after you left me! I was a state, I barely spoke to anyone and he was there for me the whole time and got me through it." ouch, I suppose I deserved that. "Then he stopped me from drowning, yes I did jump off a cliff, but not to kill myself, it was supposed to be fun, I didn't realise there was a storm starting and when I hit the water I was dragged straight under. Jake jumped in and saved me. And he saved me from Victoria when she came looking for me." I'm sure I would have been sick, had I been able to.

"Victoria? When?"

"About six months after you left, Laurent came first, that was before I knew about the werewolves, Laurent found me in the meadow and the pack got there just before he could do anything."

"The meadow? What were you doing there?"

"Looking for you."

"Why were you looking for me?"

"It's a long story and I really don't have time to-" She seemed to change her mind mid sentence. "What are they going to do?"

"Who?"

"Aro and the others. They aren't just going to let me walk away from this are they?"

"No. they have rules about these sort of situations. They usually think of it as a free meal. But Aro seems sure that he can convince you to join them, join us."

"How?"

"Aro already knew you knew about us, even if you hadn't said anything he would have known."

"But he couldn't read my thoughts."

"No, he can't, I thought he might, with him having to touch people I thought it might work on you but apparently not. He can read mine though. He knows every thought I have ever had just by one touch."

"Can you read his mind?"

"Yes, it is very strange actually hearing and seeing all of my memories in his head."

"Well that still doesn't help me workout what will happen to me now."

"Well Aro obviously knows what happened between us, and he knows you are unaffected by either of our talents. He was going to test you out on some of the other guards, with more dangerous talents. Jane has the ability of causing pain in someone. It is so strong that when she was a new born she killed hundreds of humans by accident that way. That is what Aro was going to try on you before I came in. Jane was thinking about trying that when she came in here a minute ago. Aro thinks you would have a gift as well if you were to be turned. He is thinking of inviting you to join."

"He already did."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, I didn't have time, Jane came in just after he asked me."

"Would you join?"

"I don't know. Is that the only option? Death or vampire?"

"It would seem that way."

"Then no. Tell him I would prefer to be dinner."

"He thought you might say that. I could hear it in his thoughts as I entered the room. I was supposed to be his 'secret weapon'. He was going to tell you that if you joined the guard you and I could be together again."

"But you wouldn't want that. You left."

I would want that, but not for you, this is the worst existence a vampire could have, if it did get to that stage I would prefer you found the Cullens. "Would you please stop saying that Bella. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret leaving you."

"Only because you thought I had committed suicide."

No! "I did it for you Bella. If Alice hadn't had that vision. If she'd had a vision of you being happy, having a family, growing old. Then yes I would have been happy, happy that you had the things I couldn't give you, but never happy for not being with you."

Jane surprised me by bursting through the door, I had been so involved in the conversation with Bella I didn't hear her coming.

"Aro knows the girl is awake, he wants to see her." She looked towards Bella "Follow me," Edward stay here Aro doesn't want to see you. She added in her head.

I ignored her and stood up Jane glared at me. "Edward you are to stay here."

"Not a chance."

"Oh I think there is a large chance. Aro told you not to harm either of us, did he not?"

"Well there was a struggle, you were going to harm her, I had to intervene." I could see her thought process in her head and I knew she wasn't bluffing but I wouldn't let Bella alone with her, or any of them for that matter, I would fight them all off myself if it came to it.

"Could I not just walk with you? She is still weak. Would you be able to carry her?"

"Very well, but you must wait outside the chamber. Felix and Demetri will wait there with you."

"Where will you be?"

"Where ever the master wants me."

"Fine." That was as good as I would get at the moment, but I could take Felix and Demetri if the need was there. I held out my hand for Bella. She wobbled as she stood up and I was tempted to carry her but I knew she wouldn't like that so I pulled her close to my side instead.

I could hear Aro contemplating inside. I'll change her either way; I know she has some sort of gift, If it isn't that important I'll just have her destroyed.

I pulled Bella back down the corridor slightly and was tempted to run for it, although I knew it was no use so I turned her to face me, trying to think of some other plan. I couldn't think of anything so I tried to buy myself some more time.

"Bella, be careful. Aro can be very persuasive. I will try to think of a way out of this for you. Just don't do anything reckless ok?" pain flashed across her face and I suddenly realised what I had just said. Memories of that evening in the woods flooded my head and it was all I could do to keep myself standing. "I know you can be very headstrong, but it isn't a good idea inviting vampires to make you into dinner. You should know that."

Her head nodded ever so slightly and she threw me off guard by hugging me.

I didn't know what to do. I was completely stunned. Her skin was so close to my nose I had to stop breathing so I wouldn't do anything stupid. Before I could put my arms around her as I wanted to she let go and stepped back.

"Sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be." I whispered back although I don't know if she heard. She smiled slightly before turning away from me and following Jane through the doors.

AN: Hope you enjoyed, the next one will be up soon.
Please review.