Author's Chapter Notes:
My story takes a few liberties with Wonder Twin #2's (Alec) gift, but I doubt many of his previous victims ever escaped from Volturi clutches to tell the vampire world exactly what happens to them, and so, I've allowed myself some speculation. If that offends anyone, just chuck it up to Alternate Universe. :)
And so, my first EPOV.
*****
Edward's POV
As I sat with Bella, I couldn't help but bury my face in her beautiful hair and inhale. Her scent burned down my throat like an all-consuming fire, but I would gladly suffer the incineration for this moment in time. She was here in my arms and since vampires can't sleep, I knew this was no dream. I held her as gently as I knew how, praying she wouldn't pull away. Her sobs had finally stopped and she was just looking at me with her soulful brown eyes. I couldn't help but wipe at the tearstains on her cheeks with the edges of the robe I had tucked around her.
As I looked into Bella's eyes, I felt like I was drowning in the emotions there. The fear and desperation I expected. It was the love I didn't expect to see; didn't deserve to see. The love of my Bella was something that I had thought never to see again. My dead heart expanded in my chest as I realized that she must still love me, no matter what I had done. No matter how I had hurt her, had failed her. And from what I'd gleaned from Alice's memories of her chats with Leia, I had failed her miserably. No matter how much she loved me, she still might not want me back in her life.
I could see her visually tracing my features as if memorizing them. I found myself doing the same, though honestly I could never forget the curve of her cheek, the fullness of her lips, the delicate slash of her eyebrows. I did note that she seemed thinner than my last memory, the shadows beneath her eyes were almost as deep as those under mine. I remembered Leia thinking that Bella had suffered as much as I had since I'd left. I could only pray that Leia was underestimating my level of suffering.
Looking back, I realized that I should have confirmed Rosalie's story with someone else in my family. But the news that Alice and Jasper were traveling to Forks for Bella's funeral and to search for...pieces...of Leia had rendered me completely and utterly mad. I had been fighting with myself for several weeks now, knowing that in the end I would have gone back to her. My resolve to stay away from her had been crumbling slowly since the moment I'd left her. When I had received that phone call, I'd been forced to admit my mistake. In leaving Bella, I had left her open to attack. It had almost cost not only her life but that of my baby sister.
Rose had told me that Leia had gone back to Forks just to visit Bella, but I knew why Leia had gone. She had gone to watch over her best friend, to do the task I had refused to allow for myself. How could I when my very presence put her, and in turn my family, in danger? I had left Bella to ensure she was safe, but my logic had failed. Bella was a danger magnet, so of course it would find her. Leia had seen what I had not, that our love and protection outweighed the danger we ourselves posed to her fragile human existence.
It was humbling to know my baby sister had nearly sacrificed her life to keep Bella safe while I had been chasing ghosts. Now Leia was in danger of compromising everything she believed in as a 'vegetarian' vampire to ensure we all got out of Volterra safely. I had seen Alice's visions and I prayed something would change, because Leia would have a hard time forgiving herself if she gave in to the temptation she was about to face. Even if she managed to resist, she would no doubt be devastated by the cold reality of what we are, what we are capable of. Of all of us, Leia was the most innocent and she was about to have that ripped from her forcefully.
Don't tell Bella, she had thought at me as the rest of us were ushered from the chamber, her thoughts dwelling on her human friend even when she was about to suffer the toughest test of her will ever. Even as I was in near ecstasy having Bella in my arms again, I was deeply horrified by my sister's plight. Alice was seated to our left, lost in her visions as she tried desperately to see a better outcome than the bleak ones currently running through her head.
"Damn Aro and his experiments." That snapped Alice back to the present and made Bella's almost dreamy look change to concern. I used my fingers to smooth over the crease in her forehead as I whispered to Alice too low for Bella to hear.
"He wants to see if one of Carlisle's 'students' will be as stubborn as the teacher," Alice snarled softly before slipping back into a trance, still desperate to see something change. I held Bella tighter and leaned down to kiss her forehead, her cheek, her nose. Anything to distract myself until Leia was returned to us.
I listened to the sound of Bella's heartbeats and savored every one. I knew that each one was a gift, especially with Bella. As hard as I planned to fight against the inevitability of Alice's vision, the one that showed my Bella with blazing red eyes and marble skin, I knew that someday soon I might have no choice. Not only were the Volturi expecting her transformation, she was a magnet for every type of danger imaginable, both natural and supernatural. I didn't want to dwell on the fact that some of Bella's newest friends were werewolves. That was a Pandora's Box of trouble waiting to explode.
Bella put her fingers in my hair and tugged. I knew what she wanted and I pulled back so she could look at my face. Her eyes were troubled and she looked on the verge of asking something, her lips parted slightly. But I felt a shiver run through her body and she clenched her mouth closed. I wanted so much to ask what she was thinking, needed to know the questions she was afraid to ask. But I wasn't brave enough to start this conversation now, here. We had so much to discuss. Most importantly, was she willing to take me back into her life after I'd hurt her so badly? But now I just wanted to hold her in my arms and simply be with her.
"You look tired." I knew I was stating the obvious but I wanted to hear her voice.
"And you look hungry. I could go sit with Alice." Her voice was hoarse from her earlier tears but it was still like perfect music to my ears. As she spoke, I felt her hands tighten on my arms. She didn't want to move and that made me smile.
"I've never been more in control of that part of my nature than I am right now, Bella." She sighed softly and snuggled closer to me, reaching up place her hand against my neck. I closed my eyes, savoring the warmth of her fingers against my skin.
"She's only dancing, right? She'll be okay?" Bella's quiet questions were like daggers, slicing away at my calm. My eyes opened and I grimaced. I couldn't bring myself to lie. I had lied to her once and it had nearly destroyed me. I didn't have the strength to do it again, not while her eyes were locked with mine.
"I hope so." My whispered words made her clutch at me in panic.
"What does Alice see?" Her frightened question made me shake my head. I couldn't lie, but I also refused to tell her what Alice saw, either of the two outcomes. Luckily, Alice came to my rescue.
"She's coming home with us." Alice's soft, halting comment made Bella relax, but I saw the reason for the hesitation behind Alice's words. I buried my face in Bella's hair and shuddered. At least this outcome was better than the last two Alice had seen. In one, Leia had let Aro talk her into staying with the Volturi after she drank blood from two humans. The other had seen Leia dead at Aro's feet, Felix standing over her with a triumphant expression. Yes, this one was better, but Leia's actions would haunt her for the rest of her eternal life.
She's going to need Carlisle.
Alice's stray thought made me sigh. Bella wrapped her arms around me and tucked her head under my chin. I didn't know if she was trying to be comforting, but I breathed a prayer of thanks and let her warmth seep into my stone, cold body. She was in my arms, alive, and if not completely safe at least I knew that any harm that came to her now would happen only after I was well on my way to becoming a smoldering pile of ashes.
It was about ten minutes later when I heard Felix's dark thoughts. Leia had managed to anger Felix, not to mention a few other vampires, and he wanted nothing more than to see all of us humiliated and destroyed. I shifted Bella and hissed at Alice. My sister leapt to her feet and rushed to the wooden doors behind the human receptionist. I saw in her mind that Felix would have tossed Leia in the floor at our feet. Alice intercepted him as soon as he came into the office. He shoved our sister's limp body into Alice's arms with a growl.
"You have half an hour to be out of our city, before I talk Master Aro into allowing me to rip you apart and give your little human to Jane for dessert."
Bella cringed against me with a muffled cry of fear, her face buried in my chest. Felix snarled once and then turned, slamming the door behind him with such force that I felt the building shudder under my feet. I stood, cradling Bella against me. Alice had her cheek pressed against Leia's face, murmuring comforting words so softly that even I couldn't make them out. I could hear nothing of Leia's thoughts and it frightened me. I had to concentrate very hard not to crush Bella against me in desperation and rage. Instead, I turned and rushed from the office, determined to be out of the city in well under thirty minutes.
Bella clung to me as I ran, Alice close on my heels. We didn't slow down until we were out of the building and into the street. We stayed to the shadows as much as possible, not wanting to attract any attention. The last thing we needed was to give Felix an excuse to come after us.
I suppose the porsche is out of the question. Alice's fleeting thought about the car was laced with regret. I growled softly.
"It's a two seater, Alice. Here, lay her down and go find us something we'll all fit in." We were in a courtyard two blocks from the gate leading out of the city. Alice gently laid Leia down on the stone bench beside me and disappeared into the night. I knelt beside the bench and Bella finally turned her face out of my cloak.
"What's wrong with her?" Bella's words were laced with disbelief and fear as she let go of me and reached out to lay her hands on Leia's still form. I released her and she stumbled a bit before falling on her knees over Leia. She sobbed softly, burying her face in Leia's shirt. I still couldn't hear any of Leia's thoughts. Her eyes were closed and her face was slack. It terrified me, because I had never heard of a vampire being rendered unconscious.
"I'm...so...sorry." Bella's broken apology shattered my frozen heart and I sank down beside her. I put one hand on Bella's shoulder and laid the other against my sister's hair, stroking gently.
"Isabella, you have nothing to apologize for..." I trailed off as Bella looked up and dashed her tears away angrily.
"Don't coddle me, Edward. I know the only reason she stayed was so they would let us leave. What did they do to her? Is she...going to be okay?" She wavered from angry to guilty to broken and I let my hand slide down her arm and then around her waist, pulling her to me as we both watched over Leia. I sighed softly.
"Jane's brother, Alec, has a gift that is supposed to do the opposite of what Jane does. His victims feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. They are usually conscious, just unable to see or hear or feel. But Leia...I can't hear her thoughts," I whispered the last, so quietly that Bella leaned close to my mouth to hear. She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her friend, my sister.
"Leia, we're alright. Alice is going to steal us a nice, fast car and we're going home. I know how much you've missed Carlisle and Esme. I'm sure they'll be waiting for us at the airport," Bella spoke quietly to Leia and I continued to stroke her hair. I longed for a phone to call Carlisle, certain that he would know what was wrong with Leia. He would know what and how to fix it. Or perhaps Jasper would know. He had more knowledge of the Volturi's methods than any of us.
I heard the sound of a car, a low purr that vibrated the cobblestones under my knees. I looked up to see a dark sedan pull around a corner.
"Bella, Alice found us a ride. Climb in and I'll bring Leia."
We drove to out of the city at vampire speed, Alice at the wheel with Bella against my side and Leia cradled in my lap with her legs draped across Bella's knees. I tried to encourage Bella to sleep but she was being stubborn. She kept one hand on Leia's ankle and her eyes on my face. I spent my time alternating between conversation with Alice about our travel plans, whispering tenderly to Leia, and gazing right back at Bella.
As we sped away from Volterra, I felt my world shifting back onto its axis again. Despite my sister's catatonic state, I felt the stirring of hope along my dried out veins. Hope that my heart would be restored to its rightful place in my chest and my life would become more than a series of hollow moments without meaning. Without Bella. Even if she told me to leave her alone once we reached Forks, I would never truly leave her. I would be her shadow protector, her avenger, her guardian vampire. Not because it was right, but because I could no longer fight my need to be close to her.
"You were right, baby sister. I never should have left her alone. Forgive me," I whispered into Leia's ear, softly enough that not even Alice could hear. And then I heard it, the sweetest thoughts I'd ever heard.
...forgive you anything if you can hear me. Just promise never to leave us again.
"Leia, sweetheart, I can hear you." After reassuring Leia, I announced her mental presence to the car. "I can hear her!"
"Oh, thank God. Leia, sweetheart, it's going to be okay." Bella's relief was evident as she shared a pained smile with me. Leia still hadn't twitched a muscle, but she was replaying the scene from Volterra in her head.
Oh, Edward, I killed them! I kill so many!
My sister's mental wail of anguish hit my gut like one of Emmett's full force tackles. I gathered her close and steeled myself against her guilt as I leaned back towards her ear to whisper comfort.
"You eased their suffering, Leia. They were dead the moment they walked into that room."
You don't understand. I wanted to kill them all. I wanted to drink them all dry. Leia's thoughts now were horrified and I brushed my lips across her forehead.
"You're a vampire, Leia. That's a perfectly natural reaction. But you didn't let your instincts rule you. That is what makes you special, little sister. That's what makes you a Cullen."
Oh, Edward, I've missed you so much.
"And I, you, Leia. Never again, I promise."
Until you and Bella go on your honeymoon, anyway.
I was relieved by Leia's thoughts. Her teasing was lighthearted, complete with a mental pout. She still held onto her natural optimism, even in the face the nightmares of the day, and she trusted me to put things right with my beloved. I couldn't stop the sad chuckle that escaped and I heard Bella sigh beside me. I looked over to find her tired eyes looking up at me and I thought there might be tears there. I leaned down and put my forehead against hers.
"She'll be fine now, Bella, I promise. You really should sleep," I coaxed Bella but she shook her head, her eyes locked with mine. I started to hum her lullaby and she actually glared at me and pouted.
She won't sleep, Edward. Just leave it be. She's just as stubborn as you are. Alice's thoughts made me grimace. I stopped humming and sighed. Bella's breath hitched and then she inhaled deeply. Surely she hadn't missed my scent as much as I'd missed hers.
Is she alright?
Leia's query didn't really distract me from staring at Bella. One more reason to actually be grateful for my vampire brain.
"Yes, Leia. Bella is fine. We're well out of Volterra and we'll be on a plane for home…Alice?" I asked, despite the fact that I could see the answer in Alice's head myself. I saw Bella snugged against my side on the airplane. Leia was still motionless, sprawled across two first class seats and Alice's lap while Alice ran her fingers through Leia's loose curls. Alice kept looking further ahead, but the future was hazy. There were still too many decisions to be made.
"In about an hour, Leia. We'll be home in less than 24 hours," Alice addressed Leia with happiness evident in her voice. Home. The word once again held meaning for me. Now if only Leia would wiggle, twitch, move something, it might ease some of the guilt eating at me for putting my little sister in this situation. For leaving in the first place. I would have a lot to answer for in the next few days and I could only pray that in the end, my little sister would be okay and that Bella could accept me back into her life. God knows I didn't deserve any of it.