A/N: Some things are a little bit copied from Eclipse and I hope I'm not spoiling it for anyone. I won't point them out, just so a reader who hasn't had the pleasure of reading the book won't know what's in it. I'm not that type of mean.
Also, I'm running out of songs!!! Start donating some underground stuff, peeps! A Patricia without music is a Patricia without fanfic ideas! That's a very sad thought. And please, please, start reviewing. It makes me happy
A/N2: I sort of explained some stuff: all the stories about Elesmeera before this was off by a little bit. Banish most of those from your head. I really vague about Bella's gift. I'm sorry. I promise to explain better soon. ) Any questions, review, pm, or even email. Don't really care, and I promise to answer them ASAP.

(Irrelevant A/N): FOR ALL THOSE WHO READ BROKEN SKIES, RAINING STARLIGHT, AND AURORA BOREALIS: MOONRISE IS POSTED (only the prologue) AND IT WILL BE THE EDITED AND REVISED VERSION. IT IS SET AFTER ECLIPSE, SO SOME THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT. IT WILL FOLLOW THE SAME PLOT, BUT WITH A LITTLE TWIST. Please keep your eyes peeled.

Sincerely,
PWISE

Enlightening Explainations

"Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge
And I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge"
-Linkin Park (before they turned 0 emo)

Bella's hand was tight around mine, her expression grave. Gabriel's face turned slightly thoughtful as he went over Bella's proposal. Rosalie was lounging on the couch, Patricia was dancing by herself to her iPod, which was blaring some sort of salsa music, and Demetri was watching her a little bit too interestedly.

The relaxed atmosphere of the room was obviously superficial. I couldn't help but feel tension, anger, annoyance, and jealousy, the strange taste of too many emotions dulled at once. Gabriel's eyes shot over to scrutinize my face; he knew I knew what he was doing. I suppose it was noble, keeping our companions muted. I'm sure that Rosalie would've attacked Patricia by now.

"If you wish to teach me, teach me," Bella said in a subdued tone. "I shall go with you freely, but Edward shall follow."

I smiled half-heartedly at our agreement. I would follow her until the end.

"Is this your choice?" Gabriel asked. "To walk into the middle of a war where you do not belong, to walk into a cause that you don't have to fight for?"

"This war is not simply for you any longer, Gabriel," I hissed. "This is a war between us all."

He simply nodded, his eyes silver ice. "What shall you do about your family?"

"Alice will understand; she shall take Demetri and Rosalie back to Volterra where they shall be safe for now."

His eyes flickered with amusement. "Volterra no longer stands."

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Elesmeera is trying hard to keep up with Bella; she has been turning humans into vampires. All over the world, there have been mass disappearances; humans being snatched from their homes for the change, or humans being snatched from their homes to satisfy the newborns. How can Volterra stand with hundreds of thousands of vampires, werewolves, and sirens attacking? Oh, yes, a newborn is weak, stupid. How would it feel, however, if for every one of you, there are ten you must defeat, and another ten that will be waiting to take their place? Would you not succumb to their overwhelming force?"

"Where is my family?" I demanded. I looked at Bella, who was staring shocked at Gabriel. Her eyes were glazed.

"Where are they, Gabriel?" she whispered pleadingly.

"They're fine," he assured, smirking. "All have gone underground. Jasper, however, is suffering from a multitude of werewolf wounds. They shall be fine. Alice's uncanny power of premonitions has saved their lives time and time again."

I let out a breath I had been holding.

"I must warn you," he said in a nonchalant tone. "They shall be arriving soon."

"I…"

"As much as you both want to deny it, you all are safer around Bella and I."

"Why should we trust you?" I insisted, looking at my sister, who was still lounging on the sofa as if she hadn't heard her family was returning, as if Emmett no longer mattered.

"Why shouldn't you?"

"Because you tell us what you think will help you cause," Bella snapped angrily.

Gabriel's eyes softened. "My dear Raven, do not think that way of me," he put a hand over his heart in mock pain. "It hurts me so."

I growled and Bella placed a hand on my shoulder. Stay calm; this is only a game to him.

If he likes to continue to play, he must keep his witty mouth SHUT, I snarled in reply.

"If you must know," he continued in a drawl, "I only do what I believe is correct. For you, who are clouded by silly emotions, my conviction is hard to understand, however it is righteous. You both look at yourselves before you look at the world. Do you think I wish to ruin your lives? No. I'm not that cold and calloused. I wiped Bella's mind clean for one reason; to clear her path, to help her understand what she has to do for the sake of everyone else before herself. Sadly, her stubbornness prevailed. I told her that you were dead in hopes she would forget about you, hoped to motivate her. It did," he frowned. "However, I learned how out of control her powers have become. She was going to die if she stood affront of Isabelle; I pursued her, hoping to save her from her untimely end, but instead, she found you and her judgment is once again clouded by her love.

"Her future is to help the world's future," he explained. "It was marked upon her. Bella?"

Bella's eyes hardened and she opened her left palm, exposing the scar James had placed upon her. I tensed as the image of James danced through my head, his expression taunting; the same mocking expression Gabriel wore.

"What about this?"

"In the Book of Old," he continued, "there is a girl with a crescent scar holding a flame, dark black hair that turned from black to brown to red, and eyes similar to Bella's shape and color. It was prophesized by someone with a similar power as Alice's; Bella has become our salvation."

I stared quizzically at the steel eyed man.

"Disbelief," he sighed and pulled a book out from his inside pocket. "This is the 'bible' to all sirens. Bella and you know an abridged version of the tale of birth. It's a very interesting story," he smiled, and flipped through the pages. "Here is the picture of which I have spoken."

Bella took the book and gazed at the picture. Her eyes widened. I walked over and peered at the book from over her shoulder, and I'm sure that my eyes widened as well.

There was a picture of female with bright brown eyes, and specks of topaz and hazel. A small ring of red was around the pupil, somehow dangerous. Half of her pale face was in shadow, menacing on in the dark. Her expression was solemn as she gazed at the small red fire warming her palm, tendrils of hair curving down her face in loose waves. It started as black, but slowly made its way down to a brilliant red by the time it hit under her bosom. Her other hand was outstretched, exposing the crescent scar, as if she was reaching for someone.

The likeliness of my Bella and this picture was eerily alike.

"Prophesized by yours truly," Gabriel said, toying with Patricia's hair. She gave him an affectionate grin and nuzzled his chest, an action Bella has done a million times. It was obvious she loved him, but it was also obvious he didn't love her, in that prospect anyway. He stared at Bella with something that made me want to kill him where he stood. Was it affection? It was the same look in his eyes the dog had when he gazed at Bella; admiration…warmth…a deep liking…

I shuddered.

"So we have come to an understanding – an agreement of some kind?" Bella asked, her hand gripping mine tightly.

"No, we still have to hammer out some…problems. Where is your family to go?" he asked.

"They are to come with us," she said firmly. "Edward?"

I stared down at her brown eyes.

He makes sense, even though we both wish not to see it.

I nodded. "I agree."

"Marcus and his guards must join us as well," he murmured. "I have promised their protection. He is the last of the Volturi that I know of anyway."

"Caius and Aro have been killed?" Bella inquired.

He nodded solemnly. "Protecting your family, as a matter of fact," he grinned. "I also wish to inform you, Edward, that Jacob Black shall be apart of this party."

I nodded and Bella gave me a confused look. "Who is that?"

"An old friend," I said through a clenched jaw, trying to conceal my surprise. I suppose Gabriel had wiped out her less important memories. "Why is he going to come with us?"

Gabriel inclined his head and gave a smile. "Why shouldn't he?"

"Answering a question with a question is hardly polite," I tried to say in my most patronizing voice, but it came out as a growl.

His slight smile became a full-blown condescending grin, his eyes brightening with the desire of provoking the anger he knew I had. "Why isn't it? Because you do not have an answer for my question, or the fact I do not have an answer for your question?"

Bella sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're pushing my buttons Gabriel."

He shrugged. "Do not have easily pushed buttons, and I shall not push them. Might I ask," he said quickly so I couldn't respond to his first comment, "what is the game like around Washington? I might as well try and show Bella how to hunt while I'm here."

"Bella has to hunt?" I asked incredulous. Bella frowned.

"Sure she does," he sighed and gave she a disgruntled expression. "You didn't tell him of your…perks, did you?"

She growled.

"As you can tell," he said waving a hand in Bella's direction, "she is basically a hybrid of all dominating life forms – human, werewolf, siren, and vampire. Because she is one fourth of all, she must go through each quality. She eats human food and she must hunt, however only a small fraction. The problem is," he made a face, "is that she has an aversion to blood. So far, we have gotten her to digest small amounts of human blood – from a blood bank, Edward – but we cannot get her to hunt alone, or even with all of us there to support her."

Bella blushed and looked away. "It's disgusting."

"You have witnessed first hand about her temperature," Gabriel continued, ignoring her comment. "Have you spoken to him of your gifts?"

She made a face and sat down next to Rosalie. Rose smiled adoringly up at Bella and started showing her some dresses from the magazine she had been reading.

"Is she under your influence?" I asked, pointing to Bella with a frown.

His brows furrowed, and when he spoke, his voice was soft, vulnerable. "Willingly. She no longer wishes to take part in this conversation."

"What's so…harmful about her?" I asked, gazing at Bella with a frown. "She looks fine to me. A little confused, but still Bella."

She looked up and met my eyes, her face brightening. She patted the cushion next to mine. "Sit with me!" she chirped, her eyes inviting. I only shook my head, turning to Gabriel.

"You must understand," Gabriel said, his once defenseless expression hardening. He swallowed deeply, almost as if the words he was trying to speak disgusted him. "She will always be Bella as long as she is stubborn. For example, you, she loves you, clearly. Adores you to death."

I smiled gloatingly, and walked over to cup her face in my hands. She grinned and pat the seat again, tugging me down to it. Gabriel only grimaced.

"But she is considering the pros and cons of each decision she makes. For once, everything is weighed heavily on Bella. You should understand. At one time, you were once the threat and staying around her was keeping her in danger."

I nodded and Bella leaned against me happily. Any traces of struggle had disappeared from her face.

"She has an extremely strange gift," he continued, eyes scanning outside, "however her…beliefs are slightly off. Her interpretation of her power is that she steals souls. She is wrong."

"Then what is she capable of?"

"Anything she believes she is capable of," he said with a smirk. "She can copy gifts – that is her power, her gift given by God, but there is one other, a rare power, one that I have hoped would never exist – she is able to do what she wishes. The normal boundaries for even our kind are the same for any human. Time, gravity, and so forth, but for Bella they do not apply. If she wishes to fly, she will fly. If she wishes to transport herself to the moon, then she will. And if she wishes someone to die, that person will most certainly die."

I sat dumbstruck, my mind turning off. Bella gave a soft smile, resting her head on my chest. "She's capable…of anything?" The idea that Bella – the small, reckless, thoughtless, loving, kind girl could ever, ever have such capabilities made a soft, hysterical laugh pass through my lips. "How could she…? That's impossible? Look at her for God's sake!" I pointed to Bella, who was trying to talk Rosalie into waiting on her seventh wedding. "She doesn't even look capable of ripping a paper without feeling guilty!"

He frowned. "I can't disagree; she is one of the most compassionate women I had ever met. Her selflessness is astounding; how she can look at everyone else before her self is amazing. That is why she was chosen; she is ready to sacrifice herself for everyone else without any self regard. She has a rich soul, Edward," his face came alive with passion as he spoke of my Bella, his eyes lighting up and his eyes watching her intently.

"I foresaw Bella when I was young," he continued, his eyes flickering back to mine, "only a three hundred or so, around the age of your Carlisle. The tale of Isabelle has been mixed and tainted with myth over the years. Such a shame."

"Cut to the chase," I demanded, winding my arm tightly around Bella's waist, pulling her towards me protectively, my face informing him she was mine.

He blinked rapidly and frowned, his eyes turning serious; hard iron. "Isabelle was still Isabelle when this event occurred. It was months after she gave birth to Bella's ancestor, months after she became the wife of Marcus – this was while Marcus was away.

"Marcus' and Isabelle's cause was despised with many of us, immortals. We were better, stronger, faster, and smarter; why would we ever live with humans in peace? What would be the point of that? Should we not dominate them?

"And so, the immortals stirred like a sleeping dragon, ready to set Isabelle's land afire. So she set off, in the night, for immortals that would help her cause, who would stand coolly in the raging fire.

"I was one of those immortals.

"She came to me, and almost immediately, I had seen a boy, a young man with hate in his eyes. A young man who despised his mother. A young man who loathed his family. A young man with evil intentions. The sad part was, this was the babe in her womb – this was the child whom would be not named – the child killed on the first of January.

"Naturally, Isabelle had a choice. She chose the latter – a choice you must have heard of, Edward," he sighed, his face somber. "She killed her baby boy."

"What does this have to do with Isabella?"

"Everything!" he exclaimed. "Once Isabelle killed her boy, Marcus was there, ready to meet his children. And instead, he finds a bloody babe. The insanity! He killed his bride, turning her immortal. And Bella has this part right. All her fear, and conviction, and anger turned her into what she is.

"It was then, did I see a woman give birth to a child. It was then I saw a brunette teenager walk through Forks with a grimace. It was then I saw I young woman lying in the arms of her vampire lover. It was then did I see a woman with a flame burning her hands, a composed yet wild look in her eyes. It was then did I see this beautifully complex woman slay the tyrant that would have ruined our world.

"I was won over with seduction and told of this child to Elesmeera. She simply laughed," his face twisted into regret, his fingers drawing a moustache and bead in a rueful way. "'A great tool she shall become in my dominance, this child of mine', she had screamed into the sky, and like a lion, she crouched, ready to pounce on the deity waiting to be woken from her slumber.

"Do you not understand now?" Gabriel asked impatiently. His stony eyes burned with the intensity of a silver fire. "She does not belong to you, or me, or any other who believe she is tame. She is wild. This is the fire, the hope of the world, the only light in our darkest hour. Her imagination and brilliance is what make this land, and shall rule it accordingly."

My shock was plain on my face. I turned to Bella, who was happily giggling with Rosalie.

"So," he started, twisting a lock of Patricia's hair around her finger. "Do you still regard me as the bad guy, or have I shown you the 'light'?" he chuckled dryly.

I ignored him, and watched as Bella skipped upstairs. "I'm going to clean our room," she called happily. Demetri smirked and made a move to go after her, but Rosalie pushed him back down. She then continued to go through magazines, her face draining the pages of their glamour.

"Does Bella know of all this?"

"Not all," he confessed. "I'd rather her stay ignorant to some things – like her overwhelming power. If she tuned into that without practice and control, she'd surely destroy everything. It might sound a little, er, wrong of me, but while she's unaware it's easier to control her power, to keep her muted. If she ever, ever tapped into it…chaos," he tapped his fingers in lazy staccato on Patricia's head.

"You're controlling her?" I asked with sudden fury. "How can you do such a thing? How is she supposed to learn restraint if you've taken control of her?"

"I wish that I could let her loose," he said in a sour note, his eyes truly apologetic. "However, unless you want to say goodbye to her, then you'd better keep your mouth shut."

I sighed and shook my head.

"Might as well release them; I am through speaking with you," I said formally, getting up and running a hand through my hair in a stressed gesture.

Gabriel gave me a slight smile and continued to play with Patricia's curly hair, pulling a curl to watch it bounce back into place.

"Your family shall be arriving in four days; Marcus and his remaining guards in two. If I was you, I'd take the private time you'll be able to manage with Bella now seriously. I doubt that we'll ever sit around like this again," he sighed in longing.

I frowned and continued my way upstairs. I was halfway through the door when two long arms wrapped around my waist.

"Hello," she sighed into my back, her voice muffled by my shirt.

I changed my position so she was leaning against my chest instead of my back. I kissed her hair, holding her tightly, feeling slightly wrong that I was keeping such a secret from her.

I am masochistic, obviously, so my thoughts immediately turned to something I had never considered; it's so easy to keep this from her– is Bella hiding anything from me? How can there be a relationship where we keep secrets from each other?!

I sighed, tightening my hold on Bella and trying to become jovial for her sake.

At least I still had her – secrets and all. It's a lot better than nothing.

Bella smiled slightly and kissed my lips, her eyes remaining open to study mine. I couldn't look away, couldn't close my eyes - she held me prisoner in her tantalizing gaze. She pulled away and tried to smile again, except the ends turned down.

She reached into her jean pocket and pulled out a bracelet, the silver links catching the light. Hanging off the middle chain was a small wooden carving of a wolf. If I didn't know who this was from, I would've noted the beautiful detailing. Instead, I gazed at it shocked.

Bella frowned.

"I remember Jacob Black."