DC: I don't own it

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Chapter 12,

It had never been harder for Edward to open his eyes. Waves of pain crashed through his body, weakening him.

"Are you done?" Jane asked.

Edward pulled himself up and stood before her. Bella was gone. He knew that much. He jumped into the air and landed on the window sill before launching himself out of the room.

--

Aro's lips were hard. Different than Edward's. Bella felt no comfort or excitement from them. Only fear.

"You're too beautiful," Aro decided, "too beautiful for this world."

"Please don't do this," Bella whispered. "Aro please..."

"I can't hold her off much longer," Alec said. "She's getting stronger by the minute."

Aro nodded and picked Bella up. She heard something placed below her and she was laid on it. It was hard and smelled of wood.

"Why don't you smile?" Aro asked. "The last time you faced death you couldn't stop."

"The last time I faced death I was free," Bella murmured, "now I am still a prisoner."

"I'll miss your smile," Aro said, dipping the flame into the fluid on the floor which burst into a ring of flames. Bella saw the edges of the flames lick the wood she was laying on.

--

Edward ran through the busy streets. He ran faster when he smelled smoke.

I won't let anyone else have you.

Edward ran faster as he heard the thoughts of the man who threatened his love.

--

Bella turned her head as she felt the flames get closer. Aro was watching her. She was going to die for real this time. True freedom. What she had always wanted. But this wasn't how she wanted it. Until her last breath she was going to belong to him. She was always going to belong to someone.

"Bell why can't you just behave yourself?" Mary sighed as she sank into the sofa. "Heavens child! You're such a pain!"

"I'm sorry, mama," Bella said.

"Your father would have known how to handle you," she sighed, "you were all Carlisle needed. I'll never understand that."

Her words hurt. Bella felt the sting travel down her spine and up into her heart. She was enough for her papa but her mother wanted more. It was true what she said. Carlisle would have been happy with nothing in that world but her and his wife. Even then he would probably have found happiness without Mary. But he and Bella were best friends. She wondered, if he was still alive, what he would have done about Henry asking for her hand.

"You'll be married in two months and you have yet to grow into a responsible young woman! What are we going to do with you!?"

It was her stepfather. He was complaining again.

Bella escaped the memory by snapping her eyes open only to see bright flames. She closed them again as she felt them eat her skirts and work their way to her.

"Clean yourself up, you look filthy," Henry said as he stood. Bella laid on her back with her breasts out and her skirts bunched around her waist. "You're more trouble than you're worth sometimes, you know that."

She didn't answer. She just stood and righted herself.

"Why haven't you given me a son?" Henry asked.

"Because you keep striking my stomach and he knows that he isn't safe!"

Her comment was rewarded by the back of his hand. He grabbed her shoulders tightly. "Do you care to answer again?"

"Because you're a monster!" Bella said. Henry backed her up. She stumbled over her skirts but kept moving. She was dangerously close to the hot oven.

"Am I?" Henry asked, brushing her hands against the hot iron. "Now answer me again."

Bella closed her eyes and bit her lip, defeated. "Because I am a useless fool that cannot do anything right."

"You're correct," Henry said, dropping her to the ground, "and you'll do well to remember that without my kindness you'd be rotting away somewhere, penniless and homeless with some poor boy."

Bella held her tongue when she wanted to say she would have been happier that way, so long as the poor boy loved her.

It was harder to breathe. Every time Bella took a breath it was so hot it burned her throat so she stopped.

"You'll always be a prisoner," Marcus told her sadly. "As long as you stay in this place.

"You want me to leave?" Bella asked with a small grin. "Leave and never come back."

Marcus smiled sadly at her. "You don't deserve this. You deserve someone who will love you and cherish you and spend every day wishing he could deserve even one bit of you."

Bella smiled softly and hugged him. "Marcus you've been the best friend I could ask for," she said into his shoulder. She pulled back. "Aro will never let me go to find him."

"Then go," Marcus said, "Aro agreed the day he found you that he would one day let you go."

"Not anymore," Bella mumbled, "he's changed, Marcus. Every time he looks at me..."

--

Bella came running into the room. She fell into Marcus's arms. "I have to leave," she sobbed.

"What happened?! Bella are you alright?" Marcus asked.

"Aro...he...he...I can't stay here!"

"You don't belong here," Marcus said, "you belong out there. Free and happy. Go find your papa and be happy."

"Oh Marcus you're so good to me," Bella sobbed, hugging him. "Thank you for being so wonderful."

"Thank you for making it so easy," Marcus replied. He kissed her cheek and she smiled before running off. Off to freedom with her papa.

Bella's fists clenched around the fire on her palms. Aro wasn't going to steal her life. He wasn't going to keep her from Edward. She felt her shield grow stronger. Her body was her own again. She pushed up and grabbed Aro.

"I WILL NEVER BELONG TO YOU!" She yelled as she pushed him into the fire. She held him as he twisted and yelled while the fire consumed him, filled with a strength she didn't know she had. Even as the fire curled around her arms she didn't stop. She wouldn't stop until he did.

She pulled her blackened hands back and looked at Alec. "I suggest you move."

Alec nodded and stepped aside. Bella ran down the stairs of the tower, stopping only when she crashed into something hard. She looked up and saw Edward. She tilted her head to the side.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Well I was...um...kind of coming to save you but...well...that seems to have already been done."

"I'm kind of already saved," she said.

"Well I see that and...I meant to go faster but it's a little difficult when you've got that psycho Jane doing whatever she dies."

"Wow if all prince charmings were this slow I'm sure the damsels would have given up," Bella teased.

Edward grabbed her and pulled her lips to his. Bella was a little surprised but then the void started to fill. Her arms curled around his shoulders and she opened her mouth for him. She ran her hand through his hair as he kissed her. Edward touched her cheek and her neck. Bella felt her body respond to him. When they pulled away Edward rested his forehead on hers and caressed her face and neck with his hands, re-exploring everything about her.

"When Chelsea severed the bond I thought I would never feel this way with you again, if I ever saw you again," Bella said quietly.

"I think it's the true love that Carlisle's always blabbering about," Edward said, "I felt you slip away from me. I was so sick I couldn't move!"

"Me too," Bella said as his arms slid around her waist and hers around his neck. "Edward promise me you'll never let me go again."

"I promise," Edward swore, sealing it with a kiss. "I love you Bella. I want to marry you and spend forever with you."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Bella asked with a small smile.

"Oh, I forgot," Edward said, reaching around his neck and unclasping the chain. He held it out to her. Bella smiled and he put it around her neck. Finally he put the ring on her finger. "I love you."

"I know," Bella said as he stood she kissed him lightly.

"The others are waiting," Edward said suddenly. He grabbed her hand and they ran out of the tower and to the church.

--

Carlisle looked around. The guard had backed off after hearing a message from Alec that said Aro was dead and it was over. He looked over when Edward came in with his hand clasped tight around Bella's.

"Papa!" Bella cried, running and crashing into Carlisle.

"Oh my little one, I missed you so much!" Carlisle said, kissing her forehead and holding her tight. "I was so afraid I'd lost you again!"

"No, papa, I'm fine," Bella said.

"We're going to have a long talk about you worrying me to death! I can't keep up!"

"You can't help it, you're old."

Carlisle laughed and hugged her tighter. When they broke away Esme came to fuss over her and make sure that she was safe.

Edward walked up to Carlisle. "Carlisle can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Can I marry your daughter?"

Carlisle smiled and patted Edward's shoulder. "Only if you promise to take care of her."

He nodded. "I will. Forever."

--

Bella was happy when they returned to Forks. She held Edward's hand as they drove home from the airport and didn't let go when they made it home. It seemed like neither of them was going to let the other go ever again.

Life returned to normal. Or at least about as normal as they could get. The Cullen children went back to school in the rain and Carlisle went back to the hospital. The humans of Forks had been told that Bella and Edward had fallen terribly ill and Carlisle had to stay home and care for them. As for the others, they stayed home out of worry and possible infection.

Not that anyone cared. The Cullen children were the brightest students in the school and Carlisle was the most brilliant doctor the hospital had.

Edward walked into the high school with his hand clasped around Bella's.

This isn't over, Edward, be careful

Edward looked over at Alice questioningly. But she didn't elaborate. Another vague vision perhaps. He moved his arm from Bella's hand to her shoulders. As long as it wasn't the Volturi, he had nothing to worry about. They could and would overcome anything.

--

"Will they ever heal?" Bella asked as Carlisle looked over her arms yet again.

"I should think so over time," he said, "I don't know of many vampires that survive being burned."

Her hands to the middle of her forearms were charred black and the skin had peeled and looked blistered. They weren't pretty and the blackened skin wouldn't clean. So she was stuck with it until it faded away. Which was probably going to be a while.

"They look so gross!" Bella whined. Carlisle laughed and grabbed a roll of gauze. "Now what are you doing that for!"

"Because you're injured my dear," Carlisle said, "and when humans are injured they wear bandages. So suck it up."

Bella pouted and let him bandage her arms.

"So you and Edward," he sighed.

"I'm crazy for him, papa," Bella sighed with a smile, "when Chelsea severed the bond I could still feel him in my heart. I remembered him but I didn't remember being in love. But I felt it. I was so sick. I kept throwing up and shaking."

"Edward was the same," Carlisle said, tying off one of the bandages and starting on the other. "He missed you so much and felt when the bond broke."

"Marcus and Edwin tried to save me."

"Marcus is a good man," Carlisle said, "it was a tragedy when his wife died."

"Aro killed her," Bella said bitterly, "because he can't let anyone be happy."

"What about Edwin?" Carlisle asked, "what do you make of him?"

"He's a sweetheart deep down. He realized what Aro was doing and he risked his life to help me. If you guys hadn't shown up he and Marcus would have died."

"How is it I manage to leave children behind?" Carlisle sighed. "Any others that may show up?"

"Just the two."

Carlisle chuckled and tied off the bandage. "You're good to go now get out of here and don't tear them!"

"Bye papa!" Bella chirped, jumping down and running out. Carlisle chuckled and shook his head. He felt a pair of arms around his waist and smiled.

"They grow up so fast," he sighed.

"She's a wonderful girl," Esme said. She kissed his cheek. "You raised her well when you were with her."

Carlisle took her hand and twirled her until she was in front of him. He held her waist and one hand in his. They swayed to music only they could hear. "I have everything I could have ever hoped for. A beautiful wife, amazing children and my little baby is back. Esme how did I get so lucky?"

Esme reached up and kissed him. "Because you're the kindest and most gentle man I have ever met and you deserve every happiness."

Carlisle picked her up and kissed her forehead. "Is one of those happinesses you?"

"Are you trying to seduce me Dr. Cullen?" Esme asked.

"I'd say I'm succeeding," Carlisle said with a grin. "I'm sure you all excited by the mere thought of it."

Esme leaned up and whispered something in his ear. He looked like he would have been blushing. Esme ran her hand through his soft hair and kissed the edge of his jaw. "I love you Carlisle Cullen."

"I love you Esme Cullen."

They went off to their room and locked the door.

--

"Why do they keep doing that?" Bella sighed as she looked up from the television.

"Married couples are horny and technically have the right to do that under any religious laws," Edward sighed. "Besides, if I went two hundred some years without getting laid I think I'd overdo it."

"Says the one hundred year old virgin," Bella snorted. She barely had time to finish her comment before Edward was on top of her.

"You think I enjoy this little dry spell?" he asked playfully, flicking his tongue over her bottom lip before kissing it. "Hm? Watching you, as sexy and desirable as you are, go about your daily routine?"

"I think so," Bella said, wrapping her arms around his neck, "which is why I will continue to deny you until you can't possibly stand one more minute."

"Oh really?" Edward asked with a grin. "Well we'll just see about that."

TBC

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