Yes, I'm back! So I'm sorry the chapters not as long as I would like it to be, but I've already started the next one. And it's a doosy! So anyways, the usual message, leave me reviews please, blah blah blah, oh and one more thing! I've updated my Bella Salvatore FC to Katie McGrath. I don't know, it just kind of makes sense to me. Anyways, visit my tumblr page! Links on my profile!
Flashback
Mystic Falls – October 1861 (17 years old/8 months pregnant)
The color was not right, it was wrong.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!
Why was it so hard to get the proper shade of red in my paints, the one I needed to imitate the beautiful blood red color of the rose?
I huffed again, glaring at the canvas set up before me.
Leaning slightly forward, one hand on my swollen belly, I tried to save the painting.
But I knew as I stroked the petal into a cheery much-too-bright red, it was not meant to be.
I sighed, gesturing to Celia who stood only a few paces away.
"Yes Miss?" she stood calmly before me, hands clasped.
"Would you remove this hideous painting from my sight?" I waved my wrist, closing my eyes in frustration.
"You'll do no such thing Celia, this rose is practically lifelike."
I glared up at Nicklaus, my hands curling into fists.
"Celia, take it away."
My terrified maid glanced from one of us to the other, her eyes widening in panic.
"It's alright Celia, Miss Isabella is simply a bit tired. You may take it away."
With a frantic nod she pulled the canvas and easel into her arms, hurriedly making her way into the house.
"Celia is my maid, I would appreciate it if you didn't get involved." I murmured.
He shrugged, sitting down beside me with a devilish grin.
"I apologize love, but I find it amusing when you get angry with her. She looks like a frightened child."
I shot him a fierce look, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Is that why I am here? To amuse you?"
He shook his head with a sigh, "Are we really going to keep having these arguments?"
"Yes. Until you admit that you are wrong about keeping me from my family."
"Bella, once again I beg of you to understand. You are with child, nearly nine months' time now. Do you really think it is a wise decision to visit your family at a time like this?"
Though I rolled my eyes I couldn't argue with his logic, but it was logic that I did not want to hear.
"I do not care. I miss my brothers; I feel it's been too long. They must miss me, and I miss them!"
"I know you miss them, but now is not the time." He said with finality.
I gave up for the moment, shrugging my shoulders.
"It does not matter. You will not stop me after the child is born." I murmured, smiling at the tender breeze that lifted my hair from my face.
"Fine. After it is born, we shall visit."
With our argument sated for the moment he lifted his hand to my belly, stroking the soft material of my blue gown.
"How is our little one?" he mumbled, almost as an afterthought.
"Just fine, though I've been feeling some pains lately. She's been kicking quite a lot."
He looked up at me in surprise, chuckling. "You said 'she'."
"I did. I believe it will be a girl. I already have a name picked for her as well. Do you want to hear it?"
He nodded, "Why haven't you told me before?"
"It's just a feeling. I want to name her Emma, after my mother."
"Emma," he paused, smiling that soft smile only I had the pleasure of seeing. "It's a wonderful name."
"Nicklaus!"
I looked up at the sound of his name, spotting Rebecca approaching from the house.
"Good morning Isabella. I have a letter for you, Nick. It arrived only a moment ago."
They shared a long glance and I turned away, I was used to the long glances with the hidden meanings.
I had used to do the same thing with my brothers… I missed them dearly.
"Did they say who sent it?" Nicklaus' voice was strained, and I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you all right dear?" he stood, pulling me up with him.
"You should go inside. Peter!" he called to one of his men, who came jogging over.
"Yes sir?"
"Take Miss Isabella inside and bring her to our room. She needs her rest."
Peter nodded and offered me his elbow, which I took as I glanced back at Nicklaus.
His head was drooped and he and his sister spoke in low tones, shooting me matching weak smiles as I was tugged away.
With a hand resting on my belly I told myself to stay calm.
He would protect me, no matter what.
Emma kicked again and I smiled, grateful for the distraction.
End Flashback
Bella's Point of View
"Wish I could say the feelings mutual." Alice growled, stalking towards me.
I titled my head, observing the tiny girl who seemed to think she had the power to intimidate me.
"Aw, I'm hurt Alice. How is everyone by the way?"
"Just fine, no thanks to you."
I couldn't help but laugh, she looked like an angry munchkin in her tiny floral skirt and high heels.
"What about Edward? Is he still mourning my supposed death? Unless that is, you told him about me?"
She shook her shoulder length curls, "I didn't tell him anything. I'd rather he think you're dead."
I had to admit, that stung a little bit.
"Good. Now, what brings you here?"
"You said you would explain, but I had enough of waiting for you to contact me."
I rolled my eyes, "It hasn't been that long since I contacted you."
"Yes well, I've been waiting nearly a year so I figured it was my turn to initiate the meeting."
I turned and sat on one of the arm chairs, gesturing to the couch across from me.
Grudgingly she sat down, crossing her legs at the ankle.
"What is it you want to know exactly?"
"I would like to know where you disappeared to. We were making such good progress, and then suddenly you were gone. Was it something I did?"
And there it was, the same old Alice I had always known.
She had never been able to hold the angry mask up for very long before letting it drop, so quick to forgive and forget.
"No, it was nothing to do with you." I assured.
"Then what? I have missed you for so long, and I was worried! Your brothers assured me you were fine, but I couldn't get in touch with you…" she trailed off, her gaze drifting to the hem of her skirt. "I heard about your friend Anna. I'm very sorry."
There was a pause and I gestured for Nate to get me a drink, frowning.
"It was my fault you know. If I had stayed only a little while longer, she might still be alive." I sipped from the glass I was handed, musing. "I was scared, you know. I thought you were bringing Edward here, that's why I left so suddenly. I couldn't face him after that day in the woods. I wouldn't."
She looked up in surprise, reaching across the gap towards me.
"There was nothing you could have done. If you had stayed, you could have very well ended up dead with her. You can't blame yourself. And as for Edward, no matter how badly I want you two to get back together I would never bring him here without talking to you first."
I looked into her eyes, and I knew what she was saying was genuine.
Smiling softly I came to sit beside her, pulling my friend into a tight hug.
"I've missed you Alice." I whispered.
Honestly, I had had enough of pretending to be angry with her.
In the beginning I had been, terribly so, but now I really could care less.
She had done what I would have done, she put her family first in a situation where she had to.
Edward was her brother, and she had stood by him just as I would have stood by Damon and Stefan.
"I've missed you too."
"So does this mean you guys are friends now?" Jade sneered from her leaning position in the doorway, wine glass of blood in her hand.
"Again. Yes, we are friends again." Alice corrected, pulling back to smile at me.
"Oh! I almost forgot, explanation time!"
I rolled my eyes, "Of course. How could it have slipped my mind."
From there I went on to tell her everything I knew of what had happened since my departure from Mystic Falls nearly a year ago.
Up until today, when I had stumbled across a confused, transitioning Elena stuck between my brothers.
"Has she fed yet?" Alice asked curiously.
"Just once, to get her through the transition." I explained, handing her a glass of blood.
She gazed at it warily, shaking her head.
"It's deer, I have it as backup." I shrugged as she lowered her hands, bringing the glass to her lips.
With a slow sip I watched her eyes turn dark, returning to their former shade of gold as she placed the empty cup onto the coffee table.
"So what's your plan?"
"My plan…" I ran a hand through my hair, pulling out my ponytail. "I'd like to say I have a plan, but then I'd be lying. The closest thing I have to a plan is helping Elena and keeping Nicklaus in confinement. Then I need to eventually figure out how to kill him without killing everyone else."
She nodded, "So can I ask what the deal is with this 'Klaus' guy?"
I frowned, curling my legs up underneath me.
"Nicklaus and I… we have a history. When I was human, I fell in love with him. He was a vampire, for a while already, and I knew it. I found myself, unafraid of him. We became lovers and not long after my sixteenth birthday I went to live with him. My family believed I was on a trip to see the west. I suppose he must've compelled my father, he never would've let me go under normal circumstances."
I paused, noticing Alice's puzzled gaze.
"What?"
"Nothing, you just, you sound as if you loved him?"
"I did. It wasn't much longer than three months I had been with him when I realized I was pregnant."
Alice gasped, "But that's impossible! If he was a vampire you couldn't-"
"He was an original. I was confused as well, but he explained that being an original of the vampire race he was closer to the humanity within. It allowed him to father children. One of his brothers had already fathered two children, Kol I believe."
"So only the originals are able to produce?"
"That's correct. I don't know much about how it works. All I know is that I gave birth eight months later, to a girl. Emma. She was all I had ever hoped for."
"Then what?"
"Then he betrayed me."
I stood from the couch, bringing my glass to the kitchen where I placed it in the sink.
"How did he betray you?"
I leaned against the sink, rubbing my hands over my face.
"I really don't feel like talking about this right now. You can stay the night if you'd like. I'll be back soon."
"Where are you going?"
Alice followed me up the staircase, jogging to keep up.
"Out. This is the guestroom. Feel free to stay as long as you like."
I entered my bedroom quietly, taking care to keep Elena asleep.
With hushed steps I opened my closet and pulled out some clothes, ducking into the bathroom to change.
I wasn't dressed to impress by any means in my jeans, tank top, and sweater, but I didn't need to be.
I knew where Bonnie had hidden Nicklaus, and I knew he was possessing a stranger's body.
Tugging on a pair of black riding boots I clipped my hair up into a half up half down, breathing deeply.
Pulling my sweater tighter around my body I flashed from the house, trees and bushes and wildlife a blur as I flew through the forest.
Then, there it was.
The crumbling stairs leading down to the old Lockwood cellar, the hiding place of wolves changing under the full moon.
With another deep sigh, I prepared myself to face him as I took the first few steps.
The chill of stone swept over me, and my gaze flickered to the lit torches on the walls.
My boots crunched over dead leaves, but I wasn't attempting to be quiet.
Stepping through the open wrought iron gates I peered at the shackles, the chains, the stakes in the ground.
I had always wondered what it looked like down here…
Without warning I was pushed into the wall, a gasp torn from my lips.
I looked into the amber eyes of a young boy, wolves teeth bared, vampires veins writhing beneath his eyes.
A hybrid.
"Hello Nicklaus."
His lips pulled down to close his mouth, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion, then recognition.
"Isabella."