The Fight Within Me

A/N: This chapter is half filler and half significant. Today was my day off but as it is inevitable, I spent a majority of it doing paperwork for my job. Ironic isn't it? However, I made special time to write this one up. It's another long chapter written during my breaks. I love y'all so much that I write instead of snacking or taking a half hour nap. :)

I hope you guys like it. There have been requests of seeing Bella kick some butt...especially Edward's so...enjoy!

-Ansacht

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Bella and Alice but Ms. Meyers does....I like to play soldier with them sometimes though but as you can see, in my stories, the girls kick the boys butt. :) Take that Ms. Meyers!!

BPOV:

It's mid January. I'm staring out the window watching the snow cover the outside world. Alice is out hunting.

It's chilly outside I am sure, not that it really matters. We must save money on heating because I'm pretty sure we don't have it on at all.

The white blanket I had wrapped around me is soft and comfortable. I look back at the bed where Alice and I had spent the night pleasuring each other. It was disheveled at the least but it was still intact, our clothes from last night are now unfit to be worn again and scattered all over the room.

I have never known a lover as passionate as Alice. I felt a shiver run up my spine remembering the trail of kisses she left there last night. She left an impression on my body. When I got up this morning, Alice gasped when she saw the long scratches on my back from her nails. Its fully healed by now.

My neck held some signs of teeth and the flesh she had invaded with her fingers and tongue last night felt delicate this morning.

I feel as raw as if I was ravaged last night. Pain or pleasure? My mind confused the two when it came to Alice. She left an impression under my skin that no one will ever be able to replicate. If I was human, my skin would be continuously flushed at just the thought of her.

I felt myself sigh as I turned away from the window and sat on the bed. This is where I belong, with Alice and with the Cullens. I just don't know how long this will last now that I have put us all in danger. All I know is that I will fight for it all until the end of my existence.

APOV:

The hunt was easy due to the cold, many animals are in hiding and easily tracked down and those that try to escape were easily taken down. I had managed to keep my clothes clean but the white snow around me is like a canvass with splatters of red like the beginning of a morbid painting. I let the drained and frozen deer fall to the ground and headed for home.

The fresh snow crunched under each step. I kept to a human pace on the way back, enjoying the falling wonder coat my body. I was in a good mood. Last night was the most amazing night of my existence. Bella is a fiery lover. Her voice, her touch, her expressions, they manifested her emotional being. Her love for me was as clear as glass in her passion.

With Jasper, I could foresee his moves in bed as he decided to act on them. I knew what he planned on touching and where he would plant his kisses and how it all will feel. We had passion but we lacked the unpredictability. Bella wanted all of me and she couldn't decide where to start first so her decisions became spontaneous and my visions became blurs of uncertainty. Each touch became a surprise, each kiss was stolen.

I could see the house from where I stood. Smoke was coming from one of the chimneys. Esme must have had Carlisle start a nice fire. She always loved having a warm living room with the fire blazing and the family congregating, like one of those hallmark moments.

I could see the window to Bella's and my bedroom. I could see her wrapped in our blanket staring out at the snow filled yard. She turned away as I took off at a run towards the house. Maybe I can get to her before she gets dressed. Save her the trouble.

I felt something wet hit me on the side. I yelped in surprise looking for the perpetrator.

"I thought you needed to cool down a little. You should really try to keep those thoughts to yourself."

I grimaced at Edward. I was too busy thinking about Bella that I must have missed the vision of his intrusion.

"It would help if you don't pry into them, Ed-ward."

I said his name with annoyance but that only made him laugh. I was thankful though because Jasper had interrupted his glee with a snowball to the face.

I gave Jasper a thank you but got a snowball to the face in return. Why that little…!!

Jasper was laughing.

"He had no right to be prying into your mind darling but this is a snowball fight. To each his own!"

With superhuman speed, I made snowballs and launched them at Jasper. It hit him square in the chest. I sent one to Edward's right, knowing that was where he will be in a matter of seconds as he avoided Jasper's snowball only to get hit in the face with mine. I smiled.

I don't know how long we were there, throwing snowballs at each other. It was all about speed, a snowball fight, the vampire way.

Emmett joined in sometime later and Rosalie watched, until I hit her in the face anyway. She was infuriated but soon she was laughing alongside a drenched Emmett. She had become a target and Emmett, being her big teddy bear, was taking the hits as her vampire shield. Behind him, she was throwing snowballs of her own at Jasper, Edward and me.

Carlisle, Esme, and Katrina were inside, watching through the window in amusement. They must have known that if they took one step outside, they would be pummeled by snowballs.

Suddenly, I saw a blur behind Edward. He yelped at the snow that was suddenly on top of his head. From out of nowhere, Jasper was hit by a snowball on the chest. Emmett put Rosalie behind him protectively but then Rosalie yelped because now she had snow in her shirt. Emmett looked around confused before a snowball hit him in the face.

I looked around cautiously. What in the world?

We all backed up and formed a tight circle, looking for the culprit. All of a sudden, snowballs were hitting us. We were being hit left and right and we were desperately trying to figure out who it was. Katrina, Esme and Carlisle were outside in confusion. They got hit with a snowball, each on the chest as soon as they stepped outside.

All of a sudden the assault stopped. We wiped snow off our eyes and shook the snow off our clothes. A laugh resounded from the roof. We all turned to look up.

BELLA.

She was sitting on top of the roof with a smug smile. A pile of snowballs were beside her, ready to be thrown.

"You are so dead!!"

I yelled as I gathered up a snowball to throw at her. Everyone else followed suit ready to target Bella. When we all looked back up, she was gone.

"Where did she go?" Emmett's voice sounded slightly fearful.

"Over here Uncle Emmy!!" Bella laughed as her snowball hit Emmett right on the chest.

We all began to frantically throwing snowballs at Bella. She was laughing, teleporting left and right and occasionally throwing one of her own.

I stopped as I saw the vision of her behind me with an armful of snow, ready to be dropped on top of my head when I said the word STOP.

The crunch of her steps in the snow behind me stopped when she knew she was caught. Everyone turned around and instinctively threw their snowballs at Bella. Unfortunately, Bella was behind me and I got most of it. Everyone muttered their apologies and laughed. I turned around at a smiling Bella and tackled her to the ground.

She laughed and I couldn't help but kiss her. I let my lips linger for a moment and was about to deepen the kiss when we were all of a sudden hit with a bunch more snowballs.

"Get a room before you melt all the snow around you!!"

Jasper laughed at his own joke.

Bella and I got up, wearing a matching glare and a smirk especially for him. The rest of the family found that amusing.

"Let's go inside. It's cold." Carlisle invited us all back into the house.

Emmett mumbled an "as if it matters, we're vampires" and Carlisle just smiled before teasing him with a very parental response.

"I heard that young man."

Bella and I poked Emmett disapprovingly on our way in. He cast his gaze downward before Rosalie took his hand and led him in.

Bella and I just laughed as we made our way into the sitting room. We sat in front of the fireplace and joined the rest of the family in our little hallmark moment.

BPOV:

The snow has yet to melt but this has not hindered our strategic training meetings. We've decided to just wait it out. We will allow Aro and the Volturi to approach as they see fit. Hopefully, Alice will see it when they decide. With Carlisle's help, we can approach this with diplomacy. Carlisle has pointed out that Demetri's attack against me is justified under Aro's orders however, we can present a strong case to back up my retaliation against him as self defense. Alice is my mate, our laws give mates the right to protect each other in any given circumstance if the other is threatened. I killed him because he was going to kill Alice.

Even all that is not a strong case. I am pretty sure they will find me guilty of killing Felix and Demetri. Although true and both are out of self-defense and self-preservation, I still killed them.

Aro and I can not read each other's minds so my best defense is to persuade him of my innocence by just giving him the full story. If he deems me guilty, I will offer him full servitude or my death as long as he lets the Cullens live. They do not know of this plan yet. Carlisle believes that if I can truly give him all of my memories of that event, he can become the vessel or channel. He will let Aro read his thoughts and memories which will allow Aro to see the thoughts and memories I have bestowed upon Carlisle. This could save us.

If none of these ideas work, all have agreed to fight. I will train them as necessary but I will not let it get to that. I will offer servitude or my death first.

I heard a twig snap behind me and quickly side stepped to my right. Emmett stumbled in his surprise attack and was about to fall face first on to the ground. I caught his big body by the back of his jacket and saved him from the face plant.

"Nice try Emmett." I acknowledged his attack in an even tone. His face was already mortified that a girl had to save him from falling on his face. No need to tease his manliness any more than that.

Edward and Jasper found it quite a scene though. I looked at Emmett apologetically. I'll have to teach those two a little lesson later on. Tonight is the boys' night, tomorrow morning will be the girl's turn.

"What's so funny?" Carlisle appeared, looking back and forth from the laughing boys to Emmett. Behind him Katrina appeared. I looked at her, questioning her presence.

"Is it okay if I sit back and watch?" She was asking for permission but her voice was daring me to deny. I had already offended her once, the least I could do is allow her to stay so I nodded my consent.

I signaled the boys to sit on a falling log on my right and I directed Katrina to sit on my left. They all waited for me to speak.

"As you know, the Volturis have many guards that have many powers. Lucky for you, you won't have to worry about the ones that will attack your mind. I can protect you with my shield as long as I am standing. They will not be able to attack your mind, they will not be able to read it, they will not be able to persuade it, they can not get into it. This only leaves the physical attacks. There are others that can teleport, shape shift, and move objects. These are what we need to worry about. They have the advantage of numbers but we have the advantage of location. If it gets bad, I can teleport us all anywhere I choose where it will take them time to find us. This only prolongs the battle though. Our biggest advantage is our powers. Edward, even though they can not read our minds, you and I will be able to read theirs. Jasper, you and I will be able to control their emotions. Alice will be able to read the future. Nothing has changed for us but their perception will be 50% when they realize they can only depend on their physical strength and numbers. Aro has always heavily depended on Jane and Alec and the guards with powers over the mind. Tonight, we will learn some basic fighting moves from Jasper then you will all fight against me. I am your best simulation. I will put my shield down so Edward can read my mind and Jasper can control my emotions. I will go into the fight with just my physical powers. Let's get started. Jasper?"

I turned the lesson over to Jasper and made my way to sit with Katrina. She and I are not on good terms currently. I had insulted her mate, a foolish move on my part. I think she is insecure about my old relationship with Edward and so she dislikes me. I just made it a tad bit worse.

"Hey. Look, I'm really sorry about insulting Edward. I was out of line. I can't say that I was happy about what happened between him and I because it hurt, a lot. However, with that said, I want you to know that I support the two of you and that I love Alice. I'm really sorry."

My eyes were downcast, I wasn't sure I wanted to look at her as I said my apologies. I heard her sigh in defeat.

"I know what Edward has done and there hasn't been one day that he has not regretted it. In some ways he deserves your anger but I can't help but entertain that because he is my mate. I don't hate you Isabella but that doesn't mean I like you either but I can forgive you for your harshness."

She paused then looked at me. I nodded at the truce she has presented before me. To alleviate the sudden awkwardness to the situation, she got up mumbled to everyone about going hunting and went on her way.

I watched her go into the woods and lost myself in my thoughts.

"Bella!"

Jasper's interruption was welcomed. I looked up and saw that it was almost dawn. It was time for the simulation fight. I wasn't about to take it easy on them on their first night.

I walked to the middle and allowed them to surround me. I let my shield down and let Jasper and Edward gain the advantage. I crouched down ready to attack and watched them all follow suit.

Everyone was still and I closed my eyes. Who will make the first move? I let my hearing determine.

A soft step took my attention to Jasper and I teleported out of my spot from inside the circle to the outside, behind Carlisle. Jasper grasped at nothing and I threw Carlisle towards the nearest tree as Edward came after me. He was reading my mind, it is too bad all he can hear is the lyrics to Bad Romance by Lady Gaga playing in my head. We punched and kicked and parried, both trying to get the advantage. It's too bad I will always have the advantage. I teleported behind him and landed a kick to his back, sending him spiraling into the woods. Carlisle came at me then with a branch which I swiped and snapped in half. Carlisle and I fought, he was much more graceful than the others in his offenses, our fighting styles were similar.

"I trained with the Volturi too, but not nearly as much as you."

His voice was calm as he said his piece before landing a couple of good kicks and punches on me. Where did this guy come from? I smiled at Carlisle, showing my obvious admiration on my face. Too bad, it won't be enough. I'm one Volturi guard, he will have to fight hundreds.

I got back on the offensive and landed a good couple of punches and kicks, not at my full strength to spare him some pain. I finally picked him up and sent him spiraling into the woods.

I saw Edward dart out of the woods.

Suddenly I felt the rage begin. Jasper was trying to make me angry, to make me loose my control and my level-headed approach. I looked at Edward then growled at a smiling Jasper.

This was not a good idea Jasper. I looked at him and tackled him to the ground sending him on a crash course towards Carlisle, who just appeared out of the woods. The two of them fell back.

The feeling of rage magnified and I became infuriated. I looked at Edward with loathing in my eyes.

"You are the reason I am like this!! You and your lying!!"

Edward was taken back and his eyes showed his hesitation to attack.

"Bella. I'm sorry. I-I"

I punched him. Hard. I kept punching him over and over again.

"You left me to die Edward!! You should have been honest!! You should have just told me you didn't love me. Instead, you took away my family. You took everyone away….including Alice. It was never you I loved Edward, it was never you. It was Alice. You took her away, you took them all away!!"

I side stepped as Emmett tried to grab me. This time I let him eat dirt.

I pounced on Edward again. I'm losing it. I struggled with the rage.

I began my attack on Edward, hitting him where it really hurts. Occasionally, Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett would try to stop me but I felt the rage as I knocked them out of my way.

I grabbed Edward by the throat and held him up.

"Look at the monster you have created Edward."

I threw him at Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper. Their eyes were wide, looking at me. I struggled with my anger. I steadied my breathing, trying to fight the rage still.

"That concludes tonight's training. As you have found out, we all need to train. Jasper, good job with projecting rage, as you can see, it can really throw the enemy off but you have to be careful, it can be used for power sometimes.

I looked up and watched them help Edward up. I made my way towards the woods but a voice interrupted me.

"Bella. I'm sorry."

I turned around and looked at Edward.

"No. Don't. I'm sorry. You don't deserve that."

I looked at his hurting body with guilt but Edward smiled at me teasingly.

"Well, it can't get any worse than this. Beaten up by your ex-girlfriend."

I couldn't help but laugh and be thankful at Jasper's attempt to lighten up the seriousness of my actions. Katrina came back and saw the weakened Edward. She looked at me with contempt as she accompanied the boys back to the house.

I had done it again. Not only am I putting this family in danger with the Volturis, I keep them in danger from myself. I let myself sink to the ground, my hand on my head.

I could have killed them. I could have killed Edward. That rage was deadly and my control was weak.

I made the biggest mistake a guard could make, I let my emotions control me. I was trained by the Volturi to control myself but I was also trained to take my own vengeance. It was my own vendetta against Edward that fueled my rage. The fight was no longer a combat to be won, it became a combat to kill and take vengeance. I slipped. I let my inner monster out.

I stood up and standing across from me was Alice.

I looked her and cast my eyes downward in shame.

"Bella, what have you done?"

I let her words reverberate, echoing in the hollowness of my shell.

I was a child in trouble with no defense for my transgressions.

I looked at Alice in exasperation before turning my back. I did the one thing that made sense for now.

I ran.

A/N: Poor Bella. :(