Epilogue

MAY

Day 16

The urges are strong. I tried Stefan's diet. I lasted three days before sneaking into Damon's stash of blood bags in the basement.

Yes, Bella loves blood now. Ironic? I couldn't stand the sight of it a few weeks ago, now I go crazy over it.

Haven't seen Elena or Charlie in more than two weeks. Not after Charlie fed me his blood and I completed the transformation.

Charlie told the school I was visiting my Mom in Florida, I've been handing in assignments via email.

So, for the moment, I'm living with Damon and Stefan until I can control the thirst. I've got my own room. It's practically bigger than my house's second floor, and the bathtub in my bathroom… no words.

I can go out in the sun, which is great, and I don't sparkle. Except for my scar, it does sparkle a bit, nothing noticeable to the human eye. But I can only hang around the house's perimeter. I'm not allowed to go out by myself. You know, just in case I go psycho.

No, I haven't killed anyone.

I'm disperse. I get distracted easily. Sounds, smells, dust particles, this is a completely different world. I never knew the world around me could have so much detail. It really is breath taking.

Did you know that rocks have different smells? Rocks, I'm serious. And there's this color, I don't know it's name, but, I had never seen that color before, I have no words to describe it, but it's beautiful.

I'm so hungry. All the time.

I drink. All the time. Blood, wine, blood, scotch, blood, beer, blood. Blood, blood, blood. I asked Stefan if there was some sort of Bloodholic-anonymus support group or something for newborns. I think it would be neat. I know I would go.

Damon has gone out of town to steal some blood from hospitals a few times in the past few days.

He's been teaching me to control my urges.

I can run fast, did I say that already?

I'm hungry!

I get irritable easily as well.

Jake finally came around a week ago. I can be around him, even though he stinks. I'm not attracted to his blood. Thank God for that!

I'm having trouble with my strength. I've broken more than a few glasses and door knobs.

I'm hungry. I'm going back into the basement.

Day 25

Stefan encouraged me to start writing in this stupid little notebook.

"Keep a journal, it will help," he said. Help my ass.

Yes I'm bitter. I've been locked up for a month in this stupid big house.

Hello my name is Bella and I have a problem. I'm freaking hungry.

JUNE

I convinced Damon to let me try going to school… I am supposedly graduating in a few weeks.

While Damon is encouraging, and he shows that he trusts me. Stefan keeps trying to baby me. He's so careful with everything. Sometime I feel that he treats me like I'm some sort ticking bomb that's going to explode at any minute.

After days of begging they put me to the test. Charlie came by the house. I hadn't seen him in a while. I was very excited. Damon kept whispering to me over and over not to crush his bones when I hugged him. I might have hugged him a little too strong, but I didn't break him. My face kept in place, it didn't vamp out. I kept my composure. I passed the test. I went to school, Stefan tagging along closely by my side. Keeping an eye on me.

Bonnie doesn't really like me now. She has this annoying attitude. I get it though. It's like Jake and the pack. History has taught them to hate us.

JULY

Graduation went well. Charlie was so happy. Reneé flew in from Florida. I hadn't realized how much I missed her until I saw her. She met everyone. Of course, she was completely charmed by Damon's good looks.

Damon got me my own Ducati as a graduation present. This present, even though it was expensive, I did not complain of. Not when I wanted it more than anything else. Damon and I go riding together from time to time. We race each other. He always wins.

Clearly I'm not going to college this year. I don't even know what the hell I want to do with my life. I didn't know a year ago, I most certainly don't know now. And now I have and eternity to make up my mind and change it as many times as I want.

Elena is going to school. Stefan is going with her. They're moving to Hanover by the end of the summer. She's going to Dartmouth. Moved by Elena's persistence, Stefan is actually going to try to give his long lost career choice a chance. He's always wanted to be a doctor, and now he's going to see how it goes… here's hoping that he doesn't go crazy over blood.

Damon and I, on the other hand, are going to Italy.

I'd say I was happy that we were going over seas, but I'm not. Not really. I'm actually nervous, petrified, to be honest.

Damon has business to attend. Claim his reward for Victoria's head. He says I need to go too. As my maker, he needs to introduce me to the Volturi, since he pledged for me they might want to see with their own eyes I am in fact a vampire.

My maker. It sounds weird doesn't it? Like he was my "father". That's just not right.

He is taking care of me, teaching me tons of things. I tried getting him to teach me how to turn into an animal, he laughed to my face.

Ass.

Then I tried to convince him to teach me how to change the weather. Again, he laughed to my face.

Double ass.

He says it takes time. As I get older these abilities tend to show themselves. He says I should be proud, I've shown more control over my thirst than anyone he has ever met. He says it's partially because I'm so focused on not hurting anyone. That and my stubbornness.

All in all he's been good. Very patient. Even though he sometimes lets that insufferable personality out.

I'm hungry but not starving. I've learned how to control it. If I feed a few times a day, I can manage it.

AUGUST

We leave in a few days.

Yesterday Damon gave me a credit card.

I refused to receive it.

He threatened with taking the Ducati away. So I took the credit card without thinking. I'm not using it.

I need a job. I cannot have him paying for everything. Elena says she thinks he feels responsible for me dying, and that now he's trying everything he can to make that up to me. I don't really know what it is, but what I do know is that I can't depend on him and Stefan for eternity. I'm no goldigger.

I'm standing in my room, my real room in Charlie's yellow house, deciding what to pack. I have no idea what to wear on this trip and not to mention what to take. I didn't want to feel like a complete idiot when I met the Volturi dressed in jeans and a simple tank top. In my head I had pictured the scene a hundred times. They always ended up laughing at me.

My complete wardrobe was lying on my bed and bedroom floor. A very small and old suitcase lay in the middle of the mess.

I heard Charlie coming up the stairs and then nock on my door.

"Come in Dad," I told him.

"Wow, that's quite the mess you got there…" he said amazed as he saw my bed.

I looked back at him, "I know right?"

His hands rested on his sides.

"Bells I got you something," he told me and reached for his back pocket. He took out a plastic card.

Oh no. Not him too.

"I know Damon's been taking care of you, but it's still my responsibility to support you, in any way I can. So, I went to the bank today-"

"Dad… no really you don't have to do that," I shook my head.

"Take it, it's what I'm supposed to be doing, you're my daughter. Please, just, just take it," he said as he waved the card in the air, waiting for me to take it.

Charlie still needed me to be his little girl. If I could help him see that I still was by taking it then that I would have to do, and so I took it.

"Thanks Dad," I said and walked over to him and hugged him… gently.

He nodded.

"So…are you excited?" he asked.

"Umm… not so much excited as nervous?" I answered.

"They'll like you, I know that," he responded in encouragement.

"I sure hope so," I sighed.

I heard footsteps on the porch.

"We have a visitor," I told Charlie, who just looked a little perplexed, and then the doorbell rang and he understood.

"I'm still not used to that," he chuckled. I shrugged and he left to open the door.

I heard Elena greet Charlie warmly, and Charlie telling her I was upstairs trying to pack up, but that it seemed I needed a little help.

I adored Charlie. When we moved here, he threw everything in his closet into a big black garbage bag and then threw that bag into the U-HAUL.

Elena came up stairs.

"Oh my God… did your closet explode?" she asked amused.

I covered my face.

"It happened so quickly," I answered.

She laughed.

"I swear I don't know what to take. Everything looks so old and worn out," I told her.

"Then just pack essentials, and buy new clothes over there," she suggested.

I could do that…

"You know? You're right," I told her.

"Let's divide the pile then, what to take and what to leave," she said as she walked over to my bed. She grabbed a grey hoodie.

"This is definitely staying," she said and threw it to the other side of the room.

I sighed. We were going to be here for a while.

Two hours later I arrived at the Boarding house, small old suitcase in hand. Damon was sitting in the library reading a book. I walked over and sat next to him, resting my head on the couch.

"Pack up?" he asked.

I nodded.

"How much did you pack?" he asked.

"The essentials," I answered.

He looked at me over his book.

"Essentials?"

"Yes."

He smirked and took the glass of spiced blood he was drinking from the side table.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked.

"Sure," I shrugged.

He got up and left his book on the couch. He walked over to the bar and fixed my drink, then walked back to the couch, drink in hand.

"Thank you," I answered as he handed it to me. I drank it all in a blink.

"Someone's nervous," he said.

"I am… I mean… I'm a little worried," I confessed.

"Why are you worried?" he asked.

"Well… first there's the flight. Twelve hours of all that recycled air and a hundred humans in there I think will drive me insane."

He nodded, "yes, I see how that could be uncomfortable."

"And then there's the whole meeting with the Volturi. I mean, meeting them is like… meeting the queen of England. I'm scared what if I say the wrong thing… are there rules?" I asked.

"Rules?"

"Yes, like… kneeling and walking six steps behind and never speaking without being spoken to…" I explained.

He laughed.

"Relax, you're not going in there alone. And you're not going in there with just any loser, you're going in there with me, and that's enough so that rules don't really apply to you," he answered.

"So, if this was like that show, The Tudors, and the Volturi were the royal family, you'd be… Charles Brandon?" I asked, trying to understand.

He rolled his eyes, "You're going by a television reference? Really?" he laughed.

I shrugged. He turned around facing me.

"Okay, first of all, never mention The Tudors, and never compare me to Charles Brandon."

"Charles Brandon is hot," I told him.

He rolled his eyes, "No he wasn't. He was a pig, just like the king."

"Whatever, you get my point don't you?"

"Just relax, it's going to be fine," he told me, and handed me his drink.

"Drink that, and get some sleep, I moved the flight for tomorrow morning."

"What?"

He cracked one of those… "yes I did, now what are you going to do about it" smiles.

The next morning, after fighting with Damon, who wanted me to change suitcases because mine was completely ancient, I finally agreed, changed suitcases and headed out to the airport. I said my goodbyes to Charlie, Elena and Stefan and we both boarded the plane to Rome.

I was anxious and jumpy.

"Maybe you should have shot me with Vervain, like I suggested last night, I'd be out for the whole flight for sure," I whispered as I buckled my seatbelt.

"Bella, relax," he ordered.

I sat still on my seat.

"Are we in first class?" I asked confused.

He raised an eyebrow.

Damon never flew in coach, what a stupid question.

I closed the window, then opened it again.

I pulled down the table, Damon closed it.

"Stop it," he told me.

"I don't think I'm ready to fly," I told him.

"You are ready. Now stop it, stop acting like a child," he said irritated.

He called one of the flight attendants and ordered some scotch, the girl brought it and he handed it over to me.

"Drink up," he ordered.

I did as I was told.

It worked. I calmed down a bit.

"Better?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Good. Now, I was ready for something like this to happen, so, here's and ipod, I'll keep the scotch coming, just stay quiet in your seat, and try to relax."

I nodded again. I couldn't help but feel a little foolish. But I really couldn't control it.

Three hours into the flight I was going crazy.

Four hours in, I had walked up and down the corridor like a trapped caged tiger.

Five hours in, Damon showed me how to play cards.

Six hours in I had finished watching a movie.

On the Seventh hour I was ready to jump out of the plane and run the rest of the way to Italy.

Hours eight and nine, I spent heavily drinking.

By the time the plane landed I was ready to possibly kill someone.

Damon rented a car, a convertible, and drove like a mad man through the lovely streets of Rome. He parked a block away from a hospital and ordered me to stay inside.

I took in the scenery as I waited. Gorgeous architecture, but not as stunning as the men that were walking right past the car.

Five minutes later Damon came out of the hospital with a small cooler in hand. My mouth watered instantly. He got in the car and pulled up the retractable hardtop, and windows. He handed me the cooler.

"Drink up, you're driving me insane," he muttered as he started driving.

If I were in some other mood, I'd probably snap back at him, but I was so thirsty I would let that comment pass.

I ripped open the blood bag and drank.

"You want some?" I asked in between sips.

He leaned forward and grabbed a bag as well.

The anxiety, and unease I had been feeling for the past nine hours had washed away completely. I hadn't gone so long without tasting a sip of blood.

"Where are we going now?" I asked him.

"Volterra," he answered.

"How long till we get there?" I asked.

"Normally it takes three hours," he answered.

"But we're taking… an hour and a half?" I completed.

He nodded.

I laid back on the very comfortable seat and enjoyed my bag of happiness.

We arrived in Volterra precisely and hour and a half later. Well… not exactly Volterra. We were staying in a villa that was just five minutes away from the town. Damon said it would help me maintain my serenity.

As soon as we got there I called Charlie and told him everything had been fine, we arrived safely. I had woken him up, and he was a little loopy but I made sure he knew I was okay.

Damon showed me my room for our stay, it was lovely, I had no words for it. I couldn't actually believe I was really in Italy. He asked me to get some rest, we had a big day ahead of us. I took a shower and slept for a while.

I woke up, and the sun wasn't up yet. I walked to the kitchen and looked for breakfast. I found the stash of blood bags, and opened one. Damon walked downstairs soon afterwards.

"Morning," he greeted.

"Hi," I said in return.

He pushed a glass in my direction and shared with him my breakfast.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered, "I'm sorry about yesterday I didn't know it would be so overwhelming."

He shrugged. He was expecting it.

"My first trip, I was on a boat, for two months, I know how it feels."

"Couldn't you just swim there, wherever you were going?"

He chuckled.

"I could have…" he answered.

"Are there things I should know about today?" I asked.

"Yes, a few."

I sat on a stool.

"Okay, fire away."

"We're meeting with Aro, Caius and Marcus. They will ask questions, to which you must answer sincerely. Don't fear. I'll be right there behind you. Aro will probably ask to touch your hand."

"Why?" I asked. It sounded creepy.

"Aro, has a very special ability, he can see a person's thoughts just by touching them."

"So he's like Edward," I concluded.

"Not quite. Aro can see every thought a person has ever had," he explained.

"Oh," a little intrusive.

"So let him," he told me, "We'll probably be asked to stay for dinner, we will do so if they ask."

"Dinner?" did he mean… feed from a human?

He nodded.

"I'll be there," he insisted.

I nodded.

"What am I going to wear?" I asked.

He chuckled, "I had an outfit picked out for the occasion," he answered.

I sighed in relief.

"Thank you, I've been cracking my head over this for days!"

"Did you think I was going to let you walk in there in jeans and a hoody?" he smirked.

I covered my face.

"Go change, we leave in an hour," he said.

I finished my glass of breakfast and ran up stairs. When I got to my room the outfit Damon had picked out was laying on my bed.

How the hell was I going to pull that one off?

It was a black dress, bare backed, strong cleavage (which I didn't really know how the hell I was going to fill it in). It was beautiful, that's for sure, and tight. Yes, it was tight.

I tried it on, and it fit perfectly.

Damon had taste I had to admit it. He knew I was picky, but he knew how to pick out stuff for me.

I finished getting ready, he knocked on my door and I let him in.

He eyed me up and down. Grabbed my hand and gave me a twirl.

"Are you still worried about your outfit?" he asked cockily.

"No," I answered, "thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, we should be heading out," he said and with a hand on my back, pushed me gently out the door.

We drove into the city, it was barely sunny out. We reached an old building and parked the car outside. The doors were opened for us instantly. Damon extended his arm to me.

I wrapped my arm around his and followed him inside. We walked into an elevator, that, to my surprise went down, not up. I glanced over at Damon, he kept his eyes straight ahead, his gaze had changed. He looked so serious and concentrated. He caught me staring at him and winked at me. He knew I was nervous.

The elevator doors opened and we walked into a very elaborate and elegant lobby. We walked to a desk where a human girl sat.

"Signor Salvatore, siamo stati vi aspetta," de girl said as soon as she saw Damon.

"Gianna mia cara, possiamo entrare?" he... asked? I had no idea what they were saying. Number one on my list was to learn how to speak italian if we were going to stay here for a while.

"Sì, è possibile. Aro piacerebbe parlare con te privatamente prima," she replied.

Damon nodded and guided me through the first doors on the right.

"What did she say?" I asked in a whisper.

"They're expecting us, but they want to speak to me first," he answered.

We walked the long hallway until we reached a small waiting room.

"You sit and wait here, I'll go inside," he explained.

I nodded and sat on the first couch I saw.

He then took a look around, there were others here, cold-ones. All with deep dark red eyes, all of them looked at him nervously. They knew who he was. He then looked at me again, and before going inside the big mahogany doors, he gave me a kiss on the forehead. He walked towards the door. His walk was different, so much more secure and imposing than I had ever seen him walk before. His head held high. He looked so arrogant and powerful.

The doors opened and he walked in.

I sat up straight. I felt all their eyes on me. I felt this weird vibe coming from them, I couldn't point exactly what it was. All I knew was that it was making me uncomfortable.

Damon had warned me on the way here to stay still, and not to fidget. It was odd that even as I vampire I still fidgeted, and it might raise attention, attention I didn't need at the moment. So I did as he told me and focused my attention on the wall in front of me. It was white, and so, I tried clearing my head. White.

A few minutes later, a very tall, very muscular man came out of the doors and looked at me.

"Isabella," he called me with his deep voice, his face blank, emotionless, and then he stepped to the side of the doors, this means follow me, right? I wouldn't disagree, this guy was scary.

I stood up and walked towards the doors and we went inside, the doors closed behind us. He walked by my side, guiding me through the long corridors with high ceilings. Whenever sunlight came through one of the windows above, his skin would glow. It had been long since I last saw that shimmer. If I thought the effect looked beautiful before, now it seemed even more dazzling.

We reached another set of doors, it had guards on each side, who following a signal the big guy gave them, opened the doors for us.

The big guy motioned me to go in first, and so I did as I was told.

We entered a large round room, made of marble. I recognized it immediately; this was the room in the portrait. Waiting in the middle of the room was Damon, who extended his hand to me. I walked to him and grabbed it.

"Aro, Caius, Marcus, this is Isabella," he introduced me.

I felt uncomfortable, I didn't know what to do, should I smile? Should a kneel? Bow? Give a reverence?

I just gave a weak smile and bowed my head forward a little. Damon eyed me.

"Isabella dear, come closer," the guy in the middle, who I supposed was Aro told me.

Be brave Bella.

I took a few steps forward. I stood in front of him, he stood up from the chair and started walking around me. It felt like I was been inspected from every angle.

"She is exquisite," he told Damon, "Freesia was it?"

I didn't dare look back. My smell, that's what he was asking about.

"Yes Aro," Damon answered.

"We have heard a significant amount of shatter about you," he told me as he stopped walking around me and faced me.

What had he heard? What had Damon told him?

"Not to worry child, all has been good," he said.

Well... I sure hoped so.

"How was you flight?" he asked me kindly.

"Long," I answered. Did he want long answers? Point form? Oh dear God I was so nervous.

He smirked.

"Urges?" he asked.

"Controllable," I answered shrugging.

"Hmmm..." he murmured as he continued examining me.

I glanced at the other two guys sitting in front of me. Statues. They looked bored. They too stared at me.

"You are following our natural diet, but not directly from the source," he stated as he looked into my eyes.

I nodded.

"Why not from humans?" he asked.

"I... I don't want to hurt anyone," I answered.

"Then why not try the animal diet? You have been around others who do so," he pointed out.

"I did try, I lasted three days."

"It's better you don't, it would be foolish of you to choose to be weak, not when you are rumored to have so much potential..."

What the hell was he talking about? What potential?

"Isabella, would you mind if I take a closer look at you?" he asked.

This was what Damon was telling me earlier. He wanted to take a look into my head.

Did I actually want this? No. I didn't want anyone getting to see my most private thoughts, the moments I valued, the ones I feared and the ones I wanted to forget.

I knew I had to show him, if I didn't he would think I was hiding something. I was standing in front of "The King" after all.

I nodded and he extended his hands, I extended mine as well, and he grabbed them gently.

I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me.

I repeated rapidly in my head over and over again.

I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me. I am invisible, he cannot see me.

He let out a laugh.

My pathetic scared thoughts had amused him.

"Marvelous!" He exclaimed and clapped.

"Damon, she's extraordinary," he exclaimed as he touched my face, "I cannot see a single thought! Never in all my years had this happened before!" he wasn't mad, he was actually quite impressed.

So, he couldn't get into my head either? What was wrong with me?

"You possess a strong mind... stubborn" he told me.

Damon chuckled.

"Old friend, it seems you have met your match," he told Damon.

My stomach clenched.

"He's used to getting his way, you make sure you give him a hard time," Aro whispered and winked.

I found it funny… and creepy at the same time. Damon was actually close to them.

"Now, tell me dear, was Victoria's coven completely destroyed?"

I looked into his eyes, I didn't want him to think I was lying since he couldn't look into my head.

"Yes, they were three, that I know of, Victoria, her mate James, and Laurent. They were all… destroyed," I answered.

"Good," he answered.

"It was about time we took care of the reckless lot," the blond guy added.

"Yes well, our dear friend here has made sure of that, always one of our own," Aro said looking at Damon.

"Your services wont go unnoticed," the other guy with the long hair told him.

I glanced over at Damon. He looked satisfied.

"Now, how long have you planned your stay here?" Aro asked Damon.

"I'd like to travel a bit with Isabella, it is after all, her first time over seas, and she is young," Damon answered.

"Yes, everything is much more exciting when one is young," Aro said absentmindedly, "Well Dear," he told me, grabbing my hands again, "Don't be a stranger now, we'd love to have you as our guest when you return from your travels."

He smiled at me and then, still holding my hand, walked over to Damon, "Old friend, we'll see you soon," he said and letting go of me hugged Damon, who hugged him back.

"Now, go… and Damon…" he said looking into Damon's eyes.

Damon nodded, what was he agreeing on? What was this silent conversation.

Damon then inclined his head forward and taking me by my hand, guided me out of the room.

"What was that?" I asked when we were back outside the building.

"We have work to do," he answered.

I stopped dead in my steps. What did he mean? What work? What kind of work? Was I… was I one of them now?

A/N:

First I would like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to embark on this crazy journey with me. Thank you for reading! I thank my constant reviewers who don't miss a single chapter, even if I don't answer all reviews trust me I know who you all are. I normally read a review and then I say, this must be so an so, most of the time I'm right. Thank you for getting Shattered to more than 1000 reviews! I couldn't believe it! Thank you for making this experience so valuable. You guys rock!

Now, I'd like to take the time to answer a few questions that have popped along the way and that are asked constantly.

Is this really a Bella / Damon romance?

Yes. It is. I just like the slow build. I'm more of a taking it slow kind of girl, and in my opinion, these two (Damon/Bella) have been hurt so bad that they aren't going to open up to just anyone. I think it would take time, first getting to know each other, then gaining the trust and theeen opening up. I just don't think I saw you and fell in love with you at first sight, works here. Honestly it was something that didn't seem believable to me when I was reading Twilight and The Vampire Diaries. So, you're going to have to wait. It will happen eventually.

Will the Cullens make an appearance?

I don't know, read the sequel maybe you'll find out.

Update! Update! Update!

I'm going to try to post a chapter every two weeks, try being the operative word. I'm really busy. Guys, I love you, I love the story, but the constant messages pushing me into updating wont work. To be honest, it just irritates me.

First chapter of the sequel will be posted sometime next week, I've created the story already so you might want to add it to Story Alerts, that way when the first real chapter is up notifies you immediately. It's called FIX YOU.

I normally alert everyone over on Twitter and Tumblr as soon as I post a chapter so you might want to follow me to hear it first from me. Links on my profile.

I'd like to point out, that I've met a bunch of crazy cool people here, some of which I've grown so close to that I run to them when I need a shoulder, a laugh, or just some good advice.

I want to thank the betas and pre readers I've had along the way, your input made this story better, and so I am eternally grateful.

Eliz, I hope we continue writing back and forth those long loooooong emails.

Amber, thank you for all the support, good advice is hard to come by, and you give some awesome advice! I think you might be one of the most strongest girls I've ever met, and I salute you.

Once again, thank you all! And I hope you keep reading!