All characters except for Annabelle Causley and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.

This is an AU out of Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. This story starts after Eclipse, two weeks before Edward and Bella's wedding.

Chapter Twenty-Five

"You're teaching me to do what?" Annabelle stared at Emmett with a wide-eyed expression, not sure she had heard him correctly.

"I'm teaching you how to drive," Emmett repeated himself, an expression on his face that would have been humorous if Annabelle hadn't been so perplexed.

"Why?"

"We can't be your chauffeurs forever Anna," Emmett cocked his head to the side, "Besides, we're moving to New Hampshire soon and you'll be the only one going to school there so you'll need to drive yourself."

"Why do I have to go to school," Annabelle turned to look at Edward and Jasper as they both stared at her, amused at her bewilderment.

"Because you're sixteen," Alice spoke up from the sofa, flipping through the pages of a photo album she was putting together for Edward and Bella, "And as a Cullen, pretending to be human means doing all those human things…such as driving and going to school."

"Are any of you going to school," Annabelle looked at all the Cullen "teenagers" with lowered eyebrows, not sure she was willing to be part of the pretense that was so important to this family.

"Well," Edward looked at Bella, who was sitting on his lap at one of the plush white armchairs, "Since our plans have changed, we'll be attending Dartmouth as freshmen."

"Well, that's if we make it out of Forks alive," Emmett said over his shoulder, a smirk on his face. Annabelle glared at him, remembering his barely disguised excitement when she revealed to the family her reasons for coming to Forks yesterday morning.

"So am I going to Dartmouth too," Annabelle sat down at the bottom step of the stairs, feeling the weight of pretense and lies heavy on her shoulders.

"You're sixteen," Rosalie walked in from the kitchen, "You're going to high school."

"I'm not sure this whole school thing is such a good idea," Annabelle stood up and leaned against the railing, looking at each of the Cullens, "I mean, do they still teach the same things they taught back in the 1900s? Beyond reading, writing and math, I really don't think I would be at a high school learning level."

"We'll tutor you before school starts," Alice looked up at Annabelle with a smile, "You'll catch on quick."

"But first things first, I'm teaching you how to drive," Emmett shifted in his chair, his dimples evident due to the big grin on his face, "And afterwards, you get to have your own car!"

"But I never said anything about a car," Annabelle moaned as she sank back down onto the bottom step, "I just want to be myself, live my own life, not have to lie all the time." She buried her face into her hands, her hair falling over her shoulders to create a curtain around her, "If I could just stay home, learn things I want to learn…"

"Well," Alice looked at Annabelle's hunched frame, her eyes showing compassion for her new sister, "We could talk to Carlisle and Esme…if we register you into the New Hampshire Home School System, then it wouldn't be a problem you not going to school."

"Really?" Annabelle peaked through her hair at Alice, feeling reassured by her smile.

"You're still learning to drive," Emmett set his jaw in that stubborn mulish way that his family recognized as bad news.

Annabelle frowned at him, "There's no point to me learning how to drive. I'll be staying home and I don't need a car to go hunting. In all reality, the only reason I would get into a car is if we are all going somewhere."

"Annabelle," Edward spoke up, shifting in his seat to pull Bella closer, "You'll like driving. Or are you afraid you can't do it?"

Annabelle whipped her head to the side, her mouth falling open as Edward smiled at her, the challenge evident in his topaz colored eyes.

"Fine," Annabelle growled as she moved up the stairs to her room, "I'll learn to drive but I'll do it when I'm ready."

Edward was stretched out on his side, watching Bella sleep. Reaching out, he softly touched her face, lightly running his fingers through her hair, stirring the air around them. He breathed in deeply before gently pulling her into his arms, her back to his front, and holding her as he closed his eyes and remembered yesterday morning. They had all met in Carlisle's office to listen to Annabelle's story…more specifically, her reason to why she had come to Forks…

Staring into Carlisle's eyes, Annabelle felt a deep well of sadness at what she was about to reveal. She knew this news would hurt this compassionate man that was quickly becoming dear to her.

"As you know, I've spent the last hundred years with Aro," Annabelle kept her eyes on Carlisle, "For that reason, I know much about what he desires, what he wants, what he fears. The one thing that he talked about the most was you and your family…especially after he met Edward and Alice in Italy last year. Aro is absolutely fascinated with what Edward and Alice could do for him if he were able to bring them into the Volturri. He wouldn't mind having all of you join him but he knows how adamant you are about your philosophy…for that reason, he has been trying to figure out a way to get Edward and Alice…and he finally shared his plans with me about two weeks before I ran away…"

Annabelle stopped, her eyes still locked with Carlisle's, her heart breaking at what she was about to say, "Aro has decided that as much as he loves you, the possible threat that your growing family presents to him has to be removed…he won't destroy all of you…just those of you who won't be an asset to him…and he believes that he has leverage when it comes to Edward and Alice…"

"Leverage?" Jasper spoke up, his arms around Alice, "What kind of leverage?"

Annabelle moved her eyes from Carlisle to Edward before looking at Bella, "He plans on waiting until Bella is changed and he can discover her gift…even if she isn't gifted, he will find a way to take her, knowing full well that your love for her will make you follow. He's realized that this move may only get him Edward so he's of a mind to take Jasper as well…just as insurance that Alice will come…the rest of you…he won't mind you coming too…if not…he has no use for you."

The room was silent. Annabelle closed her eyes, feeling that hopelessness and fear that came whenever she thought or talked of Aro. Even from miles away, he still had power over her and she wish she knew how to break away from him.

"Well," she turned to look at a grinning Emmett, "Now that we know, we'll be ready to fight."

"The entire Volturri," Jasper frowned as he tightened his arms around Alice, "How exactly are we going to do that, Emmett?"

"We have Alice keep a closer eye on them, let us know when they get ready to make their move…then we…" Emmett stopped, the realization that no matter how prepared they were they'd still be outnumbered didn't dampen his enthusiasm, it was just a minor detail they would have to figure out.

Annabelle turned to look at Carlisle, her eyes filled with regret and pain, "I'm sorry Carlisle. Aro loves you, I know this, but he loves the power he has over our world much more. He wants to give you a chance to save yourself, to save your family, but he knows you won't take it…not when it means forsaking your lifestyle."

Carlisle kept his eyes on Annabelle, his hand holding tight to Esme's as a feeling of betrayal ran through him, "Thank you for coming to warn us Annabelle. Thanks to you, we'll be able to be proactive about this…we won't be surprised when it happens, and that in itself, gives us a head start."

Annabelle bit her lip, trying to decide if she should tell him her thoughts. Looking at each of them, she realized that she deeply loved them all –well, maybe she didn't love Rosalie but she was still a Cullen –and wanted to keep them alive.

"Carlisle," Annabelle stepped closer to his seat before dropping to her knees and taking his hand in hers, "This is all Aro. Caius and Marcus care nothing for this but they will go along just because of Aro…"

"In other words, we need to find a way to get rid of Aro," Emmett stood up from his seat and began pacing the room, "It won't be that hard to get him alone…will it?"

Annabelle kept her eyes on Carlisle and her thoughts to herself. He squeezed her hand, wishing he knew what to do but knowing he needed time to make plans.

"No," Carlisle looked at Emmett then at each one of his family members, "Destroying Aro would still bring the Volturri down on us. We'll find another way."

Edward sighed as he buried his face into Bella's hair, trying to calm his anger and fear. They would find a way to stay out of Aro's clutches. They had to find a way because Edward didn't want to lose Bella and he knew if he had to follow her to hell, he would.

The only solution, for now, that they all could come up with, was postponing Bella's change. Even though she wasn't pleased with this, she agreed to it.

It wouldn't be enough though. Annabelle pointed out that this would only keep the Volturri away for a time, not indefinitely. It was going to be necessary for them to brainstorm and plan.

The good thing was that they had Annabelle…she knew how Aro thought…how he acted. She had inside information about him and the Volturri that was valuable to them, a great help. Edward lifted his head from the pillow, listening to Annabelle as she snuck out of her room through the window. Shaking his head, he reminded himself to let her know she could go out the front door like everyone else.

It's not as if he didn't know where she was going.