AN: SM owns Twilight – I own nothing.
Thank you all so much for reading & reviewing!
Lemon-free, but there is some slight violence in this chapter – please be forewarned!
Moving along...
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As we laid intertwined in bed with our gazes locked, it was a truly indescribable feeling. We were bonded together in a way that no one could ever break... until death. And as the morning arrived, the tension gradually eased into both of our bodies - neither of us wanting to face what today could potentially bring.
"Bella, Jasper?" Esme's voice rang out through the mansion. She and Carlisle had taken Bree for the night so that Jasper and I could have some time together.
"Be right there!" I yelled back to her. Jasper groaned beside me in protest and clutched me tighter to him.
"Come on, baby – let's go see our daughter," I told him with a smile. That got him moving and he leaped out of bed and hurriedly got dressed. I laughed as I watched him – he looked so damn excited. He reminded me a lot of Peter at this moment, which I happened to mention to him.
"I do not!" he exclaimed in offense, chasing me down and throwing me back onto the bed before tickling me into submission.
"Okay, okay, you don't! Stop!" I gasped. He stopped and gazed down at me lovingly, still sporting the biggest smile. I pulled his mouth down to mine and suckled on his bottom lip, lightly nibbling on it with my teeth. Lust spiraled around us as he lowered his body down to press into mine so that I could feel every-single-muscle of his delicious body. I moaned into his mouth, but he reluctantly pulled himself back and stood up.
"We can't darlin', we have things to do," he said, a small frown mixing in with his smile. I nodded and silently got myself dressed, I didn't want to think about it – but it was inevitable.
Making our way to the great room, Jasper and Bree saw each other for the first time since the venom exchange. Bree's entire face lit up brighter than I've ever seen before, as she ran into his waiting arms and he scooped her up and twirled her around through the air – her happy laughter filling the entire mansion. That I've decided is the most beautiful sound. Everyone was there gathered around watching them, as Bree said the words that took my breath away...
"Thank you for wanting to be my Dad in this life – I love you," she whispered, kissing his cheek before snuggling contentedly into him.
"I love you too my daughter, so much," Jasper breathed, kissing her head and clutching her tighter to him. He beamed at me over top of her and I clasped my hand over my mouth to stop the sob from making it's way free. He winked at me and the sob escaped regardless. Char and Peter sandwiched me between them as I tearlessly sobbed in my joy and happiness. And I wasn't the only one doing so.
Edward's head snapped around towards the back of the house. "They're almost here," he said solemnly.
I swallowed thickly and nodded as Jasper let Bree down and took her hand in his. He walked over to me with her and I took her other hand in mine. Together, we made our way outside with the rest of the family behind us to face the Volturi...
Jane, Felix, and Demetri arrived first – with Victoria held firmly in their grasp. Jane nodded to me in acknowledgment and I smiled in return. Victoria smirked at us but Jane caught sight of it and sent her once again to the ground writhing in pain. Bree gasped and shook slightly at seeing her here, and I squeezed her hand in reassurance.
"It's okay, she can't hurt us anymore – remember?" I told her.
She nodded hesitantly as we took our places across from Jane just as the rest of the Volturi entered the backyard. They moved in unison fluidly – as if they had practiced the motion a thousand times before, and they probably had. Three lead the group, they were older and looked almost frail in their appearance. Their eyes were a milky red and their skin looked paper thin and much paler than our own. Behind them were several different guard members...they were fighters, it was clear in their stance.
They were battle ready... and that fact scared the shit out of me.
"Aro, Marcus, Caius," Carlisle greeted, nodding at the men in turn who stood slightly in front of everyone else. Aro wore a black suit that looked perfectly tailored to fit him. His hair was jet black and gathered into a loose pony tail at the nape of his neck. His eyes flickered around the group wildly... until they landed on Jasper, Bree, and myself, and he smiled widely.
Marcus wore a heavy black flowing robe, his hair was long and slightly wavy and he showed absolutely no emotion on his face – he almost seemed numb...that is until his eyes also flickered our direction. His face registered extreme confusion as he studied us intently – making me incredibly uncomfortable, as well as suspicious.
Caius had blond hair that was long and also gathered in a loose pony tail at the nape of his neck, he wore a robe much similar to Marcus'. He looked angry as he scowled taking in the scene before him. Though his scowl deepened even more so as his gaze settled...on Bree. I immediately didn't like him - at all.
"My dear friends, how good to see you all," Aro greeted gleefully.
"Master," Jane interjected, drawing his attention over to her.
"Ah, Jane my dear – what have you got for me?" he asked her, motioning her forward. She stepped in front of him and he took her hand in his, furrowing his brows as he read through her thoughts, I assume.
"Wonderful, simply wonderful! Thank you my dear, you may step back," he told her.
"Master, I would like to offer my opinion on the girl's fate," Jane said, standing her ground before him.
"I've seen your thoughts on the subject, Jane...step back," he ordered her firmly, leaving no room for argument.
She sighed and glanced my direction sadly as she took her previous position. I nodded to her in thanks, she tried at least – it was more than most would do.
"Marcus?" Aro addressed him, motioning him forward. Marcus wordlessly placed his palm in Aro's hand.
"Interesting," Aro breathed. "Most interesting indeed."
"Marcus reads relationships," Eleazar explained to all of us.
"Yes, he does. And yours," Aro said, gesturing to Jasper, myself, and Bree, "Is like nothing he's ever seen before."
"They share a venom bond," Carlisle explained reluctantly.
"Truly remarkable. I'm sure this has been quite an experiment for you, my old friend," Aro said tauntingly.
"They're not an experiment, they're family," Carlisle sneered back.
"Yes, yes. That's right, you consider yourself a family instead of the coven that you are – I had simply forgotten," he replied, waving it off as meaningless.
Carlisle gritted his teeth but wisely held his tongue and remained silent. It almost seemed as if Aro was trying to get him to react. Why I'm not sure, however.
"Jane has shown me of your gift in action, Isabella. You are a very talented and powerful vampire, my dear," he said, eyeing me up on and down. Jasper growled lowly in warning but Aro completely ignored him, as if he wasn't even a blip on his radar. "And quite beautiful as well."
I cringed at his compliments – neither of them were a good thing coming from him. "Thank you," I replied, regardless of how I felt. I was hoping for a peaceful resolution and that meant not ruffling any feathers.
"Ahh, and the young one attached to you must be Bree," he said, cocking his head to the side as I pulled Bree closer to me in response. He didn't miss a thing, studying every facet of our reactions and behavior. He gave me the creeps and I'm a vampire for god's sake.
"How old are you child?" he questioned her. He knew how old she was, Tanya had told them everything...he was testing her...fuck.
Bree looked to me before answering him and he hissed lowly in response to her hesitation. I nodded quickly at her to answer, as did Jasper. "Eleven," she said quietly, almost too quiet for even vampire ears, but he heard her.
"So close, child. Such a pity," he sighed, feigning sadness. I immediately bristled at this – he sounded as if he had already decided her fate and it wasn't a good one. I wouldn't allow them to harm her, even if it meant my own death...they would not touch a hair on her head.
"She is not an immortal child! By your very own laws, she is one year above the limit. She is not the one who should be on trial here," I argued, almost growling but I reigned it in as best I could. Jasper sent me some loving calm in an attempt to bring it down a notch as well, for which I was extremely grateful.
"If you feel she is not an immortal child then you must also believe that this one," he gestured to Victoria, "is thereby innocent and should go free."
"Aro, she was found near a school with the intentions of stealing and harming another child. Surely you wouldn't let that go unpunished?" Carlisle interjected incredulously.
Aro narrowed his eyes at Carlisle in warning but motioned Felix and Demetri to bring Victoria forward to him. He grabbed her hand into his and wore no emotion on his face while reading through her memories. When he let go of her hand he seemed thoughtful for a moment before finally speaking.
"What do you have to say in defense of your actions?" Aro demanded.
"I've done nothing wrong. As they even admit – she's not an immortal child. I've broken no laws," Victoria replied smugly.
"And what of your torture of Isabella and the young one?" Aro asked, raising an eyebrow.
"There is no law against that, that I'm aware of. They were simply for entertainment purposes and I made sure Bree was above the limit of the law before I changed her," she said dismissively.
Aro grabbed her forcefully by the neck in response. "I would remember who you are speaking to, child. I can read every thought you've had, and the law never entered it once. I do not take kindly to being tested," he spat at her angrily, before throwing her down on the ground at his feet.
He glanced over to Marcus and then to Caius. Both brothers nodded to him in their agreement and with a flick of Aro's wrist...Demetri and Felix began tearing her apart. Felix took her arms, while Demetri took her legs; once done, they stepped back. Her torso was still attached to her head laying on the ground at Aro's feet.
"For the crime of creating an immortal child we hereby sentence Victoria and the immortal child, Bree, to death. Any last words?" he sneered down at her.
Gasps resounded loudly throughout the family at his ruling and I felt my world beginning to crumble around me. Bree began sobbing and Jasper seemed in agony while trying to calm her. Reassuring her he wouldn't let them hurt his daughter - no matter what happened. Fighting would just equal all of our deaths...they can't do this to us - there has to be another way!
"NO!" I screamed. "Please! Destroy Victoria but leave Bree alone, please! She's done nothing wrong!" I begged him.
Aro snapped his eyes angrily to mine. "It has been ruled upon," he stated, with no room for further discussion.
"Please! Please, don't harm her, I'll do anything," I begged. "There must be some other way to resolve this without harming her," I offered.
He cocked his head and blinked at me, before a satisfying smile formed upon his paper thin lips. "It would require a trade," he told me cryptically.
"A trade?" I asked tentatively. Just exactly what is he implying.
"Someone would need to trade their own life...for hers to be spared in return," he replied, smirking evilly.
In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to run over and tear his fucking head off of his shoulders for playing games with my daughter's life.
"Aro," Caius hissed in disagreement.
Aro simply waved him off. Returning his attention to me once again. "It appears that no one is offering, Isabella," he said, smiling smugly. "Bree is thereby sentenced to..."
"I'll do it! Take me," I said, taking a step forward and dropping Bree's hand.
Jasper gasped in shock and grabbed me around the waist. "NO! Bella what the hell are you thinking? I won't let you do this!"
"Jasper, please try to understand! I couldn't stop my human family from being hurt by Victoria and I know what she did isn't my fault... but I can prevent this from happening. Please, I can't let them kill her; I won't," I said pleadingly, gazing into the tortured eyes of my mate.
"And I won't let them kill you," Jasper stated firmly, pulling me into him further. "I can't live without you, darlin'...I simply can't; I won't," he said, shaking his head. Bree whimpered in response. This was so fucked up – it would literally kill them both if I did this...I don't know what to do...
"Perhaps," Aro interrupted our exchange. We turned our attention back toward him to see him rubbing his hands together like some type of villain from a movie.
"Perhaps, we could amend that part of the deal slightly," Aro offered deviously.
"What do you mean?" I asked calmly, though I was screaming on the inside. Edward was shaking his head at me, telling me not to do whatever he was suggesting.
"It would be a waste to kill one with such a powerful gift as yours. Why don't we instead make it one year in service to us in Volterra, for each year of her human life," he offered. It dawned on me then - he had been baiting us - this was his plan all along. It was never about the trial or Bree...it was all about his gift collecting. One way or another, he planned to walk away today with a new gift on his side.
Well...it was better than death I suppose – that is if he really meant I would be able to leave after eleven years of service and they left Bree alone afterward.
"Eleven years and I would be free to leave? You wouldn't harm her?" I questioned, looking for any deceit in his deal.
"Yes, if you choose to leave, you would be free to do so; after your obligation is fulfilled, of course. No harm will come to the child once the trade is agreed upon," he clarified.
Jasper clutched my back to his chest as he stiffened behind me, lowly chanting the word 'no' over and over into my hair. I nodded resigned. "Okay then, I'll..."
"NO!" Alice yelled out, stepping forward.
"Alice," I hissed at her. What the hell was she trying to pull, Bree's life and now my very own depends on this deal!
She stepped closer to Aro and faced him. "Take me in trade," she told him firmly.
"Alice?" I asked her incredulously. I can't believe she's offering to sacrifice herself...why? Why is she doing this?
"I can't let you do this, Bella! I know that you may never forgive me for what I've done to you and Jasper – please let me do this for both of you now. I owe you much more than just eleven years for what I've done," she said sadly with venom filled eyes.
Aro raised a brow at her as he grasped her hand up into his. He seemed extremely disappointed for a few moments after reading her, he wasn't getting who he really wanted in trade – which was me; but even he couldn't deny her gift would be of great use to them.
"Very well, unless there are further objections?" he asked, glancing around at each of us in amusement.
"Felix, Demetri," he ordered. They started a fire quickly and were just about to toss Victoria's limbs into it... when Alice stopped them.
"Wait!" she yelled, flailing her tiny hands around. Aro motioned for them to stop at once.
"What now?" he asked incredulously, slowly losing patience with her outbursts.
"I'd like to make one request, if I may do so, Aro. Call it a 'welcome to the guard' gift," she told him coyly.
He eyed her skeptically before responding, "I must say you have me intrigued... What is it you request, my dear?" he asked.
"That you release Victoria over to Bella... to handle her punishment as she sees fit," she answered, glancing back at me with a small smirk.
Why that clever little pixie!
"Request granted," Aro answered, after a moment of deliberation with the brothers. "Felix, Demetri," he ordered once again. They put out the fire and scattered Victoria's limbs so that she wouldn't be able to fuse them back together.
"Alice," I sighed sadly.
"May I have a moment to say goodbye?" she asked Aro.
"Of course, but do not take long," he told her, definitely losing patience.
She walked over to me and took my hands in both of hers. I pulled my hands away and her face instantly fell in hurt at my actions. I quickly pulled her into my arms and hugged her to me tightly, causing her to gasp in surprise.
"I'm so sorry, Bella," she sobbed into my neck as I held her.
"I know, Alice," I told her sincerely, which only caused her to sob harder. "You'll keep in contact and let me know you are okay, right?" I asked her, pulling back to brush a few wisps of hair out of her face.
"Really? You would really want that?" she asked, sounding so very hopeful.
"Really," I replied, nodding to her with my own venom filled eyes.
"Thank you, Bella," she sighed, and was about to turn around when Jasper stopped her, placing a hand on her arm.
"Thank you, Alice," Jasper told her sincerely.
She silently smiled up at him in response before making her way over to Esme and Carlisle to say her goodbyes. They each hugged her, which seemed to surprise her almost as much as my hug did. Emmett, Rose, and Edward all gave her small tentative hugs as well before she once again returned to Aro's side.
Jane looked over at Bree and myself longingly, and it was at that moment I became determined to help her - at least as much as I would be able to.
"Wait!" I yelled, causing Aro to sigh heavily. "Oh for heaven's sake," he mumbled to himself.
"What is it now, Isabella?" he huffed in aggravation.
"I was just wondering...if it would be okay with you...if Bree and myself could keep in contact with Jane as well?" I asked him. Jane's face lit up as she held her breath waiting for his response.
He remained silent for a few moments, glancing over at Jane briefly.
"You may... however, only once a month by telephone and as often as you wish by letter," he stated specifically. At least it wasn't the 'no' I was expecting, so I would take what I could get. It appeared Jane was satisfied with that as well, she was beaming over at us practically vibrating in her excitement. Aro glanced at her and shook his head in disbelief...almost like he couldn't believe what he had just agreed to. Too late, Aro, too late.
"Our business here is officially finished. No more requests," Aro stated firmly, rolling his eyes to the sky as he informed the guard of their departure and motioned them forward.
They left as fluidly as they had came...though it was comical to see Alice skipping along beside Aro, gabbing away about all the fashion changes she could bring to Volterra. He sighed heavily as he listened to her go on and on, briefly glancing back at me wistfully. Let that be a lesson to him.
Everyone stood in place, even when we couldn't see them anymore. "They're out of my range now – they're gone," Edward informed us. And at that, everyone took a deep collective breath of relief.
It was over, they were gone. I scooped Bree up and kissed every inch of her face and head. She squealed and squirmed in my arms but Jasper helped me, as he too placed his own kisses to her cheeks, nose, and forehead before switching over to do the same to mine.
It was really over.
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AN:
Alice saves the day! I hope no one saw that coming - it was what I had planned from the very beginning of the story. Next chapter = Victoria *evil grin*
I'm simply not happy with this chapter, but I couldn't stare at it any longer - I hope it wasn't too horrible =/ One more chapter and then the epi left. =*(
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