A/N: Here's a bucket of excuses... *pours bucket onto table* Take your pick. I'm sorry it took me so long. I apparently CANNOT write torture scenes.

Finally Ever After

Chapter Twenty-one: Tragedy and Justice

Jasper POV

It took us forever to decide on what to do to the horrible excuse for a human being. We argued for hours. Then we went to hunt while leaving the woman tied up in the closet after terrorizing her for a time. When we returned, we argued/debated for a few more hours, the entire time letting Renee hear each and every gruesome idea. Finally, we settled on one we could both agree on. But not before we decided to question her. Thankfully, we didn't actually have to do so, because Alice saw all the answers before we even got around to asking.

When we planned on asking her why she abused her children, Alice could have sworn the bitch cracked in the vision. It was like her brain was a jigsaw missing a few key pieces, her answers were all over the place. At first, she started spouting off about the pain they caused her all through her pregnancy and birth. Then, after a minute of that rambling, Renee went on and on about demon children and the voices told her to. Alice and I dug out her medical records we had found at the back of the closet. Apparently, the bitch had a mild case of schizophrenia mixed with untreated postpartum depression. She should never be around others unmedicated, much less children.

In the end, we set to work exacting our revenge for the pain she had caused our mates. We first broke every bone in her body. After that, we systematically pealed off sections of skin without drawing too much blood. We removed her finger and toe nail. Her eyes were crushed and her vocal cords cut. Her spine was severed and a few of her less necessary organs were burst. Each and every injury we gave to her, we knew she had at one time either given to the twins or threatened them with. The only thing we didn't do to her was rape. No one deserves that.

Finally, once all of that was completed, we started the big finale. With a bite to each of her pulse points, Alice and I initiated her change, knowing the whole time that it will be a thousand times more painful due to the injuries the venom had to heal. Even with all of her injuries, the broad was still able to thrash and beat around on the floor. Usually, for a turning, we would at least attempt to help, but not with Renee. Not the woman that stole and ruined our mates' childhoods. We let her claw at herself and try to beat out the fire as much as she wanted. She didn't deserve mercy in our minds. Granted, we might be biased, but at that moment, we didn't care.

After three days of letting the bitch burn unaided, we finally dispose of her as she goes to wake up. I just want to get back to my mate. It's already been six days since we left. I can feel the pull tight in my chest, as if it's strangling my long dead heart. I can only hope that it isn't having the same effect on my Bella. There's no telling what the mating pull would do to a human. Alice and I rush a bewildered and injured Phil into the car. At the Phoenix airport, we rush him and the kid onto the plane. Six hours later, we arrive in Anchorage for our last leg of the journey.

Alice doesn't like this part, but I feel it is necessary. I drug Phil's coffee to make him pass out. Once he's out, I drag the man onto my back and we are off. A few moments later, Alice is by my side, the baby wrapped up tight and warm for the trip, although it is still awake. It's a baby, what could it possibly remember about vampire's speed? Thirty minutes later, we are on the edge of the clearing by the lake, nearly home to our mates. I can feel the pull in my chest as I anticipate holding my Bella in my arms again. It's been far too long. I don't think I'll be going on any more road trips unless she is with me.

Bella POV

It's been five days since Jasper and Alice left, leaving two days until the wedding. I won't lie, even to myself. I really miss my cowboy. I understand that they are off to play the dark heroes and all, but that doesn't mean I have to like the separation. I mean, Jasper hasn't even called me in all that time. I guess he's busy, but would five minutes a day be all that hard?

I feel myself getting more and more agitated as the days go by and thinking on my current lack of boyfriend nearby does not help in the slightest. Huffing, I get up to go find Isaiah. He'll be able to distract me.

Or not.

I find my brother sprawled out on his bed, glaring mulishly at the ceiling and pouting like there's no tomorrow.

"Uh, Izzy?" I nudge his foot but get no response. "Iiizzyyy..." Still nothing. Grabbing a pillow, I whack him in the gut. "Get up, we're going outside!"

Isaiah finally shows signs of life by glaring at me- GLARING at ME!- and turning over to face away from me.

Growling in frustration, I grab him by the ankles and proceed to drag him from his bed. He huffs and groans but does not fight me. Soon, we're both a blustering heap on the floor.

"Come on, Isaiah. We can't just fall into bed and do nothing all day. Let's go for a walk. Clear our heads a little. I'm sure it will help us feel better."

"Fine." Is all I get from my reluctant twin.

Five minutes later finds us making a lap of the yard, skirting the edge of the forest well within sight of the house. We had learned the hard way a few months ago not to venture too far into the woods. The resulting avalanche was still something that gave me nightmares. Much less the panic all of the family had went through when they could not find us.

"Hey, Isabella?" I turn to look up at my brother. "It's almost time for them to return, isn't it? My brain isn't playing tricks on me?"

I nod, smiling. "Yup. Tomorrow, I think. Or early the day after. Either way, she'll be here for your wedding. She is a big part of it, you know?"

He chuckles and slings an arm around me. "Yeah, she is, isn't she? I still can't quite wrap my head around how important she's become to me in so short a time. It's like I can barely breath without her here. I don't even want to function without her by my side. Is... is that strange, Izzy?" He sounds so lost and hurt and almost scared at the depth of his feelings.

Holding him tighter in a hug, I tuck my head into his shoulder as we keep walking. "If it's weird, then I'm right there with you."

"What do you mean? You aren't holding on by a thread. I mean, look at you. You seem just fine."

"Isaiah, just because I don't mope around in bed all day doesn't mean I don't feel the distance. I will admit, whatever crazy gift thing I have seems to help if only a little, but it also hurts. The 'cage' I put around it feels so weak and flimsy. Several times over the last couple of days, I have nearly lost my temper over a dozen times. So trust me, I'm feeling the separation."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I mope and you get bitchy." He grunts when I smack him upside the head. Chuckling halfheartedly, we continue our walk until we circle around to the back deck.

"Well, well, if it isn't the murder twins." Turning, we see Tanya standing on the deck looking disheveled for a vampire. She still looks good, just not as good.

"Uh..." I say dumbly. I have no counter for that. Because technically, I did murder someone. With help, but still.

"It's pathetic how you get to traipse around free while my Edward is dead. Because you killed him over a petty squabble. You should have just laid down and died like the animals you are."

Wow. This lady has issues. Granted, she does have a valid bone to pick with me, and possibly my brother, but still. She needs therapy, and bad.

Shaking our heads, my brother and I start to move away. We don't want to cause any problems. We had already done enough of that with the whole Edward fiasco. Sadly, though, no sooner did we turn our backs to the bitch did I feel something strike against a barrier between us. Sometimes, I really love that other part of me.

Turning back, we see that it was a small sized boulder that is now shattered on the ground a mere foot from us. If that had hit either me or Isaiah, we would be dead, no question. I turn to my twin and raise an eye brow. He nods and takes off a glove. I do the same and he lightly touches my hand and inhales deeply, as if to fight through a torrent of pain.

"Don't worry." He says, eyes squeezed shut and sweating. "I'll explain to the others what happened. You won't be at fault for any of this."

My gaze softens as I look at the blonde woman marching slowly- for a vampire- towards us. "Just try not to kill her. I mean, we know why she's acting this way. We can't fully blame her."

Isaiah finally opens his eyes and looks sadly at the violent figure approaching. "Sis, that is exactly the reason to kill her. You know just as well I do that there is only one for their kind. Once it is lost, that's it. So yes, she will be ended today. I'm sorry."

A tear tracks down my cheek at the thought of another life lost due to that bastard. First my father's human life gets completely undone, then Edward loses his own, now his unclaimed mate is having to face the consequences.

Suddenly feeling very tired, I look for a good spot to sit. Settling myself at the base of the tree, I make sure to keep half an eye on Isaiah. If he starts to bleed, then I will have to call for the others. Sadly, their all off hunting today in preparation for the wedding. But they should be back quickly enough, they said they weren't going far.

Tanya's voice pulls me out of my thoughts harshly. "You seriously think you can take me. A lowly human? Ha! I'm a vampire, kid. An old one, at that. There's not a thing you can do to me. Except maybe cry and beg for your life and that of your sister. But I think you know how much that will get you, don't you?"

Isaiah doesn't say anything. Instead, he balls up his fists and readies himself to strike. It's strange. When I have consciously used my abilities, I never see the shield. It's more a feeling and a mental image. But when Isaiah uses it, I can see it like a light blueish green shimmer in the air. Right now, the shimmer is encasing his throat and hands. Every few seconds it is fluctuating up and down in strength, like he has a good mental image of it, but can't seem to get the energy needed for it right.

Screeching in anger and frustration, Tanya lunges for Isaiah, but feints at the last second. Dodging around him and smirking, she makes a bee line for me, seeing me as the weakest target and therefore the easiest. Her mistake.

Isaiah whips out a hand just before she goes to pass and catches her by the hair. Thanks to the shield, her inhuman strength and speed does nothing to him. Her head whips back and she screams in surprised pain. Not wasting any time to play or give her a chance to get a hit in, Isaiah grabs her chin and braces and hand on her forehead for a better grip. He whispers something in her ear just before he wrenches her head off with a grinding whine of metal on stone.

I flinch at the sound and close my eyes so I don't have to see the headless body fall. Soon, I smell the distinct aroma of a vampire burning.

"Come on, Izzy." Isaiah says gently, taking my ungloved hand in his and transfers my ability back to me while helping me stand. "Let's get inside so we can crash for a while. I'll have questions to answer when the others return."

I nod and lean on him as we make our way inside. As soon as we make it to the living room, I collapse on the couch and pass out soon after. Today has been a long day, and it's only halfway over.

Four Hours Later...

I start to come around when I hear the front door open and bang into the wall. Within seconds, I feel a cool hand resting on my forehead and then checking my pulse.

"She's fine, Carlisle. She didn't use her gift, she's only drained." Isaiah says tiredly.

Carlisle's hand withdraws and I hear his calm voice next. "Do you mind explaining to me why there are vampire ashes in the backyard? What happened?"

For the next fifteen minutes everyone else in the room is as silent as the grave as they listen to Isaiah recount what happened with Tanya.

Isaiah finishes by saying as sincerely as he could muster in his exhausted state, "Eleazar, I'm really sorry. To all of you. I wish it didn't need to happen. But you know that she would have only deteriorated from there. She never would have stopped."

Opening my eyes a crack, I see Kate, Irina, and Carmen all holding on to each other for comfort. None of them look particularly angry, only heartbroken at their loss. Eleazar looks sad, but understanding.

"I understand, Isaiah. We were all hoping she would be able to work past the mate madness, but it seems we were wrong. I only thank you for making it quick." He paused, then, "Out of curiosity, how did you kill her? I mean, you're a human. Humans don't have that kind of power, so..."

"Bella's ability." Isaiah states simply.

Silence reigns until chaos erupts.

"You did what?" Rose.

"That's impossible!" Kate

"No human can control a gift that precisely." Carmen didn't sound too sure of her words.

"Bella, are you okay, dear?" Esme, her hand coming to rest on my head.

"I don't understand, I thought you said you killed her?" Irina sounds both grieved and confused.

"I wonder, is it possible..." Eleazar doesn't bother finishing his statement, at least to human ears.

"How does that work?" Emmett.

"Isaiah, please explain further, and then you may go rest." Thank you, Carlisle.

Isaiah huffs in annoyance, but explains. "Izzy can't fully control her gift. It drains her. But I don't have that problem. When I borrow her ability, it's... well, it's like I know exactly how to use it and for how long before I start to hurt myself. So far, I've gotten up to three minutes of use before bleeding occurs. Two minutes before a headache sets in. And only thirty seconds before I want to sleep for a week due to exhaustion. Bella doesn't have that same control, I believe, because it's her temper that allows her to use it."

Carlisle looks slightly stunned. "And how long did you use it for, son?"

"Roughly two minutes and forty five seconds before I gave it back to Izzy." Isaiah's head lolls back on the back of his chair and he says tiredly, "Hey, Carlisle, can I get a half pint of blood. Feel I'm gonna neeed iiiit..." By the end, my brother's words begin to slur and the vowels become longer.

As quickly as he can, Carlisle rushes to get the requested blood. In less than thirty seconds, he's back with a cup and a straw. Isaiah lifts his head shakily and bats the straw away. Taking the cup, he tips it up and proceeds to chug the contents in three large gulps.

"Ugh!" He gags as he hands the cup back to the doctor. "I will never get used to the taste of that foul stuff while I'm human." A visible shiver runs down his spine and he stands up. "Can I get another half cup, please?" The cup reappears in his hand swiftly and he starts moving towards me. I must make a face, but he chuckles and says, "Come on, Izzy. Time for medicine. Take it all, sis." He tips the cup and I do as I'm told and immediately feel better. No where near one hundred percent, but still.

"Bed." I say as loudly as I can. Which is not all that loud. I am exhausted beyond belief.

"Yes, Izzy, bedtime. Up we go." He picks me up bridal style and starts taking me towards the stairs and our rooms.

"Not fair." I grumble.

"I know, sis. It's not fair that I can still stand and you can't. Just remember, twenty four hours and you'll be on your feet like nothing happened."

He lays me down on my bed and tucks the covers around me. I think he's about to go to his own room when the other side of the bed dips. Cracking my eyes open, I smile at the sight of my brother curled up beside me. We hadn't slept in the same bed together since we were fifteen. With a smile still on my face, we drift off to a dreamless sleep.

A/N2: I replaced this chapter with an updated one because I wrote the first version past midnight and did not do my usual triple check before uploading. I cannot stand posting something that I know has mistakes in it. I'm sorry for those that read the original version.

Changes I made:

grammatical errors

comma splices

capitalizations

second paragraph rewritten