A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.
I will be posting three outtakes for this story- all of them covering a different time frame in Peter and Bella's future life. This second one takes places roughly ten years after Bella's change. I hope you like it and thank you for reading!
Outtake 2- Back to where it all began
Angela's POV-
I hated this place.
I truly- completely despised these four walls, the only memory that I had of them being the one in which I was crying my heart out, guilt and pain heavy on my heart as it attempted to tear my insides apart.
I don't remember the exact context, though. It has been a while, to be honest. Ten years, four months and thirteen days to be accurate. It seems like a lifetime ago, and in some ways it has truly been a lifetime worthy of ups and downs.
I don't remember much of my human life- just brief memories that have somehow managed to stick by. I vaguely remember my parents…..I had a brother, too….I guess.
I am not sure. I don't remember much of my childhood or even adolescence. I don't remember going to school or ever watching cartoons. I don't remember my relatives or my friends. I don't even know if I was particularly close to any of them.
I simply don't remember- my human memories a stored box being a locked door, a lock I don't have the keys of.
Heck, I don't even remember what it was like to experience the warmth of the sun on your face or sigh in relief when water goes down a parched throat.
I don't remember any of it….the cold and dark being my only companion of those days, it seems.
All I remember back from those days- is crying in a dark room in these same four walls- the same four walls that I was currently forced to walk through.
The light had been shut back then, my mood gloomy enough to not want the harshness or brightness of a fake light.
I was happy in my gloominess, satisfied by the pain and guilt that had tried to pull me under.
I had deserved it, was what I had felt, but someone tended to disagree with me.
The same- someone who stood by me through thick and thin; showing me that our past does not define us; we are not dependent on the impression that stands of us. We make our own future, no matter who says what. It simply does not matter; forgiveness, being the most important thing in order to live a happy life.
A life with grudges can never be a happy life is what he believes, forgiving yourself as well as others being the motto for a satisfied self.
He had been the one to pick me up whenever I felt like I was drowning from the burden of my melancholic thoughts. He had been the one to take my unhappiness and guilt, replacing it with love and content- first through his gift and then through his actions.
He loves me; I have never had any reason to doubt that.
I can see it in his eyes whenever he looks at me. I can hear it in his voice whenever he calls me his reason to exist. I can feel it in his touch whenever he wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his lap, no matter who our company is. He does not shy away from showing his love for me, never does, a fact that always brings out a smile on my face.
He likes to touch me….at all times, his fingers entangled with mine or a hand running through my hair, a huge smile crossing his face whenever he is close to me.
I had never thought him to be this loving and tender, but I am happy to be proven wrong.
I could not have asked for a better partner to spend my eternity with.
He is perfect- in every which way.
I feel his love in every small action of his, in his words and in his eyes.
I feel his love whenever he randomly sends me bouts of happiness and confidence, his love and devotion shining through his eyes.
I feel his love when he reminds me of my human days, telling me stories of my teenage life. I don't remember them, for me they are simply impersonal stories, but he tells me of a birthday I had spent with him- back when we were not even together, my last human birthday, it would be.
I don't remember, but I wish I did.
I want to know more about him, want to remember seeing that side of him, the side that was afraid to be close to me…to be close to a human. He would often tell me that his former coven had had no faith in him, making him believe that he had absolutely no control over his bloodlust, causing him to keep as much distance between him and an innocent human as possible.
That is bullshit, I can say with a guarantee.
He is stronger than any man I know- mentally and physically.
He was the one to teach me how to hunt, standing by my side while I fed on those rancid animals. He was the one to console me when I slipped for the first time, taking me in his arms and lightly kissing my forehead, acceptance being the only thing visible in his eyes.
He had been the one to teach me to fight, teaching me how to use my weaknesses to my advantage.
He had been the one to tell me the truth- always, showing me a mirror whenever I needed to see one.
He had been the one to listen to my dreams and wishes and hold me when I felt the weight of my lost humanity.
Our life had been difficult to begin with- my first few years heavy with sadness and guilt. He had tried to rid me of my guilt, but while I did not remember the reason for my guilt, I did remember the emotion as it coursed through me.
I had never been suicidal, thankfully so, but a melancholy had always surrounded me….still surrounded me at times.
Vampire Depression was what I often referred to it as- of course there was no actual term for it, but it surely felt like that. Even he had confirmed that what I felt at times was similar to what humans undergoing Depression go through.
I knew that it had been hard on my mate. We had not even been mates back then, that part of our life beginning hardly three years ago, but he had still stood by me, being the best friend one could ever ask for.
He had taken me to his home when I had no place to go to, giving me a family when I felt like I had none.
He had done so much for me, never asking for a thing in return….
"What are you thinking about?" asked a deep voice, tight arms coming to wrap around my torso.
I leaned back into him, a sigh leaving my mouth. "Contemplating how I got this lucky as to have you in my life."
He smiled, his head leaning down to kiss me on the top of my hair- making me smile. He knew how much I loved these small gestures of affection.
"I am the lucky one between the two of us." he whispered softly, his fingers coming to play with the diamond that adorned the ring finger on my left hand.
He had asked me to marry him early last year- a quiet proposal in the backyard of our house, and while I had said yes- I knew that he was my forever- we were yet to call one another husband and wife. I knew that if it had been left to Jasper, we would have been married the same night that I had become his fiancée, but he had respected my wishes- my decision to be completely out of the clutches of depression before I gave myself to him for forever.
We had an eternity together, he always assured me, telling me that a few years of wait simply would not matter in the longer run. We would not even remember this few years a thousand years from now, was what he claimed.
I believed in him, even though I knew that the burden of my emotions was not always an easy one to take.
I loved him- more than I loved anyone or anything in this world. I could not even imagine living in a world where he doesn't exist. Hopefully, such a day would never arise.
"I don't like being here." I told him, sighing audibly. "It brings up unwanted memories. I wish we were home instead."
Our home- the one we had shared since the past decade- even before we accepted the other as a mate, sharing a house as roommates instead.
He sighed, turning me slightly to look at him. "Angela, sweetheart, you know why we have to be here. If it wasn't as important, I would never have asked you to do this, but if you think it is bringing you down…."
I shook my head, placing a finger over his lips. My self-sacrificing mate had the habit of pushing his happiness towards the back seat, placing my needs always first in his list of priorities.
"He is your brother." I stated, running a hand down his chest, soothing him in the way I knew best. "You have to be here for him."
"He will understand," he shook his head, a look of determination crossing his face.
I sighed. If I knew my mate any well, he was definitely planning of how to let his brother down, once again choosing me over everyone else.
"It is his wedding, Jas," I gave my mate a small smile. "I want to be here for their happiness. They have always been there for us. It is our time to be there for them now."
Peter and Bella had done so much for us over the years, helping us out whenever we needed those extra ears. They had never asked for anything in return, being probably the only true friends we had in this eternity.
And this was their day.
I could not let them down.
I would be okay.
I had to do this for them.
I had to be strong.
"But…" he tried protesting; only to hear me cut him off.
"Jas, you know why they had to choose this venue. Everyone knows that Bella does not like this place any better than I do."
The Volturi castle was neither home nor a place I liked to frequent as a holiday destination. This was the first time I had come back in here in the past ten years- leaving a day after I first woke up as a newborn. Jasper, though, had been back here a few times- with Peter- whenever they were assigned a 'job' by the Volturi, Bella and I often giving company to one another in those few weeks, hoping and praying that our boys would return to us in the same one piece that they had left.
Anyway, when Bella and Peter had been planning their wedding and settling on their venue, Aro who had somehow found out about their upcoming nuptials- had all but blackmailed them into conducting the ceremony in the castle, his reasoning being that he had not attended a wedding ceremony in more than a millennia. The two of them had tried declining- as politely as one could, but Aro had simply refused to listen. Finally, Marilyn had convinced them by saying that Aro would not take it well if they refused him any further. He would take this as a personal offense, holding a grudge for the rest of eternity.
Sadly, Bella and Peter had had to agree, deciding that in a few years they would renew their vows- that time in the way they wanted their wedding to be.
And so, that was why I was here on this third day of December.
I was not Bella's maid of honor- that honor had gone to Marilyn Swan, having married Charlie Swan nearly ten years ago. They had decided to marry before they moved back to Volterra, nearly avoiding the same fate that Bella and Peter were now forced to undergo- but I was one of the Bridesmaids….wait…correction…I was the only Bridesmaid.
While Bella had become a little more extroverted over the years, her life still revolved around her family and her immediate friends. She spoke to the others- cordially so, but her mate, her father, her stepmother and her close friends were what made up her world.
She was still the most loyal person that I knew of, and so refusing to be a part of her happiness had simply felt wrong.
"Angela," Jasper soothingly ran a finger through my long tresses, making me hum in response. "Peter said that they are thinking of moving back to the States."
"Really," I hastily turned to look at him, my eyes wide in surprise.
They had been traveling the globe the past few years, only visiting either us or Charlie on a few occasions. I had simply accepted this fact that they would never be back for a longer visit than a week.
"Yea," he nodded his head. "He was asking me if we would be okay with them living with us… for a longer duration than a visit of a few days."
"Like a coven?" I raised an eyebrow.
He gave me a brief nod, "At least for a few years. If I know Peter any well, he is not the kind to settle in a coven for long- no matter how much he likes our company, sooner or later the nomad in him will awake again."
I giggled at the expression on his face…and then laughed louder when my mate sent me a huge wave of amusement and humor.
"I love your laugh." He commented, playing with my fingers.
I smiled. I had a feeling that I would be blushing if I could.
"Jasper, I was just looking for..."
I turned at the sudden voice, meeting the eyes of who I assumed was Esme- a former coven member of Jasper's. I had never met her in person- at least I did not remember meeting her in person, but I had heard about her from Jasper. Apparently, she was subjected to a stay of hundred years in the castle, having bore witness to Edward Cullen sharing the secret of their- now our- kind with then human Bella. The most shocking part, though, had been the fact that Esme's mate had abandoned her, choosing himself over her.
The fact that someone would do so was unfathomable to me.
How could anyone up and leave their mate?
Was that even possible?
They were mated and married.
It was absolutely horrible that someone would chose to do so.
Carlisle Cullen being the worst kind of scum in my eyes.
"You must be Angela," she smiled at me, friendly warmth in her tone.
I nodded my head. "And you must be Esme,"
She gave me a brief nod, using her left hand to push back a strand of hair that had escaped her tight bun, the huge stone on her finger evident for everyone to see.
I turned to look at Jasper. He had not mentioned this newest update to me… but from the expression on his face, it seemed like even he hadn't known of this.
It looked like Esme was engaged…that didn't look to be a wedding ring, but who was she getting married to. We had arrived in this castle a few hours ago, but we were yet to hear anything about this. Okay, so I could understand that I hardly knew anything about her and so had no right to demand an answer from her, but it was kind of shocking that even Jasper had not heard a thing about this. They did talk occasionally for that matter…..
Anyway, she did look happy in her life, it being completely her decision of whether she wanted to tell another or not.
"Oh, Angela," Esme spoke up. Either she couldn't see the question in our eyes, or she had simply decided to ignore it.
"Bella was asking for you. She looks absolutely breathtaking in her dress, and Jasper, the ceremony is about to begin. We need to get going."
I smiled, giving her a brief nod, before leaving the two of them alone and walking in the direction of where I knew Bella was.
"Hey," I slowly opened the door to her room, peeping in slightly. Bella smiled, motioning for me to come in. I gave Marilyn a small smile, entering the room and standing by their side.
Marilyn was doing the finishing touches on Bella's makeup- the bride almost ready to go and meet her groom.
She looked beautiful- a radiance on her face that I had never seen before.
"Where is Charlie?" I questioned, looking at Marilyn. "Shouldn't he already be here, you know to walk her down the aisle?"
Bella was simply lucky when it came to becoming an immortal. She got to keep her biological father in her life- that was much more than what most of us had.
Marilyn rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement. "He is messing around with Gregory's power. Apparently, he is yet to understand that it is his daughter's wedding today."
I laughed, shaking my head. Charlie Swan had the most amazing power that I had ever heard of. It wasn't as lethal or scary as Jane and Alec's power, but it was amusing, to say the least.
He could block shielding powers- a shield's power going useless in front of him. For example, if he wanted Edward Cullen- who was down in the dungeons- to hear the mind of each and every vampire that was in this castle, he could do so, blocking Gregory's power from doing its designated job. His power was also helpful in a fight, blocking the opposite army's shield, if they had any, and rendering the Volturi's enemy useless in front of the powers of Jane, Alec or Chelsea.
It was also ironic and slightly funny of how Charlie's power was built to break Bella's power. Bella was said to be one of the strongest mental and physical shield's that Aro had ever met, able to shield till miles at this early an age in the vampire world. Though, the fact that her own father was the only one who could counteract her power was unexpected.
Luckily for Bella, it was her father who held that power.
Bella sighed, bringing my attention back to the room, nervousness visible in her eyes. "I think I am ready."
I gave her a small smile. "You look absolutely breathtaking. Peter won't be able to believe his eyes when he looks at you."
She reciprocated my smile, shyly looking at the ground.
"I am so happy that you are here. I know how difficult…."
I shook my head, interrupting her. "Not attending your wedding was never an option, and I am confident that I will be able to be much more involved in your second wedding with the same man, obviously."
She chuckled at that. "Peter is already planning that wedding ceremony of ours, even before we get done with this one, but I do have to thank Esme for this. She has done a lovely job at organizing everything for us. It looks perfect."
The wedding ceremony was to be held in the rooftop terrace of this castle, with Esme looking over all the decorations.
I nodded my head, the door slowly opening to let Charlie enter- a look of surprise over his face as he spoke to his daughter.
I let them have their moment, standing in the back. I was truly happy for Bella- even if my heart clenched at the thought of never having this moment in my life.
I shook my head internally, stopping myself from going down that path.
I had Jasper, and he was enough.
Not everyone got everything in life- that was not how life worked- but whatever I had was a blessing indeed.
I gave Marilyn a small smile when our eyes met briefly- receiving a slight nod in return. Somehow her silence was speaking volumes, telling me that it would all be okay.
I nodded my head. I already knew of this.
I watched as Charlie took Bella's hand, ready to walk her down the aisle- her groom waiting on the other side for her.
I smiled. Soon, I would be the one to walk down that aisle, my Jasper standing there, waiting for our eternity to truly begin.
