Jacob Black's POV

The female vampire, Sabine, wore a Volturi insignia on her chest. Her hands had been bound by rope, and she was being led forward by Edward. Bella was by Edward's side. Alistair was a little ways behind them, looking quite warily on the situation before him. He shook his head grimly as he realized that all of us had just been fighting.

Felix, noticing Sabine's insignia, growled at her. "You're not one of the guard," he spat at her. "Who the hell are you? Why do you wear our crest?"

"No," Bella said quietly, but firmly, glaring at Felix. "She's not one of your guard. She's someone that you forced to be a spy."

"You!" Aro, who, thanks to his guards, still looked immaculate, spat out the word violently at Bella. "More of the Cullens!"

"Do you see? It's just as I have told you," he said grandly, speaking to all of the members of the Volturi coven gathered in the Chamber. "Do you see how the Cullens have built and strategized their takeover?"

The Volturi vampires began to hiss.

But out of the many Volturi vampires, a single vampire with bright orange hair stepped out. He looked at the female vampire who had been brought in by the Cullens and Alistair. He was the only one who acknowledged her and remembered her. He called her by her name. "Sabine."

"Traitor!" Sabine bellowed at the orange-haired vampire, suddenly twisting and turning at the rope binding her hands. "You traitor! You killed Mikhail! You killed him! I know you did!"

"I did. For the Volturi's sake. For my sake," he replied. His eyes were glazed over, and he spoke as though he was reading a rehearsed script.

"We were supposed to be a team! We were supposed to be free together!" Sabine shouted at him, her voice choked and desperate.

"Well, I saw an opportunity. An opportunity for the Volturi to secure an advantage against the Cullens. I had to take it," he told her apathetically, "Surely, you understand."

"Then you are lost!" she screamed at him.

"Get this riff raff out of here!" Caius roared, pointing at Sabine.

"Not so fast," Edward said. "We've come to end this fight, Caius. Not with violence – but by bargaining. By forcing you to admit the truth."

"How do you mean to slander us this time, Edward?" Aro said, his eyes tightening.

"I said truth," Edward repeated. "Not slander."

"Truth? Truth?" For the first time, Marcus' dry whisper rose to a disorientating pitch, as though dry leaves were caught in a strong wind. "The truth is what we, the Volturi, follow. You, the Cullens, have seen fit to change the rules as you wish – conspiring with werewolves and building your own coven in secret, only to deny responsibility at every turn! You think us evil, Edward, but without us, you know not the world you create!"

"Carlisle's principles have created a purer world than the world you have your hands," Edward replied, not in the least afraid of Marcus.

Caius hissed in anger, but Marcus held up his hand to silence his brother. "Yes," Marcus acknowledged, "Carlisle is good. But he is only one of many, many vampires, Edward. Think. If we allow everyone to act as he has, even those without his good heart, what would the world become?"

"Marcus is right," Aro said thinly. "The law must be just, not merciful. Mercy is subjective, and inherently unfair. Is this what you ask of me - to overturn justice for the sake of saving one man's life, when he has brought so much harm to our community and threatens further dissolution?"

"I simply ask that you do not allow the law to dictate truth, but the other way around. After so many years of gathering knowledge, shouldn't you be able to distinguish between good cause and bad cause?" Edward retorted. His golden eyes flashed brightly. "If not, then our world is lost."

"You speak fine words. But to what end?" Marcus said, almost hissing now. "You bring forth a traitorous leech. This woman, Sabine, has turned traitor over and over again. I can see her relationships, her ties. She betrays us, then you, then us, then you… What truth could she possibly bring?"

"She has the gift of perfect recall," Edward said simply. "I've seen her thoughts. I know. So do you, Aro, which is why you are so afraid of her."

"Should we show everyone, Aro?" Bella asked, stepping forward. "Should we show everyone how you ignored your own laws, the laws you use as an excuse over and over again to tear down our family?"

One of the Volturi guards called out, "Blasphemy! We, the Volturi, have never raised a hand against you Cullens until you threatened our exposure by creating an Immortal Child!"

"There was never an Immortal Child," Bella replied, gazing over at Aro, Marcus, and Caius.

"Then what did Esme die for?" another Volturi guard cried out.

"For nothing." Bella's voice lowered into a growl. "And I can show you that. Sabine was standing right besides Esme when you ordered her death." Bella's eyes narrowed into slits as she challenged the Volturi, "So, now. You tell me - What law deems the death of innocents?"

"You created an immortal child," Caius said simply. "Renesmee is not an Immortal Child, no, but before that -"

"Stop, Aro. Stop with the lies," Carlisle pleaded. "You've trapped yourself in your own web. My brothers, please." He forced himself to rise from where he was kneeling besides Annabelle before helping her up.

For a moment, their eyes met. Then, Carlisle straightened up and addressing the Volturi, he said, "I know you all see me as a threat. And yes, in the past twenty-five years, if you had found me then, wandering aimlessly, I would have asked for your death, Aro." His voice fell into sadness at his own admission.

"You see?" Aro hissed. "A confession!"

The Volturi guards murmured loudly amongst themselves, and a few of them nodded their heads affirmatively, believing Aro.

"However, since creating Annabelle, that feeling has slowly faded. I can never forget Esme's death. Some part of me died with her on that field that snow day. But I can begin to remember what it felt like to feel… possibility. I want to chase that again. Not vengeance," Carlisle said honestly. "You can take everything from me, Aro. Even my hands. But I will not change."

Carlisle held out his arms. Everyone who had not noticed his hands, burned away down to his wrists, until that moment gasped loudly, and the sound echoed in the marble chambers.

"I have always admired your wisdom, Aro," Carlisle said, his voice measured and peaceful. "As a young boy, and even now."

Alistair snorted loudly, entirely unimpressed.

Carlisle ignored him and continued, "I beg you to use it now. We do not seek to take your power from you. You must see that. Even though you have taken Esme from me, I do not wish to see your demise. Or any of you."

Alistair growled lowly. "This is not the time to play nice, Carlisle."

"I'm not playing at anything. This is my serious offer," Carlisle said. "Sabine has the proof of our desire to simply remain peaceful. Let your clan see what Sabine has to offer. And let them decide. Taking control of people's minds is not your way, Aro. You are more charismatic than that. Remember. Remember who you used to be."

Aro, Caius, and Marcus were all dead still for a moment.

Just then, three figures, like pale and beautiful wraiths appearing from mystic white mist, glided in together through the open doors.

The Volturi guard members gasped. "The wives! It's the wives! Sulpicia and Athenodora..."

Between them, a vampire named Corin stood, holding each of the wives' hands. Corin's power was that of addictive contentment, and she rarely ever let Sulpicia and Athenodora, Aro's and Caius' wives, out of her sight.

"Sulpicia..." Aro's eyes widened. "What brings you here, to the main chamber?"

"We felt a disturbance," Sulpicia whispered. She rarely ever spoke. She, Athenodora, and Corin knew each other so well that words were rarely necessary.

Sulpicia walked up to her husband, Aro. Athenodora approached Caius and offered him her hands. Even now, in this tense moment, Caius took her hands and kissed them.

"What are you doing here? It's dangerous," Caius said to her.

"You need me," Athenodora replied simply.

Then, though Sulpicia kept her eyes on her husband, she spoke out decisively, "Bring Sabine to Aro. Let Aro examine this so-called truth for himself."

Bella and Edward traded hesitant glances with each other, before they walked forward with Sabine, to protect her. Alistair stayed behind. But after a moment, he went over to Carlisle. Carlisle gave him a nod. Alistair looked at him and then at Annabelle. He frowned at her state, but she managed a weak smile back at him. Though there were fresh and visible bite marks all over her neck now, at least she was now alive.

Sabine had reached Aro. Sulpicia nodded at Aro, who then reached out and touched Sabine's hand. As Sabine's thought began to flood his mind, Aro closed his eyes to focus on what he was seeing through Sabine's thoughts.

After a long moment, Aro's eyes opened.

Everyone waited with bated breath for his decision.

Aro looked over at his brothers, Caius and Marcus, before turning back to Sulpicia.

"He's only one man," Sulpicia whispered quietly into Aro's ear, glancing dismissively down at Carlisle. "Will you risk it all for one vampire, Aro?"

"Remember how we came to be in this position, my love," she said softly. "Remember the Romanians. Remember..." Leaning in, she whispered words that only Aro could hear.

Meanwhile, Caius stepped protectively before Athenodora.

Marcus still stood by himself. His eyes were on the ground before him, as though he, too, were remembering something.

Finally, Aro turned to Caius and Marcus, and said, "Perhaps Sulpicia is right. This is not the place to falter, my brothers."

Edward, who was able to see into Aro's mind, let out a long sigh of relief.

Caius frowned, but after a moment, he said dismissively, "As you like, brother. What is this but a little revolt of the common people and outcasts?"

Marcus nodded quietly. "Fine."

Aro turned to the rest of us and asked, "Very well. We shall call a truce. What is it you want? Name your terms."

Everyone on our side let out a long breath of air. The Volturi guard looked perplexed, for they had not expected this. But the Volturi leaders ignored them for the time being.

All of us werewolves and Cullens, as well as Alistair, looked over at Carlisle. Stepping forward, he took his place besides Edward and Bella, who could shield him and telling him if Aro was having any thoughts to cheat.

They worked out the immediate covenants, and everyone in the room was a witness to the Volturi's promises to honor these covenants:

The Volturi would release everyone who they were keeping as prisoners for having witnessed the event.

The Volturi would not come after the Cullens again unless for a legitimate reason, which would not be decided by either of them, but by a group of randomly selected nomads who would not suffer any consequences for how they chose.

The Volturi would not come near Quileute land ever again, and would not take any steps that could force our children to phase…

And it went on and on.

They finally decided to pause to reconvene tomorrow. More vampire leaders would be invited in, as Carlisle was adamant that he not speak on behalf of all of the rest of the nomadic vampires or clan leaders.

But all I could think of was the phrase: Our children… My child…

The end of the battle was anticlimactic. Jane's body was cleared away. The Volturi members were excused, though I would be quite afraid if I were one of them.

The Cullens all hugged each other, all of them not quite believing that they had made it out alive.

Breaking away from them, Bella came up to me. "Jake!" she said excitedly. "Thank you so much. Without you, we - !"

Seeing the expression on my face and seeing Leah sobbing silently underneath me, in her human form, Bella suddenly frowned. "Jake?"

Sam and Theo had transformed into their human forms as well.

"Jacob," Sam said gruffly but satisfactorily, coming up to me. "We've done it-"

"Wait a minute," Theo interrupted. "Where's Billie?"

Sam paused.

Edward, hearing my thoughts, froze.

"Jacob. Jacob?" Sam said. His voice was full of fear, fear for the worst.

I didn't move. I hadn't moved since she'd disappeared.

My daughter… Shauna.

A wretched cry sounded out under me as Leah gasped for air, unable to breathe because of the hole that had been so cruelly and intensely punched through her heart.

Our daughter, Shauna, was gone.

Annabelle's POV

When I heard Leah's cry and I saw Jacob, still in wolf form, standing frozen, I knew what had happened. I stared at them, unable to cry, but feeling every bit of guilt and sorrow for the loss of their daughter, Shauna.

This is my fault, I realized miserably. I asked Shauna to come. I asked her to put her life on the line for Carlisle. And she did…

Just then, the Volturi members began to move out. But a single point stayed still amongst the moving mass. My eyes fell to the floor and traced the broken rubble all over the floor before slowly tracing up a lonesome figure.

Eyes like the sun…

Yes, he was a child of the sun – twisted, turned, re-forged to destroy, like the metal of old sun-dials…

For a moment, I could imagine a world without anyone else except the two of us. Two orphans, stuck on this fantasy of home, that could never truly exist, because it belonged to a past that even the immortal could not go back to…

I wanted to forgive him. But the truth was, there was nothing to forgive. We were so alike. How do you forgive yourself? In truth, you don't. You carry it with you. You move forward, but you never forget. In that way, I turned away from him, but I never forgot his eyes.

We - the Cullens, werewolves, Alistair, and I - retreated to one of the Cullens' vacation homes, located just outside of Volterra. Alistair immediately decided to claim the attic as his. Jacob and Leah were in their own room, and across from them, Sam and Theo also had their own room.

But all of the Cullens and I were currently in one room together. Carlisle was lying asleep on the bed. I had asked Carlisle if he wanted to sleep, and he'd agreed. I gave the dream I thought would soothe him most – the image Renesmee had once projected to me, of Carlisle and Esme dancing together. As that image translated into a dream in Carlisle's exhausted mind, slowly, his tired and tense expression softened until he was deeply asleep.

"What can we do about his hands?" Bella asked, staring at his wrists with a pained expression.

"I don't know," Edward replied, sighing. "I've never come across a wound that vampires couldn't re-generate from. I thought it was death or perfect health…"

Everyone nodded their assent. Everyone except me.

"I should call Renesmee," Bella said after a while. "She must be worried sick about us all."

Edward nodded. "I'll come with you."

The other four vampires - Rosalie, Alice, Emmett, and Jasper - stood up as well.

Rosalie paused, however, just before she left the room. Looking at me, she said quietly, "Annabelle, I'm sorry for what I accused you of."

"Yeah, without you, Carlisle would never have gotten out of there alive," Emmett acknowledged. "We're sorry that we didn't trust you."

I shook my head. "No, there's no need for apology."

She and Emmett left together, holding hands.

Alice also looked at me. There was a curious look on her face as she admitted, "You know, I still can't see your future. But I trust you now, and I'm sorry I didn't before."

I offered her a smile.

Alice returned my smile, then she pulled Jasper with her to leave.

Jasper paused, however, for one moment to reassure me, "Those marks on your neck. They'll heal. They may leave traces, like mine. But they'll heal, so don't worry too much."

"Thank you," I told him, inclining my head to him gratefully.

Then, the two of them left as well.

They might leave marks…? I honestly didn't remember too much of what happened between my arms being ripped off and Edward, Bella, and Alistair showing up with Sabine.

I hesitated. Then, I slowly stood up and stood in front of the mirror. Except for seeing my daytime reflection in the water, I hadn't examined myself once since I'd turned into a vampire. I'd been too afraid.

But as I looked at myself now, I saw that although, yes, I looked like a vampire, under all of the coldness and sharpness, I still recognized myself: a girl who had dreams, but was lost in them, rather than moving towards them. A girl who wanted to heal people, but had only ever had the ability to accept help - until now.

I lifted my neck slightly and saw the marks that Jasper had been talking about – bite marks from Carlisle trying to heal me. Even then, he was trying to save me…

I looked over at Carlisle. If I could have anything in this world, it wouldn't be your love. Not anymore. It would be to save you. It would be to give you back your hands, so that you can go back out into the world and save more people, and find that peace within yourself again.

I swallowed hard, and as I did so, I felt the slightest movement against my neck. I hesitated, and then I looked back at myself in the mirror. Yes, there were marks… And there was also a necklace.

I reached up and touched the necklace made of moon metal. It felt cool to the touch, like soft moonlight. Examining it in the mirror, I saw now that the insignia was that of a moon and sun tangled together – in love, deeply in love, the way they were within Levine, though he had yet to find that harmony within the chaos.

"Shush," he'd said to me, gazing up at the sky. "This brief time, where the moon and sun can exist together in the sky... It's a moment for peace."

Memories of Levine began to occupy my mind. I remembered now that Levine had pressed something cool against my shoulder to heal my burn from the sun metal.

Ice… Ice pressed against my shoulder… Cold as the moon… And yet, there was something soothing about the sensation…

"Shhh… You're all right, little one. You're all right. Don't struggle so. Let it take effect… Let it heal you."

I opened my eyes to see my vision obscured by dark, velvet fabric, as well as a metal crest of a sun and moon tangled together.

"Levine?" I called out quietly, my voice slightly hoarse.

He didn't reply for a moment. Then, he drew away slightly, though he still remained above me. The cold feeling disappeared.

"The antidote to sun metal is moon metal," he murmured.

I paused. My fingers slowly ran down the thin chain and onto the charm. It was truly beautifully crafted.

Levine's power is decay, but it's based on sunlight. That's what Aro said, I thought to myself. Then, if Carlisle's wounds are caused by sunlight…

"The antidote to sun mental is moon metal," I whispered in awe, repeating what Levine had told me as he healed me. Twisting the chain around, I slowly undid the connector and slid the necklace off of my neck.

Then, I quietly walked over to the bed so that I was by Carlisle's side. Touching him very carefully so as not to wake him, I cautiously rolled up the sleeve to Carlisle's left arm. Then, praying with all my heart (even if it was still and ice-cold now), I placed Levine's charm against Carlisle's wrist and pressed down gently with both hands, holding the metal against his wrist.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, Carlisle began to turn restlessly.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, and reaching up with one hand, I held him down by his shoulder. With my other hand, I kept the metal charm pressed against his skin.

Could it be? Could this really work? Can I heal him this way? I wondered. I suddenly felt light-headed with hope.

Carlisle started to wake up, shaking his head back and forth.

"I know it feels cold. Just give it a minute," I said, making my voice as soothing and calm as I could. In my own heart, I knew that I wasn't Carlisle. It took me effort for me to be calm and collected for someone else. But I could do it, if I thought of him. I could be a better person for him.

"Annabelle?" Carlisle mumbled, blinking awake. "Is that you?"

"Yes."

"What are you doing? Why is my wrist… so cold?"

I swallowed and then, feeling an intense feeling of anticipation, I peeked down at his arm. I gasped. His hand was slowly growing back! I could already see half of his palm re-appearing at his wrist.

"What is it?" Carlisle asked me, starting to sit up.

"No, wait!" I said, almost yelling as I held him down.

Carlisle paused.

A bit embarrassed, I lowered my voice and said, more calmly, "Please don't move until it's finished."

"Until what's finished?"

I paused. Then, I said carefully, but joyously, "Your hand, Carlisle."

Carlisle's eyes widened. Then, he slowly and carefully peeked down just in time to see his fingers growing back.

"It can't be. This is a dream…" he murmured. "Isn't it, Annabelle?"

"No," I whispered, my voice trembling with happiness. "it's not a dream."

I inhaled sharply and bit my lower lip hard, unable to hide my joy and relief that this had worked.

Finally, his left hand was fully regrown.

I removed my hand from his shoulder. Carlisle sat up at once. He brought up both his arms and looked at his right wrist and then his left hand.

"How…?" he marveled, turning over his left hand.

I climbed onto the bed on his other side to reach his hand.

"Come. Give me your other wrist," I instructed.

He did so, and I tenderly rolled up his sleeve before placing the charm on his right wrist.

"Ah," Carlisle breathed out as the sharp, icy feeling shot through him again.

"It's cold, I know," I murmured sympathetically.

"You know?" Carlisle's eyes flickered up to me. "How do you know?"

"I've been healed too, before," I promised.

"You have?"

"Yes. I'll tell you about it later."

Carlisle nodded. We both watched in silence as his right hand also slowly regenerated.

When the moon metal had completed its incredible healing work, my hand slipped off of his.

"Good as new?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes," Carlisle replied, in utter disbelief. His voice trembled with emotion as he stared down at his hands. "My God, Annabelle… You've given me back my… my purpose."

I beamed at him.

"How -?" he began, but I abruptly said, "Oh, wait!"

I suddenly leapt off the bed.

"Annabelle?" Carlisle followed me, more than a bit confused.

I quickly made my way through the house, fast enough that I was little more than a blur to human eyes, until I came to Rosalie and Emmett's room.

I knocked on the bedroom door. Rosalie opened it.

"Yes?" she said. Seeing me, she asked immediately, "Is Carlisle all right?"

"Yes," I assured her quickly. In fact, I could hear Carlisle coming up behind me.

Smiling, I offered my hand out to Rosalie. "Shake?" I asked her.

Rosalie looked at me like I was out of my mind, but, not wanting to offend me, she humored me.

The charm was tucked in my hand. When it touched her palm, she gasped.

Emmett was by Rosalie's side in a second.

"Wait! Don't pull away," I said. "It needs time to work."

"What- What are you doing to me?" Rosalie asked, bewildered and a little frightened.

"I'm healing your hand," I told her.

"Your hand? Babe, your hand was hurt?" Emmett asked Rosalie.

"You caught the pendant when I threw it to you, remember? The sun pendant to finish off Jane," I said. "You must have a burn on your palm from catching the pendant directly."

"You remembered…" Rosalie asked, surprise flickering across her face.

Behind us, Carlisle appeared. "Of course she did," he replied, and put his hands on my shoulders.

Rosalie and Emmett both gasped. "Carlisle, your hands!"

"Yes, Annabelle healed me too," Carlisle said softly.

"Holy shit!" Emmett exclaimed. "I'm going to go tell Alice and Jasper!" He went off to do just that.

I let go of Rosalie's hand. "All better?" I asked her.

She gazed down at her palm. "Yes, thank you…"

The sound of five people semi-quietly galloping down the hallway together could be heard behind us.

Carlisle laughed softly as he held up his hands for everyone to see. He was greeted by many handshakes and kisses.

But we kept our voices down because the whole house hung heavy with sadness and regret… for Shauna.

We separated relatively quickly to maintain the appropriate silence. Besides, we ourselves could not fully rejoice over anything, even Carlisle's hands, because of the tragedy of what had happened today, both with the Volturi, but first and foremost, with the loss of Shauna.

Carlisle and I returned to our room.

"Annabelle, thank you for healing me," Carlisle told me. "But you need to sit down now. I can tell that something's weighing heavily on you. You especially, I mean."

I sat down on the bed and blew out a long, slow breath. The joy of having healed Carlisle faded away slowly as the guilt came flooding back, heavy and shameful, in my veins.

"I was the one who asked Shauna to help me fight against the Volturi," I confessed. I looked away from Carlisle as the guilt ate away at me. "After you left, your family didn't know if they could trust me. So, I went to the werewolves for help. None of them wanted to help me… except Shauna." My voice caught. "It's my fault that she's dead. How can I ever look any of the wolves in the face again? Especially Leah and Jacob…"

Carlisle didn't immediately try to soothe me. He sat with me for a long time, just feeling my pain with me. He was emotionally honest about the fact that nothing could justify the loss of a child.

Eventually, Carlisle said quietly, "I don't know if this will help at all, but I will say that Shauna made her decisions for herself. We honor her not just by mourning her loss, but by respecting it."

I nodded, appreciating his words, but I couldn't lift my face to look at him. The shame and regret was too much.

Carlisle remained silent for a long time yet again, but finally, he broke and confessed, "I can't see you like this anymore, Annabelle. I can't take away the pain, but I can't have you like this before me either."

He reached out and yanked me to him, holding me tightly in his arms. "Annabelle, don't suffer alone. Let me help carry the burden…"

I quietly sobbed into his shoulder, though no tears came from my eyes anymore. Carlisle was incredibly patient with me, holding me tightly and gently stroking my hair.

But even through the grief that I was feeling, I couldn't help except feel a little bit of embarrassment, too. "You're always holding me as I cry over something," I said, laughing a little, not because anything was funny, but because I felt uncertain.

Carlisle shook his head. "It's my fault, Annabelle. I meant to give you an opportunity for you to live your dreams. But because of me, your vampire life has been filled with nothing but pain... I'm so sorry."

"No," I told him. I reached up and gently gripped the front of his shirt. "Please don't think like that."

"I wish... that you had had a more worthy creator," Carlisle confessed to me, gazing into my eyes.

"No..." I whispered. My hands slid up and I gently touched his face, holding his face in both of my hands.

Carlisle hesitated. I thought for a moment that he meant to lean forward, but he suddenly stopped. The air between us seemed to hum with a strange and silent energy.

All I could think about in that moment was what might happen if we were to lean forward towards each other, if we were to...

I blinked. Then, I quickly dropped my hands to his chest and looked away from him. Carlisle didn't let go of me, still holding me and comforting me, but neither of us looked at each other for the rest of the night.

As the dawn broke over the horizon, Carlisle murmured, "Are you better, Annabelle?"

"Yes," I replied. "Thank you."

"Not at all," Carlisle said softly. Now, if you're willing, I'd like you to tell me something."

"Anything," I told him.

"How did you know how to heal me?"

I sat back a little bit. Then, I pulled down my sleeve to show him my upper arm.

Carlisle paused. He noticed at once, "Your scar is gone. The bronze one from before."

I explained to him, "It was a burn from the Volturi's prison bars, which are made from-"

"- Ancient sun metal," Carlisle realized.

I nodded. "See, someone told me, taught me… that the antidote to sun dial metal is moon metal."

Comprehension dawned on Carlisle's face, and his golden eyes lit up as he took in newfound knowledge. "I see," he said sagely. "And so that charm…"

"It's made of moon metal," I confirmed.

Carlisle smiled. "Ingenious." Then, his eyes traced my arm up to my chest and collar bone up to my neck. His eyes saddened a little as he saw all of the still-healing scars.

"I'm sorry, Annabelle," he said regretfully. He reached up and his fingertips brushed against the half-crescent marks all over my throat. "But I had to do all I could to keep you alive."

He gave me a small, if not sorrowful, smile as he said, "I'm your creator, after all."

At this, I hesitated. That's right. Creator. Nothing more. Friends, maybe. But - Stop. Don't be greedy, I warned myself. You told yourself you just wanted to save him. Now you have. You cannot ask for more. He said it himself – He still regrets Esme's death. So, don't burden him with your desires, not when he's given you so much already.

I did my best to return his smile, but failing miserably, I finally shifted away from him, creating distance between us on the bed. Carlisle blinked, surprised at my response. However, I had already turned away.

"Are you going to sleep?" he asked me.

"Yes," I replied.

But I didn't. I couldn't. My heart was beginning to splinter.

Still, I went through the motions, slipping under the covers, laying my head on the pillow, and closing my eyes.

Carlisle waited for me until he thought I was asleep. Then, he kissed my cheek gently and murmured, "Sleep well, Annabelle."

He left the room, then.

My eyes flashed open, gold-silver in the moonlight.

I had never felt so human in my life.

The guilt and tragedy of losing Shauna, the utter joy and relief of healing Carlisle, and yet – still – my feelings for Carlisle still remained as strong as ever. I wondered if it was a vampire thing to fall in love so deeply, and for so long, and for someone who would never love me back the way I hoped. There was some form of care there, certainly. I didn't doubt that I meant something to Carlisle. I just didn't mean to him what he meant to me. I told myself once again not to be greedy, not to ask for more, but in truth, my heart was breaking. My heart was breaking, as I'd never felt it break before… Because even if I was willing to risk my life for him, even if I could heal him, it had nothing to do with earning his love. That had to do with who I was, and I was still an orphan – loveable, but in a limited way. There was no place or person in the world that I would truly fit too. Before, when I didn't want anyone, it had been a vague and empty sort-of pain. Having found Carlisle, it was an intensely specific and burning pain. I clutched the blankets to my chest and buried my face into the pillow, telling myself to stop wanting, stop hurting, stop feeling… But I couldn't. I couldn't do it.

No, I cannot live this way. I have to find myself, I realized. It was a deeply painful thought, but I had to be honest with myself. I need to make up my own mind about who I am - without Carlisle. I need to discover myself as myself before I can truly be with anyone else. I can't stay here anymore. I have to live my own life, and I can't be so afraid of loneliness anymore. So what if I'm an orphan?

I thought of Levine. Perhaps orphans are never meant to find homes. Perhaps the most we can ask for, whilst still retaining our dignity, is to be free.

I slipped up to the attic, where Alistair was. I peeked my head into the attic. "Alistair?" I called out hopefully.

"You." Alistair glared up at me as he growled out, "You innocent-looking thing that unwittingly dragged me into this colossal mess."

I smiled at him. "Hello to you, too."

"Keep your wretched smiles for Carlisle, pup. I don't want them," Alistair told me grumpily.

"Don't be like that," I said to him, sitting next to him.

Instinctively, he shifted away from me.

Ignoring his antisocial behavior, I held out my hand to him.

"What's that?" Alistair asked me warily.

"Hm... A compass, perhaps," I replied honestly.

"Compass? That doesn't look like a compass."

"Won't you take it?"

"Why should I? I don't trust you," Alistair told me bluntly.

"Please?" I said, still holding it out.

Alistair sighed heavily. Still not moving, he accused me, "I can see the wheels of your mind churning away, you know. Tell me honestly: What are you up to?"

"I don't know," I replied, completely truthful. "All I know is that... I've got to go."

Alistair paused. "What do you mean?"

"I have to leave."

"For where?"

"I don't know. I'm not a tracker," I reminded him. "But just away from here. Away from Carlisle."

Alistair's brow furrowed. "Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head fervently. "Never."

"Then...?"

"I don't know," I repeated again.

There was a long beat of silence.

"Please," I said quietly, "take it. For me."

Alistair groaned before he snatched the item off of my palm. "Fine, fine," he grumbled. "Now, give me some god damn peace, pup."

"Thank you. Thank you for everything, Alistair," I said, and my voice revealed the depths of my genuine gratitude for him.

He didn't respond, but he didn't need to.

I gave him one last smile before I left the attic.

It was now midday, and everyone in the house was sleeping or otherwise occupied. Vampires didn't sleep, but when the sun was fully out like this, at noon, it could cause something of a daze or distraction.

Returning to my bedroom, I slipped out of the window, dropping from the second-story window to the lush green grass underneath. I drew my cloak around myself. It was a little bit wider at the waist than it used to be, for I'd sewn an extra-strong pocket inside of my cloak. I hoped Levine would be proud of me, that I had finally learnt from all of the times he'd taken my own pocket from me.

I looked up at the window one last time, watching as the curtain shifted to and fro, moved by the light breeze drifting across the Italian countryside.

I'm going to live my life beyond the window. Perhaps someday, I'll see you again, Carlisle. Maybe by then, I'll be someone who can stand beside you…

a/n:

to MDBEU: Thank you so much for your continued support!