One year earlier

I ran, my feet pounding on the asphalt road while behind me I heard snarls ripping through the air. I couldn't help but think sourly back to Emmett's reassurances.

"You'll be fine. The redhead's sticking to Forks but Rose will watch your dad so don't worry. Edward and I will be chasing the James guy. Nothing's going to happen in Montana."

Yeah… nothing, except for a nomadic redheaded vampire who managed to track us down even without her tracker friend. James wasn't here, which was somewhat worrying because a) he could be after my sister the same way this crazy redhead was currently after me, and b) we were less likely to expect help from Edward and Emmett who were trailing the other male vampire. Which, by the way Carlisle told me to run when we (or rather, he and Esme) noticed Victoria following us, was not good news for us.

I heard a loud bang from behind me, which sounded like a clap of thunder or two boulders being smashed against each other. It was a sound recently made familiar to me after Bella had coerced me into joining her date with Edward's family to watch them baseball: the sound of two vampires colliding into one another. I disobeyed Carlisle's strict instructions and looked back.

I realized then why he'd told me to run and not look back. The instant I locked eyes with the red-eyed vampire that was staring right at me after having thrown Esme into Carlisle, I freaked out so much I stumbled. Thankfully, I didn't pull a Bella and I remained upright instead of tripping to the ground. But Victoria was leaping at me by then as she used the brief moment that Carlisle and Esme were downed and I was distracted to rush at me.

The abject terror I felt as she lunged toward me made me lose control.

It had been so long since I'd done it that I almost jumped at the thrill that ran through me like a small electric shock as my ability kicked in. Victoria was in for the larger surprise and she just barely managed to duck as the streetlamp next to me suddenly pulled itself out of the ground and went flying at her head. Her quick reflexes had her landing in a crouch to the side, unharmed, although her eyes were wide as she stared at the streetlamp that had crashed into the asphalt where she had been earlier before she looked at me in disbelief.

Her head then snapped to the side and she suddenly took off, even before Carlisle blurred his way toward her. Carlisle altered his course, coming to a protective stop before me just as Esme blurred in beside him. I almost asked what was going on when three more blurs streaked past us and I shrieked instead.

"It's all right, sweetheart." Esme soothed, patting my arm carefully. "It's just Edward, Emmett and Rose."

"They're chasing Victoria." Carlisle added in explanation. "But we'd rather not leave you unguarded."

I nodded, exhaling and forcing myself to take deep, calming breaths. Carlisle and Esme held back on their curiosity although I saw them exchange quick looks over my head as we waited.

The others returned soon after, unsuccessful in finding Victoria who seemed to have a knack for escaping. Rosalie and Emmett were clearly frustrated, although they showed it very differently. Emmett was more sulky that he missed his chance to pulverize the redhead and based on his mutters, it seemed he and Edward had chased James near Montana only to lose him as well before they came to our aid thanks to a slip-up in James's thoughts. Rosalie meanwhile was fuming as she shot glares my way far more than she ever did in the past. Edward however was looking at me in a mix of surprise and some level of admiration that I wasn't comfortable with.

"It was impressive." He assured me with the abruptness I had come to associate with when he was responding to thoughts… after he stopped being a general jerk to Bella.

"Bella obviously told me about it, but of course I'd never seen it in your thoughts or your father's so I didn't know what to expect." He continued, ignoring the latter portion of my thought. He was also now used to my inability to filter my mental quips and paid very little attention to them as long as they weren't directed to Bella.

"But, do you mind if I give you some advice?"

I blinked, surprised, but nodded at Edward.

"Next time," Edward advised with a small smile. "Don't go for the head. It's a small target and easier to miss unless you're absolutely certain you can hit the mark. If you have to, go for the torso. It's a larger target, so you're more likely to at least clip your opponent."

I nodded just as Edward's phone rang with the fateful call from Alice that would take us to Phoenix… and, as we would learn later, led James right to Bella.

Present

The metal drainage grate flies toward Aro and the reaction from the Volturi guard is instantaneous.

Demetri's suddenly between me and Aro, catching the metal disc before it can hit his master as if the thing were a plastic frisbee although he can't quite mask his surprise as he looks at me in shock. I barely notice it or the fact that he seemed to just materialize in front of me he moved so fast.

Instead, I fall to the ground, screaming in pain as I suddenly feel like I'm on fire.

I'm faintly aware of a commotion all around me - it vaguely sounds like Bella screaming for me and then Edward while vicious snarls bounce around in the background and mix with booms like thunder clapping and above it all, an odd shattering sound - but I can't really hear anything above my own screams, can't focus on anything except the burning pain that's coursing through my body. It literally feels like every cell in my body is on fire, and I thrash and scream in utter agony.

"Jane, enough!"

I do register the velvety voice that gives the sharp order. Partly because I recognize it as Demetri's but mostly because that's when the burning stops. I shudder, trying to catch my breath from where I'm lying on the ground. While I know the pain can't have been real - otherwise my skin would be burnt to a crisp and as my eyes regain focus I can see clearly it's still pale white - it is very little comfort to me when my whole body aches.

"It's quite all right, everyone. Felix, you may release young Edward." Aro's voice is cool and collected, and contrasts greatly with Demetri's harsh bark.

I look around dazedly to see a mountainous vampire who reminds me a little bit of Emmett purely because of his size, releasing Edward. Edward shoots a glare at the other vampire before going to stand beside Bella, who is watching the entire scene with an absolutely white face. Alice is on the other side of the room, straightening up slowly with her eyes fixed on another guard of medium height and build with dark brown hair. The vampire straightens up even more slowly than Alice and I get the impression that she threw the other vampire off and they were engaged in a fierce standoff before Aro's voice called things to order.

I also do briefly notice that the three thrones, two of which Marcus and the blond had been seated at, are now cracked. One actually might as well be in complete shambles given only the back-piece and one armrest is intact. I wonder if I did that by accident while I was being tortured - the blond vampire's death glare at me indicates I probably did.

But most bizarrely in my opinion is the pair of boots that my eyes had first focused on before I'd looked around. I now look back up at the owner of the boots, trying to understand what I'm seeing for a second time.

Demetri isn't looking at me, or even near me - he's staring right at a tiny vampire with light brown hair who looks like a doll she's so small and delicate… in appearance at least. She looks very similar to Alec actually and I sense that this is Jane and that she somehow inflicted the horrible pain I felt. What I don't understand, even as I look at the scene again, is why she looks so unhappy and almost incredulous as she stares right back at Demetri. I can't see his face, only his tense posture that is halfway between crouched and upright as he stands in front of me in what I can only describe as a protective stance. But why?

"Jane."

Aro's voice, laced with curiosity but also warning, has Jane break off her staring match with Demetri. He relaxes minutely at that and moves away from me without a backward glance to rejoin the ranks of vampires standing around the wall. I do notice Felix giving his comrade an odd look that I can't even begin to decipher while Aro continues to speak.

"There is nothing to worry about, my friends. I'm afraid I have merely startled our guest."

"Startled-?!" The blond begins in a snarl but Aro silences his brother with a look.

Aro then looks back to me just as Alice helps me to my feet. I'm shaking a little, the after-effects of whatever Jane did still strong. Bella moves out of Edward's grasp to hug me from the side tightly, her brown eyes filled with such worry that it's a little disconcerting to see so much emotion after having gotten used to the shell she has been for months. I gladly accept her hug, though, as her warmth seems to be doing wonders for my shaken spirit.

Aro lets us have a moment before he speaks again.

"I apologize, my dear child. I did not intend to frighten you or cause you harm."

Aro sends a reproachful look toward Jane, who looks wholly unremorseful, before he looks back at me cheerfully.

"However, I am most impressed! You must have taken young Edward's words to heart if you managed to remember that lesson even as you reacted instinctively."

I frown at the crazy vampire, bewildered.

"He's talking about Victoria."

I glance at Edward, who is watching Aro warily even as he explains to me.

"About how you didn't go for the head this time."

My eyes widen as I realize that Aro must have seen the memory and remembered it from looking into Edward's head, and I shoot Aro another uneasy look. He is unruffled, and instead is beaming at Edward with amusement… and a hint of longing.

"Yes… truly convenient." He murmurs before he looks at me again.

"Let's try this again, shall we? May I?"

He asks first this time before lifting his hand to me but he doesn't move closer, letting the decision be mine whether I touch it or not.

I don't want to, in fact I'm seriously contemplating my chances at running even knowing I'd only make it half a step before I'm caught; but Alice murmurs softly, "It's okay, Mia."

I know everyone heard her, but I'm not bothered as I take a deep breath to calm myself. Because I understand that while others might have thought her words to be reassurance, it is a warning. There is no choice but as long as I co-operate, Alice trusts it will turn out all right. I'm still extremely shaken after what happened and every instinct in me is still telling me to run, but I try to rationalize my fear.

'Think about it - what's the worst he could really do? Kill you as well? How scary can that be, and it can't hurt more than what that witch just put you through. Just so long as Edward and Alice can get Bella out of here before she's mauled by thirsty vampires, it's no big deal.'

I hear Edward snort at my thoughts, drawing curious looks. No doubt people are wondering what happened as my heart has slowed down even in my ears. But he ignores them, as do I; instead, we both focus on Aro who is still waiting for me.

I take a slow step forward, wary of the witch who I can feel is watching me with burning red eyes, before I gingerly touch his hand with one finger. Almost instantly, I gasp. I vaguely sense the guard tensing all around the room, bracing for another surprise attack on my part but I'm mostly in control of myself this time. Not completely however, because I can't seem to control the images that flash through my mind's eye.

Seeing Daisy go through the doors. All the evening meetings with Demetri and the first encounter with him in the street. Meeting Daisy. Arriving in Italy. Watching Bella for the past few months, feeling despair, anger and fear in rotations as she continued to spiral down a more and more dangerous path. Hanging out with the pack and their families, Jacob on occasion but mostly with his sister Nicole, Embry and Jared, with whom I had recently reformed a friendship. The Cullens leaving in the Fall. Breaking up with Jared over the summer. Going to prom with Jared. The Cullens saving Bella from James. The baseball game that ended with James starting his hunt for my sister. Dating Jared. Finding out what the Cullens were. Meeting the Cullens for the first time. Befriending Nicole, my first friend in Forks. Moving to Forks and leaving my mother behind for the first time in my life.

The images kept going, gradually getting fuzzier as my memories work backward to things that I can barely remember as a child.

A bit of our family trip to Italy ten years ago. Ballet lessons with Bella that our mother had forced us to take in an attempt to cure us of our clumsiness (it had worked for me; not so much with my sister). The first time my mother, sister and I had discovered I had the power to move objects with just my mind when I caused a lamp to go flying during a childish tantrum.

As we reach the end of my memories, I am drawn back to the present. My thoughts are my own again, and I briefly and involuntarily wonder morbidly if Daisy would have felt that if Aro had touched her before he killed her.

Aro releases my hand as the thought crosses my mind.

"Ah, my dear child." Aro's tone is softer now, apologetic. "They do not feel it - my power, unlike young Edward's, is restricted. And I do not need to touch their skin while I feed."

He observes me before he goes on gently, regretfully, "I am truly sorry for your loss. You must excuse us, we did not know… and, well, it is our nature after all! You will surely not begrudge us for our dietary habits?"

'Like hell I won't.' I think it but I don't say it. Just because I would be resigned to my death if these vampires attacked me doesn't mean I need to encourage it.

Aro continues to stare at me expectantly and I realize he's waiting for me to respond. It takes me several tries to open my mouth before I'm certain I won't blurt out something rude that could get me and probably my sister and the Cullens killed.

"It's… I can see your point." I reply finally, sticking to as polite a truth as I can currently manage when I find I am unable to bring myself to lie. He senses that, and he smiles again.

"Hm..." He hums, almost to himself.

There's an uneasiness in the air now, and I get the distinct feeling that we're all waiting to hear what my sentence will be. But even his centuries' old guard, his thousands of years old brothers, don't seem to know yet just what Aro will decree… and I find that almost more frightening than anything else I've encountered in this shadowy world I've somehow gotten myself entangled in.

"And you are quite certain, my child, that you have no wish to join our world?"

I almost start violently at Aro's words, my eyes flying up to his again. That wasn't what I was expecting him to say at all. It also confuses me because I've never wavered from that decision from the moment Bella and I discovered what the Cullens really were; surely Aro had seen that in my thoughts? Before I can respond to his question, however, Aro continues.

"But perhaps, that decision is hasty on your part. I understand you don't yet know our laws."

I frown, as do many in the room. It's clear they don't understand how I could not know, and if it hadn't been Aro who spoke then they would have challenged such a claim. I meanwhile am not really sure how their laws could possibly impact me, but the way Edward and Alice are still as stone beside me tells me that I am about to find out and I am not going to like what I'm about to hear.

"We do not have many laws," Aro explains, pointedly ignoring the impatient and irate expression his blonde brother throws at him. "We only have those that are intended to keep our kind safe."

I'm starting to get the picture and shift uncomfortably. Aro pretends not to notice as he continues, "For example, our kind are to remain inconspicuous and hunting must be done with caution. It is expected that our kind move on from an area before suspicions are aroused."

He pauses and I speak slowly.

"I'm not going to reveal you to anyone if that's what you're implying."

"Foolish human! You expect us to believe you?" The blond brother snaps, pinning me with his icy glare.

I bristle under the look and my back straightens. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's bullies. I will freely admit that I'm terrified of Aro, of his unpredictability and of the darkness I can feel in him beneath his supposedly sunny personality. However, I will not be bullied, not by a kid in diapers, not by a jealous teenager, and not even by a vampire warlord.

"Peace, Caius!" Aro silences his brother with a wave of his hand but he keeps his eyes on me as a small and apologetic smile graces his face.

"While I do not doubt your word, my child," he begins in a solemn and sorrowful tone, as if he is burdened by his duty to tell me what he's about to tell me. "We cannot have exceptions. It does not set a very good example if we pardon some but not others. We must, after all, be fair."

I'm somewhat skeptical, but I remain silent as Aro lays out his sentence at last.

"The law dictates that if a human becomes aware of a vampire, then the human must be silenced."

He looks at me gravely.

"You must make a choice, Amelia - either to join us in immortality… or to be silenced permanently."

I stare back at Aro, not saying a word as I allow my thoughts to fly. Join as one of them… or die. Those were my only options? I almost laugh hysterically at the irony.

To think that I had come all this way, leaving behind the troubles of vampires back home only to find out I was about to be murdered by a different one anyway… maybe I'm the one who was Hitler in my past life, not Bella. Or else this was all an incredibly sick joke from Fate. I had calmly walked away from eternal life, not once wanting what my sister longed for as she had never quite longed for anything. Except maybe Edward, but then again, the two were essentially the same thing for her.

But me? I had never wanted it, not once been tempted to live forever with the insatiable desire to drink human blood. Even immortality in and of itself seemed so… tiring to me. To uproot, go to highschool, graduate, do something and then repeat, forever until the end of days? It had never appealed to me and when it became clear I was perfectly content with my mortal life and my mortal friends, the Cullens had not once pushed me or approached me unwantedly. In fact, Edward and Rosalie had seemed rather relieved to hear I had no interest in becoming one of them. I knew Edward had hoped I could convince Bella; Rosalie, I wasn't so sure why but I supposed she just didn't want to have to spend eternity with me around. The point was, I didn't want the life they had.

But dying in this gloomy castle while my sister had to stand by, the way I was forced to with Daisy? I didn't want to do that either. The selfless part was because I didn't ever want to hurt Bella in that kind of way. The selfish part was because… I wanted to live. I didn't want to die, I wanted to graduate high school, to see what college was really like, to spend time with my parents, my sister, my friends, to travel widely and find all of life's beauty, to study architecture and design my own world, to maybe fall in love and marry and have kids… no, I didn't want to die. But did I want to not die so badly I'd willingly become a creature out of horror movies?

I glance at my sister, my pale, scared and human twin. And that's when it hit me. My brilliant idea. Aro had let Bella go earlier, and the only reason I can think of is that the Cullens had agreed to turn her whether it was tonight or next month, next year. Sometime. If Caius's twitchiness was anything to go by, it would be sometime soon but not today. Not now.

"Mia..." Edward speaks in a low voice, his tone warning as he follows my train of thought and my final plan. Several vampires glance between us and Bella tugs on Edward's hand anxiously, wanting to know what was going on.

'Don't you dare tell her. You owe me after you hurt Bella like you did last Fall. If you ever cared for her, don't you ever tell her what I'm going to do. It'll be a horrible accident as far as Bella will ever know.'

Edward's lips fold into an unhappy line but I ignore it as I look up at Aro and lift my hand. He tilts his head curiously and waves Jane away when the little witch takes an indignant step forward at my action. As Jane falls back into line reluctantly, the ancient vampire glides forward and he takes my hand in his somewhat eagerly.

His eyes widen briefly as soon as he makes contact and then he looks at me mournfully. I can almost hear his thoughts, they're written so clearly on his face and I fear Bella will see it was well and realize what's going on.

'Such a waste.'

But Aro pulls himself together quickly and he gives an easy smile as he lets go of my hand.

"Very well then, my child." He agrees to my silent terms. I can almost feel the vibrations in the room as the vampires all itch to know what has been exchanged between us, what has been decided.

"One year." Aro proclaims, causing Caius's head to whip to his brother incredulously. "And then... you will have to decide."

I nod as if I'm agreeing with him and I hear Bella shift behind me. I know she wants me to join her and I can almost hear her resolve to convince me to turn. If only she knew my decision was already made. But she can't know, that was the whole point; that is Aro's lie for me, his acceptance of my terms. One year to live, to tie up my connections to my family… and then I turn myself in quietly for my execution.

"Aro-" Caius begins to snarl but Aro dismisses him with a light wave of his hand.

"Come now, brother!" He says brightly. "There will be no harm done, I assure you. One year is but a mere blink. And it is the day honoring our dear brother after all! We can allow this one parting gift to a friend of Carlisle's."

Caius does not look happy, but he is effectively silenced. Aro meanwhile beams down at the four of us again as he says benevolently, "Well, my friends! It seems this is goodbye for now but you will always be welcome back here. But perhaps just as a friendly visit the next time."

He glances at Edward and then me meaningfully. We just nod, Alice looking somewhat thoughtful as she glances at me while Edward's face could have been carved from stone it's so emotionless and cold.

I ignore his disapproving attitude as Aro calls fondly, "Alec, please kindly escort our guests out."

"Yes, master."

I don't look at anyone again as we follow Alec out of the room. I can feel many red eyes on us as we leave. I'm almost certain I can feel Demetri's eyes on the back of my head. But I don't look back as the doors shut with a heavy thud behind us and I head back into the non-fantastical world.