A/N- And here we are, the final chapter! I wanted to thank each and every one of you for going through this journey with me. It has been an absolute pleasure and honor to have written this story. It was a personal challenge for me as a writer to not only try this pairing but to also write it out in first person. I could not have asked for a better group of readers than you all.

Pain was not a sensation that was new to me. Due to my lack of hand-eye coordination and generally uncanny amount of sheer bad luck, I was no stranger to know what it felt like to experience physical pain. As a human, I had experienced practically every infliction from lacerations that required stitches, dislocations, broken bones, and even head trauma. Such had been a norm of my life. Even after becoming a vampire, I still was not immune from feeling pain. My missions often resulted me in experiencing some sort of injury one way or another, and the searing fire that came from a bite and the foreign venom entering my body from another of my kind was something that I had grown used to over time. Emotional and mental pain however was something that I was positive that I would never get used to. I had grown stronger and had an iron fist when it came to controlling my reaction and emotional responses to the things I had seen and all that I had experienced as a byproduct of my various missions. As such, I often no longer was plagued with strong emotions and in turn, I was in no way shape or form ready to handle the sheer toll that my current emotions were wracking on my body.

I recalled with crystal clear precision how I had felt as a human when I had been abandoned in the woods. I remember that feeling of being lost, sinking further and further into the even blackness that had surrounded me, unable to know which way was up, or what direction I could possibly take to get myself out of the place I desperately couldn't handle being in. I had been lost then, unable to find my way back, unable to find myself, no matter how hard I had tried. I remained in that state of disarray for months, though it remained hidden under a false façade, a mask of functionality that I had created for the sake of Charlie. He had threatened to ship me back to my mother and quite honestly, I knew there was nothing worse for my mental state to go back to that type of lifestyle. I would have shifted my thoughts and attentions to making sure that she was being taken care of, which would have prevented myself from being able to focus on myself. Secretly, I made the decision that if Charlie was not able to handle me that I would simply move out on my own and get a job. Being alone would have been better than the alternative. Thankfully, it never reached that point. I had been able to fool everyone, perhaps even myself, that I had reached a certain level of healing and was capable of handling the remaining days of my existence.

I had been positive that no experience I could endure would even begin to hold a candle to what I had felt in those woods and the weeks that had followed. However, I was wrong. Absolutely nothing could have ever prepared me for this moment and the resulting current emotional toll that I was facing and experiencing. I remember the night that Charlie had passed. I knew it was coming and likely, he had as well. I could smell and sense his quickly approaching passing as he laid in the comfort of his home, wrapped securely in his bedding. I had thought about changing him on more than one occasion but I knew that it was not something that he had wanted and I could not be selfish by going against his wishes to fulfill my own desires. So, I had to do one of the more difficult things I had done to date, I had watched him age on while I remained frozen in time.

As I had sat next to him on the corner of the bed in the darkness, I watched him as he took in his last breath, exhaling long and slow as his heart stopped, his face completely at ease. It had been a painless death. I could not have asked for a better way for him to go. He had known that he was not alone and had passed away in the comfort of his own home. Even though I had known it was coming much before it actually came to pass, the strength of my emotions of seeing his lifeless body before me had caused my emotions to become haywire at best. I had thought I had come to acceptance of this and made my peace with it. It was part of the human process after all. There was nothing that I could have done to prevent it from happening. Still, I had found myself lost in turmoil and had returned to Volterra after securing the plans for his funeral, unable to actually attend as I could not risk any of my past classmates and friends seeing me. I had arrived home and without a word, had retired to my chambers, where I had stayed unmoving on my bed for countless days. The grieving period and process that I had endured was beyond my own comprehension. I tried to reason that he was in a better place and was free from his suffering, that he had lived a fulfilled life and had died in the best way possible. However, logic did little to help to reason with the language of my shattered heart.

I laid with my eyes closed, reminiscing over my time with him. I knew I shouldn't be upset over the time I had lost but rather be appreciative of the time that I had been given. However, I couldn't keep thinking that I wasn't ready to say goodbye. There was still so much I had wanted to do, so much I had wanted him to witness, even if he could not know the truth of what I was. I still wanted to come up with reasons to make him proud. I wanted to make up for all the time we had spent away from each other, knowing that there was not enough time in the world to fill in that sea of regret. Regrets were not something that I had allowed myself the luxury of but that was exactly what I felt when the finality of everything had come crashing down around me. I had lost those years as a child when I had decided to stop going to see him knowing that I was needed to be with Renee to help keep her in line and couldn't risk being away from her for too long; the mess that was waiting for me when I got home was more than I cared to deal with. Regardless, I had wished that I could have traveled back to the past with the knowledge that I had then and made myself see reason. The truth of the matter was that the mess of Renee would always be there and I shouldn't have sacrificed my time with him to try and manage things the way that I had. In the long run, it hadn't made an ounce of difference and all I had managed to do was make a mess out of the one parental relationship I needed more than anything else.

I didn't even bother with feeding during my time of grieving. I laid as still as a statue, completely immersed in my memories. It was only when Chelsea had finally ventured in with blood bags and told me that it had been a month that I realized how quickly time had progressed. It certainly had not felt as if that much time had passed. She had apologized for disturbing me but had made it clear that everyone was worried about me and that Charlie would not have wanted me to have carried out the way that I had. Knowing that she was right, I had reluctantly fed and had emerged from my room, as if nothing had happened, going before the kings, ready to accept my next mission. Just like that, I had gotten back into the swing of things. This time however, there was no time presently to work on my grieving process.

I felt my forehead as it hit the mossy ground, my body almost doubled over as pure pain flooded throughout my senses. I breathed in the earthy scents frantically, trying with all I had to force myself to silence out the thoughts that were racing in my mind and become grounded once more. Somehow, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. There are just simply some wounds that cannot be healed, no matter how much time goes by. I knew that I would never be able to say any of their names again without becoming lost in the pain and the void that their absence would leave within my heart, mind and soul. With Charlie, I had been able to more or less prepare for his passing. This time though, it all had happened so fast and far too soon. Granted, there was not such a thing as the perfect time to say goodbye to the people you love, but surely, there was better times than others. This whole situation had blindsided me like a person involved in a car accident. There was no time to prepare and immature as it was, I couldn't help but feel just how unfair this was. My parents, my family, did not deserve to have had this happen. There was so much I had still wanted to say, so much I needed to express. I wanted them to see me become the best version of myself that I could become but all I had done was show them the worst sides of me.

I had left home on less than favorable circumstances, and I would never be able to tell Aro how sorry I was for acting the way that I had or for the things I had said to him. I had left with a large amount of discord hanging in the air between us. He had likely died without knowing how much I had truly loved him and I would never be able to receive the closure that I desperately was seeking. He would never know how dreadfully he would be missed. He would never know how proud I was to be his daughter. My mother, my beautiful and loving support system would never know that I had grown to understand the reason why she had wanted to adopt me as her own. She had died not knowing how much I had admired her wisdom and mental strength needed to handle the more behind the scene functions of the Volturi. My uncles, Caius and Marcus. They would never know how appreciative I was for all the time they spent with me during my initial sparring training and education sessions. I had whined and complained at the time, overwhelmed by the sheer workload that they had presented. They had always joked that my face was going to freeze if I kept making cranky expressions but they never realized that those lessons were one of the happiest experiences of my life. I was thankful for the information they provided. I had always enjoyed learning. That was the reason why I had become a pupil of Marcus during my free time in between missions, working to create unique serums and items that could help protect us from outside threats and new advances.

Even my time with Caius' wife, Athenodora, while she oversaw my etiquette classes so that I would not be a disgrace to the family during various politically backed parties had been something that I had not expressed that I enjoyed, but secretly was appreciative of. Who would have enjoyed walking around in heels all the while balancing a book on the top of their head, especially someone like me who had the grace of a drunken chimpanzee? I hated looking like a fool next to one of the most posed vampires in existence. However, looking back, I realized the sheer amount of patience she possessed and her reassuring words always had prompted me to keep trying, no matter how much of an idiot I felt like. I would never be able to thank her for her time spent with me or how she helped shaped me into the person I was today. I'd never have the opportunity to thank any of them.

I felt myself roll onto my side, powerless to keep myself up right any further, my knees curling up. With slightly trembling fingertips, I gripped at the handle of my sword that was still securely fastened around my waist. It was the only item I had left that contained a piece of them. The blade itself was infused with all of their venom. Aro had instructed that Marcus craft it so that I could feel connected to the family, no matter the distance that separated me from them all. He had said that it was his hope that if I lost my way, that I would find strength with the sword, a symbol that they were all throughout my side for this mission. No truer words had ever been spoken as I gripped at the handle tighter. It was all I had left of them except for my memories.

My breaths came in short and ragged as I thought of them all, forcing myself to say a silent and premature goodbye. I would have given up anything, even my own life, if I had an opportunity to see them all again, knowing fully well that it was an impossibility. They had gone to a place that I could never bring them back from. My body began to shake uncontrollably as the vice grip of mourning gripped my unbeating heart with an iron hand. This had to be nothing but a nightmare, right? This had been exactly what I needed to make me realize all that I had and had not fully appreciated, what I had thrown away as if it wasn't enough. Their deaths had caused my wake up, and how I desperately wished that they would wake as well. This just wasn't something that I could take. I didn't know what to do without them. What was the point of fighting anymore? I may have been uninjured physically, but Maria's army had inflicted a wound on me, one that no amount of venom could even begin to heal.

I was only vaguely aware that the fighting around me had stopped or that Demetri was calling out my name repeatedly, begging for me to respond. The newborns stood still and took in the sight around them, along with the Cullens and the Denalis who were in a state of shock to see this type of reaction from me. I barely registered Jasper's presence as he disengaged from Maria, preparing to run towards me but was stopped as Anita and Gunnar put their arms around him who relentlessly screamed out my name, trying in vain to break their strong hold, their concerned eyes locked onto me.

"Let me go, I need to get to her!" he cried out in desperation as he fought against their strong but loving embrace as he clearly felt my visible distress. I was too lost to even begin to try and reign in my emotions or be able to cast out my mental shield as it came back to me full force, an act of protection to try and save me from the pain I was in.

"I am sorry but that is something that we can't allow, at least not right now. Bella appears to be out of sorts and she would not want us to allow you near her until we know she is in the right state of mind. We have no idea what caused this, but she is clearly not in control." Gunnar tried to reason and only gripped Jasper's bicep tighter.

"What is this?" the newborn who had tried to slay Violet yelled as he looked over at Maria, "You said that these vampires were murderous, selfish and a danger to us as they were not capable of feeling at all but this one just acted in a way to save one of us and is quite visibly showing very strong almost human like emotions. What else have you misled us about?"

I barely heard this interaction as I felt my muscles spasm beneath my skin. My venom immediately began to pool in my mouth and began to drop out of the corners of my mouth and onto the ground below as I forced myself back onto my knees. I could feel the beast inside of me stirring and felt the color slowly begin to drain from my eyes. The all too familiar tightening sensation of my teeth caused me to clench my jaw tighter as my body willed my fangs to drop. Vampires typically did not have fangs, not like how Bram Stoker described in his novel Dracula, but this was exactly what happened when I gave into this particular side of me. Marcus had never been able to figure out what caused it, or the way the whites of my eyes would become covered with even blackness. The physical changes that my body would go through remained a mystery but it was thought that it was just a way my body adapted to make me that much more of a weapon of destruction. I had been told that I would need to get stronger without resorting to this state and had been urged not to give in, something that I was desperately trying to keep in mind at the moment but was slowly losing the fight.

"Who cares? Now is the time. We can end this!" Talon hissed, seemingly aware that this was the opening he was looking for and shot forward and bared his teeth. I watched with emotionless eyes, watching the way he angled his face, aiming to sink his teeth into my unprotected neck but was halted in his movements as the one newborn gifted with fire manipulation moved forward and created a barrier of resistance in front of me, crouched in a purely defensive state. The newborn that had almost been the reason for Violet's death took a tentative step forward from me, his onyx eyes challenging that of Talon.

"What a move of pure cowardice. There is no honor in your actions. She wouldn't even be able to put up a decent fight in her current state. I will not let you through to her." The newborn hissed, causing the Cullens to look at him with wide eyes. Talon let out a warning hiss and the other newborn sent out a couple blazes of fire from his fingertips in warning, his gaze hard and challenging.

"Damien, you are being stupid. This is the perfect opportunity to remove the threat of her existence. Do not let her actions fool you. I will strike down anyone who gets between me and the goal we have been instructed to achieve." Talon seethed as Damien shook his head harder.

"Your favoritism from Maria coupled by your arrogance of your gift is going straight to your head like always and I am so sick and tired of being forced to follow your lead. If you think your particular gift is more advanced than mine, please, go ahead and try to get through me if you want to get to her. I don't know what the future holds but it is clear that Maria has deceived and lied to us. She warped the truth for her own advantage but my specific role in her game ends here. I am curious as to who this vampire truly is and desire to know if she can provide me a better future than Maria can. I am only sorry to know it took her being reduced to this state for me to see the truth." Damien countered and Talon huffed and paced around, looking at Maria who was beyond livid to see one of her more prized newborns be free from her grasp.

I looked up at him with curious eyes until he finally looked down and granted me a rather apologetic smile.

"It seems like you are in the middle of dealing with something. Please, handle what you need to. I will ensure your safety." He replied softly before nodding, signaling to the other newborns who had chosen to align themselves with him, the two of them moving to create a line of defense between the other newborns, Maria and my remaining family.

I sighed and reeled in my emotions the best I could, though I still felt the dull ache in my chest, knowing full well that it was a feeling that I would likely have for several years. I closed my eyes as I did a deep intake of air, and pushed out my mental shield once more, opening my eyes to look up at the sky.

' Please, provide me guidance and the strength needed to persevere.'

"Demetri, what is the status?" I finally asked and heard him give a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank god. You're back to being receptive. I was just about to give up." He sighed, " It's not looking too good. There are still seven newborns that need to be taken care of, and Jane and Alec's gifts are rendering useless as one of them has a gift similar to your own shield, which they have expanded to the other newborns." He finished swiftly as my eyes moved to meet Chelsea's, who was looking at me with curiosity and well founded concern. She was aware that if Demetri had chosen now of all times to reach out to me, it meant trouble at home.

"Who remains?" I eventually asked, causing her eyes to widen.

"Wait, who has fallen? Is Afton safe?" She asked with urgency and I held a finger up indicating her to wait at her words, not quite ready to admit what I knew to be true.

"Felix, Afton, Heidi, Jane, Alec and myself. The newborns are threatening to break free from the castle walls and infiltrate the town. I am not sure if we will be able to stop that from occurring." He replied slowly and I felt as if a lead ball had been dropped on my chest.

"Afton is safe, Chelsea." I replied, causing her to sigh in relief but her eyes still remained locked onto mine.

"How should we proceed?" He asked once more and I sighed, sucking my lower lip in between my front teeth.

There was only one way left that I knew we could proceed while ensuring that the humans nearby would not be slain. It was the trump card that the Volturi had in place if we ever faced an attack within the castle and needed to ensure that it was contained, one of my own inventions. There were several explosives ready to be set to go off located deep within the walls, that would cause a blast strong enough that it would destroy the entire castle, but also would kill any vampires inside that did not reach the bunker in time. Inside the bunker, there was special information and documents that could help preserve our history and scientific breakthroughs, along with our financial and legal documents. They were irreplaceable credentials as the only person who knew of their contents were the kings themselves, something that would cease to exist without the kings. This specific order was a command that could only be executed by the vampire in charge, which was currently me as the rest of the chain of command had unfortunately already met their end.

The blast would be enough to take down the castle, but would not reach the town. The humans in the area would be safe. The reason to explain the cause of the explosion to the humans would be as simple as a build up of gas from the nearby sewer systems that had been created without their knowledge into our very halls and pathways of our kingdom. There would not be any reason for them to find out the truth of what laid beneath their city the entire time. If I decided on this specific course of action, it would also mean though that everything, all of our other memories except for what was currently in the bunker, would be destroyed. I knew that items could be replaced but that did little to make any of this easier. I had lost my family and I was about to lose everything else. Pictures, portraits and other material items may be superficial at face value but they still held rather significant sentimental value.

Still, I knew that I could not let my family's sacrifices be done in vain. I knew that if the roles had been reversed, Aro would have done the same as I was currently toying with and I had to carry out what I knew was best for everyone, regardless of my emotions or opinions on the matter. This was what was expected of a leader, something that he had taught and reinforced into me throughout the years. A leader, as he often said, required that one must make decisions free from emotional influence. Decisions had to be made that would be in the best interest of everyone involved, which in this case, also concerned the protections of the humans nearby. This line of thought was the same I had fallen back on when I had found out about the newborns of Maria's army being split and some headed to Volterra. I had made the decision to stay in Forks rather than try and head home because I knew I was needed here and needed to make sure that the fight was contained. He had done all he could to prepare me for a moment such as this, and I could not let him down. By doing so would be a massive disrespect to his memory.

I sighed as I steeled my decision. There was no other way around it.

"Demetri, I am declaring the fall of Olympus. Initiate the defense system. The code is 091387. Go now, there is no time to waste." I said softly, causing Chelsea to cry out in the negative.

"Understood. It will be done." He replied with heavy sadness before disconnecting the call. I only hoped that they all would be able to reach the bunker without too much difficulty. They only had a handful of seconds to do so after initiating the system and if they got caught up in a battle or were delayed by the newborns, they would fall as well.

"Bella, no! There must be some other way. You can't risk their wellbeing like that." She cried causing Esme to look at her with concern before looking back at me. I knew that she was right but, in all likeliness, given their current situation, they would fall regardless unless a change of pace took place that shifted the odds into their favor.

"What's going on? What does that mean?" Edward asked with concern as he looked at Chelsea and then back at me.

"It means that there is a current threat that is at this point contained within the castle that cannot be handled by any other means than to take them down, along with the castle itself." She replied with almost a broken tone.

"Wait, does that mean what I think it does?" Alice asked as her gaze softened, peering at me.

"Yes, she is going to blow up our home for the greater good. The situation in Volterra must be critical for her to believe that this is the best course of action. The timing of everything has to be perfect though. Once the system is initiated, it cannot be stopped. If the remaining guard do not make it to safety in time, they will fall as well. " Chelsea affirmed, her arms going to embrace her sides, clearly seeking some sort of comfort. I understood the reason for her aversion to this plan. Her mate was one of the lives I was having to gamble with. I knew that she was worried for his wellbeing and safety but I hoped that she understood that I did not make this decision lightly. This was the only way that they would at least have a chance for survival.

I looked at the ground, unable to meet her gaze. I could feel her pain as if it was my own and shifted my weight between my feet uncomfortably as I still was focused on keeping my true power locked away and pacified. I never understood the true weight that came with being the leader of the Volturi until now. During my last interaction with Aro, I had basically told him that he was not fit to be the leader. Only now did I truly grasp how challenging the role must have been on him. He had thousands of years of experience, while I was operating as such without even a century under my belt. I hoped that he had made the right decision by choosing me to be the next in command if he and the rest of the royal family were to fall.

My internal musing was interrupted as I heard soft footsteps moving towards me and looked up to meet the concerned gaze of Carlisle. I automatically took a few steps back, desperate for some sort of space between him and I. I barely was in control and was having difficulty already in deciphering ally from foe. He truly wasn't safe being around me, not yet.

"Bella" he called out in a soft, nurturing tone, causing my eyes to focus on his calming and serene expression.

"Carlisle. Her emotions are all over the place. She's feeling anger and fear, stronger than I've ever felt from anyone. I can't help but feel as if this may not be related directly to whatever her conversation was about with Demetri. There is something else, something more significant that is causing this type of reaction." Jasper warned as Carlisle continued to move forward towards me.

"She's fighting herself from giving into the beast." Anita said slowly, causing everyone to look at her with curiosity.

"But wouldn't that give us the upper hand in this situation?" Edward asked with a raised eyebrow, and Anita sighed.

"It is true that she gains remarkable power when she enters that state but it does not come without a cost. She's never been able to gain control over it. When she gives in, she loses the ability to separate friend from foe. She loses herself in the process and reigning it back once she gives in is practically impossible." Anita paused as she looked at Chelsea who nodded and lifted up her top a bit to show a large scar on her side.

"This was caused by her when I was trying to help her reign it back. She attacked without thought and it was only my cry of pain that brought her back to her senses. While it could give us the edge, it could also be our greatest downfall. It's not a risk that we would like to gamble with. That is why she has been instructed and trained not to give into it." She said softly, causing Edward to nod and turn his gaze back at me.

"You're all overreacting. She's just overwhelmed and in a state of shock." He lightly chided as he moved so that he was just inches away from where I stood. I watched with a wary expression as he slowly reached out and wrapped his arms around my trembling frame, running a hand through my hair soothingly.

At first contact, I immediately tensed and attempted to pull away but he only continued his actions, murmuring sweet and comforting nothings as he ran his nose throughout my hair, the same that Aro had always done to help pacify my emotions. As the moments continued to progress, I finally felt myself relax slightly into his touch.

"Carlisle, please let go. I don't want to hurt you, you're not safe being this close to me." I finally said through a strangled voice.

"You won't hurt me, I know you. I am in no safer presence than with yours. I know that Aro is your father and I would never dream of stepping on his toes or try and be like him but I think that you need this. In his absence, I am only doing what any father would do for their child." He said softly and I shook harder at his words.

"Carlisle, they… The kings and queens have fallen. They are nothing more than a pile of ash, lost in the wind." I admitted finally, causing the entire family to gasp and for Maria to let out an accomplished laugh.

"Oh, how perfect. My newborns may perish in that explosion but I am more than pleased to know that it was not all done in vain." She grinned, causing my hands to instantly clench into fists.

"Ignore her, Bella. She is trying to get under your skin and provoke you to act without thinking. I know you are scared about letting go but I think you need to. I think you have more control than you are willing to give yourself credit for and I fail to see how we will be able to win this fight without your assistance." He said softly and I shook my head, anger reflecting off of my dark orbs.

"Take a look around, Carlisle. This is the reason why I've been struggling so hard against this. The beast is fueled by hatred, the very thing that this battle is based on. I would be risking everyone's lives by giving in. Every time I make a decision to try and embrace this part of me, someone pays the price. Look at Chelsea's scar. That could be any of you and I cannot live with myself knowing that I hurt anyone else. Too many have already fallen because of me. I cannot let it happen to anyone else." I choked out.

"I understand that there is a large amount of risk that comes with this. But you need to understand, none of this is your fault. As hard as it is to stomach, there was nothing you could have done to control their fate. The only fate you have a say in is your own, and yours alone. Their own was predetermined just as ours was. While it's hard to understand and accept, you have to. Aro especially would not be happy to know that his sacrifice was in vain, which will exactly be what would happen if we were to fail our objective now. As you can see, you have not yet lost any of us. We're still a part of you and always will be, no matter what you become. We will always be on your side. We could never replace those you have lost and never would desire to try to. But, sometimes you must lose yourself to find the person you are supposed to be." He said softly and I felt a phantom beat of my heart at his softly spoken words.

I did not reply but found myself nodding in acceptance realizing that every single word that Carlisle had said was true. I had the strength the entire time to end this but had masked it with my own fear and doubts, afraid of losing myself in the process, unable to see that the only thing there had been to lose was everything to gain.

" Bella, listen to me. I know we are on borrowed time. It is only a matter of time before the newborns move under Maria's orders to attack once more." he paused only to place a gentle kiss to the top of my head." You and I are much the same. Neither of us find the joy in fighting even though it is in our innate nature to do so. Thinking back to when you would come over as a human and we would have all of our philosophical debates on life, death and the meaning between the two, I knew then without a doubt that you and I shared a very similar thought process. I never would have thought that I would be having this conversation with the Impavidia Inquisitore given your reputation amongst vampires. However, since discovering that she was you this entire time, and then learning of all the good you have done and humans you have saved, I could never be prouder of what you have become. I know that intrinsically, we both value life too much to act flippantly about ending one. But Bella, Maria and those who follow her willingly, are monsters. She does not have an ounce of morality left in her and she will continue to kill and steal the lives around her until there is nothing left. She must be stopped."

"Carlisle…" I interrupted despite myself, causing his gaze to become even more filled with determination.

" No. You need to hear this, Bella. I know and understand the reason for your hesitation. I can sense your aversion to it but it is part of you, no matter how hard you try and fight it. The longer you do so instead of accepting it, the harder it is going to be for you to control it. I am begging you, for the sake of the people still fighting and trying to defend our world as we know it, please, let it go. It is not a sin to fight for the right cause. There are those who words alone will not reach, no matter what you say or how much you try to reason. These… Monsters who are insisting on war with us are such. I know how you feel, Bella. You are gentle; you do not like to hurt others, no matter how badly they hurt you. That became apparent with the amount of grace that you presented with us all even after we had hurt you so badly. But please, try to understand. It is because you cherish life, that you must protect it and I think you are the only one left who can. Please, drop your restraints. Help me to protect the life, the ideals, and the family I love. You have the strength and the ability. Please." He sighed out and took a couple of steps back as his words struck deep in my resolve, threatening to shatter it at any given moment.

"No, stop her! Do not allow her to reach that state." Maria ordered and a newborn nodded and advanced towards us with speed that was remarkable. My eyes remained closed as I attuned to my senses. I looked up in time to see Jasper reaching out, and grabbed Carlisle by his shirt and pushed him behind me all the while reaching out with his free hand and grabbed the newborn by his neck, his hand gripping the neck with force as he lifted him into the air above his head. No matter how much the newborn struggled, his grip was far too strong. He let out a deep growl and squeezed harder, effectively removing the head from the rest of the body, throwing it haphazardly into a nearby burning fire.

"What the fuck are you? How did you manage to move so quickly and gain that level of strength?" Talon roared as he watched with wide and confused eyes. The remaining newborns looked at him with awe, obviously beginning to rethink their alliance with the side they were on. I could see why. I had never seen him in such a state and he was quite the force to behold.

" I am the embodiment of determination that is incorruptible. A true terror to behold. A manifestation of annihilation that will be unavoidable. I am the last thing that every broken enemy will see while they are still alive. I am your fate. I am the God of War and the one who will win this battle and have the opportunity to write out the story and history of this encounter." he replied strongly, his eyes opening revealing a stunning shade of onyx with crimson around the iris, " And your place in it is just about done."

"Jazz?" I asked as I blinked rapidly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I will not stand back and watch as you are forced to become something that you do not want to be just to try and save us. You will not endure that type of pain, not while I am around to have a say in it." He stated with such conviction that I felt my knees buckle.

"Bella, return to the family and protect them from the newborns. I will handle this one and Maria." He said with a tone that I did not recognize but nodded and moved back to the family with Carlisle by my side, Alice immediately wrapping her arms around me the moment I was in reach.

"Like hell you will. That one newborn is ours to deal with." Anita growled out and Gunnar nodded in confirmation, causing Jasper to nod his head.

"And I will stay with Isabella just in case anything was to go awry and offer protection so she can focus on maintaining the expansion of her shield. With her current emotions, I am not sure she would be able to manage to do both. Her shield would likely retreat back to herself out of instinct if she was to be attacked." Francisca said with a slight smile.

"Sounds like a plan to me. It appears as if we are structured and ready to go. Let our armies have a go at it before we engage, Maria. It is time to see who truly is the better leader. I am stepping into that role as Bella has been compromised." He said with a slight smirk and Maria nodded.

"Very well. I will entertain your little ruse, though I don't quite understand the purpose behind your request." She said, clearly overestimating her abilities as she moved to stand back, along with Jasper who went in the opposite direction.

"It's going to be okay, Bells. I promise. We will get through this. You're going to be okay." She breathed as she focused on providing me comfort. Oh, little Alice, always worried about my wellbeing above her own. Nothing had changed.

I watched as Maria looked upon Jasper with widening but rather curious eyes. She moved gracefully even for a vampire and advanced closer to us all, outwardly unfazed by the warning growls surrounding her from my family and the shifters alike, her eyes finally lighting up with realization.

"Oh, now I understand. Hello there. I was wondering when the little general would come out to play." she grinned out as excitement danced across her orbs.

"Sorry to be late arriving to the party. I didn't mean to keep you waiting." He replied simply, his tone laced with apprehension.

"Oh, come now. There is no need for that tone. I'm merely fascinated by you like always, my sweet. It is not every day that you run into a being of your uniqueness; a being able to achieve strengths beyond any vampire in existence. You do not need to be on edge." She said dismissively with a wave of her hand.

"You'll have to excuse me but I simply don't believe you. Only a fool would meet the leader of such a powerful and unmerciful coven such as your own and not be on edge. I know the game you are playing at but it won't work this time." He retorted with a glare.

"You would do well to remember to bite your tongue when speaking to her. Know your place, traitor." Talon hissed out as his crimson eyes shot to Jasper who matched his gaze unwaveringly.

"It should go without saying that a being as powerful as you simply shouldn't be forced to minimize who you are just so that you can fit in and live amongst humans. I know you have left before but your power is something that I think will be of great use. I am offering you a place back with my guard. If you should accept, you will be spared and I will overlook and pardon your past transgressions. You should not have to go through the mundane existence of going to school over and over again, drinking from animals and trying to coexist with humans. You were clearly made for more than what the Cullens or even the Volturi can offer you. I ask you, join my ranks. It would be a shame for your potential to go to waste. You already know what we can be, together." She said with a rather seductive smile and I sighed as I heard a hiss come from Alice, who had gripped my arm so tightly that I was sure cracks were already starting to form. It was clear that she did not care for these mental games any more than I did.

"You are correct, Maria. I was indeed made for more than this" He paused as he took in a deep and steadying breath as he registered my sharp intake of breath, " But I was also made to be more than a slave to you and to carry out your sick and sadistic ideals. I simply cannot accept your offer. You already know where this path will lead you and I. Do not try and feign ignorance. To do so is an insult of my intelligence. You were never my mate. You only want to use me for your benefit. My place is with my mate. We are to be wed, you know." He said and Alice's eyes widened before she gripped my left hand and brought it to her eye level.

"Is this for real?" She asked and I swallowed harshly. I had half been expecting some sort of negative reaction from her. I knew that she had expressed over and over again that she was okay with Jasper and I being together but to know that we were engaged was something different, it solidified our union.

"Yes. He asked for my hand before I went before Maria. I accepted." I said softly and watched her emotions closely, instantly fearing the worst as her eyes began to fill with venom.

"I am sorry, I was going to find a better way to let you know than this." I said and she shook her head before launching herself into my arms, her arms going to either side of my neck.

"You are misreading the reason for these tears, Bella. I am so beyond happy for you. I can't wait to talk to you about wedding plans, assuming that you would want my opinion and input." She said with a sheepishness that was completely against her character. It was clear to me that she did not want to overstep any boundaries.

"Well, it would be pretty hard for a maid of honor to do her job if I did not allow any of her input, now wouldn't it?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and her eyes widened.

"You want me to be your maid of honor?" She asked with a slightly quivering lip.

"I would have it no other way. Though you will have to work with Chelsea and Anita on everything, they both obviously will have a lot of insight too as my bridesmaids and as you know, Francisca has dibs on creating the gown." I replied honestly, causing her to squeal in happiness.

"Talk about motivation to help end this all. Thank you! I can't wait to get started. I love planning special events, and nothing is more special to me than your wedding." She grinned and I shook my head slightly, a light smile etched on my face. I knew what I was getting myself into by asking this of her but I could not deny her of it. It was the very least that she deserved after everything.

Maria's eyes instantly hardened at Alice's and my conversation and I watched as her once seductive expression turned into that of pure hatred.

"Jasper, based on your refusal, you know what must be done." She spoke rather curtly, her eyes meeting his own challenge.

Jasper did not respond but simply undid his jacket and allowed it to fall off of him, leaving him in a pair of dark jeans and his dark gray sweater. He reached down and pushed up the sleeves slowly, cuffing them at his forearms, revealing a multitude of scars.

"I told you before and I'll say it again. A bond like you and I experienced is nothing shy of being too toxic to exist. These scars can attest to that. The bond that I currently have with Bella only comes once in an existence. I had something very similar to it when I was with Alice. When she and I lost what we shared, I thought I would never know what it meant to feel whole again. But then, Bella came back into my life and it reopened my eyes to help me find what was missing. I never thought I would be lucky enough to find someone who could love me the way that I am more than once. The bond we share is sacred, and should be protected at all cost. I may have been too late to save my bond with Alice, but I assure you that I will never allow that to happen again, not with my current mate. I will not put anyone through the pain the way I did with Alice." Jasper said slowly and I could only hold Alice closer against me, my hand running through her hair as she took in her words.

"I never blamed you for our relationship failing, Jasper. It was hard to understand at the time but we were destined to fall apart so that we could find the person we were truly destined to be with. I'm just happy that we were able to remain close as brother and sister. I will always care about you, Jazz." She said softly, earning a small smirk from Jasper who only nodded in her general direction.

"I warned you. I knew that no vampire would leave their coven to join us. You're no better than Nero was about trying to collect on the Impavidia Inquisitore. We are wasting time." Talon growled out at Maria, who was still trying to comprehend Jasper's refusal to fall for her persuasion.

"What are you idiots still doing here then? Kill them!" She screeched and ordered the continuation of the attack.

I locked hands with Alice and Chelsea as the remaining newborns moved quickly across the open field. My darkened eyes flickered to my two best friends standing beside me, who as if on cue, both looked at me with their own obsidian colored ones.

"Until the very end?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow and I shook my head, squeezing her hand slightly tighter with reassurance, before letting go so she could engage in the battle.

"No. From now until forever. This is not the end, Alice. This is simply the beginning of our new life. We just have to see it through."

Blood curdling screams, shattering porcelain and the sounds of rock hard bodies crashing into one another echoed throughout the meadow as the remaining newborns fought against the Olympic and Denali coven with seemingly renewed strength and vigor received from the time that we all had to rest in between the matches. Shattered limbs, frayed fabric and pieces of flesh floated around the air, mixing in with the rain that had begun to lightly drizzle around us all.

The youngest newborn on Maria's side was the first to fall, as he seemingly not only accepted but desired his death. He did not fight back against Jake and Sam who had launched themselves onto him, and effectively tore his body apart into three differing components. His dismembered head rolled close to a nearby fire, with a smile still etched onto his youthful but lifeless lips. Damien sighed before running a hand throughout his short dark auburn hair, and kicked it the few remaining inches and it went up into the flames, next to the burning bodies of two others. Without having to actively fight, I had easily been able to expand my shield to protect what was left of my family even despite my current emotionally charged state. Once I had been successful, Tanya and Kate had made quick work of Laurent, finally satisfied that they had avenged their beloved sister, who had become a victim of a broken heart at the hands of her supposed mate. I shot a glance at Irina, and saw the way she watched his head burn into ash, quite clearly mourning the man she had given herself to freely. No matter how short their romance had been, I knew how hard this must have been on her. I hoped in time, she would finally find the one deserving of the type of love she could provide.

I watched with careful eyes as Emmett fought hard against one of the older newborns, who matched equally with his speed and strength. I smiled slightly as I watched Rosalie as she launched herself from the top of a nearby tree as Emmett allowed the newborn to land a punch to his jaw, sending him skidding back. Satisfied with the crack he had made on Emmett, the newborn momentarily allowed his ego to get the best of him and his guard went down slightly. As slight as it was, this allowed for Rosalie to land onto his neck, her fingers digging into the skin beneath his jaw. Her grip remained tight as she launched herself into a neat and shallow backflip, effectively removing his head. She tossed it into a nearby adjacent fire with a slight smirk, and high fived Emmett who looked at his wife with nothing but pride and love in his eyes.

My eyes moved to Esme, Carlisle, Carmen and Eleazar who were locked into a heated battle involving two other newborns who did not appear to have any specific gift. While none of them possessed any battle enhancement gifts of their own, they made up for it with their superior physical strength and battle techniques. Carlisle and Esme focused on the one female while Carmen and Eleazar focused on the male. I watched the fruit of my labor with training them as Carlisle hunched over with perfect timing, and Esme rolled over across his back, effectively wrapping her legs around the newborn's neck. She hissed and had time only to sink her teeth into Esme's thigh before Carlisle kicked her legs out from underneath her. As the newborn and Esme fell to the ground, Esme braced her hands on the ground, arching her body up, and Carlisle used his full weight to slam into her torso, effectively creating enough tension that Esme was able to pull her head off. She panted in pain and tentatively stood, Carlisle immediately at her side to help support her weight off of her injured leg. He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple and held her closer to him. I shot a concerned glance at her, only reassured as she gave me a simple smile and mouthed that she was okay.

With reluctance, I moved my eyes to Carmen who was dancing with the male newborn, both exchanging and deflecting blows with perfect secession. Her darkening eyes watched his movements, as his lips moved up into a sadistic smirk before feinting to the left. She followed his movements but was caught off guard as he moved to the right, past her and struck Eleazar, his fist colliding with his chest and sending him flying backwards. I sighed. The Denalis were indeed good but they had not gone through my training and therefore were not quite as skilled as the Cullens were with handling newborns. She hissed as her eyes turned pure black as she reached into a nearby fire and grabbed a burning stake of wood. She launched herself into the air and brought the stake down, which broke upon impact but the fire spread out onto the newborn's hair and clothes. He screamed in pain, and while distracted, Carmen shot her hand out and crushed his neck, turning him into nothing more than ash. I sighed in relief as I watched Eleazar make his way back to his mate, and they quickly shared an embrace as he ran his lips throughout her hair in comfort, whispering sweet nothings, her hands quickly unbuttoning his shirt to inspect the damage.

My eyes moved to Alice and Chelsea who were fighting their own shield, one that was not capable of expanding her shield to everyone the way I could, resulting in it being restricted to a much smaller radius. However, her shield canceled out my own and I was not able to offer much support to them, causing me to growl in annoyance. Francisca seemed to register my current internal battle and placed a warning hand on the small of my back, holding me in place. I was itching to join but knew that she had been correct with her assessment. If I was attacked, I would not be able to maintain my shield that I had been currently using to protect everyone else. I sighed, feeling rather useless but knew that I had to wait this out. I was not able to do anything but hope that my training would provide enough of an edge.

I watched anxiously as Alice and Chelsea danced with the gifted newborn but my worries were soon relieved. Both Alice and Chelsea had trained with me quite extensively, resulting in them both learning how to fight against a shield effectively. Without my shield and due to her switch to human blood, Alice was apparently able to see her premediated attacks, and at the precise moment when the attack would land, that was when the shield was lowered. It was the same principle that went behind my own shield, the same inherent flaw of every shield be it mental or physical. I held an unneeded breath as Chelsea and her were able to maneuver and evade around her attacks with moderate ease, finding the loopholes and points of weakness that allowed her to pull her apart, piece by piece. The two of them had similar fighting styles and worked together in unison. In time, much like all of the other newborns, the shield only remained as a pile of shredded flesh and bone. I watched with curious eyes as Alice spit her venom onto the pile at her feet and her gaze moved to where I stood, granting me a thankful grin. It was clear that she was thanking me for all that I had taught her, an act of appreciation that seemed to reach deep into my damaged soul.

My eyes then turned to another newborn on the field, who was actively fighting against Edward. I watched as he disappeared, seemingly gifted like Afton was with invisibility. This made him a formidable foe but now that the newborn with the shield had been dispelled of, I was finally able to expand more of my shield. Once complete, Edward was finally able to catch sight of the newborn but I visibly cringed as I took in Edward's state. It was true that this change of events was better than never but the delay of my aid had allowed the newborn to land a few critical blows. Edward's left side of his body was nothing but cracks but despite his injuries, he was able to land a solid upwards kick to the newborn's head, effectively separating it from the rest of his body. I watched with concern as Edward himself fell to one knee as the damage to his body began to take a toll. I knew he needed blood and soon. He would not be able to heal without it. I watched with apologetic eyes as Alice walked over and helped him to his feet, supporting his weight as she walked him back towards the family.

Finally, my eyes moved to the last newborn on the field, Talon, who was currently paired up against Anita and Gunnar. I watched their movements, and the way that she channeled the wind currents to her feet, making her move with much more speed and evasiveness, proving her to be an even match even with his own gift. I winced as Talon was able to land a blow to the side of her neck, causing her to gasp as deep cracks moved upwards from her neck and to her jawline, one of her hands instantly going to protect and cover the crack. One more hit like that while weakened, and she would be beheaded. Gunnar let out a feral growl and lunged himself forward, effectively tackling Talon and sending the two of them wrestling into the ground. I felt a soar of pride as I watched the way he executed one of my signature moves to perfection. He quickly grabbed Talon's wrists with his hands and threw them off his chest, placing his hands on the ground and arching his back all the while his legs still remained tightly wrapped against Talon's waist. He arched his body up slightly and raised his legs, effectively flipping the two of them upside down so that he was now on top. He moved his hand down and gripped at Talon's neck tightly, his fingernails sinking deep into his skin. I watched as Anita channeled wind to her feet to propel her upwards and landed with a harsh blow to Talon's lower back, causing him to release his last scream before his head was removed by Gunnar, who tossed it aside and quickly took Anita into his arms, cradling her into his chest.

All that remained was Maria, who moved to stand in the middle of the battlefield, and Jasper mirrored her movements standing in front of her. I watched with steady and concerned eyes as the family moved to stand around me. I felt my body ache with desire to assist but I knew that this was his fight and his alone. He needed to do this for his benefit. I swallowed back the acidic nature of my venom as it began to build, allowing the fiery trail to subdue my emotions.

"It is not too late, even now. I still offer you a chance at redemption. Join me and together we can rebuild all that has been lost." She practically purred and Jasper only shook his head.

"I have no desire to create anything with you. What my family and I decide to do once you have been eliminated will be a manifestation of our own design. I will not allow you to influence any part of that. The only thing you know how to create are designs of selfishness and control. The world we are going to create will have absolutely none of that." He retorted with a light growl.

"Very well." she growled and launched forward.

I watched with concerned eyes as I watched the God of War fight. I had known based off of my teachings and history lessons of his abilities when he reached this state but nothing could have prepared me for what I was witnessing. It was almost as if he anticipated her movements. His speed seemed to double and Maria, even with her own skills, was having difficulty in keeping her own. In a movement that I did not anticipated, she feinted left but went right, clearly in an act to get to me. I watched as Jasper whipped his head around, and realization flashed across his orbs as he realized what I had comprehended as well. He let out a growl and launched himself forward, grabbing her by her hair and tossing her back to the middle of the battlefield, causing her to stand up with a deep growl as he released some of her torn out locks from his hand.

"Your quarrel is with me, not my mate." He hissed and charged at the ancient leader.

I trembled with anticipation as she took a few shaky steps backward and only had time to bring her arms to cover her face before Jasper was on top of her, the two rolling in the muddy ground and landing blows. I winced at the sound of cracking porcelain and knew that some of those sounds were coming from my mate being injured. I wasn't sure how much more of this I could stand. Alice seemingly understood my plight and moved to stand next to me, interlacing her hand with my own.

"It will be over soon. Trust me." She said and I nodded numbly. I knew better than to bet against her but I was almost too far gone to reason. The call to assist my mate was far too strong.

I watched the way Maria broke free from his hold as she placed her feet against his chest and launched him off of her. She quickly scrambled to her feet and turned her back, clearly ready to flee, which truthfully was just what I had expected.

"You will never get a chance like this again." Jasper called out, and Maria stopped, turning her head back with curiosity to meet his gaze.

"What do you mean?" She asked and I watched the way Jasper shrugged and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What exactly was he aiming at achieving by engaging with her further? He should have let her flee. We could have had time to regroup and gone after her at a later time. There was no reason to continue.

"I was the one who got away, wasn't I? The one you always desired to get back. Well, here I am. When I left, you lost control of your army and with it, everything you fought so hard to maintain. That is the reason you sought out a new helper and found such in Nero. But even he has failed you. No one can benefit you like I can. If you leave, not only do you lose me as a partner in your army but you will also loose me to Bella, the moment I say I do, forever." He grinned and I watched the way her eyes hardened as she looked at me, jealousy almost making her eyes appear green. She desired him for her own selfish reasons and was not quite able to stomach the thought of losing him to me.

It then dawned on me. Of course. He was able to feel her emotions freely and rather than try and use his gift to manipulate them, he was using his gift to play on her emotions, provoking her the very way that she had tried to do with me and the way she had against the newborns after creating them. It was a tactful maneuver, and one that I never had thought about him using. This presented a unique advantage when it came to his fighting style and I wished I had realized this potential much sooner.

"You will always belong to me. It is my venom that moves through your veins. I created you." She sneered and Jasper shook his head.

"You may have created me but the venom that entered my body from every single one of these battle scars inflicted by a newborn that you ordered me to dispel of also flows in my veins. I am comprised of more than just your venom, Maria. I represent every fallen newborn who I was not strong enough to save but can bring retributive justice to, by killing you." He growled out his challenge and laid the bait down, rather effectively I may add, as it caused her to go into a blind fit of rage, acting without much reason and very similar to how a newborn may have fought.

I watched as he quickly sidestepped her lunge and tackled her, flipping the two of them over and placed his hands onto her face, his strong legs keeping her pinned down.

"You will do no more harm, to anyone. Ever again." He hissed out as she squirmed beneath his hold, her eyes wide with fright. Too late had she seen the error of her ways.

"You will see no more evil," He paused as he sunk his thumbs deep into her eye sockets, causing her to scream in pain and rendering her blind, venom from her eye sockets leaking down the side of her face like tears.

"You will speak no more evil," He growled as he moved his hands to her jaw, grimacing only slightly as he clearly felt her fangs sink deep into his palms. He grunted in effort as he pried the jaw open wide and effectively removed the lower jaw from her face, crumbling the piece in his hand.

"You will hear no more evil" He finished as he put his venom soaked hands to the sides of her head and pushed hard, letting out a satisfied sigh as he felt her skull cracking beneath his hands. I continued watching on until the steady pressure turned her head into nothing but dust.

I let out a sigh of relief as he rose to his feet. I felt my shield move away from everyone I had been shielding as the threat of immediate danger was no more. As it sunk back into my subconscious, I began to feel a tad lightheaded and swayed on the spot. Jasper seemed to notice this and was quick to run over and support my weight as my body fell into his embrace, our bodies effectively becoming molded together as one once more.

I felt the vibration of an incoming call in my ear and tentatively raised a shaky arm to my ear to accept the call.

"Demetri?" I asked with a hesitant tone. I prayed for good news. I wasn't sure if I could handle anything but. Any more emotional blows and I was positive I would instantaneously combust.

"We all made it to the bunker safe and I was able to initiate the order, Izza. We did it. The newborns fell along with the castle but we are all alright and can rebuild, with you as the new leader." He said clearly with a smile, and I felt the relief flood throughout my being, letting a sob escape my lips as I clung onto Jasper, not even realizing that the call had been disconnected.

I had hoped and prayed that I had might the right decision when I made the call to destroy the castle, hoping that no one else would fall because of my decisions and somehow, it had all worked out in our favor. I had succeeded.

"What now, love?" Jasper asked after a few moments, granting me some time to collect myself.

"Now…" I paused as I turned my head around to peer at my family who was beaming back at me with identically relieved smiles " We rebuild and create our own small but perfect piece of forever."

A/N II-

Now, I ask one last favor of you all. This can either be the final chapter, which will inevitably leave it open for an eventual sequel or I can create an epilogue set during a time skip, sealing the story and ending it with a lot more finality. The choice is completely yours! Please let me know in the reviews what you would prefer!