Sorry for the long wait! This is a reupload, when I uploaded it the first time for some reason the chapter was repeated a second time.

Chapter 15

I was stunned into silence.

'Bella?' I half heard Coles voice from the other end of the phone. 'Bella, are you there?'

'Yeah.' I said, voice cracking. I cleared it before I continued 'what do you mean she's alive?' I said slowly and carefully.

'After you were born she was placed in a psychiatric hospital, she remains there to this day. I looked into why she had been held for so long, apparently she has been in a catatonic state ever since you were born. I wasn't able to find any reason for this though, I honestly don't know what happened to her.'

I felt like I was going to pass out, this was all too much. Aiden was my deceased twin, my father and mother were both gifted, my father had passed away and my mother inexplicably was still alive. Sensing my fragile grip on consciousness Aiden pushed a chair towards me and I plopped down into it.

'Bella, just breathe.' I barely heard Cole saying through the phone, I then realized that my hand holding the phone had fallen to my side; I picked it up again and put it to my ear.

'I'm ok.' I half whispered.

'I'm sorry, it was too much. I shouldn't have told you everything at once.' He apologized.

'No, don't apologize, I needed to know.' I said, my voice a little stronger. 'I need to see her Cole. I have to see my mother.'

He sighed again 'I know. But we will have to be smart about it. The CIA can't know that we know about her, especially if they had something to do with her current mental state.'

My eyebrows rose, 'Do you really think that they would go that far?'

'I wouldn't put it past them; it just doesn't make sense that a woman with no mental impairments would suddenly become catatonic, especially since it benefited the CIA so much. With her incapacitated there would be no one to fight for you on the outside, and with no birth records no one would even know that you existed.'

I was instantly angry, so angry. How heartless would you have to be to effectively murder a woman and then raise her child as if she had never existed? I absolutely believed that Cole had no idea that any of this happened, but what about Nathan? He was in charge of the program after all.

'Do you think that Nathan knew?' I could hear how dead my voice sounded.

'I hope not but I honestly don't know. I don't want to believe that he knew this whole time.' Cole sounded sad.

I agreed 'Neither do I, I swear if he had something to do with it…' the threat was clear in my voice.

'You'll have to beat me to it kid.' He was completely serious.

'Can we go now? I can get on a plane and meet you there.' I said, full of urgency.

'I can meet you there, but you need to tell Edward first. If you take off on that kid again I don't think he'll stop until he finds you.'

I sighed, he was right. I wasn't used to having someone legitimately worry about me. 'Tomorrow then. I'm flying in tomorrow afternoon and we will head there in the evening. Is that ok with you?'

'That works for me, I'll see you then. Call me when you get in and I will come and pick you up.'

'Thanks Cole, I appreciate everything. I'll see you tomorrow.'

'Bye Princess.'

oOo

Edward… I know I said take your time but please head home as soon as you read this. I'm getting on a plane tomorrow afternoon and I need to talk to you first, I can't tell you any specifics over the phone.

The rest of the day passed by so slowly, time seemed to crawl by. While I was incredibly tense about the entire situation I couldn't help but feel a kind of comfort, a sense of relief almost when I thought about Aiden. My twin. Of course he was, it all made sense, but I couldn't help but think; why did he die in utero, why not me? Why was I the one to live and him the one to die? It was so unfair that he had no choice but to follow me around, make no real choices of his own.

I'm sorry. I thought, looking up at him I'm sorry this is your life, I'm sorry that this happened to you. You may be a huge pain in the ass but you never deserved this. I finished with a sad smile.

If he could smile back he would have now Thank you, nothing is different now though, but it is nice to finally know what I am- what we are.

I nodded, I thought we would never find out.

oOo

The evening dragged on, the only Cullen I heard from was Alice begging me to come over, I really couldn't go over there and pretend everything was ok, pretend to have fun. I had too much on my mind to worry about faking being chipper around Alice. And so I waited…

2AM.

4AM.

6AM.

Sleep evaded me all night. I spent the night alternating between tossing and turning and pacing the house. I was making Aiden restless too, if I didn't sleep, he didn't sleep, which I felt bad about but it couldn't be helped.

Finally as the sun started to rise my phone vibrated and the screen lit up, I almost lunged for it- it was Edward.

Don't do anything rash, I'll be there in an hour. I could wait that long without going crazy… right?

oOo

'You look awful.' He said with a frown as I pulled the door open and he pulled me into a hug.

'Thanks.' I chuckled, he pulled away from me and smiled.

'Sorry.' He said; chagrinned. 'What's going on?' he was instantly serious again.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him inside to the living room where he let me push him down into the couch and I began the story about what happened last night while he was gone.

'I'm so sorry.' He said as I finished telling him what Cole had told me. 'I can't even fathom how you must be feeling. Your poor mother, but Aiden- your twin? You both finally have some answers, you must be so relieved.'

'I am, but Edward- I have to go, my mother is alive and I need to meet her- no matter what condition she might be in.' I was almost pleading with him.

'I know you do, but you should know that I am coming with you. I'm not letting you take off again and come back in more than one piece.' He said seriously.

'Edward, I'll be fine. It's not like last time, I'm going to a hospital not a military base. Plus Cole will be with me, he's the one human I trust with my life.'

'That's exactly it- he's a human, there no way I can trust a human to take care of you.'

I scoffed 'I can take care of myself Edward, I did manage to stay alive before I met you.'

'Yes but since you've met me you've almost died way too many times for me to be even remotely ok with you going across the country and me sitting here twiddling my thumbs. Let me come with you, please, I couldn't take it if you didn't come home.' He gave me such a sad look I knew that he had won.

'Fine,' I said, 'but we're leaving now. I told Cole that we would be there by tonight.'

'Ok, you pack, I'll run home and do the same. I'll meet you back here in 30 minutes.' And he was gone. But just as quickly he ran back in, kissed me on the cheek and said 'Don't leave without me, Alice will tell me.' he said with a laugh and took off again.

I couldn't help but chuckle and I began gathering some clothes together along with various ID, cash I kept hidden and my passport. True to his word Edward showed up exactly 30 minutes later, we loaded my duffel into his Volvo and took off for the airport. On the drive to Seattle I couldn't help my head lolling onto my chest every now and then as I fought to stay conscious, but every time I would snap it back up into the headrest and force my eyes open.

'You're tired.' Edward stated with furrowed brows and a frown.

'I'm fine; I didn't sleep well last night.' I said almost slurring my words together.

'That's an understatement; you didn't sleep at all did you?'

'I'll be fine, I just need to see my mother.'

'You will be no good to her if you pass out. Sleep- I'll wake you up when we get to the airport.'

I couldn't argue with his logic, I nodded my head and fell asleep almost immediately. It felt as though I had been asleep for five minutes by the time Edward woke me up to tell me we had arrived. I shambled half-awake through the airport and promptly passed out again as soon as we had boarded not waking up again until we arrived in Langley. While we were waiting to get off the plane I called Cole and told him that we had landed, he promised he wouldn't be too long.

'Feeling better?' Edward asked as we walked through the airport.

'Much better, thanks for forcing me to sleep.' I laughed.

By the time we made our way through the crowded airport it had given Cole enough time to drive there and he greeted me with a hug and Edward with a handshake. I could tell that Edward was uncomfortable, as much as I loved Cole and saw him as a father figure, Edward couldn't get over the fact that he was one of the scientists that studied me as I grew up. It really upset him that I didn't have even remotely close to a normal upbringing and he blamed the CIA, DPA and everyone involved- including Cole. But ever the gentleman he would never let on that he felt this way. And on the other side, Cole never commented on Edwards cold skin or- 'otherness', even though I was sure he knew something was different about Edward.

oOo

We spent the evening at Cole's house waiting for the sun to set before we left to go to the hospital. He caught me up on what had been happening at the DPA, about projects they had been conducting and most of it frightened me. They would have to live with their mistakes, I was trying to get out, I was done cleaning up their messes.

At nightfall we took off in Coles car and headed to the hospital, we parked a couple of streets away so that no one would recognize Cole's car and then walked the rest of the way to the hospital. We arrived inside to a brightly lit interior reception area with the only person in sight a security officer sitting at the front desk. I walked up to him;

'Hi there- we're here to visit Norah Gray.' I said cheerily as Edward and Cole hung back.

The guard looked up at me, studying me 'Can I see your authorization?' he asked.

'I'm just here to visit, I called yesterday.' I said, still trying to be cheery.

'Sorry, no one can get in without the proper visitor authorization.' He said, not looking at all sorry.

'Ok then… thanks anyways.' And I walked away, walking past Edward and Cole and they followed me until we were out of earshot of the guard.

'He has no intention of letting us in.' Edward said; 'In fact, he's quite suspicious.'

'It's ok, we can handle it.' I responded as Aiden headed over to the guard and possessed him. I walked back over as Aiden searched the computer for my mother's room number.

'She's on the 7th floor, in room 43. Ok Aiden, buzz us in.' I said to him. He made the guard push the door to the elevator and we all got in and closed the doors before Aiden left the guards body. I looked at Edward, I realized he had never seen us do that, he had never really seen my powers before.

'Freaked out yet?' I said to him quietly, smiling- trying to gauge his reaction. He relaxed when he looked at me and said 'Never.' I didn't quite believe him.

On the seventh floor we entered a room that looked like a visiting area filled with tables, chairs and a few TV's and toys. The door on the other side of the room that led to the patient rooms was locked. There was another security guard down the hall and Aiden and I went to him and possessed him as well. We brought him to the door we were behind, I handed Cole the guards ID badge and then we forced the man to bang his head into the wall- knocking him out. I came back to my body and Cole handed me the card, I ran off down the hall not bothering to check how Edward reacted to that.

We walked down the hall until we came upon room 43, I stopped outside and just stood there staring, my hands shaking. Cole put his hand on my shoulder 'It's ok Jodie, go in, we'll wait out here.' I looked at Edward and he nodded. I turned back towards the door and swiped myself in, closing the door behind me.

Across the room sat a woman, about 45-50 years old. She was sitting up in a chair next to her bed staring vacantly ahead; she didn't react in the slightest when I walked in. I was immediately sure that we were related, little things like the shape of her lips, the colour of her hair. I was fascinated; I had never known anyone related to me before, never had anyone resemble me.

I walked towards her and crouched down in front of her, holding her hands. 'Mom? Norah, can you hear me? It's your daughter, Bella.'

Nothing, no reaction, no eye movement. I hung my head until it rested on her hands, Aiden nudged me, he was offered to connect our minds, to show me her memories. I closed my eyes and let her consciousness take me over.

My mother was in her twenties, in a lab at the DPA. They were having her perform experiments and I watched as she launched a box across the table with her mind.

'Very good Norah.' I head from a man behind a two-way mirror.

Cut to my mother, very pregnant. A man I didn't recognize convincing my mother that she couldn't care for me.

'Leave her with us, she will never want for anything. You know you can't do it Norah, it would be selfish.'

My mother clutched at her belly and looked incredibly confused and distraught.

We were in the delivery room now as my mom delivered me and I was rushed from the room by a nurse.

'Bring her back! I changed my mind, I want my baby! Bring me my baby!' my mother cried as multiple people held her down. Objects flew across the room seemingly of their own volition.

'Calm down Norah! Sedate her!' A man I couldn't see yelled.

My mother was unconscious on a surgical table.

'It's a powerful neurotoxin,' I scientist explained as he inserted an I.V. into her arm 'We're going to increase the dose so that she will never wake up.

I saw myself as a baby being handed to my adoptive parents.

'If strange things start to happen, if she starts to develop abilities bring her in immediately.' The scientist that handed me to them said.

I came back to myself and found tears running down my face.

'I'm so sorry, it's all my fault, you never deserved this.' I said as tears poured down my face. I stood up and pulled my mother into a hug, the only hug that we would ever have.

I sat back on my heels, I couldn't leave her this way, she deserved so much more than to 'live' like this, how the DPA left her.

I merged with Aiden's consciousness again and moved towards my mother, into her body and located her heart. I held it still preventing it from beating until she stopped breathing, she was gone. I came back to myself, I was numb. I picked up her body and laid it on her bed. She was finally at rest, no longer a prison in her body.

I leaned over and kissed her on her forehead, tears still streaming down my face; 'I'm sorry mom. Just know that I love you, and I've never forgotten you.' I rested my head on her bed and cried until I felt something behind me- certainly not human. I spun around and saw her, her spirit- she hadn't left yet.

'Sweetheart, my little girl. I never thought I would be able to see you again.'

'Mom?' I was at a loss for words.

'You saved me sweetheart, I've been trapped for so long, thank you for setting me free.' She smiled at me.

'I'm so sorry that this happened to you, you never deserved any of it.'

'No, I'm sorry, for ever agreeing to let them take you from me. It can't have been easy, but look at you.' She smiled again 'So beautiful.' She looked at her body and pointed towards her necklace, it was a gold chain with a solid gold heart pendant on it. 'My mother gave it to me; I want you to take it with you. Keep me with you from now on; I'll always be with you.'

I looked back at her body and took off her necklace; I put it around my neck instead. 'Thank you… so much.'

She smiled at me before her face turned serious. 'There are 5 soldiers outside waiting to ambush you when you come outside, the two men you came in with are both being held at gunpoint.' She said.

'What?'I whispered standing up so fast it made my head spin. Aiden went outside and sure enough there they were, silently waiting for me to step out.

'Be safe sweetheart, don't let them win. Do what I couldn't- get out, get away, live your life.'

I looked at her seriously 'I will, thank you Mom, I love you.' She smiled before she vanished.

Ok, think. 5 men, three with their guns trained on the door, two with their guns trained on Cole and Edward. I was so angry that they were not only pulling this shit again, kidnapping me and forcing me to do what they wanted but they were also dragging the two people I loved the most into this bullshit as well. I used that anger and channelled in into Aiden we blasted the five soldiers away from the door.

I opened the door and stepped out, three men had flown down the hallway and two has smashed into the wall being rendered unconscious immediately. I ran to the closest soldier and jumped on him before he could get up. Aiden went to the farthest one and Edward followed suit and went to the last one banging his head against the ground, knocking him out.

I grabbed the soldier's gun and brought the butt of the grip down on his temple once, he was dazed, twice- he went out like a light.

'Are you guys ok?' I said, standing up looking over at them. Cole looked shocked at what had just gone down.

'Fine.' They said in unison.

'What about you Bella, are you ok?' Edward asked carefully, looking at me like I might bolt.

'I'm going to the DPA. I'm ending this, now.'

I took off at a sprint towards Coles car with the two of them following me, we all got in and took off towards it.

'Will Nathan still be there?' I asked as we sped along the highway.

'Yes, he barely ever leaves.' Cole answered.

'What about General Mcgrath?' I said, my tone full of ice knowing he had something to do with this.

'Him too.' Cole answered full of tension.

I had a thought and turned around to look at Edward; 'Edward, no matter what happens in there- do not expose yourself. Feign innocence, if something happens to me don't do anything rash to help me. Wait until no one can see you. I won't have them coming down on you and your family as well as me.'

Edward looked at me, his lips a solid line, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. 'Please.' I said to him, my eyes pleading. 'Fine.' He finally said.

Cole looked confused but thankfully didn't ask any questions.

We were nearing the base when I felt something slam into my side of the car and we spun sideways until we came to a stop, hitting the guard rail. I didn't even have a chance to react before I felt something pierce my neck. I reached up and felt a dart sticking out of it. I barely heard Edward yell 'Bella!' before I slumped forward into my seatbelt, unconscious.

Another cliffhanger! Sorry! Review and favourite and the next one will be out soon!