Hey! Unfortunately my laptop was Frisbeed across the room by a two year old, so this was written on my phone as the laptop/Frisbee did not survive. Probably means there's more mistakes than usual -sorry!

I really hope you like this chapter!


Bella woke in a confused panic. She sat up looking around at her surroundings, she was outside. Not far away she could see Unser's warehouse. The warehouse. Those men. The torture. The Volturi. A cold sweat broke out along her skin.

The Volturi.

The supernatural was coming back crashing into her world yet again.

The Volturi.

They couldn't fight them. Humans didn't stand a chance against them. Either they capitulated to their demands or they died. She rolled onto her side and threw up, her head swimming.

The Volturi.

What could she do? Really? The RPG her dad had shot at Edward hadn't kept him down for long. He was still alive. And how many RPGs could they get? Could they get bigger, better weapons? Even if they could, vampires were too fast. Aiming would be a hell of a problem.

She threw up again. In a corner of her mind she realized that she was probably in shock, that someone was talking to her.

The club wouldn't believe her, she had to tell them but they would think she was making wild fairy stories. What could she do? She couldn't imagine any of them backing down which meant they'd all be slaughtered.

Firm hands gathered her in their arms.

She had nothing to bargain with the Volturi for. Hell, if they saw her they'd kill her on principle. She didn't want to be a vampire, not anymore. She would have to give up her dad, her mom, Happy, Jax, the rest of the club. She just couldn't do that. That was their rule though, humans weren't allowed to know what they really were and live. One look at her and they'd know she knew. She had never met the undisputed leaders of the vampiric world but something deep inside her told her she didn't want to. Another part whispered that she might have no choice.

Bella's hands went to pull at her hair in frustration but a pair of worn, calloused hands wrapped around her wrists stopped her. She had been sat against a tree, her back against the rough bark.

"C'mon Bells, snap out of it," a worried but familiar voice said in her ear. Jax. Jax was the one stopping her from ripping her hair out. His blue eyes were wide with concern and his mouth was downturned.

"Jax?"

"Yeah, it's me Bells, you back with us?" He asked, stepping back from her a little before he squatted down.

"I… yeah, yeah. Sorry," she said, trying to breathe normally. She needed to talk to Happy. Like now. She was going to need his help trying to explain this to the club.

Bella looked around, Clay and Tig looked on with concern, the others were absent. Why wasn't Happy there? He had been there when she had passed out. Was he trying to get more information out of the two men?

"Here," Jax said, passing her a bottle of water. "It got me the first time I saw Happy work too and I don't live with him. It's okay to be freaked, but ya know he'd never hurt you right?"

Bella frowned up at him. What was he talking about? Realization swept through her, they thought she was freaking out because of Happy.

Bella sighed, she hadn't even come to terms with what she had seen in the warehouse. It was like she was finally seeing Happy as a whole person. She'd seen his tender side, his caring, his amusement, his annoyed side and everything in between since they had started dating each other. But this was the part she had been missing. The Tamacoa Killer.

It hadn't been pleasant. In fact it had everything inside of her screaming. Charlie had been tortured. She had been tortured. She knew what these men felt like. She knew their pain intimately.

She also knew Happy intimately. He wasn't a bad man. He protected what was his fiercely though and the club was his. His family, his life.

Her head was a confusing mix of contradicting emotions and thoughts about an extremely complex man who she loved more than she had thought was possible. One thing she knew without a doubt though, was that Happy did not scare her. He would never raise a hand to her out of anger. Would never hurt her.

"I'm not scared of Happy," Bella finally said after rinsing her mouth out with the water. Her voice was shaking slightly but the conviction of her words rang out loud and clear anyway.

"Right," Jax nodded, sounding unconvinced. "You gonna be alrigh'? We need to dig and shit. As a prospect, that's pretty much your job."

Bella took a moment, yeah she was feeling shaky, but as long as she didn't think on them right that second she should manage to dig graves. For two people she just saw tortured. By the man she was living with. And she didn't think her life could get any more morbid or weird than when she was living in Forks. Still at least this time there were a whole group of people that had her back and wouldn't abandon her in a time of need. She had to pull on her big girl panties and make sure that sentiment went both ways. She couldn't let them down when they needed her.

"I'm good," she declared, standing on wobbly feet and pushing everything away but the job she had to do.

Jax nodded and she followed him as he led her to a field just outside Unser's place. There were the guys digging what she knew to be graves. And not shallow ones either.

Surreptitiously she looked around for Happy, she needed to see him, to feel the safeness and reassurance he gave her. Especially now, but he was nowhere to be seen. Without a word she took a shovel off Bobby and started working.

01010101010101

Bella frowned at the obviously empty house. She was exhausted, scared beyond belief and all she wanted was Happy. She could survive without him, of that she knew, but she wanted him, she wanted his large hands wrapped around her waist, the easy acceptance he gave her and the feeling of safety he provided her. He hadn't been at the clubhouse and if he'd come home then he would have left the porch light on for her. Not to mention his bike would have been there.

She glanced at her phone. She had nothing. No missed calls or texts. Biting her lip she decided to send a quick text. She didn't want him to think that she was checking up on him but she was a little worried. Something was off with him.

Bella was pretty sure that it wasn't what he'd done at the warehouse, in fact he'd look disturbingly happy doing that job. She had never mentioned the Volturi to him, so it wasn't that. Maybe another club had needed him? But then why hadn't he told her?

Heart dropping into her stomach she made her way into the house while just texting him quickly to say she was home and that she hoped he was okay. To give her a message when he could.

Covered in dirt, sweat, tears and smelling of vomit she had the hottest shower she'd had in years. She washed her hair three times, hoping that the chemical smell of the acid that had dissolved flesh like it was no more than tissue paper came out. It felt like it was burnt into her nose.

Exiting the shower she went into their bedroom, a sigh leaving her when she saw the bed was still empty. Her phone also held no new messages.

She sat heavily on the bed before opening the drawer to her nightstand, pulling out a joint, she hoped it took the edge off enough for her to sleep a little. Though she had no doubts at all that tonight the nightmares would come.

020202020202

The next day dragged. She'd managed a couple of hours of sleep that had been disrupted by nightmares that left her screaming. Clay had told her, when she hesitantly asked, that Happy had said he had some family shit to sort out the night before. She had called a couple of times and sent another couple of messages, all of which went unanswered.

On top of that she was worrying herself sick over the Volturi. She needed to tell the club, but how? 'Hey guys, so these Italian's we're looking at? Yeah, they're vampires that we don't have a hope of winning against? Stakes and sunlight do nothing against them, they're faster and stronger than any of us could ever hope to be. So we either go along with them or we die. Probably by having our throats torn open and our blood drank. Oh, yeah they also have these magical gifts, like being able to read minds or see the future, one of them can see any thought you've ever had just by a single touch. Huh? Sorry Clay, you want me to go with the men in the pretty white coats? Yeah, alright then. Thanks!' Somehow she couldn't see that conversation going well at all.

At quitting time she took a break before starting at the club house. It was supposed to be Half-Sac's night but he'd called in sick. She was surprised beyond belief that he was still a prospect. He seemed to be absent more often than not since the beginning of the year.

Sitting on the picnic benches she took out her phone, hating the blank screen that showed no messages or calls. A sudden urge gripped her to throw the damn thing. Throw it so hard and far that it smashes into tiny pieces. Instead she took a deep drag of her cigarette and pulled up her contacts. Bella was going to have to tell the club. Which meant she was going to need backup. If she was going to be put in the little white room with the happy pills then she was dragging others with her. It could be a joint vacation.

0303030303

Tig looked up from the black Ford he was working on as he heard two bikes roar into the forecourt of Teller-Morrow. The last couple of days had been a big, itchy, burning ball ache. Sure watching Happy work was always fun. He hadn't got to help the psychotic Princess fucker though. That acid was something he wanted to try out, he was sure that some fucker would piss them off sooner or later though and he'd get his chance.

Ooh, maybe he could try using the acid on someone while he took a tab of acid? That could be interesting. He wondered what someone's skin slipping off looked like while tripping.

He snarled as he recognised the two men that had ridden in, one of which he liked and got on with. One of which he'd gladly test that acid out on. The one who'd cost him his love. Missy.

What was that fucker doin' here? He never came unless it was ordered by Clay. And Clay usually gave him a heads up. Had he done something to piss off his Prez and friend?

Grabbing a rag and hastily wiping his hands on it, he threw it down before stomping from his bay. The tinny sounds of Dogs radio sounded out behind him. A shitty pop song that just added fuel to his ire. Couldn't be a decent song with a beat that matched his fury?

The thing was if he didn't focus on and fire his anger his mind raced towards what he really felt. Pain. Missy had been the only girl he'd truly loved other than his daughters and Kozik had been his best friend. The betrayal and loss still stung him to his core. So instead he balled his fists up and thought gleefully about taking a pop shot.

"What're you doing here?" He growled at Kozik after giving Quinn a brief hug.

Kozik grimaced at him but answered in a pained tone, one Tig fucking hated. "Man, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. That's the problem," the blonde heaved a sigh and shared a look with Quinn.

Tig frowned. What the hell was he chattin'?

"Bella said-" Quinn started to say but the tiny brunette was already bounding towards them from out of the clubhouse. She had shadows under her eyes and looked miserable. Everyone knew some shit had gone down between her and Happy, no-one knew what though. If Jax was to be believed, and he generally was, even she didn't know what the problem was. Tig thought that was usually the man's position in a relationship but valued his balls too much to say it. Princess had gotten short tempered and violent recently. It was a beautiful sight to see. "Never mind."

Quinn pulled his kid in for a long hug and Tig saw the girl's shoulders shake slightly. He ran two fingers across his eyebrows in the hopes he could get rid of the tension he felt there. Nothing doing though. Maybe he needed a joint. Or whiskey. And a crow eater or three. That could work. He was sure Vicky was on tonight and she was a nasty bitch who took it like the pro she was. If the Princess had been fucking anyone other than a brother he could have taken this crap out on the one causing the shit. But no, she had to fuck the scary asshole Happy didn't she.

"Thanks for coming Dad, Koz," Bella said quietly as she finally stepped away from her dad. No one mentioned her wiping the tears from her face quickly. Tig nodded to himself as she squared her shoulders and gathered her shit though. He reckoned she might make it through to get her top rocker. She had the stones for this life, there was no denying it.

"Yeah, well, we didn't have much choice, did we babe? Not unless we wanted you put away in the loony bin," sighed Koz without his usual mirth.

"You invited him Princess? Not cool. Not cool at all," Tig said with a shake of his head. He felt strangely betrayed by his prospect. She should have turned to him if she needed something, not the blonde dumbass. That was the whole point. Right?

"Sorry Tiggy," Bella replied quietly and sincerely. "I need to talk to the club about the Volturi though and without these two. Heck, even with these two, you might all not believe me."

Tig straightened at that. She knew something about this new crew trying to muscle into Charming? Anger flashed through him, she knew and she hadn't said anything?

Bella's face dropped further as she studied him. "You'll see at church Tiggy. I needed them here to explain, to help me explain. I… I… I'm sorry."

"Babe, you're the prospect to the Sons of Anarchy. You've been shot. You're with the Tomoca Killer. Your dad is the Nomad Prez. You need to learn to swear a little. A hell instead of a heck'll do," Koz gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes and nudged her with his arm. She rolled her eyes at him but some of the life came back to her. Koz was still a fucking jackass, but sometimes, he was slightly more useful than as target practice.

"Come on, let's go find Clay," Princess said, nodding her head towards the garage where Clay had been shuffling through paperwork for something or other last time Tig'd checked.

Kozik followed her like a well trained bitch but Quinn hung back.

"Why the fuck does she look like she's not slept in weeks? And why the hell is Happy not here doing this shit with her? Something's going on that Bells isn't telling me about. You need to do some explaining for me."

Tig groaned and ran his hands through his hair. He didn't want to deal with a pissed off Quinn.

"Is it somethin' to do with her Prospecting? Is it too much for her?"

Tig had always got on with Happy. Respected the man, was in awe of his skills as an enforcer. Was ever so slightly scared of the man as anyone with half a brain cell should be. But never before had he been pissed at the dude. Until now. He should be here dealing with an angry daddy. Not Tig. That wasn't his job. It wasn't like he was even getting laid for the privilege either.

Looking back longingly at the job that had bored the shit out of him only minutes ago he sighed again before filling in Quinn on all that he knew. Which was basically fuck all and waited for the fall out.

0404040404

Bella felt small for the first time in months as she stood in the back of the church, all the gathered patches staring angrily at her with the exception of her dad and Koz. She resisted the urge to wrap her arms around herself but it was a close thing. Her family was mad with her, the ones who had taken her in and taken care of her. Renee was still trying to get in touch, Hale was dogging her steps. Her Old Man was AWOL and the Volturi, vampire royalty, was trying to encroach on their home state. She felt like her life was systematically falling apart one bit at a time.

At least she still had Quinn and Georgia. Her mom and dad, despite not being raised by them.

"So ya know somethin' about these clowns trying to muscle into our territory. You've known for what, two, three days now and you're only just bringing this to the table? That about sum it up, Prospect?" Clay asked quietly but a fire flickered in his eyes as his knuckles turned white against the gavel.

"Yes," Bella hated how her voice quivered as though she was about to cry. Damn it she was not going to cry.

"Well… Get ta talking then," spat Chibs his voice vicious in a way that had never been directed at her before.

"Back when I lived in Forks, I er… I met a guy. Fell in love. All that stuff. But he and his family were different. From the moment I met them I knew there was something strange about them-"

"So your ex was a member of this Volturi?" Jax asked, an unlit cigarette flitting between his fingers, his blue eyes fixed solely on her.

"No, the Volturi were the ruling force of my exes… species," Bella said, her voice hesitant. There was no easy way to do this and she was fairly certain that doing it this way she was messing it up spectacularly but she didn't have any better ideas.

"Species?" Piney was the one to pick out the damning word. "What were they like spics or something?"

Bella rolled her eyes at the casual racism. If only they knew. There were bigger differences out there than skin colour or where you were born.

"No. They were vampires."

Bella waited in silence. Bobby was the first one to start laughing, his face creased in mirth as he lit a joint. The others joined in seconds afterward.

She waited for the men to stop laughing, not able to see the humor when she knew the truth. When she knew what was coming and just how screwed they were.

"Ya know," Koz started saying over the still chuckling men, a wry smile on his face. "When I was in Forks with Bells, she wanted me to take her bed while she slept on the couch. In fact, wouldn't take no for an answer and wouldn't tell me why either." He lit a cigarette as the others hung on his words. "All she said was, you'll see. I went to sleep, it was a comfy ass bed and I couldn't figure out why she was taking the couch instead. About two or three I woke up when I heard someone come in through the window."

He caught Bella's eyes and took a deep drag of his smoke before carrying on. "Bella had been having issues with some assholes when I got there. She was threatening 'em with this big ass shotgun that she wasn't even holding properly but she took a shot at one of the guys feet anyway. Weedy little fucker didn't even flinch and I didn't get why he wasn't pissin' his pants. So when someone came through the window I figured it was one of them coming for her. I shot him." Kozik paused for the nods of approval from his brothers as Bella took in all of their faces. "The bullet ricocheted off of him into the wall behind the bed. The fucker was on me faster than I could blink and had me pinned with no problems at all. Bella came storming in and pistol whipped him and it did nothing. He left when she was gonna call the police. Not gonna lie, I thought he was on PCP or some shit. Roided out or something. There was no way he should have been that strong. Even a vest doesn't make a bullet bounce off someone. Bella told me about vampires. I still didn't believe her though. Except a little of me did because that made no fucking sense. At all. The next day I had an RPG delivered to the house."

The room was quiet for a moment before a few of the patches started laughing again. "Fuckin' bullshite," Chibs yelled with a laugh at the same time Bobby called out, "Uh huh, maybe ya should have tried garlic!"

"I thought both Koz and Bells needed a trip to a shrink or some shit," her dad started, his voice low and the room instantly quietened to hear his words. "Happy thought they were nuts too."

Bella flinched at hearing that. She knew Happy didn't believe her when she had told him but he'd never outwardly said as much to her. It was all in his eyes though. Still knowing now that Happy had thought she was crazy and had shared as much with her dad too stung slightly.

"We stayed and taught Bells how to get out of a hold, how to fuck someone up who wouldn't take no for an answer. The kind of stupid fuckers I thought the guys knocking at her door were."

"Don't tell me you believe this shit too Quinn," Tig scoffed, his arms folded and a sneer working its way onto his face.

"I didn't. Not until I saw a man take an RPG to the back from four feet and live. Wasn't even bleeding. That was after he pinned Happy without breaking a sweat, this guy was skinnier than Juice, he shouldn't have been able to take Bells let alone Hap."

Silence once more descended upon the Chapel. Bella took in each man's face. Clay looked calculating, as though he was weighing up what was being said with his own beliefs. Tig just looked scornful at the very idea. Chibs was playing with the cross that hung from his neck. Piney looked like he thought they were crazy. Bobby was frowning at the table top and Juice had his head in his hands.

Opie and Jax were communicating silently, nodding at one another in a language born from years of being friends. It brought a pang to Bella's heart. She had once thought she had that with Alice and then again with Jacob. But she hadn't ever had that level of friendship with anyone. Not really. At this rate she never would.

"Okay, so you're saying these Volturi guys are vamps then right? Like want to suck your blood, garlic avoiding vampires?" Jax asked, breaking away from Opie and staring at Quinn. His jaw was set and he seemed to be taking the threat seriously.

"No idea man, I just knew about that kid and his family."

Bella took a deep breath. "They're the coven that rules other vampires. They're the biggest and strongest coven and most of them have gifts making them even more formidable."

"Gifts?" Opie asked with a frown.

"Some vampires have gifts. Traits that they take from their human lives that strengthen as they turn. Edward, my ex, could read minds, Alice, his sister, could see the future and her husband could manipulate emotions as well as feel them."

Piney snorted but stopped short of saying anything at the look Clay shot him.

"Vampires aren't anything like they are in fiction. They cannot be killed. They can go out in the sun, but they don't because they sparkle."

Another wave of laughter crashed around the room at that.

"Ya had me goin' lass. Tha sparklin' took it a bit too far though," Chibs said relaxing back into his chair, a wide grin crossing his scared and handsome face.

"Yeah, I always thought that was ridiculous too. They're stupidly fast and strong. They could tear apart a boulder with their bare hands with no effort. The only thing that can kill a vampire is another vampire or a werewolf. A stake would just make splinters, bullets as you've heard bounce off, an axe would blunt."

The room was thick with feeling and tension. It was getting hotter inside and she could see that half still weren't taking her seriously. She didn't know what she could do or say to make them believe her. They needed to take this seriously though. She needed them to take this seriously. She couldn't lose this family, not even one of them.

"You got a pet werewolf somewhere then Princess, or a tame Vampire we could use?" Clay asked, his voice was cool, angry, but she could see the seriousness in his eyes.

Bella nibbled on her bottom lip, the sting it caused lessening the sting of what she knew she was going to have to do.

"Maybe. How many can we spare for a road trip?"

"Where to?" Jax asked.

"Forks."

05050505050

Quinn ran one hand through his long hair, a bourbon clutched firmly in the other as a joint burnt away between his lips. Not even Bobby's weed was taking the edge off.

He had sworn that Bella would never step foot in that freaky, shitty ass, little town again. She was done with Forks. Fuck, he had wanted to forget the place even existed. Had quite happily pushed all thoughts of fucking vampires and the supernatural bullshit from his head. And now she was getting dragged back there and dragged back into that shit to help the Club. To help her brothers, his brother's.

Two days and they'd be back in that fucking cesspool. They'd be holding up at Tacoma, which was close enough and riding into Forks to prove that vampires and werewolves were real. And hopefully find some way of killing a vampire. Before a horde of them descended from Italy and killed every single one of the club. He shook his head. This was some bullshit. Some tricked out bullshit.

It was a day after the meeting and half the guys were still thinking this was a joke. The ones that didn't weren't taking it all that seriously. It wasn't his job to make them though. He had his own shit to deal with. Like his daughter who had cried. Really cried on his shoulder. Thanks to his best friend. Quinn was sure the supernatural shit going on wasn't helping, but it had mainly been because of Happy. Not that she had said as much, but he could tell.

Her phone had rang once when he was at her house the night before. She had scrambled across the room to get it, tripping on the rug but righting herself to snatch it off the side table. She had looked frantically at the screen but had frowned at whoever had been calling. He had known that it wasn't Hap. Instead of answering it she had tossed it back onto the table and flung herself onto the sofa like the teenager she still was. He pretended not to see the teardrop rolling down her cheek.

Quinn loved his brother, but he was gonna have to kill the man as soon as he resurfaced from whatever the fuck it was he was doing.