"Thank you for your cooperation." Bella responded while she took the piece of paper with an address from the vampire in front of her. She read the content of the paper and with perfect recall, she destroyed it afterwards, having no need of the piece of paper.
"Anything for the Volturi." He answered, looking at Bella to Jasper nervously. Jasper was standing beside Bella, his presence causing the three vampires in front of them to be anxious.
"Will they be punished?" The second vampire, a female, asked and Jasper looked at her with his charming smile, easily using his abilities to ease the tension.
"As long as they did not break any law, they will not be punished."
The leader of the three, who turns out to be the female's mate, stepped closer to his mate. He was staring daggers at Jasper.
Their conversation was interrupted with a phone ringing and every one of them looked at Bella while Bella looked down to where the phone was ringing in her jacket pocket beneath her Volturi cloak.
She smiled apologetically and excused herself. She jumped a few feet away from them, just close enough that she can still see them, and Jasper would still be under her mental shield but far enough away that if the caller would not raise their voice, the others would not be able to hear.
It took Bella a minute before she ended the call and went back to stand beside her mate.
"We will be taking our leave now." She spoke and the three vampires lowered their head as Bella and Jasper retreated, their black cloaks swirling until they disappeared from view.
They ran in vampire speed towards the east, keeping themselves covered by tall buildings until they reached the woods and they continued until they could sense no other presence except the two of them and that was when they slowed their pace, and they held hands as they walked side by side.
"Was that Alice?" Jasper guessed and Bella nodded.
"She's wanting us to meet them now."
Jasper's brows furrowed.
"We're not yet due to meet them until two days."
"Yeah, but something came up. She didn't elaborate on the phone though. She said it would be better if she explains face to face."
"Huh. Are they still staying in that cottage?"
"Yep."
"Then we should be able to get there before sundown if we start running now."
Bella stopped walking and turned to stare at him with a mischievous look in her eyes.
"Do you think they would mind if we made a detour?" Her smile was infectious, and Jasper couldn't help but smile in return.
"Did they say if it was a life-or-death situation?"
"Nope." She popped the 'p'.
"Then they wouldn't mind." Jasper decided and he pulled Bella towards him, and she allowed herself to be engulfed in his embrace.
It was already dark when the two of them reached the top of the mountain where Edward and Alice were staying inside a cabin. The surroundings had enough wildlife to keep them satiated with their thirst and far enough away from civilization that they could spend time alone with each other without any disturbance, especially with Edwards gift.
When they were nearing the cabin, Bella stretched out her shield so she could sense if there was anyone else around them outside of vampire hearing. She's been able to stretch out her shield for miles now as long as she can properly concentrate, and it helps them be more aware with their surroundings.
She sensed Jasper already within her shield and after a few seconds, she sensed two others, and she'd shielded her family long enough to know that it was only Edward and Alice with them.
As soon as the cabin was visible, they saw Alice and Edward outside, a few feet apart and Bella automatically dropped Edward from her gift.
That has been the practice in the family and a personal request by Edward that unless otherwise, Bella would block the family from Edward's gift whenever they were together so he could experience a sense of normalcy around them. Bella had agreed because it allowed her to practice with her own gift and strengthen it in the process.
Before they could even go near, they saw Edward stiffen and crouched down in a defensive stance.
"It's okay. It's just Bella and Jasper." Alice was saying to Edward.
Jasper and Bella halted and looked at each other in confusion. They were still wearing their Volturi cloaks, and their hood was up, covering their faces. To any other vampire, they would look like two deadly creatures out to bring judgement to anyone along their path.
They had kept the cloak up to tease Edward since he was always the one who still felt uncomfortable seeing any of his family members donning the Volturi attire, but they didn't think that he would react defensively to their approach.
Both lowered their hoods so their audience can see their faces clearly and Edward reluctantly straightened up but immediately, he ran straight to meet them halfway and Alice followed him.
When he stopped in front of the two newcomers, his eyes were all focused intensely on Bella.
Bella was suddenly feeling conscious with the way Edward was staring.
He was looking at her like he was seeing her for the first time.
He looked like he was wanting very badly to get closer to her, but Jasper was in the way.
Bella could sense Jasper subtly moving closer to her and she knew that Edward's staring was the cause of it.
She felt Jasper's hands around her waist and Edward glanced in the direction of his hands and a low growl escaped from his lips.
Jasper frowned.
"Do we have a problem here, brother?" Jasper was dangerously calm.
"Hey…" Alice was right beside him in an instant, trying to get his attention and as if he just realized where he was, his expression turned to horror in realizing what he was doing and stepped back.
"I…Sorry… I… I didn't expect you to be… I wasn't prepared to see you like this…" he said awkwardly. He ran his fingers through his messy hair in frustration and exhaled.
"Edward? Is something wrong?" Bella spoke softly and Edward stared at her again with desperation.
"Bella…"
She was taken aback by the way he spoke her name. He said her name like he was reveling in it, as if Bella was the only thing that mattered to him and it didn't made sense because the only time, he heard Edward call out her name like that was a few months ago, and it wasn't in this world.
"No way…" Bella gasped in realization.
He huffed in relief when he saw the recognition in Bella's eyes.
"Edward?" she tentatively asked.
"Yes! It's me!" He almost reached out for her but realizing where he was, he placed his hand inside his pockets instead.
"Yeah, we know it's him. What's going on? He's not telling me anything!" Alice said in frustration, unable to mask the irritation and the hurt in her voice at Edward suddenly distancing from her.
"He's a different Edward." Bella finally explained.
"I'm sorry?" Alice stared in bewilderment.
"Remember a few months ago when I was in comatose?" Jasper and Alice were able to realize at the same time, what Bella was talking about.
"Hold on…" Jasper held up a hand. "So, he's the Edward from that world?" he clarified, unable to believe what he was hearing.
Bella nodded.
"But… how?" Alice asked. "I mean… Bella told us what happened to her and it's so weird that it's happening again now but this time…." She pointed at Edward, distress showing on her face that her mate was just replaced by another Edward.
"I'm sorry." He looked at Alice apologetically. Alice was having the same dilemma as him when Bella was the one inside his mate's body all those months ago and with them having different mates in their world, it was not so easy to accept it.
"Ugh! You could have just explained it to me in the first place!" Alice exclaimed in frustration and swatted Edward's arms.
"Sorry… I wasn't sure if Bella told you about our world. I didn't know what to expect and I got overwhelmed with everything and then you…" Edward looked like he was ready to blush if he could.
"Why, what happened?" Jasper directed his question to Alice after feeling Edward's embarrassment.
"I guess when he took over, we were in the middle of… you know…" She let the sentence hang letting them guess what she meant, and Bella and Jasper looked at each and then to Edward in horror.
"No way!" Bella exclaimed.
"Yes-way and if you must know, it definitely killed the mood." Alice said nonchalantly but Jasper was staring at Alice worriedly. If Alice was hurt with Edward's sudden distance, she was not showing it.
"I can't believe that you're here."
"I can't believe that it worked. Wait, why can't I hear any of your thoughts?" Edward suddenly asked.
"You only noticed it know?" Jasper was the one who asked with his brow raised.
"No, but earlier, I thought it was just a side effect of me being here, but I still can't hear anything from you." Then as if he just realized the reason behind it, he turned to Bella in awe.
"You're doing this?"
Bella grinned proudly.
"I told you about my gift remember?" She reminded him before continuing. "I have a deal with your counterpart that I'd be shielding the family whenever we were around, but shouldn't you know that already with this Edward's memories?" Then as if she remembered something, she clarified. "You do have his memories, right?"
Edward ran his fingers through his hair anxiously. "I don't. I'm not sure why. Maybe it takes a while. Or maybe, we have to both experience some intense emotion that he can relate before I can tap into his memories just like what happened to you and my Bella."
"Speaking of Bella… how is she?" Bella asked eagerly and she was confused when Edward's expression turned from anxious to depressed in a split second.
"That's why I'm here. She's… she's…"
"She's what, Edward? You're scaring me here." Bella unconsciously leaned on Jasper for support.
"She's pregnant."
Silence followed from all of them.
"That was not what I was expecting." Alice was the one who finally spoke first.
"Are you…sure?" Bella asked tentatively.
Edward nodded gravely.
"We didn't think that was even possible! Who knew I could even father a… At first, we thought it was something else, but all the symptoms add up and it's growing. Fast." He explained desperately.
"She remembered a memory of you that you knew about humans bearing a vampire's child, so I asked Caleb to take me here to you… I need your help to know what we're getting into and if she is going to survive or … anything at all" he said helplessly. Bella looked up to Jasper and there was something there in his eyes that Bella couldn't seem to decipher. She decided to ask about it later, once they get a chance to be alone.
"I've seen a lot of pregnancy stages from Carlisle's mind, and he's worried because it's unlike what he was used to. She's not eating properly and sometimes she's having a hard time keeping anything down. She's weaker than normal and every day, I see her body withering and it's… it's just too much."
His voice was so grave, and Bella couldn't help but feel sorry about what was happening.
"We don't know what's happening. We don't know exactly what's inside her. Carlisle's doing his best to help Bella. The rest of the family is trying to find some answers and we're just at our wit's end. When she mentioned about your memory… I just had to try… please… if you know anything… I need to know if she's going to be okay."
If Edward could cry, he would have been crying by now. It just goes to prove that she was right to fight for the past Bella's love while in her body and she wanted to help.
She looked at Jasper and understanding what she wanted, he removed his hand that was around her waist protectively so she could step forward towards Edward and she took his hand in comfort.
"We'll help in any way we can."
He stared at her but before he can respond, Bella continued.
"Right now, we don't know anything much other than, they do exist. Hybrids. Half-human and half-vampire but we don't know the specifics... yet"
Edward's face looked crestfallen.
"But… you might just have come at the right time because we were actually on our way to investigate a report of an immortal child which Aro believed might not be the case."
His expression turned to surprise.
"Are you saying that it might be…?"
"Yes. Just what you are looking for. It's within our jurisdiction so we were assigned with the case and Aro suggested bringing you along. Since he's not available, he was hoping you would be able to get a read on how a hybrid thinks that's why your counterpart is here with Alice."
"Wait… is he? Am I… part of the Volturi?" He sounded terrified at the idea and Jasper shook his head.
"Not officially, no. It was merely a suggestion. You are not obligated to accompany us but Alice here… she wanted the time away for another alone time with you, or our Edward so she agreed and… you, I mean, our Edward was curious." Jasper scratched his head unnecessarily.
"Sorry… this is all so surreal to us. I'm still trying to wrap around having an alternate version of my brother who loves my mate in another world. I'm not even sure how I can address you or differentiate you two."
Bella turned her head to smile at him fondly.
"You're all right, Darlin'." Bella drawled, copying his southern accent when she was trying to be affectionate.
"How long will you be in his body?" Alice suddenly asked. "We are going to help, of course but I just want to know when I could get my Edward back. I'm not trying to be insensitive and all, but it just feels weird, like somethings missing." She unconsciously rubbed her heart.
"I really wish there was another way." Edward turned to Alice sadly. "But I'll only be here for three days before I get transported back to my own world. I don't want to stay away from Bella too long and if I can't find the answers that I'm looking for, I'll just have to try again."
"Then, I suggest we start moving then." Bella declared. "We already got the address. We'll have to travel by car when we get down from the mountain because of the sun, but we can go on foot as soon as the sun sets, and we should arrive at the location by dawn." She looked at Edward.
"Then, whatever we find, I hope, you'll have the answers that you need to help Bella."
Edward sighed. "I hope so too."
