Chapter 30

I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR CHARACTERS

Bella and Leah walked into the living room to see everyone gathered together.

Esme and Alice were embracing. Alice was murmuring something in her ear and rubbing her back gently. A pang of guilt went through Bella, and she hoped desperately that Esme did not resent her for this. She loved Esme almost as much as her own mother and she felt so awful for tearing her children apart.

Poor Esme. She loved all her adopted children as if they had been born of her own blood. To see them fight like that killed Esme every time. To hear Alice declare her willingness to kill Jasper must have broken her heart. Bella couldn't help but blame herself for that.

Because it really was her fault, wasn't it, that Jasper and Alice were fighting? And it was her fault that all the Cullens were in danger now. If she had never come around, none of this would have ever happened…

The guilt of that ate at her insides.

Gazing around at all of them now, at Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie, Edward, and even Tanya, she could not help but wish she had never met them, if only because she couldn't stand the thought of them getting hurt, or God forbid, dying for her actions.

Standing off to the side were Emmett and Jasper. She and Jasper met eyes and then looked away, both uncomfortable and awkward. Now the tension the two of them caused was purely awkward instead of dangerous. She wasn't sure if she'd ever stop feeling guilty towards Jasper. She still loved him in a way, like family. Like a brother she'd had a falling out with and might never reconcile with. She had no idea where they would go from here.

It was painful to think about.

It hurt all the more when Emmett gave her a small, reassuring grin, when Edward's concerned eyes searched hers out. Even Rosalie's eye roll was endearing.

And there was always Leah, a friend Bella held so dear to her heart, a sister more than anything, who had sacrificed all to protect her. Her entire life with her family was shattered when she chose to stand by her morals and by Bella. Leah could never get that back. She'd been excommunicated from her pack. She didn't even have a home anymore and Bella knew if she had never come around, Leah never would have had to go through all this.

Yet the werewolf still nudged her shoulder and gave her that confident smirk before wandering over to perch on the end of the couch, ignoring the way multiple noses wrinkled when she passed by.

Bella hated herself at that moment. She wished, though she loved them all so dearly, that she'd never sat next to Edward that one day in Biology and thus began her life with the Cullens and Leah. Though it killed her, all she wanted was for these wonderful people to be safe and out of harm's way.

And yet…

When Alice pulled away from her mother, smiling comfortingly as Esme sniffed one last time, and turned to face her, Bella realized that even if she could, she wouldn't change a thing.

It was selfish, truly, genuinely selfish. But looking at Alice then, Bella knew she could never knowingly, willingly give her up. It was a bittersweet pill to swallow. She hated herself for that weakness, too, but there was nothing to be done for it.

She just loved Alice too much.

"Bella, honey," Esme said with a gasp, noticing her. "Are you okay?"

Bella blinked in surprise when Esme walked over and cupped both of her cheeks in her hands, warm honey brown eyes searching it worriedly.

"You're not hurt are you?" Esme murmured. "I was so worried…"

Bella's heart swelled and nearly burst. She wanted to cry all over again.

Oh Esme.

Sweet Esme. Bella thought it might hurt even less for Esme to resent her instead of love her so unconditionally.

Why doesn't she hate me? Why don't they all despise me for what I've brought down on them?

"No, I-I'm fine. I'm so sorry Esme. I shouldn't have argued with him like that, I didn't mean-"

"Shh," Esme hushed her softly and pulled her into a warm hug. Bella had to take a deep breath to hold back the tears before she embraced her back tightly.

She really, really loved this woman. And missed her own mother dearly so very much at that moment.

"I'm just glad you're alright," Esme said with a light smile, pulling back a moment later. "To be honest, we should have intervened sooner. Leah warned us you two were arguing, but Carlisle thought it best to let you work it out yourselves."

Here, Esme threw her husband a withering look. Carlisle straightened up then, crossing his arms.

"I overestimated both of your controls," Carlisle admitted. "I didn't expect things to get out of hand that fast. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. But…"

The last word of Carlisle's sentence hung heavily in the room.

"I know this is painful for you three, but I must not only ask, but insist, that this be where your issues are all put aside. Matters of the heart are important, but there are problems more grave at hand. We can not fight like this with the wolves and the Volturi so close. So please, my children-and that includes you, Bella, put this to rest now. Air it out and then let it go, at least for now.

Otherwise you put all our survivors at risk."

Bella licked her lips as she, Alice, and Jasper all turned to each other and the room went still, holding its breath.

Way to put us on the spot, Carlisle, Bella thought anxiously.

Alice seemed lost for words; a rare thing. She glanced back and forth between Bella and Jasper, before she slowly slid up to Bella's side and laced their hands. It was not disrespectful but it was pointed, and Bella's breath hitched at the motion as Jasper's eyes followed it. His eyes were bright golden, fresh from a hunt.

She saw no hostility there anymore. Only pain. Soul deep pain.

Bella still loved Alice, and was glad that Alice loved her, too.

But she still hated herself at the forlorn sigh Jasper let out.

"I'm not going to be a problem anymore," Jasper finally said quietly. "I won't lie-It will always kill me to see that. To see Alice with someone else. And I'll probably leave when it's all over, and I don't know if I could ever stand to come back…"

Esme let out a noise of protest.

"Jasper," Emmett huffed.

"You don't have to do that," Edward frowned.

"Jazz…" Rosalie sighed.

Jasper put up a hand, quieting his family's protests.

It's all my fault. He's going to leave them. I've really broken apart this family, Bella thought hopelessly, her heart falling even further.

"I'm sorry, but that's how it is now. But rest assured I will not be leaving before the fight. No matter where I am or where I go, you will always be my family. And I'm sure as hell not going to leave you all to die. I will always be there for you and I will always come running should any of you call."

The Cullens all gazed at Jasper with an ache in their eyes. Jasper just kept going.

Bella wanted to shoot herself in the chest.

"And Bella-"

Bella stiffened as he addressed her directly. Jasper hesitated, worked a muscle in his jaw before he spoke.

"I don't think we'll ever be friends again. I just can't," he said honestly and Bella took a heavy breath, feeling it like a punch to the chest, but nodded slowly in understanding. She had not expected anything else, but it still hurt.

"But I'm still going to fight for you, too. I don't wish you harm. I may not like you very much right now, but I don't want you to die."

They held gazes for a brief moment as Bella bit the tip of her tongue, not knowing how to express a single thing.

I'm just sorry, Jasper, she said with her eyes. I'm so sorry.

He turned to Alice.

"And Alice, I understand the way the heart does as it wants. I can feel that what's between you and Bella is real, as much as it pains me to admit. I won't interfere anymore. I'm going to try and move on and let you go. But you will always have a place in my heart, darling. I can't do a thing about that."

"You know you'll always have a place in mine too, Jasper," Alice whispered. Bella saw that her amber eyes were watery and squeezed her hand gently; hurting for them both and blaming herself endlessly.

"Not the one I want," Jasper said with a weak smile.

Because I have that spot now, Bella thought. Was being with Alice really worth all this hurt it caused?

That selfish part of her screamed yes with all its might. Somehow that selfish part felt like every part of Bella when it came to Alice.

Alice opened her mouth to speak but Jasper interrupted her, shaking his head.

"And that's… I guess it's not okay, but I understand. What I'm trying to say to all of you is that I'm putting everything aside. I understand how it is, and I am prepared to fight. None of this… Situation will be a problem anymore," Jasper stated firmly.

Carlisle nodded, his eyes sympathetic for his son before he turned to Bella and Alice.

"And you two?"

"It's fine, Carlisle. I promise," Alice reassured him softly.

Bella felt too awful to choke out anything other than "Same here."

Carlisle sighed and ran a hand through his hair before he nodded once more.

"In that case…" he said and turned to look at all of them, meeting each of their eyes in turn.

Bella wondered how the rest of the Cullens felt. She wondered how they could be so accepting of this turn of events, how they didn't resent her for getting in between Alice and Jasper. She made a mental note to ask them later, but then Carlisle's eyes landed on hers, and a smile that Bella could only describe as mischievous spread across his face.

"I've got a few people I'd like you all to meet."

Bella's eyebrows shot up, but Carlisle only gestured for them to follow, walked past them and out the back door without another word.

Bella was not the only one skeptical, if the way no one followed him was any indication, but Esme shooed them all encouragingly.

"Go on now! Come on, don't be shy," Esme chuckled, waving her hands at them.

"Looks like Pops has got a surprise for us. I'm down," Emmett shrugged, glancing around at the rest of them.

"Oh goody. Just what we need more of. Surprises," Rosalie sighed.

Emmett was the first to move, with Rosalie gliding after him reluctantly, face set in an antisocial scowl that Bella sympathized with. Then Tanya took Edward by the hand and led him out, followed by Jasper.

Bella looked to Alice to see the pixie grinning at her.

"You already know what's going on, don't you?" Bella said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Duh," Alice rolled her eyes and then dragged her towards the back door. Bella glanced over her shoulder to see Leah standing around looking uncertain as to if she was supposed to follow or not. She was just about to call for her to come on but Alice beat her to it.

"Come on, puppy! Yoo-hoo, come here girl!" Alice said and then whistled, walking backwards so she could smirk at the scowl that lit up Leah's face. Bella's eyes widened comically in surprise, and then she had to bite the inside of her lower lip to keep from bursting into laughter at the look on Leah's face.

Usually Leah was the one antagonizing Alice. It was kind of nice to see the roles reversed, mostly because Leah looked so outrageously offended. Plus she could tell by the twinkle in Alice's eyes that she was mostly just playing.

Mostly.

"Alice!" Esme admonished as Leah stormed after them.

"Good girl!" Alice cooed, letting go of Bella's hand so she could skip out the back door, laughing as Leah snarled behind her.

"What's the matter, Lee Lee? You can dish it out but you can't take it?" Bella smirked.

"I take it back. Your girlfriend's a little shit," Leah muttered to a snickering Bella as they walked out onto the back porch.

"Ooh, bad girl," Alice stage-whispered, slinking up next to Bella and wrapping an arm around her waist, resting her chin on the brunette's shoulder as she stared down her nose at Leah. "You should probably be on your best behavior, honey. I don't think these people are big fans of dogs…"

The smile dropped off of Bella's face as Leah let loose a low, guttural growl when they both looked out to see the back yard was filled with vampires.

There were a lot of red eyes out there, all staring back at them.

Far, far away, in a palace tucked into a city deep within the borders of Italy, another gathering full of red-eyed vampires was taking place.

"I am… Disappointed," Aro said softly.

Jane gazed up at her masters, her face stoic, but inwardly she was incredibly unnerved. Next to her, her brother Alec was trembling just slightly.

It infuriated Jane, what that little heathen hybrid had done to him. Bella Swan, the greatest freak of an anomaly to walk this earth had somehow transformed her brother back into a human. It was blatantly clear; Alec breathed out of necessity rather than habit, had a strong, steady heartbeat, warm skin, and was on the verge of starving to death, because he refused to eat human food, to accept what he had become.

Jane vowed vengeance for him. Alec was all she had left in this world, the last of her family, the only one who had always loved her and always been there for her when the rest of humanity and vampire kind alike were all filth and shit, vile and untrustworthy.

And Bella Swan had taken the greatest gift of immortality and superiority from him, turned him into the weak trash that was a human. How she could have so terrible a power was beyond Jane, but she didn't really care. She would kill the little brat for her brother, and it would be a slow, very painful death. She would make sure to have Omi with her when she did it.

But that was the least of her concerns right then. Right then, her concern was her own masters. She envied Omi, for being so devoid of responsibility for anything that happened, as she was too beyond her own control to be held accountable. She was too annoying to even be here and at least get a stern talking to or something.

Jane knew very well that the people she served were evil. She knew that better than anyone; she supposed she must be evil herself. She also knew how utterly merciless they were. You were useful or useless. There was no in between for Aro. You were either a help or a liability.

Liabilities were not tolerated.

And what use did the Volturi have for Alec if he was human?

Standing a few feet away from her, Victoria seethed.

Jane was far less concerned for the redhead. She'd never held much respect for the woman. Too easily distracted by her baser instincts and only proficient at her recruitment job when she wasn't distracted, Jane had no sympathy for Victoria's downfall.

"Tell me again, sweet Jane, how is it that a mere newborn has left some of the best we have to offer in such a… State?" Aro inquired, his voice somewhere between menacing and genuinely curious. Marcus, as always, watched with a sense of utter and ancient apathy.

Caius, on the other hand, stared at them with open disgust. He watched the way Victoria's chest heaved with every breath with outright distaste.

Jane knew she would have to step carefully, watch every word she spoke, or this could go very badly, very quickly. There was no chance of lying your way out of a predicament with Aro. Only twisting the truth in your favor.

"She had powers we were unaware of," Jane replied cautiously.

"Ah… And what powers would those be? Clearly we were right to identify her as a threat as she has obviously developed the ability to transform us back into a state of inferiority. Correct me if I'm wrong, dear Jane, but it looks as if her powers are exactly as we surmised, or are Victoria and Alec not standing before us now as humans?"

The word was spit from his mouth like something vile. Aro always appeared calm and amiable enough, but beneath his outward exterior, Jane knew he was absolutely vicious and cruel. The Volturi as a whole considered humans little more than slightly intelligent cattle, fit for nothing more than sex and slaughter. Physically and mentally the majority of humans were weaker than any vampire by miles.

To have him look at Alec like that made Jane extremely anxious.

"She has another gift. Some kind of power of force and nullification," Jane said quickly, not missing the way several of the royal guards were lurking close by, watching, waiting for any order that might be given.

Aro furrowed his brow but it was Caius that spoke.

"Force? Nullification? Explain," he demanded, standing swiftly and stalking forward to stand beside Aro on the raised platform that held their thrones.

"Is she a shield of some kind?" Marcus rasped in his old voice, but remained seated. He sounded as if he didn't care either way, but was only confused. Marcus was the oldest in the room and Jane suspected he was just waiting to die instead of living a life of immortality anymore. "But you three are well equipped in dealing with shields, knowing Sulpicia so well…"

"She's not a shield!" Victoria snapped angrily, taking a step forward.

Caius's eyes flashed and Aro's narrowed.

Jane wished abruptly that Bella had bothered to kill Victoria. She was inciting a dangerous temper in Caius and if she confused the situation too much, Aro would execute all three of them. Jane knew by the look on Caius's face that he was angered that Victoria even dared to speak, considering she was human now.

Victoria must have sensed that because she hurried to clarify.

"She's something more than that. No shield I've ever heard of can do what she did. She literally sent us flying through the air, and by the time I'd made it to my feet I knew whatever she'd done had cut off my gift of persuasion," Victoria elaborated.

"When Jane, Omi and I fought Jasper, I couldn't desensitize him. I think I caught the worst of the initial attack because I could hardly even get my bearings enough to fight," Alec added.

Jane internally grimaced. It was an idiotic thing to say, to make himself look the weakest. Weakness had no place in the Volturi. They both needed to shut up and let her do the talking.

"And explain to me again, how a single vampire was able to hold his own against both you, your sister, and Omi?" Aro held his hands out with his head cocked, as if truly mystified.

"I think Omi was confused and scared and also weakened by the attack on our senses. Neither Alec nor I could use our powers and the blonde one is an incredible fighter. I'm certain he is better than any fighter we have," Jane jumped in, knowing this situation was getting worse and worse by the looks on their faces.

"So you're telling us that young Bella Swan, a newborn foal barely capable of standing on her own two feet, is the single reason four of our strongest were defeated like common rabble?" Caius scoffed.

"It wasn't just her. The blonde one is no pushover and Alice, the little whore joined in! It's not like the little brat beat us all on her own! We were caught unprepared!" Victoria burst out angrily.

"You should never be caught unprepared!" Caius snarled back.

"We're not the ones that can predict the future, Alice is, remember?" Victoria responded irately.

"If Sulpicia had done her job, Bella wouldn't have been able to do anything in the first place!"

Jane closed her eyes for a moment to hold in the strong urge to strangle the redhead. Every time she opened her mouth, she dug them deeper into this hole. And arguing with Caius and Sulpicia? Did she want to die?

If anyone respected Sulpicia even the slightest bit more, she would have.

Sulpicia, perched on the arm of Aro's throne, stirred at this. Her mind often wandered far away. She cared so little for life that she rivaled Marcus on occasion. Everyone knew her marriage to Aro was not consensual. She was there purely for his protection, for her shielding powers were great indeed, but was considered little more than his puppet.

"As I've told you a thousand times, I was blocking everyone in that clearing. If her powers were capable of being shielded, they would have been. Somehow they got through," she stated in her soft voice, red eyes piercing Victoria.

"That's not our fault!" Victoria retorted angrily.

"But you defeated sweet Alice on your own, even weakened as you were by Isabella's powers, did you not?" Aro demanded, his voice rising and cutting off whatever Caius was about to say, thankfully, which probably would have been something along the lines of 'Off with their heads!'

Yet it was never good if Aro was the one raising his voice. She felt Alec tense beside her, and Victoria flinched slightly. The redhead licked her lips and nodded slowly, now uncertain, as if only just now realizing the foolishness of her outburst.

"And so then who was the one who defeated you, Victoria?" Caius sneered. "Because Jasper was otherwise occupied with the rest of your incapable lot. Who was it you said managed to sink her filthy teeth into you?"

Victoria was caught in a web she'd unintentionally woven for herself. Caius was relentless.

"Answer!" he barked and Jane barely kept herself from jumping.

Stupid whore, shut your mouth for once in your life! Jane thought furiously as Alec flinched beside her.

Victoria's pride had no place in the Volturi. You either obeyed authority or you were disposed of. Jane had no intentions of being disposed of because Victoria couldn't control herself.

"Bella," Victoria replied through clenched teeth. "But-"

"There is no but! You all failed spectacularly and now stand before us, all but Jane now human. Humans! You allowed a single newborn to turn you into humans! You had one goal and that was to eliminate the girl before she could do exactly what she did, and that is to harm the Volturi by turning them into filth. We should execute all three of you where you stand-"

"Enough," Aro held a hand out before Caius, halting his rant before it could really get going. If Caius's wrath was allowed free reign, there was no telling what could happen.

This was bad. Jane knew it deep in her bones. Her concern for her brother skyrocketed at the look in Aro's eyes. He was calculating what to do, compassionless, as he always did. What would benefit the Volturi the most from here on out? How would they be punished for failing so badly?

Jane cursed Bella Swan for the thousandth time.

"There is nothing to be done for it," Aro sighed softly after a long moment, and Caius threw him a mutinous, disbelieving look.

"What's done is done," Aro went on, ignoring him. "We underestimated Isabella Swan and the Cullens. It is a sad fact, and a mistake we will never make again. That mistake will be rectified. We cannot allow a coven the size of the Cullens to survive after so blatantly not only disobeying the Volturi, but attacking us. Others will think us vulnerable, less than invincible, and we cannot allow that. The world of our kind will surely fall apart if we are seen as attackable, if the only form of justice our kind has is undermined. We will eradicate the Cullens, and the threat that is Isabella Swan."

"Something we should have done long ago," Caius muttered. "They have long shown flagrance for our laws, revealing themselves so carelessly. It's no wonder the Swan girl has become what she has…"

"I was blinded by my friendship with Carlisle. I believed them convincible. I take responsibility for that. However," Aro said with a clear warning in his voice for Caius.

There was no secret that Aro was the one who truly held the power and control here, a fact Caius was being reminded of. He looked away immediately, knowing his place.

"I know better now. I'd still prefer to capture Alice alive, but if it proves to be too much of a bother, she will be executed as well. We will begin planning immediately. For now, however, we have two very obvious problems that must be taken care of…"

Aro trailed away and Jane tensed. It was obvious what he was talking about.

Victoria and Alec.

This would be the deciding moment.

"There are no humans allowed in the Volturi," Marcus rasped needlessly.

Shut the fuck up, you old bastard, Jane thought furiously, her eyes flickering back and forth worriedly between Aro and Caius.

She saw it then. Aro was going to have Alec killed. They had no need for humans in the Volturi, and releasing him was not an option. Right then, she knew Alec was little more than a heavy liability. A liability who had failed at his job.

And he was going to die for it.

Not Alec!

"It might be reversible!" Jane blurted in a moment of panic when Aro glanced at a few of the royal guards and Alec stiffened as Victoria hissed in a breath.

There was a tense moment's pause, in which the guards glanced at Aro and he held up a hand, signaling them to wait. Aro stared down at them with a familiar curiosity in his eyes.

"I'll admit, I'm very curious to know the extent of this change. It seems permanent, as opposed to when Isabella Swan was human…" Aro mused. "But perhaps the process may be reversed…"

"Perhaps," Caius echoed, staring down at them with upper lip curled slightly.

"It's worth testing. I know he failed you, but you sent Alec for a reason. He is one of our most gifted," Jane said quickly, sensing the opening and knowing she had to capitalize fast, else all might be lost. She ignored the way Victoria glared at her for only protecting Alec.

Jane didn't give a shit about her. The thought of losing Alec was suddenly real, suddenly right there, and it honestly terrified her.

Alec was all she had left. She couldn't lose him. She couldn't.

Not Alec, she thought desperately, eyes beseeching Aro. Anyone but Alec.

"My dear Jane, are you actually expressing affection for someone?" Aro said with an amused grin. Several people in the room laughed. Caius scoffed. Marcus just sighed.

As if he was one to talk. As if any of them were. Jane and Alec were probably the only two people in the whole place who gave a damn about anyone but themselves, even if it was only each other.

She felt Alec's hand brush hers and knew he was grateful. She smelled the fear on him, was disgusted by how good his blood smelled, running through full veins. She wanted to bite him herself and it made her sick; but at least he was alive this way. At least he was still with her.

It was the only saving grace Bella Swan would have, when Jane exacted her revenge; that she had not killed Alec. It had earned her death -painful death, but death nonetheless— instead of a century of endless torture.

"Very well then," Aro gestured dismissively. "Out of respect to your years of loyalty and service, Victoria, Alec, we will see if it is possible to restore you two to a more… Appropriate state."

She felt Alec relax just slightly next to her, and heard his breath slide out slowly in relief.

"Who would like to do the honors of-"

"I will," Victoria butt in before Aro could even finish speaking. She jumped forward without hesitation, excitement in her eyes. Victoria loathed being human more than anything else in the entire world. Jane was sure she was eager to get back at Bella for turning her into this weak thing. Alec looked like he wanted to protest but Jane grabbed the back of his shirt, warning him off.

There was no telling what would happen when they attempted to reverse the process. If it went wrong, Jane didn't want it to happen to Alec.

Aro smiled slightly as Caius sneered.

"I thought as much," Aro said mildly. "Very well, Victoria. I'm sure the pain of the transformation will not deter you?"

Victoria shook her head vehemently and a moment later, Aro had gestured for one of the guards to approach her. The man did so and gripped Victoria by the chin, pushing her face out of the way. Victoria didn't resist in the slightest. Jane could see her chest rising and falling faster, desperate to lose her humanity and reclaim immortality.

Watching them, Jane had a sinking feeling in her gut. Isabella Swan's powers had proven to be more than any of them had ever known or seen, and they'd lived for quite a long time. They had no idea how far those powers could go.

Jane had a horrible gut feeling that it was too far to come back from.

"Let us see if this process is, indeed, reversible," Aro spoke. "Bite her."

The whole room watched raptly as the guard sank his fangs deep into Victoria's throat. Victoria gasped, grinning madly, ready to reclaim her former glory.

A moment later she screamed.

It had been expected; becoming a vampire was quite possibly the most painful thing a person could experience, save maybe Jane's powers. Screaming was the norm.

What was not expected, however, was for the guard to rear back and gasp with disgust, before hacking out some nasty black and red goop.

Even more unexpected was the fact that Victoria's skin began to turn black. Rapidly.

And she screamed and screamed and screamed. Victoria fell to her knees, clawing at her arms as if bugs crawled all over, drawing lines of blood to the surface of her darkening skin. When Jane gazed into her mouth she saw that even her tongue was blackening.

Horrified, Jane grimaced when she looked into Victoria's face and watched the whites of her eyes fill with the color of pitch, consuming the greens of her irises. Her chest was spasming and some thick viscous black fluid spewed from her mouth, dripped from her eyes and ears.

A moment later Victoria collapsed sideways, her scream dying without warning into dead silence. The sound of her face hitting the floor was wet and turned Jane's stomach. The smell of blood and something sickly sweet hung heavy on the air, something burnt and dead.

Around Victoria a spreading pool of black and red grew from her face. Her skin was the color of tar. She looked as if someone had burned her alive.

She was dead.

It had happened in less than thirty seconds. Everyone was too stunned to speak.

"Well," Aro said into the eerie, awkward silence. "That was… Unexpected."

Jane had to tear her eyes away from Victoria's corpse. The smell was making her want to retch. It was nearly enough to put her off blood.

Put her. A vampire. Off of blood.

A hysterical part of Jane wanted to laugh.

"It's not reversible," Caius stated darkly a moment later, and that snapped Jane out of it.

It's not reversible, her mind echoed as her eyes whipped towards Aro.

Which meant Alec couldn't be changed back.

Which meant he was a liability.

And liabilities weren't tolerated.

"I'm deeply sorry, Alec. Your powers were greatly appreciated. You will be missed," Aro sighed regretfully, and then gestured to the guards.

Alec stiffened and Jane gasped.

"No!" she cried.

I can't lose him! Not Alec! NO!

"Don't bite him," the guard that had bitten Victoria warned, still coughing and spitting, face contorted. "My mouth is on fire. God, that was disgusting."

In that delirious, desperate moment, Jane decided to fight. She'd rather die than let them take Alec. No fucking way. This wretched world wasn't worth living in without her brother beside her.

The first guard that approached Alec went down yelling in pain, but a second later two arms wrapped around her and she was lifted off her feet as a hand covered her eyes, blocking her power.

"Jane, do not be childish. I do not want to lose three Volturi in one day!" she heard Aro snap as she kicked and struggled.

She thrashed in the arms holding her, blinded, silent and furious. She let out an incomprehensible cry of frustration and terror.

No, no, no. They can't take my brother. He's all I have. Please, no!

"Jane, stop."

It was Alec. His voice cracked when he spoke and cut Jane to the core, hit a place inside of her she didn't even know still existed. It made her whole body go numb and fall limp.

"Alec-no, please-" she gasped.

"Don't fight it, sister. I understand. Don't do anything stupid, please. I love you dearly."

"No-No! No!" Jane shrieked and resumed kicking. Damn her small stature! She was useless without her powers!

"Alec!"

"I love you, Jane. Goodb-"

Crack.

Jane froze at the sound that cut her brother off.

It was the unmistakable sound of a neck snapping.

The hand blinding her was removed and she was dropped unceremoniously back to her feet.

And at her feet lay the dead body of her brother.

Jane stared down at Alec's body; lips parted slightly, heart sliding down into her stomach, hands trembling. Alec gazed lifelessly back up at her, blue eyes dull.

"Sorry," someone said.

Jane looked up to see the guard that had killed him rubbing the back of his neck.

"Didn't mean to cut him off. He was being chatty though. Had to get things done, ya know?" the man grunted.

Common sense was the only thing that stopped Jane from setting him on fire with her eyes. He ignored the murderous look on her face and chuckled before stepping away as Aro approached her suddenly, hand outstretched.

Jane didn't move. She was too shocked to do anything.

He's gone. Alec's gone. My brother is dead.

They killed him.

After all he'd done for them, they'd disposed of him like taking out the trash.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Aro said softly, cupping her cheek lightly. His palm was ice cold even on Jane's cool skin. "Alec will be missed. But I assure you, you will be given ample opportunity to exact justice upon his killers. When the time comes, you will have full rights to Isabella Swan's life."

Jane just stared into his soulless red eyes, numb.

"Come now Jane, I know you are grieving, but it's only polite to thank your superiors when they give you a gift," Aro smiled sweetly, his hand dropping away.

He might as well have spit on her brother's corpse.

A corpse he made.

If he had kept his hand there a moment later, he would have seen the newest thoughts forming in Jane's mind, seen the fiery hatred filling her entire soul.

"Thank you," Jane breathed, schooling her face into something emotionless, cold. Her usual expression.

Aro clapped his hands together and beamed.

"Excellent! Now that all this unpleasant business is settled, we can get down to the real issue at hand. Someone clean this mess up. That body reeks. We've got plans to form, things to discuss…"

Jane was no longer listening. She stared holes into Aro's back as he walked away, jabbering, and imagined the moment when she would be able to unleash the full force of her power upon him.

Oh yes, she was going to exact justice on her brother's killers. Already she was forming plans of her own, dark and murderous.

"Jane? Are you coming?" Caius called her snottily.

Jane gave him a faint smile.

"Of course."

Jane stepped over her brother's dead body and followed after them.