Was all lost?
I wondered as I watched in horror as Jane—who apparently had the power to torment him somehow—crept toward Damien.
"No!"
I heard a scream.
Everyone's head—except Damien's—turned to look at me.
I realized I was the one who'd shrieked.
I snapped back into reality, reeling through ideas and ideas in my head trying to come up with a solution to saving him.
"Aro," Carlisle said calmly, "Let's just wait a minute."
Edward then chimed in, "What exactly has he done wrong?"
Caius snarled in impatience.
"We sent him," Aro said motioning toward Damien, "To either bring Morgan back to the Volturi to be added to the guard. Otherwise, kill her. We can't have someone with that power used against us if the time of war was upon us."
"He never said I had to join the guard!" I said.
Aro scrutinized my face.
"Prisoner?" Aro said, allowing Damien to speak.
"I know you'd never agree to that, Morgan. But I couldn't kill you." He said softly.
"What is my so called 'special' power, anyway?" I demanded.
Aro eyed me, wondering if I was telling the truth.
"You don't know?"
I wanted to laugh at him. I resisted the urge.
Obviously. I thought.
"No…" I said slowly.
"We've been monitoring you, Morgan through Damien. You have the power—even though it hasn't reached its maximum peak of power yet—of interrogation. If you ask someone any question or demand something of them, they must obey. It won't always work since its new, but it won't be faulty."
My eyes grew round. Sure, sure. I of all people get the boring power?
I thought.
But… that's why Jane acted so uncomfortable when I ask her things in the apartment room.
"Now can we get on with the punishment?" Caius demanded.
Think!
I had to do something! Anything! Just something enough to ensure his freedom.
"Wait." I said, suddenly, I had an epiphany.
"Yes?" Caius growled, glaring at me.
As if daring me to answer.
"If I agree to join the guard, will Damien go without punishment?"
"An interesting notion…" Aro said contemplating.
"What do you think, Caius?" Aro asked.
"I still want the brute to suffer." He said coldly.
"But," Aro said deep in thought, "That could work. Very nice proposition, Morgan." He commented, smiling slyly.
I looked at Damien who was staring at the floor.
Anything for him.
I wanted to reach out to him, but who knew what would set the Volturi off.
I saw Edward grin slightly from the corner of my eye.
"Okay, Morgan." Aro said deciding.
I looked at Esme and Alice's pained faces.
Edward, I thought, after they leave; please tell them I'm sorry.
He looked at me, his face understanding.
"Come, Morgan, to your new life." Aro said smiling broadly at me. Getting what he wants.
I took a step forward. I turned quickly and looked at my—as much as it pained me to say or think it—former family.
"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. Staying with you was probably the best time of my life. I must leave, though so he…he can be okay. I'd do anything for him. But, once again, thank you so much. I'm so sorry I have to leave so abruptly like this." I said sadly.
"No, thank you, dear." Esme said, smiling.
"No matter what happens, you'll always be my sister." Alice said, softly.
"Thank you."
I could tell that Emmett, Jasper, and Edward weren't going to say anything, so I just smiled at them.
I wasn't sure about Rosalie or Carlisle.
"I agree with Alice." Rosalie murmured.
"You're always welcome to visit." Carlisle added with sad eyes.
"Goodbye…" I whispered.
I turned around and stepped toward the Volturi.
Was this my destiny?
To leave the family I had gotten to know so well?
Did it have to end this way?
I took my final step and took my place beside Aro.
"Carlisle, why doesn't your family stay at Volterra? To help Morgan adjust?" Aro said with a sickeningly smile.
Was he trying to gloat at them?
What kind of sick narcissistic joke was he?
"Why not?" Carlisle said, returning his look with a glare.
I saw Alice look at Jane and then at Alec.
"Alright then!" Aro said, happily clapping his hands together.
"Get on with you jobs everyone." Marcus said.
I looked at him, surprised that he'd finally spoken.
He didn't see my look and I quickly turned around.
I rushed to Damien who was now sitting in a chair, a angry expression on his face.
"Damien?" I asked quietly.
He looked up at me brusquely.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" he whispered.
"What?" I asked, sitting next to him.
"Any idea?" he repeated staring at the ground in shock.
"What do you mean?"
"You've basically just sealed your own death. Aro doesn't care what happens to you." He said hastily. "You should not have done that for me. I don't deserve it. It doesn't matter what happens to me, Morgan, as long as you're alright. But, you cannot stay here. You have to get out of here as soon as possible."
"How will we both be able to go back?" I asked.
I stopped examining his face. He glared back at me. I continued anyway.
"I won't go back without you, Damien. In fact, I refuse."
He exhaled sharply and turned to face me directly.
"Don't you understand? When he doesn't need you, Aro will dispose of you like you didn't even matter."
I stood up.
"I have to do something." I said quietly.
I walked to the room I saw Aro disappear from.
"Aro?" I said, entering.
"Yes?" he asked.
I saw him staring at a painting.
The room was small, enough to be a small child's bedroom, with red walls and burgundy trimming.
I stood beside him, looking at the painting he was absorbed by.
It was a square in a marketplace with people busying about their lives and buying things.
"May I ask you a question?" I said quietly.
"Of course." He answered.
"Damien…is there some way…some way at all that he can pay you back somehow…but we can go back and live with the Cullens?"
He stood silent, thinking.
"Possibly." He said.
"Do you really not want to live here? You only agreed for his sake?" He asked.
I smiled at the floor.
"I'm sorry, but yes."
"I knew it." He said, grinning.
"I think I may. But, you have to vow something to me, Morgan."
I was shocked. I didn't think he'd let us go that easily.
But knowing him, the condition may be pretty big.
"For one thing, you can never use your power against the Volturi. If that happens, I'm sorry to say, you will die." He said.
"Why would you let us go so easily?" I whispered, amazed.
"I really wouldn't want to keep anyone here especially if they didn't want to be. They may serve a problem." He said slowly.
"I see."
"I'll go tell him. You stay here." Aro said, moving out the door and into the main room.
I stood in silence, staring at the painting and its features.
In the corner, I noticed was a shady figure with a dark, swirling cloak on.
Was this painting...of the Volturi?
Was it an embelum of some sort?
The door opened.
I looked and saw Damien there, an apologetic look on his face.
He pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead.
"I'll never let you go, Morgan." He said softly.
I smiled at him.
"Come on. Let's go tell them." I said, meaning the Cullens.
I saw Alice in the hall, admiring the architecture of the corridor.
"Alice?" I asked.
She turned and grinned at me.
"I already know. I saw it. But I decided not to tell anyone." She said.
"Where's everyone else?" I asked.
"They're with Aro, Caius, and Marcus." She answered, grinning at Damien.
He smiled back at her.
"Let's go then." I said.
Alice nodded and followed me.
"Carlisle?" I asked, stepping into a blindingly white room.
"Morgan!" Esme said, pulling me into a hug.
Edward grinned at me.
Carlisle smiled.
"We know." He said.
Emmett and Jasper smiled as well.
Rosalie—I had just realized—had her arms wrapped around me as well.
Emmett playfully punched Damien.
"Welcome to the family, bro." He grinned.
Damien smiled.
"Let's go home then! Now!" Alice said excitedly.
"Let's." Carlisle said.
I took Damien's hand in mine and looked once back at the Volturi.
"Thank you, Aro." I said to him.
He smiled at me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Yeah! And we were all like, 'Really?'"
We were in the living room of our house back in Forks.
Finally home. I thought.
I was sitting on Damien's lap.
Emmett was telling Edward about Alice's vision. He was the second to know when I was allowed to come back with them since he read my thoughts.
"That's er...real nice Emmett." Edward said, patting him on the back.
"Shut up, Ed." Emmett said, laughing.
Jasper grinned.
All in all, a happy ending.
Who knew what held in store for the Cullens, Damien, and I in the future?
Only time would tell.
But, I was enjoying the moment.
Our little piece of forever.