Chapter XI
Past

We soon began making many turns and I gathered we were nearly to Maria's. We pulled up to the Yellow Rose Hotel, and Carlisle used their valet parking. We stepped out of the car and into the hotel lobby. Jasper walked through the lobby with Carlisle and me to the hotel entrance. Through the clear glass doors we could see a large three story home, it's exterior was red brick and the fenced yard was wild and teeming with cactus. It looked very unwelcoming, or perhaps it was just my mindset.

Jasper pushed his hands deep into his pockets and glared at the house opposite, "I'll wait. You call if I'm needed. If I see or feel anything..."

Carlisle nodded, his hand on Jasper's arm, "I understand, I'll call son." Carlisle cupped Jasper's shoulder firmly. They exchanged a meaningful look and then Carlisle stepped through the door. Jasper turned from Carlisle to me, and adopted an unconvincing smile. I reached up and laid a hand over where his heart would have been beating, if it were still capable. "Don't Jasper, it's okay. Thank you." He pulled one hand out of it's pocket and placed it over mine, pressing gently. His smile became more genuine.

"Be careful Bella. You're going to be a strong temptation for Maria. Get in, get Edward and get out! Carlisle will bring Alice back to me." He released my hand as I nodded, and I dropped it to my side. As I turned, Jasper returned his hand to his pocket and went back to glaring at the house across the street.

I pushed the door open and stepped out with Carlisle. As we walked out from under the awning the rain fell on our heads. I chuckled at the luck that had covered Texas with clouds on a day we were visiting.

Carlisle and I crossed the street and walked up to the front door. Carlisle's face was etched with worry, I couldn't remember ever seeing such a look on his face before. He raised his hand to knock, but the door slid open.

He'd have looked like the consumate butler if it hadn't been for his disturbingly red eyes, the perfect whiteness of his skin and the beauty of his otherwise common face. He looked directly at Carlisle paying no attention to me at all. "Miss Maria welcomes you, all visitors are required to bring their companions into the main hall. Please follow me." He turned and glided down the hall away from us. Carlisle and I stepped in, Carlisle held my elbow lightly, and we followed the butler down the hall.

Up until this moment, I'd had so many other things to consider, so many things to worry about. Now making my way down the hall, following Hell's butler, I realized my future would be decided based on what Carlisle and I were about to find. If Edward was successful then my life was over. If he'd failed, my future would be secured, providing we managed to make it out alive. I couldn't accept any other possibility than his being alive. If he was, would I have the strength to give him the tongue-lashing he deserved for going to extremes...again?

The butler paused before a door at the opposite end, and pulled it open for us. As we stepped into the doorway, I saw a room full of people, vampires mostly, but several confused looking human's as well. There was a set of chairs at one end, in one of them was a beautiful blonde vampire. She sat looking at two people before her, one was tiny, dark spiky hair - Alice. Next to her of course was Edward.

It was involuntary, I hadn't meant to, but I was so happy to see him, and see him alive, I couldn't help myself.

"Edward!" I called. Every pair of eyes in the room before us, including the beautiful blonde's were suddenly looking directly at me.

Edward's entire body convulsed, and he turned towards me, his eyes wide. He was across the room and at my side in a heartbeat, mine. His arms wrapped protectively around my waist. I closed my eyes and leaned into him, breathing in his scent, and felt his comforting arms. I enjoyed the hard muscles of his chest against my cheek. I heard the warning growl in his chest and opened my eyes to see the beautiful blonde vampire right in front of us.

"Who is this?" She looked at me like I was an appetizer.

"My fiance'." Edward said sharply. He didn't look at her, only staring into my eyes as he spoke. She looked astonished, but then moved her attention from me to Carlisle.

"And you" Carlisle looked at Edward, who answered her instead.

"This is my father Maria, Carlisle." Carlisle looked very stern. It was so unlike his usual pleasant manner I felt I was missing something.

"Carlisle..." she questioned, her eyes wide in disbelief, "Carlisle Cullen?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

I felt Edward tense as I watched Carlisle's face become wary, then suddenly Edward's body relaxed and I was shocked to hear him chuckle. I was turning my face up to him when a voice snarled from behind us and took my attention.

"Yah, and I'm his brother, and she's his sister, and we're all one big happy family. Any problem with that?" It was Emmett. he stood there looking at Maria, his expression terrifying.

Maria hissed behind me and she turned her eyes back to Alice, who had moved closer to us, but was still a little removed. Maria hissed through her teeth, "Then that makes you Alice-"

"My wife." Jasper's voice spoke from right next to me, cutting her off and startling me.

Maria's face turned back again so quickly it was like a light switch turning on, and off again.

Her voice was suddenly livid, she moved back to the area of the room with the chairs. She screamed so loud the walls shook. It was not musical or beautiful as the voices of my family's were. It was like the music of a metal bar crashing through glass. "OUT!" she cried. "Golden eyes, OUT! Never return wtih this traitor among you again!" she pointed at Jasper.

I realized Alice was beside Jasper holding his hand as Edward pushed me quickly through the door. Chaos erupted in the room behind us and it sounded to me as if everyone must be evacuating out behind us. Edward pulled me up into his arms, cradling me, and we were out the door before I'd done more than blink.

I glanced behind us and was surprised to find the hall empty. "I thought everyone was behind us." I said to Edward. He looked down at me, his expression one of disgust, "No they moved into the basement. We were quick enough not to hear them this time." I realized he was referring to Volterra and thought of the woman who had been frantically asking questions in another language as the doors had shut her in. I shuddered in Edward's arms.

Outside the front door, against the curb before us was a Suburban. Carlisle and Emmett looked at each other, Emmett shrugged, "You can't rent a jeep here."

Carlisle smirked, "Fine, let's get to the airport right now."

The rain was no more than a drizzle as we drove away and it looked like it might be clearing up on the horizon. Carlisle called the car rental office to inform them where their car was, and we were at the airport very quickly.

I remembered wondering if I'd have the strength to talk to him about everything, but as I looked at him, I knew I couldn't stay angry at him. Would I ever get accustomed to how beautiful he was? Still, I felt I should say something. Edward was still holding me tightly, I glared up at him and he shrugged back in confusion,

"What?" he asked.

"You really are going to have to stop assuming I'm dead, and check the details first. If you don't quit this, it's going to kill me!" I told him in a gruff tone. He laughed as we pulled up to the airport entrance.

We walked through to the counter at human speed, and Carlisle was just purchasing our tickets to Sea-Tac when I saw the setting sun peek below the clouds through a nearby window. It blinked out as it dropped quickly behind the horizon, and I turned back to Edward and found him exchanging a look with Jasper.

"You returned her to me Jasper, I don't know how you saved her, but my gratitude is eternal and complete." Jasper smiled widely at me, and then looked into Alice's eyes. As always, I felt mildly intrusive watching, but didn't shy away as he began speaking, "We are only whole with our soulmates." He turned to look Edward in the face. "You were only half for too long Edward, I think you understand what that means now."

Alice and I looked at each other and she said, "I'm so relieved you made it through all right Bella. I love having you as a sister. I knew it would work out." We hugged tightly.

Edward kissed me as he pulled me back against him again, and Carlisle turned and motioned in the direction we should go. Suddenly Rosalie said, "Alice, what is it?"

We all froze and looked at Alice. She and Jasper were standing with both hands clasped, facing each other, each staring into the other's eyes. Alice's expression refocused and she broke from Jasper's eyes to look over each of us, resting finally on Edward.

"Aro is alive, and he's decided to come to Forks, immediately."