I Dont own twilight or any of the characters

Thanks to my amazing beta Mrs. Nina Cullen!

also thank you to anyone who added me to their favorites! thank u for reading and enjoy!


Chapter 5

BPOV

There really could only be one reason why Jane had come here and I knew that. It was because of the arrangement I had made with Aro in order to live on my own with Carlisle. I refused to let him control me. While he knew there weren't hardly any vampires that could get to me he knew I had people I loved who I'd risk everything to protect. Aro knew this, so he manipulated his way into my existence, he made me serve on the guard rather I wanted to or not. I started to remember the day when I had made the condemning deal.....

Carlisle and I had been on the run for almost 15 years. After 20 years with them I was strong enough that no one could take us down. Demetri couldn't track us because of my gift, so it had been quite awhile since Aro had used usual means of tracking and was proving to be quite bad at it. We were settling into the community of New York when he made his appearance. We were posing as the town doctor and wife haling from England. We often played a married couple before Esme because it was just easier to do. If we were simply related, people had questions as to why neither of us would get involved. Carlisle was out on a house call when I detected them outside of the house. I smelt them first, then I absorbed several gifts, I knew that collection of this many gifted vampires could only mean one thing, they had found us. I tried to run, but Felix caught up with me right outside the house, they had me completely surrounded. They all but drug me back to the house where they waited. Aro and Caius had come; I knew why they didn't bring Marcus. With my time with Volturi Marcus and I grew extremely close. He, Carlisle and I spent most of our time together. Marcus thought that what happened with Garrett was unfair. But he couldn't deter his brothers. Marcus also had questions if his brothers had anything to do with his mates' death. He knew what that could do to a person and with his gift and seeing the bonds between people; he knew that Garret and I had been, mates. So he helped us escape and I'm sure had been helping us ever since. I always hoped they never knew the extent of our relationship with him, but they knew something was there, and if they were here to put me to death that surely wouldn't sit well with him.

I looked up into six sets of burgundy eyes, Aro, Caius, Demetri, Jane, Renata, and Chelsea. And of course Felix who was holding me so tightly I thought my limbs were already going to break off.

"Oh, dear Isabella, we have searched for you. So how have you been?" he asked in that overly pleasant voice. This was one of things I hated most about Aro. Not his viciousness or his callousness but his false attitude. I wasn't playing his games; I knew that if I made it out of this alive I was going to owe him something.

"I'm not playing games Aro, what do you want from me?" I looked him directly in the eye, my stomach rolling at the number of lives he must have taken in his lifetime.

"Child, are you cross with me? Because I assure you I don't want anything more than what you promised me." He looked straight back into my eyes. I knew the connotations to the statement.

"I agreed to be on your guard because I feared you when I was a newborn not because I wished to. And I no longer fear you. If your want is to kill me, then so do it." I knew that if this was his intention, it was only a matter of time till I was burning ash in the woods. Aro made a bone chilling laugh.

"Well see what is the use in that? I don't know if you know this dear Bella but I need you. You are extremely strong with your gift and an excellent fighter, just how I made you. Now I know you don't fear me, really you could kill me right now, if Felix wasn't holding on to you, I'm aware of that. But your not aware of, is, the people I can hurt to hurt you." He let the statement of his words sink in. Before he continued in the same pleasant conversational tone.

"It's all quite simple. Do you know where your beloved Carlisle is right now?" he raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. I noticed that Jane and Caius shared a look before they both broke out into devious grins. I felt my stomach hit the floor, they had him. I just knew deep inside of me. The only person I had left in this world was in the hands of the absolute monsters standing before me. I thrashed against Felix finally I was able to get close enough to Jane that I fully absorbed her gift. Making everyone in the room squirm with pain, I quit harassing them and let them go from their torture. It really was a mistake to bring her.

"Where is he?" I stood alone in the middle of our small house as they all lay helpless on the ground recovering from my attack.

"Oh Bella dear, I can't tell you that. It would ruin all the fun we're having." I turned my gaze onto Aro. Ready to absorb his gift, and soon enough I could hear his thoughts. But he was one step ahead of me as he was reciting the Volturi oath in my head. He stopped suddenly and looked at me....

I know you can hear me Isabella; I'll make this quite simple. I'll go on and let you live your life of denying what you really are, if you will come to me when I need you.

"Never, you will not control my life." Felix had recovered and was now blocking the door. I knew someone in this room knew where he was. I was about to turn my gaze onto all of them when Aro's voice rang in my head.

It wouldn't be a lot, you know that we rarely have trouble with somebody we can't contain but sometimes the gifted ones give us trouble and that's where you come in. I promise I'll leave all those you care about alone just fulfill your duty when I call.

I had no idea what to do. I knew for a fact that really the Volturi unless a war was raging which wasn't often was called upon maybe every decade. I was listening intently to his thoughts as he once again blocked me out with reciting some sort of code before an image flashed in his mind. It was of Carlisle lying in the woods completely helpless because the person who loomed over was the demon child Alec. Alec could completely incapacitate you. No use of any of your senses just black nothingness. I knew he was showing me, to show me just how easily he could kill my father. Reluctantly I knew there was really only one way to get Carlisle out alive.

"Fine Aro, I'll accept your offer but I'll have you know. That if you go back on your word I wont hesitate to kill you, weather it costs me my life or not." with that Aro disclosed Carlisle's location in his head, and I ran out of the house to save the only thing I had in my entire existence.

I looked back at Jane and I knew why they sent her. They did it to remind me that although I was to strong for her to hurt. That there were plenty of people she could destroy. She stared back at me with a slight smirk on her face. She knew everyone in the room feared her as they should. During our stare off the front door slammed with more force than necessary. I looked up to see Esme, Rosalie and Jasper walking into the room. A low growl started emanating from Jasper the moment his eyes caught site of Jane. I knew he didn't like her being this close to his wife. And in the blink of an eye Alice was at his side. Emmett went to join Rosalie. Which left me standing in front of Jane alone like I'd always would be. Before I could see what was happening Carlisle and Esme had joined me. And we all stared at Jane ready for the information she brought. We stared into the true face of our kind, we may pretend not to be monsters, but the monster before us embraced it. We can try and run from what we are for eternity but lurking in the shadows is the truth.

EPOV

The rest of the school day after the incident with Isabella was quite uneventful. I still had no idea what to do about the fact I couldn't read her thoughts. Mike was right from what I had observed the Cullens were very strange. They were quiet and all kept to themselves. I was walking to the other side of the school to meet Mike when I caught sight of most likely my only salvation in this town the music room. The instruments were scarce; I could tell that if a band existed it was limited. But sitting on the platform was a piano. I walked inside and I could tell whoever controlled this room had already left. I didn't think they would mind if I just played with it a little bit. I sat down and started checking to see if it was tuned and it was. It had been 2 months since I had gotten to play a piano. My fingers were itching with anticipation. I started into the notes of one of my favorite melodies. I had played it with the symphony before. I was completely lost in the music that when I finished and looked I realized I had been in here 20 minutes. Mike was probably pissed or had left me. But when I got up to get my things I heard a voice in the doorway.

"That was absolutely beautiful" the woman said. She looked to be in her mid-twenties. With long blonde hair, she was dressed casually in khakis and a green polo. I smiled at her and continued to gather up my bag and Bella's. She had forgotten to grab it.

"Um thank you Mrs....?" I trailed off with a question. Because I didn't think it'd be proper to call her mam considering she was maybe 5 years older than me.

"Oh please call me Cindy. Cindy Danson, I'm the music teacher here, how long have you been playing? Your work was absolutely beautiful. I don't think I'm familiar with that particular piece." I had gathered my bags and was just standing across from her. I knew Mike had either left or was extremely annoyed. I just hadn't talked music with anyone since I left that I almost didn't care if I had to walk home in the rain.

"I have played since I was about 5, and I was with the children's symphony for 7 years. And um I composed that piece." I ducked my head because I really hated the attention that you got when you said something like that.

"Oh my, well it was beautiful, well anytime you want come play for us please do. Really the band uses this room. Then the elementary school uses it once a week for the kids and I teach them. But please come and play anytime you want." She moved her hand to show what she meant. I didn't know how I felt about promising myself to anything. Even though I knew I wanted nothing more than to play.

"Thank you I'll keep that in mind but I must be going, nice to meet you." She mumbled her goodbyes. And I made my way out of the room toward a, probably, very upset mike. Considering school got out 30 minutes ago. I made my way to the student lot. I looked around and didn't see Mike's suburban. I really honestly didn't think he'd leave me, but it appeared he had.

"Well there you are." I whipped around to see whose voice that was when my eyes landed upon Jessica.

"Oh hey where's mike?" I asked bewildered.

"Mike has to be at football at 3:30. He was gunna run you home and then come back. But since you were so late he asked me to take you home." she explained all while simultaneously popping her gum. Jessica was really very sweet but had some very annoying habits. I said okay and we made our way to her little white car. She talked the entire way home. I mean the entire way, no deep breaths, no pauses nothing just the sound of her voice. Right before my head really did blow up; we pulled up in front of my house. When I remembered I had something to ask her.

"Hey Jess, um do you know where the Cullen's live? I still have Bella's bag from biology and I wouldn't want her to worry if she needs it" she gave me a puzzled and little bit of an agitated look before nodding her head and taking a deep sigh.

"Yeah, you go down the main road and there's this little bitty turn off. I had to go there once to welcome them with my mom but your uncle should have better directions as I'm sure he's made a delivery 2 or there from his store." She said in an extremely down voice for her. I could tell her normal mood was bothered by something.

"Oh okay, thanks for driving me home. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh and it was great seeing you again Jess." I gave a crooked smile to show how much I really appreciated her politeness. Most people thought I was odd and I had come to find out didn't really want much to do with me where as Jessica and Mike had always acted like they enjoyed my company.

"No problem Edward. Good to see you too. Bye" she gave a small wave but obviously still upset about something. She turned down on the corner to make way to her house behind mine. I took a deep breath ready to enter the house to my most likely very eager parents. I made my way up the little walk way and opened the door. Only to be welcomed with complete silence, huh that's odd. I dropped my bags off in the foyer and went into the living room. Hm still nothing, I decided to go check the other floor for everyone but found nobody. What did my family get kidnapped or something. I walked into the kitchen the only room I hadn't checked to see my Uncle Jim at the table reading a newspaper. I didn't say anything but he looked up and almost jumped out of his chair when he saw me.

"My God Edward, you could kill a person. When did you get home? I haven't heard anything." He looked at me still somewhat shocked.

"Oh just a moment ago, I checked all the other rooms. I just don't like to walk in yelling." I said. Conversation between us was always awkward because neither of us liked to talk. So it was always somewhat forced.

"Oh, well you parents are gone scoping things out. Trying to get a feel for maybe a house or job, and your aunt is at work." He said and then averted his eyes back to his newspaper. He had a struggled expression like he was silently debating with himself about something. He made a deep sigh and then abruptly folded up the newspaper and turned to me as I was still standing awkwardly in the kitchen doorway.

"So um how was school?" he looked somewhat uncomfortable, which I understood conversations make me uncomfortable too. Especially I'm sure with your strange nephew who never talks and stays a good 10 feet from everyone else. At least I know I'm weird.

"It was good, just your normal first day procedure."

"Oh that's good" he got up and emptied his glass in the sink. A silence fell over the room as neither of us really enjoyed talking. I was about to leave when I remembered what Jessica had said. "Hey Uncle Jim would you know how to direct me to the Cullen place?" he paused and took a deep breath in before he turned around to face me he had a perplexed look on his face.

"Uh... I guess so but I have to ask why in the world you want to go there?" he looked dumbfounded. I guess it was odd on my first day wanting to go to some random person's house. But I got the suspicious feeling it was more than that.

"Actually Bella Cullen got sick in biology and left her bag. Do you not like the Cullen's or something?" I really didn't want to beat around the bush. I was in no mood to take to figure out what his problem was. Hell if all else failed I could just touch him. Although I think it'd be the wrong moment for a hug. I still wanted to know. He was fidgeting and fumbling with his hands in his pockets.

"No, it s just they're strange and give me the creeps. I don't know how to explain it, but I've met them on more than one occasion and they're all nice but just weird. And poor Mike has been desperately trying to get one of those girl's attention for years. But I've never seen them at any of the football games, or in the local diners. They give no one in this town a second glance. They are just weird and I don't know I would hate to think that your going to put yourself in such a hopeless situation as Mike has." He stopped talking abruptly and went back to rinsing his coffee mug out and I suppose to do the little bit dishes in the sink, most likely to avoid speaking to me any further. I was so shocked I think that was the longest time I'd ever heard him speak. I will admit once again that they are strange but I just didn't get creeped out by them. Well maybe the big one, he was pretty scary, but still for Uncle Jim to openly express such concern was a little bit unsettling.

"No its nothing like that I just want to take the girl her bag. So can you tell me how to get there?" I asked trying to sound indifferent. I wanted nothing more than to be around Bella Cullen. I had never found anyone that I couldn't read there thoughts. And I was just drawn to her. I wanted to see her make sure she was okay. I still didn't even know what was wrong with her in biology I wanted nothing more than to look at her. Okay my feelings were irrational and stalker like but oh well. I needed to take her bag to her just to lay eyes upon her.

"Yeah, you stay on the main road and then right before you reach the 47 there is a little bitty turn off to the right. If you don't look closely you'll miss it. But how are you going to get there?" I hadn't even thought of that I had no car. Oh how much I missed my shiny silver Volvo that I had in Chicago. But of course we had to sell it. I think I had a few books to my name that didn't get lost in cross hairs.

"I actually hadn't thought of that, I guess ill just wait for Mike." I said defeated. Uncle Jim seemed to internalize something for a minute before digging in his pockets and pulling out a set of keys.

"You can take my truck I don't have to be at the shop till 5. This gives you a little less than 45 minutes, so go on." He threw the keys at me which I caught. I was so happy. I needed to see her but much more I needed to drive. I loved to drive and I hadn't gotten to in over a month. "Thanks Uncle Jim I'll make sure to have the car back by then." I waved at him and made my way to his beat up truck I couldn't wait to actually get behind the wheel but again a feeling of anticipation settled over me. I needed to see her.