A/N: Well, this is the last chapter. All that's left now is the epilogue. I'm not sure if I'm real impressed with this… it almost seems anti-climatic to me- but it's your opinion that counts. If you're not happy with this, I'll promise you this much- the epilogue is full of lots of fluff (and will probably set up for the third story- which I will be writing). Thanks to everyone who reviewed and please enjoy:

Fifteen. Unlikely Saviour

"Join us, Isabella, and both you and Jasper live."

I felt like I was drowning. It was much easier to claim I would take the fall- actually doing it was turning out to be much harder.

On the one hand- I couldn't let Jasper die, and Aro was offering me a way to save him.

On the other hand- if I accepted the deal, I would be leaving my family and be forced to join a coven of human-drinking monsters- without even Tiazza to keep me company.

If I didn't take the deal, I died as well, though. It was better that one of us got away free and the other still existed, than both of us wind up dead.

"I'll j-"

"Bella- what do you think you are doing?" demanded Jasper.

"Saving us," I replied- wasn't the answer obvious?

"You do realize what joining them involves, don't you?"

He was talking about feeding on humans, I realized.

"I understand, Jazz," I replied softly. "But it's better than you being dead."

Jasper fell silent and I turned to face the Volturi again. I should have been suspicious when he gave up so easily- Jasper never turned down a good fight with me. I should have suspected something.

I did suspect something when, before I could even open my mouth, a strong hand had clamped over it.

"Don't even think about it Isabella Marie Swan," murmured Edward's voice in my ear. His arms held me tightly, despite my desperate struggling.

Let me go Edward! I shouted at him, letting down the block.

"No Bella. I won't let you do this."

It's do this or both Jasper and I die. I can't let that happen, Edward.

"Why exactly are they to be killed?" Edward demanded of Aro, not releasing his hold on me.

"I thought Demetri had explained this to you. Jasper was caught helping a prisoner escape- young Isabella admitted that it was her idea. We offered her a fair bargain, Edward. If she joins us- they both live. We'll even allow you to stay with her- you can be a team," an odd smile crossed the older vampire's lips.

"Should they not be able to defend their actions?" demanded Edward. "It's not fair that you would kill them without even giving them a chance to defend themselves."

"Fine- what do you have to say for yourselves?" Caius asked us dryly. "Did the werewolf make you free him- because I would find that difficult to imagine, him being locked up and everything."

"Er… it was… unethical?" Jasper replied weakly.

"How so?" demanded Caius. "He was nothing more than a pathetic mutt- our enemy."

"Says who?" I shot back, managing to break away from Edward in my anger against the white-haired vampire. "Is it written somewhere that werewolves and vampires have to be enemies?"

"Careful Bella," murmured Edward. I ignored him, staring at the three Volturi lords. Caius looked taken aback, Aro wore a bemused expression, and Marcus was as impenetrable as always, though I thought I could detect a hint of amusement in his burgundy eyes.

"Well, no," Aro replied. "It's more of an unwritten law- it's the way things have always been. Werewolves were created for the sole purpose of killing us. It's their instincts."

"It's a vampire's instincts to feed on humans, but we've proved that you can fight your nature, haven't we?" I demanded.

"That's different," replied Caius. "You and the other Cullens are vampires- we are by far superior to the pathetic dogs."

"How so?" I asked. "What makes us so superior to them? They are humans- or at least half human. We were once human. They run on their instincts- how is that any different than us when we are hunting? So what if we're immortal and they aren't- you don't punish humans just because they're humans- why punish Andrew just because he's a werewolf?"

"That's not why we punished him," said Jane coldly. "I imagine you know that."

"So what? Because he fell in love with Tiazza? You can't punish them because you don't approve of their relationship. This is the twenty-first century- join us."

"I think you made them mad," muttered Edward.

"I agree with Bella," Jasper piped up. "After all- don't teenagers now-a-days always rebel against their parents? Well- Tiazza was rebelling and ended up falling in love. At least she didn't bring home a human with too many piercings who did drugs."

"Tiazza's actions are not the ones being called into question," Aro told us coldly. "She is not involved in this."

"Isn't she?" asked Marcus- his voice clearly reflecting his amusement. "Tell me brother- where is your precious protégé? Don't you know? I imagine Isabella could tell us."

I stared at Marcus in open-mouthed astonishment. He merely gave a small smirk and raised an eyebrow at me before continuing to speak.

"Now- I doubt you'll kill Tiazza if she ever returns. She's far too… useful, as you so often say. What gives us the right to kill Jasper and Isabella- two vampires with no ties to us? They didn't risk the revelation of our kind in any way- they merely released one pathetic little dog. Is Andrew really worth losing Carlisle's friendship- because that's what would happen if we killed two of his children."

I looked at Edward and Jasper, who were watching Marcus with as much astonishment as I was.

"How can you be so willing to give up such a chance, Marcus?" demanded Aro. "With Bella's growing powers she would be invaluable to us."

Growing Powers? Edward mouthed at me.

Later. I mouthed back.

"I value Carlisle's friendship and cooperation over the powers of his daughter, Aro. You should as well. Besides- an unwilling member to our guard means we risk our own necks, especially one that has a power such as Isabella's. We would never know what she was plotting until she pulled it off, and Jane and Alec would be useless against her."

"We could just kill them both," Caius interrupted. "It would save a lot of headaches."

"You enjoy killing entirely too much," Marcus informed him. "Let them go with a warning. If they do something so… foolish… again, then kill them or offer them an ultimatum, or whatever it is you wish to do."

Aro glared at his brother, before turning on his heel and leaving without another word, his entourage following him. Caius shot us a regretful look, but followed Aro.

"Well," Marcus mused. "I would say that they're letting you go with a warning."

"Why did you help us?" I asked nervously.

Marcus surveyed me with those oddly dead eyes, and I felt as though he were seeing into my soul.

"I can see the bond between Alice and Jasper," he said at last. "I don't need my powers to see the one between you and Edward- anyone with half a brain in their head can tell you two are in love. I lost my mate- that is not something you recover from, and it is not something I would wish upon anyone else."

He turned to leave, pausing when he reached the door.

"Do not believe that I will help you if you do something like this again," he warned us. "And… tell Tiazza 'your welcome' when you hear from her. She'll understand."

I stared after the dark-haired Volturi Lord with confusion. Why the hell would Tia be thanking him?

I didn't have much time to wonder, because Edward scooped up in his arms and pulled me against his hard chest, burying his face into my hair.

"If you ever do anything like that again, I swear I will never forgive you," he murmured, his voice sounding choked.

I clutched him just as tightly and sobbed tearless sobs into his chest.

"Never," I promised. "Never ever- I'm through playing hero."

"That's good," sighed Jasper. "Because I don't think I'll survive being side-kick again. Come on- let's go tell our family the good news."

"Alice is going to kill you," Edward told him, pulling way from me just enough to address his brother.

"That's why I have some serious sucking up to do," Jasper replied.

"She was eyeing a yellow Porsche when we went into the city the other day," Edward stated. "That might be a good place to start."

"I'll remember that."

I giggled, a euphoric feeling in my stomach. Edward looked down at me.

"And you- no more breaking promises, okay?" he kissed my nose.

"I won't," I snuggled into his chest. "We have some baggage to deal with, don't we?"

"We do," he agreed.

"That's okay," I told him. "After all, we have forever."

"That we do."

"And this time, I'm not going to do something dumb to risk putting it in jeopardy."

"Thank God," he sighed, making Jasper laugh. I would have elbowed Edward in the ribs, but I was far too glad to still be alive and in his arms. I would let him have his smart comments for now.

"Let's get going," Jasper said, turning around to leave the room.

I turned to follow him, but Edward stopped me and pulled me into his chest, lowering his head so that he could give me a mind-numbing, toe-curling kiss.

"What's this about an increased power?" he asked me when we broke away.

I giggled at him and led him after a quickly moving Jasper.

"Well, you see- it all started when Jane was torturing Jasper…"