A/N- So this chapter is up a little quicker than usual. Basically I am doing some serious task avoidance concerning my education paper . I hope you guys like this chapter. Please review. It let's me know if people are actually enjoying the story. Thank you to Twilight Chick, Viscountess Kiera, Yours-for-Eternity, Saranicole, LainieMichelle and 1stepbehind29. I really appreciate your feed back.

Disclaimer: I only play in the world of Twlight it doesn't belong to me.

It was too late. Heidi had returned from her fishing expedition as they like to call. I could hear the many victims walking towards us down the long hallway. Each had been told a story that was too hard to resist. When the people became visible I grabbed Bella and pulled her tight into my chest. I wanted to shield her from the ugly truth of my existence. The second there was a break in the crowd I pushed Bella through trying to escape the small space before the screaming started. When we entered the outer hallway Heidi was ushering the last of the visitors through. She stared at Bella with curious eyes. I knew this wouldn't be good. Her eyes flickered between my cloak and Bella clutched tightly to my chest. Heidi was one of the vampires who wanted me to stay in Volterra. She thought if I joined them I would forget Bella and eventually replace her. Heidi hoped that she would replace Bella. Seeing Bella alive did not impress Heidi and she was curious about why I had a Volturi cloak. There was no time to explain I had to get Bella away from the feeding room before bad things happened. As soon as we could get past Heidi I set off at a run but it was still too late. The screams echoed throughout the hallway. I couldn't spare Bella from the brutal truth. She would again see the darkest side of my existence.

Demetri showed us to the reception area where Gianna was still at her post. Demetri reminded us that we couldn't leave until after dark and left us in the reception area. Gianna eyed my borrowed cloak suspiciously and her thoughts were clear. She thought I joined their little club and she was envious. I couldn't be bothered with anything else right now except for Bella. She was falling apart in my arms.

"Are you alright?" I tried to hide the anxiety in voice to avail. I was worried. She had been through so much.

"You'd better make her sit before she falls. She's going to pieces." Alice was just as concerned for Bella as I was.

She was shaking almost uncontrollably. I didn't know what I could for her except hold her. The stress of the day was finally showing. I couldn't believe she had made it this far without falling apart. I was so proud of her and so worried all at the same time. She was sobbing uncontrollably now and I needed her to calm down.

"Shh, Bella, Shh." I wanted to comfort her but nothing seemed to be working.

"I think she is having hysterics. Maybe you should slap her," Alice suggested. This was not a helpful suggestion. I looked at her, the panic plain on my face. I had Bella back and she was distraught once again over the monster that I was.

"It's all right, you're safe, it's all right." I repeated this over and over again hoping the calming words would register in her mind and she would relax. I pulled her on my lap tucking the cloak in around her. I wanted to hold her to keep her close to me and never let her go again. I didn't know how long she would be with me. She did come to save me but it didn't mean she would allow me back into her life. I cherished every second I had with her for now because it might be all the time I had.

The sobbing slowly subsided and she spoke, "All those people."

"I know," I whispered, there was no defense for how the Volturi lived. I may not live like them but the guilt of exposing Bella to this would not go away. I had always wanted to protect her from the reality of what I was. It was too late now.

"It's so horrible."

"Yes, it is. I wish you hadn't had to see that," I wish she knew just how much I meant that. It hurt me to see her so distraught. She snuggled her head into my chest using the cloak to wipe her eyes. I dreamt of her in my arms for months but why did it have to be under these circumstances.

Gianna came over to check on Bella. "Is there anything I can get you?" Her tone was pleasant but her thoughts betrayed her. She didn't understand how Bella could be upset over the reality of the vampire world. Gianna was so sure of herself.

"No," I replied for Bella. Gianna and her vile thoughts needed to be as far away from me as possible. I was in no mood to deal with such unimportant thoughts. Bella waited until Gianna was out of hearing range to speak.

"Does she know what's going on here?"

"Yes she knows everything."

"Does she know that they are going to kill her someday?"

"She knows it is a possibility. She's hoping they'll decide to keep her."

"She wants to be one of them?" The horror in Bella's voice was evident. "How can she want that?" And there it was everything I always feared. Bella now despised everything I was. I knew this day would come. "How can she watch those people file through to that hideous room and want to be part of that?" I couldn't respond to her. She was right how cold anyone want this existence. She would never want to be with me after this. The grim reality made the pain of the last few days resurface stronger than before.

"Oh, Edward," Bella began to cry again and I wished for a way to comfort her. Each tear drop was like a razor blade to my being.

"What's wrong?" I gently rubbed her back trying to relax her rigid body. I felt so anxious and helpless. Bella reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled herself close to me. It was the most heavenly feeling even though we were closer to hell. I pulled her as tightly to me as I could without hurting her. We were almost one body molded together.

"Is it really sick for me to be happy right now?"

"I know exactly what you mean," I was so happy to have her near me, no matter how short a time that might be. I had to find a way for her to forgive. I would gladly beg for the rest of my existence if she would have me back. "But we have lots of reasons to be happy. For one, we're alive." Bella was alive and that was amazing. Just yesterday I had lived through her death and today I lived through mine.

"Yes, that's a good one."

"And together," this comment didn't get much of a response from Bella and that worried me. Maybe she didn't want to be with me. But I would enjoy this for as long as it would last. "And, with any luck, we'll still be alive tomorrow."

"Hopefully"

"The outlook is quite good." I had almost forgotten that Alice was still here. My world only consisted of Bella being in my arms for now. "I'll see Jasper in less than 24 hours." And Alice only thought of Jasper.

Bella and I continued to stare at each other. She looked so different. She had lost weight and deep circles were etched under her eyes. What had I done to my beautiful Bella? How much pain had I caused her? I traced the circles under her eyes. "You look so tired."

"And you look thirsty." She was always so observant. I could only imagine the black coal color of my eyes.

"It's nothing," and that was the truth. I was more in control of my thirst than ever before. It was still there and it nagged at me but my love for Bella could deny the monster everything.

"Are you sure? I could sit with Alice." Did she want me to leave or was she just trying to be helpful.

"Don't be ridiculous," a sigh escaped me before I continued. "I've never been in better control of that side of my nature than right now." I continued to stare at her face. My mind had not done her justice. The depth of her brown eyes and the beauty of her heart shaped face were so much more than my memory could ever conjure. It was getting close to dark outside and we needed to plan how we would make our way back to the airport and finally home. Home, with Bella, it was such a soothing feeling. Alice and I discussed in low fast voices how we would get back to Florence. Alice would borrow another car once were outside the gates of the city and then we would make the journey home. Randomly Alice asked about one of Aro's many interesting questions.

"What was all that talk about singers?" Alice asked with a curious look on her face.

"La tua cantante," I said with a small smile. "They have a name for someone who smells the way Bella does to me. They call her my singer- because her blood sings for me." Alice laughed. In a way it was funny. Only the Volturi would have a name for the way blood calls to someone. Bella was not only my singer but my song my existence was nothing without her. We all sat in silence for the most part. Bella was clearly tired but she fought against sleep. I couldn't help but to place kisses on her hair, forehead and nose every now and then. Feeling her beneath my lips brought on such powerful emotions. I was whole again at least for now. I hadn't noticed how much time had passed but Alec walked through the door at the far end of the room and I instantly tightened my grip on Bella.

"You are free to leave now." Those words were all I needed to hear. "We ask that you don't linger in the city."

"That won't be a problem." I responded with no pretense of being disappointed in this request. I quickly helped Bella to her feet and we followed Gianna's instructions out through the main lobby. When we reached the street the celebration was still in full swing. People were dressed as traditional vampires, fangs and all. "Ridiculous." I mumbled as we walked through the square.

"Where's Alice?" Bella said with panic in her voice.

"She went to retrieve your bags from where she stashed them this morning."

"She's stealing a car, too, isn't she?" Bella seemed indifferent to grand theft auto. I guess she had gotten use to bending the rules these last couple of days. I had to grin at her.

"Not until we are outside the city." We continued to walk through the square toward the entryway. Bella struggled to walk exhaustion was consuming her body. I wrapped my arm around her waist supporting her weight to make this easier on her. She needed to sleep she had probably been up for the last day or so and that was not good for the human. We finally reached the archway and met Alice already in a car waiting for us.

"I'm sorry there wasn't much to choose from." Alice was not impressed with the car she borrowed but it would to get us away from the city. I crawled in the back with Bella. Now that we were on our way home the future was uncertain and I wasn't going to spend a second away from her. I was unsure of how she would respond to me when things were back to normal, or at least when we weren't in danger. I had so much to make up for I didn't know where to begin but I could start by not leaving her side ever again.

"It's fine, Alice. They can't all be 911 Turbos." I had seen the car in Alice's thoughts and it was a very nice machine.

"I may have to acquire one of those legally. It was fabulous."

"I'll get you one for Christmas." It was the least I could do after all. She had come all this way to save my life and if she had not gone back to Forks I might still be sitting in the tenement building feeling sorry for myself.

"Yellow." She said facing me instead of the road. I couldn't help but smile.

I kept my arms wrapped around Bella and tucked the cloak in around her to keep her warm. "You can sleep now, Bella. It's over." I wanted her to rest. I was concerned that she might get sick.

"I don't want to sleep. I'm not tired." Liar was the first word that came to mind. She was physically and mentally exhausted but what ever her reason for wanting to stay awake I would allow it for now but it didn't mean that I couldn't try to dazzle her into sleeping.

"Try," I whispered as I lowered my lips down to the hollow under her ear. She shook her head. Dazzling was definitely out, for now. "You're still just as stubborn." She was struggling to keep her eyes open and she managed to do so all the way to the airport. Once we reached the airport Alice bought me some new clothes which I was very happy to have. Bella changed and brushed her teeth. The flight to Rome was short. We switched planes and headed to Atlanta. Bella, in all attempts to fight exhaustion order a coke from the stewardess. I disproved of this but maybe if she was awake we could talk. She didn't say anything. She looked at me with that same inquisitive look she always had when she wanted to quiz me but she never asked anything, never said anything.

I had thought about how to start this conversation so many times but now that she was right next to me I was afraid. The scenes in my head had played out so many ways first she would become angry and tell me how much she hated me. The second was much more appealing she forgave me and told me her love hadn't faded. I wasn't sure if I was quite prepared for the first outcome so I said nothing. I held her close to me, drinking in her warmth, her scent, everything I thought I had lost forever. I traced her face with my fingers her warmth sent electrical pulses through me. I can't believe I truly thought I could live without this. I still don't know how I managed to exist the last six months without her. I would have caved, I would have gone back. I just don't know how long it would have taken. She was my life and always would be.

Once we landed in Atlanta the flight to Seattle would only take another five hours. That was all the time I had left with her. Everything after that was uncertain. Bella could choose to banish me from her life. She could choose the wolf. I tried to push that particular thought from my mind. Alice had some pretty strong opinions on Jacob Black and his feelings for Bella. It worried me. Had she really moved on? And if she had it was my own fault. It was what I wanted. I pushed all the negative thoughts from my mind I just wanted to be with her for now, just as we were. I held her as close as possible continuing to trace her face and she traced mine in return. Having her hands on my face was heavenly; I never wanted her to stop touching me. I gently placed kisses on her hair, nose and wrists. I didn't kiss her on the lips. I wasn't sure if I would be met with rejection and I didn't think I could handle that just yet. I needed to have the time to beg for her forgiveness, to let her see just how hard it was for me to without her. More importantly I needed her to know that everything that I said to her when I left was untrue. She needed to know that I didn't leave because of her I left for her.

As we approached Seattle the sun shone brightly over the cloud cover. I closed the window before the sun reached my skin. We would soon be on the ground. I didn't know what would happen when we landed but I knew I had to have my say. I had to let her know she was my everything and that I was wrong. I feared the uncertainty of my future but I feared losing Bella forever even more.