Disclaimer: I do not own anything about Twilight!!

Edward's POV

The flight seemed endless. The second I stepped onto the plane my heart sunk. Leaving Bella behind distraught and hurting made me feel like the worst guy on earth. Whenever something hurt or bothered Bella I had to do something about it, but this was different in every way.

My grandfather was involved in several criminal actions that implicated the family. I had no idea what it was that had to be done to end this. I wanted to take no part in any of this; I just wanted to go back to my Bella.

After getting my luggage, I saw Esme, my mother and my father Carlisle. By the looks on their faces, they weren't very pleased to see me.

"Edward!" My mother ran towards me embracing me as if it would be the last.

"Son." Carlisle looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"How was your flight sweetie? Is Bella with you?" my mother asked.

"No." I answered bitterly.

"Good." I turned to see Carlisle but he had started walking.

My parents loved Bella. I didn't see why he would say that. I looked at my mom but she turned away.

"Where are we headed?" I asked. Carlisle had driven out of the town, where I supposed the hotels were situated.

"We are staying with a family here." I looked out the window as the car rolled to a stop. It was a massive white home with columns situated along the front gardens.

"Who is this family?" I asked. How did my parents know them?

"You will find out son." Carlisle stepped out of the car and held my mother's door open for her.

I stepped out of the car and walked around.

"Welcome. Agh. You must be Edward. What a pleasure." An older man in black addressed me.

"Yes. Whom do I have the honor with?" I asked politely.

"I am Aro Volturi and this is my wife Dian Volturi." He gestured to a refined older woman. "Shall we go inside?" He took his wife by the arm and led us inside the house.

I withheld my mother back for a brief second and asked, "I need to call Bella, and will you mind excusing me for a minute?"

"Edward I think it best if you hold off on your phone call." She answered.

"I don't want to worry her. All I want is to call her and let her know I arrived all right. I will call her back when I have time."

"I don't think that's such a good idea." She sighed. "I'm sorry." she placed a kiss on my forehead and walked inside as well. I sighed in frustration; Bella would be worried. I didn't want to leave her like this but it seemed I had no choice.

"Edward, how kind of you to join us." Aro sat on a throne like chair with his wife beside him.

As I walked in, I saw my parents seated to the right of him and to the left sat my grandfather and another man.

"So what's going on?" I asked, wanting to get down to it so that I could call Bella.

"Patience dear Edward." Aro's voice was boisterous and loud. "Would any of you like anything to drink? Eat maybe?" he addressed me directly.

"I'm fine." I took the armchair aside from my mother and sat.

"I'll have a glass of water please." My mother's face was torn. I couldn't imagine what it was that had them like this. In fear.

"As you all know." Aro began. "Mr. Hedrick Cullen has been a part of several crimes. Crimes that refer directly to my family and me. I shall not tolerate any partaker that harms my family in any way. Anyone who does shall answer to me."

"My apologies. I understand he has participated in these on goings but what does that have to do with my family." I didn't know my grandfather very well but I couldn't let my family go down in anyway. I would do what was possible to help him out of his problem but only if my family would be safe.

"Apologies, my dear Edward aren't enough. He has stolen and falsified many corruptions that have landed my family under investigation. He has slurred our name across England and that is intolerable."

"May I ask what it is that you want in order to accept our apologies? Is this a matter of money that has to be repaid?" I asked. My family was wealthy but we weren't the wealthiest.

"No my dear Edward." he laughed. "This goes far beyond that. In any case you wouldn't have the sufficient American dollars to repay me." He continued to laugh.

"Then what is it that you want from my family?" From the corner of my eye, I could see my mother's tears falling but I didn't dare look.

"Edward-"

"I apologize for you having to step in and save your family but it isn't a terrible scarifies." Aro busted, cutting Carlisle off.

"Sacrifice?" I looked at my grandfather who had no ashamed appearance.

"In order to save your family from rotting in a prison for all he's done." He pointed at my grandfather. "You must unite our two families. That way we could all rejoice your family. The union of our families, the Cullen's and the Volturi will bring respectable harmony to us all."

I didn't like any of the word choice he used. Union. Sacrifice. I know resented anything that my grandfather did.

"Edward, meet my lovely daughter, Jane." Dian gestured to the spiral stairs in the center of the room.

A dirty blond hair girl descended from the stairs. Her expression was hard but subtle.

"You, young Edward must marry my daughter Jane if you'd like to save your precious family."

"No!" I yelled. "That's impossible!"

"There isn't any other way! You must unite these two families!" Aro stood and pounded his fist on the table.

"Jane! Do you have any say in this what so ever?!" I demanded.

"My daughter will do as I order!" Jane flinched to Aro's voice.

I was more than pissed, I was furious. I could not marry a woman I did not know. No, I could not marry any other women than…

"Bella!" I looked up and saw my parent's tormented expression.

"We're sorry son." Carlisle consoled my mother.

"I will not go along to this!"

"You have no choice my son!" Aro bolstered. "You will marry my daughter or your family will suffer the consequences!"

Fuming, I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath.

"I don't agree at all with this, you know how much your father and I love Bella. We don't want to hurt her. It is your choice Edward. We will not judge and we will not shun away from you; do what you must." My parents would sacrifice themselves for me; they couldn't.

It ripped me to look at the man that damned us all but it outraged me to see no look of remorse.

"What about him?" I asked disgusted.

"He? He will serve my family unconditionally." Aro answered pleased.

"Edward, may I speak with you for a moment?" I turned to look at Jane and nodded.

I followed her down the corridor and into a large room.

"Edward I do not know you and I do not wish to marry you." She spoke.

"I feel the same." I answered coldly. "Why do you have to do what he orders you? Do you not have any influence? Can you not stand up for yourself?" It wasn't her fault but I couldn't compose myself fast enough to control my temper.

"My father doesn't take orders or requests. He makes them." she sighed and walked to the window. "I was in love with a man named Chris Lemmings." She paused. "My father had him killed the day of our wedding. He wouldn't have me marry just any man. For him it has to be someone with a prestigious family." She turned towards me and sighed.

Aro didn't know about Bella, but if he murdered his daughter's love, the person who made her happy, what was stopping him from doing that to Bella?

"You seem like a very nice guy Edward. Any women would be lucky to have you, but I don't feel lucky. You don't seem like a bad person but I don't want to marry you."

"Don't apologize; I don't want to marry you either." I added.

There was a silent nock at the door.

"Edward we must go." Esme informed me.

----

We were staying in the Volturi's guesthouse just twenty minutes away from their home. I didn't care where I stayed. I just wanted to be with Bella, hear her voice and know she's fine.

I imagined that she would be passed worried by now. Knowing her, she would be panicking.

I held my phone in my hand but I couldn't bring myself to the decision of calling. What would I tell her? I was over seas and being forced to marry a woman, I did not know. I couldn't do this to Bella. She was selfless and fragile. She deserved better than this; she deserved at least an explanation, but not by phone. Even with a phone call, she deserved to know.

How could I marry someone who repulsed me? Jane seemed nice enough but either way she was the daughter of the man who was about to ruin Bella's life and mine. She wasn't at fault either but whom could I blame? My grandfather was the one to create this problem.

What would happen to Bella? What would she think when time passes and she doesn't hear from me? Will she move on? No one and no time will ever make me forget what I've shared with Bella. She is the one person who makes me feel whole. Nothing matters when she's with me. Now I was going to lose her. I promised her I would return. I promised she wouldn't lose me and that I would return to marry her. If she found out any of this, she would be devastated.

I couldn't call. Neither her nor anyone else. If I talked to one of my friends, they would tell Bella and I couldn't bare hearing about her reaction.

I sat silently on the foot of the bed. Crying.

It pained me to leave Bella. Now, it would kill her if she knew that this good bye- was forever.

Flash Back

"Bella." I whispered in her ear.

"Yea." She whispered back.

"I promise I'll be back and nothing will ever be able to tear us apart again. Goodbye doesn't mean forever Bella." She nodded and gave me a chaste kiss.

"I love you." She whispered.

"And I love you. You are my life Bella."

I couldn't let my family suffer not if I could help it. Maybe if Bella never got news from me she would think I died and move on.

Moving on would mean loving another man. I was losing Bella.

I cried. I cried until I could picture her with someone else- happy: how she deserved to be.