Chapter 10

Edward POV

There she was. I was so excited to be able to hold her in my arms once again. I was watching and waiting for Jasper to give me the signal from across the clearing that everyone had successfully silenced the sentries. It was midnight. The moon was shining from directly above. To our advantage though, a cloud was rolling right over it, distorting the Lycan's sight by a fraction. That fraction was going to help us in the long run. A glint in the trees directly across from me caught my eye. Midnight stirred under me, ready for the moment to get into action.

All of the Lycans, in wolf form, were sleeping peacefully, so it appeared. A light was on in the tent on top of the hill and I could see two large human figures standing and moving occasionally. A few Lycans were alert and sitting up, their ears flickering ever so often. Bella was in a tree, whimpering just a few yards ahead of me. Three Lycans were guarding the tree. Once in a while, one would stand and stretch and pace around the tree before sitting again. Another two were near the forests' edge and appeared to be sleeping, but I knew better. Their breathing was irregular and heartbeats quick. Their legs were under them, ready to leap if the moment came.

The flash appeared again and I showed my own reflector. It was time. I pulled my sword out carefully, making no noise as I did so. With one last shine in Jasper's direction, I charged. Midnight moved swiftly and without a sound through the underbrush. She was an excellent horse, Bella trained her well, I thought as I approached the Lycans. Emmett was on my right side and Alec on my left. Alec paralyzed the Lycans nearest Bella, enabling us to sneak in without rising attention in our area. The five Lycans were lying on the ground and not moving. Once we were safely away, Alec would release his power over them. Then they can go and inform their leader that they had allowed for Bella to escape. It was a fool-proof plan. Jane was riding behind me just in case though.

I scaled the tree once we arrived at our destination. Alec moved his power across the clearing, the alert Lycans rolling over onto their sides and the sleeping ones falling even more deeply asleep. Once I reached her breath, I had to pause to asses her condition. It didn't look to well. She seemed sunken and lifeless as she lay in a fitful sleep. I picked her up into my arms, careful not to wake her. She might over react and draw attention from the tent, the one place Alec wouldn't move his 'fog' as we called it.

I jumped on Midnight's saddle lithely, Bella just grunted in her sleep. We quickly rode off into the night and back to the castle. I wasn't going to stop until Bella was safely behind those gates. The troops rode silently behind me. They knew it was important to get back into those gates as quickly as possible. When I saw the castle's outline in sky, I pushed Midnight even harder.

She seemed too eager as well to have Bella safe. Midnight kept the speed up and went faster than I had advised. We crossed the gate that had been opened by two human slaves as soon as we came into sight of the castle's sentries. I sighed a sigh of relief and slowed Midnight down. Bella stirred in my arms. I cooed in her ear and she seemed to fall into a more peaceful dream. I directed Midnight to the castle's doors. Leaving her for the others to handle, I rushed Bella up the steps and into the castle.

Aro was walking down the stairs as I entered, obviously alerted about our arrival. He was about to scream out in agony by the way I was holding Bella. I 'sshd' him and whispered as I climbed the stairs, "She's alive, but needs a lot of rest. I'm going to lie her down in bed." I didn't wait to listen to his reply as I reached the top and headed down the corridor until I reached her large oak doors. Opening them with one hand, I rushed inside and laid her down. She sighed and rolled over, clutching a pillow to her chest, unaware of her surroundings.

I sat down on the side of her bed and stroked her filthy hair. She looked deathly ill, even though vampires didn't get sick. Her milky porcelain skin appeared paler and less healthy. There were deep bruises under her eyes. Bella's leather coat was fringed and passed repair. Her boots were caked with mud and what not.

Picking her up into my arms, I noticed I wasn't the only one in the room. I looked up to see there was an audience. Aro was at the head of the group, half way sitting down on the edge and half way reaching towards her. Alice was peering over his shoulder frantically with worried eyes. I heard Emmett muttering soothing words as Rosalie sobbed into his chest. Jasper was watching from the door with a sad expression. The feelings in the room must have been taking a toll on him because I felt a wave of calm wash over the room. Marcus was sitting in a chair near the window and Didyme was rubbing his shoulder. I saw Caius and Athenodora standing in a corner with sad eyes. Sulspicia, Bella's mother, was clutching onto their human slave Angela. I then felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Esme and Carlisle standing there. Esme was shaking and Carlisle had a strong arm around her, his face guarded.

"I think it would be a good idea to let Madame Sulspicia tend to Bella and let her sleep. Everyone, out," my mother instructed.

"But, my daughter," Aro cried out in a hushed tone. Caius wrapped a supporting arm around his friend and led him out the door. Didyme, Athenodora, and Marcus followed their faces solemn. Jasper led Alice out of the room with slight force. Emmett picked the weeping Rosalie up into his arms and stepped out without a sound. Esme rubbed my shoulder again and nodded towards the door. I looked down once more at my love and nodded. I kissed her forehead, "I will see you soon, love." With that, I laid her down and moved towards the door with my parents. Sulspicia and Angela stepped forward and started preparing to clean her.

"Goodbye my love," I whispered once more and left.

Bella POV

I woke up and felt refreshed. I looked around me, expecting to find leaves and tree bark, but instead I found a familiar blue draping and pale blue and cream sheets and pillows. A cry left my lips and I shut my eyes, opening them again to find the same scene.

I was… home?

It couldn't be. I had fallen asleep in that awful tree after Jacob had…

No, I wouldn't dwell on what had just been a nightmare. Much like the nightmares I had had the nights before. That was just another one. And this was a nightmare. Any moment a baby would pop out and start crying and changing into a Lycan. Edward would come and we would fight. Jacob would be off in the background smiling.

But this was different. The cloths were so soft and the light that was filtering in through the drapes illuminated my bed beautifully like it used to with the sunrise.

My hair was clean and smelt of strawberries. I looked down and noticed I was in my favorite midnight blue nightgown that flowed to the floor.

"Oh my," I breathed heavily, shock rattled through me. "I really am home."

The drapes opened and the velvety voice that had been in my nightmares and I thought I would never hear again said, "Yes love, you are home." My favorite crooked grin was placed on my angel's face. His bronze hair tousled and his green eyes dancing with love. I cried out again and flung myself into his arms. Edward chuckled. "I missed you too, love."

"I never thought I would see you again," I admitted and squeezed harder. Edward sighed heavily.

"Neither did I. You can just imagine the shock I had when I returned from war two days ago and found you missing. They told me you had been kidnapped by Lycans. And not just any Lycans, the La Push Pack. You are a danger-magnet, I swear I don't know what I'm going to do with you," he was rambling in my hair, breathing me in while he talked. I was doing the same to him. My nails dug into his back in an attempt to merge us together to become one. Edward's hand slid down my back and pressed against one of my scabs from when Leah had whipped me, I let out a whimper.

"Bella," he pulled back in alarm, "did I hurt you?" Edward turned me around and started untying my nightgown to assess the damage.

I cringed at the thought of him seeing the nasty scabs. "No," I jerked out of his hold and scooted back on my bed. Edward looked at me with concerned eyes.

"Bella," he scolded. "Let me see your back. What did they do to you?" He reached for me and I scooted even further back until my shoulders pressed against the headboard.

"Edward, let's not worry about my back right now. I've missed you. I never thought I would leave that place. I never thought I would see you again." As his expression cracked and he looked pained by my words, I moved forward and held his face in my hands. Moving my fingers over every inch of his features so I could memorize them, he started to do the same to my own face.

"Now Edward, we talked about this, you weren't going to keep her all to yourself today. You said you would share." My favorite little pixie said from somewhere on the other side of my drapes. I squealed and threw them open to see Alice looking beautiful as always in a pink nightgown standing with a hand on her hip, annoyed. But when she saw me, she squealed herself and threw herself on me. I ignored the pain that shot through my body as I fell back onto the bed with Alice on top of me. Everywhere hurt, I realized as she squeezed me tighter.

That nightmare from the night before was starting to seem a little more real, I thought.

No, rejoice and be with your love ones, I scolded myself. Find another time to think about your dreams.

"Oh Alice, how I've missed you," I sighed happily.

Alice sat up and gave me a pointed look. "Don't give me that 'Oh Alice.' I am revoking all rights to your hunting Lycans. You are never to leave these castle walls, do you understand?" She feigned serious, but her eyes were smiling.

"Okay Dad," I grumbled.

"Dad's downstairs, but you can give your brother a hug, right?" I pushed Alice off of me and flew into Emmett's open and expecting arms. It felt like home in them. I tightened my hold on him and breathed in his scent deeply.

"Emmett!" I exclaimed into his chest. A chuckle erupted from his chest, shaking my body. He wrapped his arms around me and picked me up into a bear hug. This time, I couldn't ignore the pain that coursed through my body as he did so. I let out a cry of pain. Emmett immediately sat me down and three faces were hovering over mine instantly.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Bella, what happened?"

"I'm so sorry."

My vision blurred and I had to shake my head and the ringing that had filled my ears when Emmett had held me taut.

A groan left my lips and I reached for my back without thinking. Edward muttered under his breath. "Emmett, hold her arms and legs down. She complained when I had hugged her earlier about her back." I started to move back, but Emmett had already trapped me in a vice like grip, but careful as to not hurt me anymore. Apology was evident in his eyes. I smiled forgivingly and turned my attention back to what Edward was doing. Alice was untying my nightgown. I held my breath and waited for their reactions.

Alice shrieked and there was a thud as she hit the headboard. I waited for Edward's reaction, but it didn't come. I turned around just as Emmett leaned over to look at my back. He started cursing threats profusely under his breath. But Edward's expression had silenced any protest for Emmett to stop at the tip of my tongue. I swallowed it down and flinched back from him.

His eyes were black and he wasn't breathing. He didn't move period. His mouth was twisted in a silent snarl and his eyebrows were furrowed together.

"Edward?" I reached a hand out and rubbed his shoulder reassuringly. Edward's head snapped up and emerald started to appear in his black eyes. His forehead relaxed and his mouth fell into a frown.

"Bella, what happened?" He asked finally after a few moments had passed.

I gulped and pulled me nightgown closed so they couldn't look and have more reactions to it. "A few days after my arrival, a certain female Lycan was very pissed off that I was receiving special attention from Jacob. So Leah, when Jacob had to run an errand and left me alone for the first time, decided to punish me just for looking like my aunt. She whipped me with a leather whip that had Lycan teeth and claws attached at one end. She got me in the front a few times, but those are mostly healed. I was able to tend to them better than my back. Jacob didn't have time to work on my back much when they started getting threats from our troops. So it was left untreated." I explained quickly. All three of their faces looked appalled.

"Oh my," someone muttered from the door. I looked up to see a beautiful blonde in a long red silk nightgown.

"Rosalie," I smiled and she rushed over to me, carefully, wrapping her arms around me for a soft hug.

Rosalie was whispering in my hair, "Bella I have missed you so much."

"As I you," I replied, my voice breaking on the last word.

She pulled back and studied me. "What did they do to you?"

Her question stirred something in me. A flashback of the nightmare I had the night before. Only Edward hadn't been in that one, or the baby. Just Jacob and his haunting smile.

I shivered from the thought and hugged Rosalie closer. "Oh, you're awake!" a shrilled voice exclaimed from the door. Looking up to find my mother in a green nightgown, my smile grew tenfold. She was always beautiful, but I loved the sight of her in the morning. Her brown hair in careless curls and she seemed so carefree. After not seeing her in, who knows how long I was gone, it was a relief to see her.

"Mother," I jumped up and ran to her, the back of my shift opening.

"Isabella!" Rosalie cried out. I quickly reached a hand around and closed the nightgown.

My mother looked down at me, concern etched in her eyes. "Isabella?" She calmly questioned. I shook my head, but she grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around, my hand that held it closed falling in the process. I looked to the floor guiltily as she gasped and moved her hands frantically over my back. Leave it to me to ruin a reunion with injuries.

"Isabella, I didn't see this last night when we changed you," my mother admitted. "Angela was the one to tie you up though, I will have a talk with her later," my mother's voice was scolding as she said it.

"I'm fine," I yanked away and closed the back of it again.

"What on earth happened to you?" my mother yelled with her shrill voice.

"Sulspicia," my father appearing at the door warned. "Isabella just woke up. She has been in horrible conditions for a month, please, let her rest." Aro stepped forward, a smile spreading across his features.

"My daughter, I have missed you so much," he wrapped his arms around my shoulders carefully and embraced me. Aro kissed my forehead and leaned back, looking at me. His hands moved up to hold my face in his hands. A smile, of relief, spread across my own face as he held me and just stared lovingly into my eyes.

"Now, let us leave and give Isabella a moment to dress. Then I wish you to go and see Angela. She will tend to your wounds," Aro rubbed his thumb along my cheek. "Now," he added when no one moved.

When everyone left with a sad goodbye, leaving just Aro and I, I muttered a pathetic 'thanks'. "Anything for you my daughter. Now get dressed and I will see you in my office in an hour." With that, he left the room with his usual confident stride.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips. I was home. That was repeated in my mind like a mantra as I dressed into my much missed robes. I chose my favorite silk green dress that flowed to the ground in elegant layers to go under the dark cloak. I used to despise these clothes, usually wanting to be in my riding gear. But now, I felt a longing for them even as I held them.

"Come in," my father called when I knocked on his door a few minutes later. Walking through the long corridors to my father's office was such a shock, I had to stop and just feel the stone walls and look at the painting I had once thought boring and old, but now found them comforting and familiar.

"Ah, Isabella," he said as I stepped into the room. He was standing by one of his bay windows that led to a balcony in his usual robes. "Have a seat." He gestured to a random chair.

I shook my head, "Actually, I rather stand."

Aro's understanding smile calmed me even more. "I figured that." Aro went back to staring out the window, down at the streets of Volterra. "Isabella, come and see your kingdom," he mused without glancing at me.

"Okay," I nervously went to stand by my father. I looked down to the streets to see almost the entire population of Volterra holding candles with their heads bowed in the early morning light. A hushed whisper was being murmured by all of them. "What-?"

"They're praying for you to heal and get better. I think you should go out there and say a few words to them. They are your people after all," Aro suggested with a slight smile.

"Of course," I nodded. I had been trained from birth to be a leader. And when my people need me, I would always be there. When I had gone missing, I could only imagine what the reaction was from them. I took a calming breath and pushed the glass door open and stepped onto the balcony. The sun reflecting off my face, sending small rainbows dancing off me, alerted a human peasant. I noticed the crowd was intermingled with humans. I was slightly surprised by this.

"Volterra," my voice was strong and demanding as I spoke to my people. "I am happy to be home!" The crowd erupted into applause. A bright smile spread on my features as I looked down to their excited faces.

I noticed Aro hadn't come out with me, so I continued, "I am well and proud to see so many come and support me. I am honored just to be cared about from all of you who are great and wonderful. I must go, but I promise we will celebrate my return!" The crowd erupted again and I waved down to them with a wide smile.

Turning to leave, I caught a glimpse of my father's proud face. I ducked back into his office and waited for him to shut the doors. "Well done, and we will be celebrating tonight. Alice has planned something that she sworn me to secrecy. Angela is waiting with a warm bath; I advise you to go before it gets to cold and start getting ready for tonight. Also, Angela will be tending to your wounds; I don't want to hear of any protest from you." Aro added with a smirk.

With an eye roll, I curtsied and left the room. Like he said, Angela was waiting next to my tub with several herbs and other utensils lay out in front of her. My bath had freesias floating on the surface and a glass of warm blood sat waiting for me to drink. My throat ached; I realized I hadn't drunk for a while.

"Undress," Angela instructed and started picking through her items. "Oh my, that didn't look so bad last night. Must have been the light, human eyes aren't so good with no lighting. Miss Sulspicia kept saying, 'Don't wake her up. Be careful. Be quiet.' So when I noticed the discoloration on your back, I figured it could wait till today. But now I see what the fuss is about. Those are horrible." I was sitting on the marble tub's edge while Angela worked on my back and rambled.

"Oh Miss Izzy," she always called me that. It made me relax even more to hear her calling me that. "You gave me quite the scare running off like that. Those stupid Lycans need a good talking to. I mean, look at your back!" I laughed. Her brown hair was starting to fall from her bun as she flew around the bathroom, grabbing towels and what not. It stung a little when she started putting her herbs on it. But I trusted Angela; she was an expert at this kind of stuff. You could tell from her caramel eyes just how intelligent she was. Angela even found ingredients to heal vampire wounds; which is pretty amazing.

She had been born into the slave trade. But Aro saw potential in her and bought her mother and her both and taught them the ways. Angela had grown up with me and we were really close. "Angela, what am I going to wear tonight?" I asked as she started wrapping up my back.

Angela gave an unattractive snort and patted my shoulder, signaling for me to get into the bath. I did as I was told and slid into the luke warm water. Even though temperature didn't affect vampires, it was nice to have warm water for a long bath. The freesias wonderful scent filled my nose even more as I lay comfortably in the water.

"Well, you don't worry about anything having to do with tonight. Miss Alice has it all planned out. She was so excited about your return last night; she stayed up all night and planned a humongous event. Pretty spectacular of what I have seen of it so far. Oh, that reminds me," Angela added, pulling out a soap bar and picking up my arm. "Don't go downstairs today."

I giggled, "Of course. I would never do that," Angela rolled her eyes.

"Miss Izzy, you are silly." She continued cleaning me. It was relaxing and comforting to just sit back and relax.

A/N: I think that is a good place to stop. Okay, so I know a lot of you have seen the sneak peeks. What did you think of them??? I loved the motorcycle one the best. Kristen needs some help acting though… Anyways, review and tell me what you thought of this chapter and the comic con! I wanted to go soo bad. Did anyone go see Harry Potter? I want to go see the 3-D version now… Anyone see the trailer for The Last Airbender? I think it's gay that they're not using Avatar just because of some other director's rights to it… Yeah, I watched a ten minute interview on YouTube titled Avatar thinking it was Avatar, the animated TV series that I loved that was coming to life on the big screen staring Jackson Rathbone as Sakka. What is the world coming to? Just kidding, I'm a little hyper. So how is everyone's summer? I start 10th grade on August 19th. Yeah! Not.