Broken

by KaiaLuna

Things aren't what they seem. James isn't out to kill Bella. He takes her to protect her and they become family. Years later the Cullen's resurface in her life. With them she discovers her true mate. The Major. Alice broke him. Will they get their HEA?

3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer – I do not own Twilight. All recognizable plot and characters belong to the talented Stephanie Meyer.

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"Good morning." I nodded at Jasper when he spoke and mumbled the same in response, going immediately to the coffee maker.

"Where are James and Vicky?" I asked after taking my first lovely sip.

"They went to talk to the Cullen's with Emmett and Rose."

"Morning Sugar. Peter and I picked you up some breakfast."

"Thank you." I took the container from her and opened it, standing at the counter to eat the blueberry pancakes, I watched the three vampires in the room who all stood watching each other or me in turn. "So, um, have a good night?"

"Yes. Peter and I ran to the city for a hunt. Did you sleep well?" Charlotte finally answered.

I shrugged, "Sure."

"I don't have visions." Peter finally broke the silence.

I frowned at him in question, eating another bite of pancake.

"Alice has visions, Peter just knows shit." Charlotte supplied.

I was still a little confused, "So?"

"I don't know what's goin' to happen exactly, I just know some shit. Like that we are goin' to have a visitor this afternoon."

"Who?"

"Well now that I am not so clear on nor do I know what he wants, I don't have a vision of someone comin' and shit happenin' I just know he is goin' to come and don't mean us trouble."

"Fine. You don't have visions, I still don't understand the point."

"You told Victoria you didn't want me controllin' your life with visions like the Pixie Bitch. Just letting' you know I can't do that. I don't have visions."

"Right. Yeah. Ok." I nodded and dropped my fork into the container, "I'm going to shower." I poured myself more coffee and went upstairs.

When I came back down Char was the only one in the house.

"Peter took Jasper hunting." She told me.

"You alright Char?" I asked after watching her a moment, she looked tired, something I never thought possible for a vampire.

"Just fine Sugar."

"I don't need Riley to tell that is not exactly the truth." I pushed, "Not that you need to talk to me though." I added shrugging "I'm sure it's none of my business."

She sighed, "It is though Sugar."

I sat down and pulled my legs up under me, "So tell me what's bothering you?"

"For a long time now we've waited and hoped and here you are and you don't want him, wont even look at him. The Major has been through hell and back from before your great grandparents age. He deserves happiness. I hated seeing him how he was after Maria, like he didn't have a place in this world; I think if Peter and I hadn't come back, he might've let himself be taken out. After he was with us, he was just a shell. We worried he might pick a fight, maybe go back to Maria and go down in battle. Then he met Alice and while Peter and I never liked her, he got better. Then of course he became someone else and sort of disappeared. We hated that almost as much as the shell. Now he's lost again, doesn't feel like he has a place."

"I'm sorry he's suffered Char."

"He's waited centuries to find you Bella, never feeling quite worthy and now he's found you and you don't want him. He is broken and breaking more everyday."

"What do you expect me to do about it? Roll over and become what ever you or Peter or he says I should be?"

"No" she shook her head and sighed, "No Sugar, we don't expect anything from you. I didn't mean to say anything either but you asked what was wrong. What is wrong is that my maker, my brother, the man who saved my life several times over, he is suffering and I can do nothing to help him."

"I'm going for a walk down by the lake." I stood up and left the house, Char had gone back to her thoughts, the same sad tired look settling over her.

I walked down to the water and sat looking out at the horizon.

"You alright Bella?"

"Riley." I grabbed my chest, "damn it, still capable of heart attacks."

He laughed, "Sorry Bella."

"Riley, how did you know Bree was your mate?"

"I don't know. I just felt it inside of me, that I could not let that girl suffer, my instincts screamed at me to kill who hurt her and keep her safe. She was cold and hungry on the streets of Seattle and I knew I needed to take care of her. I followed my instincts and changed her. I fell in love with her over time as she fell in love with me as well."

"Jasper is not my mate."

"You know, I can smell a lie, even when we tell it to ourselves. They actually smell sweeter, like the poisonous Oleander flower."

"He can't be Riley."

"Why?"

"Look at him, we have nothing in common. He and Alice were two peas in a pod."

"He was a wolf in designer threads pretending to be a house pet and living with Frou-frou. He is still the wolf though."

I sighed, "maybe."

"Do you oppose being the mate to this Major?"

"No, "I shook my head.

"Do you dislike Jasper?"

Again I shook my head, "Of course not, I mean, I hardly know him really."

"Here are some facts, from a vampire who deals in truth, what you do with the truth, what path your future takes is for you to decide, ok." He waited for me to nod and continued. "You are very well loved. Bree and I love you as our cousin. James and Victoria adore you as their daughter, sister and friend. Emmett and Rose love you as a sister and Jasper as a brother. Peter and Charlotte love Jasper as a brother, respect and follow him as their leader and are loyal to him for the man he proved to be, a man they saw only a glimpse of but hold out hope to see again. Alice is manipulative and manipulated him for a long time. She also manipulated you and Edward to keep you from your mate. Jasper is your mate. You are his mate. True mates come along once in all our existence. You are meant as his perfect match and he as yours. You are made to fall in love. You have both had a difficult past in which the scars still affect you; perhaps they will always do so. You, both of you, deserve to be happy."

"So I should just toe the line and be with him." I demanded.

"I told you Bella. I was simply stating the facts, what you choose to do with these truths is up to you. You must choose the path your future will take." Riley leaned over and kissed my forehead before disappearing into the woods behind me.

"Fuck me." I swore, Riley had said exactly what I needed to hear. Alice had manipulated us all; if I refused my mate then she ultimately won. I was not forced to choose Jasper but he and I were made for each other and he needed me, and I think I needed him to. But fuck it my mate was not this preppy puppy Alice trained, he was a fucking warrior and I was going to light his designer façade on fire and get my fucking mate. I just hoped I was prepared to meet the God himself because Char was right, my mate was broken and it was long past time for both sides of him to meet.

I got up and walked back to the cabin. Inside was full of vampires. I walked straight in without returning any of the greetings, and went over to the kitchen and picked up the heavy little cast iron teapot and threw it at Jaspers head.

I now had six vampires staring at me like I had lost my marbles. Only Riley was smiling at me, "So?" he asked.

"Bite me Riley Biers." I spun around and stomped up the stairs. Instead of going into my room though, I went into the spare room where Jasper was staying and began throwing his clothes out the window.

"What are you doing Bell?" Vicky asked from the doorway.

"Will Peter and I be allowed to pack or are you going to toss our belongings out the window as well?" Charlotte asked coolly.

"Do what ever you like." I told her picking up a pair of hideous Italian loafers and chucking them out the window. "But if you and Peter are going to add to the bonfire make sure to keep something out to wear shopping." I tossed a sweater vest out the window, "Vicky can you please get me a lighter."

I grabbed several pairs of slacks and a Gucci belt and began to make my way downstairs. I found the others outside looking at the pile I had created of Jasper's clothing. "Here, be helpful." I dumped the pile I was holding into Rose's arms and went to scoop up things from the ground and bring it all over to the fire pit. Bree had begun to help me without question. The men just stood there staring along with Vicky and Char.

"Emmett, fire wood please."

"Um, Bells." Emmett hesitated.

"Just do it." Riley advised him, already helping.

I took the lighter from Vicky and lit the bonfire. "Anything else that came from that Pixie Seer Whore had better be in that fire before it goes out." I said watching the pile light up. "That includes what you are wearing." I nodded to Jasper, "so you better borrow something from Emmett or Peter." I turned and walked back into the house.

"Bella, pet, are you alright?" James was the only one to come inside after me.

I turned to him tears in my eyes, "Not really no, but I aim to be. Can you take Jasper shopping tomorrow?"

He nodded, "Sure, pet. Anything in particular you want us to get?"

"Clothes and shoes, since I just set fire to all of his."

"I think he means what kind of clothes should we get that you wont set fire to?" Emmett asked stepping inside.

"Anything he wants. As long as the Pixie didn't pick it out I don't give a damn." I told him before turning back to James. "What happened with the Cullen's?"

"Dr. Leader's mate sobbed and begged us to give you to them. Mind Reader threatened us. Dr. Leader was rational and we went to his office to talk. I warned him we would not allow you to be forcefully taken, that we would protect you but that we had no reason to keep you from their company, as was evident by the fact that three of his coven members were staying with us. He saw the logic in this and agreed not to move against our coven but would like to be able to see you again. I told him I would not risk taking you to them with the Mind Reader's threats but he and his mate were welcome to visit us if you agreed to it. I told him you would call and tell him your decision in the morning."

I nodded, "fine. They can come here." I looked into the yard, "They all going to stay out there all night?"

"Not sure who you're going to throw a cast iron pot at next." Vicky came inside.

I smiled weakly and rolled my eyes, "fucker just sits there too."

"Bell, you know I love you and will always support your right to decide your own life."

"But you think I've gone off the deep end." I smiled at her, "Maybe I have, but I'll learn to swim."

"Bell…"

"The Pixie has no place in my home, and she sure as shit has no place in my mate, I might not be able to knock her brainwashing bullshit out of his head that easy but it sure fucking felt good." I heard laughter outside and fought a smile, "I'm going to lie down. Tell the Cullen's they can come tomorrow night but tell them if they cannot respect me and my family not to bother."

Vicky nodded and I turned and went upstairs, curling in bed with my tattered copy of Jane Eyre.

"Bella?" Vicky knocked lightly on my doorframe an hour later.

"What's up Vic?"

"A friend is here to see you."

"Who?" I asked, but she had already gone.

I got up and straightened my clothes before slowly making my way down. Halfway down the steps I heard his voice. I flew the rest of the way into the living room and into his arms, hugging him with every ounce of strength I had.

"Hello Kitten."

"Caius." I breathed finally loosening my grip, if he had been human I would have hurt him, "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were leaving Italy, who's with you? How long are you here for?"

He laughed, "Slow down Kitten. You still need to breathe." I grinned at him and hugged him again.

"Not for very much longer."

"No, you will be one of us soon. We are pleased you have decided not to hold out until the last moment."

"I just want to finish school before becoming an angry blood lusting drooling newborn with no attention span."

He laughed again, "Yes well, we will keep you busy and teach you what you need to learn; I do not think it will take you so long to be yourself again."

"I hope so. But why are you here?"

"Ah yes, why am I here, who am I with and for how long will we remain, I believe were the original questions." He grinned at me. "I am here because we had a problem in Mexico with an old vampire. I could not come so close without stopping to see you after hearing that there has been some trouble with the Cullen's. Aro is concerned and will be contacting Carlisle; you are not a member of his coven but of this one and nominally of our inner coven as well and thus are to be left alone. I will personally end the Mind Reader if he attempts a move against you. Marcus has informed us that the thread to your true mate is solidifying, we are happy for you. I am here with Demetri, Jane and Alec. They are excited to see you but have gone to deliver a personal message to the Mind Reader for me, in case he decides to disregard my brothers warning to Carlisle. They will be here soon enough. Unfortunately, we cannot stay long. There is an outbreak of werewolves in Yugoslavia and several covens have been attacked. I go there from here to meet Felix and my troops. Demetri will be off to find a nomad in Spain that Aro wishes to see. Jane and Alec must return to my brothers in Italy though I believe they plan a short stay with you until we are assured the Mind Reader has gotten the message, if that is, they are welcome."

"Of course they are." I turned to James, as there were old rules about the covens and only his word would allow it, "James?" I could not be allowed to make decisions, lest it show his weakness or something. I thought is was ridiculous really, since we were a family, but we still followed some of the old ways, at least in the world of the Volturi, since they allowed us some protections which with my status as a human were important.

He nodded at me; pleased I had recalled the etiquette, "Yes, of course, we are happy to have them with our coven. We would welcome all of you."

"Gratitude James." Caius switched to the formality of the old ways.

James nodded.

"So, the witch twins are taking care of Eddie?" Charlotte asked, "Because if they need help, Bells can wield a mean cast iron pot, just ask Jasper."

Caius looked at her and then Jasper; I followed his gaze to Jasper whose eyes were nearly black.

I felt his eyes come back to me and turned my head to meet his. "He is your mate?"

I nodded, "apparently."

"A good, strong mate. I am pleased." He hugged me and let go, stepping back.

"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes, "everyone is pleased; poor little defenseless human mental shield Bella has the big strong God of War turned preppy pretty-boy Bambi drinker as a mate."

"Wow, bitchy or what."

"Demetri." I squealed and jumped into his arms, hearing a growl behind me.

"You could always ditch the mate and play house with me." He laughed.

"Tempting" I kissed his cheek and dropped out of his arms. "Alec and Jane with you?"

"Nah, Jane was having all the fun. Decided to track the other Cullen's, see where they were. I was a little worried when I realized where they were."

"Oh, Em and Rose are fine, they have no delusions about James holding me hostage."

"Yes, and Jasper is your mate, a surprising twist."

I rolled my eyes, "Sure. Speaking of mates, how is Chelsea?"

"She's good. We are thinking of marrying."

"Really?" I grinned at him, "It's about bloody time." I said gently smacking his chest.

"Yeah, yeah. I still say you should run away with us."

"Sorry love, but I'm a Danvers and a Gigandet."

"And a Whitlock." Charlotte added.

"She's a McCarty first since she was my sister first." Emmitt glared at Charlotte.

"Yeah, yeah and nominally a Volturi, lucky me I have more names than the rest of the residents up here in winter put together." I rolled my eyes.

"Wait, what is a Ji-gone-day?" Emmitt looked confused.

"Gigandet is James' name, Danvers is Vicky's." I shrugged, here we use Danvers but I have a passport in Gigandet for when we travel abroad. Except in Volterra where I go out with Volturi on my ID and the Volturi crest on my coat, not that I leave the castle much."

"Well you were still my sister first."

I laughed, "you'll always be my first brother, the one I love the longest Bear."

He grinned at me, "You might not be my first sister Tinkerbelle but I love you best."

"Well Kitten it seems you are well set up here to finish your schooling. I will see you in a few weeks."

"What? You just got here and not the you've only been here a couple days just got here but you've not been here an hour yet just got here!" Caius was my favorite Volturi brother. He was a ruthless strategist, a true warrior, I had no idea why we bonded, hmm, maybe it was telling, after all, the most feared vampire in existence was apparently my mate.

"Sorry Kitten. I have to go take care of the werewolves. The moon is coming and the covens are nervous."

I hugged him tightly again. "I want two chess matches, a trip to the tower to watch the shooting stars and an extra free to freedom pick for two weeks. As an apology for leaving me after barely a visit." I smiled up at him.

"Extortion. I came didn't I? I'll give you the traditional one free to freedom but no extras and we'll finish the game of chess we started last time and play one new one and poker with the guard and you can come to my tower two nights."

I pouted at him, "add in a proper story from the vampire histories and I will agree."

"Done" He hugged me tightly and kissed my temple again. "Hurry, home, Kitten, now that the day is near time seems to have slowed and trouble is brewing."

"I'll be fine Caius. And be back in Volterra before you know it." I hugged him a last time and let him disappear.

"That's me too little one. I have to head to Spain. Don't worry, that fucker wont be dumb enough to cross us and even if he is there isn't a place on the planet James and I wont be able to track you to. It will only be a question of which of us finds you first and thus gets to burn the bastard." The glint of glee in his red eyes would be terrifying but it was Demetri. He played hide and seek with me across Europe, took me dancing and learned to cook because Felix kept eating the cooks Gianna hired. Next to Caius, he was my favorite. His mate pretended to like me less since Caius had come up with the idea of letting me pick someone who conveniently would be separated from the tour group and thus be let free without being eaten. The rule also being, that anyone associated with the person had to go as well. I always chose a child if there was one which was rare. They altered their diet in deference to me; mainly they stopped bringing in kids since it upset me so much. Then Caius started to let me pick one to live. I know its like playing god but I liked that someone who seemed to deserve it would live. Chelsea always claimed I picked the one she had wanted. I told her it was another gift and I was doing it on purpose. Secretly though we loved each other. We'd spend hours together talking in the gardens. Surprisingly I was also very close with the renowned witch twins. Jane had been angry and afraid when I was immune to her but because of it, we were able to become friends, in a way she had not with others' it was the same with Alec. They let me into their very private world. One where almost no other was invited, where Jane took her hair down, Alec teased and they both laughed. I was closest to them of anyone except maybe James and Vicky.

"Come and find me." I whispered hugging him.

"Always." He hugged me back and less than a second later was out the door. I sighed in sadness and turned back to my family. Jasper was black eyed, his face stone. Emmett and Rose were staring at me like I had just morphed into a real live Tinkerbelle Fairy or something.

"What?" I asked.

"That was Caius Volturi." Rose said.

"Yeah and De. I know. They always pop in when they are in North America. Though it's so rare really since James usually finds whoever they need here." I felt sad having barely said hello before having to say goodbye but I knew I would see them soon, I would be living with them soon in fact.

"He's Caius Volturi, Bella." Emmett repeated his mate. "As in one of the three Volturi kings."

I nodded, "I know. He is impossible to beat at chess, has the best view in the castle and won't let children be brought during feeding while I am in residence. Actually I think it is a general rule now."

They both still just stared at me, "Seriously guys, you knew I knew the Volturi and was invited to live with them for my newborn year."

"You met them yes but staying with the Volturi and hugging and bargaining with them is another thing entirely. I mean, you jumped into Caius Volturi's arms."

"Yeah well he is my closest friend there. When I am not with him, I'm with the twins or Demetri and Chelsea."

"The witch twins? You are friendly with the witch twins!" Rose's voice had risen.

"You take issue with us?" Jane asked in her scary I'm a cute fifteen year-old, calm, I'm going to torture you and like it voice.

"N…n…n…no." Rose shook her head.

"Jane. Alec." I grinned at them.

Alec stepped forward and hugged me. Jane sent me a small, but real smile. Usually people only saw the, I'm about to hurt you, smile.

"Come on up. James already told Caius you could stay." I pulled Alec's hand leading them up to the guest room in the attic they stayed in on the occasional visit. I knew I would only get to talk to the real Jane and Alec away from the others.

Once in the room, Jane hugged me. "You should have seen poor Eddie beg. I told him if he so much as attempted to look at our sister with the thought of taking her I would do much worse."

"He wasn't aware we had one." Alec laughed. "You should have seen his face when we gave your name."

"What about Esme and Carlisle?" I might be upset with them but I didn't want them hurt.

"I cut off their senses while we had our chat with Eddie." Alec shrugged.

"Still coming home to stay this summer right?" Jane asked sitting on the bed and pulling the pins from her long blond hair.

I nodded, "As soon as school is out."

"We added a better swing to our garden room for you." Alec smiled, sitting on the second bed beside his sisters, "It has a cushion."

I beamed at him, "thanks Alec. I'll try not to invade your space to much though."

"It's yours too." Jane shrugged shaking out her hair.

This was a big thing. I had found the room accidentally once. Alec had been alone there. He had shown me around and they had invited me back. I was the only one they allowed in this private domain. It was an odd sort of half indoor garden. I had found this small door down a hall, it was half open, expecting a storage room or broom closet I looked in to see a hallway. I followed it to the garden, the stone of the walls was dark and gray and it smelled damp and was over grown with plants. The stones on the floor having weeds peeking up and a little ways in, the stones gave way to grass. The garden was very pretty. There was a pond and some stone benches. Everything was overgrown and wild. Alec and Jane told me Aro had gifted it to them a few centuries previous, a place they needed, to escape. They both had their bedrooms in the main area with the guard but this secret domain was their world. A place where they felt free and relaxed. No one was allowed there, no one until me. And now Jane was claiming it as mine to, as though I really were their sister.

"Why do you cry?" Alec asked, more curious than concerned.

"I just missed you." I told him going to sit on the bed with him. Jane came to sit on my other side.

"We always miss you sister." She said wrapping an arm around me. "If you did not love him so much I would hurt James every time he took you away." I hugged her and Alec hugged us both.

We spent the next couple hours catching up on all the castle gossip and I told them about Jasper being my mate. Jane laughed when I told her I threw the cast iron teapot she gave me at him. She promised me a new one from the specialty store she had found that one in since his hard head had dented it.

Alec asked me if I wanted him to cut off his senses and leave him for a couple hours. I laughed and told him I was trying to knock sense into him not out of him. Jane laughed and said she bet the Major would come out quick if she had a go at him. I wasn't so sure she'd be safe if he did come back that way so made her promise not to.

After a while, my stomach growled so Jane put her hair back up and they both pulled on their Volturi cloaks. While I saw them relaxed, few others did.

We went down to the kitchen where Vicky had already made me supper. It was quite late so I went to bed after that.

When I woke up Jane was sitting at the foot of my bed.

"Jane?" she did not normally come to my room.

"Will you still come? Will you still stay? What if he doesn't want you to?"

"Jane?"

"Things were going to be so good Bella. Why did he have to come for you now? Right before you were going to come home to stay."

"Things are still going to be good." I sat up and hugged her, "The plan hasn't changed. I'm going to finish my exams and then I'll be in Volterra this summer where James and Caius are going to turn me. I'll spend my newborn year living in Volterra with you and Alec and the others."

"What if he wont let you?" I turned and saw Alec standing in the corner.

"He wont be letting me do anything. I have and will continue to do as I choose. I might be in James' coven but even he gives me the right to choose for myself."

"But he is your mate." Alec said sadly sitting on my other side.

"Right now he is just the shell of Alice Cullen's puppet. If and I emphasize the if, my mate makes an appearance he damn well better have a good reason for asking me not to go and we will talk about it but I will never allow someone to dictate my life. Volterra is as much my home as this is and I am as much a Volturi as I am a Danvers-Gigandet and my mate will accept me as I am and my families or he can bugger off and play puppet for Alice for another century while I come home and live with you." They both hugged me.

After I got up and the twins had left my room, I showered and went downstairs to find everyone had gone out shopping. It was just the twins and I. I knew this immediately when I saw Jane in the kitchen with her hair down making me coffee.

"Thanks Jane." I said as I accepted the mug mixed with the perfect amount of milk.

"Will you eat?" Alec asked coming in to the kitchen in a pair of slacks and a t-shirt. Further proof we were alone. The twins always wore more formal clothes; Jane with her cloak and Alec in his coat, except when we were alone anyways, then they immediately relaxed their deadly, stoic façade.

"Not hungry this morning." I shrugged. "What do you guys want to do?"

"James has requested we not take you away as when they return the Cullen's will be coming. We have only a couple hours." Jane began pealing and cutting up an apple for me. Much like Vicky, she didn't like it when I didn't eat a meal. Insisting I at least have a small snack.

"Great." I rolled my eyes sarcastically.

"Lets go to the woods, we can tell you more of the happenings in the guard." Alec suggested.

I agreed and smiled at Jane and thanked her as she handed me a plate with the apple on it. While I ate, they went to put on their usual attire and Jane put her hair up in its usual style.

"Jane?" I asked as we walked.

"Yes sister." she was using the same almost formal yet, caring tone she used with Alec. I wondered at the formality and while I loved that she was freely calling me sister I wondered at that to, but it was not my question just then.

"Why do you always wear your hair up? It is so lovely down." I had often wondered but never asked before.

"Why do we never dress casual or relax with others you mean?" Alec clarified, "her hair being only one of the things we often alter about ourselves when free of the company of outsiders."

"But not just outsiders, the family as well."

"We are the outsiders, even among the Volturi Bella. We are Aro's favorites for our abilities and are treated very well. We are, like Demetri, in the highest ranks of the guard but they are our coven, not our family. Aro has taken us in and cared for us, he changed us and we care for him and the other kings but our respect for them holds us to our place in their case. With the others, we are the witch twins. Feared and respected but not cared for." Jane clarified.

"It is not wise to show weakness." Alec added.

"Am I weak then?"

"No. You are much loved Bella. Not only by us but also by many. The Kings, especially Caius, who is much feared, adore you. We to are known to care for you. Demetri and Felix love you as most of the upper guard does. Your heart is a great strength. People see how you are with us, with the kings and marvel at you. None would hug Alec as you did last night. Certainly, none would great us with such genuine joy and none would argue and bargain with the kings the way you do, not and get away with it. You not only get away with it but make them smile and laugh. People are amazed at what you do, what is allowed for you. You come in and the Kings demand no more children be brought to meal as it upsets you, they request Chelsea to bring only criminals and old people to ease you. The greatest vampires in existence cater to you, because you show them love and acceptance. You're strength is in the love you give to others as you somehow bewitch us all into loving you."

"You are an amazing human sister, when you are vampire you will be beyond that. You are a gifted shield, yes. But your true gift is the beauty of your soul." Alec added.

"Why would it be weakness to let your hair down? Metaphorically and literally speaking." I asked.

"I wear my hair as I do because in our times it is what was done when a young lady reached a certain age in the presence of men. It was also not done to be informal in any manner in front of those of a higher class."

"It is also a protection for us. People fear us Bella. They leave us alone because we are always dangerous and untouchable." I felt sad for them, that they so rarely laughed or relaxed. "We were young when we were turned, but we were near adults in our own time. The world was not kind to us then and we have not been kind to the world since. We had only each other then and while we serve our Kings, while we are utterly loyal to them, we have only each other now."

"Until you." Jane added, "You befriended us and have become a much loved sister."

"I am honored to be seen as such but I wonder why or when as this is the first you have called me such." I admitted, using the more formal tones of the Volturi, hoping they did not take it that I did not considerer them family but unsure of how to ask them.

"It is not actually." Alec admitted.

"The first summer you spent with us we had considered you our friend and were sorry to see you go. The second summer we were happy and nervous for your return wondering if you would still be as we remembered."

"You smiled at us in the throne room and I was so relieved. I thought you might not want to be friends with us." Jane admitted and Alec took her hand.

"Of course I did. I missed you that year. I sent you a gift for Christmas and I know I didn't write much but I've always been bad with emails let alone actual letters and you only got an email account the second summer."

"Yes we got that for you. We have no need for it otherwise." Alec smiled. "We were also surprised and very touched that you thought of us over the holiday. Still we have been centuries without being close with anyone. It was a surprise that you seemed happy to see us. Most smile nervously at us and nod politely, hoping to be away from our company or that our attention will not fall on them."

"Then you spent time with us and found our place." Jane smiled. "When you left that summer we viewed you as our sister. Few talk to us outside of our place in the guard unless it is Aro or Caius. They have heard us call you sister. Many who travel through Volterra or cross our paths know our sister resides here and is not to be touched."

"We had hoped you felt us family as well." Alec did not look at me as he said this, though we had stopped walking and were now sitting near the lake.

"I do see you as family." I assured him. The two of you, Demetri and Caius are my Volturi family and I love you."

"We love you too Bella." Jane smiled at me.

"We just don't want the Cullen's to take you from us and now with the Whitlock coven claiming you, we are afraid to lose you."

"Emmett is my brother, I have missed him but I do not love him more than you. As for the Whitlock's, well I don't know anything about them besides the stories and Jasper, I am not sure what I feel about him. Regardless though I am and always will be partly Volturi. I only commented because I was surprised and touched that you would call me that so openly, as though I were one of you. I mean, not one of the Volturi but one of your family, since you do not refer to any other in the coven as such. I mean. The Cullen's all call each other that way but with you its just you two those in the coven are only other members not family. I was honored to be your friend. That you would claim me as family, is" I was crying at this point and instantly the twins were on either side of me hugging me between them. It was a place I often found myself and only now realized how odd it was. The twins were usually side-by-side and rarely apart for very long.

"You know, we were considered witch twins when we lived." Alec told me. I had never heard about their lives before, no one talked about them and they did not talk about it. I doubted anyone besides the Kings who were there knew. "Our parents always said we needed to be careful because being different was dangerous. We were always closer than most siblings, our mother once asked us if we could read each others minds, we can't, we just think the same so we know what the other might be thinking. We were always able to read each other as well so we didn't always speak as often. We were quiet children as long as we were together. When apart we would scream. Jane would become violent and I would hide. They didn't separate us after that."

"Some bandits came and our parents were killed. We lived alone in the cabin." Jane continued the story without pause. "I would do the chores at the house and Alec would bring home game and so we lived, peacefully for almost a year. The villagers left us alone for the most part. Until a man from the village saw me hanging laundry."

"Jane would leave her hair down, it was only us," Alec picked up as her voice faltered. "She is very beautiful as you know and she has such lovely wavy blond hair, our mother always wondered that we could be so alike and look so different, Jane so light with her blond hair and green eyes and me with such a dark brown hair and matching dark eyes. Dark and light, the villagers would say when we were younger, that it was a sign, one twin was good and the other bad, I was dark and Jane light. Oddly it was I who was the more sensitive twin and Jane the more violent when we were separated or teased."

Jane again broke in seamlessly before Alec continued. "Lucky we were not in the village much and so were left alone. Our parents left us to ourselves, working to survive as was the way then."

"The man saw Jane, so young and pure and beautiful and heard her singing as she hung our wash. He saw me and thought us wed but when he inquired in the village and learned we were siblings, the trouble began. He wanted Jane and meant to have her. He had meant to have her when he thought us a young couple, now she was, in his eyes, up for the taking."

"It was very bad." Jane broke in, her voice far away. "I fought, even Alec fought. We killed him. The villagers came looking for him but we got away and hid in the woods. We knew we could not return. So late at night, we went back, we got some things and Alec set fire to the cabin. We wandered a long time. We were hungry and cold and hunted. The man was engaged to a noble woman in the area and her brother came after us, he meant to keep us both. Aro came across us when he was dragging us back. We fought but he was not alone and the two of them were also enamored of us." Jane was looking out over the water and I tightened my arm around her in comfort while Alec picked up the story.

"Aro somehow knew we were special. He killed all the men and we waited for him to kill us to. Instead, he offered us a life with him. A life of power and never ending youth and vengeance on those who'd harmed us. We agreed and have served him faithfully for the centuries since." I knew they had not told the story before and that they edited many things but I could read between the lines to all they had suffered. I hugged them to me and they turned from looking over the water to hug me between them again.

"We will not ever be seen as weak again." Jane told me.

"We would rather be feared." Alec added.

We sat like that for a little while, entwined. When we pulled apart, Jane wiped one of the tears from my cheeks, "No one has cried for us before. Not even me."

"Jane refused to cry. We would not be broken." Alec told me rubbing my back. "It means a lot that you would cry for us, though it is long past and you need not be sad for us now. We are strong and feared and no one will harm us again."

"I am sad for the children you were. The life you should have had. That you suffered."

"And now we make many suffer." Jane told me, "do not feel bad for us. Alec is right. This is all long past, we did not tell you to make you sad or sorry for us. Only to know us better."

I nodded and smiled sadly at her, "I'm glad you let me know you. That I was allowed to become your friend."

"You sought our friendship Bella. I was angry and afraid I could not affect you. Alec comforted me but he to feared you, the power you had and could have after the change. You would be above us and yet you were kind to us. You made a point to smile at us or speak to us not a polite nod or nervous niceness, you were simply kind and good. We did not allow you to be our friend; you became our friend when we did not know we wanted you to be. We are grateful to you for that because you became our much loved sister."

"We will do anything for you Bella. Only with you can we be as we are with each other."

"Well I think if you relaxed a little you'd find others who wanted to be your friends as well. They just don't know you yet. Regardless, I don't think being a little less formal, all the time, will make you any less scary. Trust me, your reputations as the witch twins will not fade, look at Jasper he turned into a pussy-footed preppy Alice puppet and people still fear the Major."

They laughed with me, "perhaps." Jane admitted, "but after centuries I am not sure we know how not to be as we are."

"I wouldn't ask you to change Jane. I love you both. I'm just saying that I am not the only one who would be happy to see you if others knew the you that I do."

"We are happy simply to have you sister. We need no false friendships like those that face others, we are not blinded by caring for people who are masked in lies such as Alice Cullen."

"I suppose that is true. I'm lucky to have real family but also face the false friends that come with trusting to easily."

"We will be cautious for you sister. We will not allow anyone to ever harm you again." Alec assured me, "We are happy you have many who love you, for you are one to deserve such love."

"We claim you as we have because we do not wish to lose you to them and so you know that while we do not show it so freely in the company of others, you are our family and we love you."

"It is hard for us to be apart from one we love, when we hold each other so close. It is foreign to us to be parted from one we care about. We were afraid your mate and the Cullen's would take you from us when we were only just going to really have you with us."

"I may not always be in Volterra but I am always with you and always your sister. I may not stay in Volterra always but I will be there for my newborn year as planned and I will always return, often." I hugged Jane and felt Alec hug us both, each of us finding a way to hold on to him as well as each other. I truly loved the twins. Caius was my favorite Volturi and then Demetri, I would be found with them often but the unique relationship I had with the twins was something else. I stood between them or next to them and Demetri in the throne room. They smiled at me and Alec would on the occasion of my coming or leaving hug me. This was odd to the rest but we were not often seen in each other's company outside the throne room by any but the Kings. My relationship with them was as private as the twins were. I loved them as I loved James and yet it was different. If I ever needed to be alone here, I would come down to the lake and read, or walk in the woods. If I ever needed to be alone in Volterra, I went to the twin's secret place. I would sit for hours with them there, peaceful in their company. I had no desire to be away from them when I desired to be away from the world. With them, I felt a peace I did not anywhere else. "I could not be without you long." I assured them, knowing it was as true for me as it was for them.

After a while, we parted and Alec stood. "It is time we get you back. The others will have returned and you have guests."

"Yes, and you must eat." Jane helped me stand and we began walking hand in hand. Alec took my other hand and for a second I felt an odd current flow from one arm through my body to the other.

I laughed; Jane really was like Vicky when it came to me eating properly. Always ushering me off to Demetri every few hours or handing me apples or other snacks she had brought to the garden for me. "Fine but if the Cullen's start in on my family will you shock 'em for me? Or just cut off their senses until they have the sense to be polite?"

The twins laughed, "of course." Came their joint and perfectly in sync reply.

Everyone was waiting for us when we returned. Before we stepped from the trees, the twin's faces changed to their expressionless masks though they did not drop my hands. We walked through the trees and all three visiting Cullen's did a double take. I almost burst out laughing. I saw Alec's lips twitch out of the corner of my eye and squeezed his hand.

"Bella, love." Edward stepped forward, "Why don't we talk inside where we can be alone."

"Our sister will go no where with you." Alec told him, his facial expression not changing.

"You were warned Edward, or did you forget." Jane smiled her scary smile, "perhaps I should remind you." Edward shuddered.

"Please." Carlisle stepped forward. "Bella has agreed to speak with us and I have assured Aro that we will not try to remove her without her explicit consent, which would be given directly to him or his guard."

"Then speak with her." Alec told him gesturing to Carlisle and myself with his free hand.

"Bella?" Esme said stepping forward to just behind Carlisle's left arm.

"Esme" I sent her a small smile, "I hear you've been helping your son plot to kidnap me."

She looked sad and hurt, "I wish only what is best for you both Bella. I thought of you as a daughter and was very worried for you these years. Now we find you and you are not the same, we are concerned is all."

"You want whatever Edward wants. You don't care what is best for me or what I want or you would simply have left when I assured you I was safe, happy and loved. He is not my mate. Apparently despite the preppy looking doormat currently taking up residence in his body the Major is." I turned to Edward, "Lucky for you my mate was whipped into a Mark Jacobs fuck dummy by your BFF or he'd rip your head off for calling me yours, especially after I have asked you not to and the fact that you were plotting to take me away? Well. You had better hope his balls don't grow back. Of course when I do find wherever Alice hid them I would run and hide if I were you." I laughed, "Not that it will do you much good if you don't back off, De was rather looking forward to the challenge of seeing who could find and burn you first between him and James. Fuckers can be awful competitive can't they Vicky?"

She laughed, "yup, though I imagine Eddie wouldn't present much of a challenge."

"Ah well. Maybe while we are in Volterra this year a suitable challenge will come up."

"Bella, you can't go to Volterra." Esme said calmly, "You belong with us."

"I belong where I damn well decide to be and where my family is, and that is here and in Volterra. I am as much a Volturi as a Danvers-Gigandet. I am not, however, a Cullen. As I believe Aro told you, I am not a member of your coven and you hold no say in my turning. James holds the ultimate say as the head of my coven and my future sire, him and Caius who will also sire me in the Volturi coven. I am and will be both a Danvers-Gigandet and Volturi."

"Yeah, you should'a fucking seen that Carlisle." Emmett interrupted.

"Language Emmett." Esme admonished him.

"Sorry Esme but if I'd been capable I'd've shit myself." Emmitt apologized, "She ran right to him, jumping into his arms like he was me or James."

Alec chuckled and Jane rolled her eyes. "Really sister, you must learn decorum." She told me, though I could see the smile in her eyes.

"Caius doesn't mind sister."

"He indulges you to much." She told me. "In the throne room or in the presence of an outside coven you must learn to follow the old ways."

"Hah, he'd be concerned if I starting being all formal with him."

Alec chuckled again, "We all would be concerned if you changed so much over night sister."

"The throne room?" Rose's eyes were huge as I turned to her. "You do that in the throne room?"

"Only when we first arrive, its not a daily occurrence. I just miss him all year long."

"Yes and he is sure to be standing nearest the door when you arrive. Aro waits for his hug and Marcus his kiss on the cheek. Admittedly somewhat impatiently as Caius is hesitant to let you go." Vicky teased.

"So I'm affectionate with my family." I shrugged.

"She starts and ends with her favorites." James said smiling affectionately at me. I was a little surprised, I had not thought anyone knew how close I really was with the twins, he obviously did.

"Who does she hug last?" Emmett, ever curious, asked.

"Me." Alec turned to smile at me.

"Her place in the throne room is with us." Jane informed him squeezing my hand.

"Beside you or Alec?" Carlisle asked, thinking on the rules of formal etiquette and position in the Vampire world. Beside Jane is closest to the throne, Alec is next to Demetri and I couldn't remember what that meant.

"Between us." They said in sync.

All the Cullen's gasped. No one stood between the twins.

"You hold a high position in the guard." Carlisle said turning to me.

"She's human, she's not in the guard." Edward glared at the twins; he really was a little stupid. "She won't be either."

Jane glared at him and he dropped in agony.

"Please, stop." Esme begged taking a step to her son.

"Please, Jane." Carlisle asked calmly.

"Bella has chosen to be sired by Caius, she will be Volturi." Jane said sending more pain as she did before stopping. "You were warned Carlisle. Why are you here?"

"We came to speak with Bella, with her permission."

"Then speak but your son will hold his tongue for my sister does not wish to hear what he has to say."

He nodded, wise enough not to challenge the twins. "It is a great honor to be changed by one of the Kings and though worded wrong, as a human your position in the guard is unheard of."

"I stand with my siblings because it is my wish, it is not my official place." He nodded and I knew he thought I stood above my station, an indulgence of Aro to a possession he wished to acquire.

"I would like to offer you the place in our family that was always meant for you Bella. You know we care deeply for you and you know the choice available to you after the change. While it is an honor that the Volturi have offered, it would not be an insult for you to decline and I am more than capable of helping you during that time. I am sure James would not deny you the choice, as Aro has assured me it is yours to make since you were a member of our family before he took you."

I let my temper rise, "James did not take me. I chose to go with him. Just as I have chosen to live in Volterra, James and Vicky have agreed to live there with me because it is my wish to be changed there. I will live my life and my next life as I choose Carlisle, my family, both here and in Volterra support that right to choose."

"We will leave you then, since it is your wish."

"NO!" Edward shouted.

"You defy your coven leader? You defy the Volturi?" Jane asked sweetly.

He ignored her, "Carlisle, you know this isn't Bella. Bella is my mate, I know what is best for her."

"Screw my family Edward, you come near me and the moment I change it will be my very first goal to tear you apart. I might even burn a piece or two, you don't use your dick anyways right?"

Peter burst out laughing at that one, so did Emmett and Char. Even Rose was giggling.

"Bella!" He sounded shocked and appalled. Ha! Good.

"Leave Edward. Now. I am not your mate I am Jaspers, he might not be the Major anymore but believe me I'd rather the Pixie scraps to you. Carlisle, Esme, I appreciate that you were kind to me back then but much has changed, I'm not a member of your coven, I would not like us to part ways on bad terms but I have told you, I'm safe, happy and loved, yet you do not respect my wish to be left alone. I have three weeks of classes left, I have exams and then I finish my graduate degree. I am, in one months time, to be turned into a vampire. I have a new mate and his family. My life is complicated and full enough at the moment, so please, take your son and leave our territory. I hope in the future we might cross paths again and be on good terms, especially since Emmett and Rose are members of your coven and family to me."

"Alright Bella. As I said, we will leave as is your wish. We do hope that you stay in touch and know you are welcome with us."

"Bella." Edward tried again, stepping towards me. Without letting go of my hands the twins stepped forward and a little in front of me.

"We would take great pleasure in ending you." Alec told him. Jane normally the more violent just smiled evilly at him. I could see several others shuddering.

Edward stepped back and Esme took his arm, she turned to Rose and Emmett, "Will you come home?"

They looked from them to me, I nodded, "I have school and the change to prepare for, visit me in Volterra though ok?"

Rose nodded and Emmett looked from one twin to the other cautiously as he stepped forward. I squeezed their hands before letting go and going to him. He swung me up into one of his huge bear hugs, not even Felix could give such good hugs.

I was surprised when Rose stepped forward and hugged me to, "if during your change you didn't think about how I was before and just that I wanted to be your friend and was grateful for you in my husbands life, that would be ok." She whispered to.

I nodded as I hugged her back, "Already forgotten."

"Also, if you didn't notice the preppy insults not really valid anymore." She said and winked at me. I frowned at her and followed her gaze to Jasper.

I was surprised to find him in a plain black t-shirt, well-fitted jeans and black boots, hmmm, not bad. I fought a smile and turned back to Rose, "Hallelujah." I whispered and winked back, "thanks."

"It was all him, Peter and Emmett." She told me and hugged me again, "try not to be to hard on him. He's suffered more than you can imagine."

I realized then that they didn't just play siblings in the human world; they truly bonded that way as well, it was also the same thing Charlotte kept telling me. Maybe they were right. I had been quite a bitch to him. I sent her a small smile and nod.

A moment later they had all run off back towards the city.

"We will also be leaving now then."

I turned at Jane's words, "You just got here." I frowned at her.

"We are needed." She sent me a small smile and I knew she wanted more than anything to take me with her.

"You will be home very soon, sister." Alec stepped forward and hugged me before walking back to Jane. They nodded at the others and ran off.

"If the trouble is really over now, we'll be heading home too." Riley broke the silence.

"Our home is open to your family while you stay." Bree smiled at Charlotte. "I'm sure some privacy will suit you all on occasion.

Charlotte grinned, "thanks, we'll be sure it is clean and in proper order before we leave."

We all said our goodbyes and they left, the six of us remaining standing in silence.

"So, um," I finally had to break it, "How about some dinner Vicky?"

"An early night for you as well pet, this has been a long week." James smiled at me and pulled me to his arms for a hug. "We'll watch a movie after you eat, have a nice quiet night."

I nodded grateful, my brother knew me well.

We went inside and I was surprised to see none of the Whitlock's had joined us.

"They thought you might like a night to relax with just us." Vicky said as she began to cook.