Title: Secret Identities

Author: Nadia Mack

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight/Covenant related. I own utterly nothing, which is depressing.

Author's Notes: PrincessSpaz discovered my Achilles' weakness… the cruel tenses. I'll do my best not to waver but I make no promises, it really is a thorn in my side. I also want to apologize to those that felt Chapter 2 was rushed. I wanted to get beyond what we already know about the characters, but at the same time, I didn't just want to go from Point A to Point Z without any sort of transition.

From here on out, I get to really play out my fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy the ride. This is really the part of the story that got me interested in writing this but like all things, it needed a build up. Thank you again for your feedback, constructive and all.

Previously on…

"What's an ascension?" Jasper piped in.

"Once they turn eighteen and at the exact time of their birth, the ones with the gift ascends. It's when their powers reach full maturity. The reason why I feared for Bella's life when the venom was inside her was because she likely wouldn't survive the ascension if she were a vampire."

Carlisle was beyond astonished. "How do you know this?"

"Because it's happened before," Renee replied emotionally. "There are consequences to their gifts. The magic is incredibly seductive. There was ancient record once of a gifted boy who sought immortality by becoming a vampire, but this happened before he ascended. Once the change was complete, by the time he reached eighteen, his ascension ripped his body apart and burned him from the inside out."

The room became silent at this newfound knowledge. Several quiet minutes passed before Alice broke it with a coming vision.

"Bella's waking up."

Chapter 4

The seconds passed slowly for Bella when she finally had the courage to open her eyes. She felt tired, numb and extremely uncomfortable. She shivered heavily against the sudden feeling of coldness surrounding her but it was immediately put to rest when the warmth of another layer of soft bed sheets enveloped her body.

Her head turned, and she forced her eyes to focus on the distorted image sitting beside her.

The familiar soft topaz eyes that greeted her once her vision cleared sent a profound feeling of calm inside her.

"Edward," she whispered.

"Bella," he responded, relieved. "Everything's okay. You're in a hospital."

She tried desperately to shift her body but her troubles were met only with resounding pain and she flinched visibly.

"Be careful, you're still medicated," he said, his cold marble hand cupped her face gently.

"What happened?" she asked tiredly. "What happened to James?"

"You don't have to worry about him anymore," he answered quietly. "We took care of him. He'll never harm you again."

She knew the tone in his voice. He felt guilty for her condition, but she would have none of it. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but she understood that it was futile. His self-afflicting torment over her situation weighed heavily on his shoulders due to what he described was his selfishness to be with her.

"It's all right," she told him. "I'm here."

"I almost lost you, Bella."

"But you didn't." Her mouth felt dry, and she thirsted for any kind of liquid too clear her throat. "I'm still here." She searched for his hand and he moved to give it to her, squeezing lightly when another image in her mind appeared and her voice cracked with worry. "My mom… where's my mother? Is she okay?"

"I'm here, baby." Her mother, Renee, walked into the room and rushed her way by her side and she relaxed.

"I'm so sorry," she said to her, stifling the tears that threatened to make itself known. "I didn't mean to get you involved."

"Shhh…" Renee soothed, becoming the maternal mother she rarely displayed. "No one here is to blame, Bella." Her mother's arms went around her neck to hold her close as tears descended form her eyes. "You're alive," her mother's voice whispered next to her ear. "That's all that matters to me."

"Are you hurt?"

Her mother shook her head. "Not anymore. Dr. Cullen took really good care of us. It was only a concussion and the bruising on my face will disappear in no time." Renee turned to Edward and gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you for watching after her."

"It was my pleasure," he responded with absolute sincerity.

"What about dad? We left so suddenly, he must be—"

"I called him a few hours ago and explained that I made a surprise visit," Renee assured. "We drove out of state to visit some friends in the area when you tripped and fell down a flight of stairs at our hotel. He's worried, but that's the story we're going to stick with."

"Hmm," she responded incredulously. "Sounds like me." Edward caught her eying the cup of water on a nearby table and automatically went to give it to her. She drank it greedily, sighing when she was finished.

Her mother smiled in spite of the circumstances. "It's the story we're going to have to commit to until we can get you back to Forks."

"It won't be a problem. Alice had a little too much fun fabricating evidence," Edward chimed in with a small smile on his lips. "I'll give you two some privacy." But Bella didn't want him to leave and she loved her mother even more when she stopped him.

"That's okay, Edward." Renee placed her hand on his shoulder to lead him back down on the chair. "We have more than enough time to catch up. I know there's a lot of things you and Bella need to talk about."

The implication wasn't lost on Bella and she understood immediately what that meant. For years she kept everything inside. James words reverberated through her mind relentlessly. "Keep the secret." She'd kept it from Edward—not because she didn't trust him, but because it was instilled in her since childhood.

She wanted to wait for the perfect moment, naively believing that it existed. It turned out, like all things in life, that it was easier said than done.

"You know, don't you?" she asked him once her mother left the room.

Edward nodded looking uncertain how she wanted this to proceed. "Your mother gave my family the general idea of where you really come from and what you're capable of." His voice held a certain level of awe, as if the knowledge of it was still processing.

She gulped. "Ask me anything."

Edward nodded, keeping his proximity close to her but he looked hesitant. The uncomfortable moment passed when he finally felt confident to ask what's been plaguing his mind. "Why didn't you tell me before, after you found out about what I am?"

"I'm not quite sure," she replied truthfully. "I've lived my whole life keeping that side of me controlled that sometimes I could even pretend it doesn't exist. And when I couldn't even use it when I needed it the most, it started to become something like a dream. Like it happened in another life."

"But it's a part of you."

"Yes." She sighed. "I can feel it strongly even now. Waiting just inside of me, except I can't touch it."

He leaned forward, his fingers gently rubbing the wrapped bandage that covered the wound James savagely left her. "Bella, why did they bind it?" She knew he wasn't referring to her dressing.

She tilted her head to the side and reached out with her finger to put below his chin. She slowly raised his face so she could see his face. When his golden eyes finally met her brown ones, "She told you about that, huh?"

Edward bit his lip, an out-of-character trait she found endearing. "Only bits and pieces. I think she thought it best if you explained."

She smiled weakly. "We rarely expose our abilities out in the open, but it's not entirely forbidden. We just need to be discreet about it." She closed her eyes and thought back to the incident. "I had to make a choice though. There were innocent children involved and I couldn't stand by and let them die without helping. Our Families worried that the authorities might look too closely so they did what they thought was for my best interest."

Edward nodded. "You're amazing." He didn't press any further for information, but he deserved it. Most of all, she wanted him to know.

"Presumably, once I turn eighteen this year, my ascension will break the bindings that's keeping my abilities from being used. It's too powerful to be contained."

He raised an eyebrow. "Presumably?"

"I'm a first-timer, Edward. A female born with the gift. There's no manual for it. Nothing about my evolution so far coincided with the others. For all we know, I may not even ascend at all."

"But you're not sure?"

"No."

"Your mother mentioned consequences, but she didn't explain what they were, only that it was…" He paused. "Seductive."

"Yeah," she said sensitively. "The downside of a being a witch." The look on Edward's face would have amused her had this conversation taken a different path in another time, but instead, she shook her head to clear her thoughts to explain the biggest test that any member with the gift had to endure. "It's like comparing it to human blood for vampires." Edward visibly tensed but she intertwined her fingers along his own and held it tight hoping he'd understand the analogy once she was finished. "The allure to taste it is… strong. It works kind of the same way with our powers. When we ascend and our abilities are fully released, that allure magnifies. The more we use, the more addictive it becomes. We lose our sense of independence, relying on the powers to do everything for us."

It was obvious that he was having a difficult time comprehending what that really meant. "How exactly does that work against you?"

"For an outsider, it seems so cut and dry but for us, we put our very lives at stake whenever we use it." Edward looked obviously confused and she knew she had to drive the point home, no matter how painful it was to reveal. "Edward, if I become dependent on my abilities, it'll end my life far sooner than the average human lifespan. We may be magical, but we're not indestructible."

"What do you mean?"

Edward knew what she meant, but he seemed to be having a hard time accepting the facts given to him.

"My grand father didn't have the self control, he was barely forty years old when he died but you wouldn't know it if you saw him. He looked closer to ninety."

Edward shot out of his seat and turned away. Her heart broke seeing the carefully built walls of control around him fall apart one by one. She wanted to cry but she knew she also had to be strong for him.

"When Alice saw you becoming one of us," he spoke finally after a lengthy silence, "I felt torn between happiness and disgust at my own selfishness. When you were on that floor with James' venom burning inside you, I wanted you to change and at the same time I didn't." He turned to her, and the look of utter sadness and shame on his face forced her tears to finally fall. "I love you, Bella." He took her face and gave her one long desperate kiss on her lips.

"I love you, too."

"It doesn't seem fair," he whispered, their foreheads resting against one another and their lips coming apart only inches from each other. "You're damned if your changed and you're damned if you stay human."

"I'm not even thinking about that right now."

"How can you not?" he asked incredulously.

She brushed his messy hair lovingly with her fingers. "Because you're here with me and you tend to have this annoying yet convenient effect of distracting me." She kissed him again and they remained that way for a long moment until three of Edward's siblings appeared through the doorway.

"We're sorry to interrupt," Jasper entered apologetically but otherwise remained by the door.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jase, of course we're not sorry," Emmett said, striding his way over to her bedside and giving her a pat on the head.

"Boys, behave." Alice's musical voice said sternly but her face turned soft then excited when she saw her and Edward intertwined together.

Bella blushed.

Emmett sat down beside her, his eyes twinkling. "So Bells… do you like… fly on brooms and do spells in crock pots?"

Her blush quickly disappeared and she rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't know. Flew a SUV off a cliff once though, that was interesting."

Emmett's eyes widen with childlike excitement. "Ascend!" he wished fervently standing up and stomping his foot, his behavior mimicking that of an actual five year old. "Ascend right now!"

Edward reached over her bed and smacked Emmett across the head while Alice giggled leaving her content to watch them interact. The Cullen siblings never failed to amuse her even in the most heavy of emotional situations.

"So you guys aren't too upset that I didn't tell you sooner?"

"Nah!" Emmett waved off nonchalantly.

"Well, we were definitely surprised," Alice said with a warm smile. "But we understand."

"Hey!" Emmett looked like a sudden epiphany occurred to him. "Is that why little brother here can't read your mind?"

Edward looked to her for confirmation but she could only shake her head. "Not really. When you meet the others, it's more than likely that you'll have no problem reading their minds." Edward looked almost deflated at the news. "One of the elders believes it's because I have a very private mind, but I never really understood what that meant."

"So they can read minds, too?" Jasper asked.

"Not the way Edward can. We actually have to cast a spell to do that."

Emmett's eyes lit up again. "That is so cool!"

"Not really," she said. "Spell casting is probably the least favorite thing that we're subjected to learn."

"Bella?"

She turned her attention to Alice who looked decisively worried.

"What's wrong Alice?"

"When you said about meeting other's like you… I can't see that specific future coming to pass so I don't know how they would react to seeing a group of vampires."

"They won't harm us," Carlisle said, interrupting their Q&A.

Bella smiled merrily at this, silently thanking Carlisle for putting Alice's concerned thoughts to rest. Her mother wasn't far behind.

"He's right," Renee confirmed easily. "I haven't spoken to them yet but the Covenant's no threat to you, especially after you've looked after my daughter very diligently this past several months. They'll have questions, of course, but your ties to Bella have inadvertently tied you to the rest of us. We don't just protect our families, we protect our allies as well."

"But why can't I see how this future plays out?" Alice whined.

"I honestly don't know," her mother answered. "The knowledge of 'The Power' is only handed down through their gifted descendants. I only know a portion of what Bella has learned over the years and even then, they still have a lot to learn."

"Oh." Alice sighed dejectedly.

"Hey, it's okay." Bella assured her friend. "We'll figure it out."

Alice beamed quickly at the thought.

Forks, Washington

Pogue leaned forward silently, staring mindlessly at the canned soda Charlie Swan had given him since he arrived at his front doorstep. Glancing up, he noted that Charlie was watching him, his eyes puffy from lack of sleep. Turning back down to the table, he thought about the cryptic message he received from Bella while he was in L.A. and hoped she would call soon.

"Do you think I should go down to Phoenix and see if Bella is okay for sure?" Charlie asked him.

Pogue started at this, knowing full well he was just as worried for his daughter as Charlie was. Bella's mother, Renee, was with Bella right now and that diminished his fears somewhat but he couldn't help but feel like something more was happening that he didn't know about.

"If Aunt Renee is with her, Bella's fine."

"If Renee hadn't just taken Bella on a joy ride across several state lines she would still be here at home, safe and sound," Charlie said looking visibly upset, slumping himself down on the chair opposite the small kitchen table. "I'm sorry I'm not the best host right now, Pogue. I don't normally act this way."

Pogue smiled. "You remind me more of Bella than Aunt Renee does, actually."

Charlie looked at him with obvious surprise. "You think?"

"Yeah. Bella likes to keep to herself, but she isn't like a hermit or anything. But she prefers the company of people she knows than making the effort of mingling with others."

Charlie chuckled. "Yeah, that sounds like me all right."

"I'm sure they'll be on their way back soon." At least he hoped so. He couldn't leave Charlie behind to see for himself. Every once in a while, he'd get the feeling that they were being watched. But every time he turned to see if he was right, nothing out of the ordinary was there.

It didn't matter though, until Bella tells him otherwise, he wasn't going anywhere.

Edward sat quietly watching Bella sleep. He thought about the last couple of hours heavily. For months he agonized over his future with Bella, refusing to let his sister's vision come to pass without a fight. As much as he wanted to have her for all eternity, he couldn't, in good conscience, take her life from her.

Now everything's changed.

Bella was a witch.

Apparently, she was a very powerful one.

He smirked at the thought and wondered how he could ever have believed that she was anything less than fragile.

Edward continued to watch her in amazement, and thanked whatever higher power was out there for bringing her to him.

"Edward?"

He turned to find Alice behind him. "Let me watch over her for a while. You've been with her for hours."

"I've been with her for longer periods than this."

"I know," she said. "But it's not fair to the rest of us that you get to spend more time with her and besides, you're not alone. Jasper and Emmett are just outside. Carlisle is helping the hospital out with a couple of patients while he's here and Bella's mom is by herself. I think she needs the company, and I got a vision of you two talking."

"Oh." He blinked, seeing Alice's vision in her mind. "All right."

Other than Bella's father, who didn't much talk to him more than what was necessary, he found himself at a loss as to what to say to Bella's mother. In more ways than one, it would be the second time he would have a conversation with another human without the pretense of secrecy underlining the interaction.

Finally, he realized what he was feeling.

He was nervous.

Sighing, he got up and laid a soft kiss on Bella's forehead before slowly stepping out. He was partially content in knowing that Bella was attended to.

It wasn't long until he caught Mrs. Dwyer's thoughts, her mind centered on Bella as a baby. Images of his love as a child filled his thoughts and it occurred to him that in some ways, he was finally getting a glimpse into Bella's private memories.

When he reached the empty cafeteria, he saw Bella's mother sitting alone. "Mrs. Dwyer?" he spoke to her softly.

Renee looked up and smiled. "Edward. Hi. I never thought you'd leave my daughter's side."

His eyes fell away from her, embarrassed.

Renee chuckled. "Don't worry, I find it very romantic. Bella chose well." She gestured to an empty seat. "Would you like to join me?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all."

He sat down, unsure of the protocol. Personally, this was unfamiliar territory for him.

"I'd offer you coffee but…" she let the sentence trail to a stop.

"It doesn't bother you. What I am." He meant it as a question, but it came out as anything but.

"When Bella was a little girl, she was always a little more serious than other children her age. As she grew older, she was picky about who she dated, and none of them lasted more than a date or two." Edward felt remarkably smug about this particular revelation but steeled his face to pretend otherwise. "It almost seems natural that she'd fall in love with someone completely different."

If he were human, he could almost swear his face would be red right about now.

"You look terrified." She pointed out, stifling a laugh. "Don't worry, Edward. I'm not here to give you a lecture. My daughter's mature enough for the both of us to make her own decisions."

"So you approve?" he asked carefully.

She tilted her head to the side, an action that reminded him of Bella. "Do you need my approval?"

"I…" his mouth gaped open. "Yes, I guess I do."

She smiled. "Then you have it."

Edward let out a deep breath, one weight lifting from his shoulders. Speaking to Renee felt almost cathartic; a large juxtaposition compared to being around Chief Swan who always seemed content to fill the void with uncomfortable silence. Chief Swan's thoughts centering on fishing or finding ways to hurt him if he ever hurt Bella didn't help invite conversation easily.

"Was it difficult to raise her?"

"Only at first," she said. "There was just so much that we didn't know. The Families prided themselves on knowledge and tradition. When I told them about Bella, they didn't even believe me. It was just impossible."

"But she proved them wrong."

Renee laughed and in her mind he could see the memory bubbling to the surface. It was of Bella at the tender age of five levitating several pieces of antique porcelain pottery in the air.

He couldn't help his reaction to the memory. He chuckled.

"You saw my memory, Dr. Cullen told me a little about your gift."

"I'm sorry for intruding, but it's something I don't have an on and off button for."

"That's okay," she assured, not the least bit offended. "It's not the kind of memories I could put into a family album or on video, and it's kind of nice to be able to share it with someone that means a lot to Bella."

"Did it ever bother you, that the women in your family couldn't inherit?" he wondered curiously out loud.

"It crosses my mind sometimes, but for the most part, I think we have it pretty easy compared to them. It's incredibly hard, especially after they become eighteen. From the very moment they get a taste of it, the consequences if it's abused are practically drilled into them. There's a lot of pressure, for a parent especially. No father or mother should ever have to outlive their child."

Edward thought about this carefully and he worded his next sentence gently. "You have to know that if Bella and I… well… we wouldn't be able to have… uh… children."

Renee looked at him sadly. A small yet significant fact that made him wholly depressed. "I'm sorry, that has to be hard on you and your family."

"I never thought about it until I met Bella. It's harder for my mother and sisters. Esme and Rosalie, especially."

"Esme, that's Dr. Cullen's wife right?"

"Yes. She lost a child once, before she was changed."

"That's horrible."

"But she makes it work with us, and even though I'm technically older than she is, I think of her as my mother."

Renee smiled. "She sounds like a wonderful woman."

He nodded. "She is."

Renee glanced at her watch and sighed. "I should call Charlie and give him an update. He's been worried sick over Bella. You should go back to her, I have a feeling you're not used to being away from my daughter."

He smiled shyly, but he enjoyed speaking with Bella's mother. She was unlike what he expected.

Like mother like daughter.

"Thank you for letting me keep you company, Mrs. Dwyer."

"You're welcome, Edward. And please, call me Renee. I feel much too old as it is."

To be continued…

Well, there you have it. The beginnings of The Covenant and Olympic Coven alliance. Tell me what you think. I'll be taking a small break from this story to focus on Forever Days. I hope my tense problems aren't so glaringly obvious this time but I apologize in advance if it is. I should really take classes on brushing that up.