Sorry, it took me much longer than I thought to pull out this chapter from my mind!

It was a really difficult chapter to write…seriously guys.

The only time I've put this much effort into a chapter was when I was writing the reunion scene for Edward and Bella in Another Chance… and that took almost a week and a half to write out!

This chapter will answer most of your question…as for the other important answers to this story, you'll have to wait till next chapter. =)

OH! And I have a Twitter account now! Follow me for updates and sneak peak quotes for all my stories! http://www . twitter . com/JanJiz

Enjoy!

Lights! Camera! …Read!


An all too familiar searing pain shot through my body starting from the pulse point of my neck making its way down to my limbs.

I knew what was happening. I tried to fight him off, but there was no use. This was my fate now.

The last image I saw before the pain consumed me was my Bella staring back at me with wide desperate eyes. She was struggling to get out of their hands. But like me, there was no use in trying to fight them off.

It very well may be the last I ever see of her, and the pain of that was worse than any physical pain I was under at this moment.

I was thrown, or so it seemed, into someone else's hands. The icy touch of their hands only made the burning worse. The cold sent the pain doubled back through my arms.

I couldn't hold back the screams any more.

It was mortifying.

My skin felt as if it was melting off the bone.

How will I be able to stand this for three days straight?

It didn't matter though.

I deserved every bit of pain I was going through.

How I could stand there in front of Bella and lie to her with a straight face, I did not know.

What hurt the most was I actually fooled her. She believed me!

How could she believe such lies?

After all the times I had told her how much I loved her, how I've showed her physically countless times.

We were getting married for god sakes!

I let out a throaty groan that sounded more like a horrifying screeching noise.

I have no right to be angry at her, I should only be angry at myself for letting this happen. I should have found another way.

My breathing came in pants.

With ever gasp of breath the pain doubled up ten fold.

I scratched at my arms, my legs…my face, trying to uselessly dull the pain. It only made it worse.

I felt my arms and legs being held down. Their cold touch sent the fire ablaze even hotter.

I screamed out in agony.

Why are they so cruel?

Why can't they just end my pain?

For hours or days, I could not tell, I continued in such a way. The pain would ease into painful pinpricks at times and then roar back to life moments later.

I tried desperately to distract myself.

I found myself bringing Bella's loving face to the front of my mind to comfort me. But I could only keep it up for a moment before the image of her brokenhearted face when I said I didn't want her, appeared before me again and again. It was taunting me, showing me all I've done to ruin her.

I should have never let her go on that damn mission with Laurent.

I had been the one to push her into it in the first place. I never thought that things would end up like this because of it!

My only intentions were only to have her keep busy while I was away.

After she told me that Laurent would be the one to join her on the missions, I should have told her no. I should have stopped it before it began. Anyone else would have been fine, but not him.

I knew the vile thoughts that Laurent had in his mind about my Bella. Every time I'd pass him, his thoughts of jealousy poured into my mind as he thought about Bella in ways only I should think of her. It took all I had not to throw him against a wall and beat the hell out of him.

Of course I knew I wouldn't get far, I knew of Laurent's gift. He told me so in his thoughts the first day we had met in the grand hall. He made sure I knew what he was capable of and warned me not to cross him or he would end my life in a heartbeat.

I still don't know why Bella never said anything about his gifts to me. I knew she had known about it since the first day we came back. It was all Bethany could think about before Bella went talk to her, and then mysteriously Bethany's mind was blocked from me. Was Bella trying to protect me by keeping it a secret?

Bless her caring heart. But it pissed me off to no end that she would want to keep something that big from me. She didn't have to try and protect me all the time. It was my job to protect her! But look how far that's gotten me…

But I had swallowed my pride and kept my mouth shut. I let her believe I was oblivious to things that were going on. I knew she was keeping other things from me but I didn't pry. She would tell me on her own when she was ready.

Now…I would probably never know.

The pain grew steadily. I still had no idea how long it had been. It could have been only an hour but I could not tell.

My distractions were coming easier but still I could not forget the pain. With the extra abilities I already had before…my mind was capable of processing many things at once.

A gift I was thankful to have for my studies at the university, a curse to me now as I try to keep my mind off the pain.

School.

That would be one thing I would never get to finish now.

The Volturi would never let me go back, too much of a risk.

My studies were going so well. I enjoyed it so much. I would be helping people just like Dad. I was so excited and he was so proud.

My heart broke even more at the thought.

I would be forced to live here at the castle for all eternity.

Would I ever get to see my family again?

Would they be angry at what I did to Bella?

They would never know the real reason…and it was too late now.

I could only hope Aro would keep to his word in our exchange.

The night Bella had come back from her first mission had started off great. We had had a wonderful night together…but then it all went to hell.

As soon as I asked her about it, the images flooded my mind from hers.

She had kissed Laurent!

He held her to him and she did nothing to stop him.

And she had doubted her love for me?

Did she love him?

My mind was swirling with things they might have done behind my back.

I had thrown myself back away from her.

I could barely look at her. Of all people in the world, how could she be capable of doing something like this?

I didn't want her to explain. I didn't want my fears to be right. I didn't want her to explain that she might not love me anymore, that she might have feelings for Laurent…

I didn't want her to touch me. Her hands had touched him, she kissed him.

Had she had sex with me just to ease her guilt?

"You weren't going to tell me."

"Edward, I didn't want –"

"No, I don't want to hear it, just stop." I ran out of the room as fast as I could. "Just give me some time to think."

Maybe there was something more to this, maybe not. But the only thoughts running through my mind was of Bella kissing Laurent. The sobs coming from her only confirmed that she felt guilty for doing it, but did she really regret it?

I was only half way out of the castle when I ran into Laurent in the corridor.

My first instinct was to lunge out at him. I growled murderously and pounced.

In mid-air I came crashing down to the ground. I tried to lift myself up, but my muscles didn't move an inch.

I could hear his footsteps come closer towards me. He laughed.

I wanted to tear him to shreds.

My head lifted up to meet his gaze unwillingly.

He was smirking. "Jealous are we?"

Images flooded my mind from him.

He showed me how Bella wrapped herself around him deepening the kiss. How he cupped her cheek with one hand and pulled her up to him with his other hand at her lower back.

My eyes widened in horror.

She pulled away from him slightly and started to unbutton his shirt and –

"Laurent! That's enough."

Suddenly, I was able to move again. I instantly jumped up and backed away from them.

Aro had his hand on Laurent's shoulder.

Laurent was still grinning but Aro had a scowl on his face. He was reading Laurent's thoughts.

Aro shook his head and sighed as he lowered his hands to his side.

"I'm very disappointed in you Laurent." He started. "Stop taunting the boy."

Laurent glared at me and disappeared instantly.

I closed my eyes and brought my hand up to pull at my hair. I brushed my hand forward and trailed down my face to covered my mouth.

I felt sick.

How could Bella do this to me? To us?

I felt a breeze next to me and my eyes snapped open. Aro was about to 'comfort' me by placing his hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged away from his touch and backed up a few feet.

I knew better, he would use this opportunity to try and read all of my thoughts. He hadn't done it or even requested to do it since I've been here. And I wasn't about to let him do it now.

"Forgive me, Edward. I didn't mean to startle you. I understand if you don't want my comfort. I wouldn't want anyone to read my thoughts at a time like this either."

I nearly growled at him.

"I will understand if you need to leave for awhile to have some time to yourself. Just be back before sunrise." With that he glided towards the elevator and left me to my misery.

I didn't hesitate. I took off running out of the castle and into the nearby woods. I kept running until I reached a small pond. It was pitch black out. There was no moon out to light up the shadows. A new moon was always depressing.

I, of course, could still see very well and sat down against a tree.

I picked up a rock and flung it out into the water. I followed it as it skipped over the water until it plummeted down to the depths of the pond.

I pulled up my legs to my chest and set my chin on my knees.

I let the sobs rip through me. My cries filled the silent clearing.

Had I lost Bella forever?

I sat there the whole night, unmoving. I didn't know what to do. Should I let her try and explain?

I came to the conclusion of at least giving her a chance to do so. It would probably hurt me to no end hearing her tell me she did not love me anymore, but I owed her enough to let her explain.

The sky began to lighten up. It was a deep purple and red color now. The sun would be out in less than an hour.

I started my run back to the castle. I delayed as much as I could. I still wasn't ready to hear what she had to say.

When I reached the castle I asked Heidi to tell Aro I was back and then took the stairs up to our wing.

Before I could reach the doors, Bella's thoughts invaded my mind. I could hear her tearless sobs still coming from the bedroom where I had let her.

She was replaying what had happened over and over again in her mind. How Laurent had held her against her will and threw himself upon her to kiss her. He had used his gift on her and she wasn't able to stop the kiss. They had been interrupted by some man in the woods and Laurent had just brushed it off like nothing had happened between them.

I was furious.

Surprisingly it wasn't at Laurent, I was furious at myself.

The guilt crashed down on me and I stumbled backwards. I slid down the wall of the stairwell and sat on the steps.

How could I have thought such things of Bella?

She would never have done anything like that willingly.

Before I could see anything more that would make my guilt worse, I blocked her mind from me.

After a few moments of trying to compose myself I walked the remaining steps towards the room.

Bella's sobs ceased as soon as she heard the click of the door close behind me.

She rushed towards the bedroom door and stood there gazing down at me on from the second floor.

I looked away ashamed.

I had left her here to cry and doubt my love for her. She was innocent and pure, and I defiled her in the most shameful way.

How could she love me after I thought I couldn't trust her…after I had thought all those vile and indecent things of her?

I wordlessly picked up a shirt and a pair of jeans. I made my way to the bathroom for a shower. I had a class in less than an hour that I had to go to. As much as I wanted to fix things with her, I urge to runaway again was winning. I couldn't take the pain of my actions that had caused her to cry.

When I was done Bella was on the bed silently watching me get my keys off the dresser. She made no move to stop me or say anything.

I could barely look at her with out thinking of how I had portrayed her as some common cheating spouse. I had no right to think that way. I had broken our trust. She would never look at me the same.

A scream found its way out of my body again, knocking me out of my memories. I had screamed so much already that I didn't know how I still had my voice.

My body spasmed and I felt the familiar torture of cold hands upon my arms and legs again.

I didn't bother to break free from their grasps any more. I just tried to hide away in my memories again.

I was so angry at myself. I needed to speak with Bella soon. It had been three days since I last spoke to her, three days since I ran off, three long and painful days since I last held her in my arms.

I couldn't let this go on any longer. I had to beg her forgiveness.

I promised myself that after I was back from my classes for the day, I would sit down with her and talk about what happened. I could only hope she would forgive my ignorance.

If only I had known that I would never get that far.

I was walking towards the elevator when I heard the slightest of sounds. It was barely a whisper, an errant thought.

I…need to get…out of here.

I tried desperately to follow the voice.

It was vaguely familiar and I forced myself to find it.

Where the hell am I?

The thoughts became louder, the voice sounded weak.

I didn't realize where the voice had led me to until I was standing in front of the forbidden door.

I heard a sharp whimper come from the other side.

Fuck, why the hell are they doing this to me?

Without a second's thought I burst through the door as I realized whose voice it was and hurried down the dark hall of steps leading to the dungeons.

I gasped in horror as I ran to the steal bar prison.

He was chained, hanging by his arms from the ceiling. His legs were shackled to the ground. He hung limp, suspended in the air.

He sniffed the air and his body went ridged. He snapped his head in attention and he looked straight at me.

"Edward…" he gasped. His blue eyes shimmered with hope.

I snapped the lock off the cell door and pulled it away to walk inside.

I reached for the first cufflink on his wrist that was holding him prisoner, intending to break him free.

His eyes widened in panic as he stared off over my shoulder.

I was instantly thrown into the air and crashed into the opposite wall of the cell. I could feel my bones crack beneath me as the wall began to crumble behind me. I fell to the ground and a brief flicker of memory passed through my mind of when James had thrown me against the wall in my own prison last year.

When I looked up I growled and crouched low. My ribs poked at my side sending pain throughout my left side. I didn't move from my crouch.

Felix stood in the door way of the cell with a smirk on his face.

My body straightened up and I walked backwards to flatten myself against the crumbling cement of the wall.

Laurent came into view behind Felix with his own evil smirk in place.

I growled loudly as I saw Aro flip on the lights at the opposite side of the dungeon.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" I glared at him and he laughed.

"You! What have you done to him?" I demanded.

"Although it's none of your concern…if you must know, we have paralyzed him from the neck down." He said casually as he walked into the cell.

He walked over to me and smiled.

"I believe Bella explained the rules to you about coming down here Edward, did she not?" he asked.

I growled in response. His eyes narrowed at me.

"Well then, I believe you have a choice to make young Edward." He paced in front of me and tapped his chin. "You've broken a law, which is punishable by death." He stopped his pacing and turned to grin at me. "But I think I can make an exception for you. Join my guard, Edward. And I will let you live."

"I'm not going to join your damn guard, Aro!" I growled.

"Hm...Such a waste." He began to walk away from me and towards the cell door. "Maybe I'll just take your little friend here's life instead."

"NO!" I yelled. "Don't! Let him go!"

Aro laughed and spun around. "Ah, so you can be persuaded."

I clenched my teeth.

"How about we make a little deal, hmm?" He walked back towards me. He was now three inches away from my face. "In exchange for his freedom, you will join my guard and do as I say."

Fuck, what was I supposed to do?

I couldn't let Aro kill him.

Aro could see the conflict in my eyes.

"If you refuse, I will kill him. You know I can." He smirked. "And then we'll go upstairs and have a go at Isabella too. Would you like to see Laurent tear her limbs off one by one in front of you?"

"No!" I gasped in horror. "Leave her out of this!"

Aro raised his brow. "Ah, but she has everything to do with this, young Edward. You will do as I say or I will kill both of your loved ones." He smiled evilly. "I could even have Laurent make you be the one to light the match and burn your dear Isabella to ashes."

I couldn't believe this was happening.

There was no out of this.

I dropped my eyes to the ground. "I will do as you want." I choked out.

The pain was starting to worsen. I didn't know if it was because I was reliving my worst day alive or if the transformation was nearly complete.

I could hear vaguely hear footsteps pacing near by.

From my gasps of air I could taste their scents.

Aro, Felix, and Laurent were close.

I wanted to kill them all.

They ruined my life in all but eight short hours.

I had been forced off the wall by Felix and dragged out of the dungeon.

I still could not move. Aro walked in front of us and Laurent followed closely behind me.

They took me into a room I had never been in. the room was small and completely sealed away. There were no windows no chairs, nothing, just white walls and one person standing in the middle of the room.

Benji stood with a frown upon his face looking down at the ground.

"Keep his mind silent until Isabella leaves the castle. We don't want any of our plans to be ruined because of him. Do I make myself clear?" Aro asked sternly.

Benji nodded stiffly.

"Felix stay at the door and make sure he doesn't leave this room." He added.

"Come Laurent, you don't want to be late for you mission with Bella, do you?" Aro smirked.

I gasped and tried to launch myself at them. I was quickly held up against the wall by Felix with his hand at my throat.

"We will have no more of that, Edward. Remember what is at stake." Aro scolded.

I cringed and Felix dropped me to the floor.

Laurent, Felix, and Aro stalked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

I rubbed my neck and just stayed in the same place I fell.

I looked over to the other side of the room. Benji was leaning up against the wall in the far corner with his arms cross and eyes to the floor.

"I thought you were Bella's friend…" I hissed at him too low for Felix to hear.

Benji closed his eyes for a moment. He slowly lifted his gaze to meet my eyes.

I am, she is…God, I didn't want any of this to happen. But I had no choice. I was threatened just like you were.

I jumped back slightly as his thoughts entered my mind.

How the –

Bella had the same reaction, I'm able to drop my shield but it's very difficult…She doesn't know about any of this though. I couldn't tell her. They would have killed me.

His mind brought images forth from the day before Christmas when he was sent to a training session with Laurent. His limbs were being torn and broken. He cried out in agony.

"Stop!" He pleaded. "I promise…I won't say anything. I'll do what you want. Please."

Laurent stopped his attack and Aro leaned in close to Benji's ear.

"Good. And if you ever disobey me again, I will let him finish you off." He whispered.

I told Aro I wanted to leave the guard. I didn't want to be a part of his plan. I couldn't lie and hurt Bella like this. I owe her my life for saving me.

Benji shook his head in disgrace and let his body slide down to the floor. He buried his face in his hands.

When he said I wasn't allowed to leave I threatened to expose his plan to Bella. He was outraged and took me out by force to the training field.

"What the hell does he have planed?" I projected into his mind.

I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that he wanted Bella to join the guard again. But when Laurent joined after you guys left, his plans changed. He started talking about how he wanted to send her as far away as he could from here. It didn't make any sense.

His confession confused me to no end.

Didn't Aro covet Bella's powers?

Why would he want to send her away?

It really didn't make any sense to me.

I'm sorry Edward. I really am.

I looked down at the floor and tried my best to understand and forgive him. It wasn't his fault that he was dragged into this just like I was.

For hours we sat there by ourselves. He didn't try to talk to me anymore. I couldn't blame him. He probably thought I wanted to kill him too.

I heard the buzz of the elevator in the distance and then footsteps coming closer to the room. The door clicked and then was wide open.

Aro walked in with Caius and stood in front of me.

Caius glared at me and touched Aro's palm. Aro nodded and Caius lifted me up from where I sat in the corner.

"We need to discuss what will happen when Isabella returns." Aro started. I growled but stopped as his eyes burned holes in to my face. "You will convince her that you don't want to be with her anymore, and that she should leave the castle. I don't care how you do it or what you say, but you make sure our little agreement is not spoken about. I will know if you try to use your gift on her or to let her know otherwise. If you do not do as I say, I can promise you that Laurent will tear her to pieces in that moment faster than you could blink."

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

He was evil.

How could he do this to me?

He has no soul, no compassion what so ever.

Pure evil.

I clenched my hands at my sides. "She would never believe me. She won't leave my side."

"Well you better hope you're good at acting. Because if she refuses, that will be the last thing she ever does." His lips pursed into a straight line. He didn't want her dead, but I knew he would do it if he had no other choice.

Caius let me go and they both began walking back towards the door. "She will be here in about two hour's time. You better think of something fast."

"Why are you doing this, Aro?" I asked in barely a whisper. He stopped mid-stride and motioned for Benji and Caius to leave the room.

Aro walked to the middle of the room and faced me.

"For the last century I have been trying to keep a strong hold on Isabella in my guard. She is not easily persuaded." He frowned.

Not easily manipulated he means.

"She never had any real interest in the guard. Such great power she has…it's such a waste. She never liked to use them. She was no soldier…a humanitarian, yes. I had a feeling she would seek out Carlisle one day. Her bond to you and her family is much too great a risk for the Volturi. I will not stand by and let that happen." I clenched his fist and then took a deep breath. "If she won't join the guard and be by my side, then I have no use for her anymore. I will make sure she spends her eternity alone and never show her face in my castle again. She is very powerful and useful but I decided to stop wasting my time on her. She will never want to fully join my guard again, and I have accepted that. Besides, as great as her power is, she only mimics what other powers I already own in my guard. And now that Laurent has joined, I won't ever need her…" he trailed off. "And your gift will be a great new addition to the guard as well." He grinned.

My stomach twisted and turned in disgust.

This man lets his greed for power overthrow anything else.

He doesn't care how many lives he destroys in the process, just as long as he gains more power.

"I will send someone for you in an hour to get you cleaned up for our meeting with Isabella. You better be ready."

He turned and left out the door, leaving me alone and broken, sobbing on the floor.

I'm so sorry, Bella.

A bolt of pain coursed through my chest.

It was more painful that anything I had yet to experience.

I cried out in pain. How could this keep getting worse and worse?

My body began to numb, starting from my toes up through to my arms and neck.

The pain didn't lessen, but I was completely paralyzed.

What seemed like hours later, all the pain gathered rapidly from the rest of my body, and found its way to the center of my chest.

This was it.

With one final gasp of air, my heart ceased to beat.

I still couldn't move. My body lay motionless.

I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't.

There was only the darkness behind me eyes.

Tightness in my chest built up quickly.

I panicked thinking that my transformation was still not really over and that the pain would come again worse than it had before.

My lungs gave out and I gasped loudly.

My throat flared with the same ferocity of pain the transformation had held me under for so long.

My hands sprung up and I clutched at my throat.

The pain was unbearable. It was getting worse by the second.

I gasped for air. I knew I didn't need it, but I still sucked in deep breaths hoping it would alleviate some of the pain.

It only made it worse, much worse than the pain of my change.

I heard the click of a door and before I realized what was happening, I flung myself towards the noise.

Instantly, the pain was gone.

Alright, so if you didn't hate me after last chapter…I'm sure you do now. Lol

I just ask that you turn all of that hate to Aro!

And I know I didn't say who was in the dungeon …but I thought it would be best if I left it as a surprise for next chapter.

If you haven't figured out who it is yet, you will instantly know exactly who it is mid-Chapter 13.

I promise!

Thanks for sticking with me!

Review! – They makes meh happy. ;D

-Jan