WARNING: the author of this fan fiction does not have the best grammar and she apologizes for any confusion or errors.
READ ON!
I sighed. I was so comfortable. My mind was calm and peaceful and all was silent.
…then my silence was broken. I scowled at the sound of my sisters silver laughter but didn't open my eyes.
"Sorry, sorry. You just had the funniest grin on your face." Layla's voice was light but weighed down by something I could never place even if I tried for a million years so I decided to ignore it.
"My facial expressions are warranted, thank you. I'm proud of us. We did what we came here to do and I'm about to be married, which I never thought I could be happy about, plus I'm incredibly comfy. I couldn't be more relaxed if you paid me. I am totally worry free." I felt the grin come back to my face as I thought of Edward.
I was floating on a cloud, quite literally actually. This was one of my favorite parts about being able to control water; I could easily sit on clouds as if they were solid (which to me they were.) I sighed in absolute comfort–which was a word I was using a lot at this point. The only thing that could make this any better was if Edward was with me.
Edward. We had been getting closer and closer as they days have gone by. It was like we were re-learning everything there was to know and the time we spent apart wasn't there anymore. I liked that feeling.
It had all be surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong there had been some major obstacles – Natalie and especially Jacob being two of them- but we had gotten past them and in the end it seemed all we got was the good part of the deal. The wolves and vampires didn't fight with each other anymore, Jacob and I were friends, Layla had a…well she had a Kyle. The point was that my sister was happy, I was happy, everyone was happy and the world was content.
And the entire time my mind was screaming to me one thing: it was too easy.
"It was too easy." The revelation shot through my mind like an electric shock and I sat straight up in alarm. It was too easy. "It's not over. Something's going to happen, Layla. That was too simple. Supposedly everything in the world is ok, that's- it's just-"
"You're just worried because it was too anticlimactic." She said, leaning back and crossing her arms behind her head. What? Was she serious? I know between the two of us she had a better sense of foresight but something bad was going to happen, I could feel it.
Layla sighed "Bella, just don't worry for now." And I stopped worrying. Just like I couldn't think about what I had done in Alaska. I new what had happened but it was fuzzy and didn't really register in my mind anymore.
Then I was reminded of something else, something that I should never had forgotten about. Alice's vision. The grey flames and the uneasy feeling that had come with them. I felt my brow furrow as I replayed her vision in my mind. It seemed like nothing to worry about but the flames…where had I seen them before? And then something else resurfaced in my mind: Layla wasn't being her normal self. She was normally 'lets check everything over to make sure everything's ok' and 'everything, even the smallest detail, has a meaning and needs to be checked out.'
I went against my gut and my mind at that moment and didn't say anything. I didn't want to worry at the moment. I was getting married in three days.
We sat in silence for a few minutes but that last thought brought up a feeling. I felt like there was something…something I was forgetting. Better yet something I was purposely pushing to the back of my mind.
"Oh Bella." Layla said in her taunting, singsong voice that meant trouble (or hell) for whoever it was aimed at. I looked at her to see her grinning "It's almost four and Alice wants to have you ready to go by seven. That'll take at least three hours."
No. I groaned. "You can't do this to me. You're supposed to be my sister."
She laughed. "I am your sister, but this was part of mine and Alice's deal when I made sure that your wedding dress didn't have random poofs all over it."
I sighed, I had really hoped that Alice wouldn't insist on a bachelorette party but as always she insisted and I couldn't exactly say no. But I didn't agree to playing Bella Barbie, that was Layla.
"Hey, why don't you ever have to play Barbie? Out of the two of us you're the one who needs more help with her make up!" I told her, it wasn't fare.
She stuck her tongue out of me. "You can't improve perfection, my dear sister." I rolled my eyes.
"Come on, let the torment begin. You promise not to let Alice do anything over the top with me right?" I sighed as I let the cloud drop me and I started falling towards the earth. I didn't really feel like bringing my wings out or using the water to brace my fall so both Layla and I landed with resounding booms that echoed through the mountains.
"I promise." She told me smiling and held a hand over her heart. "Race me?" I smiled. I still had to pay her back for her little 'plan' in a recent baseball game.
"You're on." And off we went. The wind immediately whipped past my face as my speed picked up. I wasn't even paying attention to the race, I was just running. All on instinct my body swerved around and over trees, rocks and anything else in my way. The feeling of flying was incredible.
Running was amazing and I looked to the silver blur running just a few feet ahead of me and glared while speeding. I still had to win this race, I still had to live up to my promise to pay her back.
Flashback:
I looked up at the sky and watched as the storm clouds kept rolling in, tiny lulls of thunder were already sounding far away and soon it would be time to begin.
"Are you ready for this, love?" I looked at Edward as he placed his baseball hat on his head and adjusted it. I did the same to mind and smiled at him.
As soon as Alice had seen the upcoming thunderstorm, she had immediately demanded a 'family only baseball game.' I suppose they Cullen's really hadn't gotten any family time since we showed up with the Volturi and then the werewolves.
"You know, I've been wondering what it would be like to play with you and your family for a long time. And now we've got bigger teams." I said gesturing to Layla and Kyle. Layla was making faces as she tried to adjust her new black baseball cap with a silver Cullen 'C' on it. She stuck her tongue out at Kyle who laughed in return as he pushed the baseball cap down over her eyes. Both of them had been surprised when they were invited to play with us but I was glad that they had.
"You look fine." Kyle said, thought he was trying not to laugh as Layla shot him a glare that anyone else would have hidden from.
"I do not! You don't understand! The damn hat doesn't go with my face shape!" Kyle laughed and got a punch to the shoulder. "Stop it! You're face shape is normal and the stupid cap likes you." I smiled. They were a pair.
We had been living mainly at the Cullen's house for a couple weeks now and the pack had pretty much gone back to living back on the rez now that their parents weren't threatening them anymore. Except for Sampson who was over at the house most of the time for Heidi, who was staying with the rest of the Volturi at mine and Layla's house. I'm pretty sure that both Layla and Kyle had pretty much been accepted along with me into the Cullen's family but nothing had really been said about it yet.
Edward chuckled. "I hope we're on the same team. Otherwise I might have to let my team down and let you win." I smiled at him, 'let me win' sure.
"Ok Edward, what ever you say." He kissed my cheek and I was glad I couldn't blush. "I hope we are on the same team too or otherwise I'll have to crush you."
He swung he arm over my shoulder and chuckled "You wouldn't do that to me would you? Not me." Before he could let me retort he changed the subject. "I really hope no one decides to take a mid-October hiking trip, we look like quite the family out here."
I laughed and shrugged. We would be plenty prepared for it if they did but if anyone saw us they would be just a bit perplexed as to why we were all in thin baseball outfits in the middle of a very windy October. Layla especially didn't help any, having opted to rip the sleeves off of her uniform and going barefoot but it seemed as if she had finally been able to adjust her hat in a manner she like because it was now backwards on her head and she was shoving Kyle around as he laughed and tried to steal the cap off her head saying 'no, Layla you can't wear it like that! It doesn't match your head!'
"Ok, who are the captains?" Carlisle said as Jasper finished placing the last base. The storm was picking up and I'm sure any many now we could begin playing.
"Me!" Layla yelled excitedly waving her arm around like a maniac from where she and Kyle were standing on the pitcher's mound.
"Me!" Emmett boomed at the same time from where he was cleaning the bats and swung it over his head.
I knew that this would be an interesting game from the time Carlisle asked if anyone objected and the unanimous vote was 'yes' and I knew it now as we all lined up to be picked for teams. I felt Edward slip his hand into mine and I smiled at the simple gesture. If we were on different teams I was still going to kick his butt though.
"I get to pick first!" Emmett yelled.
"Fine! But you get to bat first!" Layla yelled back.
"Fine!" Emmett said with a scowl. It took him a minute to figure it out and Layla smirked when he did. It was obvious that it would be an unfair advantage for me and Layla to be on the same team. I hoped Emmett realized this and picked me last so he had more people to choose from in the beginning.
I saw a small smile form on Layla's mouth and I sighed. She and Em had had this 'competition' thing going on for some time –video games, wrestling, racing- and I don't think I'm helping.
"Emmett, obviously Bella will be on your team." Layla said as Emmett was thinking of who to choose first.
"Oh, ok. Bella then." I rolled my eyes but didn't say anything, just released Edward's hand and walked over to Emmett.
"Edward." Layla said and I glared at her. She just gave me and innocent smile back.
"Alice." She skipped over and joined me with Emmett.
"Kyle."
"Rosy." Emmett called out next.
"Jasper." Layla picked next.
"Carlisle."
"And Esme." Layla said before her team dispersed into their chosen sections of the field.
"Hey Emmett!" Layla yelled as our team started moving towards home and Emmett growled in response only widening my sister's smirk. "Your team better bring it you big pansy!" Emmett snarled and glared. Layla gave me a taunting look before putting her hand up to her black ball cap and saluting me. I rolled my eyes and walked to home with the rest of my team.
"Ok, who's first?" I tried to keep myself from laughing at his thoughts which were thinking of a way to get Layla back. I wish him good luck with that.
"I will hun, don't worry." Rose's voice was overly sweet and everyone knew she was mocking Emmett except for him.
"Thanks Rosy, Bella I don't want you to bat until all we have all the bases loaded." Emmett sighed out and Rose rubber his shoulder. Alice giggled a bit and Carlisle looked away but I knew he was amused by Emmett's defeated behavior.
I decided not to torment him anymore "Ok Em."
"Hey Pansy! Who's batting first?" Layla yelled from the pitcher's mound. Esme had taken her place as the catcher, Edward in the outfield, Jasper guarding third and Kyle on first both boys guarding second.
"Rose is! And you can't pitch! That's so unfair! Have Jasper pitch!" Emmett yelled and Layla stuck her tongue out at him.
"I can pitch if I want to! What are you scared of? If you strike out it's because you can't hit a baseball not because I'm stronger than you." She said back. Burn.
"Just shut up and give me that bat, Emmett." Rosalie said as she pulled the bat out of his hands and stepping up to the plate. Layla looked up to the sky and a large crack of lightning zapped the air. The game had begun.
Layla wound up then threw the ball lighter than I knew she could but the large mussels in her exposed arms still ripped with power as she threw the ball and it zipped right past Rose and into Esme's hand. "Strike One!" Esme yelled. Rose looked startled as Esme threw the ball back but she regained her composure and was able to hit it by the third pitch.
It went straight to Edward who caught it and threw it to Jasper who was waiting at second but Rose was able to make it there before the Jasper caught it. Ok, progress. Progress was good.
Carlisle was next and he had a little more luck with Layla's pitching and was able to hit it on the first swing. This time Kyle caught it before it reached too far into Edward's territory and was able to get back to first before Carlisle could make it any further but threw it Esme who got Rose out as she was coming home. "Out!"
Rosalie scowled but got up as if nothing had happened, dusted off her pants and came to stand by me.
Emmett took the bat next and Layla got that evil look back in her eye. She wound up again and the next thing anyone saw was Esme move backwards a few inches from the impact of the ball in her hand. "Strike One!" Layla yelled out.
As Esme threw the ball back Emmett huffed and squared himself up again for the next pitch, determined not to strike out. "Come on Em! You can do it!" Rose cheered before turning to me "He doesn't stand a chance does he?"
I shook my head "Nope."
"Strike Two!" we turned our head back to the game as Esme threw the ball back to Layla again and Emmett set himself up again and squinted at Layla.
It seemed as if Emmett was finally ready for Layla's fast pitches as she coiled up extra tight but when she threw the ball, it was slower than any of the past ones she had thrown so far in the game and Emmett, who obviously wasn't expecting it, swung and missed. "Strike Three! You are out!" Esme yelled.
Emmett growled and threw the bat at a giggling Alice who was up next. "Come on babe, it's just a game." Rose said with a smile as Emmett huffed over.
"She sooo cheated." He whined.
I laughed. "Maybe next time we should have an umpire."
Alice managed to get to second and Carlisle to third without getting out.
I smirked at Layla as I went up to bat. "Time out!" she called and I raised my eyebrow. Her team gathered around her and she pointed to herself, Edward, Esme and Kyle in turn. She was planning something, something crazy and way out there that would probably work out exactly how she wanted it to.
"What is she doing?" Emmett asked, clearly agitate.
"I have no idea." And I didn't. She was blocking their minds from me.
The all nodded and Jasper went back to his place between third and second but to my surprise Edward went to the pitchers mound while Layla took his place in the outfield. Kyle came over and acted as pitcher and Esme went to stand in between first and second.
Edward looked at me with confidence and I smirked in return and got ready to bat. As if he could strike me out. Ha! I loved him, but he was going down.
Just as a particularly loud crash of thunder rolled through the mountains Edward pitched and I swung the bat with all my might and the sound of the impact made it sound like a second thunder clap.
I dropped the bat and ran around the bases as fast as I could, the wind whipping fast my face at incredible speed and just for a moment I allowed myself to fly without cause across the ground. By the time I got to second Carlisle had gotten home and Alice was almost there. As I rounded third I heard Layla's yell "Edward! Head's up."
I kept running but looked up as Edward was thrown back by something with such a force that he flew back through the air and slammed into Kyle, who held fast and didn't budge, before landing on the base just a half a second before I slid into home.
Edward smiled at me before holding up the ball in his left hand. I glared in return. "Out!" Carlisle yelled and I glared at him too. Traitor.
I looked to see Layla waving at me from the woods and then back at Edward who was picking himself up from the ground. That was wrong in so many ways.
I glared at Layla once more who crossed her eyes at me and made a face. "It's all in the planning, sister dear." She would have today, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even anytime in the next century oh but she would pay. For what? I'm not sure it was just a game but hey, it's all the spirit.
The other team went back to their previous positions and the game continued. Our team only got one more point by the time we got our third out. We were up three to one but it was Layla's team's turn to bat now.
I watched from my place in the outfield as Edward stepped up to bat first and I felt my eyes narrow. He was so going down. I saw his eyes flicker to mine and he smirked. Oh yes, he was going down. Did he really think that just because Layla basically knocked him into home meant that he had gotten me out? No. And did he really think that I would go easy on him? No.
Alice wound up from the pitchers mound and gave a smooth pitch to Edward who hit the ball with a whoosh from the bat. It was a low ball but it was fast and whizzed through the air past both Emmett and Rosalie. But that didn't stop me I flew over and stood straight in its way so it slammed into me, but I caught it and I was also able to throw it straight to Emmett who was able to tag Edward as he got to third but they ended up slamming into each other and crashing to the ground.
"Oh yea! Whoo! You just got ousted lil' brother!" Emmett's scream of triumph rang through the air. I laughed and sent a triumphant smirk at Edward which Emmett notice "And it looks like you're not getting any for a while either."
Everybody laughed at that as Edward gave Emmett a playful shove and walked back to home.
Next was Kyle who surprisingly was able to get to second and if he had been just a bit faster would have probably been able to get to third. He was slower than the rest of us but he was also stronger that most and it took me a few seconds longer to retrieve it that I expected it too.
The next two batters - Jasper and Esme – kept their hits in the infield and were able to get Kyle home, Jasper on third and Esme on second.
(Might I take this moment to say to all my readers that in my personal opinion Jasper + baseball hat = a new reason to love baseball)
"Time out!" Emmett called.
"Take as much time as you need Pansy, you're just putting off your ultimate demise." I looked to home and saw Layla prepping her swing.
"Bella, you pitch." Emmett said hurriedly when we were all in our huddle.
"It's not going to matter who pitches to her Emmett, it going to matter who can run the fastest and that's Bella. She needs to be in the outfield." Carlisle tried to reason with Emmett. At that moment I think we were all so into it we didn't really realize that we were taking the game a bit too far
"God fine! But…I wanted to be able to make up a cool plan that send someone flying across the field too." Emmett…whined? What ever it was it defiantly wasn't manly.
"It's ok, Em. There's always ways in the future." Alice comforted.
"For the love of god, people! It's just a baseball game! The big baby can get over it!" Layla screamed from home.
A couple minutes later, after Emmett stopped 'whining,' Alice finally pitched the ball.
I don't think that the loudest thunderclap would have covered the boom that echoed when the metal of the bat slammed against the baseball. It went about seventy feet over my head and just kept going. As the cheers from the field started up I chased it way back into the forest, finally caught it and rushed back to the field as fast as I could. God, what was she on? Vampire steroids?
I was really getting into it too, rushing back as fast as I could, ghost adrenaline in my body but when I got to the field I stopped as soon as I made eye contact with Alice and saw the visions with her.
Flames. Grey Flames everywhere. Burning everything. Everything was burning….
Everything seemed to go in slow motion as the other Cullen's rushed to see if Alice was ok, but I just stared. I had seen that before, grey flames burning everything. But where? I looked to see Layla staring at my with an expression I couldn't decipher and didn't try to.
The game continued afterwards but I kept spacing out. Grey flames…where?
End of Flashback
"Edward! My dear please tell me what I heard is not true! You just can't be getting married, not when we could be so good together. Please just forget that whore and come home with me." Red flashed in front of my vision and I heard myself let out a snarl. My pace got faster as I sped towards the Cullen's home. I had worked too hard to get Edward back; no one was going to take him from me again!
My mind was focused on one thing: kill. All rationality had completely left it, maybe because the statement had taken me so off guard.
Suddenly, I was forced hard onto the ground. Something was trying to stop me from getting to my Edward. Who ever she was – I recognized the voice a female – was again trying to get Edward's attention. I saw red and struggled against the thing restraining me.
"Bella! Calm down!" my sister's voice broke through the red and I let out a breath but I was too far gone to calm down. "Read her thoughts."
I closed my eyes and concentrated. I saw a cottage in the wilderness. I saw through the eyes of who ever she was a book of Greek poems, I saw her sister walking to the phone once it rang, answer it and having a conversation with Carlisle, her face turning into a grimace. I saw through her eyes how when Irina hung up to phone she turned to us and said "Edward is getting married and we have been invited." I saw how her thoughts turned angry at this point and Natalie's face popped up in her mind.
"See? Carlisle didn't tell the Denali Sisters who he was getting married to. He must have forgotten to specify." She laughed and I felt the tension leave my body.
Layla helped me up off the ground. "Way to freak out there. Don't you think you overreacted just a bit?"
I just looked at her. "How would you feel if someone made a move on Kyle?" I knew I had probably over reacted a bit too much but she would have done the same thing…I think.
She thought about that for a moment. "Well, I guess if he wanted whoever it was I wouldn't mind it all that much but if he didn't…well then I don't think it would be necessary to hurt whoever it was just show them that it would never happen."
I blinked my eyes. "You wouldn't fight for him?"
She shrugged. "Not if he didn't want me to." That was…weird but I guess I did see her point in a way. She shrugged at me again, understanding that I didn't get her logic. "So, let's go tell Tanya who it is Edward's marrying."
I took another deep breath to collect myself and I realized we were still a couple miles away from the Cullen's home. As we ran into the clearing where the Cullen's home was, I saw two things that really caught my attention. The first was that Tanya was really close to Edward but her attention was more focused now on Irina that it was Edward. The second was that Kyle standing in the door while the entire family was standing out on the porch with Carlisle directly in front of Irina trying to calm her down.
"He's one of them Carlisle! He's one of the ones that killed my Laurent! Move Carlisle, don't get in my way." I knew even with out Irina's statement what that was about. I had almost forgotten how Jacob and his pack had killed Laurent all those years ago.
Esme growled as did Layla but when I looked over to make sure my sister was ok her face was composed and…curious? Not at all what I would have pictured it.
"Carmen, Eleazar, how was your drive here?" the two in question looked towards Layla, surprised to see us both walking up to the Cullen's house. At this point I was simply following Layla, I didn't really care what she was doing. My eyes were on Tanya, who was still way to close to Edward for my comfort.
"It was pleasant enough, thank you." Eleazar responded politely as he walked toward us and kissed Layla's hand. "It is an honor to see you again Princess."
Layla smiled "Good to see you as well Eleazar. And this must be the Carmen you spoke so much about. It is a pleasure." Layla nodded and smiled at Carmen who nodded back. I had no idea that Layla and Eleazar had met before and at this point I didn't really care. The Cullen's and Eleazar's family were watching us and when Tanya finally made eye contact with me I glared. I didn't quite care if she was confused, not until it was made perfectly clear that I was Edward's fiancé. "This is my sister."
"So you're the illusive Isabella?" He asked.
"I am." I didn't really feel like being polite at this point. He seemed to since that and nodded before turning back to Layla. "So how are you, Princess? And what brings you to the Cullen's? As for myself, I am here because our dear boy Edward has asked me to be one of his groomsmen in his upcoming wedding. "
"Which will never happen." I hissed when I heard Tanya's thought. Layla signaled me with her hand to be quiet.
"I told you to call me Layla, Eleazar, please no formalities and what brings us here right now is that Tanya is making a move on Bella's fiancé and Irina is threatening my mate. So to answer your first question I'm not so good right now Eleazar." Layla's voice was clipped and tight by the end and even though no one else could tell I knew there was a little growl in there.
Eleazar's gold eyes widened and he turned back to the porch were I saw Irina still growling lowly at Kyle. The next thing I knew Layla was between her and Carlisle "I will have to ask you to stop threatening my family." I could see her eyes turning greyer the angrier she got however Irina stood her ground.
"Or what?" I heard a snarl rising in Layla throat at Irina's response.
"Irina!" Carmen said finally stepping and pulled her back toward her and their other sister Kate. "That is quite enough. We are guest here who were graciously invited to Edward's wedding to…
"Wait a second, you're Edward's fiancé? But where's that horrible girl? Where's Natalie? And who are you?" Tanya was sputtering out questions and I knew that it was probably very uncommon for her. She was as beautiful as my human insecurities had pictured her as but that didn't really matter to me anymore.
"Yes, I am. And Natalie is no longer with us." I answered back.
There was a pause for a second before I saw her face light up and she threw her arms around Edward. "Thank goodness!" She kissed his cheek and started laughing. "Never scare me like that again. I was so worried you were throwing it all away." She ran over to me and I got a hug too, which surprised me. "Thank goodness you found your way back to him. Isabella, you are Bella Swan right?" I didn't have a chance to respond when she hugged me again.
Well this was weird. 'Just go with it.' I thought to myself and hugged her back. Her thoughts were so happy, she was just trying to protect Edward and I could respect that.
Irina however…well, I could tell from her thought that she didn't really want to be here, at all. She was just here for support for Tanya if a fight broke out between Tanya and Natalie. So really she now felt as if she had no purpose here and really did feel like going home.
After that it was all a blur as Alice rushed me upstairs and shoved me into her bathroom and telling me to wash my hair before leaving me so she could help get the Denali's settled in their rooms.
After I got out of the shower and put on the big blue fluffy bathrobe Alice had laid out for me but I nearly jumped when I got out of the bathroom and saw Edward sitting on Alice's bed. I had been so off in my out little world that I hadn't noticed him in there.
"I'm beginning to get desensitized to your presence." I told him as I sat down beside him and placed my head on his shoulder. He picked my hand up and began to play with my ring.
"Is that bad?" he asked and kissed my fingers.
"No, it's not." I responded and he wrapped his arm around me. We had been getting a lot of alone time lately but I still felt the need to be alone with just him without our crazy families around us all the time. "We're getting married in three days."
I felt him smile as he kissed my hair. "Yes. Have you even seen anything yet?"
I groaned, answering his question. I had not seen anything yet. My dress, the bridesmaids' dresses, what Layla and Alice had planned for the redecoration of our meadow, anything.
He chuckled. "You know that I haven't either. It's actually starting to make me a bit worried but hey, I have more time for you."
I rolled my eyes and stood up before bending down to kiss him. It was a chaste kiss but I didn't want to have another reason for not going to my own bachelorette party besides the fact that I was scared to death (well. technically I'm already dead but) of what Layla more so Alice might have planned. Even though I would never admit that I was really a bit excited about the whole thing. A night out with the girls would be…interesting. I placed my forehead against him and closed my eyes. I was perfectly content right here.
"Awwwww!" The equally annoying sounds came from the two twin devils of the world.
"Edward out!" Alice said and shuffled him out of the room with a last 'I love you' and slammed the door. She then turned to me with a wicked smile. "Now, what shall Bella wear for her last night out as a single woman?"
Crap. I looked frantically at Layla. "You promised?"
She held her hands up in defense. "Right now, I'm at our house, getting ready for my sister's bachelorette party. I have no idea what's going on across town at the Cullen house."
And with that she was gone…..I grimaced but stuck up to the challenge. "Do your worst."
Alice smiled an impish grin. "Oh I will."
Forty-five minutes, fifty two make-up appliers (I had counted) and one outfit later Alice dubbed me 'done.'
As I looked at myself in the mirror I felt my eyes widen and I felt Alice clap before going into the closet and changing into her own dress. I twirled around as my dark blue dress swooshed around my knees. It was a sweet-heart cut, made of silky material with a flaring skirt and little silver flowers around the left hip. I adored it. To go with it Alice had gotten me silver strappy heels and diamond bracelets along with dozens of silver bracelets.
"See? Now that wasn't so bad was it?" Alice was wearing a brown and white polka doted dress with a big brown bow on the side and a white ribbon in her hair. She had on brown ballet slippers with little white bows on them…I think she had gone with a theme.
I smiled at my reflection in the mirror again. The make up was done perfectly too but I had no idea what she did to my face. All I knew was that my eyes popped and that my skin had some color in them. "No Alice, that wasn't so bad."
I heard a car roll up in the driveway and a sunroof open. Alice squealed and pulled me over to the window and at the same time I heard three voices shout: "Bella!"
"Where's the blushing bride?!"
"Come on Bella! It's time to party!"
I looked out the window. And there in the driveway were Rosalie, Heidi and of course Layla standing out of the sun-roof of a stretch limo. Where had they gotten a limo in Forks?!
"It's amazing what I can do Bells, you should know that by now!" Layla yelled up at me before stepping out of the car. Of course she looked amazing in a shiny, silver mini dress with matching heels with her hair pinned back with berets.
"You're insane!"
"Yes, and you love me for it anyways! Now come down here so we can go!"
I laughed, why not just have a bit of fun? I wasn't nearly as concerned with money as I was when I was human. And thanks to Heidi my partying experience – while it still wasn't really my thing – was a bit more varied so I was excited about this. I grabbed Alice's hand and we squealed while running down the stairs.
"Esme! You're coming too?!" I said as I noted her short lavender dress and various accessories.
"Of course I am dear, I wouldn't miss this." She told him and I smiled at her.
I heard someone cough behind me and I turned to see Edward standing there, staring at me and Tanya was beside him and she laughed at his expression. "Wow Bella, you would make a lovely succubus. I hope you have fun tonight. Oh and I'm so sorry for that little…mix up earlier, I thought…."
"I know what you thought and it's no problem. You were just trying to take care of him." I said back and she smiled.
"Well, he did need some taking care of. Can you see him being able to get away from Natalie by himself?" she said back and I couldn't help but laugh.
"No, I can't really see that. He's way too sweet for his own good but I think he can get a bit carried away." She smirked at that.
"Too true." We started laughing, I knew we were going to get along just fine.
"He is also standing right here." Edward said and I laughed at his expression, he looked confused and awkward.
"I think we made Edward feel uncomfortable with our ramblings, Bella." Tanya suggested and I smiled.
"Oh? What ever makes you think that?" I asked back.
"Ok you two, I get it, I get it. Let me just kiss my beautiful fiancé goodbye." Edward said giving up but he didn't get to steps before a giant thing rammed into him.
"Eddie! What are you still doing down here?" Edward glared at Emmett.
"Talk to –
"No you're not. No girls tonight bro, just men and all our manliness." I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing because that didn't sound weird at all. I saw Jasper and Carlisle leaning on the kitchen counter from the open doorway with smirks (or were those grimaces?) on their faces and I grabbed Alice's and Esme's hands before slipping out the door and running to the limo.
We all got in laughing as Esme closed the door.
"What is Emmett-
My question was cut off by shouts and a crash followed by a loud bang from inside the house. Esme tensed. "What are they doing to my house?!" she shrieked and tried to hop back out of the car but Rose blocked the door.
"Alec! Get us out of here before Esme has a panic attack!" Layla said banding on the shield that separated the front of the limo from the back.
"Alec?" I questioned and Layla shrugged. How could he reach the pedals while seeing over the steering wheel? I didn't think he could as the car lurched forward and then came to an immediate stop.
"Sorry!" I heard him mutter as we all burst into giggle. The next time the car began to crawl forward, I don't think we were going over fifteen miles per hour. For some reason we all found the situation incredible funny and began to giggle or snicker but I tried to keep a straight face but was failing.
"I don't think we're going to get to the club anytime soon." Rosalie said through her giggles. I found myself laughing as well even though the fact that we were going to a club mortified me.
"Alice" Layla said through her laughter. "Remind me to hurt your husband when we get home." She broke out into hysterics again. "He sent way to many waves of what ever the hell this is."
Alice sobered up for a second but began laughing again, we all did and we couldn't help it. I'm pretty sure from a human's perspective we would have looked drunk. "If we ever get out of here I will make sure to do just that."
I felt another wave of whatever Jasper was sending at us hit me and it was seriously clouding my judgment so laughing, I pressed the button to the sun roof and stood up on the seat.
I heard everyone laughing and someone was trying to pull me back down but I was going to stay up here until I said what I had to say. I turned in the direction of the slowly disappearing house "Damn you, Jasper! You're a fish!" I thought about it for a second. Well that wasn't insulting. "Never mind!" And with that I sat back down very proud of myself.
When I sat back down everyone was toppled over with laughter but I didn't understand why. I was just making a point.
All of a sudden the limo whipped forward, accelerating from fifteen to over a hundred in about ten seconds. And us all in our 'drunken' state were flailed around and were laughing the entire time.
"See? Alec's just driveway shy." Layla explained, I wasn't really sure if that would have made sense at any other times or if it was just now.
Soon enough we had gotten far enough away from Jasper so that the full affects of his powers wore off but there was still the buzzing high in my head that wouldn't go away.
When we had been driving for awhile, the girls explained to me that we were going to a very selective karaoke bar in Seattle, were only the best singers who had been preselected by the owner of the bar could sing tonight.
"And guess whose singing tonight?" Heidi asked me and I raised my eyebrow as she handed me a pamphlet. It read 'Tonight's Program: New Talent. Staring: Isabella and Layla Volturri.'
I felt my eyes widen and Layla snatched the paper from my hands. "What the hell is this!?" she half asked, half shrieked and Heidi laughed.
"It would be a shame to deny the world your singing talents. Apparently the guy at the club like what he heard." She held up a little CD and placed it in the player. As soon as she pushed play, the song 'Halleluiah' by the old band Paramore, preformed by Layla and I played through the speakers. I gaped. She still had this thing? It had been one of the things that my sister and I had decided to do when we got bored, she seriously recorded it?
"I'm just surprised I managed to get this by you Layla. You're slipping." Heidi jokingly stuck her tongue out at Layla who laughed but I saw a small frown mar her features. She seriously hadn't known about this.
"So, do you have any other plans for this evening?" I asked and bit my lip, I had noticed by now that everyone's thought were clouded in a silver-grey haze which meant Layla was in on the rest of it. While it sounded fun I still had no desire to get up on stage and sing. What else could they have planned?
"Well, that is a surprise." Rosalie told me. Crap.
"Gift time!" Heidi squealed.
In the time it took us to drive from Forks to Seattle I had opened all of my gifts. All of which were either incredibly embarrassing and would have made me blush had I been human or something I would have never thought or even considered to by for myself. Even Layla had gone and betrayed me. However by the time we got to the club – Hydrogen – the torment was over and all of my 'gifts' had been put in the trunk.
Alec obviously didn't open the door for us but I really didn't mind as we all climbed out of the limo and stepped out onto the sidewalk directly in front of Hydrogen. I liked it immediately. It was crystal themed with little levitating crystal balls that changed colors on either side of the door which was a large crystal panel that opened when the bouncer pushed the opener. (A/N fifty years in the future here people) I could hear the pulsing music from inside and everything slowly changed from color to color giving an excited feel.
As we walked straight past the line of people to the bouncer Heidi showed him a card of some kind and he opened the door and as mist poured out of it he directed us to the door.
As we walked by it was surprisingly cool as we walked past the main entrance but after about five feet the cool mist cleared to reveal the two deck club. The top floor made up of the bar, tables and seating areas while there was a large winding staircase that led down to the dance floor with a large stage on one side and a DJ on the other. The entire place was crystal themed and gave the optical illusion that the entire floor was sparkling with while light on the dark background. Every table had little floating crystal globes in the center and there were many of different sizes hovering randomly in the air.
"Ok, so, the karaoke potion of the night is in two hours and you two don't go on until way later. So, everyone go have fun and we'll meet in a couple hours." Heidi then ran off somewhere, her mind saying 'must find him, make sure he gets in ok.'
"Well, I don't know about you girls but I'm going to go find a human heart to break." And with that Rosalie flipped her hair, laughed at herself then her and Alice ran off giggling down to the dance floor where they immediately became the center of attention.
I looked to Layla and she pointed to the bar and walked off. Ok then. I heard Esme laugh and we went and sat down at a booth. I loved talking to Esme, and we laughed as she told me about her new ideas for a house in Maine and how she was going to make room for Layla and Kyle when and if they began to live with the rest of the Cullen family.
I knew I was kind of being a party pooper but I was having such a good time sitting here talking to Esme while watching Layla flirt with the enchanted bartender – innocent of course – who hadn't noticed that he had given her enough drinks to give alcohol poison to any human and yet she was still talking to him like she hadn't had one drink, Alice and Rosalie have their fun on the dance floor which did actually look like fun and then Heidi in the corner with…wait was that Sampson? I giggled. She was obsessed with something beside herself for once, it was impressive.
Layla came over a few minutes later and pulled me and Esme down to the dance floor where we joined Alice and Rosalie and I think attracted way too much attention. But whatever, we were all having fun and I think every male in the room was enjoying the show as we danced to the fast pounding beats of the songs. Even once Layla and Rose threw Alice up in the air while the modern version of 'In the Ayer' played.
Heidi and Sam (who I knew could not have gotten in here through the front) joined us when the singers starting up. They were very good actually, I was impressed and the entire club danced to the songs and the people who weren't dancing stood around the balcony and watched.
After one performer finished a rousing rendition of 'Born to be Wild' it was finally mine and Layla's turned. As we got up on stage we were each given two microphones and went to the center of the stage.
"Hello Club Hydrogen! How's everyone doing tonight?!" Layla's voice pumped over the speakers and everyone cheered. I was so nervous, I wasn't a performer. I was glad Layla was singing most of the song. "Well that's good to hear! Ok, my sister and I would like to sing you guys a little song, how you enjoy it." She winked at them as everyone cheered and a few whistled.
The lights dimmed and people kept cheering as Layla turned to me.
"You realize what this means, don't you?" Layla asked me with a nostalgic look in her eyes. "After today, it's not just going to be me and you anymore. It hasn't been for a while but this really makes it official."
I could have cried. She was right and I had never really thought about it before. For the last fifty-odd years it had be just us; sisters, best friends, insult one the other hurts you. Back in Volterra it had only been each other we could really confide in, only each other we really truly trusted. Now, I had Edward and she had Kyle.
I smiled. "Sisters forever right?" I asked and she nodded and laughed. "For as long as we're immortal."
Suddenly a while light shown above Layla and she started singing as soon as the music came on.
"They say they don't trust
You, me, we, us." She walked forward as she sang the rest of the first part of the song. Her hips jerked slightly in time with the beat and it was obvious to everyone that she was a performer, she new her way around a stage.
She led into the chorus and I started singing with her even though there was no light on me yet.
"It's all about us, all about us.
It's all about, all about us, all about us."
As we finished singing the chorus a blue light shone on me and I swallowed my fears and started strutting forward as well.
"If they hurt you,
They hurt me too.
So we'll rise up." Back in Volterra we used to call this our theme song, every work of it was us and I was proud to say that.
This time when we repeat the chorus we were both up together standing and dancing a bit to the song. On the next part of the song the lights dimmed so only the white light on Layla was shining.
"They don't know
They can't see
Who we are, fear is the enemy." She linked arms with me for the next part as her high voice rung out and I found myself getting a bit interacted with the hypnotic sound. If her voice was this good now, image what it was like when she was human.
"Hold on tight, hold on to me
Cuz tonight…"
The chorus rang up again and this time Layla begin to dance and twirl around the stage with total confidence and encouraged me so I mimicked her movements perfectly and to anyone on the floor we would have looked like we were doing a synchronized dance. I soon got really into it and then we were both really dancing up and down the stage.
"It's all about us. (It's all about)
In you I can trust." (All About Us by t.a.t.u)
I was so into I even motioned to Layla and we did and end back to back pose with her hand up in the air and mine reaching out towards the audience. It was incredibly silly – or so we thought – but the audience loved it and cheered wildly.
We clasped hands and took a big bow while I – now loving the feeling of being on stage – said our parting words. "Thank you, everyone! Enjoy the rest of your night!"
Then to my surprise Layla took my left hand and raised it up high showing my ring. "Let's hear a bit round of applause for my sister and her last couple days of being a single woman! Last night to come a get some guys 'cause starting in three days she's legally taken!" Half of the men 'awed' while the other half whistled and I had to shove through them to get to the squealing set of female vampire. Most of the guys meant well though, just playing along with the joke.
I glared at Layla. "You just had to, didn't you?"
She nodded as we were embraced by Alice. "That was wonderful." She clapped her hands and I twitched. She was spending way to much time with Aro. We spent another couple hours at the club dancing and I actually did dance with a couple of other guys but nothing trashy, reading their minds was rather helpful.
We left the club in high spirits but the second we got in the limo Layla blocked the mind of everyone there and I was immediately blindfolded and talked by some unknown force while Layla's voice resounded through my head.
"Sleep." As my conscious faded I just barely noticed that the voice that commanded me….told me to sleep…it wasn't….
When I 'awoke' again I heard laughter all around me and I noticed there were more people in the car.
"Jane? Sarah? Is that you?" I asked, concerned that I was hearing things.
"Yup." Jane's voice was clipped. I knew she was still angry that she couldn't go with us to the club but there was no way we could sneak a twelve year old in.
"Hey Bella." Sarah's softer voice answered me back as well. We had asked her to come (Jasper was going to give her a fake ID) but the pack was spending a lot of time together recently and she was caught up in that.
"Come on Bella, we're going to be walking a bit now." That's when I noticed the limo was stopped and I didn't hear Alec or Sampson anywhere.
Rosalie started laughing "Can she do this while blind folded?"
"I don't know. She has gained more grace but…" Layla answer back unsure.
I huffed and just to show that I could I started walking off. After about fifteen steps – all of which I took regardless of the fact that I was in high-heels – I realized that I had no idea where I was going.
"It's this way, dear." I felt Esme take my elbow and start to lead me through what was apparently the forest as I ignored the snickers coming from behind me.
After about fifteen minutes of me being blindly lead by Esme though the forest on high heels (and only stumbling slightly once) Jane got bored. "Come on, let's go!" Suddenly I felt myself being swept off the ground and being carried through the forest by Jane.
When we stopped she unceremoniously dropped me on the ground and huffed. Layla was laughing as she helped me up off the ground and walked me through a pretty even grass field, up some steps and then I heard everyone else up on this platform.
"Ok Bella, you ready for the second part of your surprise?" Esme asked me. I nodded.
"Ok, Alice, Esme and I have been working…ok Esme and Alice have been working I've been, um, supervising but anyways it's not completely finished. We still have a couple finishing touches but we worked really hard on this and we hope you like it." Layla said and as she removed the blindfold I gasped.
We were in our meadow – Edward's and mine – but it had been transformed. The trees were strung with being, gold, and white sheer drapes that blended perfectly with the still green trees and there were about fifteen chairs with golden and black bows on either side of a gold carpet isle that led up to where we were standing. I looked around and noticed that we were on a while gazebo built up off the ground and surrounded by floral railing.
Through out the surrounding trees I could see little silver-white floating lights that randomly danced and swirled and I knew it would be beautiful in the light of twilight. I also saw a very large white tent about twenty feet in the trees from the beginning of the isle.
This was where I was going to get married.
Oh wow.
If I could cry I would have. "You guys, this is amazing." I was immediately enveloped in hugs but I couldn't help from marveling at the beauty of the meadow at this time.
"Ok, everyone please sit down, I have some news." Layla said and all eyes turned to her. I could tell by the other girls' expressions that this was not expected.
"News?" Alice asked.
"Layla, the last time you had 'big news' you altered the natural order of vampires and werewolves." Heidi mumbled and Layla growled at her.
"Well it's not like you exactly mind it." Layla muttered as we all sat down and Layla pulled out a metal box with a lily on it from the side of the gazebo. As soon as we all got settled on the floor – which was hard in clubbing dresses – Layla looked at us all with a very serious expression and held the box close to her. The only one who was excited was Alice, she seemed to know exactly what was going on.
"Ok, well, the reason I'm telling you this down is because I feel that you deserve to know this first. Especially you two." She pointed towards Rose and Esme before opening the box and pulling out a round, smooth, silver stone that fit in the palm of her hand. It was a moonstone, formed directly from a concentration of her powers. Sandstones – my equivalent – were much larger than that and a pale blue. I had seen them before when the entire pack of werewolves had signed there names on a large slab of sandstone with one of the smaller rocks. Layla had shut herself up for two days in her room to make some strange inscription on the stone that apparently reversed the accent curse between the LaPush pack and vampires. She wouldn't tell me where she learned the runes that were on the stone, only that she had no idea herself. But either way it had worked.
Layla held up one of the stones and held it between her thumb and forefinger. "I have figured out a secrete to these stones: if you inscribe the right rune and then keep it with you at all times – like in your pocket or as a necklace – the stone will affect you almost permanently."
Alice immediately chirped up. "Like if you inscribe the rune for protection on one and then someone where's it, they would always be protected."
"Exactly or like this." Layla held out a necklace? Yes that's what it was. One of the silver stones was treaded on a black chord and on it was a strange rune. "It's called the Alphabet of the Angels. Only one of the Ageli de Pace could use them. This one is the symbol for control." She reached her hand out to Alice and handed it to her. "It's the only one I could figure out for now, but that necklace…it's for Jasper."
Alice just kind of looked at Layla for a minute before cradling the necklace gently in her hands. "I don't know which is better: this, or the other thing." Her voice was soft and gentle and I smiled. When Alice and Layla bothered to get along, it was like the world was at peace.
Layla smiled back gently and nodded. "So next time you matriculate he can breath. Just keep that necklace safe, and I haven't totally figured out how to work the other thing yet."
"Wait, what is 'the other thing?'" Jane asked, now she was intrigued.
Layla opened her mouth but Alice's now soft voice answer instead as she kept looking at the necklace. "These stones can make anything Layla wants them to happen, except turning us mortal. They can almost totally reverse the affects of the vampire venom. Of course we would still be vampires but…"
"You could age, Jane." Layla finished and Jane's eyes widened. "And as for the rest of us well…we could…" Layla twirled her bangs around her fingers and the other hand rubbed over her stomach.
"We could get pregnant?" Rosalie finished.
Layla looked up at her. "In theory yes, we could." Even though everyone was completely still I could feel the shock passing and excitement setting in. "But, it's just my theory, and I don't know the correct rune for it yet. I'll have to do a lot of searching so for now can this stay between us?"
"Where would you find it? The rune I mean?" Layla just looked at me as everyone began to erupt into joyful shrieks as they celebrated. Layla just stared at me and pointed to her head.
So low only I could hear it. "She's the only one who knows, Bella."
I didn't get to response as Rosalie literally tackled me in a hug. "Thank you so much for finding her." She told me and I hugged her back and laughed, just relishing in the happiness everyone was feeling.
For the rest of the night we all laughed and predicted what was going to happen after Layla had figured it out even though she kept reminding us repeatedly that she was only forty percent sure it would work. Even Sarah was excited because female werewolves weren't supposed to be able to get pregnant either. No one really cared at the moment and the second Heidi (though she didn't really want any children of her own) brought up the subject of little silver-haired hybrids Layla was pulled in the conversation trying to make her shut up. I knew the thought made her just a bit uncomfortable.
I looked around the meadow as the voices of my best friends fell into the background.
I was going to get married here…wow.
Whee! Long chapter! Wedding chapter's next! I'm going to try really hard to write a more romantic chapter that I usally do because I'm really excited! And it will be out fast because I'm so excited about it.
Note: the next chapter is NOT the end of the story. So keep your hats on people and get ready for a ride.
Questions and Comments? Review!
And I want to hear what you guys think is going to happen in the future chapters. Any guesses?
M.R.S