This chapter has been mildly edited. No real need to reread it if you have already read from 8/21 update. Just elaborated on a small detail.

Um…fight scenes are not my forte. But I'll try my best. I want to mention my holding the story 'ransom' briefly. I received a few criticisms about that and well I guess they were right on some level. Perhaps it was a bit childish but I was upset and didn't give much thought about it after typing it. I apologize for that. Now….onto the story.

Chapter 37

EPOV

The Volturi army surely isn't lacking. My family and the Denalis are managing to keep up a steady defense while putting down some at the same time. I can hear a commotion coming from further in the castle. I hope that our allies are fending well. Looking to my left, I notice a soldier has jumped on Rosalie's back and another is coming at her in front.

Running up to it, I snatch it back. When I have it in my grasp still, some sort of spikes protrude through the vampire's skin. Effectively pushing me off, I call out to Kate. Quickly noting my problem she shocks the soldier and his spikes retract. Emmett jumps in and rips his head off easily.

Soon the army has us packed in tightly. It isn't until that I notice the ground in front of us split open from some sort of earthquake. Dozens of vampires fall into the black hole surrounding us. Jasper doesn't pause to jump over the split, landing right into a thick group of the opposing army. And of course Emmett mindlessly follows suit.

Carlisle comes in eye contact with each of us and being the only option, we do the same thing. Esme proved to be more of a fighter than anyone would have expected. Crouching down she jumps upon the shoulders of a soldier and ruthlessly tears his head off. Gathering all her force she hurdles the head into an onslaught of vampires. We finally break through enough to see a few of our allies.

"How are we holding up on your side?" Carlisle yells over the chaos. Garrett is lifted into the air by one of the soldiers and quickly creates another earthquake shaking the soldier into the ground.

"Pretty decent, we have only lost a few. But some rogue vampires have joined us!" Garrett answers but quickly becomes preoccupied with the fight. Some of the sconces on the walls fall over spilling out their flames. Luck is on our sides as a couple of soldiers are set on fire, flailing their arms excitedly causing it to be spread easily. Hearing rain hitting the castle roof, an idea hits me.

"Garrett! Can you break the roof enough to cave in?" I run over to him. He catches on to my plan and sets to work. Spotting any soldiers that may be trying to thwart Garrett's work, I allow him to concentrate on bringing lightning to the castle. Several lightning strikes make contact within the same spot and water pours in.

Before I get an opportunity to call Kate, a vampire attaches to my back and I feel the start of flames. Suddenly, another vampire snatches the soldier off me and I hurriedly launch myself in the pool of water. Turning my attention back I'm shocked when I see that it is Tanya who pulled the vampire from my back.

She bites into the soldiers' neck and pulls his legs off. Tanya glances up at me and I smile gratefully in return.

"Kate! Send your current into the water." I run up to Kate and whisper in her ear. Quickly, Alice and I, Alice having seen our plan, corrals our family and allies away from the water. Running at full speed around the Volturi army, they pause obviously confused. Once we manage to get them to the center as much as possible, Kate sends a steady current of electricity, hitting the water. The whole center of the once royal throne room is set ablaze and the roof starts caving in further.

"Edward, go find Bella. This is going to be over soon." Carlisle pulled me aside.

"Jasper, the Volturi just ran in that back room. Let's go get em!" Emmett yells. Some of what must have been our newest allies overhear and rush in after the Volturi.

Going down the now empty halls, I can't help but feel anything but anxious. Our reunion is moments away. Opening each door I come across, so far they all have been empty. Continuing on in a faster speed, I stop at a door where I hear bloodcurdling human screams. This must be the Volturi 'feeding room'.

It isn't until I hear a voice that I would recognize anywhere that I realize that I found Bella. Throwing the door open in wild abandon, the sight I am met with shocks me and nearly floors me. A bloody, red-eyed Bella looks up at me. I don't know what to think. She's cradling some dead man's body in her arms and she lets his corpse drop.

"Bella?!" I don't know what I plan on saying to her but I know that right now all that matters is getting her out of here. There would be time for explanations later.

"Edward? You, you came for me?" She quickly wiped her face clean and stood. She is surprised and I know that she feels ashamed.

"I'll always come for you Bella. I love you no matter what. Now come on, we have to get out of here before the castle collapses." She runs over to me and I offer a chaste hug. I feel my pockets buzzing and reaching down, I see a text from Carlisle.

"Edward, meet us back at Garret's house in Egypt."

Walking out of the room, I notice Cauis standing in our way.

"Well, I'm sure you think you have scored quite the victory here taking out the great Volturi? Too bad you're not going to live to talk about it." Cauis sneered. "Bella, take care of him."

"The only one I want to take care of, Cauis, is you." Bella took a step in his direction. His eyes widened and he turned to run.

"Bella, forget about him. Let's just go." I grabbed her hand. I felt tremors running through her.

"I can't Edward, he would never stop trying to get us. I'm sorry but it's the only way." Bella pushed her hands out in front of her and fell into the form of a cheetah. Without pause she gave chase. Following her I see her land on a frightened Cauis. She was clawing at him seconds away from finishing him.

"Call her off Edward!" Cauis begged.

"Sorry Cauis, but she does have a point." I turned away, waiting for her to finish. I heard a growl and a loud hiss before feeling Bella come up beside me, rubbing her head against my hand.

"Bella, are you going to turn back before we leave?" I bend down to see her shake her head. She was panting rather hardly. An irony smell hit my nose and I realized that Cauis must have managed to drive a wooden post into her side, seeing the bloodied wood fallen to the side. I still can't read her mind, so I have to guess at what is keeping her in this position.

"Are you too injured to shift back?" Bella nods, lifting her hazel, cheetah eyes to mine. "Come on love, hunting should help heal you faster. We'll stop on the way to Egypt."

Behind us an explosion erupts bringing down debris. The structure isn't going to last much longer. Running forward, we both jump through an opening in the east side of the castle. Thankfully it's still dark enough but if we don't get to Garrett's house soon then we could be spotted.

This time the run back to Egypt took 6 hours, having to stop for Bella to hunt. She still wasn't fully up to par but she was better than previously. Stopping just in front of Garrett's door, it opens almost immediately.

"Edward! Bella! I knew you'd be okay!" Alice jumped me in a hug and rubbed Bella's head. She growled in protest. "Calm down Bella, sheesh."

Walking inside a celebratory feel was in the air. It couldn't help but be noticed that the once full room was a fraction of it's size from the beginning. Scanning the room, I spot Carlisle speaking to Maria.

"Carlisle, Bella's injured." I hear him excuse himself and follow me upstairs. Alice and the other Cullens are following. "You all can see Bella later, we need some privacy."

"Oh right, she'll be naked again!" Emmett bellowed. Bella wasn't on the stairs just yet, standing close to Emmett and raked her claws across Emmett's chest and pushed him back a little.

"Hey! You will be, I didn't say anything wrong." Emmett frowned. Everyone else just nodded and walked back to the others in the room.

Once in a nearly empty back room, Bella fell to her side, revealing the now less threatening wound. Looking at it, Carlisle's eyes scrunched up in mild confusion.

"I'm not to savvy in wild cat anatomy. I'm surprised that you are even in pain. It must be that when you shift, you do so fully almost with no trace of vampire attributes. Try and shift back to a vampire, you might be weak for a little while but hunting should resolve that." Carlisle suggested. Bella grunted and again, I could see tremors beginning to form over her furry skin. A knock lands upon the door and I stand to answer it.

"What is it? Bella's not ready to see anyone yet." I ask somewhat annoyed.

"Yeah well, I just kinda thought Bella might want some clothes. But I can leave…" Alice joked, mock leaving.

"Sorry Alice, yeah thanks." I take the clothes from her. "She'll be fine, we all will be." I answer her thought.

Giving my attention back to the room, Carlisle is hovering over Bella who hasn't shifted back fully yet. A pained growl escapes her lips before her legs and arms stretch out and her fur dissipates. Just as Carlisle projected, the wound is completely closed. Carlisle averts his eyes, momentarily viewing her naked body. Rushing up to her I quickly lift her up, helping her in the dress. Bella's eyes are clamped tight.

"Bella love, I've got some clothes here from Alice."

Now standing on her own, Bella's face is still downcast and her eyes are now back to red again and are barely open. Tilting her head up, forcing her to look at me I talk slow and accurately. Her still red eyes open fully and I hear a gasp from Carlisle.

"You had no other choice Bella, I don't hold it against you. I told you before, you are my life and to stop loving you would be like committing suicide. And you don't want me to die do you?" I chuckle a little.

"No, I know it seems crazy but I did all of this for you, all of you. If I didn't they threatened to kill not only the Cullens but the Denalis. And I couldn't be responsible for that, not when I could stop it." Bella spoke, her eyes begging belief from both Carlisle and I.

"We don't think any less of you Bella. After all, we wouldn't have risked so much if we thought you really did betray us. None of us are perfect, and we will have you back on diet in no time." Carlisle came over and patted Bella on her shoulder.

"Yeah, and now Jasper has someone to help him with his struggles. And visa versa." I crushed Bella to my chest, reveling in her scent that I thought I'd lost.

"I'll never leave you again Edward. Never." Bella pulled us apart and we shared a long and passionate kiss.

"And I'll never let you again."

((AN: So next chapter should be the end. I think if I do any more with this story it will just spiral out of control into a crazy mess. Oh and that was a shitty reunion with Edward and Bella. It will be more expanded next chapter. Pinky Promise!))