Love Never Dies
Act XVI: Are You Ready To Begin?
Bella
The first thing I did when I got home was rush into my dad's arms. I hugged him, and apologised for leaving so suddenly.
To be honest, I think Charlie was so taken aback by my sudden show of affection, that I got off with a week's grounding.
I explained to him everything that had happened, how there'd been a misunderstanding, and I'd had to go help Edward out of a mess.
Not that Charlie thought he deserved my help…
As soon as I heard him shut his bedroom door, I opened my window and poked my head out.
"Alice!" I called, and a moment later I saw her spike-haired head pop out of the darkness. I knew she'd be waiting for me, knew she would be keeping watch.
I retreated back from the window to let Alice in, before switching on my bedroom light.
"Bella, are you ok?" she asked concernedly, and I nodded.
"I'm fine. How's everything at home?" I asked back, and she shrugged.
"Ok. We've moved back…into the house I mean," she stumbled, and I nodded. With a frustrated snort, she gave in. "Fine. You need to come to the house. Edward's plotting ways to keep you human and fool the Volturi."
I sighed, wondering if I would have the strength to see my plan through to its end. My heart had been bruised once because of Edward, and now Aro, and I didn't know what I would do if it happened again. But I had realised on the plane home, that I wasn't going to give up on Aro easily.
Not when I loved him so badly.
But I didn't want to be hurt again. I saw Alice's eyes grow hazy and then refocus, and I guessed she saw my plan.
"Don't tell me, Alice," I cut her off when she opened her mouth to speak, holding my hand up to stop her. "This is my life, and I will choose how I live it."
"Ok," she said, after a long silence. Turning her back to me, she offered her arms to me. I clambered onto her back, and we jumped through the window, me feeling slightly ridiculous that I was perched on the back of such a small girl as Alice.
But then again Alice wasn't your average girl.
Seconds later we were speeding through the forest, towards the Cullens' house. I heard the roar of the Calawah river as we passed it, and then there it was, the windows beaming with light.
Alice deposited me on the ground, and I followed her inside the achingly familiar building.
Carlisle appeared almost instantly, in all his golden glory.
"Ahh, Bella. It's good to see you again," he murmured, and I smiled at him. "I take it this isn't a social visit?"
"No. I need to talk to your family," I replied, at which he frowned but allowed me past. I walked out onto the stairs which led into the main living area, where Edward's piano stood pride of place once more, and the lights gently shone. Everyone was there, Edward, Rosalie, Esme, Jasper, Emmet, Carlisle and Alice.
Esme moved towards me, all motherly affection, but I moved back.
The pain of their abandonment still stung.
Esme's face fell, but she didn't try to push it. "Bella, we're glad you're safe. Thank you for saving Edward."
"You're welcome, Esme," I replied coolly, as Edward moved to my side, trying to take my hand.
"Bella, what's wrong? I know we need to talk but-" he began, but I cut him off.
"We have nothing to talk about, Edward. I know about the bargain you made with the Volturi to get us out of there alive, and we need to discuss that now," I stated, business-like as I looked first my old boyfriend, then the others in the eye.
"You don't need to worry about that, Bella," Emmet put in, moving forward with his trademark teasing grin back in place. "Edward's come up with an idea to hide you when the Volturi come knocking."
I glanced at Edward, as he opened his mouth but I cut him off again. "Thank you, but no. I don't need your help with the Volturi."
"What?" he spluttered, as a mixture of confusion and hurt crossed the faces of everyone present. "Bella, you can't outrun them. You can't hide, and they will find you."
"Not if I find them first," I replied cryptically, and he frowned. Suddenly his confusion cleared, and his jaw clenched.
"Edward-" Alice started warningly, but he ignored her, stepping forward menacingly.
"Bella, you are not becoming a vampire. You are staying human," he growled, and I glared at him. He had no hold over me anymore.
"You have no say in the matter, Edward. None of you do," I added, turning and looking them all in the eye. "You lost any say you might've had when you abandoned me here."
"Bella, it was for your own good," Edward started, but my temper snapped, and I turned back to him angrily.
"I will decide what is for my own good, Edward! You have no right to tell me what my life should or should not be! If you had loved me half as much as you said you did, you would have let me make my own choices, and face them myself," I snapped at him.
"We only wanted to protect you," Carlisle put in gently, and I glanced at him witheringly. "We didn't want to leave you."
"If you loved me, you wouldn't have left. You didn't leave because of me, you left because he told you to! If you loved me you would have stayed, regardless," I replied tersely. "Families don't abandon each other like that."
"I do love you, Bella. We all do," Edward interrupted, taking my hand but I snatched it away.
"Too late. You wanted it as if you never existed, well guess what? It worked, we're strangers now Edward. You are not welcome in my life anymore. When I feel ready, I will go to the Volturi myself," I told him fiercely, before leaving them there in stunned silence.
I guessed none of them had been expecting my angry words, had expected the old, gentle passive Bella, well she'd long since disappeared.
She'd died a year ago, curled up pathetically on some forest floor while a werewolf had carried her remains home to her father.
I breathed a sigh of relief, as I felt a weight lift from my shoulders, and I felt free.
Several months later…
I was back at school, and doing well. I hung out a lot with Angela and Eric, them being the least annoying of our group of friends, while Mike and Jessica split up and got back together like it was a recurring disease.
The autumn came and went, and winter came back as I studied hard for finals and to get the grades I needed for college.
To fulfil my plan for my future.
The Cullens had not moved back permanently into the area, to my relief although I kept in contact with Alice through email. She was the only one I would talk to, and Edward I refused to see at all. I always made sure to keep my window bolted at night now.
For the past few months I refused to let my mind drift back to Italy, and to the man I had left there. To the pieces of my heart missing, in his possession. Alice had promised to stay on the lookout for the Volturi's decision to find me, but so far nothing.
I hated that part, always feeling as if I lived with a permanent cloud over my head. I worried more for Charlie, as he slowly became ill and got weaker and weaker.
Soon, he'd have to quit his job, the strain becoming too much for his heart after all these years on the force.
I worked shifts at Mike Newton's parents' hiking shop, to pay for college, and to help us stay afloat. Renee occasionally helped out a bit, after I told her my plan.
As of two months after I'd returned from Italy, I was taking singing lessons.
It was a few weeks into February, when I had started studying for my finals when I received a letter in a manila envelope, bulky and heavy.
My heart beating ten to the dozen, I opened it.
And screamed. Loudly.
I'd been accepted into Juilliard School of Music.
As I looked out at the rain peppering the windows, I felt a warmth rise up in me, and begin to soar.
I was taking the first step into my future. And I had every intention of living it.
Maybe that future would include a certain raven-haired immortal, maybe it wouldn't but regardless, I was going to live life to the full.
More soon!
I know it's probably a bit unlikely she'd be accepted into Juilliard but hey this is fanfiction.
