Sorry it's been so long. Please forgive me.

Previously- I refocused on the three in front of me, who were slowly getting to their feet, the rest of the group following.

Aro hesitated before asking his next question.

"Milady, why did you leave? And why were you gone so long?"

I folded my lips in. "Aro, this is not the place to discuss this."

"Very well, Milady. Where would be satisfactory, then?"

I felt a flash of anger.

"Can you just can it for two minutes? I...have something else I need to attend to, first. Meet me on the Washington-Oregon-Idaho corner." my tone was tense. I paused before continuing.

"Send the rest of your minions back to Volterra. I only need you three."

"But, milady, you will allow us to keep Jane and Alec, yes?" Aro protested. I made a face.

"I suppose. But, know this." I sent my voice out, so everyone could hear it. "If you, Aro, Marcus, or Caius, or anyone else, even thinks of attacking-let alone acutually attacks- the Olympic Coven or the Quileutes, I will personally tear you limb from limb and burn you, ending with your head. Now scat."

Hastily, the Volturi dispersed. The three, as well as the evil twins, turned a different way from the others, heading in the direction I'd told them to meet me. Slowly, I turned to face the people I'd spent the last five days trapped with.

My gaze locked on the ground, I said, somewhat tentatively, "Will you please follow me inside?"

I felt their eyes on me, and, ever so slowly, they moved inside the Cullen house. I stayed out in the snow a few more moments, watching them.

And, as I watched them walk inside, I couldn't help but notice that Major hadn't said a single word, had barely even moved, since my revelation. Nervously, I fingered my pendant, and followed them.

Inside, the vampires and the wolves had gathered around the enter of the living room. I lingered against the wall, wary of them. They all stared at me, but the moment I met their eyes, they looked to the ground.

Finally, Emmet spoke. "You're really the Queen?"

I flinched at the breaking of the silence. "Not the queen. More like the person they acknowledge as their leader. Like the president, or something." I explained softly.

When he spoke again, his tone was quiet and hurting. "Why didn't you tell us?"

My head snapped up, and I looked at them, eyes and face hard. "If I had told you that I was the ruler of the freaking Volturi, that I had every single one of them at my beck and call, that they would do anything and everything I told them to, would you have treated me the same?"

"We didn't treat you the same anyway!" Edward growled.

"Maybe, but that was because you didn't know me anymore. Not because I was in charge of the most feared group of vampires on planet earth." I said, forcing my tone to be calm.

"You could've told me." Jasper's voice was quiet, and I felt each word as if he'd shot me in the heart.

"No, I couldn't. Think about it. If a girl you had known two hundred years ago showed up on your doorstep, a vampire, saying she had been changed by Charlotte and Peter, two ex-soldiers of the Newborn Wars, and was cruel and sarcastic and biting, you'd treat her warily. And if she added that she was the ruler of the Volturi, you would have trusted her even less. And you know it."

My voice was sharp, and he looked away, as did the others.

Abruptly-well, abruptly to them-I whipped around, and snarled at the doorway. "Jane!" I snarled.

The small vampire appeared in the doorway. "Milady." she murmured, looking at the ground. "Aro, Marcus, and Caius were wondering when-"

"I will be there, Jane. Now leave. And tell them that if they try and send someone to retrieve me again, all they'll get back is an arm." I snapped. She subsided, with somewhat of an evil look at me, and vanished out into the snow.

I turned to face the people in the house again, folding my arms over my chest. "You...you don't understand how hard it was for me. How this damn secret just kept eating at me. Every time Emmet or Jake joked with me, Rose flashed me a grin, Alice dressed me up, Esme hugged me, Carlisle provided even the slightest comfort, Edward tried to, well, not piss me off...every time Major and I touched, I remembered. And it was killing me."

I hated feeling like this. Stupid, helpless, and scared-like I had after Edward left me. I refused to let one of the tearless sobs that was clawing at my chest out, instead resting my back against the wall and sinking to the ground. I wrapped my arms around my knees, curling into as small of ball as I could. Even though I hadn't taken Eddie's gift, I swore I still knew what they were thinking.

Liar. We trusted her. Never will again. How do we know she won't sic them on us? She's a liar.

Suddenly, arms wrapped around me. I felt scars, and froze. I couldn't believe that he'd still want to touch me, let alone be in the same room with me, after my revelation.

Major brushed his lips over the top of my head. Too low for any of the others to hear, he murmured, "I love you, Iz, and that's never going to change. I told you that before, and I tell you that now. I love you, no matter if you're the leader of the Volturi or not."

His voice was soft and soothing, and I buried my head against his chest, wrapping my arms around him. I knew that we would talk about it more later, but for now, I was going to take what I could get-in this case, Major's love and understanding.

Without warning, he pushed his emotions at me. It was overwhelming-he'd told me he loved me before, but he'd never actually let me feel what he felt. But what he felt...it was so overwhelming. Beautiful, and it was mirrored within me.

"I love you too." I said softly. I didn't lift my head to kiss him; somehow, this moment was too intimate, too pure, to mar it by kissing. I felt his spark of happiness, and he pulled me tighter against his chest.

Emmet cleared his throat a few seconds later. "Not to interrupt this tender moment, but I think there's some rather agitated vampires waiting for you, milady."

I laughed slightly, rolling away from Major. "Call me milady again, Em, and I'll rip off your favorite appendage." I teased.

"I'd rather you didn't." Rose said, glancing at her husband and smirking faintly.

"I, in no way, shape, or form, needed to hear that. Thanks for trying to make me vomit, Rosie." Major said, getting to his feet as well. Rose grinned, as did Emmet, and the latter of the two wiggled his eyebrows.

I groaned. "Thanks for that sickening image. And now, it's time for me to go pull some vampire's heads out of their asses." I said, stretching. Major wrapped his long-fingered hand around my wrist, turning me to look at him.

"I'm going with you, darlin'." he said. My eyes closed briefly, but I reopened them a moment later, nodding.

"Alright, Major. But on one condition; you stay as far away as I say."

"Closer than an eighth of a mile." he said instantly. I nodded my agreement, and he wrapped his hand tightly around mine. I took a deep breath through my nose, and Major and I were gone.

We covered the distance between the Cullen's residence and the Idaho-Washington-Oregon corner quickly. Within half a mile of the five remaining Volturi vampires, I slowed to a walk.

Major, sensing my unease, reached for my hand again. We walked the remainder of the distance in silence, and, finally, I stopped, facing Major.

"Stay here. Please." I murmured, quietly enough that only Major could hear me. He grimaced, but nodded, quickly pressing his mouth to the palm of my hand.

"Remember. I still have something I want to talk to you about, darlin'. So, again, don't do anything stupid." he pleaded. I rolled my eyes, but nodded. I smiled at him, and went to face the five.

Um...I got bored. My initial plan was to write a lot more, but if you'll return to the first four words, you'll see why I didn't. So...yeah. Anyway, reviews make me happy, so fill that box with words-preferably nice ones, but any'll do-and hit that button.

Thanks for taking time to read this. Love y'all. :)