Hello all, hope you enjoyed the last chapter! I'm happy to be back and doing this fanfic; I've really missed the story. This chapter is a little short, but i know it'll answer a lot of question you may have.

Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga. I, unfortunately, do not.

I was embarrassed. Edward asked me something I'd been waiting to hear; something I'd wanted to happen before my family was being threatened and my second family was disappointed in me.

It just wasn't the right time – not anymore.

But it made me so happy to hear. Knowing that Edward wanted to spend the rest of forever with me as his wife made my dead heart swell.

I'd rejected him, but he still held me in his lap. He wasn't mad.

I felt him inhale my scent and his chest rose and fell against my side.

"Edward?" I asked in a small voice.

"Hmmm?" His light answer proved told me he wasn't bothered, but I had to make sure.

"You know I want to marry you, right?"

I was glad in that moment that I couldn't see his face.

"I'd told you I'd wait until you were ready, Bella."

He wasn't understanding. I turned in his arms to grab his face in my hands. "No. Edward. I want to marry you. There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of forever with. I just- with everything going on. I can't. It breaks my heart that we can't, and I'm sorry."

He leaned in to rest his forehead against mine. "I know, I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize," I protested.

"You don't either." He smirked.

"Fine." I kissed him briefly. "I love you."

The smirk on face turned into a crooked smile. "I love you, too."

Then he kissed me. And it was definitely not brief.

There were not enough words in the world to describe how much I loved Edward. There was no doubt that I wouldn't do anything for him. Because it was possible – even in forever – that one day everyone would start a new journey, and then all I'd have was Edward.

But the awaiting invasion had to ruin everything.

I knew we'd be okay. But there was always doubt in the back of my mind. The scared little voice that Jasper let me know he could feel. The one that told me I could lose people I love.

Edward broke off the kiss with a gasp.

I looked at him, confused.

"Bella… Your shield."

I inspected the shield around me, and there it was. I'd let Edward's power through my shield without noticing… Again.

It was just like when the Cullens first came here. Dad put Edward and I against each other while the guard was 'conditioning' and Edward got in my head. Or rather, I let him in.

My shield quickly pushed him out as my head fell down to his chest. But Edward protested and held my face in his hands to look up at him.

"You were terrified. You were completely terrified." He said is questioningly. Like he didn't believe it. "Bella? Why didn't you tell me?"

I pulled out of his grasp and stood up in front of him, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's not like you knew about anything until recently."

For some reason I felt the need to defend myself. Edward didn't need to protect me. I could do that all for myself.

Then Edward stood too. I knew he realized what was going on and his face stayed soft. "I just want you to feel safe, Bella."

"I don't think that's possible around here right now, Edward. And I don't need everyone around here protecting me all the time."

Edward's jaw dropped.

"What?" I snapped at him.

"This is about Michael isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

He took a hesitated step towards me. "Four days before my family came; that nomad Michael… you can't listen to that stuff."

I stayed quiet. Maybe it was possible that his words got to me.

I think you may just survive us, you're… well protected. Because no one would ever let any harm come to Isabella Volturi.

"I don't want to talk about it, Edward."

He stepped up closer and put his arms around my waist. I kept my arms folded and stared to my right.

Edward laughed and I finally looked up to glare at him.

"I think you can take care of yourself just fine." He kissed my forehead.

On the inside I was smiling; glad that he thought so. I was serious and stayed still until he pulled away and turned to leave the roof.

My arms uncrossed and I instinctively reached out. "Where are you going?"

"Your dad wants to talk to me, remember?"

I blocked his path to the door off the roof. "I'm going with you. I don't want you keeping secrets from me."

His smile faded. "You don't have a problem keeping them from me."

I stepped back. "Are you serious right now? Edward, you know now…"

"But you didn't tell me you were so scared."

"What did you want me to do? Break down in front of you? In front of the guard? You know me better than that."

He rubbed his eyes. "I just want to know that when something is bothering you, you trust me enough to tell me."

"You know it's not because I don't trust you. That's a load of crap. What's the real reason?" I asked him.

He hesitated.

I step back towards him again. We were inches apart. "Edward. What is the real reason?"

"Because I'm scared too, okay? I'm not losing you. Not again."

And at that moment I was sorry about the whole fight. I was sorry for keeping things from him. I was sorry for being so mad.

My head fell against his chest and I let him through my shield.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

"I promise, Edward." I looked him in the eye. "You are never going to lose me."

Then I kissed him.

When we reached my dad's room the door was already open, inviting us in.

I walked right in and pulled Edward with me, so he knew it was okay and we sat in two chairs across from where Dad was reading a book.

He looked up and his eyes went straight to me. His eyes showed me that he was not expecting me to be there.

I scoffed – it sounded more insulting then I'd meant it to be. "Get used to it, Dad. You two aren't keeping secrets from me."

Then he looked at Edward. I knew even if my dad were mad at him for letting me in, he wouldn't be able to do much about it with me in the room.

Edward just shrugged his shoulders and looked at my dad apologetically. "You can't stop her once she sets her mind." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Dad sighed. "Well… then I suppose there something both of you need to know before we talk about Alice."

My shoulders tensed. My jaw tightened. Edward and I cast each other a worried glance at the same time. I could tell that Edward didn't know, which meant that my dad was blocking his thoughts so Edward wouldn't know ahead of time.

I couldn't possibly think of anything that I didn't already know.

All the different criminals we had lately pointed to the rebels. The first was Felix being killed; it was definitely a rebel out in our woods. Then the immortal child; probably created by a rebel. Edward and I were almost killed and Joshua had told us –

That was it. I knew what my dad was about to tell Edward and I, and I wished all I had that I was wrong.

Even though I realized what he was about to say, the world still turned. Birds outside kept chirping. Human hearts kept beating. And I wondered how it was possible when this was happening.

"Marcus, Caius and I have all come to an agreement on all the clues these past events have led us to."

Deep breaths, Bella, I told myself. Adrenaline started running through me and it tried to convince me that I could handle anything.

"We have reason to believe that before James was killed, he orchestrated the rebels."

There it was. The truth.

It made perfect sense. James' ultimate goal was to see the Volturi fall; of course he would have followers.

The adrenaline kept pumping through me and my genius response was, "I know."

It seemed like Edward had caught on too because his reply was, "it was obvious."

The little terrified voice in my head was reminding me that this was the guy who ruined my life. I killed him and he was still ruining my life.

Then, despite the adrenaline, my whole body froze up.

Can vampires go into shock?

I tired concentrating on my surroundings. I was in my dad's room. He was sitting in front of me. Edward was sitting beside me. Their lips were moving, there was sound.

But I wasn't retaining any of it. All I could think about was James.

I think vampires can go into shock.

A/N - Let me know what you think! The next two chapters are gonna be good, so stay tuned! (also, I apologize for any typos. I hate editing more then once)

ALSO! If you like The Mortal Instruments series (if you don't I highly recommend it) check out my new one shot - She is Love!