Hello Everyone! I am so sorry for the lateness of this post, the only excuse I have is that I was working on my next story and time got away from me. I hope you forgive me...

Thanks go out to my pre-reader, BFF and all around great person Pienuniek and to my beta Fran. Any mistakes are mine because I always go over it after getting it back from her.

DISCLAIMER: SM owns Twilight, we just love the characters.

Let's see what's happening shall we...

Chapter 26 – Going Home

We were almost finished with our third week here in the past and things were going well.

Bella and I stood on a hill overlooking the Volturi encampment, the sun was rising behind us as I watched Bella hide her wings again while we thought about all that had happened.

The day after we'd confronted Aro and Caius, the Gods answered our prayers. They'd spoken to us, promising that everything we needed would be on the papers they were sending back with Merill. Bella and Didy were to memorize them and answer when they were asked during the meeting we were getting ready to attend. They advised us that once all the questions were all asked, I was to signal Aro to call an end to the meeting. These answers were enough to prove we were who we said we were. They also promised that anytime Didy needed help in the future it would be given, although, once the Volturi were established there shouldn't be any further problems from those wishing to join, they'd follow the guidelines with no problems.

The start of the meeting had been a little rocky. They wanted to know what had given Bella and Didy the right to dictate how things were going to go, and why they had to change their diet all of a sudden.

"I can answer that." Didy stepped forward. "My friends, you know me, or at least of me. You know that I am mated to Marcus. What you don't know is that I can see visions of the future. They are always accurate, but I can usually see no more than ten years ahead. However, I was recently reunited with a family member of mine." She waved Bella forward. "This is Bella, she happens to have the same talent and combined we were able to see far, far into the future.

"And let me tell you, it is looking very bad. So bad that if we don't make changes now, every single one of us will have a hand in ending the world."

Bella and Didyme went on to advise them about how their diet –the way they controlled or didn't control, as the case showed to be, their urges- was going to affect the ecosystem in the future. They used the glimpse that the Gods had given them, to explain in all its gory detail what was going to happen. The Gods had even been nice enough to single a few of the vampires out –with rather horrifying deaths- to capture their complete attention.

"How are we to stop this?" One asked after he found out that he was going to be thrown into a volcano by werewolves.

"There is an alternative diet that you can maintain." I explained. "I've lived on it for over seventy years and I've never had a problem. I'm as strong as any of you."

"What is it?" another asked. But I was pleased to note that all of them wanted to start immediately.

"No more humans. You drink the blood of animals. As you are the Volturi, you will raise them, much like the humans do. This will not only feed you but also help you to blend in more. When you are out and about, wild animals will suffice. The great thing about animals is that there are many different flavors; you'll find one that you love. Just be careful not to wipe out an entire species.

"You must also become the guardians for all the mythical races. You must spread the word that mythical creatures must become just that…mythical. The humans must not know that you are real, because as they develop and get smarter, so will their weapons. This means that eventually a war will break out that will…"

"End the world." They all finished. "Does this mean that no matter what we do, the world will end?"

"No." Didyme took up the mantle. "If you follow these guidelines, then things will even out. I promise you, and if things were to ever change, we'd come before you again."

Once we were finished, we opened the floor for questions. We wanted to be able to prove what we were saying was true and by letting them ask, they got more than if we just preached. Bella and Didyme did a wonderful job fielding the questions and by the end, there were only a few who were not convinced.

"We have ways of keeping an eye on you and your actions. Any of you who were not going to be able to follow the guidelines for the Volturi will be asked to leave their employ. The Volturi are going to be a successful business that will help maintain peace around the world and between races. You have a few days to think about it, and you can come to us if you have any questions. We will be watching."

With that the wives, plus Didy, Bella and I made our way out of the meeting, leaving Marcus, Aro, and Caius to field anything else.

I was glad to hear that almost all of them were horrified, to say the least, most at the fact that they would help to bring about this vision if they didn't change.

Over the last few weeks, I'd kept an eye on the thoughts swirling around the encampment, and I was happy to note that just about all of their guards had converted to the change and the funny thing was – they were enjoying it. They realized that they didn't have to be murderers to survive, they could be happy, enjoy life and still drink their food source.

I'd also stepped out of my role of law enforcer and handed it back to the leaders they had. They were all on the right diet now and thinking much clearer. It didn't take long for Aro and Caius to see where they were going wrong. The new diet allowed them to re-discover their humanity; something they'd almost forgotten. With that, I didn't need to be so forceful and could step back into the background.

'Constantine should be here soon.' Bella thought, jolting me out of my memories.

I nodded. 'He's not far now, he's just come into my range. He's coming from the east.' I paused. 'And Didyme is coming up from the encampment. She wants to be kept in the loop as he will be coming to her after we're gone.'

Bella looked down the hill to where Didy was coming and welcomed her with a big hug when she got there. We waited in silence for Constantine to approach us.

He bowed. "Lord Edward and Ladies Isabella and Didyme." He stood. "I have come with news."

"Pleasure to see you again, Constantine." Bella greeted.

He bowed his head; he would be blushing if he could. "It's all mine, Lady Isabella."

Bella and Didy giggled a little at him. They thought he was sweet. I rolled my eyes a little at them.

"What news do you have?" I asked Constantine.

He returned to his business pose. He was serious. "Stephan and Vladimir are furious. The new Volturi are working well and have convinced many that it is better to live a different life. Even the ones they are turning have somehow managed to get wind of what is going on. It seems the faster they turn them the more they just up and disappear."

At this, I smiled.

"That's good." I murmured. "It seems that word is spreading. Although soon they'll find a way to keep them from leaving their compound, I expect."

He nodded at my comment. "Yes, discussions have begun between Stephan and Vladimir. They are just unsure how they will feed if they can never let their creations leave. I will keep an eye on them for however long I need too."

At this Didy stepped up, placing a hand on his arm. "I thank you for that, Constantine. Your work is much appreciated. We have some other things to discuss, no?"

He placed his hand over hers, bowing his head slightly, "which is, Lady Didyme?"

"After Bella and Edward leave, I want you to continue to report just to me. My mate will be preoccupied with everything else that the Volturi has going on, so we've discussed it and decided that you would be my responsibility. Is that okay with you?" She asked.

"Yes, my lady."

"Good," she sighed. "Now when will we be discussing the other part with the leaders, Edward?"

I looked to the sky. "I am happy with everyone's progress; I'm just waiting for confirmation. It shouldn't be too l…"

Before I could even finish my sentence, Merill swooped down and landed on my shoulder. He had just a small tube on his leg this time, not a bulky one attached to his back. Pulling out the small scroll of paper, I unrolled it. Once done, it had just two words in elegant script written on it:

It's time.

"Well, Constantine, it looks as if we need you to hang around for the next couple of days at least. Do you have somewhere to stay?"

He shook his head, "No, my Lord. I do not; I will be standing guard near your residences."

We nodded at him.

"Let's go, Granma. We'll round up the usual suspects. Edward, we'll meet you at home in a little while." Bella commanded.

This time, it was my turn to bow to her. "Yes, my love."

~*~HS~*~

This was one of the most entertaining things I've ever been involved in, I thought to myself. I looked at the shocked faces around while eating the last of the meal Bella had placed in front of me.

The five vampires sitting with us couldn't believe that I'd willingly sit here and eat food. They expected the same thing Didyme had, that I'd need to expel it later.

Once again, we sat down with the others and explained the way that I was able to eat without consuming blood. Their reactions were similar to Didy's, when we'd told her. The only one that had been quiet was Constantine. He was more of the mind, 'words are good but actions are better' and he wanted to see that I could consume food; he wanted to be able to do that again if he could.

We sat there that way, with them all watching me to see if I'd take off running to get rid of it for at least half an hour. When they realized that nothing was going to be forthcoming, their thoughts had gone silent with surprise. The ladies came out of their stupor first.

"How…how is this possible?" they both asked.

I stood again and started to unbutton my shirt. Aro and Caius were horrified that I'd bare myself to their wives this way—considering I had my own sitting right next to me—that they tried to cover their wives' eyes. Bella and Didy were giggling up a storm because their reactions were even worse than Marcus's had been.

"What do you think you are doing?" They thundered. "You cannot undress in front of the ladies!" Caius exclaimed.

I laughed out loud. "I'm not undressing fully, I have another shirt underneath. You're going to give yourselves gray hair if you aren't careful." I chuckled.

They both gave me sarcastic looks as everyone else chuckled at them. Once I'd removed my shirt, I turned around, beckoning Bella to come and move the side of my singlet so that they could see what I had hidden underneath.

There were gasps all around the fire as Bella shifted it to show off my tattoo. They all started talking at once, and all I heard were words such as 'beautiful, impossible,' and my favorite of all, 'he had to have had that before he was a vampire.' Although that was funny because it was the Volturi symbol after all.

Bella laughed a little too, before stating, "It's neither a fake, nor impossible and he certainly didn't have the Volturi symbol put on him while he was human. In our time, it is death or vampirization if you find out about vampires.

"We can't tell you when he got it but we can tell you why he has it and what it does. That is of course if you want to find out how he eats?"

With the commotion of me revealing said tattoo they'd almost forgotten what they'd witnessed beforehand, or, at least, put it aside. At Bella's question, they all nodded, waiting for us to start explaining.

"There are many, many things an Angel can do that we'd never reveal about ourselves, and I don't think it's a good idea to tell you lest it gets out." Bella started while Didy was nodding. "However, we are able to infuse certain capabilities into things to aid others. That's what has been done with this tattoo that Edward has. The ink used has been infused with something, which once embedded into a vampire's skin enables him or her to eat.

"Before we came back through time we were given a letter to give to Didyme that holds the secret to making the ink. She is the only one, apart from the two of us that knows how to make it and it needs to stay that way for both her sake as well as yours. It's not a secret that needs to be spread and only those that are in the inner circle will have this knowledge."

She looked at me to continue. "We were also given some materials and a list of tools needed to make, what we call, a tattoo gun to place the tattoo onto impervious vampire skin. Marcus and I have completed it, Didy and Bella have made the ink, and we are ready to apply the designs.

"Just to explain, the one I have on my back is the male Volturi symbol. It's more masculine than the female version. I have drawn up that symbol if you ladies would like to see it?" I asked.

They nodded their heads looking excited. I walked over to the table, picking up the drawing and bringing it back for them to see. Even Bella and Didy crowded around as I hadn't shown it to them either.

"Oh, wow." They all breathed.

'It's beautiful, Edward..' Bella thought to me. 'I can't wait to have it placed on my skin.'

The thought of my own personal Angel with a tattoo that I could love was a huge turn on. I could think of at least three places I wanted that tattoo, and only one of them was not on a spot that wasn't polite for company. My eyes must have darkened while I was staring at Bella because I could hear her soft giggle in my head.

'Calm, my love. I'm sure wherever you're planning will be… hmm, delicious.' She purred in my head. 'But I must also be able to hide it too, even in the skimpiest of bathing suits.'

I growled then groaned at the picture she placed in my head of her in a string, thong bikini. It wouldn't matter where we were – she'd never wear that where anyone else could ever see her! That was way too much skin for anyone other than me to see! I had to turn away from everyone lest they became aware of my problem, but considering they were laughing at me, I'm sure they'd figured it out.

"Lord Edward," Constantine started. "You may want to sit. That ah…may be easier to hide if you were sitting."

I huffed a little at the laughter that comment ensured before taking his advice. While it wasn't more comfortable, it was certainly easier to hide.

"Edward," Dora giggled through my name. "You said that you were ready to do these today?"

Didy took this question. "Yes, Dora we are. We have everything ready. But don't you want to take some time to think about it first? It's such a huge change."

Both Dora and Scully shook their heads. "No, we're ready. We don't want to be part of what would be coming and we don't want to kill anyone ever again."

"Well, that's excellent." I stated standing, "Didy, come over here please, and we'll set up the station. I'll let you do the others before I tattoo you and Bella. Nobody is tattooing her but me."

It didn't take long for Didyme to get set. She set all the colors out and got started on Anthenodora straight away. The one time you could see her flinch was when she first started and she thought she was going to hurt them. After a few minutes, I walked away leaving her to it.

"Are you and Caius going to be getting the tattoos, Aro?"

He nodded before answering. "We will be. It will be nice to feel almost human again. It's been such a long time since I felt that. I hadn't realized how much drinking human blood had taken from me until I stopped."

"I, too, feel that way," Constantine took up the conversation. "I remember so much more now about my life before Stephan and Vladimir stole me away. There is such a vast difference in emotional and mental health with the change in diet."

Caius nodded. "I don't feel as angry now and I expect it will change more with this new diet."

"It will," I confirmed. "The more you stick to it the better you'll feel and the world around you will look better too. Not just that, but you can blend in more. Especially because you can change your eye color."

"Mmhmm." They all hummed.

While we waited for Didy to be finished with the wives and Marcus, we stood around and talked about inconsequential things. They asked about some things from the future and I explained what I could. Although that wasn't a lot.

"Aro, it's your turn." My Bella called. "Then we'll have Caius and Constantine, after that Edward, it's your turn to do some inking."

We all wandered over to watch as Didy placed the ink on their skin. It was fascinating. After they were finished, it was my turn.

"Didyme, where would you like yours? Remember it needs to be hidden."

"Just place it where the other ladies have theirs, Edward. That will be fine, thank you."

"Not a problem. Wrap yourself in that blanket and call me when you're ready." All the men turned while she did just that.

"I'm ready now, Edward," Didy called.

As I was concentrating on Didyme and inking the female symbol onto her skin, I missed that Bella had slipped away to change her clothes. I noticed, however, when she returned because the thoughts around me exploded.

Lord almighty. What is that?

She's a beauty, just like her grandmother.

That's showing more than is appropriate.

Wow. Lady Isabella is a beautiful woman.

Oh, Edward will just about keel over dead.

I wonder if Bella has another one of those in her little bag of tricks.

My head shot up so fast I had to steady my hand before I ruined Didyme's piece. She giggled at my reaction because she'd seen Bella first since she was facing our tent. How she'd managed to hide it, I don't know.

She had kept her jeans on but had changed into a stunning, sapphire blue corset top and put up her hair. It left her beautiful shoulders and neck clear and unhindered.

"Uh, Edward," Didyme giggled. "If you could just finish my design please, I'll get the others away for the afternoon."

I willed my erection to go down enough that I could concentrate on what I was doing and replied to her. "That would be good, thanks." I squeaked.

"Mmhmm," She smirked.

I finished up her tattoo as fast as possible while keeping Bella out of my line of sight or I'd never finish. It was going to be harder than anything I'd ever done to keep my hands from her secret places long enough to get her tattoo done as it was.

I watched as everyone said goodbye before going back to the encampment for the afternoon. As soon as they were no longer in my range, I spun back to Bella.

"What are you wearing?" I growled.

She smiled at me coyly. "What, this old thing?" she asked while she stroked her sides and pushed up her breasts even more than the corset already did.

"Yes, that," I said as I took a step closer to her and watched her take one back from me. She kept retreating as I kept stalking her. "Isabella, come here so that I can mark you before I take you."

She raised her finger to her chin, pretending to contemplate it. "Hmm, nope. You're going to have to come get me." With that, she took off into the woods.

I took off after her, letting her play cat and mouse with me for a few minutes before I used my speed to wrap her up in my arms.

"You, Isabella, are a bad, bad girl."

She snorted. "Just the way you like me."

I growled at her again before placing her on the seat we'd been using as a tattoo chair.

"Now where am I placing this, Bella?"

She lifted her hand and showed me a place at the back of her neck just above the bone at the bottom. It would be hidden by her hair and with her clothes if she ever wore her hair up. "Right here please, my love."

"Okay, Bella. Hold still please."

I prepared the area and then inked the tattoo into her skin. As I continued to lay down the design, I could tell that I wasn't the only one becoming aroused by the situation. I could smell Bella getting wetter and wetter, and the more she became that way, the more a rumbling purr sounded through my chest. It was a never-ending cycle because the more I did that the wetter she became.

We were well beyond the point of no return by the time I was finished. I cleaned the gun we had made as fast as I could, picked her up and took her into our tent. We had each other naked faster than we ever had. She was on the mattress and I was inside of her before she could even say my name; even then, all that came out was a long, loud moan.

"Gods, Bella you feel so good," I whispered in her ear.

"Ye…es, Edward. Gods more, harder." She moaned.

I rose up on my knees, wrapped one of her legs tighter around my waist and pulled the other up onto my shoulder while bending back over her. Gods, she was flexible.

I groaned when I slid deeper inside her, before pulling out and entering her a little harder. "Like that, baby?"

She moaned again. "Harder, Edward. I still want to feel you tomorrow."

I growled at that and gave her what she wanted. Slamming into her, hard. It didn't take long until we were both on the edge; I reached down and started rubbing my thumb around and over her clit.

"Now, Bella, come with me now!" with that command she clamped down on me and screamed my name while she wrapped herself tightly around me with everything she had. Three more thrusts and I growled her name before collapsing on top of her.

"Wow." She panted. "I'll have to wear that again."

I rolled over taking her with me to tuck her up on my chest. "Yeah," I breathed back. "Most definitely."

"I think I need a na…"

I looked down to see why she hadn't finished her sentence and realized she'd fallen asleep mid-word. I snorted into a chuckle before deciding to join her in her afternoon nap.

~*~HS~*~

It had been two weeks since the day we did the tattoos and everything had been going well.

Once again, Bella and I were standing on the hill overlooking the encampment. It seemed to be a favorite of hers at daybreak. It allowed us time to connect quietly before we were pulled in several directions. We were able to be lost in our own thoughts and it was rejuvenating to Bella's Earth Angel side as well.

The mythical creatures had started to draw back from the world as a whole, thanks to the reports we were getting from scouts all over the world. They had even started coming to the Volturi for help. Some even decided to stay and join, although those tended to be the scouts because they were less noticeable than a vampire.

Stephen and Vladimir's recruits were still disappearing so they weren't getting anywhere with their revenge. According to Constantine, they were getting disgruntled because they couldn't figure out who was helping them go, not that it would stop them in the future.

The members of the guard were happier with their diet too. There was less in-house fighting and more bonding. They were getting along like an extended family. Aro, Caius, and Marcus couldn't be happier with the turn of events. They kept their diet a secret by keeping their eyes golden around them. It was a fantastic show of cooperation and not wanting to be things of evil.

But with all of that, it meant that it was drawing closer to the time that Bella and I were to go back to the future. Back to telling Alice and Jasper about Bella and having a Royal Wedding to announce us to the vampire world and me as the fourth Volturi brother. This, in turn, meant then telling the rest of the family about Bella and Rosalie about us being able to have a family.

Bella must have been on my wavelength because she thought to me, 'We will be leaving soon.'

I pulled her into a hug, just to have her near. 'Yes. I'm expecting another note via Merill any day now.'

'It'll be today.' She thought, sounding a little sad.

'We have to go home, Bella. We have to live our lives in our time.' I gently reminded her. 'Plus we will have them all there too.'

'I know,' she sighed. 'I just feel we're going home to something bigger. It's all so simple here.'

I had nothing for that, so I just held her tighter and we stayed put on that hillside for a little while.

~*~HS~*~

"Do you really have to go?" Didyme asked.

"Yes, Granma, we do. I wish we could stay longer but we've completed the task we were set and now it's time to go so we don't upset the balance."

As Bella had predicted, we'd received word that day. We arrived back from the hill to our tent at Marcus and Didyme's to find Merill already waiting. We spent all afternoon and last night with everybody before saying goodnight and goodbye.

We had tried to leave early enough that Didyme wouldn't know, but it was like she sensed that we were going to attempt to sneak off and now she was getting upset.

"I promise, Granma, as soon as we are back in the future we'll come see you. But we have to go." Bella promised.

"We can't anger the Gods, Didyme. You know that's why we were sent back in the first place." I reminded her.

She nodded, letting go of Bella before giving me a hug and then collapsing in Marcus's arms.

"Please, Edward, as soon as you are back." Marcus urged.

I nodded, watching as Bella released her wings, getting ready to take us back to Babylon. We were in the time period clothes to blend in when we got there.

Bella sniffled. "See you soon."

With that, she climbed onto my back and flapped her wings lifting us up off the ground and I waved to Marcus and Didyme before we turned and flew the other direction.

"Let's go home, love."

"Yes, let's."

So they're heading home... I wonder what will be waiting for them.

This week I have a theme... that theme is aliens!

The first rec is a classic:

Written In The Stars by Lyssa Bryan. FFN ID: 7502401

Edward is king of a dying race, his planet torn by civil war. Bella is abducted to become his bride. From college student to Queen... Can she learn to love this strange man and help save his people?

Who doesn't love a little tailward?

The second is a newer one:

Star Crossed by Tufano79. FFN ID: 10534517

She was the leader of her people. He was a gruff, by-the-book star ship captain. An interstellar war, negotiations for a peace treaty gone wrong and a taboo relationship between two species. Will they survive this threat or are the Star Crossed lovers doomed before they even have a chance?

See you next week!