Charlie bid me goodbye at the airport. He was going to hang around in Forks to see what the gossip would be about and to catch any nomads, if needed. I found out that he fed from humans, as my entire family did, but he drank from donated bags that were hidden in the house. Apparently, he put some in my food so that I never seemed thirsty.

"I'm gonna miss you Bells," he said in a gruff voice, his tone so sorrowful that he would cry at any moment, if he could.

"I'll miss you too, daddy," I whispered, hugging him back. "I love you." That's when a memory hit me. I was four and standing in a spot almost identical to this. Renee and Phil were here, looking the same as they did now, and Charlie was here, looking the same, as well. I was the only one who looked different.

"I love you, always and forever, daddy," my child-self said to my father as he picked me up and hugged me. I was crying as much as I was able to. That was a pivotal moment for me in my déjà vu state…that was the last time that I could recall telling my father that I loved him, or even calling him daddy.

I sniffled as the memory left me. Looking around, I knew that their sympathetic features were for me, knowing what I was going through at this very moment. After that, my mind kind of left my body for a while, mechanically going through the motions as we were seated on the plane. That's when I noticed that we were on a private plane.

The interior was red and black, the logo Volturi painted in big red letters, and it had couches and beds throughout the plane. They also had a fridge that I had to check out, grateful that it was full of human blood. I was starting to become famished, and I knew by mom's story of her pregnancy with me, that this was the only thing that would help me, by now.

Once I sat down by mother, I leaned in next to her ear. "Who are all these…people?" I asked as I sniffed the air, not finding one trace of vampire in any of the extra passengers.

My mother chuckled darkly. "They want to be like us, so for now, they work for the Volturi."

I quirked an eyebrow at her. "Will they ever be like us?" I asked, and to my disappointment, all my mother did was simply shrug her shoulders. I finished my drink only to find her ushering me off to one of the bedrooms to sleep. She stayed with me until darkness overtook me.

Vampires have a copious amount of time to do anything. I learned this when I befriended the Cullen's, as during that time, I had no idea of my former life and what I can now do. But when a part of me is close to being human, and requires sleep, the time that you do have to work everything out in your life, has to be between eating, sleeping, and figuring out my true destiny.

When I finally did awake, I was unaware of what was going on. As quick as I could manage, I sat up in bed, but the bed and room I was in was all different from where I fell asleep, at. I was now in a big room, painted lavender, lying in a bed that was far bigger than the room, itself, that I fell asleep in.

I tried to get up, but gasped in pain as my arm gently went to hold on to my side. I hissed in pain, and that sound was immediately followed by the sounds of footsteps from all around. Soon, my door was open, and I was greeted with so many red eyes, that I seemed to have lost count. I knew none of them, and I was disappointed to learn that my mother and step-father had already left me.

I became depressed, so sad so quickly that I didn't know what to do with it. I was crying, feeling a tugging in my arm that only slightly bothered me, as a man not much taller than I, with dark hair and bright ruby eyes, came to sit with me at my side. He took my other hand, immediately comforting me almost like a father would.

"You were sick, Bella…out cold," he whispered to me, stroking the back of my hand like one would to a small child who was hurt. I only sniffled as he took a deep, unneeded breath, in. "Phil and Renee wanted to stay, but a situation arose in Forks that they had to get back to." My bleary eyes shot up to meet his in utter terror. Were they okay?

As if he knew what I thought, which I knew he wouldn't, as far as mother told me, he merely nodded his head. "They're fine, young Isabella. You were just…out for a while," he said in a hesitant manner. I wondered how long I'd been out when I finally noticed an IV in my arm that led up to a few bags, all filled with blood. I licked my lips as the King of the Volturi finally smiled. "I suppose you want to drink those, now?" he asked with a cheery disposition, as if watching me drink blood would be the most fascinating thing, ever!

But I said nothing against that. Instead, I merely nodded my head as venom began to pool in my mouth. Aro, I learned from someone in the room, leaned into me, as if telling me a secret. "Would you like something more…fresh?"

As my heart began to beat in anticipation, he smiled wickedly and nodded over to someone in a black cloak, who disappeared from the room as did all the others, besides the three kings. That's when I knew it was time to ask the one question that had been on my mind since I awoke. "How long have I been out?" Once I asked this, Aro was running his hands through my long, mahogany hair, as if I were his daughter. The odd thing was that he did feel like a father to me…another one.

"Little one, you gave us quite a scare," he whispered, looking like he would cry if he could. "You've been out for nearly two weeks." My face blanched at the thought. Two weeks? How was that even possible? "When you were brought in, the situation arose in Forks. You were brought here and have been treated and gaining your strength since the day you came to us." That's when I remembered…my baby. My eyes widened in shock as I looked at my stomach, which appeared, now, like I was eight months pregnant. How was that possible?! My mother said she carried me for almost five months, and it had just now been a month that I was pregnant! What the hell…

By now, the other two kings, introduced as Marcus and Caius, came to sit near Aro and I as Aro took my face into his hands, wiping away the tears that I hadn't noticed were there. "You are near being ready to deliver, and we've called for others to help us. The only ones we can trust."

I simply nodded as a tight band seemed to wrap itself around my stomach. As my hand gently rubbed that area, it loosened just as a knock came to the door. "Come in," Caius called, a sneer in his tone as the young boy from earlier came in, with a fighting man in his arms. Before I even got a chance to take in his full scent, my nostrils were filled with the most delectable smell that immediately had my mouth watering. The young boy came even closer, holding the man as if he were a small child. I licked my lips in anticipation. I could tell in my peripheral vision that Aro was going to assist me by cutting the man's throat, but before he could take another step, I had grabbed the man's arm and yanked it so hard that it came out of its socket, as I brought it to my lips.

The man's screams only got louder as I bit into his arm, draining him from every ounce of his blood until he no longer moved. I knew he had feared me… His heartbeat, which had sounded like helicopter blades, let me in on that little secret, and it made me feel…good. The way I saw it, I wasn't a monster. I was someone who just so happened to live off the blood of the scum of the earth. And it had felt amazing.

As I dropped the man's lifeless body to the floor, licking my lips and moaning as I cleaned my lips of the remainder of his blood, I looked around, seeing the shocked and outright confused faces of the three ancient kings, as well as the young boy who'd brought me my lunch. They all blanched at me as I asked sheepishly, "What? Did I do it wrong?"

A moment of silence, followed by roaring laughter. It was so curious to hear the kings laughing that others rushed in to see what had them so amused! I, on the other hand, was beet red with embarrassment, my own heart beginning to race as I felt the child within me settle down, sated for the time being.

When everyone saw how down I looked, Aro came over and hugged me close to him, even going as far as to kiss my forehead. Now everything today confused me since, from what I'd been told, the Volturi were the enemy, yet I had other memories of them, before, that discounted that, so I wondered why it was the Cullen's who feared them to that level of animosity, and why? I had no time to think further on that as Caius came over, bowing and kissed my hand as a true gentleman would. "We are not laughing at you, Bella," he said. However, once I glared at him, he bowed his head, knowing that I caught him up in a lie. Soon, he was looking me in the eyes, again. "Okay, we weren't laughing at you, per se. It's just…even though you're a witch and part vampire and pregnant by a vampire," he said, causing me to hiss, which he ignored. "It's just…you're very different…in a good way," he cut back in, covering for his mistaken words. "We've never met anyone like you, and we're honored to have you and your child staying here…with us. You're so much like a vampire, already, yet are not fully turned. Do you get it, now?"

I mulled over his ramblings, and I had to say that I actually agreed with it all, one-hundred percent. I just didn't tell him, right away, because I loved watching him squirm while the others all glared at him, daring him to even think about opening his mouth, again. After a couple of minutes, I finally smiled. That's when I was left alone with the three kings, again. "It's all right, Caius," I whispered, patting his hand. "I completely understand."

But as soon as I said that, a grimace appeared on my face as I fought the urge to scream. On one hand, my heart seemed to be pulling in another direction, as if I were supposed to go see and be with someone…only I didn't know, who. The thought of this being, however, sent a shock through me, then ached afterwards because that person still wasn't here.

That's odd.

Before I could ask the kings about this, the band wrapped itself around my stomach, again, only this time, it hurt. Bad. I bit my lip, fighting back the scream that was filling my lungs as my hand went to my stomach to soothe it and I began to collapse. Caius caught me before I fell to the floor.

"We don't have time!" Aro screamed, and before I knew it, the three of them had me on a dining table that was clear across the room. I wondered, briefly, why I would need it, when a contraction hit me so hard that I screamed as loud as I could. I felt the room, along with everything around me, shake, as if a minor earthquake came through. A few things fell, breaking priceless antiques, and I couldn't help the guilt that flowed from me, knowing that it was my fault and yet not being able to help it.

"Breathe, Bella," Aro said, having to remind me. It was then that I realized that I'd been holding my breath, for fear that I'd collapse the entire city, next. I took deep breaths, trying to sooth myself through the pain while Caius had gone and ripped up a sheet, placing it from my waist, down, as he hiked up my legs to where they came slightly off the table. I saw from the look on his face that it was worse than what he was letting on, but I had no energy to start up a conversation over it, just yet.

Marcus held my hand as he and Aro shared a look, nodding from time to time. I focused all of my energy on what they were saying in time with my breathing exercises, which kept me occupied, for a few moments.

"I know they are," Marcus whispered. "I've seen their bonds. Bella's already part vampire. It'll work and help her to calm down if she's here."

Okay…now I was intrigued. Who was it that could help me, and how? I know it had something to do with bonds, but what the hell did that mean?

"I know it, Marcus," Aro agreed, patting back my now damp hair. "But you know that she'll flip, and we'll lose control over the entire situation."

"But it will help Bella, and we can stand by, help, and make sure that all goes well."

At that moment, Caius jumped back as I felt something release from the lower part of my body. It began hurting worse than the damn contractions did, and I couldn't hold back any longer. Crying on top of everything, now, I screamed so loud that I was sure I leveled a few buildings and had all of Volterra wonder who they were torturing in the castle! I felt a gush of wind and heart a slamming door as Aro's hands gently patted my clammy forehead. The coolness helped me, some, but as I opened my eyes, I was confused. I could already see things more clearly, yet they were blurry at the same time, as well. I took solace in this short moment of peacefulness before the pain started again. And that was when Caius, as if remembering something, darted out of the room, already back before the door could close on him. He held a medical bag which he proceeded to open, pulling out two needles and two vials. "Are you allergic to any medicine, Bella?" he asked as he began to fill both syringes, each with a different medication in it.

I briefly wondered if he should've asked me his question before filling the needles up, just in case, even though it wouldn't matter. "No, not that I know of." And I would've know, seeing as how I was the clumsiest witch/vampire in existence, but that was beside the point. I always found a way to wind up in the hospital, so why should now be any different. As he put both medicines through my IV, I just mentally shrugged at my outlandish thoughts. I'll probably always be clumsy, even once I had more venom in me, but that was something that I'd just have to wait and see about. Around that time, I heard thunderous footsteps and countless screams. I idly wondered if the others were partaking in meal time, before I heard one set of footsteps stop right outside my door.

"You can't go in there," said a voice from the other side. It sounded as if he were a child, but was changing into and becoming a man. Jeez, what a downer! To have to spend the rest of eternity being a perpetual pubescent boy. I felt really sorry for the kid, and I'd only seen him a couple of times since I'd woken up. I made it my mission to stand by his side once I was past all of…this.

"LET ME IN, YOU LITTLE TWERP!" My head shot up at the sound of that voice, but for a couple of different reasons. One…I was feeling very protective of the young boy that was standing on the other side of the door, with her, so I didn't like her attitude or that she was threatening a kid that I already considered to be like the younger brother I never had. However, that voice of hers, so light and velvety, yet protective and domineering, had me lusting, hard, for her, while feeling an overwhelming need to be protected and loved by this strong individual, while returning the same sentiments towards her. It was a devotion that I had never felt, before…

Yet I had never met her.

I heard the young boy begin his protests, once more, as Marcus showed up. But all it took was for another contraction to hit me so hard that, coupled with my screaming, various objects began to rotate around the room, that he finally let her in.

All that I held with my powers, dropped, the first time I got a real good look at her. She was stunningly gorgeous, and it lit up my insides like nothing I've ever experienced, before. The first couple of moments were spent with her crossing the room to where I was, taking my hand that Aro offered to her while I openly kept my gaze trained on her and her immaculate beauty. Everything about her floored me; her crimson eyes that peeked out from underneath her long, dark eyelashes. Her perfectally proportioned nose, and lips, painted forever with a light touch of pink that were so moist that I wanted to kiss them as long as she allowed.

Her hair was pulled partway back and was a beautiful mixture of brown and red so that each tone didn't overthrow the other. She looked like she might be the same weight as I was while her height made her shorter than I. I almost smiled at that, but at that moment I was drawn back to her beautiful eyes as another pain rippled through my abdomen, causing my entire body to light on fire.

I now had my mate to the right of me, holding my hand and smoothing back my hair as she held me in a sitting position as began to cry as I worked through my breathing. Feeling whole with my mate, now, caused an extra surge of adrenaline rush through me to complete the task at hand. I knew one thing, for sure…the women who did this even once in their lives should be awarded a medal or something, because I knew that here and now, this would most likely be the hardest thing I would ever have to face and go through.

I hoped.

"You're doing SO great, Isabella," my mate whispered to me, kissing my cheek and causing a good electrical current flow through me that had me fighting all the more. As she seated herself behind me so that her arms could wrap around my body so that we were touching as much as we could, an idle thought passed through my mind: I no longer hated my given name, at least not the way that she said it.

"Okay Bella, it's time to push," Caius said from below the sheet. As much pain as I felt and still felt, I had a feeling it would soon dissipate if I could just get through this a little longer. As I sat up straighter with the help of my mate, I took a deep breath, holding it in for a moment before I let it out while accompanied by a horrifying scream as I felt the pressure below and began to push it out of me.

Once…twice…three times… As the medicine began to hit me hard, I became slowly unaware of the things going on around me. A fire was still going on from deep within me, but I couldn't place where or even why it was burning me like that. Slowly, faces began to blur out of vision, the only constant in my brain was my mate, how she was here for me, now, and would always be... Just like a mate should be always by the others side.

Time began to slip away from me as my head lolled back and forth. Was this really just the medicine, or was something bad happening? When the realization hit me, I tried to speak, but it came out all garbled, like I was trying to talk with my mouth completely full of food while also having strep throat! Not a good combination, as I have tried that before.

One by one, my senses began shutting down, starting with feeling. I still felt the fire, but I couldn't feel much of anything else. No pain, no relief, no itchiness…nothing. My taste buds and the smells that accompanied it, both of which had been reveling at the leftover blood from my wonderful meal were even turned off.

Next to go was my vision, as I stared up into the blurry face of my perfect angel. But even in the blackness, I could still make out a word here or there, but not much of anything that could actually make sense. The only thing that I did get in full detail was when my angel gasped and with venom-filled terror, screamed out, "DO SOMETHING. WE CAN'T LOSE HER!"

And then my hearing went, as well.

Thank you everyone for your marvelous input! Thanks to you, I was able to write this chapter and finish it, rather well, better than I thought I would do, in an orderly and very quick fashion. It was actually easy to write, which I wasn't expecting, but I enjoyed it, so much.

Now I know many of you will be disappointed. I introduced her mate, yet didn't, because she has yet to know her name. All will be revealed, soon. Sometimes, however, it's fun to have a little mystery to up the adrenaline…makes things so much more intriguing.

So I hope this finds everyone well, and I hope you enjoy it! Looking forward, already, to writing and posting up the next chapter to this impressive story that I'm surprised I wrote.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review!

Missy