Chapter 13-
No Ones POV-
Two weeks seemed to go by so fast for Ash. Every day was refreshing and while she can't definitively say if it was for the better she took a break from her life, she didn't regret coming back to Italy. Every day was filled with the absolute best pasta she had ever had, don't tell Eyana. Then there were the beautiful sights, culture and history. And best of all, besides having an even better grasp on her Italian, Ash had found her passion for dance again. Photography could never replace it, it only distracted her from dance culture which was filled with slime balls, vultures and everything in between. The money was good, but the passion soon passed, and she missed that. Dancing for her, dancing for the people.
While BPDS practiced like hell they were only the entertainment, the snack you have after dinner and dessert. The Italians were doing all the day dancing when everyone was most excited and had energy. Nobody was privy to exactly what they were doing and had yet to see a dress rehearsal. It was going to be a mega surprise that only engorged Ash's curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
"Alright guys, last dress rehearsal before tomorrow night. You have the morning and afternoon off but we have to be at the stage at six so we have ample time for hair, makeup and to make sure shit goes right." The girls laughed at their coaches' easy cursing. She was either very nonchalant about it or her curing was the topic of the day. "So were going to go over everything carefully todays o we don't fuck up tomorrow. Places." We had about ten seconds to get where we needed to be before our first song came on. Speed Demon by Michale Jackson began bumping through the room, the bass so heavy it became my heartbeat.
The first number had two leads one, the chaser and the chasee. The rest of us were basically the obstacles and accomplices. It was a number that included a lot of tumbling, majorette and stepping. It was probably the hardest dance for Ash as well because there was no margin for error when everyone was moving fast and it had to be as fluid as possible. There was just so much room to miss a beat or injure yourself. Luckily, they all made it through without problem and after that Ash worried less because the rest of the dances were easier in her mind.
After going through the whole thing with no break Ash was sweaty and relaxed. A calm fell over her that only came from a job well done that was fulfilling at the same time.
Just as she was packing up her phone ring and a smile donned her face at the name. She answered before it could ring a second time. "Hey."
"Please tell me you're coming back soon to put me out of my misery." Even though Ash couldn't see him she could sense his pout.
"What could have possibly happened since yesterday?"
"What couldn't have happened?" He asked, being extra. "First I had to go to school all by myself." The same complaint she had been hearing everyday for two weeks. "Than Mike called me Bella 2.0 because I was so called "being a dark cloud of angst" whatever the hell that means."
Ash held in her laugh. She didn't think her boyfriend would appreciate her laughing at his expense. "Mhmm. Sounds tough."
"No, that's easy. That's Mike being the dingus I call a friend. What's hard is everyday I go to your class and wait for everyone to leave just to make sure you're not there before I make my way to lunch." That wiped away an amusement Ash had been feeling. "I didn't realise how hard two weeks would feel until you were gone and I had to go to school by myself."
"Me neither." Ash choked out. "Can't wait for tomorrow night to be over because as soon as it's done I'm on the first night flight out."
"Just in case you need some more incentive you have a hot boyfriend with a great surprise waiting for you."
Ash huffed a laugh. "Hot boyfriend where?"
"Ash!" He whined. And Ash really laughed this time, only thinking of when she could see him again.
Ash's POV-
The long awaited day has finally arrived. . . and I don't know how to feel. Something in me would always long for Volterra, would always need to come back but another part knew that I needed home more than I did here. Home where my moms and dad were. Where my sweet boyfriend and awkward old guy best friend was. Where it was always dreary and mostly cold and the sun rarely shined. And even if I did leave a piece of me in this beautiful city I could never let it have all of me.
The loud noise out on streets pulled me from my thoughts and a rare smile for no reason crossed my lips.
"Might as well have some fun for the day." I thought. I dragged myself to my bathroom and did my whole routine "like I have a routine" before putting on some clothes and a red robe in honor of Saint Marcus' Day. My hair would be done tonight so I did nothing to it but moisturize it and put a red headband on. It wasn't like it was rare for me to not have my hair out but it had been a while. Forks' weather did not agree with my poof. Just as I was putting on some lip gloss a knock at my door interrupted me.
I opened it and was surprised to see Tink with two new girls to BPDS, Kyla and Wish. And they were also dressed in red robes. "So we all had the same plan." I commented.
Tink rolled her eyes. "Everybody in this damn city had the same plan. Come on, I want to see everything before I get too tired to want to." I wasn't even going to point out her implication of involving me in her plans. I just went and grabbed my phone and purse and went with the small group.
The festival was packed. I don't think there was anybody home, not when there is this big celebration going on.
Saint Marcus' Day was the religious Holiday of vampire extinction in Volterra. While I was skeptical about any holiday that warranted such a big turn out I still found it interesting and enjoyed it to the fullest. It was fun walking around and hanging with the girls. It was more like watching them and keeping them in my eye sight and watching them squeal at everything but still. It brung back memories, faded with time but still with the lingering essence of happiness. A time where the world was simpler, I was simpler. Dancing had been a concept, my parents were work-aholics and I was happy. These days I am getting back to that.
We all walked around a bit more, finding stalls selling food and souvenirs. Total tourist strap that I happily fell into.
"Oh Wow." I looked at who said it and found Kyla staring starry eyed at a castle. The castle that had been far from reach and stuck so long in her memories it was little more than a dream.
When they moved to the center of the festival the little girl was mesmerized by the palace in front of her. She was reminded of the stories and movies about princesses and was too curious to not be in the castle. She slipped out the leash and wandered through the crowd into the castle.
Memories flooded her head. She was five again. Pretty things caught her eye and she just had to see them up close once more. The pull to walk away, to wander was too strong for her to ignore. She had no one she loved anchoring her to them. All she wanted was to see the pretty castle where it was said that princesses and princes lived.
Marcus' POV-
It was a game they all knew Aro loved to play. The chase, the instillation of fear. He loved to watch Edward scared for his mate, Bella scared for her life. It was addicting to him the way they trembled.
And yet, no matter how scared those three looked I could not find it in me to feel more empathy and just wanted the situation to be over and done with. I stayed standing until they left and could bear it no more to be here while Caius and Aro conducted counsel. There was really nothing more to do, there never was if you didn't count Caius' love for cruelty and Aro's scheming. I walked the halls, something I have learned to appreciate in my many years of living, until I found where I most wanted to be. The room of my deceased beloved, untouched by anybody else except me and a cleaner. I could not take it if like me the room filled with dust and slowly was left as if no one had ever lived here.
It was in this room that I could feel the slightest bit. That my apathy managed to burn away at the edges.
"Whose room is this?" A voice so steady, so calm sounded behind me. If I had been anyone else I would have reacted fast and her throat would have been on the floor. Instead I turned around slowly and was . . . amazed at the beauty standing in front of me.
My eyes stared intently at her. I knew it as soon as I saw her that it was the little girl from all those years ago. While she had dropped most of the baby fat, she was taller and her hair was different, I couldn't mistake those eyes, those dark brown eyes that held the world, for anyone else. Now those eyes were on a young woman who stood tall, strong and with the same sureness she had had as a child.
After examining the girl I turned back around with the answer to her question leaving my mouth. "It belonged to my mate."
"Hm." Was all she said. I could hear the slight shuffle of her steps as she came to stand by me.
"How after all these years did you manage to get back here?"
"I guess it was fate." I could see her smirking from the corner of my eye. "That sounds cheesy but there are no better words for it."
"Sometimes there never are." I had lived long enough to know that. "It seems you still have a knack for getting into places you don't belong."
"Yeah. And instead of getting caught I somehow find you. I guess I'm lucky."
In the privacy of the room, where no other soul lurked but ours, my lips managed a smile that felt foreign and yet welcome on my face. "It is I, my dear, who am lucky to have you find me." Before my eyes the start of a bond was forming. Or maybe it had been formed years ago and seeing each other again has revived it. It did not matter. There was gratitude in my heart for the girl who managed what not even our most gifted in Volterra could. She managed to make me feel.
"I'm AshNaia. Most people call me Ash but I want you to call me Naia." She said with finality.
"Then Naia it is. And I am Marcus." He turned to look at her only to see she had done the same. The smog had been lifted. Ash could see without her camera, Marcus could feel without his mate. A miracle at its finest, rare and beautiful in its fruitfulness and fractured appearance that made it unique.
When words are not enough, only the windows to the soul can communicate. Their voices are clearer and louder, a guiding hand that makes way for a long lasting connection.
Anti-Climatic or EPIC! I say EPIC! Oh my god, you will not believe how happy I am to FINALLY have their reunion happen. At first it was going to be a whole Volturi thing but we still have three movies to go so no need to rush it. Marcus is so sweet in my eyes and deserves the world. Sometimes he reminds me of Charlie, just way more depressed. He has nothing to live for because who he did live for Didyme, is dead. I think of Marcus as Charlie if he were a vampire and lost Bella. He would react the same way I think.
Now, there is more to the story and like 2 or 3 more chapters ahead until we're finished with New Moon so anything else you have to say or suggest better do it now because one its one paper, or well docs, its down forever and I refuse to change it.
And one more thing. To Booklovinkitten, I make no promises but I hope the direction I'm taking is pleasing enough not to be considered Ash getting "dragged into Bella's bullshit".
One last thing before I go because for some reason I was feeling Chatty, I am currently trying to make a Shadow Hunter Fanfic (Malec x OC x Meliorn) and am considering an Underworld one too (David x OC). If you have any thoughts on those, or thai whole chapter, tell me. R&R is an acronym for a reason.
Until Next Time- BigSmallWonder