-Bella-

It seemed as if my answer was all they were waiting for, it was few and far in between when I would get to see either of them. Since my conversation with Didyme, the Volturi had thrust itself into full on preparations for battle. In my mind I saw it as the Volturi going to war, to Athenodora this was just a big inconvenience. A big inconvenience that only extended their list of many things to be done.

The time for us to leave came closer and closer, slowly creeping up on us. All the while I couldn't help, but dread going back to Forks. I was unable to suppress that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach that had been brewing for so long. I knew that I could no longer use having to face my father as an excuse, because now it reached a point where I no longer felt safe going back to Forks. I wandered if it was too late to tell them I changed my mind, that I want to stay here instead. I tried to distract myself with whatever I could think of, anything to distract myself from the awful feeling something was wrong.

Nothing worked, and soon it was the night before we had to leave. The whole night I was so anxious I did not sleep at all, I wanted to get up and wander the halls in hopes it would make me tired. However, I remembered Sulpicias warning about wandering the halls, that it'd be a shame if they had to kill someone for hurting someone so precious to them. So I tried to read, but it didn't take long before my mind started to wander, and I began to think about how it wouldn't be long before I'd be on a private jet back to Forks.

One could only imagine the shock on Sulpicias face when she came to wake me, only to find me sitting at the window nook fully dressed and ready. However, dressed and ready as I may be it did not hide the fact I had gotten no sleep the night before. The bags under my eyes were deep and apparent, my eyes were red and puffy, and watery from how dry they were. I could lie to her and say last night was the only night I couldn't sleep, but my body made it clear of how much I deprived it of sleep these last few nights.

"Bella." Sulpicias tone seeped with disapproval.

"I just had a hard time sleeping last night, I can just sleep on the plane." I tried to brush off her concern.

She didn't say anything, only stroked the bags under my eyes with her thumb. "You will sleep on the plane, after you have something to eat."

That was another thing too, you see the thing about being anxious is it can interfere with your eating habits also. So much so you skip a few, well a lot of meals here and there to be honest. Something I thought would've gone undetected by the queens. I simply nodded yes, and followed her out the door. Athenodora and Didyme were immediately concerned when they saw me, albeit the car ride to their private airstrip was quite I could tell they were aching to ask me what was going on.

No argument could be made that the Volturi was short of resources, The Volturi air strip was hidden amongst the hills next to a quaint, but obviously historical church. It wasn't fancy or had any intricate designs what so ever, however just by looking at the architecture of the building it was clear, it wasn't build in this century. Two private planes awaited us, with one the guards were in the process of loading. I'm guessing one was for us and the other the guards.

Athenodora ushered me into the plane, while the other two went and talked to the guards. Inside the plane, was a luxurious lay out of a small sitting area, with a small bar off to the side. She led me to sit down, where she pulled out a plate of fruits from hidden pantry behind the bar and set it in front of me.

"Eat." She gestured with her chin.

I promptly picked up a piece of apple to eat, because I knew if I didn't I'd only worry them further. However, the struggle to get the piece of apple pass the lump in my throat didn't do much to help the situation. I got halfway through the plate, before choosing to sit and stare out the window. I was snuggled against Athenodora in between her legs, as it turn out the couches could be turned so that you had some level of privacy and you could be directly facing the window. I was so deep in thought that when I felt another hand rub my back, I jumped a little from being spooked.

Didyme immediately looked worried. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Y-yes, I just...was a little bit distracted is all." I gave her hand a squeeze, but that didn't seem to convince her much.

It wasn't long before Sulpicia boarded the plane and we were taking off, the lights were kept dimmed on the plane. I could only assume to allow me to sleep. Which, I will admit I was so exhausted that it did reach a point where finally, I did sleep.

When I woke up again, or at least when I thought I was awake. I was standing in the middle of the living room in my house, same yellow walls, same couch, and same tv with some sort of game on. It was nighttime so the only thing illuminating the room was the light from the tv. It was eerily quiet, so quiet I could hear my heart beating a million miles a minute. I could feel the hairs stand on the back of my neck, my arm were littered in goosebump. My eyes darted back and forth trying to find the hidden danger my body could sense, but my mind couldn't. All of a sudden my attention locked onto something in the corner.

I couldn't see it's face, let alone any parts of it. It was just a dark shadow that crept closer and closer to me. It felt like my feet were super glued to the floor, I tried to scream but nothing came out. Closer and closer it got until it was standing in front of me, I tried hard to focus my eyes to make out who this menacing figure in my dream was. The figure took one more step closer towards me until were toe to toe, my eyes widened as a silver knife appeared in it's hands. And I watched in horror as it plunged it into my stomach cutting through the layers of clothing and skin like butter. My blood leaked out me, as it went it for another jab, and then another, and another. Until I was on the floor gasping for air.

"Bella!" I heard Sulpicia shout.

I couldn't see her, but it made me smile to know I would be dying hearing the voice of the woman I had come to love so dearly.

"Bella!" it said again.

"Bella!"

I shot up from my spot on the couch, my hands frantically searched for the nonexistent stab wounds on my stomach. I hadn't noticed it until now, but a thin layer of sweat coated my skin, and I was breathing like I just ran a marathon. The three women looked at me with the most concerned and worried look on their face, which made me remember I tend to get a little vocal in my sleep when I was having a bad dream.

"Is something wrong?" I said.

The looks of disbelief I got were enough to make me realize that was probably a stupid question to ask. Obviously something was wrong.

"My love...what's going on with you? Are you alright? Is there something we should be concerned about?" Didyme asked.

I sighed, and sat up a little more so I could see all of them a little bit better. "Lately I've been having a bad feeling about returning to Forks, like one of those something truly awful is going to happen feelings. To make matter worse ever since I said yes to returning I've been having nightmares again."

"What do you mean?" Athenodora brushed my hair back.

"I keep having these awful nightmares," I tried to wipe the sleep from my eyes."It's always the same thing, I get chased by this dark figure. He'll chase me ceaselessly, then out of nowhere he'll stop and just when I think i'm safe...he kills me."

They looked at each other as if to say something, like centuries of being together had allow them to just know what the other is saying by just looking at them.

"Dreams like those tend to be an omen." Didyme said. "An omen of betrayal usually."

My first instinct was to dismiss her superstition, and just categorize it as just nothing but a bad dream. However the countless times I would wake up in the middle of the night holding myself because I thought I was actually injured proved otherwise. Or how I had been sleeping with the lights on the past few night, because I thought the dark figure leapt out of my dream and into my room was proof enough too. The only part I was missing was the why, what could've I possibly done to warrant my death sentence.

The rest of the trip was a blur after that, I tried to sleep, but I was so afraid of having another nightmare I didn't. We stayed in Portland before driving the rest of the way to Forks, an accommodation for the tired little human. I of course protested that I wasn't that tired and could just sleep in the car, my protest fell on death ears. Maybe it was the bad under eyes and the way I would sway from exhaustion that defeated my argument.

The entire drive the focus was solely on how to deal with the newborns, it was there that I got a glimpse of the power the Volturi held. Because it was there I learned that before we the Volturi purchased and renovated some old house in the middle of the forest. Which is were we would be staying until we left Forks, and this newborn business was handled. It was very interesting the way there dynamic worked, it was like too very different parts of a puzzle coming together as one. It made me wonder how I would fit into their little puzzle when the time came.

Before we could get settled there was the matter of speaking with the Cullens, technically we were impeding on their territory. So diplomacy dictated we spoke and made them aware of our presence on their land. I wasn't too keen on seeing the Cullen family again, call it confrontation avoidance if you will. They weren't too happy on letting me go on my own, but I thought it was best to speak to my father alone. To explain to him why his daughter ran off to Italy with little to no explanation whatsoever.

It was midmorning when we arrived in Forks, so my father was already gone for work. Something I was thankful for because it meant I had time to think over the lie I needed to come up with. I mean it's not like I could tell my father the reason I ran of to Italy was save my vampire boyfriend, but then discovered I was the mate of three beautiful monarchs. Oh and that not only was I in love with them, but I would be returning home with them as soon as we defeated an army of blood thirsty newborns.

The house was surprisingly clean, besides the overflowing trash can that desperately needed to be taken out. It was like I had never left.

"Bella?"

I jumped and turned to face Sue Clearwater standing coming out the laundry room with a basket full of laundry.

"Sue? Oh my gosh what are you doing here?" It dawned on me now why the was squeaky clean out of nowhere now.

She set the laundry basket down on the dinner table and offered for me to sit down. I sat refusing to look her in the eyes, of everyone Charlie was the only one who did not know about the existence of vampires. So I knew that she knew where I had been and what I had been up to. Sue was Harry Clearwater's wife who had died from a heart attack, brought on from the sight of a vampire.

"I believe I should be asking you that question." She crossed her arms and legs, I could feel her glare from across the table. "You know your fathers been worried sick, you're lucky he didn't have a heart attack. You know you can at least look me in the eyes, it's not like I don't where you've been."

I sighed, but looked up at her. "I'm just here to talk my dad Sue, I'm sorry about Harry."

She scoffed and threw a bunch of balled up blankets at me. "Heres your clean sheets, could've at least made your bed first before you ran off to be some vampires whore."

I sat there shocked, watching as she sauntered out of the room with basket on her hips. Sue had an affair with Charlie fa while, and with Harry dead i'm guessing that meant they were finally free to start again with their relationship. Sue did not like me because I was the one to tell Charlie he needed to end the affair, because it was a shitty thing to screw your friends wife. I guess it's safe to say if Sue becomes my new step mom, I'd have to be careful with eating anything she makes.

My room was just as I left it, the laundry I was about to do before I left was still on my bed. All the homework I was supposed to do to catch up with school was still there on my desk. All the other classes I would've been fine, but calculus for sure would have been the death of me. The plywood I ripped up to retrieve the pictures of Edward and I was still sticking out. Charlie attempted to fix it, but I must've done some damage because it would just stick back up. And of course the window was still open, never having been closed since Edward left. I could still remember the nights I'd stay up in bed, watching the window. Hoping maybe, just maybe he'd come crawling through the window like he usually did. Everything was all the same, but yet so different.

The meeting with the Cullens ran long so I wouldn't see any Athenodora or Didyme until later that night. Sulpicia was supposed to come by and get me later, so now I had the pleasure of having dinner with my father and his lover. I stayed in my room for the rest of the day, thinking about, well, everything. How things used to be and they were so different now. Last fall I was a depressed girl who had her father worried she would commit suicide. Now I was in love with three ancient women, who I would do anything for if it meant proving that to them.

What I felt when I was with Edward doesn't even begin to compare to what I feel now for these women. There are nights where I will stay just thinking about them, their smile, their laugh, their hair. I'd think about how Athenodora always hugs me from behind with her right hand over her left, whereas Sulpicia always hugs you from the front but kisses your cheek when she does. Or that Didymes hair ripples in the wind instead of blowing all over the place from how thick it is. Or that if I had my eye close I could who was who just by smelling them.

With Edward it was more of a I love you and would be willing to settle for you, with the queens I felt like I was choking every time I wasn't around them. They could have spent the entire day with me, and it still wouldn't be enough. They were my sun and I was the earth, they were the air that I breathed, without them I was nothing.