Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
AN: Some deviation in this chapter. Also tell me all y'all's favorite Twilight pairings. I personally love Leah/Demetri. I know it's not canon or conventional but IDK it feels like it could work. And I like Bella/Jasper/Alice. I can put Bella with ALMOST anyone else but Edward or Jacob.
(Bella - POV)
This was not what I had expected when I went to Volterra. I had fully expected to be reunited with Edward, possibly die because of the Volturi. But no. I was instead sentenced to finish high school with Marcus and Felix to follow me to Forks. And Edward was to stay away from me. I did hope I could continue to be friends with Alice. But after what had happened with them all leaving, I felt that she and I would not be friends any longer. That thought saddened me. I cherished her friendship so much. I looked to Alice as we sat in the hallway awaiting nightfall. She gave me a small smile then spoke to Edward. I heard Leah speaking on the phone with Sue. She assured her that I was ok and could tell Charlie. Hopefully he wouldn't be too mad when I got home.
Marcus sat close to me, asking me of myself. Answering him felt so natural. Like I had known him all my life instead of just meeting him a few minutes prior. It was odd to say the least. I looked to Alice, and she gave me a nod. Felix stood to the side keeping a sharp eye on Edward. Marcus continued on asking all about me. I was nothing special. I was a clumsy danger prone girl that honestly it was a miracle I had even made it to 18 years old. He told me I was an old soul. I had a wry smile to that. My mother would say that, that I was a grown up in a child's body. I was the one taking care of her instead of her taking care of me. I was the mother instead of the child.
I told him of my mother. Renee was a free spirit that should never have been a parent. Never should have been married to my father. They were not good for each other. I was closer to my mother, but it was more of a peer friendship than a mother/daughter friendship. I took care of her more than she ever took care of me. I was mostly in daycares before I went to school. Then when I was in school Renee was always putting me in activities afterschool to keep me busy while she went about her business. She wasn't terrible or fully neglectful I was more like a pet to her until I was in third grade. I kind of just suddenly grew up and was taking care of the household bills, making sure the bills were paid by reminding Renee that they needed paying. I would make sure I had money on me and would stop by the corner store and pick up quick and easy meals for a few days of food. Otherwise, Renee would forget, and we'd be hungry.
I would remind her on Saturday mornings that we needed to do big grocery shopping since she was off on the weekends. Renee never made me feel like I was a burden though. She was always interested in how I felt. What I was interested in and how I looked at the world. Like I said it was like I was a really close roommate and friend to Renee than a daughter. We had a friendship and we maintained it.
Now Charlie and I were a different story. I took after Charlie's side of the family. Where Renee was extroverted and always fluttering about, Charlie was softer. He was quieter and observed what was around him. Charlie preferred his quiet, his nature, and of course sports. He had a small close circle of friends that he respected and maintained. But between Charlie and I, that was a parent and child relationship. He fathered me and was there for me as a father. We had a quiet relationship. It was built on mutual understanding and respect. He allowed me to be me and to be grown and make my mistakes. But he would interfere if he felt it was necessary.
Marcus told me about his thoughts on my parents. He felt that I had a very good perspective on them both, the relationship that they had, how it ended and why, and the relationships that I maintained with them. That I was too grown for someone my age. That like Renee, he believed that I was truly an old soul. A soul that had seen so much and had kept it in the depths of my soul as it traversed the realms.
The conversation had kept me preoccupied that I was astonished when he said that it was time to go. We left Volterra with Felix driving with a petulant Edward in the front passenger seat. Alice had scolded him and pushed him into the seat as she went to return the yellow Porsche. We all met up at the Pisa Airport and boarded the Volturi private jet. I rolled my eyes at that, of course they had a private jet. Why would I have ever believed different since the Cullens had a fleet of cars? The Volturi was older, so they had a much larger amassed wealth.
The jet ride was better than I had been expecting it to be. Alice kept Edward to the far corner of the plane. Marcus took himself and I to the private room. He made sure I was fed, and we continued conversation. He told me of himself. How he had been turned so young, 19 years old in 1350 BC and he was Greek. He had gained the power of seeing emotional ties and bonds. He had seen in me a mate bond to himself. That had surprised me. He explained that Edward had never been my mate. I was a blood singer to him. My blood appealed to Edward, like my blood was Edward's personal match of cuisine. Just like how Edward told me that I was his own personal brand of heroine.
He told me of how he met Aro, shortly after Aro had been turned. How he had met Caius and Athenadora and how they began the Volturi. How he had met Didyme, Aro's sister. She had the power of happiness. She could create happiness in others. He told me about her, and to me Didyme sounded like a dream. Like she was perfection itself. Then he told me of her death. That broke my heart. Her death had affected him greatly. It felt almost like I was committing a crime speaking to him. But that was just me.
We landed in Seattle. Alice took Edward with her. We went over to the 24-hour car rental with Leah and Demetri and Felix. Marcus rented himself and Felix a large Jeep at my insistence. While Demetri rented a big truck at Leah's insistence. We knew Forks better than they did. We knew the terrain better. Felix drove the 4-hour trip to Forks. He used the GPS and got me to my father's house. It was in the early morning hours when we pulled up to the front of the house.
The front porch light flicked on immediately. Charlie was definitely up and had been waiting. He must've been watching from the living room. He came out onto the porch and came to the sidewalk. I got out of the Jeep with my things and Marcus came out too. He met Charlie at the sidewalk and waited as I gathered my things. He introduced himself to Charlie and informed him that he came from Italy and had met me there and we got acquainted on the plane ride. We carpooled to Forks. He would be going to school with me and his cousin, Felix, would be his guardian while in the states.
Charlie was very gracious to him, and they spoke avidly. I smiled at Charlie when I came up to him. Marcus stood there while I said my piece. Edward and I weren't together, and I only went to Italy to avoid having guilt if he had truly did go through his suicide attempt. I told him that I barely got there in time to stop him with Alice and Leah's help. I told him Leah came with to make sure I was safe. I understood that he was upset and if I had been in his shoes I would be upset as well. I assured him I was not with Edward again nor would I ever be with him again, I just wouldn't have been able to live with myself if Edward had killed himself on assumation that I was no longer with him.
Charlie just nodded then and pulled me over into a hug. He told me I was grounded for just a week. I nodded. I was ok with that. I gave Marcus my cellphone number before he and Felix left, he would text me when he got to where he was going. I went in with Charlie and made us some breakfast before we laid down. It was a blissful quiet morning. I was glad for it.