Incomplete

Isabella Swan had always known she was an incomplete puzzle. When the last pieces finally fell into place, it was much more than she hoped for.

Bella/Zafrina

It was a simple question that required a simple yes or no answer. Did she want to join the guard? "There is an emptiness..." Years of desperately seeking an answer, and yet she found herself struggling to find the right words. "There are pieces of me missing... I feel... incomplete." There it was, the right word. It wasn't the word that encompassed it all, but it was the right word. "It's been there for as long as I can remember. Then I saw the Cullens, and one small piece fell into place; the world I knew was only a part of the whole. I never felt I fit into the human world because I didn't. I had no idea what they were, but I knew they weren't human. I wondered how no one else could see just how inhuman they looked. They didn't fit any known supernatural description, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt they weren't human." Caius had gone from scowling at the human to smiling softly at her. "It didn't take me long to work out what they were, vampires. Despite Edward's assertion about us being mates, I knew it wasn't true. If it were another piece or several pieces would have fallen into place.

"Bella... "Edward attempted to interject, hurt by her words. He loved her; that should be enough.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?" Bella bellowed, her voice echoing off the walls.

"Felix, Jane... show the Cullens to one of the guest rooms." Aro's tone left no room for argument. "Isabella, come with us." Edward opened his mouth, but a shake of Alice's head shut him up. Neither knew what was happening, but Alice knew another word from Edward would not bode well for them.

Bella found herself not only before the kings of the vampire world but also before their wives. Sulpicia, Athenadora and Didyme. Athenadora hadn't stopped smiling at Bella since they were introduced. Aro seemed to be working hard to stop himself from blurting something out. None of that bothered Bella as long as they had the answers.

"Vampires only know their mates by sight. The first clue is a sudden tug in the chest, where our once beating hearts once resided. A touch confirms it, and the mating bond is cemented through the act of mating. "Caius explained. "When that mate is human, it is usually one-sided, all on the vampire's side. There are rare occasions where the human also feels the pull.

"Then there is you, or I should say, us," Athenadora interjected, her smile only seeming to grow. "My father was a silk merchant, a very wealthy one. He hailed from Lolcos, where my mother was from, an area now known as Sweden." Bella could see it. "Mama and Papa doted on me; I lacked nothing, yet it was what I would describe as a half-life. "A sob left Bella; there it was, the perfect explanation for her feelings. To her surprise, Athenadora joined her on the chaise, taking Bella's hand in hers." Tell me, Bella, since you left your continent, does it feel better or worse?"

"So much worse." Bella cried.

"You have moved further away from your mate." Bella's eyes widened. "At least you can take Europe off the list of places your mate could be." Athenadora cheered.

"My mate?" So, she was meant to be a vampire; at least one suspicion was now confirmed.

"Let me finish my story, and it will all make sense," Athenadora said. "As a merchant, Papa traveled a great deal; it took me a while to realize that whenever we left home, I felt worse; after a few weeks, I'd even developed a fever. Some days it even happened at home. "Bella gasped in shock.

"Indeed." The blonde chuckled. "Then, strangely, one evening in Drobrogea, I could feel the emptiness fade somewhat. I left my room in the middle of the night and boldly ventured into the darkness without knowing where I was going. Then there he was." Athenadora smiled up at Caius

"I was running from the ruling coven at the time. There she was in the forest without an ounce of fear. When she explained what she was doing in the forest, I was at a loss for words. In Drobrogea, I had been close enough for her to find me. Strangely, I also hailed from Greece but called Plaka home," Caius chuckled.

"Had he been close enough, I would have been able to find him by following the fading feeling of emptiness," Athenodora added. "From what we knew about vampire mating, it made little sense. What we do know is that what I went through and what you are going through now is the rarest of things in our world."

"You are only the second human we can confirm without a shadow of a doubt." Marcus smiled." We've heard stories, but nothing we can confirm, and there were too many inconsistencies for us to believe. You are a rare creature, Isabella. "Marcus finished. She blushed at the way they all stared at her.

Finally, having the answers she never thought she would have, a weight off her shoulders. She felt as though she was breathing properly for the first time.

"I guess you are not joining the guard," Aro muttered, feigning disappointment. "No one can turn you but your mate. We have no idea what will happen to your ability to find your mate if you were turned before finding him."

"Her." Bella quickly interjected without thought.

"My apologies." Aro chuckled at her as she looked down, embarrassed.

"Now, Isabella, I have a few favors to ask," Marcus interjected. "Please, feel free to say no."

"Ask away." Bella wasn't going to say no.

"This is the first chance we've had to document this phenomenon accurately. I would like to call you on a schedule that suits you to talk."

"I have several diaries; I can send you copies if you like." Marcus' smile nearly split his face.

"Guess I will not be seeing much of you." Didyme teased.

"I have to write a hell of a lot more to earn enough to start traveling," Bella murmured more to herself. She made enough from her articles. Unfortunately, she'd spent most of it on a truck.

"We fully intend to compensate you for allowing us to document your experience." Marcus cut in.

It was not an offer she was going to turn down. "Thank you." Bella smiled. "Oh, I might have a vengeful vampire on my case." Thanks to Laurent, she now knew Victoria was a threat.

Alice and Edward were standing in the throne room when Bella walked in hand in hand with Athenadora. "Now, you just don't call Marcus; I want to know everything. Strangely, I miss it." Bella's grimace had Athenadora laughing. "I suppose you don't feel that way yet."

"Definitely not," Bella mumbled as the kings took their places on their thrones.

"I will call Carlisle and reiterate the point I am about to make." He glared at Edward and Alice." Under no circumstance is Isabella Swan to be turned into a vampire. "Aro warned. Edward actually looked relieved at the warning. Alice, though, looked thoroughly confused. She'd seen flashes of what occurred between Bella and the kings, more or less what the queens were now doing with Bella.

"Turn her, and the consequences will be one you cannot begin to fathom," Caius added. "Some of the guards will be flying back with you." Bella had yet to tell the Cullens about Victoria. The wolves had barely caught any real sight of her. The Volturi were experienced at dealing with trouble-causing vampires and hopefully would have better luck.


The flight back was on the Volturi's private plane. Bella spent the entire flight back sleeping. The guards disembarked in Seattle to deal with Victoria. How they knew that is where she was was beyond her.

Unfortunately, that left her with Edward and Alice. "What happened? I could only see flashes, which made little sense." Alice asked. Bella realized Jake's idea that even a piece of a wolf on her would prevent Alice from seeing her had worked.

Bella ignored the question, staring out the window.

To the vampire's surprise, two of the wolves were at Port Angeles waiting for Bella. Without a word, Bella made a move toward Sam's truck.

"Bella, we have a lot to talk about." Edward was holding onto her wrist.

"Let go of me," Bella warned. Sam and Jake got out of the truck, and though Edward growled at them, he let go.

Edward and Alice walked in to find everyone waiting for them. The family had all made it to Forks while they were in Volterra.

"Did Aro call?" Edward asked. Alice rolled her eyes; all Edward seemed to care about was Aro's decree that Bella was not to be turned.

"He did. Bella is not to be turned. He also informed me that we left Bella with Victoria after her."

"No," Edward whispered.

"The only reason she is alive is because the wolves have protected her and Charlie," Carlisle added.

"We left her with a vengeful vampire after her. Some family we are." Emmett muttered, disgusted.

"I didn't..." Whatever Edward had to say seemed to get stuck in his throat. The thoughts hitting him made it clear they all blamed him.

"Can you tell us why Aro decided to let a human who knows about us remain a human?" Carlisle asked.

"I could not see enough to tell you anything of substance," Alice murmured, frustrated.

"Edward?"

"All I got was that she was just like Athenadora. What makes her just like Athenodora, I have no idea. We were kept on the other side of the castle, too far for me to hear anything. And Bella isn't talking to us." He looked confused. "She put her life in danger to save me, yet..."

"She didn't go to the Volturi to save you; she went to get answers." Alice blurted out angrily.

"Answers for what?" Carlisle asked.

Alice reiterated what Bella said to the kings' word for word. "Edward, in his wisdom, decided to interrupt, and we were ushered to the far side of the castle." Alice glared at him." Whatever plans you have regarding Bella, forget them. She is done with us. She used me to get before the kings."

"What do you know about Athenadora?" Jasper asked Carlisle.

"Nothing." He murmured, deep in thought. "I once asked Aro about Caius and her; he warned me never to ask, as Caius loathed my very existence. My food choice unnerved him, and my attempt to convince Aro to follow suit..."

"That is all well and good, but what are we going to do about Victoria, or are we planning to leave it up to the wolves!" Emmett interrupted Carlisle angrily.

"The Volturi are dealing with it; they came with us," Alice whispered.

"First, the wolves, now the Volturi. I see we are letting other people deal with our messes." Emmett stomped out the backdoor. He and Esme were the only two who voted to stay. As Rosalie watched her mate storm out, she wished she had sided with him, not that it would have made much of a difference.

Carlisle had yet to inform the family that there would be a price to pay for their actions. Despite his decree, the Cullens broke the law.


Bella waved as she ran past the kitchen window into the backyard. It was not yet six; she'd already gone out for her usual ten-mile run, and now she was doing chin-ups. He remembered when she could barely pull herself up, more or less get her chin to touch the bar. Now, she did twenty after a ten-mile run.

Most girls cried and moped around the place for weeks or months after their first breakup. With Jake's help, she had turned the backyard into an assault course. Ask her how she felt, and she'd say it confirmed one thing for her. Whatever that thing was, Charlie had no idea.

He'd heard from Billy that the Cullens were back, with Bella in Seattle for an interview she had no idea as far as he was aware. He wasn't sure if he should tell her or leave it alone. It was a small town, and she would soon hear it from one of her friends. Frankly, he counted on that Jessica girl to do it for him. "Come on, Charlie, man up and be a father, for heaven's sake." He chided himself.

As though he was headed for the gallows, he made his way outside until Bella picked up an axe. "Yeah, no." He stepped back inside. "Jessica can take this one." He grumbled.

Axe throwing is another one of Bella's new hobbies. To everyone's shock, she was a natural at it, hitting the target every damn time. He didn't stand a chance of survival if she decided to throw the axe at the messenger.

The change in Bella over the last six months was nothing short of spectacular. He was still worried, though; she seemed to be doing everything and anything to take her mind off the breakup with that Edwin boy. She'd even succeeded in teaching him to cook. He had little choice, especially when she somehow convinced Billy and Harry to cancel their fishing trips until he learned the basics. With that in mind, he decided to get started on breakfast. Bella now ate more than he did; with her exercise regime, it was expected.

"If your loss of appetite is because of the return of the Cullens, I can assure you there is no cause for concern," Bella said with a nonchalance that had Charlie's eyes widening.

"So, you know they are back," He asked with a resigned sigh.

"Yep." She mumbled, stuffing half a sausage into her mouth. "Edward Cullen confirmed what I'd always suspected." There it was again, the line she gave everyone who showed an ounce of concern.

"And what is that?" Charlie asked despite believing she would not answer as usual.

"That I'm gay as can be." Those wide eyes got wider.

"So you are not heartbroken?" Charlie asked slowly, as though he feared that despite her words, she was hurt and hiding it.

"Far from it." The confidence that radiated out of her had him smiling. At that moment, he realized that he'd been so worried she'd break down at some point that he missed the obvious. Isabella Marie Swan had grown in confidence, and it wasn't one that she put on for him and everyone else. It's how she truly felt.

"So, you are just keeping yourself busy and truly happy." Bella laughed at the apparent relief that poured out of him.

" Yeah, if I had known you were this worried, I would have said something sooner. Honestly, Dad, for the first time in a long time, I know exactly what I want in life."

"All this working out is…" He seemed to struggle to find the words.

"Is to make myself a babe magnet." It was answered with so much confidence that Charlie laughed so hard he needed the table to support him. Bella smiled at him and just shrugged.

"Babe magnet, okay," Charlie murmured, having regained his breath. I take it that is why Jake has stopped mooning over you." It was Bella's turn to laugh.

Of course, Bella could not tell Charlie everything; what she had told him was the complete truth, just not all of it.


School that morning could prove to be rather interesting or more of the same. In truth, she was hoping for more of the same. In this case, familiarity did not breed contempt.

Jessica stood by her car, positively vibrating while she waited for Bella. She had made it a point to turn up just before the first bell went. Mostly because she didn't want to deal with Edward and Alice if they decided to stay in Forks, she wanted nothing to do with them. They left without so much as a fuck you. She'd moved on and could not care less what they did as long as they left her out of it. As far as she was concerned, whatever relationship they had was dead and buried.

It didn't come as much of a surprise when she found Edward standing by his Volvo. Alice, though, was nowhere to be found. At least she had the decency to leave Bella alone. Jessica had bounded over before she could turn the engine off. She'd gotten herself a 2000 Ford F150 the previous week. She hadn't planned on it, but when a stranger offered her eight thousand dollars for her Chevy, she damn near bit his hand off. That and the money she'd made from published articles paid for her more modern truck with power steering and heating. She'd given Jake two thousand dollars from the sale of the truck, money he'd greatly appreciated. He deserved it and more. He'd been a great help in her quest to get fit. They'd hit a bumpy road a couple of weeks ago when he'd suddenly started avoiding her. It hadn't taken her long to realize why. If the part of his story about the cold ones was true, then it stood to reason the part about the wolves would be true too. She'd been vibrating as much as Jessica was now in her eagerness to call Billy. She had taken great joy in telling him to tell Jake to call when he was finished turning into a wolf and then ended the call. Naturally, he'd called back, but she had ignored his calls by spending the day with Angela, Jessica, and Lauren.

Jake had turned up that evening and cracked up laughing at the site of her. Billy hadn't needed to relay her message, he'd heard it. He hadn't been allowed to leave until the elders and the pack were satisfied with his assertions that he had not told Bella. After all, he hadn't seen her since he phased. Of course, he couldn't be blamed for telling a story he believed was just that, a story.

"The one day I needed you to come in early, you arrived with minutes to spare," Jessica grumbled, much to Bella's amusement. "It's not as though you can say you had car problems." She complained.

"My run took a little longer this morning. I was trying a new route, which took longer than anticipated." It was true, though it wasn't why she was right on time.

"Whatever," Jessica whispered as her eyes drifted to Edward.

"I'm fully aware of their return and don't give a rat's ass," Bella informed her. "I have moved on and have no intention of going back. No one in their right mind takes a deliberate step backward in life." Jessica stared aghast at her.

"Well, look at you." She cheered. "I will admit, I would probably... okay, definitely welcome him into my bed one last time." She didn't even have the decency to look the least bit ashamed.

"Then you'd be sourly disappointed. Edward does not believe in sex before marriage." Jessica tripped over the air at that revelation. Bella smiled fondly, remembering the days she tripped over air needlessly. She still had her moments, but they were few and far between.

"That's a shame," Jessica grumbled.

What Bella would not admit was that she was looking forward to lunch. She was looking forward to the look on Edward's face when he realized he did not have a single class with her.

Bella had made it a point to run past Mrs. Cope's house. She knew the administrator would be up early, watering her plants. Of course, Mrs. Cope would have heard of the Cullen's return. When she was done, Mrs. Cope promised she would not have a single class with the boy.

At lunch, Bella dropped by the office with a box of rather expensive chocolate truffles for Mrs. Cope. A gift she graciously accepted.

Edward Cullen sat at the table he and his siblings had made their own. Even after they left, no one sat there. Bella could feel his eyes boring into the back of her head. Yeah, she felt the need to turn and look, but her will to remain aloof was stronger. Bella was surprised he made no effort to approach. Maybe it was because she'd made it a point not to be alone at any point of the day.

She had forgotten she'd be alone at home, as Charlie was working until midnight. Something Alice would see. Oh, they had played it well. She'd been so focused on avoiding Edward at school that she hadn't once considered the rest could ambush her at home. Of course, they wanted answers. They wanted an explanation for what happened with the Volturi as if she owed them anything.

"Do you actually think ambushing me will get you anywhere?" They were not entitled to answers, but if she ever planned on giving them one, she would do so when she was good and ready. Today was not it; she had an article to edit and submit before midnight. One she planned to write over the weekend, Alice's arrival put paid to that.

"We deserve answers, you..." Edward again opened his mouth.

"Brilliant article." Alice piped up, cutting off whatever nonsense was about to come out of Edward's mouth. "I have to say I completely agree with you." She added. Opening her copy of Teen Vogue. It was the very first article Bella submitted, and to her surprise, the magazine had agreed to publish it at seventy-five cents a word.

In the five months that followed, she had written for J-14, National Geographic, New Moon, and Sports Illustrated. "I'm sure you do." Bella's tone conveyed how much she did not care what Alice thought. The defeated sigh from the vampire told Bella Alice knew that. "But whatever this is, we must do it another time; I have an article to submit. I also don't think it would bode well for all concerned when the wolves show up. So pretty please, with a penny on top, vacate the premises." Bella said, avoiding Esme's and Emmett's forlorn looks. Alice, Esme, and Emmett's actions hurt the most.

Jasper and Rosalie had never pretended to be her friends or told her they considered her family. Carlisle, she hadn't spent that much time until the birthday incident.

"They are not allowed..."

Bell slammed her hand against the front door. "This is my property, and I decide who is allowed here, not you or some treaty. Maybe you haven't noticed, but my life would return to normal if you weren't around. I didn't go to Italy to save your worthless ass. I went for answers, and I got them." Bella glared at Edward. Without another word, she entered, slamming the door behind her. "The cheek and the fucking impudence." She said loudly enough for Edward to hear.

"Nicely done, Edward." Emmett cheered sarcastically.

"Told you not to bring him," Alice murmured.