Sunrise - A Twilight Fanfic

[Robin Lodal]

AND...... what's next? You can't leave me hanging like this!!!!!!!AAAAAHHHHH

[BamaFan121s]

Oh wow...I actually quit posting because I didn't think anyone was reading. Sorry gals! Good news is though, I finished it a month ago...it was planned to be a Christmas present to my aunt. Now, let me get to posting the rest...and thanks for reading!

[Robin Lodal]

okie dokie... I'm waiting!!!! AHH.... its killing me!

[BamaFan121s]

OK...these are not my saved and final versions of these chapters, so please forgive me for any grammatical errors. But right now, hubby is on the other PC and I can't get to the proofread ones.

[BamaFan121s]

The following day proceeded as normal—as normal as you could expect in a house full of vampires who received frequent visits from werewolves. The only noticeable difference was that this morning, it was Rosalie and Esme rather than Jacob who we found preparing Renesme’s breakfast when we arrived at the big Cullen house.
“Where’s Jake?” I asked Esme, who was taking a pan of fresh biscuits out of the oven. They looked and smelled absolutely disgusting, although I imagined to a human they were quite appealing.
It was Rosalie who answered. “The mongrel called and said that he had some errands to run for Billy this morning but that he’d be over later.” I tried to ignore the venom in her words as she acknowledged Jacob’s whereabouts.
“Maybe he’ll be able to get some of the parts for his car,” I added thoughtfully.
Edward looked at me and winked behind Rosalie’s back. “You know Rose,” he began in a tone laden with teasing, “You are our resident car aficionado. Why don’t you help Jacob out?”
Rosalie froze, turning slowly to face Edward. Her grip on the spoon she was holding tightened, her porcelain knuckles turning even whiter as she easily bent the metal instrument into a useless, bent arrangement of silver. The look she gave Edward was murderous. “And why in the hell would I do that!?” She spat back through clenched teeth.
“Rosalie!” Esme chided, casting an explanatory glance towards Renesme.
“Just to be polite…and helpful?” Edward suggested, a note of false innocence in his voice. From the garage, I heard Emmett’s roaring laughter, obviously having heard the exchange.
A hiss escaped Rosalie’s lips. “I would rather throw myself on a fire than to help that mutt!” Rosalie’s hand was shaking in anger around the misshapen spoon she still clutched.
“Don’t call my Jacob a mutt!” Renesme chimed in, turning the full force of her angelic, pleading eyes on her favorite aunt. That seemed to soften Rosalie a little. She resigned to muttering insults under her breath as she busied herself cleaning up the kitchen at an inhuman pace. I sat at the counter in the kitchen mindlessly flipping through Rosalie’s lesson that she obviously had planned for the day. It appeared that she planned to continue teaching Renesme about Italy as she had for the past few days, in preparation for our looming trip no doubt.
I flipped through the book, stopping to examine a picture of St. Mark’s Square. On one page was a picture of The Basilica, an ancient looking stone building with a high domed points adorned with iron crosses and intricate, carved artists renderings inset in its many arches. The caption indicated that the original structure was burned during the 976 rebellion and remained closed for a century until it was rebuilt and that it now housed the Correr Museum. I flipped the page and froze when I saw the following images. On one page was a picture of a giant clock tower that adjoined the Basilica. On the opposite page was a picture of thousands of people filling the streets in celebration. The caption under the picture identified it as April 25th—St. Marcus Day.
Immediately, unwanted memories, as clear as if they had happened yesterday, filled my head. I’m not sure how long I stared at the two pictures. I was only suddenly aware that Edward had placed his hand over my own, which was trembling, gently forcing the book closed. His velvet voice whispered in my ear, so softly that only I would hear. “You’re worried.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Yes.” I whispered, still staring down at where the pictures had been before me.
“Bella, it’s still not too late to change our plans. We could stay here, no one would blame you.”
“No,” I replied, although the uncertainty in the one simple word wasn’t convincing even to myself. I took a deep, unnecessary breath. “I think….I think I would like to talk to Alice.”
“She’s upstairs. Jacob’s not here, so this may be a good time to talk to her. Maybe it will ease your mind some?” He suggested, correctly interpreting the reason behind my request.
I found Alice upstairs, just as he’d predicted. She was on the computer. I glanced over her shoulder to see that she was looking up designer shops in Venice in typical Alice-fashion.
Before I could even address her, she turned in her seat to face me, with a very understanding smile on her face. “I know what’s on your mind Bella.” She patiently waited for me to confirm that she was right. I nodded my head and she continued, “I’ve looked so many times at our trip, trying to find something to ease your mind….and mine too. No matter which way I approach it, the outcome is always the same. You know if I saw even the slightest chance of something happening…”
“I know Alice.” I said softly, dropping my eyes to the ground. I knew that it was senseless to worry about something so trivial—something that Carlisle had complete confidence in, something that Alice had already seen a thousand times, but I couldn’t help it.
“I understand why you’re apprehensive Bella. Honestly, I’d question your sanity if you weren’t the slight bit nervous about it. Please trust me in this Bella. I assure you, I don’t see any indication that we will have any trouble whatsoever in Italy.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Really. And Edward has seen what I’ve seen too. And we’ve discussed it in great detail with Carlisle too.”
“OK Alice. I trust you. And Carlisle. I just needed…reassurance, I suppose.”
At this, she seemed to relax. “Honestly Bella, you are going to worry yourself gray prematurely.” She laughed a little, her bell like voice filling the room.
I forced my face back into seriousness. “Alice?”
“Yes?”
“Do vampires get gray hair?” I teased.
“No, but I’m sure you’ll be the first to find a way.” She teased. Suddenly, her face went blank for a fraction of a second, pulling her face into a scowl. “Ooooh! I had delayed flights!” She threw her hands up in frustration and spun back around to the computer, already rescheduling our flight before she’d finished her statement.
“Thanks Alice. I’ll let you get back to your planning.” I turned and headed back for the stairs.
“Oh and Bella…don’t pack your green jacket. You’re not going to need it.” She called over her shoulder.
“Alice…I didn’t pack my green jacket.”
“I know,” she said, turning to flash me a quick grin. “But you were going to…and don’t forget to get your passports together. I already have Edward’s.” She turned her attention back to the computer screen, her hands flying over the keys in search for different flights.
Once downstairs, I rummaged through my purse and pulled out mine and Renesme’s passports. I looked at Renesme’s marveling at how her appearance had changed in the few short months since the picture had been taken. She easily still resembled the picture, only older. I mused over the name…Vanessa Wolf. I didn’t suppose the name mattered. I took both the documents and lay them on the counter for Alice.
After a quick peak in on Renesme’s lesson, I followed the sound of Edward and Emmett’s voices to the garage. They were on the far side of the garage, standing in front of a massive steel cabinet, full of sporting goods and camping equipment. At the sound of my approach, Edward turned his attention to me. “Feel better?” he asked, as he stepped forward to embrace me, leaning down to kiss the top of my head.
I nodded, “Yes…much. What are you two doing?”
“We’re getting together the supplies for the baseball game.” Emmett said, stepping back from the cabinet and inclining his head to acknowledge his arms which were full of gloves. He easily slung them in the back of his Jeep. “Why don’t you two can pry yourself off of each other long enough to help me out?”
Edward and I rolled our eyes at each other and turned to help him. I didn’t want to admit it, but I really didn’t know what ‘supplies’ we actually needed. I stepped towards the cabinet, grabbed a few bats and walked around to put them in the back of Emmett’s jeep as well. I held back one and turned it over, examining it closely. It felt feather light. I knew I’d never played baseball, or any other organized sport that I could recall off hand, but for some reason, there was something very familiar about the bat that I held in my hand. I peered at it, turning it over in my hands, trying to recall exactly what it was. I shrugged and reached forward to place it in the back of Emmett’s jeep and picked up one of the balls from the back seat. Like the bat, there was something familiar about the small red and white sphere, but I couldn’t quite place what it was. I turned it over, running my pale fingers over the stitching. I could easily discern every small flaw in the leather that covered it. I could count the threads in the intricate stitching, but I couldn’t recall why it would seem familiar to me.
Emmett’s booming voice pulled me from my musing. “Those wolves don’t honestly think they stand a chance against us, do they bro?”
I turned a confused expression towards him and Edward and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Wolves?”
Edward grinned at me widely. “Jacob and a few of his pack members are going to join use this afternoon.”

[BamaFan121s]

Edward, Renesme, Emmett and I rode to the clearing in his jeep. All the way, Emmett boasted about how easily we would beat our opponents. I rolled my eyes and focused on Renesme who laughed hysterically with every bump we drove over in Emmett’s four wheel drive. At long last, we arrived at the field, where we’d met the rest of the family.
We didn’t have to wait for Jacob and his pack brothers long. By the time they’d arrived, Carlisle had paced of the bases and set them up, and we’d gotten all of the equipment from the Jeep. Thunder rolled in the background, just as Alice had predicted and in the distance orange lightning snaked its way though high, purple walls of clouds.
I began to hear a distant stirring in the leaves. “Well their stench certainly travels before them.” Rosalie sulked.
A minute later, Jacob emerged from the trees on the other side of the clearing. A step behind him was Seth, grinning widely, closely followed by Quil and Embry, and Claire, who ran forward to greet Renesme. Then, my jaw dropped—emerging from the trees behind them were Sam, Paul, Jared, and Leah. Jacob hadn’t brought a few of his pack members, he’d brought the entire La Push werewolf population. . Carlisle stepped forward to greet Sam, extending his hand in greeting. I took note that Sam reached forward, taking Carlisle’s hand, showing no aversion.
Everyone seemed completely at ease…except for Leah, and Rosalie. Leah stood angled herself so that Sam was between her and the vampires in the field, her face in a scowl and her fists clenched tightly. Rosalie, stood behind Emmett, her arms folded across her chest. She was adamantly explaining her disapproval over our rivals to Emmett, who seemed to be only agitating her further by not taking her seriously.
Jacob, grinned widely at the expression on my face, his white teeth gleaming against his russet colored skin. “What, you didn’t think we were going to let you guys outnumber us, did you?”
“Hey, if you want your whole pack to witness your annihilation…” Emmett shrugged.
After a few minutes of light hearted ribbing, Carlisle explained the modified set of rules the Cullens had adapted to everyone. After everyone had been briefed, we broke apart, the electricity of the upcoming game radiating from all sides, matching that in the air from the nearby storm.
“So,” Jacob said, clapping his hands together in front of him and facing off against a gloating Emmett. Renesme sat perched upon his broad shoulders, her face eager with excitement. “You leeches ready to get beat, Quiluete style?”
Rosalie looked seethingly at Jacob and taunted, “Wouldn’t your kind be more equipped for a game of Go Fetch?”
Suddenly, I had reached my limit. I snapped. “ That’s enough!” My bell-like voice rang out through the clearing, silencing all of those around us. I didn’t know who to direct my anger towards. I slowly backed away from them so that I could face them both. “I have had it with your constant bickering with one another!” I saw the shock on Rosalie’s face as she froze in place. I saw Jacob slowly return Renesme to the ground and saw her run off to peer back at me with wide, tear filled eyes from behind Esme. “This…ends…NOW!” My voice ripped through an entire octave and filled the otherwise silent clearing.
Unsure if they truly grasped the extent of my frustration, I felt fury building up within my body. I backed up a few more paces and felt my body reflexively curling into a crouching position. I felt a growl building in my chest threatening to burst free at the moment I lost my composure. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leah take a step forward clearly intent on defending Jacob, her face twisted in outrage. Before she could take a second step, Sam’s slung his massive arm forward to stop her. He shook his head silently when she looked to him confused, clearly having been forbidden from intervening.
I sensed Edward cautiously moving closer to me from behind and waited to feel his hands find my shoulders to restrain me, but they did not come. Instead, with a slight edge of concern, he merely uttered one single word, a directive, “Jasper…”
I felt Jasper taste the mood around me and sensed it as he tried to calm me. But I didn’t want to be calmed. I wanted to put an end to this situation and I was willing to do so by whatever means necessary. “Stay OUT of this Jasper!” I threatened through clenched teeth. As I battled for control my vision blurred red. I deliberately stalked forward a pace, looking first to Jacob and then to Rosalie, daring one of them to make the first move. They both still wore a mask of shock on their faces and had not yet reacted to defend themselves. Jacob began slowly backing up, his hands extended forward, palms upturned, indicating that he had no intent on fighting me.
Several feet behind them, I saw Esme’s panicked expression as she shielded Renesme’s eyes and turned with her, putting some distance in between them and the fight that was brewing before them. I felt the tension in the air and sensed the other pack members shifting nervously. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leah and Paul fighting to control the tremors that were rippling down their bodies.
“Jasper…” Edward repeated, his voice more anxious now.
“I’m trying Edward,” Japser responded. I could hear the strain in his voice as he tried again to wash over me with a wave of calmness.
I was on the brink of losing it, “Japser I said stay OUT!” My demand was interrupted as my ears were met with another feral snarl. To the left of me, I turned to see Jasper now in full hunting crouch. He stalked towards me, his eyes murderous and his gaze intent. Ignoring reason, my defensive instincts took over and I turned to face my brother. I looked into his eyes and saw a familiar spark that I had only seen once in my life. His fierce golden eyes indicated that his intentions were clear—the same one that had been there on the night of my eighteenth birthday.

[BamaFan121s]

“ Jazz! No!” I heard Alice’s panicked plea.
I didn’t have time to process these events before I found myself being knocked backwards. As quickly as it’s onset, I was completely roused from my state of rage. I looked up to see Edward crouched protectively in front of me, now facing a still crouched and snarling Japser who stared passed him, his eyes still connecting with mine. I saw Carlisle slowly edging his way towards Jasper.
“Jasper…” Edward stated, in a surprisingly calm manner but keeping his protective stance. Still, there was no change in Jasper’s posture or expression. “Jasper…” he repeated, his tone a bit more demanding. Jasper took his gaze off of me and turned his eyes to meet Edward’s instead, still crouched only feet in front of him. “Jasper…don’t do this. No one is in danger here…please…you can’t really believe that…”
Without taking his eyes off of Jasper or moving so much as an inch from his position in front of me, Edward nodded with one quick jerk of his head, a gesture intended for Carlisle who was now at Jasper’s side.
Carlisle reached out and put his hand on his Jasper’s shoulder. With his contact, Jasper blinked twice and I saw recognition return to his face. He immediately sprang lightly to his feet and shook his head back and forth quickly. Relieved, I exhaled a deep breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding as a reached to take Edward’s outstretched hand, allowing him to pull me back to my feet.
Jasper scanned the faces around him for a fraction of a second before his eyes came to rest on mine again. “Bella!” I recognized the regret that took over his features as Alice stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on his forearm. “ I’m so sorry Bella…Edward…” He hung his head in shame.
I was only vaguely aware that the others in the field had forced themselves to return to their previous activities now that the threat had been extinguished, but the tension did not completely fade. I heard the hushed whispers and saw the nervous glances I heard Quil and Embry mocking Jacob and laughing….something about ‘overly emotional bloodsuckers.’ I didn’t care. It wasn’t anything that could hold my attention at this moment.
Edward released my hand and stepped forward looking first to Carlisle’s confused expression and then to Jasper. “Jasper, what was that?”
“I’m not sure, Jasper explained. I could feel her anger. I tried to calm her down, but I couldn’t. The next thing I knew, I was the one who was angry!” Jasper seemed as shocked by his reaction as we had been. “Bella, I am so very sorry. I don’t know what came over me…” His eyes were pleading as he looked into mine, begging for my understanding.
“Pssh, oh please,” Alice chimed in, rolling her eyes dramatically.“Like you’re the first vampire who’s ever tried to rip Bella’s head off.” She waved her hand dismissively.
That broke the tension. Edward reached forward to punch him in the shoulder and turned to Carlisle, holding his gaze for a moment before muttering, “Interesting…” I would have to remember later to ask him to explain their exchange.
I smiled encouragingly to Jasper who relaxed a bit. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, collecting Alice in my embrace. “Don’t worry Jasper, you’re still one of my two favorite brothers.”
The rest of the baseball game passed without any such incidents. Jacob and his brothers were much better at baseball than Emmett had suspected and gave him much more of a challenge than he’d anticipated. I lost track of how many innings we played and lost track of score long before that. We finally decided to call the game a draw when the storm moved on and night began to fall over the clearing. Both Rosalie and Quil had left earlier to return Renesme and Claire to their respective beds.
We said our good-byes to the pack and left for home. Edward and I opted to run home instead of riding back in the Jeep. As we neared the house, I slowed to a walk and Edward matched my pace. I watched the ground as I walked, replaying the events that had transpired earlier, lost deep with my own thoughts.
Edward’s worried voice from behind me prompted me to speak. “I’m just…confused.”
Edward was quiet for a minute before beginning thoughtfully, “Well, on that accord, I think that Japser is just as confused over why he felt the need to act so defensively. He never made a conscious effort to react.”
That brought something else to mind. I bit my lip nervously. “Before…in the clearing. There was an exchange between you can Carlisle.”
“Yes. Carlisle didn’t want to say anything in front of the pack about his…theory.”
“A theory, about me?” I asked the question, already knowing the answer. I swallowed hard. “Is it that bad?”
“No, Bella.” He stopped, turning me to face him and reached out to force my chin up so that I was looking in his eyes. “Carlisle has always had a theory that in time, our talents have a tendency to strengthen themselves. He wonders if maybe yours has strengthened already…that maybe your shield is becoming more powerful and extending to talents of the physical nature, not just those that take place within the mind.”
“Oh,” I muttered, looking down at the ground, not sure how to respond or what to make of that. I kicked at a rock lying on the forest floor—it sailed fifty yards before connecting with a large fir tree and shattering into pieces.
Edward matched my sigh, sensing my discontent at the news of this theory. He reached forward pulling me into a tight embrace and rested his chin on my head as I leaned my forehead to his chest. “Bella, it just takes time to learn how to control what you do and to understand fully how it works. And you have done exceptionally well.” He pulled me back, rubbing my arms briskly. “After all, where would we have been months ago if it weren’t for that mysterious mind of yours.” He smiled my favorite crooked smile as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on mine.
“That’s true.” I had to admit, he had a point.
“Don’t fret over it, Love.” He released me from his grip and reached down to take my hand as we began to walk slowly again. The lights from the house were now visible through the trees. “You have more important things to worry about right now.”
“What’s that?” I asked, as if I needed something else to worry about. Even with all the room in my head, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

[BamaFan121s]

I noticed a hint of teasing return to his voice. “Well, right now Alice is working herself into a frenzy over the fact that you have not finished packing. And, I’m sure she’s going to have a few choice words over the wardrobe you’ve selected to take with you.”
I sighed again and released his hand, preparing to run again. “Oh I suppose I could humor her for one night. May as well get it over with.” With that we were running though the woods again towards the big white house.
After a long night of packing and unpacking and then repacking, Alice finally seemed satisfied with my wardrobe selections for our trip to Italy. I still didn’t see the point in packing not one, but two formal dresses, but it was easier to just appease her requests. The entire family had gone on a last minute hunt as our opportunities over the course of the next week were sure to be limited, given the customary diet of the vampires we would be visiting. We were scheduled to leave in just a few short hours, but there was one last difficult order of business that had to be attended to first.
Our normal daily routine was interrupted when Jacob arrived at the cottage before Renesme had even woken for the day. Edward opened the door for him before he had the chance to knock, having heard his mental anguish as he approached the house. He had to duck as he stepped in the small den to keep from hitting his head on the low exposed beams. His massive shoulders were hunched and he kept his eyes on the floor, his eyes unfocused and sad.
“Jake, you don’t look so good.” I said, tentatively. Truthfully, he looked absolutely horrible, more depressed than I’d ever seen him, which was no small task.
“I’ve come to see Renesme before you leave.” He spoke sullenly. “I figured I’d come down and wait for her to wake up, if that’s OK.”
“Of course Jacob. You are welcome here anytime.” Edward said, clapping him on the shoulder.
“I just don’t know what I’m going to do while you all are gone.” He heaved a heavy sigh.
“Jake, we’re only going to be gone for a week. We’ll be back before you know it. You haven’t spent much time with Billy lately and I know he misses you. And, you could work on your car.” I rubbed his forearm for a quick second before having to pull away from the blistering heat it radiated and hoped that suggesting his favorite hobby would lift his spirits. At least, it used to be his favorite hobby…before Renesme. He didn’t respond, he just shrugged and kept looking at the floor.
Luck was on Jacob’s side as Renesme woke up earlier than usual. As soon as she entered the den, her face lit up as she flew across the floor, throwing herself into Jacob’s arms. As she strained to wrap her arms around his neck, the forlorn mask that he wore melted away. After she was dressed and ready, the four of us headed back to the house where Jacob proceeded to cook her breakfast. She talked animatedly to him as they sat and ate together.
Edward and I loaded our luggage in the Carlisle’s car, trying to ignore Alice as we did. She was in a rather frantic state, trying to make sure that she had everything in order—passports, airline tickets, Italian Euro. She’d been planning for nearly a month and we all knew that she hadn’t forgotten anything, but it was easier to let her have her way than try to calm her. Even Jasper didn’t bother.
Once the cars were loaded, we headed to the airport. Jacob had insisted on riding with us, determined to spend every possible second with Renesme before our departure. After parking and checking in our luggage and endless waiting, they finally began calling for our flight to board. Edward had already used the full force of his dazzling eyes on the attendants at the desk to extend boarding for a few minutes. After the final boarding call was announced over the speaker for the second time, we couldn’t put off loading any further.
Jacob held Renesme on his lap, the two of them gazing intently at each other. Renesme had extended her tiny hand to lay it on Jacob’s cheek—her way of telling him good-bye. Huge tears rolled down both her cheeks and Jacob’s. It was truly heart breaking. I was on the verge of telling Edward that I had changed my mind, that I was staying here and the rest of the Cullens could go to Voltera without me, when Jacob stood up and walked over to Rosalie, placing a grief stricken Renesme in her arms. “You’ll take good care of her while you’re gone Blondie…” His voice broke several times as tears continued to roll down his russet cheeks.
Rosalie met Jacob’s worried stare, “Of course, Jacob.”
Jacob turned to me and placed his blistering palm against my face. “Take care Bells. I’ll see you when you get back.” I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to nod in return.
As he turned and walked away, Edward pulled gently on my hand. “Bella, we have to board now or we’ll be swimming to Italy.” I turned and filed onto the plane along with the rest of the Cullens. As we made our way onto the plane, I silently contemplated if my sudden angst over leaving was due to Jacob’s tearful scene, or due to my own nervousness about the trip that lay ahead of me. I quickly decided it was a mixture of both.
Our family members were the only ones traveling in first class. I took note of the remaining four, unclaimed seats and wondered if Alice had actually booked all of this particular section of the plane. Edward and I shared a row across from Alice and Jasper. Roslie, Emmett and Renesme sat in the row behind us. I settled back in my seat, trying to calm my nerves. For once, Edward let me sit in silence, not insisting to know what was on my mind. Ironically, I would have welcomed the distraction.
As the plane began it’s ascent into the clouds, Renesme excitedly peered out the window commenting to Rosalie with delight on the points of interest as they passed by us on the landscape below. Once the plane had risen below the clouds, she took turns replaying what she’s seen for each of us in turn. Eventually, the sky outside the plane began to darken and she settled into the seat between Emmett and Rosalie, yawning hugely and quickly drifting off to sleep.
A short while later, Edward moved back to talk to Carlisle. The moment he left his seat, Alice took his place. She studied my face briefly and slightly inclined her head to the side. “You’re still worried,” she surmised.
“Just a little nervous.” I admitted.
She placed her hand on mine. “Bella, what is it exactly you are nervous about?”
I inhaled deeply and considered her question for a minute. “I’m worried about what Aro will think when he sees some of our memories. In particular, the ones that include Jacob and Charlie.”
“Well, that’s completely understandable,” she said sympathetically, patting my hand reassuringly. “But you know, he won’t see anything that he hasn’t seen from Carlisle on his recent visits.”
“I know, but I can’t help worry just the same.” I inhaled deeply, pausing before I continued. I felt the tiniest bit of relief that Alice seemed willing to let me voice my concerns without passing them off as being unnecessary. “I’m also worried about what Carlisle said before…about Aro still being eager for you and me and Edward to join them. Regardless to how many changes they make, and to how open they are to a new line of rule they are… And I know that we can’t stay in Forks forever, but I can’t imagine that I’ll ever be comfortable enough to join them.”
Once I’d said it out loud, I felt better. Then another thought crossed my mind and I couldn’t resist laughing a little and taking the opportunity to give my favorite sister a hard time. “I mean think about it Alice…me, you and Edward, doomed to wear the same, boring gray cloaks for eternity. Can you imagine?”
I waited for the comment that was bound to evoke in Alice. And I waited. “Alice?” I turned to Alice, but I was not sure when she’d stopped listening to me. Her eyes were glazed over and her face was blank. “Alice?” I asked, waving my hand in front of her face. “Alice…I said can you picture the three of us wearing unsightly gray robes forever?”
Suddenly, Alice blinked and gasped. She grabbed my hand and turned to look at me. Her eyes were wide and fearful. The look on her perfect face was one of both confusion and terror. The words she slowly spoke to me next sent a chill to the center of my being. “Yes Bella…I can see that.”

[BamaFan121s]

Alice’s abrupt vision caused us to remain silent for the remainder of the flight into Italy. I sat turning her words over in my head as I played with my wedding rings, trying to make sense of them as Edward sat with his arm around me. Occasionally he engaged in some silent discussion with Carlisle, but I paid him no mind. Rosalie stared blankly while she absentmindedly stroked Renesme’s hair while Emmett sat beside her, sporadically clenching and unclenching his fists. Jasper remained silent beside Alice who kept her head dropped in her hands while she tried again and again to look at any alternatate possibility, but her efforts were in vain. No matter which way she came at it, the end result was the same—she, I and Edward clad in the deep gray robes of the Volturi.
I had all but made my mind up to grab Renesme and hop on the first return flight to Washington when I was roused from my stupor as the wheels of the plane made contact with the runway. Edward, sensing the sudden tensing of my muscles, gently tightened his grip around my shoulders.
At last it was Carlisle who spoke soothingly, crumbling my resolve. “We have no way of knowing what events would be the determining factors in making what Alice has seen a reality. And, her visions are subjective….” He trailed off glancing to Alice momentarily. “At this point, there have been no indications that the Volturi mean to pose any kind of threat to any member of this family. Maggie has visited recently with Amun and he has confirmed to me that she is extremely confident in the genuineness of their actions. Of course, I will not force any of you to continue with this planned visit, but I suggest that we proceed as originally planned. There is no indication from what Alice has seen that any issues with this trip will arise. And if there are ulterior motives, we’ll know with more certainty after meeting with them.”
With his last statement, his eyes locked with Edward. Edward met his gaze and nodded once in response. Carlisle, would no doubt, be depending on his ability to detect even the slightest indication that there was even the slightest mistruth in the Volturi’s intentions. Everyone else seemed reluctant, but in agreement as well.
I turned a worried gaze to Edward looking for reassurance. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against mine and reached up to allow a lock of my hair to run through his fingers. “Bella, I promise I will not leave your side for a second.” I inhaled deeply, relaxing as his sweet breath washed over me and filled my senses and finally nodded in concession.
We retrieved our luggage quickly and walked out to meet Jasper and Emmett who had picked up the rental cars that Alice had reserved. I was relieved that we had opted for staying in a hotel outside of Voltera, but as there was one member of our family who did require sleep, it was a welcomed necessity. Alice had reserved us the top floor of a very typical looking Italian hotel. The floor was comprised of two suites that were connected by a large set of intricately carved heavy wooden doors.
Renesme had awakened on the plane and was bursting with energy as we settled into our rooms. Edward called room service to have her breakfast sent up and it arrived promptly. She sat at the table to eat and glanced around at the fruit, sausages and French toast that lay before her on gleaming silver trays. Rosalie resumed her normal role and busied herself fixing her plate. As she chewed on a large strawberry, a perplexed look came over her face as she extended her hand to rest on Rosalie’s arm. Rosalie stood still momentarily as she processed whatever memory had been relayed to her. Once she pulled her hand back, Rosalie sympathetically patted her head, smiling kindly as she answered her, “Just a few days.”
I heard Edward chuckle behind me and turned towards him with a raised eyebrow. “She likes Jacob’s cooking better wanted to know when we’d be back home.” He explained.
After Renesme finished her breakfast, we returned to the cars and headed towards Voltera. We passed through the large stone gates of the city and parked on the curb of one of the streets that flanked St. Marks Square. We got out of the cars and followed Carlisle’s lead towards the square. I felt unusually calm as we approached the plaza, no doubt thanks to Jasper. I threw him a look of appreciation as we stepped into view of the fountain. The square was fairly empty in comparison to the only other memory I possessed of the place.
Where there had previously been masses of red-clad visitors, there was now nothing but uneven cobblestone and pigeons. The bell tower stood in the distance, towering up into the gray sky that stood in place of the cloudless, sunny day I’d witnessed here before. Aromas and coffee and pastries assaulted me from the various boutiques that dotted the buildings and the smell of perfume wafted in from stores on nearby streets. Alice hovered near a boutique looking disgruntled at the doors that had not yet been unlocked for the day’s business and a small man pushed a wooden cart laden with flowers into position in preparation for the day’s visitors. I couldn’t deny that under these more pleasant circumstances, the scene had a certain charm and inviting façade.
We followed Carlisle until he stopped near the center of the square. “Carlisle, how will they know that we’re here?” Rosalie asked quietly, the perfect tones of her voice subdued to the patrons who lingered nearby.
“Trust me, they knew we were here the moment we entered the gates.” With a slight inclination of his head, he motioned in the direction of a dark alley some two hundred yards away between two large, stone buildings. As my eyes surveyed the alley, a large, gray clad figure stepped forward from the shadows. “Here comes our welcoming party now.” He murmured under his breath.
With no danger of exposing himself for what he truly was, the enormous figure lowered the hood of his robe and an enormous Felix beckoned us forward towards him. I glanced around, momentarily shocked that he was not flanked by his equally intimidating counterpart, Demetri, but my mind didn’t linger on the observation long as Carlisle was already striding forward in his direction. The rest of us quickly matched his pace and followed.
As we neared Felix, he turned and retreated back into the alleyway. Moving at human speed, we followed him in silence down the dark narrow alley way towards what appeared to dead end in a stone wall, only to find that the alley took a sharp right turn. At last, we reached a very insignificant looking brown, metal door. It was inset several feet within the side of one of the towering stone walls—obviously an entrance into the deep underworld of the Volturi. Its location was perfect. It was completely secluded from the daily hustle and bustle of the town square. It wasn’t very likely that any human would stumble across it. Heaven help the poor soul who did accidentally discover its whereabouts!
Felix reached a massive hand forward and pulled the door open then stood aside to hold it open for us. He smiled genuinely at Carlisle as he passed by..“It’s good to see you again Carlisle.” He nodded to each of us in greeting as we passed by him and entered the dark corridor, not speaking again until he reached me. “…and you Bella.” He smiled mischievously as he spoke my name, but didn’t seem to be a threatening tone to his words.
“You too Felix,” I replied smirking back to him.
As we stepped inside, Felix moved back to the front of the group to lead us again. The corridor was dim, lit only by light that filtered in from a few small windows several stories above us, however I had no problem seeing the path before us. Nevertheless, from the corner of my eye, I saw Edward as he leaned down to scoop Renesme up into his arms. I was only vaguely aware that now, out of the view of the public, my family had returned to chatting amongst themselves. I was concentrating on keeping various unpleasant memories of this place at bay as they threatened to overtake me. I could feel the slight, subconscious flex of my shield around me and fought to keep it under my control.
The corridor led to a rusted, metal staircase that spiraled its way downward below the city. The structure creaked with our weight as we began to follow Felix downward. Although we were inside a huge cavernous building, the footsteps of the nine vampires on the metals stairs were barely audible. After twisting our way downward for a full minute, the staircase finally emptied us into an underground corridor deep below ground level. The walls had a very damp, musty smell. The walls were aligned with lit torches every thirty yards or so, which casts strange, flickering patters on the wall.
The entrance to four corridors opened up in front of us and we began to follow Felix down the nearest which slowly sloped downward. “Aro wasn’t expecting you so early,” Felix offered, turning to glance at Carlisle.
“Yes, we ended up catching an earlier flight to avoid a layover.” Carlisle responded apologetically. “I will have to offer my apologies to Aro for having posed an inconvenience on you all.”

[BamaFan121s]

Felix held up his hand in a gesture of refusal and briefly shook his head. “No apologies needed Carlisle. I’ll just need to attend to the formalities of…rescheduling our dinner.”
“That would be greatly appreciated,” Carlisle acknowledged.
I swallowed hard in disgust as a vivid recollection flooded my mind. It was not this same corridor I’d been led through on my only other visit to Voltera, but I didn’t need the familiar surrounding to recall that one very unpleasant memory. Through my memory, I could practically taste the fear as it poured off the unsuspecting tourist that Edward, Alice and I had stepped aside for. Panic and confusion had filled their faces as they were ushered unknowingly towards their demise. I remember the stale air rushing past me as Edward pulled me in a hurried attempt to shield me from the horror that was unfolding behind me. But his efforts had all been in vain. I fought the urge to bury my face in his chest now as I’d done then once the screams had reached my ears. I quietly gasped, pulling myself back to the present as the screams rang through my ears anew.
I felt Edward’s arm encircle my waist gently and pull me closer as we walked. Eventually the long hall opened into a larger round room off of which there were several more corridors and two large, metal doors. I marveled at the expansiveness of this underground domicile as we followed Felix through the nearest of the doors. As I stepped though it, I felt the cobblestone turn to lush carpet beneath my feet. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the suddenly bright, fluorescent light that flooded a room a recognized.
From behind a large mahogany desk ahead of me, Gianna greeted us genuinely in a business like manner, her bright green eyes sparkling. “I trust you know you can lead your family from here?” Felix asked turning to Carlisle. “I have some matters I need to attend to elsewhere.”
“Of course, Felix. Thank you so much for escorting us.” Carlisle assured him. Felix nodded to us all, then turned and departed down the corridor from which we’d just emerged. With that, we followed Carlisle down the familiar corridor towards the room beneath the turret. I sensed as Edward cast me a sideways glanced, but acted as if I hadn’t noticed. I was afraid that if I met his gaze, my eyes would betray me and he would easily be able to pick up on the nervousness that I was sure lay in their depths.
I could hear buzz of voices ringing through the corridor ahead of me as we neared the familiar room where Edward, Alice and I had once stood, awaiting as the Volturi leaders considered our fate. As we approached the room, a felt a wave of calmness wash over me, easing my nerves, compliments of Jasper, I’m sure. I welcomed the calm and pushed my worries aside. I was still a technically a newborn and did not have centuries of experience in dealing with other vampires, but my family did…and I trusted my family.
Slowly moving his arm from around my waist, Edward reached down to take my hand in his. I quickly met surveying eyes and nodded in confidence. Then I took one last, deep calming breath and stepped forward into the large room with my family, ready to face the Volturi once again.

[BamaFan121s]

I inhaled deeply as I stepped forward into the great, round stone room. The buzz of melodic voices that had met our ears in the passageway immediately faded and was replaced by excited whispers as the room’s inhabitants stole curious glances in our direction. Seated against he wall in their three throne like chairs were Aro, Caius and Marcus. Caius sat eagerly on edge watching us as we entered the room. His face was fixed into a calm mask—quite a contrast from the expression of displeasure I’d come to expect from him. To his left, Marcus looked uttery as bored as ever. He looked over us briefly with an unfocused look upon his face. As soon as he saw us, Aro rose from his chair in one swift, fluid motion and strode forward gracefully to greet us. He grasped Calisle’s hand as he approached.
“Carlisle, my dear old friend,” he beamed. “It is so good to have you visit us again so soon. And with your entire family as well!” He took a step back as his eyes touched on each of our faces. Was it my imagination, or did his eyes linger slightly longer on me, Edward and Alice?
“Yes, Carlise returned warmly. “We all found that we couldn’t resist such a warm invitation to visit you.”
Aro’s smile widened evern more. He trhew his head back in laughter as he tunred towards the Italian vamipres behind him and gestured them forward. “Please, everyone, come and greet our guests!” Immediately, the rest of the Volturi heeded his command and stepped forward, greeting us all in turn.
I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath until Edward leaned and whispered in my ear, “Breathe Bella.” I nodded my head one quick bob and exhaled evenly. I took comfort in the fact that Edward seemed to be at complete ease at my side. I knew without a doubt that he’d read every mind in the room by now. If there was the slightest indicatino that anyone’s thoughts were hinted at even the smallest trace of an ulterior motive, he would be well aware of it by now.
I cast a quick glance to my right where Aro’s wife, Sulpicia, and Athenodora, wife to Caius were eagerly greeting Esme. Heidi was talking animatedly to Emmett while batting her eyelashes considerably more than necessary. Rosalie stood very close by, a murderously dangerous look plastered on her face as she glared at Heidi through slightly squinted eyes. To my left, Alice was conversing at ease with Chelsea while Jasper spoke with Felix. I noted that Jasper’s posture suggested he was less comfortable with our surroundings that the rest of the family. His eyes moved around the room constantly and I noticed that his muscled arms flexed reflexively on occasion.
It came as no surprise to me that Aro was the first to approach Edward and myself. “Ah, Bella my dear,” he chimed, leaning forward to kiss my cheek lightly in greeting. He stepped back and held my gaze and surveying my eyes. “So good to see you again. And I see that you have adjusted quite well to your family’s most unconventional choice of sustenance.”
“Yes, I have,” I replied proudly.
“Bella has adjusted to this lifestyle with tremendous ease.” Edward added. “And, she is looking forward to seeing some of what your great city here has to offer. Regrettably, she did not have the opportunity to do so on her last visit.”
“Aro smiled approvingly at his words before his eyes came to rest on Renesmee. “And darling Renesmee!” he beamed. I noticed that Rosalie had torn her glare from Heidi and had fixed it on Aro as he turned his attention to my daughter.
“Good day, Aro.” Renesmee chimed. “Thank you for my gifts.”
“You are most welcome. But none of them remotely compare to your very special gift, little one. May I?” He looked at Edward with a hopeful expression, clearly seeking permission. Edward inclined his head in consent. Aro leaned forward to meet Renesmee’s already outstretched hand and allowed her to place it on his papery thin cheek. He stilled immediately as he viewed what she showed him.
For a brief moment, I was concerned with what exactly he would see, and then reminded myself that it was no more than what he had surely already witnessed through Carlisle. At last, he pulled back, muttering to himself, “Fascinating…absolutely fascinating.” He turned to face myself and Edward again. “What Carlisle has relayed is correct. She is very advanced intellectually given her age.” He shook his head slowly in awe. “And, I see she has formed quite a strong bond with your wolf friend.”
I gritted my teeth and tried to ignore the disapproving grunt that came from Caius at the mention of Jacob. “Yes,” I confirmed defiantly. “He is a very close friend...to my entire family.”
“Fascinating,” he repeated. He looked back down at Renesmee. “Thank you, dear one for sharing that with me.”
“You’re welcome, Aro,” she responded.
“And so very polite too!” he noted in return. From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward’s chest swell with pride at the compliment. I imagined that Rosalie was responding similarly across the room.
“Now, don’t give her parents all the credit for her proper upbringing,” Alice teased as she danced her way to our side. “She got her superb fashion sense form me.” She winked playfully as she tousled Renesmee’s hair. Leave it to Alice to take offense to the lack of compliments on Renesmee’s wardrobe. She’s strategically planned it for weeks just for this very occasion.
Aro turned his gaze greedily to Alice as she stepped forward to greet him. “Alice dear! What a pleasure, as always!” As he had with Renesmee, he looked to Alice for permission as he held his hand towards her, palm up. “May I?”
“Of course,” she smiled and reached forward to touch his palm with her index finger. As she did, she shot Edward a quick, worried glance. I knew there was one memory she would not want Aro to see—her most recent that she shared with us on the plane. Aro became very still again as he sorted through her thoughts. Jasper hovered protectively near her side, never taking his eyes off the face of the ancient leader. I saw Alice bow her head and heard Edward’s teeth grind beside me.
Then, it was over. Aro lowered his hand and smiled broadly. “Well, that is very interesting!” he looked from Alice to Edward and me with a triumphant grin on his face. A new excitement danced behind his milky red eyes. “Ah, but we will have plenty of time to discuss what the future holds later.” My stomach turned and I felt nauseated. As he turned his attention from us, I shot a reproachful look at my favorite sister. She shrugged apologetically, but didn’t look bothered by the exchange otherwise.

[BamaFan121s]

Suddenly, I both heard and felt a faint growl building in Edward’s chest and I felt his arm tighten around my waist. Initially I suspected it was in response to Aro’s thoughts of the foretold acquisition to his coven. I was wrong.
“Aro!” Edward’s voice rang out. I felt my muscles tense on their own accord. The tone of his ice cold voice silenced the room. “I kindly ask you, for what will be the last time that you please have Jane refrain from trying to attack my wife.” With a quick jerk of his head, he directed Aro’s attention to the furthest wall of the circular room. Jane and Alec had made their entrance unnoticed by anyone, which I suspected had been their intent.
Aro looked completely abashed and let out an uncomfortable chuckle. “Jane dear, “he called to her nervously, embarrassment tinting his words. “These are our guests! I believe that all here are well informed in regards to your impressive talents, but there is no need for an unwarranted demonstration here.”
Jane narrowed her eyes in indignation. Clearly she did not appreciate having been publically reprimanded. She tightened her fists by her side and locked her jaw in outrage. As I observed her childish reaction, I realized just how little of a threat she actually posed…at least as far as I was concerned. Visions of Edward crumpled in agony on the floor of this very room still haunted me. She was, however, proof that not everyone within the Volturi ranks had been able to forgive and forget the past.
Aro turned to address our entire group again. “Heidi has been kind enough to rescheduled her activities for the day…” He looked at us almost apologetically as he motioned for her to join him. Jane scoffed in obvious disapproval from her corner. I could still sense her vengeful stare, but paid her no attention. Truth be told, I was finding her childish behavior somewhat humerous in my own spiteful way. A small grin tugged at the corner of my mouth, threatening to betray these feelings. “I have asked that she take you on a tour of our museam. It holds some of the world’s most prized artifacts and many related to our own noble history.” He spoke the last portion of his statement with reverence, although I doubted that there were any artifacts that he valued more so than the vampires around him that he held such a high regard for. They were his true ‘prized possesions.’
Carlisle nodded in response. “That’s very thoughtful of you. I’m sure my family would enjoy that.” In acknowledgement, he inclined his head towards Heidi, who returned the gesture.
Obviously pleased with his offer having been accepted, Aro beamed sincerely. “Of course, you know that history all too well, old friend. And we have many things to discuss here, you and I. Of course, any members of your family who wish to stay are welcome to join us….” He trailed off, casting quick glances at the faces of my family before resting his eyes on Edward. His didn’t even try to mask the hopeful expression on his face. Edward merely tightened his arm around my waist.
“No thank you. I will accompany Bella and the others.” Edward answered briskly. The disappointement on his face at Edward’s refusal was clearly evident, but he didn’t have time to linger on his disappointment for long.
“I would like to stay, if it’s not a problem.” Jasper offered stepping forward to join Carlisle side. He glanced from Carlisle to Aro.
“Of course, Jasper, of course.” Aro boomed. “We would be honored to have you join us.”
Instinctively, a small wave of panic swept over me. I did not like the idea of our family being divided here amongst the Volturi. Edward seemed relaxed enough by my side, so I trusted that there were no traces of mal intent in Aro’s thoughts. I stole a glance of Alice, who was animatedly talking with Heidi. She seemed completely at ease, so I assumed she had not seen any indication of impending danger. I took a deep, calming breath and pushed my concerns to the furthest corner of my mind.
“Jane, dear, would you care to join them?” Aro asked casually, not bothering to turn to face her. The look she cast in Aro’s direction was murderous. I gasped, half expecting him to crumple before my feet at any moment. Jane, however merely narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. If she were trying to control her obvious outrage—and I doubted that she was—her efforts were clearly unsuccessful. “No, Master. I do NOT wish to join them. If I may be excused now, please.” Her words were strained. Almost a hiss and her voice was shaky with anger. With that, my control over my the menacing grin I’d been stifling broke.
“Of course, of course,” Aro waved her off dismissively, still not bothering with so much as a glance in her direction. Jane clentched her fist and turned on her heal, stalking off down the nearest dark, stone cooridor. Alec cast a frown in our direction and turned to hurredly follow his pouting sister, obviously intent on comforting her. I pictured her miles away in the tunnels by now, stomping her feet in a full blown tantrum, just as a child would do.
In the end, Carlisle and Jasper elected to stay behind and Rosalie had insisted that Emmett join them. I doubted that Emmett held any true interest for anything that would be discussed. I suspected that Rosalie’s insistance may have had more to do with keeping him out of Heidi’s sight…not that I could blame her on that account. To my own surprise, the wives decided to join us on our tour as well. As we casually followed Heidi through the intricate tunnels, they talked with Esme at ease. I imagined that there had been instances in the past where they’d imagined her joining their ranks, adorned in the same dark gray robes. Which reminded me…
Alice’s stylish heals clicked rythmically beside me. I sighed.
“I know what you’re thinking,” she spoke easily, addressing no one in particular. “But what choice did I have? It’s not exactly like I could avoid Aro the entire trip. May as well go ahead and get it over with.” She shrugged nochalantly.
“Of course, Alice,” Edward soothed her. “I too would rather he not have seen it...no sense in just giving him false hopes. But I agree, you had no choice in the matter.” They both seemed somewhat relaxed about the exchange, which eased my mind as well.
After what seemed like and endless maze of tunnels, the uneven cobblestone beneath our feet finally began to slope upwards. At the end of the sloping cooridor was a large, heavy metal door. Heidi reached for the door and pulled it open easily. It’s ancient metal hinges squealed in protest. Following her, we stepped back out into the misty open of St. Mark’s Square.

[BamaFan121s]

The sky outside was still a murky gray although I knew it had to be around noon. The air that surrounded us in the heart of the square was blanketed with a light fog. My eyes easily distinguished the individual water droplets as they swirled around us. There were a few patron scatters around the small boutiques that made up the lower levels of the tall stone buildings surrounding us. As Heidi led us to the fountain in the center of the area, a few cast us quick, nervous glances. One young couple hurried their pace to move out of our path. Their instincts obviously told them to keep their distance even though their mind didn’t understand why. For the most part, however, the people within the square paid us little attention. We could have been your everyday, average group of tourists.
At last Heidi stopped and turned to face us. “This,” she began while gesturing behind her to the largest, most prominent structure in the square, “is where we will begin our tour.” As she spoke, the conversation that had become a constant hum between Esme and the wives silenced. “Normally, I begin tours inside the museum, but as luck seems to be on our side today, I thought I’d begin here. Aro tells me that you, Esme, have a particular interest in architecture and would be most displeased with me if I didn’t allow you the opportunity to fully appreciate our most magnificent structure here in the city.”
“Aro is correct,” Esme confirmed, “and too kind to remember such a small detail about my interests. I will have to thank him for asking you to make the adjustment on my behalf. I hope you have not been put out by it?” She smiled warmly at Heidi, urging her to continue.
“No, not at all,” Heidi assured her before continuing. “Can anyone identify the structure behind me?”
“It’s the Basilica,” I replied. I found myself caught off guard by my own sudden boldness. Remaining quiet and trying not to stand out was a habit from my human life that I sometimes found it difficult to shed. I glanced quickly up at Edward. He was looking back at me, pleased amusement touching his features. He raised one approving eyebrow, clearly a bit impressed. Secretly, I was thankful that I’d fought off my daydreams in my European History class long enough to have actually learned something. Edward had once told me that “his kind…our kind” were easily distracted. I had found that statement to be quite true at times.
“That is correct,” Heidi praised with a slight inclination of her head.
I had to admit, I was a bit impressed with myself at being able to recall such precise details. It was an ability I was gradually becoming accustomed to. I was suddenly overcome with the desire to learn more. We’d covered material on various religious movements across Europe, including Italy, very briefly. I’d just taken it all for fact. Given all that I’d recently learned form Carlisle, I knew that vampiric history had played a more profound role that I’d thought. I was curious to learn just how big a role that may be. Whatever, it was certainly not something you’d learn in any standard college course! It gave me the sense that what was being taught at Dartmouth was in actuality, a very fragmented version of all that had truly transpired.
I pondered this to myself as Heidi launched into what was clearly a very well rehearsed dialogue about the actual structure of the Basilica itself. All the while, Edward absentmindedly traced circles on the back of my hand with his thumb. It was Esme’s observation spoken aloud that pulled my attention from my musings.
“I can see why the building is treated with such high regard. The structure is extraordinary!” She exclaimed in awe. “The techniques used for the placement of the foundation are like those I’ve only ever seen in Egyptian tombs…”
“Ah, you have a more profound knowledge and appreciation for architecture than Aro let on,” Heidi commented, the tone of approval coloring her voice. “The Basilica was in fact constructed to serve as a…tomb, of sorts and is of Egyptian craftsmanship. By friends of your own coven, if I’m not mistaken…Amun and Kebi? Of course, you are well aware that the Egyptians are well renowned and pride themselves on their intricate pyramids designed to house only their most noble families once deceased. They and some of their fellows built it as a gif for Marcus. They were human…at the time. Marcus bestowed a gift of his own upon them once it was completely.” Her wry tone left no question as to what “gift” Marcus had given them in exchange.
“After many years of dedication to performing work across Europe for the Catholic Church, it became inevitable that our own exalted Saint Marcus would one day have to...retire permanently from the suspecting public eye. As is often the case, after many years, whispers and suspicions surrounding his seemingly unchanging appearance began to circulate and it was decided that his retirement was due. The Basilica was built in the year 828 for the purpose of enshrining his remains. Of course, physically, he still remains below the Basilica, just not in the manner that humans expect.” A scandalous grin crept across her lush, polished lips as she spoke the last sentence and she winked knowingly at our group. She then turned and led us towards the massive stone building.
“Heidi,” I began, as I fell into step behind her. “I thought the Basilica was destroyed by fire…?”
She continued to lead us as she answered my question, “Oh it was…in 976. Long before even my human existence, of course. It was rebuilt though, with Amun’s help. Truthfully, it only suffered minor damage, but Aro elected to keep it closed publically for nearly a century. He used it to house some of his more prized collectable artifacts…a private museum, if you will. It still functions in much the same manner and is still primarily off limits to the public. I only conduct private, invitation-only tours now when we desire a fresh meal. Then it serves the purpose as an attraction used to lure in our prey.” She shrugged non chalantly as if she were discussing the weather.
A violent shudder rippled across my body. I had seen and heard where and how Heidi concluded her tours. I could still remember vividly the sounds of frantic screams as the ricochet through the tunnels far below and could almost sense the fear and panic that had overtaken me on that day. I slowed my pace, allowing myself to fall behind. What was that noise? How could it be that I could hear my heart beating out a frantic pulse in my ears? I shook my head to clear the noise, scolding myself for being fooled by what was not possible…a mere memory. Reneseme hurried forward to take Rosalie’s hand, intolerant for my sudden snail’s pace.
“Bella, are you OK?” Alice whispered from beside me. I could feel Edward’s concerned stare blazing red hot on the side of my face. I swallowed hard and nodded, willing away the memory and silently reminded myself that this was their way of life, as it was for many vampires that my family considered friends…that had stood beside us months ago. I was not in danger here now, nor was my family. This was not a new revelation—I was well aware of this part of their existence. No more than a full second, maybe two had passed since I’d frozen on the spot. I quickly continued my stride without notice from the rest of the group.
As we approached the entrance to the Basilica, I caught site of a man clad in a black suit standing by the massive, iron door that led him inside. He was very clean cut and every bit as massive as Emmett or Felix. However, it was not his size that pulled my attention—it was the fact that I instantly recognized him to be human. Every bit as human as the receptionist Gihanna and every bit as human as I’d been on my last visit here. Inexplicably, in that moment, I was briefly reminded of Max, J. Jelk’s assistant in Seattle. I smiled to myself at the memory. I assumed he was responsible for acting as a guard of sorts, ensuring that only those “invited” were allowed through the entrance. It made perfect sense that being in constant contact with the public was a duty more suitably filled by a human. I repressed another shudder.
“Buon pomeriggio, Heidi,” he spoke as we approached. Although my knowledge of the Italian language was limited, I was able to decipher his words as he big her a good afternoon. More impressively was the friendliness behind the words he spoke to her completely at ease. He showed absolutely no aversion to her. Did he realize what she was? What she was capable of? What we all were capable of? Or maybe it just didn’t matter…
“Good afternoon,” she returned. He reached forward and opened one of the massive doors and held it as our group began filing inside. Heidi stood beside him, ushering us ahead of her. “No more tours until morning,” she told him aside as I approached. As I began to step through the doorway, she reached out and hesitantly touched my arm, stopping me. My family continued on. Edward alone stopped to hover just a few feet in front of me beyond the doorway. “Bella. My deepest apologies for before…I didn’t realize…” I turned and caught her pleading gaze.
The sincerity of her apology was unmistakable behind her deep crimson irises. “Think nothing of it Heidi,” I assured her with an equally sincere smile of my own.
Relief washed over her face as she motioned me inside. “Shall we continue?”

[BamaFan121s]

I had to admit, Aro had definitely chosen the right vampire for this position. Heidi exuded friendliness and confidence on top of her obvious sex appeal. She was very likeable and did not act in the same arrogant manner as many of the other Volturi members. Once inside, she positioned herself in front of us and continued on as our guide. “This is not a portion of the museum that is included on my normal tours, obviously. These rooms house a collection of some of our more…unusual artifacts more specifically related to our own history—more of a private collection. Feel free to look around at your own pace. I’ll be happy to answer any question you have.”
The members of our group slit into smaller pairings and strolled around taking in the vast collection of artifacts. Heidi accompanied Rosalie and Alice who were enviously admiring an expansive collection of extravagant gowns once worn by various crowned heads of Europe. Renesmee shadowed them, eagerly pressing her face to the glass displays and animatedly commenting on the heavily beaded garments. Esme and the wives were examining a collection of jewelry and tools that lay in a massive oak display case. Even from across the room, I could hear Sulpicia’s explanation that they were all artifacts extracted from the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, covered decades ago by a volcanic eruption. Esme lingered eagerly near a diagram of the destroyed, once great city.
I stepped forward to a pedestal closest to me. Atop it sat an empty glass case coving a cushion of deepest blue, crushed velvet. The cushion, however, held nothing. I read the placard that identified the would-be contents as the Crown of Sovranita. I wondered… “Heidi…” I called. “Is this…?”
She looked up at me and grinned widely as she answered my question. “Yes…the very same one that Aro sent to your home by Carlisle on his last visit.” Now I knew just what Esme had meant when she jokingly commented that Aro would have cleaned out the museum. Looking around, I noticed there were several similar cases that had been similarly robbed of their contents.
The voices of my family members faded as Edward gently pulled my hand leading me to the opposite wall. It was lined with countless pieces of artwork. He pulled my hand to his mouth and gently kissed my palm before whispering in his velvet voice, “Are you enjoying yourself now, love?”
“Surprisingly, yes. I’ve never really had much of an interest for this sort of thing, but the pieces Aro has collected…” my voice trailed off in astonishment and awe. “I mean….wow! How could anyone not be amazed by it all?”
He chuckled lightly. “Yes, it is quite impressive. And I am very glad that you are finding in entertaining.” As he spoke, he lightly traced a line from my temple down to my jaw and smiled my favorite crooked smile before turning his attention back to the wall before us. His eyes swept over the pieces in front of him. As far as I was concerned, nothing the wall had to offer could have remotely compared to the perfection of the man in front of me. Try as I might, I couldn’t bring my eyes to leave his face. I deeply inhaled his intoxicating honey-sun scent as I continued to watch him.
Suddenly, his eyes came to rest on something in front of him. “Well now, that I wasn’t expecting to see!” He exclaimed quietly. He turned and met my gaze with his own liquid golden eyes. “Recognize anything?” he asked, motioning towards the wall with a slight jerk of his head. Unwillingly I tore my eyes from his face and searched the wall for the masterpiece that had surprisingly captured his attention. It only took a fraction of a second for me to locate it.
Hanging on the wall was a very familiar piece. Identical in size and even surrounded by the same mahogany frame was the picture from Carlisle’s office depicting the same ancient Italian scene. Painted in the same vivid colors, four God-like men looked down from a balcony upon the crowd below as three statuesque women hovered in the background. “There’s more than one painting,” I noted, surprised.
“Yes,” Edward confirmed. “Originally there were two—Carlisle’s and one other….this one. The last known whereabouts of this one were the walls of the Bastille where it adorned the wall of a very high ranking French official. It was always assumed that it was destroyed long ago. Hmmmm…apparently not. It’s a wonder how Aro managed to locate and retrieve it…”
I noted the sense of awe in his voice and turned to examine the other pieces hanging on the wall, occasionally commenting on those that particularly captured my interest. I was amazed at how many of the artists I was able to recognize==Van Gogh, Dali and quite a few by Divinci even! After we’d had out fill of the paintings, we turned and casually made our way around the large room to observe all that Aro’s collection had to offer.
Halfway across the room, I spied Renesmee perched atop an empty display case. Her eyes met min as Heidi clasped an enormous, diamond encrusted necklace around her neck. Her head bobbed down from the sheer weight of it. She flashed a wide smile in my direction as Heidi, Rosalie, and Alice showered her with compliments. I waved at her and playfully blew her a kiss as Edward and I continued to make our way around the room.
In the far corner, we found an entrance to a smaller, speared e room. It was depressed a few feet below the larger main area and more dimly lit. I stepped down into the smaller alcove and immediately noticed that the floor in this room was not the same dull marble that we’d been walking on. Peering close, I noticed that we were actually standing on a massive rug, woven from a bristly gray fiber of a very unusual, yet familiar texture. My eyes traced the contours of the rug narrowed until they came to rest on a spot a few feet away where the rug narrowed slightly before coming to an abrupt end with an enormous, clawed paw. I realize that I was not standing on any ordinary rug, but on the hide of an enormous creature. I audibly gasped and staggered back a few feet, causing Edward to grab me around my waist with lightning speed to steady me. Old habits die hard, I suppose.
Suddenly, Heidi’s voice, dripping with distaste, rang out from the doorway behind me. Ah, I see you’ve found our Siberian werewolf exhibit. This rug is actually one of Caius’s more prized possessions. Rest assured Bella—you are not the first to underestimate the sheer size of these beasts only to be shocked when you actually see it for yourself. From what I understand, the wreaked quite a bit of havoc throughout the Soviet lands long ago…”
If she continued speaking, I was unaware. My mind had traveled back to a day that seemed like it had played out a lifetime ago…which I suppose was true, more or less. Edward’s taunting words came rushing back to me with a clarity so piercing I would swear he were speaking them aloud now. “Look more closely Victoria…is he really so much like the monster James tracked across Siberia? Her eyes burned with black thirst and her flame red hair danced wildly around her face as she took in Seth’s huge form. Then, she returned her vengeful gaze to me….”

[BamaFan121s]

Then, that image was replaced with another more welcoming one…Jacob, in wolf form. Edward had been right; there was certainly no comparison between Jacob and this werewolf. So this was what James and Demetri had tracked for the Volturi centuries ago. Before they took to tracking human additions, that is. These were the Children of the Moon that Caius had mistaken Jacob’s pack for in the clearing. In that instant, all the pieces of the puzzle fit together, completing this picture that was part of the history of our kind. How many other pieces would I be handed to fit together? In how many other ways was I already tied to this existence?
I was only vaguely aware of Heidi’s lingering presence as Edward turned to answer her unspoken observation. “That won’t be necessary Heidi, thank you, on both accounts.”
“Ill rejoin the others, but will be glad to assist you should you require my services.” I felt the wind stir as she turned and departed to rejoin the others. I didn’t dwell on the silent portion of their conversation I had missed. I pulled my eyes from the rug and my mind from my recollections as I walked over to the nearest glass case to examine its contents.
At the bottom stood a massive paw print, forever captured in a plaster mold. Just above the footprint was a large map depicting Europe and most of present day Asia. The map was obviously very dated—frayed at the edges and yellowed by time. Small symbols were scattered around the map and it was shaded to indicate the areas with the largest concentration of the enormous creatures. Inset into one corner of the map was a small photograph of a wintery landscape. The mountainous background in the picture showed large, snow covered rocky peaks. Standing at the base of the nearest mountain were Caius, Marcus, Vladimir, Stefan and one other individual whom I did not recognize. His features were strikingly similar to those of the Romanian vampires.
“Who is that?” I asked Edward, pointing to the unknown man.
“That, I believe, is Karkov. He was one of the original members of the Romanian coven.”
“And was he, um, destroyed….during the disagreement with the Volturi?”
“Mmm, yes…” he responded, but his eyes had shifted from the picture. I followed his gaze and my eyes locked on a larger picture in the upper corner of the case. I felt a feral snarl building in my chest and clenched my teeth together as a menacing hiss escaped my lips. In the picture, a giant, newly slain werewolf lay on the ground. Its massive head was made to face forward and its features twisted and grotesque. Standing behind the “trophy” was the massive form of Demetri. He had a clear look of pride on his face and his muscles strained against the shirt he wore. But it was not the sight of Demetri that had spawned my reaction. Standing beside him, arms crossed triumphantly across his bare chest, was James.
I glared back at his face and felt pure hatred building up within myself. My vision blurred red on its outmost edges. I wondered briefly how different this situation might be if our paths crossed now. Then I smugly thought of how Edward had ensured that would never be a possibility and I felt the anger within ebb as it was replaced with a swelling sense of pride.
I inhaled deeply as Edward stood behind me and place two reassuring hands on my shoulders. He leaned down until his chin rested on my shoulder and pressed his cheek to mine. “Do you mind sharing what you are thinking, or would you like for me to become an exhibit here as the man who was driven mad by his secretive wife?”
Sensing the smile in his voice, I turned my back dismissively on the picture of James and wrapped my arms around him. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m just feeling a bit…surprised.”
“About what in particular?” He coaxed as he returned my embrace and gently stroked my hair.
I breathed in his sweet scent again and then exhaled in a rush as I tried to force my thoughts and emotions into words. “I never realized before how much my life was already intertwined with the history of vampires. It seems as if my life was tied to it even before I was a part of it myself.” I looked down, feeling very slight and somewhat embarrassed. “It’s all a bit overwhelming.”
“Bella,” Edward breathed in his velvet smooth voice. He raised my chin until my eyes met his gaze. “There has never been anyone else like you in the history of the world.” He leaned down and kissed me tenderly then pulled back to hold my gaze. “And that fact is something that overwhelms me every single day.”
Electricity coursed through my veins as I brought my hand up to cup his, and then sighed as a turned to continue on to the next exhibit, reminding myself to focus. We would be back in Forks in two short days and then Edward and I would return to our cottage and we’d have all the time we desired to….Focus, Bella!
We wanted around in the smaller alcove for some time taking everything in. There was a rather extensive display centered on the intervention with the Mexican armies of newborns. Of course, everything depicted the Volturi as being just and fair and with the noblest of intentions regarding every situation. Having experienced first hand the path of destruction and upheaval that can result from a pack of wild, uncontrolled newborns, I couldn’t exactly disagree with them in that one particular situation.
There was also memorabilia that served to illustrate the role that vampires had played in some events that shaped the very world as we know it. Of course, their involvement was something relatively unknown, or at least unexplained by your everyday textbooks and historians. I was astounded to learn how many major events the vampires had had a hand in. And not events just limited to Europe—Viking conquests, the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials, the rise…and fall…of the Berlin Wall… It appeared that Marcus was even present for the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Aro had posed as a posed as a pioneer and traveled to San Francisco during the gold rush—on display were numerous golden nuggets of various sizes to commemorate his experience. And who would have guessed that it was a group of vampires who erected Stonehenge! No wonder it remained a mystery of how any human could have constructed a structure with such massive stones—on mere human did!
I became bored with a World War I display that seemed to entrance Edward and moved on my own to the next case. Large, black framed and enclosed in glass, it held only a few pictures, a stuffed bear, and a plaque identifying the subject of its contents. The words engraved in the slightly tarnished bronze sent a chill down my spine: The Immortal Children. I gasped inaudibly and my eyes darted upwards coming to rest on the picture hanging at eye level. A young child stared back at me from the picture. She was breathtakingly beautiful, yet gave the distinct impression of wildness. She was around Renesmee’s age and was similar in size and shape. Her hair was such a pure blonde it was nearly white and hung to her shoulders in unkempt tresses. Her piercing eyes were bright rubies, wild and unfocussed. Her cheeks were kissed by two dimples, just as Renesmee’s were and her bright smile showed tow perfect rows of teeth. Fresh blood dripped from the corners of her mouth.
Mesmerized by the child in the picture, I tore my gaze from hers and examined the picture beside it. Seated in three large chairs were Aro, Caius and Marcus. The caption of the picture indicated that it was taking during one of the trials held during the times of the immortal children. I noticed standing beside Aro, not yet clad in their robes of darkest gray, stood the youngest of the Volturi guard, Jane and Alec, watching over the proceedings taking place. Their features were quite similar to those of the child in the previous picture. Very similar…too similar. I
Felt the growing crease in my forehead and squinted my eyes unnecessarily as I looked back and forth between the picture of the child, and the faces of Aro’s prized twins. The similarities were undeniable. I drew an easy parallel between the obvious wild aura of the child in the picture and the lack of self control Jane so often exhibited. I quickly recalled ever picture I’d observed in the past few hours, quickly rearranging them into chronological order in my head. Jane and Alec had not appeared in any of the portraits until this one, but had appeared in quite a few afterwards…Then, just like before, the last piece of the puzzle snapped into place and the shock of the revelation washed over me. The “childlike” Jane and Alec were immortal children themselves! Aro had not only gotten the idea from the very people he’d condemned and destroyed, Alec and Jane had joined him during the same span of time. Did he create them himself, or were their creators destroyed under the guise that they children would share the same fate?