Hello readers! The story is almost at its end! I can't believe it! I'm estimating about 2, maybe 3 chapters left. And maybe outtakes here or there after its completed.

I feel I must put a warning in here. This chapter skims over the abuse Bella received when she was with Edward. I will bold that particular paragraph, if you wish to skip it.

Real life keeps getting in the way of my writing! I'm having to homeschool my kids now since schools are shut down for the rest of the school year, and I really have no idea how other teachers do this! Usually when I get a moment alone to write, I'm so exhausted I just crash. But! I am writing when I can.

Currently am working on a Demetri/Bella story, and a few others. Might be a while before they are posted. If you want updates to my writing progress, follow me on twitter, PerfectChaosFic .

Also, if you have a pairing request, let me know and I will see if I can come up with something :)

Hope you enjoy!

Il Mio Amore

Chapter 29 – Trial

BELLA POV:

My family, mate and I returned to the castle just a few hours after the others, after delaying our flight on the second Volturi jet, feeling lighter than we had in months. It was finally over, and with each passing second I felt more and more pressure lifting off of my chest. I felt as if I could simply breathe better now that the fight was over, and we had won without losing anyone. And I was actually able to help. My confidence soared the moment I realized it.

I knew that we had prisoners, presumably in the dungeons by now, but I wasn't scared or worried anymore. Really, there are four of them against the entire guard. They stood no chance.

We all went our separate ways after reporting to the throne room, announcing our return to Aro. Alec and I spent the next few days in our room. He was currently taking his turn to guard the prisoners with Felix. I had gone last light, paired up with Jane.

The trial was set for tonight, but I had mixed feelings over it. The trial would be the final nail in the coffin. It would bring the official end of everything Edward put me through, including the worry I've felt over the last few months. On the other hand, I would have to face Edward once again, something I never wanted to have to do.

"You ok, Isabella?"

I looked up from my book in the library, broken from my thoughts, "I'm fine, Alec. Just a little apprehensive about the trial is all."

He listened as I explained everything I felt, lifting me from my chair and sitting on it with me in his lap before he voiced his thoughts, "I wish I could tell you that you don't have to be there, Isabella. But I can't. I wish that you could just skip the trial, but you can't. I'm sorry mia cara."

I nodded in acceptance, "I know. Because their actions have to do with me; and I need to face them. But it's also because it's my duty as a guard member to be there and to witness the trial. Right?"

He smiled at me before nodding, "That's right, mia cara. I don't want you to worry though. The worst part, the battle is over. Now its just confirming the crimes and doling out the punishments for said crimes."

"How do all this trial stuff work, by the way? How do you guys usually conduct them?"

He hesitated a moment before explaining, "You've seen one of our trials before, when you were here the first time. Isabella, at that time, Edward and you were on trial because you knew the secret. You only barely left alive. Of course, once everyone knew you were my mate, they felt awful for scaring you like they did. I wish I had gone after you. I should have."

I shook my head, " No, Alec. I think it was best that you didn't." I rushed to explain at his hurt look, "I think that at that time, after everything I had just witnessed, I needed that time and space and process everything. By not going after me, you gave me that. When you held me in place, after I tried to run to Edward, I felt calmer and safer than I should have. And when you let go of me, the fear came back, and it was only relieved when I left. At the airport that evening, I didn't want to leave. Some part of me really wanted to stay and come back here. And that both confused and terrified me. I needed that time and space to think things through, baby. By not going after me, you gave me what I needed. I love you, and only you Alec. That won't ever change. Ok?"

He nodded, "Sorry. I was being insecure."

I shook my head again, "Don't apologize for something like that. We all get insecure sometimes. Just talk to me when you get concerned. Anyway, so we will all be there, surrounding Aro, Marcus, and Caius?"

"Yes, that's right. Jane and I normally stand to the right of the thrones. Felix and Demetri usually stand on the left side of the room. The others are placed strategically so that no one can escape, and no one can reach and attack our masters. You will be standing next to me, as you are my mate."

"Ok, that's easy enough. So we just stand in position, protect our masters, and do as we are instructed?"

He nodded, "Essentially. Remember that we will be putting a hard mask on our faces, and will show no mercy. You may see Jane use her gift. You may see me use my gift. You may see Felix or another guard member rip the prisoners apart. If they fight, you may see the prisoners ripped apart slowly, so as to prolong the pain. You must also remember that it is just for show. That we are normally never intentionally cruel or evil. Please, Isabella don't be scared this time and remember that we all love you. Please." Worry and fear colored his tone as he finished.

"Never Alec. Never again will I be afraid of you or our family. Are the others worried too?"

"They are. The last time you had to see that side of us…I'll never forget the way I smelled your fear as it poured off of you. You were terrified of us last time. That's the last thing any of us want you to feel."

"I'll be ok, Alec. I promise." I stood up, holding my hand out to him, "Come on. Lets go hunt real quick and then lay together in the forest somewhere until we need to show for the trial."

It only seemed like minutes had passed when it was time to prepare for the trial. We started our journey to the throne room, putting on our chain necklaces so that the Volturi crest pendant was clearly visible. Our hoods would go up after we took our places. We were greeted warmly by everyone there; some of them giving me hugs or reassuring words and smiles as we took up our positions around the room.

Silence reined in the throne room as Felix took some of the lower guard to escort the prisoners up here. We didn't have to wait long. Soon the prisoners were standing in the center of the room, with guards blocking all the exits.

Aro looked around at all of us before focusing on the prisoners, slowly descending the dais as he spoke, "We are here today to lay punishment for crimes that were committed by members of the Cullen coven and Victoria. First, we shall start with Edward. Edward Cullen, you are charged with revealing our existence to a human without killing or changing them. You are also charged with keeping said human from her true mate, one of our Elite guards. You kept the human as a pet, yet another crime. You are charged with conspiring to take over the Volturi and take the same human away from her mate. How do you plead?"

Edward looked at him scornfully, "Not guilty. Isabella is my mate. Mine to do what I will with. It was my right as her mate to treat her as I saw fit."

"Tsk tsk. I do believe you are mistaken Edward. Isabella is mated to Alec, not you. She was never your mate. Hand, now."

A few moments passed until Aro hissed and ripped the hand off, tossing it into a corner of the room. I tried not to flinch.

"You, Edward Cullen have been a naughty boy. You have known since the beginning that Isabella is not truly your mate."

He turned to address the rest of the room; "It seems here that Edward Cullen had very specific plans for dear Isabella. Isabella, please remove your hood and stepped forward for a few minutes."

I did as he bid me too, waiting for him to continue. I wanted to know what Edward had planned for me.

"Isabella, would you like to know what his plans for you were?" At my confirmation, he continued, "After your graduation he planned to surprise you with a supposed vacation by drugging you and having you wake up after you arrived at your destination. He planned to take away any and all forms of outside communications. He bought a remote cabin, and ripped out any phone lines that existed. He planned to keep you there as you aged, never planning to change you. He planned to cut all ties to his family until you had passed. He planned to wait until you had lived a few decades, before giving you the opportunity to escape, only to hunt you down days later, and finally savoring your blood, the blood of his singer. He would drink from you as he violated you. What would you say to this?"

"May I speak directly to him and ask him a couple of questions, Master?"

Aro looked proud for a brief second before answering, "You may."

I turned to Edward, "I belong to Alec, and only Alec. He will forever have all of me; my heart, my body, and my soul. Alec is my mate. But you knew that. You knew when we left Volterra that day. Yet you took me with you anyway, fed me lies and controlled my every move. I spent months feeling empty inside, like something was missing. And you knew why. Why did you do it, Edward? Why keep me away from my mate?"

"Because you were mine first Isabella. You wouldn't have met him if it weren't for me. I had you first. He's a monster, Isabella. He feeds from humans. He is nothing but an uncivilized monster. And he is influencing you into his monstrous ways. You would never drink from humans if it wasn't for him."

Anger flowed through me, and I struggled to control it fully, "That's really selfish of you, Edward. Your reasons are selfish, and childish. You gladly watched me feel the separation for months. Alec is not a monster. You, however are a monster Edward. You knew I was not yours to keep. You knowingly came between mates, knowing the pain that each mate would feel. You treated me as nothing more than a pet. You controlled my every move. You never planned to turn me. Why?"

"Because you were mine. I wanted to make sure you stayed mine. If I had turned you, you would have felt the pull and eventually followed it. When I met you, Isabella, I knew I could mold you into what I wanted. A completely subservient, obedient wife who would stay pure until she died. But you just had to follow the pull you somehow felt as a human. You went and tainted yourself like a common whore, and then you let the monster that deflowered you change you. You've ruined my image of you so completely. You ruined my chance to taste the sweet nectar of your blood. Your blood was mine to drink. Your body mine to defile. But you ruined all of my plans."

I shook my head at him. "You're delusional, Edward. I will never be yours. I belong to Alec. I have one thing to say to you, and that is you disgust me. You are a vile, cruel, selfish creature who doesn't deserve any form of mercy or compassion."

I looked to Aro before stepping back again and pulling my hood back up at his silent permission.

Aro conferred with his brothers before speaking again, "Edward Cullen, we find you guilty of all charges, and the penalty is death. Felix."

Felix stepped forward and ripped him apart efficiently, setting the pile of body parts on fire before I knew it.

Aro waited for the fire to become a pile of smoldering ashes before moving on, "Carlisle and Esme Cullen, you are both charged with conspiring to fight against the Volturi in order to help Edward take Isabella away from her mate. When given the chance to change your mind, you chose to fight. What do you plead?"

Carlisle looked up at his old friend, "He was happy with her. The happiest he has ever been. And you, all of you took that from him. All we did was love Isabella, and accept her into the family, and this is how she repaid us. I wish we had never moved to Forks, never met Isabella. She has brought us nothing but pain."

"I see. And Esme, do you have nothing to say?"

"I know that Edward was wrong to keep her away. But I still stand by his actions. Edward taught Isabella the way that a proper lady behaves. He was teaching her the way an obedient wife should behave. He offered her marriage. He provided for her, acted as her guide in life. He loved her. He was happy with her. And she betrayed him however she could."

Aro turned to me, asking me to step forward and remove my hood again, "Isabella, what do you have to say to this?"

Anger fueled through me as I responded, "I'm not surprised. They never truly loved any of their so-called children but Edward. They are both so blinded by Edward that they treated the rest of us like crap. They stood back and let him treat me like a pet. They said nothing when he decided when and how much I would eat. Even when he decided not to let me eat for a full two days as punishment for thinking for myself, they said nothing. They said nothing when he would go see Tanya although he claimed to love me."

"And, what would you say a suitable punishment would be?" Aro asked me.

I deliberated for a moment before answering, "Their punishment is not up to me, Master. I believe that if they are not put to death, they should not be allowed back into society for at least a century, though. They are more dangerous to humans than they believe."

Aro nodded, "Very well Isabella. Please resume your previous spot and pull up your hood again."

After a few minutes of deliberating with his brothers again, Aro stated the punishment, "Carlisle and Esme Cullen, you are found guilty of your charges. Your punishment, however, will not be death. Instead, you will be staying here indefinitely. Carlisle you will be staying in your own suite of rooms, conducting research for the Volturi. You will never leave your suite. Instead you will have blood delivered to you as we see fit, be it human or animal. Esme, you will have a separate suite of rooms in another area of the castle. Carlisle is not your mate and you have been under his thumb for far too long. You will have to relearn everything he has taught you about being a vampire. Felix, Jane, please take our new guests to their new suites."

We waited until they returned before Aro continued the trial.

"Victoria. You are charged with creating an army of newborns with the intention of taking out a coven and human. You had no regard for our secret, and could not control your army. You agreed to fight against the Volturi to get to Isabella. How do you plead?"

Victoria glared at him, "She's the reason my James is dead. I needed the army to wipe out the coven protecting her."

Aro scoffed at her, "You see, Victoria, your reasons do not matter. You were not careful enough. You did not have permission to create such an army. You nearly revealed the secret of our existence to humans. And James was only a companion, not a mate. So you see, you have no ground to stand on here. I have no need to confer with my brothers. The punishment for creating this army and nearly revealing our secret is death. Felix."

I watched as Felix ripped Victoria apart and set the pieces on fire. I stood watching the flames turn to ashes, and then watched the ashes smolder as the guard was dismissed.

I turned, feeling a hand on my shoulder, to see Jasper staring at me intently, "You ok darlin'? I know that must have been a lot for you."

I smiled up at him, "I'm fine, Jazz. Really. Just glad everything is over."

"Your emotions are telling me different darlin'. Come and walk with me. Aro ordered Alec to take the ashes to the woods, and dump them down a ravine or something somewhere. He won't be back for a little while. Asked me to look after you."

I nodded silently, knowing that I'd have to talk to him. I needed to get this out, but I didn't want Alec to take it the wrong way. He didn't know exactly everything that Edward did to me…but Jasper might. I wasn't sure.

He waited until we had gone a ways into the woods before he started, "That's a lot of rage I'm feeling from you darlin'. I'm also getting resentment and insecurity from you. Talk to me. What's going on in that head of yours?"

I stopped running abruptly, trying to come up with the words to describe my thoughts. It wasn't easy when I was this upset.

"He used me. He knew I was just his singer. He put me through hell, Jasper. He toyed my emotions and constantly rejected me. Always made me feel like I wasn't good enough as I was. He kept me from Alec. Watched me suffer through the pain of being separated from him. I tried to be every thing that he wanted me to be, and still it wasn't good enough. I was always hungry because he didn't believe I needed much food to survive. I was always so exhausted because he didn't want me to sleep too long. He literally told me one morning that I needed to wake up and spend time with him, even though he kept me up really late the night before, and I only had 2 hours of sleep at that point. Then he got mad when I couldn't stay awake or focus on anything. I tried so hard to be what he wanted me to be, in hopes that he would think me good enough to keep forever. But come to find out, my attempts were in vain because he really only wanted my blood. I really was worthless in his eyes. Why did he have to do that to me?"

He sighed deeply before answering, "I can't answer that darlin'. But you should know by now that you are not worthless. I wish I knew about the hunger and the sleep. I suspected, but Edward was there to stop me whenever I went to ask you about what I was feeling from you. I should have tried harder. I'm sorry little sis."

I wrapped my arms around him in a hug, shaking my head, "It's not your fault Jasper. I should have told someone. At the time though I didn't know whom I could trust would believe that I wasn't exaggerating. I know better now. You helped me so much, and I'll always be grateful."

"Anything for you, Bella. What else is on your mind?"

I hesitated before answering, "It all just makes me wonder what my worth is. A part of me feels like I'm not worth it. Not good enough for a mate like Alec. I know it's irrational. You, Alec, and just about everyone else has always made it a point to show me that I am good enough. It's just that sometimes, I wonder. And then I feel bad because Alec doesn't deserve the insecurity inside of me. I have no reason to doubt anything he's said to me. And then I get so mad at myself for even letting the insecure thoughts exist."

"I get it. I really do. Maria always made me feel that I wasn't good enough, wasn't worth anything more than to be a fighting machine for her. When I first met Alice, and discovered how wonderful she was, I always felt like I wasn't good enough for her. Even after reassurances from multiple people that I really was good enough. She was always so positive, so innocent, and here I was a monster who had killed thousands. It took a while for me to fully accept that I was worthy of her."

"…So are you saying that in time I'll be able to believe my own worth?"

"That's right darlin'. It takes time Bella. Time mixed with a lot of reassurances from your mate. Edward did a lot more damage to you than you think. The constant rejection you felt, him controlling you, him treating you as horribly as he did, and the list goes on. It takes time to completely heal and move on from all of that. Believe me, I know. It helped when I talked to Alice about everything, and sometimes I'd even talk to Emmett and Rose about it. Maybe you should try that."

"…Whom would I talk to? I don't want to hurt Alec with the fact that I tried so hard to be good enough for Edward. I'd feel like I was slapping him in the face."

"Alec is rational. He'd understand that he is the only one you love, and that everything you say is in the past. It might also help him understand your feelings better. Or talk to me, or Alice, or any of us Bella. We are all willing to listen and help."

I nodded, "You're right. Thanks, big brother. I feel calmer now."

He grinned at me, ruffling the hair on the top of my head, "I'm glad darlin'. Alec should be done by now. Race ya back?"

I nodded happily, grinning widely as I used my newborn speed to get past him.

Everything would be ok now. It had to be.