Bella

One week, just seven days before my wedding, my world was turned upside down. How much, I would realized only years later.

One week. Seven days. Lots of things could happen in seven days. I almost died, I met the Cullens and I fell in love with my future husband in seven days or less! So I should have waited with my eyes wide open for something to happen. Anything. But this time I was so sure that nothing would ruin my plans… To my defense, there was no way I could've predicted it. It came out of nowhere. Quite literally.

I was alone in the house, and I was wearing for the billionth time my wedding dress to see if it would need other modifications. Thanks to Rosalie I had developed all kinds of wedding-related neurosis. I lowered my eyes for a second and when I looked at the mirror again I saw Alice's reflection in it.

I jumped in fear. "God, Alice! You scared me!"

Alice was completely shocked. Scared, even. What could possibly reduce her like that, I had no idea… but it certainly couldn't be anything good. And then she said three words I'd never imagine I'd hear.

"Edward is alive."

I stared at her with my mouth wide open. For a few minutes I wasn't able to talk.

"How? You told me he was dead! You died together, for God's sake!"

"I died first. I didn't remember, though. And I didn't know what I was and where I was, I was so confused back then and…"

"Ok. Ok. Calm down. What changed?"

"Bella. She found him. And she came running to tell me, so I could tell you. She's with him now. You have to save him."

"Save him? How? On my own? Alice, I'm practically still a newborn!"

"They're talking about killing him! Bella, please, I'm begging you. You have to leave now. If you tell them, you'll never make it on time! You have to leave now!"

"They? Who are they?"

"The Volturi. They were really interested in his power. Edward didn't join them, but they hoped he would, sooner or later, so they kept him imprisoned, waiting for him to change his mind... he never did. And now their patience has run out."

"The... the Volturi?"

I knew little about them, but enough to scare me. Our royal family... the oldest and powerful vampires in the planet... and I had to waltz in their city and free one of their prisoners without them noticing? Alice was crazy, now I had proof!

"Alice, I'm no match for them! I can't stand a fight!"

"Bella, he's my brother. He's your brother too if you think about it. And when we're there you'll realize why you're the only person that can save him. Bella, please… we have to go now."

I gave a longing look at my reflection, and I took off my wedding dress. I packed a bag, took some money and my new passport (I refused to use the surname Black now, so all my documents referred to me as Bella Cullen), and I wrote a message to Jasper.

I have to go. I'll be back in time for the wedding. Forgive me, it's something I have to do… I'll explain everything when I'll be back. I love you – Bella

"I hope he'll forgive me," I said, running to the airport in my car.

"He will," Alice said. "He forgave me and I disappeared for two months…"

"And then you died. I really don't want to end up dead before my wedding. Again."

"I told you I saw the wedding! It's meant to be. And Edward will be there."

"And why didn't you tell me that sooner?"

"I have no idea of… Bella, our powers are definitely not an exact science, so please, stop bitching. And drive faster. You're the shame of the family."

Oh, the good old days when Alice couldn't talk to me. I missed them terribly.

I boarded the flight to Florence in the nick of time. I spent the following hours with Alice, whispering me all I had to know about the Volturi and Volterra, and what really happened the day she died.

"I arrived just a few seconds late. The sun hit his arm, and he started sparkling. Everyone saw it. I took Edward in the shadows, trying to convince him to run, but the Volturi were faster than us. I attacked them, and they killed me in cold blood. Bella, your mom, told me what the other ghosts in the dungeons told her… Edward never tried to escape. He stood there and waited for Aro, Caius and Marcus to get tired of their stubbornness and kill him."

"He left her because he wanted to protect her. I get that. What I don't get is why he is inflicting this punishment on himself."

"He's Edward. Enough said."

"How are we going to do this thing?"

"I told you, we have to be in Volterra. You wouldn't believe me otherwise."

"Alice… I am a vampire. I can talk with ghost. How much more open-minded do I have to be?"

"A little more?

I groaned. Great. Damn great.

"You can walk in and out of there unharmed. They won't see you... the thing is complicated, they didn't go into details. The ghosts… they hate the Volturi. They will be delighted to help you… They're the best guides you might desire."

I was suddenly happy my heart was now cold and silent. I would've died of heart failure otherwise.

Ten minutes after our arrival in Florence, I was already taking a look around for a car to steal. Alice was such a bad influence on me… still, we both couldn't believe our luck when we eyed a man getting out of a black, shiny Ferrari. He wanted to park it where it wasn't allowed, and he was having a fight with the airport police. Five seconds later, I was behind the wheel. Ten seconds later, the car and I had already disappeared. I took a deep breath, and I drove on the highway faster than light. Pity it was a car that couldn't go unnoticed anywhere, I'd have loved to have it in our garage, next to my new, beloved Camaro.

I was still wondering why on earth I was doing this. I had been a vampire for little more than eighteen months, I was getting married in a week… I was probably crazy. But inside of me I could feel a voice that kept telling me that bringing back Edward was my only way to finally make things even. The Cullens gave me everything I ever wanted, and then some. It was time for me to repay the debt.

Volterra was nice. Ancient. In another occasion I would've loved to do some sightseeing, but I immediately headed towards Palazzo dei Priori. A few meters from the entrance, I widened my eyes in fear. There was a girl… nine, ten years old maximum. Her throat was horribly slashed, and the blood stained her face and white dress.

"Don't go in there," she said pointing the door. "You have to turn left and look for a trap door."

I couldn't detach my eyes from her. "What happened to you?"

"It was my birthday. Mommy wanted to make me a surprise and took me to Volterra. They took us in a tower… we never left. We never will."

A few people passed in front of me. After I could see the palace again, the little girl was gone. I turned left, like she said, and I found a black man, covered in blood, waiting for me. Like the girl, he told me how he died. He kept repeating that he would never leave that place. All the ghosts that guided me inside repeated that line.

I asked Alice. She lowered her eyes.

"From what I understand… their deaths had been violent. They can't leave, they won't leave, until they've been avenged."

"Why are you not subjected to this rule?"

"I think it's because I'm a vampire. But really, I don't know."

I wish I knew the answer. But this thing was so new to me… and I had no idea of how could I learn more about this ability. Learning by trial and error didn't excite me, especially considering I was dealing with human souls. Once I was inside the palace, the ghosts – all covered in blood, all showing hideous teeth marks on their bodies – regrouped around me. They were at least thirty, and they were shielding me from sight. I don't know how, but it worked… I shivered in fear when I saw the little girl Alice called Jane come in my direction. I knew about her. I knew her power. I started to shiver.

The ghosts immediately made a thicker wall at my side, covering me completely. She walked past me without sensing my presence, and I couldn't believe that actually happened. That had to be what Alice meant. Somehow, the spirits could protect me. I was deeply sorry I couldn't make anything for them in return. My heart broke while listening to their stories. Lives broken in half, without hope… just a burning, rightful desire of justice. For their loved ones, they had just disappeared out of thin air. No one knew of their deaths. I couldn't even imagine the pain their families were feeling. That was why I told them that if they couldn't leave to go back home, I would do it for them. An elderly lady told me there was a room where all their personal effects were stored after their deaths; she would lead me there after I had found Edward. Slightly more relaxed now that I knew I was virtually invisible to the Volturi and their guards, I told Alice to go look for my mother and ask for directions.

Edward, we discovered, was held in the most remote cell in the dungeon. I was starting to feel claustrophobic when walking to his cell. I wondered how many meters under the town I was.

My mother was waiting for me near the door. I sighed in relief. Except Alice, she was the only spirit not covered in blood. I wished I could hug her. She was distraught. The only thing she could do was stay with him, and sometimes she had the impression he could feel her there, but most of the time he was begging for her forgiveness and hoped to die.

The wooden door wasn't a problem to open. The problem, I realized, was waiting for me inside.

Edward was… I didn't know how to describe his state. He was like he wasn't even there. He was staring at the void with a faint smile.

"He knows the verdict. He's waiting for the Volturi to kill him," my mother whispered to me.

Not if I could help it. I walked over to Edward and knelt in front of him.

"Edward, please, look at me."

He watched me with surprise, and then a smile appeared on his lips.

"It's been quick. I didn't even notice…" he said, raising a hand to my cheek. "I've waited so long to see you again, my love. Forgive me if you had to wait for me all these years. Nothing will separate us from now on."

I sighed. "Edward, if we don't move, you are really going to see your Bella in the afterlife. And believe me, she'd kick your ass and find a way to kick mine, if that should happen."

Edward frowned. I got up and pulled my face closer to his, so that he could see my golden eyes better. I tried not to look at his. They were red, like mine when I was a newborn. What the hell had happened to him?

"Bella, your eyes… I don't understand…"

"My name is Bella, but I'm not the girl you loved. I'm here to take you home. Your Bella and Alice sent me here."

"They're dead. How could they?"

"I can see ghosts. It's my power. And now, can you please stand? We have to run."

"I want to die. I wanna join her."

"She doesn't want that!" I said in frustration. My mother tried to help me convince him, but he didn't want to be saved. And then the starngest thing happened. My mother touched my shoulder while I was touching Edward… and the second after we weren't in the cell anymore. We were in their meadow. And Edward could see my mother standing next to me.

"Bella?"

My mother gave him the brightest smile, surprised, like us, about what was happening but incredibly happy at the same time. I bit my lip and gave them some time alone. I had no idea of how long this miracle would last. It was their last chance to say goodbye to each other, and they deserved it.

Edward

I couldn't believe the miracle that had just happened in front of my eyes. Bella, my Bella, was in front of my eyes. I could touch her, smell her intoxicating scent once again… and hear her laugh. I was sure I was dead, but she told me I wasn't. I was ashamed of my eyes, of what I had to do to survive in that place until they would decide to kill me, but she wasn't angry at me or disgusted. She was just… Bella.

"Go with her. She's come here to save you."

"I don't want to be saved. All these years… the only thing I ever wanted is to be reunited with you. And now they will finally give me what I want."

"I don't want you to die, Edward. I want you to live!"

"I can't live without you."

"You have to. You have to keep an eye on my child."

I frowned. Child? Hearing that word from Bella made me happy yet sad. It was what I wanted for her after all… living a human life, having children… but that implied that another man had the privilege to have Bella in his life. To love her. He had held her in his arms, had children with her, and that was more than enough to drive me crazy with jealousy. Bella, oblivious to my reasoning, pointed at the girl in the meadow with us. Realization dawned on me. The two could be twins… or mother and daughter.

"Her name's Bella. She's eighteen… and a Cullen. She risked her life to give us this moment. The least you can do for her is to take her home safe and sound. I'm afraid she inherited my bad luck, beside other things."

I gave a look at the younger Bella. She was looking at me and her mother, and she was beaming with satisfaction. I hugged Bella closer to me. I didn't want this moment to end. Spending the eternity with Bella in my arms was the only thing I ever asked from life, but I was so stupid to give up my chance at happiness for a life in a type of hell a thousand times worse than the one I feared was waiting for me after death.

"I'll love you forever and a day, Edward," said Bella, letting me go. "And if you love me… go. Find your way back to your family. Be happy. And live. For me."

"I started to live when I met you. You're condemning me to an endless sufferance, my beloved… but how can I refuse you anything?"

"Look for me, Edward… Like I looked for you all these years. I'll find my way back to you. Doesn't matter how or when."

I was going to reply, when I saw Bella's child looking fatigued and in distress.

"Bella… are you fine?"

"I don't know…" she replied. "I feel tired…"

Bella hugged her daughter, and like me, her child clung on to her like her life depended on it.

"I don't wanna lose you again."

"You never will. But my unfinished business is resolved now… and so is Alice's. It's time for us to go… wherever we're supposed to go. Any clues, Bella?"

"Not even one. I'll have to study harder."

"I love you. Both of you. Never forget that..."

Bella smiled at us, and a second after… she was gone. We went back in the cell, and I caught Bella before she fell on the ground. Her eyes were dark. Whatever happened, it had drained her. She needed to feed, and we both needed to run away from there.

"Wait," she whispered. "We have… we have to do something before running away."

She explained what the ghosts had told her, and what she had promised them. She talked with someone – a woman – and soon after she told me to move and follow her directions. I didn't know how, but we were walking completely unnoticed in the corridors. She needed help to walk, so I held her by her waist.

"The ghosts… they're shielding us," she explained to me. "And I'm probably shielding you. This power is completely crazy."

"You're the first I ever heard of with this ability."

"It's a Quileute thing. Mom married a Quileute named Jacob… he is a werewolf. I got lucky… no wolf gene."

"He must not be happy about your new life. Considering how much they hate vampires."

"You don't care about being disowned from a family you never belonged to," she said, with such sadness my heart ached for her. I wondered what had happened to her before becoming a vampire and how she had met my family, but now it wasn't the right moment.

We finally arrived to the room Bella wanted to see. It was an enormous storage room, filled with shelves and boxes catalogued in an elegant handwriting in chronological order. Bella had her head against me; I shivered, thinking of how many people the Volturi had killed in three thousand years of life. It was useless looking for the oldest boxes; we went straight for the more recent ones. On the labels were the countries of residence of the objects and the date of death of their owners. The accuracy, the order was… sickening. Bella listened to her ghosts and told me which boxes to take, three in total. One labeled Vancouver, Canada, 18/11/97; another one labeled Dublin, Ireland, 25/12/07, and the last one, Boston, Massachusetts, 07/06/01.

I disappeared between the shelves, looking for the boxes. Bella sat in a corner, trying to rest a little before getting out. Suddenly I heard the door opening, and a few second later Bella reached me.

"They know. We have to run."

Bella

The woman was insanely beautiful. Her dark skin lightly glowed at the light of the torches, her curly hair was loose on her shoulders. You couldn't help but feel intimidated. She gave me a surprised look, and only then I realized she was seeing me though my army of ghosts. She growled. I widened my eyes in fear and I immediately run to Edward. We have to go!

"They know. We have to run," I shouted to him, taking his arm and obliging to run. One of the boxes fell on the ground… I tried to take it back, but there was no time. I could hear the guards, and the voice of that mysterious female shouting orders. She could see me. How was that possible? No one saw me there!

"Take that little human thief! Immediately!"

"Right away, Milady."

I thanked God my eyes were dark and not golden. Better for me to be believed human… and good thing she didn't see the other boxes in Edward's hands. Or Edward.

I clutched one of them, and ran away with Edward. The ghosts told us where to go to exit that horrible place, but they didn't escort us. They formed a compact front to hide our escape… I looked back just once, and it was like a thick fog appeared out of nowhere in the corridor where we were. I could hear whispers, incitements to run and not look back. I could also hear that female vampire, whose name now I knew was Elissa, shouting to the guards to kill me as soon as they get me.

Once we were again in Volterra's centre, we ran to my car… and disappeared.

"How long till they…?"

"Realize I'm gone? Soon. Very soon."

"Do you know that woman?"

Edward gave me a sad smile. "Elissa. Unfortunately, yes, I do know her."

"How could she see me?"

"I don't know. She's one of the latest additions to their family. A sort of African sorceress."

"She saw me. She thought I was human, though… Good for me, I suppose."

At least for now. But since I didn't have any intention to go back to Italy anytime soon, there was a chance that the Volturi would forget about this little incident...

"Do you think we'll see them again?"

I sighed. "Alice disappeared after I got to your cell. Mom said she will try and find a way back. I… Edward, nothing would make me happier than to have her here with me, with us, forever, but…"

"But you don't know if it's possible."

"I'm sorry. All bets are off. I don't know what will happen next. What I do know, anyway, is that if I don't call home right now, Esme and Carlisle will kill me with their bare hands. And so will Rosalie and Emmett."

"And Jasper?"

I took a sad expression. "Jasper won't kill me. His disappointment will be more than enough to make me wish I was dead, though. I left a week before our wedding."

Edward was shocked. "You… you are going to marry Jasper?"

"Long story, big brother. I'll save it for the flight."

The boxes we managed to save were the ones labeled 'Ireland' and 'Massachusetts'. I still felt guilty for losing the third box, but like Edward made me realize during the flight, it was us or them. And now I'd have the chance to do some good with those objects, instead of being killed by the Volturi for my lack of respect for them and their traditions.

I couldn't believe that I had left my safe house in Vancouver just two days before. Sometimes it seemed longer… but now that the things were less crazy, I hid in the toilet, I turned my phone on, and I called Carlisle.

"Bella, where are you? What happened? Why did you run away? Give us an explanation, I beg you."

"You have no idea how much I'm happy to hear your voice again, Carlisle," I said, and I meant it.

"Bella… what happened to you?"

"Alice sent me on a quest, so to speak. I couldn't wait for you to come back. But the most important thing is that I'm coming home right now. With… a surprise that will make Esme forget why she probably wants to kill me right now. I didn't want to upset you or Jasper. I… I had to do it. I'll properly beg for your forgiveness when I'm back in Vancouver."

I told Carlisle when my plane would land at the airport, and he told me he would be there with all the family.

"I understand why you called me first," he said then. "But call Jasper as soon as we end this conversation. He was shocked not to find you at home. He needs to know you're coming back safe and sound."

"I'll make amends to him, Carlisle, I swear. See you soon."

I closed the call, and I immediately called Jasper. The relief in his voice was going to make me cry.

"Bella… Alice had a vision, now I know, and that was her reason to disappear. But… I don't understand yours."

"Don't think for a second that it's your fault. It's not. Alice ordered me to do something for her… for the family. I'm over the Atlantic right now, I'll be in Vancouver soon. And I can't wait to see you again, my love. I can't wait to be your wife. I love you so much, and I swear I'll make up to you for this."

"Hurry up. It's incredible how much I worry when you're not here with me. I feared the werewolves… it's not the first time I didn't find you and only had a weird message as an explanation."

I sighed. "God, I'm so sorry. I didn't… well, it's pretty much obvious I didn't think much of the consequences when I left."

"We all can't wait to hear your explanation. Especially Esme."

"Remember that you want me to come back, not to run away."

He laughed. "Come home, love. I'll be at the airport waiting for you."

"Can't wait. I love you."

"I love you too."

I closed the call and sighed, happy that I managed to clear things with him. I went back to Edward and sat next to him. He tried to dissimulate, but I knew he was still shocked about what had happened to him in the last hours. That place in Volterra had been his home for almost two decades, and now he had left it... I sort of knew how he felt. The reservation wasn't a dungeon, but it was my prison. Leaving that place confused me, scared me… and revealed itself to be the best decision I would ever take. It would be the same for him. I was sure of that.

"How are you, Edward? The truth. And don't try to dazzle me. Mom warned me in advance about that thing of yours."

He laughed. "I'd like to know what else Bella told you about me."

"Alice went to see her when she was pregnant with me. Since mom didn't want to end the pregnancy… well, Alice took care of giving me all the clues I needed to find the truth about my new family, because she had promised her the Cullens would take care of me. She asked mom to write a diary... she wrote everything you ever said to her in those pages."

I looked at his expression, and told him that I would give it to him to read once we were home. It was the last thing left of her, excluding myself. And he needed to know mom had forgiven him long, long time ago.

"Bella... I'm curious. When did you…?"

"Change? Eighteen months ago."

"What? You shouldn't have done this! You're too young!"

"Jasper trained me since day one. You can see for yourself… I don't have problems being so close to other people. I just have to eat properly."

"I hope you're right."

"Don't worry, I am."

My confidence faltered a little when we landed. The menace represented by Esme's wrath was something that scared even Edward. He took care of our baggage, and I preceded him to the arrival area. My –our– family was there, meddled in the crowd. The moment I saw Jasper, I ran in his arms and hugged him with all my strength. Soon after, I felt Esme taking me away from his arms to shout at me 'Don't you dare scare me like that ever again!' and then hug me fiercely. I felt Carlisle's fatherly hand on my head, I saw Rosalie waiting her turn to hug me… and then Emmett, who was tired of waiting, engulfed me and Esme in his arms, saying happily that his little sister was crazy like an horse and that he was incredibly happy that I made it home without causing a plane crash with my bad luck.

Edward was watching us cheering and laughing from behind a column. I could tell he was nervous. I bit my lip, and I told them that my explanation couldn't wait till we were home.

"Carlisle explained to us that Alice, or at least her ghost, told you to go abroad to look for something," said Rosalie. "What is this thing you had to look for?"

"Not a thing, Rose. A person. Someone that, according to Alice, couldn't miss the wedding for the world."

I made a sign to Edward to come to us, and after he had taken a deep breath, he obeyed. Everyone was staring at him like they were seeing a ghost… I had to reassure them they hadn't suddenly become like me. Edward slowly put on the ground my bag and the boxes we had stolen, and moved towards Esme and Carlisle. They both hugged him, her faces beaming with incredible joy and relief. To say that everyone was deliriously happy was an euphemism.

After greeting his long-lost brother, Jasper had to excuse himself. The emotions were too strong for him to bear. I waited a few minutes, then I reached him near the windows.

"You ok?" I said hugging him from behind.

"Yes. Sorry… too many emotions."

I kissed his shoulder. "I know. I would sleep for a week if I could."

"You couldn't even when you were human, after you discovered the truth about us."

"Right. 24 hours sounds more plausible?"

He turned to face me and hug me properly.

"I'm sorry I left you."

"You're back. That's the only thing that counts."

I kissed him and like always, we forgot about everything and everyone else around us. Well, almost everyone.

"Hey, you two!" shouted Emmett. "It's a public place! Wait till you're home to do certain things!"

We burst out laughing. Usually it was what we said to him and Rosalie… and he was really enjoying the fact that he could tell us that now.

I took a moment to watch my family. I was still fighting with the part of me that kept on mourning the loss of my mortality, but I'd had so many things in return, I didn't know where to start counting from. And now Edward was home, where he was supposed to be. I silently promised to my mother and Alice I would do my best to help him adjust. Maybe I couldn't see or talk to them anymore, but it didn't change the fact I could still feel them there. As long as we remembered them, they'd be a part of the family.

Jasper and I joined the rest of the family, and we all headed home. There were still many things Edward and I had to say and do… and I had the last-minute details to fix before the wedding!

And for once I didn't fear something would happen to ruin our happiness… We changed the finale of the story, after all. Not even mom and my's legendary bad luck could ruin such perfection.

Everybody lived, in this one. And for a change, everybody got their happy end.

Especially myself.

So... here we are. The end.

Thanks to Bailey-An, DarkShadowMuffin, kagori-chan, Obsessed.with.writing, Ellie-Kitty, BrokenIsABeautifulSound, MrsxJacobXBlack, Raisins-and-Kleenex, BreeCarter, nia-ox, Kolored, for the wonderful rewiews!

Like I already said, this fic will have a sequel... The title will be 'The Ties That Bind', and will take place twenty years after Endless Waltz. I'll introduce a new character, Elizabeth St. John, and Bella will have to face once again her past and the werewolves in La Push, since I'm evil and all ; )

Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!

-- Jade