Just to clear something up, Bella's eyes are described as red in the last few chapters because she's still very much so a newborn

And to BerryElilBunny, I'm so sorry! Please don't stab with with a lint roller! I'll do anything! Please, I have a family!!!!!

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"No, he communicated why he left pretty easily." She said. "I can't blame him for not loving me."

"That's the very miscommunication I'm talking about, though." I explained. I could feel her confusion. "Allow me to clarify."

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And now he does, enjoy!

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BPOV

After a minute or so of letting the shock wear off, I finally found my voice.

"He- he loves me?" I asked, unable to believe the words, even as they came out of my own mouth. Jasper's story made no sense, but it was nearly flawless. If Edward really did love me, if he left me to protect me and had been a miserable wreck since then, only one thing didn't make sense. "He's been so happy here, though."

"That was all me. I've been putting a lot of time and effort into fabricating happiness for him while we're around you." Jasper explained.

"Why does he want to pretend to be happy?" I asked.

"Why do you?" He countered.

"I don't want him to feel guilty about not loving me." I said. It took a second for me to realize what I'd said. "He doesn't want me to feel guilty?" I asked, astounded at how the excuse made so much sense when I used, and sounded so ridiculous of a reason for him.

Jasper nodded.

I was silent again for another minute.

"He loves me?" I asked again.

"Immensely."

His words had finally begun to sink in, and they made sense. Of course Edward would do whatever it took to protect me from his kind. Of course he would think that danger made it not worth it. Of course he wouldn't understand how much I loved him, he never seemed to. It all seemed so obvious now, I was actually angry I hadn't realized it earlier. How could I have fallen for his happy façade? Looking back, it was so obvious he was miserable.

I had to see him.

"I have to go." I said quietly.

Jasper nodded, he needed no more explanation.

I knew I wouldn't be able to walk at human speed throughout the city, so I ran around the city to the secret entrance into the castle on the eastern face. I ran thought the catacombs of tunnels that snaked under the city until I came into the basement of the castle. I didn't stop running as I followed his scent into a smaller guest room where he was lying back on the largely unnecessary bed, misery leaking from him. I approached him slowly, and he didn't seem to realize me until I was only a step away from where he lay. He sat up slowly as I sat down at the foot of the bed.

"So…" I said conversationally.

"So…" he responded, neither really trying to hide his misery, nor show it to me.

"Jasper's been fabricating happiness for you, huh?" I asked uneasily.

"He told you that." It should have been a question, but it wasn't.

"He didn't have to," or really, he shouldn't have had to, "but he did."

Edward was silent. He was looking at his own lap, miserable and ashamed. After what was far too long of waiting for him to speak, I put my hand on his cheek and lifted his head up to look into his eyes. His head leaned into my hand almost unwillingly, like a burn being put in cold water. His hand twitched up for a second, as if to join mine on his cheek, but he obviously decided against it.

"I don't want you to be miserable." I said.

He sighed, and the ashamed look was back. "Then I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all that I've put you through, all the horrible things I've done to you, I'm sorry I ever left you unprotected, I'm sorry I've done nothing right by you, and now I'm sorry for upsetting you once again." He said so quickly that if I'd been a human I knew I wouldn't have caught it all. He let his face fall from my hand. I put my hand right back where it was on his cheek, and leaned in this time before pulling his head up. When I didn't our faces were only inches apart.

"I want you to be happy." I said, both our breathing patterns slipping as we realized just how close we were. I stared into his eyes for a long moment; noticing the slightest glint of hope, and somehow just knowing that it was me he was hoping for. I closed the space between our lips so quickly I'm honestly not sure if it actually counted as a movement. He was rigid with shock for split second, before kissing me back more fiercely than he ever had while I was human. I pushed him back down onto the bed as we kissed, and he wrapped one arm around my back and let the other weave into my hair.

It must have been a long time, but it seemed all too short when we finally separated. As we stared into each other's eyes, neither of us loosed our hold on the other.

"Still miserable?" I asked, trying to sound teasing, though my ragged breathing ruined the effect.

He groaned. "Please don't tell me that's why you're doing this!" He almost sounded like he was begging.

"Partially," I allowed. He groaned again. "Then there was also my misery to take into account." I rest my head on his shoulder and kissed the side of his neck. "I feel much better now, though."

He laughed once, relieved. "I love you." He said.

"I love you, too." I responded, euphoric at the fact that I could say those words again. The perfect, silent moment was ruined within seconds; Demetri was pushing against my shield, trying to find out where I was. I groaned.

"Bella?" Edward asked, worried, even, as my hands around his neck started to loosen.

"Demetri is looking for me." I explained.

He looked confused.

"Aro is looking for me." I clarified.

"Should I come with you?" He asked, it was obvious he wanted to.

"You'd better not. Aro is… easily aggravated when it comes to guard business." I told him.

He sighed as he loosened his grip on me. He didn't want to let go of me any more than I wanted to let go of him.

"Go to the library." I suggested, knowing his family would be there. "I'll meet you there afterwards. Besides, you need to prepare your family to meet your new girlfriend." I said with a smile. He smiled too, and kissed me briefly one last time before letting me go.

I walked out of the room, but ran the rest of the way, not wanting to test Aro's impatience. I was smiling as I walked into the room, though I was slightly aware that everyone's face was troubled. But how could I not be in high spirits now? Soon I would be living with Edward and his family, and I would finally be somewhere where I felt I belonged. The only question left was when to tell Aro I was resigning.

"I had a conversation with Carlisle today." Aro began to say to all of us. He had my undivided attention the second he said Carlisle's name. "His daughter, Alice, as you all know, can see things that will happen, and she has seen us having some… visitors over the next few days." He explained. "You all know what this means. William and Olivia have caught wind of our open invitation, as we expected, and are coming to confirm their fears." He said, looking to me. "Will you be ready?" he asked me.

I wanted to cry. If I were still a human, I was sure tears would be silently streaking down my face. How could I have so foolishly forgotten my obligation here? I could I have looked over the fact that I had been training in preparation for a war all year? How could I have for even one fleeting moment thought that I could so easily just leave the Volturi?

William and Olivia were the greatest threat the Volturi ever faced. It would take them a year or two, no time at all to us, to raise an undefeatable army. William could sense the powers and their magnitude not only in other vampires, but also the potential in humans, and Olivia could make those without a purpose follow her blindly. Their plan was as simple as it was practical: William finds those with great power, they change them, and Olivia recruits them before they can find anything else to attach themselves to. Their own powers were nothing particularly special, and their potential to raise an army wasn't threatening until just two years ago, when their plans to take over the Volturi's position as royalty became known. The only difference: they believe vampires shouldn't hide from the human race; they should dominate over them.

Aro spent the first year worrying about what he would do if such a powerful army did arise, but hasn't feared them since my power was discovered. Both he and William knew that their only advantage was the special abilities of the vampires on their side, and as long as I could rid them of that, they didn't stand a chance.

I couldn't leave. I was all that was preventing a war.

"Yes, Aro, I'm ready." I said, wishing I didn't have to be. Wishing there was some way I could still leave with the Cullens. But the wonderful fantasy of my life with them was never going to be anything more than that: a fantasy.

"We should ask our guest to leave before they get here." Aro said. "Felix, Bella, would you please let them know?"

"Of course." I said sadly.

Aro was both confused and disturbed by my despondency. He beckoned me over, and held out his hand for me to explain.

I sighed as I put my hand in his and dropped my shield. I only let through the events of today, as I knew what he was looking for and everything else he already knew.

"I see." He mused as he came to understand every conclusion I had come to. I set off to the library, with Felix shortly behind me, as the rest of the guard dispersed.

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Ever realize how in the twilight books every time Edward and Bella start to get to some sort of happy ending, something gets in the way of it? Well, being a twilight fanfiction, I could let the spirit of the story die!

^_^