Hi Everyone! I'm going to try and keep this short and sweet and just get right to the story, but I figured I'd give you insight…I don't see nearly enough Bella & Felix stories. So I figured I'd try my hand at writing one. I write stories on my own but I figured I'd love to write a fanfic.

Summary? After Bella, Edward, and Alice return from Volterra, Edward makes a decision that changes everything…What will Bella's path be? Was Edward ever who he portrayed to Bella?

I own nothing except the plot.

BPoV:

I wanted to die. I watched in helpless horror as Edward turned and looked at me.

"Bella, I will always be grateful to you for saving me, but this is just not safe anymore." He said, watching for my reaction. I took a deep breath in.

"You're going to leave me here, alone, at the mercy of the Volturi when they come back to check if I've been turned? At the mercy of Victoria if she comes back?" I asked levelly. He thought for a moment, then answered me. His words were like drops of ice cold steel to my stomach.

"The Volturi will not come for a few months. By then you will be away at college." he explained. I shook my head minutely…the tracker, whats-his-name…Demetri…he'd find me. Edward continued.

"Victoria wants an exchange…mate for mate. She'll not harm you…because you are not my mate." With that he ran. Not even seeing me home safely. This irritated me to no end, and suddenly my perfect Edward seemed slightly less perfect. I sighed. I'd try to find my way home, and with any luck, I'd make it before dark.

I began walking in the direction I thought we had come from, and cursed myself out loud for not having paid attention to anything but Edward.

"Ugh, I'm so stupid!" I turned in shock when I heard a soft, breathy reply.

"Yes, silly human, you are." I looked for a moment before I saw the red hair.

"Victoria…" She stepped from being partially behind a tree as if in reply.

"Bella…are you ready to die?" She sneered. Her red eyes looked frighteningly evil. I looked at her. I could understand her anger at the loss of James. Hell, I was angry at Edward right now too.

"Victoria…before you kill me, don't worry, I won't stop you…but let me say how sorry I am that you lost James…I know he was trying to kill me, and that's why he died, and if I were you, I'd be pretty mad at me too." I spoke, wondering to myself why no one had thought to offer Victoria some words of comfort. I mean, her mate died, and no one bothered to help her mourn. I looked at her, and there was a look of sheer confusion on her face. I took a deep breath and continued.

"I know what it's like to feel like your whole world has been ripped apart, and to have your heart feel like there's just this raw, gaping hole, and it hurts, it hurts so bad, and I'm so sorry I was a factor in his death…But at least your mate loved you…mine's just left me here to die."

Needless to say I was shocked when she dropped to her knees and started wailing. I cautiously moved closer to her, step by step, and in the most bizarre twist of events I have ever experienced in my entire life, I was holding a vampire comfortingly in my arms…a heartbroken vampire who'd made it her mission to kill me.

"Victoria? Are you alright? Is there something I can do for you? I mean, I know I could die, and that's what you want, and that's okay, but can I do something for you first? Do you need anything?" Victoria looked at me, extracted herself from my arms, and stood up. I held my breath and began trembling slightly.

"He left you here alone?" She asked. I nodded, gulping, certain that death would be soon coming. She knelt down before me and put her finger under my chin, lifting my head until I met her gaze. "I'm so sorry for everything, Victoria…it's all my fault." She shook her head.

"Bella…you apologized, fully prepared to die…and then you tried to comfort me. I may feed on human blood but I'm not completely heartless…I am not going to kill you. I loved James, he loved me, and we never doubted it. What Edward has done to you is inexcusable…he left you all alone, fully aware of the danger. I am angry for you." She offered me her hand and helped me get up.

"Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot, little Swan." She said. Ohhkaaayyy…I thought to myself. This is definitely weird…but at least I'm not going to die…at least not at the hands of Victoria…the Volturi, however…

"Victoria?" She glanced at me and I continued. "You weren't my only problem…the Volturi let Alice and Edward and I out of Volterra on the condition that I be turned…and soon." I can't believe I'm about to ask my former enemy for her help… "And that's obviously not going to happen…" I trailed off. Victoria sat down on a rock and thought.

"What if we took you to Volterra, and explained that the Cullens left you again, but you wanted to come to Italy to honor the requirement placed upon you by the Volturi, even if none of the Cullens had any intention of honoring it? That might work…" Her voice trailed off. I nodded. It probably was the best policy.

"I need to sit down or eat, or I don't know…This is all a bit much to take…Everything I thought I knew has sort of flipflopped…Edward's gone, you aren't trying to kill me, in fact, you just came up with probably the best idea ever on how to solve my problem….I need to process all of this." I said quietly, knowing full well Victoria could hear me.

Okay, I was definitely NOT planning on Victoria becoming nice, or on Bella comforting her, but I guess my ideas just ran away with themselves. I like the direction it's starting to take though…Please Read & Review!