A few months prior

I watched my sister from the corner of my eye, not bothering to hide how anxious I was. Bella had spiralled again, hard, after Jacob's recent rejection. It was all so odd, because I had no doubt that he loved my sister. Infatuation was probably the better word, but still it had been clear as day on his face each time he looked at my twin. And then suddenly, he was breaking up with her not unlike how Jared had broken up with me. I would have been furious with Quileute boys for apparently all being cowardly, but I was too worried about Bella.

Which was how I now found myself edging slowly into a picturesque clearing in the woods behind her. It had taken the entire morning to find the place given Bella had only ever been to the place before with Edward leading. But finally, it seemed we'd found it. The special place Bella wanted to find, her only remaining positive memory with her ex-boyfriend. Except... now, all that remained was a plain old meadow. It was as though seeing it empty had reopened the rawness of her wounds because Bella had collapsed to her knees just inside the clearing where she started to shake with dry sobs.

I gingerly made my way over to my twin and knelt down carefully beside her. We'd been at odds the last month after she'd become a bit of an adrenaline junkie and she hadn't liked my disapproval while I disliked her recklessness. But that didn't mean I wished pain on my sister. As Bella continued to shake, I hugged her to my side. At first, she stiffened - but then she bent into my embrace, holding me close as she leant her head in the crook of my shoulder.

"Oh, Bells." I murmured. Bella sniffed, swallowing back her sobs and she pushed herself to her feet.

"Let's go." She mumbled.

I followed her up, not saying anything about how quickly she wanted to leave after spending hours searching for this place. I'd already suspected that finding the meadow would only end in crushing disappointment - because really, what was a special place without the person who had made it special? I'd tossed my prom dress deep inside my closet so I would never have to see it again after Jared broke up with me because just seeing the dress reminded me of the wonderful night we'd shared. And my feelings for Jared had been nowhere near as strong as Bella's for Edward.

But as soon as I was on my feet, I realized someone had joined us. A dark-haired figure had appeared from between the trees not thirty feet away... and he was staring right at us. I recognized him instantly: the unusual pallor beneath dark skin, the otherworldly beauty, the slight crouch he stood in that was definitely not human, and the dark red eyes that pierced mine.

"Laurent!"

I jumped a little at the pleased surprise in Bella's voice. What was she so happy about? The guy's coven had tried to kill us the last time we met and Victoria was still after us. Laurent stared at us, and it was then that I realized he was looking at my twin in utter surprise.

"Bella?" Laurent asked, his voice as beautiful as all vampires' although it was coloured with his astonishment.

"You remember."

I glanced at my sister, questioning her sanity. Laurent had clearly not taken to the animal diet and the darkness of his eyes meant he was thirsty. Sure, he'd run away the last time, unwilling to become involved in the fight between the Cullens and James. But only unwilling because he had been scared, according to Jasper. Scared of the size and strength of the Cullen family against James's coven. So what would happen now that there was no Cullen family around?

Laurent grinned back at Bella and I really didn't like the glint I saw in his eyes as he strolled casually toward us. "I didn't expect to see you here... or your sister."

"Isn't it the other way around? We do live here. I thought you'd gone to Alaska." Bella pointed out.

I grasped Bella's hand tightly as the vampire only stopped about ten paces away, an easy distance even for a regular human to cross in an instant and absolute nothing to a vampire. Laurent's gaze flickered down to my hand and then he looked back at me curiously before he looked at Bella once again even as he spoke to her conversationally.

"You're right, I did go to Alaska. Still, I didn't expect... When I found the Cullen place empty, I thought they'd moved on."

"Oh." Bella's voice faltered. "They did move on."

Laurent's gaze sharpened and I shifted uneasily as the very air around us seemed to change in that instant even if he kept his tone light and friendly.

"I'm surprised they left you behind. Weren't you sort of a pet of theirs?"

I would have been offended for my sister if I wasn't suddenly very afraid. Bella, however, seemed completely oblivious as she answered wryly, "Something like that. "

"Hmm..." Laurent eyed us thoughtfully, his eyes flickering back to me curiously.

I met his gaze as unflinchingly as I could... only to jerk when Bella suddenly took a step back as though in shock. Laurent's eyes zeroed in on the movement and a lazy but triumphant smirk appeared on his face. My heart sank; why was my gut never wrong?

"Do they visit often?" Laurent asked casually, but his eyes were too focused and too dark for us to buy it.

I spoke up first, not trusting Bella to lie. "Every now and again."

Laurent's eyes came back to me and he cocked a brow indulgently. "Do they now?"

"Well, only Edward really, and he takes care not to be seen by our dad when he does - he wasn't too happy with him when Carlisle had to leave before people asked any more why he wasn't getting older." I pretended to scoff. Laurent's lip curled.

"And they left you behind?" He looked back at Bella, who straightened.

"Well, I have my dad and my sister." Bella gestured at me, but her voice was lame and fell a bit flat.

I grimaced internally when Laurent's grin widened. Bella, likely noticing the same thing, added quickly, "I'll have to mention to Carlisle that you stopped by. He'll be sorry they missed your visit."

My sister, I decided, needed to be formally trained how to lie. I could easily hear the lie in her voice and I had no doubt Laurent could too. He feigned thought as he looked around the meadow but he took a casual step to the side that brought him one step closer to us. I deliberated taking a step back, but decided against it; it would make very little difference to a vampire and it would only shatter the fragile dance we were currently playing.

I had only one hope - my eyes landed on a heavy log nearby even as Bella said in a high voice, "So how are things working out in Denali? Carlisle said you were staying with Tanya?"

The question made Laurent pause and he looked back at Bella. "I like Tanya very much. And her sister Irina even more. I've never stayed in one place for so long before, and I enjoy the advantages, the novelty of it. But, the restrictions are difficult - I'm surprised that any of them can keep it up for long."

He smirked. "Sometimes I cheat."

And like that, I knew without question we were goners. But maybe not if we surprised him first.

"Did Victoria ever find you?" Bella was quite obviously grasping desperately at straws. Surprisingly, her question did stop him.

"Yes." Laurent admitted, hesitating as he stared at us. "I actually came here as a favor to her."

He pulled a face.

"She won't be happy about this."

"About what?" Bella grasped eagerly at Laurent's reluctance, but I suspected it was not good news for us.

To only my sister's surprise, Laurent smiled winningly back before he answered in a low pur, "About me killing you."

Bella stumbled back, dragging me with her. I used it - it was bringing us closer to the log.

"She wanted to save that part for herself." Laurent explained like he was telling us a fascinating story about rainbows. "She's sort of... put out with you, Bella."

"Me?" Bella asked in a squeak. I pulled us further back, looking like I was trying to put distance between us and the vampire stalking us while getting closer and closer to the log. I just hoped that Bella would be able to run without falling.

Laurent didn't pay me the slightest bit of attention as he told Bella pleasantly, "I know, it seems a little backward to me, too. But James was her mate, and your Edward and his family killed him. She thought it more appropriate to kill you - and your little friend - than Edward and his brother. Fair turnabout, mate for mate. She asked me to get the lay of the land for her, so to speak. I didn't imagine you would be so easy to get to. So maybe her plan was flawed. Apparently it wouldn't be the revenge she imagined, since you must not mean very much to him if he left you here unprotected."

"Please." Bella gasped and Laurent shook his head at her.

"Look at it this way, Bella. You're very lucky I was the one to find you."

"Am I?" Bella asked, trembling now as she clutched my hand tightly.

"Yes." Laurent smiled comfortingly and I recoiled in disgust and fear. "I'll be very quick. You won't feel a thing, I promise. Oh, I'll lie to Victoria about that later, naturally, just to placate her. But if you knew what she had planned for you and your friend, Bella..."

He shook his head.

"Perhaps your friend will be able to tell you about it when you're both dead. You humans believe in life after death, do you not?" His eyes flickered to me. "Although I am sorry you were here, young one. Victoria didn't have much in store for you, for you to be spared from. But perhaps it will be consolation enough that you won't have to live wondering what happened to your sister."

My jaw clenched and Laurent smiled again with that angel's smile that disguised the devil beneath. His eyes moved back to Bella, who seemed frozen, and he inhaled deeply.

"Mouthwatering." He murmured.

It was then that I moved. I jerked as I felt the tingle I hadn't felt in a while as my power shot through me. Laurent jumped in shock as the heavy log beside us suddenly flew right at him. It smashed into his body, sending him stumbling back a little mostly from surprise while the wood shattered upon impact and sent splinters flying. At the same time, I pushed Bella and yelled at her, "RUN!"

Bella stumbled back as she started to make a run for it while I faced Laurent, who turned to stare at me in surprise.

"Huh." He murmured. "So that's what Victoria meant."

And then he was leaping at me in a blur I almost didn't see... except I did because he suddenly froze mid-attack. He landed in a crouch not five steps away from me and turned to stare at something in the trees. And then he was suddenly backing away from me, his eyes fixed on the trees in shock.

"I don't believe it." His voice was so low I almost missed it, especially as I heard Bella scream behind me.

"Mia!"

Apparently, my sister hadn't run away after all, and I felt a twinge of annoyance beneath the adrenaline pounding through me. Why could she not just save herself if I was throwing myself in the way to save her? What good was it if we both died? And then all thoughts left my brain as I turned to look at what had scared Laurent, and I came face to face with a huge wolf with fur as dark as midnight... and the size of a small elephant.

It was impossible... no wolf could be this big, it was just not natural. And yet, there it stood, plain as day. I flinched, barely breathing as the wolf bared its teeth, which looked about the length of my forearm, and let out a loud warning snarl. And as if things couldn't possibly get weirder, more wolves entered the meadow from the shadows of the trees. All were of varying colour, some brown and some a lighter grey, but all were about as large as the first.

I froze, unable to move as terror gripped me. Somehow, the wolves scared me more than a vampire did and I was trapped in my own body as I stared at the wolves with utter fear. It made no sense, but somehow, I justified that Laurent might take pity on me and snap my neck. A quick death, rather than an agonizing death eaten by wolves.

And then, the last impossible thing happened. The wolves completely ignored me... and instead charged after Laurent. Even more bizarrely, the vampire, who I realized belatedly had continued his retreat while I had been gobsmacked by the appearance of the wolves, turned and fled into the trees in an inhuman blur. And somehow, the wolves chased after him with a speed almost just as fast.

Only two paused in their steps. A brown wolf with shorter fur than the others and dark gray markings around its eyes, almost like a mask, stopped to stare at me briefly before it followed its alpha. I only had enough time to notice its oddly intelligent brown eyes before it was gone; and my attention was stolen by another wolf that had strayed toward my sister. I almost fainted at the sight of the giant russet-coloured wolf that had stopped beside Bella; only Bella's own wide-eyed, curious stare stopped me from running toward her. I did however take a stumbling step in their direction, terrified the wolf would maul my sister.

The wolf's head jerked over to stare at me and I was again unnerved by the intelligence in the dark brown eyes that stared at me with almost familiarity. And then the wolf turned on its heel and raced after its fellows. Leaving me and Bella alone in the clearing once again.

*************

Present

Being back home was... different.

First, I felt different. Volterra had changed me, whether for good or bad was debatable but there was no doubt in my mind that however it had, it had changed me forever. I was still haunted by the screams and it was on more than one occasion I woke up violently from seeing Daisy disappear from my reach into that terrible chamber. The clock was also ticking on my own life and every morning I woke up reminded of the fact that I was one day closer to being separated from my family and friends forever. To say this did nothing to improve my mood was an understatement although I tried hard not to let my dad see how terrified and sad I was whenever I thought of him finding out I had "disappeared" in Europe.

Thankfully, my dad didn't appear to notice. Not so thankfully, it was because he had other things to keep his attention occupied. Which was another thing that had changed: the Cullens had all returned following Edward and Bella's reunion. My dad wasn't the only one less than thrilled by this development. I had started spending most of my days at La Push just so I wouldn't have to see Edward more than I absolutely had to now that he was back at school. Besides, I was always in good company as I wasn't the only one avoiding the Cullens, whom I was no longer as friendly with as I had been before.

And most importantly, going to La Push meant I could also avoid my sister for as long as possible. Bella had changed the most since before I'd left for Italy, returning to her high spirits as if the last six months had never happened. Except they had and it caused a strain on everyone because six months ago, I hadn't disliked Edward. Six months ago, we and our closest friends had been in healthy relationships. And six months ago, I wasn't absolutely furious with my sister and refusing to speak with her as we ended up fighting every single time we did since the first night I came back home.

*************

Three weeks earlier

Things had been tense between Bella and I throughout my welcome home dinner given the way I had screamed at her the last time we'd been together. I hadn't been sure exactly what I was expecting when Charlie finally gave up and escaped to watch TV, leaving Bella and me in the kitchen. A part of me was preparing to apologize for yelling at her in Volterra and I recalled vaguely that a part of me had dreaded if she would ask about Demetri. Of course, all those thoughts were dashed when Bella finally did speak as soon as Charlie was out of earshot.

"Mia, there's something you need to know."

I frowned; that wasn't what I had expected her to say at all.

"Okay-?"

"The date's set."

I stared at my sister blankly. 'What is she talking about?'

"And I think you should turn at the same time as me."

For a second that felt much longer, my brain slowed down as Bella's words sank in. And then it was like time sped up as my mind into overdrive. I barely heard her explain how it would make it easier to explain to Charlie if we both disappeared together. My ears were too busy ringing and I was starting to red. This was what she wanted to talk about first? She didn't want to talk about the mauling we'd witnessed in Volterra or even how my trip had been? Did she not care that I'd witnessed my friend die?

Something Bella was saying penetrated the buzzing in my ears at that moment and I turned my gaze sharply toward her.

"What did you just say?"

Bella paused mid-sentence, looking a little confused. "About what?"

"Did you just say you wanted to turn after graduation?" I demanded and Bella frowned.

"It makes sense to do it then." Bella said defensively, her whole body stiff now. "That way, there's an excuse for us to leave. And it's easier to give an excuse for why we'd disappear-"

"So in just three months, you'll say goodbye to mom and dad forever?" I snapped, my temper fraying my nerves. "After the last six months of hell you put them through?"

Bella jerked slightly at that and her expression wavered briefly. But then the determination returned to her gaze and she jutted out her chin defiantly.

"Three months is long enough to prepare them. And any longer is dangerous. What if the Volturi come to check on us? What if they decide to hurt Charlie because we're still human?"

I slowly shook my head in disbelief. "And do the Cullens think that might be a possibility?"

"No, but I'm not risking it." Bella answered determinedly. "Not with my bad luck."

I shook my head again, only for my brain to short-circuit once again as Bella went on, "Besides, we all voted and we agreed that after graduation was the right time."

I stared at my sister, who noticed my expression. "What?"

"You put it to a vote." My voice was flat. "With the Cullens?"

Bella frowned. "Yes, why?"

Anger wasn't a strong enough word for what I felt.

"You put your future to a vote with them, but you didn't even bother to ask what I think?"

Bella blinked and then, as understanding dawned, she shook her head. "Mia, I couldn't wait. I was tired of just waiting, I needed to take my life into my own hands for once. You understand, right?"

I was shaking by this point and Bella's tone turned apprehensive. She eyed me warily and gingerly reached for my hand when I remained silent.

"Mia-"

"Don't touch me." I pulled away from her harshly, ignoring the hurt that flashed across her face. What did she know of pain? "You were tired of waiting? Oh, that is rich, Bells."

Bella flinched while I glared at her.

"What about the months that I spent waiting for you to recover? What about the months dad and I spent trying to be supportive and be there for you when you just kept pushing us away like we meant nothing? Like we were nothing compared to Edward? And you want to talk about taking your life into your own hands? How about we talk about the fact that all you've done in the last six months is think about yourself? You risked your own life to ride that stupid bike with Jake, you jumped off a freaking cliff without supervision, and you jetted off to Italy without a word to dad when he needed you most, nevermind what it would have done to me and him if something had happened to you when you were being so utterly stupid!"

Bella looked taken aback at my outburst and guilt crossed her face before it was replaced with defiance and resentment.

"You know it wasn't that simple! Being without Edward... it was like trying to live without air!" Bella shot back defensively. "It's not like I wanted to be depressed- and I already said sorry about the cliff-diving thing! But I'm not sorry I went to Italy, not when it saved Edward-"

"Yes, because God knows how we'd all survive without him." I snapped.

Bella glared at me, her hands curling into tight fists at my insult to her boyfriend.

"Hey, girls."

Both Bella and I jumped as Charlie's voice sounded from the side. We turned just as Charlie poked his head gingerly around the doorway, eyeing us warily.

"Everything all right?" He asked carefully as his chocolate brown eyes darted between me and Bella. "I thought I heard shouting..."

"It's fine." I muttered, glaring at my sister who glared back at me. Clearly, she had no intention of listening to me. And I had no time or energy left for her crap.

"We're done anyway."

*************

Present

Since that night, Bella and I had barely spoken to each other. At school, she was always with Edward while I sat with Angela and Niki, who was also avoiding the Cullens. And after school, I escaped to La Push with Niki while Bella was forced to go home as part of her punishment from our dad for flying off to Italy.

I had also started avoiding dinner with my sister; unfortunately, that meant no dinner with my dad too but it was a small sacrifice I made up for with after-dinner TV together and weekend lunches. At first, Charlie tried to threaten Bella and me into being civil. That had backfired when Bella and I fell into one of the worst arguments we had ever had in our lives. I had come home in a foul mood after running into Jacob while in La Push, despite his best attempts to avoid me like he was avoiding Bella. Not that I blamed him: heartbreak was tough to deal with. No, I blamed my sister squarely for using Jacob the way she had while she was hurting only to run right back to Edward. A fact I didn't hesitate to mention when Bella, frustrated with Jacob's lack of contact, started complaining about how unfair it was that Charlie took Jacob's side after grounding her. It only went downhill from there. In fact, it was likely the first and only time Charlie was grateful to Edward, whose arrival put an end to the fight purely because I refused to see my sister's boyfriend and stormed up to my room while a red-faced Bella almost threw her plate after me out of frustration and anger.

Never had my sister and I been so at odds with each other, and yet as time passed we only seemed to drift further and further away. A change that no one welcomed but neither of us were trying to fix it.

Oddly enough, the highlight of my free time at home came from a most unexpected source. Twice a week since my return home, I had gotten a letter from Italy... from Demetri. I'd opened the first letter thinking it was from Lulu; I'd opened every letter since lying to myself that I did it because it might be from Lulu, and knowing full well I was just unable to fight against my curiosity. Demetri certainly seemed to know how to play on that too as he always sent a postcard with his letters that were designed to weaken my resolve. The wall above my desk was slowly becoming covered with the most beautiful pictures of architectural masterpieces like the Guggenheim Museum in Spain, the Louvre in Paris, the Atomium in Brussels, and several gorgeous pictures of various spots in Vatican City including one of the Sistine Chapel. And either Demetri just happened to have postcards lying around or he had gone to each location to write his letter and bought the postcards there judging by the stamps.

Demetri's letters brought me an odd comfort, and I wavered in my decision to not turn with every delivery. His letters were nothing special themselves as he simply described his day or his surroundings, and yet they were somehow precious. And although I tried not to, I felt a tiny spark of pleasure each time Demetri wrote how he wanted to bring me to see the sights he had witnessed. Even if I also felt annoyed because I just knew he did it on purpose.

Of course, my dad was endlessly curious as to who my mystery writer was. I'd been forced to lie and claimed it was a new friend from the program. Niki was a bit more aware of the truth, although I'd refrained from telling her the whole truth. There was no need for her to have my nightmares or be aware that I intended to die within a year. At least, that was what I had thought.

Until Niki called one day after we'd already separated after school. I was hiding in my room while downstairs my dad yelled at Bella regarding the red motorcycle that stood in front of our house. To say he was furious after Jacob had told him about Bella's secret new hobby was an understatement.

"-IRRESPONSIBLE! WHAT YOU WERE THINKING, RIDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS IT IS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE IT KILLS EVERY YEAR-"

I grimace as Charlie shows no signs of stopping before looking down as my phone started buzzing. I quickly answered when I saw who it was.

"Niki?" I ask in surprise. It's like suddenly nothing is going right today. "What's wrong? You don't usually call."

"Yeah, it's just... something's come up." Niki hesitates. "It seems Jake had a run in with Bella and Edward earlier, and he told me... He said Bella's decided. Is it true?"

I pause, surprised. But I'm not going to lie to my friend. "Yeah. I could have killed her when she told me, but it's true, Niki."

I rub my face but I'm surprised when Niki lets out a sharp breath. "Oh."

"Niki?" I ask, sitting up straight as I sense there is something more. Something not good. "What is it?"

"Mia, do you know what that means?" Niki whispers and I frown.

"I assume you don't just mean that my sister will be a creature of myth."

Niki doesn't laugh at my admittedly poor joke. "Mia... the treaty the Cullens made with my great-grandfather is very clear. If they bite a human, the treaty is void. Bite, not kill."

I slowly let that sink in. And then I suck in a sharp breath. "No!"

"Yes." Niki says unhappily. "It'll be all out war. Jake's pissed enough at the... at them, and you know Sam's hated them since the start for how it all ended up hurting Leah. And don't even get me started on Paul."

I grimace; I could imagine only too well just how badly Paul wanted to get his fangs into one of Cullens. Specifically a tall, blond Cullen. But I push that thought away as I instead dissect this new piece of information Niki has revealed. If turning into a vampire meant instant war with the wolves... My hesitance over my decision to turn myself into the Volturi to die, which had grown with Demetri's letters, shrinks again. To not just lose my family but also become mortal enemies with my friends forever...

'But would the wolves think the same thing if they knew the alternative was death?' I knew the answer to my own silent question: the pack would argue that they could protect me. And even if not, in their mind, death would undoubtedly be the better option.

"Not to mention they're even more furious now given what Edward's done-"

"Wait, what?" I interrupt with a frown. "What's Edward done now?"

"You don't know?"

I just wait and after a beat, Niki speaks in a tight voice.

"Edward told Jake... apologized more like, but... He said... He told him the vampires in Italy know about me. He said he's sorry but he accidentally revealed me as a human who..."

"Who knows too much about them and about vampires." I whisper as the realization hits me. I was so busy worrying about my own future that I hadn't realized that Aro would have seen Niki in both my and Edward's memories as well. He would have seen the potential threat he'd seen in both me and Bella again in Niki. My heart plummets.

"What... is there anything you can do?" I ask with growing dread.

Niki lets out a shallow breath. "I don't know... Edward told Jake that we'll have to wait and see what the future holds."

"Meaning Alice saw something." I deduce. I don't need Niki to reply to know I'm right.

"Well..." I breathe out deeply as I think about the fork in the road that seems to have appeared in all of our futures. Futures currently shrouded in only uncertainty. I stare at the postcard of the Atomium. "I guess then all we can do is see what the future brings."

*A/N To anyone who is curious, Niki Black is a character I plan to write a separate story on. Please keep a lookout for that to be published but it won't be necessary to read that to follow this one!