Years Later – The End of Bella's Senior Year

Bella's laugh carried out to the entryway and Christy smiled to hear it as she came in the door. "Dad," Christy's human protested some sort of teasing. Christy left her mate to it and took her pile of books up to her office. "You can bring whoever you want to my graduation, but you can't bring more than one person. I had to beg, borrow, and steal tickets to get what I have."

It was nearly time and Bella seemed at peace with becoming a vampire now. Christy was the one with reservations that she hid from her human lover. Tanya was experienced with newborns and they were both going to have to lean on Tanya heavily to do this.

"Christy's All But Dissertation, Dad." Bella said on the phone. "It means she's done with classes and just needs to finish her novel and submit it. She told me she'd probably have that done by Christmas. I need to go get ready, we're going out to dinner tonight to celebrate my last final."

Christy sat down to do some of the research she needed for that novel while she waited for Bella and Tanya.

Christy's cell phone rang shortly after Tanya got home. "Hey?"

"Edward really screwed up this time." Alice's voice was soft, which was more concerning than her frantic calls since Christy never heard her like this before. "He's turned you in to the Volturi for having a human. He called them when he was left alone. I am so sorry."

"He called when we're just two months away from changing her?" Christy said and sat back heavily in her chair. Things had been going so well for so long that she'd forgotten Edward was even an issue.

"What did Edward do?" Bella's voice surprised Christy and she looked up to see her human looked angry already.

"Something that requires us to pack the house, apparently." Tanya appeared behind Bella, "Peter sent us a moving pod and boxes. They are unloading now."

"Peter?" Alice sounded surprised and then went silent.

Christy pulled the phone away from her mouth to talk to her mates. "Edward reported us to the Volturi. I guess this is his big attempt at getting us killed before Bella can be turned."

"What!" Bella's voice rose while Tanya looked sick. "He did that to us?"

"What are we going to do?" Tanya whispered.

"We'll explain what's happening." Bella said, as if it were that simple. Christy couldn't help but smile at the human among them who didn't have nearly enough fear. Christy switched her phone to speaker phone so that Bella's human ears could hear it as well.

"Pack up whatever you don't need between now and graduation, like Peter wants." Alice said, and Christy pulled her phone back to her ear. "I'm out shopping and I'm going to stay out so that Edward can't use me to see what you are up to."

"Do they have a phone?" Bella asked such a simple question and Christy froze as she considered that. "How do people report things? How did Edward tell them?"

"He called." Alice went quiet again, most likely for a vision. "I can get you their number."

"Eleazar has it." Tanya said.

An hour later, after deciding on what they needed to do and warning the other Denalis, Tanya picked up the phone to report that her coven had a human they were going to change. Tanya knew how to do the vampire politics, though she was rusty.

Christy and Bella packed, with Christy using vampire speed whenever it wouldn't damage things. Bella's heart raced a bit faster than it should for her activity.

As Christy carried a box of her books out to the storage pod she noticed the young blonde girl standing in the street watching her. A large man stood next to her. "Can I help you?" Christy asked, but she was pretty sure this was why then needed to pack immediately. Jane and some other Volturi guy were already here. Their eyes were just as red as Christy's.

"Where is your coven leader?" Jane demanded, sounding very strange since Jane looked like a junior high student. Bella's footsteps into the garage drew the new vampires' attention to her. Christy spoke up to draw their eyes back to her.

"Our coven leader is on the phone with Aro. Edward Cullen is trying to get us killed before we can change our human." Christy said. "We have her change scheduled for after the summer."

"But we could do it after my graduation if we need to." Bella added and Jane's eyes moved back to her. Christy took the box out of Bella's arms and put it down next to her own. Christy wanted to be ready to fight if she had to.

"Aro sends his regards and would like for you to call him, Jane." Tanya came out at vampire speed, kicking up dust and wind.

Jane stared into Tanya's face and then into Christy's. "Mixed?"

Tanya smiled, but the tension in her shoulders didn't ease, "Yes, we're a mixed coven now."

"I thought you bunny munchers didn't stand for a normal diet." Jane said as she pulled her phone out. She didn't wait for a response before calling Aro.

Bella fidgeted while they waited for the phone call to end, but her heart didn't pound in fear and the male vampire watched Bella while they waited, his head tilted as if to hear that heartbeat even better. Christy took a step closer to Bella's right side as Tanya took a step closer to her left.

Jane hung up and held her phone in her hand as she turned to face them. "So now that we're here you plan to change her and avoid punishment?"

"I was always going to be changed. I just needed to age enough that I wouldn't have to repeat high school forever like the Cullen's," Bella answered before Tanya could. "Edward knew this and didn't agree with it. Everyone else in his coven understands what is happening."

Christy turned to look into Bella's stony expression before turning back to keep her eyes on the volturi. Bella was throwing Edward under the bus. It was rather unexpected.

"Why is he so invested?" Jane scowled at Bella, which was better than her pain causing smile but it did keep Christy tense and ready for a fight. It was Bella, once again, that answered and Christy shared a brief glance with Tanya as they let Bella do the talking.

"I used to date him." Bella's hands reached out and took Christy's as well as Tanya's. "I'm seeing other people now."

The male vampire's mouth curved into a smile, "Bruised ego, that idiot called us in because he had a bruised ego."

"We aren't his personal enforcers." Jane hissed. "False claims are also a crime."

"His coven has been trying to fix his issues for years, without any luck." Christy said, trying to limit the damage to the Cullen's from this.

"Aro wants to meet the human after her change." Jane said, her voice cold. "Turn her right after graduation, don't make me come to this hellhole again."

"We're moving back to the main coven house now." Tanya said.

"As if that's any better."

Christy heard the stuttering heartbeat and her body tensed. "She'll make it." Tanya reassured her even as Bella's heart stopped.

Bella's eyes opened and the sheer brightness of her red eyes was startling. Bella stared at the ceiling, before slowing turning her head to stare at Christy. Tanya rested a hand on Christy's shoulder to keep her from leaning forward. "It worked." Bella's voice was clear, musical, and the former human's eyes blinked it surprise at hearing it.

"I am so sorry it hurt like that. I had no idea." Christy could still remember Bella's screams.

"You became a vampire the easy way. Don't worry, Tanya warned me, so I knew it would be hard." Bella's voice was so different it would take time to get used to it, but Christy didn't feel any better with that reassurance. If Christy could have cried she would have. It was nearly impossible to stand by and watch Bella suffer.

"You need to hunt," Tanya said and Bella's hand raised to caress her own throat for a moment, before she nodded. They jumped from the second story window and Christy finally smiled when she heard Bella laugh after landing safely. They headed north toward the lumbering beat of large predator heartbeats. The smell of the beasts was far from appetizing, but Christy had hunting before turning Bella and wasn't desperate enough to need to eat now.

While feeding a bear made the mistake to follow the scent of prey. Bella looked up from her drained moose and backed away. "Endangered," Bella whispered and Tanya gasped.

"She's picking her prey consciously." Tanya's hand covered her mouth and Christy smiled. She'd read that Bella was going to be good at this, wasn't going to be a mindless killing machine. It was great that was still true.

"She's always been amazing." Christy smiled over at the new vampire as she told Tanya that. Bella smiled at her and turned to race after another animal not on any endangered list. Christy and Tanya raced after her to keep her company, but Christy wasn't too worried about Bella running in to hikers now.

When Bella's mouth was firmly planted only another furry neck Tanya whispered, "Once she's definitely under control we should go to Italy. Aro will know if we delay."

"I wish we knew how to protect your mind from him." Christy whispered back. "I'm afraid that Bella will need training on that."

"Well, for right now we're not breaking any laws. If he couldn't see that from any of us that might be an issue."

Their conversation stopped as Bella stood up and stalked toward them with a wicked grin. "So, I'm stronger than you two as a newborn, aren't I?"

"Oh god." Christy whispered and Tanya laughed at her. Bella had not trouble pinning Christy to the tree behind her, partly due to her strength and partly because Christy couldn't even think of fighting this.

"I'm not fragile anymore, so don't hold back." Bella whispered before she kissed Christy.

When she pulled back and looked behind them Tanya spoke up. "No, I'll enjoy watching this. Christy is our little bottom and she's been waiting for someone to overpower her far too long."

It took less than a month for Bella to be ready to travel on a regular airline. It was a trick that took other newborns over a year to do if they worked hard at control. Italy's small villages housed the vampire royalty and it took two vehicles to get all the vampires of the Denali cover to Volturi. They left their wolves at home and were ready to defend that decision if need be.

Aro knew they were coming and the robe clad boy near the gates waited for them to get out of the car before wordlessly leading them into the building. It was a long hallway, wide and devoid of furniture. A few art pieces kept it from being completely devoid of any charm, but it was clearly designed to make those visiting uneasy. Christy didn't let any of that show on her face and kept all her senses focused on noticing everything she could about their way out.

Familiar voices just out of range to hear the words started to register as they got closer to the throne room. Christy shared a look with Bella and then Tanya. Bella grimaced and Tanya's jaw clenched.

"Don't lose your temper, no matter what happens. If we threaten the Volturi we aren't getting out of here." Kate whispered to Bella. Newborns normally had more volatile emotions and perhaps that was the game that Aro was playing.

"I really don't care what happens to him, it's the others." Bella said, ignoring that they had that one silent guard with them. "He tried to kill me a few times, to kill my mates too. I really have had enough of Edward."

Christy reached out and took Bella's hand as the door opened to the large throne room. Tanya squeezed Bella's shoulder before leading the way in. They might be a blended coven, but at this moment it was better to have one leader.

Edward was suspended between two guards at normal height, his missing legs painfully obvious. Carlisle looked frazzled, his hair mussed and his eyes wide. Esme looked like someone who was moments away from getting sick. The other Cullens stood in their pairings, and Rosalie didn't look surprised by anything happening here. There was a resignation to her expression.

"Oh good, the Denalis are here just in time." Aro smiled as if court wasn't in session and Christy wasn't surprised to see him come closer to them. "You make a wonderful looking vampire dear." He addressed Bella, before looking over the rest of the coven and stopping to stare at Christy. "I've heard you two are shields. It's quite amazing."

"And completely uncontrollable." Christy said with a hint of a smile. She didn't want any of her coven to be "amazing" to this man.

"May I?" He asked and nodded toward Christy's hand. She let him take it and watched his expression. The man pretended to be a playful buffoon, but she knew better. It was a relief when he gave up and moved to Bella. Neither worked.

"Tanya Denali," Aro nodded toward Tanya's hand and finally got a reading on what had been happening. "Amazing, your coven is so blessed, so very blessed." His eyes turned to Edward and his smile faded comically fast. "It is a shame that some cannot take pleasure in the happiness of others."

Aro turned to Christy, "He has clearly been punished before. Your work, isn't it?"

"We all took responsibility for that." Christy said, but his slight frown made her add. "But yes, I did that."

"Ruthless, truly ruthless," Aro laughed and looked back at the other two men on thrones. "She is ruthless isn't she brothers. And so fascinating, a person from another world. In all my years I've never seen anything like that."

"Can I ask what you plan to do with Edward?" Bella spoke up and Christy watched Edward's head swivel to Bella, life returning to his eyes. "He has attempted to kill us a few times now and based on that alone we shouldn't return his legs to him."

"Oh, you saved them? I wondered." Aro grinned.

"Bella?" Edward said, his shock clearly visible. Christy was a little shocked as well, in spite of listening to Bella vent about Edward's latest attempt on their lives by calling these kings.

"I don't know the law as well as I should, but we only blame him for the actions against us. The rest of the coven are still friendly with my coven. They try to control him."

"Yes, Edward is a difficult vampire to lead. I never would have turned him myself, far too many issues with that one." Aro agreed with a nod.

Edward growled and Carlisle yelled at him to not struggle even as a cracking noise filled the room, proving his arms would break if he struggled any more.

"It is such a shame I cannot get the story from you my dear. It was Edward that introduced you to our world and left you with that knowledge, and yet here you are, a vampire anyhow." Aro held his arms out to indicate Bella's entire being. "And you found Christy, bonded with Tanya, who has been alone for far too long. Your mates held back a newborn army for you. Your life is truly touched by the gods my dear. It would have been a fascinating story to see."

"Yes, yes, this is all interesting but we were in the middle of sentencing this vampire." The blonde king said from his throne.

"Oh, well, the law is clear. He's guilty, don't you think so Bella? Christy?" Aro said and Christy let herself smile. Aro wanted to curry favor with them.

"Bella? You can't," Edward called out and Bella turned to look at him. Her back was straight and her fists clenched.

"It wasn't enough for you to leave me, you had to come back and try and destroy the life I was creating. Edward, I wish this hadn't happened, but you did this. Don't call out like it is my fault. You did this." Bella looked away from him.

Christy spoke quietly, "Only he is though. Honestly, if he wasn't here I was going to go kill him when I got back to Alaska."

"Good instincts you have." Aro waved a hand toward the guards and the sound of ripping was paired with Esme's crying and Carlisle's scream for them to stop. "Do make sure to burn his legs please. I'll trust you with that one task."

"As soon as we get back." Christy promised and Aro's nod was reassuring. They would get to leave.

The Cullens were escorted out with them. Esme and Carlisle seemed to be holding each other out and the crying was hard to take. Bella's fists clenched with every sob, but Bella never apologized like this was her fault. Bella was more than aware it wasn't and it was another relief to see she wasn't taking Edward's mistakes onto herself. Tanya and Christy flanked Bella and gave her small reassuring touches when Esme's pain was bothering Bella too much.

Alice stole a car outside of the town, one that wasn't too far from the cars the Denalis brought with them. Rosalie hotwired one and put Emmett in it to drive Esme and Carlisle before getting in the car with Tanya, Bella, and Christy.

Once they were a few miles away from Voltura Rosalie leaned forward and put a hand on Bella's shoulder, "You make a beautiful vampire, Bella."

"Thank you."

"I'm sorry we lost control of him. Thank you all for getting us out of there."

"Not your fault." Tanya said and Christy nodded her agreement.

THE END