Four days later, the Volturi guard arrived in the small town. They stayed out of sight of the mortals and headed straight for the Cullen home.

Opening the door to a knock that afternoon, Esme was surprised to see Aro, Marcus and Caius standing in the doorway. "Esme, mate to my dear friend Carlisle. May we come in to your lovely home?" Aro asked.

Of course, Esme couldn't very well refuse them. No one refused the Volturi anything. Not and survived.

Esme stepped back to allow the elder vampires to enter the house. She watched as they sat down in the living room. "I'll call Carlisle. He's currently at work."

"Of course, dear."

Esme went into the kitchen and started dialing the number. "Carlisle, they're here." It was all she needed to say when he picked up the phone.

She was nervous, afraid that they would decide that Bella had to be destroyed. She loved Bella and didn't want to see her hurt.

'Edward, they're here. Caius and Aro and Marcus. They're in the living room.' She knew that he would know what the best course of action would be. 'I've already called Carlisle. He's on his way home right now.'

"Bella, love. The heads of the Volturi are here. Would you like to go down and talk to them? Carlisle's on his way home."

"Can we just wait here until he gets here?" Her fear translated to Edward. He vowed that he would protect her but he knew that he might have to fight for her. He didn't want her to see that. Even more, he didn't want her to have to DO that.

Just ten minutes later, Carlisle knocked on the bedroom door. "Bella, Edward, we need you to come downstairs now."

Edward walked out the door first with Bella right behind him. She was holding his hand and he could feel her trembling.

"Bella, it is so nice to finally meet the young woman that has so thoroughly captivated young Edward." Aro seemed to be overly dramatic to Bella's way of thinking. Aro held out a hand toward Edward.

Bella clutched his hand as if to keep him close to her. Edward let go of her hand and stepped forward to show Aro what had been happening. Aro stood there just gazing at Edward while touching his hand. She wasn't sure what to make of the creature in front of her.

"Well, it seems we have an anomaly in our midst, brothers. Dear Bella actually sheds tears. And the other things that Edward has shown me make me wonder just how many of our talents she might be immune to."He held out one delicate appearing hand to Bella. "If you would, my dear."

"Aro can see your every thought. But only if he touches you," Edward warned her.

Bella stepped forward. She knew her mind was a blank page to Edward but she wasn't certain if it would be to this creature. She took his hand. He stared into her eyes and waited.

After several long minutes, Aro laughed out loud. "It seems she is as immune to me as she is to you, Edward. May I test further? Jane dear."

What appeared to be a young girl stepped out from behind the couch and focused her gaze on Bella. Edward growled and stepped in front of her only to fall to the floor apparently in a great deal of pain.

"Edward!" Bella screamed as she stepped forward, reaching for him. Emmett grabbed her arm and pulled only to drop it as Edward's pain seemed to end as suddenly as it started.

Jane wasn't happy about that. A grimace appeared on her face as she concentrated harder on Bella. But nothing seemed to affect the newborn. Aro clapped his hands. Jane turned to him with a puzzled look on her face. "Demetri, could you track her?"

"I sense nothing of her, master. No scent."

Aro smiled. He realized that this young woman could be the one that he'd been looking for. "What of the others?"

"Their scents are crystal clear to me. Except for Edward's."

"Jane, dear, someone else if you please." But before she could hurt anyone else, Bella cried out and suddenly it was as if none of the others were in the room. The shake of Demetri's head and Jane's grimace of concentration answered the question for Aro. "It appears she confounds us all, dear ones."

Bella turned into Edward's chest and started to shake. Edward could suddenly hear her thoughts. She was so frightened. He hooked her chin and pulled her face up to look into his eyes. "Don't be frightened, love. We're here with you."

"You heard my thoughts?" Bella asked. When he nodded, Aro appeared puzzled and yet delighted all at once.

"Incredible. It appears that your Bella is a shield. And quite a powerful one at that. She can shield anyone else that she chooses. And, although our powers don't work on her while outside her shield, they might inside it." Marcus shook his head.

"No, brother. I believe that powers that depend on accessing her mind won't work on her unless she wants them to. She is very powerful. But that power can and must be harnessed. Her ties to the others are very strong. She counts them as her family."

Alice spoke up then. "Right after she woke up, she didn't want to hunt. She did but it wasn't something she wanted to do."

Aro reached out his hand. Alice glanced at Bella. "I'm sorry, Bella, but we need to know." Bella nodded sadly and allowed herself to stop thinking about protecting Alice. She also let go of Jasper so that he could protect her if it came to it.

Alice placed her hand in Aro's and showed him what had happened just before Bella's first real hunt.

"Interesting. I have never seen such a thing. We will need to add that to our records. Bella, do you not feel thirst?"

"A little. It's nothing overpowering. I can deal with it." She looked at Aro from where she stood wrapped in Edward's arms with blood red tears coursing down her face.

She saw their eyes go black with thirst and cringed into Edward's embrace. He leaned down to her ear. "It's the tears, Bella. You cry tears of blood."

She swallowed hard and fought to control herself. Aro shook his head. "Please forgive us. We have already eaten. But to see blood flowing so freely like that. We have never seen such a thing before." He turned to the others. "We do not feed from our own. We will not attack her." He dropped Alice's hand and Bella reached out a hand for her sister and best friend.

Alice stepped to her and looked up at Edward who merely nodded at the question she must have thought for his benefit alone. Edward saw Jane step back behind the couch to stand with Alec. It was obvious by the look on her face that she truly hated Bella right then.

Edward wasn't admitting to it, but as long as Bella had her shield around him he couldn't hear the thoughts of those outside it. Alice couldn't see them and Jasper couldn't feel them. It was not a comfortable situation.

Aro decided to speak up from where he stood. "My brothers and I must confer." The other two moved up to Aro and the three of them bent their heads together to discuss what was to be done with Bella and the Cullens.

Bella's shield made her a target for the Volturi. If they had ever wanted someone for the guard it would be Bella. She would make a powerful addition. Edward would never allow that.

"We have decided," Aro began. "Carlisle, are you willing to take responsibility for Bella, especially during the crucial first year?"

"I am."

"And is your family willing to stand beside you to help teach and train the newborn you have created?"

"We are," was the chorused reply.

"Bella, are you willing to listen to what the Cullens have to say and heed their advice? Are you willing to allow them to guide you as you learn about this life you have embraced?"

Bella still huddled in Edward's arms answered. "I am."

"Then, we will allow you to live. However, the first indication we receive that you or any of the Cullens is not upholding their end of the bargain, we will destroy all of you. There will be no second chance. And I warn you now, we will be sending people to check up on you. There will be vigilance in this matter."

"We understand. Thank you, Aro."

"I do expect to be kept updated on this amazing young creature. She is unlike any other of our kind." With that, the Volturi left the house without looking back.

Once they were out of sight, Carlisle and Edward both heaved a sigh of relief. "That's over, thankfully."

Carlisle's spoken verification seemed to lift a cloud of fear and worry from the house. But no one truly relaxed for several long hours.