Supernova c11: The Void

I have 4 chapters coming that tell the story of the aftermath of Esther's sleep spell, the war and her return. There will be a lot of references to this time during a new Forever After retelling story I'm working on, but I wanted to get these out much like the story of Allesandra. These are incredibly long, probably long enough for a story but I'm just putting them on the end of Supernova since that story started the events of these.

The retelling of Forever After is planned for February (on ff.net not here). For now, try and cast your mind back to Supernova. This is the aftermath of them losing Esther.

 

 

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Esther has just informed Axton and Alena of the plan for her to go under the sleep spell. Esther has gone to be with her family and the twins are left to talk about Mia and their future in the Volturi without Esther.

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Axton Riley

Volturi Mansion, 2220

 

 I sat with Alena after Esther had left. I looked out the window to see the moon was slowly making its way across the sky and the feeling of dread that filled my stomach was overwhelming. I felt like my meals were going to make a reappearance. I felt sick.

“Ax. You have to go talk to Mia” Alena said taking my hand in comfort.

“I know” I mumbled scared to leave the room.

“Just don’t go near her. Keep it short and sweet.” She instructed me and I gave her one nod. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? she’s my friend too” she said and I was aware of her eyes watching my face but I shook my head slowly.

“I need to do this.” I said and turned to look at her I turned to look at the door where Esther had just left and we just stood there in silence for a moment, taking in everything that had just happened.

“We can do this. We’ll make Esther proud. We will” Alena said with a small nod. I turned to look at my optimistic sister and smiled. I squeezed her hand in mine.

“Together.” I said. Alena was all I had now. She had always been my world, but with Clara and then Mia I’d learnt to let someone else into it.  Now, it was back to just Alena. I wasn’t sure I was okay with that anymore. I loved my sister, more than anything but she had Ophelia. She had someone else. I needed someone, someone just to listen to me when Alena couldn’t. Someone I could look at and not be reminded every second that Alena and I were the centre of a hurricane. I had been naïve to think I could still be friends with Mia after everything we’d been through.

“Go speak to Mia. We can’t fail Esther on her first task for us” she said smiling softly.

“See you in a few hours” I said kissing her forehead.

“No, come to me as soon as you’ve seen Mia. You’re going to need to talk about it and you know it. I want an update” she said strictly. I smiled down at her and rolled my eyes.

“Sure.” I mumbled and I left the room.

“Conserve your power!” Alena called out after me.

“Right back at you” I said not letting any worry coat my voice. It was a big spell, probably bigger than anything we’d cast before and Alena, whilst she was the most powerful of us both, was also the most unstable. Spells had hurt her before; this was the strongest we’ve ever performed, and I needed her to make it through this.

The feeling of dread grew in my gut as I made my way to Ignacio’s apartment. I knew she’d be there. She was always there.

I took a deep breath as I stood on the other side of the door. I knew she’d know I was here, but it still had me pause for thought. I was about to break my promise to her, and the self-loathing growing in my gut was all consuming.

The door opened and she stood there smiling widely in a greeting. My breath caught at the sight of her after so many days. She was as beautiful as ever. She didn’t look any different, the evidence of her union with the imprint was invisible. I didn’t know what I expected though, for her to have sprouted demon shadows or her blood turned black like her imprint?

“Axton” she said happily and moved to let me in. I cautiously accepted the invitation and went to stand against the wall.

“Where is Ignacio?” I asked her.

“With Vicente next door.” She said but she frowned at me, she could already tell something was wrong. “Why are you standing so far away from me?” she asked and took a step forward. I shuffled along the wall further away from her. I hated the look on her face as I did. She almost flinched in response.

I was such a coward. I wanted to teleport out of there and avoid the whole thing. I wanted to tell her everything was fine and disappear. I wanted to comfort her and hold her.

“Amirah,” I said softly not sure how to start but I had already made a mistake.

“Why are you calling me Amirah?” she asked taking another step towards me.

“Please stop” I said feeling uncomfortable already. Esther’s words resonated in my head. The promise I made her, the fear she instilled in me about what would happen if Mia and I touched. The risk we’d be taking.

“I understand” she said suddenly, her head bowed, and she moved further away from me. The look on her face broke my heart and I wanted to reach for her, but I had to resist.

“it’s not what you think, it’s not because of that, not because of us” I said suddenly, trying to protect her feelings.

“I understand Axton, I do. I can’t imagine how hard this is for you. I mean I can, I know how I feel about it I just mean I can’t-“ she began but I interrupted her.

“Mia, please. I promise it’s not about us. The way I feel about you hasn’t changed at all” I explained quickly, and she looked up at me through her eyelashes at the words. “it’s just---” I sighed and went to sit at the small table. She had moved over to the small couch at the end of the room. We were about 2 metres apart.

“Now that you’re… after your union with Ignacio, I can’t be close to you anymore. We can’t touch or share power. Alena and I need to stay away from you and Ignacio.” I explained but she frowned deeper.

“What are you talking about? Why not? I’m exactly the same as I was before” she insisted.

“Except you’re not” I said without realising, she flinched at this and she looked hurt at my words. “I don’t mean… it wouldn’t matter to me. I’m not… I’m not saying this right” I sighed. Maybe I should have taken up Alenas offer to do this together. I was a mess when it came to Mia. I hated hurting her, I hated I was breaking my promise to her. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I have to do this. I have to break my promise to you, but I can’t be close to you anymore, we can’t share power or merge or even hug anymore. Alena and I are part-Nephilim. We may be the only two people in the world whose magic works on demonic power. Since your union with Ignacio, we’re now toxic to each other. Our powers aren’t compatible anymore.” I tried to explain the best I could the words Esther had told me.

“we’re toxic to each other?” she asked her voice shaking.

“I would never hurt you Mia” I said feeling an overwhelming urge to remind her of that. “Never, no matter what.” I insisted but her eyes were blurring with her tears.

“I didn’t know…” she whispered but she wasn’t looking at me anymore. She was staring out the window.

“I didn’t either. Not until Esther explained it. She was going to tell you herself before you did it. But you both kind of just sprung it on them. Esther thought it would be better if I told you myself.” I explained with my head bowed, I couldn’t look at her in pain. It was taking every single bit of strength inside me not to walk over there and pull her into my arms.

“So, what would happen if we touched?” she asked after a few minutes of silence between us.

“Our powers would repel. It would be painful.” I said with a low voice. “at least that’s what Esther thinks. We’re both too strong to actually dampen the others’ ability. But its why I can still use my power around Ignacio. We’re the tailor opposite of each other.”

“Part demon and part angel” Mia mused wiping her cheek with the back of her hand quickly and sitting up straight as if she was recovering from the moment of emotion. “Does that mean I’m part demon now too?” she asked turning to look me dead in the eye.

“no. there is no part of you that is demonic” I said feeling anger bubble in my stomach and the sheer thought of Mia being anything other than good.

“But if we’re toxic to each other. Then I must be” she said sadly.

“You have a mystical connection to a part demon creature. It didn’t change your DNA or who you are. It just linked your powers. You are no more demon than I am.” I said with surety. Their link was mystical not biological.

“If it comes to war or a fight, I will be there by your side I promise. We just can’t have what we had before. We can’t share power. We can boost each other anymore. Our powers don’t work the same anymore, you’re more than what you were before, and it could damage my magic now. To mix demonic and angelic power would be a catalyst for destruction.” I tried to explain. she did a slow nod as she looked back out of the window.

“I guess that means we can’t be friends after all” she said softly.

“I’m sorry Mia. I never intended to break that promise. I was going to be here for you always, no matter what.” I insured her but I knew she already knew that.

“I know” she said sadly turning to look at me again. She sighed as she stood to face me, but she didn’t take a step towards me. “I guess it makes it easier, to rip the band aid off fully.” She said with a confident nod, only I knew her far too well. She was putting on a brave face so she could break down when I left. My stomach was in knots, my heart physically ached in my chest. I felt like it was getting ripped out of my chest. Even though we knew this day would come, we always just assumed we could still be friends, we’d still be in each other’s lives. I turned and walked over to the door but paused with my hand on the handle. I just didn’t know how to say goodbye… again.

So, I didn’t. I muttered ‘I love you’ under my breath for the last time, knowing full well her part vampire hearing heard every word. I didn’t look back as I walked out and closed the door. I immediately knocked on the apartment next door and Ignacio answered. I took a step back involuntarily at his proximity. I had never been exactly scared of the man before now but what Esther had said really affected me.

“Axton” Ignacio said with a friendly smile. “What can I do for you?” he asked.

“I’m sure I don’t need to do this because you can probably feel it, but I think Mia needs you” I said almost in a mumble as if I was intimidated by the words I was saying. I don’t know why. I just felt weird telling him this. He frowned at me for a moment but then his eyes glazed over as if he was listening or concentrating on something.

“she’s upset” he said turning to look at the door of their apartment.

“I’m sorry” I said truthfully and turned to head down the stairs. I watched as Ignacio left his friend’s apartment and strode confidently to the door of his own and he disappeared.

I felt like I was choking on emotion as I took the stairs two at a time down and out of the double doors to one of the Volturi mansion gardens. I paused and flung my head back, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. Hoping the air hitting my throat would quench the emotion threatening to spill over into tears. I swallowed and looked ahead of me. I ached to be with Clara. To tell her what I was feeling, to have someone to listen, but I knew I had promised my sister an update and Clara lived on the other side of the city. By the time I got there in a car id have to come back and I couldn’t use any energy on teleporting right now, so I took off on a quick walk to my sister’s house in the Volturi estate.

I gave a small knock before reaching for the door and entering. Ophelia was nowhere in sight. I didn’t get her usual greeting where we’d throw jokes back and forth. The house felt eerily quiet, and I realised Ophelia would be with her family right now, with Esther. I walked into the house to find Alena curled up on her couch with a tablet in her lap.

“Lena” I said softly, and her head whipped around to look at me.

“Are you okay?” Alena asked and I came to sit by her. I just leant back on the couch, feeling empty of feeling anything.

“Ax” she said softly, and her arms wrapped around my shoulders “I should have gone with you” she sighed mad at herself.

“No, I needed to do it. I needed to face her to tell her myself.”

“She wasn’t happy about it” Alena said.

“No, she put on a brave face though.” I said and turned my head to face her. She curled into my side in a hug.

“she’ll be okay. She has Ignacio.” She said as we both stared at the old fireplace in front of us in her lounge. It was decorative now. No one dared burn wood for heat.

“I know she will. I just never wanted to hurt her. I always thought I’d be the one getting hurt. Not her.” I admitted.

“I’m proud of you” she said softly.

“What for?” I laughed humourlessly.

“For taking the responsibility. For the last fifty years. For being with her knowing this would how it would end. For staying by her side, for loving her despite it. For becoming a better man because of it. For being you.” she said with a squeeze of my arm.

“Thanks, Lena” I said in a whisper. the words meant more to me than she probably realised. Knowing someone thought I wasn’t an idiot for doing what I did.

“I know I pushed you together early on, I didn’t know it was going to last this long and I know you can’t see much past the pain at the moment but it’s only going to make you a better person for having gone through it. Before Mia, you were so different. You lived for me. Which as your twin is understandable but now, now you’re a man and a friend and you can love.” She said and I turned to frown at her.

“I could always love. Everything I did for you was out of love” I said unsure where she was going with this.

“I mean a different kind of love Ax.” She chuckled and nudged my shoulder. “Before Mia, we were inseparable. I was all that mattered to you. Whilst I’m eternally grateful for what you did to get me out of the hands of Lilim, your love for me was all consuming and you got on the bad side of the most powerful family in the world. Your love for me was dangerous to your life. Now you’ve learnt to love others, to share your time with your friends and romantic partners. I never thought you’d ever find a girlfriend.” She laughed putting her head back on my shoulder.

“I had Clara, didn’t I?” I asked defensively.

“You betrayed her and her entire family to make a deal and get me back. Would you have made the same decision now?” she asked, and this question stumped me. Of course, I would do absolutely everything to get my sister back but would I have made the same decisions as I did then? No absolutely not.

“I’m not a teenage boy now. I would have done things differently but no less extreme. I would go to the ends of the earth and hell to keep you safe. You’re my twin.” I said pulling her closer to me.

“that’s my point Ax. You’d do things differently, and you’d do the same for Mia. The same for Clara. Theres more in your life now than just me. Mia made you this person. She made you into the man that has Esther Josephson calling you, her legacy, and asking you to protect her family. Esther trusts you to take up her mantle. That’s nothing she has ever done before. Not someone outside her own family.” Alena added.

Yeah, I hadn’t forgotten what Esther had said to me. Her words were constantly looping in my mind. Seeing her face as she begged us to protect her children, her family, to do what she’d been doing for so many years, to help Zio and the Volturi, to be her legacy.

“You think Mia made me who I am?” I asked, I had said the same words to Mia just a few days ago but I was interested in hearing that it was evident to others that weren’t me or Mia.

“The protector, the defender and the fighter has always been you. But I believe she gave you a reason to live outside of that, yes.” She said pulling away to look at me. “And then there’s Clara” she said, and I didn’t turn to look at her. “You even smile when ever her name is mentioned.” She said with an amused tone.

“I do?” I asked frowning and looking at her smug smile.

“Clara” she said again, and I rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to prove her right but her playful face made it hard to resist. “See!” she called out with a giggle.

“Were just friends Lena” I sighed trying to prove her wrong.

“But you love her” she insisted, and my playfulness faded.

“I do but I’m not in love with her” I clarified.

“yet” she said with another smirk.

“Lena, I’m not looking for another girlfriend a week after I broke up a forty-year relationship” I said shaking my head with disappointment my sister was going down this route.

“I’m not saying she’s your girlfriend. I’m just saying you have a connection with her. You always had. You didn’t go into Chicago high school fifty years ago to get a girlfriend. You were supposed to get close enough to her to get information to trade for my safety. The falling in love thing you did by yourself. You were drawn to each other as you are now. And that’s okay. It’s okay to want someone, even after you just ended a long relationship.” She said trying to explain her reasoning, but I got unnecessarily defensive. I couldn’t explain the feeling.

“Clara is not my rebound and I won’t have her thinking that she would ever be as low as that.” I said with a protective edge to my voice I couldn’t control.

“Jeez brother, tell her that and she’ll be begging you to sleep with her.” She said with another smirk, but I didn’t smile back.

“She… she isn’t just an easy lay Lena. She isn’t someone that I want to do that to. She’s more to me than my next girlfriend.” I said in defence of our friendship but then I softened, I wanted to get these words out to someone, and Alena was the only person in the world now I could be completely honest to.

I suppose really, she always has been that person.

“it’s different with her…” I said turning to face the fire again and my eyes zoned out as I spoke. “After Lilim, it took a while for it to change, but eventually our ‘connection’ as you call it, changed. We became friends and it felt right. It felt like, as teenagers we’d been rash and quick to assume what we felt was love but falling for Mia and seeing Clara with her husband, I knew what we shared wasn’t actually love. And I was okay with that, the friendship we had worked. I had Mia and she had Elijah. We would talk and have fun together as friends and half the time I hated when she would ask for my help with her husband or kids because it took me away from Mia but at the end of the day, I would always help her because that’s what friends did. We just worked. It was easy. I never thought that one day we would be more, I assumed that time for us had passed. Even knowing one day her husband would die and Mia would imprint, it seemed so far away I never imagined the possibility. Then when her husband died, I felt like I saw a part of her die too. She was still Clara but now she was Clara without Elijah and I had never known that Clara. When we found out about Ignacio, before Mia imprinted Mia and I spoke about what would happen, what would be best and whether id need space and I knew in that instant who I needed to be near. I knew one person in the world that would understand the feelings I was feeling, and it would be her, Clara. I told Mia. When we were still together that I would go to Clara, and she was relieved.” I explained and paused for a moment.

“Clara and I are just friends. But we understand each other and other than you she’s the only person I want to talk to about this kind of stuff. I could count on one hand how many deep emotional conversations I had with Mia in forty years. It wasn’t that kind of relationship. It was intense but most of our emotions were either unspoken actions or kept to ourselves. Both of us knew that the more open we were with language the harder it would always be to part. With Clara, its different. I feel like I can be completely vulnerable with her, that she’s not going to judge me and she won’t take it the wrong way because emotion is involved. I want her to know my every thought. I want her to tell me its ok to feel, its ok to grieve Mia even though she’s not dead. I just want to be around her; our experiences are shared and so similar.” I said feeling my heartbeat faster at the thought. I could see myself with her, in the far future. I could see us married with children as I was sure Alena was already picturing but I wasn’t going to say the words, not yet. It seemed so far away. But it was enough hope to keep me getting up every day, the hope of a future with Clara and the overwhelming urge to keep Mia safe through what she was about to go through. Because I would, no matter what. I would make sure I was a part of what ever battle or war we had to face, even if I wasn’t standing at Mia’s side. I would make sure I was useful. To protect her. I turned to look at Alena who smiled at me behind watery eyes.

“I want to be your best man at your wedding” she said with a chuckle. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Her smiled dropped and she became more serious. “In all seriousness Ax, what you just described, is an incredible foundation that you will both be extremely grateful for as time passes. Yes, you’re friends now, and I may joke about it but there will be a day when you realise you’re so in love with her that you don’t want to go a day without seeing her and I wait that day with eager anticipation because I know it will be the day I get to see my brother truly happy. You’ve sacrificed so much of your life, to keep me safe, to keep Mia safe, to help the Volturi and Esther, to train those that needed help, and now with our new promise to Esther, you have even more responsibility. You’re selfless, and you’re as just as much a martyr as Esther is. You idolise her so much because you’re so alike. One day you’ll get your happy ending, and you’ll have earnt every moment of happiness.”

I leant forward to kiss my sister’s forehead.

“you’re too sweet to me and full of bullshit” I said with a laugh.

“you’re my twin, its illegal for me not to be on your side but it’s not bullshit. I just see you more clearly than you see yourself. You may not believe it, but I do.”

“Thank you, Lena,” I said softly. I truly meant it.

“For knocking the silliness out of your unnecessary and annoying martyr guilt? You’re welcome.” She said with another nudge. We sat there for quite a while in silence, just enjoying each other’s company for a while. I’d spent most of my time the last few days at Claras, and before that I lived in Washington whilst Alena lived here. There was one thing I was grateful for with our new responsibility as Esther’s proxy. I would be with my twin again. I knew we’d absolutely get on each other’s nerves and get tired of each other’s company all day, but I also couldn’t wait to just be with her.

We stayed together until the moon was a few minutes from reaching the sun.

“We better go” I said taking her hand to leave. She took it and with a deep sigh we made our way to the Volturi Mansion and through all the coded doors towards the room we had set up so many years ago for this very moment.

Zio and Chantelle were waiting in the small corridor outside the room. It had been double coded at the top of the stairs. This was a storage area of the Volturi Mansion that Zio had built a steel wall and sectioned off one single room. The walls had been spelled and the door to the room could only let certain people through.

The pair gave us a small nod, but no one said a word. No one wanted to be here. Alena and I entered the spelled room, and the emptiness of the room filled my stomach with dread again. This is where she’d be, for years, alone. Alena and I were the only two people in the world that would be allowed to enter this room when the spell was active. The only time Esther would be seen is through the security camera on the wall. Not that anyone would be able to wake or move her anyway.  But Zio insisted on every security measure possible. From the sectioned off room, the double doors, the spelled walls and coded entries. No one knew the code except the four people in the room right now. Not even the other Volturi leaders. Not even Esther’s family.

Performing the spell was nothing like we’d ever done before. Having Esther’s power and strength flood through Alena and I was euphoric. It was like being hit by a bus but surviving it. We continued the spell until Esther was encapsulated in her own power below us and she was unconscious before us. Alena and I gasped as the spell faded and I leant back against the wall behind me. Alena fell forward but caught herself on the edge of the bed.

“Are you okay?” I asked her immediately. She took a moment before she lifted her head, but she nodded.

“Is that it? Is it done?” Zio asked from outside the door. Alena reached over and placed Esther’s hands we’d been holding over her lower stomach. She looked peaceful. Like a Disney princess under a sleep spell.

She was anything but peaceful. She was using every ounce of her energy to hold the spell that was keeping her in the limbo she was in.

She would no longer be trackable, no longer be detectable to anyone. She gave off no heat or heartbeat, she had no thoughts or feelings. She essentially no longer existed. Only a body remained. An empty, protected, one.

“Why can’t we see her anymore?” Aleksander called panicked into the room, but he couldn’t enter. No one could.

“it’s part of the protections. If anyone found this room, they’d see nothing. Only those in the room can see her” I answered him.

“She’s here. She’s peaceful.” Alena said softly looking up at Aleksander. Her hand was still on Esther’s.

Aleksander was leaning across the doorway only staring at Alena. He relaxed slightly but I could tell the emotions running through that man were anything from relaxed.

“she’s safe. That’s what matters” Zio said his hand resting on Aleksander’s shoulder. Only the man didn’t take comfort in the touch. He shook him off and turned to leave the room. He was gone in a blink of an eye, and it left Zio with his head hanging low.

“it’s going to take a while. She’s all he’s ever known” Chantelle murmured to her husband, taking his hand in comfort.

“And he just got promoted to the fastest and strongest supernatural being in the world” I pointed out. I knew Esther had made her husband promise to be as he was before, but a love like theirs wasn’t easily forgotten and I couldn’t imagine the hole someone like Esther would leave in your heart if you knew her well.

“Axton is right, how are we going to control the fastest and strongest creature in the world without Esther?” Zio turned to Chantelle. I stopped listening to their conversation to walk over to Alena who was still staring down at Esther before us.

“let’s go” I said to her taking her other hand. “We should finish the final protection spell” I said to her, and she nodded but tears were falling from my sisters’ eyes.

“I’m so sorry” she said and reached down to kiss Esther’s forehead. She dropped her hand to rest over the other and followed me out of the room. We closed the double doors together and I held my hand out to Zio. He handed me a knife and we both sliced into our palms to seal the door with a blood bound spell.

“We must get to court.” Zio called out and we all parted. I made sure to avoid Mia and Ignacio as we left the room and the doors behind us were sealed.

I was impressed with how much Zio had already done court wise. There were people making their way around the mansion, packing, and talking about preparations. Farewells and hugs were everywhere as set members of the guard were making their way to leave. Alena and I were excused from the court that night as we had to rest. My worry for Alena was growing every second we stayed standing and I insisted we needed to recover before we could help in the Volturi. Zio agreed and Alena and I made our way back to her house.

According to Ophelia, I slept for a day and Alena was still asleep when I woke.  I could barely look at Ophelia. She had greeted me with relief when I woke but it felt like I was being punched in the gut. She looked so much like her aunt, like Esther. I didn’t think it would bother me seeing her family, but I felt so guilty for taking her away from them. Even though it wasn’t exactly my fault. I had my part in it all.

Alena woke about twelve hours after I did, and we were visited by Zio who updated us on everything that had happened since the eclipse.

The world was in disarray. Volturi guard members were coming back and forth, Zio and the leaders were organising trips and accommodation and guard plans. Zio had told us that various guard members and Cullen’s were requesting to see us, but he had insisted they needed to give us a few days to recover first. The human world was in turmoil, completely perplexed by the eclipse. News channels were talking about the second coming and apocalypses. Carlisle and Micah were completely overrun at the hospitals from riots and the humans doing stupid acts out of fear. The world was going crazy and all we could do was wait out the storm, at least for a little while before we could begin putting it back together.

Zio had given us a few days to recover, after all there wasn’t much we could do whilst the organisation was still happening. Courts were on hold for three days after the eclipse started. They would start back up again and there were already hundreds of people requesting an audience.

Eddie visited when he arrived in Chicago and although id never really interacted with him, it was evident how close he was to Esther. He knew everything, even the fine details of the spell. He sat with us for hours and it was refreshing to talk to someone that didn’t see us as the centre of the hurricane. He warned us there was going to be some inner backlash. People were scared and already missed Esther. We had to be strong to face them, but he was sure they’d eventually understand. We just had to get through the first few weeks.

The only other visitor we’d had was Naarah. She had been over once or twice to make sure Ophelia was okay, but I hid in my room. I couldn’t face her.  Alena was less bothered by the scrutiny. She had Ophelia by her side, the support I was drastically aware I was missing. I knew I had Clara, but it wasn’t the same. She was going through so much herself still, I had called her when I woke up and told her I was okay. She said Edward had explained everything and she was going to stay with her daughter for a while but would be back in a week.

There was a knock at the door and Alena stood to see who it was.

“Hello Alena, I was wondering if we could talk to you and your brother” Edward Cullen’s voice radiated through the hall.

“of course, what is it we can do for you?” Alena asked nicely as they entered the room I was in. I stood politely to greet out guests. I wondered why he was here. Zio had told all Cullen’s to leave us alone until the three days were up.

“I’m sorry to come to you during your rest but we have some concerns about Clara” Edward said eying me specifically. Clara?

“Is she okay?” Alena asked then turned to look at me as well.

“Why are you looking at me? She was fine when I spoke to her” I frowned deeply.

“she’s safe, for now, but with the absence of Esther and your newfound role in the Volturi guard, I worry for what kind of target that will put on Clara’s back. She is human, defenceless and living alone on the opposite end of the city to us. Your friendship with her puts her in danger and I want to discuss options with you to rectify that.” Edward explained and it shocked me I hadn’t thought of this before. Of course it would. Esther had warned us already that people would come for us, whether it would be as enemies or to beg us to bring Esther back. They could very easily go after the people we loved to get us to do their bidding. Mia was safe, I was sure of that. No creature on this planet could beat her in raw power, except maybe Esther. But Clara? She was completely and utterly, beautifully human.

“What are the options?” I asked my thoughts on Clara and anger bubbled up inside me at the thought of her in danger, much less danger that I was putting her in.

“You stay away from her, for however many years it takes for us to resolve the demonic war issue. No contact, no phone calls, no visits, no one can know she even knows you, let alone is friends with you. She avoids the supernatural world completely and lives a normal human life away from any kind of danger.” Edward offered.

“that’s the one you prefer, what is the other one?” Alena asked my exact thoughts.

“As a father and someone that is extremely invested in Claras safety I hope that you will offer her that option first…” Edward began but Bella looked up at her husband exasperated, as if she was going to repeat something she’d said a dozen times already.

“Edward” she scolded him, and he looked at me for a moment.

“What is the second option?” I asked unsure of another solution. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it through the trials of being a Volturi guard without the simplicity of a friendship to escape to when I wanted. I needed Clara in my life. Like I needed air to breathe, like I needed my twin sister by my side and Mia to be safe and happy. All three of them were bound to my will and I couldn’t survive without ensuring I had them.

“You convince her to move to the Volturi Estate. She will be protected within the walls. Zio is building ten new homes that are due to be completed by the end of the spring, in the meantime, she can stay in one of the apartments in the main mansion. Many of the guard members currently using them are going to be on research missions to bring Esther back and find answers. She will be the safest in the mansion and honestly the apartments are not dorm rooms, they’re full-on homes. Whilst living there, she would be safe, free to leave whenever she wished as long as she’s not with you when she does. But more importantly you can still be friends, you can still go see her. She can still have contact with all of her family and not have to cut the supernatural world off for the next few years or however long it takes for us to get through these dark years.”

“Dark years? Is that what people are calling it?” Alena asked.

“It’s going to be one of the toughest times in supernatural history. Over the last two hundred years, Esthers influence has stretched to every corner of the planet. People worship or fear her, and both are powerful effects to be under. People will question it, and some will see the Volturi as weak without her. I fully believe in Zio’s capability to run the Volturi without her presence, but it won’t be just her they’re scared of. This eclipse will last a long time, the humans will notice and scare. There may be a backlash we haven’t yet prepared for and that doesn’t even cover what a hundred days without the full sun is going to do to the planet. There will be just enough light to keep humans from dying but it’s going to have drastic effects on all life. People are calling it The Dark Years because we’re not going to rest until we have our peace back and that only returns when Esther wakes, the demonic war threat is over, and the human and supernatural world alike finally settle. It’s going to be turbulent and its already began” Edward explained and all his words, all Esthers words sunk in.

We were the pinnacle of that unrest. We are the reason.

“Edward” Bella said again as she scolded her husband.

“they’re not children. This isn’t time to sugar coat the effects of their actions” he argued with his wife, and I realised Edward was one of those Esther was talking about in the family that didn’t agree with her choice. She said even those close to her were likely to hate us for what we were going to do.

“You don’t need to scare them.” Bella sighed and her hand reached out to touch Alena’s shoulder who I realised was staring off out the window behind them. Her mind was racing but her vision was unfocused.

“I will give her the options, and I’ll give her the first before the latter” I nodded to Edward in agreement.

“Thank you” he responded, and I saw him visibly relax.

“You know she won’t take it.” Bella said looking at Edward.

“She might, if she realises the danger she could put her children in.” he mentioned and he was right, but I wasn’t sure how much else Clara was willing to give up.

“She would still see her children; they can still visit her in the mansion. She’s going to take the option that lets her be with her family. That lets her see you. And her parents. And Axton and Alena.” Bella reasoned and I knew she’d be right. Even if part of me was like Edward and wanted her to remain completely separated from the entire supernatural world as it flipped on its head. We didn’t know how long all this would last. It could be decades and I knew Clara wouldn’t take that.

I promised them both I would speak to her as soon as they left.

And I did. I knew I was supposed to be resting but I had felt back to normal since yesterday. It was mostly Alena that needed the extra time. So, I teleported to Clara’s daughters house and took a deep sigh as I knocked lightly on the door. No one answered but I looked to the window to see a face suddenly disappear behind the curtains. The door opened a few moments later and the grown-up Kira Cullen pulled me quickly into the house before she locked the door behind me.

“Kira. Are you okay?” I asked her seeing her panicked face.

“People are choosing houses to prey on. We’ve been keeping quiet, to try and defer the looters.” She said looking out the small window of her door back outside. Looting? I shook my head in disapproval. Humans. Stupid panicked humans.

“she’s in there.” Kira said nodding to the living room. I smiled at her, she returned my smile forcefully, her aged face looked tired. Last time I had seen Kira she had been mid-forties. She was now close to fifty.

“Hey” I said solemnly as I entered the room. Clara was staring out the rear window. She turned to look at me and return my greeting, but her face dropped as she saw mine. I wonder what I looked like in this moment. My heart felt like it was breaking, I had barely survived leaving Mia, now I had to do it with Clara too? How was I going to get through this without either of them? I had been so used to having both.

“what’s going on?” she asked coming over to me. She stopped in front of me, and her hands reached up to rest on my jaw and face. I closed my eyes at her touch, and I blinked away my emotion. “Axton?” she asked her voice shook; I opened my eyes to see her concerned face staring at me.

“I need to ask you something.” I said reaching for her hand on my face and taking it in my own. I brought her over to her couch and sat down next to her.

“What is it?” she asked her eyes still darting across my face as if she could get the answer before I spoke it. I explained everything that had happened. I knew Edward had told her most of it, but I needed to rant, I needed to get out my side. Everything that had happened the last few days.

“you’re my weakness Clara. People are going to realise that very quickly and I need you to be safe. I can’t… I can’t do this knowing you’re at risk. You need to disappear, to be human. Take your husband’s name, hide in the human world until this is over.” I said and my voice broke with emotion giving me away. I couldn’t do this.

“If I do that ill not only be cut off from you but from my family too. My mother, Edward. I… I can’t do that” she said tears welling in her eyes. “There needs to be another option.” She said and I reached to catch a tear as it fell from her eyes.

“There is another, but I promised Edward id give you the human one first” I sighed, and I rested my forehead against hers.

“What is it?” she asked moving back so she could see me.

“You move into the Volturi.” I said looking down to our joint hands.

“The Volturi?” she asked in shock.

“The apartments in the mansion. The guard members that are leaving on missions will be leaving them empty. Zio has agreed for you to live in one if you wish. I’ll be in one too. We’ll be neighbours. I’ll be working every day at the Volturi, and you’ll be safe there, in the most secure building in the world. We’ll still see each other whenever we want. You can see your parents and grandparents. You’ll be free to come and go as you please with the protection of the Volturi. We won’t be able to be seen together but we will at least be able to be friends on Volturi ground.” I explained and I couldn’t help but be happier as I spoke.

“Yes. That one. That’s the option I pick. Screw Edward for making you give me the other one first. He knows me better than that. Of course I can’t live without him, I can’t live without the supernatural anymore. He dragged me into it at 16 years old how dare he try and push me out now.” She said and her voice was angry at her father figure.

“He wants to protect you. he’s your father. Of course he wants you safe” I said defending him.

“I know, but you said there isn’t an end date to this turmoil. What if it’s a year or ten? Or twenty? How am I supposed to live my life without the most important people in it?” she asked.

“Your children. Your sister. You have family outside of this life.” I reminded her.

“But that’s only a part of my life. This way I get both parts. Why wouldn’t I choose that?” she asked.

“Because I’m putting you in danger. You knowing me, you being my friend puts you in unmeasurable danger and I…” the thought overwhelmed me. I stopped myself before I said something I might regret. Something she might take the wrong way or blow out of proportion. I wanted to tell her I couldn’t bear the thought, that my love for her wanted –no, needed-- her to be safe. But I was also selfish. I wanted her by my side as I went through this, I wanted her living next door to me so I could escape to her friendship whenever I needed.

She leant forward; her forehead rested against mine.

“I have a super badass powerful warlock as my best friend. I’m not in any danger as long as I’m with you. That’s where I need to be. I can’t lose you too” she said, her eyes closing at the end of it. I couldn’t help the pounding of my heart at her words. I reached to gently tuck her hair behind her ear but she didn’t move her head from mine.

I knew in that moment my life would be changed forever and I would have Clara by my side for what ever the Volturi had in store for me.

-----

It was our last day of hiding. The first court session was set for that night where we would be presented and would stand in place of Esther on that stage. Whilst I was nervous to face the guard, Alena and I were strong again. We had each other and the support of Eddie. The three of us were taking over most of Esther’s responsibilities. I knew we’d be okay eventually.

It was only a few hours before the court but there was a bang on the door. The wooden door splintered under the strength, and I heard it hit the wall as it opened.

“Where are they?” I heard Zac Cullen’s voice bound off the front door. I was sitting with Alena and Eddie, a tablet between us as we were running over memorising the guard that still remained in the Volturi mansion.

“Zac” Clara’s mother scolded him as another loud bang echoed through the house. Ophelia looked at Alena and I across the room and raised her eyebrows.

“Let him in” I said standing up. This was expected. Esther had warned us people wouldn’t be happy, and Eddie had warned me that Zac would struggle with the absence of Esther when he found out. He and Madeleine had been on vacation in Florida as everything went down. The eclipse grounded all flights and Zac and Madeleine had to make their own way back to Chicago, it had taken them a few days longer than expected.

Ophelia went to the door and opened it. Zac moved faster than my eyes could catch up and I saw his hand reach for me but before I could react, he was against the wall with a calm and calculated Eddie Cullen pinning him against it.

“Let me go kid” Zac snarled at the man in front of him.

“Who are you calling kid Zachary?” Eddie asked as Zac pushed against Eddie’s grip, only Eddie was so much stronger than the vampire. He didn’t move a muscle.

“Zac” madeleine said in a soft voice reaching out to her husband.

“Bring her back, now!” Zac shouted to me and Alena.

“We can’t do that, and you know it.”

“Zac she’d be unsafe, the eclipse has brought demons across to our world. it would bring an apocalypse if Esther were here. Its why she did what she did” Eddie explained to him, his grip still keeping him tightly against the wall. Zac softened for a moment and turned his angry gaze away from me and my sister to look at Eddie.

“She didn’t even say goodbye” Zac said. He had stopped struggling and his expression had softened.

“I know” Eddie responded with equal emotion and his grip loosened. I had my hand in Alena’s ready to bring up a protection spell at any moment just in case. “But you’re mad at Esther, not them” he said looking to us and back to Zac. “You can’t take it out on the only two people in the world that can wake her up.”

“Why did she come to you?” he asked turning to glare at us again. “you’re not family. You don’t love her. Why is her life in your hands?” he asked.

“Exactly that reason I imagine.” I replied carefully and Eddie gave one swift nod in agreement.

“they’re loyal enough to the family that they can be trusted but detached enough they wouldn’t get emotional and bring her back the second they missed her.” Eddie explained. “They were the only choice given their power and they were the right one. Esther trusted them, and so we have too as well”

“When are you going to bring her back?” Zac asked us directly.

“When we can” Alena answered calmly. Zac turned to Eddie now and his face was free of any anger or resentment. It was just full of sadness and hurt.

“I know Zac… I know” Eddie said reaching out to rest his hand on his shoulder for a moment. “It wasn’t the way she wanted to do it. I didn’t get to see her either. She didn’t do it to hurt us. She did it to save us” he said, and I realised in that moment how much Esther meant to the two men in the room. I knew Zac had been in love with her a long time ago, but I saw the friendship and the loyalty he had for her now mirrored in Eddie and I felt pity for them both. It wouldn’t be just her husband and family grieving her absence. It would be Eddie, and Zac, and Zio and the guard, and the world.

I dropped Alena’s hand and moved over towards both men that were hanging their heads in thought.

“I’m sorry” I said with a bow of my head. “If it means anything, I never expected or wanted to do the spell. But I couldn’t deny her. It was her sacrifice and her choice. Alena and I were only doing what we thought was right. Esther is someone I admire greatly, and I will not go a day without thinking about what we did. She chose us, not just because of our power but also our links to your family. Alena’s connection to Ophelia, and my love for your daughter keeps us in this fight. We are not the enemy. We will fight as Esther did until we can return her to you.” I said with complete honesty. I knew it was a stretch to call Clara Zac’s daughter. She didn’t call him her father, but I knew from Clara, Zac tried to be as supportive and as open as he could for her, and he did view her as his daughter just as he viewed Sophie as his. It was madeleine that moved towards me then. I tensed for a moment when her cold arms came to hug me. I had never had much of a conversation with Clara’s mother before, so I was shocked at the sudden intimacy. I returned the hug reluctantly. I wasn’t sure if she was taking my admission of love for her daughter to mean something more than I meant. But it didn’t matter. My love for Clara was stronger than most and even if it was platonic at the moment, it didn’t used to be, and I knew one day it would be more again.

“I know kid. I’m sorry for my outburst.” Zac said reaching his hand out in offering. Madeleine moved away from me so I could shake Zac’s hand. “I know what you’ve done for Clara. I know you are keeping her safe and I appreciate that too” he added looking at Madeleine and then back to me.

“I will always keep her safe. Esther too.” I said with a nod.

“I’m going to hold you to that.” Zac stared at me with an intensity I would expect from Aleksander, not Zac. I realised in that moment, even though they were both happy with their partners they had a bond I could understand. He loved her. And I knew looking at Madeleine it was no secret to her either. She lived with the shadow of her husbands ex, just as Clara would for me one day. Zac loved Esther as I would always love Mia.

It was kind of poetic really.

I turned to Eddie after Zac peacefully left the home.

“How many more angry Cullen’s am I going to have to face?” I asked him. His eyes danced across mine and he smiled glumly.

“Aurora Cullen might have something to say, but most are either understanding enough of the situation or too polite to say anything” he answered. I remembered Aurora from when I first met the Cullen’s. She had come charging across the country the second she heard Esther was in danger. She’d stood by her side in the fight against Lilim. She was Eddie’s sister’s great granddaughter and one of Esther’s prodigies.

“What about Aleksander? How is he? Is he angry at us?” Alena cut in. She said what we were both thinking. With Esther now absent; he was the strongest being in the world. He was the oldest Luna Bambini, it was rare that we ever had to think about the power Aleksander Balev possessed as it was barely a scratch on Esther’s, but now? Now he had lost his anchor, he had lost the love of his life, he had lost his meaning. How did someone get through that? I had seen what it did to Zac but what about her actual vampire mate? The man that spent every waking day by his wife’s side since she had turned the world over to raise him from the dead?

“he’s… he just needs some time to adjust. He won’t see anyone, but I’ve been checking on his mind. He’s just processing.” Eddie said with a nod as his eyes dropped to the floor. I knew there was so much more he wanted to say but out of respect for his friend he wouldn’t say anymore.

“Are… he won’t come for us like Zac?” I asked nervously. Eddie lifted his head now and I knew in that moment we had nothing to fear from Aleksander Balev.

“no.” Eddie said with a stare so intense I looked over to Alena. I couldn’t begin to fathom the connection Eddie had with Esther and Aleksander, but I knew from one word he was telling the truth. He watched my gaze before he pulled my attention back. He couldn’t read our minds, but he was clearly incredibly good at reading faces and body language.

“I got you, were a team now. I promised Esther I’d be by your side in this. And I will.” He said his hand coming out to rest on my shoulder as we both stood there.

I wasn’t an empath or a telepath, but I could see the pain and fire behind Eddie Cullen’s eyes. He was heartbroken. He was barely standing, barely holding it together. Had he had a chance to stop and grieve or think at all the past few days? He looked exhausted. Was that even possible for a moon pool child? I knew without Esther’s mind link in the Volturi there would be new systems being put in place and had he helped that? Had he been trying to fulfil her shoes with the countless connections she had placed in the organisation of the business that operated here. She had been an intricate part in the operation of the Volturi. Since Alena and I woke up he had been here, at our sides, quelling our fears and answering our questions. Supporting us as he had supported Esther in her mind, I had no doubt. Had he stopped for a moment to think about his friend? To register his own pain?

I watched his eyes dance, unable to stay still for long. The only word I could think of to describe the man before me was broken.

I stared at the shattered man before me and dropped the magical shield that in place to hide my thoughts. I let my gratitude and admiration of him show as I thought loud and clear for him to hear.

This was the strongest man in the world.

The true counterpart to Esther. As her soulmate I guess the universe agreed with me. Aleksander may be her mate, but Eddie was her other half. Aleksander may have broken down in grief, but Eddie was still standing. Being exactly who Esther needed him to be. I had a feeling that the next few years or how ever long it took before we could return Esther would be the hardest on Eddie Cullen than it would be on anyone on the planet.

I watched as he blinked away the tears that threatened to show his emotion and just for a moment I saw it on his face before it solidified into a face full of strength and determination that told me I was right.

I just hoped we could help share his burden as we all entered this new world, this void, that we had created without Esther Josephson.