"So to finish up," Santiago said, the only thing standing between me and the exit to the jet, "don't do anything I would do, and definitely don't do anything I wouldn't do." There was a pause as I simply stared at him. "In all seriousness, however, let us know if you need anything at all."

"Would you relax? You're as bad as my mates," I said. "But I promise I'll be careful and I'll let you know if I sense anything is afoul."

"Atta girl," He said, stepping aside. "Go on, kid. We'll drop your luggage off to your house. Have a good reunion."

"Thanks," I said with a grin, waving goodbye to him, Jane, and Alec as I descended the stairs off the deck. As Demetri and Felix were on a short mission in Tennessee, Santiago was sent in their place and would remain even once they rejoined my guard. It was raining, as was normal in Forks, and Edward and Emmett were waiting for me by Emmett's Jeep.

"Hey there, Ro-bear!" Emmett said, laughing when I tackled him in a hug. He swung me around and ruffled my hair once I was placed safely back on my feet. "I missed my favorite troublemaker."

I rolled my eyes at him and grinned. "The only troublemaker here is you, Em."

"Rude," Emmett said.

"Hello, Rowan," Edward greeted as I grabbed him in a hug.

"Hey, Ed. How are you?" I asked, glad to be reunited with my brother.

"As well as I can be. Glad you're home. How are you doing?"

"Right as rain," I said, gesturing to the gray skies above.

He chuckled. "Well, I'm happy to hear it. Everyone else is waiting at the house, Bella included. She wanted to come, but I had... reservations."

"Don't worry, mind-creep, we wouldn't take a bite out of your fiancée," Santiago said lazily, materializing by me. Edward stiffened. "Oh, relax. Is your whole family this tense? I just wanted to give you a friendly warning, is all."

Emmett crossed his arms. "Which is?"

"Don't make me have to do my job," Santiago said, crossing his arms as well. He wasn't nearly as tall as Emmett, but his glittering red eyes and muscled build made him appear just as threatening.

"You don't have to worry about that. Where is the rest of your entourage?" Emmett asked, directing the question towards me.

"Jane and Alec are here, but Felix and Demetri are in Tennessee. They should be here by next week. In the meantime I'm stuck with him," I said, jerking my thumb towards Santiago and ignoring his affronted expression. "Santiago, this is Emmett and Edward."

"Pleasure," he drawled, turning to me. "Call us if you need anything, kid."

"I will. Quit worrying," I said, hopping into the backseat of the Jeep, propping my elbows on the center console and not even bothering to buckle in. "So what have I missed?"

"To tell you the truth, not much, unless you enjoy wedding planning," Emmett said. "More importantly, what did you get up to in Volterra? You seem friendly with the guard."

"I didn't expect your guards to be so protective of you," Edward remarked. "I know you said you were befriending them, but I didn't realized the extent of their fondness towards you until I picked up on their thoughts."

"They're not as bad as you think, Ed. You're just prejudiced because they eat people," I quipped. "But really, they've all been great. It's almost strange how... normal they are. I guess I just didn't expect them to be so civilized."

"Carlisle believes their age helps them keep order, along with Chelsea's gift," Edward said. "Did you meet her?"

"Yes, and her mate, Afton. They're both great."

"The same Afton that-"

I cut Edward off. "Yeah, that one."

"Wait, what happened with Afton?" Emmett asked.

"Don't worry about it," I said, preferring to keep the story of what had occurred between Edward and I.

He gave me a dubious glance. "If you say so. Oh, by the way, Alice has thrown a bit of a party for you, something between a birthday and a homecoming party."

"That does not come as a surprise to me," I said. My nineteenth birthday had passed less than a week ago, and the guard had insisted on throwing me a party. Upon my request it was a casual affair, but that didn't stop them or the kings from showering me with extravagant gifts.

"I think she just wants to outdo your guards," Edward said. "She saw your decision to agree to a party and now, well..."

I groaned. "Typical."

"She insisted that you'll like it," Emmett said. "Don't worry, Esme and Bella have been working to keep her reasonable."

"What about Rose?"

"Yeah, she's all for it. There was nothing I could do," Emmett said, shrugging.

"She's just excited that you're back, she's missed you," Edward supplied as Emmett parked in the garage.

I hopped out of the Jeep as soon as he put it in park. "Well, she'll be happy to know that the feeling is mutual."

"I'm sure. Everyone is waiting upstairs," Edward said with a smile, following me to the living room where the rest of my family was assembled.

"Rowan!" Rose said, the first to greet me when I entered the room. She wrapped me in a motherly hug and I sank into her embrace. "I missed you so much! Did you have a nice time in Volterra?"

"It was great, Rose," I said. "I missed you, too. It was weird not having you all around."

"Well, we're happy you're back," Carlisle said, greeting me after Esme squeezed me in a tight hug. Jasper hugged me lightly and Alice came next, slamming into me with such exuberance that I nearly fell over.

"I'm still mad you stayed in Volterra for your birthday!" she said with a pout.

"When you think about it, all that did was give you extra time to throw me this lovely party," I pointed out.

Alice looked thoughtful for a moment before brightening. "Well, I suppose..."

I grinned. Works every time. Behind me, Edward snorted in laughter. I ignored him, favoring to instead greet Bella with a beaming smile and a hug. "Hey, Bells. How's your boy toy been treating you?"

She laughed. "Just fine. Yours?"

"Like a queen," I said, grinning.

"Thank you for that," Edward said sarcastically, wrapping an arm around Bella's shoulders. "I have missed your quick-witted jabs."

"Sarcasm does not become you, Ed. I'd stick to piano," I retorted.

Emmett laughed loudly. "Damn, I missed you, pipsqueak."

"We have food! And presents!" Alice said, practically vibrating with excitement.

My stomach growled at the thought. "Food first, I think. I haven't eaten much of anything substantial, the turbulence we hit took away my appetite."

"I haven't eaten either," Bella added.

"Food is in the kitchen, you two," Esme said, herding Bella and I into the kitchen, where the counters were piled with more food than two people could ever hope to eat.

"You've outdone yourself, Esme," I said, grabbing a plate and helping myself to a bit of everything. "It looks and smells delicious."

"Carlisle and Rose helped," Esme said, giving me a gentle smile. "I hope it's alright."

"It's great!" I said between bites, shooting her a thumbs up. "Thank you all."

"Of course," Carlisle said, leaning on the counter by his wife.

Rose took a seat beside me. "You look great, Rowan. Happy."

I smiled at her. "That's because I am, Rose."

"Well, I'm glad," she said.

"Have you decided on bridesmaid dresses yet, Bella? Alice never mentioned," I asked.

Bella took a sip of water before answering. "No, not yet. I wanted to wait for you."

"Thanks! You're going to have to show me your dress, I don't think I can wait for the big day!"

"I would, but I'm trying to keep Edward from seeing it before the big day, too. I went out with Mom and got it a few weeks ago."

"I didn't know your mom had come to town," I said interestedly. I knew Renee preferred to avoid Forks when at all possible.

"Well, Seattle, but it's close enough," Bella said with a shrug.

"Sure," I said, polishing off the rest of my meal. I stretched out my legs, leaning back in my chair. "The food was excellent!"

"Well I should hope so, with how fast you ate," Emmett said, grinning.

"I was hungry," I defended.

"I could tell," he said, reaching out to ruffle my hair. I ducked away, laughing. He simply shook his head. "You gotta work with me here, Ro-bear."

"What, so you can muss my hair again?" I asked.

"Yeah, exactly! I got a lot of lost time to make up for!"

"Oh, leave her be, Em," Rose said with an indulgent smile. "You can give her a hard time later."

"But angel," Emmett whined, drawing Rose to him and nosing her cheek. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Presents, presents!" Alice interjected as Bella finished her food. Esme whisked off our plates before we could blink and Alice was shooing us all back into the living room.

"Alice, you really didn't have to," I protested weakly. I already had more stuff that I knew what to do with, thanks to the combined effort of my mates and the guard, and I knew the Cullens were just as extravagant in taste.

"I most certainly do! You're my sister, and you're getting presents for your birthday! Even if it is a few days late." Alice shoved a bag into my arms. "This one is from Jazz and I. Go on, open it!"

"Alright, alright!" I exclaimed, laughing. I pulled the tissue paper from the bag and pulled out a stunning, cerulean blue pashmina scarf. "Wow, Alice, I love it!"

"I knew you would! I thought it would go nicely with your black dress," She said.

I folded it before returning it carefully to the bag. "It will definitely be great for winter. Thanks, you guys."

"Of course," Jasper said. I unwrapped several more gifts from my family, including a new laptop from Rose and Emmett and a new Cullen crest from Carlisle and Esme that hung around my neck, just above my Volturi crest.

Bella passed me a square, wrapped package, the last one of the stack. "This one is from Edward and I."

I grinned at her before ripping it open, careful not to nick my finger like Bella had done nearly a year ago. I chucked the discarded paper at Emmett's head, and he easily caught it with a laugh. Inside was a photo album, filled with pages and pages of photos - of Bella and I, the Cullens, our schoolmates, and so many other memories that it would take an hour to go through them all.

"Wow, Bells, Ed... I love it. Thank you so much," I said. "Where did you get all the pictures?"

"That's where I came in," Edward said. "I got together all the good pictures that Esme has taken of us over the years, including the ones from graduation."

"Thank you," I said softly. I willed him to understand just how much I appreciated what he had done, the reminder of the family and love that he and Bella had gifted me through the album.

Edward smiled. "Of course, Ro."

"So you're doing alright?" Caius asked. I knew him well enough to hear the edge of worry in his voice.

"Yes, of course. Alice threw me a homecoming-slash-birthday party," I said. I had decided to call the three before I crashed, and already I could feel sleep tugging at my eyelids. Jet lag really was a killer, even with the naps I had grabbed on the way.

"It seems like it was an enjoyable time," Marcus said.

"It was," I said with a smile.

"You sound exhausted, dearest. You should get some rest," Aro suggested gently.

I stifled a yawn. "I'm fine, really."

Caius chuckled. "We heard that yawn, amore. Get some rest, you can call us when you wake."

"Okay," I relented, slumping back into my pillows. Bella laid reclined beside me, having stayed for a sleepover upon my request.

"We miss you," Aro said.

"I miss you, too," I responded without missing a beat. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, m'kay?"

"We look forward to it. Get some rest," Marcus said, his voice gentle yet firm. "Goodnight, darling."

"Goodnight," I said, pausing for a moment before ending the call. I let out a grunt and pulled a pillow over my face.

"What?" Bella asked. I felt her shift in the bed as she turned to look at me.

"Is it lame that I wish I was back with them already?" My voice was faint and muffled by the pillow. "I'm really glad that I'm back in Forks, don't get me wrong, but I miss them, too."

Bella tugged the pillow away from my face. "I don't think it's lame. I feel the same way about Edward when we're not together. I think it's normal."

"I just feel like I'm being clingy, I guess," I said, letting out another yawn. "We should get some rest."

Bella yawned too. "Agreed. Goodnight, Rowan."

"Night, Bells." I turned off the light and rolled over. I was asleep within seconds.

I was in a forest. Not like the forests of Forks, no. Those were familiar, inviting. This was different. It was cold, and the trees looked rotten and smelled like death. I was barefoot, my feet sinking into the damp, leaf-strewn ground.

"Hello?" My voice was oddly distorted and bounced eerily through the trees.

"Rowan..." My name seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.

I spun around, darkness pressing into me from all sides. I had never been afraid of the dark before, but right now I was. "Hello?" I repeated. My voice cracked. "Anyone?"

"Rowan," The voice repeated. It was sing-songy this time, taunting.

I swallowed roughly. "Who are you?"

"Who do you think?" The voice was tantalizingly familiar, but I couldn't place it. "I've never stopped looking for you, Rowan."

He appeared in front of me. I stepped back with a startled cry. "No!"

"Yes," my father snarled, grabbing my face with a hand. "You look just like your mother. Pity you killed her."

"I didn't! I swear I didn't, please! I didn't!" I said, struggling in his grip.

"Sure you did. That's why you're here, with me. You wouldn't be otherwise. And I wouldn't hit you if you didn't deserve it." I was thrown backwards through the air as if I was a doll and slammed into a tree. My lungs seized at the impact.

"Remember, Rowan. You deserve this. And I have forever to make sure you remember," he snarled. His face was inches from mine, and his eyes were a bright, devastating red.

"No! No!" I screamed.

"Rowan! It's just a dream, Rowan! Wake up!" I jolted awake, tangled in the sheets and covered in a sheen of sweat. A figure loomed above me and I let out a yelp, shoving them away. My breaths came out in sharp gasps as I scooted away from the bed until my back hit the wall.

"Rowan, it's Edward. You're alright, okay. You're safe." Edward materialized in front of me, his hands gently grasping my arms. "You're alright. Just breathe."

"I. Can't," I said between gasps.

"You can," he said calmly. He glanced towards Bella. "Get her phone, call the kings."

"Which one?" Bella asked, scrambling for my cell as I struggled to draw breath and stave away the panic. The last time I had a nightmare was before I had left for Volterra over a month ago. I had grown far too used to a good night's rest.

"Any of them, it doesn't matter," Edward responded. "Look at me, Rowan. I need you to breath in slow, alright. Slow. Like me."

I swallowed, feeling my vision spot even as I tried to force my breathing into a more steady rhythm. Edward's voice drowned out Bella's, who was talking rapidly with a drawn expression. Edward pulled my attention back to him. "Eyes on me, Ro. Breathe slow."

I struggled to match his breathing, but kept my eyes focused on his gold ones. My mind kept replaying my nightmare like a broken record whose only song was pain. "Ed, I don't- I can't-"

"I've got you, Ro. You're safe, nothing can harm you here, remember?" he asked. My breathing started to slow.

"Here," Bella said, shoving my cell phone into Edward's hand.

"Thank you, Bella," Edward said, putting the phone on speaker. He spoke to the person on the other end. "Just talk to her, your voices will ground her."

"Rowan, dearest." It was Aro's voice on the other end of the line. "You don't have to talk, alright? Just breathe."

"You're safe, amore. We would never let anything happen to you," Caius said, his voice gentler than I had ever heard it.

I drew a breath, slower this time. I reached out for Edward, who drew me to his chest like I was a small child.

"You will be alright. Even if it doesn't feel like it right now, you are safe. We, your family, your guard - none of us would let anything happen to you. You are safe, Rowan," Marcus said. His voice was as calm and as soothing as Edward's.

I sucked in another controlled breath before I spoke. "I know." My voice was shaky still, but I was no longer breathless.

"Do you want one of us with you? I can come stay early, if you wish," Marcus offered. It had been decided that he would be accompanying me to Bella's wedding, since he had already been seen as my boyfriend at graduation, but he wasn't supposed to arrive until only a few days before the event.

"No, I'm okay," I said. "I'm okay. Really."

"Are you certain? We don't want you to have these nightmares, tesoro. Say the word and we'll be there, all three of us," Marcus said.

I shook my head vigorously, even though they couldn't see me. "No. I'm okay. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" Caius asked.

"I'm sure," I said. I wasn't, not really, but I had to do this. I wanted to be strong on my own.

"You don't have to," Edward murmured.

I glanced up at him. But I want to. "I'm sorry I-"

"No," Aro interjected. "Do not apologize, mia cara. This is not your fault, none of it is your fault. You didn't interrupt anything. We're here for you. Always."

I was beginning to wonder if Aro had acquired the ability to read my mind from a distance, because he had dispelled my apology before I even spoke. "Okay."

"Are you alright?" Marcus asked gently.

"Yes," I said slowly. "I'm okay. Or, at least, better than I was."

"You should try to get some rest, amore. It's late for you - or early, I suppose," Caius said gently.

"I'll try," I said quietly, though I didn't savor the idea of falling back asleep, returning to my nightmares, where even the shadows weren't safe. Edward rubbed my arm as my breathing picked up minutely.

"Good. Call us if you need anything, alright? You'll never be a bother to us," Marcus said. "We miss you. I miss you."

"Miss you too," I said with a faint smile. "I'll try to get some rest."

"Good. We'll call you in the morning," Aro said.

"Do you get nightmares a lot?" Bella asked once Edward hung up the phone.

I shrugged, leaning my head against his chest. His embrace wasn't the same as being held by my mates, but I still felt safer there than on my own. "Depends on your definition of 'a lot', Bells."

"What's your definition?" she asked.

"Several times a week since I escaped," I responded. My eyes felt heavy but I staved off sleep. "It's the place where the dark isn't safe."

"You want me to stay, Ro?" Edward asked, squeezing my arm.