The field was silent as the two groups stood across from each other. The heartbeats of the wolves and the two hybrids were the only audible sounds until Carlisle stepped forward after briefly conversing with Edward.

Carlisle spread his arms out in greeting as he spoke, "Aro, my old friend, it's been centuries."

Aro stepped forward, shadowed closely by Renata. He held up his hand as growls rippled from the crowd behind him.

"Behave," he muttered to his coven, "Fair words, Carlisle. Though, they do seem a bit misplaced, considering the battalion you've assembled against me and my dear ones."

Carlisle relaxed his posture before he held his hand out in front of him. "You need but a touch to find that was not my intent, my friend. You could have the truth."

Aro remained silent for a moment as his gaze lingered. He spoke as his eyes narrowed. "Maybe such, but how could your intent possibly matter, considering the treachery you've committed?"

Carlisle stepped forward again as he raised his voice, standing taller as it echoed over the field.

"I have not committed the crimes you accuse me of! There is no need for punishment!"

Aro took another step forward as he swept his arms open wide. "Then step aside, and let us punish those who are responsible. Truly, Carlisle, it would grieve me to have to end your inquisitive life today."

"No one has broken the law, Aro." He stepped forward again, holding his hand out to Aro once more. "Just let me explain."

Before Aro could speak, Caius moved forward to stand by his brother's side.

"So many pointless laws, minor inconveniences, many of which you helped create. How could you stand to break the only one that truly matters?"

"The law wasn't broken, if you could just listen - "

"We can see the child, Carlisle!" Caius hissed out, "Do not treat us as fools!"

"She isn't immortal! She isn't a vampire! If you'd just let me explain for one quick moment - "

"If she is not an immortal child, then why have you gathered such an army to fight for her?"

"Witnesses, Caius. They are witnesses, just like your own," Carlisle's gaze drifted toward the edge of the forest, where the mass of vampire witnesses stalked. "Any one of these covens could attest to my claim. They can tell you the truth about the girl. Or you could look for yourself. You can see the flush in her cheeks, feel the warmth running through her veins. Please, Caius, just look."

"Artifice!" The blond snapped, a sneer taking over his face.

"Enough, brother," Aro chided him quietly. "I must collect every facet of the truth for evidence. Perhaps, from someone more central to the story." His eyes flickered through the crowd before him. "Edward, as the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved?"

Michael watched as Edward crossed the field and allowed Aro to take hold of his hand.

Aro's gaze flickered back toward the crowd before he looked back to Edward's face. "I'd like to meet her," he spoke faintly.

Edward gazed back at his wife, briefly nodding his head as he sensed her hesitance. Bella moved forward a few feet before she stopped and gazed back at them, her eyes stopping as they landed on Emmett before skipping over to Michael.

Michael started across the snow-covered field with Emmett to meet up with them without her having to utter a single word. He stuck close to Renesmee, who was still on Jacob’s back. They came to a stop in front of the Volturi Kings, the sound of the snow crunching under their feet ceased to exist. Michael kept his expression blank as he helped Renesmee off of her imprinter’s back. He balanced her on his left hip, walking the rest of the way to the insane king as Isabella kept close to his side.

He set Nessie down, letting her step closer to the king as Aro held his hand out for her. Michael lightly gripped onto the girl’s shoulder, ready to pull her away from the red-eyed king at a moment’s notice. Ignoring Aro’s outstretched hand, Renesmee raised her own hand and placed it softly against Aro’s pale, marble face.

A low growl was released into the silent air. As it died out, Michael realized that it had come from both he and the wolf who was not too far behind him. His black eyes met blood-red as Caius returned the unfriendly growl. He continued to stare into those eyes until Isabella called for Nessie to come back to her.

The male hybrid stood still, not taking his gaze off the Volturi until the others made it safely back to the other side. He knew he wasn’t in reach of Bella’s shield anymore, but he took the risk to stop a possible attack from behind. He turned after his gaze briefly met Jacob’s, starting the trip back across the field. A dangerously low laugh cut throughout the air, freezing Michael in his place while many of the Cullens' witnesses tensed.

No one moved as Aro spoke.

“My dearest Michaelangelo,” he said in a way many of the witnesses couldn’t decipher, opening his arms wide to gesture to his guard as a whole. “Did you really think you could leave us again so soon, without so much as saying hello?”

A shudder involuntarily worked its way through Michael’s body. Before he could react, he was grabbed from both sides by Felix and Demetri. He struggled against their hold as they dragged him over to the infamous witch twins. He could sense the distress coming from the other side of the clearing, but before he could utter a word, he was forced down onto his knees.

His body tensed, anticipating what was about to happen. His eyes were shut tightly, not wanting to see it come. He felt the lightest of touches against the side of his face. His body instinctively relaxed under the familiar touch. He leaned into it as the cool hand caressed his cheek. A shiver ran over his body as he looked up at her.

When she spoke, her voice wasn’t harsh or cold as many of them in the clearing knew it to be. “Hello, dear brother,” She spoke in a whisper that was heard as the field had gone silent. “Why must you have run from us?” Before he was allowed to respond, gasps were heard all over the field as the twins sunk their fangs into each side of his neck. Chills visibly rippled through his body, but as they pulled back, the Cullen’s could easily see the blank look that took over Michael’s facial expression. He remained kneeling, the cold snow melting through his jeans.

His eyes remained closed, and if the vampires looked close enough, they could see how his body was faintly swaying back and forth. Demetri and Felix each grabbed an arm again. They pulled the brunet up, but he swayed more and fell back against Demetri’s chest. His eyes were still shut as Demetri swept him off his feet, one arm under Michael’s knees and the other behind his back.

His expression was still empty, but confusion briefly flashed over it for a few seconds.

Demetri and Felix returned back to their previous position, Michael being the only difference as he was kept in Demetri’s grasp. Most of the Cullen’s and their witnesses were staring at the brunette with betrayal and confusion shining brightly in their eyes. For all they knew, they just lost one of Renesmee’s fiercest protectors to the enemy.

The mind reader knew otherwise. His expression was one of sadness and pity as he --for the first time-- got a clear look into the brunet’s mind. It had all been muddy to him before, only gathering pieces here and there. It had always been as if they were being carefully filtered through to him, each thought carefully picked to be heard.

They were all so clear for him now; every little detail was being ingrained into his mind. It was just so easy to get a hold of each thought. They just kept coming.

It felt wrong. He shouldn’t be seeing any of this, and if Michael were in his right mindset currently, Edward would have continued not to get more than brief glimpses. But the brunet wasn’t in his right mind anymore, was he? The bronze-haired Cullen didn’t think so.

Images of golden-blond hair flashed through the brunet’s mind at a rapid pace. The unneeded breath was knocked out of Edward when he caught sight of his brother in the brunet’s mind. Before he could make sense of it all, he was withdrawn from Michael’s thought as Aro talked about how there was too much unknown about the female hybrid.

Thoughts that weren’t his own filled his mind and he almost let his grin show as he spoke.

“If there was a way for it to be known, would you let us go? Would we be free to go without any consequences as we've done nothing wrong?”

Words were exchanged, but none of them stayed in Michael’s mind. His heartbeat was deadly quiet, only audibly there if the vampires were trying to intentionally hear it. His shallow breathing hitched as a familiar scent filled him with a rush of pure adrenaline, his mind coming to life as his eyes flashed open. He became aware that he was now standing on his own, Demetri no longer holding him.

One second, he was standing there by himself, close to the witch twins. The next, he had Demetri pinned down on the ground, his head in Michael’s hands as Demetri struggled to get himself free. The sound of cracking marble filled the sudden silence of the field as Michael gave a harsh twist, the tracker’s head coming off with the movement. His black eyes met gold as he looked back up. His gaze left Jasper’s and, instead, it landed on Felix. Seeing the deadly look in his eyes, Felix let go of the blond male. After hesitating briefly, the burly man returned to his Kings’ side. They’d get Demetri back before they left, he silently promised himself.

The field was stock-still and silent. The brunet stepped away from the tracker’s body, coming to a stop next to the blond male. The brunet’s body was stiff as he stood at attention, his hands clasped behind his back. He wasn’t looking at his old friend. Instead, he watched Aro as he held the hand of who he assumed to be Alice, the pixie that he was told could see the future.

Aro suddenly pulled away from the girl, and as Aro’s eyes met with his, Michael could see the fear in his eyes. Michael’s expression remained stoic, though he secretly enjoyed the fear his old Master felt towards him.

“Now you know your future; if you go through with this.” The small woman spoke. “I’ve been traveling the world, gathering witnesses of my own.” As she said this, Michael took note of two new vampires standing next to them. One had a heartbeat.

The new male hybrid spoke of his life and his traits that came with being half-human and half-vampire. Many words were said, but Michael was once again not listening to them. His gaze was captured by the pair of ruby eyes that belonged to Jane Volturi. Her eyes held sadness, an emotion that was easily recognizable to the brunet. She was just standing there with a look in her eyes. The next second, all of the Volturi had vanished. Her meaning was clear to him, though.

‘I’m sorry.’