Waiting For My Real Life To Begin
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 05
Bella groaned out in frustration.
Here she was, trussed up in this contraption that they called a dress, trying to move gracefully in it and finding it all but impossible.
"Dad! I can't move in this thing! Isn't there something else I can wear? This is ridiculous! How am I to move around in this when I can't even breathe properly?"
She threw herself on the sofa, her skirts and hoops flying up into her face. "Fuck!"
Stefan shook his head and shot a dark look at Damon who was smirking after having just downed half a glass of bourbon.
"Isabella, that attitude will not do my darling daughter. Is it really helping you reach your goal of mastering the comportment of a lady?"
Stefan groaned in misery while Damon chuckled darkly as they watched a middle finger rise from the mound of tulle, ribbons and lace that currently resided on the sofa.
She spoke up then, although it was somewhat muffled from the pile of various fabrics.
"Ya got any of these in your sizes because I'd pay good money to watch you try to deal with all of this bullshit and lace and still maintain the comportment of a lady."
The sneer in her voice was obvious to any who cared to listen.
Stefan now looked stricken as he glanced at Damon.
"I don't know what made us think that any daughter of yours raised in the modern day could ever pull off being a genteel lady of southern breeding. Jesus Damon! She's a female you! This is hopeless!"
The mound of fabric began to rustle around until they both saw a head and face poking up from it.
"Look, this is not hopeless. Just let me sit here a minute and recharge my batteries, so to speak. I'll get this shit, uh...I'll master the comportment of a lady."
She could just barely see her father and uncle, both with raised brows as they stared at her.
She scowled.
"I will! You'll see."
Renée walked in at that point and choked on a laugh.
"Oh Bella." She giggled. "Oh honey, I feel for you."
Renée watched a hand poke out, pointing an accusatory finger across the room in the direction of the two exasperated males.
"Yeah well, they don't."
Renée chuckled. "Since when has any man been able to understand the plight of any woman?"
Sighing, Bella struggled her way off of the sofa. Sitting and sulking certainly wasn't going to get her anywhere.
"Alright", she said with determination, "I'll try this again, shall I?"
Across the room, Damon saluted her with his glass and a surprisingly proud look. "That's my girl."
Warmth filled her and she smiled, smoothing her skirts and moving about the room with renewed enthusiasm.
~o0o~
Later that evening as she was having dinner, she took the opportunity to broach a subject that had her more than a little worried.
"Dad?" He looked at her with a cocked brow, waiting for whatever she wanted to know.
Taking a deep breath, she decided to just get it over with.
"Is anyone going to accompany me on this travel? Am I going alone?"
Damon saw the naked fear in her eyes and something stirred within him. He'd been thinking about this very issue ever since Renée had refused and to be perfectly honest, if only to himself which was rare enough, he just couldn't let her go by herself.
Sitting back in his chair from which he'd been watching her, he shook his head.
"I can't let you do this alone kid. I'll be going with you."
A beautiful smile lit her face as relief filled her eyes and Damon was lost.
He smiled back at her and thought about just how dangerous having a daughter could be. After all, no other woman had ever so thoroughly wrapped him around her finger as his daughter had in so short a time.
~o0o~
It took a week for Bella to get the hang of the period clothing.
Getting into it, living her life in it and getting out of it; it was all a supreme struggle that she had to master.
Not only master, but make it look as though she'd been wearing such things her entire life.
It was not easy, but she did it.
In addition to that, she had to learn all of the etiquette and social mannerisms of the time.
She just knew that she was going to choke on some of it even after having been there for a time.
Women simply did not have the same social equality then as now, and being thought less intelligent than any man was going to seriously piss her off, she was sure.
She only hoped that she could keep her mouth shut about it.
She smirked then, thinking about her secret outlet.
She spoke fluent Italian and she was damn well going to use it whenever something pissed her off past the point of keeping that mouth shut.
At this point, not even Damon knew that she could speak it and she couldn't wait to see his reaction the first time she vented.
Oh, she planned to keep a sweet demeanor as she did so.
With the right inflection of voice, those around her would never understand the venom that she would most likely be gracing them with. But she would, and that was the important part; for her to have an outlet.
Otherwise, she would probably explode and blow the whole thing, and that would be beyond bad.
She couldn't lose her mate after all. Even if he was the worst chauvinist of the lot. She'd simply spend the next hundred years convincing him that his way of seeing women was in error, once he was firmly within her grasp, that is.
She thought about her relationship with her father and marveled at how close they had become.
Oh, their true feelings were masked when around the others by humor and sarcasm, which they both seemed to be genetically predisposed experts at wielding, but they had their private moments and conversations where they allowed themselves to let down those protective barriers and those times never failed to warm Isabella's heart.
She loved her father deeply now and always would, no matter how anyone else saw him.
Speaking of her father, she wondered where he was and so she went looking.
Exiting her room, she took the stairs carefully as the dress she wore today was particularly voluminous.
They had all agreed that immersion was the best way for her to learn and get used to the particulars of the time she was going to and so she was stuck in these clothes day in and day out.
She felt like she was in a 'Gone With The Wind' nightmare, but it was all becoming easier the more she endured It.
She found him in the sitting room, going over what looked like old maps of Texas and she smiled at the fact that he was putting so much effort into this whole thing.
Across the room, Renée spoke quietly with Stefan and Elena.
Bella sighed in quiet envy as she took in how Elena was dressed.
God, what she wouldn't give to be wearing a pair of jeans right now.
They all looked up as she entered and perched herself, perfectly, on one of the many chairs in the room.
Elena's brows were lifted as she smiled at Bella.
"Wow, what a difference a few days make. You've mastered the dress and hoops it seems. Well done."
Isabella smiled demurely. "Why, thank you for the compliment Elena. It's lovely of you to notice my progress."
She glanced at her father as he took in the shocked looks on the three faces across the room with his standard smirk.
"She's very good, is she not? She's a very quick study once she puts her mind to it."
He looked at her then and nodded. "I think we'll be ready in two days tops. No need to drag this part out, do you agree daughter?"
Inclining her head, she agreed. "I do Father. I'd much rather see this through sooner rather than later. I find myself anxious to be on my way."
Damon rose and went to her, a hand held out in invitation. "We must work on your dancing skills then. It's the only area where you still need practice. We can talk about all the little details as we practice."
She sighed quietly and took his hand, rising from the chair gracefully and sweeping out into the room as her father guided her.
Noticing the looks of disbelief, particularly that of her uncle Stefan, she shot a tiny smirk at her father while inclining her head toward them subtly.
"If I didn't know better Father, I'd think they were witnessing a miracle, especially my dear uncle Stefan. Should we be concerned for his health? I do believe he looks as though he may be going into shock." She batted her lashes with a look of worry on her lovely face.
Damon played along with a grin. "I believe that he's healthy enough my dear daughter. Your concern, although touching, is unneeded." He patted her hand that was laid delicately on his forearm. "He'll be just fine."
A smile bloomed on her face. "I'm relieved. It would vex me greatly to be the cause of any distress after all."
Looking over at the dumbfounded trio, Damon cocked a brow and waited.
Stefan was the first to break their silence. "How...?" He shook his head and began again. "How in the world have you managed such a transformation?"
Damon looked at his daughter for a few moments, his pride in her obvious for them to see. Turning back to them he answered.
"I told you she's a very quick study. A few sessions together after having read a book or two on comportment and etiquette and this is the result. Like I said, we'll be ready to go in just a day or two."
He looked at Elena. "Is Bonnie ready? She has to add in an age regression element to Isabella's part of the spell. That's very important. Please tell her not to forget. She must arrive there at the age of 15 by our reckoning, otherwise she'll be too old for him to consider courting. He's going to be just a youngster himself and there's no way he or his family would consider an older girl for him."
Stefan nodded. "That's true. It just wasn't acceptable, especially in the more affluent families. Early marriage was fine, but to an older girl? There's just no way."
Elena nodded. "Alright. I'll be sure to stress the importance. Oh!"
She held up a finger while crossing over to her bag that was on a chair by the door. Digging through it she pulled out a small velvet bag and handed it to Damon.
"These are the items you requested she make for you."
He took it and dumped it into his hand. Selecting the necklace , he replaced the rings into the bag and tied the string closed.
He made his way over to Isabella and fastened the necklace around her neck as he smiled at her.
"It's just like my daylight ring. I want you to have it just in case something ever happened and you had to be transitioned all the way. I want to be prepared for whatever we may face."
Isabella laid a hand over the beautiful necklace that laid against her chest and smiled at her father.
"Thanks Dad. I love it."
At his cocked brow, she almost rolled her eyes. She chose a small sigh instead and looked up at him once again.
"Thank you Father, it's lovely."
~o0o~
Later that evening, everyone that was to be involved in the spell and travel itself decided that a meeting was in order to go over the finer details so that nothing slipped through the cracks, so to speak.
Bella approached Bonnie somewhat tentatively, knowing that she didn't care for Damon very much, but she felt the need to thank her personally for all that she had done and was about to do for her.
"Bonnie, I know we haven't really had a chance to even become acquainted really, but I want to offer my sincere thanks for all you're doing for me. I know it's not much, but I really do appreciate it."
Bonnie took a minute to study Isabella and then smiled a genuine smile. "I'm happy to help you Bella. This seems like such an incredible thing to be a part of and I couldn't pass it up. It's gratifying for me to be able to do something so touching and worthwhile for a change."
Bella smiled at her in relief. "I'm glad you feel that way. Is there any message that I can pass to your great grandmother for you?"
Nodding, Bonnie pulled a sealed letter from her bag and handed it to Bella. "This is for her when you see her. I'll know when she gets it because things will change here subtly, or they should anyway. I think this trip of yours will help us all in the long run."
Bella nodded and placed the letter in a small wooden box that would make the trip with her along with a trunk of clothing and other items they would need.
"I'm happy to return any help I can, even if it's small."
"Even small changes in the past can have major effects in the future. It's very important that you remember that. Try to resist changing too many things, even when you think you may be doing the right thing at the time. I do understand your need to save your true love from his previous fate though and I don't blame you one bit. From what Elena has told me, it was pretty horrific."
Bella nodded. "It was. I'm surprised that he came away from that with any sanity, much less the wonderful person that he truly is. He's pretty remarkable and I look forward to getting to know him as a human. It's an opportunity that I never dreamed would be possible."
She looked at Bonnie. "Without you, it wouldn't be and again I must say how very grateful I am."
Bonnie leaned forward and gave her a small but warm hug. "It's really my pleasure Bella. I'm kind of excited for you to tell you the truth. Document your life together Bella and pass it down so that I may see your story in that way. That will be thanks enough for me."
Smiling, Bella nodded. "We will Bonnie, I promise."
Bonnie turned toward the sitting room where everyone was gathering. "Shall we get this party started then?"
Bella laughed and followed after her. "God how I'm gonna miss talking like a normal person!"
~o0o~
They were all half-way through the meeting when they heard a very insistent knocking on their front door.
Looking puzzled, Stefan rose. "Anyone here expecting anyone?"
They all shook their heads and so, shrugging, he went to get the door.
Seconds later they heard Stefan protesting loudly just before a very feral and pissed off looking Alice Cullen fairly flew into the room, stopping just in front of Bella who was now tucked behind a very protective Damon.
"You! You bitch! Just what the fuck do you think you're doing Bella? I won't let you get away with this! You won't take him from me! He's mine! He's been mine for sixty years and he's going to stay mine! I swear that I'll kill you before..."
She didn't get a chance to finish that statement due to Damon pinning her against the opposite wall, his hand squeezing her neck too tightly for her to speak.
"I don't think so you icy little cunt. I'll see you shredded and up in flames first. Is someone who obviously is not your true mate worth the second death to you cold one? Because I'm more than happy to accommodate."
Stefan moved in front of Bella, shielding her with his body. "Let her go so she may answer Damon. I have Bella covered in case she tries anything."
He reached back and placed an arm around his niece, feeling her tremble against him.
Damon eased his grip but didn't release her completely. Not that he didn't trust his brother, but there were still other humans in the room that this thing could damage and he wouldn't chance it.
As a matter of fact, just the possible scenarios that were available to this ice cube in her pursuit to stop Isabella had him rethinking the option of turning her loose at all.
Simply destroying her seemed to be the best option for all involved, and this he now explained to his brother and all those present.
Everyone seemed to be against destroying her outright until he pointed out that Bonnie was vulnerable and if this thing killed Bonnie, the whole trip would then be impossible.
At the scowl he saw on Alice's face, he knew he'd hit on her plan B.
"So, it's obvious that little Alice here is determined to stop us in any way available to her. And I'd like to remind all that cold ones aren't subject to the rules that we are. They don't need an invitation to get into your house. They just get in and there isn't much, outside another vampire that can stop them. Not even your spells Bonnie, I'm sorry to say. It's just not safe or prudent to let her keep existing."
Bella trembled even as she saw the wisdom in her father's reasoning. Alice had been a friend to her, or so she thought, and it hurt more than she would admit to see the truth of the matter.
Damon turned and locked his gaze with his brothers. "I'll not chance it brother. I'm going to do what has to be done. Are you with me or not? I'll do it regardless, but I'd rather have you with me."
Alice was beginning to writhe and growl, venom running from her mouth and dripping from her chin in a gruesome display. Her eyes were glazed and she must have seen his decision because she redoubled her efforts to escape Damon's grasp, just before Stefan nodded.
"I'm with you. Let's get this over with."
~o0o~
Five minutes later, Bella could just make out the glow of a fire off in the distance, and she sighed quietly, two tears tracing silently down her cheeks for the friend that she'd thought she'd had.
~o0o~
The next day found her up bright and early going over last minute check lists obsessively while her father watched on.
"Isabella, cease your obsessing and have breakfast with me."
She pinned him with an icy blue gaze and he grinned. "Don't worry. It won't be anyone you know."
Her expression flattened as she crossed her arms over her chest and he relented, holding up both hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright, just regular food." He stood straight and proud, crossing one arm over his midsection and executing a perfect bow, one hand held out to the side in invitation. He peeked up at her.
"Is this an acceptable proposition to you my daughter?"
She laughed quietly despite her somewhat melancholy mood. "It is dearest Father of mine. I would be happy to accompany you to breakfast this morning."
"Perfect." He held his arm out for her to take and escorted her to the table where, to her surprise, everyone was already seated and waiting.
She smiled at them all and seated herself in the chair that Damon held out for her.
It was a surreal sight to see for all the others assembled for it was like witnessing a little piece of history. Not only was Isabella in period clothes, but Damon was also, in preparation for their trip to be taken in just over an hour from the end of breakfast.
She looked at all of the food laid out and her stomach gave a little protest. She fervently hoped that she wouldn't come to regret eating, and decided then and there to keep it light, just in case.
She helped herself to some fruit and toast with tea and then began listening to the conversation between her father and her uncle.
"So Damon, you've decided what it is that you'll be doing once you arrive there?"
Damon nodded. "Yes, the railroad was growing in the area by leaps and bounds due to the inland ports available in Houston and so I plan to invest in that and the shipping business while I may. I plan to liquidate most of the investments just before the war. Not all of them though. I don't believe that will be necessary from the research I've done.
This will fit in perfectly with our reason for being there though since the Whitlock family was heavily invested in the railroad and shipping. They even managed to survive the war mostly intact financially, but due to the loss of their only son and heir, the family died out and the fortune was portioned out to various distant relatives, the Whitlock name fading into obscurity.
But, getting back to my original point, investing in these businesses will put us in the same social circles thus giving Isabella the perfect opportunity to ensnare young Mister Whitlock with her grace, wit and charm."
Bella shot her father a sidelong glance coupled with a smirk. "You make me sound like a black widow spider Father. Thank you."
"It's ever my pleasure daughter mine." He smiled at her and Stefan sat back and marveled at the changes that this girl, his now much beloved niece, had wrought in his ever bitter and sarcastic brother.
His heart ached at the thought of all the time they could have had with each other and then he shook himself mentally. He couldn't think that way for what was done was done. He could however, be very grateful for her presence in their lives now and forever in the future.
He was shocked to realize that he would not only miss his niece when she left, but would profoundly miss this renewed version of his brother. Still snarky and sarcastic, surely, but with an underlying warmth and happiness that he hadn't seen in him since Katherine had entered their lives.
This is the brother that he had longed to have back; his best friend and he found himself looking forward to the day that they would see each other again.
~o0o~
All was ready to cast the spell and they gathered in the clearing behind the boarding house, Bella, Damon and their belongings in the middle of the sacred circle that Bonnie had cast.
They had researched and chosen a warehouse in the heart of Houston that was supposed to be vacant at this time and they all fervently hoped their research was accurate. If it wasn't, then Damon was going to have one hell of a job on his hands compelling whatever witnesses there may be to their arrival. It was a calculated risk that they had to take.
Bella and Damon chose to sit in the circle for safety's sake and the others all stood around the it, joining hands, lastly linking up with Bonnie to hopefully empower her for what she was about to endure. It would be very draining for her, but with this many lending their strength, she thought it would make things much easier not to mention more accurate.
She began the incantation and light began to flood the circle, swirling and growing brighter with every word and moment that passed. They could see Bella and Damon begin to fade and then there was a disturbance at the edge of the woods.
Stefan was dismayed to see an entire coven of cold ones emerge and approach but Bonnie continued on with single-minded determination.
Bella could see everything around them begin to fade into the light that was overtaking them and she marveled at it.
She felt fine, the only difference being a profound lightness of her entire being as things became more opaque by the second.
The last thing she remembered from the circle in the clearing was the frantic face of Edward Cullen calling her name loudly just as she faded from his sight completely.
Bella groaned out in frustration.
Here she was, trussed up in this contraption that they called a dress, trying to move gracefully in it and finding it all but impossible.
"Dad! I can't move in this thing! Isn't there something else I can wear? This is ridiculous! How am I to move around in this when I can't even breathe properly?"
She threw herself on the sofa, her skirts and hoops flying up into her face. "Fuck!"
Stefan shook his head and shot a dark look at Damon who was smirking after having just downed half a glass of bourbon.
"Isabella, that attitude will not do my darling daughter. Is it really helping you reach your goal of mastering the comportment of a lady?"
Stefan groaned in misery while Damon chuckled darkly as they watched a middle finger rise from the mound of tulle, ribbons and lace that currently resided on the sofa.
She spoke up then, although it was somewhat muffled from the pile of various fabrics.
"Ya got any of these in your sizes because I'd pay good money to watch you try to deal with all of this bullshit and lace and still maintain the comportment of a lady."
The sneer in her voice was obvious to any who cared to listen.
Stefan now looked stricken as he glanced at Damon.
"I don't know what made us think that any daughter of yours raised in the modern day could ever pull off being a genteel lady of southern breeding. Jesus Damon! She's a female you! This is hopeless!"
The mound of fabric began to rustle around until they both saw a head and face poking up from it.
"Look, this is not hopeless. Just let me sit here a minute and recharge my batteries, so to speak. I'll get this shit, uh...I'll master the comportment of a lady."
She could just barely see her father and uncle, both with raised brows as they stared at her.
She scowled.
"I will! You'll see."
Renée walked in at that point and choked on a laugh.
"Oh Bella." She giggled. "Oh honey, I feel for you."
Renée watched a hand poke out, pointing an accusatory finger across the room in the direction of the two exasperated males.
"Yeah well, they don't."
Renée chuckled. "Since when has any man been able to understand the plight of any woman?"
Sighing, Bella struggled her way off of the sofa. Sitting and sulking certainly wasn't going to get her anywhere.
"Alright", she said with determination, "I'll try this again, shall I?"
Across the room, Damon saluted her with his glass and a surprisingly proud look. "That's my girl."
Warmth filled her and she smiled, smoothing her skirts and moving about the room with renewed enthusiasm.
~o0o~
Later that evening as she was having dinner, she took the opportunity to broach a subject that had her more than a little worried.
"Dad?" He looked at her with a cocked brow, waiting for whatever she wanted to know.
Taking a deep breath, she decided to just get it over with.
"Is anyone going to accompany me on this travel? Am I going alone?"
Damon saw the naked fear in her eyes and something stirred within him. He'd been thinking about this very issue ever since Renée had refused and to be perfectly honest, if only to himself which was rare enough, he just couldn't let her go by herself.
Sitting back in his chair from which he'd been watching her, he shook his head.
"I can't let you do this alone kid. I'll be going with you."
A beautiful smile lit her face as relief filled her eyes and Damon was lost.
He smiled back at her and thought about just how dangerous having a daughter could be. After all, no other woman had ever so thoroughly wrapped him around her finger as his daughter had in so short a time.
~o0o~
It took a week for Bella to get the hang of the period clothing.
Getting into it, living her life in it and getting out of it; it was all a supreme struggle that she had to master.
Not only master, but make it look as though she'd been wearing such things her entire life.
It was not easy, but she did it.
In addition to that, she had to learn all of the etiquette and social mannerisms of the time.
She just knew that she was going to choke on some of it even after having been there for a time.
Women simply did not have the same social equality then as now, and being thought less intelligent than any man was going to seriously piss her off, she was sure.
She only hoped that she could keep her mouth shut about it.
She smirked then, thinking about her secret outlet.
She spoke fluent Italian and she was damn well going to use it whenever something pissed her off past the point of keeping that mouth shut.
At this point, not even Damon knew that she could speak it and she couldn't wait to see his reaction the first time she vented.
Oh, she planned to keep a sweet demeanor as she did so.
With the right inflection of voice, those around her would never understand the venom that she would most likely be gracing them with. But she would, and that was the important part; for her to have an outlet.
Otherwise, she would probably explode and blow the whole thing, and that would be beyond bad.
She couldn't lose her mate after all. Even if he was the worst chauvinist of the lot. She'd simply spend the next hundred years convincing him that his way of seeing women was in error, once he was firmly within her grasp, that is.
She thought about her relationship with her father and marveled at how close they had become.
Oh, their true feelings were masked when around the others by humor and sarcasm, which they both seemed to be genetically predisposed experts at wielding, but they had their private moments and conversations where they allowed themselves to let down those protective barriers and those times never failed to warm Isabella's heart.
She loved her father deeply now and always would, no matter how anyone else saw him.
Speaking of her father, she wondered where he was and so she went looking.
Exiting her room, she took the stairs carefully as the dress she wore today was particularly voluminous.
They had all agreed that immersion was the best way for her to learn and get used to the particulars of the time she was going to and so she was stuck in these clothes day in and day out.
She felt like she was in a 'Gone With The Wind' nightmare, but it was all becoming easier the more she endured It.
She found him in the sitting room, going over what looked like old maps of Texas and she smiled at the fact that he was putting so much effort into this whole thing.
Across the room, Renée spoke quietly with Stefan and Elena.
Bella sighed in quiet envy as she took in how Elena was dressed.
God, what she wouldn't give to be wearing a pair of jeans right now.
They all looked up as she entered and perched herself, perfectly, on one of the many chairs in the room.
Elena's brows were lifted as she smiled at Bella.
"Wow, what a difference a few days make. You've mastered the dress and hoops it seems. Well done."
Isabella smiled demurely. "Why, thank you for the compliment Elena. It's lovely of you to notice my progress."
She glanced at her father as he took in the shocked looks on the three faces across the room with his standard smirk.
"She's very good, is she not? She's a very quick study once she puts her mind to it."
He looked at her then and nodded. "I think we'll be ready in two days tops. No need to drag this part out, do you agree daughter?"
Inclining her head, she agreed. "I do Father. I'd much rather see this through sooner rather than later. I find myself anxious to be on my way."
Damon rose and went to her, a hand held out in invitation. "We must work on your dancing skills then. It's the only area where you still need practice. We can talk about all the little details as we practice."
She sighed quietly and took his hand, rising from the chair gracefully and sweeping out into the room as her father guided her.
Noticing the looks of disbelief, particularly that of her uncle Stefan, she shot a tiny smirk at her father while inclining her head toward them subtly.
"If I didn't know better Father, I'd think they were witnessing a miracle, especially my dear uncle Stefan. Should we be concerned for his health? I do believe he looks as though he may be going into shock." She batted her lashes with a look of worry on her lovely face.
Damon played along with a grin. "I believe that he's healthy enough my dear daughter. Your concern, although touching, is unneeded." He patted her hand that was laid delicately on his forearm. "He'll be just fine."
A smile bloomed on her face. "I'm relieved. It would vex me greatly to be the cause of any distress after all."
Looking over at the dumbfounded trio, Damon cocked a brow and waited.
Stefan was the first to break their silence. "How...?" He shook his head and began again. "How in the world have you managed such a transformation?"
Damon looked at his daughter for a few moments, his pride in her obvious for them to see. Turning back to them he answered.
"I told you she's a very quick study. A few sessions together after having read a book or two on comportment and etiquette and this is the result. Like I said, we'll be ready to go in just a day or two."
He looked at Elena. "Is Bonnie ready? She has to add in an age regression element to Isabella's part of the spell. That's very important. Please tell her not to forget. She must arrive there at the age of 15 by our reckoning, otherwise she'll be too old for him to consider courting. He's going to be just a youngster himself and there's no way he or his family would consider an older girl for him."
Stefan nodded. "That's true. It just wasn't acceptable, especially in the more affluent families. Early marriage was fine, but to an older girl? There's just no way."
Elena nodded. "Alright. I'll be sure to stress the importance. Oh!"
She held up a finger while crossing over to her bag that was on a chair by the door. Digging through it she pulled out a small velvet bag and handed it to Damon.
"These are the items you requested she make for you."
He took it and dumped it into his hand. Selecting the necklace , he replaced the rings into the bag and tied the string closed.
He made his way over to Isabella and fastened the necklace around her neck as he smiled at her.
"It's just like my daylight ring. I want you to have it just in case something ever happened and you had to be transitioned all the way. I want to be prepared for whatever we may face."
Isabella laid a hand over the beautiful necklace that laid against her chest and smiled at her father.
"Thanks Dad. I love it."
At his cocked brow, she almost rolled her eyes. She chose a small sigh instead and looked up at him once again.
"Thank you Father, it's lovely."
~o0o~
Later that evening, everyone that was to be involved in the spell and travel itself decided that a meeting was in order to go over the finer details so that nothing slipped through the cracks, so to speak.
Bella approached Bonnie somewhat tentatively, knowing that she didn't care for Damon very much, but she felt the need to thank her personally for all that she had done and was about to do for her.
"Bonnie, I know we haven't really had a chance to even become acquainted really, but I want to offer my sincere thanks for all you're doing for me. I know it's not much, but I really do appreciate it."
Bonnie took a minute to study Isabella and then smiled a genuine smile. "I'm happy to help you Bella. This seems like such an incredible thing to be a part of and I couldn't pass it up. It's gratifying for me to be able to do something so touching and worthwhile for a change."
Bella smiled at her in relief. "I'm glad you feel that way. Is there any message that I can pass to your great grandmother for you?"
Nodding, Bonnie pulled a sealed letter from her bag and handed it to Bella. "This is for her when you see her. I'll know when she gets it because things will change here subtly, or they should anyway. I think this trip of yours will help us all in the long run."
Bella nodded and placed the letter in a small wooden box that would make the trip with her along with a trunk of clothing and other items they would need.
"I'm happy to return any help I can, even if it's small."
"Even small changes in the past can have major effects in the future. It's very important that you remember that. Try to resist changing too many things, even when you think you may be doing the right thing at the time. I do understand your need to save your true love from his previous fate though and I don't blame you one bit. From what Elena has told me, it was pretty horrific."
Bella nodded. "It was. I'm surprised that he came away from that with any sanity, much less the wonderful person that he truly is. He's pretty remarkable and I look forward to getting to know him as a human. It's an opportunity that I never dreamed would be possible."
She looked at Bonnie. "Without you, it wouldn't be and again I must say how very grateful I am."
Bonnie leaned forward and gave her a small but warm hug. "It's really my pleasure Bella. I'm kind of excited for you to tell you the truth. Document your life together Bella and pass it down so that I may see your story in that way. That will be thanks enough for me."
Smiling, Bella nodded. "We will Bonnie, I promise."
Bonnie turned toward the sitting room where everyone was gathering. "Shall we get this party started then?"
Bella laughed and followed after her. "God how I'm gonna miss talking like a normal person!"
~o0o~
They were all half-way through the meeting when they heard a very insistent knocking on their front door.
Looking puzzled, Stefan rose. "Anyone here expecting anyone?"
They all shook their heads and so, shrugging, he went to get the door.
Seconds later they heard Stefan protesting loudly just before a very feral and pissed off looking Alice Cullen fairly flew into the room, stopping just in front of Bella who was now tucked behind a very protective Damon.
"You! You bitch! Just what the fuck do you think you're doing Bella? I won't let you get away with this! You won't take him from me! He's mine! He's been mine for sixty years and he's going to stay mine! I swear that I'll kill you before..."
She didn't get a chance to finish that statement due to Damon pinning her against the opposite wall, his hand squeezing her neck too tightly for her to speak.
"I don't think so you icy little cunt. I'll see you shredded and up in flames first. Is someone who obviously is not your true mate worth the second death to you cold one? Because I'm more than happy to accommodate."
Stefan moved in front of Bella, shielding her with his body. "Let her go so she may answer Damon. I have Bella covered in case she tries anything."
He reached back and placed an arm around his niece, feeling her tremble against him.
Damon eased his grip but didn't release her completely. Not that he didn't trust his brother, but there were still other humans in the room that this thing could damage and he wouldn't chance it.
As a matter of fact, just the possible scenarios that were available to this ice cube in her pursuit to stop Isabella had him rethinking the option of turning her loose at all.
Simply destroying her seemed to be the best option for all involved, and this he now explained to his brother and all those present.
Everyone seemed to be against destroying her outright until he pointed out that Bonnie was vulnerable and if this thing killed Bonnie, the whole trip would then be impossible.
At the scowl he saw on Alice's face, he knew he'd hit on her plan B.
"So, it's obvious that little Alice here is determined to stop us in any way available to her. And I'd like to remind all that cold ones aren't subject to the rules that we are. They don't need an invitation to get into your house. They just get in and there isn't much, outside another vampire that can stop them. Not even your spells Bonnie, I'm sorry to say. It's just not safe or prudent to let her keep existing."
Bella trembled even as she saw the wisdom in her father's reasoning. Alice had been a friend to her, or so she thought, and it hurt more than she would admit to see the truth of the matter.
Damon turned and locked his gaze with his brothers. "I'll not chance it brother. I'm going to do what has to be done. Are you with me or not? I'll do it regardless, but I'd rather have you with me."
Alice was beginning to writhe and growl, venom running from her mouth and dripping from her chin in a gruesome display. Her eyes were glazed and she must have seen his decision because she redoubled her efforts to escape Damon's grasp, just before Stefan nodded.
"I'm with you. Let's get this over with."
~o0o~
Five minutes later, Bella could just make out the glow of a fire off in the distance, and she sighed quietly, two tears tracing silently down her cheeks for the friend that she'd thought she'd had.
~o0o~
The next day found her up bright and early going over last minute check lists obsessively while her father watched on.
"Isabella, cease your obsessing and have breakfast with me."
She pinned him with an icy blue gaze and he grinned. "Don't worry. It won't be anyone you know."
Her expression flattened as she crossed her arms over her chest and he relented, holding up both hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright, just regular food." He stood straight and proud, crossing one arm over his midsection and executing a perfect bow, one hand held out to the side in invitation. He peeked up at her.
"Is this an acceptable proposition to you my daughter?"
She laughed quietly despite her somewhat melancholy mood. "It is dearest Father of mine. I would be happy to accompany you to breakfast this morning."
"Perfect." He held his arm out for her to take and escorted her to the table where, to her surprise, everyone was already seated and waiting.
She smiled at them all and seated herself in the chair that Damon held out for her.
It was a surreal sight to see for all the others assembled for it was like witnessing a little piece of history. Not only was Isabella in period clothes, but Damon was also, in preparation for their trip to be taken in just over an hour from the end of breakfast.
She looked at all of the food laid out and her stomach gave a little protest. She fervently hoped that she wouldn't come to regret eating, and decided then and there to keep it light, just in case.
She helped herself to some fruit and toast with tea and then began listening to the conversation between her father and her uncle.
"So Damon, you've decided what it is that you'll be doing once you arrive there?"
Damon nodded. "Yes, the railroad was growing in the area by leaps and bounds due to the inland ports available in Houston and so I plan to invest in that and the shipping business while I may. I plan to liquidate most of the investments just before the war. Not all of them though. I don't believe that will be necessary from the research I've done.
This will fit in perfectly with our reason for being there though since the Whitlock family was heavily invested in the railroad and shipping. They even managed to survive the war mostly intact financially, but due to the loss of their only son and heir, the family died out and the fortune was portioned out to various distant relatives, the Whitlock name fading into obscurity.
But, getting back to my original point, investing in these businesses will put us in the same social circles thus giving Isabella the perfect opportunity to ensnare young Mister Whitlock with her grace, wit and charm."
Bella shot her father a sidelong glance coupled with a smirk. "You make me sound like a black widow spider Father. Thank you."
"It's ever my pleasure daughter mine." He smiled at her and Stefan sat back and marveled at the changes that this girl, his now much beloved niece, had wrought in his ever bitter and sarcastic brother.
His heart ached at the thought of all the time they could have had with each other and then he shook himself mentally. He couldn't think that way for what was done was done. He could however, be very grateful for her presence in their lives now and forever in the future.
He was shocked to realize that he would not only miss his niece when she left, but would profoundly miss this renewed version of his brother. Still snarky and sarcastic, surely, but with an underlying warmth and happiness that he hadn't seen in him since Katherine had entered their lives.
This is the brother that he had longed to have back; his best friend and he found himself looking forward to the day that they would see each other again.
~o0o~
All was ready to cast the spell and they gathered in the clearing behind the boarding house, Bella, Damon and their belongings in the middle of the sacred circle that Bonnie had cast.
They had researched and chosen a warehouse in the heart of Houston that was supposed to be vacant at this time and they all fervently hoped their research was accurate. If it wasn't, then Damon was going to have one hell of a job on his hands compelling whatever witnesses there may be to their arrival. It was a calculated risk that they had to take.
Bella and Damon chose to sit in the circle for safety's sake and the others all stood around the it, joining hands, lastly linking up with Bonnie to hopefully empower her for what she was about to endure. It would be very draining for her, but with this many lending their strength, she thought it would make things much easier not to mention more accurate.
She began the incantation and light began to flood the circle, swirling and growing brighter with every word and moment that passed. They could see Bella and Damon begin to fade and then there was a disturbance at the edge of the woods.
Stefan was dismayed to see an entire coven of cold ones emerge and approach but Bonnie continued on with single-minded determination.
Bella could see everything around them begin to fade into the light that was overtaking them and she marveled at it.
She felt fine, the only difference being a profound lightness of her entire being as things became more opaque by the second.
The last thing she remembered from the circle in the clearing was the frantic face of Edward Cullen calling her name loudly just as she faded from his sight completely.
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.