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It was always weird for Juniper to see someone do something crazy out of love.
She never really understood love herself. She was surrounded by it, she knew the kind love one expressed for their family.
But, she never understood the heart wrenching, soul consuming love.
The kind of love her uncle, Edward, had for his human mate Bella.
He was willing to give up his existence to be with her in death. Even though she was never really dead.
This is how she found herself in Italy surrounded by the most dangerous people she's ever heard of, possibly the most dangerous in the world.
It was Juniper, her uncle, his mate, and Alice, one of Juniper's aunts.
They walked down the hall of the Volturi's castle to what was dubbed the throne room.
A small blonde girl with a severe look in her eyes lead them there.
The girl, who Juniper found out was named Jane, opened two oak doors and led them into the throne room.
Alice stood protectively in front of Juniper, seeing as in a room of vampires she was a snack.
"Sister send you back to get one but instead get two," a boy with dark brown hair and scarlet eyes look at her and Bella, "And two halves. What a clever girl."
"What a happy surprise," a man with long black hair stands up, "Bella is alive after all. Isn't that wonderful? I love a happy ending."
The man, Aro she learned, walks up to her uncle and takes his hand.
All the thoughts Edward has ever had go through Aro's mind.
Juniper can see it all, Edwards need for Bella, his anguish at the thought of her dead. His joy of seeing her alive.
Aro whispers in a strange voice, "La Tua Cantante. The blood appeals to you so much it makes me thirsty. How can you stand to be so close to her?" he asks Edward.
"It's not without difficulty," he utters.
"As I can see that," Aro agrees.
Edward explains to Bella, "Aro can read every thought I've ever had with a single touch," he takes his hand out of Aros, "Now you know everything. So get on with it."
"You're quite the soul reader your self Edward," he looks towards Bella, "Though you can't read Bella's thoughts, fascinating!"
"I would love to see if you are an exception to my gifts as well," Aro asks Bella.
Aro takes Bella's hand in his, and Juniper can see he is getting not a single thought from Bella.
"Interesting," he whispers, "I wonder...let us see if she's immune to all our powers. Shall we Jane?"
Jane and her brother look over to Bella. A twisted smirk appears on Jane's face.
"No!" Edward runs toward her but in his weakened state doesn't make it far.
"Pain," is all Jane says before he is on the ground.
He falls to the ground and Bella starts. screaming for her to stop, though both her and Juniper are held back by Janes brother.
Alice is on the floor next to her brother doing as much as she can to help him, which is very little.
Jane then starts using her gift on Bella per Aros request but when nothing happens a manic laugh leaves his lips.
"Remarkable," he claps, "She confounds is all, so what do we do with you now?"
The man sitting on the left throne, Marcus, tells Aro he already knows what he is going to do.
He calls for Felix and Janes brother moves Bella in front of him and moves Juniper to the side still within his grasp.
As Felix and Edward fight Alice is held back by Demitri, and Juniper struggles to break free from Alec, she just learned.
Her struggle is quite pitiful against him seeing as he is a vampire, an old one at that.
But what causes her to stop with shivers along her spine is when he whispers in her ear, "It will be okay il mio amore."
For some reason, Juniper believes him and stops struggling. So, instead of watching the fight, she turns around to look him in eyes.
Scarlet meets brown and something on the verge of magical happens.
A purple string leaves Alec's heart and connects to the red string leaving her heart.
The strings connect and together form the color magenta.
For a moment Alec feels his heart again, and Juniper feels as if her heart stopped.
It was in that moment Juniper felt love, she felt the raw soulful need, and she finally understood why her uncle attempted to do what he did.
She could stare into his eyes forever and be content with just that. Juniper felt that if she died right there she would die happy.
Her moment was shattered when Bella screamed, Juniper forgotten what dire situation they where in.
Bella was about to be bitten by Aro but Alice yelled out causing Aro to halt.
"Bella will be one of us," she declares, "I've seen it, I'll change her myself."
Alice puts her hand in Aros, and through his mind Juniper can see Bella running with Edward.
As a vampire.
"Mesmerizing," Aro says, "To see what you have seen before it's happened."
"Your gifts," he caresses Bella's face, "Will make for an intriguing immortal."
"Go now," he backs away from her, "Make your preparations."
"Let us be done with this," Marcus stands, "Heidi will arrive any moment."
The blonde king, Caius, speaks, "And what of the other girl."
Aro makes his way towards Juniper, but Alec does something that shocks the entire room.
He put Juniper behind him and got into a defensive stance and hissed towards Aro.
Aro was taken a back, shocked really, and stopped in his tracks.
"Don't worry Alec," Aro soothes, "I won't hurt your young mate."
The mention of Juniper being Alec's mate has both Edward and Alice rushing forwards toward Juniper.
Another fight ensues, this time between Alec and Alice.
"Stop it! Just stop!" neither seems to listen to Juniper.
Her emotions start to go haywire, she's nervous and scared and confused.
Scarlet colored wisps start to leak from her fingertips involuntary.
She screams, "Stop!" and the scarlet wisps dance around the room to Alice and Alec, pushing the apart.
She hears Aro's manic laugh as her vision starts to get dark.
The last thing she sees is Alec's concerned gaze meeting her closing eyes.
