[BamaFan121s]

The following day proceeded as normal - as normal as you could expect in a house full of vampires who received frequent visits from werewolves. The only noticeable difference was that this morning, it was Rosalie and Esme rather than Jacob who we found preparing Renesmee's breakfast when we arrived at the big Cullen house.



"Where's Jake?" I asked Esme. She was taking a pan of fresh biscuits out of the oven. They looked and smelled absolutely disgusting, although I imagined to a human they were quite appealing.

It was Rosalie who answered. "The mongrel called and said that he had some errands to run for Billy this morning but that he'd be over later." I tried to ignore the venom in her words as she acknowledged Jacob's whereabouts.

"Maybe he'll be able to get some of the parts for his car," I added thoughtfully.

Edward looked at me and winked behind Rosalie's back. "You know, Rose," he began in a tone laden with teasing. "You are our resident car aficionado. Why don't you help Jacob out?"

Rosalie froze, turning slowly to face Edward. Her grip on the spoon she was holding tightened, her porcelain knuckles turning even whiter as she easily bent the metal instrument into a useless, bent arrangement of silver. Her eyes became ice cold and the look she gave Edward was murderous. "And why in the hell would I do that?" She spat her words at him through clenched teeth.

"Rosalie!" Esme chided, casting an explanatory glance towards Renesme.

"Just to be polite and helpful?" Edward suggested with a note of false innocence in his voice. From the garage, I heard Emmett's roaring laughter. He had obvoiusly heard the exchange.

A hiss escaped Rosalie's lips. "I would rather throw myself on a fire than to help that mutt!" Rosalie's hand was shaking in anger around the misshapen spoon she still clutched.

"Don't call my Jacob a mutt!" Renesmee chimed in, turning the full force of her angelic, pleading eyes on her favorite aunt. That seemed to soften Rosalie a little. She resigned to muttering insults under her breath as she busied herself cleaning up the kitchen at an inhuman pace. I sat at the counter in the kitchen mindlessly flipping through Rosalie's lesson that she obviously had planned for the day. It appeared that she planned to continue teaching Renesmee about Italy as she had for the past few days, in preparation for our looming trip no doubt.

I flipped through the book, stopping to examine a picture of St. Mark's Square. On one page was a picture of the Basilica, an ancient looking stone building with a high domed points adorned with iron crosses and intricate, carved artists renderings inset in its many arches. The caption indicated that the original structure was burned during the 976 rebellion and remained closed for a century until it was rebuilt and that it now housed the Correr Museum. I flipped the page and froze when I saw the following images. On one page was a picture of a giant clock tower that adjoined the Basilica. On the opposite page was a picture of thousands of people filling the streets in celebration. The caption under the picture identified it as April 25th-St. Marcus Day.

Immediately, unwanted memories, as clear as if they had happened yesterday, filled my head. I'm not sure how long I stared at the two pictures. I was only suddenly aware that Edward had placed his hand over my own, which was trembling, gently forcing the book closed. His velvet voice whispered in my ear, so softly that only I would hear. "You're worried." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes," I whispered, still staring down at where the pictures had been before me.

"Bella, it's still not too late to change our plans. We could stay here, no one would blame you."

"No," I replied, although the uncertainty in the one simple word wasn't convincing even to myself. I took a deep, unnecessary breath. "I think....I think I would like to talk to Alice."

"She's upstairs. Jacob's not here, so this may be a good time to talk to her. Maybe it will ease your mind some," he suggested, correctly interpreting the reason behind my request.

I found Alice upstairs, just as he'd predicted. She was on the computer. I glanced over her shoulder to see that she was looking up designer shops in Venice in typical Alice-fashion.

Before I could even address her, she turned in her seat to face me, with a very understanding smile on her face. "I know what's on your mind, Bella." She patiently waited for me to confirm that she was right. I nodded my head and she continued. "I've looked so many times at our trip, trying to find something to ease your mind....and mine too. No matter which way I approach it, the outcome is always the same. You know if I saw even the slightest chance of something happening..."

"I know Alice," I said softly, dropping my eyes to the ground. I knew that it was senseless to worry about something so trivial - something that Carlisle had complete confidence in, something that Alice had already seen a thousand times, but I couldn't help it.