[BamaFan121s]

Suddenly, the room began to shake around me. I didn't realize why at first - I had begun shaking my head back and forth furiously in denial without ever having made the conscious effort to do so. "No! No, no, NO! Not Jake!" I screamed the words, willing them to have the power to change what had unfolded. I slowly backed away from Renesmee and began rising to my feet as Rosalie opened her arms to embrace her and began rocking her back and forth soothingly.

I could see nothing but a red haze as I began trying to make sense of what had happened, but failed. I only knew one thing, the only thing that mattered at this point - Jane had come for Jacob, and I had to get him back. As soon as I'd drawn the conclusion in my mind, my voice spoke the revelation aloud, seemingly of its own accord. "Jake...I have to find them! I have to get him back!"

I was frantic and turned to bolt out the door after them, not sure of which direction to head. I only made it one step before someone caught my arm, jerking me to a halt. I turned and fought to free myself from whoever had been foolish enough to try to stop me. When I turned, it was Edward's pleading, yet stern eyes that met mine. "Bella, you can't."

"The hell I can't!" I bellowed as I continued to try to jerk my arm from his grasp. Panic was rising rapidly in my chest as the seconds ticked by.

Suddenly, I was caught up from behind by Emmett, who locked my arms behind me in his iron clad grip as Edward released my arm and took my face between both of his hands. He began speaking very quickly. "Bella, think about what you're saying. You cannot storm off after the Volturi on your own - it would be a suicide mission."

I shook my head furiously, still struggling against Emmett's unrelenting grasp.

Edward ignored me and continued, his eyes pleading. He forced me to return his gaze by constantly positioning himself into my line of sight, inches from my face. "Yes, Bella, you have to see reason. You cannot make a rash decision about this. Please...please think this through..., for Jacob...for me. Bella please listen!"

And I knew he was right. I stopped struggling against Emmett and willingly held his gaze as he continued to speak. "This is not the way, Bella. We have no idea what her intentions are, what their intentions are. We need to discuss this and decide what the best course of action is."

I held his gaze and felt Emmett lighten his grip, but only slightly. Panic now threatened to consume me. "We have to...we have to...we have to call Sam! And, we have to...get on a plane...and, and..." I trailed off as I realized that I had no idea, what exactly, we had to do. I met Edward's eyes again as hopelessness washed over me. I felt my bottom lip beginning to tremble. "We have to...we have to find him!" I sobbed as I collapsed into his arms. Emmett released his hold as Edward embraced me and guided me to the ground as my body went limp and tearless sobs shook me.

I'm not sure how long he held me on the floor as I sobbed, unable to even form a coherent thought. At some point, Carlisle called Sam and informed him of what had happened. He was going to call the packs to Billy's house and relay everything to them, then discuss their options.

Renesmee finally cried herself to sleep. Rosalie put her to bed upstairs and came down the stairs slowly to rejoin us - we had not yet moved from the foyer. It was her words that finally managed to rouse me from my daze. "Bella's right, you know." She looked around surveying everyone in the room. "We have to go after him. He'd do the same for any of us." My head felt as heavy as lead as I raised it from where it rested in the crook of Edward's neck to meet her expression. Fire danced behind her eyes and her face was determined. "Regardless to what anyone else here decides," she began, looking only at me, "I'm going with you." Wordlessly, Emmett took her side and placed his arms around her shoulders, declaring his allegiance as well.

I nodded and my mind kicked back into overdrive. There had to be a reason. But what? It was plainly obvious who lay behind it all. "It was Aro," I proclaimed with certainty. "It was only a matter of time before he made his move. He'll never rest until we agree to join him or until he destroys us all. We were all fools to have ever trusted him." Everyone turned their eyes to me as I spoke - everyone that is except for Edward.

His gaze was fixed at a point over my head as he slowly spoke, "No, love, actually it wasn't Aro."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked skeptically.

He slightly cocked his head to the side, but never took his eyes off where they focused behind me and spoke calmly and sure when he responded. "Because...Aro is dead."

We all turned to the sound of light footsteps on the gravel outside. A figure shrouded in deep gray robes ghosted up the stairs and in through the front doors that still stood open. Jasper crouched protectively in front of Alice, a ferocious growl ripping its way from his throat.

"No, Jasper, wait!" Edward warned, holding up a hand in front of him.

Very slowly, the figure raised two small, ivory hands up to grip the sides of the hood and slowly pulled it back, revealing the face beneath it - Chelsea. She surveyed the scene before her quickly before speaking, her tone one of torment. "I'm too late." Her eyes dropped to the ground and she brought her hands up to cover her face as if in shame.

"She came to warn us," Edward explained, but his words sounded more like a question.

Carlisle hurried forward, placing an arm around her and ushering her further into the house. He led her to the stairs where she sat and wrapped her arms around her legs as she pulled them to her chest. "I have failed," she said simply. "I am sorry."

"Chelsea," Carlisle began, dropping to one knee and taking her hand in his. "Aro? Is he...?"

"Yes," she confirmed, her eyes full of pain. "What Edward speaks is the truth - Aro is dead."

Carlisle, always in control and calm, seemed to struggle for words. "Please, tell us what has happened."