Sunrise - A Twilight Fanfic

[BamaFan121s]

I crossed my room and picked up one of my old, dog eared Austen novels. I sat on the bed as I flipped randomly through the pages, stopping to read a few of my favorite passages as I came to them. After a few moments, I returned it to the bedside table beside a CD that Phil had once given me. I liked that CD—I’d have to remember to take it with me. I turned my attention to tracing he patterns on Gran’s quilt that covered my bed. I could not stop the smile that lit up my face as I easily recalled the next set of memories—some that had never left the forefront of my mind.
I remember the countless nights that Edward spent in my room, even before I knew he was there. How, unbeknownst to my dad, nearly every night since we’d met, he’d come in through my window and held me in his icy arms night after night when the nightmares of the supernatural world around chased away my slumber and me woke me. I ran my hand over the pillow and thought about the countless tears that I’d shed on both it and him the night I’d tried to cut ties with Jake as he lay damaged in his bed after he’d fought the newborn army along side the vampires. And what I remember more than anything was the feeling as his sweet, cool breath washed over me as he’d hum my lullaby in my ear as I drifted off to sleep.
Because of this, it came as no surprise when I heard the window slide open behind me. I didn’t have to turn and look to know who it was. Edward sank onto the bed beside me and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. He didn’t speak, or question me, but instead waited patiently for me to initiate conversation. I’m sure that if I had sat there in silence of hours, he would have stayed by my side, allowing me the peace I longed for.
“How did you know where to find me?” I asked, without looking at him.
“Alice. She called me as soon as she saw your change of course in Newton’s parking lot. You didn’t answer her call…or mine. I got worried.”
“You always know how to find me.” I reached for his hand and he graciously obliged, effortlessly intertwining his fingers with mine. I stared at them, alabaster on alabaster, and focused on the bracelet that remained a constant around my wrist as the heaviness of the crystalline heart settled to the bottom and brought the small wooden wolf to rest on top. “I’m sorry for not answering—for causing you to worry. I just needed to think.”
He leaned down and kissed my shoulder, then brought his chin to rest on it as he leaned his forehead against my temple. “I was afraid this would catch up to you eventually. Why didn’t you tell me?”
I shrugged, not really sure of the entire answer. “I didn’t want you to worry, or blame yourself. You still do that you know?” I leaned into him playfully. He waited, letting me speak my mind. I took a deep breath before I continued. “For the past few months, I’ve felt like something was missing. I guess that things have been so hectic over the past year that I just haven’t slowed down enough to figure out what it was….until today. I’ve never lost sight of the things that are the most important to me.” I emphasized the word and squeezed his hand, knowing that he would understand I meant him. “But there were so many things from my life before my change that I felt like I had forgotten...and that scared me. I feel like they have a rightful place as part of my life too. I dunno…I guess that really doesn’t make much sense.”
He reached up and cupped my face in his hands, turning my head to face him. He looked at me with nothing but complete understanding swimming in the depths of his eyes. “Bella, it makes perfect sense. It’s all part of who you are. Alice doesn’t remember anything from her human life. She would love to have the opportunity to be able to go back and do what you did today.”
He was right. On top of feeling relief, like I’d finally found the missing pieces to a puzzle, I was thankful. I had what Alice never could. I realized how blessed I was and in so many different ways.
Edward’s expression lifted as he watched the realization wash over me. “Feel better?” He still monitored my face for any signs of regret.
I nodded, easily returning his smile now. “Yes, better.”
Still cupping my face, he leaned forward and took my mouth up in the tenderest of kisses. His lips parted mine slightly, filling my mouth with his sweet, addictive breath. He pulled back and looked into my eyes, a twinkle coming to the surface of his own. “And now?” He raised a questioning eyebrow and waited for my reply.
“Much better.” I replied. I suppressed a giggle as the thought occurred to me that Edward’s kiss alone had once been able to alter my memory, far more than becoming a vampire could ever threaten to do.
“If I might make a suggestion, I think there may be one last place you need to stop on your way home.”
“Oh?” I asked, my curiosity perked. “And where might that be?”
“Hmm…just this little place I know, where I suspect you may have a few spare memories lying around waiting to be remembered. Care for me to show you?” He stood rose from the bed and reached down to offer me his hand. I took his, answering his invitation. He pulled me not towards the door, but towards the window instead. “This is where I have to exit, you know?” He said jokingly. Hand in hand, we practically floated to the ground below, as equals.
Edward insisted that we leave on foot, assuring me that Alice would jump at the chance to come back and retrieve my car later after she and the others returned from their hunt, because if nothing else, it would give her an excuse to drop by and visit Charlie. And Jacob would be bringing Renesmee home later in the night. I glanced up nervously at the sky where the sun was concealed behind one of only a few remaining clouds. “Don’t worry,” Edward assured me, guessing my concern. “We’re just going there.” He pointed across Charlie’s yard to the edge of dark woods where a small dirt path snaked its way up through the towering trees.
He led me up the path until Charlie’s house disappeared from view. There were several very unpleasant memories from this particular path that I did NOT care to revisit. I was just about to open my mouth in protest when Edward did something very unexpected. He grabbed me around my waist and slung me up onto his back. Before I could take note of what he was doing, he set his feet in motion and we were flying through the forest. “You can close your eyes if you want to.” He called back jokingly over his shoulder.

[BamaFan121s]

“This I definitely remember.” I replied, tightening my grip around his broad shoulders in response. For the first time, I kept my eyes open as Edward easily navigate through the canopy of green, ecstatic that for once, I could enjoy the sensation of his muscles working below me and the slight breeze blowing in my hair. After what seemed like forever, but in reality couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, Edward’s pace finally slowed until he came to a stop and returned me gently to the ground. He reached down and took my hand and began leading me forward towards a clearing in the trees that I instinctually knew was our meadow.
Spread out in the middle of the meadow, amidst the summer wildflowers, was a large quilt. Obviously, this had been a planned stop. I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes in suspicion as he led me to the blanket, smiling back at me triumphantly as he did. He dropped my hand and collapsed on the blanket, folding his arms back behind his head as the sun finally won the battle over the clouds and shone down. Just like it did the first time we’d been here, the beautiful sight of Edward in the sun took my breath. He gazed lovingly up at me and reached over to pat the space beside him.
It was then that I noticed the stretch of patchwork beside him wasn’t completely empty. A present sat on the blanket, wrapped in deep blue paper and trimmed in a fancy ivory ribbon. I glance back to him as I sunk to my knees beside him. “Edward? What is this?” I accused with no real threat in my voice.
“A present…for you.” he answered innocently.
“Edward, you know—“ I began, but in a flash, he laid his fingers across my lips silencing me.
“Shhh…it’s not from me. It’s from Alice.” Confident that he’d successfully put a stop to my protests, leaned back to prop himself up on his elbow watching me. “But don’t worry, she knows you prefer the homemade kind too.”
I rolled my eyes and reached reluctantly for the present. I untied the bow and slid my finger under the crease in the paper. I couldn’t help but pause fleetingly to examine my finger for paper cuts before continuing. I finished unwrapping the box, lifted the lid and moved the tissue paper aside. I reached inside and removed a very familiar looking book that I hadn’t seen in a very long time—the scrapbook my mother had sent me for my eighteenth birthday. I immediately felt guilty for having used it for its intended purpose. But why would Alice wrap my scrapbook and give it back to me again. I opened up the front cover to the first page I’d never made it past. Edward’s perfect face smiled back up at me—the picture I’d taken the night of my eighteenth birthday, just a few days before he’d….well, a long time ago in any case.
I looked questioningly at Edward, not understanding Alice’s symbolism behind the gift. He easily understood my look of confusing and offered explanation. “Alice knew that you’d never gotten around to actually using it. She knew that there would be things you’d want to remember—things you would never want to forget.” He reached forward and turned it to the next page.
The images on the page that stared back up to me were easily recognizable, but foreign at the same time. Recognizable because I could identify the subjects of the photos, foreign because I had not put them there. I flipped quickly through the book to find that every page had been filled with pictures and inscriptions and various mementoes.
I understood and raised my eyes back to Edward. “Alice did this?” I asked, a lump of tearless emotion threatening to constrict my vocal chords. “She knew.”
He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. “And Esme.”
I shook my head in wonder, marveling over their thoughtfulness and amazed at how Alice always seemed to be one step ahead of everyone. I sprawled across my stomach on the blanket beside Edward. He rolled and reached his hand back to prop the book up for me as I started to look through it. Together, we lay there for a long time looking at my collective life in Forks that Alice had captured for me.
The faces of my high school friends stared up at me from the lunchroom cafeteria. Ben and Angela side by side, hand’s intertwined, Jessica and Lauren, Mike and Tyler. Glued in the middle of the page, a cap from a Lemonade bottle that Edward reached up and ran his fingers over. I flipped the page and found pictures of Edward, bent in concentration over his piano set against a background of sheet music containing the musical notes of my lullaby. Page after page, familiar memories rushed back to me. Pictures of my beloved Chevy truck, gone to that junkyard in the sky sat beside the rusted key that started the ignition and pictures from the one and only prom I’d gone to sat opposite the page from the dried corsages Edward and I had worn. Pictures circled by small, polished stones from First Beach showed a bonfire and out Quileute friends while opposite the page was a picture of Jacob and myself posing beside two motorcycles.
We looked at every picture and took in every detail, stopping on occasion long enough to share a laugh, or recall a specific story. The tassels from our Forks High School graduation caps, pictures and dried flowers from our wedding, and countless pictures of Renesmee, more often than not with Jacob somewhere in the shot—all were memories and trinkets captured and preserved for me, compliments of Alice and Esme. Eventually, we reached the last page. I ran my fingers over a glossy picture of myself and Edward embracing each other before closing the cover.
I traced the outside cover of the book as Edward trained his eyes on my face. “Do you like it?” He finally asked, breaking the silence.
“Yes, very much so.”
I kept my eyes on the cover of the book, but heard the smile in his voice. “She said you would.”
“Alice amazes me sometimes,” I said, shaking my head again in wonder as I spoke. “She knows me so well. She knew just what to put in here…that I would never want to forget…” I repeated Edward’s words from earlier and sat in silent thought for a moment. I swallowed hard, clearing the lump that had arisen in my throat as I urged myself to ask the question I didn’t truly want to know the answer to. “Earlier this morning, when you and Carlisle were talking in his office…” I tore my eyes from the book and peered across at the tall grass blowing gently in the breeze, but not really seeing it. “We have to leave, don’t we?”
He didn’t answer immediately. His silence confirmed what I already knew deep down. Finally, I turned my pleading eyes to his. “Yes,” he spoke softly. I nodded in response, but did not speak. I knew the time would come eventually. I returned my gaze to the swaying green reeds as he sat up and grabbed me around my waist, pulling me to his side.

[BamaFan121s]

“Bella, normally we would have moved on long ago, but we’ve stayed, trying to give you as much time here with your father, and our friends as possible. Moving to another location means little to us anymore—we’ve done it so many times, but we knew this move would be especially hard on you. But the hospital is asking too many questions, and Carlisle is running out of excuses.”
I nodded my head and spoke, “I understand.” And truthfully, I did, but it didn’t make the thoughts of leaving Charlie or the place that I had come to accept and call my home easy.
“We still have some time, but not much. You don’t know how badly I wish I could tell you that wasn’t the case.”
I sighed and resigned to his embrace, burying my head in the crook of his neck. “We have so much to do, so much to decide. What to tell Charlie, decide where we’re going to go…and Jacob and Renesmee?” I laughed without humor at the thought of dealing with breaking the news to them.
Edward rubbed my arm consolingly. “We’ll figure it all out. And they’ll understand. And Jacob is more than welcome to move with us, you know that.” I sighed and lay back on the blanket and peered up at the sky that was starting to darken with the approaching twilight. Sure there were lots of arrangements to be made, and lots of sad good-byes to exchange. I knew that once we left Forks, returning, even for brief visits would be practically out of the question. And that was that. There was no fighting it, no trying to find an escape. There was just the feeling of accepting that this was one aspect of the life I’d chosen. And truthfully, I was fine with it.
I felt Edward shift nervously beside me, uneased by my extended silence, no doubt. I turned my head to meet his gaze as he lovingly stroked my cheek and watch the resolve in his eyes as he read the acceptance in mine. After a moment, I scooted closer to him and turned back to watch the first starts of the night as they slowly began fighting their way through the deep pink sky, eager to make an appearance as the characteristic clouds began to creep their way back.
Eventually, Edward broke the silence. “Alice says there will be storm later. Animals are most active right before a storm—we should hunt before we head back to the house. Are you ready to leave?”
“Mmmm…not yet.” I angled my body so that I was hovering over him, watching the reflection of the stars in his dark eyes. “I think I’d like to stay a little longer. I think there are a few more memories of this meadow I’d like to make before we leave Forks.”
His answering smile told me that he’d caught up with my mood quickly and I answered by finding his lips and pressing my own to them with crushing force. He returned my kiss with a burning passion that sent a burning warmth coursing through my veins from my lips down to my toes. He tangled his hands in my hair, holding me to him and in one swift motion, rolled us so that it was he who was hovering over me. After a long, passionate moment, he pulled back long enough to growl playfully and respond between desperate, wanting pants. “Yes, Bella, I think maybe we should stay a bit longer.”

Like all good things that must come to an end, so did our afternoon spent together in our meadow. Eventually, as Alice predicted, the sounds of the approaching storm began growing closer and more demanding and we reluctantly gathered out things and unwillingly departed. We stopped at the cottage long enough to deposit the blanket and my scrapbook on the small porch and then set off further into the woods and towards the nearby mountain range in search of our pray.
Edward and I hunted effortlessly together. He would circle behind our intended prey and drive them right to my waiting attack. A short time and a small heard of deer later, we’d drank our fill and headed back to the house, knowing that Jacob and Renesmee would have returned by now.
Just as we began nearing the house, Edward froze, peering towards the big white house in the distance. He turned his head in one direction, and then another, as if he were listening for something, or to something. I heard his phone as it began vibrating in his pocket, but he ignored it. “Edw--?” I started to ask, but his hand shot up in a gesture to wait that immediately silenced me. I listened intently, but the only noise was the occasional sound of the loud thunder, now rolling directly overhead.
He continued to hold his posture for another moment and took two tentative steps forward. I shadowed him noiselessly. Finally, he spoke. “Something’s wrong.” And then he broke out into a full run. I didn’t question him, but followed him immediately, closely matching his pace and arriving back in the driveway only a step or two behind him. As soon as we reached the driveway I detected a very tell tale scent that drove my legs to carry me even faster.
As we approached the house, I noted the large double doors stood open and heard broken, frantic sobs from inside the house. “Renesmee!” I gasped. I easily cleared the front stairs and burst though the front entrance. The scene that presented itself in the foyer of the house was one of pure chaos. Furniture had been overturned and a crystal vase that once sat on a table lay shattered in a million pieces strewn across the floor.
At that moment, a sharp bolt of lighting snaked its way across the sky outside and illuminated what my vampire eyes had already detected. Renesmee sat huddled at the bottom of the stairs, sobbing relentlessly. Her entire body shook violently with each sob. Instantly, I was at her side, taking her face in my hands, pure panic filling my entire body. “Renesmee? Renesmee!? Look at me sweetheart! What happened? What’s wrong?” Her eyes met mine and her body shook anew with another round of violent sobs as the remainder of the Cullen family arrived, entering the foyer.
I didn’t see them come in, but Alice’s panic stricken voice told me they stood close behind. “I didn’t see it…I didn’t know…Jacob…”
“Jacob! Jacob where are you?” I began calling frantically. Surely he must be somewhere near. I got no response, and turned my attention back to Renesmee, who still remained incoherent as she sat now surrounded by myself, Edward and Rosalie. “Renesmee!” I demanded. “You have to tell us what happened. Where is Jacob?” Still unable to find her voice, she reached a small, shaky hand up towards me. I grabbed her hand and shoved it to my face, desperate for the answers she couldn’t speak aloud.
At first, her thoughts came scattered and fragmented, impossible to decipher. Jacob bringing her into the house, watching distant flashes of lighting with him through the windows and a horrendous crash as the front doors swung open as Jacob phased. Then, at last, she came to rest on one scene that gave me the answer I was looking for. I dropped her hand and gasped, my breathing unable to speak. Edward shot to his feet and swore, bringing his fist down on a table that remained upright, easily breaking it in two.
Unwilling to believe what I’d seen, I grabbed her hand again, but the scene she showed remained the same—positioned protectively in front of Renesmee slumped a massive pile of russet colored fur that was Jacob. Standing over him, smiling sadistically, was Jane.

[BamaFan121s]

Whew...that was a lot of copying. I have to call it quits for the night until I can get to the other PC where the rest is saved. But hey, a good overnight cliffhanger never hurt anybody, right?

In any event, I PROMISE to get the last 6 or so chapters posted up in the morning.

[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."

[BamaFan121s]

She nodded solemnly and drew in a deep breath. Shakily, she began speaking, her tone very quiet and full of grief. "It all started shortly after you all left. After your visit, Marcus began changing. He became even more withdrawn that ever. He wouldn't speak and he refused to feed. It was like he was grieving - just like he did when Didyme died. He came to Aro one day and told him that the bonds within the guard were weakening. He was right - I could sense it before he ever mentioned it to Aro, but I was afraid to bring it up to him myself, afraid that it was something I was doing wrong, and I didn't want him to be displeased with me." She met Carlisle's gaze, her eyes seemingly begged him to understand.

He nodded, patting her hand sympathetically. She drew in another shaky breath and continued. "He was right. Jane and Alec began to favor Caius, just as Demetri had."

I processed this information quickly in my mind. I remembered the angry look on Jane's face as Aro had reprimanded her and chastised her in our presence. But Demetri on the other hand and been absent during our entire visit.

"And did Aro ever approach you about any of this?" Carlisle asked her.

"Oh yes, he came to me, questioning my ability, urging me to try harder. But my power is only so strong!" Her voice rose an octave, now pleading and frantic. "But still I tried, but failed him. I begged him to confide in me. I hoped that if I could figure out the reasons behind the waning loyalty of the others that I could strengthen out bonds once again. And he did - he told me of how not all of the members of the guard were in favor to the changes being made, including Caius." She lowered her head before continuing, her voice just above a whisper. "And he told me of how he'd killed Didyme long ago."

"But you were not the only one who found out about that, were you?" Edward asked. I looked to him confused, to find his face full of fury. Chelsea didn't speak to respond, she raised her head, and her eyes filled with sorrow and slowly shook her head.

Edward tightened his hands into fists, his voice tight and controlled as he locked his gaze with Chelsea and spoke aloud the images he picked from her mind. "Jane overhead Aro. And she ran to her more preferred master and gave him all he needed to divide everyone...and to turn Marcus against Aro."

Chelsea dropped her head into her hands again, her whole frame shaking. Esme sat beside her, placing her motherly arm around her in comfort as her words came out in broken sobs. "It was all my fault...if I could only have tried a little harder...none of this would have happened."

Edward looked at Carlisle and began filling in the gaps as Chelsea leaned into Esme and succumbed to tearless sobs. "Once Aro was out of the way, Caius was free to come after us without any resistance. And of course, there were still plenty of the guard left willing to support him."

"But that doesn't make any sense," I interrupted, confused. "Why target Jacob when they're after us?"

This time it was Alice who supplied the answer. "Because they knew I wouldn't see it."

"Caius still sees you as a threat to the power he holds. And they are counting on you to come after him. Caius knows the bond you all have with the shape shifters. He expects you will retaliate." Chelsea looked up apologetically at all of us, her eyes seeming to beg for forgiveness. "Not everyone agreed with Caius, but we knew that Caius would have us destroyed without hesitation if we rebelled against him. We knew he'd send Demitri after anyone who left the city. Still, some of us tried. And I too have failed."

Suddenly, a very sickening sensation began to creep its way into my stomach. This had all been planned and thought out - very thoroughly. But something Chelsea had said caught my attention. "You said you too have failed - you're not the first to try to contact us, are you?" Chelsea didn't speak-- she merely met my eyes with her own mournful pair and shook her head slowly. A knot clenched in my stomach and I brought my fingers to my temples. Someone - some unknown ally we'd had within the ranks of the Volturi had sacrificed their very existance trying to warn us that we were in danger. My breathing became short and ragged. "Who?" I asked her. "Who came to try to warn us...that Demitri already found."

"Heidi," she spoke, her voice breaking. "She never made it out of Europe. Renata and I left next - we made it as far as the east coast here together, but Demitri caught up with us there just before we crossed the great river."

"And now he's after you," I stated simply, my voice barely above a whisper. "Demetri is here in Forks." The hiss that escaped Edward's lips was matched by several others in the family. In a flash, Jasper was at the small, concealed control panel, punching in numbers on the keypad. The steel shutters I'd only seen once before slid closed over all of the windows in the house. My eyes instinctively moved to look out the front door and searched the darkness beyond for any slight movement that would indicate Demetri had followed Chelsea.

Chelsea shuddered. "He's not far behind, I'm sure of it. He won't come close enough here for Edward to be able to hear his mind though. But he'll wait. And eventually, he'll find me. He'll follow orders." He words were monotone and hopeless. "And he captures his prey in the end. He very rarely fails..." As she trailed off, her eyes drifted to Alice, lingering on her for a moment.

"You'll stay here, with us-" Carlisle began.

Chelsea cut him off. "No. I won't stay here and endanger you any further." She rose to her feet, her face set and determined. "If I stay here, it will lead him right to you."

"If Demetri was anywhere near you - even within the same state - he already knows you're here," Edward countered. Chelsea pursed her lips together tightly, seemingly unable to contradict his statement.

Carlisle spoke urgently, almost pleadingly to Chelsea, "I know it's a great deal to ask of you given what you've already sacrificed on behalf of my family, but if we are going to have any chance at all, you must tell us what you know. And we must act quickly. What do you know of Caius' plans?"

Chelsea took a deep breath. "Caius knows that you outnumber his forces now, given your alliances with the shape shifters - even within the walls of his own city, you would likely have the advantage. He'll try to divide you."

"Oh yeah? And how the hell does he figure he'll be able to do that?" Emmett asked with a confident smirk. I was in agreement with Emmett, given what Caius has seen first hand, surely he must know that was impossible. We'd proven that even when Chelsea had been on the Volturi side.

[BamaFan121s]

Chelsea looked at him with pity. "Demetri's orders are to locate and eliminate me first, preferably before I'd had the chance to warn you. But Caius knows there's one member of your family that you wouldn't risk bringing to Italy. One member that you'll leave behind - his next target."

My hands shot to my throat both in shock and in an attempt to stifle the feral growl that clawed at my throat. "Renesmee," I gasped, suddenly realizing how easy it would be for Caius to accomplish his goal. He had assumed correctly - we would never chance taking her with us, but we wouldn't leave her behind unprotected either. Some would stay with her, reducing our numbers and tipping the odds in favor of the Italian coven.

I looked around at the faces of my family. They all wore the same, calculating expressions, each of them, like me, trying to find a flaw in Caius' plan. I could see none.

And who would stay behind? I could only thing of one option for Renesmee's safety. The only people I would entrust with the life of my daughter, as I had trusted with my own. "We'll leave her with the pack. They protected me from Victoria for months. And their numbers were half then what they are now. They can run her out of Forks...to Denali."

I looked to Alice, for some indication that the plan would work. "Bella, you know I can't see what will happen. It's hard enough to try to see the future around Nessie alone, but with the whole pack surrounding her..." She shook her head, and put her hands to her face helplessly.

Edward looked at me appraisingly. I watched his expression as he considered the option. However, he didn't have a chance to respond before Chelsea spoke again. "He'll choose another target as soon as they're out of the area." She met my eyes, her own filled with helpless sympathy. "He's going to go after your father, Bella."

As my mind conjured an image of Charlie's face, my resolve crumbled. After all I'd done to try to protect my father - all that I'd been willing to sacrifice, I'd never felt more helpless than I did in this moment. After a moment, his face was easily replaced with others. Billy, Sue, Emily... I couldn't protect them all, and Caius knew it. But still, he was counting on me to try.

Reading my angst, Edward pulled me to his side, rubbing my arm consolingly. "We'll think of something, love."

Carlisle remained silent for a moment, but was now pacing the length of the foyer. Finally, he came to a stop in front of Chelsea, but did not turn to face her. "Who remains loyal to him? Aside from the obvious? Who would we need to factor meeting within the city."

"Demetri, obviously, and Jane and Alec." She narrowed her eyes for a moment, pausing in thought. "His own wife, of course, although I'm sure she'll be well guarded, or hidden out of the city altogether. Felix...and a few of the guard whom he trained extensively in combat..."

"And Marcus? Where do his loyalties lie?" Carlisle asked in a brisk tone.

Chelsea paused, her voice growing quiet again. "That...is rather difficult to say. Presently, Marcus is not acting on his own accord." There was something more under her words - something she didn't voice outright.

Carlisle turned to face her, his brow pulling down in frustration. "How so?"

At that moment, I took note that Chelsea's hands had begun to shake at her side. "Before everything happened, Caius sent Demetri away - that was why he was not there during your visit. He was searching." She looked reluctant to continue, her whole frame shaking visibly now. "There have been...additions."

"What?" Edward asked incredulously. "You mean this was being planned a long ago? Before we visited even?"

But Carlisle did not allow her time to answer. He approached her and grasped her shoulders, his face full of seriousness as she met his gaze. Something about what Chelsea had said unnerved him. When he spoke, his voice was firm and demanding, all signs of patience gone - unlike I'd ever heard him before. "Where? Where was he searching Chelsea?"

Her lip trembled for a moment, matching the rhythm her body already kept. Her voice cracked as she spoke one, single word that seemed to be the answer Carlisle was dreading. "Romania."

Carlisle released his grip and slowly stepped back. His already fair complexion seemed to grow even paler, his lips barely moving as he uttered his next words. "God help us all...he found them."

[BamaFan121s]

Edward's teeth gnashed together audibly. He glared first at Chelsea, then at Carlisle. "No!" he hissed through clenched teeth. "That's not possible." He shook his head furiously in denial.

A feeling of dread began creeping its way into the pit of my stomach. My mind struggled to make sense of Carlisle's words. "Who Carlisle? Who did he find?" I asked, my voice flat and emotionless.

Carlisle's normally calm features twisted with distress as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Que Imperium."

"Apparently, Vlad and Stefan weren't the only ones who survived when the Volturi went to destroy them," Edward said distastefully.

I snorted in disgust. This revelation should have shocked me, but it didn't. There wasn't enough left in me to allow an emotion such as shock.

"I'm not sure how Caius found out. They were not with Vlad and Stefan when Demetri found them," Chelsea offered quietly.

"I don't care." I stated simply and defiantly. "I don't care who the hell Caius found or what they're capable of! He has Jacob and that's all I need to know!"

Edward inhaled a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This...complicates things."

We all stood silent and motionless, contemplating this unforeseen twist - all except Jasper. Jasper had slowly begun pacing the length of the foyer, deep in thought. I silently followed him with my eyes. Always the militant, I could imagine his mind was reeling as he sorted through all the possible courses of action we could take and weighed our options. I knew that his expertise in this field would be crucial to any chance we had at success, just as it was when they'd fought the newborn army...and that concerned me. I knew that Jasper would go to almost any length to keep Alice from harm's way and I worried that if he accessed that the odds were stacked against us, he wouldn't be as willing to pledge his allegiance to trying to save Jacob.

Finally, never breaking his stride, he addressed Chelsea and spoke. "He'll be watching the city, expecting us." I smiled in realization that my momentary worry had been for nothing.

"Yes," Chelsea confirmed. "For you as well as any who stood behind you in the field."

"But that will reduce his numbers under the city."

"Yes...but he's not counting on you ever making it that far."

Again, Jasper was silent as he paced. His face was set and determined. Finally he stopped pacing and raised his head, resolve painting his features. "Then we won't come at him through the city. We'll come in directly through the tunnels that lay underneath. And we won't involve anyone else."

Edward cocked his head to the side as he eyed his brother, a slow, conspiratorial smile spreading across his face. "That...just may work."

Jasper's voice grew more confident as he continued his explanation. "Bella, do you remember from our class? The whole city - well actually, most of Europe - is built on top of an elaborate tunnel system utilized during the great wars. In all probability, they connect outside of the city. We'll enter them there while they're focused on the city itself."

It was Emmett who noticed the obvious flaw in the plan. "Yeah, well the only problem is that the Volturi know those tunnels backwards and forwards. We don't. We've all been there - it's like a maze. Even if we found the entrance, we'd never know which way to go once we got in."

I frowned. Emmett had a point. Jasper merely smiled surely and raised one eyebrow. "Unless," he began, slowly turning to face Esme, "you know someone with a keen knowledge of ancient architecture with a connection to those responsible for building the city...."

Esme gasped, instantly making the connection. "Amun! He'll have the plans!"

I caught up quickly. "That's right! The Egyptian coven helped build half the city!"

Jasper nodded once. With that, Esme disappeared leaving nothing but a slight breeze in her wake.

After that, my family became a flurry of movement as the details of Jasper's plan began to fall into place. I tried to keep up and tried to contribute any idea I thought might prove helpful, but was I was incredibly distracted and only heard snippets of the hurried conversation around me. "...not wise to fly into Italy...could use a distraction..."

Inevitably, my thoughts turned to Jacob. My emotions ranged from sorrow, to anger, to worry and determination. Once they'd run their full course and come full circle, they'd start the vicious cycle all over again. I wouldn't allow myself to even consider the very real possibility that no matter what we did, it may be too late-Jacob may already be....but no, I could not even think it.

As if from a lifetime ago rather than months, Edward's words haunted me. They'll probably pick us off one by one. Had I ever really thought for a minute that the Volturi wouldn't move on us again? No, not really. And, I thought of Aro. Although it was true that many of Aro's actions had been beyond reproach, he'd been honest with us. He'd been true to his word, and I couldn't help feel slightly guilty that we'd never really known the truth until it was too late-and now Aro , who'd truly been one of our biggest allies within the walls of Volterra - was dead.

I thought of our friends who'd willingly come to our aid months ago. Their faces flashed before my eyes and I hoped that they would remain safe, regardless to what our outcome would be.

[BamaFan121s]

And then a very different set of faces came to mind. Those of Renesmee, Charlie, Billy, and Sue. Of Renee and Phil and the pack - so many loved ones in danger. Once again, my family and friends were in the crosshairs, all because of me. There were so many times I'd been the one who needed protecting. I was sure that once I achieved this life I'd wanted so badly, that I'd no longer be venerability. And in a way, that was true - yet I'd never in my life felt so powerless.

I covered my face with my hands. Almost immediately, I felt Edward's arms around me and felt his cool breath at my ear. "I don't know what to do," I confessed into his chest. "I can't keep everyone safe." He stroked my hair gently, but didn't speak any words of encouragement. There weren't any to be spoken. I was right, and he knew it. Anyone left here in Forks would be a target. And there was no way to protect them all...or was there?

Slowly, my own plan began to formulate in my mind - if there were some way to get my family out of Forks, yet keep them protected...and allow them a way to escape should our plan fail... "Bella!" Alice gasped from across the room. My eyes shot across the room and rested on hers as they stared unfocused. After a long second, she blinked and focused her gaze on me. "It will work Bella....but you have to hurry...go!"

I didn't bother to explain to anyone, I pulled myself out of Edward's grasp and ran to the kitchen, yanking drawers open as fast as I could until at last I found what I was looking for. I grabbed the envelope with my mother's messy script and retrieved my keys from the hook by the door, then rushed back to the foyer and was met by Alice as she came back down the stairs. She shoved a duffle bag in my arms and urged me towards the door. "This is everything you'll need. Jasper's going with you," she explained hurriedly as he appeared by my side. "I'll make all the arrangements while you're gone." I nodded, not wasting times with words.

"Bella?" Edward protested, his voice full of confusion. "What's this all about? Where are you going?"

"Seattle."

"No! Not with Demetri out there somewhere."

"I'll lead him away." Chelsea said. "It's me he's after right now."

That brought me up short. "Chelsea..." I choked out.

"Chelsea, I cannot allow you to sacrifice yourself on behalf of my family," Carlisle said, striding forward.

She shrugged and as she spoke, it was clear that her resolve had been made. "Carlisle, for too long I have been a part of putting your family in jeopardy. Please allow me this chance to do my part to right the situation. I can't take back the role I have played in their senseless games in the past, but I control what I do in the future from here on." She turned to me and took my hand, squeezing it briefly. "Bella, for what it's worth, I am genuinely sorry. Good luck, to all of you." She turned and cast one last, apologetic glance to my family, then turned and disappeared into the brush beyond the driveway.

"Bella," Edward begged as he grabbed my arm. "Please don't do this. Let me go instead."

"It's the only way I know of. I have to try."

Suddenly, I felt a wave of calmness wash over me as Jasper took hold of my other arm. "Edward!" he demanded, capturing his brother's attention. "We will come back. You have my word on that."

They stared at each other for a long second before Edward reluctantly released his hold on my arm. Jasper gently pulled me in the direction of the car already parked in the driveway. I made my way towards the car backwards, letting Jasper lead me as I called urgent directions back to Edward. "Help Alice! You're going to have to be the one to convince them. Call Billy first...he'll know how to get in touch with Sam. Get them on board before you call Charlie!"

"Get them on board for what?" he called back frantically, his hands raking though his hair.

"They're going to Jacksonville for a baseball game!" I said, waving the envelope full of vouchers in the air. I knew Alice would fill him in on the details while we were gone. I turned and ran to the passenger side door, pausing for one moment to look back at his still figure silhouetted against the light from the open front door. Even in the darkness, I could read his lips as he mouthed three silent words to me. "I love you."

I smiled as I mouthed his own words from long ago back to him. "As I love you."

I had barely shut the door when Jasper hit the accelerator taking us down the winding driveway and out onto the road that would lead us to the office of J. Jenks.



* * * * *



Our mission in Seattle had taken less time than I'd expected. To say that J had been less than enthusiastic to see Jasper again would be an understatement. He'd seemed quite reluctant and immediately overwhelmed at our request for five immediate passports, but the duffle bag full of large bills shoved into his arms seemed to render him considerably more agreeable.

I was grateful for Jasper's silence on the drive home. He didn't even bother to tamper with my emotional state, but instead let me collect my thoughts in silence. I found my ability to think in detail about several things at once slightly irritating. It only enabled me to worry about that many more things all at the same time. Jasper had called Alice to tell her we'd accomplished our mission and were on the way back. I easily ignored their conversation as I stared blankly out the window at the vast greenness that rushed past us beyond the window.

[BamaFan121s]

We managed to arrive back at the white house even faster than I would have thought possible. After I was met outside by a very relieved Edward, I returned inside where I found Jasper already en task again helping to nail down some final details. Carlisle and Alice had managed to catch Sam at Billy's house. With some convincing from Billy and Sue, Charlie had agreed to the idea of traveling to visit Renee and take in a baseball game, not understanding the apparent urgency behind the sudden trip, but not questioning it either. Leah and Set would be traveling with them.

Edward and Rosalie had been in touch with Tanya. Sam, Quil and Embry would be running to meet them with Renesmee. Together, they and the Denali coven would be protecting her. Paul, Jared, Colin and Brady would be staying back to guard the reservation in La Push and to protect Forks.

As expected, Esme had been able to get a rough set of plans from Amun mapping a very complex set of tunnels that lie under the city. As Jasper had suspected, there were several connecting points outside of the city walls that would lead us into the heart of the Volturi's underground establishment. He pondered which route would be the most inconspicuous and finally decided upon two options. Jasper poured over the plans for a long time, his frown steadily increasing. Finally, he shook his head. "I don't like it," he stated simply. "It seems too obvious."

Carlisle stood at the dining room table. He reached out and traced one of the passages with his finger. "In all the years I spent with the Volturi, I never knew these passages existed. I can't imagine they would ever suspect that we would have discovered this."

"Maybe," Jasper mused. "But still, I would feel more confident with our chances if there were some way to distract them...draw their attention to the city...but I don't see how that would be possible without dividing ourselves..." All the while, Alice stood silently by his side, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

I left Jasper as he pondered our options and went to the kitchen. Rosalie was gathering a few pans in the kitchen. I walked forward and silently began assisting her. She judged my actions, gave me an understanding nod and left me to prepare Renesmee's dinner on my own. I worked in silence, preparing her what I knew were her favorites - Grandma Swan's stroganoff and chocolate pudding. I sat with her while she ate, determined to spend every possible second with her between now and the time when she would be taken to meet Sam.

After her dinner, I sat with her in the living room and looked back through a collection of some family photos. Too soon, it was time to leave for the clearing where we would be meeting the pack. Once again, Alice's small, purse was strapped to Renesmee's back - enclosed in it everything that Seth and Leah would need to safely depart with Charlie, Billy and Sue.

"So," Edward said, looking around at the rest of the family, "I guess it's time for us to meet up with Sam and the others."

I'd dreaded this moment, knowing the words would be hurtful when spoken, but I really saw no alternative. "No, not us...me. Just me." I knew before I'd spoken the words that he would object, but my mind was set.

"No, absolutely not."

"It has to be me, Edward. I'm the only one that Demetri can't track. You've said that yourself from the beginning."

He stared back at me with despair in his eyes. "No. Demetri won't stand a chance against all of us."

"If Demetri is here alone. Did it ever occur to you that maybe Demetri didn't travel here by himself?"

"Then that's all the more reason that you shouldn't go by yourself!"

I stepped forward and took his face in my hands, forcing him to meet my gaze. "Even if Demetri isn't here working alone, he'd still have to be the one to find me."

I saw the pain in his eyes as he tried to ignore the logic behind my argument. "Bella, please. It doesn't have to be this way."

I put my finger to his lips. "Yes, it does. Edward, you know I trust you with my life and so much more than that. All I ask is that you trust me on this."

His argument was waning and the desperate, pleading look in his eyes told me that he was well aware of it. "You cannot keep sacrificing yourself like this..."

I forced a smile and shook my head slightly and reached up to smooth the worried lines on his forehead. "I don't intend to." I stretched up onto my tiptoes and allowed my lips to crush into his for a long second and then pulled back, taking a slow, measured step towards the door.

"No, Bella...."

"This is the way it has to be, Edward. You have to trust me." I stole a quick glance at Jasper, and then peered back at Edward. His posture seemed to relax, but only marginally. The pained look on his face tore at my chest. I forced my eyes from his and turned to Rosalie who stood waiting by the door with Renesmee in her arms. She helped her onto my back. I felt her arms grasp tightly around my neck. I paused and took a deep breathe and fought the urge to turn around for fear that my own resolve would crumble.

Determined, I forced my feet to move under me. Within seconds, I was flying though the thick trees towards the clearing with Renesmee clinging to my back. As I ran, my ears heard every cricket, every creature that stirred around me. My eyes constantly scanned the surrounding woods. After several long minutes, the trees began to thin. I slowed my pace to a brisk walk as I cautiously approached the clearing. I reached the edge of the trees and carefully helped Renesmee off my back. Taking her hand in mine, I cautiously stepped forward into the opening.

I scanned the outlying circle of trees, looking for any signs of danger as I awaited the arrival of the pack. Realizing that we were alone, I squeezed Renesmee's hand and lowered myself to kneel on one knee, bringing my face level with hers. She reached up and placed her hand on my cheek, showing me again the last image of Jacob she had - one that would haunt me forever. His lifeless body looked so broken. "Yes, sweetheart. We are all going to try very hard to bring Jacob back."

Tears welled in her eyes, matching the uncomfortable prickling that I felt in my own. "You have to promise me that you will do whatever Sam tells you. Can you be brave for me?"

She nodded her head solemnly and leaned forward hugging me tightly around my neck. I brought my hand up and stroked her hair as I held her comfortingly for a long moment. I inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent as much as possible.

[BamaFan121s]

"I love you, Mommy," she whispered, just before pulling back.

"I love you too, sweetheart." I brushed a stray curl from her forehead and stared back into her deep, chocolate eyes. "I promise, this will be the last time that I leave you."

It was at that moment that I heard a twig snap in the trees beyond the clearing. I kissed Renesmee's forehead and stood back up, taking her hand again. I trained my eyes in the direction of the noise and searched the woods for the approach of the pack. Just then, the wind shifted and my body tensed of its own accord. Whereas I had expected to be met with the nauseating, woodsy smell of Jacob's brothers, my senses were met with a very different, unexpected scent. A very sweet, yet spicy scent. Too sweet. The scent of a vampire.

The sound of someone approaching steadily grew louder. I pulled Renesmee behind me and crouched protectively in front of her as I stared across the field towards the trees. At last, a large figure slowly emerged. The moonlight glinted off the luminescent skin of a vampire easily twice my size as he stepped forward, his crimson eyes boring into mine. Demetri. A feral snarl clawed at my chest and ripped its way through my lips. He stopped, an amused smirk playing on his lips.

But even though he'd stopped, the sound of approaching footsteps did not. Slowly, I saw another figure step forward out of the clearing behind him. I had been right - Demetri had brought company with him to Forks. A second vampire came up to flank Demetri. He was much smaller in stature than Demetri, with pale, white blonde hair. He seemed to follow Demetri's lead.

"Ah Bella," Demetri spoke in a mockingly playful tone. "I was so hoping to run into you here." He took a casual step forward, mirrored by his comrade. "Of course, I suppose it really shouldn't come as a surprise to you. I know that Chelsea mentioned to your family that I was in the neighborhood. Her confession of that was...her last, regrettably."

"You killed her," I spat at him.

He pulled his face into a fake grimace and cast a quick side glance at his partner. "Yes, sadly Chelsea went against her better judgment and betrayed my master." He shrugged indifferently. "It was her choice to forfeit her life. It's really too bad all her efforts were in vain." His mouth pulled upward into a wicked smile.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," I hissed through gritted teeth.

"Oh come now, Bella. Surely you and your beloved Edward hadn't honestly fooled yourselves into thinking that I wouldn't be able to find you?" He shook his head in mock disbelief. "I'll admit, your talent is rather impressive, but let us be realistic."

He took another step towards me, leaving only about twenty yards between us - a distance that could be closed in a single leap at any moment should he choose to. I knew I didn't stand a chance of defeating him alone in a fight without even factoring in his assistant. I knew that he was well aware of that fact too. He was just drawing it out, toying with me. My mind was reeling trying to come up with a way to distract him - to give the pack a chance to get here.

Suddenly, he held his hand up towards the vampire beside him. "Don't waste your efforts, Gavrill. She is immune to your talents." Gavrill? So this was one of the new additions that Chelsea had mentioned. "Of course, Bella and I are old acquaintances, so I don't think you'd begrudge me the honor?"

Gavrill spoke in a thick Russian accent. "Of course not, Demetri." I stole a quick glance at him, not wanting to take my eyes off of Demetri, who stepped closer still for too long. His face seemed alight with amused entertainment.

I set myself deeper into my crouch and countered Demetri's every step as he began to feint to the side, carefully keeping myself between him and my daughter. "Oh, but don't worry, Bella. I'm not going to kill you right away." With his head, he gestured behind me to Renesmee, causing a wild, protective growl to build deep in my chest. "First, I'm going to kill your abomination of a daughter, while you watch, then I'm going to take my time with you."

Gavrill's maniacal laugh rang through the clearing like a bell. However, it was cut short. Far off in the woods, the piecing howl of a wolf ripped through the cool, night air. In the distance, I could hear the sound of the rapidly approaching wolves crashing though the woods.

Demetri heard it too. His mouth turned downward in an angry frown. "Then again, maybe we'll have to cut this reunion shorter than I'd hoped." He crouched down and tensed his muscles to pounce. I braced myself for impact. The wolves were coming, but they would never make it in time. My only hope was to defend my daughter long enough for them to reach the clearing and save her.

One thing was certain - Edward had greatly misjudged Demetri's ability to track me. Now I faced him alone...and I was going to die.

[BamaFan121s]

I saw the shift in Demetri's posture and watched as his sinuous muscles tensed in his preparation to launch himself at me. The smallest fraction of a second later, the tension released as he hurled himself through the air. I readjusted my defensive stance in front of a now trembling Renesmee, squeezed my eyes shut and braced myself for the inevitable moment of impact. But the impact would never come.

Instead, my ears were met only by the sound of a crash so deafening that even the most violent thunder could not compare. My eyes shot open just in time to see Demetri's massive form as it was sent flying through the air by a mass of familiar, silvery gray fur - Leah. Of course it was Leah. She had always prided herself on being the fastest of the wolves.

I watched in shock as Demetri twisted agilely in the air, landing 20 yards away in a perfect hunting crouch. The hackles on Leah's neck bristled and her lips pulled back to reveal rows of razor sharp teeth as she and Demetri began to circle one another. All the while, ferocious snarls ripped their way through her throat. Demetri repeatedly swiped lethally at Leah, her speed evening the playing field slightly and enabling her to just dodge each blow just before it could connect. But Demetri was no newborn - Leah would be no match for his decades of experience.

A mere millisecond had passed allowing my mind just enough time to process the shock of this unexpected turn of events. Then my mind caught up with my body. I tore my eyes away from their deadly dance and trained them on Gavrill who now glared back at me, all traces of entertainment having been erased from his chiseled features. It was evident he was committed to carrying out what Demetri had started with me.

Careful to keep my body protectively positioned in front of Renesmee, I slowly began backing her closer towards the tree line. From my position, I saw Demetri land a swift kick into Leah's side. She yelped in pain, but swiftly regained her footing and began circling again, visibly shaking her head as she did so in an effort to shake off the resulting pain. Her luck was running out and I was powerless to help her.

Gavrill had closed the gap between us significantly. I knew that his gift would be useless on me and he would have to rely on his sheer physical ability alone. I was sure he was more than capable, but I welcomed the challenge, determined as bloodlust ignited within me. He briefly attempted to shift his gaze past me towards Renesmee, who I remained positioned in front of, only to return it to me. His bright, crimson eyes bored into mine as I felt fury building inside threatening to cause my frozen blood to boil in my veins. Suddenly, he froze in place and his face seemed to drain of all color.

Already knowing the reason behind his reaction, I felt a devious smile creep to my lips of its own accord. It grew increasingly as a chorus of growls erupted from just inches behind me. The rest of the pack had arrived. The battle between Demetri and Leah had stopped and Demetri now attempted to slowly inch backwards in retreat in the face of Leah who merely continued to stalk him, while barring her teeth and growling menacingly.

Four enormous, deadly wolves came up to flank me as a smaller, sandy colored one took up my strategic position in front of Renesmee. I kept my eyes locked on Gavrill's face as his desire to end my life warred with his instinct for survival. The indecision played out on his features just as it had so long ago with Victoria. Just as Edward had done that day with Victoria, I would take away his freedom to make that decision. Acting upon some unseen signal, Demetri and Gavrill simultaneously turned to flee.

Gavrill made it to the moonlit shadows of the trees before I collided with his back with such force that I not only knocked him to the ground, but sent myself flying several yards into the cover of the trees as well. As I quickly rolled to my feet and turned back towards the clearing, the unmistakable sound of tearing metal drifted to me. By the time I reentered the clearing a fraction of a second later, it was all over. Quil and Embry had finished off Gavrill, ripping the last of his limbs from his torso. The sickening, screeching sound coming from several yards away told me that Demetri was no match for Leah's speed and he had met the same fate as Sam and Jared had easily caught up with them.

The wolves were already in motion constructing a pile of what remained of the two defeated Volturi guards as my mind began to process the enormity of what had just happened. Demetri was dead. He would never track anyone I cared for again. Oh sure the Volturi could dispatch someone to Forks, but they would could never be led to Jacksonville in pursuit of Charlie or Billy and they would never be able to follow Renesmee or Sam to Denali. Demetri's death would ultimately ensure their safety.

I was pulled from my musings as Leah trotted forward and glared meaningfully into my eyes. I gasped in realization. Leah had just saved my life. She had flung herself at Demetri, willing to sacrifice her own life for mine and Renesmee's. "Leah..." I reached forward to stroke the side of her neck now within my reach, but she snorted in disgust and turned away from me, trotting off into the cover of the trees.

I stared at the spot where she'd disappeared until I was pulled from my musings by Seth's gentle nudge. Renesmee easily slid from his back, landing on her feet before me. I pulled her into a tight hug before allowing her to place her palm to my cheek as I worried about what horrors she'd just been witness to, but discovered quickly that my worries were completely unnecessary. I watched her abbreviated recollection of the events that had just unfolded up until the pack joined my side and her view was suddenly obscured by a wall of sandy fur and all sound was drowned out by a steady reassuring growl. What stood out more than anything was that her recollection was not colored by fear, as I had suspected, but by the overwhelming sense of pride and being protected.

At that moment, Leah strode back into the clearing, having phased. She quickly pulled a lighter from her pocket and lit the pile on fire. A thick plume of heavily scented purple smoke rose into the air. Then, she walked forward to face me, standing a mere foot away. Her striking features were smudged with dirt as a result of her battle with Demetri. An abrasion across her cheek was already fading to a pale pink.

My gratefulness for her unselfish actions rushed back to me. I took a deep breath with the intent of conveying my appreciation to her, but she was quicker with her words.

"Thank you," she said quickly, rushing thought the two words.

[BamaFan121s]

"Thank...you..." I replied, caught a bit off guard. I tilted my head questioningly as I appraised her casual posture. Understanding washed over me as I held her meaningful gaze. "You're welcome," I returned, so quietly that only she would hear. One brief nod of her head was the only indication I had that we had reached a mutual understanding with our brief exchange.

We were both rescued from the uncomfortable silence as Sam, still in wolf form strode forward to join us. He looked up meaningfully at Leah, then to me as she spoke for him. "He wanted to make sure that everything is in order."

"Yes," I said, taking the bag from Renesmee and handing it to Leah. "You'll find the game vouchers and plane tickets in here. And some false documents and cash...just in case something goes wrong." She nodded and placed the small bag around her own shoulders. "You'll keep them safe?" I asked painfully picturing Charlie in my mind. Leah nodded, and I knew that she would keep her word if it killed her.

Next, I turned my attention to Sam. "The Denali clan is expecting your arrival." I gave Renesmee one last hug before she climbed easily onto Sam's back. "I know that you will do whatever it takes to keep her safe." He replied with a steady growl that resonated from deep within his chest.

Leah answered for Sam. "And we know that you will do the same for Jacob." And they were right. I was willing to risk my life to try to bring Jacob back, as was my entire family. And I didn't plan on failing.

We didn't linger any longer, wasting time on bittersweet farewells. Over the past few months, we'd all seen more than our fair share of those. After a while, they take their toll on you and you don't have the strength left for them anymore. I stood stoically in the field as Seth and Leah set off in the direction of the reservation and as the other four wolves set off in the direction that would lead them to Denali. At that moment, I swore to myself that this would be the last time I would ever have to watch my daughter ride off on the back of a wolf, praying that no matter what happened to me, she would somehow be safe. I vowed to myself that no matter what, this would be the last time.

I stood in the clearing until I could no longer hear the footfalls of the Quiluetes. Their lingering scent began to float off with the light breeze. Then, I turned and ran back towards the Cullen house. The events that had transpired in the field triggered a renewed sense of determination in me. As my feet flew over the mossy forest ground, I ran feeling as if a weight had already been lifted. Our plan - or at least this part of our plan - would not fail. I was not foolish enough to forget the treacherous journey that still lay ahead, but regardless of the outcome, my human family and my daughter would be safe.

As my feet flew over the mossy forest ground, I thought of the lives that had been disrupted by the quest for dominance by the Volturi. Heidi, Chelsea and Renata had sacrificed themselves in order to protect my family. Jacob was now being held captive deep within the cavernous tunnels of Italy. I did not know what my ultimate fate would be, but I well aware of my mission - this would be the last time the Volturi posed a threat.

I could barely see the light from the house through the trees when I heard the frantic voices of my family, causing me to push my feet even faster. Their conversation floated to me through the trees, disjointed and confusing at first,

"... knew this was a bad idea..."

"...wouldn't have seen it if she hadn't gotten away..."

"...going to look for her..."

"...hold him, Emmett..."

And somewhere, in the midst of the confusion...The Wizard of Oz from somewhere deep inside the house? The closer I got, the less disjointed the conversations became.

"...I'm going for her..."

"...if we stay here, I see her coming back...if we go, I'm not sure...

Finally, as I neared the house, Alice's relieved exclamation, "She's back!"

I had barely stepped foot on the gravel driveway when Edward descended upon me, pulling me to him with crushing force. "Bella!" He gasped in relief as he sunk to his knees, pulling me with him. His whole frame seemed to be shaking. I allowed him to hold me until the vibrations subsided. My quick mind had already processed what had triggered the turmoil while somewhere inside the house, Dorothy had reached the Emerald City.

At last, Edward's grip on me slackened. I leaned around him, searching for Alice. Jasper stood by her side, rubbing calming circles on her back as she held her fingertip to her temples, her eyes locked on me.

Whether because of Jasper's efforts, or because of my return, her rigid posture began to relax. "You didn't see," I surmised, "because of the wolves."

She shook her head, confirming my theory. "Bella, all I saw was Demetri facing you in the field, poised to strike, and then your entire future disappeared..." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"You thought I was dead." I concluded.

"Until a few moments ago when I saw you returning."

I noticed the pained grimace that crossed Edward's face at my words. Alice leaned into Jasper's chest, her beautiful features twisted in horror and she covered her face in with her hands in a feeble attempt to drive out the remnants of her vision. Behind them on the porch, a visibly shaken Rosalie tried in vain to soothe Esme, as her entire body was wracked by silent sobs.

Watching the reactions of my family only strengthened my resolve - the Volturi must be destroyed.

At last, it was Carlisle who spoke. "Bella...Demetri? Is he...?"

I realized then that they were still in the dark regarding what had taken place. I recounted the events as they had transpired as the flying monkeys descended on the meek Kansas native from inside the house. I didn't bother to censor or downplay anything that had happened and watched as horror crossed their faces. Perhaps the full force of the terror in the field had not yet registered with me...or perhaps I was too determined to achieve my goal to care at this point.

My family remained silent and relieved as I concluded my story. It was Emmett that finally broke the silence. "So, you didn't save even a piece of Demetri for us? Bummer." This earned a growl from Edward, but also set my family in motion again. We still had a mission to accomplish after all, and dwelling on what was already in the past was getting us nowhere.

Together, we returned into the house, where I was briefed on the final plan of action. I tried in earnest to focus on Jasper's explanation, but something was nagging me in the back of my mind. I tried to block out the sound of Dorothy and her friends as they were chased through the witch's castle on the big screen in the living room. Something Jasper had said earlier in the day...about needing a distraction...

The Volturi knew we would come. That was what they were hoping for wasn't it? They expected us to come directly into the city - Chelsea had told us that. Just as Demetri knew he would find me in the field. And he and Gavrill showing up alone was proof that they were overconfident in their plans - that they saw no need for a Plan B. And it had worked before, hadn't it? With the third wife...and that day in the field with Victoria and Riley?

I walked away from Jasper, ignoring his explanation altogether. I heard him trail off, sensing my distraction, but I ignored him. My attention had been captured by the TV in the living room. I cocked my head to the side as I watched Dorothy defeat the Wicked Witch with a simple pail of water. So simple, yet effective...

Suddenly, Alice appeared at my side and gasped. "Of course, Bella! Well, it makes sense now."

"Alice?" Jasper asked wearily, but Alice was nowhere to be seen. He turned to me. "Bella? What's going on?"

I walked back to join him at the table and looked down at the rough set of plans spread out before him. "You were right, Jasper. They will be expecting this," I said, waving my hand at the set of plans. "So why not give them what they are expecting...draw their attention away from the tunnel entrances. We can't just stroll into Volterra - they will definitely be watching for us. So we split up...we enter the city, let them know we're there, but make it difficult to be found."

He and Edward exchanged confused looks. He turned his attention back to me. "Bella, it sounds good, but I don't see how..."

"Easy Jazz. I've already seen how...I just didn't understand it at the time." All eyes turned to Alice, who had reappeared at the bottom of the stairs. In her arms, she held three identical packages, wrapped in black paper and finished off with a bright red bow. Three packages that contained the dark gray robes of the Volturi.

[BamaFan121s]

No one could be sure what kind of information the Volturi had access to, but we weren't taking any chances in any event. Considering that a sudden booking of eight first class passengers to Italy may have aroused suspicions and because our trip was not exactly planned, we all sat in coach, surrounded by other passengers who were completely clueless that they had been joined last minute by a family of vampires.

We had decided that a direct flight was not the best route to go. We'd initially left from the Portland airport and changed planes in both Houston and Atlanta before boarding the final flight that would take us to Turin. Our transatlantic portion of the journey was a rather silent one. On occasion, there would be hushed exchanges between our family, but any words spoken were far too quiet and fast for any of the other surrounding passengers to make and sense of - if they even heard them at all.

It was during the latter portion of the flight that I allowed myself to again think of the family I was leaving behind. I knew that the plane carrying half of them to Jacksonville would be arriving within the hour. A call placed from the on board satellite phone confirmed that Sam and the wolves had arrived safely in Denali without encountering any unforeseen obstacles along the way. Despite our current circumstances, this knowledge along with the fact that Demetri was dead brought a smile to my face. Yes, they would be safe.

After what seemed like an eternity, even for a vampire, our flight finally began its descent. Without speaking, a tightened my grip on Edward's hand ever so slightly as a reassurance and reminder to myself. Whatever lay ahead - success or failure - we would be entering into it together, our own individual fates fused together as one.

After disembarking from our plane, we walked at a human pace, making an effort to blend in as much as possible. I reminded myself of our plan as we made our way through the corridors of the airport.

We would travel together by foot to the outskirts of Volterra. There, we would locate one of the many entrances to the tunnels below the city that Jasper had deemed as our best option and wait until daybreak. That was the easy part.

From there, Edward, Alice and myself would dress in the Volturi robes and make our way towards the entrance to the city. There was only one gate leading into sub-terranian Volterra, which we were positive would be monitored, although to what degree, we were unsure. Jasper felt confident that any guards near the entrance would be minimal at best. Given the fact that half of the guard had either fled, been destroyed, or both, he was betting that any guards assigned to patrolling the inner walls would be located centrally to St. Mark's Square where they could reenter the heart of the underground lair at a moment's notice.

It made me very uncomfortable for us to have to separate, but if there was any chance of us entering the tunnels and finding Jacob, this was the best option we could come up with-to draw the guard to us. We were timing our arrival during the largest influx of tourists into the city, when it was discovered that we were within the city walls-and we fully understood that we would be detected-the Volturi would be hesitant to act on stopping us in the midst of the general public, or so we hoped. Hopefully that would open at least a slight window of opportunity for the rest of the family.

A part of me hoped that the Volturi's arrogance and overconfidence would act as their biggest disadvantage and everything would transpire according to plan. A very small part of me. The larger, realistic part of me knew that we were amateurs and the guard were centuries old, experienced vampires who likely had countless contingency plans.

Other than that, we were going to have to act on instinct alone as things transpired. I did not like instinct alone.

We slowed our pace a considerable distance from Volterra and crept in the general direction of where Jasper had determined the tunnel entrance would be. We paused frequently for Edward to try to locate any possible mental voice of anyone nearby. Fortunately, we met no resistance right up to the base of the city. After a few minutes of searching from the cover of the nearby woods, Emmett spotted the grate-covered entrance we were looking for protruding deep set into the side of the hill on top of which sat the ancient city.

And so, we waited until sunrise.

Edward had remained silent as we waited, trying to extend his ability and scan the thoughts of anyone within the city or through the grated entrance, but was unable to detect even the faintest of thoughts. This was a good sign - it meant no one was within our immediate vicinity.

Jasper again began going over our plan as we listened intently, despite having already committing it to memory. He made a few last minute suggestions regarding hand to hand strategy, which would unavoidably come into play at some point. I tried to listen to him and absorb all that he was saying, but soon found myself staring blankly at the entrance before us as I rested my head on Edward's shoulder. Somewhere, through that tunnel, beneath that city, was Jacob.

The longer a sat locked in my own silent contemplations, the more the anger inside me began to build. Not just on account of Jacob, but on behalf of everything my family had been forced to deal with at the hands of the Volturi - Edward as he had writhed on the floor in agony under Jane's torturous gift, our family and friends who'd been forced to lay their lives on the line in Forks so many months ago, and our recent comrades - Chelsea, Heidi and Renata, who'd sacrificed their life on our behalf. As I recounted all these horrendous acts, my vision blurred I felt bloodlust mounting within me.

I'm not sure how long Jasper spent doling out last minute directives to myself and the rest of the Cullens. I was only vaguely aware when the horizon to our left and right became tinged with pink, and then slowly to orange and yellow as the sun began to rise. I was only pulled from my thoughts when Jasper suddenly grasp my arm, causing me to jump in shock. I pulled my eyes from the tunnel and peered back into his own amber pair as he spoke to me. "Bella, we will get him back."

At last, Alice rose to her feet. "It's time," she proclaimed simply. "Tour buses will be arriving when we reach the gate." She looked to me and Edward as we took the robes that she offered us. She quickly put hers on and stood for a long minute, staring silently into Jasper's eyes.

"To hell with good-byes," Emmett spoke up gruffly as he turned to the three of us. "We'll be seeing you three shortly. Let's do this." He flexed the muscles in his arms, eager to put our plan in motion. "What?" he asked, looking around at all of us. He grinned widely and looked absolutely terrifying. "I've been waiting for this for too long."

His comments and attitude seemed to break the spell, setting us all in motion, everyone reassured by his ever present confidence.

"Good luck" were Jasper's parting words as we turned and made our way towards the gate. We ghosted silently along, staying undercover of the trees as long as possible. We watched the cars full of eager tourists as they crept up the winding rode leading to the gate. We stepped onto the road beside a slow approaching tour bus, using it to shield us from view as much as possible. Just before the reaching the gate, the massive bus took a sudden turn into a large gravel area that already held several larger vehicles.

[BamaFan121s]

As the bus pulled of the road, we quickly stepped into the steady flow of visitors making their way into the city on foot. My hands tightened into fists and I stretched my shield to surround Edward and Alice.

"Anything?" Alice whispered as we drew nearer to the gate.

"Nothing," Edward replied quickly.

"I don't see anyone being there. Closer to the center, and it gets fuzzy..."

We stepped into the city, beneath the heavy, raised gate. My eyes scanned the crowd surrounding us at a frantic pace, looking for any figure clad in gray.

Constantly remaining aware of our surroundings, we steadily wound our way through the narrow cobblestone paths of the city, making our way closer to the center of the ancient city.

I looked to the rooftops as well as we passed through the narrow alleys, but still, saw no sign of the guard.

When we neared St. Mark's Square, we stopped and exchanged quick, nervous glances, each of us unsure of how to proceed. We hadn't factored what to do from here. Truthfully, we hadn't considered making it here without meeting some sort of resistance. There were several entrances that we knew of, but did we really expect to be able to just walk through any of them unchallenged? My mind was reeling as I tried to evaluate our possibilities.

Something was off. Weren't they expecting us? Had they all retreated under the city? Did that mean that the others had been detected?

My breath sped with the last thought. It became raspy and my body threatened to curl inward on itself defensively. Edward reached to take my hand. "Shhhh," he barely breathed. We continued inching closer to the center of the city in silence.

Suddenly, I heard Edward's teeth snap and grind together. I turned to him and noticed his eyes were trained on the rooftops. I followed his gaze just in time to see a dark blur move above us.

"They know we're here," I said matter of factly.

"Yes," he hissed. "They know."

"They don't plan to act here in the open," Alice whispered.

"No," Edward agreed. "But we have taken them by surprise. It seems as if your idea worked Bella. They are shocked that we made it to the center before they detected us. They'd planned to act to stop us if possible, but not this close to the square."

"Who?" I asked. As I waited for his response, the faces of the guard I knew flashed through my mind. I mentally began sizing up anyone who would oppose us.

"Felix, Alec, I'm sure of. A few others who have never been more than fixtures in the background."

I growled at his mention of Alec. I knew that I would be no match for Felix's mere physical size, but Alec possessed a gift which I could defend against. My ability to do so would be crucial if we were to encounter him at any point.

Wordlessly, Edward held his hand up to silence us. He cocked his head first to one side, then to the other. My eyes searched the rooftops and the square that stretched out before us, looking for the figure that had already moved out of site. After a long moment, Edward frowned as deep lines etched themselves into his forehead. Slowly, he began shaking his head back and forth. "This doesn't make any sense," he pondered. "They're...retreating. But why?"

As I strained my eyes to see what was no longer there, the crucial mistake that we'd made came crashing down on us. The three of us had been so intent on the rooftops and courtyard before us, that we'd mistakenly lost focus on what was going on street level around us. A sudden, crisp breeze drifting from the open alley behind us brought with it the unmistakable trace of other vampires and the distinct sound of footsteps. But it was a fraction of a second too late as the voice of their leader had already reached us. "Well, we were so hoping to run into you three here!"

Dropping the façade at keeping a human pace, we turned to face the three vampires who had suddenly appeared in the alley behind us as they closed the gap between us and St. Mark's Square at a frightening pace.