A/N: Sorry to take so long to write this next chapter. Thanks for the feedback - it was really nice and motivated me to carry on writing. I won't take so long with the next chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight or the characters.

CHAPTER TWO

"Bella?"

"Bella…?"

I stumbled out of bed and tripped onto the floor. My heart was beating like the wings of a hummingbird. My heel was caught in the hem of my dress which my hands were clumsily trying to free. Finally, I was mobile and I was running down the stairs as fast as my accident-prone self could carry me.

A concerned sounding voice called out my name again. A silhouette figure stood in the doorway. I didn't need the light to recognise who the silhouette belonged to. Fear and panic were battling to take hold of my heart. I was determined that I was not going to be ruled by either. I was going to be calm even though it felt like the sky was falling in. I inhaled slowly and dared to speak.

"Tell me it's not that bad. Whatever it is, it's going to be okay, right?"

"Bella, lets go to the kitchen, we need to talk,"

"I don't want to go the kitchen, let's talk now,"

"Bella, please,"

I looked into Alice's eyes and I could see fear concealed behind them. She was being a model of restraint. She would have grabbed me in her arms and squeezed the life of out me by now. Something was deadly wrong and her cool and collected demeanour was unintentionally scaring the life out of me.

"I want to talk now," my voice cracked on the last word. The tears were quickly forming in the corners of my eyes. I dabbed them away at once. I didn't want to fall apart so quickly and easily. Why did I have to be so weak?

Alice took my hand gently and led me to the kitchen. The coolness of her skin was comforting.

We walked to the kitchen and I sat on the breakfast stool. Alice had picked the colour of the kitchen for us. It was duck egg blue with cream cupboards, a breakfast bar and white stools.

I remembered Edward painting the walls above the tiles. Superhuman speed made painting and decorating so much easier. I had come in when he was waiting for a coat of paint to dry. He had a smudge of blue paint on his nose and tiny flecks of blue in his bronze hair. A crooked smile greeted me and my arms were firmly around his neck in an embrace.

I had kissed him enthusiastically and there was faint smudge of blue on my nose too. When we had finally broken free, we had pointed at the smudges on each others' faces and laughed.

There was no laughter now as Alice and I viewed each other across the breakfast bar.

"Bella, I just want to say that whatever happens, we're going to make it" Alice said firmly.

"Thanks for the pep talk but where's Edward?" I replied sarcastically, trying to mask my panic.

Alice let my remark slide as she continued. "I'm sorry. It all happened so quickly. You know how the date of your wedding would be the catalyst to events that might happen with the Volturi?"

"The Volturi are here?" I was startled. I never imagined that they would be here so soon. Too soon. I hadn't even had the chance to change yet. Only immortality could save me from the Volturi. A weak, fragile human was no match. "How come you didn't tell me they were here?"

"Calm down Bella, I knew they were coming but I saw that their intentions were peaceful and not to cause harm". Alice looked sincere but I wasn't so sure.

"A peaceful mission?" I asked doubtfully.

"Yes, peaceful. They are capable of that." Alice said coolly. "They arrived today and I didn't want to cause any trouble so I decided to keep their arrival a secret. Only Jasper and I knew. However, a snap decision threw the entire mission off. It all happened so quickly late in the evening that there was no time to prepare. Carlisle called Edward because I kept repeating his name in my vision. I wanted him in the house because it seemed the only logical way,"

"The only logical way for what?"

"For keeping you safe" Alice looked at me sternly. "The next thing I knew, there was a knock at the door and that's when they…"

"…took Edward," I finished her sentence in a monotone voice.

Alice was full of sorrow. I tried to focus my eyes on her face as the room spun like a planet knocked out of orbit. Edward was not here. He wouldn't be coming home any time soon either. I felt extremely foolish sitting here in my dress. I tugged at the sleeves in frustration. A tiny bead rolled off my left sleeve onto the floor.

Seeing this tiny little bead trying to escape from me snapped my mind into focus. This dress had brought such joy to Edward when he had seen me in the church earlier today. Was I going to let it slowly fall to pieces and me along with it? I refused to entertain such an idea. I picked up the bead and placed it in a small groove in the counter to stop it rolling away.

If the Volturi wanted a fight then I would take them all on and they would face the wrath of Bella Swan. I just needed to remember how to use my legs first.

"Bella…" Alice said gently as if trying to wake me. She checked her watch.

"Who exactly took Edward?" I asked.

"Jane. She has the whole house surrounded with bodyguards that they brought from Italy. She made the snap decision. She didn't think you were good enough to be changed. She wants to be rid of you. She took Edward hostage. She threatened to hurt him if we tried to fight back."

I felt sick. The last time Jane had seen me, she had been irritated by the lack of effect her powers had on me. The irritation had obviously turned into a full blown grudge that she was going to take out on Edward and me.

"So what do we have to do?" I asked.

Alice's large eyes were searching my face, trying to read some emotion that she couldn't seem to find. She looked at her watch again.

"I have to go, Bella. The bodyguards are still there and I was the only one allowed out to see you on the condition that I came back or she would…" her voice trailed off to let my imagination fill in the rest of the details. A thousand horror movies played in my mind at once.

"But what do I have to do? How do I get him back?" I grabbed Alice's arm as panic was bubbling to the surface once again. "You can see Edward's fate. Tell me how it ends". Tears sprang to my eyes.

"I don't know. There are so many decisions and possible outcomes, it's like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle except all the pieces keep changing shape and colour. All I can tell you is that the rest of the Volturi are not in agreement with Jane's actions. They will do everything to keep her safe but she acted against their wishes. Before she took Edward, I saw where she intended to take him. It's a disused factory on the outskirts of town. I've written down the address."

She pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket and placed it in my shaking hands. All my hopes rested on this paper. I clutched it to my erratically thumping heart.

"I have to go Bella. The curfew is 11.30pm," She looked at her watch. She got up quickly and kissed me on the cheek.

I followed her towards the door. She turned around to face me, holding my shoulders in her delicate hands. "The answers lie with you, Bella; I know that much is true. You'll figure out the right way and make the right choice. The logical choice."

She flew out of the door, leaving me perplexed with her choice of words. The logical choice. I turned the phrase over in my mind for some hidden meaning but I couldn't make any sense of it.

I looked down at the address she had written.

115 Mercury Boulevard

If this is where Edward truly was, then this is where I needed to be. I raced up the stairs and began to unzip my dress which fell in a soft rumple to the floor. I yanked the pins out of my hair wildly and took out the suitcase of clothes from the guest bedroom. I tossed out a pair of jeans and a mustard yellow sweater. I thrust my limbs into each piece of clothing and then battled to undo the shoe straps of my satin white kitten heels. I pulled on a pair of striped socks and descended downstairs.

I grabbed my house and car keys, stuffed the paper into my jeans pocket, shoved my feet into my Timberland boots and put on my coat. I shook my hair out which had formed into loose curls from being pinned up all day. I caught my reflection as I dashed out the door.

To some people, I may have looked a mess but inside I felt strong, invincible even. The fear was still threatening to crush my lungs but Alice believed in me and that was enough for me to know I was going to save Edward.

I got into my truck and turned the key in the ignition. I revved it up and backed out of the driveway. The headlights were my only guiding light as I vanished into the darkness.

Edward had been the angel that had saved me so many times before but now it was my turn.

This time, I am going to be the avenging angel with wings of pure steel.