We don't own Twilight. If we did Edward never would have left!
"That was quick. Now let's make me pretty and go get Edward." I called over my shoulder but stopped short when I heard the unmistakable growl that most definitely wasn't Alice………
I spun around to face him just as he came through the door slamming it behind him.
"What are you doing here Jake?" I was surprised but happy to see him that is until I took in his livid expression. I took at backward step as a violent tremor rocked his frame.
"I came to make sure you were okay but it looks like I got here just in time to say goodbye" he snarled looking between me and my suitcases by the door.
I just stood there staring at him. I didn't know what to say. Jake had been my rock for so long and now I was going to hurt him.
"Come on Bells, you just said that you were in a hurry to meet up with that disgusting parasite that abandoned you so much so that you couldn't even be bothered with telling me goodbye," his words were harsh and his tone was clipped but I could see the pain below the surface.
"It's not like that Jake; I tried to tell all of this! Yesterday, before you caught Alice's scent, this is what I was trying to tell you. I've decided to fight for Edward, I'm going to…" his growl cut me off.
"Fight for him? Fight for the monster that left you here to be hunted by the psycho redhead and her friend? Tell me Bella, how the hell do you even plan to find him? Call around to the local morgues?" he was glaring at me and the vibrations running through his body caused me to take another step back.
I knew that Jake would never hurt me on purpose but I had seen Emily and that came from Sam, who loved her more than life its self.
"Calm down Jake! I'll explain everything if you give me a few minutes." I tried to keep my tone even but I was honestly scared of the look he was giving me.
"What's there to explain? I'm not stupid; I can see what's happening here. You're little coven of leeches needs a pet again so you're running right but just to get hurt again and this time…" I was the one who cut him off this time.
"Shut up Jacob! Just shut up. You don't know anything about them! I should have known that you wouldn't even try to understand" I threw my hands up in exasperation.
"Oh, I understand all right. You are too hung up on a walking corpse to see what's standing right in front of you," his voice was strained and I a small part of me wanted to comfort him but he had ignited my temper too far for me to allow him an sympathy right now.
"Do you want to know what I see in front of me Jacob Black? I see the person that I thought was my best friend, and he really needs to learn when to just shut the hell up!" I shouted as I stomped past him and held the door open for him to leave.
"I've got stuff to do and it's time for you to leave." My words came out in weak rendition of the growl that rumbled in his chest as sniffed at the air around us.
At first I thought he was growling at me but I soon realized that he was reacting to Alice, who had just stepped through the open door.
"Perfect timing Bella, and here I thought I was the psychic of the family," she giggled.
"Hi, you must be Jacob. I'm Alice Cullen, Bella's sister." she moved fully into the room as she offered Jake her hand to shake.
Jake's only response was another low growl. I sighed heavily, if Alice could be civil why couldn't he?
"Anyway," she said as she lowered he hand, "I'll give you guy a minute. I'm going to go set up the hot rollers. They're still under the bathroom sink, right?" I nodded watching her place her very expensive suitcase next to mine.
"It was lovely to meet you too, Jacob," She muttered just loud enough for me to hear her before she disappeared up the stairs.
"Well, as you can see I'm very busy, um, I'll call you when I get back. We should only be gone a few days." I moved away from the door stopping in front of him. I wanted to hug him; to show him that even though I was angry I still cared about him but the expression on his face froze me in place.
"Don't bother to call Bella, I'll be very busy then," he glared right into my eyes and the hatred there was overshadowing the pain and love that had been there moments ago.
I nodded once then stepped around him and made my way up the stairs. I could feel our friendship dying with each step I took but I couldn't bring myself to turn around.
My heart knew; knew that true love was about sacrifice and as much as it hurt me to know I was causing Jake pain, I knew deep down that I had to, because I loved him and I knew that no matter how much that was true it was nothing compared to the love I had for my absent vampire.
I would sacrifice what I could have had with Jake for what I have with Edward any day, and that fact kept my feet moving up the staircase.
~*~
We had been upstairs for about ten minutes when Alice's eyes glazed over and she gasped.
"What's wrong, Alice?" She had closed her eyes and was shaking her head back and forth quickly.
"I'll be right back," she choked out. She was gone and back before I could even begin to determine what emotion was burning beneath her tone.
When she returned she was holding her phone to her ear mouthing the word no over and over again.
"Alice, tell me what wrong right now!" I demanded.
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, "I didn't see it. I don't know how I missed this, how this could have even happened."
"Alice!"
"Please, Bella. I'm so very sorry. I didn't see it all. I couldn't all I saw was Edward boarding a plane to Italy. I tried to stop him. I went to get my cell to call him to find out what had happened. I found my phone on the floor next to my purse. It smells just like your dog friend and my last outgoing call was to Edward," she looked angry, devastated and expectant.
It took a moment but I finally understood what she was getting at. I gasped in understanding.
"Jake called Edward! He told Edward something that hurt him enough that he'd go there!" My voice raised an octave in my stress. Jake did this? I couldn't make myself believe that but I knew that Alice wasn't lying. Jake had betrayed me in the worst possible way.
"Right and I can think of only one thing that would make him go to such extremes. He must think that you're dead," her tone was harsh, strained in her worry.
"We have to call him, tell him the truth. We have to stop him!" I shouted as she removed the rollers from my hair at vampire speed.
"We can't, I tried to call him but his phone was off. I saw him throw it in the trash in the airport terminal," she was speaking so fast as we descended the stairs that I had a hard time keeping up.
"Only only hope is to get to Italy before he has time to go before the Volturi and ask for death. He's got about an hour and a half lead on us but if I know Edward he'll take his time planning a way to ask that will make the most impact." she kept focusing on the future, determined to find a way for us to make it on time.
She threw our bags into the backseat of Carlisle's car and we were on our way.
She made several phone calls as we made our way to Seattle. I heard enough to know that she was rearranging our flights and offering huge amounts of money to have a plane held at the gates until we arrived.
When she called Jasper I listened with rapt attention. She told him that he and the rest of the family where to stay put until she called them. She had seen some horrible fate befalling any member of the family that followed us.
Once I was sure she was done with her phone calls I turned to ask her if she'd seen anything more from Edward but she held her hand up to stop me.
"Bella, before you ask, no I've seen nothing new from him. He's on the plane now and pretending to sleep, probably to get the flight attendants to leave him alone. He's not making any new decisions right now. The only thing he knows for sure is that he wants to die to be with you." I couldn't stop the sobs that tore from my throat. Edward loved me and he was going to die. I'd never see him again.
"Alice please, tell me that there's hope. I need to know that there's a chance that I'll see him again," I pleaded in a broken whisper.
"There is always hope," I wanted so much to believe that, "I need to concentrate so please no more questions until we get to the airport.
The rest of the trip to Seattle was spent in a tense silence. I want to voice my concerns about her driving while searching the future but knew that she was more than capable of doing both.
The attendant at the ticket desk eyed us suspiciously when Alice handed over her black credit card.
"I'm going to have to call this card in Mrs. Whitlock," the woman's voice was incredulous as she read off Alice's married name.
"Fine but please hurry our plane is about to take off and if we're not on that plane I won't be happy," Alice's voice was smooth, calm and deadly.
Alice's phone buzzed just after rude woman verified her credit information. She mouthed 'Carlisle' at me and walked off to speak privately.
"The card was approved I just need to see both of your ID's and passports." the attendant smiled widely, it seemed that Alice's temper had changed her mood either that or knowing that she was dealing with someone who had unlimited amounts of money made her hope for a large tip if she was kinder.
"Um, okay," I fished through my bag and found mine easy enough but I had no idea where Alice's was.
"Just inside the top of my car on Bella," Alice called from her position by the windows. I glanced at Alice's passport and smiled at the name there 'Alice Swan Whitlock' I understood the giggle when she told Jake I was he sister now.
~*~
We made our flight with only moments to spare. Alice was in a mood huffing and growling under her breath every few minutes. I was sure it had something to do with the call that she had received from Carlisle.
"Just spit it out already, Alice" I said warily. The plane had just reached cruising altitude and I needed something to take my mind off of what could be happening to Edward while I sat in here unable to help him.
"Sorry, I'm just so angry with Rosalie right now. After Edward spoke to that mutt he called Jasper asking why I was in Forks. When Jazz refused to tell him anything Rose took the phone and told him about my vision. He hung up on her and when she tried to call him back she got his voice mail. Evidently she had unintentionally confirmed whatever it was that mongrel had told him." I couldn't be take offense with the derogatory names that she was calling Jake because I too was very angry with him.
"Alice why did you tell Jasper that he and the family couldn't follow us? Wouldn't it be better if all of you were there to try to stop Edward?" I wanted us to have the best possible chance to prevent the world from ending; because that was what would happen if Edward ceased to exist.
"If we all were to go after Edward I saw him acting very quickly to provoke the guard. He wouldn't have even asked them he would have just acted and the Volturi took that as a threat and destroyed our whole family for it. I can not risk Jasper that way." She had an air of apologetic pleading in her voice and understood immediately; I wouldn't want to risk Edward's life if I had a choice.
"Edward told me a little about the Volturi but I don't understand why they pose such a threat to your family, I can't see anyone being able to hurt Emmett." Edward's teddy bear of a brother was a solid wall of muscle and virtually indestructible in my mind.
She explained that the Volturi made and enforced the law of the vampire world. She told me of the ancients known as Aro, Caius and Marcus and how the exacted punishments on any vampire that made a spectacle of themselves by over hunting in an area or exposed themselves to humans.
She had no idea the actual number of members of the Volturi guard but there were five in the family. My heart sank when she said that while others came and went there where twelve permanent members of the guard, that made fifteen in all. Fifteen red eyed monsters that would be happy to destroy my soul, my Edward.
We barely made our connection in New York; we were both out of breath by the time we took our seats, mine fatigue was real Alice's was for the benefit of the many onlookers as we boarded the plane.
Alice spent the long flight over the Atlantic watching Edward's every move. She let me know when his plane had landed. At one point she giggled a tinkling happy sound and I'm sure the look on my face must have been one of complete repulsion because she quickly explained her sudden bout of giddiness. He had also decided how he was going to approach his request.
"Edward has decided to go for a hunt in the forest just north of the city. He's going to then check into a hotel to clean himself up. He doesn't want the brothers to think less of Carlisle's family by appearing before them in his present haggard state. I mean it's just so classically Edward," she defended herself and I had to admit that it was quite Edward like to think of how his appearance would affect his family's reputation. I found myself giggling with her for a very brief moment.
He had also decided how he was going to approach the Volturi with his request; he was going to tell them that he had exposed his true nature to a human and was ready to suffer the consequences.
He had made several contingency plans just in case they refused him. Alice said that he had quickly passed over the idea of hunting in their city and quite a few others that would have involved a possible injury to an innocent person. I was pleased to know that even in the face of his greatest sorrow Edward held fast to his beliefs.
I must have fallen asleep or fainted from fear because the next thing I was aware of was Alice's chilled hand shaking my shoulders.
"Bella, wake up Bella. We've landed." I jolted upright in my seat and hurried to follow her out.
Alice wasted no time at the rental car kiosk; she headed straight for the extended parking garage. She efficiently commandeered a bright yellow Porsche 911 Turbo, saying that she had seen that the owner would be happy to have it come up missing; it would be his excuse for upgrading to the newest model.
We sped through the Tuscan countryside at speeds that made the ancient walled cities and vast rolling fields nothing but green and brown blurs.
As we got closer to our destination Alice started to perk up a little. She was happier than I had seen her since the day she dressed me up for the prom.
"What is it Alice? Did Edward change his mind?" I was so scared to let myself hope but I knew that Alice wouldn't be this happy for no reason.
"No, he still wants to request an audience with the brothers but he will have to wait until tomorrow to even ask for that much." She beamed at me.
My face must have conveyed my confusion because she sighed heavily and offered me an explanation that did nothing to clear up my confusion.
"Today is St. Marcus Day. The day set aside to celebrate the birth of Father Marcus, who single handedly drove all the vampires from Volterra fifteen hundred years ago. He was supposedly killed in Romania while trying to drive the vampires away from there as well.
"Everyone in the know, meaning all of the vampires of the world know that Marcus wasn't murdered in Romania. He is very much still very much alive. Well, as alive as I am, in any case and sitting on one of the thrones as a leader of he Volturi."
She waited patiently for me to understand but I wasn't grasping her point. My head was filled with too much at the moment to put the facts together.
"Today is a holiday Bella, and an important one at that. Humans celebrate Marcus' birth while Vampires celebrate the day that the Volturi overtook the Romanians, who were rumored to be cruel and completely insane, to gain control over the vampire world. The Volturi do not hold court today and that means we will get to Edward before he even speaks to them." Her tone was smug towards the end of her last sentence.
"Oh thank god!" I all but shouted. I couldn't contain the joyous tears that fell from my eyes as I imagined my reunion with Edward.
We came over a large hill and I could see the bright red decorations that hung from the city walls and my stomach did flips in nervous anticipation.
"Welcome to Volterra, Bella" Alice sang as we came to the gates of the city.
