The family shook off the last of their stunned stupor and almost collectively took a breath. Unsurprisingly, Carlisle was the one to speak first.

"Okay. Volturi first, Bella and Seth once we have dealt of them." He looked around for agreement from his family, gaining a few nods in return. Edward, not meeting his eyes, muttered a growl under his breath. He knew that Carlisle was speaking rationally and he trusted his judgement but he couldn't help disliking the idea of leaving the end of Bella's trail without having any idea as to where she went.

Esme stepped in. "Edward, we will be back. We'll find her. You know that. We wont leave Bella but if she and Seth reappear in the middle of a fuss caused by the Volturi it wont end well." She placed a hand on his shoulder as he also inclined his head in agreement to Carlisles plan, still not looking particularly pleased.

The doctor turned to the alpha.

"Sam, I advise you get your pack home, it wont do any good for the Volturi to suddenly know of your existence. We can keep your involvement in this.." He looked back towards the trees where the purple smoke was still vaguely visible. "Matter to our selves."

Before Sam could finish the thought for Edward to translate, Jacob jumped in. "I'll stay." All eyes turned to the half dressed werewolf. "I'll stay here where they disappeared, you know, just in case they reappear or something.." He trailed off as he looked at the rock face again.

The pack silently dissecting each facet of the conversation came to the census that it would be best to not get involved with another group of vampires that day, especially scary royalty vampires, leaving La Push unprotected for longer than planned. Sam taking control over the discussion again turned his thoughts to Leah. She hadn't really registered the conversations pathway so far, being lost in her own thoughts for once, suddenly realised they meant to leave the clearing. Looking Sam dead in the eye she made herself clear. She was not leaving here either.

"So will Leah, the rest will be in La Push" Edward translated efficiently before nodding to Sam in respect.

The wolves made to move out. "Avoid the pathway from the river!" Alice called out quickly "They are coming round the from the east first."

Sam paused at the edge of the clearing and looked back. His throat rumbling a deep guttural sound in thanks for the forewarning and glanced once more at his only female pack member. Each paused for a minute as Sam conveyed his command to not do anything stupid to both members who resided in the clearing.

Before long the wolves had disappeared and the Cullens turned towards the direction of the battlefield once again.

"They can not be allowed to see either of you." Jasper spoke up again. "They will kill you".

Jacob rolled his eyes at the dramatics and nodded again. "Got it boss."

Taking Edwards hand, Alice took the lead and before long Leah and Jacob had been left behind.

Once they had made it back to the now smouldering pyres the family turned to the psychic again.

"Alice?" Rose asked. "What can you tell us"

Alice paused, closing her eyes as she cast her mind's eye out into the family's future again. Edward watched closely as always.

"I lost my sight for a second when the wolves left. I assumed it was because they blocked the vision" She looked over to Carlisle as she spoke. "But I still can't see anything."

"Hmm" was Carlisles noncommittal answer. "Maybe the wolves still cross paths with them?"

"Yes, maybe" Alice responded sounded utterly unconvinced.

"No!" Gasped Esme horrified "We have to warn them!"

Edward spoke up "You are looking for the family's future, look for the moment you can't see the Volturi's movements anymore instead. That way if they are being blocked by the wolves we can figure out where they cross paths."

Alice concentrated again. Her practiced mind sifting through potential timelines until she found the immediate future of the small creature she happily nicknamed the witch-bitch, others know her as Jane.

She relatively slowly narrowed the endless possibilities before her, taking her time to pinpoint the exact moment her future becomes unclear to her eye. She watches as Jane barks orders to her companions, glides through the Washington forests and enters the clearing.

"What?" Asked Edward. "But I thought.."

"Yes. So did I" mutters the shortest of the Cullens as she checks the possibilities again.

"Guys! Come on!" Emmett exclaimed, once again annoyed at not being the one in the know. "Explain!"

"Right" Alice said distractedly as her brain power continued to be spent figuring out the riddle.

Edward took it upon himself to explain the best he could to the others.

"Alice can't see us meeting the Volturi but she can see the Volturi arriving here in this clearing."

Jaspers glances at his wife in concern. "But you saw us meeting them not 10minutes ago when we were with the other wolves."

"Yes I did" Alice confirms his unvoiced question.

A frown appears on Carlisles brow. "Well then what happened?"

"Well what about us?" Exclaimed Rose.

"Rose?" Her husband asks.

"If we aren't here to meet the Volturi when they arrive in 5 minutes, what on earth is about to happen to us?"

A little uneasy the group glance out to the surrounding forest.

Alice jumps to reassure them "I don't see any fires so…" She decides to leave the thought unfinished. They all knew her meaning anyway.

The confused, on edge group were each considering their own assumptions of what was about to happen. However none of the imaginings, ranging from the most reasonable of Carlisle's to the slightly fantastical, if somewhat misguided ideas of Emmett's, ever considered the possibility of a white tiger and a dwarf bursting through the forest on the other side of the clearing. Which is exactly what happened next.