AN) Sorry guys, I hate it when people put a note at the top of the page and here I find myself doing it too. Please take a moment to review the first three chapters as I see all the hits and have no idea what you think. It feels like I'm stumbling around in the dark here, so feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I see everyone does this, so here goes… I do not own Twilight, but I seriously wish I did, so I could take some major credit for writing books that have resonated with so many people!

Chapter 4

Following Through

The flight to Italy seemed to pass in a blur of terminals, customs and so many couples holding hands, staring into each others' eyes and being all gooey. It was enough to make me actually regret leaving Forks. Pity was easier to deal with than seeing others enjoy something that was ripped away from me so cruelly.

The closer I got to Volterra though, the stronger my resolve became. Somewhere deep within the chasm that had formed since Edward had rejected me, if I looked past the anger that I used as a buffer to cover all the hurt, I knew that I could not sit by and not at least try everything to win him back.

That day in the forest, I had not seen Edward as the beautiful, gentle, kind man I had fallen in love with, but a stranger. His countenance was different, his voice was different, but what had impacted me the most, was the fact that his eyes had been dead, devoid of any sort of emotion. After having been with Edward for the time that I had, I could read his moods, his thoughts, by simply gazing into his eyes. Whether they were a liquid butterscotch, or as black as coal, I had been able to see his emotions flicker across his eyes, like lightning over a prairie. But that day, there had been nothing, as if the link that had connected us at such a basic cellular level, had been severed and as much a stranger as he was to me that day, I'm almost certain he felt the same way when he had looked at me for those brief moments.

The rental car that I was now driving to the ancient city on the hill, blessedly had GPS, so I did not have to try and navigate there with a map, because along with inanimate objects that seemed to enjoy playing tag with my feet, reading a map was not a skill I had mastered. Simply following an automated prompt was much easier.

I tried very hard to avoid thinking about what I was actually doing because if I pondered on the momentous move I was making, I would more than likely put my tail between my legs and head back to the US. What did I plan on doing once I was in the Volturri compound? Present myself before Aro and his "brothers" and ask that they turn me into a vampire? Often, the simplest method is the easiest way to get something done. I would just have to wait and see if I could get in to their building and into their presence to state my case, then I would have achieved a measure of success. If they decided to instead have me for lunch, well, either way, I was not prepared to spend the rest of my life, with my heart in pieces and the feeling that a huge part of me was missing. There were only two alternatives for me. Become a vampire to fight for the man I love, or to die trying, simple. The decision was made. It was agonizing to get there, but once it was decided, I always stuck to it. I was sure that wherever Alice was at that precise moment, she was screaming about my stupidity.

I had reached to outer wall that surrounded the city of Volterra. I parked my car in a demarcated parking bay, locked it and made my way under the huge portcullis, keeping my eyes on the cobbled paving to avoid seeing anything that would remind me of my last trip to Italy that had had such a different outcome.

I spent hours walking the streets of Volterra. I could not remember where the building was located and was looking for anything that seemed familiar. My legs were tired and I was thirsty. The sun was starting to set. I sat on a bench and allowed myself a few moments to rest my head against the wall that sat directly behind the bench. As I slowly opened my eyes, I was met with a sight that definitely looked familiar. It was a huge circular turret that jutted obscurely from what seemed to be a modern building. I was drawn towards it, as a moth is to a flame.

I entered the plush lobby through a revolving door. I stood for a few moments, trying to gather my bearings and headed down a long passage way. Once I reached a heavy wooden door, I pushed it open, to find myself standing in the area that Edward, Alice and I had sat and waited for the sun to set, so we could make out escape from the city. I made my way to the reception desk. The pretty girl sitting behind the desk was not the one that had been there that night a year ago. I briefly wondered what happened to her.

She looked up at me with a small, professional smile. "May I help you?" she asked with only hint of an Italian accent. "I would like to see Aro, Marcus and Caius please" I whispered as I couldn't seem to get my jaws to unlock. This had all seemed so easy, but once I truly realised there was no turning back, all the muscles in my body seemed to freeze. The secretary hesitated slightly, due to my being a human, I'm sure, and proceeded to lift a phone, press a number and speak briefly to someone in Italian,

"Someone will be here in a minute to escort you to see the masters" she said to me, confusion colouring her voice, but it was swiftly replaced by her professional mask. I stood awkwardly to the side of her desk to await this escort.

A door across the reception area opened and a huge figure stepped through. It was Demitri, I would recognize him anywhere. He winked at me as he bowed rather exaggeratingly. "Bella, what a surprise" he then added "and where are the rest of your 'family'" he drawled the last word, which made it sound like an insult. "I am alone" was all I said, speaking to his feet, too terrified to look up into his ruby-red eyes. "Well, this should be very interesting" he chuckled with anticipation. His excitement grated against the very core of my being and I couldn't help myself from snapping, "I'm so glad that my misery will somehow enrich your day, Demitri!" All my waspish comment got rewarded with was a loud guffaw from the huge vampire walking beside me.

It was a very short walk to the deeply carved door I knew opened into that hideous chamber where the Volturri fed. As Demitri opened the door for me, I took a deep breath, balled my hands into tight fists at my sides and stepped over the threshold. There would be no turning around now, regardless of whether it was what I wanted or not.

"Bella, well my dear, this truly is a delightful surprise" Aro called out cheerfully from across the chamber as he glided to where I stood. "To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit" he asked, his voice riddled with curiosity.