A/N: I'm making an exception and posting my author's note up here this chapter. Yes, yes, I know people were beginning to doubt this story was ever coming back, but it's here now. This chapter is what I've been slaving over for like a week, while the other edits took less than a day apiece. It's a crucial point in the story and I was having some trouble getting it to where I was satisfied. I actually tried to have it up yesterday, but my cpu was doing funky things and, well...it just wasn't working out. Thank you to all who have reviewed; it really motivated me to work faster...although faster isn't necesarily fast...

The rest of this story is dedicated to a little girl named Anna Mei who is in the hospital right now. For anyone who reads my notes, I know what it's like to be stuck in the hospital, not knowing when you'll be well enough to return home. She's one of the bravest people I've ever had the privilege to know and I know she's been waiting for an update. Stay strong, Anna Mei, I'm rooting for you.


Chapter Six

"Hello?"

Bella shuffled into the darkness stiffly, arms held in front of her in lieu of eyesight. The unknown, unending black made several cold beads of sweat roll down her back in fear. She glanced over her shoulder nervously, half expecting something to jump out of the shadows at any time.

Billions of questions ran through her head as she watched Phil's shadow, silhouetted by the moonlight, stomp at the grass impatiently.

Was Charlie alright? Had something horrible happened to him? Was he sick somewhere, dying?

Was this just a dead end? Why hadn't she thought to alert the rest of the Forks Police Department (small as it may be)? Why hadn't she asked for Ruby's help?

"Leave."

The girl had appeared before Bella even blinked. Her dark short hair was cut almost like a boy's and she seemed to be exerting a lot of strength in clutching the candle she carried. Almost as if she was…restraining herself.

"I—I apologize for disturbing you, Miss," Bella stammered, "But my name is Is-Bella Swan and my f-father, he lost his horse and I…"

The girl continued to stare at her, unblinking.

Alice's mind was working quickly, trying to fend off the instinct in her to snap a human neck and just let go. She had all but stopped breathing, hoping her internal questions would be enough. This girl was the very girl she had seen in her visions! But what did it all mean?

"…Well," Bella murmured quietly, greatly disturbed and frightened by a girl who only reached her shoulders. "I-Is it possible that you may have seen him? Outside perhaps?"

Alice wanted to cry at the irony of it all. What could her family have done to deserve the cruel hand of fate being dealt to them?

"No. I did not see him outside," she responded carefully. It wasn't, after all, a lie.

Bella's shoulders sagged and her whole persona seemed to wilt. "I see."

Alice's dead heart wept for this girl and her father, who had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But for whatever reason, Edward apparently needed the man. She could only hope it would somehow lead to their salvation and no one else would be hurt.

Bella collapsed onto a nearby footstool and became another silhouette as Alice froze in a vision.

Charlie wheezed and coughed into his hand. His chest heaved up and down in the efforts of his breathing.

"I-I'm so—" He stopped to catch the breath that was being slowly stolen in the musky cellar.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he sobbed.

Then his tiny speech stopped. As did his breathing.

He would die. It was what humans did, something that happened everyday. Something that sure as hell shouldn't have bothered her, Alice thought.

She never once drank from humans—a 'vegetarian', her family's private joke. Why? Because she respected the human race far too much to take a life every time she felt a bit thirsty.

Alice's conscience nagged at her. Wasn't allowing this man to die in her house for a seemingly useless cause the same as murder?

Bella stood, swaying unsteadily. "Thank you," she said in a voice that sounded dead. "I shall take my leave and cease disturbing you."

"Wait."

Bella swiveled blank eyes to meet Alice's.

"I-I will take you to see your father."

------------------------

She was magnificent.

On a raised dais apart from the rest of the crowd, she sat with her back arched straight enough to appear uncomfortable. Her deep gold robes seemed to swim in the candlelight and clung to her willowy shape, only adding to the air of dignity she had possessed since birth.

She was wonderful, powerful, a goddess.

She was queen.

Across the room, Narmelie shot her sister a look of contempt. Even apart from the crowd of goddesses Rowena managed to look splendid, capable of enjoying her own company. The thought, one that so frequently plagued Narmelie's mind came again:

Why can't I be like her?

Rowena sipped at her glass of mountain water and snuck a glance at Narmelie. Laughing and smiling gaily, her sister was surrounded by her friends, each a stunning beauty in their own way, each unaware of the hatred that burned behind Narmelie's charming grin.

Though she smiled serenely and chatted amiably, Rowena's mind was elsewhere.

How was she going to help the Cullens? The child in her wanted to run to her mother and plead their case. Magna, Queen of the Goddesses had little to no cares about the world below and would most likely chastise her for not being the same.

'A future queen does not concern herself with the trivial mishaps of a race so inferior to her own,' she would say. 'I expect you to behave like the future queen you are.'

Magna had always managed to make Rowena feel four years old, though she was well over two thousand.

Narmelie, Rowena thought, would be of no help. In fact, she may have already worsened the Cullens' conditions by even requesting Narmelie's aid.

"Deep thoughts, my lady?"

Rowena smiled fondly at the aging goddess who had been her nanny. "Maylee, how do you fare this evening?"

Maylee's answer was the same it had always been. "Better than most, worse than some. It appears a friend of mine made me a dress for the occasion." She smiled widely, her face settling comfortably into the laugh lines it had acquired in her lifetime.

Rowena blushed daintily. This was the woman who had truly been her mother since she'd been young enough to be swaddled in linens. "It was a gift, Maylee. You look stunning."

Maylee spun in a circle, displaying off the forest green gown that showed off her hourglass figure. "That, child, I do. It's too bad Maggie didn't invite any gods, isn't it?"

Rowena nearly choked on her mountain water. Maylee was and remained the only goddess who could refer to Magna as "Maggie" and emerge unscathed.

"Where is your sister?" Maylee asked claiming Rowena's arm. She patted her vivid red hair, preening, though it continued to fall out of its clip.

"Strain your eyes a bit, Maylee. She's just there, surrounded by her friends." Unlike Narmelie, Rowena's voice held no malice.

"Pooh," Maylee said, "I won't be fighting for my lamb's attention with a bunch of silly fillies. When she wants to say hello, she'll come to me. Now," she continued watching Rowena's face carefully for any signs of a lie, "tell me about this tiff you and Narmelie are having."

Rowena's hand fidgeted with the side of her gown. "Tiff?" she answered with a nervous chuckle. "I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific than that, Maylee. We have 'tiffs' six times a day."

Maylee, five-foot-two to Rowena's stately five-foot-eight, could still manage to make Rowena feel like a child. "You know of which I speak."

"Please, Maylee. Not here."

Maylee took the mountain water from Rowena's hand. "Alright, Row-boat," she said referring to Rowena's play-pen nickname. "Not now, not here, but soon."

Magna raised her arms as she flowed upwards into a standing position. Her gleaming golden robes were a beacon of light amongst the various shades of pinks, violets, blues, and greens. Magna's long, gossamer hair had been curled and cascaded down her shoulders in a shimmering waterfall. Immediately, all conversation—pleasant and otherwise—ceased.

"Thank you," Magna began in the voice that was so dainty in its sound, but so regal and firm in tone, "my friends for joining me tonight on what I think to be a night of great magnitude."

"My daughters, Princesses Rowena Rose and Narmelie Anne, have brought me great delight in my years." Though she spoke of both daughters, her eyes were charmed on Rowena only, a detail neither sister missed.

"I could not have requested any better gifts," Magna continued, allowing gentle tears to spring to her eyes. "I have every one of you to thank for aiding me in my raising of them. Without you, they would not have the strength to perform the tasks that await them."

Magna dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, proffered by the young girl behind her. "It is with great pleasure that I announce this tonight, to you, my closest friends." The five thousand goddesses seemed to glow with the knowledge that they were in Magna's inner circle.

"By the end of the year, I will no longer be your queen."

Rowena took in every goddess's gasp of surprise. Maylee sipped complacently at the mountain water, apparently knowing this long ago. Though she was wary of what she might see, Rowena hazarded a glance at her sister.

Narmelie's skin had taken on a slightly green tinge and she clutched the berry juice in her hand as though hoping to gain some support from it.

"By the end of the year, you will have a new queen: My first-born daughter, Princess Rowena Rose."

The previously silent crowd erupted into cheers, everyone quickly downing the rest of their drinks and rushing over to congratulate Rowena.

She accepted the cheek-pinches, handshakes, and hugs with a steady smile. But her eyes were trained on Narmelie who dropped her wine glass and fled from the room, tears streaming down her cheeks.

------------------------

"I am Alice."

The pale hand Alice held out looked far less than inviting, but Bella felt compelled to grasp it.

"Quietly," Alice admonished when Bella's feet squeaked too loudly on the floorboards for her liking.

Bella flushed in both embarrassment and excitement. "I apologize. I don't wish to awaken your family."

Alice nearly laughed aloud, but nodded and held the candle higher for more light (not that she needed it).

Bella took in the ancient look of the hallways. Cobwebs and dust masked mirrors and the pictures had moth holes eaten through the canvasses. Her hand turned clammy in the hand of this girl and she couldn't help but compare her touch to the feel of the ice in the barn's freezer.

Alice navigated her down dank staircases, occasionally stopping to listen for things Bella couldn't hear. Sometimes she'd speak out commands like, "Watch that stair" or "Don't touch the banister" and fast slews of words Bella could barely make out like, "How can humans be so loud?"

The high vaulted ceiling of this mansion made Bella feel so small and next to Alice, she felt weaker than a newborn. Somehow, Alice was attempting to save her from something she knew not about. She, Bella, had no weapons against a monster she could see or hear and had to put her trust in the petite Alice.

"Is he well?" Bella asked to distract herself from the cold fear she felt gnawing at her heart.

Alice turned black eyes to stare at her. "As well as can be expected," she responded elusively.

Only 67 years since I've been human, Alice mused. She found herself drawing comparisons with her girl whose heated palm was clasped against her own freezing one.

Bella Swan. Probably a shortened form of Isabella or Isabelle. Somewhat tall, but thin. Chestnut hair that seemed to have drawn all of the color out of her face, except the eyes. A vivid, warm shade of brown. Heart thudding a mile a minute. Pale, pale skin that indicated a mother who disliked the sun. Medium sized nose, tilted slightly upwards, long limbs and a small waist.

This girl was a picture of humanity and she'd come to find herself inside a nightmare no human could ever dream up.

I suppose, Alice thought, it's my duty to make sure she gets out of this alive and hopefully with the other human, her father, in tow.

"Listen to me," Alice demanded gripping Bella's shoulders tightly and struggling to control herself when the human's eyes went wide and her pulse scrambled even faster. "Your father may not be as healthy as you'd like to think. I shouldn't be doing this, but for whatever reason I am." She paused to listen for any movement on the upper floors.

"You are to do what I say, when I say it, understand?"

Bella nodded, not understanding at all.

"I cannot stress how difficult this will be. Trust me. I will help in any way I can but you must trust me."

They approached a door taller than both of them and twice as wide.

"No sounds," Alice said. "When you see him, say nothing. Or I cannot guarantee you'll leave safely."

Ring around the rosies…Alice intoned silently, choosing the first song that came to mind, ever wary of Edward taking notice of her plans.

She placed both hands on the door handle and tugged, feeling the lock whine under the force she was using. When the entire handle came free of the wood, Alice felt the human flinch, but sighed internally that she had made no noise.

A pocket full of posies…

Bella's breathing had all but stopped though her heart continued to pound. What kind of horror story had she walked into? How could such a small girl completely destroy a door without breaking into a sweat?

Thunder crashed, the sound reverberating through the entire house, but Bella heard nothing above the pounding of the blood in her ears.

"Hurry," Alice whispered, beckoning her into the musky cellar.

The candle illuminated only brief glimpses of her surroundings and Alice was careful not to reveal the row of rose-soldiers lined up against the west wall.

Bella's mouth opened in horror as she took in the sight of her father. His hands and feet had been tied together, though they didn't seem to be the force keeping him there. His eyes were bleary and his hair limp. Charlie's chest rose and feel in a painful motion and Bella felt tears spring to her eyes.

Bella crouched beside him, shedding silent tears. Charlie focused one eye on her and tried to speak.

"Bells?"

Bella smiled through her tears and nodded. She wrapped her arms around him, seeming to have forgotten about Alice's presence.

Another bout of thunder reminded Alice of the task at hand. "There isn't time," Alice whispered. She stooped to Charlie's level and fought with the knots binding him.

Ring around the rosies…

"Thank you," Bella gasped.

Alice nodded impatiently, finally settling on tear the rope in two. A pocket full of posies…

Charlie groaned aloud as his arms were freed. (Alice thanked the gods it was masked by more thunder). "I thought I'd never see you again, Bella," he rasped.

Alice set to work on the ropes around his ankles as father and daughter embraced. She fought not to see the angry red marked that coated Charlie's wrists or the tears staining Bella's cheeks.

Ashes, ashes… she began again.

"There. Go!" she said the moment Charlie was free.

"But where—" Bella asked.

"No one," a voice growled from the shadows, "is going anywhere."

We all fall down.

------------------------

She should have been expecting it. She should have known. She should have been prepared.

Narmelie stooped to scrub at her face with the stream water.

Her reflection stared back angrily at her, silently admonishing her for not being better, smarter, kinder; in short, for not being Rowena.

It was only natural that the first-born would replace her mother on the throne. It was the way queens had always been selected in their realm and it would probably never change. Why had she expected any different?

But Rowena had everything! She had the love of their mother, their nanny, and everything that had ever mattered.

She thought of the days when she and Rowena hadn't been so different, when they'd been small enough to not let a two year age difference detract from their sisterhood.

Even then, though, Rowena had clearly been the castle favorite.

Mother had told them it was unladylike to play catch inside the house, that they should invite some of the other girls over for tea, or something more boring

But Row and Melly were dying to play with the new ball they'd found in the garden.

Their shrieking laughter echoed throughout the castles and servants rolled their eyes in amusement as the princesses careened down the halls, catching and throwing to their hearts' delight.

"Come on, Row! All the way over here!" Melly cried.

Rowena's tongue stuck out as she first concentrated and then hurled the bright red ball toward Melly, neither concerned with the antique French God vase between them.

Melly dove for the ball, her legs scrambling to catch it.

She'd never forget the sound of broken porcelain the signaled the end of life as she knew it. Or the quiet of the lonely bedchamber she'd been reassigned to when their mother declared she was a bad influence of Rowena.

She'd left the comfort of her sister's loving touch and her Mother's reluctant attention for her sister to begin her training to be queen.

It had never occurred to her before that Rowena was more special, more loved than she was.

But as her mother's frowning face closed the heavy door to her bedchamber, she realized it had been true from Day One.

That night, Maylee visited her room. They both knew she had come from Rowena's bedchamber first, as was her duty.

"I hate her," Melly said, biting back tears. Maylee said nothing, but pulled the bedspread under her chin.

"She loves you, my lamb," she said at the door as she extinguished the candle.

Melly knew she was referring to Rowena, but what she wouldn't have given for it to have been her mother.

They'll both wish they never treated me that way.

She raised her arms, new tears forming in her eyes when she noticed how small the halo of light was.

"I ask of you, my goddesses to help me. I cannot undo Rowena's work, but I can make it difficult for her to succeed."

The whispers continued, waiting for her addition to the spell.

"Love is sacrifice; I know that well. Sacrifice of the heart, mind, body, and soul. Only true love and sacrifice from a human shall free the vampires from their self-made entrapment. The human must show their sacrifice for one of the vampires before Rowena is made…queen," she said choking on the word. "Or the human, as well as the vampires, will be doomed to remain inside that house for all eternity. So I wish it, so mote it be."

Her energy began to fail her as the blue light flared once, brilliantly, and then died.

"You lose, Rowena," she said savagely. "And I win."

------------------------

He didn't understand it. How could a human smell so sweet? She sat holding the other human's head to her shoulder, her eyes wide, swirling with a mixture of confusion and fear. He could almost see her pulse beating against the thin layer of pale flesh on her neck. Her throat. Under that, he was sure, would be the most delectable blood…

"Edward," Alice breathed, sure of where his thoughts had strayed.

"Stand aside," he said between clenched teeth. "This does not concern you."

"And if I refuse?" she asked, squeezing her nails into her palm hard enough to draw blood, had she possessed any. The fire had returned to her eyes and she felt as though she could fight Edward, the man who had been her older brother, without any remorse.

"You don't know what you're doing, Alice," Edward said. "They cannot leave. Our sanity depends on it." That smell…He opted to stop breathing before he killed the thing that would set them free.

Bella stroked Charlie's head as his eyes shut. He needed a doctor, or he wouldn't survive another week. They had to leave.

"Why?" Alice begged. "I need to know why, Edward. Please."

"Don't you see that I can't?" he raged. He took several steps forward, dramatically increasing Bella's heart rate.

He's beautiful, she thought. And I've never been more frightened in my life.

"They have to stay. Trust me on this, if with nothing else." Edward turned away from them. "They must stay."

"Please," Bella said, speaking to him for the first time. "He's sick. Look at him." When he didn't, she said more forcefully, "Look at him!"

Edward, finding it difficult to speak without air, bit out, "You will not speak to me in that manner."

"He is ill! And it is because of you!" Bella said firmly. "I shall speak to you however I please."

"Keep her quiet, Alice," Edward growled.

"Why? Does the truth hurt that badly, Edward?" Alice said, quietly.

"Bella, what's happening?" Charlie asked drowsily.

He's dying, Edward, Alice thought.

"I know, Alice. God, I know!" Edward spun back around and Bella was again overwhelmed with his beauty.

"…if you can get a human to stay with you and yours of its own free will before fifty years have passed, they spell with be broken."

He glanced at the old man, hearing the start and stop of his thready pulse. He had not yet looked at the girl who had come to save him.

That heavenly sscent was emanating from her.

"Do—" Her voice faltered and she hid her face behind a curtain of that sweet smelling hair. Edward almost groaned aloud. "Do you need us both?"

Alice turned to face her, her eyes round with shock. "Don't."

"Charlie's sick," she said. The tear rolled down her cheeks which were pinkened from fear. "But I—"

Charlie was jolted into cognizance by her speech. "Bella, no."

"I am well enough to stay," she finished.

Edward stared at her, the bowed brown head, trembling with terror. "What?"

She lifted her eyes to his. "Take me instead."

Charlie moaned as he tried to stand. "Bella, I've lived my life! You cannot—"

Edward snatched Charlie's arm and squeezed, the monster in him begging to hear her voice again, most certainly not hearing Charlie's whine of pain. Charlie fell silent.

"You would replace him?"

Bella nodded, knowing well she wouldn't survive very long, but Charlie would.

"…if you can get a human to stay with you and yours of its own free will before fifty years have passed, they spell with be broken."

Edward glanced at the wall, seeing clearly the 49 roses. He didn't relinquish his hold on Charlie's arm as he said, "Take him outside, Alice."

"Edward, I won't—"

"NOW!" he shouted, his eyes black with fury.

She snarled at him, a sound so fierce that Bella's tiny frame seemed to shrink into the stone. "This is the last time you will treat me as your inferior, Edward." Before Bella could blink, she had scooped Charlie up onto her back.

Bella scrambled up, reaching out a hand. She could see bruises forming on Charlie's arm where Edward had touched him. "Wait! I didn't—"

"Go, Alice," Edward said, turning his eyes back to the roses.

He felt, rather than saw Alice's sneer before she vaulted quickly up the stairs and out of the cellar.

Then he was alone with the human.