A/N: This later portion of this chapter switches from the plane carrying the Cullens and Seth to Volterra. The very last segment is a bridge of sorts – all sides speak freely and are not trapped by geography. I would appreciate reviews…
Plane
NPOV
I was getting discouraged. I must have called Jacob's name for the last 15 minutes with no response. I decided that after I made one final attempt to contact Jacob, I would go back to the conference room and my family and wait 10 minutes before trying again.
'Jacob? Can you hear me? Jacob, it's Nessie.'
I stood up and walked to the door leading to the conference room, but stopped abruptly when I heard the sweet, sexy sound of my Jacob: 'Nessie…'
'Jacob! I am coming for you! Where are you? What are they doing to you?'
Silence was my only answer.
'Jake? Can you hear me?!'
The door opened and my family rushed in the cabin where I was sitting. I turned to look at my father, new tears threatened to fall. "Daddy…"
"Nessie, Seth said that Jake is still in wolf form."
"Then why wont he answer me?"
"He could be asleep or…or…passed out."
I sat back down. What were the Volturi doing to my Jacob?
Volterra
JPOV
The sound of the locks being turned woke me up. I was hoping that my three pack members would be the only visitors to my cell, though I didn't have much hope for that.
A cold hand touched my shoulder before stroking my fur. "Oh my precious Jacob! Look at you! I brought a cloth to try and clean your wounds but I can't see them clearly. Why did you phase? I could have helped more if you were in the form of a man. Your fur is getting tangled." Jane continued to stroke my fur. "Next time I come, I will bring a brush."
I opened one eye and looked at Jane. If I thought I could move without losing more blood and flesh, I would have recoiled from her touch. As it was, I didn't have the strength to even move my head so that I wouldn't have to look at her. She reached my left ear and tried to stroke softly. But that area of my body was missing quite a bit of flesh – it had been ripped from my body when I was taken out of the 'Maiden'. I yelped and Jane withdrew her hand.
Aro walked in the cell as I yelped. "Jane, I told you to wait. I don't want him hurt to badly. We need him. Get out."
Jane looked at my eyes and slowly stood up. I heard her footsteps as she went to the door. She did not close the door behind her…Maybe my pack will come, after all.
NPOV
"Nessie," my father spoke softly to me. "Look through Jacob's eyes and tell me what you see."
"Aro has Jacob in a dark room. Jane was with Jake…he is confused about Jane. Seth, do you know what is going on?"
After a minute, Daddy answered. "Seth said he doesn't understand it, either. He is seeing the same thing you are. Seth thinks Jacob must be concentrating on Jane and what is happening. It doesn't feel like a memory…Ew…Seth, you can't be serious!"
I was still watching Jane from Jacob's eyes. I was getting angry at the little slut. "She better get her hands off of him!" I couldn't help yelling, even though I knew Jane couldn't hear. How dare she touch my Jacob! I watched as Jane put her head closer to Jacob's ear. "That bitch!" I yelled.
Daddy shuddered and Seth made noises like he was hacking up a fur ball.
Poppy's voice sounded urgent. "Edward! Is Jane hurting Jacob?"
Snarls filled the cabin before Daddy answered. "No, not exactly. She's…she's.."
"She is what, Edward?" MeeMee's voice echoed the worry on her face.
Daddy shuddered again before he spoke. "I think she is in love with Jacob."
No one spoke for a couple of minutes. I looked at Daddy and wondered if everyone had understood him. Daddy nodded.
After another minute of silence, Uncle Em started laughing. "The pup has a new woman! Bet he gets his battery "charged" by her. Their love must be "electrifying". I bet –"
"Shut it!" I yelled.
"Yes, Emmett. Shut it." MeeMee's tone shushed Emmett immediately. "This could be quite dangerous. Especially if she is obsessive over Jacob."
I looked at my Mom. She had sat by my father and was leaning on his shoulder. "You should have seen her touching Jacob, Mom! It was very tender. I think that is why Jacob is confused. He knows that Jane is capable of such violence, but she is being quite gentle with him…Seth?"
Seth had sat straight up, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
JPOV
I heard the shuffling of feet and looked up. Embry, Leah and Sam stood around me. I must look like crap because Leah bit her lip and began crying silently.
"I will give you 15 minutes together. After that, I have a special meeting planned for you." Aro walked to the door as if to leave, but turned and looked at me. "By the way, it wont be you going into the 'Iron Maiden' next. It will be the girl."
Embry instantly snarled and stood in front of Leah. Sam reacted in the same manner only seconds after Embry.
Though I was exhausted from the pain, when Leah was threatened, I quickly got to my feet and jumped over Leah, Embry and Sam. No one would threaten my pack! I snarled and began circling Aro. With each circle, I was forcing Aro to step closer to the door. Fear showed on Afro's face as he backed away. When I was satisfied with the distance between Aro and my pack, I sat down. I did not relax my snarl. I maintained a protective stance, daring Aro to come closer.
Aro's faced soon changed from fear to excitement. "Caius! Jane!"
"Aro? We heard the dogs –" Caius began as he and Jane stepped into the cell. "Wow! How did it happen? He's even bigger. Has his strength increased?"
I hadn't noticed any physical changes. I had no idea what they were talking about. Until Jane walked over to me. When I had met Jane several years ago, I came to her shoulder when I was seated. But now! Now I looked down at her when sitting.
"Sweet Jacob." She murmured as she reached to stroke my shoulder.
"Jane!" Aro shouted. "Don't play with him. I will test him soon and I think it will go better for him if the dog isn't hurt."
Jane's hand still hovered over my shoulder but she quickly changed course and felt of my ear. "I noticed his ear was bleeding earlier and I just wanted to know if the transformation caused him to heal."
"Oh. Alright, then. check on it. And then lets go…they stink."
Jane caressed my ear and smiled as she touched the healed flesh. She stood and walked to the door, again avoiding Aro. "He is fine now." With that, she left.
Aro clapped his hands together. He then reached his hand around Caius' shoulder and left the room. "I knew this would work! We just needed the right stimulus. If we have problems with him, we could always – "
I couldn't hear his next words. They could always what? I stood up, about to follow, when the door shut. By the time I had turned to look at Embry, Leah and Sam, I realized that I was in a room of talkative wolves.
Embry's comments reached me first. 'Dude! You are huge! You grew as you jumped over us!'
'Did you feel differently when you were protecting Leah?'
I had to think about Sam's question for a few minutes. 'I didn't really…I don't know, actually. I remember thinking that my pack was in danger. I let myself flow with instinct and not conscious thought.'
Leah stopped nuzzling Embry long enough to talk. 'It was pretty cool seeing Aro that scared.'
We all snickered until Leah quickly stood up. 'Seth?!'
Plane
Seth stood up and barked three short, sharp yaps. We knew from his excitement that he had been able to contact either Jacob or Leah.
'Leah? Can you hear me?'
Volterra
'Seth? Where are you?'
Plane
'On our way to rescue you!'
Daddy spoke excitedly. "Seth is talking to Leah! Nessie, try talking to Jake again."
Volterra & Plane
'Guys!' Leah began excitedly, 'Can you hear Seth?'
We all shook our heads.
'I guess I can hear him because he is my brother. He says they are almost to Italy!'
Maybe I really did hear Nessie's voice earlier! Maybe it wasn't an hallucination!
'Nessie? Is it really you? I was afraid I would never see or hear you again!'
'Jake! You are my soul. I could not live without you. We had to rescue you! I love you!'
'I love you, too, Ness. But you shouldn't have come. It is to dangerous.'
Before she could stop herself, Nessie muttered that it wasn't exactly safe in Fork's either. Sam's betrayal was still a vivid memory for her.
'Sam's betrayal? Nessie, what are you talking about?'
