A/N: Sorry this has taken me so long to get done, I had some personal issues to take care of before I could actually sit down and do some writing. I think my head is clear enough for this now. There is going to be a lot of P.O.V. jumping in this chapter. I'm sorry if it gets confusing.

ROSEMARIE

"So you said you had some good news." I said once Erick had me safely back in the house, wrapped in a couple of blankets.

Interestingly enough, I wasn't so much interested in what the good news was, I just needed the distraction. For some reason, my heart was still feeling the loss of my giant wolf friend. In fact, I don't think I've felt this horrible since the first week after my mother's death. I felt as if I had lost another part of myself when he ran away into the trees.

I needed Erick to give me a something else to focus on. Hopefully, in time, that horrible feeling would go away, as long as I didn't have to think about it.

"Yes, I do." Erick replied, sitting next to me and placing a bowl of Lucky Charms, my favorite cereal, on the coffee table. "You should eat something, though. This much stress isn't good on an empty stomach."

I wasn't hungry, but I knew he'd never tell me the news until I started eating, so I put a spoonful of the cereal in my mouth. It felt a little dry and mealy on my tongue, but I forced myself to conitnue eating it as I looked at Erick expectantly.

He smiled and shook his head, but picked up his laptop.

"While you were in the forest blowing off your steam, I managed to find more detailed information about Edward and Carlisle Cullen." I put my spoon down and nodded for him to continue. He looked pointedly at the bowl and I sighed but took another bite. "Carlisle is married to a woman named Esme and Edward is their adopted son, one of their five adopted children. The others include, Alice and Emmett Cullen and twins: Rosalie and Jasper Hale.

Their isn't much information about them, but I ran all of their names and it's the same for all of them. Tons of false documents and in the few pictures that I can find, though they are years apart, none of them seem to get any older."

"I thought you said good news?" I said around a spoonful of Lucky Charms. "All I've heard just makes things sound worse."

"I'm getting to the good news part." Erick replied pointedly. I rolled my eyes, but nodded for him to continue. "I found their address for when they lived in Forks. I'm not sure if it's current or not, but it's the only one I could find for them. We could go there and do some poking around."

"And end up arrested for trespassing?" I asked indignantly. "I don't think so. Besides, if the still live there, what are we gonna say?"

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked closing the computer with a sigh.

I was about to shake my head, but then I rememebered my mother's letter to me. I had gotten so lost in the search for this Edward Cullen guy, that I forgot about the most obvious solution. We could've already had the answers that we were searching for.

"I think it might be time for a trip to La Push."

BELLA

"Aro says you can have the day off." Jane said shortly as she dragged me back to my room.

It was difficult to keep up with the annoying and cruel vampire after my long night with Caius. He had kept me tied up with my ass in the air most of the night. He said that it was easy access for him. It left me extremely sore, but Jane didn't give a shit. She hated me more than the others did and did everything in her power to make sure that I was constantly in pain.

"Damien has seen something very important and Aro wishes to discuss it with us?"

Damien was Aro's resident psychic. It had taken Aro years to find him, but when he finally did, Aro didn't let him get away. Damien's gift made what Alice could do look like a parlor trick. Both could see the future, but while Alice could only see the effects a person's decision had on their future, Damien could see every possibility. He could tell you what decisions needed to be made to make what outcome and how another person's decision could effect the outcome. He was virtually omniscient. Nobody knew how he ended up with such a powerful gift, but Aro made sure it was his.

I didn't know what exactly he had done, because Damien had been a part of the Volturi for at least ten years before I came to stay here. I knew it was something horrible, though, because I could see it in Damien's eyes every time he looked at me. He was haunted by something.

I had wanted to ask him about his past, but I was afraid to. While he had never done anything to hurt me, he never went out of his way to help me either. I wasn't sure where we stood and I didn't need another enemy in this place. I figured it was best for me to just keep my mouth shut and let him deal with it on his own.

"What did he see?" I asked without thinking. Before I even realized my mistake, I felt a stinging sensation in my cheek and was falling to the floor. It was only after I hit it and looked up at Jane's stance that I realized she had backhanded me. She was looking down at me with narrowed, furious eyes.

"That's is not of you business, human." she growled condescendingly. "All you need to know is that Aro has given you the day off because he has business to attend to. If he wants to give you details, he will do so when he sees fit. Until then just do what you're told. Now, get up."

I learned in my first week here that you didn't mess with Jane, so I scrambled to my feet and followed her the rest of the way down the hall without another word. When we arrived, she shoved me into the room.

"Someone will be around to bring you food in a few hours." she sneered. "I suggest you clean up and get some rest. You won't be given this opportunity again for a long time." She slammed and locked the door leaving me alone in silence.

ALICE

I ran until I found my favorite spot in the woods. A beautiful weeping willow beside a babbling brook. There was just something so comforting about sitting under the shade of the tree while listening to the sounds of the river flowing. Sometimes, I'd like to close my eyes and just imagine how wonderful it would be to be that water. To be free without a worry in the world. To be able to flow wherever I wanted, whenevener I wanted. I wouldn't have to worry about keeping secrets or breaking promises and hurting those I loved. It would all just go away.

I sighed and leaned my head against the tree. Just disappearing into the water was never going to happen, though and I had some important decisions to make. I knew I couldn't keep Rosemarie a secret from the family for much longer. Especially when Bella's life hung in the balance. Still, I couldn't break my promise to Bella. I failed as her best friend in so many ways over the last sixteen years, I didn't want to fail her in this. It was too important to her.

I sighed and pulled my knees to my chest as I continued to consider my options. It all came down to who I was most loyal to and that was a question I couldn't answer.

I had been so deep in thought that I barely noticed the attempted emotional climate change, before I heard the one voice that could talk me through anything,

"Mind if I join you?" Jasper said cutting through the weeping leaves in front of me.

"Of course not." I replied with a smile. "You know I always enjoy your company."

He smiled and sat beside me at the base of the trunk. I sighed and leaned into him and he responded by putting his arm around my shoulders and kissing my head.

"What's going on, Al?" he asked after a minute. I knew that question was coming, but I hadn't yet decided if I wanted to tell anyone or not. I shook my head and bit my lip.

"It's not really my secret to tell." I answered, stalling for time.

"I understand. We all do." Jasper replied. "But you have to understand Alice, Bella isn't here to tell us about it. She faked her death and ran off with vampires who are possibly hurting her. We just wanna understand what happened. Why did she go with them? And why do you think that she doesn't want to be saved?"

His words made sense to me. After everything that happened since Bella left Forks, especially in the last three weeks, they had a right to know. Maybe the truth would give them some closure and help them move on.

If my family had been the only other factors, I would've blurted everything to Jasper right then and there, but there was so much more to it, than them. There was Jacob. Sure, he had a right to know that he did have a daughter out there. One who had lost her mother and needed someone to take care of her for the rest of her life. But this wasn't the way for him to find out. It shouldn't be while he was facing the facts of losing Bella forever this time.

Then there was Rosemarie herself. I knew Edward well enough to know, that he wouldn't just leave it alone. He'd do everything he could to find and take care of her. He'd feel like he owed it to Bella because he couldn't protect her. If Edward suddenly appeared in her life, it would shake her world worse than her mother's death. I didn't know how she would react.

"Al, talk to me?" Japser pleaded feeling my ever growing nerves and frustration.

"I want to, Jazz." I said trying to make him understand that I was stuck. "You have no idea how much I want to. How much I've wanted to for the last sixteen years. But I can't. It's just so complicated."

"Why is it complicated?" he whispered stroking my hair.

"Because if I talk now, it's gonna be more than just Bella that gets hurt." I tried to explain. "Bella made me promise to keep this secret so she wouldn't hurt everyone anymore than she already has. If I tell on her, it'll hurt the three people that she loves most in the world. And I couldn't do that to any of them, especially not Edward." Or Rosemarie, but I couldn't say that part out loud.

As I finished the speech, I felt another vision coming on. I braced myself, because I didn't know if it was going to be about Bella or not.

"I don't..." Jasper started, but never got to finish.

Just like before, my head burst into pain matched only by the vampire transformation. I didn't give into the pain this time, though. I knew it could've been something important about Bella, so I forced myself to see through the pain.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I vaguely heard Jasper's voice and felt him shaking me.

I shook my head and signaled for him to stop as I forced myself to concentrate on recieving the vision. It was difficult to fous through the pain, but I finally got something.

Bella was lying motionless on the floor. She was paler than ever before and there was a puddle of blood just above her head. From the matted look of her hair, it appeared that she had some kind of a head wound, but I couldn't be sure.

Aro, Caius, and Marcus were standing over her looking extremely satisified with themselves. There were quiet murmurs going around the room, but I hardly paid attention to them. I was too focused on Bella.

"She's fading quickly, Aro." Caius said softly. "If you're going to do it, you need to do it now."

Before I could make sense of what Aro was saying, I felt a hard mental shove and found myself, once again,. sitting under the weeping willow beside Jasper. My head felt like someone had dropped an anvil on it, but at least I managed to stay conscious this time. Whoever Aro's new shield was, he or she was strong. Nobody could pull me out of a vision when I was halfway through it.

Jasper was looking at me with concern and the slightest bit of fear. He understood what had happened, but didn't know what kind of an effect it would have on me.

"Al, are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know." I responded still lost in my vision.

The Volturi had almost killed Bella and were planning on doing something with her before she died. The only thought that came to mind was making her a vampire. But why? I had thought that Aro would only want her for his pet. If he had wanted to make her a member of the guard, then why didn't he do it from the beginning? Something big must have changed for him, but what? Had it been my decision to keep Rosemarie a secret and not try to save Bella?

"We have to get home, now." I said making my new decision without thinking about it. I wasn't going to let Bella become the kind of vampire that she hated the most.

"Why?" Jasper asked still concerned that I hadn't recovered from my vision.

"Because I have something to tell everyone."

ROSEMARIE

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Erick asked for like the milionth time.

It was an hour or so after I made the decision to go to La Push and we were now sitting outside Jacob Black's house. After a quick shower for both of us, I had called Angela to see if she could give us directions to La Push. We decided that we would get there and ask around until we found him. Angela did us one better, she gave us Jacob's address and directions directly to the house.

I hadn't put much thought into what we would do when we got to the house, but I knew it was a trip that had to be made. It was the only way to find the answers to the questions that my mother had left me with.

"Not really." I said with a sigh and put my head in my hands. "But it needs to be done. It might be the only way for us to find out exactly what happened when my mom was here in Forks. Besides, my father has a right to know about me. And now that I'm here, it seems wrong to make him wait."

"I understand, Rose." Erick replied with a sad smile as he grabbed my hand. "But you have the right to be comfortable with doing this. You shouldn't have to push yourself into it, because you want answers. Jacob Black will still be here in a few weeks, or months. You don't have to do it if you're not ready."

"I know." I replied, squeezing his hand. "But the truth is, I'm never going to be ready to do this. I need this push or I'm going to run for the rest of my life. And I don't wanna run forever."

"Okay." Erick sighed. "I get it. But if you wanna leave at anytime, then all you have to do is say the words and we're gone. I know it's rude, but your feelings are my first priority. As your father, this guy should understand that this is just as hard for you as it is for him."

"Thank you, Erick." I said and kissed him on the cheek. "I honestly don't know how I would've survived all of this without you."

"It's what I'm here for." he responded with a small wave of his hand. He tried to brush it off as nothing, but I could see his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. I was kind enough to keep that knowledge to myself though.

"Well," I sighed, after taking a moment to prepare myself. "Let's do this."

We got out of the car and walked over to the door. I raised my fist to knock, but the butterflies attacked before I could complete the action. A million thoughts and fears started running through my mind and I wanted nothing more than to just turn around and go back to the car. I looked at Erick in my barely contained panic.

"What if he doesn't like me?" I asked in a whisper. "Or worse, what if he doesn't believe me? Or doesn't want me?"

"How could he not like you? What reason would you have to lie? And why would he not want you?" Erick replied. "You are the sweetest, most wonderful daughter anyone could hope to have. He would be stupid to not want you."

"Right." I answered, only half believing him, as I turned back to the door. I still couldn't make myself knock, though. The act just seemed too terrifying.

Erick chuckled slightly and brought his fist up to knock for me.

BELLA

Once Jane left me alone, I took my morning shower and pulled on a pair of tattered, yet comfortable sweats before crawling onto my mattress and cuddling with my picture of Rosemarie. It didn't take long before I fell into the first peaceful sleep that I had since my arrival in Volterra.

I wasn't sure how long I was asleep before I felt someone tugging roughly on my hair.

"Wake up, human." Demetri's horrid sneer reached my ears. He was the only member of the guard that I hated almost as much as I hated Jane. He was the roughest and most inconsiderate of them all. Compared to my other wake up calls from him, this one was gentle. "Aro wishes to see you."

"He said I had the day off." I replied to groggy to think properly.

It was only after I was slammed against the wall with Demetri's hand around my throat that I realized my mistake.

"First of all human," he growled right in my face. He was squeezing just enough for me to fear the loss of air. "It is not your place to speak or argue with anyone. If I tell you that Aro wants you, you're suppose to respond by asking when and where. Secondly, I'm well aware of the orders he give a couple hours ago, but, apparently, he has changed his mind and that's all the explanation you need."

I glared at him when he finished his speech, but knowing the only way to get him to let me go, I sighed and said,

"I apologize for speaking out of turn in such a disrespectful manner, sir. It won't happen again."

"It had better not." he growled, but released me. I slid to the floor on shaking legs and took a moment to get my bearings back.

"When and where does my Master wish to see me?" I asked staring at the floor.

"The conference room." Demetri replied in a tone that said he'd rather not be bothered. "Now."

He walked over and pulled my leash off the hook in the corner, and came to hook it around my neck. I was confused, but didn't try to stop him. I would've gotten into a shitload of trouble if I had.

"Excuse me, sir." I said in a small voice. He gave me an irritated look, but nodded for me to continue. "If I'm going to see Master shouldn't I change?"

He smirked, but shook his head.

"What you're wearing is just fine for what he wants." Demetri responded and lead me out of the room.

I followed him down the hallway trying to understand why Aro would want to see me in the middle of the day while I was wearing old sweats.

EDWARD

"I think we should take a little break." Carlisle said after Alice's little outburst. "It's been a long and stressful couple of weeks for everyone. And our recent discovery hasn't made things any easier."

"Whatever." I said and walked out of the dining room.

The sad and concerned thoughts of my family followed my up the stairs. I knew they were all concerned about my sanity as they had been for the last sixteen years. Most of them were actually wondering when it was all finally going to lead me back to the Volturi. It was one thing to think that I had lost Bella forever, but to know it without a doubt, well, they all knew how much that was killing me.

To be honest, though, the only thing stopping me from taking that step was Esme. I promised her after the first time that I would never do that to her again. I hated hurting my mother, even more than I hated living life without Bella. I realized that when I took the time to reflect on everything. Still, the last sixteen years haven't been the easiest on me.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I heard Esme's thoughts of following me. I knew she was more concerned than any of them. She hated seeing me like this, but didn't know how to help. I really didn't want to have to tell her that there was nothing she could do.

"Let him go." I heard Carlisle's gentle voice as I closed my door. "He needs time to make sense of everything."

"I know." Esme sighed. "I just worry about him."

"I know, but..."

I tuned their conversation and thoughts out after that, because I didn't want to have to deal with them while I was still sorting my own out. Instead, I flipped on my stereo, put Bella's lullabye on repeat, and cranked the volume as high as it would go. Somehow, music made the thoughts easier to ignore.

I flopped on the bed and tried to avoid thinking, but Alice's words kept coming back to me.

"Because, maybe, just maybe, it's about more than just Bella now."

I didn't want to think about what that could possibly mean, but the nagging thought wouldn't leave me alone. I hadn't been able to make sense of the words when she said them. They didn't make any sense to me at all. In fact, they had just made me angrier with Alice. To me, it was just another excuse for her to secrets from us.

It killed me to know that she had been keeping secrets from us for the last sixteen years. This family was one of the most open families I had ever met. Sixteen years ago, none of us would've imagined keeping secrets from each other. Besides, with Alice's visions and my mind reading abilities, it was impossible for it to happen. Yet, somehow, she managed and that pissed me off.

I understood Alice's loyalty to Bella. The entire family had always been that way and Bella's been a member of this family since the first time I met. It was only right for Alice to want to keep her promises to Bella, no matter how much distance was between them. If things hadn't been so dire, I would've congratulated Alice on her determination.

The fact, though, was that Bella's life hung in the balance. Secrets should no longer have mattered. We needed to know and understand exactly what drove Bella to go off with the Volturi before coming to us and asking for help. We needed as much information as we could possibly get in order to save her. Alice should've been able to see that Bella's life was more important than any amount of loyalty.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't hear the intrusion of someone else's until I heard the soft knock on my door.

"Edward, honey, can I come in, please?" Esme thoughts drifted into my own.

I sighed, because I didn't really want to see anyone at the moment. Yet, there was a small part of me-the subconcious part of me that had already figured out the meaning behind Alice's words-wanted my mommy.

"Of course, mom." I said trying to sound welcoming as I walked over and turned the stereo down.

"You don't have to do that." Esme said with a gentle smile as she walked in and closed the door. "We don't have to talk, if you don't want to. I just don't think you should be alone right now. Carlisle thinks we should leave you be, but I can't."

"It's okay, mom. I understand." And I did. She was as worried about me as any normal mother would be and I couldn't deny her the chance to comfort her son. "I want to talk, anyway."

"And what do you want to talk about?" she questioned coming to sit next to me on the bed.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Everything and nothing." I answered with a shrug of my shoulders. Esme flashed me a sad smile and put her arm around my shoulders.

"How about we start with what Alice said?" she suggested. "Or more importantly, what she didn't say?"

"No." I said shaking my head. "I can't, not yet. I don't even want to try to make sense of it."

"But maybe, that's what you need most, right now?" she told me gently.

"What I need is for the last sixteen years not to have happened." I said laying my head on her shoulder. "I need Bella to never have slept with the mutt. Or never to have left Forks. I need her here with me. In my arms. I need to know that she is safe. I need her to be alive and healthy. And I need there not to be sixteen years of secrets and silence between us."

"I know, son." Esme replied running her fingers through my hair. "I think those are things we all need. And I wish there was a way for me to give them to you. I really do."

We fell into silence after that. There was so much more I wanted to say, but that meant admiting the things that I wasn't ready to admit. I wasn't ready to draw the proper conclusions or make sense of Alice's words. I wanted to stay ignorant for as long as possible. It would hurt less that way.

Esme seemed to understand this, because she reached over and turned stereo back up. She then did her best to concentrate on humming along with the music and stop thinking about everything else.

The time seemed to stretch on for hours as we just sat there trying to avoid the pain. Unfortunately, one could only remain blissfully ignorant for so long.

"Edward," Carlisle's thoughts found me way too soon. "I just got off the phone with Alice. She and Jasper are on the way home. She's ready to tell us everything now. Are you ready for the truth?"

I sighed because I wasn't sure if I was ready to watch things fall apart even more, but I knew I didn't have much of a choice. I was going to find this out sooner or later.

"We'll be down in a minute." I said in a tone just above normal-I knew he'd hear me. "Alice is ready to come clean." I told Esme. "She and Jasper will be home soon."

"Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together." she told me and kissed the top of my head.

"I know we will, just like we always have."

A/N: Again, I apologize for the long stretch between updates. I know nothing really happens here, but as you can probably tell, it is setting up for a lot. The story is really getting ready to start taking off. I hope you liked this chapter. Please review.