This one doesn't really have a playlist, just a couple of songs over and over- I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie and Jacob's Theme from the Eclipse soundtrack. Reviews welcome and encouraged :) I kinda took inspiration from the film for the meeting between Edward and the Volturi, but I put my own twist on it.

Edward was oddly calm on the plane. He sat perfectly still, not bothering to try and look human. It didn't matter now, anyway. He pondered what he'd say to the Volturi, thinking they weren't likely to get many requests such as his. He thought perhaps he wouldn't need to say anything, if Aro's gift was indeed as Carlisle remembered it to be.

He felt guilty about not speaking to his family before going, but if they knew his intentions (and what with Alice's gift they would by now) they would try to dissuade him, and he couldn't have that. It was less painful for him not to say goodbye. Hopefully, they would understand his decision and not grieve for him, knowing that he was joining Bella in the unknown. He sat back in the aeroplane seat and pretended to sleep.

He had walked easily into the marble chamber which housed the Volturi elders. Aro walked over, brisk and business-like, wanting to get whatever it was out of the way so that he could send out the fishing party. When he took Edward's hand, expecting something innocuous, he started. Not only did his memories and intentions surprise him, he was shocked to hear not only his own thoughts back, but also to hear the thoughts of Caius and Marcus too. He looked into Edward's black eyes and raised his eyebrows.

"That is certainly an interesting talent you have there, young Edward." Edward didn't respond. Aro had not released his hand, and he heard Edward thinking that all he wanted was to die. Aro laughed darkly. "There are those who would trade much for the immortality you so carelessly throw away." Edward smirked.

"Such as your receptionist, Gianna, I presume?" Aro laughed again.

"Indeed, Gianna wishes to join us. And she is not alone. Even your beloved Bella-" Edward snarled at the mention of her name, and instantly found himself restrained by the Volturi guard. Aro stopped, put out that he had been interrupted. "Well, I can see that your mind is made up. We shall deliberate." Aro turned and walked back to his throne.

A fraction of a second after he had been escorted back into the presence of the Volturi, Edward looked angry.

"You have decided to turn me down. Why?"

Before Edward could pick the answer out of his head, Aro responded, "Your gift is too valuable to waste. If you feel the outside world has nothing to offer you now, then perhaps you will consider-"

"No," Edward cut him off, "I have no desire to join you. You know what will happen now." He turned to leave, then Caius spoke.

"There is not reason enough to expose us. You would risk the protection of us all, of your-" he spat the next word- "family for your own selfish ends?" Edward didn't respond, he just stalked out.

Aro sighed wistfully. "Such a waste."

Edward spent at least an hour deciding what he was going to do to expose himself as a vampire. He toyed with a show of immense strength, like throwing cars around, but thought the wasn't big enough. He then, fleetingly, thought about a murderous rampage, drinking the blood of as many people in plain sight as possible, but then his better nature told him not to dissapoint Carlisle with his final act. He then paused, realising that all his previous ideas involved harming humans, or frightening them, or damaging their property. He pondered, then remembered that it was the St. Marco's day festival. Everyone in Volterra would be gathered at around noon to watch the parade. Noon, when the sun was at its highest and strongest. He smiled to himself. It was perfect. He would ruin the day meant to mark the expulsion of vampires.

He stood framed in the archway underneath the bell tower, waiting for the clock to strike mid-day. He was riding a strange high, and everything around him became absolutely clear. He waited for his final ten seconds, wondering if perhaps his life would flash before his eyes in his last moment. When the clock began striking twelve, he removed his shirt.

"Bella...I'm coming." Edward took his last breath deeply, and stepped out into the sunlight.

"No! Edward, look at me!" He felt his light crash into him, and her scent filled his mind, spreading throughout every inch of him like electricity. This was already better than his hallucination. He opened his eyes, and there she was, holding him, her warmth pressed against his icy body.

"Amazing," he said, happy in the knowledge that there was an afterlife, and he got to spend it with Bella, "Carlisle was right."

"Edward," she said, though that was all she needed to say, the one sound he could spend the rest of eternity listening to, over and over again. She clung tighter to him, and he brushed his hand against her warm cheek.

"I can't believe how quick it was," he said, elation flooding through him as he held her close to him, "I didn't feel a thing- they're very good."

He closed his eyes, drinking in her heady fragrance, kissing her hair gently. She looked the same as before, when she'd been alive.

"Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty," he quoted to her. "You smell just exactly the same as always. So maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it."

Bella said something to him then, sounding urgent. She struggled in his arms.

"What was that?" he asked, still marvelling over his luck. He could spend eternity like this.

"We're not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi-" suddenly, everything clicked in his head, all the pieces fell together. She's not dead! He rejoyced in this knowledge, then shook himself. They had to move.

He spun them around, pushing Bella behind him as he heard the approaching thoughts of two of the Volturi guard. Panic suddenly flooded him. They were not dead- but they soon would be, it seemed. He needed to get them out of this.

"Greetings, gentlemen," he said, trying to sound calm, "I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters." He had already heard in their heads that this was not going to work.

"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" whispered the one called Felix. Edward heard that they had been instructed to kill him as soon as he broke any of the rules- this played in his favour. He also didn't like the way Felix was thinking about Bella. He was not oblivious to her attractions, either.

"I don't believe that will be necessary," Edward said, trying and failing to keep the new-found menace out of his voice, "I know your instructions Felix. I haven't broken any rules." Nobody has to die today, he added in his head.

"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun. Let us seek better cover." Demitri, this one was. It seemed as though he would be meeting the Volturi for the third time in as many hours.

"I'll be right behind you," Edward conceded, panicking completely inside, "Bella, why don't you go back to the square and enjoy the festival?" He couldn't take her down there. Although the Volturi could control themselves around a human, he doubted they would.

"No," said Felix, If they are going to kill him, I want her. "Bring the girl." Edward barely managed to keep himself from ripping out Felix's throat.

"I don't think so." Edward moved a fraction of an inch, preparing himself for the impending fight. He heard Bella's breathing and heart rate accelerate- she must have noticed him moving.

"No," she breathed. Edward turned very slightly towards her.

"Shh." He heard the two guards' conflicting thoughts. Felix was pumping himself up for the fight- over-confident. He'd never lost. We cannot risk being exposed in this way. The more reasonable Demetri intervened.

"Felix! Not here." He turned to Edward. "Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all."

"Certainly," Edward agreed, hearing the truth of this in his thoughts. "But the girl goes free." He would die rather than allow Bella to be brought before them.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. We do have rules to obey," said Demetri, with a certain amount of genuine regret. Edward resigned himself once again to die.

"Then I'm afraid that I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri."

Felix's mind danced at the thought of a fight. Edward was disgusted to hear what his plans were for Bella once he was out of the way. "That's just fine," he said, venom filling his mouth with anticipation.

"Aro will be disappointed," sighed Demetri. Yes, he will be disappointed that he will have to be rid of Felix. He cannot control himself in these situations.

"I'm sure he'll survive the letdown," he replied answering both what he meant on the surface and his thought. Aro rarely held onto anything for long. He didn't move as he watched the two guards spread out and move closer to him. They were attempting to force him further into the alley, but he knew that his best bet was to stay exactly where he was. Even Felix wouldn't be stupid enough to start a fight this close to a large volume of humans. Their senses may be dull, but they're not stupid.

Honestly, if you want something done right... Edward heard Alice's familiar thoughts just before she almost skipped into view. His head snapped towards her.

"Let's behave ourselves, shall we? There are ladies present!" Alice took what she felt was her place next to Edward. Edward resisted the urge to smirk as he heard both Felix and Demetri falter. They were not used to being evenly matched in a fight. "We're not alone," she said, distracting them. They turned to look at a human family who had been watching the scene unfold.

Demetri shook his head. "Please, Edward, let's be reasonable." Killing him would be a lot easier without an audience.

"Let's," Edward said- it was hardly fair that he'd been sentenced without a trial- "And we'll leave quietly now, with no-one the wiser."

Demetri sighed. He's persistent, and brave, I'll give him that. But it's a fine line between bravery and stupidity. "At least let us discuss this more privately." Six more humans joined the interested family, thinking they were going to need to break up a fight. Edward nearly scoffed. Like they stood a chance.

"No." He brought his teeth together, trying not to shout at Alice. Her thoughts were unbearably chipper given the gravity of the situation. She was engrossed in the twisting future, trying to get a clear outcome- confident that it would be their victory. Suddenly, the future shifted, veering wildly in another direction.

"Enough." Jane came swiftly towards them. Felix and Demetri knew the fight was over, as did Alice. He dropped his stance in front of Bella. It wouldn't do anybody any good to get in the way of Jane's gift when she chose to use it.

"Jane."

"Follow me," she said, sounding flat and almost bored, as usual. She always hoped for people to fight back- she enjoyed watching them suffer as she used her particular brand of torture. Glee filling his mind, Felix motioned for them to go first.

Alice moved instantly, and Edward slid his arm around Bella's waist and pulled her in line. He put her in the middle of himself and Alice- she would need all the protection she could get from Felix's filthy mind. Bella looked up at him, questions burning behind her eyes, but she shook his head. He couldn't answer them here, not with the guard in such close proximity.

"Well, Alice, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here." Oh, and by the way, I am going to kill you later.

"It was my mistake," she said, echoing his casual tone. "It was my job to set it right." I'm sorry, Edward. Truly I am. This is my fault.

"What happened?" It was exceedingly difficult to ask that question with any degree of casuality.

"It's a long story. In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days." In her head, Alice recounted Bella's version of events. He almost exploded with anger when she got to the part about befriending werewolves.

"Hm," he said, looking at Bella. She blushed scarlet, and this made it impossible for him to be angry at her. Alice continued in her head. You're just going to have to veto her friends in future. For once, you are actually not the most dangerous thing she could be around. They're young werewolves.

They turned a corner which would have looked like a dead end to Bella's human eyes. Pushing this frightening thought aside, Edward watched Alice drop down the hole. Bella visibly balked, freezing and locking her bones together.

"It's all right, Bella, Alice will catch you." He would have gone first, only Felix didn't see Alice as a real threat on her own, and he would have tried to take Bella for himself.

She crouched down in front of the hole, dangling her legs down it, still unsure. "Alice?" she whispered, her voice breaking through fright.

"I'm right here, Bella," she called up. Edward went over to her, taking her wrists and lowering her into the hole. The contact between them was such bliss it was hard to let her go, so he stalled.

"Ready?" He wasn't sure if he was asking Bella or Alice.

Alice found her voice first. "Drop her." Edward closed his eyes, and let go.