9. DESPERATE PLANS

"Okay. Fine. We'll be there in …" Jacob looked at Edward, who implied the number with his fingers. "Seven hours? Can't we go faster?"

"It's a long way," Carlisle said. "And we have to be on guard for the Volturi.

"Jacob, give me the phone," Alice demanded, instantly forcing it out of his hands so quickly that he didn't even notice what happened. "Hey, Sam, this is Alice. We'll be there in six or seven hours, see you later." She pressed the button. "There. We have to hurry. You're taking more time than you're giving, dog. Now, for how we're going to do this," she continued, giving Jacob back the cell. "You, Jacob, will be running about a mile away from us to make my vision as clear as possible The rest of us will run in formation."

Carlisle took the word then." I'll run in the front, Esme right behind me, Bella and Alice in the middle, Emmett and Jasper at the sides, and Rosalie and Edward in the back. Bella, you have to keep your shield constant. I know it'll drain you, but –"

"I can do it," I said. I didn't look up from where I was sitting. "What about Renesmee?" I was honestly more concerned about my daughter than my own well doing right now.

"She'll be with Jacob," Carlisle responded.

My head snapped up. "That's out of my range!" I implied through gritted teeth.

"She makes my vision fuzzy," Alice apologized.

"Then look around it!"

"Mom, it's okay," Renesmee said, smiling at me, but I just got to me feet and walked to her side with firm steps.

"No. Renesmee has to be in my range, or I won't allow it," I clarified, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Mom, you don't have to worry about me. It's just six –"

"Seven."

"Hours," she continued, ignoring me. She tried to warm me up with a little smile, but I tried not to fall for it.

"It's not just seven hours," I said. "It's the Volturi. We don't know who it is. It could be Jane, and –"

"I can do this." She looked at me with honest eyes, and I sighed. I knew she had to take care of herself sometimes, too, but why did it have to be now?
"Fine," I muttered spitefully, turning back towards Edward. He put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed it, as Jacob and Renesmee ran off.

"Let's go," Carlisle said.

We formed our traditional formation and set off without saying any more, except for an occasional question to Alice about her visions, which were dark and unclear.

As predicted, I got serious pain that reminded me vaguely of being human, only worse. It was like there was a thunderstorm in my head, but I kept it up all the way to Forks. I tried several times to reach out towards Jacob and Renesmee, but it was a lost cause, so I was relieved when we arrived without any troubles.

Yet.

It was a home-like feeling that crept over me as we came nearer to Forks. The snow was falling as if someone high above was spreading white powder over the earth. I knew it was supposed to be cold, but every time a snowflake touched my skin, it was like a warm finger slightly ran over it. While being human, I had never really liked snow, but through my years as a vampire, I had come to enjoy snow quite a lot. It was beautiful and warm, and it generally meant that the sun wouldn't be out too much, which was bad in our lifestyle.

The wolves would be waiting for us just a while away, and then we would be safe. Sort of.

We were very close to Forks when it happened.

Alice had a vision that made her stop abruptly. She didn't respond to our questions, but just looked at Edward, who nodded.

"To Forks. Then we'll explain," he said, and we all ran as fast as we could. It made me worry very much about Renesmee and Jacob, but we arrived in Forks without encountering whatever Alice had seen.

"So what was it? Did we avoid it?" Rosalie asked.

"No," Edward responded.

"It's coming," Alice said.

"What's coming, dear?" Esme asked, rubbing Alice's back. I instinctively did the same with Renesmee.

"They'll come in a few hours, at midnight. A few miles away. They know I can see them. They're expecting us to come, or they'll emerge."

Esme looked up at Carlisle, who nodded. "We have to go," he declared.

I nodded. "Good! Then we'll –"

"You'll not be participating in the meeting, Bella," Carlisle interrupted me.

I was dumbfounded. It was the first time since I was human that I was being left out, and it was a strange feeling of Déjà vu.

"No!" I protested, stepping toward him with closed fists. I stopped after one step, though, to not give off the wrong image.

"Bella –"

"I'm not staying behind again! He's my dad! And I have the shield!"

"You and Edward will be staying behind with Rosalie. You'll be close enough for your shield to reach us, but far enough away that you won't do anything drastic," he told me.

I gritted my teeth. I was trying hard not to let my anger get the best side of me. I knew exactly why Rosalie was going to be with us. She would be holding me back if I tried to attack. Edward couldn't be trusted with that job.

"Fine!" I spat, bowing my head so my hair would hide my face.

Carlisle breathed deeply.

"Fine. Then let's meet with the wolves."

-

They were all there. Even Leah, who didn't go back to the reservation often. She probably checked in with Jacob more often than with her mother.

"How's Sue taking it?" I asked her.

Leah still didn't like me, just as she never had, but we at least were as decent towards each other to be polite.

"She's taking it hard, but she always gets by," she answered. I nodded.

I should learn from Sue. I'd always known I'd have to leave Charlie behind some day. I should have been prepared.

But I wasn't. It was hard to say goodbye to someone who wasn't gone.

"So it's them again?" Sam spat out, obviously disgusted. "Well, can't you just gather up the other vamps again? Didn't they say that they'd help if anything like what happened last time was happening again?"

"They did, and we're going to contact them all just like last time," Carlisle answered. "Those we are sure will help us, anyway. But the Volturi is on the run again, and this time they'll have something clever up their sleeve. They didn't choose Charlie out of coincidence."

"We know," Sam nodded. "So we should begin making plans for our encounter with them."

Strategy wasn't something I was particularly interested in at the moment. I was very distracted by the thought of Charlie and what they could have done with him. The thought of not being able to encounter the Volturi at midnight was also frustrating, and the whole non-violent politic Carlisle was going on about was just fine, but I didn't think that the Volturi should get to do any more of their little tricks. I knew many would agree with us.

But then again …

It was the fear for the Volturi that kept our world in balance. The southern vampires and Jasper's story were stories to back up this theory.

So whoever took down the Volturi would have to take their place, or chaos would break out.

I shook my head. There shouldn't need to be someone to rule. The vampires should just make it out on their own and make sure nobody became too visible to the humans.

"Bella, its time." I felt Rosalie's hand on my shoulder, and I looked up at her face. The stars and the moon had come out, and in the strange light of the night, her hair looked like silver, and her skin was shining in a strange way. She was even more breathtaking than usually.

I nodded to mark that I was ready, and then we took off to encounter the Volturi, leaving the wolves behind. If we let them go with us, it would only bring problems. I was happy that both Renesmee and Jacob were staying behind. It made it a bit easier to know that Renesmee wasn't close to the vultures that wanted to steal her.

Edward, Rosalie and I went to a place about five hundred meters away. Edward took my hand, and Rosalie placed one of her own on my shoulder. I tried to ignore them both and just concentrate on my shield.

Then they formed out from the shadows.

I was suddenly glad that Edward and Rosalie was holding me back. My muscles automatically tightened, and I was fighting very hard with the part of myself that wanted to attack the three bodies wearing the wavering, black cloaks that I despised more than anything in the world.

I hissed through my teeth as Carlisle began to step closer to them. Why was Jasper and Emmett staying behind? I knew we didn't want a fight, but … Seeing Carlisle stand there, unprotected. It was uprooting.

At the same time that Edward squeezed my hand, Rosalie squeezed my shoulder, and I tried to relax.

Jane was among them, of course. And Demetri. The third one I didn't remember, but he was a big guy. Considering that they knew about my shield, they had probably taken someone with a physical gift with them.

They weren't taking our friendly actions into their calculations, and Jane raised her hand. Edward winced and sent me a glance. I felt her attack before he even turned towards me.

So it was going to be that way.

Carlisle stepped back, and both Emmett and Jasper stepped forward so that they were on his sides. They were crouched down, ready for a sudden attack.

"You have crossed the last line," Jane said with a smirk on her face. "No matter the shield, your last time is drawing closer."

"What did you do with Charlie?" Carlisle cut her off. She looked displeased.

"Right where anyone that knows our secret should be," she snarled. "You've been getting around the rules easily the last many years, but that ends now. You will all turn into ashes soon. We will find your other human friends, too, and those mongrels that calls themselves shape-shifters shouldn't feel too safe, either. But …" Her newly found smirk disappeared again, and Edward growled at my side.

"What is it?" Rosalie whispered.

"But you still have a last chance for redemption," Demetri said. "Aro would like to see several of your family members among our ranks. We'd gladly let the rest of you go freely if you decided to obey the rules from now on." He smiled. "We know they're down there." He nodded towards us. "Why don't they come and see us? Or doesn't Edward want his precious Bella notta in danger?" he grinned. "Isn't just her name a sign? I'm certain that her soul is crying for Italy."

Edward's snarl was so low that it was hard to hear, even to me, but when I turned my face towards him, I saw the hate and fury that had build up through the years. And the fear. The fear f losing someone … To them. I knew it all too well.

"I hate to say it," Rosalie murmured in a low, nasty voice, "but I think we'll seriously need the wolves this time."

Knowing Rosalie, this was when it got really serious on her part.

"If they think they can separate us …"

Rosalie's hand on my shoulder turned more protective than withholding, and she stepped a bit further, as if she was trying to shield me. Her jaw was set in a tight line, and by instinct I grabbed her arm, restraining her from doing something … me'ish.

"You don't know Bella at all!" Alice said, and Emmett made an agreeing noise.

Demetri snorted. "You're all dead. Enjoy your last time in this world. Enjoy your last time with your precious treasures." His smile was the one of a devil's. I bit down my lip as they drew back, and then I gasped.

"What is it, Bella?" Edward asked.

"Treasures," I whispered. "Renesmee."

Both Rosalie and Edward froze beside me. The others could also hear us, but the Volturi was probably too far away.

I ran from them and towards Alice, who grabbed me in a tight embrace.

"Your soul doesn't cry for Italy, does it, Bella?" she whispered. I could hear that she was really upset. She wasn't acting, as she sometimes did.

I padded her back. "I certainly don't," I responded. "Although I never got to travel a lot," I added jokingly.

She growled. "You saw enough last time, didn't you?"

I nodded.

"Alice," Edward hurriedly cut us off. "You have to look out for Renesmee! They're not going to let her get away this time."

Alice nodded. "I know."

"Let's get back," Carlisle suggested in a hard voice, and we didn't have to say a word of agreement before we were on our way again.

-

I lay on my back with closed eyes, resting. I was tired after all the work in the last twenty four hours, and the sound of the waves helped soothing me.

"So you went here?"

Jacob's voice was easy to recognize anywhere, and I sighed. I had just wanted to be alone, thinking of nothing, especially not Renesmee. And Jacob always reminded me of her.

"This is our place," he noted.

I snorted. "Technically, wouldn't it be yours and Renesmee's?"

He sighed. "Don't discount the memories. They belong to you, not Renesmee."

I met his eyes with a tired nod, and then I yawned.

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you just … yawn? Weird …"

"Yea, but I'm really tired, so you've gotta get it out somehow," I responded. He was right. It was weird.

I closed my eyes again.

"How's it like?" he asked. "Not being able to sleep?"

"It's nice to be able to be awake for so long, but sometimes it would be nice to drift off to a dream, a nicer place … Though the last many years I haven't felt that way, I feel it now. I think that it might be the hardest part, actually. Not being able to escape reality …"

He shrugged, not being able to relate to me at all.

"But then again, I'm very young, so you really should be asking someone like Carlisle," I noted.

"Carlisle's not agonized enough," he said.

I cough a laugh, trying to hold it back.

"It's true," he stated.

"I know."

He picked up a handful of sand and let it fall through his fingers. When all the sand was gone, he picked up a new handful and did the same again. He continued he routine.

"I hate them," he finally said.

I straightened up. "We all do."

"Not as much as I do! What if …" He looked away. "What if they take her?" he whispered.

I hit him.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?" he shouted.

"You really think you're the one having the hardest time?" I growled at him, furious. How could he be so infuriating? "I'm her mother! I was willing to die for her from the beginning, when you wanted her dead! Not only that, I do not only worry about her, I worry about the entire family! We all do! Except for you! Stop being so selfish!"

He looked into my eyes with a strange expression, like he was looking at a child.

"I'm not only worried about Renesmee," he told me harshly. "I'm worried about you, too." He took my hand and clapped it. "Very, actually. You're worrying so much, you feel that it's all your fault – again – and you –"

"How could I not?" I cried. "I keep bringing everyone in danger, and everyone keeps telling me that it isn't my fault, but –"

"Bella, shut up," he cut me off, and I stopped, surprised at his choice of words. "We all love you." He put his hand on my head. "You brought us together. Don't think you can just ruin it." He grinned and then got up.

"Moron," I sighed.

"Bloodsucker," he called back to me as he left.

-

The idea hit me in the middle of the night, when I was reminiscing the last time the Volturi meant to attack us. We were taking a break from making plans so that everyone could clear their thoughts, and that was exactly what I was doing.

We had already agreed on gathering the vampires that had helped us the last time, but we were also thinking about how to gather more. The Volturi was sure to be prepared for my shield and our other merits. They'd be ready with some counterattack that would nail us to the ground.

But there was one thing that nobody had considered yet.

I would need a special setup for this plan, and it wasn't going to be easy. We had to be few and agile. We couldn't cut corners on this one.

It was a desperate plan, a plan that wasn't even sure to succeed. But wasn't all of them?

I had to try it.

-

"What are you doing?" Alice asked in a whisper. "What have you decided now? I'm going with you."

"What did you see?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

"Nothing," Alice answered. "That's the problem. You all just disappeared."

"I know what I'm doing, and they'll agree, just as you just told me."

She shook her head. "I know why you're not telling me, but why can't you trust me?"

"Because everything depends on you and Edward not knowing anything," I responded.

She bit down her bottom lip.

"Don't tell him," I whispered, looking at her with begging eyes. "I need him with Renesmee. And I can't put him in this kind of danger on a whim."

She raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you want to become a vampire to always be with him."

I looked away. "When it comes to the Volturi … Things are different. You need him more than I will."

"As long as Edward is with us, our thoughts are not safe," she said.

"As long as he's away from you, your thoughts still aren't safe, and their minds will be closed," I pointed out.

She sighed. "I'll stay away from him until you leave," she promised.

"Give him this," I told her. I gave her a little letter that I had written. I hoped that it wouldn't give off too much.

She nodded. Her face was turned away, but I knew that expression, and I carefully put my arms around her, as if she could break any moment.

"Tell Jasper I'll bring his teachings honor," I murmured.

She smiled.

"I will."

I nodded.

And then I parted with Alice.

I went to find the two members of my family that were the ones who would help me on my mission. Emmett and Rosalie.

I searched for them for about five minutes before I found their scent and followed it. I wasn't lucky enough to find them separated from Edward, but I would find a way.

"Rose! Emmett!" I called. "I feel like going hunting. What about you?"

All three of them raised their eyebrows. I tried to act as normal as I could, but I was apparently overdoing it.

I tried to do it better and turned towards Edward. "Renesmee is looking for you."

"Why?" he asked. "Is something wrong?" his expression turned anxious.

I shook my head. "I just think she wanted to talk with you about something. She's by the beach, I think."

He nodded and was already off.

"So you want to go?" I asked and grabbed Emmett's hand in one of my own and Rosalie by the other. Before they could answer I was already dragging them with me.

They seemed to understand, by the way I was urging them forward, that this was not just a hunting trip. There was more to it.

We had run for a good five miles when Rosalie asked: "Where are we going, Bella?"

They had understood, then. They knew they had been dragged into a mission that the others mustn't know of.

I let go of them but didn't stop running.

"We have to get as far as possible so Edward can't follow us," I told them. "When we get to Oregon, I'll tell you everything."

Time passed by both too quickly and too slowly. Every step was taking me closer to a new part of my life, a dangerous one, and every step closer to that took me away from Edward and Renesmee. I would soon be with them again, I told myself, but I knew that I shouldn't count on it. There could go a long time.

I should have stayed, I thought to myself, but I knew that the battle would be a lost cause then, and we'd all die anyway.

"Tell us," Emmett told me impatiently when we passed the border. He could sense that I wasn't going to be using the Carlisle-style. This was exactly one of the reasons why I'd chosen Emmett for this mission.

"Werewolves," I answered. We'd slowed a bit down, but we didn't stop.

"Werewolves?" Rosalie asked.

"We just left them," Emmett pointed out, looking backwards.

"Aro called them shape shifters. Caius hates the werewolves. The werewolves must hate Caius and the Volturi. There must be very few of them left, if not none," I explained.

"Then why are we looking for something that might not be there?" Rosalie asked.

"It's like when Alice went to look for others like Renesmee. She didn't know if she could find any, but she knew that if she did, it would change everything." I took in a deep breath. "We need more than those we already have to fight with us, if we want to win without many losses, and we need a lot more for no losses. If we can communicate with the werewolves … We might have a chance."

"But Aro called them the Children of the Moon," Rosalie pointed out. "They only change with the full moon."

"It's worth a shot, isn't it?" I asked. "And they might have changed physically in their human form, too, like the shape shifters." I shrugged. "We need help. We're going to get it.

Oh, by the way, I wrote to Edward that we'd tell Zafrina about this and sent them on the way if we could find them."

"So it's to the Amazonas first?" Rosalie asked.

I nodded. "And then we're going to take a swim over the Atlanta."

Emmett snickered. "Finally," he boomed. "Something will finally be done."

--

Let me explain why I haven't uploaded for this and Newborn in a while now: my computer got a virus, and it deleted everything. I'm lucky I had most of my work on my laptop, but a LOT has been lost, including my notes for both of these fanfics. Which sort of knocked the breath out of me.

Plus, A Different World is taking the best of me.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter :) I really like Winternight a lot more than Newborn, but that's apparently just me xD

I'll try to get a chapter up for Newborn soon.

I think this chapter went rather well, thought it might have seemed a bit rushed, but it is pretty late over here xD

Review. Please?

Dawn ^^