Chapter Ten

I pulled into Danny's driveway and found the clan standing in the driveway waiting for us. They could have heard us miles away anyways.

The gorgeous people still had red eyes, and the six of them smiled at us in the most wonderful way. Max ran out of the car first, leaving me in the car with Ali. I saw him talking to the clan while I sat and waited for him to finish explaining what happened with Edward.

I smiled at flashed Elizabeth a small smile when she glanced at me. I hoped it would convince them I was innocent, or at least I deserved their hospitality.

I smiled at Jason as he glanced nervously towards me. I was sitting on the edge of my car seat. I was practically itching to get out of the car and find out what was going on.

I eventually gave up and listened to what they were saying.

"But it's a dog," Danny hissed.

"I know, but can we let them in until she can go back to the Cullen's? I promise it won't take long for her to go back. She ran away once before, but it didn't take long for her to come back."

"Promise she'll go soon?" Hannah asked.

"I swear. If she overuses her welcome we can always kick her out. I promise she'll just go to the Volturi or be a Nomad. We'll never hear from her again."

I gulped. Max sounded like that would be a good thing…

I had enough. I opened my car door and got out, leaving Ali in the car.

"Bella!" Elizabeth squealed, jumping on my and hugging me tightly to her. "It's been to long!"

I smiled and nodded as she released me from her tight grip.

"Come in!" she said, motioning to the snow on the ground.

I followed her to all too familiar house and across the deathly yard. Danny was following on my other side, Grant, her mate fallowing close behind us. His presence was obviously there and uncomfortable for me.

It was dreamlike in the house. Fake snow was scattered about the tables and surfaces, little glass ornaments hanging from a real Christmas tree. I had almost forgotten about Christmas. I had never had a Christmas conversation with any of the Cullen's, so I assumed vampires didn't celebrate it.

I guess I was wrong about a lot of things with the Cullen's.

Elizabeth led me up a grand staircase in the middle of the room and up another set of stairs at the top of that. Then I was led to a door and ushered inside.

In the room was a bed pushed up against one wall and a bookshelf beside it. The walls had no windows, but contained lots of works of art. In one corner was an art easel and a little side table scattered with paint and charcoal. The floors were wooden, but had a nice pale blue rug covering it. It was a gorgeous room.

"This is Max's room. You can stay here until we find a more suitable place for you."

"Thanks, Elizabeth. I really appreciate this. All of this."

"Please, call me Liz."

"Thank you, Liz."

"You're welcome. But please don't bring the dog into the house. Its smell is… disturbing to everyone else."

"I was going to send it back to the Cullen's."

"Even better."

I can't believe I just said that. I couldn't. Why would I send Ali back to the Cullen's? Bad memories, scent, everyone else didn't enjoy her company. But there were a lot of reasons to keep her. But I couldn't. A dog was too much work for me to handle at the moment. Everyone else would enjoy her a lot more than I would back at the Cullen's. It would give them a reminder that their dear Edward was a total ass.

Liz left the room, leaving me all alone.

"You aren't welcome here. Go to the Volturi. They'll accept you. Especially since Edward can't read your mind. They'd be intrigued." A little voice in the back of my mind was whispered.

The Volturi… I couldn't join the Volturi guard could I? Wouldn't that kill Edward? Wouldn't it kill Carlisle? It would kill Jasper. It would. Jasper had been nothing but kind to me. Everyone else was questionable, except for Carlisle and Esme of course. I couldn't do that to them. I honestly thought they loved me, if nobody else did.

I couldn't go to the Volturi. I couldn't do that to Jasper and Esme and Carlisle. I couldn't.

I grabbed my purse and dug out my car keys. I found my big clunky key ring and walked down the stairs at a vampire pace. I ran into Max on my way down the second flight of stairs.

"Leaving?"

"No, I'm just going to drop Ali off at the Cullen's for good. I can't keep her. It's an inconvenience. I need to grab some clothes anyways."

He nodded, but looked skeptical.

"Do you want company?"

"No. I think I'll be fine. I'll be back by tomorrow morning."

He nodded and let me pass him on the stairs. After that I ran and got into the car before I exploded into vampire tears again. I didn't even look at Ali and I sped off the dirt road and onto to highway.

I sped towards Seattle and then towards Port Angeles. I stopped in Port Angeles to let Ali out to pee and then I was onto Forks again, dodging the Indian Reservation. I parked at the beginning of the long driveway to the Cullen household in some trees and listened to the house.

"But I have to go find her. I can't just let her go," Edward hissed.

"You will NOT go after her Edward. She'll come back on her own. Just give her some time," Esme scolded.

"Listen to Esme. She's right. We don't need to start a vampire war over Bella with another clan. I love Bella just as much as the rest of you, but I am not fighting another clan when you do something irrational, son," Carlisle quipped.

Murmurs of the rest of the Cullen's supported Carlisle.

"I don't wanna fight some clan."

"What's that smell?"

"No way am I fighting in another war."

"No fights…"

Edward hissed something under his breath and then rushed out of the house and onto the porch. He stood on the porch and stared out into the woods, not noticing me in the tree covering. Alice came out and stood beside him.

"You can't act like you're a King, Edward, and expect get away with it. I'm glad she kicked you into reality."

Alice stood there, waiting for him to say something for a while. She shook her head when he said nothing.

"I'm going on a walk. I'll be back later."

Alice walked off the porch and headed into the woods, leaving Edward alone on the porch. He eventually gave up and went back inside. A few moments later I saw him in the window to his room, messing with his expensive stereo system and then some piano lullaby playing softly.

I sat there, wondering what I should be doing next when a rap came on my window, causing me to jump.

"What the hell, Alice?" I hissed, opening the passenger door as and she climbed in.

"Shh. Drive," she commanded, pointing at the road.

I did as she wished, driving back towards Forks.

"Why did you leave this time?" she asked as soon as we were far enough from the house.

"Edward said I had to send Max away and I couldn't do it. So I left."

"You have a knack for disappearing without a trace. I need you to do me a favor."

"What?"

"I need you to get me and Jasper out of the state without a trace."

"Why?"

"I need space from Edward and Jasper agrees with me. We hate him reading our minds."

"You want me to get you and Jasper out of the area… Where?"

"Montana."

"Montana? Why Montana?"

"Jasper has a house there. I want to get out of here. You can come to. There's an extra room there if you wanted."

"I can't Alice. I'm going to the Volturi."

"Oh Bella. Please don't go to the Volturi. Please. They will trick you into staying forever."

"I'm a shield remember? They can't make me do anything."

"Fine. But call me, okay?"

"I promise. As long as you keep Ali for me. I have a feeling that the Volturi have a no dog policy."

"Okay. I will. But you have to get Jasper and me to Montana first, under the radar."

"I will."

We smiled as I drove around Forks.

What the hell did I just sign up for?

A/N Okay, I know. Lots of crazy in this chapter. What did I do? I have no idea. But this will most likely work out. Just trust me. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. Sorry. Thanks for reading! Bye!

XOXOXOXO