Present Day Volterra

"He can control time."

The sentence immediately silenced every vampire in the room. None of them had heard of such a gift, it seemed to be the stuff of legends. Edward ran a rough hand through his hair and blinked rapidly. The possibility of Bella finding this time keeper, whoever he was, had dangerous implications. If she traveled back far enough she could eradicate all of the Cullen's in one foul swoop. Or worse, change the path of history unwittingly, throwing the world into chaos.

"To what extent is his control over time? How far? How-" Jasper said rapidly, eyes wild with panic. Aro cut him off with a soft edge to his voice.

"No one knows. It's said to be a gift that holds tremendous weight and it's not easily navigated. The most important thing we can do is to keep her away from him. She can't get her hands on his head." The glass behind him shattered. Everyone's eyes snapped to the window behind Aro and they crouched defensively as Bella appeared with tiny flecks of glass glittering in her hair.

"I didn't miss the party, did I?" She glided in smoothly. Her eyes looked over to Aro.

"Naughty naughty boy. Hanging up on me like that." Her words come out leisurely as she chided him. "You know I got to Sam last week. And as I was decapitating him, I was wondering what I would do with the ability to manifest fire," she purred, lighting one of her hands with ease. The flame around it burned bright.

"And then I realized how convenient of a gift it actually is." She threw the flame and it landed on a plush chair to the right of them. It immediately went up in a flash of light igniting the chair in flames.

"I want information." Bella stated, eyeing everyone carefully.

"No one has to get hurt ahead of schedule as long as I get what I came for." Aro made a move to grab at her and she lifted a hand reflexively and froze him in place. Carlisle took in a shaky breath.

"Bella, we don't have any information for you-"

"But, he does." She interrupted, walking in a slow circle around Aro. "All I need is a name."

Aro remained frozen where he stood, his eyes firm.

"Hmm. Maybe you need a little insensitive." Calmly she snapped his hand right off and casually tossed it into the fire. Edward let out what sounded like a strangled cough. Staring at this woman before him, his guilt was immeasurable. Alice played her part in Bella's demise but so had he. Leaving her, lying to her...it had all landed them here.

"Thats not going to grow back. Which of course you know. So, unless you'd like any other appendages to enter that flame, I suggest you get to talking."

She unfroze him and he let out a wail unlike anything they'd heard before. He fell to the ground with a shudder, cradling his arm. He looked at her and spat at her feet.

"Cyrus," he said bitterly. "Now that you have the name what do you plan to do with it?" He hissed, seemingly satisfied that she could do nothing with what he provided her with. Bella smiled softly, it was the first time since Edward had seen her that she looked somewhat like the girl he used to know. She turned her attention away from Aro and her gaze settled on Alice.

"Names are powerful things. Aren't they Alice?"

Alice's eyes were steady and she dropped Jasper's hand. She hadn't even realized that she'd been holding it.

"This is all my fault. Take it out on me, let my family go. If you kill me-" she began, only to be cut short by Jasper.

"Alice. We don't owe this leech anything." He moved protectively in front of her, ready to die if it came down to it.

"Leech?" She asked.

"You heard me. We all have shitty things happen to us. But do you see anyone else here looking for a time lord to destroy life as we know it? Grow up. You got dumped and your dog died. If you want any of us, you're going through me first."

He was patronizing her. But this was a battle they were loosing and he was just grasping at straws. He saw Emmett moving into position behind Bella. She took a menacing step toward Jasper and raised her hand as if to strike him but she was interrupted by a pair of iron like arms gripping her. Emmett.

"Well, well, well. So the mice finally caught the cat." She said, unbothered. They made quick work pf her. Aro alerted the remaining guard and they surrounded the west wing of the manor. Emmett remained holding her in the center of the room while the rest of the Cullen's stood around her in a semi circle.

She looked down at his arms wrapped around her. "Is this really necessary?"

"Until we decide what to do with you." Carlisle said, avoiding her eyes. They had the place completely surrounded, they were finally a step ahead. They couldn't afford to waste any time.

"Lets kill her." Rosalie said low and Edward let out a hiss.

"No." He was seething.

"I'd like to be released. And I'd like a moment alone with Alice." Bella said calmly. Jasper scoffed.

"You have my word that no harm will come to any of you as of now. I am many things. But I'm not a liar." She was looking directly at Edward now, her eyes searching. His resolve was breaking. Carlisle made a move and protest but Alice interrupted him.

"Emmett," she murmured. "Let her go. Let us talk." They were looking each other directly in the eye then. No one moved.

"We have the place completely covered. There's no where she could go." Emmett said slowly, but he was wrong. Bella could appear anywhere she wished within reason, she just had a thing for theatric entrances these days. After several protests, Alice was left alone with Bella while her family stood guard at the door.

"I tried to keep this from happening," Alice began as she took a seat across from Bella.

"I thought I was doing the right thing."

"You tried to kill me." Bella hissed.

"Only because...I saw you killing Edward." Bella's eyes snapped up. They looked surprised but she quickly covered.

"What a nifty little gift you have, Alice." There was an immeasurable pause. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't actually have to remove heads to steal gifts. That's more or less for show. The real trick," she said leaning in. "Is coaxing the gift out. It's like whispering to a child. Offering it a new home, if you will."

Alice's eyes narrowed.

"I'm mot giving you my gift, Bella." It came out low and firm. Alice shifted her body closer. "So I guess that means you're going to have to fight your way out of here and try to get my head in the process."

Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Esme were all outside of the door huddled together formulating a plan. Jasper was adamantly against Alice being left alone with Bella but Edward thought it could be a sign of Bella's evil facade being broken down. Rosalie was out for blood, and Emmett was always eager for a fight. Esme seemed dubious.

"It's strange," she began. "That she came so easily. It's almost as if she wanted to get caught." They all eyed one another warily.

"Alice, whether you realize it or not- you're going to give me your gift and then I'm going to walk right out of that door."Bella said, crossing her legs.

"See, I've decided not to kill you. At least not today. And ripping off heads is getting somewhat tedious. I like to switch things up every now and then."

"What in the hell makes you think that I'm going to willingly give you my power?"

Bella was smiling again.

"At no point am I ever anywhere other than exactly where I want to be. I have what I came for, well, partially that is." She stood up and Alice followed suit defensively.

"I have the name. Cyrus. And as you know, names are power. And with your power in particular I'll be able to see his next steps. So you see," she purred, eyeing Alice pensively. "You're going to give me your gift or I'm going slaughter everyone you love right now. And you and I both know I have the means to do so."

She started to weigh her options. She could start a fight but Bella could hold her hostage with just a flick of her wrist, kill her and then move on to the rest of them. Or she could give her what she wanted and then deal with the fall out later. It was a lose, lose. Alice sighed.

"Take it. But the future is not always as it seems." Bella smiled.

"I'm sure it isn't." She moved close to Alice and placed her lips to her ear almost as if to kiss her. She placed one hand on the side of her head and did a small coaxing motion with the other. White translucent glittering tendrils curled together and inched out of Alice's ear slowly and roped their way around Bella's fingers. She stepped back and smiled at the shimmering tendrils in her hand.

"Thanks a lot, sis." And then she was gone.