DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!!
BPOV
I knew Edward was already gone before I even woke up but that didn't stop me from calling out for him.
"Edward" when no answer came I decided to repeat his name over and over again, I don't know what I thought I would accomplish, I guess I was just hoping that he would answer. But he didn't and I soon found myself in tears and not long after I was enveloped in a pair of stone cold arms. I didn't have to look, I knew it wasn't Edward.
I really didn't take notice of the comforting sounds that the person that was holding me was making, actually I didn't take notice of anything that was happening around me at this point in time.
When I finally composed myself I looked up at my comforter and I smiled as I took in Esme's beautiful and sweet pale face.
"Are you ok?" she asked in a motherly tone. I tried to give her a smile but it didn't worked out and she just hugged me tighter.
The time spent between when I had woken and the time it took to get to the airport was spent in a daze. I couldn't recall what I did or if people talked to me, everyone tried to stray from mentioning Edwards name but I don't know if that's what I necessarily wanted. I would hurt to here his name and it would hurt to think of him but the pain was a reminder, a reminder of the perfect man that had left in order to save my life, a reminder that there was something in this life that there was something truly worth dying for. Love, Edward.
We boarded the plane in silence and I sat by Esme.
EPOV
Alice was running behind me, I should really slow down, I knew she couldn't keep up but truth be told I didn't want her here, I didn't want her risking herself and therefore Jasper but if her presence helped saved Bella's life then I would accept that.
I slowed down until Jasper and Alice were running at my side. I turned to look at them, Alice had a thoughtful look on her face but her mind was filled with roman numerals being counted backwards. Jasper was worried for Alice and he was trying to not let his negative feeling radiate off his body.
I could see the entrance to Volterra approaching and I fastened my pace completely forgetting the fact that Alice and Jasper couldn't keep up.
The front entrance was guarded, although the human guards would be easy to expose of it would be simply easier to climb the wall.
I allowed Alice and Jasper time to catch up before I scaled the large stone wall.
Once we were all over the wall we ran at a steady pace towards an entrance to the Volturi's lair. Lair wouldn't exactly be a appropriate name, more like an alternate version of hell.
We found a deserted ally way that led to an entrance. The closest conscious human thought wasn't close enough to cause a reason for hesitation so I ran at vampire speed straight toward the drain and dropped in and ran towards the first room.
We came to the lobby where there was a human behind a desk. She looked up when she heard someone's entrance.
"Can I help you?" she was good at her job I would give her that but I didn't need to hear her fake enthusiastic professional tone right now so I just continued forward without a word.
"We are here to see Aro" Alice answered for me, I had stopped at the elevator and I was waiting for the doors to open.
"I will just notify him of your presence, please wait a moment" she didn't need to notify him he could probably hear us this very moment. The women exited through a door that was behind her desk and I listened as she seeked approval to let us see Aro. It was five minutes later when she came back into the room, I didn't need to wait for her approval I know we had already been allowed to see Aro.
I quickly got in the elevator and I heard the women telling Alice and Jasper that we could go to see him. Alice and Jasper entered the elevator just before it closed. I turned to Alice.
"Anything?" I asked her, my voice was emotionless, maybe the anguish I felt inside couldn't be interpreted into a tone. Alice screwed her face up a little as she looked for any possible paths in the future that would end well for us. I tried to catch the flicker of different visions through her mind but nothing made sense. Jaspers concern for Alice was radiating off his body and I could hardly take it any more, but I was grateful. I could live a thousand years and I would never be able to repay them for their help, whether the out come is bad or good.
The odds weren't good, I knew that and Alice knew it to, so did Jasper but we didn't speak of what would happen if the worst come to worst. It was hard having to leave Bella but the thought of never seeing her again was even more horrific. This would all be worth it if Bella could stay alive, my life was defiantly worth being paid in return for Bella's but I could never ask the same of Jasper and Alice but they had both made their decision, Alice made hers to help Bella and myself and Jasper made his to stand by Alices side.
Alice opened her eyes and a mixture of confusion, fear, remorse and anger flashed upon her face.
Alice looked at me and her thoughts conveyed her apologies.
"No Alice, you cant help it, we will work it out" I reassured her. Jaspers look was one of confusion but unlike Emmett he had come to terms with our private conversations, mostly because he and Alice could read each other just as well as I could.
The soft bing of the elevator echoed through the stale air. We stepped out of the elevator and starred at the door across from the hall.
We watched as Alec stepped out and gave us a friendly smile. Friendly it would have been if I wasn't able to read his thoughts.
Alec's smile was nearly my undoing but Alices thoughts were what stopped me, apparently it would work out better if I didn't kill another of the Volturi's guard.
Alec led us through the door and I could now hear Aro's thoughts, he confused me, his mind changed paths so rapidly it was sometimes hard to keep up but at the moment it was fairly clear that he was somewhat angry yet excited. Angry because he had lost his best tracker but excited at the fact that he would gain myself and maybe even Alice, I wouldn't allow it. I would gladly give up myself but there was no way known that he can take Alice!
As we were led through the final doorway I was greeted with the face to the thoughts that were my main focus. Aro.
"Edward, Alice, Jasper how wonderful to see you all again, and so soon, this must be my lucky day" he said with sick happiness. How any one could be happy at a time like this was beyond me but I then remembered that Aro sees glee in my sadness.
I gave Aro a stiff nod, I didn't trust my voice not when there was such a delicate plan to follow, I would only speak with Alices directions. I relied on Alice too much and i'm worried that I am straining her but right now she is the line between our fate.
"Aro" Alice greeted without emotion.
"What can I ask brings you here?" he already knew what we were doing here, but he seemed to like toying with our heads.
I didn't speak although I knew Aro's question was directed at me but if I said one word that wasn't correct it could ruin everything so I let Alice answer.
"It seems you have a vendetta against a defenceless human that you said you wouldn't hurt" Alice said without letting any emotion leak into her words.
"Ah, Isabella I presume" Aro said with a sick twisted smile on his face.
"There is no reason for you to cause her harm, she has done nothing to deserve such a fate" I spoke this time, I couldn't hold it in when I saw Aro's memories rush though his head of Bella's attack.
"Of course you are certainly right Edward. Isabella has done nothing wrong but I hate the fact that a human has escaped me" Aro replied, he was trying to contain his thoughts, he was up to something. Looks like we are not the only ones trying to hide our thoughts.
"She didn't escape you, you let her leave" I almost growled. Aro's face twisted into a smile and I looked at him incredulously, how could he see humour in this situation?
"Yes but as you can tell I regretted it" he answered.
"But it seems that she has escaped me again" he continued and the plans he had to track Bella down that ran through his head made me growl and I was about to pounce but with the help of Jaspers soothing and Alices constraining thoughts I managed to stop myself.
Aro found some amusement in the whole manner and not even Jasper could relieve me of the anger that I felt now, he tried but failed miserably.
"However Edward, I am impressed." Aro said as he turned to look back at me. "Demetri was not only one of the best trackers I have ever seen but he is also one of the best fighters, but yet you bested him. Very impressive" Aro exclaimed.
"Hardly" I said through my teeth.
"Ah, your not very happy with me I imagine" he almost laughed and it was getting harder to constrain myself.
I stayed silent.
"We are confused as to why you would go to such extremes to hurt a human when you told us that you wouldn't" Alice said, she was very good at keeping her emotions in check whereas I was ready to tear this place and Aro included apart.
"Well you see my dear I was in a bit of a predicament" he told Alice but he meant for me to hear mostly.
"How so?" she asked calmly, Jasper has remained silent throughout the whole conversation so far.
"Your talents Alice and yours to Edward and also even your Jasper are extraordinary and if a mere human stood in the way of me obtaining what I want then i'm afraid the human doesn't stand a chance, but as you have proved with the situation with Demetri that she does in fact stand a chance. So that's when I suggest an agreement" he told us, I was amazed, no I was sickened to my core that someone was willing to hurt the most beautiful creature in the world only to obtain a few extra talents. Bella is worth more than that!
"An agreement?" Jasper spoke for the first time.
Aro smiled "yes an agreement" he echoed.
"Continue" I urged and Aro's smile widened.
"You have disarmed me of one of my most valuable guard Edward, I expect a replacement. Although Alice and Jasper are quite welcome to join also but you are free to make your own choice." he told us, it would seem I don't have a choice. I wasn't having that, I was against anything that kept me away from Bella.
"And if a refuse to be a replacement?" I asked but I didn't mean for my hostility to leak into my words but it couldn't be helped.
"Then I will be forced to take drastic measures" he stated simply.
"Think of your precious human Isabella as my bargaining chip" he smiled as he said this last sentence and the growl that erupted through my chest was vicious.
Aro sensed my hesitation and was forced to rearrange his offer.
"One year" he told me.
"Excuse me" I asked, my voice was hostile it was like it didn't belong to me.
"One year Edward and then you are free to leave if you wish" Aro seemed certain that it would only take a year for him to change me into one of his precious Volturi guard, he was certain that once I joined I wouldn't want to leave after the one year was up. How wrong he was.
I stayed silent.
"Edward shouldn't have to replace no one, he was simply protecting an innocent human." Alice argued.
"Yes that is true but never the less I am one down in my guard and if Edward wants his precious human to stay alive then he will replace Demetri" Aro told her, he wasn't worried about convincing Alice, he was more worried about convincing me.
Alice was about to argue again but I cut her off.
"At the end of the year there will be nothing to fear in regards with Bella when I leave?" I asked and Aro fronded upon my words.
"If you decide at the end of the year that you no longer wish to stay, then yes of course there is nothing to fear for the human" Aro was hanging onto the thought that I wouldn't leave.
"Edward" Alice whispered frantically to me.
"In regards to my diet……" I was cut off by Aro's chuckle.
"Of course Edward if you choose to keep your diet then I will not push the matter, I do not wish to cause you discomfort." Aro smiled at the end of his sentence and it sickened me.
"No, excuse me but this is not right, Edward shouldn't be blackmailed into joining your guard" Alice argued, she didn't like the way this was going but I had already made up my mind.
"I don't see it as blackmail my dear, I think of it more as bargaining" Aro's voice was slightly humorous and Alice was practically fuming. I wasn't feeling anything.
I turned to Aro "may I have some time alone with my siblings please?" my voice was emotionless.
Aro smiled "of course Edward, take your time"
I waited till Aro was out of the room before I turned to Alice and Jasper, Alice was still fuming and Jasper was confused.
"Edward what are you doing?" Alice asked me.
"It's the only way I can protect Bella you know as well as I do that this is the best offer we are going to get that doesn't result in death or destruction and i'm not willing to risk that not when Bella is involved" I told her, if only my life was forfeit then I would gladly except that as long as everyone I left behind was unharmed.
"What about Bella? You told her you would come back to her, how do you think she will react when we return without you?" Alice was determined to get me to change my mind and she was certainly using the right sources to do so but my mind was made up and I wouldn't put Bella in danger.
"I will return, I wont break my promise. Its only one year Alice and Aro said I could keep my diet the same" I told her.
"And that makes it ok? The fact that they feed off humans isn't what makes them dangerous Edward, you cannot trust that they will let you leave after a year Edward" her voice was rising now.
"I cannot trust him I know that Alice but there isn't much choices available Alice" I told her.
"There are plenty of choices available Edward you are just neglecting them" she yelled, I hated to do this to my family but I really couldn't let myself be the cause of their harm.
"I'm not going to argue with you Alice" I told her calmly.
"No, you will do exactly what I will say, how do you think Esme will feel when I tell her that you are not coming home? Think of her, think of Carlisle of Emmet and Rosalie and me and Jasper? If not us then Bella, please Edward don't leave her, don't leave us we can figure this out" Alice was great at arguing but I couldn't let her win, I needed to stand my ground.
I shook my head unable to respond verbally.
I heard her exhale angrily.
I looked up at her, she was trying to think of ways that she could get me to leave with her. She hadn't come up with anything.
"Alice" I sighed she looked up and glared at me, I brushed it off and continued.
"It's the only way" I whisper and she shook her head.
"No" she whispered now "there has to be another way Edward" it was like she was talking to herself.
I took a step forward and embraced her in a hug.
"Keep her safe" I whispered in her ear and she nodded. If she could cry she would.
I looked over at Jasper and took a step toward him.
I took Jaspers hand and shook it but I ended up giving him a hug.
I stepped back and looked at both at them, I smiled, well I tried to anyway.
"Take care of the family" I told them "I will be back before you know it" I added.
We remained silent as we were lost in our own thoughts. One year, that's all I had to last, just one year and I could return to Bella. One year and it would ensure Bella's safety.
We stepped out of the room and headed towards the lobby where Aro's thoughts were radiating from. We steeped into the lobbing and we were met with Aro's sickening grin.
"Well i'm glad that you have made the right decision Edward" he said and then he looked towards Alice and Jasper.
"You are quite welcome to stay as well" he told Alice and Jasper but they politely shook their heads and exchanged one more last goodbye with myself. This was it, I was now alone, well despite the fact that I was surrounded by other immortals it felt as if I was alone. It was going to be one long year without the company of my family but I had lasted alone by myself before but that was before I knew Bella existed, now it would feel as if this year would last eternity!
Hey i'm so sorry for the delay in the update and i'm sorry that this chapter is short but i'm seriously running out ideas for this story!!!!!
Please review and tell me if you like the direction the story is going and if you have any ideas I will gladly accept them.
Check out my other story (loving Edward Cullen) also take a look at my profile where I have summaries of stories I haven't posted, I will send previews to those who ask and I would like to know if you think they are worthy of being posted.
Review!!!
-Kate xoxoxoxoxo