Aaaah! *Screams* Thank you all so much for the reviews! ^_^ they mean a lot to me! This chapter is for everybody who's reviewed so far, even if it was just once.

We start with Bella's point of view for this chapter, like many of the chapters do.

Disclaimer: I don't own twilight *sniffs and wipes eyes*

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"I didn't break my legs, just my wrist," I told Jasper as he scrutinized the blue dress I had never gotten to wear.

"Ah but without the use of your balance arm, you might fall and then break your legs." He wiggled his eyebrows in an Emmett fashion. I giggled, realising he was just playing with me.

"Will you tell me where you're taking me? And why it required Rosalie to stuff me into this dress?" I asked. He shook his head, a playful smirk protruding from his face.

"A magician never reveals his secrets…" He leaned down, waiting for me to respond by closing my eyes and leaning upwards. When I looked up in confusion, he was halfway across the room, fiddling with a deck of cards to emphasise his point.

I scoffed. "You're not a magician, you're a Vampire…" I turned, feeling his presence behind me.

"Same thing!" He sounded offended, as if this was the most vital information in the world. Seeing him in such light was rapidly making up for the trivial annoyance he was causing me. It had been a long time since I had seen him in such high spirits. Before any of this, I'd never really gotten to know him, and when I had, we'd only ever really exchanged deep philosophical observations about why the world was out to get us. We'd sounded rather anti-social in our own little bubbles of depression. Now, I'd seen this free wild side of him that came with the feeling of new love, even fresher and more glorious than the last. Other than the pain in my wrist, my healing wholes were becoming scars very quickly. I feigned rolling my eyes, deciding I should go and get Esme's opinion on my dress before I truly went out in public. Edward hadn't reared his head in the past two weeks, due to Carlisle's instruction, and it had come apparent that he and Alice were not on good terms.

"Esme?" I called. She poked her head from around the kitchen and the rest of her body exposed itself as she took in my outfit. My hair was lightly curled; I was wearing my blue dress, with the black shoes that Rose had told me were about an inch off the ground with heels. She hugged me tightly, crooning as she stroked the top of my head.

"You look beautiful, honey…" She smiled, ruffling my side fringe slightly.

"Thank you, Esme. I needed a fourth opinion, just in case…" Her smile grew more pronounced.

"Thank you! I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time, my dearest Bella," She pulled me tighter into her embrace. I gladly hugged her back with my human force. Esme had become my Forks mother. Only Esme did take on the nurturing role I found I needed from time to time, whereas with my mother and I, the roles were reversed. Carlisle smiled, taking in the sight before him before catching Esme's attention and cuddling her affectionately instead. I smiled, feeling the need to look away from their private moment. I sat on the couch, waiting for something to happen soon. What was Jasper waiting for? I knew the treat would be somewhere expensive, so I just wanted to get it over and done with by now. Didn't he know me well enough already? Just as a sigh of frustration exited my mouth, Alice came sprinting down the stairs, brush and makeup in each hand.

"Touch up!" She giggled. "I didn't want you to go out without looking perfect. Where's Rosalie?"

"Wherever Emmett is. Please don't look into the future." I gagged silently.

She laughed, touching my makeup at Vampire speed. I barely had time to blink more than once before she was done.

"And, voila!" I didn't notice the difference, but it was Alice, so I had to take her advice. Slowly, from day to day, I was gaining more confidence in Alice, and she seemed to understand I still had several limits to which we would either need to work to, or never pass again. For example, any other items of clothing than the ones everyone could see. I wondered, if the proposal to turn me into a Vampire was still vacant. I was now the same age as Jasper in human years, which disturbed me to a degree. This was my last year of teens. I had to be changed between now and September, and with everything that had happened, would I be ready for that commitment again? I had been ready for Edward, but look what happened. I had trusted Jasper subconsciously with my heart since the fateful night we found out, but could I trust someone that much again? I still got sharp stabbing pains in my chest from the thought of betrayal.

"-Bella!!" A petite hand was raised in front of me, waving frantically to get my attention. I flinched, being brought back to this hourglass.

"You were out of it. Is that what I look like when I have visions? It's kinda eerie." She smiled, before her gaze softened and she took my hand. She was careful not to offend me, but I still didn't see why. There wasn't much that Alice could offend me with anymore.

"Are you okay Bella?" She let go of me and stood up. "Jasper will be here in forty-six seconds. I don't want you to keep it all pent up. If you won't talk to me about whatever is bothering you, please go to Rose, or to Esme, or Jasper even. I know you need to find the trust in me again, and I know you will someday. That's not something a seer needs to see to know. You are so forgiving Bella, I love you. Twenty-seven seconds." And then she ascended the stairs. I wondered idly if she was a little insulted that I didn't confide in her, but nonetheless, I knew she understood. I would have to bring the change up to Carlisle sooner or later, but first, I needed to see how far Jasper would go for me.

My chin was raised delicately, with the same amount of pressure as petals and roses. I opened my eyes tiredly to meet the golden stare of my fallen angel. He stared, analysing the cause of my sadness without question, but my soul was on lockdown, until I could figure out my next step. He knew it would be against my wishes for him to emotionally affect me, or ask me what was wrong, so instead, he led me to his car, black and bold, as lean as a panther in the dark night.

As we arrived in the diner, I felt a light blush form on my face as the man who served us gawked at me every few seconds. I saw, as he came to serve us, him give Jasper the odd jealous glare. I did not understand why.

"You're confused." My head darted up.

"The waiter keeps glaring at you…" I replied, rolling my food on a fork as I felt a traitor blush rise upon my cheeks.

He laughed gently, stroking my cheek with his soft, silk touch. "You are beautiful. He envies me."

I smiled. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes."

I ate at Jasper's request as the previously tense atmosphere thinned. I even got to see Jasper pull a couple of faces. The waitress that had replaced our waiter was soon coming towards him, asking him what was wrong.

"Is the dish not to your liking, Sir?" She gave me a look as she said the word 'dish' I scowled right back at her.

"Oh no, we're fine…Really. The meal is, satisfactory." When she left, he grimaced, and I burst out into a fit of laughter

"Jasper, you're facial expressions are so comical!! What does it taste like to you!?" He moaned, mumbling something incoherent.

"What was that, Jazz?" I asked, having settled down slightly. He mumbled the word again only this time I heard him.

"Faeces," I tried and failed to choke back laughter, my eyes meeting his apologetically. He was doing this for me, after all. I could have at least been a bit more sensitive. Jasper managed to crack a smile too, glancing down at my empty plate and bringing his gaze back up to me immediately.

"Are you ready to go?"

I smiled, feeling full to the brim, and nodding towards Jasper. He took my hand, paying the bill and setting off for home.

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Alice's POV

As I sat beside Rosalie, watching her absent-mindedly clench and un-clench her fist in unnecessary annoyance, I couldn't help but feel an undisclosed pang of dread. My emotions were often subjected to the emotional climate of my visions, and with my suspicions confirmed about the dire vision, a new dread added to the already heavy panic that was setting into my lungs, choking me remarkably well for a woman who didn't need to breathe. My breath became shallow, before I stopped altogether. My eyes scanned sporadically, looking for something or somebody that would trigger whatever I needed to see. When I had a bad vision, these panic attacks would come frequently until I knew what I was seeing. Emmett was stacking a pile of cards, Esme was sketching some Venetian houses, Carlisle was reading another book from the huge collection in his study, and Edward sat beside me and toyed with his phone quietly.

I clutched my head, feeling awfully human as my brain felt like it was throbbing and I lost all feeling in my legs. I closed my eyes- always one of my last desperate attempts to look to a time that has not yet happened. I strained and strained, and the headache only ever got worse, until the pain I didn't know my kind could feel was overwhelming, and I collapsed on my knees in agony, shaking my head like a pit bull in an attempt to shake the acid off.

This was new, this was very new. I'd never had a mind attack before. It was like the burning my family had described to me so many times, but in my head. I opened my eyes, seeing not much more than stars, until my already hazy vision turned to grey. I could feel my family herding around me, shaking me and gripping my shoulders roughly, trying to get me to tell them what was wrong with me. I couldn't answer them; I could scarcely move my lips, let alone operate my voice box. I screamed out to Edward, and as he looked into my mind, he retracted, hissing and moaning in pain. He filled them in on what was happening as I heard Esme's sobs. Even Rosalie, who hadn't spoken to me since she'd slapped Edward, blaming me for Jasper not beheading him, was close to sobbing my name. I was just about aware of these things, a painful ringing in my ears before I could see nothing more than black behind my lids and in my mind. The pain turned to a sharp numbing, almost like 'cramp' and I was able to breathe again. My head still ached however, as I took in sharp, uneven gulps of air.

Then what I had sought to happen happened. I had my vision.

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Bella's POV

He pulled into the driveway with ease, smiling warmly at me. I smiled a fond smile in return. Just as I placed a hand on the doorknob, Jasper stiffened. As I outstretched an arm to him, I could feel the waves of uneasiness rolling off of him. I recoiled in agony at the intensity of the emotion. Somebody inside was feeling whatever Jasper was feeling, and I had to know why. I gave Jasper one more frantic look, before dashing into the house to find Alice's tiny body set in stone. She was frozen in constant horror, as if she was replaying a memory over and over again. Edward was there already, managing to do nothing. I ran over, pushing him out of the way. I kneeled down by her thighs, and grabbed her little face in my hands, massaging her cheekbones with my thumbs. She continued to stare blankly at me.

"Alice…? Alice...? What is it?" I re-applied my hands to her shoulders, finding that I was able to shake her slightly.

"Alice, come back to us. Tell us what's wrong…." I turned to Emmett. "How long has she been like this?"

He thought for several seconds. "Um, about fifteen minutes?"

I turned back, to find her eyes had lost some of their cloud, and liquid gold flowed back to them, although her tiny face was still etched in horror. Her eyes glistened, and I knew that if she could, she would be crying.

"Bella!" She hugged me protectively. I placed a hand on the back of her head and told her it would be okay.

"N-no, Carlisle, we need to do this now! Where is Jasper? What if it takes longer-"She faltered. I scanned everybody's faces, and there was just as much confusion on them as mine. Carlisle stepped forward and placed a fatherly hand on Alice's shoulder.

"Alice, we need to know what your vision was about. Take a few minutes, and then try and tell us what is happening." She took his advice, looking to me and the rest of her family. Her arms still embraced me protectively. In the midst of the trouble, Jasper had come back, and was now just as anxious to hear what she had to say as the rest of the family.

"Remember our little trip to Italy a few years ago?" We nodded. "They're coming. The Volturi is coming for Bella." She looked at me, tightening her hold on me.

"In five days."

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Many questions left unanswered….

Thinky things!