A/N: Sorry, it's been a while again, hasn't it? I'm not sure if I got this chapter quite right, but I hope you like it anyway!

Edward and the Doctor hurried along the dark hallways, the Doctor struggling to keep up with the vampire's swift pace despite his longer legs. Neither of them said anything, but the Doctor watched Edward carefully, wondering what he was planning. If Edward heard the Doctor's speculations, he didn't say anything.

They reached their destination very quickly. It was directly beneath the Volturi's headquarters, and was probably part of the original architecture. The room itself was very old, the walls pitted with age and ancient pillars in the corners. This contrasted oddly with the unearthly light that wavered through the room, coming from numerous flat-screen computer monitors set up throughout the room and connected to various complicated-looking controls, flashing out new statistics every few seconds.

Edward stopped in the doorway of the room and let the Doctor move into the room, examining the different controls and muttering to himself. "This is...nice," the Doctor said eventually, still poking at various interfaces scattered through the room. "Nothing exceptional, but it's sleek. Probably decades ahead of its time. Maybe centuries. But very specialized...they made this all from scratch. Impressive. All to support one life form...mind you, it's doing its job. I would guess that the Great One himself is somewhere under our feet right now." The Doctor stared at a screen for another few moments before he glanced at the vampire still haunting the doorway. "So, what do you think?

"I'm more interested in what you think, Doctor," said Edward, his face blank.

"Yes, well...but that's no fun! After all, this is your universe. None of this is up to me. It's not my decision; it's yours. But I can help you to do whatever you choose." The Doctor indicated the controls. "Just say the word."

Edward considered the Doctor's words, frowning as he thought. "Can we kill it? Is it possible?"

"It's possible, sure," said the Doctor, nodding. "All we'd have to do is turn off all the equipment. Or better, we could sabotage it. But, well..."

"But what?" asked Edward suspiciously.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think you'd really like the consequences."

***

Still riding Jasper's back, Rose jumped as Alice swore in her high-pitched voice. "We have a problem."

"We didn't before?" Bella asked, sounding panicky, but Jasper overrode her. "What's that?"

"The Volturi are becoming coherent enough to plan. It's not solid yet, but I think we have about...seven and a half minutes before they reach the Great One's chambers. That's seven and a half minutes to do whatever we're doing and get the hell out of there," said Alice tensely. "Plus, I don't trust Edward. We really need to hurry."

Jasper nodded, and Rose thought the vampires sped up, if that was even possible.

***

Edward stared at the different controls, pondering. "All right, so say killing it isn't...desirable. This does regulate the Great One's genetic structure. How extensively can we reprogram? No, don't say anything, just think through it."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at that but did as Edward commanded, staring at the ceiling as he ran through different possible scenarios in his mind. They stayed that way for several minutes, in silence.

"No," said Edward finally, voice tense, "It's not sufficient. We still have a duty to fix things. If the only way's to kill the thing straight out, then we have to do it."

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," the Doctor said. "Don't forget you're not the only one who has a say in things."

"Do we really have a choice? What's the point of coming all this way if we do nothing?" Edward demanded. "We could end all the killing, everywhere, here and now. I'd say that's worth--"

"No!" came a shrill voice from down the hallway, and suddenly Alice and Rose appeared in the room, Jasper and Bella hot on their heels. "Edward, I'm sorry, but touch those controls and I'll have to hurt you," Alice continued. "I've seen what'll happen."

"Edward, what?" Bella cut in, her tone sharp for once as she recognized the expression on his face. "What are you planning?"

"Killing the Great Vampire will kill all of us, Edward," Alice whispered. "Us, and all the vampires everywhere. Do you really want that?"

"Considering how many human lives we save by doing so," said Edward, words coming fast and hard, "maybe. How can we not, given the choice?"

"It's not your choice," said Jasper suddenly. "If you try, I'll stop you. I won't let anyone hurt Alice."

"Besides," Alice cut in quickly, "Edward, you wouldn't just be dooming us. You've seen the future, because I've seen it. If you do kill the Great One, its death throes would be enough to bring the entire Volturi headquarters down on our heads."

"Not only that, but half the city as well," the Doctor added. "That's more deaths to add to the list."

"And they wouldn't get out in time," Alice said. "The Doctor and Bella and Rose. If you could even convince Bella to leave. So you'd be killing her, too."

Edward glowered at Alice, who smiled sweetly. "So that's it," she said. "I believe we win."

"Fine," said Edward, defeated. "We have a little less than five minutes to alter the system as much as we can." He turned toward the Doctor. "Show me what to do."