Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking
When there are clouds
In the sky you'll get by
If you smile through your pain and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through...
For you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
All though a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile if you just
Smile

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile what's the use
of crying you'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile.

Nat King Cole-Smile

"Piper, can you help me with my fighting?" Bella asked as I was talking to Emmett and he looked offended.

"You don't want me to teach you anymore," He taunted as I gave a scoff.

"No," She replied rolling her left shoulder with a slightly grimace and he chuckled.

"I don't know how good of a teacher I'll be," I said, "But I can try."

"Thank you," She smiled and we went out to the field. "Edward says that he can't see me as a target."

"Well that would be difficult," I shrugged.

"Emmett fights with you," she pouted.

"Comparing those two is like comparing a rock and a piece of paper," I laughed as we took our stances.

"Do you remember Alice and Jasper last year?" I asked and she nodded.

"A bit, it's blurry."

"Well remember how it was like a dance?" I asked and she nodded. "That is what you need to remember, you need to find a rhythm. Once you find you're rhythm it won't be hard to anticipate your opponent. Another thing is you know those overactive senses? Use every single one." Quickly I lunged at her and she reacted stepping to the side.

After a few seconds I had her by the throat and she let out an aggravated sigh.

"It's going to take time Bella," I smiled.

"We don't have time," she frowned and I felt my smile drop.

oOo

I watched with Eleazar, Carmen, and Tanya at Kate continually electrocuted Edward with very few misses on Kate's part. Occasionally Bella would get her newly discovered mental shield- Eleazar had pointed it out- out there but then it would like snap back into her body.

"Again, Kate," Bella grunted and Kate pressed her hand to Edward's shoulder.

"Nothing that time," He sighed in relief.

"That wasn't low, either." She raised her eyebrow.

"Good," Bella huffed.

"Get ready," Kate said to her and reached out to Edward. Seconds later he shuddered and let out a low hiss.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" Bella repeated.

"You're doing an amazing job, Bella," Edward said. "You've really only been working at this for a few days and you're already projecting sporadically. Kate, tell her how well she's doing."

"I don't know. She's obviously got tremendous ability, and we're only beginning to touch it. She can do better, I'm sure. She's just lacking incentive."

"Kate…" Edward warned as Kate raced to where Zafrina, Senna, and Nessie were walking along the river; Jacob shadowing them.

"Nessie," Kate said "would you like to come help your mother?"

"No," Bella snarled as they came back to where Bella was. "Absolutely not, Kate," she hissed.

"But Momma, I want to help," Ness said jumping into Bella's arms.

"No," She said backing away shifting Nessie onto her back as Kate advanced. "Stay away from us Kate."

"No." She stated and continued forward.

"Be careful, Kate," Edward cautioned as Bella released a vicious snarl.

Bella prepared to spring with Nessie clutching to her back when Kate spoke. "Can you hear anything from Nessie?" Kate asked.

"No, nothing at all," he answered. "Now give Bella some space to calm down, Kate. You shouldn't goad her like that. I know she doesn't seem her age, but she's only a few months."

"We don't have time to do this gently, Edward. We're going to have to push her. We only have a few weeks, and she's got the potential to…"

"Back off for a minute, Kate." She frowned but nodded.

"Kate," she growled. "Again, Edward only.

She moved forward and pressed her hand to Edwards shoulder. "Nothing," He said.

"And now?" Kate asked.

"Still Nothing."

"And now?" she strained.

"Nothing at all."

"Can you see this?" Zafrina asked.

"I don't see anything I shouldn't," Edward said.

"And you, Renesmee?" She just smiled and shook her head.

"No one panic, "Zafrina warned. "I want to see how far she can extend." Suddenly I was in a rainforest and gasped slightly.

"Raise your hand when you get your sight back," Zafrina instructed. "Now, Bella. She how many you can shield."

"Fascinating!" I heard Edward murmur. "It's like one-way glass. I can read everything they're thinking, but they can't reach me behind it. And I can hear Renesmee, though I couldn't when I was on the outside. I'll bet Kate could shock me now, because she's underneath the umbrella. I still can't hear you…hummm. How does that work? I wonder if…"

"Edward," I stated admonishingly and his rambles shut off.

"Very good," Zafrina complimented. "Now…"

"Can I have a minute?" Bella panted.

"Of course," Zafrina said and I felt my body tense slightly as the vision stopped and I blinked looking around the familiar backyard.

"Kate," Garrett called.

"I wouldn't, Garrett," Edward warned and I looked over at them confused.

"They say you can put a vampire flat on his back."

"Yes," she agreed then grinned and wiggled her fingers at him. "Curious?"

"That's something I've never seen. Seems like it might be a bit of an exaggeration…"

"Maybe, maybe it only works on the weak or the young. I'm not sure. You look strong. Perhaps you could withstand my gift." She stretched out her arm palm up, inviting him to touch.

Garrett grinned and confidently touched her palm. Instantly he let out a loud gasp and his knees buckled going over backwards.

"I told you so," Edward muttered.

Looking down I saw his eyelids trembled for a few seconds the open wide, "Wow."

"Did you enjoy that?" she asked skeptically eyeing his smile.

"I'm not crazy," He laughed, "but that was sure something!"

"That's what I hear."

"Did Alice send you?" Carlisle asked from the front yard. Quickly I followed Edward inside and stopped next to Emmett who quickly put his arm around me.

"No one sent us," A dark haired vampire responded in a smooth voice. I quickly took in his weird skin. It looked powdery, old…

"Then what brings you here now?" Carlisle responded wary.

"Word travels," the blonde said with the same weird skin and light voice. "We heard hints that the Volturi were moving against you. There were whispers that you would not stand alone. Obviously, the whispers were true. This is an impressive gathering."

"We are not challenging the Volturi," Carlisle answered. "There has been a misunderstanding that is all. A very serious misunderstanding, to be sure, but one we're hoping to clear up. What you see are witnesses. We just need the Volturi to listen. We didn't..."

"We don't care what they say you did," The dark haired one interrupted. "And we don't care if you broke the law."

"No matter how egregiously," Blondie added.

"We've been waiting a millennium and a half for the Italian scum to be challenged. If there is any chance they will fall, we will be here to see it."

"Or even to help defeat them. If we think you have a chance of success."

"Bella?" Edward called stepping forward. "Bring Renesmee here, Please. Maybe we should test our Romanian visitors' claims."

"Well, well, Carlisle. You have been naughty, haven't you?" Dark one grinned as Bella and Nessie walked forward and I glared.

"She's not what you think, Stefan."

"And we don't care either way," Blondie responded. "As we said before."

"Then you're welcome to observe, Vladimir, but it is definitely not our plan to challenge the Volturi, as we said before."

"Then we'll cross our fingers," Stefan began.

"And hope we get lucky," finished Vladimir.

oOo

I continued to practice my compulsion and surprisingly people stepped forward wanting to know how it worked. Though no matter how much I practiced, I couldn't get more than a hesitation without making eye contact. With eye contact I could hold a person as long as I wanted, but I couldn't ever expand it to another or it stopped the first, and to stop it all together I had to say their name in their mind.

It was frustrating and a bit useful I guess, but I still hated to use it on people.

"Piper," Rose called and I saw her standing at the door with a large white box.

"Yup?" I moved away from Emmett and walked over and looked down at the label frowning.

"I went to pick this up for you," She smiled softly.

"Why?" I murmured taking it.

"Because we still have a wedding," She whispered and pushed me up stairs. "Let's see how it fits."

"Rose I don't even want to put it on. We have so much going on…"

"Piper we are doing this," she commanded and I frowned but nodded.

'I don't want to do it without Alice.' I felt venom come to my eyes as they welled up.

"I know," she frowned looking down at the ground. We walked into my room I saw Esme already standing there and I watched as they brought it out of the box. I turned around, unbuttoning my shirt and slipping out of my jeans, and minutes later the dress was on and I was standing in front of the full length mirror.

"You look beautiful," Esme smiled slipped the netted blusher into the side of my hair with a cluster of three hydrangea flower pins.

"Thank you," I murmured.

"Try to smile," She pleaded softly and I managed a tiny half smile.

Looking into the mirror I saw a beautiful bride, but I didn't feel like one. The wedding was off for the moment. It was in everyone's best interests, we needed to concentrate on what was happening.

I'd quickly convinced Rose and Esme to let me out of the dress and I walked downstairs. Emmett immediately noticed my foul mood and walked over.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing," I gave a small smile and he frowned. "Let's just go watch some TV."

I linked my fingers with his and pulled him over to the couch next to Devan who was flipping through the channels at lightning speed. Still worried, he sat down and pulled me into his lap as I leaned my head back onto his chest while glancing down at my ring. A month ago I wasn't sure that getting married this soon was a good idea and now I was depressed because I wasn't.

"Excellent," Emmett spoke excitedly, and in small surprise I tensed minutely as I came back to reality. "The forest needs thinning." I looked up to see that he had been talking to Bella who must have just gotten back from her fathers.

"There's plenty of time for that tomorrow," Edward said.

"Don't be ridiculous," Bella complained. "There's no such thing as plenty of time anymore. That concept does not exist. I have a lot to learn and…"

"Tomorrow," Edward cut her off. I turned my attention back to the TV and figured that Edward had won since Emmett stayed where he was.

A couple minutes later I silently un-wrapped his arms from around me and walked up the stairs into our room and crawled up into the middle of the bed more than ever wishing I could sleep this off. "Piper?" He whispered, having followed me up and laid beside me pulling my back into his chest. "Are you ok?"

"No," I murmured honestly.

"What's the matter?" He tightened his arm while placing a soft kiss against the back of my neck.

"Everything," I murmured, "This whole thing, what if we don't make it? What if this plan doesn't work? Then there's the wedding that's not going to happen, and I know it's selfish to think about that when this is all going on but…"

"We could still do it."

"I don't want to…" I trailed off and felt him tense. "I don't want to do it now, this shouldn't be on anyone's mind. They should be focusing on the Volturi, plus I don't want to do it with Alice and Jasper gone." The last part came out a little above a breath.

"Piper, what if they never come back." Emmett murmured.

"They will, they didn't abandon us," I growled and heard him sigh slightly. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, never." He whispered and I shifted flipping around to face him. "I can't blame you for holding onto this. I want to believe it too."

Reaching up I caressed his cheek. "I've got an idea but we can't tell anyone," I whispered.