Ok. Another chapter, as promised. And we have Alice's execution to look forward to...well not look forward to but...meh you know what I mean.
Alice pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, as she watched the sun rise above Forks. The orange light played across her face, throwing glints of light into the dawn sky, and she revelled in the warming caress. Not wishing to be outdone by the waking sun, a light breeze embraced her. It seemed to Alice that the world was kissing her goodbye. It was a good day to die, she decided from the roof of her home.
It was truly the only place she would not be disturbed by her family. She had taken Jacob and Bella to the mountains; they had spent the day enjoying each other's company, and forging memories for the other two. Alice knew that it was a day well spent.
But now her days were over, and she was alone. Alone she allowed herself to let the bravado fall from her face, and let the terror claim her heart. Just beyond her home's reach, she could see three dark figures, standing in their silent vigil. The sun would not touch them, and the wind did not pull at their cloaks. Her executioners stood, waiting for her.
Sighing softly she got to her feet, and wandered down, into the house with an unerring grace. Carlisle was waiting for her beneath the hatch. "Alice. I'm sorry." She didn't have to force a smile for him. Her father would see straight through her, and he wouldn't appreciate the attempt.
"For what?" Carlisle's golden eyes searched her own, for forgiveness, she thought. He needn't search; her forgiveness was always readily given.
"For following Edward's wishes all this time. I never questioned him, not once. I should have. It should never have come to this." There was sadness in his eyes, and the smile she gave him was real.
"I forgive you, Dad." It was the title more than the forgiveness that brought the faint smile to the doctor's face. "Now come on. I don't think I've been late in my life. Today would be a terrible time to start." She let her father lead her to the rest of the family, who were stood by the door wearing identical expressions of grief, pretending she wasn't terrified. Pretending she was brave. Four more sets of golden eyes fell onto her body, but she couldn't face them. Her eyes sought the brown pair, and the girl stood beside her husband.
Bella's eyes were drowning in tears. Alice stepped forwards and carefully brushed them away. "Don't cry." She whispered, taking the warm hand. She placed a gentle kiss on the back of the palm. "Please, don't cry." Each tear that fell drove another splinter into her already dead heart.
"I don't want you to die." Alice smiled, and, rolling onto her tiptoes, placed a kiss onto the human's forehead.
"Sweetheart, I've been dead almost my whole life." Bella forced a watery smile, but it seemed painful to the vampire.
"I love you." Her voice was soft and unsteady, but the three words buoyed her up as nothing else could. The sparkle in her golden eyes became a little more real. The next kiss was placed onto Bella's lips, soft as the still rising sun had kissed Alice.
"I know." The vampire murmured against warm lips. "I love you too. I always will." She pulled away finally, and raised her voice. "The same goes for all of you."
Her eyes fell on Jasper, and unconsciously her hand rose to his wedding ring. It was now hanging from a delicate gold chain around her neck, close to her heart. He looked as if his whole world had shattered before his very eyes, and there was nothing he could to fix it.
She cast a glance to the rest of her family. Esme looked distraught, Alice felt a pang of guilt: she had taken two of her children from the kindly woman. Fate had a twisted sense of humour when she decided Esme should outlive three children.
Emmett was subdued, his eyes were sparkling, as if with unshed tears, but he couldn't cry any more than Alice herself could. Rosalie stood by him, holding his hand, her marble face creased with sadness. But there was pride in her eyes.
"We're proud of you Alice. You know that, right?" The blonde's voice was unusually kind, Alice's throat constricted and she could say the words, she nodded. "Good." Alice turned on her heel, towards the door. She swallowed the lump in her throat.
"You guys should stay here." She knew they wouldn't. Knew that as soon as she was out of sight they would follow her. But she had to try and protect them.
She ran as fast as she could through the trees, to the clearing just beyond the Cullen's land. To where her executioners were already waiting. She had barely breached the clearing when Emmett's voice reached her keen ears.
"You're not doing this alone, Ali-cat." He murmured, pulling her into a hug, his huge frame seeming to shield her from the Volturi. "You don't deserve to die alone." Alice smiled softly as the others made themselves visible to her once she was released; Bella was cradled in Jasper's arms. "Don't worry, Ali. We'll look after your girl." Emmett winked down at her, and she smiled. "Who knows what she'll find next? Zombies, maybe?" She laughed. A real tinkling laugh.
"Alice Cullen." Aro's voice broke the moment, just as she knew it would. Caius stood beside him, his long dark hair just as still, even though there was a light breeze. Jane stood at Aro's right hand, a twisted smile on her angelic face, lank brown hair pinned behind her.
Alice looked into the eyes of her family one more time, before turning her back on them, wandering into the sun. She let her pale skin throw shards of light, knowing that it was an action her executioners would hate. The tiny rebellion brought a tiny smirk to her lips. Aro smiled too, but his smile was cold, and just a little confused. "I should have known you were too noble to take the head-start I allowed you." His reedy voice seemed to swell in the small clearing. "Didn't I tell you she was noble?" Caius' ruby eyes flickered to his comrade.
"Repeatedly." He muttered, already sounding bored.
An itching sensation prickled at Alice's fingertips, and she turned her golden eyes onto Jane. The twin crimson orbs were fixed directly onto Alice. The itching developed to a vague pain and began to spread up her arm until it encompassed her entire body.
"You'll have to excuse Jane's… eagerness. She likes to play." Alice gave Aro a jerky nod but didn't move her gaze from the child beside him. "You have been sentenced to death, for the murder of one Edward Cullen. Your brother." Aro sounded tired, pleading even. "You could still-"
"No." Her curt reply snapped around the clearing, and the trees seemed to rustle in agreement.
Aro nodded towards Jane.
Unbearable pain exploded all across her body, but she didn't scream. The pain blinded her, and forced her to her knees, but she would not scream. Alice didn't think that the body was capable of feeling pain so concentrated, but somehow, it got worse. A muted yell pushed itself through her lips, and her consciousness began to waver. At least she would not be aware when she was torn apart. It was merciful in a way.
Animalistic roars rumbled through the trees that surrounded them.
The pain stopped, and Alice forced her eyes open.
Four wolves the sizes of small cars were stood before her. Between Alice and the Volturi, growls echoed inside their chests. A familiar blackfur, two greyfurs, and a very familiar brownfur. Jacob.
"What is this treachery?" Caius yelled, stumbling backwards in an attempt to get away from the greyfur that was bearing down on him.
"It appears that we have stumbled upon werewolf territory." Aro sounded amused. "Curious. I thought you had hunted them to extinction Caius." The greyfur snapped playfully at Caius, and Alice finally saw that it was Seth.
"So did I." The other man spat, eyeing the wolves with a mix of terror and disgust.
Blackfur receded and left Sam standing before the Volturi, seemingly perfectly comfortable, even though he was completely naked. Jane narrowed her eyes before averting them, Caius snarled, and Aro merely lifted an amused eyebrow.
"This is an unlawful execution." He stated in his deep, comforting voice. Alice wished she could stand, so she at least didn't look as weak as she felt. But the best she could manage was lifting her head.
"Oh?" Aro's eyes twinkled.
"Edward was killed on our territory. Your laws are not in effect there. Ours are." Sam waved a hand towards Seth and Jacob. "She saved two of my pack, and a human. Our law states that she is hero."
"And ours that she is a criminal. A criminal with no sense of loyalty." Caius spat towards the alpha, albeit from a safe distance.
"She was indeed noble." Aro murmured. The slight pain began again in Alice's limbs, but she daren't speak, wasn't even sure that she could. Aro appeared to smile at Sam. "We shall leave her to you, sir." He added, and to everyone's astonishment, turned his back on the wolves, and began to walk away. "Come. We're leaving." Excruciating pain flared directly in the centre of Alice's chest, at the same time a vision exploded in a flash of colour behind her eyelids.
Jane watched the Cullen girl slump to the floor, and gave a yell of victory. A brown furred wolf lunged towards her with a roar of anguish, knocking her to the ground easily.
Caius flew towards the nearest greyfur, only to be intercepted by the second. Together the greyfurs kept him pinned to the floor. He was unable to move.
Aro yelled for his comrades to yield as the man before him changed fluidly back into the black furred wolf. The blackfur snarled. Aro's eyes widened for a split second, then he dropped to one knee in a gesture of surrender.
The Cullen's raced to their daughter's unmoving form, each trying to rouse her, until, finally, Emmett collected her into his arms and walked away. The others followed.
Behind them the wolves continued their bloody task, unhindered by vampire law.
The colour faded, and all Alice could feel outside of that terrible pain, was the leafy ground beneath her. And then she felt, saw, smelt, and heard, nothing.
...I cannot, absolutely cannot believe I just killed Aro.
