Disclaimer: If I owned Twilight, it would be so much better.

Author's Note: An alternate title for this chapter could be: "Bella Gets a Backbone."

Jacksonville Blues - Destination London (James' Point of View) (1171)

"I assume that we do have a nice inconspicuous place for us to stay," Edward sneered.

I inhaled deeply, not for any particular reason other than soothing my frayed nerves. "For the last time: yes, Edward, we do have a safe place to stay. We can hide out at one of my friend's houses."

"Oh, really," he inquired. I was almost sure that he was just doing this to annoy my.

"Really, Edward."

"I see… Is this friend of yours a… Shall we say… A carnivore?"

I chewed the inside of my lip in annoyance. " Yes, Edward, he is a carnivore. But, he's lived around humans long enough to be able to control himself."

"I highly doubt that. I remember all of your friends from the sixties. Which one is it, Danny? Alfred?"

"Alistair."

"Ahh, Alistair, the rambling narcotic. Tell me, is he still on drugs?"

I rolled my eyes. "Most likely. He sounded sober when I called him."

"I bet that he's higher than a kite when we get there," Edward turned to the short one. "What do you think?"

"I don't know… I haven't had any visions since we left the states," she replied, her brow furrowing.

Alistair's House

The door opened and Alistair peeked out. "James, is that you?"

"Yes, Alistair, it's me."

Alistair stepped out, the murky light glinting off of his half-moon glasses. He glanced down at me then at Alice, Edward, and Bella. "So these are the friends you were talking about… I remember your brother," Edward grimaced. "And the short one must be Alice Hale. That means that you," he pointed to Bella. "Are Bella Swan. I have heard much of you and James," he smiled. "Come in!"

We entered the house and Alistair led us to his tiny living room. He smiled warmly at Bella. "Would you like some tea?"

She smiled back, blushing. "No thanks."

"Very well then," he turned to me. "A glass of O-positive for you, James."

"Yeah, thanks, Alistair."

Alice and Edward exchanged glances, then looked at me with the same exasperated look on their faces. I shrugged, grinning. "It's in my nature? Can't help that."

Alistair returned with a glass of O-positive for me, and some AB-neg for himself. He was always one for the rare blood types. I wondered what would happen when he found out that Bella was the same blood type as he was drinking. Edward stiffened and glanced tightly in my direction.

"I hear that you're in some trouble with the Volturi," Alistair gazed down into his AB-neg and swirled his cup. "I also heard that you needed a place to hide."

"That's about it, kid," I replied, taking a swig of my blood.

"Kid? Hah, that's a laugh. The long and short of my message is this: I know where you can go where they won't."

Edward and Alice leaned forward in anticipation. Apparently Eddie couldn't hear Star's thoughts.

"There is a place, nestled deep in the eastern Romanian Alps, that is completely safe from Volturi jurisdiction. It is guarded by the Skovvgard family. They are sworn enemies of the Volturi and will give sanctuary to anyone who is running from them. Are you willing to travel there?"

"I'm up for it," I replied. Not wanting to face the Volturi or my ex at any time in my undead life.

"Me too," Bella squeaked.

Edward looked none too pleased. "Eastern Romania? Are you kidding? I'm not letting Bella go anywhere that dangerous!"

I rolled my eyes. "God, Edward, did you ever stop to think what Bella might want? You're seriously over-protective!"

He growled through barred teeth. "I'm not letting her go anywhere with you."

"Edward," Bella practically yelled in his ear. "I'm tired of you treating me like my opinion doesn't matter, or even exist," she inhaled deeply. "I thought you were the one, but now you're just so overprotective that I can't do anything on my own," she took another breath, this one was quivering. "I'm… I'm breaking up with you."

I could have sworn that my jaw and Eddie's both hit the floor at that moment. Bella was showing signs of being a normal human! She was breaking free of a controlling boyfriend who controlled her so much that it was on the point of abuse. I almost screamed "YES" at the top of my lungs.

"I need to find who I am without you," she picked at her fingers. "And it's not because of James. I'm not really in love with him, it was an impulsive thing to say. But, he is my friend."

Edward's mouth opened and closed convulsively. I could almost see his mind working frantically, trying to figure out what brought along this sudden turn of events. "You're what?"

Bella's voice was a bit stronger when she answered. "I don't think you're good for me. I'm breaking up with you."

Alistair looked a little nonplused that all of this was happening in his house, and Alice was gazing blankly off into space. I was just surprised that Bella was showing signs of what appeared to be genuine independence.

Bella turned to me. "Will you take me to Romania?"

"Uhm… Sure?"

"Then let's go," she picked up her backpack. "We don't have much time," she sounded like she was eager to part from Edward's company. Said ex-boyfriend was sitting, stone-faced on the couch while Bella was saying her goodbyes. Her first was to Alice. "Alice, I will always think of you as my very best of friends. I am so sorry if I have hurt you in any way!"

Alice shook her head. "I never thought you had it in you. I always knew that he was being too controlling for you to stay with him for long, but I never knew that you would ever leave him."

They embraced and Bella turned to Alistair. "Thank you so much for helping us! Maybe sometime I can come back and have some tea."

Then she turned to Edward. "Please, you once said essentially the same thing to me. Now let me make the same plea to you: don't do anything stupid. I'm not dead, just gone for a while. If you agree to let me have a voice, I might come back. But, until then, goodbye, Edward Cullen."

She squared her jaw and walked stiffly out of the door. "See ya, Star. Alice. Edward," I turned to look at him. "I'll keep her safe."

There was no response. He looked like a part of him had died.

Bella was quiet for the entire ferry ride of France. When we got to Paris we found a little B&B to stay in. The staff were polite and didn't ask questions.

When we got to our room, Bella sank down on the bed and started to sob convulsively. I sat next to her and patted her back. She grabbed me around the waste and, through the sobs, managed to get a few words out. "I hope he doesn't do anything stupid."