It's never enough to say I'm sorry

It's never enough to say I care

But I'm caught between what you wanted from me

And knowing that if I give that to you

I might just disappear

Nobody wins when everyone's losing

It's like one step forward and two steps back

No matter what I do you're always mad

And I, I can't change your mind

I know it's like trying to turn around on a one way street

I can't give you what you want

And it's killing me

And I, I'm starting to see

Maybe we're not meant to be

It's never enough to say I love you

No, it's never enough to say I try

It's hard to believe

That's there's no way out for you and me

And it seems to be the story of our lives

Nobody wins when everyone's losing

There's still time to turn this around

You could be building this up instead of tearing it down

But I keep thinking

Maybe it's too late…

Not Meant To Be - Theory Of A Deadman.

Welcome to Existence: Chapter 12, Not Meant to Be, Alice POV

The vision hit me from all angles; Edward on his knees, begging for death, Aro, being ever merciful, giving him time to think about his actions, before deliberating. Jesus! What was Edward thinking! This was the absolute worst thing he could have done! Involving the Volturi on a matter like this…After the battle, we had tried so hard to hide Bella's involvement, but to go and do this? Why? Why was he so pigheaded?

There was a soft knock on the door as I threw together my passport, and some money. Ilene breezed in, sitting herself down on the bed. I looked at her cautiously, and she shook her head, "Where is he?"

"He's gone to Italy," I replied, quietly, "To Volterra."

"WHAT!?" Ilene cried, jumping up, "What the hell has he gone to those madmen for?"

"Edward…Edward can't accept Emmett and Bella, and he's heartbroken…or, in my honest opinion, Len, he's doing it to emotionally blackmail Bella,"

"Shit," she cursed, running her fingers through her hair, "I have my old passport in the car, it's still in date."

"You want to come?" I asked, shocked.

"Oh, please. He's my responsibility now, isn't he? She doesn't want him anymore, and I don't blame her. Why doesn't he ever think, for fucks sake!?" she said angrily, her hands curling into fists.

"She is his world, and has been for the past four years. I understand why he's so upset, but he should have realized that leaving wasn't the best thing for Bella, after all." I confessed.

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Alice." Ilene said, as we flew down the stairs.

"What…what's going on?" Esme asked, alarmed.

"It's Edward, he's took the Romeo approach, Esme," Ilene said, softly.

Emmett appeared at the top of the stairs, "Bella's just called me. That little... I knew he'd do this to her. I'm coming too."

I rolled my eyes, and tapped my watch impatiently. "We have don't have much time, we need to get they before he makes his decision,"

"I'm coming too," Jasper said, coming out of the study, tucking his passport into his pocket.

"Are we making this a family affair?" Ilene smirked.

"Please call us, as soon as you hear anything, I will go to Carlisle at work, and we will be on the first plane out there," Esme vowed, as she hugged Emmett, her body shaking. "You are all my children, no matter where you came from, I love you all."

"Aww, mom," Emmett said, hugging her tightly.

Hugs and loves were exchanged and we all packed into Emmett's jeep, taking a sobering glance at the mother who loved us all, unconditionally.

Jasper wrapped his arm around me, and I leaned in as Emmett to the highway toward Bella's. "We'll stop him, baby, don't you worry,"

Ilene grimaced in the mirror, "I am going to kick his ass."

Emmett growled, "Get in line,"

We all waited in line at Seattle airport, clutching our passports. Emmett handed over his credit card, and paid for all five tickets. Bella was shaking, so much so, that Emmett had his hands wrapped tightly around her, as she buried her face in his chest. "Don't worry, Bells," he said, kissing her head.

"I know why he is doing it, Emmett." she said, handing her passport over to Emmett, who put gave them to the guard.

"He's a brat, Bella. Self indulgent, and now he's realized that can't have you, he'll go to any lengths to get you." Ilene chimed in.

I sighed and patted Bella's back, "He'll come around, Bella. I know it."

She bit her lip, and looked sideways at Emmett, "I just want us to be happy,"

I smiled brightly, "You will be. Trust me."

We rushed through Newark airport, and I was waiting on tender hooks for another vision to hit me. It had to come; I needed to know what my brother was thinking. As we boarded the main flight to Italy, the nerves were starting to overcome all of us. Bella was sleeping restlessly in Emmett's arms, and Ilene and Jasper were talking quietly. I looked around the plane, everyone seemed locked in their own world. If only they knew just how important our journey was, they would think twice about the triviality of their endeavors.

The flight drug and I was counting down the hours, searching the future for any possible hints. Flashes of Edward would come and go; it was always the same. Edward with his head bowed as Marcus and Aro looked on, Aro with sympathy, Marcus with boredom.

Suddenly, the vision crashed into me; Edward was turning away, his fists clenched tightly.

They had told him no.

"They said no," I breathed, causing Emmett to look up, and Ilene and Jasper to move closer.

"They denied his request?" Jasper said, his relief pouring through all of us.

"Aro said it would be waste of someone so talented, he's thinking of ways to cause trouble, so they'll take him out," I said, praying for more.

"We have an hour until we land…How much longer do we have?" Ilene said, worried.

"I'd say…three hours maximum," I spoke, calculating the time.

Emmett laid Bella over his lap, "We need a car rented as soon as we get off the plane. You, Ilene and Bella need to head straight for him. He won't listen to Jasper, and certainly not to me."

I nodded in agreement, "I think Ilene has the best chance of convincing him, he seems to listen to her,"

"He obviously doesn't; I told him he needed time to get over it, but look what he goes and does. Takes the coward's way out, if I didn't like him so much, I'd kill him myself." Ilene argued.

"Eddie likes tough love," Emmett grinned.

"He needs some serious therapy once this is over. Did he really think he'd get away with it?" she asked.

"Hes confused, upset," I said looking at Emmett's guilty expression, "Devastated even. But, he doesn't seem to realize that he made all of these decisions. I honestly think he sees no other way, but still, it's emotional blackmail. It won't make Bella love him again."

"Alice, what if we don't get to him in time?" Jasper asked.

"We will."

My will was absolutely iron clad. I wasn't about to lose another sibling.

Ilene was pacing as we were lead through passport control, being one to speak her mind, and with her ever loving mouth, she muttered, "What the hell is taking these pack rats so long?"

I shrugged my shoulders as Jasper walked through the metal detector, followed by Bella and Emmett. Ilene hissed irritably at the poor man on the desk, and waltzed through. I dumped my belt and gigantic bag on the tiny little tray and walked quickly through. As I turned around, only Bella and Ilene remained in place. Jasper and Emmett had gone to get the cars and I dug into my bag and handed Ilene a long sleeved white Mac and a pair of sunglasses.

"Alice, you dolt, it's hotter than hell here, why would I wear a Mac?" she said slipping it on.

"The sun." I replied, sliding my own sunglasses on.

Bella lingered, looking at us, worry etched on her face. Jasper walked over, dropping a set of keys into my hand. "A yellow Porsche baby, I know how you like 'em fast,"

I looked into his eyes, and my own prickled with emotion. He nodded, understanding how I was feeling. I touched his face, tracing the bite shaped scar on his eyebrow.

"We'll be right behind you," Emmett chimed in as we took off for the front of the airport.

I slipped the seat back, allowing Bella to slide into the car, and Ilene slammed the door shut as she waited anxiously. "Alice, come on,"

I revved the engine taking off, hitting top speed to save time. The sun was shining, irritating my eyes as I wove through the streets of Volterra. All I could see was a sea of red people celebrating St. Marcus' Day. What a joke; little did they know St. Marcus was sitting in a tower less than a mile away.

"Shit, we are never going to make it, Alice!" Ilene panicked.

I parked the car in the side street, my eyes going blurred as the vision hit me.

"By the Clock Tower, he's going for the maximum effect, the sun…it'll expose what he is," I said looking at the time, "We have seven minutes, Bella, Ilene, you must go!"

Ilene scrambled to get out of the car, running as Bella followed on behind her.

I started the car racing into the nearest empty street. I heard the roar of a Jeep behind, and nearly sobbed in relief as Jasper and Emmett jumped out. "We don't have long; Bella and Ilene are already gone. He's trying to out them, we've got to be fast. The Clock Tower."

Emmett nodded, and took off on foot after Bella and Ilene. My long dead heart was in my throat. Jasper took my hand and together we ran as fast as we possibly could in eyesight of the humans all around us. I felt him trying to reassure me, but I couldn't face it. This was my closet brother; no matter how much disruption he caused, or how much heartache he caused, I loved him.

Edward POV

I couldn't live without her. It was all too much. There was no other way.

The Volturi had not granted my request, so with no hesitation on my behalf, I began to plan. They would not take too kindly to a public exposé and stepping out into the bright sunlight in the middle of the day, would be the perfect situation. I closed my eyes, testing the sunlight, feeling it caress my skin.

The chiming of the bell startled me, and I took one final, deep breath, and took a step out of the shade and into the light.

"Edward! No!" I heard a familiar voice scream. Ilene?

I heard her then, my Bella. "Edward, please, stop."

"Carlisle was right…" I said in awe, "They were very fast."

"Edward, you moronic shit." Ilene hissed.

I snapped into the present as I saw Emmett coming up behind them.

They were really here?

Emmett grabbed me by the neck and threw me back into the shade. I hit the dusty brick with a thud. "What the hell are you doing, Edward. You are pathetic!"

I growled low in my throat.

"Edward, please, this isn't what any of us want for you," Bella said softly. My heart broke again as I watched Emmett link his fingers through hers.

I turned away, leaning my head on the brick, "Why couldn't you just leave me be?"

"Because you are an integral part of this family, and fuck it, Esme would be pissed if we let you do something so selfish." Emmett confessed.

I looked at my family, seeing Alice and Jasper coming into view.

My rescue party.

I looked at Bella and Emmett, and I saw it. Like Alice and Jasper, they completed each other.

It hurt so much.

"Edward…" Emmett murmured as a dark shadow was cast upon us, "Who the hell are they?"

I turned, seeing Felix and Demetri, standing with their long grey Volturi hood's up over their faces.

Demetri's thoughts were a mess of questions about our coven; he found it hard to grasp how we would all come to see each other as family. He particularly had an interest in Ilene, remembering her from the old days of Volterra, when she was traveling with Carlisle.

I had the most important urge to rip his head from his body.

"Aro requests the company of the Cullen family," Felix spoke, lasciviously, "He is very anxious to meet you all,"

I opened my mouth to protest, but stopped when Alice winked at me. "We would be delighted to converse with Aro, please, by all means, take us to him."