i had so much trouble with this chapter, you have no idea. i have no clue why, but this chapter just didn't want to be written. -shrug- oh well, it's here now.

i'm not a huge fan of this chapter, it seems. . . rushed almost. but in order for the rest of the story to happen properly, this is how it has to happen.

sorry if this is a bit of a dissapointment.

Can't find my way home
But it's through you and I know
What I'd do just to get back in her arms
My Way Home is Through You—My Chemical Romance

We stepped through the rubble of the wall that had been destroyed. My eyes widened when I saw where we had ended up.

We were in a lavish hallway, cool air flowing through air conditioner vents. I assumed that the A/C was simply for theatrics. Only for the hundreds of tourists that must have come through, on their way for the feeding room. I shuddered. Edward had told me about what they did here, when he told me all about the Volturi, shortly after our wedding. I knew where they took the tourists. That was not a room I ever wanted to see.

The floor was covered with a beautiful dark hardwood, and the walls were painted a lovely shade of crimson. A thin, cream white rug ran down the center of the hall, leaving about two feet of wood on either side of the carpet. The entire hall was so extravagant, obviously for theatrics as well.

A few doors lined the halls. Part of me wanted to know what was beyond them, if they were just for show as well. But I also was slightly afraid of the skeletons the Volturi could be hiding in their closets, so to speak.

"How did you get here?" I whispered, hoping that conversation would help keep my mind off of where I was.

She smiled a small smile. "We had just been standing in the living room, arguing, and you run in, stare at us, and then run away crying. Neither of us understood what the hell was going on. 'Course, you definitely didn't see us arguing, you pretty much saw the exact opposite. Pretty ironic, if you ask me." she smiled coyly before continuing.

"Tanya came out from the kitchen, laughing. She was being really cryptic, saying strange things, about how you would never be coming home," she made a face that I didn't quite understand. "It wasn't too hard to guess that she was the reason you ran out screaming. We aren't idiots, you know."

I shook my head, as she led us through the hallway. "So she just came out and told you?" I asked skeptically.

"No, no," she said. "Edward was furious. He was saying that you would be back, and that she was crazy to think that he would let the Volturi hold you. He started yelling at her, asking her what she did, what she said to make you run off. She wasn't telling us, and then Aro came out, and explained the whole plan. He failed to say that they would be jailing you though. That's when Edward ran after you. And . . . well, you know the rest."

"Oh," was all I could say. I was completely speechless. I couldn't believe what I had done. I could have so easily gotten myself killed, because I doubted Edward.

Emilie looked like she was about to speak, but she was rudely interrupted. Out of one of the doors, marched four members of the Volturi. Three of them I had never seen before, they must have been some of the guards Edward was talking about. The fourth was Demetri. I gulped, as the four of them stood in front of us, in a triangle formation, Demetri right in front.

"Hello boys," Emilie grinned. I was horrorstruck. How could she have possibly been so calm? "How are you?"

Demetri growled. "Isabella, what are you doing free?" he snapped. "And who's your friend?"

"I'm Emilie Cullen," she said with a small wave. "And Isabella here," she gestured to me with an open palm, "is coming home."

Demetri laughed. "And who says that we are going to let you leave?"

"Me," she sneered, her eyes narrowing. Moments later, Demetri burst into flames before us. My eyes widened. Holy crap! She had just killed Demetri.

She grabbed my arm. "Any more questions?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "Either get out of the way, or get in line."

The guards didn't falter. That didn't surprise me in the least. They were, after all, just doing their job. Emilie started speaking again, but she was once again interrupted; this time, by a loud roar, ripping through the room, almost echoing in the small hallway.

"I suggest you step out of their way," a deep voice demanded. The voice itself calmed me, despite the fact that it didn't belong to my Edward, although I didn't think that I even had a claim on Edward anymore, not until he forgave me.

"We have orders to bring Isabella back to her cell," one of the guards responded, not taking his eyes off of me. "And we intend on following through."

"If you know what's good for you," Emilie snapped, "you will move out of our way."

Laurent sighed. "Emilie, please, no need to be unpleasant." He told her, and we both raised our eyebrows in surprise. "Actually, Aro and his coven are waiting for us in the throne room, along with our coven."

"And you expect me to believe that?" another guard asked, scornfully.

Laurent's eyes narrowed. "You better," he sneered. "Unless you would like things to get very, very unpleasant. If you do not believe us, you may escort us to the room. You will find exactly what I just told you."

One of the guards grunted, and directed the others in the direction Emilie and I had been walking. Before he started after them though, Laurent stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head on his shoulder, and took in a deep breath, glad to have my best friend with me again.

"I'm so sorry doll face," he said, squeezing me tighter. "If only I would have known. . ."

"Don't blame yourself Laur," I said, shaking my head. "There was no way you could have possibly seen this coming, none of us could."

He sighed, but didn't respond. He just stared down the hall, his butterscotch eyes thoughtful.

"Now, now, Laurent," I chided. "Don't get all 'emo masochist boy' on me, I get enough of that from Edward, thank you."

He chuckled, but still didn't speak, clinging to me for dear life. He was obviously thinking about Tanya. I wanted to kill that woman. How could she do this to him?

"I'm sorry," I said, squeezing his neck. "I'm so sorry that she did this to you. . ."

He shook his head. "We'll talk about it later."

"Come on," Emilie said, poking me in the shoulder. "Those guards are just a tiny bit impatient."

I peeked over Laurent's shoulder, and Emilie was right. The vampires were staring daggers at us, their crimson eyes almost glowing with rage.

Laurent dropped his arms from me, and started gently pushing both of us towards the throne room. I smiled. Edward was only moments away. As we headed down the hall, I noticed a pair of wooden doors about a foot away. Edward and the rest of my family were right behind those doors.

I took in a shaky breath. "Do you think he'll take me back?"

"Oh please," Emilie snorted. "He'll probably tackle you the second he sees you."

"He's not angry?"

"That would make him a pretty big hypocrite. He wasn't exactly Mr. Trusting when he overheard us. You actually saw something compromising," Laurent scoffed. "If he dares blame you, his head will go through a wall."

My eyes widened. "LAURENT!"

"Well," Emilie shrugged, "You can't blame him. . ."

"EMILIE!"

"WHAT!?" they both said in unison.

I rolled my eyes, as the guards opened the doors for us. There, just as Laurent promised, were the Cullens, and the three head members of the Volturi.

My eyes scanned the room for my husband. My eyes met the relieved faces of my family members, as I attempted to seek out Edward. I had to choke back a sob when I realized that Edward was nowhere in the room.

Well, it looked like Edward's head would be making friends with some concrete.

"Bella!" Alice squealed, running at me, and wrapping me in a tight hug. "Oh, I'm so glad that you're alright!"

She grabbed my hand, and pulled me to the center of the room, where Emmett, Jasper, and even Rosalie embraced me.

When it was Esme's turn, she looked at me sternly, "You will never, ever do that to us ever again," she commanded.

I couldn't contain my small smile. "Yes, mom,"

She grinned, obviously appeased, and stepped to the side. I expected Carlisle to be next, but I noticed he was absent as well. I looked to the front of the room, and Aro's throne was empty. They must have been together, then.

But what about Edward?

My eyes traveled to Alice, who was staring at the back doors that lead outside. I took a deep breath, and tapped her shoulder.

When she looked at me, I asked, "Where is Edward?"