A/N: Alright for the first part of this chapter, Alice will be our narrator. Then it will wrap up with Bella again. I have a reason to the mayhem, I promise. Thank you to my reviewers. I have received very useful feedback from you guys and I will be using the knowledge for my future fanfics.
Also, there was a typo in the last chapter. We all know, Bella would rather die then not to love Edward. I think we all would. "I loved you too" was suppose to just be, "I love you too."
Alice's P.o.V.
Jasper and I watched Edward carry Bella into her house; the night hadn't gone as planned. When Victoria appeared, the rest of the family was supposed to 'escort' her outside before Bella spotted her. I never realized how observant that girl was for a human. Most humans go several days without major issues or not seeing the change in others (haircuts, body language, ect.), but not Bella, our beloved danger magnet, she finds death-dealing issues on a whim and sees the change in everyone around her.
"Alice, dear, are we going to head home soon? Charlie will be here in a couple minutes." came Jasper's questionably concerned voice broke into my thoughts.
"Yeah, I was just thinking about tonight. The red head decided not to attack in the crowded gym. She is testing us," I muttered. Then I shifted Edward's Volvo into reverse, pulled out into the street, and once more shifted the car into drive to head home. "Why is it that when we are so close to having Bella in the family, and Edward happy, it seems opportunity wants to mess with our family?"
"Carlisle would say it is to test each of our faiths." Jasper answered looking to the road stretched out before us, but shook his head, "Though, the coven I was in before finding you, believed in an in-between. The in-between, for us, is where we decide when the light enters our darkness. Most vampires, like Victoria or the Volturi, enjoy the pure darkness and doing everything their way. However, our coven is considered to be bathed in light; only because of our good intensions, living our lives like humans, our eating habits, and along with the fact Carlisle works in a hospital without daily mortalities.
Edward has the hardest time keeping his 'darkness' suppressed around Bella. Well, he use to, now the only thing that stands between their bliss is Victoria and Jacob."
"I see. The point you're trying to make is, the in-between determines where we stand among our own kind; how is that conne…" the question bubbled out short, but not before I shook my head to clear out the mild confusion. But then, thankfully, I pulled into our concealed forested drive before the car came to a sudden stopped –my foot locked the brakes in place.
Uh, I hate it sometimes when visions are about to blind me! Because, wham, one came in a blinding flash before my eyes and my head rocked back.
Bella stood, back turned to Edward, legs spread out in a well balanced stance and angry tears streamed down her face. Her brown eyes narrowed at something that I couldn't see –they must have been out of my line of sight.
Edward's face contorted into pure rage. They were standing in a large open room, the reception hall of the church, so it appeared to be.
"Get out of here, Bella!" Edward instructed her, but the girl wouldn't move, besides just shaking her head in defiance, this made Edward roll his eyes in anguish.
The vision was blinked out of sight, I looked over to Jasper.
"What did you see?" Jasper cooed as the car started to ease up to the front of the house.
"To be honest, I'm not sure." I got out of the car - after placing it in park of course- and looked into Jasper's skeptical golden eyes. "I saw Bella standing in the reception hall in front of Edward. But her back was turned to him, as if she was guarding him from someone else."
"Do you think it may be connected to your other visions lately?" he questioned, trying to calm down my chagrin.
"I don't know. They don't seem to be, besides the fact they are at night." The visions were rolling around in my head like bad omens. What if they were some sort of omen? "Jazz, tell me what you think. I know you will give me the truth, no matter what."
"I say stop worrying so much; you get very tense and very out of character when you do."
"Jazz! I'm serious. This could be a bad thing. You know how touchy Edward gets when it comes to Bella. We all love her, but even the slightest glimmer of harm to her in one of my visions sends him into an unstoppable rant." I grumbled stepping through the door of our home.
"Alice, Jasper, will you come here for a second?" Esme's light caring tone beaconed to us on our arrival, like a siren to sailors of the olden days.
"Yes, Esme," Jasper replied and looped his arm affectionately around my waist. With a suppressed smile, on my part, we walked as one into the kitchen.
"Did Edward get Bella inside safely?" she inquired, moving a few boxes of wedding decorations around the kitchen for more mobility.
"Yes, he did. She is sound asleep and Victoria is…" I closed my light colored eyes and concentrated. Victoria was fairly easy to find, she always was plotting something.
The cat-like fiery red-head circled the Swan's residence like a hungry shark. Her eyes darted to Bella's window and briefly she gazed into hostile topaz eyes glaring down upon her. Victoria almost stopped to provoke Edward, but the scent of Rosalie and Emmett deterred her.
However, the lone vampire's nose was sharp and she picked up a new scent. One that had a slight familiarity, but different altogether, the scent was Renee's! In a blink of an eye she started a new course to her hunt. Victoria would find Renee and kidnap her to lure Bella out like James had, or so her plan was working at.
"Oh God!" my voice cracked as I threw the vision out. "We have to go, now, Renee is in trouble." I informed my small audience, Carlisle had joined the room out of curiosity.
"Be care Alice. Do you want us to call Edward and inform him?" Carlisle asked in his normal fashion, which normally pertained to the family staying well informed. He was the heart and soul with Esme of our family after all.
"No, he already knows and wants to let Bella sleep restfully. The idea to kill Victoria pasted through his mind briefly, but it wouldn't have ended well for anyone and I'm glad he realized that." I confided and looked at Jasper's long face.
With a sigh I added, "We have to go now, if we are going to stop
Victoria," my voice was strengthened with authority, but Jasper felt the cry for help behind my unusual tone.
"Well to answer you question from earlier, I don't like the way that the visions are leading us. Though they are probably just keeping us informed and on our toes, but don't be surprised when the wedding gets crashed." Jasper warned as we darted out to the car and sped down our drive to head in the direction of Renee's hotel. I was watching to make sure Jasper would get us there in time.
However, halfway from the hotel the silver cell-phone in my pocket began to ring. As one hand slid down into my pocket to grip the small piece of technology, once out I glanced at the caller id. Edward, it read.
A soft sigh escaped through my lips, "Yes?" I questioned the mouth piece.
"What is she doing?" his voice harsh, low and snarled into my ear through clenched teeth.
"Who, Victoria?" the words were taut as they launched out in sarcasm.
Only a growl replied to my words.
"Okay, obvious question, but if you would let me finish saying, what I was saying then you won't be so aggravated." I retaliated quickly, but a softer tone. Edward, after all, always helped me with Jasper, when it came to knowing his thoughts. "Calm down, before you wake up Bella or worse, Charlie, Edward. Jasper and I are trying to cut Victoria off of Renee's hotel."
For some reason, I could almost see his eyes narrow in his response over the phone, "Why is she going after Renee?" Edward asked in a strained calmer tone.
"For Bella, of course," the answer came almost unnaturally smooth, well I guess by now it was a theme for all the danger that happened in our naturally uneventful lives.
Again, only a growl echoed through the phone. Then muffled noises in the background sounding like, "Edward, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, Bella, just go back to sleep," he tenderly instructed; though the phone was turned from his mouth, I could still hear him just fine.
"Who's on the phone?" clearly she wasn't listening to him.
"Alice. Now go back to sleep, love."
"No, what's going on?" Bella's tired voice was just as determined as Edward's firm tone.
"Edward, I'll call you back once we make sure Renee is safe." I told the phone. Hanging up then silently hoped my brother had heard my words.
Oh well, it didn't matter now, we were pulling into the hotel's parking lot. Jasper pointed out two figures, Renee and her husband, moving to their rental car.
"Wonder where they are going?" Jasper inclined and eyebrow towards me, as my phone disappeared into my pocket.
"I don't know," was my response with a single shoulder shrug, "But let's just keep an eye on them for the night. In the morning we will have to explain everything to Edward, without Bella present. I think the game is switching up on us."
With a soft warm smile on his lips, Jasper looked at me, "Alright, but for now a stake out?" he asked and I nodded a confirmation before my attention was turned back to the shadows. Victoria was watching Renee and Phil, like a cat that watched the mice dance around the trap.
With a quick tap on Jasper's shoulder, I moved out of the car in a flash.
No one would hurt my friend/ sister in any fashion this week. That was an unsaid agreement that all of us Cullens had agreed on. Jasper moved like a stealthy cat, he still retained that certain wild predator-like walk, which is most commonly seen in vampires like Victoria when on the hunt.
A soft prayer played on my lips as Jasper and I moved, like phantoms, towards the loner of our own kind. Twenty feet from the twig filled mane woman her bright burgundy eyes turned to met me. Jasper cut off her straight shot at Renee and Phil. The shadows were thick at twelve o'clock on this over-caste eve around the large hotel.
"You all don't understand," Victoria hissed along with snapped her teeth like a cornered wild dog.
With holding any comments, cause in all movies the ones that continually talked die, Jasper and I both closed rank on the hissing red head. Her wildly long nails flexed with her hands as Victoria's crazy eyes judged us. Taking a slash at me with her left hand, the red head bolted across the parking lot and seamlessly across the highway late night traffic.
I let out an aggravated growl, but Jasper kept me calm enough not to follow Victoria's lead. "We don't know what she has planned," he tried to reason with me, I just looked at him.
"Edward is gonna kill us, you know that right?" I growled with frustration this time, because Jasper was right, Victoria was too indecisive. The only problem was the scents of other strange vampires lingered with her lone scent. "Especially if we tell him she has comrades."
I would have sulked back to the car, but that was Edward's trait.
Instead, I thought of the fact Renee and Phil were safe from Victoria's grasp for the night and just simply glided to the Volvo in my dancer steps.
"Do you want to call Edward?" Jasper asked, as the car purred to life.
"No, he'll be at home when we get there," and with that we headed back across Forks.
Bell's P.o.V.
A sudden jolt woke me from the peaceful slumber Jasper induced with the over calmness. The jolt was a subconscious awareness to the sound of chirping birds. Raising my head from my pillow I also saw the empty room, Edward was completely absent and my heart sank.
"Where did he go?" I whispered and looked at the bright sunlight that crept into my room. My head flopped back onto the pillow and the faint sounds of a hushed conversation filtered up the stairs.
Once more, I rose from my bed and crept into the hallway. Knelt down at the top of the stairs and gazed down at Charlie's head and what would seem my mother at the other end of the table. My feet moved in a quiet scurry as I brushed my teeth and then snuck down the stairs, to the best of my capabilities.
"Morning," I chimed, and then went to fishing out a bowl for my cereal.
"Good mornin', Bells," Charlie greeted.
"Morning, Sweetheart sleep well?" my mother questioned with a soft warm tone.
"Yes, I did," my reply was quick since I had taken claim to leaning against the cabinets and began to shovel cereal into my gullet. However, a moment later my brow furrowed together. "Mom, why are you here? And so early?" the question was asked as my eyes peered at the digital clock on the stove reading 10 o'clock.
"Well I decided I was going to take you out for the day. I haven't seen much of you, Bella. You have been with Edward and his family since I got here," my mother's chagrin, made me feel guilty all over.
"I'm sorry mom, Alice and Rosalie wants to keep me informed on all wedding plan updates," I tried to justify the absence.
"Well that is good, Hon, but you need to get out and have a little fun," my mother scolded, but if she knew every time I went out to have fun, I made a trip to the hospital.
"I know mom,"
"No, ifs, ands, or buts, you're coming with me for the day. Go upstairs and get dressed," Renee scolded me.
"But what if Alice calls?"
"She has and she told me to tell you, 'Go with your mother for the day. Edward is busy at the house so he won't be coming over till later.' Exact wording," Charlie filled me in and stood up from his chair. "I must be going; we had another murder in downtown last night."
There went his light mood, I thought then recalled Victoria, "Do you know what happened to them?" I tested the subject lightly.
"Drained of blood and a broken neck," he answered and then grabbed his coat.
"See ya at supper, Bells," he muttered. Then my father was out of the house.
My mother was shaking her head, "I can't believe how ruthless some people are. Or sick, some crazy person is walking around thinking they are a vampire and killing innocent people." Renee was grumbling and then eyed me. "Why aren't you getting ready yet?" she asked with a more friendly tone.
The only problem was; I was frozen in my spot with a half eaten bowl of cereal. "She is killing people again," I muttered under my breath as my feet broke free to go mechanically up the stairs.
"What was that?" I heard my mother ask my turned back, I just acted as if she hadn't said a word.
A couple hours later, my mother pulled into the mall in Seattle. The parking lot was packed, graduated students spending their graduation money or returning gifts streamed across the lot. After fifteen minutes of looking, we finally found a small spot towards the middle of the lot near a Sears's entrance.
"So what made you accept a wedding proposal?" The question I had been dreading for the last couple days.
"I accepted the proposal because it is what I want. I love Edward and mom, we've been through a lot in the last two years. Anyways didn't you hear what Carlisle said last night as the reasoning behind their leaving?" I asked in reply. If I could keep her answering questions then I wouldn't have too.
"I don't believe what they said. Don't get me wrong the 'good' doctor and his wife seem nice, but something is different about them. Them and their whole family, are you really sure you want to go through with this Isabella?"
So much for my idea, I rolled my eyes, "Mom, they are just like you and me," with vampiric additions, I added silently to myself. "And yes, I do want to go through with this mom. I'm going to be really happy, so be happy for me and Edward."
"Aw, yes, Edward, my son-in-law to be. At least he isn't a trouble maker."
I stole a side long look at my mother's twisting expression.
I just sighed. There was nothing more to do at this point. "Mom, just promise me that you won't interrupt the ceremony. Just sit next to dad and Phil during my wedding. I love you and want you to see me marry the man of my dreams on the happiest day of my life." The tone in which I used quivered with desperate tears, the last thing I wanted would be to see my mother leave before the wedding. The last day of my human life and the last day I would see any of my blood family.
A stray tear rolled down my face at this mental image. Maybe once turned and absent from their lives, I wouldn't have to worry about the safety of my parents, so much.
"Bella?" my name came from a different direction, but the voice was familiar.
"Uh?" my gaze shot through my eyelashes. Mike jogged up and stopped before Renee and me.
"Hey!" he welcomed us too warmly, for some reason I took a gander to see if anyone was with him. Jessica stood with a mincing scowl and a couple other kids from our table.
"Hello, Mike." I automatically replied. "This is my mom, Renee. Mom this is Mike from school." The introductions came second hand as I muttered them out.
"Hello," she shook his hand happily, regardless to the tension that had settled between us.
Ever since the day I showed everyone my engagement ring, Mike acted the funniest out of everyone, that was why I was kinda in shock talking to him now.
"What are you guys doing here?" he inquired like the golden retriever he used to be.
"Shopping," my mother answered without a second thought. A skeptical look passed over Mike's face.
The look I recognized, "Edward isn't here if that is what you are wondering." I answered his unasked question.
"Oh," the tone defiantly became Alice level with this new enlightenment.
"We have to get going and I think you're company is becoming antsy," right as this was pointed out; Jessica broke out of the group and came up to Mike's side.
"Mike, we all are ready to go to the food mart, come on," without even saying hi, or bye to me, Jessica looped her arm around Mike's and dragged him away.
"See ya at the wedding Bella," Mike said as a farewell.
"He seems nice, that Jessica girl on the other hand…"
"Yea, can we not talk about that. What are we shopping for?" I switched the subject once more.
Renee didn't answer right away; instead we walked down the sunlit corridors of the mall. We wandered pass a Dillard's, a Hot Topic -I eyed the store front with caution as walking push pins came-, Barnes and Noble, a Claire's. The middle of the walk ways were filled with phone booths and various knick-knacks.
Finally we stopped at a glass blowing booth. The colored glass flowers, names, animals, and random assortment of other things made of glass awed me at first.
"Can I help you ma'am?" the Asian clerk asked walking up to our side of the booth.
"Yes, I'm here to pick up an order for Swan/Dwyer," my mother answered with a flirtatious fling into her tone. With a small look, on my behalf, she shook her head as the clerk retrieved the order.
I didn't say anything as the clerk unwrapped the shaped glass. However, as soon as the order was exposed, I gasped. On a mirror based was red glass roses focused around the center piece of "Isabella Marie Swan and Edward Cullen Forever."
"Your father was telling me about this place and decided we should pitch in on the cost together. He wants you to have something that was special." She finally answered my question and slid her card through the cashier's machine. I could see my eyes watering in the base and a surprised smile playing on the corner of my lips.
"It is beautiful mom," I murmured as the clerk wrapped the glass plaque back up.
"I'm glad you like it. Hopefully Edward's parents don't spend anything on a gift since they are paying for all the wedding arrangements," the statement most would think was just that, a statement, but her tone was more warning.
"I'll remind them." I assured her and walked back to the car with the wedding gift in a wrapped up box.
It was already four o'clock so we stopped at a fast food restaurant on the way home. The sun was still bright and high over- head as I listened to my mother's stories about crocodiles crawling underneath the car on a couple occasions and various other things. My mind wandered off to praying for the night to come quickly or that storm that was supposed to be coming down from Canada.
"That's interesting mom," I muttered a couple times playing with a French fry in ketchup.
"I know, the Game Warden said that the second crocodile was a pregnant female."
Our conversations were random like that for the rest of the day; though we did laugh a lot it seemed awkward at times. The sun was starting to set in the horizon and that made me think, Wow, I haven't seen Edward all day. This is a record.
When we got back to Forks, the clouds were rolling in heavily and I was explaining about the motorcycle.
"I still don't see the logic in getting that. Even after you know how your father feels about those things." My mother was laughing but was serious.
"I don't know. I wasn't exactly myself when I got the contraption. I think dad took it to the station and sold it to one of his buddies though," this was mostly the truth; Charlie had loaded the bike into my truck one day and only returned with my truck.
We pulled into Charlie's drive way and Renee made another comment. "I've noticed you are calling Charlie, dad more. I'm glad to see you are getting along fine with him."
"Me too, I'm thinking that it wasn't all a mistake moving here. Sure, I hate knowing I've left you alone with Phil, but dad was in bad shape when I first got here. Now I feel safe leaving him alone with something to warm up or fix that isn't popcorn." I laughed and then spotted Charlie doing the universal sign language of a phone.
"Looks like you got a call, but before you go, what do you think about coming and staying the night at the hotel with me?" Renee quickly asked as I moved to get out of the car.
"Um, hold on to that thought, mom." I answered and ran into the house. I jerked the phone off the table and out of breath, "Hello?"
"Bella, love, I won't be able to get over to your house for about another hour." The sound of rushing wind came over the line.
"Okay, but where are you Edward?"
"I'm hunting Victoria with Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme. Jasper and Alice are keeping an eye on you for me. They've been trailing you all day." He explained and suddenly let out a stream of low profanities. "I'll see you soon, I've got to go."
"Alright, I love you, Edward and be careful, please."
I heard a chuckle on the other end of the line, "That is what I'm supposed to say to you, and I love you too." The line went quiet after we shared our good-byes.
I jogged back out to Renee's car and leaned into the passenger window. "Mom, I'm gonna have to take a rain check."
"Oh, sweetie, why?" she sounded disappointed, but I couldn't help it.
"Alice just had Edward call to tell me she would be coming over soon. I don't want to stand her up, considering my friend is like a wedding planner in training." I lied with more grace then before, this was serious especially with Victoria being chased by my family. I was a well collected ball of nerves and with a sad nod Renee pulled out.
I ran back up to my room and on my pillow I spied a small silver cell phone, Alice's according to the hand-written note beside it.
Edward will call when he is coming. Don't worry, call Jasper's cell if you need us.
I folded up the paper and stuffed it into my pocket. I was now going to be left to play the waiting game by myself. Holding on to the cell phone I laid back and looked out my open window. Rain had started to pour down; they were going to lose her scent if that was how the Cullen's were trailing Victoria.
I fell asleep a couple times but when the cell started to vibrate in my hand, I jumped. It was Edward.
"Hello, you okay?" the first words out of my mouth.
"Yeah, this is starting to become ridiculous though. She jumped off of a cliff not far from the La Push boarder. We couldn't follow. I'll be in your room in about ten minutes. Go back to sleep love." Concern was plain in his voice, but it had that soft velvety texture to it.
"Alright, see you soon then."
A/N2: Sorry it has been about a month since I last updated. My great grandfather died and I've been working with Colleges on registering for classes. I'm hoping to get the next chapter up sooner.