a/n: My chapter titles are getting longer than normal... Oh well. I'm nearing my end. Itching to write another fanfic :D Please R&R!

The three large werewolves stood behind Alden Baden. He was shirtless, exposing his perfectly sculpted torso. His bare feet crunched on the leaves below him.

The three werewolves were huge. They were even larger than Sam and Jacob. Their eyes were purely of red, their fangs long and sharp. Their fur varied from each other in shade but they remained dark like ash.

"It seems we have come on time," he said crisply after the long silence since he last talked.

"Thank you," Edward said stiffly.

Alden smiled wryly at him. "Mind reading abilities?"

He nodded.

The man looked over the thick forest of pine trees.

"The Volturi are here?" Edward recoiled as if he was hit.

He did not reply.

Edward sighed heavily, understanding the meaning of the silence and nodded.

"Thank you . . . Again. For everything," he said. "If there is any way we can repay you . . ."

"No," Alden interrupted. "We did this on our own will."

He stood stiffly, then.

Alice rushed in first.

"Edward, I just saw . . ."

"Yes," he replied curtly. "I have as well. When will they come?"

"About two minutes from now."

The three werewolves grunted behind Alden. Their eyes blazed in fury, a deep, throaty rumble came out of them.

Alice stared at them in horror.

"They mean no harm. In fact, they saved us," Edward said.

"Oh," she could only manage to say.

Jasper was instantly beside Alice.

"They're coming this way," he said urgently.

"There are more?" Edward stared at him in horror.

"Apparently."

"I think that it is best that we leave this to the Volturi," Alden suggested.

Jasper looked astonished at the man.

"He's on our side," Alice murmured, squeezing his hand. He relaxed instantly.

"Carlisle," Jasper called.

Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie had appeared a few feet behind them.

"Alice? How long will the newborns come here?" the doctor asked.

"A moment before the Volturi comes."

"They're here!" Rosalie hissed, glaring at the trees around them.

She was correct. In an instant they were surrounded by ravenous newborns. Their gazes were on Bella. Edward stepped protectively in front of her, crouching. Jacob did the same.

Alden looked over to his right where no newborns were positioned. Edward looked over at him in surprise then at the same direction. Everyone crouched, the newborns, the vampires and the werewolves (or rather, the shape shifters) — everyone except the Badens, Edward, Alice, and of course, Bella.

The newborns launched themselves.

And instantly, at the blink of an eye, they fell groaning in pain.

An angelic laughter chimed like bells amid the moans.

Out from the trees, Aro came, Renata's fingertips on his back, Jane on the first row behind her with Alec. She was grinning, her arm clasp on another vampire's.

"Felix, Demetri."

The two vampires on the second row disappeared, reappearing several feet away, ripping each newborn after another, burning them after. Bella flinched away and Edward wrapped his cool arms around her as if to shield her from what was happening. But she could still hear. She could hear the cries of pain of the newborns. She shuddered.

Jane had stopped laughing but her face was still lit up in joy.

"Carlisle, my old friend! It is good to see you after so many long centuries," Aro greeted amiably.

"It seems we meet in improper conditions, Aro," he replied.

"Yes, yes indeed," he said gravely. "And I have to congratulate you. You have done a magnificent work!"

His gaze turned to the wolves. He raised his eyebrows.

"No, it's not that," Edward replied at the unspoken question. "They are here on their own will."

Aro looked over at the vampire.

"It seems that my knowledge about this is meagre," he extended his hand toward Edward. "Perhaps you may supply it?"

"Certainly," he retorted monotonously.

He squeezed Bella's hand before he went to Aro. She felt helpless, as if a shield had just been put down.

Aro closed his eyes as he read all that had crossed Edwards mind.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and new understanding dawned upon him.

"I see," he said, stroking his chin. "That is all very interesting. Thank you, Edward."

He looked over uneasily at Alden Baden who stared back at him coldly.

"It seems that our kind meet again."

The Badens snarled.

"It seems thus," Alden replied. "It is a trouble, for our kind, that way. Perhaps, to yours as well?"

"If we could only reconcile," Aro said, shaking his head in what seemed and only seemed to be genuine regret. "It would be better for us vampires and you werewolves."

The head werewolf smiled bitterly at this.

"You cannot trick me with fanciful words, Aro. I know what you mean."

"And who said that this is trickery, my friend?" he asked innocently.

"You cannot hide the fact that our kind are in conflict," he retorted tersely. "We want simply that you vampires leave our kind alone. Must we directly blame Caius for his cowardice?"

Aro ignored the last statement. "It would be a shame that the two most powerful species will not use their capabilities together. It could have been for a better."

"It is a shame," Alden said tightly.

"We still do not know so much of each other."

Alden shook his head.

"With you and your collections . . . We know everything about the vampires, you being our natural enemies."

"Do you? It would be very interesting if you do, my friend. But, I cannot believe that you know everything," he gestured at the unnamed vampire beside Jane. "Do you, for example, know who this is?"

Alden arched his eyebrows. "That information is not necessary."

"I do believe," Aro said gravely, "that this particular information is very much necessary on your part, Alden."

Alden flinched at the sound of his name spoken by Aro, as if there were no problems between them. The other simply smiled.

He nodded at the female vampire.

Her long, chalky white, graceful fingers slid down the edge of her hood, pushing it down, revealing a pale, heart-shaped face with small features and a pair of blood red eyes.

Alden stepped several steps back in astonishment.

Bella could not help but gasp, as did the werewolves, even at their present forms, and the Cullens.

Her light brown hair swept with the cool breeze of the mountaintop. Her eyes revealing nothing, her gaze was only on the head werewolf, on Alden.

She was home.

No.

It was the thought of every one of them, except for Aro and the Volturi guards.

It can't be.

Eyes such as those were unmistakably not human. And, being that she was in the company of vampires, she was well one of them.

Lilia Swan was home.