Hey readers! Sorry this took so long, first my computer died about half way through the chapter so I had to redo it, then I had some slight edititing issues, but enjoy because I still don't own Twilight.

Chapter 21.

We thought it was strange that when we got home from the wedding the door was locked. We knew we had left it unlocked when we left because Irina was going to be there and we didn't plan on being gone more than a few days. We had only been "robbed" once, and while we didn't kill him, I doubted that the robber would go back to a life of crime. So it would be odd, that Irina would leave the door locked. Carmen muttered something about her holing herself up and how she needed to get out some as she jammed her keys in the door and unlocked it with a few quick flicks of the wrist.

"Irina!" Kate called into the seemingly empty house, causing a little echo. There was no answer.

"We're home!" Tanya shouted, but there was still no answer.

"That's strange," Eleazar said as he started into the living room. We set out on a full search of the house for Irina, but she was nowhere to be found, nor was there a note of explanation, or any sign of where she may have gone.

"She probably just went hunting. She'll be back soon," Carmen said.

Kate and Tanya were beginning to worry, so Carmen set them on some housework to ease their minds as was her remedy to all problems. The hours passed and soon the possibility that she went out on a hunting expedition or even a trip to see the town's men was becoming more and more slight. As afternoon turned to evening Tanya and Kate went out to look for Irina in the fields surrounding our house, but even they knew they wouldn't find her. Where had she gone? We could only guess. I tried not to say aloud my suspicion that she had gone to Voltera to have herself killed in the absence of her soul mate. Of course, there were equally as dangerous things she may have set off to do such as going to face the wolves that killed Laurent.

After Kate and Tanya returned from their tireless search empty handed and unsatisfied with how things had turned out, they proceeded to call every vampire we knew and asked them to be on the look out. For a while the Cullens called daily to say they hadn't seen her, but about two weeks in they stopped. Our main relief was that we didn't receive news from the Volturi saying they had killed Irina, especially at her own request. They had refused Edward's pleas, but Irina had no power to offer them, they would lose nothing but perhaps our friendly regards were they to kill her.

The days passed into weeks and the weeks passed into months. Slowly our hopes of her return were fading, and Kate and Tanya were gradually moving from worrying to grieving.

I was playing chess with Kate one day, about three months after Irina's disappearance. She was beating me, but it was okay because as long as she was winning she couldn't shock me. The phone rang, but Kate kept her concentration as Tanya rushed to get it. It used to be that they would run to get it and sometimes even fight each other. Then we heard Tanya's shriek pierce the walls between us.

"IRINA!!!"

Kate flew up and ran towards the kitchen, where Tanya had taken the call, knocking over the chess board in the process. While I didn't bother to pick it up either, I walked at a leisurely pace to the kitchen where Kate and Tanya were having a tug of war with the phone. I hoped they hadn't hung up on her, but then I heard her ask if anyone was there. I snatched the phone with relative ease and ducked a punch from Tanya.

"Irina?" I asked, making sure it was really her.

"Hi Clara, look, I'm really sorry about leaving like I did. I just needed to go out and think, but I hope to be back soon. I might stop by to see the Cullens and make amends for not going to the wedding, but I should be back in a few days at the most," Irina explained.

"We're just glad you're okay," I said. Kate waggled her finger at me. "I have to go. Kate is threatening to electrocute me if I don't give her the phone."

"Alright," Irina laughed. "Give Carmen and Eleazar my love as there's no chance they'll get the phone."

"Okay, I will, bye," I said, making a point of the bye as I tossed the phone to Kate and scrambled out of the room before she could zap me.

I wandered up to Carmen and Eleazar's room. Walking by I could see they were making out, but the door was open so I interrupted them. "Irina called. She says she's sorry she was gone so long and that she'll be back in a few days. She sends her love," I told them.

"Good to know," Eleazar said. "Thank you, Clara." He then got up and closed the door.

I figured that they would react more later when they weren't so distracted. Carmen would probably make us clean the house even though Irina lived with us. When I decided to risk being killed to go back into the kitchen, I found that Kate and Tanya were now off the phone.

"You want to go back to our game?" Kate asked.

"Only if you remember how the board was set up." I remembered how it was set up, but I didn't want her cheating, and I didn't want her thinking I was cheating.

Kate smirked. All the worry that had been lurking in her and Tanya's eyes was gone now and they were filled with joy and laughter. "Of course I remember how the board was set up." We went back to the living room where we set up the board, and then she towns proceeded to kick my butt.

A few days passed, and although Irina wasn't home, we weren't too worried. She was with the Cullens, which was one of the safest places she could be. Our only concern was that she would go after the wolves, but we figured Edward, back from his honeymoon, would be able to catch her and stop her should she decide to do that. Kate and Tanya had perked up considerably, and were now acting like their normal selves. After losing all prospects of marrying Edward herself, Tanya had taken many trips to the neighboring to get rid of her angst, and once she knew Irina was okay, Kate accompanied her. Still, each day that passed they became just a little more anxious. We had been expecting her to be gone for three days tops, and yet, it had been a week and we still hadn't heard from her.

As usual, Kate and Tanya raced for the phone as it rang on the seventh day after Irina's call. They kept waiting for some news from her, but so far the phones had been silent.

Using her power to her advantage, Kate won out and answered. "Hello?
Oh, hi, Carlisle," Kate sighed.

Tanya slumped a little and started to walk away.

"Is everything okay?" Kate asked, her expression filled with concern. Tanya spun back around and we waited for his response. He asked us to come to their house, but he wouldn't tell Kate why. This triggered red flags in all of our heads. "What about Irina?" Kate asked. "What do you mean you haven't seen her?" Kate shrieked. "She said she was going to visit you!"

Kate and I scrunched in closer so we could hear what Carlisle was saying.

"Oh, yes, Alice did see that, but she must have changed her mind. Perhaps you can look for her while you're down here," Carlisle said quickly. The urgency in his voice made us think he might not be telling the truth, and yet the Cullens were our closest friends, and we had never had reason not to trust them before.

"Carmen and Eleazar are out hunting, but can we call you back?" Kate finally asked.

"Certainly, but I must remind you, this is an urgent matter and we wouldn't ask you if we didn't trust you as our friends, please reply quickly. The sooner we can have you down the better," he said. The worry in his voice was uncharacteristic of him. We had to wonder what would throw the normally even keeled man off so badly.

When Carmen and Eleazar arrived back home we told them about the call. They also seemed concerned that the Cullens would call with such urgency, but Carmen suspected it might be about Bella. Edward had been planning on turning her soon, and perhaps they needed help handling a newborn though I couldn't imagine why. Yes, a newborn was unpredictable and difficult to control, but with the seven of them, including Jasper and Alice whose powers did affect her, I didn't think they would have that much trouble. Bella must have one heck of a power.

Finally it was decided that everyone except for me would go to see what the Cullens wanted, and that I would stay here just in case Irina showed up. Kate and Tanya had actually fought for my spot, but Eleazar managed to convince Kate that her power would be needed, and Carmen told Tanya that Edward would be there, and if Bella accidentally ate someone he would need comforting. Mainly we didn't want for me to come because, should the Volturi come along to be sure Bella was in fact a vampire, we didn't want my presence to aggravate them further. Should they ask, we would say that I was at home and that Irina was watching me. The Volturi knew how strict Kate, Tanya, and Irina were with the law, especially since their mother, which was the only reason they trusted them with me, but we didn't want to risk that. It would be dangerous to both the Cullens and myself.

Not knowing how long they would be gone, they each packed a bag (or two in Carmen's case), before they left. Tanya packed Irina a bag as well in case she was there. I almost told her that it would be useless, Alice and Esme would have already bought anything needed, but I decided against it as she was almost finished when I saw her and asked.

They all waved as they left, and I settled down to enjoy some time by myself. In the past few years especially there was always someone else in the house, and even though I could often find an unoccupied room, it would be nice to have the whole house to myself for once.

I had borrowed Kate's ipod and was listening to some music. I was in the middle of a movie score when, just barely, I heard the blare of the phone over the music. Human ears may not have picked it up, but the pitch of the phone was completely out of place with the song, so I knew it wasn't in the music. I had the phone sitting next to me, and expected to see the Cullen's number on the Caller ID as Carmen had promised to call when she got there, but I didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?" I said cautiously, not knowing who may be on the other end of the line.

"Clara?" Irina asked. Her voice sounded far off in the phone. I breathed a sigh of relief for a moment before she spoke again. "Are Tanya and Kate there?"

"No," I answered. "They all just left to see the Cullens. Some urgent business, but I stayed home, so if you want to come home I'll be here."

"They went to the Cullens?" Irina asked, slight panic rising in her voice.

"Yes…as I said, urgent business, and you said you were going to visit them. What is it?"

"It's…it's…" she stammered. "Well, I suppose they'll see when they get there."

"What?" I begged. I wasn't going, so I wouldn't see. I didn't want them getting hurt. I could try to catch up and warn them if necessary.

"You don't need to worry about it Clara. They'll see when they get there and…" she paused before carefully phrasing her next statement, "I think it would be easier for Carmen or Eleazar to tell you what they've done than it would for me."

I shook my head despite the fact she wouldn't be able to see the gesture. "Alright, I'll wait for them to call. Do you have anything you'd like for me to tell them?" I asked.

"Not particularly," Irina said. "Just tell them I'm sorry I was late. I'm sure they'll understand after they see what the Cullens have done. I'll come back home when it's all over, okay? I'm glad you didn't go, it would be dangerous for you to have gone with them, especially with the Volturi coming."

"The Volturi? Are you in Italy?" I asked, the shock washing over me.

"I am. As much as I love the Cullens I had to tell the Volturi. It's too important to ignore."

She had flown all the way to Italy to report the Cullens crime to the Volturi? This had to be serious. Although I wanted to keep talking to Irina, I had to keep the line open in case Carmen called. I was dying to know what had happened now. "So I'll see you in a while then?" I asked.

"Probably, I know the Volturi are slow moving, but they'll want to move quickly for this."

Alright, I hope you liked it. I'd like to thank you all for being such good readers and reviewers, and say that although I start school on Tuesday I hope to continue to post within reasonable amounts of time. Thanks :)

Hufflepuffbrunette :)