I didn't know what to do with myself.

My visions told me nothing. I was blind as ever – and getting more infuriated by it every minute. If those wolves didn't leave Bella alone anytime soon, I didn't care what anyone had said – I would make them leave! I couldn't stand around like this much longer.

I'd left my spot behind the bush, dashed round to the back of the house once again, then pressed my ear to the outside wall and tried to listen in on what the werewolf wanted to say to my friend. At first, I'd simply stood there, still and quiet as I could so Jacob Black wouldn't hear me – I had no idea how strong or weak werewolf senses were compared with vampire's, but it was better to be on the safe side – but after almost ten minutes, it became clear, even to me…that he probably wasn't going to harm her.

He explained in a few brief, bitter words to Bella that he and his 'pack' could no longer protect her from Victoria whilst a Cullen was here also. I suppressed a small twinge of discomfort as I realised that if he really meant it, I really had no choice now but to stay and protect Bella till the threat of the red-headed, revenge-seeking vampire was dealt with…and who knew when that would be?

After a few minutes of snapping at each other, and several more of icy silence, I could hardly believe it when the boy began to talk softly, almost sympathetically to Bella. They both apologized – werewolf included! – then stood quietly together for another moment. And after a few seconds…they began to talk of things I knew, deep down, Bella wouldn't ever want me to listen in to…

Guilt had made me draw back from the wall then, resigned to the fact that no matter how dangerous Jacob Black was surely capable of being, he wasn't going to harm Bella – not now, at any rate.

I drifted aimlessly around the back garden, the voices of the two people inside the house too far away and muffled for me to understand them anymore – but loud enough that I would know, instantly, if something went wrong. I was, after all, still blind.

Blind. Ugh. I hated it. Hated it. It felt like one of my eyes had been covered with a black mitten – I was seeing half the world, half the garden, half the large white house in front of me…

The present, still clear as ever. The future…entirely blocked out.

Blank…blocked…blank…

I reached the garden fence, then sat down on the cool grass and leant my back up against the wood, closing my eyes. Just a few more minutes, and I would interrupt them. Just a few more minutes and the dog would be gone. Just a few more minutes and I would have my sight back…my visions back…my future back…

Softly, vaguely, from inside the Swans' house, I heard the sound of a phone beginning to ring…


The shrill buzz of the receiver cut off abruptly – and I heard Jacob Black's muffled, husky voice muttering something. I rolled my eyes, faint annoyance with the mongrel spiking once again – acting as if he owned the place again, and it wasn't even his house! – and then closed them once more, only half listening as the faintest sound of another voice spoke down the receiver back to him.

I frowned. That was odd. The tone was hardly distinguishable, but I could have sworn it was almost…familiar…

More gruff words from the mutt.

Another brief question from the receiver.

A final, growling phrase from the werewolf, four muffled words I couldn't make out; an answer to the caller's question, then…

Then…

then…

…a vision…

…but the mutt…

…my sight…

…not possible

…but somehow…

somehow…

It was Edward.

My brother sitting, so still he might have been carved from ice, seconds into the future, in the front seat of a car…

the palm of his right hand; a small, compact silver phone – his mobile, a Christmas present from me two years ago…

the hand of ice unfreezing itself, the phone toppling to the floor of the car with a soft crack, snap, crunch…

crunch …

and an airport…a plane gliding up and off the runway…pounding, running feet…cobbled streets…sandy-wet stone…a maze of twisting passageways…

A large, cavernous room clustered with strange, misty-cloaked vampires…

"Why?"

The word was spoken by a man; a midnight-haired figure cloaked in black, gleaming scarlet eyes visible through moving, flickering decisions, set bright in a face I could have sworn I'd seen somewhere before…

"I have lost…"

"…I have no reason…"

"…knew Carlisle…"

"…I wish to ask…"

"…my mate…"

"…want to die…"

want to die…

…want to die…

"NO!" my voice screamed loose before I could stop it, ringing shrill with panic. "No – Edward, you idiot, NO…!"

ripping, tearing, shrieking; a terrible crunching sound…my brother's arms, legs, head disconnected from his body, his screams echoing around that tall, cavernous room…round the small alleyway…round wherever they killed him…

fire consuming his severed limbs…

But the future was only a possibility, only one decision of the two they would make for him, if they told him no…if they told him no…

Edward throwing a car against a wall…Edward tearing out the throat of a human man in the town square…Edward provoking his fate in any way he could…

Only a possibility, just a possibility, but still …

red-eyed guards…sweeping cloaks…cavernous rooms…planes to Italy…

a name, inscribed under a portrait hung high in Carlisle's office…spoken in a greeting murmur by my brother…

…"Aro"…

…Volturi…

Volturi…


I was running before I even realised my legs were moving.

The visions wouldn't leave me – I struggled desperately to shove them away as I stumbled up from my seat against Bella's garden fence, the future blurring the present, my feet tangling together as I shot across the garden towards the house, Edward's voice resounding those terrible words in my ears…want to die…want to die…

I half fell through the open window of the living room, my hands flying out to grab my bag. I snatched out my phone, dialling Edward's number so quickly my fingers blurred together, clutching it to my ear, pushing away the vision of…of…

Of Edward…Rio…of course, he was in Rio…climbing with the most terrible, sedate composure out of his car, his face dead with shock, the fallen phone half-crushed in one hand…

"Edward," I heard myself gasping under my breath as the next stage of his plan slid oh-so-horribly into view. "Edward…Edward don't, please don't, pick up your phone, pick up your phone -!"

pacing slowly over towards a trash can…

"Edward"

The phone dropping into the bin with a soft smack…my brother turning back to his car, a man passing him as he went, glancing in surprise over at the trash can… reaching for the ringing phone…

"Ola?" a stranger's heavy, alien voice suddenly came down the phone. "Quem esta la?"

"No…"

"Quem esta la?"

Edward…

"Ola…?"

…Edward...

I pressed end call.


I had one thought, and one thought only in my head now.

Bella.

I had to tell Bella…

Stuffing the phone back into the bag, I stumbled out of the living room, and up the small tree that grew outside Charlie's bedroom window, twigs ripping through my hair and messing the orderly spikes into a wild hedgehog-do once again, but I didn't care, didn't care, because all that mattered now was getting to Bella, getting to my friend, tell my friend, warn my friend what I had to do, where I had to go; somehow, somehow explain…

I leapt from the topmost branch of the tree straight through Charlie's open window, my hands trembling as I half-fell past Bella's father's bed, pushing away the future, hating the future, hating my visions, hating myself, because I didn't call, I didn't call

Edward hadn't known. I hadn't told him, but somehow he had still found out, somehow knew, and wanted to die, wanted to die, was going to die

I choked back my sob as my hands fumbled with Charlie's door handle, tugging it open and stumbling through, shoving back the future, the future I was now becoming a part of at my decision…

I half-fell down the stairs, leaping the last two –

– and then freezing to a standstill as what awaited me at the bottom came into focus.

Jacob Black stood motionless and wide-eyed a mere handful of feet from me. I stared blankly at him, the smell enemating from his half-naked body hitting me slap in the face – ugh! – revoltingly strong. My breathing was ragged and unsteady, my sobs caught in my throat…

I'd completely forgotten the mutt.

"Ouch," a voice mumbled from somewhere down on the floor – and I turned, still frozen with horror, to see Bella scrambling up from the doormat, rubbing one elbow…turning to face me.

We stared unblinking at each other, for the shortest of seconds.

I opened my mouth to speak – one thought and one terrible, terrible thought only in my mind as my friend's deep brown eyes stared up at me in confusion – trying, through the rushing tumble of never-ending left-over scraps of future, to speak…

"…Bella…" I managed to choke, my voice breaking with anguish as Edward's head twisted from his body blurred in front of my eyes once again, falling from his neck, burning to ashes, repeating itself over and over and over…

want to die…

"Alice!" Bella gasped, reaching forward towards me. "Alice, what's wrong?"

Edward…my mind vaguely managed to maoan to itself. Edward…my brother…my poor, poor, poor brother…my fault…

Edward…

"Edward…" I whispered, voice so quiet I doubted Bella could even hear me, shaking so violently I had to clutch the edge of the banister to stop myself falling, falling like that cliff dive, that stupid, stupid cliff dive, and the vision which had started it all…!

Bella gazed blankly at me for a moment – and then crumpled to the floor at my feet.

A snarl of rage sounded in my eyes from somewhere to my right. I turned, eyes blearily searching for the source of the noise – to meet Jacob's Black's livid gaze.

"What did you do?" he half-shouted, pouncing towards my unsteady frame with enormous hands raised towards me. I found myself slammed suddenly against the wall of the staircase, the mutt's stinking face inches from mine – ugh, ugh, ugh! – and two burningly hot hands suddenly clasped like hot irons around my neck.

I snarled, more from fear than anything else, my built up sobs mingling oddly with the sound, shoving back against his chest with all the strength I possessed – and sending him stumbling backwards into the other banister, cracking it. His every trembling limb screamed danger as he scrambled up again, making as if to spring at me once more – but my eyes were on Bella. She lay at the foot of the stairs, face alabaster pale as ever, eyes closed…and body limp in a dead faint. Dang it. Way to go, Alice.

Cussing worse than Emmett under my breath, I dodged the werewolf's outstretched arms, sending him flying into the wall again with a resounding crack, and bent quickly towards my friend.

"Bella!" I cried urgently, shaking her shoulder. "Bella!"

"Don't you touch her -!" I heard a panicking voice call from behind me.

"Don't you touch me!" I hissed over my shoulder, all thoughts of further visions gone from my mind as the dog's large, flaming-skinned hand reached for me once more. He snarled in reply, crouching two steps above me.

"Bella," I murmured again, turning back to my friend. "Bella, come on, cut it out -!"

"She's fainted," I heard a low voice growl from behind me.

"Yes, worked that out for myself, funnily enough -!"

"- don't you talk to me like -!"

"Shut up, Jacob Black!" I snapped over my shoulder, before turning back to Bella and scooping her up into my arms before the he could protest. I made a dash for the living room, heading for the couch and laying my friend down on it as swiftly and gently as I could.

"Hey -!" the werewolf's indignant voice called from behind me – and to my surprise and distaste, I saw he'd somehow managed to move almost as fast as I had into the living room behind me. "What do you think you're doing -?"

"Bella?" I murmured, taking hold of Bella's shoulders and shaking her again. "Bella, come on -!"

"What did you do to her?" Jacob demanded again, striding over to crouch beside Bella on the sofa. I ignored him – though fear coiled secretly into a knot in my stomach at our proximity. Too close, too close! screamed every part of me.

"Bella!" I leant close to her, lifting one of her limp wrists to my ear to listen for a pulse. "Bella, snap out of it, we have to hurry -!"

"Stay back," Jacob warned as I reached for Bella's other wrist, consequently bringing my hand even more horribly closer to Jacob's shivering body.

"Calm down, Jacob Black, you don't want to do that so close to her," I sang, a bit sarcastically, earning myself another daggers glare.

"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus –"

"Alice…" Bella muttered suddenly, her voice slurred, making both of us turn instantly to her. "Alice…what happened…?"

"I don't know!" I burst out, clutching her hand tightly in both of mine as she blinked up at me – though deep down, I knew I wasn't really giving her the answer she'd asked for. "I don't know – what is his thinking…?"

Edward, racing fast as a bullet in the direction of Rio's central airport…decisions flickering; wondering whether or not to call Carlisle from a phone box, say goodbye a final time…

Carlisle…

If I called Carlisle…

I swung round, reaching for my bag and cell phone for the second time since leaving my family, not even bothering to search the future for what I would find at the other end of the line as my fingers whizzed over the keys in less than a second. I pressed call – then held it up to my ear.

Come on, I pleaded silently as the phone began to beep placidly down my ear. Pick up, Carlisle, please pick up…oh not again, not again, please, not again…!

"Hello?"

"Rose!" I gasped in staggering relief. "Rose – I need to talk to Carlisle, now –!"

"Oh Alice," she sighed, sounding irritated; I could almost see her rolling her perfect, crisp yellow eyes – "Carlisle's hunting, what do you -?"

"Fine, as soon as he's back!" I cried, panic threatening to take over with every passing second…

Edward nearing the airport entrance, sliding doors parting before him…

"What is it?" Rosalie was asking. "I'll track him down right away and have him call you if –"

"No," I said quickly. "No, I'll…"

I'll…

...I'll…

I had to think about this.

My first instinct – of course – was to leave Forks the instant this call was over…and catch the first plane to Italy. I thought back to the blurred, undecided visions of the Volturi's decision for my brother's fate – if that Aro told him no, and he had to resort to one of his…back up plans, mightn't there possibly, possibly be time to maybe…maybe…

The possibility flickered in and out of focus; undecided as I was…

If they told him no, if he chose to simply throw a car through a wall or something…would there possibly be time to save him?

No. The outcome refused to show itself with my decision wavering so much on the edge of so many possibilities. I had to make a choice. If I was fast enough, and they told him no and he took time over deciding how to go about provoking them…

There was a chance. There was a tiny, slip of a chance…

And that was enough for me.

"…I'll be on a plane," I finished quietly in reply to Rosalie – all my thinking had passed through my head in less than a second – firmly, unwaveringly fixing my decision rock solid in my impending future. And even now, the visions were shifting, changing once again before me…

"Look," I said into the phone, urgent again as a new thought struck me. "Have you heard anything from Edward?"

Pause. I waited, grinding my teeth with impatience. If I was going to catch a decently fast plane tonight, and at such short notice, I needed to end this as soon as possible!

"Well…" my sister said slowly, sounding oddly…uncomfortable. "Well…yes, Alice. Actually, I did talk to Edward. Just a few minutes ago."

I couldn't help myself. My jaw dropped; realisation slowly, slowly beginning to dawn on me as I realised just who Edward had just been talking to in that first vision…

Oh no, no, no…

My sister took a deep breath, as though bracing herself for my reaction – then dived in.

"You and Carlisle were wrong," she said in a rush, her voice steady and determined. "Edward would not appreciate being lied to. He'd want the truth. He did want it. So I…I gave it to him. I called him. I called him a lot, actually. Until he picked up. A message would have been…wrong…"

"Why?" I gasped softly, interrupting her. "Why would you do that, Rose?"

"Because the sooner he gets over this, the sooner things go back to normal!" she burst out, angry for the first time…but her voice was strained. "It wouldn't have gotten easier with time, so why put it off? Time isn't going to change anything – Bella is dead! Edward will grieve, and then he'll get over it! Better he begins now than later…!"

Oh Rose, Rose, Rose…how could you…?

I was so angry even Bella shifted uncomfortably as our eyes met. The phone gave an audible crack as my hand crushed it against my ear.

"Well, you're wrong on both accounts, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?" I said icily.

"Wrong on…both counts?" my sister said slowly. "Bella's…still alive…?"

"Yes," I hissed. "That's right. She's absolutely fine –"

"Fine? You saw her jump off a cliff -!"

"I was wrong -!"

" – how?"
My fist clenched round the phone; hating the question almost as much as the answer. My eyes flickered to Jacob, flashing hard.

"It's a long story."

Pause. Then…

"Well…you've made quite a mess!" Rosalie burst out, her voice full of suppressed relief in spite of herself – my stomach twisted with guilt at the truth in that statement. "Edward's going to be furious when he gets home!"

"But you're wrong about that part too, Rosalie. That's why I'm calling."
Another pause.

"Wrong about…about what?" my sister said slowly, notes of fear sounding at the very edges of her quiet voice. "Edward…coming home?" She snorted. "Of coursehe will! What, you think Edward's going to pull a Romeo? Ha! Like some stupid romantic -!"

"Yes," I whispered, my voice trembling with rage. "Yes, that is exactly…what I saw."

Silence.

Dead, ringing silence.

When my sister spoke again, it was in a very, very different tone.

"No," she whispered, almost to herself. "No, he's…he's not that stupid, he must realise that…that…"

I waited; both fists clenched round my little mobile.

"I…I didn't mean it like that!" she burst out, her voice straining almost as high as mine. "Alice, please, I just wanted him to come home -!"

"It's a bit late for that, Rose," I hissed, my lips pulling back over my teeth. "Save your remorse for someone who believes it!"

"No -!"

I shut the phone.