A/N: I'm so glad you guys were so positive about the last chapter. I think the reason I updated so soon was that I was excited to write that chapter. Thanks for reading! BTW it's kind of a new goal to get 2000 reviews so let's try and get there!

Hurricane- Panic! At the Disco

Previously…

With just one simple hand gesture Aro sent his whole guard rushing forward towards us.

I but my lip anxiously and concentrated on expanding the physical protective shield. It was completely transparent, just like the first one.

The vampires on our side moved into crouches, ready to defend themselves if my unpredictable shield failed.

Fangs snapped into place as the guards were mere yards away from us.

Then they stopped in their tracks, unable to move an inch closer.

I heard the whispers of congratulations from my friends behind me but continued to devote my full concentration to the shields. Having both up at once, protecting so many people was difficult to control.

But I was able to get a little satisfaction from the shell-shocked expression on the Volturi's face.

I felt Jasper pushing love and appreciation towards me and I accepted it gratefully.

I had done it! I had managed to control both shields at the same time!

The game had now changed. We had a lot more control than the ancient vampires had known.

"Well this I was not expecting." Aro said after ordering his guard to stand down. "Looks like you have even greater power than I was made aware of."

Suddenly I was meeting the eyes of the vampire who had caused my mate and I more pain than I could ever describe. The vampire who I had vowed would never leave my presence unscathed again.

Alice.

BPOV

The black haired vampire danced over to Aro's side, her expression devious.

I glared at her the entire time; furious that I couldn't do anything about her presence.

She ran and cowered behind the only people who could offer her protection from the consequences of her past actions.

I know the fury must be radiating off me and onto Jasper because I saw him clench his fists in anger.

I immediately made an effort to calm myself for my mate's sake. But only until I had the chance to get Alice alone.

Alice offered her left hand to Aro and he took it in both of his long ones, closing his eyes in concentration.

Everyone waited while he accessed her every thought. It took all of three minutes.

Then both of their eyes snapped open and the older vampire was looking at the other in slight surprise.

"Well, I have to say that I never suspected you were capable of such things Alice."

"There's a lot no one knows about me." She replied easily, before turning to face where we stood on the other side of the shields.

"Hello Jasper." Alice practically cooed her eyes raking over the blonde next to me.

Mine.

An aggravated rumble started in my chest.

"Somehow I knew you were behind this Alice." He replied coldly.

"You think you know me so well don't you? Well there are a lot of things you are unaware of Jazz." She spit the pet-name out sarcastically.

"Now is not the time to go over the insignificant personal problems this coven seems to be infested with." Caius barked, glaring at Alice.

Looks like she hadn't made as many friends in Volterra as she thought…

"I see you learned some new tricks Bella." She remarked ignoring Caius, her heartless eyes on my shields. "Getting some training from my husband?"

"Last time I checked you and my mate were divorced." I replied, anger brewing below the surface.

"Oh please newborn. You wouldn't know the meaning of the word mate if it slapped you across the face." She shrieked in her shrill voice, much to my annoyance.

"That is quite enough!" Aro barked, tension in his normally conversational voice. "Alice we brought you here as a witness, not to scream at everyone who tells you no."

I felt a small amount of amusement radiate from the blonde beside me and held back a smirk.

Looks like no one would protest me ripping her to shreds. This is good.

"Now as I was saying, Bella, a power like yours should not be wasted. We could use someone with your talents in Volterra to help keep order. I see you seem to be struggling to maintain the shields for an extended period of time, and we could offer you help in gaining better control over your power." Aro continued persistently.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw an anxious look overcome Alice's face. She knew I would kick her ass the second I had a chance and was nervous!

Lucky for her I wouldn't leave Jasper for anything…not even a chance at revenge.

"I think I'll stay on the side that didn't just try and attack my friends and me." I replied sarcastically, unable to hold back the venom in my voice.

The old, decrepit vampire sighed in reluctance.

"Well I can't just leave with just your flimsy promise to destroy the rogue vampire Maria. How can I know that you will come through on your word and won't build another army against us?" He questioned rhetorically. "It is too much of a risk to allow this coven to remain intact."

I grit my teeth in fury. Aro was just threatened by the number of vampires willing to go against the Volturi! This had nothing to do with not trusting us to follow through with hunting down Maria. He just didn't want to lose power!

"And Bella, by the looks of things you won't be able to keep those shields up for much longer. What's going to happen when they fall and every single vampire on your side is killed because of that?" Aro continued patronizingly, causing me to shut my eyes in concentration.

Unfortunately, he was right. I could feel my control over the shields waning as the seconds passed. If only I had more time to prepare beforehand. If only I could save everyone.

I felt Jasper wrap a supportive arm around my waist and bury his face in my neck.

His scent washed over me and at once I was filled with conflicting emotions of love and loss.

We were going to lose because I didn't have enough control over my shields.

Then one shield fell.

It was invisible to everyone else, but it was only a matter of time before everyone realized that the physical barrier was gone. I focused my remaining energy on the shield guarding us from Jane and Alec's torture, but I knew I wouldn't be able to hold it up and fight at the same time.

As if feeling my hesitation Jasper grasped my shoulders and moved to stand in front of me.

"Open your eyes now."

I allowed my gaze to meet his and was fairly surprised at the amount of emotion in them. Jasper mostly kept what he was feeling to himself, but his feelings were clear in his dark eyes in that moment.

"Don't even think about it." He ordered the major coming through in his voice.

I bit my lip and found myself unable to speak.

I didn't have another choice, right? The only thing that would save everyone would be for me to go to Volterra. One life to save so many more.

"I won't let you do this." Jasper denied, his voice rough as he shook me. "You can't."

"I can't let everyone die because of me!" I choked out; tears of venom streaking down my face. "I can't watch them kill you, I just can't."

My mate sunk down to his knees in front of me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pressed his cheek against my stomach.

I tangled my hands in his dirty blonde hair, a simple gesture I always took pleasure in.

His tears stung when they hit my skin, but I welcomed the slight pains.

"Please. Don't do this to me; to us." He murmured, his voice hoarse. "Oh god no, please don't. I just got you, and I can't lose you already."

His words tore at my core, leaving me to feel as if I had physically been ripped in two. But at least this way everyone would live. No one had to die. I would rather be burned at the stake then watch them destroy Jasper.

Peter would probably hate me for not listening to his instructions. When Carlisle had handed me the phone Peter was the last person I would have expected to be on the other line. The southern vampire had told me that I was to not, under any circumstances, adhere to the Volturi's demands. I felt a pang of sadness that I wouldn't get to meet someone who was Jasper's only friend in the past horrors they went through.

Then a voice broke the tense silence.

"I'll go."

My eyes snapped open at those two words.

What? Why would he do that?

Sounds of surprise and of protest rose from under the remaining shield.

"Don't be an idiot!" Rose hissed, turning to face the speaker, her eyes livid.

"Wha- No!" Esme choked, her face seeming pale and fearful as she grasped for his hand.

"Edward. Well this is a surprise." Aro replied, his eyes shining with delight like a kid's on Christmas morning.

Ignoring the Volturi leader's creepy fascination, Edward responded "If anyone deserves such a fate, it's me. The only reason this is happening is because I was too stupid to keep from making a mistake, and then cowardly enough to try and hide it."

And then my former love stepped out of the protection of the shield.

My eyes were probably as wide as saucers as I stared at the vampire I had come to forgive.

What the hell was he doing?

"Well as heartwarming as this is I am really fucking tired of how long this is dragging on." Caius barked sarcastically.

"If you allow me to go with you I can provide you with an unlimited source of knowledge about those around you; including the Cullens. If you just let me show you…" Edward explained as he moved toward Aro, his hand extended.

"Bella remove your shield." Edward said.

I tensed and despite myself, a growl escaped.

Instead, I moved the shield back uncovering myself and waited.

Aro touched the back of his hand and seemed to go into a trance.

Five minutes later Aro released Edward and moved his blood red eyes to me.

"I see now that you really do intend to find Maria. Whether you will be successful or not, it cannot be determined." He said. "Therefore, I require Edward to remain with us in Volterra. And the Cullen coven cannot remain as large as it is now. It must be divided as of today...permanently."

I was stupefied.

Had we really just traded Edward in for our lives?

I saw Esme lean against a distraught Carlisle.

His makeshift family was falling apart before his very eyes.

Rosalie looked surprisingly distressed for a person who had been ignoring Edward the past few weeks.

I wasn't sure what to feel.

On one hand I could easily claim that my ex was getting what he deserved. But when I saw him standing unprotected next to the devil himself, I was deeply disturbed. He would become a pawn in Aro's dark, selfish game.

"You have two weeks to track down Maria and dispose of her." Aro said . "In two weeks I will send Demetri and Felix down to insure you kept up your end of the bargain. If you haven't…let's just say that meeting won't be as casualty free as this one was."

He turned to the newest member of the Volturi. "Edward, you won't need any of your things. We are returning right away."

Then, as quick as they had arrived, the illusive Volturi were gone.

A/N: Here are the answers to the questions from the last chapter! Which there were a lot less of. Haha.

katandjasper : Jasper, where in the hell did you learn to be so romantic? I just have to ask, will you marry me? I promise you HOT sex at least six times a day!

- Hell, I'm as surprised as you are that I have a romantic side. I guess Bella brings it out in me. Speaking of which you probably shouldn't say things like that around her...my girl's pretty possessive. Which strangely is kind of hot so I take that back; feel free to say things like that anytime.

MoonPrincess623: Alice, Do you really think you are going to come out of this alive? You will never have Jasper back, for his mate is Bella, and well, she and the others are gunning to burn you. So why the hell have you gone to the Volturi? Are you really stupid enough to think that Jasper will take you back? Or are you so vindictive, that you have to take everyone down with you?

-I don't need my visions to tell you that Jasper will be mine again. He had nothing until I found him in that bar. I went to the Volturi because it was the only way for Bella to get what was coming for her. And if there are a few casualties because of that it's not my problem. All if fair in love and war. And this story happens to have both. Besides, I was in this coven first so if anyone needs to leave it's that manstealer.

MoonPrincess623: Jasper, are you secretly a gay pedophile deep down? I mean Alice is a little boy! She doesn't really look like a girl, and her books have to be PPA. She was turned when she was, what, 13? I don't understand how she can be this "angel" or whatever.

-All I can say is that I was in a dark place when she found me. I was drowning in an ocean of self-loathing and confusion. When she brought me out of the low point I was at I thought I loved her. But now that I've been able to move past the darkness I see that it wasn't love that I felt for her. It was gratitude. Because I am grateful that she brought me to the Cullens; it led me to my true mate.