Chapter 51 – Fear

"People always say life is full of choices; no one ever mentions fear."– Anastasia (Journey to the Past)

They continued blissfully for a few months: no wars, no arguments, no relationships breaking between the family. The only problem: Eliza's speeding growth. Isabelle spent many evenings with Sophie, Rosalie and Alice trying to comfort Sophie's panic over her daughters speeding age and development. Today was the most recent.

Alice had been rearranging Esme's bouquets just to give herself something to do and Eliza had fascinated by her movements and after a few hours had begun dancing along behind her. Sophie and Edward were terrified though Edward was better at hiding it than Sophie.

Eliza was now outside playing with Jacob, Alice was still moving things about and the rest of them were sat around in the living room. Esme and Isabella's father were discussing Irina who had come to visit but had gotten scared off by Jacob being a wolf and Eliza. Laurent it turned out, though he had gone to Denali like he told the Cullens he would, had not stuck to the diet and had met Sophie whilst they were 'away'. The wolves killed him to put in bluntly. Irina was Laurent's mate.

"Izzy darlin', would you mind passin' that book beside you?' Jasper requested, nudging her with his foot. It was odd how Jasper would slip in and out of his Southern accent and pet names without really realising it. Isabella flipped the book over to him not opening her arms where she was pretending to sleep. 'Thank y-'

Alice gasped and Isabella spun around "waking up". Esme's favourite vase was dropping through Alice's slender hands and Alice was clearly struck in a horrific vision. Jasper raced to Alice whilst Isabella grabbed the vase before returning to Alice's side. The sudden movement of her and Jasper had caught the rest of the family's attention.

'Edward, what is it?' Isabella's father asked and Isabella quickly removed her shield so he could see it Alice's mind.

He froze.

'The Volturi.'

Isabella couldn't help but groan - in her mind the Volturi meant two things: Alec and pain. The rest of the family reacted in a different way but eventually they got round to questioning - Alice was yet to return to them.

'Why?' Esme asked.

'When?' her father added.

Isabella mind however was still on other matters - the conversation her parents had been having only a minute ago.

'Irina,' she whispered and she thought she heard Esme groan. 'Papa, what were you beginning to tell me about the Denali's last month?'

He had only told her that the Denali sisters were very loyal to the Volturi before they had been interrupted but she knew vengeful vampires are willing to do anything to get back at the people they believe have wronged them.

'Oh no,' Carlisle sighed. 'Irina.'

'What?' Emmett asked looking confused as to what his "parents" had come to.

'Sophie, what did Irina see?' Carlisle spun around to face her.

'Liza, Jacob (in his wolf form) and me playing in the snow,' was Sophie's quick answer. 'Why? ...Carlisle, what's wrong?'

Jasper groaned now - realising what Carlisle was thinking.

'Immortal child,' he whispered softly and the family froze but Alice had returned to them and began filling them in.

'Carlisle, the whole guard is coming! Every one of them, Aro, Caius, Marcus, the wives -'

'The wives?' Rosalie repeated.

'They never leave the tower,' Emmett finished for her.

'Well they are now,' Alice snapped at them for interrupting her. 'Snow's on the ground but it isn't falling. So it can be long from now - I can't see! Jacob and Eliza are too close."

Alice grew frustrated as Eliza and Jacob move closer to the house.

"I could-" Sophie began to take a step toward the garden but Alice shook her head, grabbing Jasper's hand.

"No, no, Sophie, I can see better away from all the wolves," Alice stopped her, already moving to the door. "I'll get a few miles away from everything and try and figure things out - try to gather friends though, I can see people gathered around us."

Really crappy, sorry, I just needed this one out the way so I spent hardly any time on it but we know Alice leaves and so on. So sorry.