"Remember, for everything you have lost, you have gained something else. Without the dark, you would never see the stars." ~Charlie Brown

Chapter 107- The Night Before

Jasper and I talked some more about the possibilities of what would happen when we moved to England. He didn't want to work under George and I forever, and I was sure that I wouldn't be there at the store forever. I was almost sure that Minerva would love to have us at the castle. Jasper could teach Muggle Studies. I told him that I would ask Minerva about the possibilities when I wrote letters regarding the return.

"Is everything okay?" Rosalie asked me as we made our way back to the house. "You and Jasper have been very distant."

I nodded.

"Everything is fine. We were going over a couple of last minute plans for the fight," I lied.

Rosalie nodded.

"Emmett makes jokes but he's worried."

"Worried about what?" I asked, glancing behind us at Emmett and Jasper.

"He's worried you're going to become a target and they're all going to try to take you at once."

"Jasper says it's likely. But it could also be a good plan. They'll be distracted, so it'd be easier for the rest of you to take them by surprise."

Rosalie shook her head.

"But if one of them gets you—"

"They won't. I can Apparate away or use a Freezing Charm. Don't worry Rosalie. Jasper said that everything is going to be okay."

I gave Jasper a small smile before we took off again.

Once again I saw the flash of Vegas in Bella and Edward's future.

"Vegas is becoming very clear," I told Rosalie. "Bella has decided on it."

Rosalie shook her head.

"It's not fair. Edward's been there for our weddings, and Carlisle and Esme's wedding. Why shouldn't we be there for his?"

I shrugged.

"My guess is Bella decided it."

We made it back to the house close to noon. Once we were in the house, I headed straight to the room to change with Jasper following behind me.

"What's the weather going to be like tomorrow?" Jasper asked. "Edward needs to know what to pack for."
I sighed as I looked ahead.

"Cold," I said. "I've offered to let him use the tent, but he said he wouldn't need that kind of space."
Jasper and I headed back down the stairs.

"I think that you're going to want to pack for cold weather, Edward," I said. "I can't see where you are exactly, because you're taking off with that dog this afternoon. But the storm that's coming seems particularly bad in that general area."

Edward nodded.

"Thank you, Alice."

"It's going to snow in the mountains," I continued.

"Ew," Bella said, wrinkling her nose, "snow."

I turned to her and glared.

"Wear a jacket," I told her before turning away from her.

Alice, that wasn't very nice, Carlisle thought.

I rolled my eyes.

"All I did was tell her to wear a jacket," I said to quickly for Bella to hear.

But the tone of your voice wasn't nice. Like I told you, it's Bella and Edward's decision on where they get married and if they want us there. I respect the decision if they don't want us there.

I picked through Carlisle's mind, pulling up the moment that I told them that Bella and Edward were engaged.

We aren't invited to the wedding? Carlisle had thought in a sad voice.

I sighed and shook my head at him before replaying the moment for him.

"You know you're hurt by it too."

It's none of your business. You're not going to get involved.

"Watch me," I said out loud, glaring a Carlisle.

"Jasper," Carlisle said testingly.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Carlisle."

"You encouraged this," he said.

"So did Emmett and I but you aren't yelling at us," Rosalie said.

"Just let her go Carlisle. She's going to do what she wants anyways," Esme said.

"You have to be careful of what you say or think," Jasper said. "Otherwise it'll make Protego Diabolica a lot more difficult to get through."

"Alice, sweetheart, we're not going against you," Esme said. "But you need to leave it alone."

"I'm sorry," I said. "But I'm afraid I can't do that."

I turned away from them, making my way to the garage. I didn't speak to them and they didn't speak to me.

After he finished packing, Edward handed Bella the phone.

"Why don't you call Jacob and tell him we'll be ready for him in an hour or so. He knows where to meet us."

Bella nodded and took the phone, dialing the number.

What, Alice?

You know what, I gripped back. Vegas, Edward? Really? You don't want any of your family there? Or friends?

It's what she wants.

What do you want, Edward? It's your wedding too.

Edward rolled his eyes.

If I recall, Jasper didn't have much to do with your wedding.

Jasper actually had a lot to do with the wedding planning. But you give Bella everything she wants at the expense of everyone else. What do you want?

I want her to be happy, so if she wants to go to Vegas, we're going to go to Vegas.

I gave an audible sigh.

And if I can convince her to let me plan the wedding?

You won't be able to.

But if I could?

Alice just drop it! he snapped.

"I can't," I said, in a quiet voice.

Bella got off the phone then and looked between the two of us.

"Billy asked me to tell you 'good luck.'"

"That was very generous of him." Edward said turning away from me.

"Bella, could I talk to you alone?"

"You're about to make my life harder than it needs to be, Alice," Edward growled through his teeth. "I'd really rather you didn't."

"This isn't about you, Edward," I said, clenching my jaw.

He laughed.

"It's not. This is a female thing. If it was about that, don't you think I'd have Jasper here to ensure she was on my side?"

"Let her talk to me," Bella said, with a slight frown.

"You asked for it," he muttered. He was annoyed. I didn't need Jasper to know that.

"Damn right I'm annoyed," he grumbled as he shut the garage door.

I let out an audible sigh, and jumped onto the hood of my Porsche. Bella followed, watching me the whole time.

"Bella?" I said, sadly, looking down at the ground.

"What's wrong, Alice?" she asked me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders comfortingly.

"Don't you love me?" I asked, looking up at her from my eyelashes.

"Of course I do. You know that."

"Then why do I see you sneaking off to Vegas to get married without inviting me?"

"Oh," Bella said, her cheeks turning pink. "You know how I hate to make a big deal out of things," she stammered. "It was Edward's idea, anyway."

"I don't care whose idea it was. How could you do this to me? I expect that kind of thing from Edward, but not from you. I love you like you were my own sister. I've never treated you any different from my brothers and sisters here and in England. "

"To me, Alice, you are my sister."

"Words," I growled frowning at her.

"Fine, you can come. There won't be much to see."

I didn't lose the glare.

"What?" Bella demanded, causing my glare to soften.

"How much do you love me, Bella?"

"Why?"

"Please, please, please," I begged. "Please, Bella, please — if you really love me . . . Please let me do your wedding."

"Aw, Alice!" she groaned moving away from me. "No! Don't do this to me."

"If you really, truly love me, Bella."

"That is so unfair. And Edward kind of already used that one on me."

"I'll bet Edward would like it better if you did this traditionally, though he'd never tell you that. And Esme — think what it would mean to her!"

"I'd rather face the newborns alone."

"I'll owe you for a decade."

"You'd owe me for a century!"

"Is that a yes?"

"No! I don't want to do this!"

"You won't have to do anything but walk a few yards and then repeat after the minister."

"Ugh! Ugh, ugh!"

"Please?" I asked, jumping up from the Porsche. "Please, please, please, please, please?"

As I spoke, the future began to clear.

Bella and Edward were standing in front of an altar.

"I do," Bella's voice rang.

"I'll never, never ever forgive you for this, Alice."

"Yay!" I grinned, clapping loudly.

"That's not a yes!"

"But it will be," I grinned.

"Edward!" Bella yelled. "I know you're listening. Get over here."

I stayed beside her as she stomped to the door. I was still clapping.

"Thanks so much, Alice," Edward said acidly. Bella turned to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Vegas," Edward whispered in Bella's ear.

"Not a chance," I grinned. "Bella would never do that to me. You know, Edward, as a brother, you are sometimes a disappointment."

"Don't be mean," she grumbled. "He's trying to make me happy, unlike you."

"I'm trying to make you happy, too, Bella. It's just that I know better what will make you happy in the long run. You'll thank me for this. Maybe not for fifty years, but definitely someday."

"I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be willing to take a bet against you, Alice, but it has arrived."

My laugh echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls and coming back to us.

"So are you going to show me the ring?" I asked, grabbing her hand.

The hand was bare. I dropped it again, frowning as I looked between the two.

"Huh. I saw him put it on you. . . . Did I miss something?" I paused as I looked ahead to the future. "No. Wedding's still on."

"Bella has issues with jewelry," Edward explained.

"What's one more diamond? Well, I guess the ring has lots of diamonds, but my point is that he's already got one on —"

"Enough, Mary Alice!" Edward cut me off suddenly. He glared at me with dark eyes. "We're in a hurry."

During your pity party you might have forgotten, but we have twenty newborns heading here for Bella.

I rolled my eyes at Edward and turned to Bella.

"I don't understand. What's that about diamonds?" Bela asked.

"We'll talk about it later," I said, glaring at Edward. "Edward is right — you'd better get going. You've got to set a trap and make camp before the storm comes. Don't forget your coat, Bella. It seems . . . unseasonably cold."

"I've already got it," Edward assured me.

"Have a nice night," I told them.

"Good night, Alice."

After they left, I returned to the living room where Jasper was waiting for me.

"One last party," I whispered in his ear, grinning.

Jasper smiled and pulled me into his lap.

I closed my eyes, and focused on Aro. Instead of his future, I focused on his present, and I slowly felt myself begin to fade.

"Aro, are you sure you've made the right decision?" Marcus asked. "Sending Jane to Seattle, I mean."

"Do you think it wasn't?"

"What if that was one of the terms to the Unbreakable Vow you made with Alice Cullen? We don't know how that magic works, and Kingsley said it varies from person to person."

Kingsley hadn't told me he'd been in recent contact with the Volturi.

"I'm sure I can find a way out of the Unbreakable Vow. There's got to be some way or another to break the magic. But I am not in direct harm to Alice Cullen or her family. Human or otherwise."
"I don't doubt that she knows that we're in Washington," Caius said.

"I didn't make the decision," Aro said. "Chances are she's looking for the three of us. But I didn't make the decision. Jane did."

"Yes, but she has her ways of finding out everything."

"Maybe so. But soon, she'll be on our side, and we'll have the upperhand."

"How?" Caius asked. "She's loyal to her family."

"Not to the Cullens. She and her husband have contemplated leaving Carlisle. If her husband had a place with our guard, she might be more willing to join us," Aro said with a smug grin. "I've seen it in her mind. He's the only one of our kind that she's completely loyal to. She'd follow him to the end of the world. "

"And Edward Cullen?"

"He would be a nice addition, Isabella too…but Alice has the capability of doing what the both of them can."

I snapped myself out of the present of the Volturi.

"What'd you see?"

"Aro, Marcus, and Caius...they're trying to figure out how to get me to join their guard."

Jasper sighed, and pressed his cheek to my ear.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I don't know how to help."

"I figured out how they got around my visions."

"How?"
"Aro didn't make the decision. Jane did. She decided when they'd step in. She decided who to take and how long to give them. Everything went through Jane."

Jasper tightened his hold on me.

"They're never going to take you."

"I know that," I said with a smile.

"Good," Jasper smiled.

He watched me carefully for a moment.

"Are you going to try to find Riley before we go do our final practice?"

I nodded.

"I know I can't change his mind now, but I want to see how many there are as of right now."

Jasper nodded.

"Go, but try to be quick. We don't have much time."

I nodded and closed my eyes again, and I quickly faded.

Riley wasn't in the dark room this time. He was with the other newborns. The numbers hadn't changed any. They were still at nineteen.

"Riley," I whispered in his ear, quiet enough to where only he could hear me. "Time is up."

"Excuse me a moment," Riley said to the others before he turned on his heel and sped away.

I followed quickly behind him. He returned to the dark room. He was alone there.

"The Volturi came for you," I stated. "I've seen that now…when you said it was too late—"

"I meant it. It's too late."

"You understand the chances of you winning this are slim?"

"My newborns are more powerful that these yellow-eyes."

"I wouldn't count on that too much. They have powers you've never seen, and you'll never know when it'll hit you."

Riley groaned.

"When will you leave me alone?"

"When all of this is over. There will come a time, Riley, that you will realize that I was right. Victoria will betray you, even if you don't see it now."

"No, she won't."

"Just watch," I said. "Tomorrow, on the battlefield, she'll leave you and your army behind."

"No," Riley said, shaking his head. "She's going to fight with us."

"No," I told Riley.

"You're going to be on that battlefield alone."

"Get out of my head," he begged. "Please."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"I have to finish training them."

"You know that it won't matter, right? If they can't get along, they're never going to be able to take on the others. They've had years and years of training. One of them has spent their whole life training."

"How do you know that?"

"Take a guess, Riley."

Riley groaned.

"Oh, of course. You're one of them."

"Riley, you have to help us. Please. You don't have to die for her."

"I do," Riley said, shaking his head. "She's the love of my life."

"That's not love."

"What do you know about it?"

"My husband would give up his life to save me. Would Victoria do that for you?"

Riley thought about it. He was starting to see that I was right.

"Just wait," I told him. She won't be on that battlefield tomorrow."

"But you will be?"

"Yes."

"How will I know which one is you?"

"Believe me, you'll know."

"The others will be protecting you?"

I shrugged.

"I'm sure I won't need it."

"But you're a very important fighter. Tell me, Yellow-eye. How are you here?"

"I'm not," I said. "Not physically. I'm here. In your head."

I reached in front of me and pressed against his temple. He flinched away from my hand.

"Why me? Why are you doing this to me?"

"I'm not doing this to you, Riley. You're doing this to you."

"I'm going to tell her that you're here."

"She won't believe you."
"Guess we're about to find out."

Victoria came through the shadows and frowned at Riley.

"Stop talking to the voices in your head, Riley. Get back to work. We have to leave soon."

"Victoria!" Riley said, rushing to her. "They're not in my head! It's the yellow-eyes. They're here!"

Victoria rolled her eyes.

"They're not here. They're in Forks. Where we're going in the morning. Now go."

I grinned and leaned into his ear.

"Told you so."

With Victoria there, I didn't stay. I pulled myself back to the present where Jasper was waiting for me.

"How did it go?" Jasper asked, watching me carefully.

"The numbers haven't dropped any, but Riley is definitely questioning Victoria's motives."

"How'd you do that?"

"He knows I'm a part of the coven he's fighting against. He asked how to find me. He theorizes that I will be the most prized fighter, and therefore I'll be the most protected one."

"That's probably true," Jasper said.

"That's why I can't be protected by everyone. Even without all of you, I'll still be the most protected one there."

"I know that," Jasper smiled. "How about one last training session."

He held his hand out to me, pulling me off the couch and into the night.

Hey guys! So this is definitely a longer chapter than what I've been posting, but it also isn't one of my longest. The next chapter will be the big fight, and then after that some big changes are coming to the Cullen family.

Just to clarify, all details from the fight will be what is detailed in the Eclipse novella, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, as well as my own ideas. It may differ slightly from what happens in the book or the movie for that matter, but that is the whole point of this.

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