Bella

My radio droned out the buzz of the tires against the pavement. I wasn't really paying attention to either though as I drive to school. I had mixed feelings about Alice leaving today. I was excited for her to be leaving Forks, and my life, for the foreseeable future, but I wasn't looking forward to her telling the rest of the Cullens, especially not him. Alice was bad enough on her own. AndI definitely didn't Edward deciding that he needed to come too. I hoped that Caius would be able to 'motivate' them into staying away from me. It had taken months, but I was finally starting to become happy again, but seeing Alice every day had made me feel like I was slipping again. I feared that if Edward came back too that I would be back to square one.

Caius was even angrier than I was about Alice's visit. I had clearly walked in on something this morning before breakfast. I had reason to be angry, but I wondered why he hated them so much. I had thought that the Volturi and Cullen covens were supposed to be friendly. Perhaps he didn't share the feeling.

It was nice out today the clouds were bright and the rain had let up. It was as nice as Forks got most days. I still missed the Arizona sun, but the clouds meant that Caius and I could be together during the day.

"Where is Voltera anyways?"

"Southern Florence. Why do you ask?"

"Isn't it sunny all of the time there? It must be difficult to move around."

"Not as challenging as one may think actually. Most of us move by night. That is when most eventfulness happens, but most humans don't know about the underground tunnels that run through the city, so they are a safe way to get around the city without being seen. They do not go everywhere of course, but many buildings in the old center are connected."

"Forks be nice for you then."

"Yes, it is one of the reasons I came here. That, and of course Dr. Cullen offering this house."

"Yeah, I was the painting upstairs. I know he lived with the Volturi for a while."

"Two decades or so. Very odd, he was. He was much more a friend to Aro than to myself."

I pulled into the parking lot, checking my side mirrors just in case Tyler happened to be waiting for me. I had been able to dodge him most of the time thankfully, and I really wasn't in the mood to deal with his pestering today. I grabbed my bag and ducked out of the cab of the Ford. My first class was all of the way on the other end of the school, and I was almost late when I stepped into Math class, getting to my seat just a moment before the teacher began.

"Today we are going to be starting out review for Thursday's test..."

Three o'clock had not come fast enough. And I still had studying to do when I got home. It was already Tuesday and I had meant to start on Sunday. I was tired just thinking about the all-nighter I would likely have to pull in order to get a good grade.

The trees whipped past me and I drove down the highway towards home. I tapped on the glass in front of my speedometer. The gauge was still at 30. Just as I was about to pull over I saw flashing lights behind me.

Great.

I pulled off onto the side of the road, put my 4-ways on, and dug through my school bag to find my licence, when I heard a light tap on my window. I rolled the crank down with one hand while I continued to dig through my bag.

"One moment please. Just let me find my licence officer..."

"Where's the fire Bells?"

I looked up from my bag. My dad was standing there in his wide-brimmed police hat, his hand resting on the side of his belt.

"Come on Bella, I thought I taught you better than that. Where are you headed in such a rush?"

"I'm just going home. I think my speedometer is broken. I tried tapping on it like you said, but it didn't move."

I leaned over so he could see the gauge, which was still stuck on 30.

"Okay, well...I tagged you with the gun, and you know that system automatically goes onto a record back at the station, so I you know I have to enter something now, but since you don't have a warning or any tickets, I can just leave you a warning. But you've really got to get that checked okay? Drive back real slow so you don't get stopped again, and give Jake a call. Maybe he'll fix it for you alright?"

"Okay Dad."

"Why do you need to get home so fast anyhow? Don' normally spend a few hours with Mike after school anyhow?"

"Alice is leaving today and said she wanted to see me before she left. I didn't have time to talk this morning."

It was obvious that Charlie was glad to hear that I was, as far as he knew, trying to make up.

"Well, you best head on home then. But drive slow, alright?"

"I will."

I pulled into the driveway and killed then engine. I opened the door with the key from under the eve, and dropped my bag beside the door. Kicking my boots off, I went to the kitchen. Normally I would never touch it, but desperate times called for desperate mesures, as I grabbed the jar of instant coffee out of the cupboard. Charlie was the only one who drank the stuff, and it was normally only when he had an especially early morning. I filled the kettle and set it onto the stove. As it began to heat, I rummaged for a travel mug. There were twice as many kids as there were cups that fit them, and it was always a hassle to find the right one.

"How was school?" Alice asked.

I jumped up from the cupboard, whacking my head in the process. I hadn't even noticed she'd come in.

"It was long," I said rubbing my head where I had hit it, "Have you got everything packed? I can give you a hand if you need."

I was looking forward to her going home, which was in Ithica apparently, and out of my business.

"I think I've got everything," she said, smiling almost as if I'd said something funny.

"I'll just make this, and then we can go. Where is Caius?" I asked, mixing a spoonful of instant coffee mix into the hot water and sealing up the travel mug."

"He's in the back yard," she said, her nose twitching with displeasure.

"Okay."

"Bella..."

"Uh-Huh?"

"Why would you...Do you even know what he's done?"

"I know enough," I said defensively both hands tightening around the mug.

"Then how could you possibly think even being in the same room as him is a good idea? I mean did you even think about how dangerous this is? And he's a married man. What, you think his wife is just going to let you slide? You must know that she's going to come for you. How well do you think this is going to end. Why won't you just come back with me?"

"You really don't know him at all do you? And if you think I'm coming back with you, then clearly you don't know me very well either."

I opened the back door and slammed it behind me. Caius was leaned against the side of the house smoking a cigarette. He was wearing a navy blue suit today. His blonde hair was pulled back and tied loosely with a piece of cording.

"It's going to rain again," he said, passing me the cigarette.

"Probably."

I took a long drag and exhaled. Popping the lid on the mug, I took a sip of the coffee. I forced myself to swallow it and coughed from the bitterness, my mouth recoiling from the taste.

Caius laughed as he pushed off of the wall to drape his arm around my waist.

"Why are you drinking that? I know you don't like it."

"I need to stay awake. I have to study and I still need to make dinner for Charlie."

"Tell you what, I'll pick you up some take away from the diner, put it on your stove, and we can pretend you made it."

"Ignoring the fact that my dad has had everything on that menu, that's not a bad plan."

"See, disaster averted."

I took another sip of the coffee and grimaced. I stuck the tip of the cigarette in my mouth and puffed on it. Anything to get the taste out. How did people drink this stuff? Maybe I wasn't that desperate after all.

"Just quit while your ahead Isabelle."

"Easy for you to say, you don't have to sleep."

"The novelty wears off quicker than you might think. You wouldn't believe how boring it is pacing your office hour after hour. After a thousand years or so you really start to miss the escape of sleep."

I learned my head against his shoulder, staring off into the trees. They swayed slightly with the wind, probably sprinkling water on all of the critters that had hid underneath their branches. It would be warm enough soon to walk down the path behind my house.

"Come on, you can always study more later. You'll miss out on the sun."

"Edward, I really need to get this done."

"I thought you'd already read that one."

"I have, but it's always good to go through it again."

He scooped me up out of the bed.

"Edward," I whined.

"Come on. You need some vitamin D."

"What about the sun. It's not like you can go with me."

Before I knew it we were on the trail behind my house. The sun was leaking through the trees, casting patches of yellow onto the dirt below.

I scowled at him.

"Come on, one hour?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Fine, one hour. Only one."

I walked towards him and he reached our his hand. I took it, and he shot me my favorite lopsided smile as he led me through the trees.