We had made out flight with seconds to spare, and then the true torture began. The plan sad idle on the tarmac while the flight attendants strolled so casually up and down the aisle, patting the bags in the overhead compartments to make sure everything fit. The pilots leaned out of the cockpit, chatting with them as they passed. Alice's hand was pressed hard on my shoulder, holding me in my sight as I bounced anxiously up and down.

"It's faster than running," she reminded me in a low voice. I just nodded in time with my bouncing.

Alice eventually was on the phone with Jasper, discussing what it was she was seeing.

"I can't be sure, I keep seeing him do different things, he keeps changing his mind… a killing spree through the city, attacking the guard, lifting a car over his head in the main square… mostly things that would expose them. He knows that's the fastest was to force a reaction…

"No, you can't." Alice's voice dropped till it was nearly inaudible, though I was sitting inches from her. Contrarily, I listened harder.

"Tell Emmett no… well go after Emmett and Rosalie and bring them back… think about it, jasper. If he sees any of us, what do you think he will do?"

She nodded. "Exactly. I think Bella is the only chance… if there is a chance… I'll do everything hat can be done, but prepare Carlisle; the odds aren't good."

She had sounded stressed. Normally she sounded so loving and understanding when she spoke to Jasper. Now it seemed that she was irritated at him. It wasn't his fault we were in this situation after all. It was Rosalie's fault. I decided it didn't matter. I just needed go get to Edward before it was too late.

"Tell me everything Alice," I begged. "I don't understand. Why did you tell Jasper to stop Emmett, why can't they come help us?"

"two reasons," she whispered. Her eyes still closed after hanging up on Jasper. "The first I told him. We could try to stop Edward ourselves. If Emmett could get his hands-on Edward, we might be able to stop him long enough to convince him you're alive. But we can't sneak up on Edward. And if he sees us coming for him, hell just act that much faster. He'll throw a Buick through a wall or something, and the Volturi will take him down.

"That's the second reason of course, the reason I couldn't say to Jasper. Because if the Volturi kill Edward, they'll fight them. Bella." She opened her eyes at that, looking towards me.

"If there were any chance, we could win… if there were a way that the four of us could save my brother by fighting for him, maybe it would be different. But we can't, and Bella, I can't lose my family like that."

We talked for a few minutes more about the different options and possibilities we had. It wasn't until I asked who the Volturi were that she looked startled.

"I'm surprised you recognized the name. Did Edward ever tell you about them?

"No, he only ever said that they were an old, powerful family- like royalty. That you didn't antagonize them unless you wanted to… die." I whispered. The last word was hard to choke out.

"You have to understand," she said, her voice slower, more measured now." We Cullens are unique in more ways than you know. Its… abnormal for so many of us to live together in peace. It's the same for Tanya's family in the north, and Carlisle speculates that abstaining makes it easier for us to be civilized, to form bonds based on love rather than survival or convenience. Our kind travel alone or in pairs, as a general rule. Ours is the biggest family in existence as far as I know, with the one exception being the Volturi.

"There were three of them originally, Aro, Caius, and Marcus."

"two females joined over time, and the five of them make up the family. I'm not sure, but I suspect it is their age that lets them live peacefully together. They are well over three thousand years old. Or maybe its their gifts that give them extra tolerance. "

She continued to explain their numbers, how the guard changed, some of the gifts they were rumored or confirmed to have. She eventually went over the rules. Rules, Edward had decided, I didn't need to know.

Bella wasn't sure if they would land in time to save Edward.

But she had to try.

*Another short Chapter. This takes place in New Moon, chapter 19 RACE. This will be the last chapter we have for a while that takes place from Bella's perspective. Next up, our girl Lily finally makes it home to Forks! By the time she gets there, Bella will have just returned, Edward in hand, back to Forks to face the music of her actions.*