She wakes up with the abyss still next to her. I died again. Why do I always have to die? It feels like a living breathing thing, sitting at her side, mimicking her movements like a mirror. Peter's voice is still ringing in her ears. He sounded so sad. So upset. The abyss recedes. Or in the least, whatever had clung with her as she spiralled through time, had slipped back to the Elsewhere.

As long as it's gone, she doesn't particularly care.

Her head is still circling Peter.

There's something binding about dying with someone. Not the kind of binding that comes when you find your death at their hands, but the binding of being held as you bleed out. Of being comforted. That's what it felt like. Bella died with Peter Whitlock's panicked cry sending her into oblivion – and for that she was not alone – for that she owes him. Even if he doesn't remember. She needs to take account of the damage, because there always did seem to be damage, didn't there? She needs to do something. Get something done. Anything, just as long as it's moving forward.

She pops the sun visor down. Her hair is – it's – she searches for something optimistic. Silver? It's certainly silver. It doesn't look natural, there is no blending of the strands or varying rate of hair growth, just a skunk stripe of silver running down her head. She taps the car door. What to do. What to do. A list would be great. Or a plan. That would certainly be helpful. She squints, trying to remember her list from before of research topics; Peter ( She needs to call him and bring up Annabelle if she wants his trust ), the Volturi ( Carlisle would know better how to contact them ), Eleazar ( Not worth bringing up around Jasper, try Alice ), Alistair ( Sounds the least helpful ), Sam ( Currently on his side of the lands ), what attacked her last cycle, her hair, and the whole 'time travel' power thing. She might be missing something important. She probably is. But it's a long enough list to suffice for more than awhile, she can imagine.

She doesn't feel hungover, but she's hungry. And her head hurts a little. And her muscles are a bit sore. And the light is – shit, she's totally hungover. It's a fixable problem. It's totally a fixable problem – it's just that she doesn't want anything more weighing down on her at current. She already has so many things on her list and –

The phone rings.

This had never happened in any of the past loops.

Which was odd.

Really odd.

She stares at it – her eyes wide and hand hesitant to reach out; she opens it. Accepts the call.

"BELLA — WHAT IN THE FUCK," Peter's voice rings out crisply, "WAS THAT?"

"Oh shit?" She blurts out.

"I didn't – fuck, you weren't supposed to REMEMBER!" Bella accuses. For however, not accusational the words sound in the order she's thrown them together, they sound extremely accusational.

(Breakcrashthump) "WHAT DO YOU MEAN –"

(slambreakhuffstomp) "I DON'T KNOW –"

(crashcrashcrashcatscream) "HOW DO YOU NOT –"

(huffhuffpause) "JUST LET ME FINISH. Peter Whitlock. I don't have a fucking clue what's happened it — but you're going to help." What the fuck is Peter doing over there?

(silence) "Well that's real helpful." Jasper murmures under his breath.

"Oh give me a –" she pauses. Rewinds. Tries to figure out when he got into the car. Squints. Sighs. "Hi Jasper."

"Happy Birthday Bella – interestin' company you're keeping as of late. And a new look too! How totally normal and not fucking wierd. Peter, you know Bella, here?" His southern drawl is dripping in venom, and god Bella knows this doesn't look normal or rational, but her head is still pounding and Jasper will just ask the same selection of questions as last time and – well – a nap would be nice right now. This is really not my day.

"Yes, Major." Peter greets cautiously.

"And Bella? What have you been up to as of late? It is so hard to know with humans – time just passes so differently."

"Mostly just dying." Bella grumbles honestly.

"Mostly just dying, she says."

"I liked last loop Jasper more, he got drunk with me and didn't kill me. That's like a peak right there." Bella's last marble tumbles out of the sanity bag. It looks like she has no more marbles. And look! There Jasper goes stepping on the last one. Pulverising it to dust. What a shame.

Jasper looks up at the sky. His eyes are clenched shut and he seems to be compulsively swallowing. She'll just let him deal with that. He'll be fine.

"Peter, look – I really don't have any ideas. Is there anything you've done that would be out of the ordinary? You're in Montana right now, right?"

"..." stomp stomp stomp, "Yeah. I'm in Montana. But nothin' out of the ordinary is happenin' on my end. Was it a werewolf or just a regular wolf? I could hear it – shit if I could do anything but, yeah fuck I could hear it."

'Werewolf' Jasper mouths to himself. His eyes are still shut. He's having one of those moments where parents see their kids have written all over the walls in sharpie and the kid looks so proud and so they're trying not to yell even though they really want to yell. He wears the look well.

Bella ignores him. "See that's the thing. It was a regular wolf. I'm pretty sure at least and they wouldn't go anywhere near a coven or single vampire. I know I was out of it, but Edward had been right there. It wasn't a coincidence."

"Fuck." Peter snarls.

"Fuck is right. Look, I wanna make some calls, poke around more, can I call you back later with more information?" Her tongue wets her bottom lip. She wants him to say yes. But he doesn't owe her anything.

Please say yes.

"Yeah sure, but just, fuck – stay safe this time little human. I ain't nowhere close to fix shit if it gets out of hand."

She swallows. Her throat feels dry. "Got it."

"Bye, Isabella." He sighs. She can imagine him running his hands through his hair as his forehead scrunches up. It's almost tangible to her to see him in this way. But they've never met. She doesn't know if they ever will.

"Talk soon, Pete."

Click.

"Jasper," she turns to the man, her mouth parted as she forces words out, her head is still pounding, "I can explain everything, but I would like to enlist your help."

"My help." He murmurs back. She can tell he's thinking and analysing and planning already – for a million different possibilities that will all be wrong.

"I am not the Bella you know." She thinks that makes sense. It seems a simple enough statement.

"I don't really know any Bellas." His eyebrows raise.

"We had Phoenix."

"Not really."

"What are you talking about!? You said that I was worth something – we – we had a moment. It was a very heartfelt moment."

"Don't remember."

"YOU HAVE A PERFECT MEMORY."

"Must have forgot, because the Bella I know, if you can call that knowing, is human."

"What the fuck are you going on about?"

"That! You! Fuck – everything. Fucking everything."

"Explain."

"You explain!"

"You should really calm down. There's no need to yell at me." She sniffs haughtily.

"Then don't be a bitch."

"Don't be a dick."

"Shit – fine – fuck, just explain it."

"Well not if you don't want me to."

"I want you to."

"You could say please."

"And you could not be a huge bi–" He stops himself and takes a deep breath. Calm. He realises belatedly that regardless of whatever situation Bella has found herself in, she still smells human – still makes his throat burn. He freezes. After several moments, he relaxes again. No eating the human-adjacent.

"You're not the Bella I know." he rehashes.

"No." she clarifies, "It's been awhile since I was."

I think of the feeling of standing on the cliffs before I jumped. There was a pinching in my gut and a spinning in my head but some part of me was buzzing with exhilaration. It was everything and nothing at all. It was so human. I was so human – even in a world of werewolves and vampires – I was just Bella Swan. I had gone searching for an adventure and found one. Would the Bella who stood on those cliffs even recognize the Bella who no longer loved Edward?

"How old are you?" His voice is lacquered and smooth. There's an edge of worry within the words, like he isn't sure if he wants the answer.

She thinks about time and death and birthday parties.

"18." She answers. Because she is.

"How long have you been 18?"

Her eyes are focused on the scene in front of her. The Cullen statue garden vacated the premises and Matty, the cigarette guy, seems to have gone to class. The bell must have rung.

"God for like – a year?" It's closer to half a year but don't whole numbers sound better?

He looks at her like she's lost it. She has. But that's not the point. "Isn't that 19 then?"

"It really fucking isn't."

He blinks. There isn't much to say to that.

"So–" he doesn't seem to know how to continue that.

She huffs, starting the car. They can do this while she gets shit done – some semblance of a plan is bouncing around her typically empty head – and she want's to grab it by the horns before it fucks away listening to Bolero. He jerks at the movement, not looking happy that she's making decisions without consulting him, which I get I really do – but the fact is we're losing daylight. Or like – cloud cover day. Day – cloud – cover? Time. They're losing time. She 'decides' to tell Alice everything, hoping she's out of Edwards reach and willing to cover for her today.

"Jasper, I'll answer whatever, but I could really use a partner in this."

"Is that a sex thing?"

"No."

"Is it an assasination thing?"

She gives him a 'you're an idiot look'. He waits expectantly.

"No."

Does he get asked to do that a lot?

"Is it a buddy cop thing?"

"...sure. You can be the bad cop."

He seems to consider her option, nodding slowly and silently. She assumes that he's only here for observation and not actually giving a shit, but good help is so hard to find when stuck in a time loop.

As they pass the Forks Town sign, she's still trying to explain it to him. He's oddly receptive about some parts and extremely hesitant about others. So far he does believe her that Edward's left her multiple times using the same speech, that she hates Forks with renewed fervor, that Jasper has attempted to kill her (and possibly succeeded), that Bella thinks Peter knows both more and less than Bella about what is happening even if he only learned about it a loop ago, that Victoria has tortured her before, and that Bella is not coping well. The last one he seems to believe the most. The hardest parts he's wrapping his head around seem to be the actual time travel element, Bella not being a sleeper agent, and her motivation for inviting Jasper along. Apparently, 'because if I have to do this alone I'm going to have a breakdown', is not a good answer. Jasper said that it was because she was already having a breakdown – but that's not the point.

The point is, they're almost to Port Angeles. What she's really here for, won't be open for a few more hours, so they have time to get the less important things.

"Walmart?" Jasper eyes the store like it's full of salmonella. It quite possibly could be.

"I need boots." She explains, choosing not to grab a cart and wandering the aisles. She pulls out some post hangover snacks and holds them to her chest. Item one acquired. Next she goes for the energy drinks.

FIZZWAZZ ENERG–EEE

ENERGY BUNNY FLAVOUR

THREE E's FOR 3x THE FIZZWAZZ

FIZZWAZZ can make YOU 3x the YOU

Please do not consume if you are;

Operating heavy machinery, pregnant, have epilepsy, have a history of heart conditions, on medication (ephedrine, asthma prescriptions, amphetamines or any other medications your doctor discourages the intake of caffeine on), have a history of anxiety, are intolerant to dairy products, are sensitive to caffeine products, or allergic to tree nuts, oranges, red #7 or yellow #4.

NOT VEGAN

Bella shoves a few cans into Jasper's chest. "Hold these." Item two acquired. She continues down the aisle.

"Are these…safe for human consumption?" He asks wearily.

Bella shrugs. "Haven't died yet." She pauses. "From those." She tags on. She gives him an encouraging smile while he regards her with concern.

"Let's go cowboy."

They both putter down the lane at an amicable pace. "I should get a hat, right?"

"For the skunk stripe?" Jasper bites the inside of his cheek. He's holding the energy drinks like he isn't sure how to hold anything. It's endearing. Sorta.

"For the skunk stripe."

His face changes, from XANAX REQUIRED to pleasant, "Bella! You should get a Stetson."

"Like a cowboy hat?" She questions.

"Fuck yeah." This is genuinely the happiest she's seen the man.

"And you're also going to get one?" She continues knowingly.

He looks down at his feet. "I mean…yeah. Maybe."

"Yeah." She chokes a laugh down. "Yeah sure. You can choose the hat. We need something matching." She hip checks him lightly. "Partner." Her smile turns goofy.

When they get to the clothing section, she pulls out a pair of boots, without trying them on and balances them with her snacks in her hands. Item three done. She is NOT going back to her house today with Victoria lingering. Not that she won't ever – just – fuck not today.

Jasper stares at the boots in question expectantly.

"Fell down the stairs on one of my first loops."

He snorts. "Your laces malfunction?"

"Walking and chewing gum – or no – I told your wife I would steal her from you if she ever got bored and was too busy laughing at the look on your face that the stairs surprised me."

Jasper sighs. He starts chuckling, then laughing, and suddenly full on cackling in the middle of the Walmart. The other shoppers look at him in concern, before realising his vampire levels of godly hot and letting him get away with it. It actually explains how the Cullens get by if this is a normal human reaction to them being a bunch of weirdos. Once he stops, he gives her a look she might call fond.

"Some would call that karma." Should I be annoyed that me coming onto his wife is so unconcernedly funny that this is the reaction? He could also be laughing over the immediate death thing. There's always that.

"Yeah probably." She huffs.

The hat section they get to is extremely limited. Bella recognized that there isn't any sun to speak of out here, but fishermen like hats, right? So do dads and lesbians – there's got to be some market for them. Apparently not. She gives Jasper a ' what can you do ' look. He responds with a ' life is already horrible this just fits the genre ' shrug. They go back to perusing the hats. Jasper pulls out a navy baseball cap and hands it to her.

It has a drawing of a little cotton-tail on it. Bella tilts her head. "Shouldn't it be a skunk?"

"Rabbits are tastier." He smiles with his teeth.

"You have problems." She snorts back, taking the hat, and starting towards the entrance. Item four, I guess.

He nods in agreement. Self awareness is a great trait to have in a co-conspirator.

The lady at the cash register grunts. "Next." Bella and Jasper step up to the counter, setting their stuff down.

Her beady eyes drive into theirs with suspicion. "Shouldn't you kids be in school?" She questions.

Bella knows Jasper must be pumping her with the good stuff, because like a possessed doll, the cashier, 'Barb' her name tag reads, slumps. "Oh never mind that – what are a pair of youngsters doing out here? It's a lovely day for a stroll." She winks.

Bella cringes. Jasper's face is entirely blank. For a second, she can't feel him next to her, but the moment is over in an instant.

"You could get ice cream." She suggests happily.

Bella twitches – watching the scanned items go from one side to the other. The lady continues to chatter on, painting a lovely image of two high school sweethearts ditching for a day to eat snacks by a lake and neck. If Bella was in a better place, she might find it funny, but it just gets more and more annoying.

"Jasper is lactose intolerant." Bella informs her.

The last item scans.

"Well – he could just watch you -"

Bella hands her the money, not waiting for change, grabs the bags, and leaves. She can hear Barb sighing happily to herself from behind.

"Was that fun for you?" She snaps at Jasper, adjusting her hat. Jasper trots next to her.

"No. Not really."

"Then –" Jasper holds something out to Bella. Bella stares.

"You said you missed home."

Her hands reach out, taking the small object from his hands. She's careful handling it, like it might just bite her hand off, it sorta feels like it will. He bought me a cactus.

"You bought me a cactus?" It's a tiny thing, no bigger than her palm, and not very healthy. Walmart hasn't been kind to the plant.

He nods.

"It'll be gone next time I die." She sighs, her eyes are still on the precious item in front of her. She typically hates gifts but this – this one means something – and he stole it anyways, it wasn't like he spent money on it.

He gives her a stiff pat on her upper arm. "You'll just have to not die then."

Her body lights up with motivation for the first time in forever. "Yeah." She smiles. "Thank you."

"Ain't no problem. Didn't spend a dime. This one was liberated." Bella cradles her liberated cactus, her fingers grazing the tiny spines. She bobs her head again, turning back to the car with renewed fervour. Things are going to be different this time.

"This is your grand plan?" He screeches on the bed of the truck as she slips her new shoes on.

"Uh huh."

"This is so fucking stupid." He tells her.

"Probably."

"What happened to the whole – this will be the last loop – hope?" He squawks as his hands flare out.

"Unrealistic plan A. Good plan B."

"This is dumb." He ends on.

"Okay."

With a sigh, he pushes off the truck and starts towards the shop. Jasper Whitlock resigns himself to whatever mess of a plan Bella has cooked up with such resigned acceptance, that he can barely stand himself. Bella in comparison seems proud. Which is a horrible sign.

"Big Ben's Tattoo Parlour, what can we do for you today?" A 20- something-year old with blunt blue hair chirps. The words, 'murder you' are tattooed on her neck in red. Jasper looks out the window. He's not supposed to breathe. Or look at what's happening. There's too much blood in the air.

It doesn't matter anyways, he has a plan to carry out. Unfortunately. At least he had veto power on Bella getting a 'bite me' tattoo.

"Hello. I was looking to get tattooed. It's my 18th birthday."

"Oh? Wicked neat, what are you looking to get done?"

Bella pulls out a pad of paper, sketching a small image and turning it to face the attendant.

"Oh, that will be no problem."

The two girls chat while Jasper turns his head to the studio. He can't look at any…wounds…but he needs a tattoo gun. And ink. God this is a stupid plan, Jasper eternally groans.

While Bella starts talking to the artist, Jasper slips behind the desk, silently grabbing a spare gun, needles and bottle of red tattoo grade ink. He stops at the display in front of him.

"Hey dude." The man's back has a large piece of women and tentacles and…women and tentacles doing things he prefers not to think about. The smell of fresh blood starts to override his common sense, so he backs away without responding to the man. The man seems not to mind. Or find it strange that Jasper broke into the more private sections of the tattooing area. Jasper hurries back to the truck to wait.

Bella comes back outside shortly after, smelling more of medical grade plastics and alcohol swabs, then food.

"You get it?" She asks, slamming closed the truck door behind her. She squirms in her seat uncomfortably, the sensitive tattoo bothering her ever so slightly. The after pain is more of an itch and hyper-awareness then actual pain – but Bella wouldn't go so far to say as it was a pleasant sensation.

Jasper starts the truck, pulling out of the lot silently. Bella digs into their haul, checking to make sure Jasper took all they needed before grabbing some goldfish to snack on while they drive.

"Remind me again why I agreed to help." Jasper mutters from the driver's seat.

"Notes, Jasper. I needed to take notes."

"You mean, tattoo a bunch of peoples phone numbers on your human skin, which will never go away."

Bella tosses a goldfish in her mouth, munching loudly, "Yeah. It's clever, right?"

"No." He responds bluntly, driving too fast for the beat up truck.

And that is that.

She looks out the window, going through everything they need to do to make this perfect. There are a lot of ways this could go, but what she really needs is to contact the Volturi. Then tattoo the numbers so she won't ever have to get them again. Then call Peter. Bella shoots Peter a text just to be sure, asking if he has any other numbers he uses for emergencies. After a few minutes, he sends back a number she doesn't recognize, with another Arizona area code. She responds to, 'Why u wanna know?' with 'Gonna tattoo it on my ass'. He responds with a 'lol'. Which is fair – she IS kidding. About the ass part.

"Should Edward be there?" Bella plays with the spins of the cactus, lost in thought.

"At the party?"

She makes an agreeing sound.

"Maybe. If you can get Carlisle alone to ask about Volterra then it shouldn't be a problem."

"He won't be a fan of the tattooing thing -"

"I'm not a fan of the tattooing thing -"

"But you'll suck it up – he won't."

"True." he taps his finger on the steering wheel, "Alice can distract him."

"The cake."

"What cake?"

"There's this cake, it's red and shiny and probably cursed. Let's just drop Esme's cake and Alice will tell him that Edward has to run and get a new one. We can do the tattooing thing after."

He runs it over in his head. "It could work – what exactly are you going to ask Volterra about anyways – besides if anyone else has been looped…?"

"That isn't enough?"

"It could be"

The trees pass as the truck speeds along. It's later in the day that Bella had thought it was. She hadn't realised how long she had spent in the parlour. It felt like minutes and not hours.

"If they take gifted humans, maybe. I don't know yet. I want to see what they say about the loopty loop stuff first."

"Alright." Bella doesn't know if he's agreeing with her concerns or placating her or showing that he cares and thinks she'll make it through this but Bella appreciates it.

She snuggles into her prickly cactus feeling happy. It only hurts a little.

He flicks the brim of her hat when they get out, pulling up to the Cullen house.

"C'mon Bunny, it's time to hop."

"You're hilarious."

"We can get you some carrots inside."

"You would know all about that Veggie Boy, wouldn't you."

"Excuse you, I'm obviously Veggie Man."

"Big difference."

"Oh yes there is." He wiggles his eyebrows at her.

She shoves her stuff into his chest with a 'humf' and opens the door. He rolls his eyes. Bella's fairly certain Alice is in the know and covered for her earlier with school, but she can't be certain until she sees Edward. Edward enters from one side of the room; Carlisle enters from the other. 'DISTRACT HIM', she mouths to Jasper in a panic. Jasper gives a wide-eyed nod. They both approach their targets in a rush.

"Carlisle! Can you escort me to the kitchen?" Bella smiles too big with too many teeth and too much of a grimace in her eyes. Carlisle doesn't question it. To be fair, Carlisles puts up with far more on a daily basis than one human and her human shenanigans.

"Sure, Bella. How is your birthday so far?" He kindly responds.

"Uh great. Got a lot done."

He pats her hand. "Yes, you smell like medical grade plastic and sterilised metal."

Bella trips, catching herself quickly with a flush. "That's neat." She opens the door to the kitchen. There the malevolent cake sits, red and pristine and perfect in form. Bella hates it on sight. "Bella, if you ever need to talk about any accidents or situations any member of the coven might have coerced you into – I just want you to know that I -"

Splat.

"Oops." The words come out like an afterthought.

Carlisle looks to the cake on the floor, then back to Bella, with her hands on the kitchen marble where the cake once sat, then back to the cake. He considers the situation with a puzzled frown.

"Are you feeling well, Isabella." He speaks, eyes still glued to the crumble of gooey sweet redness staining the tiles.

"Yes." She lies. "I'm feeling great."

His head snaps back to her. "What did you want to speak about?" he inquires serenely.

Sometimes Bella thinks that Carlisle is the best liar of them all.

"Information on the Volturi." She huffs, eyes flickering from the cake to Carlisle. Carlisle only makes the tiniest flinch of a movement, so small that she can barely tell with human senses.

"Why?" He chokes out. His eyes burn holes into the cake, and Bella knows that it's more about not looking her in the eyes than the red velvet monstrosity, but she can't help but think he might hate the cake and all it represents just as much as her in that moment.

"I was told that they accept gifted humans." She edges.

Carlisle's gaze settles back on her; he looks at her as if he had never seen her until that moment. "They do." He says, voice ringing with a quality she can't pin.

"I want contact information in the case that your coven leaves or grows bored of me." However much she means it to be a question, it comes out like a demand.

"We won't leave." He tells her like he means it.

"Then it won't matter if I have it." She responds because he doesn't.

She doesn't know what she's getting into with the Volturi, especially so given Carlisle's reaction, but if they might have answers to her problem, then they might be worth it. She's willing to be a lot on that maybe. Bella watches as Carlisle takes a little notebook out of his pocket and clicks his pen once, scrawling a number below the words, 'RECEPTIONIST'. It's not Aro's number, or at least she doesn't think it is, but it's a start. That's all she needs.

He slides the note to her, worry settling heavy on his brow, "I really hope you do not need this Bella."

"It won't be your fault if I do." She promises — because she's never blamed Carlisle for the actions of his son and while he might be a liar in practice, he's one of the kindest people she's ever met. Before he can further question her, she leaves him with a brief thanks, scurrying back to the living room to find Jasper. The man looks grumpier than she left him.

"Any problems on your side?" Her fingers clench around Carlisle's note. She doesn't like unnecessarily thinking about Edward.

"Plenty. But it's done." She tips her head to him in response.

"Thanks for getting him out of the house." Bella exhales shortly.

"It wasn't like he would have accepted it if he were here." He reminds her.

"I know – I just don't want to get between you and-"

"What's done is done." He grumbles. Edward must have been more stubborn than usual. She really does have to ask Alice what she told him.

"Did you speak to Alice about -"

"No." Jasper cuts her off.

"Should we ask before we get started?"

"Mmmm. I'm thinking not. The less," he makes a pouty face, that Bella automatically reads as 'Edward', "they know the better."

"We should call Peter." Bella mumbles to herself. "No, wait, let's do the other thing first."

He ponders it like he always does – carefully considering the pros and cons of every decision. "Sure." He lands on.

She stops him before they can go, observing the clench in his jaw and stiff posture, "what did he say to you?" She whispers just for him.

"Leave it alone." He pleads in a single breath. She gives his carved stone skin a squeeze that will never indent and walks beside him.

"We should do this where nobody can hear." Bella acknowledges. There isn't much benefit to doing this where the inhabitants can all smell the fresh blood or yell at her about safe body practices or something.

Jasper non-verbally agrees, leading her out into the evergreen woods beneath a cloud covered sky. They don't walk for long, before Bella stops beside a thick stumped tree.

"Do you know how to do this?" Jasper realises with a snarling sort of concern. Bella sets up the equipment on the ground, looking it over with hawkeyed inspection.

"I asked plenty of questions when Big Bill -"

"I thought it was Ben."

"That's his brother, shut up."

" - tattooed me and it is a wireless gun, so — well that's gotta be easier?" Jasper turns his back to her, shouting at inhuman pace and pitch, what Bella can only imagine variations on the word, 'fuck'.

"This is a horrible idea." He tells her. Mostly because it is. Partially, just because he likes being proven right.

"It's not like you can tattoo me." She expresses rudely. They both freeze, considering it for a moment.

"No, that's an even" Jasper raises his hands like she's crazy, "You would kill me before" Bella slumps, still exhausted, "worse idea somehow I mean" Jasper kicks a piece of bark bashfully, "you even got to the second number" Bella lays down with her knees against her chest, "it wouldn't work." They both finish.

Jasper stands before her on his knees. "You got this?" He asks carefully.

"No." Bella glooms. Sensing Bella needs some form of delusional support, Jasper smiles reassuringly. Well, he thinks it's reassuring. Bella thinks it's a bit too pointy to exude comfort.

"That's the spirit bunny! I'll be right behind the tree waiting for you in case you need help. I'll be keeping my breath held, so don't expect any chit chat, young miss." Jasper backs away then flees out of sight.

Bella picks up the tattoo pen, staring at it like a feral animal might a human. "I got this." She assures herself with fierce belief. She almost smiles.

The confidence doesn't last long. Oh shit oh fuck this was a horrible idea oh my god is it supposed to bleed like that why did I have this idea the seven is crooked oh fuck this is forever going on my body I'm so fucking stupid why do I think like this Jasper should have eaten me this time to why is this taking so long why did he choose red ink that's a horrible choice what a fucking weirdo I can't deal with this I'm so fucking -

"Done!" She proclaims, the last line of the numbers settling beneath her skin.

Her forearm now sports three lines of phone numbers in red ink; the skin is slightly inflamed and definitely bleeding heavily, but it's there. Bella can definitely claim that. She smiles tightly, pain screaming up her arm; her left eye starts to twitch. She wraps it up in Seran Wrap and tapes it down, welcoming Jasper to come out.

Jasper slinks back to her side – eyes avoiding the blotchy disaster of her arm.

"Good?"

"Yeah – yeah – we got this." It's sort of the royal 'we', seeing as she mostly bribed Jasper with the promise of information, but he's been very supportive of it all.

She tries to dial the numbers but her fingers are a bit – stiff and uncooperative – so Jasper takes the phone and dials them for her. She gives him a thankful head bob. He sets the phone back down near her.

Rrrrrrrrrring. Rrrrrrrrrrring.

"Hello. This is the Volterra Tourist Office, where we make life that much tastier, this is Estelle speaking, how may I help you?"

Bella's just a little surprised they picked up. Isn't it midnight over there? But then again, they were vampires – but then again – the voice was human. Vampire voices were a bit too perfect to ever pass as something ordinary. Jasper elbows her side.

"Oh! Yes, well, umm I was wondering if Aro was there, I'm a friend of Carlisle's?" She sounds small and unsure and a little bit scared.

The line was silent. Papers shuffle from the other line.

"Aro?" The receptionist repeats.

"Yes." Bella states dumbly without further explanation.

"And who might I be speaking to?"

"Bella." She swallows, "Bella Swan. You can tell him that Bella Swan called and needs to speak to him. Tell him it's the most important subject matter." Her voice picks up in confidence.

"Oh – sweetie no. Aro's busy. I'll transfer you -" click

"Transfer me to who?!" She shouts back. This was not the plan.

Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 in C sharp plays on the other line. She looks up to Jasper, who is observing the phone as if it was a bomb. Or maybe a snack. It wasn't a face she wanted pointed at her anyways.

CLICK.

"Hello?" Bella whines.

There was a sigh on the other side.

"It's Bella?"

The sigh was still going. It was a very long sigh. If they had been human, Bella would have been very concerned.

"I'm stuck in a time loop and can't get out and I know Carlisle and my hair is turning silver and I don't know what to do-" Bella blurts in a rush, hopeful that at least one of the talking points would stick.

"Carlisle?" The other voice asks. He spoke slowly. Very slowly. Each letter seemed to have its own syllable when he spoke.

"Yes! Yes - I know Carlisle he's my ex-well it's not really an ex we haven't broken up yet but I loved him and Carlisle is-"

"I have not heard from Carlisle in a long long long," the voice sighs, "long time."

"Well I know Carlisle."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if you might know something."

The voice sighs again. It sighs for an even longer time. Bella was starting to wonder if she should have called someone else. Maybe if she asks for an operator, they will redirect her call?

"Do you know anything?" She interrupts the sigh.

click.

Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 in C sharp plays on the other line. "I think they transferred me again." Bella tells a squinting Jasper. Jasper nods, eyes not moving from the phone. Distantly, Bella realises they might have had better luck with Jasper on the phone. It wasn't even the human problem, Jasper was just better at speaking to people.

To be fair, the bar was very low.

CLICK.

"WHO is this?" The other line sneers. It was a male voice. She was pretty sure, at least. It sounded like the voice she would imagine on Draco Malfoy as he said the iconic 'my father will hear about this' line. The profile would have actually fit; they're wealthy, cultured, and supernatural in a pretentious hierarchical way.

"Carlisle's friend?" Bella fibs just a little. Ex-boyfriend-who-isn't-actually-your-ex-yet's dad is kinda like a friend, right?

"Carlisle Cullen – that yellow eyed freak of nature - yes I am familiar with Carlisle Cullen, but why would a human be calling the Volturi if you were friends — surely even Carlisle Cullen knows this is a death sentence for you both." Bella starts to shake. She liked the other voice much more. In fact, she thought she might like to try her chances again with someone – anyone – else.

"Operator?" She asks like she was saying Nose Goes with her middle school friends.

"No. Listen human, I will eviscerate you where you stand."

"Can I be transferred to someone else?" Jasper was definitely going to eat her – there was no way she was letting this day stick.

"Fine, human. But know, you will not be on this earth for long. Clear?" He tells her in complete delight.

"Crystal." She agrees glumly.

"Ah yes, crystal, I am familiar with your English human vernacular. There will be no tricks here!" He shouts.

"No tricks, sure, can you just transfer me to someone who might know something about time travel?" She bemoans.

"Aro is busy at this hour." The voice informs her.

"Isn't there anyone else?" She cries.

click .

Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 in C sharp plays on the other line.

"This is almost funny." Jasper snarks as she grasps the phone with sweaty palms.

"I am not feeling the 'funny'." Bella moans.

"I meant for me."

CLICK.

"Hello?" A small voice answers.

"Oh yes," Bella feels good about this one, "I was looking for Aro or-"

"Aro's not here. Call back tomorrow during his office hours of 2am to 6am."

Click.

Bella stares at the phone dumbfounded. "That's the Volturi?" She asks Jasper. Or maybe the phone.

Or the universe.

Who knew? Not Bella. Certainly, not Bella.

Jasper snorts back, apparently calm after Bella's been sufficiently tortured. And to think, he even forgot about the threats of the second voice – or has chosen to believe that this really is an inconsequential time loop and fallen into madness with Bella.

Whatever the man needs to continue, Bella reassures herself.

"So, Peter?"

"Better than a bureaucracy of petrified narcs."

"You are…not wrong. I'll call him."

"You do that, Bunny." He sighs in response. She puts the call on speaker phone and she huffs fondly in response to his sass. She shoves him lightly. He doesn't move but – that wasn't really the point.

The phone picks up on the first ring.

"Peter you'll never believe this -" Bella starts.

Jasper shoots up straight, grabbing the phone from her hand in a bruising grip and shouting into the phone, "PETER. Peter, report soldier."

"There's too many -"

Click .

Peter's voice sounded wrong and sure – she's heard him panicking for her and upset and tired and suspicious – but this was worse. This was a very bad situation voice a -

"Is he alive?" She asks an unmoving Jasper.

He opens his mouth.

But something isn't right. She can feeling it pulling at her soul and her throat and everything; it's everything choking her

down –

down –

down –

the puzzle pieces spill.

They click. Unclick.

And everything changes as Jasper jumps towards her with a vision of pure panic painting his face.

No, she realises, everything is not alright.