A/N: Well done to those of you who noticed a deliberate lack of Cullen's in the previous chapters. This chapter goes a bit of the way to explaining why.

Weeks had passed and I still hadn't managed to muster enough courage to write a reply. My mind was still consumed with the thought it had been focussed on that evening. That my new friend could be a Vampire.

I'd had a niggling feeling in the back of my skull since the first letter, the language he used and way he spoke sounded like he was from a completely different time. Even more so than Edward. I had re-read all of the letters and now that I was looking for it, I could see the hints that he had dropped here and there. Now I really was afraid.

To try and block the thoughts from my mind I had begun spending more time with the Cullen family again. No matter what they had done to me, they were still my friends. They would have been my family. Edward had continued behaving like a timid puppy around me and the most we touched was when he kissed me on the forehead to say goodbye of an evening. It was chaste and friendly, and whilst his touch used to ignite me in so many ways now it just felt like a goodbye between friends.

If he had noticed, he hadn't said anything.

It was a cold evening at the Cullen's as autumn and winter were beginning to meet with a vengeance. I pulled my jumper around me tightly as I shivered slightly, the Cullen's had no need for central heating or fires and had conveniently forgotten about my human need for heat. So I huddled close to myself on the plush sofa and blinked at the Vampires surrounding me. I had been asked to attend a meeting of sorts, apparently my presence was needed as I'd been kept out of the loop with a few things. I had a feeling I knew what it regarded… I was still friends with Jake after all and I knew they were struggling to catch the red-headed Vampire on their lands.

"Bella." Carlisle smiled as he looked down at me, his blond hair flopped appealingly over his brow. "We have decided it is the appropriate time to tell you what our actions have been since Italy to secure your safety."

He looked around at his family and most wore pleasant expressions as they looked at me, Rosalie looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.

"As you know Victoria has held a vendetta against you for what happened to James. We have been doing our utmost to protect you from her, but now she has developed a different plan. One that endangers us all. Not just from attack but also from the Volturi's retaliation."

I felt myself sit straighter at the mention of the Volturi. I glanced worriedly at Edward who looked as though he might reach for my shoulder to reassure me, before he looked pained and glanced in the other direction.

"Victoria is creating a newborn army to avenge James." Carlisle looked down at me, worry creasing his perfect brow. "Newborns are uncontrollable, volatile and extremely powerful."

"Wait. Sorry Carlisle, but how long has she been doing this? I've heard nothing about her for months!" I tried to keep the note of accusation from my voice, but judging but the purse in Carlisle's lips I didn't quite manage it.

"We have been tracking her since your return from Italy. Edward thought you would be safer not knowing. Alice saw a vision and we were informed by the Volturi that if we did not take action, then they would. You can understand why having the Volturi here would be very bad."

"For you." Rosalie muttered, her eyes glazed over as she gazed out of the window in boredom.

"For all of us, Rose." Carlisle said, turning to his adopted daughter. "If they discovered we had not kept our word, our fate would be worse than Bella's. I wanted to ask what your thoughts on being turned were, if they'd changed at all?"

I squeezed my arms as I tried to feed warmth into my body, not quite sure how to answer him. "I… Don't think I want to be changed anymore." I said tentatively, deciding that the truth was the best course of action.

Rose looked surprised and yet pleased, for the first time since I had met her. Whilst the others all looked shocked, except Edward, Carlisle and Alice. Carlisle smiled at me softly.

"I thought as much. Edward had informed me of your change of heart."

Carlisle looked at Edward for a moment, not saying anything before Edward nodded once. That was when I realised he was communicating with him via Edward's ability, just to be sure I was allowed to be told, I thought bitterly.

"The Volturi are in Seattle. They decided they had given us long enough to sort out the problem and so have come here to do it themselves." He bowed his head in apology before continuing. "I'm sorry Bella but I couldn't risk my family in a war with newborns, especially where we are outnumbered."

I glanced around the room feeling panic beginning to rise in my chest. "So the Volturi are coming and there's nothing I can do?" I shook my head in disbelief. "Well, isn't this great. You dragged me into this mess." I turned to Edward, shaking with anger as I accused him. "And now you're going to hide away whilst I face the consequences."

Edward shook his head. "No Bella, I will stay by your side always. I won't let them hurt you."

I rolled my eyes at his predictable self sacrifice. "Great, and then you'll die too."

I looked at the Cullen's, not quite believing that they'd let their son and brother take such an action. I was right.

"I have reason to believe that the Volturi wont attack." Alice spoke up, her eyes shifting from Carlisle to Edward and back again. Edwards grip on the arm of the seat tightened before he shook his head at her.

"Alice, what is it?" I asked leaning forward feeling excited but not quite knowing why.

"Aro is interested in you." Alice said cautiously, her eyes flicking to Edward who looked like he was ready to leap at her. "He has been-"

"Alice, ENOUGH." Edward stood quickly, his eyes flashing gold as he faced off with Alice.

"She deserves to know!"

I looked between them both at the silent battle they were having, when suddenly Alice went limp and her eyes distanced. Jasper was at her side in a second holding her upright and whispering in her ear soothingly. When she came back from her vision her mouth was set in a grim line and she looked at Edward pleadingly. He only shook his head once and watched her, looking like he was waiting for her to make a decision. She sighed softly and sat down and I had the distinct feeling that i'd missed something.

"He has been interested in your potential power, if you were to become immortal." She said in a resigned manner and I couldn't help but think that she had changed what she was going to tell me, due to whatever decision Edward had made if she did so. "You'd be too valuable to kill."

I stood and looked around the room, knowing that everyone in here knew something I didn't. Even Esme wouldn't meet my eyes.

"You're lying to me." I said accusingly. "You all are and until you're going to tell me the truth, I want nothing to do with you." I turned on my heel and stalked from the room, grateful to be moving so I could get some heat into my chilled bones. Edward made to follow me before I turned and glared at him. "That means you too, you're lying to me more than anyone else in this room and I'm sick of being kept in the dark. Just leave me alone."

I felt exhaustion overwhelm me as I left, my small human ears only picking up half the conversation they were having as I departed.

"You'll just push her further away if you keep lying to her." It was Carlisle, I presumed he was talking to Edward. I started down the steps to the front door and just caught Edwards reply.

"If that's what It takes for her to be kept away from him. Then that's what i'll do."