It's incredibly annoying to be on a 13 hour flight without being able to sleep.

Alice babbled on and on about London and the countryside and the people and the department stores and-

"Alice, please stop," I interrupted her. "I know you're excited about going to England and I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but hearing 4 hours of you talking about it gets on my nerves!"

Edward, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett spared me grateful looks. Evidently, they too had grown tired of listening to Alice talk.

She settled back in her seat and pouted. "None of you are talking," she whined, crossing her arms across her chest. "I took it upon myself as a duty to keep the conversation going."

"What conversation?" Edward scoffed. "A conversation requires two or more people. Granted, your incessant chatter could count for two people, but that's beside the point." The rest of us (excluding Alice) laughed aloud. She merely sat and fumed.

Can we talk?

I nodded at him. I stood, stretched, and walked to one of the large windows, claiming I needed a change of scenery. I watched wispy clouds drift by in the great expanse of blue. Far below us, I could see moving sparkles. It reminded me of Edward in the meadow.

Enjoying the view?

I turned around. He was walking over to where I was, smiling. I turned back to watch the clouds again.

This thought-conversation is pretty convenient, I thought.

It certainly is, he replied, putting an arm around my waist. Shut up, Emmett.

I looked up at him, confused. What about Emmett? I asked.

Oh, he was thinking irritating things about our relationship. It's nothing, he assured me.

Like what? I was curious.

Um...the, um... He bit his lip, clearly embarrassed.

The sleeping with me part?

He nodded, staring out the window.

I still haven't made that happen, he said. I put both my arms around his waist and sighed into his chest.

It's OK, I said, brushing off any of his concerns. We have eternity. There's no rush. I felt a twinge of guilt at my little lie. Of course I wanted it to happen, soon. The sooner the better. But Edward, I knew, was still hesitant about it.

My views haven't changed, he said earnestly, tightening his grip around my waist.

Which view, the one you had the night I tried to seduce you or the other one? I asked, amused.

The other one.

His answer surprised me. Trying to get my thoughts back on track I changed the subject.

What did you want to talk about before Emmett interrupted you?

He smiled. Oh, that. I-

"Alice!" Rosalie exclaimed.

Edward and I whipped around to face the others.

Jasper was kneeling at Alice's side, shaking her violently. There was a panicked, frantic look about him. I broke free of Edward's hold and rushed over to the tiny vampire. She was slumped back, her head tilting over the back of the chair. Her eyes were closed.

"I can't feel anything from her," Jasper cried. "No happiness, sadness, fear, nothing! It's like she disappeared!"

I turned on my heel to Edward. He was standing with a shocked expression on his face.

"Can you read anything from her mind?" I asked, sharing Jasper's panic. Emmett joined Jasper on the floor next to Alice. Rosalie sat frozen, apparently unable to do anything.

Edward's face took on a look of concentration. He stood over Alice and closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he started. He jumped back from her, eyes wide. His face was paler than normal.

"Oh my God," he whispered.

"What?" Jasper shouted. "What did you hear?" Edward merely shook his head, seemingly unable to speak.

"Edward! What's wrong?" I cried. That didn't rouse him either. Then I got an idea. I strode firmly over to where he was. "I'm sorry," I whispered. Then I slapped him across the face. Hard.

I heard his sharp intake of breath. I stepped back and looked up at him. His golden eyes were slightly murky. He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again.

"Carlisle," he said, the fear evident in his voice. "We need to get Carlisle." He walked quickly to the cockpit, flung the door open and closed it behind him. In a matter of milliseconds, Esme and Carlisle were out the door in the cabin.

Carlisle spotted the still form of Alice and rushed over. Emmett stepped back as Carlisle grabbed the top of Alice's head and pulled it so her head was upright.

"Alice!" he shouted. "Can you hear me?" He waited a moment before shouting again. She was still unresponsive. I glanced at Esme. Her bottom lip was trembling. I walked over to her and grabbed her hand. She squeezed it and clung to my arm.

Jasper made a sort of strangled cry and lunged forward. Carlisle barely had time to dive out of the way before Jasper grasped Alice's tiny shoulders and shook her again.

"Alice!" he screamed. "Listen to me! Please, please, Alice, listen to me!" His voice grew more frantic and steadily became louder. Esme buried her face in my shoulder, unable to watch the horrible scene before her. I couldn't look away-it was like an invisible force held me captive, forcing me to watch the tragedy unfold.

"NO! Alice, Alice, please, oh no, NO!" Jasper continued to scream. He held Alice's face in his hands. I could only imagine how awful this was for him. Edward could relate well. It was like me the time James nearly killed me.

Jasper was sobbing tearless sobs by now, still shaking the living daylights out of Alice. Emmett went over and solemnly laid a hand on jasper's shoulder. Finally, Jasper left go of Alice and collapsed on his knees, resting his elbows on his thighs and placing the heels of his hands over his eyes.

This wasn't happening. Vampires didn't simply die. They had to be ripped apart and burned first. My breathing became uneven.

Edward burst from the cockpit then, sprinting to the limp figure of Alice. He pulled up on of her still eyelids and looked underneath.

Alice jumped as though she'd been electrocuted. She leapt from her chair and stood, her head swiveling back and forth, looking for something. Her eyes rested on me.
I gasped and jumped back. Esme ran to Carlisle and clutched his hand, her eyes wide and trained on me.

Alice's irises were the color of blood.

She grinned at me, exposing her glistening white fangs.

"Bella," she rasped in a voice completely unlike her own. I stared at her, my eyes wide in fear.

"Bella," she repeated, taking a step toward me, "we have been waiting so long!" Her tongue flicked out over her white lips. Then she tackled me. Her teeth snapped just a hair's breadth away from my neck. I didn't want to fight her, afraid I would hurt her.

"Jasper! Emmett! Grab her!" Carlisle shouted. Within moments her weight disappeared from on top of me.

"Bella!" Edward cried frantically. I sat up and leaned against a long gold couch. "Are you okay?" His golden eyes, clearer now, were transfixed to my own.

"I'm fine," I panted. An alarming thought suddenly surfaced and icy fear pooled in my stomach.

"Who's flying the plane?" I whispered.

Fear overtook his perfect features. His expression told me everything.

"That's what I was afraid of."

I felt the plane tilt downward.