Some phrases in here uttered by the Volturi are direct quotes from the book and/or the movie. Please don't sue me.

Translations at the bottom of the page.

Previously:

"Bella!"

My breath gushed out of me when I saw the man frozen there.

Bella's POV

Red eyes.

That was the first thing that scared me about the vampire standing in front of me. This vampire was like the ones he had once described to me. Cold, in every sense of the word.

And it was blatantly obvious this was not the vampire I had come searching half the world over for.

"Ciao Alice, sono lieto di incontrarmi con voi. Aro mi ha detto molto sulla tua famiglia." He cocked his head to the side, and smiled vindictively. "Vuoi venire dentro? Unisciti a noi per il pranzo?"*

My eyes were wide with fear as I looked at Alice, the nonchalant attitude of this vampire bringing a chill to my body. Alice was looking right at him, staring him down as she answered back in English. Her confidence settled me for a couple of seconds.

"No thank you, Demetri. We were just passing through the area. Come on, Bella." She reached for my hand and pulled away from the city walls, and the rogue vampire in front of us.

"Non così in fretta, bello. Non lasciare che gli altri solo passare attraverso la nostra città a loro piacimento. Insisto vieni con me."* His red eyes seemed to turn blacker as he uttered the last sentence, and his head bowed down ever so slightly.

Alice swallowed unnecessarily and stood up as straight as she could, making herself minimally taller against the bulging arms of the vampire in front of us.

"I said thank you, Demetri. There is no need for unpleasantries." I suddenly wished I could understand what he was saying.

He clasped his hands together. "Dai! Non lasciare che un opportunità passare. Aro mi ucciderebbe se sapesse che era venuto da Volterra. Vieni!"* He laughed and turned around. Alice looked me in the eyes with a blank expression before following.

"Alice!" I whispered so that even the vampire just feet in front of us wouldn't hear. "Are you insane!? Let's go!"

She shook her head no at me and continued walking straight. I followed at her side, puzzled as to why she was following this Demetri blindly. Weren't we supposed to be finding Edward?

We were led up the rest of the path and we skirted around the outside of the main square, which was buzzing with people – tourists and locals, all mingling in the early morning, and entered another pathway on the other side of the square. It was dark and gloomy here – grungy stone walls, shadows – a typical vampire residence. This is what I had been expecting the first time I visited the Cullen's place, with him.

Alice grabbed and squeezed my hand all of a sudden, and I looked up to see her motioning with her eyes between me and a small arch to the right. I looked in front and saw Demetri was making his way confidently towards the end of the path – a dead end from all I could see.

Alice counted down silently, and I could see the "three, two, one" her mouth formed. We ran down the arch as soon as we were near it and disappeared silently, Demetri not making any noise of recognition for a couple of seconds, giving us plenty of time as we rushed down the narrow backstreets of the city.

Alice lurched to a stop after half a minute of running and I looked up to see her staring in front of us with wide eyes. I followed the direction her gaze.

Standing in front of us was yet another red-eyed vampire, this one a female. She was short, had blond hair, and was dressed in intricate black laced clothes, that had I been in a fashion show and not here, I would have liked.

The vampire in front of us smiled. "Nice to meet you, Alice Cullen." She said, turning her gaze to me. She cocked her head to the side ever so slightly and looked at me with a confused expression on her face.

"Nice too meet you also," she said.

She turned and walked away from us, my brow crinkling in confusion. Alice sighed and walked behind the vampire, following her to wherever she was being led. She looked at me sympathetically and tilted her head towards the vampire, indicating I should come too.

We ended up in the same place we were before – the square busy with people wandering around – but this time we were lead through large wooden doors below the clock tower into a white-washed hallway. The look on Alice's face told me what I needed to know – don't do anything; keep quiet, keep still, do what they say. It scared me.

We were lead through a series of darker corridors, each second the surroundings looking more like a medieval dungeon. One last pair of wooden doors – and we were lead into a brightly lit waiting area.

With confusion evident on my face, I was motioned into an elevator. Comically, light elevator music was playing, but it did nothing to squash the dread coursing through me.

The doors dinged open, and we walked single file through yet another dark hallway. Jane approached marble doors and easily tugged them open, presenting a magnificent oval marble room, with an intricate dome as a ceiling.

"They send you out for one and you come back with two," a young and small dark haired man said from the corner of the room. Jane marched to stand to the side of him. My attention now wandered to the other presences in the room – the three Volturi sat in their thrones – just as the painting in Carlisle's study had depicted them. Around the rest of the room were six guards – including Demetri – plus Jane and the dark-haired man in the corner.

"Ah, welcome my friends!" The vampire in the middle throne stood up and threw his arms out, as if to embrace us warmly. He had long brown hair, half of it flatly pulled up behind his head. I estimated him to be in the middle thirties when he was changed.

"Alice Cullen... and who do we have here?"

"Bella is her name," the dark-haired vampire uttered from the corner of the room.

"Thank you Alec. Bella," he turned to me and examined my face, as if he was putting the information away for later. I waited for the inevitable blush to come, but realised how stupid I was being a second after.

"So pleased to meet you. I am Aro, and this is Caius and Marcus," he said, motioning with his head behind him respectively, but not taking his hungry eyes off me.

He turned to Alice after what seemed like an eternity of staring at me.

"What brings you to Volterra?"

"We were just passing by coincidentally, heading towards Venice for a holiday. We don't mean to interrupt." Alice said so convincingly that I almost believed her.

"You see, Mary-Alice," Alice's eyes widened slightly at the realisation he knew her name, "my talent allows me to read every thought a person has ever had by a simple touch of his skin." He paused dramatically. I thought this seemed more like a simple act to him then a meeting between two people.

"If you would be so politely inclined, Alice," he held out his hand and waited expectantly for Alice to meet his demand.

"Very well," he answered stoically when she stayed still.

He walked towards me.

"May I?" He asked politely, although I knew everything in this room was a facade. I decided I had no choice either way and slowly lifted my hand up to meet his.

He grabbed onto my hand and stood still, his eyes closing in concentration. I wondered what thoughts of mine he was seeing.

"I think–"

Aro stopped halfway through his sentence and focused his eyes behind me, his mouth opening slightly before a smirk slowly came across his lips. I could hear footsteps in the corridors – I had no idea who's they were to get such a reaction from Aro.

"Edward!" Alice suddenly gasped, one hand going to her stomach and another to her head. Her knees buckled and she dropped to the ground. She looked like wanted to vomit.

"This is about to become very interesting," Aro said cryptically, dropping his hold on my hand.

The doors creaked open, and then someone entered the room. I couldn't believe my eyes. His clothes were ripped, dirty. They looked like they had been worn for months. His face looked even paler than usual, dark purple shadows surrounded his eyes and lines his cheekbones. He looked frail – unloved.

I saved his eyes for last, and the second I saw the golden depths of them, they looked my way. His body froze as he looked at me. The first thing that moved was his hands, which were slowly clenching into fists. His jaw tightened, and his posture became rigid. Then he started shaking.

"Edward?" I called out; surprised that it didn't hurt anymore to say the name. I started walking towards him, like I was in a trance.

"No!" His first protest sounded weak, but as I drew nearer, he started yelling louder.

'No! No, no, no, no. This can't happen. No!"

His face crumpled in pain and he turned to Alice, staring at her for a couple of seconds before turning to look at me, his face bathed in a chaos of horror, pain, confusion, anger, terror, disgust, anguish, dread, uncertainty, disorientation...

It nearly killed me again to see him like this, which is why I reached a hand out to him. When he didn't move, I moved forward to make contact with his skin. The second we touched, a spark shot up my arm. His skin felt warm, like we were equals. I stared up into his familiar eyes, drowning in them just like he had never left me.

"Oh well, we're all together now! Isn't it lovely!" Aro's voice pierced through the quiet room. Edward withdrew his hand quickly and looked around the room, seeming to notice our surroundings.

"How nice to meet you, my friend!" He moved towards Edward quickly and took his hand, processing his life's thoughts in a mere second. Edward sharply ripped his hand out of Aro's, his eyes widening on what had just occurred.

"Why do you come to us on this beautiful day, Edward?"

"Let her go." Edward seethed through his gritted teeth.

"Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of him – only he was not so angry." Aro was content, looking at Edward's angry expression.

Edward looked at Alice, and they had one of their quick silent discussions, which Aro seemed to notice. Alice crooked an eyebrow slightly at Edward, and in result his shoulders slumped.

"It seems we have a dilemma here, my friend." Aro said sympathetically, which meant that he was anything but. I was quickly understanding why Edward had said he didn't like these vampires all that time ago, when he was first telling me of the Volturi.

"And what would that be?" Edward fumed, smiling tightly. I could'nt take my eyes off him. He was beautiful, even like this.

"He speaks!" Aro enthused. He paused and after a minute spoke again. "It is against the law to tell a human of our existence, Edward." He stated simply. Edward looked emotionlessly at Aro, as though he had given up everything, but I knew he was a good actor, so I hoped he was playing along with Aro.

"You have violated a law of the Volturi. Do you understand what you have gotten yourself into?" Edward still didn't move, and Aro's manner became more frustrated.

"Do you understand what happens when you violate a law, Edward?" Aro enquired.

Aro moved towards Edward, his hands and eyes drawn to Edward's neck. He was inches away when I realised what he was about to do.

"No! No! Kill me! Please kill me. Not him." I had to do anything to save Edward. It didn't matter if I died – heck! I was already dead in the sense of it. As long as Edward would live, it would all be fine. He wouldn't be killed because of the mistake he made with me.

Aro looked over at me with interest, and cocked his head to the side. I thought he muttered something along the lines of "a shame", and he began to move towards me. My eyes widened and my heart rate would have gone through the roof had I still been human. I closed my eyes a second time, and the memory of this happening before to me came back to mind – when Laurent decided to pay a visit. A growl sounded in the room, followed by a swishing of fabric. I opened my mouth to voice out loud what my last thoughts had been before Laurent had bit me.

"Wait!" Alice shouted, interrupting me. My eyes sprang open, and I flinched at seeing Aro's face so close to mine, his hand nearly at my neck in a claw.

He looked frustratingly at Alice and raised his eyebrows, pulling back from me. She moved forward and took off her glove, offering her bare hand up to Aro, which he took greedily.

It seemed to take forever before he said anything. "Hmm... very interesting," he enunciated, staring Alice straight in the eyes. "To see what you have seen, even though it has not happened yet..."

"It seems we have a debate on our hands, friends." He turned to Caius and Marcus, walking to about halfway in between Alice and the vampires still seated on the throne.

"Do we let our young friends go, even though they have broken our sacred law, or do we punish them for what they have done?" His voice echoed through the quite room. I turned worriedly to Edward, who was staring at me in pain. I couldn't help but feel confused once again.

"What did you see, Aro?" Marcus croaked. I turned to look at him. It was the first time he had spoken, and his voice was croakier than I had expected for someone his age – he looked to be frozen in his early twenties. I briefly wondered how old these vampires really were.

"Edward here had planned on transforming Bella, but wisely decided an existence away from her would be in each party's best interest. It seems that an American Nomad by the name of Laurent hunted Bella down and transformed her, leaving his mess for others to clean up." Aro tutted, and I did my best not to be offended by his referring to me as "his mess".

"We have done nothing wrong by the law, Aro." Alice spoke.

"Indeed, you have tied up all the loose ends," Aro spoke half-minded.

"Where is this Laurent? I must thank him for his part." Aro said, smiling straight at me. I resisted the urge to spit out a few curses in his face.

"I don't know, Aro," I answered before anyone else saved me by the skin again.

"Oh?" His expression asked for more information. In a way he was like a gossiping teenager, always wanting more information.

"I was burning for three days," I resisted the urge to add on "don't you know that".

"But why would he leave you... Oh!" His face brightened. I glanced over at Alice to see she was also staring anxiously at the vampire. "That clears it all up!" He smiled. I could feel the dread on my face as to what conclusion he had thought up.

"I look forward to having you in the family, Bella," he said, looking at me with delight. Snarls started up in the corner, and Demetri grabbed Edward by the neck before anything could happen.

"Edward?" I shouted worriedly.

I felt cold fingers pulling my chin to face back to Aro, and I flinched away from him.

"We will take full responsibility for her." Alice's voice rang through the room, Edward's low snarls being the only other noise.

"That's what I like to hear," he said mysteriously, releasing me from his grasp. "I look forward to seeing what your shield will bring to your family. I hope to see you again, Bella."

He snapped his fingers next to his head, and if on cue Demetri released Edward from his grasp, pushing him forward. I'd never seen Edward stumble.

"Here, take this." Aro said, handing Edward a black cloak. "I look forward to hearing from Carlisle soon." He warned.

Alice rushed toward Edward and hugged him quickly, leaving one arm around him as they walked to the doors, her hand grabbing mine and pulling a frozen me along with them.

"Goodbye, my friends." Aro near sang, as we practically ran out of the room.

What was all that about?

There's one more chapter left now (I think), and I hope you guys agree with where I finish. Please review and tell me what you liked and didn't like – I love hearing your thoughts!

Translations:

* "Ciao Alice, sono lieto di incontrarmi con voi. Aro mi ha detto molto sulla tua famiglia. Vuoi venire dentro? Unisciti a noi per il pranzo?" - Hello Alice, I am pleased to meet you. Aro told me much about your family. Want to come inside? Join us for lunch?

* "Non così in fretta, bello. Non lasciare che gli altri solo passare attraverso la nostra città a loro piacimento. Insisto vieni con me." - Not so fast, beautiful. We do not let others just pass through our city as they please. I insist you come with me.

* "Dai! Non lasciare che un opportunità passare. Aro mi ucciderebbe se sapesse che era venuto da Volterra. Vieni!" - Come on! I will not let an opportunity pass by. Aro would kill me if he knew you had come by Volterra. Come!

I'm recommending A Mzungu Oasis by lisa89. Edward hasn't seen Bella in four long years, until they're seated next to each other on a flight with nowhere to run. The story of how two young adults volunteering in Kenya fell in love and fell apart. I learned some awesome things about Africa along the way of this great story :)