Disclaimer: All Characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. The plot is all mine.


Carlisle sat in his study looking over medical files sent from Seattle hospital from some of his patients whom he treated during his brief visits to the city. His beloved Esme was working on a renovation project and has promptly took to her own office, one floor below Carlisle's study. Alice and Rosalie were re-arranging their wardrobe (again) as it became more of a daily ritual than a mere routine. Emmett and Jasper were playing an extremely intricate game of chess, which Carlisle hadn't had the pleasure of joining in since every time they played the game it always evolved into a different and untraditional set of rules that required the usage of four more chess boards than the average number of one. And if Carlisle thought that was over the top then the bets, which were wagered in each round, were borderline ridiculous!

And lastly, Edward was sitting by his piano and playing a very stunning new composition that echoed through the entire house, and warmed the mood into a very peaceful atmosphere. It was at that moment in time that Carlisle raised his head and silently thanked the lord for blessing him with such a wonderful family. Even if his soul was damned, Carlisle hoped he had done some good in his long life to earn such glorious people to be with him. And his family would soon be the picture of perfection, as within a few hours their newest member would be arriving to the house. Carlisle secretly smiled at the thought of Bella, his youngest daughter-to-be – and soon to be a full-fledged part of their family and coven. She was truly a blessed gift; she brought so much life into their family and filled his son's heart with so much love. Carlisle truly was a blessed man.

He leaned into his luxurious burgundy leathered chair and slowly closed his eyes in complete bliss, feeling very content and basking in the moment. But the moment was soon interrupted as his study door opened and two people entered his office, shutting the door discreetly behind them.

Carlisle instantly stood from his chair as he sobered up because the disturbed look on Alice's face said it all. She had a vision. Beside her stood a very perplexed and rather confused looking Rosalie, and in some way she was mirroring Carlisle shared sentiment, because the anxiety within Alice was very apparent and unsettling. So it was a bad vision, Carlisle presumed.

He quickly rounded his desk and approached his dark haired daughter and placed his hand on her shoulder and looked at her in silent question. Alice looked toward the door behind her, and silently mouthed to the other two people 'Not here.'

Carlisle realized at once that whatever Alice wanted to say she did not want anyone to know, and from the look of things no one in the family noticed anything wrong. It would seem they were too engrossed in their own activities to notice. Carlisle briefly wondered why Edward hadn't caught up to this yet, but Carlisle finally came to the acknowledgement that when his son "tuned them out" of his head, he really absorbed himself into his own mental solitude while he played his symphony. Edward always said this to be true, but Carlisle only known it to be true in this moment.

Carlisle, without an ounce of hesitation, went to the balcony connected to his study and jumped lithely two floors down to the outdoors of their vast backyard. He didn't need to look back for confirmation to know that his two daughters were right behind him as he felt their gentle movements when he took off into the deep forest that surrounded the wide diameter of their manor. When Carlisle deemed that he had put enough distance between them and their home, as well as his other family members and effectively out of hearing range, he paused. And turned to face the two females that halted behind him, mainly his pixie haired daughter. "Alice, tell me what is wrong? What did you see?" Carlisle asked her as he cut through the heart of the matter.

Alice nodded, more to herself, as she was finding the resolve to speak about what she had foreseen. She met Carlisle's concerned stare with eyes that went from nervous to frantic. "In exactly 30 minutes Demetri and Alec are arriving here. They want to discuss something with our family. But I don't know what it is; the conversation just keeps changing in my vision. But I know one thing for certain, whatever they are going to say it's going to make Edward furious! And he will attack them. And if he attacks it will be bad, really, really bad! We must make sure he isn't around. But I don't know how!" Alice laced her fingers into her own hair. Her eyes turning vacant from one second to the next as she tried to find a scenario where she could take Edward away yet not have him be aware of the consequences. Yet in ever situation she tried to predict, he was always one step ahead and always onto her. With his mind reading gift, Edward was the only person no one could get around, not even Alice.

Unbeknownst to her, Carlisle also felt distraught in that moment, just when he thought that things were finally becoming peaceful, this piece of information drops onto their laps. For now, he also had to think of a quick method to get Edward out of the house. But how was he supposed to do that?

Carlisle tried to conjure a solution when Rosalie suddenly spoke up. "I noticed he hasn't hunted yet. Why don't I take him with me?" she suggested.

Carlisle looked at her and then they both simultaneously looked to Alice. "Will it work?" Carlisle asked.

Alice's eyes glazed briefly as she saw the outcome of that decision. Seconds later she refocused, and looked back at Carlisle and nodded. "Yes, it will work." She confirmed with a slight triumphant smile. She turned to Rosalie with sudden grim seriousness. "Rose, it will only work if you can keep your mind blocked from the truth as best as you can. Edward will get suspicious at first, but then he will just shrug it off." Alice sternly instructed her blonde sibling.

Rosalie gave a quick nod. "Yes, I'll do my very best."

With all parties present at agreement, they returned to the manor with no more time to waste. And as to not provoke any suspension, they jumped right back into the open balcony of Carlisle's study from which they departed. Without a second to spare, Rosalie left through the door and down the stairs to Edward with a determination of a woman on a mission. Alice and Carlisle remained behind, standing beside the open doorway, stealthily listening in.

"Edward." Rosalie called. The symphony that was playing stopped abruptly.

"What is it, Rose?" Edward asked.

"Would you like to go hunting with me?" Rosalie jumped right in without beating around the bush.

And though it was a phantom-like nervousness, Carlisle felt like his stomach was about to drop, while Alice felt her heart in her throat as she gulped down her anxiety. If they failed, they were doomed. And as sure as Alice always was about her visions, this one however, was a fifty/fifty guarantee of either success or disaster.

"Did hell just freez ..." Emmett commented, but he stopped mid-sentence. Carlisle and Alice shared a speculative glance, and assumed Rosalie silenced him somehow perhaps by one of her patented angry glares. That girl had a cold gaze that would put ice to shame.

"Is there something I should know about?" Edward asked, his tone was obviously doubtful. And Carlisle thought the worse and felt their plan was doomed to fail.

"No! Honestly …" Rosalie scoffed with an appalled tone. "I just want to talk to you privately, so I thought we could hunt together. Do you despise me that much that you won't even be in the same …." She exclaimed.

"Alright, Alright – Let's go!" Edward conceded rather apprehensively. Alice and Carlisle silently sighed in relief as they heard the piano bench that Edward sat on being gently dragged back across the floor, followed by his footsteps leading to the backdoor of the house. Carlisle and Alice went to the window to make sure that Rosalie and Edward had gone past the line of trees, beyond the river behind their home and further into the woods.

As soon as their strong hearing could no longer detect any movements within range, Carlisle made his way out of his study with Alice right behind him. Immediately Carlisle was putting the next part of the plan into motion with filling his family members on who would be coming within the dwindling limited time they were offered.

Upon arriving at the bottom of the stairs with Alice on his tail, Carlisle witnessed Emmett standing in front of the glass window that overlooked the backyard. Jasper was still sitting on the floor in front of the chessboards as he looked over his shoulder at Emmett. But when Carlisle came into view at the bottom of the stairs, Jasper turned his head to look at them with a furrow of utter confusion on his face. A second later, Emmett was aware of the extra presence in the family room and turned around to face his patriarch and pixie haired sister.

"What the hell was that, dad?" Emmett asked, completely bewildered.

"No time, Emmett – Esme my dear, please come down immediately." Carlisle spoke in a balanced tone, knowing full well that Esme would hear him, and she didn't disappoint. Half a second later, she was beside her husband.

"Family meeting. Dining room. Now." Carlisle ordered sternly, not as the father of the family, but as the leader of the coven. There was no room for dispute or defiance as the remaining members of the Cullen Coven filed through their usual meeting spot.

When everyone immediately took their appropriate seats around the polished fine dining table, Carlisle took his place at the head of it. The blonde patriarch closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to his temple to calm his thoughts, and try his best to convey his approach on the subject. He suddenly felt a wave of calm wash over his mood, and lifted his head to catch his blonde son's gaze. His eyes softened as he gave Jasper a small smile and mentally blessed him for the much needed support.

"Thank you, son." Carlisle added verbally. And Jasper nodded in return.

He then looked to Alice, who was seated next to me. "How long?"

"About 15 minutes, give or take." She answered instantly and without hesitation.

Sensing the tension around Carlisle, Esme reached over and placed her small hand over her husband's larger one as she looked at him with concern. "My love, what is the matter?" She asked from her seat next to Alice.

"And why on earth are we holding a family meeting without Edward and Rose?" Emmett added, crossing his strong, massive, arms over his broad chest, demanding an explanation. He was seated on the other end of the table, across from Carlisle.

Carlisle placed his free hand on the table, while squeezing the one still holding his wife's as he cleared his throat. A nervous habit he had taken on from his human days. "I will try restraining the details and fill you all in as much as I can. I need to do this as soon as possible because we are running out of the small amount of time that we seem to have."

He looked around the table to make sure he had their undivided attention. "Alice saw Demetri and Alec visiting our home within .."

"Twelve minutes." Alice added.

Carlisle nodded to his daughter and continued. " … They would like to discuss something with us, although I am not sure about what exactly. They keep changing their minds, so they must not want us to know ahead, and to be prepared for our desired outcome." Carlisle explained. He looked at the faces of his family members to witness and dissect their reactions.

Esme was anxious as she looked around the room with wide eyes. Jasper was staring at Alice with a livid expression, Carlisle could tell he was thinking of her safety, and his military mental state was kicking in. Emmett looked annoyed and confused, Carlisle surmised from the crease in his brows and the uneasy shift in his eyes.

The whole room fell into an ominous silence – Emmett was the first to speak. "That still doesn't answer why Edward and Rose aren't with us. Dad, is there a reason they are not included in this?"

Carlisle's eyes softened as he gazed at his dark haired son. There was one thing Carlisle Cullen didn't like; and that was seeing any of his children upset, it was a tender spot. "Emmett, dear, Rosalie knows about this but Edward doesn't. She volunteered to take Edward away – Whatever the subject may be that Alec and Demetri are coming to discuss, Edward will not be contented to hear...

"The only outcome Alice saw from their visit was that Edward would attack them. I trust you concur with me that we don't need to instigate a conflict with any member of the Volturi Elite guard – specially with someone as gifted as Alec. " Carlisle explained carefully. Emmett looked like he was about to say something as he leaned forward, but reconsidered and leaned back into his chair with a thoughtful expression on his chiseled face.

Alice, who was silent for a while, instantly perked up in her seat and announced; "They are here." All across the dining table, the Cullen members stiffened as they listened closely to the sound of a vehicle pulling out of the main road and onto their gravel driveway.

Carlisle turned to his pixie haired daughter. "Alice, go greet them." She nodded compliantly, and instantly disappeared with swift speed toward the front door of their manor.

Carlisle switched his seat and took Alice's vacated place next to Esme. He took his wife's hand into his grasp, for both strength and assurance. Esme squeezed it lightly to comfort her mate, and Carlisle rubbed his thumb across her knuckles in loving regard. With their enhanced hearing, they were alerted to the two car doors opening and closing, and heard Alice opening the front door and greet their unexpected, yet under false pretense, guests in that patent bubbly tone.

However, as soon as the two 'guests' stepped into the doorway of the dining room, with all the present golden-eyed members scrutinizing them. The room was instantaneously condensed with a veil of tension, chill, and menacing undercurrents, to a point where it could be felt buzzing in the air and all across their skins. It took every ounce of internal strength within the Cullens not to bare their teeth at the unwelcomed presence like they were parasitic invaders. And if they had to be completely honest, their 'surprise' visits always held such a merit. But they never dare to speak it aloud.

Instead, as with customs of respect for the Volturi Elite, the Cullens all rose out of their seats in esteem to their ranks, and bowed their heads in recognition. Alice gracefully skipped over to stand between Jasper and Emmett, taking her mate's hand in her own as they all stared at their guests. They paused, waiting, fearing the inevitable that their seer has already foreshadowed to the Cullen coven.

"Carlisle, it is so good to see you. How are you?" Alec was the first to break the silence.

"I am very well, thank you. Although, I can not speak for what this sudden visit may bring." Carlisle replied, offering a smile though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Alec appeared to be genuinely concerned. "Oh dear. I truly hope our presence isn't a cause for disturbance?"

"No, it's not – please have a seat." Carlisle spoke calmly, gesturing to the vacant chairs across from him.

Alec beamed. "Splendid! Oh, and I dare not forget … Aro sends his regards to you." He and Demetri slid gracefully into their seats.

Carlisle tried not to appear affected. "I appreciate the thought. Please deliver my regards to my dear old friend." He expressed, trying to seem pleased by the message.

"Consider it as good as delivered." Alec confirmed, nodded in affirmation. Demetri was quiet through their little banter, and it worried the Cullen leader that his presence was around. The Volturi mean serious business if they sent two of their finest.

Carlisle felt venom pooling in his mouth, but he gulped it down, and tried to appear less nervous and even less human. The Volturi always hated displays of humanity; it wouldn't do well to leave such impressions. Instead Carlisle anticipated to the real reason behind the guard's visit.

And as if Alec heard him say it aloud, his demeanor shifted from casual to business-like as he spoke. "I think we can drop the formalities now. Let's get down to the reason of our visit." He announced.

And as if on cue, Demetri leaned in. He put his hands on the table, and nonchalantly rubbed them together while staring at each of the Cullen member's faces.

"Our masters have sent us here with a proposition for you and your coven." Demetri spoke for the first time.

"What sort of proposition are you offering my family?" Carlisle asked, his tone light, but there was a mild hardness as he emphasized on the word 'family'.

"You and your coven will be protected under the power of the Volturi." Demetri replied. He turned his head and looked at the Cullen clan as he continued. "You will all be joined as extended members to the Volturi. However, there is a price." Demetri added. Carlisle tried his best to hide the cold chill that ran down his spine as Demetri's tone became menacing.

The blonde Coven leader knew very well that the Volturi never took rejection well. During the time that Carlisle lived with them, he had seen the brothers and the guards use any means necessary to bend people to their will. It was one of the many qualities they possessed that made them supreme rulers of the vampire world. And if they did not have their way, then one way or another it meant annihilation.

As the golden-eyed patriarch turned his head and looked at each member of his family currently present and around him, he instantly knew that if it meant walking through fire then he would do it without a moment of hesitation. If the price meant that he have to eternally be a servant to the Volturi to ensure his family's safety then that is what Carlisle will become, he was their father and he had a right to protect his children and wife.

With a determined heart, Carlisle looked back to Demetri and Alec. "What do you want in return?" He asked, his tone resolved and unwavering.

Demetri looked beside him at Alec and they both shared a disturbing grin, then he looked back at Carlisle as he spoke slowly, mouthing the words with unnerving pleasure. "Isabella Swan." As soon as that name left his mouth, Carlisle froze.

Suddenly Alice's piercing growl filled the air, as she tried to attack Demetri. Carlisle was aware in his peripheral vision that Emmett and Jasper grabbed her in time and pinned her against the wall, making a slight thunderous collision between their granite bodies and the concrete behind them. Carlisle heard Emmett unleash his own piercing growl toward Alec and Demetri, as Alice snarls as well. Carlisle couldn't move to stop them, he felt numb in his seat.

But emotionally, the blonde patriarch felt himself die all over again with the gut clenching feeling at the fate of his youngest, still human, daughter. 'Why is that innocent soul so damned to be living in agony? With everything she has gone through for Edward and the rest of us, she deserved a happy, peaceful life! Why can't she be left alone!?' Carlisle felt powerless as he placed his head in his hands in defeat. He was barely aware of Esme placing her hand on his shoulders in comfort. 'I do not NEED comfort. I am not the one who has their life in danger.' Carlisle didn't have the strength, nor the heart to yell those words at his mate when she was his current anchor in this chaos.

With his family an unstable mess, and while Carlisle was drowning in his own puddle of despair, he unexpectedly heard a delicate throat being cleared. Like a knife cutting through the thick tension. The coven leader slowly lifted his head in the direction of the sound, and felt like he was thunderstruck as he saw Bella standing in the doorway of the dining room, looking at all of their faces in confusion. Carlisle could only stare at his pseudo daughter in stunned silence as she looked back at him in turn. 'She was not supposed to be here for another few hours.'

The blonde vampire didn't know what to say, but he felt like he should say something, anything, to her. So he said the first thing that came to mind. "Bella, you are early." Carlisle spoke and tried to compose himself as much as possible.

She looked around, completely flustered by the scene before her. "uhh .. yes, well, I didn't have any work today. I t-thought I would d-d-drop by early." She replied and looked around the room again. "I'll go find E-Edward." She added briskly as she made to leave.

"Don't bother. Rosalie took him hunting." Emmett said slowly – he had trouble speaking calmly while another growl was inching up his throat from his deeply rumbling chest.

"Isabella," Alec called to the young brunette sweetly.

"Please, why don't you take a seat so we can fill you in on the details. You are as much part of this as the rest of the Cullens. Well … actually you are the center of the discussion." Alec said smirking at the human girl, as he gestured to Bella to be seated in the chair next to him.

Carlisle carefully watched his delicate and nervous daughter as she walked forward. For a single second he thought she was going to sit next to Alec and he was absolutely not having that! But luckily, she turned to her vampire family and sat next to Esme. The Cullen patriarch visibly relaxed a little the tension in his muscles and jaw.

He looked over, observing Bella's face as she was still innocently puzzled by this situation. Carlisle felt his chest painfully tighten with guilt, his dead heart ripping when he stared at her for too long, he couldn't take it anymore. He was on the verge of sobbing. He placed his head back into his hands and tried to conceal his true feelings of shame, guilt, and disappointment as they appeared across his features. He heard some chairs shuffling as the rest of his family approached the table.

"What is going on?" Bella questioned, looking at the people huddled around her.

The Cullens couldn't not even begin to imagine the shock she was about to receive, but the Volturi was only too happy to oblige.

"We came here to offer a proposition for Carlisle and his family," Demetri answered her, mockingly emphasizing on the family part.

"You see, Isabella, the Volturi will be providing the Cullen coven protection. They will be forever protected by us, as long as they meet our condition." Alec explained.

Carlisle felt a feral rumble bubbling deep in his chest, and made every effort not to lunge forward at the human-eaters, as he tried not to rise to the bait.

"What is the condition?" Bella innocently asked. Alec muffled a nigger that was threatening to let loose. Carlisle shut his eyes tightly, awaiting the reaction of Bella finding out that she had a price over her head. Carlisle as well as the rest of his family members were shaking with undiluted rage. Yet he didn't even have the strength, Carlisle felt so powerless, it was pathetic.

"They need to give us something in return." Alec answered her. Attempting to milk the moment for all its worth. 'That bastard! He was enjoying this!' Carlisle was disgusted.

"I don't understand. What does any of this have to do with me?" Bella asked. Across the Cullen dining room her heart beat could clearly be heard as it slowly accelerated.

Alec sighed. "Maybe I should rephrase my sentence, and clarify myself." Carlisle heard him moving in his seat, as he must have leaned closer towards the young girl. "The condition is that, they need to give us someone in return." Alec explained.

Bella's heart continued to beat even faster; it was going twice the rate of a normal heart. 'I am so sorry, Bella.' Carlisle beseeched her mentally.

Bella gulped and slowly asked as though she doubted her voice would break and falter. "Who is this someone that you will get in return?"

"It's you, Isabella." Demetri answered, his sharp teeth gleaming with delight.

Bella's heart stuttered, and Carlisle swiftly lifted his head to visually check if she was all right. He witnessed Bella's face as Demetri's answer sunk in. She had an expression of disbelief plastered across her face. 'I am very sorry, my sweet girl.'

"You will NOT have her!" Alice snarled.

"I am afraid you don't have any other choice. When the Volturi presents an offer you don't turn your back on it without making them into your enemy. I presume that's the last thing you need right now, especially with that rogue vampire killing in your town." Alec said cunningly. Carlisle turned to stare at him in horrified shock.

'It seems as though the Volturi have been keeping a close watch on us. We have been very careless.'

"We can clean our own mess!" Emmett growled at Alec.

Alec leaned in his seat, gazing at the hulking vampire before him. "I doubt that. If you could, then you would have done so already. Sooner or later, she could cause our kind to be exposed and we cannot have that. She is already getting out of control and we need to make sure she is disposed of properly." And it was painfully true that with their help the Cullens could easily take out Victoria.

But Carlisle still would not approve to this, and he wasn't quite sure what this would do with their treaty with the wolves. And placing Bella in the middle of all this just made their offer more dislikable. 'There has got to be another way. Someway, somehow we could avoid all of this.'

"Besides, I heard she is killing a lot of innocent people. Wouldn't you feel glad that once we take care of her, then other humans will be spared from death?" Demetri mused.

Carlisle was outraged that the Volturi would think they would gladly hand over a Cullen so easily, a part of their family. It's true that innocents will be spared, his mind knew this very well, but his heart was against it. Carlisle was sure that if he could reason with Aro then he might be able to reconsider changing the offer. He knew that Bella will not handle living with human-eaters, and he was sure she would not agree to live in such a dangerous environment. Aro cannot force Bella against her will to succumb to him, which was a fundamental rule he upheld. This will probably buy Carlisle a little time, and they could find alternative options to this proposal.

A second of silence settled upon the room, Alec and Demetri have laid their offer on the table and were now looking at each of the faces of Cullen coven, awaiting their response. Carlisle was about to speak when suddenly Alice screamed and growled. "NO! No no no no! Oh please for the love of god, Bella! You cannot be serious!"

The Cullen leader turned his head just in time to see Emmett pinning Alice back against the wall as she sobbed loudly into her brother's chest. Puzzled by his daughter's words, Carlisle wasn't sure what happened to make her react this way; she was calm a second ago.

Alec laughed triumphantly and immediately all present heads turned to look at him. "It seems the girl has made her decision." Alec declared.

Carlisle's head jerked in Bella's direction as he saw what was once a look of confusion and shock to be replaced with determination in her eyes. And suddenly all the pieces fit together. 'Alice saw her make the choice. She chose to hand herself over for our sake? NO! There has to be another way. Edward will be devastated.'

Feeling a sense of apprehension and dread, Carlisle knew that for the time being she would have to go with them. Once the realization settled in his gut, he felt like crumbling to the floor. He could not handle losing his daughter twice; the first time was just so horrible! He was positive they won't kill her, and Edward told me that Aro expressed interest in her abilities. She would be safe, but god knows for how long. The blonde immortal knew that her blood called to Edward, but Bella still lured other vampires to her just the same. It would only be a matter of time before she was someone's prey. Carlisle felt a shiver run down his spine at the thought.

Swallowing his fears, Carlisle reached over and placed his hand on Bella's cheek. She turned to look at him and he knew she saw some of the agony on his pale and handsome face. "Bella my daughter, I promise you that we will find a way around this. If it's the last thing I do." He vowed.

Carlisle felt like a parent when they were about to lose their child. He was the father to these children, yet he felt so powerless and vulnerable in that moment. Bella gazed back at him as if she could read the despair Carlisle was feeling. She placed her hand on top of his hand, which was on her cheek. Tears filled her eyes and fell over in torrents.

Carlisle attempted to reach out and hug her when Demetri interrupted their moment. "Alright, enough wasting time. Since the girl has made her choice, then we shall leave immediately. You may say your goodbyes to her."

"What about my father? How will you explain my disappearance?" Bella asked, looking at all their faces in panic. She certainly had a big heart, for even in that moment she was worrying for other people's wellbeing when she should have been worrying about herself.

"Don't worry about Charlie, my dear. We will find an excuse." Esme replied.

Bella nodded, resigned to the predicament, and stood up from her chair. The Cullens also rose from their seats and came to hug Bella and say their goodbyes. Esme hugged her fiercely and when she strode back she began to sob.

Carlisle stepped closer and pulled Bella to him, embracing her and kissing her gently on the head. "I will find a way. I promise." he whispered in her ear. Demetri scoffed at the vow and received a glare from the blonde patriarch while Bella went over to hug the rest of the family.

Alice told Bella she would be going to see her as soon as she could. And for some reason, a little piece of Carlisle's heart felt at ease knowing Bella will not be alone with the Volturi – not for very long at least.

Once Bella hugged each and every one of the people who felt like a family to her, she broke down in tears. Not even Jasper's gift could lift the dark cloud that has fallen on that very day. For the umpteenth time, Carlisle felt his heart break at the sight. 'This is NOT right!' he chanted internally as he saw Bella walk towards the door, he wanted to desperately pull her back and keep her with them where she truly belonged.

Before she walked through and out the door, Bella turned around to look at each of the Cullens one more time. She looked at all of their faces, as if she believed she wouldn't see them again. But she was wrong; she WILL come back to them. One way or another. Carlisle hoped.

"Tell Edward I love him." She muttered softly, her fragile voice faltering. Her surrogate family nodded at her and before Bella could walk out her delicate shoulders shook with the cries that unleashed in full force.

Even as she was shedding blinding tears, she walked with Alec and Demetri towards a black, heavily tinted, SUV. They ushered Bella in the vehicle first and went in after her.

The Cullens stood on the front porch of their house and watched as the black car disappeared around the corner. As soon as it was gone from sight they all broke down and librated their control over their emotions as one by one they wept together, and clung to one another for support.

The one thing Carlisle could think in that moment was; 'How am I going to explain this to Edward?' As he feared the moment when his son would eventually return home.