Alec wasn't home when we returned to Volterra the next evening, so after putting all the stuff in my office-cum-wedding room I went for a walked in the garden with a watering can and my book. Of course, we actually had people to tend to the gardens around the castle but I liked adding my own little bits here and there.

Once I had watered the flowers that weren't looking too great, I sat down in the small pavilion that actually used to be used as my classroom with Uncle Carlisle when I was younger and opened my book. I had finished the book I was reading before and was now starting a book I brought in Florence having wanted to read it for months but not having it in the library.

I was barely past the first chapter when I had the feeling of eyes watching me but, after looking around and seeing a few vampires from the guard milling around, I shrugged and turned back to my book – surely it was just one of them.

But as time passed and the sun began to set, the feeling didn't go away and was there even when I could see no one surrounding me. My eyes narrowed, my father had become less strict about going everywhere with a member of the guard but I wouldn't put it past him to send someone to spy on –

My thoughts jolted to a stop as my sweeping eyes narrowed on a wisp of red among the green of colours. My eyes squinted as I tried to identify what was amongst the leaves because I could tell it wasn't a flower of any sort.

I placed my book down on the bench behind where I had curled my legs at the side of me and stop up, a frown marring my face. Taking slow, deliberate steps in case it was just a small animal hiding in the bushes from all the vampires, I walked towards it.

I breathed in when I got a bit closer before freezing; it was an animal but not the sort I wanted to encounter. Victoria. My eyes scanned quickly for a guard member but that was a vital mistake.

As soon as I took my eyes of her, she leaped towards me sending the two of us tumbling backwards and onto the floor, her on top of me, hissing and snarling angrily. I struggled beneath her, pushing her head backwards with all the strength I had; feeling grateful when it began to come off but she rolled off me.

I ducked as she swung an arm at me but as I went to grab her leg, she moved it and grabbed my hair, pulling back. I screamed and swung a punch out, but, no doubt due to her gift, she moved out the way. However, somehow she didn't move when I kicked by leg out and caught her in the shin.

We continued to fight and she seemed to become desperate, ignoring her instincts, meaning that I got more hits in. She screamed as I managed to get her arms locked behind her but managed to flip me over so we were in our original position: my pinned beneath her.

It was annoying that I was an indestructible as a normal vampire and that I needed to breathe, even if I could last longer not than the normal human. Victoria and The Romanians must have some instinct into our family as she placed her hands over my mouth and nose making it hard to breathe. I struggled still, punching and kicking out but I didn't seem to be hitting her although one of her hands was still hitting me.

Inwardly, I became very annoyed; normally I could hold my own against at least two vampires which was actually better than some of the guards but Victoria's gift made it harder and I had always hated failing.

My vision began to darken around the edges as I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. I heard yelling but could make little sense of it as my eyelids began fluttering and closed. The weight was lifted off my chest but I still couldn't get breath into my body – I felt horrible claustrophobic. Hands pressed gentle on me: my forehead, my cheeks, my hands; voices talked to me, or maybe to someone else, I couldn't be sure. Nothing seemed to make sense and I couldn't grasp on anything.

'Izzy! Baby!' I heard a new voice the only one that I was able to understand in the crowd of undistinguishable voices that I could vaguely tell where nearer to me.

Everything seems to quieten down at the new voice in their midst and I heard footsteps – they were obviously moving away from me since the hands disappeared and, along with it, that horrible claustrophobic feeling but the voice was still talking. I breathed in and as I did so a scent over flowed my senses, a scent that made me actually try and understand what the voice was saying.

'-eyes,' I caught the end of the sentence. 'Isabella,' – I was so rarely called Isabella that the tone caught my attention – 'open your eyes, please.'

My eyelids fluttered as I recognised the voice, the voice of the man for whom I would do anything for. Alec.

'Atta-girl, Iz,' I heard Jane's worried voice from near my head. 'Come on we need you.'

I felt a hand stroke my cheek and lips press against my forehead. I squeezed my eyes closed tightly as they did so and just as they left forced my eyes open.

I saw Alec lean back until he met my eyes and a pained smile broke out of his face.

'Hey, you,' I smiled up at him as I heard Jane sigh and move away a bit so Alec and I could have a minute, no doubt.

He didn't say anything but leaned down slightly as I reached an arm around to wrap around his neck. As I pulled myself up slightly, he wrapped his own arm around my waist and pulled me into a sitting position.

'Hey,' he said, resting his forehead against mine. 'I thought I was meant to give you the heart attacks. Not exactly the scene I wanted to come home to.'

'Sorry,' I grinned, glad he was joking around with me: it was so much easier to deal with than anything else. 'I'll try to choose betters time to be attacked by a vengeful red-headed vampire.'

I glanced around to see my aunt and cousins gathered by my father and two Volturi uncles, looking scared and relieved. Members of the guard were there as well, although they were frowning off in the distance and, with a sharp pang, I realised Victoria let go of me at her own accord to save herself and had run before the guard could get a hold of her. Jane, I knew although I couldn't see her, was behind me. I cringed and wanted to blush at the amount of people had gathered and the scene I had created.

'Are you okay?' Alec asked as he pulled me to my feet.

'I'm fine,' I smiled up at him and then to everyone else gathered around. 'I'm fine, thank you.'

The guard all left, except Jane and Demetri, catching my subtle dismissal of them all. I gave all the people left a look.

'May I have a moment with my fiancé?' I asked stepping toward them, away from Alec, still smiling but raising my eyebrows in an insinuating way. 'I'm fine; don't worry about me, no harm done.'

Truthfully, my whole body tingled, my chest ached and I just wanted to lie down but I didn't want them to worry. Alice, as though remembering how Bella Swan had always downplayed things, sent me a suspicious look but reluctantly followed everyone back inside as Aunt Esme placed a hand on her back and led her away sending a concerned look back at me.

'Are you sure you're okay?' Alec asked as I turned back towards him.

'I missed you,' I sung as I threw myself into his arms.

He chuckled and swung me around in a circle. I let out a painful gasp as pain shot through my body and he quickly put me down, staring at me in concern.

'I'm okay,' I quickly assured him, grinning as I placed a kiss to his lips. 'I have so much to talk to you about.'

'Yeah, did you girls have fun?' he smiled although I could tell he was trying to distract me so I might let slip that something hurt.

'It was great,' I said, pulling his hand and leading him towards our spot in the garden, a grin stretching wide across my face. 'I found my dress.'

'Really?' he asked and I could tell I had vaguely distracted him as a grin pulled at his lips. 'But I'm not allowed to know a thing about it, right?'

'Right.'

'That's just cruel.'

'Sorry,' I continued grinning as he chuckled lightly. 'Anyway we have so to talk about for the wedding.'

'You sound panicked,' he smiled, brushing hair out my eyes.

'You have no idea how much we have to do,' I replied, 'and I'm not going to list it because I really will start to panic.'

'Okay,' he grinned, pulling us down by our tree to sit on the floor. 'What's first on the agenda?'

'Stationary,' I grinned up him, since I was laying with my back on the grass and my head on his legs. 'Esme was saying it was best to order them loads of things at the same time and I could have done it in Florence but I want to discuss it with you because it's the invitations and the save the dates and the place cards and the day programs and so many other things that I can't be bothered to tell you now.'

I cringed once again as I felt anxiety rise up inside of me at the thought of all I had to but Alec's voice, as always, calmed me down.

'Well, why don't we focus on the invitations?' he suggested and I was so glad he was here to keep my paced. 'Let's take things one step at a time.'

'Well, we need invitations for those we're inviting to the reception, so the Denali's and those friends, and then the ones we're only inviting to the wedding, so-'

'Basically the rest of the vampire community,' Alec finished for me. 'It's a good thing we have so much money.'

'Isn't it a bit suspicious to be buying so many?' I said biting my lip; Alec grimaced and I took that as a yes. 'Anyhow, who should it be from? Do you think or your father? And do you think we should put or full names or not?'

'Iz, one step at a time,' he reminded me, 'or you'll ask yourself too many questions at once and get yourself confused and stressed.'

'Sorry.'

Alec shook his head and, looking as though he couldn't help himself, lent down and kissed me.

'I love you,' he grinned.

'I should hope so,' I replied. 'Now no distracting me, we need to talk about this.'

It was his turn to apologise, 'sorry. Okay, um … we've get stuff quite traditional – haven't we?'

'Yes,' I smiled at how adorable he looked as he was checking that he hadn't just made a huge mistake. 'It's quite traditional.'

'Well, traditionally your parents send it so …'

'Yes but I only have one of them,' I sighed, sitting up. 'Do we include Esme? She suggests not but … I'm not sure.'

'It might be nice to include her,' Alec smiled.

'It just sounds weird putting her on their without Uncle,' I sighed. 'Maybe we should keep it to my father.'

'Why am I here again?' Alec chuckled.

'So I have someone to talk this aloud to and run things past,' I laughed. 'Just throw your two cense in whenever you want.'

He laughed again and stood up, 'I'll get some paper.'

'That's a good idea,' I smiled as he walked off.

He had just entered the castle when my phone began ringing. Surprised that it was actually still in my dress pocket after my little fight with Victoria, I pulled it out. Uncle Carlisle. I sighed, Aunt Esme must have called him and no doubt he's freaking out.

'Hi, Uncle,' I said placing my phone on speaker phone.

'Are you okay? Esme called,' he voice replied calm as always but sounded slightly off and, although annoyance washed over at me at him worrying, it was kind of nice.

'I'm fine,' I replied wondering how many more times I would have to see this. 'No harm done, I promise.'

'Are you sure?' he asked after sighing.

'Yes,' I said forcefully and he laughed. 'Look I have planning to be doing … I love you.'

'Just checking, sweethearts,' I could tell he was smiling as he replied. 'I love you, too. I should get back to work anyway.'

'Yeah,' I said glad on the changed of subject as Alec returned. 'We don't want anyone to die on your watch. '

'I'll talk to you soon, okay?'

'Yeah, of course,' I replied, nodding although he couldn't see me. 'Bye.'

'Bye, Izzy.'

'Right,' I turned to Alec, stowing my phone away and taking the paper and pencil he handed to me.

The next few hours, Alec and I sat there trying to find the right wording for our invitations: rotating the words, changing them, removing them. I noticed that there were so guard members hovering by the castle doors but I knew Victoria wouldn't come back now. She missed her chance and she wasn't going to risk it when all the guard was home, it was too much of a risk on her life. She wouldn't be back now but I knew she'd be back before long.

Well, there's another chapter. I hope you like it, please review x

Narnia and Harry Potter 4 EVER: thank you, my brother had a great birthday and I also had no idea how much it took plan a wedding either – I'm fifteen and have only been to one wedding as a guest so it's a complete blank for me. Actually, I'm researching it as I go :D. Oh and I'm glad you like the clothes.