Disclaimer: The characters, over-arching plot and even the settings belong to Stephenie Meyer. Good thing too.

AN: This is the last build-up chapter before the climax kicks into gear.

Thank you to all the lovely readers who reviewed the last chapter. You warmed my heart with every single one!

Chapter 7

Charlie was clearly surprised, but also thrilled when Bella asked if she could go with him to the res on Saturday. He planned to leave early, but since Edward had been unable to spend the night at the house and Bella had been up half of it doing loads of laundry anyways, she was awake when Charlie knocked on the door at six.

It was still raining fairly heavily, and Bella really hoped that was a good sign. She was clearly agitated and Charlie noticed.

'Everything alright Bells? You came home pretty early yesterday.'

'Hum?' she asked, distracted. 'Oh, yeah, there was a thing; some problem with their cousins,' she lied with surprising ease. 'I didn't want to be in the way.'

'Well, guess they're allowed family troubles too. Is that why you're coming today?'

Bella shrugged. 'Thought I'd give Edward a couple of days to...deal with things. And I haven't been out to visit Billy in ages.'

'No,' her father agreed, 'you haven't.'

There was, of course, a very good reason for that, and Billy rather proved it the minute Bella piled out of the cruiser.

'Oh, you came too,' were the first words he said to her.

Charlie glared. 'That's no way to greet her, Billy. I know she hasn't been around much, but it's senior year; you know how busy the kids get.'

Billy just frowned, because he and Bella both knew that wasn't the reason. 'Alright,' he huffed. 'Jacob's not around.'

'Dad said,' Bella told him. 'Have you heard anything from him? I mean, he's a bit young to be off on his own, right?'

Billy just shrugged, completely unconcerned. 'He's a big boy; can take care of himself.'

It was Charlie's turn to frown, obviously having a difference of opinion on how one should feel about their missing child. Clearly, he and Billy had had that conversation more than once.

'Well, your Dad and I were just going to watch the TV and get our daily dose of Vitamin R.'

Bella waved her copy of Hamlet. 'I've got reading to do for next week, don't worry. Just didn't want to stay at the house alone.'

Billy raised an eyebrow, but since Charlie was two feet away, decided not to rise the pointed question of why she wasn't spending the weekend with her less than human other half.

Bella settled in with her book in one hand and her cell phone tightly clutched in her other fist, hoping that Edward would call or text or do something to let her know things were alright. Surely Alice must have had a vision by now?

But the day passed with no communication and Bella got exceedingly antsy. Billy kept shooting her annoyed and curious looks alike, but Bella ignored them. They obviously weren't going to have the conversation in front of Charlie.

When the delivered pizza for dinner had been consumed and cleaned up, Charlie decided it was time to head back home. Bella still hadn't heard from Edward, but she didn't want to risk texting him either, in case she caught him at a really bad time. Deciding that Alice hadn't said anything about staying on the res, Bella agreed it was time to head home. That didn't garner a text either, so she hoped that meant it was safe.

The house looked undisturbed when they got back, but Bella gave the place a good once over, just in case. Although she was hardly going to be able to tell if a vampire had been in or not, not without being able to smell them. Finally giving up on call waiting, she climbed into bed to read a bit more. Bella had just made herself comfortable when a breeze through her open window announced Edward's arrival. With a hushed cry she all but threw herself into his arms.

'It's alright,' he assured her. 'They're gone now.'

'What happened?'

'No much,' Edward shrugged. 'They didn't come closer than a mile to the house, although that was close enough I could read their thoughts. It wasn't very helpful, though. They were sent by Aro to gain information and nothing more. They wandered around a bit, obviously trying to pick up a scent, but Alice's plan seems to have worked; they couldn't smell a human.'

Bella gave a sigh of relief. 'So, it's over.'

Edward drew her back to the bed. 'No, I'm afraid not. They didn't stay around for long, and as soon as they caught the scent of the wolves, they departed. Alice had another vision right after they left, of Demetri giving Aro a report. Aro may be content with it, but Caius won't be put off so easily. So far, the vision of them arriving after graduation is still set.'

'You need to change me before then,' Bella stated simply.

Edward pursed his cold lips. 'I...have given it some thought. You may be right. Still, we need to wait until Alice's is certain when they'll arrive.'

'No, Edward. We need to do this and then we need to leave. Can they track us?'

His eyes clouded.

'Oh, you said Demetri was a mile away. That's close enough, right?'

'Yes, and beyond that, he knew Carlisle in Volterra. We can't hide from them now.'

'But if we go away somewhere, at least Forks will be safe, right?'

'Yes. That much we must make certain of, and less for the sake of the town. If the Volturi come here and scent the wolves, they won't leave a single one alive. We must draw them away and soon.'

Bella leaned back against her headboard, resigned. 'We can't wait until graduation,' she said, although it was much less a question than it could have been.

'No,' he agreed.

'So, soon?' she asked.

'Jasper's given it some thought. We should go in the next few weeks. Alaska would be the safest location, partly because there are fewer humans to endanger and also because the Danalis will lend us numbers. The Volturi might be less likely to attack. And Jasper does suggest we go...after you're changed,' Edward finished, his voice nearly a whisper.

But Bella wasn't going to let him dwell. 'Then that's what we should do. Edward,' she cupped his cheek, 'I want this.'

'I know,' he whispered. 'I know. And now we have no choice.'

'I don't need one,' Bella whispered back.

xxx

Monday changed things. It was clear that the two guard had boarded a plane right back to Italy, considering how quickly Alice's vision came. It was similar to the one she had had Saturday night, but Bella's decision seemed to have thrown a kink in the works.

'It won't work,' Alice explained that evening, as they all sat around the dining table.

'Why not?'

'Aro saw in Demetri's mind about the wolves' stench. Caius instantly suspected it was werewolves. No matter what laws we may have broken, Caius cannot suffer a single Child of the Moon to live.'

'But they aren't,' Bella put in.

'It doesn't matter to Caius. The Volturi are coming. They'll be here in a week. Caius won't let this go.'

'Are they still coming for us?' Emmett asked.

Alice shrugged in apology. 'Right now, it could go either way. They aren't stupid; they know we live close enough we had to have smelled them. And if Aro touches any of us, he'll know the truth. Two black marks against us isn't a good thing.'

'If we change Bella, it's only one,' Rosalie added.

But Alice was already shaking her head, even harder than Edward. 'No; it's too late for that. Having a newborn in the mix isn't going to help. There's only one way this is going to end.'

'We fight,' Jasper finished for her.

'No,' Carlisle disagreed. 'I won't have this come to a battle. We cannot fight the entire guard.'

'What about the Denalis; they'd come, right?'

'They already are,' Alice put in. 'Carlisle called them last night.'

'That's thirteen of us. And the wolves aren't just going to roll over and let the vamps kill them, right?' Emmett asked, direct to the point as always.

'I don't think us fighting on separate lines is going to make a difference. Maybe if we band together, but...'

Edward completed Alice's thought for her. 'Every time you think that, we disappear.'

Alice just shrugged. 'The wolves mess everything up.'

'We must talk to the Elders,' Carlisle decided. 'We have no choice now. They did not even appear on Friday. We must go again tonight to the border and wait; as long as it takes. I won't trespass on their land and break the treaty, whether they adhere to it or not. If they view us as a threat, perhaps they will come to us, if only to defend their land and people.'

'I'll go with you,' Edward agreed.

Jasper shook his head. 'We should all go.'

'Agreed,' Carlisle nodded.

Bella wrung her hands together and wished she'd made more effort to talk to Billy on Saturday. Maybe there was something she could have done.

Edward leaned over the grip her hands in his and still them. He gave her an encouraging smile, but she knew it was just an act. Still, Bella managed to smile back.