Disclaimer: I do not own twilight..

Epov

I sat at the end of Bella's bed watching while Carlisle examined her, she had been unconscious for three hours now and thankfully Alice hasn't seen anyone coming, yet.

I let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed my forehead when Carlisle left the room. What am I supposed to do? when the Volturi find out that Demetri is dead, which I wouldn't be surprised if they already knew they would send someone or more than just someone to finish what Demetri was sent to do.

I looked at Bella, she seemed so peaceful, like she had nothing to worry about, of course I know it will be a different situation when she is awake. I will do everything it takes to keep her alive, everything and anything but somehow against the Volturi it still wont be enough.

I heard a knock on the door but I didn't turn to see who it was because their thoughts had already gave them away.

"Alice" I greeted her half heartedly, she was trying to block her thoughts from me, but I caught the gist of it, apparently she is thinking the same as me. That there is no hope left.

"Edward" she returned the greeting and took a seat at the end of Bella's bed.

"she will be awake in half an hour" she stated looking at Bella's beautiful face. She sighed and continued, "I still don't see them coming yet, they seem to be undecided"

"undecided on whether to come or not?" I asked her, maybe there was hope after all.

"no" she almost whispered "undecided on what the punishment should be" her voice was so soft that I basically had to lip read to know what she was saying. I looked back down at Bella.

"this is all my fault" I voiced my thoughts.

"Edward how can you say that? The only reason that Bella is even alive is because of you" Alice said forcefully but at the same time sympathetically. I sighed and looked at Alice.

"is there anything we can do to stop them?" I asked her, although I already knew the answer. But it surprised me when she hesitated, maybe there was something we could do, but by the way she hesitated I thought I wasn't going to like it.

"Alice?" I asked her unable to take the silence any longer.

"they expect a replacement for Demetri" she stated while looking at the floor.

"and they will let Bella live? If I go and take Demetri's place will they let you and the family and Bella live?" I don't know if my question made sense to her but if this was the way to save all those that I love then I would not hesitate in saving them.

"not exactly" she said with an unsure look on her face.

"what do you mean Alice?" I asked her my head filled with confusion.

"I cant be sure they keep changing their minds, its all so confusing" she said as she left out a frustrated sigh 'I hate not knowing' she thought.

I looked away from Alice and back to Bella, unable to keep my eyes off her for a few short seconds. I lifted my hand to her cheek and stroked it lightly, she let out a small sigh in her sleep and leaned her head into my hand. I couldn't help but smile, she was the most amazing creature I have ever met. She was so soft, so beautiful, so warm, so brave and in incredible danger because of what I am, because of the monsters that make up my species.

"if we leave her now then she might stand a chance Edward" Alice said breaking into my deep thoughts.

"what?" I almost shouted, she expected me to just leave Bella when there were monsters out there looking for her, monsters that want to kill her.

"think about it Edward, Demetri is the only one that was capable of finding Bella and now he is gone" Alice replied as she stood from Bella's bed. I mimicked her and also rose from Bella's bed. How could she think that Bella would be safe without me protecting her, without me keeping those monsters away from her. I know that i'm just as much a monster as the ones that are looking for Bella, but I would never cause her harm, I love her too much for that. Love? I didn't realise till just now that I was in love with Bella, although I felt it the second I laid eyes on her but now was when I actually acknowledged it, and the need to keep Bella safe intensified.

"I cant leave her, are you crazy? What if they find her?" I argued.

"I will know if they are coming for her Edward, besides if we approach the Volturi alone then we have a better chance of all of us leaving" Alice argued back.

"I had no intentions of going to Volterra and I definitely had no intentions of Bella joining me if I did" I almost snarled at her.

"Edward if we go to them then we stand a better chance of survival" Alice replied with a angered look on her face. She continued after she calmed down a bit, "this isn't just your safety anymore Edward, Aro considers us, your family, your accomplices, your not only jeopardising your safety anymore Edward, think of your family, think of Bella."

I looked back down at Bella and she stirred in her sleep so I took my seat back down next to her and took one of her hands in mine and stroked it. Alice was right i'm jeopardising my family and Bella's safety.

"what do I do?" I asked her, defeat clear in my voice.

Alice came and sat beside me and put a hand on my shoulder, in the attempt to comfort me. It was no use, no one could comfort me, not with me knowing that I was shortly about to leave the girl that I just realised I was in love with. I sighed and looked at Alice and gave her a small smile and she returned it.

"we have to plan this carefully, so they know that Bella is no longer with us, that way they wont feel the need to track her down, as much" Alice said, she was obviously still unsure if this would work, apparently not enough decisions were made yet for her to determine our future.

"as much?" I asked, is there still a possibility that they would still feel the need to track down Bella?

Alice looked at me with apologetic eyes, "this is hard for you I know Edward, trust me I do, but you have to know that there is always a chance that this wont work out, that's why we need to plan this carefully, so we know that we will all be safe at the end of all this" she replied quickly as her eyes glazed over a bit. I tried to catch her vision but it all seemed to be a blur, the Volturi still must be undecided.

"but we have to hurry if we want to get to Volterra before the Volturi makes a decision" she added as she came back to reality. Alice became uneasy when the future wasn't clear to her and I became frustrated when I couldn't see what outcome this would have for Bella.

"Alice what do mean by 'as much'?" I asked her.

Alice's face suddenly became sad "the Volturi still thinks that Bella doesn't know what we are, he sent Demetri because he wanted to anger you in hope that you would join him, which really doesn't make sense but what does when it concerns Aro?"

She still didn't answer my question "Alice?" I said, she didn't want to answer I knew that but I had to know the answer.

"it depends on whether Aro touches one of us or not, if he does then he will want Bella destroyed, if he doesn't then we all survive" Alice replied sadly, it was obvious that Alice had started to care for Bella as well, but she had no where near the feelings that I felt for Bella.

"what are our chances that he doesn't touch us?" I asked, although I knew it was pointless, Aro would insist upon reading our minds, and he had more than enough power to force us if we refused.

"slim" Alice responded simply. "but we will talk later, Bella is about to wake up" she said as she rose from the bed and I turned my attention back to Bella's beautiful face.

"I will be outside if you need me" Alice added as she closed the door behind her.

"thank you" I responded although she had already left the room I knew she could still hear me.

Bella stirred again and her eye lids began to flutter, I smiled at her and she opened her eyes. She looked at me for a second and closed her eyes again for a few long seconds and opened her eyes again.

She blinked a few times dazed and then she shot up.

"Edward" she gasped and threw her arms around me. I laughed at her enthusiasm, I had completely forgotten about the dangers and the sadness that laid ahead of us and raped arms back around her.

Hey,

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-Kate xoxoxo