Edward's POV

I stopped wringing my hands for a moment to look out the window anxiously.

We should be there already. Shouldn't we?

I lightly tapped the dozing man next to me.

"Do you know if we are almost there?"

The man looked annoyed. "How would I know?" Then he resumed his sleep.

I was procrastinating. Thinking about how to get to Bella. But what was I going to do once I saw her? And… them?

I couldn't win against the Volturi. Not alone. And I didn't know whether Bella would be in any condition to help me fight.

Oh, God. What was I getting myself into?

…..

I frowned as I saw the large crowd after getting out of the taxi. Why were all these people here? Was there an event?

As I attempted to push my way through without someone noticing my strength, I saw an old woman sitting peacefully on a nearby bench, watching the ruckus.

"Excuse me, Ms.?"

She looked at me, confused.

Oh. Italian.

"Scusilo? Parlate italiano?"

She nodded, and, raising her eyebrows, indicated towards the crowd with her head. "Confuso?"

"Si. Sapete… che cosa sta accendendo?"

She looked up gravely. "Aver bisongo di qualcosa?"

I did need to know. Because I had a strange, creeping feeling it had something to do with Bella.

"Si."

She sighed, and suddenly, her eyeballs rolled backwards in her head, and she took a long, staggered breath.

"Quei pallidi."

The pale ones.

"Si sono rivelati."

They have revealed themselves.

"Combatteranno alla morte,"

They will fight to the death,

"Per semprenascondere la loro fortuna segreta,"

To forever hide their secret fortune,

"A coloro che cerca di unmaske."

To those who seek to unmask it.

"Quello bello,"

The beautiful one,

"Con la sor le avversascnitta sulla sua fronte,"

With doom written upon her brow,

"Monira per lei amava uno!"

Will die for her loved one!

She abruptly caught off and looked up at me, resuming her calm expression.

"Scusilo?"

Staring into her eyes, I staggered backwards.

"Come ti chiami?"

She smiled. "Lorenza."

I closed my eyes. "Profetessa?"

She frowned, then gasped as her vision told her what I really was.

I lightly touched her wrist, but had enough force to keep her next to me.

But she didn't struggle away. "Il bello. Lei e il vostro?"

The beautiful one. She is yours?

"Si," I said, and she took a short nod. "Allora io ti aiutero."

Then I will help you.

I took her hand, and pulled her up. Then we went rushing into the abyss.

…..

Edward's POV

When I saw her, it was like a fatal stab to my silent heart.

She was lying on the ground, cowering and covering her head with her hands while Jane, smirking, walked closer to her. As she attempted to put up her force field, there was just a glimmer, which quickly faded out.

"Please!" Bella pleaded. "Please, just kill me quickly!"

That was it. I broke free of the swallowing crowds and ran at an inhuman speed towards her, picking her up and holding her to me.

She looked up, her eyes glazed in amazement.

"It was that fast?" She whispered. "Wow… I didn't feel anything." Then she frowned, and gasped.

"Oh, no, Edward! You can't be dead, too! You just can't be!"

Bella couldn't see the Volturi, but I could. They were behind her, sniggering as they straightened up to pounce again.

"Bella," I said low and urgently. "You're not dead. And we need to get you out of here."

At that moment, Alec lunged.

Luckily, though, I heard him coming, and pulled us out of the way. Then, I held up my hands of surrender towards the Volturi.

"Stop! We do no harm."

The tight group parted as Aro walked through with fury on his face.

"This woman has threatened the existence of our kind! She forced us to reveal ourselves in front of these hundreds of mortals! Now, they all must die. Including," he said, pointing at Bella, "her."

"No," I pleaded. "It was a misunderstanding. Bella here… she thought Alice had been kidnapped. She wanted to save her because she felt responsible for the deed. Even thought there was no saving to be done."

Suddenly, a little lady ran through to the opening, followed by a much larger young man.

Alice and Jasper.

"Aro," Alice said lightly. "He speaks the truth." After showing the vampire her vision, he nodded.

"I see," he said, and sighed. "There has been a very grave misunderstanding. We, therefore, will let you go. But…" he said, looking straight into my eyes. "You must understand that you cannot come back."

I briskly nodded, and picked up Bella, seeing that she was too weak to walk.

I turned and looked at Alice and Jasper.

"Coming?" I said hopefully.

Alice sadly shook her head. "This is goodbye."

I sighed, and, with little Lorenza at my side, ran off into the horizon.

…

Bella's POV

When I decided to open my eyes, we were in a beautiful hotel room in what I sensed to be West Italy.

I was lying on a lightly patterned country home bed, and the most beautiful person in the whole world was right next to me.

"Edward?" I whispered, wanting to make sure I wasn't imagining things.

He smiled, and nodded, holding my pale hands in his.

"Thank you," I said, afraid speaking my mind would be out of line.

"I love you," he simply responded.

Then he, very gently, kissed me.

For the first time in history, when I was kissing Edward, I didn't try to jump on top of him.

Instead, I was happy, perfectly fulfilled.

I felt a slight movement on the fourth finger of my left hand, and I looked down, smiling.

"Yes. Of course I will."

…..

Chapter Note: Next chapter is the last (except of the epilogue, which will be the 13th.) After that, though, I will have a special explanatory chapter for all the questions I have been getting. So, if you have any inquiries, please review or PM me! Thanks!

Please R&R.

Love,

Daniella