"Bella," he said in a whisper.

"Edward," I breathed. And then I wasn't breathing at all… not because of his cunning good looks, his beautiful sparkly-ness that wasn't sparkling because as usual it was raining here, nor the fact that I cared about him… but because he was hugging me so hard I was gasping for air. This added a whole new meaning to a death hug. "Can't breathe." Edward let go of me with a small smirk. A smirk I had once grown so used to that it had made my heart jump in my throat so much in the past. I smiled a little at the memory and then just stared at him trying to see if this Edward measured up to the past Edward. There was something off though. He seemed less... perfect. More ordinary. Like my rose colored glasses were gone and he was a new person.

"Sorry."

"Guess you don't know your own strength."

"Or I know it too well and forgot myself." We stood their awkwardly, then again we were an ex-couple that hadn't seen each other in a year or so. There was a bridge of words not said, moments lost, and time together that could've been between us had he stayed. I pulled away from his grasp staring at him as I held myself remote from him. He was a friend. Nothing more. Nothing less. I was with Jacob…

"What's happened Edward? Whose coming for me?"

"Not coming. Came."

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We walked out of the airport, me in the midst of all these beautiful vampires, but rather then compare myself stupidly like I used too to Rosalie or the beauty they had I stood proud and walked alongside them knowing that I was just as beautiful in my own way. I know I still got some eyes from men who'd probably been on my website, which Edward brought up. Edward began yelling; well silently cursing me but it seemed like yelling. "What the hell do you mean by making that website?"

"Oh so you noticed," I grunted.

"We all noticed," smirked Emmett, Rosalie smacked him in the back of the head.

"I'm so happy for you Bella! Going into the nursing business," beamed Esme, "it seems Carlisle's rubbed off on you." I stared at Esme for a moment before shaking away the quirk in my brow. It was Esme. Enough said.

"Its not like you were coming back for me. You left me behind to my own devises. It was my choice," i replied rather calmly.

"If I'd had known that you would've done that when I left I would've…"

"Would've what? Destroyed technology just so I wouldn't do that before leaving?" I managed to laugh, Edward stared at me.

At that moment Edward's thoughts were this: I don't know whether to be scared by her easy laughter or okay with it.

A passing cricket's thoughts: What the hell am I doing at an airport? I may be squashed.

"Besides it worked at getting your attention," I replied with a wry smile.

"And the rest of the world's! That's why the Volturi are coming. Alice had a vision of them oogling your website."

"Oogling isn't a word."

"It is in my world considering almost everywhere I went I was reminded of you and almost always I heard men thinking of you or 'oogling' your website as Emmett calls it…"

"And how terrible it must've been to be reminded of me," I breathed.

"I didn't mean it like-"

"Besides," I cut in, "I highly doubt my website is not part of the problem that's brought you guys here."

"Oh yes it is, the Volturi seem to be fans," muttered Alice. "I had a very disturbing vision."

"That's the cause of us being here."

"Well I'm glad you have a reason for being here," I muttered, "because otherwise I'd be pissed." Edward stopped where he was walking and stared at my back. I turned around to look at him with a quirked brow. "What Edward?"

"You've never spoken to me like that before Bella. So outright and frank. I mean you've been mad at me before-"

"Woo-hoo Bella's got a backbone," grinned Emmett.

"Look here Edward! Why the hell wouldn't I be mad at you? I loved you and you discarded me like a pile of clothing."

"Bella I didn't mean to be so-"

"Yes you did to keep me out of harms way," I muttered clenching my fist angrily before turning on him! "Edward if you really loved me and wanted a grown up relationship why didn't you treat us like a grown up relationship? In a real relationship people discuss their problems and yes they protect each other but Edward what do you think I am? A 5-year-old who needs constant protection? I've survived being with you how the hell do you think I would've hated Jasper for his reaction? He's one vampire, you destroyed James I think you can protect me from your brother and that I can deal with it after dealing with you knowing you want my blood!-"

"Bella," he cut in.

"The thing is… I thought I knew you because I loved you and then you turned on me and left me. You know how betrayed I felt? Like there was a fault with me because I didn't know you, like you were having a charade the whole time you were with me. but that anger helped me get over you, and just as I got over you I find your letters and you come back to haunt me. So don't say I shouldn't be mad and just tell me what the hell Alice saw," I replied. At this moment everyone around Bella had shifted far away from Edward in fear of being a target if they were near him. Edward stood there taking the blow, his eyes wide, and his mind wishing he could read Bella's.

"Bella-"

"Just tell me the vision Edward." Its obvious you don't want to be here, I thought to myself.

"I saw the Volturi coming to America," replied Alice breaking the tension and taking my hand as she led me forward. "Aro's mouth was on your neck, his eyes were blood-red. And then I had a vision you were in chains placed against the wall, there was blood, you were covered in it, a bruise on your knee, and the only words that escaped your mouth were…"

" 'He needs my help and I… I've been without him but I still love him…'" It was Edward who finished the sentence. "That's why I'm here Bella, I didn't want you to come to harm but the main reason is… I was hoping it was me you were talking about." There was silence. We walked forward towards the car, Edward reached out and touched my hand, and I didn't refuse to hold it, I squeezed his hand and looked up at his eyes. He just weakly smiled at me. I reached out to hug him. It was odd that I was the one comforting him.

"I'm sorry Edward. That was a long time of pent up emotions," I said.

He opened the door for me to my car. I didn't get in. I just stood there. My heart stuttered in my chest.

"No. I'm not getting in with you." And how the hell did you find my car so easily...? oh wait its an eyesore who couldn't see that thing….? "Not alone at least. I don't trust myself to be alone with you…" Alice walked over with Jasper who just gave me a wry shrug and small apologetic smile as he hopped in. "How are we going to fit in there? Let me rephrase that how many vampires can we fit in the car with a human?" Alice scooted onto the driver's side, Jasper was in the middle, Edward threw me over his shoulder got in the passenger side and kept me in his lap. "Are you sure this is safe?" I hissed, eyeing Jasper uncomfortably from the place in Edward's lap.

"Yes. I'm better now," replied Jasper as the car started up and Alice drove, making my car purr like a really sick walrus as we followed closely behind the rest of the Cullen clan in a nice red BMW that I knew they probably stole. Though Carlisle's conscious made him leave behind $50,000 in cash and a green apple in a suitcase. An apple a day keeps the doctor away so it was Carlisle's thing to randomly leave apples with people.

"So you've got a boyfriend now?"

"For the moment, yes," I replied shifting away from Edward, he pulled me back in his grip keeping me close to his chest as he hissed in my ear, "What does that mean? Is it…" He looked at me hopefully before voicing it, "Is it that I may still have a chance?"

"Edward I'm going to do something today that'll make you realize my feelings perfectly," I hissed though I was shocked that Alice wasn't having a vision of it. "How did you find out that I was dating Jacob?"

"Alice had a vision that you were telling your mom about him on the phone. Oddly enough though she hasn't had any visions with Jacob actually in it." I stared at Alice incongruously.

"Edward thinks its because they're werewolves," she said with a bitter shrug, "And it irritates me."

"Their actually not werewolves, more like shape shifters who chose to be wolves," I replied with a small smirk, something Alice couldn't see. "So about this party?" I handed Edward the flyer.

"A party? This is interesting for the Volturi to do all this just to get you. Obviously they've got to get you alone to do so which is why I wonder about the party. Its not like them. To meet a human under such drastic conditions and the visions Alice has seen. I don't know what they're thinking." I scooted away once more from his cold arms but he pulled me back. "Just like I don't know what you're thinking. Why do you keep scooting away from me?"

"I feel uncomfortable that you could so easily leave me and so easily come back to me to be honest," I breathed leaning away from him. "You'll find that where I once would've thrown myself into your arms carelessly I won't do that now…. Though… I still missed you… and I don't mind hugging you now because you weren't just my boyfriend buy my friend," I said wrapping my arms around him for a moment before breathing, "…and I found your… gifts."

"I left them there because I still loved you and wanted some part of me near you."

"Then why not have left yourself? …Edward," I voiced thinking carefully over my words. I didn't want him to think I was crazy but then again I didn't care what the hell he thought of me now though a part of me did want to throw myself into his arms. "Edward… have you been hearing voices?... well my voice that is?" Edward stared at me in shock.

"I thought I was the only one. Yes I heard your voice often and sometimes knew what was happening with you but I still could never read your thoughts." Can you hear me now, I thought to him.

Yes. Even as he thought it he nodded his head. It seems you send only what you want to send to me. How is this possible?

"Maybe I have a gift," I replied to him. Well I'll send this to you, I thought to him. You have one hell of a death wish to return here. So I've noticed. Edward I have a request of you. What? I watched him stare at me curiously, he reached out to place a cold hand on my cheek, so different from the warm hand I had been so used to but at the same time something I wanted to feel again. Go with me, I thought, to talk to Jacob. I have something I must do that I need your help with.

We pulled up at a gas station. Carlisle issued the orders, "Its unsafe to go to our house until the time of the party," he said. "At least its unsafe with the Volturi there. I believe it would be better if we searched to see if there were any traps in the town. Edward you keep Bella safe at her house until the party when we'll all adjourn to the party together as a family." Even as he said the last word I could see Carlisle's face warm up as he stared at me, Esme beamed, Rosalie groaned and slumped in her seat, Emmett wagged his brows at me, Alice gave me a warm hug before getting out with Jasper who threw me a smile and the welcoming mood he felt. Edward shifted into the driver's seat but didn't move me from his lap, a small smile played on his lips.

"I'll call Jake when we get home," I said as we pulled away and got back on the road.

"We don't need their help," muttered Edward, I could see it was a sting at his ego and pushed myself away from him and in the seat beside him. Sadly I needed to lean on him a bit. I still couldn't grasp it. Edward was here. He was back.

"It isn't their help I want," I growled planning now what I had to say and do.

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At that moment Malfoy found a flyer in the mailbox of the home they'd taken. It was for sale so no one was in there. Luna had thrown blankets and pillows on the floor to serve as their beds and was now eating something that looked like the inside of a hamster cage called 'cereal.' "We're invited to a party," muttered Malfoy. "Who the hell are the Cullens?"

"Who cares? Its free food," muttered Neville.

"And we can search for snargles," replied Luna, even as she said it the snargle from the airplane crash limped away after taking shelter under a bung bung tree feeding off of the bing bong seeds and producing eggs…. The snargle race still lived on. Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"What exactly do snargles do?"

"No ones positive since they're so hard to catch though it is thought that they repel vampires," replied Luna with a shrug. Malfoy sighed and began brushing back his hair with his fingers, it needed a trim.

"Do you have a pair of scissors Luna?"

"Of course! I always carry scissors with me," she smiled pulling out a pair of glistening scissors. Of course she has sharp pointy objects, thought Malfoy to himself. "Why?"

"I want to look good in case that little hellion from the mall is there."

"Malfoy, she was human," breathed Neville staring shocked at Malfoy.

"Well… maybe but…" He blushed a bit. "…She was as furious as the bravest of death eaters! And she looked… cute." It was hard getting the words out.

"Malfoy, you're a death eater? And you like a human? Seems hypocritical doesn't it?"

"Neville stop it. Let Malfoy love who he wants."

"I don't love her! I don't even know her."

"Neville let Malfoy have the hots for who he wants. He just suffers from identity issues," replied Luna.