*Disclaimer* heylo everyone! I love this chapter! This is my favorite part of the whole entire book and I hope you like it too!
Please please please review for me...can we try to hit 395? Please please please? Edward's back for the rest of time in this one! I promise! I won't hide him in my basement anymore!
:)
Or, I'll try not to. Anyway, go read and review for me! And thanks for those who gave me some input on the title of the Eclipse-like story that's coming next!
I Soo Can't Believe I'm in Volterra!
"Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori." I think I'm stuck on auto-pilot. I've given up glancing at the clock because, seriously, I think the stupid thing is going to start laughing at me in a second. "Palazzo dei Priori. Alice, how we doin'?" Palazzo dei Priori. Yep, that's definitely stuck in my head now.
"You sound like Angel. And we doin' just fine. This is the only way in and I've already got my bribe money ready. Are you sure you're going to be up for this?"
Would she consider it bad that I think my heart is currently trying to fight its way out of my chest? "Yeah, I'll be fine. I mean, I am fine already. I think. Palazzo dei Priori. Is he still okay?"
Alice groaned, mostly because this was about the eighth time I've asked that in about two minutes. Or maybe she thinks I'm about to go into cardiac arrest…"Yes, he's fine! Now shut up with the Palazzo dei Priori stuff, here come the guards."
"Okay, Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori," I said low enough that only Alice would really be able to hear me. I wouldn't want to freak the guards out. I might have to beat them up if they don't let Alice and me through. I think I would do worse to these guys than I did to the Mike Newton ticket dude.
Okay, here he comes. He had one of those expressions like we were some sort of American trash who were only in Italy to eat spaghetti. Well I'll show him! Alice doesn't even eat! Alice plastered on her most dazzling smile and rolled down the window. "I'm sorry, only tour buses allowed in the city today, miss," he said, very apologetic that he couldn't give something to Alice, who had dazzled him for free.
"It's a private tour," she reached her arm out of the window, and for a second, I forgot that she was wearing gloves. I even let out a little shriek, but then I realized nothing was sparkling, so it was all good. The large roll of money was in the dude's hand, which was when I started slamming down my foot on the passenger side like there was an invisible gas pedal there. Come on, dude! Just take the money so I can go!
"Is this a joke?"
"Do I look like I'm laughing?" Oh my, Alice strayed from the book! She was playing the more pissed off girl now, and I am not joking, she was snarling. "I'm in a wee bit of a hurry," smile back in place. Thankfully, he waved us on right after he shoved his new found wealth into his back pocket.
"Well, Alice, maybe you should join me, Jacob, and Paul in anger management classes. We meet with a special counselor every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the—"
"Shut up, it's time to concentrate. I'm starting to really worry. Edward's not slowing down and there's all these people in the street and you are so darn clumsy, so what happens if you trip and you don't reach Edward in time? He's my brother, I don't want him to die! And then if he dies, you're gonna want to die too, and I really don't think I could handle losing all of you at once! And if you die, your parents are going to kill me, along with Ava! Then Angel would fight me along with her because he's so whipped, and then Jasper would fight against them, and we'd all die!"
I'm pretty sure she was having a legitimate panic attack. "Alice!"
"What?" Jeez, I think she would be about to cry if she could. Maybe she'll be the first vampire to do it.
"It's gonna be okay. I promise, I'll make it and I won't trip. Everything will work out the way it's supposed to." The red cloaks surrounding the car were becoming increasingly dense, which was making me feel even more nervous. Thankfully, my father was on the football team in high school and he taught me how to tackle and get people out of my way when I wanted them to move.
Alice nodded, but sniffled slightly. Jeez, I shudder to think about the day if or when Edward and I say 'I do'. "Just a little bit closer…" She finally got stopped by a couple more guards when we almost hit a couple of pedestrians. "Okay, you know where to go, right? Oh well, I'll repeat it anyway. There—we're at the southern end of the square. Run straight across, to the right of the clock tower. I'll find my way back to the all important street. And if I'm not there, just keep running in the shadows until you find me. Okay? Okay." Alright, I'm nervous again. Alice is going to have to push me out of the car. I glanced around at the sea of people standing between me and Edward, and slightly shivered, but Alice wasn't going to have any of that. "You have two minutes. Go, Bella, go!"
I took off through the crowd, not even caring how the stupid dress Alice put me kept on riding up around my stomach. Luckily for me, I was wearing a pair of shorts underneath! I kept on shoving people out of my way as I kept my eyes on the clock tower that Edward would be right underneath.
"Hey!"
"Watch it!"
"Idiota! Cagna!"
People were shouting at me in all sorts of languages, but I kept right on making my way through the red cloaks even accidentally knocked a couple of people down on the cobble stone. "My bad!" I called back at them. Hopefully I didn't knock over an old lady or something. My karma's bad enough already.
I really wanted to turn back around and fight the person who pushed me back when I was moving through the crowd, but then I told myself that I would be acting like a werewolf if I did that. Besides, that person might be one of the people the Volturi eat later, so there!
Luckily, the combination of wearing Chuck Taylors and my long legs pushed me through the crowd faster than book Bella did. I could tell that I was already in the main plaza since it looked exactly as the one in the movie did. Thank God that was one of the parts in the movie that I actually shut up and watched!
Edward wasn't in my view just yet, but I could feel that he was close. At least I know with that vampire hearing of his, he might hear me.
Unless the clock starts chiming.
DARN YOU KARMA! "Edward!" I screamed, beside the fact that I was still pushing through the mass of people in the plaza. "MOVE IT, PEOPLE!"
Finally, I saw him. The real him. The flesh and blood, well, I guess not blood, him. But the thing is, of course, he didn't see me. And he was in the process of unbuttoning his shirt. Shit!
"No, damn it Edward, don't! Please!" Come on, listen to me! "Move it, people!" This is totally worse than all of my nightmares combined. "Edward, look at me!" Oh, good the fountain!
I was only a fountain and a short sprint away from him. Holy moley, he took off his shirt…and I thought Jacob had some impressive abs, but he doesn't have anything on my gorgeous man…Oh, sweet Jesus, I think I'm drooling…No, Bella, it is not the time for that! Your man might be dead in a few seconds if you don't stop staring at his amazing non-hairy, sparkly chest!
I climbed up to get into the fountain, and, of course, as soon as I tried to run through it in this stupid tiny dress that Alice gave me I tripped. And did a face plant right in the middle of the fountain.
A face plant that caused me to literally become soaked head to foot. But that didn't stop me. "Edward! Look at me!"
I saw the little family with two girls towards the mouth of the alley where Edward's swoon worthy abs were inching much too close to that bright sunlight for my liking. It took a second to pull my dripping self out of the fountain, but once I did, I kept on sprinting towards Edward. The two little girls were pointing and laughing at the silly wet girl sprinting as fast as she could to something they didn't know about. I think the parents were more worried I was running away from something than towards something, but I kept on going and screaming Edward's name as I went.
A thought just occurred to me. "Eddie!" He hates that name! Maybe he'll snap out of it that way if I call him that! Ha, I'm brilliant! "Eddie! Ethan!" Alright, so Eddie didn't work. All I got was a smirk from him, so I went into the other names for him that I've made up. But nothing worked.
He had closed his eyes and stepped ever closer to the sun's bright rays.
I saw the dark circles under his eyes and slightly wondered when the last time he hunted was. Plus I was wondering if Alice was somewhere parked in the alley waiting for us. Each time I screamed his name, his grin grew wider. He's probably thinking I'm his hallucination! Wow, we are one crazy couple. Literally.
The bell chimed one last time and Edward finally made a large stride so that he was standing directly in the sun's rays. Not to sound stupid, but he and I looked pretty much the same with me glistening from the water drops all over me and him sparkling. "Edward, don't!" I used the final move my dad always said to use if you wanted to knock someone to the ground.
Except I was never really all that great at that tackle.
I gave up the second before I reached him and ended up throwing my arms around his neck in a vain attempt to cover his entire exposed torso from the sun. Oh, that torso! "Edward, open your eyes. Please! Look at me, I'm alive! You have to move! Edward, please, come on, we have to move!" Kristen Stewart's lines work as good as any.
Finally, he unleashed the power of those golden eyes on me like I've never seen before. "Amazing," oh, his voice, "Carlisle was right." Edward! Oh, Edward! To have you holding me again is more than I could ever ask for in a million years! Eternity, even!
Oh, shut up mind!
If his arms weren't holding me up, I would have fallen over. No joke, I'm surprised I haven't passed out already. I mean, one, I'm still sopping wet. Two, I've been waiting months for this day to come and now it's here. And three, I'm scared to death that we'll die unless I get him moving! "Yes, he was. Now, please Edward, we have to move!"
He smiled down at me, completely frying whatever semblance of a brain I had left. His hand brushed down my cheek, which only served to make me blush as it always does. And honestly, I should have better self control, but sue me; I sort of just melded into his chest. I just couldn't help it! He murmured something in my hair, probably that Romeo and Juliet line, but I was too busy inhaling that Essence de Edward that I love so much to actually listen to him. "You smell exactly the same as always," I finally listened to what he was saying rather than just revel in the glorious tingling sensation that was completely engulfing every sense that I had, "so maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it."
I reached behind me to loosen his hold on me. Thankfully, he let me take his hands without a fight. I stepped forward, pushing him back into the shadow finally. "Come on, Edward, we're going to get out of here. Follow me." I didn't wait for him to respond. I just took his hands and started moving towards the alleyway that Alice should be waiting for us in the porshe.
I didn't look back, either, to see if there were any other vampires following us. I wasn't exactly sure when Felix and Demetri would get here, but I wasn't going to take any chances that they would find out about Alice's and my plan. Edward followed along, but with a slightly dazed and confused look on his face. I really hope he'd figured it out by now that neither of us was dead, but knowing him, it might take a while for him to be completely convinced.
Finally, at the end of the alley, I caught sight of the porshe. I glanced back at my impassive boyfriend, who didn't look as happy to see me anymore as he did a few seconds ago. "Okay, look Edward, I know none of this makes sense right now, but I need you to get me to that porshe as fast as you possibly—" I hate it when he does that! I heard a whooshing sound, saw the rest of the alley fly by my eyes, and the next thing I knew I was standing next to Edward, who practically ripped the back door off of its hinges. "Can…Alright, get in! Now!"
Edward must know now that we're not dead because he gave me a stern look before picking me up and throwing me into the car. It was not the most pleasant landing in the world to say the least. Edward was just standing in front of the door, facing back towards the way we'd come from. I couldn't see anything coming, but then Alice hissed in the front seat. "They're coming!"
Stupid Volturi, you're ruining the plan!
I reacted as anyone else would, I think. I grabbed the only thing I could conceivably grab onto to pull Edward into the car: his pants. Luckily they didn't rip, and the shock of something tugging on him made him climb into the car right on top of me just as Alice peeled the car out of the alleyway and back into the streets of Volterra.
I heaved a huge sigh of relief as soon as the door shut and we were successfully peeling through the other alleys in the city. I barely remembered that Edward was on top of me except for the fact that all of a sudden I opened my eyes to see his staring down at me with a look of intense surprise on his face. "Bella? How are you—How are you here? Alive? I saw you f—"
"I told you…a long time ago…that I'm a lot tougher than I look, remember?" And now the tears start flowing just by referring to that awful day when he left, but Edward didn't notice that's what I was talking about. He smiled down at me, and brushed away the tears that were already making their way down my face. "And I'm pretty sure that I warned you that Victoria wouldn't be in South America any time soon, as well, but did you listen? You are no tracker, Edward Cullen, but I still…still...still...looooooo..." I was crying too hard by this point I couldn't even choke out what I was tryin to say, but Edward caught on and started laughing again at my inability to say what I wanted to.
Those amber eyes that I adore so much were no longer the hand stones that I remember from the night he left, but were once again molten liquid orbs locked onto mine. He pulled me into a tight embrace so that I could feel his cool breath on my neck. "I love you, too, my Bella. You're everything to me, everything."
I knew I always loved that line from the movie! I wiped the rest of my tears away from my face and pulled back out of his arms just so I could get a clear shot at his lips. I didn't even bother with that stupid look of mine; I just wrapped my arms around his neck again and started kissing him with every ounce of enthusiasm I had left in me. Holy moley, I missed those lips! He didn't even bother holding back on me. Thank my lucky stars!
We were doing some pretty heavy making out, but then I realized we were in the back of a car that Alice was driving. I'm pretty sure Edward realized this at the same time, but he didn't break away. For some reason, he held me onto me tighter than when I slammed into him in the alley.
I broke away when I heard Alice squeal again. "What is it? What's wrong?" Edward held me down on the seat and hissed something to Alice. "What's going on?"
Suddenly a loud screeching noise came from the back of the car. I tried to sit up again, but Edward held me down again. "Stay down, Bella. Alice, floor it."
"I am! The car won't move…they've…they've got us…" Alice whipped around and shot me a panicked look. Oh, crap it! Crap it! Crap it! No, no, no! This is not supposed to happen! The plan was working perfectly! They can't do this to me now! I'm going to kill those stupid Volturi people!
The car started moving backwards just like if we were moving in reverse. And just as quickly as it started, it stopped moving. We all just stared at each other for a minute, but I knew they both knew what was about to happen, whatever that is. I think I'm going to wish for the ability to see into the future for my birthday.
Out of nowhere Alice jumped into the back seat with Edward and me. She nodded to him and then they both wrapped their arms around me, Edward even blocking my head. That only meant one thing…
I was ripped from my thoughts, almost literally, a second later when the car was thrown from where we were into the side of the alley, causing the whole car to flip over. The owner of this baby was not going to be happy if they ever find its remains!
I see why Edward and Alice were protecting me. They weren't going to be hurt in any sort of car accident, but I would have probably died if I was unprotected in that stunt pulled by none other than the stupid monstrosity that was Felix.
Luckily, they were pretty good air bags, even if they were a bit too hard. Alice stood up and took the roof off with her. Oh yeah, this car is definitely not going back to the airport.
"Bella, are you okay?"
"I think so. No appendages are missing." He nodded stiffly, but nonetheless stepped out of the wreckage and pulled me along with him. I gasped when I finally got a look at the two Volturi guards I'd made fun of ever since I read New Moon. They were actually kind of…well, to put it bluntly, they were hot.
Not as hot as Edward, of course, but hot nevertheless.
Edward pulled me behind him so that neither Felix nor Demetri could get anywhere close to me, but that wouldn't stop me from peeking at what was going on. "Greetings, gentlemen. I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters, and work on an apology note to the owners of the car you just ruined."
"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" You know, I think I really hate Felix. He's such a stupid jackass, I don't even know what to say about him. He doesn't even look remorseful after completely destroying the most beautiful car in the entire Twilight series!
"I don't believe that will be necessary." Edward snarled at him. I guess he's about as fond of Felix as I am, and he hasn't even seen the part of the movie where Felix pretty much kicked Edward's ass. "I know your instructions, Felix. I haven't broken any rules."
"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun," Demetri, on the other hand, was not nearly as weird as he was in the movie. Or as much of an ass. "Let us seek better cover." We were at the edge of the alley, and if we had just been a few seconds faster we would have completely avoided this encounter. It's amazing that no one saw the stunt that Felix tried to pull off with the car.
"I'll be right behind you. Bella, why don't you go back to the square and enjoy the festival?"
"You got it!" I backed away from Edward to try to make a break for the light, but Alice shook her head and nodded towards Felix, who looked about ready to pounce on me just by taking a step away from Edward.
"No, bring the girl." Stupid, stupid Felix!
"I don't think so." Edward crouched down just like he did when James was about to attack me in the baseball field last year. This is so not good!
Felix was about to spring, but Demetri held him back. "Felix, not here. Edward, Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all."
"Certainly, but the girl goes free."
"I'm afraid that's not possible. We do have rules to obey." And here for a second, I thought I might get along with Demetri, but now he has to go and act like an idiot with all this 'rules' talk.
"Then I'm afraid that I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri." I laid my hand on Edward's shoulder, just in case he was thinking about starting a fight now. I wouldn't be able to handle any sort of fight like the movie's today.
"That's just fine." Felix purred. His voice only fuels the idea that he might be same-sex oriented. But not Demetri, he's straight. I'm thinking about pairing him up with Tanya as an experiment to get her away from Edward.
They are going to have a thrown down right in front of the alley. And Felix was on Edward's case about exposing himself to the humans in the square! This is ridiculous! "Um, Felix? You do realize that Edward isn't alone, right?" I pushed Alice in front of me, so that both she and Edward were in the right position to take him down. I really wish they would. He's just annoying.
"We're not alone." Alice pointed over the open area that opened up to the square. Plenty of people were standing at it the very entrance, but only a few were casting glances to the scene we were creating.
"Please, Edward, let's be reasonable."
"If you don't mind, Demetri, I would advise you to keep your voice down. You guys are really loud." Demetri glared at me, I guess my advice was not considered good in a group of vampires. I stuck my tongue out at him in response. I heard Alice giggle, but Edward shot me a warning glance. Come on! I was having fun!
"Let's. And we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser." Hmm, Edward…his voice is so comforting even when we're in a tense situation. But I definitely heard him cover up a laugh when he said we should leave quietly. His sense of humor is still intact despite our time apart, I see.
Demetri was getting pissed off now. Whoops! "At least let us discuss this more privately."
"No." Okay, Edward was pretty pissed himself now.
"Enough." Oh, shit! Jane! I totally forgot about her! Maybe if someone hadn't thrown our car around, my head might be in better shape!
Jane looked a little like Dakota Fanning, but her hair was a lot different than the Jane from the movie. Plus, she was just a hell of a lot more creepy than Dakota Fanning! I already knew she couldn't hurt me, so I wasn't exactly impressed with her sudden appearance as Demetri, Felix, and Edward were. Alice let out an annoyed sigh beside me. She leaned over and whispered to me, "I wish Dakota were here instead."
"Jane." Edward relaxed from his defensive position, and took my hand. I squeezed it as reassuringly as I could. Of course he didn't know that everyone would be okay because I could totally block any of Jane's freaky pain rays.
Jane looked at the entire group, and then motioned for us to follow her. "Aro sent me to see what was taking so long."
Alice rolled her eyes, but followed behind Edward and me. "Just do what she says," then she added low enough for me to hear, "for now." Since when has Alice been such a rule-breaker?
I started freaking a little as we walked back to the darker part of the alley, and suddenly Edward wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked. I'm not going to lie, it helped a bit that he was holding onto me. "Well, Alice, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here."
"There was a stupid mistake on my part. I shouldn't have let you go anywhere without going to see for yourself what had happened to Bella. She is quite something."
"What happened?"
"You hung up on me." I threw in just for measure, and to keep myself from hyperventilating from the fact that we were heading towards the freaking Volturi!
Alice ignored my comment, but I felt Edward stiffen. "In summary, she fell from the cliff, but someone pulled her out. She wasn't up there to kill herself either. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days."
"I hung up on her? That wasn't…someone else mimicking her voice?" Edward ignored the comment about extreme sports, thank goodness. He and Alice must have entered into their silent conversation then, because they stopped talking for a while until I heard Edward growl under his breath.
Suddenly we came upon that little hole in the ground that Alice was going to have to catch me through. Edward tried to pull me closer to the thing, but I found that I couldn't move. There was just no way in hell that I was going to jump down or off of something I couldn't see the bottom to!
The problem about the situation was that I was not going to let go of Edward, no matter how upset I am with him. I still plan on punishing him with whatever punishment I see fit, but until we get back, I plan on taking advantage of the tense situation.
Alice figured out that I wouldn't let Edward go to have her catch me at the bottom of the tunnel. "Edward, you go in first. I'll drop her right down to you." Edward looked apprehensive. "She won't go unless you do first."
I shrugged. The idea of Edward catching me in those muscular arms of his is much more romantic than Alice catching me. When Edward caught me I would be free to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him if I wanted to. Because that's what happens when someone is caught in the strong arms of a gorgeous vampire man.
Apparently that look that I invariably get whenever I think about kissing Edward, well, it was plastered all over my face. Edward grinned at me, apparently getting the same idea I did. I guess being in the scary situation of possibly dying is making both Edward and me think about getting close to one another before we die. "Alright, I'll catch you then."
Alice just shook her head. "You two are revolting." Demetri and Felix were both grinning like teenage boys behind us. Perverts!
"Revolting in the same way that you and Jasper are. Can you drop me now?"
Alice rolled her eyes, but I could definitely see that I was amusing her. It's good that I can alleviate some of the tension with meeting the Volturi. "Edward, are you ready?"
"Drop her." Yay! Drop me into those great arms of Edward! Falling down that long hole was almost as exhilarating as when I dropped from the cliff. I sort of got the wind knocked out of me when Edward's hard arms caught me. It was pretty dark at the bottom, but I could still make out Edward's eyes in the dark. I pressed my lips to his before either of us had a chance to talk. My heart race spiked to an unhealthy speed like usual. It is hugely nice to find out that that didn't change over the months he was gone.
Hmmm, why was that little knot of fear in my stomach again?
Edward broke away when we heard someone clear their throat. Oh yeah, the Volturi.
We moved down the hall, but Edward never let go my hand. As we were moving, the temperature seemed to drop more and more. Edward and Alice were both using friction to keep my arms warm, but since I was still pretty wet, nothing was really working. Maybe I'll catch hypothermia before Aro gets a chance to kill me!
Finally, we reached a huge door at the end of the hallway. Oh shit! Oh shit! I can't do it! I can't face the Volturi! Sure, I can joke and make out with Edward a few yards away from them, but I can't be in the exact same room as them, breathing the same air. Well, if they're breathing, that is.
Beside me, I saw Alice brace herself. She can't freak out! She's the only other character who knows about the book! If she thinks we're going to die, how am I supposed to believe in the book?
I glanced back at Edward to see how he was preparing himself for everything. Just one look from the man I still was madly in love with, I knew what I had to do.
I was getting him and Alice out of here. Even if it cost me my life.
INTENSE!!! AHHHH!!! EDWARD'S BACK!! Show of hands, who missed him as much as me?? No more JACOB nonsense...oh wait...haha just kidding! Jake'll be back later! I've got an interesting surprise up my sleeves for the Volturi visit next chapter! You don't wanna miss it!
Now, if you liked it (or even if you didn't) go review! :)
Preview for the next chapter:
"Who are you supposed to be? Michael Sheen?" Crap it! Why did I say that out loud?!?
Alice flipped around to freak out along with me. "Bella!"
Aro took it without any confusion, which just served to give me confusion. "I did notice some talk of Twilight in Edward's thoughts, but I did not expect that you would bring it up so quickly. I suppose it is the way of all the Twilight fans to be a little impetuous when they speak about it."
Alice stopped freaking out about me, but instead joined me in staring at Aro. This cannot be good…
