Carlisle opened the door to our suite. Bella was sitting on the couch, tears on her cheeks. Alice held her head and looked as though she'd be crying if she could.

"I thought you were all dead. I was sure he was going to kill both of you," Bella sobbed to me, opening her arms. I fell to the floor putting myself in them.

"I thought the same. I thought you were both gone; that I'd never see either of you again." I pulled one arm from Bella to wrap around Alice. I sent them both my relief at being with them. "What happened?" I asked.

"Alec closed off everyone, even Caius. Aro wanted to talk to just me. He wants me in the guard. He won't take no for an answer. He's going to hold both of you against me. He said with my power he won't need either of you at all." Bella covered her face. "He won't let me leave here alive."

"What did you tell him?" I asked.

"What could I tell him?" she screamed. "I'll stop you? Please, Jasper, I'm just a human. I told him I would do anything he said as long as he let you go. He woke Felix who took me to another room."

"Did he?" I asked.

"No," she said, shaking her head with a little smile. "He just held my hand actually. I think he knew how shook up I was. There was shouting in the throne room and then Alec opened the door telling us to come back in. Alice was there and so were you. Everyone else was gone."

I looked to Alice now. She took a deep breath. "When they woke me, Caius was gone, as was Eleazar. I imagine that was who had been shouting. But Alec and Jane were still there, so was Demitri and of course you were there..." Her voice trailed off. I felt her fear, even in the memory. "I thought they were going to make me watch..." She covered her face. "That was what I saw in my head. You burning, then me burning..." She shook her head trying to rid herself of images that would be there forever. "Aro took my hand and the vision was gone. 'You will always be part of the guard, Alice. You may leave our house, but never us.' He dropped my hand and brought Bella from the back." Alice clutched Bella now. "I've never been so glad to see a human. He had scrambled things so badly I couldn't see you clearly at all anymore. You were dead - you were bitten - you were a vampire - you were being tortured. I had no idea what he was doing with you. 'You will be my right and left hands. You have no idea what you mean to me.' He isn't going to let us go, Jasper."

I held both of them, sending reassurance. We would find a way.

"He sent me away when Carlisle came. I didn't understand why."

"He didn't want you affecting our decision, I imagine," Carlisle murmured. He sat beside Bella now, stroking her head as I stroked her back. "He gave us the ultimatum. I could change Bella, here, or he would have Suplicia do it. She turned the twins apparently."

"I don't want her to touch me, Carlisle." Bella twisted to throw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "I don't want any of them to touch me again."

"I know you don't, love. I don't know what we can do, though." He looked to Alice who was scanning the future. She shook her head.

The despair coming off everyone in the room was overwhelming. I fought against it. I was not about to give up. I was not about to let him have these women. "We're getting out of here. I may not have lived in the old country, but I know fortifications are built to hold people out, not hold them in."

"That is probably true," Alice said, "but they're going to be watching all the exits I know about."

"Then I'll just have to find some you don't know about it." I pushed myself off the floor. "Are you going to be all right here together?" They nodded, but the break in despair was feeble. I needed to bring good news with me, or we'd all be swept under by it. "I'm going to start scouting it out. Try not to let Aro know. Especially when you know I can find one." I told Alice with a smile.

"I hope you can, Jasper," she murmured.

There was a brief knock before the door opened. I realized we hadn't been keeping our voices low enough. Felix came in carrying a covered platter. "I brought Bella some dinner."

"Thank you, Felix," Carlisle answered him.

"Are you really thinking to try to escape?" he asked me.

I didn't answer, staring him down. He would have heard me through the door. He wasn't surprised.

"You might need help."

Now I was surprised. Shocked might be more accurate. "What?"

"Alice, will anyone report this?"

She blanked for minute, and then shook her head.

"I don't want that little girl's scream to change. Vulgar, yes, but also true. Alice says it'll happen one day, fine. I don't want it on my watch. I'll help you. You find your way out; I'll make sure I'm the one watching it." He nodded and turned to go.

"Felix?" Bella asked. He turned back to her and looked abashed. "Um, thank you."

He smiled. "I'd love to make you scream for me." I shook my head, feeling the lust radiating from him. Bella was not going to like this. "But it's enough to know you'll be screaming for them." He rolled his eyes to Alice and I.

I snickered; I couldn't help it.

Bella put her hands in his. His mouth fell open. "Thank you," she said again, squeezing his hands slightly.

Alice growled and I knew he had just made the decision. Sure enough, Bella was dipped and being thoroughly kissed. Alice huffed, so I knew he wasn't going to press the advantage. He spun her into my arms, and I caught her as she stumbled dizzily. She put a hand to her head, gasping for breath.

"Let me know, soldier." He turned and left.

"You okay?" I asked Bella.

"I think so. Head rush."

Alice growled again. "Kissing my Bella. Thinks he can get away with it."

"Your Bella?" I asked. She shrugged.

Bella laughed. Then her stomach rumbled. "Been a while since lunch," she murmured.

I excused myself and began wandering the castle. I noticed two cloaked figures trailing me. Neither was Felix. One was Demitri, which brought another problem to the forefront. They would always know where to find us. We would be counting on that when Victoria and Maria caught up with us. I tried to think of a way around that problem as I wandered down corridors, up and down staircases.

I found access to one of the many promenades around the ramparts. The sun had set. I looked out over Volterra, trying to connive a way out of this box. I watched the humans roaming from tavern to tavern, laughing. I remembered how happy we had felt on the way here. It was so different from now. I refused to give up. My family needed me.

My walk took me right around the wall until I was looking out over countryside. A human would see little in this light, but I could see olive groves, vineyards and orchards. I leaned against the wall, wishing for freedom.

"Hey, stranger."

I turned to see Kate beside me. "Hey. I thought you and the others left."

"Eleazar was not impressed with Aro and his 'stunt,' but, no, we haven't left yet. A few hours from now. Why are you still here?" Kate was worried. She knew some of what had happened in the throne room.

"They won't let us leave with Bella."

She nodded. "I see. So what are you going to do?"

I huffed and shook my head. That was Kate. It wasn't 'wow, that's some tough luck' or 'gee, I can't imagine being in a spot like that.' No, she already assumed I had a way out. She wasn't far wrong.

"We have some ideas," I said cryptically, looking back over my shoulder.

She continued to nod. "Well, I noticed a break in the wall over there." She pointed the direction she had come, the direction I had been going. "You should watch your step."

I blinked. I wondered if it was Alice or Bella. Things had never fallen in place so easily for me in the past. One of those ladies was definitely turning my luck for the better. I would kiss them both if it held. As neither was here, I kissed Kate's cheek. "Thank you."

She smiled. "Anytime. Now, I'm headed into town. Don't want the visit to be a complete waste." She winked at me.

"Keep Tanya on a leash," I suggested.

"Always," she answered, smirking.

I continued along the wall to the break she had mentioned. One of us could jump from the top of the wall, leaving a sizable crater in our wake. If we jumped that far with Bella, she would definitely be injured when we landed. The fallen part, however, not only dropped to the floor on this level, it exposed part of the room beneath it. I knelt down, peering through the hole. It wasn't huge, but I could squeeze through, Alice and Bella would have an easier time. The room was empty but for some broken furniture and a family of pigeons. I couldn't give it more attention with my retinue, but I kept the bearing in my head, planning to find that room again later, preferably after a change of guard.

The jump from the broken section of wall would only be a little better than the top itself. There was still a good chance Bella would be hurt. I'd leave it to Carlisle. He would have the best ideas both of how to prevent the damage and how to mitigate any we couldn't prevent.

I came back to the room to find Carlisle reading. I looked at the spine. It was in Italian, a history of some sort. I could hear Bella's heart racing in the next room.

"Alice told us you have good news," Carlisle said, marking his place.

I smiled. "Unless they get a lot louder, I don't think I'll say anything."

"I hope they don't get a lot louder," Carlisle murmured, shifting uncomfortably.

I chuckled. I could hear several less articulate gasps and moans, the occasional name. Carlisle put his face in his hands. I patted his shoulder. "You want to go for a walk? Maybe on the west side of the castle?" I added very quietly, "The floor above us? A room with a view."

He smiled at me. "A walk would be just the thing. Thank you, Jasper." I didn't wait for him to leave before storming the bedroom. The despair was gone and the relief was amazing.

I don't have much to note. Thanks for keeping up if you're keeping up. Thanks to Sharebear for being my beta.