Sorry everyone, for the long wait. I just have been very busy and a lot more had to happen in this chapter than I thought. So prepare for a longer one, which is worth it I feel.

Warning: TISSUE ALERT!

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Music:

Angel – Sarah MacLachlan

Colourblind – Counting Crows

Iris – Goo Goo Dolls

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Chapter 44: Alice – Visions

.

Now this, I had not seen coming. Yeah, I know, it's hard to have any clear visions with wolves and half-vampires around, but still. Right this moment however, they were far enough away to get something. Our family surrounding Aro was the thing to do first. Bella shielded us from 'the king', so he wouldn't get memories back if he touched us. Jasper kept him calm to the point he looked tranquillised.

It had been slightly strange to see no one try to help him, but we would take it, for whatever reason. Marcus especially seemed to relax and there was a glint in his eye as he stood there watching his 'brother'. Why? I asked Edward through thought. He answered quickly: "No one helped, because no one wants to risk touching Argus, first of all." Also, he continued, many aren't sure if they should remain loyal anymore."

Big changes are happening and many want to know more, before they decide." He looked around at all the faces and I did the same. There was a minute of silence before Garret spoke; "What are we going to do now?" Why don't we kill Aro?" The answer came from Argus: "Because that would be an easy way out for him." Though he deserves more punishment than I gave him." He paused before adding: "and I deserve some too." He hung his head in shame after glancing at Marcus.

"No you don't", came the voice of one of the new arrivals. It was the boy, who I was sure was a hybrid. He had rich dark caramel coloured hair with small dreadlocks in it. "I know we haven't met yet, he explained, but I know you've been manipulated by that guy." He pointed at Aro. One of the women behind him put a hand on his shoulder. She had dark mahogany hair, falling in soft waves onto her upper back.

"Argus, she said, look at me, I remember you and want introduce someone to you, as does my sister." He raised his head slowly and gave her a questioning look. "How, Marieke?" he asked in a soft voice. She smiled and said: "Because of my niece's gift." We are all gifted." His eyes widened at this news. The other twin, with the same colour hair, only shorter, took over. She looked around and realised a lot of people were listening.

"Hello, everyone, I'm sorry we didn't introduce ourselves first." I am Ineke and next to me is my sister Marieke." These youngsters before us are our kids, Jan and Benthe." She marked the boy and then the girl. "Argus, she added while looking him in the eye, you are their father." His face lit up and it changed his whole demeanour.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Ineke wasn't done yet. "I am a mental shield, which was already active when I was human, though somewhat weaker than it is now." You only erased minutes of my memory after every contact, but not the important bits." Marieke took over again; "I am a physical shield." I can use it to protect myself, but I can also use it to contain others."

She looked at her son, before telling us more. "Jan was born first and he bit me as I held him, which made me a vampire." Just after I awakened, Ineke came to my house and I noticed she was also pregnant like I had been." Now, I knew it hadn't been a normal pregnancy for me, but I couldn't remember why." Ineke filled me in and when Benthe was born, I transformed her too." I couldn't lose her and I could never harm her, our bond is too strong."

She stopped and gently nudged her son. "Hay, Jan said, you now know who I am." My gift is a combination of my mother's and my father's, though with a twist." I will help to punish this "king" further, so you will see what I can do soon." His mother got a concerned look and she turned him around to face her. "Jan, I don't know about that, this man's very powerful."He objected: "Mom, it needs to be done!"

"Not without someone helping you," she bounced back. He sighed and crossed his arms: "I'm full-grown, I'm strong enough." His cousin had become annoyed at that comment and decided to step in. "Well, you can discuss that in a minute, she said, I will be up first." The boy rolled his eyes. "Hello everyone, Benthe sang, you also already know who I am." My gift will benefit anyone who has been … affected by my father, kind of." Her initial boldness had gone down a bit. Argus looked pleased and curious. As did Marcus.

But I and both our mind-readers weren't so sure. Then, behind us, Aro had become a little more alert, seeing we had been distracted somewhat. "What is going on here?!" he demanded. "And who are you, keeping me prisoner, don't you know I'm your king!" He scrambled to his feet with an angry frown. Edward's eyebrows shot up in surprise: "He doesn't remember us, none of our family, or the wolves."

All of us turned and backed away slightly, wary of him touching us. Aro took a step towards us, but seemed to hit something, stopping his advance. "You stay where you are!" Marieke said, holding one hand up, palm facing him. He growled and pushed the invisible barrier, to no avail. "See, Jan, she told her son, he's not going to let you just do your thing."

The boy huffed and replied: "If we take his arms and legs off, he'll have no choice …, hah!" He smirked and stared at the Volturi leader unafraid. I was getting more and more curious now about what exactly he could do. Luckily Carlisle asked him for me. "I will show you, Jan explained, if someone could immobilise him for me." Ineke and Bella caught each other's eye and moved fast.

Marieke's shield left Aro defenceless and in seconds he lay in pieces on the ground. Jan stepped up to the body-parts and held out both hands. Slowly a dome-like shape fell over Aro, like a soap-bubble it reflected light in all colours. Though it was mainly clear. "I will take away his power now," Jan said, like it was nothing.

Everyone stared at him in shock. Marieke looked anxious. "No, Jan, not alone," she pleaded, "can someone help him?" Her eyes scanned the crowd. "It'll drain all his energy … and this man's gift is so powerful," she added. May reacted and swiftly stood beside him. Carefully she reached for the top of his sleeve, at the shoulder. "Sorry," she said, as she ripped the seam and created a hole. "I need skin-contact."

Then her shoulder touched his and she copied his pose. "Let me do most of the work," she stated last, before concentrating. What followed looked like magic. The light within the dome changed colour half a dozen times and swirled around Aro violently. Jan's breathing got heavier while small beads of sweat rolled down his face. I don't know how long the whole procedure lasted, but when it was over, the boy was panting and had trouble standing. May's eyes were darker, she would need to hunt.

"Who will test if it worked?" someone asked. A woman from side of the field called out: "I will, I have never met him before today and I haven't been in battle." Edward explained she had been blocking technical devices in the sky from detecting us, like satellites and camera's. Walking up casually, the woman bent down and touched Aro's face. My brother and Yvanka both confirmed "the king" gained no memories anymore. This caused many sounds of awe to be produced and a lot of vampires started to whisper among themselves.

.

Meanwhile Marieke had come to support her son, sitting him down on a rock. Seth had wormed his way to May and she now leaned into his side, her fingers mindlessly playing with his fur. Benthe broke the spell we all seemed to be under. "It's my turn, she stated, my gift works through touch and does the opposite of my father's." With one limitation, she continued, I can only retrieve a person's most important memory."

"Which can be good or bad, I can't control that, as I have no idea of what that memory will be." Luckily though, my gift isn't always 'on'," she added last, giving Argus an apologetic look. Marcus approached her right away, eager to get something back. "Wait!" Edward stopped him, "this can end very badly, maybe it's better you didn't get those memories back." Marcus gave him a surprised look.

"And why not young man, he said, what do you know I don't?" Demetri answered that: "You've been different, master Marcus, more alive and positive as oppose to depressed and catatonic." Again Marcus arched his eyebrows: "Why would I be depressed?" Demetri sighed sadly: "You lost your mate Didyme, the love of your life, 2000 years ago." His eyes widened and his mouth fell open: "I …, I …, I had a mate?"

He turned towards Argus: "And you made me forget about her completely?" Argus nodded and pointed at Aro's body: "he made me." Marcus turned back to Benthe and asked: "What if meeting her and loving her are memories equally strong to the ones losing her, what will happen then?" The girl looked down and answered: "I don't know, but it'll be very intense, for sure." A thoughtful look came on his face as he fell silent for a minute. Then, he looked Benthe in the eyes and said: "I still want to know and can only hope to get a different perspective, so I can deal with it better."

Slowly they came closer, until they were within reaching distance. The girl lifted her hand and hesitantly touched his cheek. Immediately a myriad of emotions crossed his face. Beside me Jazz groaned when they changed from happy to extremely sad. I wrapped my arms around him and he leaned on me for support. Benthe dropped her hand when Marcus started to sob and tremble a little. She stared around unsure of how to react and murmured an "I'm sorry" to the grieving man in front of her.

He shook his head and focused his breathing. "I was warned, he replied softly, and it's just so overwhelming." My attention was then lead to my brother and Yvanka, who both hummed at the same time. They had seen something interesting. Edward asked a question: "You never saw her die?" And you never knew who did it?" Marcus shook his head again and turned to look at both mindreaders. Yvanka added: "You only knew your bond was broken, it vanished." He nodded to confirm that.

Hmm, this was important stuff. Would he be different is he had had a chance to avenge her? Probably. Edward glanced at Aro and suddenly decided to give him back one arm and one leg. Our former king flinched as they started reattach themselves. "I want him more alert," he explained. "He knows something more, I pretty sure of that." Right now however, he seems to have lost that memory, he only remembers who she was, nothing more." He beckoned Benthe to come to him. She looked weary and voiced her concerns, because of Aro's long life. Edward told her Didyme was Aro's biological sister, so she had been very important to him.

Then, as Edward voiced the thoughts and memories appearing in Aro's mind, I got a vision. Everything was going to change from this moment on. First thing I saw was Marcus returning to Volterra with Demetri and some of the remaining guards. Two of them carried bags with what looked like rocks, though sometimes, there was movement in them, like a twitch. A grin spread across my face as the shocked words coming from my brother mixed with the images in my mind.

It made sense, and I wasn't too surprised at what happened next. "He didn't want Marcus to leave the Volturi", Edward translated, so he had his sister killed." His voice was laced with ager and disgust as he continued. "He believed her gift to be much less valuable than Marcus'." There was a pause. "He presented her ashes as proof." And later, he had the assassins disposed of with some excuse, by some guards." That way, there was no trace of him being involved."

"Only Caius has had his suspicions, but he never said anything." With that he finished and for a second there was complete silence on the field. Before a deafening roar from Marcus broke it. Edward grabbed Benthe and got out of the way just in time. The remaining king jumped on Aro, tearing him to bits, making him cry out in pain. "You, you, you took her away!" he screamed. "Your own sister!" And for what, power?!" Aaarrgh!" He punched the severed head in his hands and fractured Aro's nose.

Throwing it on the ground he put his foot on his former brother's temple and applied force. Not enough to crush him though. "You denied me happiness and short cut that of the rest of us." Marcus was on a rant and he growled before letting off more steam. "Athenodora and Sulpicia didn't need to be locked away." Hah!" He huffed, especially not your wife." She wasn't your real mate, so you wouldn't have felt what I have if she died."

Beside me Jasper confirmed Aro felt very little when Sulpicia was being torn apart by Pjotr. Marcus finished his speech: "you just chose her out of convenience, because she had few human ties and was easy to woo." And you only wanted a partner, as to not be outvoted in trials." He took a breath and made the decision for my vision.

"Death is too soft as a punishment for you." So, I'll keep you like this and lock you away." Not sure how long or if I will ever put you back together again." Last he turned to the guard nearest to him and ordered: "Get that filth out of my sight." Bag him up, somehow!" The man sprang into action and tore up Aro's cloak and his own to make bags.

Once that was done, everyone seemed to deflate. Sighs went around as many must wonder; "what now?". Marcus seemed to be the one for that too. He looked at all the faces here and made a statement. "This battle is over, no more fighting!" Things have to change, our old ways aren't good enough anymore." We can't go back anyway, as we lost key members who helped us work the way we did." I will go back to Volterra and anyone who wants to can join me."

"In a few weeks' time I will invite all leaders of every major coven to come over to Italy and discuss the future." He nodded at several people, ending with us. "Your family has made quite an impact, Carlisle." He grinned briefly, it was just a flash, and back to serious again. Marcus was done talking and now just waited. Vampires broke into groups to talk amongst themselves.

Argus got acquainted with his family, speaking softly to his son about their gifts. We turned our attention to incoming family and friends. In the distance Nessie and the three wolves made their way towards us. They knew it was safe. We started running to meet them halfway, Edward and Bella in the lead. I got to hug my niece last. Yeah, don't mind the small women here!

Over her shoulder I noticed Amun and Kebi, who kept out of our reunion. Edward sighed as he read their minds. "They caught Rain outside the cave and she attacked, they had to kill her." Carlisle approached them and had a short talk. They left after that. I looked to the future and we would see them again, sometime this year.

.

Our Denali cousins had split off too, to talk to their Viking friends. It seemed an animated conversation. We went to join them as Garret asked the rough troop about their weapons. "Well, the guy with the reddish beard answered, this metal-diamond came from the sky." He patted his giant sword. "It's a meteorite," Edward clarified. The four fighters looked at us, like we were interrupting, a little. Tanya smiled brightly and started introductions.

The man starting to explain the weapons was called Magnar, he was their leader. His mate, a woman with pale blonde hair, put into a long braid, was Freya. The other man was Magnar's cousin Halthor, he had dark-brown hair and a slightly shorter beard. His partner was Sigrid, a lady with red hair, up in a special way, that's hard to describe. Magnar continued as if Edward hadn't spoken.

"Well, it came from very far at least and buried itself at least 20 yards into the ground." We were curious of course and tried to chip off a piece to examine." Turns out normal tools didn't even scratch it, they broke instead." "I nearly tore a nail!" Freya added. Halthor budded in too: "It took us decades, centuries and lots of venom to shape these." He held up his spiked club and the others raised their weapons also. "And they are all there is of this meteorite."

He gave Edward a pointed look as he said this. Then all the Vikings got a possessive glint in their eyes. My brother held up his hands and assured them we wouldn't try to take them away. We then discussed their power and how to make sure no one else would steal them either. Slowly things were wrapping up and it was time to go home. Freya retrieved the spear she threw in the crater, the one who helped our allies get out. Last Benjamin closed the giant hole, so there was no evidence of the fight other than crushed rocks. With some wind he covered the tracks and what not.

Two hours later, after a quick hunt, after goodbyes and hugs, all were "human" again and seated in our cars. Well, most of them. Several of our friends wanted some time at the Denali's or decided to travel on foot through Canada, just for fun. In the end I was in the last car of the caravan heading south. Edward was in the lead with his family, including Jake.

With me were of course Jasper, who was driving and May and Seth. Like all the ones with heartbeats he was exhausted and soon sleeping. At first it was silent for a while, as we processed everything that happened today. But, the closer we got the border, the more I started to think about my last 'session' with May. We had tried to look at everybody's future as far ahead as we could. And, together we got quite far, though seeing only two outcomes for all of us: death or a happy ending.

The last outcome often involved marriage and children. Now that would become real. Which was good, weren't it for the final two futures we looked at; May and Seth's. She resisted me fiercely and that resulted in only two brief flashes before she broke contact.

The first was of Seth, he was running away from view with some unknown beside him, looking very happy. This upset May immensely, as it seemed to be his imprint. The second was really of me, discovering something horrible, about her. I worried more as we crossed into the States and Seth started to wake up. The feeling it might happen soon was strong.

May asked us to stop so she and Seth could go out and check in on Tiny Pack. They also wanted some private time. I pleaded with her not to go. "You know why." I whispered. "Please stay, we're going to celebrate as a family." She shook her head; "Don't worry, I will stop that and she, won't just come out of the blue today." ('the other woman') "We'll be back in two hours or so."

I sighed, because the determined glint her eye said she wasn't going to budge. We talked about the images sometime after our 'session' and May believed they were so vague, they were definitely not set in stone. Seth had not noticed our almost silent conversation. They got out and disappeared into the forest. Jasper looked at me and asked what that was all about. I gave him a quick summary and we got back on the road.

We were out of Edward's reach, so we decided not mention this to anyone. Yet. When we got home, only our family and the rest of Jake's pack were there. Sam's pack had travelled on directly to La Push, after assuring Carlisle they were awake enough. Esme and Bella had started cooking immediately, as many were starving. The wolves had already helped themselves to leftovers and chips. Ness was working her way through a big piece of dark chocolate.

"Hey, Embry mumbled, you're missing two." They all turned their attention on us. I explained, trying to sound normal, but it was hard. I went upstairs with Jazz to shower and change clothes. We ended up going together, washing each other and just finding comfort. It helped calm me down and cuddling on the bed was even better. Elsewhere, the other couples in our family did the same, winding down. After an hour we were all back in the living room.

Jake informed us he wanted to go to La Push too, with the rest of his pack. Family was waiting and a bonfire was prepared to welcome them home. We understood, though my niece couldn't help pouting. Jake hugged her and told her to sleep, he'd be back in the morning, early. A yawn confirmed she needed it, indeed. He asked if we would send Seth on too when he returned. Of course we would.

It got quieter after they left, with Nessie sleeping and us just sitting around with the TV on, sound low. Strange how time can fly by, as you are in your own head. Still I noticed when it was almost three hours since we left May and Seth, and they're weren't back yet. Worry crept up again, so I tried to see my sister. She had to separate from Seth sometime in future, if only for a minute, right? But no, I saw nothing, absolutely nothing.

Which tempted me to look to my own, though I hesitated, fearing what I might see. All this made me forget for a second I wasn't alone. "Alice, Edward asked, why are you so worried?" What's happening to May?" All eyes focused on me now. "I don't know, I replied, not for sure, it's just the final image of when we had visions together last …" I replayed the moment when they went off together, when we talked, in my head. And then, slowly, I showed my brother that horrible scene.

It was so bad, I stopped breathing and swallowed the non-existing lump in my throat. Edward froze, frowned, before asking more questions. "Do you really think this will happen, now, tonight?" And how would she end up like that?" Have we missed enemies coming here?" I shook my head and shrugged, I didn't know. The rest of the family asked him what he meant and he explained.

Every face turned serious after that, thoughts were being voiced. Carlisle came to the only logical conclusion: we had to go and find them, see for ourselves they were okay.

Getting up and putting boots on was the first thing. Then it had to be decided who stayed with Nessie. A sigh escaped my brother: "She's awake and ready to come too." Yes, she overheard some of our conversation." Reacting to our thoughts made for quick answers, as always. The youngest Cullen bounced down the stairs into her mother's arms. "Honey, Bella asked, are you sure you want to go?" If that vision came true, it wasn't for her eyes really.

Ness nodded and touched Bella's cheek. Her father sighed again while watching with them. "She's sure they're alright, he voiced, but if not we can turn her away and shield her." Then it occurred to me, that maybe … "Yes, Edward said again, she has seen Amun and Kebi fight." He didn't like that, all that violence around his baby, unfortunately that was the result of war, of her being there today.

So we left, to a high mountain with a small alcove. We ran fast, with Ness piggy bagging with her mother. I felt dread, anxious, the closer we got while not sensing May or Seth anywhere near. Even though I didn't want to see, I just had to know the truth. Taking the lead up the mountainside, the moon showed itself through the clouds, revealing something white, a sitting figure. At five yards I slowed down unconsciously, staring in horror at my vision came true.

"NOOO!" the cry left my mouth, though it seemed to be someone else. Two feet from her still form I dropped to my knees. Opening my mouth, no sound came and my eyes burned with tears I couldn't shed. Before me was my sister's body, sitting in the alcove in lotus position, but it was wrong. Because her eyes were empty, hollow and they had a weird, pale yellow colour. Yet, the most horrific sight were the cracks littering her body. She looked brittle, like she would fall apart soon.

Behind me the other women in my family cried out too. Even Emmet started sobbing: "How?" Why?!" Jasper and Edward both whispered they didn't get anything from her, no emotions, no thoughts. I felt guilty, I should have stopped her, should have gone looking sooner. My mate sat beside me and wrapped his arms around me. "It's not your fault, " he said softly.

A silence fell over the whole area, even the animals seemed to stay quiet. We all froze for a while, it's what vampires do when stressed. I studied her intensely, wondering if a gifted vampire had done this or maybe …, she left her body herself, for good. Did Seth indeed find his soulmate? Is that why? Her bracelet caught my eye, on her upper right arm. It was made of leather and it bore two silver disks, one with the Cullen crest and the other had a Quileute-wolf tribal.

She had asked permission to use it. They signified our family, our bond with the La Push-gang. I focused on it and reached out to touch it, without meaning to. "Alice, I wouldn't do that, " Carlisle voice tried to pierce my trance. It was no use and my fingers brushed the Cullen-disk ever so lightly, before a loud crack disturbed it all. "Aaah!" shrieks of horror came from several mouths as May's arm fell off, just below the bracelet. I could only gasp and drop my arms in defeat. What had I done?!

Staring, spaced out, my hand shot up again, just catching the disks and leather as they slid down. I clutched the bracelet to my chest, crying hard, harder than I ever had in my life. "May, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, May, please …" I didn't know what I was pleading for. "No, no, it's not fair!" Everyone was crying now. Had we really lost her? It was still hard to believe. Was I in denial? Jasper tried to comfort me, but he was having a hard time himself, with his own emotions. After some time we all got quieter, questioning ourselves what to do next. How could we go on? May improved our lives so much, bonded us even closer than Bella had, even if that seemed impossible. What did we hope for now? A strange thing for my mind to come up with. Until Jazz sensed something and he spoke up: "Edward …?"

.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

What do you think is going on? Don't hate me, I promise a happy ending.

.

The twins with their half-vampire children are part Dutch. Their names I borrowed from my family. (my father, my aunt, my second cousin and my brother's girl) Do you want to know more about them or not? I could provide more info in a one-shot, or maybe in the epilogue.