Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight


Chapter Fifty-Six

*Abby's POV*

"I hate everything about this," I hissed to Lucas as I sparked a nearby lamp. His eyes widened as he took a seat beside me. I was currently slumped against the tower wall, absolutely peeved and exhausted.

"Let's take it down a notch there, Spark Plug," he said to me gently.

"I can't," I exclaimed, absolutely sick and tired of everything. "I can't stand this place anymore, Rider. I want to burn it to the ground or better yet, turn it into a mini mall or something!"

We had been in these stupid towers for days. I hated everything about it, especially since it was all my fault that we were now separated. Dru and Iris in one corridor, Lizzy in another, and the boys somewhere. Everything on tight lock down. God, it made me want to rip my hair out.

"A mini mall would be nice," Lucas mentioned, causing me to swat him playfully. He laughed at this while I rested my head against his shoulder. "What? I mean come on they could use some modern stores."

"It would take away from the city's charm," I pointed out.

"Ah, screw the charm and screw the history," Lucas said, waving his hand. "Nah, this place needs some trashy mini mall. Something that tourists could buy stupid over priced t-shirts and shot glasses at."

I laughed, "Maybe the Volturi could open it. Imagine Aro running a gift shop?"

Lucas snorted at the thought, "With Caius and Marcus. Oh that would be a fest. They'd have Jane and Alec on the cash registers."

"Welcome to our master's place, our mugs are fifty percent off," I teased, imitating the creepy twins. This had Lucas chuckling as he leant his head against mine.

"Oh sparky, you're good," he said.

"I know I am," I remarked, earning a playful roll of the eyes from Lucas.

"Don't push it Little Miss Cocky," He said, causing me to giggle. I rested my head against Lucas's shoulder for a bit longer, just trying to relax a bit. I wasn't going to lie having him around distracted me from feeling like every nerve in my being was on fire. Being in this stupid tower was getting to me, but with Lucas I didn't feel so alone. Like I could do this.

"I'm worried about Meredith," I confessed to him out of the blu. Lucas looked at me in surprise as I continued, "Aro locked her in her own tower and I could hear her crying last night. She's not doing good. She needs help. Her brain is healing still."

"It's been three years since she came back to life," Lucas muttered.

"It has but she's still recovering. She doesn't have anything familiar to grasp onto," I cried out. When Lizzy and I discovered Meredith our first year here, she was the deranged weapon of the Volturi, but after a couple of visits and just some good old fashioned kindness she was getting somewhere, but isolating her was sending her down a dark path. "I don't want to see her become what she once was," I explained.

"Ah, you've got too much heart kid. I don't think she will," Lucas told me, wrapping an arm around my body to rub my shoulder. "If it makes you feel better I'm really worried about her and the others too."

"I'm just so worried about everything," I added grimly, thinking about how they all might be dealing now.

"I know Dru and Iris have each other, but what about the boys?" Lucas said to me. "And can't forget little Red. Stuck with Felix."

"Oh she's fine," I said, chuckling. This caused Lucas to raise his eyebrows at me while I smirked. "She's with Felix so there's plenty for her to do…"

"Felix?" Lucas said, suddenly recognition hit his eyes. "Oh…Wait…Are they…Was that what that noise was?"

"Yes," I said, giggling. "I walked in on them once when they were kissing. It was awkward but none the less I think they really like one another."

"Jeez," Lucas said in surprise. "I always felt like there was something going on between those two…But damn."

"I know," I said, chuckling again.

"At least they have one another to entertain each other," Lucas said, shaking his head in laughter at the thought.

"And we don't?" I remarked playfully.

"Oh, you and I could go back and forth for days, squeaks," He said, causing me to nudge him. "The bantering, the conversations, I don't think we could ever stop."

"Well there's a ton of other things for us to do," I mentioned.

"What do you mean by that?" Lucas asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know exactly but there's just other stuff out there. I mean, our relationship isn't what it once was. We aren't two people who roast each other's existence, we're friends."

"Yeah, friends," Lucas repeated, smiling at this. "I don't know what I'd do without you, sparky."

"You know I'm really glad you volunteered to come with me, Rider," I told him truthfully, causing him to look at me curiously. "Two years ago you didn't have to. You had just gotten your brother back yet you risked coming back to Italy for me. I found it stupid but noble of you."

"Who says I did it for you?" Lucas said, snorting.

"I know you came for me because you cared about me," I teased, poking at him. "Because you liked and still like me."

"I didn't like you like that yet," Lucas said, causing me to frown. "Or…I did like you. But not the like-like kind of way I was thinking. Or wait-"

"Like-like? What do you mean like-like?" I questioned in confusion. "No I just meant like as in you like me as a person."

"Oh, okay," He said, nodding his head rather quickly.

"But why did you think that you like-liked me?" I continued. "And what's with the yet? Do you like-like me Rider?"

"What!" He exclaimed, his cheeks reddening. "I never said anything about liking you romantically. I mean, it's not that I find the thought repulsive."

"So you do like me that way?" I asked, feeling a flutter in my stomach.

"I mean," He stammered, trying to gather his words. "I don't know, Sparky. I mean-"

Before we could respond, I heard the lock from my door beginning to open. Lucas and I quickly scrambled to our feet, preparing for the worst.

However we were greeted by a frantic Stefano. I looked at my little brother in surprise and tried to ignore the fact Lucas Rider got into a protective stance around me.

"Stef, what's going on?" I asked him as he looked at us with wild eyes. I then looked down at the keys he was holding in his hands, "How did you get those? Why aren't the guards all over this place?"

"The castle's been stormed," Stefano told me, his voice laced with fear.

"We're being attacked?" Lucas questioned, moving away to look out the window. "Hey, look at that. We are."

"I can't find Bo and Wes anywhere," Stefano said to me, breaking my view of Lucas. "They broke away before I had the chance to do anything. Please, Abbs. Help me find them. I don't know what to do! I just don't!"

"We'll get them," I told my little brother, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get them and the others and get the heck out of here. No more games, this is the perfect time to escape. We're going to be free."

"Really?" Stefano whispered. Out of all of them, Stefano was the most quiet about any sort of idea about leaving the castle for he was so loyal to his father. However, after the way Aro treated Bo I don't know how much Stef likes his dad anymore.

"Yes. We're going to have a new life, Stef. I promise," I said, cupping his face. He nodded, quickly wrapping his arms around my middle. I chuckled and held on tightly to my little brother, pressing a kiss on the top of his head.

"I hate to break up the cute moment, but if this is our cue to leave, I think we should go now," Lucas said, motioning to the doorway.

"And I couldn't agree more," I said, grabbing Stefano's hand. "Let's blow this popsicle stand."

"Yee haw!" Lucas cheered as we rushed down the stairwell, unsure about our future.

*Renesmee's POV*

"It smells like old sweaty socks in here," Aidan said, his nose scrunched up. "Or even worse– rotting milk."

"We get it, Aidan! It smells awful!" Lily hissed, covering her own nostrils.

We were currently walking through the underground tunnels of the Volturi. It was me, Jacob, Lily, Ethan, Masen, Grace, Aidan, Jennifer, Seth, Violet, Hazel, Jo, Caleb, Nahuel, Robert, and Cordelia. If timing was correct, my parents and our family were approaching the gate. I know my parents were wracked with nerves right about now, as was I, but this was going to get us to Lizzy. I could feel it in my bones.

"We're almost there," Robert said, looking at the parchment in his hands with steady eyes.

"I can sense Lizzy," Masen whispered to me. "Something about our connection, but it's growing stronger."

"Me too," Seth agreed, chiming into our conversation.

"I can feel the same about Lucas," Ethan confessed, his voice tight. "I can sense he's here. I don't know where, but he's here."

"Well at least we're off to some sort of start," Lily murmured.

"I can't believe all this time these tunnels were down here," Cordelia whispered, looking around. "And I grew up here."

"Babe, that's because your dad was an egotistical maniac who barley let you go anywhere. He had Renata, Chelsea, and Corin watch all of us carefully and made sure we wouldn't use our powers against him," Robert said lamely.

"Well the first couple years of my life I enjoyed it here," Cordelia told us truthfully. "Aro seemed fine at first, but the older I got the more I realized he was a messed up man. Someone I never wished to be."

"Well he lost the opportunity of a lifetime with you, dear," Robert said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Can we hurry it up in here love birds, I'm getting claustrophobic," Aidan remarked, looking around the tunnel.

"We're fine. I don't sense anyone around us," Hazel said dryly.

"If anything I think they're more distracted with what's happening up there than what's happening down here," I added, my hand tightly grasped with Jacob's.

"I don't like it down here. It reminds me of some messed up video game," Jen commented, looking around with wary eyes. I could see there were plants growing all around her feet. Jen's able to control her power, but it doesn't mean it still gets out of hand at times, especially when she's scared. One time Seth scared her so badly she covered him from head to toe in vines.

Suddenly I could hear something creaking. We all paused, frozen in our spots. "What was that?" Jacob questioned, looking around.

"I'm not sure I want to know," Grace said, looking around.

"That's a child of the moon," Caleb said, looking at Jo who nodded her head in confirmation.

"Are you sure?" Masen asked.

"Oh, he's sure," a voice said. We all look behind us to see three people. Two males and one female as they approached us. Their claws out and their mouths with wide menacing grins.

"Told you I heard something down here," one of them said.

"Well, well, well, good thing Antonio's been tight on security lately."

"Antonio," Masen whispered, gripping Grace to his body. I looked at my best friend and suddenly images of a red eyed vampire slashing her throat filled my mind.

"Back off," Hazel warned menacingly.

"I'm sure our masters would love to see that you're here," said the female.

"Cordelia. Robert. Take the others out of here," Violet ordered. "Caleb, Jo. Help me and Haze take these boys down."

"With pleasure," Jo snarled, getting into a stance. Something about Jo in that light sent shivers down my spine. Out of her parents, she looked the most like Lorenzo. Thankfully they weren't identical, but the fact the man who tried to kill me all those years ago never ceases to make me a tad bit scared.

"Let's go," I said, pushing the others forward. We began to run in a blind rage, hoping to find some opening. We were following Rob and Cordy being that they knew this area better than any of us.

"I think this is it," Cordelia said, motioning to the entrance to one of the tunnels.

"Let's try to pry it open," Robert said, jiggling at the lock.

Before any of us could process what was happening, I could hear something above us making noise.

"Look out! This place is collapsing!" Aidan cried out. Soon, we were all pushed to various sides. I flung my body towards Masen, Grace, and Seth, closing my eyes and bracing for impact.

When the dust settled, I could finally see we were all trapped in different corridors. I look to see Masen, Grace, Nahuel, and Seth all getting up and brushing debris off their clothing.

"Is everyone okay?" I yelled into the darkness. "Masen, Grace, Nahuel, Seth, and I are fine."

"Ethan and I are fine!" Lily called out from the other end.

"Aidan, Jen, Rob, Cordelia, and I are also fine," Jacob added, couching heavily.

"How do we get out of this mess?" Lily yelled over everything. "I think Ethan and I are from the way we came from."

"Go to the twins," I told my cousin. "Everyone who made it to the opening, go through. The rest of us will try to find another entrance."

"Ness, I'm not leaving you!" Jacob cried out.

"I'll be okay, Jake," I told my imprint. "I promise I'll meet you on the other side. Now go find them! Let's make this hour count!"

"Alright," Jacob agreed hesitantly. "I love you."

"I love you too," I told him. With that, I heard the tunnel door open and everyone on that side climb out. I then looked towards Masen, Grace, Seth, and Nahuel.

"So…Where to captain?" Nahuel asked me through the dust.

"If I remember the map correctly there's an entrance not too far from here," I explained. "It was Bo's room. Hopefully we'll be able to get out of here and meet up with the others."

"But how are we supposed to get out if the tunnels are blocked?" Seth asked.

"There's always another way. There's hundreds of tunnels down here," Masen said, looking around. "We'll get out."

"And there's only one way to find out," I said, motioning to the dark pathway in front of us. "It's time to see if we can get out of here alive."

*Lily's POV*

"Oh great. This is just great," Ethan mumbled to me as we ran down the pathway. I could hear the yells from the twins, Jo, and Caleb.

"We'll get out of this one," I told my boyfriend, looking around for some kind of sign. "There's millions of ways to leave this place. It's a complex castle system."

Suddenly we heard a vicious growl. Ethan and I both look at one another before seeing a child of the moon was starring right at us. We both swallowed hard as it crouched even closer.

"Don't you even dare," I warned the creature.

It snarled, getting ready to pounce us. Before I could even comprehend, Ethan got me and wrapped his arms tightly around me. Soon, I noticed an invisible bubble, his shield, wrapping around us. I smiled seeing as the child of the moon bounced back into the nearby wall, falling quiet.

"Come on, let's go," Ethan said, dragging me with him towards where the others were. When we got there, Jo, Hazel, Caleb, and Violet were finishing up with their attackers.

"Lily! Ethan! What are you doing here?" Violet asked in alarm.

"There was a breech. The walls collapsed and we all got separated," Ethan explained.

"Oh no," Jo whispered as she and Caleb clasped hands.

"We need to get out of here," Hazel said, looking around. "More are coming. It won't be long until we're out numbered."

"I think there was a tunnel this way," Violet said, pointing in a new direction. "Another entrance into the castle."

"Are you sure?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"Kind of, but it beats this," Violet said. Ethan and I both shrugged as we then headed behind the others towards the unknown.

We kept running until Violet let us to a door. Without any warning she opened it up with her powers, a gust of wind to be exactly. I watched in awe as the door went flying through the shoot.

"That's not good," Caleb muttered as we all began to climb the ladder into the room.

When we got in there, it was dark. Pitch black to be exact and if it weren't for my vampire genes, I probably wouldn't be able to see anything.

"Where the hell are we?" Ethan questioned, trying to find some sort of sign. I quickly grabbed my mate's hand as we all tried to figure out what was happening. My other fingers rubbing against my claddagh ring.

"Who's there?" a voice whispered into the night.

"We're wondering the same thing," I questioned bitterly.

"Here, the windows are shut," Jo said, opening the curtains wide open. As the light pierced the once pitch black room, it revealed the physic of a woman. Her dirty blonde hair was tied back in a mousy looking ponytail. It was as if she hadn't washed or combed her hair in months. She looked exhausted from the dark circles under her soft brown eyes. She was wrapped in a quilt while wearing a dirty looking nightgown. She looked like she'd been through hell.

"Oh my stars and garters," Violet whispered, kneeling in front of the woman.

Suddenly, it hit me. The last time I'd seen her she was deranged, almost zombie like. She looked at us with sad eyes before finally taking a closer look at Violet, "Is…Is that you Violet?"

"Momma," Hazel whispered, kneeling before the woman as well.

"Who's this?" Caleb asked us while Jo huddled close to his side.

"Meredith," I answered, causing the witch to look at me curiously. "She's the twins mother."

"Oh Momma!" Violet whispered, bringing the witch into her arms for a hug. Meredith began to cry tears of joy as Hazel joined in on the hug. All of us watching in awe at what was happening.

As the family reunion happened, I couldn't help but hear something happening outside. I walked towards the window to see a large fight happening outside. I saw my parents, aunts, uncles, and all sorts of our friends battling it out with members of the Volturi.

"There's a fight happening outside," I said, notifying the others.

"War has begun," Meredith told us grimly, causing a chill to run down my spine.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Ethan said, motioning to the door.

"It's locked," Meredith told us weakly.

"Not if I have anything to say about that," Jo snarled as with one swift kick, knocked the door down. "Now come on. I want to find my sister."

"You heard the woman, let's go," I said, motioning to the others. The twins then helped Meredith up as we all scurried into the unknown corridors of the Volturi castle.


A/N: And so the fireworks begin. Hope you guys enjoyed and keep on a lookout for the next update :)