was ing from。 My
mind labored； unable to make sense of Alice's bleak face and how it could
possibly relate to Edward；
while my body was already swaying； seeking the relief of unconsciousness
before the reality could hit me。
The stairway tilted at the oddest angle。
Jacob's furious voice was suddenly in my ear； hissing out a stream of
profanities。 I felt a vague
disapproval。 His new friends were clearly a bad influence。
I was on the couch without understanding how I got there； and Jacob was still
swearing。 It felt like there
was an earthquake—the couch was shaking under me。
〃What did you do to her？〃 he demanded。
Alice ignored him。 〃Bella？ Bella； snap out of it。 We have to hurry。〃
〃Stay back；〃 Jacob warned。
〃Calm down； Jacob Black；〃 Alice ordered。 〃You don't want to do that so close
to her。〃
〃I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus；〃 he retorted； but his
voice sounded a little cooler。
〃Alice？〃 My voice was weak。 〃What happened？〃 I asked； even though I didn't
want to hear。
〃I don't know；〃 she suddenly wailed。 〃What is he thinking？！〃
I labored to pull myself up despite the dizziness。 I realized it was Jacob's
arm I was gripping for balance。
He was the one shaking； not the couch。
Alice was pulling a small silver phone from her bag when my eyes relocated
her。 Her fingers dialed the
numbers so fast they were a blur。
〃Rose； I need to talk to Carlisle now。〃 Her voice whipped through the words。
〃Fine； as soon as he's
back。 No； I'll be on a plane。 Look； have you heard anything from Edward？〃
Alice paused now； listening with an expression that grew more appalled every
second。 Her mouth
opened into a little O of horror； and the phone shook in her hand。
〃Why？〃 she gasped。 〃Why would you do that； Rosalie？〃
Whatever the answer was； it made her jaw tighten in anger。 Her eyes flashed
and narrowed。
〃Well； you're wrong on both counts； though； Rosalie； so that would be a
problem； don't you think？〃 she
asked acidly。 〃Yes； that's right。 She's absolutely fine—I was wrong It's a
long story But you're
wrong about that part； too； that's why I'm calling Yes； that's exactly what
I saw。〃
Alice's voice was very hard and her lips were pulled back from her teeth。
〃It's a bit late for that； Rose。
Save your remorse for someone who believes it。〃 Alice snapped the phone shut
with a sharp twist of her
fingers。
Her eyes were tortured as she turned to face me。
〃Alice；〃 I blurted out quickly。 I couldn't let her speak yet。 I needed a few
more seconds before she spoke
and her words destroyed what was left of my life。 〃Alice； Carlisle is back；
though。 He called just
before〃
She stared at me blankly。 〃How long ago？〃 she asked in a hollow voice。
〃Half a minute before you showed up。〃
〃What did he say？〃 She really focused now； waiting for my answer。
〃I didn't talk to him。〃 My eyes flickered to Jacob。
Alice turned her penetrating gaze on him。 He flinched； but held his place next
to me。 He sit awkwardly；
almost as if he were trying to shield me with his body。
〃He asked for Charlie； and I told him Charlie wasn't here；〃 Jacob muttered
resentfully。
〃Is that everything？〃 Alice demanded； her voice like ice。
〃Then he hung up on me；〃 Jacob spit back。 A tremor rolled down his spine；
shaking me with it。
〃You told him Charlie was at the funeral；〃 I reminded him。
Alice jerked her head back toward me 〃What were his exact words？〃
〃He said； 'He's not here；' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was； Jacob
said； 'At the funeral。'〃
Alice moaned and sank to her knees。
〃Tell me Alice；〃 I whispered。
〃That wasn't Carlisle on the phone；〃 she said hopelessly。
〃Are you calling me a liar？〃 Jacob snarled from beside me。
Alice ignored him； focusing on my bewildered face。
〃It was Edward。〃 The words were just a choked whisper。 〃He thinks you're
dead。〃
My mind started to work again。 These words weren't the ones I'd been afraid
of； and the relief cleared
my head。
〃Rosalie told him I killed myself； didn't she？〃 I said； sighing as I relaxed。
〃Yes；〃 Alice admitted； her eyes flashing hard again。
〃In her defense； she did believe it。 They rely on my sight far too much for
something that works so
imperfectly。 But for her to track him down to tell him this！ Didn't she
realize or care ？〃 Her voice
faded away in horror。
〃And when Edward called here； he thought Jacob meant my funeral；〃 I realized。
It stung to know how
close I'd been； just inches away from his voice。 My nails dug into Jacob's
arm； but he didn't flinch。
Alice looked at me strangely。 〃You're not upset；〃 she whispered。
〃Well； it's really rotten timing； but it will all get straightened out。 The
next time he calls； someone will tell
him what really〃 I trailed off。 Her gaze strangled the words in my
throat。
Why was she so panicked？ Why was her face twisting now with pity and horror？
What was it she had
said to Rosalie on the phone just now？ Something about what she'd seen and
Rosalie's remorse；
Rosalie would never feel remorse for anything that happened to me。 But if
she'd hurt her family； hurt her
brother
〃Bella；〃 Alice whispered。 〃Edward won't call again。 He believed her。〃
〃I。 Don't。 Understand。〃 My mouth framed each word in silence。 I couldn't push
the air out to actually say
the words that would make her explain what that meant。
〃He's going to Italy。〃
It took the length of one heartbeat for me to prehend。
When Edward's voice came back to me now； it was not the perfect imitation of
my delusions。 It was just
the weak； flat tone of my memories。 But the words alone were enough to shred
through my chest and
leave it gaping open。 Words from a time when I would have bet everything that
I owned or could borrow
on that fact that he loved me。
Well； I wasn't going to live without you； he'd said as we watched Romeo and
Juliet die； here in this
very room。 But I wasn't sure how to do it I knew Emmett and Jasper would
never help so I
was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi
You don't
irritate them。 Not unless you want to die。
Not unless you want to die。
〃NO！〃 The half…shrieked denial was so loud after the whispered words； it made
us all jump。 I felt the
blood rushing to my face as I realized what she'd seen。 〃No！ No； no； no！ He
can't！ He can't do that！〃
〃He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to
save you。〃
〃But he he left！ He didn't want me anymore！ What difference does it make
now？ He knew I would
die sometime！〃
〃I don't think he ever planned to outlive you by long；〃 Alice said quietly。
〃How dare he！〃 I screamed。 I was on my feet now； and Jacob rose uncertainly to
put himself between
Alice and me again。
〃Oh； get out of the way； Jacob！〃 I elbowed my way around his trembling body
with desperate
impatience。 〃What do we do？〃 I begged Alice。 There had to be something。 〃Can't
we call him？ Can
Carlisle？〃
She was shaking her head。 〃That was the first thing I tried。 He left his phone
in a trash can in
Rio—someone answered it〃 she whispered。
〃You said before we had to hurry。 Hurry how？ Let's do it； whatever it is！〃
〃Bella； I—I don't think I can ask you to〃 She trailed off in indecision。
〃Ask me！〃 I manded。
She put her hands on my shoulders； holding me in place； her fingers flexing
sporadically to emphasize her
words。 〃We may already be too late。 I saw him going to the Volturi and
asking to die。〃 We both
cringed； and my eyes were suddenly blind。 I blinked feverishly at the tears。
〃It all depends on what they
choose。 I can't see that till they make a decision。
〃But if they say no； and they might—Aro is fond of Carlisle； and wouldn't
want to offend him—Edward
has a backup plan。 They're very protective of their city。 If Edward does
something to upset the peace； he
thinks they'll act to stop him。 And he's right。 They will。〃
I stared at her with my jaw clenched in frustration。 I'd heard nothing yet
that would explain why we were
still standing here。
〃So if they agree to grant his favor； we're too late。 If they say no； and he
es up with a plan to offend
them quickly enough； we're too late。 If he gives into his more theatrical
tendencies we might have
time。〃
〃Let's go！〃
〃Listen； Bella！ Whether we are in time or not； we will be in the heart of the
Volturi city。 I will be
considered his acplice if he is successful。 You will be a human who not
only knows too much； but
also smells too good。 There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us
all—though in your case it
won't be punishment so much as dinnertime。〃
〃This is what's keeping us here？〃 I asked in disbelief。 〃I'll go alone if
you're afraid。〃 I mentally tabulated
what money was left in my account； and wondered if Alice would lend me the
rest。
〃I'm only afraid of getting you killed。〃
I snorted in disgust。 〃I almost get myself killed on a daily basis！ Tell me
what I need to do！〃
〃You write a note to Charlie。 I'll call the airlines。〃
〃Charlie；〃 I gasped。
Not that my presence was protecting him； but could I leave him here alone to
face
〃I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie。〃 Jacob's low voice was gruff
and angry。 〃Screw the
treaty。〃
I glanced up at him； and he scowled at my panicked expression。
〃Hurry； Bella；〃 Alice interrupted urgently。
I ran to the kitchen； yanking the drawers open and throwing the contents all
over the floor as I searched
for a pen。 A smooth； brown hand held one out to me。
〃Thanks；〃 I mumbled； pulling the cap off with my teeth。 He silently handed me
the pad of paper we wrote
phone messages on。 I tore off the top sheet and threw it over my shoulder。
Dad； I wrote。 I'm with Alice。 Edward's in trouble。 You can ground me when I
get back。 I know it's
a bad time。 So sorry。 Love you so much。 Bella。
〃Don't go；〃 Jacob whispered。 The anger was all gone now that Alice was out of
sight。
I wasn't about to waste time arguing with him。 〃Please； please； please take
care of Charlie；〃 I said as I
dashed back out to the front room。 Alice was waiting in the doorway with a bag
over her shoulder。
〃Get your wallet—you'll need ID。 Please tell me you have a passport。 I don't
have time to forge one。〃
I nodded and then raced up the stairs； my knees weak with gratitude that my
mother had wanted to
marry Phil on a beach in Mexico。 Of course； like all her plans； it had fallen
through。 But not before I'd
made all the practical arrangements I could for her。
I tore through my room。 I stuffed my old wallet； a clean T…shirt； and
sweatpants into my backpack； and
then threw my toothbrush on top。 I hurled myself back down the stairs。 The
sense of deja vu was nearly
stifling by this point。 At least； unlike the last time—when I'd run away from
Forks to escape thirsty
vampires rather than to find them—I wouldn't have to say goodbye to Charlie
in person。
Jacob and Alice were locked in some kind of confrontation in front of the open
door； standing so far
apart you wouldn't assume at first that they were having a conversation。
Neither one seemed to notice my
noisy reappearance。
〃You might control yourself on occasion； but these