"So," Alice said, raising her brow expectantly.
The trio took a quick walk into the woods behind Bella's house. And Paul hadn't let go of Diana, who hadn't dropped her smile. Alice was beyond happy to see her friend like this, she knew that Diana deserved everything that was coming for her.
"So what?" Diana asked, raising her brow in mock of the pixie before her.
"So, how's it going? What is going? I need the details!"
Diana laughed and looked to Paul, who looked slightly uncomfortable. He looked down to her and smiled, instantly better.
"Nevermind, I can see it's going perfectly," Alice chuckled.
Diana looked to her friend and smirked knowingly, "How's Jasper?"
Alice smiled sadly, "Feeling regretful, he thinks it's his fault Edward left. He hasn't forgiven himself for Bella's birthday party."
Diana looked at Paul, feeling his blood thrumming through him, "I know the feeling," she muttered.
Paul shook his head, "For the last time, if Bella were a werewolf things would've been different, and if you ever even think of leaving me I swear I will chain you to the bed." He tightened his grip on her waist, and stared hard at Alice, mentally pleading she'd agree with him. She did.
"I'd help him," Alice nodded at him in acknowledgment.
Paul instantly lightened up, "You know what, shorty? I think we'll get along just fine."
Alice chuckled, and nodded at Diana who turned and hugged Paul. There was a comfortable moment of silence, then Alice's smile dropped and her gaze turned foggy.
"What's up with her?" Paul asked.
Diana turned and saw the state Alice was in. Her smile dropped from her face, "She's having a vision."
There was a long moment of silence as Diana waited anxiously, hoping for the best. She remembered sitting in the truck, not two hours ago, feeling the pit of anxiety in her stomach. Now it was worsening, and every moment Alice spent gazing into nothing, it got even worse.
Paul could tell that something was very wrong. Diana had gotten quiet, hugging herself and rubbing her arms as she waited for Alice to come back to reality. Paul wished there was something he could say, something he could do, that would assure her she'd be ok, that would assure her she'd always have him.
Alice blinked a couple times, clearing the fog in her amber eyes. She looked up at Diana and shook her head, worrying clouding her features, "It's Edward."
Diana didn't need to hear anything else, the trio rushed back to the house, in time to hear Jacob muttering angrily.
"Filthy bloodsucker."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Diana asked angrily, as Alice and Paul came in behind her. She knew Jacob had a hard time accepting her, but that was a hard thing for her to hear coming from him.
"You're brother has impeccable timing," he seethed.
Diana's eyes widened, "Edward?"
"That was Edward!?" Bella screeched, "Why didn't you let me speak to him?"
"He didn't ask for you!"
"What did he say? What did you say to him?" Bella yelled, her breathing ragged. Diana, who didn't want the girl to have a panic attack, pulled her away from Jacob, who looked angry enough to break the house.
"Bella, we have to go." Alice said, breaking the tense silence.
Bella looked up with wide eyes, "What happened?"
"He thinks you're dead-"
"He's gonna go to the Volturi, he wants to die, too." Diana said, looking to Paul.
Paul again, wished he could do something to reassure her, but he was at a loss for words. Her brother wanted to kill himself, how could he help her?
Bella started moving immediately. She grabbed a few travel things and Alice called and booked the flight, all while Diana looked at the floor like a lost puppy. She had no clue what to do. Would her brother even want to see her? She didn't technically have to go, Bella would be protected enough with Alice, but her brother...
"You need to go." The voice was a comforting tone, reasoning with her inner demons.
Diana blinked and looked up at him, "What?"
"He's your brother, you gotta go."
Diana swallowed but nodded and pulled him into a hug, "I'll see you when I get back?"
Paul chuckled, "There isn't anywhere I'd rather be, Sugar."
Diana still looked lost when she pulled away from him, but she managed a smile and kissed him. Then Alice was pulling her towards the car and they were leaving for Seattle's airport.
⎿✶⏋
Bella and Diana waited impatiently at the curb as Alice walked off to find some form of transport. Bella was biting her nails and tapping her foot anxiously, while Diana just stared hard at the ground. She could feel the dull pain in her chest, the ache from missing her mate.
Suddenly, a yellow hard-top Porsche with darkly tinted windows screeched to a halt in front of them. The passenger door opened and Alice was behind the wheel, pulling off the white, hooded coat she used for protection against the sun. Bella and Diana glanced at each other, hesitating slightly, before getting into the vehicle. Diana sat in front and Bella took the seat behind her.
"Where'd you get the car?" Bella asked, as Alice sped off.
"Figured you guys weren't opposed to grand theft auto," she shrugged.
"Not today," Diana sighed, running her hands through her hair.
An hour later the Porsche was practically flying down a highway, cutting lanes, weaving through Peugots and Fiats, Diana nervously gripped onto the dash as Alice narrowly missed a car.
"How much time do we have?" Bella asked, grabbing onto Diana's headrest.
"He's waiting till noon, when the sun's at its highest," Alice said, "-he's going to make the Volturi change their minds."
Diana didn't need to check her watch to know just how soon 12 was.
"It's almost noon now!" Bella gasped, running both hands through her hair.
"There's Volterra," Diana nodded towards the small city, and swallowed nervously. She vaguely remembered Felix's grip on her arms, her neck. She had almost died her last visit here, she had never planned on returning.
Alice punched it as Bella and Diana stared straight ahead, neither exactly excited for the hours ahead. Entering the city, the trio found that the narrow, centuries-old streets were crowded with festival revellers who all wore red. They gaily headed toward the town square carrying red pendants, balloons, and scarves. Alice weaved through them, still hurrying forward.
"Why are they all wearing red?" Bella asked.
"San Marcos Day festival," Diana said. "It's the perfect setting, large crowds. The Volturi won't let him get far enough to reveal himself- he's counting on that."
"We only have five minutes," Bella whimpered.
Suddenly Alice screeched to a halt at a roadblock. Italian police started to wave her back. And Bella jumped out of the car, "Where's the square?"
Diana pointed down the busier looking street, "Follow that lane."
Bella was already running when Alice shouted after her, "He'll be under the clock tower!"
Alice and Diana watched her go, praying for the first time in decades.
⎿✶⏋
"That's not going to happen." Diana heard Edward growl.
Her and Alice traipsed through the alley and broke through the door. All three men and Bella, turned to look at them. Alice smiled and pulled back the hood of her white swing coat, while Diana tossed aside her baseball cap.
"Come on, guys, it's a festival," Alice giggled, she and Diana reached Edward and Bella, positioning themselves in a slightly protective stance.
"We wouldn't want to make a scene like last time, now would we Felix?" Diana smirked, hoping she looked braver than she felt.
"There won't be any scene- and we'll still win."
Suddenly, the hall doors opened and a very tiny, blonde girl appeared.
"Enough," she said, marching towards them. Diana recognized her instantly, "Jane."
She, like Felix and Demetri, wore a dark overcoat, her angel-like face peering out from under the hood. Felix and Demetri back off immediately. Edward, Diana and Alice stepped back, as well. Bella could see they were afraid, or in Diana's case, as least cautious of the small girl.
"Who is she?" Bella whispered. Diana nudged her shoulder, "Just do as she says."
Jane tossed Edward an overcoat and he put it on.
"Follow me," Jane said, then she simply turned and headed down the corridor, confident they'd all follow. Felix, who was smirking, gestured for Diana to go ahead of him. Edward took her hand and Bella's.