AN! Another apology for my late ness. it's getting really hard not to get caught up with school and everyday life to finish this! my goodness. But here it is and it IS a LOT similar to the books chapter on this part. [no copyright intended] I just wanted it to be like the book. Read and review and thanks for hanging in there.

EPOV

One of the men from far back rose and approached Aro. It was Caius. He didn't speak. Aro looked at Bella.

"I'll give you a year, maybe less. You are promising to turn him lest he become a threat to our existence." He sighed. "But if you do it now it would guarantee he survives his terrible sickness." His voice was almost sarcastic and it hid a hint of malice. "And then you could join us perhaps… Of course it's up to Edward, right?"

He was up to something. I saw right through him, because he now knew that I wanted to become a vampire already.

"What?" Caius said a hint of protest in his voice.

"Oh, Caius. I'm sure you can see the potential they have…if we could have Edward and Alice together and develop Bella's power. I'm so curious to see what she can do, if she can resist the temptation to her natural instincts I know she can do so much more." He was smiling now. "What do you say Edward?"

I was quiet. Of course he knew what I wanted and now he wanted to use it against them. Bella stiffened. She also knew what I wanted. Her fear radiated off of her. It would be easy for her to turn me right here and then….

My breath was slowing down and I couldn't stand still. "No." I breathed. "Not yet."

Aro's face fell. "Very well then."

"Aro" Caius complained.

"Caius." Aro smiled. "Imagine the possibilities! We may not have them today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the joy Alice could bring to our family. Not to mention Edward…but Bella, oh I am so curious to see how she matures!

Aro seemed to believe Alice's visions. For now, he didn't realize they were subjective to change. She could have made him see anything when he took hold of her hand. This was clearly a sort of stall. Not that it would make a difference if I became a vampire. It should have happened already, and to be honest I couldn't wait anymore. I only said no for their sake… and somewhat my own.

At that moment I wasn't afraid I couldn't be. I felt myself sinking into darkness, perhaps depression or something else.

"Does that mean we could leave now?" Bella asked firmly.

"Of course." Aro said calmly. "But please, do visit again. It's been a thrill to have you here."

"And we will visit you as well." Caius promised. "To make sure you live up to your word. If I were you I wouldn't wait too long. We do not give second chances."

Bella clenched her mouth shut she looked stern, but nodded curtly.

Caius smirked and began to walk back to where Marcus sat unmoving and uninterested. Felix groaned.

"Felix, Felix." Aro smiled, amused. "Patience, Heidi will be here at any moment."

"Umm." Alice's voice broke in. "In that case it's better if we leave sooner rather than later."

"Yes." Aro agreed. "That is a good idea. Accidents do happen. But please wait until after dark to leave, if you don't mind."

"Absolutely." Bella agreed. I cringed at the thought of having to wait until dusk to be able to rest in peace.

"And here." Aro said motioning for Alec to come closer. Alec moved swiftly to his side and Aro unfastened his gray long cloak pulling it from his shoulders. He tossed it at Bella who was only wearing a cammy. "Put this on, you're a little conspicuous."

Bella put the cloak on leaving the hood down. Aro sighed. "It suits you."

Bella chuckled dryly, and suddenly broke off, and looked over her shoulder. "Thank you, Aro. We'll wait bellow."

"Good bye, young friends." Aro said looking in the same direction.

"Let's go.' Alice said urgently now.

Demetri gestured to us that we should follow him out the same way we came in, probably the only exit by the looks of it. Bella clung on to me tightly and Alice was at my other side. "Not fast enough." She mumbled. I looked down at her frightened by her thoughts, but she only looked chagrin about them. It was then that I heard the babble of voices coming from an anti chamber.

"How unusual." A woman's voice said.

"So medieval," A mans voice gushed back.

A large crowed was coming towards us, and Demetri motioned for us to move aside. We pressed ourselves close to the wall to let the group pass.

The couple in front looked American; they were glancing around themselves fascinated. The people following them were just as appraising.

"Welcome, guests! Welcome to Volterra." I heard Aro sing from the turret room.

Some studied the structure columns while others took pictures. Others were confused, in their heads I could see the stories they were told and they began to make no sense to them anymore. One small woman in particular had a rosary around her neck. She gripped it tightly and every now and then she would ask some one something in a foreign language. No one understood her, and her thoughts grew more panicked.

Bella pushed her head towards my chest covering her ears. I knew she knew what that meant, as did I, though it didn't bother me as much as it did her. Probably because the only human blood she ever had was mine. She couldn't process the fact that other vampires did this. She was a vegetarian her whole vampire existence.

As soon as the door way cleared Bella pushed me through it. I could see the horrible expression on her face. She couldn't cry but I was sure she wanted to.

The hallway was silent quiet except for a gorgeous woman, I knew then it was Heidi. She stared at us curiously, me in particular.

"Welcome back, Heidi." Demetri said from behind us.

Heidi smiled absently. She reminded me of Rosalie, though they looked nothing alike and their thoughts were completely different. It was her beauty that reminded me of Rosalie, it was too unforgettable and astonishing. It was something I couldn't look away from.

She was dressed exceptionally. Tights darkened her long legs, and they were adorned by a miniskirt. Her top was long-sleeved and high-necked, but extremely close fitting. It was red vinyl. She had long mahogany hair lustrously framing her face. And her eyes were the strangest shade of violet. Obviously, it was the result of blue contacts over red irises.

"Demetri." She responded in a silky voice, her face flickering between Bella's gray cloak and me.

"Nice catch." Demetri complemented her, and I understood the reason for her wardrobe. She was the bait as much as the fisherman.

"Thanks." She said flashing a radiant smile. "Aren't you coming?"

"In a minute. Save me a few, would you?"

Heidi nodded and took one more curious look at me before heading into the room. Bella set at a pace that almost had me running to keep up with her. Her face was still twisted, but we couldn't get passed the ornate door at the end of the hallway before the screaming started.

Demetri left us in the cheerful opulent reception area where the receptionist Gianna still sat behind her ornate mahogany desk. Bright, harmless music played from hidden speakers.

"Do not leave before dark." He warned us.

Alice nodded, and Demetri hurried away.

Gianna seemed uninterested in the exchange, but she did eye Bella's cloak with shrewd speculation.

"Are you ok?" Bella asked me in a rough tone if velvet could be rough. She was in stress, probably because of the situation we were in.

"You'd better make him sit before he falls over, look at him, he'll break into pieces." It wasn't until then that I realized I was shaking, my whole frame was rattling even my teeth and I felt more exhausted than before, completely drained.

I started hearing a sound that didn't make any sense; it was a strange ripping sound that counter parted the cheery music in the background. Distracted by my shaking I couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"Shh, Edward, Shh." Bella said into my ear as she pulled me to the farthest sofa away from the curious woman at the desk.

"I think he's having hysterics. Maybe you should slap him." Alice suggested.

Bella threw an incredulous look at her.

I then understood, the noise was me. The ripping sound was from my chest, I was sobbing with no tears. My breathing was hard. That's what was shaking me.

"Is there something wrong with him?" Bella asked Alice frightened. "It's all right, you're safe now, it's all right." She whispered into my ear as she placed me on her lap horizontally. She wrapped the gray cloak around me protecting me from her cold skin.

I didn't really understand why I was reacting this way. I knew it was stupid, but it was my body reacting to a different feeling. I wasn't afraid for life, but who knew how much time I had left with her. I was safe and she was safe and I could leave her as soon as we got out of here, to not stop and look at her features was wasteful, insanity.

But my eyes couldn't seem to look up at her. My functions were failing me. I was falling into a darkness that I couldn't seem to get out of. But I didn't want to go, I willed myself to stay here in the now.

"Do you think it was because of what he saw?" Bella asked. "With all those people. It's so horrible."

"I know." Alice said. "But that's not it. Edward has known everything for a very long time now."

"I wish you hadn't seen that, Bella." Alice said. The scene seemed to have affected Bella more than any one of us. I rested my head on her shoulder and took a few deep breaths to calm my breathing.

"Is there anything I could get you?" A voice asked politely. It was Gianna, leaning over Bella's shoulder with a look both concerned and professional and detached at the same time. It didn't seem to bother her that she was inches away from a very hostile, territorial female vampire. She was very good at her job.

"No." Bella answered coldly not looking at her.

She nodded and smiled at me before walking away.

My breathing was getting better. "Does she know what's going on here?" Bella demanded, her voice was low and hoarse.

"Yes she knows everything." I said in a low whisper to her ear.

"Does she know they're going to kill her someday?" She asked.

"She knows it's a possibility." I said.

This seemed to surprise her. "She's hoping they decide to keep her." I said.

"She wants to be one of them?" Bella asked.

I nodded once. "How could she want that?" she whispered. "How could she watch all those people fill into that hideous room and want that?"

I didn't answer. There was a possibility, though I knew it was untrue, that this woman also suffered from an incurable disease. She may just want to survive, just like me. So was it wrong for me to want to be like them also? A vampire was a vampire no matter what they ate.

"Oh, Edward." She whispered. And I clung to her. I was relieved that at this moment we were not about to die and I remembered the fact that she and I were here right now and all I could was cling to her. What was the worst she could do push me away and remind me that I was the one who had left to begin with?

She didn't push me away though; she held me tighter and took hold of my neck. "Is it weird to be happy at a time like this?" She asked.

"I know what you mean." I said. "But there are more reasons to be happy, like for one we're alive."

"Yes." She agreed. "That's a good one.

"And we're together." I breathed. She smiled her eyes seemed droopy and I know my smell made her dizzy. She needed to feed and she was restraining herself for my sake.

"And with any luck we'll still be alive tomorrow."

"Hopefully." I said uneasily.

"The outlook is actually good." Alice said. She had been quiet this whole time; I almost forgot she was here also. "I'll see Jasper in less than twenty-four hours."

Lucky Alice. She could trust her future. But who was to say Bella would want me back after I was the one who left.

I couldn't keep my eyes off of her for too long. I was afraid that this moment wouldn't last long. So I pretended she felt like I did, in need of her presence. That was easy so I did.

I didn't want this moment to end. I wanted it to last forever. I was afraid of the future, I wanted this to last, and if it couldn't I wanted to stop existing if it did.

Her fingertips traced the dark circles under my eyes. "You look so tired." She said.

"And you look so thirsty." I said looking at the dark bruises under her black irises.

She shrugged. "It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I'll go sit with Alice, if you'd like." Though I was unwilling to move from that spot. I'd rather she kill me now, than move one inch from where I was sitting.

"Don't be ridiculous." She sighed; her sweet breath caressed my face. "I've never been in more control of that side of my nature than I am right now."

I bet she had a million questions for me, but at that moment she kept her mouth shut. So I pretended she forgave me my stupidities of leaving her behind. It was easy to pretend that she did. I didn't know what she was really thinking and as the sun went down outside it was all the time I had left to be with her, like this. Pretending. She looked at me and through her eyes I saw only blankness. Though her features looked concerned, how was I to know she meant it? Maybe she was just being nice, to keep her and I calm, just so that I wouldn't fall to that dark space that was waiting for me inevitably.

I lay quiet in her arms taking in her face as to not forget it again. Feeling her ice hard body against mine…

At one point she and Alice began to talk. Their speech was so fast I was sure the receptionist couldn't catch it. I missed half of it myself, though I knew judging by Alice's thoughts, that they were discussing a way out of here. And some of it involved more thievery. I had such bad influences around me.

I was exhausted. My body wanted to sleep, but I fought with everything I had to stay awake and not miss one moment of this time I had with her. Every now and then as she talked with Alice she would pause and lean over to kiss me. Each kiss was like electric shocks sent to my heart that restarted it and kept me awake the entire time. It was the only thing keeping me from slipping into that sleep I knew I wouldn't wake up from… for a while. The sound of my heart thumping faster seemed to fill the whole room.

It was like I was in heaven – Smack right in the middle of hell.

I lost track of time all together. So when Bella's arms tightened around me, and both she and Alice looked at the back of the room with wary eyes, I almost panicked. I felt Bella cringe to me as Alec – his eyes now a vivid ruby from the afternoons lunch – walked through the double doors.

It was good news.

"You are free to leave now." Alec told us with such warmth in his voice, you'd think we were all long time friends. "We ask that you don't linger in the city."

"That won't be a problem." Bella said, not bothering with nice tones, her voice was ice cold.

Alec smiled, nodded, and disappeared again.

"Follow the right hallway around the corner to the first set of elevators," Gianna told us as Bella helped me to my feet. "The lobby is two floors down and exits to the street. Good bye now." She added pleasantly. Alice shot her a dark look. I was relieved there was another way out. I wasn't sure if I could endure another tour of the underground, my body was about to give out.

We exited from a very luxurious lobby. The streets outside were still filled with people. The sky was a dull gray but because the buildings were so close it looked as though it was darker. The festival was darker too. Bella's cloak didn't stand out, many of the adults were wearing similar black velvet ones along with plastic fangs that were also popular with kids. "Ridiculous." I heard myself say.

"Alice went to go get your bag of clothes she stashed earlier." Bella told me.

"I know." I said. "She's also going to steal a car."

"But not until we're out of the city." She said.

It seemed like a long walk to the entryway of the city. Bella noticed how weak I was and she supported most of my weight as we walked.

She shuddered as she pulled me through the thick stone archway. A huge ancient, portcullis above seemed to threaten to fall right down and lock us in like a cage door.

We walked toward a black car that was hidden in a pool of shadow to the left of the gate, its engine was running. To my surprise she slid into the back seat with me.

Alice was apologetic. "I'm sorry there wasn't much to choose from."

"It's ok." I said. "They can't all be 911 Turbos."

She sighed and smiled. "I might have to get one legally. It was fabulous."

"I'll get you one for Christmas." I said. She turned and smiled at me as she was already speeding down dark and curving hillside.

"Yellow." She told me.

"You and your conspicuous colors." I muttered. Bella chuckled and held on to me tighter. I wished at that moment that I could really read her mind. Inside her cloak I was more than comfortable.

"You can sleep now Edward," she whispered in my ear. "It's over." I knew she meant the danger, the nightmare in the city. The almost failed attempt to save her. I sighed lightly before I answered.

"I don't want to sleep, I'm not tired." Only the second part was a lie. I wasn't about to go to sleep, not now. The car was dark inside but the dimly lit dashboard allowed me to see her face.

"You're being stubborn." She sighed smiling a little.

Yes I was being stubborn. I was fighting against urge to shut my eyes, and I won.

The dark road made it harder to not sleep. The bright airport in Florence made it easier. More so, the fact that I got to brush my teeth and change into new clothes. Bella also changed into clothes Alice had brought for her. She threw away the coat in a pile of trash in an abandoned ally way. The plane trip to Rome was short so there was no time for my fatigue to settle in. But I knew the plane trip from Rome to Atlanta was another matter entirely so I asked the flight attendant for a coffee.

Bella gave me a disapproving look. Though she didn't say anything she knew I didn't like the taste of coffee. Alice was behind us and I could hear her mumbling to jasper on the phone.

"What? I don't want to sleep." I reminded her. I gave her an excuse that was believable but untrue. "If I close my eyes now, I'll see things I don't want to see. I'll have nightmares."

She didn't argue with me after that.

It would have been a very good time for her to talk to me. To ask questions she needed – needed but probably didn't want. There was a big block of time for us, and I wouldn't be able to escape her easily not alone and not on the plane any ways. No one would hear us except Alice. All the other passengers were going to sleep, turning off their lights and asking for pillows in whispered tones.

But I willed my self not to speak and lose this time with her. I didn't want to break the ice, not this time around. And by postponing this conversation I was hoping to get more hours with her like this.

So I kept drinking coffee and resisting the urge to even blink. I felt content with the fact that she was in my arms for once. I kept tracing her features as to remember them inch by inch. I kissed her hair, forehead, nose and wrists. But never her mouth, I knew she wouldn't be able take that. Though she was a vampire I knew she had feelings too and she needed so many answerers before I could even begin to try and mend what I had broken. Though I hoped she understood that I too had suffered through my own isolation of her. I also knew it wasn't the same. And I knew that what I had done was terribly wrong.

How could I have thought that making her live a normal life was possible? She wasn't the human one, I was. I wanted her to live freely without me, the sick one, being in her way. I knew she constantly worried about me though she didn't have to. I was fine with the Cullen's and if it so happened that I was close to death they would know what to do.

Bella didn't speak. Maybe she was hoping I would fall asleep. Maybe she had nothing to say.

I won the fight against my sleepiness. I was awake when we got to the air port in Atlanta, and I even got to see the sun rise over Seattle's cloud covered sky before Bella shut the window. I was proud of myself that I hadn't missed one minute. Though I knew I would pay for it later.

Neither Alice nor Bella seemed surprised at the reception that waited for us at the Sea-Tack airport. The first person I saw was Jasper though he only had eyes for Alice. She gracefully walked to him and held him there in her arms. They didn't kiss or say a word. They stared at each other only looking to their eyes. The exchange was private, so I looked away, willing Jasper and Alice to keep their thoughts to themselves.

Carlisle and Esme waited in a far off corner next to a wide pillar, in the shadows. Esme came and hugged Bella I could tell she was thankful she hadn't died. "Never do that again, Bella." She said to her. "You are a part of this family just as much as Edward is." Bella looked down away from her face. Esme then hugged me also and in her mind she expressed her concern and her thanks for me.

"Son." Carlisle said to me as he hugged me. He too was happy that I was alive just as much as Bella.

"He's dead on his feet." Esme scolded Alice. "Let's get him home." With help from Bella and Esme I was able to make my way blindly through the airport.

I must have been half asleep but when I saw the black sedan under the dim lights and Emmett and Rosalie waiting leaning casually, I stiffened.

"Don't." Esme warned me. "She feels awful."

"She should." I said willing my voice to be heard.

"It's not her fault." Bella said.

"Let her apologize." Esme pleaded. "We'll ride with Jasper and Alice."

I glared at the absurdly lovely blond vampire waiting for us.

"Please, Edward." Bella said. She seemed to not want to ride with them as much as I did.

I sighed and dragged my feet to the car. Rosalie and Emmett got into the front seats without speaking while I pulled my self into the back seat with Bella. At this point I was so tired I thought I would collapse but I wanted this to be over with first, so I willed my self to stay awake longer.

"Edward." Rosalie started.

"I know." I said not at all generous.

"Bella?" She asked.

Bella looked at her surprised. Her and Rosalie had never spoken directly to each other.

"Yes Rosalie." She said hesitant.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I feel terrible about all of this. I should have waited for every detail before making assumptions. And I'm glad Edward had the courage to go save you. Could you ever forgive me?"

Her words came out awkwardly, probably due to her embarrassment but they were sincere.

"Absolutely, Rosalie." Bella said. "It's my fault. I'm the one who decided to jump to conclusions, and not wait. I forgive you."

"Edward?" Rosalie asked again.

I struggled to answer. I felt myself falling into a deep sleep. "Do I have a choice? I forgive you." I mumbled. After all I lived with her and I would have to see her face of regret every day of my life.

"Um… are you taking me home?" I heard Bella ask. I sat up awake. Oh crap, I had forgotten about Charlie and the fact that he had no idea what was going on. He was going to be one angry father. Rosalie nodded to her.

"You're the tired one." I told Bella. "Fall asleep now." I commanded her.

"What are you crazy?" She said.

"No." Just scared I thought. Come one I'm only human and he's the chief of police.

"Just do it for me please." I urged. She sighed and agreed.

We pulled up to her house and I pulled her out in my arms her eyes were closed. Seconds later Charlie burst through the door.

"Bella!" He shouted, his yells hurting my sensitive tired ears.

"Charlie." Bella mumbled acting as best she could.

"Sh…" I whispered. 'Your home and safe, just sleep."

"I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face here!" Charlie yelled at me. He was closer now.

"Stop it dad." Bella groaned, he didn't hear her.

"What's wrong with her?" Charlie demanded.

"Nothing," I said. "She's just very tired." I assured him quietly. "Please, just let her sleep."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Charlie yelled. "Give her to me; get your hands off of her."

When I tried to pass her to Charlie she clung on to me like only a vampire could. No wrench could get her off me.

"Cut it out, dad." She said with more volume she opened her eyes slightly to look at him. "Be mad at me."

We were in front of her house with the door opened and the clouds outside made it hard to guess the time of day.

"You bet I will be." He promised her. "Now get inside."

She nodded and I put her down. She pretended to trudge forward in a daze, looking like she didn't feel her legs. And that's when I caved in. My vision failed and my body swiveled. "No." Bella said and just before I hit the concrete, she caught me with both arms. "Go home and rest." She whispered. "I won't be far." I then felt very thick arms grab me and set me lightly into the car. The last thing I remember was glancing at Charlie closing the front door of the house.