ｂｒｅａｔｈｅ．{ʀ. ʜᴀʟᴇ}

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⸺ ROSALIE.

Near the road into Volterra, I saw a familar face stalking in a back alley way.

"Edward?" I called out in surprise. His eyes met mine, and we both rushed towards each other. "What are you doing here?"

"What you are." That's when it occurred to me, he already knew it all. Flashback of when I found out came back, and they hurt like a dull pain that never leaves. It was impossible not to notice. 

"You have to go back home." He insits, emotionless.

You don't actually think I'll do that, I think. "No." You know what it feels like. 

"I know," His face nearly crumbles, "But, we're Carlisle and Esme's first children, they need us."

But the hurt, Edward. "You know why I'm going." I look down. You need to stay to catch Victoria, I try to tell him, but I know it won't work. 

"No..." He starts to say. "No need for it now."

I nods, and we both agree silently. We know what the other feels. Shame, guilt, grief, pain. And silently, we resolve to continue towards Volterra. But now together.

.

ANDIE.

Immediately, from the airport, Alice stole a Porsche. Because of course. It's the most reasonable thing to do in this situation. 

The tears from the plane are still dry to my face as Alice revs the car down the highway, faster with every second. Alice now has a headscarf and gloves on to protect her skin from the sun. She swerves, and I grip the back of Bella's seat. Alice speaks up, her voice shaking, "They refused Edward." She grips the steering wheel tighter, "But Rosalie, they accepted."

My heart drops to my stomach, dread is all I feel. "What does that mean?" I ask frantically. "How much time do we have left?"

"We have to run," Alice says seriously. Her face is like stone, I can tell she's going over the risks and opportunities in her mind. "Rosalie is in the Volturi's headquarters, in the streets behind the square, and Edward is in the clock tower. We have until noon. Andie," Alice whips her head towards me, "You'll come with me down the back alley to get into their layer. We'll have very little time, so we have to be quick. Bella," She turns towards Bella now, looking her right in the eyes, "You'll run to under the clocktower in town square. You can't miss it. There's Volterra."

We all lift our heads to see a centuries-old city of stone. It would be beautiful, if not for the circumstances. As we pass the city in the streets, I see everyone dressed in red cloaks. 

"Why are they all in red?" Bella asks, her voice rushed.

Alice replies just as quick, "San Marcos day festival. They're celebrating the expulsion of vampires from the city."

"How ironic." I sigh.

Just then, Alice halts the car suddenly at a road block. Bella gets out of the car quickly and asks, "Where is it?"

"Follow that lane," Alice points, and Bella is already off. Alice and I exit the car, and she yells out to Bella, "He'll be under the clocktower!"

As I watch her sprint off, Alice has already slammed the door, and grabbed my hand, abandoning the car. She leads me into a back alley way, and motions for me to hop on her back. I lift my oxygen tank on my back and hop onto hers, and she takes off quickly. My anxiety gets especially bad now, thinking about the ticking of every second down to the moment she's killed-- Will I beat it? Will I be there to save her in time?