[ Chapter Eight—karaoke night ]

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"OHHH!" Bella and I were hanging off of each other, our arms wrapped together as we sang loudly into the microphones.

The entertainment room of the Manor was lit with bright colors, and most of the Cullens sat around on the funky-looking couches. Bella and I stood in front of the large television, the lyrics to Bon Jovi's Living On A Prayer playing along with the beat loudly.

Our fashion sense was extremely similar, both of us choosing to lounge around the house in a flannel with jeans. It was like time had reversed back by fourteen years and Bella and I were once again our own little band of duet singers.

Karaoke always has been and always will be one of my favorite past times, and I made sure that Bella did not forget it either. When I first suggested it, she gave some crap excuse with her natural shy nature, and I immediately shut that down.

Now, we stood singing loudly, our voices a poor imitation of Bon Jovi.

"We're halfway there, WHOA LIVIN' ON A PRAYER!"

Nessie was acting as a backup dancer of sorts, Bella and I remaining glued to the hip. From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward videoing this, a huge grin playing on his lips. Nessie was doing the walking man, the rest of the Cullens laughing and clapping.

Suddenly, the door opened revealing Carlisle and Esme on the other side. The two had been gone all day, both at the hospital. Carlisle was working his normal shift and Esme had chosen to volunteer her time to cheer up the kids in the children's ward.

"OHHH!" I pointed a finger toward Esme who raised her brows at the scene, Carlisle simply tilting his head at Bella as though he could not believe what he was seeing.

Apparently all the Cullens—even Edward and Nessie—never thought they'd see the day that Bella decided to do karaoke.

"Take my hand, we'll make it I swear!" Bella grabbed my hand.

Summer with the Cullens was amazing, they were everything someone could ask for in a family. I never wanted it to end but like all good things, the end was near.

It was Alice who went from bouncing on her toes and cheering to rigid and still, her mouth agape and eyes glassy. Everyone noticed, and in an instant, the fun atmosphere was gone. Jasper was at his wife's side, holding her arms as she clutched onto him as though her life depended on it. Bella put down the microphone, Nessie stopped dancing, and all of us were staring at Alice worriedly.

Alice had only had a few visions since I've been here, but none of them were this dramatic. Turning around, I shut the music off causing the room to become basked with tense silence, all of us waiting nervously for Alice to get out of her vision. Edward stood near, his gaze hardened with focus and I knew he was seeing Alice's vision through her thoughts.

I tapped my foot against the ground, standing nearer to Bella subconsciously. The darkening twilight sky shone through the windows of the room, all the Cullen's skin just barely glistening from the last droplets of sunlight.

"It's Kate and Garrett," Alice finally breathed, Edward, shaking his head as Alice looked to the leader of the coven—Carlisle—firmly, "they're in trouble."

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"They were vacationing around Europe," Alice explained as we all sat and stood around, listening intently, "a few of Garrett's old war buddies have a bone to pick with him. They picked up his scent while he and Kate were crossing the border of France to Italy, I don't think they have much longer than maybe..." Alice trailed off, bouncing nervously.

Usually, when Alice bounced it was from excitement or joy, this time it was out of anxiety and fear. Jasper brought Alice into a comforting embrace and I had no doubt he used his gift on her as not even a second later Alice ceased in her jumpy nature, a calmer look settling across her features.

"Twenty-two hours and counting, there are too many of them for Garrett and Kate to fight off alone, even with Kate's gift." Alice breathed out, everyone casting nervous glances toward each other.

"We need to do something," Esme softly spoke, her voice a clear indication of how worried she was for these two people.

"Didn't you say they were in Italy?" Rosalie suddenly rose a perfect brow staring at Alice who nodded.

"Yeah, they'll just be on the outskirts of Venice when they're attacked," Edward shed light, reading Alice's mind.

"What about the Volturi, could they help?" Bella fidgeted causing everyone to look at her. "I mean, I know we don't have the best past with them—"

"That's an understatement..." Emmett snickered a comment that we all ignored.

"—but," Bella continued, "they are supposed to be the law of the vampire world. Maybe if we contact them they'll help?"

"Dude," Jake scoffed, leaning back against the couch, "you actually think those decrepit corpses will help them?" Emmett and I both snickered at Jake's words.

Edward ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Jake's right, if we contact the Volturi, there is a better chance that they will kill everyone involved, especially considering Caius has something against the Denali's."

"Hold on," I finally stepped in while raising a hand, "who are the Denali's again?"

"Extended family, if you will," Carlisle explained, Bella taking over for him.

"Like our vampire non-related cousins. We're close to them and we visit each other a few times a year," Bella explained causing me to nod my head, labeling this as another fact about the vampire world.

I tapped my thighs as Carlisle suddenly pulled his cell phone out, his fingers moving at the speed of light as he dialed a number. With my werewolf hearing, I was easily able to hear to phone ringing.

It rang for a little bit before going to voicemail, Carlisle suddenly tried a different number, but alike to the last one, it sent him straight to voicemail.

"Garrett and Kate aren't answering," Carlisle said before calling somebody else, this time though, someone did pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Tanya," Carlisle breathed everyone's shoulders relaxing at the fact that at least someone from the Denali coven answered.

"Carlisle?" It was a smooth female's voice. "You sound distressed, what's the matter?"

"Garrett and Kate, have you been able to reach them?"

"Not for the past few days, why?" Tanya now sounded concerned.

"Alice had a vision, Garrett and Kate are in danger..." Carlisle went on to explain the situation, Carmen and Eleazar getting on the phone call as well.

Immediately the three Denali's decided they would be jumping on the soonest flight to Venice, but alas the soonest flight from Alaska to Italy would not be taking off for nine hours and the flight itself was extremely long.

However, it was also discovered that a flight would be leaving from here within the next three hours. Not only that but the flight from Maine to Italy was shorter than the flight from Alaska, in other words, only the Cullen's would be able to reach Garrett and Kate in time.

The second Carlisle hung up the phone and prepared to call the airport requesting the tickets to Italy, Rose jumped in with something to say.

"Carlisle, we can't go--" Rose started only for Esme to cut her off.

"Rose," Esme hissed with a scolding look in her eyes, "they are our family."

However, Rose was not backing down, instead a fire lit in the blonde's gaze. "I get it, but Italy is the home of the Volturi. Every single corner of that country is teeming with spies and guard, no doubt, to go there is a huge risk," she argued fiercely.

Esme opened her mouth, ready to reply but was cut off by Emmett.

"She has a point," the brawny vampire shrugged, all of our eyes falling to him.

Carlisle had held off on calling the airport, waiting to see the decision the family would come to. I remained silent, knowing that I truly did not have a say in what the Cullen's did or did not do.

"Yeah," Jacob nodded, surprising us all with his agreeance toward Rosalie and Emmett. Jacob and Rosalie normally did not get along. "It's dangerous for all of us," he cast a protective glance at Nessie who was frowning.

Bella and Edward were quiet at the moment, both their eyes simply going back and forth with the debating family members.

"I agree with them," Jasper stated, all of us now looking to the southern vampire, "stepping foot in Europe itself is a risk, let alone actually going to Italy?" Rose nodded toward Jasper, Alice casting an unsure glance between everyone.

"They are family," Esme sighed, looking to all of them desperately.

Carlisle, of course, backed her up, "they would do the same for us, in fact, they have done the same for us. We owe them this much," the peaceful doctor said firmly, his golden eyes flashing to Rose who stood up with her arms up.

"I understand that," she exploded, "and any other time, I would wholeheartedly agree, but it's different now!"

Emmett put a calming arm over Rose, drawing her into his side while Jasper took over her rant in a calmer and more level tone of voice.

"We have accepted Jackie—a werewolf—" everyone subconsciously looked to me causing me to hold my hands up in mock surrender, "as a part of our family. Whether we care to admit it or not, anywhere in Italy is off-limits, should the Volturi happen to cross us then we will all die. Except for this time, we will not have witnesses behind us as we have knowingly broken the law," Jasper said in a wise voice.

There was a moment of silence as all of us pondered his words. It was true, it sounded like the Volturi had all of Italy under their watchful eye, so it was risky for the Cullen's to travel there. I've heard about the backstory to the Volturi, Carlisle told me about the leaders.

Aro, Caius, and Marcus.

This was all about Aro though, because with him all it took was one touch and he knew everything. Bella was the only one capable of hiding her thoughts from him. There was no hiding my existence from Aro and the Cullen's would be in a hell of a lot of trouble should Aro find out about me.

It was Nessie who broke the silence surprising us all. Standing up, Nessie looked around with tears in her eyes.

"We need to help them! Fourteen years ago when Dad, Mom, Jacob, and I showed up at their doorstep, they could have turned us away on the spot, but they didn't! They chose to listen and they chose to stand by our side against the most powerful coven of all time. Of every single witness, the Denali's were the ones who showed us the most faith, they stood with us over their own sister! The least we can do is save two of the people who stood against the Volturi for us!" Nessie was clenching her fists, tears freely falling down her face.

Bella moved from my side in an instant, pulling her daughter into a tight hug as Nessie sobbed.

"She's right," Bella nodded, "we need to help Garrett and Tanya."

Everyone was a silent for a few moments casting Bella strange glances. Finally, Emmett spoke up.

"Uhm, it's Kate. Kate and Garrett..." He piped, but if Bella could blush I have no doubt she'd be turning about fifty shades of red.

She sputtered for a few minutes while Edward silently snickered. "You all know what I mean! The two are easy to get confused, alright!"

"You've known them for almost twenty years Bella..."

"I know!"

After a few more seconds everyone shook their heads and the slip-up was forgotten. I, on the other hand, was cackling internally and doing my best to stay stone-faced on the outside.

Rose, Jasper, Emmett, and Jacob looked slightly guilty. Esme was soon next to Bella, rubbing a hand down Nessie's back calmingly.

"Alice," Edward turned to the pixie-like vampire, "will the Volturi intervene if we go?"

Alice was silent, everyone in the room quiet as we watched Alice go into a small trance. Suddenly she snapped out of it, her eyebrows furrowed as though she was confused.

"I—I don't think so..."

"Think?" Edward rose a challenging brow, his voice sarcastic.

"I don't know, okay!" Alice was flustered. "It's weird, I can see Aro, Marcus, and Caius making random decisions about things that don't concern us, and right now it does not look like the Volturi will catch wind of us being in Venice, but it's shaky. It's also blanking a little bit..." she appeared to be having a rough time foreseeing what was to happen.

"It's done then, we're going," Edward confirmed, Rose groaning and shaking her head.

"I'm telling you, this is not going to go well!"

"Rose, we're not letting Garrett and Kate die," Esme said in a scolding tone, rubbing Renesmee's back still, though she was now calmer.

"The better question is who is going to go?" Jacob leaned back into the couch, kicking a leg over his knee.

"Not me!" Rose scoffed before speeding out of the room.

We all looked to the door she left out of and I cringed when I heard the front door slam closed with so much force it actually caused pictures to shake.

"Uhm..." Emmett awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "I'll go after her. Don't want her to do something reckless in this state," he chuckled before speeding away himself, the front door opening and closing again, but this time much softer.

"I'm a shield, I can protect us, so I'm going," Bella firmly decided.

"Not without me, you're not," Edward murmured, a clear sign he would be going as well.

"Ooh, I'll come!" Alice offered, Jasper stepping behind her protectively.

"As will I, you're not goin' to Italy alone again, darlin'," the southern drawl had me mentally swooning at Jasper.

I was slightly envious that Alice got to hear that southern accent every day. I could only imagine how hot it made their sex. Probably really hot.

Edward crinkled his nose throwing me a disgusted look that I only shrugged at. Smirking, I stood up with my hand dramatically raised.

"I'll go, I've always wanted to visit Europe!"

"Yeah," Edward snorted, "because that's smart. A werewolf right in Volturi territory, right under their noses, what an idea!"

"Edward has a point," Carlisle said softer, giving me a look that said he did not think it was wise of me to joining either, "it is already a risk, but to bring you along as well would bring nothing good," he explained causing me to purse my lips.

"Okay, ignore the person who can kill a vampire with one bite," everyone shut their mouth, a clear indication I had gotten my point across.

"Surely we won't need that," Carlisle said, though his voice and the look in his eye proved how dubious he truly was, "Alice, how many did you say again?"

Alice shifted uncomfortably, "actually, I think she may need to come. The fight is currently extremely vague, so vague that all I can see is that it happens. This means Jaclyn is most likely present at it as she is the only one other than Nessie and Jacob who I can't see," she said, though it sounded as though she was thinking to herself.

Nessie perked up, opening her mouth most likely to offer herself.

"No," Edward and Jacob both said for her causing Nessie to huff and roll her eyes.

"You can't decide for me," she muttered causing Edward to quirk a brow.

"Renesmee, you are an extremely fragile hybrid to other vampires, you're not going," Edward spoke firmly causing Nessie to groan and toss herself away from Bella and Esme's arms and into the couch next to Jacob.

Jacob mockingly patted her head causing her to swipe at him.

"So that means I'm coming," I grinned.

Now, I know I should probably be scared seeing as I was entering the territory of the ones who hunted my species to near-extinction, but for reasons, I did not know I wasn't. Instead, I was excited.

It felt almost as though something big was going to happen. Something that I could not explain.

This was the first summer in a while that I had not been sitting around smoking weed, scrolling through Snap and Insta, partying, and being an overall stupid-ass teenager. And I would not lie, I liked it. It made me feel more open, more connected to the world itself, and I truly enjoyed that feeling.

Never had life been so interesting, every day was a different adventure and I loved it.

"I guess you are," Bella sighed while giving me a small smile.

"As much as I want to go," Esme stated, "I think one of us needs to stay here to watch the ones who don't go," Esme was looking to Carlisle who nodded.

"Of course," he agreed, looking relieved that Esme was not going.

Carlisle no doubt knew this trip could go south real fast and I'm sure he wanted his wife nowhere near it when it did.

"Then it's settled, we'll need five tickets." Carlisle was dialing a number on his cell phone. "Everyone begin packing, we're leaving for the airport in no more than thirty minutes,"

And so it started, this would be fun.