𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘛𝘞𝘌𝘓𝘝𝘌

(the cursed witch, act two)

FIVE HOURS PASSED TILL NIINA TURNED BACK INTO A HUMAN. She found herself back in the cement room. Noticing her complete lack of clothing, she ran inside and grabbed the bag Sam had left her.

Changing into the sweatpants and crewneck; clothing she recognized to be Embry's, she walked back out into the forest. Turning her head left and right, her eyes scanned the forest.

"What the hell..." She whispered. She could see clearly, even through the darkness.

"It's strange, isn't it?" A voice asked from behind her, making her look back.

It was him again... Mr. Erikson.

"Oh! Um..."

"It wasn't a hallucination, Nina." He confirmed her thoughts that were written clearly over her features.

"Right..." She murmured. "You're my..." Nina breathed out sharply. "Dad?"

His nod confirmed it.

"Why did you come back? Why now?"

"I heard about what happened. With your... boyfriend." He sounded disgusted saying the word.

"How exactly...?"

"Through the grapevine. Vampires are gossips, you know? They don't get to be social very often. We had a visitor come to us–"

"In Italy?"

"Yes." He nodded in confirmation. "I saw them before they could meet with the rest. It was someone you might know. Red hair?"

"... Victoria," Nina realized.

He nodded again. "There's that brain of yours. Anyway, I met her first. She told of this... this young little witch that was in way over her head. She told me of the witch's boyfriend... mate, had killed her own mate. You see, Nina, when vampires kill other vampires, it doesn't sit well with the Volturi. But when vampires involve the other species, it's even worse."

Nina frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It's the reason I left you and your mother."

A stab of pain cut through her heart. Worse than any pain she had experienced in the last few hours.

"The Volturi found out about your mother and I. At the time, of course, I was only a wolf. Nothing special. But when they heard of Natalie being a witch, it piqued their curiosity. Two supernatural species have never, to their knowledge, had a child."

Nina stared at him.

"They came to the house once. Two of the children. Jane and Alec were their names. Powerful little things. They warned me that if you were to be born, they would take you. A child of both witch and wolf blood, it was a spectacle."

Her eyes widened. "That's when you left... isn't it?"

"Yes," He confirmed. "I couldn't let them hurt you. But I couldn't... I couldn't let you die. I left that night. I acted out from then on, bringing attention to myself. I made it seem like you had died, both you and your mother. And then, I was turned into a vampire. I had an idea then, to ensure they never found out of your existence."

"You joined them... to protect me."

"Yes. And it worked..."

"Until now?" She guessed.

He nodded. "The vampire... Victoria, she told them about you. They sent soldiers... you were alone with no vampire protection. That's when I left. I became a teacher at your school so I could keep an eye on you... I was so focused on keeping my tabs on the Volturi's hounds that... I never noticed the other nomads."

"A history teacher, though? Really?" Nina asked, trying to ignore his previous sentence.

He smiled, shrugging. "Who better to teach history than the person that lived with people that were thousands of years old?"

The witch hummed. "Right."

"I see you're wearing my necklace," His smile persisted as he pointed to the chain around her neck, glinting in the sunrise.

Her hand reached up to graze the cold metal. "My mom gave it to me. She said it was a family heirloom."

"I gave that to her on our wedding night. My father had given it to my mother when they got married."

"Is Erikson your real name?" She asked. Natalie had always said it was Evans.

"No. If I used my real name, your mother would have caught on by now... My real name, you already know."

"Peter Evans."

Another nod.

"I'll admit, Erikson was a little odd. It was the first name I came up with. Did your mother ever tell you it was me that chose your name?"

Nina was silent as she watched him.

"Nina... it means beautiful. I named you after your mother."

She chewed on her bottom lip as she moved to lean against the concrete wall. She didn't know what to say to him.

"I am truly sorry for leaving you. For letting you go through what you have... alone. And I completely understand if you want nothing to do with me."

Her lips stayed pursed as she stared out into the forest surrounding them.

"Mom said you got scared. She said you had commitment issues."

"You know, you seem pretty calm for a person that just turned into a wolf."

Nina glanced at him in her peripheral vision. "Not the worst thing that's happened to me." Her eyes moved back to the forest. She could hear everything. The birds that chipped miles away, the hoot of an owl, the steps that belonged to a herd of deer's.

A howl in the distance took her attention.

"Where is Sam?"

"Distracting the redhead from you."

"Victoria's here?" She asked with wide eyes.

"She's been... persistent."

"It's fair, I guess."

Peter glanced at her. "Why is that?'

"And eye for an eye. Edward... my mate, he killed James, her mate. If it was the other way around... If she had killed Edward," She sucked her teeth. "I guess I would do the same."

"The things we do for love."

She breathed out a laugh. "I guess that's a way to put it."

"Why did he leave? It's not known for mates to abandon one another."

Nina looked down at her shoes. "I... don't really know. I thought, for a while, it was because I wasn't enough—that I wasn't good enough for him. I thought being... semi human, it bored him. Now... I'm not so sure."

Another short laugh fell past her lips. "Not all relationships last, I guess. One day... I'll get over it. Find someone else. Get married. If I live that long."

"If?"

Her smile wavered. "I have a bit of a problem. I, um... I can't do magic."

"You can't?"

"More so by choice..." She struggled to find an explanation. "When I do magic — in simple terms, small spells hurt like hell... and big spells end with me unconscious for a day or so... It also takes off a few years of my life."

His brows pulled together. "What about now?"

Nina wrung her hands together. "If I pass out, this is on you." His lip curved.

After one last unsure look, she held up her hand. "Phasmatos incendia."

In an instant, her fingers were lit with fire. A fire so bright that it lit the forest.

"You see, Nina, You were born different. You weren't a normal witch, you weren't meant to be just a witch. You were meant to be more."

"This was the missing piece?" She asked, amazement flooding her eyes as she played with the ball of light.

"One of them."

It was then that she noticed the pain in her hands lingered. "Let me guess, the next piece is him?"

"He makes you whole. It's like that story... Plato, I think. Humans were originally created with four arms, four legs, and a head with two faces. Zeus feared their power and split them in two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves. You found your other half, and he made it better, didn't he?"

She nodded slowly.

"He made you whole," he paused, "In a way only a mate can do."

"What's the other piece?"

Peter chuckled, his head tilting back. "Just like your mother. Always so bright. You still won't survive. Even with being a wolf... even if you had your mate... There is that one last piece."

Nina's jaw clicked.

"Are you going to tell me that last piece, or are you going to be a dick about it?"

"You shouldn't call your dad a dick."

"You shouldn't have been an absent father. Could have sent a postcard, an email, a fucking letter in a bottle."

"I get it. You're mad–"

"I'm not mad. Shockingly enough. I'm fucking tired, dad. I didn't ask to be like this, okay? I didn't ask to be supernatural freak show–"

"You're not a freak show–"

"I know. I'm just different. Right? That's what everyone keeps telling me." She shook her head tiredly. "I'm tired. I'm gonna head home."

"Home?"

Nina nodded, starting to walk away before pausing. "Thank you... for coming back."

"I won't leave until you tell me too," He promised.

Nina scoffed. "Heard that one before. If you see Sam, let him know I went home."

"Chief," Nina greeted when the door to the Swan house opened.

"Hey, kiddo." Charlie smiled down at her, opening the door wider to let her in. "Are you staying over again?"

"If you don't mind. I didn't get much sleep last night."

He nodded. "Bella's at school right now. You can head up to her room. I think there's some fish and chips in the fridge from last night."

"Thank you," Nina whispered.

"Nina? Before you go," Charlie spoke in his awkward voice, stopping her midway up the stairs. She glanced back at him. "This is for you."

He held out a box to her. Nina grasped it hesitantly before opening it. A key was inside.

"It's to the front door. Bella and I talked about it. You can stay here as long as you'd like. Whether that be a few days, a couple months, even a few years. You are always welcome here."

Nina felt tears come back to her eyes and before she knew it, she had bounded down the stairs into his arms.

"Thank you," She muttered into his chest.

His arms hesitantly wrapped around her. "Of course."

Nina sighed tiredly as she stared up at Bella's ceiling. She had been lying there for the majority of the day. The clock was just ticking down to 7pm when she sat up.

She had been lucky enough to have gotten a few hours of sleep, which she was grateful for. She felt less dead with the little amount of rest.

After keeping her eyes closed for another half hour, she realized that was all she was getting and stood from the bed.

Walking down the stairs, she found Charlie on the couch watching a baseball game. She sighed softly, looking away from the television.

"Where's Bella?"

Charlie looked back. "She went to the library with that Angela girl. Something about an English project on... Can't remember. It was an old lady's name, though."

Nina smiled lightly.

"Are you heading out?" He asked, seeing she was still in the clothes she wore hours before.

She nodded, chewing her lip. "I, uh... I'm gonna go down the street. There were some dishes that needed to be done and... Well, I don't have a whole lot of money right now."

He frowned.

"There was a bill the last time I was there. It was like... 5 grand. I thought it over earlier. It's either I sell the house or I quit school and start full time at Newtons as well as somewhere else."

"Your mother wouldn't want you to quit, though, would she?"

Nina shook her head. "No. I'm gonna clean it up. Bella helped me get some boxes about a week ago when I brought it up to her. With the money I get from the house, I can probably buy a storage unit so I can go through everything later."

Charlie stared at her for a moment. "Do you want company?"

She laughed, but even he could tell she was forcing it. "I'll be alright, Chief."

"Alright." He nodded. "Give me a call if you need a hand."

Nina smiled small at him as she put on her shoes and coat before walking out into the cold march night.

Getting into her car, she started it, letting it heat up as she glanced into the backseat. The boxes were still there, luckily, along with a few rolls of packing tape.

When the car was heated enough, she drove slowly out of the driveway before moving down the street.

She let out a frustrated sigh as she parked in the driveway behind the unused Cadillac. Getting out of the car, she grabbed as many boxes as she could carry, along with a roll of tape, before walking up the porch stairs.

Grabbing the door handle, she gasped. "Fuck," She muttered when the metal broke in her hand.

Rolling her eyes, she yanked the doorknob out of the frame and chucked it into the garden before wiping her hand on her pant leg.

Pushing the door open with her foot, she walked inside the dark house.

"Lumos," She muttered tiredly as all the lights surrounding her turned on, leaving her with only a slight pain in her hands.

She walked into the kitchen, dropping the boxes to lean against an empty wall before she turned to the counter where she had left the bills and opened another one.

"500 dollars," She muttered. "How the fuck can they charge for water? That's a fucking natural resource."

She opened another one. "Wonderful... That's great. Property tax. Didn't know that existed."

Nina rubbed her forehead, putting the bills back down before turning to the sink that was still full of dishes. Her nose scrunched as the scent found her. The smell was stronger now than it had been before, one of the things Sam had warned her about.

Rolling up her sleeves, she got to work. She scrubbed the porcelain for hours, focusing hard on not breaking them. It took longer than necessary. She scrubbed them longer than she had to, long after they were already clean.

She was numb again, staring out the window, watching the trees sway in the moonlight.

"Nina?"

She closed her eyes. "Stop. Please, just go away," She begged.

"Nina?" A voice asked again, though this time, she heard footsteps. There was a strange mingling of relief and confusion in her voice.

The witch turned around quickly, her eyes wide when she realized it wasn't another hallucination.

"Oh my god– Alice!" She didn't even think as she ran forward and tackled the vampire into a hug. "You're here! You're real."

Nina locked her arms around the vampire. She didn't even notice when her breaths turned into something else—she only realized she was sobbing when Alice carried her to the living room couch and pulled her into her cold lap. It was like curling up into a cool stone, but a stone that was contoured comfortingly to the shape of her body.

Alice rubbed her back in a gentle rhythm, waiting for her to get control of herself.

"I'm sorry," Nina choked. "I'm just... so happy... to see you!"

"It's okay, Nina. Everything's okay."

Even hearing her say it didn't convince her. She was sure nothing could convince her of all being right in the world.

Alice stared down at her. "Your scent changed," She muttered. "It's not as strong."

Nina pulled back slightly so that she could see Alice's face. Her neck was still tight, lips pressed firmly together, and her eyes were pitch black. Nina moved back a few more inches.

"Sorry."

"It's my own fault. It's been too long since I was around a human. But I was in a hurry today." The look she directed at Nina then was a glare. "Speaking of which, would you like to explain to me how you're alive?"

Nina sighed. "I don't even know at this point. For which reason should I have died?"

"I saw that man break your bones, Nina. You should be in a full body cast, not... doing dishes and opening mail." Alice shook her head. "I told him this would happen, but he didn't believe me. 'Nina promised,'" Her voice imitated his so perfectly that Nina froze in shock while the pain ripped through her torso. "'Don't be looking for her future, either,'" She continued to quote him. "'We've done enough damage.'"

"Please stop," Nina whispered.

"But just because I'm not looking, doesn't mean I don't see," She went on. "I wasn't keeping tabs on you. I swear, Nina. It's just that I'm already attuned to you... when I saw the first bone snap, I didn't think, I just got on a plane. I knew I would be too late, but I couldn't do nothing. And then I get here, thinking maybe I could help Natalie somehow, and you drive up." She shook her head, this time in confusion. Her voice was strained. "I saw that man break your spine, and I waited and waited for you to move, to open your eyes, but you didn't. What happened? And who was it? Why were you out in the forest at night in the first place? And my brother? Do you have any idea what Edward—"

"I wasn't getting murdered," Nina cut her off.

She eyed her dubiously. "Are you saying you didn't have all of your bones broken by a stranger?"

"He didn't... break them. I did."

"Nina! That's even worse!" Alice exclaimed, standing up.

"Not..." Nina sighed, wringing her hands together. "Not like that."

"Then what was it like? Because it looked to me that you were kidnapped and–Nina, how are you alive?"

"It's a long story, Alice."

She rolled her eyes. "He was a fool to think you could survive alone. I've never seen anyone so prone to life-threatening idiocy."

Ouch.

"I didn't break my bones on purpose, Alice. I didn't have a choice. I didn't choose to be like this–I didn't..." Nina's words faltered, her voice fading. "If all you're here to do is scold me, Alice... just leave, please. I just want to pack up this house and get it over with. I don't want to spend any more time here than I have to."

The witch stood, moving back into the kitchen and began grabbing the boxes once again, lifting them up onto the table as she began to put them together, taping up the bottom side.

"What are you talking about?" Alice asked, appearing behind her, earning a flinch.

"Your visions deceive you, Alice." Nina pushed past her, walking down the hall. "I'm not the one who's dead."

Alice followed her into a room she had yet to go into. Natalie's room, she figured. Confused, she watched as Nina opened dresser drawers and began to shove clothing into the boxes.

"Who?..." Alice asked, though she had a feeling she already knew from the state of Nina's eyes as she stuffed another drawer's worth of clothing into a box.

Nina paused, grasping the edges of the box as her eyes moved to see Alice. "Who do you think? Take a gamble."

She gasped. "Nina..."

"Don't," She stopped her. "Don't feel sorry for me. If you aren't going to help, please go. I don't need another ghost from the past."

Alice moved then, walking slowly over to where Nina stood. Her arms, hesitant in their movements, slowly wrapped around the witch.

Nina tried to push her away, but she couldn't bring herself to.

She was silent, completely still in the vampire's arms.

"Can you tell me?" Alice whispered. "All that happened?"

Nina's eyes burned, the only sign of real emotion on her face. She felt Alice take her hand and lead her back into the living room.

"Start from the beginning?"

Nina glossed over the beginning, skipping the motorcycles and the ghost, but telling her everything else right up to today's misadventure. Alice didn't like her thin explanation about her bones being broken and the strange man.

"Laurant came back," Nina admitted. "I was in the meadow... the one that Edward took me to. He was going to kill me—as a favour to Victoria. My mom was with me though... She pushed me away before he could get to me." She sighed, pushing her hair out of her face.

"They came back?"

"Victoria's still running around. Laurant though... I killed him."

Alice's eyes widened. "You killed a vampire?"

"Mhm. The wolves are after Victoria right now. I think they're trying to chase her up North–"

"Nina, wolves are not good company."

Nina chuckled stiffly at the irony.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Couple months. He's only been a werewolf for just a few weeks."

She glowered at her. "A young werewolf? Even worse! Edward was right — you're a magnet for danger. Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble?"

"There's nothing wrong with werewolves," Nina defended, stung by her critical tone.

"Until they lose their tempers." She shook her head sharply from side to side. "Leave it to you, Nina. Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town. But you have to start hanging out with the first monsters you can find."

Nina didn't argue with her.

After a minute, Alice realized the witch wasn't going to talk about the subject any longer.

"Our leaving didn't do you any good at all, did it?" Alice murmured.

Nina scoffed. "That was never the point, though, was it? It's not like you left for my benefit."

Alice scowled at the floor for a moment. "Well... I guess I acted impulsively today. I probably shouldn't have intruded."

"You don't have to go, Alice. You can stay here for the night."

The vampire's brows pulled. "Where are you staying?"

"Just down the street. Charlie and Bella have been letting me stay with them since... Charlie didn't like my idea of sleeping in my car in the school parking lot."

"Do you see anything? About him?' Nina asked, changing the subject before Alice could speak. 

"Not much. Just fragments. He stayed with us for a few weeks, but he eventually went off on his own. He checks in every few months."

"Oh." He must still be out enjoying his distractions. Nina focused her curiosity on a safer topic. "You said you flew here.... Where did you come from?"

"I was in Denali. Visiting Tanya's family."

"Is Jasper here? Did he come with you?"

She shook her head. "He didn't approve of my interference. We promised...." She trailed off, and then her tone changed. "Are you sure it's alright if I stay here? I can stay at my house?" She asked, sounding worried.

"Of course it's fine, Alice."

"You look tired," Alice spoke suddenly.

"Haven't been sleeping well," Nina shrugged, glossing over it. "So, what does Carlisle think of you being here?"

"He doesn't know. He and Esme were on a hunting trip. I'll hear from him in a few days, when he gets back."

Nina fell asleep not long after that. Her head rested calmly against Alice's stone-like shoulder.

It wasn't until the next morning that the door opened, making Alice turn her head.

Nina woke early, from a deep and dreamless sleep, feeling well-rested, but stiff. She was on the couch, tucked under the blankets she'd laid out for Alice, and she could hear Alice and Bella talking in the kitchen. It sounded like Bella was cleaning the kitchen.

"How bad was it, Bella?" Alice asked softly.

She sighed. "Really bad."

"Tell me about it. I want to know exactly what happened when we left." There was a pause while a cupboard door was closed.

Nina waited, cringing.

"I've never felt so helpless," Bella began slowly. "I didn't know what to do. That first week, Natalie and I talked about having to hospitalize her. She wouldn't eat or drink, she wouldn't move. Dr. Gerandy was throwing around words like 'catatonic,' but we didn't let him up to see her. We were afraid it would scare her."

"She snapped out of it, though?"

"She spent a lot of time out on the reservation. It seemed to help her, being with them."

"But?" Alice prompted.

"She went back to school and work, she ate and slept and did her homework. She answered when someone asked her a direct question. But she was... empty. Her eyes were blank. There were lots of little things—she wouldn't listen to music anymore; I found a bunch of CDs broken in the trash. She didn't read any spell books. She didn't go out. I finally figured it out—she was avoiding everything that might remind her of... him."

"We could hardly talk; I was so worried about saying something that would upset her—the littlest things would make her flinch—and she never volunteered anything. She would just answer if I asked her something. She was alone all the time. She didn't call me or anyone else back, and after a while, they stopped calling. It was the night of the living dead around here."

"I'm so sorry, Bella," Alice said, voice glum.

"She's been better. She still goes to the Res. She's spent a lot of time with Paul. Jake says he has a bit of a crush on her."

"Oh?"

"Nothing happened. She tried to go out with Kit... Do you remember him?"

"If Edward could have killed one person, it would have been him."

Bella chuckled slightly. "Yeah. It didn't go well. He said some things to her and... Alice, just picture it this way, okay? Jasper is your mate, right?"

Alice hummed.

"If he left you, how would you feel?"

"I guess... I never thought about it that way."

"Right. Nina was rejected by the one person that was literally made for her. I mean, I don't know a lot about the supernatural world, but to take a guess, I'd say that would be pretty horrific." Bella paused. "And then her mom died. She was murdered right in front of her. And then with what happened the other night... I honestly don't know how Nina's still standing."

"And Alice..." Bella hesitated. "I can tell that she's happy to see you, but... I'm a little worried about what your visit will do to her."

"So am I, Bella, so am I. I wouldn't have come if I'd had any idea. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Who knows? Maybe it will be good for her."

"I hope you're right."

"Alice, I have to ask you something," Bella said awkwardly.

Alice was calm. "Go ahead."

"He's not coming back to visit, too, is he?" Nina could hear the suppressed anger in Bella's voice.

Alice answered in a soft, reassuring tone. "He doesn't even know I'm here. The last time I spoke with him, he was in South America."

Nina stiffened as she heard the new information and listened harder.

"That's something, at least." Bella snorted. "Well, I hope he's enjoying himself."

For the first time, Alice's voice had a bit of steel in it. "I wouldn't make assumptions, Bella." Nina knew how her eyes would flash when she used that tone.

Nina chose that as her time to 'wake'. She got up slowly from the couch and walked into the kitchen. It was perfectly clean, thanks to Bella.

"Morning," She spoke, her voice rough with sleep.

Bella smiled at her. "How'd you sleep?"

"Long," Nina admitted.

Bella had to leave then—she was helping Sue Clearwater and her father with the funeral arrangements for Harry Clearwater, who had a heart attack during the time of her transformation.

She and Alice talked about her family–all but one–for the morning.

Carlisle was working nights in Ithaca and teaching part time at Cornell. Esme was restoring a seventeenth-century house, a historical monument, in the forest north of the city. Emmett and Rosalie had gone to Europe for a few months on another honeymoon, but they were back now. Jasper was at Cornell, too, studying philosophy this time. And Alice had been doing some personal research concerning the information Nina had accidentally uncovered for her last spring. She'd successfully tracked down the asylum where she'd spent the last years of her human life. The life she had no memory of.

"My name was Mary Alice Brandon," She told Nina quietly. "I had a little sister named Cynthia. Her daughter—my niece—is still alive in Biloxi."

"Did you find out why they put you in... that place?" What would drive parents to that extreme? Even if their daughter saw visions of the future....

She just shook her head, her topaz eyes thoughtful. "I couldn't find much about them. I went through all the old newspapers on microfiche. My family wasn't mentioned often; they weren't part of the social circle that made the papers. My parents' engagement was there, and Cynthia's." The name fell uncertainly from her tongue. "My birth was announced... and my death. I found my grave. I also filched my admissions sheet from the old asylum archives. The date on the admission and the date on my tombstone are the same."

Nina didn't know what to say, and, after a short pause, Alice moved on to lighter topics.

"What else has happened here? Anything... good?" Alice asked, in a hopeful tone.

"Umm... My, uh, my dad's back in town."

Her eyes widened. "Your dad as in... the Volturi member?"

"That's the one," Nina sighed. "He's not so bad, though."

"He's part of the Volturi, Nina. The literal worst of the worst–"

"Alright, dial down on the judgement, please? It's still early. He's all I've got left now. So Volturi or not, I'll take it."

Alice sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just... you have terrible taste in company."

"Don't I know it," Nina breathed out.

Nina watched as her vision went blank, body freezing more than normal.

"Alice? What do you see?"

She was frozen for another minute. And then her eyes cleared.

"No," She gasped. "Edward."

"Alice! What's wrong with Edward?" Nina felt her heart drop to her stomach.

"Alice?" Nina's voice was weak. "What happened?"

"I don't know," She suddenly wailed. "What is he thinking?!"

Nina was still as she watched Alice pull a small silver phone from her bag. 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 Nina.

"Alice," Nina hesitated. She couldn't let her speak yet. She needed a few more seconds before Alice spoke and her words destroyed what was left of Nina's life.

"He thinks you're dead." The words were just a choked whisper. "Rosalie told him why I came here."

"Rosalie told him I got murdered, didn't she?" Nina said, sighing as she 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.

Alice looked at her strangely. "You're not upset," She whispered.

Nina shrugged, letting her stiff shoulders fall. "It will all get straightened out for him. The next time he calls, someone will tell him that I am perfectly fine, and that it was all just a big misunderstanding."

"You're acting like the doesn't care–"

"Because he doesn't, Alice. He left because I wasn't good enough. Because I bored him. Trust me, he will be perfectly fine with whatever new girl he finds in Bora Bora or wherever he is."

"What are you talking about?"

"Vampires are easily distracted, right?" She asked, repeating what he had said to her many months ago. "I put two and two together. I know, human brains can think and form semi-conscious thoughts. Shocking."

Nina stood from the couch, moving to the front door. "Alright. I'm gonna head out. Gotta get some more boxes and Charlie is helping me plan a funeral and I'm meeting with a realtor to sell this place so... lots of things to do, lots of people to see."

Alice appeared at her side before she could react. "Nina! You don't get it–"

Nina pulled out of her grasp, shocking the vampire. "No. You don't get it, Alice. I'm done. So, you can take your family drama the hell away from me. Your brother is just a bit dramatic. He'll be fine."

Yanking the front door open with ease, she glanced down, remembering the door handle she had broken.

"Nina?" A voice asked, making her turn around quickly.

"Dad? What are you doing here?"

Peter was standing on the porch, holding the broken doorknob in his hand, his other raised as though he were about to knock.

"Thought it'd be a good time for us to talk. And I talked to Bella, and she said you were packing some stuff up."

"Bella told you that?" That didn't sound likely. Bella wouldn't sell her out to a stranger.

He nodded, glancing around Nina to see the girl behind her. "Whose this?"

Nina felt Alice move behind her before she appeared in front of her. "Alice. And you are?"

It was clear she had sensed he was a vampire.

"Nina's father."

"The Volturi member," Alice finished for him.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Nina sighed, pushing past Alice once more. "Stand down... pack dogs. Alice, he can't hurt me more than he already has. And dad, Alice is harmless. So chill out. I don't need a supernatural fight club on my doorstep."

"Are you his sister?" Peter asked.

Alice nodded.

"Is he back?"

"Nina," Alice shouted, ignoring Peter. "Edward won't call again. He believed her. He's going to Italy."

It took the length of one heartbeat for her to comprehend. When Edward's voice came back to her now, it was not the perfect imitation of her delusions. It was just the weak, flat tone of her memories. But the words alone were enough to shred through her chest and leave it gaping open. Words from a time when she would have bet everything that she owned or could borrow on that fact that he loved her.

Well, I wasn't going to live without you, he'd said as she read Romeo and Juliet die. 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. Nina felt the blood rushing to her face as she realized what Alice had seen.

"No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!"

"He made up his mind as soon as Rosalie 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!" Nina screamed. "What do we do?" She 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. It was a deadline. He must have destroyed it after Rose told him."

"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how? Let's do it, whatever it is!"

"Nina, I—I don't think I can ask you to..." She trailed off in indecision.

"Ask me!" Nina commanded.

Alice put her hands on Nina's shoulders, holding her 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."

They both cringed, and Nina's eyes were suddenly blind. She 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..."

Nina glanced back at Peter.

"He's right. They will kill him," He confirmed.

"So if they agree to grant his favor, we're too late. If they say no, and he comes 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."

"We have to go then," Nina forced her way back into the house, walking into her room hastily and grabbing a bag.

Alice followed after her. "Listen, Nina! Whether we are on time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi city. I will be considered his accomplice if he is successful. You will be the witch that is the reason for a human knowing about vampires. There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us all—though in your case it won't be punishment so much as late night snack."

"This is what's keeping us here?" She asked in disbelief. "I'll go alone if you're afraid."

"I'm only afraid of getting you killed."

Nina snorted in disgust. "I almost get myself killed on a daily basis! Tell me what I need to do!"

"Just pack a bag... I'll call the airlines."

Nina didn't even look at the items she threw into her bag, not until it was full did she zip it up and lug it back to the door where Peter was waiting for her.

"Nina... Are you sure you want to do this? You heard what I said– They won't kill you, Nina. But they won't let you go either."

"I can't let him kill himself because of me."

"Alright then," He sighed, rolling up his sleaves. "I'm coming with you."

"Dad..."

"You're going to need help if you plan on attacking the Volturi. Who better than a Volturi member? Besides, I've been yearning for some sunlight. This god awful town lacks in it severely."

Nina frowned. "Sunlight..."

"Different wolf. Different vampire," He whispered into her ear. "I'll tell you all about it when your little friend is out of earshot."

She nodded.

Alice appeared behind her. "Get your wallet—you'll need ID. Please tell me you have a passport. I don't have time to forge one."

"Already got it." Nina held up the blue piece of ID.

"What about you?" Alice asked, turning her attention to Peter.

"Don't need one. Don't worry about it."

"If you get stopped at security, we're leaving you."

They moved quickly, Alice forcing her way past Peter to get into the driver's seat of Nina's Mercedes. Peter rolled his eyes but moved into the backseat after seeing the passenger seat was already being occupied by Nina.

a/n

this has quite literally nothing to do with this stupid book but OH MY FUCKING GAWDDDD the actor that plays Nikolai Lantsov is so FUCKING HOT. I"M SERIOUSLY ABOUT TO HAVE LIKE A FUCKING HEART ATTACK OR SOMETHING BECAUSE GOD DAMNNNNN.

moral of the story, i haven't slept for a few days.

also, random tidbit, that fucking elephant from barbie island princess is so fucking annoying.