Kat's POV

Stirring me from my slumber, I feel a cold hand gently shaking me awake and a sexy southern accent calling out for me.

"Katherine. Katherine, wake up.  We're about to land."Jasper says softly. 

I stretch out as far as I could and let out a big yawn.  Blinking to adjust the bright sun, I look around and out the window.  From below us, I could see Volterra.  We were here.  At last!

"Wow, it's so beautiful." I say softly. 

"Looks can be deceiving.  Just like the Volturi."  Jasper says with bitterness in his voice.

I look over and see Dax and Alice waking up Bella.  Bella sits up real fast and looks around, sighing in relief, "Finally." She says. 

Before we got off the plane, we quickly changed our clothes. 

(Kat's change of clothes)

(Dax's change of clothes)

Pretty soon, we were being guided off the plane and Alice takes off to find a car.  We waited for her outside and not too long, we see a yellow Porsche skidding to a halt before us. 

"Come on, let's go." Alice says from the driver's seat. 

Bella gets in the passenger's side and Dax, Jasper, and me squeeze in the back.  Jasper buries his face in my neck to block out Bella's scent as Alice takes off driving 10x over the speed limit.  Bella wasn't complaining, she wanted to get to Edward as fast as they could. 

Avoiding tractors, Alice swirls over the road, trying to reach Volterra.

"I'm guessing you didn't rent this car?"  Bella asks, sarcastically.

Alice smirks, "I figured, you wouldn't be opposed to grand theft auto."

Bella shakes her head, "Not today."

I feel Jasper taking deep breaths of my scent, struggling to block Bella out, "Are you ok?" I ask.

He grunts and grips on to me, "Alice, drive faster." He grits his teeth.

Alice gasps softly as her face goes blank.

Bella looks over to her in concern, "What? What are you seeing?"

Snapping out of her trance, Alice had a look of worry over her face, "They refused him." She gasps.

"So...?" Bella frowns.

"He's gonna make a scene.  Show himself to the humans." Alice says.

"No! When?"  I exclaim.

"He's gonna wait until noon, when the sun's at it's highest."  Alice says, then gasps as a glimpse of a vision invades her mind. 

Dax looks at me with worry then leans close to Alice, "Alice, you gotta hurry up."

Bella's breathing picks up with panic as Alice looks out into the distance as we draw close to the city.

"There's Volterra." 

We all look out and see Volterra.

As we make our way closer into the city, we see several hundred of people dressed in red capes, laughing and celebrating. 

"Why are they all in red?" Bella asks in confusion. 

Alice placed on her sun glasses as she drives through the city, "San Marcos Day festival.  They're commemorating the expulsion of the vampires from the city.  It's the perfect setting." Alice says in admiration.  "The Volturi will never let him get far enough to reveal himself." She assures us all but, that didn't stop Bella from having her panic attack.

"We have 5 minutes!" Bella grits her teeth.

"Bella? Breathe." I say.  "Just breathe, we're almost there."

Alice makes a turn, but skids to a halt as the police stops her.  Alice quickly pushes Bella out of the car, startling Bella.

"Alice?!"

"Bella, you're the only one he can't see coming.  If I go, he will read my thoughts...he'll think I'm lying and rush into it." Alice says quickly.

"Where do I go?"  Bella stutters.

"He'll be under the clock tower.  Go!" Alice shouts. 

Bella wasted no time.  She shuts the door and takes off running. 

The police speak to Alice in Italian and Alice makes small conversation with him in Italian as well.  Dax moves and climbs the seats to sit in the front with Alice.  The police look like they were giving her directions and Alice seems to have thanked them and begins to turn down another way. 

Alice found a spot and parked the car.  She sighs and shuts off the engine and, we all waited. 

"Do you think she'll reach in time?"  Dax asks.

Alice sighs, "I'm sure she will.  Once he sees that she's alive, he wont' have a reason to do this."

Jasper kept his eyes on the clock, but held my hand in comfort.  I knew he was worried, we all were very worried for Edward.  The clock was getting closer to noon.  Two minutes.

"Jasper, where were you all this time?"  I ask, trying to change the subject. 

He sighs deeply in thought, "We went down San Francisco for a while, then I went back to Texas to visit my friends, Peter and Charlotte.  I stayed with them for till Alice came for me about Bella.  But, no matter where I went, all I could think about was you.  Everything reminded me of you.  The rain made me think of when we first danced." 

I smiled at that memory.  When he told me about him being a vampire, we danced together in the pouring rain. 

"The mountains made me think about the time we spent together with the Denali.  When we went hiking and camped out under the stars."  Jasper continues. 

I sigh at that memory, it was such a romantic night.  Making out with Jasper under the stars.  But, we never went far with each other  Jasper would always freeze and speed away.  Always afraid of hurting me. 

"And sitting by the ponds near Peter's house reminded me when we went swimming in the hot springs." He smiles warmly at that memory as well as I do. 

The way he held me as we kissed as we soaked in the hot springs.  The coldness from his skin helped with the extreme heat from the springs.  It was perfect. 

"All I could think was I want to come home to my darlin' mate.  I never should have left.  But, that night.  The way you looked at me." His eyes carried so much pain from that memory.

I sigh and stroke his cold, soft cheek, "Jazz, I wasn't afraid of you.  I was afraid for you.  It wasn't your fault that night.  It was a stupid accident.  And...with everyone's bloodlust going off in the air, it's no wonder you couldn't control yourself.  You were feeling so much emotions at once, it made you go after Bella.  Not once did I ever blame you.  I was angry you left me without even telling me goodbye, but I forgive you.  I love you, Jasper."

Jasper frowns when he listens to everything I've told him, "You're right.  Everyone was feeling the blood lust...and my powers...that's why I couldn't control." He gasps in realization.

I nod, "Yes.  It wasn't your fault."

Jasper sighs, "All this time.  I assumed...I can't believe it." 

"Jasper, I'm so sorry.  If we only knew..." Alice speaks, but Jasper waves her off. 

"Important thing is now we know." He turns to look at me, "Thank you, my love.  I love you too.  So very much."

Before we could kiss, the clock struck noon and Alice gasps as she enters another vision. 

Dax watches her carefully, "Alice?"

Alice gasps as she snaps out of her vision, and turns to look at all of us, "Bella got to him in time, but the Aro wants to see him and Bella.  And us."

Jasper shakes his head furiously, "No!" He growls.

"We don't have a choice, Jaz.  If we refuse, they'll come after us...and maybe even kill Kat and Dax.  We can't risk it." Alice says. 

Growling in annoyance, Jasper grit his teeth till I take his hand and stroke his skin gently.

"We have to do this, Jasper."  I whisper.

"I know.  But, I don't want anything to happen to you." He growls.

I give him a small smile, "Don't worry.  It'll be ok." 

Dax takes Alice's hand, "We'll all be ok.  I know it." He adds.

"How can you be so sure?" Alice asks.

Dax sends me a knowing look and looks back at Alice with a smirk, "The secret."