Such Sweet Sorrow

Chapter Two

Alice hadn't spoken to me on the drive to the airport, neither had she on the plane to sunny Italy. It was obvious she was worried for Edward's safety, but her jaw was wound tightly shut, the impossibly strong muscles flexing in her neck. That I somehow knew that she was angry at me for my last words to Jacob before she sped off.  I hadn't ever been afraid of Alice. Jasper, sure, even Edward and Emmet on occasion, but not Alice. But this tense, almost angry look was barely concealed underneath worry, and for a half second I was sure that being trapped in a car with those dark eyes on an empty country road would lead to my death.

The drive to Volterra was both slow and fast; fast, because Alice was pushing the stolen yellow Porsche to it's limits- I was sure if she put any more pressure on the gas pedal that it would crumble under her foot and we'd be left stranded in the beaming sunlight, and slow, because every minute felt like borrowed time. Alice had seen that Edward would step out into the St Marcus day parade at noon, when the sun was the highest, exposing himself as a vampire to the superstitious inhabitants of the old city. The Volturi would have no choice but to intervene, even if they had previously refused his begging for death. I checked my watch, 11:45. Would we even make it?

Alice pulled the car up into the city roads until the crowds were too thick to drive through and the police had halted our progress. 

"You need to cross the main square, he'll be under the clocktower- the only way this will end well for him is if he sees you." I nodded at her instructions, hopping out of the car and weaving my way through the crowd of red clad merrymakers. 

"And Bella?" Alice called out, only just in hearing distance, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

I wasn't quite sure what Alice was sorry for at the time, perhaps it was her sudden leaving almost a year ago, or something she had yet to do, you could never tell due to her gift. 11:53. My heart was in my throat as I ran through the crowds, a lot of pushing and shoving (and many bruises on my elbows for forcibly removing people from my path) and I still wasn't there. I ran as fast as I could, lungs heaving at the sudden change of pace. It had been moving cars without even stopping for the last 7 hours, my legs were cramping and I knew that if I didn't make it soon, my body would force itself to stop, and if it did, Edward would die. I could not have his death on my conscience. Would not. 

11:55: still not there, the uphill climb was over though, and I continued to follow the direction the parade was marching in.

11:57: The procession had become one with horses and carriages. I could not let something as ridiculous as a carriage stop me from preventing an execution though, so I ran right through it, spooking a horse but otherwise making it through unscathed.

11:58 I could see the clocktower, just across the square.

11:59 The were a water fountain between us, going around would cost time I didn't have. My shoes were soaked but the freezing water, not yet warmed by the sun, was a blessing on my burning skin. 

12:00 I could see him, my breath almost caught, he was taking off his shirt, looking more awful than I had ever seen him look. On the fringes of the crowd were a couple tourists- if they turned around Edward would be torn apart.

I barrelled into him, screaming his name and covering his body with my own, hoping to prevent any part of him from seeing the sun. It hurt- of course it did! Vampires had bodies like marble, it was like colliding chest first into a statue, but that wasn't important. I had made it in time.

"You fucking idiot!" I yelled "Get in the shade. I'm alive!" Edward had his eyes closed, but he seemed to recognise my scent and opened them. A smile broke out on his face and he went to wrap his arms around me.