No Need to Say Goodbye

Chapter Twenty

I think this may be the penultimate chapter... aaaah, it's almost over. Thanks for staying with me guys, even through all my irregular updates.

The Volturi Castle was an uneasy place. Especially for a rather age old, exterior young vampire named Alec. He had run his hands through his hair numerous amounts of time, so many that he was sure his hair would fall off soon. There wasn't a secure plan that he could think of that wouldn't result in death. Why was life so hard, why did people have to die, why was love such a vile, pleasure filled experience? Love? Oh dear deity in Heaven, had it already reached that corruptive stage? The stage where he knew from a number of sources that he wouldn't be able to think, breath, or live straight without wondering, much less knowing what she was doing or thinking? How cruel.

And now, it could be taken away from him in a matter of minutes.

If he didn't do something, quickly…

Better for him to die than fore her.

Knock-knock. If knocks could be polite, his one rarely was. It was harsh, rapt and urgent. Nevertheless, the door creaked open a fraction of the second after. Auburn hair glared at him from behind the mahogany door. Alec sighed, he wasn't too happy to see 'papa Cullen' either.

"What do you want?" Edward asked in clipped tones.

Alec stood still for a moment, letting recent events fly through his mind at fast pace. As the he relayed images and conversations, the annoyed expression in Edward's eyes effectively began to diminish into warped concern and then fear.

"Are you sure?"

Alec nodded, "It getting you all to safety means getting Ness to safety, then that's just something I'll have to live with."

Edward narrowed his eyes, "This is no time for jokes."

Alec rolled his eyes; "I just defied my maker, mentor and only father like figure for a girl. I'm sure there's room in that hollow area to find the cruel humour of this all."

"What are you planning to do?"

Alec sighed, his face grave again, "Caius is planning an attack. A few moments before it starts, I can use that as a distraction to get your family safe. I'll arrange transport and flights. You all need to get back home now. And when you're there… get the Seer to keep tabs on Aro."

Edward swallowed, "Alec… why are you doing all this? Don't you hate us?"

Alec gave way to a mirthless laugh, "Of course I do."

"Then why?"

"Because after all this, I'm still going to need a clan to hate. That, and I love your daughter."

"Love?" Edward's eyebrows shot up.

Alec heaved a half smile, "Yeah, don't act surprised."

"I truly am though. Never would I have thought that one day, Alec of the Volturi, one of the fiercest members and most talented, could put aside his blood thirsty ways and love my daughter."

"Don't get all sentimental on me Cullen."

Edward laughed quietly as Alec disappeared out of sight. Now that he had somewhat of a concrete plan in mind, he was going to need a little help in ensuring Ness's safety.

"Where is that stupid mutt?" Alec growled quietly as he searched up and down the courtyards.

At first, he'd leant to using his extremely keen sense of smell to search out the shape shifter, but apparently, the moulting dog's scent was a lingering one. Jacob had been shown around that castle, so in retrospect… according to his scent, Jacob was practically everywhere in the grounds all at once. Great.

Lucky for him, Alec noticed that the smell was most prominent in the gardens. The mutt was probably taking a piss or something.

Finally turning a corner, Alec ran into a tan human sitting on the ground, leaning on a hedge, his knees halfway drawn to his chest and elbows propped up on those knees. As soon as the two caught the same string of gazes, their eyes both narrowed.

"What do you want?" Jacob asked.

Alec opened his mouth, opting to retort with some sort of dog-related insult, but caught his tongue in the last second. This is about Ness.

"I need to speak to you about Ness?"

Jacob scoffed, "Is this the really redundant part where you steal my girlfriend and then apologize to me and then ask my permission to date her? Cause I'm not giving you my blessing. You're not the good guy."

Alec sighed, "I know, I never said I was."

"Then what you do want?"

With a moment's pause, Alec stared hard at Jacob, thinking of what to say next, "Do you care about Ness?"

Jacob chuckled in a sort of evil way, and then heaved himself up, levelling their gazes, "Why? Are you challenging me?"

"No, I'm not that primitive."

Jacob snarled, a shiver running through his body, "Are you calling me-?"

Before Jacob could finish his question, Alec cut into so that things didn't get out of hand, "Ness might die!"

Jacob froze, "What?"

"Aro has gone crazy, revenge or power crazed—I'm not sure yet. But he wants to kill the Cullen in a retribution act. He doesn't know, but Caius, Heidi, Jane, a few others and I have surreptitiously formed a rebellion. We don't think what he's doing is right. If you want to help me save the Cullens… save Ness, you're going to have to help me."

"Why?" Jacob replied sceptically.

"Because I have to. Because I need to apologize, and this is the only way I see fit. Because I don't want any harm to come to Nessie, or her family for that matter. Because I need some of my own actions to prove that I'm not the cruel, cold-blooded killer that she could never love. Because if she stays then she'll die, because if she doesn't, then I'll die, and that's okay."

Jacob stared at him for a long while before sighing, "Alec. I don't like you. In fact, I hate you. I despise you. But as Nessie is my imprint, you'll notice that all I want to do is make her happy. If making her happy means being just her friend, then yeah, I'll do it. If making her happy means realising that the guy she might love is actually okay and that he only wants the best for her… then yeah, I'll do it. What do you need me to do?"

Alec stood there, shell-shocked for a moment. He wasn't expecting that. At all… But nevertheless, Alec knew how to role with the punches. He cleared his throat and then started to give Jacob very specific instructions.

Now girls can talk a lot. Put a group of girls that are friends, that share a few inside jokes, secrets and interest… then you have a group of girls that have the capability to never stop talking. In classes, they always get in trouble because they can never seem to stop talking, when they're let out, they're still talking, when they're out together, they keep talking, when their away from each other, texting and social networking site enable them to keep talking. Girls don't seem to shut up. Or run out of things to say. So it wouldn't surprise you when Nessie and Bella found themselves couped up in a room once again… just talking.

Bella nodded and shrugged, "So what's wrong with Jacob?"

Nessie shrugged and played with her fingers for a minute, "I don't feel right with him."

"What do you mean?"

Nessie sat up and sighed, "Mind if I cut to the chase?"

Bella grinned and gestured, "Go for it."

Nessie smiled back and shrugged, "I just... I feel forced."

"How?"

"Well, from the moment I was born, everyone told me that I was destined for Jacob. And for a while, I guess I believed it too. But now, now that I look back, I don't see it. I don't see the spark. I always saw Jacob as just mine. I need that spark though. And I was scared when Alice started to talk about our wedding. It made me realise that I was unsure about Jacob. And honestly, what kind of person would want his girlfriend to be unsure. I mean, all my life people have told me I was going to be with Jacob. I don't know... I just... well, I asked myself, did I want to be with Jacob? Was I happy with a guy already set up for me and convinced that we were destined for each other. Where was the spark? Where the adventure? What made me love him?"

Bella smiled reassuringly and patted Nessie's hand. Nessie smiled again and closed her eyes.

"So, I guess that I came to Italy to help myself remembered why I loved Jacob. Well, forced myself to love Jacob. And then I met the Volturi. And I met Alec. In the beginning he was horrible. I wanted to rip his eyes out on numerous occasions. But then, one day, he saved me. I don't know, but things were different. I felt different and it went from there. I felt a spark."

Bella smiled, "Well, it seems us Swan girls have a habit of being where no one originally wants them to be."

Nessie laughed and leaned forward to hug her mother. They laughed and talked a little more until Bella bid her daughter goodbye and departed. A few minutes later, a knock erupted Nessie's reverie and she jumped up, a strange excited feeling in her chest. She pulled open the door and saw Alec.

"Hey there handsome."

Alec briefly flashed a smile before grimacing.

"What's wrong?" Nessie frowned.

He sighed and ran a hair through his hair, "Ness, we need to talk."

She slipped out of her room and closed the door, eyeing Alec with bundles of caution. He seemed to be anxious, fearful and restless all woven into one.

"What is it?"

Alec sighed and ran his hands through his hands before suddenly bringing himself to Nessie and drawing her up for a long, ardent kiss. Ness felt her legs turn to jelly and she gladly participated in the moment. Suddenly, the moment was gone. She looked up to see Alec with this back against the wall, hands buried in his hair. She felt cold all of a sudden. Alec looked... scared.

"What is it?" She asked again.

Alec sighed and looked her, "I... I just wanted to let you know something."

"Yeah?"

"This is going to be completely unromantic... just know that I was planning to say this in a more eloquent and ardent way."

"Say what?"

In less than a second, he was in front of her, thumbing her chin playfully. His eyes were suddenly hard set and his lips curved up into a deadly smile. Crimson eyes flashed in their normal cheeky manner and Nessie fought the urge to smile.

"I just wanted to tell you that..." Here goes nothing, he thought, "That I love you."

Nessie stopped and her lashes drew over her eyes in one attractive heavy sweep before she pulled him close and kissed him with all her strength, "I love you too."

It felt weird. Wrong. Not the kind of 'oh-no-we're-going-to-get-caught-cause-we're-not-supposed-to-be-doing-this' wrong, but the 'this-doesn't-feel-completely-right' sort.

"What's wrong?" Nessie asked, albeit, a little breathlessly.

Alec sighed, "A lot of things."

"Whatever it is, we can work through them."

Alec chuckled, "Oh I wish it were that simple."

"If there's a will, there's a way."

"That's a stupid saying."

Nessie scoffed, "Gee thanks."

A cough politely interrupted them, Alec turned to see who it was and caught sight of Edward. For once, there was no malice in his eyes. Just pure empathy and concern. He must have known that Alec could die in battle. That with Renata, victory was near to impossible…

"I was just about to tell Bella."

"Tell Bella what?"

Bella stood by the door as soon as she heard the memorized pace of her love and husband. She recognized the agony in his eyes, the pain and the fear.

"What going on?" Nessie asked.

Alec swallowed uncomfortable, "You'd better sit down."

"You can't be serious!"

Alec sighed, "I couldn't be any more serious."

Edward was propped up against the dresser of Nessie's room, arms folded, trying to patiently watch his daughter and Alec bicker.

"I'm staying."

"No. And that's final. Your safe is a necessity."

"Who says?" She replied indignantly, all other persons in the room rolling their eyes in annoyance, fondness or both.

"Maybe all the adults in the room." Alec rebelled. Ness shot him a murderous glance, "Please, for the sake of everyone else. Just listen and do as I say. You all need to keep together; we'll secure you a way out. I've sent Heidi to get you transport and flights back to America. You are not to stay; you're not to fight. If you do, you will die."

"What about you? Don't tell me there won't be casualties!"

Alec smirked, "There won't be. Jane has a plan to reach Renata. We'll cover her, then she'll strike, then they'll cover me and the rest is going to be history."

Nessie almost looked convinced.

"And then what am I supposed to do, wait for you, wondering if you're dead or not?"

Alec chuckled, "I'm not going to die. I've lived far to long to succumb to something that petty. When it's over, I'll come find you."

Ness sighed. She wanted to stay. She wanted to make sure he was all right, that Heidi, Felix and Jane were all right. But she also wanted her family safe. Her family want to be safe too, and that was important.

"Fine, okay."

A look of triumph came over Alec as he settled with the realisation that Ness was going to be safe. Nessie herself was overcome with grief, but she was concentrating, trying to hide it. She, trying to turn from her bratty ways, was doing this—for her family. Edward glanced at her, then back at Alec.

"Ness, why don't you start packing your bags?"

Nessie cleared her throat then slightly bowed her head in resign and nodded. Shuffling off, she pulled all her suitcases and went into the bathroom to retrieve her toiletries. While she was doing this, Edward curiously sauntered up to Alec.

"You were lying."

Alec looked up, a little surprised, "What?"

"You said that there will by no casualties."

"I know."

"But there will be?"

Alec sighed, "I know. I'll probably be one of them. But Ness doesn't need to know that. Ness needs to think that I'm okay. She needs to be able to go on with her life as long as possible."

Edward nodded, "Thankyou."

"For what?"

"Taking care of my daughter."

"It was my pleasure," Alec amiably replied, "…Sir."

Edward smirked, "Get some rest."

In the next half an hour, everyone else had left her room. Nessie's bags were all packed and ready to go, in fact, they were pretty much gone… Alice had taken them to goodness-knows-where… probably airport luggage and such.

"So, how are you feeling?" Alec was sitting on her bed, lounged more like it… in a cat like grace.

Ness smiled as best as she could and plopped down into a large comfy armchair. She propped her legs up and rested her chin on one.

"How are you so calm?"

"Why shouldn't I be?" Alec smirked, "I'm smart, powerful and yeah… I think I've got this in the bag."

"What if…"

"Don't ask what if, there will be what ifs." Alec sighed, a tragic demeanour settling amongst them.

"I… I just don't want to loose you."

Alec gazed her, a small smile on his face. He pushed off the bed and almost… swaggered… over to her. An evil smirk was planted on his face. With one hand, he lifted her chin up and placed his lips on her in a devilish sort of way. This kiss was hard and possessive and soon, their hands were tangled up in hair and cheeks and jaw lines. Sooner than he would have liked, Alec pulled away from Nessie.

"Get some rest. Who knows what tomorrow with bring."

"Bloodshed and death." She monotonously replied back.

Alec sighed, tapping her nose, "Hush you."

With that, Alec left, smiling at her as he shut the door. Nessie stayed seated in the chair, just thinking. Alec said that they were probably going to come out okay. But now that she thought about it, the odds didn't look good, at all. With Renata and Demetri on their side, the odds didn't seem very good at all. As she was pondering this, her eyelids grew heavy and soon she was fast asleep.

Her door burst open, and she bolted from the chair. In the dark she could make out Alec and the rest of her family, including Jake in her room.

"You all have to go now! We've secured this West Wing, but it won't be for long. You all have to go now!"

In a flurry of arms and tugging, Ness found herself passing numerous corridors and finally into a dark, dank and damp room. Squinting, Ness saw that this room was actually ground level and a good-sized manhole had been either kicked, punched or both through. Alec nodded in a barely perceptible fashion to Carlisle and Esme. The latter had a fearful glance in her eyes before her husband securely clutched at her hand. Carlisle nodded at Alec.

"We'll never forget this."

Alec quirked a smile back, "Let's hope not."

With that, Carlisle and Esme were gone.

Then, Emmett and Rosalie pushed through the hole, also clutching hands. Alec nodded, more-so to himself this time, as though he was encouraging himself for the saving of so far four of the family.

Alice and Jasper pulled up to the hole next. The seemed to be some sort of resonant thumping through the Volturi castle. Wether it was just psychological mind tricks, all each seem to feel it, the tension that clouded the room. Jasper also nodded at Alec, in some sort of unspoken agreement on respect. Alice smiled at Alec.

"It'll be okay."

Alec suddenly felt a renewing of strength by this and managed a braver-than-he-thought smile at her.

Jasper and Alice disappeared through the hole.

Edward looked pointedly at Ness, as was Bella.

"Come on Ness." Edward reasoned.

Ness nodded, "I'm coming... let me just-"

Bella looked fearfully at Edward who just nodded at Jacob, "Get her out."

With that, Edward and Bella were gone.

Alec sighed; the palpable suspense of oncoming bloodshed filled the room. The moments before death. Except, no life flashed before their eyes. Only the pounding of a mental drum connecting them all together. Suspense and tension were merely redundant by now. Alec turned around a few times, wondering when the first scream would appear. He was hoping to be a little late... it might catch a few of them off guard. Or at least miss some- killing old friends wasn't easy. Turning around once more, he caught sight of Ness who was still there, just looking at him. She was standing in the hole, Jacob on the other side, panic filling him on why she was just standing there.

Thump.

"You have to go. Now! He's going to kill you all if you don't leave now."

Thump.

"No! I can't leave you!" Nessie felt tears reaching her eyes as Alec cupped her jaw and brought her lips to his.

Thump.

"You have to. I need you alive. Aro's corrupt. He doesn't know how to make decisions any more. I'll send you word when it's safe. Just please, go."

Nessie felt a tugging on her arm and looked from the hole in the wall to see Jacob as the contingent that was tugging her. In the distance, she saw the rest of her family speeding through the courtyard and down the hill that the Volturi castle sat upon, looking harder, she saw that three black cars were parked at the road that rested at the bottom of the hill. Everything was in place for their escape.

"Ness! Come on!" Jacob's rough voice cut through, "We have to go now!"

Tears sudden broke free of their barrier and poured down Nessie's cheeks.

"No!" She hastily whispered, "I want to stay with you Alec."

Alec sighed and shook his head, his hands clasping one of Nessie's in his own. He didn't want her to die. And that would surely be the outcome if she stayed.

"Go," He whispered as confidently as he could, but to each one's surprise, his voice cracked as he spoke the next words, "I can't loose you. Go."

Nessie sobbed, "If I go, I'll loose you. You can't deny that fact."

A laugh of sorts pierced its way through Alec's throat; it wasn't a hearty laugh of joy, but more of a mirthless laugh.

"Ness, I'm not going to lie to you. After tonight, you could never hear from me ever again. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try. It's too dangerous for you to stay. I'd rather die than you."

"They're going to kill you."

Alec rested his forehead on Nessie's, "Please, and listen to me. For once in your stubborn life, listen to me. Go."

Nessie tried to silence herself, but another hearty sob shredded through her throat.

"It's going to be a bloodbath, they're going to kill you."

Alec's voice suddenly sounded like it was crying, though there were a lack of tears, he cleared his throat, "I know."

"You can't die."

"I'm hundreds of years old, my life has been long enough."

Nessie cried out, "No! I need you in mine!"

Alec let out a slight amused laugh; "You're not going to have one if you stay here any longer."

"Alec, please!"

"Nessie, go."

"I can't!"

Alec sighed and scooted closer, a feeling eating away at him. He knew for a fact that since the Cullens had outed him once before, Aro had become obsessed with taking them down. In private, Aro had trained Renata to develop her powers and she could cover not just Aro, but the whole castle. This fight it seemed wouldn't rely on powers but brute strength itself. It was a very, very, very good chance he wouldn't live to see another day. He wouldn't see Ness every again.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen, I love you. Now go!"

Just at that moment, a large screech was heard and Alec distinctly recognised the pitch to belong to Santiago. The bloodbath had started.

Jacob swore and pulled Nessie harder, "We have to go! Ness! Come on!"

Nessie sobbed and pushed her lips on Alec's. For a minute he was shocked, but then he greedily took her and kissed her with more passion than he'd ever exerted before. His lips were demanding on hers and ice hot. Nessie whimpered as he finally pulled back. She gazed at him, flinching as another screech was heard.

"I love you too."

Alec shot Jacob a look and a tear could be heard as Jacob shifted into the large russet wolf he was. His fur bristled and his basketball sized eyes glanced nervously from side to side. Alec gently pushed Ness out of the hole and into the night air. He followed a moment after and helped hoist Ness onto the large wolf's back. With a sigh, he walked to Jacob's face and reached out to touch him but was met with a snap of teeth. Alec pulled his hand back in the nick of time but then smiled ruefully.

"Alright fine."

Jacob growled in return.

Alec shook his head but then his expression turned solemn. If things didn't go right tonight, which there was a big chance it wouldn't, then Aro would most definitely come after the Cullens.

"Jacob, I need," Alec's voice unexpectedly cut off as the weight of loss overtook him and for a moment he had to clear his throat, "ahem, I need you to take care of her. Please. You can go on hating me forever. I understand that all too well, but please, for both our sakes, take care of her. Take care of her like you've never taken care of anything before."

Jacob whined as Nessie began to shake on top of him, the tears over took her, but after a moment she sucked in a deep breath and gazed at the two. Alec smiled fondly at her for what would seem to be the last time. Then, after a moment's deliberation, Alec took a breath and stared hard at Jacob.

"Jacob, I also want to say..." He gulped, a little embarrassed, "You are the most exquisite wolf shape shifter I've ever had the privilege to know. Yeah, anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm proud to have known you. Take care of her."

Then, to everyone's surprise, Jacob leaned down slightly and licked his rough tongue on Alec's cheek. Nessie smiled to herself as she saw the significance in that simple act. Gone was the animosity between them. Now, in place, there was some sort of bond. Some sort of agreement, a mutual feeling. She felt proud of them. Alec too felt the implications of that gesture and nodded his head.

"I still loathe you mutt."

Jacob let out a cough that resembled a laugh and Alec even cracked a grin.

Looking up, his crimson eyes once again locked with chocolate orbs, "Ness... good-"

"No, don't say that." Ness cut him off.

"Ness, this may be the last time we'll ever-"

Once again, Ness interrupted, but this time, her voice was strained and cracked, her eyes were suddenly misty and her grip on Jacob tightened, "NO. Don't say that! This isn't going to be the last time. There isn't going to be a last time. You're going to make it through. We'll see each other again. Right Alec? Tell me we'll see each other again. Don't say goodbye. Tell me that there's no need. Tell me we'll see each other again."

Alec couldn't find words. Instead, he took a step back and shook his head slowly, touching Jake briefly, signalling him. Nessie glared at him with wide, shocked eyes. Her jaw trembled and she started to mumble 'no' over and over again. Tears had broken free of their fleshy dam again and were streaming down her cheeks. With that, the giant wolf turned, Nessie hanging onto his fur and they hastily exited the courtyard, Jacob quickly taking her down the hill as fast as his legs would let him. Alec stared after them and sighed, turning back the castle, walking, elegant as ever, to his destruction. His cloak billowed out behind him, his shoes clipping the gravel and his face set into an emotionless mask.