Despite Alice’s conviction that the Volturi were not angling for a fight, everybody seemed tense. A deep depression had settled over the airy Alaskan house, and for once Jasper was doing nothing to dispel it. The tension was unbearably tight and I had to escape outside. I stood out in the back garden, watching delicate snow flakes flutter down and join the blanket of white beneath my feet. But before long I was disturbed by that odd feeling again. “Edward, you’re in my head again aren’t you?” He chuckled softly and rested his hands on my shoulders. “Sorry,” he apologised genuinely, “I forget that you can feel it. You’re the first. I wonder why that is…Carlisle thinks it may have something to do with your gift, if you have one.”

I was too edgy for small talk and couldn’t bring myself to reply, so Edward moved around me and peered down into my face. “Come inside,” he requested softly. I shook my head morosely. “I…feel too guilty when I see everyone looking like that. They’re all so anxious and it’s my fault.” Edward’s fingers constricted momentarily before he let his hands drop to his sides. “I would insist that it isn’t your fault if I thought you would ever believe me. You’re too stubborn, though. Either way, you ought to come inside. You’ve been out here for three hours, so we only have two hours and Esme wants us all to be together.” I made no move to walk inside but I also didn’t argue, so Edward took my hand and led me inside, entwining our fingers carefully.

Nobody looked up when we re-entered the house. They were all in pairs; Esme and Carlisle; Rosalie and Emmett; Alice and Jasper. Each couple sat silently, holding hands, gazing into each others’ eyes. The silence was crushing. Edward was listening to my thoughts as usual and draped one arm over my shoulders, but even human contact could not soothe me anymore. The vampires would descend in two hours.

Every Cullen stayed silent for an hour. I never tired of standing; it was just as comfortable as if I were sitting. It was Alice’s lilting voice that finally broke the quiet when she said, “We should go now.” I wondered where we were going, but before I could voice the question Edward was already answering me. “Alice saw us meeting the Volturi in one of the fields leading away from our back garden. We wouldn’t want them to come to our home; that memory would ruin the loveliness of this place. And the further from town, the better.” I simply blinked in response, and then everyone seemed to move at once. Carlisle held the door for us all to leave for and then Alice led the way, her delicate legs forging a path through the copious snow.

Alice took us to a particular field purposefully and then we stopped to wait. An eerie silence was pressing down on us despite the breeze rustling through the surrounding trees. It had finally stopped snowing, but there was still a thick layer of white everywhere I looked. We all stood in a tight huddle centred around Alice. “Five minutes,” she said, and I crossed my arms uncomfortably. Esme reached up to kiss Carlisle, and before long they were all embracing each other tenderly. “Love you, baby,” Emmett said to Rosalie, squeezing her fingers as she replied, “I know.” She smiled, showing all of her perfect teeth, before returning his affections. Jasper and Alice simply looked at each other lingeringly, until Alice said, “Two minutes.”