I recovered myself and held out my hand for the phone. Jacob ignored me.

"He's not here," Jacob said, and the words were menacing.

There was some very short reply, a request for more information it seemed, because he added unwillingly, "He's at the funeral."

Then Jacob hung up the phone. "Filthy bloodsucker," he muttered under his breath. The face he turned back to me was the bitter mask again.

"Who did you just hang up on?" I gasped, infuriated. "In my house, and on my phone?"

"Easy! He hung up on me!"

"He?" Emmett asked. "Who was calling then?"

But Edward, Alice and Carlisle were all frozen.

"What?" Emmett asked again.

"You think it was you?" Jasper asked Edward, looking alarmed.

"I thought she killed herself," Alice groaned. "I saw it!"

"But you wouldn't have told Edward," Esme assured her.

"No," Alice said. "But if he thinks she has died..."

"I'll go to the Volturi," Edward finished.

Everyone froze at that proclamation.

"He? Who was it?"

He sneered the title. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen."

"Maybe..." Esme began hopefully.

"I wouldn't use my own name," Edward reminded her and her face fell.

"Why didn't you let me talk to him?"

"He didn't ask for you," Jacob said coldly. His face was smooth, expressionless, but his hands shook. "He asked where Charlie was and I told him. I don't think I broke any rules of etiquette."

"Why would you ask for Charlie?" Emmett asked. "Why would you even call at all?"

"To make sure," Edward said, emotionless. "Just my luck that someone else would have died..."

"You listen to me, Jacob Black –"

But he obviously wasn't listening. He looked quickly over his shoulder, as if someone had called his name from the other room. His eyes went wide and his body stiff, then he started trembling. I listened too, automatically, but heard nothing.

"I'm there," Alice said. "You really did call...you're going to get yourself killed..." she hissed the last part.

"Bye, Bells," he spit out, and wheeled toward the front door.

I ran after him. "What is it?"

And then I ran into him, as he rocked back on his heels, cussing under his breath. He spun around again, knocking me sideways. I bobbled and fell to the floor, my legs tangled with his.

"Shoot, ow!" I protested as he hurriedly jerked his legs free one at a time.

I struggled to pull myself up as he darted for the back door; he suddenly froze again.

Alice stood motionless at the foot of the stairs.

"I must have questions for him," Alice muttered.

"Bella," she choked.

Esme leaned into Carlisle's chest, sobbing at that.

I scrambled to my feet and lurched to her side. Her eyes were dazed and far away, her face drawn and whiter than bone. Her slim body trembled to an inner turmoil.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I cried. I put my hands on her face, trying to calm her.

Her eyes focused on mine abruptly, wide with pain.

"Edward," was all she whispered.

Alice paused, she had known this was coming and she didn't need a vision to see this one, but it was still unbearably painful to get it confirmed like that.

My body reacted faster than my mind was able to catch up with the implications of her reply.

I didn't at first understand why the room was spinning or where the hollow roar in my ears was coming from. My mind labored, unable to make sense of Alice's bleak face and how it could possibly relate to Edward, while my body was already swaying, seeking the relief of unconsciousness before the reality could hit me.

The stairway tilted at the oddest angle.

Jacob's furious voice was suddenly in my ear, hissing out a stream of profanities. I felt a vague disapproval. His new friends were clearly a bad influence.

I was on the couch without understanding how I got there, and Jacob was still swearing. It felt like there was an earthquake – the couch was shaking under me.

"Relax!" Edward hissed. "Alice let him leave...he can't control himself."

"What did you do to her?" he demanded.

Alice ignored him. "Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry."

"Stay back," Jacob warned.

"Calm down, Jacob Black," Alice ordered. "You don't want to do that so close to her."

"Don't provoke him!" Edward hissed.

"I'm reminding him!" Alice hissed back.

"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus," he retorted, but his voice sounded a little cooler.

"See," Alice said.

"Alice?" My voice was weak. "What happened?" I asked, even though I didn't want to hear.

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