div id="content_wrapper" class="xcontrast " style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;"
div id="content_wrapper_inner" style="max-height: 999999px; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: #d4d4d4; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d4d4d4; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em;"
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"
p style="max-height: 999999px;"strongI'm sorry that this took so long to update! I have to alternate between writing this story and by other story. As you may have noticed, I have changed my penname from Liza Cullen-Black to Juliebean. Other than that, thank you for reading and commenting and favoriting and I will try to update sooner!/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; text-align: center;"strongChapter Three: How Much Longer?/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; text-align: center;"emSam/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I felt like a zombie the next morning. By the time I got home from the Cullen's place and got to sleep it was 2 am and I had to wake up for a morning patrol. Emily was still sound asleep so I was careful not to wake her when I got out of bed and ran outside to do my patrol. I half-heartedly jogged through the forest in my wolf form, but sleep deprivation was preventing me from thinking straight and concentrating on my patrol was proving difficult. Still, I kept running./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emHey, Sam. How are you holding up? /emQuil thought as he phased into his wolf form./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emOh hey, Quil. I thought your patrol wasn't until later,/em I thought back./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emYeah, but I thought I'd lend a hand. I'm extremely sorry about last night./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emThanks, Quil. I really need to figure out what to do now, since I have to wait for that damn invitation…/emFor a second rage took over my mind, and I could sense it scaring Quil as much as it scared me. emSorry, man. I'm just really shaken up by all of this. I think I'll phase back now./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emGood luck Sam./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"When I arrived at my house, Emily was quietly sipping a cup of coffee at the kitchen table like any other morning. But the look on her face showed that this morning was far from normal. Olivia's absence was killing us both slowly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Good morning, Em. Did you sleep well?" I asked her, placing a kiss on her forehead./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I've had better nights," she said weakly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm so sorry, Em. I don't know how this happened. I should have picked her up last night instead of letting her walk home from Jared and Kim's. It was careless of me. And now we have to wait a week to bring her back and I can't stand to watch you fall apart every second that she's gone…" I sobbed. Emily and I had been together many years, but she had never seen me like this. Somehow, I was the one breaking down now and she was the one comforting me. Her one hand rubbed circles on my back and the other wiped tears from my face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Shh, Sam. Don't cry. I don't blame you at all. It was the Volturi. As much worry as I have, I have enough faith to know that you emwill /emfind her and bring her back," She said in the most soothing voice as I continued to cry. A few tears started to trickle down her face, but soon enough we were both able to stop./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""This is why I need you so much, Em. Only you can comfort me at a time like this," I told her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""And I need you. More than you may even know. Please be careful in Italy, Love. As much as I don't want you to go, I need you to. It is excruciating to wait, but I know in my heart that our patience will pay off in the end."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""When did you get so wise?" I asked, pulling her onto my lap./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""We need to make some sense out of this situation and I guess that's just how I do it. Or maybe Billy just rubbed off on me," she replied, nuzzling into my chest. Even as I wrapped my arms around her, with the feeling of pure affection between us, there was still the piece missing. They say that there is no greater pain than the pain of a parent loosing a child, and Em and I could both feel that it was true. But at least there was a light at the end of the tunnel; Olivia was still living, she was just being held captive./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"For the rest of the day I did everything I could to help Emily around the house. I even assisted with making lunch, which resulted in a few short-lived laughs, but there was a cold silence after each one. Lunch was the quietest lunch I had ever sat through, and when we were finished, there was nothing left for us to do to distract us from the pain. Instead we just sat on the couch and held eachother while we cried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I don't know how much time had passed, but at some point, the phone rang and I couldn't help but be a little hopeful that it was Carlisle or Edward calling to tell me that the letter had arrived early. Of course, that was completely improbable, but I held on to that little shred of hope. Emily pulled away from me so I could stand up to answer the phone./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hi, Sam. It's Rachel."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Oh, hey Rach," I replied, slightly disappointed. "How are you?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm doing alright. I'm just calling to invite you and Emily over for dinner tonight."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That is really nice of you Rachel. We would love to come. This will definitely make our lives easier right now."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Alright, so I'll see you over here at six."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Thank you so much for the invitation, Rachel. Normally, I wouldn't want you to go so out of your way like this, but I'm in no state to argue."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No problem, Sam. Good luck with everything," she said with sincerity./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""See you later." I hung up and turned to Emily. "That was Rachel and she just invited us over for dinner in…" I glanced at the clock. "A half an hour."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That was sweet of her," she replied, walking over to me and wrapping her arms around my neck. "I should probably change out of pajamas then." I hadn't even noticed that she was still wearing them. She stood on her toes to kiss my cheek, and retreated to the bedroom to change. In the usual female fashion, she took much longer than necessary to get dressed. Emily emerged from the bedroom nearly ten minutes later in one of her nicer tank tops and a pair of shorts./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""If you're going to look that beautiful then I guess I can wait ten minutes for you to get ready," I said. She rolled her eyes at me, but she was still smiling with pleasure./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I feel like I should bring something to Rachel's," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Don't worry about it, Em. Besides, we don't have enough time to make anything." She couldn't argue with that. Since we lived so close to them, we decided to walk to Rachel and Paul's house to get some fresh air. At six, practically on the dot, we rang the doorbell and were greeted by Rachel with her five-year-old Mackenzie clinging to her mother's legs./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hi guys! Come on in," Rachel said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Thank you so much for inviting us over," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""It was not a problem."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Aunt Emy, where is Livie?" Mackenzie asked. I glanced at Emily to gage her reaction. Paul stood up from his seat on the couch and began to answer the question, but Emily interrupted./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Olivia is on, um, vacation right now. But we're going to bring her back soon."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Oh. Okay." Mackenzie seemed satisfied with that answer. She then ran out of the room, probably to join her older brother in the playroom./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Sorry about that," Paul apologized./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""It's fine. She didn't know any better," I said. We stood there in a tense silence for a moment. No one knew how to react. But Emily broke the silence by offering to help Rachel set the table. Internally, I sighed with relief that she wasn't too shaken./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Look, Sam. I know I'm not the first person you would turn to, but if you need me to help you with anything or you need to take someone to Italy with you, I'm willing to do it," Paul said when our wives had left the room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I really appreciate that, Paul. But I can't risk taking any of the pack to Italy, especially you. Your quick temper could probably get us in more trouble," I replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I've been working on that and I think I can control myself Sam. We can't stand to see you and Emily so broken."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""My decision is final, Paul. I'm sorry." That closed the subject. Rachel called out that dinner was ready and Paul turned to the playroom to get the kids to the table. The kids came bouncing into the dining room asking whether we were having chicken fingers for dinner./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No, but we're having tacos," Rachel said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love tacos!" Justin said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Me too!" Mackenzie added, following her older brother. The tacos were delicious and it was nice not to have to sit in silence again like we did at lunch. Justin was telling me about the Lego set he was building and Mackenzie, always the chatterbox, was talking about dress-up or some other girly activity. It was nice to have a distraction even though I was reminded of Olivia's absence by almost everything. After dinner, we stuck around for a little while to chat with Rachel and Paul and play with the kids./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""It's getting late. We should probably get going," I said. Emily nodded in agreement./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yeah, and it's about time for Kenzie and Justin's b-a-t-h-s," Rachel replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I can spell, mama. You just spelled baths," Justin declared proudly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Good job, Justin! I did spell baths," Rachel praised with a bit of chagrin./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No!" Mackenzie whined./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I feel a tantrum coming on," Paul said, picking Mackenzie up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Thank you again for the delicious meal," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Anytime," Rachel replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Say goodbye to Uncle Sam and Aunt Emy," Paul instructed his children. We left to a chorus of "goodbyes" and went home to another restless night's sleep./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"The rest of the week proceeded similarly, though I did manage to run more patrols. Every night, someone else invited us over for dinner and we were too miserable to turn down the invitations. The feelings of pain and loss grew each day, and sometimes I would find myself so angry that my vision would turn red and I would shake and almost burst with anger. All I wanted to do was rip the Volturi to shreds and burn the pieces so I could bring Olivia home, but violence would solve nothing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"On the sixth night after she was taken, Billy was the one who invited us for dinner. This time, Emily had the strength to cook dinner for us so Billy wouldn't have to work as hard. I was actually looking forward to dine with him. Billy had a tendency to give good advice. In the early evening, we went over to his tiny house and sat in his living room to eat the chicken that Emily had prepared./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""The Cullen's said that you would be able to leave tomorrow, correct?" Billy asked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes sir," I replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""What are the plans then?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""As soon as they get the letter, or Alice sees the letter coming, Edward, Bella, Carlisle, and Alice are going to come with me to Italy. And then I don't know. They will probably make it hard, but I'll try just about anything to get her back."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""You're not taking anyone from the pack then."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No. It's probably safer that way for them. The Volturi won't be able to control us if I'm the only one there."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That is a smart idea. But Sam, you must proceed cautiously. I have no idea what they might try, but you need to find a quick way out with Olivia. You should comply with their requests, but make sure they are telling the truth first. Luckily, Edward will be coming with you to help you detect their lies. Make sure that you make the best and safest decision for you, Olivia, and the Cullens." I mulled that over for a minute./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"It was clear that the conversation was over, and we started to talk about normal things like the next bonfire and football while we finished eating. Emily held my hand under the table, squeezing it now and then. Even though it was still pretty early, we told Billy that we had to go, after all, I was flying to Italy tomorrow and I needed a good night sleep. When we were back home, Emily and I curled up in our bed, just cuddling./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No more waiting to go get her after tomorrow," I said, stroking her hair./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""But I'll still have to wait for you to come back," Emily replied. "Take Billy's advice, Sam. You need to protect yourself and protect Olivia. I won't loose you." She said the last sentence fervently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'll do my best," I promised./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Now get some sleep, love. You need to have as much energy as possible for tomorrow." We kissed. There was not as much passion behind it as there usually was, mostly just urgency./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love you so much," I whispered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love you, too," Emily murmured. I closed my eyes and fell asleep with my body curled around hers./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"As soon as I woke up, I began packing. It was incredibly early and I was groggy, but I found and old duffle bag at the back of our closet and started stuffing clothes in it. I really couldn't think of what else I might need so I just started grabbing random things. Toothpaste, a toothbrush, deodorant, and my wallet went in next and the only thing left to bring was my phone./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"When I came back into the bedroom, Emily stirred in bed and opened her gorgeous black eyes and looked at me for a moment. I ran to her side and held her hand in mine. This could be the last time I saw her, so I studied her intently to get the last look at my imprint. Even the scars across her face, though still painful for me, looked so beautiful on her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Did they call yet?" she asked me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No, not yet, love. I'm just packing."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Just that little duffle? Are you sure that's enough?" She sat up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I don't need that much stuff."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Let me get dressed, and then I'll make you breakfast," she promised as she stood up. Before she could go anywhere, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed my lips to hers. Kissing Emily was pure bliss, and the longer we kissed, the more I realized how careful I had to be in Italy so I could return home to this. "Enough distractions. You need to be ready," she said when she pulled away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I walked down the stairs and waited for Emily at the dining room table. When I got back, there would be no empty space where Olivia should be. If I got back at all. Emily didn't take too long to get ready, and soon she took her normal place in the kitchen. The smell wafting through the house was amazing. She put a plate of pancakes and a glass of orange juice in front of me a few minutes later, and I marveled at how mouthwatering the buttery pancake was./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No wonder you have my heart, Emily. You could seduce anybody with these pancakes," I remarked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Oh, Sam," she said, tears starting to stream down her face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Please don't cry, Em. I'll be back. I promise." Tears were starting to pool in my eyes, but I tried to hold them back for her sake./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm sorry. It's just that I'll miss you very much."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Don't apologize, baby. It's alright." I took her hand in my and kept holding it until we were finished. I helped her clear the table afterwards and I nearly dropped the plate in my hands when I heard the phone ring./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello?" I answered after the first ring./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello, Sam. It's Edward. The letter came this morning, so we are ready to leave as soon as you are." I sighed with relief./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Good. So will I see you here or will I come to your house?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""We will be coming to pick you up there. I will also bring the letter because you might want to read it."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Alright, that sounds like a good plan. Thank you so much for doing this, Edward."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""The Volturi have gone too far in taking your daughter. We're on your side, Sam. I will see you in about 15 minutes." He hung up without waiting for a response./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That was them wasn't it," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes." In 15 minutes, there was a knock at the door and I opened it to reveal Carlisle./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello, Sam. Are you ready to go?" he asked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes, but I just need to take care of one more thing." I turned and hugged Emily tightly and kissed her like it was the last kiss we would ever share, and for all I knew, it could have been./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm going to rescue our daughter no matter what," I whispered in her ear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love you. Be careful," she whispered back./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""And I love you." With that, I grabbed my duffle, walked out the door, and climbed in to the back seat of Carlisle's Mercedes. As the engine revved, I blew a kiss to Emily and mouthed once again "I love you". When I looked back, she was standing on the front steps, waving as tears streamed down her face./p
/div
/div
/div
div id="content_wrapper_inner" style="max-height: 999999px; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: #d4d4d4; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d4d4d4; outline: 0px; padding: 0.5em;"
div style="max-height: 999999px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"
p style="max-height: 999999px;"strongI'm sorry that this took so long to update! I have to alternate between writing this story and by other story. As you may have noticed, I have changed my penname from Liza Cullen-Black to Juliebean. Other than that, thank you for reading and commenting and favoriting and I will try to update sooner!/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; text-align: center;"strongChapter Three: How Much Longer?/strong/p
p style="max-height: 999999px; text-align: center;"emSam/em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I felt like a zombie the next morning. By the time I got home from the Cullen's place and got to sleep it was 2 am and I had to wake up for a morning patrol. Emily was still sound asleep so I was careful not to wake her when I got out of bed and ran outside to do my patrol. I half-heartedly jogged through the forest in my wolf form, but sleep deprivation was preventing me from thinking straight and concentrating on my patrol was proving difficult. Still, I kept running./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emHey, Sam. How are you holding up? /emQuil thought as he phased into his wolf form./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emOh hey, Quil. I thought your patrol wasn't until later,/em I thought back./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emYeah, but I thought I'd lend a hand. I'm extremely sorry about last night./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emThanks, Quil. I really need to figure out what to do now, since I have to wait for that damn invitation…/emFor a second rage took over my mind, and I could sense it scaring Quil as much as it scared me. emSorry, man. I'm just really shaken up by all of this. I think I'll phase back now./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"emGood luck Sam./em/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"When I arrived at my house, Emily was quietly sipping a cup of coffee at the kitchen table like any other morning. But the look on her face showed that this morning was far from normal. Olivia's absence was killing us both slowly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Good morning, Em. Did you sleep well?" I asked her, placing a kiss on her forehead./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I've had better nights," she said weakly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm so sorry, Em. I don't know how this happened. I should have picked her up last night instead of letting her walk home from Jared and Kim's. It was careless of me. And now we have to wait a week to bring her back and I can't stand to watch you fall apart every second that she's gone…" I sobbed. Emily and I had been together many years, but she had never seen me like this. Somehow, I was the one breaking down now and she was the one comforting me. Her one hand rubbed circles on my back and the other wiped tears from my face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Shh, Sam. Don't cry. I don't blame you at all. It was the Volturi. As much worry as I have, I have enough faith to know that you emwill /emfind her and bring her back," She said in the most soothing voice as I continued to cry. A few tears started to trickle down her face, but soon enough we were both able to stop./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""This is why I need you so much, Em. Only you can comfort me at a time like this," I told her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""And I need you. More than you may even know. Please be careful in Italy, Love. As much as I don't want you to go, I need you to. It is excruciating to wait, but I know in my heart that our patience will pay off in the end."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""When did you get so wise?" I asked, pulling her onto my lap./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""We need to make some sense out of this situation and I guess that's just how I do it. Or maybe Billy just rubbed off on me," she replied, nuzzling into my chest. Even as I wrapped my arms around her, with the feeling of pure affection between us, there was still the piece missing. They say that there is no greater pain than the pain of a parent loosing a child, and Em and I could both feel that it was true. But at least there was a light at the end of the tunnel; Olivia was still living, she was just being held captive./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"For the rest of the day I did everything I could to help Emily around the house. I even assisted with making lunch, which resulted in a few short-lived laughs, but there was a cold silence after each one. Lunch was the quietest lunch I had ever sat through, and when we were finished, there was nothing left for us to do to distract us from the pain. Instead we just sat on the couch and held eachother while we cried./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I don't know how much time had passed, but at some point, the phone rang and I couldn't help but be a little hopeful that it was Carlisle or Edward calling to tell me that the letter had arrived early. Of course, that was completely improbable, but I held on to that little shred of hope. Emily pulled away from me so I could stand up to answer the phone./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hi, Sam. It's Rachel."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Oh, hey Rach," I replied, slightly disappointed. "How are you?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm doing alright. I'm just calling to invite you and Emily over for dinner tonight."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That is really nice of you Rachel. We would love to come. This will definitely make our lives easier right now."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Alright, so I'll see you over here at six."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Thank you so much for the invitation, Rachel. Normally, I wouldn't want you to go so out of your way like this, but I'm in no state to argue."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No problem, Sam. Good luck with everything," she said with sincerity./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""See you later." I hung up and turned to Emily. "That was Rachel and she just invited us over for dinner in…" I glanced at the clock. "A half an hour."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That was sweet of her," she replied, walking over to me and wrapping her arms around my neck. "I should probably change out of pajamas then." I hadn't even noticed that she was still wearing them. She stood on her toes to kiss my cheek, and retreated to the bedroom to change. In the usual female fashion, she took much longer than necessary to get dressed. Emily emerged from the bedroom nearly ten minutes later in one of her nicer tank tops and a pair of shorts./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""If you're going to look that beautiful then I guess I can wait ten minutes for you to get ready," I said. She rolled her eyes at me, but she was still smiling with pleasure./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I feel like I should bring something to Rachel's," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Don't worry about it, Em. Besides, we don't have enough time to make anything." She couldn't argue with that. Since we lived so close to them, we decided to walk to Rachel and Paul's house to get some fresh air. At six, practically on the dot, we rang the doorbell and were greeted by Rachel with her five-year-old Mackenzie clinging to her mother's legs./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hi guys! Come on in," Rachel said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Thank you so much for inviting us over," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""It was not a problem."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Aunt Emy, where is Livie?" Mackenzie asked. I glanced at Emily to gage her reaction. Paul stood up from his seat on the couch and began to answer the question, but Emily interrupted./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Olivia is on, um, vacation right now. But we're going to bring her back soon."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Oh. Okay." Mackenzie seemed satisfied with that answer. She then ran out of the room, probably to join her older brother in the playroom./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Sorry about that," Paul apologized./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""It's fine. She didn't know any better," I said. We stood there in a tense silence for a moment. No one knew how to react. But Emily broke the silence by offering to help Rachel set the table. Internally, I sighed with relief that she wasn't too shaken./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Look, Sam. I know I'm not the first person you would turn to, but if you need me to help you with anything or you need to take someone to Italy with you, I'm willing to do it," Paul said when our wives had left the room./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I really appreciate that, Paul. But I can't risk taking any of the pack to Italy, especially you. Your quick temper could probably get us in more trouble," I replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I've been working on that and I think I can control myself Sam. We can't stand to see you and Emily so broken."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""My decision is final, Paul. I'm sorry." That closed the subject. Rachel called out that dinner was ready and Paul turned to the playroom to get the kids to the table. The kids came bouncing into the dining room asking whether we were having chicken fingers for dinner./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No, but we're having tacos," Rachel said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love tacos!" Justin said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Me too!" Mackenzie added, following her older brother. The tacos were delicious and it was nice not to have to sit in silence again like we did at lunch. Justin was telling me about the Lego set he was building and Mackenzie, always the chatterbox, was talking about dress-up or some other girly activity. It was nice to have a distraction even though I was reminded of Olivia's absence by almost everything. After dinner, we stuck around for a little while to chat with Rachel and Paul and play with the kids./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""It's getting late. We should probably get going," I said. Emily nodded in agreement./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yeah, and it's about time for Kenzie and Justin's b-a-t-h-s," Rachel replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I can spell, mama. You just spelled baths," Justin declared proudly./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Good job, Justin! I did spell baths," Rachel praised with a bit of chagrin./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No!" Mackenzie whined./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I feel a tantrum coming on," Paul said, picking Mackenzie up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Thank you again for the delicious meal," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Anytime," Rachel replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Say goodbye to Uncle Sam and Aunt Emy," Paul instructed his children. We left to a chorus of "goodbyes" and went home to another restless night's sleep./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"The rest of the week proceeded similarly, though I did manage to run more patrols. Every night, someone else invited us over for dinner and we were too miserable to turn down the invitations. The feelings of pain and loss grew each day, and sometimes I would find myself so angry that my vision would turn red and I would shake and almost burst with anger. All I wanted to do was rip the Volturi to shreds and burn the pieces so I could bring Olivia home, but violence would solve nothing./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"On the sixth night after she was taken, Billy was the one who invited us for dinner. This time, Emily had the strength to cook dinner for us so Billy wouldn't have to work as hard. I was actually looking forward to dine with him. Billy had a tendency to give good advice. In the early evening, we went over to his tiny house and sat in his living room to eat the chicken that Emily had prepared./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""The Cullen's said that you would be able to leave tomorrow, correct?" Billy asked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes sir," I replied./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""What are the plans then?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""As soon as they get the letter, or Alice sees the letter coming, Edward, Bella, Carlisle, and Alice are going to come with me to Italy. And then I don't know. They will probably make it hard, but I'll try just about anything to get her back."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""You're not taking anyone from the pack then."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No. It's probably safer that way for them. The Volturi won't be able to control us if I'm the only one there."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That is a smart idea. But Sam, you must proceed cautiously. I have no idea what they might try, but you need to find a quick way out with Olivia. You should comply with their requests, but make sure they are telling the truth first. Luckily, Edward will be coming with you to help you detect their lies. Make sure that you make the best and safest decision for you, Olivia, and the Cullens." I mulled that over for a minute./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"It was clear that the conversation was over, and we started to talk about normal things like the next bonfire and football while we finished eating. Emily held my hand under the table, squeezing it now and then. Even though it was still pretty early, we told Billy that we had to go, after all, I was flying to Italy tomorrow and I needed a good night sleep. When we were back home, Emily and I curled up in our bed, just cuddling./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No more waiting to go get her after tomorrow," I said, stroking her hair./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""But I'll still have to wait for you to come back," Emily replied. "Take Billy's advice, Sam. You need to protect yourself and protect Olivia. I won't loose you." She said the last sentence fervently./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'll do my best," I promised./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Now get some sleep, love. You need to have as much energy as possible for tomorrow." We kissed. There was not as much passion behind it as there usually was, mostly just urgency./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love you so much," I whispered./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love you, too," Emily murmured. I closed my eyes and fell asleep with my body curled around hers./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"As soon as I woke up, I began packing. It was incredibly early and I was groggy, but I found and old duffle bag at the back of our closet and started stuffing clothes in it. I really couldn't think of what else I might need so I just started grabbing random things. Toothpaste, a toothbrush, deodorant, and my wallet went in next and the only thing left to bring was my phone./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"When I came back into the bedroom, Emily stirred in bed and opened her gorgeous black eyes and looked at me for a moment. I ran to her side and held her hand in mine. This could be the last time I saw her, so I studied her intently to get the last look at my imprint. Even the scars across her face, though still painful for me, looked so beautiful on her./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Did they call yet?" she asked me./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No, not yet, love. I'm just packing."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Just that little duffle? Are you sure that's enough?" She sat up./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I don't need that much stuff."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Let me get dressed, and then I'll make you breakfast," she promised as she stood up. Before she could go anywhere, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed my lips to hers. Kissing Emily was pure bliss, and the longer we kissed, the more I realized how careful I had to be in Italy so I could return home to this. "Enough distractions. You need to be ready," she said when she pulled away./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;"I walked down the stairs and waited for Emily at the dining room table. When I got back, there would be no empty space where Olivia should be. If I got back at all. Emily didn't take too long to get ready, and soon she took her normal place in the kitchen. The smell wafting through the house was amazing. She put a plate of pancakes and a glass of orange juice in front of me a few minutes later, and I marveled at how mouthwatering the buttery pancake was./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""No wonder you have my heart, Emily. You could seduce anybody with these pancakes," I remarked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Oh, Sam," she said, tears starting to stream down her face./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Please don't cry, Em. I'll be back. I promise." Tears were starting to pool in my eyes, but I tried to hold them back for her sake./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm sorry. It's just that I'll miss you very much."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Don't apologize, baby. It's alright." I took her hand in my and kept holding it until we were finished. I helped her clear the table afterwards and I nearly dropped the plate in my hands when I heard the phone ring./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello?" I answered after the first ring./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello, Sam. It's Edward. The letter came this morning, so we are ready to leave as soon as you are." I sighed with relief./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Good. So will I see you here or will I come to your house?"/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""We will be coming to pick you up there. I will also bring the letter because you might want to read it."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Alright, that sounds like a good plan. Thank you so much for doing this, Edward."/p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""The Volturi have gone too far in taking your daughter. We're on your side, Sam. I will see you in about 15 minutes." He hung up without waiting for a response./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""That was them wasn't it," Emily said./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes." In 15 minutes, there was a knock at the door and I opened it to reveal Carlisle./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Hello, Sam. Are you ready to go?" he asked./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""Yes, but I just need to take care of one more thing." I turned and hugged Emily tightly and kissed her like it was the last kiss we would ever share, and for all I knew, it could have been./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I'm going to rescue our daughter no matter what," I whispered in her ear./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""I love you. Be careful," she whispered back./p
p style="max-height: 999999px;""And I love you." With that, I grabbed my duffle, walked out the door, and climbed in to the back seat of Carlisle's Mercedes. As the engine revved, I blew a kiss to Emily and mouthed once again "I love you". When I looked back, she was standing on the front steps, waving as tears streamed down her face./p
/div
/div
/div