Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the wonderful world of Twilight; I own a small green parrot. Well, actually it feels more like the parrot owns me (he's bossy).

A/N: Again, my thanks go out to all who have read and reviewed this story. Your comments mean a lot to me!


Chapter 7: Democracy Has Its Flaws

I could see there was really no point in arguing with her. Short of keeping her prisoner in my arms (which I could not do forever, despite what I might have wished), I wasn't going to stop her. She was set on this lunacy, and I supposed we might as well get it over with sooner rather than later. I was fairly certain that she would have some of them, at least, on her side—Alice, for one, and probably Esme. Emmett, maybe. I wasn't sure about Jasper...and I had to hope that Carlisle would stick to his principles and refuse to take away a perfectly healthy human life. At least I could count on Rosalie to vote no...at least, I thought so. Her brand of logic didn't always make the most sense to me...

But it really didn't matter how. they 'voted'; I wasn't going to allow this, either way. I swept her up into my arms and leapt from the window, carefully absorbing the impact as I landed so as not to jostle her.

"All right then," I said, making no attempt to hide my disapproval. "Up you go." I slung her up onto my back and took off running.

This was yet another thing in which I had lost all enjoyment without her. In my life before I'd met Bella, running had been one of the few things I'd taken true pleasure in—a temporary escape from the monotony of my endless existence. It had not been the same after I'd left her behind. Running had ceased to be any pleasure at all, for there had been no escape from the constant torture, all avenues cut off from me except for the pain.

But now that she was here again, clinging to my back like always, it felt good to have the wind in my hair, to feel the forest rush by us, to feel the exhilaration of the speed... Along with that exhilaration came an odd sense of peace—it was almost as though I'd never been gone at all. She kept her arms locked around my neck, and her chin rested on my shoulder, the heavenly warmth of her cheek touching my neck.

We'd covered most of the distance between her house and mine when I felt her turn her face toward my neck and plant a soft kiss there. My eyes closed for a moment as a smile came to my lips. It felt like an acceptance...at last an acknowledgment from her that I was real, and here to stay.

"Thank you," I told her, still rushing through the trees. "Does that mean you've decided you're awake?"

She laughed—a beautiful, natural sound that I'd missed so much. "Not really. More that, either way, I'm not trying to wake up. Not tonight."

"I'll earn your trust back somehow," I murmured, mostly to myself. "If it's my final act."

"I trust you," she sighed. "It's me I don't trust."

I frowned, slowing to a walk as I tried to work out what she meant by that. "Explain that, please." We weren't far from the house now.

"Well—" She seemed to be searching for the right words. "I don't trust myself to be...enough. To deserve you. There's nothing about me that could hold you."

After all the despicable things I'd done to her, she thought that she didn't deserve me?

I came to a stop and reached around to pull her from my back into my arms. I set her gently on her feet and drew her to my chest, trying to convey through the action the depth of my love for her.

"Your hold is permanent and unbreakable," I whispered into her hair. "Never doubt that."

I could never forgive myself for all I had done...for how I had hurt her, and for how I had broken faith with her. I knew that the trust between us would not be easy to repair. I wished there was some way I could let her see into my mind, to show her that I meant what I said. And I wished (yet again) that I could see into her mind, to understand how she could still be in such denial. I recalled, then, something that had bothered me back in her room—about how the Volturi were only her second greatest problem.

"You never did tell me..." I murmured, pulling back to look into her eyes.

"What?"

"What your greatest problem is." I thought I knew, though...

"I'll give you one guess." With a sigh, she gave the tip of my nose a tap with her index finger.

I nodded; I had been right. "I'm worse than the Volturi," I said grimly. "I guess I've earned that."

She rolled her eyes. "The worst the Volturi can do is kill me."

I waited for the rest, not breathing.

"You can leave me," she explained, her voice soft and her eyes downcast. "The Volturi, Victoria...they're nothing compared to that."

She looked up into my eyes as anguish coursed through me again. She still thought me capable of leaving, of hurting her as I had before. I wished with all my heart that I could take back the last six months, erase the hurt I had caused her...restore the trust between us...

"Don't," she whispered, her eyes pained as she brushed her fingertips across my cheek. "Don't be sad."

I tried to smile, but knew I wasn't very successful. "If there was only some way to make you see that I can't leave you," I whispered. "Time, I suppose, will be the way to convince you."

Her eyes softened a little; she looked as though she liked the idea of time. "Okay," she said, her voice the softest of murmurs.

I gazed back at her, still tormented by my failures. Her warm fingers traced the line of my cheekbone.

"So—since you're staying. Can I have my stuff back?" she asked, her tone a little lighter. Trying to distract me.

I had to laugh at that, though the misery retained its hold on me. "Your things were never gone," I told her. "I knew it was wrong, since I promised you peace without reminders." Ha! How could I have been such a fool as to think you'd find peace, reminders or not? "It was stupid and childish, but I wanted to leave something of myself with you. The CD, the pictures, the tickets—they're all under your floorboards."

Her eyes bugged out, her lips curving upward. "Really?"

I nodded, somewhat cheered by the obvious pleasure my revelation had given her. Not that it was enough to chase the pain away completely...

"I think," she said slowly, "I'm not sure, but I wonder...I think maybe I knew it the whole time."

"What did you know?" I murmured.

"Some part of me, my subconscious maybe, never stopped believing that you still cared whether I lived or died. That's probably why I was hearing the voices."

She bit her lip when she saw my frozen expression, and neither of us said anything for a moment as her words sank in. "Voices?" I asked in a flat voice, not sure what to think. She looked...a little embarrassed.

"Well, just one voice. Yours. It's a long story." She was beginning to look as though she wished she hadn't brought it up.

"I've got time," I said, working to keep my voice even.

"It's pretty pathetic," she said, her cheeks flushing a little.

I waited.

She bit her lip again. "Do you remember what Alice said about extreme sports?"

Alice's vision flashed painfully before me again. "You jumped off a cliff for fun." I really didn't want to ask her if that had been the real reason she'd jumped, for fear of what her answer might be.

"Er, right," Bella said, sounding nervous. "And before that, with the motorcycle—"

"Motorcycle?" I asked, my voice still calm despite the turmoil of alarm and disbelief which seethed beneath the surface.

"I guess I didn't tell Alice about that part," she mumbled, frowning.

"No." Motorcycle? Bella on a motorcycle? I could think of few things more terrifying...

"Well, about that... See, I found that...when I was doing something dangerous or stupid...I could remember you more clearly," she confessed, looking more embarrassed than ever. I stared at her, not breathing. "I could remember how your voice sounded when you were angry. I could hear it, like you were standing right there next to me. Mostly I tried not to think about you, but this didn't hurt so much—it was like you were protecting me again. Like you didn't want me to be hurt."

Her eyes had been wandering as she spoke, never meeting my gaze. Now she shot a brief glance at my face, and her cheeks colored still more from whatever expression she saw there. "And, well," she continued, her voice pitched a little higher than it had been before, "I wonder if the reason I could hear you so clearly was because, underneath it all, I always knew that you hadn't stopped loving me." Her words had slowed at the end, her tone suddenly full of wonderment.

I continued to stare at her as her eyes turned distant and thoughtful. I was picturing Bella in various dangerous situations involving motorcycles and cliffs and god knows what else—being reckless, as she'd promised me she wouldn't be. Heaven help me! And she'd done all of this just so that...

When I tried to speak, I found it startlingly difficult—my throat was constricted, refusing to cooperate. "You...were...risking your life...to hear—"

"Shh." She patted the air with her hand, her eyes still distant. "Hold on a second. I think I'm having an epiphany here."

An epiphany. Well, I certainly hoped it had something to do with realizing how insane she'd been! I couldn't stand the thought of her repeatedly putting her life at risk, just so she could hear my miserable, undeserving voice! The guilt welled up yet again—I would never be free of it. For the rest of my existence, I would regret my decision to leave—the worst mistake of my very long life. This was just one more thing to add to the long list of reasons to hate myself...and the even longer list of reasons to stay.

I stared at her for an interminable minute as her thoughtful look changed gradually to one of wonder.

"Oh!" she gasped, her eyes wide.

"Bella?" I really, really wished that I could hear what she was thinking...

"Oh. Okay. I see."

Good, because I didn't.

"Your epiphany?" I asked, not sure how much more I could take.

She looked up at me, her brown eyes full of both wonder and conviction.

"You love me," she breathed.

Despite everything—the anger, the anxiety, the guilt, the pain—in that moment I was overcome with aching joy. I smiled, gazing back down at her. "Truly, I do."

She smiled up at me, her eyes full of warmth...and longing. I forgot that I was upset with her...I even forgot that I was upset with myself. I took her face in my hands and kissed her...and kissed her...and kissed her...

As before, I only stopped when I thought she must be getting dizzy. I leaned my forehead against hers, realizing that I was breathing just as hard as she was. I waited a few seconds—for her to catch her breath and for me to calm down. I may not have had the bloodthirsty monster to contend with anymore, but that didn't mean there weren't other potentially dangerous desires to hold in check. My head was swimming with her—her warmth, her scent...her soft, delicate body, so close to mine...

"You were better at it than I was, you know," I told her—in part because I needed to distract myself, but mainly because it was nothing but the truth.

"Better at what?" she breathed.

"Surviving," I told her. I wanted her to be in no doubt of her strength, to assure her that of the two of us, I was the weak one. "You, at least, made an effort. You got up in the morning, tried to be normal for Charlie, followed the pattern of your life. When I wasn't actively tracking, I was...completely useless." An understatement to end all understatements. "I couldn't be around my family—I couldn't be around anyone. I'm embarrassed to admit that I more or less curled up into a ball and let the misery have me." I offered her a sheepish grin, hoping I had conveyed my point. "It was much more pathetic than hearing voices. And, of course, you know I do that, too."

She gazed up at me, her face flushed with happiness.

"I only heard one voice," she corrected me softly.

I laughed and drew her protectively to my side. I didn't like to think too much about what I was protecting her from as I led her toward the house, which her human eyes were probably just beginning to make out. Might as well get this over with...

"I'm just humoring you with this." I swept my arm toward the house as we walked. "It doesn't matter in the slightest what they say."

"This affects them now, too."

I shrugged indifferently. I knew she was worried about the Volturi, but with every moment I grew more and more convinced that we could evade them when it came to it. I would calmly explain my theory to my family, and they would see that this...this lunacy Bella had in mind was completely unnecessary.

They were already aware of our presence, of course. I could hear the hum of their thoughts as we approached—they were understandably curious about why we'd shown up at this time of night, but they were also anticipating our arrival eagerly. They had missed both of us. Of course, I could tell Alice was clued in already. She was practically bouncing off the walls in anticipation, puzzling Jasper exceedingly—apparently she hadn't filled him in yet on what was coming.

They did not make an immediate appearance when we entered through the open front door, politely waiting to be summoned. I flipped on the lights for Bella's benefit; her eyes seemed just as greedy as mine as she cast them over the familiar room, which appeared much the same as when we'd left, six months ago. I hadn't exactly been homesick in my absence...I had been far too busy longing for Bella. Still, it felt good to be there, surrounded by the familiar furnishings and scents of home.

I called out to my family in a conversational tone, knowing they would hear. "Carlisle? Esme? Rosalie? Emmett? Jasper? Alice?"

About time, came Alice's silent grumble from somewhere upstairs.

Carlisle was the first to reach us. "Welcome back, Bella." He smiled fondly at her, noting with approval that she looked better after some much needed sleep. "What can we do for you this morning? I imagine, due to the hour, that this is not a purely social visit?"

Bella nodded. "I'd like to talk to everyone at once, if that's okay. About something important."

She glanced up at my face as she spoke, and Carlisle looked at me as well. Important. He studied my face. Ah, I see. I think I can guess.

"Of course," he said aloud. "Why don't we talk in the other room?"

We followed him to the dining room, and he turned on the lights as he went, out of courtesy to Bella. I felt Esme fall into step behind me, radiating contentment at having her family reunited at last (and just a hint of anger, still, directed exclusively at me). The others were not far behind. Carlisle held out a chair for Bella at the head of the large, polished oval table where we so often held family meetings. And she was already a part of our family, a unique member of a unique family. A human among monsters.

I was determined to make sure it remained that way.

Carlisle sat on Bella's right while I took the chair on her left. Everyone else took their seats in silence, though curiosity raged in their thoughts. All except Alice, of course, who was already aware of what was happening. She grinned at Bella, images of the future swirling in her thoughts. I clenched my teeth.

Rose gave Bella a tentative smile, which Bella returned timidly. Oh, maybe this means she can forgive me? She seemed so nice about it in the car, actually, even though she was half-asleep... I really will try to like her...

Though I was still a little upset with her, I was somewhat gratified by Rosalie's effort to be nicer to Bella. Still, I didn't think she would be in agreement with Bella's plan today; Rose was one of the ones I was counting on to take my side.

Hey bro, you have got to watch that new flat-screen sometime—I know you didn't get much of a chance before you took off. The picture's pretty good—sharp enough that you can almost watch it without getting a headache. Of course Emmett would be excited about something as mundane as a new television...typical. I wasn't really in the mood to sympathize. So, what's the deal anyway? What's this important thing she wants to talk about?

He'd find out soon enough.

Carlisle nodded toward Bella. "The floor is yours."

Bella swallowed—nervously, I thought. I took her hand under the table, watching the others fiercely. It didn't matter what they said, it didn't matter... I would find a way to talk her out of this, even if they outvoted me...

"Well," she paused. "I'm hoping Alice has already told you everything that happened in Volterra?"

"Everything," Alice assured her. I had them on the edge of their seats, Edward—add storytelling to my already impressive list of talents. I guess I have you to thank for the riveting plot, though, if 'thank' is the word...

Bella threw her a meaningful look. "And on the way?"

"That, too," she nodded. And you can take that look off your face right now, Edward Cullen, because you're simply going to have to accept that this isn't just about you anymore. Well, it is about you, I suppose...but what I mean is that your exalted opinion is not the only one that counts. Her opinion, for instance, just might be the most important one to consider here, don't you think?

How could someone that tiny be so annoying?

"Good," Bella sighed. "Then we're all on the same page."

They waited while she bit her lip; she seemed to be gathering her thoughts. They were all beginning to understand, now. My jaw tightened as I measured their responses. She had Alice and Esme already...and Emmett, I was fairly certain...

"So, I have a problem," Bella began, her eyes darting nervously between their faces. "Alice promised the Volturi that I would become one of you. They're going to send someone to check, and I'm sure that's a bad thing—something to avoid." I waited, letting her speak. I would have my chance at a counter-argument soon enough.

"And so," she continued, "now, this involves you all. I'm sorry about that." I hated to listen to her apologize, as if it had been her fault that we had stirred up a ruckus in Italy; she always tried to take the blame for my mistakes... I watched her as she looked at each of them in turn, saving me for last. Her brow puckered as she studied my face, and then she looked down. "But, if you don't want me, then I'm not going to force myself on you, whether Alice is willing or not." Why did she have to phrase it that way? Of course we wanted her (well, most of us did, anyway). That wasn't the issue at all...

Esme opened her mouth to assure her that she was very much wanted, but Bella held up a finger to stop her.

"Please, let me finish. You all know what I want. And I'm sure you know what Edward thinks, too. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don't want me, then...I guess I'll go back to Italy alone. I can't have them coming here." Her forehead creased in worry.

If she heard the rumble of a growl that had begun in my chest, she didn't acknowledge it. She didn't honestly, after all we'd been through, think for one moment that I was going to let her run off to Italy, did she? She wouldn't even make it as far as the door.

"Taking into account, then, that I won't put any of you in danger either way, I want you to vote yes or no on the issue of me becoming a vampire." I cringed at the little half-smile which came to her lips as she uttered the last word. She looked to Carlisle, gesturing for him to begin. You'd think she was putting a motion before the city council.

"Just a minute," I interrupted before Carlisle could speak. He, at least, seemed undecided...a little more torn than I would have thought, though...

Bella narrowed her eyes suspiciously. I raised my eyebrows, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze; I wasn't about to let this go without having my say. Surely she wasn't averse to a little honest debate? I turned to address the others.

"I have something to add before we vote." I ignored Bella's quiet sigh. "About the danger Bella's referring to," I continued. "I don't think we need to be overly anxious."

Oh Edward, give it a rest. I've seen it. She's decided. It's going to happen.

Ignoring Alice, I leaned forward, my free hand on the table while the other still gripped Bella's. It was essential to present my case well, to make them understand this. They would agree with me, once they understood all of our options.

"You see," I explained, meeting each of their gazes in turn as I spoke, "there was more than one reason why I didn't want to shake Aro's hand there at the end. There's something they didn't think of, and I didn't want to clue them in." I grinned, enjoying their burning curiosity.

"Which was?" Alice prodded, her expression just as skeptical as Bella's. You'll find any excuse to get out of this, won't you. Personally, I don't get it. She wants this...you want this, if you'll just admit it to yourself.

Yes, the selfish part of me did want it. But I wasn't about to let that rule my decisions.

"The Volturi are overconfident," I told them, "and with good reason. When they decide to find someone, it's not really a problem. Do you remember Demetri?" I glanced down at Bella, and she shuddered; I took that as a yes. "He finds people," I explained, "that's his talent, why they keep him."

Wait a minute, Alice thought. I think I see where you're going with this, and that doesn't matter, Edward, it really doesn't. Even if he can't find her, he can still find us.

But I had an answer to that.

"Now, the whole time we were with any of them, I was picking their brains for anything that might save us, getting as much information as possible. So I saw how Demetri's talent works. He's a tracker—a tracker a thousand times more gifted than James was. His ability is loosely related to what I do, or what Aro does. He catches the...flavor? I don't know how to describe it...the tenor...of someone's mind, and then he follows that. It works over immense distances.

"But after Aro's little experiments, well..." I shrugged, confident that I'd made my point.

"You think he won't be able to find me," Bella said in a flat voice, her eyes still narrowed.

I gazed back at her, quite smug. "I'm sure of it. He relies totally on that other sense. When it doesn't work with you, they'll all be blind."

"And how does that solve anything?"

Yes, how does it solve anything? Alice complained. You're not forgetting the rest of us, I hope...

"Quite obviously," I said, shooting a glance at Alice, "Alice will be able to tell when they're planning a visit, and I'll hide you. They'll be helpless." Once again, I took fierce enjoyment in imagining the look on Demetri's face when he realized how blind he was to Bella. "It will be like looking for a piece of straw in a haystack!"

And when he tries to find one of us instead, we'll be ready for him, Emmett thought smugly. Our eyes met for a moment, and I answered his smirk with one of my own; I knew he was enjoying the idea as much as I was.

Bella looked less than convinced. "But they can find you."

"And I can take care of myself," I assured her quietly.

Emmett laughed. We can take care of ourselves, you mean. He leaned forward, extending a fist across the table toward me. "Excellent plan, my brother," he said with enthusiasm, and with an answering grin I stretched out my arm to smack his fist with my own. It was good to be back with him again.

"No," Rosalie hissed, her glare alternating between Emmett and me. Images of a different kind of violence were at the forefront of her thoughts (most involved her giving Emmett a good kick in the arse).

"Absolutely not," Bella agreed, glaring at me.

"Nice." Jasper smiled as he added, Count me in, Edward.

"Idiots," Alice muttered, crossing her arms and glaring sideways at her mate. What is it about the Y chromosome that turns reasoning beings into morons?

Esme just glared at me—the phrase 'if looks could kill' sprang to mind. Don't you dare...don't you dare even think that, young man! You've put us through enough in the last few months without this madness!

Edward, Carlisle thought wearily. Son, I don't think getting into a fight with the Volturi is the answer. It wouldn't just be Demetri, there would be others—and what if they sent Jane with them, or Alec? You should know better than any of us... His thoughts trailed off as Bella straightened in her chair, obviously ready to reclaim the floor.

"All right, then. Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider." Her tone left no mystery as to her opinion of that alternative. "Let's vote."

She looked at me this time, probably figuring it was better to get my opinion out of the way first. "Do you want me to join your family?"

I glared at her, wishing she had worded the question differently. "Not that way. You're staying human." Another way, though... I didn't have time to consider further, because she gave a brisk nod and moved on.

"Alice?"

"Yes." So deal with it.

"Jasper?"

"Yes," he said, in a grave voice. I glared at him, my jaw tightening, and he met my eyes for a second. I'm sorry, Edward...but honestly, she and Alice are right. She belongs with us now. With you. And, well...I have to admit, it would be nice to be able to spend time around her without having to fight the urge to kill her...

I noticed that he was holding his breath at the moment, playing it safe.

"Rosalie?"

Rose hesitated, biting down on her bottom lip. "No."

I relaxed only slightly; I had known her vote all along. But with Jasper voting yes, my hopes for a majority were dashed. Esme and Emmett were already decided, and Carlisle...

My jaw tightened further as I caught the tenor of his thoughts. No...no...he couldn't be thinking...

Bella turned toward Emmett, but Rosalie held up her hands, not ready to relinquish the floor. Wait, not like this. "Let me explain," she pleaded. "I don't mean that I have any aversion to you as a sister. It's just that...this is not the life I would have chosen for myself." In her mind, I saw images of children laughing and playing on a lawn, their doting parents looking on. You might not realize it now, but you might later...and by then it will be too late. "I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me," she said quietly, looking down.

I felt Carlisle wince internally; over the years he had struggled with what he had done to all of us, but his decision to turn Rosalie had pricked his conscience more than the rest. She had always made it clear that she resented this life, in particular the fact that she could never have children.

Bella nodded slowly, a slight frown on her face. She couldn't know the reason behind what Rosalie had said. But she should think about that—about everything she would be giving up. There were doors which would be forever closed to her if she went through with the change. I tensed as she turned to Emmett.

"Hell, yes!" He grinned. "We can find some other way to pick a fight with this Demetri." Come on, Edward, it's not like it's the end of the world! You love her, right? And you want her, right? And this way, you'll get to keep her forever. I honestly don't get what your problem is.

He wouldn't.

Bella was still grimacing in response to Emmett's remark about Demetri when she looked at Esme, who gave her a warm smile.

"Yes, of course, Bella. I already think of you as part of my family." And she had, from the very beginning. I could never fault her for the honest love which she felt for Bella...but couldn't she see how that same love was killing her?

"Thank you, Esme," Bella murmured, turning toward Carlisle.

Carlisle was already looking at me. His mind was made up.

"Edward," he said. Please, son, be reasonable...

"No," I growled. I bared my teeth as I glared at the man I had always been proud to call my father. That pride was soured now—so much for his principles! He couldn't be doing this, he simply couldn't...

"It's the only way that makes sense," Carlisle insisted, his eyes boring into mine with grave intensity. "You've chosen not to live without her, and that doesn't leave me a choice." I will not lose my son.

His words and his thoughts both drove it home: this was all my fault. I dropped Bella's hand, knowing that my temper was about to snap. I refused to look at any of them as I shoved away from the table.

If I hadn't run off to Italy, hadn't shown them all exactly what would happen when Bella died, Carlisle for one would not be so eager to end her life. I was sure that he would never have sanctioned this otherwise. I could barely contain my rage as I stalked from the room, aware that they were all staring after me.

"I guess you know my vote." Carlisle sighed. Edward, I'm sorry...

"Thanks," I heard Bella mumble.

My path happened to take me a little too close to the new flat-screen Emmett was so excited about. Unfortunately for it. I ripped it straight down the center, taking savage pleasure in the act of destruction. The earsplitting crash echoed throughout the house.

Hey now! What was that? That had better not be...

I tuned out Emmett's thoughts. I was beyond caring about some worthless piece of technology. He'd just voted to end a young woman's life. Great. And all he cared about was his stupid television. I shut my eyes, trying to get my temper under control before I brought the entire house down.

"That's all I needed," Bella was saying. "Thank you. For wanting to keep me. I feel exactly the same way about all of you, too," she said, her quiet voice jagged with emotion. I gritted my teeth.

"Dearest Bella," I heard Esme breathe as she embraced Bella like a daughter. I knotted my fingers into my hair as I tried to regain control of myself, feeling utterly betrayed by all of them. Except Rosalie, who had gotten her bad deed for the decade out of the way a few days ago. That little blunder seemed quite benign now, next to this...

Then Bella spoke again.

"Well, Alice," she said, "Where do you want to do this?"

What? No!

For once, my thoughts and Alice's were the same.

"No! No! NO!" I roared, charging back into the room. I felt as though everything sane was slipping away from me, piece by piece. I bent over Bella, gripping her shoulders, my face inches from hers as I glared at her. "Are you insane?" I shouted, not caring if I was scaring her. "Have you utterly lost your mind?" Alice? And now? No! ! !

Bella cringed away from me, her hands over her ears.

"Um, Bella..." Alice's voice was even higher than normal. "I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare..." For a few years, at the very least...decades would be nice. Edward, seriously, I'm not going to do anything to her until I'm sure I can control it, so you can stop the theatrics.

"You promised." Bella's tone was acidic as she glared at Alice under my arm.

"I know, but... Seriously, Bella! I don't have any idea how to not kill you."

And she wouldn't be getting the chance to figure it out, either.

"You can do it," Bella encouraged. "I trust you."

I snarled in fury, glaring at Alice. Bella had a habit of putting trust in the wrong things.

Alice gave a panicked shake of her head as images flashed through her mind of Bella lying drained and lifeless at her feet—not visions this time, just her own imaginings of what could happen. Calm down, Edward, really! I won't touch her, I swear I won't! Carlisle knows how, and he's agreed it's for the best. He can do it.

Bella clearly had the same thought. "Carlisle?" she asked. She started to turn toward him, but I caught her face in my hand, forcing her to look at me instead. I held my other hand palm-out toward Carlisle as I stared desperately into Bella's eyes. Not like this. Not yet, not now. She couldn't do this to me. She had to wait awhile, at least...

"I'm able to do it," Carlisle said calmly, ignoring my outstretched hand. "You would be in no danger of me losing control." Edward, please. I don't want to fight you on this, but I think the right course is clear, now. It's her decision, and I have to respect that.

Oh, so now it was her decision, was it? I remembered how he had answered her the night of her birthday party, and he had certainly changed his tune. Again, I realized it was my actions that had done this—I had doomed her.

"Sounds good," Bella answered, her jaw still constrained by my hand.

"Hold on," I said through my teeth. "It doesn't have to be now."

"There's no reason for it not to be now." The tightness of my grip on her jaw made it difficult for her speak clearly; I loosened my hold a little, not wanting to hurt her.

"I can think of a few."

"Of course you can," she said sourly, scowling at me. "Now let go of me."

I did as she asked and stood upright again, folding my arms across my chest. I decided to play the most obvious card first—it was also the one which I hoped would have the most effect on selfless, usually responsible Bella. "In about two hours, Charlie will be here looking for you. I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police." I wasn't exaggerating.

"All three of them," she mumbled, but the worried crease had appeared between her eyebrows again. I hoped she was thinking about her parents, realizing just how difficult it would be to say goodbye to them forever. Perhaps the thought of that would give her pause.

I turned to Carlisle, still talking through my teeth. "In the interest of remaining inconspicuous," I said, deliberately using the word he so often used himself when stressing the importance of keeping what we were a secret from the humans, "I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Bella finishes high school, and moves out of Charlie's house." At the very, very least.

To my relief, I could see that Carlisle agreed with me. "That's a reasonable request, Bella," he said, fixing her with his golden gaze.

She pursed her lips. "I'll consider it."

I relaxed at the reprieve. Now I had more time to think, at least. They had agreed on a delay, and that was probably the most I would get out of this meeting. At least the immediate danger was past, and I felt much calmer. Still, I wanted to get her out of there as soon as possible, in case she came up with an argument to persuade Carlisle.

"I should probably take you home," I said to Bella, my voice softer than before. "Just in case Charlie wakes up early."

She looked at Carlisle. "After graduation?"

"You have my word," he said quietly. And you have my word, Edward, that it will be no sooner than that. That's the most I can give you.

I gave him a stiff nod.

Bella took a deep breath, smiling in triumph. She looked up at me, her brown eyes meeting mine with sober conviction. "Okay. You can take me home."

I put my arm around her and led her out the back, so she wouldn't see the broken television in the living room. In truth, I was also in a hurry because I didn't particularly relish being around when Emmett saw the wreckage.

As it was, I heard his distant howl of rage as we raced through the forest.

Other than that, it was a quiet trip back to her house. Bella said nothing, just clung to my back with her chin resting on my shoulder like before. I could feel the tension from her, though. She thought I was angry with her. In a way, she was right. But I was far, far more angry with myself.

There had to be a way to persuade her to wait, at least. A few years—enough to experience college, maybe enough to realize that she wanted more than what this half-life could give her. There were so many things the change would take away from her, so many opportunities gone forever, so much pain along the way. It would separate her from her parents forever, and her human friends as well—at first for their own safety, and later because they would see the difference in her, see our unchanging appearances over time. The life we lived was always in motion; in our own way, each of us hated the way we had to constantly leave our homes, our lives, even our identities behind. We could never stay more than ten years in one place, for fear of being found out for what we were. Was that really what she wanted, an endless dance of deception for all of eternity?

And she might want children, one day. Even though I couldn't help her with that, she had other options, as long as she remained human. But once she was a vampire...even adoption would have its complications, then. She would be trapped—either in longing for a child of her own, or in constantly putting an adopted human child in danger. What if she couldn't control herself? Over the years she would grow to hate herself...maybe even as much as I hated myself, if that was possible.

She would hate me. Either way, she would hate me.

No, I had to convince her to wait. There had to be something I could bargain with...

I thought hard, all the way back to her house.


A/N: Hmm...let's see, what could he bargain with? The next chapter covers the rest of 'Vote' from the book, along with some new stuff.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!