Chapter 10

Where do we go from here?

"Of course I'm mad!" Rosalie growled at Edward, a murderous glare was etched into her features, making her stunningly terrifying instead of stunningly beautiful. I hovered in the background out of the growing fight.

"Rose, calm down…" Emmett pleaded taking her hand. A dark hiss erupted from deep inside her chest as she tried to keep her temper under control.

"The Volturi were here, not just the guard, and you expect me to be calm?" Her eyes snapped to mine. "If she wasn't with us…" she pointed a finger in my direction, her eyes blazing into mine. As she stepped forward, Carlisle finally took up his post.

"Rosalie! Stop this at once. No one was harmed…" He trailed off, looking to Edward for reassurance and forever keeping the calmness in his voice. "Did they hint when the war will break out?" Carlisle asked. I watched Edward's blank face. He was hiding his expressions well as shook his head.

"No, they didn't give anything away. Just like you, they are very careful with their thoughts around me." I noticed that Edward was still avoiding Rosalie's glare. Her voice was just a whisper through the sudden stillness of the room, but the venom was still creeping through her words.

"I just want to say, how many times are you going to risk the safety of our family, Edward?" She moved her hand to her hip, looking more like a supermodel at the end of a runway. Emmett was by her side trying yet again to calm her.

"Look, it's not Melissa's fault!" Jasper spoke up for the first time. I hardly remembered him being in the room. He hadn't used his power until now, calming every one around him. I felt Alice's hand slide into mine. She faced the room with a fire in her eyes.

"They were coming anyway, Rose… They were curious and had no idea of Bella's death."

Edward's face tensed of the mention of Bella's name. I kept trying to keep myself together.

"I just think we all need to be ready." Alice spoke each syllable clearly.

"Alice… we don't need to be involved in any war!" Rosalie spat, towering over Alice's little figure.

"Well then when they come after you, what are you going to do?" Jasper spat back, protecting Alice. His own hands were trembling violently.

"Can everyone just shut the hell up?" I shrieked. Everyone turned to look in my direction. I hadn't meant for my voice to be louder than talking volume, but it was. I even startled myself at my sudden anger. I looked around at every face in the room. I noticed a small smile hovering over Edward's lips. Everyone was quiet and staring at me. I felt the calm was over me, and I smiled to Jasper. For once I welcomed his gift. Alice squeezed my hand gently as I sighed, continuing. "Look, in the end the Volturi are not starting a war. They are simply going to make sure it doesn't expose our kind." I had no idea where these words were coming from, but it sounded reasonable. "If a war happens, we're just going to have to do what we can and stick together." Alice squeezed my hand again, a little tighter this time. I turned to her and she was smiling.

"Just remember we don't want to kill people…" Emmett spoke from the silence. The tension was building in the air

"Yes, they believe that we shouldn't deny our nature. That we don't deserve to be what we are." Alice spoke from beside me in a trance like state. I let go of her hand, watching her eyes carefully. She looked like she was drugged, or having a fit. Jasper took my place and held her gently.

"I just think that what ever happens we need to stand a united front." Tanya spoke from the doorway, startling me. "We all know that we won't get taken down easy." Eliza and the rest of the Denali clan followed Tanya into the room.

We talked for hours, and then the silence followed. What needed to be said was all laid out. I never understood a word of it, but I knew that I wasn't going to back out when my new family needed me.

I decided to take a walk away from the discussion of strategies. I didn't like the talk of fighting, and violence. It was highly ironic of me to think such things, since I was a vampire who brought nothing but death. I sat watching the sun slowly rise above the horizon. I could feel the weak rays of heat on my skin. The sky was clear without a cloud, and I watched the colours change mechanically. I never took notice of what was out there in the big, wide world. Never really thought of how I would plan my life out. I thought about my writing career, and how it would be complicated and impossible to follow through with that now. My mind travelled to marriage, and children – more things I would never be able to do. I would never see myself get older with time. I was a vampire, living forever, trapped in seventeen year old body, never able to die normally. It was a sad thought to go through my mind.

"Melissa, it will be easier, I promise." Alice's voice was light as she sat by my side. We both watched the sun over the lake, glittering off the water's surface and our own skin.

"I know Alice. I'm just trying…" I felt a hand on my other shoulder. Jasper was seated on my other side.

"Can I just say Mel…? Without a doubt you have the strongest will power any newborn has ever had." His words touched me deeply.

"Plus, you're one of us now!" Emmett's voice boomed over the mountains. I smiled feeling him standing behind me

"And family shouldn't blame each other… I'm sorry for blaming you." Rosalie spoke softly. She stood by Emmett's side, taking his hand.

"But we forgive and forget." Esme walked slowly to join the building crowd. I turned to see her face, shining brightly like diamonds in the rising sunshine.

"Melissa, I can say I am proud to have you as a new daughter." Carlisle moved Emmett aside to touch my shoulders and giving them a reassuring squeeze. I felt like my chest was expanding with joy. My heart felt like it was beating again. All the fear and stress rushed from me, and it wasn't Jasper's power. It was due to all the love from my new family.

"Melissa, it's going to be okay." Edward was the last to speak. I followed the sound of his voice, watching him as he came closer. Alice moved aside so he could sit in her place. He took my hand in his gently, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"I believe you Edward." I spoke softly.

The sun was now high in the sky, shining on us all. I gasped looking to mine and Edward's hands.

"Okay now, is it me? Or are you and I..." My voice drowned under the chuckles. "We sparkle in the sun…?" I spoke quietly, Edward nodded reassuringly.

"So now you know why we live in rainy places." Edward laughed, and I saw crooked smile creep slowly onto his shining face.

"So sun bathing out the question." I laughed before enjoying the quietness.

We sat watching the sun for most the afternoon. We didn't care how much time we wasted, just that we were together as a family.