Chapter 10 There's a Possibility

Bella POV

I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a lover and not a fighter, but I certainly wasn't used to this.

For the past hour I'd sat with the pack and imprints, watching the Cullen's go through a series of "possibilities." These were all the tactics they wanted the wolves especially, to use during whatever fight they might have with another vampire. They watched each one, nodding when they knew what to do already, and then eyes widening when a certain move surprised them. I couldn't see a lot of what was happening. Not just because it was dark, but added to that, the Cullen's were moving fast. Then it was our turn.

Renee was often interested in taking different classes together in her attempt at bonding. There were many self defense classes in our past, but I had a feeling as I faced Carlisle that none of those lessons were going to do much at the moment.

"Don't worry." Carlisle said. "Being the eldest, I don't have as much strength as the others, added to that a great amount of restraint. It's best to practice with me first, then Edward for speed."

"I wasn't worried. Just um…" I shrugged my shoulders. "Not sure what to do."

"If a vampire comes at any of you…." Jasper gestured to those of us who weren't supernatural, "There isn't a hell of a lot you can do to stop them permanently. There are ways you can distract them and evade them, at least until one of us or the pack can get there."

"So wait, what's the point of all of this if we can't even hurt a vampire?" Elan asked heatedly. "We're just supposed to leave all the real fighting to the pack or you guys?"

"Elan, they're trying to help us, that's the point of it. This way we don't have to rely on them a hundred percent." Lulu said and seemed to calm him.

I turned back to Carlisle. "I don't really have any moves."

"She fought Victoria well enough." Morgan piped up and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Sweets, I don't think that will always work and it could have gone way wrong."

"Alright so let's say I'm a nomad, what would you do?" Carlisle asked me.

"I'd probably distract you."

"How?"

"You vamps seem to enjoy monologuing, I guess I'd let you do that."

"A seasoned vampire might, like Victoria has or James did. A newborn nomad though will be more crazed. How can you distract that?"

I thought about it a moment. "Victoria is bound to give them orders. I'd try to remind them of that and say she'd want to finish me off herself."

"They're too crazed for reason now that they have your scent." Jasper pointed out.

"Where are we then house or outside?" I asked.

"Woods."

"I'd take a branch and scrape my hand or arm. Not enough to draw a lot of blood, just a scratch to distract them. Get my scent on something else, and also help the others to find where I am exactly."

"Good, but that will last moments, what if the pack or us are further than that?"

"I think we all agree I'd be screwed." I said and Emmett laughed until Edward glared at him and then me.

"With that attitude yes you are, but you have to find ways to fight even if we aren't there."

"She did that all when you were gone buddy." Paul murmured and I turned my own glare to him.

"Paul." I snapped before looking back at Edward. "I have done nothing but fight back. That doesn't mean I can't accept the facts. I could hit a nomad with a metal bat, nothing would happen. I have a lot of ideas on how to defend myself but we have to admit, none are going to do much here, like Jasper said. The point is to distract and evade as long as possible. The point is also that we all work together, and that won't happen if we're making cheap shots and wise cracks when we're angry."

"Bella's right." Esme said. "A lot of you are new to this and are young. You should be enjoying your youth rather than learning how to fight off one of us."

"Things happen that shouldn't. This isn't so bad." Seth said, surprising us all. Sometimes even the youngest and bluest of people can say the things that put everything into perspective.

So we broke off into groups. Alice, Emmett, Jasper, and Esme focused on the pack while Carlisle and Rosalie worked with the humans. We found I was actually a lot faster than we expected, for a human that was, so I worked with Edward. He slowed himself down a lot, but still tried to remind me how a vampire would move. It was hard to catch his movements even slowed, because of the dark. I kept trying though, and it felt good to be doing something. To feel like I was learning something that would keep me alive. Or at least delay the things hunting us.

I couldn't help but see the change in Edward either. Maybe it wasn't a change, maybe this was always there, and it just hadn't occurred to him that we could fight together against anything. He seemed to enjoy this as much as I did. I noticed the gleam in his eye whenever I surprised him with a move.

"You are fast." He commented with a sly smile but still swept my legs out from under me so he had to catch me. "For a human."

"Aren't you funny." I rolled my eyes and tried to right myself but he held me closer. "May I help you?"

"Doing just fine at that." He smiled and I wished I could know what he was thinking.

"Do you two mind? This is serious business." Embry called over and as he looked away Morgan was able to knock him on the ground.

"Bella I did it! Humpf." She broke off as Embry managed to do the same to her.

"Well this is one organized army." I laughed and batted Edward's hands away and started a few more rounds.

After the Cullen's had taught what they could, we all practiced against each other. None of us would be knocked on our backs easily by a human anymore that was for sure. Against a vampire or wolf though, we'd still fare with some difficulty, but at least we had a chance if the worst happened now. As Kim said, the important thing was not to have to rely on the Cullen's or the pack all the time. We could fight a little more sufficiently ourselves.

We didn't get to sleep until later that night. Kim, Lulu, Morgan, Ripley, Emily and I were huddled in one tent instead of splitting into separate tents. Ripley was the newest and getting a crash course of everything. While she and Paul were navigating through their rekindled relationship with more ease than the others did at first, they still seemed to be moving slow. I thought that was smart and found my mindset was quite similar to Ripley's. The others were there so they could both understand what their boyfriends and friends did, as well as learn to defend themselves. Ripley was there for those same reasons, but like me, she also wanted to make sure everyone she loved would be taken care of, and that she herself could do so.

Gatherings like this helped. Even in seeing what the supernatural ones of us could do, we still found a way to feel equal. After even a few hours I could see the change in Elan and Seth. They were no longer kept out of the loop. They were beginning to understand how this all worked. How attachments were formed. It wasn't because of imprinting or attraction to adventure as some may think. We all just fit together. We weren't separated by abilities or coupling. Everyone somehow fit with anyone of us. It was hard to deny we were all meant to work together.

Jacob had whispered to me before I went into the tent that he had been noticing the same thing, and that it was all due to me. That I had brought the Cullen's and the pack together. Maybe part of that was right, but it wasn't me that bonded us. It wasn't our similar cause either. It was meant.

After gabbing with the girls for a bit of normalcy, we finally fell asleep. In the morning I felt both sore, but revved. I ignored any nerves I had about practicing the plan I had thought out in my mind countless times. It had to work. It was all we had, and a good shot. First we got ready, and ate a bit. Then we humans watched the wolves get a few more crash courses on fighting. When they were done, I was up to bat to see how my own plan would carry out.

Elan, Lulu, Kim, Morgan, Emily, and Ripley were on the sidelines for this half. They'd stick out the plan on the reservation, attending the dance like normal while watching everything over with the tribe elders. This part was just for the pack, the Cullen's, and me.

There would still be details to iron out. We assumed that if I was noisy enough around town about my plans to go to the La Push Halloween dance, then word would travel to Victoria. During the dance, which only Edward would attend, Jacob would draw me out to talk to me. We'd end up not far, but in the woods as he and I feigned a fight. He'd lose control and lash out at me, which would cause the rest of the pack and the Cullen's to get there. While the Cullen's faked their fight with the pack and Edward was distracted by Jacob, Victoria would make her move. Anticipating Alice's signal of her decision, the pack and Cullen's would switch tactics to attack whoever she'd sired with her, while Edward got her away from me, and did what had to be done.

While the plan was our best shot, there was a lot of room for error and mishaps. Practicing it wouldn't prevent that but at least we'd know if the timing would be right enough for us to have a possibility of pulling this off. While the others sat on rocks that surrounded the edge, the rest of us prepared to give our first trial run.

"Edward will pretend to be Victoria, as he's the fastest of us. I'm going to pretend to be him and see if I'll be able to grab Bella from him and take him out before she's killed." Rosalie went through her part of the plan.

"How do we think she'd kill me anyway?" I wanted to know.

"Quickest way is to snap the neck but she'd damage the heart." Emmett said when Edward looked away. "No way you can be changed then."

"Excellent, so Edward, fake doing that."

"Yes, wonderful." He mumbled and took his spot by the tree line.

I walked over to Jacob. "You can do this." I said.

"Draw blood and not kill you, yea I'm over the moon about it." He rolled his eyes. "Just remember not to move from that spot."

"Not on your life." I smiled.

"Ok everyone ready to try it?" Alice asked and after nods from each direction, she turned to her spot. "Now." She yelled and clicked her watch to time how the whole thing went.

"Get away from me Jacob." I yelled and pushed him as hard as I could, careful to step back afterwards to the twig that marked my spot. "You and I aren't happening, you're a wolf."

Jacob shook, but I knew that part was staged for when I pushed him. "So you'd rather have a dead man when his kind hunts you."

"Better than a boy who turns into a monster and can't control it." I made my tone turn disgusted. At that Jacob made his shaking turn him into a blur. I bleakly wondered what he thought of to make himself change while still maintaining a level of control. I said a quick prayer as I did my part, holding out my arms, my voice matching the shakiness of his body. "Jacob? Don't."

Being prepared didn't mean I didn't feel the sting as his fingers became claws and raked down my extended arm. I exaggerated my gasp as I would that night and stepped back, falling to the ground clutching my arm, though making a few drops escape to the ground. Jasper nodded, indicating that made the scent travel as we wanted it to. I snuck a glance at my arm and then nodded to the trees, knowing Edward would take it as the cut being what we wished. Jacob had maintained the right amount of control, and while the swipe had probably looked vicious, the cut was not to that extend. The Cullen's and the pack stepped in then, fighting each other the way they had practiced the night before. It looked real to me, and I knew it did to the others sitting on the sidelines, who I could tell were fighting not to lose their own cool. I stood as Rosalie pretended to fight Jacob as if she were Edward. When I turned, he was standing there.

In a flash he had grabbed me, making some sound which Rosalie acknowleged. I realized that was what Victoria would do to get his attention if she had me.

"Now!" Alice yelled and looked at her watch. I didn't see Rosalie move; I just felt Edward's hand lightly tap on my back a millisecond before I was being thrown over her shoulder and tossed, still at my feet a foot behind her, then she lunged for Edward, suddenly on the back of his shoulders, faking a twist of his neck. "Stop!" Alice again called and looked to Edward, who shook his head. "Damnit."

"I could have at least punched my hand half way through her back before Rosalie's grab." Edward said. "It was close, but if Victoria chooses to do it that quick and not drag it out, it can be done. She could get taken out, but Bella could go with her."

"Victoria isn't as fast as you though, so that timing is not too bad." Rosalie pointed out.

"Me having a hand through my back, or that means she wouldn't even be able to get that far?" I asked.

"She might not be able to get that far. Like Edward said, she might drag it out. She's been waiting this long, I doubt she'd kill you without a final word in."

"Her final word in would come after she's already dropped Bella at my feet." Edward said, pain in his voice. "It's too risky. We can't predict exactly what she'd do."

"Alice can though." I argued. "If she see's Victoria doing this without hesitation, we can call it off and run for it. Hell you can hear her."

"This is a great plan but the timing has to be precise and Alice and I's alertness at par. Why take the chance?"

"It's the only shot we have and I trust you two." I attempted though even Alice shook her head.

"I don't know."

"We can't keep going like this." I said. "The pack can't keep doing patrols, the others can't keep being escorted wherever they go, I can't keep worrying over who will get hurt because she wants me on a platter." I took the towel Jared handed me and wiped off my cut. "We have to do this, we don't have a choice. It's either this or we keep living in wait of whatever it is she's planning."

"Bella it's too much we can't do this."

"She's right." Edward said surprising me and interrupting Sam. He looked at me and the others. "We can't keep waiting, and this is the best chance we have of coming out of this on top. We have to stop her before she makes more vampires and the Volturi isn't going to do it." He kept his eyes on me, and I couldn't remember a time where I had been more proud of him. For once he didn't put his own worries first, he thought of everyone instead of just keeping me, and he trusted me enough to take that leap. "We can do this."

I realized then that I had never had anyone believe in me as much as Edward must have in that moment. He acted as my partner, not my protector. Nothing could have made me love him more.

We all talked about it some more through the afternoon, and discussed the weaknesses in the plan. It really all depended on what Victoria chose to do, and just how high her numbers were. We had many disadvantages, but so did she. It made the plan possible. As everyone discussed the final keys to it, I sought out Jacob. He was still a little shakey, but once he saw his part of it had worked perfectly, he relaxed a bit. Paul punched him in the shoulder with mock jealousy over getting to "tear into me." I glared at him, but saw the worry there in his eyes. I pretended to flirt with Ripley to try and ease it. For the time being, it worked.

Before dinner I tried to reassure Kim and Lulu and I noticed Alice seem to have a vision, turn to Edward and nod almost excitedly. He smiled crookedly and found my glance. I quirked an eyebrow at him the same second he darted to my side. Kim didn't flinch, but Lulu did, managing to turn the gasp into a curse.

"Really Edward, you can't just stroll over like a normal person?" She scoffed.

"Nothing normal about all this." He said. "Will you come with me?"

"To Narnia?" I got in and he began towing me away towards the tents. I saw him reach for my backpack. "That's my property."

"Exactly, strap it on." He said and tossed it to me.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I secured it through my arms.

"Home." He said.

"What about the others?" I nearly stumbled, but righted myself as I tried to keep up with his stride.

"They're still staying here the night. Bonding time. How about we run it?" He suggested, and turned to me.

"So we'll be alone?"

"You said last night that we'd have plenty of time to cherish what we've found. I believe you but how about we start with tonight? We deserve that time to us don't we?" He had that look that made it easy to see the human in him.

"We do." I answered, suddenly excited I smiled. "And yes we should make a run of it."

He beamed at me and secured me on his back in a swift move as I had done with my pack. I wrapped my arms around his neck and as his hand reached up to pull a hand of mine to his lips, I smiled wider. Yes, we needed this. We needed the reminder that while all of this fighting had started with wanting to separating us, it wouldn't.

As he dashed off running I laughed with my face against his hair, a pillow as I enjoyed the view. So few people would ever know excitement and fulfillment like this. No matter the outcome of what happened with Victoria, I'd enjoy all I'd seen, and all my family had given me. Most of all I'd cherish the man running me to our first night alone.

And then it dawned on me. Our first night alone. Our family away.

Suddenly it was that thought and not the speed that had my heart hammering, and I could have sworn with my hands on Edward's chest, that I felt similar coming from him.

When we reached the house, he lowered me to my feet, and in the same move took my pack to swing over one of his own shoulders. My hand was still in his. As we walked up the steps I saw his hesitation at the door. My nerves were mirrored in his eyes.

"Shall we?" He asked, and I never felt more my age.

Thinking of the leap he took in the clearing, I took one of my own and stepped inside, tugging him with me. A crooked smile of my own tugged at my lips. "Yes." Was all I said as we led each other to his room, never feeling more equal to the other.