Disclaimer:

Me: A 27 year old mother of a two year old.

Stephenie Meyer: Owner of all things Twilight.

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A/N: I was very unsure while writing this chapter, so please let me know what you think. Also, don't forget to check out my playlist and my spiffy story banner!

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An ginormous thank you to AingealEire who beta'd this for me and then smacked me in the back of the head for thinking it was no good. She's also writing her first Twilight fic, Give and Take, so go check it out! :)

http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/1810973/aingealeire

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Chapter 10: Tribunal

EPOV

We hunted silently, Carlisle trying to keep his thoughts to himself. I could still hear his concern, though, and I fought back the guilt. I needed a clear head for what was to come. We went over our strategy after we'd had our fill, discussing different scenarios of how the meeting would go. I knew only one thing. If it didn't go well, then I would be resigned to my fate. I couldn't be upset about dying to save Bella's life. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

We went back to the house, and got the Volvo. We didn't want to take the risk of someone seeing us running down the road, even if it was the middle of the night. We reached the treaty line quickly, if a little early. I pulled off to the side of the road, and we got out of the car. Off in the distance, smoke billowed above the trees.

We looked at each other for a moment, Carlisle putting a hand on my shoulder.

It'll be okay, son.

It had to be.

Silently, we ran through the woods, slowing down once we smelled the wolves. We reached two of the pack in wolf form about a mile from the fire.

"They want us to follow them." I told Carlisle, picking up their thoughts. The wolves were surprised we had actually shown up. Following behind them, I started picking up pieces of thoughts from up ahead. We reached the edge of the clearing, and the thoughts quieted down, fear and anger running through the group that was settled there.

Billy Black, in his wheelchair, sat nearest. I could see the other members of the council, minus Harry Clearwater, sitting next to him, along with Jacob and Sam. The members of the pack came out of the forest to encircle us, growling in their wolf forms. It seemed that Sam was more than just the Alpha of the pack – the entire council would go along with whatever he suggested. Sam held up a hand to cease the noise as Carlisle and I sat on the opposite side of the fire. The growls died down as he began to speak. I caught his thoughts a second before he spoke, and my eyes narrowed. This was worse than I thought.

This wasn't just a meeting to discuss what happened. It wasn't just a renegotiation of the treaty. This was a tribunal.

I was on trial.

"Edward Cullen." Sam said, standing up. "You have violated the treaty of peace between our kinds. You knowingly set foot on our land. You endangered our people." His eyes met mine. "The penalty for this is death." Carlisle's eyes widened as he realized what was going on. He moved to say something, but I put a hand out to stop him.

"Do you deny that you have violated the terms of the treaty?" He asked me. He was daring me to lie.

"No." I answered.

What are you doing, son? I ignored Carlisle.

"I admit that I willingly and knowingly broke the treaty." I stood up. It didn't matter what happened to me. As long as Bella and my family were safe, then I would forfeit my life. I could hear that he was surprised by my answer.

"There were extenuating circumstances." Carlisle interrupted, wanting to stop this.

"Yes, we are aware of Bella Swan's involvement." Sam replied.

"My son saved her life." Carlisle insisted.

"We don't know that." Sam replied, and I could see what he was trying to do. It didn't matter what my intent was. It only mattered that I'd crossed the treaty line. Carlisle looked like he wanted to speak, and I narrowed my eyes at him. "We have no proof that Edward Cullen intended to do anything but cause trouble."

"Jacob was there." Carlisle practically snapped. He was upset that they were being so unreasonable.

Why are you not defending yourself? He thought at me. Carlisle didn't understand.

"We have seen Jacob's thoughts." Sam replied. "He came upon Edward and Bella on the beach. She was unconscious." He paused. "We only have his word that he didn't harm her."

"Then why isn't Bella here?" Carlisle wanted to know. "She's a witness."

"She is human, and under the protection of the pack." Sam said. "She is not part of this."

"The hell I'm not." Bella's voice carried through the trees, and I could hear Alice's thoughts along with hers.

"Bella and Alice." I murmured to Carlisle. I looked at Sam. "It's my sister, and Bella. Alice doesn't mean any harm." I, on the other hand, was ready to throttle the little pixie. How could she bring Bella out here?

"Let them come." Sam ordered, the pack breaking formation to allow them to pass into the circle. Alice was carrying Bella piggy back, and Jacob scowled as he watched her slide to the ground. He was not pleased about this; his dark thoughts were swirling. He and I were in complete agreement, for once. Alice flitted to my other side, leaving Bella to approach Sam.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

"Bella insisted." Alice replied, her voice just as quiet. "And on the way here, I saw that Carlisle was going to come back alone." I stared at her.

"What's going on, Sam?" Bella asked him, getting my attention. "This doesn't look like a simple meeting."

"It's not." Jacob spoke up, moving to her side. He seemed to be arguing with Sam about something, their eyes doing all the talking.

"It's a tribunal, Bella." Sam finally told her.

"You're going to punish him for saving me?" Bella gasped.

"I broke the treaty, Bella." I said, getting her attention. "It's not your fault." I paused.

"None of this is your fault." My voice was quiet. I could see she knew I didn't just mean the tribunal.

"It was my fault." She insisted. "I'm the one who jumped. Edward only broke the treaty because Alice saw that I was going to die."

"Is this true?" Sam looked at Alice.

"Yes." Alice looked in him in the eye. He seemed to believe her. "I kept getting a vision of Bella, jumping off the cliff drowning. Edward and I came back to check on her. When she wasn't home, we figured out she was on the reservation." She paused. "My visions aren't set in stone. They change based on what people decide." I tried to pay attention to what Alice was saying, but the sight of Bella's flushed face distracted me. It was then that I realized.

My desire for her blood was gone. The thought of a world without Bella had completely killed any urge left in me to drink her.

"He tried to stop me." Bella whispered, getting everyone's attention. "I didn't listen." I stared at her for a moment and then glared at Alice. She just grinned at me.

"I apologize for violating the peace between us." I said turning back to Sam. "I was only trying to save Bella's life."

"We would like to reaffirm the treaty between us, with the promise that this will not happen again." Carlisle said. "We will come to you next time we need access to your land, and let you decide."

"You're going to let them get away with this?" Jacob snarled, startling everyone. I'd been too focused on Bella to pay attention to what he was thinking.

"Jacob." Sam replied. I could hear the warning in his tone.

"Jake?" Bella stepped towards him. "You know I'd be dead if it wasn't for him." I want to rip her away from him. Grab her and just put as many miles between them as possible. I managed to restrain myself.

"Bella –" He started to say, but she interrupted him.

"Please, Jake." She said. "I couldn't stand the thought of anyone get hurt because of me." Jacob sighed. I could see that he wouldn't protest anymore, his thoughts focusing on Bella and what best for her.

"She's telling the truth." Jacob said. "I attacked Edward when I found them, and he didn't fight back. All he cared about was saving Bella."

"Thank you." I heard Bella whisper to him. He put an arm around her shoulder, and I stifled a growl. Alice elbowed me in the ribs.

Bella turned to Sam, awaiting his decision. He turned the options over in his mind, but seemed determined to keep this peaceful if at all possible.

"It is the will of this tribunal that Edward Cullen's actions be excused this one time, in the event that he was trying to save a human life." Sam finally said. I could see how much it cost him to be fair, as the minds of the pack rose in a cacophony of thoughts. They were not happy. The other members of the tribunal nodded, deferring to Sam's judgment.

"One more thing." Carlisle spoke up, getting everyone's attention.

"Yes?" Sam asked.

"We know that one of our kind has been here, trying to get to Bella." Carlisle said. I tuned into his thoughts, intrigued by where he was going with this. "I propose a sharing of information and a renegotiation of the treaty line while we deal with her."

Sam's surprise was evident on his face as well as his thoughts.

"That could be arranged." He replied. Carlisle handed him a business card.

"Call me and we'll discuss the details." Sam took the card and nodded. "Jacob will take you to the border."

"Thank you for seeing reason." The tribunal rose, and started to file off into the woods, most of the wolves following. A few remained, as if daring us to attack.

"I'll be right back." Jacob said, turning and heading for the trees. I chose that moment, and approached Bella.

"Thank you for coming." I said. She looked up at me, and I couldn't quite read her expression.

"I couldn't let them kill you." Bella replied, her eyes searching mine. I reached out a tentative hand and brushed it along her check.

"May I carry you?" I gestured with my head to forest behind us, in the direction we would be running. She inhaled sharply, blushing again.

"Yes." She finally answered. I turned around and tugged her onto my back in a fluid motion, reveling when she buried her face into my back. I hadn't forgotten that running made her sick. I walked over to where Alice and Carlisle stood waiting. Jacob came out in wolf form from behind the trees, his head cocked to the side when he saw that I was carrying Bella.

You better not drop her, leech.

"I would never." I replied, looking at him. "He's ready to go." I gestured to the others to go first. We took off at a run. I savored the short trip, vowing to never forget the feel of Bella pressed against me, her scent billowing in the breeze. Even though I no longer wanted to drink her blood, her smell would always intoxicate me.

We slowed to a stop at the end of the clearing and I could see Belle's truck parked near my Volvo. Alice and Carlisle headed for the Volvo and got in.

"Jacob would like to speak with you." I told her, a little tense, hearing the wolf's thoughts.

"Ok. Will you wait?" She asked, her voice hesitant. I nodded and went across the road to her truck. Jacob approached from the bushes, back in human form.

"Thank you for what you did back there." I heard Bella say softly. "It meant a lot to me."

"Just tell me that you aren't back together with him." Jake replied, his voice angry.

"No, I'm not." She told him. I tried not to let it show how much it upset me to hear that.

"Are you going to?" He asked. I felt bad for him. He really did love her.

"I don't know." Bella shot me a glance. "We have a lot to work out. I don't know that we can get back what we lost."

"Do you want to?" He reached out and took her hand.

"I don't know, Jake." She sighed. "I'm playing it by ear." She gave him a hug, and I could tell from his thoughts that he was surprised. I didn't like it much either. She pulled back and looked up at him. "I do know that I don't want to lose you." He gave her a hard look, and I heard him debate about kissing her again. Finally, he decided that would be too much for her – I was insanely glad, as I don't think I could have held myself back – and settled for brushing his lips against her forehead.

"Then don't." He said, stepping back. She gave him a little wave as he walked back into the forest. She turned and joined me, walking slowly.

"I think we need to talk." Bella said.

"Yes." I smiled at her. I helped her into the truck, gave Carlisle and Alice wave as they drove off in my Volvo, and got in the passenger side next to Bella. As we drove off I heard a wolf howl.

You'd better not hurt her again, bloodsucker.