Chapter 11: Preemptive

"A Plan?" Adam Bailey asked. I glanced around the table and saw everyone looking at Adam hopefully. "Sorry, but I'm only here as the weapons expert..."

"We're great at plans, don't worry" Alice said. "I see us going to Italy rather than letting the Volturi come here."

"Yes, sort of like a preemptive strike," Jasper's voice was quiet, his thoughts piecing together a plan. "I think we should go within a week in case they come quicker than Alice has seen."

"You'll need to prepare and train," Adam threw in.

"Alright, can I carry two guns?" Emmett looked into the two large cases, eyeing the special guns that would also hold the Anti-Venom bullets.

"Yeah, sure Emmett," Jasper was still deep in thought.

"Alright!" Emmett exclaimed.

"What do you have in mind for training, Adam?" I asked.

"Well, I'll have to make anyone who's going a weapons expert too. Target practive will be necessary."

"I'm going," Bella spoke up, "but I'm not sure how good of a marksman I'll be."

"You're not going anywhere," I maintained my calm.

"What about the pack? We can help." Jacob offered.

"Actually, I'm glad you're here. I will need to utilize you in your wolf form to help make some extra Anti-Venom." Adam looked at Jacob and Sam, then he explained that Anti-Venom contains many ingredience including werewolf saliva. Bella shuddered at those words, but looked at me furiously when he was done explaining.

"It's my fault the Volturi want to come here, I'm going!" Bella is so stubborn.

"Bella, you said it yourself, you won't be much help." Carlisle said diplomatically. "Adam, how many guns do you have?"

"Total, including what's in my car, I have 8."

"Are you in?" Carlisle asked Adam.

"Definitely."

"Great. Adam, Carlisle, Emmett, Edward, Jacob, Sam and myself, we're the ones who are going." Jasper spoke with finality. "Sam, you can also bring an extra wolf or two to Italy and the others can stay behind to guard everyone staying here.

"Oh, and leave all of us womenfolk behind?" Bella asked sardonically.

"Someone from each family has to stay behind for the childrens' sake." Jasper said, making sense to me.

"Alice, Rosalie, you're not going to sit there and pretend you two aren't as good of fighters as the guys are, right?" Bella looked at them hopefully.

"Bella, we're human now. It's different," Alice replied. "We don't have the same strength we did as vampires."

"We need to be here for our children, Bella. I have faith in Emmett and the others, they can take care of themselves." Rosalie added.

We talked like this until the kids came out of the playroom, starving. I decided to order pizzas for everyone since Bella and I were in no condition to cook for this many people in a short amount of time. Over dinner, we analyzed the plans, planning on spending the next week training and preparing, mapping out strategies. The only thing we weren't sure of is how the Volturi will react once they're human again, but it's a risk we have to take.

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Later that evening, I sighed as I walked into our bedroom where Bella was folding laundry. "Annie and Lily are asleep and I just told Thomas and Adam to turn out the lights."

"Thank you for taking over story time with the girls," Bella smiled at me, but I could tell, she wasn't happy. I stood next behind her and massaged her shoulders, trying to loosen the tension I could feel there.

"Let me help you with this," I helped her clear away the piles of folded clothing. "Let me give you a massage, lay down." Bella kissed me deeply and I wanted to skip the massage, but I knew she needed it. She layed down on our bed and I started to work my magic.

"I'm worried, Edward."

"I know you are, but Bella, we don't have a choice."

"I know that, but still, I feel so guilty."

"Guilty! Why?" I leaned down to kiss her neck, then continued massaging her shoulder blades, and moved to her lower back.

"It's all my fault. I'm such a danger magnet. Everyone in our family is in trouble again, because of me. I can't bear the thought of you leaving and fighting with the Volturi."

"Bella, stop blaming yourself," I abandoned my efforts and took her into my arms. I cradled her head against my chest, stroking her cheek, kissing her head. "We'll be fine." She started to cry then. I hate it when she cries. It feels like someone is ripping my beating heart from my chest, then stomping on it. "Don't cry, my love."

"If anything happens to you..." She couldn't finish, her sobs wouldn't allow her to speak.

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay, Bella." I tried to calm her down and after a long time, her tears subsided. "Sleep now," I turned out the light and still holding her tight to my body, layed down on the bed. Only after I heard her even breathing, did I drift into a fitful slumber, filled with nightmares of the Volturi coming into my home, wrecking havoc on my family.

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Over the next week, Jasper trained us physically while Adam trained us on the weapons. Jacob and Sam were there, not that they needed physical training since they would switch to their wolf form if necessary, but they needed to know all of our plans, etc. Over the course of this week, it was decided that Alice would need to accompany us on the trip to Italy to foresee any dangers that my occur as plans changed, so we could better adapt. Bella didn't react well to this news either, but in the end, it wasn't up to her. Alice and Jasper's daughter, Eve, would stay with Bella so she could play with Annie and Lily. Their son, Brayden, would go to Carlisle and Esme's to be with their son, William.

The following Monday morning, as we were getting ready to leave for our flight to Italy in the private jet I needed to rent so we could transport these weapons with no questions asked, I gave my four children one last big hug and kiss, telling them each I would be back soon. I only hope I can keep my promise. I finished packing while the kids went off to school.

Bella and I spent a few private moments in our room saying goodbye to one another. "Promise me you'll come back to me," Bella's face scrunched up in pain and a few tears fell from her beautiful eyes. I wiped the tears away, brushing my fingers along their path, and kissed her gently.

"I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to return to you in one piece." I kissed her again, tilting her face up to my lips, wrapping my arms around her waist. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she choked on her next words. "I can't live without you, Edward."

"If something does happen to me, Bella, you will go on for the sake of our Children. Think of Adam, Thomas, Annie and Lily. They will need you more than ever if something happens to me." I kissed her several more times as her sobs grew more intense. "I promise that I will always be with you."

We walked out to the car then, where everyone else was already waiting. I kissed Bella one last time and headed off to battle.