Disclaimer: I don't own a single thing Twilight (well, except for Pocket Edward)
A/N: Thank you to the pea to my carrot & beta ForksPixie
Chapter 12 Reunion
Just then the clock tolled and I could hear it despite the cheering crowds celebrating St. Marcus Day in the square. It was time for me to meet my destiny. I took a step forward, towards the sunlight and towards my last day on this earth.
Just as my foot was about to touch the ground, a force hit me so hard I could have sworn Jane had struck me down before I could expose myself. The end came quickly, painlessly.
I slowly opened my eyes and was amazed to see Bella with her arms wrapped around me.
"Amazing," I said, smiling at the fact that there was Heaven and I was allowed in. "Carlisle was right."
"Edward," she pleaded with me. "You've got to get back into the shadows. You have to move!"
I was a bit surprised. I could smell her scent as fresh as the last night I spent in her bed and it still burned my lungs. If this were Heaven, shouldn't my blood lust for her be gone?
I looked down at her and brushed her cheek with my fingers. She felt so soft and wonderful, just as she did the day I left her seven months ago. Now I could have an eternal life with her and her soul was safe. But she looked so panicked. Shouldn't she look as relieved as I felt, that we were together again?
"I can't believe how quick it was. I didn't feel a thing – they're very good," I mused as I pressed my lips into her hair, taking in the scent of her strawberry shampoo and the soft brown curls against my lips. "Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty," I quoted Romeo. I then heard the clock boom again and found it odd that I would be aware of the world I had just left. "You smell just exactly the same as always," I whispered to her. "So maybe this is hell. I don't care. I'll take it."
"I'm not dead," Bella interrupted me. "And neither are you! Please Edward, we have to move. They can't be far away!" she pleaded with me, trying to push me back out of the sun.
I was confused. "What was that?" I asked.
"We're not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi—," she said.
Suddenly I understood that I had not made it into the sunlight. I had not died and Bella was really here, in Volterra, once again in my arms. While I did not comprehend how this could be, I also knew immediately I must protect her.
I pulled her from the edge of the shadows and pushed her back against the ancient stone wall of the alley, pressing my back against her. I spread my arms out to protect her as Felix and Demetri emerged from the darkness.
"Greetings, gentlemen," I said calmly, hoping they would choose to leave. However, I knew it wouldn't be as easy as that. Bella was here with me, alive and that meant I had broken the rule of keeping our existence a secret.
"I don't think I will be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much, however, if you would send my thanks to your masters."
A nervous smile formed on Felix's lips. He seemed to know this would not be as easy as he had hoped.
"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" he said smoothly, raising his eyebrow as a means of convincing us to cooperate. His size might have been intimidating to most, but I feared nothing with Bella by my side.
I backed closer to Bella, feeling more protective. I was grateful I had a second chance to protect her and I would not fail her again.
"I don't believe that will be necessary," I said in a low, deep voice, glaring at him. "I know your instructions, Felix. I haven't broken any rules."
"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun," Demetri said in a hushed tone. They were trying not to bring any further attention to us than had already occurred. "Let us seek better cover."
"I'll be right behind you," I said in a flat tone, hoping to spare Bella from the inevitable discussion and possible consequences I would be facing in a few moments. "Bella, why don't you go back to the square and enjoy the festival?" I encouraged her, laying my hand on her shoulder, pointing her in the direction of the revelers.
"No, bring the girl," Felix insisted menacingly, despite his whispered tone.
"I don't think so," I answered sternly, with a growl escaping from my throat. I anchored my feet to the ground and readied my body for a confrontation, moving my body back in front of her.
"No," Bella whispered at me, laying her hands softly on my arm and shoulder.
"Shh," I whispered, hoping Bella would stay quiet and not antagonize the guard.
For months I had been emotionally moving towards the end game. Now, minutes after I thought my life had ended I desperately wanted to live, to quickly and quietly leave Italy and return to Forks, with Bella.
"Felix," Demetri warned. "Not here," he said, turning to face me. "Aro would simply like to speak with you again, if you have decided not to force our hand after all."
"Certainly," I obliged. "But the girl goes free," I insisted.
"I'm afraid that's not possible," he said politely, as if he were discussing afternoon tea. "We do have rules to obey."
When I had come to the Volturi to ask for their assistance I believed Bella was dead and it hadn't mattered that she was a human who knew of our existence. Now, here she was, living and breathing and standing before our ruling body. I had broken the cardinal rule of our kind and I had to find a way to get out of the punishment that she and I would be faced with.
"Then I'm afraid that I'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri," I was posturing and hoped I would be able to talk my way out of the situation.
"That's just fine," Felix purred. He wasn't going to be okay with my answer. Now I wondered what route they were going to take.
"Aro will be disappointed," Demetri chimed in. I knew by their reactions that I was not going to be allowed to leave and disappoint Aro.
"I'm sure he will survive the letdown," I quipped. I was still doing everything I could to get me and Bella out of here.
With their cloaks protecting them from any sunlight that might fall into the alley, the two members of the Volturi Guard moved closer to the mouth of the alley, trying to force me and Bella further into the darkness of the alley.
I refused to move an inch. I was there to protect Bella at any cost. Felix and Demetri were the muscle of the family, but they didn't scare me. I was strong enough and when it came to making Bella safe I was steely in my resolve. If it came down to it, they could attack me and I would put up quite a fight, giving Bella time to escape.
Suddenly I heard my sister approaching from the darkest end of the alley. How did I not know Alice was a part of this? Felix, Demetri and I all whipped our heads in her direction.
"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?" she said in the sweetest voice, like she were giving instructions on etiquette to each of us. "There are ladies present."
She swiftly and casually moved to my side, serving as another barrier to Bella.
Demetri and Felix were taken aback by her presence. When it was just me they had to deal with they had the advantage. Now they had two vampires who were very protective of their human to deal with and it seemed the odds were in our favor.
Alice shot a glance towards the entrance of the alley where a little family with two young girls stood, interested in what was transpiring in the alley.
"We're not alone," Alice reminded them.
Demetri shot a quick glance over his shoulder. The mother was quite worried about what was happening with our group, urging her husband by pulling on his robe. The older of the two little girls were transfixed by us. Perhaps she had a deeper understanding of exactly how dangerous we were. Just as the father tapped another man on the shoulder, to bring his attention to the alley, Demetri pleaded in a calmer tone, "Please, Edward, let's be reasonable." Perhaps he thought if he fooled me into thinking there was no harm I would go along with his wishes. He underestimated me and my abilities. I knew exactly what he and Felix had in mind. I had read their thoughts and they had every intention of taking us before Aro for punishment.
"Let's," I said, putting my arm around Bella's waist, pulling her close to me and angling our bodies towards the exit of the alley. "And we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser."
Demetri sighed in frustration. Clearly I was not cooperating the way he had hoped I would. "At least let us discuss this more privately."
By this time six men had joined the family in the square and they were all staring at us intently. Surely they noticed how tightly I was holding on to Bella and they sensed our discomfort with the situation.
I stared directly into Demetri's eyes with ferocity and loudly clenched my teeth, never wavering from my resolve. "No.
Felix smiled.
"Enough," said a sweet voice coming from the end of the alley. The sweetness of the voice did not disguise the determination in her voice.
I had moved Bella behind me again and she peeked from under my arm to see Jane as she approached us. I lowered my arm to block her from Jane's view. I knew when Jane was sent in it wasn't going to end the way I hoped, with us walking away into the Tuscan countryside. Jane was tiny, but make no mistake, she was one of Aro's greatest weapons.
Demetri and Felix relaxed and stepped into the shadows of the buildings that rose from the alley. I relaxed my stance as well, still keeping Bella behind me. Alice became less on edge as well. We both knew we had no chance to argue with Jane. If we did the consequences would be swift and painful and our chances of negotiating our way out would be greatly decreased.
"Jane," I sighed in resignation, hesitantly welcoming her to our little gathering.
"Follow me," she directed, turning on her heels and heading back into the darkness of the alley.
Felix gestured for us to go first, of course. He couldn't take a chance of allowing us to bring up the rear. That would be our chance to escape and he knew it.
Alice obediently followed in behind Jane and I quickly followed suit. I wrapped my arm protectively around Bella's waist and moved to Alice's side, wedging Bella in between the two of us, in an effort to increase her protection against the Volturi.
"Well, Alice," I said to my sister. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here."
She answered me in the same flat tone I spoke in.
"It was my mistake," she admitted. "It was my job to set it right."
I never changed my tone, although I was incredibly angry. I didn't need to get our hosts more intrigued than they needed to be.
"What happened?" I asked. I truly wanted to know how we found ourselves in this situation. Alice had all the answers and I knew it.
"It's a long story," Alice said, shooting a glance Bella's way then back at me. "In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days."
I looked at Alice, then at Bella, in shock. What on earth was she talking about? Why would Bella take risks when I asked her not to do so, for Charlie's sake. Clearly she did not listen to me.
She has been hanging out with werewolves and being followed by Laurent and Victoria. She took up extreme sports as a hobby….
Alice's thoughts were racing, trying to impart what she had learned about the past 7 months of Bella's life on me, without any of the others hearing.
Clearly being away from Bella had not been a good decision. It had never been clearer to me than it was now that she needed me to watch over her, to protect her. I had left her to keep her safe, but my departure had only brought her closer to danger.
"Hm," I said with disdain. I hoped Bella understood by my response that Alice had just informed me of every chance she had taken and how it affected me.
As we neared the dead end of the alley, Jane disappeared down an open hole in the street. I could tell Bella was searching the shadows for her. Jane had moved too fast for Bella to understand. I continued to lead her, with my hand on the small of her back.
Alice followed behind Jane and slid down the hole to the dark, subterranean world of the most powerful vampire family in the world. If only the world above had any clue.
As we got closer to the hole and Bella saw the grate that was slid to the side, she put the brakes on and refused to move further. I guided her forward, gently with a nudge at her back.
"It's all right, Bella," I whispered as I leaned down towards her ear. "Alice will catch you."
I was following Bella, knowing that Alice and I would always have to form a protective shell around her, never leaving any of the Volturi Guard with direct access to her.
She lowered herself to sit on the side of the hole and swung her legs into the narrow gap.
"Alice?" she whispered into the darkness below. I could hear the fear in her voice and wished, more than anything, that she hadn't come here, to the most dangerous place on earth for one of her kind, to save me.
"I'm right here," Alice said from down below.
I stepped behind her and wrapped my hands around her wrists, preparing to lower her down to Alice. I held her as gently as I could, but her soft skin was so delicate and I was certain, at the very least, there would be bruising.
"Ready?" I asked, for Bella and for Alice.
"Drop her," Alice answered.
Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath, readying herself for the next step. I had total faith in Alice, but I knew Bella was afraid and I didn't want to let her go, to drop her into the unknown. I wanted to hold her forever.
I have her Edward, she is okay.
As soon as I knew Alice had caught her and moved her out of the way, I dropped through the hole and moved quickly back to her side. I wrapped my arm around her waist and guided her along, following Jane.
She was frightened and wrapped both of her arms around my waist. Her confidence in me and my ability to protect her worried me. As much as I wanted to be her protector, I obviously had not done a very good job since Victoria and Laurent had made their way to her, without me or anyone from my family there to protect her.
We all quietly marched down the dimly lit street. The only sounds were that of a trickle of water here or there that oozed from the walls that lined the subterranean street. Then there was the most significant sound in my world. The sound of Bella's heartbeat and it was racing with fear.
I held on even tighter to her, worried this may be the last time I ever got to hold her this close and breathe her in. I reached my free hand across to hold her face and brush my thumb across her soft lips. I longed to feel her sweet kiss against my lips once again and had to do everything in my power to ensure we made it out of here with our lives, where we could once again be together.
She wrapped her arms more tightly around my waist, afraid to let go. She wanted me. At this moment she wanted me and needed me. If I got us through this tribunal that lay ahead would she want me then?
I bent down and kissed her forehead, to reassure here everything would be all right. Of course, I had no idea how things would turn out, but I needed to convince her she was as safe in my arms as she believed she was.
I could feel the tension in her body and see it on her face and made an effort to stroke her cheek, to calm her, to reassure her as we moved further and further down the slopping street, which I was sure would somehow take us back to the Volturi's lair.
As we moved further down through a low arched tunnel where the water seeped from the ground above, the temperature dropped. While temperature had absolutely no bearing or affect on me, it certainly did on Bella and she was shivering. As much as I could hold her and try to calm her I also knew I was making her colder. There was absolutely nothing I could do to make her feel warm, with the exception of releasing my hold on her, instead opting to wrap my hand around hers.
"N-n-no," she chattered, throwing her arm back around my waist. I knew then that the emotional comfort of being in my arms was far more important than her physical comfort.
We continued to hurry through the tunnel until we reached the end, where heavy iron bars welcomed us to enter through a smaller door, covered in interlaced bars. It was standing open, welcoming us inside a larger, brighter stone room.
The grill of the door slammed shut behind us and Bella jumped in fear. She had no idea what lay ahead, but I did and I had to find a way to get us all out of it. I clenched my jaw tightly as we entered the new room.
A/N: Reviews are Love & I love the Love!
