Chapter 13- Sacrifices
"Jasper, toss me that bag," Emmett said, as he packed things into his jeep parked outside of the garage.
Night had fallen; it was pitch black in the surrounding woods, apart from the light coming from the house. The trees swayed in the dark as the breeze pushed their red and orange leaves around. It was clear fall was well on its way by the chilly air outside, not that any of them noticed.
"Here you go," said Jasper as he threw a hefty duffel bag at him.
Carlisle and Esme were in their room, Esme placed some of her items in a small bag at her dresser.
"Carlisle, something doesn't seem right, what if Bella and Edward were seen?" She said.
Carlisle shrugged on a thin grey jacket and said, "Edward left town already, besides he would have known if they had been seen and informed us of it," Esme was still troubled, Carlisle could tell. He walked over to her, taking her arms in his, she looked up at him with golden eyes.
"Everything's going to be fine. Never mind the wolves or Victoria. We've got Bella back; we've got our son back. We'll leave Forks and we can start over, and we'll be alright as long as our family is together. Right now that's all that matters," he said.
Esme looked at him, "your right, I shouldn't worry, we can put all of this behind us."
They grabbed their bags and shut off the light behind them as they walked out of their room at a typical human pace, something they had perfected after decades of blending in with society.
"Perhaps after all this we can pay a visit to your island, now that I am currently unemployed. I should have plenty of free time," Said Carlisle, wrapping an arm over her shoulders as they walked.
"It has been while since our last vacation," Esme replied.
"Yes, it feels like I haven't seen the sun in a century. Let's see, what else do I miss?" said Carlisle.
"No prying ears," she said looking up at him with a grin.
Carlisle replied, "Ah yes, no one listening into our bedroom all day and night while we-"
"Woah you two, save the r rated talk for when you're on the island far, far away from us," shouted Emmett from downstairs.
Esme giggled. "Exactly my point," Carlisle replied jokingly. "You know some privacy would be nice," he called loudly, knowing Emmett would be able to hear either way.
"Hey, don't look at me, tell that your other son, the king of all eavesdroppers" said Emmett, referring to Edward.
They made it outside where the rest of their family were waiting. They would take a separate car than the others, by morning, with the way they drove, the family would already be out of Washington. Carlisle did not expect to return for a long time, even by vampire standards.
Alice complained as she opened her car door,
"I hate that I can't see anything. It's like my visions are being road blocked by something."
"That's strange Alice. You can't see a single thing?" Esme said.
Alice paused for a moment closing her eyes to focus, "Nothing."
All of a sudden Carlisle's phone vibrated, he checked it,
"It's from Edward," he said as he answered, "Edward what is it?"
"You have to leave immediately, one of the Quileute's, they saw Bella. He's already sent the message to the others. I don't know what they are planning, but I know that it's likely to be bad, the strength of the pack has grown tremendously I saw it in the boy's mind."
The line went dead; Carlisle looked at his family who were watching silently. Then, as if the wolves had waited for the very perfect moment to throw the Cullen's off guard, their shadows appeared, deep in the forest. Their eyes shone in the dark and the family heard growls ripping from their mouths, and smelled the familiar wolf scent which was foul to vampires.
"Well looks like they didn't come to talk anymore," said Emmett, as usual he was completely unfazed by the fact that their lives were on the line.
"Carlisle? It's your call on this one," Jasper said.
"Whatever you choose to do, we're with you," said Alice.
Carlisle looked at his family, and then to Esme. How he hated bloodshed,. He had spent over 3 centuries completely avoiding it. Killing dozens of high school age boys from the reserve did not seem in the least bit appealing to him. Most of them were so inexperienced, having only recently undergone their transformations, they were practically children. But then again, the idea of anything happening to his family was out of the question.
He had only a few seconds to make a decision, he knew the treaty, once it was broken it was completely useless and there could be a full blown war between species. It was beginning to seem that his family was being viewed as a major threat. The werewolves didn't just feel it their obligation to kill him and his very powerful coven, they wanted to, for their own sanity's.
"They aren't here to talk, I can sense it," Rosalie said.
"Who needs to talk?" said Emmett.
"Carlisle?" said Esme.
He handed his wife his phone, on it, he had typed in half a second,
When I give the word, you and the others must run. Don't look back.
Then he kissed a speechless Esme gently on the forehead, and made his way towards the trees.
"Carlisle no," Rosalie called.
"What does he think he's doing?" Emmett said.
Esme just looked at him with wide eyes as he disappeared into the trees; she looked like she was in a state of shock.
"I'll go with him," said Jasper, he was about to take off running.
"No," Esme and Alice both said in unison.
"What?" asked Jasper. "We can't just let him go alone, it's too risky."
"He wants you to stay here," Esme said.
~o~o~o~
"This is my fault," Edward said miserably as he stood at the railing on the roof of an old apartment building, on the street where they had parked, "If something happens to any of them, it will be because of my own incompetence."
Bella was on the middle of the roof, she couldn't help but feel guilty that technically she was the thing that had distracted him; she was also the one who started this whole mess between the wolves and the Cullen's in the first place.
"Edward, I can't just stay here wondering if they're alright or not, I am the cause of this. I know some of the Quileute's, I can maybe speak to them, convince them that-"
"No," he said. "Never mind the past or you being the daughter of Chief Swan. In their eyes, you are just another cold-hearted, bloodsucking vampire. You are one of us now; they won't listen to what you have to say."
"They did once, when you and your family first arrived. How else could you have made treaty with them?"
"That was long ago, Ephraim Black and those descendants have long since died. These new wolves won't give us a second chance after what we did to you."
"You didn't hurt me, you saved me." Bella replied.
"Not in their eyes. Besides, it's far too dangerous for you to go back, my family are good fighters, they have experience. You've only been a vampire for a few days."
"I am stronger than all of you," she said.
Edward did not answer, he just looked away over the rail, to the streets beneath the building.
"So you'd choose me over your family?" she questioned sharply.
Edward did not turn when he replied, "You are my family, and they are yours. We have sacrificed for each other for years; they would do the same for you."
"Well I don't want any more sacrifices," said Bella. "This is my battle, I have to face it for once."
Edward felt a whoosh of air and a sudden silence come upon the atmosphere, apart from the noise from down below.
"Bella?" he said, as he turned and scanned the roof with his eyes, there was no sign of her anywhere.
He turned his head towards the northeastern direction from the top of the tall building, and saw, miles and miles away, peering into the distance with his micro vision, massive trees, and a thick forest which could only lead to one town.
A/N: Please tell me what you think of what's happened so far. A lot happened in this chapter and the last one so you must have some comment. I really want to know:) I know you're probably getting sick of the cliff hangers but I PROMISE, the next chapter will have the real Cullen's vs. werewolf action, and now that Bella's going back, that will definitely stir things up a bit. I haven't really decided how bad things are gonna go, or how good things are gonna go for Carlisle and the Cullen's yet, I suppose it will depend on my mood when I'm writing it.