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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Sacrifices

Her eyes weathered deep and full

and mine wide open for the first time

I could never know what you know

I could never see what you've seen

and in a world of unfamiliar eyes

I could recognize

I could recognize your heart

Recognize by Stephanie Schneiderman

Alice growled from Quil's lap, her hands tugging at her hair making her look like a wild animal caged against its will. I'd never thought much about how scary Alice was, but seeing her like this put some emphasis on that.

"I just can't see anything with these guys so close."

"You're the one invading our detail, pixie," Jacob growled front the front seat, which only had Rosalie snapping her head in his direction. It seemed the confined quarters weren't quite working out for the working together aspect.

"Stop it, all of you," I snapped, cringing as we went over a pothole and I ground into a part of Paul I wasn't in the mood to acknowledge. "We're all on the same side here. I know the shit is all up in the air, but I need you guys to focus. Jake, when we get to the house it's going to be a mess, but don't go in there headstrong, we have to get them to pay attention. Rose, maybe you could grab Katherine and make her talk; I think she's scared of you. Alice . . ."

Alice looked up at me with her eyes squinted as she tried to see what I was about to say, but being stuck in the car it was impossible. It was weird seeing her with no answers.

". . . I need you to keep Edward away from me, I'm in no mood to deal with his shit."

"I can do that," Paul muttered from under me.

"No. No more fighting, I want to warn them, interrogate that bitch and get the hell out of there."

I could see Rosalie's smile in the rear view mirror and knew she'd be more than happy to persuade Katherine to talk. I'd thought she hadn't liked me when I first met her, but that looked like a sleepover party compared to the hate she seemed to harbor for Katherine. It wasn't less than the bitch deserved.

"What about Embry?"

"We grab him and the vamp," Jared said squirming a little, and somehow I knew he was trying to picture Kim with fangs and a slight eau de vamp. He didn't seem to enjoy it in the slightest.

"What Vamp?" Alice asked, trying to move as far as she could from Quil to the window Rosalie had open.

"Caroline."

"Why her?"

"He imprinted on her. I thought you knew that?"

"He's a wolf, Bella, I can't see anything as far as he's concerned and at least that answers why I couldn't see anything in her future."

"Oh thank the stars," Rosalie muttered as the house came into view. "I don't think I could drive another minute with the stench."

"Back at you, blondie," Jacob barked out.

The moment the car slid to a stop the door was open and I was being deposited onto my feet by Paul. He put his hand on my shoulder and I nodded letting him know I was fine. I took a deep breath hating that I would have to walk back in this place and face the two men that had broken my heart. I wasn't so concerned with Edward anymore because he was now insignificant in my eyes. It was Damon I didn't want to see.

It was still too fresh too act like it didn't hurt; and I knew he regretted it, I saw it in the way he spoke to me in the kitchen, but that didn't change anything. He'd still kissed Katherine back for the sake of his pride. It was only a matter of time until it came up again.

The Quileutes gathered in a group as Alice and Rose came to stand either side of me. Even without her vision I knew Alice could see the trepidation in my body. She seemed to appreciate how hard this was for me, and it still surprised me how supportive Rose was being. I'd always thought she hated me.

I pushed through the front door to see Caroline and Embry exiting the kitchen door, both escaping to what sounded like a small war going on. Embry froze, looking at his brothers with wide eyes as he pulled Caroline behind him. I think he knew they wouldn't hurt her, but it was his instinct to protect her.

Caroline certainly wasn't complaining.

"Guys," Embry nodded, relaxing a little while I stepped forward to the kitchen door that stood between me and the ensuing chaos that was reigning behind it.

"Bella, don't go in there, it's a mess," Caroline said gently, stepping in front of me as I passed her. "I know Damon can be an asshole but he's pretty messed up right now."

"Why? I wasn't the one that kissed my ex in front of him."

"Because that's who he is. All that yelling in there, it's because he loves you, he may be screaming at Edward but he's directing every bit of it at himself. You know he drives me insane, but I've never seen him like this before."

"I know you mean well, but he's the one that did this."

Caroline nodded and stepped from my path. I moved forward again feeling Rose and Alice close by as I pushed into the tiny room that was full to the point of the walls shaking with the activity. Everyone was pushing and shoving at one another. Angry words were thrown around like tennis balls, growls emitted from everyone as the pushed and pulled at arms restraining them.

Edward was being restrained by Emmett and Jasper but everyone else seemed to be stood with or behind Damon as he screamed at the restrained Edward, his face was contorted with rage. I was so caught up in his anger I hadn't noticed Embry and Caroline slip past me to flank him. It was only when his eyes flickered to them with acknowledgment that I realized what was going on.

I heard the front door slam somewhere behind me as the last of the Quileutes filtered into the already crowded kitchen. Everyone's eyes turned to me.

By the time the two vampires and four wolves that were with me squeezed into the kitchen it began resembling a sardine can. Only there was one person missing from the fray. An integral part in our coming back here. As silence filled the room, as the occupants watched for my next move.

"Where the fuck is Katherine?"

Damon looked almost disappointed by my question, but quickly wiped the emotion from his face. I looked around the room at everyone with a scrutinizing eye, wondering who was going to answer first. Sadly, they were watching me like I was a china doll, cracked and under pressure, they were just waiting for me to fall apart.

"So you fuckers have turned mute in my absence? I asked a question."

"She's gone, Bella," Edward answered confidently, stepping forward. I retreated a step, backing into the kitchen island, dancing around it to put more distance between the two of us, I didn't want him near me.

Rose stuck to my side as I moved, her eyes on Edward and I was thankful. It surprised me that she regarded him like a stranger, the tables had turned and I still wasn't quite sure how to take that. There was simply disgust and disappointment taking the place of the trust and friendship that had once been there.

"And whose bright idea was it to let her go?" I asked.

Everyone looked at Edward.

"She can't hurt you, Bella, I won't allow it."

Damon let a feral growl rip from his throat and stepped toward me. I shook my head once and he stopped, watching for my next move. I leaned on the counter, my palms flat on the tiled surface as I got closer to the one person I loathed.

"You don't get it do you? Always so sure you're right you can't even see that it's ignorance. No, she can't hurt me, you want to know why?"

"Bella . . ."

"She may not have gone to the Volturi," I said ignoring him. "But her questions have raised their interest level. Tanya went to Forks . . ."

Carlisle turned his head to look at me. "What did she say?"

This time Jacob stepped forward, and all eyes in the room went to him.

"We almost killed her, but she said your name and told us you were in danger. I knew you were with Bella because Embry called us, she said that a half-breed Katherine had been asking questions, Felix called Eleazar and asked him to look into it. That the girl, Katherine, had a mark on her life and anyone associating with her would be taken down as well. They also asked me to mention they'd gone to Juno and that you'd know where to find them."

Damon looked at Edward and shoved him as hard as he could, pushing him a little more than I could have. Edward moved to respond but Emmett had him in a headlock before he could think of moving.

"I told you the bitch was conniving, I told you we should have killed her. You're an ignorant son of a bitch."

Edward, surprisingly chose to ignore him, his head looking to Carlisle.

"We have to get Bella to safety, she can't be implicated in any of this. Alice and Rose can take her to Esme's Isle, they wouldn't know to look for her there. They won't know she exists."

"If Aro comes, he will know," Carlisle said, his hand gripping Esme's. "One touch and he will read every thought you've ever had. He'll know where to look."

"We have to do something. We can't let Bella be killed because of these moronic half-breeds. We could all go, we won't be associated with them in anyway."

"Just stop it," I yelled, my hands tangling in my hair. "I'm so fed up of your bullshit. I don't need protection. I can look after myself. If it wasn't for you we could have killed Katherine and been done with it but you had to play your fucking games."

Edward struggled loose from Emmett's grip and stepped toward me, but the five wolves slid into a crescent shape around me, all of them emitting low dangerous growls. I could see Edward's hesitance now. He couldn't go up against this many wolves alone.

"You don't need protection? You do realize you're hiding behind a wall of shape shifting mutts?"

"Need I remind you that the wolves were the only ones that were there for me after you walked away? They picked me up and put the pieces back together, they kept Victoria away. Just ask Jake, he was the one that had to see me at my worst."

Edward cringed almost immediately and I knew Jacob was remembering how I'd been after Edward left, I hoped he remembered to put in everything we'd ever talked about as well, how early my hatred for him started. I just hoped that for once, it would get through to that thick skull of his. I didn't want him.

"Stop," Edward growled, but his face never changed, the pain there was evident. Yet I felt nothing.

"They know everything there is to know about me, every time my life came into question I was part of the decisions made. They asked me what I wanted to do. You never could trust my judgment, you controlled me like I was a puppet and I went along with it because I loved you. I trusted you. Then in one night, you threw me away like I meant nothing."

"I lied to you," he growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everything I said to you was a lie. You were and still are everything to me. You were so quick to believe the lie."

"Oh don't pull that shit with me, Edward. Three years later you really expect me to believe that crock of horse crap? Get over yourself, we have more important things to discuss."

"Like the Volturi," Elena said gently. "I'm human too, so it seems we're all in a bit of a predicament here."

Everyone looked at her like she had grown another head and I felt bad for her. She and I were in the same predicament. We were both in danger, and if we were discovered, we'd be killed for sure.

"I agree with Elena. We need to do something."

"Then come with me, Bella, I will keep you safe and I won't leave your side again. You mean everything to me. You have to know that."

"You don't hear a word she says do you?" Damon laughed.

"Do you really like the sound of your own voice that much?" Edward asked, looking over at Damon with disdain. "You talk but it's like a damn gorilla thumping its chest. She's over you."

"I hate to break it to you but she's over you as well, so back the fuck off."

The two of them went back and forth again, their angers flaring and voices rising. Everyone in the room seemed to sag with frustration that once again the two of them were in a pissing competition. Nothing more seemed to be said about the Volturi as the respective people tried to shut them up.

I watched them go back and forth as though I wasn't in the room at all and I lost my temper. This was just fucking typical. Imminent death was looming over us and they were fighting over me. Neither of them seemed to conceive the fact that if the Volturi got involved there wouldn't be a me. It would all be over. Moot point.

Maybe I was safer leaving with the wolves and staying in La Push for the rest of my life. At least neither of these two assholes could get to me there. I wasn't asking for much, just a little conversation on what the best way to handle this was, but they couldn't even do that.

"I need some air," I mumbled to no one in particular, and headed toward the door that would lead to the study, at least that way I could get out of the patio doors and breathe a little bit. I was starting to get claustrophobic in this tiny room with all of these people, and my wall of wolves were like a heat wave around me.

No one seemed to notice as I headed to the door, and I managed to get through it with little trouble. I could see the billowing curtain ahead of me and the cool evening air licking my skin as I approached it. I felt better already, being in that room was suffocating.

I stepped outside and looked up at the stars, taking a deep breath. Two more steps and I was clear of the door. Before I could draw breath into my lungs I was hit by a freight train and hit the ground with a thud. Pain lanced through my body, and made my head swim as someone screamed my name.

Damon

I'd had quite enough of Doucheward's shit. All I wanted was for his sorry ass to back off so that I could talk to Bella. I just knew that I could fix things with her… At least I knew I had to try. I would forever regret it if I didn't.

"Admit it, Damon, you screwed up! You'll never be worthy of her. And even if you were it seems that you are simply incapable of holding a woman's attention for very long. Bella would probably just end up leaving you for your brother." Ouch! That really was a low blow. Elena and Stefan both cringed.

"So that's what this has come to? You reading my mind and playing on my insecurities? Very mature. I expected more from a senior citizen such as yourself."

"Pot," he pointed at me then back to himself, "meet kettle."

"Yes, well I may be immature, but at least I'm man enough to stick around when the going gets rough. Isn't your motto more along the lines of love 'em and leave 'em? Or maybe just get unsuspecting human girls to fall for your charms them leave them brokenhearted to fend for themselves amongst mythical creatures who want them dead!" I snarled the last part, thinking of everything Bella must have gone through worrying for herself and those around her.

"Or maybe," I continued, "you think that just because you can read minds that you know simply everything there is to know!" Emmett snickered and I sent him a smirk.

In fact I was quite surprised that Edward's "family" wasn't defending him more. I wasn't sure if it was because they knew that I couldn't do any real damage to him, or because they agreed with what I was saying.

"Don't concern yourself with my family and I. As a matter of fact, why don't you just forget you ever heard of us," Edward spat.

"Sounds good to me. You're the ones who showed up on my doorstep, not the other way around."

"Yes, well, if you hadn't been dumb enough to contact my sister then maybe we wouldn't be. And don't worry yourself, Damon, as soon as we get Bella and her things we will be on our way."

"Last I checked, Bella had a say in this, and from what I could tell she doesn't want anything to do with you!"

"And she wants you?" He barked out a harsh laugh.

"I'll be the first to admit that I screwed up, but it's not like I'm going to wait three years to try and fix it!" Edward looked momentarily taken aback.

"Just give it up, Damon! Slink back to whatever rock you crawled out from under and stay there! She will never come near you again!"

I barked out a harsh laugh.

"Sounds like wishful thinking on your part, Eddie. And how would you know? Can you read her mind? I didn't think so. Come talk to me when you can."

Suddenly my attention shifted. The Cullens and the wolves both followed my line of sight, but none of us are fast enough to do any good. I warned the asshole that Katherine was far too stubborn and prideful to heed Edward's words. A collective gasp rang through the room as we watched Katherine ram into Bella through the open door of the kitchen. The loud snapping sound that followed alerted us to the fact that her dainty neck had been broken.

"Bella!" Edward and I both screamed at the same time.

The doc and I were the first to reach her, as Emmett had been too stunned to release his grip on Edward. Carlisle quickly assessed her before looking to Edward.

"She will need to be changed. There is no way to save her life otherwise, son. What would you like me to do?" I looked back and forth between them incredulously. I couldn't believe that they were even remotely considering just sitting back and allowing her to die!

"I don't want this life for her! I never did! I left to prevent this very thing!" He pulled himself free of Emmett's hold and began to pace and tug at his hair. One would think that he would be at Bella's side, as she was the love of his life. But no, he was too busy worrying about what he wanted… or didn't want as it were.

I looked around at everyone else, hoping for someone to see some sort of reason. Jasper was holding Alice back and Rosalie was whispering into her husband's ear that it was not their choice to make. The wolves seemed torn. As much as they hated purebloods, they could not fathom the idea of losing Bella.

"Someone better fucking do something!" Jake screamed as his pack mates held him back.

"Let her go. I will join her soon." The doc lowered his head in defeat at Edward's words.

"You are a fucking joke!" I nodded to Stefan who reciprocated in turn agreeing with my decision. My fangs unsheathed with little thought and I knew what I had to do.

Quickly, I sliced my wrist open and pressed it to Bella's sweet lips.

"Come on, baby, open your mouth for me," I pleaded.

Edward made an attempt at lunging at me, but was stopped by Emmett.

"She's my little sister, Edward. You've made enough decisions on her behalf." He growled in Edward's ear and nodded at me with a tight smile.

"Come on, baby. I really need you to open up." Bella's eyes fluttered slightly before opening a little.

"Damon?" Her voice was faint and raspy.

"There you are, princess. I need you to drink this okay?" Her only response was a faint hum as she parted her lips.

I breathed a sigh of relief as my blood flowed into her mouth. Much like you would do with a dog to get them to swallow a pill, I massaged her throat. She swallowed in painful gulps, her broken neck hindering her somewhat.

With Bella ingesting my blood I was finally able to hear something other than her faint heartbeat. It had begun to pick up and I noticed that a scuffle had broken out. Katherine's piercing scream was what alerted me.

"You crazy, heartless bitch!" Caroline lunged at Katherine landing a punch to her face.

Katherine struggled to free herself from Caroline's hold, but it seemed that she was no match for Caroline's fury. In rapid succession, Caroline landed hit after hit, causing Katherine to try and shield herself.

"Let me go!" Embry bellowed as his pack members held him back from interfering.

"She needs to do this, Embry. If…" Jake was interrupted by Caroline screaming.

Embry's voice had been enough to distract Caroline, allowing Katherine to gain the upper hand. Caroline looked to Embry and smiled sweetly, accepting her fate. Fortunately for her, her fellow blonde stepped in.

Rosalie grabbed Katherine by the back of her head and tilted it back so that she was looking up into Rosalie's now black eyes.

"You fucked with the wrong family. No one fucks with my family, and that girl over there on the ground is my little sister." The sound of flesh ripping rang through the air as Katherine's head was wrenched from her body.

Emmett beamed at his wife who was wiping Katherine's blood from her face. "That's a lot messier than I'm used to."

Emmett chuckled at her telling her that he loved her and was so proud, but his attention quickly went back to Bella who was trying to speak.

"Rest, princess. You need to heal. Just be still for me, baby."

"Damon," she sputtered a little as she said my name and I once again shushed her.

"You can tell me when you wake up, baby."

She tried to shake her head, but winced.

"Dammit, woman, just be still! You're going to be fine!" I almost cried as she struggled to get out whatever it was she wanted to let me know. I didn't want any deathbed confessions because I refused to believe that she would be anything other than perfect. She would wake up and kick my ass. Then I would show her repeatedly just how I felt about her.

Edward growled at my thoughts but I could have cared less. The mother figure of the Cullen clan surprised me by getting in Edward's face.

"You made your bed, Edward. Now you have to lay in it. You made a choice that broke my daughter's heart and put her in great danger. You were just going to let her die! Then go and kill yourself? Shame on you, Edward. How can you claim to love her?"

Edward recoiled as if he had been slapped and Carlisle wrapped his wife in his arms. I looked down at Bella as she coughed up a little blood. I immediately tried to soothe her.

"Did you see that, baby? Assward just had his ass handed to him by his momma!" She gave me a weak smile in response before cringing again.

"I… I…" She tried again to speak, but was unable.

"Please, baby, just be still so your body can heal," I pleaded.

Jasper stepped in our direction, asking me a question with his eyes. I could tell that he wanted to alleviate any discomfort she may be having. I nodded my acceptance and Edward growled from the confines of Emmett's arms.

"Hey, darlin', you just hang in there, all right? You're gonna' be just fine," Jasper cooed at Bella as he laid a hand on her forehead.

"Is she in pain?" I asked him.

"She was, but I'm helping with that. I just put her to sleep for a while. You should know what she was feeling before she passed out." I searched his eyes, eager for him to answer.

"Forgiveness, acceptance, and love." I resisted the urge to cry like a little girl at that revelation.

"Oh, princess, what am I going to do with you?" I smoothed her hair away from her face.

Even in what she thought was her death she was more concerned with everyone else, but in my heart I hoped that all of those feelings were specifically directed at me.

"When you wake up, we're going on that road trip, you know. You're going to be like me. It will be nice to know that you'll at least be a bit more durable. If you ever scare me like this again, I will keep you under lock and key for the rest of time. Hell, I may do it anyway. You seem to attract danger like a magnet."

A few chuckles came from the group.

"So, how does it feel, brother?" Stefan laid a hand on my shoulder.

"How does what feel?" I asked, confused.

"To finally love someone more than yourself. You know, the real thing, not just an imitation."

"I guess we'll know the answer to that when she wakes up and tells me." I smirked and Emmett and Jasper laughed loudly.

"And another one bites the dust! Welcome to the club, man!" Emmett guffawed and I looked at Rosalie for clarification.

"He means the pussy-whipped club." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "But seriously, I will accept nothing less for that girl, so you better be serious about this."

"You're all right, blondie." I gave her my trademark grin with a wink and she actually giggled a little.

For the first time in a long time I felt like things were finally falling into place. I just had to make sure that Bella understood just how much she meant to me and that I would never let her go.

Sabi'sSookie: So, Damon saved her when Eddie-boy wouldn't. Of course, Damon would have been far too selfish to ever let her go, I think. And I know we all love the asshole, Damon, but I can assure you that just because he joined the PWC (pussy whipped club) doesn't mean he is going to change that much. So now worries, he'll still be the perverted asshat we all know and love! And poor Bella just can't catch a break! But at least we got to see Kitty Kat get her head ripped off, right? Did you expect Caroline and Rose to be the ones to go to bat for her?

Thanks, as always for all the support for this story by way of alerts, favorites, reviewing and simply reading. You guys really are awesome!

Nostalgicmiss, girlie, you were my saving grace the past few days, and I have to thank you for helping me to retain my sanity! LOL! You are the best friend and co-author a girl could have! I love ya!

Nostalgicmiss: I guess three years didn't really change much for Assward! He still wasn't willing to let go and save Bella when she needed him most. I'm starting to think the Edward in this Universe just wants to die, and loving a human would give him the excuse to do it! Seems Esme called him out on that too! Poor Bella, I think I would have walked away from the squabbling too, but I think the end result is she finally realized that Damon truly loved her. I mean he is changing her so that would mean and eternity together. I am waffling on so I am shutting up now lol!

Thank you to all of you that continue to not only read, lurk, favorite and alert but that also review and give us feedback. You're all amazing and there are no words for the support you guys have shown us. Thank you so much to all of you and as always I love you guys! I am forever the sloth to your chunk!

SABI! You're amazing and I'm so glad it's over with and you can breathe again lol! I missed chatting and emailing with you for most of the day! Greedy ain't I lol! Love ya hunnie! I am so lucky to have a friend like you in my life! Thanks for being there when I need to talk!