AN: Thank you for waiting patiently for this chapter. Many things going on in my real life, including a three week vacation to Oregon and Hawaii with my husband to celebrate our fiftieth wedding anniversary! For some reason, I found it very hard to get any writing done. As always, no copyright infringement is intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

Thank you, Bellebiter, for your unflagging support, and for the hours of editing that went into this chapter. I can never express, with words, just how much your encouragement means to me.

All remaining mistakes are mine.

Here's a short recap from chapter 24: After spending an afternoon and night with Bella, Edward wakes up ready to confront his mother about many things he suspects to be true; only to find his sister, Alice, waiting for him outside his room. He decides, instead, to spend some time with her, and – after accompanying her to a greenhouse – discovers the very special gift that Bella possesses.

The Protector

Chapter 25

EPOV

"I need to understand: how many of the women in our valley know about the birth control being given to the men?"

Even though I have my suspicions, when Bella answers me, I'm still stunned as her words confirm my unwilling realization.

"All of them, Edward. Every woman in our valley, seventeen years and older, knows about the birth control."

"And they know the reasons behind it? The abilities that some of us have, and how the medication affects us?" I prompt her urgently, angrily, the second she stops speaking.

She nods her head reluctantly. "Yes, they know."

Her short answers are beginning to irritate me, and I move away from her on the bench so that I can watch her face as I turn towards her. I need to hear the details, the specifics of what the women actually know. Taking a deep breath, I resume questioning her.

"Bella, do the women know about Jasper, and what he can do? Do they understand about my shield, and my own abilities? Do they know about the Thaay, this settlement, and our history? No more half-answers, please! I need to know details. I need to know everything!"

I watch her squirm uncomfortably on the bench, her eyes flicking briefly to mine as she seems to gather her thoughts. I won't let her avoid my questioning, however.

"Tell me now," I order. "What do the women know?" I demand, pausing between each word for emphasis.

Her jaw tightens in a slight grimace before she turns towards me, her eyes full of resolve. "All of it, Edward. The women know everything. They know the truth about the Thaay. They know the truth about our history, about Avaro, Elizabeth and Ares. They know about this settlement, and the reasons for the Protector program."

Her eyes roam my face, watching for my reaction as she reinforces, once again, what I already knew had to be true. I smother my growing sense of unease, willing my face to remain impassive so that she will continue to explain.

"They've been informed about Jasper, and what he can do; and about why he couldn't take the birth control medication, and how that affects his choices at the socials. They know about your abilities. They understand why it was – why it is – so important to our society that your gifts be developed and strengthened. The women were all told that you couldn't take the medication because of those abilities. And they… " she hesitates, gazing at her clenched hands in her lap before glancing up at me again.

I watch emotions flicker across her face until a pleading, almost remorseful look settles on her features. I know that she doesn't want to tell me what she is about to say; but the time for vague answers is over. So I nod at her to continue.

"They were all – except for the very few who are unable to have children – ordered not to accept your invitation, should you invite them to your room." Her voice is barely a whisper when she finishes speaking.

Her words hit me like an unexpected blow to my abdomen, making me double over and turn away from her in disgust. "You… You talked about me? You discussed me like I was a thing, a freak to be avoided?" I finally gasp out.

"No, Edward, no. It wasn't like that at all," she tries to explain; but I wave her off, telling her to just finish, to tell me the rest of what I need to know.

"Everything you've learned over the past three days," she finally continues with a tired sigh, "the women of our valley know and understand. They also understand the pressures you've lived under for the last three months, and the sacrifices they've asked… and are still asking… of you. And of me."

When I turn back to face Bella, I can see the worry in her eyes as she speaks. Her concern for me is written all over her face; but that doesn't stop the rush of humiliation I feel at the loss of my personal privacy, or the rage I feel at being the topic of their conversations. Even the conciliatory, almost resigned tone of her last sentence does little to stem the anger that is bubbling inside me.

The weight of her words cascades over me, and I can no longer sit still on the bench. I'm up and pacing the floor in front of her, even before she finishes speaking.

"And the men," I demand, stopping to face her. "How many of the men know the truth?"

"The Rangers have always been told the truth – so, Hunter, Jasper and you. Your father, of course; but from what I understand, none of the rest of the men in the valley know anything." She pauses. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if some of the older men suspect something." She shrugs her shoulders, shaking her head as she continues. "I haven't been told everything, Edward. I don't make any of the decisions. Like everyone else, I just have my orders to follow."

Bella watches me warily as I resume my pacing. Knowing I was correct in my assumptions does nothing to curb my growing frustrations, even though I am slightly relieved to know that most of the men of the valley aren't part of this deception. Questions race through my mind, and all the things I need to ask clog my thoughts before I finally settle on what I want to know next.

"When… ?" I demand again, looming over her as I stop to stand in front of her. "When were you told, Bella? How old were you when you were told the truth?"

"I was seventeen," she answers, looking up at me. "I don't know how much you know about the ceremonies that our women have. Like your Oath Taking to become a Protector, the women have ceremonies that mark our entrance into the adult world; but unlike your very public one, ours are done in secret, with only other women in attendance."

"It's held a few months prior to the Oath Night social, before we are presented to the community as adult women. Part of the ceremony includes learning about the birth control… and the reasons behind it." Her voice has dropped to almost a whisper as she watches me carefully. I know she can see the anger building in me.

"So you knew… you knew from your very first social that you and I would never spend the night together, that we would never be able to consummate our growing attraction to each other! That instead, you would just… disappear from the valley, as soon as I became a Protector!" I spit the words at her, rage making my voice shake with the emotions I'm feeling.

Bella's face is full of regret as she finally nods yes. Frustrated, I turn from her, walking away to put some distance between us, before rounding on her once again.

"And knowing all of this, you still met me at every social night for a year. Talking… and dancing… and making me want you; making me long for the time when we could finally be together. Leading me on, while making sure I didn't look at anyone else… "

I've given up trying to control my anger, letting the spiteful words pour from my mouth. I can't seem to stop myself as I continue. "Did you laugh, Bella? Did you and your friends go back to your rooms and laugh at poor, besotted, misled Edward, who had no clue what was really going on?"

"No, Edward!" she yells, standing to defend herself. "It wasn't like that at all. I couldn't stay away from you. I needed to be there because I cared for you… and knowing that I would have to leave when you took your Oath was one of the hardest things I've ever had to face."

"My parents were gone, and Riley was the only family I had left – though I didn't get to see him that often, and I only saw you at the socials. I was so lonely and unhappy, Edward! My friends helped, of course; Rose has always been there for me, and your mother was wonderful. But it was you I needed. It was you I wanted to see each month. Those evenings spent with you made all the tough choices I knew we would have to face in the future worthwhile.

"Please, Edward," she begs, reaching out to touch my arm. "I know you're hurt and angry, and I know this is all upsetting to you; but there are reasons – important reasons – for all the decisions that have been made about our future. Even though we may not have been consulted about them," she huffs in exasperation.

"Remember last night? Remember when I promised you that we will be happy one day?" she continues. "Just a little more time, please. Just a little more patience."

Her words shame me, as my anger is almost instantly joined by remorse. We had never discussed Charles and Renee's deaths during any of our evenings together; she had always seemed so excited to see me, so happy to be around Emmett and Rose, and to spend time with her friends. I never suspected that she was also lonely, or missing her parents so much.

On top of this regret, I now begin to realize how very little I know about the personal lives of the women in our valley. Beyond the obvious day-to-day schooling and work rotations, I've never really thought about their ceremonies or traditions; my thoughts have always been centered on myself and my training.

I've been oblivious to many, many things.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry." Taking her hand, I lead her back to the bench where we both sit. "You always seemed so happy… I should have realized you were still missing your parents; but you never mentioned them, never acted as if anything was bothering you."

"Oh, Edward," she shrugs. "You know how our society frowns on any display of emotion. If I had said or done anything to show you how I was feeling, you would have tried to comfort me… and then the Matrons would have been all 'No inappropriate touching, Cadet,' she chuckles, mimicking their disapproving voices. "Besides," she continues squeezing my hand and smiling, "being with you made me feel so much better. I didn't want to think about unhappy things."

"I suppose you're right," I finally answer. We are both silent then, each of us lost in our thoughts and musings. And I don't want to disturb this quiet peacefulness between us – but I have so many more questions to ask. I know she has asked me for a little more time, a little more patience; yet I've run out of both.

This is why, with a deep sigh, I interrupt her thoughts.

"Bella, I don't understand how only the women were told the truth about everything. I don't understand how so many of you could continue to hide something so important from all the men in your lives." The anger I thought was gone has been there all along – and, once again I'm on my feet – pacing in front of her, gesturing my impatience.

"Do you really think it's okay to keep secretly slipping medication into our food? To keep us in the dark, month after month, year after year? How can you justify lying to and manipulating the men who care for you, the men who swear to protect you? How can you just blindly go along with something like that?"

My voice has risen, and I can feel the rage of my hurt and humiliation building inside me.

"I don't know what to think when I look at you," I continue. "On the one hand, I see the woman I've always wanted, the woman I want a future with; someone who has promised me happiness someday. I see a woman who has this amazing gift, who uses it to help feed her community; but on the other hand, I see someone who willingly participated in the deceit that our civilization has been built upon."

"So who are you, Bella?" I shout, slamming my hand down on the table beside me, rattling the trays resting there. "Tell me how I'm supposed to understand and accept everything I've learned in the last three days and not be angry, not feel manipulated and deceived! Tell me how all of this," I throw my arms up, gesturing at the room and the space between us, "is supposed to be okay?!"

My hands are tightened into fists as I stand facing her, demanding that she answer my questions. I can sense myself beginning to shake with the rage I feel building, and that I seem unable to control. There's something else there, too; something that I don't recognize, skittering just beyond my awareness. Even when I consciously try to slow my breathing and calm myself, I'm unable to stop this urge to strike out, to make something hurt the way I am hurting.

Bella is watching me closely, her eyes darting between my clenched fists and the fury on my face. I take a step backwards, away from her, as she slowly stands to face me.

"Edward," she says softly. "It's not what you think. You're jumping to conclusions. Please, sweetheart, listen to me." She hesitantly reaches out to me – but I back away from her again. "It hasn't always been this way. In the past, only a few of the women knew the truth about the birth control, or about the Thaay. And from what I've been told, in the very distant past, no one even cared who took the medication; it worked, and our society functioned without the gifts, and we were happy. But things have been changing, Edward. We need the gifts, and the abilities that come with them."

"And… ?" I prod her, knowing she hasn't told me everything yet.

"About five years ago," she begins again, "a difficult decision had to be made – and that is when all the adult women were brought together, and told the whole truth. Every year since then, the new group of seventeen-year-old women are included and, just before their first social, everything is explained to them, too."

Bella smiles at me then, a small, gentle smile that I know is intended to help calm my emotions; but it does little to alleviate the simmering bitterness inside me.

"So, you see, love, no one has been trying to hurt you; no one is doing this out of spite or malice. Everything that has happened, every decision that has been made – no matter how difficult or how terrible it may seem – everything has always been done to help our people survive."

Bella has been slowly edging towards me as she has been speaking, her hand reaching out to touch and soothe me. I know she is trying to calm me; but it feels like manipulation again… and so, the whole time she's been talking and approaching me, I've been backing away from her just as slowly. I'm still angry, and I don't like this feeling of being out of control.

In fact, there's something about this whole situation that just doesn't feel right. I can still trace the anger coursing through me, almost as though it is alive and moving through my veins. That other unknown emotion is there, too, building along with it. My hands tremble when I try to unclench them, and my head is beginning to hurt from the buzzing in my ears.

"Stop!" I shout at her, when she takes another step towards me. "Just stop, Bella… please." Taking several more steps away from her, I attempt to put some distance between us. I'm trying to understand everything she has told me; but my thoughts are jumbled, and nothing seems to make sense.

"What was it?" I mumble, rubbing my temples to ease the pain. "What happened?"

"Edward, are you alright?"

I look up to see Bella staring at me in concern. "Yes!" I bite off. "Now just tell me, Bella," I demand. "What was so important that all the women had to be told? You said a 'difficult decision had to be made.' Explain to me who brought all the women together. Who decided it was okay to exclude all the men?"

"I don't think… " she stutters, watching me warily.

"Now!" I order. "Tell me now!"

She takes a step away from me, and I watch while she straightens her shoulders with resolve.

"Five years ago, all the women who were seventeen and older met with the advisory council, the Matrons, and your… uh, our leader," she stumbles. "They were presented with facts and information that forced them to make the decision to quit having children. There haven't been any children born in our valley in the last five years, Edward, and there will never be any more."

Her words leave me stunned and speechless, rocked to my very core by the implications of what she has just confessed. Without children, there can be no Protectors; without children, there can be no workers to manage the farms, or the mines, or the water distribution system. Without children, there is nothing except a gradually aging society that will slowly fade into oblivion.

Without children… there is no future.

I huff to myself when I think about my plans of one day becoming a doctor; of finding a solution to our declining birthrate; of marrying Bella and raising a family together – all things I had hoped to do after I mustered out of active duty. None of this will happen now; all of these dreams will remain just that – stupid dreams that will never come true. Dreams that have been rendered useless and impossible, because of a decision made without any input from the male half of our population.

My mind flashes back to waking up in the hospital, and Dr. Marcus' words about the advisory council and their leader, my mother. Is it possible that there is only one advisory council – and only one leader – for both places? Is it possible that she is in charge of our valley, as well as this underground settlement, and even the scientists living in the space station? Can it be that my own mother is the one who is responsible for this disastrous, one-sided decision?

"Who?" I ask. I can feel the menace in my voice, the determination in my body as I advance towards Bella. "Who is on this advisory council, and who is this leader?"

Her eyes are wide and frightened as I stalk towards her. "Edward… "

"It's my mother, isn't it?" I shout. " My mother, and the Matrons, and the scientists, and the people from Korinth. All of you, manipulating and scheming; planning the end of our civilization, the end of life in our valley. Is that why you were all so anxious for my powers to develop, for my gifts to manifest themselves? Were you counting on my feelings for you to make me weak and pliable, so that you could use me to support your plans?"

Bella is shaking her head, trying to speak; but I don't give her a chance to say anything as I continue yelling.

"Dear Ares, do you understand what you've just confessed to?" I shout. "Treason! All of you are traitors! What could possibly have happened to make you decide to do something like that? How could you just give up on our city, on our people? How could you let our civilization end?"

"Answer me!" I scream, as my body shakes and my head pounds.

There is a small, tiny, rational part of my mind that recognizes I am out of control, that the words I am spewing from my mouth are cruel – but I'm long past caring. It's as if there are two of me in my brain, and the one in charge wants to hurt something, wants revenge for all the frustration that has been building inside me for the last three months. Revenge for a lifetime of hurts, both real and imagined.

Confusion flitters across Bella's face as I continue to yell at her, demanding reasons for something so horrific, so overwhelming, that I can barely believe what she has told me.

"No, Edward… " she tries to interrupt. But I'm unrelenting in my demands, and give her no chance to speak .

"What gives you and the rest of the women the right to make such a decision without consulting us, the men in the valley? Shouldn't we have a say in the future of our people? How could you…? What kind of… ?" I'm at a loss for words as the rage and anger rush through me, making me unable to finish my sentences.

I watch as Bella holds out her open palms to me in supplication, cautiously moving towards me. "Please, Edward," she begs. "You don't understand. Please let me finish."

Her mouth moves as she continues to talk, her eyes pleading with me to listen, to understand; but I can't. I'm too caught up in my wrath, in my fury, in the pain that is rippling through my head to be able to concentrate on her words. My hands, clenched into fists again, are trembling from the effort to not strike out at her, at all the women that she represents.

Bella takes another step – and suddenly everything just explodes within me, and I find myself encased in my shield; but it is nothing like the shield I am used to seeing. This time, I am inside a hard, clear dome that glitters in the sunlight filling the room. Crackles of energy zip across its surface and sputter around me. Inside, it is quiet, almost peaceful… as though I am detached and protected from the outside world.

A smug, satisfied smile slowly crosses my face as I gaze at my shield.

This is that unknown feeling that has been building inside me. And I finally recognize it for what it is: it is power.

Power that I can use to force them – all of them – to do what I want.

Power that will allow me to restore our way of life to the way it once was.

Women will begin having children again. Protectors will see to it that we are safe in our valley. The crops will be planted and harvested… and everyone will be happy, and life will go on, just as it has for generations.

With my power, I can force this change.

With my power, I can return to the happier, simpler time of my childhood.

With my power, I can save our civilization.

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Thank you for reading. Chapter 26 is almost finished and will post soon.