I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.
Chapter Twenty-Five - Plan
Maybe riding on a werewolf's back would have been less fun if I was sober. I wouldn't know. All I know is how much fun it was when I was drunk. Wow. For a moment, I thought I was going to be sick from the sheer speed we were moving. Sure, I'd run fast when I was a vampire, but I'd always been in complete control of where I was going. This was altogether a different experience. Wind in my hair, trees whizzing by, and all I had to do was hang on and enjoy the ride. I started to laugh, and then I burst into song.
"Born free! As free as the wind blows!" I sang at the top of my lungs. Leah seemed to think this was so funny that she nearly threw me off her back by mistake. She was laughing so hard in her wolf form that she tripped and crashed into Jacob, who was running alongside us with Nessie on his back. Both of them fell to the ground and Jacob snarled. I had momentarily forgotten that neither Leah nor Jacob was sober either.
"It's OK, Jake, calm down, let's just get to my house," Nessie pleaded. "I'm all right. You're all right. Emmett's all right. Leah's all right. Let's keep it that way, okay?"
"Mommy's all right, daddy's all right, they just seem a little weird," I sang out. Jacob gave me a stern look for a moment before making the snuffling-snorting sound the wolves made when they laughed. He and Leah struggled to get up without much success.
"I get knocked down, but I get up again, you ain't never gonna keep me down!" I sang as loudly as I could manage, which didn't help the situation in the slightest. By the time Jacob and Leah finally managed to get up out of the dirt, the other wolves had caught up. Of course the others, except for Sam, had seen the entire event play out in the minds of Jacob and Leah, and they were barely able to contain their own laughter. I assumed Jacob must have filled Sam in on what was going on when he started snuffling too.
We kept going. It felt like we were on a mission, so I started singing the Mission: Impossible theme song. "Dun dun, da da dun, dun." Between the wolves' inebriation and my constant changing of songs causing them to burst into hysterics, it was amazing that we made it to my family's house at all. They kept stumbling over rocks, over one another, and into trees. At one point, Embry fell on his face in a huge puddle, then got us all soaked when he shook off the water. This, of course, just caused me to burst into singing Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head.
Less than ten minutes had lapsed between Nessie getting the message from Bella and our arrival at the house. Nessie and I dismounted from our canine rides and stood waiting for the wolves to phase back. Although Leah and Jacob had taken off without grabbing their knapsacks, the others had remembered to pick them up, so everyone had clothes that actually fit. Instead of a bunch of wolves phasing back to human form though, we were faced with a bunch of wolves staring at us with constipated expressions.
"They can't phase back," Edward's voice explained to me from the doorway. "They're trying, but evidently being intoxicated prevents them from it." Nessie looked away with a guilty expression. "We'll talk about it later, Renesmee. We have more important matters to discuss." Nessie and I went inside, the wolves following us single-file through the door and squeezing themselves in wherever they could find a spot. Ultimately, this resulted in all of the vampires being gathered around the dining room table while the wolves were in the living room. I felt like I should be near my family, but Bella still made me nervous. I settled for staying near Jasper, just in case.
"Edward, are they in any state to understand?" Carlisle asked.
Edward sighed. "The wolves are. They're quite intoxicated, but they return to sobriety quickly. There will be no alcohol remaining in their systems twenty minutes from now. Emmett is more questionable—"
"You're questionable," I muttered.
"—but he should be able to grasp the finer points of the conversation," Edward finished. For some reason, he was speaking very loudly.
"You're a finer point," I retorted.
"What does that even mean?" Jasper asked me. "Is that supposed to be some kind of insult?"
"This is the guy," I said, draping my right arm around Jasper and pointing to him with my left. "This guy, right here. Look at that face! Is that a face that says 'I'm the guy' or what?"
Nessie did her best to hide a chuckle behind her hand, and the wolves were practically howling, but no one else seemed to find the humor in the situation. "Everybody's a critic," I muttered.
"Edward, are you all right dear?" Esme asked, concerned. "You're speaking with more volume than normal."
"I apologize. The wolves' thoughts are very loud. I can barely hear anything else, either mentally or aloud," Edward explained.
"What are they thinking?" Carlisle asked.
"They're singing." Edward grumbled. "At the moment, they're singing Stairway to Heaven, very off-key I might add. When they first arrived, they were singing Hungry Like the Wolf."
I looked back into the living room and could clearly see six furry heads bobbing in perfect unison as they sang together. Sam would only be able to hear Jacob, but he certainly seemed to be singing along too. I doubled over in hysterics, slumping to the ground. I wanted to get them started singing Friends in Low Places, but I couldn't get the words out between my fits of laughter.
Jasper hauled me to my feet. "Try to get a hold on yourself," he chastised me.
"Where's your sense of humor, man? Did Alice put it in a jar along with your—"
"Emmett, that's enough," Esme scolded. "We have a dire situation."
That was enough to shut me up, although it couldn't stop me from laughing on the inside. The wolves were still bobbing their heads, so I assumed they were still singing. A glance at the frown on Edward's face confirmed this for me.
"Alice has had a vision," Carlisle began. "It affects us all. As you know, Aro has ceased being a vampire," he gestured at the frail human with a hollow expression on his face. "Marcus also made a decision to leave the Volturi. This means that Caius alone is in charge of the rulers of our kind. He alone is responsible for ensuring that all of our laws are followed." He paused for a moment to let that sink in. I guessed he was hoping that the wolves would stop singing, but that was clearly a fruitless effort. Their heads were still moving in unison.
Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "Breakin' the Law," he muttered.
Carlisle frowned disapprovingly. "Perhaps this should wait a few more minutes," he offered.
After a short pause, Edward shook his head. "The wolves seem to disagree. They're singing Right Now by Van Halen."
Carlisle sighed. "Caius was always the most ruthless of the three brothers. Aro was always concerned with his own power and status, but he tempered that somewhat with his desire to at least appear diplomatic." Aro pursed his lips in embarrassment and gave an apologetic shrug. "Marcus tended to be the voice of reason, choosing to rule with benevolence and allow the benefit of the doubt whenever plausible, both before and after the loss of his mate. Caius, left to his own devices, would slaughter anyone who had been even accused of a crime without so much as looking for an explanation, and it is he who has been left in charge." Carlisle stopped speaking to glance at Edward for confirmation that the wolves were understanding the severity of the situation thus far.
"They're singing Maniac," Edward confirmed.
"Close enough," Carlisle muttered under his breath. "Caius, as you may recall, also has a vendetta against what Aro referred to as 'Children of the Moon,' or 'true werewolves.' He personally saw to what we believe to be the complete annihilation of the entire species. Although your pack is not related to the Children of the Moon in any way, Caius feels that no chances can be taken, and Alice has seen him decide to return here to personally see to the extinction of the packs as well."
The wolves stiffened, but still seemed unable to return to human form.
"They've switched to a rap song called 'Cop Killer,'" Edward explained. "I assume that means they want to fight."
"Alice can't see what will happen if you attempt to take Caius on, of course, and naturally our family will stand with you in a fight. After all you've done for us, it is the least we can do. However, you must understand that there is virtually no hope of victory for us. It would, in fact, be optimistic to think that any of us might survive." Carlisle's face was as grim as his words. "The Volturi will be expecting us to build forces like we did when we faced them off seven years ago. They will come with even greater numbers. Alice has seen some of the preparations Caius intends to make. No matter how hard we fight, we will fail, and we will die."
Carlisle's words sank slowly into my intoxicated mind. So this was it. This was how it ended for the Cullens, for the wolves, for all of us. The only comfort I could begin to take in this was that Rosalie might survive. If Rosalie continued to stay away, she would never cross paths with Caius and would never be subjected to his wrath. He probably wouldn't be especially interested in hunting her down if she was alone. I would die, and so would everyone else I cared about, but Rosalie would live on.
That would have to be enough.
"The Final Countdown," Edward rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "They want to stand against the Volturi no matter what the odds."
Carlisle nodded grimly. "Then we will attempt to put up the best fight we possibly can," he said. "We have many preparations to make, although it might be for the best if we wait a few more minutes until the wolves can contribute to the conversation. Alice feels that it will take Caius a few weeks to move against us. He wants to strengthen his numbers first. We'll also need to find someone to look after Emmett and Aro. I'm certain Tanya's family will take Emmett in, but Aro is a bit of a complication. Bella and Edward have also expressed that they would like Renesmee to go with Tanya's family, which, again, I do not believe will be a problem."
"What are you talking about?" Nessie shrieked. "I'm not going to go run and hide while you guys all die!"
"Renesmee, you won't stand a chance because you're half human. You're more vulnerable than the rest of us," Bella choked out.
"According to Carlisle, none of you stands a chance either!" Nessie protested. Jacob looked like he was trying hard once again to phase, probably to try to talk sense into Nessie. It was obvious that she needed to be far away from this battle. I wanted to protest myself, but I was an even bigger liability under the circumstances. I felt so completely helpless. Useless, even.
Everyone continued bickering amongst themselves. Incredibly, the wolves were still singing. I assumed they must have been gearing themselves up for battle, although I had no idea what song they might be singing. I looked to Edward, expecting him to answer my unspoken question as usual, but he didn't seem to have heard me. Evidently, the wolves were so loud they were drowning everything else out.
"What if," Aro spoke up slowly. "What if there was another way?"
"What did you have in mind, Aro?" Carlisle asked.
"Chelsea's bindings seem to have held up after I became human again. With Marcus and Sulpicia—" Aro choked on his wife's name, "—out of the way, I should be able to easily re-integrate into the Volturi. The guard is more loyal to me than to Caius. I saw to that during my time there. Unless it has occurred to him to change that?"
Alice shook her head. "He hasn't made any decisions concerning asking Chelsea to change any bindings. I doubt he's thought of it, or perhaps he just assumed that his bindings to the guard were as strong as yours."
Aro nodded. "I should be able to use my influence to prevent the attack from going forward. Perhaps in time I will be able to find a way to remove Caius from his position as an equal. Without Marcus to balance him out, I will not be able to hold off an attack indefinitely, but I would certainly be able to buy some time, likely decades or even centuries."
Carlisle was silent for a long moment as he considered Aro's proposition. It really did seem like everyone's best hope. "Our family was never precisely free of danger when you were in charge," he said carefully.
Aro's eyes brimmed with sincerity, his words overflowing with conviction as he spoke. "Carlisle, I regret a good many things about my time in Volterra. Things to which I never gave much thought previously. After killing my sister, the thing I regret most is betraying your friendship. Your family has taken me in and helped me these past weeks. I have created chaos and torn apart your happy lives," Aro cast a look in my direction as he said this, "and you have never treated me as a burden, although I know perfectly well that I've been one. Carlisle, you are a man of conscious and kindness, and your family has all striven to live by your example. It would be the most appalling act I can imagine if I were to betray you once again. You have my most solemn word that I will allow your family to live in peace no matter what."
Carlisle stared at Aro for a long time. Everyone was silent, though the wolves' heads continued to move in unison. At last, Carlisle let out a breath that he had evidently been holding. He looked to Esme for her opinion.
"I'm not certain we should trust him, but I don't see what other choice we have. Taking a chance with Aro is better than facing certain death with Caius."
Carlisle nodded, turning his head to face Edward.
"I agree with Esme. I can't tell whether Aro's thoughts are sincere," he glared at the wolves, "but he gives us a better chance of survival."
"Everyone deserves a second chance," Bella added quietly.
"It makes more strategic sense to try Aro's plan," Jasper spoke up. "Even if he betrays us, we'll have more time to make preparations."
"I can't see anything," Alice complained. "Too many wolves. I agree with the others. I don't trust Aro not to lapse back to his old ways, but I couldn't see any other options before."
The room was silent until I realized that Carlisle was looking at me. Apparently, my opinion was still valued. "Aro is everyone's best chance," I concurred.
"Even if he does betray us," Nessie said, "we know he has weak spots for some of us. We'll have more advantageous angles to work if it comes to it."
Carlisle considered what everyone had said. We were all in total agreement that Aro's plan was the only possible way out of this problem, even if it wasn't a guarantee of success. Aro seemed a little wounded by everyone's assertions that he was likely to stab us in the back as soon as he was back in power, but even he had to realize that it would be foolish for us not to consider that possibility.
"I'm sorry," Carlisle said at last. "Although I agree with what everyone has said, there is simply no way to be certain that Aro would survive another transformation. Alive, he could turn out to be a valuable bargaining chip if he is correct about Caius and the guard still being loyal to him. If it is discovered that we accidentally killed him while trying to transform him, then the Volturi will be even more incensed than before. It's not a chance we can afford to take. There is no precedent for a vampire-to-human-to-vampire transformation."
The expression "silence is deafening" came to mind. Carlisle had a point; Alice hadn't been able to see anything that would happen after the Volturi showed up, since the wolves would be present. It was impossible to say that Caius would still be intent on his plan of wiping out the wolves and my family if he saw that we had Aro. It was also impossible to say that he wouldn't be. Most importantly though, Carlisle was correct in saying that we had no way of knowing that Aro would survive another transformation. Venom was poisonous to the wolves. Perhaps it would be poisonous to one who used to be a vampire too, or perhaps an immunity to venom even existed.
"Then we're doomed," Nessie said quietly.
"Wait," I spoke up. "What if we could be sure that Aro would survive and transform like normal?" I was amazed at how slurred my voice still sounded, although I probably shouldn't have been. I had consumed just as much as the wolves had, and the roughly twenty minutes since I'd stopped drinking wasn't even close to being enough time for the effects of alcohol to wear off for me.
"If we could be certain, then Aro's plan would be our best hope," Carlisle said slowly.
"Well, then let's be certain," I said. "Test on me. Turn me. If I become a vampire, then we can turn Aro. If I die, then you can't." It was so simple.
"Emmett, no," Alice protested. "We don't know if you'd survive. Killing you is not an option."
"Absolutely not," Esme added. "That's too great of a risk. Besides, I can't bear the thought of you living forever without..." Esme's voice trailed off before she spoke Rosalie's name.
Carlisle nodded in agreement. "Emmett, I would rather see you live out your lifetime in relative happiness, even if you're forced to go into hiding, than dying here, today, simply to prove whether or not a strategy would work. We'll simply have to look into other options."
"Don't you get it?" I protested. "I don't care! What do I have to live for? Hiding at Seth and Leah's house for the rest of my life? Cleaning up the house all day and never going anywhere because I need 24/7 surveillance? Once Caius comes here and kills them, what do I do next? Move in with Tanya and fight off her advances for the rest of my life? I'll never be able to do anything productive or enjoy anything in life. I'm an artifact from an older time, and nothing is ever going to change that. I know any one of you would gladly die to save me. Let me do this for you," I pleaded. "For Rosalie."
Carlisle swallowed hard. "I'm sorry Emmett, the answer is no. You're too important to all of us."
I was too angry to hear what anyone said after that. I was lost in the fury that was pulsing in my ears. There was a legitimate chance that everyone could survive if Aro was changed again, and we could be certain whether Aro could be changed by testing the procedure on me first. I had no burning reason to want to stay alive, but Carlisle wouldn't use me as a guinea pig because he didn't feel like it. There was a greater good involved here. It wasn't anything like when Bella wanted to be transformed because she thought she could help us fight off the newborn army. This was about strategy. I wasn't going to be throwing my life away on a random guess or in the hopes of being useful. I had no life. I didn't fit as a human in this day and age. The only place I could possibly fit in the world was as a vampire, and if I couldn't be that, I might as well not exist.
If I couldn't be with Rosalie, I might as well not exist.
I looked at Edward to see if he'd overheard any of this. Perhaps he could talk sense into Carlisle. The wolves still seemed to be blocking him from hearing anything. Bella was gripping Edward's side with all her might, trying to keep from leaping across the table to attack me.
That's when I had the idea. It was insane, and it might get my family in trouble with the wolves, since it was technically against the terms of the new treaty. I hoped they'd let this one slide anyway. If I thought for one second that I could get away with warning Jacob and Sam to plead with them for forgiveness and sanity, I would, but the only thing keeping Edward from seeing my plan was the fact that the wolves were still singing drunkenly. Alice wouldn't be able to see either because they were here blocking her visions.
I rose slowly from my seat, trying to make the action appear nonchalant. I moved toward the stairs, hoping everyone would think that I really needed to use the restroom. It would have been believable enough, considering how much liquid I'd consumed. It was actually a good thing I was so intoxicated. I wasn't sure I'd have the guts to do this if I hadn't been.
Once I was in between the dining room table and the stairs, I took one last look at my family. From where I was now standing, the only person in between Bella and me was Carlisle. Edward was on her other side, and he wasn't actively gripping her. She was the one gripping him. I only had one shot at this. I was banking on Carlisle not reacting quickly enough. If I failed, I would probably be banned from the house until everyone was dead.
Suddenly, I had the biggest stroke of luck imaginable.
"All this sand in my shoes is really irritating," Nessie complained. She stood up and walked into the kitchen to shake out her shoes over the trash can. She had arrived later than the rest of us and hadn't removed her shoes, plus she had gone walking with Jacob on the beach. Once she reached the trash can, she removed a shoe, and with her typical level of grace, promptly lost her balance. She hopped up and down on one foot to try to steady herself, but she ended up twisting her ankle and falling to a heap on the ground instead.
"Renesmee, are you all right?" Carlisle and Edward both leapt up and appeared at her side instantly to examine her ankle.
"I'll be fine in a minute," she grumbled, embarrassed as she rubbed her leg while allowing her father and grandfather to look at it.
This was it. Now or never. This was the only chance like this I was going to get. Bella was watching on with concern, but didn't want to get in the way of the two trained medical professionals. She wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to me as I moved closer to her, nor was she paying attention to avoiding breathing. She only had enough capacity in her mind to care for her daughter and whether she had been injured.
I sat in the chair Carlisle had occupied just moments ago and raised my foot off the ground. There, embedded in the sole of my shoe, was a piece of the beer bottle I had stepped on and broken at the beach. I took a deep breath and raked my hand across it sharply.
The heads of Jasper, Alice, Edward, and Nessie all snapped up to stare at me the instant the scent of my blood had hit the air. Carlisle, ever the consummate professional, was still examining Nessie's ankle for swelling. I wasn't the slightest bit concerned about what any of them were doing. They would rescue me before I was dead, certainly, but they would be too late to stop what I was setting in motion.
Bella lunged at me before she even had time think or anyone had time to react. Her teeth were in my jugular vein, drinking in my special brand of sweet blood that had sung to her personally from the moment I became a human again. I felt the venom starting to paralyze me as the blood flowed out of my body.
Annnnnd... End, Act II. Reviews greatly appreciated! =)
In the next chapter: What has Rosalie been up to? We're about to find out!