Tensions, Decisions, Revelations, Divisions. It all starts here.

Ascension

Chapter Twenty Five

Into the Rupture, a Crossroad: The Worse Day Ever, Part Six

Carlisle had just pulled up to the house when Edward broke through the tree line. The family arrived only moments before, and all but Alice and Bella raced out of the house seeing him. He stumbled out the foliage - Edward - whiter than normal, his body shaking in fright and determination. There was cause for alarm. There had to be. Without a thought, Carlisle bolted from the car and quickly slammed the door shut. He was unaware that the Mercedes was just as crooked as Edward's, just as quickly shunned. Instead, his worried gaze immediately focused on the small ashen crowd. He took a counted heads even while his coven greeted his son, each talking in hushed whispers.

"You're soaked!" Esme exclaimed. Immediately, she embraced him before pulling away. Mother soft hands brushed the water from his eyes.

One, he thought.

"What did it do? Push you into the river?!" Two. Emmett sneered, but Edward just shook his head.

Jasper stepped forward. "How many were there? Was it Jacob?" Three.

He stepped away from Esme. Four-no... "No. Just one," Edward said. "One too much and one enough to know just where we stand." At the confusion on everyone's faces, he straightened his spine. "We need to leave, and we need to leave now. The wolf that attacked us was no mere shape shifter, and it wasn't like the others we have fought."

"What do you mean?"

Edward looked at Rosalie – yes, that's four. She's.. she's four - with sure dark eyes. "It appears normal in size, but it grows large, nearly twice the size of the others. It's faster too, and it has powers." Seeing their dazed looks, he pushed further. "It can produce and control lightning from its jaws. It shoots it like a laser."

"It sounds like something you made up," she retorted.

"No, it sounds similar to what Seras is."

"Carlisle has a point, Edward. How can you be sure it's of the pack?" Esme stood bewildered, anxious even. She crossed her arms, and just as suddenly, Carlisle desired to comfort her. But he didn't, instead he counted.

Edward narrowed his eyes and shifted his weight. "Because it smells like Jacob Black," he said. "There is no doubt about it. It's related to them."

"Are you sure you aren't jumping to conclusions? Perhaps, there's another explanation."

"There can't be. It smells like them, Carlisle, and he's fast. We can't defeat something like that. Not without suffering serious losses on our end. We should leave. Forks be dammed. They've got to know about Bella. That's the only explanation. This is what they were waiting for, the arrival of another who would be able to fight with them and win."

As dread filled the silence, Edward took the time to register who was around. He licked his lips. "Where's Bella?"

Good question.

Rosalie crossed her arms and thumbed the road behind her, "She's with Alice."

"I called Alice to pick her up, once I realized what was happening," Esme explained. She checked her phone.

Five… Bella's Six.

Edward nodded. He pushed passed everyone to get to the house. "Good, we should pack now. It only took us a day to uproot the last time. This time, it shouldn't take us as long. We're prepared."

I'm seven. Edward's eight. Seras is nin- nine. Where's Seras? He blinked, "Where's Seras?"

Edward paused.

Carlisle put his hands on his hips and turned to his wife. "You said she'd returned home and ran after the wolf once she sensed it. Was that true?" At her nod, he turned towards his son, his first turned, eldest of the group, yet physically the youngest. Watching him, Carlisle absently wondered which extreme the boy was subconsciously feeling. He combed tented fingers through his hair. "Did you see her, Edward?" When he noticed the boy clench his fists as he turned, Carlisle paused.

He stopped.

Decidedly, he lowered his hand, and straightened his back. His eyes hardened revealing, reminding him subtly, that he was more than just his father but also maker and coven leader. He tightened his jaw. "Don't ignore me - son," he warned softly.

The rest froze feeling the tension rise between the two, the subtle shifting of roles.

Edward gritted his teeth. "Yes, I saw her. She is currently fighting the wolf," he said evenly.

Immediately, Carlisle's eyes widened. Instantly, he moved to go after her, but Edward's next sentence halted him. His words stopped him cold.

"She's a spy, Carlisle."

Esme let out an unnecessary breath. "There has to be a mistake," she whispered, she put her phone away.

"Yeah," Emmett said. "M-maybe you ain't seein' it right."

"I don't know," Edward ground out. "You tell me. She said she was friends with it."

"But what did her thoughts say?"

"That could mean anything. There might not be a connection," Emmett pushed. He moved forward to stand with Carlisle. He had yet to look back.

Edward noticed it and pressed on. "You see the connection as easily as I."

Carlisle crossed his arms. "Aye. I see where your suspicions are, yes."

"Once again," Jasper interrupted. "What did her thoughts say?"

Edward narrowed his eyes staring at his father – no, Sire. He wasn't a father now. "I couldn't hear them. I can't hear them, because she purposely blocks me out. What other reason would someone wish to do that unless they had something to hide and that has to be it. The pack knows about Bella, because she told them. She disappears for the night and the next thing we have is wolves breathing down our necks."

"One wolf," Emmett exclaimed.

Jasper narrowed his eyes. "So, that's why you don't like her."

"Pig headed bastard! Did it ever occur to you that maybe she didn't want you in her head?" Emmett flailed his arms. "No one wishes to have that type of intrusion. Do you think your gift is some god like privilege that you can use whenever you want? If I was Seras, I would do the same thing."

"Emmett please," Rosalie pleaded.

But Emmett balked. "No, someone has to stand up for Cous', and it might as well be me. Bella's right. You've been on her case since the day we met her, and you know what? I don't think it has anything to do with your inability to hear her. True, you might be pissed a little. That's no big deal. It's the same way you were when you first discovered Bella's block, but your anger is more than that. Isn't it? Isn't it?!"

"Emmett!" Esme cried, but he blatantly ignored her.

"I know what your interest is. What really bugs you!"

"Do you, now?" Edward challenged stepping forward. "And what, pre-tell, is your hypothesis, brother?"

"Easy," he exclaimed freely." You're je-"

"Hiding something." The voice, steady, calm and true in spite the raised voices, easily to slash through the wave of arguing. Emmett licked his lips and turned to regard his father figure. Carlisle didn't turn. He just put his hands on his hips and shifted his weight.

Edward once again gritted his teeth and backed away.

"What do you mean, Carlisle?" Esme asked. Unsure, she paced to his side and began rubbing his back. For a moment, the patriarch lowered his head feeling the sure solidness of the movement before turning around. "Repeat your story, son. Please."

Edward scowled. He ignored the endearment. "What part did you miss? Getting deaf in your old age?"

Carlisle tightened his jaw. "You will do what I ask and park the attitude. Repeat your story."

Edward looked at his siblings then took another step back. He folded his arms. "She said she was friends with it."

"And when did you have this conversation? Before she fought the wolf? Why is it that you are here and she is not? Esme said you ran after the wolf first."

Edward looked away. "I did go after it first. And just after it changed, I ran and she caught up with me. We talked and built a plan to separate. Then I jumped into the river to hide my scent while she hid and attacked it, purposely drawing it after her."

"So, she saved you," Carlisle concluded.

"Yeah, but it was a hoax!"

"But it doesn't sound like it," Jasper intervened. "Think about it. If she was relaying information to the wolves, like you say, why would she blatantly reveal her association with the very 'secret weapon' you are convinced was sent after us?"

"Be…," he paused. "Be-because she will convince us to bring it into the house to get on our good side before attacking or selling us out." Edward's eyes lit up as he stepped towards Carlisle. "That has to be it. I saw the wolf earlier."

"What do you mean?" Rosalie asked.

Edward looked at her then glared back at Carlisle. "It showed up at the hardware store and went friendly with Bella."

"In broad daylight?" Emmett retorted.

"Yes, and there are at least a half a dozen videos floating around the net about it too. It wasn't being friendly. It probably smelt the dragon on Bella and tracked her scent here."

"I see," Carlisle nodded. "And that's why you ran off as you did. You recognized it and she probably did too, which is why she ran after you. I see where your worries are and it's a good theory: the quest to the reservation being an excuse to get closer to them, etc. Finding us must have either been a stroke of luck..."

"Or careful planning."

Carlisle acknowledged the thought with a nod. He put his chin in his hands and pondered. He paused, then spoke, "But it still feels like you are jumping at shadows, son."

"Carlisle!"

Carlisle folded his arms and look at him steadily. "It has holes, Edward, and what's more you don't have proof."

"The thing smelt-"

"Which plays against you. Our enemies are dogs, Edward. They also know about our strong sense of smell. Why would they send someone whose scent would blatantly give them away? Holes, Edward. And while we are wasting time philosophizing on the loyalties of a guest under this house hold, she is currently alone fighting God knows what. She saved you and now she needs us. I don't know what has gotten into you, Edward. But I thought I saw something good in you, better than what I am seeing now. I am sorely disappointed." With that, Carlisle turned away and began walking toward the entrance to the woods.

But Edward, hurt by his words, bit back in anger. "You've changed, Carlisle! You've… you've changed! Everyone thinks so! Ever since that monster has shown up, you have been star struck by her to the point that you can't see anything around you. Have you thought about us at all? What about Esme? You spend more time with that thing then you do your own mate. Everyone sees it. You are blind and what will you do when your blindness, your stubborn inability to look beyond the failing victims at your feet, causes everything around you to fall apart! Our blood will be on your hands!"

Carlisle stopped. Pursing his lips, he put his hands on his hips and lowered his head. The tension was so thick, he wondered if it seemed suffocating to Jasper. Yet, he had yet to hear a complaint, had yet to hear anything. The house was silent, as was the world around them. He wanted to lift his eyes, but the doubt in his heart made his lids heavy, made his back bend under some unseen weight. He stilled then looked back. "Is this really how you all feel?" His gaze searched the group pausing to meet one pair of golden orbs at a time.

Emmett met his and snorted. "This is ridiculous." He stormed into the woods without further comment.

Rosalie watched him and folded her arms. She wanted to follow, but something tugged at her to stay. It was the way her mother was staring at her father, the way she stepped forward with a step that was sure and soft in spite the onslaught of uncertainty flooding the front lawn.

Carlisle met her eye and lowered his shoulders. He tilted his head. "Esme?" he asked uncertainly.

Reaching him, Esme shushed him with a gentle finger to his lips. A soft smile slowly broke through the worry crinkling her brow. "I trust you," she whispered. Certain. Confident. Loving.

For a moment, Carlisle just took her in: her hair, her eyes, her smile. Then, in time, he leaned forward and kissed her.

Esme met it and pulled away, absently licking her lips. "Bring her home safe, please." She gently tapped his chest.

Reassured, Carlisle nodded and backed away moving to follow Emmett into the woods. He ignored Edward, who called after him.

"Carlisle! Carlisle, god damn it!" Seeing Jasper begin to walk after them, Edward turned to him. "Come on, Jazz. You've got to be on my side. You didn't like her at first too, right? Tell me you don't think I'm wrong. "

Jasper paused and looked back at him. He locked a piece of bronze hair behind his ear. "I don't think you're wrong," he said. At Edward's sigh of relief, he pressed further. "But I don't think you're right either. I have my own thoughts about the demon living in our family home, but I would rather keep them to myself of the time being. I know you can't control it, but I would appreciate a little privacy, if you don't mind."

Then, Jasper took a breath. "I will tell you this, though."

Edward looked away dejected. "And what is that?"

"Carlisle's right about one thing. She did save you and Bella. We owe her, you more than anyone given that she saved both you and your other half." Jasper looked away from him and saluted Esme and Rosalie. "The way I see it, you should repay a debt regardless of who it's to. It's the right thing to do." He lowered it. "Don't worry, Esme. I'll be sure they bring her back in one piece."

At her nod, he turned and walked away into the woods not caring to look back. It wasn't long until he could hear the distinct rhythm of footsteps trailing after him, shuffling grudgingly through the trees. Shaking his head, Jasper picked up his pace and raced towards the west, towards the distant sounds of thunder that rolled across the landscape. It sounded like the drums of war.