Chapter 25: Promises
Demitri and I talked for hours, about everything that had happened over the last couple of weeks and since the Cullen's had been here. He wasn't happy; about any of it. The fact that they were here was worrisome for him, but that I hide it from him was his main concern. We finally agreed that the Elders should be notified, and I agreed that if anything like this should ever happen again in the future, I would call him immediately.
When the call was finally put in to the Volturi I made sure they knew I had no plans on returning immediately. Regardless of anything, I had put off school long enough and now had a responsibility to the University. There was no immediate threat as far as I was concerned, and I wouldn't run away to shelter myself in the castle to make them feel better. I could take care of myself.
The Elders weren't happy with my decision, but told me that they would allow me to continue on; at least for the time being, instructing Demitri stay with me until they decided anything further.
When the following week started I wasn't sure what to expect, Edward and Alice both had classes with me and I wondered if they would still go knowing that Demitri and the Volturi were now aware of their presence.
Demitri had told me he would be at the school for my entire day, walking me to and from class and staying in the building in between. I was annoyed by this, but didn't say anything or tell him not to because of its unnencessity. I owed him for being so understanding and didn't want to fight with him anymore, especially about something so simple.
He had walked me to my first class, and we were standing inside the classroom talking when Edward came in. I was and wasn't surprised to see him there.
"I'll be around Bella" Demitri said to me after staring down Edward and watching him take his seat. "and I'll be here as soon as class is over."
"Alright." I smiled at him securely, hoping to convey to him with my words that I wasn't worried and neither should he be.
He looked at Edward for another second and then brought me in for a tight hug. When I broke the hug after a few moments he surprised me with a heavy kiss, Demitri was not one for public displays of affection.
"What was that for?" I asked him a little baffled but with a smile.
He grinned back at me mischievously; ignoring my question he told me "I'll see you in awhile."
Once he was gone I turned to Edward. "Good morning Edward."
He gave me a sad little smile and quietly said good morning to me too.
"Is everything alright?" I asked him; his whole demeanor was off compared to what I had become used to.
"It will be." He replied solemnly.
The rest of the hour passed much the same with him. The only thing I could think of that would have him in such a mood was the fact that Demitri was here. I'm sure he also guessed that the Volturi had been informed of their presence, and that always had a tendency to put people on edge. Their public relations was lacking to say the least.
When class let out, Demitri was, as promised, waiting for me outside the door. The rest of the day passed in much the same way, even Alice was quiet. It was after the third day of this that I finally had to ask her what was going on.
"Nothing Bella." She smiled at me brightly.
"Alice, you and Edward both have been acting strangely this whole week. Should I be concerned?"
"Of course not, don't be silly." She shrugged off my question. "Edward just has a lot on his mind right now, he's dealing with it the best way he knows how."
"And you?" I prompted.
"Just been busy, that's all. Nothing to worry about." She patted my arm and then went back to staring off in space. It took me watching her do this a few times before I finally realized that this is what she looked like when she was looking ahead into the future or was hit with a vision unexpectedly.
By the end of the week things hadn't changed with either of them. Edward's mood, despite what Alice had said, was beginning to concern me. He was so withdrawn and melancholic looking all the time it sparked my need to comfort him, the same need that kept showing up in me whenever he looked as if he were experiencing pain.
Demitri spending the week with me was nice, we easily fell into a routine with my schedule and enjoyed the time together when we were free. He was told by Aro to check in at the end of the week, so when it was time he left me alone at the house and went for a run to call the leader.
I had plenty of things to do for the next weeks class, so I was glad for the little bit of time alone to get through it. Demitri was gone for about thirty minutes when he came back, his mood when he left had been light, but returning he was decidedly darker in spirits.
"What's the matter?" I asked him concerned. He came in through the door and looked at me briefly before beginning to pace to living room carpet.
"They've called me back." He told me and then looked at me, he was angry with the decision; that much was obvious, but the other emotions displayed on his face I couldn't quite place.
"OK?" I responded to him. "We knew that they would, are you surprised?"
"No." He shook his head, but didn't go on.
"Then what's the matter?"
"I don't want to leave you." He told me and then came over to sit next to me on the couch. "I know you can take care of yourself Bella, and that you aren't the least bit concerned about the Cullen's presence, but I am."
"I know." I said turning to face him, and laying a gentle hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry it bothers you, and if the situation were reversed I can't say that I wouldn't feel the same way you do." I told him, and then went on kindly "I can take care of myself though, and I don't want you to worry. They can't and won't hurt me."
"Physically Bella." He told me sternly. "They can't hurt you physically, but what about emotionally."
He shook his head and then got up to begin pacing the floor again.
"Why would they hurt me emotionally? They have no reason to?"
"Maybe not intentionally, but they have the power."
"Why do you say that?"
"Bella," He stopped to look at me seriously. "I was there when you came to us, still as a human."
"What?" I asked him. "I know that. What does this have to do with anything?"
"If what they say is true, and they did know you when you were human, then they are the reason you came to us in the first place." He shook his head, a look of anger spreading across his features. "What they must have put you through, for you to look the way you did. You have no idea how much the possibility bothers me."
He paused to look at me before continuing. "If they hurt you like that again. I will kill them." The finality in his voice was fearsome.
I have seen Demitri in battle, watched him address groups of vampires, threaten and follow through with those threats, but I have never seen him look so fierce in this moment.
"I won't let that happen." I was up and over to him in a split second. "I promise you, they will not hurt me Demitri."
He took me in his arms and then tenderly kissed me before murmuring against my lips "I hope so Bella."
Demitri left the next morning, neither of us were sure when he would be able to come back or the exact reasoning he was called to Volterra in the first place. We knew that he would be called home eventually, but even though we both expected it, it still seemed a little soon.
I had just gotten home from a short hunting trip when I heard someone approaching the house. Instead of waiting for who ever it was, I went out to the porch to see for myself. I had been expecting either Edward or Alice, sure that she would have seen Demitri's departure, but instead was surprised by the last person I thought I would see.
Jacob the shape-shifter from the fields was casually running in the direction of my house, a smile on his face when he saw me come out of the door.
"Hi Bella." He said to me once he was by the porch. "I'm Jacob Black."
"I remember." I told him.
His smile grew with the knowledge and as if it were invitation enough he jogged up the few short stairs and leaned against the railing. "Good." He said nodding his head.
"Is there something I can help you with Jacob?" I asked him, strangely intrigued by his causal appearance.
"I came to talk to you. If that's alright?"
"Is there something we need to talk about? Or are you here to talk to the Volturi..."
"No." He cut me off. "I'm not here to talk to them, I'm here to talk to you. Just you."
"Alright." I said to him, and then went over to sit at one of the patio chairs. I had thought about going back inside, but didn't know if I could handle the smell of him in a closed space, so I decided to stay out here, hoping the open air would be enough.
"Edward said you still don't remember anything." He stated and then came over to sit at the other chair.
"You and Edward have been talking about me?"
"Not much." He clarified "He just told me you still don't remember anything."
"Uh huh, and is he why you are here?" I prompted. Jacob seemed to be more open and forward with information, maybe I would be able to get something more out of him than I've been able to get out of Edward and Alice these last few weeks. The idea had me settling back in the chair, ready for a long conversation with him.
"He told me where to find you, if that's what you mean," He said, taking my lead and making himself more comfortable. "but he's not why I'm here, I'm here because we are friends Bella."
"We are?"
"Yes we are." He was confident in his words.
"Did Edward bring you here or show you where to come today?" I asked and then looked around to see if he was out there in the woods somewhere.
"No." He laughed. "No, Edward told me where to find you a couple of days ago, I'm sure he'd be pissed if he knew I was here right now."
"And why would he be pissed?" I said coping his choice of word.
"You have meet Edward, right?" He said, not as a question and then continued, "He likes things to go his way, according to his terms." He shook his head "I don't work like that."
"Why would he have any say in what you do or about you coming to speak with me?" I asked, keeping the conversation going.
"Exactly." He said agreeing with my observation.
"What about Alice? I'm sure she will see that you have come here, they are probably already on their way."
He stared shaking his head back and forth before I was done talking. "Nah. The little pixie can't see me or my future."
"Really?" I was genuinely curious now. "Why's that?"
"Don't know. I just know she can't." He shrugged, smiling widely at me and this knowledge, enjoying that he had something on them.
"Well, I guess we are alike in that aspect Jacob Black." I told him encouragingly.
"More than just that Bells."
I laughed at him and his enthusiasm, I was thoroughly enjoying my conversation with Jacob. I spent a good majority of my time around vampires; vampires who have been around for hundreds or thousands of years, that were stuck in their ways. Jacob was a fresh change, not a human who I had to be careful around, but someone who was in the know about me and my world. If he didn't stink it would have been a perfectly comfortable conversation.
"So, Bella..." He started to say with a look of seriousness on his face.
"Jacob," I cut him off before he could continue. "before you say anything. Let me first just tell you something."
"OK"
"I don't believe one way or the other about knowing you or the Cullen's." I said to him. "And, if your here to try to convince me of that, I ask that you don't."
"Why?"
"It doesn't matter, as I have told you all." He looked confused.
"I don't understand why you won't let us tell you anything or help you remember."
"The only thing that concerns me or that I want to know is why they are here...and you for that matter. Everything else is moot, what I've been told is enough for me. I doubt very much that there is anything in my past that would change my current or future."
"It's lies Bella." He said getting a little angry.
"Is it?" I challenged him. "I know that whatever any of you had to do with my past was enough reason for me to leave it. If it was bad then, why would me knowing now be any different?"
"That's not true, it wasn't bad." He said trying to convince me. "Not all of it anyway."
"But some of it, and that's enough."
"Bella, if you just talk to me..."
He didn't get a chance to finish his thought or try to convince me any further, Edward came from out of the forest in blinding speed. When he was just about to the porch Jacob stood, crossing his hands over his bare chest.
"Jacob." Edward said disappointingly. "I told you not to come here."
"And I told you, I don't take orders from you."
"We talked about this."
Jacob shrugged his shoulders, completely unfazed by Edward. Edward looked over at me, questioning me with his eyes. I hadn't moved from my seated position, instead deciding to wait and watch the show between the two of them from my comfortable position.
He looked back over to Jacob. "Alice."
"She can't see me." He said and then looked over to me. "Or her."
"Right." He said to him with annoyance in his voice.
"Then how did she know?" I asked.
"She saw Demitri leave." He told me while looking at Jacob. "When she couldn't pinpoint any other blank spots, it was an easy conclusion to come to."
"Well thanks for stopping by." Jacob said to him and then sat back down in the chair he was in before Edward showed up.
"I'm not leaving without you." Edward stared down at him. "We need to talk."
"No, we don't." Jacob said and then looked at me. "Bella and I were having a nice conversation before you showed up, weren't we Bella."
I smiled at him to let him know that I had enjoyed out conversation but told them both, "Actually, I think you should both leave. I have some business of my own to take care of, and I don't want to be in the middle of whatever this is." I said waving my hands between the two of them.
Jacob looked hurt, but looked away quickly and then nodded his head again "Sure, sure." He said and stood up. "We'll talk later." He informed me and then looked angrily at Edward. "Let's go."
Edward glared at Jacob for a moment and then looked over at me. I stood and moved towards the door to go inside, he didn't say anything to me, he just looked at me with the same expression that he had been wearing all week and then gave me a weak smile before turning. I watched Jacob and Edward disappear into the tree's before going back inside.
I worked on my TA requirements for the rest of the afternoon, getting everything done for the next couple of weeks worth of class time. When I was finished with that I decided to take Alice's advise and work ahead in my other classes, completing most of the assignments she had told me we would be doing. I had to admit, it was kind of nice; not that doing them as they were assigned was a big deal, but getting them out of the way felt good.
That evening Demitri called and told me he still hadn't talked to the Elders, he wasn't sure why they had wanted him back at the castle, but was expecting to have a meeting with them first thing in the morning.
"I wish they would have told you that when you were here, then you could have stayed with me another day." I told him teasingly as I sat on the couch to talk to him.
"I know. I'd rather be there with you than alone with me."
I laughed at him. We spent the next hour talking before he told me he had to go; he was on duty for the night. Once off the phone with him, I grabbed a book and went to the bathroom for a nice long scolding hot bath.
I had been soaking in the tub for about thirty minutes when there was a knock at the door. Luckily for whomever it was, the water was already cooling and I was planning on getting out anyway, or I would have been very angry for the interruption.
Getting out I quickly towel dried my hair and wrapped my silk robe around me. As I walked to the door I saw through the small window that Edward was on the other side.
"It's a little late for house calls." I told him jokingly as I opened the door.
Instead of laughing or smiling like I expected him to do, he stared at me and stepped into the house without invitation.
I stepped back away from him; not out of fear, but because the look on his face was determined desperation, I couldn't deny him entrance even if I had wanted too.
"Edward?" I questioned him with concern.
"Bella, I need to say something to you and you need to listen to me." He said closing the door behind him. "I don't want you to argue with me, and I don't care if you don't want to hear it, I need you to listen to me. Can you do that for me please?"
I couldn't find it in me to argue with him, and even though I was absolutely positive whatever it was was something I didn't want to hear, I nodded for him to continue.
"I'm sorry." He said, the words were breathy and the tone was of anguish. "I am so sorry Bella, I never knew...I had no idea." He paused, shook his head and then ran his hand through his hair before looking back at me again. "My pain I could handle, I deserved it, but yours..." he whimpered.
"I never meant to hurt you, ever. I thought..." He paused again, "I want you to know that I would never do anything to hurt you, I will never do anything to hurt you or cause you pain ever again." He finished saying to me. " If you let me and in any capacity, I will spend the rest of forever proving to you that I mean this." He looked at me, his eyes heartbroken and pleading with me to grant him this request.
I didn't know what to say to him, I was confused by all of what he was saying and had no idea why he felt they way he did. "Edward?" I questioned. "I don't understand."
"I know." He said in misery.
Reaching up, he wrapped his hand around the side of my face and began to gently stroke my cheekbone. His eyes bore into mine; full of passion and remorse, before I realized it I was leaning into his had, rubbing my face against his palm.
Edward gave me a delicate smile, then closed the distance between us to place and soft yet firm kiss on my forehead. He held me there, with his lips pressed against me for several long seconds before turning and showing himself out the door.
(5/2/11)