:::::

Chapter 026

I Made a Judgment Call

:::::

Forks, Washington

Saturday, October 02, 2010, 12 noon PDT

::::

We hear Rose and Emmett arrive around the same time we hear Ric's thoughts as he arrives home then a minute later his thoughts tell us, 'I need you guys to come outside now.'

A second later we hear Alice's thoughts ranting, 'I know they did something to my Edward. I'll make them pay if he's hurt, starting with their little human pet.'

Crap. We all hop out of our seats and head for the door. When we get outside we meet up with Emmett and Rosalie, and then we see Alice standing in our front yard with her hand wrapped around Ric's throat, and a bag of groceries spilled all over the ground.

Emmett frowns and says, "Alice, you need to let go of him."

She screeches, "Edward disappeared from my sight. They must have done something to my Edward. They give me Edward, and I'll give them their little pet."

Well damn, that's not going to happen. We all look at Kol and wait to hear what he says since I don't think any of us have a clue how to respond since Edward is now nothing more than a bag of ashes.

Kol sighs and tells her, "Edward killed my Mate, so he paid for his crime. If you release Ric, we'll let you go on your way, but if you harm him, the same that happened to Edward will happen to you."

Alice's eyes are wide as she says, "I want to see Edward."

Damon goes into the house and comes back out with the bag of ashes and says, "He paid for his crimes," and he holds up the bag and waves it a little.

Alice would obviously be crying if she could as she says, "No… no… you will pay for this."

She grabs Ric's hand and despite him trying to curl his hand closed she pulls off his ring and then snaps his neck all in a matter of a second. She drops him to the ground carelessly as I cry out and Damon loses his ever loving mind. He's on her in the blink of an eye, and he has her arms and legs torn off faster than I could see him move from standing beside me to standing over her.

Since she's not a threat anymore, I run to Ric's body and sit on the ground cradling his head in my lap as tears roll down my cheeks.

I barely notice as Alice says something that pisses Damon off and he rips her head off and tosses it towards the backyard.

Kol puts his hand on Damon's shoulder a second later and says, "Brother, take care of your Mate and Ric. Jazz and I will take care of burning Alice."

Damon nods and then squats down in front of me, "Mia Tesoro, it'll be alright."

I shake my head, "How can it possibly be alright? Haven't I buried enough freaking people?"

He nods and tells me, "I know, and you won't have to bury Ric."

I shake my head a little as I say, "I don't understand, Damon."

He smiles slightly and tells me, "We were worried about accidents or someone managing to take the ring off, so I've been feeding Ric my blood every morning before you come down for breakfast. We didn't want to worry you, so we decided to only mention it if something like this happened. Kol's not the only one who's contingency plans have contingency plans. Ric wanted to make sure you wouldn't be left alone, so if you let me, I'll carry him inside, and we can wait for him to wake up and finish the transition, okay?"

My eyes are wide, and my jaw is hanging open, so it takes me a minute to respond, "He's been drinking your blood?"

He nods cautiously, "Yes, normally I would have asked your permission first because I'm your Mate, but like I said, we didn't want to worry you, so I made a judgment call and did it without asking you first. Although, Kol actually had multiple bad feelings today, so this morning Ric actually drank mine and Kol's blood because Kol's instincts felt it was necessary. The plan was for him to drink from both of us every morning, but I think Kol had that feeling that he needed to feed Ric too because this was going to happen today. Now because of Kol's gut feeling Ric will have the strength, speed, senses, and abilities of one directly Sired by a 1,010-year-old Vampire. He can't get much stronger than that. Although, I'm not sure what also having my blood in his system will do but we all agreed anything that might result from having both of our blood in his system would only be positive and serve to make Ric that much stronger."

I let out a whoosh of air and tell him, "Oh thank God!"

He chuckles and asks, "You're not angry?"

I shake my head no, "Not even a little. I, I can't thank you enough, I…"

He smiles and puts his hand on mine, "I know, Mia Tesoro. We all wanted to make sure you wouldn't lose anyone else if we could help it."

I sit there for a second then he asks, "Can I carry him inside?"

I nod, so he takes Ric from my arms and then stands before Emmett sticks his hand down towards me to help me to my feet.

I smile and tell him, "Thanks, Emmett."

He frowns and tells me, "Don't thank me. It's only Damon and Kol's planning ahead that prevented my sister from permanently killing your guardian."

I smile and tell him honestly, "Not your fault man. The blame resides solely on Alice's shoulder's, so don't think that I or anyone else here blame you or Rosalie okay? I mean think about it Kol & Elijah's brother personally killed my Sister and my Aunt and indirectly killed my Uncle, and I don't blame Kol or Elijah for any of their deaths, so I'm not going to blame you for Alice or Assward's actions either."

He nods, "Thank you for that all the same."

I nod back and then ask, "We're going to have to wait at least an hour for him to wake up, so would you mind helping me bring the groceries into the house? That way Ric won't insist on going and buying new ones when he wakes up."

He nods while he chuckles, so after I bend down to put the fallen groceries back into their bag Emmett and Rosalie help me carry the groceries into the house and put them all away. When we finish Emmett frowns and asks, "I'm guessing you didn't know Alice had your friend, so why did you want us to come over?"

I frown back and tell him, "We were planning to tell you about Edward in person because we didn't think we should tell you your brother was dead over the phone. We didn't think that was the sort of thing we should just say over the phone you know?"

They nod and follow me into the den where Ric is lying on the couch, and we're all sitting around waiting for the third member of our family to wake from the dead in as many hours.

Ten minutes into waiting Damon stands from his seat and walks to me before he grabs my hand and pulls me up out of my chair then he sits in my seat and pulls me onto his lap. I'm sure we look comical given that I'm not much smaller than he is, but I still lean my head against his shoulder and take comfort in his closeness.

About an hour and a half later Ric gasps for air and then sits up before he brings his hand to his neck. He turns and looks at all of us, and when his eyes settle on Damon and me, he says, "Guess it's a lucky thing I didn't argue with you about drinking your blood like I wanted to at first."

Damon chuckles and says, "Guess so."

He smiles then frowns and says, "I suppose I need to drink some blood now. God, that's weird, even just saying it."

I smile and ask, "So you're definitely going to complete the transition?"

Ric smiles despite the fact he just died and tells me, "If you don't mind being stuck with me bothering you and Damon for the rest of eternity, absolutely. I think you've buried enough people in the last year and a half. I don't need to go adding myself to that list."

I frown, and despite the idea of him dying making me nauseous, I tell him, "Don't finish it because of me. Do it because it's what you want but don't worry about me. I've got people that would look after me if you were gone."

He frowns, so I tell him honestly, "I'm not trying to convince you to say no because the last thing I want is to live in a world where you don't exist anymore, but I just don't want you regretting changing 200 years from now."

Ric turns his body and places his feet on the ground before resting his elbows on his knees and looking me right in the eye. "I want you to listen very carefully, Juliet. I don't regret taking you in. I don't blame you or anyone else in this room for what happened today, and it will be my honor and privilege to help Damon look out for you for the rest of eternity. I will not now nor will I ever regret finishing the transition. I've known for a while now that this was probably going to happen. I mean we spend all our free time with Vampires fighting Supernatural bad guys, so it was bound to happen that I was going to end up dead. I'm just glad Damon talked me into drinking his blood every day because what I would have actually regretted would have been leaving you and Damon behind. So somebody get me some blood, and I can finish the transition, and then we can move on with our lives."

I wipe a tear away from my cheek and tell him, "I'm glad you'll always be around."

He nods before Jazz hands him a glass full of blood. Ric looks around the room at each of the members of our family, and then he drinks from the glass finishing it off in five swallows. He sits there for a few seconds, and then he begins gasping for air just like Isa did earlier, so I tell him, "Please come in, Ric."

His breathing immediately goes back to normal but then his eyes get wide when his fangs extend, and veins surround his eyes as they fill with blood.

I laugh and tell him, "Wow, that's weird. I never thought I'd see you with Fangs, Ric, but I'm kind of happy I am. You dying would have gutted me."

He nods and then a second later his fangs retract before he asks, "Does it always feel so weird when that happens?"

The other Vampires in the room chuckle and Damon tells him, "You'll get used to it."

Ric's eyes land on Isa and his eyes widen before he says, "Uh, I think I missed some things while I was at the store."

Kol laughs and says, "You have no idea."

We spend the next few minutes filling Ric in on everything that's happened today, and then he asks, "So what are we going to do about Stefan and Elena?"

Damon frowns and says, "We should probably wait until they write in their journals and see if we can figure out what their exact plan was. Ultimately though I think we're going to have to wait to do anything until we find the spell to split Klaus' essence into parts and then suck him into the Vampires in this room."

Everyone nods and then Emmett's phone rings, so he takes it out of his pocket and says, "It's Carlisle," then he presses the send button and puts it on speakerphone before he says, "Carlisle what's up?"

I've never met Carlisle or even heard his voice, but he sounds grim when he asks, "Have you seen Edward or Alice?"

Emmett's eyes get wide, and he mouths, 'What do I tell him?'

Kol stands and sticks his hand out, so Emmett places his phone in Kol's hand, and we all wait to hear what Kol will say.

Kol frowns then says, "Dr. Cullen, my name is Kol Mikaelson. Do you know who I am?"

Even I can hear him gulp on the other end of the line then he says, "The Original?"

Kol nods as he says, "One in the same, but it might be of more interest to you to know that I am also Bella's Mate."

Carlisle takes in a noisy breath but says nothing, so Kol continues, "I am sorry to tell you this over the phone, but today your son attacked my Mate, and I ended him. The only reason I didn't torture him first is that I had been feeding Bella my blood, so when she died today she later woke in transition."

Kol pauses, but Carlisle doesn't say anything, so Kol continues, "Then Alice who was Edward's Mate attacked my Human brother in retaliation for Edward's death and killed Ric. Again the only reason she wasn't tortured before we ended her is that Ric had been drinking our other brother's blood every day, so he just woke and finished the transition. However, I am sad to tell you that both of your children are now dead as a result of their actions. I consider this matter over and all of us even, so unless you and your wife wish to join your children on the Other Side I suggest you accept their deaths and move on peacefully because I will not hesitate to end anyone else who comes after my loved ones or me."

I can hear someone crying in the background before Carlisle asks, "And what of Emmett and Rosalie?"

Kol smiles while he looks at the two Cold Ones in question before he tells them, "Bella considers them family, so they are welcome here anytime, and I'm sure they will return to your house shortly after they finish visiting with Bella."

Carlisle still asks, "No harm will come to them?"

Kol smiles and says, "Unless they uncharacteristically attack me and mine, no, no harm will come to them. In fact, I've already told the Volturi that Emmett and Rosalie are under my family's protection because, as I said, my Mate considers them family, so as far as I'm concerned, they're family."

A new voice says, "Mr. Mikaelson, am I to understand that the threat against my brothers and me has passed."

It takes me a second to place the voice, but then I frown when Kol says, "Aro, do you recall what I said would happen if you and yours did not deal with the threat that was Edward and Alice Cullen promptly? Specifically, do you remember what I said would happen should they manage to harm anyone I care about before your dealing with them?"

We all hear Aro gulp, but he doesn't say anything, so Kol continues telling him, "Also do you recall what I said would happen should I be forced to clean up another of your messes?"

He pauses again but when Aro still says nothing Kol tells him, "I'm guessing based on your silence that you recall exactly what I said would happen, so finish your visit with your friend and his wife and give them your condolences on the deaths of their children. Then I highly recommend that you and yours return to Seattle and get on the first plane back to Europe, and then stay in Italy for a few centuries while I work through my anger at your colossal failure to do as you were told and handle your own problems before they became my problems. I would also recommend you calling ahead first should you feel the need to send you and yours here again to make sure that I have in fact gotten over my anger at my Mate and my brother being forced to transition because you all didn't do your damn job. Should we meet again before my anger has abated it will not end well for you or yours. Do you understand?"

I smile and hold in a chuckle when Aro says, "Y-y-yes, I understand."

Kol smiles, and it's not a friendly smile when he says, "Good now give the phone back to Dr. Cullen and be silent because hearing your voice will only incite my anger further."

Carlisle's voice shakes slightly a moment later when he says, "You wish to speak to me?"

Kol sighs, "Only to tell you that I'll send your children home to you soon because you probably want to have your remaining children close to you in your time of loss. I regret that Edward and Alice did not take my multiple warnings to back off seriously, but I do not blame you or your remaining children, and my anger at Aro and the rest of the Volturi does not extend to you and yours. I just want you to know that. If you wish to remain in Forks, I will allow it provided you and your wife vow not to try to retaliate for Edward and Alice's deaths."

Carlisle lets out a loud breath and says, "We would like to remain here, so I swear to you that Esme and I will not try to retaliate against you and yours for the deaths of our children. And for the record, if we had known that you had warned them to back off, we would have tried to intervene and prevent today's tragedies."

Kol sighs and tells him, "I'm sure you would have. If you permit, I'll allow Emmett and Rosalie to fill you in on what all Edward and Alice have been up to and the plans they had."

Carlisle sounds sad as he says, "Yes, of course, thank you for personally informing me of our children's deaths and the reasons why. If you might, please tell Bella we're sorry it came to this."

Kol tells him, "I'll be sure and pass along the message."

He says "Thank you," then he hangs up.

Kol hands Emmett's phone back to him and then tells him, "You're both welcome here anytime, however perhaps it would be best if you returned home, for now, to comfort your parents in their time of loss. Feel free to tell them anything Bella, Jazz or myself have said about what Edward and Alice were up to, and tell them that if they have any questions they can contact me directly, and you can give them my phone number. Please be sure and emphasize that I very much wish to peacefully coexist with the remaining members of your family."

Emmett and Rosalie both nod and then head for the door. About half way to the hallway Rosalie stops and turns to look at Bella then says, "For the record, Bella, my behavior towards you thus far and my apparent dislike for you wasn't really about you but rather about the fact that I didn't think Edward was right for you. If I could have found a way to convey that, I would have, but he was very good about keeping you with him and Alice at all times, so I never had a chance to explain why I acted like I hated you. I don't. Hate you, that is. And I'm very sorry that things happened the way they did. I know what it's like to have your choices taken from you, and I never wanted that for you."

Bella stands and walks to Rosalie and tells her, "I know. I figured it out after I had discovered Edward and Alice had ulterior motives. For the record I don't hate you either, and if you want me to look for the spell to turn you and Emmett back into Humans you just call and let me know, and I'll look for it, okay? No hard feelings." Then Isa shocks Rosalie by pulling her into a hug and telling her, "You're a good friend Rose, even when you're pretending to hate the person."

Rosalie smiles while she pulls away and nods then she follows a smiling Emmett out towards the door with Jazz following after them planning to go and console Carlisle and Esme with his two remaining siblings.