This is it, the final showdown. Are the family going to survive this last confrontation with the Guard? Jasper already knows Demetri from the Civil War and is well aware what a formidable vampire he is, so it's not looking good. Ace must be wondering what the heck he's signed up to and Emmett and Rosalie are just about to awaken, to what?

Here goes...


CHAPTER TWENTY NINE - Meetings


"Demetri!" Jasper sighed, as he recognised the fearful vampire standing in the hallway.

Demetri's cruelty was legendary amongst vampires. He didn't take prisoners after a battle and none of his foes lived to tell any tales. Jasper was also aware that he despised the fact that others had led the Guard for the past three hundred years, which was a role he had constantly sought, but Aro had always denied him in favor of others. Now Aro and Didier were dead and it was obvious to Jasper that he had unilaterally taken over the mantle of leader and had come back to seek revenge for the loss of Aro and his brothers.

"Jasper Whitlock," Demetri replied, sounding suprisingly courteous. "It's many years since you and I met on the field of battle. That was a great war."

"That depends which side you were fighting for. I was for the Confederates."

"I wasn't on any side as you know, Jasper. We came for the pickings; we didn't care which uniform they were wearing. When warring humans kill one another it means there are plenty of victims with no questions asked."

Jasper tried to look disgusted, but he had been a true vampire then and had feasted on unsuspecting humans who were then marked down as casualties of war, so he was no better than Demetri and his followers.

"Why are you here, Demetri? I thought the Guard were on their way back to Italy."

"We were on our way back, but I received information that Aro had been killed and your family were complicit in his death. Am I correct?"

"Your information is correct that Aro is dead, along with Marcus and Caius."

Demetri and the other four vampires in the hallway remained unmoved, but he could hear the shocked reactions of the Guard outside on the dunes when Demetri's suspicions were confirmed. Jasper continued,

"Monique and Didier were also with them when they were blown up and burnt in a yacht that belonged to this family. The explosives were meant to kill us, not the Volturi. Their deaths were an unfortunate accident."

"Nevertheless they are dead. Who was responsible for setting the explosives?"

"A corrupt policeman and the Mafia."

"The Mafia! Well, well, well," Demetri quietly laughed. "The plot gets even more interesting."

"I asked you why you were here, Demetri? Now you have an answer to your question, are you satisfied, or do you not believe me?"

"Oh, I believe you, Jasper. Your wife is not the only vampire that has special skills; we have our own methods of looking into the future."

"You mean the Guard knew this was going to happen?"

"No; we had no prior knowledge that Aro would meet his end in this way. We didn't suspect Aro was dead until yesterday. The group who set off first from this house, including myself, were feeding on Inuit fishermen whilst we waited for the others to catch up before commencing the journey back to Italy through Russia. One of our seers realised that Aro had stopped featuring in any future events in Volterra, in other words he had ceased existing, and so had Marcus and Caius. I was curious and ordered the Guard to turn back to find out what, if anything, had happened to them."

Edward and Bella were standing behind Jasper on the stairs and Carlisle and Ace had come out of the study and were watching from the doorway. Alice was still outside the bedroom where she could hear Emmett stirring, but she wasn't prepared to leave the scene to look after him while there was a possibility that Jasper was in danger. As she was staring at Demetri and the others, she was trying to read what they were planning to do to them, but was hit with a wall of nothing and she guessed that one of the five might be blocking her.

Edward however had easily tapped into Demetri's thoughts but annoyingly he was thinking in Greek. Edward knew a smattering of the language through his medical training, but not enough to guess what Demetri's intentions were, but the longer the conversation went on, the more he was convinced that Demetri was not here for a fight.

Edward decided to speak up to show to Demetri that Jasper was not standing alone and he was just as responsible for Aro being on the boat when it exploded.

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry that Aro is dead, Demetri. He fully intended to kill my parents and probably myself and the rest of the family too. Garrett's timely intervention saved us from anhilalation as you well know. Presumably you were on the dunes that day fighting Garrett's coven? Without their help we wouldn't be having this conversation today. So I'm not mourning Aro's loss, but his death was not at our hands even though I'd personally would like to take the credit. Now you know how he died, is there anything else we can help you with, or are you and the Guard just here to finish the job that Aro came to do?"

Demetri shook his head then quietly laughed to himself when he realised that the people in this house thought he was there to exact revenge, whereas the opposite was the case.

"Jasper, Edward. It is Edward, isn't it? The Guard has been trying to get rid of Aro for many years, but his seers have foreseen any plots to kill him and he has ruthlessly destroyed any of us who were planning to remove him. One of our own seers predicted his death many months ago, but we had no clue as to how or when it was going to happen. Now you tell us humans were responsible, which is probably how it escaped Aro's own seers who could only foretell the plots of vampires. We haven't come here to kill you; we've come here to thank you."

Bella and Alice sighed with relief then flung their arms around Edward and Jasper, after which they ran back up to Emmett's room where they could hear signs that he was waking. Carlisle acknowledged Demetri then flew up the stairs past Edward and Jasper so he could check on Esme, who was probably still plugged into the I-Pod and totally oblivious to what had been going on.

Ace stayed put by the study; his eyes fixed on the five vampires. His first thought when he saw them was that they had just walked off the set of The Lord of the Rings, but even he picked up they were dangerous, so he breathed a sigh of relief when it was clear that his life as a vampire was not going to be measured in just a few hours.

Edward and Jasper approached Demetri and shook hands with him and the other four members of the Guard.

"We need to talk to Garrett urgently," Demetri said. "Do you know where he is and how to contact him?"

"Why, what has Garrett done?" Jasper asked.

"Nothing, apart from show outstanding leadership in a dangerous situation. After the 'battle' on the dunes, the Guard heard from Didier how Garrett had stood up to Aro in this house and were astounded that he was prepared to risk his life and the lives of his coven to support you and your family. He was also taking a stand for fairness and common sense amongst vampires which was long overdue. The Guard were impressed by the way he defended you and the loyalty and bravery of his coven who stood beside him. They were prepared to put their lives on the line to support you and Garrett and defend your right to live the way you wanted to. The Guard and therefore the Volturi who remain in Volterra will now be looking for a new leader following the death of Aro and Didier, and we're here to invite him to consider taking on the role."

"What about you, Demetri," Jasper said, sounding surprised. "You are Didier's natural successor."

"Thank you, Jasper, but I don't want the responsibility now. I've been a member of the Guard for well over three hundred years and have seen too much misery and death to continue for much longer. With Aro's passing our world has changed, for the better I hope. Now I want to return to Greece and live on an island in the Aegean with my wife and be a boat-builder again, which is what I was born to do over five hundred years ago."

"It's very sunny in the Aegean, Demetri. You might find that a bit difficult," Jasper pointed out jokingly.

"I'm sure I'll find a way around that. We'll work something out. But there is something else you can help us with as well."

"How on Earth can we possibly help you?" Edward asked.

Demetri hesitated before continuing. He looked behind him at his four comrades for support, but they were staring at the ground, looking uncomfortable and awkward. In the end Demetri bit the bullet.

"It was a taboo subject in Volterra as it was considered to be a sign of weakness, but the majority of the Guard want to live like yours and Garrett's family. What I mean is, they want to give up feeding from humans and live off the blood of animals, either by hunting or farming. We need your advice. Can you help us?"

Edward's mouth dropped open when he saw the sincerity in Demetri's eyes. This menacing vampire whom Jasper had feared when he walked through their door, was ready to walk away from his murderous way of life and was asking for their assistance. Of all the things he expected to happen, this was the most unexpected.

He was just about to respond when they heard a disturbance outside. Demetri quickly turned and opened the door fully to see what was happening, and found Garrett and four members of his coven, two male and two female, standing on the deck.

"What's going on here?" Garrett demanded as he strode inside and stood in front of Demetri in an agressive and confrontational pose. "Are you threatening this family again?"

"On the contrary, Garrett. We're here to congratulate Jasper and Edward and the rest of this family for disposing of Aro for us."

"Is this true, Jasper, Edward, and whoever you are," Garrett said, pointing at Ace, who had been listening, absolutely fascinated, to what was unfolding in front of him.

Jasper nodded and grinned. "I think you and Demetri had better go through to the conservatory and sit down. You might be surprised at what he's got to say."

"I'm going to check on Emmett," Edward said and flew up the stairs, but before he went into the bedroom, he exhaled, then breathed in, then exhaled again and kept on doing that until he felt calm. He didn't need the air, but just the act of breathing took the tension away from his body. He didn't want Bella to suspect how anxious he had been when the Guard burst through the door and he had genuinely feared for his own and his family's lives.

When he saw Demetri for the first time, and picked up on the indisputable fear in Jasper's thoughts, he suspected that the Guard hadn't come to listen to their side of the story, and he, Bella and his family would be killed straight away in retaliation for Aro's death. He had been more apprehensive for his own and Bella's safety this time than when Alec had confronted them on the beach or when Aro turned up with the Guard. But now he was safe, and it seemed as though they had nothing to fear from the Guard now or in the future.

As he stood outside the bedroom door, from where he could hear Emmett stirring and Carlisle trying to calm him, for the first time since he was changed, Edward genuinely felt free of the burden that had attached itself to him when he became a vampire. Living your life with a sword positioned over your neck that could fall at any time if you dared to break one of Aro's arbitary rules, had been part of the price of immortality. Now that the sword and along with it the threat of death had gone, the relief he felt was indescribable. He knew Bella and he could now look forward with confidence to a settled and secure future without constantly listening for a knock at the door.

He walked into the bedroom smiling and was greeted by the sight of Emmett who was half sitting, half lying on the bed, struggling to free himself from Carlisle who was forcibly holding him on one side. Alice was clinging on to the other and Bella was laying across his feet, trying to stop him getting off the bed and they were losing the battle.

"Edward fucking Masen," Emmett yelled at the top of his voice when he saw him. "What the fuck have you done to me?"

Edward shot over to Alice's side to relieve her. As he caught hold of Emmett's arm, he could feel the enormous strength in his limbs and he wondered how Alice or Carlisle had managed to contain him.

"Emmett, relax," he said trying to sound calm. "If we let go of you now you'll smash the house up in seconds. You have no idea how fast and strong you are. Just lie completely still for a few moments."

"What's happened to me, Edward? I can't remember anything other than being shot. Am I in heaven?"

"No, you're in Connecticut. Rosalie is in the next room with my mother. She's fine, but she's asleep at the moment."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes, but only when you've calmed down. Stop struggling and we'll let go of you."

Emmett relaxed and fell back on the pillows. Carlisle was the first to let go then Bella shuffled off his legs, leaving Edward holding on to one arm.

Edward finally released his arm and sat on the edge of the bed. Emmett was staring at the ceiling and Edward could pick up his thoughts very easily. He was re-living the car journey up the track, which was the only memory that was clear in his mind. Then he felt the searing pain of the first bullet and the heartbreak when he saw that Rosalie had been shot. The last image he clearly saw was Edward in the rear view mirror, leaping out of the yellow Porsche and running faster than humanly possible towards the man who was firing the gun, and then everything came back to him.

"You told the gunman you were a vampire; is that true?"

"Yes, it is."

"I asked you to save Rosie; is she a vampire now?"

"Yes, she is."

"Am I a vampire?"

"Yes, you are. So is Bella, and our friend Alice here. Carlisle and my mother are vampires too and so is Alice's husband. It's nothing to fear, Emmett. We'll explain everything when you're up to it."

"It was that or death, wasn't it?"

"Yes, you would have bled to death before an ambulance could reach you. We had no option. I hope you won't regret my decision to turn you."

"If it means I can spend a lifetime with Rosie, I'll never regret what you've done. Thank you for saving us."

"I hope you'll remember those words in the future as life is going to be very different for you from now on, but we will help you; I promise."

At that moment Esme popped her head around the door.

"I think Rosalie's waking up. I'm sure she heard Emmett yelling, which is not surprising. I think most of Connecticut heard him too. You'd better get in here."

Alice and Bella shot out the door while Carlisle and Edward helped Emmett off the bed.

"Slowly does it," Carlisle said as they prevented him from moving too fast.

After a few careful steps, Emmett felt confident enough to walk on his own and he crossed the hallway and into the room where Rosalie was lying on the bed absolutely still. Emmett walked up to her and gasped at her extraordinary beauty.

"Rosie, you look...perfect," he said and he gently ran his hand through her golden hair that was spread out across the pillow and over her shoulders.

He carefully bent over her and delicately kissed her lips, like Prince Charming did to Sleeping Beauty in the fairy story. Rosalie opened her eyes and saw Emmett's face gazing down at her lovingly. The window was open and the morning sun was streaming through and as it touched Emmett's face his skin sparkled.

"Are you an angel, Emmett?" she whispered.

Emmett smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm not an angel, baby."

"Are we in heaven?"

"No, we're in Connecticut, in Bella's house."

Bella walked to the side of the bed and took Rosalie's hand.

"Hi, Rosalie. How do you feel?"

"Different. My body feels totally strange. What's happened to me?"

Bella sat down next to her on the bed, still holding her hand.

"Can you remember being in the Porsche with Emmett?"

Rosalie nodded her head and then her eyes widened and a look of horror spread across her face.

"I was shot; Emmett was shot; why am I not dead?" she cried.

Bella looked at Edward who nodded his head. No time would be the right time, so now was as good a time as any.

"Edward and his father saved yours and Emmett's lives by making you sort of superhuman, like me."

"You're superhuman, Bella?"

"Yes, and it's amazing."

"And I'm superhuman too?"

"Yes."

"You mean, like the Avengers?"

"Um, no. Err... Rosalie, can you remember the TV series that used to be your favorite? It's not on any more."

"You mean Sex and the City?"

"No, not that one."

"Jesus, I can't remember...hold on; I know, Buffy the ..."

Bella waited while the penny dropped.

"Don't be frightened, Rosalie. Being a vampire is not what you think it is. We're actually supernatural, not superhuman and it'll take a bit of getting used to, but you'll be fine."

Emmett moved closer and held her other hand.

"We'll work this out, baby. Don't get upset, we're in this together. It's been a shock, I know, but we'll get through this."

Rosalie looked round at all the worried faces staring down at her, waiting for her reaction. When it came, it wasn't what they were expecting.

"Get me a mirror," she hissed.

Esme rushed off to her dressing table and came back with her make-up mirror and handed it to Rosalie, who was by now sitting upright. She snatched it away from Esme and looked at her face close up and then further away. She widened her eyes when she noticed that her pupils were tinged with red, then she ran her hands over her flawless skin and fluttered her naturally long eyelashes. She examined her teeth, probably expecting to see fangs, but her teeth were as they were before, but maybe a bit straighter and slightly whiter. She pulled the mirror away from her, holding it at arms length so she could take her first look at her golden hair that was now full and thick, which was how her stylist always tried to make it look in the salon but failed, and a small smile spread across her face but she quickly made herself look angry again.

"Back off," she spat as she swung her legs off the bed. She gingerly stood up then walked carefully over to the full length mirror and took a long look at herself.

There was dead silence in the room as Rosalie twisted and turned in front of the mirror, examining every angle of her perfect body.

"Rosalie Hale," she said to her reflection in the mirror after her final twirl."You...look...fricking...awesome!"

She flung her arms up in the air then ran over at lightning speed to Emmett and wrapped herself around him.

"Emmett, my gorgeous, sexy, Incredible Hulk; we're going to have so much fun!"


Seven days later:

Christmas had come and gone and Edward and Bella were driving the Cherokee east to west and were now in Washington State. The weather forecast had been good for the journey so they decided not to fly as it would be an ideal chance for the two of them to be together for a few days so they could talk about what had happened since their transformation and make plans for the future. Bella had Skyped Charlie on Christmas Day and told him they would be with them on the 30th and would stay over for a few days, then they planned to visit Seattle so Bella could meet up with Angela and Victoria.

During the long journey they talked about what had happened in the days before Christmas, when the final drama of the incredible last few months unfolded on their own doorstep.

Demetri and the Guard had stayed by the house overnight and had listened respectfully to Jasper when he told them how he had become a 'vegetarian' vampire after many years of feeding from humans. He warned them that there would be occasions when temptation would get the better of them, but to persist as it would get easier with time. Some of the Guard made arrangements to visit the farm where Garrett's friends produced blood for Esme so they could see how it was done and take that knowledge away with them. Others decided to try their luck hunting in northern Canada and Russia before making a final decision to walk away from their previous lifestyle.

Garrett and Demetri had talked for hours about the future of the vampire race, but in the end Garrett declined the offer to take over the running of the Guard and the Volturi. He had no desire to live in a castle in Italy, preferring the hustle and bustle of New York; the city he loved with a passion. He convinced Demetri that the Guard was no longer required as a permanent army and they should go their separate ways and do whatever they wanted to do, within reason. There would still be a code of conduct that vampires would be expected to follow for their own self-preservation, but an iron fist was no longer required in the vampire world. A few of the Guard said they would remain in Volterra for the time being, but the others were ready to scatter to every corner of the globe to live as they wanted to live.

Rosalie, Emmett and Ace had made good progress, but had agreed to be confined to the beach house for at least three weeks until they got used to their new bodies and instincts. When they got back from Seattle, Bella and Edward would start taking them out to mix with the human population to get them acclimatized to their new way of life so they could eventually live independently. Rosalie didn't have any family to contact as she had been brought up by a single mother who had died recently, but Emmett called his family to tell them he'd got engaged and was taking Rosalie on a surprise holiday to the Caribbean, so wouldn't be back for Christmas. He hadn't decided what to tell his family yet as he needed to come to terms with it himself first, but there was no desperate rush.

Edward had offered Rosalie and Emmett jobs in his lab, so they would both have to resign from the University and CSI respectively and as they were unable to give notice, they would both be in breach of contract. Both of them felt guilty doing this, but there was no alternate solution. As soon as they could trust themselves being among people, they would join the staff of Masen Research as medical scientists.

Tom's body had been found five days after Edward left him behind a dumpster, and now Boston was on high-alert for the Seattle serial killer who they thought had struck again. Ben had asked for compassionate leave from the lab to be with his family and Edward said he could take as much time as he needed.

On the day after Christmas, Ben admitted to Edward in a phone call that he had suspicions Tom had been spying on his lab. He had discovered a surveillance device on a shelf and presumed it was Tom who had planted it. He was planning on confronting Tom when they went home for Christmas and if he admitted it, he would demand to know whether he was doing it for financial gain or just plain devilment.

Edward now knew why he had begun to mistrust Ben after previously having no qualms about his loyalty, as Ben had been holding on to that knowledge not knowing what to do with it. But events had overtaken Ben, and whether or not he would have told Edward about Tom being a spy was now immaterial. Edward finished the call by thanking Ben for his honesty and pretending that he would carry out a sweep of the rest of the building just in case it wasn't Tom who had planted the device.

Now that Ace was a vampire, Edward had sat down with him on Christmas Day and told him all about his feud with Tom and how he had died. Edward also told Ace, Emmett and Rosalie the full story of Peter being the Seattle serial killer and how Anthony had become a danger after he started examining samples from the vampire's arm which was why he had to be stopped. Ace's mouth was hanging open most of the time as the stories unfolded and Emmett and Rosalie were first of all amazed that a vampire had been stalking Seattle without anyone realising or even considering it, then accepted that nobody in their right mind would think it was a real vampire, not just someone pretending to be one.

Carlisle and Edward had been asked to visit the local precinct on Christmas Eve and were interviewed by the FBI. Brad's body had been found in the forest and the blame for the explosion on the boat and the murder of the two women in the shop was pinned squarely on him through his contacts with the Mafia. A brief autopsy for the death certificate stated that his neck had been broken due to severe whiplash and the case was immediately closed. Neither the FBI or the local police force wanted a drawn out investigation that would put law enforcement in a bad light with the community and Brad's involvement with the Mafia was completely hushed up so the press didn't get hold of it. The local newspapers and TV stations therefore guessed wrongly that Brad had suspected that CSI Connecticut had been involved in obtaining evidence for his ex-wife so she could divorce him, and had suffered a mental breakdown due to stress, resulting in him taking his anger out on the CSI's detectives and their families. The police or his ex-wife didn't bother correcting them.

Once the Mafia hierarchy realised that about twenty of their men had disappeared without trace overnight, all hell broke loose in New York as a bloody battle for control of the gambling joints around Atlantic City ensued. Garrett's coven reported that certain parts of the city were no-go areas with guns going off all night and bodies being found everywhere, including Mario's, whose bullet-ridden corpse was fished out of the Hudson by the River Police. Eventually the fighting stopped and normality returned to the shadier side of life in the Big Apple and any involvement Masen Research had with the Mafia was forgotten when Mario hit the water.

Alice and Bella decided their days as private detectives were over. CSI had been a nice idea, but it had raised the profile of the family too much in the community and the risk of exposure was not worth it. Alice would continue to be an anonymous informant if she foresaw any heinous crimes in the future, but that was the limit of their crime-fighting activities for the moment. At least Alice had made a good friend in Annalise Simpson, and after Christmas they planned to spend some time going through her extensive wardrobe. Bella declined the invitation to take part; she said she couldn't think of anything more boring.

The family's biggest problem over the Christmas holiday was Madonna, who, like the diva she was named after, was used to having her own way in all things and was not happy sharing her living space with a feisty cat. After their initial meeting, where Molly had hissed and spat at the intruder, Molly now waltzed passed Madonna, taunting her to retaliate, knowing that one swipe of her claw would put her back in her place as the lodger in her home. Fortunately Madonna's living arrangements were only temporary as Ace planned to go back to his own house once he'd got used to his new status and felt confident that he could be trusted around humans. He had invited Emmett and Rosalie to move in with him until they got their own place and they had happily accepted.

The long drive west was nearly over and as they drove away from Port Angeles heading towards Forks on the last leg of their journey, snow was starting to fall on top of the fresh snow that was already there. Bella and Edward were still reflecting on what had happened to them since the last time they were here, and could now laugh about all the ridiculous things that had happened to them since becoming vampires. They had been to hell and back since Alice and Jasper had told them that their lives were in danger, and that was when they were sitting in Bella's flat in Seattle, feeling absolutely terrified after they had discovered that Alice and Jasper weren't human. Now they could look forward to life without fear, as long as they were discreet about their lifestyle.

The sign for Forks appeared in the road and Edward put his free hand on Bella's lap so she could hold it.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Bella nodded her head, but actually she was dreading what was going to happen next. She had asked her dad not to have a welcome party waiting to greet them; she just wanted to see him and Sue on their own. He had agreed and Bella was hoping she could trust him.

They turned onto the road leading to Charlie's house and Bella was relieved to see that only Charlie's police car and Sue's mini were in the driveway. As they pulled up, Edward leant over and kissed her on the cheek.

"This is it then, Bella. No more lies remember."

"That's right, Edward. No more lies."

The front door opened and Charlie sprinted down the slippery pathway and flung open Bella's door.

"Bella, so good to see you. Come and give your old man a hug."

Bella slid out of the Cherokee and put her arms around her father and buried her face in his chest. He smelled of aftershave and fish and gun cleaner and beer, a cocktail of scents that brought back thousands of memories. Bella wanted to hug him tighter, but she knew she would probably kill him if she did.

"Dad, I'm sorry I've been away for so long."

"You're here now, Bells; that's all that matters. Come inside, you're freezing."

Edward had collected their bags from the trunk and walked up to Charlie, holding his hand out for him to shake.

"Hello Charlie, good to see you again."

Charlie shook his hand then looked at him quizzically.

"You're freezing too, don't you have a heater inside that flash vehicle."

"Shall we go in out of the cold then?" Edward suggested with a smile.

Charlie put his arm around Bella's shoulders and walked her into the house. Sue greeted them indoors and took their jackets. After Edward put their bags upstairs they all went into the living room.

Bella sat on the sofa opposite Charlie who was now staring at her face.

"Bella, are you wearing contact lenses?"

"No, dad."

"What the hell has happened to your eyes? The only decent thing you ever got from your mother was her eye color. Hold on a second; Edward, why are your eyes the same color as Bella's. What's going on?"

Edward looked over at Bella and smiled at her encouragingly and she knew he was giving her permission to tell her father the truth.

"Dad, I've got something important to tell you. You might be shocked, but you must let me finish the story without interrupting. Before I start, I want to tell you now that I'm happier now than I've ever been, so will you promise to listen to what I've got to say?"

Charlie looked at Sue and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, Bells, I'm all ears. Fire away."

Bella took a deep breath, even though she didn't need it, and started the story, which was going to be a long one.

"Dad...it all started when those two hikers found an arm in the forest."


The End

(apart from the Epilogue)


I hope you enjoyed the story and a huge thankyou to everyone for their reviews and guesses. I have really enjoyed reading them.

There will be wedding bells (obviously), some fun and games and some nice surprises in the Epilogue and, I promise, no more disasters!

Joan xx