Chapter 38
Edward pulled his car up the driveway, coming to where Esme had left the Mercedes halfway up.
"Why'd they leave the car here?" he wondered aloud, throwing his Volvo into park.
Bella looked at him, already knowing what was to come. Holding in the secret that Carlisle and Alice had filled her in on was something that was excruciatingly challenging. They had only told her because her mind was obviously safe from Aro, and if Esme, Jasper or anyone else had wanted to make a rash decision, she could be there to fill them in on what had really happened as a last resort.
Edward suddenly burst out of the car, making his way toward the house and Bella chased after him. When the two of them emerged into the area near the house where everyone stood, he froze in a similar way that Esme had and stared with disbelief.
Esme still clung to Carlisle, though had one hand on the curve of Alice's face. The kids all stood close to everyone, and their faces were illuminated with joy and decorated with tears.
Alice's eyes made their way to Edward first, and saw the immediate combination of hurt and happiness. She had seen that he would be one of the hardest to accept the decisions that she and Carlisle had made.
He didn't speak a word, but his heavy heart had instantly begun to heal. Esme's body language alone was enough for him to forgive the two of them, but he had witnessed first hand the unimaginable grief that his mother and brother had gone through. It had been unbearable to watch.
"Edward," Alice spoke softly. She had an apologetic ring in her voice and looked at him with hopes of forgiveness.
Edward read every thought that passed through her mind. He could feel how sorry she was for putting them through the agony for the past two weeks. Carlisle's thoughts were haywire and torn. He could see how horrible he felt.
"How could I have not known about this?" he asked them. "Your plan..."
Alex's mind seemed to catch up at the same time. She looked at Alice, "You asked me to block out his thoughts."
Alice nodded, "I thought if it was truly meant to be this way and it was what was needed, then it would work... and it did."
Edward played with the bits and pieces of the plan in Alice's mind, as Carlisle's thoughts were still all over the place, unable to stay on parts of the plan they had carried out.
"You would have died Edward," Alice told him, "And Carlisle would have, and Emmett..."
"You have no idea what Esme and Jasper and all the kids have been going through," Edward said, "Not to mention the rest of us."
"I know," Alice said, "I saw it all in advance, but I also saw the alternative where it was all real... and that was much, much worse."
"Edward," Bella said, "I knew."
"What?" he asked, drawing looks from everyone but Carlisle and Alice.
"I knew," she repeated, "Because Alice knew my mind would be safe with Aro. She told me in case anyone tried to do anything to put themselves in danger, or if something changed. The reason why it carried on for so long is because they knew Aro would be back to check in, and when everyone's thoughts were all showing the same thing, he would truly believe that the two of them were dead."
Edward stared at Bella with disbelief, and couldn't hold back the fact that he was somewhat angry.
"Edward," Carlisle said, "I know this was a terrible thing to lead on, but in every other scenario she could see, at least two or three members of this family would have been really dead."
"I had to destroy Carlisle's phone because he kept contemplating calling Esme," Alice said.
Esme looked up at Carlisle and leaned into him again, smiling for a half-second at the thought, but quickly got wrapped up in her emotions again.
"And I knew when Aro thought that we were dead," Alice went on, "That he would return to Italy and leave everyone alone. He saw it as a victory, even though they lost Demetri. If Carlisle had stayed after he killed Demetri, he would have been killed by Jane and Felix. I saw it so many times and I couldn't let that happen," she shook her head, "And he wasn't the only one. Bella would have lost you too Edward."
He softened his expression a bit, and Bella nodded, then apologized to him. "I'm sorry Edward," she said, then looked at Esme and the rest of them, "I'm sorry I lied to everyone, but I knew... I knew it was for the best."
Alex leaned into her father and he used his free arm to sling around her shoulders before kissing her temple. "I think we should all be thanking you then," she said, "Because this would have been unbearable if it was real." She looked at Alice and Carlisle, "I don't know what any of us would have done with you," then back to her father, "Mom needs you."
Edward looked at Bella and she mouthed the words, "I'm sorry," to him again.
A smile crossed his face and hugged her tightly, then finally made his way to Alice and held her against him. She began to laugh and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for caring little brother."
"Little?" he asked, then smirked at her.
Esme let go of Carlisle for the first time as he joined Edward in a quick embrace.
"I'm sorry," Carlisle said apologetically again. He didn't continue his explanation, as he knew Edward could read his thoughts that could more accurately get the point across.
Edward continued to hug him and patted him on the back in the process. "I'm just glad that you're okay."
Carlisle patted him and nodded.
"And start making this up to Esme," he said, "You can't imagine..."
When they pulled away he saw the guilt and pain over the decision in Carlisle's eyes. Edward looked over toward Alice, "And Jasper too."
"He should be here in a half hour," she said.
"We should call him," Carlisle told her.
Alice thought for a moment, "I'm going to meet him," she said. Before anyone could say another word, she took off running.
"Masen's close," Edward said, "I can hear his thoughts." A smile crossed over his face, "He just saw Alice."
Esme looked at Carlisle, "What more is there to the story?" she asked.
He sighed and linked back up with her, securing a hand on her hip next to him as if he never intended to let her go again. "Alice could see that it was the only way we'd all survive, and the only way that Aro would leave us alone." Carlisle looked her in the eye, "He needed to see everyone's grief. I only went along with it because there was no other choice. Alice saved my life by coming up with the plan. She saved Edward's and Emmett's."
Masen, Leah and Cassie all ran up in their direction, having parked behind the other two cars and held the same stunned expressions as the rest of their family had.
Cassie was the first to run up, more or less tackling Carlisle before the other two did the same, drawing similar reactions.
"Dad," Masen gushed, "You're alive."
Leah looked at Esme with teary eyes and they both began to cry again together.
Carlisle hugged his son, then kept a comforting hand on Esme's back until she parted from Leah.
"And did I just pass Alice running?" he asked.
"She's alive," Carlisle told him.
A loud laugh left his mouth and he ran his hands through his hair and looked all around with wondrous eyes. "Aren't you going to give us some kind of explanation?"
"Yeah..." Leah said, wiping tears away.
Carlisle nodded, and pulled his son in for second hug, then did the same with Leah.
"Why don't we go inside and talk," he suggested.
Masen and Alex shared a quick smile, then he went over and hugged Caleb, who also began to shed tears again.
"That sounds good to me," Alex said, "Back to our real home."
Carlisle nodded, "Yeah."
Edward looked at him and a smiled formed on his face. He patted Carlisle on the back again and linked hands with Bella.
Esme pulled Carlisle back for a moment as they all began to filter into the house. She finally began to let the initial numbness wear off and so she reached up and pulled him forcefully to her by the collar of his shirt, planting her lips against his.
Carlisle returned the gesture, kissing her with the same whole-hearted enthusiasm and passion.
"I love you Carlisle," she told him.
"I love you," he told her, letting his eyes flicker open, "I'm sorry. I'll never put you through something like this again."