Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight :)
Sunsets are proof that endings can often be beautiful, too.
- Beau Tapli -
Full Circle
"You're doing it again."
Carlisle turned to look at me as he heard my words. Moonlight reflected from his eyes; he was standing under the huge, old oak at the end of the garden. He reached for me as I approached him, curling an arm around my shoulders.
"Doing what?" he asked, clearly torn between amusement and confusion.
"Staring at the moon," I answered. "And like always, I'm left wondering what you're thinking about whenever you're looking at it so intensely."
He gave me a sad smile. "I wish I could answer that myself," he mused, staying silent for a beat. "A moment ago I was feeling like my thoughts are just circling around and around in my mind, and then... then I found myself coming here." He looked at the summer night sky again. "I suppose there's something calming about it. The moon."
"And you weren't feeling calm?"
He sighed quietly. "No. I suppose not."
I wrapped my arm around his lower back, studying his expression. "Are you worried about the Romanians?"
He frowned. "Not worried, perhaps. But I am... wondering... where their ambitions might lead."
I nodded, understanding. After Marcus' surrender, we'd all been surprised when he and the Romanians had managed to negotiate something like a treaty. Needless to say, that was unexpected. I'd thought that the grudge and resentment Vladimir and Stefan had carried all these centuries would make it impossible for them to stand anything related to the Volturi, but I suppose it was Aro and Caius they'd been most furious with. Marcus had always seemed the most neutral of the three, so it was easy to understand. Maybe this had been so even back when the Volturi had overthrown the Romanians.
Vladimir and Stefan weren't exactly very fond of him, obviously – old hatred died hard and all that. The Romanians weren't ready to forgive and forget, but they were willing to make compromises in order to achieve their own goals. It wasn't only until then that I saw how power-hungry some vampires could be, and the lengths they would go to achieve what they wanted was something I probably could never undertstand.
I'd known that pursuit of power and dominion could really act as a bonding factor. I just would have never expected it to happen between the Romanians and what remained of the Volturi's forces. The notion of old enemies combining their forces seemed more than unlikely, after all.
After the battle was over, everyone had known that Vladimir and Stefan were more than eager to retake their place as the rulers of the vampire world, but the fact remained that there were just two of them. Aro and Caius might be dead, and Chelsea, the power that had tied the Volturi together, was gone too. Therefore, in a sense, the Volturi had fallen. It didn't mean, though, that they no longer had any power at all. Marcus still lived. So did Demetri and six other vampires who had survived the battle, and the wives and their protectors were still in Italy. I still wasn't sure how many vampires had stayed behind in Volterra – I only knew that several of them had remained there to protect the city. Regardless of how many the Volturi had lost in the battle, it was very possible, if not likely, that their coven was still the largest one in existence.
It seemed that even without Chelsea, the remaining members would stay loyal to Marcus, and probably to the wives as well. It was something the Romanians obviously couldn't ignore. Maybe that was part of the reason why they'd been toying with the idea to execute Marcus and the remaining guard after the battle. They'd wanted the surviving Volturi to taste their own medicine, like they had put it. They'd wanted Zafrina to keep them blinded while we would tear them to shreds, but Carlisle hadn't allowed it. Marcus had surrendered, after all, and Carlisle refused to be part of that kind of slaughter. Especially after Edward had found out from Marcus' thoughts that Aro and Caius alone had been behind the idea to attack us.
"It's not like Marcus put up much of a fight against them, did he?" Emmett had pointed out. "Maybe he didn't want to attack us, but why did he go along with it? And keep in mind that he was the one who ratted Veronique out to Aro."
"He was under Chelsea's influence," Edward had reminded him. "When she was still alive, he didn't have much of a choice but to stay loyal. I'm not ready to call him a friend, and I probably never will be, but the truth remains that our world still needs a governing body. I think Marcus is a much better choice than Aro and Caius ever were. He's always been the most rational and calm of the three, anyway."
Carlisle had agreed. "Marcus was always rather good-natured compared to Aro and Caius. He doesn't have Aro's greed or Caius' hatred."
"But how will the Romanians fit in?" Tanya had asked, frowning. "Now that they've come this far, and now that Aro and Caius are dead, they won't just give up. And if Marcus retains his position, why is he willing to form a treaty with them? Does he even need anyone to rule by his side?"
Eleazar had answered. "I don't think full leadership is something he's interested in, and that's why the thought of ruling together with Vladimir and Stefan isn't that unpleasant. Not that he's very he's interested in anything, really. He's been mourning the death of his mate for hundreds and hundreds of years, and he will never stop. But as the only surviving leader, he's feeling responsible for the remaining guard, and there are the other ancients in Italy to consider as well. By forming a treaty with the Romanians, and even ruling together with them means that he also has one thing less to worry about. Somewhere down the road, the Romanians would try to overthrow him for sure; they will not stop until they've regained the power they lost thousands of years ago. Marcus simply gives them something they want and that way makes things easier for himself. This way, he doesn't have to worry about being attacked."
"The Romanians might still destroy him, though," Rosalie had pointed out. "Why wouldn't they?"
Eleazar had shaken his head. "I don't think so. The remaining members will stay loyal to Marcus. If the Romanians killed him, they would lose everything. They'd have to start from nothing. They know that building a large coven – a functional, loyal one, at least – will take decades, even centuries. When the Romanians rose to power thousands of years ago, it took a long time for them to build their forces. Forming an agreement with Marcus and that way getting an opportunity to lead together with him is the best deal for them now, and they know it. I know they were eager to execute them after the battle, but it was their old hatred talking. They hadn't thought it through. Now they have, and they know what they can lose, not to mention what they can gain."
Edward had smiled in a dry manner. "I've been listening to the Romanians' thoughts for these past hours. They actually get a lot of kick out of the thought of getting the chance to rule over those who were once part of the army that attacked them in Romania. They know that some vampires in the guard won't accept them right away. They love the idea that they get to dominate those who hate them."
That was easy to believe. I had found myself wondering how the other ancients in Italy would react when Marcus would return with the Romanians instead of Aro and Caius; they had left for Italy the following morning after the battle. That was a couple of days ago.
In practical terms, the partial change of leadership would change nothing when it came to the laws the Volturi had decreed thousands of years ago; Marcus had been adamant about it. The laws were there for a reason, after all. Everyone conceded that it was important to keep our existence a secret from humans. It was to protect both us and them.
I thought about everything Carlisle had told me about the immortal children and the destruction they had caused. I thought about Jasper and his past, thought about the stories he'd told me about the Southern vampire wars. I thought about the thousands and thousands of humans who had died, and I knew that history could easily repeat itself unless there was someone monitoring these things. The law of secrecy had to be maintained by someone. If there was no one keeping vampires in check and making sure that no one would cause mass destruction like that... even the thought made me shudder. Someone had to make sure that things like this wouldn't happen.
Someone also had to make sure that vampires had a reason to keep themselves in check, which meant that exposure and careless hunting, for instance, would still lead to a death penalty. Before leaving with the Romanians, Marcus had turned to us and confirmed this.
"The procedures still stand," he had stated quietly. His voice was wispy like Aro's had been, but much lower. "No exposure. The secrecy must be maintained at all times. We make no exceptions."
I wasn't naive; I knew vampires had to have a good reason to follow the law. But still, a small bubble of hope had burst inside me as I'd heard his words. There had been a moment when I'd thought that now that Aro and Caius were gone, it would give me a chance to stay in my parents' lives at least in some way. It had been an unrealistic thought, though. It had sprung from my longing to see their faces and hear their voices if but for one more time.
Afterwards, I'd thought it over. For the next upcoming months, even possibly years, I'd be much too dangerous for them. And even after the worst of my bloodlust was over, and even if I could someday see them without having to fear that I might harm them... even then, there would be questions I couldn't answer. I looked different, I sounded different. I wasn't the same Bella Charlie had seen waving goodbye and getting into the cab in February, and I wasn't the same Bella Renée had laughed and joked with just a few weeks later. They'd be frightened by my new, ghostly white appearance. They'd wonder what had happened to my eyes, and why they would never seen their warm, brown color again. And even if they could somehow get used to all these changes and force themselves to believe that I still was their own daughter of flesh and blood, what would happen in ten years, or in twenty years, or in thirty when they'd notice that I wasn't aging at all? That might frighten them even more than all those other changes.
I could tell them the truth, I suppose. Charlie wouldn't believe it. And even if he did, he'd probably choose not to hear the rest; he wanted to keep life simple. Renée might believe, on the other hand, given her quirky nature, but I knew that she was too fragile for my world.
And then again, could I take that kind of risk and put them in danger like that? Marcus' words had been very clear – no exceptions. I couldn't take the risk of him finding out about it. Even though he no longer had Aro and the means to tell if he was being lied to, it didn't mean that someone similar would never come along and join the Romanians' and the Volturi's combined forces. They had lost so many talented vampires that I was almost certain they'd try to fill in the vacant positions.
Carlisle touched my cheek, making me return to the present moment.
"What is it?" he asked, frowning.
I shook my head. "Nothing. It's just that now my thoughts are circling as well."
He chuckled softly. "Did I bring that on?"
"Indirectly. I was thinking about Marcus, actually. Will he – and the Romanians as well – try to reqruit talented individuals now that the Volturi lost so many?"
"Possibly. Some may even seek an audience with them and ask if they can join the coven – it happens sometimes. Laurent, for instance, was willing to join them a couple of centuries ago, but his request was denied because he possessed no talent. However, if Marcus and the Romanians begin to reqruit new members, their reasonings will be slightly different than Aro's were. He liked to feel safe at all times, and he was also a collector, as you know, but I think that Marcus' motives would be different. He and the Romanians will pursue convenience above all else. They'll appreaciate things that help them maintain the rule." He paused, a sad look crossing his face. "Siobhan is considering joining them."
I quirked my brow in surprise. "Really?"
"She doesn't know how else to go on. She feels like she has no purpose without Liam and Maggie, and she needs something that she can focus on. I can sort of understand her... or perhaps not. I can only imagine what she must feel like right now, after all. The pain she must be in..." He trailed off and shook his head.
"Have you asked her to stay with us?"
Carlisle nodded. "I have. She was grateful for the offer, but... I believe she's going to decline." His golden eyes were staring at the moon again. His jaw was tense, like he was grinding his teeth together.
I reached out to touch his face. "What happened to Maggie and Liam wasn't your fault," I said quietly. "Only Caius and Aro are responsible for their deaths. The same goes to Makenna, Charles and Charlotte."
"It's... hard... to place blame on those who are no longer alive."
"So you're blaming yourself instead?" I asked, smiling sadly. "I shouldn't expect any less from you, I guess. I should have known that you'll repent something that wasn't even your doing."
He returned my sad smile. "I'm only very sorrowful about the lives that were lost. It makes me feel... helpless." He turned to me, his eyes finding the scar on the side of my neck. He reached out with his forefinger to touch it.
"What else is there?" I asked. When he gave me a surprised glance, I rolled my eyes. "I know that look. Something else is bothering you."
He didn't speak for a long while. His finger was still tracing the scar on my neck. "When Afton attacked you in the battle," he began, his eyes taking a forcibly calm look. He shook his head at a loss of words. "And when I saw you spring at him a moment later... no words can describe what I was feeling."
"Did I give you gray hairs?"
He chuckled softly. "Someday you might accomplish just that, as impossible as it should be." He sobered. "But Bella... please try your hardest not to do anything like that ever again. I'd very much like to keep you alive and well. I like you in one piece."
I smiled. "I like you in one piece, too. Which is exactly why I attacked Afton. I realized that you were his target, and I also knew that he would try to take me alive. I knew he wouldn't grant you the same luxury, and I just... flipped out... inside my head, you know? Everything turned red."
Carlisle looked like he didn't know if he should be worried or amused. "Really? Red?"
"Yes! And I couldn't help myself. I'm very territorial when it comes to you, you know."
He smiled. "Well, I'm very flattered to hear that. And I do believe that you must have been rather angry. I admit I wasn't a paradigm of calm myself in that moment."
I remembered the look in his eyes when he had thrown Afton's head in the fire; it was the first time I had seen him close to furious.
Closing my eyes, I leaned into him, resting my head against his chest. His arm tightened around me.
"Do you know what will happen to Peter?" I asked quietly.
"Jasper asked him to stay with us, but he declined. Alice's been talking to him. She and Jasper are trying to persuade him to seek out Mary and Randall, and they even offered to go look for them with him. But Peter said that he needs to spent some time alone. He's leaving tomorrow."
"Jasper's worried about him."
He nodded. "So am I."
"Can vampires ever get over the death of their loved one?"
He shook his head. "No. We're unchangeable beings. There will always be grief, and every vampire deals with that grief in their own ways. Some become... suicidal. And, well, you've seen Marcus; it's been thousands of years, and he's still in mourning. Chelsea's influence is probably the reason why he hasn't found a way to destroy himself yet. Now that she's gone, I'm wondering how long his sense of responsibility towards the surviving guard will keep him going. I wouldn't be surprised if he gives up his position in the years to come, and allows the Romanians to take over completely."
"And then what?" I asked, frowning. "He's going to find a way to off himself? I thought that was close to impossible."
Carlisle's eyes were sad. "Edward said that he's already considering the ways. He could ask the Romanians to take care of it, and I'm sure that they would be more than eager to... assist him. But, Marcus knows that it might cause problems in the guard and cause resentment towards the Romanians. Everything could fall apart, and he doesn't want that. Edward said..." He blew out a breath. "Edward said... that Marcus will probably try to find an active volcano."
I quirked my brow at that, horrified. "Oh. That sounds... well, dramatic. And also kind of painful."
He nodded. "Which is exactly why he's probably going to go for it in the years to come. Maybe it's his last attempt to find a physical form to the emotional torture he's been under for thousands of years." He shook his head in a sad manner.
"Burning in a volcano sounds a tad too physical to me."
Carlisle nodded. His eyes found the moon again. "It's probably the only thing I didn't try myself when I woke to this new life," he mused, his tone reflective.
I closed my eyes. Suddenly it felt like someone was twisting my heart. Or stomping over it after ripping it out of my chest. "Please, just... don't," I asked, my voice quiet.
His arms tightened around me again and he shifted so he could see my face. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, his other hand coming to cup my cheek. "That was an inconsiderate thing to say. I'm glad I never came to think of it. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
I leaned into his touch, opening my eyes. I gave him a mock-strict look. "You'd better not go anywhere. I'm not walking down the aisle this weekend only to find out that you've gotten cold feet."
He chuckled, learning in to press his lips to mine. The kiss was soft at first, full of reassurance and love. Then it changed from slow and seeking to passionate and urgent. When we finally pulled apart, our breaths were coming in little gasps. Leaning his forehead to mine, Carlisle pulled me even closer so that I was flush against him. The garden around us was silent, only the moon bearing witness to our moment of togetherness.
It took a while for me to regulate my breathing. It was strange how my body still seemed to crave air, despite the fact that oxygen was no longer a necessity.
"Will Siobhan stay for the wedding?" I asked quietly, framing his face with my hands.
Carlisle pulled back to see me. He nodded. "The Amazons will stay as well."
It felt strange to be thinking about something happy like a wedding. There had been so much death and loss and despair around us that it seemed almost hard to leave all that behind. Carlisle and I had considered postponing the wedding for a few weeks or even months; happiness and celebration seemed out of place given the circumstances. The others had been against it, though. Apparenly a happy occasion was something everyone craved after all that had happened.
I found myself thanking our lucky stars that we were both still here. It was more than I could have ever dreamed of. More than I could have ever asked for. And I knew that if I just got to keep this... If I just got to spend the rest of my days with Carlisle, there was nothing else I would ever need.
Making my way to the second floor, I took a peek through the doorway of Rosalie's and Emmett's room, and once I did, I had a sudden urge to rub my eyes.
"Oh. It's like a chiffon shop threw up in here."
Rosalie laughed appreciatively, but Alice ignored my comment. She waved me inside without raising her gaze from the large sheet of paper that was spread on the floor in front of her. There was a pencil in her hand, and she drew a quick line here and there before putting the pencil aside and rolling up the paper.
"Wait, what was that?" I asked, crossing the room and stepping past the various items littering the floor. There really was white chiffon everywhere, not to mention that every even surface of the room was covered in candles, magazines, dozens of rolls of silk ribbon in all possible colors, and god knew what else.
Alice finished rolling up the sheet of paper and tossed it to Esme.
"Alice, what was that?" I asked, smiling confusedly. "It looked like a sketch of the garden."
"It was," she answered. "I was just playing around with some ideas."
"And you're not going to show them to me? I'm the bride."
"The bride who gave us free rein over the wedding as long as we – or I – wouldn't go overboard." She smiled smugly. "Seriously, Bella. I want you to get the full effect when you step into the garden this weekend. No peeking. I promise you that it will be worth it."
"She's right," Carmen agreed. She had been unpacking a cardboard box when I came in, but stopped as soon as she saw me. I wondered how hard it was for her to live without her other arm. But she seemed just happy to be alive, like the rest of us. "You won't be disappointed once you see what she's got planned," she continued, giving Alice a grin.
"Well, I know that," I answered with a soft laugh. "I trust Alice – and that goes to the rest of you as well. I guess I just feel a little useless. You're doing all the hard work while I do nothing."
"Actually, there is one thing you can help me with," Alice corrected, grinning. "That's why I asked you here. My question is: red or white?"
"What am I choosing the color for?" I queried.
"Can't tell you. It's a surprise."
I rolled my eyes. "How else. Uh... Okay, what kind of red are we talking about?"
"Any kind of red you prefer."
"Okay. Burgundy red. But then again... it's summer and white is a fresher color..." I shook my head in indecision. "Can I have both?"
Alice's eyes received a familiar, blank expression. Then she blinked, nodding. "Of course you can – that's actually perfect. And now, Bella – off with you. Shoo shoo."
"That's it?" I asked. "There's nothing more I can do? I feel so bad. You're all here, slaving away..."
Esme darted across the room to stand beside me. "Bella, we're doing this gladly. And besides, I didn't even lift a finger for my wedding. It makes me beyond happy that I get to return the favor – you and Alice took care of everything when Miguel and I got married, and I'll never forget that. It was the most perfect day – or night, to be precise." She wrapped her arms around me tightly, holding me momentarily in her embrace before pulling back.
"I was glad to help," I told her, smiling.
"Just like we are happy to help now. Let us do this for you and Carlisle, please. I promise you, it will be worth the wait and all this secrecy." She smiled at me one more time before turning to look at Rosalie and Carmen. They had moved to the other side of the room, staring at Rosalie's laptop screen.
"Will four hundred be enough?" I heard Rosalie ask Carmen. "Or should we order five hundred?"
I quirked my brow at their conversation, wondering what exactly they were about to order.
Carmen shook her head. "I think three hundred of each should do it."
"Six hundred in total, then?" Rosalie asked. "Alice?"
"Go with six hundred," she answered, riffling through a thick wedding magazine in less that five seconds. "Damn, this isn't working," she muttered to herself. She plucked her cell phone from her pocket, and I saw her dial Tanya's number – she was somewhere with Kate and Irina, without a doubt running an errand for Alice.
"Six hundred what?" I asked, but Esme had already taken my arm and she now began to steer me out of the room. "Six hundred what? And what is up with all this chiffon?"
Esme only laughed. "All in due time, Bella. The only thing you have to worry about is to try on the dress before the wedding."
"My dress has arrived?" I asked. "When?"
"This morning. Alice will show it to you later." She accompanied me to the hallway, and I craned my head to look over my shoulder, still trying to guess what Rosalie and Carmen had been talking about. Esme closed the door behind us firmly, her smile amused as she shook her head.
"Patience, Bella," she told me.
"I'm not good at patience," I answered, giving her a grin.
"I know, and I don't blame you, dear. I've been where you are now, after all."
I gave her a curious glance. "Were you... at all nervous? Before marrying Miguel?"
Her butterscotch eyes became reflective. "I'm not sure if it was nervousness," she mused. "It was more like impatience and elation combined and multiplied by hundred." She gave a soft chuckle. "But I also felt... very calm. In here." She touched the spot above her silent heart and gave me a searching look. "Are you nervous, then?"
I hesitated, shuffling through the dozens of feelings that raged inside me and had almost driven me out of my mind during these past few days. "Kind of, yeah. But then I think that it's Carlisle, you know? And then I just feel..." I shook my head at a loss of words. "I feel very serene. Reassured. And it's not only my mind that is peaceful. It runs much deeper than that."
She nodded at my words, and I knew that she knew what I meant.
"I've told you this before, Bella, and I tell you again because I feel like I can't say this enough. I'm so happy that he found you, and that you found him."
I gave her an uncertain smile. "Did it ever feel odd to you in any way?" I asked. "Me and Carlisle?" She shook her head without hesitation. "Not even right after you found out about us after my transformation?"
There was a glimmer in her eyes as she looked at me, just looked and said nothing for a while. "Actually... I had a feeling about you two long before that," she admitted.
I raised my brow in surprise.
She laughed softly. "Now when I look back, it's easy to see it all. There was an obvious change in Carlisle when I saw him in February at the wedding. I've known him for a century – I know him as well as I know myself, and when I saw him with you, the way he looked at you, the way he was around you... Already then, I think I had an inkling about it. And then he was so protective of you after he returned from Italy – we all saw that. As to answer your question..." She smiled gently again, reaching out to take my hand. "No, Bella. None of this feels odd or out of place. It never could. As unintentional as it was, I once brought Carlisle pain in the worst way possible way all those years ago when I met Miguel. And I know you've had your own share of hurt and heartache over the years. Nothing pleases me more than to see you two happy with each other now. Especially after everything that has happened during these past few months."
I nodded, swallowing thickly. "Thank you, Esme."
She reached out to hug me again. "You two complete each other in a way no one else can. You belong with him, and he belongs with you. It's as sure a thing as the sunrise each morning."
Her words lingered with me for the rest of the day. They made me feel warm and curiously light, like there was suddenly less gravity holding me to the ground.
I was trying not to listen to the quiet, secret whispers coming from the second floor as the day dwindled on; I didn't want to eavesdrop. If they wanted to keep the details of the wedding a secret from me, that was fine. I had always hated surprises, but I had a feeling that what they were scheming was really worth the secrecy. When it came to the wedding, there weren't a lot of details I was aware of – I only knew that the ceremony would take place in the garden. Carlisle and I had requested that.
The only thing I knew absolutely everything about was my dress.
Coming to a decision about it had been surprisingly painless. I had wanted something that was both traditional and different, but more importantly, I had wanted something simple. I had considered not wearing a dress at all – wedding or not, I still remained a bit of a rebel when it came to fancy, extravagant outfits. But when Alice had shown me some of the designs she had sketched herself, telling me that she could modify them to my liking, I had changed my mind. There had been one dress in particular I had instantly adored; it proved how well Alice actually knew me.
"What do you think of this?" I had asked and pointed at one of the sketches. "I wonder what Carlisle would think..."
Alice had rolled her eyes. "Bella, he will marry you even if you walk down the aisle in sweatpants."
"I know that – I just wanted to know what his reaction will be. You're the forture-teller here. What does your crystal ball say?"
"My crystal ball wants to know if you like it."
"I love it. And the color... wow."
Alice had grinned. "It will compliment your fair skin and dark hair. I knew you wouldn't go for the traditional white."
"I take it that you're not going to talk me out of it?"
She had shaken her head. "Of course not. If this is want you want, this is what you get. And Bella?" She had smirked widely. "Carlisle will love it. My crystal ball is very clear on that." Then she had begun to murmur to herself, going through a list of dressmakers I had never even heard about.
Shaking myself from my thoughts, I made my way through the quiet house, arriving at the front porch just as Irina, Kate and Tanya parked in front of the house and exited their SUV.
"What's in those?" I asked innocently as they passed me by, their arms laden with brown paper bags that had no labels.
"Nice try," Kate said.
"The little General over there will tear our eyes out if we tell you," Tanya added. "Pity us and help us keep the secret by asking no more questions, will you?"
I chuckled, knowing very well how terrifying Alice could be when she got in the mood.
The three sisters disappeared to the second floor, and I continued my idle stroll, sighing. Carlisle was working at the hospital and wouldn't return until late in the evening, so I had no one to share my growing expectation with. What came to the rest of the occupants in this house, Eleazar had mentioned something about a hunting trip earlier that day, and apparently he had taken everyone with him which kind of explained uncommonly calm atmosphere. I hadn't seen Siobhan all day; she was spending a lot of time alone.
I wasn't the only aimless wanderer with nothing to do, though; I heard the glass doors of the garden slip closed as someone shut them behind him. There were soft footsteps, nearly soundless, on the lawn behind the house. They stopped after a while, and then a quiet sigh reached my ears.
I made my way around the house, enjoying the smell of growing grass and blooming flowers. It seemed like I still hadn't gotten used to my sharp vampire senses; every day there seemed to be something new in the air. I had caused great amusement in Emmett earlier in the spring when he had caught me sniffing budding tree leaves.
As I made my way to the garden, I thought to myself that maybe it was a good idea to spend some time there while I still could – when Alice and the others would begin to work on it, the place would probably be banned from me until the wedding. And there was something else that drew me there now; I spotted a certain bronze-haired vampire standing at the far end of the garden, staring towards the tree line. I walked to Edward at a slow pace, and he turned his head to acknowledge my presence. He gave me a soft smile as I stopped beside him.
"Alice driving you crazy yet?" he asked after a while of silence.
A hiss sounded from the house.
I chuckled. "I only intend to get married once, so I decided to let her have her fun."
"Or then you simply resigned to your defeat without putting up a fight at all."
I laughed softly, rolling my eyes. "Can you blame me? It makes this whole thing a lot easier."
He gave me a searching glance before he began to stare at the tree line. "Are nervous about the weekend?" he asked with a crooked smile. "Not having second thoughts, are you?"
I shook my head and smiled, observing him. It surprised me a bit that he seemed to relate to the upcoming wedding so lightly, and I had to admit that he had come a long way from that distant, cool Edward who had walked out of my apartment only a few months ago and left for Alaska because he couldn't bear to stay here.
I drew in a steadying breath, still watching him. "It means a lot to Carlisle that you agreed to be his best man. Thank you for that, Edward." When Carlisle had asked Edward a few days ago, a part of me had almost expected him to say no. I knew Carlisle would have understood, and I was sure that he as well had partly expected Edward to decline.
We had both been surprised when a familiar, lopsided grin had slowly made its way to Edward's lips after Carlisle had asked him if he would stand beside him.
"Just during the ceremony, right?" he had asked and feigned worry, almost causing Emmett to choke on his laughter when he had understood the implication. Carlisle had shaken his head and given a laugh that was something between amused and uncomfortable. "Yes, Edward," he had confirmed. "Only during the ceremony."
Edward's voice broke my reverie. "There's no need to thank me, Bella," he said. "I'm honored that he asked. Even more so, considering how I've been behaving these past couple of months."
"We never expected you to behave any other way," I told him, then paused. "Wow. That didn't come out right, did it?"
He broke into quiet laughter. It lightened the mood considerably. "I should have known you'll be the first vampire ever to blurt out things so indelicately, even with the means to think faster and all that."
"I'm certainly not the first vampire, let alone the only one," I bantered. "Half of the things Emmett says are more or less tactless."
"True. But I believe he does that on purpose." He chuckled again, but then he began to stare at the tree line, almost like he was deep in thought.
"Where's Veronique?" I asked. She had stayed with us after the battle, and it even looked like she might not want to leave at all. Stefan and Vladimir had asked her to join them – they were clearly planning on taking a leaf out of Aro's book and recruit gifted vampires. Because of her talent, Veronique would have been of great help when it came to that, but she had declined their offer.
No one could blame her that she didn't want anything to do with the Volturi anymore. Aro and Caius might be gone, but her memories weren't.
"She went to look for Siobhan," Edward answered. "I think she feels bonded to her, for obvious reasons."
I nodded, studying his face. "And you?" I asked carefully.
He frowned. "What about me?"
"You and Veronique seem... well, I don't know. She's spent most of her time with you ever since she arrived. I noticed it already before the battle."
Edward's eyes were suddenly guarded. "It might be my ability that draws her to me. She finds it easier to be in my company since she doesn't have to explain her thoughts and feelings to me. Maybe my company feels.. I don't, more effortless because of that. There's nothing more to it."
I looked at him until he turned to meet my eyes.
"What?" he asked, almost irritated.
I shook my head. "Nothing. It's just that... well, for a mind reader you can be really dense. I mean, since you're spending so much time in women's heads, one might think that you would learn a thing or two."
My words seemed to irritate him even more. "What do you mean by that?"
I smiled. "Nothing. Just... just think about what I said, okay?"
He gave a soft huff. I changed the subject, asking him if he knew how long Siobhan would stay with us.
"She's probably going to leave right after the wedding. She's still considering spending some time in Italy. I think it's her way to grieve, trying to do something for common good. She's worried about how the Romanians will... adapt to their new position. The vampire world doesn't need another Aro and Caius, after all."
"Does she believe that her gift might be somehow useful?"
"Perhaps. She's still a little skeptical about the whole thing, despite the fact Veronique and Eleazar have confirmed that Carlisle was right about her subtle power. I think she just needs to learn to use it, that's all. I imagine the Romanians would be thrilled to have her. Since the Volturi no longer have anyone like Chelsea, Siobhan doesn't have to be afraid that her gift might be misused."
"How worried is she about the Romanians' intentions? Is she afraid they'll become greedy?"
"Maybe. But like I said, I think joining them, or at least spending some time in Italy is a way to deal with what happened to Maggie and Liam. Siobhan is not a suicidal type. She'd rather put her energy, even negative energy, into something good. If Marcus and the Romanians have her, that is, but I can't imagine why they wouldn't. But eventually, she's planning on returning to Ireland. It will always be her home. She might not take a liking to Volterra, not to mention the company there." He turned to me and gave me a wry smile. "But enough with the Volturi and the Romanians. This is hardly the time to worry about them, is it?"
I gave him a wry grin before glancing over my shoulder towards the house. "Well, I know one person who's not thinking about them at this present moment."
"Let me guess. This person is only interested in seating arrangements and suchlike."
We both chuckled softly. I heard the sound of scissors as they cut through chiffon, and the sound of quick fingers on the laptop keyboard.
Alice's voice sounded from the second floor. "Speaking of seating arrangements," she said. "Edward, the chairs will be arriving in a few minutes. Would you head up to the main road to wait for the delivery man? I see that he's going to miss the turn and I don't want him to be halfway to Scranton before he notices his mistake. I obviously don't want him coming here, either – I don't want Bella to develop a taste for human blood just before her wedding."
"Won't it be weird if I ask him to drop off the chairs at the side of the road?" Edward asked.
"No, since you're going to be taking Tanya's SUV and loading them in there. In case the driver asks, tell the him that the ditch flooded or something and our road can't handle heavy vehicles."
Edward gave me a grin and soundlessly mouthed 'watch this'. Then he turned to look toward the house.
"What do you need fancy chairs for, anyway?" he asked in an innocent, confused tone. "We can stand during the ceremony – it's not like anyone's going to get tired."
"Damn it, Edward! If I tell you that there are going to be chairs, then there are going to be chairs!"
I doubled over and bit my lip to keep from laughing. "You shouldn't do that," I managed to say after a while. "I know she's a vampire and all, but you're going to give her an embolism."
"Nah, she secretly likes it that I rile her up like that – it gives her the perfect excuse to yell at me, after all."
Chuckling, I began to make my way across the garden with him, hearing Alice grumble something unintelligible under her breath. Just as we were about to reach the glass doors of the living room, the sound of someone's approach caught our attention.
Veronique and Siobhan emerged from the forest. I pretended not to see how Edward's eyes settled on Veronique, but of course Edward noticed that I had noticed. He rolled his eyes at me and pulled the glass doors open a little too violently.
As I went inside, smiling to myself, I really hoped that he would take on my advice and think about what I'd said a moment ago.
A/N: I always imagined that there would be kind of half-truce between Marcus and the Romanians, but I think it's safe to say that only time would tell whether or not a treaty like that would be succesful. The thought of Siobhan pouring all her grief and negative energy into helping them form a new governing body is bittersweet. I imagine her subtle talent could be very useful, and it would give her life at least some meaning. Like it's been stated, vampires don't get over the death of their mate/loved one, but I'd like to believe that just like humans, vampires deal with their grief in their own ways, and the way they deal with it is tied to the vampire's personality.
About Marcus and his "future plans". I'm not at all sure if a vampire can commit suicide by jumping into a volcano. If fire/heat alone could kill a vampire, I'm sure Carlisle would have tried that at the beginning of his vampire life (or Edward in New Moon. Or I don't know. Maybe he just wanted to be dramatic and go to Italy for that reason alone.). Or maybe vampires have a survival instinct that forces them stay away from fire or something? I remember there was some talk about it in a tumblr blog called panlight, but that was some time ago. Check out that blog, by the way. It's awesome. But back to the topic; I think that physics are physics, and building a bonfire and bathing in magma are different things. I mean, I doubt that a vampire could survive it, and if there is some slumbering self-preservation instinct, by the time it kicks in, I think it might be too late. It's magma, after all. It's insanely hot. Like Carlisle hot. He he.
When Bella thinks that her mother 'is too fragile for her world', it's a reference to Breaking Dawn. When Carlisle asked Edward to stand beside him as his bestman, and Edward responded "Just during the ceremony, right?", it's a reference to a TV show called Stargate SG-1 (Season 6, episode 22, Full Circle. That's also where the chapter got its name.)
Now, if I remember correctly, there are two or three more chapters to come, plus the epilogue. And as you may guess, the next chapter covers the wedding. I know the story is becoming ridiculously long by now, but what the hell. YOLO.
So. Who's up for a vamp wedding?
