Title: Intrinsic Fascination
Author: pantheradraconis
Rating: M
Pairing: Bella/Rosalie
Summary: The world is filled with billions of people; a new breath is taken every second. A last breath is taken as well. But the cycle continues, on and on; who would bother noticing when someone doesn't quite fit into this cycle…
"I think everyone has some fascination with what's outside our existence. It's a constant journey to find the truth." - Nicholas Lea
As Laurent's body began to sway and he was losing the ability to stand up, Bella found his control to be lesser and lesser. The amount of energy used in Benjamin's gift was draining him, it was draining her. She was finally able to hold herself back when Benjamin blasted a light gust of wind, he was also growing tired. He realized the attack had hit, had blown Laurent's hair back. He lifted his hands to attack again but only felt a crackle of fire at his fingertips. He fell to his knees.
Bella's vision blurred just as she saw Jake jump at Laurent's neck.
Rosalie stood and shook her head. She looked out at the carnage before her, Caius and several guards were lying motionless to the side of her. Emmett was holding Tanya and speaking soft words as she whimpered against him. Bella was on the ground, Edward leaning over her and checking her vitals. Rosalie moved immediately to her side.
"Is she alright? Is she breathing?"
"Yes, she's okay. It seems to just be exhaustion, she'll be fine." Edward leaned up and looked Rosalie in the eye. "This isn't over yet, you need to go help Jake."
Rosalie held onto Bella's hand but looked around. "Where is he? What happened?"
"Jake, he, well," Edward rubbed the back of his neck. "He imprinted on Benjamin."
Rosalie's eyes grew wide before a short laugh coughed out of her mouth. "What?"
"I know, talk about good timing right?"
"How? Wait, why?"
"His imprinting on Benjamin broke Laurent's hold on him." Edward looked back down at Bella. "Look, we can discuss it all later, for now, we need to make sure Jake and Benjamin take out Laurent. They're the only ones left in this fight."
Rosalie looked around and noted so many bodies, both moving and unmoved. She could still hear the wolves with Kebi, Amun and Esme. She saw Carlisle coughing but breathing. She looked back at Bella and gave her hand one strong squeeze. If they don't act now, they might lose her for real.
"Let's go."
The two followed the sounds of Benjamin's tired laughter and Jake's weak growls. The two were circling Laurent, who held his ground. Laurent didn't have the strength of the ancients but he seemed to hold onto the smallest amount of power from his previous conquers.
"Now we have ourselves a party," He quipped as he saw Rosalie and Edward join the fray. They stood and crouched, unsure what the next move was. Why hadn't Benjamin and Jake attacked yet? Surely the two of them must be able to do something.
"He still has a hold on Benjamin's power, possibly through Bella," Edward answered the unspoken question. "I'm not sure how it works but somehow their connection enables his own power."
"Quite the deducer, aren't you Edward?" Laurent smiled but there was a slight cringe in his eyes. He hadn't admitted defeat yet, but surely he knew it was coming. "But of course you're used to having all the answers first, aren't you?"
Edward merely shrugged, no point in arguing. Isn't it usually a good thing to get the villain in a story to talk about his plans?
Laurent snarled and Edward felt the harsh blast of pain from Jane's power. He grunted but held back from screaming out, the pain quickly dissolved.
"At least we know Jane is still alive," Edward growled out. The pain may have been less than Jane could have mustered but it still hurt.
"The pompous prick," Benjamin laughed out. "He creates his little vampire clan, let's them run around becoming more and more powerful, and then uses his blood connection to control, manipulate, and overpower them. Gawad. [Pimp - an insult to males in Arabic.]"
Jake whimpered from a few feet away. When Benjamin looked his way, there seemed to be an understanding between the two. Jake turned his full attention back to Laurent and growled with a strength Bella had never heard from the wolves.
Benjamin also turned back to Laurent and growled. "Allah yakhthek. [May God take your soul.]" He then pounced.
Rosalie was the slowest to move, the only one without a mental connection to the others. Edward went for Laurent's feet, pulling him from his balance; Benjamin twisted his arm around, keeping him from using any powers; Jake went straight for the throat. Rosalie noticed there was already a large wound on Laurent's left shoulder but now his neck was being ripped out. Her blood lust took over and the four supernaturals decimated the now powerless vampire.
When Bella came to, she was still lying on the floor of the forest. She took several large breathes before pulling herself up and looking around.
"Good to see you awake," Carmen noted but remained working on another patient. Bella twisted slightly to see it was Tanya; she was holding back screams as Carmen rebroke her arms several times before finally letting it fall softly to Tanya's side.
"You're one fierce bear," Emmett smiled, he was sitting just past Tanya, holding her other hand. He had several rough scratches and was covered with dirt and debris.
Bella smiled briefly but noticed Eleazar, Carmen, and Kate all crying over another body. She looked down at her hands as she realized it was Irina. So many were dead, how many were alive?
"What's the count?" She asked, her voice rough and tasting like dirt. She shook her head, a slow thumping rocking around in her brain. "Who is left?"
Emmett nodded slowly, "We did good, Bella. Remember that."
Bella simply waited for Emmett to continue. He sighed and looked around the field. "Denali coven has all but Irina; Volturi lost the most, all of their guard members and some of the elite guards, including Caius. Left are Aro, Marcus, Demetri, and Felix. We don't know if Alec is going to wake up, but Jane didn't make it. Quil is sleeping off his injuries but will be okay in another hour or so. Seth and Leah are fine, a little bruised but both of them are fighters."
"What about Jake?" Bella wanted desperately to ask about the Olympic coven but was terrified that Emmett was holding back for a reason. Was Rosalie okay? Alice, Jasper, Edward? What about Carlisle?
"Jake went after Laurent." He paused and then immediately regretted it. "Now wait, don't worry, Laurent is dead."
Bella felt strangled over the tears that fell down her face. She knew he was dead, she could feel it in her very blood, almost as if a weight was lifted or a stain removed.
"Jake?"
"We're just waiting for them all to come back. We heard the fight; it was, well, it was a successful attack. They're burning the remains."
"They?"
"Jake, Benjamin, Edward, and Rosalie," Emmett said softly, with a small smile. "They're all fine."
Bella allowed her tears to fall freely now. "I'm ready, how is our family?"
Emmett smiled again. "Good, they're good. Jasper had to have a few bones reset but he's already over with Alice taking care of Carlisle. Amun saved him."
Bella shook her head slightly, "Why would Amun do that? Why did he ask Laurent to stop? How did he?"
"I don't really know. I mean, I know that Amun and Kebi have been friends with Carlisle for ages. Honestly, it was kind of weird they were a part of Laurent's coven since they're a lot older. Laurent didn't turn them."
Bella wondered about that for a short moment while noting Demetri and Felix were standing over with Aro and Marcus. They must have been dug out of the ground; She suddenly remembered Henri. Bella stood up and swiftly fell to her knee. Emmett was by her side in a blink of the eye.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"We have to get Henri out," Bella cringed before allowing Emmett to help her up to her feet. "With Laurent dead, he has also been released."
"But we don't know him and he attacked us."
"So did I, Emmett."
He huffed but followed Bella's slow walk to the mound of new earth. She reached out with her gift and felt Benjamin, he was exhausted but healthy. She pulled at him slightly, felt him resist before letting his gift go freely. Perhaps he thought she was Laurent at first, perhaps he realized what she was doing. She couldn't know for certain but she used his gift to slowly move the dirt from Henri.
The dark-skinned vampire gasped for air and tossed his arms and legs violently. Emmett flexed his muscles but Bella placed her hand on his bicep and shook her head slowly. He rolled his eyes but took a few steps back. Henri stood inside his grave before taking off. His body disappeared into the forest before anything could be said.
"What if he comes back?" Emmett growled through his teeth.
"Then we deal with him then," Carmen's voice came from behind them. "He is no longer our enemy unless he chooses to be."
Bella and Emmett turned to her. She held out her arms and took them both in a loose hug. "Mis queridos [my dears], this fight was hard but just. Nostros hemos superado. [We have overcome.]"
"Nosotros tambien venceremos. [We will always overcome.]" Eleazar said, walking up to join them.
"Spolu. [Together.]" Kate agreed.
Bella blinked as she listened to the people around her, she didn't understand the words but she knew the feeling behind them.
"Together," Emmett agreed and Bella nodded, smiling.
She felt her before turning to see her. Bella moved from Emmett's side, taking several large strides and all but tackling Rosalie into a hug.
"My love, you're okay," Rosalie said into Bella's hair, holding onto the younger vampire with all she had left.
Bella cried and sniffed and pulled back, finally noting the large amount of blood covering Rosalie's face and clothes.
Rosalie looked down and softly laughed, "You should see me in the garage, I'm a surprisingly messy person."
Bella laughed, a strange noise in the open field filled with injured and broken and lost. She quieted quickly and turned back to the Denali coven and Emmett.
"Carlisle?" Rosalie asked softly.
Emmett nodded and pointed across the field to where Jasper and Alice sat next to Carlisle, who was now leaning against a large tree. Rosalie nodded but swept the rest of the field.
"Esme?"
Emmett frowned and turned to the forest. "She is still with Amun and Kebi. The wolves have returned but I haven't seen them."
Rosalie looked back at Carlisle and walked across the field until they were together.
Alice stood up and took each in a hug. Jasper smiled and remained by Carlisle's side. Bella hugged Alice back and whispered, "What's wrong?"
Alice held Bella in her arms a little longer before stepping back and looking down at the ground. Something was happening that Bella didn't understand. She looked down at Carlisle and noticed he was crying, was he in pain?
She turned to Rosalie to see her frowning, Emmett as well. She turned to Edward and lifted her eyebrow in question.
"Carlisle has a certain power over those he turns," Edward said softly. Bella felt the rest of the coven seem to tense. "He has never used that power over any of us. He simply doesn't ask anything of us, but today…"
"Today I used that power over Esme," Carlisle said in a low raspy voice. "I understand if she doesn't return."
Bella gasped and held her hands over her mouth. "You're like Laurent?"
Carlisle hung his head more.
"No, he's not," Jasper said sternly. He looked at each of the members of his family before continuing. "Laurent built up an army to satisfy his own desires of power. Carlisle changed those he was compelled to help. Laurent used his coven, abused their powers and played with their blood. Carlisle has no control over people's actions or their body, and even if he did I don't believe he'd used it."
Emmett nodded slowly, "Carlisle is a good man." He said slowly. "I just didn't expect…"
"We all knew he could," Alice agreed. "We knew he never would unless…"
"Unless he felt he needed to save someone," Rosalie stated, her words felt emotionless. "Who did you choose to save?"
"The wolves were attacking Kebi, Amun would have destroyed them all," Carlisle whispered, tears falling quickly down his cheeks.
"You choose the wolves over Esme?" Rosalie was grinding her teeth.
"How do you control people?" Bella asked. Jasper had said he had no control over someone's movements, yet Esme seemed to act without thought.
"He compels people with a level of compassion," Edward explained. He had remained silent this whole time but now his words seemed to hold an extra weight. "He convinces them to serve others. He convinced Esme to help, but he did so by pushing her into an impossible fight."
Bella thought about what Edward said, how Kebi was being attacked by the wolves, by Seth, Leah, and Quil. How both Kebi and Amun were powerful, ancient vampires who could have killed them all. And also how those wolves were all okay.
"What did Esme do?" She asked the group.
It was Jasper that replied. "Esme used her own gift, that of love, to put it simply. Esme is able to find and love the good in all, she is also able to show that love to others. It's a very powerful gift but not easily understood, even when used." He shook his head. "She basically negotiated with the violent group and got them all to stop fighting."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Bella asked, still confused. "I mean, she succeeded, right? And who else would have been able to handle that? Why isn't this a good thing?"
"If it had been her choice," Rosalie answered with a slight growl. She then turned and pulled Bella away from the group.
"Where are we going?"
"I just need to get away from…" Her voice trailed off.
"They're your family."
"I know, I know, I just need to breathe."
Bella walked with Rosalie until they were well away from the rest of the groups. Rosalie let go of Bella's hand and started pacing back and forth. Bella took a seat on a nearby tree stump and listened to Rosalie rant about the rights and wrongs of controlling people and how no one should be able to compel others, regardless of the reason.
After several long minutes, and no change to Rosalie's mood, Bella asked, "If I needed you to do something for me, would you do it?"
"Sure," Rosalie said quickly before continuing her own debate.
"So, if I asked you to defend me against Laurent or James or Victoria, you would?"
"They're all dead." Rosalie turned and looked at Bella. "What are you talking about?"
"Right, right, but if I asked you, would you have?"
"Of course, I'd give my life for you."
"Why is that?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Why would you give your life to save mine?"
Rosalie gave Bella a confused look.
"Is it because you love me?" Bella asked. "Because you feel that you couldn't live without me?"
"Maybe?" Rosalie answered. "But at the same time I now feel like this is a trick question."
"If you would do that for me, after only a few months of knowing me. Do you think Esme would do that for Carlisle?"
Rosalie rolled her eyes. "For Carlisle, yes, but also of her own volition. Not because she was compelled to do so."
"Right, right, I completely agree with you about that. But answer me this," Bella stood up and held out her hands. Rosalie placed her own in them and squeezed. "If I had the power to compel you to do something, we'd probably talk about that, yes?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like, if we were together for, however long Esme and Carlisle have been together…"
"Eight-five years."
"Right, wow, okay, eighty-five years. So if we were together for that long, don't you think we would have had a conversation about this power and any situation we may agree, or not, about when to use it?"
Rosalie huffed before slowly shrugging and turning away.
Bella continued, "don't you think that during a massive battle where a bunch of kids may die would be a good exception?"
Rosalie growled and punched a tree, causing it to crack and fall down. Bella jumped at the noise but then giggled a little. Rosalie growled again but turned back to Bella.
"Okay, so maybe, but it didn't look that way from Carlisle."
Bella bit her lip and nodded slowly. "I don't know them that well, but if I had the power to compel people and didn't want to use it, I'd feel pretty bad using it no matter what we agreed on."
"Ugh," Rosalie kicked at a stone, causing it to crumble on the spot.
"What have I told you about destroying the forest?" Esme asked, walking up to the two girls slowly.
Rosalie ran to her adopted mother and hugged her tightly. When Esme strained slightly, Rosalie pulled back and looked her over with a medical eye.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just a cracked rib that's slowly healing." Esme turned to Bella and held out her free arm. "Come here, my love."
Bella stepped into Esme's arm and hugged her softly. "I'm glad you're okay."
"I could say the same for you but I had no doubt you'd make it through this."
Rosalie let out a short laugh, "Liar."
"Maybe, but it's a good thought, isn't it?"
"Ever the do-gooder." Rosalie rolled her eyes.
"I heard what you said," Esme said to Bella. "You weren't too far off from the truth."
Bella shrugged self consciously.
Esme turned back to Rosalie. "One day you'll understand my love for you. And you'll accept all our faults."
"But he…"
"Did only what I asked him to do." Esme held Rosalie's chin in her hand. "Trust our love. Forgive your father. Forgive me."
Rosalie bit down on her bottom lip but eventually nodded slowly. "I'll try."
"Come, we could all use a good meal and some rest. Bella?"
"Yes, Esme?"
"Call your father."
"Right, of course. I just need a phone."
Rosalie handed one over but asked, "Where's yours?"
"Emmett told me I'm too much of a klutz to bring a phone to a battle."
"But wait, you had it with you just before."
"Oh, yeah, no. I didn't listen to Emmett and now my phone is broken."
Rosalie laughed so hard she snorted.
A/N: Laurent is dead! Laurent is dead! Ding, dong, Laurent is dead!
[Packer82] Are we a Richard Rogers fan? Or do you work in a factory? Thanks for sharing your love! I hope I didn't make you wait too long!
[LovesMe419] Lol I'm sorry you were confused! I hope you are less confused with this chapter.
[JenDamn] Second part of the battle, now complete. Without his minions, Laurent wasn't too much trouble. We'll discuss more of Benjamin and Jacob, plus the motivation of the Qua coven. It was/is very important to remember they were not in control of their own actions.
[elliehandesu] Laurent is dead! Yay!
[thestormborn] At what cost indeed? But we have to remember what Emmett said, they did good. Unfortunately, there was a lot of loss, so the next chapter will be dealing with a lot of grieving.
[breadlover99] I also love bread, but for much longer than just 1999, thank you. I do have a few super sweet moments left for these two, don't you worry.
How do you grieve losing a member of your family? What are some traditions you follow for funerals?