I don't own it.

Family Tree

Chapter 26

EPOV

I hold Bella close, smelling her lovely hair as she mutters under her breath. She's dreaming of unpleasant things if her scrunched up face is any indication. It's hardly surprising, given that she was mauled by one of those thrice damned wolves. It had taken every ounce of my willpower to not kill Jacob when I learned that Bella had been hurt. Where the hell had he been? Why didn't he stop it before it had gotten out of hand? He may have saved her life in the end, but I could still blame him for being careless. I've hated Jacob Black from the moment his name first tainted Bella's lips. I hate him not only for being my mortal enemy; no- I hate him for having the audacity to love her. I hate myself for the same reason.

"Please," she whimpers sadly.

"Shhh. Bella, you're safe. You're all right. I'm here," I whisper in her ear, trying to break into her dreams and reassure her.

She doesn't respond but her breathing continues softly, steadily. Then, just minutes later, her heart races, thundering in my ears. I try to ignore it and the pulses of fresh, oxygen rich blood filling her veins.

I hold her close and continue threading my fingers through her silky hair.

Sometime later, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I dig it out and check the message:

Bella ok? C

I text Carlisle back, letting him know that she's sleeping. I appreciate that he's worried about her. I am, too.

Light is beginning to creep in through the window. I hear Charlie's alarm go off. I extricate myself from Bella's bed and slip out her window, dropping easily from the ledge to the ground. I walk the few blocks to where Alice parked my car. I hadn't wanted to leave Bella's side the night before, nor get Charlie suspicious, so I'd asked Alice to move my car before Charlie had gotten home from the station. Sometimes it was nice having such a close knit family.

I slip behind the wheel and gun the engine, speeding down the streets toward my home. Once there, I run into the house and shower, then change into some fresh clothing. I'm about to leave when Alice steps in front of me.

"Edward, we need to talk."

I'd been so intent on being fast and getting back to Bella that I'd been ignoring everyone's thoughts. Alice was upset. I tuned in and what I heard made me growl.

"What do they think they're doing? Bloody fools," I spit as I turn toward the family room. Alice trips along behind me and I settle into one of the armchairs. The rest of my family is seated and darting wary glances my way.

"Our plan to stall hasn't worked," Jasper says, rather bluntly. I'm sorry but we can't keep holding them at bay.

"We have to declare an allegiance now," Rosalie adds with meaning. Edward, we need to do what is right for THIS family. We've waited long enough.

"So have you all decided what you want to do?" I ask them and they stare at me in surprise.

Son, surely you know where we stand…

That's a stupid question, of course we're with the Volturi!

I wouldn't want to cross Dahlia…

I hold up my hand, asking for them to silence their minds. "Apparently, we don't know whose side we're fighting for. Personally, I don't think we should get involved."

"We won't have a choice," Alice announces grimly, "We will have to choose, or one of the factions will destroy us."

"Do you know who will win this war?" Jasper asks Alice, his brow furrowed.

"It varies. If we don't interfere at all, Dahlia will win, and all of us, except for Edward, will be destroyed."

"Why Edward?" Rosalie demands, obviously annoyed.

Alice smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "I think that one is obvious. Dahlia has taken a liking to Edward, although it might be better to call it an obsession."

"She's insane," I tell them solemnly.

They all nod their agreement.

"Yet, she's still dangerous," Esme adds worriedly.

"If we join the Volturi?" I ask Alice, inclining my head.

They will win, but not all of us will survive. Not with the way things are now. But there is something just out of reach, something I can sense but I cannot yet see…

"Bella?" I interrupt, searching Alice's mind.

If she remains human, either way she will die.

I stand up with a jerk. "You're telling me that no matter what we decide, Bella will die?"

Alice nods sadly.

"Then she must be altered, as soon as possible."

My family takes that in and discusses the pros and cons. We had already formed a plan for this, but it looked as though we were going to have to implement it much sooner than we thought.

"A few days after graduation would probably be best," Alice predicts.

"I agree. Any sooner and there would be major suspicion," Carlisle adds.

"That should give her time to sort out her affairs and tie up all the loose ends in her life," Esme says while looking at me intently.

I nod in agreement. "Well, we will have to make sure the house in Vermont is suitable then. Rosalie? Emmett? Can you go ahead and make sure everything is taken care of?"

Emmett nods. "No problem bro. We'll have it perfect."

"I'll book the flights," Rosalie adds, as she gets up and heads toward the computer.

"Jasper and I will stay here and graduate with Edward and Bella. Carlisle and Esme will obviously be there to watch their children graduate. We can throw a party here afterward and then…"

I stop Alice in her tracks. "No party. We need to stay focused. After the graduation ceremony, we will pack what we need and have things ready to go. The next day I will get Bella to pack what she needs and say her goodbye's. The following morning we will leave for Vermont. Alice, do you have Bella's new identity ready?"

"Yeup. I've got a driver's license, passport and a few credit cards under Abigail Cullen."

"Abigail?" I ask, amused.

Alice crosses her arms and sticks out her tongue. "Alice and Abigail. We'll be sisters."

I roll my eyes. "You're insane. Why not Isabella Cullen? Her actual name?"

"An extra precaution. She can change it again afterward. It's just temporary."

"All right." I pinch my nose together, releasing the built up tension. "I'm going to go back to Bella now."

"Don't worry, we'll handle everything," Esme reassures me with a pat on the back.

"Tell Bella I'd like her to visit the hospital after school. I want to check on her bruises and look again at her wrist. It seemed to be bothering her when she first arrived but when I took x-rays it seemed fine. I'd like to examine her again today," Carlisle tells me as he walks me down to my car.

"How serious is it Carlisle?"

"I'm concerned Edward, but you know I wouldn't have allowed her to leave the hospital if I didn't think she could."

"I'll swing her by in the afternoon then."

Carlisle nods and heads back inside. I slide behind the wheel and race back toward Bella's house. I want to get there before she wakes up.

As luck would have it, she's just getting out of bed when I make the leap from her tree into her window.

She turns toward me sleepily and rubs her eyes. "You left."

I try to give her a reassuring smile. "Yes, just to change. How are you feeling?"

She bends to the left and right and lifts her hands over her head, stretching. "I feel great actually."

I frown. "Will you turn around please?"

She shoots me a quizzical look but does as I ask. I walk over to her and lift her shirt a bit to take a look at that bruise.

I drop the fabric as though burned. Her skin is unblemished, perfect. "Bella?"

"What? Is it nasty looking?"

"No…it's gone," I murmur, surprised.

She turns around. "What? How can that be?"

"I'm not sure. You don't feel any pain? What about your wrist?"

She rotates it. "Feels normal."

"Carlisle would like to examine you this evening, if you don't mind."

"Ok."

I look past her and see an envelope that's been stuck halfway under the door. Bella follows my eyes and retrieves the note. She scans the words and shakes her head.

"What is it?" I ask her as I stand behind her to read it.

Bells,

I got a call from the hospital and said you'd been there AGAIN. You're still sleeping so I'm not going to bug you but you call me if you need anything.

Love,

Dad

Bella places the note on her dresser. She's turning toward her closet but I know there's something important I have to tell her. I halt her and turn her so she's facing me. I drop to my knees in front of her. "Bella."

"What are you doing?" She raises her eyebrow.

"I need to talk to you. This is serious."

"Why? About what? You're scaring me Edward."

"Bella, two days after graduation, we need to move to our new home."

"Ok. You couldn't tell me that up here?" She smiles at me.

"That's just part of it. Once we move, we'll be initiating the change," I say it slowly, with feeling. I feel terrible telling her that I'm about to turn her into a monster.

Her breath catches. "Really? So soon…"

I watch as her eyes move from me to the window. There is a faraway look to them and I wonder what she's thinking.

I feel tense suddenly. "Only if you still want this."

She looks down at me then. "Edward- you know I want this. I've wanted nothing else for so long- but I'm just kind of shocked right now. Graduation is only a week away and then I have to say goodbye to everyone…forever."

"That's the gist of it," I say bitterly, looking down at the floor.

The room is filled with a heavy silence and then she sighs.

"I'm sorry I'm reacting badly."

I look up at her. "No. You will not apologize to me for this. You're willing to give up your existence. I'm the one who's sorry. I'm taking everything away from you. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me right now."

"I don't hate you."

Then why are you looking at me like that? Bella…I'm sorry. Please understand, I wouldn't make you do this if I didn't have to. I wish I could give you more time. I'm sorry for being what I am. You deserve more…so much more.

I don't tell her what I'm thinking. I don't deserve her platitudes or her pity. I shut my mouth and pretend that I'm fine and hurry her around, getting her ready for school. I drive her there and walk her to class. I sit and idly pay attention to the teacher rambling on.

The day passes, slowly.

I drive Bella home in silence. Neither of us know what to say or do now. I drop her off, not bothering to walk her to the door. I know that we both need a little space right now.

She kisses my cheek quickly and then gets out of the car. I watch her disappear behind her red front door.

I gun the engine and pull out, heading home. I need to think and I need to plan. My family awaits me.

Alice meets me outside and walks with me into the sitting room. It's déjà vu all over again. The Cullen war council awaits.

We go over the plans again. We've decided that Bella will be involved in a car accident with a petrol transport. It's the best way for her to "die" that we can think of. Carlisle will bring us one of the cadavers that has been given to the hospital for medical students and we will place it in the car and set fire to it so that visual identification will be impossible. Carlisle will take Bella's dental records and perform a procedure on the cadaver's teeth to mimic Bella's teeth to a close enough match for identification purposes, should Charlie require it.

So I can leave with Bella without arousing suspicion, another cadaver will be placed in the car beside Bella. She and I will "die" together. This provides a nice excuse for Carlisle and the rest of my family to leave Forks; to escape from the horrible memories of what happened.

Alice has informed us that it won't be raining that night, so the fire should burn everything nicely before anyone arrives on the scene. It will be one of the worst tragedies to ever take place in Forks.

"Sounds like a good plan Jasper," Emmett claps Jasper on the back.

"Yes, it will work perfectly, although Charlie will be heartbroken," Alice informs us.

"Poor Bella. How's she taking the news Edward?" Esme looks at me with concern.

"As well as can be expected."

"How are her bruises Edward?" Carlisle interjects.

"They are gone. She's healed."

Everyone takes in an unnecessary collective breath.

"It's good that we will be changing her soon," Alice tells us quietly, "or we wouldn't be able to do it."

I zero in on Alice and read her mind. Images of Bella as a half-human, half-wolf flash through her mind. I stand angrily. "How could you keep that from me?"

"I knew we would change her before that would happen."

I throw up my hands, completely frustrated at my family. "Whatever happened to no secrets?"

"Sometimes, secrets are necessary, even among us," Esme tells me plaintively.

I nod tersely. It's my own fault for being gone so often. I haven't been home enough and my focus has been on things other than my family.

Don't blame yourself Edward. We all have other things going on.

Jasper emits waves of calm and his thoughts soothe me temporarily.

Then, Alice gasps.

We all turn to her automatically and Jasper takes her hand. Her eyes get glassy and I can't help but be sucked into her latest vision.

Running through the woods, desperate.

"You're sure we're heading the right way?" Esme asks as we race through the trees.

"Yes, the dog told us where to go…"

"Edward! WAIT!"

"I see her! NO! NO! DEAR GOD NO!"

"What?"

"It can only be…"

"No, this cannot be happening…"

"Get away from her!"

Breaking through the trees, a body still and pale in the moonlight. The lake obscenely calm.

The smell of fresh blood.

Blackness.

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