A/N:

I'm not really gonna say anything here. I'm dealing with lots of heavy stuff in my life ATM and I apologize for the slow updates, but I'm doing my best, I promise!

Title: The Undecided

Author: MarieCarro

Beta Reader: SarcasticBimbo

Genre: Supernatural/Drama

Pairing: Bella/Edward

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Good and Evil Witches. A Prophecy. An Unfulfilled Destiny. The Promise of a Leader. And it all rests on the shoulders of a "misunderstood" teenage girl.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Word Count: 3, 417

{Chapter 9}

The first thing I did after talking to Edward was go down to the basement where Charlie had his bed. He was standing with his arms crossed and looking out through the small window as if he had expected me to come down there.

"Well? Found anything?" he said with his back to me.

"I did," I said and stopped at the bottom of the stairs on the opposite side of the room from where he stood. "And I need you and Renee to help me."

There was a short pause. "Why?" he asked.

"Because we're gonna call for the elements, and I need at least four Witches for that."

He turned around slowly; an amused smile gracing his features. "But Renee and I don't have powers, and if I count correctly, we're still short of one Witch."

I shook my head. "No, we're not. Edward's gonna help. I called him."

The smile fell off Charlie's face, and he frowned. "The spell won't work, Isabella," he said, and I could hear in his tone how he questioned it, just as Edward had.

"Are you sure?" I challenged.

For several seconds, Charlie just looked at me, and when no further exchange took place, I climbed back up the stairs, and I noticed, feeling very pleased with myself, that Charlie followed.

Renee was asleep on the pull-out couch in the living room, but when I gently touched her arm, her eyes opened as if she had been awake the entire time. My heart skipped a beat as it frightened me a bit, but I calmed down when she sat up and stretched. "Is something wrong, honey?" she asked.

"I need you to get dressed and then come to the kitchen," I told her, and when she immediately reached for the shirt from the day before, I left and went back where Charlie was now reading in my book about the candle.

"There's nothing in here about reversing the candle's magic. From where did you get the idea of calling the elements?"

"Edward told me."

Charlie looked up at me, and there was annoyance in his eyes. "Are you going to rely on that boy for everything? He's not always going to be around, Isabella. A good leader is independent."

I crossed my arms in defense. "A good leader also knows when she has to consult with those who have more knowledge."

Renee came up behind me and gave me a half-hug. "That's exactly right, Bella. It makes me so proud hearing you say that." She let go of me and clasped her hands together. "So what's going on? What are we doing?" She looked between Charlie and me, and then her eyes zeroed in on the candle. She gasped and took several steps back. "Is that what I think it is?"

Charlie nodded. "Isabella found it in the garden, and now she has some idea that we should reverse it by calling the elements."

Renee looked at me with questioning eyes. "But honey, you know Charlie and I don't have powers, and we need—"

"I know, okay, and the fourth Witch is Edward. He's on his way and he said he would help," I said, feeling very tired of explaining myself over and over. "Here's what I'm thinking; I know you guys have given up your powers, but you're Originals, and you've lived for thousands of years. That has to mean that you still have magic inside of you, and maybe you don't need powers the same way other Witches do."

Both of them looked as if they didn't really believe it, and it made me nervous. What if they knew already that what I was saying wasn't true? What would I do then? I had no idea what to do about this candle otherwise.

"I know it's a risk, but I really think we should try."

The silence in the kitchen stretched, but finally, Charlie broke it. "Well, elemental magic is the most basic form of witchcraft." He locked eyes with Renee. "I've had some success with Air and Water."

She nodded in agreement. "Yes, I have, too."

"Then we should prepare," I said. "If you two can make space in the living room, I will collect what we need."

They did as I said without any more complaints and I went outside to collect twigs from the spruce that grew in the garden. Spruce twigs helped to keep magic inside a concentrated circle and we needed every kind of support that existed with the impossible task ahead.

"Should you really be out here alone considering what I'm here to help you with?" Edward suddenly said behind me, appearing in the dark. I hadn't heard him closing in, and his voice startled me to drop the twigs I had collected.

"Damn it, Edward, you should get a bell around your neck that can warn people when you approach them," I said feeling surly and bent down to collect the dropped twigs again.

Edward's shoes entered my vision and then his hand grabbed my chin and turned it up so that I would look at him. He was smirking devilishly, but like the insane person I was, I only saw it as an addition to his attractiveness.

"As I remember it, you used to love when I appeared out of nowhere," he said, and his eyes pierced into mine with a burning intensity that traveled like an electric current all over my body. I was just about to avert my eyes when he straightened me up completely and gave me a kiss that was just as intense as his eyes. I instantly began to feel lightheaded and I knew I had to step away before we got too carried away.

When I placed my hands on his chest and gently pushed, he groaned disappointedly and it made me smile. "Behave," I said, and his only response was to shrug and gesture for me to lead the way inside.

Once again, the living room had transformed. The couches were pushed against the wall, the windows were open to let air inside, there was a bowl of water and one with dirt on the floor, and candles flickered all over, giving the room a warm glow.

Renee and Charlie looked at us as we entered, and the both of them straightened up when they met Edward's eyes. Renee didn't smile at him the way she used to when I still thought magic exclusively existed in fairy-tales, and Charlie only gave him a curt nod as acknowledgment. Not that Edward cared. He never had, and that was why I didn't comment on my mentors' behaviors.

I handed the spruce twigs to Renee and she began to place them in a circle around the two bowls on the floor as I told all of them how I thought we should do this. "I suggest Charlie channels Water and Renee channels Air," I said, and they agreed with a synched nod. "Edward," I turned around, and he met my eyes. "You are the only full-powered Witch here, and so I think you should channel Fire. You'll have the best control over it."

"If you say so," he replied. His face was rather emotionless and I briefly wondered if this was how he always acted before a ritual, or if it was because of our situation. Instead of asking him about it, I took one of the block candles from its shelf and gave it to him. I'd read that if you held onto something that was directly related to the element you wanted to channel, it made it easier to connect.

"I will channel Earth and the Spirit Element," I told them, but it caused all three of them to exclaim their own protests.

"Don't be stupid. You're not ready to hold two such powerful elements on your own."

"You have no experience with the Spirit Element, honey."

"That's too dangerous, Angel."

I acknowledged what they said with a nod. "You're right, but I see no other way. You two don't have the power to control two elements at once, and I doubt the Spirit Element will listen to Edward calling it."

"No, Bella," Renee said firmly. "I've trusted you to take care of your own training, but as your mentor and protector, I won't allow this." She sighed and then looked over at Charlie. "Charlie will channel Water and Air, and I'll channel Spirit."

"Can you do that?" I asked them, surprised at the suggestion.

She nodded, albeit somewhat uncertain. "Air and Water go well together, so it should be fine. I've connected with the Divine and felt the element of Spirit enough times to be confident I should be able to hold it."

I wasn't happy with what she told me, but I wasn't sure there was another way either, so I simply nodded.

Charlie bent down and cupped the bowl of water in one of his hands while he held the other out from his body to feel the wind coming from in through the window on his palm. Renee only clasped her hands together and pointed them down to the floor before also bending her neck forward. I did as Charlie and held the bowl of dirt in my left hand while I went to the kitchen for the candle.

I used the same telekinesis spell I'd used earlier that evening, but when the candle connected with me, the vibrations felt different, more powerful, as if the magic had gotten stronger. It made me more cautious and I moved as slowly as I could toward the living room.

When I was able to place the terrifying object in the middle of our circle and let it go, I instinctively exhaled with relief.

"It's gotten stronger," I told the others. "I could feel it as I moved it."

Charlie and Renée exchanged a look, but I knew I had to ask about it later. If the magic in the candle was growing stronger, we had to act fast and reverse it before it activated itself.

Each one of us closed our eyes and concentrated on our elements as I began to chant.

Magic of the Universe dwells in here

By the power of the Goddess, the almighty seer

By the power of Lightning, our visions are strong

By the power of our ancestors we belong

The earth, the fire, the sea, the sky, and spirit we claim

Our powers roam freely in this domain

"I call for Terra," I said.

"I call for Ignus," Edward followed up.

"I call for Aqua and Flatus," Charlie continued.

"I call for Animus," Renee finished.

We call for you now, attend to us!

I instantly felt Earth's nurturing magic heat up my hands, and I hoped with everything I had in me that the others had the same connection with their elements because if I opened my eyes to check, I would lose my concentration as well as Earth. While it wasn't a fickle element like Fire, Earth still demanded full concentration when calling for it. In one way, it could be just as merciless as Fire when given the wrong attention.

Earth caressed my cheek lovingly, like a mother's touch and it made me smile. I had the element with me completely and I asked it softly in my head for help. At first, I felt the reluctance the element had to touch the darkness in the middle of our circle, but with a bit of persuasion, it conceded that it needed to be dealt with.

And then, the both of us waited. We waited to feel the taste of the remaining elements. I could taste Fire and how it acted as if all of this was beneath its power, but it was going to help anyway. Air and Water were there as well, but the taste wasn't as strong. I could only hope that it was enough. And through them all, and even in-between, there was the new taste of the Spirit. It felt like all of them, yet something completely different at once.

Together, the nine of us focused on the candle and on its destruction.

It started to pulse, like a beating heart and when it felt our collective magic directed toward it, the pulsing increased in speed and a high-pitched screech escaped it.

It was incredibly uncomfortable and made me feel nauseous to my core, but I held on with everything I had.

The screech became louder and resembled the sound of someone being burned alive. In fact, I could smell the burning flesh and hair, and I was close to throwing up, but I didn't allow myself to stop.

The elements must have felt my predicament because suddenly, I felt all five of them surrounding me. Water and Air became stronger, which in turn invigorated Spirit, and I felt their presence just as strong as the other two.

Earth embraced me, Fire ignited me, Water cooled me down, Air uplifted me, and Spirit supported me.

I had never felt as powerful as I did in that moment.

With one final great push, I directed everything at the candle. The pulsing beat was so fast at this point, it was impossible to distinguish one beat from the other. And then, with a small explosion, the flame on the candle consumed it, and the wax melted completely until it was nothing but a red-brown puddle on the floor.

The elements left me, and I fell onto my knees with a thud and a groan. The bowl of dirt shattered next to me as my hands got weak.

"Bella!" Renee exclaimed and knelt beside me. "Are you okay, honey?"

I wasn't capable of answering her. It felt as if I had been run over by a tank, and that I needed to sleep for a full week to regain enough energy to speak.

I felt Edward kneeling in front of me as well, but my eyes were closed and too heavy to open, so I couldn't acknowledge his presence either. "Angel, can you open your eyes?"

I mentally told him no, but since he couldn't hear that, all I could do was fall forward into his body, exhausted to the bone. He caught me and placed his arms under me so that he was carrying me bridal style. I was completely aware of everything going on around me, but I was just not there physically. My body was unresponsive and I knew that my mentors and Edward must have believed that I was unconscious.

"I'm gonna take her upstairs," Edward said, and there was a tense silence that followed that caused Edward to scoff. "Please, I'm not gonna do anything!" His tone was one of disgust, and I could only guess how my mentors must have looked at him to deserve a reply like that.

The rocking motion of Edward's step lulled me to sleep before he reached the top of the stairs.

§~TU~§

I had no idea what time, or even what day, it was when I finally woke up again. My body felt heavy and stiff and the taste I had in my mouth was absolutely disgusting.

With slight difficulty, I rolled over onto my side with a moan. All of my joints popped loudly, and I tiredly opened my eyes. The room was bright with the afternoon sun shining in through the window, and I had to close my eyes again momentarily to allow my eyes to adjust.

Light fingers glided through my hair, and I rolled onto my back again to find out who was there with me. I was surprised when I was met with Edward's frowning face. I thought Renee and Charlie would have already sent him away. What was more surprising was that they let him stay in my room with me.

All too aware of my terrible breath, I placed my hand over my mouth to conceal it as best as I could. "Hey," I said with a hoarse voice. "I was sure you would have been thrown out already."

He smiled at that, but the frown remained. "If they had so much as tried to throw me out, they would have regretted it," he replied, the Evil in him present in every word.

I reached up and traced the wrinkles in his furrowed brow, trying in vain to smooth it out. "What's wrong?" I asked, but he didn't answer me immediately.

"How are you feeling?" he asked instead.

I thought about it for a second and then shrugged. "Okay, I guess. Normal. Just a little tired still."

He nodded, and finally his face relaxed. It caused me to wonder what exactly had happened after the ritual. It was obvious I was the only one that had been drained, and I wanted to know what the others had witnessed.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Four days."

"What?!" I exclaimed, shocked by his revelation. "But how? I don't understand? Why was I drained of all energy like that?"

The grimace was back, but I didn't try to smooth it out this time.

"What do you remember of the ritual?" he asked cautiously, but I didn't understand why he was treading so lightly.

"Everything. We channeled the elements and destroyed the candle."

He shook his head. "No Angel. It started that way, but halfway through, I felt how Fire abandoned me. I thought it meant that we had failed, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that Charlie and Renee thought the same, but then there was you. You were still performing the ritual on your own."

I didn't understand what he meant and he must have read that on my face.

"You channeled all five elements by yourself. We didn't destroy the candle together. You did that."

I slowly sat up in the bed, and Edward mimicked me so that we sat facing each other instead. I just couldn't believe what he was telling me. I didn't think it was possible. It had never been mentioned in any of my books that a single Witch could channel every element.

"Is that even possible?" I asked incredulously.

Edward let out a humorless chuckle. "It must be since you did it. I'd never heard of it before, and I haven't exactly talked to the two downstairs about it, so I don't know any more than you."

"You mean you've stayed here for four days, just looking at me while I slept? That's kind of creepy," I said to ease the tension a bit, and it helped because Edward laughed, not a full laugh, but a small one that was just the tiniest bit infectious.

"I had to eat and sleep myself, but mostly I've read your books," he finally replied. "I wanted to see if I'd missed something in my own about what you did at the ritual, but there's nothing."

"But there can't be nothing," I insisted.

Edward only shrugged.

I scooted out of bed, not even caring that I was only wearing underwear and a tank top because it was most likely Edward who had undressed me, and he had seen me naked, so there was no point in acting shy. He looked at me hungrily as I dressed, and I rolled my eyes.

"Edward, stop looking at me like that. It's not going to happen until I've made my choice."

He groaned. "At least let me fantasize about it. It's been almost three weeks and you're telling me to wait another three weeks. You should cut me some slack," he said with a smirk.

"And you think this isn't hard on me, too? No pun intended with my choice of words by the way." His smirk grew in size as he laid back down on his back, never taking his eyes off me. "You're not exactly making it easier for me when you lie there smiling at me like that."

"Then why resist it? I'd be more than willing to scratch that itch of yours." He winked, and I threw a shirt at him just to cover that smirk of his.

"Just shut up. I'm going to brush my teeth and then we're going downstairs to talk to Renee and Charlie."

A/N:

So Bella is even more powerful than anyone first initially thought ... and Edward's teasing the shit out of her! What do you think about that? He's not playing very fair, is he ;-) Well, he's Evil, so I guess he can't help it!