*CPOV*-24 hours earlier
Stopping by my deputy's desk on my way out of the station, I said, "See you, Monday, Dave. Have a nice weekend. And try not to burn the place down, huh?" I grinned. Though I was only half-joking. Sometimes I thought my teenagers had better sense than my underlings.
"Will do, Chief! Have a nice weekend. Tell the missus I said howdy, will ya?" Dave answered, scrambling to minimize the YouTube video of funny cats he had open on his computer screen. I grunted something in the affirmative and rolled my eyes as I walked away.
I had kids on the brain as I trotted down the steps in the back of the building where my police cruiser was parked. Teenagers, I snorted to myself. Hardly.
Bella was going to be twenty in a couple of weeks. Sort of. Leah had said goodbye to her teens back in the Spring. And Seth just started his senior year of high school. Soon enough, Sue and I would be empty nesters. It was a bittersweet thought, I sighed.
When I got to my car, I yanked open the door and slid behind the wheel, anxious to get the weekend started. Billy was having his annual Labor Day Weekend BBQ the following day and I looked forward to it every year.
I started the engine and I pulled out onto the street, waving to Mrs. Pendergast as I passed her walking her geriatric cocker spaniel down the sidewalk. Then the damndest thing happened. I started to hear music even though my radio wasn't even on.
"What the?" I muttered, jabbing the power button a couple of times anyway.
About to turn onto Division Street, I flicked on my indicator light and checked my mirrors.
My heart just about jumped out of my chest when I saw the face of a young girl sitting in the backseat in my rearview mirror. Make that two young girls.
"Hello, Charlie," they said in unison through the protective partition.
I yanked the steering wheel in shock, swerving wildly before pulling over, throwing the car into park, and reaching for my service weapon.
"Who the hell are you? Where did you come from?!" I shouted. If this was some kind of a prank, I wasn't even remotely amused. Then my cop brain took over and I made sure to get a good look at them.
No more than 18 or 19. Twins? They had to be sisters at the very least. Blonde, chin-length hair, no visible scars or tattoos. And they wore mirrored sunglasses so I couldn't make out their eye color. And they were pale as…as Cullens I thought, a cold sweat breaking out across my forehead.
One of them nodded to my cell phone that was attached to the dashboard with a hands-free device. "Call your wife. Tell her you're not coming home tonight."
"Okay," I heard myself say.
*BPOV*
"DAD?!" I screeched, frozen solid with ice-cold fear. I felt my grip on my shield start to slip from my momentary loss of focus. I locked it back down and looked at Edward in a panic. The Volturi had Charlie. The VOLTURI had CHARLIE!
Gasp gasp gasp. My chest heaved. My shallow breaths were coming in double time. This couldn't be the way that Charlie dies. I can't be the reason Charlie dies, I thought frantically.
Gasp gasp gasp.
Jasper's hand on the back of my neck sent a sudden jolt of calm down my spine like a tranquilizer dart.
He bent down so that his lips were close to my ear and whispered in a soothing voice, "Bella, honey, I need you to keep it together. I know you're worried about Charlie, but if you drop your shield we'll all be vulnerable to the twins and to Chelsea. Stay strong. We're gonna do everything we can to get him back," he whispered urgently.
It didn't escape my notice that he made me no promises. I tightened my grip on my shield and nodded. I could fall apart later. Everyone, including Charlie, was depending on me to keep my wits about me now.
Jasper's hand squeezed my shoulder consolingly before pulling his hand away.
"Maisie stopped, Aro. Just as you asked. Now, let Charlie go," Edward demanded.
Aro giggled. "I wasn't born yesterday, dear boy! What assurance do I have that you won't slaughter us the moment I turn him loose?"
Stefan hissed, "What are you waiting for?!"
Vlad continues, "He's just a human!"
Then in unison, they shouted at Maisie, "Finish them!"
Across the clearing, Afton's bicep tightened around Charlie's throat as if in warning.
"No!" I shrieked. A large ripple shuddered through my shield. It was felt by everyone when the smoke from the fires jumped unnaturally around us as if pushed.
"What do you want, Aro?" Edward asked impatiently.
Aro bowed his head in a show of humility. "It's simple really. You allow us to return to Volterra and rebuild the Guard on our honor that we will not abuse our power or enact the mandatory service law. And in return, Charlie goes free."
On our side, The Romanians opened their mouths to protest. Ragnar cut them off, growling "How'd you like to go for a swim?" as he fluttered his fingers threateningly in their direction.
Across the battlefield, Aro and Caius were having their own dispute. "He's human, Aro! He mustn't be allowed to live. He knows too much," Caius argued hotly.
"Caius, this man's life is just as embroiled in the supernatural as ours is. He's proven that he'll keep our secret. Won't you, Charlie?" Aro asked, a thinly-veiled threat evident in his tone.
Charlie grunted unintelligibly behind the duct tape over his mouth.
"See?" Aro smiled pleasantly at Caius.
Back on our side, Carlisle interjected, "I think we should do as they ask." His striking face was wearier than I'd ever seen it. "We've beaten them. They are prepared to give in to our demands. No more life needs to be taken here today."
After a beat, he added, "It isn't as if any of us want the job of enforcing vampire law, is it? Because someone needs to do it if it isn't them," he pointed out, gesturing to the ancient coven with an open palm.
Stefan and Vladimir once again opened their mouths to object and this time Ragnar let them have it with two mighty jets of water, one for each of them, knocking them both on their backsides.
"Raise your hand if you want the Romanians to take over?" Rosalie testily polled, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. The only hands to raise were the ones in a sopping wet heap on the ground.
"Well, that settles that," she concluded sourly, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a swipe of her hand.
We all looked around at each other uncertainly. As we deliberated over what to do, the soft lilting melody of the siren song filled the air. I didn't know what the twins were up to, but I threw my shield farther than I ever had, stretching it carefully around Charlie without also encapsulating Afton.
And to my great astonishment, Maia made Afton release his hold on Charlie. Before he could fall to the ground, Ember scooped up my still-bound father and carried him across the field where she placed him in my arms.
Caius furiously screamed at her as she crossed over to our side, zigzagging around the purple columns of smoke. "Foolish girl! What have you done?!"
I gaped at her in bewilderment. Why would she…?
"We didn't know he was your father," she explained in a shattered voice. "Aro just called him 'insurance.' I'm…so terribly sorry about all the trouble I've caused your family. I swear I'm not a bad person. I think…with this power...I just forgot how to be a good one," Ember frowned with a forlorn expression. "I hope someday you'll let me earn your trust," she finished, bowing her head contritely.
I blew out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
In my arms, Charlie grunted angrily as he wriggled and squirmed.
"Oh, sorry, Dad! Edward can you–" but before I even had to ask, Edward was freeing Charlie from his bindings so I could set him on his feet.
"Sorry about this, Charlie," Edward muttered apologetically and ripped the duct tape off his mouth with one swift yank.
Charlie screamed in a pitch I didn't think he was capable of making and then let out a string of curses that were muffled by the hand he pressed over his smarting mouth. I winced seeing about half of his mustache still stuck to the tape Edward had pulled off. What was left on his face was patchy and uneven, he was going to have to shave it and start over.
"As much as I love a good reunion, we'll just be going now," Aro laughed nervously. Ember turned to leave as well, but Jasper stopped her with a firm hand on her upper arm.
"Not so fast!" Jasper intervened. "Here's how this is going to go. You're going to go back to Volterra and rebuild your godforsaken Guard. Because trust me, nobody wants your damn job.
"You will repeal the draft. You will discharge Corin and Chelsea so that no one is ever compelled to stay loyal to the Volturi against their will ever again. And if you even think about abusing your power–"
"Because we'll know!" Alice thundered.
"We'll find ye and finish what we start'd!" Maisie threatened without a hint of a bluff in her voice.
"AND you'll release Ragnar from his obligations to be your captain!" I threw in. Ragnar's wiry blonde brows raised in surprise over the demand I'd made on his behalf.
"Anything else?" Aro asked with a note of exasperation.
"Kendra's coven stays here. Or wherever they please, just so long as the twins aren't anywhere near you," Jasper tacked on.
"As you wish," Aro conceded with a small bow. "Will that be all then?"
We all looked around at each other and reluctantly nodded. No sooner had we agreed did Aro, Caius, and Marcus vanish from sight, leaving Kendra's clan and Chelsea and Afton lingering behind.
After a long, tense moment, Kendra, Pink, and Maia started walking at human speed over to our side, with Chelsea and Afton following hesitantly behind them.
"Come on, Charlie. Let's get you back to the house and get you something to eat," Esme suggested, looping her arm through his. "Are you hurt? Would you like me to carry you?" she asked in a concerned tone. I stifled an amused laugh when Charlie couldn't refuse fast enough.
When I moved to go with them, Edward halted me with his eyes as he said, "Bella will be right behind you as soon as she's no longer needed here," he explained, glancing at the twins.
Right. We may have won, but the twins still couldn't be trusted. And as I looked around at all of the red eyes watching us, I realized (much too late) that just because Charlie was with us now, that did not make him safe.
I nodded quickly. "Be right there, Dad," I promised, anxious for him to be as far away from our other guests as possible.
When Charlie and Esme were out of sight, Ember spoke first. "We won't keep you from your father…"
"We just wanted to thank you for what you did," Kendra said sincerely, looking from me to Edward to Jasper to Carlisle. "I was wrong to go to them," she shook her head regretfully.
"I was scared that with you picking a fight with the Volturi that they'd find out about our involvement and come for our girls anyway. I was just trying to keep my family together," she explained in a high, tight voice.
"So were we," Jasper growled irritably.
"Please just know that we never meant any harm to come to your family. I hope someday we can be friends," Kendra said remorsefully and guided the girls away, leaving Pink standing there awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
"Guess I'll be seein' ya," he muttered and scurried after his family.
That left Chelsea and Afton.
"Is there a right way to say thank you for not killing us? And for freeing us from our masters?" Chelsea laughed nervously.
"It wasn't for your benefit," Edward glowered as he pulled me close to his side with a hand wrapped snugly around my waist.
"Understood. Regardless, please accept our sincerest apologies and our thanks. We are in your debt. If there's anything we can do to repay you…"
"We'll let you know," Jasper curtly replied.
Chelsea and Afton nodded and then ran to catch up with Kendra's clan.
All of us were silent for a prolonged moment before it finally started to sink in that we had beaten the Volturi. And without a single casualty!
The exultant cheers of three dozen vampires were deafening as everybody hugged and celebrated, everybody except the Romanians who took off without so much as a goodbye.
The different clans crowded around Maisie, Zafrina, and me to applaud our efforts, but I was anxious to get back to Charlie.
"Go take care of your old man, Squirt. But then we are gonna party," Emmett said, grabbing me up in a huge hug. I wasn't sure I even wanted to ask what that entailed, but I didn't argue with him.
I quickly said my thank yous and goodbyes to the Amazons and the other nomads who were eager to be on their way, and then Edward and I followed Esme and Charlie's trail up to the house as fast as my legs could carry me.
When we got back to the house, he was talking to Sue on the phone.
"What the hell happened?" I could hear her asking in a frantic voice. "You sounded so strange when you called yesterday. And then they found the cruiser abandoned and I thought–" she recalled in a choked-up voice.
"I'm ok, Suzy. I promise. I'm with Bella and the Cullens now. It's a long story. I'll tell you about it when I get home," he promised.
"You're in California?" she shrieked.
"Apparently," he grumbled.
*EPOV*
"So you're telling me those twins have the power of...of mind control? And that's why I did everything they said? And that guy Arrow can–"
"Hear every thought you've ever had with one touch."
Charlie shuddered. And there it was, the violated "there's a pervert with his hand in my underwear drawer" face. But at least this time it wasn't directed at me.
"And Bella is the only vampire on earth with the power to stop them," I bragged. "Not one of us would be standing here at this very moment if she hadn't been brave enough to stand up to them." My voice swelled with pride as I wound my arms around Bella and gave her a tight squeeze.
"H-how?" He asked, a bewildered expression replacing the violated one.
"The same way I'm able to block Edward from hearing my thoughts. I'm what they call a 'shield,' It's, like, my superpower," she shrugged self-effacingly.
"So, all those people I saw were...other vampires?"
I nodded gravely. "And not the kind that feed on animals, which is why we need to get you out of here as soon as possible."
Another shudder. "I guess I'm glad you all moved away. I don't even want to think about how many new wolves would have turned if all those bloo…er…vampires came anywhere near La Push," Charlie mused, shaking his head with incredulity.
"Were you about to call them bloodsuckers?" Bella asked, sounding offended.
Charlie huffed uncomfortably. "I don't know what to tell you, kiddo. I'm Quileute now. That word sorta gets thrown around a lot."
"Just remember you were a bloodsucker dad before you were a wolf dad," Bella teased.
Charlie held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Nuh-uh. Not taking sides. I'm Switzerland, ok? I'm both."
Bella and I exchanged an amused look.
"What?" he asked self-consciously, feeling like he was being left out of some kind of joke.
I shook my head and smiled. "It's nothing. It's just that you Swans sure are cut from the same cloth."
"Charlie?" Esme poked her head into the kitchen holding her hand over the mouthpiece of her phone. "I've got you on the next flight out to Seattle. I hope that's alright. I know Sue must be worried terribly," she frowned with concern.
"Thanks so much, Esme. And for the grub," he patted his belly. "You always take such good care of me. I'll make sure Sue knows it."
"It's what we do for family," she replied with a warm smile and poked her head back out of the kitchen as she finished making Charlie's travel arrangements. First class, naturally.
"Can't wait to see how bad Deputy Dave bungled my kidnapping investigation," Charlie laughed to himself and shook his head.
"Not that badly I'd say," I nodded over to where Carlisle was watching the ten o'clock news.
"Washington State Police Chief goes missing, this and more after the break," announced a female news anchor.
On the screen was a home photo of Charlie manning a barbecue with a beer can in one hand and tongs in the other. He was wearing an apron that made him appear to have a bare chest and six-pack abs.
Charlie harrumphed, "Dave is so fucking fired."
*A/N* I was going to add a little more to this but I'll save the vampire celebrations for the next chapter so that I don't leave you all hanging at the edge of a cliff for too long. I hope this wasn't as anticlimactic as the BD battle was.
As satisfying as it would have been to merk Aro or Caius, as Carlisle pointed out, it's a crappy job, but someone's gotta keep the vamps in line. And without their overpowered army, the Volturi would be hard-pressed to abuse their authority again.
I also really wanted to make Marcus commit suicide after Chelsea stopped enhancing his bond to the Volturi. I envisioned him jumping into the fire calling for his beloved Didyme, finally free.
I didn't, because I ultimately decided that I didn't want to completely decimate the Volturi like that. They needed to carry on. But that's why Aro nervously glanced at Marcus when he was worried that Chelsea would go up in flames next. Because Aro worries Marcus would leave him without her influence.
And finally, for those of you who are shouting "But Amanda, I thought vampires had to be ripped apart before they could be burnt?"
I thought about it and based on what Edward has said about fire (that it is "too slow" to kill a vampire), I interpreted that as a vampire could outrun fire. But what if that fire, such as Maisie's, was inescapable? The vampire would still burn, wouldn't he? And death by fire wasn't one of the methods Carlisle tried, so I went with it. ️
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, especially now, because action scenes are so not in my wheelhouse, and I put my whole heart into making this readable, y'all. Til next time!
