A/N: This is mid-Eclipse through the end of Breaking Dawn from Edward's perspective. Thanks for reading!
These characters are not mine and all belong to Stephenie Meyer.
Thank you for the kind reviews! :)
Bree (Eclipse)
I carried Bella, all but flying down the mountain as I raced to the clearing.
"Edward," Bella said weakly. "What happened Edward? What happened to Sam? Where are we going? What's happening?"
The news about the Volturi didn't seem so bad anymore. Not now that I feared for Jacob Black's life. The news of their arrival would distract her at least.
"We have to go back to the clearing," I said in a low voice. "We knew there was a good probability of this happening. Earlier this morning, Alice saw it and passed it through Sam to Seth. The Volturi decided it was time to intercede."
Her eyes looked both afraid and far away.
"Don't panic," I said.
I explained how the guard wasn't coming for us - it was just their job to clean up this type of mess. But I voiced my suspicions that they had timed their arrival for after the fight in hopes of reducing the size of the Cullen family. We were hurrying down so I could hear their thoughts and get a better idea of their intentions, and also because there was safety in numbers - I didn't want Jane to get any ideas about leading the guard to me knowing I was separated from my family and with Bella.
A little over ten minutes out.
Alice. It was a great relief to hear her thoughts after everything that had passed.
She could see me again. I heard her wading through everything I would tell her later. The cold, the near fight with Jacob, the kiss, Victoria.
Bella was hyperventilating.
"Shh, Bella, shh. It's all going to be fine. Alice can see that."
That seemed to distract her a little.
"The pack?" she asked breathlessly.
"They had to leave quickly. The Volturi do not honor truces with werewolves."
Bella's breathing picked up again. She was gasping for air.
"I swear they will be fine," I promised her. I assured her the Volturi wouldn't recognize their scent. Only being seen would endanger them.
She was quiet for a long moment.
"What happened?" She finally whispered. "Before. When Seth was howling? When you were hurt?"
I hesitated. She was way past her breaking point.
"Edward! Tell me!" She said with more energy than I thought she was still capable.
"It was all over," I whispered. "The wolves didn't count their half... they thought they had them all. Of course, Alice couldn't see..."
"What happened?!" she demanded.
"One of the newborns was hiding... Leah found him - she was being stupid, cocky, trying to prove something. She engaged him alone..."
"Leah. Is she going to be okay?" Despite her question, I could see she was relieved thinking it was only Leah who had been in danger.
I remembered her reaction earlier when she'd only thought she'd hurt Jacob's feelings. This was exponentially worse.
"Leah wasn't hurt," I finally mumbled, hoping that would placate her.
She stared at me, searching my face.
"We're almost there," I said, looking up at the purple smoke so it was harder for her to read my face.
She looked, too, but only for a second.
"Edward," she said, her voice so quiet I doubted a human would be able to make it out. "Edward, someone got hurt."
"Yes," I confirmed.
I slowed my pace. We were just about to the clearing now.
"Who?" she asked.
But I could see she already knew.
"Jacob."
"Of course," she whispered.
Her body went limp and her head lolled into my chest.
"Bella! Bella!" I shook her shoulder gently.
I could hear her heart, the whoosh of air in her lungs, but otherwise...
Nothing.
"Carlisle!" I shouted. He'd be able to hear me now.
He was there just as I reached the clearing.
"Edward, what is it?" He asked, keeping pace with me as we headed toward the others. He noted Bella was unconscious.
"Was she hurt?" He asked calmly. He looked over the dried blood on her arm.
"No, she just - all of a sudden she just went limp," I said frantically.
"Alice said it was Victoria - you and Seth fought her?" Carlisle asked.
"Yes - but Carlisle, she's been unconscious for a minute now," I insisted. We could swap stories later.
"I know that, but her vitals are strong and you said she wasn't injured." he said reassuringly. "The fight must have been stressful for her though - "
"She looked like she was in shock."
"Yes. And Alice said it was a hard night. That she probably didn't get much sleep. So, her energy was already depleted - "
"Wait," I said, suddenly horrified. "Earlier, when Seth and I realized Jacob was hurt -"
"Another stressful event. Her body's just - " He tried to interject
" - she collapsed! She wasn't unconscious yet and " - my eyes grew wider - "before that during the fight, Riley threw Seth against the rockface. What if a piece of rock hit her head and I didn't realize?"
"Who's Riley?" He asked confused. I could see he thought I was overreacting.
"She could have a head injury, Carlisle! That's why she collapsed. That's why she lost consciousness!"
"Set her down here" - we were next to my family now - "and I'll take a look at her head."
I didn't attend to the swirl of thoughts around me. I focused only on Carlisle and his impressions as he examined her, occasionally moving her hair out of the way or pressing gently if he had even a hint of concern about something he saw.
"Nothing," Carlisle said, satisfied. "Edward" - he waited for me to meet his eyes - "she's going to be fine."
He attended to her arm, cleaning and bandaging it the best he could with the small first aid kit he'd brought.
I felt an arm around me. I didn't know how long Esme had been kneeling beside me.
Emmett leaned over me to look at her. God, she reeks.
"Did she really sleep cuddled next to that dog all night?" He asked.
Alice kicked him in the shin. "I told you that so you wouldn't bring it up!"
Sorry, I passed on your explanation so you wouldn't have to talk about it. But Emmett didn't believe you'd let -
"Jacob," I said suddenly. "Carlisle, is he going to be okay?"
"Yes, his injuries weren't life-threatening."
"You're sure?" I asked, imagining the worst possibilities.
Carlisle started to explain, but I didn't hear it because I was focused on Alice standing behind him.
He'll be okay, Edward.
Alice was confident. But how could she be? She couldn't see him. I frowned at her in confusion.
And then I saw it.
She was looking at Bella's future. There were two paths now. The first was familiar, though dimmer now. The second disappeared into a mist.
The odds are heavily in your favor. She just didn't know this path existed before, that's all.
I could hear she was trying to reassure herself as well.
But that didn't matter now because Bella was still unconscious.
"She's been out for three minutes now," I whispered.
Carlisle uttered another reassurance that I ignored.
I realized I was picking up a little of Jasper's tension. I hadn't paid any attention to him before.
This was a terrible idea. It's very classic Carlisle. I should have anticipated...
"Oh," I said, becoming aware of a seventh mind in the clearing as Jasper looked into an unfamiliar face.
One of the newborns. She was on the ground where Jasper leaned over her. Her eyes were closed and Jasper had his hands clamped tightly over her ears.
She was uncomfortable with the sensory deprivation, but fairly calm. At first I thought it must be Jasper manipulating her emotions, but the opposite was true. He was intentionally trying to agitate her so he'd have an excuse to kill her. Her emotional regulation was impressive.
Carlisle and Esme had spared her it seemed, but Jasper was worried the Volturi guard might think we'd created her and the others as a defense.
I had to agree with Jasper. This was a terrible idea. He had a valid point about the Volturi, but I was more concerned about what this would mean for Bella... if she chose to stay with me.
Would we have to leave? Rush to change her? I had counted on my family's support afterwards. Would we have to divide my family while this monster became civilized? I wouldn't have her and Bella together. Newborns were notorious for destroying one another.
I gave Carlisle a look of disapproval and he understood.
We'll figure it out, he thought calmly.
It was agitating how calm he was.
I pressed one hand to Bella's cheek and stroked her forehead with the other.
Esme rubbed Bella's shoulder while Carlisle checked her pulse.
"Carlisle - it's been five minutes." I said anxiously.
"She'll come around when she's ready, Edward. She's had too much to deal with today. Let her mind protect itself."
I winced imagining the inner turmoil that I could not hear.
What would the Volturi make of her looking like this?
"Alice, how long do we have?" I demanded.
"Another five minutes," she said serenely. She felt liberated now that the wolves were no longer blocking her sight. "And Bella will open her eyes in thirty-seven seconds. I wouldn't doubt that she can hear us now."
"Bella, honey?" Esme asked. "Can you hear me? You're safe now, dear."
Bella still didn't move.
I thought about what Alice had shown me and the vanishing path.
I lowered my lips to her ear.
"He's going to live, Bella. Jacob Black is healing as I speak. He'll be fine."
One heartbeat passed and then her eyelids fluttered.
"Oh, Bella," I sighed in relief.
I kissed her lovely pink lips.
"Edward," she whispered.
"Yes, I'm here," I assured her.
"Jacob is okay?" She asked.
"Yes," I promised.
She looked suspicious and I couldn't entirely blame her. If the situation were worse I probably would have said the same thing until I had her safely home.
Fortunately Carlisle, reading the same thing in her expression, stepped in. "I examined him myself," he said.
Carlisle assured her that Jacob would heal over a couple days and that he would be down to the reservation to treat him himself once we were done.
He recounted the story that led to his injuries as well.
She flinched when Carlisle described how his bones had shattered and I squeezed her hand.
Carlisle's story wasn't entirely accurate. From his view it had appeared Sam and Paul had saved Jacob, when in truth Jacob had managed to kill the thing himself, mangled as he was. I doubted a single one of his brothers could have pulled that off.
I had underestimated him every bit as much as he had underestimated me.
"He'll be back to normal?" Bella pressed.
"Yes, Bella. He won't have any permanent damage."
She took a deep breath.
In that moment, I couldn't find an ounce of jealousy in my body over her concern for him. I could only empathize, hearing the same insistent concern in her voice that Carlisle had heard in mine.
I was suddenly aware the newborn was watching me and though I knew she'd never make it past Jasper, I paid her more attention now.
I could see she knew too much, estimating that there had been sixteen fighting on our side. She knew that there was something different about the others that fought with us, but she hadn't seen them.
Also apparent was her hatred for Riley.
"Three minutes," Alice announced.
Bella struggled for a second and I realized she was trying to get up.
I gently helped her to her feet just as the wind shifted causing the newborn to pick up her scent.
The newborn hadn't realized until that moment that Bella was human, the exact human she'd been created to hunt. She shifted into a hunting crouch, but Jasper shoved her back to the ground.
I kept my arms protectively around Bella, though I hoped she would think it nothing more than an embrace. She put her hands against my chest.
Bella looked around trying to orient herself and her eyes lingered on Jasper first and then she froze.
I could see Bella's stunned brown eyes in the agitated newborn's thoughts.
"She surrendered," I told Bella. "That's one I've never seen before. Only Carlisle would think of offering. Jasper doesn't approve."
Her eyes moved back to Jasper who was absentmindedly rubbing fresh bites on his left forearm.
"Is Jasper all right?" Bella whispered.
"He's fine," I assured her. "The venom stings."
"He was bitten?" Bella asked, horrified.
The newborn was taken aback by Bella's reaction. She couldn't understand how Bella felt so comfortable surrounded by us. She could see Bella was not completely ignorant to our world, but then why was Bella so blind to its realities?
The mystery of all mysteries...
"He was trying to be everywhere at once," I told Bella. "Trying hard to make sure Alice had nothing to do, actually." I shook my head. "Alice doesn't need anyone's help."
"Overprotective fool," Alice scolded him.
Jasper turned to give her a smile and the newborn debated taking advantage of his distraction.
I glared into her luminous red eyes, holding back a hiss so as not to worry Bella.
She understood my warning and stayed put, but she threw her head back screaming in agony at the pain in her throat. She'd never had to resist feeding after committing to the hunt and Bella's blood was particularly appetizing to our kind.
Jasper growled back. He had all but decided to kill her - the possibility spun in Alice's head as the more likely outcome.
Casually, I turned with Bella so I was between her and the newborn. I didn't want the newborn's violent end to be one more heinous thing for Bella have nightmares about.
Of course, Bella leaned around my arm to watch anyway.
Carlisle put his hand on Jasper's arm and pleaded with the newborn to behave.
"How can you stand it?" The newborn groaned. "I want her." Her fingers raked through the dirt in her distress.
"You must stand it," Carlisle told her. "You must exercise control. It is possible, and it is the only thing that will save you now."
I'd heard these words before. Uttered to me and then later to Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett.
I cringed knowing soon they would be my words as I stared down at a thirst-ravaged Bella.
I was almost as glued to the newborn's face as Bella was, though I watched her through Jasper's eyes. There was something about her that made it hard for me to separate this creature from the version of Bella that only existed in Alice's visions. It wasn't that the newborn really looked like Bella. She was younger and her face wasn't the same at all. But she was slender and her short hair was dark. Her eyes were red just as Bella's would be and her skin just as pale.
It was criminal, absolutely evil, that I was dooming Bella to this.
I didn't know if it was how the newborn gripped her head and yowled in pain or if it was living in Jacob Black's mind all night, but suddenly the illuminated future in Alice's head seemed unbearable.
"Shouldn't we move away from her?" Bella whispered, tugging at my arm.
The newborn's lips pulled over her teeth in response.
"We have to stay here," I murmured. "They are coming to the north end of the clearing now."
Bella's heart burst into a sprint. Her eyes searched through the smoke for a moment, but quickly drifted back to the newborn.
The newborn thought Bella looked fascinated as if she wanted to ask her something.
In Alice's head, Bella's future dimmed fractionally and for once I thought I had a pretty good idea what she was thinking.
My stomach twisted.
It'll be okay, Edward, Alice thought, knowing I'd be listening.
She was standing on Bella's other side now.
Carlisle took the point and Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme stood behind him in a defensive triangular formation that sheltered Bella at its heart.
I held Jane's dark red eyes as she approached with the others. My concentration was stretched between studying the guard's thoughts and monitoring the newborn.
The newborn sensed our fear and realized she was closer to the approaching threat than we were. She cowered into the smoke of the pyre beside her as if it might somehow shield her. She believed we were distracted and considered running away to find Riley so she could avenge her mate's death, but her deliberations seemed to be more fantasy. Alice didn't think it was likely she would actually run.
I could see Jasper was already at work, manipulating the environment with his gifts. He supposed Aro, having seen his gifts in my thoughts, would have shared them with his guard, so Jasper tried to be subtle about them now.
A wave of calm fell over the guard and the newborn became an object of fascination, a distraction.
For the moment, he left the rest of us untouched. On the one hand, we needed to seem formidable enough that we could take down such a large army on our own, unscathed. However, the belief that we had done that would only make the Volturi consider us more of a threat. To make us seem more intimidating now might be a mistake.
"Hmm," Jane murmured.
I was surprised to hear the newborn, merely a pawn, recognized Jane's voice and feared her.
And then my earlier suspicions were confirmed. The newborn recalled how Jane had wanted her creator to destroy us.
"Welcome, Jane," I said, my tone cold, but courteous.
Felix looked up and let his hood fall back. He winked at Bella and smiled.
Don't, Edward, Alice warned, stopping me before I released an instinctive growl. Stay focused and this will be over soon.
Jane looked over each of our faces before she glanced down at the newborn where she sat in front of Jasper and Carlisle.
Strangely, Jane did not recognize the newborn as she had recognized her.
"I don't understand," Jane said.
"She has surrendered," I explained.
Jane looked at me with disbelief. "Surrendered?"
Felix and another member of the guard shared a glance.
These Cullen's have a God complex, thought Felix.
Aro is right to doubt Carlisle's intentions, thought the other.
I gave an exaggerated shrug in an attempt to dispel their concerns. "Carlisle gave her the option."
Alice could see the newborn would die.
"There are no options for those who break the rules," Jane said quickly.
The newborn understood her fate, but Carlisle was less accepting.
"That's in your hands," he said, his voice mild, but subtly pleading. "As long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught."
"That is irrelevant," Jane said.
"As you wish," Carlisle said. He knew it was unsafe to push the matter further.
The deprivation of human blood must be a detriment to their brain cells, Jane mused. She couldn't understand Carlisle. How could he have so much talent and strength in his coven and yet be so weak?
Her face twisted with frustration and confusion, but she shook her head and once again wore a blank mask.
"Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle. He sends his regards."
Carlisle nodded. "I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him."
Jane smiled and the memory of her gift sent a chill up my spine.
"Of course," she answered.
"It appears that you've done our work for us today..." The smile slipped away as she looked back at the newborn. "For the most part. Just out of professional curiosity, how many were there? They left quite a wake of destruction in Seattle."
Something about the word 'professionals' made the newborn realize there must be rules. Rules Riley had never told her about. She remembered he and Victoria had both feared the guard.
"Eighteen, including this one," Carlisle said.
Is it true?
Yes, Aro is right to be wary.
Well, the animal blood must not be entirely crippling.
"Eighteen?" Jane asked, stunned.
"All brand-new," Carlisle said dismissively. "They were unskilled."
I could see he worried for the wolves. I was more worried over our family's perceived strength. We had enough of a target on our backs as it was.
"All?" Jane barked. "Then who was their creator?"
Jane's thoughts were impressively controlled, not revealing she knew exactly who their creator was.
As if you haven't already been introduced, the newborn thought bitterly.
"Her name was Victoria," I answered without emotion.
The name was news to the newborn. Riley had told her that one of us could read minds - she wondered if that's how I knew the name.
"Was?" Jane asked.
I inclined my head toward the eastern forest. She noticed the distant pillar of smoke and her calculations shifted.
So, if one was up there, then only six of them were fighting these newborns down here at a three to one ratio, thought Jane.
The newborn was pleased with the news of Victoria's demise.
"This Victoria - she was in addition to the eighteen here?" Jane confirmed.
"Yes," I said. "She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year." I didn't want them to linger in the area looking for Riley if they suspected he escaped.
Jasper was confused by the newborn's sudden overwhelming joy, not knowing Riley's death would be significant to her.
"Twenty," Jane breathed. "Who dealt with the creator."
"I did," I said coldly.
Jane's eyes narrowed. She'd imagined, if our story was true that six of us had taken down eighteen, I, with my special abilities, must have been among the six.
The newborn felt warmth towards me knowing I'd ended Victoria and Riley. I couldn't return the warmth knowing she'd been created to kill Bella.
"You there," Jane said harshly to the newborn. "Your name."
The newborn glared back defiantly thinking she had nothing greater to fear than death.
Jane smiled and the newborn began writhing in pain, screeching. Her body contorted. Her thoughts were nearly senseless.
Despite the antagonism I felt towards the girl, I did not wish this upon her. For the first time, sharing just a taste of her burden with our gifts, Jasper and I pitied her.
Though the rest of my family's faces were as still and stoic as my own I could hear their loud inner distress. Carlisle's especially. He wished he had let Jasper kill her earlier.
Worst of all was Bella. I could feel the tension in her body and her heart thudded too fast. Her eyes were on my face, but I didn't break my pose. She looked past me towards Alice and Esme as if fearing they might be next.
After what felt like minutes rather than seconds, Jane released her.
"Your name," Jane said again.
"Bree," she gasped.
Jane smiled again and the torture recommenced.
Bella was holding her breath. The rest of us held our ridged poses, though I was starting to worry someone might break ranks. That could be devastating. Particularly if it was Emmett.
Jasper feared the same, but he didn't calm us. We needed to be ready for an attack.
The girl wished for one of us to kill her. She thought Carlisle might out of compassion. Or whoever the mind reader is? Can't he understand and make this stop?
I understood only too well, more from my firsthand experience than from her thoughts which did not convey the physical pain itself.
"She'll tell you anything you want to know," I said through my teeth. "You don't have to do that."
"Oh, I know," Jane said cheerfully, grinning at me.
I wanted to rip the sadistic witch's head off.
"Bree," Jane said, her voice cold again. "Is his story true? Were their twenty of you?"
From where she lay panting on her side, Bree scrambled to answer. "Nineteen or twenty, maybe more, I don't know! Sara and the one whose name I don't know got in a fight on the way..."
"And this Victoria - did she create you?"
"I don't know." Bree flinched, fearing her ignorance would bring on another round of torture. "Riley never said her name. I didn't see that night... it was so dark, and it hurt... He didn't want us to be able to think of her. He said our thoughts weren't safe..."
Jane glared at me for a moment before looking back at Bree.
"Tell me about Riley," Jane demanded. "Why did he bring you here?"
"Riley told us that we had to destroy the strange yellow-eyes here. He said it would be easy. He said that the city was theirs, and they were coming to get us. He said once they were gone, all the blood would be ours." Bree paused to point angrily at Bella. "He said we would know that we had the right coven, because she would be with them. He said whoever got to her first could have her."
I clenched my teeth together, trying to control my anger. Victoria and Riley had been much more deserving of Jane's wrath than this girl.
"It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part," Jane said with dark amusement.
Bree nodded and then sat up hoping to gain my attention, not knowing she already had it. She wanted to help us, to covertly share as much as she knew to expose the Volturi's true intentions while saying out loud only what Jane wanted us to hear.
"I don't know what happened," she said. She thought of the strange howling creatures she'd heard, but decided to keep our secret. "We split up, but the others never came. And Riley left us, and he didn't come to help like he promised. And then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces."
She flinched remembering the violence.
"I was afraid. I wanted to run away. That one" - she looked at Carlisle - "said they wouldn't hurt me if I stopped fighting."
"Ah, but that wasn't his gift to offer, young one," Jane said with pleasure. "Broken rules demand a consequence."
Looking at Carlisle, Jane asked, "Are you sure you got all of them? The other half that split off?"
"We split up, too," Carlisle lied smoothly, nodding.
"I can't deny that I'm impressed," Jane said honestly, a half-smile on her face.
"Yes," the guard agreed behind her.
"I've never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact," Jane said.
Her eyes danced between Alice and myself. She was deeply jealous of the value Aro placed on us. She was certain it was our gifts that had made the clean defeat of Victoria's army possible and did not appreciate the fact that Aro would see that in her thoughts.
"Do you know what was behind it?" Jane continued. "It seems like extreme behavior, considering the way you live here. And why was the girl the key?"
Jane's eyes flickered to Bella and I felt her shiver in response.
"Victoria held a grudge against Bella," I told her impassively.
Jane feigned a laugh of amusement. She was jealous of Bella as well. Only a human and she had Aro fawning over her gift.
Edward, Alice thought urgently, she's going to try to provoke you. I swear to you, she can't hurt Bella. Stay. In. Control.
"This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind," Jane observed.
She turned her devilish smile on Bella and I felt Jasper's invisible grip on me. I stiffened and looked down at Bella, not entirely trusting Alice's vision. Bella looked back at me frightened, but she was fine just as Alice had promised.
I glared at Jane, fighting the urge to tear her eyes out of their sockets. If it wasn't for Jasper's careful hold on me, I would have been on the ground writhing in pain.
But I was strong enough to defy his control. Then maybe Emmett could get her while she was distracted with me...
Edward, don't, Alice warned again.
"Would you please not do that?" I asked Jane, hardly controlling the rage in my voice.
"Just checking," she said lightly. "No harm done, apparently."
Jane was bitter about her weakness, but she enjoyed my anxiety as a small consolation. Aro wouldn't be pleased if she harmed a Cullen unprovoked. This was the best she would get.
Jasper freed me as Jane looked away.
Bella shivered again and I pulled her tighter against me. Having her in my arms calmed me and kept me in place.
Bree could see Bella was special in some way since she was immune to Jane's attack. She wondered why we hadn't just changed her already.
"Well, it appears that there's not much left for us to do," Jane mused. "Odd. We're not used to being rendered unnecessary. It's too bad we missed the fight. It sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch."
Jane had still not betrayed their dirty tactics. I wondered if there was any chance Bree had lied with her thoughts in hopes of saving herself.
"Yes," I answered sharply. "And you were so close. It's a shame you didn't arrive just a half hour earlier. Perhaps then you could have fulfilled your purpose here."
She remembered Victoria and Riley's frightened faces for only a fraction of a second and that was enough. She could see I'd caught her slip.
"Yes," she said, her face blank. With her deception spoiled, she allowed herself to imagine what she had hoped Victoria's army would have accomplished. "Quite a pity how things turned out isn't it."
I nodded once to myself as Jane corroborated Bree's account.
Jasper, sensing Jane's malice, slowly eased her into a sense of boredom.
Jane looked back at the girl who somehow knew her time was up.
Thanks, Bree thought to me, imagining Victoria and Riley's deaths.
"Felix?" Jane called. She was ready for him to kill Bree now. The game had lost its fun thanks to Jasper.
I looked at Bree one last time and again I saw Bella. But it wasn't just her dark hair. Though I had never heard thoughts, I imagined Bella would face her fate with the same loyalty, bravery, and pragmatism as this young one did.
"Wait," I said loudly. I looked to Carlisle. "We could explain the rules to the young one. She doesn't seem unwilling to learn. She didn't know what she was doing."
I could hear Jasper's strong disapproval again.
Carlisle was surprised at my change of heart, but his voice didn't reflect it. "Of course. We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree."
Ha! Jane thought. Yes, and let the Cullen clan grow to eight - she remembered Bella - well, nine, potentially. They can't tell their enemies from their friends anymore than they can tell their food from their lovers.
"We don't make exceptions," Jane said.
Bree was unsurprised, but our compassion touched her.
"And we don't give second chances," Jane continued. "It's bad for our reputation. Which reminds me... Caius will be so interested to hear that you're still human, Bella. Perhaps he'll decide to visit."
"The date is set," Alice lied smoothly. "Perhaps we'll come visit you in a few months."
Jane's smile disappeared. I didn't have to read her thoughts to know she hated Alice - it was obvious on her face. She shrugged indifferently as if unimpressed by Alice's gift.
I will ensure that date is sooner rather than later, Edward, Jane warned.
I had promised Bella it would be years before she crossed the their minds again. I could see now that we'd be lucky to get six months.
Jane looked to Carlisle. "It was nice to meet you, Carlisle - I'd thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again..."
Carlisle only nodded. He was felt sorrow over Bree's impending death and was anxious Esme would have to see it.
"Take care of that, Felix," Jane said indifferently, nodding toward Bree. "I want to go home."
"Don't watch," I whispered to Bella.
She quickly pressed her face into my chest.
Bree was fortunate. Knowing Jane's urgency to leave, Felix made it a quick kill, immediately detaching the girl's head from her body before pulling the rest of her apart.
Bella was quivering in my arms. Though she did not see the destruction, I knew she could hear the ripping, the crunching, the snapping. I rubbed her shoulders anxiously.
Felix threw the pieces into the pyre.
"Come," Jane ordered.
We stood there in silence for a minute. When I could no longer hear their thoughts I sighed.
My family thawed at once.
Emmett leaned down to press his forehead against Rosalie's.
Esme dove into Carlisle's chest, broken over Bree's end. He rubbed her back as she just barely held back sobs, not wanting to scare Bella.
Jasper scoured the grass making certain Felix had gotten all the pieces into the fire while Alice searched ahead. She could see Emmett and Rosalie would go back to pack up our campsite while the rest of us hurried home
Bella was still shaking. I pulled her up into my arms scared her legs would give out.
Edward, I'll need you to go down to La Push with me, Carlisle thought, looking at me over Esme's head.
I subtly frowned back at him. The wolves would love that.
I felt Bella's eyes on my face.
Administering the morphine will be tricky with his body temperature and you'll be able to gauge how he's doing.
"Take Jasper," I whispered.
I'm not so sure they'd prefer him over you. Besides, your abilities are better suited.
"What's going on?" Bella asked weakly.
"Carlisle thinks it would be best if I go down to La Push with him," I said softly.
She frowned, confused.
"Because of your medical training?"
I hesitated for a moment.
"Yes... but, more than that, I can help make sure Jacob's comfortable."
She considered that for a second and then winced.
"Oh," she said.
Her frown deepened for a second before she nodded to herself.
"They won't hurt you," she said confidently. "You'll be safe."
Carlisle looked at me waiting for my answer.
I watched Bella's futures spin in Alice's head. The vanishing path. The bright path - dimmed, yet still so clear.
I nodded and both paths went dark.
I watched Esme carry Bella to the house to force some food on her.
Bella wanted to go with us, but Alice couldn't see Charlie, so he was most likely still in La Push. He would be suspicious enough that Carlisle and I were home early without seeing Bella there, too.
Alice waited with me by the Mercedes while Carlisle gathered supplies.
How are you holding up?
I shrugged.
That must have been hard. Last night. What happened this morning...
"Honestly, that all feels very insignificant right now."
Well, it's not, she insisted, watching my face suspiciously. Please tell me you're not about to do something stupid like throw in the towel. She's all but decided. I don't like the uncertainty either - trust me - but -"
"When I thought he was going to die, today..." I said gravely. "It felt like I was watching a part of her die. And then to think, all of a sudden, her choice was almost ripped away from her... that the only thing that could ever motivate her stay human... That would have been my fault, too."
"That's nonsense, Edward," she whispered. It's not your fault.
"If we'd never come here, she could have had a perfectly normal life with Jacob Black. He wouldn't be what he is. Bella wouldn't be hunted. He wouldn't have had to fight."
Alice snorted. Do you really think Bella wants a normal life?
"Are you buying into her romanticized view of this life now?" I shook my head. "She'll be just like that newborn in the clearing. Instead, she should be starting college. Coming home on the weekends to visit Charlie and Jacob."
I'm the one romanticizing? I'm sure you heard today what I can see. The Volturi aren't happy with the us. It won't be long until they come to check. She'd have to move down to the reservation and never leave. And even then, it would only be a matter of time until they came to slaughter the pack. And all of us, too. I'm sure of it.
"I would handle it," I murmured, breaking away from her intense gaze.
"You heard Jane. They don't make exceptions. There's nothing you could say to Aro..."
Her eyes grew wide with realization.
Edward - no! You can't be thinking...
"He would make the exception. I'm sure of it."
"And what?" You'd spend the rest of eternity holding his hand?
"Not that long."
Until she dies? That's not a life, Edward.
"I condemned her to this fate and it is the only way she can be free."
She shook her head angrily. I didn't know if I'd ever heard her so upset.
"Alice, promise me you won't try to sway her? It must be her choice."
She glared at me. She was confident Bella would choose me, so long as I didn't try to intervene.
I won't if you won't, she declared.
I extended my hand and she shook it once.
A/N: Thanks for all the love as usual! I've written a draft of the next chapter and it's one of my favorites so far. Edward sees La Push for the first time and he awaits Bella's decision.
I'd never read any of the Bree Tanner book before writing the last chapter. It was fun to learn a couple new things, but also tricky juggling two perspectives. Hope you enjoyed it!
