A/N: Hi everyone! Huge thanks to my serial reviewers who support me so faithfully! Thank you fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night, CoppertopJ, traceybuie and Shazzeer! I love your strong opinions and your supportive words!

So, I apologize for being two weeks late in posting this. I'm afraid that my updating schedule has all but blown up in smoke, because real life is hell for me since a few weeks ago. So I'll try to post the next chapter next weekend as I'm supposed to, but no promises, guys. We don't have much left, but I have literally no time to write these days. You can't imagine how frustrating it is for me. Oh, well...

I hope this chapter will be up to your expectations! It's time to fight! ;)

Enjoy, and please review!

Chapter 16

Edward

We ran swiftly and silently through the woods around us, only raising the alarm when we came within five hundred yards from our enemies. "Here they come!" some youngling yelled, making Livius starting to bark orders.

I saw that one of the vampires had taken out a cellphone and that he wanted to alert Caius. In no way would I allow that. So I accelerated, letting go of Bella's hand, and tackled the vampire, wrestling the phone from his hand. I crushed it with my foot just as I jumped at my opponent's throat, who was totally inexperienced in combat. I severed his head in a flash, then turned around, focusing on my mate. She had engaged a large female but was holding her ground, so I shot a look around me. Emmett was facing Livius himself – who looked pissed but not so smug anymore –, Alistair and Tanya were engaged in combat with two vicious, snarling newborns, and Jared and Jacob were tackling a howling Manfred, the largest of the group. The snapping, growling and tearing sounds were resonating loudly around us, but everything was still under control.

I noticed at the edge of the clearing we were in a large pile of dry wood, which was probably supposed to be our funeral pyre thanks to our enemies, but which would become theirs. With a last look at my Bella, who was fighting tooth and nail and was in perfect control of the situation, I pulled out a lighter and set the wood on fire, who blazed instantly, reeking of gasoline. Then I gathered the parts of my unfortunate victim and tossed them into the fire, fueling it anew and creating a purple smoke around us.

When I turned around again, not a full minute later, things had changed. And not in a good way. It seemed like Livius, that slimeball, could neutralize my mind reading after all, because four vampires had sneaked upon us and were about to jump in the fray from the north. And their beady, blood-red eyes were all set upon my Bella, who had defeated the broken female and was facing them, hissing in hatred.

I let out an outraged roar as I lunged at her, but the vampires were ready for it. It was a trap, I realized too late. Livius obviously let us believe that we had the upper hand, hearing his thoughts, but it was all an act. Smacking Emmett right in the face, he took two steps back as his goons regrouped around him. I was stopped by two strong pairs of arms, and fought uselessly against them, trying in vain to use my new physical shield. Two yards to my left, a wary Alistair was helping a battered Tanya to her feet, taking a protective stance in front of her, his teeth bared. Jared and Jacob, yowling faintly, were getting back on their shaking paws, eyeing a smug and unruffled Manfred.

"Not so strong now without your little tricks, are you?" Livius smirked, eyeing me with delight, then shooting a lewd glance at my mate. She and I snarled in anger, and I fought against the grip on me, to no avail. "Now, I don't believe we need to make introductions. Bella, you and Alistair will come with us without a fight."

"Not a chance in hell," my wife spat, sparing a worried glance towards me but remaining calm.

"You won't have a choice," Livius said almost gleefully, nodding at the two guards restraining me. They started to pull, and I felt my arms slowly torn away from my torso. "Unless you want your dear Edward in small burnt pieces in a minute from now."

I gritted my teeth, not wanting to give anything to our enemies. On my right Emmett was back on his feet, looking murderous, and the wolves were growling, edging to my back. Tanya was still stunned, but Alistair looked ready to fight. Our opponents closed in on us, looking determined, and the guards holding me pulled a little harder.

I was three seconds away from losing my arms, trying to keep my pain inside, when suddenly all hell broke loose. Bella screamed, a powerful, ear-splitting cry that rattled me to my core. The connection between us, stronger than anything Livius could ever know, sprang to life, restoring our powers and shattering his. Our thoughts flowed again, and I heard her distress at seeing me in pain, and her panic at the idea of losing me. She couldn't let it happen. She wouldn't.

Her physical shield bubbles expanded from her, shoving the guards away from me who tumbled five yards away. She encased our group in protective bubbles, and she and I could hear the startled thoughts of the red-eyed vampires, and Livius' incredulous ones. Impossible, he thought.

But nothing was impossible anymore when it came to Bella and me, it seemed. With a guttural shout, she ordered us to attack. "Now!"

I couldn't help myself, I ran to her, wanting to protect her at all costs. I wouldn't lose her. My mind couldn't comprehend the mere idea of her getting hurt, losing her even less. Alistair and Tanya engaged Livius, who was still unnerved but focused on his task of destroying us. Jared and Jacob jumped at Manfred who couldn't hit them anymore, thanks to Bella's shield, and for the first time he looked afraid. Emmett was facing the two newborns, and he ripped them apart like origami papers, before running in pursuit of one vampire who was fleeing.

Bella was fighting two vampires at once, holding her ground, and I had to admit that she was in control of the situation. But I had this overwhelming need to be next to her, to put myself between her and her opponents, to shield her from them. And that got me distracted.

I'd forgotten about the last vampire, a small female who lunged at me from behind with a vicious snarl, and only Bella's shield around me prevented her from tearing my head apart. But she tackled me to the ground, and tried to subdue me, her hands clawing uselessly on the thin film covering me. I dimly heard Bella's anguished cry, but I felt the tug in my guts from our connection more strongly than before. She was calling me to her, and I wanted to answer her, berating myself from getting distracted.

I focused on the female on my back, and felt Livius' talent try to stifle us again. But I wasn't having any of it anymore. I used my new mental shield to surround him in addition to Bella's, fighting against him with all my might, and my physical shield to push the female away from me. She shot away from me with a surprised yelp, while I scrambled to my feet. I was torn between the need to fight her, and go to my mate, who was still fighting her vampires. Then I heard my very pissed-off Bella's voice in my head. Edward, damn it! End her! I can pull my own weight, and you know it!

I didn't exactly disagree with her, but the need to protect her was completely irrational. However, I knew that my being distracted was granting an advantage to our enemies, so I forced myself to shut my fears down and concentrate on my fight. The female was running back to me, her eyes fiery and revengeful, but this time I was ready for her. When she lunged, I sidestepped her, then gripped her arms and pinned them to her sides. In the same movement I dove for her neck, and with my teeth I beheaded her. She fell with a strangled shout, but I didn't waste any time in throwing her body in the blazing fire.

When I turned around, I saw with relief that Manfred was no more. Jacob was helping Alistair and Tanya with Livius, tearing bits of vampire flesh away each time he lunged, and they were just toying with him now. Livius was livid that his talent didn't work anymore, but my Bella and I had him tightly wrapped up in our mental shield bubbles, which were pulsing with strange red and blue colors. She had won against one of her attackers, and she and Jared brought down the last vampire before tossing their remains into the fire. Emmett was fueling the pyre with large bits of Manfred and his own assailants, a large smile on his face as he watched the last fight.

I watched too as Alistair spoke to a barely standing Livius, while Tanya and Jacob still tore small chunks of him away, making him howl in pain. "This is for everything you've put us through. For every human life you've ever taken without remorse. For the poor Logan family that you buried shamelessly a few hours ago. For every crime you've committed under Aro's orders, and your refusal to obey the new Volturi leaders. For following Caius' madness and vendetta against the Cullens. And finally, for daring to attack my mate," he added with a wicked snarl, right before he, Jacob and Tanya dismembered Livius, who uttered a last gasp before losing his limbs. Then Emmett helped them dispose of the little bits of Livius into the fire, which roared a last time as the last of our enemies burned.

It was over, for now. We had won, but not because of me. Shame engulfed me, but the need to protect my mate was still there, powerful and irrational. I simply couldn't control it.

"Can't you?" Bella snarled, walking towards me with eyes darkened in fury. "Even when your stupid need to protect me overruns your self-preservation instinct? You almost got yourself killed, Edward! Uselessly, because you know that I can hold my ground against vampires as strong as Emmett! You know it, and you saw it! I destroyed them, Edward!"

"I know, Bella!" I exploded, my emotions running high. I had been terrified of losing her, and afraid for me too, I had to admit. I had feared losing her, and my family, to Livius. I had fought Livius' talent too, helping Bella, and still not understanding how we did it. I was shaking with nerves, and what-if thoughts, and guilt and love and remorse. But I still wanted to protect her, even from myself. So I raised my shield, concealing my thoughts from her. "But I can't not protect you! That's what I am! That's what I need to do! I can't stand the thought of leaving you to fend for yourself!"

"You're my mate, but you're not my bodyguard, Edward!" Bella yelled, fists clenching at her sides. She was mad at me, I could feel it. "I'm not the useless, weak human I was anymore! You don't have to be this overprotective! And don't hide your thoughts from me!"

"I can't help myself!" I bellowed, grabbing my hair with both hands in anger and distress. The bond between us was throbbing dully, and it wasn't pleasant. Bella and I weren't meant to fight like that. "I need to protect you, Bella! I... I can't live without you!"

"Me neither, but I'm not jumping in front of you every time something's happening, Edward!" she screamed, her anger engulfing me, making me pant. I was truly aching now from our distressed connection. "You have to stop treating me like a useless child! I'm a strong vampire, just like you, and you have no right to shelter me like this! I can handle just as much as you do!"

I wanted to yell at her, explain myself more, but in all honesty I knew that my behaviour wasn't right. She was right. I had to let her be like me. I was still treating her like my fragile human, and I wanted to shelter her from anything that was unpleasant, scary or mildly disturbing. And I had to change, the rational, reasonable part of me knew it.

I was about to argue again, in spite of everything, because she meant too much to me to give in like this, when I doubled over, overcome with a pain so intense that it left me breathless. I collapsed on the ground, clutching myself and rolling around in pain, molten lava turning my insides on fire. My eyes scrunched shut, I dimly heard above my grunts the startled questions of my family who was running to us, but what made me distraught was Bella's moans of pain. She was aching too, and I couldn't bear it. Her pain was excruciating, just like mine was. I didn't understand what was happening to us. "Bella," I mumbled through tightly clenched teeth.

"Edward," she whimpered feebly from a couple yards away – much too far for my taste – and the need to reach towards her overwhelmed me. She needed me. She needed my touch, just like I needed hers.

"Edward!" Emmett exclaimed right next to me, kneeling softly on the ground. "What's the matter, bro? Where does it hurt?"

"Em," I whispered, blindly reaching for his hand. He grabbed mine, and I squeezed as strongly as I could. "Bella..."

"She's right here, bro," he said reassuringly, but his tone marred with worry. "She's... in the same state as you. What can we do?"

"Edward," Bella murmured again, more faintly than before, just as another wave of lava burned my insides. I couldn't help my cry of pain, and I heard my mate's feeble sobs. We needed each other.

"Em," I tried to say, my voice coming out garbled. "Bring... me... to... Bella..."

I was about to pass out from the pain, the connection with Bella demanding and insistant. My shield shattered, and her thoughts assailed me again. She needed me, and I needed her, right now. I couldn't think beyond it.

"Here," Emmett said, gathering me carefully in his arms then rushing me a few feet away. He put me on the ground, and I felt Bella's presence just next to me. I could sense Alistair and Tanya on her other side, concern coming off of them, and the wolves a few yards away, standing guard over us. But my main focus was on my aching mate. I reached out for her, my hand advancing very slowly towards her, and Tanya took pity on us. She grabbed my hand and put it in Bella's, and the relief was instantaneous. She and I exhaled loudly, the lava slowly receding in me, and I opened my eyes at last.

Bella was sprawled next to me, her eyes still shut, and she was panting too. Her gorgeous features were etched with pain, her mind focused on calling me, and that I couldn't stand. I ignored the murmuring vampires and wolves surrounding us and rolled to my side, bringing myself closer to my mate. I gathered her in my arms, making her rest on my chest, and the easing of the pain was so tremendous that she and I sobbed in relief. She clutched me as if I were her lifebuoy, and I did no better. My arms were gripping her tightly, and my face was buried in her hair. I was inhaling her soothing scent in large breaths, and she was doing the same as she nuzzled my chest. The pain was fading fast now, and the bond between us was back to normal, vibrating with love, comfort and reassurance.

A few minutes later we found ourselves forehead against forehead, our breathing back to normal, but still clutching each other. Bella's eyes were fluttering, and her thoughts were chaotic. I realized then that by cutting my thoughts from her, I had worsened our fight, and that it was probably the reason of our collapsing in pain. Our strong connection couldn't allow us to be at odds with each other without making us suffer intensely. Bella's pain was mine, and mine hers. We couldn't fight without tearing ourselves apart. She was my other half, and I hers.

"Glad you realized that," she murmured, nudging me softly, her hands caressing my back. "Nothing between us anymore, Edward. Promise me."

"I promise, love," I vowed, my new resolve to include her in everything I had to deal with firm and strong. She had been right, and I wrong. She was my other half, so I had to treat her as such. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too," she said, her eyes opening at last, love and concern sparking in them. "I know that you're hell bent on protecting me, and I love it, but you have to back off, my love. Please protect me, but only when I ask you to. And don't close yourself off from me anymore. I can't bear it. Please."

I nodded, hugging her tighter as her soft plea wrenched my heart. Who was I to deny her when I needed to hear her beautiful mind at all times? And I loved and respected her too much to belittle her again. She was a strong vampire, and she could pull her own punches. I just had to learn my lesson and change my old-fashioned ways. And I would. She sighed in relief at my thoughts.

We stayed entwined with each other for a few minutes longer, focused on each other and our settling feelings and reiterated promises, kissing deeply, when Emmett cleared his throat, reminding me of where we were. "Um, sorry to disturb you, lovebirds, but it'd be better if we moved, like really soon. The bonfire will attract unwanted attention."

He was right. I could already hear the intrigued thoughts of a group of hikers some twenty miles away about 'that weird purple smoke', so I sighed and got to my feet along with Bella. We hugged once more, sharing a loving and remorseful kiss, then turned towards Forks' direction.

"Let's go," I simply said, not sparing a glance to the dying bonfire. Our work here was done.

As we ran, I clutched Bella's hand in mine, never wanting to let go. I could hear her thoughts and emotions settling down from panic and worry to love and contentment, and determination too. We had to end Caius.

"So," Emmett began, voicing the thoughts of our silent group who didn't dare disturb my mate and I until then. "What happened back there?"

"The fight?" I asked, knowing that he meant more.

"That, and... after," he clarified, eyeing me and Bella with concern. "What's the deal with you two?"

"Honestly, I won't have the strength to tell this another time," I confessed wearily. "Please wait just a little bit, Em. I'll tell you once we're home."

"Okay, bro," he agreed easily, a frown marring his good-natured face. He was worried about us, and truthfully, so was I.

Alistair's thoughts were interesting, thinking back to his time with Suzanne and Eugène. And he told us aloud about what Bella and I were seeing in his memories. "They were in the same situation, you know?" he addressed us seriously while still leaning protectively over Tanya who was on cloud nine in her mate's arms. "Suzanne and Eugène. They couldn't be away from each other too long, and they couldn't fight without hurting like hell. I think that once you reach this level of mating, you cannot argue with each other without causing pain. It's like arguing with yourself, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Bella confirmed as I pondered his words and thoughts. "I can't stand..."

She trailed off, but everybody knew what she meant. They saw it firsthand. And I was the first to admit that I'd been wrong to fight with her. I wouldn't do it anymore if I could help it. I couldn't stand her in pain. So if we fighting like cats and dogs caused her pain, then we wouldn't fight, ever. End of story. Whatever she needed to be happy and safe and well.

Thank you, she told me silently, squeezing my fingers as we crossed the border to the US. I can't stand you being in pain either, Edward. We'll talk about it, my love, okay? It's just... I'm not made of glass, she sighed, shaking her head slightly. I need you by my side, Edward, not in front of me.

Her words, a dim echo of the ones she'd told me years ago when she had to face her father, resonated loudly in me. She was my wife and my mate, but she wasn't my possession. She was her own strong, independent person, and I had to let her be.

I don't know why I feel so irrationally protective of you, love, I admitted in the secret shelter of my mind, stripping myself bare of my very last emotional layers in front of my loving, forgiving, understanding and compassionate mate. I know that all you told me is right, but...

Edward, she ventured carefully, and I was very happy that we could talk privately in our heads. Don't you think that you've been... scarred with how you were changed, and how you lost your parents? How in control you've always needed to be since then, never letting yourself loose? Maybe you're set in your old ways because you're afraid to lose control?

I could see where she wanted to lead me with this line of thought. I had promised Marcus that I would talk to him about all this, and I still hadn't. I needed some sort of therapy, and my mate was kind enough to remind me of it with careful words, always leaving me the choice. But as always, she was right.

I'll talk to Marcus as soon as this mess is over, love, I told her firmly. I need it, that's true.

She acquiesced, only her thoughts showing her relief and support for me, and she lightly hopped on my back while we ran. I instinctively grabbed her thighs, and she wrapped herself around me, lovingly kissing my neck and throat. We needed to be this close, very often. It wouldn't be a problem. It never had been. I lived and breathed for my Bella, and I could never be close enough to her.

Her thoughts echoing mine, I led our group back through Washington state, and soon we came closer to Forks. While cuddling and sharing loving thoughts and emotions, Bella and I stayed on the lookout for Caius or Lindsey, but we couldn't detect any trace of them. Alistair and Jared were on alert too, but like us they didn't pick up a single trail.

As we reached the forest surrounding Forks, we came across a running patrol who greeted us with serious faces and thoughts. Paul and Sam were relieved to see us unscathed and successfully back, but they had news. So I told my group to follow them to the house, and we all ran the short distance to the Cullen property.

The place was headquarters for a war zone, it seemed, with bustling activity, patrols and papers strewn all over the living room, pinned on the walls and displayed on every flat surface. Maps, satellite photos, sketches made by Alice; everything was suggesting that their tracking Caius was a very serious matter. It looked like we were now a small army ready to go engage our enemies.

Everybody rounded up on us as soon as we set foot in the living room, and the wolves hurriedly went to different bedrooms to phase back and put some clothes on for what seemed to be a council of war. Esme, of course, hugged Bella and me as soon as my mate slid down my back, relief flooding her. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back safely! Emmett texted us, thank God! Congratulations for neutralizing Livius! Are you all right?"

I hugged her back, nodding and thinking that for all intents and purposes, Esme was my mom, the only one that mattered in this eternal life of mine. My birth mother, though I would cherish her for as long as I lived, was no more. It was time for me to truly let the past go, and embrace what I'd had for a long time now. My parents were Carlisle and Esme Cullen. I had always known it, but now I truly acknowledged it, without guilt or remorse about my late family in Chicago. I was a vampire, and ready to acknowledge it too at long last.

Bella's hand squeezed mine, and I felt her satisfaction and her love at my thoughts. I was on the mend from the fractures of my own mind. It would take time, but she would be here with me through all of it. I couldn't love her more for it.

Emmett was kissing Rosalie passionately as they reunited, a little too heatedly, but no one would begrudge them this. Being away from one's mate... well, I couldn't do it, so I was grateful for my brother and sister to have endured it for us. Carlisle's hand came on my shoulder, and I heard his simple thought. Thank you. One down, two to go.

I nodded gravely as Alice, flanked by a smirking Jasper, barrelled through the French doors. "At last you're here!" she started to babble immediately. "Took your time! But all went well, I saw it. Well, as well as it could go," she amended, glancing briefly at Bella and me. "But now we have a lead. Jazz?"

"One minute, darling," he drawled while taking her hand, making her stop her bouncing on the balls of her feet. She was a little ball of energy right now, but she was still blocking me, playing annoying Bollywood movies' soundtracks in her mind, knowing full well that I couldn't stand them. "Give Leah a chance to put clothes on, okay?"

We chuckled lightly as Leah, her muzzle wrinkled but her jaw opened in a wolf smile, strode past us towards the staircase, to the second floor where she had a room for herself. She was quite comfortable around us now, except for our 'stinking smell', and she was truly appreciative of Esme – which in her eyes was a far better mother than her own was lately – and of Rosalie, as weird as it sounded. The two of them, along with Heidi, had become real friends, and Bella, like me, was quite baffled by it.

Once all the wolves were back to their human form and Jacob and Jared had been given huge plates of freshly barbecued meat and vegetables, we convened around the long table – that had been moved from the dining room – holding all the research, and Alice spoke up, looking far better than I'd seen her since our vacation in Isle Esme. "Okay, so like I wanted to tell you, we have a lead."

"Just a minute, Alice, please," Carlisle interrupted her softly, gazing at our group with concerned eyes. "We don't have your very useful talent, so please forgive my curiosity, but I'd like to know about Livius and how it went."

Alice huffed a little but waved at him, obviously wanting to humour him. "The floor is yours, Carlisle."

"What happened?" he asked us grimly, eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Emmett told us via text that you defeated Livius and his group, and that Bella and Edward had a problem."

I sighed, not wanting to dwell on things, so I let Bella and Alistair recount what had happened. My mate kept our shared thoughts for herself, for which I was grateful, but as soon as she was finished, Marcus stared pointedly at me. You, young Edward, will come to me once we're done here. And you and I will talk.

I nodded, the corners of my mouth lifting when he gave me a somewhat mischievous smile. I would unload my baggage, and I only hoped that it would help me in the long run. And I couldn't want to do so with a more understanding, caring vampire than our dear uncle Marcus. He was the neutral ear I needed to pour my heart out. Suddenly I couldn't wait to be done with Caius and his clique. I wanted to go back to my mate and our simple life, and our easy interactions with our family and friends.

Soon, my love, Bella soothed me, snuggling further into my lap.

Our caring family expressed some worry about Bella and my argument, and the consequences, but my mate reassured them, telling that we had worked it out and that we would avoid another fight as much as possible. We still had to talk about it in depth, but that was between her and me, and it would have to wait.

Their concern assuaged for now, we turned back to Alice, who took a deep breath, her fingers intertwined with Jasper's. "So, as I was saying, we have a lead." She shot a pointed look at Leah, who shrugged, looking pleased with herself. "Leah found their trail two hours ago, along the shore in the south of the peninsula. She followed it for a few miles to an abandoned mine."

"And is that where you think they are?" Jacob asked through a huge mouthful of meat, knowing that she was very probably right. She was a talented wolf, and he trusted her fully.

Leah smirked, exchanging a meaningful and smug look with Rosalie and Heidi who grinned in return. "No. That's where I know they are."

Are you happy that Livius is dead, like me? I couldn't stand him, so writing his end was very satisfying... Now, it's Lindsey and Caius' turn! And... we'll finally hear about Charlie... Next chapter should be the last, unless Bella has too much to say, then there will be an epilogue and an outtake.

Thanks for still bearing with me, and take care! And please leave me your thoughts! ;)