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Bella POV

CHAPTER 12

Edward had just showed up in my bedroom after Charlie went to sleep, a normal thing for us now, when he got a phone call from Carlisle. He seemed a bit puzzled to be hearing from him, but he excused himself from my presence and went outside on the roof to answer. I'm guessing what he heard didn't please him. He said that we were both going to a family meeting and we were to be there in 15 minutes. That means travel by vampire. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but my stomach and equilibrium took a minute to return to normal afterward.

I didn't hesitate to throw on a coat and some shoes and before I knew it, I felt like I was being hurled out of my bedroom window. It's a strange feeling, that. Falling from two stories just to land like you never really moved. Of course my rolling stomach knew better and I was breathing heavily and deeply trying desperately to keep dinner down. It didn't take us long to reach the beautiful Cullen house. It never did when we traveled this way.

The house never ceased to amaze me with its beauty and light. It was almost as if my human eyes couldn't see the real beauty of it and my human brain wouldn't be able to process it even if they could. Edward placed me on my feet and made sure I was steady before heading up the front steps to hold the door open for me. And some people say chivalry is dead.

We headed into the dining room, which I still thought funny that the only thing they did in here was have family meetings, and I took a seat across the table from Carlisle and Edward sat to my right. I was welcomed back by everyone and Esme especially thought I was brave for showing up, but since I was requested to be here, I couldn't very well say no.

"Where is Alice?" I asked Esme after I noticed an empty chair next to Jasper.

"She won't be joining us tonight, dear." Esme replied.

I thought that a bit odd but Jasper didn't seem to be concerned with her whereabouts, so perhaps she was out hunting or shopping. Both were likely scenarios if I were being honest. Carlisle took a moment to take an unneeded breath and then began, "I have called this meeting this evening because we have news about the Seattle problem. I don't know much about it, personally, but Jasper does. So I will defer to him."

Everyone at the table looked towards Jasper to continue. He looked a bit nervous about being the center of attention, but he seemed to handle it well none-the-less. "Carlisle is right." Jasper begins, "I told him to call everyone here as soon as I learned everythin' I could, but I'll need to start from the beginnin'."

As I listened to Jasper recount the knowledge he'd gained over the past two days, I realized that this is the first time I've ever heard him speak so much. Even in Phoenix he kept his distance, but I realized how much I had been missing by keeping that distance. As he spoke, I realized he had quite the Southern twang and found it endearing and calming, but also quite commanding. He almost seemed to radiate power as he relayed his information to the family.

"How do you know all of this, Jasper?" Edward asked.

"Because I have insider information, Edward." Said Jasper. I'm sure the tone he used was an indicator that we needed to drop the subject, but of course no one did.

"Insider information?" Asks Rosalie astounded.

"Yes, Rose. Insider information from a source I trust completely." Jasper said staring directly at her, daring her to argue.

"Who can we trust that's an insider?" Emmett wondered aloud. I'm guessing he missed the 'drop it' look between Rosalie and Jasper, either that or subtleties were completely lost on him. I believed either one was possible. "I mean, they're newborns, right?" he continues, "So, why would you of all people trust a single one of them?" He asked shocked.

I had to admit, I may not know Jasper as well as everyone else sitting here, but Emmett had a valid point. Why did we trust this person? I didn't hesitate to ask Jasper as much, but soon regretted it when he turned his gaze on me. There was a hardness and a coldness there that I had never seen in Jasper's eyes before as he told us about his friends Peter and Charlotte and what he had sent them to do. He seemed defensive, almost like he was waiting on someone to question his actions, but thankfully no one ever did. He must have very extraordinary friends if they were willing to put themselves in harm's way like that.

He had also mentioned that Victoria was behind this newborn army and that had a whole new string of thoughts running through my head. None of them good. Why would she make an army to destroy ME? Whose lives had she taken for her vengeance? What would happen to the army? What would happen to my family? What about my father? Would they get into the town and wreak havoc? The list could go on and on with its maddening possibilities.

I was just glad that we had other skilled vampires on our side and who would be willing to fight to keep this family safe. Keep me safe. I felt guilty about it, too though. Mostly because it wasn't their fight and yet it was brought to them because of me, a measly human. What if they were found out? They were risking their lives to get us anything we needed and the guilt I felt crippled me with the thought that I may never be able to repay them for their kindness.

As the guilt I was feeling seemed to dissipate only to be replaced with a sense of calm, I realized that Jasper could probably feel every single emotion in this room, from my overwhelming guilt to Rosalie's obvious anger, and he was just trying to diffuse the situation the only way he knew how. I looked back up at him and sent him a small smile of thanks to let him know how grateful I was to him. I didn't feel like I was drowning in my own guilt anymore. I could actually think around it and for that I felt gratitude towards him.

I didn't realize that the words had left my mouth until they were already out. "I think it's time I were changed."

I cannot deny that the looks I got from everyone at the table were a bit priceless, but I could focus on those later. You could have cut the shock and silence with a knife. Now I just needed to get my point across before Edward decided to open his big mouth.

"I agree with Bella, Carlisle." Said Jasper looking at the patriarch.

"Now wait just a minute!" Edward began, "You cannot be serious?" He looked at both Jasper and I with shock and disbelief etched over his perfect face.

"I am serious." I said turning to look at him. "This was all started because Victoria wants a mate for a mate, right? Well, as a human I'm more vulnerable and breakable now than I will be if I'm changed."

"I can protect you." Said Edward. "I can kill her before she gets anywhere near you."

"I don't doubt your ability." I said to Edward. "Nor do I doubt anyone else's," I said looking at everyone around the table, "but I would like to be able to defend myself if she gets too close, not to just sit and wait for a rescuer to do it for me."

"What about school? What about Charlie?" Edward replied with a knowing smirk.

I would be attending so many schools after I was changed that I'd be sick of it, honestly. So he didn't have a point to argue there. He thought he had me when he mentioned Charlie though, I'll give him credit for that, but I had a backup plan. No one was going to change my mind. I wanted Edward, which meant immortality. Not even the threat of my father would be able to deny me what I wanted.

"The roads around Forks are very hazardous this time of year, are they not?" I asked rhetorically. "It's not unheard of that a teenage driver loses control of a car and dies from the impact. I will miss Charlie, I can't deny it, but I also don't see how we have any other choice. Keep in mind that the Volturi know about me and they will be looking to see if I've been changed. I don't want anyone in this family to lose their lives because of me. I won't have it! The sooner we get this taken care of, the fewer threats we'll meet and the better I will be able to help defend us if necessary."

I looked at everyone sitting at the table and each seemed to be in their own thoughts. "Look," I began again, "I know you all are worried about me, especially because everyone believes I will be completely crazed my newborn year, but we all already took a vote on this. I am to join this family for eternity, that's already been decided. The only thing holding me up was fear of leaving Charlie and I would bring him right along with me if I could, but we all know that's not going to happen. Now that he and the rest of the town are under attack because of me, I can't stand not being able to defend it or them."

The next thing I know, everyone begins arguing. Very loudly. Rose was still completely against this, and Edward was backing her. Esme and Carlisle were trying desperately to gain some semblance of order so we could discuss this like a civilized group. Emmett was fighting for me very boisterously and I was thankful. The way I saw it, there were no loopholes in my logic. The fact that Jasper agreed with me was a bonus. At least I had him in my corner if things got bad. From the way everyone was reacting to my declaration, I could see this was going very badly. I had to diffuse the situation quickly before things got really out of control.

I turned to Rosalie, "Rosalie," I said. She was arguing with Carlisle, but went quiet and looked at me with anger and contempt, but I wasn't backing down that easily. "I know that you told me that you didn't want this life for yourself. You wanted a family, kids, and grandkids. I'm sorry that you cannot have those things, but you have a family that loves you and a husband who adores you. Think about that before you judge me on my decisions."

Next I spoke to Edward, "I know that you do not want me to become a soulless monster, but with you and your family's help, I know I won't be. I love you too much to let you go. If I stay human, we will never be able to live the life we were meant to. Together."

He looked at me with pain in his eyes and said, "You don't know what you're asking for."

I shook my head and said "Yes. As a matter of fact, I do."

With that I got up from the table and walked outside to sit on the back porch. It didn't take long before the arguing erupted again. I didn't want to hear them discuss my humanity anymore. I just knew that now was the right time to change me. By the time the army arrived, I would be perfectly capable of standing with my family to help defend it. I was determined to be.

A/N: I know that we haven't seen much of my main character for a while, but there is a point to that. Please enjoy the story and be patient to hear from Amanda again.