A/N… For some unknown/idiotic reason, I said the next post would be the 22nd when I really meant the 15th. I don't know what I was thinking. January so far has been like one giant Monday. Anyway, I fixed that in the chapter notes, and I'll get out of your way. I know everyone wants to see Archie and Demetri.

~oOo~

Chapter 15

BELLA

As Carlisle, Edward, and I made our way back inside the castle and through the long hallways, the voices grew louder. The throne room was a bit chaotic, and I could see why. Not only was Demetri back with Archie, but Carina and Agosto were also holding on to a weakened Brody.

"Oh, damn," I breathed when we stepped into the large room.

Caroline was wrapped around Archie, deep in a quiet conversation, and he was filthy. Marcus was looking over Brody, whose clothes were covered in dirt and dried venom. Demetri's face was livid as he paced back and forth, but he was quiet as he waited for Marcus.

However, the instant Archie caught sight of me, he gently pried Caroline off his front, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Bella," he said through a sigh.

I rushed to hug him. "You're okay?" I asked him softly.

"I'm okay. You?"

"Thanks to you, I hear. Thank you for helping me get out of there," I told him, and he wrinkled his nose a little and shrugged.

"I did what I could. I… I wanted to get to you and disappear, but things went a little wonky."

I grinned, because "wonky" was a Caroline word he'd totally picked up from her. It reminded me of when Edward would occasionally say "just sayin'."

Edward snorted from behind me, but he reached for Archie. "Glad you're safe, Arch."

Carlisle stepped forward, too. "Good to have you back, son," he stated, giving Archie's shoulder a squeeze.

My attention was drawn to Brody, where he was wearily talking to Marcus, Adrian, and Demetri. When I reached them, Brody's eyes met mine. His were a deep amber, almost black, because it looked like they'd starved him too.

"Aw, hell, Bella. I'm so sorry," he stated, swallowing thickly.

"What are you sorry for?" I asked, my brow furrowing.

He huffed a humorless laugh, shaking his head. "Because I vouched for those assholes, and then they turned on me. They made me drive the car that took you and Esme. They made me tell them all about you guys. All of you."

My eyes met Marcus's, and he glanced between Edward and me. He nodded once but faced the room full of people. "Okay, Brody, do you need to go for a quick hunt?"

"No, Marcus. Let's just do this. You guys need to know, but Archie will have to tell you. I can't remember half the shit."

My lip curled in hatred because that meant that Greta had kept him under her talent like she had Esme and me. I locked gazes with her, and her expression matched my own.

"Fine. Archie, tell us what happened after Bella got away," Marcus demanded, but it wasn't harsh, just merely stress filled.

Archie nodded, and he was so used to being the quiet one, the one sibling in the background, that speaking in front of everyone made him nervous. I could see, though, that he was determined to recount everything due to how serious this had all turned.

"Once Bella made it out of that underground place, Caius lost his reason," Archie started softly, shaking his head. "He took it out on a few of his people, specifically Niko. He blamed him completely for allowing her to get away."

"Did he kill him?" I asked through gritted teeth, leaning back against Edward, who wrapped his arms around me.

"No," he replied firmly. "But he ripped off his other leg, and he wasn't going to give his nose back."

There were snorts of laughter and praises aimed my way, but I waved them away. "Go on, Arch. I'm sorry."

"No, you're good." He wore a wry smile and then faced Marcus again. "Some of his followers weren't so lucky. I stayed invisible inside those tunnels. I stuck to Caius, just observing him. He immediately instructed everyone to pack up. They wouldn't actually say where they were going. They assumed Edward was around. I don't know if they saw him, or if they caught a scent, but they assumed he was at least on his way." He pointed our way. "They act like they've got the upper hand, but they know what he can do, what Alice can do, and they're now terrified of Bella."

"That's on me," Brody added, grimacing and shaking his head. "When you're under Greta's power, there's no stopping the truth from just popping out."

Esme and I nodded, but we stayed quiet, giving Archie our attention again.

"The fact that Caius's plan to get to Carlisle and Edward failed made him so mad," Archie went on. "Apparently, the goal was to destroy Carlisle and turn Edward's loyalty so they had a mind reader on their side."

A low, deep growl escaped me, because that would break us. And the pain would be agony.

"Easy, baby," Edward whispered in my ear. "Let him finish."

Nodding, I linked our fingers together at my waist. I glanced around the room, expecting to see frustration at my continuous outbursts, but there was only patience and understanding staring back at me.

"They knew if they got to Carlisle, that most of us would fight, but that we'd be emotional and not rational," Archie continued, frowning at the ground. "They thought using Esme and Bella would start it all, but…" He trailed off, gesturing to Esme and me. "They got away. Once they saw what Bella could do, they wanted to use her, but now, they're scared because they knew she and Esme would come straight here." He pointed to the floor. "Now, Bella's a threat, a loose end. Before they even left those underground tunnels, he sent out scouts for her, because if there's a battle, she's the key to Marcus's protection."

My gaze shot to Marcus, and I shrugged because that would be true. There was nothing I wouldn't do for Marcus. Without him, Edward and I would still be struggling with our connection, with no idea how it really worked. Marcus had protected us, fought with us against Felix, and had been responsible for handing me a large part of my family. I glanced over to Kevin and Adrian, because without Marcus, I wouldn't have them.

"She makes them nervous because they don't know why Greta's power won't hold her," Archie stated, glancing to me, but I stayed quiet. "They used several trucks to move everyone. Some went by train. But they moved everyone to the mountains in…in…" He looked to Edward. "Slovenia? Am I saying that right?"

Edward nodded. "He's moved closer. Caius is getting into position." My husband turned to Marcus. "He'll start rallying more to his cause, Marcus. He'll aim for Bella and me, not to mention Carlisle and Alice. We need to warn everyone who is not only loyal to you, but also those on the vegetarian diet."

Marcus nodded slowly, studying Archie, but he turned to Brody. "What exactly do they know about the people in this room?"

"Mind reader, though they knew that already," Brody answered, gesturing to my mate. "Future seer, empath, shield." He pointed to Demetri. "They knew about Demetri already. They know nothing about Archie. I mean, I had barely met him when you guys arrived. I didn't know about his talent."

I worried about mine and Edward's connection. I wasn't sure Brody knew much about it, and I was pretty sure Esme hadn't told them, even under Greta's power. Even if they knew, it was so rare, they wouldn't know the ins and outs of it.

"No, it's safe," Edward whispered in my ear. "But you're right; they wouldn't know what it was or what to do with it."

We can't even discuss that with anyone outside this room, I thought to him, nuzzling his jaw.

"No one outside the family…and Marcus."

Nodding in agreement, I turned back to Archie. "How'd you find Brody?"

Archie smirked, shrugging a shoulder. "He was in the room next to yours. He stayed under Greta's power just about the whole time. I just waited until we got to the new hiding place before I disappeared with him."

My family cheered in praise of Archie – shy, quiet Archie, who had been changed in 1920 and stayed invisible and trapped in the house in Maine. He was now an adorable spy. And he'd done an amazing job.

Demetri, who had been pacing throughout this whole thing, finally came to a stop and looked to Marcus. "What do you want to do, Marcus? He's obviously coming for us – you and me specifically. He wants to destroy everything we've been working on for the last twelve years. If he wanted to simply step back in, that would be one thing, but I have a feeling he let the fires happen, saving his own ass in the process."

I snorted softly because I'd thought that very thing, that I'd be willing to bet the entire Cullen fortune on the fact that he'd saved his own skin and left his brothers to burn. He allowed Felix to run rampant, and he'd allowed Marcus to take control, only to decide now to fight back. All because his ideals were different.

"You agree with him," Marcus stated to me.

"I got that same impression, yes," I replied, nodding a little. "When he told Esme and me that he'd heard rumors that Felix was plotting against you, I sensed he allowed things to play out. What I couldn't understand was why he waited this long in hiding."

"Caius has no friends," Demetri stated firmly. "Where Marcus sought out Carlisle after the fire – a friend and a true ally – Caius has no one. He has always created enemies instead of cultivating alliances. With Aro, he was the first one to call for death, and his brother listened. Aro would weigh out options, but Caius didn't. While Marcus is fair and just, Caius was hate and blood. Aro, however, would decide based on what was in it for the Volturi. Caius would have gone into hiding because it would've taken time to find followers, immortals willing to fight against Marcus. If he didn't have to create them himself."

"He said he had the numbers to take down not only the immortals on the vegetarian diet, but also you two," I told them, gesturing between Marcus and Demetri. "And he does. There were like a hundred of them down there."

"Eighty-six," Archie stated softly. "I counted. Some with a few talents."

"Well, their shield is useless," I sneered, my lip curling in hatred.

"Niko's days are numbered," Edward added with a growl.

"Useless compared to you, Bella," Demetri stated with a laugh. "And a threat if he gets his hands on you again."

I shook my head. "Greta is a bigger threat." I turned to Archie. "What other talents did you see?"

"There's a man named Alpha – he can control water. Penny can't be tracked. I heard talk of someone named Jude, who can alter memories, but I never saw him."

I let out a deep sigh, thinking my shield could cover those.

However, Carlisle stepped forward. He'd been really quiet through this meeting. His gaze went from Esme to me, and his temper, which was rare, was right there on his face.

"When you showed up in Oregon after the fire here, Marcus, I gladly took you in, sheltered you, helped hide and protect you. I would've done the same for Caius, despite the fact that he never really had patience for me or my convictions. I would've done it because it would've been the right thing," he stated firmly, his brow furrowing as he pushed his hands into the front pockets of his pants. "But after all this time, he suddenly decides that I'm his enemy."

He gestured around to all of us. "He took my wife, my mate – something that used to be forbidden by law. He took my daughter, starved her, tortured her. He wants my son. I never considered him an enemy before, but I do now. I don't want a war, but I don't even have to put it to a vote – look at them."

I gazed over the faces of my family. They were angry. They were steely glares and almost black eyes. When I glanced back at Edward, he was gritting his teeth, causing his jaw to roll, but he was also flinching a little, and I could imagine that was due to the mental noise in the room.

Marcus nodded. "I know. I see the loyalty, Carlisle. You've always been way more gracious than my brothers deserved, but I will always appreciate your friendship above anything else." He rubbed his face in frustration and sadness. "I never gave much thought to what the Volturi did. We just did it. We ran things the best way we could throughout the times. But thinking back, maybe that wasn't exactly the truth.

"Aro, for all his selfish faults, kept most of the laws in check, and he coveted immortals with powers. I've tried to do that alone, but with a more open mind," he continued, gesturing toward my family. "Carlisle, your family is the perfect example of what we could be. You've instilled hope, integrity, and respect into each and every member. I don't even think diet has anything to do with it. It's just you. Eleazar's family is the same way. You give respect, and therefore you get it back…in spades. I've tried to do that here on a larger scale."

"You have, Marcus," Demetri stated softly. "Mercy isn't weakness."

"But Caius thinks it is," he countered, wearing a small smirk. He paced a few steps, and we waited quietly. When he faced us, his temper had increased a bit. "I know that to ask you to fight would be an insult to our friendship, to everything we've already endured together. It's an insult to all that you've done for me over the years." We started to protest, but he held up his hand. "I know, I know. I see it. And I thank you." He let out a deep breath, turning to Demetri. "First, let's get everyone on the animal blood diet into hiding. Now. Today. Eleazar's family, Catherine and Brandon, and Mark and Megan. Get them on the phone. Bring them here, or send them to a safe location, but get them underground."

"Sir," Demetri said, pulling out his phone.

Carina already had her phone in her hand, and she asked, "What safe location?"

"Give them an option," Carlisle answered her. "Our house in Forks or here. Coming here would put them out in the open until we could actually protect them. Forks…" He trailed off, looking to me. "Forks would have the Quileute wolves to protect them, but we'd need to contact them. We've been out of the area for quite some time, so it's possible that some of them may not want us back. It's the vampire presence that causes the young members of the Quileute to shift." He gazed back at Marcus. "If they opt for our house, then we'll get with the wolves."

I shook my head because I wasn't sure about talking to Jake. My dad was a different story, but Jake? The mere idea of hearing his voice after those vivid flashbacks made me nervous. I wasn't sure how I'd react.

Edward turned me to face him. "You don't have to, but they will want to hear from you. They always do. I'd say go through Seth, but Jake is, in fact, Chief and Alpha."

My first instinct was to say no, but I knew if I struggled, Edward would take the phone from me. My mind went to what Carlisle had said about causing the shift.

"They may not want us in the area, Edward," I stated. "Eddie's thirteen. Thirteen. That means he's right there. He's of the age that would shift should we show up. Jake and Anna may not want him to shift. It's a hard life."

Edward wrinkled his nose, nodding a little, but he turned to Carlisle. "She has a point. They haven't completely stopped shifting, in order to run basic patrols, but if we bring ten immortals to their front doorstep, then the shifting gene will kick into gear for the young members of the tribe."

Carlisle didn't say anything, and Edward seemed to be reading his thoughts, but I sighed, grimacing as I pulled out my phone.

I didn't give a damn what they said – I was calling my dad first.

He didn't even say hello. "There's my girl!" he sang.

"Hey, Daddy," I replied softly, walking away from the noise of the throne room.

"Happy anniversary," he countered with a chuckle. "How's Europe?"

I huffed a humorless laugh. "Thanks, and that's kind of why I'm calling. I just…" I swallowed thickly at the mere thought of hearing Jake's voice. "I… There're some things going on, and I need to let you guys know."

Charlie went quiet. "What happened, Bells?"

One of the best things about my life now was the fact that Charlie was aware of everything. That wasn't always the case, but it was now. I told him everything – anniversaries, chases, connections, Caius, apparitions, and flashbacks. I even told him about what I was still dealing with at that moment.

"Edward must've lost his mind," Charlie mused on the other end.

I snorted, glancing up at my husband stepping out into the hallway with me. He scoffed, rolling his eyes a little.

"Yeah, you could say that," I muttered wryly.

"First, I want to make sure you're okay. You and Edward. That connection of yours is pretty intense. You guys are healing?"

Edward pressed a kiss to the middle of my forehead as I nodded. "Yeah, we're getting there. I just… I'm still a little off."

"That woman's power must've been something else," he surmised wisely. "To send my strong girl into a panic. What do you want me to do?"

"Can you…" I trailed off, glancing up at Edward. "Can you have Jake call Edward? Not me. I just… I can't right now. Dad, it was too real, and it unleashed a chain of events that…"

"What happened?"

"They starved me, so when I finally… I ran, and I… There was a human, and…"

"Oh." He was quiet, and Edward sat down on a bench along the wall, his elbows resting on his knees as he watched me closely. "It sounds to me like you couldn't help it, baby girl. I mean, they hurt you, and you were out of it. You said yourself that you were hallucinating. That's not you, Bells. You're strength and happiness, so it sounds like an accident to me."

The sob I'd been holding back slipped out. "I know, but I can't help but feel…"

"I'm sure, kiddo. But these people put you into this state. I'm just glad you're safe, that you and Edward are okay. Is the rest of the family okay?"

"Yeah, they're good. They're mad. But I can't with Jake right now. So please just… Tell him to call Edward, okay?"

"If these friends of yours are coming to Forks, does that mean you guys will too?" he asked softly, and I heard a touch of hope there.

"I don't know. We're being targeted, and because I got away, I'm the biggest target. And they want Edward so they can use him to read minds, so we really have to lie low." I huffed a laugh. "Honestly, if it were up to me, I would rather draw them there. Talk about home-field advantage."

Charlie chuckled. "I made you watch too much Sports Center."

I couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "Maybe. Though…you've met Emmett."

He laughed again. "True. Okay, kiddo. Let me get over to Jake's. Tell Edward to keep his phone on."

"He knows."

"Good. Love you, Bells. We'll handle things here."

"Love you, too, Daddy."

"C'mere," Edward whispered, pulling me between his legs. "You did so well, love. I know his opinion means a lot to you, but honestly, Charlie only wants you happy. You should know that."

Nodding, I swallowed thickly around the lump in my throat. "I love you."

Edward's beautiful face lit up. "That means everything to me, sweet girl."

~oOo~

EDWARD

The view from one of the many windows of the castle was better than the rolling hills of Italy surrounding it. My siblings and Bella were down below on one of the stone decks chatting with Brody and Archie. Brody had now hunted, so he was in much better form, physically and mentally. Bella also looked better, more in control of her emotions. She was quiet, content to simply absorb the conversation around her as the night breeze blew her hair back from her face. She was so very beautiful and still a touch melancholy, and something about that broke my heart a little.

I'd stayed up in the throne room with Marcus, Demetri, and Carlisle after Bella's call to her dad. As much as I shared everything with Bella, I was waiting for Jacob's call, deciding it was better to do it away from my sweet angel at first. Now the throne room was empty. Marcus was pacing in the meeting room just off the side. Demetri was still trying to locate Catherine and Brandon, and no one had heard from Mark and Megan – another topic I had to discuss with Jacob.

My phone rang in my pocket, and I answered it. "Hello, Jacob."

"Hey, Ed!" he replied instantly, and he was subdued. "Okay, so Charlie told me to give you a call. Is Bells okay? Because he told me you guys have some trouble."

Leaning back against the stone railing, I took a deep breath. "One of the original members of the Volturi survived the fire Felix set. Caius. He's been in hiding, biding his time to forcibly take it back over from Marcus," I started, knowing Jacob would remember the fight with Felix. "They'd had spies in Marcus's midst, and they took Bella and Esme captive."

"Well, holy fucking shit! I thought you said she was okay!"

"She is, she is. We got them both back, but Jake, they're targeting immortals on the animal blood diet. We may need to send some of our kind to the house in Forks. I realize that it's been several years since we've lived there, and you may not want us around since we start the shift in the young members—"

Jacob snorted. "If you're talking about Eddie, don't worry. He's so ready to shift."

I grinned, shaking my head. "So he wants to be a pack member."

"Yeah, that was like fighting a hurricane. Even though Izzy's the oldest, it'll be Eddie who will most likely take leadership. She isn't really interested." He chuckled a little. "But it's fine. Send them on. I'm guessing it's the ones from Alaska."

"Yes, and we're trying to locate Catherine and Brandon. They also wanted to know if Jessica's heard from Mark and Megan."

"Not in a few months, but I'll have her try," he answered softly. "Your old house in Forks is fine, Edward. Send them. We'll expand the patrols, and we know everyone, so it'll be easy to guard them…" He trailed off a little. "Not that I mind, but why am I talking to you? Bella usually calls with this type of shit."

I huffed a humorless laugh. "Caius has a talented immortal in his ranks. She works a bit like Chelsea, where she can switch your loyalty and command you to do anything. They also have another shield, which caused Bella's shield to not work. Together, they were able to get to Bella, who was protecting Esme."

"Motherfucker," he mumbled, sighing deeply. "But she's okay?"

"She's physically safe and back with us. They both are. Jacob, she…" I sighed deeply, raking a hand through my hair and gripping it as I took a seat on the bench next to me. "When she was taken, Greta's power severed our connection several times. When that happened, we were both in pain. When Bella was under that power, she experienced flashbacks. She'd needed to hunt before all this happened, so this just compounded the problem. Those flashbacks, combined with the pain of being away from me and needing to hunt, made her…delirious. The flashbacks were real to her, Jacob, because the other shield beat her, threatened her."

He went quiet because he wasn't stupid by any means. And he knew the trauma he'd caused while I was away those two years.

"She's… She's scared to talk to me," he surmised in a whisper. "It's me, those flashbacks."

"And me," I admitted sadly. "But you need to know that in that manic state, she was able to get away. However, she was so starved, she…"

"Aw, damn it."

"Yeah, so Bella is…"

"A mess."

"Yeah." I sighed again. "Look, Jacob, I know you like to hear these things from her, and normally, you would, but she's…struggling. I just needed your okay to send our friends to Forks, at least for the time being."

"No, it's fine. It's been boring lately. The boys will enjoy something different."

I snorted, saying, "If you say so."

"Ed?"

"Yes?"

"Will you tell her… Will you tell her I'm sorry?"

"She knows, Jacob. She's forgiven you. She's forgiven me. But reliving it all…even if it was in her mind…"

"I fucked up. Back then. I just… I should've stopped or walked away from her. I just… I was a dumb fucking kid who couldn't control anything at the time," he rambled softly. "The fact that those memories followed her into becoming one of you…. Well, there was a part of me that hoped she'd lose them."

My nose wrinkled at his honesty. "I understand. But she's… She wouldn't be who she is without those memories. It made her an amazing and sympathetic doctor, and it gives her a beautifully kind heart. We both hurt her, and we both have to live with it every day. And for some damn reason, she still wants us in her life. I don't know who to thank for that."

He snorted, and it sounded a little emotional over the line. "Right? I don't either. Now I know why she called Charlie first."

Smirking, I hummed agreement. "She needed him. She needed to confess what she'd done when she slipped. But you know Charlie; he's going to put things into perspective for her."

Jacob chuckled. "He loves that she's basically indestructible. After her clumsy human accidents, he's glad there are no more broken bones, stitches, or bruises. I'm not sure he'd care what diet she was on, as long as she could still call him."

"Mm, true."

"Are you guys coming back?" he asked.

"I don't know. I don't exactly know what the next steps are. Bella and I have to stay hidden. They let her get away, so she's a threat. They want me for my mind reading. Hell, they want Alice, too. Carlisle is also a target, so Marcus is keeping us close."

"Well, if you bring them here, then we could help you."

I chuckled. "Yeah, Bella called it home-field advantage."

"Exactly."

We were quiet for a moment, but I said, "Please give Anna and the kids our love. I assume we'll be in touch."

"Sure, sure. I'll go see Jess now about Mark and Megan. And…Edward, tell Bells to call me whenever she's ready. Please. No rush."

"I will."

Marcus leaned in the doorway of the throne room. "Eleazar is opting for Forks."

"He's good to head that way. Jacob is aware," I replied, nodding a little. "And Megan's friend, Jessica, is a pack imprint, so they're getting a message to her to call. Hopefully, we'll have everyone safe there as soon as possible."

He hummed in acknowledgement. "Your color is better. Not quite the green I'd like to see, but you're not purple or red. More of an aqua/teal."

He didn't ask the question out loud, but he was wondering how we were coping, how it felt under Greta's control, and if he should voice any of it, so I answered him anyway.

"That was…excruciating, Marcus – like…debilitating. Greta's power felt like a sword splitting us down the middle. And it was the longest we'd ever been apart." I met his gaze. "We must keep that quiet. If they realized just how connected Bella and I are, then they'd use us against each other, against you and Carlisle. She said that our connection is the reason why Greta's power doesn't hold her. That's dangerous information."

"Yeah, I know. I would like you all to stay close. Day trips only, if you leave to go hunting. And honestly, I'm about to set Demetri as your personal bodyguard."

Grinning, I nodded. "Understood. I'm sure he's perfectly okay with that."

Marcus smiled ruefully at the sound of laughter wafting up from the deck down below. "Go, son. Keep healing. We'll need you both strong and connected."

I stood up from the bench, patting his shoulder on my way by him. "For what it's worth, Jacob said that if you wanted to bring the fight to him, you'd have the support of the wolves."

Marcus's eyebrows shot up. "Fair enough, Edward. Thank you."

I wandered slowly through the castle and down the stairs to the deck where everyone was chatting. I needed to wrap my arms around Bella. Talking to Jacob had gone better than I expected, but it brought back memories of what we'd all gone through in Forks. I'd happily play go-between for her and Jake, but I didn't think I'd have to for very long.

Bella was strong and smart and forgiving, but she'd been through something that had scared her. As I stepped out onto the back deck, I smiled at her sweet giggle at whatever Emmett was saying, having faith that she'd heal just fine and I'd be there for every single step of it.

Once I sat down behind her, I pressed kisses to her neck and cheek.

"What did Jake say, Ed?" Emmett asked.

I nodded, smiling up at him. "We're good. He's in."

~oOo~

A/N… Brody's back. I know most of you were worried. Some thought he'd switched sides. Now the wolves are in the picture.

No songs added to the playlist.

Okay, so next Sunday will be the next update. Which really is the 22nd. I honestly… Maybe my brain is fried. Who knows? Anyway… Until next time… Mooches, Deb ;)