"When Carlisle drove me home the other day, we talked. He seemed shocked by something I said. This leads me to believe that none of you were given a complete version of the events in Italy." As he listened to Bella speak, Carlisle clenched his jaw and blocked his thoughts from Edward. He did not want to distract Edward from what Bella had to say with the angry thoughts flowing through his mind. Carlisle understood, even commended, Edward on his devotion to putting Bella's soul before his desires. But Carlisle never imagined Edward would take it so far as to risk Bella's life, which is exactly what his defiance in Italy had done. For not even the whole of the Cullen clan would have stood a chance against the Volturi guard. The very fact that Aro allowed Bella to live after such an insult told Carlisle that there was even more to the story. And Carlisle knew that despite being privy to every thought Edward ever had, Aro would have still perceived such an action as exactly that. He had a disturbing hunch that whatever Alice and Edward had failed to tell them had much to do with Bella's reasoning behind this meeting today. He felt Esme's hand clench in his as she reacted to the tension filling her mate.
"After Aro let Jane have her fun testing her powers on me, he was … giddy almost, gleeful that she had been unable to reach my mind. He turned to Edward, remarking how it was such a shame that I would have to die, unless of course, Edward was going to offer me immortality. I can't say I was surprised when Edward didn't even hesitate before refusing. After all, the last time I had seen Edward he had told me I was nothing more than a passing interest. Aro immediately ordered Felix to kill me. Edwarrr…." Bella's sentence ended in a gasp of shock as she felt herself flying backwards at the same time as the sound of a loud crash registered in her ears. She found herself wrapped safely in Alice's embrace. She could just make out several white shapes moving on the far end of the living room as the sound of stone against stone continued. From the fact that Jasper, Rosalie, Esme and Carlisle stood between her and the figures, she surmised the fighters were Edward and Emmett.
Esme was in utter shock as she stood between her fragile, human daughter and two of her sons. She knew Jasper wasn't far from joining Emmett in expressing his displeasure over Edward's actions in Italy. The anger Jasper was radiating was difficult to separate from her own. How could she have failed so badly as a mother that her son would allow the threat of death to touch Bella before he would accept immortality for her? How could he not understand how Bella would perceive such a decision? The very girl who had always felt she was less than them simply because of her humanity!
Jasper had no difficulties in understanding just why Emmett was enraged with Edward. From the moment Bella had accepted Edward, Emmett had seen her as his little sister. Whom Emmett felt he had failed when he, like all of them, left her behind all those months ago. For Edward to have put Bella in further danger enraged them all. Jasper took advantage of Edward's distraction – Emmett was truly trying to remove his head after all – to think things through. Bella indicated that Alice and Edward had withheld details from the Italy event. Alice always told Jasper everything. There were no secrets between the two. It was very telling that Bella was still alive after Aro had ordered her death. Since he now knew that it could not have been Edward who had agreed to turn Bella, Jasper had a sinking suspicion that it was Alice who had promised. And one did not break their word to the Volturi and expect to live. Jasper felt a sharp pang to his heart as he realized Alice would be executed if she did not ensure Bella was turned. Quickly blocking his thoughts, Jasper realized what Bella's plan must be. She had to know her turn could not be delayed so, in typical Bella fashion, she planned to sacrifice herself for Alice's sake. It would certainly explain the deep seated protectiveness Bella had been feeling today and her cryptic statement of not having enough time. As he listened to Esme and Carlisle finally step in to separate his brothers, Jasper felt his own strong wave of protectiveness. If there was one thing everyone in this family knew, it was that Jasper would allow no threats to Alice. Yet, this wave of protectiveness he felt was for his little human sister. Not once had Bella blamed any of them for the horrors they had introduced into her life. Unbelievably, she didn't even blame him for attempting to drain her on her eighteenth birthday. Jasper loved Bella just as much as Esme and Rosalie. He knew himself well enough to know he wouldn't hesitate if it came to choosing between Alice's and Bella's lives – Bella would lose, but dammit, he was going to give it his all to find a way to get Bella her time without endangering Alice. He had protected her once before, for Edward's sake; this time Jasper would protect Bella simply because she was his sister.
Once the fight stopped, Edward attempted to speak. Carlisle held up his hand "Not yet Edward. Everyone take your seats, we promised Bella we would hear her out. You will all sit and listen to what she has to say. Emmett – you are to hold your temper, no matter how deserving of it your brother might be at this moment." With that decree, the family took their seats again. Bella, finding herself too restless to sit, began to pace on the carpet. "Bella, please continue Sweetheart". With Carlisle's encouragement, Bella stopped her pacing close to Jasper and Alice's couch and continued her tale.
