Chapter 12 – Decisions

BPOV

Alice and I sat in the car, while she was on the phone with Edward. "She made her decision. She's going to try to get Bella this week. Victoria's coming back to Forks." My eyes welled up with tears. This week would be the end of this. That is all I knew. I didn't know if it was the end of Victoria or the end of me; all I knew that this was the week it would all be over.

Alice interrupted my thoughts, "Bella?" She was holding the phone towards me. I tried to steady my hand before reaching for the phone, but I couldn't. I took the phone, "Hello?" I answered in a whisper. "Bella," Edward's voice was controlled and concerned. "Bella, you heard Alice. Please, don't stray far from her. This is very important." I had to clear my throat, "I know, Edward. I will." "Bella….." He heard the fear in my voice. "Yes?" He sighed, "I know you're scared. This will be over soon. Call Jacob and tell him about Alice's vision. If you have to, stay on the reservation. I'm sure they can keep you safe as well. Still, remain with Alice as much as you can. Please, Bella."

"Yes, Edward, I will. I promised that I would come back to you." There was a brief silence on the phone, "Do you have your phone with you?" "Of course," taking the phone out of my pocket. "Please, if you need me, for anything, call. I will be there. All right?" "I will." He sighed again, "Just keep your promise and everything will be fine." I closed my eyes, "I know. I love you." "I love you. Keep yourself safe." I looked to Alice, "I will." After the call, Alice and I went to class, but she was on her guard.


EPOV

When the line went bed, I sunk onto her bed. Since Bella left, I barely left her room. A few days after she was gone, Carmen was thinking of making this Bella's permanent bedroom. This made me feel better, but only marginally. I was happy that Tanya and her family have embrace Bella. Still, I wasn't happy. When I realized she was gone, all I felt was anger. I wanted Bella here, with me, where she belongs.

Victoria made her decision. As soon as Alice sees Victoria's exact plans, Emmett, Jasper and I are going back to Forks. Jasper wants to go to keep Alice safe and we couldn't keep Emmett away the fight if we wanted to. There was no way he was turning down a good fight. Rosalie wasn't happy that he wanted to do that, so he is trying to console her. I'm hoping Victoria makes a decision soon. I want nothing more than to end her life and burn her body. To see the flames lick at her appendages, knowing her hateful plan wasn't going to happen.

Like Bella, but not as much, I worried about my public life. The first days after she left, I had to calm myself down, so my schoolwork occupied my time. I focused on work, but that only took up half an hour. The thoughts of completing it at a human speed, but that would have made me go insane. After that was done, hunting was another prospective activity. That was a small distraction. The wildlife wasn't that active. Caribou, moose, beavers and foxes ran wild.

Heading deeper into the wilderness, the scent of bears caught me. There were also some wolves and those caught my preference. A silver wolf caught my eye and it stalked toward me. The animal was down before it knew what happened. Feeling a little high to actually take on a wolf, I went back for a bear. To make it more interesting, my mind thought of the bear was Victoria. I was a bit more malicious than I needed to be to my prey, but I wanted Victoria dead. The bear scratched its paw against my chest, making a screeching sound. The animal roared terrified of its opponent.

My arms got around the animal, tackling it to the ground. Its blood flooded through me, making feel engorged. I made a mental note not to criticized Emmett on fighting with his prey. That was quite a fight. The fight was a good distraction. The sun was down now and the stars were coming out. The stars reminded me on the nights Bella and I walked underneath them.

Though I hated Victoria's decision, part of me was glad she finally made it. This was going to be over soon. When this was over, I could be there when Bella graduates from high school. My own graduation doesn't concern me much, but this was Bella's first time graduating from high school. Going back to the house and cleaning myself up, I laid back in her bed, with my hands under my head. Her scent on the fabric was very faint. My scent was overpowering hers. I stayed in her room as a way to be closer to her.

Since she left, Esme, Carmen and Tanya checked on me from time to time, but mostly I was alone. I preferred it that way. If Bella was not here, there was nothing much for me. To occupy my time, I mostly thought about her. I thought of the days when I first met her. Her blood was so strong, that I came here for refuge. But I couldn't stay away; she was all I thought of. When we were in school together, I wasn't focused on my classes. Instead, I watched her through the minds of the other students.

I thought of how she was on the flight back to Italy and the way she was that first night. Also, there were those first days, when she was here. That first night, she slept so peacefully. I remembered how her hair fell in her face, before brushing it back. I didn't want anything to disturb my view of her face. My mind brought up her bravery when she spoke up to Irina. When she spoke, that took me by surprised. I smiled at the memory. Bella is such a soft-spoken person, but when she was mad, she was a different person.

While lost in my memories, the bedroom door opened. I hated when someone opened the door, air blew in and washed Bella's scent away. "Yes, Rosalie?" She stood by the dresser, "Is Bella alright?" "Yes," this was still strange that Rosalie was showing concern for Bella, "Alice saw that Victoria is going to try to attack Bella this week." If Emmett wasn't as anxious for a fight. Rosalie feared for her headstrong husband. Rosalie sighed, "I don't like this, but Em will be very helpful." I sat up and looked at her.

She was looking out the window. Her thoughts continued about Emmett. She didn't want him to get hurt. He's like a child in many ways, always thinking everything is a game. "Yes, he is. But, I want you to know that I will be the one to finish Victoria." She laughed once, "Revenge, our kind's favorite past time." She lamented about her own revenge, refusing to taste her victims' blood. I smiled, "Yes, next to hunting humans." The both of us laughed.

Rosalie was still smiling, "You know I owe you an apology." I looked at her. Rosalie never apologizes. "For what?" She wanted to apologize for the way she treated Bella in the past. "Rose, don't." She moved to sit at the vanity, "Edward, please, let me speak." I nodded, allowing her to have her say. "Edward, when Alice first saw you with Bella, you know that I was against it. Being so selfish, I didn't want her to be part of our family. A human who knew our secret. I thought she would put us all in danger. But, you felt it was the reverse; that her knowing our secret was putting her in danger. After the incident in Italy, I really have seen Bella in a new light. She risked her life to save yours."

My eyes closed remembering Rosalie's hard words, "She's dead, Edward. Come home." The phone shattered in my hand when Jacob said Charlie was at funeral. The thought of Bella being still and quiet in a coffin. Rosalie continued not noticing me, "When Alice told me she and Bella were going to Volterra to stop you, with Bella still believing that you didn't love her, it showed me that she would never do anything to hurt you, or any of us. Edward, when I said that I thought of Bella as my sister, I meant it. I honestly want to form my own bond with her."

This was a different Rosalie than I've known all these years. She hardly was open to new family members. Alice had to show Rosalie that she shared her love of fashion. Rosalie came to sit with me on the bed, "That's why I helped her. I want you to know, I wasn't going to let her go, until Alice said she was going with her. I helped her, because she was right. I do want to keep her safe too, but she had things she needed to do as well."

I stared at her, not believing what I was hearing. Rosalie was taking up for Bella. She really was trying to accept Bella as part of the family. When Rosalie met Bella, she held a grudge. Bella was attractive and alluring to me, while Rosalie never appealed to me. Bella is uniting the family even more and she is strengthening our bonds. I smiled at my reluctant sister, for the first time in a long time, "Rosalie, I accept your apology, but it's not necessary. I know you're sincere and that you're trying to get along with Bella. As far as Italy, you've already apologized. I don't wish to bring it up again. Thank you for realizing how important she is to me and for trying to bond with her yourself."

Rosalie half-smiled, "Don't thank me for the last part. I already saw how she is to you. And I'm trying to bond with her, not for you. I'm doing it for me. She's going to be my sister for eternity, so I want to get started." Besides, it was fun picking out clothes for her at the store. "She's not a doll, Rosalie." She laughed at my answer, "I know, but still, it was fun." I laughed and walked to the balcony door, to look out the windows. Rosalie stood with me. How do you plan to deal with Victoria? My eyes narrowed, seeing the red haired woman that wanted to hurt the reason for my being, "I haven't planned that yet. As long as she dies by my hands."

Rosalie held my arm, I wonder. If Bella was changed, how would she handle Victoria? "That would be interesting. She does have her own temper." Yes, and it would be amplified as a vampire. Rosalie's vivid mind saw Bella as a newborn vampire, snarling at Victoria. She circled her tormentor, testing to see how she should proceed. Her mind slipped and I saw her true intentions. Rosalie came here to distract me from worrying about Bella and it helped. Soon, she patted my shoulder and left.

I remained standing at the doors, waiting. Waiting for Alice to call me. She was to do so and let me know that Bella is safely at home. It was 1pm and my phone rang.


BPOV

My finals were simple and easy. Despite my horrifying news, I focused on my exams and went through them quickly. At lunch, Alice and I sat with our friends. I wanted some normalcy. To temporarily forget my supernatural worries. Mike went on and on about his chemistry final, worried that he didn't do well. Jessica was excited that she was leaving for college in a few weeks. Angela and Ben were going to Seattle in a few weeks to check out their college campus. It was nice to talk about normal human things, than worry about supernatural vampire things that I couldn't control.

After lunch, Alice and I were done with school for the day. Classes were cancelled for those who finished their finals. The two of us walked to the car and Alice was scanning our surroundings. When in the car, she flew out of the parking lot and was on her phone with Edward for the whole ride. While she talked – her words moving so quickly, they were a blur to me – I looked out the window. I wanted nothing more than for this to be over.

Alice was still on the phone when we reached my house. She opened my door, grabbed my hand and towed me to the front door. When the door was open, she wouldn't let me inside. She held up one finger, making me wait on the doorstep for all of 30 seconds, while she swept through the house, making sure no was there or had been there.

When she was back, she gestured for me to come in. Alice was still on the phone with Edward. He must be giving her specific instructions. "Ok, Edward. I'm going to focus and try to get specific information." I sat on the couch in the living room, watching her pace back and forth in the room. Her footsteps were a little too noisy for her. Her tension was getting to her.

"She's fine." Alice looked to me, "Right here." She sat with me and I could hear Edward's voice over the phone. "I won't. I want this to be over as well. Alright, yes. Ok, here she is." She placed the phone in my hand. "Edward?" My voice was surprisingly clear. "Bella, Jasper, Emmett and I are coming to Washington. We're going to track Victoria. Could you let the pack know that? And inform them about Alice's vision. They need to be on their guard as well."

Relief washed through me. Edward was coming. This emotion was similar to the way I felt in Arizona. After waiting almost a week in a hotel, Edward was coming for me. "I will. I'll call Jacob right away." "Good. Let me know what he says. Remind them to focus on Victoria. They could be a help to us. They may come across our path, but we won't attack them." I nodded, listening to him, "Alright. I'll call him now. Here's Alice." I gave Alice back her phone and I went for mine. The phone was still in my bag from school. My hands shook as bit as I dialed Jacob's number. This wasn't going to be an easy call to make.

After two rings, Jacob answered, "Hello?" His voice was anxious, as if I was holding him up. "Jake?" "Bella, thank goodness you called. We came across the bloodsuckers." I caught the plural of the word, "You mean more than just Victoria?" Alice looked to me, the phone almost falling out of her hand. Jacob answered, "Yea, it was her and another one. Some guy. I've never seen him before. When he saw us, he was shocked. I guess she never told him about wolves that could kill them."

I gasped and fell back against the wall, "She's created another one." Alice's eyes widened and she spoke quickly into her phone, informing Edward of the new information. "I think so. They're close, Bella. Sam's sending Embry to watch your house. Is Alice still with you?" That brought back the message I had to tell him, "Yes. She had a vision of Victoria. She'll try to attack this week. She's not letting me out of her sight."

Jacob sighed, "Good. Don't worry about your dad. Quil will be following him. The both of them will be watching your house tonight." "Alright, Jake. By the way, I have a message for you and the others." Jacob's voice became glum, "Yea?" I was too nervous to pay attention. "Edward, Jasper and Emmett are coming. They're staying out of Forks, but they wanted you to know beforehand, in case one of you comes across their trail. They'll be tracking Victoria too."

There was silence over the phone. "WHAT?" My arm extended, pulling the phone from my ear. "Why is he coming? That leech violated the treaty. Edward is the one we want. Sam said he's the one who broke the treaty. None of the other Cullens really matter, we just want the one who came onto our land." I gasped, dropping the phone. It clattered on the floor and moisture welled in my eyes.

My knees faltered as I slid down the wall. Alice leapt over the couch and held my shoulders. I had to stop him, them. Edward mustn't come back to Forks. He was in danger. I had to tell him to stay away.

My eyes were filled with tears as I looked up to her face, but I couldn't talk. Alice dashed with me in her arms and I was on the couch again. She went back for my phone and asked Jacob to hold on for a moment, then she did the same on her phone with Edward. She placed them on the coffee table and sat with me on the couch, "Bella, relax." I shook my head, in a way to shake the threatening words out of my head.

I wanted to dispel the image of Edward surround by the wolves. I had to whisper to control my voice, "The pack wants … E…..Edward. They only want him, because he was the one on their land. If he comes near here, they'll hunt him." I couldn't control myself, my tears streamed down my face. "Alice, he can't come here," my hand clutched at her sleeve, "I have to go to him, now!" My body began to rise off the couch, but Alice held me down.

Edward and Jacob were still on the phones and I didn't want them to hear me. "No, Bella. You must stay here. It's almost over. All of us will handle Victoria, then we will leave and go back to Alaska." She took her phone and told Edward she would call him back. Then she took my phone, "Jacob?" She told him that Edward meant no harm the day he went onto their land. Jacob's voice yelled over the phone into Alice's ear.

"Jacob, please calm down. Let's focus on our main objective. Victoria is coming for Bella. Victoria and whoever her new partner is will have to be destroyed for it to be safe here."

Jacob couldn't argue with that logic. He wants to keep me and his tribe safe. "I'm going to focus and see what actions they plan on making," she continued, "If I see something, I'll call immediately with the new information. As far as my brother is concerned, neither Bella nor I will allow him to be hurt. I'm not condoning his actions, but he is still my brother and Bella loves him."

I could hear Jacob's anger in his voice. "Jacob, if I have to change Bella myself to help protect Edward, I will and I know she wouldn't stop me from changing her." Alice's expression changed from calm to anger. She looked like a vampire, "The treaty is broken, but that's not something I want to do. Focus on Victoria."

My eyes widened. That was extreme, but very true. As much as I cared for Jacob, I wouldn't allow anyone to harm Edward, especially because of me. To hear Alice make good on her offer to change me was startling. But, it must have been just that, a threat. I didn't hear Jacob over the phone anymore. He must have believed what Alice said.

Alice gave me the phone again. Her amber eyes were hard as she walked out of the room, "Jake?" Jacob was breathing heavily. I could picture him beginning to tremble, then trying to calm himself enough to speak. "Bella, if that bloodsucker of yours comes into Forks, none of us will have a choice but to attack him. Do you understand?" "Yes," my voice was hard.

"I'll tell Edward. But, like Alice said, let's focus on Victoria and her new partner." Jacob sighed, "Right." His voice was sharp, "Call when Alice sees something." The line was dead. I sighed heavily and placed it on the coffee table. This was my fault. If I never went to La Push, Edward wouldn't have followed me. I sat on the couch for a long time, trying to get myself under control.

Alice was on her phone again, walking back into the room. Her demeanor was back to normal, buoyant and happy. She watched me while I got myself under control. When she saw I was fine, she gave me the phone. "Bella, love." "Yes?" The sound of Edward's voice was breaking down my control. I breathed deeply to maintain it. "Bella, please, don't be upset." How could I not be upset? Jacob literally threatened Edward's life. "I just wish he hadn't said that. This is all my fault. I know he meant it as a warning, but still….." My voice was breaking.

Edward hushed me over the phone, "Bella. He was telling you the truth. Not that his warning would've stopped me from coming. It just made me more wary about where I would go to track Victoria. Please, Bella, don't worry about me. My life isn't important. If I lose you…." I gasped, "How can you say your life isn't important?" My memories took me back to that terrible afternoon when Alice saw Edward going to Volterra to kill himself, because he thought I was dead.

"No, Edward. Don't talk like that. Don't risk your life because of me. Edward, you can't….." "Bella, you're the one who is risking your life. And that is because of me, again. Please, I can take care of myself, then I will take care of Victoria," there was a sound of malice in his voice as he said her name, "then, I will take care of you. That is most important. Worry about yourself and be safe."

I shook my head, "That sounds so familiar." I heard him laugh, "Let me worry about Victoria and the dogs. Soon, neither of them will be bothering us."

I looked out the window as Edward spoke to me. It was twilight, his favorite time of the day. The clouds were a pinkish gray as the sun set. It reminded me of when Edward and I would sit in his car for hours outside of Charlie's house. He was trilling me with dozens of questions, never showing signs of boredom.

"Bella, I will see you soon. We'll get rid of Victoria and her new friend. Once that is over, we will celebrate your graduation. You and I will go anywhere you want to. I was thinking we could go to Europe." I smiled at the thought of us traveling together, "Ok." After Edward and I said our goodbyes, my mind buzzed at the thoughts of Edward and me flying to Europe. The thoughts were so enthralling, I forgot about my anxieties and fears.

While fantasizing – keeping my good mood – I worked on Charlie's dinner. Alice stayed close to me the whole time. She sat at the table and kept her eyes closed. I kept myself busy with cooking and thinking about my European trip with Edward. It was a great fantasy. Even after Charlie came home and the two of us ate dinner, my thoughts continued about Edward and I visiting museums and landmarks in England and Ireland. I even thought about some shopping in France.

We would stay away from Italy, too dangerous. Charlie brought me back to reality, "So, Bella, how were your finals?" The images of the St. Petersburg Palace disappeared and I smiled, "Congratulate me. My high school education is officially over." Charlie's smile pushed back his skin, deepening some wrinkles, "That's great, Bells. What about you, Alice?" Alice sat at the table with us. She had a small plate of food in front of her. I don't know how she was making her food disappear, "I have one more final, and then I can relax." Alice wouldn't been relaxed for a few more days and neither would I. "Don't worry, I know you will do fine," Charlie reassured her.

After dinner, Alice and I spent the evening in my room. Charlie believed that Alice was studying and I was helping her. Alice was sitting at the window; still focusing on the future and I laid on my bed. My fingers played with my heart charm from Edward. I was thinking back to how my life was before this entire ordeal. Back when Edward and I spent our evenings in the kitchen, filling out college applications. Well, I was the one filling out the applications. Edward already had an extensive college education. He was more educated than all the teachers in school.

How we spent our days in school and nights in my room. Thinking of Edward in my room, another memory surfaced, the night he proposed to me. The memory made me cringe, Alice didn't notice. Was the thought of marriage that repulsive? My parents weren't the best examples of it. Another perspective to consider was the thought of marriage being more bearable, if it was Edward I was marrying? I knew I wanted to spend eternity with him, but why did he want to marry me? Because he loves me.

I'm not even out of high school and I'm debating on getting married. Here are the facts I was sure of; I love Edward and he loves me. I want to be with him for the rest of my life, no, the rest of my existence. But for him to extend my life, I would have to marry him first. I want him to be the one to change me. Finally, I wanted to stay with the Cullens. I wanted to be a part of their family on a permanent basis, especially now that Rosalie and I are getting along.

Edward wanted that too, but it would require a change to my name. Bella Cullen. Mrs. Bella Cullen or Mrs. Edward Cullen. I couldn't help smiling at that thought.

I couldn't deny I liked the sound of that; Edward & Bella Cullen. I do want to be bonded to Edward by venom, but first, he wanted us to be bonded by matrimony. In my opinion, marriage wasn't a great example of a strong bond. I remember what it did to my parents. They were a few years older than I was when they got married, but weren't they as perfectly matched as I was to Edward. My parents were total opposites. Normally, opposites attract, but that wasn't the case for them. Mom wanted to leave Forks, but my dad wanted to stay. This is where his family was from. Mom didn't want a small town life. She wanted to try different things.

I shared that trait, but not as strongly as her. But looking at my life now, I was definitely trying new things. A vampire and a werewolf as my best friends, another vampire as the one I loved and more vampires as an entire family I wanted to be a part of. I was trying really different things and I liked it.

Since I moved to Forks, my life has changed significantly and I refuse to go back to the way it was before. I want to stay with Edward and the Cullens. I want to change and become something different, something strong and beautiful. To make that change, I knew it would require a sacrifice. For Edward, he felt it was his humanity and my soul. For me, it would require one thing.

An image of myself in a long white gown began to become more defined in my head. I was looking through a white veil, walking down an aisle to where Edward waited for me. He was in a dashing tuxedo, smiling and holding his hand out for me. Remembering the charm on my necklace, I took it into my hand and squeezed it. It was representing Edward's heart and it was mine. these dreams were nice.

After a hot shower, I went to bed, but I couldn't sleep. My mind weighed the pros and cons of marriage. I wanted Edward, I needed him. I wanted to belong to him and have him to belong to me. My eyes closed and I saw myself in the white dress again. Only this time, it was more defined. It had a close bodice, with a long row of buttons down the back. Down the aisle, I was walking with my father. My mother and Phil were at the end of the aisle, looking towards me and smiling.

They stood across from the Esme and the Denalis, who were all smiling too. I saw Alice and even, Rosalie standing in matching dresses. Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper were standing with Edward. Edward reaching for me and I willingly took his hand. A smile grew across me face. My smile matched his.

Alice gasped. I sat up and stared at her. She was looking at me, a shocked look on her face. "Alice, what is it?" Had she seen Victoria? Was it sooner than she thought? I stared at her, my face filled with fear. A smile began playing on the corner of her mouth. She saw it, my decision. She walked over to me and sat on the bed, "Bella? Are you sure?" I stared at her and smiled, "When he gets here, do not think about it. I want to be the one of tell him."

Alice squealed and hugged me, "Bella. This is wonderful. Please, can I plan it? Esme and I will do a wonderful job. Can we, please?" She bounced, making the bedsprings squeak. "Yes, but you have to agree to two things." Alice's eye's widened, "What?" "First, I want the ceremony to be no later than August and second, be my maid-of-honor?" Alice clinched her teeth and muffled her scream with her hands.

She nodded frantically, then through her arms around me. This was it. By the end of the summer, Bella Swan was going to become Mrs. Isabella Marie Cullen.