Chapter XV
Reflection

(EPOV)

To say I was feeling anxious about the confrontation was an understatement. We'd had to endanger the pack before, and it seemed we had no choice but to do it again. The current threat, though, was nothing compared to the last one. Fighting an army of newborns was relatively easy when you were under Jasper's leadership, but even to him the Volturi would be a challenge of a different nature all together. I had a feeling this news might not be received very kindly by either Billy or Sam.

Apart from the pride I was feeling for Bella at the moment, I also felt a slight pity for her. Being the bearer of bad news is never a rewarding position.

I handed her my phone, and followed her outside. She didn't even look at the phone until she was leaning safely against the railing of the porch. When she dialed Jacob's phone number, I noticed she held the phone in two hands. I was briefly overcome by the powerful sensation of happiness that Bella tended to invoke in me, but the voice on the other side of the telephone shook me out of my reverie.

Jacob Black was prone to doing that. "Jake?" Bella asked.

The wedding situation had slipped to the back of my mind, but I clearly remembered receiving Jacob's negative response to the invitation, his consequent flight, and Bella's hurt. I wrapped my arms around Bella, and kissed her head. Not for the first time I was momentarily jealous of my brother's gift.

"Jacob, are you-"

"I'm here." His reply was curt, and his tone unfriendly. I felt my upper lip curl back over my teeth just before Bella tensed. I rubbed her back, hoping to soothe her. It seemed to work, as she took a deep breath, and continued speaking.

"Jake, I have some news to convey to the pack… from Carlisle. He asked me to contact your Dad, I could talk to him if you'd rather not talk to me." Once more I reacted instinctively, involuntarily, but I don't think Bella heard any of the sounds that clearly seemed to alert my family inside. Why did Bella have to be so damn nice? The dog didn't deserve her.

I decided it was best if I tuned out for a moment, letting Bella handle Jacob alone, without me breathing (and snarling) down her neck.

It seemed like days ago that Alice had had her vision of Aro coming to our house. It was awful timing. Bella had only just been returned to me, alive and well. And human. I had hoped we would get to spend at least an hour or so together, without having to worry about the next danger Bella would be exposed to. But then, of course, Aro decided to once again barge in on our happiness.

However, Alice uplifted all our moods when she happily announced that Felix had not survived the crash. Happy as this made me, I once again found myself bewildered by the fact that Bella had survived this crash. It must've been a serious one, if it destroyed a vampire. And yet, my Bella was safely (humanly) at my side. Jasper understood my wonder and gratitude before I'd even looked him in the eye, but when I did, he waved it off, thinking it was what he owed to me, and Bella, and the family.

Carlisle had spoken then. "I believe we should let the pack know. Since Aro chose to use the werewolves against us last month, I feel they have earned the right to be informed." I heard in his mind the direction this announcement would go, and was pleased to see he wanted to include Bella in this. She'd be able to help the family in a way that none of us could. She was the perfect liaison between the pack and this family.

When Carlisle shared this with the others, I could see Bella's expression change. From a worried look, to an endeared look, to a nervous one. She was biting her lower lip again. I took her hand in mine, and squeezed it ever so lightly. Leaning my head against hers, I told her, "You'll handle it perfectly Bella, don't worry." I looked over at Jasper, and immediately I felt Bella relax.

Somehow, Bella had gotten it in her mind that she would be joining us for the night. I had no intention of letter her anywhere near the fight.

"There's no reason," I told her, "you need to be there this time Bella, we just-"

"No," she interrupted, glaring at me as if I'd insulted her, "no reason except that a group of 3000 year old maniacs will be coming to try and hurt almost all the people I love most, you're right." My jaw clenched. "No reason for me to be there at all." I stopped breathing.

Why was this girl so stubborn? Did she really not see that to Aro her presence might be an incentive to violent measures? Had she forgotten about his warning concerning her mortality? "There is nothing you can do to help this time, unless you intend to assist Aro by allowing him to capture you again." It came out sounding more aggressive than I had meant it to, but I was in no fit state to care for trivialities then.

"They're coming for you and Alice, Edward." Bella's voice had taken the same tone as mine, and her retort hit me hard. She was right.

Jasper seemed to have a similar reaction as I did. Oh no. Alice. I kept my eyes on Bella, but could see Jasper reaching out to Alice. No, no. Don't take her. Don't go. Would she go?

I heard Alice next. Love, don't worry… Where you are is home. Anywhere else would be my destruction. I had always been a bit jealous of their impossible communications. What I wouldn't give to understand Bella like Jasper and Alice understood each other.

"I know I can't help," Bella continued, in a more subdued voice, "which is your fault really, but we don't have time for blame. You know I won't stay behind Edward, and this time," she stood up, "I refuse to allow you to when the danger is infinitely worse than before."

My mind was an acute prison. Bella was right, of course, and it hurt. It was me who had brought Aro into our lives in the first place. It was also me who had allowed Bella to start caring for my family. She was a part of this, irrevocably, and the fact that she was still vulnerable was, indeed, my fault. And now Aro was coming for me, again.

Jasper had stood up from his chair, and was now standing beside Bella, his hand on her shoulder. He was painfully aware of my current state of mind. Don't do this, Edward. Not again. Be protective if you must, but don't blame this on yourself. I allowed myself to breathe once more. I took Bella's hand in mine, and kissed it.

"Bella, it's true that Aro and the others are coming to take Alice and me with them, and I'm afraid they're ready to battle us all to do it, but there is another underlying threat to you which makes it impossible for you to be there, two actually, and I forbid you to endanger yourself with either possibility."

I didn't think she understood me when she answered. "Edward, all of our lives… existences are at stake! I am at no more risk than the rest of you." I wanted to retort to that, but Emmett was quicker in doing so.

"HA! Sorry little sister, you are at much worse risk than any of us. There are two things you mean to these freaks; lunch or a new recruit." If it weren't for the fact that I vehemently agreed with my brother, I would've scowled at his blunt words.

"If Aro wanted me to join them," Bella defended (always the stubborn one), "he could easily have done it when they abducted Jasper and I. They never considered it, though Aro made a reference to it, said something…" She stopped and looked at Jasper for help. I was truly curious now. What had Aro said? I turned to look at Jasper, and saw his thoughts. Interesting. Aro wasn't half as interested in changing Bella as I had thought…

"Aro said he was disappointed Edward hadn't taken his advice yet, but Bella's right, that was the only allusion he made to it. In fact, I recall when he said it, I felt awe coming off him, reticently. Even a little fear, though it was so slight, I didn't give it any further thought."

During Jasper's explanation, Emmett's thoughts had caught my attention. Sweet! He's afraid. Afraid of my little sister… Ha! The bastard's afraid of Bella! He knows she's going to be a Cullen powerhouse and gonna kick herself some Volturi ass. Ha! I smiled.

"I think you must be right Emmett. Of course, he's so greedy and eccentric I wouldn't have given it a thought, but he's never or rather, is rarely incautious."

Rosalie was impatient to hear her husband's revelation. I chuckled. "Emmett, I think you'd better explain."

"Relax Rose, it's just that old onion skin is apparently afraid to change Bella." Emmett was quite happy with this.

"Is this true Edward?" Carlisle questioned. Jasper had more to add, so I let him answer instead.

"Just before the airplane crashed, when Bella and I were taken, there was a moment when the front and rear section of the plane was separating. Bella and I were sitting in the front of the passenger section, just behind the cockpit, while Aro, Jane, Caius and Felix were in the back with the two Volturi guards. When Jane realized what was about to happen she tried to hurt me again. As she smiled at me, Bella threw herself between us. I was afraid she'd hurt herself against my body, so I allowed us to fall back against the seats behind us. Bella dampened Jane's attack. I never felt a thing."

All of us turned to look at Bella simultaneously. I knew Bella was generally unafraid, but throwing herself in front of Jane… I couldn't decide whether she was extremely brave, or just plain foolish. Perhaps both.

I heard my family's thoughts, all directed at themselves or Bella, and I vaguely registered Alice speaking out loud, but it was Jasper's thoughts that caught my attention. When he noticed my eyes on him, he looked at me, and started apologizing. I'm sorry Edward, I probably should have told you about this earlier knowing the way you worry about her.

"It's quite all right, of course you wouldn't think of it." I told him. On the island, Bella said she tried to block you from Jane in Volterra, but Alice stopped her. She never told me… I turned to Bella, "Really? Jasper says you told him you tried to do that with me, when we were in Volterra."

"I did," she nodded, "but Alice held me back." Sweet Bella. I'd have to thank Alice, one day. In my peripheral vision I could see Jasper stealing a glance at Alice. We were on the same line a lot today.

"Hmmm," I voiced my thoughts, "I wonder if it would have worked?"

That was when Carlisle interrupted us, reminding all of us of the current situation, asking Bella if could call Billy as soon as possible.

So here we stand, on the porch, Bella talking to Jacob instead. I noticed suddenly that Bella was not speaking anymore. Jacob had insulted her. Bothersome dog. My lip curled up again when he spoke. "I need to get moving, but first let me talk to Edward."

Great.

"He wants to talk to you," Bella said, holding out the phone to me. I briefly considered refusing it. I was in no fit state to endure Jacob's rude mockery, not without being disrespectful to him in front of Bella. In a conversation that had lasted only a few seconds, he had managed to hurt and insult Bella. He didn't deserve her friendship, her patience, or her love. Especially not her love.

But as always when I had such wicked thoughts, a little voice in my head told me that Bella would be far better off with Jacob than with me. In fact, I believed that little voice, and had always held on to that small shred of hope that Bella might one day choose him over me. That one day, Bella would be safe from me, mortal, and happy. I found it ironic that such hope was inspired by a dog.

Jacob.

I realized I had been holding my breath, and exhaled, my body relaxing at the same time. I took the phone from Bella. "What is it Jacob?"

"Hello Edward, putting the love of our lives in extreme danger again?" Oh for the love of all that's holy! What is it with people nowadays? Survival of the fittest doesn't apply to him anymore, so he loses all sense of self-preservation? Didn't the dog understand that this was not the time for bickering?

"Don't push your luck, dog!"

He laughed. "I haven't got any. So what are you doing with Bella this time? I'm assuming these Italian bloodsuckers are more intelligent than the baby bloodsuckers we fought were. I think Bells said they're like three-thousand years old." At least he's talking business.

"Yes, that's true. Actually, I'm not making Bella hide this time," I answered.

"YOU'RE WHAT? Have you forgotten she's human?" Another snarl escaped my lips, and a quick look at Bella told me she hadn't heard anything. How dare he accuse me of such things? I had to remind myself what the purpose of this phone call was, before I could find my voice again. Still, I could not just ignore Jacob's accusation.

"Don't speak of things you can't comprehend, Jacob. I haven't forgotten she's human, although you seem to have forgotten that fact yourself. Do you have any idea how hurt Bella was when she found out you'd been invited to the wedding, but then R.S.V.P.'d that you won't be coming?" Jacob had hurt Bella enough, and it was time that he understood that.

"Edward!" Bella yelled, trying to take the phone from my hand. She didn't want Jacob to know he'd hurt her. Silly girl. I took her hand gently, and looked her deep in her eyes.

"No Bella, he should know." I put the phone back to my ear and continued talking to Jacob. "I don't care about anything more than Bella's happiness. Whatever resentment you feel towards me, you should be there, for Bella." The silence on the other end of the line told me the point was clear.

"Enough Edward," Jacob said. His change in attitude surprised me. Of all the thoughts I'd ever read in the dog's mind, not one of them had been mature. "I can't deny you love her, so I'm sure you have your reasons for not hiding her, but if she's hurt, I will be there to make you regret your mistake."

For one dark moment an image of Bella; still...cold...unmoving, crept into my mind. I shied away from the image as I always did.. It was painful to think of Bella in danger, Bella hurt, or worse. It was an all too familiar situation. I felt Bella's warm touch on my arms, and directed my gaze to her again, before replying to Jacob. "I won't need your presence for that. And I'm sure I'll happily allow it, if that comes to pass." I was glad Bella didn't know what I was saying. "Now is there anything else you needed to talk to me about?"

"No." He still sounded defeated. Oddly, I felt the same.

"Great. Did you want to talk to Bella again?"

"Yes," he answered, and I could hear the emotion slipping back into his voice. He felt guilty. Good.

I handed the phone back to Bella. She was scowling at me, making sure I knew she was still mad. It was endearing. Like a little kitten that thinks it's a tiger.