Have A Little Faith
Chapter Fourteen: Anticipation
A/N: To say it's been a long time coming is an understatement. It's actually been nearly two years. Which, as far as I am concerned, is about 10 trillion years. But you all should have taken the advice I've been giving in every chapter: Have A Little Faith. 'Cause even if a character doesn't say it, it's in the title. So, without further ado, here it is: chapter fourteen.
.oOo.
"So they're fighting with us?" One of the younger werewolves asked.
"Yeah, I don't get it," said Seth, "Aren't you with the Volturi?"
Demetri sighed, glancing at Addison for motivation to refrain from ripping off every one of the wolves' heads. "Not presently," he replied simply.
"Look, we'll stand by you, okay? I feel like I owe the Cullens for their kindness to me in… showing me the ropes to this way of life. I'm going to stand by them whether you doubt me or not."
"And you?" Sam asked Demetri.
He sighed again. "I cannot very well abandon Addison, can I? Though I am not in favor of fighting my old family, I will not leave Addison to fight them on her own."
"Well, we'll be there, too-"
"Without me," Demetri added impatiently.
"Still," Sam said, "We don't want to risk it if you're not in favor-"
"He's with me," Addison said sharply. "And if you want our help- and trust me, we're valuable in a fight- you'll stop with these repetitive interrogations already."
"We're just-"
"We can trust them," said Carlisle.
"Yeah," Alice agreed, smiling at Addison, "I've been watching them both for so long, I feel like I'm friends with them."
"Watching us?" Demetri repeated, eyebrows raised.
"Yeah," Alice confirmed, as she continued to smile, "Ever since the fight Adriano started against the Volturi."
"I knew I'd seen you before," Addison said, looking at Carlisle. "Adriano asked you to join the fight."
"Yes," Carlisle said with a tight smile, "I would maintain a peaceful position now, but Jacob is one of the family. We cannot stand by and watch the Volturi kill them."
"I understand," Addison said, leaning forward in her seat, "I understand what you're feeling in regards to fighting in general and the need to stand up and do the right thing. I don't like to fight either, but if the right thing involves fighting…"
"It's an unfortunate predicament," Carlisle said, smiling warmly at Addison.
"Unfortunate indeed," Addison agreed, returning his smile.
A slight pause followed this exchange. Addison listened, as was her habit these days, to the fluttering sound of Renesmee's heartbeat. For whatever reason, the sound of it and the life attached to that steady rhythm was soothing to her.
"So should we talk strategy now?" Jacob asked, breaking the silence. The others stared a moment, before proceeding to discuss what they considered to be the best methods of dying.
.oOo.
"You said you've been watching us," Addison said to Alice later that day, as she sat on the porch steps, watching the sun dip below the horizon.
"Yeah, I hope you don't mind, I tried to look away- metaphorically speaking- when there was nudity involved." Alice replied.
Addison laughed, "I suppose I would have refrained from such actions if I had known you saw it all."
"Oh, don't worry about it."
Addison laughed again, and shook her head. "I was just wondering… when did you know? That I had changed my mind and wanted to leave the Volturi?"
"I'd answer your question, Addison, but I don't think that's what you mean to ask."
"What do you mean?" Addison asked, staring at the spot of the sky where the sun had disappeared from view.
"He knew as soon as you asked him about how we lived, when he first realized the extent of what was going through your head, that he would follow you anywhere. He didn't want to think about it, of course, but he knew he'd follow you- even if it meant him leaving the Volturi." Alice said, quite seriously.
Addison looked down, smiling slightly to herself.
"He'd follow you anywhere, you know. He followed you here and he'd follow you across the Earth."
"I know that now," Addison said quietly, not looking over at Alice.
"Which is why I want to tell you that if you were to leave now-"
"Alice-"
"No, listen to me, Addison," Alice said sharply, as Addison finally turned to look at her. "I know you don't want to fight and I know Demetri doesn't want to fight. And you don't have to, Addison, you don't owe us anything. We were happy to share with you what we could, and we wouldn't blame you if you ran away from this right now. You and Demetri, straight off into the sunset. We can't abandon the wolves or the cause but you two still can. The Volturi doesn't have their tracker anymore and Aro's losing his mind as it is. You can go," Alice said, forcibly and passionately.
"And that's exactly why I can't," Addison said softly. She smiled at Alice. "You've been so kind to me, without expecting anything in return. I couldn't live knowing I'd abandoned you here after all of this."
"Living with guilt is better than not living at all," Bella said quietly from behind them.
"We're going to live through this," Addison insisted. "I don't know why you're such a pessimist. You scared them off not too long ago, didn't you? And they're weaker now than they were then-"
"We don't have the same numbers-"
"And you don't need them," Addison said. "You don't need a whole bunch of witnesses this time when you have fighters like Demetri and I behind you to make them doubt themselves."
"Aro's losing his mind, he's not thinking straight-"
"All the better," Addison said. "If his mind's really going, it will make it all that much easier to pull his head off."
Bella gasped.
Addison turned to face her, arching an eyebrow. "How long have you been a vampire? And how old are you, while we're on the topic of ages?"
"I-" Bella started, but Alice cut her off.
"Thank you, Addison," she said, sincerely and warmly, "We all feel so much better with you and Demetri here. You know, we stand by the wolves because of friendship, family, and because we agree with them. Those vampires killed their people. They were only protecting their families, the same way the Volturi protects their city. Because of that-" Alice broke off suddenly, staring of into space as she observed the fate waiting in the wings.
"Alice?" Addison asked hesitantly, waving her hand in front of her eyes.
"Alice?" Bella exclaimed, sitting down to her left, clutching her arms. "Alice, what is it?"
At last, Alice raised her head and said the words everyone was waiting for and knew they were coming. Bella looked shocked all the same when Alice said it all the same, however.
"They're coming."