Ok so here is the long awaited Vote. I hope I did it justice and Aine of Knockaine this is for you cosidering how patient you have been. I hope you all like it. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks to you all who reviewed the last chapter and the whole story really. Happy Holidays!!!

Dsiclaimer: All characters, plot ans setting belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infirngement is intended.

Bella looked nervous as she began to address the family. I reached for her hand under the table and held it tightly. She was still the bravest girl I ever knew, human or otherwise. I focused on my family preparing to hear their thoughts on this matter. Only one opinion could matter more than mine. The others had no real say. Carlisle, he was the head of the family in every way, both father and leader. His opinion mattered and could overrule mine. But he couldn't, he wouldn't possibly go against my wishes. He knew how I felt and he would respect that. My face was set in a fearsome expression looking out at my family waiting for Bella to reveal the reason we were here.

"Well, I am hoping Alice has already told you everything that happened in Volterra?"

"Everything," Alice assured her with a smile. She was enjoying this. She wanted Bella for a sister almost as much I wanted Bella all for myself. But where I had hesitation she did not. Not since the first time she saw me changing her in a vision. Alice never looked back from that point on in her mind Bella would always be one of us.

"And on the way?" Bella asked uncertainly.

"That, too," Alice nodded. She was trying not to think about that conversation on the way, but unfortunately for her, Emmett gave her away. ALICE HAD OFFERED TO CHANGE BELLA! She said she would do it. She was officially in serious trouble. No wonder Bella was feeling more confident about talking to my whole family. She already had one blessing why not put it to a vote.

"Good. Then we are all on the same page." Bella took a moment to compose herself and slowly began to speak. "So I have a problem. Alice promised the Volturi that I would become one of you. They're going to send someone to check, and I am sure that's a bad thing something to avoid" I took an account of everyone's thoughts at this point.

Esme: I have always wanted to see you happy Edward. She is what you want, and she wants this life. Leave it to Esme to know I'd be checking.

Emmett: She's the best little sister a guy could ask for. The Volturi coming for a visit, we could have fun with that. I could capitalize on Emmett's last thought. He was always looking for some good competition.

Jasper: So much of this is my fault. I brought this on the family by not being able to control myself. I would have to talk to Jasper later about that one. He's not the one who went to the Volturi. That was all me and I would have to live with the consequences. I was the one who had brought this on my family, not him.

Rosalie: I hope she hasn't changed her mind about forgiving me. Typical, Rosalie still was thinking about herself.

Alice: You already know what I think Edward. Stop prying. Alice and I were going to have a long talk about this when all was said and done. How could she offer to change Bella? She knew all of my feelings and reasons for wanting this, yet she still over stepped her boundaries. I know Alice believes that Bella will be a part of this family no matter what but after everything that has happened she should realize her visions aren't always correct. I am grateful to Alice for everything she did in Volterra and making sure Bella was okay, but it doesn't make it right for her to interfere in this matter.

I saved Carlisle for last, not intentionally of course or maybe intentionally. What he thought mattered most. And everyone, including Bella, knew this.

Carlisle: I wonder what the others are thinking about this situation. Carlisle was not thinking any of his own thoughts on this subject. He just kept pondering what the others were thinking. This made me nervous. Was it possible for a vampire to feel nauseas?

"And so, now, this involves all of you. I'm sorry about that." Bella looked around at each one them and then at me. I was frowning at the thoughts I had found but especially at Carlisle's avoidance of thinking about his personal opinions. It also bothered me that Bella was apologizing for my mistakes. I had brought the Volturi down on this family not her. It was my fault that Bella even had to question her mortality. "But if you don't want me, then I'm not going to force myself on you, whether Alice is willing or not." Esme went to speak but Bella held her hand up to stop her. "Please let me finish. You all know what I want. And I'm sure you know what Edward thinks, too. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don't want me, then…then I guess I'll go back to Italy alone. I can't have them coming here." A low growl built in my chest. She never mentioned going back to Italy, and it would never happen. Was she crazy; did she think I would actually let her go?

"Taking into account, then, that I won't put any of you in danger either way, I want you to vote yes or no on the issue of me becoming a vampire." I listened in on everyone's thoughts.

Emmett: Hell yes, it's about time little brother gets what he wants. Even if he doesn't believe he wants it.

Jasper: It would be so much safer for all of us, but especially Bella.

Esme: She is the daughter I have always wanted, and Edward needs her.

Alice: It's what she wants Edward. She wants to be with you forever.

Rosalie: How could she choose this for herself? Why does she want this life? That thought caught me off guard. Rosalie wasn't thinking of herself but of Bella, interesting.

Again I saved Carlisle for last. Again he was just thinking about the others and of Bella's bravery for coming here to talk with us like this. He had not one thought about changing Bella. He was getting good at hiding his thoughts. This unnerved me. If Carlisle didn't want to change Bella than his thoughts would be clear. He must be thinking something he doesn't want me to know. He can't go against my wishes, Bella is my responsibility. I did this to our family. My rashness has put everyone in danger including Bella. There has to be a way to make this right, one that doesn't include Bella becoming one of the eternally damned.

Bella gestured toward Carlisle to begin. I couldn't let him go first and I still had to have my say on this topic. I found it interesting that Bella chose Carlisle to go first. She knew he was the leader of the family but did she suspect that he would vote her way and not mine. It would all be over with Carlisle's vote, so I interrupted, "Just a minute."

Bella glared at me through narrowed eyes trying to look fierce. I raised my eyebrows at her and gave her hand a squeeze under the table. "I have something to add before we vote." Bella sighed heavily. She couldn't possibly have thought I would let her be the only with an opinion.

"About the danger Bella is referring to, I don't think we need to be overly anxious." I placed my free hand on the table and leaned forward to emphasize my point. "You see there was more than one reason why I didn't want to shake Aro's hand there at the end. There's something they didn't think of, and I didn't want to clue them in."

"Which was?" Alice wasn't pleased that I was stealing Bella's thunder but I wasn't going to let this go. She didn't need to be changed to be safe, for us to be safe.

"The Volutri are overconfident, and with good reason. When they decide to find someone, it's not really a problem. Do you remember Demetri?" I looked at Bella to make sure she was following. She shuddered at hearing his name. She remembered.

"He finds people- that's his talent, why they keep him. Now the whole time we were with any of them I was picking there brains for anything that might save us, getting as much information as possible. So I saw how Demetri's talent works. He's a tracker- a tracker a thousand times more gifted than James was. His ability is loosely related to what I do or what Aro does. He catches the…flavor? I don't know how to describe it…the tenor of someone's mind, and then he follows that. It works over immense distances. But after Aro's little experiments, well…" I shrugged; it was simple really: he couldn't find Bella.

"You think he won't be able to find me." Bella's tone was unimpressed to say the least.

Smugly, I replied, "I'm sure of it. He relies totally on that other sense. When it doesn't work with you, they'll all be blind."

"And how does that solve anything?"

"Quite obviously, Alice will be able to tell when they're planning a visit, and I'll hide you. They'll be helpless." I was definitely enjoying this. "It will be like looking for a piece of straw in a haystack!"

I exchanged a glance with Emmett. I like it little bro.

"But they can still find you!" Bella was not happy about this at all.

"And I can take care of myself."

Emmett was thoroughly impressed with my ingenious plan. "Excellent plan, my brother." I reached my fist across the table and bumped it with Emmett's.

"No," Rosalie hissed after Emmett.

"Absolutely not." Bella and Rosalie agreed on something. The girls were unimpressed with my plan.

"Nice," Jasper appreciated my tactical plot. He would enjoy a good strategic battle after his years in the army. I remember the battle at Musfreesboro. It was bloody for the Union, lots of lives lost. The key was that we used a diversion. We managed to over run them in a matter of one day. They had to divert troops and lost there stronghold on Chattanooga. Ahh, the good old days. This could work, Edward, we just need a plan.

"Idiots," Alice was with the rest of the girls on this one. Edward, do you not remember what we went through in Volterra? Do you really want the others to go through that? Do you want them all to experience Jane's torture? They would send Jane and she would be more than happy to do her job. Edward, think about the big picture and not just your beliefs.

Edward how can you think is a good plan. What if something happened to you or one of the others? How would Bella feel then; all because you're being stubborn." Esme glared at me as her thoughts broke through all others. I knew I caused her pain in my absence. I also knew losing any of us would destroy. Everything was my fault but I just couldn't bring myself to make it right.

"All right, then." Bella was taking back control. Nothing would deter her from her plan. "Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider," she was still so very unimpressed with my brilliant plan. "Let's vote."

She turned to me first. "Do you want me to join your family?" She already was my family; she was my life, the reason for my existence. But I couldn't take her soul. I wish I could make her understand.

"Not that way. You're staying human."

Bella nodded and moved on; she wasn't surprised by my vote nor was anyone else. I focused intently on everyone else's thoughts. I already knew Alice's vote.

"Alice?"

"Yes."

"Jasper?" Bella moved on.

Jasper's thoughts caught me off guard. It's for the best Edward. I'm sorry but I have to vote yes, for her safety and ours. "Yes." Bella was as surprised by his answer as was I. My family was disobeying my wishes one by one. It didn't matter it was still my choice. Unless, no he wouldn't he understood how I felt.

"Rosalie?"

I'll vote no. I wish this existence upon no one. "No." Rosalie was not thinking of herself completely when she voted nor was she thinking about me. She was only thinking about Bella. She wanted Bella to have a life, a human life and this surprised me. Bella went to move on but Rosalie felt she needed to explain.

"Let me explain," she threw her hands up and pleaded. "I don't mean I have any aversion to you as a sister. It's just that…this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote for me." She was being sincere; her thoughts did not betray her.

Bella nodded and turned to Emmett.

"Hell yes!" He beamed. "We can find some other way to pick a fight with this Demetri." Edward you know this is what you want. You can be with her forever, have an angel all your own. Please understand little bro, I want what's best for both of you.

Next was Esme and I already knew her answer before she thought it. Of course she wanted Bella in the family, she wanted me to be happy, and it was a proven fact that Bella was the only thing that could make me happy.

"Yes, of course, Bella. I already think of you as part of the family."

"Thank you, Esme." Bella was pleased to already be considered one of Esme's children. Last was Carlisle. I was nervous. Maybe having Carlisle go last was not a prudent idea. The others votes could influence Carlisle's opinion. If Rosalie and I were the only ones not in agreement about Bella, Carlisle may be persuaded. Rosalie's reasons were understandable but not good enough to convince Carlisle that voting no was the best choice. My reasons were different, and he understood them but they might not be enough anymore. He had been so careful not to reveal any thoughts of his own on the matter. He couldn't possibly say yes. He knew that his vote would overrule mine and all my feelings toward this matter. He wouldn't do that to me. He understood.

Bella turned towards Carlisle but he was looking at me.

"Edward." You must understand this has put us all in danger. She has to be changed. It is best for everyone involved. I know your feelings but you have put the family in danger. We can not fight the Volturi and they will come looking for her. It is too dangerous for her to stay human. Edward you don't understand the pain everyone went through while you gone. Esme never smiled and worried about you all the time. I can't allow that to happen to this family again. I can't allow you to run off again and wallow if something separated you two or worse if something happened to her. You would go back to the Volturi because she is your life. Do you have any idea what you put Esme through when she thought you were going to die and how hard that was for me to watch. Picture Bella loosing one the most precious things to her in the in this world. I watched Esme live through that for the second time in her life, Edward. Everyone was changed in your absence and in Bella's. Losing either one of you is not an option. This is the only way.

"No," I said though clenched teeth. My jaw strained tightly and my lips curled back from my teeth.How could he betray my wishes? A low growl built in my chest. Just the mention of the pain I had put the others through caused me pain. I can only imagine what Esme went through. I hated knowing I caused her pain but my pain my consumed all the rationale thoughts I had. And Carlisle was right; I would go back if something happened to Bella.

"It's the only way that makes sense." Carlisle continued to explain his answer. "You've chosen not to live without her, and that leaves me no choice."

No choice, NO CHOICE! I can't believe he felt this was just his choice. I felt completely betrayed by Carlisle, the only father I've known for the last century. What father would wish this upon his child? He couldn't do it, he just couldn't. The anger inside me grew and I realized I might hurt Bella's hand if I squeezed it in during my rage. I dropped Bella's hand and shoved away from the table. As I stalked off to the living room I cursed under my breath. I paced the living room floor. How could he vote against me? He knew my wishes. He knew his vote would over rule mine. Still he voted yes. Bella would be a vampire. It was out of my hands now. A low, deep growl built in my chest, as I thought about Bella being changed some part of me was comforted. Relieved. I had struggled with this conflicted feeling for some time now. I was angry at myself for even having the smallest want to change her. I grabbed the closest thing to me and destroyed it. The brand new plasma TV lay broken in half in a pile on the floor.