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Chapter 24: Vote

Bella looked nervous as she began to address the family. She swallowed 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.

They would side with me, they knew how I felt.

"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. Eventually entirely 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 offered to change her if you wouldn't.'

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 was sympathetic, she knew I wanted Bella forever. She knew I loved and cared about her more than anything. But she knew I didn't want this life for her, but she also knew Bella did want this life.

Emmett already thought of Bella as a sister, part of the family. Just missing a few minor details. And he looked forward to the Volturi coming. He thought it would be entertaining.

Jasper blamed himself, he thought that all of this was his fault. I would have to talk to him, tell him he is not to blame. He wasn't the one that went to the Volturi, I was. That is souly my fault. I would have to live with those consequences, I was the one that brought them down on my family.

Rosalie was thinking about how this would benefit her. And that she hoped she would still be forgiven. Typical Rose, always about herself.

Alice was just angry, knowing I would pry. She told me things I already knew she wanted. Showing me the visions over and over again and then yelling at me for prying.

We were going to have a long talk after this was all said and done. After Bella was shyed away from her decision. How could she offer to change Bella? She knew my feelings on the matter and my reasons against it. Yet she still went against me and offered Bella the chance. I was angry at her for interfering on this matter. I had enough trouble controlling Bella's insane want to be a vampire with out her help.

Carlisle was last. What he thought mattered most. And everyone, including Bella, knew this.

Carlisle was not thinking anything about the situation, he was wondering what everyone else was thinking. This made me extremely nervous. Carlisle never hid his thoughts, he was always so open. The fact that he had no thoughts on the subject at hand made me anxious.

"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. This subject was not up for debate. But my family wouldn't side against, me, they couldn't. 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? What kind of insanity was this.

"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 was all for it. Knowing that deep down he thought this was what I wanted. was it? No I didn't want to risk her soul I wanted her forever, but at what cost?

Jasper just thought it would be much safer.

Esme already accepted her into the family. Knowing she wanted to be with me forever just as I wanted her.

Alice I kept a growl in. Alice wanted her ten times over. She still believed her vision would come true. One way or another Bella would be cold dead and immortal.

Rosalie was confused. She couldn't understand how any one would choice this life.

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. They couldn't side against me this easily. They just couldn't!

Bella gestured toward Carlisle to begin. I couldn't let her get off that easy. Or them for that matter. I had to have my say, prove my point before this got out of hand. It was ridiculas to vote. I knew my say, they could not go against that.

"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 one to speak before this ridiculas vote.

"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.

"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.

"Nice," Jasper appreciated my tactical plot. He would enjoy a good strategic battle after his years in the army.

"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.

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 her. 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?"

"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." he told me he was sorry, but this was what was for the best. That I would want this deep down I wanted this if only I could see that. I could be with Bella forever and be happy. And he wanted me to be happy. He should have voted with me, sided with me, then I would have been happy. This was getting out of control. My entire family was going against me. I was all alone.

"Yes, of course, Bella. I already think of you as part of the family." Esme said, I knew her answer, she already thought of Bella as a daughter and just wanted to see me happy. If they wanted me to be happy then stop going against my wishes. I was not being stubborn or insane on this.

"Thank you, Esme." Bella was pleased to already be considered one of Esme's children. Last was Carlisle. I was nervous. What if the others influenced his opinion. What if he sided against me. He was the only hope I had left. He had to side with me. He wouldn't betray me.

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. He had to.

Bella turned towards Carlisle but he was looking at me.

"Edward."

You must understand this has put us all In danger now. She has to be changed. it is for the best. For everyone. I know your feelings on this matter, but you have put us in danger. I do not blame you, but you must see that things are different now. We are on the Volturi's ray dare. We can not fight them. They will come looking for her. It is to dangerous for her to stay human. She wants this. She wants you forever. You honestly do not know the pain everyone went through when you were gone. The pain they went through thinking that Alice and Bella not might get to you in time. Esme never smiled she worred about you the entire time. Emmett was no longer Emmett and Jasper was so consumed with guilt. Alice was on a rampage. I can not allow that to happen to this family again Edward. Please understand. What if you ran off again, something sepereated the two of you. 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. Please see that. Bella wants this. She wants to be with you forever. Just as you want to be with her. Why do you wish to put her in harms way? She will no longer be in harms way if she is changed. you can have her forever. This is the only way. I'm sorry Edward. Please be reasonable. 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 consumed all the rationale thoughts I had. And Carlisle was right; I would go back if something happened to Bella. But that still does not give him the right.

"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 out of the room. I cursed under my breath. I paced back and forth. This could not be happening.. 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. This couldn't happen Bella couldn't be changed. I would not allow it. But they had voted against me, one by one I was betrayed by my family. Carlisle had over ruled me. My anger built up I couldn't control my self any longer. I lashed out at the closest thing to me.

I threw my fist down hard with such force that it shattered. Making a loud crash echo through the house. I growled heavily through clenched teeth. I had lost.

I snarled at the thought of Bella being changed. I had no choice left. There was no way around this. Bella had won. I kicked the pieces of my shattered piano.

The irony of it was brought on a hysterical laugh. I loved the piano and Bella and my entire family loved me playing it. Yet here it lay broken. Just like my trust for them all.

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