Lunar Ascension

Chapter 21: Mobocracy

Disclaimer: All things in the Twilight universe belong to Stephenie Meyer and her publishers. The song and lyrics belong to the band and their representatives. Any other copyrighted material included in this story belongs to their rightful owners. Cheers ma dears! Rated M

Wash me away
Clean your body of me
Erase all the memories
They will only bring us pain
And I've seen, all I'll ever need
Citizen Erased by Muse

I had to stop looking at the clock. Every five minutes my eyes had been finding the time and it was doing nothing but putting me further on edge. Travis and I, were the only two left outside of the community center that should be inside. Rosalie, my self-appointed guardian seemed just as frustrated as I was.

Most of the vampires from the last confrontation had joined us, sans the fleeing Alistair, the King Amun Tut looking fellow, his wife and the Amazon women. Everyone else was present and accounted for. They were all pacing, bellies full of who knows who's blood, waiting yet again for the cloaked figures to step from the line we'd drawn in the sand.

Alice was perturbed about being blind, and Jasper was trying to keep her calm. It was obvious she wasn't thrilled about not knowing the outcome. Bella and Edward were with Nessie, spending as much time with her as they could before sending her inside with Rosalie, Travis and I, and Carlisle and Esme were quietly talking amongst themselves holding hands.

We only had ten minutes until the six hours was up, and I couldn't help feeling like this was a little too relaxed. Even the wolves lined up behind the vampires seemed to be stomping the earth beneath their paws in frustration. Waiting never really had been our strong point.

"Leah," Bella said quietly as she approached with a tearful Nessie in her arms followed closely by Jacob in wolf form. I think she would have preferred Rosalie but she was with Emmett, forehead to forehead, fingers tangled together.

The moment they were close enough, Nessie threw her arms around my neck and buried her face in my shoulder. There was so much I wanted to say to both Bella and Jacob, but we were running out of time.

"I promise I will lay my life down for hers should it come to that," I whispered, hoping it was quiet enough that Travis wouldn't hear it. Bella gripped my free hand almost breaking my fingers with the squeeze she gave me, and Jacob nudged Nessie and I toward the community center, his thanks shining from his eyes.

Rosalie and Emmett walked with Travis, Nessie and I, their hands still tangled together. I felt horrible that it was my fault they were separating. I could only imagine it would be easier for them to fight side by side so they'd know the other was safe.

As they closed the door slowly, Rosalie's arm shot out, grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"You get yourself killed, I will meet you in the afterlife and burn you all over again. We clear?"

"Crystal," Emmett chuckled, leaning in to give her a searing kiss.

There were murmurs behind us and I found it necessary to turn and glare at the old gossips I knew to be making the fuss. Some of them had no idea what was coming. They'd all freaked out when the wolves shifted for the first time. All of our stories and traditions and they were still stupid enough to shit themselves when they saw it with their own eyes. Travis tried to ease me by rubbing my shoulders gently, but I was too antsy for that.

When the air in the hall turned bitterly sweet, and the voices I could hear outside quieted. I knew that the Volturi had finally showed up. It was like an oppressive air pushing down on me as the uselessness I had been feeling reared its ugly head.

"I hate this," I mumbled to Rosalie who was staring at the wall as though she could see right through it. Her perfect brow was a puckered line of skin as she stopped breathing completely.

"They're here?" Travis asked, resting his forehead against my temple.

Nessie touched my free cheek showing me the last time we did this, she showed me as a wolf from her place on Jacob's back, she was showing herself with Jacob and her parents, and she was showing me Rosalie and Emmett hand in hand facing the cloaked figures. She was showing unity, togetherness, not separated and fragmented.

"It's more dangerous this time. We can't avoid a fight," I whispered into her ear and hugging her close. Her small fingers once again found a place on my neck, her brown eyes insistent that I listened to what she was saying.

There was more of the unity scenes, together, family, love, and strength, flashing through my mind again and again. I watched at it repeated with quick flashes that still had so much clarity there was no doubt about the message she was trying to project. I watched, accepting her insistence until I had to remove her hand to stop the dizziness.

"What is it?" Rose asked approaching us, her hand on Nessie's back.

Nessie turned in my arms, her hands on either side of Rose's face and I could only imagine how quickly the images were rushing through her mind.

"Too dangerous, Nessie."

"No," Nessie struggled in my arms, and Rosalie took her from me, her yellow eyes meeting with Nessie's.

"You think we don't want to be out there too, Sweetheart. We all do, Travis' human brother is out there, Uncle Emmett is out there, Seth, mommy, daddy, Nana and grandad, Alice, Jasper, Jacob, Sam, all of them are out there but we have to be brave, if we got outside we will distract them."

I was so caught up in Nessie's misery, I hadn't noticed Travis wandering toward the window. I knew it was dangerous, but the moment I sidled up next to him, I couldn't move him or myself. There were line upon line of cloaked figures facing off against a relatively small group in comparison. Aro was stood facing the line in the middle as he had the last time, his voice drowned out by the wind rolling off the pacific. We were up wind and I couldn't hear a thing.

"What's going on?" Travis asked as I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"He likes the sound of his own voice, he's probably reading off the riot act looking for everything we've done wrong."

"You can't hear?"

"They're up wind."

I watched as the twin witches stepped up in either side of Aro like a set of sentries waiting to do their masters bidding. I could see Caius and Marcus standing behind him, Luciano at Marcus' side as he concentrated on what was going on. Even if he spoke to me I wouldn't hear him, Bella was protecting us all from Aro's assets.

"What can you see?" Rosalie asked, finally joining us. She'd more than likely convinced Nessie of the danger, and when I looked around I saw her in Charlie's arms, her small arms tight around his neck as her body shook with her sobs.

"Pretty much Aro, doing his I am a nice guy but you broke the rules act."

"He's a sanctimonious son-of-a-bitch. I'm hoping we get to see him ripped apart with little distraction."

"Oh me too, can you hear anything?"

"Yeah, it's a little distorted from the wind, but I can hear him," she tried to look nonchalant as her eyes moved to Travis and back. I gave her a nod, Travis needed to hear as much as I did. "He's making accusations saying we broke the rules by telling a human, Zach to be precise. He's asking who is responsible for it, but no one is saying a word. I think Carlisle is waiting for a sign from Marcus."

Aro asked again, his face empathetic as he threw out the accusations. It was like that for a while, with nothing going on. No one had moved a muscle. I could see Luciano looking uncomfortable, and Marcus shaking his head.

"He's not going to do it," I said suddenly as I felt Luciano look directly at me.

"What are you talking about?"

"He thinks we're guilty of this infraction, Marcus will not help if he thinks the Cullen's broke the law."

"How do you know that?"

Even I wasn't sure of the answer to that. It wasn't as though a voice was screaming at me to do something. Luciano hadn't even looked in my direction, but the slight roll of unease that seemed to prod the air around me screamed with insistence. If I was wrong, I still couldn't see this action being wrong. The Cullen's had nothing to do with Zach knowing the truth.

"Luciano. Don't ask me how I know, I can't hear his mental voice but he's telling me. I have to go out there, Rose."

"No. I promised . . ."

"I could give a shit, Rose. Stay here protect Travis and Nessie for me. I will try and make it back before . . ."

Rosalie grabbed my arm with force. "I will not let you put yourself and that child in danger."

I wanted to hug her for caring so much. She was doing what she thought was right but if I didn't do something everyone, including us would be slaughtered.

"You would have made a great mother, Rose."

She retracted like I was trying to trick her but it was my complete honesty. I looked imploringly at her and then Travis begging them to understand. If I didn't go out there and show Marcus that a shifter had broken the law and not the Cullen's, all of this would be for nothing. Zach would die, Jacob would die, Travis would die, then they would come in here, steal our children and slaughter the rest.

"If I don't do this, we all die. I promise, I will be back in five minutes, I won't get involved in the fight, and I won't confront anyone but Aro, but if you don't let me do this all of this will be pointless. Marcus needs to know it was a shifter that told the human, then the plan is back on."

"Let her go," Travis said gently. "She's right. I don't know the politics but this makes absolute sense. The Marcus guy won't risk his neck for someone who isn't obeying the laws."

She almost growled, but released my arm. "You better come back."

"Oh I will," I grinned. "I don't want to piss off my kids Godmother."

"Wait, what?"

"I can't think of anyone else I would want to protect our child more than you," I said hugging her briefly. "Can you?"

Travis shook his head. "To be quite honest, knowing someone as dangerous as you is protecting my kids would make me sleep easy."

"That's emotional blackmail. But I accept," Rose smirked. "If you're going, go, before I change my mind."

I kissed Travis and sprinted toward the door. Not stopping when my mom called out my name. My feet hit the ground running outside, and it took me only a second to see a shadow sidle up beside me. Embry was closing in on me fast.

"Don't try and stop me, Embry," I said pushing myself harder. "I promise I will only be out here for a minute."

Instead of diverting me, he kept stride with me, which oddly made me feel better. Having an almost four hundred pound wolf backing me up was just the confidence boost I'd needed.

I sprinted hard until I was closing in on our side of the line. the silence was almost deafening as eyes turned to me. I skidded to a stop just at the edge of the line next to Benjamin. All of the attention was staring to make me self-conscious. Unfortunately, it was now or never.

I couldn't see Zach among the Volturi and I hoped I wasn't making thing harder for him. They had to understand that it was nothing to do with the vampires. Anything Zach knew, it was because I had shifted in front of him.

"It was me you arrogant asshole," I shouted out, folding my arms over my chest. "I was the one that told the human, and I don't live under your rule. You have no jurisdiction over the shape shifters, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it you pale shithead."

Embry snickered beside me, and I elbowed him to shut him up.

"Is this the truth?" Marcus asked, his eyes going between me and Carlisle.

"He's my imprint's twin. I'm the only one that could have told him."

"Carlisle?" Marcus asked directly.

"It's the truth. She was attacked by a vampire and shifted, she then told him."

Aro looked a little perplexed stood alone with his twin freaks. I don't think he'd caught on what it all meant.

"And who are you?" Aro asked bemused.

"I'm the female shifter, jackass. Where's the human?"

It was only a moment, but I saw the flicker of recognition behind his red eyes. Greed and excitement as he viewed me as property to be owned. The vampire in the forest had been telling the truth after all. Aro had wanted me for my baby making abilities.

"Come here, let me check," Aro said smugly holding out his hand.

"You honestly think I'm stupid enough to touch you?" I asked insolently. "What part of I am not under your jurisdiction didn't you understand? Nothing you say or do can make me bow down to you. Now where is the human?"

"Leah," Carlisle murmured. I wanted to roll out the insult carpet for him, but apparently I'd said my piece.

"Why are you not in your wolf form with the others?"

"That," I smirked. "Is none of your business."

"How dare you defy me."

"How very dare I?" I mocked, having the time of my life. It was oddly cathartic to be able to unleash my sarcasm on someone who actually deserved it. "Where is the human?"

"Aro," Marcus said in a bored tone. "There has been no offense committed. Once again we have imposed on these fine folk for no reason."

"No reason," Aro growled looking more creased in his anger. "Marcus surely you see that they continue to humiliate us. They are pushing the boundaries, determined to see us overruled."

"They are peaceful, brother," Marcus said with a little more feeling.

"What is this? Why do you defy me, brother?"

If I'd have blinked, I would have missed Marcus' signal, but Carlisle caught it, and in seconds his whisper had moved down the line. Benjamin leaned into me close.

"Carlisle say to run. Now."

I didn't need more than that. The only thing that could have stopped me was a sighting of Zach and apparently that wasn't going to happen I turned on my heel and sprinted toward the community hall with everything I had. Embry was beside me, his eyes vigilant through the others minds. The moment I was at the door, I turned to close it and he was sprinting back to the growling line of wolves, his hackles up, teeth bared as he faced a raging Aro.

"Have fun?" Rosalie asked from behind me, peeking out the door.

"Yes, it was nice insulting him to his face for a change. Did you see Zach?"

"No, not a thing. Maybe your mind invading friend put him somewhere safe?" she asked, finally pushing the door closed, and ignoring the mutters, of the people in the hall.

"Oh stop it, Marianne," I heard from my mother. "You don't know a damn thing about anything so shut your hole."

"Go mom," I said, grabbing Rosalie by the hand and making my way over to Travis who welcomed me with open arms.

I let him embrace me for a while before I kissed his neck and made my way to the window, where Rosalie was peering out. There was a group surround Aro in the middle of the stand off, the formed a loose circle around him, all of them facing out.

"Why is nothing happening?" I asked Rose. She was the only one who could hear now.

"Marcus is offering . . . oh shit . . ."

The sound of thunder rolled through the hall shutting everyone behind us up. I could hear Anna trying to comfort people somewhere close by, but I couldn't take my eyes off the scene in front of me. Dirt was flying from the groups that had come together. There were small dashes of fur as the Wolves jumped into the mix and bit down on anything that came back at them. To humans, I knew it would look like a cartoon melee, it was a ball of dust and limbs as the two groups came up against one another. It was only because of my keen sense of sight that I could distinguish blurs from limbs. Am my eyes scanned the space, I saw Marcus and Caius standing off toward the back of their group as the attack grew into a soundtrack that should have belonged in a steel mill.

Rosalie was practically vibrating beside me as she kept her eyes on the blur I assumed was Emmett. I knew she was itching to be by his side, because I could feel myself clawing to stay in my own skin. A fight like this called to us, especially when people we loved were in jeopardy.

"Get away from the windows," Rose growled almost pushing Travis and I clear across the room as on of the cloaked figures smashed through the safety glass. She fought with amazing skill, her hands and body moving with precision. I could see the door of the hall practically vibrating as someone on the other side tried to gain access. It wouldn't take them long to get in. The hall wasn't built to withstand vampires. Their strength would mean a two second inconvenience.

"Stay here, Travis."

"Leah," he called, dragging out the last syllable as I sprinted toward the door and hurdled over families clustered together.

I was fast, but I wasn't fast enough, the vampire came in and looked around the room practically drooling at the feast in front of him. I couldn't kill him, but I was strong enough to keep him occupied until Rose finished her current fight. There a couple of men covering up the windows with one of the fold out tables, they were improvising but that was good. Hindrances were very good.

I met the vampire with a kick to the head and a smile.

"Welcome to La Push," I growled, dodging his swinging arm.

"You're the smart mouth," he growled in response, swinging again.

I didn't reciprocate this time, I was too busy dodging his swinging fists. He was so fast and stronger than I ever would be in this skin. I swept my foot to his ankles but I was slower than him, the surprise of it was no longer in my favor.

"Leah, move," Rose shouted and I ducked and rolled letting her have at it. She went fist to fist with him. throwing the chunks she'd managed to rip into the pile with the others from her previous fight. I danced around the blurred fight and pushed the door closed, dragging a table in front of it for reinforcement that would be no help whatsoever, it just made me feel better.

"What the hell?" I shouted, when she'd finally removed his head from his body.

"I think Aro must have suspected something. It seems he had a team read to grab and run."

"How many more?" I asked, eyeing the flimsy barrier between us and the outside world.

"I don't know, I'm not Alice."

The two of us split and ran around the room, shuffling people away from walls and widows. Mom and Charlie had all of the imprints and their kids in the center of the room. Mom knew how important it was too keep them safe. I hated to admit it but forsaking some regular Joe, as horrible as it was, was better than losing an imprint. We needed the wolves concentrating.

Nessie was the one that dragged Travis into the center with the others. He was watching me with wide eyes and I knew it was hard for him to process. Unfortunately, I needed to focus. Rose and I made loops around the room, checking out windows and double checking doors, our eyes occasionally meeting over the room. The whole building shook around us as the vampires taunted us. It would be easy for them to enter, they were just waiting for opportunities, and unfortunately it seemed I had fallen right into that category.

Rosalie's expression was how I knew I was in trouble. The moment she frowned a loud crash rang out behind me.

A/N: I know, another cliffie! You know how love them. It seems as though the best laid plans didn't quite work out in their favor. Still, I am hoping that I can get the next chapter up by this weekend. Probably Friday if everything goes as planned :) I also want to apologize about the lateness of this. My dinomac at work doesn't like loading the chapters! I have to wait until I get home!

Thank you to all of you that read, alert, favorite, and review the story! You guys are amazing and you have no idea what you all mean to me. I've had so much fun with this story and I love hearing what you have to say about the misadventures of Leah.

To Sabi'sSookie and Hev99, thank you for being so amazing! You guys are such amazing friends and your support means so much to me, and I don't just mean for fanfiction. You know what I'm talking about and you have no idea how much you love and encouragement keep me strong. I love you both so much! PinkIndeed, I know I haven't been around much, but I still have to thank you for being a great friend and for not giving up on me!

MWAH!