Beginning
"I still don't know about this, Amory. The Volturi have –"
"Oh, here we go!" I perch myself on the edge of the chair Jazz is sitting in and clap my hands in mock glee, "Tell me everything they've done that's been so goddamn beneficial, the things they've just done so well that you need to keep them around. Please, give me an insight I don't have."
The room is silent, "Exactly. Short of doing the bare minimum of their job they've done abso-fucking-lutely nothing good. When I was high, when I wasn't living forever with my family at their 'mercy', things were different. Now? I refuse to live in a world where they run the show for one more second. I know the depravity they're capable of, and I won't fucking stand for it. For once I can use what I am for good – after the whole making a mountain of dead bodies bit. I know you feel the same way I do Doc, and I know there are others out there that would back us, given the chance."
Madeline interjects, brows furrowed in thought, "So you're saying we're going to take over operations the Volturi usually oversee once they're…disposed of?"
"You're staying Witchie?"
"Rory, stay on topic." Her attention shifts from me just long enough to give me a hint of what she's thinking.
I look over at the Professor before locking eyes with her again, "I see how it is."
She flushes ten shades of scarlet before puffing her cheeks out at me, "You're just ridiculous. Focus."
"To answer your question," I rummage through Liam's duffle bag until I find a beat up pack of smokes – Lucky Strike's – and pop one behind my ear, "I don't care how we decide who does what so long as three crazy guys aren't ruling things for centuries. How about every so often everyone makes sure no one's gone insane to the point of saying 'mwhaha' and wearing silly robes? I like the idea of us doing it, but I'm biased."
Everyone is obviously weighing the odds in their heads, the pros and cons, and Liam is the first to break the silence.
"We'll have a couple of hunters soon, that'll give us an edge – they were likely banking on Isabella wanting to take the easy route to immortality."
Said young woman looks from Liam to me with hopeful doe eyes.
"I'm ready?"
"In a couple weeks you'll have to be ready. We have to do this soon, before we get any unwelcome visitors."
"No!" Seems like Al's finally had enough, because she gets right up in my face, "I don't care what you've got planned, Rory. You can't do this!"
"What do you suggest we do? If we do nothing she'll be torn apart by our enemies when they come, or maybe one of them will bite her and you'll get all your little heart desires. Alice, this is her decision to make."
Swan looks at her pixie with love dulled by still lingering pain; the girl wants to give in, I can feel it, but she also wants Al to accept her choice.
"I'm going to do it – I didn't go through all those beatings for nothi-"
She's interrupted by a blur of white that slams me off my feet and to the floor. Alice stares down at me with a glare that'd scare the devil.
"Amory, touch her again and you'll have more than Maria and the Volturi to deal with."
"Alice, keep making an ass out of yourself and I'll be more than happy to deal with you."
A few days ago the pixie would have already killed me with her first move. Today the only reason she managed to take me off my feet was pure surprise. She knows she's wrong; her cold topaz eyes soften minutely before she's back on her feet. I'm up just as quickly, but not nearly as gracefully. She storms out of the room, at odds with a future she doesn't want.
I watch her retreating figure with a frown but try to keep things moving, "Back in actual news, tomorrow we have to go to La Push –"
"No. No."
" – and we have to tell the shape shifters I'm immortal, Swan's going to be a hunter, and it's basically going to be Christmas for the wolves." Jasper's objection is gentler than Al's had been, but no less absolute.
"I can't let you go over that border," he grabs my hand, "I…won't be able to let you, not without starting another war."
"La Push is where the wolves are, right?" Liam queries, "Can't they just come to Forks, to Isabella's or Rory's house?"
"Yeah, maybe…I'll call Billy, see if he and Harry can – "
"Harry had a heart attack while you were out," Swan interrupts softly, "he…his funeral is Sunday."
"Oh. Fuck," I run my fingers over my stubbly scalp; I'd really liked Harry Clearwater, and with him gone I have a feeling all that stands between Uley and a feud with the Cullen's is Billy Black, "we really need to get over there soon. How are his kids?"
"About as well as you'd expect," she crosses her arms with a frown, "not to mention they're blaming themselves according to Jacob."
"Blaming themselves how?"
"It was during their first transformation –"
"They're wolves? Seth and Leah?" I'd told Swan about the shape shifters during those months we spent in each other's company; or at least the general idea. I didn't think things would be this different in such a short amount of time
"Jacob too."
"Christ, I was hoping things just went sideways for me. Well, at least now they'll have a fighti –"
"They're just children, Amory," Carlisle says crossly, "you can't throw them at Maria or the Volturi."
"You go to war with the army you have, Doc – I'm not going to force anyone into this. Hopefully by the time we fight we have an actual plan plan, but backup is nice to have. Swan, call Jacob tomorrow and see if he can get Uley and meet me at my house with whatever pack there is, his father included. Warn them that Jazz will be there –"
"And so will I," Bryn says, finally sounding like he's back to his old still highly irritable self.
"Hey Bryn?" He inclines his head towards me before I turn to head out to the porch; my lips curve into an overly amused grin and before the words come out of my mouth I can feel how badly Jazz wants to just take me home and –
"You're gonna want to knock first."
Peter and Charlotte join Jazz and I on the porch, and the woman is positively beaming as she looks between the two of us. Don't need to be an emotion reader to know she's ecstatic to see the man who enabled her and her mate to escape all those years ago truly happy.
"We'll start contacting whoever we can – whoever we think is safe – and get them into contact with you."
"Do you really have a plan here Rory? Or is this a repeat of Mexico?" The tall darker haired man looks both impressed and incredulous.
I light up my cigarette with a smirk, "Considering I went in and blew a ton of shit up, that's not such a terrible idea. I've got…outlines. I know I've been kind of an idiot up until now – now too, actually – but trust me on this."
The blonde woman nods with a frown, "Sorry we can't stay longer, but…"
"All the blood, got it," I say understandingly, "I feel like we always meet under crazy circumstances. Maybe next time will be better – third times the charm, right?"
Pete and Charlie look at each other fondly before giving Jazz a really odd glance.
"If Jasper can grow a pair –"
"I think you're right, Rory," Charlotte interrupts her husband and they walk to the bottom of the stairs, "and soon. We'll be in touch."
"Charlie, Pete, take care of yourselves – get back here if things get fucked. No dying."
"You do realize you're starting a war, right? They usually involve dying." I shrug at Peter's words.
"Not if I can help it." After what I've been through, all this seems pretty simple, and if that book has half of what it's supposed to have it in things will be cake.
Jasper says goodbye to his old brother-in-arms, a bond that from the looks of things was never tarnished by time. Being able to feel both of their emotions has me not only melancholy at their departure, but also has me thinking about the situation with Alice; I don't want this animosity between us. I want her and Swan to work, and I need her friendship back.
Taking out the Volturi will be easier.
I'm pulled from my reverie by Peter's voice; he's looking up at us with a grin, "Don't go kicking everyone's ass without us."
"Hurry back and you won't have to worry," I say as Jasper wraps an arm around my shoulders.
With their departure our plan is finally in motion. The cigarette I'm smoking trembles between my fingertips as I put it to my mouth. All the excitement is getting to me; I need the book now. I snuff the smoke in the nearby ashtray – still in place from months ago or put there recently I can't be sure – and walk back into the house hand and hand with Jazz.
Liam and Bryn look like they're about to head out, and Maddie looks like she's supposed to be going with them. Instead she's talking quietly with Ed, shuffling through her bag and occasionally blushing. Each time she does blush she cringes. It's hilarious to watch her try to not be attracted to him – did I look this ridiculous?
'It was cute.'
Ugh, that's even worse.
"Where you guys headed?"
"Well if Witchie here –"
"That's not my name you know!"
"If Miss Mercier would like to stay, she's more than welcome to," Bryn rephrases, folding his arms across his broad chest.
"He really is insufferable," she says aside to me before facing my old friend with her usual matter-of-fact attitude, "No wonder your alone; I pity the woman who falls in love with you, Brynjar – it'll have to be against her own will, a miracle, something like that."
"Seriously," I nod in agreement and Bryn, finally tired of being teased, leaves with Liam for the garage.
Maddie looks from the hallway that leads to her ride to the Professor and back a few times. With a less than pleased groan she thrusts the book of ancient marks into my arms and waves ever so awkwardly to the object of her affections.
"S-see you later, Edward," she nearly trips over her own feet as she takes a few steps away from him, and he catches her arm before chuckling and walking her out the door.
"I'll walk you out Madeline."
As soon as the pair is out the door Esme starts babbling, "You found that girl in a cell? It's a good thing she's here; I've never seen Edward like this before – he's been smiling since they got here. It's been..."
"So adorable it's sickening? I'm glad it worked out; I gave her a chance to go back to her mostly normal slightly magical life before we went to Italy…she turned me down."
"She's crazy too? You know how to pick 'em Ink," Colossus says with a wink.
"Most definitely." The conversation drops off for just long enough for me to catch Jazz looking at me out of the corner of my eye.I don't know how or why, but I'm suddenly very aware he's hiding something from me. There's a part of his thoughts he's actively blocking me from, and he knows I know as soon as I try to pry them open.
Not fair.
Jasper pulls my back against his naked frame hours later as I toss in bed for what seems like the millionth time. As always the cool chill of his flesh on mine stifles the heat of my marks and feels divine…but there's just so much buzzing around my mind. Tomorrows potential meeting, how I'm going to deal with Swan and Al, not to mention that feeling from earlier is nagging at the back of my mind and not even his touch can erase it.
"You're hiding something." I decide to address the one that matters in the moment.
His hand pauses as it runs up my side; he props himself up on his elbow and bends down to give me a small kiss, "I am."
I take a deep breath – at least he's not trying to deny it, not that he'd be able to convince me, but goddamn do I wish he'd just let me completely in.
"I know it's not anything bad," I turn to face him, my eyes darting to his chest as I run the tips of my fingers over his numerous scars, "it's just infuriating; I can't hide anything from you. I thought it would take some adjusting knowing all your thoughts, but it's harder knowing I don't know everything you're thinking. Mind-reading blows my fucking mind."
"I'll give you something else to think about," he smirks and bends down to nip softly at my neck.
…Ok, I guess whatever is in his mind can't be that important, I can look through that book tomorrow, and screw finding out what I can do with my new stamina; there's only one thing I want to do with it. If we keep this up someone else is going to have to plan the fine details of this war.
We'll be too busy.
(A/N: Almost a week of not updating?! I'm terrible. Thanks so much for the support guys, you're awesome!