19.

Alice let out a small cry when she recognized Camila. Jasper's hand flew into hers.

One of the first things I noticed about Camila was the fact that the sun wasn't reflecting off her skin like it should for a vampire. Instead, it was like the light was disappearing inside her, as if it had hit a black hole. The second thing I noticed was the hugged tree laying uprooted a few feet away from her. That was where the crash had come from. And the last thing I noticed were the three figures standing behind her, clad in torn shirts and pants, faces streaked with mud, and eyes red and hard like rubies.

Caius was the first to move. He turned to Carlisle. "This is the girl?"

No one responded to his question.

"She isn't quite as dead as you thought," remarked Aro.

"I don't –" Alice began, but Aro cut her off.

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand or not. She apparently very alive and we need to be rid of her. So let's not stand around all day chit-chatting." And with the most show of authority that he had ever shown, he yelled, "Move!"

It was too much for me to handle. I sank down to the couch, putting my head on my knees and hugging them with my arms. In my four years, I had never felt this drained. Someone squatted down in front of me.

"Lisa," Esme whispered softly. "You stay here. We'll let the men handle this one."

I nodded and felt someone sit down next to me. I recognized Alice's scent as she wrapped her arms around me.

The sounds of fighting from outside reached my ears, but I blocked it out. Esme stood and moved away from us. She was back a few minutes later.

"Lisa?"

I glanced up in surprise. "John," I whispered, feeling pure relief flood over me.

"I thought you might like to have him here," said Esme kindly.

"Thank you," I whispered to her as I grabbed John's hand and pulled him down unto the couch next to me. Alice let her arms fall away from me and I swayed to the other side, landing softly against John's chest. He was breathing slowly, and I concentrated on the rhythm of his chest rising and falling. The warmth of his blood came through his shirt and tried to penetrate my icy skin.

With a kiss to the top of my head, he whispered to me, "I love you, Lisa."

What I had said to Aro pushed back up to the front of my mind. "He won't be for long, Aro, so leave it alone."

I didn't want to fight it anymore. If John had his mind set on this, it was going to happen sooner or later. Though I had thought before that I was being selfish by wanting him to be like me, now I realized it was selfish to not give him what he wanted because it didn't sit right with me.

"I love you too, John," I mumbled into his chest.

A few strands of hair cascaded over my shoulder and John started twirling one around his finger.

After about half an hour, I glanced over at the clock. The fight was still going on out there and I wondered what it would take to actually kill Camila and the others for good. I was interrupted by the sound of growling under my ear. In surprise, I shot out away from John until I realized it was his stomach.

"Are you hungry?" I asked him guiltily. Mentally is punished myself for forgetting to feed him.

He nodded and stood up. "Anything in the house?"

I glanced at Esme, who nodded. "We always keep a few things handy. Renesme does have to eat sometimes," she added. She stood and led us to the huge kitchen just past the living room. Alice had curled up on the couch, flipping through a fashion magazine mindlessly.

"How does macaroni and cheese sound? I learned how to make it from watching a cooking show and apparently it's supposed to be scrumptious."

I moved to help Esme, but she waved her hand at me. "I'll do it. You go relax with your husband while I mix this up. It won't take too long." She turned to John. "Would you like chicken with that?"

John nodded. "Thank you so much."

Esme smiled and shrugged. "It's nothing. Now go back and sit."

We obeyed her and moved to the love seat, letting Alice stretch out on the three-seater. John began playing with my hair again as I placed my head on his chest. Mentally I was debating whether I should tell John about my decision now or later.

"I want you to know that I've thought about it a lot," John finally spoke up.

I was silent for a moment. "I know," I finally answered.

"It's not something I just decided last night. I've been sitting on this for a while."

"How long?"

Pause. "A month or two."

"I just always thought you never wanted anything to do with that part of my life."

"I thought that, too." He let out a slow sigh. "Lisa, when I married you, you remember what I promised to you in the car?"

I nodded. "To love all of me."

"Yes. And I know that the Cullens are a huge part of your life now."

He didn't speak again for a few moments. "I realized I didn't want to be left out. I want to keep my promise. I want to love all of you again."

I sat up and looked into his face. He had some stubble from not shaving for three days. His eyes shone brightly. "So you're alright with who I am now?"

He took my hand in his and looked down at it, rubbing it with his thumbs. "I never thought I would be," he answered. Looking up at me, he finished, "but, yes, I am."

Now I was the one looking down at our interlaced hands. "I don't know if I'm ready to believe that," I whispered, loudly enough for him to hear.

"And I understand that. I don't want to rush this. I want us to both feel a hundred percent right about this."

I nodded slowly. "Are you a hundred percent yet?"

He chuckled softly. "Honestly? No. Maybe about eighty-nine."

I smiled and looked back up into his face. "I love you, John."

His hand released mine and dug into my hair, pulling me towards him. He kissed me sweetly, his lips warm and sweet against mine like watermelon on a hot summer day. I smiled and kissed him back.

The smell of cheese and chicken finally pulled us apart. John stood up and drifted to the kitchen, where Esme had a plate heaped with steaming food waiting for him. She glanced over his shoulder at me and winked. I realized she had heard everything. Inwardly I blushed slightly, but I smiled back at her.

As John finished his dinner, the sound of fighting died down outside and the smell of burning filled the air. Bella and Rose made their way down the stairs into the living room; I realized I hadn't even known they were gone. I moved towards the door and cracked it wide open, looking out at the scene before me.

A huge fire was burning in the middle of the Cullen's front yard, white smoke rising from it. I recognized the scent of vampires burning. Around the fire stood all the fighters, watching the burning remains wearily. Everyone looked like they had just fought for their lives. Mud streaked their faces and some of their clothes were torn. Emmett had lost his shirt and I noticed that Aro's robe was laying in a crumpled mess by the porch steps. Esme joined me at the door just as Carlisle glanced up. Seeing his wife, he made his way slowly towards us. Looking at his face, it was the first time I had ever seen him look worn out and tired. The effects of the battle showed clearly as he trudged slowly up the stairs. Esme pulled him into her arms.

The sound of wood creaking turned my attention back to the fire. Bella had sprinted down the stairs and was in Edward's arms in a flash, while Jasper came to join us on the porch. I looked him over. His shirt was torn in several places. A huge gaping hole in his chest gave me a glimpse at his many other battle wounds; vampire bites marked his skin like the effects of chicken pox. The crescents glinted in the moonlight.

"How did you finally kill them?" I asked him gingerly.

He looked at me, apparently reading my emotional map. He smiled slightly and I wondered if he had detected the afterglow I felt from my conversation with John. Then his expression turned grim again. "It was the hardest fight I have ever been in," he replied, his southern accent shining through slightly. "Aro had some holy water in his pocket and when he splashed it on Camila's friend, he died instantly."

"How interesting," muttered Alice, who was now beside me in the doorway. "But holy water doesn't affect us, so why would it do anything to them?"

"I think it may be because they were already dead before, the holy water forced the soul from the body completely, causing the body to die."

"So somewhere there might be a ghost of Camila flying around?" I asked.

Jasper shrugged. "Who knows? It's nothing I want to worry about now, as long as she cannot do a thing."

He let out a deep sigh and Alice took his hand, leading him inside. When I looked back towards the fire, I noticed that Aro and the rest of the Volturi were taking their leave. I marched down the steps and grabbed hold of Aro's arm.

"Why did you have holy water in your pocket?"

He glanced at me in surprise, but that was gone in a flash, replaced by a sinister grin. "I carry it around all the time?"

I scoffed. "I'm sure that's true. Why, so you can drink it?"

He didn't respond, so I decided to tell him what I thought.

"You knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"

Again, no response, but I saw a flicker in his eyes. I was on the right track.

"You knew exactly how to kill Camila and her friends. But you had to have a reason to come down here, so you chose me."

"Why would I choose you?"

"Don't play games with me, Aro. You thought you could convince me to join you when you conveniently saved my life, is that it?"

He chuckled, but all the humor had left his face. "You think you know me so well, do you?"

"I know enough."

Aro folded his hands in front of him. "Won't you join us, Lisa? I can give you a good life." His gaze moved to the huge house standing behind us. "Your true potential is not being used here. The Cullens are obviously afraid to let you do anything here, scared that you will find out what you're really capable of. You could be great."

I wanted to slap the man so badly, but I refrained. "I would rather be happy than be great."

"And are you happy here?" It was like Aro could see into my very soul. He knew what my weak spots were, but I wouldn't let him manipulate me like that.

"Yes, I am."

Suddenly, Aro's eyes turned cold, piercing into mine relentlessly. He grabbed hold of my arm. Through clenched teeth, he whispered, "Join me, Lisa, or I will kill your husband."

I gasped in shock, nearly falling over backwards. Only Aro's death grip on my arm held me in place.

"I'll be back in six months. Choose wisely," he spit at me. Then he threw me to the ground and followed the others into the forest. Marcus was the only one who glanced back, and I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw pity in his eyes as he looked at me.