Enjoy :)

Confrontation

A week had passed. We were as ready as we could be.

We had successfully gathered our allies and friends. It had gone up and beyond what we could have hoped for.

Everyone was ready to fight if it had to come to that. Nobody would be satisfied just being a witness this time around. The Volturi had to be stopped, we all knew it.

Nessie was really excited that all of the people who had helped save her almost 6 years ago were back. She was enjoying her time around Zafrina; they had both missed each other so much. It almost seemed as if Jake was feeling a bit left out.

The wolves came around daily to go over our strategy plans for the expected fight. They had been really great to the fact that the Vampire population had just exploded to the roof. Like last time all of our guests had promised not to feed anywhere near Forks, that information had helped a little. Everyone but the 12 vampires following Stefan and Vladimir and Keith had all been here before and was familiar with the wolves.

First confrontation between a vampire and a werewolf was always fun to watch, even when the involved parties have been warned beforehand. Needless to say there had been a lot of growling and crouching when Stefan and Vladimir´s followers had meet Paul. Sam had to step in between to keep Paul from attacking.

Emmet had offered to wrestle Paul in order for Paul to blow of some steam, but luckily Carlisle and Sam had advised against it. Paul would not have been able to stop before the match had been won or lost; a bloodsucker was after all just a bloodsucker. Emmet had sulked quite a bit over that.

In the last couple of days we had all gotten to know each other. We had to trust each other, our lives depended on it. I had shivers running down my spine every time I thought about what we had to face in only a few days time. The red eyes of the Volturi leaders were imprinted in my brain forever. A souvenir I´ve had two times too many.

Edward, Nessie, Jacob and I spent the last night before the expected arrival at our cottage. Nessie and Jacob ate some of my homemade lasagna. It was a good thing I hadn´t forgotten how to cook. We enjoyed ourselves the entire evening focusing on anything else than the next day. Edward and I excused ourselves to our room. We needed some alone time and to be distracted. I knew of no one better to distract me than Edward, and Edward knew no one better than me to distract him. We shared a night full of love. No matter how long I would live I would never stop loving Edward. I would never stop being attracted and devoted to him and it would never cease to amaze me.

Nessie and Jacob had spent the night together as well, only they just talked. Both Jacob and Nessie wanted to wait to be married before taking their relationship to the next level. Well Jacob mostly because of Edward´s ability to read minds and the prospect of what would happen to him if he took that step sooner.

Nessie had fallen asleep on Jacob´s lap on the couch and Jacob was sitting up, sleeping. Man that boy really could snore. I don´t know how Nessie even managed to stay a sleep in that thunderstorm of a snore. But I guess she´ll have to get used to it, that´s if we have a future after today that is.

I sighed, took Edward´s hand and walked over to the couch. I really hated that we had to involve both Nessie and Jacob in today's events, but they would never stay behind even if we told them to anyway. Nessie was quite the fighter after a lot of training from her uncles and playing around with werewolves her whole life, but I´ll bet she won´t ever be able to use it in a real fight. Jacob would rather fight of ten on his own than risking Nessie with just one.

We had planned to meet up at the field first thing so I woke up Nessie and Jacob after I had admired their peacefulness for a minute or two. It must have been nice to be able to escape to dreams at a time like this.

They gripped breakfast on the way out and we headed for the field. I was feeling kind of ambivalent towards this upcoming meeting. On one hand I really wanted justice to be served on the Volturi but on the other I wished we had been able to just live peacefully amongst each other. I really despised violence, but like Carlisle I would let nothing or nobody hurt my family and loved ones.

Fog was covering the field in the early morning hours; this did not make the possible fighting any easier. I would make sure to keep all of my allies in sight so I could shield them all, and that was not an easy task in this fog.

Edward squeezed my hand and pulled me close to him.

"I love you – forever and always," he whispered in my ear before he planted kisses from just below my ear and down my neck. He made me shiver with pleasure and desire.

"And I love you," I whispered back. "That will never change."

Once again Edward, the entire family and the wolves were gambling with their lives to help me out. Some were here with a different agenda, but for the ones who loved me, they were here to help save Charlie. I was a part of the Cullen family now and I knew that being in this family meant that you would go through fire to help the others. Even for the smallest favor we would do anything. That was what being a family was all about for us. I could however not help feeling bad for placing them all in danger once again. It seemed it was all I ever did.

"I´m sorry," I whispered.

"Don't be," Edward answered. "If the situation was reversed you would do this for any of us without even blinking."

He was right. But that was different.

"I know, but…" I started to say, but was cut off by Edward´s finger on my mouth.

"Don´t be silly Bella. We all love you and we love Charlie too. We want you to keep your father around for as long as possible. We all wished we could have had more time with our families, but we couldn´t and we can´t change that now. But we can make sure you can. You´re family Bella and so is Charlie."

Edward always knew what to say to make me feel better. I sighed and hugged him one last time. It wouldn´t be long before the guard would arrive and we had to be ready.

I glanced around to try to find my loved ones. The fog was hanging low and thick around the field as I heard the penetrating scream.

"JAKE!!!! NOOOO JAKE!!!!" Nessie screamed out loud.

My breathing stopped.

And then I saw it. The guard was already there and Jane had Jacob pinned to the ground in pain. I immediately threw my shield around him to free him from her bond. At the same time I shielded the rest of our side, I was sure that Alec wouldn´t hesitate to use his powers as well. Jacob got to his feet in a flash. He was shaking all over but he gained control and instead of attacking like his instincts told him to he stepped back and placed his arm protectively around Nessie and settled for scowling at Jane.

Jane giggled in pleasure for a couple of seconds and then turned to scowl at me. I rejoiced on the insides that I was the reason that she was unable to contribute to the fight without having to do some serious fighting.

6 years ago I would have been more or less a sitting duck in a fight like this. All I had was my shield, and I´m sorry but that shield sucks in a hands on fight. I wouldn´t have lasted a second against any of the guard members. Now on the other hand was a whole different story. Twice a week for the last 6 years I had been trained by Emmet for strength, Jasper for tactics, Rosalie and Alice for technique. Edward had refused to participate in anything that had to do with my training. He was still freaked out by the thought of me fighting and that would probably never change. He would be happy if all I had to do was stand in the back and shield everyone. But I wasn´t. I was so going to do my part in this fight along with shielding everyone and Edward simply had to deal with it. He wouldn´t accept the fact that I wasn´t the fragile human anymore.

Our group had formed a long line and Carlisle stepped in front.

Aro mirrored his actions and they were now standing 50 feet apart.

"Hello Aro," Carlisle said in a flat voice.

"Hello Carlisle," Aro answered back in a sickening sweet voice. "I must say that I am disappointed in you my old friend."

"Is that so?" Carlisle answered back.

"This is no way to great an old friend and ally is it?" Aro said in the same voice.

Emmet snorted and Edward rolled his eyes at Aro´s comment.

"And sending random attacks at my friends and family is?" Carlisle asked back with a tiny hint of sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"You can hardly call your little lapdog family," Aro said while he sized Jacob up. If anything Jacob wasn´t a little lapdog.

Paul growled and started shaking, but luckily Sam was right beside him calming him down.

"I consider myself very lucky to be able to call Jacob family," Carlisle answered with a smile on his lips. "And I do believe you have taken a member of my family and are holding him against his will, so excuse me for being a bit cautious."

"I am not holding anyone against their will Carlisle. You should know that. I am merely upholding our laws. You are aware off course that our laws demand secrecy to the humans and that law has clearly been broken," Aro replied back. He was losing his temper a bit, only a sign of weakness. Aro would always keep his head cool in situations like this, but he was clearly shocked that we had intended to fight back. It looked like he had been depending on Carlisle´s wish for peace.

Aro didn´t like the violent solution either, but he was willing to take that path if needed – to remain in control. He had warriors and followers to do the dirty work after all; he never had to do anything but talk and occasionally feed.

"We are merely waiting to see if the verdict is change or death," Aro said coldly.

"So you are saying that Charlie is standing in the back of your guard of his own free will?" Carlisle asked.

"More or less so, yes," Aro answered.

Wait a minute. Charlie was here?

I looked at the guard and searched their group. I found him in the back just like Carlisle had said. He was held back by Heidi and some man I didn´t know. I threw my shield around him right away, little good it would do in a situation of change or death, but I had to do something.

Charlie was scared out of his mind. He knew that we were different of course, but we never told him exactly what we were. I saw the look in his eyes and all that mattered to me right then and there was to get him out of there safe and alive. Then it wouldn´t matter if he would never speak to me again because of what I am, just as long as I knew he was safe.

"Well Aro, Charlie doesn´t know what we are, at least he didn´t until you showed him. He only knew we were different. He never had to know more and never wanted to know more. I hardly think it´s fair for you to punish an innocent human because of your lack of information," Carlisle said. He was beginning to give up dealing with this verbally. Even Carlisle had reached his limit with Aro.

Aro looked a little taken aback by Carlisle´s comment but quickly regained his usual posture.

"No matter how this human found out about our world, the law has still been broken," Aro stated.

"Then you should be punished with death as well. Since it was you who broke that law," Emmet spat at him. Rosalie placed a hand on her husband´s chest to calm him down. Provocation would not help us – even if we all wanted to shout all of our thoughts at Aro.

Aro merely looked at Emmet and then down at Rosalie´s hand and smiled.

"It was your choice to stay in touch with the humans. When your choices are not what the law commands, your choices have consequences," Aro said with his smile still spreading wider across his face. He was clearly planning something.

My suspessions was confirmed when I heard Edward growl and crouch down.

Carlisle turned to face his son.

"Aro has decided to cast his vote for Charlie´s fate," Edward answered Carlisle´s silent question.

Oh no. This could not be good and Edward was fuming.

"He has decided that `granting´ Charlie the death penalty would be too kind a way out. He wants us to suffer. He wants to turn Charlie in front of us and then he wants to take him back to Volterra and teach him the ways. He´s willing to risk a newborn in Volterra just to hurt us," Edward said with venom in his voice.

That did it.

I crouched down and so did every vampire in my line. The wolves had all phased. The battle could begin.

"It is you, Aro, who once again has proven not to be a friend and ally. I cannot accept your ways to uphold these laws of yours. This has to come to an end. Your reign of terror has ended as of now," Carlisle said in a strong voice.

The entire guard crouched down and Carlisle stepped back in line. Aro walked back and stood in the background like the coward he really was.

Emmet was the first one to move. He jumped up and met Felix in the air.

This was it.

More fighting to come - I am a bit nervous about that. I don´t know if I can describe that in a way that you´ll like it...

Suggestions are welcome (and needed ;) )

Like last time, if you leave a review I´ll send you a preview of the next fight chapter...