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Chapter Eighteen

Pandemonium

EPOV

Witnessing the exchange through Bella and her old best friend was very fulfilling. I tried not to speak much, I was hearing Angela's thoughts and I wanted Bella to hear everything she had to say. Although Bella had left Forks and had rarely looked back, not contacting her close friend, not even once, Angela held no resentment toward Bella. Charlie's cover story that he had fed the town when he was questioned about us had truly worked. Angela did not tell 'Bella's granddaughter' that the town believed that she and I had went to work in a job that was so undercover, that we practically lived like we were members of the witness protection program. Charlie had not told them such, but he had known if he was vague, they would come up with their own conclusions which would be probably better than any story we had concocted.

Angela had so many thoughts running through her mind as she spoke with Bella. She was definitely pleased to see the both of us, Bella especially. Her thoughts led me to believe that she did not believe we were the same as those she had known in her youth. She had even thought that Mike was still crazy. Angela had bought the story that we had told her, the descendants of Bella and Edward Cullen. She bought it, as the cliché phrase would say, hook, line, and sinker. She had wanted to ask us back, but we had left before doing so. I wasn't sure if I could or would be able or perhaps should keep that information from Bella, as I know if I told her this, Bella would definitely return often to speak with Angela. Although I knew that visiting with Angela would bring her great joy, I knew it would be difficult for Bella and I didn't feel that the risk to us and our family would be worth the chance. I also knew how Bella would begin to feel guilty. Leaving that house when we did had left Bella with great feelings about the friendship she and Angela had shared those many years ago.

We left Angela's and made our way back to our home. I looked to Bella and she was glowing, almost like we do when we step out into the sunlight. But it was a different glow. She had finally been able to move past the one person that was left that she would have liked to spoke to once again. Time had come and past and it had never been possible for her to see Renee again. She had managed to correspond through email and telephone, but I knew it wasn't the same. Bella had never been able to speak with Angela once she was changed. It would have been a hard friendship to retain. But looking back now, maybe it wouldn't have been. But once again, it's the risk factor. Not only a risk to our family and to us, but to the human. The Volturi knew from Aro reading my mind and having a recollection of all my memories, that Bella still contacted her mother, but that she absolutely knew nothing of us. After our son compelled Aro, we needn't have another worry about his knowing anything anyway. We had never had to encounter the Volturi again after Masen's encounter with Aro. They were a distant thought for us now. Even if they did come around again, we were more powerful than they would comprehend, and that wasn't including the two packs of werewolves that we would have on our side.

I pulled the car into the garage and followed Bella inside. I figured our family would be waiting for us to find out all the things we learned from Angela and to find out if the meeting had went as we had hoped. I could hear their thoughts coming from upstairs. Edward is here now. We must tell them. It was Rosalie. She seemed to be very impatient that we get inside. I hadn't thought going to visit a human would matter so much. I took Bella by the hand and led her upstairs, the others were in Carlisle's office.

When we entered Carlisle's office, everyone was present but Alice and Jasper. Alice and Jasper are in Seattle. Another shopping trip. Carlisle knew I was looking for them as I scanned the room. My father had gotten to know me so well over the past one hundred and fifty plus years that he almost could read my mind. Of course, he couldn't, that was my gift, but it sometimes felt that way. "Hello, everyone," Bella spoke. "Everything went great today. Angela believes we are who we say we are. She informed me how wonderful my grandmother is and she thinks Mike is off his rocker."

Bella waited for someone to speak, to comment on her announcement. Carlisle shifted. I could tell they were all thinking of something but they wouldn't think it to were I could hear it. "We must talk," Carlisle started.

Emmett was in the corner. I looked to him, he was blocking Rosalie. "What's going on in here?" I asked.

"Move, Emmett," Rose spoke as she pushed her husband so that he would step away from her. I heard Bella's gasp and the snarl start in my throat. Rose's clothing had looked as if she had been battling a fierce lioness. "Emmett and I were hunting," she began to explain as she motioned along her body, to explain her clothes. "The nomad was there. She caught me off guard. She came up behind me, but I heard her in time."

Emmett's booming voice erupted, "I didn't get a good look at her, but I got one hell of a jump on her."

"Em, let me finish," Rosalie annoyed. "She startled me, but I startled her more. I don't think she realized I was another immortal. She isn't very strong, but she is fast. She ran when I defended. She was fierce, nonetheless. Look at my clothing. Alice will have a fit. I slammed her fast into a tree, causing the tree to break. I grabbed her once she fell and was going to hold her until Emmett came so that we could question her, but she was about to break free. I slung her again and she jumped onto a tree. She caught herself. Her reflexes are fast. Emmett came at that time and jumped upward, punching her, but she managed to bound off. She went along the treetops and her scent was hard to follow. And we were stunned. She tried to attack. But she wasn't going after my throat like an immortal would to another immortal, she thought I was human. She is not a well trained immortal. I believe she has probably been alone since her change or else she would have known my smell was that of an immortal. I think she probably doesn't understand her instincts, and that makes her even more dangerous."

I heard my wife behind me. She let out a snarl, that if I hadn't known it was coming from her, my instincts would have kicked in and I would have been down in my fighting crouch, ready to defend. Bella had rarely gotten upset in all of her time after being changed. She had gotten upset during the time of our issues with the Volturi, but she had not had to actually witness or see the makings of a fight. Not one in which Rose had gotten so involved that her clothing had been ripped, almost to shreds. "Bella, I'm okay," Rosalie spoke. "She couldn't have took me if she had tried. I just wished I had gotten a better look at her is all."

My wife began to quiet but she was still shaking. Her teeth were bare. "I am calm," she answered. "I am calm." Where was Jasper when we needed him.

I looked to Esme and Carlisle, their faces of terror and anger all in the same. "Son, we will have to be on guard," Carlisle began. "More than we were with the newborns. Alice hasn't seen anything, not this or she would have warned us, if she could have. We are going to have to be very careful when we hunt, and I think, we need to discuss this with Sam. We need to let them know that this is very serious and that she is not one of us."

I moved closer to Rosalie. I could smell the scent of the other immortal on Rosalie. I could see the fight in her thoughts. Rosalie had been right, she was definitely stronger than the strange nomad. The woman's hair hid her face, I could see that Rose and Emmett would not have been able to see her unless they would have held her still and moved it. Emmett's punch had scared the nomad, I could smell it in Rose's memory. He had landed a punch so hard to her that she had sailed into the trees. Emmett's extreme strength had put more fear into her than Rosalie's abrupt defense. Still, the scene unfolding in Rosalie's thoughts was pandemonium.

Bella squatted next to Rosalie, putting herself at Rose's level. "Rose, I feel like I'm the cause of all this," Bella's head lowered in shame. "You and our family has suffered so much at my hand. You had no problems until I came into the picture. I feel like I did when Victoria came after me."

I shuddered at the mention of Victoria's name. Even though years had past, I still resented that creature. Even with all the years gone, I was surprised by Bella's words. She had fooled me into thinking she no longer felt as though she brought any negativity into our world. Before I could speak, Esme cut me off. "Bella, you have done nothing of such. You have completed our family. Please do not think such thoughts. We are all blessed to have you in our family. As I have told you many times, you became a part of our family the day Edward brought you home and you mean as much to me…to all of us…just as the others do. This creature, we have never met before, cannot hold any ill will toward you."

I nodded to my mother. "Please, love, I beg that you stop saying such things," I added. I pressed my hand to her face and turned her chin upright so that she would look at me. "This is a coincidence. This creature has obviously been in the forest for awhile, she thinks we are on her territory. It has nothing to do with you or us, love."

Rose brought her arms around Bella. "Bella, I know what you are thinking and you are wrong," she said. "I know I treated you poorly once upon a time because of James and his group, but please listen, you have given us more than we have given you. Do not think that way. This woman came upon me, it wouldn't have been any different. It proves she isn't after you. She came at me." I mean this Edward, Rose said in her thoughts. Please make Bella understand. This tormenting herself will not help any of the matters at hand.

Alice and Jasper came through the doors. "I couldn't warn you," Alice screeched. Her face began to pout. "I forgot my phone but we came as soon as I saw. The outcome, I see, was just as I saw. And Bella, its nothing to do with you. She will be back, but we will be prepared. She will be in the forest, just past the cottage, in two days. We will ambush her then. She wont be able to get out of Jasper and Edward's grip. That's who I foresee catching her. She is fast…but not as fast as Edward." Alice was grinning. I began to see her thoughts. She turned to me and smiled even bigger. "We will do what we must do."

I nodded. I could see the thoughts Alice had foreseen coming. I gave her a quizzical glance with my eyes. I only foresaw her coming back, you and Jasper catching her. I don't see how it will end. That, I suppose, will be a result of our decisions after the two of you catch her. And a result of how she decides to behave once you do. I blinked my eyes to let her know I understood. I knew that when Alice foresaw things like that, the ending wouldn't be good for our side or this woman. It would definitely be a changing event.