Disclaimer: I do not own most of these lovely characters, they belong wholly to Steph Meyer!

A/N: So, I realized I made a mistake in my last post and had to revise the end of it a bit. I seem to have a hard time wrapping my mind around the concept that Steph Meyer's vamps do not bleed, so I corrected the last couple of paragraphs. I'm surprised no one actually pointed it out to me. Usually I get thoroughly chastised when I do something like that. So, I tried to get to the battle, but we got distracted along the way. Battle sequence will be next for sure. I'm a little intimidated by it. I've mapped it all out… it's just a big daunting task and I usually am very good at procrastinating such tasks.

Also, I'd like to welcome my newest reader: tamera whitlock! Thanks for your comments. And to all the rest of you…big vampy thanks.

Chapter 41 Loose Ends

Less than two hours to go. I'd spent the last half hour trying to see the future, but with the wolves so deeply involved it had been an utter waste of my time.

He bent over me and kissed the top of my head. "Aro is on his way up here."

I sighed. I wasn't sure I could face him. I was completely humiliated. It didn't matter that Edward swore that Aro was no longer angry with me. I found it hard to believe. How could he not be?

"It will be fine. I'll be with you."

I didn't point out that he'd been with me when Aro dragged me from the room and sent me into Blain's tender loving care and it had made no difference.

The soft knock at our door brought me out of my glum thoughts. I watched Edward move across the room to answer the door, my gaze lingering on his delectable jean-clad ass.

"Ah, Edward, I have been asked to inform you that your presence is required downstairs. They are plotting battle strategies and Jasper has need of your input." Edward glanced back at me, his eyes darkening and brows furrowed.

I gave him as reassuring of a smile as I could muster and said, "It's fine, Edward. Go help Jasper."

He shook his head. "I will join them as soon as you two are done here," he countered.

Aro chuckled and placed a hand on Edward's shoulder. "Do not stay on my account."

"I assure you, Aro, that I am staying for Bella, not because of you," he remarked simply as he took a seat next to me.

The laughter drained from Aro's face. "Very well." He pulled up a chair, set it across from me, and settled himself into it gracefully. "Now that there are no more secrets between us, dear, let us speak plainly."

I nodded, but remained silent.

"First, I offer you my most sincere apologies for my behavior two days ago." He reached out and took my hand. I didn't bother shielding, so he had access to all my memories. "Are you feeling well enough to participate tonight?"

I smiled. "I'm fine, Aro."

"You are not fine. I saw your memories, can feel your terror at the visions Blain concocted for you. If I could undo it, I would, Bella."

I glanced at Edward who was sitting quietly with a smirk on his face. "Go help Jasper, Edward. There's nothing to protect me from here and I'll be down in a few minutes."

He brought my other hand to his lips, but his eyes were focused on Aro. "You two play nice together."

When the door closed Aro said, "What are your intentions after the battle?"

Well, he wasn't overly optimistic or anything, was he? He just assumed that we were all going to make it out of this okay. What was I going to do? Heck, I didn't know. All I knew was that I had to mend things with Renata and deal with Christian, other than that, I had no clue.

He rephrased his question after a minute of silence. "We would all be elated if you were to remain here. I assure you that nothing like what happened two days ago will ever happen again."

That was good to know. I certainly didn't ever want to be at Blain's mercy again and didn't want to think of anyone else being tortured by him either. I let out a slow breath. "I'm just not sure, yet. But I am considering staying here, if I can talk Edward into it."

He stood and helped me to my feet. "Your Edward will go where you tell him to go, do not fear, my lovely Bella, he will be by your side for all eternity."

He suddenly looked so forlorn. "Why do you look so…depressed all of a sudden?"

He brushed a kiss against my knuckles and whispered, "All these centuries and I have never encountered a woman who affects me the way that you affect Edward." He gave his head a shake and forced a laugh. "Do not mind me, my sweets. Come, let us go join the planning session. I imagine that you will play an integral role."

He led me down the long corridor and stairs. Christian and Kattra had just come out of the room across from us. His eyes burned up and down my body as he took in every inch of me. He whispered something to Kattra and she turned back around and went into the room.

Christian strode forward. "May I have a word with Bella, sir?" He asked politely.

Aro turned his milky red eyes to me and flashed me a wide grin. "Are you not the popular one tonight, lovely Bella?" He kissed both cheeks. "Do try not to be too long, as we have less than two hours and it is vital that we are prepared."

I groaned inwardly. I'd been hoping to delay this until after the fight. Anything to give me more time. How was I supposed to tell him that Edward and I were back together? That I'd chosen Edward despite being in love with Christian? I watched Aro slip through the door and wished more than anything that he had refused Christian's request and escorted me through that door.

I finally chanced a glance at him. He was standing a few feet away, just staring at me. He had wanted to talk, so he could start. Keeping my mouth shut couldn't hurt anything.

He shifted his weight to his other foot and gave a long blink before taking a couple tentative steps forward and reached out for me.

I did not want him to touch me. Didn't want my body to react the way I knew it would, but I also did not want to pull away and see the pain in his lovely topaz eyes, so I forced myself to remain utterly still while his hand clasped mine and tugged me gently toward him.

"I know that you and Edward have worked things out," he finally said, his voice thick with emotion.

I lowered my gaze from his accusing eyes and mumbled, "He and I belong together…"

"Look at me, please." He chided softly as his other hand reached out and tipped my face to him. "I do not want to make things any harder on you. You have made your decision and I will respect that."

A tension that I hadn't even been aware of trickled away at his words. He pulled me against his hard body and enveloped me with arms that I had missed so very much this last week. "I love you, Bella," he breathed against my hair.

"I know," I whispered back.

He pulled back slightly, but did not let me go. I caught sight of Edward in the doorway looking like some avenging angel, his one hand clutching the door frame so tightly that it was crumbling underneath his force.

"I would give them all up…Kattra…Alyria…our donors. All of them, if it would gain me your affections."

The shock evident on my face was nothing compared to the shock coursing through my mind, not to mention the horror of his so personal confession being overheard by Edward. "You adore Kattra, Christian. You barely even know me. We've spent a little more than a month together. Why on earth would you say such a thing?" But had I been any different? I knew the first moment that I saw Edward that there was something there. It didn't matter that I had known nothing about him; sometimes logic has nothing to do with emotions.

"Because it is true. I have already discussed this with her."

Oh, tell me he did not just say that. "Why…when you already knew that I…"

"Because you made your decision based on the fact that I was involved with Kattra and Alyria. Does it change nothing to know that those ties no longer exist?"

"I thought you said that you respected my decision," I muttered quickly as it looked like Edward had stomached as much as he could. He brushed the dust off of his hands and strode toward us, his anger so real that it scalded me. How Christian was unaware of the ball of rage hurtling toward him was beyond me. I jerked him toward me, to move him out of Edward's livid path, but that only brought him hard against my body. Christian mistook that one movement for more than it was and bent his face to mine. "No," I whispered as my voice utterly failed me.

Edward growled in warning and Christian stiffened as he turned to face Edward, keeping himself firmly planted protectively in front of me. "She has made her decision," Edward seethed.

"We don't have time for this," I pointed out reasonably and tried to get around Christian so I could keep them from doing anything stupid.

He moved to the side blocking me. "She did not have all of the facts before. Perhaps she has had a change of heart?" He said in a tone that was full of confidence that was unwarranted.

"You giving up your wife will not endear you to her, it just proves how expendable your lovers are," Edward taunted.

"Our enemies will be laughing their asses off if they find us fighting each other," I snapped. Neither one paid any attention to me. Snarls erupted throughout the room. I sent my power over both of them as they leapt at each other causing both of them to fall heavily to the floor. "Aro is expecting me. You two want to fight, fine. But I am not going to watch. First, it is childish and secondly, I don't have time." I took a few steps towards the door. "Let me know who wins, because that'll make all the difference in who I choose," I added sarcastically.

Edward's smooth voice sounded broken when he uttered, "I thought your decision was already made."

I turned back and sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time. "It has been, Edward. It's called sarcasm. My point was that fighting each other would gain neither of you anything."

"Oh," he said looking embarrassed. I shook my head in frustration and entered the room. I had no one to blame but myself, but still, could they pick a worse time to act like idiots? I caught sight of Kattra's beautiful dark hair out of the corner of my eye, but could not look at her. I hated myself and Christian for putting her through this. I took my seat next to Seline and Marcus.

"Are they not joining us?" Marcus finally asked when neither vampire walked through the door.

I shrugged. "I haven't a clue. Let's get on with it."

Jasper took in my grumpy form and sent waves of happiness towards me. A small smile broke across my face in reply. "Those with offensive powers are going to be on the boulders, that way you all have a clear view of everything below." He paced across the room and peeked his head out the door. "You guys might want to stop fighting long enough to learn what is expected of you. He turned his attention back to us. "The newborns will be the front line.

I glanced around the room. Aro and Marcus had made a small army of newborns while I'd gone to aid Edward against Virat. There were about thirty of them including Laura, Justin, and Mrs. Lucci. You'd think I'd have bothered learning her first name by now, but I'd been pretty self absorbed lately and hadn't taken the time for common courtesies.

Jasper stood near the wolves and Edward and Christian filed in looking sheepish, but unharmed, thankfully. Edward took Jasper's seat next to Alice and Christian took the chair beside Aro. I could tell it bothered Edward that he was seated up here with the might of the Volturi. The only one we were missing was Demetri as he was glued to Leah. "You will be situated behind the newborns and then the rest of us will follow.

Aro stood. "Once Blain begins his illusion and Justin twists their perception of time Bella will use their auras and destroy as many of them as possible before they reach our newborns. Kattra, Christian, Eleazor will be spread out among you all to shield you from any special powers the Romanian's might have amassed." He took Seline into his arms almost lovingly and pressed a chaste kiss against her ruby lips. "You and Renata will guard me and Marcus, my raven goddess." He glanced at me then around the room "It is time."

Edward was beside my side before I even stood up and captured my hand in his. Seline burst into a fit of laughter as she watched the irritated looks shared between Edward and Christian. She sidled up to me and took my other hand. "My, my my, Isabella, you are quite the lucky vamp," she snickered. "Trapped between two very intense men. Whatever will you do with both of them?" She let out a throaty laugh. "Maybe I could distract one while you are occupied with the other," she taunted.

"And where will Aro be during all of this?" I asked, giving her a wink. "

"Wherever he wants to be, love. Wherever he wants to be. The more the merrier, I say."

"Somehow I have a hard time picturing Aro in an orgy like setting," I laughed. She and Renata burst into a fit of giggles beside me and Edward just stared at me in disbelief. Aro was plainly ignoring us.

"Not as hard as it would be for us to picture you with two men, dear."

"Shut up," I hissed. I could feel Edward's displeasure at that thought. Though, displeasure was not quite the right word for the emotion it stirred within me.

"Alright. No more personal shit. How about this? You better keep all of us alive or I will see you dead, how's that?"

"Much more Seline-like," I muttered dryly. "It is war, you know. And people do die in battle," I pointed out.

"Be that as it may, your duty is to see that no harm befalls Aro or Marcus."

"Actually, dear, I believe it is yours and Renata's duty to personally protect them. My job is everyone else."

She chuckled darkly. "If one hair is harmed on either of them then I will personally see to it that you are repaid in kind. I've been waiting for the perfect excuse anyway." She jerked my arm and brought me closer to her, Edward's hand tensed in mine. "If you live through this, then he will want you to stay here and I can't have that, you see? So, I'm hoping that the Romanian's kill you, but if not, I'll be looking for any reason to see it done."

Renata looked back and forth between us, but remained quiet. Normally she would have stepped in and told Seline to behave, but we weren't chummy anymore, though I could see the disapproval in her eyes at Seline's words.

Seline was suddenly sprawled across the floor with Christian towering over her. "You will never have that opportunity," he bit out angrily.

Aro looked back and saw our group lingering behind. He shot an indiscernible look at Christian before helping Seline up without so much as a word and returned to the front of the group as we continued our walk through the underground tunnels that would lead us to the edge of the forest where we were planning our attack.