Chapter 9: Alliances

#A/N. Here's Chapter 9. Finally! I was just as impatient to get it posted as you guys were. This chapter took longer than usual to post. My older sister needed to use the computer so...yeah. Lol. Well, post any comments and please review! And don't forget to Enjoy! :)

*Edward's POV*

"The rest of the pack is aware of what's going on. They've agreed to help any way they can." Jacob said as he paced around the room.

We were in the living room discussing the newly made conspiracy against the Volturi. Renesmee was sitting on my lap, not paying any mind to what we were saying. Her mind was still centered on her mother.

"I would like to meet with Sam soon." I stated. "There are many things we need to discuss."

"Alright. I'm sure Sam was planning on adding his two cents worth anyway."

"I think I would prefer to wait till the others get back, though." I continued on.

"Sure, sure." Jacob replied. He came to sit beside me then. "How are you holding up, Edward?"

I sighed. "Honestly, not that well. But I'm trying my hardest to be strong for Renesmee. She's the only thing keeping me from totally losing it."

He nodded. "I'm here for you." His face was full of compassion.

Our relationship had gotten a lot better over the years. I now thought of him as my friend rather than my enemy. I was sure Jacob felt that way about me too. This mostly was due to our shared love for both Renesmee and Bella.

Jacob then turned to Renesmee. "What do you say about going on a walk with me, Nessie?"

Renesmee looked up at him with an unfocused expression, blinked, and then nodded. "Okay." She said quietly as she got off my lap and headed towards the front door.

"I just want to get her out for a little while; to clear her head a bit." Jacob explained to me.

I nodded. "I understand." I said. And truly, I did. I knew that it hurt Jacob to see Renesmee so upset. He would do anything if it meant making her feel better. Even if it was only for a little while, it was all worth it to him. Once again, I was insanely thankful for having Jacob Black in my daughter's life.

"We'll be back soon." He said as he got up and went after Renesmee.

As soon as I heard the door slam shut, I let the pain I'd been suppressing overtake me for a moment. A small groan escaped from my lips as I let the misery have me. I just needed a moment to get my emotions in order and get my strength back. I took a deep breath and then squared my shoulders. With Bella's face in my mind, I pushed the pain back and locked it securely in place.

My phoned buzzed in my pocket then. Without looking at the ID, I answered.

"Hello?" I said without any emotion.

"Edward, we're in Alaska. We talked to Tanya and her family – they're on their way." Carlisle informed me.

"I'll be ready for them when they arrive." I promised.

"Good." He said. "How are things on your end?"

"Everything's just fine here. Jacob updated his pack and I plan to have a meeting with Sam when you get back." I told him.

"Very well." He said and then paused. "How are you, son?"

"I'm... coping." I sighed.

"We're all with you, Edward. Call if you need anything."

"I will."

"I'll call back when we're sending someone else back to you."

"Alright, Carlisle. Goodbye." I hung up without waiting for a response. I suspected that he would be calling me frequently just to check up on me. I knew that he was just worried about me, my whole family was.

But that didn't mean I enjoyed being checked on.

I decided to just let it go for now.

I heard the sound of Renesmee and Jacob's laughter as they walked up the sidewalk; both of their thoughts were happy. The sound of Renesmee's laughter made my dead heart swell with happiness. They were holding hands as they walked into the room. Renesmee skipped towards me once she caught sight of me. I picked her up into my arms when she was close enough.

"How was your time with Jacob?" I asked her, responding to her brilliant smile with a smile of my own. She placed her small hand on my cheek.

"It was a lot of fun! We brought down a deer together." She told me mentally.

"I'm glad you had fun." I told her bringing her closer into my embrace. I then turned to Jacob.

"Carlisle called. The Denali coven is on their way." I told him.

"Great, at least we have someone on our side now." He said, nodding. "When will they be here?"

"They'll be here in a few hours." I said. "Five hours at the most. We Cullens aren't the only ones who like to drive fast." I told him. "Now all that's left for us to do for now is wait."

I looked out the window as I heard a car accelerate up the street.

"They're here." I said to Jacob. I could hear Tanya and her family's unmistakable thoughts as they got closer to the house. I went to get the door, with Jacob and Renesmee in tow. I had the door open before they could knock.

"Edward, hello." Tanya said.

"Hello, Tanya." I replied. "Carmen, Eleazar, Kate, Garrett." I said each of their names in welcome. They each gave me a polite "hello" in return.

"How are you, Edward?" Carmen asked me.

"I'm coping." I repeated for the second time today. Carmen then put her hand on my shoulder in sympathy for a minute, and then she turned to Renesmee.

"Hello, bebẻ linda" she said, crouching down to Renesmee's height. Renesmee then proceeded to put her hand on Carmen's cheek.

"Let's go to the living room." I offered, letting them walk ahead of me into the house. Once we were all settled, Eleazar turned to me.

"How long has Bella been gone now?" he asked me.

"Two days." I answered, wincing as the pain flared through me at my words.

"Your wife is a very strong, powerful woman." He said to me. "I doubt they could break her easily."

"Mentally they can't, her shield is to thank for that, but emotionally…" I trailed off.

"She's a strong one, Edward."

I sighed heavily, bowing my head. "I know she is. I just hope that it's enough."

"Do you have any idea why the Volturi took Bella?" Garrett asked from his place on the couch next to Kate.

"I have a few guesses." I said. "For one, she's the most powerful of us and the Volturi feel threatened by her alone."

"That's a good reason." Kate said. "That's enough of a motivation the Volturi would need to do something like this."

"What are your other guesses, Edward?" Tanya asked.

"This could have possibly been about making Bella a part of the guard. Aro is very interested in Bella. He always has been, even when she was still a human." I explained.

"But Aro wants you and Alice, too. Alice most of all – why not just take you all?" Carmen said, jumping into the conversation. She was finished talking to Renesmee, who was now sitting comfortably in her lap, her mind back on Bella. I knew she wasn't listening to our conversation, her thoughts were a million miles away.

"Maybe he plans to pick you all off one at a time." Garrett said.

"That's probable." I said, nodding. "Like I said, Bella is the most powerful of us. With her out of the picture, the Volturi could easily get me and Alice."

"There's another thing." Eleazar said. "The Volturi could have taken Bella to just kill her."

That was one reason I was trying very hard to not think about. I just couldn't think of it. The very thought was unbearable. I had to take a moment to put my emotions back in check for the pain was now lapping at the edges of my dead heart, threatening to drown me. Jacob's hands balled into tight fists by my side. Clearly, I wasn't the only one who was upset by that thought.

"Jacob." I said. "Why don't you take Renesmee upstairs? I believe that there was a drawing she made she wanted to show to you." I didn't want Renesmee to hear this particular part of our discussion. There was no need to make her anymore upset than she already was. Jacob caught on to my meaning quickly.

"I'll tell you the rest later." I whispered to Jacob, low enough so Renesmee wouldn't hear.

"Right." Jacob said slowly. "I can't wait to see the picture. Come on, Nessie." He said, taking Renesmee by the hand and leading her upstairs.

"I'm just hoping that it won't come to that." I answered Eleazar once I was sure they were out of ear shot.

Eleazar nodded. "I understand, Edward."

"When will Carlisle and the others be back?" Tanya asked then.

I was happy for the change of topic. "I'm not sure. They've split up to gather more people quicker. Someone should be calling soon." I said.

Just as I finished my sentence, my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID. It was Alice.

"Yes, Alice?" I said into the phone.

"I've seen that the Denalis have arrived." Alice said.

"Yes, they've been here for a while." I answered.

"Good." She said. "Jasper and I are on our way to find the Amazons. We should be there in about an hour or two."

"That's fine, Alice." I said. "Have you heard from Carlisle yet? What about Em and Rose?"

"Yes, I've heard from them recently." She replied. "Carlisle and Esme are on their way to find the Egyptian and Irish covens, and Rosalie and Emmett are out looking for nomads."

"Alright, thank you, Alice."

"No problem." She chirped. "Edward, how –"

I cut her off, already knowing what she was about to ask. "I'm no better than I was before, Alice. Yet, I'm no worse either."

"Ok, Edward. Just, checking."

I chuckled. But it sounded wrong, it sounded lifeless. "Goodbye, Alice." I said.

"Bye, Edward!" She said and then the line went dead.

"Now we just have to wait for whoever shows up." Tanya said; they already heard everything Alice said.

"Yes." I said, absentmindedly. It seemed like all I was doing was sitting around waiting. I felt completely useless and I hated it. I hated knowing that Bella was out there, needing me, and I couldn't do anything to help her yet. It was pure and utter torture.

"Why don't we go out for a quick hunt?" Kate suggested.

"I hunted two days ago, so I'm fine." I told them. "But you can go ahead."

"Are you sure?" Tanya asked.

"Yes." I said. "You're my guests; your best interests have to be taken into account."

With that, they went out to hunt. They left quickly, but not without shooting me sympathetic glances. I was, once again, left alone with my emotions. I got up from the couch and started walking around the living room, not being able to bear sitting still for another second.

My thoughts soon drifted back to Bella. I missed everything about her; her scent, her depthless eyes, her smile, her mesmerizing beauty, the way she seemed to habitually bite her lip, even her dry sense of humor. Everything about my wife, I missed. It felt like I hadn't seen her in years rather than just a mere two days. I could only compare this to the time I left Bella. But, in a lot of ways, this was much worse. I didn't decide for this to happen and it most certainly wasn't for her own good. But most of all, she was with people who could possibly wish to bring her harm. That alone caused great pain and seething anger to flare through my body.

I knew that this separation was hurting Bella, too. And that only added to my own pain. There was nothing I hated more than knowing that my Bella was in pain and that there was nothing I could do about it. Bella's pain was my pain.

The agony I was in only grew knowing that Bella was, most likely, out there suffering from the same pain that I was currently in.