Chapter 23: Bellas Vow

It was a sunny day so Bella was able to enjoy the company of her family. She was sitting outside with a book while she watched the rest of the family. She was twisting her ring around on her pointing finger as her mind started drifting a little. She wondered what the Volturi were doing to Edward, if he was okay, if he thought about her.

Bella's heart continued to ache over the loss of her beloved Edward. Every day was just another day of torture because he wasn't there. "Bells, let's train," Emmett called to her. Getting up from her place on the bench, Bella stood in the middle of the two guys as they started to slowly circle her.

"Yeah this is fair," she laughed.

"Well in Volterra you'll have more than two guards circling you," Jasper pointed out.

Biting her lower lip, Bella slowly watched them, wondering which one was going to come at her first. She let out a gasp when Jasper leaped at her, grabbing a hold of her throat. She shoved her knee into his stomach, grabbing a hold of his arm. She maneuvered Jasper onto his back, straddling his sides and her hand over his throat.

Grabbing her from behind, Emmett wrapped one arm around her neck and another around her waist, lifting her up off Jasper with no problem. Letting out a growl she reached behind Emmett's neck, trying to get him to loosen his grip. After digging her feet to the ground she let out another growl before flipping Emmett onto his back. Jasper came at her again, she dodged one attack, grabbing a hold of a tree limb when Jasper grabbed a hold of her foot. She let her grip on the branch go and landed on her back purposely, she grabbed a hold of Jasper's free hand and yanked him down onto the ground. Emmett tried to grab her when he was literally thrown off his feet, Bella was still on the ground with her arm stretched out. Jasper was sitting up with a grin. "You did it, you finally did it," he commented.

"Yeah too bad it had to be me who was the target at that moment," Emmett muttered as he got up from the ground.

"Aw you poor baby," she fake mourned with a grin.

"I pity the Volturi guard that come at you," Jasper stated as he got up from the ground, helping Bella up.

Bella brushed the dirt off her clothes as she answered him, "I just want to get Edward home." Emmett patted her shoulder.

"We can go with you if you'd let us," he pointed out.

Shaking her head she walked back towards the house. "No, this is something I have to do alone," she insisted as she went inside.

As Bella walked toward her room, she walked by Carlisle's office to see him staring off into space. Knocking on the door, she quietly called to him, "Carlisle?" Looking up, he put a small smile on his face.

"Bella hi, come in," he answered gesturing for her to come in.

Bella closed the door behind her and sat down in one of his chairs. "I see your training is getting better," he observed.

"Yeah, thanks to Jasper and Emmett," she agreed.

Nodding his head slowly, Carlisle set his pen down, looking at the young woman in front of him. "I have something to tell you and as much as you're going to fight me on it, I'm going to put my foot down on this decision," he informed. Giving him a quizzical look, she sat back in her seat. "I'm going to Volterra with you, on the day you go to get Edward, I'm going with you," he explained.

"Carlisle this is something I need to do alone," she insisted.

Holding his hand up to get her to stop, he continued, "You have problems with the Volturi, but I think I do have a right to go. Aro took Edward from me too, he's my son. I've known him since he was born and Aro took him from me. I am not one to fight, but I will fight him." Bella's mouth dropped open in shock.

"You…fighting?" She asked in disbelief.

Moving his fingers through his hair, the much older vampire closed his eyes as he let out an unneeded breath. "Bella, as much as I hate fighting, Aro stole something from me. He stole Edward from me two hundred years ago. I do not tolerate fighting, but I hate threats against my family more," he explained.

"But…Edward would never forgive himself if you died because of him," Bella pointed out quietly.

"As I told Edward the night he was taken, I'm his father. It is not his job to take care of me," he answered.

Carlisle tapped his fingers on his desk as his mind drifted a little. "It's the parent's job to take care of their child, I have not done that and that makes me a horrible father," he added with such conviction it made Bella's heart sink.

"You did great with Edward though," she said quietly.

"It is not the raising that is the problem Bella, it's the protection," he insisted quietly.

"I don't understand," she said quietly.

"Carlisle feels that he let Aro get to Edward, that he let Edward down when he didn't protect him from Aro's threats," Esme informed as she walked into the office.

Staring at Carlisle incredulously, Bella shook her head slowly. "Carlisle of all the time I spent with Edward he never once blamed you for not protecting him. If anything he said how great of a father you were considering the circumstances," she explained. Letting out a sigh, Carlisle pulled Esme into his lap.

"You can object to this all you want Bella, but I'm going to Volterra with you. I get Aro, you can fight whomever else is there, but Aro is mine," Carlisle demanded.

Bella looked over at Esme to see the devastated look on her face as she rested her head on Carlisle's shoulder. This was killing her, she just knew it. "Alright, as soon as I'm ready to fight," she informed. Nodding Carlisle watched Bella leave the room.

Feeling like her heart was getting torn from her, Esme looked at her husband. "Carlisle, why do you have to fight him?" She asked quietly, her hands on his face as she spoke. Looking up into her eyes, he saw nothing but pain and worry. Holding her hands in his, he placed kisses on her wrists.

"Darling, I have to go, it's for my son, my boy," he whispered.

Biting her lower lip, she pressed her forehead against his. "I love you, so much," she whispered, her hand on the back of his neck.

"And I love you," he answered.

Walking outside, Bella looked back at the house feeling so much guilt. She didn't think that Carlisle would actually want to go to Volterra with her, but she also knew that once Carlisle made up his mind, there was no changing it. "Ready for round two?" Emmett asked. Smiling a little she nodded her head slowly.

"Let's do it," she replied.

Night fell, everything was silent, well it was until Bella heard scuffling outside. Walking down the hall, she found Esme standing near a window. "Esme?" She called quietly. Looking up, she put on a sad smile.

"Hey Bella, how are you doing?" She asked, brushing a strand of hair from Bella's face.

"Alright, what's going on?" Bella asked curiously.

Gesturing over to the window, Esme's gaze went toward the backyard. Bella stood by the window, looking at where Esme was looking, finding the source of the scuffling. Carlisle was fighting with Jasper and Emmett. This was the first time ever had Bella seen Carlisle any kind of aggression. Sighing, Esme closed her eyes for a second before she spoke in a quiet voice, "I can't live without that man if something happens to him in Volterra Bella." Biting her lower lip, Bella remained silent. "I have been in love with that man since I was sixteen-years-old," Esme whispered.

"I know and I promise Carlisle will come home. We'll call come home," Bella reassured her.

Gripping Esme's arm, she showed the determination in her eyes. "I will not leave Volterra without both Edward and Carlisle," she vowed. Esme smiled sadly, resting her hand over Bella's.

"I know you'll try to bring them home," the sad vampire murmured gently.

Nodding Bella looked back outside when Alice walked up the stairs. "Alice, what's going on?" Bella asked curiously. Alice's eyes were showing fear and apprehension.

"I had a vision," she whispered.

"What did you see?" Esme asked worriedly.

Swallowing Alice looked toward Bella as she spoke, "Bella if you're going to find Edward it has to be soon." The younger vampire stood there confused.

"Why?" She queried.

"Edward's future just went dark," Alice whispered.

Bella felt her world crash down around her as those words left her mouth. Shaking her head slowly, she refused to believe those words. "No, no, there must be some mistake," she whispered. Alice shook her head.

"I'm sure about this one," she insisted.

"What did you see? What was it that you saw?" Bella insisted, fear showing in her voice.

"All I saw was Edward's bedroom door opening and his future went dark, that's all I saw. I wish I could tell you more," Alice answered, her voice shaking.

Hurrying down the stairs, Bella ran out the door. "CARLISLE! CARLISLE!" She shouted fearfully. The three vampires stopped their practice and looked up as the newest member of their family ran over to them.

"What is it Bella?" Carlisle asked, his voice showing concern.

"We have to leave for Volterra," Bella replied.

"Why what's going on?" He asked getting up from the ground.

"Alice…she said…she said that Edward's future just went dark."

Bella felt her heart just sink to the pit of her stomach, "Carlisle I think Edward's going to die."