DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight, Just like I didn't own that sandwich I just ate. Shh. Don't tell the hobo I stole it.
A/N Hey. This is gonna be a really short chapter but the last one was massive, so no complaints. . . Lauryn.
And yeah, I haven't mentioned this yet, but. . . . 24th MAY!!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, I had an OWD moment there, Back to the story. . .
Chapter 26
Bella's POV:
"What would you give, Isabella? What would you give for us to help?" He tilted his head, his hands clasped in front of him.
I spoke without thinking, but it was truthful at the time. "Anything." I spoke loudly this time, and repeated it. "Anything." my tone was almost aggressive.
"Really?" Aro raised his eyebrows. "How. . . . interesting."
My breathing was jagged and uneven. What did they want. Would I give anything, to have him back? Yes. I would. But. . . .
"What do you want? I'll give you anything. Pay anything. . ." Aro laughed, shaking his head.
"We don't want your money, Isabella. We want you." Aro spoke in an almost cheery voice.
It took a moment for his words to sink in.
And then they hit me like a wrecking ball.
They wanted me. My powers. That was the price. Could I pay it?
I took a deep breath. What would Edward want me to do? Would he be so desperate to be free that he would let me go? Or would he insist selflessly that I live my life, As if he'd never existed. He thought sent a shiver running through my body, deciding me.
I was about to speak, when Carlisle beat me to it.
"No! She will not join you. We would be winning one family member for the loss of another. No!" I had never heard Carlisle raise his voice, and it shocked me.
Aro shot him a deadly glare. "The girl," He glanced my way. "can speak for herself, Carlisle. Please do not interrupt."
Carlisle looked at me longingly, and it was almost enough to change my mind. Almost.
"Yes." My voice shook, joining my hands. "I will stay with you. If you help us."
Carlisle cursed and I lowered my head in defeat. But it was the fact that I would see Edward again that kept me strong, regardless of the fact that I'd be taken away from him only minutes after our eyes met again.
"Excellent." Aro smiled a broad, vicious smile, and it was the smile of pure evil.
Louise's POV:
I woke up to the smell of something frying. Eggs?
"Paul?" My voice was slurred with sleepiness, and Paul walked through from the kitchen smiling.
"Good evening Sleeping Beauty. Did you have a good sleep? You've been out for hours! I was starting to think you'd slipped into a coma." He laughed and smoothed out my messy hair.
"What time . . . . .is it?" I asked, interrupted by my own yawn.
"Almost half seven." My eyes widened. I had fallen asleep at around two. Wow. "You hungry? I'm just making some bacon rolls, if you want?" I nodded enthusiastically and hauled myself off of the couch.
"Oh. . . um, Paul?" I remembered what I had wanted to ask him when I was being lured into the deep, dreamless sleep.
"Uhu?"
"What was in the shopping bags?" I walked to the edge of the sofa, but the bags were gone.
"Aren't you nosey?" Paul laughed, scuffing my nose gently with his index finger. "And it was your birthday present, Love." My eyes widened and a grin spread across my face, forcing Paul to smile too.
"Really?!" Paul nodded, still smiling. I squealed in excitement. I loved my birthday, and this would be the first one I spent with Paul.
I ran – well, as fast as I could walk – over to him and slipped my arms around his waist.
"Come on, lets go get you a bacon roll, yeah?" I smiled and took his hand as he lead me through to the small kitchen.
Carlisle's POV:
"No! She will not join you. We would be winning one family member for the loss of another. No!"
I growled my protest at Aro. How dare he suggest such a thing. It was ridiculous!
"The girl," He was staring at me, his eyes full of annoyance "can speak for herself, Carlisle. Please do not interrupt."
I longed to roll my eyes. It didn't matter. Bella would never agree. She loved Edward too much.
She loved Edward too much.
She was going to agree. She was actually going to agree! Damn! How the hell could I stop her now?
Calm down Carlisle. She might not say yes. Calm down. Calm down.
"Yes."
No! no no no no no!
"I will stay with you. If you help us."
What the hell was she thinking?
I managed to keep my profanities quiet and I cursed under my breath, hoping Bella hadn't heard, but she bowed her head, and I knew she'd heard me.
"Excellent." Aro was grinning from ear to ear, clearly please with himself. And in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to rip him to shreds. If it hadn't been for the fact that they were our only hope of finding Edward, I may well have listened to my heart and attacked him.
* * *
Only hours later and Bella and I were making our way back to Forks, Washington.
Alone.
Aro had promised that he would pay us a visit – joined by Demetri and a few others – in less than a week, but for the mean time, we were to return to America.
As we boarded the second aeroplane of the journey, Bella and I still hadn't spoken since the event in the underground world of Volterra.
We sat down in the comfortable first class leather seats. Bella took her i-pod and earphones out of her rucksack, but before she could turn it on I yanked it out of her grasp and dropped them on the floor.
"You're not going." My words were final, and arrogant. Bella's expression stayed unchanged by my statement and she spoke almost without moving her lips.
"Yes I am Carlisle. You can't stop me." she suddenly glared at me, her eyes mad. "You're not my parent. Don't pretend to be." With that she grabbed her stuff and marched off to a free seat four or five rows behind me.
Bella's POV:
I stormed off angrily and sat as far away from Carlisle as I could, but the plane was pretty full so I only managed a few rows. I noticed that I was sitting beside a young woman, probably only a year or two older than me, and beside her was a little girl, her daughter I presumed. She only looked five or six.
I whimpered silently as I let myself think about Renesmee. If I didn't think about her, it didn't hurt as much. But as I saw her perfect little face in my thoughts, my whole mind was ripped apart I couldn't think. Or speak. Or breathe.
I knew this was stupid. I had already considered the fact that I would soon see her for the last time, and that she would grow up without me. But she needed Edward.
More than she needs me?
I quickly shook that thought out of my head. She needed Edward.
* * *
When the plane landed in Washington, and the seatbelt signed flashed off, Carlisle walked down the aisle of seats and stood in front of me.
"I'm not going to have an argument with you Bella, but I wont lose you too." I sighed heavily. "And I may not be your parent but that doesn't mean I don't love you like a daughter. You're coming home. And you're staying home. Understood?" He raised his eyebrows at me.
"Carlisle, I . . .I have to."
He never said anything, but I knew he was still angry. But what could I do? Edward had to be safe. If I knew that, nothing else mattered.
Yay, another chapter done.
Go check out my new fanfic, yeah?
Http:// . net/s/ 5891 404/1/A_letter_from_JK_Rowling
(Remove spaces and use link)
FailCullen OVER AND OUT! :D
