A/N: The characters aren't mine.

Chapter 17: Off with her Head

EPOV

There was tension, and then there was this. If there are words to explain what a household containing nine vampires, three werewolves, and one human is like, I certainly don't have them. When that cadre is also awaiting the arrival of five more vampires and maintaining a fragile treaty with another seven wolves who were no longer on speaking terms with the original three. All of this while fully aware that we were about to begin a battle we had no idea whether we could win.

No, I could not describe that.

Bella sat next to me on the couch in my room. It wasn't because we'd suddenly come to an understanding. We hadn't managed to resolve all of the issues in our relationship inside of a few hours. That would be unrealistic. She'd stuck close by me since we left the woods primarily for two reasons: she was very pissed off at Jacob, and she didn't really know anyone else at the house; she had met most of my family, but never really became friendly with them. I suppose I was also the only one she knew wouldn't kill her. She seemed tentative even of my family, but the second she saw Felix and Demetri, she sank into some place very cold and lonely. She stopped talking. Her hesitance—fear—was something new for me to witness. It confirmed what Jacob had implied. Something happened. But she wasn't talking.

I had a feeling Bella's first choice would have been Leah, but she was off pouting or fuming or whatever it was her kind did. She'd come back, only because Jacob told her she had to and Seth was here too, so she felt she had no choice, but she refused to come anywhere near the house.

It took significantly longer to get back to the house than it had taken me to find their camping spot. Bella wasn't fond of the idea of riding on any of our backs. The look on her face when she realized we intended to run, and she would have to choose one of us was pained. Seth, Leah, and Jacob had already phased.

I would like to think she chose me because she wanted to be close, but I had a feeling the idea of riding on the back of Leah or Seth was too much. To know your friend can turn into an animal is one thing; to ride a dog is another.

"Can you slow down for a while?" she groaned into my ear. We'd only been running for about fifteen minutes. "I think I'm going to be sick."

I came to a fairly abrupt stop.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Her cheeks were flushed and slid her off my back, and she doubled over, raising a hand and shaking her head slightly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think about how that would feel for you," I attempted to comfort her.

"I just need a minute. I'll be okay." She looked up and scanned the woods. "Did they stop?"

I nodded. "They're just up ahead a bit."

"Can they hear us?"

"Probably," I acknowledged.

"I wish we'd had a chance to talk alone," she said out of the blue. I heard the regret in her voice.

I closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them, she was staring at me. I was about to acknowledge her statement, but I was trying to figure out how to do that and encourage her to keep moving at the same time.

"I guess I'm ready," she announced beating me to the punch.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, no. My hand hurts like hell, and as much as I could use some good drugs, I can't say I'm anxious to get where we're going."

Something about the way she said it made me believe she wasn't talking about the house exactly, but I ignored that.

"When we get there, will you tell me what happened?"

"Will you?" she asked.

"Yes," I stated honestly.

She nodded in return. "Honesty right?"

I smiled, and she looked down almost embarrassed.

"It's not much farther now. Let's get going."

Jacob was trying desperately to distract himself. They had all been surprised by Bella's reaction to my arrival. The punch notwithstanding, they were amazed by the rational way she was handling everything. The glimpses I caught in their minds of the distraught woman they'd been living with shocked me. Jacob was relieved to see her improved state, but hated the idea that I was responsible for it.

At one point, Seth attempted to comfort him. "You obviously did the right thing," he said. "She did need him."

Jacob whimpered mildly at that, and Leah shot Seth a warning growl. "Shut up, pipsqueak."

I was nervous about returning to the house myself. I had fulfilled the most important part of my journey. I told Bella I loved her. The response hadn't been instant reciprocation from her. In fact, I still had no idea how she felt about me, but I didn't get the sense she wanted to hit me again. On the other hand, I hadn't had a chance to talk to her about her contacts or what she had experienced to drive her away from Seattle. I worried everyone would bombard her the minute we walked in. Of course the addition of the mini pack was likely to create some initial tension.

She tightened her one-handed grip on me when we were about a mile away. "We're getting close," she whispered in my ear.

"Yes." Her breath was warm against my face, and I longed for her to talk more.

"I used to come here. Long after you left," she admitted. I leaned my head slightly toward her words, letting their heat seer my face.

I squeezed the hand that was wrapped around my neck. "I was so stupid."

"We can't go back. It's not worth it to try."

"Can we go forward?" I asked hopefully. She didn't respond right away. Several minutes passed before she answered.

"I don't know," she said. "There's a lot to fear right now isn't there?"

I had no idea if she knew what was transpiring or whether she'd simply assumed. I couldn't see the point in denying it. "There is."

She was quiet the rest of the way. When we got to the property line, Jacob announced they would hang back. I slid Bella off my back so she could toss them a backpack containing clothes. As much as he wanted to at the ready so to speak, Jacob thought human form would be wiser around a house of vampires . . . for everyone.

Bella and I walked the rest of the way to the house.

"Can you promise me something, Edward?"

"Anything."

By this time, she was pretty well aware of what vampires could and could not do, so she spoke against my ear with almost no sound coming out. "Protect my parents."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "Shit. I totally forgot. After Italy, I was so focused on finding you that even when we got back to Forks, I didn't think to check on them."

"Italy?"

"Yes."

"You didn't go to Volterra did you?"

"I did." Clearly she knew about them, but her expression showed me she now fully understood the impact of that admission.

"Oh god, Edward. I'm so sorry."

"Bella, you have nothing to be sorry for. No regrets remember?"

The front door opened, and Alice stepped out. She smiled at both of us, but I could see the strain on her face. Everyone was worried. "Please tell me she knows something," Alice pleaded.

"Get Carlisle," I commanded. "She broke her hand."

Carlisle confirmed my diagnosis, but given where the break was, all he could do was wrap it and provide pain medication.

There was a lot of hovering. "Carlisle, can I get you anything?" Esme interrupted.

"Bella, are you hungry? Can we get you anything?" Alice asked.

"Um, do you have food?" Bella wondered aloud.

"Of course, silly. We knew you were coming. Or rather, we hoped you were." It was clear Alice was anxious to talk to Bella; she'd always wanted to establish her own relationship with her, but even she understood it would take time.

"Oh well, I'm okay right now." She looked to me. "Do you think the others are okay?"

She didn't have to specify which others, and I'd been listening in when I could. "They're fine right now. Well Leah's pissed, but they're not hungry," I assured her.

"How do you . . ." but she figured it out before she finished. "This far?"

"Yeah, about a mile is my limit."

"Wow. That's . . . handy, and annoying I would think. I mean I know the pack can do it, but it's only with each other and . . ."

"Bella, we need to talk," I interrupted her. I was calm but insistent. I didn't want to set her off before we began.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "I'm going to see about that pain medication. Are you okay for now, Bella?"

She nodded at him. He gave me a stern look. "She seems fragile. Don't push."

He needn't have worried. The minute he left the room, she turned to face me.

"You first. Tell me about the Volturi."

I gave it all to her. Every detail. I didn't try to protect her by withholding. At this point, secrets, lies, and omissions did no one a service. She showed little reaction. I knew we weren't really alone, but the perception of privacy felt freeing.

"So, they sent you back here for me?"

"Yes, essentially."

"Well then, why are we here? Why aren't we going?"

"Going where?"

"Volterra," she answered as if it were obvious.

"What do you mean?"

"You found me. Why aren't you taking me back?"

"Bella, I have no intention of letting them get you. That's what this is all about," I said waving my hands toward the door that would lead to the house full of vampires.

"I'm confused. Why did you find me at all then?"

"I told you. I needed to be honest with you. I couldn't go through with all of this without telling you I loved you. I was so sure you were dead when I went to Italy. I didn't expect to return myself. When I found out you were alive or that you might be anyway, I felt like I had a second chance to be honest. I had to deal with all of this regardless, but I admit, it's easier having you here."

"You just said, 'It's what "this" is all about.' What is 'this?'"

"We don't know exactly. All of us here think you were set up, and we're hoping you can give us more information about your sources."

I watched her body tense, and her face contort.

"I don't want to talk about that."

"I know, but it's important. The Volturi are very powerful; you know that right? They won't just let us walk away."

"We could go. You and I. No one else has to be involved."

There was a fleeting moment where I let that idea hit me. It would never work, of course, but I found hope in the fact that she suggested it at all.

"God, I wish that were possible; I'm afraid it's not true anymore. They'll go after my family regardless. Probably yours too. It seems we have to see this through now."

"You said it again."

"What?"

"'This.' You keep saying it over and over. What it is 'this?'"

I hadn't lied about not knowing, and I wasn't trying to be overprotective of her, but clearly I had a hunch. "Oh, I think maybe . . . it's war."

"War? I don't understand. Between whom?"

"That's what we don't know. Us. The Volturi, but there's more to it. Who ever was using you is probably against the Volturi. Apparently, there are people who believe their methods of maintaining order in our world have become problematic, and there are others who would like the power for themselves. We just don't know which is working which angle."

"Wait a minute. If the Volturri are trying to get to you . . . well us, and you want to know how else is against them, that means you want to find my contacts in order to work WITH them?"

"Um, maybe?"

Her yes went wide. "Fuck that," she yelled, hopping off the desk in Carlisle's office. "I'll leave right now."

She bent down to pick up her backpack. It was all she had left of the life she'd constructed. She hadn't talked to her family in weeks. The bag was dirty and worn. Honestly, so was she. I hadn't taken the time to assess her. It seemed odd to realize that although I hadn't taken my eyes off her since she woke up in the woods, I hadn't actually seen her. I'd expected her to be thin; she had been just a few weeks ago, but I hadn't expected the hollowing of her cheeks to have become so much more pronounced or the circles under her eyes to be that much darker.

I doubt she had eaten or slept much. Other than what I'd seen in the minds of the pack, this was the first I realized how bad off she had been.

"Bella," I pleaded. "What happened?" I'd never known her as a woman who would walk away from fear. I didn't want to imagine what changed that.

She shook her head. "I can't."

"We need to know. What do you think will happen if you walk out that door?"

"We'll go back into the woods."

"Is that really what you want? How long do you think you can all stay hidden there? Is that fair to Jacob and the others?"

"Oh please, don't even pretend you care about them. You only care about yourself." The attack was quick. She didn't back down after she said it either.

"That's not . . .true," I replied. The comment threw me. I had been selfish. My actions had always been self serving. I could couch them many different ways to say that I was protecting her, but it was as much about protecting me. Now it wasn't about me at all. It was about her and my family, and even the wolf pack. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Was that selfish too? Why did I seek her out after all but to tell her how I felt? And I did want her help to protect others. "Anymore at least."

She'd thrown her backpack on and she stood perpendicular to me, one foot pointed toward the door. She stared at her feet. "I promised no regrets, but sometimes I can't help it, Edward. It could have all been so different."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too," she exhaled. And before I knew it, she had crumpled to the floor, her legs twisted into a pretzel shape, her backpack straps falling off her shoulders and resting in the crook of her elbow. I'd never seen her cry; I'd seen her yell and stomp her feet. I'd seen her laugh, and I'd witnessed pure ecstasy on her face. But never the contorted expression she wore now. I'd never smelled the salt though I'd imagined I could.

I'd seen plenty of breakdowns before. They just took on different forms. Some people, like Rosalie, projected outward, but Bella seemed to sink into herself even further.

Tentatively, I stepped toward her. I didn't know what I was afraid of. She couldn't do anything to hurt me. Physically at least. I suppose she had found plenty of other ways to inflict pain. We both had. We couldn't compare the hits we'd taken anymore than we could compare the lies we'd told.

I knelt down slowly. I'm sure she knew I was there. She inhaled unevenly when I reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, talk to me."

She kept trying to calm herself. Carlisle let me know they were just outside the door if anyone needed help, but thankfully, no one tried to intervene.

I sat down fully and inched closer to her. I slid my arm over to her other shoulder. I wasn't sure if she'd accept the gesture, but within seconds, I felt her lean closer. "It's okay," I assured her.

That was all it took. She melted into me, and I wrapped my other arm around her. I held her like that for awhile. I stroked her hair, and whispered calming thoughts. She felt so soft and warm against me. I'd carried her on my back not long before, but this was so much more intimate.

She rubbed her face and exclaimed, "Aaahhh. Enough."

"Does that work?" I asked.

She let out a short laugh. "Not usually." She continued to sniff and wife the tears from her face.

"Please talk to me."

She took yet another deep breath, steadying her heart rate, and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks. "I said I would. I guess I don't have a choice. It's just very hard."

"I know."

"Where should I start?"

"Tell me what happened after I left. You were so strong, so resolved."

"Well, that was lie too, you know."

I nodded.

"But if I'm going to do this, I want to do it once." She swallowed and looked toward the door. "Let's go out there."

"They can hear you here."

"Logically, I know that, but it's not a conversation. Besides, they will have questions, right?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Are you sure?"

"No, but I'll do it anyway."

"You amaze me, you know."

She laughed. "You have such a warped perception."

"I think you just don't see yourself very clearly."

"Maybe neither of us do."

She turned and led the way out of the room. She knew everyone had already heard her invitation. They were gathering around the living room. Emmett and Jasper moved a few chairs. No one needed to sit to be comfortable, but Alice reminded them Bella would feel more comfortable. She could look us in the eye; it would feel more like a normal gathering. They left the loveseat open, which was how we wound up sitting next to each other, Bella closer than I expected. Carlisle had the forethought to bring Jacob in, though he didn't come any closer than the doorway. He leaned against the jam, looking impatient and irritated. I noticed all the vampires had stopped breathing.

"It's really hard for me to talk about all of this," Bella began.

"We appreciate your willingness to talk," Carlisle encouraged.

Bella kept her head down, specifically avoiding eye contact with Felix or Demetri who had both settled into chairs as far away from the loveseat as possible. They looked stiff. Having Bella and Jacob in the room highlighted just how inhuman they were.

"Well you all know Edward tried to warn me, but I didn't listen. I wrote about that in the blog. The thing is, I was trying to prevent of all this." The emphasis on the final word made me smile. I wanted to add, whatever this is. "You all know my first contact was Riley right?"

She didn't really expect confirmation, but there was some nodding around the room.

"I know we were both stupid. Well me more than him. I had to talk him into letting me write everything I did. He didn't know very much himself, but he didn't want to create waves. He was scared of the something—I later learned it was the Volturi, but I was just naïve." She looked over at me for a second, took a deep breath and continued, "I'm not pointing fingers here, but I had no idea. How could I? It made so much sense. Every vampire I'd met only drank from animals. I didn't know what the big deal was. I don't know what I expected to happen."

"Was it about more than finding Edward?" Jacob asked from his spot, arms crossed. He didn't even shift his weight. She didn't raise her eyes to look at him.

"Yes, I mean I think the whole thing made me feel connected to him, but it evolved as I went. I had a sense of purpose. Something that made me different. Something I could do. I never had that before. I was never anybody special." Jacob grimaced and I let out a ragged breath. "Not in my own head anyway, not until I met you. And then you left, and I was ordinary again." She was facing me then, but only for a second.

"So, obviously, we played with fire, but it was honestly innocent," She admitted.

"Are you certain he was trustworthy?" Felix asked. There was a palpable tension in the room at the sound of his voice. I felt Bella stiffen next to me. Her heart sped up, but she didn't show it when she answered.

"Positive."

"How can you be so sure?"

She tried to inhale, but her breath caught. Her lip quivered slightly. "Because I watched him die."

There were nearly inaudible gasps. Everyone shifted somehow, leaning in or sitting up, turning heads or furrowing brows.

Tentatively, I reached over to her. I touched her leg ever so slightly letting her know my hand was there if she needed it. She didn't grab it right away. She unclasped her hands and rested them in her lap.

She inhaled. "I was such an idiot. I was mad at him for leaving me." She paused and glanced at me briefly. The parallel was clear. Yet another vampire to leave her. Of course she was angry. "I had fleeting thoughts that something might have happened to him, but I convinced myself he just didn't want to be a part of the blog anymore." She blinked back tears. Her hand moved another inch closer to mine.

"I'm sure you all must hate me," she assumed.

"No one hates you, Bella," I said, looking around the room in warning, resting my gaze on Rosalie. "They know it wasn't your fault. It was mine."

She shook her head. "No more blame game. We agreed."

"And you just broke it."

There was the slightest hint of a smile. "Our promises have never held up very well have they?"

It was a moment, the smallest second. There was something thing there. I saw Esme take hold of Carlisle's sleeve. The kind of gesture a woman often used when she wanted her husband to notice something. But he already had. He was smiling too.

"I was so desperate for a contact that I didn't think twice when Garrett approached me."

"Garrett?" Demetri pressed.

"Yes, my other contact."

"I think I know him," he said.

"He'd be hard to forget. Quite a character actually. The hair probably gives him away the most. Ponytail?"

Demetri nodded. "He's involved in all of this? That's interesting. Do you know who he's working with?"

She shook her head. "Not really. I'm having a hard time figuring out who all of the players are, and I certainly don't know whose side anyone is on."

"How was Riley killed?" Rosalie demanded. Emmett shushed her.

"I'm getting there," Bella continued. She paused, and her hand was close enough that my forefinger was touching her pinky. "I only met Garrett once. I liked him immediately, though I knew he wasn't . . . well I knew he drank from humans. He went on and on in that meeting about it being a test of wills and how he wanted to come just to see if he could get that close to a human and not drink. It should have all been a sign, but I was intrigued. I was still ticked that Riley was gone. My blog was becoming less interesting, and I wanted to know more. Garrett promised me all the information I wanted. After that, we mostly talked online and stuff. He tried to warn me too. Subtle ways. He gave me the information but the more we talked the more it seemed like he didn't really want to. I don't know when but at some point, I knew that I was in over my head. It all made more sense after Edward's visit. I put more of it together, and I was trying to figure out what I could do, but it was too late."

Another deep breath, a slight change in her position, and her hand was on top of mine.

"The next warning was anything but subtle. Garrett called me and told me to run. He said he'd find me. He apologized. None of it made much sense. Something about having no idea how deep everything went and just having some fun. He's normally a very well spoken man, and his rambling threw me off. But I didn't go anywhere. I'd already decided I needed to face my fate, no matter what it was." She turned to face me. "I thought . . . I could protect you, but now I see that I only made it worse for you."

"No blame," I whispered. I flipped our hands over and wove my fingers with hers.

"I need a second," she said.

"Would you like some water?" Esme offered. Bella nodded appreciatively at her.

Bella had barely finished apologizing for the break by the time Esme returned with the glass. She took a slow drink. I knew the gulp drew attention to her throat. My eyes shot to Felix and Demetri. They hadn't been breathing the entire time, but there was a very low guttural sound coming from Demetri. I hissed back instinctively. Bella continued to grip my hand oblivious to the exchange. Emmett and Jasper had each taken one step in Demetri's direction. Felix positioned himself defensively.

It was over before it began. I leaned closer to Bella, blocking her from his line of sight. "You're doing great," I whispered as cover. She smiled back weakly. "The hard part is still coming," she answered.

I could feel the shift in the room as I heard Demetri's mind settle. I glanced back at him, and his entire posture had relaxed. He gave me a nod, and I sat back, but still kept my body between them and her.

"I got a text message from Riley. He said he was scared, but he had to see me. Logically, I knew it didn't make sense, but I had to see. I was aware that it could all be a set up but at the same time, I didn't know why anyone would need to set me up. I was a sitting duck for anyone who wanted me. And obviously, not able to defend myself in any meaningful way. So I went, hopeful that I would see my friend again."

She took another drink. This time without incident.

"He was flanked by two other vampires. His expression was something I'll never forget. There wasn't a single part of him that appeared happy to see me. For a moment I thought maybe I'd been wrong about him all along. Maybe our relationship had always been a lie. Why else would he look so angry at the sight of me? It wasn't long before his expression morphed, and I saw the concern etched on his face. I'd mistaken fear for anger. There was a lot of talk between the other vampires. A third and her I remember—a woman with the most vibrant red hair—had slipped into the clearing at some point. I'm being completely honest when I say I don't remember much of it. That I did hear didn't make any sense. I guess it was selective perception or something because I kept looking at Riley, and looking for a way out."

"Who were they?" Rosalie asked. Our talk must not have alleviated her of all her animosity. Her tone was edgy. Bella seemed to pick up on it because her response echoed it.

"I don't know their names or anything. There were three of them. The only thing I know is that before she ripped Riley's head off and threw it into the fire she said, 'How appropriate. I made you; I unmake you.' He was so fucking scared." She broke down then. Her head fell back into her hands, and I moved closer. I wrapped my arm around her back. Through her hands she muttered, "They took him apart in pieces. I can't explain it. It was . . . loud . . . I screamed and screamed."

"Why did they do it, Bella?"

She snapped up. "To torture me? Because they could? I don't know exactly."

"How did you get out of there?" Emmett chimed in.

"Garrett. He came. He wasn't alone. He took me away and asked if I still had my phone. He's the one who told me to swallow my pride and ask for help. He told me to hurry because he didn't know how long he could stall them. The last thing he said to me was, 'It wasn't supposed to be like this.' Then he left. That's all I know."

Everyone looked at me. Clearly, we'd expected more details.

"Bella," I began quietly. "I'm very sorry about your friend, and I know that was incredibly frightening, but can you try to remember some of the things that were said? Were there any names? Any details that you can remember? Anything?"

"I think they were all working together at some point. I know that Garrett had issues with the Volturi. He made snide comments about them all the time. And the one guy—he was French . . . I remember the accent—he made some comment about never being able to take down the guard if they split. The woman told him to shut up and stick to the plan. Anyway, when Garrett showed up, they all knew each other. They didn't expect the attack."

"Anything else?" I encouraged.

"No, I don't think . . . oh wait. I did hear a name. Aro?"

Felix responded instantly. "Aro? What about him?"

"The other one in the group; he was a blond too, long hair like Garrett, anyway, he said something about Aro guaranteeing their place now. " Realization hit her again. "He said something about showing them good tracking."

"Fucking James," Demetri snarled.

"What the hell is going on?" Rosalie wondered aloud.

It was a question to which no one had an answer . . . yet.

E/N: So, Riley is gone. We've heard names bantered around: James and Aro. Rosalie asked the key question, "What the hell is going on?"

Why do you think they destroyed Riley? Can you trust Garrett? How are James and Aro linked? The Denali coven comes next chapter. What does Eleazar have to say? Still with me, let m know. I'd appreciate your thoughts on these new details.

Final round of voting in the For the Love of Jasper contest is happening. Last time I'll beg you all to check out the entries and vote. Daisy3853, Staceygirl aka Jackbauer, and I all have one shots in the finals. Link is in my profile.