Disclaimer: I have no claim on any of the characters from Twilight or New Moon all rights go to Stephenie Meyer.
Summary: Edward leaves Bella alone in the woods after telling her he didn't want her any more. As she is lying on the cold forest floor; Bella remembers three important things. Edward made a promise not to leave her, and Edward never broke a promise, and third it was her body, her heart, what right did he have to decide what was good for her? All in all Bella realizes that Edward was covering up his true feeling about her. All in all Bella goes to bring Edward home.
Last Time:
Bella POV
As of yet, Jane hadn't tried to do anything to me so Edward didn't fight them in fear that they would hurt me. In honesty whatever it was that Jane had inflicted on Edward incapacitated him. The one named Felix grabbed Edward by one of his arms and hauled him up on his feet. Edward moved toward me and stood on my right. As the vampire called Demetri gave me a slight shove forward before speaking.
"Move those feet, princess, before I'm tempted to have a taste."
Edward gave Demetri a warning growl. But before Demetri could reply to Edward's growl, Jane spoke to him, "Stop playing with them Demetri. You'll have plenty of time for that once we return to Volterra with them."
We were both prisoners of the Volturi. Racking my brain I tried to remember where I had heard of Volterra before. Thinking back, I recalled that Edward had mentioned once that it was somewhere in Italy. I was left wondering what the Cullens would do when they realized that Edward and I had disappeared.
Moreover, what was going to happen to us once we reached Volterra, Italy?
There was only one thing that I could come up with: Edward and I were going to die.
It appeared one way or another, Edward and I were going to get to spend eternality together.
Chapter 14: Intuition
Carlisle POV
I was on my way home from work, when my cell phone rang. Seeing that it was Alice, I pressed a button on the steering wheel.
"Yes, Alice dear, what can I help you with?"
"Edward and Bella are gone! I can't see them, Carlisle!"
Her panicked words confused me.
"Alice, calm down. What do you mean they're gone?"
"I mean that I can no longer see their futures."
"I'm on my way home. We'll figure this out together."
Ending my call with Alice, I pressed my foot on the gas a little more, urging the car to go faster. I was well aware of the implications of what Alice had said. However, there had to be another answer, there just had to be.
Edward wasn't just my son, he had been my best friend and companion in the years before Esme had come into my life. To lose him would be like losing a part of myself that only Edward knew. I just didn't know how my family and I could survive the loss.
I was almost home now, giving the car more gas it sped up the gravel driveway. Before I had barely opened the door, Alice was there standing beside the car with Esme.
"Carlisle, I'm so sorry didn't see! I couldn't see them until it was too late." Alice pleaded.
My wife looked up at me next as I took her hand within my own.
"Oh, Carlisle, what are we going to do?" Esme voice gave away her building fear.
I did what I could to try and console her.
"It'll be all right, Esme, dear. We'll get them back safe and sound." I said as I gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
I glanced over at Alice.
"Your vision…Are you sure it was the Volturi then?" I questioned her.
"Yes, I'm sure, they were wearing dark cloaks. I've never met a nomad who wore a cloak before," she replied.
"Alice, where's the rest of the family?"
For the first time since Alice had joined our family I watched as she bit down on her lip. Much in the same manner as Bella did when she was nervous about something.
"Alice?" I asked more firmly.
Sighing, Alice started talking rapidly.
"They left to see if they could track them from where Edward and Bella's scents stopped. I told them it wasn't a good idea. You know how hardheaded and stubborn the three of them can be, especially Emmett and Rose."
"Yes, Alice, I know very well indeed. It seems to be a trait that all my children have in common." I answered in an even voice irritated that we were risking splitting up with Volturi lurking in the area.
Knowing that Alice would see my decision, I grabbed Esme's hand and took off in the direction of Edward and Bella's lingering scents. Soon I picked up the scents of Rosalie and the others a mixture of roses, pine, and leather.
"Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, stop!" I yelled out at them.
The three of them slid to a stop hearing the fierceness in my voice that I rarely if ever used. Esme and I soon arrived at their side.
"Chasing after them blindingly will only get you killed. You have no idea what some of the members of the Volturi can do. We have to be very careful with how we approach this." I continued.
"Yeah, okay, Carlisle…but." Emmett tried to argue.
"There are no 'buts', Emmett. I want Edward and Bella safe and home with us as much as you do. However, if we aren't careful, it will cost us all our lives." I replied in a rational voice.
Rosalie folded her arms in front of her.
"You personally know some of the members, right? So you know all kinds of things about them." Rosalie questioned.
Taking in the scents around us I picked up Edward and Bella in addition to two of the Volturi I knew well. However, there were two scents that were unfamiliar too me.
"Felix and Demetri are the names of the two scents I recognize. The other two must have joined after I left Italy. Demetri is a tracker whose skills make James look like an amateur. Felix is known for his size, strength and fighting skills."
"What do you suppose we do then, Carlisle? Wait and see whether they decide to give them back to us in one piece?" Rose replied coldly.
I knew that none of them would take kindly to my idea. It however was the only solution I had right now.
"I will go and have counsel with Aro. Find out what crime Edward has committed."
I had no doubt as to what crime it was that they were accusing my son with. They needed to know the truth. Aro needed to be aware that Edward never told Bella about what we were. She had figured it all out on her own.
Esme was the first to disagree with the choice I had made.
"Carlisle, darling, you can't." Her tawny eyes pleaded with me as she held onto my hand more tightly.
Giving her hand a gentle squeeze in return, I spoke to her in a reassuring voice, "Everything will be fine, Esme, dear. Aro will see me; I will make them see reason somehow."
No matter how much I tried to soothe Esme's worries, she clutched my arm tighter.
"Carlisle, my heart will be broken enough if Edward and Bella don't return to us in one piece. If something happens to you I don't know if I could go on existing. The thought of losing all of you at once is too much to bear," Esme sobbed.
Tilting my wife's chin up, I looked deep into her eyes as I spoke, "I will come back to you, my sweet. If I'm too late to change anything and we have to mourn them, we will mourn our loss together as a family."
Leaning forward I captured Esme's lips with my own. Leaving my family wasn't going to be easy. It, however, needed to be done in order to have my family be whole again.
"I should go and prepare a flight to Italy."
Looking up from my wife, I turned to face the other four members of my family.
"Emmett, take care of Esme for me. I'm leaving you and Jasper in charge to protect this family while I'm away."
Before I could head back to the house, Rosalie stopped me.
"So you're going to just leave us here?" Rosalie asked.
"Rosalie, it's not like that and you know it. This is the way it has to be. I will not put the rest of you in danger."
There was only one way I could make them understand and that was to tell them the truth as to why I couldn't allow them to go with me.
"Aro is a collector; he is constantly looking for gifted vampires to join his guard. Aro wouldn't think twice about killing you, or Esme since you don't have the talents he would be looking for. He wouldn't think twice about ending Emmett, even with all his strength – it just wouldn't be enough to entertain him.
"That is why you are safer here." I finished.
Giving Esme one last kiss, I then turned and disappeared in a blur toward our home. Once securing the ticket for my flight, I called in to work and asked for the next five days off. Afterwards, as I was packing a small travel bag, Alice appeared in the doorway.
"Carlisle, won't you at least let me come with you? I could help out."
I smiled softly at her thoughtfulness.
"I appreciate your offer, Alice, but I think it would be best if you remained here where it's safer."
Alice just frowned at me.
"Carlisle?" she asked softly.
Knowing what Alice was going to say next, I walked over to comfort her.
"Alice, none of this was you fault. No one in this family counts you responsible for what happened. Stay here, please, Alice."
Alice being the fiery spirit she was wouldn't let it go…
"What if they decide not to let you or Bella leave? What if they don't believe you when you tell them that we had set a date for Bella's change?" Alice questioned rapidly.
Wanting to make her feel better I thought carefully about my next words.
"You saw me telling them that we have set a date for Bella's change?"
She nodded in answer.
"Then even if your sight gets blocked again, have faith that my talking to Aro has worked just like you just saw."
With my small duffel bag in hand, I made my way to my car to head to the airport. Opening the driver side door, I placed my bag in the passenger seat. Just as I was getting ready to slide into the driver's seat. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Esme disappear off of the porch. She was then standing beside my open car door.
"Even if you can't keep it, I need you to promise that the three of you will come back to me in one piece. I need that bit of hope to hold onto no matter how small it is."
Giving my wife a small smile, I did my best to give her what she had asked for.
"As I said once before, everything will be fine. Hold onto the faith you have in the three of us, as well."
I captured her lips into a deeper kiss then before. I was going in the hopes that Aro indeed valued my friendship and would spare us. I could hope Aro still found me to be amusing. I wouldn't allow my mind to even think what would happen if he no longer considered us allies…
"Don't worry so much Esme, darling; I will have them safe with me in no time."
Leaving my family behind in order to save Bella and Edward was one of the hardest things I had ever done in my long existence. I needed to focus on saving Edward and Bella and it would be impossible if the rest of my family was here.
My flight to Italy was quiet, until I caught the familiar scent of citrus and daisies. I sighed lightly as she slipped into the seat beside me.
"Yes, I know that you're going to reprimand me later. Jasper wasn't pleased with me following you, however, he also knows that there is no point in arguing with me. Especially when I told him you were going to need my foresight."
I sighed lightly as I gave Alice a small smile. She always had a way of getting what she wanted. Since the plane had been in the air for awhile there was nothing to do but accept Alice was coming along with me.
Our flight attendant, Jean, came over to us with two blankets.
"Would the two of you like a blanket?" she asked.
I gave her the most natural looking smile I could pull off.
"No, thank you, perhaps a pillow instead?"
Alice said "yes" to a blanket and asked for a pillow as well.
An hour later we landed at the airport in Tuscany. It didn't take me long to get my bearings and begin our journey to Volterra. But first I made a small detour. Alice questioned my decision.
"Carlisle, shouldn't we be going the other way?"
I nodded as I answered her.
"Normally, I would say yes. Only in order to not draw attention to ourselves, I think we should retrieve a car to drive."
This seemed to make Alice a little excited.
"Really, oh I'll do it! I have just the car in mind."
Before I could say anything else Alice disappeared. Then before a full minute had passed, a yellow Porsche pulled up. The passenger door opened in front of me.
Climbing into the car, I looked over at Alice and spoke to her in a firm tone.
"Alice."
She looked over at me from over the top of her sunglasses.
"I was hoping you wouldn't be against grand thief auto today considering the seriousness of our situation."
She was right. It was very important that we reach the home base of the Volturi as quickly as possible.
"For now, I will let it go. Once Edward and Bella are safe again, I expect you to return it and make things right."
Alice nodded in agreement with me and floored the gas pedal.
"Yes, of course I will, Carlisle," she grinned mischievously. She never eased up on the pedal and we sped through the windings roads in Italy.
"We're almost there, Alice. Volterra lies just over that rises over there."
Before I could say anything more, I noticed that Alice had stiffened up at the wheel.
"Alice, what is it? What did you see?"
"Aro has made his decision. Edward's life has been spared, but Bella's hasn't. He is going to kill her."
No! This couldn't be my son's resolve about keeping Bella human after the most recent events had begun to waver, I was certain of it. So why didn't Aro see Bella's inevitable change in Edward's thoughts?
Oh, son, don't tell me you have changed your mind again!
"We have to guard our thoughts from Edward. There is no need to worry him anymore then he already is."
"Carlisle, do you really think that we can just walk in unannounced?"
Though it wasn't like me to be so straight forward, this was my family. Aro was planning on harming a member of that family and I couldn't stand by and allow that to happen.
"Yes, it is the one way I know of that we can have any chance to speak on their behalf."
Alice grew quite for a moment before speaking again.
"Edward knows Aro's decision. If he does kill Bella, Edward plans on doing something that will make Aro take his life as well."
I was well aware of what Edward would do if Bella were to die. I had seen it before, several months ago.
"When Alice? When does Aro plan on killing them?" I questioned.
"Today at noon."
That only gave us ten minutes.
"Perhaps, a little faster, Alice."
Within a matter of minutes we were in reach of the compound. Leaving the car behind, we made our way down the familiar alley. When we paused at a metal grate in the ground, Alice looked at me with curiosity
"Carlisle, are you sure about this?" Alice asked.
I wasn't sure about how any of this would go. The only thing I could do was pray for the best.
"No, but it's the only plan I can think of. We will have to have faith that everything will be all right."
The city of Volterra was looming over us now. I had sworn I would never return here after I left centuries ago. Yet, my hand was being forced. I glanced behind me at Alice once more.
"Remember, Alice, we need to disguise our thoughts from Edward. So try not to think of too many of the things you normally would," I cautioned her.
As the seconds ticked by we were soon greeted by two vampires, a male and a female in dark cloaks. The male's scent was unfamiliar to me. I recognized the female's scent from the woods. She glared at me almost as if she knew where my thoughts had gone to.
"State your business here, vampire." Her voice was cold and had a slight Brooklyn accent to it.
So it was clear that Aro was still treasure hunting as he used to call it.
"I'm an old friend of Lord Aro's. My companion and I have come for a visit." The blonde female just continued to stare at me. The male vampire beside her spoke, "Let him past Tamaria, what he says is so. He is considered a dear friend by Master Aro."
The male vampire then turned to address us.
"If the two of you will follow me, I will take you to Master Aro."
My mind continued to think through a few things. It was very much a fact that Tamaria was a new addition to Aro's guard. So was the young man, who was acting like our escort. I couldn't think about Edward and Bella in fear Edward would get a small taste of my thoughts. So I looked at the young vampire that was leading us.
He was quiet like most of Aro's guard members. Yet he believed what I had said without question.
Once inside, our guide introduced himself to us.
"I'm Kele, you must be Carlisle and Alice. Edward has had all of you on his mind these last few hours," he said calmly.
He studied my reaction to his words before he spoke again. His words however weren't to answer the questions in my head.
"This way, please." Kele said smoothly.
He led us down a familiar tunnel. The stone stairway had been replaced by an elevator. It coasted upward until it slowed to a stop, chiming as it opened its doors to the awaiting lobby.
"Essere il benvenuto." The receptionist welcomed us warmly in Italian.
Kele acknowledged her with her name and a nod.
"Gianna." His voice was soft when he spoke to her.
Two large oak doors I knew all too well stood before us now.
"Master Aro, Lord Marcus and Lord Caius are through there."
As the heavy doors opened, they groaned in protest like they knew what lay behind them. Once they were open, my eyes looked across the room straight to Aro. There was a quick intake of breath that I knew belonged to Edward. He hadn't expected me to come after them.
Aro turned his head away from something to look at me.
"Ah, Carlisle, my old friend, how nice of you to come visit."
A/N: I hope you guys liked the chapter sorry it took me so long, RL has been a pain.
Chapter 14 was written to the Songs "How We Operate" by Gomez and "How To Save A Life" by The Fray.