Chapter 36

My dinner was served promptly at 6:30. Felka seemed especially nervous, and I had to assume she was apprehensive about talking to me. I really didn't know her, so I probably had no right to pry into her life, but when had that stopped me before?

"So, I hear you're a lawyer," I said to break the ice before it got too thick.

"Not quite yet," she all but whispered. "I have five more months of school and lots of exams that I'll probably never get to take…"

"Oh… I didn't know," I murmured as I straightened nonexistent wrinkles from the tablecloth. "I didn't know any of it and I'm just so, so terribly sorry for your loss…"

She gently held up a hand. "Please, I'd rather not talk about it, if that's OK with you."

"Of course! I'm sorry… it's just if you wanted to talk, I thought I'd leave that door open," I offered.

"Thank you, Bella. I don't mean to be harsh. It's just too soon."

"I'd like to say I understand, but there's no way I could possibly understand what you've gone through… what you're still going through…" I trailed off.

"Thank you." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Those vampires… the ones who killed my family, they took everything from me… my past, my present, and now my future. It's just too much."

I could feel my eyes stinging as well. I reached out to hold her hand and she pulled me into a tight hug, beginning to sob as I tried to soothe her. We stood like that for quite a while, and I knew I would have stayed there for hours if that was what she needed.

As Felka began to calm, she started apologizing for having a melt-down and allowing my dinner to get cold and she may have apologized for global climate change before I stopped her. The last thing she needed was a side of guilt added to her already-overloaded plate.

I'd assumed the subject was closed, but she continued. "You must understand… my brother, he didn't know… he didn't know there was a law against telling. He wanted me to change… to be like him so we could be a family again… forever. Honestly, I thought he was crazy. I mean, the first thing he did when I opened the door was douse me with a quart of milk. Who does that?"

"I'm told milk is quite the vampire repellant. Much better than holy water and crosses…" I explained.

"He said it was the only way he would remember not to bite me. The only reason I believed him at all was his red eyes. They were so strange. I knew they weren't contacts. Besides, he would never wear red contacts. He was always such a sensible young man…"

She started to cry again.

"You don't have to talk about this, you know…" I quietly reminded her.

"I know… it's just… now that I've started, I can't seem to stop. Is it OK? I can go if you want me to."

"No! Of course not. Please, continue," I encouraged as I led her to sit on the sofa with me.

"Thank you, Bella. You're very kind. You remind me so much of my little sister…"

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her to me. She wept for a while longer.

As I held her, I started to understand why I felt such a bond with her from the very beginning. We were opposite sides of the same coin; my side just turned out to be much shinier than hers. It could have gone the other way for me if things had been slightly different, like if the Volturi network had flagged my research on vampires. I could only guess they didn't because I was looking up terms like 'Cold Ones' and other native legends.

Or maybe it was just that my computer was so ridiculously old and slow, nobody would think to classify what I was doing as active research. If that was the case, I would have to kiss my computer when I got back home.

I had something else Felka didn't; I had a gift… this strange ability that caught Aro's attention. It may have kept me alive, but I would never have been allowed to leave this place.

Would Edward have come for me? We barely knew each other back then. Would he have uprooted his entire life and moved to Volterra at that point?

Thankfully, Felka rescued me from my dark thoughts.

"You would have liked my family…," she began. "They were good people. I loved them all so much, and they loved me. We lived in the country on a small farm. We never had much money, but we were very happy together. When it came time for me to attend university, my father got a job at the mill and my mother taught piano. My sisters babysat, and my brothers helped run the farm and one also worked in a restaurant."

"And they did all of this to help you through school?" I asked.

"Yes. In Poland, university is much less expensive than in your country, but it was still a hardship. Once I was ready to practice law, I would support my two oldest brothers in university, then they would support our sisters and so on until we had all graduated."

"Wow. Things aren't like that in America at all. We just try to get ourselves through school. Some kids are lucky enough to have parents who can afford to help, but most of us rely on scholarships and loans and coffee shop jobs."

"My father insisted that I focus on my studies, so I didn't have a job... my contribution was supposed to come later, but now…" she whispered, trailing off.

"Amanda said you have a fiancé?" I asked, hoping a change in subject might be welcomed.

"Yes, or at least I had a fiancé. I broke my engagement with Bohdan." She smiled sadly when she said his name, and I knew from the look on her face that she still loved him. "He thinks I'm here for medical treatments, and he wants to move here. He still wants to marry me, but I love him too much to let him live like this. He has his family and I don't want him to lose them because of me. He deserves better…"

"It sounds like he's very much in love with you. Have you considered letting him decide what's better for him?" I asked, of course thinking about Edward's categorical decision to leave me because he thought he knew what was best.

"Bella, for all intents and purposes, I'm a bondservant here. A slave, really. I will never be more than that. Yes, I can have a husband and children and a house, but I will never have my freedom. I suppose if I genuinely had a disease that forced me to stay here, it would be different, but I don't, and I can't lie to Bohdan for the rest of our lives; then again, I could never tell him and subject him to this, either. It's better if he just moves on and forgets about me."

Those words stung. I tried not to react, but I did feel the need to tell her how Edward tried to make that choice for us and how it nearly killed us both.

"Please, Felka, for both your sakes, please give this some more consideration. Talk to him and really listen to what he's telling you. I bet he's absolutely miserable without you. Are you sure that's a better life for him? Shouldn't he get some say in his own future?"

She nodded, the tears returning. "I'll try. I guess I haven't really listened to him…"

I put my arm around her shoulder, trying to offer some support. I didn't want to be too tough on her, but I also felt she was making a mammoth mistake that she would regret forever. I didn't know what else to say, so I just said nothing. But I was devising a way to help her. I had to try.

**-…-**

"You've been really quiet tonight," Edward observed as he ran his hand up and down my arm. I tightened my grip around his waist and sighed, still not feeling ready to talk. Sitting in Edward's lap in front of a roaring fire was just this side of heaven, and I didn't want to come crashing down to earth quite yet.

Truth be told, my day had been spent thinking and planning and revising and thinking some more. I would need Carlisle's help. And Edward's. And most importantly, Alice's.

There was a knock at the door.

"Go away," Edward yelled good-naturedly.

"Come in" I said at the same time. Apparently Alice had collected Carlisle on her way to answer my unspoken request for assistance.

"So, you want to help Felka. That's very noble of you, but I don't see how we're going to sway Aro, and especially not Caius. He's absolutely dead-set against her leaving," Alice frowned.

"Is that what the silence has been about?" Edward asked me.

I nodded. "I really don't know if I can help her, but I know I have to try. I can't make her situation worse, that's for sure."

"Maybe not, but when you're bargaining with Aro, you have to have something to offer him. Something of at least equal or greater value than what he's giving you," Carlisle said rather grimly. "I don't like to think about what kind of exchange he would expect."

"If the price is too high, I'll just have to give up. I'm not going to sacrifice anyone else's freedom for hers. There would be no benefit in that. But there may be another angle."

"You might have something there," Alice admitted. "I don't know if it will work or not, but I could see Aro going for it, at least in theory. And yes, of course I'll help you."

"Do you know how aggravating it is that you can see Bella's future, but I can't read her mind?" Edward protested. "But now I've read yours, so I'm sort of caught up."

"OK, that still leaves me in the dark," Carlisle chuckled. "Anyone care to bring me in on the plan, since you thought I needed to be here?"

**-…-**

Arrangements were made for Edward, Carlisle and me to meet with Aro the next morning... alone.

According to Edward, I slept fitfully, which made sense considering I was playing out different versions of the meeting in my dreams. We'd requested an appointment with Aro because we knew he would be easier to convince than Caius, and because he still considered Carlisle a close and trusted friend. Trusted? Yes. Close? Not so much. But he didn't really need to know that.

In the morning, I didn't say anything to Felka about my plans when she brought my breakfast because I certainly didn't want to raise her hopes, but I couldn't help smiling like an idiot, either.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just happy today," I answered as nonchalantly as possible. Even I wasn't sure why I was sporting such a positive attitude. Aro could very well say 'no' and that would be the end of that, but I had to think we at least stood a chance.

"Well, whatever it is, I hope some of it rubs off on me," she giggled. "You know, it's odd, but telling you my story made me feel like some of the weight of it was lifted off my shoulders. I appreciate it, more than you know."

I took her hand and gave it a little squeeze. "I was happy I could be there for you. Anytime you want to talk, even if you want to call me when I get home, or e-mail or whatever… and it doesn't have to be about vampire stuff, either."

"I'd like that," she said as she squeezed my hand in return.

"Bella, you need to hurry, love," Edward said as he emerged, freshly showered, from the bathroom. He wore slacks and an unbuttoned shirt, but his feet were bare and his hair was a tossed mess. He looked utterly sexy and adorable. Felka blushed and looked away, so I knew it wasn't just my biased opinion.

"Well, I must be going. Enjoy your breakfast, Bella," she said, still a little flustered. "Bye, Edward."

"Have a good day, Felka. Thanks for taking such good care of my Bella."

She nodded and smiled before pushing her rolling cart into the hallway.

I dug into my blueberry silver dollar pancakes like I hadn't eaten in days. I'm not sure why I was so ravenous all of a sudden, but after a small stack, orange juice and a tall glass of cold milk, to which Felka had attached a sticky note with a smiley face, I felt ready to face the world. If only it would be that easy.

**-…-**

Renata ushered us into a small, comfortable conference room. If I didn't know better, I would think we were in Class A office space instead of a cold, clammy dungeon. This room would rival anything they had in any high-rise in Seattle.

"I'll be right outside," Renata told Aro, however it was clear she was also telling us.

"Don't worry, my dear," Aro cooed back at her. "Carlisle is an old friend. Bella and Edward are my special guests. I do appreciate your concern, but it is wasted on our present company."

"Yes, master," she responded by rote as she slowly closed the door behind her.

"So, what brings you here today? I must say, I was delighted when I heard you wanted a private meeting, although I couldn't for the life of me guess the purpose of it," Aro began. Even though he was being exceptionally pleasant, I always felt like everything he said had a double meaning. An evil double meaning.

"I'd like to talk to you about Felka," I started. Aro had obviously expected Carlisle to speak first, and looked somewhat surprised and pleased at the same time that it was me instead.

"Ah, yes. Felka… the Polish girl. A sad story, really. I generally don't get too involved in human drama, but her story would break even the stoniest of hearts into pieces, wouldn't you agree?"

I nodded. "Yes, and that's why I wanted to speak to you."

"Why, my darling Bella, if you wanted to speak to me, all you had to do was ask! But let me guess… Carlisle is here because he knows me so well, and Edward is here to read my mind, but more importantly, to ensure your safety. Am I correct?"

I had to laugh. "Precisely so. Are you sure you can't read our minds from a distance?"

"Unfortunately, no… as much as I would like to do so, alas, I am relegated to skin-to-skin contact," Aro sighed. "Speaking of which, may I?"

He gestured to my hand. I peeked at Edward, who looked very tense, and then to Carlisle, who smiled and nodded. I gently placed my hand in Aro's. He closed his eyes as if to concentrate. Then he opened them and his stare seemed to almost burn holes through me. I was uncomfortable with the intensity, but I knew breaking his gaze would be a sign of weakness, so I forced myself to stare right back.

"Impressive!" he announced gleefully as he dropped my hand. "I get absolutely nothing from you, Bella! Oh, you are going to be one formidable vampire, when the time comes."

"I'm just hoping I don't trip and fall anymore," I laughed, trying to keep the atmosphere light. "I'd hate to be the first and only clumsy vampire."

"I doubt that will happen, my dear one," Aro tutted. "I'm sure you'll be as graceful as your namesake."

I blushed, and I felt ridiculous about it, especially since it was Aro handing out the flattery.

"So, you wish to discuss Felka," Aro said in a business-like tone. Now we were getting down to it. "I'm assuming, based on what I know of you, that you are here to plead her case. It's already been done, let me assure you, and the answer was and still is 'no.' Given that information, do you wish to continue?"

"Yes, actually, I do," I answered. He raised an eyebrow at me, but nodded his assent.

"As you know, Felka was in law school when her family was killed. She was only a few months away from earning her degree. Carlisle said you frequently hire human attorneys to handle Volturi business, but that they are never fully trusted. If you allowed her to return to Poland, she could complete her studies and be your legal counsel for matters all over the world, or she could be a liaison between you and contract attorneys."

"Yes, yes, we've thought of all this before. The answer is still no. The risk is too great," Aro huffed impatiently.

"But I have something else I can offer you…" I suggested, casting a baited hook with the hopes he would bite... but not literally.

"And that would be…?" he asked, attempting to hide his eagerness, but failing rather miserably.

"Alice has agreed to watch Felka for a year. If she sees anything on the horizon, she will contact you immediately."

"I could send a vampire companion with Felka who could accomplish the same thing," Aro answered flippantly.

"True, but Alice has agreed to watch your Tribute program, too. I know it's working well now, but Alice has already seen that things will break down. There are some simple preventive measures you could take to avoid problems before they arise… problems nobody could foresee, except Alice. She's willing to share this information with you, keep an eye on Volterra and Felka for a year. She also sees Felka becoming an integral part of Volturi operations. There are some specific things you need to do to make this happen.

"It's a good deal for you, Aro. You need the Tribute program to work. You're running out of options for a stable food supply. This way, you can keep the humans happy, keep yourselves fed and anonymous, have a human lawyer you can trust, and have Alice's gift to guide you through this first formative year."

Aro narrowed his eyes and sat forward slightly. I wanted to shirk back, but I stayed where I was. "And how do I know what you're offering is of any value? If I make changes based on Alice's advice, and nothing comes to pass, how do I know if I've avoided anything?"

Carlisle, Edward, and I smiled knowingly. "Welcome to our world," Carlisle proclaimed. "That's a question one Cullen or another asks every day. All I can tell you is that we've learned never to bet against Alice."

"As someone who can read her thoughts," Edward added, "I can tell you her visions are not foolproof, but her intuition is right significantly more often than not. And as someone who can read your thoughts, I know you already believe in Alice's gift."

Aro focused again on me. "Alright, answer me this: How am I supposed to keep the other humans here? If they see Felka go, they'll want the same thing. Setting this type of precedent is too dangerous. It will lead to unrest and disobedience."

"Just because you let one person go doesn't mean you have to let everyone go," I reasoned. "She's still working for the Volturi. Instead of blood, her tribute is legal counsel. All the rules still apply to her. In reality, she's never going to be free. Her prison will simply be in Poland instead of Italy."

"I'm sorry you feel our arrangement should be characterized as a prison. Amanda has created as comfortable a situation as can be afforded, with my supervision of course. Need I remind you that this time last year, these people would have been killed without a second thought?"

If I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't have believed it. I was pretty sure I'd just hurt Aro's feelings. I immediately started back-pedaling.

"I'm sorry. 'Prison' wasn't the right word to use at all. I'll admit, when I first heard about this program, I was… shocked, but the more I learned, the more impressed I became at the creativity it took to devise something like this. It's a tribute, if you will, to the Volturi's ability to change with the times. And if it is a prison, it's the nicest one in the world."

Aro chuckled. "Well played, Miss Swan."

In an admittedly bold move, I reached across the table and placed my hand on his. He looked downright stunned. I had to think not very many sentient beings who wanted to live long had dared to touch his hand without his bidding. "I know what you mean, but I really wasn't playing. I think what you're doing here is profound. I know it represents a huge paradigm shift, and you are to be commended for your efforts. I'm sure a warehouse full of human slaves would be easier to manage…"

He laughed again. "So, Amanda told you of Caius' plan. Not only did she refuse to participate, but she warned of the likelihood of mass suicides. Caius may hate humans, but he is keenly aware of our need for them."

It seemed time to go in for the close. I pulled my hand back, sat up straight, looked Aro in the eye and asked, "So, do we have a deal or not?"

He watched me for a very long moment, cocking his head to the side as he pondered the proposal being offered to him.

"I don't suppose Alice and Jasper would agree to stay in Volterra for a year…" he mentioned like it was an offhanded remark.

"No, I don't suppose they would," I answered with a grin.

I could almost feel the cogs click into place with his decision. "Alright, you have my support."

I let out a relieved sigh. Just as I started to do a happy dance on the inside, he interrupted me.

"But, I have to get agreement from my brothers. Marcus will see the value in it. Caius, I'm not so sure about. You haven't won your case yet, young lady, but I will give you full marks for bravery and cleverness. I think everyone knows I have a soft spot for your little Alice. The opportunity to put her talents to use is one that should be considered."

Aro stood, our cue to stand as well, and we bid each other a good day.

Upon our return to Carlisle and Esme's room, I felt giddy and terrified and excited and anxious. These were all the ingredients for a good case of indigestion. Now those lovely, fluffy, delicious pancakes sat in my stomach like a lead brick.

I didn't know how long we would have to wait. I was second-guessing whether or not I should have invited Caius and Marcus to our meeting. Would Caius think I was trying to go around him? If he did, he'd be right, but I didn't want him to know that.

All things considered, Caius was probably rather accustomed to being subverted. Aro was the primary decision maker and even though he was sometimes irrational, always devious, and mostly likely clinically insane, he was still a lot easier to work with than Caius.

I reached out to hug Alice. "Thank you thank you thank you for helping me today! Not only by offering your services to the Volturi, but for letting me know what Aro was going to say. When he suggested that you and Jasper stay here, I was ready for him!"

"Yes, but you came very close to blowing the entire thing with that 'prison' comment," she scolded.

"I know, but I think I recovered well. Didn't I?" Suddenly I was nervous about it.

"Touching his hand was a brilliant, albeit risky move," she congratulated me. "He literally did not know what to make of that. He likes a good surprise, and boy did you ever give him one!"

"I felt guilty for what I said. It seemed like the right thing to do. I guess I'm a sucker, right?" I asked.

"Right," the entire family answered in unison.

"Ummm… guys… that was your opportunity to say 'No, Bella! You? A sucker? Nothing could be further from the truth!'"

"You want us to lie?" Fred asked with a smile.

"It wouldn't kill you," I snapped back, pretending to be angry. "Anyway, when I realized I'd hurt Aro's feelings, I had to do something to make it better."

"Yep. Grade A Sucker," Emmett declared. "I guarantee he wouldn't have even cared enough to notice if he hurt your widdo itty bitty fee-weens."

"Mock me if you want, but I'm the better person for it," I shot back.

"Ooh, my name is Bewwa. I jus' a teeny human girrrrl," Emmett continued in baby talk.

"Stop it!" I chastised him.

"Hey, you said I could mock you if I want, and I want!"

"Will someone please smack him?" I pleaded.

Edward started to stand, but Rose jumped in. "I'll handle it." She went to smack the back of his head, but then pulled his face down to hers for a big sloppy kiss.

"That's not the kind of smack I meant," I grumbled.

"I bet Edward wishes he'd moved sooner. You gotta be quick if you want to compete for this," Emmett exaggeratedly nodded, gesturing to himself and grinning from ear-to-ear.

Finally Rosalie gave him the smack I was hoping for. And life was good.

**-…-**

A/N: I KNOW! Only a week between updates? Preposterous! And yet, here it is.

Please give me some love (or hate, or indifference…) in the form of a review! They are food for my inner author, as opposed to my outer author, who really just wants sushi.