Here's chapter two! Thanks for the great response on the first! It's actually been cool posting the sequel cause you basically have to read Ignite first and I've been gaining lots of new readers on that. So if you're a new Ignite fan and since it's summer you've already read it and are onto Radiate (there's no shame I started a fanfic yesterday and the only reason I haven't finished it yet is because I've been a little busy) then welcome!

Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns all the rights and privileges that come along with The Twilight Saga. Obviously I do not own it (but don't we all wish we did?), I just enjoy borrowing her lovely characters!

A couple days had passed since I got the terrible news. Nothing of importance had happened since, and we all just sat around the castle, trying to somehow cope.

I was in the library with Edward. I wondered if he'd be interested in some of the books. I felt bad about it being so boring for him. He didn't have memories of Felix like we did. He only felt grief because I did.

There was a knock at the door and Alec's head popped in. "Aro's calling a meeting; dress as usual. He said you could bring Edward if he wants to be there."

Then the door shut. I turned to Edward.

I had to fight with myself to make sure I didn't automatically say no.

"Do you want to go?" I asked him.

He hesitated. "You don't want me to."

"Well, you can… if you want to. I can tell you we'll probably be doing some kind of official guard duty things – are you ready for that?"

He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around my waist. "I'm ready for anything you believe I'm ready for. I won't go if it'll make you anxious." He kissed my forehead and let me go.

I groaned. Now he was making me feel bad. "Come on, I have to stop by our room first."

We ran up to our room, we'd already wasted enough time.

But I slowed down on the way down to ask Edward something that had been bothering me, "I thought everyone hated us. Since when did you get so interested in being here?" I asked.

"I don't hate you. I respect the rules. I've told you this before," he smiled.

"But why do you want to tag along all of a sudden? I don't get it."

"I figured if you were part of something like this, then maybe it wasn't so bad," he finally answered.

I laughed. "That's not exactly the answer I expected."

"Well that's the only answer you're gonna get."

We arrived in the throne room, and I slung my cloak on. With Edward's hand in mine, we stood in front of my dad, Caius, and Marcus.

"It's nice to see you here, Edward," Dad started.

Then he addressed the whole room. "I understand how horrible it is that Felix has been killed. But we have to maintain ourselves. I'm sending Bella and Demetri to the Amazon. Bella, maybe you could feed there – I don't want anyone out in these woods."

He took a few steps closer to Edward and I. "Which brings me to my next point – Edward, I think it's your decision to go or not."

My hand tightened around Edward's before he pulled it away.

He held it out to my dad. "I would like to go."

Dad looked at Edward for a minute before shaking his hand once.

He let go and announced that everyone was dismissed and told Demetri and I our flight would be overnight - so we had the rest of the day to go over things.

I walked between Edward and Demetri to our room full of maps and documents of different coven's history. We came here often, but kept the room a secret. I let Edward through my shield to let him know and he easily accepted the secret.

"Lucas told us they'd adopted a new member to their coven," Demetri told us.

Lucas is one of our… spies, I told Edward through my shield.

"That makes a total of four; Zafrina, Kachiri, Senna, and the newborn. We're wondering if he has any talents. Aro is also worried of his age, we're afraid he may be a little too young… He should be sending Alec too, things may get messy." He glanced to Edward as he said this, and Edward's eyes tightened slightly.

"I've been training him," I defended.

"We'll see," Demetri muttered under his breath.

I changed back to the previous subject. "Do we know why he was changed?"

He shook his head."No information on that at all. That's something else we'll need."

I checked the Amazon map. Each place they were around the most was marked off.

"I bet they'll be in the south to buy more time," I added. "We rarely get people hiding this much information."

"It shouldn't take long for me to track them down." Demetri sounded like he wanted to say more, but kept hesitating.

I turned to Edward and let him through my shield. What on earth is he thinking?

He looked at me sympathetically and my shield snapped back when I realized he would never tell me. Then he got up and left the room.

"Demetri, I know you miss Felix too. Maybe even more then I do – you know that's why my dad is sending us. He needs everyone else here anyways."

"Your mate is not replacing Felix. I don't care how much Aro likes him – I'm not going to pretend to. And do you really think he could handle killing someone?"

I wasn't going to agree with Demetri, I thought Edward could handle anything anyone here threw at him. But I knew that Edward was not comfortable with something like that. So I didn't give Demetri any ideas, "You better hope Dad doesn't find out you said that."

"Why? Because you would do so well without me?"

I was getting really angry now. "No, I'm saying that Edward is welcome here just as much as you are! And just because Felix is dead doesn't mean you can take it out on him!"

Suddenly Demetri's hand was wrapped tight around my throat. My hands clawed at his to let go.

"We both lost Felix! You can't assume anything!"

I found the balance to kick Demetri's gut and he flew into a wall. A huge crash took place as he collided with it. I went towards him and stood over top of him.

"What is your problem then?!"

He quickly stood up and was right in front of me. "We don't need anyone else!"

"Hey!" My dad's voice echoed through the room.

We both turned our heads towards him. He looked really mad.

"You both need to get out of this place. Bella, I want you to go over a couple of things with Edward before you leave. The throne room will be empty."

Demetri snickered.

"And you," my dad boomed, "need to realize that I'm not replacing Felix, but Edward might be here for while. Maybe to stay."

This information didn't exactly surprise me.

"Did you put Chelsea up to this?" He asked. Not in a sarcastic way – I was positive I was the only one to ever do that to my dad – it was a genuine question.

A question I hadn't even thought about.

"Oh my gosh, did you?" I said before anyone else could get a word out.

"Of course not," he replied honestly. He looked at Demetri, "they're joined at the hip. Bella could definitely tell, she'd be able to physically feel it if Chelsea tried to tie him to us. And Bella, as cruel I can be, I'd never do that to you."

Thank god, I thought. He was right though. I could feel Chelsea's power around my shield just like anyone else's mental power.

"I guess we'll see how it goes then. I still think Alec should be coming."

"Too bad," I spat at him.

Then I left the room, but as a rounded a hallway corner I heard my dad ask Demetri, "When did you get like this?" Then, "You need to get yourself together."

I knew how Demetri felt. Felix and him were friends; really good friends. I hoped that this trip would help to get our minds off of it. The only thing that separated Demetri and I is that I had Edward to comfort me.

It was a lot harder to fight Edward without my shield up. He didn't have me pinned like my dad would've, but he did beat me.

When he had me pinned to the floor for the second time he started kissing a trail down my face.

I laughed. "Edward! Stop messing around!"

He stopped and looked at me seriously. "This is about what Demetri thinks isn't it?"

"No," I said with a straight face. It wasn't completely a lie…

"Your shield is still down, love," he said matter-of-factly.

I snapped it back over my mind. "You don't play fair."

"All is fair in love and war… or am I quoting someone?" He raised an eyebrow at me. It was true that I said this a lot.

I rolled my eyes. Seeing him off guard, I tackled him and didn't bother letting him through my shield.

We rolled around on the ground trying to gain dominance. When he was over top of me I managed to flip him over me and he crashed into the ground behind me. We jolted up into a crouch at the same time. I lunged at him before he could think of anything. My hand went around his neck and shoved him downwards.

"Don't take too much time to think," I tipped him.

I was about to kick him to the other side of the room, but I looked at his face – the face I loved most – and didn't want to hurt him anymore. I didn't want him hurt at all. What would happen if he got hurt tonight?

I already knew the answer to this question. I wouldn't be able to handle it. I'd run to help him or kill whoever… did the same to him.

No Bella, I told myself. He can take care of himself.

I couldn't help but not like fighting him anymore. I stood straight and he got up. He knew something was up, I could see it on his face.

"Bella? What is it?"

I was quiet. I didn't want to admit how weak I felt.

His hands went to either side of my face and brought it up to look at him. "You can tell me."

I locked eyes with him. "Just- the thought of you getting hurt…" I shivered.

"I don't like it either," he said.

"Really?"

"Of course I don't. Why do you think I was so eager to want to come here?"

"So you don't really want to be here?" I asked. I was surprised and disappointed at the same time. He didn't really want to be here. He wasn't happy being here.

My eyes were still locked with his, his hands still held my face. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against mine.

"I want to be where ever you are," he told me.

I rolled my eyes. "That doesn't mean you want to be here."

"I was raised to respect authority. Now I want to know how it works. I do want to be here, Bella."

Then he closed the small gap between us and kissed me. It was hard not to respond to the emotion he put into it.

"A-hem." Edward and I pulled away quickly. And I turned to see my dad in the doorway of the throne room.

"Great timing, Dad," I muttered under my breath.

"You should be on your way now," was all he said.

I started out of the room and heard Edward following behind me.

"Bella?" Dad asked.

I stopped and turned to see him still in the door frame.

"Don't forget to call on the way home… and just make sure Demetri doesn't do anything stupid."

"Don't worry, Dad. We've done this a million times," I assured him.

"I'm just making sure." He looked at Edward. "Thanks for going too, good luck."

Edward nodded.

I started to turn but Dad stopped us again. "Oh, and one more thing." He went to a door next to the throne room door and pulled out a black cloak. "You're going to need this." He gave it to Edward.

Edward took it casually and draped it over his arm. "Thanks."

Demetri met us at the back door. The cloak around Edward's arm didn't seem to faze him, but his eyes did flicker to it for a second.

On the plane, I got the chance to talk to him civilly. Edward was doing something on his laptop, so I got up from beside him and sat next to Demetri; who was starting out the window at nothing.

"My dad's worried you know," I started.

"I'm aware," he responded coldly.

"He wanted me to make sure you didn't do anything stupid. But, I want to ask you to not let me do anything stupid."

He finally looked up at me. "Why would you do anything stupid? I have to protect you over anything anyways; Man's orders."

"I know that. But," I looked over to Edward then back at Demetri, "with him, I couldn't stay… calm if something were to happen. Everyone may have orders to protect me, but it's an instinct for me to protect him."

He nodded. "I may not get it completely, and I have orders to do it anyways, but I'll make sure you don't do anything stupid." He cracked somewhat of a smile. Something I rarely saw on Demetri.

"Well we are family," I agreed.

A/N - There is the second chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed it but how will I know if you don't review? See you next week with chapter trois! (and if you don't know french that's three!) P.S. get excited cause this is getting good!