A/N - I'm crazy excited to finish this story. Partly because I've been working on it for so long and also because I have exciting things happening! I'm going to let you get on with the chapter, but there is more A/N at the end. Enjoy!
Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight blah blah not me
A week had passed since I called the meeting. I hadn't spoken to Alice since our interaction at the church. Nothing had changed in the castle, really. There was a lot of talk about what to expect but all we'd really done was mentally prepare ourselves.
But today I found myself sitting at a table in the library that had been pulled longer so it fit more people. The Cullen Clan surrounded me.
"I'm glad you all decided to join me," Carlisle stated. It was weird to see Carlisle call attention in a place where I'd only seen my dad do so. "But I think it's important we all lay it out on the table so anyone can start when they'd like."
Quiet. No one wanted to speak first.
So I did what I always did; I took action. "Well if no one's guessed it already; you should know we can't predict what will happen after the invasion. I don't even know what the possibilities are. And I'm sorry but I don't know if you'll ever be able to go back to Forks." I had no idea how close the Cullens were with the city of Forks. It hadn't exactly appealed to me when I lived there with them, but it felt like home with the Cullens all together.
"Good," Rosalie said. "I hate that town."
Then Alice spoke, "Well I don't know how much more you expect, Carlisle. Obviously there's secrets around here even Bella doesn't know about so there's not much else to lie on the table."
Esme shot Alice a pleading look.
I felt confused. Alice was so kind to me that day in front of the church – it was like for a moment, we understood each other. But now that seemed to disappear.
Carlisle sighed.
"I want to know how you expect us to stay away from the fight," Emmett suddenly said.
Everyone at the table turned their head to look at him in shock.
"What? Oh, c'mon. You all know you want to be there."
"Well we could be some sort of a help, I mean were doing it for siblings here," Jasper agreed. And I took note of his use of the word siblings.
"Absolutely not," I countered immediately. "You don't get it. You don't know how dangerous it can get."
Edward nodded. "I don't want you all out there – you could literally get yourselves killed."
"So we'll train with you," Emmett said.
"No," I said it with an edge. But I didn't feel bad about it; they had to understand the risks.
The whole time Carlisle, Esme, even Rosalie and Alice stayed silent. I tried to lock eyes with someone, but they refused. The room silenced as no one else seemed to have anything left to say.
So I stared at Alice until she couldn't refuse anymore. Surely she wouldn't agree to this? But she finally met my gaze and became the old Alice. "Families protect each other," was all she said.
"So how are we supposed to feel if something happens to one of you?" I asked. My voice firm.
"What about vice versa?" Carlisle asked.
I turned my head to look at him, I never thought Carlisle would agree to something like this. "That would be none of your responsibility," I replied.
"But it would feel like it, that's the point. Alice is right, families are for protecting."
I hadn't noticed I was standing, my palms flat against the table, until I felt Edwards hand graze across my forearm and pull me down.
I turned to look at him and the look he gave back was one I knew very well. It was the what are you thinking look. That was Edward, always wondering the strange things going through my mind.
But what exactly was going through my mind was my dad's voice; you can't protect everyone, Bella. It doesn't matter how much you want to. If I couldn't protect one family, then I'd die trying to protect the other.
I looked away from him and back to Carlisle. "You're right; families are for protecting," I said in a calm voice. Everyone around the table looked hopeful, like I was about to cave. "And that's exactly what we're doing by not letting you in on the fight. We're protecting you."
"So then what are we supposed to do while you're fighting?" Rosalie asked.
"You wait patiently in your rooms until it's over," Edward told them. "That's it. Topic closed."
"Fine," Alice said. "Then I have a different question; why didn't you tell us sooner?"
Alice only saw actions, decisions; not reasoning. The question was directed at both of us, and I knew Edward had the real answer. I was about to make something up, when I saw all his hesitation but he beat me to it. "I didn't want to tell you," he admitted.
Esme's eyes grew wide. "Why, Edward? You know you can trust us."
Edward turned his head to look at her. It was the first she said anything. "Because I didn't have to see the future to know exactly what was going to happen. And guess what?" His hands flew up from his sides, his eyes going bright and wide. "I was right! I can read all your minds! I know exactly how you all feel! Even if you only thought it for a split second; I know that you all didn't like it at some point."
I'd never seen Edward look so insane. His breaking point had finally came and I knew something was about to shatter against a wall. Edward had a temper; yes. But it didn't come out too often. He had a certain air about him that always seemed calm and understanding.
But I guess we were the perfect pair. I was impulsive and he had a temper. We were, after all, still in teenage bodies.
He continued, "So you want to know why I didn't tell you? I want to know why you don't like it, Alice!"
He was standing now, like I was a few seconds ago, with his palms flat against the table. But I made no move to calm him down. I guessed a week ago, that Edward would have to let it out sometime. It seemed like it was best for everyone to let Edward get out what he needed to.
"You already know the answer, Edward! I'm trying to protect you! I don't like that both of you are here and I'm not about to make Bella leave her family, but you've already done that. You've already left us!" Then she was standing too.
Now I had to say something. "And you wonder why we didn't tell you. We knew you'd be the hardest to get on board, Alice, but what's done is done."
She shot me a cold look. "Don't even say that, you're the one that brought him here."
It was as if Alice had slapped me. She said what the little voice in the back of my head had been telling me this whole time. It was my fault we were in this mess. It was my fault there was a wedge between Edward and his family. I couldn't even think of a comeback as my whole face stung.
I silently got up out of my chair and left the room, closing the door behind me. I didn't know where to go so I picked the wall beside the door and slid down until I hit the floor. My legs folded up against my chest.
I heard the voices in the room lower. A chair scrapped against the floor and a body connected with a cushion.
"I came willingly… you know that," Edward said. "I can't believe you just blamed her. This isn't Bella's fault at all, got that?"
"How else would you have gotten here, Edward?"
My hands trembled and I tried to tune out the conversation.
Another chair scraped against the floor and footsteps started towards the door. I stared at the wall in front of me as the door opened. "Come to tell me you're all leaving?"
"No," Carlisle answered. "I came to make sure you were okay." He sat against wall next to me.
"They still fighting?" I asked.
Carlisle looked confused.
"I'm tuning it out. Well...trying, at least."
He sighed. "Alice is coming from a good place, you know."
"I used to know that. Now I'm not so sure."
He put an arm around my shoulder. "Just give her time. Alice has her own way of doing things. It's just a matter of time."
I just sighed in response.
"And it's not your fault they're fighting. It's your fault that he's happy. And I can't thank you enough for that. He's always been so full of grief, but you've made him alive again."
I laughed lightly. "All I've done is love him."
I listened back into the room and Esme seemed to be getting them to speak calmly to each other. I wondered if Edward got out all that he needed to.
There was silence between us before I spoke up again. "You've been alive a lot longer than I have, Carlisle; has something like this ever happened before?"
He nodded. "Romanians ruled this species before the Volturi ever did."
"How many people died?"
"Are you sure you want to know that, Bella?"
"No, I was just wondering if you'd tell me." That was partly true.
"I had a conversation with your dad the other day, you know he's a very old friend of mine. I'm aware this rebellion goes a lot deeper than just the Volturi. But he's very convinced that you'll all make it through, especially with you on his side. You can control a room better then he can with just a snap of your fingers… his words, not mine.
"A lot of people think very highly of you, but I think they forget you're still inside a teenager's body. You were raised by a good person and I believe what people think of you is quite accurate."
I was stunned by his words. They meant a lot, but there were also a few unspoken words that hung between us. I realized this as I heard footsteps come to the door beside me, and Edward walked out. The rebellion goes a lot deeper than just the Volturi because it all comes back to me.
Edward pulled me up off the floor and crushed me in his arms. Carlisle was right; I was a teenage girl, wanting to stay in my boyfriends arms. And I was a Volturi, ready to fight a rebellion.
A/N - It feels like I've been writing a completely different story lately and so I have to apologize, but if you write as well you'll know that your writing can evolve as you do something and so it's completely normal. I've thought about re-writing the first part of this story, but let's be honest I'll be happy when it's done and probably won't revisit it for a while.
I've also been thinking of doing a chaptered fic for the mortal instruments. But I haven't worked everything out yet and I want to finish this first.
As always, please let me know what you think of this chapter by reviewing!
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Thank you so much for your continued support!
