AN ~ kind of a part II to the last one, so I might as well post it now too
Disclaimer: neither the book nor film of New Moon belong to me
Chapter Twenty Six: Verdict
This time, Bella looked to Edward to start.
"Do you want me in your family?" she asked. He was unfazed by her wording; her attempt to guilt him into saying yes.
"Not that way," he replied firmly, his eyes as black as pitch and as hard as stone. "You're staying human."
She nodded once, appearing very controlled – I was impressed, especially given her galloping heartbeat – and looked to Alice.
"Alice?"
"Yes." Alice smiled.
"Jasper?"
"Yes," he replied, though his tone was graver than Alice's. He too knew what we were dealing with here; he had experienced managing newborns much more than I had. Again, Bella suppressed her reaction.
"Rosalie?"
Rose hesitated, biting her lower lip, and her eyes skipped over to my face for just an instant.
"No."
Bella kept her face blank and turned to move on, but Rosalie raised both hands, palms forward, in a pleading gesture.
"Let me explain," she offered. Bella hesitated.
"I don't mean that I have any aversion to you as my sister," Rose said. "It's just that…this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me."
She looked at me apologetically, and I smiled slightly to let her know I understood. Bella nodded slowly and turned to Emmett.
"Hell yes!" he cried enthusiastically. "We can find another way to pick a fight with this Demitri."
Bella was still grimacing at that when she turned to Esme.
"Yes of course, Bella," Esme agreed, smiling warmly. "I already think of you as part of my family."
"Thank you, Esme," Bella replied.
I turned to Edward as Bella turned to me. He knew my answer, obviously: his cold dark eyes were suddenly burning with anguish and rage. I sighed. My earlier panic had dissipated. My mind was made up. After considering the events of the last six months, there was only one way I could possibly answer this question. No matter how much it hurt him now, this was for the best.
"Edward," I began. Please understand…this is the only way.
"No," he growled. His jaw was strained tight, his lips curled back from his teeth, furious at my betrayal.
"It's the only way that makes sense," I insisted, though the pain in his eyes made me want to turn away. Why are you doing this to me? he seemed to wonder – those dark, conflicted eyes spoke volumes.
"You've chosen not to live without her," I explained, "and that doesn't leave me a choice."
I love Bella, yes, but she is not the only one who must be considered. I will not lose my son. Please understand, Edward.
For a moment, Edward glared at me. Then he shoved away from the table and stalked out of the room, muttering and snarling under his breath. I reached out to stop him, but he didn't hesitate. He was gone.
"I guess you know my vote," I sighed, slipping my hand into Esme's and drawing them both onto my lap. She glanced at me sympathetically, supporting my decision even though she felt bad for Edward.
"Thanks," Bella mumbled, dazed. A loud crash made Bella jump out of her trance. "That's all I needed," she said, speaking quickly. "Thank you. For wanting to keep me. I feel exactly the same way about all of you, too."
Esme sprang out of her seat and threw her arms around Bella, ignoring the shock on her face.
"Dearest Bella," she breathed, glowing. Bella recovered from her shock and hugged back. I couldn't keep the smile off my face, not when Esme was so ecstatic. The weight of this enormous decision was at last lifted from our shoulders...but only for a moment.
"So, Alice, where do you want to do this?"
.o.o.o.
I froze. Esme glanced at me anxiously. Alice's eyes flew between Bella and I.
"No! No! NO!" Edward bellowed, charging back into the room. He was bent over Bella before she had time to blink. "Are you insane? Have you utterly lost your mind?
Bella cringed away, her hands over her ears, and I tensed, ready to knock one of them out of the way if things got out of hand.
"Um, Bella," Alice stammered. "I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare…"
"You promised," Bella reminded her, glaring from under Edward's arm.
"I know, but…seriously, Bella! I don't have any idea how not to kill you."
"You can do it," Bella encouraged. "I trust you."
Edward snarled in fury, and Alice shook her head quickly.
"Carlisle?" Bella turned to look at me, and Edward grabbed her chin in one hand, forcing her to look at him, and held the other palm-out towards me, blocking me out. There was a low growl in his throat.
"I'm able to do it," I replied carefully. "You would be in no danger of me losing control."
"Snns grd," she replied – "sounds good," I guessed, muffled by her limited jaw movement.
"Hold on. It doesn't have to be now." Edward was speaking through clenched teeth.
"There's no reason for it not to be now," Bella objected, her words again obstructed by the lack of movement.
"I can think of a few."
"Of course you can. Now let me go."
"Oh, dear," Esme fretted, darting back to my side. Edward let Bella go, and folded his arms across his chest. The two of them were kindred spirits - in all, it seemed, except this one crucial matter.
"In about two hours, Charlie will be here looking for you," Edward said. "And I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police."
"All three of them," Bella added sarcastically. She frowned.
"In the interest of remaining inconspicuous, I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Bella finishes high school and moves out of Charlie's house." Edward was still talking through gritted teeth, but at me now. His angry, hurt, defeated eyes bore into mine, pleading for some kind of recognition.
"That's a very reasonable request, Bella," I replied truthfully.
"I'll consider it," she replied stiffly. Edward relaxed and unclenched his jaw, and Esme let out the breath she'd been holding.
"I should probably take you home," Edward said, anxious to leave before I could agree to anything else. He was going to absolutely furious when he got back. "In case Charlie wakes up early."
"After graduation?" she checked, looking to me.
"You have my word," I vowed.
"Okay," Bella said. "You can take me home."
Edward rushed Bella out of the house before anyone could say another word. Rosalie stood up, leaning on her arms on the table, and sighed at me. She stalked out of the room, and Emmett jogged off after her, trying to spread his enthusiasm. Jasper looked solemnly across the room at me.
"I know what I'm dealing with," I told him.
"Good," he replied with a nod.
"Sorry to put you on the hot seat like that," Alice said sheepishly. "I did promise her…I just didn't expect it to be so soon…"
"That's fine, Alice. It's better now than later."
"Right. Um…Jazz…maybe we should get something to eat?" Jasper nodded quickly and lingered only long enough for Alice to reach his side.
"I can't believe that just happened," Esme said, still staring after Bella and Edward. "I don't know what to think. Am I being selfish? Maybe I am. There's so much she won't get to do…but she won't get to do it anyway if she's dead. And Edward...he must feel terribly betrayed. I hope he'll forgive us. But I don't feel like I said the wrong thing. Oh, my, I am terribly confused - who are we supposed to be fighting for?"
"I honestly have no idea." I shook my head. "But we're all on the same side really, aren't we?"
"I suppose." Esme sighed and looked down at her feet. She took a deep breath, then turned around to face me. She looked up at me with sad eyes, worried over what I must have sacrificed to make that decision. Until now, I had only changed those on the verge of death. I would never do this to anyone who had another choice. I heard her questions before she asked them.
"How did you feel? Offering to change her after all of us? It was very valiant of you, but...why?"
"As I said - Edward has chosen not to live without her, and that means there is no other choice for me. Bella will be changed eventually, even if I have to do it myself. No matter what it costs me."
Esme smiled a conflicted smile, and lifted my golden crucifix pendant out from its hiding place below my shirt. She kissed it softly.
"Whatever you have to do, He'll forgive you," she whispered, tucking it back in. She put both hands over the place it sat under my shirt, as if to protect it. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"I won't have to do it," I said, glancing at the doorway.
"What do you mean?"
"Bella wants Edward to do it, and he'll do what she wants. Every man has a price – vampires are no different. Three hundred years of loneliness-" I pointed to myself, "- or the love of his life. Edward will come around. Trust me."
"I do."