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Chapter 39: That &?#! Laurent

Edward's POV

Emmett's malediction hung in the air like a sinister fog, and my entire family was soon caught up in it.

"That miserable coward!" Kate shouted. "I should have known not to trust him with my sister."

"I can't believe I let him sit on my couch," Esme frowned at the cushion beside her.

Tanya was seething. "I will kill him once for Irina and then reassemble the pieces so I can tear him apart again!"

"Dios mio!" Carmen exclaimed. "Could things get any más peor?"

Their voices were shouting as loudly as their thoughts, and Bella and I were soon covering our ears. Carlisle saw our distress and raised a hand to restore order to the room.

"Please," he called as Jasper brought the hysteria down a notch. "We are all dismayed by this development, but we should not jump to conclusions." Ignoring Rosalie's snort, he turned to Alice. "What did you see?"

She was sitting on Jasper's lap with her eyes closed. "Laurent arrived in Volterra a short while ago and solicited an audience with the triumvirate." Her expression changed as she looked up at Carlisle. "His request was immediately granted when he mentioned our family by name."

"Laurent may be wiser than he appears," Eleazar observed.

"Hardly," Jasper scoffed. "He's a tale-bearing weasel scrambling to save his miserable hide."

Alice's thoughts were unusually blank. "Was there more?" I asked her.

She sighed, and Jasper began massaging her temples. "I saw Aro's decision to see Laurent but nothing since."

"That's enough right there," Emmett said. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out what they're going to talk about."

"What does that mean?" Bella asked me again.

"I'm sorry for not answering you sooner," I said as I caressed her arm. "I first wanted to know what Alice saw."

"It's okay," she said. "I know I'm not the only one with questions."

"But you do have more than the rest of us," I replied. "So...how much do you remember about the Volturi?"

She bit her lip as her gaze trailed toward the ceiling. "Carlisle used to live with them. Eleazar too."

I nodded to encourage her as she continued. "They're refined and sophisticated, and they care about the arts."

Eleazar muttered something under his breath, but Bella didn't notice. "Anything else?" I asked.

She must have heard a shift in my voice because her chocolate eyes darkened in concern. "You said that messing with the Volturi could be fatal."

"Yes."

She noticed that everyone was watching her. "But if Laurent gets himself killed, wouldn't that be a good thing?"

"Very good," I agreed. "But he didn't go to Volterra to irritate the Volturi."

She sighed. "Then why?"

"He went to accuse us."

"What?"

"Aro has dismissed him," Alice exclaimed. "He is conferring with Caius and Marcus right now."

"Did you hear the conversation?" Jasper asked.

Alice shook her head. "And I'm getting nothing now."

"It doesn't matter," Emmett said. "We know what was said."

"No, we don't," Jasper argued. "There are too many variables to be certain."

"Come on, man!" Emmett cried. "Think like your enemy. If you were Laurent, what would you have told Aro?"

Jasper fell silent, and Emmett turned to Carlisle. "We have to assume the worst here. Am I right?"

Carlisle folded his hands beneath his chin as he leaned forward. "I don't think we can assume anything at this point. It is possible that Laurent went to Volterra seeking protection from Victoria."

"Dude," Emmett said, "you cannot seriously believe that."

"I do," Carlisle said. "We don't know what Laurent knows or what he said. And until we do, we should not jump to the worst-case scenario."

"This is the Volturi!" Rosalie cried. "Isn't it always the worst-case scenario with them?"

"Pretty much," Kate replied.

"Mrs. McCarty is right," Emmett said. With four women in the room who could answer to 'Mrs. Cullen,' it was easier to use our human surnames.

"We need to assume the worst and act accordingly," Emmett continued. "Laurent went running to Aro, and now we're all up shit's creek."

"Edward," Bella's voice was wary. "What could Laurent have said about us?"

I took her hands, needing to feel the proof of our union between my fingers. "We have very few rules in our world, Bella. 'Don't create immortal children because they are impossible to control.' Bearing false witness against other vampire is also forbidden."

"We haven't done any of those things," she pointed out.

"No." I smiled at her pronoun choice. "But we have allowed the one thing that is strictly forbidden."

"And that would be?"

I touched her nose. "A human knows of our existence."

"But Jacob told me that," she said. "You only told me how old you were."

I couldn't suppress the warmth that spread throughout my chest cavity at the memory of that life-changing moment we'd shared:

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Pause.

"And how long have you been seventeen?"

Longer pause.

"A while."

And so we had begun.

I held her even closer as I considered how far we had come since that fateful drive. "I know," I replied, planting a kiss against her hair. "But we have allowed you to fraternize with our family."

"Fraternize?" she frowned. "That makes our relationship sound clinical and wrong."

"That is how the Volturi are likely to see it."

"But that doesn't make any sense because…"

"Dammit!" Alice cried.

"What now?" Rosalie asked.

"Aro wants to hear the full story," Alice groaned.

The rest of the room echoed her irritation, but Bella was once again confused. "Isn't that good?"

"Not necessarily," I said. "Investigations are usually a formality. By the time Aro meets the accused, he has already decided on a course of action."

"The accused?" she asked. "What is he, some sort of judge?"

"Yes," Carlisle replied before I could. "As part of their interest in protecting vampiric history and culture, the Volturi enforce the laws that allow our kind to live undetected among humans."

"I guess that makes sense," Bella said. "Someone has to do it, right?"

"Yes," Carlisle smiled.

"But to what end?" Eleazar asked. "Let us not pretend that their intentions are always noble."

"Pride and power have corrupted humans and vampires alike," Carlisle replied. "But I believe that their interference has done more overall good than harm."

"That is a matter for debate," Eleazar retorted, "at another time."

Bella observed their exchange but didn't comment on it. "Alice," she began instead, "you said that Aro wanted the whole story. How would that work?"

"Either he would come here," Jasper replied, "or we would go to him."

"And neither option is desirable," Kate remarked.

"I still don't understand the problem," Bella said. "Once we explain ourselves, this will all go away."

Ten golden-eyed vampires looked to me, and I tried to filter their opinions as I answered my wife. "The Volturi aren't known for their diplomacy, love. Once they learn of an infraction, they tend to eradicate the problem immediately."

"Eradicate?" Her voice was full of anxiety. "As in death?"

I nodded. "For all involved."

"Then there's no time to lose." She jumped off my lap. "We need to get to Volterra."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Don't you see?" she said. "The longer we wait, the worse this will get. If this Aro person wants the truth, then we will go to Volterra and give it to him."

"I understand your theory, cara," Carmen said softly. "But that is not a good idea."

"Why not?" Bella asked.

"For starters," Eleazar said. "You're human."

"And?"

"And the Volturi drink humans for lunch," Kate said.

Bella blanched but was undeterred. "They won't kill me."

"How can you be so sure?" Esme asked.

"Because they can't get the truth from a dead girl."

Her bald statement shocked the room, and I could hear my family's concern as they studied her. She had nearly lost her life yesterday to Victoria's machinations and kept us all at arm's length while she recovered. Was this bout of boldness the result of post-traumatic stress?

Bella is so bad-ass, Emmett thought.

I glared at him, wondering how he could be so glib, but he only shrugged. Don't get mad at me because your wife has bigger balls than you.

"Aro doesn't need to glean the truth from you," Eleazar was saying to Bella. "He has a gift."

"What sort of gift?" Bella asked.

"He's a tactile telepath," I explained as I decided to ignore my brother. "With any sort of physical contact, he can hear every thought a person has ever had. And I am sure he has already heard it all."

"You mean the truth according to Laurent?" she scoffed. "He's met me, what, twice? He doesn't really know anything about us."

"She has a point," Kate interjected. "He and Irina seldom talked about your family in Denali, at least to my knowledge."

"And in Bolivia, Laurent stayed away when I was around," Tanya added. "The conniving little bastard was too scared to face me."

"See?" Bella said. "All Aro has are the biased, incomplete thoughts of a worthless vampire with nothing left to lose. If he's a crusader for justice, he would need all of the facts before making a final decision."

Her perspective is so clean and artless, Jasper mused. I can only imagine what it's like inside her mind. No wonder you're so desperate to hear it.

I chuckled to myself at Jasper's thoughts. I would give my right arm to know what was going on in Bella's mind right now.

"You may disagree about the Volturi's motives," Bella was saying to Carlisle and Eleazar, "but you know Aro best. Do you think he would take a weasel like Laurent at his word without hearing our side first?"

The two men were torn between their differing opinions and the simplicity of Bella's argument, and the conflict delayed their responses. Ultimately, Eleazar spoke first.

"I think Aro will do whatever is in his best interest," he said.

"Okay," Bella said slowly. "Then what personal stake could he have in this situation?"

Eleazar waited a beat before replying. "He is covetous above all else," he said gently. "If he thinks Laurent's information will help him add to his collection, he will not hesitate to use it."

Bella was confused. "His collection?"

"Of gifted vampires," Esme said, her tone revealing her disapproval.

"Oh." Bella nodded, and then understanding brightened her eyes as they met mine. "He wants you, doesn't he?"

"And Alice," I confessed.

She glanced between my sister and me, murmuring wordlessly to herself. "What about Jasper?"

"He already has an empath, so I would be redundant," Jasper said. "But he would use me to ensnare Alice, if he could."

Bella slipped her thumbnail between her teeth, and her disquiet was palpable as she nibbled it. "If Aro decided that we were guilty, would we have to abide by his verdict? I mean, does he have any real authority?"

"Not technically," I said. "But the Volturi guard is difficult to defeat. And most vampires respect their decisions."

"Do you?"

I nodded. "Unless they are blatantly unjust."

Bella paused but a moment. "But either way, our family is in danger?"

"Pretty much," Rosalie said.

"Then there's no choice," Bella said. "We need to go to Volterra."

As Bella's pronouncement filled the air, every Cullen in the room began to have the same thought, and I wondered who would be the one to ask. I should not have been surprised when Esme cleared her throat.

"What about Charlie?" she asked gently.

Bella's heartbeat stuttered, and I squeezed her hand in support as she took a deep breath.

"If what you all say is true," Bella said as she glanced around, "then going to Volterra is the best thing I can do for him right now." Her questioning eyes sought mine. "Right?"

I had known she would ask my opinion. And as much as I wanted to whisk her upstairs and hide her in the closet until this latest storm blew over, I knew she would never allow it. Besides which, if I were completely honest, I would admit that Bella's desire to lead the charge to Volterra was incredibly sexy.

I'm just as bad as Emmett.

Shaking off the wave of lust that Bella's fearlessness inspired, I focused on the plan itself.

Travelling to Volterra would deny Aro the pleasure of taking his authority on the road, but he might see our arrival as a nod to his sovereignty. He receives an unfavorable report about our clan, and we come running to refute it?

A definite ego boost.

However, if our entire coven descended on his sacred city, it could also be viewed as an act of aggression. Eleven vampires and a human thinking they could stand against Volterra's might?

He would find that offensive.

And amusing.

The situation was perilous either way. Death could be awaiting us on either side of the Atlantic, and with Aro blocking Alice, we had nothing to go on.

Except the blind faith of my blushing bride.

I cradled Bella in my arms, caressing her cheek. She shivered as her eyes fluttered shut, and when they opened, they were wide and trusting.

And devoid of fear.

Emmett was right. Bella was bad-ass.

And she was mine.

I encircled Bella in my arms, pressing her back against my chest as I turned to my father. "Carlisle?"

He folded his arms, keeping his thoughts a secret. "Aro likes to feel as if he has total control," he said at length. "Confronting us here would have a certain appeal. But meeting us in his own territory would give him the mental advantage he seeks."

"Shouldn't we wait for a decision?" Alice asked, her mind still searching for clues. "Or a summons of some kind?"

"I don't think it would matter in this case," Carlisle replied.

"Besides," Eleazar added, "I am sure that Demetri has been tracking Carlisle's movements since the conversation with Laurent. Our arrival will be of no surprise."

"Demetri?" Bella asked.

"A talented member of the Volturi guard," I explained. "Once he's heard someone's mind, he can track that person across any distance. Another key to the Volturi's power."

"With that being the case," Carlisle said, "we lose nothing by going to Volterra."

"And you gain support in the process," Eleazar declared. "We are coming with you."

"You don't have to do that," Bella said.

"Do you want me to flick you in the head too?" Tanya asked as Bella's eyebrows shot up. "Our entire family has been threatened, and we are going to stand by your side and confront the spineless fucker who set all of this in motion."

Kate smiled. "What she said."

"Then it is settled." Carlisle rose and helped Esme to her feet. "Why don't you make the calls while I take Edward and Bella upstairs to see Charlie?"

Esme nodded as Carlisle led us upstairs to Charlie's door while the rest of the family discussed the details. My father was about to enter the room when he snapped his fingers. "I left some papers in my bedroom," he sighed. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Bella watched as Carlisle disappeared around the corner, and I pretended not to notice her suspicion as I led her into the room. As I closed the door behind her, she folded her arms across her chest.

"What's going on?"

I smiled at her stance. "Are we that obvious?"

"Stealth is really not your strong suit."

"Fair enough." I came to stand in front of her. "I appreciate your willingness to fight for us. But I wanted to give you a minute to fully consider your options."

"You don't think I can handle this?"

"I know you can," I replied as I untangled her arms. "But I want you to be sure that you want to. You have endured a lot in the past thirty-six hours, and I would be a terrible excuse for a husband if I just stood by and watched you leap from one crisis to the next without pausing for breath."

She didn't respond right away, and I was afraid that she might have misunderstood my intentions.

But her face relaxed as she absorbed my words, and she stepped forward and pressed her lips against mine. "Thank you, husband," she smiled. "You are anything but terrible."

I held her close and forbade her to move by cinching my arms around her waist. She laid her head against my chest, and I counted forty-eight beautiful breaths before she spoke again. "The last thing I want to do is leave my father's side," she confessed. "I would hate to miss him waking up, for someone else to be the first person he sees."

Several replies occurred to me, but I kept them to myself.

"And what if I don't come back?" Her voice shrank, and I pulled her even closer. "Charlie's last memory of me would be distorted by whatever he overheard in the cave, and the fear of what might have happened to me would haunt him for the rest of his life."

I nearly exploded with the urge to tell her to stay here where it was safe, so I clamped my lips together to hold back the words.

"But in spite of that," she sighed, "or maybe because of it, I need to go. Not to prove something or out of some belated attempt to compensate for yesterday. But because I am not Charlie's little girl anymore. I am Isabella Marie Cullen, and I will either live as a Cullen or die fighting as one."

I realized where we were. I understood the severity of the circumstances and that we had little time to prepare for our departure. But Bella's words had left me breathless, and I had no choice but to cup her sweet face and lower my lips to hers.

She was startled by my reaction but quickly recovered as she tilted her head and slid her hands up my back. I indulged myself at her mouth as long as I could without guilt and reluctantly broke away to let her breathe.

"Bella," I rested my forehead against hers, "that was…I am…you are amazing."

"I'm just me." Her blush deepened at my ragged speech. "But I am yours, and no one has the right to tell me otherwise."

My lips sought hers again, aching to convey what my words could not. Her fragrance flooded my mouth as she deepened our kiss, and I wanted to drown in its sweetness, to shut out the world and revel in the serenity of our union.

But before we could sink any deeper, a knock on the door brought us back to the surface. I kissed her one last time before addressing our visitor. "Come in."

Bella's face was still flushed when my father entered, so he tried not to look at her. "Sorry for the delay," he said. "When you've been around for a few centuries, you accumulate a lot of paper."

Carlisle reviewed Charlie's chart, and Bella watched his expressions for clues. "What time are we leaving?" she asked.

"Soon," Carlisle replied. "The jet is gassed, and our helipad is but a few miles away."

"Your helipad?" Bella gasped. "You have your own plane?"

"Two, actually," I said. "We added a second one after Alice and Jasper joined the family."

"We only use them in emergency situations, and neither is in our name, of course." Carlisle said. "But with our unique lifestyle, they can be pretty handy."

Bella nodded. "So what's the…Ohmygod!" Her hands flew to her mouth as she looked at her father. "His eyes are closed!"

Carlisle checked his patient and smiled at Bella. "So they are."

"That must have just happened," she gasped. "But what…what does it mean?"

"It means," I kissed the top of her head. "That Charlie is well on his way to waking up."

"Really?"

Carlisle nodded. "Charlie's mind is beginning to settle down, preparing to face the world. At this rate, he could wake up as early as tomorrow."

Bella broke away from me and ran at my father, throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Carlisle. Thank you for saving him."

My father patted her back as the faint scent of tears filled the air. "You are more than welcome, Isabella."

She sniffled and smiled as he handed her a handkerchief, and she dabbed her eyes as she walked back into my waiting arms. "Thank you," she said softly, and I had the distinct feeling that she wasn't talking to either of us. Perhaps my morning devotions had affected her more than I'd thought.

"Now," Carlisle began carefully, "with this unexpected development, have you changed your mind about this trip?"

Bella smiled at her father's sleeping face and shook her head. "Actually, knowing that he's asleep makes it easier to leave." Then she frowned. "But if we're all going to Volterra, who's going to stay with him?"

"I will," Rosalie said from the door. "If you'll let me."

My shock rivaled Bella's as my sister entered the room. "I have enough medical training and experience to care for Charlie while you're gone. And Emmett will be here, too, you know. So I won't see anything I'm not supposed to."

Bella choked back a laugh as more tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm sure Charlie would appreciate that."

"So would I," Emmett said as he arrived. "I'm a pretty confident guy, but I don't know what Charlie's packing under there."

"Emmett!" Bella cried as Rosalie slapped him.

"What?" Emmett rubbed the back of his head. "He's a gun-toting police chief with a daughter who runs with vampires. That takes a lot of testosterone, and I'm just saying that..."

Rosalie covered his mouth with her hand. "Please excuse him. He's still learning to think before he speaks." Emmett mumbled and gestured in response, but Rosalie would not relent as she pushed him toward the door. "We'll let you finish here and meet you downstairs."

"Thank you, Rose," Bella said warmly. "I cannot tell you what this means to me."

"Don't mention it," she said. "Just whack Laurent for me if you get the chance."

Rosalie led her husband away, and after the door closed, Bella blew out a long, heavy breath. She shook her head again and walked over to Charlie. "I love you, Dad," she whispered into his ear. "I'll see you later."

With a final touch to his face, Bella took my hand and let me lead her into the hall. She could not stop smiling, and Carlisle was caught up in her happiness as he headed downstairs. Once we were alone, Bella beamed at me. "Edward, I am so relieved!"

"Me too, love."

"And if Charlie wakes up before I return," she said thoughtfully, "I'm glad Rosalie will be here with him."

"Why is that?"

She lowered her voice. "Because he's a little afraid of her. And whatever she tells him, he will accept without question."

My sister held it in as best as she could, but her raucous laughter soon rang out from below, and Bella jumped at the sound. "I thought the stereo was still on!" she hissed.

"It is," I smiled. "But it also requires that we don't eavesdrop."

"Don't you dare tell Charlie I said that!" she called to Rose as we headed upstairs. Rosalie could only chuckle in response.

Once in my room, we changed our clothes and Bella brushed her teeth again. "What should I pack?" she asked after spitting out her mouthwash.

"Nothing," I replied from my position near the bathroom door. "Our meeting with Aro should take place almost immediately. And if all goes well, we will be back here by morning."

"And if not?"

I studied her image in the mirror. "Then nothing in a suitcase would be able to save us."

She blinked away the fear that tried to creep into her eyes as she wiped her mouth. "May I ask a question?"

So beautiful. So brave. "Anything."

She stepped around me and turned off the bathroom light. "What was up with Emmett earlier?"

"I'm sorry about that." I followed her out. "No one should have to hear that kind of talk about their father."

"No," she grimaced. "I meant his attitude about the Volturi. I've never seen him so irritated before."

"Emmett holds a particular grudge against the Volturi," I explained as she put her cell phone in her pocket. "When he was a newborn, we made the mistake of telling him that he was the second-strongest vampire we had ever encountered."

She put on the watch Esme had given her for Christmas. "Who was the first?"

"Felix, a member of the Volturi guard," I said. "We didn't think Emmett would take the comparison so personally. But any time we mention the Volturi, Emmett's attitude turns combative, as if he's itching for a fight."

"So why is he staying behind?" she asked as she grabbed Charlie's phone for Rosalie. "Wouldn't he relish the chance to face his nemesis?"

"He would." I slipped my hands around her waist. "But your comfort is more important to Emmett than some ego-driven grievance with a vampire he has never met."

"Oh," she blushed.

"The same goes for Rosalie, Kate, and every other supernatural creature downstairs." I nuzzled her neck. "And in case you haven't noticed," I planted a kiss there. "I'm rather fond of you also."

She shivered at the difference in our temperatures as she pressed closer to me. "Do tell."

I licked my lips in anticipation of another kiss and was startled by the sound of Charlie's cell phone ringing. It fell out of Bella's hand as she gasped, and I caught it before it could hit the floor.

"Do you recognize the number?" I asked.

She shook her head. "But it's local."

"Are you going to answer it?"

She stared at the phone as it rang a third time. And in the middle of the fourth ring, she hit 'Ignore' on the nameless number and put the phone in her pocket. "If it's important, they'll leave a message at the station."

After retrieving her coat from the closet, Bella grabbed her wallet and led the way downstairs. Eleazar was driving his clan to the helipad in his Hummer, and Emmett told us to take the Range.

"Go together," he said as he embraced Jasper and me. "And come back together."

"We will," Jasper promised.

As Emmett swallowed Bella in a massive hug, I walked over to his wife. She was uncertain as I approached her, but her incredulity froze on her face when I laid my hands on her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Rosalie."

She reached up a hand to cover the spot, her thoughts shocked and awed. But she quickly recovered and tossed her hair back. How long have you wanted to do that?

I rolled my eyes. "As if."

She barked a laugh as I dropped my hands. "Bring her home safe," she murmured. And it'd be nice if you didn't die either.

"Okay," I smiled.

Carlisle and I conferred gave Emmett some last-minute instructions, while the Whitlocks escorted Esme to the car. As the Denalis took their leave, Rosalie came to stand beside Bella.

"You know," she said as Bella handed her Charlie's phone, "this just might be the worst honeymoon ever. Your father was kidnapped, your husband was forced to almost kill you, and now you're flying to Italy to confront four more red-eyed monsters." She shook her head and tsked. "If I were you, I would demand a refund."

The corners of Bella's mouth lifted. "But I don't have a receipt."

Rosalie put her arm around my wife and squeezed. "There's always store credit."

"Let's go," Carlisle announced from the door.

Rose released Bella as Emmett came to stand beside her. "Don't worry about us," Emmett said. "We'll take good care of Charlie and each other."

"Be careful!" Esme called from outside. And as her thoughts shifted, she added, "And don't destroy my house!"

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Emmett called. "But there is a cozy cottage not too far from here…"

I punched him in the arm as Bella glared at him. "Don't make me hurt you, McCarty."

Carlisle said his goodbyes to Emmett and Rose while I led Bella outside. As I opened the back door to the Range, Bella gripped my hand. "Is this going to work?" she asked. "What do you really think?"

I held her gaze as the truth flooded my heart. "I think that I love you," I said as I kissed her. "And nothing is more important than that."

As I helped her into the truck, I glanced upward. Let it be enough, Lord. Please let that be enough.

So what do we think? Was Bella right or should they have waited in Forks?

A few more things:

1. That moment between Edward and Rosalie was loosely inspired by MY NEW AU FIC entitled "BLACK ICE." This story delves into the tumultuous pre-Twilight relationship between Ed and Rose. No HEA for these two as canon pairs will eventually appear. But there will be some dark, bitter citrus as I explore this intriguing and potent pre-canon relationship. Shorter chapters, totally different tone, and more frequent updates than SP. I hope you'll come along for the ride, and MANY thanks to those who have already started!

2. A guest reviewer asked why Alice can't see when Charlie will recover. I know that Canon Alice can predict when people will awaken down to the second, but as her visions are supposedly based on people's decisions, that particular ability never made sense to me. People don't 'decide' when to wake up—they just wake up. Thus my Alice cannot see when Charlie will wake up because that occurrence is not based on a decision.

3. To all who read, alert, rec, and/or review my work, thanks so much for the love and support. Y'all are truly the BEST :) :) :)