Okay, so first off, I know I keep going MIA on responses to reviews and in the middle of conversations, and I am sooo sorry about that! I appreciate everyone's kind words so much, my life is just hectic at the moment, and it's hard to get on my laptop for extended periods of time. Just an FYI, I'm way better about communication on Facebook, so if I'm not responding to you on FFN and you want a way to get a hold of me, Facebook is the key :) (Check my profile for link)
So, The Alias is close to wrapping up! It's been quite the ride, and I am thrilled that you all jumped on board to take it with me! Soon, I'll have some teasers out for my next story. It's surprisingly not mafia based, but I hope you'll check it out when I post it.
Who's ready for a verdict in the Aro Volturi trial?
BPOV
Despite working until seven am, I can't turn my brain off long enough to fall asleep. And, God, how I wish I could.
Edward left for the trial a few minutes after I got home, muttering questions to himself and answering them with his brows furrowed in concentration. He gave me a quick peck on the lips before rushing down the steps and jumping into Mike's car.
How can I sleep when I know Marcus Vitale is ripping him apart on the stand?
Okay. So, maybe that's a bit dramatic.
"Have some faith in him, Bella," I scold myself as I sip on my second cup of coffee. I switch the TV on to local news and park in front of it, even though I won't get any details until court adjourns for lunch.
Once the programming switches to talk shows, I peel myself away to find something more productive to do.
Two loads of laundry, a mopped floor, and a sparkling clean bathroom later, I'm back on the couch listening to the intro music for the twelve O'Clock news.
"The atmosphere was tense this morning in the Aro Volturi trial…." I turn the volume up as the newscaster begins with their headline story. "The defense questioned Special Agent Edward Cullen. Heidi Afton has the story."
They switch to a pretty blonde standing on the courthouse steps. "Yes, thank you, Chelsea. The morning started with Marcus Vitale asking Agent Cullen about the three men he shot while working undercover in the Volturi organization. Agent Cullen's story did not change as he claims all three incidents were acts of self-defense for him or his girlfriend, Bella Swan."
My breath catches at the mention of my name.
"Agent Cullen remained calm as Mr. Vitale attempted to accuse him of police corruption. He even insinuated that Agent Cullen used Miss Swan as a pawn and that her kidnapping was staged. It is widely believed that emergency room doctor Bella Swan was the key witness against Aro Volturi and that a recording she took on a transcription device will decide Mr. Volturi's fate."
My phone buzzes from the coffee table, and I jump for it, knowing precisely who is texting me.
Made it through. Defense starts calling witnesses this afternoon. -E
How'd it go? -B
The three little dots that tell me Edward is typing show up for a second, then disappear right before my ringtone sounds.
"Hey," I say with a smile.
"Hey," he sighs.
"You sound relieved."
"You have no idea. I think these past two days have been the most stressful of my life," he chuckles, and I picture him running a hand through his- shorter than I'm used to- hair.
"So what now?"
"Now, we listen to a couple of bloviated jackasses who will tell us how great of a guy Aro is. That he donates to charity, that he has no rap sheet. Word on the street is they've got a former FBI agent on their payroll that will testify."
"Do you think it's the guy that leaked the information about the books?"
"I have no doubt. From what I understand, it's some kid from the south side that Aro got into the agency. Word spread through the office that the Volturis were going down. Didn't take long before he had Aro in the know."
"Who says FBI agents don't gossip."
"Yeah," he grumbles. "Well, the ones that do are morons."
Playing with the tassel on a throw pillow, I check the news, which moved to a story about puppy adoption. "How much longer do you think the trial will be?"
"I'm hoping we have a verdict by the end of next week. I don't think Marcus has that many people to call to the stand. And it won't take long for Eleazar to discredit most of them."
"Wow. Hey, Edward?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I can be there for that? When they read the verdict. I would love to watch Aro get sentenced."
"Bella, I wouldn't let you miss it."
When I hear Edward's name called from somewhere in the background, he bows out of our conversation with a quick "love you." Relieved and exhausted, I flop sideways onto the couch and stretch out, pulling a throw blanket over myself. The sound of daytime programming whisks me off to a desperately needed sleep.
oOo
Edward's suspicions are correct, and over the following week, Marcus calls a handful of subpar witnesses to the stand, all of which Eleazar is quick to discredit. The most fascinating to watch is a corrupt state congressman whose embezzlement of campaign funds comes to light during cross-examination.
The no-name ex-FBI agent that squealed to Aro bails from testifying at the last minute when the agency arrests him for obstruction of justice, among other charges.
The jury enters deliberation on Tuesday, and on Thursday night, we get word that they've come to a verdict.
The following morning, Mike picks Edward and me up because my hands are shaking too much to drive us.
He greets us with a bright smile and a bag of donut holes from the place around the corner. "You guys ready for this?"
"No way they aren't convicting Aro," Edward says before shoving some bite-sized pieces in his mouth. He tries to pass the bag to me in the back seat, but I wave him off.
"You alright back there, Bella?" Mike watches me through the rearview mirror. "You kind of look like you're going to hurl."
I shake my head. "I don't know how your two are so cavalier about this. Doesn't it only take one juror to disagree for him to get off?"
The two of them share a look and chuckle. "Who the heck is going to disagree with Aro's guilt?" Mike takes a few donuts for himself.
"I don't know," I mutter. "I guess you guys are more used to this than I am."
"Bella," Edward twists in his seat and reaches for my hand. "Mike and I sat through this entire trial and listened to every witness. No one in their right mind would find him innocent."
I nod and attempt a smile which Edward sees right through. He squeezes my fingers before turning to face the front and recap trial details with Mike, allowing me to work through my nerves on my own.
We arrive at the courthouse too soon for my liking and find ourselves gaping at the crowd of reporters and onlookers gathered on the front steps. Mike keeps calling this the case of the century, and seeing the circus it has become, I understand why.
Security is heavily staffed, and I make my way through it in a blur. Mike and Edward have to lock away their weapons, so I wait to the side as they go through the process. When they return, Edward's hand finds purchase on my lower back, silently comforting me. He steers me through the small crowd gathered in the hallway outside the courtroom. I'm grateful for the contact because, without him, I'm pretty sure I would have turned, run home, and waited for the verdict to be announced on the news.
In the courtroom, Eleazar and his team are all smiles while Marcus sits, speaking in hushed tones to his colleagues. I take a deep breath and blow the air out slowly through my nose. Edward and Mike might be on to something. Even the lawyers suspect the likely outcome of deliberation.
"See." Edward leans down so I can hear him. "Everyone knows that we've got this."
The giddy excitement from our side of the courtroom is contagious, so I grin and nod as my confidence grows.
The benches fill quickly, with reporters lining the back wall. I focus on different attendees, fascinated by the energy of the room. The story of Tony Masen and Aro Volturi has captured everyone's attention, and they can't wait to see how the final chapter ends.
"All rise." The bailiff's order surprises me, and I jump to my feet in awe of the history about to be made.
The courtroom is silent as Judge Jenks takes his seat and calls us into session. We wait poised on the edges of our seats as he takes his time to organize himself.
Clearing his throat, he turns toward the jury. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"
A collective sea of heads snap toward a middle-aged man with a graying beard and salt and pepper hair who stands in the jury box. His blue button-down and slacks are neatly pressed. He clearly readied himself for the occasion.
"We have your honor."
"And how do you find the defendant?"
"Guilty on all charges."
Edward throws his arm around my shoulder and squeezes me to his side, hissing out a "yes!" while Mike and the legal crew hold their own mini-celebrations. My cheeks feel like they're about to split as a smile the size of Chicago breaks across my face.
Vindicated by justice, I check on the defense table. Aro's hands are on the tabletop, balled in fists, while he glares blankly in front of him. Marcus rubs at his temple, leaning away from Aro, and for a moment, I worry that Marcus will be in danger after not receiving an acquittal for his volatile client. Then I realize I'm concerned about a man that tried to free the person who put my life and Edward's in danger, and I lose the ability to care.
Judge Jenks remains calm and impartial as he bangs his gavel to rein in the excitement flowing through the crowd.
He thanks the jury foreman and turns his attention to Aro. "Mr. Volturi, please rise."
Aro's chair scrapes against the floor as he uses the table to push himself up. I can't tell if he's weak from his months in prison or disbelief, or more likely some combination of the two.
Jenks eyes him for a minute until Aro squirms under the intense stare. "I am sentencing you to two life sentences without the possibility of parole."
Cheers erupt from the prosecution table and the two men sitting beside me as Aro is handcuffed and led from the room. I barely have time to process everything before being pulled to my feet and engulfed in an enormous hug. Edward crushes me to his chest so hard that I gasp for breath and have to swat his arm to be released.
"We did it!" He cries when he finally pulls back to look at me.
I blink back tears of relief that sting my eyes. "I'm so proud of you."
"Me? I should be proud of you, Bella!"
"I'm proud of both of you!" Mike says, clapping a hand on Edward's shoulder. "I don't know about you guys, but I think this calls for a celebration."
"Impromptu party at our place tonight?" I raise my brows in question.
Edward nods along with the plan. "Sounds good to me."
"Mike, you tell Jess. I'll call Angela and Eric. I know they're as invested in this as everyone else."
"I think we've got a handful of agents and a defense team to invite too." Edward waves his hand toward the table where Eleazar and his team are shaking hands and exchanging congratulations.
"Mike, I think we need to make a few stops on the way back to our place," I say, trying to calculate the number of guests in my head. "I know we don't have enough alcohol and food for this group."
"Sure. But if the FBI asks why I took you to a liquor store in a government car, tell them it was for surveillance." He winks.
As we leave the courtroom, we hit a wall of reporters calling out questions. I slink to the side, completely out of my element, but watch in fascination as Edward steps into the line of fire.
"One at a time, please." His voice is loud, clear, and confident as he calls out to the small mob. "Yes, you." He points to a petite brunette in glasses.
"Agent Cullen, are you surprised by the Aro Volturi verdict?"
"No," he chuckles. "Absolutely not. Eleazar Denali and his team are the best prosecutors I know, and Aro Volturi is a guilty man. Anyone who listened to witness testimony and heard the tapes submitted for evidence can plainly see that. Next question."
A young, tall man speaks up from the back of the group. "Agent Cullen, there is speculation that you will write a book about your undercover experiences with the Volturi organization. I think the American people are very interested in your story. Is there any truth to this rumor?"
"A book, huh?" Edward's brows dip before he glances at me with a smirk. "You know, that's not a half-bad idea."
As he continues, answering a few more questions, I remain stuck on the idea of Edward writing a book about his experience. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea.
He eventually cuts off questions, stepping aside and letting the reporters know that Eleazar will be holding a press conference in front of the courthouse shortly. His arm slips around my waist as he guides us away to track down Mike for a ride home. Well, shopping then home.
"A book?" I ask once we're out of earshot.
"I know." He shrugs, pulling me closer with the movement. "What do you think? I kind of like the idea."
"Yeah?" We stop once we round a corner, and I turn to look up at him. "Me too."
My cheek leans toward his palm as he reaches up to tuck a strand of hair around my ear. "I'd need your help, though."
"My help?"
"Yeah. Get another opinion on things. Make sure the story is accurate."
I hum, tossing the idea around in my head. "We'll see. You know, watching you take on all those reporters, being so confident, it was sort of a turn-on." I bite my lip as my hands find purchase at his waistband, my fingers curling around his belt loops
"Oh, really?" His voice dips as he moves in closer. "Maybe when we get home…."
"We clean and cook frantically to prepare for an unplanned party?" I laugh.
He steps back, adjusting himself and running a hand through his hair. "Damn, cock blocking party."
"I promise we can kick everyone out at a decent hour. And then I'm all yours."
"I'm holding you to that, Doctor Swan." He winks and reaches down to pinch my ass before turning and waving down the hall to get Mike's attention.
The sting lingers, and I can't wait to return the favor.
A/N: Guilty! But, I mean, did we expect otherwise?
As promised, we're going to get a peek into Edward and Bella's future next. After all, someone has a sister who is about to get married ;)