[Notes passed during class between Edward and Bella]
E: Are you ok? You must be exhausted after so little sleep.
B: I'm ok. I'll go to bed early.
Please be very careful when driving honme today. It's icy out. I'm worried you will have an accident.
I'll have some coffee at lunch and I'll go slowly. I promise.
Would you let me drive you?
It's fine. Don't worry so much.
Can I ask Alice to check at least?
Check what?
If she sees anything bad.
Oh. Yeah, I guess. That's fine.
If she does will you let me drive the truck for you?
Ok.
God this lesson is dull.
Indeed.
Must be even worse for you!
I'm happy just to have the chance to chat with you.
Yeah. Me too.
Is there anything else you want to ask?
Let me think a minute.
Those bad guys, how many of them are there?
Around thirty, the last I heard. I've never met them, thankfully.
And they won't come looking for you?
Not without reason, no. If they send for any of us, it's not an optional invitation. We have to go and speak with them. So that's also something that we all want to avoid.
Right. And they stay in Italy?
They're based there. The leaders stay there unless there is a big problem. Some others move around, cleaning up problems.
cleaning up like the mafia clean up?
Something like that, yes.
And it's not worth trying to get rid of them?
It would be catastrophic. And even if we did, which would be impossible given how many members have gifts, including those which can incapacitate, track, affect bonds of loyalty, or blind the senses, there would be a power vacuum for whoever managed to survive. Whoever filled it may well be worse. At least they are stable, prevent wars, we know what they demand and they leave us be. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.
That makes sense. So you're safe? Safeish?
Safeish, yes. I'll never let anything happen to you. Please believe that.
I do.
I'm sorry you've been dragged into this. More sorry than I can say.
It's ok Edward. I just need to get my head around it and absorb it all.
Take as much time as you need.
Thanks, I don't want to lose y [interrupted!]
A/N: Reviewers get to have Edward drive them home safely.
Thanks a million to my wonderful betas itsthatkindofanight and wh1teow1 (please show some love and read Moirai, a reimagining of Twilight for the new decade!