Eclipse EPOV

Based on Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Ch. 23 Monster

With the exception of the twenty-four hours when I believed that Bella had died, this had been the worst night of my existence. Sitting, in the small, now too crowded tent, watching her sleep in his arms, was excruciating.

And then the sleep talking began. At first it was wonderful, relieving, and deeply satisfying.

"Mmmmm, Edward" Bella said drowsily, "Edward…"

Jacob frowned, avoiding my gaze. I knew this was killing him, hearing her say my name, evidence of her love, her choice. I was pleased! Well, full of vindictive glee was probably more accurate.

"I love you, Edward." She continued. My heart sang.

She was quiet for a time, and then became restless. Her dreams must be reflecting the stress of the coming day. She would worry about my family, and the dogs, er, werewolves from La Push.

"No…. no…" She murmured, followed by a deep breath, as she twisted side to side, trying to avoid some imaginable foe.

Jacob looked up at me then, worry crossed his face. I understood. Too many nights I had held Bella in my arms, comforting her as her dreams turned dark, worried about what was causing her such pain. I could only give him a comforting look back, as if to say 'it will pass.' He seemed to accept that and ran one hand along her arm as he drifted back off.

Jacob slept sparingly. As difficult a night it was for me, I could tell he wasn't able to relax either. He would need some rest if he wanted to be sharp against the newborns. Despite myself, I hoped he would be able to get a few hours in before daybreak.

Unfortunately, he wasn't fully asleep when the next bout of talking started. Unfortunately because I would have much rather he'd slept through this part.

"Don't go… don't go… Jacob…. My Jacob…" The way her voice caressed his name left little doubt of the depth of her feelings for him. Jacob didn't avoid looking up at me then.

See, bloodsucker. She does love me. He thought giving me a smug look.

I was the one now wanting to avoid his eyes. I kept my expression blank, but my heart wrenched. What I wanted to do was hold my head in my hands, bowed in my brokenness and self-pity. Instead, I squared up my shoulders and stared back at him.

"She worries about you – you know she does. Especially today of all days."

Ya, I don't think that was what that was about. He smiled back, slyly, as he pulled her closer to his chest.

His mind was vulgar. I hated being a party to it at times like this. I hardly thought that was what was going on in her dream. Bella was good and pure. She didn't dream like that.

However, I could see, now that his resolve was hardened. He would fight for her with every ounce of his being. He would do everything in his power to win her – or win her back as he viewed it. In his mind, she was his, and I had stolen her by coming back when I did. I wondered if he might be right.

He dozed off again. I appreciated that his dreams now focused on the battle that was only a few hours away. Unlike Seth, his dreams centered on her heroism, taking down the largest newborns, more then anyone else. In his dream, we were all in awe of his prowess. In his dream, Bella gazed over the pile of body parts, evidence of his ability, and chose him.

The sky was clear and the sun shone through the tent. As the light brightened, I could hear Bella's breathing change, lighten. She was waking up. She pulled away from Jacob, a scowl on her face, brightening my mood considerably.

She was struggling now, as his arm tightened around her. I wanted, more then anything to tear that arm off to help her out, but the rational part of my mind could see that she was in no danger. She was just trying to free herself from the bondage of sleep. Besides, she wouldn't like that. She loved him, too. The thought came unbidden to my mind, but seared pain throughout my system as I realized it was true.

She looked up at me then. "Is it any warmer out there?" she whispered, trying not to disturb him.

"Yes. I don't think the space heater will be necessary today." I replied grimly.

She struggled to free herself enough to unzip the bag and escape, without disturbing him- always concerned about him. I wanted to help her, but I didn't think she would appreciate the type of help I was considering. It certainly wouldn't leave him undisturbed.

"Some help?" she asked quietly

"Did you want me to take his arms all the way off?" I smiled in anticipation, knowing she would never agree to that.

"No, thank you. Just get me free. I'm going to get heat stroke."

I reached across and quickly unzipped the bag, not displeased that he fell out onto the cold floor. I smiled as shock and pain suddenly registered in his mind.

"Hey!" He complained. Then things went terribly wrong. In reaction to the cold, he quickly spun off the floor, pinning Bella on her back. I heard the wind whoosh out of her. She had no air. She was suffocating. In a fraction of a second I lifted Jacob and threw him against the tent wall. The tent pole bent, threatening to bring the entire structure down on us.

Venom rose in my mouth as I took a defensive position, Bella safely behind me. Snarls ripped out at me. I eyed Jacob crouched on the other side of the tent, growling back at me. His body shivered as he began the transformation to wolf. My mind registered the following at once: If Jacob phased now, the tent would be ripped to shreds and there would be little to stop a full blown fight from erupting. The previous night had been too much for either of us, tension had built and we were both prepared to fight. Bella was curled up behind me, safely breathing normally, yet her heart beat indicated her fear. I planned our escape – if I acted quickly, I should be able to tear an opening in the tent behind me and push Bella out before she was part of the attack, though it might cost me a limb. Outside Seth's snarled at both of us, "Settle down, you're going to bring down the entire tent. Jacob, leave it for the newborns."

In the next instant, Bella was scrambling to her feet, moving toward Jacob. She was right in the line of fire – inches from a volatile, young werewolf who was, at that point, struggling for control.

"Stop it, stop it!" she yelled as I prepared to pull her away from the danger. "Stop it, now." She yelled directly at me, as she kept a hand on Jacob – as if she could hold him back, as if she wouldn't be hurt, or maybe even killed, if he fazed now.

I froze in place, prepared to act quickly, but I could see Jacob gaining control. Outside, Seth was coaching him, telling him to hold on, save it for the newborns, to not put Bella in harms way. I could see it was helping.

"Jacob, are you hurt?" She asked him. I was shocked. He had almost crushed her, was moments from fazing, which would have been disastrous, and she was worried that I had hurt HIM?

"Of course not!" he hissed. If she wasn't here, I'd tear you limb from limb.

Already full of bloodlust and rage, I just glared back. Bring it on!

She turned on me, "That wasn't nice. You should say sorry."

"You must be joking" I was incredulous, "he was crushing you!"

"Because you dumped him on the floor! He didn't do it on purpose, and he didn't hurt me."

I groaned. Of course, she would protect him – he who needs no protection from her. I sighed deeply, calming myself, placating to her request, "My apologies, dog."

"No harm done" and now we know who she really loves, he gloated back.

I ignored his barb, and focused back on Bella. She was cold. I picked up the parka Jacob had brought in last night and offered it to her to keep warm. I didn't want to have to resort to the means we had to last night. "Here."

"That's Jacob's." she objected.

"Jacob has a fur coat." I reminded her. Why doesn't he leave us and use it, I wanted to say to him.

"I'll just use the sleeping bag again, if you don't mind." And Bella is always welcome to join me. Jacob responded, "I wasn't quite ready to wake up. That wasn't the best night's sleep I ever had."

"It was your idea." I pointed out. It wasn't like it was my choice.

Jacob was ready to drift off, "I didn't say it wasn't the best night I've ever spent. Just that I didn't get a lot of sleep. I thought Bella was never going to shut up," he reminded me. I cringed.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." I murmured back.

"Didn't you have a nice night, then?" He taunted me. Afraid to hear what is really going on in your girlfriend's head? Afraid she might choose a real man?

"It wasn't the worst night of my life." I responded honestly.

"Did it make the top ten?" He pushed, eye's glittering in pleasure at my obvious discomfort.

"Possibly." I answered, a little less honestly.

Ha, he thought, as he closed his eyes. I wanted to rip that smug expression right off his face. Actually I wanted to rip is face from his head, but I settled for giving him something to think about instead.

"But, if I had been able to take your place last night, it would not have made the top ten of the best nights of my life. Dream about that."

His eyes flashed opened, speculating what the top ten nights could have been, anger rising as a result of his speculations. He got up, "You know what? I think it's too crowded in here."

"I couldn't agree more."

Bella gave me a small shove at that, at my supposed rudeness. I ignored her jab, only too pleased to have that dog finally out of my tent and away from my Bella, my fiancée!

"Guess I'll catch up on my sleep later, then." He gave me a pained expression, playing on Bella's sympathies, "I need to talk to Sam anyway." He said as he left the tent.

I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief at his departure – to use the time to remind Bella of why she said 'yes' to me – to wipe 'my Jacob' from her mind, when she reached out, "Jake, wait."

He jerked his arm out of her reach. He knew how to play the wounded martyr, and he played it well.

"Please, Jake? Won't you stay?" She pushed further, striking daggers into my heart.

"No." he said coldly, playing right into her sympathies. Why couldn't she see though him? He softened his look momentarily, "Don't worry about me, Bells. I'll be fine, just like I always am." He forced a laugh, "Sides, you think I'm going to let Seth go in my place – have all the fun and steal all the glory? Right." He snorted, every word well placed, pointing out that I wouldn't be part of the fight and he would be – assuring her of his safety, and yet pointing out the danger. Yes, he was skilled in his fight for her affections.

"Be careful"

I cringed as I could hear the concern, the care in her voice.

"Give it a rest, Bella" was his departing rebuff.

I wondered, had anything changed? She was my fiancé, but was she wavering? Was she considering her options in light of my rudeness this morning and his well played hand? What could I do now to mend the broken fences between us? She leaned against me, but though she was physically here, I felt she was really outside, with Jacob.

I listened as Seth gave Jacob an update on the plans for the battle. With the dogs, Jasper was more than confident. But, on the same vein, Alice couldn't see anything past the newborns arriving at the field. The lack of foresight was frustrating. If anything happened to one of them, I would carry the guilt for the rest of my existence.

"How much longer?" she asked.

"Alice told Sam it should be an hour or so."

"We stay together. No matter what." Bella said as she laced her hand through mine.

"No matter what." I agreed. Till death do us part... and I wondered if that would really be true.

"I know, I'm terrified for them, too."

"They know how to handle themselves," I said, assuring both of us, then teased, trying to lighten the mood, "I just hate missing the fun." Also reminding her that I would be there fighting for her, except that I chose to be here, with her…

She made a face at that. She didn't like my making light of the battle before us. She imagined that someone would get hurt and hated the idea of others putting themselves in danger's path for her… selfless, as always.

I put a comforting arm around her shoulder, "Don't worry." I tried to kiss away the furor in her brow.

"Sure, sure." I cringed as I heard Jacob's familiar phrase between her lips.

"Do you want me to distract you?" I smiled, running a finger along her cheekbone. She shivered… not in a good way. "Maybe not right now." I pulled away from her.

"There are other ways to distract me." She said hopefully.

"What would you like?" I desperately needed to reconnect with her in some profound way. I felt so distant from her right now.

"You could tell me about your ten best nights," she suggested, "I'm curious."

I smiled, of course she was curious. What a wonderful way to connect. I chuckled, making this into a game, "Try to guess."

She shook her head, "There're too many nights I don't know about. A century of them."

"I'll narrow it down for you. All of my best nights have happened since I met you."

"Really?" She responded in surprised pleasure.

How could it be otherwise? "Yes really" I said softly, "and by quite a wide margin, too."

She considered that for a moment, her brow creased. "I can only think of mine."

Even better. "They might be the same" I encouraged. I would love to hear hers…

"Well, there was the first night. The night you stayed." I remembered that night, lying with her in my arms, hearing those words that made my world complete.

"Yes, that's one of mine, too. Of course, you were unconscious for my favorite part."

"That's right, I was talking that night, too."

The first time she said she loved me. "Yes."

A blush spread across her cheeks then, as she was deep in thought. I wondered where she had gone. Was she remembering that night – or something else?

"What did I say last night?" she said, almost afraid to ask.

Her question, the way she looked almost guilty, afraid of my reaction, made me wonder if she already had an idea – and if the words were only the tip of the iceberg… Was she dreaming about him? I steadied myself, shrugging, not trusting my voice.

"That bad?"

"Nothing too horrible." You didn't say you loved him… but still.

"Please tell me."

"Mostly you said my name, the same as usual."

"That's not bad." She seemed relieved.

Tell her the truth, I heard Jacob's thoughts from outside the tent. He was listening.

Though I hated to do it, perhaps it was better to get this out in the open, to find out if things had changed over night. To find out if there were more to her words. "Near the end, though, you started mumbling some nonsense about 'Jacob, my Jacob'. Your Jacob enjoyed that quite a lot." I sat back and waited… waited for her to deliver the words that would tear my world apart.

"Sorry" she started and I braced myself. This was going to be bad, "That's just the way I differentiate."

"Differentiate?" What did that mean? Is that how she chose between us… was the fact that she called him "my" mean that she had chosen him?

"Between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Between the Jacob I like and the one who annoys the hell out of me." She explained.

Jacob snorted outside. I smiled. So it wasn't what he thought. I replayed her words – she said the Jacob she liked… not loved… liked. I felt moderately better, it seemed she wasn't going to leave me yet.

"That makes sense." I was enjoying this game, especially since I knew Jacob was listening. "Tell me another favorite night."

"Flying home from Italy."

I replayed that night – her back in my arms, knowing she was alive – we were both alive. Still, her hesitancy, her holding back… her doubt in my love, believing that I would leave as soon as we were back on American soil.

"Is that not one of yours?" she asked

"No, it is one of mine, actually, but I'm surprised it's on your list. Weren't you under the ludicrous impression I was just acting from a guilty conscience, and I was going to bolt as soon as the plane doors opened?"

"Yes, but, still, you were there."

I felt a flood of pleasure at her words. She loved me, even when she believed I didn't love her back, even when I had hurt her so profoundly with my lies… "You love me more then I deserve," I said as I pressed my lips to her hair.

Her light musical laugh comforted me further, "The next would be the night after Italy."

"Yes, that's on the list. You were so funny."

"Funny?"

"I had no idea your dreams were so vivid. It took me forever to convince you that you were awake."

"I'm still not sure. You've always seemed more like a dream than reality. Tell me one of yours, now. Did I guess your first place?"

"No." I only considered the consequences of my actions for half a second. I knew Jacob had been listening to our conversation. He had been hopeful when we discussed the sleep talking last night that perhaps Bella would make a move, especially after his little performance this morning. He deserved to know, I told myself – convinced myself. In truth, I wanted him to know. I had wanted to take the knowledge and shove it down his throat so many times last night… and now, the opportunity presented itself, and all I had to do was answer honestly. Only a small part of my mind wondered if Bella would not forgive me this. "That would be two nights ago, when you finally agreed to marry me."

What? Marry you? I heard the seething outside at the same time I registered the expression on her face. Perhaps she had changed her mind.

"That doesn't make your list?" I waited with bated breath. I could hear Jacob's thoughts outside the tent, waiting, hopefully, for Bella to turn me down.

"Yes…" relief "it does. But with reservations."

HA – reservations… Jacob waited in silence.

"I don't understand why it's so important to you. You already had me forever."

Her confirmation was music to my ears and a knife in Jacob's heart. His thoughts became muddled, confused. Anger, furry flowed through him, as I could sense him trying to control himself from fazing.

"A hundred years from now, when you've gained enough perspective to really appreciate the answer, I will explain it to you."

"I'll remind you to explain – in a hundred years."

That was the final straw: The confirmation that she would not only marry me, but join me in this existence – that she would willingly become a vampire. Jacob fazed.

"Are you warm enough?" I asked.

"I'm fine, why?"

A howl broke through the morning silence – all the anguish and pain of loss, all the hopes that had built up so high the night before – the knowledge of what had truly been lost, in that single cry, before Jacob ran off into the forest. I could hear in his mind that, as he went off to battle, we went off to die.

"Because your space heater has reached his limit…" The last words I heard as he ran away I echoed in my mind and heard myself repeating, "Truce over."

"Jacob was listening" she whispered.

"Yes."

"You knew."

"Yes."

She would now know how truly monstrous I was. I had many, many excuses for my behavior. It was only fair to him to know. He shouldn't be laboring under false pretenses. I was only answering Bella's question honestly… But all those were secondary to the truth. I was a monster. My behavior was reprehensible.

She just stared at me with unseeing eyes. Would she change her mind now?

"I never promised to fight fair… And he deserves to know." The words were hollow and meaningless, even as I said them. My heart crushed within me as I saw the pain take over her face, her body – as her head fell into her hands. I deserved whatever she gave me now. I deserved to lose her. I deserved death.

"Are you angry with me?" I cringed, knowing the answer… knowing I deserved her wrath.

"Not you. I'm horrified at me."

And then I saw in her the character that only she possessed. She would take this all on herself – my monstrosity, my faults, my doomed soul… She would take it all on. She was my savior and I didn't not deserve her.

"Don't torment yourself." I pleaded. Please, be angry with me. Be furious with me, anything but this.

"Yes... I should save my energy to torment Jacob some more. I wouldn't want to leave any part of him unharmed."

"He knew what he was doing." He had played her every step of the way – putting him in harms way in hopes of winning her. Of course, these explanations were only relevant in easing her guilt. I had known better.

"Do you think that matters? Do you think I care whether it's fair or whether he was adequately warned? I'm hurting him. Every time I turn around, I'm hurting him again… I'm a hideous person."

There were no words to ease her guilt. Nothing I could do to take this upon myself, where it belonged. She would accept the blame herself, beat herself up, because that was who she was. I pulled her into my arms, as I had wanted to last night and soothed her as best I could, "No, you're not." I am…

"I am! What's wrong with me?" she fought against me and I let her go. Maybe she had realized it was me who was in the wrong. It was me who was hideous. "I have to go find him."

"Bella, he's already miles away, and it's cold."

"I don't care. I can't just sit here." She got up, putting on her boots and headed to the door. She was stiff from sitting so long, she could hardly make it out of the tent. I don't know how she imagined she was going anywhere. "I have to – I have to…" she said as she walked outside.

Seth saw her exit the tent. He had heard the entire conversation and knew her intentions. Should I stop her? He wondered. She is going to get herself killed…

I walked out moments afterward. "Just stay here. I'll handle this." I told him.

I let her stomp off toward the forest, allowing her to cool off a bit, and to give us some space so Seth wouldn't hear us, and pass the information back to Jacob. I could only imagine what I was going to need to do to make this right, and I suspected having him know I was coming would not at all be helpful.

I caught her by the wrist when we were a safe distance from camp. "You can't go after him. Not today. It's almost time. And getting yourself lost wouldn't help anyone, regardless." I appealed to her selfless side… her rational side.

She tried to twist away.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm sorry I did that." I was truly sorry at this moment. It was cruel and mean spirited.

"You didn't do anything. It's my fault. I did this. I did everything wrong." She broke into sobs, breaking my heart with every cry, "I could have… When he… I shouldn't have… I…. I…."

I pulled her to my chest, drying her tears with my shirt, trying desperately to heal her heart with my comfort, "Bella, Bella."

"I should have – told him – I should – have said – He shouldn't have – found out like this."

I knew what I had suspected before. I would have to go after him. I would have to bring him back so she could ease his hurt… to bring them back together and heal the connection that I wanted, with all my being, to be severed. I would have to do that for her, because she needed it.

"Do you want me to see if I can bring him back, so that you can talk to him? There's still a little time."

She nodded. I hadn't any hope that she would have chosen otherwise.

"Stay by the tent. I'll be back soon."

I ran then as fast as I could. There was very little time. I knew where he was just before we entered the forest. I had gleaned that much from Seth's mind before removing us to a safe distance. As I closed in, I searched for his mind, his voice. It wasn't hard to find.

He knew I was close before I saw him.

Come to gloat? He snarled as I found him. He stopped in a small opening in the trees, not far from the meadow. Close enough to jump in when the fight was to begin, far enough away to sob to himself. He had fazed back into human form, but had left in too much of a hurry to pick up his clothes. He was naked. I guessed he didn't want to hear the voices of his pack in his head – to be alone in his misery.

I held out my hands as I walked forward. I wasn't looking for a fight. "Jacob, what I did… how I allowed you to hear… that wasn't right. It wasn't fair to you. It wasn't fair to Bella."

"Like any of that matters – it's true, though – you're going to marry her and then suck the life out of her. She is going to be… to be… one of you." He bent over, head in his hands. The anguish taking over his body.

His plan was clear. He would fight along side his brothers, but not with patience and strategy. He would fight with pure grit and determination – take down as many newborns as he could, before they took him. He wanted it – the release – the escape from a world of pain.

"I know what you're thinking… I've been there." I said quietly.

"You know nothing, Leach." He jumped off the log, fazing into wolf form in an instant. I saw the change, the decision only a fraction of a second before – with only enough time to deflect his attack.

"I won't fight you, Jacob. I won't hurt you. Bella needs you right now."

'Screw Bella' he yelled in his head as he lunged back, aiming for a leg. I moved out of the way and gave a small shove as he passed. He flew over a boulder, rolling across the ground, crashing into a fallen log. He was back up on his feet again, teeth bared, growls ripping from his throat.

My body was tense in anticipation, ready to attack as soon as I gave the release. But that release wouldn't come. I wouldn't allow it. I needed to be in control – to allow Jacob to settle down in time to bring him back – to help Bella.

"Jacob, Bella feels terrible. She didn't know you could hear. She wanted to tell you herself, to give you a chance to deal with it at an appropriate time. It was me – It was my fault. I knew you could hear. I shouldn't have let it get that far."

'Then you should die.' He lunged again – diving straight for my throat. I couldn't duck, I couldn't move out of the way fast enough. I lunged back, hitting him in the chest, pushing him back against the forest. He flew 20 feet before landing against a large spruce, giving an earth shattering crack.

What are you doing, Jacob? I heard Sam's voice. You've known this all along. Get yourself together. Go back and talk with Bella. There is very little time.

Seth must have brought him up to speed on what happened.

Jacob picked himself up onto all four legs. He shook himself off. He had cooled down somewhat. That last hit had taken something out of him. His shoulder was deeply bruised, but was already healing. He would probably be fully healed by the time we got back… if he would come.

I'm only doing this for Bella. He snarled.

"Understood."

We took off then, as fast as we could, back up the mountain. We stopped just in the cover of the trees where he had left some clothing. I walked on ahead of him as he fazed and dressed.

Seth heard the movement in the forest before catching our scent. He growled a warning.

"It's just us, Seth." Jacob responded.

I looked to Bella as I entered the clearing. Her face was resigned, yet hopeful. I knew I needed to give her the freedom, the space to make this right, though I feared what would come of it. Before I could go to her, to reassure her, Seth approached.

Alice informs us we will have more visitors this morning. A contingent from the Volturi will be visiting, not long after we face the newborns. Anywhere between five and twenty minutes after the battle.

The Volturi. I frowned.

There will be five… Jane is with them.

Jane… this isn't good. Not good at all. And the timing was suspicious. Were they involved somehow, I wondered?

I am assuming this isn't good. This was Seth, not Alice's message.

"Yes, that's all we need. I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. But the timing is going to be very close. Please have Sam ask Alice to try to nail the schedule down better."

Will do… he padded off.

I turned to Bella. She was staring at Jacob, who was looking away, considering what he might say to her. Wondering if there was still any chance at all. He was resolved to convince her – to tell her exactly what he could give her if she chose him. He was going to force her hand – to make her choose. He was desperate and he would use whatever means necessary.

When she looked up at me then, I saw her pain. But behind that, I saw love, acceptance, gratefulness. How she could feel thus, when I had been so horrible. When I had been the monster that hurt her so profoundly, I didn't know. And yet, I knew she loved him too. She would have to choose and I had no reason to believe she would choose me.

"Bella. There's a bit of a complication." I worked to keep my voice as calm as possible. "I'm going to take Seth a little ways away and try to straighten it out. I won't go far, but I won't listen, either. I know you don't want an audience, no matter which way you decide to go." The pain of the possibility, that she might choose him, that I could lose her here, in the next few moments – was crippling. I struggled to regain my calm.

"Hurry back." She whispered.

I wanted to crush her to me. To remind her of every moment we had spent together. I worried, this might be the last chance I had. Instead, I kissed her lightly on the lips – giving her freedom to choose, without undue persuasion, and walked off into the woods with Seth to speak with Sam and Alice.

Seth's thought betrayed his concern for my morose expression. He was perceptive and knew there was more then this recent development adding to my despair. But he padded along, saying nothing.

I have Alice with me. I will have to faze in and out of wolf form to communicate back and forth if you have any questions. Alice says the vision is more clear now. There are definitely five. Jane, Felix and Demetri are with them. They will pause a safe distance away, and wait for the battle to be concluded. They will approach from the north end of the clearing. At this point it looks like we will have about ten minutes from the end of the battle until they appear.

You are to return with Bella as soon as we give the word that the battle is over. The wolves will depart.

"Is there any indication that they are behind this?"

The response was a few seconds, as Sam fazed into human form to ask Alice, and then faze back to send back the response.

I can't see that. They seem to be aware of the newborns, but I see no indication they are directing them.

"What is their purpose? Why are they here?" I feared I already knew the reason… and Bella was still very human.

A few seconds later.

They are here to check on Bella, to see if she is human. But that only seems to be a pretense. There is more to their visit, but I can't see what it is. I can only see that they will definitely wait until after the battle. They will ask about Bella's human status. But there is something else. I can't place my finger on why – perhaps it is just a suspicion.

"Will they fight us?"

I heard a deep sigh from Sam. I supposed the changing back and forth was a little annoying. I should have saved up all my questions, but we didn't have much time – so I asked them as they came.

It could go either way. There are too many variables.

"Thank you Sam and Alice. Thank you Seth. We will hurry down as soon as you give us the signal. Best of luck to all of you. I am sure Jacob will join you momentarily."

Sam simply snorted in return. He wasn't terribly happy with Bella's choice either. He resented her forgiveness. He had been the one to find her after I had left… He imagined she would be the last person to offer forgiveness. But she had. For now.

So, we knew what was ahead of us. The battle, the Volturi. The only thing I didn't know, waited for me back at the tent. Whether, when all this was over – I would be able to call Bella my own, or whether she would destroy me as she chose Jacob Black.

15

Story Adaptation by Erica Bailey