My Fabulous Disclaimer: I don't own twilight or the characters from twilight.

Noble Rogues - Liquid Soul

Chapter 25

AN: I hope you like the battle. I felt the chaos was better seen from Bella's perspective. She is fed limited information but is in the thick of the action. She has a good perspective of what is happening and isn't fighting herself but watching the pack and the Cullen's fight. I think her attention would be more focused on the pack than the Cullen's and in this story she doesn't know the Volturi. From her perspective they are faceless vampires for the most part. Just to note, none of the three kings come to fight. Anyway, that's enough from me. Enjoy!

BPOV

My mind replayed entrusting EJ with Sue Clearwater on a loop. I was terrified. The sun was rising over the horizon of trees and mountains and we stood on a hillside below a mountain watching the tree line below us. Scouting the area carefully, we knew that the Volturi hadn't finished assembling yet. They were split in two groups and we were facing the first group. They were used to covens meeting up at agreed dates and times and locations. They didn't respect us and therefore didn't confer with us prior to setting up the meeting tomorrow. We wouldn't respect them enough in return to comply with their decision. Judging by their movements, they would be gathering at the following mountain range. Not that we planned on giving them that opportunity. The strangest part was that they walked. The patience required to travel the distance from Seattle walking we very unncecessary. But it would appear that they enjoyed their pageantry. We were using it to our advantage. We suspected that after so many centuries covens were so terrified of the Volturi that they didn't attempty to outwit them anymore.

Sue, Billy and Old Quil were back in La Push ready to gather people on a moments notice.

I stood the lonely human as twenty-five wolves and fifteen vampires stood on the ready. The first group we planned to attack had the biggest threat. Alec, a vampire who take down multiple threats at once. While Jane could only hurt one person at a time. Alice would appear to have not told her group or Alec that her future had disappeared. We had been hoping for that. She had torn loyalties. Anticipation buzzed through the pack, but they kept their focus. They were hunting from a distance with their eyes. The coven and their allies remained frozen, without the slightest movements. We had all said our best wishes.

Jacob nuzzled my hand and I rubbed his ear. At that moment I felt Taha Aki speak to me. Run!

"Run." I ordered Jacob. He looked me in the eye with surprise but took off. The pack was ready. They ran in formation as the Cullen's and their allies ran in their wake. I saw them clash at the treeline. I couldn't make out who was taken first, but I guessed it was Alec when the pack wasn't paralysed. I winced as I watched the pack and the Cullen's tag teaming the Volturi. It would appear approximately ten to fifteen Volturi, but many of them were greatly gifted and experienced. We had the element of surprise and larger numbers. It didn't take long for the fighting to magnetically pull back towards me. The Volturi recognized me as their major target. It was painful to watch but I refused to let my face tell my thoughts. I wanted any pack members who saw my face to draw strength and bravery from me. I was already the cause and the weakest link. I didn't need to their shaking damsel in distress.

Brady and Collin were like a couple of puppies, their fighting style seemed like a friendly game of tag as they dashed in and ripped off a piece of the vampire. They barked and jumped and leaped. Leah and Sam sent Leah in against the opponent to suddenly be confronted by a large and angry black wolf. Kyle and Andy worked methodically. Jacob and Seth were like watching a dance as they ran skillfully, snatching what they pleased and moving with grace and strength. The Cullens and their friends fought hand to hand. They held frightening expressions and truly looked the part of vampires in this moment. How had I taken so long to understand that they were the living dead? Still, I appreciated their help. Barbie seemed to hold back, near me. I assumed that she was frightened. I watched with baited breath as the pack fought.

"The pack's treachery is overwhelming." A beautiful spoke in a dry tone. I spun around and was met with the blackest eyes. My heart pounded in my chest and I immediately felt drawn into his gaze. He chuckled. "Don't fight me. See that over there? That's the other half joining in the fight. We'll defeat the "protectors" and soon you will be one of us. It will be easier to transport you still human." He explained this all to me as though I were a small child. His nose dipped down my neck sniffing me. His lips grazed my skin. It almost felt like a nuzzle from a wolf. I felt hunted.

The pack were being pushed back into a retreat. I remembered Taha Aki's words from the dream. It was time for me to leave.

I fought myself for my own thoughts and tore them away from his invasive presence. "I have to go." I said, backing away from me.

"Are you off to save his wretched child? I'll take care of this." He said and interrupted before he moved to leave.

My world spun hearing the direct threat against my son. I felt a surge of rage, hate and power rush through me directed at Edward Cullen. "Don't fucking touch him you monster!" I told him in a dark threatening voice that I didn't recognize. I barely sounded human. More demonic than anything.

I wasn't the only one surprised. Edward froze to the spot staring at me incredulously. I turned at ran. I didn't have a hope of getting anywhere in the next twenty-four hours running across the mountain range. But I did as I was told. I glanced behind me and saw Barbie looking rabid as she attacked Edward, he appeared shocked. She was mauling and throwing and destroying him in a fit of rage that didn't resemble the wolves that were fighting the rest of the Volturi. I doubted Edward could possibly foresee each move that she made, she was pure rage, instinct and disturbingly... animalistic joy. I almost stopped and stared but continued running for all I was worth. My son returned to the forefront of my mind. I didn't know how long I was running for or how many times I had fallen when I heard a voice in my head again.

The second group have reached Sue.

I came to a jolting stop. My heart was racing, tears bubbled up in my panic and I felt betrayal and loss already. I was ready to kill something in my bereavement. Some of the wolves had reached me. I sensed their concern for me and their joy for their accomplishment. I could feel that they had won the first battle.

"The second group has reached Sue." I told Jacob. He took off running without a signal. I didn't know what to think, so I continued to run alone. I didn't think. My heart felt a tiny pull of hope that the wolves might save Sue and her group waiting to the north end of La Push. No one would have taken their bags yet. We hadn't signalled. But they would be gathering or already gathered at this point.

I recognized Leah's small gray wolf approach me. She lowered herself to the ground indicating that I should climb on. I did as she asked and once I was situated, she ran at her inhuman speed. My body was filled with terror and dread. I had to see what was left of EJ. My beautiful EJ with only Sue to protect him the monsters of Volterra. I listened to Leah's steady breath as she ran. I couldn't make out individual sounds of the pads of her paws hitting the ground. She was too fast. It was like trying to listen to a humming birds wings flap.

Blurs of images ahead began to reach me. A battle was taking place in the forest and it was hard to see what was happening for all the trees torn from the ground being used as weapons. They were going to clear the cut the land at the rate the vampires and wolves were destroying the forest. I saw the bodies and hit Leah hard to let me down. She slowed to a stop and lowered me to the ground. Rebecca and two boys were slaughtered on the ground. I closed their eyes as Leah watched me. I nodded to her and we walked forward. As we approached the scene Leah suddenly crumbled in pain. I looked around and saw a beautiful pale girl staring at me. I assumed that she must be Jane. I prepared myself for pain. She smiled at me maliciously. I waited. And I waited. Until she roared in frustration. I stared at her.

"What are you?" She demanded. I thought carefully about what I was. Leah began to recover but Jane struck her a look again and Leah collapsed under pain. I knew that I could not defend myself against Jane.

"I am their dreamer and a mother and a fiancee." I smiled wanly. "More to the point, what are you?" I spat at her. I hoped to occupy her long enough that one of the wolves would catch her by surprise. Her sweet lips curled into a sneer as she crouched down ready to attack. Clearly my plan wasn't working out as I had hoped.

"I am the architect of your death-"

"You can't be. That would be Edward. You're just a fucking tool." I juxtaposed quickly. Vampires liked games. I would try to make this last longer. "I know that you are not in this position by your own design. You follow orders and before Edward came you didn't have a motive to come here at all. Hence you are not the creator of my death. You are the tool." I spoke slowly down to her.

She considered my thoughts when a black blur brought her to the ground. I almost collapsed in relief. If EJ has survived, he would want his mother in one piece. I watch Leah, Paul and Sam tag team Jane as she strike's with physical and imagined pain. Soon she was brought down in this co-ordinated effort. I saw bloody wounds spotting my wolves and my heart cried for them. The fighting slowed and soon I sensed the battle was over.

Jacob approached with a bundle in his arms. He looked tired. My body trembled and I fell to the ground unable to read him.

"Jaco-" My voice broke in a sob of fear and panic. Why was he carrying a bundle? Where was my happy babbling baby boy?

Jacob brought a finger to his lips and gave me a tired smile. He mouthed the words to me over the quiet battle scene filled with wails and blood and smoke. Nap time. I broke down bawling my eyes out. EJ was okay. Nothing had happened to him. My baby was okay. He had been approached by the Volturi and survived. They had underestimated us.

When Jacob reached me he handed EJ off to me and held me in his arms kissing the top of my head. "Barbie is crazy." He commented. I looked up at him. "She was fighting me internally during the fight to check on Sue. Her instincts were screeching at her. She thought her little brother was going to get her and EJ. I finally sent Robert, Dwayne and Seth. You confirmed what Barbie had been saying just before they found the Jane with her guards torturing Sue in human form. We lost four people, all human." I felt guilty that I was just so happy that they weren't Jacob or EJ. My two men were okay.

I looked over Jacob and the rest. They were filthy, bloody, bruised and exhausted.

"You need showers and food." I said firmly. I made my way home to the Black house. We looked like a gathering of refugee's heading back down the road into La Push. Billy ran to Sue pulling her form into his arms and walking with her. I sensed something new growing between the two of them. It seemed like new people given they looked so different and were acting differently to what I was used to. We reached the Black house and EJ woke up from his nap.

I was busy cooking as people showered at different houses and occupied EJ. Jacob was busy delegating cleaning up after the battle. Alice survived and let us know that the Volturi had their backs broken this day. They hadn't expected such a showing and had sent many of their best today but not without full back up. She doubted there would be a repeated effort against us.

The day stretched late into the night until I felt Jacob laying me down in our bed. I curled into him, grateful for our lives. We had survived and with few casualties even if they were painful. Jacob had lost his sister home from college. We didn't talk to each other. He just held me tightly in his strong arms all night.

Two years had passed since the battle. We watched as the happy couple shared vowels. I reflected on all that had changed over the past two years.

Only five of the wolves had chosen to stop phasing surprisingly, after the Council had asked that three wolves continue to phase at all times.

Dwayne, the resident alcoholic was eager to be able to get drunk again. His duty done and he was trying his best to stop phasing even though he was having great difficulty.

Leah and Sam had stopped phasing and were eager to start a family. Although, they were realizing just how hard it was to stop phasing.

Sue had been quick to stop phasing and had little diffculty achieving it. Billy wanted to stop phasing but was finding it more difficult. The happy couple stood at the front of the church today sharing their vowels. I gave up standing any longer through the vowels. I had held out on another child. I was so happy with EJ and being an only child, I wasn't prepared for a large family. Yet here I was pregnant with twin girls. It would seem anti-biotics dimished the effectiveness of birth control. Every woman I had talked to seemed to know that. I rolled my eyes at being within the minority that hadn't known. Jacob was so happy with the pregnancy. He was sorry that again, it wasn't planned and honestly it wasn't what I would have chosen. But his excitement flowed over me and I was growing to be as happy and excited to meet my girls as he was. The pack were thrilled. Many of the wolves had settled down and were having children. La Push was essentially turning into something between a love den and a nursery with the amount of sex taking place behind closed doors and babies being born each year. The wolves had made for quite the population boom. My aching hips and feet couldn't take standing through the rest of the ceremony. I took a seat in a perfunctory manner. They would have to forgive me. I saw Jacob throw me a cocky grin standing as best man, Charlie at his side.

No one was sure how to respond to the budding romance between Old Quil and Barbie. The age difference was staggering. She had matured greatly since the battle and was now seventeen years old. In Quil's mind, she was so much of his first wife but stronger and funnier while less demure. She seemed to be a healing presence in his mind according to Leah, so we didn't interject. She was so happy with the young looking Old Quil, that far be it from us to intervene. Still, he had to contend with two brothers who were insistent that the relationship not get physical until she was at least thirty years old.

I looked at cheery little EJ dressed in his suit and tie holding the pillow as ring bearer by the ribbon as it dangled at his side. He looked around looking very serious about his job. He looked so much like his father, only his laughing eyes held more of my own confusion. I held back a laugh. I enjoyed his childhood but was excited to see the man that he would grow into.

I saw the pack in amongst the crowd with wives, girlfriends, pregnant partners and children. The older wolves, new to the pack had been helpful taking younger wolves under their wing in the human world helping them figure out how to attain qualifications to find work. Maybe this generation of wolves wouldn't live out their lives in poverty. There was hope.

I was studying to become an accountant so that I could work from home. Jacob had gotten funding to help him open a garage with Sam. The new business was going well and I was helping with their books. Leah had taken interest in massage therapy and was studying it. The pack didn't want her to stop phasing as she was the only person capable of massaging them hard enough to relax their tense back muscles. When she did stop phasing, there would be a pack of wolves who would be greatly disappointed.

The ceremony finished and blew soap bubbles at the happy couple as they walked down the aisle. I stood with Jacob watching from afar. He carressed my large round belly adoringly.

"Are you ready?" Jacob breathed in my ear referring to the photographers. He wasn't allowed to mess up my make-up until the photographers were done with the wedding party.

I shuddered at the sound of his voice breathing on my ear. "Yes." I answered. Although it was breathless and suggested something more than posing for pictures.

The End