Falling To The Sun | B. Swan + E. Cullen

dix-neuf

Time flies when you're with the ones you love. A painfully true statement that takes Roman by surprise all the same when Bella checks the time and realizes that it's almost her curfew.

They had spoken of Italy and what had happened when they split, of Alaska and the spiral of an event that turned out to be that led her home and then to LaPush where the imprint and all that it entitled had to be gone over for purposes of clarification, which then turned into a recap of major events for Edward of the time that he was gone — including mental pictures from Roman because he could hear her thoughts.

It was lovely and wholesome until Bella decided that it was time to speak with the whole family, gathering them together as Roman sat uncertainly at the bottom of the stairs.

Carlisle nods toward her. "The floor is yours."

"Well," Bella says. "I hope that Alice had told you everything that happened in Volterra."

"Everything," Alice assures.

"And before that?"

She nods.

"Good. So I have a problem," Bella starts, confidence strong. "Alice promised the Volturi that I would become one of you, and I'm sure that's something we would all like to avoid. And so, this involves all of you now. I won't force myself onto any of you -- it isn't fair. This affects you just as much as me, so if you vote no I guess I'll go back to Italy myself. Either way, I won't let anyone hurt you."

Edward rumbles with a growl a few steps above her. She has to keep from spinning around to face him. She wouldn't be able to handle the dark metallic anger in his eyes.

"Just a minute," he says and she shrinks down into the steps.

"Shut up," Bella hissed.

"I have something to add before we vote," Edward continues, ignoring her as she glares up at him. "There was something Aro didn't consider when they made the plans, and that is that they are overconfident and reliant on their gifts. Do you remember Demetri?"

"What about him?" Bella snaps, clearly not enjoying his attempts at swaying their opinions.

"Well, when we were there I took the time to pick their brains for anything that might help save us, learning as much as possible. So I saw how Demetri's gifts work. He's a trick, a million times better than James ever was, but it works a lot like how mine and Aros' talents work. He picks up the... essence? The flavour of someone's mind and latches on to it."

"You think he won't be able to find me?"

He was smug. "I'm sure of it. He relies totally on Demetri's other sense that when they can't find you they'll be helpless."

"Great. What of when their search leads them to Roman or Charlie?"  Bella presses, tone shifting to something deeper as she argues.

As must as she wants to disappear, she can't stop thinking of Demetri and what he could do. Finding someone with the utmost certainty like that, to be so confident in your tracking skills, Roman wondered if she would ever compare in the barest bit to what he could do.

She was already good, incredible even, but it would make nothing until the end if she couldn't put it to good use. At least she was able to find Bella without any special gifts.

"I would find a way to keep you all safe," he shoots back.

Bella meets her gaze with an exasperated roll of her eyes. "Fine. You heard both of our sides. Let's vote."

Facing Edward fully, Bella looks expectant, hopeful. "Do you want me to join your family?"

His response is immediate. "No, definitely not. Not like this. You're staying human."