Bella's Little Sister

Chapter 33

I didn't know how long Edward and I stayed in that position... wrapped up in the other's embrace, sitting silently as we listened to the sounds of the night around us. Edward eventually moved us into the house, claiming that we would be more comfortable on the couch instead of sitting outside in the dark all night. His family had slowly filtered into the room and, though none of them said anything, I could feel their worry as they sat or stood in various places around the living room. For quite a while, my gaze had been locked onto the floor, staring unseeingly as my mask settled into place. But now I raised my head to look at each of them, trying to understand their expressions.

Carlisle was situated in a chair across from where I now sat, his arms resting atop his knees as he, too, stared unseeingly at the floor. He seemed far away, and I wondered where his thoughts had taken him. Esme was standing just behind him, one hand on his shoulder as she watched him blankly. Jasper was watching me, his gaze probing as he felt each of my emotions. Alice was perched next to him, her wide eyes partially glazed over as she stared at her hands. Emmett was leaning up against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at Rosalie, who was currently gazing out the back window. Her eyes would flicker around every few seconds, as though she were searching for something. And Edward, as well, was watching me, and his expression was understandably concerned.

I took a deep breath before speaking, quickly returning my gaze to the hardwood floor. I was well aware that I needed to broach the subject eventually, and despite the fact that I would rather not, I mustered up the courage to do so anyway. "The Volturi will be checking in soon."

"There are ways to keep them in the dark," Edward responded quietly.

"No," I sighed, turning my eyes to his face again. "They'll check in either way, and if I haven't..." My expression morphed into a frown as I yet again averted my gaze. "I can't be without you, but I also can't hurt them."

Edward understood who I was referring to. "If you make that choice, you can never see them again."

"Bella at least would understand," I responded. "It's my parents I'm worried about." My lips pressed tightly together as I carefully sorted through my thoughts. "But I know what I want."

"This is not something you can decide on lightly," Edward's voice was firm, begging for me to understand. "You don't know what you're talking about."

I flickered my eyes to his face. "I know that. But I've spent a lot of time thinking this over since we got home." With a slow and steady breath, I focused my gaze on Alice.

She was grinning widely, already knowing what I was about to ask her. "I already consider you my sister. Yes."

"I vote yes," Jasper started when I turned my gaze on him. "It would be nice to not want to kill you all the time."

I did not need to hear Rosalie's answer to know what it would be, though she spoke it anyway. "I'm sorry." Her tone was full of remorse. "But this isn't a life I would have chosen for myself," she told me, her eyes apologetic. "And while I'm grateful that you saved my brother, I vote no. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me."

"We can pick a fight with these Volturi some other way." Emmett grinned at me from across the room. "Yes."

"I already consider you a part of the family." Esme's smile was warm and friendly as she spoke next.

Edward, however, barely glanced at Carlisle as he said his next words. "Why are you doing this to me? You know what this means."

Carlisle sighed, and he appeared to be choosing his words carefully before finally speaking them. "You've chosen not to live without her, which leaves me no choice. I won't lose my son."