Chapter 13 - Love

“Don’t even think of it” Edward suddenly snarled at Rosalie, as we all sat in silence.

She snapped her head up sharply, pleading with her eyes to keep her thoughts to himself.

Emmet looked at Edward, and Edward nodded.

Emmet exploded, “Would you? Rosalie! You’d leave me here, you’d go? What the...”

“It just came into my head, I wasn’t going to do it”

“PROMISE ME YOU WON’T GO!” Emmet was so angry, I looked at Edward and whispered for him to fill me in on what this was about, “Where was she going?”

Edward leaned down to whisper, “Rosalie was thinking that dying wouldn’t be so bad”

I was so shocked I couldn’t think straight, “She would do that?” I asked, “She would kill herself to save everyone? Even me?”

“No, not now... but it crossed her mind, living forever can be tougher on some but she wouldn’t leave Emmett, I don’t think she could”

I felt relieved, but the confirmation that eternal life was not the picnic it seemed struck me like an open hand across the face.  I wanted to be with Edward, I wanted to be me, now, with Edward, but the prospect of living forever and ever was growing more and more unwelcome in my mind.  

Emmett was still hopping from foot to foot while Rosalie stood with her hands on her hips and a look of “Gimme a break” on her face, “I’m not putting up with this Em,”She said, “I had a stupid thought, freako over there heard it, and now you’re going nuts over something that I thought for a millisecond - Build a bridge babe, and GET OVER IT”

Edward stole me from the room just in time before Emmett got even more mad, and took me into the kitchen where Esme and Carlisle were drawing out a plan.  Alice was having visions, but they kept changing, subjective as they were, and so she was exhausted.  Jasper was holding her hand and he looked up to catch Edwards eye and warn him to avoid getting into a questions and answers with her.  

“Where do we stand?” Edward asked Carlisle.  

Esme handed me a drink of water and a sandwich, “You need to eat” She said smiling and hugging me with her free arm.

I smiled pathetically, the root of all this families problems.  I’m sure most of them wished I would just disappear.

Carlisle showed Edward the plans he had drawn up, “The stake won’t affect the werewolves” He promised, “so we have that on our side, I know Jacob is here for us and I presume the others will fight for him too, I hate asking them but well, such a lot is at stake”

Edward looked at me.  I wanted to shout “Run lets run away” but I knew it was pointless, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.  We would stay, they would come and we would fight.  Alices words rang in my ears, “We would lose more than we could replace”

I felt a selfish feeling creep up me, “As long as its not Edward....” but I shook it off.  

I attempted eating the sandwich but it felt ridiculous in my mouth. My body felt so tense, as if I would suddenly turn inside out, adrenalin I supposed.  

“Bella will stay in La Push” I heard Carlisle say, and Edward agreed.

“No!” I shouted, “I want to fight, I have to fight, its my fight”

Edwards eyes flashed, “No way, Bella you will stay behind, you will be a hindrance”

I nodded but resolved that I would not stay behind, I would fight, even if I died, I would not let my true love fight alone.

“They’re here” Alice said, “They are in the meadow...”