Moving Forward - J. Black

viii.

EDITED

Eliza stood with the other members of her Coven only a few weeks later, returning to Forks to discuss the ultimatum the Volturi had given. All eyes were on Bella as she was the one to officially call the meeting. "You all know what I want, and I know how much I'm asking for." Bella let out a sigh as she began her plea. "The only thing I can think of, for it to be fair, is to just vote." Bella confessed as Edward was brooding from behind her on the stairs.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Edward tried once last time to stop the conversation, but Bella wasn't having it. "Shut up!" Bella dismissed Edward's plea without a second thought, bringing a small smile to Eliza's face. "Alice?" Bella looked at Alice first, knowing the answer would calm her. "I already consider you my sister." Alice grinned as she walked over to embrace the human. "Yes." Alice released Bella from her hug and pulled her off the stairs. "I vote 'yes'. It would be nice to not want to kill you all the time." Jasper smiled at the pair, before Rosalie stepped up.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry to both of you for how I've acted and I'm really grateful that you were brave enough to go and save my brother." Rosalie took a deep breathe as she thought through her response. "But this isn't a life I would've chosen for myself. And I wish there had been someone to vote no for me, so no." Rosalie didn't hesitate to give her honest opinion. "I vote hell yeah." Emmett grinned and ran forward to spin Bella around in a bear-hug. "And we can pick a fight with these Volturi some other way." Emmett tried to ease the tension in the room. "I already consider you a part of the family, 'yes'." Esme smiled softly at Bella. Carlisle was next to give his vote and he immediately stepped toward Edward. "Why are you doing this to me, you know what this means." Edward was upset with his family for entertaining Bella's transition.

"You've chosen not to live without her, which leaves me no choice. I won't lose my son." Carlisle gave Edward his best fatherly advice. "Eliza?" Edward looked at the blonde in desperation. "While I agree with Rosalie, that this is not a choice many of us would make, this is Bella's choice. If her answer is yes, then so is mine." Eliza thought over her response before she gave it. "Seriously?" Edward looked at Eliza in disbelief, but she felt no guilt. Carlisle was right, Edward chose to bring Bella into their lives and this is the consequence of his choice.