Yet Another Cullen/Black (A Twilight Fanfic)

Chapter 20

------------ Chapter 20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Edward's POV)

"Edward it's suicide!" Jazz mutters, pacing up and down.

"Then what do you suggest?! Abandon Henry?!" I snarl back at him.

"Of course not," Bella says, consoling me. I know I'm being difficult. I know that the logical thing to do is make a plan, but I can't do it! Every moment we spend here, is a moment longer Henry is left with the Volturi!

"We will save him, Edward," Alice says solemnly. "We just must make sure to plan out what we do well. The Volturi know us. They know we'll come for him. What if it's a trap?" Alice asks, her eyes trained on Jasper.

That makes me think. If it is a trap...they could wipe us out in a single move. They would have Alice...they would have me...they would have Bella!

They're right. We must plan this. I will not lose Bella!

"They wouldn't harm Henry. It is not Aro's way," Carlisle murmurs, his face tense.

"You think they are using Henry as bait?" Emmett asks, for once not sounding eager at the prospect of a fight. I guess that just goes to show how much he cares for Henry...even he is worried.

"So long as Henry is of use to them, he will be fine," Carlisle continues.

"But this is so unlike the Volturi! It's so...petty! They've never had to kidnap someone before! They could have just marched over like they did half a century ago," I say, beginning to pace again.

"Unless they've become smarter," Jake mumbles, his voice raw.

All of us stop what we're doing and turn to stare at Jake. He's sitting on the stairs, with his head in his hands. Nessie is sitting next to him, looking just as distraught.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asks.

"The last time they came, we were prepared. They know how much family means to you. They would be dumb to overlook it," Jake says simply.

"He's right," Jazz murmurs, looking a little amazed that he didn't see it on his own. "By taking Henry, they have the upper hand. They have the dominant spot. Any war or battle is about dominance," he muses.

"Care to explain for those of us who haven't been in a war?" Bella mutters, annoyed.

I smile a small smile at her and take her hand. "You see, love, now that they have Henry, the equation has shifted. They have the upper hand. We'll go wherever they want us to, do whatever they say. They have the bargaining chip, so to speak," I explain.

'Edward!' Tanya screams in my head. My head immediately whips up to her, and her eyes are vacant.

"What's wrong with her?" Carmen asks, shaking Tanya slightly.

I tune into her mind. Tanya is in a meadow, and Henry is standing above her.

"Tanya? Is Edward reading your mind?" Henry asks, his voice much more composed than I would have expected. Is this...her imagination? Is she hallucinating?

"I'm in Volterra," Henry continues. "I'm with the Volturi. They haven't figured out my gift. I'm using Santiago's gift...I couldn't contact anyone else." He says.

"Tanya, I love you," he whispers, his voice breaking a little. Tanya sinks onto the ground, her body shaking.

"Listen to me, you guys must tread lightly. Whenever possible, I'll contact you...if I can. I don't think they plan to harm me yet. Aro expects you guys to be in Volterra at any minute. It's a trap! Edward?! Do you hear me?! It's a trap!" Henry repeats, his eyes unfocused. He slowly begins fading, then he disappears, not without blowing a kiss to Tanya though.

I shake my head and open my eyes. My family is watching me. Obviously they didn't miss that little exchange. Tanya's eyes get more focused, her body is wracked with tearless sobs.

"I think Henry just contacted Tanya," I whisper.

"How?" Carlisle asks.

"Remember Santiago's gift? Remember how he got into Henry's mind? Henry is using that now," I whisper.

Emmett smiles proudly. "That's Henry...smarter than we ever give him credit for," he smiles another small smile before getting all serious again.

"What did he say?" Esme asks, her voice cracking.

Carlisle wraps an arm around her, and she buries her face into Carlisle's chest.

"Henry says he's in Volterra now. He says the Volturi expect us to be there at any minute. You were right, it's a trap. Henry didn't say anything else. He just disappeared. It takes supreme concentration to use Santiago's gift. What if something happened to him?" I whisper.

"We can't think like that, Edward," Bella chides me, her own face tensed though.

"Now we know it's a trap...we have to be careful," Jazz murmurs. He suddenly whirls and faces Demetri, sitting quietly in the corner.

"What are they up to?" Jazz snarls at him.

Demetri assesses Jazz for a few moments before grinning. "The Volturi want Edward, Bella and Alice to go after Henry. If the others go, they'll kill them off," he says simply, looking perfectly at ease.

"Then we go," Bella whispers.

"The three of us? Against the entire guard?" Alice asks sceptically.

"I'll come. Aro might still have enough fondness towards me to allow that," Carlisle explains.

"No chance! No way I'll allow the four of you to go!" Emmett growls under his breath.

"Emmett has a point. Our only chance is to all go," Rose murmurs.

"Then it's settled. We all go," Jazz murmurs, his eyes trained on his wife.

"When?" I whisper.

I'm greeted by silence. Now? Tomorrow? Next week?

Who knows what the Volturi are doing to him at this very moment! It's crazy to leave him there a second longer than necessary!

But what am I willing to sacrifice?

My grandson or my wife?

Henry or the entire family?

What kind of a sick choice is that?! I would go alone, but there isn't a chance the others would go along with it.

Am I willing to risk my entire family to save my grandson's life? Am I willing to risk Nessie?...Bella?

...

I see a fierce determination form in Tanya's eyes. Tanya will go after Henry, no matter the cost. If she goes, so too do the rest of the Denali's...

They are our family aren't they?

Carlisle will go. And the moment Carlisle goes, so do we.

Then...my choice is made. Not much of a choice though, was it?

"We have to go, as soon as possible," I whisper in a steely voice.

"First, let me go back to Forks," Jake murmurs. "There might be some wolves there. Paul's son...Embry's, Jared's...they are still family. I wouldn't risk their life if we had any other choice, but Henry..." he doesn't need to continue. He's right. The wolves will stand with us, like they have done time and time again.

"We could try Kain's pack," Esme murmurs.

"There's no harm in trying," Rose replies simply.

So it's set. We will go to Volterra. All of us, and anyone else willing to sacrifice their lives.

After all, what other choice do we have?

Henry is family...and my family always comes first.