Crescent Moon (Stopped! Don't read!)

Chapter 6

---------- Chapter 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Who are you?" Demetri asks again, this time his tone sharper. He takes two long strides towards me. Alec and Felix block his way, making him even more suspicious.

My family is just as suspicious. As far as they know, nobody would cover their faces in the Volturi. They...we never had to.

"Demetri?" Carlisle calls from where the rest of my family is standing.

Demetri's head snaps up, "Carlisle...you can't believe that I'm betraying you, can you? Would you rather believe the Volturi scum?" he demands aggravated.

Guess he's decided he'd rather take his chances with my family.

"Demetri...are you telling me you are turning your back on the Volturi?" I demand in my cold tone.

"Who are you to question me?!" he explodes, teeth barred.

"Demetri, was it not your task to gather as much information about the Cullens?" Alec demands in a put on bored voice.

"I..."

"You what?!" Jazz snarls, his body tensed. Edward has one arm firmly on Jazz's shoulder, cautioning him.

"It's time to choose your side. You've never given up the Volturi. But now you know what it's like to live in an actual family...but you can't have both. Nobody can," I mutter glumly.

My senses tingle a little as I notice Alec scrunch up his face in concentration. I'm immediately alert, within seconds, I throw out my own field of paralysis at Alec and Demetri. The both of them freeze, disbelief on their faces.

That's when Eleazar regains his composure, "Henry?" he asks uncertainly.

I take a deep breath and pull down my hood. My family gasps, horror evident on their faces. Esme breaks down into tearless sobs, as does Bella. Mum seems too shocked to react.

"Henry?" dad quietly whispers.

I take a step closer to my family, so I'm now in the middle of the clearing, between the two opposing sides.

I release Demetri and Alec, and shoot them warning glances. Demetri looks almost humbled by that experience.

"Why?" Bella whispers, her voice breaking.

Edward pulls her into an embrace, but his face is still tensed. He can't tell where my allegiance lies. And that hurts. Can they honestly believe I would leave them?

"Your eyes," my love murmurs. Her face is horror-struck, and she doesn't make a move towards me.

It takes all of my self control to remain where I am. I've missed her so much! It's so much easier to think straight now that Chelsea isn't around!

"I'm sorry," I whisper back.

"You have nothing to be sorry about!" Alec pipes up.

Everyone's eyes land on him. He raises himself up to his full height, which really didn't make much of a difference and continues. "You people have condemnation in your faces! You look at Henry as if this was his choice! He was taken away! What choice did he have?! He could have escaped easily, but he didn't. Because he knew that if he did, the Volturi would come after each and every one of you! And yet, after this huge sacrifice he made, you have the audacity to judge him?" Alec bellows, angrier than I have ever seen him before.

I see remorse on everyone's face. Alec's little speech opened their eyes a little.

"Why are you back?" I'm sure Kate meant it in a nice way, but it came out hard and cold. I actually recoiled, taking a step closer to Alec and Felix.

I can't believe that Alec and Felix are more understanding than my family!

I turn on my heel and take the last few strides to stand between Alec and Felix. I pull my hood back up. If they won't accept me, I won't force them.

"As for you, what was your intention? Betray the Volturi or betray the Cullens?" I demand in an emotionless tone at Demetri.

Demetri still seems shocked at the turn of events. I press my hand against his, and his eyes flare open in shock. He doesn't pull away though.

After a few moments I release him.

"You intend to betray the Volturi," I judge simply, shrugging slightly. "That is punishable by instant death," I whisper under my breath.

My family exclaim in surprise. Before I can believe it myself, Demetri is amongst them, and they are actually crouched down, ready to protect him.

"You would be willing to risk your lives to save him?" I ask tonelessly.

"Yes," Em responds confidently, unease on his face.

"Yet, you aren't willing to accept the changes that have occurred to me? Even though I have risked everything for you?" I ask, my voice breaking.

I'm greeted by silence. I shake my head and pull myself together.

"Rest assured the ancients will hear about this treachery, Demetri," I call out a little louder.

"How could you, Henry?!" Alice asks, her face frozen in shock.

"The same way you could, Alice. I now realise that you guys are family by choice. I was born into this family. You never had a choice whether to keep me or not. I suppose I should have realised this a long time ago. If I did, I would have left when I had achieved full growth. You didn't have to pretend," I murmur.

I turn on my heels and head back through the forest.

"Where will you go, Hen?" Rose asks, her voice shaking to. Damn, I love Rose so much!

"I'm going to Egypt. Aro wants me to pay a visit to some old friends," I shrug again

"No! Benjamin and Tia?!" Bella demands cryptically. I have no idea what she means! I ignore her and keep walking.

"Henry!" Edward calls out, jogging towards me.

"You can't leave! We've been so worried! You must stay!" he demands.

"Edward, did you see the judgement on their faces? Did you hear it in their minds?! The majority of you would rather I were dead than part of the Volturi. And I'm sorry to disappoint." I murmur, stalking off.

"No! Henry!" Edward calls again.

"Why bother, Edward?! You may accept me...but would the rest? And I won't force myself into your company. I don't need to. Perhaps we'll meet again, perhaps we won't. For your sake, I hope we don't," I whisper trying hard to keep the charade of flippancy in my voice.

"Edward? Thank Tanya for showing me her true colours, will you?" I mutter savagely. How could she?! Just because her heart is dead, doesn't mean that I can survive that kind of heart break. I thought what mattered to her was who I am, and not what I look like!

Edward nods solemnly before pulling me into an embrace, "Take care, Hen. I will work on the others for you. I won't rest till you're back in this family, and if they still won't accept it, I will join the Volturi to be with you. This I promise you," he murmurs into my ear.

I pull back and mirror his lopsided smile. I pull away and continue walking through the forest. I don't need to run, I have all of eternity.

Some distance away from my family, I hear some rustling of leaves. Alec, Felix and I exchange glances, before all our eyes lock in on the same spot on the huge tree.

"That was so touching!" she murmurs sarcastically, clapping her hands.

In one graceful movement, Jane lands on the ground, grinning widely.

"Now you know the true colours of the Cullens, Henry," she murmurs simply, not in her usual snide tone.

"You're right," I nod.

"Welcome to the family," she grins easily and links her arm with mine and Alec's. "Next stop? Egypt!" she thrills like a real child!