Bella had still been asleep by the time Juliet had to leave for work, so she resolved herself to coming by afterwards. It was getting dark when she pulled up to the house again, Charlie's cruiser back in it's spot.
"Two times in one day?" Charlie joked as she walked inside, he'd been leaving the kitchen. She shrugged as she slipped off her shoes. "She's in the kitchen with Alice." Charlie continued into the living room. Juliet took a small breath before walking in. Bella was cleaning dishes in the sink, and Alice was perched at the table.
"Hi Juliet." Alice smiled brightly, making Bella look up. "Did you have a good time last night?"
"Oh, yeah it was great." Juliet nodded. "I uh...I wanted to say thanks, actually, for letting me crash it."
"Don't be silly." Alice chuckled, standing up. "You're welcome anytime. Besides, it was Bella's party, afterall." With that, Alice left the room.
"Why are you really here?" Bella left the water running, likely because of Charlie, as she turned around and leaned against the sink.
"I wanted to talk to you." She held her hands up in surrender. "No fighting, I promise. I just wanna talk."
"About what?" The ice in Bella's voice remained.
"Look, I..." Juliet sighed. "I still don't like what's going to happen. I don't like that you're...becoming one of them. But I know I can't stop you." Bella raised her eyebrows. "But you know I can't stop the pack either. Which is a shame, because your bloodsuckers really aren't that bad. In fact, Emmett's pretty funny."
"You like them?" Bella's eyes were wide now.
"Like is a strong word, considering they're gonna kill you." Bella rolled her eyes. "But yeah, kinda."
"So you support me, then?" Bella turned off the water and moved towards the table, so Juliet followed.
"I can't." Juliet sighed, sitting across from her. "I can't, Bella. But I hope you understand why." Bella sighed too.
"I do." She nodded. "Rosalie wants me to stay human, too. And Edward...well...he wants me to marry him."
"Yeah, he told me." Juliet nodded, and Bella looked surprised. "I told you, we were talking about yesterday. He said that you want him to turn you, and he won't do it unless you marry him. And I don't get why you won't agree. I mean, you're already committed to an eternity with him-whats a marriage on top of that?"
"Ugh, you sound just like Edward." She scowled. "He's so old fashioned about this. I know that when he was human, getting married at 18 wasn't a big deal, but are you kidding me? People would think I was pregnant, it would just be too much. I don't get why he can't understand that. I'll marry him eventually, I just don't want to now."
"When was he human, anyway?" Juliet wondered.
"Carlisle turned him when he was 17, in 1918." Juliet's eyes went wide.
"Edward's 105?" She asked in disbelief.
"Carlisle's like, 360 or something." Bella shrugged. "I mean, he's not even that old compared the Volturi. They're all over well over three thousand. Well, the leaders are at least."
"Three thousand?" Juliet breathed, sitting back in her chair.
"Yeah, the only way you can tell is their eyes." Bella nodded. "I mean, I was only close enough to Aro to tell, but they have this milky film over them. It's so weird."
"Wait, wait, wait." Juliet waved her hand. "Close enough? Bella, you've met a three thousand year old vampire?"
"Yeah, when I went to save Edward." She nodded. "The Volturi...they're kind of like vampire royalty, I guess. They're the biggest coven besides the Cullen's, they deal with out of control vampires or covens that threaten to expose the secret." She explained. "That's why we met them. Edward was going to expose himself to sunlight in front of humans in the Volturi's own city, Volterra. That way, the Volturi would have no choice but to kill him. I was able to stop him, thankfully, but they still called us down."
"Why haven't they come to deal with what's going on in Seattle?" Juliet's eyebrows furrowed together.
"That's what we don't want." Bella sighed. "They know I'm human, they know that I know about vampires. And they know Edward and I...we can't be apart. So, if I'm still human by the next time they see me, we're all dead. If they're in Seattle, there'd be nothing stopping them from coming to check. They probably wouldn't stop with just me and the Cullen's. The pack, the Elders...you, Emily...we'd all be killed." Juliet couldn't believe how calmly Bella spoke of this, almost like it wasn't a big deal. "So that's why we're trying to lure them here and take care of them before the Volturi notices. If they're gone, we're safe."
"So you have no choice?" Juliet frowned. "You have to be turned, or..."
"Or something terrible will happen." Bella nodded. There was a lump in Juliet's throat.
"Bella, Edward's here!" Charlie called, and Edward entered the kitchen a few seconds later.
"I gotta go." Juliet stood up.
"Are you really leaving because Edward's here?" Bella scowled, also standing. "You're fine with Alice, but-"
"No, it's not that." Juliet glanced at Edward. "I have to go talk to Sam."
"Sam, why?" Bella asked.
"That's not a bad idea." Edward commented, moving across the room and wrapping an arm around Bella. "I'm not sure it'll work, but it's not bad."
"I mean, it's the only way to stop a war, right?" Juliet frowned, looking at him. "If it works, if he agrees...it would solve our...mutual problem. Well, one of them, I guess." Edward nodded.
"What? What is it?" Bella sounded frustrated.
"She wants to tell Sam about the Volturi, how they'll react if you're still human when they come." Edward answered. "If he knew what was on the line, he may consider a new treaty that allows you to be turned."
"I'll call you later, okay?" Juliet had only blinked, but suddenly Alice was next to Edward.
"I agree with Edward, by the way." She chirped. "Obviously, I can't see if your plan is going to work or not." She frowned. "But, I think it's a good option. For all of us." Juliet nodded.
"I'll do my best." Juliet said. "It's a good thing he's already sort of trusting in you guys, with this training stuff. That should help."
"I'm going tonight, so just call me tomorrow, okay?" Bella said.
"Ugh, I knew Edward let you go!" Juliet huffed. "I tried to get Leah to take me last night but she wouldn't. Sam and Jake both said no, too. So unfair." Bella chuckled. "Yeah, I'll call tomorrow."
"She'll be at our house tomorrow, after dinner." Edward said, nodding lightly towards the living room. "It might be easier for her to talk there."
"Okay, I'll call after work." Juliet nodded, checking her watch. She sighed, knowing she was supposed to be home by now. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." She saw Bella wave out of the corner of her eye as she hurried back to the door.
"Leavin' so soon, Jules?" Charlie frowned as he watched her out on her shoes.
"Sorry dad, Jake and Billy are coming over for dinner and I don't wanna be late." She lied. It worried her how good she'd gotten at lying to Charlie's face.
"Okay, well, have a good night. Say hello to everyone for me." Charlie frowned.
"Sure thing, love you dad!" She called as she slipped out the door, still pulling on her coat.
———————
"Hey dude!" Seth smiled as she stepped into Sam and Emily's. "Leah's at home."
"I know, I need to talk to Sam." Juliet slipped off her dripping coat and hung it up. Sam appeared from the living room a few seconds later. "It's about Bella."
"Come on." He nodded, and she followed him to the only private room in the house, Sam and Emily's bedroom. "What is it?" He asked as soon as she'd shut the door.
"I know that this sounds crazy but just listen to everything first, okay?" Sam nodded. "They have to turn Bella." Before Sam could interrupt, which she could tell he was about to do, she continued. "There's this group of vampires called the Volturi. They're ancient, Bella says the leaders are at least three thousand years old. When she went to Italy with Alice, to save Edward, she went to their city, Volterra. Edward was going to expose the secret to humans so they'd kill him, but she stopped him. She still met them, though, and they know she's a human. They said that if the Cullen's don't turn her, they'll kill all of them. That means they'd come here, Sam. They'd know that we all know, they'd kill us too. The pack, the Elders, me, Kim, Emily. Anyone who knows. But if they change her, if Bella's a vampire, they won't come."
"Juliet..." Sam sighed.
"There's nothing that can stop them, Sam!" Juliet exclaimed. "If they come, we're all dead. And not just us, they're not like the Cullen's, they kill humans. Imagine how many people from town would die, from the tribe? We can't risk that."
"Juliet, what are you asking me?" He sighed. "What do you want me to say?"
"Make a new treaty." She said. "Make a new treaty that allows them to turn Bella so we can all live." He sighed again, sitting down on the bed. "Please, Sam."
"Juliet, I can't do that." His voice was quiet.
"This isn't about Bella, Sam, it's about the rest of us!" She exclaimed. "You want to protect the tribe, so protect it! If the Volturi comes, no one will be safe."
"I can't just...just allow them to take a human life." He looked up at her. "It's your own sister!"
"The Volturi will kill far more than just Bella if she's not turned." Juliet argued. "Obviously, I don't want Bella to die, but if that's what has to happen for the rest of us to be safe then fine! I don't wanna die over some stupid treaty made a hundred years ago, Sam! And it's not like you're allowing them to massacre the town. Just turn Bella, that's it. After her, the treaty be the exact same it is now. But Bella can't stay human."
"Do you even hear yourself?" Sam asked. "I can't do that, I can't allow that. I'm not changing the treaty."
"Then we're all dead." She huffed. "And it's your fault." She turned around, throwing open the door. Seth, Brady and Collin were all standing outside, so she pushed past Seth to leave. She didn't spare another glance at Emily, who'd also obviously been listening from the kitchen, as she rushed back to her to her truck.