Here we are again ... I'm embarking on a new journey of a fanfiction story. This time, we're going with a post-apocalyptic vibe. I recently watched The 100 on Netflix. I'd been intrigued to write a story based off that show/series of novels. I decided to write it for NaNoWriMo. I'd starting almost halfway through the month, but I'm determined to, at least, get something going. My goal is to finish the story for NaNoWriMo July Camp ...
This is the last regular chapter.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Mount Weather
Six Months Later
Bella
I was sitting in my office, go over reports from all the departments in the mountain. I knew I'd have to stop soon. My head was throbbing from reading too much. It was the only lasting effect from my brutal beating that I'd received at the Drop Ship. Well, that and I always knew when it was going to rain thanks to my broken leg.
"Put the tablet away, President Swan," Angela chided. "I see you squinting."
I blinked up to see the young woman who I'd helped on the Ark. She requested a permanent change to live in the mountain with her daughter. She also requested to be my personal assistant. She felt guilty about me getting sent to the sky box for her daughter. She wanted to pay it forward.
"I'll put the tablet away when you call me Bella," I argued.
"Apologies, Bella," Angela laughed. "Besides, you have a meeting with the council in ten minutes in the upstairs conference room."
"Full council?" I asked.
"The Ark is conferencing in," Angela answered. "We need to decide about the justice system. For the most part, people are making good choices, but we still have Jacob and his followers that need to be held accountable for their actions."
"Thanks, Ang. I'm going to swing by medical and then head up to the conference room. I need some of that tea to help with my headache," I explained, picking up my tablet. With a smile, I left my office and walked to medical. Austin was there, working with another one of the healers from Amun's tribe, Nahuel. "Hello, Dr. Marks, Nahuel," I greeted.
"Hey, Dr. Swan," Austin returned. "You okay?"
"I've got a headache from looking at my tablet for too long. I need some of that tea," I said.
"I'll get it for you, Dr. Bella," Nahuel offered. "Dr. Austin has a tendency to make it too weak."
"I'm working on the dosage," Austin snorted, turning back to his work.
Nahuel worked quickly, mixing a combination of medicinal herbs into a metal tin. He placed the small tin into a mug of warm water. He added a bit of honey with a flourish. "The tea can be bitter. They honey cuts the taste," he explained, handing me the mug. "Wait five minutes before you drink the tea, Dr. Bella."
"Thank you, Nahuel," I said, giving him a warm grin. "I'll bring the mug back after my meeting."
"Just bring it to the kitchen," Nahuel said. "I hope you feel better, Dr. Bella."
With another thank you, I left medical, carrying my mug of tea. Riding up to the larger conference room, I sat down at the table. Most of our council was inside, save for Emmett and Edward. I slid into a chair, inhaling the tea, and praying that the scent would help with the dull ache behind my eyes. "Working too hard, Bells?" Rose asked.
"It would be so," I said. "I just feel like I can't on top of the work. With a combination of my job as head of medical and the president of the mountain, I'm buried under paperwork, meetings, and everything else. I can't remember the last time Edward and I had a moment to ourselves."
"That we can help you with," Jasper said. "After this meeting, your afternoon is clear, and you can do something with Edward."
"Is his afternoon clear?" I asked, arching a brow.
"No, but it can be," Lauren chirped. "Both of you work too hard. I know that you feel like you need to work yourself to the bone be an effective leader, but allow us to help you."
"You do help me. This place would not run as efficiently if it weren't all of you," I breathed. "We wouldn't have the alliance with Amun and his tribe without ..."
"You and Edward," Rose said. "You two made it possible. Amun and his people have been invaluable, especially when it came to surviving the winter. We would have starved to death."
"That's unlikely, but their preservation techniques did enhance our food stores," Jasper agreed.
Emmett and Edward walked in. "Sorry, we're late. We were helping a hunting party deliver their latest kills inside."
"Let me call into the Ark," Lauren said. With a few swipes of her fingers, the Ark council came into view, with my mother sitting in the chancellor's seat. She was the voice of the council. Carlisle, Esme, Sinclair, Commander Blake, and my father finished out the council from the Ark. My father became the head of mechanics station, taking over Daniel Hale's role.
In the center console, my mother said her hello. "It's been too long," Mom chided. "How's my baby girl?"
"I'm fine, Mom," I said. "How are things at the Ark?"
"The crops we planted have taken root and the installation of the refrigeration units is well underway," she answered. "We've also finished construction of two more Rovers. It'll make the commute back and forth to the mountain much easier."
"That's excellent to here," I grinned. "How are things going with the school?"
"Classes are rigorous. We have two levels of classes as of now," Esme began. "A primary group, for students up to the age nine. The secondary group is from age ten to seventeen, which includes specialized training in their chosen field. A number of Amun's tribe are curious about mechanics and engineering. They're taking to it like a fish to water. They're so eager to learn."
"Where is Amun?" Edward asked.
"One of the women in his tribe went into labor and he needed to be there with Kebi to help deliver the baby," Carlisle answered. "I'm on standby if the labor goes awry."
Amun and his people were transient, but they had three locations that in which they resided. The largest residence was in Washington D.C., using what used to be the Smithsonian as their homes. There were also smaller homes that were used as well. Another location they used was outside Anapolis, which they used in the summer since it was close to the water. The final location was halfway in between Washington and Anapolis, near where the Ark had landed. Most people stayed there, or with us in the Mountain.
"The reason for calling this meeting is that we need to decide regarding our justice system. Have you chosen your representatives for the tribunal?" Mom asked. "We've chosen Eleazar Sartori and Carmen Delgado."
"Tyler Crowley and Katherine Dowling," I answered. "They expressed interest in the justice system, wanting to represent the mountain. When will the trial for Jacob, Paul, Sam and Quil happen?"
"We need a tie-break," Marcus said.
"How about someone from Amun's tribe? They'd be an impartial judge," Edward suggested. "Nahuel?"
"I can speak to him," said Huilen, Nahuel's mate and advisor seated on our council. "I'm certain he'll say yes."
"Okay," I nodded. "We have our tribunal. We also have representation for the four accused. We just need to set a date for the trial."
"The sooner the better," Edward grumbled. "They've filled our detention cells for long enough. Jacob needs to pay for his actions. They all do." His eyes cut to my father, narrowing on him angrily.
Edward abhorred my father. In his eyes, his actions on the Ark were unforgivable when he sentenced me to die for a nonviolent crime. However, after discussing it with both councils, they agreed that his punishment of losing his chancellorship was punishment enough. Edward would have gone further in regard to my father's punishment, removing him from the council, but no one from the mechanic station wanted to be on the council. So, my dad sat on the council. He rarely participated, never spoke, and only voted when it was required.
Suffice it to say, Edward's relationship with my dad was nonexistent. My relationship with my father? It's complicated. We interact, but I'm coolly polite. It will take a long time for me to forgive my father. Especially after finding out the reason why he was willing to float me ... because of his approval rating.
See? Complicated ...
"When does Amun and his people leave for Anapolis?" I asked.
"In two weeks," Huilen answered for us.
"Let's shoot for the trial to begin in a week here at the mountain," I proclaimed. "Anything else?"
"No, that's it," Mom replied. "We'll see you in a week. Love you, baby girl."
"Mom," I chided, shooting her a wry smile.
"What?" Mom laughed. "Ark out."
"Goodbye, Mom," I sighed, ending the call. Lauren cut the video feed. "Okay, we need to figure out where we're going to have the trial."
"We can do that later. I move to end this meeting," Rose chimed in.
"Second," Emmett said, with a bright smile.
"All those in favor," Lauren said. Everyone's hand shot up. "Any nays?" I rose my hand. "Abstentions?" Edward shrugged, half-hearted raising his hand. "The yays have it. Meeting dismissed." She turned to Edward and me. "You two deserve to disconnect."
"I still have to write up my reports and make the schedule for the rest of the month," Edward argued.
"I can do the schedule," Lauren offered.
"Working my magic with the kitchen staff, a picnic basket is waiting for you, and you have motorcycle," Jasper said, grinning at us. "You've been working nonstop for the past six months. We're encouraging you to be young and in love."
Edward and I shared a look. Edward's eyes grew heated as he reached across the table to take my hand. I melted, wanting nothing more than to just be Edward and Bella. I nodded. Edward grinned crookedly, kissing my knuckles. Fresh air will help with my headache, hopefully.
Leaving the conference room, Edward and I met up. He threaded his fingers with mine. "Hey, Princess," he murmured, pressing a kiss on my forehead. "How's your head?"
"How did you know?" I asked.
"I smelled the tea," he replied, guiding me to the elevator. "Did it help?"
"It cut the pain, but taking a step away from the crazy will help," I answered, leaning against his side. We rode down to the kitchen, finding a basket packed for us. Edward looped his arm through the handles, thanking them for setting up the picnic. We went back to the top level, grabbing one of the motorcycles. I slid the basket over my head, using the straps, and got onto the bike. Edward did the same, revving the engine. "Where are we going?" I asked.
"You'll see," Edward answered.
I slid my arms around his waist. With a wave, we left the mountain and took off on one of the trails that had been created by our supply routes. Twenty minutes later, Edward pulled into a beautiful meadow. There were flowers all in the meadow, ranging in colors from stark white to the deepest purple. In the distance, I could hear water trickling. I gasped, squeezing his arm.
"What is it?" he asked.
"When I was asleep, I dreamt of this place," I murmured, getting off the bike. "You were here, eating an apple. But, I couldn't touch you. At least, not right away."
"It must have been a way for your mind to make sense of the pain," he said. "But, you're here and you can touch me." He held out his hand, which I eagerly took. I ran my hand up his arm, feeling his muscular body. I moved closer, nuzzling into his embrace. Being denied his touch and his affection for almost a week when I was taken by Sam Uley, it made me needy for reassurance. He eagerly gave me his affections. "You said that you couldn't touch me at first."
"When I grew more aware, I could hear your voice and feel you touching me. That's when I was able to touch you," I explained. I looked up at him. He smiled crookedly, leaning down to kiss my lips. I sighed against his mouth, gripping his shirt. He bit my lip, pulling back with a sly grin. "I love you, Edward."
"I adore you, Princess," he said, taking my hand and leading me to the meadow. I followed him. He took the basket from me, pulling out a blanket from inside. He laid the blanket on the ground. "Your blanket, Bella."
"Thank you, Edward," I giggled, sitting down on the blanket. I toed off my boots and curled up. He sat down, pulling out a couple of plates, containers of food and a bottle of apple juice. I felt myself relax in the warm sunlight of the early summer sun. "Being away from the mountain and all our responsibilities is nice respite. We need to do this more often. I mean, we are rebuilding a civilization, but ..."
"That's a lot of pressure," he teased, pouring us some juice. "But, I agree about us making our relationship a focus. I've missed you, Princess." He handed me a glass. "I think we need to take at least one day, maybe two days, to just be us. Remember before all this? That date we had in our quarters?"
"That was so fun," I mused. That night, I'd felt pretty, adored.
Now? Sometimes, I still felt like I was just a pile of bruises and broken bones from my beating. I felt undesirable because of my injuries. My nose was crooked, and I had scars littered all over my body. There were moments where I felt like I was used and dirty. Jacob never took me that way, nor did his men, but they leered at me like they wanted to.
"Bella, look at me," Edward said quietly, cupping my face. "You're not there. You're safe."
I focused my gaze onto his, staring into his crystalline eyes. They were filled with love, patience and understanding. "I'm sorry," I whispered.
"Don't apologize. Don't ever apologize. I'm here with you, no matter what," he vowed, kissing my nose. I wrinkled my nose, giggling quietly. "Music to my ears, Princess."
"I sound like a donkey braying," I deadpanned.
"No, that's Jasper," Edward snickered, dishing out our meals.
"Are he and Alice still dancing around each other?" I asked, sipping my water.
Alice stayed with Edward's parent for a month after she was discharged from medical. Alice built a relationship with Esme, but it was tenuous at best. When his parents left to move back into the Ark, Alice remained at the mountain, moving into a smaller suite. She worked with Lauren and Eric in the command center. She also helped out with maintaining the mountain's systems, keeping the computers working. She found her niche, but didn't interact with many of the residents.
Obviously, she was skittish around people. She met with me once a week and we commiserated, having survived similar situations. Granted, she was tormented longer than I was, but we both suffered the same outcome. Getting beat to hell and mentally fucked with by Jacob and his cronies.
The only person Alice spoke to outside of me and Edward was Jasper Whitlock. In the sky box, they'd built a friendship, a relationship. But, when she left to stay with Jacob, that relationship disintegrated. Jasper wanted to rebuild their friendship, but she was hesitant to do so. The last person she opened herself up to was Jacob and he ruined her.
"I saw them eating breakfast together this morning," Edward answered. "He was talking while she listened. He even touched her hand." His nose wrinkled. "She immediately pulled her hand back."
"Do you blame her?" I asked, popping a piece of potato into my mouth. With Jasper's ingenuity, we had potatoes as a part of our diet. Amun had access to something called sweet potatoes, which we were trying to grow at the moment. "The only person I trust to touch me is you. I still have panic attacks when I have to go in for checkups."
"I hate that you still deal with that," he whispered, his brows pulling together.
"At least I'm able to be comforted by you," I argued. "Nothing calms Alice except for sedation." I moved to stretch out my legs. Angling my face toward the sun, I blew out a breath. "We'll never be okay, Edward. Being in that camp ... it broke something in both of us. Yes, we were saved. We healed physically."
"Though, you still deal with headaches," Edward frowned.
"They're not a frequent," I said. "Emotionally? Mentally? There will be a part of us that will always ..." I sighed, unable to finish my thought. "What if ...?" I shivered, trying to shake the dark turn my thoughts took.
xx MWMA xx
Edward
My Bella was the strongest person I knew, but every so often, she needed to disconnect and step away. Angela saw how exhausted she was when she contacted me the afternoon we had our picnic.
They didn't know how much her abduction impacted her.
No one knew how I had to wake her from night terrors, holding her and repeating that she was loved and safe.
No one knew that she would get sick when she smelled something rotten. It brought back memories of smelling Aro as he decomposed while he was alive.
Absolutely no one knew that wanted to die the night she was beaten to hell. When she was recovering, she shared how much she felt dirty and shattered. She prayed for death when Jacob would smack her around, using her as his scapegoat for his failures. Her scars were cruel reminders of how she failed in his eyes.
She wanted to die rather than experience the pain she endured.
Hearing that, it made me want to go down to the detention cells and shoot Jacob in the head.
But, I couldn't. I had to hold my princess together and whisper words of love, encouragement, and protection.
Today, however, justice will be delivered. The trial was happening. I was counting the minutes until they handed down the death sentence for Jacob Black. Hopefully, they'll allow me to blow a hole between his eyes.
"Edward, we need to go," Bella said, smoothing her hands down her black pants. "You okay?"
"I will be once Jacob is held accountable for his actions," I answered, holding out my hand. "Come on, Madam President." She rolled her eyes, twining her fingers with mine. We walked up to the top level of the mountain. We had a courtroom built in one of the outer buildings of the mountain. Entering the building, we sat down in the back of the courtroom, across from the tribunal.
Seated on one side was the four men who were responsible for treason, assault, attempted murder, and a litany of smaller charges. They were represented by Liam Foster, who was one of the few followers of Aro that remained on the Ark. Across the room, sitting opposite of Jacob, Liam, Paul, Quil and Sam, was Garrett MacDonald and my mother, Esme Cullen. They were arguing for victims.
The members of the tribunal filed in, sitting down at the tables we'd set up for them. With a nod from tribunal, Garrett stood up and began explaining the charges against the accused. Bella reached over, gripping my hand. She looked sickly, pale.
"They can't hurt you, Bella," I whispered in her ear. "They're restrained and guarded. I have my strongest men on them." She nodded. "I'm right here. No one will hurt you. I love you, Princess."
"I love you, too," she murmured, shifting closer to me, but she kept her gaze on the four men who'd made her life hell.
"Look at me, Bella," I quietly ordered. She shook her head. "Baby, look at me." I trailed my fingers down her jaw. Slowly, her gaze found mine. Terror was evident in her chocolate gaze. "You're safe."
"When will I get over this?" she asked, tears welled in eyes.
"Seeing them punished? It's a step toward healing," I said, wrapping my arms around her. I pressed a kiss to her forehead, tucking her to my side. She slid her arms around my waist. I held her tightly as she trembled.
After Garrett finished his opening arguments, Liam stood up and he sneered at Garrett. He also sneered at Alice and Bella. He, in no certain terms, called their stories flat out lies. There was no proof that Jacob or his followers did any wrongdoing. The only witnesses were either dead or refused to provide testimony.
Garrett called up several witnesses, starting first with Demetri. His tablet recording was used as evidence. After his testimony, Alice was called up, Seth and Leah were next and ending finally with Bella. I knew that Bella, while sounding confident and strong, was crumbling inside. When Liam questioned her, asking if she'd brutalized herself, I almost lost my shit. Hell, most of the gallery exploded in shock. Garrett blocked Liam's gaze to my Bella and objected to the line of questioning. Eleazar sustained the objection, ending Liam's questions.
A brief recess was called and ten minutes later, Jacob sat on the witness stand. He adamantly denied all the accusations and called anyone who said he hurt them a liar. He even went so far in saying that I beat him when I took him into custody. Garrett objected, showing pictures of Jacob upon his intake into detention. He didn't have any bruises on his body. The only marks he had were bruised and cut knuckles, from his attacks on Bella and Alice.
By mid-afternoon, testimony was over, and the case was handed over to the tribunal. We were walking back to the mountain when Amun approached us with his mate, Indra.
"It's good to see you, Amun," I said, holding out a hand. "You, as well, Indra. Thank you for those blankets. They are beautiful."
"It's our pleasure, Edward," Indra smiled. "It was the least we could do after you helped with shearing our sheep. It's one of our biggest chores and if it wasn't for those clippers, it would have taken us weeks."
"Well, we're truly appreciative of the beautiful wool blankets," Bella said, hugging Indra. "How's your baby?" She pressed a hand to Indra's belly.
"Kicking like crazy," Indra said. "I hope this one is a boy."
"We can see with our instruments," Bella offered. "If you want to know if you're having a boy ..."
"There are so few surprises in life," Amun said with a chuckle. "I wanted to speak to you. Several other tribes have heard of our alliance and are interested in joining our coalition. Would you be willing to meet with the other tribes? We're all going to Annapolis, meeting up in a month."
"Of course," Bella nodded. "We'd be honored."
"I'll send an emissary to lead you to the city once we get settled," Amun explained. "I'm going to get Indra back to camp. You need to rest, my love."
"He hovers, like a mother hen," Indra quipped, idly hitting his shoulder.
"Do you blame me?" Amun asked with a wry grin. He arched a brow, guiding Indra toward their campsite.
We strolled back to the mountain, riding down to our quarters. Bella dragged me to our bedroom and pulled at my clothes. I took off my shirt while she did the same. As soon as she was done, she snaked her arms around my neck. I lay down, holding my girl against my chest. I felt her tears and I tenderly cradled her, giving her the comfort she desperately needed.
xx MWMA xx
Bella
Two days after the case was shared with the tribunal, we were called back to our ad hoc courtroom. Edward and I sat across from the tribunal. I was crushing Edward's hand, terrified that tribunal believed the cock and bull story that Liam concocted for Jacob.
My mother slid into a seat in front of me. She gave me gentle smile. "It'll all work out, baby girl."
"Where's Dad?" I asked.
"He's keeping his distance," Mom answered, looking back at Edward.
"I won't kick his ass, Renee," Edward deadpanned. "I've ignored him for the most part."
"I know, I know," Mom snickered. "But, seriously, he knows that you're not happy with him. Understandably so ... he's connected to this trial, and he didn't want to cause you any undue harm." She looked at me, reaching up to my face. "I can see the dark circles. You're thinner and skittish. Who are you talking to?"
"Me," Edward answered. "We're working through it. Bella's physical injuries are healed, but working on her mental health will take time. You've said that numerous times. Was I wrong?"
"No, you're not," Mom said, reaching to take his hand. "Edward, you're doing an amazing job. You both are. I'm so proud of you." She squeezed his fingers. "I just know that it can be a bit like two steps forward, one step back. How were you after the testimony?"
"I needed to take a step back," I said, looking at Edward. "But, we have our way to calm down that works for us." Skin-to-skin contact ... holding each other, just breathing each other in. Feeling his muscular body against mine ... the warmth of his skin and the protection of his arms. That's the only thing that kept me grounded.
We were interrupted by the entrance of the accused, led in by Liam with a smug smile. I found Edward's hand, threading my fingers with his. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, whispering that he loved me. I closed my eyes and inhaled his comforting scent, reveling in his strength.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in this, our inaugural trial, we've reached a verdict in the case against Jacob Black, Quil Ateara, Paul Lahote and Sam Uley," Eleazar said. "Their actions began on the Ark, resulting in the incarceration of Quil, Paul and Sam in the sky box. Quil, Paul and Sam, please rise. We, the tribunal, find you three guilty of attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, and battery. Your punishment is banishment from the mountain and from the Ark. You will no longer be a part of our civilization, embarking on your own journey. You will not be welcomed and if we see you again, you will be shunned. Please take the three men into custody and release them in a spot unknown."
Edward looked at three of the security team, nodding curtly. They took Quil, Paul and Sam into custody, dragging them out of courtroom. Once outside, three bags were placed on their heads, and they were unceremoniously tossed into a Rover.
"They'll die," Liam barked, pounding his fists on the table.
I jumped as he hit the table. I inhaled deeply and looked at Eleazar, who seemed completely unfazed by the outburst. He just shrugged, blinking at Jacob. "And now for Mr. Black. Please, rise, Jacob."
Jacob leaned back, crossing his arms and scowled at Eleazar defiantly.
"Or not," Eleazar spat. "Jacob William Black, you are sentenced to death. You tried to assassinate Chancellor Charles Swan; you colluded with Vice Chancellor Aro Volturi; you kidnapped and attempted to kill President Isabella Swan; you committed acts of treason against the Ark and against the mountain. As a result, you will be killed by a firing squad tomorrow morning. This decision was not chosen lightly, but the severity of your crime necessitate the severity of your punishment." Eleazar looked at me, arching a brow. "Commander Cullen, please take the prisoner into custody and place him back into detention."
Edward stood up, unholstering his gun and handing it to me. "I don't trust myself to not impart your punishment early," he said coldly. "Emmett, join me?"
Emmett, who was sitting in the front row with Rosalie, stood up and they pulled Jacob out of his seat. Edward clasped handcuffs to Jacob. "That hurts," Jacob snapped. "Too tight."
"Deal with it," Edward sneered, dragging Jacob away.
That night, I couldn't sleep. Edward stayed up with me, watching movies on the mountain's database. It kept my mind off the nightmares that threatened to invade my subconscious. Early the next morning, we walked to what used to be the gun range for the mountain. Jacob was already tied up to pillar. He was trying to break free, but his hands were handcuffed behind the tree.
Edward cupped my cheek and stared at me. "He will no longer hurt you, Bella," he whispered.
"I know," I whispered back. "Do this for me."
He nodded and my loving, protective man disappeared. A calculating, cold-hearted killer took his place as he walked away, lining up with Jacob. Four security guards gathered to either side of Edward. He took a breath. "Any final words, Black?"
"I regret nothing," Jacob sneered.
"Neither do I," Edward snarled. "Ready ..." All the men raised their weapons. "Aim!" I watched them cock the hammer of their guns. "FIRE!"
Five shots rang out in the early morning sun. Jacob slumped against his bindings. Carlisle and Austin ran out to where Jacob was tethered. Carlisle pressed his fingers to Jacob's neck and shook his head.
"Get the body and dispose of it," Edward commanded. He holstered his gun, walking in the opposite direction, away from me.
I went to follow him, but my mother stopped me. "He just killed a man," she muttered. "A man who terrorized you ... he needs a moment." I nodded, watching as Austin and Carlisle untie Jacob from his final resting place. He's placed on a gurney. I watch as they take him to places unknown, but I don't care.
He's gone.
All of them are gone.
But, why do I not feel relief?
xx MWMA xx
Edward
I was sitting against an old oak tree, trying to stop my hands from shaking. I'd killed Jacob Black. I knew my gunshot hit him right between the eyes. I saw the disappointment in my father's eyes, but Jacob deserved his punishment. Hell, he should have died by a thousand cuts ... make him feel all the pain he inflicted on his victims.
I heard a rustle of the grass. I picked up my weapon, and looked to see who was approaching.
"I come in peace," said Charlie, holding up his hands. "Though, I deserve a bullet, like Jacob."
I didn't respond, but I holstered my gun. "What do you want, Charlie? I came out here to compose myself before I went back into the mountain."
"I wanted to make sure you were all right," Charlie answered, sitting down in the grass. "I know you're not my biggest fan, but I'm worried about you. I'm worried about Bella. She seems ... like a shell."
"That's because she is a shell," I muttered. "Her spirit was shattered by everything that happened down here, though it started up in the Ark. We're trying to work through it, but it's a struggle. She doesn't want to talk to your wife and Alec couldn't ... he's not capable enough to handle her struggles. We're navigating this on our own."
Charlie didn't say anything. He just looked at me with concern etched on his face. "Bella is one of the strongest people I know. She's also one of the most stubborn."
"She's extraordinarily strong, but you don't hold her as falls apart each night," I whispered. "I prayed that if Jacob got what he deserved, Bella would get a good night's sleep. Her mind constantly circles around 'what if ...'" I ran my fingers through my hair and leaned my head back against the tree. "She puts on a brave face. She's a hard worker, an amazing leader, but at what cost?"
"That's where the stubborn comes in," Charlie said. "She gets that from me. She'll throw herself into work until she completely implodes. If I learned one thing from this whole mess I created, you need to prevent that from happening. Take her away from all of this ..."
"Where would we go?" I asked. "It's not like I can spirit her away to a tropical island. We have to stay in the mountain. If we stay in the mountain, then we work."
Charlie blinked up at me and he smiled softly. "I think when Amun and his people leave for Annapolis, you should go with them. Leave Rosalie and Jasper in charge. You go to Annapolis and take some time for yourselves. Heal each other."
I stared at the white fluffy clouds against a pristine blue sky. Inhaling deeply, I considered Charlie's suggestion. Six months of night terrors, bad memories and a long recovery has caught up with us. I looked back at Charlie. "I'll talk to Bella. That's the best I can do."
"I think she'll agree to go," Charlie murmured. "After today, she should get away." He stood up, wiping his hands on pants. "I'll speak with Amun."
I nodded absently, twisting my fingers. "Thank you, Charlie. Can you please let someone know that I'll be back in an hour or so? I just need to decompress."
"Of course," Charlie replied. "Do you have a radio?" I patted my pockets, finding it clipped to my belt. I held it up. "If they need you, they'll call you." With another nod, he turned and left.
I listened to the rustling leaves and the distant chirps of birds. I took deep breaths, trying to forget how callous I was when it came to dispensing Jacob's death sentence. That wasn't me.
Moving forward, if we had a situation like Jacob and the result is a death sentence, I cannot and would not be the one to do it. And, with that, I got up from my spot and walked back to the mountain. I made my way to our quarters, looking to find Bella. Thankfully, she was curled up on the couch in our living room. Her gaze was haunted. Crouching down in front of her, I brushed her hair back. "Princess," I whispered.
She blinked a few times, her eyes focusing on my face. "Are you okay?" she asked, tracing my lips.
"I just needed to ..." I trailed off. "I'm okay, love." I moved to sit on the couch, pulling her onto my lap. She melted against my body, tucking her head under my chin. I pressed a kiss to her nose, which earned me a sweet giggle. I weaved my arms around her slender body. "I have a proposal."
"What's that?" she asked.
"When I was pulling myself together, your dad found me," I began.
"And, he's still breathing?" Bella quipped.
"Very funny, Isabella," I deadpanned, tickling her sides. She squirmed, laughing beautifully. I captured her lips and stared into her sweet brown eyes. "Your dad suggested that we take some time and walk away from the mountain."
"But, we're the mountain's leaders," she argued.
"Who have been invited to Annapolis with Amun," I said. "I think with all that's happened, we can go. It can be a diplomatic mission, but also an opportunity for you to heal without the mountain watching. Charlie said he'd speak to Amun."
She bit her lip, idly playing with my hair and stared, unseeingly, to the bulkhead behind me. She blinked a few times, finding my worried gaze. "I think ..." she swallowed and pressed a kiss to my lips. "I think it's a good idea. When do we leave?"
A/N: A longer chapter, but a lot happened in here. Some of which, will be happening in the next chapter. So, at the beginning of this chapter, I said that this was the last real chapter. I lied. Apologies ... The next chapter will the last real chapter followed by an epilogue.
We will have the summit with the Grounder tribes, some Edward and Bella bonding, along with some counseling from Amun and Indra. Not to mention ... the aforementioned citrus.
Leave me some loving! Thanks for reading!