#while being utterly unable to pull myself together enough to focus and NOT be useless

[afairerplace]

Oh would that I were not an absolute moron in Python!

[puddygeeks]

Wᴇ Cᴏᴍᴇ Rᴜɴɴɪɴɢ - Tʜᴇ 100 Bᴇʟʟᴀᴍʏ x OC - Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 71: Wᴇɪɢʜᴛ Oғ Tʜᴇ Wᴏʀʟᴅ

Masterlist

Rating: Mature

Summary: During her time in the Skybox, Indigo formed a precious friendship with fellow outcast Octavia Blake, the girl under the floor. At first they thought their departure from the oppression of the Ark was a blessing, but quickly came to rely on Indigo's keen survival instincts. The 100 struggle to meet the challenges of Earth whilst Bellamy strives to lead the wavering teenagers and his irresponsible attitude fuels constant conflict with Indigo. Their only shared interest is in protecting Octavia and Indigo beings to suspect that there is a deeper cause to Bellamy's seemingly irrational choices. As the consequences of his actions mount up around him, he finally begins to confide in her and she discovers more than she ever bargained for.

Fandom: CW’s The 100

Pairing: OC x Bellamy Blake

LONG TERM ONGOING PROJECT :)

My writing is entirely fuelled by coffee! If you enjoy my work, feel free to donate toward my caffeine dependency: will work for coffee

Warnings: Mature content. Non-consent, language, sex, self harm, suicide, anxiety, helplessness, torture, captivity/confinement, alcohol/drug use.

Episode: Watch The Thrones

Chapter Seventy-One

Stepping outside of the oppressive atmosphere of the Ark, I found that Lincoln hadn’t gone far to escape after his attack. 

He stood leaning against the structure, staring into the distance in what I could only assume was an attempt at calming himself and as I stepped closer, I noticed that he wore an intense expression. There was a stream of blood down the side of his face from the deep gash in his head, which clearly needed stitches and I leaned carefully into his eyeline.

“Linkon.” 

I addressed him gently, speaking in Trig to ensure that our conversation would remain private as I pulled his attention from his thoughts and as he met my eyes, I could see his vulnerability which flared my protective nature.

“Let me take a look at that.” I offered as I gestured toward his wound and he took a moment to consider me, before bending down to my height so that I could reach.

Using the rag that I’d taken from inside, I gently wiped away the blood from his face and examined the laceration with a grimace. My temper bubbled in my stomach as I treated him, wishing that I had the strength to beat some sense into his attacker, but I had to force myself to remain calm. He already seemed to be battling his own emotions and it would be selfish to allow mine to influence him now.

“This is a deep wound, Linkon.” I advised as I gathered the rag and pressed it over the wound to protect it, ensuring that it was completely covered. “Hold this here for now. You need to keep the pressure up until we get to Medical.”

“No.” He answered abruptly as he took responsibility for holding the rag, but straightened his posture so that he was out of my reach and it was clear that he was not ready to face Abby or the others yet.

“They’re wrong about you.” I stated firmly, unwilling to allow him to sink into despair and he studied me with an unreadable expression. “You do belong here, but not because you are no longer Trikru. You are still one of them, too. In fact, I would say that you are their most valuable member, because you were willing to leave behind everything that you know to help them.” I divulged, pausing to shuffle slightly as he met my eyes and I smiled as I continued.

“We both know that our medical knowledge could help your people enormously. We also know that because of our weaponry, going to war would cause countless deaths for your people. That’s why you are doing everything that you can to secure peace and a better life for them. Your people may not recognise what you’re doing for them, but I do.” I rambled, holding his eye contact unflinchingly and he sighed as he absorbed my words.

“Your people still view me as just another grounder.” He stated with frustration, allowing himself to lower his internal walls to me and I nodded in understanding. “They do not care for all that I have sacrificed. To them, I am no different to Azgeda. Will it ever be enough?”

“You’re entitled to be hurt by what just happened in there. I would be too, especially after everything that you have done for us. It’s vital that you remember that the people responsible for this unacceptable incident are ignorant, small minded idiots whose opinions do not represent this camp. The people who supported you before we found Farm Station still support you. You haven’t lost anything, Linkon. We still consider you one of us and we always will. Oso thro daun ageda.” [We fight together.] I asserted, passion filling my voice as I spoke and I watched as the hurt in his face gradually melted away, until he smiled appreciatively at me.

“Oso thro daun ageda.” He repeated calmly, his eyes sparking with emotion and I smiled at him in return. “You have become a wise warrior, Indigo kom Trishanakru. You would make an exceptional second to Arlo.” He praised, causing my heart to swell at the kindness of this compliment and I touched his arm in a fond gesture. 

“Thank you, but I’m plenty busy enough with keeping an eye on all of you.” I remarked with a cheeky wink, before fidgeting to regain my balance as my head spun again. 

“I have to get back to Medical. Come on. You can help me and get your head treated whilst you’re there.” I instructed in the hope that he wouldn’t fight me this time and he simply nodded slowly, before falling into step with me.

❖ ── ✦ ──『✙』── ✦ ── ❖

The ward was surprisingly busy when we entered, as they seemed to be overwhelmed with sick grounders and though I was taken aback by this sudden development, I focused on handing Lincoln over to Abby for treatment. She seemed relieved when she noticed us and led him to a bed to examine the wound.

Kane rushed into the ward with Pike following close behind him, both making a beeline for Abby and I decided to return to my own bed, suspecting that Lincoln would likely already be overwhelmed enough with them arguing around him, without my contributions. 

I’d only just placed myself sideways on the mattress, my hands on my knees as I stared at the floor and waited for my dizziness to pass, when I felt someone approaching me.

“I heard that you were hurt.” 

A strikingly calm voice announced and I glanced up to find Nyko examining me with the same controlled face that Lincoln often wore. It had been a while since I’d last seen him, but I could tell that he had a similarly noble nature to Lincoln and I appreciated that he continued to support his friend in securing peace. 

“Good to see you again, Nyko.” I smiled politely, shifting my position so that I could view him better. “I’m alright. Just need a bit of recovery time. How are you doing after your treatment?” I enquired, remembering how severe his wounds had been when he last came to us and hoping that he’d managed to recover well enough without our assistance.

“I am much better. I wish that I could say the same for my people.” He answered regretfully and I glanced around the ward to notice that many of the grounders here were either coughing, or vomiting. “There was a sickness in a village nearby. Many recovered quickly, but some have not been able to fight it. Abby offered to help them.” He explained, seeming exhausted as he glanced back at them and I regarded him with sympathy.

“Well, we have to take care of each other, right?” I offered with a warm smile and he seemed pleased to discover that I was supportive of this decision. “I’m sorry. Any other time I would offer to help, but getting Linkon here has kinda wiped me out.” I confessed, feeling utterly useless for my current weakness and Nyko nodded in understanding.

“Abby said that you were badly hurt in the attack. I am sorry for what happened at Mount Weather.” He remarked with an expression of genuine remorse and I flashed him a grateful smile. “Rest well, my friend.” He muttered as he bowed his head to me, before returning to caring for his people. 

With a deep sigh, I laid back on the bed to catch my breath and stared up at the ceiling, struggling to focus. Everything felt more draining than I was prepared for and I already grew tired of my new limitations. 

Hurried footsteps warned me of Jackson’s arrival as he frantically ran around me to take another set of obs and it seemed that he was too flustered to even hold a conversation as he worked. His pen scratched rapidly over the charts as he filled in the results and once it seemed that he was satisfied with his findings, he rushed away to care for the rest of his patients. 

Abby was still attempting to treat Lincoln whilst also balancing an argument with Pike and Kane. As I watched her struggling to multitask, I understood why she felt that she needed to pass on the role of Chancellor to someone who could give it their full attention.

“Lincoln. We need to set an example.” Kane pleaded, allowing a slight hint of his anger over this incident to peek out from his careful demeanour and I smiled. 

Kane’s consideration for Lincoln gained my respect, as I had never expected for him to be as accepting when we first met and was pleasantly surprised at the leader that he was blossoming into. Meanwhile, Pike sighed at his side, as he fidgeted around in a stressed manner.

“Yeah. We do.” Lincoln muttered, clearly far more relaxed than he was when I first found him outside and I wondered whether it might have been wiser to encourage him to respect his anger, as now he seemed to be taking a more lenient approach to his attacker than I approved of.

“The man just lost his son, Marcus.” Pike argued, seeming shocked that anyone could even consider punishing the instigator and I huffed in annoyance. 

Pike had been blatantly coddling the Farm Station residents since they arrived, unable to accept even the mere suggestion that they could do any wrong and my patience with his golden child syndrome was growing thin. 

“Lincoln didn’t do that.” Abby pointed out, staring at Pike over her shoulder whilst she worked and I was relieved that she remained stern in the face of his favouritism.

The doors to the ward swung open with a clatter as Octavia entered, her face filled with a mixture of terror and rage. Though I willed my legs to stand to join her, I couldn’t lift myself from the bed and simply had to watch as she strode toward Lincoln in a fluster.

“What happened?” She demanded, sneaking a glare at Pike as she passed that silently enquired as to why he was even present and I couldn’t help a sly smile at her attitude.

Octavia began fretting over Lincoln as they shared a hushed conversation and Pike moved to leave medical first. He had barely reached my bed when Nyko momentarily blocked his path, fixing him with a stern glare that conveyed his distrust and he maintained it even once he eventually allowed him to pass. Pike seemed shaken by this encounter as he hurried out and I caught Nyko’s eyes with a meaningful look.

“He is bad news. Watch him around your people.” I warned, already fearful for the safety of those in the ward and Nyko nodded in agreement, seeming grateful for my support.

My attention was caught by Abby loudly asking Lincoln to assist with translation for the grounder patients and Octavia wandered over to my bed with frustration poorly hidden in her face.

“How are you feeling, little miss kamikaze?” She interrogated, raising a bro at me critically and I shook my head at her as I prepared myself for another scolding. “Honestly, if you didn’t already look so sorry for yourself, I’d hit you. You really worried us this time. I thought Bellamy was going to have a heart attack. I’ve never seen him that frantic. He was losing his mind!”

“I know. I’m an idiot. Believe me, I’ve already got that message loud and clear from a host of people.” I answered with an apologetic smile and she seemed pleased to hear that I was being grilled for my behaviour. “Give me a little recovery time and I’ll be fine.” I added gently to answer her question and she seemed relieved, though the tension in her brows didn’t completely disappear. 

“You look stressed, Sugar. Talk to me.” I offered, unsettled by seeing her upset.

Octavia chewed on her lip for a moment, seeming as if she was too proud nowadays to allow herself a moment of weakness as she had always done in my company in the past. I patted the bed as I shuffled over to make space, making it clear that I was absolutely willing to still dote on her when needed and she sighed, before she carefully sat beside me.

“Lincoln’s not going to press charges on that Farm Station asshole.” She grumbled with anger filling her pretty features and I sighed in disappointment. 

If I was honest, I had expected this outcome, but I had hoped that Octavia might be able to convince him to reconsider. I had no doubt that she had already tried, but as she clearly had been unsuccessful, I decided that I would need to provide her with calming answers, rather than riling her up further.

“There has to be a consequence for assaulting him like that. I mean, he’s got stitches in his head, Indie!” She exclaimed and I struggled to keep my mouth closed as I nodded. “Pike’s people already think that they’re untouchable as it is. This won’t help anything.” She added bitterly and I took one of her hands in mine in an attempt to calm her from her outrage.

“That’s Lincoln’s way. You know that better than anyone, Tavi. He wants to set a good example of grounders. That they can be compassionate and compromise.” I advised, caressing her hand comfortingly and she huffed as she absorbed my words. “Plus, it sounded like Pike was pushing pretty hard for no charges. He’s certainly not making things any easier by insisting that our rules don’t apply to them.”

“Tell me about it. You know, the guards were trying to throw Nyko and the others out when they arrived. They didn’t even give him a chance to explain that their treatment had already been agreed with Abby.” She recounted with aggravation and I furrowed my brows at this revelation. “I had to help carry them in by myself. No one else would help them.” She revealed, her voice gradually softening from anger to fear and I glanced around at the sickly people surrounding us with shock.

“A lot of the people here have been anti-grounder for a while. The Farm Station residents moving in and then the Mount Weather attack has only boosted their confidence. We’re going to have to be careful in how we deal with this. People are angry and scared, and we both know how easily that can go to shit if it becomes a mob mentality.” I analysed, feeling uneasy about the divide that I could sense in the camp and Octavia glanced at me with a similar discomfort in her eyes.

“I asked Linkon if we could leave to join Trikru. The Commander lifted the kill order on him, so we’re free to go. Indra seemed interested in having me back at the Summit. I thought that maybe I could convince her to take him too.” She whimpered, switching to Trig to be extra cautious that none of our own people could overhear her plans and though I was upset by this suggestion, I understood her desire to escape. “He said no. He wants to stay, but I don’t feel safe here.”

“Linkon feels like he has a responsibility to represent his people here. He’s too noble to walk away from that. He still has hope that an alliance could work.” I reminded her, despite feeling doubtful about the reliability of this concept myself and she scoffed under her breath, though her expression revealed that she knew I was right. 

“You’re always safe with me. No matter what state I’m in. I’m never gonna let anything happen to you and neither will your man. You know that, right?” I confirmed, squeezing her hand tightly and she snuck a rare smile at me.

“I know. The same goes for you. We’ve got each other's backs.” She confirmed and I was pleased to have at least taken the edge off her anxiety. “Love you.” She whispered, sniffing emotionally before she leaned her head onto my shoulder in a way that she hadn’t done in a long time.

“Love you too, Tavi.” I breathed, placing a light kiss on the top of her head and leaning into her too.  

We stayed like this for a few minutes and I treasured the feeling of closeness between us. Since we landed on Earth things had never been the same, but I was grateful that I could always fall back on Octavia. Her love and commitment had kept me strong in the worst times of my life and I knew that no matter what happened in the future, or how far apart we ended up, I would always be able to depend on it. 

“Sorry to interrupt this super adorable moment, but I’ve gotta move you.” Jackson announced with an apologetic smile as he crept into the area around my bed and I glanced up at him in confusion.

“The grounders that we are treating are suffering with an illness that is causing breathing difficulties. It’s not especially serious, but if you were to catch it, it would majorly affect your recovery. We’re gonna move you to a private room for tonight and then we’ll see if you’re looking well enough to rest up in your own quarters after that.” He explained as he busied himself with gathering my stuff so that I wouldn’t attempt to carry it myself and I looked over at Octavia reluctantly.

“It’s okay. You need to focus on taking care of yourself. We’ll chat later.” She soothed, giving my arm a supportive squeeze, before she left me to Jackson’s care.

Using his arm for balance, I allowed him to lead me to a small room beside the main ward that was available for any intensive care cases. He assisted in setting up the room and checked that I was settled comfortably in bed. Once he’d wheeled in all of the necessary equipment, he connected me to an IV for another dose of pain relief and ensured that I ate a full meal, before he returned to assist Abby in the main ward.

For a while, I managed to concentrate on reading The Iliad again, before I became restless and my mind began to obsess over Bellamy, worrying over what could take this amount of time. I recalled Raven’s earlier words with a flinch, fearful that they were hurtful enough to cause him to do all manner of stupid things and I was already considering whether I had the energy to sneak out to find him, when he finally appeared.

“Hey! Are you alright?” He enquired immediately, seeming flustered and lost as he made his way into the room and I nodded with confusion, unsure what had caused such a distressing attitude. “I panicked when I couldn’t find you. What’s going on?” He breathed, sounding out of breath and I smiled at his protectiveness. 

“Oh, sorry. Jackson and Abby don’t want me to pick up anything from the grounders that they’re treating whilst I’m still in recovery.” I explained, casually placing the book on a nearby surface and he glanced back toward the ward in annoyance.

“If they’re so sick, maybe they shouldn’t be here!” He stated frustratedly, his entire demeanour radiating aggravation and I knitted my brows together at the absurdity of this statement. “We shouldn’t be taking grounders into Arkadia if it’s going to endanger our own people.” He argued as he glared toward the ward again and I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

“Well, that’s why I’m in here now. The illness isn’t especially dangerous, according to Jackson. They just didn’t want to slow my recovery.” I clarified gently, but he remained distracted by this change and I could tell that something else was bothering him. 

“Come on. Sit down.” I requested, tapping a chair that was beside the bed and he paused to ensure that the door to the room was fully closed protectively.

Once satisfied that no germs were going to reach me, he reluctantly shuffled over to my side and dropped into the chair. Even his posture seemed irritable and I knew that he wasn’t coping, despite his best efforts to keep this information to himself. It was agonising for me to witness him suffering and wished that I could simply take his pain away. 

“Bellamy, talk to me. Please.” I offered, reaching over to take one of his hands in mine and he simply fidgeted in his seat as he viewed me. He didn’t grip my hands in return, seeming completely removed from me and I felt anxiety building in my chest at his strange behaviour.

“Baby. What Raven said earlier was awful-”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He cut in abruptly, clearing his throat to ensure that his voice didn’t divulge any emotion and I chewed on my lip.

“Well, clearly not talking about it is doing wonders for you.” I blurted, thinning my eyes at him and he avoidantly turned his face away.

Everything about his posture was closed off, as if he was making every effort to keep me from breaching his defences and I couldn’t imagine why he felt that he needed to manage this alone. Ever since I first woke up in Arkadia, I knew that there were things that he wouldn’t tell me and in the months that followed the feeling only grew, seeming like a disease that slowly poisoned him. Now I knew that he was lying and the pain that he battled to disguise was written all over his face, in capital letters. 

 “She needs someone to blame for what happened and it’s not fair that she picked you.” I stated, keeping my voice gentle as I addressed him and he sniffed loudly. “This isn’t your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” He asked sharply, startling me with the sharpness of his tone and I noticed when he finally brought his gaze back to me that there were tears glistening in his eyes. “I chose to trust Echo. I vouched for her, even when you told me to be careful. They were all my decisions. Going to Polis to warn them was my plan.” He pointed out, his voice shaking as he spoke and hurt came off him in waves.

“I almost got you killed, Indie!” He hissed, the pain in his face causing my heart to break and I could hardly cope with how broken he looked. “Jackson said that when he found you, you were drowning in your own blood. You barely made it through surgery. I had to sit here and watch you fight for your life, knowing that it was my fault if you died.” 

“You didn’t do this to me, Bellamy. This one is on me. I hid the broken ribs and I stayed in the mountain for too long. I did this to myself.” I insisted, unwilling to allow him to blame himself for my injuries and I could recognise that this aspect had caused the most damage to him emotionally. 

“Please. Tell me how this blood isn’t on my hands, because I can’t see it.” He whispered, hardly able to get the words out as he stared at me in desperation and I longed to wrap him in my arms, holding him until he came back to his senses.

“Earlier today, you reminded me that we are still just kids, doing the best that we can. You could never have known what was going to happen. The only people with blood on their hands are the ones who plotted to kill us. You don’t get to punish yourself for being human.” I asserted with as much strength as I could and he finally allowed a tear to roll down his cheek. “You did what you believed was right. You can’t be blamed for what happened after.” I confirmed, reaching out to brush the tear away, but he leaned away from me.

“I’m pretty sure that Raven would disagree.” He divulged in a hoarse voice, roughly wiping his tears aside as if he were frustrated at himself for showing weakness and for a moment, I felt lost for words.

The distance between us felt like miles and I couldn’t think on how to reach past the blame that he was determined to carry. For the first time since we’d been together, he felt like a stranger to me and it strung to realise that I hadn’t known him for long enough to know how to handle this. The only remaining truth that I could offer was my own insight and I took a deep breath as I returned my mind to the weeks that I spent captive in Mount Weather.

“When I thought that I lost you, I was like a totally different person. That kind of grief, combined with all of the what ifs and missed chances, it brings out the worst in you. She’s dealing with so many constantly changing emotions and she just needs someone to direct them at.” I expressed, using my experiences to try to remove some of the impact of Raven’s attack and he listened obediently whilst still keeping his gaze trained away from me.

“You’re an easy target for her and she needs that right now. For me, it was Miller.” I admitted, causing him to finally glance up at me in confusion. “In my mind, I lost you because he took me when you were fighting Tristan. I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge that he was just protecting me as you’d asked. I believed that I could’ve saved you and he stopped me from doing that. I was so angry with him.” I divulged, feeling the familiar pain of shame in my chest as I recalled the way that I had spoken to Miller back then and Bellamy seemed equally shocked by my confession.

“But you got me back. Raven won’t get a redo like we did.” He sighed, seeming even more remorseful as he considered this and I felt at a loss for anything else I could say to help him. 

“I did. And I will always be grateful for that.” I confirmed, squeezing his hand with appreciation, but he barely even reacted to me. “I forgave Miller long before I knew that you had survived. It took a lot of soul searching and I think it probably made a big difference that we had to work together to survive, but I accepted that it wasn’t fair to blame him. I’d even consider us friends now. Raven will forgive you in time. For now though, you need to forgive yourself.” I urged, staring into his face with concern, but he remained distant as if I hadn’t even spoken at all.

“We will need to work together to survive again soon if Kane doesn’t act.” He muttered, running a hand through his hair in a gesture of stress and I tilted my head at him in question. 

“We’ve got an army of grounders surrounding us at this very moment. If the Commander decides to change her loyalties again like she did at Mount Weather, we won't stand a chance.” He presented as if this threat were obvious and I leaned away from him slightly in shock.

This was the last thing that I had expected him to say and it took several minutes for me to form a response as I struggled to understand who he was referring to.

“Indra’s army.” I pointed out firmly, but he stared back at me with an unchanged expression. “They’re here to help us fight Azgeda. This isn’t like before. We’re the thirteenth clan now.” I argued, confused that we were even discussing this and he scoffed at me in an antagonising manner. “We can trust Trikru. Indra has proven herself too many times for you to disrespect her like this.”

“Indra is a grounder! Trusting a grounder just got thirty six of our people killed.” He hissed, seeming as if he were losing his patience with me and I felt my eyes widen at his attitude. “You are too attached to them to see this for the danger that it is. It’s time that you remembered who your people are and started thinking of their safety.” He lectured, already warming into a familiarly protective attitude and I felt my temper rising at the sight of it.

“I am thinking of my people, despite the fact that you are currently behaving like children.” I spat, my sympathy rapidly being pushed aside for anger as he seemed to have suddenly forgotten the months of work that had gone into campaigning for peace, in favour of viewing every grounder in the same light.

Bellamy clenched his jaw at my words, avoiding meeting my eyes as he fidgeted in place and I crossed my arms defensively. A few moments of silence passed as we both attempted to calm ourselves and I couldn’t allow things to fester any longer between us, as I decided that it was time to address his behaviour. 

“If you’re so concerned about our safety, why did you quit the guard?” I asked in a cold tone, allowing my expression to reveal my annoyance for his dishonesty and he whipped his gaze back up to me in panic. “Kane told me. He hoped that I might be able to convince you to reconsider, but if I’m honest, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with you working as a guard right now. I know that you feel like you need to keep us safe, but you’re being paranoid-”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” He yelled as he rose to his feet in anger and I flinched at his unexpected outburst, staring up at him with wide eyes.

“You’re so blinded by your loyalty to Arlo that you can’t see what's right in front of you. My decision to trust a grounder opened us up for betrayal, again. We have to be wiser. Wake up, Indie! Kane’s got you dancing to his tune!”

“And it sounds like Pike’s finally got you dancing to his!” I snapped viciously, causing him to curse under his breath and storm out of the room without another word, leaving the door hanging open behind him.

“Bellamy!” I yelled after him, hardly able to believe that he’d walked out on me when he knew I couldn’t leave and I threw off my covers to prepare to follow him, when Jackson rushed in.

“Woah, woah!” He gasped, glancing back out of the door with disbelief. “Indie, don’t even think about getting out of that bed! You’re not well enough.” He ordered, barging his way over to push me back and due to my weak state, I couldn’t fight as he lifted me slightly to prop me back on the mattress.

“Jackson. I need to-”

“I understand that you want to go after your man, but just give him some time to cool off. He’ll come back when he’s ready.” Jackson argued, blocking the door from my reach and I reluctantly flopped into lying down with exhaustion. 

“You might as well get comfortable, honey. You’re not going anywhere. I need to get these dressings changed, anyway.” He added as he approached to ensure that I was secure in the bed, before he busied himself with treating my burns and I had no energy left to argue as I began to stew in my thoughts. 

❖ ── ✦ ──『✙』── ✦ ── ❖

The effect of the pain relief was so strong that I didn’t even realise that I had fallen asleep until someone was shaking me. It was a battle to pull myself from the allure of sleep, as the exhaustion I felt was so intense that it felt unbeatable. Between blinks, I caught sight of Octavia standing above me with a panicked expression and the fear in her face spurred me into action.

“Indie, wake up! We’ve got trouble.” She hissed urgently and I sat bolt upright so quickly that it made me flinch in pain.

“What’s wrong?” I gasped, almost falling out of bed from dizziness and Octavia grabbed my shoulders to stabilise me.

She seemed to regret her decision to wake me, as I stared at her though unfocused eyes and I knew that she worried over my condition. After a few moments of staring at her insistently, she eventually cracked. 

“It’s Bellamy.” She sighed awkwardly, causing alarm to course through my body and miraculously, I was no longer tired. 

Octavia had to practically restrain me to prevent me from launching out of the bed and she hurried to explain so that I would cease fighting. 

“He’s not hurt!” She gasped in exasperation and I paused in place, viewing her with a feeling of intense dread. “He helped Pike’s crew to sneak guns out of the armoury. Lincoln and a couple of guards caught them trying to sneak out of camp. They were going to kill the army whilst they slept.” She explained as her face displayed her hurt at this discovery and I stuttered in shock, struggling to find any words to respond with.

“What?!” I spat, rubbing at my temples whilst my brain strained to comprehend this situation. Octavia watched me sympathetically as I wondered if I had somehow caused this, replaying our earlier conversation in my mind obsessively.

“That’s not even the worst of it.” She confessed in a careful voice and I could barely bring myself to meet her eyes as I steeled myself for more. “Kane and Abby came out to arrest them all and obviously it caused a scene. So, Pike started using it to preach his bullshit as usual and Bellamy publicly suggested that he run for Chancellor. Indie, he started the whole camp cheering for him.” 

“They’re not going to allow him to run, are they?” I breathed in horror as I understood that she had been correct to feel afraid in this camp and my anxiety was running in circles as I realised that she could be in danger. 

“I don’t think they have much of a choice. He has more support than we realised. There would be riots if they refused.” She mumbled, the colour draining from her face as she considered this and I rubbed at my face with a groan.

“This is insane!” I stated in disbelief, feeling as if I simply wanted to hide beneath my covers, but I knew that she was counting on me, amongst many others.

Pain pulsed in my head as I tried to push through my shock to form a plan, but I was overwhelmed with guilt and betrayal that clouded my judgement. It seemed utterly childish now that I had been so upset over Bellamy lying about his guard jacket when compared to something as extreme as this and I struggled to match this decision to the kind, understanding man that I knew. Octavia watched me with a similarly lost look in her eyes and I was glad to have her at my side to sympathise with the conflicting emotions that I battled. 

“Alright. Did Bellamy get arrested too?” I enquired in a forced attempt at a calm tone and she nodded without hesitation. “Good. It's a long shot, but if I can get in to visit him, then I might just be able to talk some sense into him before it’s too late.”

[ayatosmlktea]

Can I request a royal au where Levi's s/o gets poisoned and its really bad with her coughing up blood and stuff and Levi's deathly afraid. But she does get better with time and then Levi starts to hunt down the culprits who did this to his queen. King Levi's wrath unleashed ya know

𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒅 ❤️

Their long day was finally over, it had been nothing but meetings with ambassadors from neighbouring kingdoms wanting to make alliances. Honestly, Levi would have rather counted grains of sand than put up with the idiotic conditions they wanted him to comply with. Y/N had been with him during the meetings, valuing his queens opinion more than his own advisors much to their dismay, but they had barely had a chance to be alone. His stomach growled, not having eaten since early that morning their meetings had taken up the whole day and he was starving.

Y/N sits next to him, her smile softening the look of exhaustion in his eyes. Her fingers idly stroke the back of his hand as they wait for their meals to be placed in front of them. Dinner was exquisite as usual, Levi was about to dismiss his servants for the evening wanting some time alone with Y/N when her sudden coughing made him pause. One hand splayed across her stomach while the other covered her mouth, her eyes were watering as her coughs became more violent. Panic coursed through his body as he watched her double over the side of her chair blood pouring out of her mouth. Her agonized screaming cut off by more blood being expelled ringing in his ears.

“What the hell is going on?” He bellows rushing to her side, holding her hair back while his eyes are furiously glaring at his servants who look equally horrified. Y/N begins to shiver her forehead quickly becoming drenched with sweat. Gently picking her up into his he hurries to the bedroom shouting for someone to call Hange. Her low groans of pain stab at his heart, her face becoming sickly pale. His mind was consumed with rage, someone had dared poison his queen in his own home no less. Levi ruled out the possibility of it being his own servants, having hand-picked them all himself he knew they were devoted to their king and Queen. It was no coincidence that Y/N had been poisoned just when they had foreign guests visiting.

Laying her on the bed he fetches a damp wash cloth from their bathroom to wipe away the sweat that was dripping down her face. Her eyes were shut tightly, face contorted with pain.

“Levi it hurts” she croaks out, turning to lie on her side clutching her stomach. She started coughing again, more blood splattering against her paling lips. He feels utterly helpless, unable to do anything but wipe the blood away from her mouth and rub her back until the doctor can treat her. After what seems like ages Hange bursts into the room with her assistant trailing behind her, arms full of supplies.

“Took you long enough” he scowls but is secretly grateful that help has finally arrived. Hange examines Y/N’s condition, taking notes of her symptoms and asking about the events leading up to her being poisoned.

“There isn’t much I can do for now until I know exactly what kind of poison they used but I can give her something to stop the bleeding. It isn’t going to cure her but it will slow down the effects of the poison.” Taking a sample of Y/N’s blood Hange coaxes her mouth open before slipping a clear substance down her throat.

“What do you mean by slow down?” Levi asks, dread settling in the pit of his stomach.

“Whoever poisoned Y/N did so with the intention of killing her. The solution I just gave her will act as an inhibitor for now but eventually it will wear off.” Levi’s heart started racing, his eyes glance towards Y/N’s silent form. Her eyes weren’t scrunched together in pain anymore but her breathing was still coming out in short gasps.

“How long?”

“48 hours, three days at most. By then I should have the antidote ready.”

“Then I suggest you get to work” Hange nods, her expression solemn as she glances one last time at Y/N’s sleeping form before gathering her samples and leaving them alone. Levi’s hand cups her cheek grateful that she isn’t awake to see the way his fingers are trembling against her skin.

Levi didn’t want to leave her but he wanted-no needed to personally find the scum who had dared to put his queen in harms way. After much reassurance from Y/N’s personal hand maid, Levi set off with his knights to snuff out the filth in his kingdom. It had to be one of the parties that had arrived the day before, the timing was too suspicious to ignore. If someone from his own kingdom wanted to poison her they would’ve tried it already.

He’d already had Mikasa and Jean search the ambassador’s rooms earlier that day. They’d both come up empty handed much to Levi’s frustration. It had already been a full day since the incident and Y/N hadn’t woken up since being given Hange’s temporary solution. He had thought for sure it would’ve one of the two who had made the biggest complaints at having Y/N attend their meetings. He’d dropped by Hange’s lab earlier, her face dark with concentration muttering to herself. She was still working on deciphering the poison used, it wasn’t one she was familiar with meaning that whoever had access to it either, had come from far away or had connections with the black markets.

The image of Y/N violently coughing up blood was permanently burned into his brain, he wouldn’t accept the possibility of her dying. Hange would find a cure, there was no other way. He couldn’t imagine living his life without Y/N at his side. She was his everything, hell he would even argue that she ran the kingdom better than he did. He feels helpless picturing her face contorted with pain, desperately begging him to make it go away. Shaking his head he tries to collect himself, he needed to focus on finding whoever had done this. The muffled sound of voices coming from the throne room grabs his attention. Unless either Levi or Y/N were present no one was allowed to be in there.

“Yes I did everything like you said, the queen should be dead by tonight” peeking through the crack of the door he finds Zeke standing with his back to Levi, another figure hidden behind him. Levi’s jaw clenches, his hunch had been right. Zeke had protested the most to having Y/N in the throne room, claiming that in his country women weren’t allowed to take part in “men’s affairs”. Needless to say Levi didn’t like him.

“Well I guess you’ve finally proved your worth Floch. Once that useless tramp is out of the way we’ll be able to begin seizing his kingdom slowly.”

“You must be absolutely fucking stupid to think this was the best place to gloat in your victory” Levi snaps. Shouting for his guards he stands in the way of their only exit. Floch’s face drains of colour while Zeke merely looks annoyed.

“Yes your majesty?”

“Take these two shit bags to the dungeon. I’ll be down shortly”

“You might think that you’ve won this time but I have people everywhere. Even in your own kingdom. Your queen is never going to be safe” Zeke’s cocky smirk sends Levi into a rage, he doesn’t think twice about punching him face. The sound of bones cracking under his knuckles the most satisfying sound he’s heard all day. Grabbing Zeke’s hair he pulls his face up to meet fiery grey eyes.

“Let me make this clear, you declared war on me and my kingdom the second you thought about hurting Y/N. It doesn’t matter who you have and where they are because just like you, they’re all going to be eliminated.” Levi’s tone is unwavering, not a hint of emotion can be heard. His lips curl back into a sneer, his demeanour that of a possessed man.

“You’re in for a long night boys, Jean make sure our guests are nice and comfortable” Levi’s eyes follow them out of the throne room, his fingers shaking with rage as he balls his fists.

Returning to their room after calming down he finds Hange leaning over Y/N, tilting her head back to help her drink another clear liquid.

“You found it?” He demands rushing over to her side, immediately he notices colour beginning to come back to her face.

“Yeah, it wasn’t easy but I managed. She should wake up in a few hours but she’s going to be pretty weak for a couple days.” Levi’s hand grips Y/N still one, his conscience can finally rest easy knowing that she would survive.

“Heard you found the guys who did this to her.” Hange remarks, packing away her medical supplies rather haphazardly into her bag.

“Wasn’t hard, dumb shits were bragging about it in the fucking throne room for God’s sake” rolling his eyes, Hange barks out a sharp laugh. Placing her hand on his shoulder, her expression is unusually serious.

“Make them pay Levi, who knows I might drop by myself. I’m a bit rusty but I could use a bit of stress relief”

“Only you would call torture stress relief four-eyes” he snorts.

“I’ll be back to check on her tomorrow morning” Levi’s shoulders slump forward, the events of the past day taking a toll on his emotions. Stripping out of his robes he slips into more casual clothing, curling up beside Y/N. Her body turns over facing him, her hands seeking him out even in sleep. Chuckling he pulls her close against his chest, kissing the top of her head. He was going to make sure Zeke suffered greatly for hurting his queen.

Masterlist

[gaysparklepires]

30. First Round

Read on OA3 - Links up Top!

How was I going to find time alone to hunt down J. Jenks, and why did Alice want me to know about him?

If Alice’s clue didn’t prove to be helpful, what could I do to save those I loved?

How were Edward and I going to explain things to Taras and his family in the morning? What if they reacted like Ivan? What if it turned into a fight?

I didn’t know how to fight. How was I going to learn in just a month? Was there any chance at all that I could be taught fast enough that I might be a danger to any one member of the Volturi? Or was I doomed to be totally useless? Just another easily dispatched problem?

So many answers I needed, but I did not get the chance to ask my questions.

Wanting some shred of normality, I’d insisted on staying in the cottage that night. Jacob was more comfortable in his wolf form at the moment; the stress was easier dealt with when he felt ready for a fight. I wished that I could feel the same, could feel ready. He ran in the woods, on guard again.

Once we were back at the cottage, I tried to unobtrusively search to see if there was a chance Alice had left something—anything else that could help me. When my search proved in vain, I returned to the front room of the cottage to ask my questions of Edward. The ones I was able to ask, at any rate; one of the most difficult problems was the idea of trying to hide anything from him, even with the advantage of my silent thoughts.

He stood with his back to me, staring into the fire.

“Edward, I—”

He spun and was across the room in what seemed like no time at all, not even the smallest part of a second. I only had time to register the ferocious expression on his face before his lips were crushing against mine and his arms were locked around me like steel girders.

I didn’t think of my questions again for the rest of that night. It didn’t take long for me to grasp the reason for his mood, and even less time to feel exactly the same way.

I’d been planning on needing years just to somewhat organize the overwhelming passion I felt for him physically. And then centuries after that to enjoy it. If we had only a month left together... Well, I didn’t see how I could stand to have this end. For the moment I couldn’t help but be selfish. All I wanted was to love him as much as possible in the limited time given to me.

It was hard to pull myself away from him when the sun came up, but we had our job to do, a job that might be more difficult than all the rest of our family’s searches put together. As soon as I let myself think of what was coming, I was all tension; it felt like my nerves were being stretched on a rack, thinner and thinner.

“I wish there was a way to get the information we need from Elena before we tell them about everything,” Edward muttered as we hurriedly dressed in the huge closet that was more reminder of Alice than I wanted at the moment. “Just in case.”

“But she wouldn’t understand the question to answer it,” I agreed. “Do you think they’ll let us explain?”

“I don’t know.”

I couldn’t waste one second of time today. There were answers I needed and I wasn’t sure how much time Edward and I would have alone today. If all went well with Taras’s family, hopefully we would have company for an extended period.

“Edward, will you teach me how to fight?” I asked him, tensed for his reaction, as he held the door for me.

It was what I expected. He froze, and then his eyes swept over me with a deep significance, like he was looking at me for the first or last time.

“If it comes to a fight, there won’t be much any of us can do,” he hedged.

I kept my voice even. “Would you leave me unable to defend myself?”

He swallowed convulsively, and the door shuddered, hinges protesting, as his hand tightened. Then he nodded. “When you put it that way... I suppose we should get to work as soon as we can.”

I nodded, too, and we started toward the big house. We didn’t hurry.

I wondered what I could do that would have any hope of making a difference. I was unique, to be sure, and I was a tiny bit special, in my own way—if  having a supernaturally thick skull could really be considered special. Was there any use that I could put that toward?

“What would you say their biggest advantage is? Do they even have a weakness?”

Edward didn’t have to ask to know I meant the Volturi.

“Alec and Jane are their greatest offense,” he said emotionlessly, like we were talking of a basketball team. “Their defensive players rarely see any real action.”

“Because Jane can burn you where you stand—mentally at least. What does Alec do? Didn’t you once say he was even more dangerous than Jane?”

“Yes. In a way, he is the antidote to Jane. She makes you feel the worst pain imaginable. Alec, on the other hand, makes you feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sometimes, when the Volturi are feeling kind, they have Alec anesthetize someone before he is executed. If he has surrendered or pleased them in some other way.”

“Anesthetic? But how is that more dangerous than Jane?”

“Because he cuts off your senses altogether. No pain, but also no sight or sound or smell. Total sensory deprivation. You are utterly alone in the blackness. You don’t even feel it when they burn you.”

I shivered. Was this the best we could hope for? To not see or feel death when it came?

“That would make him only equally as dangerous as Jane,” Edward went on in the same detached voice, “in that they both can incapacitate you, make you into a helpless target. The difference between them is like the difference between Aro and me. Aro hears the mind of only one person at a time. Jane can only hurt the one object of her focus. I can hear everyone at the same time.”

I felt cold as I saw where he was going. “And Alec can incapacitate us all at the same time?” I whispered.

“Yes,” he said. “If he uses his gift against us, we will all stand blind and deaf until they get around to killing us—maybe they’ll simply burn us without bothering to tear us apart first. Oh, we could try to fight, but we’ll be more likely to hurt one another than we would be to hurt one of them.”

We walked in silence for a few seconds.

An idea was shaping itself in my head. Not very promising, but better than nothing.

“Do you think Alec is a very good fighter?” I asked. “Aside from what he can do, I mean. If he had to fight without his gift. I wonder if he’s ever even tried...”

Edward glanced at me sharply. “What are you thinking?”

I looked straight ahead. “Well, he probably can’t do that to me, can he? If what he does is like Aro and Jane and you. Maybe... if he’s never really had to defend himself... and I learned a few tricks—”

“He’s been with the Volturi for centuries,” Edward cut me off, his voice abruptly panicked. He was probably seeing the same image in his head that I was: the Cullens standing helpless, senseless pillars on the killing field—all but me. I’d be the only one who could fight. “Yes, you’re surely immune to his power, but you are still new in this life, Beau. I can’t make you that strong a fighter in a few weeks. I’m sure he’s had training.”

“Maybe, maybe not. It’s the one thing I can do that no one else can. Even if I can just distract him for a while—” Could I last long enough to give the others a chance?

“Please, Beau,” Edward said through his teeth. “Let’s not talk about this.”

“Be reasonable.”

“I will try to teach you what I can, but please don’t make me think about you sacrificing yourself as a diversion—” He choked and didn’t finish.

I nodded. I would keep my plans to myself, then. First Alec and then, if I was miraculously lucky enough to win, Jane. If I could only even things out—remove the Volturi’s overwhelming offensive advantage. Maybe then there was a chance... My mind raced ahead. What if I wasable to distract or even take them out? Honestly, why would either Jane or Alec ever have needed to learn battle skills? I couldn’t imagine petulant little Jane surrendering her advantage, even to learn.

If I was able to kill them, what a difference that would make.

“I have to learn everything. As much as you can possibly cram into my head in the next month,” I murmured.

He acted as if I hadn’t spoken.

Who next, then? I might as well have my plans in order so that, if I did live past attacking Alec, there would be no hesitation in my strike. I tried to think of another situation where my thick skull would give me an advantage. I didn’t know enough about what the others did. Obviously, fighters like the huge Felix were beyond me. I could only try to give Emmett his fair fight there. I didn’t know much about the rest of the Volturi guard, besides Demetri…

My face was perfectly smooth as I considered Demetri. Without a doubt, he would be a fighter. There was no other way he could have survived so long, always at the spear point of any attack. And he must always lead, because he was their tracker—the best tracker in the world, no doubt. If there had been one better, the Volturi would have traded up. Aro didn’t surround himself with second best.

If Demetri didn’t exist, then we could run. Whoever was left of us, in any case.

And... if Demetri didn’t exist, then Alice and Jasper could be safe forever. Is that what Alice had seen? That part of our family could continue? The two of them, at the very least.

Could I begrudge her that?

“Demetri...,” I said.

“Demetri is mine,” Edward said in a hard, tight voice. I looked at him quickly and saw that his expression had turned violent.

“Why?” I whispered.

He didn’t answer at first. We were to the river when he finally murmured, “For Alice. It’s the only thanks I can give her now for the last fifty years.”

So his thoughts were in line with mine.

I heard Jacob’s heavy paws thudding against the frozen ground. In seconds, he was pacing beside me, his dark eyes focused on mine.

I nodded to him once, then returned to my questions. There was so little time.

“Edward, why do you think Alice told us to ask Elena about the Volturi? Has she been in Italy recently or something? What could she know?”

“Elena knows everything when it comes to the Volturi. I forgot you didn’t know. She used to be one of them.”

Jacob growled beside me.

“What?” I demanded, in my head picturing the beautiful dark-haired woman at our wedding wrapped in a long, ashy cloak.

Edward’s face was softer now—he smiled a little. “Elena is a very gentle person. She wasn’t entirely happy with the Volturi, but she respected the law and its need to be upheld. She felt she was working toward the greater good. She doesn’t regret her time with them. But when she found Carmen, she found her place in this world. They are very similar people, both very compassionate for vampires.” He smiled again. “They met Taras and his family, and they never looked back. They are well suited to this lifestyle. If they’d never found Taras, I imagine they would have eventually discovered a way to live without human blood on their own.”

The pictures in my head were jarring. I couldn’t make them match up. A compassionate Volturi soldier?

Edward glanced at Jacob and answered a silent question. “No, she wasn’t one of their warriors, so to speak. She had a gift they found convenient.”

Jacob must have asked the obvious follow-up question.

“Elena has an instinctive feel for the gifts of others—the extra abilities that some vampires have,” Edward told him. “She could give Aro a general idea of what any given vampire was capable of just by being in proximity with him or her. This was helpful when the Volturi went into battle. Elena could warn them if someone in the opposing coven had a skill that might give them some trouble. That was rare; it takes quite a skill to even inconvenience the Volturi for a moment. More often, the warning would give Aro the chance to save someone who might be useful to him. Elena’s gift works even with humans, to an extent. She has to really concentrate with humans, though, because the latent ability is so nebulous. Aro would have her test the people who wanted to join, to see if they had any potential. Aro was sorry to see Elena go.”

“They let her go?” I asked. “Just like that?”

His smile was darker now, a little twisted. “The Volturi aren’t supposed to be the villains, the way they seem to you. They are the foundation of our peace and civilization. Each member of the guard chooses to serve them. It’s quite prestigious; they all are proud to be there, not forced to be there.”

I frowned, troubled by this.

“They’re only alleged to be heinous and evil by the criminals, Beau.”

“We’re not criminals.”

Jacob huffed in agreement.

“They don’t know that.”

“Do you really think we can make them stop and listen?”

Edward hesitated just the tiniest moment and then shrugged. “If we find enough friends to stand beside us. Maybe.”

If. I suddenly felt the urgency of what we had before us today. Edward and I both started to move faster, breaking into a run. Jacob caught up quickly.

“Taras shouldn’t be too much longer,” Edward said. “We need to be ready.”

How to be ready, though? We arranged and rearranged, thought and rethought. Have me in full view? Or hidden at first? Jacob in the room? Or outside? He’d told his pack to stay close but invisible. Should he do the same?

In the end, Jacob—in his human form again—and I waited around the corner from the front door in the dining room, sitting at the big polished table. Jacob sat a few chairs from me; he wanted space in case he had to phase quickly.

Though I was glad to have Jacob nearby, it made me feel useless. It reminded me that in a fight with mature vampires, I was no more than an easy target; I didn’t know how to protect myself.

I tried to remember Taras, Kate, Carmen, and Elena from the wedding. Their faces were murky in my ill-lit memories. I only knew they were beautiful, two blondes and two brunettes. I couldn’t remember if there was any kindness in their eyes.

Edward leaned motionlessly against the back-window wall, staring toward the front door. It didn’t look like he was seeing the room in front of him.

We listened to the cars zooming past out on the freeway, none of them slowing.

“I really made everything as difficult as I possibly could, didn’t I?” I murmured, mostly to myself.

“What do you mean, Beau?” Jacob asked, though he was looking towards the front room. Edward’s eyes locked on to me.

“If I had just let Edward and Carlisle change me as soon as I got sick…”

“Beau, love, you can’t know how that would have changed things.” Edward argued.

“But I’d be a full vampire, the Volturi wouldn’t be confused about what I was.” I countered.

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t have stuck around.” Jacob frowned. “I wouldn’t be here with you.”

“But you’d be safe!” I insisted. “They wouldn’t be coming after you or the rest of the pack.”

“Unless Sam changed his mind and attacked the Cullens for breaking the treaty—or if I had gone ballistic.” He frowned, watching me carefully.

“Jake, I can’t see how this is anything but my fault.”

“No,” Jacob and Edward said at the same time, but before they could argue further, we heard the sound we’d been waiting for: the slowing of an engine on the freeway, the tires moving from pavement to soft dirt.

Edward darted around the corner to stand waiting by the door. Jacob and I stared at each other across the table, desperation on our faces.

The car moved quickly through the woods, faster than Charlie or Sue drove. We heard it pull into the meadow and stop by the front porch. Four doors opened and closed. They didn’t speak as they approached the door. Edward opened it before they could knock.

“Edward!” a male voice enthused.

“Hello, Taras. Kate, Elena, Carmen.” Three murmured hellos.

“Carlisle said he needed to talk to us right away,” the first voice said, Taras. I could hear that they all were still outside. I imagined Edward in the doorway, blocking their entrance. “What’s the problem? Trouble with the werewolves?”

Jacob rolled his eyes.

“No,” Edward said. “Not precisely at least. Our truce with the werewolves is stronger than ever.”

A woman chuckled.

“Aren’t you going to invite us in?” Taras asked. And then he continued without waiting for an answer. “Where’s Carlisle?”

“Carlisle had to leave.”

There was a short silence.

“What’s going on, Edward?” Taras demanded.

“If you could give me the benefit of the doubt for just a few minutes,” he answered. “I have something difficult to explain, and I’ll need you to be open-minded until you understand.”

“Is Carlisle all right?” a female voice asked anxiously. Elena.

“None of us is all right, Elena,” Edward said, and then he patted something, maybe Elena’s shoulder. “But physically, Carlisle is fine.”

“Physically?” Taras asked sharply. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that my entire family is in very grave danger. But before I explain, I ask for your promise. Listen to everything I say before you react. I am begging you to hear me out.”

A longer silence greeted his request. Through the strained hush, Jacob and I stared wordlessly at each other. His russet lips paled.

“We’re listening,” Taras finally said. “We will hear it all before we judge.”

“Thank you, Taras,” Edward said fervently. “We wouldn’t involve you in this if we had any other choice.”

Edward moved. We heard four sets of footsteps walk through the doorway. Someone sniffed. “I knew those werewolves were involved,” Taras muttered.

“Yes, and they’re on our side. Again.”

The reminder silenced Taras.

“Where’s your Beau?” one of the other female voices asked. “How is he?”

“He’ll join us shortly. He’s well, thank you.” Edward hesitated, minutely. “He’s taken to immortality with amazing finesse.”

“Tell us about the danger, Edward,” Taras said quietly. “We’ll listen, and we’ll be on your side, where we belong.”

Edward took a deep breath. “I’d like you to witness for yourselves first. Listen—in the other room. What do you hear?”

It was quiet, and then there was movement.

“Just listen first, please,” Edward said.

“A werewolf, I assume. I can hear his heart,” Taras said.

“What else?” Edward asked.

There was a pause.

“What is that other beat?” Kate or Carmen asked. “It’s so slow…”

“Yes, and remember how distinct it is—how different. Now, what do you smell? Besides the werewolf.”

“Is there a human here?” Elena whispered.

“No,” Taras disagreed. “It’s not human… but… closer to human than the rest of the scents here. What is that, Edward? It’s… almost familiar. Like I’ve smelled it before.”

“You have, Taras. But what else can you discern from that scent?”

A pause.

“It’s more human than we are…” Taras said slowly, “but it isstill like us in some ways.”

“Now, please, Taras, pleaseremember to listen. Throw away your preconceived notions.”

“I promised you I would listen, Edward.”

“All right, then. Beau? Please come here.”

My legs felt strangely numb, but I knew that feeling was all in my head. I forced myself not to hold back, not to move sluggishly, as I got to my feet and walked the few short feet to the corner. The heat from Jacob’s body flamed close behind me as he shadowed my steps.

I took one step into the bigger room and then froze, unable to force myself farther forward. I took a deep breath.

I thought I’d prepared myself for their reaction. For accusations, for shouting, for the motionlessness of deep stress.

Taras staggered back a few steps as he looked me over, confusion overwhelming his expression. Kate narrowed her eyes. Elena moved slightly in front of Carmen, holding her arms out protectively.

“Congrats, you freaked out the vampires,” I heard Jacob tease under his breath.

Edward put his arm around me. “Now before you jump to conclusions—” he began.

“What’s going on here, Edward?” Taras exclaimed. “Are you trying to test the Volturi? Carlisle told us you needed to change him!”

“What’s… wrongwith him?” Kate’s narrowed eyes were focused like lasers on me.

“Edward this isn’t wise.” Elena sighed.

“Wait,” Edward said, his voice harder now. “Remember what you hear, what you smell. Now look at what you can see.”

“I see a human!” Taras snapped back.

“Taras,” Edward said sharply, “Listen to how slow his heartbeat is! Think about his scent! And look at him!”

“His heart…” Carmen whispered, peering around Elena’s shoulder.

“He’s not a full vampire, no,” Edward said, answering an unspoken thought and directing his attention toward Carmen’s more open expression. “But he’s half-vampire.”

The four vampires stared at him like he was speaking a language none of them knew.

“Hear me.” Edward’s voice shifted into a smooth velvet tone of persuasion. “Beau was very sick—he was dying. Carlisle didn’t not believe he would survive the transformation. When we finally did attempt to change him…” Edward paused, only for a briefest second, “Something happened. Beau awoke as you see him now. Half-vampire and half-human.”

Taras’s mouth was hanging open, he didn’t seem aware of it.

“Edward, I don’t understand.” Elena was shaking her head.

“You hear his heart, don’t you? It’s too slow for a human. His scent, it’s human and vampire.” Edward said as calmly as he could manage.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Elena said. Her shoulders were still stiff, her expression cold.

“Come now, Elena. Open your mind.”

It was Carmen who responded to Edward’s words. She stepped around Elena, ignoring her half-articulated protest, and walked carefully to stand right in front of me. She examined me carefully, taking in every detail.

“Your eyes have always been beautiful,” she said in a low, calm voice, “but now they almost glow with an inner light, don’t they?” And then, as if she could not help herself, she smiled.

“Thank you,” I breathed.

They all glanced at each other at the sound of my voice.

“May I?” Carmen held out a hand toward my face.

I nodded once.

She gently placed a hand on my cheek, her head tilted slightly to the side. “You are warm, but… too cold for a human.” She leaned in closer and sniffed. “Your heart beats, but I smell no blood in you—not blood I would desire, at least.”

“What?” Taras demanded, coming closer. “How?”

Elena approached now. Reaching out her hand, “Please?” she glanced down at my own hand, her expression still cold.

I put my hand in hers, she felt my skin, examined my face. “Ah,” she nodded. “How very strange. But I see now. You are not human, not strictly speaking.”

“How did this happen?” Kate asked, coming closer now.

“When I was dying,” I answered, “I needed a blood transfusion.”

“We had few options,” Edward continued, “So we took a chance on a theory.” His eyes darted over to Jacob.

“You used the werewolf’s blood?” Taras’s voice was shocked.

“Hey.” Jacob grumbled.

“Jacob and his people possess advanced healing, we hoped that this would help Beau—and it did. It made him stronger. But the werewolves’ blood is not compatible with our venom. The end result…” Edward tightened his arm around me.

“A half-vampire.” Elena whispered.

“Will the Volturi accept this?” Taras asked Elena.

“He is no longer a mortal,” Elena replied. “If anything, he would be better adept at hiding the secret of the immortals than any of us.”

“They’d be confused.” Kate added. “But they’d understand, I’m sure.”

“So what is this grave danger you warned us of?” Taras asked. “Surely, you’re concerned about how they will react. The Volturi would be cautious but why—”

“The Volturi have been told that Beau is still human, and they’ve been informed of our friendship with the werewolves.” Edward answered, darkly.

The four vampires looked panicked now.

“The Volturi will not honor a truce with werewolves, Edward.” Elena’s voice was grave. “Believe me, I know.”

“We had intended to send Beau alone to meet with the Volturi. His thoughts are protected from Aro and so Beau could hide the wolves’ involvement.”

“But who would do this to you?” Taras was angry now. “Why?”

“When Ivan saw Beau that day in the mountains,” Edward explained. “Beau hadn’t hunted for several weeks. He appears more human when he doesn’t hunt, and he had Jacob with him.”

Kate hissed, her eyes narrowing to slits. “Ivan did this? To you? To Carlisle? Ivan?”

“No,” Taras whispered. “Someone else…”

“Alice saw him go to them,” Edward said. I wondered if the others noticed the way he winced just slightly when he spoke Alice’s name.

“How could he do this thing?” Elena asked of no one.

“Imagine if you had seen Beau, looking even more human than he does now. Imagine if you knew the Volturi demanded he be changed.” Edward said.

“When Ivan saw me, I was telling Jacob how happy I was that everything worked out—that I could stay in Forks, still be around my human family and friends.”

Taras and Kate’s eyes widened slightly as understanding began to dawn on them. The memory of their mother who refused to let go of her human life bringing pain into their expressions.

“Jacob changed into his wolf form when he sensed Ivan and Ivan didn’t wait for our explanation.” Edward continued.

Taras’s eyes tightened. “No matter what he thought—what he might have felt… You are our family.”

“There’s nothing we can do about Ivan’s choice now. It’s too late. Alice gave us a month.”

Both Taras’s and Elena’s heads cocked to one side. Kate’s brow furrowed.

“So long?” Elena asked.

“They are all coming. That must take some preparation.”

Elena gasped. “The entire guard?”

“Not just the guard,” Edward said, his jaw straining tight. “Aro, Caius, Marcus. Even the wives.”

Shock glazed over all their eyes.

“Impossible,” Elena said blankly.

“I would have said the same two days ago,” Edward said.

Elena scowled, and when she spoke it was nearly a growl. “But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would they put themselves and the wives in danger?”

“It doesn’t make sense from that angle. Alice said there was more to this than just punishment for what they think we’ve done. She thought you could help us.”

“More than punishment? But what else is there?” Elena started pacing, stalking toward the door and back again as if she were alone, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the floor.

“Where are the others, Edward? Carlisle and Alice and the rest?” Taras asked.

Edward’s hesitation was almost unnoticeable. He answered only part of her question. “Looking for friends who might help us.”

Taras leaned toward him, holding his hands out in front of him. “Edward, no matter how many friends you gather, we can’t help youwin. We can only die with you. You must know that. Of course, perhaps the four of us deserve that after what Ivan has done now, after how we’ve failed you in the past—for his sake that time as well.”

Edward shook his head quickly. “We’re not asking you to fight and die with us, Taras. You know Carlisle would never ask for that.”

“Then what, Edward?”

“We’re just looking for witnesses. If we can make them pause, just for a moment. If they would let us explain…” He touched my cheek. “Prove that Beau has been changed, or at least that we did our best to change him. Explain that the wolves present no immediate danger to them. Champion the Volturi to show us some mercy.”

Taras nodded slowly. “Do you think they will listen?”

“I don’t know. If Ivan had only given us a chance to explain before going to the Volturi we may have been able to avoid this entirely.”

“Beau still would have had to convince the Volturi his change was… satisfactory.” Kate raised an eyebrow.

“Beau,” Elena said quietly, still pacing, “is a rare creature. Aro would not risk destroying anything so unique without pause.”

“We can witness to the quality of our family.” Carmen finally said in a decided tone. “We can add our voices to yours. The Volturi are strict, but they are not without mercy.”

“Without mercy…” Elena repeated, still distant.

“Yes, we can witness for you,” Taras said. “Certainly that much. We will consider what more we might do.”

“Taras,” Edward protested, hearing more in his thoughts than there was in his words, “we don’t expect you to fight with us.”

“If the Volturi won’t pause to listen to our witness, if they will not show mercy, we cannot simply stand by,” Taras insisted. “Of course, I should only speak for myself.”

Kate snorted. “Do you really doubt me so much, brother?”

Taras smiled widely at her. “It is a suicide mission, after all.”

Kate flashed a grin back and then shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m in.”

“I, too, will do what I can do protect you all,” Carmen agreed. “Do not be so troubled, Beau.” She leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

“Thank you, all of you.” I said quietly.

For a moment I thought that maybe what we were attempting might be possible. Maybe we would be shown mercy by our enemies.

And then I remembered that Alice had left us, and my hope vanished as quickly as it had appeared.