( outfit for
chapter above )

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chapter eleven
deadline.

        "Aro will want us incapacitated before he attacks. Jane and Alec will try and take me out first because I can anticipate their attacks," Edward explained to the group.

Christina leaned up against the tree as she watched Greyson and Annie sit and talk with Benjamin. Nessie was off running through the trees with Jacob, becoming too antsy to sit and listen to stories.

"Too bad we don't all have your shield," Garrett said, looking towards Bella.

She purses her lips in response. "Doesn't help me fight, though."

"I feel you on that," Christina muttered softly.

Tanya hummed. "You could help the rest of us, Bella, if you can learn to project it."

Bella's eyes widened at the blonde's words. "Is that possible?"

Carlisle nodded his head. "Gifts can be developed over time. Look at Christina, she was only able to bring life from her body, but she can make plants grow from
seeds."

Kate nodded in agreement. "At first, mine was just in my palms. Now I can radiate it all over my body."

"How did you do it?" Bella asked urgently. She reached forwards and gripped onto Kate's hand, a little too tightly. "Teach me."

Kate looked down at their conjoined hands. "Ow."

Bella was quick to release Kate's hand. "Sorry, sorry," she mumbled as Kate waved her hand around sarcastically.

"You need to visualize it," Kate explained. "See how it moves. What color it is." Bella nodded her head as she closed her eyes, trying to picture what Kate was describing. "Now picture it expanding. Will it to go beyond you."

Bella struggled for a moment before sighed loudly, opening her eyes back up.

"I think she needs something to motivate her," Kate said, a smirk lingering on her face as she turned towards Christina and Edward standing next to each other. The brunette was quick to step away from Edward, leaving him to flick her ear in annoyance.

"No," Bella shook her head as Edward stepped in front of Kate.

"It's alright," Edward soothed. "I can take it."

Garrett chuckled, leaning against the same tree Emmett was. "He says that now."

"Focus, Bella, or he's gonna be hurting," Emmett warned, laughing along with Garrett.

Edward picked his hand up, getting ready to grab onto Kate's, which was already in the air.

"Edward, I'm not ready to do this yet—"

Bella was cut off as Edward got electrocuted from the touch of Kate's hand. Christina tried to hide her smirk as Edward got up from the ground, looking at Bella incredulously.

"I'm sorry," Bella said. "I said I wasn't ready!"

"Dude, you're not motivating her," Emmett jabbed with a laugh.

Edward sent him the incredulous look. "You want to try?"

Emmett immediately stepped back with his hands up in the air. Christina's laugh made Edward send her a glare as well.

Bella tries to focus as Edward reached to touch Kate's hand again. She growled as she pushed against her shield, but it still didn't reach Edward fully.

Edward got send to the ground again from the shock of the blonde's hand.

"Kate!" Bella snapped, warningly.

The blonde just hummed, ignoring Bella's threatening aura. "You seem to lack incentive. Shall I go see if Renesmee's back?"

"Are you crazy?" Bella snapped, stepping forwards.

Kate just wiggled her fingers. "Alright. This one's on full blast."

Edward sent Bella a pleading look as he faced Kate again. He held out his arm and clenched his eyes waiting for the pain from the Denali's touch. Bella took in multiple deep breaths and she continued to push against an unknown barrier until she was sure she saw the outline around Edward's body.

Edward opened his eyes in surprise as Kate's electricity hit his skin. He could see the sparks settling around his forearm, and he could feel it— but it was way less painful than it was before. He smiled.

"It's painful," he spoke up finally. "But it's bearable."

Both girls dropped their power at Edward's words. Bella smiled brightly back, happy that she could contribute to the fight.

"Okay," she nodded her head, "we should go again."

Edward cleared his throat before looking back at his brother. "Emmett?"

Emmett's smirk dropped as he shook his head wildly. "I'm good."

Christina chuckled as Garrett sighed before stepping forwards to face his new attraction. "Bella, you better be good at this," he muttered quietly.

She just gave him a returning smile.

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Christina sighed as she closed the kid's door. If she wasn't directly across the hallway, she wouldn't be leaving them alone— not to mention the fact that she would hear if anyone made a step in their direction.

She pushed her shared bedroom door open and closed it lightly behind her. Carlisle looked up at the book that he reading on their bed. He gave her a soft smile as she made her way over. She crawled into the space next to him, resting her head on his chest, instantly relaxing as he pulled her inside his side.

She hummed lowly, closing her eyes as he resumed his reading. It was another book full of legends— still trying to find any kind of information about Nessie and Greyson.

"Do you think we'll be okay?" She muttered so softly, not being able to reach any other ears downstairs. She opened her eyes as Carlisle started to move to look more clearly down at her.

Their ochre eyes met softly. Carlisle slipped his book on the bed, before touching Christina's cheek softly.

"I won't let anything happen to you three," Carlisle promised quietly. "Not to any of my family. Not if I can help it."

Christina shook her head against his head. "Don't put yourself in any dangerous situations, Carlisle. You're included in this family, nothing can happen to you either."

"I wouldn't do anything that would risk me spending the rest of forever with you," he promised. He leaned forward and captured her lips between his. She sighed lovingly into the embrace, missing the feel of normalcy— as normal as a vampire life could get, at least.

Christina rested the crown of her head against his chest; his fingers were gently running through her curls. Both of them were just appreciating their company.

It was quiet in the house for once, everyone trying to enjoy their possible last moments with their family and friends. Ever since Edward's speech about fighting, everyone's been on edge about the upcoming battle. Without Alice in their lives, they weren't sure how it was going to turn out— and who everyone needed to say goodbye to if it turned for the worse.

"Momma Nina, come brawl with me," Emmett spoke from downstairs.

She sighed against Carlisle's chest. "Okay," she muttered. She reached up and gave Carlisle a longing kiss, trying to show him just how much she loved him. He responded with the same emotion before pulling away.

"We'll be okay," he whispered again.

She hoped that he was right.

Christina just nodded her head, shining a soft smile as they both got up from their bed. Carlisle grabbed Christina's hand as she walked around the bed to meet him near their balcony.

They dropped down in front of the circle of vampires. Emmett's face broke into a smirk as he watched Christina walk forwards. She just rolled his eyes at his excitement, but silently she appreciated the opportunity to get more practice in. They only had about a week and a half left before the snow would start sticking as Alice predicted.

"No one wants to play with me," Emmett commented as Christina stepped into the middle of the circle.

"Why do I think you're picking and choosing your opponents?" Christina asked. She rolled up her sleeves to her shift as Emmett got into position for attack.

"He is," Kate answered, making Christina laugh in response.

"What's wrong, Emmett?" Christina teased as he came barreling forwards. She twirled on her feet, just missing Emmett, as she turned one-hundred and eighty degrees. "Don't want to get electrocuted?"

He narrowed his eyes before running forwards again.

Christina had the advantage over him being smaller— she could easily duck from his embrace. He caught her a few times, before chucking her into the tree line. Christina would twist in the air and land on her feet with a huff.

The battle ended with Christina pinning Emmett's arms behind his back. He was growling at his loss.

"Again," he said as the mother let his arms go.

She shook her head. "I'll tag someone else in." She glanced around the field before meeting eyes with Garrett. He sighed but took her place in front of Emmett.

Christina walked back over to Carlisle, wrapping her arms around his waist as the two started fighting behind her. Carlisle leaned down and landed a kiss on the crown of her head, not needing Jasper's power to sense her anxiety.

The upcoming battle could go either way; no one could predict the outcome. The only person that could is the one that ran off in the middle of the night. The Cullens were completely and totally blind. They never realized how much they relied on Alice's advice for the future. They always knew she was important, being one of the only vampires alive to see into the future. Anyone would be lucky to have her, not just for her power, but because of who she was.

And maybe that's why she left. Maybe Edward was right in the fact that Aro wants one specific person from the Cullen coven. Maybe she went into hiding for her own safety— and she couldn't tell anyone because Aro would be able to track her down if anyone knew.

Garrett landed harshly on the ground, putting up a white flag to Emmett with a sigh. Christina laughed as Garrett called in Emmett's next component.

"Kate?"

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"Are we going to grandpa's house?"

Christina looked in the rearview mirror at Greyson's question. She nodded her head, giving him a light smile. "Yes, we are. He needs help decorating for Christmas."

"Are Sue and Harry going to be there?" Annie asked, looking towards Seth for an answer. He nodded his head, making her cheer happily.

"I'm surprised you took a break from training," Seth commented, turning back around in his seat as he looked towards the mother for an answer. "You've been killin' it out there."

"What about you?" Christina turned the question around. "I noticed Jacob's been pretty tight on the leash lately."

Seth sighed. "Yeah, well..." He turned to look in the back, a soft smile appearing on his face. "It's worth it if it keeps them safe."

Christina gave him a matching smile as she pulled into the familiar two-story white building. She shut off the car after pulling behind Bella's new car — an unwanted birthday present from Edward. It was only a coincidence that Bella's Chevy had begun to have engine problems.

Christina opened the door for Greyson at the same time Seth opened Annie's door. Both kids ran towards the house as Charlie came out to greet them. All three kids hugged him at the same time, almost knocking him over if it wasn't for Harry and Sue behind him.

"Woah." Charlie was quick to get his footing back. "Look at you." He looked down towards Nessie and Greyson with furrowed brows. "You've grown half afoot!"

Both kids giggled at his exclamation.

"Seriously," he deadpanned, looking up towards Christina as she walked closer. "Like six inches."

Christina chuckled as she hugged Charlie. "Need to know," she sung in his ear. He sighed as they pulled away.

"Come on inside," Sue called with a knowing smile. "Lunch is on the table."

The kids — along with Seth — were quick to run into the house at those words. Harry and Sue chuckled as they followed after them.

"We've got a tree to decorate, huh?" Charlie walked towards the front door.

"Actually," Bella called, leaning against her driver's door. "I've got a few errands to run, guys. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Jacob and Christina have Bella a confused look, but the brunette ignored it as she climbed into her car. Christina frowned but didn't get a chance to question it as Greyson and Annie called for her attention.

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AHHHHH NOOOOO.
I'm really not ready.

Also if ya'll are bored.... My revised Fred Story is lonely and would like some company. 💕☺️