Chapter Twenty Two
All is Fair in Love and War
Grace Cullen-Swan

"Charlie, it's me, stop." I pleaded with him as I tried to pry his lovely fingers off of his tight grip around my throat.

My brain and heart were at complete war with one another.

My brain wanted me to fight back anyway I could, wanted me to get out of danger, and told me that this monster could not be my husband. My husband is dead and so this can not be real. This must be a trick from the Volturi, they must've found another illusionist vampire, however rare that probability might be. This was my killer. Not my husband.

My heart, however, was threatening to explode in my chest from the overwhelming emotions of love and life coursing through me at the sight of the man I had devoted myself to. His hair, now thicker with red highlights, the same light beard he had had the last time I saw him, his strong physique now even stronger, and his once love-filled brown eyes all called out to my heart. I just wanted him to hold me and kiss me and never let me go ever again.

"Charlie, please. I love you, stop." I begged desperately as his fingers clenched deeper into my throat, breaking through completely and puncturing my airway.

As I spoke his name, a flash of recognition crossed his face, but it quickly shifted back into the same hateful gaze. I couldn't process such an evil look coming from my devoted husband. I knew this had to be the work of one of Aro's talented guard members, and as my eyes quickly scanned the crowd of Volturi witnesses, I soon realized exactly what was going on.

Corin had a proud smirk on her face, her eyes transfixed on Charlie as she manipulated him with her gift, and anger quickly surged through my entire body.

They have taken Charlie from me once.

They will never take him from me again.

Corin's grin dropped the instant that she realized I was shifting my appearance and she growled in anger as I mirrored my image to hers exactly. Aro immediately descended on her, rebuking and ordering her to get Charlie back in control looking the most disheveled I've ever seen him. As Charlie blinked in confusion at me, not realizing why he had a grip on Corin suddenly, I ordered him to put me down. With my stern tone and perfect match to Corin's voice, he immediately dropped me.

In an effort to stall whatever Corin and Aro were planning next, I kicked Charlie as I fell. I got a good hit to his right leg, assuming that it was fake as that leg had been severed by the Volturi and was currently buried in Forks cemetery, and Charlie fell backwards into the snow as I hit the ground hard.

Hands suddenly landed on me and began to drag me quickly through the thick snow, and in my confusion, I began to struggle against them.

"I've got you." Jasper assured me as he stopped dragging me, his hands leaving my shoulders and beginning to carefully check the damage of my neck as my family surrounded me.

"Grace." Carlisle sighed in relief, crouching to his knees by my head as I began to choke on the venom that had pooled in my mouth. "Sister, I'm so happy you're alive." He cried, petting my hair and aiding Jasper in his evaluation of my injury.

"I'm so s-sorry." I sobbed, trying to keep my emotions under control.

"Mom!" Bella smiled widely down at me, going to her knees beside Carlisle and looming over me protectively.

"Bella." I gasped, her new beauty startling me completely as I took in her vampiric appearance. "My sweet Bella." I cried, reaching for her hand.

"I'm so proud of you." She swore to me, clutching my hand in hers tightly.

"He's coming." Alice warned us nervously. "We only have a few moments before he attacks again."

"I've got it." Bella nodded as she and Carlisle quickly helped me up on to my feet. "Dad!" She called out to him pleadingly, stepping out in front of us after making sure Carlisle had me steady.

Charlie, having just gotten back up on his feet, spun around to face her with the same mask of anger and fury on his face he had when looking at me. As Charlie began to run towards us, I was preparing myself to jump out in front of Bella to protect her. But, all of the sudden, he froze up as if he had ran into a brick wall. Another wave seemed to wash over him as he dropped to his knees and seemingly began to shake off Corins gift.

Bella grabbed my hand tightly, pulling me away from Carlisle as she dragged me with her over to Charlie. I pushed her behind me, just as a precaution that whatever she had done to him hadn't worked right, and I carefully crouched down to his level.

His eyes were shut as he rocked slightly back and forth, he looked as though he might be sick as he fought against whatever hold Corin had on him. I couldn't help but stare in wonder at him, not knowing if he was real or if I had died the moment I had been marked for execution. After a moment, and a nudge from Bella, I remembered myself.

"Charlie?" I cooed sweetly, carefully reaching out to tuck some of his long hair back into place. As I brushed my fingers across his face, he opened his eyes and stared at Bella and I in a moment of pure disbelief.

"My girls." He smiled widely, marveling at us as he reached out for Bella and I to pull us closer. We both fell into his embrace as he held us tightly to him, both stunned and overly-joyful he was real. "I love you." He swore, and we both pulled back to look at him.

His face suddenly morphed back into an angry mask, much more enraged than before, and I dove over Bella in an attempt to shield her from this new attack.

However, no attack ensued. Instead, Charlie let out a guttural roar as he stood shakily and faced the Volturi head on.

"You are going to leave. Now!" He yelled at them. "You are never, never, going to make a false stance against this coven, their friends, or any other vampire ever again or you are going to have me to answer to." He promised soundly. "Leave! Before I exterminate you all like the filth you are!" He ordered, his deep voice echoing around the enclosure like terrifying thunder.

I got to my feet and threw myself into Charlie's arms, which he quickly wrapped around me as he continued to stare down Aro. I was fearful Aro was going to respond badly, and so I desperately wanted Charlie's arms around me in the case of an attack.

"It appears Grace isn't guilty as we originally believed." Aro declared, shocking me. "I'm so glad this could be resolved without violence." Aro said sweetly. "My friends, Carlisle and Grace, how pleased I am to call you friends again! I hope there are no hard feelings. I know you both understand the strict burden that our duty places on our shoulders." He spoke, as if trying to insinuate that his abduction of Charlie and war against us was simply friendly politics.

"Leave in peace, Aro." Carlisle said stiffly, coming to my side and putting a hand on me in assurance I was real and mostly unharmed. "Please remember that we still have our anonymity to protect here, and keep your guard from hunting in this region." He added.

"Of course, Carlisle." Aro assured him. "I am sorry to earn your disapproval, my dear friends. Perhaps, in time, you will forgive me."

"Perhaps, in time, if you prove a friend to us again." I spoke just as stiffly as my brother, our tones and expressions a perfect match.

Aro bowed his head, the picture of remorse, and drifted backward for a moment as if in silent apology before he turned around to leave. We watched in silence as the large group of witnesses and Volturi members disappeared into the trees.

It was very quiet. No one made an effort to move or drop their guard.

"Is it really over?" Bella whispered to Edward, staring in heavy concentration towards the trees where the Volturi had disappeared.

"Yes. They've given up. Like all bullies, they're cowards deep down to their bones." Edward declared laughingly with a huge smile.

"Seriously, people." Alice laughed with him delightfully. "They're not coming back. Everybody can relax now." She promised.

Still, there was another beat of silence.

"Shit." Charlie muttered in shock.

And then it hit.

Cheers erupted. Deafening howls filled the clearing. I stared about the clearing in shock and gratitude at the large number of friends my family had managed to convince to stand as witnesses.

Maggie pounded Siobhan on the back enthusiastically. Two unfamiliar vampires of Egyptian descent were locked in each other's arms, as were Carmen and Eleazar. Esme held Alice and Jasper in a tight embrace as she cooed and cried to them. Rosalie and Emmett looked beyond thrilled as they introduced themselves to Jennifer, who looked like she completely belonged to them. Bella and Edward had Elizabeth held between them, kissing and hugging her in their relief. Carlisle was warmly thanking Nahuel and Huilen who had saved us all. Kachiri stood very close to Zafrina and Senna, their fingertips interlocked as they spoke with Carlisle. Garrett picked Kate up off the ground and swung her around in a joyful circle, and I so hoped they had found a mate in each other.

As if that thought had reminded me of my own, I turned in Charlie's arms and pulled him to me in the most passionate kiss we had ever shared. All of the pain, heartache, and overwhelming grief I had experienced after losing him dissolved as I melted in his arms.

If I thought he was fearless when kissing me as a human, then he was absolutely godlike in this new form. His hands were somehow everywhere at once, buried in my hair, pulling at my shirt, and bracing my hips as he picked me up and wrapped my legs around his waist so he could pull me into an even deeper kiss.

Someone cleared their throat then, and Charlie quickly dropped me back to my feet. We stood there, entirely embarrassed in front of our family and friends as they all stared wide eyed and shocked at us.

"Hell yeah mom and dad!" Emmett cheered boisterously and the crowd joined in just as enthusiastically.

I laughed, the first genuine loud laughter I had had since losing Charlie, as he kissed my forehead and chuckled with the crowd. I suddenly felt whole again as I rushed forward and wrapped Bella into my arms tightly, Charlie right on my heels.

"Look at you." I cooed to Bella as our family surrounded us. "You've always been beautiful, but Bella, you finally look comfortable in your skin." I marveled at her as I took in her new features.

"Thank you, Mom." She smiled widely at me, hugging me tightly again. "I'm so glad you're both alive." She cried, hugging her father desperately.

"I would never leave you all." I swore to my family. "Never, under no circumstances would I do that. Please forgive me for hurting you so deeply."

"You're forgiven, of course." Carlisle assured me, stepping in to wrap me into his arms in relief. "We're all just so glad you're alright, I'm sure." He smiled at me as we parted. "Both of you." He added, shaking Carlisle's hand before pulling him into a hug as well.

"Wait. What are you talking about?" Charlie questioned them. "Why would you not be alive?" He worried over me.

"It's a long story." I told him, not being able to refrain myself from cupping his cheek lovingly. "I'll tell you all about it when we get home. We all have a lot to talk about." I promised.

Later, after saying goodbye and thanking all of our friends for coming to stand as witnesses, the Cullens and Swans all gathered in the living room to sit and talk as a family.

"Someone has been very anxious to see Honey and Chief." Edward chuckled as he handed Elizabeth to Charlie and I where we sat together on the couch.

"Hello, sweet girl!" I cooed happily as Charlie and I wrapped her in our arms.

"She's so big." He shook his head in disbelief. "You didn't have to go and grow like a weed while I was gone, Deputy." He teased her and she giggled as she reached out and grabbed his cheek.

"Who's been looking after her?" I asked the room as Charlie tuned in to whatever she was showing him. I was so glad to see she had been cared after so well in my absence.

"Edward and I, actually." Bella smiled proudly and I couldn't help but smile excitedly at her. "We really bonded after thinking you were gone."

"I'm so glad to hear that." I told her truthfully.

"Oh, I understand." Charlie suddenly nodded, sad dark eyes turning to me as Elizabeth settled down into my lap after concluding her conversation with Charlie. "You and Alice faked your death as a way to be free to find other hybrids. And then they faked abandoning the coven to go join you." He nodded.

"Yes." I sighed, hating to have hurt everyone I love so deeply.

"It was the only way." Alice affirmed. "Every vision I had, either no one would believe Grace would abandon this family or Carlisle would try to follow after us and get himself hurt in the process."

"We all understand that." Edward nodded. "We're mostly impressed that you three managed to save us all by finding such powerful witnesses." He spoke for the group.

"Well, really it's thanks to Jennifer." I smiled at her where she sat between Rosalie and Emmett. "Without her help to guide us to Nahuel, we wouldn't have had a clue where to find another hybrid."

My heart swelled seeing Rosalie and Emmett so at peace with finally being parents. Jennifer seemed to be their missing piece. It was kind of remarkable how much she really looked like them, with blonde hair and a gorgeous face like Rosalie's and then Emmett's human wide brown eyes, she was a perfect mix.

"It was wrong of Joham to use you for information like that." Jennifer declared soundly. "I couldn't stand the thought of all of you suffering while we went on unharmed for the same action. Alice and Jasper seemed so worried, and of course Grace was so nice, and so I saw no other choice but to help anyway I could." She smiled sweetly.

"My grandchildren call me Honey." I smiled warmly at her.

"And I'm Chief." Charlie added, already accepting her as another granddaughter joyfully.

She laughed happily at us before running over to us. Charlie caught her and brought her into his arms, keeping her in his lap as we both loved on her.

"That monster is never going to hurt you again. No one will." I swore to her. "If they try, they're going to have to go through Emmett and Chief both." I laughed and she echoed me.

"Thanks, Honey." She smiled, melting my heart even more.

"Hey! You're not the only ones that get to claim grandparent status here!" Esme teased us. "Rosalie is Carlisle and I's, which means I finally have a grand baby!" She cheered excitedly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll think of something to call you two as well." Jennifer laughed, going to sit between Carlisle and Esme happily.

"Where did Bella run off to?" Charlie asked, and I realized she had managed to slip out with her newborn speed unnoticed by my older eyes.

"She went to go pick up a surprise for you two." Edward chuckled.

"A surprise?" I questioned, not sure to be excited or weary as the sound of Bella's fast footfalls grew closer towards the house.

"Have you stopped to question why Bella had to be changed so soon?" Carlisle asked Charlie and I.

"I thought about it, but I just assumed it was to protect her in the confrontation to prevent another situation like Charlie's." I answered him.

"Honestly, I haven't thought about much of anything besides loving having Grace back in my arms and being so glad to be home with all of you again." Charlie confessed.

"Well, you know how you told us to be careful before we left on our honeymoon?" Edward asked me as Bella climbed the stairs of the porch and opened the backdoor.

"Turns out protection doesn't really stop anything with vampires." Bella laughed as she entered the living room.

In her arms, a small bundle that was undeniably a baby wiggled as Charlie and I sat in total shock.