EP Read Along Week 26 Chapters 76-78

Wow 26 weeks and we're still not finished! EP is a journey that we are so happy to take with you all, so buckle up these chapters are gonna be a bumpy ride.

Chapter 76 Bella POV- *18 months later*

We meet a new character Emily. She is a new friend of Bella's that is simply filling the roles of all the people she had once called her family back in Forks. Bella is still hung up on Edward but is trying to move forward and Emily is at her side while she does it. This chapter is chock full of flashbacks, some major some not.

First flashback *January 07*- We get a glimpse back to when Bella first moves from Forks to Seattle with Jasper. She is struggling to stay sane but it all comes to a breaking point. Bella isn't sleeping and has a vision of Edward. She thinks he is there with her in Jasper's apartment in Seattle. Believing he has appeared to her and is in need of some comfort she takes off after him. Hopping a cab to the airport Bella plans on going to Chicago, but she is so out of it from her lack of sleep that security approaches her. Bella faints and when she finally comes to Jasper arrives to take her home. He asks Bella if she has given up without even trying to have a life like Edward wants for her. Bella slips into her room and finally lets the exhaustion take over. When she awakes later Carlisle and Jasper are discussing what to do. Carlisle comes to Bella and explains to her that she doesn't need Edward. Whether she chooses to be with him or not and whether he chooses to have a relationship with her or not are not what she should focus on. She should focus on herself and having a life so she would know exactly the kind of life she'd be giving up to be with Edward who is having his every move controlled by La Cosa Nostra. The last thing Edward wanted was for her to go from being controlled under the Cullen roof to being controlled under the scrutiny of 'the family'. Carlisle does tell Bella that if she chooses to be with Edward, after he's had time to settle into his new role as a member of 'the family', he would help her get to Chicago "even if it's the last thing I do."

Second flashback *June 07*- Bella is sitting in the park after her last art class clutching a letter to Edward. She is approached by a man named "Joe" who we find out is Special Agent Joseph DiFronzo with the U.S. Department of Justice. He is trying to gather intel on Bella, tries to coerce her into giving him her letter by offering to drop it in the mail box, taking her empty water bottle and offering to throw it away, borrows her phone to make a 'quick call'. Before he can leave Carlisle shows up gets the water bottle back and in no uncertain terms tells "Joe" to leave Bella the hell alone and tells Bella he will take care of the situation.

Back to the present we finally learn that Bella is in California and is displaying some paintings at an art show. She is unnerved by a man there, Seth Clearwater. The show goes by in a blur and she can't find Emily. Seth offers to buy one of Bella's paintings, she is still nervous when she leaves the show. After arriving home to find that someone is upstairs basically ransacking her place Bella runs out and calls Alec. He tells her to stay somewhere safe for the night and that he will fly out to her ASAP.

After Alec does his initial survey of the situation he decides to get Bella a security system, tells her she has to ditch the Volvo, and ultimately lets her stay. We have a Seth/Alec run in and it seems Seth is just enamored with Bella and not a threat, but Alec threatens him to stay away regardless. Emily shows up all hot and bothered for Alec and thinks she recognizes him from somewhere. When she finally puts two and two together she confronts Bella and their friendship is basically over because Bella won't discuss Alec or her past.

Chapter 77 Edward POV
The chapter begins with Edward waiting for Emmett and Rosalie's wedding to start. He is nervous thinking Bella might show up and asks Esme is Alec is back in time for the wedding, or if he's still with her. We get a flashback of Edward trailing Alec after his initial call from Bella. Tracking a hit man, probably not the smartest idea in the world, but we're talking Edward here. Alec turns down a random street and gets into it with Edward. He threatens to kill Edward for disobeying an order but instead of shooting Edward, Alec shoots out his tires so Edward can't follow him. Because it's none of his business where Alec goes whether it's to help Bella or not, it's not his concern. We get back to the present and the ceremony goes off without a hitch. Edward is still drinking trying to numb the pain of being alone. Emmett admits that Rosalie is pregnant and Edward is actually happy for them. Alec arrives with a gift for the newlyweds from Bella. It's lingerie and a vibrator!

Edward walks back home from the party and has a heart to heart with Carlisle. For the first time Carlisle opens up about his drug and alcohol use after their mother died, and Edward finally tells him about the night of her shooting. Although it may not seem like it, Edward is truly growing up but like Carlisle says he is hiding behind booze, drugs, and profanity. Edward receives a call from Alec telling him to be at Aro's place in 30 minutes so he leaves his dad but not before Carlisle tells him he loves Edward. There is a sense that something is going to happen that Edward can't shake. He tells Carlisle he loves him too. They both say their goodbyes and Edward hesitates before leaving.

Edward hops in his car and takes off for Aro's place. When he arrives it all becomes clear. Something is wrong, Carlisle is ordered to be taken out and Aro wants Edward to do it. Edward of course is freaking out and Alec seems all cool with the idea of offing Carlisle which makes Edward freak out more. But it seems that Alec has plans of his own.

Jessica Stanley shows up at Edward's house looking to talk to him. Her and Rosalie had become friends while taking a class together at Notre Dame. Jessica showing up isn't much but it leads Edward to study his painting more closely. He realizes it's from Bella and decides to look for her. He manages to make it to Oakland where she was living. She is gone from there now. After receiving a call from Alec, Edward heads straight back to Chicago where Alec fucks him up and explains to him that he put Bella in danger by going to her and it's a good thing she wasn't there because 'people' are looking for her, the same 'people' looking for his father.

When Edward got back home he was to attend a wedding party for the mafia. He had planned on only making an appearance and leaving. When he tried to do that Aro told him to stay. Alec seemed nervous about this, but wouldn't let Edward go. Aro, Alistar, Edward and Alec all went out on the back patio to discuss Alistar's problem with Edward when out of nowhere Carlisle comes strolling up in an all black suit.

We finally find out what Carlisle has been up to. He's been really only biding his time so he could come after Aro. Aro had been a busy busy boy and killing Carlisle was the last piece he needed to cover up all his deeds. Let's run them down shall we?

Aro kills his sister Dydamie and her husband Marcus because Marcus was supposed to be boss after Antonio Cullen passed.
Aro has Stephan sell Renee (Bree) to the Swans for them to raise her as their own but that didn't pan out.
Aro had Elizabeth killed by Alistar because she was getting too close to the truth about Bella and Renee
Aro refuses to help Edward find Bella because she is the final link to what he has done and with her dead he's sitting pretty.
I'm concerned I missed something but I think that about covers it. I mean besides almost getting Edward killed the day of his mothers shooting and then ordering Carlisle be killed.

There is a shoot out. Aro wants Edward to kill his father. Carlisle blows Alistars head off. More mafia members file out to shoot at Carlisle. Alec is holding Edward to the ground so he won't get killed. After Carlisle mows down five more mafiosi he is about to kill himself when Alec steps in and shoots him, so Carlisle can get into heaven.

Edward is distraught after what he had just witnessed. He is concerned about what he is going to tell his brothers and Esme and is still confused as to what all happened. The police show up and take Alec into custody. Agent DiFronzo walks up to Edward and offers his condolences, at first Edward can't believe it but when the Agent explains that his dad wasn't all bad and that he was really actually sorry, Edward says "Yeah... me, too."

Chapter 78 Bella POV
Bella is recounting what happened after her and Emily's last phone call. Alec came to California told her to pack and go anywhere, stop driving when she felt safe. He told her that Seth was paid to find her, most likely on Alistar's dime because she is the only person that could identity him as being a part of the kidnapping. So that is what Bella did. That trip took her from the west coast of America all the way to the east coast. Bella drove alone and not once felt safe enough to stay. While in North or South, she couldn't remember which, Carolina Bella was having breakfast at a diner when she heard the news about Carlisle's death. Numb from the shock she called Alec and left him a voice mail telling him her destination... Chicago.

When Bella finally arrived in town the next day she swung by Edwards house to find him. She ran into Leah who told Bella he was with his family. After running to Esme and Alec's house and speaking with Clara, Bella decides to head to Mt Carmel Cemetery where the burial would be held.

Bella was hesitant at first to even get close to the burial so she stood off to the back and watched. After Carlisle was in the ground and everyone had left they finally saw each other for the first time in two years. Bella ran to Edward and they fell to the ground crying and holding on to each other.

Edward was happy Bella was there but was still talking about her leaving and living her life. After some arguing back and forth Bella laid it all out there "You wanted me to have a life… how could you not see that you were my life?". She points out that he really took all of her options away from her because even though she could go on to school, work, date... all of it would never mean anything to her without Edward in her life. It also didn't mean anything to her when she could never be real to the people in her life, she would always be hiding her past from them. The time away helped Bella realize these things and her becoming a stronger person because of it. And I think her new strength is what finally helped Edward realize that her life could be everything he wanted, with him.

Back at the Evanson house people are telling stories about the good times with Carlisle. Bella speaks up to tell a story about him too. It was a surprise to most in attendance that had no idea she would be there. The story she told was the time when he had spoken to her the night in Seattle when she had her breakdown at the airport. The biggest impact of her story is when she said “I know he thought he would have to break his promise to me, but the truth is that he didn't, because Carlisle did exactly what he said he would. Now that I'm finally ready, he helped me find my way home. I just wish it hadn't really been the last thing he did.”

Maybe Edward and Bella are both finally ready to start again.

I can't forget to mention that when Fran was in town we made a little trip to Mt Carmel Cemetery with 17foreverlisa and DoubleDippin. Did you know Al Capone is buried there? In EP this is the final resting place for Elizabeth and Carlisle Cullen.

Don't forget (like you'd actually forget after 26 weeks of this lol) to come back next week for the final 2 chapters and epilogue. Again here's the break down:
September 9- Chapters 79-Epi 
September 16- Outtakes  
September 23- The Alec Novella