Chapter 15: Calm

Chapter 15: Calm

BPOV

“Momma, look at this!” Nessie said, holding out her colouring book to show me another perfectly coloured picture. This one was of a princess in a long ball gown; her dress was decorated in various shades of blue, her dark brown hair topped with a yellow crown, and Nessie had very carefully coloured her eyes in an orangey-yellow colour, leaving her skin the creamy white shade of the paper.
“It's you Momma.” she proclaimed proudly.
“Me?” I gasped, pretending to be astonished. “Really?”
She nodded, still smiling, and I smiled back.
“It's lovely darling. well done. What do you think guys?” I said, taking the picture from her and showing it to the twins. “Did Ness do a good job?”
“Yeah, yeah!” EJ said enthusiastically, nodding and bouncing a little. The toy truck in his hand rattled noisily. “Pwetty 'ike Mama!”
Elizabeth nodded, then let out a huge yawn and rubbed her eyes sleepily.
“Tired baby?” I asked, and she nodded again.
I glanced at the clock, suddenly realising how late it was.
“Well no wonder!” I said. “It's almost an hour past your bedtime!”
I stood, scooping her up as I went. She immediately leaned against my shoulder and closed her eyes. Though he didn't appear to want to sleep, the connection between the twins meant that EJ couldn't help but be affected by his sister's fatigue; he gave a yawn of his own and his eyelids drooped. I leaned down carefully to pick him up, and he also settled sleepily against my shoulder.

Nessie hadn't moved; she was flicking through her book, clearly trying to choose her next project.
“Bed time Ness.” I prompted her.
“Not tired.” was her casual response; the page turning didn't even pause.
“You need you sleep darling.” I insisted. This time she simply shook her head. I sighed. She was a crafty little thing; she knew that I couldn't carry her to bed as I might have done if I hadn't been holding the twins. She had Jacob wrapped around her little finger, so he was no help. Edward seemed to be focused on the conversation between our parents at that moment, but thankfully he was paying more attention than either of us realised.
“Do as you've been asked please Renesmee.” he said in a clam but authoritative voice.
“But Daddy...” she protested, clearly about to use her 'Daddy's Little Princess' routine to get what she wanted. Edward wasn't fooled.
“No buts.” he told her sternly. “You've already been allowed to stay up late, and you need to go to sleep now. Pack up the toys, say goodnight to everyone, and go up to bed.”
Grudgingly, she submitted. I waited by the stairs while Jake helped her put all the toys into a pile in the corner ready to be put away properly in the morning, and watched s she went around the room wishing everyone goodnight one by one. Edward came to stand beside me, kissing the twins softly on the forehead as Nessie finished hugging her aunts and uncles , kissed Jake on the cheek and moved on to her grandparents. She hugged Esme and Carlisle as usual, then paused for a moment before doing the same to Charlie, startling all of us;, him more than anyone; he'd been looking at me and hadn't even registered that she was there.”
“Goodnight Grandpa.” she said shyly, moving on to Phil before he could collect himself enough to respond. Phil seemed a little surprised too, but her managed to give her a quick stiff hug in return. Her interaction with Renee was much warmer; she smiled as she said, “Goodnight Nee-Nee.” and beamed when Renee returned her hug and relied, “Goodnight darling, sweet dreams.”
I felt myself smiling too, satisfied that at least one of my parents wanted to know the children and be a part of their lives, which, while not perfect, was a start; hopefully things would improve with time.

Nessie joined us by the stairs, and Edward bent down to hug her.
“Good girl.” he whispered in her ear, and her face glowed with happiness. She kissed his cheek, and he kissed both of hers before letting her go and straightening up. She scampered up the stairs ahead of me; I shook my head indulgently and followed. EJ waved sleepily over my shoulder, and there was a light ripple of laughter from behind us. Elizabeth was already asleep, her thumb firmly wedged in her mouth, and EJ was snoring by the time we reached the nursery. I dressed them for bed carefully and tucked them into the crib with a soft kiss on the forehead, then went to tuck in Nessie, who was yawning despite her insistence that she wasn't tired.
“Momma, do you think Grandpa Charlie will like us soon?” she asked drowsily as I tucked the covers around her.
“I hope so baby.” I sighed, smoothing her hair down a little. “I hope so.”
She pursed her lips for a moment.
“I think,” she said slowly. “If we're very nice to him, maybe he'll be nice to us too.”
I smiled. “Maybe. It wouldn't hurt to try.”
She hummed in agreement, closed her eyes and was asleep almost instantly. I gave her a soft kiss, then made my way back downstairs to join the others.

They'd moved on to more serious topics in my absence, and I quickly ascertained that someone had asked a question about the Volturi, and Carlisle was explaining their role in our world more comprehensively that Edward had been able to earlier. Phil was less confused – he had finally gotten a proper explanation – and he smiled at me when he saw me. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett had come back to the main group, presumably to better join in with the conversation, and they sat side by side on the floor with Jacob, forming a little semi circle with the two couches and the armchair that Charlie sat in. For lack of another seat, I perched myself on the arm of the sofa beside Edward, but this was clearly not good enough for him; no sooner was I settled than he pulled me down into his lap. I squeaked, much to my embarrassment, and buried my head against his neck, hiding behind my hair when everyone turned to look at me. I smacked his shoulder; he just chuckled, tucking my hair behind my ear and kissing my forehead softly.
“Sorry for the interruption Carlisle.” he said, polite and composed as ever. “Please, go on.”
Carlisle just smiled and nodded, continuing with what he'd been saying. I peeked at Charlie; he had an odd look on his face, like he was trying to figure something out. I gave him a tentative smile. He just kept frowning, clearly perplexed by something.

“Bella?”
I looked up, startled. “Sorry Carlisle, I wasn't paying attention. What was that?”
He smiled. “I was wondering if you might be able to explain the Volturi's appearance better than I can. It's been a while since I saw them.”
“They won't have changed much.” I hedged, not really wanting to relive those particular memories. I fidgeted uncomfortably and Edward gave my waist a reassuring squeeze.
“That's true,” Carlisle allowed. “But I see them in a very different light than a human would. I thought perhaps your perspective might be more relateable to our guests. Of course...” he paused slightly, his calm expression dropping into a concerned frown. “If you're uncomfortable, I would understand. I know your interactions with them have been far from pleasant.
I grimaced. “That's an understatement.”
Carlisle nodded, and Edward squeezed my waist again, kissing my neck softly.
“You don't have to if you don't want to love.” he murmured.
I bit my lip for a moment, considering, then sighed and nodded. “Alright, I’ll do it. Give me a minute to remember.”
Everyone waited in patient silence as I closed my eyes and tried to call up the foggy human memories, attempting not to cringe as the terror and stress came back to me; the three human heartbeats were the only sound in the room.

“They were... very beautiful,” I said at last. “But it was a frightening kind of beauty. They had red eyes – dark red when I saw them, more like burgundy – and the ancients had this cloudy film over them. I wondered if it made it hard for them to see. The guard were like most vampires, but the ancients... Aro at least, I didn't see the others up close... his skin was all powdery looking, kind of fragile. He had bodyguards too, and at first I thought it was a bit silly for a vampire to need them. Then I thought maybe he was as delicate as he looked. His hand felt like shale...” I shuddered.
“He touched you?” Charlie said, sounding aghast and a little angry.
I nodded. “He has the power to read all the thoughts you've ever had, just by touching you. He wanted to see if it worked on me, since Edward can't read my mind.”
“Did it?” he pressed.
“No,” I assured him. “No vampire ability that works inside the mind can affect me. We don't really know why.”
“Perhaps we should ask Eleazar.” Edward mused. “He can sense the talents of others, and it could be that your immunity was some kind of precursor to a more developed talent.”
I blinked, surprised by this new theory. “Can that happen?”
“It's not unheard of.” Carlisle chipped in. “I've always wondered if talents aren't just powerful enhancements of prominent human traits.”

I considered that possibility; that my mental glitch was actually the human manifestation of a talent.
“We could invite the Denalis down for Christmas.” Esme suggested. “They've been eager to meet the children anyway; it would be nice to have the whole family together for the holidays, and we could ask Eleazar to see if he can read Bella at the same time.”
“Do a lot of vampires have talents?” Renee asked curiously; Charlie flinched at her casual use of the V word. “I know you said not everyone does Bella, but it sounds like it's pretty common.”
“Particularly in the Volturi.” I said with a nod, seeing where her mind was going at once. “Aro is, among other things, a collector. He collects precious artefacts and jewels, histories of our kind... but he also collects talents, and they are his most prized possessions. He loves people who are especially beautiful and powerful, who have very rare or strong talents, and he always wants the best that he can get. He's also very inquisitive.”
“Aren't the others?”
“Not that I could tell. Caius seemed more aggressive to me, more interested in the justice aspect of things, and Marcus didn't seem to care about anything. He looked incredibly bored.”
There was quiet for a moment as my parents mentally analysed all this new information.

“I'm surprised you remember so much,” Edward whispered in my ear, too low for anyone else to hear. “considering you only met them once under rather stressful circumstances.”
He was frowning, as if the idea that I’d held on to that particular memory was upsetting to him.
“We were together.” I whispered back, stroking my fingers through his hair soothingly. “I don't want to forget a single moment I’ve spent with you, no matter how distressing.”
I kissed his cheek and gently scratched his scalp with my nails, making him purr and lay his head on my shoulder.
“What I don't understand,” Charlie said, frowning, “is what makes them think they've got the right to control your lives so much. I mean, I assume they weren't elected, so what claim do they have to authority?”

I shrugged, as did most of the others. Carlisle sighed.
“As with so many other things in our world,” he said wearily. “the Volturi's rise to power was centred in violence. What made Aro decide he wanted to rule, I don't know, but by building a guard based on talent, with only a few purely physical fighters, he succeeded in overthrowing the coven in Romania who held power at the time. He convinced the other vampires of the world that secrecy was our only chance of survival, and as more were created and those who defied him were killed, his power solidified, until we reach the current climate, where the overwhelming majority have never know a world where the Volturi weren't in charge. And they have grown and strengthened themselves, and built a reputation for swift action and no second chances, so that they are the most formidable force imaginable. Jut the mention of their name inspires fear. No one would ever think to oppose them, and actually overthrowing them would be virtually impossible.”
“Are they omniscient or something?” Phil wondered. “How do they know when people break the rules?”
“They monitor news networks mostly,” Carlisle replied, clearly skirting around the first question. “and Aro uses his talent on everyone who visits him, so he can quickly spot any possible power-plays against him. We are also encouraged to report any transgressions we are aware of, which helps him immensely. Many of us have lost loved ones to the Volturi's justice, and it can make some vampires very respectful of their laws.”
He glanced around the room slightly nervously; Jasper and I had stiffened at the mention of 'omniscience', both of us remembering Edward's description of Aro's desire.
“Alice at his one hand and me at his other... the present and the future... virtual omniscience.”
I shuddered lightly; Edward gave me another soft squeeze, and I saw Alice lean up to kiss Jasper on the cheek. I thought at first that the small movements might have gone unnoticed, but I failed to take into account the fact that my parents were currently being much more observant than they usually were.

“Something wrong Bella?” Charlie asked. Renee was giving Alice and Jasper a concerned look.
“No, nothing.” I insisted, trying to control my expression.
“We should tell them.” Alice contradicted in a calm voice, designed to sooth me. I glared at her, but she seemed unaffected. “It may cause problems later. If so, they should be prepared.”
“Prepared for what?” Renee asked nervously.
I ignored her. “That's as may be, Alice, but I certainly don't like thinking about, and I would think you wouldn't either.”
“Nevertheless,” Edward interjected. “She's right. It's probably best for them to know.”
“Know what?” Charlie thundered, very impatient now.
Edward turned towards him, face grave, voice calm. “As Bella said, Aro is a collector of talents. His offers of guard membership are always presented as optional – everyone is, supposedly, free to refuse or leave whenever they wish – but he will do whatever it takes to get his hands on something he really wants. When what – or, more precisely, who – he wants already belongs to another coven, he is inclined to become jealous of that coven's leader. Unfortunately, we have become subject to that jealousy.”
He paused briefly, glancing at me. I was still as stone, tensed as if to spring at some unseen enemy. Jasper was in much the same state, his arms in a vice grip around Alice where she had climbed into her lap. Emmett had an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face, and Rosalie and Esme both looked distressed. Carlisle was grave and stoic on the outside, but to someone who knew him well it was clear that he was upset.
“I have something he wants.” he murmured softly, sadly. The humans just looked more confused, as did Jacob, who hadn't been informed of this particular little detail.

“When we were in Volterra,” Edward continued. “Aro offered us places in the guard. He actually made an offer to all three of us, much to everyone's surprise, but of course we all refused.”
Alice and I nodded in unison. She seemed perfectly relaxed, but I knew my nod was stiff and terse.
“Listening to his mind, it was clear what he desired.” Edward was utterly serious, but far too calm for my liking when discussing such matters. “He values our talents, Alice’s especially but mine as well to a certain extent. Having someone who can see the future would allow him to intervene before situations become dire, but also to see what adversity he can expect from his enemies, and whether an attack against his power is imminent. And though he can read minds himself, he covets my ability to hear without physical contact, from some distance in fact, given concentration and familiarity. In his mind, such abilities would give him complete control over any situation, and knowledge that could be put to use as part of his own agenda. Of course,” He smiled sadly. “He has seen into both our minds, and he knows we are unlikely to accept any offer he might make us as things stand. Our current attachments to Bella, Jasper and the rest of the family are far to strong for us to even think of taking him up on it, no matter how he coerces us. He does not understand those bonds, as the only relationships he understands are those formed in order to increase ones own power, but ours are much stronger bonds than those. He knows all this, and so it is clear to him that we will never be his as long as our family remains. Alice worries that he may find some pretence of punishment in order to wipe out the others, sparing us for some contrived reason.”
“I haven't actually seen anything,” Alice jumped in, seeing, I guessed, the aghast expressions on the faces of all the non-vampires in the room. “But it seems to me to be the sort of thing he would do.”

I growled, frustrated, and buried my face in Edward’s neck.
“You're mine.” I mumbled possessively. “He can't have you, not ever.”
“Shh, my love,” he soothed me, rubbing my back gently. “Of course he can't. I’d sooner die than be his, especially if you were gone.”
I just snuggled in closer to him, pleased when he held me tighter in response.

Charlie was shaking his head disbelievingly. “It all sounds so crazy. I don't know how you all haven't gone insane yet, wondering when it's going to happen.”
“Well, it's still an 'if' at the moment,” Alice corrected him. “And we tend not to concern ourselves with it as a general rule. Vampire politics are horribly complicated, so we just stay well out of it.”
There were nods and murmured agreements around the room.
“Do you see other vampires very often?” Renee asked.
Carlisle shook his head. “Not really. As you've probably gathered, we're a bit of an oddity in our species. Only our cousins in Denali share our commitment to preserving human life, and everyone else sees us as rather odd. We're also fairly large as covens go, and far more settled than others here in the US. Most of our kind, in the north at least, travel around in small groups of two or three, or even sometimes entirely alone, living a nomadic life to avoid discovery. Including the children, we now have eleven members, about four or five times the size of an ordinary coven.”
“That's another reason Aro is so suspicious of us,” Edward chipped in. “Because we're getting so large. Caius particularly sees that as a threat, and he's somehow got into his head that we're building an army against him and intend to launch a coup. He wasn't thinking of it himself, but I think he mentioned it to Felix, and his mind was not as closed as it should have been last time we met.”
“You never told me that!” I protested, frowning at him. He waved it off as if it didn't matter, which irritated me, and I crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance.

Phil chuckled, then tried unsuccessfully to hide a yawn behind his hand. Renee smiled at him sweetly and patted his head.
“As much as I’d love to stay and hear more, I think we'd better be going. We've had a long day, haven't we honey?”
Phil nodded and rested his head in her shoulder, pretending to fall asleep like a child. Everyone laughed as his silliness, and I got up to walk them out. Charlie stood as well, stretching.
“Yeah, I'd better be going too. I don't think I even locked the house before I went out.” He made a face, showing how annoyed he was for that little lapse in judgement.
I smiled, standing opposite the three of them by the door. “I hope you guys will come back soon. It was really good to see you, to get to talk to you about all of this. It means a lot to me that you listened.”
“No problem honey,” Renee said with a smile. “It was good to see you again too, and to see you so well.”
She leaned in to hug me, and I hugged her back gratefully. Phil kissed my cheek, and then Charlie gave me a tentative hug of his own.
“I love you Dad,” I whispered into his ear as I hugged him gently. “I'm really glad you came to see me today.”
Sure, I was laying it on a bit thick, but I really didn't want to lose him, and I wasn't afraid to guilt-trip him if it kept him in my life. He only grunted non-committally in response before leading the way out to the cruiser. Renee got in the back seat with Phil, and Charlie seemed to take a little bit of sadistic pleasure from seeing them behind the bars of the partition.

Jake got up from the floor and came to the door as well.
“I think I should be heading home too,” he said regretfully. “I keep meaning to tell you, my sister Rachel came home from college a couple months ago, and she got imprinted on by Paul of all

people.”

I cringed, and he nodded in understanding.
“Yeah. And he's spending a lot of time at our house, so I figure I better get back there and kick him out. Billy's too nice to do it, and of course Rach doesn't want him to leave.”
I smiled. “Well, good luck. Thanks for the warning about Charlie.”
He grinned. “Glad to be of service. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
I nodded, and there was a chorus of goodbyes from inside. Then Jake kissed me on the cheek and jogged down the porch steps as Charlie started his engine. Jake seemed in the mood for theatrics, and he turned to wink at me before phasing right there in the middle of the lawn, his jean-shorts shredding instantly. I shook my head at him, while the humans in the car stared at his retreating form in wonder. Then Charlie seemed to shake himself slightly, put the cruiser in gear and drove off, Renee waving distractedly out of the back window. I waved back, then closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief.
“That went better than expected,” Jasper commented dryly.
I laughed. “My thoughts exactly.”

Emmett and Rose had already vanished, gone up to their room, and Jasper was packing up the chess sets while Alice turned off the computer. Esme was admiring her drawing, tilting her head side to side to see it from different angles while her hands swiftly put all her pencils back into their case. Carlisle smiled down at her, his arm tight around her waist. It seemed that everyone was getting ready to go to bed, gearing up for the guaranteed alone time that the night provided. The only one who wasn't going anywhere was Edward, who stayed slumped in his seat on the couch with his head tilted back, eyes closed and a contented smile on his face.

Esme sighed happily, satisfied with her work, and closed her sketch book. Almost instantly, Carlisle swept her up into his arms and she squealed with surprise as he disappeared up the stairs with her. Jasper and Alice laughed their harmonious laughs and followed them, hand in hand.
Alice turned and waved. “Goodnight Bella.”
“Goodnight.” I said, waving back.
They vanished, and it was just me and Edward in the living room. He still hadn't moved, so I went over and plonked myself back in his lap. His smile grew as his arms encircled my waist gently, carefully, as if I were still the fragile human of a week ago.
“Do you realise how incredible you are?” he asked, finally opening his eyes to gaze at me in wonder.
I just smiled back. “So you tell me. Nearly every day.”
He shook his head. “I didn't mean just in general, although it's true, you are. I meant today specifically. You realise that that's the first contact you've had with full humans and you didn't try to kill them? Even when Charlie was making you angry, you didn't lose control at all. I mean, you haven't exactly been acting like a typical newborn, but that level of self control in someone your age is unheard of.”

I tilted my head to the side and frowned a little. “Is that wrong?”

“It's different, but not necessarily wrong. You're confusing the hell out of Jasper, for sure, but there's nothing wrong with you. Control is a good thing love. It means you'll be much more mobile much sooner. I wouldn't be surprised if you could handle being out in public before too long.” He cupped my face in his hands gently and looked deep into my eyes, as if he could read all my secrets there. “What I wouldn't give to see into your mind, to see how it works. You seemed determined to be my little mystery, love.”

He grinned to show he was teasing, and I giggled, shoving his shoulder playfully. He winced theatrically and looked wounded, which turned the giggles into a full blown laugh.

“You know you can always ask me if there's something you want to know.” I informed him. “You've never hesitated in the past.”

He shook his head. “There are too many questions, too many things I want to know. If I asked you every single time I wondered what you were thinking, I would be asking you all the time. I would just have you narrate your thoughts to me in their entirety, which would be tedious if nothing else.” He smiled and leaned up to kiss my cheek softly. “But you should know, Bella, how proud I am of you today. You continue to surprise me, again and again, and I am so glad that you do, that I get to spend forever working out just what makes you tick.”

I smiled down at him, then gave him a soft kiss of my own on his lips.

“I love you.” I breathed, because somehow I hadn't said it yet today.

“I love you too.” he replied, then swept me into his arms as Carlisle had with Esme and carried me upstairs to show me just how much love he had to give.

Chapter 14: Truth

Chapter 14: Truth

EPOV

I was very close to going out of my mind.
No matter what I tried, EJ refused to be calmed. He squirmed and wailed, desperate to find Bella and protect her from 'the shouty man' as he had affectionately dubbed Charlie. He tried everything: kicking, wriggling, hitting; he even bit my hands and arms several times, his sharp little teeth digging into my skin like the prickle of lots of tiny needles. His jaw wasn't strong enough yet to break through or do any major damage, so it was only serving to frustrate both of us even more. That frustration built up alongside the strain of blocking out the conversation outside in an effort to give them some privacy, as well as my own desire to be with Bella, the internal battle with the many insecurities that Charlie's rant had brought back in full force, and the general stress of the whole situation; while EJ's tantrum wasn't my most pressing concern, it certainly wasn't helping matters.

Esme, Rose and Elizabeth all tried to help me calm him down, but he only wanted Bella, craved the comfort that only her gentle arms and soft words could bring him, and he snapped at them too. When he came within millimetres of biting Elizabeth, I decided enough was enough. EJ was venomous, but the girls weren't, and we had no idea how venom would affect them; if they were like the wolves, as they were in so many other ways, it wasn't likely to be good. I understood EJ's frustration – he was extremely protective, as he'd shown when Irina came to visit – but he was going to hurt someone if he wasn't careful, and whether it was Elizabeth, Nessie or himself, that was only going to make him more upset. He just needed a little time away from everyone else, either to collect himself or just to let off some steam until I could get him to Bella, without the risk of injury.
I stood up from my seat on the couch, holding him tightly as he once again tried to use the opportunity to wriggle away.

"I think EJ needs a little fresh air." I said softly to no one in particular. "We'll just be a minute or two."
Without waiting for any answer, I carried him out of the room, through the kitchen into the backyard. I stopped there, careful to keep away from where those in the living room would be able to see us through the window. I planned to take him around the house to Bella soon, but there was something I needed him to understand before I let him within reach of humans again.
"EJ," I said, quiet but serious, so that he knew that I meant business. He didn't listen to me; the wide expanse of the lawn was calling to him, promising freedom if he could only get to it, and that freedom was a chance to go and find his mother.
"Edward Jacob Cullen." I said, more harshly this time, frustration breaking through. That got his attention. We had never really disciplined the children – they were fairly well behaved and there wasn't usually any need to – just giving them stern warnings now and then if their games got too rough. Honestly, I didn't like it, and neither did Bella. I certainly didn't like the startled, frightened look on EJ's face at that moment, so I worked to make my voice more gentle.
"You are being very badly behaved today. You know that you can't get what you want by throwing tantrums, and you know that we don't bite people for any reason. Right?"
He nodded furiously, his face still anxious and upset. It was an expression that would melt anyone's heart, and it definitely worked on me. I sighed.
"Good. I don't want to be mean or get angry with you EJ," I explained carefully. "But you have to understand that there is a correct way to behave, particularly when we have visitors, and you haven't been behaving that way at all. Don't you want to show Momma's parents what a nice little boy you are?"
Another enthusiastic nod was my answer.
"But you haven't been doing that, have you?"

EJ shook his head slowly, his little face thoughtful. His mind was churning, thinking over everything that he had done in the past half an hour and what kind of impression of him it gave people.
"Ebawessed." he finally murmured sadly. I'm embarrassed. I've embarrassed you.
I hugged him close and kissed his hair. "No you haven't. I understand that you just want to make sure your Momma is okay. I want to as well. But she needs time to talk to her mommy and daddy, to help them understand us and accept the ways she's changed."
EJ frowned.
But we have to protect her from the shouty man, he insisted, using his thoughts rather than trying to get his tongue around such a complicated sentence.
I shook my head. "He can't hurt her. He won't try. He's her father, and he loves her, but he's confused and afraid, and he doesn't know how else to react. But I think we will go and see them now. She may need my help explaining things and hopefully it will calm you down a little.
"Mama?" he asked, perking up a little.
I smiled. "Yes, Momma."
That made him smile widely and start bouncing up and down in my arms.
"Mama, Mama, Mama!" he crowed excitedly, and I chuckled, turning toward the corner of the house.

Our momentary mutual good mood evaporated as we got closer to the corner and we began to listen for sounds at the front of the house. There was shouting and arguing, even when the volume lowered, the words were hurtful. What disturbed me most was not Charlie's words but his thoughts – the things he left unsaid that were so much worse. I was extremely grateful for the support and confidence that Renee's presence gave Bella; I could tell that it was helping her.

"Oh really?" Charlie was asking Bella, voice sarcastic, as we came around the side of the house. "Please enlighten us then. What is so dangerous that you felt you couldn't even tell your own parents the truth?"
EJ cut off Bella's answer with a loud plaintive cry; the unfriendly atmosphere and the hostility Charlie was showing toward Bella had built up his anxiety all over again.
All of them turned to look at us. Renee seemed upset, Charlie was clearly angry, and Bella just looked obstinate and determined; she was obviously having no trouble holding her own against her father.
"Mama!" EJ whimpered, reaching out towards her with frantic hands, his little fists clenching and unclenching. Her expression changed instantly to one of concern, and she crossed the grass so quickly that Charlie and Renee wouldn't have seen her move even if they'd tried. In a flash, she was beside me, gently taking EJ as I passed him to her. Straight away, he buried his face in her neck, and her arms folded around him, holding him securely to her chest. I put my arms gently around both of them, feeling a sense of relief as I was finally able to physically protect my wife even as I sought to ignore what was threatening her.

"Is he alright?" Bella asked me quietly over EJ's head, just a touch of panic in her voice.
"He's fine." I assured her. "He was having trouble calming down and I thought you might be able to work your magic. I'm sorry for interrupting."
She smiled and shook her head. "Don't apologise. I probably need some time to calm down too."
She pulled away from me gently and turned to face her parents.
"I'll be right back." she said, just loud enough for them to hear, then crossed the lawn again, going to sit under one of the big trees at the edge of the forest before she focused entirely on comforting EJ.
I went and sat down on the top porch step, watching them and listening.

"Have you been giving Daddy trouble?" she asked him teasingly, lifting him up so they were face to face. He gave her a cheeky grin and waved his arms, kicking his feet excitedly.
"Mama, Mama!" he crowed, and she laughed, cuddling him close again. I couldn't help smiling, glad to see both of them free from stress for the moment.
Renee came over and sat beside me. She was still a little tense and very unhappy with Charlie, but seeing Bella happy never failed to make her happy too, and there was a tiny smile on her face. Charlie was glaring at me, his mind still spewing out angry vitriol, as it had been since I appeared, but I just continued to ignore him.
"He's certainly a clingy little thing." Renee said, and I chuckled.
"We think of it as protectiveness." I said, smiling.
Not hard to see where he gets that from, she thought to herself, comparing EJ's reactions earlier with the way she remembered me acting around Bella. He's just like his Daddy.
She looked sideways at me with a smile, knowing, since Bella had told her, that I would hear what she was thinking
I grinned back at her. "That's what Bella's always saying."
Charlie huffed angrily, and I knew the carefree interlude was over. I sighed heavily, then looked up at him; I could feel the tiredness on my face.
I was about to speak, but Renee beat me to it.
"If you're going to start yelling again Charlie, I think it would be best if you kept quiet. You've caused more than enough unrest in this house today."
He glared at her, seething, but did as she said and spoke calmly.
"I just want to know the truth. What's going on here, what is Bella's part in it, and what did she mean about danger? That's all I'm asking for, all I need – just a little honesty."
I nodded. "I know. That's not an unreasonable request in most circumstances. But ours is a very delicate situation. We are not the only people involved. I will tell you what I can, but you must understand that it can go no further. Nobody else can know."
Charlie seemed to hear the seriousness in my voice; he was still frowning but looked a little less angry.
"Explain." he ordered.

I nodded again, taking a deep breath before beginning. "Well, to start with, you're right about what we are. We're vampires, all of us. But there isn't much beyond that which you have right. All the myths and stories, the books and movies; they have very little in them that is even close to the truth. You think of us as vicious, murdering monsters, and in the vast majority of vampires that would be about right, but not for us. We've all made a commitment to abstain from human blood for various different reasons, but mostly because we don't want to be those monsters."
"So you aren't the danger." Renee said, a statement rather than a question, seeming pleased.
"Not in theory." I corrected her. "But there is always a risk, if we are particularly thirsty or especially tempted. We do our best, but it is a struggle sometimes. Jasper often has difficulty – though he's much better at controlling himself than he was – simply because he lived a more traditional vampire lifestyle for a long time before he met Alice. And Bella... I can't be sure, since she doesn't show it, but from my own experience I can guess that this morning has been very hard for Bella."
"Why?" Charlie asked, utterly perplexed.
"Because she is so new. She's only been one of us for about a week, and though she is far more controlled than most of us were at her age, she will continue to struggle with her thirst for at least the first year while she adjusts to this life. Honestly, we're all surprised that she hasn't snapped and gone for your throat yet, particularly when you seem to be going out of your way to make her angry." I smirked a little. "Making a newborn angry is never a good idea."
He looked a little confused. "So Bella's the danger? She kind of implied that it was something dangerous to her as well. "
"Well, she would certainly be very upset if she ever hurt you, even accidentally." I assured him. "But the danger she is talking about comes from somewhere else, from another group of our kind."
"I'm guessing they aren't like you, are they?" said Renee.
"Not at all." I agreed, then became deadly serious. "They call themselves the Volturi, and they have been established as the ultimate rulers of all vampire-kind for several thousand years. They are comprised of a core coven of five – three male leaders and two wives – protected and served by a guard of about twenty others hand-picked by the supreme leader, Aro. They keep track of vampire activity around the world, and enforce our one most paramount law, carrying out judgement and punishment as they see fit when one of us disobeys."
"What is the law?" Charlie asked, already feeling a sense of foreboding. Even laid back Renee was tense at my side.
"Don't tell the humans." I said simply. "That's what it boils down to. We just have to keep our existence a secret from the rest of the world."
"And if you don't?"
"If we tell someone and the Volturi find out about it... if they feel that it may compromise our anonymity as a species," I said slowly. "then they would kill us all. They might not even pause to hear our side of the story before exacting their brand of justice." I grimaced, making it obvious what I thought of said 'justice' and the Volturi as a whole.
"So," Charlie began, trying to understand. "By telling us all of this, you've condemned yourself and us to death."
Renee let out a little choked sob, and I saw that there were tears in her eyes.
"Only if they find out." I assured her. "And as long as we all keep quiet and they don't find a reason to visit us, that won't happen."
"Are they likely to find a reason?" she asked tearfully.
I shook my head. "Not very. Carlisle and Aro count each other as friends – he lived with them in his younger days – but they have never been very close because they have such different views on a number of issues, the importance of humans being the foremost of course. They're unlikely just to stop by for a friendly get together; the leaders rarely leave their home in Italy at all. They might send a small group of the guard to check on Bella, in which case Alice would see them coming and we would have some control over the situation. It wouldn't be necessary to bring up your knowledge of us, and they wouldn't be any the wiser."

Renee gave a sigh of relief, but Charlie was still frowning unhappily. He was worried about why the Volturi would come to see Bella, and more than a little annoyed that his daughter had apparently been exposed to such a dangerous group
"I'm sorry." I murmured, startling him a little. "I've done everything I can to keep her safe, though she often makes it shockingly difficult. You cannot imagine how guilty I feel that it was often my actions that put her in danger, that I exposed her to them in the first place. I don't have words to express my apologies."
I looked over at Bella, and she was looking at me, smiling sadly. She shook her head, mouthing "Not your fault." so that even EJ in her arms would not hear her.
"She's met them then?" Charlie said, his frown deepening even more.
I nodded, too ashamed to meet his eyes.
"When?"
He was racking his mind, trying to figure out when Bella would have had the time to go all the way to Italy. Of course, he could only think of one incident.
"Yes, it was then." I replied. He jumped again, but I carried on, hoping to get it all out before I broke down. "She told you Rosalie passed on the news of her cliff jumping to me, and that she made it sound like she attempted suicide, and Alice took her to LA to calm me down. While that story is fairly close to the truth, it isn't entirely accurate."
"Bella said Alice can see the future." Renee chipped in. "Did that cause the problem?"
I nodded. "It's why she came back to Forks in the first place. She saw Bella jump off the cliff, but since she can't see the Quileutes, she didn't see Jacob jump in and pull her out. She rushed here without thinking, hoping to be able to help Charlie in some way, and was very surprised to find Bella alive and well. The problem arose when she failed to relay this fact back to Jasper and Rosalie, who she'd left behind with only a brief explanation. I was somewhere in Brazil at the time, sitting in an attic, not even trying to ignore the pain of being separated from Bella. Rose called me, told me that she was... dead," I choked out the word and shuddered. "and I lost what little remaining will I had to live. I travelled to Italy and asked the Volturi leaders to end my life."
There was a moment of heavy silence as they processed my words. I watched Bella; she was cradling EJ in her arms, rocking him gently back and forth and humming 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' to him. He seemed calm, his eyes closed in a peaceful sort of half-sleep, but her shoulders were tense, her expression worried and unhappy.

"You really love her don't you?" Charlie murmured gruffly, breaking the silence between us. "I don't think I've ever truly understood how much until now."
I smiled slightly. "I really do, with all my still heart and the soul which she convinced me I still have. When I met Bella, she made me feel in a way I haven't experienced in ninety years of this life... perhaps even in the whole of my long lonely century on Earth. She makes me happy, and by the grace of God, I make her happy too. I pray every day that I will continue to be worthy of her love, and I am so very thankful that she granted me forgiveness after I was inexcusably cruel to her."
Renee unexpectedly slid her hand into mine and squeezed my fingers. I looked at her, a little surprised, and she smiled at me.
"Tell us what happened in Italy." she said softly. "I think you need to talk about it, get it off your chest. Have you told anyone else?"
I shook my head. "Alice told the rest of the family what happened. Bella and I don't like to talk about it..."
Charlie sat down on the bottom step, and both of them waited patiently while I stared across the lawn and collected my thoughts. I saw Bella smile and nod encouragingly. I sighed.

"Alright," I began, looking down at my hands. "Well... I went first to the Volturi leaders and asked for them to kill me. I told them what had happened, every detail, hoping they would take pity on me. They sent me away while they deliberated for a few hours. Alice would have seen me go as soon as I made the decision, before I even left South America, so I assume that she and Bella were already on a plane by that point. I started coming up with back-up plans, in case they refused... things I could do that would put me in breach of the law and force them to end me. And when they finally called me back, and Aro told me that he wouldn't kill me because it would be 'a waste of my talent', I went into pull on planning mode. There was a festival on, rather ironically celebrating the expulsion of vampires from the Volturi city, and I decided to step out into the main square in the midst of it all. The place would be crowded with humans, and I was guaranteed to be seen. Our skin reflects sunlight like a crystal; it would be obvious that I was something more than human. I knew they would never let me actually do it. I would be stopped before I could expose us. I hoped it would be quick and painless. But the walls of the city are high, and the sun is only fully over the square at midday, so I had to wait until then to carry out my plan. I felt as if every moment that I waited was a lifetime. I wished time would go faster, so that I could see her sooner. I didn't know that she and Alice were on their way, already aware of my plan and determined to stop me. Alice knew I wouldn't believe her if she told me Bella was still alive, that I would think she was lying to get me to come home, and she knew the only solution was for me to see Bella with my own eyes before I stepped into the sun."
I shook my head at the memory, still completely in awe of how close I had been to death.
"It was almost too late." I whispered roughly. "But she reached me just in time. At first I thought that I had literally died and gone to heaven when I found her in my arms so suddenly. It took her a minute to convince me that we were both still alive." I shook my head and laughed softly at myself. "And then, right when I realised what was going on, two of the Volturi guard showed up, demanding that we come back to see the leaders. I tried to get her out of it, but they insisted that she had to come too, and then one of their most formidable guards turned up and we really didn't have a choice any more. We had to go to them, all three of us knowing that there was a very good chance we wouldn't make it home."
"But you got out." Charlie stated, n question in his tone. He looked rather shell shocked, as if the gravity of the situation was only just beginning to hit him.
"Yes," I sighed. "But only by promising Aro that we would change Bella in the near future. If we hadn't made that promise, or we hadn't followed through and they found out, they would have killed her."

Just saying the words felt like it might be more than I could bear. I buried my face in my hands, shuddering at the very thought of losing her, my heart pierced with a pain I thought was gone for good. Even with the awful sensations the retelling of the story had conjured up, I did feel a little lighter for having got it off my chest; I didn't realise just how much I had been holding inside. The twinge of guilt brought on by the fact that I had shared something so personal with Bella's parents before I told her was soothed by her presence on the other side of the lawn, the sure knowledge that, just as I could hear her, she could hear me.
A moment later, I felt Bella's arms wrap tightly around me and the closeness of her body on my right side. EJ's warm weight was settled in my lap, and his little fingers wrapped around mine, trying to pull my hands down. Bella kissed my cheek softly.
"I'm here." she whispered, quiet as a breath. "It's alright. I won't let anything separate us."
Her voice held the distinctive ring of a promise, and I could not doubt she meant it when I looked into her wide, honest eyes. She was smiling softly, so beautiful; I still had trouble believing she was really mine sometimes. I was so wrapped up in her, I barely cared that Renee and Charlie were still there, listening.
"I love you." I told her, trying to convey in mere words how much she meant to me.
She smiled wider, her eyes shining with love, reflecting it back at me. "I know you do. I love you too."
"Me!" EJ crowed, and we both laughed.
"Yes, we love you too little man." Bella cooed, reaching round to flutter her fingers against the back of his neck, a spot where he was particularly ticklish. He cringed away but giggled happily, squealing with delight when I tossed him lightly up into the air.
"Again!" he cried when I caught him, so I did it again... and again, taking happiness of my own from his enjoyment. With each toss he went up a little higher and laughed a little more.
"Careful!" Bella exclaimed when he went so high that he nearly hit his head on the porch. I chuckled and caught him again, sitting him gently back on my lap.
"Nooooo!" he protested, wriggling. "Again!"
I smiled but shook my head. "Let's not attempt to give Mommy a heart attack today, okay?"
He huffed and pouted, but didn't argue.

The already dark sky had darkened further by this point, and the light wind that had been dancing through the trees suddenly picked up, blowing fiercely across the lawn. Renee shivered next to me and Charlie moved up a step to avoid the first drops of rain.
"Let's go back inside where it's nice and warm." Bella suggested, standing up. "I want to make sure the girls are alright too."
I nodded and stood up, holding EJ securely, and Renee stood too, wiping under her eyes to get rid of the last of her tears. She led the way into the house and I followed, but Bella paused in the doorway and turned to Charlie, who hadn't moved.
"Coming Dad?" she asked, and I was probably the only one who heard the nervous edge to her voice.
Charlie hesitated for a moment, then nodded, following us inside. He was less suspicious, more calm – thanks, in part, to Jasper – and had decided to observe us a little more and mull over everything I had told him before making any judgements.

When we got back to the living room, the atmosphere there had relaxed significantly too. Renesmee and Elizabeth were playing with their toys in the middle of the carpet; Nessie was colouring while her sister attempted to dress up a few dolls. She was having more than a little trouble with it, but that was probably because she kept trying to put the clothes on the wrong parts of the dolls' bodies. Jacob sat about a foot away, watching them, smiling and nodding when Nessie showed him her pictures. Emmett and Jasper had migrated to one corner of the room, where they were playing their own very complicated version of chess, which spanned four boards and had a set of rules that were forever in flux. Alice and Rosalie had gone to the computer to look at clothes, and Esme sat on the loveseat sketching, with Carlisle watching her intently. Phil sat awkwardly on the other sofa, looking more than a little out of place; he was relieved when he spotted Renee, smiling widely. She went and sat down beside him, holding his hand comfortingly.

Elizabeth was the first to spot Bella.
"Mama!" she called, waving her doll in agitation. "Hewp!"
Several people chuckled, and Bella smiled adoringly, going to sit beside her and helping her untangle the tiny garments. I followed, setting EJ down next to Nessie, then retreated to the couch to sit beside Renee, watching my family with a contented smile. Charlie flopped into the armchair between the couches with a huff, his eyes moving between the rest of us a little warily. Most of the others ignored him, but Esme looked up and gave him a warm smile, hoping to put him at ease. It wasn't as successful as it could have been; despite all our efforts, Charlie was still feeling rather on edge and paranoid, and he was having trouble trusting the welcome in the smile.

Renee started asking Carlisle some of the questions that were bouncing around her brain like demented bees, and Phil and Charlie listened intently to the answers, though Charlie tried to seem like he wasn't interested. Occasionally one of them would ask a question of their own, or someone else would chip in with part of an answer, but Bella and the children didn't contribute, seemingly lost on their own little world. I instinctively kept my focus mainly on them, only barely acknowledging that the others were there at all. It was fascinating, watching them, seeing how the children's different personalities were developing, how comfortable they all were with each other.

Despite Bella's assurance the night before our wedding that she wasn't interested in having children, she was utterly in her element taking care of them. Her quiet words and soft smiles put them at ease as she gently explained who Charlie and Phil were, soothing worries and calming concerns until all three were happily playing once more. Her quick, sure hands helped them perform even the simplest of tasks as delicately and precisely as if she were handling precious historical artefacts, making sure to show them what she was doing so that they could learn. She gave encouragements and suggestions, she praised and laughed, she kissed and cuddled. Even having seen the change with my own eyes, it was hard to believe that this radiant, confident woman could possibly be the same shy, clumsy little human girl who had excited both my thirst and my curiosity in almost equal measure not even two years ago. She was made to be a mother, made to be a vampire, every moment of her life leading to the idyllic scene laid out before me now. I wondered how I had been deemed worthy enough to be the one to bring her into this life, and at the same time thanked God or fortune or whatever force it was that had granted me such an honour.

Nothing else mattered – not Charlie or the Volturi or anything else. Not even the nature of my soul – which I had been debating with Carlisle and myself for decades – was a worry to me now. Because Heaven and Hell didn't matter if you never died, and I wanted very much to live. As long as I had Bella and our little family, I had a reason to live. With them, I had found Heaven on Earth, and it was all the Heaven I ever wanted.

Chapter 13: Exposed

Chapter 13: Exposed

Renee POV

“Charlie, is this really necessary?” I asked nervously. Charlie was speeding down the Cullens' long driveway at close to a hundred miles an hour, sirens shrieking madly – in other words, not at all how he normally drove. I was fairly sure he hadn't lifted his foot off the gas pedal since we'd left his house no more than five minutes before. I wasn't sure exactly how long it had been; I didn't dare look at my watch, as I had a feeling that trying to focus on the little clock face would probably make me feel ill.
“Necessary?” Charlie spluttered, turning sharply into another twist in the drive at breakneck speed. “Of course it's god damn necessary! They stole her Renee!”
“Hey, don't shout at her!” Phil protested from the back seat. He'd been incredibly accommodating, using up more of his vacation time when I decided to spring a surprise Christmas visit on Bella. We went to Charlie's house first to see if he wanted to come with us, and found Charlie yelling something about the Cullens and vampires and continually insisting that we had to 'go and get her back' right away. Unsure what else to do, we followed him out, climbed into his police cruiser and held on for dear life when he set off like a bat out of hell.
The Cullen’s front lawn was visible now, no more turns before the green expanse opened up, and Charlie, without slowing down, turned around and glared at Phil.
“Don't you tell me what to do!” he snapped angrily. “I don't care what you think, this is about my daughter, and-”
I cut Charlie off, because we were still racing along, and I could see something small and vaguely person shaped ahead of us – it was hard to tell because we were going so fast – which we were going to hit if he didn't stop.
“Charlie, look out!” I screeched, and he snapped his head around. His eyes widened and he stomped on the brake. The brakes squealed madly in protest, but we kept skidding across the muddy ground towards what I could now see was a little girl with bright red-brown hair. She seemed frozen in shock and fear, unable to move as the shrieking, wailing cruiser bore down on her.
A second later, the car stopped dead. I jerked forward at least an inch before my seatbelt snapped taut and forced me back into my seat.

Standing in front of the car, between us and the little girl, was Edward. His hand was on the front of the bonnet, as if he had stopped it, and his eyes burned with anger as he glared at us. For a second, the tension sat thickly in the air, a strange silence settling though the siren screamed on. Then Edward turned, snatched up the girl and vanished into the house, moving so fast it was almost impossible to see him. The three of us were frozen for a moment more, before Charlie shoved his door open and got out, stalking towards the house without bothering to turn off the siren, though he slammed his door behind him angrily. Phil and I scrambled out after him, following him across the lawn.
“Charlie, I really think you should stop and think about this!” I called, but he just ignored me, stomping up the porch steps and pulling the door open without knocking. By the time we caught up to him, he was already yelling loudly at the gathered Cullens, hurling accusations and threats that were barely recognisable as English. The noise in the room was deafening; Charlie's shouting and the siren were mixed up with the very unexpected sound of crying babies – definitely more than one – coming from somewhere upstairs and the sobs of the little girl, who I could see curled up against Edward behind everyone else.

Over all the noise, a voice echoed from the upper floors. It was female, and it rang like a bell and sounded like singing, even as it shouted angrily.
“Will someone please turn that siren off!” the voice yelled.
“On it!” Emmet called back, and promptly vanished. The siren cut off abruptly, and Emmet was back in the same second, the front door swinging closed behind him. Charlie barely seemed to notice.
“Where is she?” he was yelling. “What have you done to her?”
“We haven't done anything.” Carlisle responded calmly, finally able to get a word in edgeways. He held his hands up, almost in surrender, or to show he meant no harm. “We've done everything we can to take care of Bella.”
“Don't you lie to me.” Charlie growled, still glaring at the serene doctor. “I know what you are, what you do. Don't think you can pull the wool over my eyes.”
“You know nothing about us.” Rosalie hissed, stepping forward.
“Rose.” Carlisle cautioned her, and she stepped back again, still glowering.
Charlie began to rant and rave again, provoked by her aggressive response, but I was distracted by a tugging on my elbow. I looked down and was surprised to see the little girl looking up at me. While we had all been focused on Charlie, she had calmed herself down and crept around the edge of the room to reach where I was standing. She put a finger to her lips, warning me to be quiet, and then slipped her little hand into mine and began to lead me towards the stairs. I glanced back at Phil, who had spotted my movement and raised his eyebrow at me. I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring nod back, then turned to follow the girl.

She led me through the house, up two flights of stairs, which was further than I’d been before; there were really only one or two times I’d been in this house, and I’d only gone as far as Alice’s room on the second floor.
“Are you alright?” I asked the little girl cautiously. She looked back at me and tilted her head, as if wondering what I meant. Her wide brown eyes were unnervingly familiar as they glittered in the low light.
“The car almost hit you.” I explained gently. “You didn't get hurt or frightened?”
She seemed to think about it for a moment, then shook her head.
“Daddy saved me.” she said in a high soprano voice, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world; it was like she couldn't imagine any situation where he wouldn't save her. Of course, I got hung up on 'Daddy'. She called Edward 'Daddy'?
We'd reached the top floor of the building by now, and the sound of the crying babies was louder. It was coming from the open door on one side of the corridor and was accompanied by a gentle voice shushing and murmuring soothing words. The little girl dropped my hand and went straight to the door, leaving me standing at the head of the stairs. As I cautiously approached, the voice inside began to sing softly, a song I recognised; I had sung it many times to Bella during her childhood, whenever she was upset or scared.

“When I am down and all my soul so weary,

When troubles come and my heart burdened be,
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit a while with me.”

Tentatively, I peered into the room, which was very obviously a nursery; there was a crib on one side and a small bed on the other. In the middle of the room was a woman with her back to me. Her slender frame was wrapped in a plain white blouse and blue jeans, her long brown hair cascading down her back in waves. It was from her that the singing came.

“You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up to more than I can be.”

Her arms cradled something, presumably the babies, who had now stopped crying and settled into a soft whimpering only just audible over the singing. Sure enough, two tiny heads were visible over the woman's shoulders, each topped with the same odd reddish brown hair as Edward and the little girl had.

“You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up to more than I can be.
There is no life, no life without it's hungers,
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly,
But when you come, I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,
I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up to more than I can be.
You raise me up to more than I can be.”

As the song drifted to a close, the woman walked over to a rocking chair in the corner and sat down, lowering the two tiny babies from her shoulders to her lap so that one was cradled in each of her arms as she rocked gently. I held back a gasp as I saw her face for the first time.

Bella.

I could tell at once that she was unquestionably Bella, but I could also see that she was very different to the young lady I had seen driving off toward her honeymoon four months ago. Her already pale skin was now even paler, bone white and almost glowing... or perhaps it was shimmering. All her features had been smoothed out and perfected, her hair was thicker and minutely more red, and she was so beautiful that it took my breath away. Bella had always been a pretty girl, much prettier than she thought she was, but now...
She was stunning.
The only off note were her eyes. I couldn't see them clearly from this distance – she was looking away from me, down at the children in her arms – but they looked brighter, lighter than they had been. I hoped it was just the lighting in here that changed them.

The little girl had been standing just in front of me, inside the door while I lingered outside, but now she scampered forward and stood beside the rocking chair, her little hands on the arm as it tipped slightly back and forth. Bella smiled down at her, her face full of love and adoration, and leaned in to kiss her gently on the forehead. The little girl's hand came up and touched Bella’s cheek for half a second, then my daughter's head snapped up and she stared at me with a look that was part shock, part horror and part outright fear. Her previously relaxed shoulders tensed slightly, as if she were expecting to be told off for something at any second, and her small smile, when it returned, was tentative and nervous.
“Hi Mom.” she said in a whisper, her voice ringing as beautifully in speech as it had in song.
“Bella,” I breathed, shocked speechless. All of a sudden, Charlie's mad rambling began to make a little bit of sense. I didn't know if I quite believed his vampire theory, but something had definitely changed my daughter, and it was almost certainly linked to her new family.
Bella was stiff, looking very uncomfortable as she waited for my reaction. I was still trying to figure out exactly how I felt about my own revelations. Without really thinking about it, I drifted forwards, moving slowly across the room towards her. She didn't take her eyes off my face, but I saw her fingers flex slightly around the babies, and she was breathing slowly, evenly, and very deliberately, as if she were measuring each breath before she took it. I took a deep breath of my own and swallowed before I spoke.
“Have I gone crazy?” I wondered aloud, my voice very quiet and a little shaky. “Charlie seems to have lost his marbles, and I’m wondering if I have too. Then again, maybe all this talk of myths and monsters is freaking me out.” I realised that I was rambling, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. “I mean, he can't be right, can he? There's no such thing as vampires in real life, is there?”
I paused, and Bella was biting her lip as she looked away. She took another carefully measured breath and avoided my eyes.
“Is there?” I repeated in a whisper, dread settling in the pit of my stomach. Bella closed her eyes, and the breath she took sounded more like a sob.
“I'm sorry.” she choked out. “Oh Mom, I’m so sorry.”
I couldn't speak, didn't know what to say, just waited and watched as the little girl jumped to comfort my little girl, stroking her arm gently with one tiny hand. When Bella had collected herself somewhat, she looked up at me, the sadness and guilt in her face making me take another step forward and reach out a hand to offer my own comfort. Her next words stopped me in my tracks.
“He's right.” she whispered. “Charlie is absolutely right.”
My head spun. Charlie was right? But that meant that...
“You're a... a...” I couldn't get the word out; each time I tried my throat closed up and my vocal chords froze, refusing to make a sound.

Bella’s eyes locked with mine, and now that I was closer I could see what had changed in them: they were red, blazing brightly, the only colour in her white face. They were frightening, making me catch my breath and step back as my body instinctively recognised danger.
“Yes.” she said, voice hard, guarded, and still more beautiful than the most amazing choir in the world. “I'm a vampire. We all are.”
Silence descended for a moment, interrupted only by the muted, almost inaudible sound of Charlie still yelling downstairs. If I hadn't been so fixated on the bombshell Bella had just delivered, I might have wondered how he could keep going for so long without losing his voice.
Bella stood up, placing the two babies carefully on the rocking chair, where they sat up easily in their blankets and watched her intently. She came towards me slowly, carefully, as if she were approaching a frightened animal. I couldn't move as my instincts battled one another; self preservation screamed at me to run, while the mother in me insisted that this was my daughter, my little Isabella, and she would never try to hurt me. I was so caught up in my internal war, I didn't know how close she had gotten until her hand touched me, her fingers cold as ice against the back of my hand. I gasped and blinked, focussing in on her face. Her terrifying eyes were sad again, her face serious, and something in her expression made me feel like she was begging for my forgiveness for something she'd done.
“I know you're frightened.” she said calmly, softly. “But there's no, need to be. We're not like others, we won't hurt you. I promise, no one in this house would ever wish to harm you.”
Something in me recognised the truth in her words, and I felt myself relax slightly. Bella smiled, though her eyes still looked a little worried.
“I'm still me.” she insisted. “I'm still the same person I used to be. I’m just a bit more durable and my diet has changed a little.” She smiled weakly again and shrugged, trying to seem flippant and unconcerned.
“You aren't exactly the same.” I said pointedly, nodding at the three children still watching us with nervous looks on their little faces. She followed the line of my eyes and her smile turned sheepish. I expected her to blush, but she didn't.
“I suppose not.” she conceded. “They have made a pretty big difference.”
“Are they yours?” I asked, sure that their resemblance to both her and Edward was not coincidental, but still confused as to how she could have three children in only as many months. Was that a vampire thing? Were they relatives of Edward’s who just happened to look like her?
Bella nodded, and now her smile was knowing, as if she had guessed what I was thinking of. “I know it seems impossible, but yes, they're ours. They grow much faster than other children of course.”
She paused for a moment, then held out one snow white hand.
“Do you want to come and meet them?” she asked gently, encouragingly, but still giving me the option to say no if I wanted to. But the three little ones had sparked my curiosity, presenting a mystery that I wouldn't be able to rest until I had found out the answers. So I took Bella’s hand, slightly shocked by the cold, bur ignoring it as best I could, and let her lead me over to the rocking chair. I watched her face out of the corner of my eye, and saw on it again the wondering, adoring look that had been there before I interrupted her moment with her... her children. That was an odd concept to wrap my head around; my daughter was a mother. It seemed like only yesterday that she was the baby, so tiny and vulnerable in my arms, the only good thing to have come out of my silly, romantic decision to marry a man I barely knew, and my biggest motivation to correct my mistakes and make something of myself. To an outside observer, it might seem that Bella was now in exactly the same situation, but I knew better; she was always more like Charlie, much more thoughtful and careful than me, never one to rush into something that she wasn't comfortable with. I trusted her to make her own decisions, positive that she would do what she felt was best for herself, and the look on her face, first on the day of her wedding and again now, convinced me that I had not misplaced that trust.
I realised suddenly that her motherhood made me a grandmother, and had to suppress a slight shudder. That was almost as bad as mother-in-law, maybe worse. Not that I had any problems with Bella making a family of her own. I just didn't like feeling so old.

Three pairs of tiny eyes watched us as we approached, one wary, one frightened, and one – the larger of the two babies – openly hostile. Bella saw this too, and she let go of my hand, sinking to her knees in front of them, reaching out to touch the baby's tightly clenched fist with one finger.
“It's alright honey,” she said softly, soothing all three of them even as she focused on one. “She's safe.”
She glanced back at me, smiling indulgently.
“He's a little protective,” she explained. “He doesn't trust anyone until someone tells him who they are.”
I knelt down beside her and gave the children a soft, friendly smile, perfected over my years as a kindergarten teacher, both in Phoenix and in our previous home in California.
“Hi there,” I said quietly, using the tone that always calmed my more skittish students. “I'm Renee. It's nice to meet you.”
The tiny boy was still eyeing me suspiciously, and Bella chuckled, reaching out to smooth the wild mess of bronze hair that topped his head.
“Renee is my mommy,” she told him gently. “And that look you're giving her isn't very nice.”
Her tone was soft and kind, with a slight edge of warning and rebuff to it. The boy pursed his little

lips for a moment, then dropped his angry expression completely and gave me a crooked smile that was a miniature replica of Edward’s. His eyes sparkled like two emeralds set into his face, and his tiny teeth – a full set of them – twinkled like pearls. Then he startled me again by opening his mouth and talking.

“'ike Nana!” he crowed triumphantly, and Bella laughed.
“Yes, like Nana.” she confirmed, leaning in to kiss his forehead. Then she looked at me, her expression a little dreamy and unmistakably happy.
“This little monkey is EJ.” she told me, and he gave me a little wave.
“This is Elizabeth,” Bella went on, lightly stroking the bronze waves on the head of the other baby. “She and EJ are twins.” Elizabeth blinked her own wide green eyes and smiled shyly.
“And this is Renesmee.” she finished, indicating the little girl who had brought me up here.
“I'm the oldest,” she proclaimed proudly, and I laughed a little.
“I'd guessed that.” I told her, and held out a hand for her to shake. She took it with a smile, and I gasped as I was assaulted with an image of myself Bella – the old Bella, the way she was before she changed so drastically. The faces zoomed in and out, similarities and differences highlighted and compared in seconds. I was disoriented and confused, unsure where the pictures had come from and why.

A cold hand carefully worked its way between mine and Renesmee's, breaking our contact, and the images disappeared abruptly. I blinked a few times, dazed, and focused back in on the room around me. Bella was holding her daughter's hand, her eyes slightly unfocused for a moment before her features shifted into a mildly disapproving look.
“You really shouldn't do that without warning people first Ness.” she said, and Renesmee grinned sheepishly.
“Sorry,” she said to me with an apologetic smile. “I didn't mean to scare you.”
“You did that?” I asked her disbelievingly. She nodded.
“Wow.” I mumbled, still a little befuddled. “How exactly does that work?”
Bella shrugged. “We don't know how. She's what we call talented, which means she has extra abilities beyond what is normal for our kind. Not everyone has a talent, but many do, and each one is different depending on the individual.”

The longer I sat here listening, the more interested I got in what I was being told. The fear I had felt was completely gone, the blank surprise was on it's way out, and I had a feeling that astonishment would be coming and going for the foreseeable future.
“Are you talented?” I asked curiously.
Bella smiled and shook her head. “Not me. Carlisle thought my control might be something special – I’m far more calm and rational than others my age – but Edward thinks it's just because I knew what to expect and prepared myself beforehand.”
“What do you think?” I asked
She shrugged. “I don't really care. I’m glad of it today though.” Her smile turned sad. “I would hate myself forever if I ever hurt you or Phil or Charlie, even unintentionally.”
I gently put my hand over hers and squeezed.
“I'm glad too.” I said with a slightly awkward smile, then changed the subject. “And what about the others? Anyone extraordinary in the rest of the family?”
Bella nodded. “Quite a few actually. Jasper, Alice, Edward and the children all have clear definable talents. You've experienced Renesmee's; she can put her thoughts into other people's heads by touching them. The twins can have mental conversations with each other and anyone related to them when they have skin to skin contact. Come to think of it, it would probably work with you too.”
“We can try it out later.” I agreed. “And the others?”
“Jasper can feel and influence people's emotions. He's probably trying to calm Charlie down right now, although I have a feeling he's fighting a losing battle.” She smiled sadly and I squeezed her hand again. She squeezed mine back carefully and continued.
“Alice can see the future, things that are going to happen, or might happen.”
“That must be helpful.” I commented, and she nodded.
“It is, although it's limited to humans and vampires and affected by any change in people's decisions. Alice didn't remember her human life after she changed, so she's been relying on her visions for her whole life as far as she's concerned. They led her to Jasper, and then to Carlisle and the rest of the family, and we've all come to rely on them as much as she has. It doesn't work when people avoid making decisions, and that frustrates her. And Edward...”
She paused and bit her lip, as if she didn't want to tell me.
“Edward...” I prompted.
“Edward... hears people's thoughts.” she finally admitted. “In his head, he can hear the thoughts of everyone around him as clearly as he hears them talk. It works on just about everybody; the only exception we've found is me, and we have no idea why.”
I took a moment to process that.
“He... reads minds?” I clarified hesitantly, and Bella nodded nervously.
All the potentially embarrassing, awkward or judgemental things I’d ever thought in Edward’s presence rushed through my head in half a second, creating a horrifying patchwork that filled me with shame.
“Oh God,” I moaned, burying my face in my hands. “What on Earth must he think of me?”

Bella and EJ laughed, Renesmee giggled, and shy little Elizabeth smiled a bit wider. A moment later, she perked up even more, her eyes bright and excited, as if she had just realised something.
“Mama!” she squealed, bouncing a little in her seat. “'Nee 'ike 'Ne'mee!”
Bella smiled. “That's right honey. Renee does sound like Renesmee. Do you know why?”
Elizabeth shook her head, her little face curious.
Bella leaned in a little, like she was telling her a big secret. It was fascinating to watch how comfortable and natural she was when she interacted with the children, the way her voice changed ever so slightly and her language became a tiny bit more simple, without sounding condescending or turning into baby talk.
“Because,” she stage whispered. “Renesmee is named after Renee.”
I gasped a little, covering my mouth with my hand and trying not to cry.
“Really?” I asked, and Bella nodded, smiling.
“I was trying to come up with a name for her, and it just popped into my head.” she explained. “Renee and Esme put together – Renesmee. Edward likes it, and so does she.”
She grinned and tickled Renesmee lightly. She giggled, and it sounded like a little wind chime.
“Daddy says it's beautiful and unique, just like me!” she said, sounding almost proud.
I chuckled. “It certainly is.”

“I've just thought of something.” Bella said suddenly. “What are they supposed to call you? I’m assuming you don't like the idea of being Grandma.”
I shuddered and Elizabeth giggled.
“I know Mama!” she said happily. “We call Nee-Nee. Nee-Nee pwetty.”
I gave Bella a quizzical look; she seemed to understand the babies' jabbering, though I found it incomprehensible.
“She says they should call you Nee-Nee.” Bella translated with a smile. “She thinks it's pretty.”
“Yeah yeah!” Elizabeth butted in, much more animated than she had been when I arrived. “Pwetty!”
I smiled at her. “Well, if that's what you want to call me then I don't mind. It was very clever of you to think of it.”
She cooed happily and waved her little arms, almost smacking her brother in the face by accident.
“Lizbef!” he protested loudly, swatting at her still failing hand angrily.
“Ee-Day!” she shot back, imitating him, then grabbed him in a hug and giggled madly while he squirmed.

“This is what she's like normally.” Bella whispered to me while Renesmee tried to separate her squabbling siblings. “I wondered why she was being so shy and quiet earlier, because she's usually the opposite.”
I opened my mouth to ask a question – which one, I wasn't sure; I had hundreds floating around in my head – but Bella suddenly turned away, looking behind us towards the door with a frustrated, upset expression on her face. I glanced back, but there was no one at the door and nothing I could see that might have caught her attention.
Bella sighed. “He's off again.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Charlie.” she replied glumly. “I think Jasper managed to calm him down for a little while, but he's angry again now and he's shouting.”
“You can hear all the way downstairs?” I asked.
“I can hear all the way to the freeway.” she said with a little bit of a smile. “Enhanced senses are one of the perks of being a vampire.”
Her casual use of the word startled me a little, but I tried not to let it show, wanting to show her that I was accepting of the life that she had clearly chosen for herself. Unlike Charlie, I didn't think that this was something that had been done to her against her will. I knew my daughter; she wasn't one to let herself be forced into anything, and she always thought through every decision carefully before she made it. I was sure she had considered every possible consequence of this change she had made before agreeing to it.

Bella huffed angrily, presumably in reaction to something Charlie had said, and stood up. The children looked up at her, their fight forgotten, their expressions concerned and curious.
“I think it's time I had a word with my father.” Bella said, her voice low and a little bit frightening. She turned toward the door, and EJ gave a squawk of protest, reaching for her desperately. She turned back around and softened a little, leaning down to scoop him up.
“Don't worry little man,” she cooed gently, bouncing him slightly on her hip. “I won't leave you behind.”
She went to pick Elizabeth up with her other arm, but the little girl shook her head and reached for me.
“Nee-Nee,” she said, little fingers clenching and unclenching into fists. I looked to Bella, who gave me a reassuring nod and a smile, then I stood up and carefully lifted her into my arms. I hadn't held a baby since Bella was about two, but my mothering instincts were still there, and I found it almost no trouble at all to balance Elizabeth on my hip in the same way that Bella had with EJ. She was a little heavier than I would have expected for her size, but not so heavy that I couldn't hold her; I just had to use two hands. She curled calmly against me, putting her little head on my shoulder and shoving her thumb in her mouth. Bella seemed unaffected by EJ's weight, supporting him on only one arm – even though he had to be at least as heavy as Elizabeth – and holding her free hand out to Renesmee. She took it without hesitating, and they looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Bella nodded, and I wondered if it was an answer to some question that I couldn't hear.
“Let's go.” she said quietly, and led the way out of the room and down the stairs.

The closer we got to the ground floor, the louder and clearer Charlie's yelling became. By the time we reached the top of the final flight, even I could hear him clearly. Elizabeth, who had been getting more and more confident upstairs, had retreated back into herself again, clinging tighter to me that should be possible and whimpering softly. I’d turned my head and kissed her hair before I really knew what I was doing, but it felt so right that I didn't question it; it did seem to relax her a little bit.

Bella had paused at the top of the stairs, and I stopped next to her, both of us listening to the noise from the living room.
“I knew there was something wrong about you.” Charlie was saying loudly. “I should never have let you near my daughter to begin with.”
“That wouldn't have helped.” Edward answered, sounding much calmer than my furious ex-husband. “What could you have done, stopped her from going to school? There would always have been plenty of opportunities for us to meet and get to know each other.”
That riled Charlie up even more, although I was fairly sure that wasn't Edward’s intention, and his tirade got even louder.
“Bella would never have agreed to all of this if you hadn't manipulated her and tricked her into it. She deserves so much better than this! You were never good enough for her-”
“I KNOW!” Edward half roared, cutting him off, all trace of calm gone. “Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I’ve told her that a thousand times? I’ve torn myself apart since we met, half of me wishing she would stay and satisfy my need to have her near me, and half of me praying she would run from me and be safe. I have never manipulated her or forced her into anything. I have always made sure it was her choice to be with me.”
“You expect me to believe that?” Charlie retorted, and I heard Bella growl softly before making her way down the stairs. I followed slightly nervously as Charlie continued to rant and rave.
“How am I supposed to trust you, any of you, after all the times you've clearly lied to me, to Renee, even to Bella? Do you even care about her at all? Is she just some kind of tool for you, a way to make your little nest bigger and-”
“Enough!” Bella barked. Charlie spun around and stared at her, and I felt a wash of calm sweep over all of us; presumably Jasper taking advantage of Charlie's momentary distraction.
“That's enough Charlie.” Bella said, her voice cold and emotionless again.

There was a tense moment where no one spoke. None of the Cullens – the vampires – so much as breathed, all frozen in absolute stillness. Everyone was staring at Bella and Charlie, who stared at each other in silent confrontation, Bella defensive and Charlie utterly astounded.
It was Bella who broke the silence.
“I think we need to take this outside.” she said, still speaking low in close to a monotone. “Edward, will you take EJ for me?”
Edward approached slowly carefully, skirting around Charlie and eyeing Bella cautiously. EJ whimpered and clutched at her, and Bella shushed him gently, kissing his forehead before she handed him carefully to Edward. Her face, momentarily soft and tender, shifted back to the hard mask as she turned and stalked across the room. We all watched her go, and I jumped a little when she slammed the front door behind her.

“I'd follow her if I were you.” Alice murmured, clearly talking to Charlie. “Making her angry is not a good idea right now.”
Charlie stared at her dumbly for a moment, then nodded slowly and shuffled after Bella, still looking a little bit spaced out. I relaxed a little once he was gone, as did Phil, who crossed the room and put his arm around me. Elizabeth peered at him curiously and he eyed her, but didn't ask questions. Edward was gently bouncing the still discontented EJ in his arms, trying to calm his son's agitation, and Renesmee had wrapped her arms around his legs. I was desperately curious to know what was going on outside, but I didn't know if Bella would want to talk to her father in private, or what to do with the little girl in my arms if I did decide to go out.
“Go,” Edward said softly, and when I turned to him the look in his eyes was an odd mix of sadness, gratitude and anger. “She'll be glad of your support. Rosalie can take Elizabeth.”
Rosalie crossed the room, arms held out, and Elizabeth gave me one more tight squeeze before leaning toward her. I handed her over carefully, and she went calmly from one set of arms to the other, cuddling up against Rosalie contentedly, in stark contrast to her brother's unhappy whining.
“Bye bye Nee-Nee.” she said sweetly, giving me a little wave. I smiled and waved back.
“I'll be right back.” I promised, kissing Phil's cheek and following Bella and Charlie outside.

They didn't seem to have started talking yet when I quietly slipped through the door onto the porch. Bella had her back to Charlie, shoulders hunched as she stared off into the trees, and he stood about five feet behind her, between the house and the cruiser.
“What did he do to you Bella?” Charlie asked as I crossed the grass, speaking only just loud enough to be heard.
“He saved me.” she replied, and though she tried to keep her tone neutral, I could hear the defensiveness in it.
“Sure he did.” Charlie scoffed, clearly not believing her. “How did he convince you of that, huh? What mind games has he been playing on you?”
“None.” she said, her voice more insistent. “He did the only thing he could do, the only thing anyone could have done. I’d be dead without him.”
Charlie couldn't hold back his anger any more.
“Dammit Bella!” he burst out, not as loud as he had been inside, but very close. “Why do you keep defending him? After everything he's done, all the ways he's hurt you, you keep going back to him and acting as if he can do no wrong. He broke your heart Bella. He broke you. What's wrong with you that you can't see how much more you deserve?”
“Stop it!” Bella suddenly shrieked, whirling around and vanishing, only to reappear a fraction of a second later right in front of him, eyes blazing. “Stop making accusations and judgements when you don't understand!”
Charlie stepped back involuntarily, but Bella stepped with him, not allowing him to escape. I could see him shaking very slightly, the only sign he was showing of being frightened. Bella either didn't notice or didn't care and she kept bearing into him, her anger seeming to roll off of her in waves.
“I defend him because I love him.” she went on, speaking slowly and clearly, as if she were explaining something complicated to a small child, but still seething with barely restrained fury. “Because there is no one in the entire world that I love like I love him, and no one but him who loves me that way in return. Everything he does, he does for me, even the things that hurt me, because he wants me to be safe and happy. Sure, he makes mistakes and does stupid things sometimes, but so does everybody. You don't know him, you don't know me, you don't know anything about us, so stop pretending that you know what you're talking about!”

I had never seen Bella – or anyone else for that matter – so angry in my life. She wasn't the type to fly into a rage like this. She's had the odd tantrum about coming to Forks when she was younger, but that was just childish stubbornness. She'd gone crazy when we'd tried to make her leave last September, but that was uncontrolled, wild, almost madness. Never had she shown this kind of single-minded, focussed fury, and it was all the more frightening for its coherence. I almost felt sorry for Charlie; I certainly didn't want her to turn on me.

Her ire seemed to fade for a moment; she took a step back and a few deep breaths, but her crimson eyes still blazed with barely concealed anger.
“This is my life now.” she said, her voice deceptively calm. “I chose it, on my own, with no pressure or enticing from anyone. You can either accept that or you can get out of my life right now and don't come back.”
Charlie gaped at her. “Bells... you can't... you don't”
“I mean it Charlie.” she half-growled fiercely, and they stared each other down in silence for a moment. I chanced a few steps closer, so that I could see Charlie's face more clearly; it was full of pain and anguish, and it was clear that though she'd only been with him for a very short time compared to the time she had been with me, the idea of losing her was incredibly painful for him. Bella’s face wavered, and she tried to hold the stern expression for a second longer before giving up completely. Her face dropped into a look identical to Charlie's.
“I don't want to cut you out of my life Dad.” she said softly, sadly. “I've done everything I can to make it easier for you. But the truth is, we could never really have seen each other again if this hadn't happened. This is dangerous for all of us.”
Charlie had recovered himself somewhat, and he frowned. “Dangerous? Bella, if he's been threatening you...”
“Oh for heaven's sake Charlie!” I exclaimed, and he jumped; I don't think he realised I was even there. “What exactly is your problem with Edward? What did he ever do to you, huh? Because from what I’ve seen, he's a polite, respectful young man who loves our daughter very much, who would probably die for her if he had to, and she feels exactly the same way about him. What is so wrong with that?”
He bristled, clearly unhappy that we were ganging up on him, and turned to face me fully. “And you've met him how many times? Only three, including the wedding, and I highly doubt he's been totally honest with you.”
Bella stepped in then, backing me up.
“If he or any of us have lied to you, it's only for your protection and ours.” she insisted. “There is a very good reason why all of this is a secret, why we can't tell anyone about what we are, why just knowing what you know now could lead to your death if the wrong people were made aware of it.”

There was no way I could doubt the serious expression on her face or the sincerity in her voice; Bella was an awful liar, and it was obvious that she was telling the truth now. Her words frightened me, and I felt myself begin to shake slightly.
“Oh really?” Charlie said, sounding very much like he didn't believe her for some reason I couldn't fathom. “Please enlighten us then. What is so dangerous that you felt you couldn't even tell your own parents the truth?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but a sharp cry cut her off, and we all turned to see Edward standing at the corner off the house, a frantic looking EJ straining out of his arms toward her.

Clearly, our conversation was over.

Chapter 12: Family

Chapter 12: Family
BPOV

Butterflies of excitement fluttered in my stomach as we approached the house. I had heard, through the pain of the venom's fire, my eldest daughter telling me all about her days and her brother and sister, but even so, I really didn't know them all that well. I’d never seen them, never heard them, never held them. Edward had, and that made me feel jealous. I knew that jealousy was irrational, and in the next second I felt guilty for even feeling it. All the sensations and emotions running through me were beginning to give me whiplash; there was just so much going on around me, and everything seemed to draw my attention. Flipping again, my emotions circled back around to nervousness as Edward led me through the back door and into the living room. Alice appeared and handed me a plain blue blouse, which I was grateful for; my hunting hadn't exactly been neat and tidy the way Edward’s was, and I was covered in blood and dirt with big rips in my dress. Once the shirt was buttoned up, it hung just long enough to cover the worst, leaving the relatively undamaged lower hem hanging like a skirt. I got a proper greeting from the whole family, with hugs and smiles and kind words, though Rosalie was still conspicuously absent. Just as I was about to ask where she was, I spotted her sitting on one of the big white couches with her back to me, talking quietly to something in her arms. Edward sat beside her, also cradling something, and I moved towards them almost in a trance. All of the others vanished as I moved, and Rose looked up and smiled at me.
“Hey Bella,” she said. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” was all I could manage, distracted as I was by what she was holding. The soft pattering heartbeats of the babies and Nessie, who hovered at the end of the couch, seemed to fill my ears until I couldn't hear anything else.

Rosalie stood up, leaving her seat vacant and nodding for me to take it. I sat down gingerly, moving at almost human speed in my nervousness. I was wary of the new strength and speed I could feel singing through every cell of my body, still unsure how I was supposed to control it all. Out of habit, I bit my lip, and the action felt strange and foreign; the feeling of strong sharp teeth on impenetrable skin was incredibly odd. Edward gave me a reassuring smile, and I relaxed minutely. Rosalie held out the bundle of blankets in her arms.
“Here, you take EJ. He's getting impatient.” she said with an adoring smile. The bundle wriggled and cooed excitedly, and she laughed lightly.
“Alright little man, here's your Momma.” she murmured, leaning down to place my son in my arms. As nervous as I was, I felt instantly calmed when my arms curled into the familiar position around him and I looked down into his face.

EJ stared up at me, his wide green eyes sparkling like two emeralds in his pale face. His wriggling had dislodged the blankets around him, revealing a pale blue onesie and a head of crazy bronze hair. He smiled at me, showing off two rows of pearly teeth. He was the spitting image of his father, and just like with Renesmee, I was instantly enchanted.
“He's perfect.” I whispered, my voice full of wonder.
“I know,” Edward whispered back. “They both are.”
A soft, happy giggle drew my attention to his arms and the other baby that he held. Smaller than EJ, this baby had slightly longer, wavy hair and longer eyelashes, pink lips and slightly pink cheeks which made her skin look like fresh cream.
“A girl?” I asked softly, and Edward nodded.
“Elizabeth Rose.” He smiled sheepishly. “I named her. I hope you don't mind.”
I smiled back at him and leaned up to kiss his cheek.
“Of course I don't mind.” I said like it was obvious. “It's a beautiful name.”
Elizabeth laughed again, reaching out towards me and kicking her legs. EJ copied her, grabbing hold of a lock of my hair that hung near him and pulling on it. Edward chuckled while I gently uncurled his little fist and kissed his forehead with a smile.
“Ma!” Elizabeth suddenly yelled, straining out of her father's arms in an attempt to get to me.
“Alright my precious.” he soothed her, shifting his weight so she didn't fall. He slid slightly closer and carefully showed me how to balance EJ on one arm so that I could hold both of them at once. When I was human it would have been awkward at best, and almost certainly impossible, but now it was effortless; I was more aware of every part of my body than I ever had been before, and that new awareness made everything I did feel like the easiest thing in the world. It helped that the babies were far more developed than other children their age and didn’t need someone else to hold their heads up for them. Both of them cooed happily when they were settled, seeming glad to be near each other as well as me. Edward put his arm around me and reached around to stroke Elizabeth’s hair softly, leaning in close and resting his chin lightly on my shoulder.
“I am so proud of you.” he whispered softly into my ear, his voice burning with love, and kissed my cheek tenderly. I couldn’t help but smile and lean back into him contentedly. I could see Nessie still hovering nervously, though she had edged closer and closer with each passing minute. I nudged Edward gently with my elbow, and nodded minutely in her direction. He smiled at her and held out his hand.
“What are you doing all the way over there Ness?” he asked teasingly. Her face lit up in response, and she bounced over to us and into his lap, curling against his chest. I leaned over and kissed her forehead tenderly.
“What do you think?” I asked her, smiling happily. “Shall we keep them?”
She laughed, as did Edward, and nodded.
“They’re fun.” she informed me matter-of-factly. “They talk to each other all the time, and it’s so funny.” She giggled.
“Ne’mee!” EJ shouted suddenly, clapping his hands excitedly.
“Luboo Ne’mee!” Elizabeth added, also clapping.
“They’re talking already?” I said, surprised by this new development.
“If you can call it talking.” Edward replied with a soft smile. “They don’t master things overnight the way Nessie did. It takes them a bit of practice. They seem to have conversations with each other, and they understand the words we say and what they want to say in response. They just can’t quite connect that knowledge with the muscles in their mouths.”
“They talk another way too!” Nessie said, bouncing excitedly. “They can talk in their thoughts!”
She touched her hot little hand to my cheek, showing me a memory of a discussion she’d had with the twins just that morning. They’d sat on the nursery floor in a circle, holding hands, and the twins had asked her questions – mostly about me – just by thinking, and she answered them in the same way.

“Wow.” I breathed, then gasped as the twins each laid a hand on my arm and joined in the conversation.
We love you Momma, they both thought at once. We missed you.
I smiled, trying out the rather odd sensation of thinking my answer.
I missed you too. I thought. And I love you too, very much.
I knew it had worked when they gurgled happily and took their hands off my arm to clap in perfect unison. Nessie giggled and Edward and I both laughed.
“I could hear you.” He whispered in my ear wonderingly. “I heard you in their thoughts. Your mind is so beautiful love.”
I smiled bashfully, embarrassed by his praise, and waited for a blush that would never come. The absence of the usual rush of heat to my cheeks threw me for a moment, before Edward distracted me with a soft kiss behind my ear and another whispered, “So beautiful.” that sent an entirely different heat rushing through my whole body.
“Ick.” said EJ, and we laughed again. There was a lot of laughing and smiling that day.

~ADP~

I carefully pulled a blanket up over the sleeping twins. They both slept in the same crib, waking up and crying if they were separated, and they had automatically curled up side by side when I put them down on the soft mattress. Their hands were clasped together between them, and Elizabeth had her other thumb in her mouth, seemingly unaffected by EJ's soft snoring in her ear. I smiled as they shifted slightly in their sleep, glad that their peaceful faces were free from stress or sadness.

I turned to say goodnight to Nessie, who had scrambled into the rocking chair I had just vacated. While I was changing, Alice and Emmet had gone to Charlie's house and told him that I missed the comfort of my old room, and that I’d asked them to come and get my rocking chair. Charlie, still worried as he thought I was ill, quickly agreed and helped them get it into the back seat of the Volvo, sending them off with a get well soon for me and making them promise to get me to call him as soon as I could. In actual fact, the rocking chair had been a surprise gift for me, and one that I greatly appreciated.

“Come on missie,” I said softly, trying not to wake the babies as I scooped up my oldest daughter. “Time for bed.”
She cuddled into my side as I carried her to her new 'big girl' bed and tucked her in. She was unusually quiet, a pensive look on her face that had me worried. She'd seemed detached and upset all day, and I knew Edward had seen it too, but we hadn't brought it up while she was busy playing with the twins.
“Are you okay honey?” I asked her now, stroking her hair softly. Instead of answering, she gave me a question of her own.
“Momma, will you and Daddy still love me even though you have the twins now?”
I was taken aback for a moment, but when I thought about it her worries made sense; with Edward shut away with me and everyone else focused almost completely on the babies, she was bound to feel a little left out.
“Of course not darling!” I told her. “Why would you think that?”
She shrugged and looked down at her lap, twisting her fingers around the legs of a stuffed wolf that Jacob had given her.
“Nessie, look at me.” I said seriously. She peered up at me through her lashes. I put a finger under her chin and gently guided her face up so I could see her properly.
“You have no reason to think that we won't love you anymore. That's not possible.” I paused, seeing her speculative look.
“You know,” I said softly, releasing her chin and looking down at me hands. “There was a time when I didn't think I could love anyone more than I loved my parents, my mother especially. But then I moved here.” I smiled softly and looked back up at her now fascinated little face.
“And I met your father.” I went on. “And I found a love I’d never felt before in my life. Then you came along, and it happened again. But just because I fell in love with Daddy, doesn't mean I don't love my parents anymore. Just because I love you, doesn't mean I don't love Daddy anymore.”
I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and cradled her cheek in the palm of my hand. “And just because I love the twins, doesn't mean that I don't love you. That's the wonderful thing about love.” And I leaned in close and whispered like I was sharing a great secret with her. “We can always make more.”
Renesmee's eyes were wide and shining.
“Really?” she whispered, her voice in awe.
I nodded. “Always. You know it too.”
“I do?” she asked with a little frown.
Again, I nodded, still smiling. “You do. You love your brother and sister don't you?”
She nodded furiously. “Of course I do!”
“But that doesn't stop you loving me and Daddy, does it?”
She shook her head.
“Well there you go.” I said. “It doesn't matter how many people you love, you always have enough to go around. You love everyone equally, no matter if you've loved them for days or years. And hey,” I grinned. “Even if we're busy with Elizabeth and EJ, you'll always have Jacob.”

I patted the head of her little wolf and she giggled.

“Silly Momma, that's not Jacob!”
I pretended to be astonished. “It's not?”
She giggled again and held the wolf up in front of my face. “This is Wolfy.”
“I see.” I said, nodding as if it was obvious. “Well, can you and Wolfy give me a goodnight hug?”
She smiled and nodded, leaning up and wrapping her arms around me.
I love you Momma, she thought with her hand on my neck.
“I love you too Renesmee.” I whispered. “Never doubt that.”

She hummed contentedly, then yawned.
I chuckled. “Time to go to sleep now, little princess.”
“Okay,” she sighed, lying down with her head on the pillow. I tucked the covers in around her carefully and kissed her forehead softly.
“Goodnight darling.” I murmured.
“Goodnight Momma.” she mumbled sleepily.
I checked on the twins one more time – they were still sleeping peacefully – and paused at the door to turn out the light. Even in the darkness, my newly enhanced eyesight allowed me to see my children's faces as clearly as in daylight. The sight brought yet another soft smile to my lips as I quietly closed the door and crossed the hall to mine and Edward’s room. I stood still for a moment, listening to the sounds of the house. It was mostly quiet, just a few soft conversations going on downstairs. I didn't listen too closely, but I couldn't help overhearing the muffled moaning and groaning already coming from Rose and Emmet's room any more than I could stop the way my face twisted into a grimace in response. Ignoring them, I opened the door to our room. It was empty, but I could hear water running in the bathroom.
“Edward?” I called, keeping my voice at a normal volume since he could hear me anyway.
“I'm in the shower love.” he called back, also quiet.
“I guessed that.” I said with a smile, rolling my eyes. “What are you doing in there?”
“I'll be out in a moment.” he promised, avoiding my question.
Curious and confused, I went to sit on the edge of the bed with my back to the bathroom door and began pulling off my shoes and unbuttoning my blouse.
“Did you hear Nessie just now?” I asked over my shoulder.
“Yes I did.” he sighed. “I'll have to have a word with her in the morning. Although I think you pretty much covered everything. That was very impressive.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
I slipped off my shirt and reached behind me for the zipper of my ruined dress. Before I found it, I heard the water shut off and the door open behind me.
I turned around, and my jaw dropped. Edward was standing in the door way of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers. His hair was still wet from the shower, crystal water droplets glistening amongst the copper strands, which stood up in their usual wild disarray. His perfect face was set in a cheeky grin, but I could see the same old familiar hunger in his eyes, burning deep and intense just below the surface.
“Need some help with that?” he asked, his voice low and slightly amused. Unable to find my voice, I simply nodded slowly and watched his lithe, graceful movements as he approached me. As soon as he was close enough, he reached out and ran his hands up and down my sides. But rather than going for the zipper as I expected him to, he gripped the fabric on either side of my waist, ripping the already damaged dress down the middle and pulling it off my arms.
“Edward!” I exclaimed, astonished.
“What?” he shrugged, his face the picture of innocence. “It's not like you could wear it again. Besides,” He leaned in to whisper in my ear huskily. “Zippers take too long.”
His words ignited the fire that had bee smouldering gently in my stomach since our kiss in the woods, and I couldn't hold back a moan as I gripped his hair tightly between my fingers and tugged his mouth to mine. Our lips moved together softly at first, but they quickly grew more frantic and hurried, an almost feral need taking over my mind completely. My fingers continued to pull at his hair while his flexed around my hips, pulling me impossibly closer. Without really realising how it happened, we ended up on the bed, still kissing as I lay flat while he hovered over me. Our underwear quickly went the same way as my dress, and our bodies, his now warm to me rather than cold, pressed tightly together; the space between us was non-existent. I was at the mercy of his hands as he caressed every curve of my body, and -

“Oh Rosie,” Emmet moaned downstairs. “Just like that baby.”

I broke away from Edward and he groaned in frustration, burying his head in my neck.

“Well that's distracting.” I muttered.
“Tell me about it.” he mumbled sullenly.
“You think this is bad.” I heard Jasper say. “Wait until they really get going.”
Alice giggled, and I was struck again by the sensitivity of my new hearing; it was almost as if they were in the room with us.
Edward huffed angrily and pulled away from me slightly as the noise downstairs intensified. I utilised my enhanced strength to keep him close, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and my legs around his waist, but I couldn't stop him from raising his head and speaking over his shoulder.
“Can you at least try to keep it down Emmet?” he said tersely.
Emmet snorted. “You're not exactly quiet yourself Eddie.” he cackled evilly.
Edward growled and there were several laughs from various rooms in the house.
“Behave boys.” Esme scolded gently. “We've gotten along fine for the last however many decades, don't let's start fighting now.”
Edward just huffed again, and I couldn't stop the giggle that escaped through my lips.
“Just ignore them darling.” I whispered, drawing his head back towards me until our lips brushed softly together. “Focus on me.”
We kissed, deep and slow. I nipped at his lower lip, and he grunted, pushing against me in a way that made the most delicious sensations spark through my limbs and set every nerve ending in my body tingling. His mouth pressed tighter to mine and the rest of the world faded away as our lips parted and our tongues tangled.
Needless to say, the noise of the other couples in the house didn't bother us for the rest of the night.

~ADP~

Being a newborn meant that my appetite was bigger than most of the others – I got thirsty much more quickly and drank more at each feeding. I found myself needing to hunt every day to begin with, and it was on the second of these daily hunts, the day after I had my talk with Nessie, that the first major drama occurred.

Edward was my hunting partner, and that day we were joined by Nessie and Jacob. Jake didn't actually need to hunt, but his presence encouraged Nessie by bringing out her competitive streak and allowed Edward and I to relax a little and focused on our own feeding.

The four of us had come to a long open stretch of grass, and Nessie and Jake had stopped to play in the slowly gathering snow that fell from the sky gently, like a picture on a Christmas card. Renesmee was jumping as high as she could, trying to catch the flakes and seeing how long she could hold them before her body heat made them melt. Jacob acted as a sort of ladder, letting her stand on his shoulders so she could jump higher, and was always careful to be near her so he could cushion her fall if needed. We followed behind them, smiling and laughing at their antics. I reached out a hand every so often, catching a snowflake on the tip of my finger and studying the bright facets of it. Even in the weak light of the sun filtering through the clouds, it was like looking at a cluster of little diamonds, each one glittering and shooting out tiny eight colour rainbows. Edward always seemed slightly amused by my fascination with the tiny crystals, but his eyes were warm and tender as his fingers gently combed the tangles from my hair; I was neater now than I had been on my first hunt, but I still made a little mess taking down a stag earlier. All in all, we were having a very enjoyable afternoon.

I knew something was wrong when Edward’s fingers froze in my hair and his whole body went rigid. I looked away from where Nessie was throwing little snowballs at Jake, glancing at his face.

“What is it?” I asked, but he wasn't listening, staring off into the distance. I followed his gaze, past the snow and the trees to the mountains, where my attention was instantly drawn to something shimmering on a cliff face. My eyes focused like binoculars, and I saw that the shimmer came from the almost silver blonde hair of a woman clinging to the rock. Even at this distance it was clear that she was a vampire, but I couldn't clearly see her eyes, and that had me immediately on edge.
“Who is it?” I asked, whispering for no reason I could think of.
“Irina.” Edward replied just as quietly.
“Can you hear her?”
“No, she's too far away.”
Renesmee leaped into the air again and Irina seemed to focus on her for a moment before she glared at us.
“Should we go and talk to her?” I asked Edward, wanting very much to find out the source of her anger but unsure if approaching her was sensible. He hesitated, then nodded.
“We're going to look further up in the mountains.” he called to the others. “Stay here, and we'll be back soon.”
Jacob nodded his big shaggy head and barked in acknowledgement. Nessie nodded distractedly, still fixated on the snow.

We took off into the trees towards Irina, and I let Edward run slightly ahead; he knew Irina's scent and would be more able to track her if she ran off. Being in the trees made me anxious, since I couldn't see the mountains anymore, so I climbed up into the branches until they came back into view. Edward followed my lead, and I happily copied the way he leapt and swung through the branches so that he didn't sacrifice his speed for a better vantage point. I kept one eye on Irina even as I watched him, and we both saw the moment she realised we were coming towards her. She started to clamber up the cliff, and we sped up in response. She was fast, but we were faster, and we caught up to her just as she got properly into the mountains. Over the wind that whipped past me, I heard Edward gasp, “No!”, his voice horrified, and he sped up again. I wasn't expecting it, and I fell behind for a split second before I ran faster as well. I wasn't sure where the extra speed kept coming from; every time I felt like I couldn't go faster, I somehow managed it.

“Irina!” Edward yelled. “Wait!”
She didn't slow.
“Please!” he tried again, sounding almost desperate. “Please, stop and listen to us!”
To my surprise, she did stop, wheeling around suddenly with a snarl. I skidded to a stop, almost slamming into Edward’s back as he too came to an abrupt standstill.
“Why should I listen?” Irina hissed. “How can you possibly condone what you've done?”
“She's not what you think.” he insisted, holding out his hands pleadingly. “I swear to you Irina, none of us would ever be so callous, not after what happened to your mother.”
She spat into the snow, clearly not believing him. Edward’s words had caused something to click into place in my head, and I suddenly understood Irina's anger. I had thought perhaps it was to do with our comradeship with Jacob, that she was still sore over Laurent’s death and the part that the pack played in it. Now I saw what had really set her off.

She thought that Renesmee was an immortal child.

Everything Edward and Carlisle had told me about that dark time in the Denali sisters' history came rushing back, despite it being a human memory, and I recalled at once that their experience had made all three sisters very vigilant when it came to the law. I had no doubt that Irina would, having made her assumptions about my daughter, go immediately to those who would deal with it in the proper way.

Irina quickly confirmed my suspicions.
“Give me one reason to believe you.” she told Edward, still half snarling. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go straight to the Volturi and tell them what you've done.”
“No!” I hissed, my protective instinct instantly kicking in at even the possibility of a threat to my family. I slipped automatically into a defensive crouch and bared my teeth. Edward put his hand on my arm in an attempt to calm me, and he too was tensed, though for a different reason. I was tensed to spring; he was ready to stop me if I tried.
“Shh Bella,” he murmured softly, placatingly. “Let me.”
He held out a hand to Irina again in invitation. “Come with us.” he begged her. “Come and meet her, and let us show you why you are wrong. If you still don't believe us, we'll let you go.”
I gritted my teeth, holding back the part of me that wanted to snarl at him for even suggesting we let her tell lies to Aro that could get us all killed.

Irina seemed to consider the idea for a moment, and I suddenly realised how hard the choice must be for her; the Cullens were, after all, the closest thing she had to family besides her sisters. It would not be easy to condemn them to death, even if she believed she was justified, and any alternative would likely be very tempting.

“Alright.” she conceded at last. “But if I am not convinced...”
“We won't stop you.” Edward promised, wincing slightly.
Irina eyed me suspiciously, arching one perfect eyebrow in silent question. I just nodded stiffly, afraid to speak in case my emotions took over and ruined everything.
“Alright.” she repeated, and gestured for us to lead the way. I took off at once, eager to get back to Renesmee and let her know what was going on. I didn't look back to see if they followed, and I didn't care; I just wanted my little girl safe in my arms, where I could protect her from all the evils of the world.

I only just made it back to the clearing first; I had just enough time to grab hold of Nessie, and respond to Jacob's questioning look with a quick, “Irina.”, before the vampire in question arrived, Edward just behind her. Nessie stiffened and hugged herself to me tighter at the sight of an unfamiliar and clearly hostile face. Her hand was pressed against my neck, and her mind was full of worried, frantic questions; who is she, what is she doing here, do you know her, is she dangerous, why is she looking at me like that? I wanted to calm her, but since I wasn't calm myself that wasn't going to be possible anytime soon.

Irina stared at Nessie, not even blinking.

“Do you see now?” Edward murmured softly.
“I don't believe it.” she muttered. “What is it?”
I had to hold back a growl; I didn't take kindly to people who called my children 'it'.
“She,” Edward emphasised, “is our daughter. Not our creation, our biological child. She was born while Bella was still human, and she's half human herself.”
Irina came closer, moving slowly until she stood right in front of us. She glanced swiftly at Jacob, standing right beside me now, and wrinkled her nose before returning her attention to Nessie. Edward came with her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. She stiffened a little, but didn't shrug him off.
“Just look at her Irina.” he said softly, soothingly, trying to diffuse the tense atmosphere. “You can see the flush in her cheeks. You can hear her heartbeat. She isn't an immortal child, she isn't a danger.”
Irina still looked sceptical.

“Let her show you.” Edward insisted, holding a hand out to Renesmee in invitation. “Go on Nessie, tell her about yourself. Let her see you aren't a threat.”
Nessie looked back and forth between her father and Irina, then looked up at me.
Should I Momma? she asked. Is it okay?
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to calm down. When I felt like I wasn't going to explode at any second, I opened my eyes and nodded for her to go ahead. Cautiously, carefully, she leaned out of my arms towards Irina, stretching out her hand. Irina took a step backwards with a little hiss, and she shrank back too, frightened.
“It's alright.” Edward assured them both, taking hold of Irina's wrist and pulling her hand up to hover near Nessie's still outstretched palm.
“She won't hurt you,” he said softly, and again he was speaking to both of them. He gave Nessie a little nod and let go of Irina, leaving the choice up to her. Though she still looked suspicious, after a second or two of hesitation Irina's curiosity got the best of her and she touched the tips of her fingers very gently to Nessie's hand. Nessie's eyes closed, and, through the hand still on my neck, I saw what she was showing to Irina.

She started at the very beginning, with her first memories of the sounds of voices, mine and Edward’s, muted and muffled but still clear to her, and the steady thump of my heart from somewhere above her head. She remembered darkness and warmth, comfort and security. Then came a bright light and cold hands, soft blankets and Rosalie’s soothing voice, followed quickly by my face and then Edward’s. She remembered her first bottle, and meeting the rest of the family. She remembered measurements being taken, half overheard conversations about how quickly she was growing. She remembered my birthday, and the weeks of our developing routine, and being told she was going to be a big sister, and the rapid expanding of my belly. She remembered the frightening birth of the twins, the three days of nervous waiting while I changed, and finally our conversation form the night before. Then she pulled back, shy again, and rested her head on my shoulder. I kissed her forehead, told her quietly how well she had done, how brave she was to relive all of that, how proud I was of her.

Irina blinked as if awakening from a trance, and her stare now was utterly disbelieving, without a hint of suspicion or malice.

“Incredible.” she whispered, and Edward chuckled.
“Do you believe her?” I asked, nervous. She blinked again, then nodded slowly.
“How could I not?” she said, her voice still sounding a little startled. “Such a vivid gift... I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nessie smiling, practically glowing with pride at Irina's praise. I couldn't help but smile too, giving her another gentle kiss.
“There are others?” Irina asked Edward, and he nodded.
“They're back at the house if you want to go and meet them.” he offered. “And you could borrow our phone to call your sisters if you would like. I know they're very worried about you.”
That seemed to make up her mind; I saw a brief expression of guilt flash across her face before it set in determination and she nodded.
“I'd like that.” she said with a little smile.

We ran straight back to the house, and Irina almost seemed surprised by the warm welcome she got, even without any warning or advanced notice that she was coming. EJ was a little wary of her at first – he seemed inclined to be suspicious of strangers – but Elizabeth seemed to like her well enough, and Irina was more enchanted by all the children the longer she spent with them. By the time she got around to calling Tanya, she was even smiling and playing with them. We tried our best to give her privacy when she was on the phone with her sisters, but we gathered that her apology for running off was easily accepted and she had quickly moved on to telling them all about our latest additions to the family. She decided to go straight home, not wanting to be away any longer, but promised to come back and visit sometime in the new year, and bring the rest of her family with her. Rosalie gave her some pictures, in case the other Denalis wanted to see what the children looked like, and she accepted them gratefully.

Just before she was going to leave, Irina pulled me aside and unexpectedly apologised for her actions in the summer.

“I shouldn't have reacted the way I did.” she told me, her eyes sad. “I knew Laurent wasn't committed to our lifestyle, and it shouldn't have made me angry that your friends destroyed him when he was killing innocent people. I just...”
She bit her lip, clearly unsure how to go on. I waited, not wanting to push her.
“I felt like... maybe... I was starting to really feel something for him.” she finally admitted. “Something more than normal friendship. My sisters and I have been alone for so long... to think that I might have had the chance to end that loneliness and it was taken away from me...”
I put my hand over hers. “I understand. And I don't judge you for what you did Irina.”
Irina shook her head. “You should. I was petty and selfish and childish... Carlisle’s never asked anything of us before, and it was my fault Tanya refused our help when you had most need of it... I refused to come to your wedding for crying out loud. The biggest day of your life, and Edward’s, and the biggest event our families have had in decades, and I didn't come because I was still holding a grudge over someone who didn't deserve it. How can you even begin to forgive me?”
I smiled and squeezed her hand. “Easily. Like you said, you thought you had a chance for something more with Laurent, and losing it can't have been easy. I just hope we can be friends from now on, and stop this split between our families getting any bigger.”
She nodded and smiled back at me. “Of course. I’d love that.”

We parted that evening on much better terms than we'd met, with warm hugs and promises to call soon before Irina disappeared into the forest with a wave.

“I like her.” Nessie told me as I was putting her to bed that night.
I smiled. “Me too honey. Me too.”

~ADP~

The next day, the talk of moving started. Dartmouth had lost any lingering appeal for me, and I wanted to stay in Forks a little longer for Charlie's sake, as well as to minimise the big shake up for the children while they were still so young. However, there were other things that needed to be considered, like Carlisle’s physical age versus the age he claimed to be. As the member of our family with the most human contact, it was vital that he avoid suspicion at all costs to prevent the Volturi from coming down on our heads.

Jacob didn't like the moving talk, and I could understand why. His imprint on Renesmee had made her his top priority, but he couldn't just leave La Push when we moved on; he still had his father and his sister to think about, as well as his responsibilities to the pack. I shared his reservations; though I hadn't spoken to my father in over a week, I still felt obliged to stay close to him for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, when the twins were about a week old, my choice was taken away from me.

It was a day like any other. The twins, slightly more human than Renesmee, were in the habit of taking a short nap after lunch and they had just settled down to sleep. The rest of the family was scattered throughout the house; Esme and Carlisle were both in their respective studies, Carlisle reading and Esme sketching, and Rosalie and Emmet were setting up a game of chess in the living room while Alice flipped through clothing websites on the computer and Jasper arranged cards for a game of solitaire at the dining room table. Edward was playing the piano, lost in his music, and I was playing with Nessie in the back garden. Well, she was playing, chasing birds around and giggling madly while I watched with a smile on my face, making sure she didn't run straight into the river.

After about fifteen minutes, we both looked up at the sound of Jacob's heavy paws beating against the forest floor, his heavy heart pounding as he raced towards us. Nessie's already happy face lit up even more, and she seemed to forget the birds entirely for a moment as she bounced up and down with glee.
“Jakey!” she squealed when he finally came into view in human form across the river. I smiled and waved to him, but he didn't smile back and his answering wave was distracted. He leapt across the river, only just reaching the near bank without getting wet, and Nessie instantly wrapped herself around his legs. He patted her head and smiled a little, but there was evidently something else on his mind. He walked across the lawn towards me, Nessie skipping along at his side and chattering happily. While he didn't seem to be ignoring her, he didn't look like he was really paying attention to what she was saying either.
“Hey Bells,” he said when they reached me. “Do you think I could talk to you inside? It's kind of important.”
“Sure Jake.” I replied, perplexed, standing up to lead the way in.
“Stay out here honey,” Jacob murmured to Renesmee. “I need to talk to your mom and dad for a minute.”
“Okay Jakey.” she said breezily, looking only a little bit confused.
“Stay away from the river darling.” I told her sternly, and she nodded in acknowledgement before racing off after the birds again.

Jacob and I went inside, meeting up with Edward in the living room. He had stopped playing, though he was still sitting on the piano bench, and he was frowning in confusion.

“What's going on Jacob?” he asked. “I can't understand what you're thinking.”
Jacob looked upset. “I'm sorry. I’m really sorry you guys. We didn't know... Dad didn't mean to... We weren't trying...”
He seemed muddled and confused, unable to finish one thought before moving on to the next one.
“Jacob,” I said, my frown matching Edward’s. “Just explain slowly and calmly exactly what is going on. Did something happen to Billy?”
He shook his head. “No, Dad's fine. Okay...” He took a deep breath to calm himself down. “Okay, so you know how Charlie helped Sue out a lot when Harry died?”
I nodded, not sure where the link was.
“Well, they've been getting pretty close lately, and Sue invited him to a bonfire we had the other night, just for fun. And Dad... he wasn't really thinking about it, he just asked Charlie if he wanted to hear the legends. And of course Charlie said yes.”
“You mean the same legends you told me?” I asked, dread beginning to take root in the pit of my stomach.
He nodded, looking guilty. “He didn't mean anything by it. He didn't think... well, he was hoping Charlie wouldn't make the connection-”
Edward growled, cutting him off, and appeared suddenly at my side.
“Charlie knows.” he snarled.
Horror washed through me as the look on Jacob's face and his slow nod confirmed that he spoke the truth.
“Charlie called our house this morning,” he said, very quietly. “Started yelling at Dad for keeping secrets and telling him lies. He barely let him get a word in edgeways. Then he said...” He trailed off abruptly, as if he'd said too much.
“What, Jacob?” I said, taking a step towards him and clenching my hands into fists. “What did he say?”
“It will make you angry.” he hedged, not meeting my eye.
“I don't care.” I snapped, angry already. “Tell me.”

Jacob paused for a moment before he sighed, resigned.

“He thinks Edward forced you to marry him.” he finally admitted. “He said he was coming to get you out of here and take you home.”
My anger evaporated and I froze, shocked beyond comprehension by the conclusion my father had drawn. I could feel many eyes on me, waiting for my reaction.
“But I am home.” I mumbled numbly. Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind and held me to him tightly.
“I won't let him take you.” he murmured in my ear. “I won't let him come between us.”
“Neither will we.” Rosalie added fiercely, and Alice, Emmet and Jasper all nodded in agreement. Carlisle was frowning and Esme looked worried, but they both nodded as well. The whole family had gathered in the living room by this point, with the exception of the children, and they stood in a circle, as if they were forming a protective barrier around us.

In the distance, the wail of a police siren approached, getting louder and louder. Rather than passing and fading away as the sounds of most cars did, it continued to get closer, and it was clear that the car had turned onto the driveway and was coming towards the house. Quickly.

Upstairs, the babies woke up, the foreign sound stirring them from their sleep and setting them off crying. In no more than a few seconds they were howling pitifully, panicked and frightened by the noise. Reacting on instinct, I broke out of the circle and dashed upstairs to the nursery without a backward glance. I could focus on nothing but the crying of my children and the wailing siren getting closer all the time. The noise, heard through my now more sensitive ears, threatened to deafen me, and I had to stop outside the nursery door for a second, screwing my eyes shut and clamping my hands over my ears to try and block it out before I could continue. Then I pushed the door open and rushed to the crib, scooping up both of the twins at once and trying to shush them gently.

A moment later, there was a shout and a screech of brakes outside, followed by a shrill scream and a low metallic crunch. The front door opened and slammed shut, and over the crying of the babies in my arms, I heard Nessie whimpering in terror.
“He's not alone.” Edward hissed angrily, and sure enough not one but three doors slammed outside.
Elizabeth and EJ were still wailing, their little faces red and tear stained as they clung to me and each other, their cries almost indistinguishable from the blaring siren.
“Shh my darlings,” I murmured to them. “Momma's here, Momma's got you. Momma won't let anything hurt you.”
Not even your grandfather, I added mentally, and braced myself for the coming storm.