Prelude: The Last Night with Their Family
Carlisle put Renesemee and Cooper side by side in their crib. Holly looked over, impatiently. Carlisle didn't mind; she was only barely four. He put her to bed, and sighed. He had achieved so much scientifically in the past few years. As if discovering how to allow vampires to bear children wasn't enough, he had also discovered how to significantly slow down accelerated aging to the same growth rate as normal children! And now his work was ready to be thrown away. But this was not what he was mournful about. Because these were not just children of scientific significance in Carlisle's long life, but these were his own family's children. Holly had been born first, mostly because of Rosalie and Emmett's strong desire to be parents; Cooper, Alice and Jasper's lovable son, had been born second; and then spunky little Renesemee, who had been created from her parents' incredible Romeo and Juliet story. A mortal human and an immortal vampire. 'And so the lion fell in love with the lamb' he thought morosely. He thought of all of the happy memories: Renesemee giggling with the sound of crystal chimes in the wind as her mother marveled in her newborn strength; Cooper reaching up and pulling Jasper's hair, and refusing to let go, causing everyone in the room to laugh; Rosalie, fondly brushing Holly's long blonde hair; Renesemee and Cooper showing off and playing in the forest outside their home as their parents smiled fondly at them from several feet away… but those times were gone now. Carlisle closed his eyes in shame. He remembered the night as though it was just yesterday: The entire Cullen family was sitting in the family room. Holly was sitting next to her mother, her head on her shoulder. She was slightly bored, as far as everyone else could tell. Only Jasper could tell that, but he was too preoccupied by watching his son playing with Renesemee on the floor in the middle of the room, and noticing that his midnight black hair was starting to look more like Alice's everyday. Bella was watching them too. She watched as Renesemee showed Cooper something in her usual means of communication. Cooper laughed, although Renesemee clearly did not find it funny. She rolled her eyes skeptically at him. She looked so much like Edward when she did that. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Everyone looked up, surprised. Edward got up to answer the door. To everyone's surprise, it was none other than Sam Ulley standing there. And it was even more of a shock when they realized that he must have come in his wolf form. This meant that there was an emergency. "Carlisle," Sam said in a deep voice. "Where is Carlisle? I must speak with him." Everyone looked at Carlisle, confused. He returned the look, but followed Sam outside. "Alone, please." Sam requested, obviously distressed. Everyone exchanged concerned glances, even Renesemee and Cooper. Carlisle followed Sam outside. Everyone listened intently as they listened to the two men murmur, almost inaudibly to each other outside. Carlisle came back through the door with a pained expression on his face. Everyone looked at him wondering what could possibly be the matter. It was Edward who spoke first. "Carlisle, what happened?" he asked slowly, fearing the answer. "Jacob is dead." He said slowly, pain in his voice. "No." Bella said quietly. She grasped Edward and began weeping tearlessly. An atmosphere of sadness filled the room that even Jasper couldn't reverse. "That's not all." Carlisle said, even slower than before. "What else could there possibly be, Carlisle." Esme asked, fearing his answer as much as anyone else in the room. "The La Push pack has been heavily divided. Half of them believe that the treaty has been violated by turning Bella into a vampire. They have formed their own pack, and seek to "even out" the treaty," he said with a clearly monotone voice. "They want to kill Bella," Edward said, quietly and torturously. "No," Carlisle said quickly. "Then, what do they want? What are they after?" Emmett asked. Carlisle said nothing, and looked down at the children with an expression of impending doom on his face. "No," Bella and Alice murmured, quietly as they took their beloved children in their arms. Rosalie, however, was the one who spoke. "Carlisle, no. There has to be some way to save them! Any way!" she exclaimed, clutching onto Holly protectively. Carlisle shook his head, sadly. "There is only one way that I can think of, and you won't like it," he said, grimly. "What is it?" Alice asked, holding onto Cooper. If vampires could cry, she would be. She was afraid to hear Carlisle's idea, but she would do anything to save Cooper. "We would have to give them to an orphanage. Have them assume normal human lives. But only heaven knows when you would be able to see them again," Carlisle said, sitting down and rubbing his head as if he had a headache. "I'll do it," Bella said, speaking for the first time. Everyone looked up at her, surprised. "I may not be able to see her, but at least I'll know that she is alive and happy," Bella said, looking down at Renesmee, her expression softening. Alice nodded in agreement, and in pain. Renesmee and Cooper both looked at their mothers with confused and worried eyes. Rosalie took several seconds to respond, and then, after hugging Holly tightly, nodded. "When will the arrangements be made?" asked Alice, her voice cracking, as she looked down sadly at the black haired-green eyed toddler in her arms. Carlisle sighed. "I will look for the nearest orphanage in town tomorrow," he said, morosely. "We must pick a place where the Volturi cannot become involved."
Carlisle opened his eyes, and looked around the room at the unsuspecting toddlers. They didn't even know that this would be the last night with their family.