Hey there! Thank you ahead of time for reading my story. This is my first fanfiction so go easy on me please, I'm still learning. And just as a head's up, I've chosen to ignore the part in the book when Nahuel comes and proves "half-breeds" can live without being a danger. I'm more focused on Carlisle than Renesmee's troubles. lol. Hope you enjoy!
A/N 2: I wrote this two years before the film came out... it still seems spooky that some of this actually happened in the film... I think they stole my story. lol.
We stood across the expanse staring directly at our own fate. Death. There was no way around it unless they stopped to listen to our explanation. It wasn't likely. We hoped and prayed that it wouldn't come to a fight, but deep down each and every one of us knew the truth. We would fight. And we would die. All of us. They had the upper hand and would never let any of us go. They would kill us all.
They were here for my daughter, who was now gripping onto my back. I would surely die before I let any of them touch her. I would survive if only to protect her. We were desperately hoping they would listen to us, just for a moment, so that we could prove that Renesmee was not an immortal child.
I watched as Carlisle took a few steps forward. I stretched my shield over him to protect him, at least for now, against any attack.
"Aro, my friend, it is my pleasure to see you." Carlisle warmly said. Aro took a step forward away from the front line of the Volturi Guard.
"I wish I could say the same my friend. I did not wish for this day to come."
"Neither did I," Carlisle simply said.
"But you must understand that something must be done about the laws you have broken."
"Aro, no laws have been broken. My family has done nothing wrong I assure you. I have never once over the past centuries misled you, and I do not wish to do so now," Carlisle said.
Aro's face was thoughtful for a second. "No I suppose you have not. But the child is in plain view, we know that you have created an immortal child. There is no reason to deny it. The laws are in place for a reason Carlisle. They must not be broken. By anyone. Including you my dear friend..."
Carlisle quickly responded, "Yes, you can see the child. If we were hiding anything why would we bring her here? Only to incriminate us further? You can see her, see the blood that runs through her veins, hear her heartbeat. She is not an immortal child Aro I assure you." Aro stood silent, obviously taking in Carlisle's words. His eyes flickered from Carlisle to Renesmee. "If you would give me a moment you will see. You will see I am telling the complete truth." Carlisle stretched his hand out towards Aro, inviting him to see his every thought. Aro seemed to consider it for a moment before Carlisle tried desperately again to convince him to listen, it was our only chance of not having a fight. "Aro please. We have been friends for centuries." Carlisle gave Aro an intent stare and finished with, "You owe me...". What that was supposed to mean I did not know, and from the looks of it no one aside from Carlisle and Aro knew.
Aro looked slightly taken aback at Carlisle's statement. He made his decision, "Hmm. I suppose I do. Come, Carlisle." I watched as Carlisle walked the rest of the field separating ourselves from the Volturi. I could hear Esme's panicked breaths behind me as she watched her husband near the deadliest vampire coven in existence. I wanted to turn around and give her a comforting smile, but I was too scared to take my eyes off Carlisle. Too afraid that my shield would falter and he would be injured, or worse. When Carlisle reached the other side he gave Aro his hand. I jumped slightly when Aro took hold of my father's arm with such a sudden movement that had I not been paying attention I would not have seen it. Carlisle stared directly into Aro's eyes as Aro saw every thought Carlisle had ever had, including his feelings towards the Volturi Coven. No vampire on either side moved as we waited for Aro to release Carlisle.
Suddenly Edward stiffened beside me and let out a low threatening growl. I looked up at my husband, my love, but he stared intently towards his father and the Volturi leader. I kept looking at him, pleading with my eyes for him to tell me what thoughts he had heard.
"I am truly sorry for doubting you Carlisle." I quickly looked towards the speaker and saw Aro releasing Carlisle's hand. "But you must understand our concern about the child."
"I understand. I am glad that you see the truth now. None of us wanted this to end violently." Carlisle answered. After a moment of silence Carlisle began backing towards our side, never taking his eyes off the Guard, never turning a centimeter in either direction. I watched in anticipation along with the rest of the vampires in the clearing, waiting for someone to attack. A few seconds later Carlisle reached our side again. I heard a few relieved breaths around me, including my own, as Esme brushed past Edward, Renesmee, and myself. She walked towards Carlisle and quickly took his hand in hers, relieved that he was safely back on our side, as he addressed Aro. "Aro, I must ask that you not allow your people to feed near our land as you leave. We wouldn't want to attract any unwanted attention."
"No, we certainly wouldn't." Aro replied. I waited for the Guard to turn and disappear back into the woods, but no one moved, they were waiting for Aro's official order. Suddenly Aro spoke, "I do not want you to think that this...meeting... is over." I froze. "There is one more thing that must be cleared up."
"And what would that be?" Carlisle said, his voice laced with sincere curiosity.
"Although you have broken no laws concerning the child, this is a matter that must be dealt with. We wouldn't want this circumstance to occur again, I do not wish for more half bloods in our world. It is simply too much of a risk. We have enough risk as it is and I do not want to create more. We want to make sure that this never happens again."
"It won't. Trust me Aro. We are all vampires now, and there is no danger of any of us procreating. This will not happen again." Carlisle said. I could tell from his tone that he was becoming wary of the situation. None of us had been expecting this. I had a bad feeling about what Aro was saying.
"Certainly not. But it is not you that I worry for. It is the rest of our world. I wish for everyone to follow the same rules. Surely this meeting will be well known in all parts of the world in time, it is not every day that the entire Volturi Guard travels to see another coven..." Aro then looked meaningfully at his old friend. "There is a consequence for what you have done."
Carlisle looked at Aro expectantly, "What consequence is that? Why is there a consequence if no laws were broken? I do not understand Aro."
Aro's voice was louder, as if he was making an announcement, "If anyone is to create another half blood they will have to suffer the consequence..." Aro took a dramatic pause. "That consequence being one life. One life for another." I knew immediately what this meant. Someone had to be killed in order to save Renesmee. Aro finished, "If you do not wish for the child to be killed, then someone must be taken in her place."
"What is the point in this Aro? There is no reason for someone to die! The child is not a danger to anyone! There is no sense in this!" Carlisle said quickly.
"People learn from other people's mistakes Carlisle. If anyone is to adhere to our rules there must be a consequence. No one will follow the laws unless they have something to fear. News will travel of this, and no one will create a half blood again."
"Aro this is insane!" I could see Carlisle was slowly beginning to unravel, to panic. "There is no need for this. It is senseless violence."
"Senseless it is not Carlisle! I have explained myself. Fear is the only way the other vampires in our world will obey. They must have something to fear. I am giving you a choice. You are lucky I do not destroy your entire coven." It was true, we were lucky. We should have all been dead a long time ago. "Choose who it shall be."
"Aro please. As your friend and follower I am begging you not to do this. Please." The Volturi Guard all had smiles on their faces, the biggest belonging to Jane. Every member hated us, hated our size and our power. We were the only coven that had ever threatened them. I now knew why Edward had growled. He had heard Aro's decision as soon as he made it.
"Carlisle decide who it will be. I do not care who. But decide." Carlisle stood staring at Aro, his shoulders slumped a little now in defeat. There was nothing he could say. Aro was the most powerful vampire in the world, once he made a decision there was no changing it. We all knew that if Carlisle argued further he would only be putting all of us in danger. I looked around at my family, knowing that one of us would no longer be here in a few moments. Luckily Alice and Jasper would at least be spared. I looked at Carlisle, waiting to see what would happen next, waiting for him to turn around to his family to discuss who would be the one. But he never moved.
I saw Carlisle grip Esme's hand tighter and watched as she looked up at him. He took a deep breath and said, "I've decided." I was immediately taken aback by Carlisle's words, and honestly a little angry that he would decide this matter without consulting his own family. My thoughts were interrupted, "Me. It'll be me." I heard multiple gasps come from both sides of the field. I watched as Esme frantically spoke to Carlisle, trying desperately to get him to take back what he had said. I looked towards Aro, who had the smallest smile playing at his lips.
"Always the savior, Carlisle." Aro said almost to himself. "Well if this is your decision then let it be. I do not wish to kill you Carlisle, please believe me. We have known each other for many years. But I will not go back on my word. It is your choice." I didn't think for one second that Aro would attempt to change Carlisle's decision. Carlisle and Esme were the glue that held our family together, and without them we would fall apart, no longer around to threaten the Volturi's power.
Edward spoke, "Carlisle no." Carlisle turned around to look at his son, acceptance marking his beautiful face. "No." Edward said more firmly.
"Son, please..." Carlisle begged.
"No. There must be something else we can do." I knew that other than Renesmee and myself there was no one Edward loved or respected more than his father.
Suddenly I heard Rosalie, "I agree. You cant do this." Emmett murmured his agreement beside his wife.
Edward launched into ideas, "We can see if they will come to a compromise of some sort. There doesn't need to be killing. We can figure something out. If it comes down to it I will give Aro what he truly wants. I will join the Guard."
Carlisle's voice interrupted Edward's monologue, "Edward!" We all jumped at Carlisle's voice. "My decision, is final." Carlisle said, his words serious and laced with authority. He was no longer our father, but our coven leader, something I had never truly seen him as. He thought of us as a family, not as his followers, and treated us as such. But he was not going to budge on this, his decision had been made. No one uttered another word.
Carlisle's soft, fatherly voice was back again and he said, "I'm sorry, but it's in my power, and I will not let this happen to any of you." He looked at each of us directly in the eye, one at a time, expressing all of his love to every one of us.
He then looked to his wife, his whole world. I couldn't believe my eyes as Carlisle bent down on one knee in front of his eternal love. Esme was sobbing as he looked up at her with pain filled eyes. He took both her hands in his and brought them to his lips. Kissing each of them with all the love and passion in the world. He slowly stood back up, and never letting go of her hands kissed her passionately on the lips. He turned and looked at the Volturi before slowly taking his first steps towards them. Esme grabbed the back and his shirt and his arm trying to hold him there. Carlisle turned back towards us and looked at Edward. My husband stepped forward and held his mother as Carlisle leaned down and whispered one last quiet thing in her ear, making her sob harder. Carlisle quickly turned around and began walking towards his fate. He never once looked back as he made his way across the field.
I knew what was coming and went to go stand in front of Esme with my back to the Volturi. She didn't need to watch and I had hoped that seeing Renesmee might calm her a bit. The rest of our family was standing around us, and when I looked into Esme's eyes I had never seen such deep pain. I heard Aro speak again and I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see, hear, or think about what was happening. Suddenly I heard gasps ring from our side and then it fell deathly silent. All I could hear were Esme's cries. I didn't turn around.
I heard Aro's voice across the field again, "I'm sorry for this. But a deeply needed lesson has been learned. You will be thankful when our world is not filled with half bloods in the future." His next comment was directed towards our family, "I am sorry for your loss. He was a dear friend of mine." I heard growls come from Emmett and Edward. "Go now," Aro finished. I felt arms around me and looked up to see Edward and Emmett pushing the rest of our family away. Rosalie was crying as Emmett's face was contorted, obviously fighting the emotion. I felt myself being pushed past the rest of those who came to witness for us. That's when it set in. I suddenly realized that Carlisle was dead. It hit me like a bolt of lightning and suddenly my body was racked with sobs of my own. I lost track of time and before I knew it we were walking back into our own home. I could feel my daughter, still perched on my back, as she shook from tears. I pulled her into a fierce embrace and then felt Edward's arms around the both of us. I didn't know what we were going to do or what would happen to our family. But I did know that without Carlisle our world was changed forever.
Well hopefully you enjoyed! Reviews are welcomed.