PROLOGUE
BPOV
I watched the sun slip behind the grey strains of clouds on the horizon as the light dimmed over the trees. Our beautiful garden in the quaint backyard slipped into the darkness, only illumanated now by the soft blue glow of the moonlight. I took in every moment I could that night. The night I knew my family was safe, was whole, was forever. I looked back from the window, turning away from the view of the garden and stared down at Nessie. She had fallen asleep in Edward's arms, while he laid back and gently rocked her in an antique chair. He looked at me with a beautiful smile, and gently rain his fingers through Nessie's shiny ringlets.
"How did I come to have such beautiful girls in my life?" he said, with his perfectly crooked smile.
"Cursed I guess," as I winked at him, and lightly strode across the room to kiss his cheek. I kept my face close against his and looked down at Nessie. "Let's take her up to the house, I want to speak to Carlisle."
Edward and I walked slowly up to the main house, taking in how beautiful the calm night was. We walked inside and Nessie sat up and yawned.
Esme danced over to us with a huge smile and said "Let me take the little angel," and swifty moved into the living room where she wrapped Nessie in a soft blanket and began in rock her in a large chair. Nessie wiggled and smiled, slipping back into sleep, while listening to the soft hum of Jacob snoring on the couch next to them.
"Should I come with you?" Edward asked me with a small sting of worry in his eye.
"No," I said with a slight smile, trying to ease him. "It's just a family thing. You know father-daughter talks." A huge smile flashed across his face. He kissed my forehead and went into the next room, where Jasper could be heard knocking things around.
I wisked up the stairs into Carlisle's office. Carlisle was sitting there at his desk, sorting through some work papers. "Come in Bella," he said, using his usual warm tone and disposition. It was difficult not to feel protected and fathered when you were around Carlisle.
"What's going on Bella?" he asked.
"I just felt like I needed to talk to you about some things. I know we're still reeling from the fight. And I know we're in celebration mode. Trust me, no one is happier than I how things worked out." I let out a sigh and looked to the floor.
"Bella, what's wrong? You can tell me dear. It's just us in here." He leaned forward in his chair.
"It's just...this note." I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket. It's was an old piece of parchment. Yellowed with age, with an elegant seal, lost in a modern day, loomed in front of us.
Carlisle stood up and came around to the front of the desk and rested against it. I handed him the paper and he seemed almost nervous to open it. "Have you opened this yet?" he asked as he flipped the note over to further examine it.
"No," I replied, with a twinge of fear in my voice. "I found it in my jewelery box when I got home. I know defintely it was not there when I left the house before we went to meet the Volti. My jewelery box was one of the last places I was standing, because I had grabbed my mother's ring to take with me."
Carlisle looked up at me with deep worry in his eyes. "I know what this note is about."
"You haven't even opened it yet," I said, becoming a little more frightened. "I'm scared to ask how you know what's in it."
"It looks just like the one I recieved," he said with sadness in his voice. "Now, it's landed on you."