Chapter 1 (Visioned)
As I laid there on the bed in Edwards's arms, I knew that this was the beginning of the calm before the storm. It had been awhile since things had really been just peaceful around forks. I sat wondering how we could still be laying here together, the Volturi had come to take care of a situation and still let us live. All the stories I had ever heard about them, I knew that when they wanted something they most likely got it. Renesmee was now an exception to that rule, as were we all. We stood in the meadow, out numbered, staring death in the face and yet the Volturi had walked away, without Edward or Alice and even without my beautiful daughter. Would they decide that they made a mistake and come back or would they leave well enough alone? My family's preservation was the only thing that matters to me as much as my time with Edward.
I glance over at Edward lying with his eyes closed, most likely trying to plan out the rest of our eternity to together. I knew that Renesmee was still asleep has she laid in her daddy's arms; she was our treasure out of the darkness. Though her growing had slowed she was still the size of a big three year old, with the vocabulary of a twenty year old. As much as I wanted to get up out of the bed I knew that there was nothing I needed to do and it was just the beginning of nightfall. The sky was gray and covered with clouds, as it normally was in the town of forks. I tried to stare at the stars but I knew I was looking right past them, trying to see my daughter's unprecedented future. It had only been three months since the time that we met Nahuel and learned that he had been fully grown by the age fifteen much to my chagrin. Then suddenly likes she knew that I was thinking about her, she let out a loud shriek, I turned to Edward with a confused look on my face has I leaned over to pick her up off the bed.
"That was weird" said Edward as he followed.
"You've always heard her before she woke up."
"I couldn't hear her thoughts before she screamed."
"Were you to deep in thought?" I asked puzzled
I thought I was the only person whose thoughts Edward couldn't read. What if there is something wrong with his power? I wasn't sure that Edward could live without being able to read minds.
Suddenly Edward asked "Where was your shield?"
"What do you mean, where was it? I haven't moved my shield around anyone in months."
As I reached down to picked up Renesmee, she put her hand on my cheek and flashed her nightmare about the creepy vampires in dark gray cloaks. The same images she had shown me for the last three months since the Volturi had left. Edward let out a loud groan after reading her thoughts, these dreams just made him angrier than the fact that the Volturi had even shown up. He hated seeing that his little girl was still worried about her life and the life of the family. As far as he was concerned it was his job to worry.
Suddenly the front door fling open, I put Renesmee on my back and copied Edwards defensive stance. As Jacob came walking around the wall into Renesmee's room, I gave Edward another confused look. We both stood up and looked at Jacob, who also had a confused look on his face.
"Why do you both look so surprised?" asked Jacob "Didn't you hear me coming?"
I just stood there staring at them both wondering why Edward couldn't hear
anything. If he was unable to know who was coming toward the cottage then we were very vulnerable, and if it was my fault, if I was projecting my shield and not knowing it then how was I to fix it.
"Ok what going on?" shouted Jacob as he reached to take Renesmee in to his arms, even though I wasn't giving her up right now. He smiled has Renesmee put her hand to his cheek and showed him the nightmare that she had. He whispered to her that it would all be ok and that he would always be her protector along with Edward and me.
"I can't read anyone's mind!" shouted Edward calmly.
I sat down in the closest chair and looked at my daughter, who wanted to know what was wrong with her daddy. With nothing to say in response I just shook my head. Was I projecting my shield without knowing it? Was there a reason why? So many questions I had no answers to. I turned my attention back to Edward and Jacob, just as Edward cell phone rang. I listened faintly while still wondering what my problem was. I tried to project my shield over Jacob but was unable to see the light shine like normal. There was nothing happening, no movement, no color change and absolutely no lights shining. I sat there as fear spread through my body watching the people I loved most in front of me totally unprotected. Just as I looked up an image flashed in front of my eyes like I was dreaming but still conscience enough to see what was happening around me. I felt Jacob take Renesmee from me before I realize that I was crouched down in a defensive stance and hissing at my moving daydream. I watch this moving image for a second before I realized what it was. There was The Volturi, I guessed by what they were wearing, standing in front of the cottage, the place where I lived with my family. Edward, Jacob, Renesmee and I all stood in the actually places we were right now. I spun around to face the front the door in the anticipation that if I opened it there wouldn't be anyone standing there. I shook my head hoping that I could erase the image, much like an etch-a-sketch. Just as fast as the image popped up it had vanished. In one swift motion I fling the front door open and pounced out into the front yard. The area was quiet, motionless and there was no evidence that anyone had been there with the exception of Jacobs wolfie scent left behind when he came in. I turned to look at Edward searching for a reason or just a calming face of understanding. He returned my look with one of utter bewilderment and sympathy. He knew that I was still getting use to being vampire, but this was something that I didn't know if I could explain correctly. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I knew that it wasn't possible but I felt like I was sweating and shaking uncontrollably. Edward walked over, put his arms around me and told me that everything would be ok. That was just like him to not have any clue what was going on and still just want to comfort me. All I could think about was what was going on in my head. Was I making these images, then where were they coming from and if someone else was making the images then how were they getting past my shield? We needed to be somewhere safe, somewhere that was protected. We needed to go stay at the house with the rest of my family; at least there we were less open to danger. I stood up and announce at the same time as Edward stated, "yes I agree that we should stay at the house until we figure out what's going on with your shield."
"Wait you heard what she was thinking?" asked Jacob
"Yup clear as day, did you drop your shield?"
"I don't think I did, at least not on purpose."
"Ok, I'm not sure what's going on but we will figure this out, I promise." Edward said as he wrapped his arms around me. "We will go meet the family at the clearing."
"Why are they way out there?" asked Jacob.
There must be a thunder storm coming. Edward and Emmett never past up a chance to challenge each other, and today's competition on would be baseball. We hadn't played baseball since Renesmee was born and I thought that she would enjoy it, so I agreed to go along. We all climbed into my new vehicle, a dark blue Hummer Defense that Edward seemed to think that I needed. As if being immortal and indestructible wasn't enough, he still felt like I needed tons of steel to protect me. Even after Rosalie had soup up the engine to make it faster or the fact that it was my vehicle, I still not allowed to drive when Edward was around. So I climbed into the passenger seat and watched has Jacob belted Renesmee in her seat, still looking very confused.
"They are out there playing baseball. There must be a thunderstorm coming and that is the only time we can play. You'll see why." I explained
"Wait just one minute, are you Bella telling me that you are going to playing baseball?" asked Jacob
"Well not really, I'm the umpire so I just stand in one place and not really move. Plus I don't actually have to touch the baseball."
The last time I had played any kind of sport, I had hit Jessica in the hit with a soccer ball. So with me not playing all those around me are completely safe, even if they are eternally perfect. We reach the clearing in no time at all. We hadn't been to the clearing since the scene with the Volturi from Alice's vision had unfolded. The rest of the family was getting ready for the game; Alice was spinning and dancing around the pitchers mount, Jasper was flipping the bat around so fast that humans eyes wouldn't have seen he bat, Rosalie was messing with her hair as always and Emmett was jumping around punching the air and hissing at nothing. As we climb out of the vehicle I heard a cute little giggle come from Renesmee as she watched her aunts and uncles doing all the strange actions they were engaged in. We walked over and joined the rest of the family at the make shift baseball diamond. Edward walked over to Carlisle and started whispering about what I could only guess was about my failing shield. Jacob and I stood by home plate talking to Esme has Renesmee ran straight to Jasper wanting him to teach her how to spin the baseball bat the way he did. I started thinking about my shield problems again and also wondered where the images had come from. After the third time of Renesmee trying and knocking herself in the head Alice shouted that it was time to play. I took my place behind Esme as the umpire and watched has Rosalie, Jasper and Carlisle took their places in the outfield. Jacob stood on the sidelines watching and trying to figure out why we could only play doing a thunderstorm. Edward approach home plate and started warming up when Renesmee decided that she wanted to try. Taking pity on her Edward showed her how to hold the bat and swing at the ball that grandpa Carlisle was going to throw. Carlisle threw the ball softly at Renesmee who swung and missed. Edward got her back in position and she waited for grandpa to throw the next ball. Carlisle pitched the ball again this time a lot harder. CRACK!! Renesmee's bat made contact with the ball and sent it flying fast and hard straight to Rosalie head, who was once again playing with her hair. Jasper jumped for the ball, Edward shouted at Renesmee to run towards Jacob who was standing by first base. Bang!! Rosalie looked up just in time to jump out of the way and right into Jasper. Renesmee followed Jacob around second base and straight to third. Whoosh. Rosalie had finally thrown the ball to Esme. Renesmee stood on third base with the world's biggest smile. Jacob was standing next to her explaining that when her daddy hit the ball that she needed to run to mommy. Renesmee shook her head in agreement and smile at me. I managed to smile back at her while I was still wondering what was happening to my powers. Smack!! Edward hit the ball right at Jasper, who immediately caught it and threw it at Esme very slowly for a vampire with great strength. My guess was that he was giving Renesmee a chance to run but when I looked up, Renesmee had taken off from third base with speed that I didn't know she had. She ran almost has fast has her father, I should have guess that she could. Considering that she was always being held, she never really had to test how fast she could run. She hit home plate and started jumping up and down like a true three year old would have. Edward picked her up, swinging her around yelling, "Go Renesmee!!" The rest of us stood silently looking at each other. After about an eighteenth of a second we all started clapping in unison with Renesmee. Emmett was next to bat and he slam the ball into a tree. Next Alice swung at the ball and hit it above Rosalie who jumped up and caught in one shot. As the teams switched side I hear Jasper ask Edward why I had such a feeling of fear. Edward simply looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. Just as Carlisle was up to bat, Jacob suddenly stood up tall and turned towards the opening in the clearing.
"Something's wrong, Seth is running to us!"
"Can you hear what the problem is?" I asked.
"No he is running in human form, but I could smell him when the breeze just blew through."
Edward interjected "He's calling all the wolves to meet us here; you were in human form so he couldn't get you."
I had forgotten that Jacob still had the pack running patrols to keep an extra eye out. That must be why Jacob got to our house soon quickly this morning after Renesmee had screamed. Jacob generally took the late night shifts in the area around our cottage. We all stood watching has Seth came running into the clearing followed by the rest of the pack. We were surprised to see Sam's pack running along with them, without Sam. To see all the wolves headed our direction only meant the something big was happening. Why had Seth called all the wolves together? Where was Sam, had something happened to him? Jasper threw an exhausted look my way that I could only guess meant that my feelings of fear and panic were driving him over the edge. Edward was talking to Carlisle and Emmett when Seth reached Jacob. I listen has Seth explained to Jacob that while he was on his patrol in the forest just to the north of the cottage he came a crossed a new scent. He described to Jacob that the smell was sweet but had a tangy off scent. We all stood in wonderment of what the smell could belong to. Jacob had put Seth second in charge while Sam and Leah went to Alaska to protect a couple of the elders on their trip. Jacob of course wouldn't leave Renesmee's side. Seth explained how he followed the scent has it looped around to the southeast towards the town. As Jacob started yelling orders to all the wolves, I try to maintain myself from smiling too much; I had never seen Jacob in charge.
As per Jacob directions Edward, Jacob, Seth and I headed to the location of the tangy scent. Carlisle, Esme, Renesmee and the rest of the family headed back to the house. The rest of the packs went to search other surrounding areas for the scent. I ran following the group I was with and couldn't help but thinking how much more my poor family could take? As I ran I pondered who could be in our little place in heaven, suddenly an image popped into my mind just as sudden as the first image this morning. I stopped dead in my tracks, once again still completely aware of what was going on around me. I heard Seth ask what was going on and why we had stopped. Edward and Jacob stood silently still and had no reply. The image of a man in a dark cloak running through the meadow and heading toward forks ran through my head. With a flash of another image I heard myself shout, "Oh my god, my dad!"
"What's going on Bella?" Edward asked
"I don't know. I saw an image of a man in a dark cloak running towards the town."
"Was it your imagination running away from you?" I heard Jacob say half laughing.
"I don't know, I was running and then the image of the man came into my head. It just popped up; I have no control of it. But it felt so real." I sighed
"Carlisle, you need to get to the meadow now. Ask Esme and Alice to go to Bella's dad's house to keep an eye on him. Send Emmett and Jasper to the town and try to look for a male in a dark cloak." Edward said into his cell phone.
"I can't explain but please do this quickly." Edward stated hurriedly
He turned back towards me with a look of fear and curiosity. What was going on with me? What was I seeing? I stood there able to move, waiting for Carlisle, wondering how this could be happening so soon to the last incident. My family would not get time to just enjoy living life it seemed.
Carlisle showed up with Tanya, Kate and Garrett. Guess we had visitors. There was no time for any welcoming comments or gestures. I felt Carlisle walk passed me to Edward and ask what was going on.
"We were running and Bella came to an erupted stop with a blank look on her face and after a few seconds she shouted something about her dad." Edward stated quietly.
Carlisle replied "I sent everyone else where you had asked, but they are going to need to know what's going on."
"I'm not sure what's going on but I have learned to trust Bella's suspicions."
I just stood there trying to figure out where the image had come from. Searching my mind for any explanation for what it meant. Who was the cloaked man and where was he going? But most importantly was he even real and if he was why could I see him? I felt Tanya touch my arm and I whipped around to look at her. She wrapped her arms around me the way a mother would hold her child that just lost something special. She stood there with this look of comfort and fear. With all that had happened recently, how could we pull them back into all the drama? Carlisle called my name with certainty in his voice that I couldn't help but look at him. Without warrant I just started to explain what I saw in the images. The tall man wearing the dark cloak and running with such speed that he had to be a vampire. He ran straight towards my dad house and stood at the front door when my vision cut off.
Carlisle looked at me intensely then asked where this image came from. I explained that I was just running along and the image popped into my head, just like the different image had this morning. I could tell that I had a look of complete terror on my face. Edward stood at my side with his arm around my waist and Jacob was talking to Seth, who had phased to communicate with the rest of the pack and try to tell Leah and Sam. I had wonder why Jacob hadn't phased to communicate but I didn't push the issue. I had other things to worry about. Suddenly Jacob had broken into our conversion. "Charlie is at the office and then he will go down to be with my dad for dinner. My dad has already spoken to Charlie and he agreed and the La Push pack (Sam's pack) will try to keep him down there as long as possible."
"Okay then lets get back to the house and try to figure out what is going on with Bella." Carlisle said with concerned emotion.
"Is Eleazer with you?" asked Edward.
"No but we will call him as soon as we get to your house, to have him come down." answered Tanya.
Everyone took off running towards the house now; Carlisle had called Esme to see if she found anything at my dad house. By the sounds of the conversion the answer was no, so we told her and Alice to head to the house. At the same time Edward had called Emmett to see if they had any luck and asked if he would stay by the police station to keep an eye on Charlie until he headed to La Push. Edward clicked his phone closed and explained to Jacob that Emmett and Jasper will stay with Charlie until he had reached the border between the two territories. Jacob stated that he would have one the wolves follow him to Billy's without him knowing. We all leaped over the river with the greatest of ease and no matter how many times I had done this it still thrilled me. Just as I thought I had taken my mind off the strange cloaked man, he pooped into my head again and now he was standing in front of the police station. All I could get out was "he is in front of the police station!" before the image of Emmett and Jasper popped into my head and the cloaked man took off running the opposite direction. I looked up at the people standing around me and quickly dropped my head in shyness. Edward reached over, lifted my head and asked very quietly what I had seen. I dropped my shield and shared with him my whole vision. Edward picked up his phone, called Emmett again and asked if anything had happen. Edward had put his speaker phone on so Carlisle could hear.
"No, nothings happen." Emmett stated
Then Carlisle spoke quickly "Where are you at, can you see the front door?"
"Yes we have a clear view of the front door and no one has try to get in, cloaked or not" Emmett responded "What's going on?" Jasper quickly followed.
"Bella's cloaked image was standing in front of the police station door and once he saw you coming to talk to him he ran away" Edward explained.
"Well, no one has been here and do you really think we would have let him get away!" Emmett stated with attitude.
With that Edward clicked his phone closed and turned towards me to ask if I was ready to move. As I nodded; we were off running and before I could even have another thought we were at the house. Esme and Alice were on the porch watching us with open arms as we climb the stairs. Alice looked right at Edward and told him she hadn't seen anything. She was doing her best to search for something in the future. I heard Tanya on the phone explaining to Eleazer what was going on and that he needed to head to forks right away. I sat on the sofa and watched as Renesmee played on the floor with Jacob close by. I couldn't help but think about my dad while the rest of the family tried eagerly to figure out what was going on around us. I was deep into thought about the new presence running around our town, when Jacob suddenly jumped up on the couch. He asked very quietly if I had any idea why I could see these images in my mind or what they could possibly mean. All I could do was nodded and stare out the window. I could faintly hear Tanya tell the family that Eleazer and Carmen were on the way and Carlisle tell Esme that we were going to be having even more house guests when she walked back into the room.
Alice came suddenly running into the room and Edward confirmed that she had just seen the same vision that I had.
"What do you mean the same vision?" asked Carlisle.
"The same exact vision the Bella had, down to the snag in the cloak."
"Ok, so what happened in the vision?" Carlisle asked while seeming distance.
"The cloaked man standing in front of the police station door, when Emmett and Jasper stand up the man takes off running. The only difference is that, that is where Bella's vision ends but Alice's vision had shown that Charlie had already gotten into the cruiser. Emmett and Jasper were going to follow Charlie no the cloaked man, they didn't see him." Edward explained to the attentive people in front of him. All I could hear was that Charlie was on his way to La Push and out of dangerous circle that seemed to follow me around. I got up, walked into the dinning room trying to forget about the cloaked man wandering around the simple streets of our quiet little town. At least it was quiet before I had moved here and fell in love with a vampire. As I looked down at the dining room table I spotted what looked like a blur in a dark cloak running towards our house in the reflection of the picture on the wall. Suddenly I felt all powerful and defensive, not knowing what I was doing I threw my hands out in front of me palms facing the blur coming towards me. I watched as the blur flew towards the rest of my family, landing on the rug and sliding to their feet. It looked as if he had just slid to home plate if he had been on a baseball field. Everyone stood silently, staring at Emmett on the floor, who looked like he had just tripped. In a normal situation everyone would have been laughing but the difference here was that no one had ever seen a vampire trip and fall, EVER! I stood looking at Emmett and then back to my hands, why had they moved like that? It was like I had no control over my hands or any of my movements at that moment. Emmett stood up the second he hit the floor and just stood there staring at the family and then back to the window.
Carlisle was the first to break the stillness of the room "Ok, Emmett can you explain what just happened?"
"Umm I'm not sure, I came in the window and then it felt as if I had hit something and it just blew me in the opposite direction." Explained Emmett
"Hit what?" asked Rosalie with a scowl on her face.
Emmett clarified "It was like I was at the beach standing in the ocean and a rouge wave came out of no where and pushed me in whatever direction it wanted me to go. I had no control over where I was going or apparently how I was going to get there."
"Edward you may want to grab Bella, all I can feel from her is absolute panic." Was all I hear Jasper say before Edward was by my side trying to figure out what was going on?
"What are you holding your hands out like that?" he asked.
In all the confusion that was going on I hadn't ever moved my hands back to my sides. I was stationary; it was like ice had come down from above and froze me in this position. I couldn't move and I felt exhausted, for the first time seen I had woke up into my immortal life. I was going to become the first vampire in history to faint. My knees felt as if they were going to give out from under me and all I could do was stand there with my hands out, looking at all the people in the house staring at me. I dropped my shield so I could ask him to take me to the couch to sit down. I watched as the entire family followed us to the couch in what felt like slow motion. Where was all this fear and panic coming from, this wasn't the first time that I had been facing an approaching doom. Maybe it was because I knew what was coming for me then and now all I knew was there was a new unfamiliar scent and a cloaked man from an image out of no where. I felt Renesmee's hand on my face asking me what was going on and showing me what I looked like as Emmett went sailing a crossed the floor. My face expression was one of someone watching in horror as their best friend got ripped to shreds by wolves. I sat with my head leaning back looking at the ceiling and wondering if the world was spinning or was I? Unexpectedly Alice spun around to face the crowd, shouting "The Volturi!" Edward jumped up watching the vision in Alice's head as she replayed it for him.