Author's Note: Obviously not as good as the actual Breaking Dawn, but I just didn't like how it ended, not enough fighting. So here's my version! Please, read and review!
I pushed my shield out as far as I could, trying valiantly to protect everyone. Alice and Jasper stood next to me, their two guests slightly behind them. Alice had presented her case and now we waited for Aro to cast the deciding vote. I held my breath and reached out with my mind, making sure that each vampire and each werewolf were wrapped in the shield.
"I have decided…" Aro began and then paused. "And, Carlisle, really, this is not a reflection on you. This is simply what I must do to keep our world safe. I have decided that we must eradicate this child and all who would protect her. However!" he held up a hand, but I tuned him out, turning again to Jacob next to me as Edward sidled over ever so slightly to hide me from view.
"Take Seth with you. If you are followed, you will need him. Perhaps Leah too, but definitely Seth. Be safe, my friend." I whispered in his ear and tossed one more loving and yet tortured glance at Renesmee, and then I turned back to face Aro and heard the end of what he was saying.
"This is your last chance. Leave now and you will be spared. Stay…and I cannot promise what will happen. All we want is the child. Do nothing to hinder us and you may go free."
Jasper stepped forward now, his face a mask of livid anger, and pointed a shaking finger at the Volturri. "We will not let you destroy the child. She is not what you think she is and she is no threat. We will stand in your way and we will win."
I didn't know how many would stand with us or if any would take the opportunity to leave. What happened next surprised even me. Sam trotted along the line until he stood next to Jasper. His hackles were raised and his teeth were bared. Edward spoke and I knew that he was translating Sam's words, "We are not vampires. We do not like vampires. Bloodsuckers are not the usual recipients of our protection. But we will fight alongside them. Because, we will not allow innocent blood to be spilt. Renesmee is innocent and we will keep her safe."
Before Edward even finished speaking Sam's words, more had followed him. Both packs of werewolves fell in on either side of Sam and now vampires were stepping up as well. Emmett stood behind Edward, one hand on his brother's shoulders, a fierce gleam in his eyes. Rosalie stepped up next to her mate and her hands were clenched into fists. Carlisle and Esme were next to Edward and others beside them. Garrett and Kate, Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar, all stepped up to show that they were ready to fight. Vladmir and Stefan, both stepped up next to Rosalie and Tia, Siobhan, Liam and Senna stepped up next to Stefan. Their postures all showed that they were ready. Alice danced over to stand in front of me and Zafrina stood next to her. Jasper took up position in front of the two of them and Benjamin slipped in next to me. And we were ready, ready to fight, ready to die.
"Very well, then. You have left me no choice but…to destroy you all." Aro sighed resignedly. He raised his hand…and let it drop.
Instantly his forces surged forward, Felix and Demetri leading the charge. They knew that no mind powers could affect those in my shield but physical beings could pass right through. Felix was the first to come inside my shield radius and he was met at once by two opponents. Emmett leaped high, over Edward's head, and landed within striking distance of Felix. The two were instantly a blur of movement as they snarled and bit. A giant wolf raced forwards as well, a wolf I recognized as Jacob's friend Embry, and joined Emmett in his fight. I checked to make sure my shield was still wrapped tight and then focused my attention elsewhere. Edward and Demetri were circling each other, snarls ripping from their throats. Then there was a rush and the two appeared to be one. Sam and Paul were ganging up on another of the guard, but something caught my attention. Two of the vampires had left the main fracas and were racing for the five vampires still standing on the other side of the baseball clearing. Vladmir and Kate were running for Alec and Jane. I made sure they were still snug inside my shield. Tanya was fighting it out with Caius, but she was inside the shield. And, then, everyone was fighting. Siobhan and Liam were duking it out with a male vampire, eyes bloodred and blonde hair hanging down to his mid-back. Suddenly, a loud shriek interrupted my conversation. Tia was on the ground, being ripped to shreds by a vampire almost as muscular as Emmett. A low growl came from behind me, and Benjamin was running past me, his face a mask of horror. A huge gust of wind swirled up in front of me, and then he was on the vampire torturing Tia.
I turned to Jake, knowing that my time was almost up. Alice and Jasper had done their best not to move from me, but their fights were taking them farther and farther from my side. Zafrina still hadn't wavered, though her eyes never left her sister, Senna's, fight. I knew that she would not leave me, not even to save her sister's life. Jake's eyes were on mine.
"I love you, Jake. I love you, Renesmee. Now…go!" I hissed the last word and Jake turned soundlessly and ran, dashing away from the fight. At the same time, Sam and Embry began howling, joined quickly by Quil and Paul. Carlisle threw himself forward into a fight with Aro and I turned very slightly, appearing to still be watching the fight, but really watching Jake tear into the forest, Renesmee on his back and Seth and Leah running on his flanks.
A muffled curse came from my left and suddenly Zafrina was on the ground, writhing in pain. A vampire had made it past the initial scuffle and was ripping at any part of the Amazonian that he could. She fought back, but the man was too powerful for her. Mere moments passed and I knew that there was nothing I could do. I could only stand and watch as the beautiful Zafrina was torn apart before my eyes. And then I knew that there was no one standing between me and destruction.
Abruptly, two werewolves appeared on either side of me, one silver-gray and the other a deep, deep red. They stood with legs braced, teeth bared, hackles raised. I knew that they would fight to keep me alive, no matter how hard that might be. I had no idea who they were, but part of me thought…Emily and Kim. Maybe.
Another shriek ripped through the air and this time, I knew it's owner. I looked over and saw Rosalie, on the ground, being ripped to shreds. It was over in seconds. Rosalie, the Cullen who had never liked me very much, was gone. And Emmett lost it. As I watched, the burly vampire suddenly became like a frenzied fighting machine. Abandoning the battle with Felix, he jumped, no, soared over the heads of everyone else until he was in front of the vampire who had killed his Rosalie. A very inhuman growl ripped from his throat and he was a blur, determined to get revenge.
But then, another yell grabbed my attention. A yell I knew only too well. Edward's voice rising above the clamor of battle. A wordless yell, but a yell that shifted all my attention to his fight with Demetri, a fight where none of them seemed to be gaining any ground.
And in that moment, when my attention was diverted, my shield slipped. Not much, but enough. Garrett and Kate were outside the protection of the shield for just seconds-her fighting Jane, he protecting her back-and Jane was still firing blasts of her power. Instantly, the two started writhing in pain, their minds unprotected because my concentration had slipped. And while they were down…defenseless, unable to do anything other than scream and jerk around in agony, two of the Volturri guard moved in and…Garrett and Kate never saw their ends coming. My mind was screaming in protest at the atrocity I had just caused but I had no time to ponder it. I worked to pull the shield around again but two whimpers from behind me caused me to whirl around. And what I saw sent shivers up my spine.
The two werewolves lay on the ground a few feet away, blood pouring from many holes in their bodies. I didn't have to look for the rise and fall movement of their chests; I knew I would not find it. My eyes locked onto the eyes of the one who came to kill me. Aro advanced towards me, a kindly smile on his face. I backed up a few steps but there was nowhere to go. No one to protect me.
"It doesn't have to be like this. Give me the child and I will let you go free." Aro said in what was obviously supposed to be a kind tone but only sent more chills up and down my back.
"No. She's not the abomination you think she is. I will not let you kill her." I said, surprised by how firm my voice was-I'd expected it to be shaky.
"Okay then," he said and moved. He was a blur of motion, like they all are, but he never reached me. A second blur appeared out of nowhere and intercepted him, stopping him in his tracks. Jasper glanced back at me and smiled, then fell into the most important battle of his life. I felt so hopeless but there was nothing I could do.
No, there was something I could do. Something that would help our forces and still allow me to maintain the shield. I could take down Jane.
Jasper was shredding Aro. The Volturi had great power of the mind but his strength was second-best to Jasper's. Jasper had the strength but he also had what the rest of us had-a reason to win, a reason to survive.
I began to move, racing easily through the fight until I was on top of Jane. She never saw me coming, I could tell that she was still attempting to use her power. My initial leap drove her to the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alec's remains burning next to me. Stefan had done his job. Now I was on top of Jane, doing that which I did when hunting. It was over in a matter of moments; Jane didn't even put up enough of a fight. I knew that if I hadn't lost my concentration earlier, Kate would have been able to finish Jane and she and Garrett would still be alive.
I looked around, trying to see if there was anyone I could help. There was no movement anywhere. Not a soul moved. No vampires, no werewolves…no one.
"Edward? Sam? Emmett?" I whispered. What was going on? Not everyone could be…no, I wouldn't think the words.
Suddenly, figures began to rise from the ground. Some rose from burning pyres and some just rose from crouching positions on the ground. I backed away…in all the smoke, I couldn't see who they were. Then, someone touched my arm!
I screamed and jumped away.
"No! No, Bella, no! It's me, it's Edward." Edward whispered in my ear. Slowly, I stopped struggling and stood quietly.
"Is it…is it over, Edward?" I asked hesitantly. I didn't see how it could be over so quickly but there didn't seem to be any fighting going on.
"Yes, love. It's over. The Volturi are gone. Most of them are dead and those that aren't have run. It's over." his voice was soothing, but there was tension underlying the words, tension that I couldn't overlook.
"How many…how many did we lose?" I asked hoarsely. I almost didn't want to know. While I waited for an answer, some of the surrounding figures stepped forward. Esme, her face drawn and haggard. Jasper, his eyes dead. Emmett, looking as if he would like nothing more than to be dead. Tanya, Benjamin and Vladmir.
Edward tipped my chin up to look at him. The pain in his eyes was evident. "So many…so many gone. Carlisle, Rose…Alice."
I gasped. "No…not Carlisle! Not Rose, not Alice! No, Edward, no!!"
He wasn't done. "That's, that's not all…Siobhan, Garrett, Kate, Stefan, Zafrina, Carmen, Tia, Maggie, they're all gone. Mary and Randall left before the fight began but…they're gone."
He'd left one group of people out, one group whom I knew would have fought to the last man. "The wolves? How many?"
"Sam…Quil…and two of the new wolves. They are the only ones still left." his eyes became even deader, if that was possible.
"What about…Jacob? Did he get away?" I looked into his eyes and stroked his cheek, trying not to think of all the wolves and vampires who had died for my child.
"I think so. I thought, maybe I heard some thoughts that seemed to imply that someone was going after her but all the Volturi were occupied. I don't think anyone got away before Jacob, Seth, Leah and Renesmee did." Edward frowned slightly.
Emmett growled. "Felix did. I left him to kill the creep who…who…I don't know where he went, but he was gone."
Edward stiffened. I could see the fear radiating from his eyes. "No…no, they couldn't have gone after Jacob. We would have known."
Suddenly, Sam rocked back as if he'd been punched and howled, long and low. Edward's eyes widened as he read what the wolf was thinking in his head. Then he looked at me and said, "It's Jacob…he's in trouble."
I was gone before he'd finished the sentence…