The story goes that at the turn of the millenium, there will have been a child born from a human and a vampire. Their powers will be so great, that left untrained, they will bring about the destruction of the entire race, starting first with their parents. The Volturi remember this legend and know just who to tell. Edward is forced to part from his beloved, in fear for her life and their family, until at least the millenium is over and plans to return to her.
The story was misread though, and Edward like all other males, thinks that one night will not matter before he leaves. Belle is left with child though, and her future disappears from sight as she is changed. As they near the end of the millenium though, just how much of her powers can Bella's daughter hope to control in order to save the future.
As they say, nothing's ever set in stone so will this boulder break before it's too late?
Marie.
Marie Renee Swan.
My love.
My life.
My Daughter.
Yes, she was my child, the one I held near and dear to my heart. I loved her like no other and she was irreplacable. She had the most rosy cheeks you'd ever seen, bright pink and soft, a perfect smile hidden beneath those kind lips. She was the most beautiful thing to ever wander the cosmos, not even the gods could compare to her.
She was HIS though. I could see it in her determined jaw, the definied nose, and most of all, her eyes. Those eyes I'd had described to me so well I thought for sure I'd know what to expect. No. Nothing could prepare you for looking into her deep green eyes. Perfect emeralds plucked from the King's crown himself and set into her eyes. Dark lashes framed them, long and black for picture perfect innocence.
Her hair too. Oh that luxurious hair. The waves among it was my own, and yet, that bronze color could only come from one man. To look at her, it was all of his perfect features, repainted along a softer canvas. It almost hurt to see her at first, so many locked memories, forbidden to be seen, lost to the world as I wiped them away. Even my beloved daughter no longer asked about her mysterious father who she seemed to recieve so many of her looks from. She had figured out early how much pain speaking of him brought me.
She had been ashamed at first, of looking so much like him, he who had stolen my heart. No, it was not broken, now, for me, it no logner existed. In it's place was a new heart; a whole one, created by love for my daughter.
I remember coming home one night to find her bleeding profusely from self inflicted wounds upon her face, scratching and cutting away until she was no longer recognizable. I had screamed, scared for her life. Wondering what could have brought her to this, and she answered in whispers.
I don't want to look like him.
It broke my heart to remember that night and I stirred, shifting in the bed as I felt the huddled mass of heat emanating from my abdomen, where she lay sleeping peacefully. Her heart hummed in the room and I concentrated on that humingbird beat, always a bit too fast for a human. I hugged her tighter to me as I curled around her protectively, instinctually trying to keep her away from the harsh realities of the real world.
In my chest now, she was but a child, maybe four depending on her size, always petite for her age. She was a shapeshifter, though she preferred to stay a child; forever with her mother. They had tried the teenager route before and it had ended badly. For her beauty, she called every boy to her, and despite her friendliness, she was often bullied by the other girls. Not just verbally, but sometimes even physically. It had scared her that they could be so cruel, like it was her fault as they ruined her clothes, destroyed her belongings, once even throwing stones through our house.
We had moved and Marie was a child now, in kindergarten despite being in her thirties. Time had passed and neither of us have aged. I was so much older now, but no one would know. I was always alone save for my baby. I don't know how I would have survived these years without her. I don't know if I COULD have.
I felt her stir in my arms, she could still sleep, only keeping up with the diet every few weeks or so, so it didn't do much to her eyes. I'm afraid if she took on those topaz eyes as well, I would never be able to meet her gaze. No matter how much innocence she held in her gentle gaze, even those emerald gems there could cut deeply unwittingly.
I could feel the hollow pain stirring within the heart that still belonged to him. It ached as I surpressed the moan, the dry gasp that would wake her instantly. Tears would no logner come, I could no longer remember the last time I tasted that salty water on my lips. My blush, oh how I hate it so, was gone as well. Never again would my feelings show upon my face.
Just as well, so broken was I, the show I had to put on for Marie every morning, she might have seen through it earlier. My love for her was true, Truer than anything in the world. To compare the complete love I had for her to anything, even to HIM, would be blasphmous. Even the word itself, LOVE, was not enough to define how utterly devoted I was to her. It was a simple term to define such complex feelings that no language on earth could fully capture it all.
I thought back to those day I recreated myself. Never had I known such a devotion could come for another. Even around him, I hid little things. To her though, that sweet child that had been growing within me, swelling in but a few weeks to full growth. She had drained me of everything, blood and body; I was hers for the taking. I was never afraid for my life though, no, I knew she was slowly taking it away. I had grown to love her though. Grow, may be the wrong word for how I felt about her it, such instant affection could not be fostered. It was like nothing else existed but her well-being. There was nothing to do against such feelings. No fight to be had.
Sure, it was easy to fight against the bad things in life, put up walls to protect yourself. When it's the one you harbor within you, flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood; you don't stand a chance. You can't do anything against the one who's destroying you when they are the ones keeping your very existence intact. You can do nothing but sacrifice. Sacrifice it all for them and only hope it's enough.
Never let anyone try to tell it to you any other way. If someone tries to spin it in another direction, they have obviously never been with child. They don't know what it's like to give your life to them, give it all up; willing. Not taking any of it back. Hoping, praying, that they will be able to survive in this cruel, cruel world. Blaming yourself even, for bringing them into such a wretched place when they could have been happier in heaven. Yet, through the pain, in that instant supernova of pain before it's all over, you become selfish. Nothing and no one can seperate you now, keeping hold of your baby, they will have to tear them from your cold and lifeless, unanimated limbs before you relinquish them to another.
That, is what it means to be pregnant.
The pain of bringing them into the world, is far less, than even thinking of losing them.
This, is the true meaning of giving birth.
When they open their eyes, and ht efirst they do is smile at you, it is the sunrise closeup without having to shade your eyes from its beauty.
This is love in its purest form.
Nothing but innocene their as you nurse them, keep them to yourself greedily.
They are all the worlds innocence wrapped up in a small bundle of your own flesh.
And for a second, you can almost imagine what bringing them up will be like, so innocent and naive.
Then, when they first cry, the image is shattered and you realise it's not to be.
This, is a lesson he taught me when he left.
Nothing in this world is ever innocent.
Well here is the first chapter, I really hope you like it. I was going for a plot that hasn't been done before, not to mention my own twist to it. Please review. I might even get the second chapter up today if I get enough of them. Thanks for reading!
~Ai
