Chapter 2: Hunting

We left for Canada within minutes after our conversation with Seth. I was not sure of this, I thought bringing Alice with us would be helpful, but Edward wanted it to be just the two of us.

"If Jake is going to listen at all, it will be just us he listens to, and I promise Alice wouldn't be much help if Renesme is with him, because she can't see what they're doing." Edward explained, as I ran along aside him to the Canadian border.

"Yes but I still would feel at ease if she was here…" to be honest I wanted Jasper to come, to calm me down, because I knew once I saw Jake I'd lose it, and Jazz would've come if Alice was.

"Bella everything will be fine. Renesme is safe, I can feel it, and I know you can feel it too…plus I don't think even Jasper could calm you down, let alone me down." he grinned at me, because he could read my mind at the time.

"Oh you heard that did you?" I laughed. "Well I'll just have to concentrate to keep you out sir." I teased, only because I knew he knew that I loved he could read my mind and how much I loved him of every second of every day.

We crossed the border easy within the hour, but the difficult task ahead was figuring out where he would take her. My only guess was the distant Quileute brother tribe near Winnipeg.

"Lets try the brother tribe, and from there we will just have to look everywhere…" I sighed full of nerves, for I knew that Canada, even for a Vampire was a vast and confusing labyrinth. Edward agreed with me and we headed towards the tribe of the brother wolves.

Edward and I were running as fast as possible, and I was completely divulged in the run, but suddenly he turned and stopped me with a forceful and passionate kiss in middle of the Canadian wilderness. His mouth moved with mine perfectly, and in tune with my hands moving to the base of his neck. I was so used to him pulling away from me for so long, that this new Edward was still unnerving, even after two years of complete lustful harmony. He pulled me up into his arms and held me close for what seemed like a lifetime. His arms cradled me so gently, as if I could still break in his arms, kissed me softly on every inch of my exposed skin and then looked into y eyes with so much love and heart break, I thought I would cry if that were possible.

"Edward I.." but he stopped me with this fingers to my lips.

"Bella, I want you to know that even if I must destroy myself to return Renesme to you, I will. And I know you don't want to hear this right now, but I will make you and Renesme safe as long as I exist." His words were strong, passionate and heartbreakingly true.

"Edward, you need to know that I am an equal partner in this marriage and we will find her together, save her together, be together forever. I love you forever, as you love me." I responded with just as much heat to emphasize my passion and love for him.

We enter the reservation noticed at once, and we knew that it would be impossible to sneak up on him now, but I also had faith in Jake to reason with us, or let me get close enough to rip his arms off. As we walked through the village, it was clear we were not welcome, and I was sure we would be confronted any moment, But, Edward just held on to me tightly by the waist as comfort, and we proceeded to Billy's Sister's place, the only true family Jake had here.

A woman with dark onyx hair braided to the small of her back walked toward us with a surprised smile. It was Emily, very pregnant and very happy to see her former wolf girl.

"Bella! Edward. It's so good to see you! Why are you here? Are you surprising Jake?!" she was so out of the loop I guess and that was just fine with me because she would be happy to lead us to my baby.

"Actually it is a surprise Em, and I would love to see him and my daughter right now! Where are they?" I asked, my nerves rising in anticipation to hold my daughter once more.

"They? I didn't know he…huh…well anyways lets go surprise him!" Emily said with such sincere tone, I almost felt bad about not including her I this ambush.

The house was a small one bedroom with a tin roof. The fireplace was going and I could smell the heat coming from the wood furnace, the cooling embers not close enough to the burning log. Emily walked us all the way, though we begged her to rest and not push the baby. She was due any day now, and I knew she must be anxious for her first child,. The windows were dark but there was movement inside, so we proceeded to knock. Jake came to the door.

"Bella! Edward! Hey! Wow you guys are great I can't believe you came all the way here!" Jake hugged me fiercely and then hugged Edward. I didn't understand.

"Jake…Why are you here? Renesme…" I started but I couldn't finish, because I knew by his face, that she wasn't here.

"I know! You came here to let her say good bye, and to be honest that's why I left, so you could leave, but wow am I glad you didn't listen to me! Hey where is she?" Jake started to get nervous, upset and then angry. "Where is Renesme Edward?" I was now on the floor clutching to my empty whom…remembering how it felt to not have her safe with me once again.

"Jacob…we thought…Renesme was stolen out of her crib two days ago, and we thought…We thought…you…" Edward couldn't comprehend it, where was she?

"Hold on…WHAT…You thought I STOLE HER FROM YOU!? Why didn't you call and ask, Instead of coming all the way up here wasting time on finding her!!?? Jake was screaming at Edward, but only because Emily was protecting me from the loud lashes of hate.

Edward stayed calm, but only for my sake. "Jacob, we only assumed this because you went missing at the same time, and told Charlie a lie, and didn't tell us where you were really going, so excuse us for putting together the few bits of information we had, but now the important issue is that our daughter is still missing and now for certain in danger! "Edward's growl erupted from his chest and penetrated my sensitive ears. Emily cried a whimper of fear.

"Edward." I whispered. "Lets go back home and check the house, there might be something we missed…" I would not let go of what little hope I had in finding my daughter.

"I'm coming too." Jake said, and with no doubt I knew I wouldn't be able to tell him no. I felt so guilty for assuming the worst out of my best friend, and now I've endangered my daughters life with my presumptions.

Edward turned his head toward mine, lifted my fallen chin . "You are wrong you know. We did what we thought best and now we just need to re trace our steps…I will find her Bella, I swear."

"I know…I just can't…even think…" I couldn't respond in full sentences, I was too distraught.

"Bella, I love her too yah know." Jake interrupted. "I'm going to be a help in finding her; I know her better than almost everyone, except you." Edward growled at that, but I knew Jake was

right. No one loved Renesme as much as I did, except for Jake. Of course Edward loved her, but most of his love for her was through me, and how much I loved her. And our family loved her but had no real connection with her the way Jake and I did, and I think Edward knew that.

We arrived back home around 5am…our running was slowed by Jake, who even when transformed was not nearly as fast as us. Alice met us at the door along with Rose close behind waiting for her niece, only to be met by our empty hands.

"Why did you bring back a dog?! Where's Renesme?" Rose spit at Jacob. Sadly there love for Renesme couldn't heal over the hatred between the two.

"Sorry Blondie, but I didn't have her, but if you know where she's at could you please point me toward her?" He sneered at her, and she hissed back.

"Jacob. Rose. Enough." I was done with the petty nonsense for now, all I wanted was my baby. "What's most important right now is that our daughter is still missing and not with the best option of kidnappers!" I screamed the last of it only to release some of my anxiety.

Edward held my close. "My love we will find her…let's go search the cottage for clues."

The cottage looked cold and inhuman. I didn't want to go back in without my baby. How did we miss the intruders? Our super hearing would've been enough to hear anything mortal, and Edward with his special gift…it didn't make any sense. Edward and I walked into the main room, and continued to our daughter's nursery. Before he went for the knob, I grabbed his hand and pushed it away. He looked puzzled, but I spoke his concerns.

"Edward, I can't lose her, and I can't lose you, and if we don't…" I couldn't finish the sentence let alone the thought of a world where Renesme and Edward didn't exist.

"Bella, you know that I will do everything in my power to reunite us with our daughter; I will easily risk my own life to do this for you, but I will not risk losing you." Edward took me into is arms, more passionately than he'd done in a while, and under different circumstances I would have been thrilled, but this was always his way of giving me bad news.

"My love I'm going to ask that you allow me to search for our daughter on my own…and if.." But I once again cut him off. "Are you kidding me?! You would honestly think I would even consider letting both of you out my sight?! Absolutely not and to even think you'd ask me to do something so risky and careless…" He put his gentle fingers to my lips to silence my anger.

"I knew this would be your first response but hear me out. You would be more help here. I will take someone else with me, a good partner, who cares just as much as we do and.."

But he was cut off by a knock then enter of our best friend and son in law to be, Jacob Black. "I couldn't wait any longer, Bella I'm sorry but Eddie and I are going after whomever took Nessie and that's that. Yes you will never forgive me, but you are not the best at handling these kind of situations and it will be in Nessie's best interest if you stay and look for clues around town." He gestured to Edward and finished with "We can handle the tracking of the bastard."

Though I knew they were both right and I knew that having me track anything would be considered a joke, I had to be there for my daughter. "No. " I hissed in frustration, at both them and myself. "I can't be away from you…" I whispered to Edward only. We still hadn't figured out the whole separation thing, and I wasn't about to go cold turkey of my eternal love and my daughter at the same time.

Edward read my thoughts, sighed and then replied. "I know Bella, I know…" His face lit up with an idea , his eyes glowered at me in confidence. "Bella what about a compromise? " The crooked smile I still loved beamed at me with triumph; he knew I could never say no to him. "If I do not find one hint or clue in a week, I will send for you and we will continue the journey alone, and Jacob can take your place here as look out."

I had a feeling this was merely a set up to get what they both wanted but he knew I had already said yes. He rushed me into his arms kissed me with a heartbreaking force and thanked me in the only way he knew how. "Bella I love you more than the sun loves the moon. I crave you more than lungs craves a breath, and I will need you in my existence as long as the stars hang above us."

We searched the nursery, but nothing was left behind to help them, except the window was left open and an insignificant strand of Renesme's hair was latched to the windowsill. All it proved was that she was taken and out the window there should be a trail to follow. Edward and Jacob were leaving in the morning, and though Jake wanted to leave that evening, I knew Edward and I needed one more night together to even think of surviving separation for a week.

The cottage was dark and cold of the crime and I really didn't want to be in there, but Edward convinced me to know he would find her and the void in my stomach would soon be fixed. He led me to our room , wrapped me in his arms and before he could utter a sound I had to make him mine once again. "Edward shhh." was all that was ever said that night , at least on purpose. Our lips moved as one rhythmic dance. In perfect sync and force that would have crushed me if I were still human. I'd always thought kissing him could never get any better, but it seemed I was proven wrong every time. My dress was ripped to shreds and thrown carelessly across the floor; his pants and once buttoned shirt was next to my shards of cloth. He plunged into me with such power I gasped in pleasure and sighed with relief. I kissed his chest and neck and chin over and over, thanking him for loving me, and soon we were in motion. Our hearts, though considered dead, seemed to be buzzing in our chests, our monsters were awoken and were not put out easily. He carried my to the bed, a task not usually done. (the floor was usually easier and time efficient.) I was in complete awe of his sculpted figure, a god in human form, and he looked into my eyes with so much love, and pain you'd think I was leaving him and not the other way around. "Bella I need you to understand why I'm doing this…" His word startled me and ruined the mood very fast.

"I think I understand why, but can you tell me why you are ruining our last night together with this?" I was so frustrated that he brought our departure up during my last night in bliss. "I need you now. " I glared at him with such desire that a fool would know what I meant within seconds, but Edward pulled himself off of me and sat up. Our night was over.

"I don't know if I can be away from you, but at the same time I can't endanger you, I'm a very torn and selfish monster and I wish for you to…" I threw myself at him grabbed his hair and pulled him to me to answer his concerns. I needed him to know that all I would think of while he was gone was him. "Bella…" he whispered to me in my ear and I was gone. He was my sun; my air, my blood. The only thing that kept my alive was my desire to have him this close to me always. Edward traced my outline from hairline to naval with his tongue and I latched to his neck preparing for the end to a blissful night.