We stood there motionless deeply taking in the two words. This was impossible, I thought frantically. They knew she was harmless. She was born not bitten and she already knew the basic rules. She hadn't so much as hurt a human besides nibbling on Charlie's finger when she was younger. It had been 2 human years and they were contacting us. What had we done wrong? Even as the letter lay limp in my hands, I could feel the power throbbing from the letter. We stood there. We just stood taking in the two words that could potentially rule our future.
Minutes ticked by as we stood there looking at the letter. After two hours or so, when the sun began to set, I checked my watch and slowly opened the door, unsure of what I was doing and walked in. I heard Edward and Renesmee follow suit. I set the letter down on the kitchen table and gav looked at Edward out of the corner of my eye. He gave a curt nod and led Renesmee off to her room.
"What does the letter say,? Renesmee asked looking back. She looked so mature and concerned about whatever was in the letter. Her brown hair was pinned back with a polka dotted bow which bobbed when she turned. She claimed to be her favorite and she was wearing a pale blue dress with capped sleeves.
"We're not sure yet, Ness. It's not important, darling. Go play until grandma, and all come." Edward said deciding to pick her up and walking swiftly out of the room.
I didn't want to read whatever was inside the letter. It couldn't be a letter questioning how well we were doing. Aro had four years to do that. He hadn't sent any word of politeness or concern until now.
I touched the letters where "The Volturi" was printed. It felt cold and hard, just like their hearts. (Not that they had one)
Edward walked silently into the room and placed his hands on my waist, putting his nose gently in the crook of my neck.
"She really is your daughter. Utmost stubbornness if I must say so myself." Edward said quietly.
I smiled, proudly and turned so our foreheads were touching. My smile faded back into a grimace.
"I'm scared," I whispered wrapping my arms around my neck.
"I will do whatever it takes to make you safe again." He said creasing his eyebrows in plain determination. "Nothing will touch Ness nor you." He growled more menacingly.
I fell limp in his arms and let him lift me onto the couch. He placed me on top of his lap and snuggled me closer.
"Do you think we can open it in front of the rest of the Cullens tonight?" I asked quietly resting my head on his shoulder.
"If it makes this any easier for you," He whispered painfully. This was causing him no more pain than it did me. This was too soon. No matter what it said, it held something deep and dark and dangerous.
"I should get the food ready for Renee and Phil. The flight from Florida to Forks is long." I said standing up and pattered into the kitchen.
Edward set out plates and silverware and cups out in a buffet formation on the dining table.
An hour and a half later, I had lasagna, a salad, soup and a chocolate cake set out on the table. Edward was setting out the pictures we took on display. I wandered into Renesmee's room and her door was shut. I opened it and she was nowhere to be seen. I stopped dead.
"Renesmee?" I asked panicking and ransacking the room looking for my daughter.
Edward was at my elbow, looking around anxiously. I ran into our room and looked around. She was nowhere to be seen.
"Renesmee?!" I called pure fear defined in my tone of voice.
"Ness? Darling? Come out! This isn't funny." Edward said running back into the kitchen and living room.
I ran back to her room looking for her everywhere. I undid the perfectly made bed but there was no Renesmee. I looked in her closet, no Renesmee. I looked in her box of overflowing toys, no Renesmee.
I ran to the slightly opened window and stared blankly at the small little polka dotted bow, perched on the window sill beside the Volturi crest and a cluster of ashes.
I fell onto my knees trembling. I whispered Renesmee's name repeatedly. Edward ran into the room spotted the bow, crest and ashes and fell down beside me.
"Oh, my Ness, my little Renesmee. Where did they take her? Oh, oh , oh my little Ness, my Renesmee." I sobbed wrapping my arms around myself.
"The hell." Edward hissed. "The hell. Renesmee, come back." He cringed and fell down, forehead in his hands.
"Where did they take her?" I cried crawling into Edward's open arms and whimpering loudly.
"We will get her back," Edward swore. "Renesmee, oh Renesmee." He said cringing.
In the distance I could hear 12 sets of feet running into the cottage.
Edward helped me up as we stood mournfully in each other's arms whimpering.
"Check the bedroom," Emmett joked walking towards the master bedroom. He stopped short at the sight of us.
"Where's Nessie?" He asked entering the room cautiously.
"Edward! Bella! Have you seen this letter?" Alice called anxiously from the dining room.
"Where's Nessie?" Emmett repeated Rosalie waiting impatiently at his side. I bowed my head in sorrow. The sound of her name was painful to hear. Edward led me silently to the living room. Everyone was staring nervously at us waiting for us to assure them we were fine. But problem was we weren't.
"What's wrong, Bella dear?" Esme asked pure terror and concern etched in her voice.
"I...Re...I...well...the.." I couldn't explain this. Dieing in the battle against the Volturi would be better than this. Losing Renesmee to the Volturi was beyond death.
"No….!" Alice murmured. She looked at Edward who nodded, confirming her vision.
"No!" Edward said in shock.
"What?" Came from several voices.
"The….Volturi and The Ashers have taken Renesmee." Alice said falling onto the couch.
"NO!" Esme cried. She hid in Carlisle's arms. Rosalie gasped and looked horrified.
I must have looked devastated because I was. I was more than devastated I was angry and mournful and terrified.
"Wait, who are "The Ashers"?" Jasper enquired sitting beside Alice and began rubbing her back.
"They're a group of vampires who now work for the Volturi. They possess great talents and skills. The Volturi only except vampires who follow old vampire traditions like burning their victims-" Alice explained sorrowfully.
"WAIT!" I raged in a hoarse whisper. "They left ashes by Renesmee's bow, does that mean…?" I asked cracking and moaning painfully. If I were human I would be bawling my eyes out.
"No, she's alive, I've seen it. Let me continue and you'll understand." Alice said bowing her head.
"So the Ashers also hate humans, they kill them and torture them for pleasure before drinking their blood. The Ashers share the same opinions as the Volturi. They are scared of being overpowered and therefore decided to join the Volturi in hopes of becoming a larger coven and appear more intense and intimidating." Alice finished rubbing her temples frantically.
There was a silence that filled the room. We were all so terrified to where and what was happening to Renesmee.
"Why do they want her?" I asked sinking into Edward, letting him support me because I could not support myself if my life depended on it.
"They are making a move to warn us to back off. They don't like how all the others who joined us during battle stood behind us." Edward spoke softly for the first time this conversation. "They found a shield to block Alice." Edward spat, glaring at no one in particular.
"What?!" Several voices echoed.
"Her name is Violetta. She's a human but has a powerful mind, like Bella's. But Violetta can only block their futures from being predicted. Bella can do more." Alice said sighing and leaning back with exhaustion outlined on her pretty little face.
The doorbell rang and we could all hear Renee reminding Phil not to tease Bella about her sex life.
I smacked my forehead. How could I forget? My mother was coming and she was here to visit Renesmee who was not here and was here to visit me and this was supposed to be a happy momentous occasion.
Edward slowly rose still shaking with fear for our daughter. Everyone slowly stood after and attempted to look happy and carefree but everyone still had the look of deepest sorrow in their eyes.
"I need a moment." Esme muttered apologetically. She scrambled to the bathroom and locked herself in. Carlisle marched to the TV and began watching but not paying attention. Rosalie clumsily picked up a book and began reading quietly but actually mourning the unknown. Jasper and Emmett took out a pack of cards and hastily began playing. Alice sat motionless on the couch. I followed Edward to the door and tried to look happy and thoroughly merry. I stopped my hand on the door nob.
"What's our excuse?" I asked nervously thinking about little Renesmee.
"She had a last minute injury and was resting in Carlisle and Esme's." Edward whispered grimacing. I touched the crease of his eyebrows and leaned in to him for a split second before snatching his hand for support and opening the door.
"Bella! You look so beautiful! You're all grown up! Oh! And Edward, as handsome as usual." Renee rambled hugging me fiercely.
"Hi mom, hey Phil." I said pretending to wheeze for breath.
"Hello, Renee, Phil." Edward said still in a pained tone. He extended a hand in which Renee slapped away and hugged him too rather fiercely.
"Ah, watching the game?" Phil said automatically intrigued and striding to join them at the TV.
"Smells lovely, Bella." My mom said dreamily and marching off to eat.
I looked at Edward worriedly and we walked to the TV and sat in each other's embrace holding on to hope that Renesmee was alright.
The hours seemed to drag on the longer Renee and Phil stayed. There was no doubt that I loved them, but now was just not a good time. I was just so worried. I just wanted to curl in a ball and die.
When Renee finally remembered that we had a daughter she pounced on the subject immediately.
"A baby boy or girl?" She asked excitedly.
"Girl," Edward answered wincing just by talking about her.
"Oooh! What's her name?" She asked now sitting on her knees.
"Renesmee." I whispered in a dead tone. "Renee and Esme."
"Darling, that's wonderful. And in case you've forgotten, I'm not as young as I used to be and you need to speak louder and pronounce your words darling." She said smiling brightly. "Where's the little cutie?"
"She...erm…" I said unable to speak and excused myself. I rushed to my room and hid in the covers. I could hear Edward explaining. I grabbed one of Renesmee's stuffed bunny toys laying on the bedside table and clutched it to my chest. It smelled deeply of Renesmee. Oh, Renesmee. My Renesmee.
I felt someone sneak in the depths of the covers beside me, cradling me protectively.
We didn't say anything because there was nothing to be said. We both felt the deepest amount of loss and sorrow in our hearts and we both felt so incomplete. She was our tiny, adorable world. She was our everything.
"I think we should go back to the festivities." Edward said after we lay there for a while. "We don't want to appear rude or give any reason for Phil to tease you about your sex life."
I nodded and stood placing Renesmee's toy in between our pillows. We headed back out together. Renee turned to me in concern.
"Are you alright dear?" She asked stroking my cheek.
"Yes, just worried about...her." I finished lamely looking anywhere else but Renee.
"Completely understandable. Well in that case, Phil we should..?" She asked picking up her purse and pulling Phil's hand.
"Yes. Of course." Phil mumbled tearing his eyes from the TV. "We can find a hotel."
I completely forgot the part in my moms email asking if they could stay over for the week.
"No! No, this is your home until you leave." I insisted finally looking at Renee. She had hurt look on her face.
"No, Bella dear. Renesmee is dear to your hearts and we wouldn't want to intrude at a time like this. I want to make this easier for you two, not harder. Really, Bella it's alright." I shook my head and pulled her back in.
"If you want to make things easier, you will stay and be the consoling mother you are. If you want to make things harder and make me feel guilty, you may leave." I said pushing her back on the couch then proceeding to drag Phil back to the couch.
Renee smiled. "If you're sure dear,"
I sighed and leaned into Edward for support for the millionth time today. But he didn't complain. He just held me there securely never losing grip.
After three more hours, it was 2:00 and Renee had finally partied to her fullest. The Cullen's returned to their home, giving us sympathetic glances as they marched out.
"We'll figure this out." Esme promised hugging me gently then followed Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Carlisle out.
Alice placed a hand on my shoulder before whispering, "She's alright. As far as I can tell she's alive."
"Thank you Alice." I muttered gratefully as she headed out the door.
"Renee, Phil, we have the master open for your use." Edward said motioning for them to enter.
"No, no. If we stay. We sleep on the couch." Phil said already leaning back on the couch and resetting the pillows.
"No Phil I insist-" Edward began but Renee cut him off with a daring glare and lay down on the opposite couch.
"Shut the lights on your way out will you?" She said turning on her side without a second glance.
I smirked at Edward's bewildered face and shut the lights heading to our room.
He followed and shut the door quietly. He picked up the stuffed toy and played with its ears for a moment. I knew what he was thinking. When Renesmee was younger, she had first practiced hunting on that stuffed toy. She loved pulling on its ears and chewing on it. Charlie and Sue had given it to her and she loved it. Charlie always thought a dog must have had a match with it because it was torn and ripped but careworn and loved. He looked so hurt it absolutely murdered me to watch him sink to his knees and bow his head over the toy. I walked quietly over to him and wrapped my arms around him consolingly as he had I the entire day.
"We have to find her," I whispered resting my head on his shoulder.
"We will. And we won't stop until we do." He said turning and pulling me into bed.
He leaned down and kissed me softly and gently. I opened my mouth inviting him in. It was so synchronized people would think we had this rehearsed and I doubt you could say we don't. I climbed onto my knees and pushed him on his back. I heard fabric tearing as the usual soft, smooth, velvety skin came in contact. We were entangled and intertwined in an instant. For once, the love we made was sorrowful and depressing. When one broke down, the other saved them. That was almost a mirror translation of our love. We lay there inhaling the smell of one another. I caressed his cheek, kissing from his collarbone to lips. Everything that was perfect for nearly two years was crumpled to ashes and singed to nothingness. We had each other, and we would not stop till Renesmee was back in our arms. A loan throaty moan came from his throat as he leaned over me kissing me fiercely. I kicked off the blankets and explored what I was so familiar to. We were two thirds close to full.
We waited until early morning to "get up" and make breakfast. I tiptoed into the kitchen and fried 4 omelets for Renee and Phil.
"We never got to open the letter." Edward said quietly from the island counter.
"Well we can't now." I said flipping the omelets harder than necessary onto two plates. They smashed into shards.
"Shit,"I swore sweeping the omelets and shards into the garbage. Edward was at the stove making fresh ones.
"I'll ask Carlisle if we can come over when Renee and Phil are asleep and open it then. We also must discuss how to get..-" Edward said flipping the omelets onto the plates when Renee yaned loudly and sat up.
"Good morning dears." She said prodding over to the island. "Smells lovely."
"Eat up," Edward offered passing coffee to Renee.
"What should we do today?" Renee asked eating the omelets with lightning speed.
"Well….erm…." I stammered. I hadn't thought of this. I couldn't even consider having fun while my daughter's life was thinner than it was two years ago.
"I bought two tickets for you and Phil to watch the Washington Nationals play the Miami Marlins, today. I know Phil loves baseball." Edward said one step ahead of me once again. All the more well planned. Now we can focus on getting our Renesmee back.
"That's so thoughtful of you!" Renee said beaming. Just then Edward gasped and there was a knock on the door and retreating footsteps. Edward walked over to the door and growled. He opened the door and stood glaring down at something. I walked beside him and stopped dead. There was a few locks of brown hair, Renesmee's hair and the ashes and the Volturi sign.
"What's wrong dears?" Renee's voice came cautiously from behind.
"Is everything alright?" Came Phil's voice from the couch.
I didn't hear anything. All I could think of is what they did to Ness and how much I wanted to kill them. All of them.
Edward turned slowly. "Nothing, just the normal ding dong ditchers." He said slamming the door shut.
"Ah, those are quite the hassle. Especially in the early hours." Phil said walking over to Renee. I still hadn't moved. I was furious, vengeful and ready to kill. Edward took my hand and squeezed limply with an attempted reassurance but we both knew, this was past reassuring. This was past forgiveness. This was past everything. In spite of Renee and Phil I ran out the door and into the woods. Running to nowhere in particular and hissing at anything that came near me. I lept over a small waterfall and continued running. I ran and ran and ran. I wanted to escape everything placed heavily on my shoulders. I wanted to forget all the pains of the past, future and present. I wanted to run and never go back. I reached a familiar cliff. The same cliff I jumped when I thought I lost Edward. And now the same cliff I will jump when I think I lost Renesmee. I jumped and crashed into the ice cold waves. They thrashed me wildly and rocked and spit and splashed me. I lay limp and let the waves inhale and absorb me. I let everything go and became part of the waves. It began to rain. Thunder echoed everywhere and I lay like a rag doll and watched lightning strike. I thought of Renesmee and Edward and the Ashers and the Volturi. A massive wave rose and crashed on top of me.
