I woke up and saw Ruby lying next to me. She was still asleep. My phone buzzed. That would be my morning 'are you still alive' call from Mama. I rolled off my side of the bed and picked it up. It wasn't Mama. It was a text from Alice. The leaves are opening was all it said. She knew Ruby often saw my phone and my messages, so she tended to censor. I deleted this one right away. There was no way I was going to explain that. I pulled on cargos and a T-shirt and stepped out to wake Cubby.

He's been out part of the night with the wolves, scoping the clearing. We knew the time was coming. I couldn't quite believe it was today. We had a few things to do before noon. I hoped no one missed me at school. I wrote a quick note for Ruby and Billy.

Family emergency
Be home tonight

Billy would know where we were. I shook Cubby vigorously. "Cubby. It's time. Wake up."

"Hmm?" He ran a hand through his short hair and then over his eyes. "Time for school?"

"No," I said coldly, and he pulled his hand down from his face.

"Oh, right." He got up and followed me outside.

He phased and carried me a little way from the Black house. Then he sent up the Alpha summons and took me to the Cullen house.

I opened the door for the first time in weeks. It smelled different; empty, musty. I walked through the house to the back door. Cubby had already gone around and was headed for the clearing; the wolves were meeting him there.

I turned and walked back to the staircase. I climbed the stairs slowly, my eyes on the object on the landing. There was grandfather's cross. I stood, examining it. I had never embraced Christianity, but there was part of me today that hoped there was a benevolent creator watching over me. Someone who would be with me when I walked alone into the devil's embrace.

Please, I prayed, watch over me. Help me keep my friends safe. Help me keep my family safe. Help me do what is right.

I stood for another minute in silent reflection and then made my way to the clearing.

The wolves were gathered in the middle of clearing when I arrived. "Well, today's the day. I'm sure those of us cutting class are bemoaning the fact that it had to be a Thursday." There were barks of laughter. "Thank you all, again. I wish you didn't have to be here, but... well, I need you. I need you to cover my back, otherwise my big bad bloodsucking family would be a little pissed off." More barks and a few yips that I was sure implied they could handle my family. "Remember, keep downwind. I don't want them to know you're here. If they don't break off and leave, take 'em out." I said. It was weird to know they were all talking to each other but I couldn't hear any of it. "Sam, would you and two others wait with me in the clearing? That sound good, Cubby?"

He huffed, which I took as a yes, and I started walking upwind. I wanted my scent to be clear as noonday. Cubby phased then and hugged me. "I'll be right behind you. I'll have your back, literally, Okay?"

I nodded and kissed him. "I know you do. I love you." I sent him images of him guarding me.

"Right." He backed up and phased again, heading into the trees.

Sam, or Cubby, had chosen Jared and Paul to flank me with him. I bit my lip and tried to calm the butterflies in my stomach. I knew I could do this. I knew this would work. I started repeating that in a mantra. I felt my pockets. Flint and knife for real fire, and liquid fire in the other. I still didn't understand what had possessed me to kidnap Billy's flask, but it was in my right pocket now, filled with rum. I considered a swig for courage, but that was a decidedly bad idea.

I heard a low whine behind me and Paul rubbed his nose with a paw. They were here. I hoped the wolves were still undetected. Black cloaks emerged from the trees. They moved in concert, as always before. First five, then ten, then twenty. Fortunately there weren't many more than that.

When they came within fifty yards of me I addressed them. "You wished to speak with me?" I asked in a loud clear voice. It was steadier than I expected. They stopped as one. They knew now they'd find none but me here. No other scents were left in the house. Demetri knew they were no longer in the area.

I tried not to shake. I tried to remember the plan. I had to be brave for my family. I had to be brave for my friends. If I showed fear now, the Volturi would strike and my friends would attack. We stood regarding one another. There was a slight shifting and a pair of dark cloaks moved forward, Aro and Renata. I felt decidedly under-dressed in cargo pants and cotton, but I wasn't here to make an impression.

Aro pulled back his hood. "Renesmee?" he asked. "Is that you?" He used his overly friendly tone. I stepped away from my wolf friends and toward the ancient vampire. I held my hand in front of me, hoping to prevent any ill reactions. I stopped twenty feet from him, hoping he would come a little further toward me. I did not relish being surrounded by the guard.

I was in luck. Aro stepped forward to take my hand. Renata did not follow as closely. Before he could take my hand, I lifted it to his forehead, just as I had when I was little. I remembered the last meeting, when I was only months old, and showed it to him.

"It is Renesmee," he declared. "Tell me, child, what happened in Brazil?" I felt his icy hands above and below mine as he took it. As had happened on occasion before, I felt something I should not be able to feel. I should not be able to feel Mama's shield when it covered me, and I should not be able to see the memories Aro took from me now. I was remembering Joham's demise. I was remembering burning the notebook. I was remembering Jacob, lunging at him while I was still blinded by Zafrina's illusion. I was remembering in reverse. I was remembering Nahuel's kiss, the forest, the river, asking the circle why Edward was upset. I tried to project over that memory. I tried to turn it into asking only Senna. The boring didn't stop, it didn't slow. I had no idea if my projection had had any effect. Tefe and Pedro, the circle's memories of physical love. I wrote that over as well, making all the memories Senna's now. I still didn't know if it worked, but I would try to protect the circle. Back and back it went, my dream of being older with Jacob, my fight with Edward. None of these mattered now, I wouldn't risk upsetting Aro by changing any of them.

So all my memories of my early years with my family flowed from me to him. I only interrupted again when he reached the memories of their last arrival. Now he could see why I had avoided him taking my hand then. But that knowledge was meaningless now. Mama's careful preparation for my escape, Mama's shield. I didn't need to hide any of these any longer. My first time spent with the Amazons was much harder. I turned most of these into memories of Senna, sharing her thoughts alone, and I tried to make their explanations of the circle dream-like, voices muffled, as though I were drifting off to sleep. I kept my eyes locked on Aro's looking for any indication he'd noticed my projections. I wasn't altering my memories, just projecting a false image over it. It was entirely possible he was seeing both and I was calling attention to things I'd rather he ignored. His eyes gave no sign.

Now we returned to Joham's demise and worked forward. He saw my private moments with Cubby, my first day of school, my plan to send my family away. I considered writing over that as well, but I wanted him to know I did not want a fight. Hopefully he didn't either. He knew now where my family was, that Edward and Mama were separate from Alice. That they would unite if he went after them again. He knew the wolves were circled around us now, out of sight.

The boring eased. That was when I realized how little time had passed. In essence my life had flashed before my eyes. I grasped his hand now and sent him images. Him standing with my family. Him standing to one side of my wolf friends. I trusted him with their lives. I'd honored his wish, now I asked him to honor mine. I wanted him to trust me. Especially now that he knew he was surrounded by wolves. The last image as I started to pull my hand away was of me kissing his cheeks. A sign of friendship, of peace. "May I?" I asked. My throat was dry and my voice cracked slightly.

"Of course, sweet Renesmee." He opened his arms and I stepped into them. I put my hands on either side of his icy, marble neck. I kissed first his left cheek.

Then, a thought he had dredged returned to me. The chess set. Aro the king. Mate in one, I thought, putting the fingers of my left hand into the hair on the back of his neck. I gripped it very gently and moved to kiss his right cheek. I pulled Cubby as my lips missed his cheek and my jaws opened.

I sliced my teeth through the marble and pulled him by the hair, twisting against the grip of my right hand on his left shoulder. His head tore free and I followed through, twisting, turning on my toe. Everything began to happen very quickly and simultaneously. I released Aro's head and it flew ahead of me. Jacob was leaping over Sam and the others straight for me. Renata, the only one close enough, began to grab for me. The head brushed Jacob's forepaws and dropped onto Sam. Sam used his nose to lob it back into the air and in the direction of the trees I was now facing. I took my first long stride and felt my hair pull free of Renata's grip. I started sprinting for the trees. Even before my second stride I heard the growl of all the wolves descending from every side. I had pulled them when I had pulled Cubby.

Hell was breaking in the clearing, and I was the one who had released it. I knew many of my friends would perish today, but to rid the world of Aro, and likely a good number of these others, it might be a fair trade. My third stride. It could never be a fair trade. What had I done? My fourth stride. How many had I led to their deaths? My fifth stride. How many had I made safe?

I reached the trees and kicked Aro's head a little further into the brush, out of sight of the clearing. We would deal with burning much later. I climbed the spruce and turned for the first time to survey the damage I had wrought. It was a battle field. It was tumultuous. It was chaotic. Then it became clear to me. I could see the wolves not as individuals. They were working in concert, as was their tactic. Cubby was trying to attack Renata, but her shield kept him at bay. She was eying the other wolves fearfully. No doubt wondering how many she could shield against at once. Her eyes also stopped more than once on Aro's headless form. That frightened her more.

Leave her, Cubby, I thought, she is going to run. He seemed to sense this and moved to attack another of the many pawns, as I saw the brutish vampires with no offensive powers. Jane drew my attention. She was dropping individual wolves as they tried to attack her, but was also moving and looking toward my position. She wanted me.

That was when the wind shifted. I picked up two scents I recognized and was filled with dread. Joseph and Ruby. Why did they have to follow me today? Today of all days!

I couldn't look to them now, instead I locked my eyes on Alec. He was not currently a target, but he was beginning to unleash his power. I pulled the flask from pocket, now understanding why I had brought it. I took a long swig of Billy's rum and gasped. The fire hit my blood faster than I expected. Even as the wolves lost sight and sound, I was able to return it to them, projecting the field from my vantage point. I concentrated very intently on the battle beneath me. Lighting areas of concern. Most notable, the one who had stolen their sight.

I wondered how Alec prevented his forces from being blinded as well. It hardly mattered though, as my projection was sent to the Volturi as well as the wolves. Many of them became disoriented by the double image. Almost all of them turned their backs on me, trying to orient their sight with mine. The wolves were used to seeing through one another's eyes. They took full advantage of the moment of hesitation to tear many pawns to shreds. Sam led Jared and Paul toward Alec, intending to neutralize his influence. The moment passed and the remaining Volturi returned to attacking my friends. All but one.

Jane was walking toward me now, sure-footed. She knew exactly where I was perched. I could hear Joe and Ruby now and cursed. They were too close, but I couldn't take the time to warm them. Sam's attack had broken Alec's concentration and without his usual guard to protect him, he ran. As soon as I saw the slight distortion his power created, I jumped from the tree. "Ruby! Joe!" I yelled without turning, "Go back! You can't come this way!" I prayed they'd obey me. I could give them no more help, no more warning. I was seized by searing pain. I screamed with it.

I heard a growl behind me and saw a pale gray wolf jump over me into Jane's sight. Everything was slightly blurred by my tears, but the pain was gone and I saw her shift her focus to the wolf.

I shifted mine to her. "Take some of your own, Bitch." I projected all the pain she had just laid on me. I heard a change in the sounds on the battle field, but I ignored these, all my intention on Jane. "And a little of mine, too." I added the longest and most painful of Joham's probes to the mix. The feeling of helplessness. I was within reach of Jane now; Joseph was whimpering on the ground, still held by her power.

She noticed my movement and brought her gaze back to me. But I was too close now. Even as I started to scream, I grabbed her arm and fed her pain back to her. This time I added the horrible wrenching I had felt upon breaking Jacob's heart, the fury of my ignorance. The sounds from the clearing shifted again. This time I heard howls more than screams.

The pain was abruptly gone and a new scream rose, Ruby's. I saw Jane move, but was too slow to stop her. Instead I crashed into Ruby, attempting to knock her from Jane's grasp. I only succeeded because Joseph lunged for her throat at the same time. I covered Ruby's body with my own, shielding her until Jane was dealt with. I pinned her wrists to the ground. She continued to scream and began to writhe beneath me.

"I'm burning!" she shrieked.

I looked over my shoulder to see Joe writhing once more under Jane's gaze. I pulled for Cubby. I projected Joe's need for help. There was a howl and Seth and Quil were on either side of Jane. Joe rose and the three pulled her apart in seconds.

I looked down at Ruby again. She was still screaming and the bite at her neck was obvious. Was it too late? I wondered. There was only one way to know. I put my mouth to the wound and sucked deeply. Venom burned my tongue and I spat it out. I bent to draw more. As I drank, I realized it was likely I would kill her even if I was able to draw out all the venom. Should I stop? Should I let her change into a vampire? I thought of Rosalie and knew I still had to try. I spat and realized she had stopped screaming and her eyes were closed. It was done. Either I had succeeded or she was dead. Now I needed to end the rest of this so I could get her help if she still lived.