Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does. No copyright infringement is intended, and I am making no financial gain from this, either.

Chapter 13

An all-veiling darkness consumed the night over Forks as Edward Cullen, an exceptionally pained expression on his face, made his way back home. To his family.

He smiled gravely at the word. Family. What was that, anyway? "Family are those you love most, even if you won't admit it," his father had once told him in his human years. "Family would chop their head off for you without hesitating. You gotta protect your family, kiddo."

You gotta protect your family, kiddo.

You gotta protect your family.

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY!

He barely acknowledged the road infront of him as he blindly drove on, lead by his thoughts.

Family. Carlisle. Esme. Rosalie. Emmett. Jasper. Alice. Bella. Renesmee.

Renesmee.

He wondered, spontaneously, wether or not they would have already killed his little baby girl.

He still remembered the day she had been born, Renesmee Carlie Cullen. She had almost killed her mother, ripping her way out of her mother's womb. But Bella had smiled anyway. She had loved her daughter. She would have done anything for her; and she did. Not once had she screamed.

Bella.

His wife.

Apathetically, he stopped the car. The engine died down within milliseconds, barely putting up a fight. Edward exited the Volvo. He was standing in the Cullen driveway.

"Edward!" he was immediately greeted by his adoptive father. "It is good to have you back."

But Edward saw past Carlisle's happy façade, straight to the glimmer of hatred and anger behind his topaz eyes. He must hate me for what I did, he thought. He must really hate me.

"Father."

"Please," Carlisle said. "Come on in."

And so he did, nodding quietly. Silence embraced them as they walked through the illuminated halls of the Cullen mansion. Edward could smell the people inside. There were less than usual, now that... they were gone. The irratic, thumping sound of Renesmee's hybrid heart was gone — a sound, that, over the years, he had grown as used to as the sound of the animals in the nearby forest. Now, due to its absence he almost felt as if it was not his, but a stranger's home that he was in.

All of a sudden, Edward halted. Something else was out of the normal.

"Son," Carlisle spoke. He seemed almost... sad. "Come with me."

Edward nodded, shutting out his frightening instincts that told him to run. "Yes."

And as they set foot in the living room, Edward detested himself even more than he had ever thought it possible. The sheer feeling of stupidity he felt was indescribable.

"Edward," Alec said, smirking. The bodies of the inanimate Cullens lay around him in a tidy circle. Carlisle's head hung low in shame.

"Long time, no see. I would have thought you had noticed my absence in Volterra, and so I must say, I am surprised that you even showed up."

"Leave," Edward growled. "You and your so-called 'coven' have taken everything from me. Show some empathy and just leave my family and me the fuck alone."

Alec smiled. "I'm sorry," he said. "But this just too easy."

And as Edward's world went black, he thought of the troubled look in Renesmee's eyes as he had left her behind, and he wondered if this incontainable panic, this inexplicable sadness, this numbing certainty, she had felt too.

Bella had just put her daughter to bed, reading her several bedtime stories in a vain attempt to calm the overly anxious girl, when she saw Aro sitting on the bed of their shared room. She was surprised at seeing her mate; he had been occupied, looking himself in his study with his brothers, ever since her husband had left.

"Aro?" she asked. "Are you finished already?"

But he did not answer.

"Thank you for today," Bella smiled. "I am so grateful for heaving Nessie with me again. Just hearing her heartbeat near me melts my heart. If only you knew-"

"Do you remember when I said that a war had to be fought if we were to be together?" Aro demanded. "So that taking you as my lawfully wedded wife would be legit?"

"Yes," Bella nodded.

Aro sighed. "Do you understand the complete necessity of it?"

There was complete silence for a moment.

"Yes."

Aro took a deep unnecessary breath, then spoke up. "The Cullens will be dead by the next sundown."

Author's Note: I am so, sooo sorry for only updating now! I know I promised you a quick update, but please don't kill me. I kind of lost inspiration for this story, and then I just couldn't find the time...

A large, cordial thank you to all those of you who reviewed and followed/faved the story while I was gone! I really didn't deserve it, but thank you so, soo much. I'm not gonna ask for a certain number of reviews this time. Just... if you want to review, do so. Thank you! :)

Now, to the issue at hand. I've noticed that my inspiration for this story seems to be an on/off thing, and so I wanted to ask if anybody would be interested in becoming my co-author for this story? We'd exchange ideas and you'd have lots of liberties. So if you're interested, just tell me.

Bye now! *hands out cookies*