Mary POV
Previously: "I know. That's one thing that has us very concerned. They want witnesses. We're trying to gather our own. People to prove that they have seen Renesmee grow and learn. People who have seen her adapt to our ways of life. Hopefully, we'll be able to convince the Volturi that we are innocent," He said, but didn't sound very confident. I wouldn't blame him. It was rare that the Volturi listened to anyone but themselves. The Cullens had all been sentenced to die, and die they would.
"We can help you," I said out of nowhere, "My sisters and I. We can pose as witnesses. We are related by blood to your family, and I know they won't sit here and let them die knowing they could have done something."
"We would be very grateful in that case," Carlisle said, smiling a little. Then, I had an even better idea.
"We know another coven, the people who changed Arissa. I'm sure she could contact them and let them know of our situation. You said you needed as many people as possible, right?" I asked. I was sure at the least Mikhail would come help. They all loved Arissa, and were close to our family. They would want to help, I was sure.
"That would be amazing. Thank you so much," Carlisle said, and I hugged him.
"Like I said Carlisle, we're all family. We are a family re-united," and I truly felt that way.
ARISSA'S POV
"Hey, where did everybody go?" I called as I walked into the house. Soon enough, Mary and some other dude came walking down the stairs.
"Ew, it's Mary," I said, grinning.
"Shut up, Arissa. Do you remember Dr. Cullen?" She asked me.
"Well, on account that I never actually met him, no. I really don't," I snapped at her.
"Well, this is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Carlisle, this is my little sister, Arissa," she introduced us and we both shook hands.
"You've grown so much since the last time I saw you," he said.
"When did I meet you?" I don't ever remember meeting him.
"It was when your mother first got sick, before we knew it was influenza. You were with Mary and Edward. You were very young," he explained.
"I wasn't that young," I mumbled.
"Could've fooled me," Mary scoffed. Man, she was looking for a nice punch to the face right about now.
"You two got along a lot better back then as well," Carlisle added.
"Yeah. Well, apparently I was young," I said, "Young people know nothing."
"Oh grow up, Arissa," Mary said, "I need you to do something for Edward, okay?" Why? What did Edward want?
"What does he want that he can't come ask me about?" I said. It wasn't like I hadn't talked to him for 102 years or anything.
"You're still in contact with Mikhail and his family, right?" She asked.
"Of course, they're my family too," I said, shocked that she wouldn't already know that I had their numbers.
"You need to call them and ask them if they would come serve as witnesses to the Cullen family on behalf of Renesmee," she said.
"Whoa, wait a minute…. what?"
"You're the one who found out that the Volturi were coming for the Cullens. They're coming because they believe she's an immortal child when she isn't, she just appears as one. They are gathering witnesses so that they can prove she is growing and maturing each day. They are hoping that that will be enough to save their family," Mary explained, "If they don't, then they will all die. Us included."
"Why would we die?" I asked her.
"Because we're going to serve as witnesses," she said.
"You had no right to make that kind of decision without us there, Mary!" I yelled, the Volturi weren't going to have the chance to kill her because she'd be long gone by the time that they showed up.
"Why? You don't want to protect your brother? Your niece? Your family?" she retaliated.
"Of course I do, but what about Mia? What about Layla? Are they really going to want to die for this family? Do you really want to die for this family?" I said.
"Yes! I would die for this family! They're my family!" She screamed.
"You've just condemned us all to death, and didn't even ask us if we wanted to die!" I screamed. I was dry sobbing now; I didn't care who was watching. I didn't care about anything anymore.
"I didn't think you were so selfish, Arissa. I knew you were a lot of things, but I didn't think you were selfish. If you want to run, then run, but don't you dare ever come back," she warned.
"I'm not running away, but you don't have to worry about hearing from me again. I thought I hated you before, but that was minimum to the way I feel now. And guess what? You're going to be the one who explains to Mia and Layla that we're all going to die. We never should have come here," I said, "I never should have come home."
I didn't even know where I was running, but I ran. I ran to the river and sat down on the riverbank. I didn't want to talk to anyone right now. I just curled up into a ball and started dry sobbing again. I have never felt so overwhelmed in my life.
"Arissa, darlin'?" It was Jasper. I didn't have to even look around. His southern accent made it clear that it was him. I couldn't have looked him in the face anyway. I knew that he heard everything. I knew that Mia probably heard everything. I honestly didn't care.
"Arissa," he said again, coming up behind me and sitting in front of me. He pulled my hands apart and held them in his. He tried to pull my chin up so I would look at him, but I turned away.
"Arissa, please look at me," he begged. I looked up, but only for a second.
"I hate her," I said, finally.
"No you don't," he said.
"I do. I hate her, and she hates me. She always has. I've just learned to ignore it until now. I've never hated her. I've argued with her, but somewhere, I could always find love for her. I can't anymore. She always argues with me, she always bosses me around. She hasn't even told me that she loved me since I left her," I cried.
"She's scared, Arissa. She's scared, and it's coming out as cold. She controls you because she doesn't want to loose you again. You were all she had left after Edward and your parents died, and then you left. She was all alone. She doesn't want to be alone again."
"What does that have to do with me?" I asked.
"Because you're scared too," he explained, "Only you're scared, and it's coming out as hate. You're so used to having to be strong, you don't know how to be scared, so you automatically switch to the next thing you can think of. When it comes to your sister, it's easiest to hate."
"You think you're so smart, don't you," I spat, standing up, "You've known me for what, a day? And you think you can come in here and tell me what I'm feeling and how I'm coping. Well guess what, buddy? You know nothing. You know nothing…" I trailed off unable to say anymore and I collapsed into his arms crying.
"It's okay," he said, "it's okay."
"It's not okay," I whined. I hated feeling this weak, but with him, it was okay.
"Yes it is; it'll all be okay baby. It'll be okay," I shook my head as he said that. How could everything be okay? I wanted to die, I've always wanted to die, and now I'm going to die and I don't want to. I finally have the opportunity to have a family and a life again and it's all getting taken away from me. It isn't fair, and it is certainly not okay.
"How is she?" I heard someone ask. It wasn't a girl, so I was assuming it was Edward, but I wasn't sure. I didn't really care anyway.
"She's fragile, Edward. Be careful," Jasper told him, then put his head on mine, "Darlin'? Edward's here, and he wants to talk to you, is that okay?" I nodded no only because I didn't want Jasper to leave. I didn't want to move.
"He can stay," Edward said, answering my thoughts. I think I felt Jasper smile a little bit, but I couldn't be sure.
"Are you okay, Ari?" He asked me, coming down to the ground and playing with my hair like he used to do when we were children. It calmed me down then and it was calming me down now.
"Do I look okay?" I asked him, scoffing. Jasper pulled me tighter to his chest.
"I owe you an apology, Ari. It was my fault that Mary didn't tell you about mom and I. I made her promise not to tell you until it was absolutely necessary. We both understood that you would hate her instead, but it really was my idea and my fault."
I couldn't respond to that. There was too much on my mind right now to process it. I felt like my mind was just going to shut down and collapse at any minute. I started breathing faster and gripping onto Jasper tighter. I couldn't do this. Not right now.
"She's overwhelmed, Edward. Give her one thing at a time. Let her calm down first, then you two can talk later on," Jasper said.
"It's okay, I understand," Edward said, and put my hair down, "I love you, Ari. I never stopped and I am so sorry about everything you've been through because of me."