Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is a literary goddess and she owns Twilight.
This was it; the time my family thought I had truly gone insane. I was sat on the sofa between Mom and Mason while the others sat around on the other furniture. Mom held my left hand while Mason held my right; I drew on my strength as I took a breath.
"I guess you're wondering why I called a family meeting." I said lightly.
"Yeah. Wondering." Auntie Alice said a little grouchy, she still hated the fact that she didn't get the early broadcast news if I was in the picture.
"I think you all have the right to know that I plan to return to Heartbridge and reunite with my 'parents'." I stated, deciding a direct approach was best.
Everyone gasped and looked at me as if I'd gone stupid.
"No Nessie you can't." Grandma Esme exclaimed, her hands flying to her face.
"What if they take you to Volterra?" Nahuel asked.
Oh great, here come the complaints.
"That's what I'm planning." I said unashamed.
"Have you lost your mind?" Alice exploded. "You can't go there! They brainwashed you the last time, who knows what they might do this time?"
"Renesmee this is truly a fools errand. We don't know what Aro's plans are for you, but when he discovers they are failing so far then who knows what he'll do?" Carlisle cautioned.
"Look. There's no point trying to change my mind, I'm going. I just thought it would be best if I told you what I planned to do and not just disappear in the middle of the night as I'd thought about at first." I stated firmly.
I had planned to just go without telling anyone, but in a house full of ordinary vampires it would have been hard to achieve, never mind when they were as gifted as my family.
"What do you think Bella?" Carlisle asked Mom.
Mom's eyes flicked to me then she looked fully at Dad, she looked to Carlisle and said, "Sorry Carlisle, but she's made up her mind, she pulled the age card on me. We can't stop her from going, but we can do all we can to make sure she comes back. That is why Edward and I will follow at a safe distance."
Esme shook her head sadly while Auntie Rose narrowed her eyes at me; she hated it when I did anything she considered reckless. Jasper looked deep in thought, his gold eyes distant as he planned something, probably strategy. Alice had her chin cupped in her hand and was frowning. I knew she'd feel a lot better if she could look ahead to make sure everything would be ok, but with me in the picture the vision would be too wobbly. Emmett looked torn between whatever was on his mind. Carlisle's face was the picture of concern.
Masen squeezed my hand gently and smiled in encouragement. I smiled back.
Are they mad at me? I asked him silently.
No, just worried. He replied silently.
"Perhaps we should all go." Jasper said quietly, suddenly breaking the silence.
"I don't think that would be a good idea Jazz." Dad said smoothly. "What do you think the Volturi will think if we all turn up there unannounced?"
"Why not?" Emmett boomed. "We took 'em once we can do it again."
"Yes, but that time we had done nothing wrong. If we all appear at Volterra together then they can say that we planned to attack. You know how good Aro is at spin, and a lot of the other vampires would be glad to see our strange clan annihilated. So no Emmett, this won't come to a fight." Dad replied.
Emmett looked crest fallen and was about to argue.
"Emmett, Edward is right, we can't all go to Volterra, but perhaps I should go. As an old friend I'm sure I could reason with Aro." Carlisle interjected.
"No Grandpa!" I gasped, horrified. "I don't want to put you in any danger, I don't want to put any of you in any danger." I said, glancing around at all of them. "Mom and Dad accompanying me is the best compromise we could come up with. No one else is going to come. Period."
"Can I come?" Masen asked.
I glanced around at him in shock.
"You want to go to Volterra?" I asked in disbelief.
"I've always wanted to go to Italy." He said with a shrug.
"But…but…"
"That might not be a bad idea." Carlisle cut in. "Aro likes to be kept up to date on new arrivals to clans, maybe Masen can be your official reason to visit."
"That seems logical." Dad conceded.
"So I'm going?" Masen asked excitedly.
"I guess you are." I replied unsure.
"So I take it you'll be wanting to hire a private jet then?" Alice asked, her laptop already open.
And my family went into planning mode.
"Come on." I said to Masen. "They won't need us for a while."
I led him up to my room and I sprawled out on the bed while Masen sat in the rocking chair. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scents around me, my family, my house something to hold onto solid in my head so that I wouldn't lose myself again.
"So did you have a good time this afternoon?" Masen asked.
My eyes snapped open and I lifted my head to look at him.
"What?" I asked.
"With Jacob, did you have a good time?" He clarified.
"Oh." I said, lying back. "It was nice."
"Just nice?" He asked suggestively.
"Why?" I snapped.
"Oh. It's just you're covered in his scent. You smell like a zoo."
I scowled. "No I don't!" I said, indignantly. "And Jacob doesn't either. He smells all woodsy and homey, he smells nice." I sighed wistfully.
He looked at me doubtfully.
"You don't smell too good to him either, vampires are too sickly sweet for werewolves. It burns their noses, or so I've been told. Honestly? I think people just like to make a fuss about nothing." I said folding my arms. "And for your information we were only cuddling, so stop poking around in my head, it's rude."
"Hey that wasn't me." Masen said holding up his hands in innocence.
I glared at him a moment, then I groaned.
"MOM. DAD'S POKING AROUND IN MY HEAD AGAIN!" I called out.
"Edward!" I heard Mom chastise.
Masen blinked and confusion settled on his face.
"Hey, your mind just went blank."
"Yep. That's Mom's shield." I said with a smile.
"That's amazing." He said with admiration.
"I know. So, are you looking forward to Italy." I asked.
"Well I would have liked to enjoy the Tuscan sun, but seeing it at night won't be so bad with these eyes." He joked.
"You'll see it in the day, you just have to make sure you cover up is all." I said with a shrug.
"What, you mean like factor 2000 or something?" He chortled.
"No. I was thinking more along the lines of a hoody and some gloves." I answered, frowning. "You do know why you can't go out in the sun, don't you?"
"Because I will burn?" He asked doubtfully.
"Oh gosh, I haven't told you." I gasped, smacking my forehead. "I just keep assuming you know everything because you can read minds."
"So I won't burn?"
"No."
"So why do I need to cover up?" He asked.
"Ok. Don't freak out but this is going to sound slightly implausible. I don't know if you noticed how my skin kinda glows in the sun." I began.
"Yes, I always wondered about that."
"Well yours doesn't. Your skin sparkles in the sun. There's no other word for it. Why do you think my family chose to live here and other oft-cloudy places? It's so they can get about more during daylight hours." I explained. "So that they appear more human."
"When you say sparkle?" He queried.
"Like a diamond." I breathed. "Breathtaking yes, but it makes it so obvious you are not human."
"Wow. I can't wait to see that." He whispered.
We fell into companionable silence for a while. Then I sat up with a groan.
"I guess I'd better get my things together."
Thanks for reading,
Gemma x