Chapter 28: Conversations

~Edward~

Being away from my children even for a week and a half had been too long. Both of them were growing so fast. Upon our return, we found that Anthony had a few more words in his vocabulary, and it seemed each day he was saying something new. My son was also walking without any need to sit down and rest and kept pace with his sister, something she didn't seem to mind too much unless he got into her things. As Bella and Renesmee worked in the kitchen making shapes and naming them, Anthony and I were in the den looking a picture book of animals and bugs.

One small hand covered a picture of a duck, and as Anthony looked up at me he said, "Duck."

"You're right. Do you know what the duck says?"

Anthony's small brows furrowed and I focused on what he was thinking. It was clear that he heard what words I had said to him, but didn't know their meaning.

"What does a dog say?"

A smile formed on his lips. "Oof."

"Yes. A duck," I began, "Says quack quack." It was hard to impersonate the sound, though non the less Anthony enjoyed it as he giggled.

"Dah, toe," he said once his giggles subsided. He pulled his leg up and put his hand on his big toe. A second later as I nibbled his toe, Anthony laughed and pulled it away. "No, Dah," he said as I reached for it. Telling someone 'no' was something new, and Anthony put that word to use often, especially when it was time for nap or for bed.

After looking at another book, I took Anthony to the kitchen where Bella was making snacks before his mid morning nap. He went willingly into his highchair, and began to eat the pieces of ham Bella had sliced.

"Daddy, I made four circles and Momma hung on the fridgerater."

The circles were colored in, one red, two green, and the last yellow. "You did very well with these. Did Momma help you?"

My daughter finished taking a drink of juice before answering. "Momma helped me make and I color all by self," Renesmee answered proudly. My baby wasn't so little anymore. She was getting taller and losing some of her baby fat. Watching her grow was something that amazed me each day, but also in some ways caused me to worry. I wanted her world and Anthony's to be safe, and right now that safety was the thing most in question

"Daddy, do I have to take a nap?" Her plate was empty and Renesmee was kicking her legs up and down as she waited for my reply

"Yes, but not right now. Would you like to work a puzzle with me?"

"I want to do the butterfly one," she answered as Bella helped her clean her hands and mouth.

Before my wife could move, I reached out and pulled her into my arms. We shared a kiss even with Renesmee giggling with Anthony joining in. At the same time he flung his sippy cup toward the floor. Lightening fast, my wife caught it and set it aside as our daughter tugged on my hand ready for some alone time.

Renesmee's butterfly puzzle contained fifty pieces and as I sat next to her, my baby turned all of the pieces over. "Aunt Rose got me this one," she said once she had finished.

"It's a very nice puzzle. Have you worked it before?"

My daughter shook her head, "Wanted wait for you, Daddy." We shared a hug before getting to the task of putting the pieces together.

~*~

Once both of our children were down for their afternoon nap, Bella and I went to our own room. After I was settled on the bed, resting against the feather pillows on my back, my wife moved in next to me resting to my left with her cheek pressed against my chest. All morning she had been quiet, seemingly in thought and I found it difficult not to ask her about her thoughts, hoping she wouldn't worry about something and not tell me or allow me to offer her comfort. Bella's cool breath blew out against me, and I stroked my hand over her back, waiting.

"I," Bella began before stopping, rubbing her cheek against me.

After gathering my wife closer, I kissed the top of her head. "What?"

"I've been thinking that it's time to go to Volterra," Bella finally said as she lifted her head away from my chest, looking right into my eyes. "Before you say anything I need to tell you why." When I nodded my wife shut her eyes, sighing again before she opened them. "With everything Lily said about Joham and the things he's done, I feel that it's maybe better to just go on and get it out of the way. I know what you said about Aro, but I think there is a way to protect our children. What I think we should do is go to Italy, maybe you, me, Jasper, and Alice and she can go with me."

Her words were enough to run a chill through my already cool body, and I watched her as she waited for me to say something in response. Just thinking about Bella without me in Volterra was enough to make me want to take her and our children and run to the ends of the earth to keep them safe. Bella reached out and cupped my cheek, watching, waiting. "Have you considered that now that you have been turned, Aro might be able to read you?"

"You aren't able to unless I allow it. I'm getting a better feel for sharing things with you, feeling this protective band that wraps around my mind. I don't think he will." Bella was silent for a moment, looking at her hand cupped against my left cheek. My wife gasped when I turned and placed a kiss against her palm. When she leaned in we shared a soft, searching kiss. "I don't think we can wait, and I don't want this worry to continue to loom over us."

As frightening as it was to think of her alone with just Alice along with her, my wife did have a point. We needed to find a way to take care of satisfying Aro's demands that she be changed, allowing him to see she had, and also find a way to confront Joham and stop his madness before the walls came crashing down among us. "If we are to do this, we need to plan carefully. I'd want to speak to Carlisle." My father had spent centuries with the Volturi and knew them better than the rest of us. Even staying there, that length of time, Carlisle didn't know everything. Aro was a collector and his want to collect those among our kind with gifts he deemed worthy worried me the most.

"What are you thinking?" Bella asked as she rested her cheek against me once again.

For a few long moments I couldn't answer her, replaying in my mind the thoughts Aro had once he realized Alice could see the future. At one point he thought of having me and my sister as part of his elite guard, and with Bella's ability still developing with no real knowledge of just how strong she would be once that ability was mastered, my worries intensified. "Aro once thought of what it would be like to have Alice and I on his guard. If he even begins to realize what the potential for your ability is, I'm not so sure he won't stop until he has what he wants."

"Wouldn't that go against everything they stand for? I thought members of the guard were selected yes, but they have a choice don't they?"

The only one who might know was Carlisle and he was still on the Island with Esme, Rosalie, Emmett and Lily. We stayed as still as two statues until we heard Renesmee slipping from her bed. A second later Bella and I were sitting up with books in hand not wanting to frighten our very intuitive three year old. As soon as she was close enough I set my book aside and lifted her on the bed settling her between Bella and myself. Our baby snuggled against my left side sighing as she shut her eyes. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Don't like them," she answered sleepily, still tired. Bella set her book down and rested on her side, rubbing her hand over Renesmee's back. My thoughts were on my children and what would happen if Aro found out about them. His first instinct would be to destroy them until he realized that they could grow. He would likely want to study them. A little later Renesmee went back to sleep and I voiced my thoughts. "We do need to go on and deal with them, I'm just now sure that it will be as simple as showing them that you have been turned." My wife looked up at me with concern in her amber eyes, and I reached past our baby tracing my finger over her lips. "We may need more than just our family to stand by our side in this. What Joham is doing threatens not only us but ever other vampire in the world who may be like us, with children they created out of love.

"That would be war," Bella pointed out.

"If we had enough information and enough people to stand by our side I'm not so sure it would be. I don't think Marcus in particular would allow for all they have worked for to crumble. He isn't happy with the way things run now, but has never really stood up to Aro or even Caius."

"I just want a good life for them," Bella whispered.

"So do I," I answered.

~*~

The deer in my arms was putting up a good fight before I finally had him immobile enough for Renesmee to approach. Bella was with us this time standing just a little bit away, holding Anthony who had quieted down to watch. My little girl slipped under my arms and in a moment she was drinking the nourishing blood. Once the deer was dead I settled it on the ground and Renesmee moved in beside it, still drinking. I was caught by surprise when I heard Bella's thoughts.

It still seems strange watching her feed.

I nodded in reply as Anthony became restless. When he was in my arms he leaned toward his sister reaching out to touch the deer she was drinking from. His thoughts were on the animal before they switched to the sippy cup and it seemed Anthony was making that connection. Once Renesmee had finished as much as she could handle, Bella finished off the rest disposing of the carcass as I watched our children.

"Daddy, when is Anthony going to be able to do what I do?" my daughter asked as she road on my back on the way home. Beside us, Bella carried our son who was cradled in her arms drinking deer blood from his sippy cup.

"Once he gets a little older like you were," I answered as she nodded before resting her cheek on my shoulder. Renesmee was quiet the rest of the way home and once we got there she headed upstairs to play with her toys while Bella and I kept Anthony in the small playroom just off the kitchen.

"How are Rosalie and Emmett doing?" Bella asked as she and I helped Anthony stack some of his Duplo building blocks.

"Pretty good. They have had a few moments with Lily. Emmett is beginning to realize that it's not all fun and games," I answered putting a red block on top of the blue one Anthony had just added to our tower. Bella and I were careful to keep the conversation quiet, not wanting to alert Renesmee just yet to that particular situation. She loved her aunt and uncle and we worried that her feelings would be hurt when she found out about Lily. What we hoped to do was to return to the Island once things got settled down with them, though now that Bella was ready to go to Volterra, there wasn't any certainty that we would be joining them so soon.

After building a few towers with Anthony we headed upstairs and while Bella went to get Renesmee ready to lay down for a rest, I carried our son into his room.

Anthony immediately began to shake his head very aware of what was about to happen. "No nap," he said as I laid him down on his dressing table. He was extremely smart just as his sister was, but didn't understand why we left him in his room to sleep, and no explanation seemed to comfort him.

Before he could get too distressed I leaned forward and blew raspberries on his chubby belly. Anthony laughed and took the small book I offered him while I finished changing his wet diaper. Once we were sitting in the rocking chair with another book, my son settled down helping to hold it open as I read to him. The story was Mogli, and as we read, Anthony occasionally rubbed his eyes and yawned. We finished two chapters and by then my son was nearly asleep and didn't fuss when I cradled him in my arms.

Anthony watched me as I rocked him, yawning again before he closed his eyes and snuggled against my chest. Even as quiet as she was, I knew when Bella arrived at the door and smiled up at her as she watched us. "How do you do that?" she asked in a voice so quiet that Anthony wasn't aware she was there.

"With luck," I replied. Once he was in his crib, I stood next too my wife while she draped a soft green blanket over him. My wife leaned against me as I put my arm around her while we watched our little boy sleep.

"He's getting so big so fast," she whispered.

"Yes he is," I answered noticing the sadness in her voice. "Are there times you wish we would have tried for another child?" I asked wondering what she thought when she was this quiet while watching one of our babies sleeping.

My wife sighed. "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like, but other times I think this was the right path for us. We have our girl and our boy and they are more than a handful. I'm not sure where a third baby would have fit in. When are you going to talk with Carlisle?"

We left Anthony's room holding hands and checked on Renesmee before heading back downstairs. "I think tonight, once we get the babies in bed."

"I hope he can give us some idea of what to expect, though I think you're right about Aro. How would all of that effect the rest of us, not just us but other vampires if what you say is true?"

"It would be shocking, and possibly volatile if we don't take great care. That's why we need to have a very good plan in hand and also find a way to deal with Joham in the mean time. It may mean involving more than our family alone." My wife sat down on the porch swing outside and I settled beside her putting my right arm around her. "We'll figure this out," I said not looking forward to that or any other part of it.

~Bella~

There was so much to think about, consider, and plan and even with the ability to multitask at vampire speed all of it was very overwhelming. By the time our babies woke up, Edward and I were more composed. We got Renesmee and Anthony a snack before putting them in their car seats to head to the grocery. While Edward and I were very quiet, Renesmee and Anthony were busy with some of the toys they had with them. It was comforting to listen to them interact with their toys and sometimes with one another. One thing I'd noticed since coming home was that Renesmee was becoming more tolerant of her brother.

"Momma, when I get four I not sit in my seat?"

I turned slightly so I could see her, "You have to grow a little more before you can sit in the regular seat, and it might be a little longer before you do."

My little girl sighed, "I want be bigger, don't like my seat."

If given the opportunity my little girl could argue about the current topic for a long while, so I changed the subject. "Do you know what cereal you want to try this time?"

"Fruit Loops," she answered.

My husband glanced in the rear-view mirror. "Why those?"

"Them are very yummy. Aunt Rose and Uncle Emmett got me some."

Letting her have a sugar cereal on a regular basis wasn't something I was sure about. On the one hand she was part vampire, so that kind of think likely wouldn't hurt her teeth the way it would another three year old, and at the same time I hoped to teach her to eat healthy. Fortunately Renesmee found another book she wanted to look at and the topic was closed. Turning further I looked over at my son who was in the seat directly behind mine. He had been quiet for most of the trip, glancing around the car and looking at the book on his lap. Since moving him into a regular car seat he seemed to enjoy being in the car more.

When Anthony noticed me he smiled and reached out. I gave him my hand to hold as I turned back around. It had been drizzling when we left but now there was a steady downpour of rain. If I was human I'm sure it would have been difficult seeing ahead of me, but my vampire eyes not only saw each drop falling, but also far ahead.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked taking the hand Anthony had just let go of.

"I was noticing, and not for the first time, how it is that you can drive so fast even in a downpour like this. It's amazing to be able to see not only the drops but also so far ahead. I guess I'm still getting used to it all."

"One, two, three," Renesmee began counting. She got up to one hundred before she stopped. "Momma, Daddy, there are lots of rain drops."

I glanced at Edward and it was evident by the smile on his face that he was as proud of her as I was. We hadn't really had much of a chance to formally teach her, and Renesmee had never counted that high. "Did Aunt Rose help you count?" I asked.

"No, I watch Sesame Street."

When we got to the grocery store in the nearest town, which was a forty minute drive, both of my children were ready to get out of the car. It had stopped raining and while I got Anthony out of his seat, Edward helped Renesmee with her fancy butterfly umbrella. Our son struggled to be let down and holding him facing out wasn't working very well. When I did put him down, he let me hold his hand and several people commented on how cute he was and how beautiful Renesmee was. My children seemed to draw attention where ever they went, and sometimes I wondered if it was because of me and Edward, hoping it wouldn't always be that way, especially when they were ready for school.

Inside the store, we put them in one of those shopping carts that looked like a car, and they both giggled as their father pushed them along. It was nice to be able to do normal human things, though my thoughts were on Lily and how all of that was going, as well as formulating a plan for when we would go to Volterra. It was hard not to shutter when I thought of going there, and even though I had been human when I was last in court with Aro, Marcus, and Caius, I still remembered everything.

"I want out," Renesmee suddenly said.

"You have to hold my hand," I answered. Once she was out she took my hand as her little white sandals made clicking sounds while she walked. As I got the food, she stayed next to me looking around. The moment my baby let go of my hand I was on alert though remembered not to react to her so quickly. "You need to stay next to me," I reminded.

"Have to pee," she whispered. Edward took our list and I took our daughter to the ladies room.

If no one would have been in the store to witness just how fast we could do things, we would not have spent forty minute shopping. That was the hardest part, holding back, and by the time we were finished, we had two sleepy children. Anthony was happy while we walked to the car, but as soon as I picked him up he began to struggle and fuss. As I strapped him into his seat he began to scream and Renesmee held her hands to her ears.

"BE QUIET," she screamed. Anthony began to cry pulling at his straps as Renesmee began to scream. An instant later Edward had our daughter out of the car hugging her until she calmed down. I climbed in the car and sat in the middle and once Anthony noticed me he began to calm down. Moments when both of my children were fussing, made me very glad that we did our shopping as a family. Once Renesmee was calm Edward put her back in her seat, but she was grumpy and huffed, turning away from me.

"Momma," Anthony said smiling at me when I turned to see him.

"What are you doing?"

He clapped his hands and at the same time Renesmee kicked her legs out putting her hands over her ears. She would be taking a nap when we got home. While I played a game of patty cake with him, Renesmee got more restless so when we finished I turned my attention to her. "Would you like me to read to you?"

"No," she grumped.

"Pat," Anthony said.

"You hush Anthony," Renesmee growled uncovering her ears.

"Hey, that's enough. He is aloud to talk just like you."

"Don't want him to," Renesmee snapped.

"Tell Mommy your sorry, you don't talk to her that way," Edward said glancing at us in the rear-view mirror.

"No," Renesmee growled, putting her hands over her ears.

My husband found a spot to pull the car over and I distracted Anthony as he opened her door. He spanked her twice and Renesmee's grumpiness came to an abrupt halt as she began to cry.

"Sorry Momma," she sobbed once he put her back in her seat.

"Thank you for telling me baby," I answered as Edward hugged her.

"I love you, but I won't let you be rude to Momma, that is not permitted, do you understand?"

She nodded as she cried more, and I was ready to get home. Beside us Anthony watched, but didn't start crying as he normally did when she was upset. The rest of the trip home Renesmee held on to my hand hugging it to her chest and fell asleep just after Anthony.

~*~

That evening, after our babies were in bed, Edward phoned Carlisle. We sat together on the couch and I could hear my father-in-law clearly as if I was the one on the phone. For the first few minutes Carlisle gave us an update on how Rose, Emmett, and Lily were doing. He said they had already had a few struggles with her, but that they were all adjusting to life as a family. Carlisle and Esme were in Rio giving them time alone with her, but were staying close by in case they needed help.

"Now, I have a feeling you had more you want to talk about than just how things are going with all of us," Carlisle said.

I held my husband's hand as he began. "Bella and I believe it is time to go to Volterra and show Aro that she has been changed. She has always worried about when he will remember, and with all that has happened with Joham, I'm beginning to agree that maybe taking care of that sooner would be the best. We just don't know how Aro will react once he realizes he still can't read her."

Carlisle was quiet for a few seconds. "Aro is a collector. Have you stopped to consider that he will be able to see the children through your mind?"

"Yes, and Bella thinks Alice going with her might be better. Alice can show him the future without endangering Anthony or Renesmee."

"But he will still see the past," Carlisle pointed out and Edward shut his eyes. It was obvious that he had not remembered that. Even Alice wasn't immune. When I reached for the phone my husband handed it to me.

"What if I learned how to use my shield. If I can, maybe I can somehow keep Aro from seeing certain things." I was grasping, desperate to do this and be done with it so we could go on and deal with Joham.

"You aren't certain that it will work though," Carlisle pointed out. Again he was silent for a moment. "Let me get back to you. I have an idea, but I'll need to do some inquiring."

Once the conversation ended we only had a second before Edward's cell went off. It was Alice and he gave it to me as he got up to go settle our son down. "Hey Alice."

"I see you in Volterra, both of us," she said.

"Edward and I are planning to go there. What did you see?"

"Aro won't know about the children but I don't know why. He should be able to see them through me."

Her vision gave me hope that maybe my shield would protect her when Aro took her hand. "Carlisle is calling some one. I think my shield might keep Aro from seeing, but I have no idea how that will all work. Do you know when we will go?"

"No. Jasper and I are on our way to Denali. We will call you back when we get there." After we hung up I went upstairs, already hearing Edward's soft voice as he read to Anthony. They were in our bed and Anthony was snuggled against his father's side almost asleep. Quietly, I crawled in bed on the other side of our son without jostling him. "Alice is going to call us when they get to Denali," I whispered as Anthony turned over, smiling at me. "Shh," I whispered getting close enough to hold him. While he snuggled in my arms Edward continued to read, holding the book in one hand while keeping his other against Anthony's back.

By the time Edward finished the story, Anthony had gone back to sleep. We put him in his crib and went back to our room. "It's days like these that I miss sleeping," I admitted. When Edward wrapped his arms around me I sighed, resting my cheek against his chest. "This however is very nice."

His lips found mine as he tilted my head up. Our kiss was slow and sensuous and I loved the fact that I know longer needed air. The feeling of his hands lifting my shirt made my body respond in a primal way. I growled and didn't feel ashamed or embarrassed. Edward broke the kiss moving the shirt over my head before kissing me again. His lips stayed on mine for only a moment before they traveled down my neck. At the hollow, he bit down and I pressed myself against him grasping the sides of his trousers, easily pulling him closer. There were advantages to being stronger than my husband and it was his turn to growl at me.

When he crouched down his hands pressed against my bottom and small of my back before he ground his bulge against me. "I need this, I need you," I growled.

In the next moment he was ripping the rest of my clothes off and I didn't care that we would have to buy new ones. Most of the time we tried not to rip what we wore, but there were other times when we couldn't wait. Edward pushed me against the wall, lifting me up at the same time. Our bodies were a flurry of motion and his touches were drawing me ever closer to the completion I needed. When Edward moved his hand between us touching me in just the right spot I bit down on his shoulder to stifle to growl building within me.

My arms were around his neck and I leaned back, pushing my hands against his head until he was there kissing me. His tongue licked against my lips a moment before I sucked it in, biting down as he increased his movements. The wall behind me wasn't enough support so Edward moved us to the bed where he could get better leverage. Laying the way I was with my feet on his shoulders it didn't take long for my completion. Edward wasn't quite ready for it to be over and reached between us pinching my clit until I felt the warmth and tightness of need building up again.

We spent most of the night making love and not just in our room. By the time the sun was about to rise we were in the shower. Edward had soaped up a loofah sponge with my favorite scented body wash, and rubbed it up and down my right arm. "You do realize Anthony will be waking soon," I reminded, not minding sharing my shower with the man I loved.

"We can be out of here and dressed before he makes a sound," Edward murmured, trailing the sponge from my shoulder down between my breasts. I leaned against the cool tile shutting my eyes, letting the feeling of the sponge and his soapy hands wash over me. My body was already responding and I wanted more. His soapy hand slipped lower and he traced circles around my belly button. I moaned Edward's name and his lips covered mine. We weren't ready to stop so when we did hear our son beginning we didn't have much time left.

Edward's movements became quicker and more forceful and while one hand cupped my right breast while he rubbed his thumb over the nipple, the other reached lower finding my clit. Edward squeezed and tugged there as I arched against him. Right before I felt my completion his lips were against mine and his tongue imitated the in and out movement of his hard flesh. I screamed into his mouth as he kept pumping into me, his completion finishing a little after mine.

~Edward~

While Bella sat with our son watching a musical video, Renesmee was with me in the office sitting on my lap as I checked on our bank statements and online investments. She was still wearing her fancy pink princess nightgown and her hair was still rumpled from sleep. "Daddy, those are lots of numbers," she said as she held my left hand, twirling my wedding band around.

"They are," I agreed reaching with my free hand to scroll down the page.

"How much is that?"

"Well this one," I began, pointing to how much we had spent on groceries last month, "This one is one thousand two hundred and seventy five dollars."

"Is that money?"

"Yes."

My little girl was quiet as I clicked out of the bank statement and looked at our investments.

"That one has more numbers," Renesmee observed

"Yes it does."

"That's a seven," she said, pointing to the first number.

"Yes, what about this one?" I asked pointing to the second.

"That one's eight, and that one is a nine. There is two, and three, and nine, and five, and seven, and nine again. Is that what we got at the food store?"

"No, this is how much money we have in this particular portfolio."

"Is that lots?"

I hugged her close. "Quite a bit."

"Daddy, can I play a game?" Renesmee asked, as she glanced up at me with the same color eyes Bella's had once been.

"A computer game?"

When she nodded I clicked out of my investment page and went to her game page. At this point I had to help her hold the mouse and guide it to the different options, or when needed, click the arrow buttons to move the little men about the page. We didn't let Renesmee play on the computer a whole lot just as we didn't let her watch much TV aside from the educational shows and a few DVDs. It was Bella telling us that Renesmee needed to get dressed that ended the game and once on her feet Renesmee ran ahead of me ready to pick out her clothes.

After lunch and before nap time for both of my children, we sat in our living room. While Bella helped them build a puzzle I sat at the piano playing for my family. It had been a nice morning, and time we all had needed to spend together to reconnect after Bella and I had been away.

"Dah," Anthony said as he patted the bench on the left side of where I was seated.

"Would you like to have a try?"

"No, me," Renesmee called out as she abandoned her mother and the puzzle. Before either of them could get upset, I lifted Anthony onto my lap and Bella joined us sitting next to me with our daughter on her lap.

Anthony reached out and almost slammed his hand down against the keys, but I stopped him. "You have to be gentle. Renesmee, will you show him how?"

My daughter reached out and struck a key with her right finger along with a few more. Anthony watched, but couldn't quiet get the hang of it so I helped him. When he got a tone from the key he pressed down, my son giggled and was ready for another. With my help he played a simple version of chopsticks.

"Daddy, I want you to play The Lady who swallowed a Fly," Renesmee said.

"Alright, but you must sing along with me."

When she nodded I reached around my son and began. "There was an old Lady who swallowed a fly."

By the time we got to the part where she swallowed a dog, Renesmee and Anthony were both laughing and along with them Bella and I. We managed to finish the song and by the time we got the children down for their naps, there wasn't much of a fuss.

My wife held my hand as we walked downstairs. "She really loves that song,"

"Yes she does."

"I heard you two in the office. Renesmee is getting so smart, and growing so fast. Sometimes that makes me sad," Bella said as we sat in our living room on a blue and white striped couch. The furniture in our living room was fancier, yet still practical. Esme had helped pick out most of our furniture even though she wasn't there when we were setting the house up.

Once we were seated, my wife leaned against me, wrapping her arms around me as I put my right arm around her shoulders. "She is extremely smart," I agreed. "I sometimes miss how easy things were when she was smaller," I admitted. Even with vampire abilities, keeping up with our children was no easy task. They kept us on our toes.

"I'm glad we were able to have two children, and I'm glad we did things your way when it came down to me being turned. Do you think we are going to be able to stop Joham before things get too out of hand?"

"I hope so. Carlisle knows several people who are like us. The clan from Denali and a few others he's met and kept in contact with. Hopefully there will be enough of us who want to deal with him so the Volturi don't find out."

Bella nodded, holding my right hand in hers. "I don't want to leave Anthony and Renesmee again."

"I agree. We need to find a way to keep them safe, but also a way we can see them every few days instead of being gone for weeks at time."

When Bella suggested we change the topic, I agreed and for a while, at least, there was nothing else that was on my mind other than the beautiful woman by my side and my complete and total love for her.

~*~

AN: First and foremost thank you all for the reviews. I enjoy hearing what you think about this story, so keep them coming. Also thanks to those of you who have added me to your lists. There wasn't a whole lot of action in this chapter, but I had a request somewhere along the line to get back to Bella, Edward and the babies. Plans are being made and things will start picking up soon. Until then I hope you will continue to wait and read. Thank you again.

Ella~