So, this is kinda a short chapter, but as hard as I tried I couldn't make it longer. Sorry about the wait. Enjoy~

Bella woke up to a soothing swaying motion. She felt peaceful and rested for the first time in a long time. Reluctantly she opened her eyes, bracing for harsh reality, she was still in danger. Edward was sitting down; she could see the top of his head. She smiled.

He was playing with their daughter, distracting her from crying. Apparently the little girl was fascinated with the sparkling bracelet on his wrist. He didn't take it off but flicked his wrist in a way that would keep her amused.

"Edward," she said softly. She tried sitting up but it was difficult in a moving hammock.

He turned to her slowly, not disturbing Carlie, who was latched on to his Bontal. "Good morning, love. I hope you slept well?"

The rocking stopped and Bella sat up, leaning against the tree. She reached for Carlie. Edward handed the girl over and Bella sighed, "I slept fine, I suppose. How long was I out?"

"Twelve hours, but you needed it. Carlisle said we were not to disturb you." he murmured. He moved and sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Any longer and I wouldn't have been able to control myself."

Edward traced their daughter's face, "She seems very…advanced."

Bella smiled, "Lily didn't tell you? Faerie children grow very quickly until they hit about five years old, then it moves about human pace and eventually it slows to an almost imperceptible level."

"Lily is still very hesitant around us," he whispered. "She's not sure how much she should give away, what secrets should stay secret."

Bella nodded, if she was among anyone but her family, she would have felt the same way. "I was hesitant when I first showed up too, but I love you all and know you. I trust you."

Edward smiled, the love radiant in his eyes, but they held another emotion. Pain? Fear?

"Maybe we should discuss the danger?" I turned to see Carlisle walking up, his family following.

Her family gathered around and Lily, following behind Seth came and sat down on the other side of Bella. "I didn't know what to say," Lily confessed, "Technically it's your story."

Bella smiled. "Okay, well I'll tell you what I know. Where should I start?"

"Who will be coming after us?" Emmett asked, probably thinking of the fight.

She thought for a moment, "The Elders will definitely show up. Jack will be here. Perhaps they will bring Lily's parents. Maybe a few young men. Jack will bring however many he believes will deal with the problem." Everyone visibly flinched.

"I'm not sure I understand." Esme spoke up, "Why is this Jack, a leader if he is comparably young and not native to your people?"

Bella paused, thinking about the right words, "He is the leader yes, but not necessarily the one in power. You see years before I arrived, the clan decided to have two parts represented in their government. They had the elders, those known for their wisdom and then they have the younger people, represented by one who is usually most popular. They only last for about a hundred or two hundred years then often they move to try a position in the elders.

"Jack has been a leader for 76 years. He was very charismatic in his younger days and still is. I was charmed when I first met him and I understand why he was chosen to represent what the younger people believed." Bella stopped, unsure of what else to say.

"Are there a lot of faerie children?" esme asked. Bella tightened her arms around her daughter.

"Not particularly. Because they're immortal, they don't have the same sense of time. Life goes at a much slower pace." Bella responded, "Children are priceless and rare to them."

"will that help them refrain from attacking you?" Jasper asked.

Bella's face crumpled, "I-I don't know. They can do anything since they have come so far already. I don't know what they'll do."

"They will not harm you," Edward stated emphatically. Bella's heart clenched. She placed a hand on his cheek.

"Edward, I love that you want to protect me but I need you to promise that if there is no hope at all for me that you will protect our child. She will not grow up parentless." She said forcefully. She could not have her child without a father.

Edward froze, trying to rein in a thousand emotions. Bella held his gaze though, making sure he would not die in a suicide mission. Eventually he sighed in defeat and nodded. She gave a small smile. "I know it's hard, but I cannot go through this if I am not sure she has at least one parental figure." She gazed at her family around her, "Although I do hope Jake will be able to control himself soon. Part of me is happy he will be the future for our child."

Edward gave her a bolstering smile, "He'll come around. He's just upset and I think he needs to come to terms with what happened. "

"Don't worry sis!" Emmett said suddenly, flexing his muscles, "They haven't seen vampires before and they don't mess with our family."

Bella laughed, "Careful, do I need to teach you another lessen not to underestimate me, much less strong faerie men?"

Emmett scoffed, "You took me for surprise, you couldn't do it again."

Bella would have gladly taken him down again but Edward's arm clamped around her waist. "No," he said playfully, "You will have to teach him a lesson in humility once you're fully rested and healed. Need I remind you that you just had a child?"

She pouted, but knew he was right. Plus she needed all the strength she had if she was going to face the Elders and…Jack.

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