Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

*Bella's POV*

I sighed as I looked out the window of the cottage. The leaves were changing and the weather was growing crisper. October and most of November had past, and December was around the corner now. Abby and Lizzy's birthdays had also past and we just finished up a small Thanksgiving at Charlie's two days ago. Now, it was time to start readying ourselves for Christmas. I knew Alice was trying to keep everyone up in the holiday spirits– being the ball of optimism she is.

However, more importantly, it's been two months since Felix's tip and two months since the twins were born. They've been growing like weeds and were toddling all around. It's also been two months of intensive training and everyone preparing themselves for the worst. We've had a couple of people run away, but not many. There is still a strong force of us, but I was scared.

So much of this reminded me terribly of when the Volturi came for Renesmee when she was a little girl. I see so much of myself in my eldest daughter. Giving birth to your child and fretting you have a mere couple of months with your baby. However, the stakes were higher here. Aro wanted blood and, in a way, so did we. Tensions had grown high enough where it was time to essentially try to topple an entire vampire government.

If you asked me fifteen years ago how I'd picture myself after high school, I would've said going to college, graduating, getting a job, and maybe having a family of my own– who knows. Nothing like this though. This was so much bigger than myself and my family.

"Alright, we have a meeting tomorrow night with J. Jenks at 8 PM," Masen said, walking into the cottage living room where Lizzy and I were sitting.

"Good. So you two know what to do, right?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes. Get the information from Jenks and then we'll give the envelope to Stefano," Lizzy said. "He won't know the location until the day when he opens it up. Then he, Lexie, Nikki, and Richie will meet up with Nikki's parents, Nora and Kurt Henry, take Tommy, Lucia, Tyler, Ella, Sarah, and Izzy to the Rider Farm."

"Good," I said, biting my lip nervously. I was very grateful that Lucas and Ethan's family were willing to help us out, especially the Henry's being that their eldest son, Topher, was going to fight while the others were planning on helping our children escape to somewhere safe until the battle was over.

However, only me and my two youngest children could know. Being that we were all mental shields, the only way for us to make sure Aro never got into any of our memories to find the children was to get them out of here and keep them hidden. Lucas and Ethan's extended family are willing to help keep the children safe being that their farm in Indiana was secure from the outside world and had almost thirty powerful witches and warlocks either living on the property or at least working for the family. The Volturi would not find them there, it was guaranteed. It's the last place they would look.

Everything about this has the highest possible security we could've ever implemented. All traces, even the littlest of crumb trails, have been hidden and kept secure. There was no trace of any of this information.

"We're gonna be fine, Momma," Lizzy said, touching my hand gently. Even though she couldn't read my mind, I knew she could tell I was nervous.

"It's tight. The tightest security we've ever worked on," Masen proclaimed. "We've been working on this for the past couple of months…Hell, even the past year. We knew this was coming. We've made the proper arrangements. The children will be fine."

"I know, this just reminds me too much of when the Volturi came all those years ago," I confessed to them. "Back then…It was just me and I barley knew what I was doing."

"Everyone will be safe," Masen insisted. "Besides, we'll be sending Grandpa Charlie, Nanna Sue, and Johnny to Hawaii with Billy and Jake's sisters. Meanwhile, most of the tribe will be protected by the youngest members of the Jones clan. Besides that, the Jones clan is working on getting more of their members to come here. Soon we'll have over fifty Jones witches and warlocks. One of the biggest clans in the United States. They're also the ones with connections protecting the family that will be down in Hawaii."

"And there are close friends of Elaine and Ava that are working in Florida to protect Grandma Renee," Lizzy added.

"It would've been nice if the Russo-Sanders clan actually said yes," Masen growled.

"Masen," I said, looking at my son sadly.

Unfortunately, the Sanders-Martin family could not reach out to their relatives like they'd hope. Even though the Italian witch clan suffered so much at the hands of the Volturi, they were too scared to face them in battle.

"Well it would. Their own family," Masen said, shaking his head. "Bloody moronic witches that will probably be the first killed if the Volturi win this."

"I know, baby. But there's nothing else we can do, is there?" I pointed out. "What's important now is getting the children out of here safe and sound. Make sure they make it out alive."

Masen nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose. I hated seeing Masen and Renesmee in anguish at the fact that there was the chance they'd never see their children again. I knew the feeling all too well.

It was also killing me to know that I would be going into battle…With my children. I'd die before I let anything happen to them, but the thought of losing one of them or Edward tortured me.

"How did you do it, Mom?" Masen asked me. "I mean…How did you do all of this?"

"Truthfully," I replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know, but I was strong and that's exactly what you, Renesmee, Grace, and Jacob need to be. Being a parent takes a lot of guts."

Masen nodded, burying his face into his hands for another moment before getting up. "I should go get Tyler and Elle from school…Maybe take them to Disney one more time or let Tyler watch that stupid movie he's been begging me to see even though it's rated R."

"No, no– don't make it seem like everything is going to end. It worries them," I told my son. "Just…Just be there for them. Like we've been doing with all these little celebrations like the birthdays and even Thanksgiving the other day. Treasure your moments, fight less, do little things like take them out for ice cream or watch a movie with them. Just you and Grace, okay? It'll be the little things that amount to them in the end if this is…you know..."

Masen nodded painfully, swallowing hard. He then gave me and Lizzy a quick kiss and a hug goodbye before leaving. I then looked to my daughter and looked at here her brother left. "Parenthood isn't for wimps, huh?"

"No," I said softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "And hopefully, maybe one day, you'll know what I'm talking about."

"Hopefully," Lizzy repeated warily.

Just then Edward walked through the front door of our cottage. "Hey...What's going on?"

"Nothing," Lizzy replied automatically. "It's just…Mom and I were thinking about watching a movie tonight. Maybe see if Ness, Jake, and the twins or Masen and the kids want to come."

"Oh," Edward said in surprise. "Yeah sure, it's…It's been awhile since we all did something with the immediate family."

"It has," Lizzy said, looking back at me. "It really has."

I smiled at her before turning back at Edward, who seemed confused, but seemed to also catch on. My husband gave us a brief crooked grin before wrapping an arm around each of our shoulders. "Alright then," he said. "I think I'll give them each a call."

"Good," I replied happily before turning to Lizzy who also smiled at me. This would be nice. Enjoying our moments together before it's too late.

*Renesmee's POV*

"There you go, honey," I whispered, gently getting Sarah to suck on her bottle of blood substitute. Carlisle suggested we start to wean them more on blood. "Atta girl."

"Ma! Ma!" Izzy chanted from the background, clapping her little pudgy hands together. "Da! Da!"

"I got this little lady," Jacob announced, rushing over to scoop the crawling toddler that was currently on the floor. Izzy immediately squealed while he blew raspberries onto her stomach.

The girls had grown into the size of toddlers by the end of their first two months. Ava has noted they're slower than a regular human-vampire hybrid like me, but around the same speed Tyler and even Lucia are. We assume every growth rate now is different the more the genetics seem to swap. However, Grandpa Carlisle has also pointed out how the girls take a great deal after their vampire genes. In fact, we're not even sure if they'll be shape shifters. To be honest, they act like human-vampire hybrids due to the fact they need both blood and regular human food.

Meredith has even started to slowly train the girls to coax them of their powers. It is definitely confirmed now that Sarah can give power and Izzy can absorb it. It scares me terribly, but I know they're in safe hands. Cordelia and Robert have been helping out as well which has put me at ease.

"Whatcha making, Jake?" I asked my husband, an aroma wafting in the air through the house from the kitchen.

"I got creative with some of Charlie and Sue's Thanksgiving leftovers," Jacob explained, hosting Izzy on his hip while he brought over a plate containing two rather interesting Turkey sandwiches for us. "I'll finish whatever you don't want."

"To be honest, I could go for some of that turkey," I said, taking a bite of the sandwich.

"Oh so now you like human food?" Jake teased as he placed Izzy in her high chair.

It has not been easy for Jake and I to pretend like everything was alright. In fact, it was excruciating. The constant nightmares and fears, but being able to spend this time with our girls has been able to fill in the holes and make us at ease. At least, if this our last couple of weeks, they were spent with love and loving our girls with every bone in our bodies.

"By the way, we're going to watch a movie at my parents tonight," I told him as we both settled down. "For some quality family time with us and the grandkids."

"Sounds good," Jacob said. "Anyway, I'm done with patrol for the day. I don't know about you."

"I was actually helping out with newborn research and helping out Grace with possible spells and such," I said to him. "It was actually really interesting. And the girls were able to play with Ella which was nice."

"Did you find anything good?" Jacob asked me before he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Kind of. I'm not sure, but Grace thinks we could be onto a stronger protection spell or something. She's going to ask Meredith's opinion tomorrow," I replied, shrugging. I then smirked. "Also, something interesting happened."

"What?" Jake asked through a mouthful of turkey.

"Hazel asked Fred out," I told him, giggling a bit.

"No way," Jacob said, wide eyed.

"Yep," I said, nodding my head. "The two of them are finally getting together.

"Finally!" Jacob said, leaning against his chair. "I've been waiting ever since they hooked up at the bachelor and bachelorette party!"

"So has everyone in the house. I think Violet's the most relieved," I mentioned, chuckling. "She's been dealing with their constant flirting for months!"

"You know, there's been a lot of people getting together recently," Jacob mentioned. "Besides them did you hear about Thaddeus Jones and Nina Winston?"

"You mean, Meredith's granddaughter and Isaiah Jones's brother?" I asked with raised eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yep. According to Embry the two of them started dating," Jacob said. "Guess with the whole doom and gloom threat people are shacking up like rabbits."

"Or maybe it's because it's cuffing season," I replied simply.

"Cuffing season?" Jacob questioned with perplexity.

"Cuffing season," I stated like it was the most obvious. "You've never heard of cuffing season?"

"No," Jacob said, frowning. "Why would I?"

"Well, it's this stupid idea that we used to joke about in college," I explained, chuckling. "Since it's almost winter, it's the time of year when people couple up to combat the cold and loneliness. With all the holiday stress and the societal constructs of it all, it forces people into relationships during the winter months."

Jacob's eyebrows furrowed together at this. "Are you serious?"

"Very. Just ask Lily, she'll give you the whole run down about who's been up to no good," I said. "Unfortunately, the only thing we've been doing to keep ourselves at bay is by gossiping like old washwomen."

"Hey, there's almost seventy or eighty supernaturals running around on these properties," Jacob said. "Makes sense they're all shacking up since we're all stuck here. Only a few of us can leave the outside boundaries being that we don't wanna draw too much attention to ourselves. We're all bored out of our minds."

"Good thing we have these little angels to keep us busy," I gushed, looking down at Sarah who was looking up at me from my arms.

"That is true," Jacob said, tickling Izzy's side. He paused for a moment and then looked at me. "You know…Lily also told me some interesting gossip."

"Oh really?" I inquired. "I guess my cousin is really getting around, isn't she?"

"Guess you can say so," Jacob said chuckling. "She actually mentioned Tanya and Nahuel were getting close."

I frowned in shock. "What…Wait, really?"

Jacob nodded. "I mean, I don't know if they're a thing but that's…Interesting."

"I feel like that's out of the blue, I mean Tanya and Nahuel?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows. "They've known each other for over ten years now."

"Well not really," Jacob said, shrugging. "May I remind you Nahuel barley stayed around after the Volturi came for you in 2006. The two of them didn't have another interaction until…Well…"

"What?" I asked curiously.

"Well…" Jacob began. "Back when we were in New York, the two of them got close that night you all got drunk on the rooftop…"

"Don't remind me," I muttered, thinking back to the first time I got a massive hangover.

"And, well they got very comfortable with each other," Jacob explained to me slowly.

"Really!?" I said, wide eyed. "Why…Why didn't you ever tell me this?!"

"I didn't want to break your heart if you really loved him," Jacob explained to me sincerely. "I don't know, I felt like if I told you that would sabotage everything for you."

"Why would you think that?" I questioned curiously, cuddling Sarah closer to my body now.

"I wasn't exactly on your nice list back then, Ness, and…I don't know. I couldn't tell if you really loved him at the time," Jacob told me. "And to tell you the truth, I had been in this position before and I wasn't ready to ruin it with someone I actually loved more than anything and…I don't know. If you loved him, I didn't want to stop you. I wanted you to make the judgment. You deserved that freedom at least."

"Oh, Jake," I whispered.

Jacob gave me a soft smile before going back to his leftovers. However, he paused and looked at me. "You don't regret this, do you?"

"Regret what? You?" I asked incredulously, raising my eyebrows. "Why would you ever even say that?"

"I don't know. You followed through with the whole imprinting crap, you put up with me all these years, and you went through hell having our kids," Jacob pointed out.

"And you think my life would be ten times better with Nahuel?" I inquired. "Even if I did run off with Nahuel to Denmark, I would still be putting up a fight. Bad things would've happened regardless because of the Volturi…Besides, my heart never belonged to Nahuel. At the time he was exciting and the prospect and idea of not being chained to an imprint was enticing. I wanted my freedom. However…I loved you. I love you, so much, Jake. I wouldn't want my life to be any other way. And now, we have two beautiful girls."

"Good," Jacob said, smiling up at me.

"I still can't believe that though," I said, my eyebrows furrowing together. "Tanya and Nahuel?"

"Hey, if the man ends up asking her out, less tension between the two of us and maybe we'll actually be close friends," Jacob teased.

"Yeah right. Like you and my father are?" I shot back at him.

Jacob just shook his head before getting up to press a kiss to the top of my head. "Hilarious."

"Hey, we'll even sit my dad right next to you during movie night," I teased, causing Jacob to continuously shake his head while I laughed at the table with my little girls.

*Masen's POV*

"Hey, babe," I said, pressing my lips to Grace's forehead as I walked into the house. Tyler running in right in front of me and Ella ran around my legs.

"Hey there, handsome," Grace greeted me as I pulled away. "Your mom just called."

"Oh?" I questioned, perplexed. "Why?"

I wanted to tell my wife I was just there, but everything to do with that had to be under lock and key. No one would know anything about what we were planning or even when and where we were meeting. I hated not telling Grace, but if we made it out alive I'd tell her everything like some love sick, loyal puppy.

"Said they were thinking about a family movie night tonight," Grace explained.

So I guess my mother was implanting that advice. Then again, there was the chance she was about to lose all of us as well. The very thought twisted at my gut but I continued to listen to Grace.

"She said just the immediate family," Grace said. "So us, your parents, Ness, Jake, the twins, Lizzy, and maybe even Seth."

"Guess they're serious," I said under my breath at the mention of Lizzy and Seth.

"You know those two were going to end up together," Grace said, rolling her eyes. "They were made for each other. Just like you and me."

"Exactly," I said, grinning as I pressed a kiss to her nose. "Anyway, how's all your magic research going?"

"Good. I have a couple of ideas," Grace explained. "However, I'm not sure…We have to see, but it's worth a shot."

Since the Russo-Sanders Clan officially rejected us from joining our battle, Grace's taken it into her own hands to make come up or research into new spells that could potentially save our skins. Things like protection spells and easier ways for witches and warlocks to fight. While us vampire like creatures were sticking to the physical aspect of it (well most of us I know my mental shield would be making an appearance), we were relying on the witches for protection and for all the sort of mental games the Volturi's witches and warlocks might have.

"I'm sure you'll come up with some nifty things, my love," I whispered, causing Grace to chuckle.

"You're sweet," she said. "Anyway, we should get some dinner ready and then head out."

"Sounds like a plan," I said as I headed to the kitchen to help my wife. I wanted to keep her there in my arms for a little bit longer, but I proceeded on with dinner and listen to my wife tell me about all these new spells.

"Sometimes I can't believe it's Grace Martin, the girl who vowed to stay out of this world, is crafting new ideas for the witch community to combat the Volturi," I teased. "When we first met you wanted nothing to do with us."

"And then everything to do with you," Grace joked.

"You've really blossomed, you know that right?" I told sincerely.

Grace blushed at this comment. "Thanks. I'm glad you think so."

"Mother of my children and bad ass witch, what else will you throw in there next?" I teased.

"Holiday decorator and Christmas miracle provider," Grace said. "We have to make sure this Christmas is good."

"I agree," I said. "I know Lily and Ethan were going to set up the tree for us to decorate since it's stored up in their bedroom."

Grace chuckled at this. "That'll be fun. Maybe tomorrow we can do that, the four of us. And if Lily and Ethan want to join…"

"Oh those two have been so busy with all the training," I said, shaking my head. "These last two months Lily has become a Sargent. Uncle Jasper is even thinking about giving her the actual title or something."

"Good she deserves it," Grace teased. "Sargent Lillian Hale. Sounds rather nice, doesn't it?"

"It does," I said, chuckling. "But we'll spend Christmas at Charlie's. It'll be a good old fashioned Swan-Cullen-Black family Christmas. Just like the ones we used to have up here in Forks. And the addition of the Martin-Williams family…"

"Do you think your grandfather's house can fit all of us?" Grace asked.

"I think so. It's the immediate family," I said. "Meanwhile Meredith and Jamie are taking care of the others for the holiday season."

"I know Jen wanted to also celebrate Hanukkah too. Esme was planning something," Grace mentioned.

"That would be fun," I mentioned.

"Aidan does make mean latkes," Grace said.

"Well, sounds like a plan," I said. After having dinner with the kids, we headed straight for my parents cottage. We weren't surprised to see Ness and Jake had already beat us with the twins.

"There's my little nieces," I said as I knelt down besides my nieces on the play mates. The small babies were giggling happily at me as they clapped their hands and gurgled in approval. "God, Ness– I swear, they're your twins."

"Glad you think so." My sister laughed.

"Maybe the next one will look like me," Jacob joked.

"Hey guys, sorry we're late," Lizzy announced, walking into the cottage hand in hand with Seth. I raised my eyebrows as I turned to Grace who was beaming at me like some cheshire cat.

"No, you're all good," Ness said, linking arms with Lizzy.

"Movie! Movie! Movie!" Ella chanted, jumping up and down.

"We're getting the movie, my little spider monkey," my dad teased, swinging Ella up in his arms and causing her to giggle profusely.

Soon, we were all gathered around the T.V watching the movie my mom picked out. Ella was on my dad's lap while my mom had Izzy. Meanwhile Sarah was passed out in Renesmee's arms as Renesmee leant against Jacob, who had his arm around his wife. Lizzy and Seth were snuggled up to one another while Tyler lazily leaned against his aunt's feet as he sat on the floor. Meanwhile, I had my wife leaning against my chest and holding on tightly to my hands.

My stomach twisted at the image. Tomorrow night I would go with my sister to get the papers to protect half the people in this room. Only three of us knew, and even though it was killing me inside, I knew that this would keep them safe and it would be done. To preserve this for eternity.

A/N: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed that! I know some of you had been asking stuff about the characters and if you want any sort of information on them please check out the wiki. There's a link on my bio that unfortunately you need to copy and paste without spaces. If that doesn't work, go to my blog and the link on the side should definitely work (or just google Sunrise Saga Wiki Butterflywhisperer). In the meantime, thanks for reading, reviewing, and keep a look out for the next update!