A/N: More than 450 review, yay!!! You are AWESOME!!! Thanks to all you take time to review my story/stories and for the MARATHON readers.
If you want to get the details of the fight, you'll have to read it in my other story Embry Imprinted because Nessie didn't see how the fight went on, and this being Nessie POV, there won't be much action.
Disclaimer:
Characters based on Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga.
(Nessie POV)
I wanted to steal a look behind me to see with my own eyes that everyone was fine. Dad wanted me to keep my focus forward. "No one's hurt, Nessie. Not even a scratch," he said to me and it helped me to calm down a bit. The adrenaline rush that Uncle Jasper was projecting was building up inside me and it was pushing me to the edge. From the corner of my eye, I saw a group walking towards where Caius was standing. They were a lot closer to our group that Caius was and I couldn't help but feel slight shiver in my spine. As the new group glided towards Caius, my family and friends slowly stepped back to stretch the distance between us and the Volturi.
"Back up, slowly," Dad instructed to me and I projected that to everyone.
Let us move same steps at the same time. Just one step at a time. They are looking at each other so take time backing up a bit.
"Jane, what a pleasant surprise," Caius said. I could hear the bitterness in his voice. "What brings you here?" Caius asked. "I didn't expect Aro to spare you." I looked at Jane and the vampires with her. There were four vampires with her, all of them I seemed to recognize from the past. They looked more intimidating that the group that Caius had with him. Jane may be petite, but the penetrating look she gave me made me shudder. I couldn't understand the way Jane looked at me; it was as if she was trying to do something, but I couldn't tell what. She locked eyes with me and squinted. Her eyes were red and full of anger. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.
"Focus, Renesmee," Dad said. "Stop attacking my daughter, Jane," Dad said to the vampire in front of us and it became clear. She was trying to penetrate through Mom's shield. "Bella's here, it's not going to work."
"It is always worth to try. It's amazing how fast she grew," Jane said and focused her attention to Caius. "Aro told me of your plans on destroying these creatures," Jane said and the pack growled at her words. She dismissed them as if she didn't hear anything and continued, "He told me to make sure that your promise to take Alice, Edward, Bella and their daughter, whatever her name is, will be done at to no expense. But with the looks of it, you already lost four of the guards. Aro will not be pleased."
Aro was mentioned in passing when we were having our meetings. Alice said that Aro instructed for some guards to round up, but Alice never confirmed Aro making the decision to send them here. She never made mention of it, unless…
"Aro told Jane to make the final decision, rather than him. That way, if Alice was waiting for a decision, it would not be made through him," Dad said.
"I don't care what Aro thinks about this mission . If he cared so much to capture his little pets, he should have spared more vampires with you to join me. I don't think Demetri, Afton, Corin and Santiago would be enough help," Caius said to Jane.
"They are not here to help you, Caius. They are here to make sure that the others will follow exactly as instructed. Aro only agreed to let you go here in the first place because his only interest lies on whom you can capture. Marcus is getting tired of these 'hunting trips' that you are taking with the guards in the past centuries," Jane said. "In reality, both Aro and Marcus didn't think you'll go very far with these dogs and they were right. You're too naïve to think that the Cullens will not come to their rescue. You've seen how they rounded up against us before. Therefore, since you cannot fulfill what you promised to Aro and Marcus, I'm afraid I am here to collect the rest of the guards."
"They are here at my dispense, Jane. Aro and Marcus agreed I could bring them here for this purpose," Caius challenged Jane. "Stay where you are," he instructed the vampires behind him before looking back at Jane, "What makes you think they will come with you?" Jane simply nodded towards the guards and slowly, they moved towards Jane. All except Felix and Inez, who still had her hand on Caius' shoulder. "Cowards!" Caius accused Heidi, Alec, Chelsea, Portia and Ludwig.
"We are not cowards, Caius, we know where our allegiance lies," Alec sneered. Eleazar said that Alec and Jane were always loyal to Aro, more than any of the Volturi leaders. This was something that Caius thought was not fair but since Marcus could care less, there was nothing that Caius could do. Aro was the one who acquired most of the talented Volturi guards and most of them showed loyalty to him.
"Remember that Aro and Marcus only allowed you to take Heidi with you so that she can show them what they desired. Didn't you think that they anticipated Bella's presence here? They were betting how much loss you'll be willing to take before you give up. Leave this behind, Caius, because I don't think any of them will spare you, not even Carlisle," Jane said as she pointed her head to Grandpa. "With only three of you left, you will not stand a chance." She turned to the guards, "Let's go," and led them away from the clearing.
Caius looked hesitant but resigned his mission to destroy the pack. "This is not over," he sneered then he pointed to Grandpa and Eleazar, "and the two of you shall find no alliance with the Volturi. Mark my words."
Eleazar was the one who responded to Caius' empty threats, "I have given up on the Volturi a long time ago, Caius. I have no plans on going back."
"Be ready at all time, I will be back for you," Caius threatened.
"And we will be here waiting," Uncle Emmett replied. He didn't respond well to threats, empty or not. He never showed any sign of fear or doubt. It was just the way he is.
After one more look at each and everyone, Caius turned and followed Jane and the others. None of us moved. I kept my eyes locked at them until they were out of sight.
"They're gone. They are not coming back, at least not any time soon," Dad announced. The pack howled. I exhaled in relief. With the gasp of air, my knees buckle and my body fell back. The exhaustion finally caught up with me after the pump of excessive adrenaline. I expected a hard cold arms to catch my fall but I was surprised to feel warm fur where I fell. I was too tired to realize who it was.
--
I didn't know how long I was out. My eyes fluttered open. I looked around and noticed that I was not in my grandparents' house; I was in our cottage. I heard voices coming from the living room so I got up from my bedroom and saw Granma and Carmen.
"Nessie, how are you feeling?" Granma asked as she led me to the table. She then went to the microwave and heated up something that looked like soup. "The others are at the house," she said with a timid smile on her face. She looked like she was hiding something but my head hurts to figure out what.
"We were so worried when you passed out, but you were up sooner than you did the last time," Carmen said.
"How long was I out?" I asked.
"Just a little over an hour this time," Granma answered and placed a bowl of tomato soup and slices of grilled chicken on the table. "I saved this before the pack devoured the whole thing."
I nodded and ate. There was nothing better than human food after a long day. Granma and Mom made the best comfort food. "Why are you two here and not Mom and Dad? Not that I'm complaining," I asked them.
"Uhm," Carmen smiled before she continued, "They were all excited talking about the fight and you're resting so they went there while you rest here. Esme and I volunteered to watch over you."
I nodded again and continued eating. After a few minutes, I was done and asked if we could go to the house with the others. "Sure," Granma said with a grin on her face.
"Is there something I should know?" I asked suspiciously.
"Silly child," Carmen said and they locked their arms on either side of me and we walked slowly.
--
Before we even reached the back door, I heard talking. I couldn't make out what the conversation, but as we got closer, I realized that they weren't talking, they were arguing. Well, my dad was arguing with somebody or everybody. He tended to do that a lot. It was his voice that was the loudest.
"How many times did we talk about it? You kept saying yes, but you just couldn't stick to your won decision," Dad sneered.
"Because I can't stay away for that long; I came here for her," a familiar voice said.
I stopped on track. "Is that who I think it is?" I asked Granma and Carmen, but none of them said anything, they just pulled me to keep walking. The conversation inside the house continued.
"We told you we can take care of her, and we did," Dad snarled.
"Thanks for that. I really am grateful. But seeing that she's fine with my own eyes gave me relief. I haven't slept a wink since you left. I agreed to be left behind because I thought I could, but obviously I was wrong."
"You're lucky everything went fine, because if it didn't, I will be the one to decapitate you," Dad's voice was getting louder.
"I would love to see you try."
"Take it easy, guys," Uncle Emmett said.
"He's the one who needs to take it easy, Em. He's been at it for an hour already."
We reached the door by then. Everyone looked at us when we appeared, but my eyes were focused on one person. "Nessie," he said as he got up. I saw Dad's arm was about to reach out and stop him, but Mom pushed Dad's arm down. He was walking slowly towards me. I felt Granma and Carmen's cold arms loosened and they walked away from me. When he stopped in front of me and ran his warm hand to my face, my heart stopped.
"Jacob," I whispered.
He put both his hands on my face and leaned his forehead on mine while he looked intently through my eyes. "I never stopped thinking about you since you left that night and try as I might, I can't bear to be away from you. I care for you too much to stay behind."
"Then why didn't you come sooner?" I asked. I was out of words for the emotions that were building inside me. Love. Hate. Longing. Pain. Happiness. Confusion. I couldn't hold myself together; I felt hot tears coming from my eyes. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his presence affected me so I stepped away from him and ran though the back door. I heard him call out for me, but I didn't look back. I didn't hear if he tried to follow me or if my family stopped him from doing do.
I ran as questions flooded my mind. I was glad to see him since he had been in my thoughts from the moment I walked towards the security gate in the airport. I had been longing to feel his arms around me once again, even if he was just doing so as a friend. I was mad; why didn't he come sooner if he really couldn't stop thinking about me? Were those just words because I was there standing in front of him and he didn't want me to feel bad seeing him there, bringing the memories from a few days ago before I left? Because I can't stay away for that long; I came here for her, I heard him say earlier. But was for me or was it for the pack. She did say her; it was either me or Leah. Or was it my mom, his best friend? It was Dad he was arguing with earlier; it could have been mom. But she was standing right there with him when they were arguing and they stopped when we came. I didn't know what to think anymore so I just kept on running.
I ran to a familiar place. It was part of the forest not far from the cottage. This was where I first dreamt of being with Jacob. I heard twigs snapped and if it was anything like my dream, it would be Jacob. I turned around and it was just like my dream, except instead of him smiling, his face looked torn and pained.
