Everyone hold on tight, things are about to go off the rails again.

BPOV

Today the three of us were headed to a nearby meadow, we had found when hunting. Since she had first seen what happened to us in the sun, Renesmee liked seeing us in the sun. And out here in the secluded wilderness, we were happy to oblige when the weather allowed. Today was a beautiful fall day, so we were taking advantage of that.

I was running behind Edward who had Renesmee on his shoulder, just the sight brought a goofy grin on my face. Renesmee now looked more like a toddler than an infant. She was slowly losing the roundness in her features and developing a more childlike figure. It was a bittersweet feeling watching my daughter grow up so quickly.

I was running behind them when my phone started ringing, an unknown number.

It was strange for a few reasons. I had just gotten this phone at Edward's insistence, very few people even had this number, most people I knew thought I was dead, and I had all of my family's numbers saved, so it wasn't them. There was something telling me that there was danger lurking behind with this phone call, but that I had to answer it. I took a deep breath and answered. I didn't say anything at first to let the other person speak first.

"Isabella Swan…" the sound of the voice made my skin crawl, a feeling I hadn't had since I was a human. I took note that no one called me this anymore, everyone who had, believed I was dead. I knew this was one of our kind by the unmistakable timbre of his voice.

"Who is this?" I confidently demanded , much more confident than I felt.

"Mmm," the voice chuckled on the other side of the line. I contained my flinch at the unnerving sound. "I suppose you don't know who I am, but don't fret, I know you very well."

"What do you want?" I growled.

"Well, here's the thing, I've been watching you since you were that frail human. A human hanging around a coven of vampires, that seems like a human asking for trouble."

"Who are you?" I repeated through gritted teeth. I hadn't smelled anyone's scent besides our family. How had we not seen someone watching us? Surely Edward would have heard their thoughts. He ignored my question and continued on with his eerie tangent.

"I've been watching you since I crossed paths with the Cullens, they never did leave you alone did they? It kept me at a distance, but I wanted you, and then he turned you. Tsk, tsk, tsk... I could live with one getting away, it was almost poetic, 'the one that got away', but two? I'm not that generous. So I'll let them keep her, and I'll just take you instead, especially knowing what you can give me."

Edward had realized I wasn't following him by now, and once he did, he was back by my side. I held up my hand to keep him from taking the phone from me. I knew he had heard most of what was said by the murderous look in his darkened eyes, but he was schooling his expression in front of our daughter.

"Now, time for the fun part," and then the line went dead. I took Renesmee off of Edward's shoulder and into my arms, she placed her hand on my face, she wanted to know if we were okay.

"Yes, we're fine, honey," I was surprised at how truthful I sounded. I didn't want to lie to her, but I didn't want to expose her to whatever dark and twisted game had just commenced.

We were back to our house in less than a minute.

As we approached, I knew someone was inside, it was a good thing I immediately recognized everyone's scent, I would not have hesitated to defend my little family otherwise.

Everyone was seated in our living room, as we walked in everyone kept smiles on their faces, but I could see the grave expression in their eyes and felt the worries weighing down the room.

"Renesmee, why don't you go play with Aunt Rose?"

"Okay, Momma."

I smiled at my precious daughter, I knew I would do anything to keep her safe, even if that meant sacrificing myself.

I couldn't help but wonder if after all of this, I was still on borrowed time.

She toddled off with Rosalie into her room. If I went, I would go knowing I did two things right, Renesmee and Edward. If that's what my legacy boiled down to, I would be okay with that. I was the expendable one in this family, I wouldn't let anyone else get hurt in this malicious hunt. Jasper eyes flickered to me and very subtly shook his head, signaling that whatever I was feeling wasn't true. I shook off the feeling before Edward would pick up on it.

"What did you see Alice?" Edward asked.

"I recognize him."

"The nomad," Edward growled. I put a finger to my lips, quieting him. My eyes flickered to the back of the house reminding him of our daughter. He nodded. I heard Rosalie switch on the TV in Renesmee's room, and the door clicked shut. Renesmee's hearing was pretty good, but it wasn't as sharp as ours. Edward played whatever CD he had in the CD player for good measure, something classical from his collection. It didn't have the same soothing effect it normally had.

"His name is James, he hasn't made a decision yet, but it's becoming clearer. He wants Bella," Alice said quietly with a faraway look in her eyes, a telltale sign she was looking at the future.

"I'll tear him apart before he gets a chance," Edward raged quietly.

"Let's think this through, Edward, we can't just charge without thinking," I cautioned.

"She's right, Edward," Carlisle agreed.

"So what? We just wait? I won't have Bella in danger," Edward snapped. I took his hand in an attempt to calm him. Edward squeezed my hand, but the tension didn't leave either of our bodies.

"What exactly did he say to you, Bella?" Carlisle spoke again.

"Not much, he said he had been watching since I was a human, that you guys kept him at bay, I think Edward changing me set him off," I explained, remembering each terrifying moment of that call.

"But why? What does he want?" Jasper questioned.

"There was something he said, that he could live with 'the one that got away' but two was asking too much of him."

"Who else got away from him?" Carlisle pondered.

"Was there anything else, Bella?"

I took a deep breath, "He said he wasn't going to let you keep the both of us, especially when he knew what I could offer him."

I couldn't be 100 percent sure what he meant by that, but if I was right and he meant what I thought he did, this could only end one way, with his death or mine. I remembered Edward talking about these nomads briefly. Laurent claimed that he was no longer loyal to the mated pair, but even if he was, it was still 8 against 3. I just wouldn't allow anyone else to get hurt because of me.

Edward's grip tightened on me. I was still stronger than him so it didn't hurt. The look of deadly rage was one I hadn't seen on Edward's face before. I was surprised to see the same murderous expression on Emmett's face, considering I had never actually seen him upset before.

"Edward's right, we protect our family, we can't waste time," Emmett snarled.

"Everyone stop, I won't have anyone getting hurt because of me," I began.

"Bella," Edward interrupted harshly.

"Just listen-we need to think. Jasper? Edward said you thought he was a tracker?"

"I think so, I've seen them before, I think he caught your scent, but we don't know how powerful his ability is."

I nodded.

"I just don't understand how he was able to stay off our radar for so long," Esme chimed in. I had thought about this as well. The more familiar a person was to Edward the further that he could hear them, but he said it was no more than a few miles. If James stayed far enough away, Edward wouldn't have been able to hear him.

"He probably stayed far enough away that we couldn't pick up his scent, we knew they had been in the area, so we wouldn't have questioned their scent in the woods," Edward concluded.

"The red-head, Victoria, she always seemed like she was looking for an escape route, maybe that's how they evaded us for so long," Alice theorized.

"Is there anything else you saw, Alice?" I asked gently.

"I'm looking. He's going to call in a few seconds," Alice was cut off by another ring of my phone. Everyone froze. I took a deep breath and hit the answer button.

"So you've corralled your little coven?" He was still watching us, even now. Jasper kept Edward from running out and trying to catch him himself.

"What do you want?" I hissed.

"You're not paying very close attention, are you? I told you what I want."

"Me?" I scoffed.

"So you were paying attention," he chuckled darkly. Even though I wasn't on speakerphone, James and I both knew that everyone could hear him through the phone, he was taunting us. I could see the worry and anger growing on each of their faces.

"You can't have me," I spat.

"So you've got everyone protecting you, but let me ask you this. Who's protecting your precious parents?" I felt myself go cold.

"You're lying," I declared but I no longer sounded confident.

"It was all too easy to get all of your information, imagine how surprised they'll be when they find out you're actually alive, a final heartbreak before I kill them."

"Leave them out of this, you want me? Come get me." I challenged. Edward's gaze snapped back to me, he wasn't happy that I was practically inviting James for a fight, but I couldn't risk my parents.

"You know what? I think I'll pay your father a visit," and the line went dead again. I was about to run straight to Forks when Edward stopped me.

"Let me though, Edward."

"Bella, you just said that we had to think this through."

I knew Edward was right, but right now my instincts told me to protect Charlie. My hands curled into fists as I tried to calm myself.

"There's nothing to think about, they could get killed because of me, Edward," I said, practically vibrating with anxiety and anger.

"We have to play this smart Bella, he's trying to split us up, he knows he can't take us all on, and he knows you won't leave Renesmee unprotected, and with Charlie, that's at least four of us being kept busy. He wants you alone," Jasper stated, his tone was calm, but he had the same rage in his expression as Emmett and Edward. I could feel myself calming, but I knew it was just Jasper's doing.

"I'm still a newborn, I can take him alone," I insisted, even though I wasn't sure if it was true. If I died protecting the people I loved I would be okay with that. With the calming sensation the Jasper was providing I started to think straight, I still wanted to go and protect Charlie, and I would've if it was just me. The only two things that gave me pause were Edward and Renesmee. If I died Renesmee would still have a family, but she would live forever without a mother, and Edward, our lives and fates had become so intertwined that if you cut one you cut both. If I died he would be right behind me, and if he died, I would go too.

"You don't even believe that, Bella. He's counting on you relying on that strength, on that instinct, you'll be too predictable." I knew Jasper was making sense, but I still wanted to run to Charlie, to make sure he was safe.

"Whatever we do, it has to be quick," I acquiesced.

And within minutes, a plan was formed.