Here I decided to include Jacob's thoughts, noted by these symbols :. .: or ()
Chapter 26
Before we left, Carlisle let me know that Renesmee's growth was slowing slightly. There was a deficit that was slightly increasing over time, much to our relief. We would still have to wait and see.
"Can't you stay? We have beds we don't use," Edward asked at the door. He walked us out while the others stayed behind. I looked down. I wasn't sure if that was something I could handle. It would feel strange considering the house used to be completely empty.
"I'd like to keep seeing you. We'll meet often to prepare. If you can, come to the field, bring Renesmee with you, or to the house," he said, gently holding my hand. Hard to say no to that, and I wanted to be around them more too.
I nodded. "I'll be there, three nights from now."
That didn't seem to ease whatever it was that was bothering him. His thumb rubbed circles on the back of my hand.
"Do you really have to meet them?"
I let out a long sigh. "Yeah. The elders are like the Volturi of La Push," My face dropped when I realized how true that was. His face darkened.
"Make sure they understand we consider her and you as part of the family. She is, by blood or venom." He looked toward Jacob as he 'tsk'd. A little annoying things were being said that I didn't know.
"I won't let them hurt you and get away with it." He said.
"Don't worry. Jacob will protect us." I said.
"Let me at least drive you back," Edward said. :. Jesus Christ, overbearing much?.:
"I can't... I have to drive Jacob's car back,"
"Plus, I'm so tired from all that vampire hunting," Jake said. I rolled my eyes.
"Maybe you're not as up to par after all," Edward responded, completely unable to keep back his cheeky smirk Jacob 'humph'. I chuckled.
"But...Jacob. I want to thank you for being there for Bella. And keeping her safe. I can't thank you enough for protecting-" Renesmee squeezes his hand. He glances down to smile at her.
"-my family." They shared this look for a sec. (images of Bella suffering through her pregnancy and after flash in Jacob's mind, softened by thoughts of how grateful an undead abomination like him could be that he could have a child.)
"Of course, I would."
"Still. If there's ever anything you need-"
"Don't need any help." Jacob turns and gets in the car. An odd silence infects the air.
"Go," I said, nudging 'nesmee to follow. I waited for the doors to shut.
"Will you still be here?" I asked tentatively.
"I promise," I tensed up as he leaned in to kiss the side of my head. I nodded in a jerky movement and hurried to the car right after.
"I don't know how you can stand him," Jacob grumbled. I hadn't even shut my door yet.
"You're actually tired?" I jabbed, starting the car.
"Well. Why not chillax?" He said, sitting back. I quickly pulled away from the Cullen house.
"So should I expect the elders at the house?" I asked.
"Dunno. Sam's pack and I split after losing Victoria. We only have the wolf hive mind in our wolf form."
"I don't wanna go if they're going to be there!" Renesmee shouted.
"Shhh. Don't worry. We'll deal with it." I told her.
Expect them to be there, I told myself. Since I was driving at a human pace, I figured the wolves would have had enough time to notify Levi and get to the house by the time we got there.
Keep Renesmee safe. Drive her to the treaty line if I have to. I have Alice's number; they can meet us there. It's okay. I'll be okay.
They were waiting in the front yard with Billy as the Black's house sole protector. To have an actual home...a safe home and not a borrowed one, I thought.
I parked nearby and we reluctantly got out. As I got closer, the wolves' noses flared, and they moved erratically on their feet.
"She smells like them!" Paul sneered. Always eager for a fight. Sam held him back and I held Renesmee close.
"Was I supposed to forbid her father from seeing her? Or keep Renesmee from meeting her father?" I asked him.
"A warning that they were coming was the least you could do," Levi said. The other elders also disapproved of the lack thereof. I can't lose their support.
"I didn't know they were coming. Soon after I was contacted, I set up the meeting. We never did exchange numbers, Levi. You just come and go as you please." I said.
"Alice saw Victoria passing a shirt of mine to other vampires. So, she and the others came. For whatever reason, she couldn't see my future until then, and even then, it was Victoria's future," I explained.
"She contacted me, and I told her I was pregnant. We met right away. Then Jacob came to tell us what Charlie's decided to do, so...the Cullens agreed to help by patrolling the forests on their side. They'll keep Forks safe and take care of Victoria if they catch her." I looked down as I felt Renesmee's hand clutch mine and noticed Alice's chocker wrapped around her wrist.
"Edward has decided to be involved. Though it's not officially decided if Renesmee will bear the surname Cullen, she's considered part of the family." There was a lot of noise in response to that.
If she's a Cullen, is her coming back a violation? It can't be if Levi clearly stated she's to be watched here. Do we send her away? We can't! What do we do? Levi stood among them, silent. Though his expression was still, I doubted his mind was. What will he say next?
Did she say there were others? The talents the Cullens possess could prove useful. Isn't one of them a telepath? Then there's the future seer.
"We shouldn't even let them come back!" Paul shouted.
"Hush, Paul!" Sam yelled.
"Enough!" Levi said. "There's nothing we can do about their return. Not even the Chief of Police can ban them from returning. As for the seer's vision,"
"In three day's time, they'll collect in a field to practice fighting. The number of comrades this redhead has is unknown. We need all the help we can get, or the wolves could become extinct." Jacob said.
"You've been invited to watch," he told Sam. The wolves huffed and puffed through their sneers.
"Work with them? We should punish them for bringing us this problem!" one of them said.
"The issue is beyond vampires and werewolves!" I shouted. "People are dying and my dad is becoming involved to keep Forks safe. Which is your fault, mind you. You screwed up!"
"Maybe it was them!"
"They're vegetarians!"
"Maybe they slipped."
"Like you did? The longer Victoria and her minions are around, the more people will die. The sooner she's taken care of the better. So work together!"
"Who does she- Who are you to bark orders?" Paul huffed angrily.
"Charlie is Forks, and you endangered him. Sam, I'm not asking you to do me a favor or protect me. I'm asking you to use your autonomy to do the right thing. Protect Forks." I said.
Sam stared. He wasn't a bad person, he just had a lot of responsibility, and if he had to sacrifice someone to keep the wolves safe, he would. He wouldn't like it, but he would uphold his responsibilities and shoulder the consequences. I can trust him to want to protect all innocents. Even if it meant colluding with the Cullens.
"Where is this field?"
"47.97062° N, -123.86322° E," Jacob said. Levi stood there quietly.
"I can't promise that we'll be able to keep Charlie safe, but I'm sorry we weren't careful," Sam said.
"Welp," Harry said, stepping away from the cluster of elders. "Since I already told Charlie I'd come with him, I can help by keeping him away from where you'll be," he said, patting Sam's shoulder.
"Thank you," I said.
"Don't mention it. You wouldn't sacrifice me, would you Levi?" he said to him.
"Your life is your responsibility," Levi responded. "You understand the rules apply to her now, don't you?" he said, turning to me.
"Renesmee wouldn't hurt a fly."
"It's unnecessary for you to remain here." That was all he said. He turned on his heel and left with the others. I looked at Jacob. We were free? He didn't seem sure about testing that. Neither was I. Maybe he figured the Cullens could be useful too and didn't go against Sam.
"Now we put your feet in, tuck in those legs, your torso..." I sang as I tuck Renesmee in.
"I wanted to talk to you. There's been a lot of talk about what we're going to do about Victoria, and..." I started. "I didn't want you to hear that."
"I know what 'kill' means, mommy. It's how I feed on animals." she said to me. I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Yeah," I breathed.
"Killing people is bad. Killing Victoria is different," she said. I rubbed her chest, noticing how it started to rise and fall fast.
"Can Levi do that to me?"
"Shh...no, no one can. You're a Cullen now." I held the wrist she held the blanket with. It was the same one that had Alice's choker.
"Alice gave this to you?" I wondered if she did it, so the others knew she was 'claimed'. She nods.
"She said they all have one, that she'll get me one if I wanted. I said yes, is that okay?"
"Yeah. Of course, it is. Renesmee...do you want to be a Cullen?" I asked. "If you accept your father, if you accept the others as your family, they will be. A little more official than just being related."
"Does that mean I can't be with you?"
"No, not at all." My brain was muddled. Edward and I would have to patch things up for us to be a family. We-I accepted him back, but there was a lot of mending to do. Of the ties that once tied me to him.
"Sometimes, people are too mad at their dad and don't want them around. Do you want him?" I explained. She smiled.
"Yeah," she reached up to touch my cheek and showed me Edward's face when he smiled at her. His hair blazed, a halo of sunlight around him making his pale skin glow. A perfect picture with her 20/20 vision.
He looked like her. To Renesmee, that they were connected was undeniable. To her, there wasn't a decision to make. They just were.
I nearly cried. Edward was too beautiful, and I was finally able to see him again. That I might have never, for the rest of my life, was a horrifying reality, but it was something I had to accept a long time ago. That it no longer had to be true-
Her 'picture' changed to him holding my hand as we were saying goodbye, how he looked at me, and him kissing me before I got into the car from her perspective in the booster seat. In her mind, we were one entity. Me and him. Us and the Cullens. All of us. She knew Jacob didn't fit in yet, but she hoped so. It hit me in my core.
No matter what, whether they accepted me as 'family' or not, they would always be a massive extension of me. It was a natural existence. Now that they were here again, I hoped it could be real. There seemed to be so much in the way.
This is a line I decided to take out. Hopefully, this mess is unraveling satisfactorily. I hope your week has been good. To anyone in the customer service sector, in case I forget to say so before black friday, good luck, take care of yourself.
"He can be overbearing. I just understand where it comes from. I hope he tries to understand me the same amount." I said.