Twelve

Edward stepped forward. Not only had he heard his sister's words clearly and plainly, but he could also see the shape of her thoughts as Rosalie glared at him. The same anger and contempt that he was used to seeing from her was there, but also the fear—fear for Renesmee. Although he had always known she would die for anyone in her family, there were only two people that she would kill for, Emmett and Renesmee.

Through her mind Edward saw what had happened when Tanya and Garrett had revealed themselves. Rosalie had been in a fury to get back to the cottage, Emmett was fast on her heels, slightly apprehensive to approach her after her rage back at the main house, while he was also aware that his touch was usually the best way to calm the storm of emotions going through her head. Emmett had been so distracted with Rosalie that he didn't notice the approach of their cousins until they were nearly upon him. He had taken up a crouching stance, ready to spring like an animal toward any danger. Rosalie, hearing the change in his posture did the same. Although her immediate thoughts were on protecting Emmett, rather than what might be approaching them from the darkness of the woods.

Garrett had stepped forward first. He and Emmet had been friends since meeting on the beaches at Normandy while they both fought for the American side during WWII. Garrett, long established in the vampire community as a strange loner who couldn't resist fighting in any conflict that involved America, while Emmett, still young enough to shy away from the bloody battles, stalked the German lines at night, killing any high-ranking Nazi that he could find.

In Rosalie's memory, Edward saw them clasp hands. He heard Emmett's barrel laugh when the friends embraced. Tanya stepped forward next, her eyes wide open in greeting to the Cullen's, but her expression, somehow closed and shaded. Edward had a hard time reading her, even from the perspective of someone else. Lastly, Alec stepped through the trees, approaching them, the hood of his black coat dripping with wet, and his leather boots rimmed with mud from the forest floor.

Edward listened, through the minds of his brother and sister, how Rosalie and Emmett had explained that Renesmee was ill—they had used the word dying, and Edward's heart clenched.

Edward watched, through the minds of his brother and sister, how Alec had explained that he had heard of something similar happening to human-vampire hybrids. Children such as Renesmee were rare, there were barely a handful of documented cases in the history of the world. He and Bella were sure that there must have been more, over the centuries, but the memory of them was long since lost to history. Still perusing thoughts, Edward listened as Alec told the story of a vampire named Aleksandru, a centuries old vampire living in Russe during the tenth century. Alec explained that he had fallen in love with a young human girl, her name long since forgotten in his memory, and they had lived together, in a strange union for many years, before she died giving birth to their child, a daughter, whose name was Desislava.

Aleksandru raised their daughter, who like Renesmee, aged at an accelerated rate, and near the fourth anniversary of her human birth she developed symptoms similar to what Renesmee was experiencing. The child, visually presenting as a young woman, was saved from the brink of death by only one thing…

Edward broke free of the thoughts and minds of those around him. "What was it?" His question was directed at Alec, and Alec knew it. "What was it that saved, Desislava?"

Alec smiled, but it wasn't the harsh or cruel twist of the face that Edward might have expected, instead, it was a sympathetic gesture. Alec extended his hands, palm up. "Let me help you, Edward."

Although he tried, Edward could not locate the memory in the stranger's mind. Alec had cleared his mind of any thoughts of it.

Edward asked, "Why are you hiding it from me? If you truly know how to help my daughter, you wouldn't hide it from me."

"I'm not hiding it from you," Alec reasoned. "Look around," Alec gestured to the line of Cullen's standing opposite him, and raised his eyebrow suggestively at Jasper, who stood off to the side, ready to kill anyone or anything who came toward his family with the intention of harm. From his thoughts Edward could hear the insulting scoff of Alec realizing that Jacob, a lone werewolf, also stood sentinel. As a vampire, well past the millennial of his birth, he was not afraid of a teenager in wolf's clothing. "I am alone here. My coven—the only family that I've ever known is gone." Alec turned back to Tanya and Garett. "I have my new friends, though. And soon, I hope to call you all family. Please, let me help the child; your daughter."

Edward! — he heard Alice say his name, but she wasn't speaking, the sound came her mind. He can help her, look!

Through her vision, Edward saw the next collision of events. Alec and Carlisle greeting, a reluctant handshake ensued, and he and Edward lead Alec to Renesmee's bedroom with Rose and the other's close behind. Bella would try to attack Alec when he entered their daughter's bedroom, and Edward would have to hold her back, to his own detriment — her newborn strength had still not waned completely, even though it had been years since she took her last human breath. Next, Alec would ask Carlisle for a blood bag. Years ago, when Bella was pregnant, they kept blood in the house, for her to drink for nutrients, and to have on hand for the birth. Edward knew there wasn't any more in the vicinity of the house, the presence was too hard for Jasper and Rosalie and Emmett to have so nearby. The family would eventually relent to what Alec was suggesting and Carlisle would run to the Fork's hospital to take several bags of blood back to the house.

It was human blood, that was the secret. A substance that Renesmee had never consumed, even though Bella had needed it during so much of her pregnancy.

He saw his siblings flee back to the big house. He saw Rosalie rage in frustration. He saw Jacob argue with all of them, coming to blows with Alec. He saw Emmett and Jasper pull the two apart, vampire and wolf snarling to get back at each other, muzzle and fang stained crimson with their foes blood.

In the end, he saw himself comforting Bella late into the night. The blood scent was too powerful for her and she was overcome with her need for it. She struggled with guilt at not being able to be with at her daughters' side when Renesmee needed her.

"Edward?" Bella had emerged from inside the house. Her hand clutching the side of the doorjamb. Her lithe form framing the doorway. When Edward turned back to her, he was broken by the desperation in her eyes. Both of them would do anything to keep their daughter safe. Anything. Even this.

Edward turned to Carlisle. Similar to so many times in their lives together verbal communication was not needed. Inside Carlisle's mind, Edward saw the answers that he was looking for.

Yes, Carlisle's thoughts said. This might work. I don't trust Alec, but if our Denali family believes in him, we should try.

Next, Edward turned to Alice. It's the only future I've seen that has hope in it.

"What is this?" Jacob asked, his voice taught with aggression. "What are you all saying to each other?"

Edward didn't want to look at him. "It's human blood. That's what will heal her. Human blood."

Jacob grit his teeth. "Like hell, it will." He stepped forward, his footsteps turning to hoof prints as he started toward Alec at a run.

Esme yelled his name as his clothes ripped free from his flesh, the scraps exploding against the rain like confetti.

When Alec was in reach, Jacob, in his wolf form, slashed a clawed paw toward his neck. His snarl louder than any words. Alec sprang back on his haunches, flinging himself, fist first, toward his adviser. When they came into contact the sound was like the detonation of a dozen bombs.

Emmett and Jasper, still on the sidelines, closest to the Denali's, sprang into action. Emmett grabbed the back of Alec's arms, pulling him back from going after Jacob's throat. Jasper, meanwhile, was swatting Jacob's slaps away with his forearms and pushing him farther back toward the rest of the Cullen's.

Bella screamed, "Jacob!" The sound was shrill enough for everyone to turn back toward her. "This is the only way. She'll die if we don't."

Jacob was chastised immediately, he shifted back into his human form, bruises forming in an angry purple against the side of his face and neck where Alec had struck him. He was nude now and the rain sizzled against his feverish skin as he lay, still on all fours, in the dirt. He was out of breath, dizzy with pain. "I can't live without her."

Bella tilted her head in sympathy. "None of us can."