2/28/2013

Chapter 37

Bella's POV

"Renesmee?" I began poking my head into her room.

Jacob was leaning against the headboard and Renesmee was lying against his chest. Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of my voice; she was a very light sleeper.

"Hi mom." She said wearily moving to sit up.

"Hi baby girl." I cooed moving towards her.

Jacob smiled faintly, moving to make room for me to sit next to my daughter.

"Are you feeling any better Renesmee?" I asked her softly, moving her messy, sweaty hair out of her face.

"I'm doing okay mom, I don't think my rib has finished healing yet." She finished wincing as she placed her palm on her injury.

"No I don't imagine that it has." I looked towards her solemnly. I hated seeing my daughter in pain. "Is there anything that I can for you, are you hungry? Thirsty?"

She began to shake her head and paused mid-motion. "Well…now that you mention it, I could go for a drink." She ended smiling sheepishly, it reminded so much of when she had been younger and would ask her father or myself to bring her something.

"What do you need Ness?" Jacob asked her moving from the bed and making way to the door.

"I can get it for her Jacob." I said slightly defensive. I was more than capable of getting my own daughter a drink.

He smiled at me pleadingly. "I was only trying to give you a moment alone with her Bella."

"Sorry…Thank you." I muttered turning from him to face Renesmee.
"You seem to be feeling better." I said smiling.

"Much better mom, how is Cassie?" She breathed heavily, indicating perhaps she wasn't as well as she was leading on.

"Cassie is awake; she is healing, as I think you should continue to do." I ended gently patting her hand. I was feeling uneasy. There were so many things I wanted to say, so many things I wanted to point out to her; like how grateful I was that she was my daughter. How terrified I was looking for her and her brother. I didn't want to overwhelm her however. Instead of using my words, I got off of the bed and moved towards her. I gently wrapped her in embrace and took in her scent, trying to knowingly forge a memory of her in this moment right now.

"Mom? Are you okay?" She asked me softly.

"I'm fine Renesmee. Hmph...Renesmee..." I started, my voice slightly trailing. "I don't care what anybody says...that name is still so beautiful to me." I looked towards her endearingly, she chuckled slightly, then darted her eyes to meet mine almost urgently.

"Well...what exactly have people been saying?!" I met her exclamation with uncontrollable laughter, encouraging her to join me all the same.

I heard his heartbeat before I heard his footsteps, yet I still was disappointed when Jacob walked through the door returning with blood for Renesmee. I hadnt even noticed it until he got closer...that smell, that taste slightly coating the back of my throat. I turned my head from the cup in his hand.

He noticed. "Sorry Bella." he retracted, unintentionally depriving Renesmee of her nourishment. "Carlisle suggested the human blood to me while I was in the kitchen. He is also having some sent up to Cassie's room. Damien and Masen dont need the stong stuff I guess." He ended with a smile, handing the cup to a very gracious Renesmee. "Speaking of Masen." He began after safely determining that Renesmee had drank enough to regain some color in her cheeks. "Edward is on his way to Masen's room. He said something about needing to speak with Sue, then after that he wanted you to join him in Masen's room."

I nodded, eagerly wanting to spend some time with my husband and son. I kissed my daughter on the head, this time trying as hard as I could not to smell her, the blood was driving me wild. "I will come and check on you a little later, if you need anything just yell for me, I'll be there in a flash." I said smiling towards her, she nodded greedily sipping from her cup.

"Is it alright if I sit with her Bella?" Jacob asked me before sitting upon the bed.

I laughed. "Jake you've never needed my permission to spend time with her. Why ask now?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Well Bella, you've just been so pleasant recently. I just wanted to make sure that it was alright." He smiled, wanting me to have something sacrastic to say. I simply flashed him a smile and turned to walk into my sons room. As I took the few steps into the hallway he called after me. "So...no argument for you being grouchy?"

"Later Jacob!" I yelled, getting annoyed in a very playful way. "I will yell at you later!"

Aria's POV

"I'm not so sure how I feel about all of this dad." I said aloud as I was lying in bed.

I rolled over onto my side to look at him. He was smiling at me from the chair a few feet from my bed...in my new room...it didn't feel like my room.

"What are you so on edge about dear? Are you not exciting meeting all of your family members? Did you not enjoy yourself once the voting was over?" He asked me endearingly.

I started thinking about all of my cousins trying to get to know me earlier this evening. I can't believe that Nahuel has five kids that were born all at once. Well...six really...I tried shaking that thought from my head.

"Yeah I really did enjoy getting to know them. It's just that...well how happy am I going to be here if my new family can never accept where I came from...the family that raised me." I asked him analyzing his face for any sort of sign that he was worried about this as well. He smiled at me, trying to comfort me.

"You are loved." he said simply moving closer to the foot of the bed. "You will find a way for this to work Aria. The Cullens have every right to feel hesitant towards the situation. As do you." He said more hastily as I made motion to interject.

What right did they really have? It was over. It had been over for years. We were no threat to them anymore. "I just don't know if I really want to be here. There are so many people here. I don't feel comfortable dad."

"Why don't you just try and get some sleep, for now." He began moving back over towards the chair. It was moments like these where I still longed for my father to be able to tuck me in. I learned long ago that given his circumstance I should be grateful that I can even speak with him, hear his voice.

"Will you stay here with me until I fall asleep?" I asked him already knowing the answer.

"Of course, I always do." He said softly, not making a sound after that. I smiled to myself and sighed. I know he couldn't actually protect me, I still felt safer knowing he was there.

Renee's POV

Everybody was parting ways, venturing to their own rooms, with their own section of family. I was standing in a corner, watching those around me slowly trickle away. Lost in though Sue wandered over to me, after sending Charlie to the kitchens for Ian's supper.

"It's been a long 24 hours has it not Renee?" She asked with a sense of relief in her voice.

"Has it only been one day?" I turned to her chuckling.

She nodded and pplaced her hand upon mine. "Oh dear, this life sure has been an exciting and unexpected one." Smiling she gripped my hand even tighter. "Renee...I am not sure sure I am in the best of health."

"What is the matter Sue?" I asked endearingly. I was aware of the pregnancy, surely she wasn't disappointed. "You aren't afraid that you are too old to have another little one are you?" I ended gesturing towards her stomach.

She shook her head. "No no not too old to raise one, certainly not." She paused smiling towards her still concealable belly. "I am afraid that I may be too old to carry this child however. Before all of this...mayhem, I was with Carlisle. I told him how labored I have felt since discovering the pregnancy. Lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and I have felt on the verge of collapsing once or twice."

I shared her concern but until anything has made clear I feel she is getting ahead of herself. "Sue this doesn't seem to be cause for major alarm." I finished smiling at her, trying to reassure her that she would be alright. "When are you going to tell Charlie?"

This is when he face faltered. "I am not sure that I am." She said solemnly. "Until I am sure that I can carry the child to term I don't plan on telling him. If...if I am unable to...continue with the pregnancy...I think he would be devastated.

"I'm sure he would understand. If your life was at stake. I think you should speak with your husband...really Sue. Regardless of the outcome Charlie should be aware, and especially to help you through this deifficult time."

"Speak of the Devil." Sue exclaimed seeing Charlie making his way back into the chamber with a box of cereal and half a gallon of milk. Ian was waddling alongside him carrying three bowls and spoons chuckling at his mothers curious expression.

"What is this?" She asked him with a chuckle.

"Ian thought it would be fun for us to have dinner in bed tonight, maybe watch a cartoon or two." Charlie paused to smile at his son. "He said that he wanted to make us dinner this time." He ended gesturing towards the cereal.

Sue said nothing for a moment and then burst into laughter, bending down to kiss her son on the cheek. "Well aren't you a gentleman!" She exclaimed taking the bowls from him taking him by the hand.

She turned back to face me before departing. "We will finish our chat in the morning Renee?"

I nodded. "Good night you three, enjoy the cartoons!" As they walked away I found that I brought my hands to my own stomach. I never considered having more children after Bella, that was until I met Phil. I brought my clutched hand from my stomach to my chest and suddenly found it difficult to keep my eyes open. As they shut I saw him faintly in the darkness. I smiled slightly wishing more than anything I could touch his face again.

"A wounded heart need not necessarily heal to get through each day. Simply keeping it beating will get all of us by." A deep low voice said suddenly appearing next to me. I chuckled at the statement.

"Well then I am out of luck aren't I?" I said turning to face Marcus. He smiled, at least what we all refer to as smiling for Marcus.

"Well, I of course am speaking in a less than literal manner. I did not mean to disturb your thoughts. I was watching you show emotions that I long have seen etched onto my own face. You are mourning your husband?" He asked me, to be honest I felt unprepared to answer that question.

It seemed as if there was so much explanation to give, yet I only surrendered "Yes." as an appropriate answer. Marcus nodded then stood quiet.

"Whom did you lose?" I asked tenderly.

"My wife." He said simply.

"Did she...did she go peacefully?" I asked, this was an appropriate answer when discussing such things.

He shook his head. "if you consider burning to cinders peaceful at the hands of your brother I would say yes." He ended bitterly.

"I..I am sorry...I didn't mean to-"

"It is quite aalright." He stated stopping me from apologizing any further. "You had nothing to do with it, why would you feel the need to apologize, I should be apologizing to you." He said sympathetically.

Of course I couldn't physically forget, sometimes though I forget that Marcus was in the very same room as Phil when he died. Marcus was introduced to me as a part of the family when Bella had first brought me back to see my new family.

"Your husband, Phil, he went painlessly I imagine. Maybe a little frightened but very quickly nontheless." His statement shocked me slightly, I wasn't ready to hear details into his pain, or his emotions before passing.

"God he must have been so confused and terrified as to what was going on..." I trailed off feeling that agonizing pain in my chest again.

"The last thing he saw was your daughter taking you to safety, alive." Marcus said reassuringly. "I am sure that relief brought him some comfort in the end. Come with me for a moment Renee. I would like to show you something." He ended extending his hand towards mine and guiding me outside to the forest floor.

He took me to one of the more impressive oak trees, one that seemed to be slightly secluded form its neighbors.

"Didyme and I planted this tree together the first night we made love." He ended looking the tree over in its glory.

"It's breathtaking." I said to him, his eyes were filling with blood.

Slowly he let the tears fall to the ground, as if watering their tree, sustaining it. "I would do anything to have her back in my life."

"I feel the same way about Phil." I didn't know what else I could say to the man. it was comforting, mourning out here with Marcus. We stayed until the sun completely set, and then we stayed a bit longer.

No more words were passed between us, we just stood together in silence mourning our loved ones. I couldn't speak for him but this was the most closure I had gotten since Phil's death.

AUTHOR:

Heeyyyyyyy guys I am so sorry it has taken me this long to post this chapter. I am hoping to have another chapter done by the end of the weekend.
I hope you are all still with me!

I even feel kinda blah about this chapter I hope I can do it a bit better for the next one.

Also I apologize this chapter may be full of mispellings new laptop and I don't have WORD installed yet.

If you feel this chapter sucked lemme know so I can make the nest one better. Like I said it should be up by Sunday if not Saturday.

Thank you if you guys are still with me!