Legacy

We all sat in the living room at the Cullen's house sometime later. The mood was still somber. The wolves had phased back, and they, too, remained with us.

I looked around from where I sat in Edward's arms. The missing people were like holes in a once-perfect tapestry.

Rosalie and Emmett.

Carmen and Eleazar.

Maggie.

Peter and Charlotte.

Sam.

Leah.

I saw Seth, sitting alone in the corner, staring out the large glass windows at the darkening forest. A tear glistened on his cheek, and I was sure it was for his sister.

Alice and Jasper were sitting across the room, talking so lowly that it was impossible for even any of us to hear, their foreheads touching tenderly.

Garrett sat on the loveseat, with Kate sprawled across his lap.

Tanya stood like a statue by the door, looking at nothing. The pain in her blank stare was indescribable—she had lost half of her coven in just one short afternoon.

Vladimir and Stefan were long gone—they had followed Marcus and the rest of the Volturi, most likely to make sure they wouldn't turn back and come for us again. In a strange way, I found myself missing their company, however creepy they had been.

Across the room, Benjamin stood up, Tia behind him.

"We thank you for your hospitality, Carlisle, but Tia and I want to catch up to Amun and Kebi. They'll be undoubtedly worried about the outcome of today…"

Carlisle nodded. "Thank you both, for all that you have done. We are in your debt."

"There is no debt, Carlisle," he gave a small smile, and then he and Tia were gone.

"We should leave, too," Siobhan said shakily. She was taking Maggie's loss especially hard.

"Try to find Alistair and tell him what happened. I'd hate to think of him hiding under a rock for the next decade," Carlisle said with a sad smile, embracing Siobhan and shaking Liam's hand. They nodded, then departed.

Silence filled the room again.

I looked up at Edward expectantly.

"They'll be here soon," he said soothingly. "I promise."

I nodded, closing my eyes, holding Renesmee's face in my mind.

I had no idea how much time had passed, when I heard running, then the sound of something—someone—on the porch.

The door opened, and I sat up in a flash.

"Momma!"

Renesmee ran across the room and jumped into my arms. I crushed her to my chest; Edward's arms were around us in the same second.

"Nessie, Nessie, Nessie," I crooned.

I heard Jacob give a short bark of laughter, back in his human form again like the others.

"Shut up," I mumbled, looking at him. He caught my eye, and nodded.

"I get to stay with you?" Nessie demanded.

"Forever," I whispered.

"Forever…" Edward echoed in my ear.

We had forever… To grieve for the ones we lost… to let their memories live on in our beautiful daughter. And Nessie was going to be fine and healthy and strong. Like the half-human Nahuel, in a hundred and fifty years, she would still be young. And we would all be together.

And suddenly, for one golden moment, I felt whole. The sadness disappeared; all I could feel were the bodies of the two people that I could not live without. I couldn't speak anymore. I lifted my head and kissed Edward with a passion that might have set the house on fire.

I wouldn't have noticed.