I woke with a start in the middle of the night. Momma was sitting at the foot of my bed.
"I hoped you wouldn't wake up until it was over," she whispered in the darkness.
"What? It started?!" I looked at the clock. It was almost 3 am.
"We heard them coming about a half an hour ago."
"How many were there?"
"I didn't see them. I switched places with Jasper immediately."
Oh great, now I didn't know how much danger my family was in or how long this was going to last. Just to have something to do, I got up and got dressed. I tried to be thorough and picky about what I wore in order to stretch the time, but I cared so little about my appearance I ended up throwing on some old sweats and stomped back to my room. Momma wrapped me tightly in her arms.
"Everything will be alright, Nessie. We'll make it through," she said. But I heard under her soothing tone she was trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince me. I concentrated on making my breathing steady and even. I counted the seconds that ticked by, knowing that there would be many to pass before I was at peace again.
Not very long after, Momma got a phone call from Daddy. She answered, hoping he was going to tell us it was over. But she was wrong. We heard a frantic sound on the other line, barel7 recognizable as Daddy's voice.
"Bella! We need you to come now! Please! Just come, I beg of you. Please!!" The line went dead. Momma looked at me, utterly terrified. I touched her cheek and told her she had to go. She knelt by my bed and grabbed me by the shoulders so she could look me in the eyes.
"Renesmee, you must promise me you will stay here. No matter how difficult it is waiting, promise me you will not leave this house!"
"I promise, Momma"
She looked as if she was about to cry. She hugged me tightly for one second and sped out the door. I barely saw her retreating figure when I looked out my window. I bowed my head and let my tears and hysterics have me.
Daddy's frightened voice could only mean one thing: there were too many for my family to handle. My family was in too much danger. How many would we lose? Who of my family would I never see again? Would it be Carlisle or Esme, my sweet, loving, compassionate grandparents? Would it be fun, easygoing Emmett? Or maybe beautiful, frilly Rosalie or Alice? Or possibly kind, peaceful Jasper?
Or Daddy…
Or Momma… or…
Jacob?
A dark hole seemed to burn its way through the center of my chest. Oh, please, I thought, please let him be safe. Please!
A loud wolf's howl pierced through the night's silence.
No! Please, no! That wasn't Seth or Leah. No, it couldn't be them. I recognized his voice, even when he was in wolf form. Jacob! He was in pain. I had to do something, I just had to. But no, I promised Momma I would stay here. His haunting yell rang through the air again, only this time it seemed weaker, like he was being drained of strength. Without consciously telling them to, my feet were rushing me out the door toward him.
Oh, Momma, forgive me. Please forgive me.