Chapter 3

Ambrogio's Mistake

That night Renesmee had booked a reservation for the two of us at a small restaurant – without Jacob. Compared to the taste of blood, the food at the restaurant was quite awful but it still had some sweet tastes to it; such as the creamy barbecue gravy on the mushroom ravioli.

As we arrived, we took our spots at the centre table, and as we ate, I looked at Renesmee in the dim light of the lamp shade; her skin reflected the glow so beautifully and her soft brown eyes just sparkled like diamonds. Seeing passed the resemblance of Edward and Bella present in her face; all I could see before me was the stunning young woman I had had the privilege of knowing my whole life – never changing, always staying as perfect as she was.

Renesmee caught me staring, though shamefully it was not the first time of the night, but she smirked to reply my look. "What are you staring at?" she asked, pushing back a string of hair behind her ear.

I smiled, tilting my head to the side. "I don't know. You're still the Renesmee I've always remembered, even now, I still see the little girl behind the face of the young woman I see before me; but something's just different about you."

Renesmee sighed. "You remind me so much of your father, you know that." Breathing a laugh as I found her remark to be a compliment, and then she asked. "Gino, if I asked you to leave the Volturi, would you do it?"

Even with the ability to read her mind, I had no idea where the question came from; and suddenly I felt the dream-like state of the evening had just disappeared.

"Why would you ask such a thing?" I replied.

Renesmee then placed her warm hand over my own, "Because I really want you to stay in Forks…with me."

I leaned back in my chair; reading her immediate mind all of her thoughts were of us – every other past time, it was mostly about her and Jacob. But now she wanted me to stay; so she could have someone new to be with. But even after I paid for the meal, as much as I tried to avoid the matter; Renesmee still pushed on about the conversation.

"You still haven't given me an answer." She prompted.

"Well, what do you want me to say, Renes?" I snapped, "That for you I would just abandon the Volturi and my father."

"Gino, you know I didn't mean it like that." I quickly calmed myself, knowing that she never meant to harm; I apologised and wrapped my arm around her shoulders and held her tight. "It's just that, as much as I love my Jacob, I really want you to stay; we have fun together don't we? I mean, you're my best friend."

As we walked on down the lane, she clutched onto my arm; placing her head against my shoulder, I too leaned down and rested my cheek against her hair. "Renesmee, as my best friend too, you know I would promise to do anything for you if you asked it of me; but asking me to leave my family is something I just cannot do. It'd be like me asking you to leave your family to be with me in the Volturi."

As we headed back to the Cullen's house; we strolled silently through the woods, taking our time under the twilight moon. The thin snow was slugging beneath our feet, suddenly then she yanked on my arm to a stop; Renesmee looked up and above our heads was a small string of mistletoe. My heart stopped once and then gained its speed a little faster than normal; I did not even have to read her mind to know where this was going.

"It's still the Christmas season, so can I ask for one thing of you…?" My heartbeat intensified a fraction faster, as she whispered perfectly, "Kiss me."

Looking down at her lips, I went into an uncontrollable trance – where the body just seemed to control itself and all you could do was watch. I cupped her jaw; and we both tried our hardest to control our breathing but it was almost impossible when finally our lips touched for the first time. Desire pulsated down my body, thoughts were being exchanged back and forth with her finger tips just under my chin; her lips were so soft, it was almost like kissing satin with a hint of strawberry, but hesitantly I stopped the kiss when her blood began to make me thirsty.

I looked down at her glowing face, and now the difference in her was now clear; it was something I could not explain, as if I was seeing her through a different set eyes and yet she remained the same – the kiss had changed everything, the earth had spun more than once in a single second, and the difference was – was that I was seeing her romantically.
But it was in that same moment that I realised that the kiss, and my fast developing feelings for her, was a mistake. I knew what she wanted more than anything but it wasn't fair of her to ask this of me; just as it wasn't fair of me to keep making promises to her that I couldn't keep.

I took her home to the stone cottage, Edward had answered the door, and I felt so discouraged when I humbly told him what had happened – and what I had done.

"You know you're only going to end up hurting her." He warned.

I nodded, replied bitterly, "I know; which is why I have to do what I have to do... I'm sorry."

Back inside the Cullen residence, I settled down into the double bed; Jane was standing by the giant window, and Alec watching in a nearby tree. After a while of hearing my uncle talking to Carlisle and Esme, I heard Marcus come into the room; sitting down on the bed beside me, he began to stroke my dark brown hair like he used to, to send me to sleep.

Feeling what I was feeling towards Renesmee and the confliction I was having within myself. "My nephew, do not punish yourself for loving her. Take her while you still can, because if you wait; you might find that she might no longer be there." Uncle Marcus expressed his desire for me to be happy, encouraging me to take what I could from life – before it was gone.

Without moving my lips, I told him why I couldn't. "Dear Uncle, my way of life is something I do not want her to endure. Besides, there is already one other that could truly make her happy right here; one who could give her safe life, a life that I could never give her."

The next morning, the dawn broke through the layered mist over the snow, and I told Carlisle to take Marcus and the others to the airport; after breakfast, Renesmee took me to a very special place – it was her parents' meadow – that was once covered with blossoming flowers was now a sparkling ice palace.

"This place is very special to my parents – and I wanted it to be a special place for us." Her smile expressed how everything in this place was important to her.

Renesmee snuggled forward into my arms, curling her fingers through my brown hair; she stretched up on her toes to reach my lips, until I stopped her.

"Nesmee, I understand your feelings for me… but I don't want to do this to us." Renesmee looked at me confused as I exhaled heavily. "I have to leave Forks,"

She nodded her head, understanding that I had to return to my father. "Okay, I understand, you have duties to for fill, its fine." But then she noticed the dull expression on my face. "When are you coming back?" she asked.

"Renesmee... I won't be coming back." Her breathing completely stopped. "I'm sorry but it's just after last night... there are conventions, formalities... things that I have to put first in my family."

"But... I am your family." she whispered.

I backed away, shaking my head. "No. You're not. You belong here with Jacob; your life has always been an ivory tower – you just don't belong in my world, Renes."

"Jacob's my friend, and my brother, but I know I belong with you! You and I are the same!" her voice continued to break under the pressure that swelled in her eyes.

"Renesmee, we've never been the same; there was a time when I was younger that I thought we were... but now I realise it was only something that I wished to see. You are the only one of our kind who is special; at least you have your mother, but I…" Shamefully, I looked down at my mother's ring, "I killed her... just like all the others. I'm no different than they are."

She was growing furious with my attitude. "Well, then if you won't stay then... I'll... I'll... I'll go with you!" Her threat was the most insane thing I had ever heard her say. "I'll join the Volturi! And I don't care what you say, I'm coming!"

I glared at her coldly, "Renesmee, I don't want you to come." My voice was so cold; the pain in her eyes was just so unbearable. "I'm just not... good enough for you."

Renesmee shook her head with tears flowing from her eyes. "You'll always be good enough for me, Ambrogio... I love you."

Fighting back the tears as hard as I could, I turned to walk away, but then Renesmee ran to my side and grabbed my arm; every fibre in my body told me not to, but I swerved and punched her in the stomach. Clutched at her throat, I lifting her off the ground until she screamed in pain; suddenly a prolonged crack of thunder encircled us and the giant russet wolf plunged through the trees. Without much effort, I hurled my body forward and tossed Renesmee back; luckily Edward, Bella, and Rosalie were there to catch her – I took one last glance at her despairing face before jumping into the trees to escape from the wrath of Jacob and Rosalie.

"No, no, no Rose! Jake! He didn't mean it!" she squealed, "JACOB!"

Hardly panting as I ran through the woods, I could almost feel the breath of the wolf running down my neck; but thankfully I managed to escape Jacob's jurisdiction as I passed into the Canadian border, but I kept on running, fearing the worst that Rosalie would still be chasing me. But I knew I couldn't go back, and so I made the trip home alone.

And when I did finally return to Italy, my father embraced me in his love after being so worried about me. I revealed to him what had happened; now I was truly equal with the vampires of the coven, for I had finally deliberately hurt someone – and it was the one creature, aside from my father, who I cared more than my own life.

Now it was only natural that I inflicted my pain upon my victims; for the sake of trying to bury my own guilt. And it was only then that I completely and whole-heartedly admitted to myself; that I was hopelessly and compellingly in love with Renesmee Cullen.