Hey y'all! Here's the next chapter. Man, days blur together in the summer. I can't even remember how long it's been since I last updated, but hopefully it hasn't been too long and this chapter is a welcome surprise! Anyway, sorry if the last chapter seemed a bit out there. It was kind of just a fluffy filler to get to this one. BUT thank you so much for the reviews! dkjkaden: I hope you enjoy this chapter, YaleAceBella12: here is more, and to that lovely guest reviewer who said this should be a movie... Thank You, you wonderful person! Haha enjoy, loves :)

Chapter 22: They Found Us

Jacob and Renesmeee lay on the sand under the stars, tangled in each other's arms. Renesmee honestly did not know how she could ever possibly be happier than she was at this very moment. "Jacob?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, Ness?" he said, running his hands up and down her cold back. Even though he knew she was naturally colder than a normal human, he always tried to warm her up.

"What do you think the future holds for us? After we're married, I mean."

"The future holds nothing but happiness for you and I, Nessie."

"I know," she sighed. "But what's going to happen? I'm scared that a lot is going to change after we're married. Nothing's going to be the same."

"I don't know what's going to happen, Honey," he said truthfully. "All I know for sure is that there is absolutely no reason for you to be scared, ok? Every change will be for the better, and you and I will be together forever and always. That is one thing that won't ever change."

Renesmee traced the moon shaped scar she had left on his wrist. Images from his sickness filled her mind, and Jacob cringed. Damn, he had looked frightening. Jacob pulled her closer to him. "Nothing will ever separate us, Nessie," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. "I promise."

Renesmee nodded against his chest and yawned. Jacob couldn't help but smile. "Go to sleep, my Nessie," he whispered, stroking her hair like he had when she was a baby.

"I'm not tired," she protested, but another yawn gave her away.

"Liar," he chuckled.

"I don't want to go home yet though."

"You don't have to. Just go to sleep right here on the beach next to me."

Renesmee closed her eyes, letting the sound of Jacob's heart and the soft crashing of the waves lull her to sleep.

~J/N~

Renesmee's eyes fluttered open. She sat up and stretched her stiff muscles that had resulted from sleeping on the beach. Looking out over the ocean, she saw a faint streak of pink on the horizon. That's when it hit her: they'd stayed out all night long. If her parents weren't home already, they would be very soon, and it would not be a fun morning when they realized she was gone. "Jake," she whispered to her sleeping fiancé. But Jacob didn't stir. "Wolf-man," she tried again, smiling a little and shaking her head when she still received no response. He was such a heavy sleeper. Using her normal voice, she said, "Jacob!"

His eyes snapped open. "What? Are you ok, Ness? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," she laughed. "But you won't be if we don't beat my dad home and he finds out that we stayed out all night."

"All night? Seriously?" he said in disbelief. Sitting up, he looked out over the water, and saw the same thing Renesmee just had. "Whoa."

"Yeah 'whoa'," she laughed again, hopping to her feet and offering him her hand. "Come on, let's get me home so my father doesn't send out a search party and call off the wedding before he kills you."

"Sounds good to me," Jacob said with a smile as he took Renesmee's hand and jumped up off the ground.

They took the shortcut back to the Cullen mansion, walking through the trees hand in hand, talking about everything and nothing much all at the same time. Suddenly, Jacob stopped, putting his arm out protectively in front of Renesmee. "Jake, what is it?"

"Vampire," Jacob growled. Jacob had gotten a lot better at keeping his temper in check throughout the years, but if he even thought Renesmee was in danger, that all went out the window.

It didn't take long for Renesmee to realize what vampire could make her fiance so angry. The Volturi. "They found us," she whispered, stepping closer to Jacob as the intruders came into view a couple hundred feet away.

"Renesmee Cullen," the familiar voice purred as the cloaked figures came closer, "isn't this a nice surprise."

Every muscle in Jacob's body tensed when he recognized Jane Volturi's voice and Alec Volturi's scent. "Nessie," he whispered fiercely, "I want you to run. Get out of here as fast as you can, got it?"

"No way," she whispered just as fiercely, glad at least that her voice portrayed the bravery her shaking knees did not.

"Renesmee," he warned.

"You rely on me and I'll rely on you, right? Isn't that what you said?" she reminded him, her heart beating faster and faster as the two vampires made their way towards them. "I'm not leaving you. We'll face them together."

Jacob nodded slightly, knowing there was no point in arguing with her. That, and there was no time. He took an even more protective stance in front of her, so that now her body was hardly visible from behind his. "Just promise you'll stay behind me."

"Promise," she nodded against his shoulder. It wasn't like she wanted to be here. She wanted both of them to be anywhere else but here!

Jacob desperately fought against the urge to phase as he watched Jane and Alec approach, their red eyes blazing. He focused instead on the feel of Renesmee's cold hands pressed against his burning back. He had to think of some way to protect her other than phasing. She was too close, and he knew bursting into a giant wolf would do more harm than good, and the Volturi were upon them.

"Down Dog," Jane said, a cruel smile turning up the corners of her lips.

"So you are alive," Alec scoffed looking Jacob over.

"Last time I checked," Jacob said slowly.

"We were told by a certain someone that you had an encounter with a rather new member of our species," Jane explained cooly. "It seems she was wrong. You survived after all. How... nice."

"Glad you were so concerned," Jacob said through clenched teeth. "This certain someone?"

"Yes. Olivia," Alec said with a smirk. "Though we're not here because of that. Actually, Edward did us a favor. She was weak and of no use to us any longer. He saved us from having to do it ourselves."

"We are here simply to speak with Renesmee," Jane said, silencing her brother with no more than a quick look.

Jacob swallowed the bitter taste that arose in his mouth and ignored the fire that rolled down his spine at the mere mention of these bloodsuckers anywhere near his Renesmee. He did not move one inch when he said, "Alright. You can talk to her."

Jane sighed and spoke as if she were talking to a child. "Might I at least look at her while I am speaking with her?"

Jacob clenched his jaw and nodded reluctantly. He would be close enough to save her if anything happened. He looked over his shoulder at Renesmee. "It's ok, Ness."

Renesmee's heart beat so hard in her chest she thought it would burst. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why couldn't the Volturi just leave her alone? All her life she'd had nightmares about the people with the red eyes, and now they had entered her reality once again. She looked up at Jacob, who immediately saw the fear in her chocolate brown eyes. It took every ounce of strength and concentration he had in his body to keep from phasing now. Instead, he tried to smile at her reassuringly. "It's ok," he whispered. "I'll be right here."

Taking a deep breath, Renesmee stepped out from around Jacob, her father's words echoing in her head, Believe me, Angel, when the time comes for you to be brave, you will. She could be brave. She would be brave. She would be...

"Don't be afraid," Jane said, seeing Renesmee's hesitation.

Renesmee jerked her head up and looked Jane straight in the eye. "What do you want with me?" she asked firmly, somehow finding the strength within her to stare down the woman who still haunted her dreams.

"Now Renesmee," Jane said, a little irritated by the girl's obvious lack of respect for her, "you know Aro has been keeping a close eye on your development over these past seven years. He is very impressed with your progress. Not only is he interested in you because of your unusual genetic make-up, but he is also fascinated by your gift. Aro has sent Alec and I to ask you to come to Italy and join the Volturi, now that you have fully developed."

Join the Volturi? This had to be some sort of a sick joke! She couldn't leave her family, and she most definitely could not leave Jacob. They'd have to kill her first. Which, they very well might do if she refused. She shuddered at the thought. Death would not be so bad, but leaving Jacob behind would be unbearable. Life without Jacob was no life at all. Her fiance growled behind her at the thought of her joining the Volturi. It was a frightening sound, but it gave Renesmee strength. "As deeply honored as I am, I'm afraid I must decline," Renesmee said slowly and with all the politeness she could muster. "Please send my apologies to Aro, but I cannot leave my family."

"Aro is not easily impressed, Renesmee," Jane said, her temper beginning to flare with her wounded pride. How dare this girl, this mere child, refuse her? It wasn't like she deserved this offer, anyway. Personally, Jane found the Cullen child unworthy of Aro's consideration. But she had come, in hopes that she could gain some of his favor she had lost when Renesmee and her 'gift' had come into the picture. "To be invited into the Volturi is not a decision so easily dismissed," Jane continued, her eyes narrowing at the insolent child. "I suggest you think carefully about this choice you are making. Do I make myself clear?"

Jacob sensed this situation was going no where good fast. Although he was proud of his little Nessie for holding her own, he knew how quick Jane's temper was. More so than his even. Edward, he thought, desperately hoping he was close enough so that his thoughts were in range. He knew he and Renesmee would not get out of this without some help. Edward, Ness is in trouble! You guys better get over here now!

"You could not be more clear, Jane," Renesmee said in a determined manner. "But I simply cannot and I will not leave my family."

Jacob saw the fire burning in Jane's red eyes, and Alec's evil smirk, and he knew what was coming next. "No!" he growled, jumping in front of Renesmee. He instantly felt a wave of indescribable pain crash over him, and immediately crumpled to the ground under the weight of the unbearable agony he was in. Everything hurt. He clenched his jaw shut to keep from screaming.

"Jacob!" Renesmee cried out, falling to her knees beside him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him tightly. With a passion in her eyes that one only gets when they value someone's life over their own, Renesmee looked up at Jane and shouted, "Stop it! Stop torturing him!"

"Gladly," Jane smiled cruelly, turning her gaze towards the hated child. Renesmee closed her eyes in anticipation for the pain she knew was coming, but welcoming it, because she knew it meant Jacob was free from it. When she felt nothing, she dared to look up at Jane again, who's face was now twisted in anger and confusion.

"Amazing," Alec whispered to Jane's annoyance. "She seems to have inherited her mother's gift. She is immune to your powers, Jane."

Before either woman had time to react, a tall man with tan skin and his black hair tied back in a braid emerged from the trees. "Renesmee?" he asked.

Renesmee looked up at him and gasped, "Nahuel!"