5 Months Later


September 2147

Eddie Cullen

I couldn't believe how long I had gone without seeing or hearing my best friends voice. I knew she was alive, the day she left us, Alena, one of the immortal twins had come and told us how she and Axton had found her with the help of Cain. How Liana was keeping her in one of her many houses in the middle of nowhere and how she had wiped her memory of everything she had ever known.

That was the hardest part for Aleksander to hear, that his wife was out there somewhere but had no idea who he or their children were. Alena had promised that they'd find a way to bring her back to us. It had been five months and she still wasn't home. Every day it was like a major part of our life was missing and I counted down to the day when she would walk through that door.

Carlisle and Zio had helped as much as they could. Alena said Liana had cast a spell. It wasn't long before they had every spare guard member and anyone willing looking up spells, witches, magic, curses, anything that would help Alena and Axton narrow down what it was affecting Esther so they could reverse it and bring her back to us.

After two months we gave up, we exhausted every book, library, internet search, source we could find. There was nothing, Liana had made this spell herself. There were many like it but there were tiny things that were different that meant the reversal spell wouldn't work. We had to trust Alena and Axton would work it out and it killed me to stay out of it.

The day Esther left we had spent it clearing up the mess Liana had left behind. Chantelle set the wolves free with the help of Ariella. She came back from England protecting my children and grandchildren to help out. Every ability we used from Esther had to be found again, Ariella was used a lot more than she used to again, Ezra had to come back too, Allesandra played more of a part in Volturi business, with Esther no longer there to scare people into cooperating Zio had to use another tactic. The Volturi Princess. Allesandra was as famous as Esther for her immortality and now pyrokinesis. It wasn't as efficient as having Esther in the room but it helped. The wolves had dismantled quite a few of the guard and killed various of the hybrids. Anelie had to go around waking them all back up and we put together anyone we could. They hadn't killed the entire guard but they got a big chunk of them. We knew the wolves were vicious but to see the damage in that field will forever haunt me. I was just glad Chantelle and Zio didn't have to see their friends like that.

Upon return to the Volturi Mansion we regrouped, half the guard were given time off, the other half remained until they could swap. Zio went straight into research to find the spell on Esther and Lidiya and Anelie pretended her absence didn't affect them but I knew it did. They didn't require her presence to stay in control of their abilities anymore but I knew that they had spent every day for the past century and a half with their mother, I couldn't imagine how they were feeling not knowing where or how she was.

I was dreading this day coming with Esther not here. Lidiya was weeks overdue, her baby was just not wanting to come and it was becoming risky. Chloe told Lidiya she'd have to induce the labour tomorrow if it still hadn't made an appearance by today but we had no idea it would be too late by tomorrow.

I heard Lidiya's screaming from my parents house across the courtyard.

Her mind suddenly opened up, she was screaming in her mind saying she couldn't feel her baby anymore. Her baby wasn't moving and it didn't have a heartbeat.

Eddie I need Chloe. She was telling me and I grabbed Chloe's hand and bolted for the door.

"Eddie? Was that Lidiya?" she asked.

"The baby, I think it's dead," I said as we made it to the main house where the hospital care room was in case of emergencies. Lidiya had made it in there with a female guard member and I could hear her panicking as we reached the door.

"Chloe, I want Chloe," Lidiya gasped as she held her arms out on the table panting.

"I'm here sweetheart," she said as we ran into the room. Chloe wrapped her arms around Lidiya and led her onto the bed. "Calm down," she soothed her and stroked her forehead.

"She's dead, she's... she's not there" Lidiya cried.

"I know. There's no heart beat. It's okay Lidiya we'll save her. We always do," Chloe said softly. Lidiya's sobs wracked in her chest. Chloe injected something into her to induce the labour.

"I can't lose another child. Chloe..." she sobbed.

"And you won't. Anelie will be here any moment. She'll save her but we need to get her out okay?" she said and held her hand. Lidiya cried out in pain as the injection kicked in and her first contractions hit. Everything happened in slow motion as the door swung open and a frantic looking Matthew and Anelie ran in. I watched as they found Lidiya on the bed.

"Ok Matthew and Anelie only. Everyone else out." Chloe declared as she pulled her sleeves up and began washing her hands.

"I am staying," I declared at the same time as Aleksander.

"No you're not. Get out. Eddie you are far too volatile to watch her do this, I understand you see her as a daughter which is why you can't be here. Aleksander the same goes to you," Chloe announced to the room. Aleksander and I left the room in seconds and Chloe turned back to the girl on the bed. I tuned into my wife's mind, making sure that even though I wasn't allowed in the room I would sure as heck make sure she was okay. Aleksander began pacing and I copied as I watched.

"Are you ready Lidiya?" Chloe asked when she lay a sheet over Lidiya's legs. Lidiya had tears falling from her eyes but she nodded. Matthew was by her side holding her hand but he was distraught too, praying they weren't losing yet another child.

"Mama!" I heard Allesandra call.

"Alle no," I said turning to see Allesandra making her way to the hospital room.

"My sister has gone from my mind," she cried to me.

"Your mom is in there with your aunt. You sister will be fine," I explained and she surrendered, taking a step back into the arms of Jonathan behind her.

"Come on Lidiya you can do this," Chloe coaxed her. It was hours of labour and I knew everyone in the house was hearing Lidiya's cries. She started screaming and I left Chloe's mind. Not able to handle it anymore. The screaming stopped and I only assumed it meant the baby was born. There was no cry, no scream and no movement. I went back into Chloe's mind to see her cut the cord immediately and took the white, cold baby from the bed and brought her straight to Anelie. Anelie had tears running down her eyes as she took her from Chloe's arms. Chloe turned around to get a blanket and when she turned back Anelie had her eyes closed, one arm wrapped around the stillborn, the other on her tiny chest. Seconds later I heard the best sound in the entire world, the cry of the baby girl in Anelie's arms. Lidiya sobbed with relief and Chloe handed the blanket to Anelie who wrapped her new niece tightly before kissing her forehead and handing the baby to her sister who had almost completely recovered from the birth already. Lidiya grabbed her sisters hand and pulled her into a hug. Both of them holding the baby between them. Anelie kissed her sister before pulling away with a smile. After Lidiya had held her daughter for all of two seconds she was handing her off to Matthew. The look of adoration on Matthew's face was a picture. He already loved that baby more than anything in the world.

Aleksander and I were at the door in moments, just in time for them to walk out of the room hand in hand, Allesandra was the first over to them. She smiled widely at the baby in her father's hands and held her arms out for her sister.

"Hey baby sister," she cooed and brought up her tiny face to her lips to kiss her.

"Her name?" I asked, although I already knew it. I just knew Lidiya would want to announce it.

"We wanted to name her after our mothers, and to honour Esther we're calling her the Hebrew version of her name, Hadassah. We will call her Asta for short and of course her middle name is Chantelle," Lidiya announced.

"That's beautiful," Bella smiled. Chantelle and Zio were smiling as they got to hold their grandchild. As she was handed off to those in the room I watched the infant closely. It concerned me how she was stillborn. Being the child of death, that shouldn't have happened.

I was thinking the same thing. Chloe mentioned. I hadn't realised I had hold of her hand or was even talking to her.

I think Lidiya might be thinking the same too. She's blocked me out.

I'm sure she'll ask about it eventually. Right now let's leave her. She needs to enjoy this moment.

Chloe answered me. I nodded to my wife. Lidiya deserved this moment of happiness in the months she'd spent worrying about Esther. I looked back over to Asta as she was being held by my mother right by me. I reached out and smiled at her, her eyes opened, they were a bright blue but they were different to Lidiya's. They seemed menacing in an odd way to see in a child. Her eyes locked with mine and I felt like I was swimming in them. They darkened and I instantly reacted to grab the child but I was too late, Bella was falling, the child was still in her arms when I caught them.

"Bella," my dad gasped. Her eyes had rolled back, she was dead, dead in the sense Lidiya can perform. I let Edward take my mom from my arms and took the child from her.

"Annie!" I shouted and the twins were over by me in a moment. Lidiya took her daughter and I turned to look at my mom. Anelie barely even touched her before Bella's eyes opened and she gasped. Everyone's eyes fell on Lidiya holding the baby. Asta's eyes were black now. No longer the swimming blue. Black as death.

"I feel the same power from the baby as I did from liana, witch magic," Zio warned, he was frowning at the child, her eyes were closed now, she was fast asleep.

"How? I've never even met her. Asta's never met her!" Lidiya said, her voice scared.

"I think that spell that was cast on you and Anelie might have affected her in utero. I think the magic flooded into her, it probably tapped into your ability on the way," my dad said.

"So my daughter has the ability of death magnified by witch magic? You have to be kidding me," Lidiya said, she looked down to the innocent child in her arms fast asleep.

"I guess we'll see but it's a high possibility, I think Edward is right," Carlisle said softly.

"You'll have to train her, keep her from doing what she just did to Bella. You were like her once, not able to control your ability. You can teach her. It will all be ok" I promised Lidiya, seeing the worry on her face.

"I killed my entire family," she said, tears falling from her face.

"And they came back." I reminded her looking at Aleksander and Anelie. "You have Annie now. She just brought back my mom, she can reverse Asta's power. It will be ok" I comforted her. She nodded softly, looking down at the baby in her arms.

I only got through that because of Esther. She said in her head before locking eyes with me. I miss my mother. I need her. She added and the pain of her declaration created a lump in my throat. I missed her too. Matthew reached to hug her and she melted into him, he was trying to comfort her too in the way only he could.

We had barely moved when I realised just as my father did there was a car on the way to the estate. Just as quickly as my sisters mind flooded into my own.

"Renesmee is here?" I asked my mother. She smiled sheepishly, still in my father's arms.

"It was a surprise, her and Jacob called yesterday asking if it was a good time to come see us" she shrugged. Lidiya had turned to Carlisle to talk about Asta but I had rushed to the front door. Just as I opened the door Renesmee stood there grinning up at me.

"Hey little brother," she smiled and reached to hug me. I would have picked her up and held her to me like I couldn't let go but I saw the bulge of her stomach and realised she was pregnant.

"Are you pregnant or fat?" I asked her. She laughed, slapping my arm before looking up at Jacob.

Pregnant idiot. She said in her head. I looked over her to see Eliza walking up the path behind them, hand in hand with Kai Black, Jacob's nephew.

"And when did Kai imprint on Elizabeth?" I asked frowning at them as they reached me. I hugged my little sister, looking over her head to wait for the answers.

"It's been a long few months for all of us. I didn't want to bother any of you, knowing what you were going through trying to defeat Liana and help Esther. We're here now aren't we?" Renesmee asked stepping into the house.

"Why is my daughter pregnant again Jacob?" Edward asked appearing to greet our guests. Jacob smiled and shrugged. "Don't answer that," he added with a grin and embraced Jacob. He then turned to Renesmee and kissed her belly before hugging her.

"Hi daddy," she whispered, closing her eyes and taking in his scent.

"I can't believe you kept this from us Nessie" Bella said embracing Jacob.

"And why is there another wolf here? Holding my other much younger daughters hand?" Edward asked turning to Elizabeth to hug her.

"Hi daddy" Elizabeth mimicked Renesmee with a guilty smile. "You know Kai don't you?" she asked looking between our mother and our father. Bella nodded but Edward was watching Kai.

"Why again? Why do wolves think it's ok to imprint on a vampires daughter? Specifically mine?" Edward sighed turning to Jacob. Jacob laughed loudly and patted Edward on the back.

"Oh it's ok Eddie, you learnt to love me didn't you?"

"Only because I had to" he scoffed. My mom entwined her hand with dads before walking over to Kai.

"Hi, I'm Kai, I'm, I'm Elizabeth's, erm" he stuttered, I looked to see my dad was giving him a death glare, I knew he was only really teasing him but it definitely scared Kai enough to make him want to run and hide.

"Dad, stop it" Elizabeth sighed. Edward broke a smile and hugged Kai to him. Kai froze, unsure what to do.

"Welcome to our side of the family kid," he grinned as he pulled away. "I won't bite you I promise" he laughed.

"Oh thank god," Kai relaxed visibly.

"I've been warning him about you for months, you couldn't have kept the act up just a little bit longer," Jacob sighed at Edward handing Renesmee a hundred dollar bill with a sigh. "I had a bet." Renesmee looked triumphant.

"No Jacob, I don't torture my daughters boyfriends," he teased him.

"Hey that was only once and he wasn't right for Isobel at all," Jacob defending himself. We made our way back into the lounge area of the house where the rest of the family was with Lidiya and Asta, reminiscing about the times Jacob and Edward teamed up to scare various boyfriends. Lexi collided with Elizabeth the second she walked in the door.

"I missed you sooooo much," she said dragging out the word.

"Me too sis."

"Hey what about me?" Renesmee asked hugging our sister next.

"You too Nessie" Lexi said with a giggle hugging around her stomach.

"Why didn't anyone tell me I was getting a new niece or nephew?" she asked eying me specifically.

"Hey no one knew except these four apparently," I shrugged pointing at our traitorous siblings.

"Oh I see, two against two. Whilst this half of us fought off a powerful witch you were getting imprinted and pregnant?" Lexi teased. I went to stand next to my sister, mimicking her stand by folding my arms at Eliza and Nessie. The pair laughed and copied.

"Oh ok, I see how it is. The middle two against the oldest and the youngest?" Nessie asked. I grinned at her.

"I'm stronger than all three of you. Good luck trying to beat me," I teased. I was too busy watching Nessie I didn't see Zac come up behind me, he nudged the back of my knee, knocking the nerve and forcing my knee to buckle. I stayed standing but faltered. I turned to glare at him.

"Strongest doesn't always win," he grinned just before Renesmee launched herself at him.

"Zac!" she shouted hugging him tightly.

"Woah Ness I can't hug you over that bump," he laughed "Is it too much to ask for another Zachary if it's a boy?" he grinned. Renesmee rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah because naming one of my sons after you wasn't enough?" she asked just as both her sons walked in the room.

"Aw mom! Another one?" Zac whined seeing the bump.

"Oh shut up Zachary and give your mother a kiss," she said with a wave of her hand. Both her sons descended on her and hugged her between them. I looked over to see Anelie walk over to her sister. Lidiya looked happy but also sad at the same time, I didn't blame her. Seeing Tony and Zac hug their mother must have been painful to her. Her mother was gone, she tried to count in her head the amount of times she had hugged her mother and decided it hadn't been enough. She raised her sleeping daughter closer to her chest so she could kiss her cheek. Anelie rested her head on Lidiya's other shoulder in comfort.

It pained me to see those girls so lost without Esther around. I felt it every day, the missing piece in my mind and heart. Esther was more a part of those girls than she was of me, it must be torturous for them.

It was as if God himself had heard me, or maybe it was Esther. My mind changed, suddenly I wasn't just seeing Lidiya and Anelie in front of me, I was seeing the house from outside. I saw how she ran to us, I had barely registered her at the door before she was in the room. Lidiya rose her head her eyes locked on her mother.

Esther was standing there, strong and beautiful, not one hair out of place. Her eyes fell to the baby in Lidiya's arms and she smiled.


The End