Chapter Two

Edward's POV

We haven't been to visit Tanya in about twelve years. Carlisle had insisted, even though none of us was on board. Whenever I think of Tanya, I relive what happened, restraining myself from trying to rip myself apart. Tanya and her coven hates us. Me especially, though I can't blame them. Somehow, they had heard what I had done. After a week, Tanya had called me and started yelling on the top of her lungs on how I was a monster for what I had done, that she would never forgive me or my family. I knew what she said was the truth, I truly was a monster, which is why I couldn't stand it when Bella had part of me in her. After a week, everyone was on full alert in case I tried to leave for Italy. I tried, but failed. Throughout these twelve years, I tried to survive, but I had no will to live.

Carlisle had called Tanya to try to make amends. She agreed to let us all come, (She tried to keep me from coming, but Carlisle insisted.) but she would not be treating us like guests. At least we got somewhere with her. We were already in Alaska, about to leave for Tanya, but we just had to wait for Alice because of her visions. Jasper seemed very annoyed with everyone because our emotions were all jumbled up. Especially Alice. She was getting a lot of visions that seemed to make her confused and surprised. Her eyes widened, then she got up. "Carlisle, I think we'll be meeting someone on the way to Tanya's. She'll be leaving Tanya, and we'll cross paths." Carlisle frowned, then asked "Is she a danger to us?" Alice seemed to ponder his question before answering "No, but she seems to have a part to play in our lives. She also seems… familiar." I raised my eyebrow before shrugging it off. Alice was way to dramatic at times. Jasper loves it, but everyone else finds it annoying. Before she could start talking more about fate and destiny, Emmett interrupted by saying "Well, look at the time! We need to go!" Everyone gave him a silent look of thanks, then ran out the door immediately. While I was running, I got that sharp pain I get every day when I think of Bella. I love you Edward. And so does Renesmee. Tears threatened to fall, but I had to keep myself together for the sake of my family. (And the sanity of Jasper) Keep running Edward. Maybe you can get your life back together if you stop remembering. Oh wait. I didn't have a life before. I only had a life with her. Just then, Jasper yelled "EDWARD! PLEASE, I CAN'T RIGHT NOW!" Oops. I did it again. We ran for about ten minutes, talking and making jokes. That's when I noticed a figure in the distance. It was getting closer and closer, which must mean it's running as well. Vampire. Alice was right after all. What a surprise. We got close enough for me to realize it was a girl. She had seen us too, and her eyes flashed in fear. Amber. The same shade as mine. Weird. We all skidded to a halt less than a foot away from each other. I looked at her, examining her closely. She has brown hair that goes all the way to her waist. A flawless face, nice body, but she seemed to know how to fight and has done it before. She has a leather jacket and ripped up pants with an old pair of combat boots. She seems very familiar. When I look into her eyes, I saw fear, but a little bit of anger as well. The weird thing is, I couldn't read her mind. I strained myself, but I couldn't read anything. "Who are you and why are you here?" Carlisle asked. She smiled, then said "Well, I'm just someone visiting an old family friend, Carlisle." Her voice sounds very familiar, like it's from another lifetime. Then I realize that she knows his name. What? I frowned, but before I could ask, Carlisle asked "How do you know me?" She smiled again, then gave us a bombshell. This girl started talking about Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie as if she's known them for years. Personal information, abilities. But she seemed to care for each of them, because her voice had affection and humor for each of them. I realized she didn't mention me. Why? I gave her a strange look, then asked "So what about me? Do I have a life or what?" She gave me the death stare, then said "Yes Edward Cullen, you do. You were dying of Spanish influenza when Carlisle saved you. You 'fell in love" She said with air quotes "With Bella Swan, a human. You two got married and got pregnant. When you found out, you wanted it out of her immediately. But she loved it, and refused to let it die. It was a baby, Edward. When you realized what she wanted, you told her, specifically "I won't watch you die. I'm leaving you. This is a goodbye, Bella. A permanent one. You won't ever find us in your remaining week" Her last words to you were "I love you, Edward. And so does Renesmee" Then you ran and left her for what she thought would be forever." I had turned to stone. They all had, but he was the most effected. How could she know? How could this girl know what I've done? After a minute, I regained myself and gave this girl a look of anger. I was honestly about to tear her apart. Then I realized she was right. Everything she said was the truth. Thankfully, Carlisle was the one who spoke. "How do you know our family like it was your own?" She didn't answer, and tears filled her eyes. "Edward." She said, looking at me in the face. I looked at him. Now I have tears in his eyes. She whispered "She loved you more than anything, Edward. And you left." I've never felt so helpless and broken. When I spoke, it was only a whisper. "She was going to die. When she told me, that was what would happen. I wouldn't watch her kill herself for the monster I gave her. So, I left her… I had no choice. She had to have died those many years ago." I sat down and look at her in despair. I'll never forgive myself. She slowly looked at Carlisle, who was to shocked to say anything. "To answer your question, Carlisle, I know your family because it used to be my own." What? This made me look up from my despair. What is this girl talking about? Who does she think she is? He looked at her in surprise. "How? Who are you?" She gave me a sad, heartbroken expression and lifted the ring on her necklace. My eyes widened and jaw dropped. Suddenly, everything made sense. Everything I've ever done and said to her came crashing down to me as my knees threatened to fall.

"My name is Bella Cullen."

Bella's POV

Vampire shock. I knew it was a thing. About everyone was in it. Well, you can't blame them. They thought Renesmee had killed me, but little did they know. When they regained themselves, (Except Jasper, he collapsed on the ground from all the emotions.) they looked at my face, my eyes. Amber. Just like Edward's. Speaking of Edward, I'm sure I'll never see that expression again. He couldn't find words, his legs barely supporting each other. I put my hand in my leather jacket, pulling out the picture I had taken with Renesmee last week. It was me and her, sitting in the meadow, our meadow, hugging each other with bright smiles on our faces. I walked up, giving it to him. As our hands brushed, he flinched at my touch. "See for yourself" I said harshly. He took the photo, stared at it, whispering, "Our meadow… this is you and…" He looked at me and asked, "Who is the other girl?" I let all my hurt and pain flow through my voice before answering.

"Renesmee. Your daughter."

Then I ran.

I don't know where

I had to run

From him

I ran away from him, from them all. They ran after me, but I was faster. It was a far run to the airport, but I needed home more than ever. We had run twenty – something miles. All the others had collapsed, it was only Edward chasing me. I yelled out to Edward, "Why don't you just give up? You've done it before! You can do it again!" He soon collapsed as well. Tears blurred my vision, my sadness causing me to collapse on the snow, sobbing. "Twelve years. How could you do this to me, Edward? I loved you." Those were the last words I remember before blacking out from exhaustion, not just from running, but from life, in Edward's arms.

I opened my eyes to the sound of yelling in another room. This must be Tanya's place because Carmen is sitting in the room with me. "What's happening?" I asked. "Well, the Cullens came back to our house first without Edward. They started yelling at us and each other. We kind of had to confess that we knew this whole time." She kind of looked guilty. I smiled "Then Edward came with you in his arms, blacked out." She looked very uncomfortable. "Don't worry Carmen, they would have had to know at some point. I guess that's now." I got up and went to the main room, where they all were. Sure enough, they were yelling. When they saw me, they all got really quiet. Edward wouldn't look in my eyes. After a minute of staring each of them down, Carlisle was the first to speak. "How? How are you alive, Bella? And you're a vampire?" All eyes were on me. Then Tanya stepped up. Soon the rest of Denali coven did. They supported me and gave me the strength to explain. I crossed my arms, then said "Prepare for me to start to yell, because this is not a story I can tell calmly. Twelve years ago, I got pregnant with Edward's child. I realized that it wasn't a monster, when everyone thought it was. Even him. I loved it. It was a baby. Our baby." "You left me and your child." A long pause. Edward looked so broken, it was hard not to feel pity. Finally, he spoke "Why didn't you come back, Bella? If you've been alive all these years…" Did he just say that? I put true bitterness into my tone "After leaving me in the woods to die, I called Tanya, the only person I knew that could help, and she told me her old friend Iris would help me. She did. She cared for me, even when I got sick, and needed blood. Even when we had to induce labor after a week. Even when I was dying, she bit me with my permission to save me. Even when everyone else saw a monster, she cared enough to not think of that and help me! So that is why I never came back, Edward! Because when I saw there was no monster in you, you couldn't do the same for me!" I'm sure everyone had quietly left the room, because it was now only me and Edward standing there. No doubt they were eavesdropping. He croaked "I'm so… I love- "I threatened to slap him. He doesn't have the privilege to say those words. "Save your apologies for the one you truly left. Your daughter." Edward turned to stone. "Yeah. Don't apologize to me. You have a twenty-four-year-old daughter that matured fully in just seven years. Renesmee Cullen. She can survive on food and animal blood. She has many strengths I have, and she glistens a bit in the sun. Renesmee can also has a power that allows her to project her thoughts into anyone's mind just by putting her hand on their cheek. There is blood in her veins, a beating heart, and heat. She is also the imprintee of Jacob Black, who absolutely loves her and they are very happy together. Renesmee Cullen is most certainly NOT a monster. She is as much as a monster as you. And there is no monster in you, Edward" I took the photo of her on the table and put it back in my jacket. Then I looked up. Vampire shock. I continued. "The hardest thing was her, when she was young, asking about her father, was the fact that I had no answer." Edward was silent, then asked quietly, "Can I see her…" I didn't answer. I just yelled out "I know you're all are listening. Just come out already!" I went back to my room, putting my shoes on and changing into black pants. He at least needs to know her. I need to leave knowing that Edward knows Renesmee is not a monster. Then an idea struck me. I sat on the bed, pulled my memories from my mind and used my power to push them to Edward. All my memories of Renesmee, growing up, from birth to present. I released them. I heard him gasp from the other room. I was showing her to him, like he asked, but he hadn't expected that. After a minute or two, he walked up to my door and nocked quietly. I didn't answer, but he seemed to take the silence as a yes (why must he know me so well?) and came in. He saw me staring down at the ground, sitting on the bed, and joined me. After a minute, he asked "Have you put all your anger out so we can talk?" Silence again (yes). "I thought you were dead for so long" I snickered, then said "I thought you were gone for so long. Guess I was right." He just nodded, then said "Tell me Bella, do you still love me?" I fingered my necklace before replying "How could I stop loving the man I planned to love forever?" He nodded, then I started to feel tears. "But it's not the same. Twelve years. How could you do this to me, Edward? You left me to die. And I can't ever forgive you for what you did to Renesmee." His amber eyes seemed to widen. "She's beautiful" I looked into his eyes before answering. "Yeah. She really is, inside and out. I love her more than my own life." Edward seemed to not be able to say anything until he remembered something important. His eyes drifted to my neck. "You kept it?" he whispered, barely able to contain his emotions. Tears threatened to fall down my eyes as well. It was the one thing that I just couldn't get rid of that reminded me of him. I couldn't bring myself to. "Yes Edward, it was the only thing that gave me hope that you would come back, and it reminded me of happier times. With you." Edward stared into my eyes, then said the three words that hurt the most "I love you" That did it. I couldn't contain my emotions any longer, and fell apart in tears. The only thing that kept me from breaking was Edward's arms, holding me while I cried into the night.