Relief

Seeing Jane leave gave me the greatest ease. Even though my family did not have to breathe, I could tell they were all holding their breaths- we were all holding our breaths. Leah looked like a mess. One of her front legs were stuck out at an awkward angle. It must have been broken but was healing quickly. She was growling from the time that we came until Jane left. We didn't ease up though, there was still a possibility that she'll come back and bring up another fight. It wasn't until Alice saw Jane arrive at Italy an hour later that we all eased up. My family all hugged each other; Esme pulling me along to this warm family moment. Then Bella hugged every member of the pack; even the new puppies. I didn't take my eyes off Leah the whole time. I was just glad she was safe.

Everyone was turning to leave but Leah didn't move so I stayed with her. Emmett was about to tell me to get a move on but Bella gave him a scorching look. He smirked and went along the rest of the family. I thought the pack wasn't getting a move on either but then they all sprang out of the picture. Leah still didn't move. She was still facing the place where Jane disappeared. I knew she wasn't going to make the first move to do anything so I sat beside her.

"You can ease up now. She's gone," I whispered to her ear. She looked at me and I knew exactly what she was thinking. "Don't give me that look. I know, I know. I should have told you. But I was just worried you'll go and patrol the area so you'd go catch her or something. Or... you'd tell me again that I should abandon you for someone like her. I can't take that.." After a moment she looked at the trees again. I wasn't sure what message she wants me to get so I said, "Look I can't talk to you and not being sure if I got that correct. Why don't you go and get dressed?" I offered her my shirt and she took it using her mouth. She walked away and headed for the trees.

After a moment she stepped out of the trees wearing my plain black shirt. She looked breath-taking. The black satin was long on her, me being a bit taller than her. It molded around her body, making me warmer in places that wasn't really appropriate to talk about. Knowing that she didn't wear anything beneath my shirt didn't make things any better.

"You look amazing," I told her. She rolled her eyes.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere. You need a lot of explaining to do," she scoffed.

"Look, I'm sorry if I had to lie. I just didn't want to alarm you and the pack. I didn't want you to patrol the area just to protect my family."

She shook her head,"You have to understand that's our responsibility. Jacob would do anything to protect his Renesmee and..."

"And you have to protect me also," I continued for her. She didn't meet my gaze so I decided to joke around. "I don't need protection you know. Just in case you haven't noticed, I'm a vampire and vampires doesn't get hurt."

"Yeah but vampires can be torn apart and burn to ashes," she countered, shaking her head as she recognized some of her words.

"It hurts my ego when I have to be protected by the woman that I love," I told her.

She smiled,"What is it with men and their humongous egos?"

"What is it with you and the desire to be this huge hero?" I countered back.

"I don't want to be a huge hero," she said indignantly.

"Then what were you doing here?" I asked. I just realized that relief was being replaced by anger. She blinked at me twice then got angry herself.

"For your information, I didn't come here on purpose. Jacob wanted privacy for the new pups and I decided to just walk around. I was going to go back to the rez when Jane heard someone scream my name and that's it," she said, her voice was still heated but calming down.

"Someone screamed your name?" I repeated. She nodded, still flushed with anger. It was my fault. I was not really favoring myself right now. I was the reason why she was in trouble in the first place. If I didn't say anything a while ago, Jane wouldn't have gone after her.

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter. I think she was going to kill me anyways. She did not know who I was and I think she just saw me and thought I would serve as food for her. She was just going to torture me when she realized it was me," she explained. She looked sad and scared at the same time.

"Look I'm just glad that you're safe. She's gone and now we can be left alone. That's all that matters, right?" I said as I wrapped my arms around her but she wiggled free.

"Promise me that I could trust you," she said, holding her arms at my chest, preventing me to come closer to her.

"You can't."

She blinked. I knew she wasn't sure if that was a question or an answer. I wasn't so sure for myself. I don't want to hurt her but to protect her I am willing to do things that I'll never be proud of. Just to protect her. But would I be willing to push her away? She nodded, blinking her tears back, and left without saying good-bye.

That night, I did not go to Leah's place. I was still a bit unsure if I could spend the rest of my life with her. I would only hurt her more and more. The Volturi would find some way to get in the way from our happiness and if she gets hurt, I would never forgive myself. She already broke her arm when she fought Jane a while ago and that was when my family cam e at the perfect time. What if they didn't? What if they didn't find her right away? What if next time, no one would be able to come to her aid? I can't lose her.

A knock came from the outside and Bella came in. She was a very beautiful girl, with her long thick locks of brown hair like her daughter. If I have never known Leah, I would do everything to take Bella from Edward. It was funny that I thought of that a long time ago. I remembered Edward could hear my every thought and I made it clear- now, I could only love her as my sister.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked as she came in. She smiled that pretty smile of hers. Out of all the Cullens, she was my favorite. "You and Edward aren't busy?"

She smiled, "No, he's going to teach me to play the piano. I think he's made that as his hobby or something." I offered her one of the black leather chairs that stood waiting. She sat comfortably.

"I thought you guys already have a piano in the cottage?" I asked as I sat down to the white leather couch in front of her.

"Yeah, but... the thing is I accidentally broke it."

I laughed,"Broke? Let me guess, you got frustrated."

She chuckled,"I'm not the most patient person, you know."

"I think you're in the wrong room then. I mean, as you can see, the piano isn't here," I said sarcastically but with friendliness in my voice.

"Yeah, I just want to talk to you," she hesitated.

"About what?"

"Leah."

"What about her?"

"Is there something wrong between you two?" she asked worried.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Then what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be there with here right now?"

"I don't know. I just don't know."

She looked at me amazed,"You don't know how to handle her?"

"Yes and no."

"Elaborate?"

"I don't want to hurt her but whatever I do to protect her from hurting, I'd just get her hurt even more."

"Are you thinking of abandoning her?"

"Anything to protect her," I said solemnly.

"No! Don't do that to my step sister!" she suddenly exploded. She stood up and the chair fell. I looked at her, confused. "You're just going to hurt her! I can't let you do that!"

"I'm not doing this to you, Bella, I'm leaving her, not you. I don't understand why you have to get all upset," I said, confused.

"Edward did this to me before because he thought he was hurting me. I know what will happen to her if you leave her. She's going to be an empty shell. She wouldn't even bother to be bitter but if you leave her, all we're going to see is a broken Leah. Don't do that to her! How can you protect her from pain when you, yourself, einflict it?!" she screamed. If she was still human, I was sure blood would come rushing to her face.

"All right, all right, I wouldn't do that to her, I promise," I told her holding my hands up, trying to calm her down. She was taking this personally.

"Good," she replied stiffly.

"Then what should I do?"

"You can protect her and still be with her. She can't be by herself because what if Jane went after her again and you weren't here? My family can't always be there for her either. I mean she tends to be by herself. Just don't leave her."

"Then if I can't leave her, I must do everything to never let her go," I said, thinking of a solution right away. I knew Edward was listening to us, especially to me, so I thought that Bella shouldn't know anything.

"What?"

"You'll see," I said as I smiled.