Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all Twilight Saga and characters.

Renesmee

My face and my body change so fast that some days it feels like I can barely recognize myself in the mirror. So this morning I took my time to look at the girl staring back at me. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes wider than usual, and her mouth was tight on one corner as she straitened her blouse. I hadn't realized it until I looked at her that I was nervous. A part of me worried that my chances of befriending a human were small because they would be able to tell I was different. Nevertheless, I still hoped. I knew that the academic component of high school would not be a problem. I just had to focus on the social part. All I needed to do was pretend I was human; however, this scared me. Especially, since, I still wasn't confident about my ability to keep my thoughts to myself when someone touched me. To top things off, Anna said that she would meet me before school to show me around. She never seemed comfortable around me, which made this first day of school experience more nerve wracking. I wonder if she liked me at all or if she purposefully treated me different.

"Did you ever consider that it was the other way around?" I heard my father ask behind me. I turned to see him leaning against the doorframe smirking at me.

What do you mean? I don't treat her any different than I do the other members of the pack, do I? I asked him mentally.

"Well, you don't but maybe you should. You are more mature than her. Your vocabulary is different, your knowledge of almost every subject is advanced, and even the expressions you use have a level of sophistication that is beyond that of a teenager. You are very confident in your opinions on any subject of conversation, which is something I love about you. Teens today do not think about matters enough to form strong opinions. It's even more evident when you are with Leah and the other older members of the pack. Any teenager would find this a bit intimidating because they can't keep up."

"I'll try to keep that in mind. Though, I don't think portraying insecurity will be a problem for me today." He smiled as he approached me. Taking my face in his hands, he kissed my forehead like he had done thousands of times before.

"You will do great. Jacob is on his way. I'll call when he's downstairs." He gave me his crooked smile before he walked out the door. As he walked out I saw the message light on my phone turn on. I pressed the power button and saw that I had received an email. I pressed the little envelope on the screen and smiled as I read its content.

Nessie

Congratulations on your first day of school. You seemed so excited in your last email. I hope that it is everything you desired. Enjoy this adventure for both of us but remember to be careful. The only person I want to torture on my next visit to Forks is Rosalie;-)

Always

DV

I felt a pressure in my heart as I thought of my little brother. I had only known him for about 5 months but in that short time we had become family. Like brother and sister. I hated no knowing if he was really ok. I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was safe, I just didn't know if he was being cared for. We all worried about this but nothing could be done about it.

I took my new school bag, containing all of my supplies, and gave myself one last look.

"I can do this." I told the still nervous girl that looked back at me and I walked out my bedroom door to wait downstairs for Jacob to pick me up.

About a Year ago...

We sat at around the small table staring intently at each other's eyes. Jacob's eyes narrowed slightly as did Leah's. The tension between them was palpable. I really wanted to laugh at their intensity but I held my ground. I kept my face clear of emotion, imitating my parents and my vampire relatives in their statuesque form and manner.

"If you really think you got balls then show me Alpha boy," she said to him in almost a growl.

"Fine! I fold!" Jacob threw his cards on the table to show a pair of 3's. He was pouting. I broke my frozen pose and smiled at him to reassure him.

"What are you smiling at kid. Read 'em and weep." She showed me her strait with a triumphant smile. I smiled back at her and giggled as I laid down my strait flush.

"Damn it Jake! Why the hell did you show this genius twerp to play poker! This is all your fault!" Jacob picked me up from my spot at the coffee table and placed me on his lap, surrounding me with his protective arms.

"Stop whining and hand over the cash Clearwater!" Then he kissed the top of me head and continued, "Good job, Nessie. Next time, we'll play the guys and see if we can make you a little richer." I giggled again as Leah took out a $20 dollar bill and gave it to me.

"Yeah, yeah, good job kid. But next time go hustle your uncles. They can actually afford it." I smiled at her.

"How about I treat you to dinner with this money. I want to see uncle Seth anyway. Will you take me after dinner?"

"I can take you, Ness." But I shook my head and turned so that I could face him.

"No, Jakey, you lost to Leah so you have to patrol tonight. Its not nice to go back on a promise." Leah was smirking and Jacob pouted even more. He started tickling me but stopped when we heard aunt Alice gasp. Jacob stood still holding me in his arms.

"I see a Volturi crest." Her small voice was aghast. "Damn it! I can't tell who or when with the wolves here!" We heard a car park outside almost immediately. Jacob started trembling and handed me over to momma who had practically materialized next to us at the mention of the Volturi. The entire family was now in the living room with us.

"How the hell did they even get past the pack?" Jacob growled angrily.

"He rented a car."

"Seriously! They can rent cars and drop at our doorstep? Why the hell do we have guard dogs for?!" Uncle Emmett said earning a growl from both wolves. There was a knock on the door.

"It's just Felix. Its ok, he needs our help." Daddy told us. Grandpa Carlisle nodded once and proceeded to open the door. The first thing I noticed was the dark cloak that haunted my nightmares. I hugged momma's neck tighter. Then I noticed he was holding bright modern baby carrier. It looked odd against the ancient vampire.

"I am here on my behalf, not theirs." He said almost in a growl, "I know we have our... differences but this is a sensitive matter and you are the only ones I could trust." He looked at my grandfather when he said trust. Grandpa looked at him and looked at the baby inside the carrier.

"Come in, son. As long as you are not here to hurt my family, you are welcome in this home."

Felix stepped in and placed the carrier on the coffee table where we had been playing poker. I could see the baby, wrapped in blankets. He was beautiful. Fair skin brushed with rosy rounded cheeks. His hair was dark, almost all black. He had a small but well defined nose and chin. His eyes were wide and aware. Blue eyes, that looked both scared and sad. I don't know why but I needed to comfort him. I needed to show him it was ok. I climbed down momma's embrace. She held my hand as we both approached the baby. I looked up at Felix to make sure he was ok with this. His eyes were narrowed in uncertainty but he nodded at me and then at my momma. I took the little baby's hand and smiled as he wrapped his fist around two of my fingers. I showed him a picture of my family playing outside. I showed him how we all loved each other and how we would never hurt him. He smiled at me.

"What's his name?" Momma asked Felix.

"His name is Duilio... Duilio Marco de Volturi. He is Marcus's son and he is in danger." Everyone in the room looked at each other but I looked at my father. I could see his face was hard. He was angry.

"Why? Who would be stupid enough to harm a Volturi prince?" Momma asked him.

"Aro." Daddy explained. Felix looked at him.

"Please explain. I have a feeling you have much to tell us." Grandpa told him. He signaled for him to sit on the couch. Felix seemed unsure about the offer but then he looked at me and seemed to understand something I hadn't at that time. He realized I was scared and grandpa was trying to make the situation as relaxed as possible. Felix took off his cloak and handed it to grandma who put it in the coat closed for him. Everyone took a place in the living room. Momma and I sat on the floor, next to the Duilio. I was on her lap.

"The discovery of your granddaughter and the other hybrids has opened a new door in Aro's mind. Caius was and is still completely against it. He considers them all an abomination. Aro tried it for himself at first but they were all failures. You were very lucky. Your Bella was more unique than you expected. Aro commissioned a scientist named Davy to try to figure out why they were unsuccessful. I believe you know of him." He told grandpa.

"Yes, I do. Sir Humphrey Davy. I did not know he was one of us."

"He was fairly famous in his time so Aro suggested he keep a low profile in his afterlife. He has done well at that. Davy helped Aro discover that, aside from the more practical difficulties that a vampire must face when impregnating a human female and the difficulty is to find that is not on birth control, not every human female is strong enough to carry these children. He tried to artificial insemination as well but as he predicted, it was useless."

"Why? A lot of women get pregnant using artificial insemination?" Jacob asked him.

"For the same reason we cannot change a human by merely spitting in their morning coffee. There has to be a direct connection between us and them through the blood. Anyway, with all the discouraging news Aro was less enthusiastic. We realized the reason Joham only had 5 children was because they are quite difficult to create even if he remained controlled during the process. It took Joham thousands of women and over a century to get the 5 children he has.

"No one suspected that Marcus would be interested in Aro's experiments. He never had. He was always indifferent to everything that happened in Volterra. Then six weeks ago he locked a human girl in a room and calmly explained that she was pregnant with his seed. Aro was extremely pleased. He made sure she had everything she needed. When Duilio ripped out of her, Aro was ebullient. Marcus showed no signs of interest for the boy. He remained the same as he always was at first. But last week he started to change. He was asking questions, he started addressing the guard, questioning Aro. Needless to say, Aro did not like this. He sees this as a threat to his reign.

"You are all too young to know this but there is a reason why Marcus is so important to Aro. In the beginning, the guard belonged to Marcus. Marcus was a warrior and he personally trained each one of his guard."

"Marcus? A warrior?" Uncle Emmett asked doubtfully.

"Yes. He was one of the greats. Marcus had the skills of both a warrior and the magnetism of a politician. A Cesar of his day. All of the original guard followed Marcus' command during the Romanian war. We would have followed him to our death, Chelsea or no Chelsea. He was powerful, a commander, and this is why Aro was drawn to him. Aro had the vision, Marcus that the knowledge and power to accomplish his vision and Caius had the bloodthirsty drive to see it through. This is why they were so successful. The only problem was that even though Aro was lethal, he no warrior. When Marcus married Aro's sister, Aro thought he had his loyalty for eternity. Now that Didyme is gone," he said this word and looked at daddy who narrowed his eyes before Felix continued. "Marcus has no real loyalty to Aro. If Marcus awakens, Aro knows he may lose his place if he decides to take the guard back."

"Alright, but what does this have to do with the child?" Grandpa asked him.

"Yesterday, Aro asked Marcus in front of the guard if he was going to claim the boy as his son. Marcus still remained uninterested and said he has never found need for a son. Since, Marcus has yet to claim him as his son, the boy is merely an experiment and in Aro's eyes he is a failed experiment, not a member of the Volturi family. Aro took this as his opportunity. He knew that Duilio was the reason why Marcus was awakening so asked me to remove the child and kill it. The bothers have an unspoken rule that they cannot harm someone the other has claimed. As long was the boy is unclaimed he can get away with killing his brother's son. "

"Is this why Jane is able to get away with the things she does?" Daddy asked him.

"Yes. Aro claimed her as his personal guard so she is untouchable, even though sometimes Caius has threatened to rip her apart. As much as Aro wanted his little experiment to work, he does not want it at the expense of Marcus taking over his guard. That is why I'm here. I am here to ask you to protect this child until his father comes for him. You are the only ones strong enough to protect him for Aro and the only ones who would care enough to try."

"What makes you so sure his father will come for him? It doesn't seem to me like he cares much about his son." I could hear the anger in her voice as aunt Rosalie said this.

"The connection this child has to his father is already awakening Marcus after only a week. Marcus has been in his frozen indifferent stupor for centuries. He just needs some time." He paused to look at Duilio, then he turned back to her. "I have known Marcus for a very long time. He will come for his son and I owe him the opportunity to have his son back."

"Come for his son or come for us? How do we know that this isn't Aro's plan all along?" She continued still furious.

"Your mind reader knows I speak the truth and if you are worried that I will go back to Volterra to tell Aro then let me assure you I will not be going back. I cannot return to Volterra after betraying Aro's wishes. I much rather die at your hands than Aro's.

"You want us to kill you." Jacob asked incredulously.

"Yes. I know you have no reason to trust me but even if Marcus chooses to pardon my treason, I know Aro will find a way to destroy me."

"And us." Uncle Jasper said in a hiss.

"I know that you are concerned that Aro will take this as an opportunity to destroy you but I figure that with your Renesmee's ability to show the truth, any lies that Aro can produce will be null. He will not be able to blame you when she can so easily show the truth. " Grandpa stood up then.

"We'll discuss this more later. You are a guest and a friend today. You are safe here. Why don't we get the little one fed?" Grandpa said to grandma. Then he looked at me and smiled reassuringly. This was the day I got a little brother, even if it was for a short time.

Duilio was happy being a part of our family and within a month he no longer cared that his father had rejected him. He was angry and hurt at first but then he accepted us as his family and we all loved him as our own. Duilio grew every day. He was really affectionate towards me. For the first few nights, he would hop out of his crib and sneak into my bed. Momma finally decided to just let him sleep in my bed. We were literally inseparable. Daddy said that Duilio was gifted. He could see souls and emotions in a range of colors. According to daddy, his favorite was mine. Duilio thought my soul was pretty and when it connected to his it seemed to glow, like we were meant to be together. Daddy could see it through his mind and he said that the glow we shared was very similar to the bonds I shared with the family. It was strong, bright but the strongest and brightest string was the one I shared with Jacob, momma and himself.

Duilio and I would go hunt in the forest every day for hours. He was getting used to animal blood but still preferred the donated blood grandpa brought him from work. Every day after home school we would hunt and try to think of something fun we could do. Everything we did was simple and innocent; reading, racing, chasing animals in the forest. Things began to change around the last few weeks he was with us. He was old enough to get into trouble, which made every day with Duilio was like an adventure. One night we put pebbles in the lasagna mom made for uncle Seth. Another day, we painted Billy's wheelchair cherry red with hotrod flames on the sides, we rearranged all of the furniture in grandpa Charlie's living room and kitchen (including the dishes) so that it was it the exact opposite of its normal location (like a mirror image), and we painted Sam's house in rainbow colors. I wouldn't let him play jokes on Jacob and he said he would never play jokes on Leah, but everyone else was fair game.

One morning, we both laid on the grass at my parent's meadow with Brady and Jake. Duilio took my hand and squeezed it. This was our code for 'I have an idea'.

"I want to go home." He announced.

"Me too. I think I want to read today." I followed his lead.

"Its ok. Our break was over a while ago so we have to keep patrolling. I'll stop by afterward to check on you guys." Jacob said. We all ran home and our new plan took place.

The entire family was gone except for Alice and Jasper. My parents were and grandparents were hunting out of state and aunt Rose and uncle Emmett were 'out'. I was a bit scared of our new plan. It was dangerous and I knew our lives would be at stake. We were very careful not to disturb our babysitters and we got our supplies. Once it was done we buried our loot and headed back to the house to play videogames and finish our homework.

Everyone returned in the evening and we all sat outside so that daddy could barbecue dinner for some of Jacob's pack. Daddy kept staring at us. He knew we were hiding something. Aunt Rose finally went to the garage to work on her latest project. That's when we heard the scream.

"Duilio Marco de Volturi and Renesmee Carlie Cullen you are in soo much trouble!" She materialized on the porch so quickly that we barely had time to hide behind Jake and Leah. Jacob chuckled.

"What'd they do this time?" She handed him the pictures of her tools. One picture for each tool, which had been placed carefully in her tool box in the exact same position where the actual tools would have been. The pictures were accompanied by a ransom note demanding that Duilio and Renesmee would be taken to Disney or otherwise the tools would 'get it'. This not had a picture of her tools in a hole in the ground each painted with a little sad face. There were 119 tools and a 120 pictures total. Everyone passed the pictures around as they laughed. Even daddy was trying to hold back his amusement.

"I really don't find this funny. Edward! Say something to your children!" She demanded.

"At least it wasn't the actual cars, aunt Rosie. Though I might save that one for another time." Duilio told her with an impish grin on his little face.

"You have ruined my niece and now you are threatening my cars! That's it!" She tried to grab him but he bolted, weaving through the laughing bodies to find grandma Esme. Everyone became silent when we heard a wolf howl in the distance. Jacob, Leah, Seth and Quill phased almost instantly but stayed within the yard.

"It's the Volturi. Marcus is with them with 2 other guards. Tell them to let them through Jake." Daddy said. A few moments later the three cloaked men appeared at the edge of the yard, guided by one of the wolves. I recognized Marcus immediately, Demetri was to his right and Alec to his left.

"I am here for my son. Give him to me and I will consider sparing some of you." He said. Jacob growled but grandpa Carlisle stopped him.

"We did not take your son. He is not a prisoner here, he is a guest." He told him.

"Then why… Where is Felix?!" He demanded.

"If you would allow Renesmee to show you, perhaps all would be clear." I shyly approached my grandfather and he picked me up into his arms protectively. I could see the intense look he was giving Marcus. I had never seen my grandfather look threatening. Marcus approached me at a human pace and extended his hand. I took it and showed him the night Felix came. I showed him how we took care of Duilio, how we loved him, how we didn't want him to go. He looked at my grandfather and at the rest of my family until his eyes met with Duilio. I could see something change in his eyes. It was only for a moment but it was as if he forgot his cold calm mask. I could see the regret and longing in his eyes.

"Father?"

"I know you have developed bonds with these people but it is time to come home, where you belong."

"He belongs just fine here." Momma said in a hiss. Marcus's expression tuned deadly and Duilio stepped in front of her.

"No! I will go with you if you promise not to hurt them."

"No!" I began to cry into my grandfather's neck. I knew at that moment that I would never see my little brother again. Daddy came towards me and took me from grandpa. I could feel him and momma rubbing my back to comfort me. Momma's face looked heartbroken and, even though her tears were absent, I knew she was crying too.

"He's happy here Marcus. He has a home here, a family. Please." Daddy begged him.

"He is MY son. I AM his true family." Duilio walked over to his father. He reached him and took his hand. I cried louder.

"Don't cry Nessie. I will see you again. You'll always be my big sister." I heard him say. Daddy put me on the ground so that I could say goodbye. Marcus looked at me. His face had returned to the mask it was before.

"I can see how much you care for him. I am very grateful for that." He told me in a soft diplomatic tone.

"Will I see him again?" I asked him.

"Eternity has a way of opening every possibility. I am certain that you will meet again." He looked straight at my parents and nodded once in reassurance.

"Duilio is always welcome here. He's family." Daddy told him, he had a grave look on his face and for a moment I could see a fleck of anger in his eyes. Duilio walked towards me and hugged me. He was smaller than me, looking closer to Claire's age. I let him go and he turned to his father.

"May I say goodbye to everyone?" Marcus nodded once and Duilio said his goodbye's to the family. When he got to my parents momma took him in her arms to hug him. She kissed his cheeks and told him she loved him.

"I love you too mom. You too dad." He told my father. Daddy walked over to him and touched his face. He kissed his forehead and told him he loved him. Momma put him down. He came over to me and took my hand. He put a small bracelet in it. Jacob and Quill had taught us, and Claire, how to make Quileute bracelets. His was green and black with strings of yellow accents and mine was pink and purple with dark pink accent. They weren't as intricate as the one Jacob gave me on my first Christmas but we were very proud of them. I took mine off and put it in his hand. I didn't need my gift to show him how much he meant to me so instead I told him with my mind. "I'll miss you little brother." Then I kissed his head, like my parents had done. He looked at me sadly. He was still too young to realize that with our family's histories, we would probably never see each other.

"Let us leave." Marcus said. He gestured for Duilio to follow him but, before he lead them away, he looked at my father. "Felix?"

"His wishes were met. We tried to dissuade him but it was what he wanted." Daddy told him.

"Goodbye then." Then they were gone.