Chapter 29

Renesmee

Alice suddenly sighed in frustration. "Everyone's future just disappeared," she informed us, "I am going to assume that Alec and Seth will be back soon."

There was suddenly a loud pounding on the door. We all looked at each other.

"Renesmee," Esme said after everyone just looked at the door, "why don't you get it?" I nodded and walked over to the door. Opening it, I saw Colin standing on our porch, very worried look on his face.

"Hey Colin," I said, opening the door completely and motioning him to come inside, "what's the problem?" I was sort of confused as to why Colin would be at our door.

"I need to see Carlisle," he informed me sharply. I stepped back and pointed over to where Grandpa Carlisle was sitting with Esme, talking softly.

"Carlisle," Colin exclaimed, and every head in the room turned at the sound of his frantic voice.

"Yes Colin?" Carlisle asked the fourteen year old Quileute boy, "Please calm down," he smiled at Colin, "none of us will eat you."

"I know that Carlisle," Colin said, dismissing Carlisle's statement with a wave of his hand. "It's Seth. Seth's been badly hurt." The panic in his voice rose, and soon Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Lexi, me, and even Rose were surrounding the table where Carlisle and Esme sat.

"How?" I blurted how.

"Vampire attack," Colin breathed out. And with those words, the house went into chaos. Alice gasped and looked at the ceiling, trying to figure out or see anyone's future. Emmett and Jasper began talking in fast voices about defense mechanisms and offensive and defensive maneuvers to us in case the house was attacked. Rose glared at Colin, clearly annoyed, but not at the child himself, rather the news he brought. The she whipped out her cell phone and called Edward. Esme gasped and clutched Carlisle, who gazed, deeply troubled, at Colin. I just openly gaped at the bearer of bad news, who in turn was looking helplessly at Carlisle. Lexi simply grimaced and closed her eyes in concentration.

"What about Alec?" she asked.

"I think he's ok," Colin replied, "I mean he was, last I checked. He—"

Lexi cut him off. "Alright. Tell us about Seth. What happen? How critical is the condition?"

Colin looked from Lexi to Carlisle, who nodded, and then back to Alexandra. "We aren't one hundred percent sure. Jake and I were the only other ones in wolf form when the attack happened. We were following Alec, who identified the scent of a vampire. He said that it had been there within an hour and the two of them followed the trail. Alec had previously asked Seth if he was in contact with the pack, to which Seth replied that he was. Alec suddenly stopped and the next thing we heard him say 'Seth' and our vision was spinning. We lost couldn't see or hear anything, but though our emotional link, we could tell Seth was in pain. Jake started panicking and called the pack together. We tried to figure out where Seth and Alec were located, but no one was sure. Leah was freaking out, and saying some not nice things to Jake. Jake split the pack, sent a message to Sam, and prepared half of us to find Alec and Seth. He told the other half of us to guard the Rez, and he ordered me to tell you what happened. Right before we split up, we got another message from Seth. It was not really from Seth, exactly. It was Alec, yelling at Seth telling him not to close his eyes. Then the vampire came out of nowhere and grabbed Alec the next thing we saw, the female vampire could not move. It was really creepy. Alec said that Seth better tell his pack where he was and the Carlisle had to be told. He then went to get wood to burn the vampire. Jake and his pack arrived then. Jake told Seth that he needed to phase. I lost contact with Seth then, right before I arrived at your house. Someone should be here soon with Seth." Each person in the room nodded, still absorbing what they had been told.

"Please Dr. Cullen," Colin pleaded, "please help Seth." I looked at him and realized how small and vulnerable he seemed right then. One of his best friends, one of his pack, one of his brothers, was critically injured. I found myself praying to someone, anyone, that Seth would be alright.

Carlisle nodded, and quickly gave out orders. Colin ran back to the reservation to let the pack know that Carlisle was preparing for Seth. The living room was swiftly converted into a makeshift hospital room. A cot from the basement was brought up, and clean white sheets were put on it. All furniture was pushed away, and the cot was placed against a side wall. Carlisle grabbed his bag from his study and threw it on a chair that was placed next to the bed.

"Nessie," I turned to face Carlisle, "get me towels from the upstairs closet." I nodded, but Carlisle had already turned away from me and was giving orders to Emmett.

I ran upstairs and brought down a pile of towels as Carlisle had asked. I was depositing them next to the cot when the door opened.

Everyone froze and stared at the opening door. But then we sighed in frustration as we realized that it was only my Mom and Dad.

"Edward, Bella," Esme greeted them, "were you informed what happened?" she questioned.

"Not the whole story," Edward began, "but enough of it to make sense." Bella nodded and her face showed deep concern for Seth.

"Edward," Carlisle called, "I need you here." Edward was next to Grandpa Carlisle in a flash.

"Oh god," my mom said, hugging me close, "if anything happened to Seth, I do not think I will ever be able to forgive myself."

"Why?" I managed to ask.

"Once, after I first turned, I got really mad at Jacob. I went to attack him, but Seth, of course, being Seth, tried to prevent his two friends from fighting. I wound up breaking his arm."

I gasped and looked at my mom, shocked. "You did what?"

My mom nodded, saying "Yes, it is hard to believe, isn't it? Seth is just one of those people who becomes friends with everybody. Everyone grows to love him." She lowered her voice, "I even believe your Aunt Rose likes the kid." I stared at my mother in surprise and then smiled.

"I think she does too," I replied.

"You know," my mom began again, "Seth was the first werewolf to actually accept the Cullens."

"He was?" I asked, surprised.

My mom nodded and continued, "He and Edward were talking when another vampire attacked, and they realized how much they had in common. When your father and I got married, he was the only wolf from the pack to come to the wedding. He is such a good kid." My mom got a faraway look in her eye. "He has got to be alright." I really hoped Seth would be ok as well. I had hung out with him occasionally, but we never really bonded until he became friends with Alec. During movie marathons and game nights, I got to know Seth a lot better, and the four of us had a terrific time together.

Alice was waiting and watching by the window, and she suddenly let out a screech. "They're here! Quick! Quick! Open the door!"

As fast as he could, Emmett opened the door and Paul walked into our house carrying Seth in his arms. The gravity of the situation was evident, as Paul did not seem to be mad or scared to be in Carlisle's house. The rest of the wolves had stayed outside, some had phased, and some were still in their wolf form, but they were all waiting for news.

"Set him down on the bed please Paul," Carlisle requested. Paul silently nodded, and for once in his life, had nothing to say, no snide comment to add. After his wordless nod, he went and stood next to Emmett, and they both watched Carlisle.

Esme and my mom gasped loudly as soon as Paul set Seth down on the bed. I found that I gasped as well. Seth was covered in his own dried blood. As he was placed on the bed, some cuts were reopened and bled fresh again. His head lolled on the pillow, causing the white pillowcase to turn red. There was a huge nasty-looking gash across his forehead, and the blood from the injury had dried in streaks down his face. His left arm was swollen, but his right arm was completely busted. The arm stuck out at odd and unnatural angles. Seth's breathing was heavy and labored.

"He has been having trouble breathing the whole way back," Paul solemnly informed Carlisle, who nodded in response. Carlisle began to examine Seth, trying not to reopen and more injuries.

"Seth has numerous cuts that will heal rapidly as soon as I clean them out and the bleeding ceases. The large cut on his forehead will take a little longer to heal, but I will wrap it to prevent future bleeding. The left arm is fractured, while the right arm is broken in a few different places. Because of the hard time Seth is having breathing, I think that he has some ribs broken as well."

"Oh Seth…" my mom whispered. I gave her a hug, trying not to cry. Poor, poor Seth. I saw Aunt Rosalie comforting Esme. Alice and Jasper sat holding hands, staring stoically at Seth. Lexi too, was simply gazing at Seth with unfocused eyes. Emmett was patting Paul's back, and for once, Emmett's face was absent of a smile. I believe it was the first time I had ever seen Emmett be serious about anything. Paul was blinking rapidly, and I think he was trying to hold back tears.

Suddenly, the door was flung open. Nine heads whipped around. In the door way were Jacob and Alec.

"Alec…" breathed Lexi, as she ran full speed and crashed into him, and hugged him fiercely.

"Seth…" Jake murmured, looking over at Seth before walking over to where Paul was. "Is he…" Jake let the sentence trail off.

"Broken right arm, fractured left arm, broken ribs, multiple cuts and bruising," Paul huskily answered. "The doctor thinks that he'll be alright, though." Jacob nodded and joined Emmett and Paul.

"Lexi," Alec responded softly, trying to push her off him, "you need to let me go, calm down, I'm fine."

Lexi let go of him, angry and offended. "Don't worry? You are telling me not to worry?" They were arguing in whispers, as not to disturb Grandpa Carlisle. "I can't believe you are telling me not to worry."

"I was fine," Alec shot back, still whispering "besides, I stayed with the Volturi all those decades, and I was able to take care of myself just fine then as well."

"And I worried for you then to you idiot!" Lexi told him. "After all I have done in my vampire life, no matter what I was doing; a nagging thought at the back of my mind was me worrying about you, Jane, and Lucy. And then I found you and Jane, so I stopped worrying daily, but I still fret about Lucy at night. And when Seth came back looking like this, I…I…" she paused in the middle of her whispered rant and looked at Alec, "…I thought I lost you again. And then I was wondering how on Earth was I going to tell Jane, and then I thought Aro would kill me, and then I thought about how Lucy might be dead too, and it would be just me and Jane, and it would be all my fault…" she trailed off and took a deep breath.

"Aww… Lex…" Alec hugged her. Lexi fiercely hugged him back, her head buried in his shoulder. It seemed as if she would be sobbing, if she could. "I'm sorry I made you worry, really I am."

"If you had died," Lexi began, half dry sobbing, half laughing, I would have brought you back just to kill you for leaving me and Jane alone."

"That's what Alec said…" Seth informed Lexi weakly from his spot on the bed. Everyone jumped at the sound of Seth's voice. Lexi made a sound that was probably a combination of crying and laughing.

"Seth…"Jake and Paul said in unison, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Hey guys…"Seth replied slowly, "…I'm…ok…" he gasped in pain.

"Enough talking Seth," Carlisle told him sternly. "We are not done yet. Everyone, please leave and allow me to finish. Edward stay here, Jacob, you as well my stay with us if you wish." Jake pulled over another chair and slumped next to Carlisle. Seth tried to give everyone a reassuring smile, but wound up grimacing in pain.

We all followed Carlisle's order, dispersing to different rooms, but listening in case we were allowed back in to see Seth. Jasper and Alice went into the kitchen, leading Esme. Rosalie and Bella followed them. Emmett motioned Paul to go into the kitchen as well. Paul shook his head and pointed outside to his pack. Emmett nodded and followed Paul outside, so that they could convince both packs that Seth was going to be alright.

I was left standing, staring at Alec and Lexi. Alec was still comforting Lexi, whispering to her and rubbing her back. Lexi looked up, and saw me.

"Come on Nez," she whispered, "let's sit outside and watch the sun set and the moon come out." I nodded and walked over to them. Lexi grabbed me hand and squeezed it, smiling at me. "Everyone's okay now," she told me softly, grinning up at the stars.