Mweisgerber- Well, I can't answer your questions with this chapter, but hang around and the next chapter will explain a lot :)

TheRyter- Sorry! The answer isn't in this chapter, but I promise! It will be revealed. :)

Debbie Hicks- She doesn't join the volturi just yet! :)

Chapter 11- Jane

o~O~o

The snow was pure white against the nearly black, bare trees. The sky was finally blue. After so many clouds day after day, Jane thought she had never seen a sky so clear and beautiful.

It was a perfect day. And because of that, she wanted out. Two weeks since the night she had given birth to her infant, and William had only just allowed her to leave the house yesterday to fetch water.

Her spirit wouldn't be at rest until she could go outside today.

As Jane set the table for breakfast, she looked at William with yearning.

Somehow, Madison had taken Faye for a while. Jane suspected that Madison knew what her plan was.

"William?" Jane finally spoke.

He looked up from his plate. "Yes, Jane."

She let her eyes go to the window before gradually meeting her husband again.

Jane watched as William realized what she was asking. Then she watched as he considered the options. Some were the "right" ones. The ones that said "I must work for our survival" and "You need the rest".

But the response that left his mouth wasn't either of those.

He leaned forward and whispered. "Our little secret."

Jane giggled and wrapped herself in her shawl. The couple left the house hand in hand.

"Where will we go?" William asked, smiling.

She looked around the snow laid fields and let her hand slip from William's.

"Catch me if you can."

Her legs pushed through the snow and she streaked across the white lands like a dove flying free for the first time.

Jane felt herself laugh against the cold harsh air. She was warmer than a flame. Lighter than air. Nothing could trap her now.

When the flight ended, she turned to see William slide to a stop. Jane laughed at his frosted hair.

"You are so beautiful." He walked to his angel, her shawl and hair blowing against the winds.

His hand met her cheek and she closed her eyes. The warmth was everything. His love. The bond with her child, Faye. Those were her lights in the cold storm. They were her fire and warmth.

William's lips pressed to hers and she felt love so warm, not even snow could make her shiver.

She grabbed his hair.

He wrapped his hands around her waist. They slipped in the powdery ice with Jane's hands on William's covered chest.

No words could make the moment truer. Purer. Jane was more than in love. She was more than a wife and a mother.

No words could explain how Jane felt. None that she knew were strong enough.

Right now, she thought, it couldn't be any more perfect.

It was the bonding of the purest of lovers.

They lay in the snow, warmed by each other. Her blue eyes stared into his green ones.

Time held no meaning. Nor life. Nor the world. Everything but them ceased to be.

William traced his fingers in patterns across Jane's arm. She held his other hand and their lips brushed.

Only slowly did their souls come back to the earth. Back to presence with time.

The sky had clouded and snow fell in small puffs around the couple.

Cold seeped into their bodies.

Jane looked around herself and saw the house in the distance.

"We need to go back," She whispered.

Shaking the white out of his hair, William sat up and looked to the sky.

When he looked back, Jane shivered slightly.

And without a word, he gently picked her up in his arms. She snuggled close into his chest as he strode through the ice.

Jane's hand slowly found his hand. She looked up through her lashes.

And she came to a conclusion. Without him, without William, she was nothing. Only an empty half.

The air that left Jane's mouth was frosty and clouded. The sky was bright white.

"Just a bit farther, my dearest Jane. We are almost home."

The brown house slid into her view. William threw the skin aside and quickly ran inside.

Madison sat at the table. She grinned.

"Faye is sleeping, I must go home now."

Jane waved at her friend before Madison walked out of the house.

"No, I'm all wet." Jane refused when William lowered her over the straw.

"At least let me wrap you in a blanket while I melt snow for your bath."

Jane tried to resist, but William moved his finger to her lips.

"I insist."

While William collected snow, Jane crawled to Faye. The infant was asleep. Slowly and carefully, she picked up her child.

Faye snapped opened her clouded blue eyes. She mumbled a gurgle noise before looking to Jane. She opened her mouth to make more noises.

Jane smiled wholeheartedly. Faye was the third piece to her puzzle. Before she could get hungry, Jane breastfed Faye.

William opened the door and brought in a tub Jane used to clean clothes. It was full of fresh and clean snow.

"Just a few minutes to warm the snow and you will enjoy your bath, my dearest Jane."

His eyes were alight with happiness.

Jane lightly swayed Faye back and forth until a warm bath of clean water was waiting for her.

"Thank you, Will."

"You are welcome, Jane."

He took Faye in one arm, and his other helped Jane into the bath once she had undressed. Her shoulders relaxed when she was engulfed in water. Jane closed her eyes and let the cold be driven away from her bones.

Suddenly smiling, Jane held her nose and sunk her head under the water. Her hair swayed around her body.

When she brought herself up for air, she giggled and looked to William. He was smiling down at their daughter.

Everything seemed so perfect. It was hard to believe that Jane was so at peace and happy. She had everything she wanted. A family of her own who loved her as much as she loved them. How could life get better than this?

That night after Jane wrapped Faye in her blankets, she laid down in the straw with a thick wool blanket over her. William was next to her and she let her eyes wander the ceiling of the house. A lantern was lit so shadows flickered. Jane let herself finally sift into peace.

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